Satsang Bhavan Lectures, Message 17
SATSANGA BHAVAN LECTURES BY SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI
41. Importance of Ashrams - 42. More Ashrams: Greatest Need - 43. Dance
41. Importance of Ashrams
Today I will talk on ashram life. Ashram is a place where one gets visram or sram or santi. Ashram is a haven of peace. There jivanmuktas, sages, saints and aspirants live. They do meditation. They do kirtan, swaddhyaya, study of prasthanatraya and books on bhakti, and thus generate very potent spiritual currents which help to maintain harmony and order in the world.
Buddhists have got ashrams, monasteries. In Tibet you have got very good monasteries. In Ceylon there are Buddhistic monasteries. In Bangkok and Siam there are beautiful Buddhistic monasteries. Christians also have got ashrams. Dr. Stanley Jones has got an ashram near Naini Tal. In Europe also there are good ashrams for monks of the Order of Saint Francis. Ladies also have got ashrams. Sulabha was a celebrated sanyasini—a jnana-yogi-sanyasini. In Ramakrishna Mission, Durga Matha and Gauri Matha were the first sanyasinis. Now they have Saradamani Ashram for ladies. Ladies are also eligible for leading the life of nivritti. Malayalam Swami of Vyasa Ashram has got an ashram for ladies.
This (Sivanadashram) is an ashram of the yoga of synthesis. Some ashrams have got only hatha yoga where students practise only hatha yoga. They learn kriyas, bandhas and asanas and the method to awaken kundalini and take it to sahasrara and join it with Siva. In some places we have got only pure vedantic ashrams, where panchadasi and Brahma sutras are taught. They do only nidhidhayasana. They do not do kirtan. They are nirguna-parayanas. Our Kailas Ashram belongs to this category. In some places there are Bhajan Ashrams, where Bhajans are sung, bhakti is cultivated. But here there is the yoga of synthesis. Man thinks, feels and wills. He must develop his intellect, heart and hand. So jnana yoga, bhakti yoga and karma yoga should all be practised for integral development. Here, some do nidhidhyasana like Swami Krishnananda, established in non-dual consciousness. Some are karma yogins. They assist in the hospital. They try to purify the heart. Some work in the press. Some are journalists. Some work in the free department, some in ayurvedic department. These are karma yogins. They try to purify the heart and through purification they want to establish themselves in nirguna meditation. They will take afterwards to sravan, manan and nidhidhyasana. This is also another path.
In the life here people assemble or congregate in the temple, Viswanath Mandir, where there is morning meditation in brahmamuhurtha. They chant guru stotras and Maha Mantra kirtan and practise common meditation. Afterwards Swami Vishnudevananda, our Director of Yogic Culture, trains people in asanas, bandhas, mudras. There also they have got common meditation and kirtan. After some time, at eight or nine o'clock, Swami Prajnananda will conduct Gita class. In the evening we have got, upanishadic class by Swami Jyotirmayananda, and at night we have got satsang where students are trained in giving lectures on Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Bhagavat. Discourses are delivered by Swami Divyananda, Swami Prajnananda, Swami Jyotirmayananda, Swami Achyutananda. Bhajans and kirtans are sung. People from outside come for attending the satsang. There are veena recitals, fiddle recitals. This is the ashram life here.
Ashram life is beneficial, where you get everything. Classes are conducted. Senior professors are there. Especially for neophytes it is very beneficial. Students should stay continuously for a period of at least twelve years in one place till they are moulded and established, in the spiritual path. Some young students come here and after three or four months they try to have Badri trip, Vrindavan trip, and lead a life of independence. That is not beneficial. One should remain in the ashram under the alliance of a teacher who will point out his defects. One cannot find one's own defects. When the defects are pointed out, the ego gets annoyed. So, one should practise meditation, japa, study of scriptures. Then only he will progress. There is no use of running here and there. There is no security of food, no shelter. It is simply aimless wandering. It is not beneficial. Remain in one place.
Practise meditation, asanas, discipline of indriyas. Then only you can reach the goal.
Ashram is beneficial for householders. During holidays they can come and convert holidays into holy days. They can learn various kriyas, the method of saguna meditation, nirguna meditation, practise pranayama. Here is the place for all these.
