Satsang Bhavan Lectures, Message 13
Satsang Bhavan Lectures of Swami Sivananda
Chapter III: Stages of Life
27. The Philosophy of Mundan / 28. Brahmacharya / 29. Upanayanam
27. THE PHILOSOPHY OF MUNDAN
Swamiji's speech on the occasion of the Mundan ceremony of Sri Lakshman, son of Sri Sivanarayan Vadhwa, Divisional Superintendent, Eastern Railway, Dinapore, on 19th August, 1956.
Today is an auspicious day. It is the day of the Mundan ceremony of Sri Lakshman, son of Sri Sivanarayan Vadhwa, Divisional Superintendent, Eastern Railway. They had been here today and the Mundan ceremony was performed in my kutir, on the sacred bank of the Ganges.
Mundan ceremony is one of the samskaras in life. I think there are eighteen samskaras and Mundan is one of the important samskaras. In Mundan ceremony the hair is removed. Mundan is very convenient. It is convenient for bath. Any number of times you can take bath. You will not catch cold. The time spent in combing the hair is also saved. Generally people waste much time in combing the hair.
Hair and skin are the two important vehicles of maya. The whole beauty of a person consists in hair and skin. If the skin is removed from a body, one man will have to stand beside it with a long stick to drive away the vultures! If one hair falls in milk, you throw away the milk, for it will cause you vomiting. Where is beauty of the hair then? Real beauty is in the Atma, your inner self. Do not depend upon the beauty of the body. Develop vairagya, dispassion. Look at the components of the body. How filthy they are! To a woman, hair is the most valuable property. If you try to remove the hair she will die!
You should meditate on the Beauty of beauties, Atma, and attain realisation, atmasakshatkar.
Let us do kirtan today for the health, long life, peace, prosperity and divine aiswarya of the boy, and the family, as well as the whole world at large.
28. BRAHMACHARYA
Thirteenth April is a remarkable and auspicious day. It is the Kumbha Mela day in Hardwar. It is Tamil New Year's day. On this auspicious day the Upanayanam ceremony of Sri Ramakrishna, otherwise known as Ramu and Sri Rajagopalan, otherwise known as Raju, took place. They are brothers of Annaswami. They are the sons of Sri. N. Srinivasan, a greatest devotee, of Egmore, Madras. —Swami Venkatesananda
Upanayanam ceremony is a most fundamental sacrament amongst the Hindus. During this ceremony the boys enter Brahmacharya Ashram. Brahmacharis are of two kinds. After finishing studies, vedic or college studies, they become householders, they marry. Some become naishtic brahmacharis. They take a pledge or vow to lead the life of brahmacharya throughout the life. For this word 'naishtic brahmacharya' yesterday Dr. Roy gave a very good substitute, 'Chronic Brahmacharya!'—because he is a doctor. Brahmacharya is not a disease. Brachmacharya is a universal mahavrata, a great vow to be observed by all, not only by Hindus. He who has taken a pledge or vow to remain a brahmachari throughout his life is a brahmachari. He may enter the order of sanyasa or he may remain as a brahmachari, taking the vow of celibacy. A brahmachari is one who moves in Brahman—'Char' means 'to move'. He who, through meditation, lives an inner life in the Atma or Brahman is a brahmachari.
Brahman or God is purity, and we will have to realise him through the practice of purity. Brahman or God is truth. We have to realise him by observing truth in thought, word and deed. brahmacharya should be observed in thought, word and deed. A bramachari should strictly avoid the eight breaks in brahmacharya. That is very important. The upanayana thread consists of three threads. That means purity in thought, word and deed. He promises that he will break the three knots of avidya, kama and karma. That is the significance of the knot in the three threads. From ignorance (avidya) is born desire (kama), and to satisfy the desires one works (karma). He is bound. Man always works with expectation of fruits and with the idea of agency. "I am the doer." So he is bound. By self-realisation one should free himself from all bondage.
bhidyate hridayagrantihsh, chindyante sarva samsayah,
ksheeyante cha asya karmani, tasmin drishte paravare.
(Mundaka Upanishad, II.2.8)
When one attains self-realisation all doubts are rent asunder, all karmas are burnt, all doubts are cleared, because he attains knowledge of the self.
In the practice of brahmacharya certain things are necessary to keep up brahmacharya. I used to sing a song "Just as curd, pappad, and acharchutney goad the tongue to eat more kitchedy, japa, kirtan and swadhyaya develop bhakti marvellously." Japa, kirtan and swadhyaya aid brahmacharya marvellously.
