In the Bhagavata Purana (7.5.23), Prahlada speaks of nine
forms of devotion and the third form is remembrance of God. Here is a look at
the importance of remembrance of God in Hindu religion.
The nine forms of devotion are distinct up to a point, but
they often overlap one another. The efficacy of the first two forms of devotion
(listening and singing) are effective to the extent they lead to remembrance of
God, even in the midst of our daily activities.
Sri Krishna teaches that the only purpose of life is to
worship God: "Having come into this joyless and impermanent world worship
Me." (Bhagavad Gita, 9.33)
Struggle is inevitable in life. No incarnation of God or
realized soul has ever promised that we would be exempt from adversities in
life because we were devoted to God. We are bound to have problems in life, but
devotion to God can help us face them boldly, understand them, and address them
with a calm mind. Without devotion to God we can easily be overpowered by
problems.
Nothing can be more unwise than to think that spiritual
exercises like japa, prayer and meditation can wait till the evening of our
life, when we have completed our worldly responsibilities. According to a
well-known verse attributed to Vyasa, "He who wants to think of the Lord when
all his worldly responsibilities are over is like the fool who waits for all
the waves to subside before taking a plunge into the ocean."
In his "Hymn of Forgiveness to Shiva" (13) Sri
Shankaracharya describes the evanescence of life and teaches the need to seek
God's protection without delay: "Life keeps on ebbing away every day.
Youth keeps on decaying. Days that are gone never return. Time is the devourer
of everything. Worldly prosperity is as fickle as waves in the ocean. Life
itself is as fleeting as lightning. Therefore, O Granter of refuge, I have
taken refuge in You. Please protect me even now."
Sri Krishna commanded Arjuna to remember Him at all times
and fight. (Gita, 8.7) Arjuna's duty was to fight the righteous battle before
him. For the rest of us it means fighting the battle of life.
The Maharaja of Khetri asked Swami Vivekananda, his guru,
"What is life?" Swami Vivekananda replied: "Life is the
unfoldment and development of a being under circumstances tending to press it
down."
We ourselves are that being, the Spirit imprisoned in body,
mind, and senses. They constantly prevent our unfoldment and manifestation.
Life is a continuous struggle against our rebelling mind and the impressions
stored in it. Sri Krishna asks us to seek God's help in this struggle, and to
remember him in the midst of our everyday activities.
Sri Ramakrishna teaches, "Live in the world but, in
order to realize God, hold fast to His Lotus Feet with one hand and with the
other do your duties. When you get a respite from your duties, cling to God's
Lotus Feet with both hands-live in solitude and meditate on Him and serve Him
ceaselessly."
The silent repetition of a mantra, or a divine name, at
fixed times is one of the most effective ways of practicing remembrance of God.
Source – from Swami Yuktatmananda Teachings on forms of devotion