Inspiring Talks of Gurudev Sivananda
4th November, 1949
HOW CAN I HAVE RAM’S DARSHAN?
Sri. R.P., who has been placed in charge of the Publication League, felt a bit nervous and diffident about his capabilities. He felt that was too much of a responsible position for him to occupy with success.
As Siva entered the Office, Sri R.P. caught his eye. ‘Ohji, don’t be afraid of the work. I have written to Sri Mohindra and if he agrees we shall employ him as the Manager of the League. You can also assist him and get yourself thoroughly trained by him.
‘Don’t be afraid of work. Don’t try to run away from it. You have a sweet voice. You have nicely developed the poetic faculties. You have great devotion to the Lord also.
‘Know that the best way to attain the Lord is through work and work alone. Go and remain in a cave for twelve years without doing any work. Then come back and tell me whether you have improved or degenerated. Work here ceaselessly; and do one Mala of Japa. Find out for yourself which method helps you evolve more quickly in the spiritual path. Even if you remain in a cave for twelve years you cannot have Darshan of the Lord. But if you serve selflessly, work and work ceaselessly, and in the intervals do Japa of the Lord’s name for some time daily, the Lord will at once come to you. When selfless service has purified your heart, even before you finish the first Mala of Japa, the Lord will appear before you.
‘You do not have the vision to see what a great and soul-elevating power this service has. If only you are able to see the actual change in your heart that this service brings about, and if you are mentally able to compare this with the change that cave-dwelling will bring about, then you will at once agree with me. It is lack of this knowledge that makes you dread work. It is that which makes you feel that work is waste of time and that God can be attained only through parrot-like repetition of a Mantra.
‘Go and see the Sadhus who live an idle life. They have no care. They have no responsibility. They will pretend that they have attained a very high stage when they ought to give up work. All that they are concerned about is their daily Bhiksha. They can get up at 9 a.m. and prepared to go to the Kshetra. Come back, take the food and sleep. Wake up again for Bhiksha. That is their life. Man’s very nature is Tamasic. You have to conquer that through intense selfless service. Then Satva will supervene.
‘It is this Tamas that prompts you from within to shirk work. It is Tamas that prompts you to go away and lead an independent life. You are sure of free food from Kshetras. This free food system should be stopped altogether. It is this alone that encourages man to revel in his Tamasic indulgence.
‘You should become a dynamic Yogi. Work alone will enable you to control your mind, to banish evil thoughts from the mind and to purify the heart. In a purified heart alone will the Lord reveal Himself. Look at me. There is 8 per cent sugar in my urine. I have so many other physical ailments. I cannot even stand for an hour at a stretch; I feel giddy. Yet, I have been working till now. You have all taken your food. But here, I am still at my work. It will take two hours for me before I can take my food.
‘You are a good worker, no doubt. But, you feel diffident. That diffidence you can conquer only when you take intense joy in service. You should love to undertake responsible work. You wish to realise God: but can you for a moment think of God’s Great Responsibility? You are afraid of this petty work. And yet, you wish to realise Him Who bears the burden of protecting and maintaining the whole universe. You think that work will interfere with your meditation. Read the life of any saint. You will find that he has practised and preached selfless service. Everyone has worked till the very end of his life. Such should be your attitude. Then and then alone can you have Darshan of Lord Rama in a minute.’
12th November, 1949
YOGA – HOW MANY YEARS’ COURSE?
The Jnana Yajna, according to Vedic rituals, conducted by Sri R. Ananthakrishna Sastri, was in progress in the temple.
Two European (Swiss) tourists came to the temple to have Siva’s Darshan. They had noticed on the road leading to the temple a big sign-board bearing the words, ‘Yoga-Vedanta Forest University’. They had also seen the University’s Weekly magazine. The first question that came to their lips when they met Siva was: ‘How long does it take one to complete the Forest University Course on Yoga and Vedanta?’
Siva’s reply was quick: ‘A life-time.’
‘What!’
‘Yes: if you are to pass the final test of the Yoga-Vedanta Forest University, which is Self-realisation, you have to dedicate your life to the study and practice of Yoga and Vedanta. It will not do just to read a few books and vomit the knowledge on your answer papers at the Examination and feel mightily pleased with yourself, thinking ‘I am a great Yogi now.’ Yoga and Vedanta should become part and parcel of your very being. You should not only know intellectually what Vedanta says, but you should actually feel and realise for yourself the Truth about which Yoga and Vedanta preach.’
‘What a great difference between the Western universities and this one here!’ thought the Europeans and went their way, bowing in humility before the great sage Siva.
24th November, 1949
WORLD PACIFISTS AT ANANDA KUTIR
At 9 a.m. two ladies, Mrs. Mildred Fahrni and Mrs. Magda Trocme, delegates to the World Pacifists Conference, came into the Office accompanied by Sri Narayan of the Pashulok Ashram.
