Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Yoga and Health by Swami Adhyatmananda OBESITY

Yoga and Health
bySwami Adhyatmananda

   
OBESITY 



Late Shree Punit Kumar, owner of Punnu panir-d­pakode used to attend Yogasana classes at Ludhiana in the Punjab Agriculture University.We know that a small rat sits by the side of Ganapati which we keep in Puja. We have never seen such a Ganapati sitting on the rat. And if such a small rat were to carry a hefty bodied Ganapati what should be the outcome? This Punitkumar used to look like that when he came to the class riding on a Vaspa Scooter. His body was having such a big circumference that after finishing his natural calls he could not reach to clean himself. Now-a-days fountains are provided on the commode; there­fore it is convenient. However in the earlier times, this was not so, hence he had kept a strong nozzle connected to a shower pipe. In those days the tailoring charges of pants used to be Rs.150/-. However Punit had to pay Rs. 1500/-as his pant resembled a tent. All this is not merely joke or a tall talk; When you come down at the Airport of Newyork, Atlanta, Denwar or Charlotte it is possible to meet a number of people who look like family members of Mr. Punit.

Sometimes when we cut a joke on such extra obese people one feels sorry for the amount of trouble they cause to themselves. At Disneyland at Orlando, Florida, you can see so many obese persons moving about!
How is this possible? One feels inclined to question. One would find no neck, under the head. Head and shoulders seem to be one because of the fat. Both black or white people of this description are in the same condition!!

It is observed that 18% of the population of the world having such obesity is found in America only 7% of such obese persons beautify America!! 

OBESITY:

The problem of these obese persons is something more than the deficit of vitamins or minerals in human body. One gets fat or obese mainly because there is imbalance in the supply of nutritive elements. This imbalance does not just add to the fat but the body gradually becomes a store-house of diseases. As a man goes on adding to his age, he gradually goes on increasing his weight. Particularly between ages 25 and 40 years, weight increases disproportionately. This bout of increase in weight also visits a man once beyond the age of 40. We have heard being told that when a man earns money it hits a kick on the back, thereby increasing his belly and when wealth recedes it hits in his belly so that he bends from his waist. This obesity affects prosperous people to a greater extent. Main reasons for this situation are: 

MAIN REASONS FOR INCREASING FAT 

1.    More consumption of fried and sweet foods.
2.    Going on eating often.
3.    Paucity of exercise (sedentary life)
4.     Imbalance of secretion of thyroid, pituitary and other glands.
5                     Ladies get fat after birth of babies.

It is a common knowledge, known the world over, that people who put in food in more than necessary proportions, get comparatively fatter. Actually we are habituated to eat much more than necessary Specially to get this done Gujaratis and especially the treatment of guests in Kathiyawad-Saurashtra; the Nagars are well-known for pressing to eat.Please have it   No matter, you can take it .You can eat one more Laddu! We are not unaware of so many stories concerning direct feeding in the mouth with pieces of Mohanthal. A part of this treatment of guests is accepted by business companies of America.

For instance, the sandwich “Big-make” from McDonald company is available at 3 dollars but if you pay only 35 cents more that sandwich will turn into super size. Coca-cola packing can be had in 99 cents. This contains 6 degrees of coke. Increase the payment to 119 cents and you can buy super size of 24 degree packing!
One small doughnut prepared from mixture of ultra ground wheat (Maida) and sugar containing multiple calories can be had in 50 cents but you pay 199 cents and you get 12 doughnuts. What is the equation? One piece costs fifty paise whereas Rs. 2/- buys 12 Nos.!! Is there any limit to the miserliness of a man ? You get it cheap therefore eat more. Do you remember that old story? One tooth paste company called for suggestions to increase sale. The suggestion was acted upon, making packing a little bigger and tube filled with air on the bottom and outlet was provided with a bigger hole. Thereby everytime you press the tube more material will emerge out and though bigger, the packing was to cost the same!! New and bigger packing! It was adjusted and cheating went on.