Whenever kitchedy is prepared you want curd, pappad, and achar. They are a good combination, good appetiser. So also the spiritual appetiser is japa, kirtan, satsang, swadhyaya—japa of any mantra, study of Upanishads.
When one becomes a brahmachari, he is initiated into the mysteries of Gayatri, the blessed mother of Vedas. Gayatri mantra is the greatest mantra. For householders and brahmacharis Gayatri is the greatest mantra, just as OM is the greatest mantra for sanyasins. Gayatri and OM are one. Gayatri bestows mukti and bhukti, not only liberation, but also bhukti, enjoyment in this world. So, a brahmachari should be regular in reciting Gayatri, understanding the meaning. OM and Tat are one. They mean Parabrahman. Savituh—Iswara, sun or consciousness hidden in the sun. Varenyam—fit to be worshipped. Bhargah—remover of sins and ignorance. Devasya—resplendent. Jnana-swarupa—Embodiment of knowledge. Dheemahi—We meditate.
Dhiyoyonah prachodayat—May he enlighten our intellect, give us Light, so that we may know our essential divine nature and give up identification with the body, dehadhyasa.
The first part of Gayatri mantra is stuti, praise, just as in Maha Mrityunjaya mantra first there is stuti. Trayambakam yejamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam. Sugandhim—full of fragrance.
Pushti vardhanam—'He who increases bodily health and spiritual knowledge'. Even so the first portion in Gayatri is stuti of Ishwara and the second is prayer. It is not a selfish prayer asking for son, property or earthly possessions. Dhiyoyonah prachodayat—'For my buddhi (intellect) give enlightenment, illumination'. So a brahmachari should repeat Gayatri daily with bhav, not merely counting sixteen or thirty-two. He must do one thousand and eight. The more you recite, the more your intellect will develop. You will have a brilliant face. So you must be regular in reciting Gayatri with bhav and meaning. The heart will be purified. All sins will be destroyed. You will get devotion, onepointedness, faith and it will lead you to meditation, aspiration, renunciation and realisation. You should do japa and kirtan. Kirtan also is of great help for purifying the heart, for attaining success in life, vidya, tushti, pushti. You can do kirtan of any mantra, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, or Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram, or Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya—any mantra, your ishta mantra or guru mantra.
Satsang is a great help in maintaining purity. It is a fortress to protect you from the onslaughts of maya, satsang with saints and devotees, is positive satsang. When there is no positive satsang, have negative satsang. Study of books written by realised souls is negative satsang. Study Yoga Vasishta, Ramayana, Bhagavata. A brahmachari should have a daily programme. Early morning he should get up. After a little prayer he should start his study, bath and arghya. He should offer arghya in the morning, noon and at night. This is very important. He should observe dietetic discipline. He should avoid garlic, onions. turnip, too much pungent articles, oily and dry things, musur ki dal, etc.
You must sow the seed now, when you are robust. You must offer a very good pure flower to the Lord.
You must offer a pure intellect, not an old intellect full of evil samskaras. Offer a very good flower, of your intellect, of your heart.
Ramakrishna, Rajagopal, it is only for you I am talking. You must become brilliant charged with power and wisdom, like a lighthouse in Srinivasan's family. Venkatesananda has already become a blooming cosmic light. He is an exemplar to you. You should both lead a bachelor's life, and after you have got established in getting money, a good post, you can marry. Do not marry before that. It will be a burden. You must have economic independence. You both should marry because already I have absorbed Swami Venkatesananda. You must keep up the line.
Be regular in japa, Gayatri japa. You will get success in everything. You will become a first class professor and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees you will hold. Do not think that Gayatri is only a sound. It is very potent. You know of Malaviyaji's success in establishing the Benares Hindu University. All this is due to his japa of Gayatri on Triveni bank. You may have heard of Vidyaranya. He did purascharana of Gayatri and caused a golden shower in karnatic, to remove famine from the land. There are twenty-four letters in Gayatri. Akshara Laksha japa you must do-twenty-four lakhs. This is one purascharana you will become a first class Brahmin, a first class pandit. This 'sixteen business' will not do—hurrying up thinking of coffee and iddly. Get up early and do 1,008. On Sundays do more. This is a treasure, japakajana, a real treasure. It is the only thing that will follow, that will liberate you, that will afford you spiritual, inexhaustible wealth. People have ignored this. At this young age you must sow the seed of spirituality. It will grow into a big tree, blossom and bear fruit. You must become ideal devotees. So regularly do japa. Remember the convocation address given in ancient times. Satyam Vada. Dharmam Chara. Be righteous. Dharma is law, dharma is duty. Dharma is religion. If you are a dharmic purusha only you will be saved in this world. There is no difference between an adharmic purusha and a horizontal being. Think of the prestige of the family. Become a noble soul. People should admire and appreciate your character, your excellent virtues. These are wealth. Humility, tolerance, courage, boldness, self-restraint, self-reliance—all these virtues you should cultivate. Amanitwam, adambitwam, ahimsa, kshanti, arjavam. These are dharmalakshanas. Self-restraint, cheerfulness—these are angas (limbs) of brahmacharya. Justice, impartiality—these are all forms of brahmacharya. Bhishma, Lakshmana Anjaneya, Swami Dayananda, Vivekananda—these were brahmacharins. Those who have attained spiritual greatness, moved the world and elevated people to high standards of morality and spirituality are people who have observed brahmacharya.
