By
Sri Swami Chidananda
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1974
(1,000 copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 2000
Website: http://www.divinelifesociety.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
Contents
We are happy to present to all members of the Divine Life Societies
in India and abroad as well as to spiritual seekers in general, these
thoughts of Revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji that cover a variety of matters,
all of which are however connected directly or indirectly with spiritual
life and ethical ideals of man. These expressions of his inner feelings
and thoughts were communicated from time to time to the world of seekers
and spiritual aspirants, through a series of letters which Revered Swamiji
wrote each month addressing the members of the Divine Life Society all
over the world. They appeared under the caption of: "The President Writes"
and later on as: "Sivanandashram Letter". The contents of this present
handy little book comprise such monthly letters written over a period
of five to six years soon after the passing of the Most Worshipful Master,
Sri Swami Sivananda Gurudev. From the Holy Ashram in Rishikesh Revered
Swamiji kept contact with the spiritual fraternity of all sincere seekers
striving to lead a divine life by means of these monthly letters. These
letters bring you in touch with Swamiji's views and vision which he
seeks to share with you all. We owe this publication to the generous
and loving gift of Mother Yvounne Lemoine of France, who had the eager
desire that some inspiring teachings of Revered Swami Chidanandaji must
be made available especially to the seekers in France and other European
countries as well as the West in general during the occasion of his
present birthday on 24th September 1974. Thus the present volume comes
as a Birthday Gift from Mother Yvounne to all those who have had the
opportunity of meeting Swami Chidanandaji and listening to his teachings
during his travels abroad.
Our deepest appreciation of her generous goodwill towards all.
A special word of thanks is due to the Manchandani Brothers Proprietors
of the Nilum Printing Press who very kindly worked with great earnestness
to accomplish the printing work within less than three weeks in order
to bring out this book in time. Our very grateful thanks to them.
24th September 1974
DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
Sivanandashram Letter No. I
Blessed Atma-Swarupa!
Dear & Revered Member,
Glory Be to the Divine! God Bless you!
Thou art Immortal Soul! Thou art Atman, ever-pure, ever-free, ever-perfect,
eternal and divine! Thou art Imperishable Spirit, ever existent, conscious
and blissful. Remember this always! Your main purpose and important
duty is to express and radiate blessedness and pure love and be aware
of your true essential nature at all times and under all circumstances.
Never forget this!
In earnest prayerfulness and deep worshipfulness at the sacred feet
of blessed Master, our Gurudev Swami SIVANANDA I speak this above admonition
unto you all, upon this first occasion, I have of addressing you all,
through the pages of your own Wisdom Light monthly journal. I humbly
speak thus in the holy Name of our Guru Sivananda Dev, as the merest
instrument of His, through whom He carries on now, His sacred mission,
of loving and ceaseless spiritual service of you all. My heart's fervent
prayer is that this servant of His even as He worked all His dedicated
and noble life during the past more than thirty momentous years. In
this life I shall strive to translate this prayer into personal action
and live to serve. This shall be my endeavour as a servant of Satgurudeva
and as His instrument even as it is of my worthy Gurubhais here at this
Ashram. In this endeavour His spiritual Presence shall be my guide and
His grace, my sustainer, and His remembrance, my strength. May the Divine
inspire and help me in this sacred labour of love!
Gurudev Sivananda came to awaken you all. He came, lived, taught and
worked to awaken, inspire, guide, lead and to illumine. Swamiji awakened
you to the true meaning and Goal of your life, inspired you to aspire
and strive for that Goal, guided you on your path towards its attainment
and led you onward towards illumination. You who have been most fortunate
as to receive His awakening spiritual impulse and to get the inspiration
of His thrilling teachings and be guided by them, you must now go onward
and rise upward upon the spiritual Path with keen aspiration, perseverance
and zeal. Let unabated be thy enthusiasm and sustained be thy fervour.
Be a sincere seeker and an earnest Sadhak. With joy lead the Divine
Life. Adopt the twin motives of Sadhana and Selfless Seva. Become established
in truthfulness. Deviate not from Virtue. Pure be thy heart and mind.
Let kindness and love dwell in your thoughts, words and actions. May
the spirit of Gurudev and His universal teachings light up your life
and make all your actions luminous with the rare quality of Dharma and
spirituality.
God bless you!
1.10.1963
-Swami Chidananda.
Sivananda Ashram Letter No. II
Blessed Immortal Atman!
Dear & Revered Member!
Om Namo Narayanaya. Jai Sivananda!
When this letter reaches you, we would have just passed the solemn,
auspicious and most joyous period of the sacred nine-day worship of
the Divine Mother. It is now the holy period of Navaratri as I write
this for your November Wisdom Light. The atmosphere is surcharged with
deep devotion to Maha-Devi and vibrant with the fervour of worshipfulness,
adoration and prayer. Our thoughts are filled with the glorious Divine
Mother, and Her Blessed and wondrous manifestation as Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswati.
She is the great Mystery, the inscrutable Power of the Supreme Brahman,
who holds in Her Hands both bondage and Liberation.
The Grace of the Divine Mother it is, that enables you to walk the
path of Divine Life. Through Her benign blessings you are able to shine
as a sincere spiritual seeker and a man of Dharma. To worship the Mother
with Devotion is to be immediately uplifted by Her Strength and Power.
She works within your inner being as the triple force of destruction,
evolution and illumination. Destroying the impure and vicious aspects
of one's lower nature, the unworthy, base, and bestial in the individual
personality, and helping evolve the human nature into sublime heights
of goodness, nobility and the purity of beauteous virtue. She illumines
the Jiva with supreme divine wisdom. Thus the Divine Mother is the very
life and support of the aspirant's spiritual Sadhana. She makes your
quest fruitful with Attainment. The Divine Mother grants Kaivalya Moksha
or eternal release and immortality.
To worship and to adore the Blessed Mother is to welcome Her Divine
Help in working out your highest good and everlasting welfare. When
you thus seek Her divine aid, Her compassionate response is immediate.
She sets to redeem you in Her own way. She sends experiences both pleasant
and painful, through trials and difficulties. She moulds and strengthens
you, through sorrow and suffering, She refines and purifies your nature.
She enriches and blesses you with spiritual experience and raises you
to exalted heights. She makes use of your very life and its experiences
to make you perfect and bestow upon you divine Peace and Joy and the
Illimitable Splendour of Self-realization. Therefore, O Beloved Seeker!
learn to accept the joys and sorrows, the temptations and the trials
of your life with wisdom and understanding. Seek to recognise their
hidden meaning and purpose for your own evolution and supreme good.
Find Her Divine Hand behind all occurrences and see the Mother's Will
working through them. Then will you behold your entire life as the expression
of the Mother's immeasurable Love for you.
Resolutely overcome all defects, faults and wrong tendencies in your
nature and behaviour. Develop noble character. Grow in virtue. Ever
walk upon the path of perfect righteousness. Seek the Immortal, Be thou
an embodiment of Divine Life. Let the sacred name of Gurudev Sivananda
be glorified by thy true discipleship into him. Personify his ethical
and spiritual teachings. May the world find in you a source of inspiration.
Let thy presence elevate all.
May the Divine Mother shower Blessings upon you! Jai Sivananda!
-Swami Chidananda
1-11-1963
Sivananda Ashram Letter No. III
Blessed Immortal Atman!
Dear and Revered Members!
Om Namo Narayanaya!
Jai Sivananda! Salutations and adorations at the Feet of the Universal
Being, the one Divine Reality, whom the prophets of all religions have
realised in the innermost depths of their illumined Superconsciousness.
May the Light of that supreme Divinity fill our lives, on this auspicious
occasion of the celebration of the Bharatavarsha's national festival
of lights, Dipavali, with His Divine Grace! May the choicest Blessings
of God and Gurudev grant you all inner spiritual illumination.
Since all of you are devoted to the ideals of divine living, you would
readily find the rows of lights lit for the Festival, illuminating the
very meaning, purpose and Goal of human life. This earthly life is a
glorious opportunity, granted to the individual soul to attain the conscious
knowledge of its eternal oneness with the illimitable Light of Cosmic
Consciousness.
This gift of human life is a rare opportunity, a splendid change, given
to us by the benign Hand of the all-merciful God, for transcending all
limitations, bondage, sorrow, suffering, pain, grief and weaknesses
of all sorts, and for attaining that unlimited glory and that experience
of immeasurable peace which emerges from your union with the Divine.
That is the goal; that is the central meaning of life; that is the prime
purpose of your existence here upon the earth plane.
With all its defects and imperfections human life has this great redeeming
feature, that it is a passageway to the Light of Immortality. Live life
in the Divine. Recognise your existence here as such and live in the
light of this recognition, of this inner awareness, this inner knowledge.
Let each day dawn for you as a fresh opportunity and occasion opening
up before you to move one step further towards this great attainment
of Divine Realization. Within yourselves, let there be, everyday, a
Festival of Lights. And while you live a life of such unceasing and
blessed quest towards the supreme Attainment, live a life of great virtues,
a life of simplicity, humility, nobility.
Let all your life be a radiation of Virtue-the inner perfection that
is inherent in each soul. Let life be an outflow and expression of the
goodness, that is the truth of your being, because you are made in the
image of God. Like Him, you are Divine, Goodness, Purity and Truth.
