By
A.K. KRISHNA NAMBIAR
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1998
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999
Website: http://www.divinelifesociety.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
DEDICATED
TO
GURUDEV
SWAMI SIVANANDAJI
MAHARAJ
CONTENTS
It is interesting and useful to know about the functioning
of our body. It is also equally interesting to know that our heart is
said to be the seat of 'Jivatma' or the individual self which is the
basis of every life. The Physical Science reveals that the purifying
process of our blood and pumping of the pure blood to every part of
our body which is absolutely needed for its survival is taking place
every moment without any interruption. We breathe in air through our
nostrils or mouth and the oxygen which is needed to purify the blood
is used and the impure air or carbon dioxide is thrown out through our
nostrils or mouth at least once in every second. This process goes on
even while we are sleeping; it happens by the grace of Mother Nature.
At the same time, it is also our spiritual understanding
that the power which is making this process working within is a spark
of spirituality, which is called Soul or Atma or self. There is no death
for this spark and it cannot be destroyed by any means. It exercised
Its own free will to come in a body and leave the same. When It comes
in a body, we call it birth and when It leaves the body we call death.
When It continues to remain in a body It helps the growth of it. When
It leaves the abode it causes the body to degenerate. Therefore the
Soul or Atma or Self is the real sustainer of this physical body. After
It leaves the body It goes back to its source. This body which is made
of five elements, namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space goes back
to its source, i.e., the subtle elements known as 'Tanmatras', under
Natural Law.
In order to make progress in spiritual life, one of
the techniques used by spiritual aspirants is 'Pranayama' or breath
control. In this process, breathing is regulated to purify the heart.
The heart becomes an important centre of this purificatory process.
Through this method purification of the heart is obtained gradually.
In order to empty impurities from the heart, desires
for sensual pleasures, all impurities such as lust, greed, anger, fear
are thrown out along with the outgoing breath. Truth, Non-injury, continence,
absence of a tendency to grab others' wealth, contentment etc., are
taken in along with inward breath which helps a practitioner to maintain
smooth functioning of his heart.
In order to make progress in spiritual life, the spiritual
aspirant makes his deity sit in his heart which is made pure by doing
certain purificatory process such as repeating the name of his favourite
deity seated in the heart and concentrating and meditating on It. This
enables him to expand his spiritual thought originated from the heart,
the seat of self, in absolute purity. This helps an individual to integrate
his thoughts, words and actions to enable him to make further and further
progress till he attains the goal of realising spirituality.
There are two important things in this life. One thing
is this body. The other one is the soul or Atma or Self, which is the
Deathless source of life in every body. Now every individual who has
a physical form on which his or her entire personality depends, should
keep this form in a healthy condition so long as the self remains within
the individual form, so that it can be used for further progress in
spiritual life. Therefore, one should know the art of managing the above-mentioned
two aspects in life so that individual life becomes healthy and happy.
Why is this management of oneself needed? Nowadays,
professionals who are well-versed in their own subject are seeking an
additional qualification in management. A scientist feels that he should
possess the knowledge of managing his own work and so is the case with
a Medical Doctor, who wants to know how to manage a hospital, or an
engineer who wants to manage an Industrial establishment or an Administrator
who wants to manage an Office. Therefore Management studies are made
popular in all the universities to raise all-round efficiency in many
professions, carried out in a fiercely competitive world.
It is proved beyond doubt that better management either
of government of any country or a business establishment or an Industrial
establishment or a spiritual establishment or an individual's own house
brings on better efficiency which ultimately brings in the progress
of a country and the well-being of living beings at large. When we consider
the problems and techniques of management, it is always done by human
beings and it is man that remains as the backbone ofthis process. Therefore
the management of human beings is not only important, but also a necessity
for a better life.
In order to manage an industrial, business or any other
establishment, the activities reorganised under various heads like Personnel,
Works, Sales, Accounts etc. But these activities are managed by Man,
Money, Material, Marketing and Management. This ensures efficiency,
discipline and progress in any business concern. Where it is not properly
managed, the progress is always retarded. In Spiritual Establishments
also, the activities are regulated under Service, Devotion, Self-discipline,
Dedication, Publishing and Study of Scriptures and Practice of Yoga
Exercises and Meditation. In all such activities, their management is
placed under the charge of well-qualified persons. This leads to better
production or Service by any establishment to ensure economic as well
as total Well-being of man and to know how to manage oneself and to
make men happy. Swami Sivananda, the Founder-President of the Divine
Life Society, Rishikesh, taught a unique and modern method of management
under SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALISE, 'BE GOOD, DO GOOD,'
in order to attain the betterment of the entire living beings and realization
of God Almighty by human beings. The Rig Veda Says: "Ekam sat viprah
bahudha vadanti" (The One truth is named by the wise in many ways).