Western psychiatrists and psycho-analysts say that brahmacharya will lead to neurosis. They have no knowledge. The vital energy should be sublimated into ojas, spiritual sakti, which will move the whole world. If it is transmuted into ojas sakti, it is useful for realisation, for doing great work in the spiritual path, elevating people. The fruit of observing brahmacharya is veeryalabha, attainment of immense spiritual strength and samadhi. So be on the alert. Be vigilant. Be diligent. Become ideal brahmacharins, ideal citizens, ideal Indians, yogis, vedantins, sages and bhagavatas. All you can do through the power of brahmacharya. Become a Bhishma, Hanuman, Lakshmana. It is within you, to make yourself a great yogi. Also do not neglect your material prosperity. Both are necessary, material and spiritual—not lopsided development. Wealth is necessary. Acquire wealth and spend it in charity, in serving the poor, in serving spiritual institutions. There is a great work before you.
Strive. Plod on. Overhaul yourself. Transform yourself and become a devotee, become a good citizen, become a luminary and become like Swami Venkatesananda. May God bless you with health, long life, peace, prosperity and bliss eternal is my fervent prayer.
They are fortunate. On the Ganges bank, in Uttarakhand, on the Kumbha Mela day—it is only the devatas and angels will have Upanayanam ceremony on the Ganges bank, in the presence of Annaswami and Guru Swami, these rare ones. Their previous samskaras have materialised and taken this shape. So they have come to the land of rishis and they will also become rishis. Glory to such small boys, Ramakrishna and Rajagopal—both are very intelligent boys, artists, scientists. May Lord bless them their family, parents, Rukmani, Srinivas, their sister Vijaya. May they all shine as great spiritual personalities.
29. UPANAYANAM
Swamiji's speech on 12th July 1956, in connection with the Upanayanam of Sri Venkitasubramanian and Swaminathan.
Today is the Upanayanam day of the two noble, praiseworthy brahmacharins, Sri Venkitasubrahmanian and Sri Swaminathan. I trust they will be regular in the recitation of Gayatri, the blessed mother of the Vedas, who gives bhukti and mukti, not only release or freedom from births and deaths, but also enjoyment in this life. Whatever the devotees want, the blessed mother gives. So they will have to be regular in reciting Gayatri, not only today in the presence of the priest, but at all times. Sandhyavandan, offering arghya to the sun, gives purity, removes obstacles and paves the path to blessedness. They should be regular in Sandhya and Gayatri. If not, 1008, at least 108 Gayatris they should do daily. They can do 1008 Gaytaris on Sundays. It is necessary for health, peace and success in all undertakings, for success in career or life and in passing examinations, grace of mother Gayatri is necessary.
You should be regular in Sandhya, Gayatri, study of Gita. You should practise selfless service. You should observe the vow of sadachar, right conduct, of ahimsa (non-injury), satyam (truthfulness) and brahmacharya (celibacy) in thought, word and deed. This will mould your character, and enable you to lead a life of renunciation, aspiration and meditation. Brahmacharya life is a preparation for a higher, divine life.
You are wearing yajnopavita of three threads. It means that you will have to be pure in thought, word and deed. That is the means which will lead you to God-realisation, a higher divine life where there is immortality and eternal bliss. You will be free from hunger, thirst and pain. That is the goal of life. There is one Atma which is free from hunger and thirst, pain and sorrow. You have to realise this Atman. Then alone all miseries will come to an end. You will have to attain nirvikalpa samadhi. That is the goal of your life. Therefore prepare yourself for a life of renunciation, developing all divine virtues. Amanitwam, adambitwam, ahimsa, kshanti, arjavam, abhayam (courage). A timid man will not have success to any undertaking. Be bold, truthful. Cultivate courage. Fearlessness is Brahman. Amritam, abhayam, paramo—'supreme fearless Brahman'.