You know how many calories are contained in one drink of scotch, whisky, brandy, vodka, triple-X, black bull and such hard alcohol drinks served as pre-appetizers. A similar condition results for those who eat red meat. My good friends! How can we do without a stake beef? When they sit on our side in a plane they ask also.... You Indian! How you can live without eating stake? Oh! It is the essence of life etc... etc..

The long and short of all this is that all these commercial firms are concerned about how to sell the goods and add to the profits! They can try all such experiments. But if we give away our reasoning power on loan and lead our life; that cannot be accepted!

When we eat more food than required an adipose tissue gets added. That is obtainable only from the food; we do not get it from the air we breathe in! Even if we consume fifty calories of extra food daily at end of a year we can easily weigh four pounds more. Thus the main reason for obesity is more than enough food and almost nil exercise or even not at all! 

B.M.R.  (Basal Metabolic Rate) 

The basal metabolic rate of fat person is very low. Those who have low B.M.R can contact diabetes, where blood cholesterol increases, and they can get stone in their gall­bladder. They can get the diseases of gout and athereosclerosis.

PROBLEMS 

Because of this obesity SO many health  problem arise in the otherwise simple and well-defined human life. Because the body gets fat., life becomes more lazy and sedentary; anything that happens is mechanical. That is the reason why initially body becomes weak and thereafter other types of defects get added. Because of this reason the possibilities of longer life span decreases appreciably 

MECHANICAL WEAKNESS 

The constitution of our body is made in such a manner that it can work efficiently only when the body retains definite proportions. We therefore do riot possess the capacity to carry more weight than essential. With the increase in weight, susceptibility of body to diseases increases. It is now a common ailment to have the bones of buttocks, knees and spinal column becoming brittle. The muscles of the stomach are ordinarily helpful to the glands secreting internally But because of the fat collecting on the belly, hernia is caused. Lower organs of our body such as thighs, and muscles of legs help circulation of the blood to the heart by contraction but because of the extra fat this process does not take place as it should and hence the defect of varicose veins is caused.

CARDIOVASCULAR HYPERTENSION

Because of increase in weight, the work to be performed and the labour to be suffered by heart in moving about the heavy body increases. J3ecause the heart does not get supply of blood in enough quantity even a little more fatness becomes a cause for high blood pressure. Thus, because of high blood pressure in the working area of heart the coronary artery contracts. Less blood supply reaches the heart muscles which causes Angina Pectoris. Even before the spring comes in, winter sets in for such obese body people. We hear of many such instances of heart failures. By this stoppage of moving about and no activity no doubt varicose veins does result, in addition because of such conditions more danger­ous results happen.

The word obesity is derived from Latin word ‘obesus’. This can be the derivation for Latin word but the roots of obesity have spread all around in big areas. Metabolic disturbance can be inherited also and can also develop after the birth. In causing obesity of the body genetic, traumatic, social, environmental conditions are instrumental. If the mother or the father anyone is fat, 50% children can be like that. But if both of them are obese there are 75 0/o chances of children turning fat.

The greatest misfortune is that young or old may go on adding fat. They may be aware of this fact or not, but we do not feel surprised if someone gets fat. People even believe there is no harm in getting fat. By increase of fat the obesity of the body not only increases but the capacity of working also decreases and persons beyond age 30 or 35 many times contact diabetes. The relation between obesity and diabetes is similar to the loving relation between children of maternal relations.

By the increase in fatness, blood pressure no doubt increases and gradually one should not be surprised if diseases of coronary arteries also result. By the body becom­ing ver weight heart has to take more labour in blood supply being sufficiently arranged. This results in ill effect over the respiration system. Difficulty in breathing occurs which is called as dyspnoea. This results in defects of respiratory and heart systems and hyperventilation would result which can cause hypercapnoea, hypoxia, and devel­opment of second stage of polycythemia can also result. Such obese people can also have difficulty due to gas collection in the stomach and intestines. Now what is the solution?

