Christmas - Its Spiritual Meaning

                         

                Christmas - Its Spiritual Meaning

                                         Sri Swami Sivananda

Christmas is known to all men the world over historically as the memorable day of the birth of Jesus, the Saviour. Though it is true that Christmas is thus celebrated as the day of the advent of Christ into this world, yet it also symbolises a very deeply significant truth of the spiritual life. Jesus Christ lived and symbolised Divine Consciousness. He is the very personification of Divinity. He was born at a time when ignorance, superstition, greed, hatred and hypocrisy prevailed upon the land. The rulers were arrogant and unrighteous. The people were avaricious, indolent and heedless. Purity was forgotten. Morality was neglected. They were intent upon worshipping mammon than adoring God. There was no idealism.

In the midst of these conditions, Christ was born and He worked a transformation in the lives of people. He gave a new and a spiritual turn to the lives of man. There came a change upon the land. People started upon a new way of life. Thus a new era dawned for the world.

Those conditions of darkness, impurity and materialism that prevailed before the coming of Christ signify to you the inner state of the seeker’s personality before discrimination had dawned upon him and before a spiritual awakening had taken place. In that period the seeker has no thought of God or higher spiritual life. He is immersed in the pursuit of the material things of this external physical world. He is the slave of his senses. He has no spiritual ideal in life. He is desire-ridden. Arrogance, avarice and sensuality characterize his personality. He lives a life of lust, anger, greed, deluded attachment, pride and jealousy.

If this state of things must cease and the seeker must enter into a new life of spiritual aspiration, purity and devotion, then the Christ-spirit must take its birth within his heart. That is the real Christmas when the Divine element begins to express itself in the heart of the man. From then onward, light begins to shine where darkness was before. Ignorance gives place to the beginning of wisdom. Impurity is replaced by purity. Hatred ceases and love begins to blossom forth.

In his innermost core, man is essentially Divine. But upon this field of human personality two forces keep acting. They are the forces of good and evil, of light and of darkness. The Divine and the undivine both operate in the human consciousness of man. To completely overcome and eradicate the undivine elements and to fully manifest the supreme Divine element in all its radiant light and glory is to be achieved only through the living of the Christ-life, in the utmost faithful detail. This is spiritual life. This is Yoga. This is Sadhana (spiritual practice). This is the method of Self-realisation. This is the great Path which leads us to Immortality, Supreme Bliss and Eternal Peace.

If the Christ-life is to be lived, first of all, the child-Christ has to be born in us. Then only the real spiritual life commences for the aspirant. The first manifestation of the Divine urge in the form of spiritual aspiration and the recognition of the spiritual ideal signifies the birth of the infant Jesus within the seeker’s being. From hence starts the living of the Christ-life in all its spiritual details of sublime purity, faith in Divinity, mercy, compassion, love, selflessness, desirelessness, prayerfulness, etc. Hence starts the life of earnest Yoga and Sadhana, of self-restraint and simplicity, of unbroken serenity and peace, balance of mind, unflinching courage in the face of all oppositions and perfect dedication to the worship of God through the service of man. This is the spiritual implication within of the Christmas that is celebrated without.

With the advent of this Christ-spirit within the heart of the seekers, all human desires come to an end and they are replaced by pure higher Divine aspiration, Spirituality overcomes materialism. You break free from your slavery to the senses. You begin to live a new life, a divine life of purity, love, renunciation, humility, non-attachment and selflessness. Your life becomes sublime like the life of Christ. You begin to live a life of complete faith and dependence upon God. You always think of God, talk of Him and live for Him. Helping others becomes a real joy to you. You become a living witness of the Divine. All your life’s activities flow towards God.

Here a very small, but very beautiful, point of deep significance is to be noted without fail. It reveals a deep spiritual Law. It is the time and the manner of the birth of the Lord upon the holy Christmas day. Jesus Christ was not born in a grand palace. He was not born to very wealthy or learned parents. Also He was not born in the full blaze of daylight with the knowledge of all men. Jesus Christ was born in a simple lowly place, a corner of a stable. He was born to humble and poor parents, who had nothing to boast about, except their own spotless character and holiness. Also He was born in the darkness in the obscure hour of midnight, when no one even knew about it, except a few Divinely blessed people.

The above point of deep significance tells you that the spiritual awakening comes to the seeker, who is perfectly humble and “meek” and “poor in spirit.” The quality of true humility is one of the indispensable fundamentals. Then we find simplicity, holiness and the renunciation of all desire for worldly wealth and pride of learning. Thirdly, even as Christ was born unknown to the world and in the obscurity of darkness, even so, the advent of the Christ-spirit takes place in the inwardness of man when there is total self-effacement self-abnegation. Where self-aggrandisement and vanity abide, there the descent of Divinity cannot occur, for these expressions of egotism are ever a bar to the unfoldment of the Divine consciousness. Empty thyself and I shall fill thee—is the Divine admonition of the Lord. The Kingdom of Heaven within is for the lowly in spirit. Thus, true humility and self-effacement are the beautiful harbingers, the dawnlights, as it were, that herald the break of the joyous new day, the advent of the new era of a life in Spirit. When they appear within you, then the holy Christmas takes place. There is a new birth then.

This is the birth into a Divine Life. It was the secret of this birth that centuries ago the Lord Jesus sweetly explained to the good Nicodemus. The good man did not quite understand what precisely Christ meant when He taught that a man must be born again if he is to attain the Kingdom of God. “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. Then it was that Christ explains that this birth is inward, not of the body, but in the Spirit. Such inner spiritual birth is essential if the Supreme is to be attained, if true bliss is to be experienced. Rejoicing takes place only when Christmas has come.

O humanity! O modern age! Hearken to this significant inner message of Christmas. May the true implication of the Divine Christ Personality dawn upon your hearts! Realise fully that so long as the thirst for mammon and the arrogance of power infects the nature of man, so long the Christ-spirit of peace, blessedness and true happiness cannot enter into your life. When Christmas is being celebrated all over the Continent and in England, America and in the entire Christian world, may this be borne in mind that, “unless ye be born again, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,” and that unless the simplicity and the purity of heart of the little children come to indwell the hardened, unregenerate nature of the modern man, the advent of the Divine Grace as peace, prosperity, universal well-being and concord are indeed far, far away. As with the individual, even so with the nations of the world, the fundamentals of true faith, true charity, genuine humility and a spiritual rebirth alone can usher in true bliss and brotherhood upon this earth. It is when such a transformation occurs in the nations of men and it is when they renounce their policies of hatred and greed that the modern world will truly enjoy the blessings of the real, universal Christmas. Then will be the advent of the Blessed Christ into this despairing world. Till then Christmas will be but a travesty of the real glory of the Lord’s advent. Be born again and live anew, O World of Today! May the bliss and radiance of the Lord’s advent permeate the earth!

