What it means
Ram's name, said twice. It comes from a root meaning to delight: the one in whom the mind finds rest.
Where it comes from
In the Balkand of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas writes that the name is greater than Ram. His reasoning is simple: Ram in person saved a few; his name has carried countless people across. "Ram Ram" is still a greeting in north India, and many older people say it all day. The words spoken at a funeral, Ram naam satya hai, come from the same trust in the name.
How to chant it
Pair it with the breath: "Ra" as you breathe in, "m" as you breathe out. With a mala or without, either is fine.
When: Any time.
Try it now
The japa counter opens with this mantra selected and keeps count for you.
Questions people ask
He argued that far more people have been saved by simply taking Ram's name than were ever saved by Ram in person. The name is available to everyone, in every age.