He is that which is in everybody and in everything in this Universe:
this one God manages everybody and everything individually. He manages
the microcosm and macrocosm through the Universal Divine Mother Nature
and provides us with water, air, fire and space and everything useful
for the survival of living beings, in this Universe.
The first one word 'SERVE' contains the entire philosophy
of action which is known as 'Karma Yoga' as mentioned in various Scriptures,
the essence of which is 'Yogah karmasu kausalam'-Bh. Gita-Chapter
II-50 or 'Skill in action is Yoga'; and 'Karmanyevadhikaraste ma phaleshu
kadachana'-Bh. Gita-Chapter II-47 or 'You are only to perform your duty
well without thinking of the fruits thereof'. All the good work done
by many noble people, saints and sages in this world have been done
only in this spirit. The Great Saint Vasishtha asked Sri Rama to do
his duties well in a spirit of 'Purushartha' or personal effort. Nobody
can prosper in this world without properly serving oneself or others.
When a man recognises that that which is in him is also in everybody
else in this world, it becomes easy for him to really understand the
spirit of 'SERVE'.
The next word is 'LOVE'. Everybody in this world owes
allegiance to Love as we come into existence on account of the Love
of God. Love thy neighbour as thyself is a quotation from the Bible.
Because God loves us, He has provided everything essential for our survival
in this world. This is done in a spirit of Love only and therefore we
are to love God, as well as His Creations. Solid, Liquid, Light, Air
and Space which are needed for keeping our life to continue are always
there in this universe to meet our requirements. There is no lust in
pure Love which we get from God, our Creator; we are to learn to love
everybody alike. When we cultivate 'SERVE' and 'LOVE' in its true spirit,
we become part and parcel of a society where do good and be good alone
govern the social quality cultivated by each member of such a society.
In this manner the entire humanity can become happy.
'GIVE' means sharing what one has with others who are
in need of it. It should be done within one's means, without expecting
anything in return. When charity is done in this spirit, purification
of mind comes to oneself easily. A pure mind alone can do meditation
on God who is actually keeping us alive, living within one's heart as
the Self. We are bound to realise God in and through meditation in daily
life which is made pure by serving and loving others, thus observing
'Be good and do good'. Therefore what Swami Sivananda asked everyone
of us through his spiritual instructions, conveyed in a few words, namely,
SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALISE, BE GOOD and DO GOOD is
Yoga in itself. Swami Sivananda's aim was to make the entire humanity
healthy, happy and prosperous in life in and through cultivation of
spiritual values of life to realise God in this very life.
In this process, life and activities are to be considered
complementary and never contradictory. Better and integrated management
of any institution or oneself is truly possible only in this spirit.
How could one attain management of oneself? It is the co-ordination
of various aspects that build lasting and better results as quickly
as possible. And at the same time it remains a continuing process till
one becomes sure that a perfect and well-integrated management of oneself
has been attained. In fact, when these remain so, there is no contradiction
in thought, word and action; there develops a dynamic force within one
capable of directing an integrated personality to any problem entirely,
to find a satisfactory solution to any problem without the least difficulty.
Let us now examine the various aspects that need attention
in life. Every living being has a body and as such proper care of the
physical self is the first necessity. Next one is how one makes use
when he comes in contact with other bodies. It is what governs the social
aspect of one's self. The emotional aspect governs feelings like love,
devotion etc. The ethical aspects decide the behavioural norms, towards
other beings. The intellectual aspect helps to increase the power to
discriminate what is good and what is bad. Finally the spiritual aspect
generates awareness of happiness and peace not only in oneself, but
also in all other fellow-beings.
Every one of us should try to possess a healthy body.
Food, exercise and rest play an important role in maintaining a healthy
body. Taste, place and time determine the food requirements. There are
some who like the taste of vegetarian food. In a place like Kashmir
or the North Pole, the requirement of food is different from that of
a place like Rajasthan or Central Africa. A young boy has to have less
food than a grown-up man and the requirement changes from time to time
according to winter or summer. However one thing is common to all, i.e.,
moderation in food habits. Over-eating and under-eating are the causes
of ill-health in most cases. If one eats only when one is hungry and
drinks only when one is thirsty, one can retain a good physique. The
solid food should be pure and must be properly chewed before it goes
into the stomach. What one eats is more important than what quantity
he eats. The food should be wholesome and should contain protein, fat
and carbohydrates in adequate proportion. Under normal circumstances
the intake of solid food should be limited to half the stomach and the
liquid one to one-fourth of it. The water one drinks should be pure.