A good ashram must be conducted by a very good head, president, who is free from selfishness, who wants to share his belongings with all aspirants. Such a one will be of real help to aspirants, and not a president who closes the door and eats badam and halwa. A man of mere erudition will not also be able to help the students. A broad-hearted man, full of love and kindness and a keen heart to serve the students, to mould them—he alone can help the students. By such ashrams, the people will be benefited. Householders should come during holidays, puja holidays, Christmas holidays, and spend their time in an ashram with eagerness to learn things, spiritual, transcendental things. Simply coming at 8 o'clock and visiting Lakshman Jhula and Gita Bhavan and going back by the evening train will not benefit them. They must have a keen longing to learn the methods of meditation, pranayama and asana. With a great desire and yearning, with mumukshatwa, they should come, and then they will be benefited. They should learn the methods of meditation, pranayama and other things, and after going home, they should practise them. By merely coming for sight seeing, they will not be benefited.
The founders of ashrams should try their level best to train students in the path of yoga and vedanta and make them good teachers, efficient teachers, and train them in all philosophy—eastern and western—so that after same time they will be able to go out and preach and bring solace and peace to people outside. They should take great interest in training and developing students. Swami Rama Tirth went to America and preached vedanta. He said, "All ashrams are mine." He did not train students to take up his place. It is only Narayana Swami of Lucknow who preserved his lectures and brought out eight or nine volumes. Ashrams become weak when the heads of the ashrams pass away. It is only Ramakrishna Mission which is a well organised institution. They have got branches all over the world. They do selfless service. They have got seva ashrams in Benares and Kankal where expert medical treatment is given to patients. They practise combined meditation and service. They have got flood relief, famine relief, educational centres. They have got maths. They have got educational centres in Mylapore and other places where sanyasins are trained for giving lectures outside. There is Belur Math where people are given sanyasa initiation. Ramakrishna Mission is the only well organised institution. Students translate books. Swami Nikhilananda has done valuable work-commentaries on Mandukya Upanishad. This must be the case. Otherwise, when the heads pass away, there is no life in the ashrams.
Sankaracharya is regarded as Maya Vadin, who denied the existence of the world. He is a Vivartha-Vadin, and Ajata-Vadin. But within the young age of thirty-two he established four maths in different parts of India. He was a great dynamic sanyasin, a jnana yogi and raja yogi also, full of powers. Those maths are still running even after two thousand years. His spiritual influence is being felt by the people. Such must be the case of the heads of spiritual institutions and ashrams, who train people in meditation, in study of sacred scriptures, in acquiring extensive knowledge, comparative religion and philosophy. Such people alone will be harbingers of peace and give people the knowledge of yoga and vedanta and lift them from the quagmire of samsara.
In the western countries the state religion is Christianity. In Buddhistic countries the state religion is Buddhism. In Arabia and Mohammedan countries the state religion is Islam. It is only in India, the land of rishis and sages like Yanjavalkya and other greatest rishis, it is styled as 'secular state'. We cannot have much progress and cannot maintain Hinduism when India is styled as a secular state. But they interpret that secular state means that we do not interfere with religions, and that every religion has got its place. In such a state Hinduism cannot progress. It may degenerate. It may die. The state must be proclaimed and declared as the state of Hinduism. Then only there is food and strength for the growth of Hinduism, and the welfare state should look after the ashrams.
These ashrams are a blessing to the world. These ashrams will keep up the spiritual fire, the flame of spirituality. If you remove these institutions, the world will be void, will be a desert. It is the sanyasins, it is the people who lead the life of nivritti, the sufistic fakirs, the Buddhistic monks, that can keep the life of religion. Otherwise the whole world will be immersed in atheism. No man will attempt for spiritual evolution, enlightenment or illumination. It is these people who keep up the spiritual fire. It is the duty of a welfare state to look after the welfare of spiritual institutions. They should arrange for sanitary convenience, lighting, water supply and other things. Then only the institutions can grow.
Very good ashrams are the dire need of this hour. There should be ashrams in provincial cities and district towns and taluks and in every village. Instead of spending so much money in aeroplanes and military academies and building of air-ships, if some money is diverted in this direction, we can bring peace, establish peace in this world and in India, and there will be no wars. The means for attaining peace is the establishment of ashrams, training of brahmacharins, training of sanyasins, yogis and vedantins, who will move to the different corners of the world and bring message of unity, goodness, universal peace, goodwill, the message of unity of consciousness, of oneness of life—this message that there is only one Atma which dwells in all names and forms, we are all one, tatwamasi. This message alone can establish peace, lasting peace, enduring, abiding peace.