But seekers, mark this! When Divinity is to manifest, welcome it with open arms. Do not be so engrossed in the world and deny place to the Lord. At His blessed advent the land was so engrossed in counting men and reckoning of money that the inns and houses of Bethlehem were so crowded out that there was hardly any place left to receive the Lord. The census and the taxation signify the soul’s bondage to and preoccupation in earthly human relationships and attachments and its engrossment with lucre. Let the aspirant beware of these two vital mistakes. Turning away inwardly from all pursuit of earthly wealth and overcoming all attachment, be thou ever fully receptive to the expression of the Divine Spirit within.

Beloved seekers, usher in now the real and spiritual Christmas within your being, become desireless. Conquer egoism. Become embodiments of true humility. Develop meekness and lowliness of spirit by humble surrender unto the Lord. Be courageous to overcome all obstacles. Joyously renounce mammon. Welcome the descent of the Light of Grace within. Rejoice in the advent of the Divine. Thus celebrate the Christmas that ultimately leads you on the glorious climax of Transfiguration, Resurrection and Ascension. Be crowned with Divine glory. Attain immortality, perfect freedom and be for ever steeped in infinite bliss. Through Christmas realise the Christ-consciousness and the radiant light of Atmic (divine) Wisdom. Amen.

This article is taken from the book "Life and Teachings of Lord Jesus" by Sri Swami Sivananda

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Samadhi

                                       Samadhi 

Swami Sivananda

Still the waves of the mind and hold it steady in nirvikalpa samadhi (unconditioned state of super-consciousness). This needs constant, protracted practice of meditation. There may be breaks in the meditation in the beginning, but practice makes you perfect. Later you will be able to remain absorbed in meditation for long periods. You can merge yourself in samadhi, with a mind like a flame protected from wind.

Before getting sanguine success in meditation get victory over the pose first. Sit upon your seat with the steadiness of a rock ­ for two or three hours. If the body is steady then the mind will also be steady.

Do not mistake a little concentration or one-­pointedness of mind for samadhi. Simply because you have risen a little above body consciousness, on account of a little concentration, do not think that you have attained samadhi.

Separate the mind from the body and unite it with the Supreme Self. This is known as samadhi or the super-conscious state. This will give liberation or freedom from births and deaths. Samadhi is obtained by practice for a long time and with zeal and enthusiasm.

Samadhi is the highest goal which one can attain through meditation. It is not a little thing that can be attained through a little practice. To attain samadhi one should observe strict brahmacharya (celibacy), dietetic restrictions and one must have purity of heart.

If these are not attained there is no possibility of attaining samadhi. These are preliminary qualifications and should be well grasped. Then only one should try to enter the portals of samadhi. None can enter there unless he is a great devotee of the Lord.

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Moksha (liberation) is loss of one's personality in the divine. It is deliverance from the delusion of personality. Just as the river becomes the ocean itself, the individual soul becomes the mighty supreme soul, with higher consciousness, transcendental bliss and knowledge.

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Yoga of Meditation

Yoga of Meditation 

O beloved Ram! You are within a strong fortress now. A spiritual fortress where no temptation can influence you. You are absolutely safe. Now you can do vigorous sadhana (spiritual practice) without fear. Kill the foe ­ the mind. Wear the spiritual laurels of peace, equal­-vision and contentment.

You are already shining with Brahmic bliss. The all-merciful Lord has given you all sorts of comforts, good health and a guru to guide you. What more do you want? Grow. Evolve. Realise the truth and proclaim it everywhere.

Be silent. Know thyself. Know that. Melt the mind in that. Truth is quite clear and simple. Solitude and intense meditation are two important requisites for self-­realisation. If sadhana is interrupted, make up the deficiency later. 

Practise self­-restraint at all times because, all of a sudden, the senses may suddenly become turbulent. This is why Krishna says: "O son of Kunti, the excited senses of even a wise man, though he be striving, impetuously carry away his mind."

The wandering habit of the mind must be controlled by making it stick to one place, by one method of sadhana, by one guru and by one form of yoga. A rolling stone gathers no moss. When you take up a book for study, you must finish it before you take up another one. When you take up any work, you must devote your whole­hearted attention towards it and finish it before you take up any other work.

Do not cause pain or suffering to any living being, whether through greed, selfishness, irritability or annoyance. Give up anger and ill­-will. Give up the spirit of fighting and heated debates. Do not argue. If you quarrel with somebody you cannot meditate for three or four days, because your balance of mind is upset. Thus much energy is wasted in useless channels. Also the blood becomes hot; the nerves are shattered. Keep a serene mind always. Meditation proceeds from a serene mind.

An aspirant must be sensitive and yet possess a body and nerves completely under control. The greater the sensitivity becomes, the more difficult the task. Noises which pass unnoticed by an ordinary person are torture to one who is very sensitive. Develop the inner power of the self. Centralisation of ideas will stop the out­going habit of the mind.

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On Seclusion

On Seclusion 

As the will power in many persons has become very weak, as they had no religious discipline or training in schools and colleges when they were young, and as they are under the sway of materialistic influences, it is necessary for them to go in for seclusion for some weeks, months or years, to practise rigorous japa (repetition of God's name) and undisturbed meditation.

Calm the bubbling emotions, sentiments, instincts and impulses through silent meditation. You can give a new orientation to your feelings by systematic practice. You can entirely transmute your worldly nature into divine nature. You can exercise supreme control over the nerve centres, the nerves, the muscles, the five koshas (sheaths), emotions, impulses and instincts through meditation.

Those who have fixed up their sons in life, who have retired from service and those who have no ties in the world can remain in seclusion for four or five years and practise intense meditation and tapas (austerity) for purification and self-­realisation. When they have attained self­-knowledge, they should come out and share their knowledge and bliss with others. They should disseminate knowledge of the Self through lectures, conversations, discourses or heart­-to-­heart talks.

A householder (grhasta) with yogic tendencies and spiritual inclinations can practise meditation in a solitary and quiet room in his own house - or in any solitary place on the banks of any holy river, during holidays or throughout the year if he is a whole­time aspirant or if he is retired from service.

