Monday, December 30, 2013

A BEACON-LIGHT TO THE WORLD

                               A Beacon-Light To The World
The liberated sage, like unto holy waters, purifies others by mere sight, touch and the utterance of his name. Sometimes he remains unnoticed, while sometimes he becomes known to those who desire welfare. He eats food offered to him by pious devotees and burns up their past and future evils and impurities. A liberated sage or a saint is the ultimate source of knowledge of the soul. To keep company with a jivanmukta (liberated sage) for even a minute is much better than to rule a kingdom—his very presence is so thrilling and inspiring. Seek his company and evolve. Serve him with faith and devotion.

A jivanmukta may give up his body in any place, at any time. Just as the falling leaves and fruits of a tree will not affect the tree itself, so also, the shedding of the body will not affect the Self which survives like the tree. His vital airs do not depart elsewhere for transmigration. They are absorbed in Brahman after the exhaustion of his destiny, the results of past actions that have already begun to bear fruit. He is freed from further births. The jivanmukta is freed from the trammels of mind and matter. He is absolutely free, perfect, independent. He is absolutely free from hatred, lust, cares, worries and anxieties. Everybody surely desires this state of beatitude or final emancipation. It is the final goal of life, the end of all human aspirations.

The state of a jivanmukta is the be-all and end-all of existence. There is fullness in this state. All desires are burnt. It is a state of absolute and perfect satisfaction. There is no gain greater than this; no bliss greater than this; no wisdom greater than this.

There, at the summit of the hill of eternal bliss, you can see the sage or jivanmukta or a full-blown yogi. He has climbed the stupendous heights through intense and constant struggle. He did severe, rigorous spiritual practices. He did profound meditation. He spent sleepless nights. He kept long vigils during several halting stages. He persevered with patience and diligence. He surmounted many obstacles, conquered despair, gloom and depression. He is a beacon-light to the world now. Remember that he was also rotting in those days in the quagmire of births and deaths, like yourself. You can also ascend to that summit if only you will.

OM TAT SAT

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Inspiring Talks of Gurudev Sivananda

                          Inspiring Talks of Gurudev Sivananda

15th November, 1948
THE AWAKENER

Cold wind blows aggravating the effects of winter. Men adore the vertically placed mud that might have lain uncared for in the bosom of the earth. The woollen blanket clings to the body. The faint vibrations of the loud report of the Swarg Ashram bell mingles, as a quiet rendezvous on the right bank of the Ganges, with the melody that emanates from the rhythmically sounded bell at Siva’s Bhajan Hall: and they pay their morning obeisance to Siva.

Within a few minutes, a solitary figure emanates from this rendezvous. In that calm stillness his very footfalls are resonant with the names of the Lord. The cold blast has long ceased to worry him: though his garments are disturbed by the winds, the real HE is far, far away—in the very heart of wind itself and yet beyond. He has realised long ago that the mud-houses (why even the fleshy tabernacle built out of divine-clay) are all ephemeral, and he has sought and gained his own Abode, Brahman. That is our Siva. Let us greet him at this glorious hour of our own life—the Brahmamuhurth of Divine Life. ‘OM Namassivanandaya’.

Sri Brij Bihari Lal Kapur and his family are on a visit to the Ashram. With his characteristically majestic gait Siva approaches Sri Kapur’s Kutir. OM OM ….(Silence)….OM OM OM….(Still no response)….Jingling of bangles announces the wearer’s response: the door is opened: astonished at this unexpected presence of the Master at their door, the family prostrate before him.

‘OM Namo Narayanaya!’ Siva has seen his Narayana. ‘Come: wash your face and go to the morning class at the Bhajan Hall.’

Siva awakens the slumbering: nay, not only that: he leads them on.

At the conclusion of the class, the party confessed that it was Siva’s grace that enabled them to spend the morning hours most profitably.

WOMEN’S LIGHT AND GUIDE
Nothing delights Siva more than to hear that a boy or girl has resolved to take the vow of celibacy and dedicate his or her life to God. This time it was Srimathi Kanti or Bareilly (daughter of Sri Kapur).
In a delighted mood, Siva began to instruct her:
‘Engage yourself heart and soul in the service of humanity. You have got all the talents: they are all the rarest gift of the Almighty. Utilise them all in His service. Take part in all women’s movements. Only don’t lose your head: don’t allow yourself to be converted, but always endeavour to convert others and bring them to the divine path. Talk to the ladies. Deliver short stirring discourses on the importance of divine life, of righteousness, purity, truth and love. Serve them and win their hearts. Collect the children of your locality and lovingly tell them good illuminating stories and advise them on the essentials of perfect living. Training the ladies and the children in easy Asans and Pranayam. Break the cage: forget the sex. Atma is sexless. There is infinite power within you. By all means develop the feminine (motherly) heart that God has endowed you with: but be not a coward. Stand up: hold before yourself the great ideals of Mira, Maitreyi, and Gargi. Contribute spiritual articles to ladies’ magazines. Attend all ladies’ meetings: and push yourself to the forefront and deliver lectures. Start with your own school. Informally talk to your own students on God and Divine Life. Create an interest in little girls. Talk to them of ethical culture and discipline. Gradually the circle will become wider and wider. People will soon come to know of your divine nature and flock to you. Side by side you should practise rigorous Sadhana and mould yourself. Then everyone will be compelled to listen to you. Keep always in touch with the leading women of the country and the world at large. Correspond with Sarojini Devi, Mira Behn, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and others outside India. Exchange of ideas is a healthy habit. You will soon become one of them.’

ALL THIS IS DRAMA ONLY
A devotee from Sri Swami Sukdevanandaji’s Ashram has come. He was known to Siva to be a good dramatist. At once Siva asked that a copy of all the Dramas written by Siva be given to him. With a visible profusion of gratitude, the devotee started perusing the books one by one, forgetting the Ashram, forgetting that he is sitting before Siva, forgetting everything, in fact (for he was seen admiring the book, smiling at some interesting passages in it, suddenly growing serious and serene at the impact of a sublime thought, etc. etc.)
It was quite a while before his attention was shifted from the books to the author.

‘You have written wonderful dramatic works, Swamiji.’

‘Glory be to the Lord, the Prompter of all actions!’ replied Siva in all humility.

‘You have, Swamiji, given a new life to the histrionic art. Now people will know that even drama can be put to spiritual use. All the prejudices against the stage which grew in ignorant hearts will vanish.’

‘I have always felt that spiritual truths should be presented to the public in a form which they would appreciate most. If I find that many people go to a cinema, I will at once produce a play. If I find that people are interested only in storybooks, I will write philosophical stories. After all, what harm is there in enacting a drama. As a matter of fact, we are all every day enacting hundreds of scenes. The whole world is a big drama. Our real nature is something and our assumed nature is something diametrically opposite. This grand play teaches us innumerable lessons. Similarly, the plays will also impress the spiritual ideas on the people’s minds.’

After the devotee had left, Siva told us of Sri Swami Sukdevanandaji.

Sukdevanandaji is one of the oldest companions of Siva. And, in many respects they are alike. S. has the same spirit of dynamic activity which animates every nerve of Siva. He has done tremendous work through the Daivi Sampat Mandal. Wherever he goes, he holds conferences and does propaganda work. Another point of close resemblance between these two great spiritual giants is their absolute sincerity. They never mince words or matters. They go straight to the very core of the problem before, decide on the adoption of a course, and with great zeal, earnestness and sincerity, achieve the object. Their courage, and will-power are beyond description. Their devotion to the cause is beyond words. Sukdevanandaji’s Guru Bhakti is supreme: in fact, all his achievements are attributed by him to the grace of his Guru, Sri Swami Ekarasanandaji Maharaj.