In olden times ashrams were maintained by kings. They supplied whatever they wanted, to the ascetics. We have Valmiki Ashram, Bharadwaja Ashram, Kanwa Ashram. Many rishis are our forefathers. So, let there be more sshrams in this world, more sanyasins, more dynamic yogins, more bhaktas and bhagavatas, more ashrams everywhere. Let there be peace in this world. Then we can bring, heaven on earth. This will be a Brahma-loka, where all will enjoy goodwill and peace, where there will be no fighting, no quarrel. Rama rajya will be established through these ashrams, through these sanyasins and brahmacharis. May there be peace in the world. OM.
42. More Ashrams: Greatest Need
There is a huge cry for world peace to-day, but people do not know where to get that lasting peace and perennial joy. The world is in need of good ashrams. The governments are spending a lot of money in building up the Navy and the Air Force, but they do not spend anything on building ashrams. If Ashrams are built everywhere, the world will be benefited, it will be elevated and inspired and there will be no wars. There will be no threat of a third war.
But they do not know how to build ashrams and they have no idea of spirituality and yoga centres. The world is in dire need of very good ashrams for ladies and gentlemen. We have got only very few ashrams. If every district, every taluk, has a centre where yoga is taught, where kirtan is held, where ladies are trained in veda patt, japa and kirtan, devas will be pleased. Every one will become a centre for radiating peace and joy. What is, wanted is good men and women with knowledge of yoga and control of mind. The world is in need of such people, not merely M.A., Ph.D's with literary talent for bread earning purpose. What is needed is knowledge of the self. Paranchikhani vyatrinat swayambhuh, tasmat parangpa-sayatina antharatman—The Lord created the senses with out-going tendencies: therefore, man beholds the external universe and not the internal self.
The world is in need of dheeras like Nachiketas, like Maitreyi, who wanted only immortality. When Yajnavalkya was about to divide his property between Katyayini and Maitreyi, Maitreyi who had a strong yearning for attaining the summum bonum of existence, asked: "My venerable Lord! Even, if I possess the wealth of the three worlds, can I attain immortality?" The world is in need of such men and women with discrimination and dispassion, with the Nachiketas or Maitreyi element. Nachiketas was tempted by Yama in a variety of ways, but Nachiketas was adamant. He said, "That supreme thing, by knowing which everything is known, that thing I want." The world is in need of such people with Nachiketas and Maitreyi element, like Dhruva and Prahlad. Kaschit dheerah pratyagatmanamaikshadavriachakshuramritatwamichchan—'Some wise men with their eyes turned inward, concentrate on their own internal self with an undistracted mind'. Such people can be produced not in the modern universities but only in ashrams. Atmic knowledge, strength born of discrimination, inner spiritual inexhaustible strength born of wisdom of Atman can be had only in ashrams, and not in trigonometry, B.Coms. and M.Coms. Only he who has discrimination and dispassion, who has inner life, can save this world. Such people are produced by ashrams. Vihaya kaman yah sarvan—'He who has no longing, who has no cravings, who has no egoism, no mineness', in whom the ego-dichotomy operation has been performed—we want such men who have undergone the ego-dichotomy operation. Surgeons do not know what ego-dichotomy is. This operation is done only in ashrams. Then the mind is thinned out—tanumanasi. One goes through the seven jnana bhumikas.
Knowledge of self is attained through guruparampara. Gaudapada imparted knowledge to Govindapada and Govindapada gave the knowledge to Sankaracharya. One sage is sufficient to save the world. Sages have got inner spiritual strength—strength not born of bank balance, for banks sometimes fail, but strength born of sadhana chatushtaya, shad sampat, wisdom of the Upanishads. Their mind is resting in bhuma. Where there is neither sound, nor colour nor taste, where no one thinks, no one imagines, that is bhuma—that is your essential divine nature. Though you are clad in rags, though you are in the role of unemployment, feel that you are the all pervading Brahman. Knowledge of Brahman alone can save you, free you from the thraldom of matter and mind and raise you to the glory of Brahmanhood. You will be raised to the immaculate state of Brahmanhood. Everybody is born to attain this knowledge.