The aspirant should be free from hope, desire and greed. Then only will he have a steady mind. Hope, desire and greed make the mind ever restless and turbulent; they are the enemies of peace and self-­knowledge. He should not have many possessions. He can keep only those articles which are absolutely necessary for the maintenance of his body. If there are many possessions the mind will be ever thinking of the articles and attempting to protect them. Those who want quick progress in meditation during seclusion should not keep any connection with the world by way of correspondence, reading newspapers or thinking of the family members and possessions. 

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The Glimpse and the Goal

The Glimpse and the Goal 

When you get a flash of illumination, do not be frightened. It will be a new experience of immense joy. Do not turn back. Do not give up meditation. Do not stop there. You will have to advance still further. This is only a glimpse of truth. This is not the whole experience. This is not the highest realisation. This is only a new platform. Try to ascend further. Reach the bhuma (the infinite). Now alone you are proof against all temptation. You will drink deep the nectar of immortality. This is the acme or final state. You can take eternal rest now. You need not meditate any further. This is the final goal.

You have within yourself tremendous powers and latent faculties of which you have really never had any conception. You must awaken these dormant powers and faculties by the practice of meditation and yoga. You must develop your will and control your senses and mind. You must purify yourself and practise regular meditation, then only can you become a superman or God man.

Every human being has within himself various potentialities and capacities. He is a magazine of power and knowledge. As he evolves, he unfolds new powers, new faculties, new qualities. Now he can change his environment and influence others. He can subdue others' minds. He can conquer internal and external nature. He can enter into super-conscious state.

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The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by the sharp sword of constant meditation. Then dawns supreme knowledge of the Self or full illumination or self­realisation. The liberated sage has neither doubt nor delusion. All bonds of karma (action) are rent asunder. This is the master­key to open the realms of eternal bliss. It may be tiring in the beginning, because the mind will be running away from the point (lakshya) every now and then. But after some time it will be focused in the centre. You will be immersed in divine bliss.

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Instructions in Meditation

Instructions in Meditation 

Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lamp, so also the divine flame is burning from time immemorial in the lamp of your heart. Close your eyes. Merge yourself within the divine flame. Plunge deep into the chambers of your heart. Meditate on this divine flame and become one with the flame of God.

If the wick within the lamp is small, the light will also be small. If the wick is big, the light also will be powerful. Similarly if the jiva (individual soul) is pure, if he practises meditation, the manifestation of the Self will be powerful. He will radiate a big light. Likewise the purer the soul, the greater the expression.

If the magnet is powerful, it will influence the iron filings even when they are placed at a distance. Even so, if the yogi is an advanced person, he will have greater influence over the persons with whom he comes in contact. He can exert his influence on persons even when they live in distant places.

During meditation note how long you can shut out all worldly thoughts. Watch the mind. Try to increase the period. Fill the mind with thoughts of God again and again.

In meditation do not strain the eyes. Do not strain the brain. Do not struggle or wrestle with the mind. Relax. Gently allow divine thoughts to flow. Steadily think of lakshya (point of meditation). Do not voluntarily and violently drive away the intruding thoughts. Have sublime (satvic) thoughts. The vicious thoughts will vanish by themselves.

If there is much strain in your meditation, reduce the duration of each sitting for a few days. Those who meditate for four or five hours at a stretch can have two meditative poses. Keep the spine erect.

You must daily increase your vairagya (dispassion) and meditation on satvic virtues such as patience, perseverance, mercy, love and forgiveness. Vairagya and good qualities help meditation. Meditation increases the satvic qualities.

Philosophy of Om

Philosophy of Om 

The sound produced in the flowing of the river Ganges, the sound that is heard at a distance, the sound that proceeds from the bustle of the market, that is produced by the fly­wheel when it is set in motion, that is caused when it rains, or there is a conflagration, or thunder ­ it is all Om only. Split any word and you will find Om there. Om is all-­pervading, like akasha (space), like Brahman, the Absolute.

Om is the symbol of Brahman. It is the word of power. It is the sacred monosyllable. It is the essence of the vedas. It is the boat to take you across to the other shore of fearlessness and immortality.

The word Om is the most appropriate name of Brahman. By its application, by its chanting, he becomes propitiated. Om is emblematic of Brahman, as images are of material objects. When you hear the sound 'tree', you at once understand it has a root, a stem, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, etc. Similarly too, when you hear the sabda (sound) Om it denotes satchidananda Brahman ­ existence absolute, knowledge absolute, bliss absolute.

Sabda (word) and artha (meaning) are inseparable. All collections of words (speech), terminate in one sound ­ Om. All objects are denoted by sounds, and all sounds merge in Om. The whole universe comes out of Om and is absorbed into Om. Hence Om is very important.

Om should be worshipped. Om should be chanted loudly. Om should be repeated mentally, with deep meaning and feeling. Om should be meditated upon.

Watch the breath. When you inhale, the sound so is produced. When you exhale, the sound ham is produced. You are naturally uttering soham ­- I am He ­or He am I - ­with every breath. The breath reminds you that you are in essence identical with the Supreme Self.

In soham the 's' and the 'h' are consonants. If you delete them you get 'oam' or Om. Consonants depend on vowels for their existence. 'S' and 'h' represent names and forms, or this universe which is phenomenal or relative or empirical or dependent existence. Om is the only solid reality. Om is the soul of your breath.

As soon as you sit for meditation, chant Om loudly - three, six or twelve times. This drives away worldly thoughts from the mind and removes vikshep (tossing of the mind). Later you may take to the mental repetition of Om.

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Sivananda Gita - 5 (Continued)

Sivananda Gita - 5 (Continued) 

I constantly meditate on the following:

Prajnanam Brahman, aham brahmasmi, tat tvam asi, ayam atma brahman. 

Satyam jnanam anantam brahman, santam sivam advaitam. 

Aham atma gudakesa. 

Aham atma nirvikarah sarvavyapi svabhavatah.  

Brahma satyam jagan mitya jivo brahmaiva na parah.  

Akarta, abhokta, asanga, sakshi, ajo nityah sasvatoyam purano. 

Jyotisamapi tat jyotih.

To raise the fallen, to lead the blind, to share what I have with others, to bring solace to the afflicted, to cheer up the suffering are my ideals.

To have perfect faith in God, to love my neighbour as my own self, to love God with all my heart and soul, to protect cows, animals, women and children are my aims.

My watchword is love. My goal is sahaja samadhi avasta or the natural, continuous, super-conscious state.

SONG OF JOY

Om Om Om Om - Om Om Om Om 

Om Om Om Om Om - Om Om Om Om Om Om Om Om Om Om 

Om Om Om Om Om - Om Om Om Om Om Om Om.