If these over-weight people give proper attention and bring down their weight they would look really handsome. It is not possible to deny the special individuality raised by impressive strong body

1. Most important matter about this case is that the patient or the obese person should himself understand that his body carries more weight: It is necessary to decrease the weight. Why? So long as the diseased man himself does not mentally accept this fact, any other person cannot help him in anyway

2. The fat man must realise the difference between eating, when one finds food and eating, only when he is hungry

3. The rule about consumption of food is that one should fill the stomach half full with food. One fourth should be left empty for water and the last one fourth should be kept vacant for allowing gas formation. It is usual to see that Yoga class invariably takes this to heart 

Decrease your food to half drink water double to the quantity of food taken, exercise three-fold, laugh four-fold, work five-fold, and repeat the name of Rarna ten-fold 

It is not material whether you call out name of Rama or Rahima. But the first five steps are essential and indivisible parts of one’s important steps of life. So long as a man continues to carry out all the works pertaining to his own self, he will not turn lazy Fold your bed yourself in the morning, arrange properly, sweep out, mop out, wash and clean clothes, clean your utensils, clean your latrine, clean the garden. If we carry out all these jobs ourselves we will not turn idle. In America you may find everything clean and neat outside; after reading this narration go round your car garage and store room as well as basement. How many percent of people can express satisfaction openly Most of the garages are like garbage dumps. We must have already spent 40 years since we enterel America, our fourth gen­eration is residing in America but we have yet to learn the discipline and mental training: we have not fully learnt the letter “A” of the alphabet.
4 And last but not the least is to know what should be eaten and what not? Count the calories in the food you take in. Similarly calculate the calories you burn through your activities. Have a proper understanding of these two. In America manufacturers write on the bottles how much is the total contents of fat %, sugar%, total carbohydrates 0/o. Why it is not possible for us to properly appreciate the meaning of all this in our daily life?

Your first question on dining table is “coke or juice”. People in our country take dal, curry, osamana, buttermilk, mango fajeto, or falsa sweet drink in season. These are drinks to which we are habituated. When we young, our elders taught us not to eat Dal but to drink it or even to take it in a big quantity In childhood we used to read a poem 

Oh cook! Give me Dal one cup full;
atleast one cup full. We have now got Laddus, Bhajiyas,
Now give me atleast one cup full of Dal, oh cook!
So that I can quickly make my mouth wet!

If you take hot Dal you will have no constipation, fat will not increase. One service-sized can of Coca-cola equal to one Indian glass, contains 240 c.c. which has 140 calories; 39 grams sugar. Hence if food is consumed keeping all these in mind and regular exercise is done, a long walk is insisted upon — our body can be definitely kept well-balanced.

CAN WE CONTROL HUNGER AND THIRST BY YOGASANAS?

Yes. One can surely put a control on hunger, thirst, sleep, behaviour, thoughts, and work by performance of Yogasanas and Pranayama. One can live with least consumption of food, water and sleep by practice of Shitali and Shitkari Pranayama. Practice of Bhujangasana reduces hunger, prac­tice of Shalabhasana increases hunger. By practising both these one after the other hunger can be equipoised.

Really for reduction of weight, it is not proper to reduce the in-take of food to a great extent nor it is proper to undertake dieting. Performance of Yogasanas is the only wonderful remedy It is not necessary to put in a lot of labour in practice of Asanas, The order in which the Asanas are to be performed and the method thereof is so decided that outer muscles as well as internal secretory glands work beautifully Performance of Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Kati-utthanasana are the Asanas which have a good deal of effect on thyroid gland. By the working of this thyroid gland the hormones that get pro­duced controls the basic metabolic rate of our body If B.M.R is brought under control the obesity of a person can be stopped from increasing.
If one is not capable of performing all these Asanas in the initial stage it will surely be possible to perform relax­ation. If one cannot sit cross-legged on the ground one can use a chair; but hands and legs can get movement, one can bend forward, and backward, one can bend both on the left and the right. This is quite essential.

