How important is the exact pronunciation of Rama in the maha-mantra?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
So some people say that when we are doing kirtan we should never say Ramu.
But there are many devotees who sing like that. And there are also scriptural statements also which have Ram in the various grammatical forms. Out of which Ramu is one.
Okay. There are I would say three different things over here. First is when it comes to grammar.
There are it’s Ram, Rameti, Ramaya, Ramasya. All those different forms are there. And in the appropriate grammatical structure to use Ramu or Ramaha or Ramasya.
That is not only acceptable that is essential. So from the grammatical perspective when we are chanting the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Here it’s a direct invocation.
So where a grammatical form requires Ramasya or Ramu then it is essential. But in the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mantra Ramu or Ramasya is not required. So I would say that that example may not apply over here.
Because that’s a grammatical requirement for the verse whereas it is not a grammatical requirement here. That’s the first point. The second point is that here there is a verse while you are asking the question I found this verse in C.C. Adhikanta 11108.
Actually I had been asked the same question on my website this Buddhist scientist. So the verse is मुर्खो वदति विष्णाय धीरो वदति विष्णवे उभयोस्तु समंपुण्यं भावग्राहि जनार्थनं So Vishnu when it was in possessive it becomes Vishnave. But then धीरो वदति विष्णवे the wise people they say Vishnave.
But मुर्खो वदति विष्णाय Some people may say Vishnaya also. But there is a grammatically correct form there is a grammatically incorrect form. But उभयोस्तु समंपुण्यं Both will get the same devotion.
Same result. Here पुण्य refers not to material piety it refers to spiritual credits. Why? Because भावग्राहि जनार्थनं Lord Janardhan he sees the essential need.
So somebody may be chanting रामो And they may be doing it with great devotion they will advance. And if we criticize them for chanting रामो Whatever devotion is there that might get evaporated. And we might commit अपराद.
So therefore it is best in devotee circles to be not judgmental towards others. And I would say that there are many Sri Prabhupada’s anecdotes which have to be seen in the broader context of the philosophy. There is a whole incident about In Vrindavan some devotees were reading the previous Acharya’s books and one devotee came and told Prabhupada Prabhupada no devotees have stopped reading your books they are reading all previous Acharya’s books.
Prabhupada was upset. If they don’t have basic understanding then they will not be able to then they will commit offenses they will misunderstand. And Prabhupada said no if they are going to do like this then they should not have access to this previous Acharya’s books.
Better those books be burned. And then this devotee went back and told that Prabhupada has said all the previous Acharya’s books should be burned. And the devotees created a big fire and they were about to put the previous Acharya’s books in the fire.
And then one devotee ran to Prabhupada and Prabhupada said Prabhupada the devotees are putting these books in fire. What? What nonsense. These are our worshipable Acharya’s their books are to be worshipped.
Prabhupada you said that the books are to be put in fire. Prabhupada said I never said that. So then they saw then they found out actually what are the emphasis.
So Prabhupada was saying that don’t just Prabhupada’s emphasis was don’t just go next door shopping. Read books properly and try to understand systematically. So I think Prabhupada’s anecdotes from Prabhupada’s life are important no doubt.
But they have to be seen in a broader context. So broader context means there is the whole bhakti philosophy which Prabhupada has given. And during Prabhupada’s time the devotees were so new and there must have been many many devotees who pronounced the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in an incorrect way or in a not exactly grammatically correct.
If Prabhupada had considered that a very important issue then Prabhupada would have said it repeatedly. It is it is unlikely extremely unlikely that this particular one anecdote that has been quoted that is the only time in Prabhupada’s presence that somebody chanted Ramu instead of Ram. And if that is the only time when Prabhupada corrected it then I would say that means Prabhupada did not consider that as extremely important.
So what we should focus on is the essential mood of devotion. And in the case of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra for the case of for musical effect just like for grammatical effect the word Ram will go into its various into many different variants. So like that for musical effect the word Ram can also go into variants.
So that’s that’s not a major issue. For example in many parts of India people don’t pronounce Krishna they pronounce Krishna. So now is it Krishna or is it Krishna? Now we could have a long debate over this and find and see what is that in tradition.
But it doesn’t matter. Bhavagraha Janardhanam. So if some devotees emphasize that we can respect them for their emphasis but we don’t have to make that emphasis into an absolute fact.
And we don’t have to certainly we should certainly not judge those devotees who are chanting the Mahamantra differently. So I said three main points Krishna is Bhavagrahi. Second is Mr. Prabhupada’s anecdotes have to be seen in the light of his broader teachings.
So and thirdly that the for musical sub purpose certain variation is allowed. Therefore there’s no need to make this into a big issue. Does it answer your question?