If the water happens to be impure, it should be properly boiled before
it is drunk. After a full meal, one should have the feeling that he
has left one-fourth of the stomach empty for proper ventilation. This
must make one feel at ease after a full meal, taken peacefully.
Proper exercise for the body is essential to maintain
its health. It should be done intelligently according to one's own convenience
and time at one's disposal either in his own house or in a playground
in moderation. There are some people who prefer Yogic exercise for half-an
hour a day. Many others play games like tennis, cricket, hockey, football
etc., for two or three hours every day. Though all these are good, it
becomes harmful to oneself when he neglects to do it regularly. Over
exercise produces fatigue while under exercise causes laziness, if not
dullness. Moderation makes the body healthy and mind alert.
Rest is an art in itself. One should know how to relax.
It is not only a state in which one remains sleeping doing nothing,
but also the way in which it is done that matters. An hour of sound
sleep is far better than hours spent in bed in a disturbed half-sleep.
The state of the mind when relaxed also matters a lot since it determines
the quality of the rest that one enjoys. If the mind is free from causes
of worry while at rest, one is capable of being completely relaxed.
It is possible to do so by thorough tuning it with sublime thoughts
generated by repeating the names of Gods in one's own Faith. For that
matter 'Savasana' is the best pose for physical and mental relaxation.
Lie supine on a soft blanket or carpet. Stretch the legs straight keeping
the hands closed while the toes remain separated. Keep the hands on
both sides of the body. Close the eyes and relax all organs, muscles,
nerves etc. Breathe slowly. Now repeat any prayer or name of your personal
god according to your faith. Do it mentally. Do not sleep in this pose,
but meditate or concentrate gently with a feeling of purity, spiritual
or self awareness.
Social quality is inherent in every being. Awareness
of the fact that man is not only living for the good of himself, but
also for the good of others is essential to make the good out of this
concept of life. Needless to stress that that is one way to make the
best of oneself. It is only a man with such an attitude who can help
others. It is practice oriented. The lives of many industrialists, businessman,
philanthropists, saints etc., prove that the highest form of social
quality is to work for the betterment of others without expecting anything
in return. Recently in our own country Mother Theresa demonstrated the
use of the social aspect by looking after many people who were dying
in the streets of our big cities for want of food and medical attention.
This is still fresh in our memory and every individual can emulate this
example of selfless service within his own capacity.
There cannot be anyone without emotion. The feeling
generated in oneself is emotion. Feelings are generated when one comes
into contact with objects and subjects. Feeling of love towards fellow
beings is inherent in everyone. The feeling to adore something (God
in most cases) is also ingrained in man. Anything that is emotional
in man can be improved upon or altered by oneself. Surroundings, circumstances
and contacts help to improve the emotive aspect. Emotions can be discriminated
and controlled before being acted upon for the overall improvement in
one's personality. The experience of one's self makes the emotion subside
in knowledge and integrate the emotive and intellectual aspects in one's
self.
The ethical aspect regulates the behaviour in oneself.
Where this quality is absent, one's behaviour causes disturbance in
society. To maintain the necessary rhythm in the proper functioning
of society, proper attention to this fundamental aspect is necessary.
Laws of ethics have been formulated by man for the good of society as
a well-organised group of men and every member of it owes a certain
responsibility towards it. It may vary from place to place and group
to group. But wherever it is disregarded or violated confusion is bound
to prevail.
Intelligence is the quality of a higher mind. It is
steadily acquired by the conscientious integration of theory and practice.
A really intelligent man uses this quality and overcomes all disturbances
which cause unhappiness in life or in his social ramifications. The
ability to discriminate is the means employed by the intelligent man
to triumph over his difficulties. For that matter a knowledgeable and
well-experienced man is an asset to any institution or establishment,
since he is able to arrive at a decision that may do good to him as
well as to others. When other qualities are neglected, intelligence
gets perverted and does the individual more harm than good. It therefore
goes without saying that intelligence has to be integrated with other
qualities. A truly intelligent mind is capable of deciding what is good
and what is bad for itself as well as for society at large with a correct
analysis of the pros and cons behind every question.
The spiritual aspect is the final one. All of us are
essentially spiritual. The presence of that Power which exists in oneself,
but which is unknown, is the spiritual aspect in man. When all other
qualities are fully developed and man is completely satisfied with himself,
he becomes aware of the ESSENCE which is inherent in him.
