Question: Is not nama-japa (repetition of a divine name) helpful to attain jnana?
Bhagavan: Yes.
Question: Is not 'nishkama karma' yoga [action performed selflessly, with no interest in a reward] also helpful?
Bhagavan: That is also helpful
Question: What is the mutual relationship between name and form? Can one who does not have faith in nama-japa perform atma-vichara?
Bhagavan: They are not different in any way. This is the relationship. Name itself is form and form itself is name.
Through nama-japa, the person who owns the name is reached.
If a person does not have firm faith in any of any of the gods, but only has a longing to know himself, he can inquire into the word 'I’. For the thinking mind that is intent upon inquiring into the Self, ‘I’ is like a name. At this stage of practice, self-Inquiry is the thinking of a name or japa.
RAMANA MAHARSHI
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