Whoever sings Narayana Naam, which is the destroyer of all ills of this samsara, is relieved of the greatest sins; there is no doubt about this.

If a person even idly utters Narayana Naam once, his heart is cleansed and he attains Nirvana Mukti.

Q. If one starts chanting Naam tirelessly, his tongue cannot give up Naam any longer. Hence by repeating ‘Narayana’ he gains Nirvana Mukti (i.e., complete liberation). Is this not what you mean?

A. Yes.

Q. Well, you said that the pleasure of gaining earthly things ultimately gives the clue to the Paramananda. Will you please explain this more clearly? Prema.

A. Even the pleasure or gaining earthly things is but a part of the Brahmananda. After realising the attraction of earthly pleasures, a good man starts hankering for the Brahmananda. The difference between the two is that whereas Brahmananda is unbroken and one single Rasa, earthly pleasures are in bits and parts and have got many variations. But earthly pleasures are not outside the pleasures of atma. When one enjoys earthly pleasures, his mind turns inwards and on this introspective mind falls the reflection of that inner pleasure of atmananda, just as one sees the reflection of one’s face in a mirror.

Q. If one takes each object separately, his senses also can but enjoy pleasure in bits. But if one takes all objects as parts of one Bhagawan, he is able to enjoy unbroken pleasure. Is not this the meaning? What is the identity of Ananda?

A. According to whether it has shape or not, Ananda is of two varieties. The embodied one is the shelter for the un-embodied. Achyuta Sri Bhagawan is Murta Ananda, that is Ananda with form. Paramatma is Amurta Ananda, i.e. Ananda without form. It is the conclusion of the Sadhus that Brahma is knowledge, unchangeable and without any manifestation. If one goes to the root, there is no real difference between the Murta and Amurta. The difference between Murta and Amurta is no more than the difference between a gem and its rays. Just as the gem is the shelter of its rays, similarly Sri Bhagawan is the shelter of the Brahma which is formless and quality-less. The Bhagawad Gita has said that Sri Bhagawan is the abode of the Brahman, the Immortal and Imperishable, of absolute bliss.

In this world, Brahma is to be realised in both its aspects — Murta and Amurta. This Bhagawan Narayana has both the attributes, Murta and Amurta, so He is the subject of meditation.

Q. Then all the enjoyment (Ananda) one derives from the various objects of God’s creation is also Amurta Ananda. That one Anandamaya has dressed himself up as everything; hence whatever is taken amounts to taking Him. Due to the unsteadiness of the mind, some turn out to be things which give pleasure whereas others give pain. Is not this the result of taking Him partially?

A. Right, hear further —

Ananda is of two types: Murta (manifested) or Amurta (unmanifested). Paramatma, in the garb of the human body, is Murta Ananda and is the abode of Amurta Ananda.

Q. I do not yet understand what is Anand?

A. Anand is the Sattwika state, Ananda is Hari himself; hence worship with every care God Narayana who cures you of all diseases.

By knowing Me, the Anandamaya, a person becomes full of Ananda; even hundreds of Pralaya (deluge) do not cause him any fear or grief.

Q. Why is God called Ananda?

A. From Brahma to the cluster of grass, none has any vibration of its own. As He has placed Ananda in them (so that they have lives), so he is called Ananda. Would you like to hear more of Ananda?

Q. Certainly, I would.

A. That, which is beyond the perception of the senses and is received only through intellect, is the limitless pleasure or Ananda. It is beyond Kshara (transient) and Akshara (permanent).

Q. You mean that when the mind is controlled, that pleasure which is attainable by intellect is the limitless Ananda.

A. Yes, so long as the mind is not controlled, it is swayed by conflicting forces and so the pleasure gained also comes in bits. But a mind, which has been detached from material objects, can get limitless Ananda in thinking about Bhagawan’s Leela.

What words fail to describe and come back defeated, that is the real Ananda. By realising this, the learned liberate themselves.

Q. What do ‘words’ here signify?

A. Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashayanti — these are the three type of words.

Mind along with words fail to reach the Brahma. One who knows the Ananda of that Brahma, he is never afraid of anything.

Q. This type of Ananda is attainable only by the Jnanis and the Yogis. Tell me about the Ananda which a Bhakta gets in Bhagawan.

A. Those who can get pleasure out of bodies thinking that they are but God’s bodies, they also get that limitless Ananda. Such steady persons do not grieve. One can get this Ananda even without subduing one’s mind. If the mind is made pure, then thinking with this pure mind can bring about Ananda.

Q. How can this Ananda or pleasure be made permanent?

A. What is the greatest of all, that is pleasure, there is no pleasure in smallness. The great Mahan is the great Ananda. That which does not see or hear anything else is the great Mahan. That which takes cognizance of other things is small. Whatever is great is immortal; whatever is small is mortal.

Q. Where does that Bhuma (Great - Mahan) live?

A. He is below, He is above; He is behind and he is in front; He is north and He is south; He is the entire universe comprising all animate and inanimate objects.

Q. How nice, how beautiful! We are living in the midst of that Ananda; we are living immersed in that ocean of Ananda. Oh, I do not know when this permanent realisation will come to me.

A. Only chant Naam, that will give you the realisation.

Say — Narayana, Narayana, Narayana.
Narayana, Narayana, Narayana