Let your life, therefore, be an active manifestation of these divine
qualities which are the essential part of your innermost reality. Thus
alone would you prove that you have caught the true significance of
the outward ceremony of lighting several rows of lights that the observance
of the Dipavali festival enjoins. Live, then, the life Divine.
Blessed Self! Withdraw the senses from the objects; withdraw the mind
from the senses and establish yourself in your inner divine Centre.
Be the unchanging one amidst the changing body-and-mind-personality.
Let the spiritual Principle in you prevail. Let the spirit Divine enshrined
in you express itself in all its glory, express itself through a life
of Yoga, through the thought and motives of the mind, through the actions
and deeds of the body. Let all actions be full of love, goodness and
purity. That is real Divine Life.
Gurudev Sivananda always insisted on living a life of virtue. For,
the life of virtue is the common basis of all Yoga, no matter whether
it is Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga or Hatha Yoga. A life of purity,
virtue, goodness, self-control, selflessness, humility, forms the common
foundation of Yoga, of all spiritual attainment and all practical religion.
This is the basis, the indispensable preparation. Sincere aspirants
can never afford to neglect or overlook this vital truth of spiritual
life and realization-that Divine Unfoldment is based upon a life of
purity, goodness, truth, selflessness and humility.
Practise daily the virtues, Gurudev has listed in his "Song of Eighteen
Ities" "serenity, regularity in Sadhana, magnanimity, absence of vanity,-ego.
Ego is the great stumbling block. It is the great stone-wall that prevents
the individual from rising upwards to the Universal Consciousness. Ego
individualises consciousness; it is the seat of all petty likes and
dislikes, all clingings, identification and selfishness. It is a false
superimposition. The real personality, the real Consciousness Divine
is forgotten and this erroneous identification with the body and the
mind gives rise to the "I"-idea. It creates this false human personality
and makes you forget your true Immortal Consciousness. You think of
yourself as Mr. so, as this little mind and when the mind is in a wave
of anger, you say, "I am angry". How can that wave touch you, you who
are the Changeless consciousness Supreme? But you lose knowledge and
awareness of your true Nature and identify yourself with every passing
wave and phase of body and mind. That is bondage; that is ignorance.
Be large-heated; embrace all; feel oneness with all; realise the infinite
inner Divine Self. Be tolerant towards all; regard all people as your
own Self, and thus develop virtues and lead the sublime life, a real
Christ-like life which all great saints and mystics have embodied in
themselves. All those who have reached spiritual Illumination, have
themselves been the very personifications of Virtue. Thus we see there
is a fundamental connection between a life of virtue and the highest
spiritual experience. Therefore, lead the Life Divine. May your inner
life be a perpetual festival of Lights!
-Swami Chidananda
1st December 1963
Sivanandashram Letter No. IV
BLESSED ATMA SWARUPA,
Om Namo Narayanaya: Namaskara.
May the Grace of Gurudev Swami Sivananda illumine this NEW YEAR with
the brightness and radiance of Hope, Aspiration, and Inspiration. God
grant you all Auspiciousness, Blessedness, Prosperity and Success. I
wish you Happiness, Health, Progress upon the spiritual Path, and triumph
over troubles, tensions and problems of life. May this New Year herald
for you many more years of joy, peace, and plenty.
With this fourth Sivanandashram Letter, we leave behind a year that
has been heavy with many sombre events, and look forward on to a fresh
New Year, in which the world might emerge once again, from shadow into
bright light, even like the sun unclouded. Traditionally too with the
Makarasankranti in January, the sun takes once again the auspicious
northern-path, Uttarayana. At this juncture of mankind's periodical
reckoning up the debit and credit of life and of the taking of earnest
resolutions, I speak to you all to say, "Blessed Seekers upon the path
to Divinity. This year dawns for us without the outward physical presence
of the one who was our guide and inspirer in our spiritual life. We
have not him to whom our yearly resolutions were addressed hitherto.
But this very absence entails the necessity of taking certain new resolutions
that were not taken hitherto. These I shall mention. But, even before
anything the first and the chief of them shall be that you make your
life a dynamic expression of the practical gospel of Sivananda. This
is Divine Life."
Beloved Member, in addition to your routine new-year-resolutions as
a Sadhaka, the dawn of 1964, should see you getting ready to take up
the work of Gurudev as his worthy child, pupil and spiritual representative
wherever you are. Be you a follower or a disciple or even just a devotee
of the Holy Master Sivananda, let your resolve be on record that you
determine now at the dawn of this New Year to practise and to propagate
his Divine life teachings every day of your life. Resolve that you will
observe the principles of Satyam (Truth), Ahimsa (harmlessness), and
Brahmacharya (Purity). Resolve that you will strive each day to be good,
to do good, to be kind and compassionate to one and all. Resolve to
excel in service, to progress in devotion, to persist in meditation
and aspire for realization. Resolve to be charitable and pure, to be
detached from worldliness and passing earthly objects and to attach
yourself to Dharma and the spiritual ideal of life. Resolve to love
all, to see the Lord in all, and to serve the Lord in all. Resolve to
adapt, adjust and accommodate to yourself to all changing circumstances,
to be tolerant towards all faiths and religions, and to ever seek to
unify all by seeing the good in all, and the underlying unity in the
midst of apparent diversity. Resolve thus to make your life Sivanandamaya.
Let Sivananda radiate through your pure thoughts, your noble feeling,
your kind words, and your selfless actions. Thus resolve to make Gurudev
Sivananda immortal through your life and actions.
I have more to say, but that I shall keep for the Letter of February.
For the present I shall confine this letter to this main request to
you all. Thus loftily resolve and act upon this resolves with sublime
determination. May the idea, the will and the Bhav fuse together into
an irresistible dynamic urge to do all that is conceived and to do it
now. This would verily constitute the true fulfilment of discipleship
in this age when ideals need to be actualised through living practice,
I invite you to write to me your ideas briefly on the question of, "the
duty of individual disciples towards Gurudev, and how disciples all
over the world can each serve the great cause of dissemination of spiritual
knowledge and the spread of Divine Life." I shall be glad to receive
and consider these letters for the benefit of all. Anyone who communicates
to me on this specific matter, may kindly write upon the cover, "Sivanandashram
Letter No. 4", thus underlined.
God bless you all, and grant you Vichara and Viveka, firm determination,
strong will power, unshakable faith, Sadhana-shakti and supreme attainment.
Greetings again, and the very best good wishes in the name of worshipful
Gurudev Sivananda.
-Swami Chidananda
1st January 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. V
BLESSED ATMA-SWARUPA:
May the abundant Grace of the ever-munificent Lord Shiva, the easily-pleased-one,
shower upon you on the eve of the most blessed Mahashivaratri day. In
continuation of letter number four that appeared here last month, I
have now to enlarge upon the theme of spiritual RESOLUTIONS which formed
the central subject of that previous letter. Mention was made therein
(vide page 11) that more was to be said and it would be said now. What
is the place of resolution in the path of Sadhana? What part does such
a resolution play in your life? The answer is that resolution is the
very basis and origin of all endeavour and achievement. Spiritual aspirations
and efforts are no exception to this. All the more is it so in the spiritual
field. Specially because, here you are mostly to struggle alone. The
comfort and consolation, the support and strength of group endeavours
are not so much available to the Sadhakas as they are to people in other
fields of secular endeavour. The spiritual seeker does not move in a
set-up like that of a whole company of soldiers moving resolutely forward
into determined action upon the battle-field. Because, spiritual aspirants
and Sadhaaks are a scattered brotherhood, a small minority in this world,
manfully endeavouring to ever press forward the Divine Goal in the face
of a thousand obstacles and adverse currents. Great resolution is essential.
See what Gurudev himself says upon this point. Here are his words,
"The spiritual path is thorny, precipitous and rugged. Temptations will
assail you. Your will, sometimes, become weak. Sometimes there will
be downfall or a backward pull by the dark Asuric antagonistic forces.
In order to strengthen your will and resist the unfavourable currents,
you will have to make, again and again, fresh resolves. This will help
you to ascend the ladder of Yoga, vigorously and quickly. Stick to them
tenaciously. Watch the mind carefully and keep a daily spiritual record."
When you make these resolves, stand before the Lord's picture, with
folded hands, and pray devoutly for His grace and mercy. You will doubtless
get immense strength to carry out these resolves.
Even if you fail in your attempt, do not be discouraged. Every failure
is a stepping-stone for success. Make a fresh resolve again with more
firm and fiery determination. You are bound to succeed. Conquest over
the weakness will give you additional strength and will-force to get
over another weakness or defect. The baby tries to walk, gets up and
falls down. Again it makes another attempt. Eventually, it walks steadily.
Even so, you will have to fall down and get up again and again, when
you walk in spiritual path. In the long run, you will steadily climb
up to the summit of the hill of Yoga and reach the pinnacle of Nirvikalpa
Samadhi".
Thus we see Iccha-Shakti is the motive force behind all Kriya or activity.
Hence the ancients have clearly mentioned "SUBHECCHA" as the first level
or Bhumika of the spiritual ascent when they enumerated the Sapta-Jnana
Bhumika. With equal emphasis has the blessed Lord declared unmistakably
that right resolution verily becomes turning point in one's life. (vide
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9, verse 30).
Such resolution is Daivi Sampatti. Such resolution does not contradict
surrender or humility for it indeed constitutes the very expression
of perfect trust in the Lord's Divine support and our faith in His graciousness
to sustain us in our spiritual life.