Life here is a preparation for the divine life, immortal life. The phenomenal world is a means to attain the Absolute. You will learn many things here. The world is a vast university. Nature is a book. It teaches many lessons. So you should benefit from this world of relative experience and try to rest in your own satchidananda swaroopa. That is the goal of life wherein you enjoy immortal bliss and are not brought again to this mundane world of sorrow and death. You will enjoy freedom from death. You will see Atma everywhere. You will behold oneness, unity of life, unity of existence and unity of consciousness. There is only one life, one common consciousness. He who sees the reality, he who realises the Atma, goes to the world of eternal bliss and eternal sunshine and enjoys freedom from birth and death; he enjoys ever-lasting peace, perennial joy. That state you can attain only seclusion through discipline, aspiration, renunciation solitude, meditation.
You must prepare yourself for that now, and not after you have retired from service. In old age you will not be able to sit in one asana for practising meditation. Youth is the period when you have to sow the seed of spirituality, again all sorts of good samskaras, by study of Gita, Upanishads, service, discipline, and cultivation of virtues. You should not aspire to merely become a Ph.D., D.Litt. These are nothing. They are mere husk. Though they may help you in leading a little comfortable life in the world, they will not help you in attaining the Goal.
Let me remind you of the last word of the Upanishads—TATWAMASI. In essence you are not the perishable body, composed of the five elements. You are the witness of the three states. You are the witness of your mind. In reality you are satchidananda swaroopa—existence-knowledge-bliss. Everything exists. Existence is common. You are pure existence. You are pure knowledge, and pure bliss. Satchidananda is your goal. Never forget this.
Every day you have to repeat Gayatri. It will help you to open the door of intuition. It is filled with sakti-sarvasakti, ananta-sakti and achintya-sakti—all powers, infinite power and unthinkable powers. Therefore be regular in your recitation of Gayatri. The more japa you do, the more power you generate, and you are nearer to God. Daily do one thousand Gayatris. Do not waste your time. Conserve your energy. Practice obedience, reverence. Cultivate virtues. This will make you divine, and enable you to attain God-realisation. You will become a jivanmukta; not after death, but remaining here you will attain jivanmukti. May you shine as glorious yogis by cultivating virtues, by practising daily meditation and become useful citizens, beacon-lights to your family, and assets to the whole world. May Lord bless you all with health, long life, peace, bliss, prosperity and immortality.
Your mother, Sri Bhagyalakshmi, has trained you intelligently. In this modern world, people have no faith in Upanayanam ceremony, but she has faith. She is a bit orthodox. Orthodoxy is necessary for the preservation of our vedic culture. You are fortunate in having your Upanayanam performed here on the Ganges bank, beside this auspicious Viswanath Kshetra.
You should not aim at many titles, you must become yogis, bhaktas, saints, glorious personalities full of divine virtues.
Gayatri will give you insight, far sight, intuition. So be regular in your japa, kirtan, meditation, selfless service, self-analysis, study of Gita. Now you should start study of Gita and Ramayana. You should understand the way of life, the way of ideal life, the way to Illumination, how to cut your knots of avidya. You should free yourself from avidya, kama and karma (ignorance, desire and action) and become glorious jivanmuktas.
You should develop the virtues enumerated in my song of eighteen 'ities'—serenity, regularity, absence of vanity, sincerity, simplicity, veracity, equanimity, fixity, non-irritability, adaptability, humility, tenacity, integrity, nobility, magnanimity, charity, generosity, purity. You should daily sing this song and practise these virtues. If you practise the one virtue, 'serenity', you will be established in all other virtues also. Serenity is not easy to cultivate. Adaptability is a wonderful virtue. If you cultivate it, you will be able to mix with all and be one with all. Generally people are not able to adapt. The wife is not able to adapt herself to her husband, so there is friction and rub in the house. The wife thinks that "the husband should obey me." The husband thinks, "The wife should obey whatever I say." That is not possible. So friction results. The secretary is not able to adapt himself to the minister. So he resigns. You should adapt, you should reduce your ego. If you want to drink water from a tap, you have to bend. Similarly, you have to bend, you have to crush your egoism, pulverise your ego. You should become humble. Then only you will be able to attain success both in the world and in the spiritual path. He who has no adaptability becomes a rolling stone. He moves from place to place. A rolling stone gathers no moss."
Let us do kirtan and Mahamrityunjaya japa for these glorious brahmacharins, who will become really great, religious, divine persons in the future.