Siva’s hospitality-machine was at once set in vigorous motion. It started with fruits, biscuits and tea and ended with a spoonful of Chyavanaprash. The ladies liked this immensely, and Siva gave them a tin each. He looked at Mrs. Fahrni’s hair and remarked: ‘Do you use hair-oil?’ and without waiting for an answer, quietly passed on a bottle of the Brahmi-Amla oil. ‘Besides serving as hair oil, it will cool the brain and increase your brain-power.’
Grammophone-Siva sang ‘The Song of Ities’ to the right of the ladies. From their left, too, they heard the same song. Bewildered, they looked this side and that. The two Sivas sang into the ladies’ heart from either side.
Siva had in the meantime passed on a number of books, specially autographed by him, to the ladies.
Padmanabhan was very busy taking photographs and movie-films, too. Mrs. Fahrni, a camera-enthusiast, noticed this. As soon as we walked out of the D.J. Hall, she said: ‘Now, may I take a snap of you, Swamiji? Siva posed for a picture: then, all of us did so, too. We went to the Yoga Museum. The lay-out of the Museum was explained to them.
They listened to the explanation with eager interest.
Then we went to the Art Studio and Mrs. Mildred was absorbed in the study of the huge albums of photographs that had accumulated there. One album contained a photograph of Siva in the Purvasharam in Malaya. ‘Is this you, Swamiji?’ asked Mildred, apparently puzzled at the difference between then and now.
‘Yes, yes. I was very thin then!’ said Siva. ‘Thinness and fatness belong to the body. The soul is bodiless.’
From there we went to the Bhajan Hall. Siva explained: ‘Here the Great Mantra is continuously repeated throughout the day. That has been going on for the last six years. This Mantra occurs in the Upanishads. It is in praise of the Lord. It is very potent. It is said that in this Iron Age the repetition of this Mantra alone will lead one to God-realisation.’
Siva asked a young Brahmachari to chant Sri Rudram. ‘This is a Vedic chant in praise of Lord Siva. All His attributes are enumerated. A very significant thing about this chant is that He is considered as the Best of everything—good and bad. That is point out to us that the same Consciousness pervades all that is good and all that is (or, more accurately, seems to be) bad, too. That should be the attitude of the wise man.’
‘Do you worship only Hindu gods here, Swamiji?’ asked Mrs. Trocme.
‘No, no. I sing the names of all gods of all religions, all prophets and saviours. See: here we have the picture of Lord Buddha. There you see the picture of Lord Jesus, that of Guru Nanak, etc. On every Thursday night (Guru Day) I sing the names of all these saints and prophets. So saying,
Siva sang the following Kirtan:
Bhajo Lord Jesus
Bhajo Mother Mary
Bhajo St. Francis
Bhajo St. Joseph
Bhajo Lord Buddha
Bhajo Lord Mahaveer
Bhajo Guru Nanak
Bhajo Ahur Mazda
Then we went to the temple. Siva explained to them the significance of the Prasad.
‘Prasad is the sacred offering to the Lord of Bhasma (holy ash) and Kumkum (vermillion), as well as bael leaves. The offering is accompanied by powerful Mantras. The Prasad is, therefore, very potent. Devotees who have faith in the Prasad derive great benefits from applying this Prasad on their forehead. Incurable diseases are cured, often, by the mere use of this Prasad. Besides, bael leaf is good for diabetes.
As we were coming out of the temple, the entire group was photographed. Mrs. Magda said: ‘Swamiji, this is the best place in the whole world. Not only is the scenery superb, but the holy vibrations here are full of peace, bliss and calm.’
25th November, 1949
R.A. SASTRI
Sri R. Ananthakrishna Sastri, who has been conducting a series of lectures on the Upanishads, concluded it today as he is leaving for Delhi the day after tomorrow.
With his characteristic forethought, Siva had arranged for taking due advantage of the occasion to honour the noble Sastrigal.
As soon as the Sastrigal had concluded his day’s discourse and also announced that it was his last at the Ashram during his present visit, Siva garlanded him with a suddenness that literally unnerved R.A.S. S. was trembling with emotion at this great honour shown to him by a sage. Before he could give expression to his sentiments, Siva with remarkable cool-headedness began:
‘It is a rare good fortune for us all to have been blessed with Sr. Sastriji’s Satsang for the past nearly a month. We are thankful to God for this. To Sri Sastriji we owe a deep debt of gratitude for taking the trouble of delivering his learned discourses every day.
‘We have many lessons to learn from him. First and foremost is his punctuality. It is a virtue which every spiritual aspirant should possess in abundance. Without punctuality and regularity in Sadhana no progress is possible.
‘Sri Sastriji has developed Titiksha to an extraordinary degree. During his pilgrimage to the North Pole region where he worshipped the sun all the twenty-four hours, in that icy cold region he broke the ice and took his bath in the cold water early in the morning. Even here, he was regular in his early morning bath in the Ganges. It requires great will-power to do so. And, this will-power is developed through systematic and persevering effort.