But on account of raga-dwesh their mind is turned outward. A wise aspirant controls the indriyas and develops viveka, vairagya, sama, dama, uparati, titiksha, sraddha, samadhana and a keen longing for liberation. After equipping himself with these means be practises sravan, manan and nididhyasan and attains Atma sakshatkara, which is our goal and which we have forgotten on account of raga-dwesh. Raga-dwesh dichotomy is also being done in ashrams.
Selfless work purifies the mind. Upasana removes the oscillation of the mind. Study of vedantic literature removes the veil of ignorance. Therefore, the yoga of synthesis should be practised. Selfless service, upasana and knowledge of vedanta will help us to attain the goal of life.
More ashrams are necessary now. People cry for peace, deliver lectures, write books, volumes after volumes, but nothing practical has been done, and people are not able to attain supreme peace. Practically they do not know how to attain peace. They deliver lectures, but at the same time they manufacture atom bombs and hydrogen bombs. The League of Nations failed and the UNO will also fail. Practical sadhana you can expect only from ashrams where people have dedicated their lives to spiritual practice, and are spending their lives in concentration and meditation. Such people only will be able to give you the key to peace. You may study books, but the key to peace is only with sanyasins who alone are resting in satchidananda swarup. This key is handed over from generation to generation through guruparampara and is kept by the heads of ashrams.
The world is in need of more ashrams with people of discrimination and dispassion. It is very difficult to get dispassion. Renunciation and dispassion are great things attained through the grace of God on account of meritorious works done in several births. Renunciation is not a commodity that can be easily purchased from shops.
It is the grace of the Lord and the guru. It is the grace of sages who spent their lives in meditation, who are free from egoism, free from longings, trishna. Such people only will be able to show to the world the method for attaining the supreme beatitude, kaivalya moksha.
May Lord bless you all with health, long life, peace, bliss, prosperity and immortality. May all ashrams flourish and remain as peace centres for the people who are burnt up by the five afflictions—avidya, asmita, raga, dwesha, abhinivesha—is my fervent prayer.
43. Dance
Sri Swami Sivananda's Speech at the Conclusion of Sri Nalini's Dance-Recital.
Nritya or dancing is an important anga of bhakti yoga. It stirs up divine emotions in the heart of the devotee, generates prem, bhav and mahabhav and culminates in communion with the Lord. The greatest divine dancers are Lord Siva and Lord Krishna themselves—Siva-Tandava Nritya and Rasa-Lila. When these great beings dance, the devas themselves play the accompanying instruments.
Paramakkudi has become a famous centre of fine arts today, thanks to Sri Nalini and party. Sri Nalini's dance recital is highly praiseworthy. She expresses the bhavas very nicely. She has a wonderful body for nritya—pliable and agile. She performs even the most difficult yoga asans very easily: chakrasana, yoga-nidrasana and so many difficult asans. Her mudras and her footwork are perfect and faultless. She has wonderful concentration and alertness. At this young age, she is able to radiate joy to everybody, transport people to a different world where art and devotion of the heart reign supreme. These three hours fled like three minutes: It is all due to the grace of the Lord and the grace of mother Saraswathi, the grace of Lord Siva and Lord Krishna, and her own purva samskaras. No one else will be able to learn this difficult art within so short a time as she has done.
The drum is an indispensable instrument to nritya. The mridanga contributes a great deal to the success of the performance. So, we are thankful to Sri P. S. Nagarajan who has adapted the drumming technique exactly to suit the dance, so that the correct effect is produced. In Sri S. P. Jayaraman we have a wonderful nattuvanar who is well versed not only in Bharata Natyam, but in music also. Sri Swarnappa has a melodious and powerful voice and is a master of the art of music; he is an asset to the party. He is the disciple of the famous Chittoor Subramania Pillai and will shine like his guru. Equally marvellous was our violinist Sri N. V. K. Gangadharan. Last but not least is our make-up specialist-cum-photographer, Sri V. Raman.
All glory to Sri Nalini's parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. Srinivasan. All glory to Sri Nagappa Chettiar who brings talented people to this place every time he comes; and enables musicians, artists and dancers to offer their art to the Lord on the holy banks of the Ganga. May God bless them all.