Within you is hidden God 

Within you is immortal soul

Kill this little 'I' 

Die to live 

Lead the divine life.

Within you is the fountain of joy 

Within you is the ocean of bliss.

Rest peacefully, in your own atma 

And drink the nectar of immortality.

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Sivananda Gita - 4 (Continued)

                                      Sivananda Gita - 4 (Continued)

I respect all saints and prophets of all religions. I respect all religions, all cults, all faiths and all creeds.

I serve all, love all, mix with all and see the Lord in all. I stick to my promises. I serve the poor. This is my delight. I do mental prostrations to asses, dogs, trees, bricks, stones and all creatures. I respect elders and sadhus. I obey. I please all through sincere selfless service.

I attend on guests very carefully. I run hither and thither to serve them. I shampoo the legs of sick persons and sadhus.

I give very prompt reply to all my letters. I do several things at a time. I write with electric speed.

I spend everything. I do lot of charity. I do not keep anything. I take immense delight in feeding the poor and my students. I try to be a mother to them.

I talk to others on things which I have myself practised. I look within always, introspect, analyse, and examine. I hold the trishul: spiritual diary, daily routine and resolve.

I ever served my masters with great sincerity and intense faith and devotion. I learnt many useful lessons for life. I developed many virtues.

I wandered without food during my parivrajak life. I slept on the roadside at night without clothing during winter.

I ate dried bread with water.

I stick tenaciously to my principles and ideals. I do not argue much. I live in silence.

I pray and do kirtan for the peace of the whole world, for the health and peace of sick people, and for the peace of the departed souls and the earth bound spirits also.

I take a dip in the Ganges in the name of all those who are longing for a bath in the Ganges.

I sing the names of all saints of all religions in the bhajan hall. I observe All-Saints day and All-Souls day.

Om. Om. Om.

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Sivananda Gita - 3 (Continued)

                                      Sivananda Gita - 3 (Continued) 

I love nature, music, art, poetry, philosophy, beauty, goodness, solitude, meditation, yoga and vedanta.

I am humble and simple. I am frank and straightforward. I am perfectly tolerant and catholic. I am merciful and sympathetic. I have spontaneous and unrestrained generosity.

I am bold and cheerful. I am patient. I can bear insult and injury. I am forgiving. I am free from vindictive nature. I return good for evil. I serve that man who has injured me, with joy.

I love Ganga and the Himalayas. Ganga is my mother divine. Himalayas is my father divine. They inspire and guide me. I take bath in Ganga. I swim in Ganga. I adore Ganga. I feed the fishes of Ganga.

I wave light to Mother Ganges. I pray to Ganga. I do salutations to Ganga. I sing the glory of Ganga. I write about the grandeur and glory of Ganga.

Ganga has nourished me. Ganga has comforted me. Ganga has taught me the truth of the Upanishads. Glory to Ganga!
My daily routine is like that of Lord Buddha. I always remain in the room. I do japa, kirtan and meditation. I study sacred books. I write. I come out of the room for a short time for work, service and interview.

I talk a little. I think much. I meditate much. I try to do much and serve much.

I do not waste even a single minute. I ever keep myself fully occupied. I lead a well-regulated life. I perform worship of Atman at all times. I work for the good of others. Om. Om. Om.

Gita, Upanishads, Bhagavat, Yoga Vasishta, Avadhootha Gita, Vivekachudamani are my constant companions.

I am a strange mixture of service, devotion, yoga and wisdom. I am a follower of Sri Shankara. I am a keval-advaita vedantin. I am not at all a dry lip-­vedantin. I am a practical vedantin.

I practise and advocate the yoga of synthesis. I practise ahimsa, satyam and brahmacharya. Glory to Sri Shankara!

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SIVANANDA GITA - 2

                                       Sivananda Gita - 2 (Continued)

I am 59 (1946) now. I ever feel I am quite young. I am full of vigour, vim and vitality. I am ever cheerful. I sing, dance, run, and jump in joy. I am robust and strong. I can digest any kind of food.

I continuously work, read and write. I never go to hill stations or seaside for a holiday. Change of work gives rest. Meditation gives abundant rest.

Work gives me delight. Service gives me happiness. Writing bestows joy. Meditation energises and invigorates me. Kirtan vivifies me.

"Aham Brahmasmi, Sivoham, Soham, Satchidananda Swaroopoham" ­ This is my favourite formula for vedantic meditation.

     Hare Rama hare Rama Rama Rama hare hare,
     Hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare.

          - This mahamantra kirtan is my favourite kirtan.

At the present moment I am the richest man in the whole world. My heart is full. Further, all the wealth of the Lord belongs to me now. Hence I am King of kings, Emperor of emperors, Shah of shahs, Maharaja of maharajas. I take pity on the mundane kings. My dominion is limitless.

My wealth is inexhaustible.

My joy is inexpressible. My treasure is immeasurable. I attained this through sanyasa, renunciation, untiring selfless service, japa, kirtan and meditation.

I am tall. My height is 6 feet. I have a sinewy frame. I have symmetrical limbs. I was a first class gymnast.

I fast on Ekadasi. I do not take even a drop of water. I take milk and fruits on Sundays. I do not take salt on Sundays.

I lead a simple, natural life. There is a fountain of youth in me. I beam with joy. I observe fasting, resting, airing, bathing, breathing, exercising, sun­bathing and enjoy freedom, power, beauty, courage, poise and health.

Om. Om. Om.

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SIVANANDA GITA - 1

                                      Sivananda Gita - 1 

I was born of P.S. Vengu Aiyar and Parvathiammal on 8th September 1887 at Pattamadai, Tirunelvely District, S. India, in the line of Appayya Dixit. My star is Bharani.

I was extremely mischievous in my boyhood. I studied in the S.P.G. College, Trichy. I was a Doctor in Malaya States for 10 years. I took sanyasa in 1924 in Rishikesh.

I did tapas and meditation for 15 years. I went on lecturing tours for 10 years. I founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 and the All­-World Religions Federation in 1945.

I am child­like in my svabhava. So I mix with all. I become one with all.

I am ever happy and joyful and make others also happy and joyful.

I am full of educative humour. I radiate joy through humour.

I respect all. I do salutations to all first.

I always speak sweetly. I walk quickly.

I do japa and meditation while walking and while at work also. I am ever hard­working. I have intense application to work. I never leave a work till it is finished. I never procrastinate any work. I finish it then and there. I am very quick in doing things.

I cannot suppress the spirit of service in me. I cannot live without service. I take immense delight in service. Service has elevated me. Service has purified me.