Steady application to the task you have undertaken will crown your efforts with sure success.
‘The great service that Sri Sastriji has rendered to the cause of the preservation and popularisation of old manuscriptions, is unimaginable. To the Sadhaks all over the world, especially his researches into our ancient scriptures have been invaluable. He has, so to say, given a new life to Suta Samhita. He has translated this great scripture into Tamil also. He has translated several great Sanskrit works into English.
‘Look at his zeal for service, his intense desire to share with others the knowledge that he possesses. Even at the ripe old age of 85, he is still delivering fiery lectures on the Upanishads. You should all strive to emulate his glorious example. May God bless Sri Sastriji with many more years of service to humanity. May God bless you all.’
As we left the Hall, Sri S. remarked: ‘Swamiji, when you showed me that honour, put a garland round my neck and spoke about me, I was simply trembling with emotion. I did not know what do so. I was practically not myself. I was, as it were, in a different world altogether.’
In the evening Sri S. had arranged to perform ceremonial worship of the Ganges. At four the Ghat had been nicely cleaned and all the Ashramites had taken their seats beautifully on the steps. Siva was there, too. S. and his wife began the worship. Siva was intently watching the process.
‘One year’s daily ceremonial worship of the Ganges like this is equal to one week’s whole-hearted service to a typhoid patient, washing his clothes and removing bed-pan. Such service will at once purify the heart and bring about inner illumination,’ and added after a few minutes: ‘Nurses serve the patients in the hospitals. But there is no inner purification for them, because they do not have the proper Bhavana when they serve.’
Siva then noticed some inmates had also joined in the worship and were offering bael leaves to Ganga.
‘Each person is offering only his own bael leaf to the Ganges. What a grand thing would it be if one has the real inner feeling that He alone offers the worship through all hands. How much more effective will that worship be.’
This last remark contains the very essence of what Siva is. He constantly identifies himself with the Supreme Consciousness in a fraction of whose reflected light numberless universes exist. He ‘knows’ that He and He alone works through all: and because of the depth of his realisation of this truth, he does work through all. That is for a Siddha.
DECEMBER, 1949
4th December, 1949
THE UNCHANGING ONE
Sri V.G. Garde and Srimathi Leelavathi have come from Roorkee. These two noble souls who have dedicated their lives to Siva, their beloved Guru, have been frequently visiting the Ashram for the last several years. Their devotion to Siva is ever on the increase. Behind all the phenomenal growth of the Society and the Ashram, they only see the miraculous hand of Siva, and their devotion to him becomes more intense.
As the couple sat near Siva in the office and were being entertained by him to a light repast, Siva pointed out to some of the Ashramites standing around them. ‘Do you know him? Do you know the other man? He might be new to you,’ and ‘You find many new faces in the Ashram. You find that several old people have gone away. You find so many changes. But, there is one unchanging element here.’
‘Yes, Swamiji. And, that is yourself. It is only this unchanging element in the Ashram that has enabled all this work to go on smoothly and efficiently in spite of the constant change here. It is this unchanging One that gives strength and power for the changing ones to carry on the work.’
GOVERNMENT vs. ASHRAM
Sri B.M. Maheshwari, Addl. District Magistrate, Tehri, walked into the Hall as Mr. and Mrs. Garde were preparing to go round the Ashram. While taking his tea, Sri B.M.M. explained to a Swami who had come along with him the most noteworthy features of the Ashram, especially the Yoga Museum.
Siva interrupted him and said: ‘We have not got a generator—with the help of which we are able to project 8 and 16 mm movie films. We have got a lot of films depicting the activities of the Ashram. Padmanabhan has gone to Patna. As soon as he comes back I will send word to you. You can see the films. You will greatly enjoy them.’
‘I would love to, Swamiji. And, I shall bring with me a reel of movie-film which we took on the occasion of the State’s merger with the U.P. We have not so far been able to see the film for want of a projector. I shall bring it with me and we shall project it here.’
I AM EVER WITH YOU
After selecting the site for the construction of a temple to house Siva’s marble image, and asking Mr. Garde to prepare a plan, Siva was leaving for his Kutir. Mr. and Mrs. Garde were going to Lakshmanjhula. ‘Swamiji, perhaps we may not see you again before we leave. We shall take leave of you.’ They prostrated.
‘I am always with you,’ said Siva, hinting that the union of Guru and disciple is an eternal union of souls.
10th December, 1949
THEN AND NOW
Sri C.V. Narayana Iyer has come. Siva greeted him cordially. N. prostrated before Siva.
‘Ready?’ queried Siva omitting even his usual formal enquiries.
‘Yes, Swamiji, even this very moment.’
‘Oh yes. The time has come now. Guruwara is the best day. Then let it be next Guruwara (Thursday). Subhasya Seeghram: auspicious things must be done quickly, without procrastination.’ And, Siva added, after a pause, ‘No, no. Why not tomorrow itself? Tell Krishnanandaji to get everything ready. We will have it done with proper Viraja Homam etc.’
