Group I
Alakh Niranjana Bhajan
LYRICS
MEANING
Lord Vishnu who resides in all the beings is bright, spotless and clean. He destroys the fear of worldly existence, Samsara – the ocean of birth and death.
Alakh Niranjana – Explanation
Alakh Niranjana Bhajan – Video
Alakh Niranjana Bhajan – Activity – Maze
Materials Required:
- Chart Paper or Board
- Pencil or Marker
- Chant Naama while doing any work
- Concentration
- Gurus to explain the meaning of the Bhajan and the importance of chanting Naama.
- Take print of the Maze picture and stick it on a chart paper or Guru can draw one like this on her own on the board.
- Stick a picture of Swami in the center.
- Guru has to call one child and ask her/him to chant “Narayana” continuosly and draw the way to go to the next circle.
- Call the next child and ask her/him to find & draw the way to the third cirle by chanting “Narayana”.
- Let this continue till they reach the innermost circle and see “Sathya Narayana”.
- At the end, let them all sing the bhajan and conclude the activity.
Click to view the maze answer
Alakh Niranjana Bhajan – Further Reading
STORY OF SAGE NARADA WITH LORD VISHNU
Once Sage Narada went to meet Lord Narayana. Narayana asked him …
Narayana: Narada,How are you? What are you upto these days?
Narada: I am fine and am traveling as usual, to all the three worlds.
Narayana: With what thought do you travel?
Narada: Lord, only yours. I keep chanting Narayana, Narayana. But lord, I don’t understand, what is the reward of chanting your name.
Narayana: Oh Narada! You do Namasmarana, but you don’t know its taste. Go and ask that crow sitting on that tree.
Narada went to the crow and asked, “What is the reward of chanting the name of Narayana?” Hearing this the crow fell dead. Narada went to Narayana and told,
Narada: I asked the crow. It immediately fell dead. Is this the reward?
Narayana: To find the truth one must use one’s time well. Narada, go to the poor brahmin’s house. There is a cage, is a beautiful parrot. It has a green body and a red beak, ‘Just like our boys wear white and white’. Go and ask it.
Narada went to the parrot and asked, “What is the reward of chanting the name of Narayana?” Hearing this the parrot immediately fell down and died. Narada went to Narayana.
Narada: I asked the parrot. It immediately fell down and died. Is this the reward?
Narayana: One must be determined until one knows the truth. Go to the Brahmin’s home. A calf has been born only yesterday. Go and ask it.
Narada went to the calf and asked, “What is the reward of chanting the name of Narayana?” The calf raised its head, saw Narada, and fell dead. Narada went to Narayana again.
Narada: I will not leave until I learn the truth. Oh lord! Is this the reward?
Narayana: Don’t be haste. Haste makes waste. Waste makes worry. So do not be in a hurry. Be patient. A son has been born to the king of this land just yesterday. The king is very happy. Go and ask the child.
Narada was afraid. He thought, “If the child also dies, the soldiers will arrest me. I will also die. Is this the reward”.
Narayana: Don’t be hasty. Go and ask the child.
Narada went to the king. The child was brought on a golden plate. Narada asked the king, “Oh king! Can I ask the child a question?” The king agreed.
Narada: “What is the reward of chanting the name of Narayana?” Hearing this the child prince spoke.
Prince: Narada, is this all you have learned? You chant the Lord’s name 24 hours, but don’t know its taste. First I was a crow. You came and asked me what is the reward of chanting Narayana’s name. Hearing that, my life got fulfilled. I gave up my life. Next, I was born as a parrot. Where is a crow and where is a parrot? A parrot is nourished in a cage. You again came and asked me the same question. Next, I was born as a calf. This is an even better life. Bharatiyas worship cows. I heard the Lord’s name and died. Now I am born as a prince. Where is a crow, parrot, calf and where is a prince? By chanting God’s name, we go to higher states. I have now become a prince. This is my fortune. This is the reward of chanting Narayana’s name.
Swami: But our boys here keep asking what is the reward of chanting Sai Ram! This is because you don’t have faith and devotion. Therefore you don’t get any reward. You keep passing and failing. You just follow the March-September-March cycle. If you have faith, love, and devotion you can reach higher states in life.
Hearing the name of Narayana, the crow became a parrot, calf, and finally a prince. It got a human life. See the difference in the lives it got. If hearing the Lord’s name has so much power, what about the power of uttering the Lord’s name? Therefore Namasmarana has great power.