Halasana (Fig—44) 

The practice of Trikonasana and its different varieties and Suryanamaskara is definitely helpful in body building (see Asthama 1) But if one regularly performs Trikon, Suryanamaskar, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Oialcrasana, Ardha-matsyendrasana or Yoga-mudra and Mayurasana, no problems can arise at all.

The practice of Pranayama and Sukhapurvaka Pranayama, i.e taking very deep breaths, can help amply in burning the excess fat.

Paschimottanasana (Fig—45)

The practice of Asanas no doubt helps in reducing fat, but in addition it is helpful in making the muscles of the body firm. Each Asana in its own way helps reducing the weight and becomes quite helpful in regularising the weight. The practice of Asanas and Pranayama and observing a proper order for the same, renderd one free from mental tension and in a wide variety of ways works gradually on unnatural desire to go on eating. By this process one gets controj over intake of food, one starts to properly understand the life and removes the irregularity caused by nervous disturbances. Reduction of weight of the system of the body which results permanently and gradually, allows body sys­tem to work in a good organised and regular way Action taken to reduce the weight by compulsory dieting makes the body tired, sorrowful and depressed, whereas food con­sumed with proper understanding and practice of regular exercise as well as Yoga-abhyasa endows one with a balanced life. If one accepts the body as a necessary organ to enjoy life, one will definitely realise that body itself welcomes a definite weight only; excess weight will not be acceptable under any circumstances.

As one goes on increasing consciousness in life and as one feels inclined towards beauties in life and the life’s tinkling sensations through Yoga-abhyasa; then the desire produced for life, which lies within you as knowledge of self or awareness of the self, will be capable of explaining you what will be conducive to your well being or otherwise and you will get a boon of life which will be full of composure and well-defined. This is a fact; this is an experienced truth; try this experiment and live a meaningful life. Do not forget, when you go on carrying a heavy body this spells a burden for your heart. It will result in burden on the society when you die. Therefore beware! Make a firm resolve today, right now, to reduce obesity

If your effort is honest, then you will invariably attain desired results. 

OM SHANTIH!

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Serve Love Meditate Realize By Swami Chdananda

Serve Love Meditate Realize
By
Swami Chdananda
    


Radiant Immortal Atman! Blessed children of the Divine! Beloved seekers! You are wisely seeking for true happiness, peace and satisfaction in that eternal, infinite and all-perfect Being wherein alone it can be experienced; wisely seeking That, the eternal, the immortal, the abiding, that which is not affected by time; wisely seeking That because you have enquired, observed life and observed people who pursue happiness in the outside world. You have reflected deeply and discriminated between mere sensation and true happiness, and you have found that the world has nothing to give except complications, restlessness and the loss of one’s peace of mind and happiness. Because happiness and peace are inseparable, you cannot have happiness unless you are at peace.

Worshipful and beloved Holy Master, wishing our highest welfare, lived his whole life in inner research into what will benefit mankind, what will take beyond sorrow and grant him true lasting happiness, a happiness that will not diminish or vanish. Because, any quest that moves in the wrong direction has to end in disillusionment, disappointment and frustration. Wanting us to avoid folly, he tells us what worldly life is. Our scriptures too, the Mahabharata, Ramayana, all the Puranas, are filled with descriptions of what the world is like, its worth, its true nature, giving us ready-made experience. Why should we spend our whole lives undergoing the same experiences and then by that time life is spent away? Why not benefit from the experience of the world since its creation?

One yielding to a desire, one disobeying of a divine law which was meant for their welfare, caused the first man and the first woman to be evicted from an ideal setting, a wonderful, perfect state of affairs. This one lesson, which is the foundation of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is a lasting sign of what life will do to you if you become a slave to desire and disobey the great laws which have been made for your welfare.