Satsang Bhavan Lectures of Swami Sivananda
Chapter III: Stages of Life
27. The Philosophy of Mundan / 28. Brahmacharya / 29. Upanayanam
27. THE PHILOSOPHY OF MUNDAN
Swamiji's speech on the occasion of the Mundan ceremony of Sri Lakshman, son of Sri Sivanarayan Vadhwa, Divisional Superintendent, Eastern Railway, Dinapore, on 19th August, 1956.
Today is an auspicious day. It is the day of the Mundan ceremony of Sri Lakshman, son of Sri Sivanarayan Vadhwa, Divisional Superintendent, Eastern Railway. They had been here today and the Mundan ceremony was performed in my kutir, on the sacred bank of the Ganges.
Mundan ceremony is one of the samskaras in life. I think there are eighteen samskaras and Mundan is one of the important samskaras. In Mundan ceremony the hair is removed. Mundan is very convenient. It is convenient for bath. Any number of times you can take bath. You will not catch cold. The time spent in combing the hair is also saved. Generally people waste much time in combing the hair.
Hair and skin are the two important vehicles of maya. The whole beauty of a person consists in hair and skin. If the skin is removed from a body, one man will have to stand beside it with a long stick to drive away the vultures! If one hair falls in milk, you throw away the milk, for it will cause you vomiting. Where is beauty of the hair then? Real beauty is in the Atma, your inner self. Do not depend upon the beauty of the body. Develop vairagya, dispassion. Look at the components of the body. How filthy they are! To a woman, hair is the most valuable property. If you try to remove the hair she will die!
You should meditate on the Beauty of beauties, Atma, and attain realisation, atmasakshatkar.
Let us do kirtan today for the health, long life, peace, prosperity and divine aiswarya of the boy, and the family, as well as the whole world at large.
28. BRAHMACHARYA
Thirteenth April is a remarkable and auspicious day. It is the Kumbha Mela day in Hardwar. It is Tamil New Year's day. On this auspicious day the Upanayanam ceremony of Sri Ramakrishna, otherwise known as Ramu and Sri Rajagopalan, otherwise known as Raju, took place. They are brothers of Annaswami. They are the sons of Sri. N. Srinivasan, a greatest devotee, of Egmore, Madras. —Swami Venkatesananda
Upanayanam ceremony is a most fundamental sacrament amongst the Hindus. During this ceremony the boys enter Brahmacharya Ashram. Brahmacharis are of two kinds. After finishing studies, vedic or college studies, they become householders, they marry. Some become naishtic brahmacharis. They take a pledge or vow to lead the life of brahmacharya throughout the life. For this word 'naishtic brahmacharya' yesterday Dr. Roy gave a very good substitute, 'Chronic Brahmacharya!'—because he is a doctor. Brahmacharya is not a disease. Brachmacharya is a universal mahavrata, a great vow to be observed by all, not only by Hindus. He who has taken a pledge or vow to remain a brahmachari throughout his life is a brahmachari. He may enter the order of sanyasa or he may remain as a brahmachari, taking the vow of celibacy. A brahmachari is one who moves in Brahman—'Char' means 'to move'. He who, through meditation, lives an inner life in the Atma or Brahman is a brahmachari.
Brahman or God is purity, and we will have to realise him through the practice of purity. Brahman or God is truth. We have to realise him by observing truth in thought, word and deed. brahmacharya should be observed in thought, word and deed. A bramachari should strictly avoid the eight breaks in brahmacharya. That is very important. The upanayana thread consists of three threads. That means purity in thought, word and deed. He promises that he will break the three knots of avidya, kama and karma. That is the significance of the knot in the three threads. From ignorance (avidya) is born desire (kama), and to satisfy the desires one works (karma). He is bound. Man always works with expectation of fruits and with the idea of agency. "I am the doer." So he is bound. By self-realisation one should free himself from all bondage.
bhidyate hridayagrantihsh, chindyante sarva samsayah,
ksheeyante cha asya karmani, tasmin drishte paravare.
(Mundaka Upanishad, II.2.8)
When one attains self-realisation all doubts are rent asunder, all karmas are burnt, all doubts are cleared, because he attains knowledge of the self.
In the practice of brahmacharya certain things are necessary to keep up brahmacharya. I used to sing a song "Just as curd, pappad, and acharchutney goad the tongue to eat more kitchedy, japa, kirtan and swadhyaya develop bhakti marvellously." Japa, kirtan and swadhyaya aid brahmacharya marvellously.