In order to attain this, one has to direct all other
attendant qualities to work simultaneously towards this. A man possesses
a healthy physique. He is well-set socially and ethically. He has integrated
his intellect and emotions and is quite capable of arriving at just
and proper decisions relating to his work. Notwithstanding such attainments
something that lurks within craves for fulfilment. It is here that he
finds refuge in the spiritual aspect and tries to direct all other qualities
towards the spirit within him. True happiness descends on him only when
he becomes conscious of the spirit within.
In order to develop this awareness of oneself Nature
has provided man with another aspect of this life, known in common parlance
as the mind. This mind is always struggling within us to know as to
what is oneself as also on what basis it has been set in this universe.
This is because man has by his own effort garnered the knowledge that
his physique has been structured out of the five elements, i.e., earth
(solid), water, (liquid), fire (gas), air (oxygen), space-mind and the
self. It works harmoniously in and through the inbuilt provided for
all by Nature. He also observes even with his naked eyes that the whole
universe is also working harmoniously on a bigger scale employing the
very stuff, i.e., Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Cosmic space and an overself
or unmanifested Spirituality. Individually it is termed as the microcosm
where the Atma or Self is the basis. The manifested Universe is a natural
Product and functions under the fundamental laws formulated by Nature.
The unmanifested spirituality remains unaffected by changes taking place
in this universe under the laws of physics.
It may therefore be observe that the unmanifested Spirituality
never changes, but ever remains in Cosmic consciousness. Under Natural
Laws, it is possible for an individual to realise, both the Self and
the Unmanifested spirituality using the mind in its conscious state
and Cosmic consciousness, respectively, step by step; one after the
other. This is because while oneself remains in the consciousness of
an individual, the unmanifested spirituality remains in Cosmic Consciousness,
as one without a second for all and at all times.
It is therefore obvious that in case an individual
wants to realise his own Self, he should seek Him in his heart as Self
or with a feeling that God in the form of his personal deity is seated
therein and that he must concentrate and meditate on Him. However God
abides only where Purity abides. Hence a seeker after Self should ensure
that his body, heart and mind are pure. It is through the practice of
a daily purificatory process as laid down for us by our Saints and Sages
that one can purify oneself.
We were all born at a particular time and are growing
in every moment in time. We are also very well aware that we shall all
end at a particular time. Hence, each individual in point, is time only
since each life-span remains within a particular or appointed time only.
This happens to every living being on earth. When a body ceases to perform
its vital functions, we term it as death. As death seizes us, our body
made up of five elements returns to its source, referred to as 'Tanmatras'.
The Self or soul or Atma which entered into our body when our mother
conceived us returns to its spiritual source. And Modern Science also
tells us that nothing in this world gets destroyed completely; it only
gets transformed into a subtle form, invisible to the naked eyes.
Death is a backward movement towards the Deathless
source of our life known as Atma and Tanmatras. This Atma can never
be destroyed in any way, (Bhagavad Gita. ch. II-23, 24). A personal
effort to remain in tune with this backward movement towards the Deathless
source of life, while an individual is alive is called spiritual life.
There are various methods and techniques to maintain this spiritual
course and they vary from individual to individual. But all are complementary
and help a Spiritual Practitioner to develop and maintain his concentration
on a single point and thus meditate on the Self within. In this way
when the self-surrender is attained by the Grace of the Guru or God,
one attains the State which can be referred to as 'Spirit over Matter'.
This is what Patanjali Maharshi in his Yoga Sutra refers to as 'Pratiprasava'
(backward movement) Patanjali Yoga Sutra Ch. IV. 4. This expands in
an earnest seeker after truth and expands in life-space. This experience,
i.e. 'Spirit over Matter' expands, spreads into higher realms slowly,
but steadily even as 'nimisha' expands into a second, second into minute
and minute into hour, thus passing on with expansion from hour into
day, day into fortnight, fortnight into month, month into a year, year
into a century, century in Yuga, Yuga in Kalpa. And Kalpa expands in
the Cosmic form of God, that is Space. The whole Universe consisting
of Suns, Moons, Stars, Planets, animate and inanimate things are created
and contained in space, by the will of God. This Self is to be abjectly
surrendered at the Lotus feet of the Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent
God.
