By
SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
Thirteenth Edition: 1988
(5000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1998
Website: http://www.divinelifesociety.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-024-x
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
CONTENTS
Even among the inspiring books of Sri Gurudev, this is a unique book.
It was written with the special intention of having the entire matter
recorded on the gramophone disc. For this purpose Gurudev had given
in this book the very essence of his own teachings.
Hence, this book was chosen for being sent to every new member of the
Divine Life Society on enrolment. It is, as it were, the 'Beginner's
Guide to Divine Life'.
Members of the Divine Life Society and spiritual aspirants have added
this precious volume to the scriptures which they study daily as Svadhyaya
and have derived incalculable benefit by the assimilation of these teachings
into their daily life.
This text containing, a valuable treasure of wisdom is placed in the
hands of aspirants all over the world in the fervent hope that it will
guide them to the great goal of human life, viz., God-realisation.
-THE
DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
Thou art, O Lord! The creator of this universe. Thou art the protector
of this world. Thou art in the grass and the rose. Thou art in the sun
and the stars. Salutations unto Thee! O bestower of joy and bliss!
O Sweet Lord! Let me be free from the clutches of death. Let me be
able to look upon all beings with equal vision. Let me be free from
impurity and sin. Give me strength to control the mind. Give me strength
to serve Thee and the humanity untiringly. Make me Thy fit instrument
for Thy work. Make me pure and strong.
I bow to Thee, O Indweller of many hearts! O Secret of secrets! Remove
my weaknesses, defects and evil thoughts. Make me pure so that I may
be able to receive Thy grace and blessings. O Lord! Thou art the thread-soul
that connects all beings. Thou pervadest all, permeatest and interpenetratest
all things of this universe.
Thou art light divine. Thou art the dispeller of ignorance. Thou art
All-merciful Lord. Give me a life without disease. Let me remember Thee
always. Let me develop all sublime virtues.
Thou art Self-luminous. Thou art my father, mother, brother, friend,
relative and guide. Let me realise the Truth. Let me be free from greed,
lust, egoism, jealousy and hatred. Prepare me as Thy sweet messenger
on this earth so that I may radiate joy, peace and bliss to the whole
world. Let me utilise this body, mind and senses in Thy service and
the service of Thy creatures. Breathe into me Thy breath of Immortality.
Let me recognise the universal brotherhood of man. Let me love all as
my own self. Salutations unto Thee, O Lord of compassion.
Salutations to the Divine Mother who exists in all beings in the form
of intelligence, mercy and beauty. Salutations, O Sweet Mother the consort
of Lord Siva! O Mother Parvati! Thou art Lakshmi. Thou art Sarasvati.
Thou art Kali, Durga and Kundalini. Thou art the embodiment of all power.
Thou art Para Sakti. Thou art in the form of all objects. Thou art the
sole refuge of all. Thou hast enchanted the world. The whole universe
is the play of Thy three Gunas. How can I praise Thee? Thy glory is
indescribable. Thy splendour is ineffable. Protect me. Guide me, O Loving
Mother!
O Adorable Mother! Thou hast generated this great illusion by which
all people walk deluded in this world. All sciences have come from Thee.
Without Thy grace no one can get success in spiritual Sadhana and salvation
in the end. Thou art the seed for this world. Thou hast two aspects,
viz., the unmanifested aspect or Avyaktam and the manifested aspect
or the gross universe. The whole world gets dissolved in Avyaktam during
Pralaya. Give me the divine eye. Let me behold Thy real majestic form.
Help me to cross over this illusion, O Kind Mother!
O Compassionate Mother! I bow to Thee. Thou art my saviour. Thou art
my goal. Thou art my sole support. Thou art my guide and the remover
of all afflictions, troubles and miseries. Thou art the embodiment of
auspiciousness. Thou pervadeth the whole universe. The whole universe
is filled with Thee. Thou art the storehouse of all qualities. Do Thou
protect me. I again and again salute Thee; O glorious Mother! Salutations
to Thee. All women are Thy parts. Mind, egoism, intellect, body, Prana
and senses are Thy forms. Thou art Para-Prakriti and Apara-Prakriti.
Thou art electricity, magnetism, force, energy, power and will. All
forms are Thy forms only. Reveal to me the mystery of creation. Bestow
on me the divine knowledge.