Thus, within a few minutes of his arrival at the Ashram, Sr. N. got Siva’s permission to be initiated into Sanyas.
N. had recently written to Siva and got a ready answer: ‘Yes, I will give you Sanyas. Kindly come.’ The word ‘kindly’ moved N. He said to me: ‘Perhaps it may be possible for a few aspiring souls to become a great Yogi like Swamiji. A few might even be able to do dynamic selfless service to humanity, like Swamiji. But this humility-cum-love—it is impossible for one to develop. He does not write ‘You may come’, or ‘Come, but ‘kindly come’—as though he deems it a favour done to himself.’
C.V.N. also confessed to Siva: ‘I was not ready for Sanyas when I came last time. I had not fully discharged my worldly duties. And, I had several worldly ambitions. So, you sent me back. Now, the time has come. You have called me to yourself.’
SIVA NEVER FORGETS HIS LESSONS
He is a wise man who learns from others’ experiences; a mediocre who learns by his own; a fool who learns from neither.
Ramakrishnan was explaining to Siva the location of the Bharati Memorial at Ettayapuram. Siva was trying to remember the topography of the place. When R. described the location of a street, Siva at once identified it:
‘Oh yes, yes. That was the street in which all the houses were once destroyed. There were many thatched huts in that street. Next to it was the bazaar. One of the shops caught fire, and the fire soon spread to all the thatched houses on that street. The entire thing was reduced to ashes in no time.’
Siva’s recollection of this incident is significant. He remembers other things about Ettayapuram only vaguely: but remembers the fire that destroyed the thatched huts very vividly. And, this incident taught him a lesson: ‘Never build a thatched hut. Nothing in it is safe.’ To this day, even the gods cannot persuade him to build a thatched shed for any purpose—even to provide a closed room for the purpose of stocking bricks.
11th December, 1949
RAGHAVACHARYAJI’S BIRTHDAY
One has to learn from Siva the art of construction thinking and acting. No looking back or thinking of pros and cons or vacillating; but sheer good action—and that, too, without any premeditation.
In the afternoon at about 3, Siva was told that today the Darshana Maha Vidyalaya people are celebrating Sri Raghavacharyaji’s birthday. This ‘shortness’ of notice could not disconcert Siva. At once he said: ‘Please see if there are fruits in the kitchen. If not, ask someone to go to the bazaar immediately and get fruits. Bring a plateful of fruits, nuts, and also ten rupees. Ask Padmanabhanji to clean a petromax to be sent to the Vidyalaya for the evening function.’
Within ten minutes, the fruits, money, etc. were brought. Siva added to this a Hindi book of his, also.
In the evening Siva went to the Vidyalaya to take part in the celebrations.
During the course of his address to the disciples and devotees of Sri R., Siva observed:
‘I have been repeating year after year my suggestion that the immediate disciples of Sri Acharyaji should sit down and commence the great work of writing his biography. It is the disciple’s duty to his Master.
‘There is another, and a more important aspect to this work. It is the spiritual. Your quest is to find out that ‘something’ which really exists, as distinct from that which does not exist but appears to be. Existence never eases to be. During your waking state you see the diverse phenomena. During the dreaming state, the external vision vanishes: but you see the diverse phenomena in your own mind. But, again in deep sleep, both these phenomena disappear altogether, and you pass into a state of unity within yourself. The outside world is altogether lost to you. Yet, when there is not the slightest pleasure derived from external objects, you derive an intense inner bliss. When you wake up, you feel that you slept soundly and therefore experienced an inner joy. But, during this deep sleep state when you pass into that unity, you are not conscious of the state. Ignorance veils you. If you can consciously bring about that state of unity within yourself, withdraw your mind from the Indriyas and direct all your attention to your Self, then you will consciously experience the state of bliss called Samadhi.’
‘That is the real state of everyone. There is no duality in that state. Therefore, the Reality is One only. When you celebrate the birthday of Sri Acharyaji, you should feel that you are worshipping that Inner Reality, your own Self. The consciousness of this Self is more fully awakened in the Jnani than in a worldly man. That is the difference. Therefore, the worldly man and the aspiring baby-souls—when they thus worship the Jnani—get an opportunity of thinking of him and meditating upon him, thus stirring within themselves a desire to become like the Jnani. You worship that Consciousness today. That Consciousness will bless you and fulfil your spiritual ambitions.
That Consciousness will show you the way to the annihilation of ignorance. That is the secret of celebrating the birthday of saints. Saints are not in need of your honouring them. They are beyond honour and dishonour. They are here only for your sake. If you worship them with Bhav and devotion, you get in tune with their grace through which you can realise your own Self. If in that spirit you begin to write Sri Acharyaji’s biography, you will be greatly benefited in your spiritual evolution.’
