Question: What is the best Method of "Naam Japa" (divine name recitation)?
Answer: The best method is to practice "Naam Japa" with a feeling that you belong to God.
"Hoyi raam ko naam Japu, Tulasi taji kusumaaju."
While reciting Naam Japa meditate on His Divine form. When we think of the sacred river "Gangaji" the picture of it's gushing water comes to mind. When we think of a cow, it's picture comes to our mind, and when we think of a holy ascetic, his picture comes to our mind. Similarly while "Raam Naam Japa", the divine form of Lord Raam, His favorite bow, must come to our mind. Similar thing has been expressed in Patanjali's Yogadarshan -
"Tajjpastdarthbhaavnam" "tasya vaachakah pranavah."
If you are a devotee of Sri Krishna, take refuge at His holy feet and repeat that mantra -
"Shri Krishnah Sharanam mama" and at the same time meditate on His divine form. This is the best method of Naam Japa.
One method is to repeat His name with a feeling that you belong to Him. And the other method is to concentrate on His divine form, while doing "Naam Japa". If your mind wanders away, pray saying " O' Lord, help me. I forgot ! My mind wandered elsewhere." If you pray like this, God will certainly help you. You cannot do by yourself what is achieved with God's help. Therefore, both "Naam Japa" and meditating on His divine form must go on simultaneously.
It says in Gita -
"Omityekaaksharam Brahma, vyaaharan maamanusmaran" (Gita 8/13)
"Recite the word 'OM' and meditate on my Divine Form." (Gita 8/13).
The scriptures emphasize this point.
So in summary - While doing "Naam Japa" observe the following rules -
1. Have the feeling that you belong to God
2. Meditate on His Divine form
3. Do it in seclusion
4. Do it constantly
5. Do not have desire for any worldly gain in return for Naam Japa
6. Whenever all of a sudden if God comes to mind, then know that God has very graciously remembered you, and at once start Naam Japa incessantly.
From "The Divine Name" in English pg 18 by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
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