Now coming to our specific position as the disciples at the feet of
Sadguru-Dev Sivananda, there are certain definite points for you to
resolve upon as the members of the Divine Life Society. You must embody
Gurudev's teachings. And the essence of his practical instructions to
you on the spiritual path have been summed up in five or six important
admonitions of his. These, every member of the Divine Life Society must
have at his finger-tips. They should be engraved in your heart, to follow
them and to incorporate them in your life would be totally fulfilling
Gurudev's concept of Divine Life. It will make your very life a living
exposition of Gospel of Sivananda. Sri Gurudev laid the greatest importance
to the observance of these sets of his personal teachings which I now
give for your close attention. They are contained in the following:-
1. The RESOLVE FORM with its 18 items.
2. Twenty spiritual instructions.
3. The science of seven cultures.
4. A daily routine Time-table with well thought out, systematic programme
from dawn till night. This may not be rigid but flexible according to
dictates of common-sense.
5. The daily spiritual diary to be maintained in order to cheek up
both upon your resolve from as well as your daily routine.
6. The Universal prayer beginning with "O Adorable Lord of Mercy and
Love", which produces a complete pattern of the sublimest ideals of
Divine Life in practice.
These six things constitute Gurudev's complete method for quick evolution
and dynamic spiritual progress. They stand for the heart of Gurudev
Sivananda's teachings. During more than 35 years of ceaseless spiritual
propagation and dynamic awakening work Gurudev has consistently hammered
upon these teachings, tirelessly preached them and broadcast to every
nook and corner of the world. Even if all the rest of his spiritual
literature were to be taken away from this earth, these six things alone
would be amply providing the fullest spiritual guidance and practical
teachings to the entire world. They alone would be enough to sustain
the spiritual life of humanity. The teachings contained in these six
items are comprehensive and are quite capable of guiding you and taking
you right up to the great goal of highest spiritual attainments or highest
Kaivalya Moksha. Take definite resolves and record them in resolve form.
Draw a daily routine and follow it. Maintain spiritual diary. Follow
twenty spiritual instructions. Live in the spirit of Sadhana Tattwa.
Translate the Universal prayer into your actual life. Yes, the Resolve
form, the twenty spiritual instructions, Spiritual Diary and Sadhana
Tattwa represent Gurudev himself. They are the whole of Gurudev's teachings
to modern humanity, in a nutshell. Enter into the spirit of these teachings.
Assimilate these teachings. Make them your own. Live them. Thus you
will be granted the highest spiritual blessedness and will attain the
goal of all spiritual Sadhana. They can bring you face to face with
God. May Sat-Gurudev make himself manifest to you through these six
important Sadhanas of his. May His grace enable you to fulfil these
in your life and become the partakers of the highest experience of Divine
Bliss, Spiritual Illumination in this very life. Jai Gurudev Sivananda.
Your in the Lord,
Swami Chidananda
1st February, 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. VI
Blessed Atma-Swaroop:
Beloved Seeker of Truth,
Om Namo Narayanaya. Namaskars.
May the Sunshine of Joy, Health and Well-being illumine your life with
the advent of bright Spring season with its beauty and fragrance of
colourful flowers and fresh leaves upon the waking branches of wind-swayed
trees. I am happy to tell you that several earnest disciples of Sri
GURUDEV felt it their duty to respond to the "Sivanandashram Letter
No: 4" and so I have their valuable thoughts and suggestions upon the
question of-"The duty of individual Disciples towards Gurudev" and how,
the disciples all over the world can each serve the cause of Dissemination
of Spiritual Knowledge and the spread of Divine Life-sent in by them
after reading the January issue of Wisdom Light. This present issue
is therefore, going to bring to you their sincere views upon this all
important subject of the practical implication of true discipleship
and its active expression in the form of earnest Guru-Seva. All letters
received here, cannot naturally find sufficient place for inclusion
in the pages of this publication, but this certainly does not at all
mean that some were considered as of less value or importance and not
given place. Far from it. Actually, whether published or not, all the
responses received are being given our close attention and every idea
placed before us, is being considered carefully. I am most thankful
indeed to the many good friends and well-wishers to will thus graciously
given their time and thought, to have responded to the previous letter.
In doing this very act they have indeed fulfilled a vital part of their
spiritual obligation towards their Guru's spiritual Mission. They have
verily exercised the privilege of their discipleship by their guru's
genuine interest in the progress of life-work and his handiwork namely,
the Divine Life Society. An appreciable number of earnest disciples
taking keen interest in their Guru's good work will ensure the enduring
progress of this holy movement which he has left to them as a heritage.
He has left this work to their hands as a part of their spiritual evolution
and an essential part of their Yoga and their Jivana-sadhana.
Gurus are of two kinds. The one lives a lofty spiritual life and living
thus he continuously instructs and guides his disciples to individually
practise and live this ideal life themselves and attain the experience
which he reached. The other lives a lofty life, instructs and inspires
disciples to do likewise AND UNDERTAKES A GREAT HUMANITARIAN TASK AND
LEAVES THIS IDEAL WORK TO HIS FOLLOWERS TO CONTINUE and bless others
and bless themselves thereby.
Why certain sages develop into one type and certain others into the
other type is a matter we have no knowledge about. May be it is that
the needs of particular times call forth men suited to fulfil them,
may be it is the prarabdha that decides this. Whatever it be, it is
God's will that brings this about and the world is the gainer for it.
Jagadguru Adi Sankaracharya was an uncompromising Absolute Monist Kevala
Advaitin. He declared the Atman alone to be the sole Reality. Yet, he
undertook to clean up Hinduism of all malpractices and launched a great
revival and established a well-conceived institution to carry on this
work in an organised and systematic manner. And the great following
of his Monastic and lay disciples have been keeping alive this institution
and furthering his work through this centuries since his day. Thus we
see that this twofold trend in the Gurus upon the Indian spiritual scene
is not in any way new nor by any means unusual or contrary to previous
tradition.
Our worshipful GURUDEV has been indeed a very combination of both this
trend, making himself a confluence of a powerful spiritual ideal, at
once lofty and sublime, and a most significant spiritual work at once
noble and great. You, my blessed Sadhak, are a disciple of Satguru Sivananda,
the holy saint and loving helper of all mankind. Ideal discipleship
would be manifested in you when you live the Divine Life and also further
the Divine Life work in the service of mankind. The first part of this
is an individual process. The second part of it requires the harmonious
co-ordination with other D L members in your own city, town or village.
Contact fellow-members. If there is a branch of the Divine Life Society
in any place, it is the scared duty of each and every individual member
of that place to get in touch with the branch workers and to participate
and to actively help in the programmes of the branch. Many a time the
branch people do not know of the presence of enrolled members in their
own town or city. This would not be. Also disciples even if they are
non-members in the formal way, must take joyous interest in making contact
with other disciples who are known to be in the same town or locality.
And to further Gurudev's work one does not necessarily have to constitute
a Branch (though it is good to do so) but may arrange Satsangs, discourses,
Asan classes even upon the individual level. In short, let me tell you
this, an integral part of your spiritual life and Yoga Sadhana is propagation
of the Divine Life Gospel and spreading Gurudev's teachings in selfless
spirit of Karma Yoga and Guru-seva and Ishwara-arpana. Jai Gurudev:
Regards, prem and Om:
-Swami Chidananda
1st March, 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. VII
Blessed Atma Swaroopa!
Beloved Seeker of Truth,
Om Namo Narayanaya. Namaskars.
Om Sri Ram. Sri Ram. Sri Ram. Sri Ram.
This is a great and glorious month. It is verily a month full of rare
blessedness and sanctity. For, this month we have the precious occasion
and opportunity of offering our adorations to the grand ideal of our
Nation, the supreme divine Person who stands for us all, as the greatest
model of Perfection in life, nature, conduct and character, namely,
the most blessed "LORD RAMA". The entire Nation will celebrate the divine
Jayanthi or holy Birthday anniversary of Rama upon the 20th April: Bhagwan
Ramchandra Maryada-Purushottama, who embodies in Himself and expresses
through every movement of His life the highest exemplary behaviour in
all fields of human relationship. The story of Rama's divine life is
the story of sublime Idealism in actual practice. Its inspiration is
perennial. Its appeal is Universal. Its wonderful power to elevate and
to transform is unfailing. Its sublimity is unequalled. Ramayana is
a treasure of Indian Culture, and National Heritage of utmost importance
and significance of the very survival of our noble expiration and aims.
To worship in RAMA is to reassert our unshakable faith in Idealism in
life and to pledge a new our loyalty to the concept of Dharma and Adhyatma-lakshya
in life. Rama is the life-breath of India's moral life and ethical structure.
Without Rama there is no Dharma and without Dharma there will be no
India!
We shall try in this letter to receive some Light from the glorious
RAMAYANA. May you all prepare yourself to worship the Divine Rama upon
the approaching sacred anniversary. Purify your heart with humility,
devotion and worshipfulness of spirit. Repeat His DIVINE NAME with great
feeling and intense reverence. Ram-Nam is India's great Mantra of this
age. It alone can make your life meaningful and purposeful in a world
where the true meaning of life is lost in Hedonism and this disillusionment
and frustration has overcome the majority of human beings.
Your life here is a means to the attainment of a glorious purpose.