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SATSANGA BHAVAN LECTURES BY SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI
41. Importance of Ashrams - 42. More Ashrams: Greatest Need - 43. Dance
41. Importance of Ashrams
Today I will talk on ashram life. Ashram is a place where one gets visram or sram or santi. Ashram is a haven of peace. There jivanmuktas, sages, saints and aspirants live. They do meditation. They do kirtan, swaddhyaya, study of prasthanatraya and books on bhakti, and thus generate very potent spiritual currents which help to maintain harmony and order in the world.
Buddhists have got ashrams, monasteries. In Tibet you have got very good monasteries. In Ceylon there are Buddhistic monasteries. In Bangkok and Siam there are beautiful Buddhistic monasteries. Christians also have got ashrams. Dr. Stanley Jones has got an ashram near Naini Tal. In Europe also there are good ashrams for monks of the Order of Saint Francis. Ladies also have got ashrams. Sulabha was a celebrated sanyasini—a jnana-yogi-sanyasini. In Ramakrishna Mission, Durga Matha and Gauri Matha were the first sanyasinis. Now they have Saradamani Ashram for ladies. Ladies are also eligible for leading the life of nivritti. Malayalam Swami of Vyasa Ashram has got an ashram for ladies.
This (Sivanadashram) is an ashram of the yoga of synthesis. Some ashrams have got only hatha yoga where students practise only hatha yoga. They learn kriyas, bandhas and asanas and the method to awaken kundalini and take it to sahasrara and join it with Siva. In some places we have got only pure vedantic ashrams, where panchadasi and Brahma sutras are taught. They do only nidhidhayasana. They do not do kirtan. They are nirguna-parayanas. Our Kailas Ashram belongs to this category. In some places there are Bhajan Ashrams, where Bhajans are sung, bhakti is cultivated. But here there is the yoga of synthesis. Man thinks, feels and wills. He must develop his intellect, heart and hand. So jnana yoga, bhakti yoga and karma yoga should all be practised for integral development. Here, some do nidhidhyasana like Swami Krishnananda, established in non-dual consciousness. Some are karma yogins. They assist in the hospital. They try to purify the heart. Some work in the press. Some are journalists. Some work in the free department, some in ayurvedic department. These are karma yogins. They try to purify the heart and through purification they want to establish themselves in nirguna meditation. They will take afterwards to sravan, manan and nidhidhyasana. This is also another path.
In the life here people assemble or congregate in the temple, Viswanath Mandir, where there is morning meditation in brahmamuhurtha. They chant guru stotras and Maha Mantra kirtan and practise common meditation. Afterwards Swami Vishnudevananda, our Director of Yogic Culture, trains people in asanas, bandhas, mudras. There also they have got common meditation and kirtan. After some time, at eight or nine o'clock, Swami Prajnananda will conduct Gita class. In the evening we have got, upanishadic class by Swami Jyotirmayananda, and at night we have got satsang where students are trained in giving lectures on Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Bhagavat. Discourses are delivered by Swami Divyananda, Swami Prajnananda, Swami Jyotirmayananda, Swami Achyutananda. Bhajans and kirtans are sung. People from outside come for attending the satsang. There are veena recitals, fiddle recitals. This is the ashram life here.
Ashram life is beneficial, where you get everything. Classes are conducted. Senior professors are there. Especially for neophytes it is very beneficial. Students should stay continuously for a period of at least twelve years in one place till they are moulded and established, in the spiritual path. Some young students come here and after three or four months they try to have Badri trip, Vrindavan trip, and lead a life of independence. That is not beneficial. One should remain in the ashram under the alliance of a teacher who will point out his defects. One cannot find one's own defects. When the defects are pointed out, the ego gets annoyed. So, one should practise meditation, japa, study of scriptures. Then only he will progress. There is no use of running here and there. There is no security of food, no shelter. It is simply aimless wandering. It is not beneficial. Remain in one place.
Practise meditation, asanas, discipline of indriyas. Then only you can reach the goal.
Ashram is beneficial for householders. During holidays they can come and convert holidays into holy days. They can learn various kriyas, the method of saguna meditation, nirguna meditation, practise pranayama. Here is the place for all these.
