By
SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
Sixth Edition: 1997
(2,000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999
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
Anger and lust are the two aides of Satan; and every religion
has regarded these two as the most powerful with which the sincere seeker
after truth has to contend. Having dealt with the two together in his
play “PASSION AND ANGER.” Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj now
gives us this precious manual of practical methods to wage war against
this dire enemy of man.
Those who know Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, know that he is the best
authority on the subject of the conquest of anger: he has never known
to lose his temper, even in circumstances in which even the great might
have lost theirs! Swami Sivananda insists that the adoption of positive
methods of soul-education would be more effective than punitive forms
of reformation and transformation. This he has demonstrated time and
again in his attitude towards his own disciples at the Ashram.
With his natural and extraordinary flair for practice, Sri Swamiji
Maharaj has given in this wonderful booklet, highly practical methods
for the control of anger: and it is hoped that every spiritual aspirant
would make a thorough study of it and practice the precepts of the sage,
so that, thus established in ethical perfection, the Sadhaka would soon
become a Siddha.
-THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
.. m:ham:àty:ØWj:y:m:n*:H
..
|| mahàmçtyu¤jayamantraþ
||
! *y:öb:kö y:j:am:hð s:Øg:enD:ö
p:ØeÄv:D:ün:m:Î .
uv:aü,kem:v: b:nD:n:anm:àty::ðm:Øüx:iy: m:a|m:àt:at:Î ..
OM tryaübakaü
yajàmahe sugandhiü puùñivardhanam |
urvàrukamiva bandhanànmçtyormukùãya mà.amçtàt ||
MEANING
We worship the three-eyed One (Lord Siva) Who is fragrant and Who nourishes
well all beings; may He liberate us from death for the sake of immortality
even as the cucumber is severed from its bondage (to the creeper).
BENEFITS
1. This Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is a life-giving Mantra. In these days,
when life is very complex and accidents are an everyday affair, this
Mantra wards off death by snake-bite, lightning, motor-accidents, fire-accidents,
cycle-accidents, water-accidents, air-accidents and accidents of all
descriptions. Besides, it has a great curative effect. Again diseases
pronounced incurable by doctors are cured by this Mantra, when chanted
with sincerity, faith and devotion. It is a weapon against disease.
It is a Mantra to conquer death.
2. It is also a Moksha Mantra. It is Lord Siva’s Mantra. It bestows
long life (Deergha Ayus), peace (Santi), wealth (Aisvarya), prosperity
(Pushti), satisfaction (Tushti) and Immortality (Moksha).
3. On your birthday, repeat one lakh of this Mantra or at least 50,000,
perform Havan and feed Sadhus, the poor and the sick. This will bestow
on you long life, peace and prosperity.
4. Kindly consecrate one Mala or more daily to Sri Swami Sivanandaji!
HARI OM TAT SAT
On Anger And Its Control
AT: kñn: )y:ØVt::ð|y:ö p:ap:ö
c:ret: p:Ü,\:H .
Aen:cCÀep: v:a\N:ðüy: b:l:aedv: en:y::ðej:t:H ..
atha kena
prayukto.ayaü pàpaü carati påruùaþ |
anicchannapi vàrùõeya balàdiva niyojitaþ ||
Arjuna said:— Impelled by what, does man commit sin, much against
his wishes, O Varshneya, compelled as it were, by force? Gita Ch: III-36.
kam: O\: #:ðD: O\: rj::ðg:ØN:s:m:Ø»v:H
.
m:haS:n::ð m:hap:apm:a ev:¹Ðy:ðn:em:h v:òerN:am:Î ..
kàma eùa
krodha eùa rajoguõasamudbhavaþ |
mahà÷ano mahàpàpmà viddhyenamiha vairiõàm ||
The Blessed Lord said:— It is desire, it is anger born of the
Rajo-Guna, all devouring, all sinful; know this as the foe here (in
this world). Gita Ch. III-37.
The cause of sin or wrong action in this world is desire. Anger is
only a modification or form of desire. Anger is desire itself. When
a desire is not gratified the man becomes angry against those who stand
as obstacles in the path of fulfilment. The desire is born of the quality
of Rajas. When desire arises, it generates Rajas and urges the man to
work in order to possess the object. Therefore know that this desire
is man’s foe on this earth.
e*:ev:D:ö n:rksy::ðdö ¾arö
n:aS:n:m:atm:n:H .
kam:H #:ðD:st:T:a l::ðB:st:sm:adðt:t*:y:ö ty:j:ðt:Î ..
trividhaü
narakasyodaü dvàraü nà÷anamàtmanaþ |
kàmaþ krodhastathà lobhastasmàdetattrayaü tyajet ||
Triple is the gate of this hell, destructive of the Self—lust,
anger, and greed, therefore one should abandon these three. Gita Ch.
XVI-21.
Lust, anger and greed,—these highway robbers will cause a man
to fall into the dark abyss of hell, misery and grief. These are the
three fountain-heads of misery. These three constitute the gateway leading
down to the lowest of hells. These are the enemies of peace, devotion
and knowledge.
#:ðD:a»v:et: s:öm::ðhH s:öm::ðhat:Î
sm:àet:ev:B:Òm:H .
sm:àet:B:ÒöS:adÏ b:Øe¹n:aS::ð b:Øe¹n:aS:at:Î )N:Sy:et: ..
krodhàdbhavati
saümohaþ saümohàt smçtivibhramaþ |
smçtibhraü÷àd buddhinà÷o buddhinà÷àt praõa÷yati ||
From anger comes delusion, from delusion the loss of memory; from
loss of memory the destruction of discrimination; from destruction of
discrimination he perishes. Gita Ch. II-63.
S:Vn::ðt:ihòv: y:H s::ðZÙö
)akÏS:rirev:m::ðx:N:at:Î .
kam:#:ðD::ð»v:ö v:ðg:ö s: y:ØVt:H s: s:ØK:i n:rH ..
÷aknotãhaiva
yaþ soóhuü pràk÷arãravimokùaõàt |
kàmakrodhodbhavaü vegaü sa yuktaþ sa sukhã naraþ ||
He who is able to resist the force of desire and anger even before
he quits his body—he is a Yogin, he is a blessed man. Gita Ch.
V-23.
kam:#:ðD:ev:y:ØVt:an:aö y:t:in:aö
y:t:c:ðt:s:am:Î .
AeB:t::ð b:ÒÉen:v:aüN:ö v:t:üt:ð ev:edt:atm:n:am:Î ..
kàmakrodhaviyuktànàü
yatãnàü yatacetasàm |
abhito brahmanirvàõaü vartate viditàtmanàm ||
Those who are free from desire and anger, and who have subdued their
minds and realised themselves—around such austere men lies the
beatitude of God. Gita Ch. V-26.
Anger is a negative Vritti or whirlpool in the mind-lake. It is born
of ignorance.
It is a strong emotion, excited by a real or fancied injury and involving
a desire for retaliation.
Anger is the natural passion or emotion of displeasure and antagonism
aroused by injury or insult, real or imagined, and directed against
the cause thereof. Anger arises from an idea of evil having been inflicted
or threatened.
Anger is often accompanied by a desire to take vengeance, or to obtain
satisfaction from the offending party.
It begins in folly and ends in repentance.
There fire you kindle for your enemy burns yourself.
When anger arises, think of the consequences. It will soon subside.
You think of objects of senses. Attachment to these objects develops.
From attachment desire is born. From desire anger comes forth. From
anger proceeds delusion; from delusion confused memory; from confused
memory the destruction of reason; from destruction of reason you perish.
Raga or attachment is a long-standing associate of anger.
Control anger through patience, enquiry, self-restrained love and meditation.
This is manly and divine. This is wise and glorious.
To become angry for trifling things is mean childish and brutal.
An angry man is angry with himself when he comes to his senses.
Anger is personal and usually selfish, aroused by real or supposed
wrong to oneself. Indignation is impersonal and unselfish displeasure
at unworthy acts. Pure indignation is not followed by regret and needs
no repentance. It is also more self-controlled than anger. Anger is
commonly a sin. Indignation is often a duty. We speak of “righteous”
indignation.
Raga drives one beyond the bounds of prudence of discretion. Fury is
stronger and sweeps one away into uncontrollable violence.
Wrath is deep and vengeful displeasure. It simply expresses the culmination
of righteous indignation without malice in a pure being.
Anger is a stronger term than resentment, but not so strong as “indignation”
which is awakened by what is flagitious in character or conduct, nor
as wrath, fury, rage in which anger is wrought up to a still higher
point in the order of these words. Anger is a sudden sentiment of displeasure,
resentment is a continued anger, wrath is a heightened sentiment of
anger.
It will be admitted on all hands that everyone without any exception
whatsoever, is a victim of this horrible malady. Indeed control of anger
will bring in its train supreme peace and immeasurable joy. As such,
let me presently describe in detail what anger is, its various forms,
how it affects the nervous system, its exact relationship with passion
and lastly the various practical methods that can be safely employed
to effectively eradicate it—root and branch. My one fervent appeal
to you all is that, you will apply yourselves heart and soul to the
eradication of this dire disease by following these valuable practices.
Anger is a Vritti or modification that arises in the mind-lake when
the Gunas—Rajas and Tamas—predominate. It is Rajo-Guna Vritti.
Some take it as a Tamo-Guna Vritti. It is a wave of unpleasant feeling
that arises from the Antahkarana, when one gets displeased with another.
It is in other words, a modification of desire or passion. Just as milk
is changed into curd, so also desire becomes changed into anger. It
is the most formidable enemy of peace, knowledge and devotion. It is
the straightest road to hell itself.
Anger is a manifestation of Sakti or Devi. In “Chandipath”
or “Durga Sapta-Sati” you will find: “Ya Devi sarvabhuteshu
krodharupena samsthita, namastasyai namastasyai narnastasyai namo namah.—I
bow again and again to that Devi who is seated in all beings in the
form of anger.”
It was Arjuna who asked Sri Krishna: “But what impels man to commit
sin, O Krishna, in spite of himself and driven as it were, by force?”
The blessed Lord said: “Kama esha krodha esha rojoguna-samudbhavah,
Mahasano mahapapma vidhyena-miha vairinam. Dhumenavriyate vahniryathaadarso
malena cha, Yathodbenavrito garbhah tatha tenedamavritam—It
is desire, it is wrath, which, springs from passion. Know that it is
our enemy here, a monster of greed and sin. As a flame is enveloped
by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an unborn babe by the womb, so
is this enveloped by that.” Gita: Ch. III-37&38. Then again
says Sri Krishna: “Trividham narakasyedam dwaram nasanamatmanah
kamahkrodhastatha lobhastasma-detattrayam tyajet—Three are
the gateways of this hell leading to the ruin of the soul—lust,
wrath and greed. Therefore let man renounce these three.” Gita
Ch. XVI-21
Anger resides in the Linga Sarira (astral body), but it percolates
into the physical body just as water percolates through the pores to
the outer surface of an earthen pot. Just as heat melts lead, just as
heat and borax melt gold, so also Kama and Krodha—the heating factors
of the mind—melt the mind.
Anger begets eight kinds of vices. All evil qualities and actions proceed
from anger. If you can eradicate anger, all bad qualities will die by
themselves. The eight vices are; injustice, rashness, persecution, jealousy,
taking possession of others’ property, killing, harsh words and
cruelty.
When a man’s desire is not gratified and when someone stands in
the way of its fulfilment, the man becomes angry. The desire gets transformed
into anger. When one is under the sway of anger, he will commit all
sorts of sinful deeds. He loses his memory, his understanding becomes
clouded and his intellect gets perverted.
“Krodhat bhavati sammohah sammohat smriti-vibhramah: Smritibhramsat
buddhinaso buddhinasat pranasyati.”
“From anger comes delusion, from delusion, the loss of memory;
from loss of memory, the destruction of discrimination; from destruction
of discrimination he perishes.”
Anger is the greatest enemy. Contentment is the Nandana garden (the
heavenly flower of Indra) and peace is the Kamadhenu. Therefore, take
to forgiveness. Atman is different from the body, the Indriyas, Prana
and the intellect. It is self-effulgent, unchangeable, pure and formless.
An angry man commits murder. He himself does not know what he is exactly
doing. He becomes emotional and impulsive. A man when he is angry will
talk anything. He will do anything he likes. A hot word results in fighting
and stabbing. He is under intoxication. He loses his normal consciousness
for the time being. He falls a prey to anger.
Irritation, frowning, resentment, indignation, rage, fury, wrath are
all varieties of anger, according to the degree of intensity. If a man
wants to correct another man and manifests slight anger unselfishly,
as a force to check and improve him, then it is called “righteous
indignation” or “spiritual anger.” Suppose a man molests
a woman and tries to outrage her modesty and a bystander becomes angry
with the criminal, it is called “righteous indignation” or
“noble rage.” This is not bad. Only when the anger is the
outcome of greed, of selfish motives, it is bad. Sometimes a religious
teacher has to manifest a little anger outwardly to correct his disciples.
This is not bad. He has to do it. But he should be cool within and hot
and impetuous without. He should not allow the anger to take deep root
in his Antahkarana for a long time. It should pass off the next moment
even as a wave subsides in the sea.
If a man becomes irritable for trifling things very often, it is a
definite sign of mental weakness. When a man abuses you, and when a
man takes away your cloth or coat, if you keep quiet, that is a positive
sign of inner strength. Self-restraint, or self-control is a sign of
great mental strength. An easily irritable man is always unjust. He
is swayed by impulses and emotions.
Anger gains strength by repetition. If it is checked then and there,
man gains immense strength of will. When anger is controlled, it becomes
transmuted into spiritual energy that can move the three worlds. Just
as heat or light is changed into electricity, so also anger becomes
changed into Ojas. Energy takes another form. Energy is wasted enormously
when one gets angry. The whole nervous system is shattered by an outburst
of anger. The eyes become red, the body quivers, the legs and hands
tremble. No one can check an angry man. He gets enormous strength for
the time being and gets a collapse after sometime on account of reaction.
Instances are recorded wherein women have killed their children by
nursing them with breast-milk when they were in a fit of anger. Various
poisons are thrown into the blood when one is angry. Fiery dark arrows
shoot out from the astral body. These can be seen clearly by clairvoyant
eye. In the light of modern psychology, all diseases take their origin
in anger. Rheumatism, heart-disease, nervous disease are all due to
anger. It takes some months for the restoration of normal equilibrium
in the nervous system.
Passion is the root and anger the stem. You will have to destroy the
root (passion) first. Then the stem (anger) will die by itself. A passionate
man is more angry. A Brahmachari who has preserved his Veerya always
keeps a balanced mind. He has a cool brain at all times.
The root cause of anger is ignorance and egoism. Through Vichara (right
enquiry), egoism should be removed. Then alone can one control his anger
completely. Through development of the opposite virtues such as Kshama,
love, Santi, Karuna, friendship, etc., anger can be controlled to an
enormous degree. The force can be reduced. Atma-jnana alone can fry
all Samskaras of anger and eradicate it in toto.
If an aspirant has controlled anger, half of his Sadhana is over. Control
of anger means control of lust also. Control of anger is really control
of mind. He who has controlled anger cannot do any wrong or evil action.
He is always just. It is very difficult to say when a man will be thrown
into a fit of fury. All of a sudden he gets an irresistible fit of anger
for trifling matters. When anger assumes a grave form, it becomes difficult
to control. It should therefore, be controlled even when it is in the
form of a small ripple in the subconscious mind (Chitta). One should
watch his mind very, very cautiously. Whenever there is the least symptom
or indication of light irritability, then and there it must be nipped.
Then it becomes very easy to control anger. Be careful and vigilant
and watch the ripple, then only you are a sage.
Whenever there is a little irritability, stop all conversation and
observe Mouna (the vow of silence). Practice of Mouna daily for one
or two hours is of great help in controlling anger. Always try to speak
sweet soft words. The words must be soft and the arguments hard; but
if the reverse is the case it will lead to discord and disharmony. There
is a sharp sword in every tongue.
If you find it difficult to control anger, leave the place at once
and take a brisk walk. Drink some cold water immediately. This cools
down the body and mind. Chant ‘OM’ loudly like a lion for
ten minutes and then chant ‘OM SANTI’ mentally or verbally
for five minutes.
Think of the picture of your Ishtam. Pray. Repeat your Ishta Mantra
for ten minutes. Gradually the anger will vanish.
Find out the real cause of your anger and try to eradicate it. If a
man abuses you and calls you names, you become furious at once. Your
blood becomes hot. Why do you feel offended when he calls you ‘a
dog’ or ‘a donkey’? Have you developed now four legs
and tail like a dog? Why do you get excited for little things? Enquire:
What is this abuse? Is it not mere vibration in the ether? Am I body
or Atman? No one can injure Atman. The Atman of the abuser and the abused
is one. Do I really gain anything by retaliating? I waste my energy.
I hurt the feeling of another man. I disturb and pollute the thought
world. I do real harm to the world by sending a current of hatred. This
world is unreal. I will live here for a short time only. Let me bear
this insult. Let me excuse him. I will develop inner mental strength
and power of endurance. You can thus very effectively eradicate the
feelings of anger. A time will come when you will not be irritated even
a bit by harsh words, abuses and insults, of this kind. You will not
pay the least heed if a man says that such and such a man has said bad
words against you. You will simply laugh the whole matter away. An irritable
man is very weak and has no mental strength.
You must try to remain cool even in the most provocative conditions.
If you are hungry and if you suffer from any disease, you generally
become more irritable. If you have some troubles, difficulties or loss,
you get irritated for little things. If a Sannyasi who lives in the
cave says that he has controlled anger, you cannot believe him. The
waves are for the time being suppressed. There are no opportunities
for his getting irritated. If some transactions take place, if he is
ill-treated, he will again manifest his anger. The world is a better
training college for the control of anger.
An aspirant should direct all his attention towards the conquest of
this powerful enemy. Sattvic food, Japa, regular meditation, prayer,
Satsanga, service, Vichara, Kirtan, practice of Pranayama and Brahmacharya—all
are some of the most potent factors that pave a long way in eradicating
this dire malady. A combined method should be adopted in its eradication.
Smoking, meat-eating and drinking of liquors make men very irritable.
Therefore, these should be completely abandoned. Be careful in the choice
of your company. Give up the companionship of evil characters. Talk
little. Mix little. Plunge yourself into the spiritual Sadhana. Develop
Kshama (forgiveness), Visva Prema (cosmic love), Karunya (mercy) and
Nirabhimanata (absence of egoism).
Meditate in the morning on the virtue of patience for ten minutes.
Reflect and repeat the formula ‘OM PATIENCE’ mentally several
times daily. Remember the saints and their lives. Say unto yourself:
“I am patient now. I will never get irritated from today. I will
manifest the virtue of patience in my daily life. I am getting better
and better.” Feel that you possess a magazine of patience. Think
of the advantages of possessing this virtue and the disadvantages of
irritability. You may fail many times but you will develop patience
gradually and become an embodiment of patience.
“He who is able to resist the force of desire and anger even before
he quits his body—he is a Yogin, he is a blessed man.” (Gita
Ch. V-23)
“Those who are free from desires and anger and who have subdued
their minds and realised themselves—around such austere men lies
the beatitude of God.” (Gita Ch. V-26)
Do not identify yourself with the Vritti of anger. When a wave of anger
arises in the mind-lake, stand as a witness of the Vritti. Become indifferent.
Say unto yourself: “I am witness of this modification. I am distinct
from this Vritti. I have nothing to do with this wave.” Then this
Vritti will die by itself. It will not disturb you. Identification with
the Vritti is the cause of human sufferings. Identify yourself with
the Self. Stand like a lion, as a spectator of the mental menagerie.
Live in the spirit of the above two Slokas. Eradicate anger. Manifest
inner spiritual strength. Realise Satchidananda Atman. Glory unto those
who have rooted out their anger and attained knowledge of the Self!
It is usual to regard Anger as a corollary or counterpart of desire,
since it usually appears when desire becomes frustrated. Psychologically,
the two are interrelated. Yet from the point of view of the spiritual
Sadhaka whose main task is to purify the mind, anger is a more powerful
foe than desire. It is worthwhile analysing the cause of the defeat
too frequently sustained by the Sadhaka when he wages war with anger.
First, it has to be remembered that the Sadhaka has to carry the fight
all alone and unaided. In this encounter with Kama, he has the co-operation
of Society. Public opinion bears the brunt of the warfare. If he reveals
his Kama in its objectionable form he falls in the estimation of those
whose good opinion he values. To be calumniated by his detractors is
wounding to his vanity. To be reproved by his friends is painful. To
be thought ill of even by those towards whom he is indifferent is displeasing
to him. All these thoughts are positive aids in carrying out his mental
fight with Kama. Far different is his condition when he attempts to
conquer anger. Exhibition of temper is not regarded as a moral delinquency
by the public. Provocation is put forth as an excuse and justification
for reprehensible outbursts of anger, and is accepted as a mitigatory
plea by the indulgent public. Society seems to stand still with folded
arms when an angry person frets, fumes or raves. It would appear that
‘society’ even goes to the enemy’s camp and goads it
(anger) to strike harder and harder so as to thoroughly overpower the
lonely victim. Not infrequently are found a good many who irritate an
already angry man merely for the fun of seeing him infuriated. Men are
so callous by nature that they are pleased when gazing upon the antics
of a lunatic, and the difference between an angry person and a maniac
is only one of degree. The result is that the spiritual Sadhaka, when
assailed by his arch enemy anger, is too often overpowered.
Secondly, there operate certain sentiments which put on the cloak of
virtues and misguide the unwary spiritual pilgrim. One such is named
self-respect. Forgetful of the fundamental truth that the aspirant should
be indifferent alike to praise and censure, he takes his stand on self-respect—after
all a slippery and unreliable foothold—and in his over-anxiety
to protect it, fails to notice the stealthy approach of his foe anger,
till it is too late. ‘Love of country.’ ‘Duty to one’s
own wife and children’, ‘solicitude for the needy and the
poor’ are all wrongly regarded as justification for getting angry.
Whatever may be the value of these sentiments from the point of view
of the community or the nation, they should not cloud the understanding
of the spiritual Sadhaka, whose one and only aim should be to conquer
his mind.
Anger, like fever, is a symptom which shows that something has gone
wrong in the inner mechanism. The mental machinery gets heated for want
of timely lubrication. The most effective of all lubricants is Introspection
or Reflection. Even the most angry man realises his folly after his
anger is spent out. It is then that he begins to reflect upon what he
did. If this reflection had come to him before he got angry, he would
not have got angry at all. But that would be possible only if he had
made reflection or introspection over his habit. The habit must be formed
in good time if the evil is to be averted.
Anger makes everybody its slave and victim. It breaks the friendship
of even very intimate friends. It even induces wives to quarrel with
their husbands and make them file suits. It excites all. It holds sway
more or less over the whole world and the Devatas also.
Anger destroys reason and makes man do things which cannot be dreamt
of. Under the influence of anger man abuses, insults and even murders
his father, brother, wife, Guru or king and repents afterwards.
Anger influenced even Hanuman the mightiest Brahmachari to burn Lanka.
He lost his understanding and then repented “Alas! I have burnt
the whole of Lanka under the influence of anger. This fire might have
burnt Mother Sita also. What shall I do now? How can I return without
Janaki Devi? I became a victim to anger. How powerful is anger? I am
a powerful Brahmachari. I have destroyed passion to its very root and
branch and yet I have not controlled anger. How powerful it is! It is
more powerful than passion.”
Too much loss of semen is the chief cause of irritability and anger.
Passion is the root and anger the stem. You will have to destroy the
root (passion) first, then the stem (anger) will die by itself. A passionate
man is more angry. A man who has wasted his seminal energy becomes irritated
soon for little things even. A Brahmachari who has preserved his Veerya
always keeps a balanced mind. He has a cool brain at all times.
Eradicate anger. Manifest inner spiritual strength. Realise Satchidananda
Atman. Glory unto those who have rooted out their anger and attained
knowledge of the Self!
1. Be alert. Pray. Do more Japa. Practise Vichara. Keep a watch over
your mind. Be silent. Observe Mouna daily for an hour. Forget and forgive.
Bear insult and injury. Observe Brahmacharya.
2. See God in all. Submit to God’s will. Then you cannot get angry.
3. In the morning meditate on the virtue of patience. Manifest it during
the day. Take a vow ‘I will practise endurance and Kshama (forgiveness)
during the day’.
4. Speak sweetly. Speak little.
5. Mix little. Have congenial company. Have Satsanga. Read spiritual
books.
6. Remember the lives of saints like Ekanath, the Avanti Brahmin of
the llth Skandha of the Bhagavata. You will derive inspiration. You
will develop love and Kshama.
7. Give up intoxicating liquors, meat and tobacco.
8. Remember the Gita Slokas describing anger as monster and gate to
hell. (Ch. III-37 and Ch. XVI-21).
9. If you find it difficult to control anger, leave the place at once.
Take a long walk. Drink cold water. Repeat ‘Om Santi’ l0 times.
Do Japa of your Ishta Mantra or count from 1 to 30. Anger will subside.
10. Stand as a witness of the Vritti of anger. Be indifferent to it.
Do not identify yourself with it. Identify yourself with the Atman.
Fill the mind with ideas of love, joy, etc.
11. Develop patience to a considerable extent. People lose their temper
when they become impatient. Allow the mind to dwell constantly on the
opposite of anger, the virtue of patience. This is the Pratipaksha Bhavana,
method of Raja Yogins.
12. Do not give vent to anger. Control the body first. Have physical
control. Practise this again and again. Be regular in your Japa and
meditation and Kirtan. This will give you great inner spiritual strength.
13. Food has a great deal to do with irritability. Take milk, fruits,
Moong-ki-dall, curd, spinach, barley, groundnuts, butter milk. Do not
take carrots, onion, garlic, cauliflower, Massoor-ki-dall and drumstick.
14. Observe Mouna for two hours daily. Occasionally observe Mouna for
a whole day. This will put a check on the impulse of speech. When a
man gets excited, he speaks anything and everything. He has no control
over the organ of speech.
15. Prana entwines the mind like a creeper. Pranayama leads to the
control of mind. Pranayama will put a break on the impulse of speech.
It will give you abundant energy to check anger.
16. Do not argue much. Do not retort. Speak sweetly always. Do not
use abusive words. Become a man of measured words. If a man abuses or
insults you, keep quiet. Identify yourself with Atman. Atman is the
same in all. It can never be hurt or insulted.
17. A Vedantin denies the body and mind as illusory sheaths. He does
Vichara, enquires, ‘who am I’ and practises ‘Neti-neti’
‘not this, not this’. ‘I am not body’. ‘I am
not mind’. ‘Chidanandarupah Sivoham’. ‘I am blissful
Siva or Atman.’ He identifies himself with Brahman or Atman, the
Eternal. The world is unreal for him. He chants OM, sings OM and does
Japa of OM and meditates on OM and derives soul-power and spiritual
strength.
18. If you entertain Mithya Drishti, Dosha Drishti, if you look into
the defects of anger and the benefits of patience, you will never become
angry.
19. The combined method is more effective. If one method fails, take
recourse to the combined method. Do Japa, Pranayama. Sometimes do Vichara.
Anger is very powerful; it can destroy all Tapas.
It subdued Durvasa. It conquered Yajnavalkya.
It is the enemy of peace. It is the foe of knowledge.
It is born of Rajo-Guna; irritability is another form.
It is all-devouring. It is all powerful.
It is the gate of the hell. It destroys the Atmic Pearl.
When desire is not gratified, it manifests in the mind-lake.
It makes the Jiva senseless, it makes him do all Adharmas.
It makes him more furious. It makes him its slave.
It makes him perfectly blind. It makes him lose his understanding.
Anger Has Its Raison D’etre
If there is no desire
There will be no activity;
The whole world will come to a standstill.
But you will have to convert all desires
Into one strong desire, Mumukshutva.
Anger has its usefulness.
Mother punishes the child for its correction.
A king punishes the criminal for his correction. Anger gives protection.
Convert Moha into attachment for God.
Convert greed for money into generosity and charity.
You will be elevated.
Forms Of Hatred
Jealousy is hatred
Anger is hatred
Ghrina is hatred
Irshya is hatred
Asuya is hatred
Amarsha is hatred
Remove hatred through love,
Prayer, Japa, service and meditation.
Boomerang
Anger acts as a boomerang
Because it injures the man
Who becomes angry.
It comes back to the angry man
And does harm to him.
Therefore control anger
By Kshama, love, enquiry and service.
Ill-Effects Of Anger
Anger is born of ignorance.
Anger is a modification of desire.
Anger arises from avarice, selfishness.
Anger arises when one is insulted, abused, criticised,
When his defects are pointed out.
Anger springs when a desire
Is not gratified.
Anger comes when someone
Stands in the way
Of gratifying one’s desire.
Anger manifests from loving
One’s own opinion.
From desiring to be honoured
From imagining that, one
Is wiser and superior than everybody.
Anger obstructs reason
Anger clouds understanding
And poisons the blood, nerves and the whole system.
Annihilate anger through love, forgiveness, enquiry, devotion, discrimination.
Wisdom, prayer, service, Sattvic food.
Selflessness, desirelessness,
Japa, meditation, Nitya-Drishti,
Dosha-Drishti and Tanmaya-Drishti.
Dialogue On Anger
Anger: I will make the people blind and deaf. I will overpower
them with wrath and suffocate them with rage. I will catch hold of even
wise men. They shall neither hearken to what concerns their own happiness,
nor reflect what they had read in the scriptures.
Instigated by me, Indra killed Vritra, the son of Tvashtra; Lord Siva
cut off the head of Brahma; the Kaushika killed the sons of Vasishtha.
In a moment I can destroy even the learned, the famous, those who are
attentive to duties, charitable and the mighty potentates.
I can infuse fury, resentment, wrath, indignation into the minds of
all in the twinkling of an eye. I am very powerful. I will disturb the
Tapas of the aspirant and even Yogis and destroy serenity.
The Jiva: Alas, who will help me now?
Kshama: I will. I will pull out the venomous tooth of this demon,
Anger.
Visva Prema: I will. And I am the water to quench the fire of
anger.
Viveka: I will. When I rise, anger dies.
This is the Kutir of the famous Santananda. See the colourful board
proclaims: THIS IS THE ABODE OF SANTANANDA WHO HAS ACQUIRED COMPLETE
MASTERY OVER ANGER. “Come, let us have the Darshan of such a Mahatma,”
said a pious man to his friend.
“Oh, no, it is not so easy to control anger. Don’t be deceived.
What will you gain by the Darshan of this proud man who advertises his
angerlessness? If you wish, you can go in and have the Darshan of the
great soul! But, please stay there till the evening; and then tell me
if you would still admire the divine soul. I am off.” And he went
away.
When the pious soul entered the Kutir, little did he know that his
friend had set out to collect Instigators of Irritation.
“Maharaj,” said the pious man prostrating himself to the
Mahatma, “what a great and divine soul you are to have acquired
mastery over this formidable foe of man, Anger. There is no one in the
three worlds equal to you.”
“Even so it is, my friend. The man who has conquered anger is
greater than Brahma, Rudra and Indra; for even they were often overpowered
by anger.”
“Maharaj, will you kindly tell me the way to control anger?”
“O yes, gladly. Kindly remain with me and serve me. Even by such
service of Mahatmas, you will get over anger.”
And, the pious man became the Mahatma’s disciple.
Another young man entered: “Maharaj, you are the Mahatma who has
controlled anger?”
“O yes, did you not see the board outside?”
“Yes, yes, please tell me how you managed to do that.”
“By my strong will-power. There is nothing that a man of strong
will-power will not be able to do.
“Wonderful. Thank you.” The young man leaves the cottage.
Almost instantly another young man enters. “Maharaj, have you
controlled anger?”
“O yes, did you not see the board outside?”
“Yes, yes, please tell me how you managed to do that.”
“By meditation on the all-pervading Immortal Santa Atman that
dwells in all beings. When one Self alone pervades all, how can one
be angered against another, how can one abuse another, and how can one
harm or injure another? Through protracted meditation on this great
truth I have got over this anger which destroys the peace of man.”
“Wonderful. Thank you.” The young man leaves the cottage.
Instantly another young man appears.
“Maharaj, have you completely annihilated anger?”
“O yes, did you not see the board outside?”
“Yes, yes, Maharaj. But how did you manage to do that?”
“Come, sit down. I will tell you. You see passion and anger are
the twin children of Rajo Guna. Now if you persistently and diligently
cultivate Sattva in you, you can completely eradicate these Rajasic
qualities! I ate Sattvic food. I always entertained Sattvic thoughts.
I uttered Sattvic words, full of love, truth, solicitude and kindness.
I practised Sattvic Tapas. I performed Sattvic charity. I always studied
scriptural texts which increased the Sattva in the mind. I live and
move constantly in Sattvic atmosphere. Through Pranayama also I have
increased the Sattvic content of my mind. Friend, it is a long and hard
struggle. But at last I have achieved the goal. I have attained success
in my Sadhana. I am an embodiment of Sattva now. I am full of love;
anger has vanished.”
“Wonderful, Thank you.” The young man leaves the cottage.
At once another man enters.
“Maharaj, have you controlled anger?”
“O yes, did you not see the board outside?”
“Yes, yes, but I want to know how you achieved it.”
“I wish to go out to answer calls of nature. But never mind, my
duty towards you, my own Self, is more important. I will tell you the
secret. You see; anger has various forms. You are fully aware of the
grossest form. The blood boils; the eyes are blood shot! There is great
heat in the body; limbs tremble; lips quiver; fists are clenched; and
the man stammers and fumbles for words in great fury.
The subtler form of irritability you know about. In a milder form all
the symptoms I have just described exist here also. Still subtler is
displeasure. It is pride mixed with anger. With a sharp word or a grunt,
you dismiss the ‘nuisance’. These are all forms of anger.
In extremely subtle forms, anger becomes righteous indignation and pity.
The man who thinks that he is always in the right, gives vent to what
he calls righteous indignation in order to protect Dharma. If he does
not, he, in the lordly style pities the person who has offended him.
“Now I have got over and beyond all these forms of anger. Even
the Sattvic righteous indignation and pity do not trouble me now. I
first controlled the gross forms of anger. The anger arose in mind and
it subsided there itself. Then by meditation I controlled these subtle
ripples of irritability. By the diligent cultivation of a feeling of
oneness I got over the displeasure—form of anger. I cultivated
indifference towards wicked people and thereby got over the out-bursts
of righteous indignation and pity. Now I shine as Santananda radiating
peace and happiness to all.”
“Thank you, Maharaj, wonderful.” The young man leaves, crossing
the next at the threshold. Santanandaji rose from his seat and once
more attempted to leave the hall when the next young man accosted him.
“Maharaj, just a minute. Have you controlled anger?”
In a slightly raised voice Santanandaji said: “Yes, why do you
ask that question? Have you not seen the board outside?”
“Yes, Maharaj. But I want to know how I can do that.”
“I will tell you. Drink a glass of cold water when you find your
temper rising. Or count from one to twenty. Or, leave the place at once.”
And Santanandaji tried to leave the hall along with the young man when
the next one rushed in.
“Maharaj, have you controlled anger, and how?”
Visibly affected by this annoyance. “Only to avoid this constant
repetition of the truth, I have announced it on the board outside. I
have told the methods also to a number of people.”
“But I want to hear from your holy lips.”
“All right. Observe Mouna: You will be able to control anger."
“Thank you, Maharaj.”
“Look here,” said Santanandaji addressing the pious man who
came first and who had been watching all these proceedings, “see
that no one enters the Kutir for some time till I answer calls of nature,
bathe and have my food and rest.”
“Maharaj, if I begin to prevent them, they will quarrel with me
and I will lose my temper. I won’t do that. I want to be your true
disciple.”
At once another young man rushed inside, “Maharaj, you have completely
eradicated anger: And how?”
Santanandaji, addressing the first disciple; “Please ask him to
go away. I have to answer calls of nature urgently.”
“But won’t you share your secrets with me, Maharaj?”
pleaded the latest arrival.
“I won’t drive him out. Why should I lose my temper?”
said the first disciple.
“I will kick both of you out of my house,” roared Santananda.
“Good-for-nothing young man troubling me the whole day, without
letting me have a few moments respite. What do you think I am? A gramophone-box
or a radio-receiving set? I have told you once and more than once that
I have got over anger. And these people come again and again to trouble
me. Get out all of you and see me no more. If you stay here for a minute
more I will murder you. Here take this and get out if you don’t
believe that I have the strength to handle you.” He slaps the two
young men, drives them out and locks the door.
Outside, the pious man’s friend was waiting. “Have you had
the Darshan of the great Mahatma who has controlled anger? Are you satisfied?"
said he to the pious man who went in to have the Mahatma’s Darshan.
“It is not so easy to control anger. It can be controlled only
through God’s Grace. Continuous practice of humility is necessary.
Ego must be crushed. Cosmic love must be cultivated. Selfless service
must be ceaselessly and untiringly practised. Even then the seed of
anger will be there hidden in the bosom. You don’t know where it
hides itself. By Japa, meditation and ceaseless Sadhana with Isvarapranidhana
or self-surrender to the Lord; by constant prayer ”O Lord! I am
nothing; Thy Will be done" and “Lord, grant me freedom from
all vice,” you will be able to invite His Grace. Then, when the
all-pervading Self is realised and Jnana is obtained, then and then
alone will this greatest enemy of man, anger, be totally annihilated.
Well, well; in any case this Santananda had a little bit of success
in his Sadhana. He had also given us valuable hints on how to control
anger. We are all benefited. He had failed only because while he had
controlled anger to a certain extent, he had allowed vanity to grow
in him to the same extent. Anger only had taken the form of vanity in
him. Ego assumes various forms. All these forms are different in name
only. He who finds out the hiding places of this formidable ego and
through ruthless enquiry into the nature of the Ego and the nature of
the Self, which is the Reality behind this false ego, he and he alone
can be said to have controlled anger. He will not only have annihilated
anger, but he would have destroyed all vices. He will be humble, simple,
and divine, an embodiment of love and compassion. Come, we shall continue
our search for such a divine personality. His Darshan will purify us.
His service will elevate us to divine heights."
I
Nectar’s Child,
You can become a perfect Yogi when you have touched the superconscious
level.
Thinking of the past and anxiety about the future is a hindrance in
meditation.
When the restless waves of the mind subside, there arises gradually
divine Bliss.
The highest good is the vision of Truth Eternal and Imperishable in
your own Self.
May you shine as a dynamic Yogi.
May the Lord bless You.
—Sivananda
II
Immortal Atman,
Spirituality is a driving force in evolution. The Jiva flame wants
to join its source—Para Brahman.
The function of revelation begins when that of reason leaves off.
Arm yourself with the shield of discrimination. Build up the life of
calm, strength, repose and peace through meditation.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
III
To be kind and loving is charity.
To forget and forgive some harm done to you is charity. A kind word
said to a suffering man is charity.
Even a little meditation saves one from fear of death.
Spiritual progress is not measured by Siddhis, or powers, but only
by the depth of your bliss in meditation.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
IV
The purpose of life is the realisation of the essential Divinity in
man. The science of Yoga points out the way.
Yoga is primarily a process of self-culture. Practice of Yoga bestows
a rich and full life.
Practice of self-restraint, mental equipoise, truthfulness, compassion,
purity, selflessness and meditation constitutes the process of Yoga.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
V
Ethical discipline is a necessary pre-requisite for philosophical enquiry
and Self-realisation.
Ethics is an enquiry into the nature of good and is concerned with
an analysis of the concepts of good and bad, virtue and vice, right
and wrong. Goodness is love in action.
Supreme goodness is God. Goodness is virtue, benevolence.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
VI
Peaceful, auspicious and beautiful, radiant, ever-pure and immortal
is the nature of the inner consciousness, the Atman that pervades all
creation.
To realise this inner consciousness is the essence of Spiritual life.
Eliminate all that is negative and develop all that is sublime and
good.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
VII
Self-realisation is not a state of non-existence or mere blankness.
It is here and now. It is nothing to be attained afresh. You need not
reach or attain the Atman or the Supreme Self. You are indeed the Atman.
Self-realisation can be attained by men and women while living in the
world and while discharging their daily duties.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
VIII
Brahman or the supreme Self is realisable by this method of direct
vision or intuition though not knowable by the ordinary rational methods.
Unselfishness, love of all beings, and love of God are the three aids
to Self-realisation.
Without appropriate preparatory discipline, one cannot understand and
discover the truths of the Upanishads or Vedanta.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
IX
Know the Lord to be the One Real thing in the midst of unreal things.
Remember God. Take His Name always. Meditate upon Him. Feel His Presence
everywhere.
Trust in the Lord. Surrender yourself to Him.
He will bless you with peace, bliss, plenty, prosperity, immortality,
health and success.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
X
The grand aim of human life is to attain God. Have one strong desire
for attaining God-realisation.
Through a life of service, devotion, purification, charity, Sadhana
and meditation, attain the highest Self-realisation and dwell in Supreme
Bliss, Paramananda.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
XI
The Peace of the Eternal is abiding Peace that ever is the same. Peace
is the happy, natural state of man.
Selflessness, desirelessness, non-attachment, freedom from mine-ness
and craving, devotion to God, self-restraint, control of senses and
mind, bring happiness and peace of mind.
Peace of God fills your heart. Realise this supreme peace, through
devotion and meditation.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
XII
Neither art, nor science, nor erudition is necessary to approach God
or realise Him. What is wanted is a pure heart with love and devotion
to God, a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to Him alone,
for His sake alone and to love Him alone.
The foundation of spiritual life is absolute faith in God. This will
draw soon great grace from God.
May the Lord bless you.
—Sivananda