HOW CAN I HAVE RAM’S DARSHAN?
Sri. R.P., who has been placed in charge of the Publication League, felt a bit nervous and diffident about his capabilities. He felt that was too much of a responsible position for him to occupy with success.
As Siva entered the Office, Sri R.P. caught his eye. ‘Ohji, don’t be afraid of the work. I have written to Sri Mohindra and if he agrees we shall employ him as the Manager of the League. You can also assist him and get yourself thoroughly trained by him.
‘Don’t be afraid of work. Don’t try to run away from it. You have a sweet voice. You have nicely developed the poetic faculties. You have great devotion to the Lord also.
‘Know that the best way to attain the Lord is through work and work alone. Go and remain in a cave for twelve years without doing any work. Then come back and tell me whether you have improved or degenerated. Work here ceaselessly; and do one Mala of Japa. Find out for yourself which method helps you evolve more quickly in the spiritual path. Even if you remain in a cave for twelve years you cannot have Darshan of the Lord. But if you serve selflessly, work and work ceaselessly, and in the intervals do Japa of the Lord’s name for some time daily, the Lord will at once come to you. When selfless service has purified your heart, even before you finish the first Mala of Japa, the Lord will appear before you.
‘You do not have the vision to see what a great and soul-elevating power this service has. If only you are able to see the actual change in your heart that this service brings about, and if you are mentally able to compare this with the change that cave-dwelling will bring about, then you will at once agree with me. It is lack of this knowledge that makes you dread work. It is that which makes you feel that work is waste of time and that God can be attained only through parrot-like repetition of a Mantra.
‘Go and see the Sadhus who live an idle life. They have no care. They have no responsibility. They will pretend that they have attained a very high stage when they ought to give up work. All that they are concerned about is their daily Bhiksha. They can get up at 9 a.m. and prepared to go to the Kshetra. Come back, take the food and sleep. Wake up again for Bhiksha. That is their life. Man’s very nature is Tamasic. You have to conquer that through intense selfless service. Then Satva will supervene.
‘It is this Tamas that prompts you from within to shirk work. It is Tamas that prompts you to go away and lead an independent life. You are sure of free food from Kshetras. This free food system should be stopped altogether. It is this alone that encourages man to revel in his Tamasic indulgence.
‘You should become a dynamic Yogi. Work alone will enable you to control your mind, to banish evil thoughts from the mind and to purify the heart. In a purified heart alone will the Lord reveal Himself. Look at me. There is 8 per cent sugar in my urine. I have so many other physical ailments. I cannot even stand for an hour at a stretch; I feel giddy. Yet, I have been working till now. You have all taken your food. But here, I am still at my work. It will take two hours for me before I can take my food.
‘You are a good worker, no doubt. But, you feel diffident. That diffidence you can conquer only when you take intense joy in service. You should love to undertake responsible work. You wish to realise God: but can you for a moment think of God’s Great Responsibility? You are afraid of this petty work. And yet, you wish to realise Him Who bears the burden of protecting and maintaining the whole universe. You think that work will interfere with your meditation. Read the life of any saint. You will find that he has practised and preached selfless service. Everyone has worked till the very end of his life. Such should be your attitude. Then and then alone can you have Darshan of Lord Rama in a minute.’
12th November, 1949
YOGA – HOW MANY YEARS’ COURSE?
The Jnana Yajna, according to Vedic rituals, conducted by Sri R. Ananthakrishna Sastri, was in progress in the temple.
Two European (Swiss) tourists came to the temple to have Siva’s Darshan. They had noticed on the road leading to the temple a big sign-board bearing the words, ‘Yoga-Vedanta Forest University’. They had also seen the University’s Weekly magazine. The first question that came to their lips when they met Siva was: ‘How long does it take one to complete the Forest University Course on Yoga and Vedanta?’
Siva’s reply was quick: ‘A life-time.’
‘What!’
‘Yes: if you are to pass the final test of the Yoga-Vedanta Forest University, which is Self-realisation, you have to dedicate your life to the study and practice of Yoga and Vedanta. It will not do just to read a few books and vomit the knowledge on your answer papers at the Examination and feel mightily pleased with yourself, thinking ‘I am a great Yogi now.’ Yoga and Vedanta should become part and parcel of your very being. You should not only know intellectually what Vedanta says, but you should actually feel and realise for yourself the Truth about which Yoga and Vedanta preach.’
‘What a great difference between the Western universities and this one here!’ thought the Europeans and went their way, bowing in humility before the great sage Siva.
24th November, 1949
WORLD PACIFISTS AT ANANDA KUTIR
At 9 a.m. two ladies, Mrs. Mildred Fahrni and Mrs. Magda Trocme, delegates to the World Pacifists Conference, came into the Office accompanied by Sri Narayan of the Pashulok Ashram.