A good ashram must be conducted by a very good head, president, who is free from selfishness, who wants to share his belongings with all aspirants. Such a one will be of real help to aspirants, and not a president who closes the door and eats badam and halwa. A man of mere erudition will not also be able to help the students. A broad-hearted man, full of love and kindness and a keen heart to serve the students, to mould them—he alone can help the students. By such ashrams, the people will be benefited. Householders should come during holidays, puja holidays, Christmas holidays, and spend their time in an ashram with eagerness to learn things, spiritual, transcendental things. Simply coming at 8 o'clock and visiting Lakshman Jhula and Gita Bhavan and going back by the evening train will not benefit them. They must have a keen longing to learn the methods of meditation, pranayama and asana. With a great desire and yearning, with mumukshatwa, they should come, and then they will be benefited. They should learn the methods of meditation, pranayama and other things, and after going home, they should practise them. By merely coming for sight seeing, they will not be benefited.
The founders of ashrams should try their level best to train students in the path of yoga and vedanta and make them good teachers, efficient teachers, and train them in all philosophy—eastern and western—so that after same time they will be able to go out and preach and bring solace and peace to people outside. They should take great interest in training and developing students. Swami Rama Tirth went to America and preached vedanta. He said, "All ashrams are mine." He did not train students to take up his place. It is only Narayana Swami of Lucknow who preserved his lectures and brought out eight or nine volumes. Ashrams become weak when the heads of the ashrams pass away. It is only Ramakrishna Mission which is a well organised institution. They have got branches all over the world. They do selfless service. They have got seva ashrams in Benares and Kankal where expert medical treatment is given to patients. They practise combined meditation and service. They have got flood relief, famine relief, educational centres. They have got maths. They have got educational centres in Mylapore and other places where sanyasins are trained for giving lectures outside. There is Belur Math where people are given sanyasa initiation. Ramakrishna Mission is the only well organised institution. Students translate books. Swami Nikhilananda has done valuable work-commentaries on Mandukya Upanishad. This must be the case. Otherwise, when the heads pass away, there is no life in the ashrams.
Sankaracharya is regarded as Maya Vadin, who denied the existence of the world. He is a Vivartha-Vadin, and Ajata-Vadin. But within the young age of thirty-two he established four maths in different parts of India. He was a great dynamic sanyasin, a jnana yogi and raja yogi also, full of powers. Those maths are still running even after two thousand years. His spiritual influence is being felt by the people. Such must be the case of the heads of spiritual institutions and ashrams, who train people in meditation, in study of sacred scriptures, in acquiring extensive knowledge, comparative religion and philosophy. Such people alone will be harbingers of peace and give people the knowledge of yoga and vedanta and lift them from the quagmire of samsara.
In the western countries the state religion is Christianity. In Buddhistic countries the state religion is Buddhism. In Arabia and Mohammedan countries the state religion is Islam. It is only in India, the land of rishis and sages like Yanjavalkya and other greatest rishis, it is styled as 'secular state'. We cannot have much progress and cannot maintain Hinduism when India is styled as a secular state. But they interpret that secular state means that we do not interfere with religions, and that every religion has got its place. In such a state Hinduism cannot progress. It may degenerate. It may die. The state must be proclaimed and declared as the state of Hinduism. Then only there is food and strength for the growth of Hinduism, and the welfare state should look after the ashrams.
These ashrams are a blessing to the world. These ashrams will keep up the spiritual fire, the flame of spirituality. If you remove these institutions, the world will be void, will be a desert. It is the sanyasins, it is the people who lead the life of nivritti, the sufistic fakirs, the Buddhistic monks, that can keep the life of religion. Otherwise the whole world will be immersed in atheism. No man will attempt for spiritual evolution, enlightenment or illumination. It is these people who keep up the spiritual fire. It is the duty of a welfare state to look after the welfare of spiritual institutions. They should arrange for sanitary convenience, lighting, water supply and other things. Then only the institutions can grow.
Very good ashrams are the dire need of this hour. There should be ashrams in provincial cities and district towns and taluks and in every village. Instead of spending so much money in aeroplanes and military academies and building of air-ships, if some money is diverted in this direction, we can bring peace, establish peace in this world and in India, and there will be no wars. The means for attaining peace is the establishment of ashrams, training of brahmacharins, training of sanyasins, yogis and vedantins, who will move to the different corners of the world and bring message of unity, goodness, universal peace, goodwill, the message of unity of consciousness, of oneness of life—this message that there is only one Atma which dwells in all names and forms, we are all one, tatwamasi. This message alone can establish peace, lasting peace, enduring, abiding peace.
