27 Mar 2012 - QA 7

Guruji, what is the significance of Japa Mala?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: You know when someone is in love with somebody; they go on taking their name so many times. They write their name everywhere, on the stones, on the walls; have you noticed this? I know this boy who fell in love with this girl and he wrote the name of his girlfriend all around the room. All the four walls were filled with that. Why? That is Japa.
You know when someone writes a letter they write, ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you’, so many times. Why? They should have written only once, that is enough. But no, the mind wants to repeat it. In the same way, if you are in love with the Divine and you say, ‘Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namah Shivaya’, and go on repeating that.