Monday, July 8, 2013

EPISTLE OF SWAMI SIVANANDA - 9

EPISTLE OF SWAMI SIVANANDA - 9 

Jnana yoga is the yoga of wisdom. It is vedanta. It is the culmination of all the other yogas. It teaches that the individual soul is in essence identical with the supreme Soul. When avidya (ignorance) is destroyed the individual soul merges in the supreme soul.

The aspirant should equip himself with the four means of salvation - study the scriptures (Upanishad) under a guru and meditate. He will attain Self-realisation.

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The mind alone is the universe. The body with its organs, etc., is no other than mind.

The slayer of Atman (self) is the mind only. The actions of the mind alone are, indeed actions, but not so those of the body.

The mind contemplating upon the body becomes the body itself and then, enmeshed in it, is afflicted by it.

Slay the mind and attain eternal bliss.

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He who has a guru knows Brahman. A guru alone can remove doubts, pitfalls and snares. Guru is God Himself.

All that a guru can do is to tell his disciple the method of knowing the truth or the path that leads to the disclosure of the intuitional faculty.

He will clear your doubts, remove pitfalls and snares and inspire you. He cannot give you samadhi (super-conscious state). You will have to place each step yourself on the rung of the ladder of yoga. Do not expect a miracle from your guru, to put you into samadhi.

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Every man wants everlasting happiness. This is his innate feeling. This indicates that his soul is an embodiment of bliss.

Everybody wants full knowledge of everything. This gives the clue that Atman is a mass of knowledge.

Every man wants freedom. It gives the clue that his Atman is ever free.

Search within and attain the ever blissful and ever free Atman.

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