Today is Sankranti and thousands and thousands of people from all over India, from different cultures, with different natures and habits, have come to take a dip in the Ganga. Why? What is it? What clicks inside and draws them irresistibly towards the Ganga on this day? It is what they have put into their mind, what they, their tradition, their family and others believe in. Though from different parts of India, they all have the same idea: “Sankranti is a sacred day. I must go and take bath; it is very meritorious, uplifting. God will be pleased, it will be a blessing to us.” So, whatever has been taken into the mind, believed in, held, that is the propelling force that makes people do things. Our actions depend upon the contents of our minds. Positive thoughts manifest as positive actions, negative thoughts as negative actions.

Now, ponder for a moment. From 5.15 to 5.45 all of you were in meditation. Each one must know the content of one’s mind at that time. What was the content? The content can only be what you have put into it, what you have allowed to enter it, to take rest and abide. It cannot be anything else. Therefore, you have to learn by studying, by being aware of the content of your mind during meditation, what has entered into your mind, whether you or someone else put it in, or whether the way you live gave easy access for it to enter and abide there. You have to think; it is worthwhile knowing.

And to help one in a positive way, to make the mind rich with the right type of thoughts and ideas—elevating, uplifting, at once purifying, sublime, noble—they made this provision of daily spiritual study and attentive listening in daily satsang. These powerful transforming thoughts then become the fresh new contents of the mind. And if this process is kept on logically, even if something of a contrary nature has already gone in, gradually it is pushed into a corner, is weakened and ultimately dies a natural death. No wonder that all great teachers have laid the greatest importance upon spiritual study and satsang, for they are channels of enriching our mind with the right type of sublime and elevating thoughts, noble thoughts, transforming thoughts.

And from these powerful thoughts Gurudev has selected four wonderful recipes, four wonderful mottoes and maxims for our guidance, each holding a world of meaning, a world of significance. These four words are meant to make our life full of peace and joy, free of restlessness, sorrow, clash and conflict. And these four are: Serve, Love,Meditate, Realise.

Serve: When you go out of yourself and seek to serve others, two great things happen: your ego becomes less important, and the off-shoot of the ego, selfishness, becomes gradually eliminated. Because where one is self-centred and egoistic, peace is not possible, happiness is not possible, neither for Oneself nor for others.

Love: Here it specifically means bhakti, love for the Supreme Reality. By bhakti we plug in, as it were, and make a contact or create a connection between ourselves and that which is profound and perfect peace, peace that passeth understanding, that which is the perfect joy, that which is the param ananda (supreme bliss). And naturally when you relate yourself, make a connection, with that which is the very embodiment, an infinite, limitless, immeasurable ocean of that very thing—then who in the world can prevent you from having that peace, that joy? So, Love, connect yourself with that supreme peace and joy, ocean of peace and joy. Then, what no one can get, you will get. What is nowhere available in this world is available to you, wherever you are. Whether you possess anything or not, whether you have anything or not, you will have peace, you will have joy, you will have a supreme state of fullness and satisfaction.

Meditate: Why be short of it? Once you have made this connection, take it to its logical conclusion and you yourself become the embodiment of peace. Instead of experiencing the peace and joy of the Divine, you yourself become the very ocean of peace and joy; you yourself become divine, for you are divine. Put an end to this forgetfulness once and for all, forever, and shine with divinity.

Realise: Keep what has just been said as the one supreme goal of your existence; never forget it even for one moment. Each day, when the sun rises and you begin a day, keep realisation as your supreme goal. Let that be the very meaning, the direction-giver, the propelling force of your life. Let your life be vibrant with the aspiration for realisation. Let this one principle, this one maxim and motto, this one factor of realisation enrich your entire life, your thoughts, your feelings, your actions. Let it dominate your entire life, so that you live your life and direct your actions towards that great consummation of realisation, liberation.