In olden times ashrams were maintained by kings. They supplied whatever they wanted, to the ascetics. We have Valmiki Ashram, Bharadwaja Ashram, Kanwa Ashram. Many rishis are our forefathers. So, let there be more sshrams in this world, more sanyasins, more dynamic yogins, more bhaktas and bhagavatas, more ashrams everywhere. Let there be peace in this world. Then we can bring, heaven on earth. This will be a Brahma-loka, where all will enjoy goodwill and peace, where there will be no fighting, no quarrel. Rama rajya will be established through these ashrams, through these sanyasins and brahmacharis. May there be peace in the world. OM.
42. More Ashrams: Greatest Need
There is a huge cry for world peace to-day, but people do not know where to get that lasting peace and perennial joy. The world is in need of good ashrams. The governments are spending a lot of money in building up the Navy and the Air Force, but they do not spend anything on building ashrams. If Ashrams are built everywhere, the world will be benefited, it will be elevated and inspired and there will be no wars. There will be no threat of a third war.
But they do not know how to build ashrams and they have no idea of spirituality and yoga centres. The world is in dire need of very good ashrams for ladies and gentlemen. We have got only very few ashrams. If every district, every taluk, has a centre where yoga is taught, where kirtan is held, where ladies are trained in veda patt, japa and kirtan, devas will be pleased. Every one will become a centre for radiating peace and joy. What is, wanted is good men and women with knowledge of yoga and control of mind. The world is in need of such people, not merely M.A., Ph.D's with literary talent for bread earning purpose. What is needed is knowledge of the self. Paranchikhani vyatrinat swayambhuh, tasmat parangpa-sayatina antharatman—The Lord created the senses with out-going tendencies: therefore, man beholds the external universe and not the internal self.
The world is in need of dheeras like Nachiketas, like Maitreyi, who wanted only immortality. When Yajnavalkya was about to divide his property between Katyayini and Maitreyi, Maitreyi who had a strong yearning for attaining the summum bonum of existence, asked: "My venerable Lord! Even, if I possess the wealth of the three worlds, can I attain immortality?" The world is in need of such men and women with discrimination and dispassion, with the Nachiketas or Maitreyi element. Nachiketas was tempted by Yama in a variety of ways, but Nachiketas was adamant. He said, "That supreme thing, by knowing which everything is known, that thing I want." The world is in need of such people with Nachiketas and Maitreyi element, like Dhruva and Prahlad. Kaschit dheerah pratyagatmanamaikshadavriachakshuramritatwamichchan—'Some wise men with their eyes turned inward, concentrate on their own internal self with an undistracted mind'. Such people can be produced not in the modern universities but only in ashrams. Atmic knowledge, strength born of discrimination, inner spiritual inexhaustible strength born of wisdom of Atman can be had only in ashrams, and not in trigonometry, B.Coms. and M.Coms. Only he who has discrimination and dispassion, who has inner life, can save this world. Such people are produced by ashrams. Vihaya kaman yah sarvan—'He who has no longing, who has no cravings, who has no egoism, no mineness', in whom the ego-dichotomy operation has been performed—we want such men who have undergone the ego-dichotomy operation. Surgeons do not know what ego-dichotomy is. This operation is done only in ashrams. Then the mind is thinned out—tanumanasi. One goes through the seven jnana bhumikas.
Knowledge of self is attained through guruparampara. Gaudapada imparted knowledge to Govindapada and Govindapada gave the knowledge to Sankaracharya. One sage is sufficient to save the world. Sages have got inner spiritual strength—strength not born of bank balance, for banks sometimes fail, but strength born of sadhana chatushtaya, shad sampat, wisdom of the Upanishads. Their mind is resting in bhuma. Where there is neither sound, nor colour nor taste, where no one thinks, no one imagines, that is bhuma—that is your essential divine nature. Though you are clad in rags, though you are in the role of unemployment, feel that you are the all pervading Brahman. Knowledge of Brahman alone can save you, free you from the thraldom of matter and mind and raise you to the glory of Brahmanhood. You will be raised to the immaculate state of Brahmanhood. Everybody is born to attain this knowledge.