16th November, 1948
DEVOTION TO SIVA

Sri Mathur, General Manager of the Paramarth Bank, Rishikesh, was waiting for Siva near his Kutir early in the morning. Even while Siva was emerging from the Kutir, Sri Mathur fell prostrate at Siva’s feet, on the bare ground. He placed a small amount (in silver coins) at Siva’s feet, as ‘flowers’.
‘Swamiji Maharaj, today is my birthday. I have come to seek your blessings in order that I may stick to the path of righteousness and remember God.’

Siva blessed him and gave him his (Siva’s) golden advice. Later Siva told us:
‘Mathurji is a very pious and noble soul. He must have a lot of work to do. Yet, he is very regular in his Sadhana. Look at his devotion. He has come all the way from Rishikesh. He would have taken Sanyas also. But, his family circumstances are such that he is at present unable to do so. Now he is practically leading a Sanyasin’s life.’

DESTRUCTION OF PLEASURE-CENTRES (A BLESSING)
Srimathi Kanta Rani of Delhi, a young devotee with good spiritual Samskaras who is staying here for the past few days informed Siva that her father-in-law, a retired Engineer (Sri Shroff) had decided to build a Kutir in the Ashram premises and live here. They had planned to have the foundation-stone laid by Siva today.

‘It is an excellent idea. Only those who have spiritual Samskaras embedded in their very being will have such inclination. It is a rare ambition.

‘Do not imagine that you are not happy because you have lost your husband. It is all God’s will; and as He is our own Father, all that He does is for our good only. Lord Krishna Himself says in the Bhagavatha that he removes the pleasure-centres of one whom He loves most. I will tell you a story: listen.

‘Sri Krishna and Arjuna were once travelling through a town. They went to a rich man’s house and asked for some food. This haughty man abused them in the vilest terms, refused to give them food and ran to beat them with a stick even. Arjuna almost lost his temper; but Krishna, realising this, wanted to quit the place. But, before doing so, He blessed the rich man with very much more riches, hundreds of cows, bungalows, etc. Arjuna thought this was queer behaviour; but kept quiet. Then they went to a poor man’s house. He was an emaciated skeleton. But he had great devotion to the Lord. When the divine travellers approached him for food, he at once ran in, brought good milk (the only article of food he had in the house at that time) made Krishna and Arjuna (whom he did not recognise, as they were in disguise) sit on the cot and entertained them. ‘Bhagavan, how blessed I am to have had your Darshan. You appear to be great devotees of the Lord. All this is yours only. Command me: what shall I do for you?’ The Lord understood His heart’s spiritual yearning. He looked around and He found that the only property of the poor man was a cow. As they emerged from the house, Lord Krishna uttered a curse: ‘May this cow die!’ Arjuna was furious at this outrageous act on the part of the Lord Himself. ‘What, you cursed the poor man who entertained us so nicely and blessed the haughty rogue who scolded us. What injustice.’ Krishna replied: ‘My dear Arjuna, be calm. This poor man is a great devotee of mine: I love him, too. The cow is the only object to which he is attached. The moment it is taken away, he will devote himself entirely to Me. He will soon attain Moksha.

Whereas, the rich haughty man would find that his riches have suddenly increased. This will add to his egoism, to his bondages and to his worries.

‘Therefore, we should all rejoice when the pleasure-centres are removed. You are now free to do Sadhana all the twenty-four hours. Sri Shroffji is also a good Sadhaka. He has retired from active public life. Why should he worry himself any more? He can also spend his last days peacefully on the banks of the Ganga in silent contemplation. Ekanta-Vasa is absolutely necessary from every point of view. Seclusion alone will give you everlasting peace and joy.

Enough of friends, relatives. If you remain in Delhi, even if you are spiritually-inclined, there will be a lot of disturbance. Here, you can remain undisturbed.’

When Srimathi Kanta Rani had left, Siva talked to us of retired people. ‘They can devote their entire time to Sadhana: they should. How few of them do so! Sri Shroff is a good Sadhaka. He is also a mental Sanyasin: as Srimathi Kanta is a mental Sanyasini. (After a pause) Do you know of certain other mental Sanyasins?

They will indulge in tall talk: they will discuss Vedanta and high philosophy: they will sing, dance and do Japa: but, you will soon come face to face with their hollowness when you approach them with a request,

‘Maharaj, you have got fifty thousand rupees, kindly donate one thousand rupees to the Ashram; it needs it.’ They will not part with a single pie. This is a type of hypocritical mental Sanyasin.

‘But Shroff is not like that. He builds his Kutir in the Ashram with the express purpose of letting the Society use the building whenever they are not using it.’

MOHAMED SHOULD GO TO MOUNTAIN
‘If mountain does not come to Mohamed, Mohamed should go to mountain.’
As soon as Siva came into the office, he enquired of Vishnuji: ‘Vishnuji, did you go to Shroff’s Kutir this morning to teach him Asans?’
‘Yes, Swamiji.’
‘That is good. Some of these old people might feel shy to practise Asans in public. They will think: ‘Supposing I fall down while standing on Sirasasan, people will laugh’ and so avoid coming to the Asan class. For such people’s sake, you should go to their room and teach them Asans. That is real spirit of service.
‘Another important point. Do not simply come away after the Asan-practice is over. Do a few minutes Japa and meditation: a couple of minutes’ silent meditation: repeat Shanti Mantras, and then come away. Thus, even this Asan-class will be converted into a class on Yoga of Synthesis, with Japa, Dhyan, Kirtan, etc. The effects of such Asan-practice will be much more lasting.’

HUMOUR—THE SPICE OF LIFE
A little later Siva’s bag was suddenly found to glove his right hand: off came the hand with two bananas, and the bag dropped itself into a corner.
‘Vishnuji, take these! These are not for you. You are a good Karma Yogi: therefore, you should not take them yourself, but give them to others. Give them right and left….(meaning: one to Sri Sivapremji, sitting on the right, and the other to me, on the left)….But, don’t give them right and left!’

SERMON ON THE BATTLE-FIELD
The rattling noise of the typewriters, beating the divine life-drums, produced a deafening noise. The pen in the hands of many youthful, energetic aspirants rushed along the body of registers, wrappers and letter-heads, spilling ink (the blood of divine life). Sanyasins, Brahmacharis and householder-devotees rushed to and fro carrying magazines and leaflets, the banner of divine life. Siva, the General, sat at the head of the office watching with satisfaction this battle against ignorance.

There entered into this field of Supreme Battle of Life, an engineer, a doctor and a layman, with two ladies and a child. Besieged on all sides by the dark forces of materialism, they had resorted to Siva to help them fight their battles. Truly it was like Arjuna resorting to Krishna in a moment of despair and desolation.
They were eager to find a solution to the problem that faces them: ‘How to fight the inner battle?’

‘Do Japa, Kirtan, Asans, Pranayam. Get up at 4 a.m. Do Brahma Vichar. Study one chapter of the Gita daily. Observe Mouna for two hours. Fast on Ekadashi.

Siva virtually sang his song of Twenty Instructions.

‘But when I say all this you will be frightened; do Japa of the name of the Lord and remember Him always. This one thing is sufficient to take you to the Goal.’

‘The mind always wants to run after sensual pleasures. Draw it back to the Lakshya—God. Fix it there. Then you will enjoy more peace, more joy and more strength. What is there in these pleasures? Any amount of worldly good fortunes and wealth will be of no avail. When the bank fails, your heart also will fail. When you are out of job, even your servant will not listen to your word. It is only when you are a big officer that people salute you. It will vanish when you lose the job or when you retire from the job. But, if you are a man of God, if you have acquired divine wealth or Daivi Sampath, you will be honoured and revered everywhere at all times. Acquire the Four Means to salvation. Vairagya, Viveka, Shad-Sampath and Mumukshutwa. Then take to the study of the Upanishads, Gita and Brahma Sutras.’