Serve, Love, Meditate, Realise! These four significant words have a relevance to each one of us in our attempt to seek and find happiness while we live upon this earth, which is anityam, asukham, duhkhalayam, asasvatam (evanescent, without happiness, an abode of sorrow, impermanent), while we are seeking happiness upon this earth which is janma, mrityu, jara, vyadhi, duhkha (birth, death, old age, disease, sorrow). Yet you can fully succeed in attaining the highest happiness, highest bliss, highest peace and satisfaction, if you hold on to these four words, ponder their meaning, and manifest them in your life. They will lead you to peace and joy.

God bless you all! I wish you peace and joy of the highest quality, not second rate, third rate, fourth rate, petty, petty, petty peace. No! Peace and joy of the unparalleled, unique, supreme, highest quality, which is divine peace and joy, which is ever your birthright. To attain this you have come here into this world of pain and death. To attain this you have been blessed with human status, with the power to think, feel, reason, listen, receive and understand.

May today become the starting point of a vigorous onward ascent into that state of peace which is awaiting you, to ask for it and get it, to seek it and to find it. It is awaiting you. Let us not lose the opportunity!

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The Divine Name by Swami Chidananda


The Divine Name    

Blessed Immortal Atman! Beloved sadhaks and seekers upon the path that leads to fearlessness and freedom, upon the path that leads to the cessation of all sorrow, that brings about eternal satisfaction and the attainment of supreme bliss!

God is intangible: avyakta, adrishta, agochara (unmanifest, unseen, imperceptible). All this is made very clear in the Vishnu-sahasranama. He is gudhah (hidden): eko devah sarvabhuteshu gudhah (The one Lord is hidden in all beings). He is sukshmati sukshma (subtler than the subtlest), avangmano-gochara (not known by the senses or the mind), yato vacho nivartante aprapya manasa saha (whence all speech, along with the mind, turn back not reaching It). He is beyond thought, beyond speech.

What then is the way to approach God? We are bound in gross physical consciousness, severely limited to thinking in terms of name and form. Without the basis, support, of names and forms, there is no vichara (enquiry into the nature of the Self) in our antahkarana (inner being). That being the case, what is it that can link us with that which is beyond thought, speech and mind, beyond the grasp of the intellect? Is there some bridge for us bound us as we are in gross conceptual thinking, objective thought? All our vrittis are vishayakara vrittis (thoughts of sense-objects). We can only think in terms of time and space, name and form, here and there, this and that—not of the transcendental. Bound in this state of limited, finite consciousness, what is the possibility of trying to link ourselves with that which is infinite, with that which is beyond time and space, beyond name and form?

It is here that the great science of the practice of the Divine Name comes as an answer to this problem, this great barrier between the known and the unknown, the finite and the infinite, the manifest and the unmanifest, the individual and the universal. The Divine Name is like a boatman who touches both banks. He comes to this bank and he can take us across, because he goes to the other bank as well. The Name has this great advantage.

God is intangible. Whatever we know of God in temples and mosques, synagogues and churches is only created by man, conceptual. We have to superimpose upon the symbols and images our imagination, our ideas of the higher Being. However, this intangible Being is present with us in one tangible aspect, which we can actually create, experience, feel and practise. That is Name, which we ourselves can articulate very clearly. It has a sound we can hear with our ear, and we can write it with our hand.

The rupa of Bhagavan (the form of God) is beyond our comprehension. But here is something, an aspect of God identical with Him, discovered in ancient times. It is themantra (sacred syllable or word) of the supreme absolute Being. Here is a “being” that is name, and yet it is formless. Therefore it has contact with the formless world. Itself being devoid of rupa (form), being nirakara (formless), it has contact with the nirakara parabrahma tattva (formless supreme Reality). Parabrahma isnirakara, nirguna (without form, without attributes), but here It is nirakara but saguna (formless but with attributes). It is in the form of sabda (sound). It is in the form of nama. It has vibration. It has a tangible sound form which we can hear with our gross ear. We can even put it on tape, reproduce it, amplify it, broadcast it. So, here is something which you can do what you like with.