Siva’s hospitality-machine was at once set in vigorous motion. It started with fruits, biscuits and tea and ended with a spoonful of Chyavanaprash. The ladies liked this immensely, and Siva gave them a tin each. He looked at Mrs. Fahrni’s hair and remarked: ‘Do you use hair-oil?’ and without waiting for an answer, quietly passed on a bottle of the Brahmi-Amla oil. ‘Besides serving as hair oil, it will cool the brain and increase your brain-power.’
Grammophone-Siva sang ‘The Song of Ities’ to the right of the ladies. From their left, too, they heard the same song. Bewildered, they looked this side and that. The two Sivas sang into the ladies’ heart from either side.
Siva had in the meantime passed on a number of books, specially autographed by him, to the ladies.
Padmanabhan was very busy taking photographs and movie-films, too. Mrs. Fahrni, a camera-enthusiast, noticed this. As soon as we walked out of the D.J. Hall, she said: ‘Now, may I take a snap of you, Swamiji? Siva posed for a picture: then, all of us did so, too. We went to the Yoga Museum. The lay-out of the Museum was explained to them.
They listened to the explanation with eager interest.
Then we went to the Art Studio and Mrs. Mildred was absorbed in the study of the huge albums of photographs that had accumulated there. One album contained a photograph of Siva in the Purvasharam in Malaya. ‘Is this you, Swamiji?’ asked Mildred, apparently puzzled at the difference between then and now.
‘Yes, yes. I was very thin then!’ said Siva. ‘Thinness and fatness belong to the body. The soul is bodiless.’
From there we went to the Bhajan Hall. Siva explained: ‘Here the Great Mantra is continuously repeated throughout the day. That has been going on for the last six years. This Mantra occurs in the Upanishads. It is in praise of the Lord. It is very potent. It is said that in this Iron Age the repetition of this Mantra alone will lead one to God-realisation.’
Siva asked a young Brahmachari to chant Sri Rudram. ‘This is a Vedic chant in praise of Lord Siva. All His attributes are enumerated. A very significant thing about this chant is that He is considered as the Best of everything—good and bad. That is point out to us that the same Consciousness pervades all that is good and all that is (or, more accurately, seems to be) bad, too. That should be the attitude of the wise man.’
‘Do you worship only Hindu gods here, Swamiji?’ asked Mrs. Trocme.
‘No, no. I sing the names of all gods of all religions, all prophets and saviours. See: here we have the picture of Lord Buddha. There you see the picture of Lord Jesus, that of Guru Nanak, etc. On every Thursday night (Guru Day) I sing the names of all these saints and prophets. So saying,
Siva sang the following Kirtan:
Bhajo Lord Jesus
Bhajo Mother Mary
Bhajo St. Francis
Bhajo St. Joseph
Bhajo Lord Buddha
Bhajo Lord Mahaveer
Bhajo Guru Nanak
Bhajo Ahur Mazda
Then we went to the temple. Siva explained to them the significance of the Prasad.
‘Prasad is the sacred offering to the Lord of Bhasma (holy ash) and Kumkum (vermillion), as well as bael leaves. The offering is accompanied by powerful Mantras. The Prasad is, therefore, very potent. Devotees who have faith in the Prasad derive great benefits from applying this Prasad on their forehead. Incurable diseases are cured, often, by the mere use of this Prasad. Besides, bael leaf is good for diabetes.
As we were coming out of the temple, the entire group was photographed. Mrs. Magda said: ‘Swamiji, this is the best place in the whole world. Not only is the scenery superb, but the holy vibrations here are full of peace, bliss and calm.’
25th November, 1949
R.A. SASTRI
Sri R. Ananthakrishna Sastri, who has been conducting a series of lectures on the Upanishads, concluded it today as he is leaving for Delhi the day after tomorrow.
With his characteristic forethought, Siva had arranged for taking due advantage of the occasion to honour the noble Sastrigal.
As soon as the Sastrigal had concluded his day’s discourse and also announced that it was his last at the Ashram during his present visit, Siva garlanded him with a suddenness that literally unnerved R.A.S. S. was trembling with emotion at this great honour shown to him by a sage. Before he could give expression to his sentiments, Siva with remarkable cool-headedness began:
‘It is a rare good fortune for us all to have been blessed with Sr. Sastriji’s Satsang for the past nearly a month. We are thankful to God for this. To Sri Sastriji we owe a deep debt of gratitude for taking the trouble of delivering his learned discourses every day.
‘We have many lessons to learn from him. First and foremost is his punctuality. It is a virtue which every spiritual aspirant should possess in abundance. Without punctuality and regularity in Sadhana no progress is possible.
‘Sri Sastriji has developed Titiksha to an extraordinary degree. During his pilgrimage to the North Pole region where he worshipped the sun all the twenty-four hours, in that icy cold region he broke the ice and took his bath in the cold water early in the morning. Even here, he was regular in his early morning bath in the Ganges. It requires great will-power to do so. And, this will-power is developed through systematic and persevering effort.