‘Stage by stage, you should evolve and know that happiness is not to be had in sensual objects. The greatest pleasure that man enjoys during the course of the day is in deep sleep. Is this not clear proof that pleasure lies outside the senses, outside the mind, outside the sense-objects? When discrimination dawns, and when you have real Vairagya, there will be a natural yearning to realise True Bliss of the Atman. Then you will take to spirituality and enjoy Atmic Bliss.’

‘Lead a pure virtuous life. Practise Satyam, Ahimsa and Brahmacharya. Sing the names of the Lord with intense devotion. This alone is sufficient. Keep your body in good health by the practise of Asans and Pranayam. Spend your holidays in places of seclusion like Rishikesh and utilise the entire period in solid Sadhana. These are the preliminary aids to Divine Life. Then, by gradual stages, you will progress to the Supreme Abode. May God bless you. OM Namo Narayanaya.’

Long after Siva had concluded his inspiring discourse, the party was in no mood to get up or go. This sermon on the Battle-field apparently acted as a Brahmastra for them to slay all their inner foes and threw a flood of light and joy into their hearts. In a dazed mood they prostrated to Siva and thanked him profusely for this illumination.

‘MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES’
The foundation-stone laying ceremony had been scheduled to be performed at 12 noon. So, Siva got up, collected his ‘children’ in the office, including the visitors, and proceeded to the site. The blazing sun and the physical movement slowly brought down our visitors to the human plane.

‘Swamiji, supposing we wish to stay here for some time, can we come with our family?’ asked the engineer as we were nearing the Ashram archway.

‘Of course, yes: do you think that we are without our families here? Why, this flower, this creeper, this delightful plant, this tall tree—all of them are my family-members. The whole world is pervaded by God, one Atman. Feel: feel, the entire world is your family only. Expand your consciousness and be free.’

After such a struggle they were able to ask him one mundane question: and expected Siva’s reply also in the language of the earth. But, what a luck!

ALWAYS THE SAME
My Lord! What frail instruments you often choose for thy gigantic work. You take us by the hand and drag us along. Yet, we act only as a burden to tire your tireless zeal, instead of taking you on our shoulders and running along under your direction.

Except for the solitary mason working at the site, Siva was the first to arrive. Again he started:

‘Bring the Puja materials from the temple. Go and get the Prasad. Call Iyannaji. Tell Sri X that we are waiting here. Where is Sastriji? Who will do the Puja? etc.’ What inexhaustible patience. Any other head of an institution would be fuming with rage.

One by one they started coming. When Sri Shroff arrived, Siva took him up the hillock for an examination of the pit dug. ‘Is this enough? Will it not be better to have it a little deeper?’

Shroff was of the same opinion. At once the mason started on his work again. This could well have been done earlier.

SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Then began Kirtan, Chidananda Swamiji leading.
‘Today,’ commenced Siva, ‘is the auspicious day of the full moon: Paurnami. It is a blessed day that reminds us of the nature of the Lord, Brahman or our own Self. Brahman is Paripoorna, fullness, infinite, Bhuman. It is not partial: it is One Homogeneous Existence, undivided, full. It is this that the full moon reminds us of. Other days represent the moon only as partial: only today the moon has all the sixteen Kalas. This is not the new moon (Amavasya) day of ignorance, inertia or Tamas. Today is the full moon day of light, joy and bliss.

‘On this most auspicious day we lay the foundation-stone of a Kutir for seclusion proposed to be built by Sri Shroff of Delhi. He is a retired engineer who wishes to live in seclusion in Rishikesh spending the rest of his life in divine contemplation, in the practice of Sadhana. He and Srimathi Kanta Rani, another exalted soul keenly interested in the acquisition of the inexhaustible wealth of the Lord’s Name, of devotion to His Lotus Feet, of leading the divine life intend to practice Tapascharya at this holy spot, and to attain the goal of life.

‘This goal of life is God-realisation. Nothing else is of any use. Man is lost in the glamour of material pleasures. Sensual enjoyment cannot give lasting happiness. Even if you have a dozen bungalows, twenty motor-cars, a few crores of rupees in your bank, and a army of servants: even if you have a beautiful wife, and many children, even if you have all the material pleasures that the world can offer you, you cannot have that supreme peace that can come only out of Self-realisation. In the Self alone is there deep abiding peace.

Do not be duped by these sensual objects. When the bank fails, you will weep. More wealth, more worry. With the fulfilment of your desires, they multiply: you can never root them out by feeding them. Unless you are desireless, you can never have peace.

‘Himalayas represent the Swarupa of the Lord. ‘Sthavaranam Himalayah’ ‘I am the Himalayas among the immoveables’. Gaze at this gigantic manifestation of the Lord. Again, ‘Srothasamasmi Jahnavi’—‘I am Ganges among streams’. What more do you want? The Himalayas are our father and the Ganga is our mother. It is a great blessing to live at the feet of Himalayas and to take bath in the Ganga. It is in the Himalayas that great saints and sages have practised Tapas from time immemorial and realised God. The holy vibrations of these Self-realised sages are ever present in the very atmosphere of these parts.

‘Sri Shroff and Srimathi Kanta are indeed blessed souls. They have resolved rightly. They have understood the vanity of the world. Their examples should open the eyes of others. Nowadays even retired people cling to their families and relatives: they are attached to property and wealth: they are greedy and want to enter into private service somewhere or other to earn some more money. Even after suffering all their life in this Samsara they have not realised the gravity of the situation, they have not realised the importance of the life divine. Every retired man should follow Sri Shroff’s example and actually retire into seclusion. That is why our ancients instituted the Vanaprasthashrama. Without attachment to property, to son, wife or wealth, the man is asked to retire into a forest to practise tapas, to practise Sravan, Manan and Nididhyasan and ultimately to embrace Sanyasa and realise the summum bonum of human life. Renunciation is absolutely essential. Without renunciation of material pleasures, of egoism and of selfishness, nothing great has ever been achieved.

‘May God bless Sri Shroff and Srimathi Kanta with health, long life, peace, prosperity, and Kaivalya. May the Lord illumine their hearts. May God bless you all. May you all attain God-realisation in this very birth. May you all shine as Jivanmuktas in this very birth. OM’

Siva was all the time standing on the hillock, and the flock below (on the path leading to the Viswanath Mandir) listened spell-bound to this Sermon on the Mount from the lips of the modern Jesus Christ. Wave after wave of spiritual fervour swept over the entire audience as the powerful vibrations of Siva’s soul-stirring oration pierced their heart. With hairs on end, we stood, oblivious of the surroundings, listening to the words of the great master, with our eyes riveted on his magnificent form, until we instinctively cried ‘Jai’ at the conclusion of the Sermon.

At the close of the function, we were all coming down. The visitor-friends were also coming down with Siva.
‘You take your food here: and then you can go,’ invited Siva.

‘Swamiji, we have not yet taken our bath. And, we have already brought some food with us in the car.’
‘Do not worry about bath. Repeat ‘Jnanamritam Suddham Atindriyoham’. This is Vedantic Snanam. This is superior to all other baths. Mentally imagine that you are taking bath in the Great ocean of Supreme Knowledge. Identify yourself with this ocean of knowledge—Jnanamritam. Realise that you are the ever-pure Atman-Suddham. And, feel that you are beyond the senses—Atindriya. You will feel completely refreshed. You will feel that you are entirely different! Come, then: repeat this thrice and take some food as Prasad.’