I know well how to extract work from others. I extract work through kindness, service, respect and love.

I am very regular in doing asanas and exercises. I even now do sirshasan, sarvangasan and other asanas. I do pranayama also regularly. These give me wonderful health and energy. I run round the bhajan hall daily.

I cannot deliver fiery lectures sitting on a special seat. Special seat pricks me. I stand up or throw the seat away and then begin to speak. I never sat on a special seat when I presided over spiritual conferences.

I rejoice in giving. I always give.

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CALL UNTO DIVINE LIFE

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!

Namaste!

Today (September 8th) is the 127th birthdayanniversary of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji. In
honour of this occasion we uploaded an article by
Sri Swami Chidanandaji titled "Call Unto Divine
Life":
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/sep2014.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

This article is a chapter from the book Swami Sivananda, Our Loving Awakener.

                              Call Unto Divine Life

                                                                  By
                                                  Sri Swami Chidananda

Blessed Children of the Lord and devotees of Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj!

Salutations and prostrations unto the Most High, the one Reality that dwells in the hearts of all beings. Greetings in Divine Life!

With great pleasure I send you this message for the holy Birthday Anniversary of Sri Gurudev.

Sages and saints of yore have emphatically declared that it is very difficult to get a human birth. Our Gurudev also sang thus: "It is difficult to get a human birth; therefore try your best to realise in this birth." Human birth is put down as the very rare gift of God, and having got a human birth, if you do not have a hankering to attain that state which will bestow on you eternal bliss and immortality, it means that you do not utilise this human birth to any purpose at all. Therefore, live in such a way that it will bring you perennial bliss. The attainment of this bliss is your birthright.

To live is to fight for this birthright. Life is conquest. Life is a series of awakenings. Become free from the bonds of birth and death by realising your Self. Never forget your Immortal Nature. Thou art Divine!

On this holy occasion I wish to remind you of a few spiritual teachings of Sri Gurudev. These teachings will greatly help you in treading the spiritual path.

O Man! Follow your own religion, but stick to its fundamental spiritual ideals. Draw up a programme for your life, and that shall constitute the preparation for the journey towards Divine Life. You do not live on earth for the sake of talking about the Why, What and How of God and religion, but to lead a virtuous spiritual life with a broad feeling, careful understanding, devotion to Truth and tolerance towards all beings.

Religion must educate and develop the whole man, his heart, head (intellect) and hand. Only then will he have perfection (Siddhi). There must be integral development. One-sided development is not commendable. You must have the head of Sankara, the heart of Buddha and the hands of Janaka. Vedanta without devotion is quite dry. Bhakti without Jnana is feeble. How can one who has realised his oneness with the Atman remain without serving the world, which is only the Atman. Devotion is not divorced from Jnana, but rather Jnana is exceedingly helpful to its perfect attainment.

There is no hope of Immortality by means of riches. Such indeed is the emphatic declaration of the Srutis, ‘Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amritatvamanashuh’ (Neither by rituals, nor by progeny, nor by riches, but by renunciation alone does one attain Immortality). Mere giving up of objects will not constitute real renunciation. Dear friends! Remember, remember this point well. True Tyaga consists in renouncing egoism, mine-ness, selfishness, Moha, Deha-Abhimana, desires and cravings.

Even the greatest of persons will in course of time become the lowest of the low. Countless kings, earls, barons and emperors have come and gone. Where are those distinguished poets, intellectual geniuses, reputed scientists with boasted intellects; where are Shakespeare, Kalidasa, Byron, Newton, Kant, Faraday, Gandhi, Kennedy, Nehru?

In youth you are enveloped in complete ignorance, in adult age you are entangled in the meshes of sex, in old age you groan under the burden of Samsara and debility. You eventually die and pass off from the scene. Being thus always occupied, when will you, my dear friends, find time to devote yourselves to the performance of virtuous deeds, Nishkama Karma, Bhajan, Satsanga, Vichara, Kirtan and meditation?

Why should you try to realise the Atman? Because Self-Realisation gives you freedom from the Samsaric wheel of births and deaths, with its concomitant evils. Hear the emphatic declaration of the Sruti: ‘This Atman (Self) which is free from sorrow, hunger and thirst, with true desires and true resolves--that is what is to be sought after, what one must wish to understand; one who has sought after this Self and understood it, obtains all worlds and all desires’, said Prajapati to Indra.

Hear the forcible utterances of the Chhandogya Upanishad: ‘Yo vai bhuma tat sukham, na alpe sukham asti, Bhumaiva sukham, Bhumat eva vijijnasitavyah’ (The Infinite (the Great) is Bliss. There is no bliss in what is small (finite). The Infinite alone is Bliss. One should therefore wish to understand the Infinite). ‘Kalau Kesava-Kirtanat’--in days of yore, people had Self-Realisation by Tapas, Jnana, Yajna, etc. But in Kali-Yuga, when people lack in bold understanding, when people have not got strong, irresistible will and pure intellect, and when the vast majority of persons do not possess a strong physique to practise various Hatha Yogic Kriyas to awaken the Kundalini, Hari-Kirtan alone will help them in getting salvation easily.

Suka Deva, though a Brahma Jnani, did Sankirtan. Lord Gauranga, a master of logic, an intellectual giant, dedicated his life to preaching Kirtan throughout Bengal. Mira, Tukaram, Pavhari Baba of Punjab, Ram Prasad of Bengal, Rup Kala Bhagavan of Ayodhya, all had Darshan of God through Kirtan and Kirtan alone.

Sankirtan purifies and elevates the mind. Sankirtan destroys Vasanas, old vicious Samskaras, cravings, three kinds of Tapa,--the Adhyatmika, Adhidaivika and Adhibhautika,--three kinds of diseases, and brings the devotee face to face with God. Tukaram, the reputed Maharashtra saint of Deo, was an illiterate Bhakta. He could not even sign his name. His inspiring Abhangas are texts for the M.A. students in the Bombay University. What a great miracle it is! Wherefrom did the unlettered, untutored Tuka derive his knowledge? Tukaram had communion with Lord Krishna through Bhava Samadhi induced by Sankirtan. His inner eye of intuition, Divya Chakshuh, was opened. He tapped the fountain of Knowledge. He penetrated deep into the very source of Knowledge.

Where is God? God is in your heart. He is in you. You are in Him. If you do not find Him there, you will not find Him anywhere else. God is Truth. God is Love. Speak the Truth--Satyam Vada. Love everyone. See God everywhere, in every face, in everything. You will realise Him quickly.