The aim of life is the attainment of the Divine Perfection. This earthly
life is full of miseries, sorrows, defects imperfections and limitations.
To overcome all limitations, to cross beyond sorrow and pain and to
attain Immortality and Divine Bliss is the goal of life. By realising
God one reaches this goal and becomes internally free.
Such realization and freedom is achieved by living an ideal life, by
practising self-control and by worshipping God. Purity, self-restraint
and worship constitutes the essence of Spiritual Life. Every Divine
Incarnation comes to give this message of God-attainment, to remind
mankind of its importance and glory, and to disclose the inner secrets
of Spiritual Life and attainment, by the lofty examples of His own ideal
life and conduct. In the Divine Leela of Rama's Avatara, we get much
light and guidance and derive great inspiration upon the inner part
of spiritual attainment. Different ideal personalities in the Nara-Leela
of this great Avatara exemplify the different factors that characterize
your ideal approach unto the Divine. Bharata, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman
are the personified expressions of the different factors that make up
or constitute our ideal approach unto the Divine.
Uninterrupted, continuous worship of God is the very essence of Spirituality.
Worship that is characterised by the total absorption in the object
of worship ultimately leads to Realization. Worship to be effective
and fruitful must become gradually so intense that yourself is completely
forgotten and God alone fills your concentrated and one-pointed mind.
There must be no thought of self. The mind must be filled with God.
The only meaning in one's life must be the love of God. Worship should
become a positive passion and must be felt as more important than anything
else in this world. You must understand that life itself is a worship.
Life is meant primarily to be lived as an active worship of Divine,
as a glorification of the Lord. Such worship has the power to awaken
the Divinity that is dormant within every human soul. It will transform
you into a Divine being. The ideal prince Bharatha verily made himself
the very embodiment of such passionate, continuous, all-absorbing worship
of Sri Rama. He forgot the world, he forgot himself and he forgot everything
in his whole-souled devotion and adoration of the Lord Rama through
Rama's sacred Padukas. Day and night, Bharatha was seen absorbed in
the divine contemplation of Rama. Rama pined to see him. The moment
His mission at Lanka was over, he sent Hanuman in great haste to go
in advance to meet Bharata and announce his arrival to him. By true
worship such as was demonstrated by Bharata, one powerfully draws the
Lord to himself and makes the Divine one's own. The bliss of this spiritual
union with the Divine is the fruit of such worship. It is indescribable.
Remembrance of Bharata, contemplation on his personality will create
in you the Bhava of such worship. Meditate upon the moving and inspiring
life of this great prince among Bhaktas. You will imbibe the spirit
of his deep devotion and passionate adoration of the Divine Lord Rama.
Such devotion is the real wealth of wealths and the greatest pleasure
in your life. Acquire this and attain immortality and bliss.
Self-restraint is the key to mind-control. The outgoing tendencies
of the senses and their constant movement towards the fulfilment of
the senses make the mind restless and agitated. Such a mind does not
turn to God. Such a mind finds it impossible to worship with one-pointedness.
Practice of self-control, checks the outward tendencies of the senses
and helps you to attain calmness of mind. Self-control is distasteful
and painful in the beginning. It becomes interesting, pleasant and joyful
at a latter stage. Practice of self-control should be a daily discipline
willingly imposed upon themselves. It is a sign of our superior human
nature. You will reap benefits in every way, physical, mental, moral
and spiritual, by the practice of rational self-restraint. A self-restrained
man alone can do effective service to his fellow-beings. Self-controlled
person alone can truly worship God. Otherwise, with the thoughts scattered
over innumerable objects and a mind distracted by various desires, you
cannot truly worship or effectively serve the Society. The quality of
service of a concentrated mind of a self-controlled person is bound
to be ten times superior to the indifferent service that is done by
a person who is himself a slave of his desires, cravings, personal ambition
and secret passion. Service demands sincerity of purpose, earnestness
and dedication. It demands readiness to sacrifice and willingness to
bear and undergo troubles and difficulties with equanimity of mind.
Nowhere in the annals of our Spiritual history do we find a more shining
example of such a perfect self-control, immense self-sacrifice and unrelenting
and unremitting service than in the amazing personality of the great
heroic Lakshmana. Moderation, abstinence, the balanced life guided by
the principles are all essential parts to self-control. Self-control
implies Self-mastery. It is the bed-rock of all achievements, secular
or spiritual. To the man of religion it must be the very life-breath.
Without self-control there is no Sadhana. Without Sadhana there is no
Self-realization. Without Self-realization you can neither have peace
nor bliss nor freedom. He who wishes to be with the Lord must willingly
part with the little self. He must be prepared to discard all thoughts
of petty happiness and self-satisfaction upon the lower plane. The princely
Lakshmana turning away from the comforts of Palace, pomp and royal living,
chose to follow his Divine brother and voluntarily accepted the hardship
of the severe discipline and self-denial. Thus he attained the unique
and incomparable blessedness of continued Divine presence of Bhagwan
Ramchandra.
The approach to the Divine experience is an ascent into purity. Spiritual
life is a gradual but unceasing growth into the perfection of purity,
Atman, all the absolute Divine essences variously spoken of as Amala,
Vimala, Nirmala, Nitya, Shudha and Niranjana. Spiritual growth and progress
implies a process of transforming yourself from the impure into the
absolutely pure. He who approaches the Divine should go into the Divine
Nature. The pure alone can have access in the realm of Divine Experience.
Blessed are they that strive to be pure in thought, word and deed and
make their life an embodiment of Purity. The Divine Sita and the great
Hanuman stand as resplendent exemplars of this sublime ideal. Noble
Sita was a blazing fire of Purity. She stands as the loftiest example
of shining Purity in all the annals of Indian tradition towering high
above all personalities and forever a source of living inspiration in
the Hindu Society. Even amidst the severest of tests, trials and tribulations
Sita adhered to the ideals without swerving even by a hair's breadth.
No harm dared approach this fire of Chastity, Purity and highest Virtue.
Equalling her in this rare virtue, shining as a symbol of supreme Purity,
the heroic Hanuman strides across the sacred pages of the holy Ramayana.
Hanuman is the Brahmacharin par excellence of Indian religious history.
He is the object of worship and Ishta Devata of all those who aspire
after life of perfect purity, continence and self-control. Personalities
of Hanuman and the Divine Sita give unto us the secret key to success
in this life of Purity. Ceaseless service and total dedication sum up
this Spiritual secret. To Mother Janaki nothing existed in the world
except her Rama. Hers was a life totally dedicated to her Lord ever
since the moment her hand was placed in Rama's palm by her sage father
King Janaka. Rama was her life's breath. There existed no other thought
in her mind except Rama. No other place in her heart except for her
Rama. Being absorbed thus in Ram, day and night dwelling in thought
and feeling upon Him, Sita was filled with the Divine Fire which no
impurity could dare to approach. And Hanuman too was similarly absorbed
in Rama's thought, in His dedication to Rama Seva. Ceaseless service
of his Divine Master because the passion of his life ever since their
first meeting in the hallowed ground at Kishkindha. Dedicated selfless
service transmuted the energy of Hanuman into pure Daivee Shakti. The
impossible became possible to the power of purity of this great Brahmacharin.
Service of Lord Rama was the sole passion of Anjaneya's exalted life.
This obtained for him the unique and coveted blessedness of an eternal
place at the Divine Lotus Feet of Bhagavan Ramachandra. Purity, dedication
and devotion of this mighty servant made him one of the dearest objects
of the Divine Lord Bhagavan Ramachandra. Where this total dedication
for spiritual ideals is, there the seekers shine with Purity. O my beloved
friends, become absorbed in unceasing selfless service of saints, holy
people, elders and of all. Be totally dedicated to the glorious spiritual
ideals. You will rise to the highest purity and come face to face with
God.
Lead the Divine Life. Live up to your ideals. Grow in Purity. Practise
self-control. Dedicate yourself to the regular worship of the Divine.
This sublime way of life unfolds itself before the votary of the holy
Ramayana. Bharata, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanuman give you a dazzling revelation
of this radiant path into perfection, Purity, self-restraint and dedication
unto worship are ideals to be ever pursued with unabated zeal and earnestness.
There are those who would say that ideals are impracticable. I say unto
all such that it were far better to be impractical idealists than to
successfully be practical bests. Without Idealism humanity is savage.
Take away idealism, then the jungle will invade the most urbane society.
Ideals need not be totally and entirely realised in practical life.
Nevertheless, without them we shall perish as a civilisation and a culture.
Ideals should ever be pursued. No matter how difficult of attainment
they may seem, yet in constantly striving to approach them, lies the
true greatness of a people. Such ideals impart the quality to our life
and give it the correct direction. What our life is, depend upon what
our ideals are. To move constantly towards definite, lofty ideals is
the greatest blessedness in the life of any individual. Ideals are important
not because they are immediately and fully practicable, but because
they impart the right pattern to the practical living of our lives,
individually as well as collectively, here and now. Ideals come foremost.
Then follows the practice. And to one who is truly earnest nothing is
impracticable. The practice may not be easy but to strive your best
to practise, is your duty. Trust in Lord Rama, take His Divine Name
and start to lead a sublime life of noblest idealism. You will triumph
over all obstacles and shine resplendent as a true child of Bharatavarsha.
Om Sri Ramaya Namah! God be with you!