For once, they must have thought, Siva came down to human plane: but it would not last longer than to ask one question. Lucky visitors. God bless you.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER
As we had almost reached the D.J. Hall, Siva turned and looked behind. Sri Balan and Sri Chetlur were coming together.

Smilingly Siva remarked: ‘Birds of a feather flock together. A journalist always seeks a journalist’s friendship. An advocate likes the company of another advocate, a cook that of a cook, a doctor that of a doctor: a bald-headed man goes with another bald-headed man: a Sanyasi likes the company of another Sanyasi. That is the law of nature. But, a Jivanmukta finds his own Self in every one and in everything and therefore moves with everyone without distinction.’

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THE SAGE's VIEW OF THE WORLD

                              The Sage's View Of The World

The man who stands up to his neck in water has a twofold experience. His head is exposed to the sun. He experiences both heat and cold. Such is the experience of a liberated sage. He has double consciousness. He enjoys the bliss of Brahman, but also has the experience of this world. He is like a man who knows two languages.

Just as the pot in which asafoetida or onion is kept emits a certain amount of smell even when it is cleaned several times, so also, a small trace of ignorance still remains in the mind of a sage. The jivanmukta (liberated sage) has a consciousness of the body in the form of an impression in the subconscious mind. That is the reason why he eats and drinks. Though the instinctive mind with low desires is destroyed, the pure mind does not perish in the liberated sage. How will he be able to engage himself in worldly activity without an instrument, namely, the mind?

The phenomenal universe does not vanish from the vision of the liberated sage. He sees the world as a dream within himself. Just as the mirage appears even after the illusory nature of the water is understood, so also, the world appears for a jivanmukta even after he has attained Self-realisation, even after he has clearly understood the illusory nature of the world. But, just as the man who has understood the nature of the mirage will not run after the mirage for drinking water, so also, the sage who is liberated will not pursue sensual objects like the worldly-minded people—though the world appears to him. That is the difference between a worldly man and a liberated sage.
The jivanmukta beholds the one reality or God everywhere and in all things. For him there is no distinction between a rogue and a saint, gold and stone, honour and dishonour. He actually feels that all is himself only—that snakes, scorpions, tigers, bears and lions are as much part of himself as his own eyes, nose, ears, hands and feet. He is one with the flower, sun, ether, ocean, mountain and sky. He has cosmic vision and cosmic feelings.

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

SUCH IS THE MIND

                                    SUCH IS THE MIND

There is no limit to the power of the human mind. The more concentrated it is, the more power is brought to bear on one point. You are born to concentrate the mind on God after collecting the mental rays that are dissipated on various objects. That is your important duty. You forget the duty on account of moha (attachment) to the family, children, name and fame, money, power and position.

Mind is compared to quicksilver, because its rays are scattered over various objects. It is compared to a monkey, because it jumps from one object to another. It is compared to moving air, because it is restless. It is compared to a furious elephant, because of its passionate impetuosity.

Mind is known by the name 'great bird', because it jumps from one object to another just as a bird jumps from one twig to another, from one tree to another. Raja Yoga teaches us how to concentrate the mind and then how to ransack the innermost recess of our mind.

Concentration is opposed to sensuous desires, as is bliss to flurry and worry, sustained thinking to perplexity, applied thinking to sloth and torpor, rapture to ill-will.

So long as the thoughts of one are not thoroughly destroyed through persistent practice, he should ever be concentrating his mind on one truth at a time. Through such unremitting practice, one-pointedness of the mind will accrue and instantly all the hosts of thoughts will vanish.

To remove this tossing of the mind and various obstacles which stand in the way of one-pointedness of the mind, the practice of concentration on one thing alone should be made.

The more the mind is fixed on God, the more strength you will acquire. More concentration means more energy. Concentration opens the inner chambers of love or the realm of eternity. Concentration is a source of spiritual strength.
Fix the mind on the Atman. Fix the mind on the all-pervading pure intelligence and self-luminous effulgence. Stand firm in Brahman. Then you will become 'Brahma-Samastha' (established in Brahman).

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BALANCE OF MIND

                                        Balance Of Mind

             Samadhana is mental balance. There is perfect concentration now. This is the fruit of the practices of sama (control of mind), dama (control of the senses), uparati (turning away), titiksha (endurance) and shraddha (faith). It is fixing the mind on Atman (Self) without allowing it to run towards objects and have its own way. It is self-settledness. Sri Shankaracharya defines in "Atma-Anatma Viveka": "Whenever a mind engaged in sravana (hearing) and the rest wanders to any worldly object or desire, and finding it worthless, returns to the performance of the three exercises—such returning is called samadhana."
The mind is free from anxiety amid pains. There is indifference amid pleasures. There is stability of mind or mental poise. The aspirant or practitioner lives without attachment. He neither likes nor dislikes. He has a great deal of strength of mind and internal peace. He has unruffled supreme peace of mind.

Some aspirants have peace of mind when they live in seclusion, when there are no distracting elements or factors. They complain of great tossing of mind (vikshepa) when they come to a city, when they mix with people. They are completely upset. They cannot do any meditation in a crowded place. This is a weakness. This is not achievement in samadhana. There is no balance of mind or equanimity in these persons. Only when a student can keep his balance of mind even in a battlefield when there is a shower of bullets all round, as he does in a solitary cave in the Himalayas, can he be really said to be fully established in samadhana.

Lord Krishna says in the Gita: "Perform all actions, O Dhananjaya, dwelling in union with the divine, renouncing attachments, and balanced evenly in success and failure." This is samadhana. Again you will find in the Gita: "The disciplined self, moving among the sense objects with senses freed from attraction and repulsion, mastered by the Self, goeth to peace." This is also samadhana.

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FAITH VERSUS REASON

                                      Faith Versus Reason

Faith is first and reason is second. Faith is life and doubt is death. Reason is powerless to know God. Faith alone takes one to God. He who has faith has everything. He who has no faith has nothing. Have intense, unswerving faith—in the measure in which you have faith, you will achieve.

Faith brings God closer and reason puts Him far away. Faith is not blind belief—it grows out of the wisdom of the heart. Do total surrender to the Lord—keep nothing back, not even a little pride. Surrender yourself and your all to the Lord.

Say to the Lord: "O Lord! Give me only that which is best for me, because only you know what that is." A life of faith and devotion and of absolute faith in the name of the Lord will always be successful in the long run. Through love, faith and devotion alone is God-realisation possible.

Prayer releases God's power. It should consist of confession, praise and petition. Prayer is a spiritual tonic—it purges the mind of all its impurities—such as desire, attachment, anger, lust, etc. It also strengthens a man's aspiration and brings him closer to God. It brings him into the presence of God.

Pray to the Lord for strength and help as soon as you get out of bed in the morning. Satsanga (the company of holy men), faith, single-minded devotion to one's ideal, intense love for God, bhava (feeling), and prema (divine love) bring the devotee face to face with God.
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Trust in the Lord with all thy heart. Acknowledge him in all thy ways. He will direct thy spiritual path. God helps the sincere aspirant at every step. God will help you too. He will bless you, inspire you and throw light upon the path. Never mind about the external environments. Create your own internal environments, wherever you are.

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FAITH IS THE GREATEST THING

                                 Faith Is The Greatest Thing

Faith is shraddha. Faith is the greatest thing in the world. Even the greatest philosopher has faith as his stronghold. No intellectualism can prove good if it is unsupported by faith. The whole world stands on faith, is guided by faith.

Religion has faith as its root. One cannot prove God if he has no faith in God. And this faith is the outcome of samskaras (past mental impressions). Faith is guided by impressions of actions done in previous births.
Blind faith should be turned into rational faith through understanding. Bhakti (devotion) is the development of faith. Jnana (self-knowledge) is the development of bhakti. Faith leads to the final experience. Whatever a person strongly believes in, that he experiences and that he becomes.