Dear brothers! Plod on. Push on. Live in Truth. Live in the Spirit. Fix the mind on God and give the hands to worldly activities without expectation of fruits and without the idea ‘I am the doer’. Forget not the Source. Forget not the centre. Forget the body. Forget the world. Forget friends, relatives and property. Forget the past. Do not look backwards. March straight to the Goal. A glorious future is awaiting you all. March courageously with Sraddha, Vairagya and taking the sacred Name of the Lord. Merge in Him. Dive deep in Him. Plunge deep into the self-shining Lord, in the chambers of your heart. He is quite close to you.

Lead a life of self-restraint, service, devotion, spirituality and meditation. Speak the truth. Do not injure any living being. Help your neighbour. This is Divine Life. Live this Divine Life! Realise the indwelling Divine Being. God grant you Peace, Bliss and Immortality.

May the Light of lights guide you in the path to the Eternal every moment of your life. May success be yours. May you attain God-realisation in this very birth and put an end to all misery and suffering!

May the choicest blessings of God and Guru be upon you all!

With deepest regards, Prem and Pranams,

Yours in Sri Gurudev.
Swami Chidananda

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Spiritual Import of Religious Festivals 

by Swami Krishnananda

Sri Krishna – The Purna-Avatara

Sri Krishna Janmashtami message given on the 29th of August, 1974.

The Jayanti of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, also known as Sri Krishna Janmashtami, falls on the eighth day in the dark fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). The observance of this holy day and the performance of this sacred worship to the great Incarnation is a symbol of an intensification of our soul's yearning to come nearer to God as much as possible. Bhagavan Sri Krishna is regarded as Purna-Avatara, which means the full Incarnation. Avatara is 'Incarnation', and Purna is 'the full'. He is considered to be a complete manifestation of God, not a partial expression of the power and the glory of God.

The power of God is never fully manifest anywhere in the world. It is always manifest or expressed in some percentage as the occasion demands, even as we ourselves, in our own individual capacities, for instance, do not put forth our total energy at any time of the day. Though we work hard from morning to evening, the entire energy of our body, mind and soul does not get revealed on any occasion. Perhaps, months may pass without an occasion for the whole energy of our system to manifest even once, because the circumstance does not demand it. We only express a little of our thought, a little fraction of our understanding and a partial form of our energy as would be necessitated by the nature of the particular context. Likewise, God never manifests Himself wholly unless the occasion is of such an intensified character as to call for such a manifestation. Historically speaking, the circumstances at the time of the advent of Bhagavan Sri Krishna were such that a complete manifestation of the Divine Energy was called for.

We have an idea of what God is and what His total energy would be like, from the point of view of our own humble imaginations, which is, of course, comparable to the idea that a frog in a well may be entertaining in its mind in regard to the Pacific Ocean. That may be the idea we may have in our minds of the total energy of God. Nobody can say what it is. Anyhow, we can understand what 'totality' means, at least in a grammatical sense or linguistic significance. Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the full Avatara, the complete manifestation of God, is the object of our worship, prayer and meditation on this day. This has a very special relevance to our own personal lives, and its meaning for us is naturally the meaning that is implied in our relationship with God. We have heard from narrations recorded in the scriptures like the Srimad Bhagavata, that Bhagavan Sri Krishna was born at midnight, as it was also the case with the birth of Jesus the Christ. There are many similarities between the births of Krishna and Christ as far as the associations of the phenomena with the occasion are concerned. The darkest part of the night is midnight, and that was the hour of the birth of the Lord. This divine advent took place not at the commencement or at the fag end of the night, but in the thick of the night, midnight, which from the point of view of our own personal Sadhana-life is reminiscent of the conditions under which God would reveal Himself in our own lives. God did not reveal Himself in daylight, but in the dead of night. The spiritual connotation of this, from the point of view of the relationship of the soul to God, is that the daylight or activity of the senses is the midnight or slumber of the Atman, and the daylight or birth of the Atman is the midnight or slumber of the senses. When the senses cease from their activity, conditions become favourable for the manifestation of God. The Atman does not manifest Itself when the senses are rejoicing in the daylight of their contact with objects. On the other hand, the birth of the Atman is a deathblow to the senses, and the slumbering of the prison guards at the time of the advent of the Lord may be, in a way, compared to the death of the senses at the time of the birth of Divinity. Kamsa represents the ego and all his menials the represent the senses. All these were put to rest at the time of birth of Lord Krishna. Hence, the Bhagavadgita says, "Ya nisa sarvabhutanam tasyam jagarti samyami, yasyam jagrati bhutani sa nisa pasyato muneh": The night of the ignorant is day for the sage, and vice versa, the night of the sage is day for the ignorant.

The Atman is something quite different from what we regard as very dear to us, notwithstanding the fact that we have been told, again and again, that It is the deepest Reality in our personality. All this teaching has remained only a theory for us. We have always been pampering the senses and fondling the ego, in spite of the fact that we know that we are not the ego and the senses, but are the Atman. All this teaching is like pouring water on a rock. It has made no impression upon us. The infinite is the Fullness, the Purna; and the finite is the Apurna. We individuals, the Jivatmans and everything in this world are Apurna, finites, but we enshrine the Infinite in our bosom. And the manifestation of the Infinite in the finite, the birth of God in man is possible, practicable and inevitable when the obstructions to Its manifestation are obviated totally.

To speak from the point of view of the historical life which Bhagavan Sri Krishna is said to have lived thousands of years ago – let alone the spiritual or the mystical – we see a wholeness manifest in Him. His life was a fullness right from childhood up to the maturity of life. He was a completeness in every respect, even in his babyhood or childhood, a completeness in his adolescence, a completeness in his youth and maturity. He was a fullness of bodily perfection, a fullness of understanding, a fullness of social relationship and political statesmanship, and a fullness in His own Being. This has been revealed even in His outward physical personality – a beauty and a charm that mankind has never seen.

Our meditations and our worships are really silent invocations of the characteristics of the Object of our worship and meditation. Every worship is an invocation, and every form of meditation is an invocation; and invocation means the calling of the force into our own being and the planting of the power of the Divine in our own personality. We have, in ritualistic or Tantric parlance, what is known as Nyasa, which is performed during the time of worship. The Pundits and Archakas who perform worship in temples know what Nyasa means. Nyasa is a Sanskrit word which means 'placing', 'stabilising', 'fixing', 'invoking', 'stamping'. All these meanings are conveyed by the word 'Nyasa'. At the commencement of the worship, whether it is done in one's own private sanctum sanctorum in the house or in a public temple, Nyasa is performed by every worshipper. In this process of Nyasa, what is done is that every part, every aspect, every conceivable characteristic of the Divine Being is located, in an intensity of feeling and invocation, in the corresponding parts and aspects of one's own personality, so that during the time of the worship and meditation, you are in communion with the Divine Being. You are as though possessed by God at that time. You yourself become a sort of Avatara, to put it in a meagre sense, at the time of true worship. The invocation is made in such a complete form, and with such method and system of rituals, that you assume in your body, mind and soul, in your total personality, the various aspects and manifestations of the personality of the Divinity, God.