Steady application to the task you have undertaken will crown your efforts with sure success.
‘The great service that Sri Sastriji has rendered to the cause of the preservation and popularisation of old manuscriptions, is unimaginable. To the Sadhaks all over the world, especially his researches into our ancient scriptures have been invaluable. He has, so to say, given a new life to Suta Samhita. He has translated this great scripture into Tamil also. He has translated several great Sanskrit works into English.
‘Look at his zeal for service, his intense desire to share with others the knowledge that he possesses. Even at the ripe old age of 85, he is still delivering fiery lectures on the Upanishads. You should all strive to emulate his glorious example. May God bless Sri Sastriji with many more years of service to humanity. May God bless you all.’
As we left the Hall, Sri S. remarked: ‘Swamiji, when you showed me that honour, put a garland round my neck and spoke about me, I was simply trembling with emotion. I did not know what do so. I was practically not myself. I was, as it were, in a different world altogether.’
In the evening Sri S. had arranged to perform ceremonial worship of the Ganges. At four the Ghat had been nicely cleaned and all the Ashramites had taken their seats beautifully on the steps. Siva was there, too. S. and his wife began the worship. Siva was intently watching the process.
‘One year’s daily ceremonial worship of the Ganges like this is equal to one week’s whole-hearted service to a typhoid patient, washing his clothes and removing bed-pan. Such service will at once purify the heart and bring about inner illumination,’ and added after a few minutes: ‘Nurses serve the patients in the hospitals. But there is no inner purification for them, because they do not have the proper Bhavana when they serve.’
Siva then noticed some inmates had also joined in the worship and were offering bael leaves to Ganga.
‘Each person is offering only his own bael leaf to the Ganges. What a grand thing would it be if one has the real inner feeling that He alone offers the worship through all hands. How much more effective will that worship be.’
This last remark contains the very essence of what Siva is. He constantly identifies himself with the Supreme Consciousness in a fraction of whose reflected light numberless universes exist. He ‘knows’ that He and He alone works through all: and because of the depth of his realisation of this truth, he does work through all. That is for a Siddha.
DECEMBER, 1949
4th December, 1949
THE UNCHANGING ONE
Sri V.G. Garde and Srimathi Leelavathi have come from Roorkee. These two noble souls who have dedicated their lives to Siva, their beloved Guru, have been frequently visiting the Ashram for the last several years. Their devotion to Siva is ever on the increase. Behind all the phenomenal growth of the Society and the Ashram, they only see the miraculous hand of Siva, and their devotion to him becomes more intense.
As the couple sat near Siva in the office and were being entertained by him to a light repast, Siva pointed out to some of the Ashramites standing around them. ‘Do you know him? Do you know the other man? He might be new to you,’ and ‘You find many new faces in the Ashram. You find that several old people have gone away. You find so many changes. But, there is one unchanging element here.’
‘Yes, Swamiji. And, that is yourself. It is only this unchanging element in the Ashram that has enabled all this work to go on smoothly and efficiently in spite of the constant change here. It is this unchanging One that gives strength and power for the changing ones to carry on the work.’
GOVERNMENT vs. ASHRAM
Sri B.M. Maheshwari, Addl. District Magistrate, Tehri, walked into the Hall as Mr. and Mrs. Garde were preparing to go round the Ashram. While taking his tea, Sri B.M.M. explained to a Swami who had come along with him the most noteworthy features of the Ashram, especially the Yoga Museum.
Siva interrupted him and said: ‘We have not got a generator—with the help of which we are able to project 8 and 16 mm movie films. We have got a lot of films depicting the activities of the Ashram. Padmanabhan has gone to Patna. As soon as he comes back I will send word to you. You can see the films. You will greatly enjoy them.’
‘I would love to, Swamiji. And, I shall bring with me a reel of movie-film which we took on the occasion of the State’s merger with the U.P. We have not so far been able to see the film for want of a projector. I shall bring it with me and we shall project it here.’
I AM EVER WITH YOU
After selecting the site for the construction of a temple to house Siva’s marble image, and asking Mr. Garde to prepare a plan, Siva was leaving for his Kutir. Mr. and Mrs. Garde were going to Lakshmanjhula. ‘Swamiji, perhaps we may not see you again before we leave. We shall take leave of you.’ They prostrated.
‘I am always with you,’ said Siva, hinting that the union of Guru and disciple is an eternal union of souls.
10th December, 1949
THEN AND NOW
Sri C.V. Narayana Iyer has come. Siva greeted him cordially. N. prostrated before Siva.
‘Ready?’ queried Siva omitting even his usual formal enquiries.
‘Yes, Swamiji, even this very moment.’
‘Oh yes. The time has come now. Guruwara is the best day. Then let it be next Guruwara (Thursday). Subhasya Seeghram: auspicious things must be done quickly, without procrastination.’ And, Siva added, after a pause, ‘No, no. Why not tomorrow itself? Tell Krishnanandaji to get everything ready. We will have it done with proper Viraja Homam etc.’