-Swami Chidananda
1st April 1966
Sivanandashram Letter No. VIII
Blessed Seekers after Truth,
The present month is a month of powerful reminders to certain most
sublime and sacred ideals that have formed vital factors in the evolution
of our great country's unique culture and view and way of life. We had
occasion to note last month how the great ideals propounded and radiantly
expressed through the Divine Leela of Ramavatara continued to be moving
force in the stream of our nation's social life and ethical consciousness.
We saw how sublimity and purity of your national character both in the
individual as well as in collective social life had their very basis
and their sole hope in the adoption of these ideals.
Solemn reminders to ideals upon a still higher dimension of our life,
in a more inward and deeper depth of our being come to us during the
course of this month through the occurrence of a number of anniversaries
in this current month of May. The Religious Calendar announces the occurrence
of the thrilling birth anniversary of the valiant Parashurama, the glorious
Sankara Jayanti, the holy Narasimha Jayanti and the sacred and solemn
Buddha Jayanti. These great anniversaries have the specific purposes
of the periodical re-infusing of fresh vitality into those living ideals
that form the very soul of the Bharateeya Samskriti. They have the specific
purpose of recreation of the renewed waves of a living faith, inspired
enthusiasm and dynamic dedication. These anniversaries are effective
periodical reassertions of our abiding loyalty to enduring cultural
values and provide indispensable recurring occasions for the vigorous
re-adoption into our lives of concepts and principles, aims and ideals
that constitute the living roots and life breath of our national life.
It would not be an untruth to say that these numerous anniversaries
provide in fair measure the factors that have been the subsistence and
the support of the fabric and the structure of our ancient Way of Life.
They impart unbroken continuity to it.
Blessed Sadhak: Let us move along the luminous pathway of esoteric
understanding and an inner vision to look for a moment into the heart
of these anniversaries. Let us have a glimpse into their hidden meaning
and message that they come to convey. While bowing in devout homage
to the radiant Parashurama, valour Incarnate, may you recognise and
receive the message of supremacy of the subtle over the gross. His life
is a call for overcoming of the Rajas, of passion and of desire by their
relentless higher dynamism of a purified Sattva. The Leela of this Avatara
breathes the eternal lesson of the unfailing triumph of the spiritual
over the merely temporal and material. It is the repeated and continued
predominance of Sattva Guna that makes for the perfect establishment
of supreme virtue or Daivi Sampatti in this human field ("Kshetra")
and paves the way for Divine Attainment. This sums up the very essence
of the inner Yogic process that transforms the individual from Tamas
and Rajas into pure Sattva and thence transports him into highest spiritual
super-consciousness.
The nation also venerates and pays homage to the greatest of its philosophers,
the brilliant and peerless world teacher, Jagadguru Sri Adi-Sankaracharya
of immortal renown. To him India owes an unforgettable debt of gratitude
for his exposition of the pure Vedantic doctrine of the absolute Unity
of the ultimate Reality and the Oneness of all mankind in the spirit.
He reasserted the truth that all faiths and religions led to the same
ultimate Truth and thus stood for the perfect reconciliation of apparently
conflicting faiths under the universal banner of Advaita Vedanta. Tolerance
is the great gift of Sankaracharya's life and teaching and equal vision
and brotherhood, his message to mankind. Love all see Atman in all names
and forms and attain the great Reality in this very life, here and now.
Become a Jivanmukta. This is his call to us all.
The nature of God is an indescribable Divine mystery. God is love.
This transcendental infinite love is simply beyond the ken of human
mind and intellect. Words fail to define it. Yet, aspects of Divine
power can at times take such awesome and terrible manifestations that
one is puzzled how to reconcile them with the All-Love that is the Divine.
The Lord Himself describes his advent as, 'Paritranaya Sadhunam Vinasaya
Cha Dushkritam' i.e. for the protection of the good, for the destruction
of the wicked. The latter expression may well take on the appearance
of such modes as normally prevail upon this plane of relative phenomena.
Nevertheless, the perfect love of the Supreme Divine Essence remains
uncontradicted despite the transient modes assumed by its manifestation.
Delving into this mystery one comes to know that even the most awesome
expression is but a manifestation of that Highest Love. This immediate
co-existence of factors that seemingly contradict and exclude each other
according to the normal human standards is found marvellously expressed
in the divine Narasimha Avatara. Bhagavan Narasimha combines fearful
grandeur with perfect protection. The destructive divine might of Narasimha
was entirely to rescue the boy-devotee Prahlada from the villainous
persecution of the Asura. It was to keep up the great promise "Na Me
Bhaktah Pranasyati", my devotee shall never perish. Narasimha is the
mighty symbol of eternal Divine protection. Prahlada is the living symbol
of the great way. Deep devotion, firm and an unflinching faith and trust,
complete self-surrender and a constant ceaseless remembrance of the
Divine constitute this way. It is the Supreme Bhagavata Dharma, the
one unfailing path to God-realisation. The sure and certain method of
attaining God-realisation. Blessed are the pure in heart who follow
this Supreme path of devotion and surrender, for they shall be dearly
beloved of the Lord. They shall ever abide in Him.
The beautiful, serene full moon of the auspicious month Vishakha shall
shed its soft radiance on the 25th of this month. All nature rejoiced
upon this great day and the celestials showered flowers, for the great
Buddha made his advent upon this most memorable day. His great call
to right living, his message of the Good Life and his unforgettable
shining example of supreme virtue have left an indelible impress upon
the consciousness of people of Bharata. His love and compassion, gentleness
and peace are the essence of ethics and Dharma. Dharma forms the bed-rock
of our culture. Dharma is the sole basis of supreme attainment in human
life. This is the first of the great fourfold Purusharthas that impart
the correct direction to our lives and govern and regulate our activities
and endeavours. The goal of Divine Realisation is the highest ultimate
attainment to be striven for. Without the first the last is impossible.
Without the primary basis the Ultimate goal shall ever remain an idealistic
Utopia. With the perfect fulfilment of Dharma, the realisation of Moksha
and experience of Jivanmukti becomes a practical possibility. The noble
way of Dharma demonstrated by the great Buddha makes for human happiness
in our lives here and now, while transcendental realisation emphasised
by the great Sankaracharya renders it into an eternal experience that
shall for ever lift you into a realm of perennial Bliss and infinite
Peace.
Buddha bade mankind to seek the solution to life's problem through
diligent self-effort, ennobling of the human nature by the adoption
of a perfectly virtuous life. Purity of personal life can alone ensure
your welfare, bring happiness and grant peace. Abandon Virtue and you
destroy your welfare and usher in untold sorrow. Happiness is where
Virtue abides. Sorrow is the direct fruit of vice and evil living. Grow
into goodness and the inner godly nature will manifest itself in thy
life. You will attain the Highest by the merit of thy blameless life.
Waste no time in dry discussion and vain debate but rather LIVE THE
NOBLE LIFE:
Living inspiration we thus receive from these four great expressions
of the Divine Essence; the radiant Parashurama, the mighty and majestic
Lord Narasimha mellowed by the melting devotion of Prahlada, the Prince
among lovers of the Lord, the great Sankaracharya and the noble Gautama
Buddha. The Jagadguru, inspired World teacher Sankara uncompromisingly
holds aloft before our gaze the grand Transcendental Goal of human life.
Buddha's lofty example and unforgettable teachings state the indispensable
basis of this sublime attainment. Prahlada demonstrates the one sure
and unfailing method of attaining this Divine Goal. Parashurama emphasises
the need for ceaseless, unremitting endeavour in this process. The Avatara
Narasimha gives perfect assurance of absolute and fullest protection
of Grace to one who launches forth upon this noble path of purity unto
perfection.
Beloved Seekers: followers of the Divine Life diligently strive to
become established in Virtue and advance in Devotion. Be ceaseless in
thine Worship. The Goal of God-realisation be ever before thy vision
every moment of thy life. This is the Ancient Way of Bharatavarsha.
This is the Way to Peace, Joy and eternal Welfare. There is no other
way. Onward upon this Path. God be with you. May you reach the other
shore-Immortality.
Om Tat Sat
Yours in Sri Gurudev
Swami Chidananda
1st May 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. IX
BLESSED ATMASWAROOP:
Om Namo Narayanaya. Namaskars.
Greetings to you from this Holy Abode of Sri Sadguru Bhagawan Sivananda
Maharaj. May this letter from this sacred Ashram find you all in good
health, peace and joy. Let Guru Kripa bring into your life the Light
of Discrimination, Strength of Self-Control, the Joy of Selflessness
and the Loftiness of Loving Service and Spontaneous goodness or Paropakara.
This month holds for us a message of significance and importance. It
brings to memory of a momentous event that resulted in an immeasurable
good and blessedness to countless soul in this troubled century. Exactly
forty years ago, in the June of the year 1924, Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji
renounced his secular career to embrace a life of Sannyasa. He entered
into the glorious path of Nivritti, plunged into a period of asceticism,
seclusion, intense Sadhana and deep meditation. Thus he attained realisation
and launched his great mission of spiritual awakening to inspire mankind
and guide the seekers along the path of Divine Life and God attainment.
His renunciation resulted in world welfare. Verily Tyaga is indeed
for Loka Hita. We celebrate the auspicious and holy anniversary of Gurudev's
renunciation and Sannyasa this month. I would urge you all to reflect
a while upon this great ideal of Tyaga. What is the role of Tyaga in
your life? Is renunciation a negative movement? Does renunciation imply
denial of the world and your relation to it? Is Tyaga a virtue for Sannyasins
alone? What is true inner significance of Tyaga?