And the greatest, astounding truth about it is: it is Divinity in manifestation as sound. It is Divinity manifest as sabda or nada (the primal mystic sound), which Vedanta refers to as sabda-brahman, nada-brahman. He Who is beyond nada is caught by nada. He can be thus approached by this particular nada because it is nirakara.So, it is at once a tattva (principle) that has access to the beyond, the formless parabrahma tattva, to that field, and at the same time it has access to saguna (with attributes), the field in which we are living.

For us, everything has some quality. And this has one of the five main qualities perceived by us (form, taste, sound, touch, smell). It has sabda (sound) and is identical with God. Nama and nami (The Lord and His Name) are identical. Thus, every mantra composed out of the Divine Name, containing the Divine Name, framed around the Divine Name—Om Namah Sivaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Sri Ram, Om Sri Krishnaya Namaha—every mantra is structurised around this direct manifest form of the Supreme Self in the form of nada, that is nam.

Therefore, Patanjali has a sutra which says that perfection can be obtained through repetition of the Name. And Jagat Guru Lord Krishna says: “He who repeats My Name at the time of leaving the body attains Me. He does not return once again into this mortal world.” Abheda, abhedata of nama and nami (The non-difference, identity of the Lord and His Name) has been established by the direct experience of those who have practised this path and attained perfection.

And one among those whom we know within historical memory, who attained sakshatkara (realisation) sheerly through making use of the Divine Name, was the Guru of Shivaji, Sri Samartha Ramdas, who knew nothing, who did nothing except practise “Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.” And on the other side of the Indian subcontinent, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu attained Divine-consciousness, was inebriated with God-consciousness, through nam sankirtan: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” He spread this great way to God-consciousness throughout the length and breadth of India. He established the supremacy of the Name as the one unfailing, sure method in Kali Yuga. Kaliyuga kevala nama adhara (The Name of the Lord is the only refuge in this Iron Age).

And it is only the revival of an ancient method. Even before Lord Rama incarnated Himself in this world, the hunter and dacoit Ratnakar attained perfection through constant practice of the Divine Name. He was illiterate, uncouth, uneducated, of the forest hunting tribe, and he actually did the Name in the wrong way, ulta (reverse). As the great Tulsidas said: “The whole world knows that Valmiki attained Brahmic-consciousness, attained the realisation of aham brahmasmi by doing japa, even in a wrong way.” He is renowned in Indian spiritual history as one who attained the supreme state of Brahmic-consciousness by japa and japa alone, because he knew nothing else. He did not know Sanskrit, nor Vedanta, nor the Upanishads, nor the Bhagavata, anything. He did not know hatha yoga, nor ashtanga yoga, norkundalini, anything. He did not know asana, pranayama, anything. And, therefore, he could only do what he was capable of doing. He got hold of Ram Nam and became endowed with Brahmic-consciousness, became an illumined sage. He became the great sage Valmiki who produced the immortal epic, the Valmiki Ramayana. He had been a murdering desperado—cruel, violent, a sinner—yet he became one with Brahman in his spiritual consciousness solely through the repetition of the Divine Name.

All saints and spiritual teachers who have come in India over the past three or four hundred years have never failed to emphasise and lay great stress upon the practice of the Divine Name as the unfailing and certain way to attain God-realisation. And Gurudev, in the third of his Twenty Spiritual Instructions says: “Do japa of some mantraor just Om, according to your taste or inclination, from 108 to 21,000 times daily.” The Yogic calculation of human breathing is that there are 21,000 breaths within each cycle of twenty-four hours. They say that with each breath utter the Name of God. Therefore, the third instruction is to take up this unfailing, sure path. In this lies your highest welfare. The path of the Divine Name in this Kali Yuga is the supreme, the least complicated, the most efficacious, unfailing, simple and powerful path. May Gurudev’s grace and blessings give you success in your spiritual life and sadhana. God bless you!