This whole world is a product of faithful imagination. If you have no faith in the world, the world does not exist. If you have no faith in sensual pleasure, you will not get pleasure from sensual objects. If you have no faith in God, you will never reach perfection. Wrong faith can even turn existence into non-existence. Faith is the fundamental necessity for spiritual sadhana (practice).

Aspiration is a development of faith. The flame of faith burns as the conflagration of spiritual aspiration for moksha (liberation). The devotee longs to have union with the beloved—he has no sleep, no rest. He always contemplates how to attain the object of his love. He prays, he sings, he gets mad with his Lord. Divine madness overtakes the devotee and he completely loses his personality in the aspiration for attaining God. This is called self-surrender.
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You must have an ideal to live for—otherwise you will be heedless, depressed and negative. Understand well before you take a step. Have a clear cut ideal and then have right attempt. Faith in God, faith in oneself, faith in the guru (preceptor), faith in the wise teachings, faith in all that is good and noble—this is the sap of life.

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PERFECT RENUNCIATION

                                     Perfect Renunciation

Vedanta does not want you to renounce the world. It wants you to change your mental attitude and give up this false, illusory 'I-ness' and 'mine-ness'. The snake charmer removes only the two poisonous fangs of the cobra. The snake remains the same. It hisses, raises its hood and shows its fangs. In fact, it does everything as before. The snake charmer has changed his mental attitude towards the snake. He has a feeling now that it has no poisonous fangs. Even so, you must remove the two poisonous fangs of the mind, namely, 'I-ness' and 'mine-ness' only. Then you can allow the mind to go wherever it likes. Then you will always have the feeling of the presence of God.
You must also renounce the attachment to renunciation, which is very deep-rooted. You must renounce the idea: "I have renounced everything; I am a great renunciate". This attachment of aspirants is a greater evil than that of the householders: "I am a landlord; I am a brahmana, etc."

Not by shaving the head, not by dress, not by egoistic action is liberation to be attained. He who possesses wisdom is a real sanyasin (monk). Wisdom is the sign of a sanyasin. The wooden staff does not make a sanyasin. He is the real sanyasin of wisdom who is conscious of his absolute nature even in his dreams just as he is during the waking period. He is the greatest knower of Brahman. He is the greatest of sanyasins.
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Perfect renunciation is born of discrimination. Dispassion should not be mild and half-hearted. It should be a burning flame of disgust for everything that is seen and that is not seen. Nothing but the state of final liberation is to be the ideal for attainment. There should be no desire for wife, husband, children and worldly activity. The aspirant must be encircled by the fence of dispassion on all sides.
Action is for the man of the world, the wisdom is for the sanyasin who has risen above worldliness. Only the man of renunciation with knowledge attains Brahman, and none else. Without perfect renunciation, it is impossible to pursue the path of the knowledge of Brahman.

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SAGE's BEHAVIOUR

Sage's Behaviour
A liberated sage is not a whimsical man, neither is he bound by the rules of scripture or society. And yet, he will not deviate from righteousness. All that he does will be in strict accordance with the scriptures or sacred books. He spontaneously does only what is good. An expert dancer never makes a false step. So is a jivanmukta (liberated sage) when he works.

The sage works without effort, without agency, without egoism, desire and attachment. Like a child, his conduct is neither good nor evil. The sense of right and wrong will be natural in him independently of scriptural teachings. 

He has destroyed all egoism, is above all karma, and karmas cannot touch him. He may, for the instruction of the world, perform works or refrain from forbidden acts. The jivanmukta does not care for public criticism. He keeps a cool mind even when he is assaulted. He blesses those who persecute him. He beholds only his own Self everywhere.

His mark or characteristic is an internal mental state. It cannot be perceived or detected by others. The Lord uses him for His divine work.

A knower of Brahman or a liberated sage need not be a genius. He need not be an eloquent speaker, orator, lecturer or professor. But he is calm, serene and tranquil. His silence is superior eloquence. He has divine wisdom and intuitive knowledge. In his presence, all doubts are cleared.

Householders make a wrong judgement in deciding the nature of a jivanmukta. They take into consideration only the external conditions of a jivanmukta. Even educated people make mistakes in this regard.

He will sometimes appear like an 'all-knower'. He will sometimes appear like an ignorant man. He knows when to act like a knower of the Self. Serve him with proper feeling and devotion, with spiritual thirst; he will impart the highest knowledge to you. If you approach him with a bad motive, he will behave like a madman and you will be deceived and great will be your loss.

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Friday, December 27, 2013

FREEDOM : YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

                               Freedom: Your Birthright

Freedom is man's birthright. Freedom is knowledge, peace and bliss. Consciously or unconsciously, willingly or unwillingly, all are attempting to attain this freedom. One nation is fighting another on the battlefield for freedom. A robber robs in order to obtain freedom from want—though his movement may be crooked and circuitous. Every movement of your foot is towards freedom or existence-knowledge-bliss.

The real reason is that there is in you the immortal, self-effulgent soul or Atman, which is one without a second, which has no rival, which is the inner ruler, which is the support for the whole universe. In reality, you are this Atman. That is the reason why you have such a feeling and desire.

In every heart, there is this desire for freedom, this all-consuming passion for liberty. Freedom is the birthright of man. Freedom is the very nature of Brahman or the eternal soul. Brahman is eternally free. The desire for freedom is there even in the lowliest of God's creatures. Freedom is an attribute of the soul, born with you. No force, no known human device, can suppress that desire. Freedom's flame is ever burning bright. Freedom or liberation is the ultimate goal of man. Freedom is liberation from the thraldom of mind and matter.

Real freedom is not merely political or economic, though political and economic freedom is essential for the welfare of a people. Real freedom is lordship over oneself. It is the freedom of the Self. It is immortality; it is perfection. It is attainable only by slow and painful stages.

From time pass into eternity. This is freedom or emancipation. Still the mind. Herein lies freedom and bliss eternal. Real freedom is freedom from birth and death, freedom from the bondage of the flesh and mind, freedom from the bonds of karma and freedom from attachment to the body. Real freedom is freedom from egoism and desires, freedom from thoughts, likes and dislikes, freedom from lust, anger, greed and pride. Real freedom is identification with the Supreme Self. Real freedom is to realise the Self. Real freedom is merging in the Absolute.

Freedom is in detachment, desirelessness, mindlessness. Eradication and extinction of desires lead to the sublime state of supreme bliss and perfect freedom.

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MUMUKSHUTVA

                                          Mumukshutva

Mumukshutva is intense desire for liberation or deliverance from the wheel of birth and death with its concomitant evils of old age, disease, delusion and sorrow. If one is equipped with the previous three qualifications, viz., viveka (wisdom), vairagya (dispassion) and shad-sampat (six virtues), mumukshutva will come by itself.

The mind moves towards the source of its own accord, because it has lost its hold now on external objects. It has no resting place in this objective universe. Purification of the mind and mental discipline form the rock-bottom foundation of yoga. When this is effected, the longing for liberation dawns by itself. Mumukshutva must be of a burning type. If burning mumukshutva is coupled with burning vairagya, Self-realisation will come within the twinkling of an eye.

