Faith and Ram Nam
Los Angeles/09/24/2025
After submitting my PhD thesis, I identified some typographical, spelling, and grammatical mistakes in the text. Professor Michael A'Hearn of University of Maryland and Dr. Krishnaswamy of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research were my examiners, to whom the thesis was sent by the university for evaluation. Before going to the symposium in Bamburg, Germany, where both of the examiners were also attending, I had a terrible dream, perhaps the worst in my lifetime. I dreamt that Professor A'Hearn took my thesis to the podium and said "this is a PhD thesis written by one of the students from India, who is present in the audience, and he thinks we shall approve it for the degree. I talked to the other examiner, and we agree that it belongs to the garbage cane." And he threw the thesis to the waste closest basket!!! In the dream, I was profusely sweating and soon realized that it cannot be true and must be a dream and soon woke up from sleep. I was so relaxed and happy that it was really a dream. I had several such dreams in my like time, but that was the worst. This may be a perfect example of the description of the world manifest around us described by Goswami Tulasidas, that appears so true due to ignorance like the impression of snake in a rope in darkness. As the darkness disappears the true nature is realized1.
We experience the world in two ways, one the dynamical physical world that is solid, liquid, shape, and the other conceptual world that is perceived by us through our senses. Most of the times, after I change my eye glass, I see the straight lines slightly curved for few days. So, what is the truth, the line is straight or curved? I use my previous knowledge to conclude that it is straight - I decide.
We observe the external world and construct our mental model that explains the properties consistently for our understanding the causality. Sir Isac Newton constructed the model to explain the dynamical behavior of matter in terms of the exerted gravitational force due to their mass. Centuries later the same effect was explained as due to the distortion of space-time by the presence of mass of the matter by Albert Einstein. Essentially, we understand the world around us by constructing the mental model for our observed facts. In the words of Werner Heisenberg, "We have to remember that what we observe is not nature herself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning (Physics and Philosophy, 1958).
The world is complex. We are affected by so many factors that are beyond our control, beyond the control of anybody. We experience good, we experience bad. May years ago, I was visiting my dentist in Encino, CA, for the first time with terrible problems. I was driving in the hot sun and could not locate their office. Fearing I might have been late, I was desperate. I stopped on the roadside and entered a restaurant to ask the address to the skull caped, perhaps the owner. He asked me to sit down and gave me a glass of ice-cold water. He asked me to be calm and gave the direction to the Dentist's office. An unforgettable experience. But I have also experienced many unkind and bad experiences from unknown and known (sometimes saintly) people without any cause. In the world stage, many things, like the event described in the following picture, defy any explanation for the causality. Without any explanation, there is no hope, and hopeless living is impossible. Man, from the dawn of the civilization, have been making models to explain the happenings that affect lives individually and collectively.
We want to construct models to make sense of these individual and global experiences on which we do not have any control or contribution. Rationalities would advise relying on evidence and not faith2. The faithful would simply rely on the explanation that the occurrings are beyond the scope of his understanding, only those blessed can grasp3. None can be validated with any evidence-based analysis method.
Every individual tries to make sense with his model of the relatively everlasting world within his momentary lifetime. The only resources are evidence and most of the time flimsy causes. This may be the primary reason for constructing faith on something higher than all that can be observed by our senses that is beyond the comprehension of mortal individuals by their senses. The ancient wisdom of India described them as "not this or नेति " If you think you understood, that is not the case. Something that can never be understood by an individual's senses because it is incapable to constructing that line of inquiry. It can, however, be realized perhaps.
So, one prescription by the realized wise people around the world (irrespective of religious denomination) is to cultivate faith and constantly remember the higher than the observable. That, which perhaps governs the creation, which is the cause of all. The name of That big thing is the only relief4.
Of course, the downside of this notion or understanding is that many thugs and crooks can exploit that common faithful. And that does happen as described by Russel. We see rampant cheats in the contemporary world claiming special power and accumulate enormous wealth from miserable. At the same time, there are many who benefit from faith. If faith is abandoned, the crooks and thugs will find other ways to cheat the ordinary mass. So, giving up faith has no practical benefit.
In the end, the wise poet Goswami Tulsidas says, जाकी रही भावना जैसी, प्रभु मूरत देखी तिन तैसी।. Individuals see the God depending on their emotional belief or faith.
---------------------------------
1यत्सत्वादमृषैव भाति सकलं रज्जौ यथाहेर्भ्रमः।
यत्पादप्लवमेकमेव हि भवाम्भोधेस्तितीर्षावतां
वन्देऽहं तमशेषकारणपरं रामाख्यमीशं हरिम्।।6।।
Yan Maya = Jinki maya; Vashvartim = ke adheen, vash mein rahne wala, under the control of; Vishwam Akhilam = sara sansaar, the whole universe; Bramha Aadi Deva = Bhrahma, Vishnu, Mahesh aur saare jitney Devta hay; Sura = Jitne saare asur, raakshas hay, jo log devta ki tarah nahi pesh aate hay, evil minded people.