But on account of raga-dwesh their mind is turned outward. A wise aspirant controls the indriyas and develops viveka, vairagya, sama, dama, uparati, titiksha, sraddha, samadhana and a keen longing for liberation. After equipping himself with these means be practises sravan, manan and nididhyasan and attains Atma sakshatkara, which is our goal and which we have forgotten on account of raga-dwesh. Raga-dwesh dichotomy is also being done in ashrams.
Selfless work purifies the mind. Upasana removes the oscillation of the mind. Study of vedantic literature removes the veil of ignorance. Therefore, the yoga of synthesis should be practised. Selfless service, upasana and knowledge of vedanta will help us to attain the goal of life.
More ashrams are necessary now. People cry for peace, deliver lectures, write books, volumes after volumes, but nothing practical has been done, and people are not able to attain supreme peace. Practically they do not know how to attain peace. They deliver lectures, but at the same time they manufacture atom bombs and hydrogen bombs. The League of Nations failed and the UNO will also fail. Practical sadhana you can expect only from ashrams where people have dedicated their lives to spiritual practice, and are spending their lives in concentration and meditation. Such people only will be able to give you the key to peace. You may study books, but the key to peace is only with sanyasins who alone are resting in satchidananda swarup. This key is handed over from generation to generation through guruparampara and is kept by the heads of ashrams.
The world is in need of more ashrams with people of discrimination and dispassion. It is very difficult to get dispassion. Renunciation and dispassion are great things attained through the grace of God on account of meritorious works done in several births. Renunciation is not a commodity that can be easily purchased from shops.
It is the grace of the Lord and the guru. It is the grace of sages who spent their lives in meditation, who are free from egoism, free from longings, trishna. Such people only will be able to show to the world the method for attaining the supreme beatitude, kaivalya moksha.
May Lord bless you all with health, long life, peace, bliss, prosperity and immortality. May all ashrams flourish and remain as peace centres for the people who are burnt up by the five afflictions—avidya, asmita, raga, dwesha, abhinivesha—is my fervent prayer.
43. Dance
Sri Swami Sivananda's Speech at the Conclusion of Sri Nalini's Dance-Recital.
Nritya or dancing is an important anga of bhakti yoga. It stirs up divine emotions in the heart of the devotee, generates prem, bhav and mahabhav and culminates in communion with the Lord. The greatest divine dancers are Lord Siva and Lord Krishna themselves—Siva-Tandava Nritya and Rasa-Lila. When these great beings dance, the devas themselves play the accompanying instruments.
Paramakkudi has become a famous centre of fine arts today, thanks to Sri Nalini and party. Sri Nalini's dance recital is highly praiseworthy. She expresses the bhavas very nicely. She has a wonderful body for nritya—pliable and agile. She performs even the most difficult yoga asans very easily: chakrasana, yoga-nidrasana and so many difficult asans. Her mudras and her footwork are perfect and faultless. She has wonderful concentration and alertness. At this young age, she is able to radiate joy to everybody, transport people to a different world where art and devotion of the heart reign supreme. These three hours fled like three minutes: It is all due to the grace of the Lord and the grace of mother Saraswathi, the grace of Lord Siva and Lord Krishna, and her own purva samskaras. No one else will be able to learn this difficult art within so short a time as she has done.
The drum is an indispensable instrument to nritya. The mridanga contributes a great deal to the success of the performance. So, we are thankful to Sri P. S. Nagarajan who has adapted the drumming technique exactly to suit the dance, so that the correct effect is produced. In Sri S. P. Jayaraman we have a wonderful nattuvanar who is well versed not only in Bharata Natyam, but in music also. Sri Swarnappa has a melodious and powerful voice and is a master of the art of music; he is an asset to the party. He is the disciple of the famous Chittoor Subramania Pillai and will shine like his guru. Equally marvellous was our violinist Sri N. V. K. Gangadharan. Last but not least is our make-up specialist-cum-photographer, Sri V. Raman.
All glory to Sri Nalini's parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. Srinivasan. All glory to Sri Nagappa Chettiar who brings talented people to this place every time he comes; and enables musicians, artists and dancers to offer their art to the Lord on the holy banks of the Ganga. May God bless them all.
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