Generally the vast majority of people have got a dull type of vairagya and mumukshutva. So they do not succeed in their attempts. If one finds that he has not got burning mumukshutva, he must practise the other three sadhanas (practices) vigorously till he acquires intense longing for attaining salvation or immortality. That aspirant who is endowed with these four qualifications should hear the shrutis (scriptures) from a Brahma Nishta guru (preceptor who is established in Brahman), and then reflect and meditate on the inner Self. He will soon get Self-realisation.
The aspirant should practise all the four means to a maximum degree. Proficiency in one sadhana alone will not make you perfect. There is a definite significance in the sequence of the four sadhanas. That aspirant who is in possession of the four means is a blessed divinity on the surface of this earth. He is Brahman himself. He must be adored and worshipped. My silent salutations unto such exalted souls!
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Open yourself fully to the divine influence. Develop a burning desire for the attainment of God-realisation and burning dispassion (vairagya) for worldly enjoyments. Abandon all worries. Abandon all worldly ambitions and mundane desires. Soar high in the realm of higher spiritual knowledge. Show your moral courage and spiritual strength now, O Ram!

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IMPORTANCE OF GURU BHAKTI

                               Importance Of Guru Bhakti

It is universally admitted that an efficient teacher is needed in all branches of knowledge in this physical plane, and that physical, mental, moral and spiritual culture and growth can only be had through the help and guidance of a competent teacher or master. This is a universal, inexorable law of nature. Why then do you deny the application of this universally accepted law in the realm of spirituality as well?

Spiritual knowledge is a matter of guruparampara—it is handed down from guru to disciple. Study the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. You will have a comprehensive understanding of this truth.

Some aspirants do meditation for some years independently. Later on they feel the actual necessity for a guru. They come across some obstacles in the way and do not know how to proceed further. Then they begin to search for a guru.

The student and the teacher should live together, as father and devoted son, with extreme sincerity and devotion. The aspirant should have an eager receptive mind, ready to imbibe the teachings of the master. Then only will the aspirant be spiritually benefited. Otherwise there is not the least hope of the spiritual uplift of the aspirant and the complete regeneration of his old unregenerate nature.

Once Shankaracharya wanted to test the devotion of his disciple Padmapada. The river Kaveri was in flood. Shankara was standing on the bank of the river and Padmapada was standing on the other bank. Shankara beckoned Padmapada to come to him immediately. There was no boat. Padmapada did not care; he at once jumped into the river. He did not know how to swim. This is real devotion. Through the grace of Shankaracharya, Padmapada walked quite easily on the water. At each step a lotus flower appeared. This is how he got the name Padmapada (lotus in the feet).

There is no hope of salvation for the deluded soul without the healing, magnetic touch and guidance of the spiritual preceptor. It is the guru only who can effect a radical change in the angle of vision of men and raise them to sublime, transcendental heights of eternal life in Atman (Self) with cosmic consciousness, divine glory, atmic effulgence and splendor.  

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JIVANMUKTA

                                           Jivanmukta


A jivanmukta is a liberated sage. He is released even while living, He lives in the world, but he is not of the world. He always revels in the eternal bliss of the Supreme Self. He is the Lord himself, a God on earth.
The jivanmukta or full-blown sage is full of pure love, compassion, mercy, exquisite gentleness and hidden power and strength. Love and lustre shine through his brilliant eyes.

The jivanmukta has not a bit of selfish interest in him and is absolutely free from worries, difficulties, troubles, tribulations and sorrows under all circumstances. Even when pains and afflictions attach themselves to his body, exhibit themselves on his face, his mind never writhes under them or their antithesis. He is not a slave of his moods; he is ever cheerful and peaceful. His higher excellences have been perfectly unfolded; all divine attributes are fully awakened in him. Every one of his weaknesses and limitations is burnt in toto. He shines in his own pristine glory, in his own essential nature of divine consciousness. He radiates peace and joy everywhere.
The true greatness of a realised yogi is indescribable. His eyes are inspiring and impressive. His nature is magnanimous, his touch purifying; his looks are merciful, gestures illuminating. He is omniscient; he has intuitive transcendental knowledge and clear insight into the very heart of all things and beings. You will experience a deep sense of peace and harmony, great elevation and inspiration, in his presence.

The jivanmukta or liberated sage is absolutely free from egoism, fear, doubt and grief. These are the four important signs that indicate that one has attained perfection. The liberated sage is perfectly content, has unruffled peace of mind, experiences deep abiding joy and bliss, possesses super-sensual spiritual knowledge and has the ability to clear any kind of doubt an aspirant may have. Doubts vanish when one remains in his company.

The jivanmukta does not even care for the wants of the body. He is not afraid of death and has no longing to live. Mother nature is his obedient and sweet nurse, attending upon him carefully. Bodily wants come by themselves.
Nature arranges everything for him beforehand, this being her responsibility. Balanced mind, equal vision, indifference to the pairs of opposites like pleasure and pain, censure and praise, heat and cold, success and failure—these are the marks of a jivanmukta.

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

GLORY OF THE GURU

                                     Glory Of The Guru

The guru is God himself manifesting in a personal form to guide the aspirant. Grace of God takes the form of the guru. To see the guru is to see God. The guru is united with God. He inspires devotion in others and his presence purifies all.

The guru is verily a link between the individual and the immortal. He is a being who has raised himself from thisto That, and thus has free and unhampered access into both realms. He stands, as it were, upon the threshold of immortality; and, bending down he raises the struggling individuals with one hand, while with the other he lifts them up into the imperium of everlasting joy and infinite truth-consciousness.

The true guru is Brahman himself. He is an ocean of bliss, knowledge and mercy. He is the captain of your soul, the fountain of joy. He removes all your troubles, sorrows and obstacles. He shows you the right divine path and tears your veil of ignorance. He makes you immortal and divine, transmuting your lower, diabolical nature. He gives you the rope of knowledge, and takes you up when you are drowning in this ocean of births and deaths. Do not consider him to be only a man, for, if you do, you are a beast. Worship your guru and bow to him with reverence. Guru is God. A word from him is a word from God. He need not teach anything. Even his presence or company is elevating, inspiring and stirring - his very company being self-illumination. Living in his company is spiritual education. Read the 'Granth Saheb' (the holy scripture of the Sikh religion). You will come to know the greatness of the guru.

Man can learn only from man, and hence God teaches through a human body. In your guru, you have your human ideal of perfection, the pattern into which you wish to mould yourself. Your mind will readily be convinced that such a great soul is fit to be worshipped and revered.

Guru is the door to liberation, the gateway to the transcendental truth-consciousness. But, it is the aspirant that has to enter through it. The guru is a help, but the actual task of practical spiritual practice falls on the aspirant himself.

The guru's tender smile radiates light, bliss, joy, knowledge, peace. He is a blessing to suffering humanity. Whatever he says is Upanishadic teaching. The guru knows the spiritual path. He knows the pitfalls and snares on the way. He gives timely warning to his students. He showers his grace on their heads. All agonies, miseries, tribulations, taints of worldliness, etc., vanish in his presence.

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KNOW THE GURU

                                        Know The Guru
Guru leads man to God. Guru, mantra (mystic formula) and devata (deity) form a unity. Guru is present in the mantra which he enlivens and communicates. The mantra is the body of the devata. The guru is the embodiment of the deity that is invoked.

True guru is living God. Devotion to guru trains your heart and prepares for devotion to the Lord. Gurus are plenty but good disciples are very rare. When the disciple is ready the guru appears. He who has a guru can alone know Brahman, and the knowledge received from a teacher alone becomes perfect.

Initiation is necessary to go along the spiritual path. Guru shows you the path. When you are initiated your body and mind become purified. The highest spiritual wisdom experienced by the seers of truth in ancient times has been passed down to the present day, through an unbroken line of traditional teachers.

Have self-control, tranquillity, sincerity and humility. Then approach the spiritual preceptor. Then alone you will be benefited. Hear silently—anything that your guru may say—hear with faith and bhava. Adapt yourself to his ways. He who serves the preceptor and follows his instructions gains the greatest benefit. He who speaks ill of his guru and does not follow his instructions loses most.