Yat Sattawaad = Jiski satta se, because of His existence; Amrisha = satya, real; Bhaati = Prateet hota hay, seems like; Sakalam = The whole world, the whole universe; Rajjo = rassi, rope; Yatha Ahe = saap ki tarah, like a snake; Bhram = sandeh, vipreet gyan, confusion, suspicion.
Yat Paad = Jo charan, jis raaste par chal kar hamein raasta dikhaaya hay, Those footmarks that show us the way ahead; Palwam = naao, jahaaj, ship; Ekam eo hi = Ek yahi hi raasta hay, there is no other way; Bhow = Sansaar, world; Ambhodhi = Samudra, ocean; Titeershaaotaam = Us paar utar jaane ki itchaa rakhne waale, those who want to get through life without much difficulty.
Vandeham = Unhe namaskaar hay, We pray to Him; Tama = Andhkaar, agyaanta, darkness, ignorance; Ashesh = sampurna, entire; Kaaran Param = Sabhi kaarano se upar, Reason above all reasons; Ram Aakhya = Ram Naam, God’s name; Eesham = Above all, Supreme; Hareem = Dukh ko harne waala, sukh ko dene waala, The supreme being who takes away our pains and gives us happiness and joy.
2Concerning FAITH: “All faiths do harm. We may define "faith" as a firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. Where there is evidence, no one speaks of "faith." We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence. And the substitution of emotion for evidence is apt to lead to strife, since different groups substitute different emotions.”
— Bertrand Russell, Human Society in Ethics and Politics (1954), Ch. VIl: Can Religion Cure Our Troubles?, p. 213.
In Srimad Bhagawat Gita, the supreme Lord describes the nature of observed reality by stating that the observed reality is divine illusion consisting of three modes of material property. Only those that surrender me can fathom the reality.
4॥ श्रीराम नाम महिमा ॥
नाम प्रसाद संभु अबिनासी। साजु अमंगल मंगल रासी॥
सुक सनकादि सिद्ध मुनि जोगी। नाम प्रसाद ब्रह्मसुख भोगी॥1॥
By the grace of the Name alone Lord Shambhu (Shiva) is immortal and, though endowed with inauspicious paraphernalia (such as a wreath of skulls), is yet a storehouse of blessings. Again, it is by the grace of the Name alone that Siddhas (adepts), sages and Yogis like Shuka, Sanaka and others enjoy divine raptures,
नारद जानेउ नाम प्रतापू। जग प्रिय हरि हरि हर प्रिय आपू॥
नामु जपत प्रभु कीन्ह प्रसादू। भगत सिरोमनि भे प्रहलादू॥2॥
Narada realized the glory of the Name; that is why, while Sri Hari is beloved of the world (and Hara is dear to Sri Hari), he (Narada) is dear to Hari and Hara (Vishnu and Shiva) both. It was because of his repeating the Name that the Lord showered His grace on Prahlada, who thereby became the crest-jewel of devotees.
ध्रुवँ सगलानि जपेउ हरि नाऊँ। पायउ अचल अनूपम ठाऊँ॥
सुमिरि पवनसुत पावन नामू। अपने बस करि राखे रामू॥3॥
Dhruva repeated the name of Sri Hari with a feeling of indignation (at the harsh treatment received from his step-mother) and thereby attained a fixed and incomparable station in the heavens. It is by remembering the holy Name that Hanuman (son of the wind-god) holds Sri Rama under His thumb.
अपतु अजामिलु गजु गनिकाऊ। भए मुकुत हरि नाम प्रभाऊ॥
कहौं कहाँ लगि नाम बड़ाई। रामु न सकहिं नाम गुन गाई॥4॥
The vile Ajamila and even the celebrated elephant and the harlot of the legend were liberated by the power of Sri Hari's name. I have no words to depict the glory of the Name: not even Rama can adequately glorify it.
नामु राम को कलपतरु कलि कल्यान निवासु।
जो सुमिरत भयो भाँग तें तुलसी तुलसीदासु॥
The name of Rama is a wish-yielding tree, the very home of beatitude in this age of Kali, by remembering which Tulsidasa (the poet himself) was transformed from an intoxicating drug like the hemp-plant into the holy basil.
5Russell continues with humour — The Faithful
“I admire especially a certain prophetess who lived beside a lake in Northern New York State about the year 1820. She announced to her numerous followers that she possessed the power of walking on water, and that she proposed to do so at 11 o'clock on a certain morning. At the stated time, the faithful assembled in their thousands beside the lake. She spoke to them, saying:
“Are you all entirely persuaded that I can walk on water?“ With one great voice they replied: “We are.“ “In that case,“ she announced, “there is not need for me to do so.“
And they all went home much edified.“
— Bertrand Russell, An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish: A Hilarious Catalogue of Organized and Individual Stupidity (1943)