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Hanuman Jayanti By Sri Swami Sivananda

Hanuman Jayanti
By
Sri Swami Sivananda





Om Sri Hanumate Namah

SRI HANUMAN is worshipped all over India—either alone or together with Sri Rama. Every temple of Sri Rama has the murti or idol of Sri Hanuman. Hanuman was the Avatara of Lord Siva. He was born of the Wind-God and Anjani Devi. He is also called by the names Pavanasuta, Marutsuta, Mahavira, Bajrangabali and Pavankumar.

Hanuman was the living embodiment of the power of Ram-Nam. He was an ideal selfless worker, a true Karma Yogi who worked desirelessly. He was a great devotee and an exceptional Brahmachari or celibate. He served Sri Rama with pure love and devotion, without expecting any fruit in return. He lived only to serve Sri Rama. He was humble, brave and wise. He possessed all the divine virtues. He did what others could not do—crossing the ocean simply by uttering Ram-Nam, burning the demon-king's city of Lanka, and bringing the sanjeevini herb to restore the life of Lakshmana. He brought Sri Rama and Lakshmana from the nether world after killing Ahiravana.

Hanuman possessed devotion, knowledge, spirit of selfless service, power of celibacy, and desirelessness. He never boasted of his bravery and intelligence.

He said to Ravana, "I am a humble messenger of Sri Rama. I have come here to serve Sri Rama, to do His work. By the command of Sri Rama, I have come here. I am fearless by the Grace of Sri Rama. I am not afraid of death. I welcome it if it comes while serving Sri Rama."

See how humble Hanuman was! How deep was his devotion to Sri Rama! He never said, "I am the brave Hanuman. I can do anything and everything."

Sri Rama Himself said to Hanuman, "I am greatly indebted to you, O mighty hero. You did marvellous, superhuman deeds. You do not want anything in return. Sugriva has his kingdom restored to him. Angada has been made the crown prince. Vibhishana has become king of Lanka. But you have not asked for anything at any time. You threw away the precious garland of pearls given to you by Sita. How can I repay My debt of gratitude to you? I will always remain deeply indebted to you. I give you the boon of everlasting life. All will honour and worship you like Myself. Your idol will be placed at the door of My temple and you will be worshipped and honoured first. Whenever My stories are recited or glories sung, your glory will be sung before Mine. You will be able to do anything, even that which I will not be able to!"
Thus did Sri Rama praise Hanuman when the latter returned to Him after finding Sita in Lanka. Hanuman was not a bit elated. He fell in prostration at the holy feet of Sri Rama.

Sri Rama asked him, "O mighty hero, how did you cross the ocean?"
Hanuman humbly replied, "By the power and glory of Thy Name, my Lord."
Again Sri Rama asked, "How did you burn Lanka? How did you save yourself?"
And Hanuman replied, "By Thy Grace, my Lord."
What profound humility Hanuman embodied in himself!
There are many who want wealth in return for their services. Some do not want wealth, but they cannot resist name and fame. Others do not want any of these, but they want approbation. Still others want nothing, but they boast of their deeds. Hanuman was above all these. That is why he is recognised as an ideal Karma Yogi and an unsurpassed adept in Bhakti. His life is full of object lessons. Everyone should try his best to follow the noble example of Hanuman.

His birthday falls on Chaitra Shukla Purnima—the March-April full moon day.
On this holy day worship Sri Hanuman. Fast on this day. Read the Sri Hanuman Chalisa. Spend the whole day in the Japa of Ram-Nam. Hanuman will be highly pleased and will bless you with success in all your undertakings.
Glory to Hanuman! Glory to his Lord, Sri Rama!

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