Whenever kitchedy is prepared you want curd, pappad, and achar. They are a good combination, good appetiser. So also the spiritual appetiser is japa, kirtan, satsang, swadhyaya—japa of any mantra, study of Upanishads.
When one becomes a brahmachari, he is initiated into the mysteries of Gayatri, the blessed mother of Vedas. Gayatri mantra is the greatest mantra. For householders and brahmacharis Gayatri is the greatest mantra, just as OM is the greatest mantra for sanyasins. Gayatri and OM are one. Gayatri bestows mukti and bhukti, not only liberation, but also bhukti, enjoyment in this world. So, a brahmachari should be regular in reciting Gayatri, understanding the meaning. OM and Tat are one. They mean Parabrahman. Savituh—Iswara, sun or consciousness hidden in the sun. Varenyam—fit to be worshipped. Bhargah—remover of sins and ignorance. Devasya—resplendent. Jnana-swarupa—Embodiment of knowledge. Dheemahi—We meditate.
Dhiyoyonah prachodayat—May he enlighten our intellect, give us Light, so that we may know our essential divine nature and give up identification with the body, dehadhyasa.
The first part of Gayatri mantra is stuti, praise, just as in Maha Mrityunjaya mantra first there is stuti. Trayambakam yejamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam. Sugandhim—full of fragrance.
Pushti vardhanam—'He who increases bodily health and spiritual knowledge'. Even so the first portion in Gayatri is stuti of Ishwara and the second is prayer. It is not a selfish prayer asking for son, property or earthly possessions. Dhiyoyonah prachodayat—'For my buddhi (intellect) give enlightenment, illumination'. So a brahmachari should repeat Gayatri daily with bhav, not merely counting sixteen or thirty-two. He must do one thousand and eight. The more you recite, the more your intellect will develop. You will have a brilliant face. So you must be regular in reciting Gayatri with bhav and meaning. The heart will be purified. All sins will be destroyed. You will get devotion, onepointedness, faith and it will lead you to meditation, aspiration, renunciation and realisation. You should do japa and kirtan. Kirtan also is of great help for purifying the heart, for attaining success in life, vidya, tushti, pushti. You can do kirtan of any mantra, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, or Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram, or Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya—any mantra, your ishta mantra or guru mantra.
Satsang is a great help in maintaining purity. It is a fortress to protect you from the onslaughts of maya, satsang with saints and devotees, is positive satsang. When there is no positive satsang, have negative satsang. Study of books written by realised souls is negative satsang. Study Yoga Vasishta, Ramayana, Bhagavata. A brahmachari should have a daily programme. Early morning he should get up. After a little prayer he should start his study, bath and arghya. He should offer arghya in the morning, noon and at night. This is very important. He should observe dietetic discipline. He should avoid garlic, onions. turnip, too much pungent articles, oily and dry things, musur ki dal, etc.
You must sow the seed now, when you are robust. You must offer a very good pure flower to the Lord.
You must offer a pure intellect, not an old intellect full of evil samskaras. Offer a very good flower, of your intellect, of your heart.
Ramakrishna, Rajagopal, it is only for you I am talking. You must become brilliant charged with power and wisdom, like a lighthouse in Srinivasan's family. Venkatesananda has already become a blooming cosmic light. He is an exemplar to you. You should both lead a bachelor's life, and after you have got established in getting money, a good post, you can marry. Do not marry before that. It will be a burden. You must have economic independence. You both should marry because already I have absorbed Swami Venkatesananda. You must keep up the line.
Be regular in japa, Gayatri japa. You will get success in everything. You will become a first class professor and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees you will hold. Do not think that Gayatri is only a sound. It is very potent. You know of Malaviyaji's success in establishing the Benares Hindu University. All this is due to his japa of Gayatri on Triveni bank. You may have heard of Vidyaranya. He did purascharana of Gayatri and caused a golden shower in karnatic, to remove famine from the land. There are twenty-four letters in Gayatri. Akshara Laksha japa you must do-twenty-four lakhs. This is one purascharana you will become a first class Brahmin, a first class pandit. This 'sixteen business' will not do—hurrying up thinking of coffee and iddly. Get up early and do 1,008. On Sundays do more. This is a treasure, japakajana, a real treasure. It is the only thing that will follow, that will liberate you, that will afford you spiritual, inexhaustible wealth. People have ignored this. At this young age you must sow the seed of spirituality. It will grow into a big tree, blossom and bear fruit. You must become ideal devotees. So regularly do japa. Remember the convocation address given in ancient times. Satyam Vada. Dharmam Chara. Be righteous. Dharma is law, dharma is duty. Dharma is religion. If you are a dharmic purusha only you will be saved in this world. There is no difference between an adharmic purusha and a horizontal being. Think of the prestige of the family. Become a noble soul. People should admire and appreciate your character, your excellent virtues. These are wealth. Humility, tolerance, courage, boldness, self-restraint, self-reliance—all these virtues you should cultivate. Amanitwam, adambitwam, ahimsa, kshanti, arjavam. These are dharmalakshanas. Self-restraint, cheerfulness—these are angas (limbs) of brahmacharya. Justice, impartiality—these are all forms of brahmacharya. Bhishma, Lakshmana Anjaneya, Swami Dayananda, Vivekananda—these were brahmacharins. Those who have attained spiritual greatness, moved the world and elevated people to high standards of morality and spirituality are people who have observed brahmacharya.
