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When Raam had come back from His exile and was sitting in a garden, Naarad Jee came to Him and asked for a boon from Him - "Hey Bhagvan, Please give me this boon that whatever names are in this world, Raam name should be the highest among all of them." Raam smiled and granted this boon to him. let us see how it is the greatest.

1. Glory and Power of Raam Naam by Paramaachaarya (former Kaanchee Kaamkoti Peethaadhipati, Sri Chandrasekhara Swamigal
"There are two powerful "Taarak Naam". One is Aum or Om and another is Raam. All Mantra have to be prefixed with Aum for obtaining the benefits of those Mantra, whereas there is no need to prefix any Om when the name of Raam is recited because the name itself is "Taarak Naam".

2. An Incident from Raam's Life
Once, during their stay in the jungle, Lakshman observed a Crow going to a river to drink water, but returned without drinking the water. Like this it kept on trying for innumerable times but never drank the water. Lakshman could not understand why the crow was doing like this and sought an explanation from Raam. Raam said - "This crow is uttering the name of Raam, non-stop. He is afraid he may have to stop uttering the name if he starts drinking water. He is willing to die without water rather than stop chanting the name of Raam."

All kinds of sins are completely washed away by the utterance of all Naam but it is only the Raam Naam that shields against the sins committed even in the future also. Such is the greatness of Raam Naam.

3. Bhadraachalam Raamdaas - Greatness and Power of Raam Naam (Real Incident) by Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
Gopannaa (Bhadraachalam Raamdaas) used to celebrate the Raam Navamee Utsav in a grand way every year. His wife herself cooked food for all the guests for she realized that as an honor to cook for all these Saadhu. Therefore, she did not leave it in the hands of hired cooks but took it upon herself. It was late evening and the Naam Keertan was going on. Gopannaa's wife had prepared dinner for the guests. She put her little son Raghav to sleep and placing a lamp beside him moved to the place where Naam Keertan was going on. It was her husband who was leading the keertan which made it all the more interesting to her and they were singing all his Keertan. She was enjoying the Keertan and after a while, as she was a mother, she went to check her child.

But lo! the child was not to be found where she had put him to sleep. After she had left him, the child had woken up. The lamp had been blown out and being dark, the scared child searching out for the mother had reached the place where dinner had been prepared. The rice water after being cooked had been filtered nearby on the floor and the child in the dark stepped on to it. He slipped and fell into the boiling hot rice water and died. The mother searched for her little son and found the child dead. The wife of a great devotee of Raam she called out her husband. She suppressed her grief and tears as the thought crossed her, "If I were to cry for my dead child, the Raam Navamee Utsav will come to a stop. This cannot be allowed to happen. The guests should be fed. She wrapped the body of the child in a cloth and placed it aside where none could see it. She then went about her work.

As soon as the Naam Keertan was over she served food for all the guests. As they were being served, one of the Saadhu asked Gopannaa, "Where is your little son Raaghav? I have not seen him around?" Gopannaa looked questioningly at wife. She quietly took him aside and showed him the dead body of the child. Gopanna was also grief stricken; He was also astounded at his wife's behavior in such a situation. Meanwhile the Saadhu had gathered there and learnt about the incident. They, too, grieved over the mishap. Gopannaa consoled them, "Raam blessed me with this child and He has now taken him back. The child has gone to a better place - to the Lotus Feet of Lord Raam. We should not cry over this!"

However, the Saadhu said, "No, Gopannaa, What will the world say? You are a Raam Bhakt. You are celebrating His Utsav. The people will scoff at your Raam for bringing this upon you. This incident will bring a bad name to your Raam." Saying so, all of them together prayed to Lord Raam pleading with Him to restore the child to life. Just then a Yogee came in and enquired in a demanding tone, "What is happening here?" He was told of the child's death. The Yogee said, "Died? Who says the child is dead? He is not." And tapping the child the Yogee said, "Get up, my son!" and the child woke up! The Yogee quickly went out of the door. Gopannaa who had followed the Yogee quickly saw the form of Kodand Dhaaree Raam just before he disappeared from sight. This only intensified his faith that the Lord was taking care of him in every way.

4. Hanumaan Crossed the Sea
Hanumaan crossed 100 Yojan long sea just by keeping the Raam Naam engraved ring and uttering Raam Naam.

5. Vaalmeeki Became Maharshi
Vaalmeeki like robber became Maharshi after reciting the Raam Naam, that is also not even Raam but "Maraa, Maraa". So think if somebody can be Maharshi by reciting Raam Naam in reverse order, what of reciting it correctly.

6. Stones Floated on Water
Raam Naam Mahimaa in limitless. When Raam wanted to cross the sea, Nal and Neel wrote the name of Raam on stones and threw them in the sea. They did not sink, they floated. It is said that when Raam saw them throwing the stones in water and seeing them floating, He thought "let me also throw some stones, the bridge will be built soon." So He also threw one stone in the water, but it did not float, it sank. Raam was surprised to see this. Hanumaan was looking at this, he said - "Stones are floating because your name is written on it and thus they are carrying your power."

7. Agastya Rishi and Raam Naam
Once Paarvatee Jee did Tapasyaa. At the end of it she wanted to feed some Brahm Vettaa Maharshi. She chose Agastya Jee and asked Shiv Jee to invite him for food. Shiv Jee warned her - "You cannot feed him as he has drank the whole sea, your food will fall short." Paarvatee Jee said - "I am Annapoornaa, I feed the whole world, how my food will fall short? I have lots of food, you may invite him without hesitation." Shiv Jee again warned her - "Keep in your mind that he has drank the whole sea." Paarvatee Jee ignored this and again insisted him to invite Rishi for food. Shiv Jee invited him and Paarvatee Jee started offering him food.

Now Agastya Jee started eating food and continued to eat, and eat, and eat. Paarvatee Jee got tired, her food got finished. She got worried as this was not a good omen that after inviting somebody to eat food one should not feed him to his satisfaction. So she asked Shiv Jee the way - "Prabhu, You were right. My all food is finished and Agastya Jee is not yet satisfied, what should I do?" Shiv Jee smiled - "Paarvatee, I told you before also, but you did not listen to me." Paarvatee Jee said - "But tell me what should I do now. Tell me some way." Shiv Jee said - "Agastya Jee is not hungry for food, he is hungry of Raam Naam. You write Raam's Naam on a Tulasee leaf, mix it with food and feed him. He will be satisfied." Paarvatee did so and as he ate that leaf, he said - "Devee, I am satisfied. That is all." Paarvatee Jee got relieved.

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