Dispassion and renunciation comprise the key to inner peace. Such peace
alone makes happiness possible. Without peace, there is no happiness.
Thus, it is clear that any one who wants peace and happiness must cultivate
Vairagya and Tyaga. Attachment and selfishness constitute terrible bondage.
Vairagya eradicates attachment. Tyaga cuts at the root of selfishness.
They make you free and bring you peace and joy.
Life is a great and sublime Yajna. Yajna means self-offering, a noble
giving of oneself for the good and the benefit of others. Paropakara
is the overall governing principle of man's life. You can engage yourself
in doing good to others, in bringing happiness into the lives of others,
only when you shed your selfishness. This is real renunciation. The
secret of renunciation is the renunciation of selfishness, egoism and
personal desires. Renounce personal selfishness and live in the world,
enjoying what Providence brings to you as your due. This is an admonition
of the Seer of the Isopanishad.
We now see that renunciation is a virtue and a noble quality to be
cultivated by every individual in human society. By this alone will
the principles of Yajna and Paropakara be fulfilled. Tyaga is not the
monopoly or the exclusive duty of the Sannyasins. It is a pervasive
virtue that is to permeate and penetrate into every moment of your daily
life. Then alone will your entire life flower forth into a thing of
countless blessings unto your neighbour and of the society.
The loving mother is a true Tyagi. She renounces personal comfort,
conveniences and happiness for the sake of her children and their welfare.
The father of a family denies himself and renounces many a personal
pleasure and profit to serve his family and children. The devout wife
renounces all personal considerations to serve and to care for her Lord
and Master. The faithful servant renounces personal happiness and comfort
to serve his master and carry out his behests in loyalty and devotion.
The doctors and nurses renounce sleep, rest and comfort and even forego
food at times to look after the sick and the suffering. A brave patriot
and soldier stands ready even to renounce his very life for the sake
of his country's safety and welfare. A true social worker and leader
of the people renounces everything to dedicate his life for his people's
welfare. A true teacher renounces all personal ambitions and desires
in life and dedicates himself to bring the light of learning, knowledge
and wisdom to the young people who pass under his care. A saint renounces
the whole world and everything in it to worship God and to serve mankind.
It is this quality alone that ennobles human nature and makes life beautiful.
Renunciation in the individuals renders sweet all relationship he has
with the rest of mankind. Yes, renunciation is to be understood as a
pervasive virtue, which rises Vyavahar to pure heights, and adds to
the joy, welfare and unity amongst the mankind.
Beloved seeker, reflect well over this universal aspect of Tyaga. Renunciation
alone enables you to become selfless. Selflessness is soul of life.
Selfishness is the bane of mankind and the root of all conflicts, problems
and unhappiness. By renunciation, rout out selfishness and become a
blessing unto others. Diligently cultivate renunciation in your everyday
life.
Practise renunciation day after day at home, in thy family, with thy
neighbours, playing thy profession, walking the streets, in the market
place, everywhere act with renunciation. Grow in this great quality
day by day. Never allow selfishness to make your life ugly. Permit not
pernicious desire and personal avarice to poison thy life. Shine resplendent
with the radiance of true renunciation. Be rooted in true Tyaga. In
thought, word and deed, be egoless and selfless. Renounce desire and
be filled with peace. Renounce petty selfishness. Become a personification
of Paropakara. Renounce Egoism; become an embodiment of egoless simplicity,
humility and purity. Such a life is even greater than the life of mere
external Sannyasa, which may not be filled with this spirit of real
renunciation.
Thus has Sri Sadgurudev taught this servant of His. Even so do I speak
this unto you in the name of Sri Gurudev, through these pages that bring
the Light of His Wisdom to you, who are dear to him. Beloved Brother
in the Spirit: Live to uphold this noble ideal of our great culture.
Become a Tyagamurti in all walks of life. Even the care that you bestow
upon yourself and your personal welfare, let it be based upon Tyaga.
Look after yourself that you may preserve and keep fit this body instrument
of thine so as to make it an effective instrument for service unto others
and to achieve their maximum good and bring happiness into the lives
of all. May your life be a witness to this great virtue and left all
that you do, be a demonstration of what this noble principle of Tyaga
truly means.
I close now with my best regards and Prem. We are moving towards a
very sacred and significant event, namely the auspicious Punyatihi Aradhana
of the first Anniversary of Gurudev's Maha Samadhi. At this Holy Ashram
of Sri Gurudev, we are all earnestly engaged in drawing up a suitable
spiritual programme of earnest Sadhana during the whole week, leading
up to the Punyatihi anniversary on the 2nd of August. More of this we
shall dwell upon in the coming issue of Wisdom Light. Until then, may
you all dwell in the abiding peace and bliss of Divine Grace and Blessings.
Jai Gurudev.
-Swami Chidananda
1st June 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. X
BLESSED ATMASWAROOP,
BELOVED SEEKER OF TRUTH,
Om Namo Narayanaya. Namaskars.
Your blessedness and unique good fortune in this present life is something
for which you have to constantly lift up your heart in gratitude and
thankfulness to God. Rare indeed is it to obtain a human birth; rarer
still is to have aspiration for Moksha; and rarest of all, is the blessedness
of the contact of association with an illumined saint and sage.
O, Beloved Seeker: Can you realise now your blessedness? Endowed with
the first two, you have had the greatest boon in the form of your contact
and association with the Holy Master, the illumined Sadguru, Pujya Swami
Sivananda. Awaken to this holy privilege. Count this blessedness rightly.
Understand your wonderful good fortune. Be fully worthy of it. Ceaselessly
seek the immortal. Aspire for liberation. Adore the Divine. Worship
Him in gratitude. Pray to Him in thankfulness. Realise the grace. He
has showered upon you. Utilise this wonderful life. Rise to sublime
heights. Shine radiantly as an ideal person and a noble seeker and sadhaka.
Prepare to worship the Holy Sadguru. The sacred Guru Purnima now draws
high. It is the great day of all days to every sincere seeker and disciple.
Cast you thine eyes back upon this previous year. See how you hast lived
these 12 months. Has your life been a divine life? Have you radiated
the Master's Gospel through daily activities? Have you served thy neighbours
selflessly? Have you engaged in humble Seva? Have you increased in thy
love and devotion to God and Guru? Have you shared and given what He
has granted you? Have you diligently sought to purify yourself and cultivate
noble virtues in thy nature? Have you remembered God constantly and
meditated upon him? Have you aspired after Divine Realisation with sincerity
and earnestness and intensity of purpose?
Gurudev insists that from the very commencement of our sadhana, we
should hold before the mind the ideal of an integral and harmonious
development of all the aspects of the personality. Therefore the Sadhaka's
daily routine must contain element of all the four Yoga Margas. The
mainstay of the daily routine should be the spiritualisation of the
entire life of the Sadhaka. The goal of life should be ever remembered.
This goal is the attainment of God-realisation. Whatever the external
form the Sadhaka's life be, the aim of his life should be God-realisation.
Keep up the Nishkamya Bhavana in all your daily activities. This is
the 'easy sadhana' of Gurudev. Never miss an opportunity to serve humanity.
Are you striving to be a true Sadhaka? Are you engaging in earnest
sadhana? For, primarily Gurudev came to teach us the essence of Sadhana.
He came to train and guide us in practical spiritual life. He wanted
that our life should be 'sadhanamaya'. Plunge into Sadhana; that is
Sivananda; that is true discipleship, Sadguru Swami Sivananda stands
for spiritual Sadhana in life. Be intent on Sadhana. Make your life
an integral Sadhana. Stick to your path of Sadhana. Combine all your
paths as harmonious helps.
Without Sadhana, Self-realisation cannot be had, Sadhana is indispensable.
Regularity in Sadhana is indispensable. Sincerity and earnestness are
the essential conditions for the fruition of all Sadhana. Make the coming
10-day period from Guru Purnima to Aradhana the commencement of new
life of earnest and sincere spiritual Sadhana. Be sincere. This is the
key-note of spiritual Sadhana. Let these 10 days be a period of intense
spiritual Sadhana, for you, no matter where you are; at home, or at
the Ashram. Let this period inaugurate a future of life-long dedication
to ceaseless spiritual sadhana, in and through your ordinary daily life
in this world.
To be a disciple is to be a Sadhaka; always remember this. Gurudev
asks you; He looks and sees and tries to perceive what you-His disciple-have
been. Look at thyself. Try to be transformed. Aspire nobly. Prepare
to worship the Sadguru upon the holiest of Holy days-auspicious Guru
Purnima. As the sacred Guru Purnima approaches, with its period of Sadhana,
leading upto the solemn Maha Aradhana next month. I send out to you
all, my prayerful good thoughts for your all-round welfare, spiritual
progress and divine illumination. Even as the moon receives on the full
moon day the glorious radiance of the sun in the fullest measure and
shines brilliantly; even so, upon this sacred Guru Purnima Day, may
you all receive the radiant spiritual light of Gurudev Sivananda in
the fullest measure and shine brilliantly with Wisdom, Bliss and Divine
Life. May joy and Blessedness be yours. God bless you.
My regards, Prem and OM to each one of you.
Jai Gurudev Sivananda:
At His Feet,
Swami Chidananda
Sivanandashram,
23.6.64.