Western psychiatrists and psycho-analysts say that brahmacharya will lead to neurosis. They have no knowledge. The vital energy should be sublimated into ojas, spiritual sakti, which will move the whole world. If it is transmuted into ojas sakti, it is useful for realisation, for doing great work in the spiritual path, elevating people. The fruit of observing brahmacharya is veeryalabha, attainment of immense spiritual strength and samadhi. So be on the alert. Be vigilant. Be diligent. Become ideal brahmacharins, ideal citizens, ideal Indians, yogis, vedantins, sages and bhagavatas. All you can do through the power of brahmacharya. Become a Bhishma, Hanuman, Lakshmana. It is within you, to make yourself a great yogi. Also do not neglect your material prosperity. Both are necessary, material and spiritual—not lopsided development. Wealth is necessary. Acquire wealth and spend it in charity, in serving the poor, in serving spiritual institutions. There is a great work before you.
Strive. Plod on. Overhaul yourself. Transform yourself and become a devotee, become a good citizen, become a luminary and become like Swami Venkatesananda. May God bless you with health, long life, peace, prosperity and bliss eternal is my fervent prayer.
They are fortunate. On the Ganges bank, in Uttarakhand, on the Kumbha Mela day—it is only the devatas and angels will have Upanayanam ceremony on the Ganges bank, in the presence of Annaswami and Guru Swami, these rare ones. Their previous samskaras have materialised and taken this shape. So they have come to the land of rishis and they will also become rishis. Glory to such small boys, Ramakrishna and Rajagopal—both are very intelligent boys, artists, scientists. May Lord bless them their family, parents, Rukmani, Srinivas, their sister Vijaya. May they all shine as great spiritual personalities.
29. UPANAYANAM
Swamiji's speech on 12th July 1956, in connection with the Upanayanam of Sri Venkitasubramanian and Swaminathan.
Today is the Upanayanam day of the two noble, praiseworthy brahmacharins, Sri Venkitasubrahmanian and Sri Swaminathan. I trust they will be regular in the recitation of Gayatri, the blessed mother of the Vedas, who gives bhukti and mukti, not only release or freedom from births and deaths, but also enjoyment in this life. Whatever the devotees want, the blessed mother gives. So they will have to be regular in reciting Gayatri, not only today in the presence of the priest, but at all times. Sandhyavandan, offering arghya to the sun, gives purity, removes obstacles and paves the path to blessedness. They should be regular in Sandhya and Gayatri. If not, 1008, at least 108 Gayatris they should do daily. They can do 1008 Gaytaris on Sundays. It is necessary for health, peace and success in all undertakings, for success in career or life and in passing examinations, grace of mother Gayatri is necessary.
You should be regular in Sandhya, Gayatri, study of Gita. You should practise selfless service. You should observe the vow of sadachar, right conduct, of ahimsa (non-injury), satyam (truthfulness) and brahmacharya (celibacy) in thought, word and deed. This will mould your character, and enable you to lead a life of renunciation, aspiration and meditation. Brahmacharya life is a preparation for a higher, divine life.
You are wearing yajnopavita of three threads. It means that you will have to be pure in thought, word and deed. That is the means which will lead you to God-realisation, a higher divine life where there is immortality and eternal bliss. You will be free from hunger, thirst and pain. That is the goal of life. There is one Atma which is free from hunger and thirst, pain and sorrow. You have to realise this Atman. Then alone all miseries will come to an end. You will have to attain nirvikalpa samadhi. That is the goal of your life. Therefore prepare yourself for a life of renunciation, developing all divine virtues. Amanitwam, adambitwam, ahimsa, kshanti, arjavam, abhayam (courage). A timid man will not have success to any undertaking. Be bold, truthful. Cultivate courage. Fearlessness is Brahman. Amritam, abhayam, paramo—'supreme fearless Brahman'.