It then assumes a completed integrated state of Universal
Pure, Natural, Expanded, Spiritual Awareness in Chittakasa or mind-space
wherein Spirit and matter are integrated in Love. Even so do father
and mother, husband and wife, Siva and Sakti, Narayana and Lakshmi,
Brahma and Saraswati, Rama and Sita, Radha and Krishna, Father in Heaven
and His son, Allah and His creations, Subramanya and Valli and so on-examples
can be multiplied, but not necessary a never-ended stream, all integrated
by love. The thinking that continuously permeate through our brain when
alert and the feelings that crowd our heart-it goes without saying are
also, for that matter closely integrated, in Love. As has already been
stated earlier, this awareness develops in the seeker after Truth by
the grace of his Guru or God, causing him to see and feel everything
manifesting as Cosmic Love.
In this state of mind-space or Chittakasa, one's pure
mind comprehends the truth conveyed in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter X-20;
Lord Krishna tells Gudakesha or Arjuna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra
that He as the Self is present in all the elements and the very same
Self is the beginning, the middle and the end of all elements in this
Universe.
As such, one feels Lord Krishna's presence in everything
and everywhere in this set up in and through one's own self and sing
'Sarvam Krishnamayam Pasyantam' 'Krishna Krishna' iti Sada japantam'.
In this way one feels the presence of Krishna everywhere; hence he sings
mentally 'Krishna, Krishna' at all times even when he is fast asleep.
This becomes possible for a Spiritual Practitioner only when he acquires
a mind and a heart, absolutely pure or free from any blemish, one like
the 'Gudakesha' with perfect control over his mind even when he is asleep.
Similarly, devotees of their own personal deities can
install it in their pure heart and sing 'Sarvam Sri Guru-mayam Pasyantam,
Sri Guru . . . Sri Guru iti Sada japantam' or 'Sarvam Rama-mayam Pasyantam,
Rama, Rama iti Sada japantam' or 'Sarvam Siva-mayam Pasyantam Siva,
Siva iti Sada japantam' or 'Sarvam Sakti-mayam Pasyantam, Sakti, Sakti
iti Sada Japantam' or 'Sarvam Subramanya-mayam Pasyantam, Subramanya,
Subramanya iti Sada Japantam' or 'Sarvam Surya-mayam Pasyantam, Surya,
Surya iti Sada Japantam,' thus one is completely free to worship any
God or Goddess in his spiritual path as the Ultimate Reality or Spirituality
that created this Universe under Its Free Will. The spark of this Free
Will alone will make us worship Him as our own Self. Under the Natural
Law there are three qualities inherent in every human being. These three
qualities are Sattva (Purity), Rajas (Activity) and Tamas (Inertia).
Every individual is prompted to act when he is under the influence of
one of these qualities predominant in him. In this way evolution of
every human being takes place under an impartial Law which guarantees
just and proper reward for an individual's actions under the Law of
Nature. Thus good actions lead to good results and bad actions to bad
results to the doer concerned. When one undertakes a Spiritual Venture
that is intuitional in character, one has to pass through five different
states of the mind. The first state is the awakened one or the conscious
state. Next is the Dream or sub-conscious state. When we are awake we
see everything around us limited by the power of our sense organs, while
as we dream, we gravitate between the awakened and the dream states,
since we do not dream when we are either in the awakened or in the 'deep-sleep
state' which is the third state the mind passes through a state in which
we are not normally aware of anything that happens around us. In order
to pass beyond this state one has to have complete control over one's
'deep sleep state' like 'Gudakesa'. Such a state is the 'Turiya' or
the 'state transcendental' or the 'Serene and Blessed state' that the
Mystic Poets and Saints like Sri Aurobindo are reported to have experienced.
It is the Natural Law that controls the entry into the 'Turiya State'.
This entry is possible only to one who has completely purified the mind.
'Turiya is absolutely intuitional' and can be experienced only in meditation
or sequestered contemplation. The fifth state is 'Turiyatita'. The great
Saints and Sages remained in 'Turiyatita' when they attained a mindless-space
(Chidakasa) in Cosmic Consciousness. Here the Self or the one ceases
to function since the 'mind-space' transforms itself into mindless-space
in unmitigated Spirituality, that never manifests itself. In this state,
there is no question of return to the oneself, since it becomes one
with the source by the Grace of Unmanifested spirituality.
Attainment of the capacity to manage oneself is therefore
not a negative approach, but an entirely positive one. It enables a
person to develop an 'integrated personality' which in its turn helps
the dynamic and scientifically-oriented man of the present-day to acquire
the spiritual wisdom-the sine qua non for harmonious personality, a
relaxed heart and an enlightened soul in the midst of all the pleasures
and pains brought about by science in a sweating, struggling and fiercely
competitive world. To conclude, such an integrated personality is necessary
not only for the individual, but also for all living beings moving around
him. 'Let the entire world be happy; even so shall I be happy.'