A perfect guru is learned in the scriptures and is desireless. He is a boundless ocean of mercy. He is a full knower of Brahman. He is a friend and a guide to those who have surrendered to him.

Guru is the word. The word is guru. Though God is indescribable, you can see and realise God through the guru.

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Here are the characteristics of a real guru. If you find them in any man accept him at once as your guru. A real guru is one who has full knowledge of the Self and the vedas. He dispels the doubts of aspirants. He has equal vision and balanced mind. He is free from likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow, egoism, anger, lust, greed, pride, etc. He is an ocean of mercy. In his presence one gets peace and elevation of mind—all doubts are cleared. The guru does not expect anything from anybody. He has an exemplary character. He is full of joy and bliss. He is in search of real aspirants.

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NECESSITY FOR A GURU

                                   Necessity For A Guru

Ishvara (God) is Guru of gurus. He removes the veil of ignorance and blesses the ignorant jiva (soul). The aspirant should regard his immediate guru—in the physical form—as an incarnation of that Guru of all gurus. He should have equal devotion to him. Guru in physical form is the main source and embodiment of all good and happiness that accrues to the disciple.

The disciple should realise the supreme necessity for obeying the guru's commands and behests. He should keep his faith in the guru unsullied and staunch. Lay bare to your guru the secrets of your heart. The more you do so, the greater the sympathy. And this means an accession of strength to you in the struggle against sin and temptation. A spiritual teacher actually transmits his spiritual power to his disciple.

A certain spiritual vibration of the satguru is actually transferred to the mind of the disciple. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa actually transmitted his spiritual power to Swami Vivekananda. Lord Jesus did the same to his disciples. This is the master's touch.

It is he who transmutes the little jiva (soul) into great Brahman, infinite. It is he who overhauls the old, wrong, vicious nature (samskaras) of aspirants and awakens them to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. It is he who uplifts the jivas from the quagmire of body and samsara (worldly life), who removes the veil of avidya (ignorance), all doubts, fears, etc.  It is he who awakens the kundalini and opens the eye of inner intuition.

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Never look into the defects of the guru. Deify the guru. Guru, Ishvara, Brahman, Om, truth, are all one. Strictly obey the guru and carry out his orders. You must think that underneath the name and the form of the guru there is the all-pervading, pure consciousness. In course of time the physical form will vanish and you will realise your own self, the pure Brahmic consciousness that lies at the back of the physical form of your guru.
Once you have taken a man as your guru you should never change even if you get a man with greater siddhis (development). Then only you will have strong faith. And through this strong faith you will realise God in the guru.

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THE DISCIPLE's DUTY

                                      The Disciple's Duty

People want to have contact with an avatara (divine incarnation) without being endowed with the proper qualifications. Even if an avatara appears before you, you will not be able to recognise him. You have not got the eyes to see him. You will take him for an ordinary man.

It is only a saint who can recognise a saint. Only a Jesus can understand a Jesus. Even if you live with a saint for a considerable time, you will not be able to fathom or know him.

A beginner on the spiritual path should have various upa-gurus (assistant gurus). He must prepare himself gradually. He must get spiritual instructions from them. He must follow their instructions strictly. He should make himself fit to approach a Brahma-nistha guru (a guru who is already established in Brahman). He should practise meditation and he should see the Lord in meditation.

An aspirant should develop various satvic (divine) virtues. These are all enumerated in the Bhagavad Gita, chapters thirteen and sixteen. These are virtues such as humility, fearlessness, freedom from anger, a forgiving tendency, tranquillity, self-restraint and so on. He must also practise yama (self-restraint) and niyama (discipline). This is his work. The guru will not do this.

But nowadays people want to practise a comfortable yoga, lying in an easy chair. They do not want to practise any vigorous tapas (penance) or sadhana (spiritual discipline). They expect everything to come by the grace of the guru. They even seem to expect him to place Self-realisation before them, like a ready-made betel leaf—so they can just take it and swallow it easily!

All saints and yogis are ready to receive you with outstretched hands and love—if you have the real eyes to behold them, if you have the real heart to unite with them, if you have the real earnestness and longing to be in their company, if you have a real thirsting for God-realization—and if you are really hungry to eat the sweet divine manna of the illimitable domain of bliss of the Self.

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GURU BHAKTI

                             Guru Bhakti
You will find in the Gita: "Learn thou this by discipleship, by enquiry and by service. The wise, the seers of the essence of things, will instruct thee in wisdom." (Chapter IV—Verse 34.)

The guru must not only be a Brahma-shrotriya (well-versed), but a Brahma-nistha (established in Brahman) as well.

Mere study of books cannot make one a guru. One who has studied the vedas and who has direct knowledge of the Atman, through anubhava (direct experience), is a guru. If you find peace in the presence of a holy man (mahatma) and if your doubts are removed in his presence, you can take him as your guru. When the guru gives the mantra to his disciples, he gives with it his own power.

Just as water flows in a river, so also jnana (knowledge) and bhakti (devotion) are ever flowing from a sage. Only a thirsty man drinks water. So too, a thirsty aspirant, who has implicit faith in his guru and is eager to imbibe his teachings can drink the nectar from him. The student can imbibe from his guru only in proportion to the intensity of his faith in him.

The guru tests the students in various ways. Some students misunderstand him and lose their faith in him. Hence they are not benefited. But those that stand the tests boldly come out successful in the end.

The periodical examinations in the 'University of Sages' are very stiff indeed. Once a great sage (Gorakhnath) asked some students to climb a tall tree and throw themselves head downwards onto a very sharp trident (trishula).
Many of the faithless students kept quiet. But one faithful student at once climbed up the tree with lightning speed and hurled himself down. He was protected by the invisible hand of the sage and had immediate Self-realisation. This man had no deha-adhyasa (feeling, "I am body"), but the others had strong attachment for their bodies.

Once Guru Govind Singh tested his students. He said: "My dear disciples, if you have real devotion towards me, let six of you come forward and give me your heads." Two faithful disciples offered their heads.

Many people debate over the necessity for having a guru. Some assert vehemently that it is not necessary to have a guru for spiritual advancement and that one can attain Self-realisation through one's own efforts only. No spiritual progress is possible unless a man gets the benign grace and direct guidance of a spiritual preceptor.

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Respect All - Adore All

                                   Respect All - Adore All



Competent disciples are never in want of a competent guru. Realised souls are not rare, but ordinary ignorant persons cannot easily recognise them. Only a few persons, who are pure and embodiments of all virtuous qualities, can understand realised souls, and they only will be benefited in their company. The number of realised souls may be less in the present age when compared with the satya yuga (the golden age), but they are always present to help the aspirants. They are always searching for the proper adhikaris (qualified aspirants). Let each man take the path according to his capacity, understanding and temperament. His true guru will meet him along that path.

Do not dig shallow pits here and there for obtaining water, for the pits will dry up soon. Dig a very deep pit in one place and centralise all your efforts here. You will find good water that can supply you throughout the year.
Even so, try to imbibe thoroughly the spiritual teachings from one preceptor alone. Drink deeply from one man. Sit at his feet for some years. It is useless to wander from one man to another out of curiosity, losing faith in a short time. Do not have the ever-changing mind of a prostitute, but follow the spiritual instructions of one man only. If you go to several people and follow the instructions of many persons, you will become quite bewildered and be in a dilemma.

From one doctor you get a prescription. From two doctors you get consultation. From three doctors you get your own cremation. Even so, if you have many gurus, you will be bewildered and be at a loss to know what to do. One guru will tell you: "Do this." Another will tell you: "Do that." A third guru will tell you: "Do the other." You will be quite puzzled. Stick to one guru and follow his instructions.

Listen to all, but follow one. Respect all, but adore one. Gather knowledge from all, but adopt the teachings of one master. Then you will have rapid spiritual progress.