Life here is a preparation for the divine life, immortal life. The phenomenal world is a means to attain the Absolute. You will learn many things here. The world is a vast university. Nature is a book. It teaches many lessons. So you should benefit from this world of relative experience and try to rest in your own satchidananda swaroopa. That is the goal of life wherein you enjoy immortal bliss and are not brought again to this mundane world of sorrow and death. You will enjoy freedom from death. You will see Atma everywhere. You will behold oneness, unity of life, unity of existence and unity of consciousness. There is only one life, one common consciousness. He who sees the reality, he who realises the Atma, goes to the world of eternal bliss and eternal sunshine and enjoys freedom from birth and death; he enjoys ever-lasting peace, perennial joy. That state you can attain only seclusion through discipline, aspiration, renunciation solitude, meditation.
You must prepare yourself for that now, and not after you have retired from service. In old age you will not be able to sit in one asana for practising meditation. Youth is the period when you have to sow the seed of spirituality, again all sorts of good samskaras, by study of Gita, Upanishads, service, discipline, and cultivation of virtues. You should not aspire to merely become a Ph.D., D.Litt. These are nothing. They are mere husk. Though they may help you in leading a little comfortable life in the world, they will not help you in attaining the Goal.
Let me remind you of the last word of the Upanishads—TATWAMASI. In essence you are not the perishable body, composed of the five elements. You are the witness of the three states. You are the witness of your mind. In reality you are satchidananda swaroopa—existence-knowledge-bliss. Everything exists. Existence is common. You are pure existence. You are pure knowledge, and pure bliss. Satchidananda is your goal. Never forget this.
Every day you have to repeat Gayatri. It will help you to open the door of intuition. It is filled with sakti-sarvasakti, ananta-sakti and achintya-sakti—all powers, infinite power and unthinkable powers. Therefore be regular in your recitation of Gayatri. The more japa you do, the more power you generate, and you are nearer to God. Daily do one thousand Gayatris. Do not waste your time. Conserve your energy. Practice obedience, reverence. Cultivate virtues. This will make you divine, and enable you to attain God-realisation. You will become a jivanmukta; not after death, but remaining here you will attain jivanmukti. May you shine as glorious yogis by cultivating virtues, by practising daily meditation and become useful citizens, beacon-lights to your family, and assets to the whole world. May Lord bless you all with health, long life, peace, bliss, prosperity and immortality.
Your mother, Sri Bhagyalakshmi, has trained you intelligently. In this modern world, people have no faith in Upanayanam ceremony, but she has faith. She is a bit orthodox. Orthodoxy is necessary for the preservation of our vedic culture. You are fortunate in having your Upanayanam performed here on the Ganges bank, beside this auspicious Viswanath Kshetra.
You should not aim at many titles, you must become yogis, bhaktas, saints, glorious personalities full of divine virtues.
Gayatri will give you insight, far sight, intuition. So be regular in your japa, kirtan, meditation, selfless service, self-analysis, study of Gita. Now you should start study of Gita and Ramayana. You should understand the way of life, the way of ideal life, the way to Illumination, how to cut your knots of avidya. You should free yourself from avidya, kama and karma (ignorance, desire and action) and become glorious jivanmuktas.
You should develop the virtues enumerated in my song of eighteen 'ities'—serenity, regularity, absence of vanity, sincerity, simplicity, veracity, equanimity, fixity, non-irritability, adaptability, humility, tenacity, integrity, nobility, magnanimity, charity, generosity, purity. You should daily sing this song and practise these virtues. If you practise the one virtue, 'serenity', you will be established in all other virtues also. Serenity is not easy to cultivate. Adaptability is a wonderful virtue. If you cultivate it, you will be able to mix with all and be one with all. Generally people are not able to adapt. The wife is not able to adapt herself to her husband, so there is friction and rub in the house. The wife thinks that "the husband should obey me." The husband thinks, "The wife should obey whatever I say." That is not possible. So friction results. The secretary is not able to adapt himself to the minister. So he resigns. You should adapt, you should reduce your ego. If you want to drink water from a tap, you have to bend. Similarly, you have to bend, you have to crush your egoism, pulverise your ego. You should become humble. Then only you will be able to attain success both in the world and in the spiritual path. He who has no adaptability becomes a rolling stone. He moves from place to place. A rolling stone gathers no moss."
Let us do kirtan and Mahamrityunjaya japa for these glorious brahmacharins, who will become really great, religious, divine persons in the future.
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