NAMASMARAN

AND

DEFEATING
STRESS

DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR
Even as there are many apparent causes of
stress, which we refer to as stressors, our stress
is fundamentally produced due to the tussle and
tug of war between; the innate attraction of our
soul and the dragging forces of temptation!
Thus we keep getting attracted and engrossed in
apparently pleasant activities; often hyped in
literature; or elsewhere for commercial
purposes. This is why; we are fascinated by the
thrill in; ferry tales, romantic associations, the
utopian radicalism, charity, indulgence, physical
sex, fashions, glamour, glitter, power, fame,
entertainment and even academic successes
barring the urge of our soul!

The concepts and precepts in Hindu dharma as

I know and understand are actually ways of
Total Stress Management. They constitute; a
conglomeration of perspectives and practices in
various traditions; which utilize physical,
instinctual, emotional and intellectual needs;
and cognitive, psychomotor and affective
capabilities; for simultaneous blossoming of self
and all, i.e. self realization! Depending on the
stage of evolution; various the means and ways
are used in these.

However this way of life can appear to be

coercive to us in view of our blazing passions
and emotions and hence we may rebel against
such a way of life. This is usually due to our
ignorance. But after rebellion we are left with
some possibilities about our fate. Thus, we may
become atheist. We may shun the rituals and get
converted to a religion where there are fewer
rituals. We may become bohemian and
indulgent. We may leave the mainstream society
and become ascetic. We may become a radical
and take to arms; or we may even become
morbidly ambitious and resort to illegal
activities. Of course there could be many more
possibilities.
However, the issue is that in every possible fate
we become indiscriminately violent towards self
and/or the others; and unhappy and disgruntled
in the heart i.e. STRESSED. This is what is
reflected in the society we live in, and where all
the sermons about austerity, simplicity and
goodness; on the one hand and all the
propaganda of indulgence and petty pursuits on
the other; are rendered pathetically ridiculous
and obnoxiously repugnant respectively.

When the forces assisting our inward return

following the call of our soul; are unable to
decisively conquer the forces dragging us away
from our soul, then it is called a state of GLANI
of DHARMA! This leads to unbearable stress, in
and around!

The solution traditionally provided is

NAMASMARAN. Whether we call
NAMASMARAN; good, bad, scientific,
unscientific, logical, absurd, rational, irrational,
theistic, atheistic, religious, irreligious or
anything, it is the (chief or most important) way
(other means being adjuvant), for reorienting
our perspective, thinking, instincts and our
whole existence towards the quest and the thirst
of our soul!

This is associated with simultaneous blossoming

of one and all.

NAMASMARAN appears to belong to spiritual

life and isolated from day to day transactions,
logic and science. But this is not true. Through
NAMASMARAN our personal and social life
get reoriented and reorganized; towards the
urge of our soul, which is blossoming of one and
all, thereby decisively defeating our stress from
moment to moment!