Thus, within a few minutes of his arrival at the Ashram, Sr. N. got Siva’s permission to be initiated into Sanyas.
N. had recently written to Siva and got a ready answer: ‘Yes, I will give you Sanyas. Kindly come.’ The word ‘kindly’ moved N. He said to me: ‘Perhaps it may be possible for a few aspiring souls to become a great Yogi like Swamiji. A few might even be able to do dynamic selfless service to humanity, like Swamiji. But this humility-cum-love—it is impossible for one to develop. He does not write ‘You may come’, or ‘Come, but ‘kindly come’—as though he deems it a favour done to himself.’
C.V.N. also confessed to Siva: ‘I was not ready for Sanyas when I came last time. I had not fully discharged my worldly duties. And, I had several worldly ambitions. So, you sent me back. Now, the time has come. You have called me to yourself.’
SIVA NEVER FORGETS HIS LESSONS
He is a wise man who learns from others’ experiences; a mediocre who learns by his own; a fool who learns from neither.
Ramakrishnan was explaining to Siva the location of the Bharati Memorial at Ettayapuram. Siva was trying to remember the topography of the place. When R. described the location of a street, Siva at once identified it:
‘Oh yes, yes. That was the street in which all the houses were once destroyed. There were many thatched huts in that street. Next to it was the bazaar. One of the shops caught fire, and the fire soon spread to all the thatched houses on that street. The entire thing was reduced to ashes in no time.’
Siva’s recollection of this incident is significant. He remembers other things about Ettayapuram only vaguely: but remembers the fire that destroyed the thatched huts very vividly. And, this incident taught him a lesson: ‘Never build a thatched hut. Nothing in it is safe.’ To this day, even the gods cannot persuade him to build a thatched shed for any purpose—even to provide a closed room for the purpose of stocking bricks.
11th December, 1949
RAGHAVACHARYAJI’S BIRTHDAY
One has to learn from Siva the art of construction thinking and acting. No looking back or thinking of pros and cons or vacillating; but sheer good action—and that, too, without any premeditation.
In the afternoon at about 3, Siva was told that today the Darshana Maha Vidyalaya people are celebrating Sri Raghavacharyaji’s birthday. This ‘shortness’ of notice could not disconcert Siva. At once he said: ‘Please see if there are fruits in the kitchen. If not, ask someone to go to the bazaar immediately and get fruits. Bring a plateful of fruits, nuts, and also ten rupees. Ask Padmanabhanji to clean a petromax to be sent to the Vidyalaya for the evening function.’
Within ten minutes, the fruits, money, etc. were brought. Siva added to this a Hindi book of his, also.
In the evening Siva went to the Vidyalaya to take part in the celebrations.
During the course of his address to the disciples and devotees of Sri R., Siva observed:
‘I have been repeating year after year my suggestion that the immediate disciples of Sri Acharyaji should sit down and commence the great work of writing his biography. It is the disciple’s duty to his Master.
‘There is another, and a more important aspect to this work. It is the spiritual. Your quest is to find out that ‘something’ which really exists, as distinct from that which does not exist but appears to be. Existence never eases to be. During your waking state you see the diverse phenomena. During the dreaming state, the external vision vanishes: but you see the diverse phenomena in your own mind. But, again in deep sleep, both these phenomena disappear altogether, and you pass into a state of unity within yourself. The outside world is altogether lost to you. Yet, when there is not the slightest pleasure derived from external objects, you derive an intense inner bliss. When you wake up, you feel that you slept soundly and therefore experienced an inner joy. But, during this deep sleep state when you pass into that unity, you are not conscious of the state. Ignorance veils you. If you can consciously bring about that state of unity within yourself, withdraw your mind from the Indriyas and direct all your attention to your Self, then you will consciously experience the state of bliss called Samadhi.’
‘That is the real state of everyone. There is no duality in that state. Therefore, the Reality is One only. When you celebrate the birthday of Sri Acharyaji, you should feel that you are worshipping that Inner Reality, your own Self. The consciousness of this Self is more fully awakened in the Jnani than in a worldly man. That is the difference. Therefore, the worldly man and the aspiring baby-souls—when they thus worship the Jnani—get an opportunity of thinking of him and meditating upon him, thus stirring within themselves a desire to become like the Jnani. You worship that Consciousness today. That Consciousness will bless you and fulfil your spiritual ambitions.
That Consciousness will show you the way to the annihilation of ignorance. That is the secret of celebrating the birthday of saints. Saints are not in need of your honouring them. They are beyond honour and dishonour. They are here only for your sake. If you worship them with Bhav and devotion, you get in tune with their grace through which you can realise your own Self. If in that spirit you begin to write Sri Acharyaji’s biography, you will be greatly benefited in your spiritual evolution.’
*****************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment