By
Sri Swami Sivananda
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
Thirty-sixth Edition: 1998
(3,000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999
Website: http://www.divinelifesociety.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-066-5
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
Contents
This small book is a boon. It is your pocket Guru, handy friend, invigorating
tonic and soft goad. The flaming words of Sage Sivananda are stored
in this unique treasure-trove for you to take the fullest advantage
of. Every word is directly addressed to you.
Perhaps you are faced with a problem that defies your solution; turn
to any page and you are sure to find a way if not to solve better still
dissolve it. Perhaps you are assailed by doubt or despair that threatens
to envelop you in the darkness of gloom; it is then that you will realise
the fullest benefit that you can derive from this volume-turn to any
page and the light that emanates from it, is sure to dispel the darkness
of despair. Every page is filled with Divine Light, Power and Wisdom.
It is the spiritual aspirant, however, who will find that this handy
volume is more indispensable to him than his eye-sight; walking the
path to the great Goal, through the darkness that is Samsara he needs
Light to overcome the obstacles on the Path; to sustain his continuous
vigilance, to resist temptations and to march vigorously forward, he
needs Power; to save him from error, to keep the flame of discrimination
burning bright, and to enable him to realise his own essential nature,
he needs Wisdom. They are found in this volume.
-THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
CHAPTER ONE
Do you really want God? Do you really thirst for His Darshan? Have
you got real spiritual hunger?
He who thirsts for the Darshan of God only will develop love. Unto
him alone He will reveal Himself. God is a question of supply and demand.
If there is sincere demand for God, the supply will come at once.
Pray fervently like Prahlada. Sing like Radha. Repeat His name like
Valmiki, Tukaram and Tulsidas. Do Kirtan like Gouranga. Weep in solitude
like Mira over the separation from the Lord. You will have Darshan of
the Lord this very second,
Be righteous always. Never deviate from the path of righteousness.
Stand upright. Be bold. Be fearless. Practise Truth. Proclaim it everywhere.
March forward in the spiritual path. The light is within you. Fix the
mind on the Lord. Kill egoism and pride. Cultivate fellow-feeling and
universal brotherhood. Love all. You will have full life.
Control the senses. Pray fervently with intense faith and sincerity.
Have an unshakable conviction in the existence of God and in the efficacy
of spiritual practices. Be humble and simple. You will attain Immortality.
Get up at 4 a.m. daily. Practise to sing God's name in the early morning
hours in the form of Nama Kirtan (like, Govinda Jaya Jaya, Gopala
Jaya Jaya, Radha Ramana Hari Govinda Jaya Jaya). When you sing Hari's
Name, feel that the Lord Hari is seated in your heart and is hearing
all your songs.
Study systematically Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavatam, Vishnu Sahasranama,
Lalita Sahasranama from half an hour to one hour daily. Obey your parents.
Speak the truth at any cost. Speak little. Speak sweet.
May the Divine Flame grow brighter in you! May you tread the path of
righteousness and attain God-realisation in this very life!
Do thou always without attachment perform action which should be done;
for by performing action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme.
-Gita II-19.
When the thought of good becomes part and parcel of man's very being,
then he will not entertain any bad motive at all. He takes immense delight
in serving others, in doing good to others. There is peculiar joy and
Ananda in doing selfless service.
Expand. Purify your heart. Live in the true spirit of selfless service.
Live every second for the ideal and goal of life. Then and then alone
will you realise the true glory of selfless service. May you shine as
a dynamic Yogi by the practice of selfless service! May you enjoy the
true bliss of the eternal.
All the phenomena of nature are governed by one important law, the
law of causation, the law of Karma. It is that law that keeps up the
inner harmony and logical order of the universe. No phenomena can escape
from the operation of this mighty law.
The cause is bound in the effect and effect is in the cause. The effect
is similar to the cause. This world runs on this fundamental vital law.
This law is inexorable and immutable.
Any action is bound to react upon you with equal force and effect.
If you do some good to another man, you are really helping yourself.
Because there is nothing but the Self. "Atmaivedam Sarvam" is
the emphatic declaration of the Srutis or Upanishads. This virtuous
action will react upon you with equal force and effect. It will bring
you joy and happiness.
The power of prayer is indescribable. Its glory is ineffable. Sincere
devotees only realise its usefulness and splendour.
Sit not idly craving God to help thee, but be up and doing as God helps
those who help themselves. Do the best you can and leave the rest to
God.
Serve the devotees. Remain in their company. Do Japa and Kirtan. Study
Ramayana and Bhagavatam. You will soon develop devotion. The Divine
Grace will descend upon you.
Goal of life is God-realisation. Never forget this. Aspire ceaselessly
for His Grace. Thirst for His Darshan. Have constant Satsanga. You will
realise Him.
Practise Ahimsa. Speak the Truth. Have faith in God. Do everything
for the sake of God (Ishvararpan). Serve untiringly. Pray with complete
devotion. Fight with the mind and the Indriyas. Turn them towards God.
Weep for the separation from the Lord. You will have His Darshan.
Feel that God works through your hands, sees through your eyes, hears
through your ears. You will become a changed being. You will have a
new angle of vision. You will enjoy the Supreme Bliss.
Extract the essence from all scriptures, great or small just as the
bee does from flowers. Abandon all vain expectations and evil desires
and take refuge in the Supreme Lord.
Perceive the immanence of God in all objects. Be kind and compassionate
to inferiors, friendly to your equals and respectful to your superiors.
Get possession of the wealth of Vairagya. Cool your mind with the bliss
of the Self. Rejoice yourself in the ambrosia of the serenity of the
mind induced by the eradication of the Vasanas and the dawn of Tattva-Jnana.
Love is the immediate way to Truth or Kingdom of God or the vast domain
of perennial peace and joy. It is the life-principle of creation. It
was the driving force behind Mira, Tukaram and Gouranga.
Therefore, develop pure, unselfish love. Pure love is a rare commodity.
Cultivate it gradually. All your negative qualities like dislikes, prejudice
will be eradicated. Love is a great purifier of the mind.
Abandon all sorts of wrong beliefs, weaknesses, superstitions, wrong
notions, and ideas of impossibilities. Live in Love. Cling fast to the
faith in Divine Life. Aspire fervently and constantly to live in the
Divine. You will enjoy the Supreme joy.
Have equal vision for all. Give up dry idle talking. Learn to be wise.
Have unshakable faith in the name of God. Sing His Name. Feel His Presence
everywhere.
Do not be troubled by difficulties. Endure them patiently. Turn your
mind towards God. Walk like a spiritual lion. Break the bond of desire.
Cultivate Daivee Sampat such as mercy, peace, forgiveness tolerance
etc. You are bound to attain the highest knowledge and Bliss.
Pray fervently to the Almighty Lord for His Grace. Rise above the conventional
distinctions of mundane life. Dispel the cloud of ignorance by the dawn
of Jnana Surya, the Sun of knowledge. Do total unreserved self-surrender
unto the Lord. You will enjoy Peace.
Live a life of utter devotion to service. Fill your heart with fervour
and enthusiasm for service. Remember the Almighty Lord every moment.
Mould your character. Behave properly. Develop sympathy, affection,
benevolence, tolerance and humility. Come out of the centre of your
small narrow egoistic circle and have a broad vision. Speak gently and
sweetly in a courteous manner. Eradicate undesirable thoughts and desires.
Stick to your ideals, convictions and principles tenaciously, even
if the whole world opposes you. Stand up boldly on your own principles
of right conduct and right living. Follow the instructions of one preceptor.
You will attain the Supreme.
Love all. Be pure. Serve all with Atma Bhava. Have perfect control
over your senses. Rely on your own self. Aspire ceaselessly for the
Grace of God.
Do not make any difference between male and female. When you are in
the company of women, repeat the Mantra "Ek Sat Chit Ananda Atman."
The same Atman which is in your heart prevails in all the bodies of
women. The idea of sex will vanish. You will see God in them.
Feel that Lord Krishna works through all hands, sees through all eyes,
hears through all ears. Sing like Radha. Thirst like Gopis for His vision.
Lord Krishna's Grace is bound to come. He is the Immortal friend. Never
forget this. You will realise Him.
There is something dearer than wealth. There is something dearer than
a son. There is something dearer than a wife. There is something dearer
than Prana (Life). That something is thy Self, Inner ruler, Immortal
and All-Merciful Lord.
Be kind and compassionate. Be pure and gentle. Be sweet and loving.
Be humble. Be sympathetic. Be friendly to the poor. Live with them.
Serve them. Cheer them up when they are in difficulties. Be simple in
your life. Behold the Self in all. Give up the idea of diversity. Have
equal vision for all.
Do not use harsh words. Do not exploit others. Do not waste your energy
in idle talking and worldly gossiping. Renounce all attachments.
Do not make any difference between menial and respectable work. If
any one is suffering from acute pain in any part of the body, at once
shampoo the affected part very very gently. Feel that you are serving
the Lord in the body of the patient. Repeat your Ishta Mantra also.
If you see a man or animal bleeding on the roadside, tear your upper
cloth or shirt and use it for bandaging. Do not fight with the poor
porters at the Railway Station. Be liberal and generous. Keep always
some paise in your pocket and distribute them to the poor and decrepit.
When the heart is purified, the mind is naturally turned towards God.
Eventually it is absorbed in the Lord, through pure love, self-surrender
and worship.
Sins can be destroyed by charity.
Lord Jesus says, "Charity covereth a multitude of sins." In the Gita
you will find: "Yajno danam tapas-chaiva pavanani manishinam:
Yajna, charity and austerity are purifying to the wise."
Doing abundant, spontaneous and unrestrained charity to relieve the
pains of suffering humanity is an effective means to destroy evil nature;
give money like water. If you give, the whole wealth of the world will
be yours. Money will come to you. This is the immutable, inexorable,
unrelenting law of nature. Therefore give, give.
Be cheerful and happy. Away with depression and gloom. There is nothing
more infectious than depression. Drive the feeling of depression and
gloom at once by enquiry, singing divine songs, prayers, Pranayama,
a brisk walk in the open air, the thinking of the opposite quality viz.,
the feeling of joy.
Live only to be a blessing to others. Feel that all is light and Bliss
only. Do not allow the mind to see any external objects. Collect all
the dissipated rays of mind. Develop the power of attention. Throw interest
upon uninteresting objects and ideas. Many mental weaknesses will vanish.
The mind will become stronger and stronger.
Never grumble when you do service to others. Take delight in service.
Watch for opportunities to serve. Work is worship of the Lord.
Have an amiable, loving, social nature. Have sympathy, adaptability,
self-restraint, tolerance, love and mercy. Adjust yourself to the ways
and habits of others. Be balanced even when you are insulted, when others
use harsh words against you. Have equal mind in pleasure and pain, heat
and cold.
Karma Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of Light and Knowledge.
It expands the heart and breaks all the barriers that stand in the way
of oneness or unity. Karma Yoga is an effective Sadhana for Chitta Shuddhi
or purity of heart. Therefore do selfless service constantly.
Happiness results from good acts, pain from evil ones. Acts must always
bear fruits. Without action no fruit arises. Righteousness is the refuge
to attain to the feet of God. Everything can be attained by righteousness.
Refrain from injury to all creatures in thought, word and deed. Be
kind and charitable. Be liberal in your views. Have constant devotion
to Truth. Free yourself from anger, hatred and malice.
Worship your preceptors and elders with respect and devotion. Worship
the Gods with faith and sincerity. Be gentle towards wicked people.
You will enjoy great merit and fame herein and hereafter.
Develop virtuous qualities. Build up good habits. Do good. Meditate
regularly. Try to live in God. All defects, evil thoughts and all weaknesses
will vanish in toto.
Cherish no desire in your heart. Move amicably with all. Embrace all.
Love all. Develop adaptability and the spirit of selfless service and
penetrate into the hearts of all through untiring service and thus behold
the one Self in all.
Forget all the illusory names and forms. Feel and see Lord Krishna
in everything every moment. You will enjoy the Supreme Peace, Bliss
and Immortality.
Much of your subconsciousness consists of submerged experiences, memories
thrown into the background but recoverable. You can establish new habits,
new ideas, new ideals, new tastes and new character in the subconscious
mind by changing the old ones.
Think deeply. Cogitate. Reflect. Have constant Satsanga. Do selfless
service, Nishkamya Yajna. Develop the four means or qualification-Sadhana
Chatushtaya.
Do not jeer at any one. Do not frown at anybody. Restrain all your
senses. Be cheerful always. Do not look back. Divest yourself of desire
and wrath. Cast off pride. Turn your gaze inwards. Contemplate. You
will enjoy true happiness.
Just as the Sun collects all its rays at sunset and merges in the horizon,
collect all the scattered rays of your mind and merge into the Lotus
Feet of the Almighty Lord.
Do not give indulgence or leniency to the mind. Cultivate the spirit
of love and humility and Divine Compassion and tenderness like Lord
Buddha. Nurse the sick. Comfort and console the distressed and disappointed.
You will become Divine.
Develop the power of endurance. Open yourself to higher spiritual consciousness.
Fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Pray for mercy, light,
strength, peace and knowledge. You will surely get them. You will attain
Supreme Joy.
Control the mind skilfully and tactfully. Think rightly and clearly.
Discipline the organ of speech. Speak sweetly, gently, and truthfully.
Become a man of measured words.
Be humble and do prostrations to all beings mentally. Feel the Divine
Presence everywhere. Give up vanity, pride and hypocrisy. Never hurt
a man in thought, word and deed. Always do good and kind acts. You will
attain Supreme Peace and eternal happiness.
Attune your heart with the Lord by doing fervent and sincere prayer
daily. Be humble and simple. Practise morality. Develop contentment.
Drink the Bliss of the Soul.
Lust for power, material greed, sensual excitement, selfishness, passion,
passion for wealth and the lower appetites have drawn man from his true
life in Spirit into the materialistic life. He can regain his lost Divine
glory if he practises in right earnest the principles of Bhakti. Bhakti
transmutes animal nature into Divine Nature and raises him to the pinnacle
of Divine glory and splendour.
May you develop Bhakti so that it will lead you to attain Godhead or
Self-Realisation in this very life! May the spiritual flame grow brighter
in you!
Keep the Divine flame burning steadily. Treat everybody with respect.
View all with an equal eye. Behold the Lord in all beings. Have intense
and exclusive devotion for the Lord.
Do not be offended by trifling matters. Admit your faults if they are
pointed out by others. Thank the man who points out your defects. Pray.
Sing the Lord's Lilas. You will attain eternal happiness.
Use your intelligence. Intelligence is the most precious possession
that a man can acquire. Do everything in this world with intelligence.
Then only will you succeed in achieving all desired objects.
Just as dark clouds hide the burning Sun, so also the clouds of egoism
and Vasanas (desires) hide the Jnana Surya (Atman).
Keep up the unbroken current of Meditation. Kill the little ego! Develop
pure love. Surrender the fruit of action unto the Lord. Beseech Him
to bestow His Grace. You will drink the nectar of Immortality.
Wake up from the sleep of ignorance and materialism. Divert your attention
to selfless service and worship of the Lord. Develop brotherly feeling
towards all men. You will enjoy Supreme Peace.
Do not be offended by trifling matters. Cultivate an amiable loving
nature and adaptability. Admit your faults if they are pointed out by
others. Eradicate them and thank the man who points out your defects;
then only can you grow in spirituality and meditation.
Introspect. Look within. Try to remove your defects. This is the real
Sadhana. You will have to remove all your weaknesses. Many old vicious
habits will have to be cut out. Remove the defects of self-justification
and of self-assertive nature.
Be regular in Japa, Kirtan, meditation, study of Gita and Ramayana.
Observe Brahmacharya and Mouna. You will enjoy the Supreme.
Anger shatters the physical nervous system and produces deep lasting
impression on the inner astral body. Dark arrows will shoot from the
astral body. A terrible fit of wrath will produce deep inflammation
of the astral body. Have you realised now the disastrous consequences
of anger?
Do not become a victim of anger. Control it by Kshama, love,
mercy, sympathy, Vichara and consideration for others.
Fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Give the hands to work.
You will be able to do two things at a time by practice. The manual
work will become automatic, mechanical or instinctive. Your mind will
be at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. You can realise God even while remaining
in the world.
Spiritual life is not a mere idle talk. It is not mere sensation. It
is actual living in Atman. It is a transcendental experience of unalloyed
Bliss.
Tread the path of Truth and righteousness. Stick tenaciously to the
TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS. Be regular in your meditation. Do selfless
service. Cultivate all-embracing love. Develop Vairagya. You
will attain Immortality.
Lead a simple life. Let your thoughts be lofty. Fear God. Speak the
Truth. Love all. See your own Self in all. Be honest in all your dealings.
You will succeed in your life and God-realisation.
Never worry yourself on any matter. Be always cheerful. Use your common-sense
and reason always. Have a balanced mind always. Turn your mind towards
God. Sing His name. Thirst for His Vision. Be sincere at heart. The
Divine Grace will descend on you.
Have a strong determination and iron will. You have got everything
to transmute yourself into a sage. Apply yourself diligently and ignite
the spiritual dynamo within. Exert. Plod. Ignite. Realise.
Kindly develop faith in the Vedas and in the power of Mantras. Practise
regular Japa and meditation daily. Take Sattvic food. Do not overload
the stomach.
Obey the laws of nature. Take plenty of physical exercise daily. Perform
the prescribed duties at the appointed time. Develop simple living and
high thinking. You will realise God in this very birth.
May you remember the holy Names of the Lord at all times and live in
an ocean of divine ecstasy and divine communion! May you prosper gloriously!
You are the real master or governor of the whole world. You are bound
to none. Abandon all anxiety, fear and worry. Rest in Peace. Perform
worship of Atman at all times. Lead a regulated life. Mould your character.
Develop noble and virtuous qualities. Be righteous, and work for the
good of others. Be devoted to your preceptor. Develop the power of concentration.
Remove lust, egoism, anger, selfishness, pride, etc. You will get Chitta
Shuddhi or purity of heart. You will experience sublime divine feelings.
When the attraction and attachment for sensual objects vanish, knowledge
of Atman will dawn. You will enjoy the Supreme.
Neither birth nor learning makes one good. Good character alone makes
one good. He who has lost his character is himself lost. The cultivation
of good character leads to spiritual progress. Life is very precious.
Live in the spirit of Gita's teaching and work without expectation of
fruits and egoism. Think you are Nimitta in the hands of Lord Narayana.
You will become a Yogi soon. Have Nishtha with God and Cheshta with
hands like Bahurupi who has the Nishtha of a male and the Cheshta of
a female. You will be able to do two things at a time. You will become
one with the Lord.
Any number of zeroes have no intrinsic value unless number 1 (one)
is added before them. Even so the wealth of the three worlds is nothing
if you do not try to acquire spiritual wealth and if you do not strive
for Self-realisation.
Therefore live in the soul or the Self within. Add Atman to the life
here. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all
these things shall be added unto thee" (Lord Jesus). Just as the light
is burning within the hurricane lamp, so also the Divine Flame is burning
from time immemorial in the lamp of your heart. Plunge deep into the
chambers of your heart. Meditate on this Divine Flame and become one
with the Flame of God.
No event can occur without a positive, definite cause at the back of
it. Everything follows the law of cause and effect. This law is quite
mysterious. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says: "Gahana Karmano
gatih-Mysterious is the nature of action." All the physical and
mental forces in nature obey this grand law of cause and effect. Law
and Law-giver are one.
You can change your thoughts and habits and mould a new character.
You can become a righteous man and a saint by doing virtuous actions
and entertaining noble Divine thoughts. When you attain knowledge of
Self, you can rest in your own Svarupa. You can become identical with
the Law-giver and then the law of cause and effect will not operate
on you. You have conquered Nature.
Develop forgiveness. Give up idle talk. Study the sacred books. Observe
straight-forwardness, celibacy, innocence and equanimity under the opposite
conditions of pain and pleasure, gain and loss etc. Do no harm to any
being.
Have patience, adamantine will and untiring persistence. Stick to one
place, one spiritual preceptor, one method, one system of Yoga. That
is the way to positive success. Drive the feeling of depression and
gloom at once by enquiry, singing Divine songs, prayers, chanting of
OM, Pranayama, a brisk walk in the open air and thinking of the opposite
quality viz., the feeling of joy. Try to be happy in all states and
radiate only joy towards all around you.
Be free from desires. Thirst for the knowledge of God. Engage yourself
in performing selfless service. The Divine vision and intuition will
dawn in you.
Worship your father, mother, the teacher and guests as veritable Gods,
without regarding them as mere human beings. Pay them due reverence.
Serve them with great respect. Do not yield to fatalism. Change your
habits. Lead a virtuous life. Eradicate greed and anxiety. Give up vanity.
Be devoted to the Lord. The Divine Light will dawn in you.
Be sincere at heart. Don't run after the shadowy toys of name and fame.
Name and fame are illusory. They are mere vibrations in the air. Nobody
can earn an everlasting name in this Mayaic plane. Care not for the
little perishable things. Care for the everlasting Reality only.
Do constant selfless service silently with thoughts of God and Bhava
within. Never grumble or murmur when you do service to others. Watch
for opportunities to serve. Never miss a single opportunity. Create
opportunities. Create the field for good service. Be regular in Japa,
Kirtan, meditation and study of Gita and Ramayana. Control your emotions.
Observe Mouna and Brahmacharya. Have contact with sages and saints.
You will reap the Supreme Joy.
Just as the man who runs after two rabbits will not catch hold of any
one of them, so also a meditator who runs after two conflicting thoughts
will not get success in any one of the two thoughts.
Have only one Divine thought all times. Stick to it tenaciously at
any cost. Run after the thought with the greater vigour, strength and
one-pointedness. Success is bound to come. Do not be anxious. Do not
act according to the dictates of your mind. Act according to the words
of Sages and Saints. Mere remembrance of the high Souls destroys atheistic
tendencies of materialistic people, inspires and goads them to strive
for the final emancipation or Brahma-Jnana.
God is Truth. God is love. Speak the Truth. Love everyone. You will
realise Him quickly. Have Satsanga with Sadhus, Sannyasins and Bhaktas.
This alone can give you Viveka, Vairagya, spiritual strength and peace
of mind. There is no other way. Hunt out for Sadhus. They are everywhere.
Sincerity and earnestness are needed in you. They are ever ready to
receive you lovingly with outstretched hands.
By Satsanga your mind will be saturated as sugar in water with thoughts
of God, with Divine Glory, Divine Presence, with sublime soul-awakening
spiritual thoughts. Then only will you be established in the Divine
consciousness always. Then you can attain Self-realisation within the
time taken for the squeezing of a flower.
Name of the Lord is a potent unfailing antidote for those who are bitten
by the serpent of Samsara. It is a nectar (Amrita) that can confer immortality
and perennial Peace. Yama is terribly afraid of those who repeat the
names of the Lord. He cannot approach them. Repeat the name of the Lord
always and attain the fearless state.
May the Lord guide you in all your activities. May He enlighten your
path enabling you to achieve the goal of life, viz., Self-realisation,
your birthright. May you live drowned in a life of joy, bliss and prosperity!
Sankirtan is food for the mind and the Soul. Sankirtan is a Divine
tonic. Sankirtan is a potent healing balm for the shattered nerves.
Sankirtan is a celestial nectar. Drink the nectar daily by doing Sankirtan
in Brahmamuhurta and night.
The strength and intensity of devotion depends upon the completeness
of the self-surrender and sacrifice. As the vast majority of persons
keep certain subtle desires for secret gratifications, they do not grow
in devotion. The two obstacles to self-surrender are desire and egoism.
Worship the Lord at all times with all your heart and with all your
mind. Sing His glory. Remember His name always. All miseries will come
to an end. Your heart will be purified. The Lord will soon reveal Himself
to you. You will feel His Presence.
Pray fervently to the Lord for the descent of the Divine Light. Crave
for His Mercy. Weep for His separation on account of Viraha. Yearn for
communion with Him. Melt the mind in the Agni of Divine Love. Burn the
body in the fire of devotion. Drink the honey of Prem. Get yourself
intoxicated with the wine of Divine Love. Attain immortality and eternal
Bliss.
Control your mind, speech and actions. Speak the truth. Be calm. Discipline
the senses. Hear, recite, sing and meditate on the deeds, qualities
and Avataras of Hari.
Have exclusive devotion to the Lord. Give your whole mind to Him. Do
not allow any outside worldly impressions wherein there is an iota of
selfish desire to enter into your subconscious mind. Learn how to sing,
interchange devotion and love each other and speak to each other of
the glory of the Lord, till your hairs stand on end and sing and dance
till you lose yourself in devout contemplation.
Lord Siva is the Supreme Soul, the Antaryamin, the protector of all
beings. He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent. He was never born.
He never died.
If you are a true seeker of God, you will meet Him within a moment.
Remember Him always. Live by His name. Sing His praises. Search for
Him in your heart of hearts. Learn from the devotees the way to love
and serve Him, the support of your soul, the only sovereign of the whole
world, the Indweller of your heart and the inner Ruler.
May you remember the Holy names of the Lord at all times and live in
an ocean of divine ecstasy and divine communion! May prosperity attend
on you for ever.
Have intense faith in God and have proper understanding of the scriptures.
Take refuge in Vairagya. Do not waste time in idle gossiping. Time is
fleeting. Utilise every moment in His worship and service. Develop humility,
Kshama, patience and the spirit of service. Be sincere and true. The
Lord is quiet close to you in your heart. Cling to His Name with leech-like
tenacity. You will enjoy Supreme Joy.
Pray to God for purity, devotion, light and knowledge. Pray in any
way you like. Become as simple as a child. Open freely the chambers
of your heart. You will attain everything.
Prayer has tremendous influence. Mahatma Gandhiji is a great votary
of prayer, if the prayer is sincere and if it proceeds from the bottom
of your heart (Antarika), it will at once melt the heart of the Lord.
Lord Krishna had to run bare-footed from Dvaraka on hearing the heart-felt
prayer of Draupadi. Lord Hari, the mighty ruler of this universe apologised
to Prahlad for coming a little late when the latter prayed. How merciful
and loving is the Lord! Do not argue about the efficacy of prayer. You
will be deluded. There is no arguing in spiritual matters. Intellect
is a finite and frail instrument. Remove now the darkness of your ignorance.
You will enjoy the unalloyed bliss of the prayer.
CHAPTER TWO
Give up thirsting for sensual objects. Cling fast to the faith in the
Divinity. Aspire fervently and constantly. You will have pure mind.
Never hurt a man in thought, word or deed. Always do good and kind acts.
Purge yourself of all miseries and sorrows. Merge in calmness and silence.
You will attain supreme peace and eternal happiness.
Destroy the tossing of the mind through Viveka, constant meditation
and ceaseless Brahma Vichara (Atmic enquiry). Direct your attention
to selfless service and worship of the Lord. You will attain supreme
joy.
Follow the Truth always. Strive for it ever in thought, word and deed.
Be compassionate. Be bold. Resign yourself to the Lord. There is no
room for lamentation and despair.
Stick tenaciously to your principles and ideals. 'Do your duty without
looking to the fruits or consequences of your actions and God will be
with you. Become dispassionate. Learn to discriminate. Know thyself
and be free from attachment. You will go beyond "Time" and "Death."
Be always cheerful and smile away your worries. Follow the correct
principles of living. Be temperate in eating, drinking, sleeping, amusements
and in all other things. Cultivate a very strong faith in God.
Silence the surging emotions and bubbling thoughts. Do not be carried
away by the temptations of the world. Be careful. Be wise. Get away
from the company of worldly-minded persons. Put your heart, mind, intellect
and soul even in your smallest act. Always act with faith and determination.
Be firm in your resolve and fiery in your determination.
Do your duties properly. Be firm in your vows and true in speech. Possess
good character. Be kind to all. Conquer wrath. Become master of self.
Get rid of envy. You will soon attain God-realisation.
Take refuge in the Name of the Lord. Do not think very often of your
defects and weaknesses. Aspire fervently. Grow in spirituality. You
will attain Divinity.
Meditate on the glory and splendour of the Supreme Being who illumines
everything, who is indivisible, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute.
You will attain the Supreme.
You have got Svatantrya in action. You can do your Karma in any way
you like. You can become a Yogi or Jnani by right thinking and right
action. Man is not a helpless being. He has a free will of his own.
Therefore overcome all your unfavourable circumstances. Have courage.
Be bold. Never despair. You will succeed. There is nothing in the world
which cannot be achieved by a man by the right sort of efforts.
Wake up now. Open your eyes. Become a virtuous man. Do good actions.
Sing Hari's name. Have constant Satsanga. All evil habits will be eradicated.
Purify. Concentrate. Meditate. You will realise the goal.
"As a man thinketh, so he becometh" is one of the greatest laws of
nature. Think you are pure, pure you will become. Think that you are
a man, man you will become. Think you are Brahman, Brahman you will
become. Become an embodiment of good nature. Do always good actions.
Serve. Love. Give. Observe Brahmacharya and Mouna. Control anger. Make
others happy. Live to serve others. Then only will you enjoy happiness.
Do not allow the mind to go its own way altogether. Keep your Prana
and senses under your control, and bring the mind under your control
with the help of the intellect strengthened by Sattva.
Be slow to make a promise but be quick to carry it out. Cultivate an
amiable, loving nature and adaptability. Be courageous. Never despair.
Draw strength from within. Feel the divine presence everywhere. Dive
deep into the Divine source. You will realise the infinite bliss.
To live is to fight for the ideal and goal. Life is a series of awakenings.
Conquer the mind and the senses. These are your real enemies. Live under
lifelong vows. Conquer your internal and external nature. Fight against
the dark antagonistic evil forces, through Japa and meditation. Soar
high always in the realms of higher spiritual knowledge. Show your manliness
and spiritual strength now.
This world is a great school. It is for thy education. Be wise. Be
in the spirit of Yoga. Utilise all opportunities to the best possible
advantage. There is no such thing as bad. Your capacities and will-power
will develop. You will receive more of Divine Light, Knowledge, Purity,
Peace and Spiritual strength.
Smile with the flowers and the green grass. Shake hands with the shrubs,
ferns and twigs. Develop friendship with all neighbours, dogs, cats,
cows, human beings, trees, in fact, with all nature's creations. You
will have a perfect and rich life.
Open your eyes now. Wake up from your deep slumber and profound inertia.
Regain the lost divinity. Thou art Divine. Thou art Atman. Realise this
and be free.
Actions produce Samskaras or impressions or potencies. The impressions
coalesce together through repetition and form tendencies. Tendencies
develop into habits and character. The sum total of the tendencies of
a man is his character. Character generates Will. Therefore, if the
character is pure and strong the Will also will be pure and strong and
vice versa.
Therefore sow the seed of good habits at once. It will grow gradually.
It will assert itself to gain a seat in the body and mind, and work
by itself till it gets sanguine success. All the old morbid habits will
be destroyed. Feel that the whole world is your own home or body. Feel
that God dwells in all creatures of this universe. "Isavasyamidam
sarvam." You will attain the Supreme.
Look at the stupendous and magnanimous work turned out by Lord Buddha,
Sri Sankara and other Karma Yogins of yore. Their names are handed down
from posterity to posterity. Their names are still remembered. The whole
world worships them with reverence. Can you attribute an iota or grain
of selfish motive to their actions? They lived for doing service to
others. They had absolute self-abnegation.
Work cannot bring misery. It is the attachment and identification to
work that brings in all sorts of worries, troubles and unhappiness.
Understand the secret of Karma Yoga and work without attachment and
identification. You will soon attain God-consciousness. This is Jnana.
This is Jnanagni (fire of wisdom) which burns all fruits of actions.
Do you expect anything from your small son, if you do him something?
In a similar manner you will have to work for others also without expecting
anything. You will have to expand and think that this whole world is
your own Self.
It gives you a little pain in the beginning, because you have never
worked up to this time in this line of selfless and disinterested service.
When you have tasted a bit of the Bliss of selfless service, you can
never leave it. The force of service will induce you to work more with
great zeal and enthusiasm.
You will begin to feel that this whole world is manifestation of God.
You will gain immense inner strength and purity of heart. Your heart
will be filled with sympathy, mercy and pure love. Your spirit of selfless
service and self-sacrifice will grow ad infinitum.
Work is worship. Work is meditation. Serve everyone with intense love,
without any idea of agency, without expectation of fruits of reward.
You will realise God. Service of humanity is service of God.
"The Lord dwelleth in the hearts of all beings O Arjuna, by His illusive
power, causing all beings to revolve as though mounted on a potter's
wheel." (Gita.XVIII-61).
The spirit of service must deeply enter into your very bones, cells,
tissues, nerves, etc. The reward is invaluable. Practise and feel the
cosmic expansion and Infinite Ananda (Bliss). Evince intense zeal and
enthusiasm in work. Be fiery in the spirit of service.
A Karma Yogi says: "Do all works without expectation of fruits. This
will produce Chitta Suddhi. Then you will get knowledge of the Self.
You will get Moksha or Eternal Bliss and Immortality." This is his doctrine.
You will get purity of mind if you work in the spirit of the above
doctrine. This is a very great reward for your actions. You cannot imagine
the exalted conditions of a man of pure mind. He has unbounded peace,
strength and joy. He is very near to God. He is dear to God. He will
soon receive the Divine Light.
Work without any sort of motive and feel its effects, purity and inner
strength. What an expanded heart you will have! Indescribable! Practise,
feel and enjoy this state.
Even if you do a little service to the country or to the society or
to the poor sick people, it has got its own advantages and benefits.
It purifies your heart and prepares the Antahkarana for the reception
of the Knowledge of Atman.
The Samskaras or impressions of these good actions are embedded in
your subconscious mind. The forces of these Samskaras will again propel
you to do some more good actions. Sympathy, love, the spirit of patriotism
and service will be developed.
Serve any Society, Ashram, Mutt, or religious institution for 2 hours
daily in any way you like with Nishkama Bhava. This will purify your
heart. Remember that God is the foundation of the Society. Remember
that the whole world is the manifestation of the Lord (Virat Rupa).
Earth is Hari. Milk is Hari. Tree is Hari. If you serve with Narayana
or Atma Bhava, you will have a changed angle of vision. You will have
heaven on earth.
Keep the mind fully occupied. Get rid of all mental weaknesses. Do
not allow the Indriyas to run riot. Be ever vigilant and diligent. Hate
lust but not the woman. Hear the Divine whisper in silence. You will
enjoy the transcendental life.
Convert all activities into Yoga. Walk in the path of righteousness.
Wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Do not mix with undesirable persons.
Take recourse to Sattvic company. You will have much peace.
Expand. Evolve. Have a large heart. Mix with all. Be humble. Take refuge
in God. All torment will disappear. You will enjoy supreme Peace.
Work unselfishly with a disinterested spirit. Scrutinise your motives.
Your motive should be absolutely pure. Never care for fruits. But do
not become a victim of sloth or inertia. Pour forth all your energies
in the service of humanity, country, etc. Plunge yourself into selfless
service.
The manual work will become automatic, mechanical or instinctive. You
will have two minds. A portion of the mind will be in meditation and
Japa. Repeat the name of the Lord while at work also. Ashtavadhanis
do eight things at a time. This is a question of training of the mind.
You can train the mind in such a way that it can work with the hand
and can remember God at the same time. This is Karma Yoga and Bhakti
Yoga combined. This is the best Yoga.
Develop Sattvic virtues. Conserve energy. Keep your body strong and
healthy by regular exercise. Keep a true diary with a clean conscience
daily. Develop attention. Become a Spiritual Hero.
Always think rightly and act rightly. Never envy your neighbours. Entertain
noble and sublime thoughts. Have supreme self-confidence and courage.
Whatever you do, do with a will to succeed in your attempts. This is
the Sovereign secret.
Remember saints and sages. Draw inspiration from their teachings. Tread
the path of love. Drink freely the honey of devotion. Commune with God
and reach the eternal abode of God-consciousness.
This is the time when you should spend your time happily by doing regular
Japa and meditation. God has given you all conveniences and opportunities.
Remember Him and thank Him always.
Sing His glories. Hold Sankirtan at night with all the members of the
family. Be bold. Be cheerful. Be calm. Be contented. Be good. Do good.
Be pure. Be alert. Become a Jivanmukta in this very birth.
Keep your mind always busy in doing Japa, concentration, meditation,
study of religious books, Satsanga or in doing something useful.
Regularity in Sadhana is of paramount importance. Remember this point
always.
May you lead a contented and happy life singing the Lord's Name at
all times by doing selfless service, sharing what you have with others
and by regular Japa and meditation.
Keep a balanced mind always. Be cheerful and happy. Drive the feelings
of depression and gloom at once by enquiry, singing Divine songs, prayers,
chanting of Om, Pranayama, a brisk walk in the open air and thinking
of the opposite quality viz., the feeling of joy. You will be happy.
Apply yourself diligently to Yoga. Employ your skill and promptness.
Kill the thoughts and desires. Do not become a fatalist. Stand like
a lion. Exert. Aspire. You will attain independence.
Steady the mind. Fix it on the Lord. Plod on patiently like the farmer
at his plough. Be persevering. This is real Sadhana. Be regular in your
Sadhana. This will give you freedom, bliss, peace and immortality.
Be regular in your spiritual Sadhana. Regularity is of paramount importance.
Love all. Embrace all. Behold the Self in all. Develop cosmic love.
Grow spiritually strong day by day. Attain liberation. Enjoy bliss of
the Self and be free.
May you all be happy! May you all be free from disease! May you realise
what is good! May you abide in the Lord for ever!
The best medicine or panacea for all diseases and for keeping good
health is Kirtan, Japa and regular meditation. The Divine waves electrify,
rejuvenate, vivify, energise the cells, tissues, nerves, etc.
Another cheap but potent drug is to keep oneself always joyful and
cheerful. Study Gita daily one or two chapters with meaning. Keep yourself
fully occupied, which is a remedy to keep off thoughts of worldliness.
Stand firm on the rock of Truth or Brahman. Have a firm grip of the
reality, the self-luminous, immortal Atman or Soul. Equip yourself with
the four means.
Try to do daily as many virtuous actions as possible. Repeat mentally
or silently or with the breath, the name of the Lord such as Hari Om,
Sri Ram or your Ishta Mantra. Performance of virtuous actions is the
beginning of spiritual life.
Lead a simple natural life with high sublime thinking. Develop ethical
virtues, control the Indriyas and mind, practise meditation, realise
the Self and be free for ever.
Spiritual life is not an idle talk. It is actual living in the Atman.
It is a transcendental experience of unalloyed bliss. It is a life of
fullness and perfection.
Be self-controlled. Be just. Know the right. Keep your promise. Be
noble and impartial. Be like the ocean in depth of devotion, like the
Himavan in firmness.
Cultivate peace in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of
lust, hatred, greed, selfishness and jealousy. Know and feel always
that you are the all-pervading, immortal consciousness, the undying
eternal Atman.
Be courageous, candid and modest. Respect your superiors. Be ever vigilant.
Have perfect control over anger. Become the source of all good. Act
according to the words of sages and saints. Rely on your own Self. Endure
suffering patiently. Be patient. Persevere. Help is bound to come.
Be devoted to God. Purify the mind. Sit in a solitary place for some
hours daily. Withdraw all the senses from their objects. Bring the mind
under control. Turn it towards God. The Divine grace will descend upon
you.
Entertain holy desires. You will shine in Divine glory. You will be
placed in holy surroundings as Uttarakashi, Himalayas, Prayag, etc.,
where you can perform Tapas, Sadhana and meditation amidst holy persons
and can have Self-realisation.
Under the security of the changeless law of cause and effect, a man
can serenely proceed to achieve any thing he desires to accomplish.
Therefore entertain Divine thoughts. You are sure to succeed in your
well-directed efforts. In nature nothing is lost. Again as Bacon said:
'Nature is conquered by obedience.'
Do not think any more of your worldly concerns than is necessary to
determine your duty. Do your duty and leave the rest to. God. Have your
ideal, mottoes and principles. Adhere to them strongly and steadily.
Do not deviate from your ideals and principles even a fraction of an
inch.
Remember the goal and the purpose for which you have taken this physical
body. Watch the mind. Watch the Vrittis or thoughts. Drive them. Acquire
mental Vairagya, mental Sannyasa.
Cultivate a very strong faith in God. Faith is the gateway to God.
Faith can work wonders. Always act with faith and determination. Be
firm in your resolve and fiery in your determination.
Remember the saints and sages. Do prayer, Japa, Kirtan regularly. Have
contact with your Guru. Read religious books like Gita, Ramayana and
Bhagavatam. These will sow the seed of faith and increase it till it
becomes quite firm and unshakable.
The goal of life is God-realisation. Life is faith and illumination.
Faith is an important qualification for an aspirant. No faith, no devotion.
No faith, no Jnana.
Bad company, lust, greed, infatuated love for wife, son and property
and unwholesome food are the enemies of faith. Take bland, light, substantial
food.
Meditate. Realise Him intuitively this very second and enjoy the Bliss
of the Self.
Lord Hari manifested in the form of Lord Krishna and Rama for the protection
of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers and for the sake of firmly
establishing righteousness. Lord Krishna says: "The foolish disregard
Me when clad in human semblance ignorant of My Supreme Nature, the great
Lord of all beings."
Do not be carried away by the turbulent senses and the influence of
the Mayaic forces. By devotion and faith know Him in essence and through
His grace attain Supreme Bliss, Supreme Peace and Supreme Knowledge.
Conserve every bit of energy within. Do not waste the time and energy
by entering into hot discussions, lingual warfare and intellectual gymnastics.
Give up arguing and discussions entirely. You will progress in the spiritual
path.
Expel delusion and cultivate devotion unto Siva, the Lord of Lords,
the Deva of Devas, the Yogi of Yogis.
If you meditate for half an hour, you will be able to face the daily
battle of life with peace and spiritual strength for one week through
the force of meditation. Such is the beneficial effect of meditation.
As you have to move with different minds of peculiar-nature, get the
requisite strength and peace from meditation and be free from worry
and trouble.
Lead a life of austerity and meditation. Come out of your small narrow
egoistic circle and have a broad vision. Beware of bad company. Even
a sober man begins to drink in the company of drunkards.
Be patient in difficulties, danger, troubles. Stand adamant and overcome
obstacles. Have a burning desire for liberation. Annihilate Ajnana through
Satsanga, Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana.
Master your emotions, impulses. Be strong in your determination. Be
firm in your resolution. You will get success in every walk of life.
Practise Ahimsa and Brahmacharya in thought, word and deed. Practise
Saucha and Arjava (straight forwardness). Try to keep up balanced mind.
Be cheerful always. Keep up Shuddha Bhava. Try these three kinds of
Tapas (physical, verbal and mental) and control your actions.
Be careful in your speeches. Speak little. Speak sweet loving words.
Never utter any word of harshness that can affect the feelings of others.
Try to speak the truth. Thus put a check on the Vak Indriya and the
impulses of speech.
Kill the evil thought with the sword of Viveka when it tries to enter
the fort of the mind. Thus you can build a noble character.
Purify your mind. Withdraw all the senses from their objects. Bring
the mind under your control. Introspect. Direct your attention towards
the knowledge of God.
Become a true Brahmachari. Get established in mental and physical Brahmacharya.
Take Sattvic food. Develop Vairagya. Have perfect faith in God.
Put on the armour of discrimination. Wear the shield of dispassion.
Blow the conch of courage. Kill the enemies of doubt, ignorance, passion
and egoism and enter the illimitable kingdom of the blissful Brahman.
Drink the Nectar of immortality.
Courage, power, strength, wisdom and joy are your Divine heritage,
your birthright from the Absolute. You are the centre of thought, influence
and power. Never forget this.
The world is assailed by death. Days and nights are falling incessantly
like bolts. When one day passes away, remember that a part of one's
life wears away with it.
Apply yourself diligently to Yoga. Remember the Sages and Saints. Be
sincere. Develop mercy, love, friendship, feeling of brotherhood. You
will become one with all. You will see God in every face. You will enjoy
the unalloyed Bliss.
Try your best to keep cool and calm in difficulties, adversities and
trying conditions of life. Pray fervently from the bottom of your heart
and wait. Help is bound to come. Have firm, perfect and one-pointed
faith in God.
Develop universal sympathy and cosmic love of pure nature. Lead a life
of oneness and unity. Have deep concentrated right thinking.
Forget not the goal. Everyday place a step further towards the goal.
Maya will assume various forms. Watch, pray, conquer obstacles.
Remember the goal and the purpose for which you have taken this physical
body. Do not give indulgence or leniency to the mind. Watch the Vrittis
or thoughts. Drive them. Just as the soldier kills his enemies with
his sword when they enter the fort, take the rod of Viveka when the
mind raises its hood or Vritti and strike indiscriminately. Annihilate
the thoughts.
The goal of life is God-realisation. All desires are gratified by realising
God. God can be realised by pure, subtle reasoning. There is not an
iota of happiness in objects, because they are insentient. There are
mental uneasiness, discontentment and restlessness even in multi-millionaires
and kings.
All sorts of fears, miseries and troubles will melt away when the knowledge
of God dawns. You will be freed from the Samsaric wheel of births and
deaths with all its concomitant evils. Form a strong habit of remembering
God at all times. Control the senses. Be balanced in pleasure and pain,
heat and cold, praise and censure. Have unshakable faith and unflinching
devotion towards God.
Do not think of the past, nor plan for the future. Live in the present.
Believe in the glory of the Self. Regard all alike. Help the Self in
all.
Tear into pieces the veil of ignorance. Catch the fickle deer mind
with the snare of enquiry and Brahma Chintana. Ride the elephant of
Self-knowledge and reach the highest peak of Supreme Wisdom of the Self.
Melt all illusory differences. Remove all barriers that separate man
from man. Mix with all. Destroy the sex-idea by constantly thinking
on the Self or the sexless and bodiless Atman.
CHAPTER THREE
Attachment is the first child of Maya. This whole Lila of the Lord
is kept up by the force of attachment. There is in the mind gummy substance
which is like a mixture of castor oil, glue, gum-arabic, mucilage of
tragacanth, gluten paste, honey, glycerine, jack fruit's juice and all
other pasty substances of the world. The mind is glued, as it were,
to the objects with this mixture. Therefore the attachment is very strong.
Selfishness causes attachment. Attachment is the root-cause for all
the miseries and troubles of this world. Work incessantly without an
identification. Then alone you can have real happiness. You will yourself
feel that you are a different being. This is the master-key to open
the realms of Brahmic Bliss.
Look out for an unchangeable, infinite and Supreme happiness which
must come from a Being in whom there is no change. Search and find out
such Being, and if you could only succeed in your quest, then you can
get that unalterable happiness from Him.
Sensual enjoyment is attended with various defects. It is attended
with various sorts of sins, pains, weaknesses, attachments, slave mentality,
weak will, severe exertion and struggle, bad habits, cravings, aggravation
of desires and mental restlessness. Therefore shun all sorts of sensual
enjoyments.
Though the cow grazes on the pastures having been separated from the
calf, her mind is always fixed on the calf only. Similarly you should
fix the mind on God when you do Japa, and give your hand to work.
Renounce all attachment. Be balanced in success or failure, gain or
loss, victory or defeat, pleasure or pain. Discipline your mind cautiously.
This is your master-key to open the doors of the realm of Bliss. This
is the secret of success in Yoga.
Feel and think that you breathe, live and work for God alone, in every
second of your life, and that without Him life is absolutely useless.
Feel the pangs of separation while at work if you forget Him even for
a fraction of a second.
Let not your heart give way to trials. Be ever intent on your spiritual
Sadhana. Learn to discriminate. Develop true lasting Vairagya by association
with wise people.
Make the mind understand about the unreal nature of objects and the
defects of a sensual life. Talk to your mind. Coax the mind. It will
hear your words. Gradually the mind-wandering will cease. Then the mind
will abide firmly in the centre of the source.
Become a Yogi. Yoga will put an end to all sorts of pain. Yoga will
destroy all Kleshas (afflictions). Wake up. Open your eyes. Practise
Yoga. My Child!
Destroy the Sankalpas or imagination of the mind. Discipline the mind
in a perfect manner through discrimination, enquiry, dispassion and
regular meditation on Atman.
Have a wide outlook on life. See God in everything, in every face.
Give up all that is false and untrue. Pray fervently. Lead a life of
virtue and happiness.
Renounce all your sorrows, fears and anxieties, and walk in the path
laid down by the scriptures. You will attain supreme peace and eternal
bliss.
Understand fully the aim and purpose of life. Yield not to temptations.
Develop virtuous qualities like humility, forgiveness, tolerance, etc.
Wish eagerly and fervently to attain God-consciousness. Have faith,
interest and attention. You are bound to succeed.
Conserve all energy and utilise it for higher spiritual achievements
in life. Purify. Be just. Be true. Be sincere in your attempts. Respect
all prophets and saints. You will shine as a dynamic Yogi.
Keep the mind fully occupied. Sing the name of the Lord. Twirl the
beads. Study the scriptures. Think of God and meditate upon Him with
true devotion and feeling and merge in Him. This is the goal of life.
Mere hearing of eloquent valuable spiritual lectures will not do in
the spiritual path. You will have to act according to them. You will
have to give your whole heart, mind and soul to practice. Then only
you will have progress in the path.
Follow the instructions of your master and the teachings of the scriptures
to the very letter. Give no leniency to the mind. Exact, implicit, strict
obedience to the instructions is expected of you.
Do not fight for rights. Think more about your duties and less about
your rights. These rights are worthless. It is wasting of time and energy.
Assert your birthright of God-consciousness. Realise this and become
wise.
Know things in their proper light. Do not be deluded. Emotion is mistaken
for devotion; violent jumping in the air during Sankirtan for Divine
ecstasy; Rajasic restlessness and motion for divine activities and Karma
Yoga; a Tamasic man for a Sattvic man; Tandri and deep sleep for Samadhi;
Manorajya or building castles in the air for meditation; physical nudity
for the Jivanmukti state.
Understand the laws of the universe. Move tactfully in this world.
Learn the secrets of Nature. Learn to discriminate and become wise.
Fight out the inner battle again and come out victorious!
Spiritual pursuits, and practice of Yoga are really sweet, but appear
to be bitter; sensual pursuits, which are really bitter, appear to be
sweet. This is due to the perversion of intellect caused by Avidya.
Select some good songs or Dhwanis and repeat them during night along
with your friends and relatives. Even during day while working, you
can sing the select Dhwanis of your Ishta Mantra. By this you will have
continuity of Divine thoughts.
May you always shine with the divine splendour and inexhaustible wealth
of Atma Jnana, which is the common property of all mankind!
Worry does great harm to the astral body and the mind. Energy is wasted
by worry. It causes inflammation and drains the vitality of man. Nothing
is gained by the worry-habit. Be vigilant. Keep the mind fully occupied.
The habit will be eradicated. Keep the Divine Flame burning steadily.
Have strong determination and strong will. Have courage, fixity of mind
and a definite purpose of life. Be not wavering.
Wake up now from the deep slumber of ignorance. Never become a fatalist.
Think rightly. Act rightly. Lead a virtuous life. Never hurt the feelings
of others. Mould your character. Purify your mind. Concentrate. Fix
your mind on the Lord.
Stick to any rule that, appeals to your reason. Follow it with faith
and attention. You will evolve and reach the abode of eternal happiness.
Performance of one's own duties brings happiness, quick evolution and
freedom.
Events occur in succession or order. There is perfect harmony. The
three things viz., desire, thought and action always go together. It
is thought that moves the body to action. There is thought behind every
action. If you entertain bad thoughts you will do bad actions.
Learn to become wise. Discriminate. Control the thoughts and desires.
Watch your thoughts carefully. Do not allow any evil thought to enter
the gate of the mental factory. Develop passion for Self-realisation.
You will attain the goal of life.
God is great. Resign yourself completely to His Will. His Will is great
and His actions are wise. Nobody can grudge or complain when the collective
Karma is in operation. There is always a chapter of accidents in the
history of Nature's work. Let us be sincere and offer our actions and
fruits at His feet as Ishvararpana. Let us never forget Him. Let us
pray for the Peace of the whole world.
May you be ceaselessly engaged in the pursuit of Atmic enquiry! May
peace abide with you forever!
When you do Japa and meditation, if evil thoughts enter your mind,
do not use your will-force in driving them. You will lose your energy
only. You will tax your will only. You will fatigue yourself. The greater
the efforts you make, the more the evil thoughts will return with redoubled
force. They will return more quickly also. The thoughts will become
more powerful. Be indifferent. Keep quiet. They will pass off soon.
Or substitute good counter thoughts or think of the picture of thy Ishtam
and the Mantra again and again. Forcibly pray.
Never miss meditation for a day. Be regular and systematic in your
spiritual practices. Take Sattvic food. Fruits and milk will help mental
focusing.
Collect all the rays of your mind. Turn the mind towards God. Persevere
seriously in the pursuit of knowledge of God. Struggle hard. You will
succeed.
Give up all sorts of fears, cares, worries and anxieties. Rest in the
ocean of silence. Destroy all sorts of fears by the rod of Viveka and
the sword of Vairagya.
Pray to the Almighty Lord for help and guidance. Thirst for His grace.
Place your trust in Him. Do not be moved by difficulties. Difficulties
strengthen your will and augment your power of endurance and turn your
mind towards God. He will guide you in all your activities.
Lead a life of intense activity. Do not depend upon anybody. Rely on
God alone. Give up idle talking. Remember God at every moment. Utter
in every breath the name of the Lord. Centre your thoughts upon His
lotus feet. Have strong faith in Him. Endeavour to make your faith a
matter of adoration and love. You will enjoy Supreme joy.
Think rightly and clearly. Become a man of measured words. Do selfless
service. Surrender the fruits of action unto the Lord. Pray to God for
His mercy, Divine Light, purity and guidance. You will attain the Supreme.
Nitya Sukha (eternal happiness) and Paramasanti (Supreme Peace) can
be had only in God.
Therefore pray to the Almighty Lord: "O My Lord! By entertaining various
useless thoughts, by vain and wild imaginations by entertaining myriads
of Sankalpas my heart and mind are afflicted with severe sores. Enough!
protect me. O Lord, do protect me. Turn my mind towards Thy lotus feet.
Make it rest in Thee for ever. This is my fervent prayer. This is all
I want. Thou knowest my heart." He. will guide you in all your activities.
Cultivate right understanding and right thinking. Develop cosmic love.
Eradicate selfishness. Practise Yama and Niyama. Develop virtuous qualities.
Have faith in the existence of God. Pray to the Almighty daily. The
Divine Grace will descend upon you.
Kill unholy desires through holy desires. Do not become lazy. Be ever
up and doing. Break the evil of ignorance. Know thyself and be free.
Worship God in the poor and sick. Serve every one with intense love.
Give your hands to work and mind to God. You will attain Supreme Peace,
Bliss and Immortality.
Understand clearly the aim of your life. Chalk out the line of work
that is congenial to your aim. Work hard to realise the ideal. Have
your ideal before you and try every second to live up to it.
Develop a strong desire to remove carelessness and forgetfulness. Have
confidence in your own powers and faculties.
Keep up your mental poise amidst the changes of the world without consideration
of success or failure, gain or loss, pleasure or pain. Have the mind
always rooted in God amidst activities. Use the blowpipe of "Teevra
Vairagya" and intense concentration to kindle the fire of devotion.
God is the inner Ruler. He goads the body, mind and senses to work.
Become an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Do not expect thanks
or appreciation for your work. Do actions as your duty and offer them
and their fruits to the Lord. You will be freed from the bonds of Karma.
Your heart will be purified soon.
Repeat the Mantra, "I am Thine, All is Thine, My Lord. Thy will be
done." Throw all burden on Him and be at ease. Do not keep any desire
for you. Destroy egoism completely, by unconditional, unreserved and
ungrudging self-surrender to the Lord. If your surrender is total and
sincere, there is free flow of Divine Grace.
Work with a heart within and God overhead. Have a profound faith in
the will of Providence. Meditate on the divine attributes of the Lord
viz., mercy, cosmic love, beauty of beauties and All-pervasiveness.
You will get success in life and God-realisation.
Keep open the portals of your heart by removing selfishness, greed,
lust, so that the Almighty Lord may come and dwell therein. Give up
all useless discussions and proceed straightaway in the quest of the
Self or God. You will possess immense inner spiritual strength. Abandon
all superstitions and doubts. Cultivate an indomitable will. Strive
ceaselessly for Self-realisation. You will attain Supreme Peace, Bliss
and Immortality.
Develop patience, tolerance, mercy and love. Practise Vichara. Enquire,
"Who am I?" Serve others With Atma Bhava.
Have firm faith in Srutis and Sastras. Regulate your conduct when you
deal with others. Prostrate before everybody mentally. Possess a keen
longing for liberation and intense Vairagya. Be sincere and earnest.
Develop your will-power. Conserve all leaking energy. Draw up a daily
routine and stick to it tenaciously. Grow. Expand. Get success in life.
Realise God.
Hold fast the lamp of Dharma. Entertain thoughts of Divine Love. Preserve
equanimity in success and failure. Restrain the senses. Calm the mind.
Fix it on God. Soar high in the realm of bliss. Behold unity. You will
have cosmic vision.
Give up all sorts of fears, anger, care, worries and anxieties. Do
not be disheartened by failures. Pain is the best thing in the world.
It is an eye-opener. Never forget this.
Dear friend, can economical sufficiency and a few more comforts with
electric lights, fans and sofas give you real peace and freedom, Shanti
and Mukti? Certainly not. Search, understand and realise. Thy guide
has come.
Watch your mind and thoughts. Introspect and practise self-analysis.
Avoid evil company. Understand the way of Maya. Be on the alert. Be
very humble and simple, remember God at every moment.
Remove arrogance, self-conceit and laziness. Develop humility to a
maximum degree. Be sincere. Serve all with love. Respect your elders
and parents. Lead a simple, laborious life.
Cheer up your spirit. Have Perfect trust in God. Keep the mind fully
occupied. Practise daily meditation. Develop virtuous qualities. Sing
the name of the Lord. Thirst for His vision. The Divine Grace will descend
upon you. You will enjoy supreme Peace, Bliss and Immortality.
God is your heart. He is in you and you are in Him. Search Him inside
your heart. If you do not find Him there, you will not find Him anywhere
else.
This search after God is a question of supply and demand. If you really
want God, if there is a demand for God, then the supply will come at
once.
Give up clinging to illusory life. Be fearless. Take refuge in Vairagya.
All fears will die away. Cling to the lotus feet of the Lord. Cling
to the invisible, unseen Brahman. May the Almighty Lord guide you in
all your activities.
Remove the veil of ignorance which is hiding your real Svarupa. Destroy
egoism, the sense of duality, sense of separateness. Your real nature
is Satchidananda. You are identical with Brahman. Never, never forget
this.
Always protect yourself from evil influences. Do not allow the spiritual
Samskaras to be obliterated. It is difficult to regain what is lost
in spirituality. Exercise Vichara, Viveka, always. Utilise your will
to resist evil influences.
Develop your will-power by driving desires, by Titiksha and great patience.
Acquire peace by contentment, Santosha, Vichara, Satsanga and great
patience. You will shine in your own glory.
Within you is the hidden God. Within you is the immortal soul. Within
you is the inexhaustible spiritual treasure. Within you is the ocean
of bliss.
Look within for the happiness which you have sought in vain in perishable
sensual objects. Rest peacefully in your own Atman.
Surrender everything unto Him. Place your ego at His feet and be at
ease. He will take complete charge of you. He will do everything for
you. Practise. Feel. Assert. Enjoy the Supreme.
The practice of selfless service destroys sins and impurities and causes
purity of Antahkarana. Knowledge of Self dawns in a pure mind. Knowledge
of Self is the only direct means to freedom. Cooking is not possible
without fire, so is emancipation without knowledge of the Self. Knowledge
certainly destroys ignorance as light destroys thickest darkness.
Be absorbed in your work. Give your full heart, mind and soul. Do not
care for the results. Do not think of success or failure. Do not think
of the past. Have complete confidence. Practise self-reliance. Be cheerful
always. Keep a cool balanced mind. Work for work's sake. Be bold and
courageous. You are bound to succeed in any undertaking. This is the
secret of success.
Do not grumble of bad environments. Create your own mental world and
environments. Build up your character properly. Establish virtuous healthy
habits.
Understand the glow, splendour and power of the Self which is at the
back of your mind, thoughts, will and memory. Keep your body strong
and healthy by regular exercise. Become a spiritual hero.
Shut out the doors of the senses. Still the thoughts, emotions and
feelings. Sit motionless and calm in the early morning hours. Have a
receptive attitude. Go along with God. Commune with Him. Enjoy abiding
peace in the silence.
Discipline the mind and the senses. Cultivate noble virtues. Develop
the four means. Hear the Srutis. Reflect and meditate on Atman. This
will result in Self-realisation.
Have no blind faith. Reason out carefully and then accept anything.
Annihilate lust, anger and greed. Share what you have-mental, physical
and moral-with others. Take delight in serving others. All your egoism
and arrogance will disappear.
In the lamp of the heart put the oil of Vairagya. Insert the wick of
devotion. Now kindle the light of knowledge by constant meditation and
see. The darkness of ignorance will be dispelled. You will be fully
illumined.
Purify your heart and meditate. Dive deep into the innermost recess
of the heart. You will find the Atmic pearl. If you search in deep water
only, you will find the pearl. If you keep only to the shore, you will
find broken shells only.
O friend! Wake up. Sleep no more. Meditate. It is Brahmamuhurta now!
Open the gate of the temple of the Lord in your heart with the key of
love. Hear the music of the soul. Sing the song of Prem your Beloved.
Play the melody of the infinite. Melt your mind in His contemplation.
Unite with Him. Immerse yourself in the ocean of love and Bliss.
Do not give a loose rein to the mind. Curb it ruthlessly. Annihilate
it. You will soon cognise the Truth and attain the final emancipation.
All pains, sorrows and delusions will terminate.
Renounce all your sorrows, fears and anxieties, and walk in the path
laid down by the scriptures. Abandon the impure Vasanas, cultivate the
pure Vasanas and practise regular meditation on the pure, All-pervading
Atman.
Meditate on the Lord who is an embodiment of Light, Peace, Bliss and
Knowledge. Do not waste the time in idle-gossiping, eating, drinking
and sleeping. Life is meant for higher purposes. Come, come attain Immortality.
Meditation is the Grand Trunk Road to attain Godhead. Without that
no spiritual progress is possible: Therefore, meditate. It will take
you to the realm of Bhava Samadhi and make you drink the honey of Prema
and Nectar of Immortality.
Therefore, withdraw your mind from sensual objects. Fix it at the lotus
feet of the Lord. Merge in the Atman within. Practise silent meditation.
Swim freely in the ocean of Atmic Bliss. Float in the Divine joy. Tap
the source. March directly towards the fountain-head of Divine Consciousness
and drink the Nectar.
Concentration is the only way to get rid of the worldly miseries and
tribulations. Your only duty is to practise concentration. You have
taken this body to practise concentration and through concentration
to realise the Self.
When you read a book you must read it with concentration. There is
no use of skipping over the pages in a hurried manner. Read one page
in the Gita. Close the book. Concentrate on what you have read. Find
out parallel lines in Mahabharata, Upanishads and Bhagavata. Compare
and contrast.
Be calm under all circumstances. Cultivate this virtue again and again
through constant and strenuous endeavour. Serenity is like a rock. Waves
of irritation may dash on it, but cannot effect it.
Meditate on the ever tranquil Atman within, which is unchanging. You
will attain calmness. The Divine Light will descend on a calm mind only.
An aspirant with a calm mind only can enter into deep meditation and
Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Be sincere at heart. Care not for the perishable things. Care for the
ever-lasting Reality only. Give up idle talk, long talk, big talk, tall
talk and loose talk. Become silent.
Introspect. Look within. Try to remove your defects. Collect all your
scattered thoughts and apply yourself in remembering God. Become very,
very humble. Become an embodiment of good nature. Do always good actions.
Serve. Love. Give. Make others happy.
Be still and realise the Truth. Be vigilant and destroy the Vasanas
and Vrittis. The more the thinning of the Vasanas, egoism and Dehadhyasa,
the greater the bliss of the Self.
May you attain Kaivalya or peace of the Eternal, leading the divine
life, serving the poor and the sick, feeling the Divine presence everywhere
at all times, in all faces and radiating joy and peace to all those
who come in contact with you.
Do not be guided and influenced by public opinion. March boldly and
cheerfully in the path of Truth, consulting your conscience and hearing
the inner, small, sweet voice of the soul.
Keep company with one Sattvic man. Spend every second profitably. Serve
sick people. Share what you have with the poor people. Unfold the Divinity
hidden in the chambers of your heart. Repeat your Guru Mantra or the
Mantra of the Ishta Devata mentally. Associate the idea of purity, infinity,
eternity, immortality, Vyapaka, Paripoorna, Satchidananda, Akhanda,
Advaita, Chidakasa, etc., with OM repetition. Do mental Puja also.
Do not act under the influence of sudden impulses. Do not be carried
away by the force of emotions, however noble they may be. Be ever vigilant
and diligent.
Avoid unnecessary worry. Be not troubled. Be not anxious. Do not be
idle. Do not waste time. Do not worry yourself if there is delay in
further progress. Wait coolly. You are bound to succeed.
Develop courage by constantly feeling you are Atman. Deny and negate
the body idea. Practise, practise Nididhyasana always; all difficulties,
tribulations will come to an end. You will enjoy unalloyed bliss.
Wake up from the dream of forms. Do not be deceived by these illusory
names and forms. Cling to the solid living reality only. Love your Atman
alone. Atman only persists. Live in Atman. Become Brahman. This is real
life.
Approach the sages, the doctors of divinity with faith, devotion and
humility. Take a dose of medicine called Jnana. Then the disease of
Ajnana will be eradicated completely. You will attain everlasting peace.
Do not be deluded by Maya. Be calm as the waveless ocean. Be broad-minded
as the sky. Be pure as the crystal. Strive ceaselessly for the realisation
of the Atman. Be patient as the earth. You are bound to succeed. You
will succeed. Rest assured.
Lead a life of intense activity. Keep always a calm mind. Mentally
repeat your Ishta Mantra. Mix with all. Serve all with Atma Bhava. See
God in them.
Do not be afraid of difficulties and failures in the spiritual path.
Difficulties will develop your will-power. Failures are stepping stones
to success. Use your intelligence, sagacity, discrimination and commonsense.
You will overcome the difficulties one by one.
Stand adamant. Be cheerful. Dismiss fear and anxiety. March boldly
in the spiritual path. Do not be discouraged. Draw courage, strength
and power from within. Be cautious. Thou art Invincible. Nothing can
harm you. Remain serene always. Smile and rejoice in the Atman.
Have an eager, receptive attitude to imbibe the teachings of your master.
Be absolutely guileless, frank and candid like a child. Have unshakable
faith in the words of your Guru or Srutis.
Be ever ready to serve. Serve with pure love, kindness, and courtesy.
Never show a weary or gloomy face when you serve. Live a life of utter
devotion to service.
Develop sympathy, affection, benevolence, tolerance and humility. Have
a catholic or liberal view. Give a place for the views of all. You will
have an expanded life and a very large heart. You will attain the exalted
state of Buddhahood.
Develop joyful nature. Have an amiable nature, a modest and unassuming
temperament. Understand the secrets of nature. Develop your will-power.
Conserve all leaking energy. Move tactfully in the world. You will have
much peace.
Do not waste your precious hours in idle talk. Cut short the conversations.
Be humble and simple. Do everything as Ishvararpana. Accept your faults
openly and endeavour to rectify yourself in future. Pray fervently to
the Almighty God. You will realise Him quickly.
Allow the waves of love to arise constantly in your heart. Feel the
warmth of the Divine Love. Bask in the sunshine of Divine Love. Taste
the bliss of the eternal life.
Do not murmur when you encounter difficulties, troubles, diseases and
sorrows. Be courageous. Endure them with patience. Turn your mind towards
God. Cultivate serenity of mind. Educate your will. You will possess
tremendous inner spiritual strength. You will have rapid spiritual progress.
Conquer your difficulties one by one. Do meditation daily. Realise
the ideal of life. Become a magnanimous Soul. You will enjoy Supreme
Bliss.
You are born for higher things. A glorious brilliant future is awaiting
you. Do not think of the past. Purify. Concentrate. Reflect. Meditate.
March forward. Find thy rest in the Supreme Soul.
Do not be troubled by difficulties, adversities and sorrows. They instil
mercy in thy heart. They will help you in developing your will and power
of endurance. They will make you wise and help you in your evolution.
Be courageous. Never despair. Draw strength from within. Move forward.
Feel the Divine Presence everywhere. See the Divine Glory all around.
Dive deep into the Divine source. You will realise the infinite Bliss.
Speak kind and sweet words. Have Satsanga of Mahatmas. Eat moderately.
Take care of your health. Cultivate fellow-feeling and universal brotherhood.
Do not waste your precious hours. Find out your evil habits and remove
them. Thou art the best judge in this direction. Try to minimise the
time spent in useless company. Be on the alert. Speak little.
Feel that the whole world is your own Self. Feel that all beings are
your own Self. Develop universal love. Live in God. Be kind to all.
Take refuge in the Lord. Meditate on the Lord. You will realise. The
divine light will descend upon you.
Attune your heart to the Lord by doing fervent and sincere prayer daily.
Lay bare your heart to Him. Do not keep any secrets. Talk to Him like
a child. Be humble and simple. Implore Him with a contrite heart to
forgive your sins. Beseech Him to bestow His Grace. Do not depend upon
human help. Rely on God and God alone. You will get everything. You
will get His Darshan or vision.
Be regular in your Japa, Kirtan, meditation and study of Gita and Bhagavatam.
Regularity is of paramount importance in spiritual Sadhana. Never forget
this.
Surrender completely to the Almighty Lord. Fix your mind on Him. See
Him in all faces. Sing His name. Work for Him. Think of nothing else
than Him.
He is your guide. He is your light. Remember Him at all times whether
it is pleasure or pain. He will cheer you up. He will come and save
you from all your difficulties, as He protected Prahlada. He will give
you light, love and wisdom.
Become One With The Law-Giver
Man is dragged to places where he can get the objects of his desires.
God gives suitable surroundings according to the nature of the desires
of the man for his growth and evolution. This is the greatest law of
nature.
If you once understand this which guides your life and action, you
will be able to act in such a manner as to make this law your ally and
helpmate rather than your adversary. So long as the conditions laid
down by a law are meticulously fulfilled and observed, you can have
the fullest certainty of your success in any direction.
Understand this law carefully. Discharge your duties carefully. You
will soon attain God-consciousness and you will become one with the
Law-giver.
1st January, 1946.
I was born of P.S. Vengu Iyer and Parvati Ammal on the 8th September
1887 at Pattamadai, Tinnevelly District, Tamil Nadu in the line of Appayya
Dikshit. My star is Bharani. I was extremely mischievous in my boyhood.
I studied in the S.P.G. College, Trichinopoly. I was a Doctor in the
Malaya States for 10 years. I took Sannyasa in 1924 in Rishikesh. I
did Tapas and meditation for 15 years. I went on teaching tours for
10 years. I founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 and the All-World
Religious Federation in 1945.
I am childlike in my Svabhava. So I mix with all. I become one with
all. I am ever happy and joyful and make others also happy and joyful.
I am full of educative humour. I radiate joy through humour. I respect
all. I do salutations to all first. I always speak sweetly. I walk quickly.
I do Japa and meditation while walking and while at work also.
I am ever hard-working. I have intense application to work. I never
procrastinate any work. I finish it then and there. I am very quick
in doing things. I cannot suppress the spirit of service in me. I cannot
live without service. I take immense delight in service. Service has
elevated me. Service has purified me. I know well how to extract work
from others. I extract work through kindness, service, respect and love.
I am very regular in doing Asana and exercises. I do Pranayama also
regularly. These give me wonderful health and energy. I run round the
Bhajan Hall daily. I cannot deliver fiery lectures sitting on a special
seat. Special seat pricks me. I stand up or throw the seat away and
then begin to speak. I never sat on a special seat when I presided over
spiritual conferences. I rejoice in giving. I always give.
I am 73 now. I ever feel I am quite young. I am full of vigour, vim
and vitality. I am ever cheerful. I sing, dance, run, jump in joy. I
am robust and strong. I can digest any kind of food. I continuously
work, read and write. I never go to hill-stations or seaside for holiday.
Change of work gives rest. Meditation gives abundant rest. Work gives
me delight. Service gives me happiness. Writing bestows joy. Meditation
energises and invigorates me. Kirtan vivifies me.
"Aham Brahma Asmi", "Sivoham", "Soham Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupoham".
This is my favourite formula for Vedantic meditation. Song of "Chidananda"
is my favourite song for singing.
"Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare,
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare."
This Mahamantra Kirtan is my favourite Kirtan.
At the present moment I am the richest man in the whole world. My heart
is full. Further, all the wealth of the Lord belongs to me now. Hence,
I am King of Kings, Emperor of Emperors, Shah of Shahs, Maharaja of
Maharajas. I take pity on the mundane kings. My dominion is limitless.
My wealth is inexhaustible. My joy is inexpressible. My treasure is
immeasurable. I attained this through Sannyasa, renunciation, untiring
selfless service, Japa, Kirtan and Meditation.
I am tall. My height is 6 ft. I have a sinewy frame. I have symmetrical
limbs. I am a first-class gymnast. I fast on Ekadasi. I do not take
even a drop of water on that day. I take milk and fruits on Sundays.
I lead a simple natural life. There is a fountain of youth in me. I
beam with joy. I observe fasting, resting, airing, bathing, breathing,
exercising, sun-bathing and enjoy freedom, beauty, courage, poise and
health.
I love nature, music, art, poetry, philosophy, beauty, goodness, solitude,
meditation, Yoga and Vedanta. I am humble and simple. I am frank and
straightforward. I am perfectly tolerant and catholic. I am merciful
and sympathetic. I have spontaneous and unrestrained generosity. I am
bold and cheerful. I am patient. I can bear insult and injury. I am
forgiving. I am free from vindictive nature. I return good for evil.
I serve that man who has injured me, with joy.
I love Ganga and the Himalayas. Ganga is my Mother Divine. Himalayas
is my Father Divine. They inspire and guide me. I take bath in Ganga.
I adore Ganga. I feed the fishes of Ganga. I wave light to Mother Ganga.
I pray to Ganga. I do salutations to Ganga. I sing the glory of Ganga.
I write about the grandeur and glory of Ganga. Ganga has nourished me.
Ganga has comforted me. Ganga has taught me the Truths of the Upanishads.
Glory to Mother Ganga!
My daily routine is like that of Lord Buddha. I always remain in the
room. I do Japa, Kirtan and meditation. I study sacred books. I write.
I come out of the room for a short time for work, service and interview.
I talk a little. I think much. I meditate much. I try to do much and
serve much. I do not waste even a single minute. I ever keep myself
fully occupied. I lead a well-regulated life. I perform worship of Atman
at all times. I work for the good of others.
Gita, Upanishads, Bhagavata, Yoga Vasishtha, Avadhoota Gita, Vivekachudamani
are my constant companions. I am a strange mixture of service, devotion,
Yoga and wisdom. I am a follower of Sri Sankara. I am a Kevala-Advaita
Vedantin. I am not at all a dry lip Vedantin. I am a practical Vedantin.
I practise and advocate the Yoga of Synthesis. I practise Ahimsa, Satyam
and Brahmacharya. Glory to Sri Sankara!
I respect all Saints and Prophets of all religions. I respect all religions,
all cults, all faiths and all creeds. I serve all, love all, mix with
all and see the Lord in all. I stick to my promises. I serve the poor.
This gives me delight. I do mental prostrations to asses, dogs, trees,
bricks, stones and all creatures. I respect elders and Sadhus. I obey.
I please all through sincere selfless service. I attend on guests very
carefully. I run hither and thither to serve them. I shampoo the legs
of sick persons and Sadhus.
I give very prompt reply to all letters. I do several things at a time.
I write with electric speed. I spend everything. I do a lot of charity.
I do not keep anything. I take immense pleasure in feeding the poor
and my students. I try to be a mother to them. I talk to others on things
which I have myself practised. I look within always, introspect, analyse
and examine. I hold the Trisul-spiritual diary, daily routine and resolve.
I served my Masters with great sincerity and intense faith and devotion.
I learnt many useful lessons for life. I developed many virtues. I wandered
without food during my Parivrajaka life. I slept on the roadside at
night without clothing during winter. I ate dried bread with water.
I stick tenaciously with my principles and ideals. I do not argue much.
I live in silence.
I pray and do Kirtan for the whole world, for the health and peace
of sick people and for the peace of the departed souls and the earth-bound
spirits also. I take a dip in the Ganges in the name of all those who
are longing for a bath in the Ganges. I sing the names of all Saints
of all religions in the Bhajan Hall. I observe All-saints day and All-Souls
Day.
I constantly meditate on the following:-
Prajnanam Brahma, Aham Brahma Asmi, Tat Tvam Asi, Ayam Atma Brahma,
Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma. Santam Sivam Advaitam. Aham Atma Gudakesa,
Aham Atma Nirakarah, Sarvavyapee Svabhavatah. Brahma Satyam Jaganmithya
Jivo Brahmaiva Naparah. Akarta, Abhokta, Asanga Sakshee. Ajo Nityah
Sasvatoyam Purano. Jyotishamapi Tat Jyotih.
To raise the fallen, to lead the blind, to share what I have with others,
to bring solace to the afflicted and to cheer the afflicted and suffering
are my ideals. To have perfect faith in God, to love my neighbour as
my own Self, to love God with all my heart and soul, to protect cows,
animals, women and children are my aims. My watchword is love. My goal
is Sahaja Samadhi Avastha, or the natural, continuous superconscious
state.
It would be easy to dismiss the question by saying: "Yes, after a prolonged
period of intense austerities and meditation, while I was living in
Swargashram, and when I had the Darshan of a number of Maharshis and
their blessings, the Lord appeared before me in the form of Sri Krishna."
But that would not be the whole truth, nor a sufficient answer to a
question relating to God, who is Infinite, Unlimited and beyond the
reach of the speech and mind.
Cosmic Consciousness is not an accident or chance. It is the summit,
accessible by a thorny path that has steps, slippery steps. I have ascended
them step by step, the hard way; but at every step I have experienced
God coming into my life and lifting me easily to the next step.
My father was fond of ceremonial worship (Puja) in which he was very
regular. To my child-mind, the Image he worshipped was God; and I delighted
in helping father in the worship, by bringing him flowers and other
articles of worship. The deep inner satisfaction that he and I derived
from such worship implanted in my heart the deep conviction that God
is in such Images devoutly worshipped by His devotees. Thus did God
come into my life first and placed my foot on the first rung of the
ladder.
As an adult, I was fond of gymnastics and vigorous exercises. I learnt
fencing from a teacher who belonged to a low caste; he was a Harijan.
I could go to him only for a few days before I was made to understand
that it was unbecoming of a caste Brahman to play the student to an
untouchable. I thought deeply over the matter. One moment I felt that
the God whom we all worshipped in the image in my father's Puja-room
had jumped over to the heart of this untouchable. He was my Guru, all
right! So I immediately went to him with flowers, sweets and cloth,
and garlanded him, placed flowers at his feet and prostrated myself
before him. Thus did God come into my life to remove the veil of caste-distinctions.
How very valuable this step was I could realise very soon after this:
for I was to enter the medical profession and serve all, and the persistence
of caste-distinction would have made that service a mockery. With this
mist cleared by the Light of God, it was easy and natural for me to
serve everyone. I took very keen delight in every kind of service connected
with healing and alleviation of human misery. If there was a good prescription
for malaria, I felt that the whole world should know it the next moment.
Any knowledge about the prevention of diseases, promotion of health
and healing of diseases, I was eager to acquire and share with all.
Then, God came into my life in the form of the sick in Malaya. It is
difficult for me now to single out any instance; and perhaps it is unnecessary.
Time and space are concepts of the mind and have no meaning in God.
I can look back now upon the whole period of my stay in Malaya as a
single event in which God came to me in the form of the sick and the
suffering. People are sick physically and mentally. To some, life is
lingering death; and to some others, death is more welcome than life.
Some lead a miserable life, unable to face death; some invite death
and commit suicide, unable to face life. The aspiration grew within
me that if God had not made this world merely as a hell where wicked
people would be thrown, to suffer, and if there is (as I intuitively
felt there should be) something other than this misery and this helpless
existence, it should be known and experienced.
It was at this crucial point in my life that God came to me as a religious
mendicant who gave me the first lesson in Vedanta. The positive aspects
of life here, and real end and aim of human life, were made apparent.
This drew me from Malaya to the Himalaya. God came to me in the form
of all-consuming aspiration to realise Him as the Self of all.
Meditation and service went on apace; and with them came various spiritual
experiences. The body, mind and intellect, as the limiting adjuncts,
vanished; and the whole universe shone as His Light. God then came in
the form of this Light in which everything assumed a divine shape; and
pain and suffering, that seem to haunt everybody, appeared to be a mirage,
the illusion that ignorance creates, on account of low sensual appetites
that lurk in man.
One more milestone had to be passed in order to know "Sarvam Khalvidam
Brahma." Early in 1950 (on the 8th Jan.) God came to me in the form
of a half-demented assailant, who disturbed the night Satsanga at the
Ashram. His attempt failed. I bowed to him, worshipped him and sent
him home. Evil exists to glorify the good! Evil is a superficial appearance;
beneath its veil, the one Self shines in all.
A noteworthy fact ought to be mentioned here. In this evolution nothing
gained previously is entirely discarded at any later stage. One coalesced
into the next; and the Yoga of Synthesis was the fruit. Murti-Puja,
selfless service of the sick, meditation, the cultivation of cosmic
love that transcended the barriers of caste, creed and religion, with
the ultimate aim of attaining Cosmic Consciousness, was revealed. This
knowledge had immediately to be shared. All this had become an integral
part of my being.
The mission had been gathering strength and spreading. It was in 1950
that I undertook the All-India Tour. Then God came to me in His Virat-Svarupa,
multitudes of devotees, eager to listen to the tenets of divine life.
At every centre I felt that God spoke through me, and He Himself in
His Virat-form spread out before me as the multitude, listened to me.
He sang with me; He prayed with me; He spoke and He listened. Sarvam
Khalvidam Brahma.
(Bhavan's Journal, May 3, 1959)
1. Brahman or the Absolute is the only reality. It is Sat-Chit-Ananda
2. Brahman or the Absolute manifests itself as Jiva or the individual
soul, Ishvara or the Lord and the universe. The light of Brahman alone
is Jiva and others.
3. The world and the ego are unreal. This universe is nothing but a
diversity of Maya. Mind alone is the universe. World is nothing but
mind manifesting as such only through the potency of Brahman.
4. Those who are without Atmic enquiry will see as real this world
which is nothing but the nature of Sankalpa. Sankalpa alone manifests
itself as Jiva, Ishvara and the Universe. This universe as universe
ever is not. There is no world in the three periods of time.
5. All things though appearing different are no other than Brahmic
light, in short, world static means Brahman. Brahman in motion is world.
6. Individual is no other than Brahman. The body with its organs, etc.,
is no other than mind. The mind manifests itself as the external world
in the shape of pains and pleasures, bondage and liberation, right and
wrong. The mind subjectively is this universe. Time, space and causation
are the creations of the mind.
7. Actions of the mind alone are truly termed as Karma. True liberation
results from the disenthralment of the mind. The play of the mind constitutes
this universe.
8. Those who have freed themselves from the fluctuations of their mind
are endowed with the supreme meditation.
9. If the impurities of the mind are removed it will become calm, steady
and blissful. Then the Samsaric delusion with its births and deaths,
pain and pleasure will be destroyed.
10. The conception of the reality of the world will increase on the
contemplation on the non-Atma or worldly objects.
11. Through the grace of Ishvara also the higher spiritual state will
be attained.
12. Atma can be realised by controlling Maya. All ideas of the world
will vanish if Maya is controlled.
13. Manifold pains will arise in the mind in the absence of Samadhi
which leads to the attainment of Brahmic bliss.
14. Nothing can create differentiation and disturbance in the mind
if you do not long for the fruits of actions. The Jnana vision alone
will enable one to realise Atman personally.
15. All will be Brahman through Sushupti Mauna. The same result can
be obtained through the giving up of Sanga or desires. The path to the
higher goal will be rendered smooth by the preceptor who is able to
make his disciple progress through various means as well as by renunciation,
though many obstacles may intervene.
16. The Neophyte on the path of Vedanta or Jnana Yoga should possess
the fourfold qualifications, viz., Viveka (discrimination between the
real and the unreal), Vairagya (dispassion), Shad Sampat (sixfold virtues)
and Mumukshutva (intense longing for emancipation).
17. Cultivate pure Vasanas, Shanti (peace), Santosh (contentment).
Practise Brahma Vichara. Take recourse to Satsanga or association with
the wise. You will soon attain self-realisation.
18. The renunciation of Ahamkara or egoism leads to the attainment
of Atma Jnana.
19. Through the performance in the world of Nishkama Karma even sensual
pleasures are transmuted into spiritual or Brahmic Bliss.
20. The Supreme Immortal Bliss of Atman can be attained through Samadhi
consequent upon Atmic enquiry.
21. The result of quiescence of mind etc., which is developed through
Samadhi can also be attained through Atma Vichara or Atmic enquiry.
22. Mental abnegation and control of Prana are the two requisites for
the control of the mind which leads us to quiescence.
23. Abandon the attraction towards sensual objects and you will get
quiescence of the mind. Nirvanic Bliss where all are Brahman only will
result through Jnana or Yoga.
24. Renunciation of egoism alone constitutes the renunciation of all.
Doership or enjoyership arises through the idea of 'I'.
25. SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, MEDITATE. This is Sadhana in a nutshell. Be
good, Do good. Be humble. Be noble. This is the highest Sadhana. Enquire
'Who am I'? and know thy Self. Find the knower, find the seer. This
is Sadhana in essence.
26. A Jivanmukta is a liberated sage. He is emancipated while living.
He has cut off all bonds. He has destroyed his mind. He is in a state
of mindlessness. He is absolutely free. He has identified himself with
Brahman or the Absolute Consciousness. He has no identification with
the body. He is free from egoism, lust, anger, greed, selfishness, pride,
likes, dislikes, exhilaration or depression (Harsha-soka). He is balanced
in pleasure and pain, censures and praises, honour and dishonour, respect
and disrespect. He has equal, vision. He has supreme knowledge of Brahman.
He is a Brahmajnani. He is a Brahmavid or Knower of Brahman. He can
clear all your doubts. You will feel extreme elevation and inspiration
in his presence. He radiates joy and peace everywhere.
27. He may be absorbed in Samadhi or he may work like an ordinary man
of the world. Internally he has the Bhava or mental attitude "I am a
witness" (Sakshi) "I am non-doer" (Akarta) "I am non-enjoyer" (Abhokta)
because he has no egoism or individuality. So he is not bound by Karma.
28. He is a Gunatita. He is beyond the reach of the three Gunas or
qualities, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. He has Trikalajnana or the knowledge
of the three periods of time. He has omniscience. He enjoys the sense-objects
offered by others like a child. He beholds this world like one seen
in dreams.
1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahmamuhurta which is extremely
favourable for meditation on God.
2. ASANA:-Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana for Japa and meditation
for half an hour, facing East or North. Increase the period gradually
to three hours. Do Sirshasana, Sarvangasana for Brahmacharya and health.
Take light physical exercise as walking, etc., regularly. Do twenty
rounds of Pranayama.
3. JAPA:-Repeat any Mantra as pure Om or Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Namah
Sivaya, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya, Om Saravanabhavaya Namah, Sita
Ram, Sri Ram, Hari Om or Gayatri according to your taste or inclination
from 108 to 21,600 times daily. (200 Malas x 108 = 21,600).
4. DIETETIC DISCIPLINE:-Take Sattvic food (Suddha Ahara). Give up chillies,
tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard, asafoetida. Observe
moderation in diet (Mitahara). Do not overload the stomach. Give up
those things which the mind likes best for a fortnight in a year. Eat
simple food. Milk and fruits help concentration. Take food as medicine
to keep the life going; eating for enjoyment is sin. Give up salt and
sugar for a month. You must be able to live on rice, dhal and bread
without any Chutnie. Do not ask for extra salt for dhal and sugar for
tea, coffee or milk.
5. Have separate meditation-room under lock and key.
6. CHARITY:-Do charity regularly every month or even daily according
to your means or ten paise per rupee.
7. SVADHYAYA:-Study systematically Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavata, Vishnu
Sahasranama, Lalita Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads or Yoga
Vasishtha from half an hour to one hour daily and have Shuddha Vichara.
8. Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very, very carefully. Veerya is
Vibhuti (God in motion or manifestation). Veerya is all power. Veerya
is money. Veerya is the essence of life, thought and intelligence.
9. Get by heart some prayer Slokas, Stotras and repeat them as soon
as you sit on the Asana before starting Japa or meditation. This will
elevate the mind quickly.
10. Have constant Satsanga (company of the wise). Give up bad company,
smoking, meat and alcoholic liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil
habits.
11. Fast on Ekadasi or live on milk and fruits only.
12. Have a Japa Mala (rosary) in your neck or pocket or underneath
your pillow at night.
13. Observe Mouna (vow of silence) for a couple of hours daily.
14. DISCIPLINE OF SPEECH:-Speak truth at any cost. Speak little. Speak
sweetly (Mita Bhashana).
15. Reduce your wants. If you have four shirts, reduce the number to
three or two. Lead a happy, contented life. Avoid unnecessary worry.
Have simple living and high thinking.
16. Never hurt anybody (Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah). Control anger by love,
Kshama (forgiveness) and Daya (compassion).
17. Do not depend upon servants. Self-reliance is the highest of all
virtues.
18. Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the
day just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep daily diary and
self-correction register as Benjamin Franklin did. Do not brood over
the past mistakes.
19. Remember that death is awaiting you at every moment. Never fail
to fulfil your duties. Have pure conduct (Sadachara).
20. Think of God as soon as you wake up and just before you go to sleep.
Surrender yourself completely to God (Saranagati).
This is the essence of all spiritual Sadhanas. This will lead you to
Moksha. All these Niyamas or spiritual canons must be rigidly observed.
You must not give leniency to the mind.
My Resolves For The Year:.........................................................
1. I will perform Asanas, Pranayama for __________ minutes daily.
2. I will take milk and fruits only in lieu of night meals once a week/fortnight/month.
3. I will observe a fast on Ekadasi days or once a month.
4. I will give up __________ (one of my cherished objects of enjoyment)
once every __________ days/months or for__________ days/months.
5. I will not indulge in any of the following more than once every __________
days/months or for __________ months: a) Smoking, b) Cards, c) Cinema,
d) Novels.
6. I will observe Mouna (complete silence) for __________ minutes/hours
daily and __________ minutes/hours on Sundays/holidays and utilise the
time in concentration, meditation, Japa, introspection.
7. I will observe Brahmacharya (celibacy) for __________ weeks/months
at a time.
8. I will not utter angry, harsh or vulgar words towards any one during
this year.
9. I will speak the truth at all cost during this year.
10. I will not entertain hatred or evil thoughts towards anyone.
11. I will give __________ paise per rupee of my income in charity.
12. I will perform selfless service (Nishkama Karma Yoga) for __________
hours daily/weekly.
13. I will do __________ Malas of Japa daily (Mala of 108 beads).
14. I will write my Ishta Mantra/Guru Mantra in a notebook daily for __________minutes
or __________pages.
15. I will study __________ Slokas of the Gita daily with meaning.
16. I will maintain a Daily Spiritual Diary and send a copy of it every
month to my Guruji for getting further lessons..
17. I will get up at __________a.m. daily and spend __________hours in
Japa, concentration, meditation, prayers, etc.
18. I will conduct Sankirtan with family members and friends daily for
__________ minutes/hours at night.
Signature ....................................
Name and address ....................................
....................................
....................................
Date ..........................
(WEEKLY)
The Spiritual Diary is a whip for goading the mind towards righteousness
and God. If you regularly maintain this diary you will get solace, peace
of mind and make quick progress in the spiritual path. Maintain a daily
diary and realise the marvellous results.
