Nama Japa Yajnam - A Spiritual Sadhana
On December 10, 2023, the serene prayer hall of Ramakrishna Math in Madurai hosted a profound spiritual event - the Japa Yajnam. The purpose of the gathering was to encourage the devotees to practice Nama Japa (repeating the name of God with devotion) for long hours. This sacred gathering brought devotees together for a day of divine vibrations, introspection, and communal harmony.
The event started at 9 am with Arati to Sri Ramakrishna and lasted till 1 pm. It consisted of the following activities:
- Bhajan: Devotional song sessions were conducted at the beginning, in between and at the end to invoke the presence of God and create a spiritual atmosphere.
- Introduction to Nama Japa: A monk delivered a concise lecture on the importance and advantages of Nama Japa, along with practical guidelines.
- Japa sessions: Three sessions of Nama Japa were held, each lasting for a minimum of 30 minutes. The participants were instructed to chant the name of their chosen deity silently in their minds while keeping their attention on the sound and meaning of God's Name.
- Reading from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: A monk read out selected passages from the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, emphasizing the significance of spiritual Sadhana in achieving God-realization.
- Prayer: A guided prayer in which the participants were shown, how to pray for higher things to God.
- Reading from The Gospel of The Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi: Some excerpts from the Gospel of the Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, a compilation of her teachings and conversations, were read by a monastic. The passage highlighted the significance of Nama Japa in cleansing the mind and cultivating devotion and surrender to God.
Many participants enthusiastically attended the event and dedicated their time to engage in Japa and prayer. They expressed deep joy and satisfaction for having the opportunity to be part of this spiritually uplifting program. At the conclusion, approximately 210 participants took cooked food.
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