Sivanandashram Letter No. XI
Salutations to you all, from this sacred Samadhi Shrine of Sri Satgurudev.
The holy name of Sivananda has filled the Ashram with its solemn sound
this day as devout disciples and devotees congregated for this most
auspicious Puja of the Guru. The heavens blessed the day with heavy
downpour of rain. A period of serene silent meditation in the early
morning attuned the hearts and minds of the earnest seekers with the
holy Spiritual presence of Gurudev. Peace and calm pervaded the morning
hour. After sunrise, at 8-30 A.M. the principal Puja to Gurudev through
His sacred Samadhi commenced with auspicious Abhisheka, Archana with
deep devotion, Alankara with profusion of flowers and garlands and Arati.
Lord Gurunatheswar Siva shone radiantly with the beautiful silvered
Seshanaga and Prabhavli presented by the devotees of Rasipuram. It was
a glorious sight. The soft marbled beauty of the Samadhisthan was brought
out more fully by the colourful floral adornments. The Divinity of Gurudev
was felt in all hearts.
25 and 26th: The earnest Sadhana has now commenced. Prayer for world
welfare and silent Meditation occupies the early morning hour. Worship,
Japa, Kirtan, Bhajan, Sravan, Swadhyaya keep all devotees continuously
absorbed in God-Remembrance and prayerful mood. They are finding it
verily a period of spiritual renewal and revitalization. I have no doubt
that most of you too, who have not come to Ashram, have been carrying
out a similar programme of Spiritual Sadhana, inward contemplation and
worship in the holy memory of Gurudev. Taking advantage of this wave
of worshipfulness, seekers all over the world are renewing their inner
contacts with their Holy Master Sivananda. As I write these lines my
prayers are going out to you, to one and all of you, that the Grace
of the Divine and the choicest blessings of Gurudev Sivananda may be
showered upon each one of you in abundance. May you all now enter into
a new life of spiritual Blessedness rich with higher Experiences.
The nation will now turn its heart and mind towards the great ideal
of the land, namely, the resplendent Lord Krishna. For on the 30th August
we shall celebrate the joyous Krishna Janmashtami Day. Krishna is the
Divine Darling of millions of devout hearts. Contemplation of His life
is a soul-purifying Spiritual exercise, at once sublime and blissful.
Turn to the lofty message of the Lord, the Gita Sandesha of unattached
living and selfless loving services unto all beings. Adopt His admonition
of constant God awareness during all your activities.
Remember-maam anusmara, mayi eva mana aadhatsva, mayi buddhim niveshaya-root
yourself in God and perform all activities with joy. May Lord Krishna
bless you.
At the time of the sacred Maha Puja during the Punyatithi Aradhana
day (2nd August), I shall remember you all and offer flowers to Gurudev
on your behalf. I shall take extra dips in the holy Gauge for your sake
when I bathe upon that most auspicious Day. I shall do Parikrama around
the holy Samadhi Shrine thinking of you all. About this worship, in
my next letter. Until then Jai Gurudev.
My regards, Prem and Pranams,
Swami Chidananda.
July 1964
Sivanandashram Letter No. XII
Immortal Atmasvaroopa:
Blessed Seeker of TRUTH:
Om Namo Narayanaya: Loving Namaskars.
Glory be to the Divine and to Gurudev, the visible expression of the
Divine upon this human place. My salutation to you all, travellers upon
the shining highway of Divine Life, pilgrims to the shrine of the Eternal.
Jai Sivananda: This letter is the holy Sivananda JAYANTI letter. It
brings you my special Birthday-greetings for the auspicious 8th September,
which is a great day to us all. It is a day which held the seeds of
our blessedness and Spiritual awakening. Upon this day 77 years ago,
there took place the dawn of our good fortune or our Bhagyodaya. At
the close of the last century, this day granted to us our wonderful
Spiritual guide, our inspirer, friend and well-wisher. On this holy
day was born our spiritual father, our Gurudev. Sivananda JAYANTI is
the day of auspiciousness, joy and extreme sanctity. His advent meant
a Spiritual rebirth to all of us who were born into Divine Life through
our contact with Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji. Upon this day, the true
significance of that ancient prayer of our land-
Asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrityorma amritam gamaya
dawned upon us in a luminous way. For, verily, that great soul who
took birth upon that day came into your life, awakened your spirit and
set you upon the road to the great Reality, Light and Immortality. Such
is Sivananda JAYANTI.
May your thoughts flow towards his sacred feet in worshipfulness and
love! May the Bhava and Bhakti of your heart wind their way up to him
now in his tranquil transcendence and silent splendour. May all your
energies be directed and applied with determined will and devout loyalty
to the vigorous furtherance of his Spiritual Mission of awakening Divinity
in the hearts of men. May your time, energy and abilities be dedicated
to the leading of the divine life of the Truth, Purity, and Selflessness
which Gurudev demonstrated. This is indeed the great privilege of your
discipleship. This is indeed the most fitting token of your devotion.
Such is indeed the celebration of Gurudev's sacred JAYANTI.
Now a word about the recent Aradhana. It is my deep privilege to tell
you all that on the 2nd August upon the most holy Punyatithi Aradhana
Day you all did offer worship to Gurudev's Divine Presence through this
servant, who represented you all. In keeping with my solemn promise
to you in the August, Sivanandashram Letter, I stood in the holy river
Ganges, thought of you all, adored Mother Ganga in your name, and took
the sanctifying dips on behalf of you. Then filling a vessel with the
Sacred waters. I went up to the Samadhi Shrine, the Gurusthana, vibrant
with his silent Presence, and offered the Ganga-water in ceremonial
Abhisheka for your sake. I then offered flowers and worshipped Gurudev's
marbled Charan-Paduka feeling myself only as a representative of you
all in the presence of Gurudev. Thus while I apparently worshipped yet,
in reality, YOU offered worship. When the elaborate Puja was ultimately
concluded by midday and the rush of devotees was over, I went silently
and did Pradakshina (Prikrama) around the Samadhi. And while I thus
Perambulated it was verily you who walked around the holy one. While
this servant thus worshipped, a photograph was taken, perhaps in the
next issue you will see it.
A special event that took place during the Aradhana, I wish to recount
for your benefit. One day the glory of the Divine Name and the Supreme
importance of Japa Sadhana was discoursed upon. In this connection it
was later on mentioned how the method of Mantra Purascharana found an
effective way of progressing in Japa. I called upon the assembled Sadhaks
to come forward and undertake such Mantra Purascharana right then. Numerous
Sadhaks readily took the pledge to start and complete Mantra Purascharana
before the end of Chaturmasa (i.e. 15th November, 1964). Forms were
signed to confirm this undertaking. All commenced it in the Ashram during
the Aradhana Period itself. One of the Sadhaks has even continued the
Japa in the Ashram itself and will be concluding it by the holy Krishna
Janmashtami Day. We are arranging for the customary sacred Havan at
the conclusion of this Sadhak's Purascharana. She is the venerable Mrs.
Raj Devi Shivraj of Delhi. Despite considerable bodily discomfort, she
had determinedly persevered in her Purascharana. She deserves our congratulations.
Two days after Gurudev's Birthday falls the Vinayka Chaturthi or the
holy Ganesha Chouth. Lord Ganesha represents the Divine power in the
functions as a force overcoming all obstacles and bestowing success
to all undertakings. Therefore, he is called variously Vighna-Vinayaka,
Vighneshwara, Siddhi-Vinayaka etc. It is a day of supreme and unique
importance on which to commence any new undertaking in your life. Do
not let this rare occasion go by. Make new resolutions. Commence any
fresh activities. Start any important programme which has been eluding
you so far. Ganesh Chouth is wonderful juncture to assure successful
commencements and obstacles-free progress in undertakings. Worship Lord
Ganesh upon this day. Offer your adorations. Make auspicious beginnings
of worthy achievements. May Lord Ganesha bless you with all success,
prosperity and progress.
I am glad to tell you that Sri Swami SIVANANDA CULTURAL ASSOCIATION,
DELHI with its newly constituted executive body is launching into a
new programme of public Satsangs in different parts of the Capital to
spread more effectively the gospel of Good Life, Pure Conduct, and Divine
Living. As an inauguration of these new activities, the Association
has decided to celebrate public function of Sivananda Jayanti on 13th
of the month (13-9-1964). On the day before, it being second Saturday,
it will also hold certain programmes. This servant is to go to Delhi
to attend this two-day programme. Incidentally, this enables Delhi devotees
to attend the Ashram Jayanti Celebrations on 8th September, I wish the
Sivananda Cultural Association all success during the year ahead of
them.
From Delhi to Dehra Dun, en route return to Ashram, I go because Dehra
Dun devotees would like to revive the activities of that centre which
have ceased due to misfortune and bereavements of the main organisers
of the Divine Life Branch there. Sri Chandravati Singh, Mr. & Mrs.