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The guru and the scriptures can show you the path and remove your doubts. Direct experience or direct intuitive knowledge is left for your own experience. A hungry man will have to eat for himself. No doubt, the guru's blessing can do everything. But how can one have his blessings? By pleasing the guru. A guru can be pleased with his disciple only if the latter carries out his spiritual instructions implicitly. Therefore, follow the instructions of the guru carefully. Only then will you deserve his blessings which can do everything.

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KEY TO PERFECTION

                                       Key To Perfection



Meditate on the Atman; you will enjoy peace and bliss. The more you grow in aspiration and meditation the more God-like you grow, for in meditation is the light of the Lord. Meditate and charge your battery by contact with God. Dive deep into the chambers of your heart through profound and silent meditation and bring up the pearl of truth. Meditate and retire to your innermost centre. Abide now in perfect serenity and the peace that passeth all understanding.

Fear, distress, worry, temptation and despair will assail you during meditation. Repeat the Lord's name vigorously and sincerely—all will vanish. Meditate amidst noise, study amidst noise. Discipline and again discipline. There will be no tossing of the mind for you. You will have a strong unperturbed mind. If purity increases, the body becomes light and the mind becomes cheerful. One attains greater balance of mind and the power of concentration increases. You enter into deep meditation. If for one day you do not practise meditation, you will lose much; you will not be able to reach the original spiritual height the next day. Therefore always be regular in your meditation. Enquire, "Who am I?". Find the seer, find the knower. Meditate on Satchidananda Atman, the inner ruler, the indweller.

Meditate on Brahman as support, greatness, wisdom, bliss and existence. The light which never fails is the light of meditation. You experience samadhi (the vision of truth) through the light of meditation. Moksha (emancipation) is very near to him who is perfect is meditation. Connect your mind with the mind of God through meditation or yoga. Your life will become divine, your life will be transformed.

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Meditation is the means; knowledge is the end. Meditation is the process; knowledge is the culmination. In meditation there is struggle, striving or effort. In knowledge there is no striving. So long as there is meditation, the meditator is only an aspirant. When meditation ceases and the goal is reached, the meditator becomes the knower of truth—all meditation and effort cease. He is a jivanmukta (liberated sage). When you try to behold a tree, there is effort in the beginning of perception. Later it becomes a continuous stream of consciousness of the tree. So is knowledge of Brahman.

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MEDITATE ON THE LORD

                                     Meditate On The Lord



Meditate on the Lord, the inner ruler, the indweller of your heart. The lotus of your heart will blossom; the sun of wisdom will shine. The darkness of the heart will end. The five kleshas (psychic sources of sorrow) will be annihilated. The three fires (internal, external and supernatural suffering) will be extinguished. Sins and samskaras (mental impressions) will be burnt. Vasanas (tendencies) and cravings will be fried.

Meditate on the eternal which is free from pain, from disease, from fear and delusion, which is all-filling, pure, far yet near, the birth place of the five elements, the final goal of yogins and sages, the source of mind, senses and vedas, the place where silence reigns supreme, where there is immortal bliss beyond thought, the supreme, glorious splendour where thought is dead, where there is neither noise nor fight.

Purity, humility and mercy are the rungs of the ladder to the supreme abode of my beloved. You may burn the ladder now—I will not come down any more. Rivers of honey run in this wonderful land and flowers do not fade at any time—I swim daily in the ocean of eternity. I drink the immortal nectar. Hunger and thirst torment me not. Exhaustion and fatigue trouble me not. There is no need of lamps and electric light—there is eternal sunshine. There is no fear of snakes and scorpions—this deathless realm makes everyone fearless.

When you have realised oneness, when you behold Brahman everywhere, can there be 'here' and 'there'? Can there be 'this' and 'that'? Can there be 'I' and 'you' and 'he'? Can there be one, two or three? One homogeneous, blissful essence alone exists. There is only one Brahman—the infinite. All dualities, differences and distinctions melt away. The seer and the seen become one. The meditator and the meditated fuse. The thinker and the thought blend. 
The knower and the knowable merge. It is the transcendental experience of wholeness, perfection, fullness, freedom and perennial joy.

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Meditate on courage, humility, love, compassion, peace, bliss, serenity. First practise concentration on an object. Then concentrate on the idea of the object. Finally concentrate on the existence behind the idea. Meditate on completeness and spiritual perfection. To meditate is to go into oneself and open the heart, in silence, to the divine spirit. Meditate on the Atman. You will see the light of truth, you will understand the oneness of all life.































CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

                                      Christmas Message

Christmas is the great festival of Christendom. There is a spirit of joy everywhere. Men and women lay aside their jealousies and enmities for a while. They come a little nearer to each other—and to Christ.

Christ came and lived among men to awaken the Christ-consciousness within them. Christ should be born in each one of you—then alone you will understand spiritual life. Then alone you will try to live a perfect, divine life. Then alone you will realise the spirit of Christ, which is within each one of us.

The sacrament of baptism enables you to come one step nearer to this perfect life. The sacrament of confirmation enables you to come another step nearer to sharing his life, using his force and his love.

Now, you are a knight in Christ's service. When you partake of communion, you really partake of his very life. Thus the spirit of Christ in you is gradually being roused, and you are awakened to the higher life of Christ-consciousness.

Every day should be Christmas day for us. So bring the spirit of Christ into your daily life. Behold Christ in everything, in all beings.

Cultivate sympathy and mercy for all beings. Expand your heart and embrace all.

Greet the Christ, everywhere. Perform each day, for yourself, the Christ's mass. Remember that Christ is in the priest. Christ is in the saint and the sinner. Christ is in the dog and in the labourer. Christ is in all.

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Every day is a fresh beginning. Spend it usefully. Beginning the day right will bring great success. The whole day will be well-lived. Begin the day at 4 a.m. Pray, meditate, do japa. 

Pray unto the Lord:

"Lord, lead me from the unreal to the Real,

from darkness to Light,

from hatred to Love,

from impurity to Purity,

from imperfection to Perfection,

from disharmony to Harmony,

from diversity to Unity."


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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Moksha Gita - 10

                                       Moksha Gita - 10

O my child! Hast thy delusion been destroyed? Have you become fearless now? Have your doubts been removed? Are you resting now in your own Satchidananda Svaropa? I have declared to thee the profound secret of vedanta, the essence of vedas.

O preceptor! I have realised the Self now. I am verily that Brahman, which is self-effulgent, one without a second, which is changeless, partless, formless, eternal, all-pervading, the absolute and the homogeneous essence.

I am Satchidananda Brahman. I am pure, infinite, unattached, timeless, motionless, deathless, decayless and fearless. I have no connection with the body and the mind. I am actionless, formless.

Salutations unto thee, O venerable guru! Thou hast saved me from the wheel of birth and death. Through thy grace I have attained immortality and eternal bliss. All my doubts, delusion and ignorance have vanished. Millions of prostrations unto thee, O merciful Lord.

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SONG OF DIVINE LIFE

Gopala Gopala Muralilola
Yasoda Nandana Gopibala.
Serve - love - give - purify, practise ahimsa,
Satyam, brahmacharya 'take satvic food', study Gita,
Have satsang, control senses, do japa kirtan,
Meditate in brahmamuhurta, know thyself.
Love all, embrace all, be kind to all,
Work is worship (serve all), serve the Lord in all.
Purify, concentrate, reflect, meditate,
Know the Self through enquiry, "Who am I?".
Purify, concentrate, reflect, meditate,
Serve, love, give and be dispassionate,
Know Brahman, maya, samsara and 'I',
Behold the goal of life, Hae Saumya nearby.

(Gopala Gopala .....)

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