So, on this day we have such an occasion for worship of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, which means to say that we have to put on in our inward character and meditation, a deep sense of our unity with the various aspects of His personality which are co-extensive with all that is external to Him and all that is transcendent as well as immanent. This is to give you an idea of 'Purnata', what Purna­Avatara would mean and what it also means to worship and meditate and adore such a Purna-Avatara.

If meditation is difficult, worship is also difficult. Any kind of inward communion is a difficult task for the mind, because of its outgoing tendency. The mind never comes in communion with anything in this world at any time. It always longs for contact rather than communion. The senses and the mind are habituated to contact with their objects. The religious invocation of worship and meditation is not an attempt at coming in contact even with a Divinity or a Godhead, but an endeavour to commune oneself with the Supreme Being, which is the purpose of Nyasa. There is a difference between contact and communion. You can never commune with any object in this world, but you can only come in contact with it. What is the difference between contact and communion? In contact you really do not imbibe the characteristics of the object, and you are not really in possession of the object. In contact, again, you do not receive into yourself the power of the object, and, therefore, you cannot also enjoy that object or have control over it. This would also give an idea of the generally unknown fact that our daily efforts at coming in contact with things, including persons, with a desire to possess and enjoy them, is a futile effort. It will not bring any fruit at all, except pain. The Gita says, "Ye hi samsparsaja bhogah duhkhayonaya eva te": The pleasures born of sense-contact are wombs of pain. Every contact brings pain and suffering and ultimate ruin of oneself. But the religious aspiration of the soul does not long for contact with God, but a communion with Him. In that communion which we try to establish in our spiritual moments of worship and meditation, we simultaneously commune ourselves with the whole of creation, because creation is the cosmic body of God. Thus to worship God is to worship the whole world and to serve God is to serve humanity, and vice versa. That is why we are sometimes told, "Janata janardanah; manava seva madhava seva," etc. These sayings have a great significance and a meaning behind them. Janata and Janardana, Manava and Madhava cannot be identical except in terms of the perfection or Purnata of God. Thus our communion with God is simultaneously a communion with everything in the world.

Thus, this is an occasion for us to strengthen ourselves spiritually. Spiritual strength, of course, is the real strength and real power that we are seeking. And in this particularly specialised form of worship and communion with the ideal of Bhagavan Sri Krishna on this holy day, we have, no doubt, made a very vast and comprehensive achievement which will ensure prosperity in every walk of life.

The peculiarity and the speciality of the life of Bhagavan Sri Krishna was that, as I have already hinted, He was an all-comprehensive personality. He was a householder and not a Sannyasin. He had wife and children. He was a politician and a statesman. He was a soldier and also a servant when the time demanded that kind of attitude from Him. And at the same time, He was a person with a comprehensive understanding of the various shades of the difference which relationships put on among things. Therefore, it is difficult to understand, ordinarily, the significance behind many of the things that He did and also many of the things He said, especially in the Bhagavadgita.

The Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata are the monumental records of His life, His activities and His achievements. The Bhagavadgita may be regarded as the great gospel that He gave to mankind. It is as difficult to understand His teaching as it is to understand His own life, because He did not think as we are thinking. His thinking does not comply with the sentimental demands of our human feelings, ethical sense, the usual social morality, and so on and so forth, which we entertain in our own hearts. A total transformation, a transfiguration of all values is brought about in His activity and life, and also in His teachings, so that His life and teachings are a sort of a superhuman presentation before us. And we know how difficult it is for a human being to confront a superhuman presentation of any kind. But, this is the ideal before us and this is our goal. Whether or not we are able to understand it, this is what the life of Sri Krishna tells us. The Bhagavadgita, the cream of His teaching, also conveys to us that things are not what they seem to our senses. This is what we learn from His life also. There is something quite different from what we sense, feel, think and understand as valuable. This is the Truth behind things for which His life and teachings stood and which He Himself embodied in His own life. This is the message for us today, which we should try to imbibe into our lives by invoking His grace and putting forth honest efforts. As the Gita concludes, where Krishna and Arjuna are together, i.e., where Divine Grace and human effort go together, there is prosperity, victory, happiness and firm polity.

Krishna Janmashtami

                     Krishna Janmashtami

By                                                          Sri Swami Sivananda

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

This is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine Incarnation. It falls on the 8th day of the dark half of the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). This is one of the greatest of all Hindu festivals. Lord Krishna was born at midnight. A twenty-four hour fast is observed on this day, which is broken at midnight.

Temples are decorated for the occasion. Kirtans are sung, bells are rung, the conch is blown, and Sanskrit hymns are recited in praise of Lord Krishna. At Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, special spiritual gatherings are organised at this time. Pilgrims from all over India attend these festive gatherings.

The Lord appeared when the moon entered the house of Vrishabha at the constellation of the star Rohini, on Wednesday, the 8th day of the second fortnight of the month of Sravana, which corresponds to the month of Bhadrapada Krishnapaksha according to the Barhaspatyamana, in the year of Visvavasu, 5,172 years ago (from 1945), which means 3227 B.C.

Study the Bhagavatam and the Pancharatras, which are equal to the Upanishads. You will know all about the glory of Lord Krishna, His Lilas and superhuman deeds. The eighth Avatara, Krishna, who has become the Beloved of India and the world at large, had a threefold objective: to destroy the wicked demons, to play the leading role in the great war fought on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (where he delivered His wonderful message of the Gita) and to become the centre of a marvellous development of the Bhakti schools of India.

There is no true science except devotion to Lord Krishna. That man is wealthy indeed who loves Radha and Krishna. There is no sorrow other than lack of devotion to Krishna. He is the foremost of the emancipated who loves Krishna. There is no right course, except the society of Sri Krishna's devotees. The Name, virtues and Lilas (divine pastimes) of Krishna are the chief things to be remembered. The Lotus Feet of Radha and Krishna are the chief objects of meditation.

Sri Krishna is the ocean of bliss. His soul-stirring Lilas, which are the wonder of wonders, are its waves. The honeyed music of His flute attracts the minds of His devotees from all three regions. His unequalled and unsurpassed wealth of beauty amazes the animate and the inanimate beings. He adorns His friends with His incomparable love.