B.N. Kaul, the family of our late revered Gurubhai Dr. R.R. Anand and
other friends intended to arrange some Satsang function. I must not
forget to tell you that during Sadhana week preceding the Punyatithi
Aradhana, many Sadhaks took down notes of important talks and discourses,
Dr. Sivananda Adhvaryoo of our Gujarat Centre proposes to compile, edit
and bring out a Sadhana Souvenir. It is in preparation. I look forward
to its early publication, may be before the end of this year. This reminds
me, the present letter now completes a full year of the Sivanandashram
Letters. This one, as you will see is the letter No. 12. I hope they
have conveyed, to some extent at least, the Bhava with which our worshipful
and beloved Satguru Sivananda is making this servant of his work and
offer his Seva to His Divine Life fraternity, scattered throughout this
country and abroad. These letters, it has been my intention are to convey
to you my true feeling my wishes for you and ideas of how we may serve
the cause of Divine Life. I am happy to have this opportunity and privilege
of thus speaking to you all through these lines. I must now conclude
for to be too lengthy would mean depriving you of other matter that
comes to you through this "Wisdom Light".
May God bless you all. May health, strength, prosperity and joy be
with you all the days of your Life. Be always happy. Work with good
cheer. Lead a pure life. Be rooted in God-remembrance. Jai Gurudev Sivananda.
With regards, Prem and Om,
Yours in Gurudev,
Swami Chidananda
Ananda Kutir
1st September, 1964.
Sivanandashram Letter No. XIII
Immortal Atmaswaroopa:
Blessed Seeker of Truth,
Om Namo Narayanaya. Loving Namaskara.
Salutations in the name of Gurudev Sivananda and in Divine Life. Your
worshipful offering and wonderful response has enabled us here to conduct
this year's birthday Anniversary of Gurudev in a very befitting and
satisfactory manner. I am very thankful and grateful indeed for this
noble help that came from very amongst you. Last year upon this date
I could not participate in the Birthday functions because the Sivananda
Cultural Association of Delhi had insisted upon my presence at their
function where the Foundation Stone for their Sivananda Satsang Hall
was laid by H.E. Rashtrapatiji. This time however, Gurudev granted me
the privilege and joy of joining the Gurubhais in this auspicious worship
of our holy Master. It was grand and elevating. All gathered devotees
felt blessed by this solemn, sacred annual worship.
A coloured Pada-Puja full pose was set up on Gurudev's big sofa-chair
under the spangled pink canopy of a silk umbrella. A profusion of floral
garlands and coloured flowers adorned the glowing picture of the Master.
The sandalwood Padukas, which Gurudev used to wear during Pada-Puja
time, were placed in the centre of a huge brazen plate around which
devout disciples sat in a ring for the Puja. There was Abhisheka, with
chant of Purusha Sukta, and then offering of fragrant Chandan and Kumkum.
Then commenced the Archana and flowers started raining from all directions
through numerous hands. Prasad was offered. Beautiful Arati then followed
to the singing of the new Arati composed by the family of Chaman Lal
Ji of Chaudausi. He and his daughter Gita were present to lead the Arati
upon this auspicious day. A beautiful silken cloth, covered with Pranava-Mantra
designs all over, was offered by them for Gurudev's decoration during
the Puja of that day.
A wonderful event of this occasion was the visit of the Holy Mother,
Sri Ananda Mayee Ma, the great saint well known in India and abroad.
This worshipful Mother, a great soul illumined with spiritual radiance
graced us all with Her Darshan and blessed with her Satsang all the
assembled devotees in the Bhajan Hall upstairs. She arrived first at
the Sivananda Eye Hospital at the eager request of Dr. S-Hridayananda
Mataji, who wished MA to come and sanctify the hospital by her presence
and benediction. After a brief halt there and some little refreshment
the holy Mother left for the Samadhi, up the hill. She was highly pleased
to see the hospital and know of the good work, being done for countless
eye-patients.
Offering Her Pushpa-anjali at the Samadhi of Satgurudev, MA shone with
a rare light of Divine Prem. Her regard for Gurudev is really immense.
She was received by Rani Kumudini Devi of Hyderabad as she arrived at
the entrance of Bhajan Hal and then conducted a special dias arranged
for her. Swami Vidyanandaji, and his students, gave a Veena recital
chanting Sanskrit compositions of great saints, and also did Sankirtan.
A blissful atmosphere prevailed, and we all felt spiritually uplifted
by Holy MA's divine presence. I share this wonderful experience with
you all, through these lines.
I take this opportunity to send you all my greetings and Good wishes
for the holy Navaratri period and Dussehra. My VIJAYA greetings specially
to Calcutta Gurubandhus and all devotees throughout Bengal. May the
Divine Mother PARA-SHAKTI shower her grace and Blessings upon all of
you and grant you all prosperity, happiness, success and highest spiritual
blessedness. Worship the Mother with the deepest devotion, one-pointed
mind and heart and pray to her to make you childlike in nature, namely,
innocent, simple, pure, humble, and egoless and unattached. To be born
anew in absolute simplicity and humility of nature is the true means
of drawing close to God, the Universal Mother Principle, that broods
over all existence with Cosmic Love and Protective Grace: Jai Ma Durga:
Last month's function organised by the S. S. Cultural Association at
Delhi was indeed very successful and satisfactory. Well attended and
keenly appreciated by all who attended them, both the Satsangs created
a spiritual atmosphere effectively. It was very glad to participate
and observe the success of this programme which was Gurudev's Birthday
celebration for the public of Delhi. The two big sized coloured pictures
(one was a huge photo-enlargement) of Gurudev dominated the stage and
looked beautiful and grand. Exquisite rendering of devotional Bhajana
in classical style by artists like Shanta Saxena and others was highly
elevating. I am looking forward to this month's Satsang which will probably
be on 10th and 11th Oct.
Very glad to tell you all that the Andhra Pradesh D. L. Societies have
ultimately fixed up the dates for their 8th Annual D. L. S. Conference.
It is to meet at Mehbubabad on 11th, 12th, and 13th December. I have
just received a telegram, a few days ago from Sri B.V. Guptaji of that
place, who is the convener. I urge upon all the Andhra Pradesh centres
of Divine Life to arise and join up and help him in every way to make
this year's Conference of theirs a thorough success, even as the last
one of Tanuk was successful. This is their promise as also mine to personally
attend it. I hope to meet organisers of all the A.P. DLS. branches in
December at Mehbubabad. Tanuk and Hyderabad branches must give special
help to Sri Gupta Saheb in every way.
Winter weather is gradually setting in now and the breeze has become
a wind and it now has a chilly edge that makes you want to draw your
cloth closer around you. End of last month after two days of almost
non-stop rain the Ganges rose up in flood. One wondered if Gurudev's
Kutir would be threatened like last year. But fortunately the rain ceased
on the third day and the flood level slowly subsided. Today the sun
shone bright and the sky is a beautiful blue and it seems that the rains
have taken leave of us for the present. The thatched shed we had put
in front of Sri Gurudev's sacred Samadhisthan for the Aradhana functions
of 2nd August has indeed weathered the season. It has now become very
helpful and convenient for devotees and worshippers, who are visiting
the Samadhi in increasing numbers.
Our brother Sri Swami Sharadanandaji who was for five years in the
icy upper Himalayas near Gomukh and Gangotri has now returned to Ashram
and is taking keen interest in imparting Yoga-training to eager young
seekers, who came to this place, seeking practical Yoga instructions.
Some students from France are also reaping the benefit of his kind and
selfless efforts in this direction. Thus the work of Gurudev goes on
under His benign inner guidance and unseen help of His Spiritual Presence.
May Gurudev's benediction be upon you all. I shall now leave you to
prepare yourselves for the forthcoming solemn and auspicious nine-day
Pooja of the blessed Divine Mother of the Universe-the great Bhagawati
Para-Shakti. Worship Her with all thy heart's deepest devotion reverence
and loving adoration. May SHE grant you all health, long-life, prosperity,
all divine Aishvaryas and Vidya, Pushti, Tushti and Parama Shanti. Glory
be to the MOTHER. Hari Om Tat Sat. I close with regards, Prem and Pranama.
Yours in Gurudev
Swami Chidananda
Sivanandashram,
1st October, 1964.
Sivanandashram Letter No. XIV
IMMORTAL ATMA-SWAROOPA:
BLESSED SEEKER OF TRUTH,
Om Namo Narayanaya: Loving Namaskaras.
Salutations in the holy name of Gurudev Sivananda and in Divine Life.
Let me first of all offer you my best Goodwishes and Greeting for a
Bright and HAPPY DIVALI DAY. May Joy, Brightness and Auspiciousness
fill your life and may Divine Mother Lakshmi smile upon you as prosperity,
plenty and progress in everything you do. Happy DIVALI to you and to
all in thy home and thy friends too.
The spirit of Divali is the spirit of gladness and friendliness unto
all life. Joy is the essential nature of Man and love and friendliness
is to man the natural relationship with his fellow-beings. The significant
act during Divali is the lighting of lamps to brighten every nook and
corner so that all darkness is put to flight. In your life the Light
of virtue, purity and goodness shall verily banish the darkness of impurity
and evil. Joy comes where virtue abides. Peace prevails where goodness
fills the heart. Suffering and sorrow are the result of selfishness
and hatred. Ignorance is the source of evil. Wisdom is the Light to
dispel this Darkness of spiritual Ignorance. The Presence of God pervades
this universe. O Man: Know this and live in virtue and holiness. For
thou art ever in the Presence of the Most High. HE alone is the reality
indwelling all names and forms and all beings are verily His moving
tabernacles. This is Wisdom. Light up thy life with this wisdom and
dispel the darkness of worldliness and materialism from your life.
Live to bring the light of Joy into the lives of one and all. Light
up bright little lamps of kind wo