His palms bear the signs of a lotus and discus, the right sole of His feet of a flag, lotus, thunderbolt, an iron goad, barley seed, and the Swastika. His left sole has the rainbow, triangle, water-pot, crescent, sky, fish, and a cow's footprint. His Form is composed of condensed universal consciousness and bliss. His Body pervades the entire cosmos.

Devotion is the only means of attaining Lord Krishna. Bhakti kindles love for the Lord. When love is directed towards Krishna, man is freed from the bondage of the world.

Though Lord Krishna appeared in a human body, He had a divine body not composed of the five elements. He did not take any birth here in the usual sense of the term. He did not die. He appeared and disappeared through His Yoga Maya as He has declared in the Gita. This is a secret, known only to His devotees, Yogis and sages.

His enchanting form with flute in hand is worshipped in myriads of homes in India. It is a form to which is poured out devotion and supreme love from the hearts of countless devotees not only in India but also in the West. Millions of spiritual seekers worship Him and repeat His Mantra, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

Lord Krishna was great in knowledge, great in emotion, great in action, all at once. The scriptures have not recorded any life more full, more intense, more sublime and grander than the life of Sri Krishna.

Krishna has played various roles during His stay in the world. He was Arjuna's charioteer. He was an excellent statesman. He was a master musician; he gave lessons even to Narada in the art of playing the veena. The music of His flute thrilled the hearts of the Gopis and everyone else. He was a cowherd in Brindavan and Gokul. He exhibited miraculous powers even as a child. He killed many demons. He revealed His Cosmic Form to His mother, Yasoda. He performed the Rasa Lila, the secret of which can only be understood by devotees like Narada, Gauranga, Radha and the Gopis. He taught the supreme Truth of Yoga, Bhakti and Vedanta to Arjuna and Uddhava. He had mastered every one of the sixty-four fine arts. For all these reasons He is regarded as a full and complete manifestation of God.

Incarnations of God appear for special reasons under special circumstances. Whenever there is much unrighteousness, whenever confusion and disorder set in on account of unrighteousness and baffle the well-ordered progress of mankind, whenever the balance of human society is upset by selfish, ruthless and cruel beings, whenever irreligion and unrighteousness prevail, whenever the foundations of social organisations are undermined, the great Incarnation of God appears in order to re-establish righteousness and to restore peace.

An Incarnation is the descent of God for the ascent of man. A ray from the Cosmic Being in His potential state of manifestation descends on earth with mighty powers to keep up the harmony of the universe. The work done by the Incarnation of God and His teachings produce a benign influence on human beings and help them in their upward divine unfoldment and Self-realisation.

The Incarnation comes to reveal the divine nature of man and makes him rise above the petty materialistic life of passion and egoism.

The greatest manifestations are called Incarnations proper. Rishis, Munis, prophets, sons of God and messengers of God are minor manifestations.

The Incarnations usually come with their particular or favourite groups or companions. Lord Rama came with Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna. Lord Krishna came with Balarama, Devas and Rishis. Sanaka came with Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata. Some, like Sri Shankara and Ramanuja, come as teachers and spiritual leaders. Some, like Chaitanya, are born to instill devotion in the hearts of people and turn their minds towards God. The Incarnations proper, like Krishna, come only when there is widespread catastrophe in the world.

On the holy Krishna Janmashtami, the ladies in South India decorate their houses beautifully, ready to welcome the Lord. They prepare various sweetmeats and offer them to the Lord. Butter was Krishna's favourite, and this is also offered. From the doorway to the inner meditation room of the house the floor is marked with a child's footprints, using some flour mixed with water. This creates the feeling in them that the Lord's own Feet have made the mark. They treat the day as one of very great rejoicing. There is recitation of the Bhagavatam, singing and praying everywhere.

The Janmashtami is celebrated at the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, with the following programme of intense spiritual activity:

1. During the preceding eight days, Japa of Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya is done intensely.

2. Those who can, will recite the Bhagavatam during this period. Others will listen to it being recited.

3. On the birthday itself everyone fasts and spends the whole day in holy communion.

4. Everyone greets others with the holy Mantra, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

5. A grand havan is performed on that day.

6. There is continuous Satsang from 4a.m. early in the morning till night. Yogis, Sannyasins and learned men discourse upon the glorious life and teachings of the Lord.

7. From sunset people assemble in the elaborately decorated temple and sing the Lord's Names and glories.

8. Many hymns and portions of the Bhagavatam, especially the Gopika Geetam, are recited.

9. Towards midnight, there is a grand worship of Lord Krishna. The Lord is bathed with milk while His Name is chanted 108 times.

10. This worship concludes with offerings of flowers, waving of lights (Arati), and reading of that portion of the Bhagavatam which deals with the birth of Krishna. This synchronises with midnight, the hour of the Lord's birth, at which time the murti of the Lord is rocked in a beautifully decorated cradle. After this item, all the assembled devotees partake of the holy prasad or sacrament, and then retire, filled with the Grace and blessings of Lord Krishna.

If you cannot read the whole of the Srimad Bhagavatam during these days, at least you should recite the following four most important verses from the book. The leading two verses and the closing verse are the prologue and the epilogue respectively:

"Hear from Me the most secret knowledge coupled with the essential experience and its component parts.

"May you realise by My Grace, the knowledge of Myself and what form, qualities and actions I am endowed with.

1. "Before creation I alone existed. There was nothing, neither existence nor non-existence. I am that which remains after dissolution.

2. "Understand that to be Maya or illusion which is devoid of any purpose, which is not to be found in the Self and which is unreal like light and darkness.

3. "As the primary elements are amalgamated, with one another and also separate from one another at the same time, so I pervade the whole universe and am also separate from it.

4. "The aspirant should, by the method of positive and negative, know that thing which exists always and everywhere.

"Experience this truth through the highest superconscious state so that you will not be disturbed even by illusory objects".

There is another beautiful verse in the Bhagavatam which you can recite daily: "In days of yore, the Lord, born of Devaki, brought up in the house of Yasoda, killed the wicked Putana of illusive form and lifted the Govardhana hill, killed Kamsa and the sons of the Kuru race, and protected the sons of Kunti. Thus is recited the essence of the ancient Bhagavat Purana consisting of the nectarine stories of the deeds of Lord Krishna".

May the blessings of Lord Krishna and Sri Radha be upon you all!

Source : http://www.dlshq.org/religions/krishna_jan.htm

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