O Loving Mother! Thou art the primal energy, Thou hast two aspects,
viz., the terrible and the peaceful. Thou art modesty, gentleness, shyness,
generosity, courage, forbearance and patience. Thou art faith in the
heart of devotees and nobility in noble people, chivalry in warriors
and ferocity in tigers. Give me strength to control the mind and the
Indriyas. Make me worthy to dwell in Thee! Salutation unto Thee!
O Mother Supreme! When shall I have equal vision and a placid state
of mind? When shall I be established in Ahimsa, Satyam and Brahmacharya?
When shall I get deep abiding peace and perennial joy? When shall I
enter in deep meditation and Samadhi?
O Radiant Mother! I have not done any spiritual Sadhana or service
of teachers. I have not practised any Vrata, pilgrimage, charity, Japa
and meditation or worship. I have not studied religious scriptures.
I have neither purity nor a burning yearning for liberation. Thou art
my only refuge. Thou art my only support. My silent adoration unto Thee!
I am Thy meek supplicant. Remove the veil of ignorance.
Gracious Mother! Prostrations unto Thee. Where art Thou? Do not forsake
me. I am Thy child. Take me to the other shore of fearlessness and joy.
When shall I behold Thy lotus-feet with my own eyes? Thou art the boundless
ocean of mercy. When the philosopher's stone turns iron into gold by
contact, when the Ganga turns impure water into pure water, can'st Thou
not turn me, O Mother Divine, into a pure Soul? May my tongue repeat
Thy Name always!
The life of man is an indication of what is beyond him and what determines
the course of his thoughts, feelings and actions. The wider life is
invisible, and the visible is a shadow cast by the invisible which is
the real. The shadow gives an idea of the substance, and one can pursue
the path to the true substance by the perception of the shadow. Human
existence, by the fact of its limitations, wants and various forms of
restlessness, discontent and sorrow, points to a higher desired end,
incomprehensible though the nature of this end be.
As life on this earth is characterised by incessant change, and nothing
here seems to have the character of reality, nothing here can satisfy
man completely. The Bhagavad Gita has referred to this world as anityam,
asukham, duhkhalayam, ashashvatam-"Impermanent, unhappy, the
abode of sorrow, transient". The sages of yore declared with immediate
realisation that "Truth is One" and that the goal of human
life is the realisation and the experience of this Truth.
The universe is inconstant, and it is only a field of experience provided
to the individuals so that they may evolve towards the experience of
the Highest Truth. It is the glory of the people of Bharatavarsha (India)
that to them the visible universe is not real and the invisible Eternal
alone is real. They have no faith in what they perceive with the
senses. They have faith only in that which is the ground of all experience,
beyond the senses, beyond even the individual mind.
Earnest seekers used to seek shelter under great sages who purified
the holy region of the Himalayas with their mighty presence, and lived
the austere life of Yogis in order to attain freedom from the trammels
of earth-bound life and rest in the beatitude of the Absolute, Brahman.
This they considered the true life, and thus the way of fulfilling the
law of the Eternal.
The great law-giver Manu, after describing the various tenets of Dharma,
finally asserts: "Of all these Dharmas, the Knowledge of the Self
is the highest; it is verily the foremost of all sciences; for, by it,
one attains immortality." The pursuit of Dharma, Artha and Kama
has its meaning in the attainment of Moksha which is the greatest of
all the Purusharthas (end of human life). Dharma is the ethical
and moral value of life; Artha is its material value; and Kama is its
vital value; but Moksha is the infinite value of existence which covers
all the others and is itself far greater than all these. Others exist
as aids or preparations for Moksha. Without Moksha, they have no value
and convey no meaning. Their value is conditioned by the law of the
Infinite, which is the same as Moksha.
The Vedas and the Upanishads are the exhalations of the Divine Being,
and they give an exhaustive commentary on spiritual life. They are expositions
of the significance and the import of human life and of the method of
the transmutation of the mortal appearance into the Immortal Essence.
The instance of the great Nachiketas and the story of his adventurous
search for Truth narrated in the thrilling Kathopanishad serve
as exemplars to all men capable of thought and reflection.
Nothing of the world of sensibility can be of real value-this is what
Nachiketas taught through his memorable act of renunciation. Not even
the longest life and the immense wealth offered to him could tempt him.
He persevered in his quest for the Highest, and in the end achieved
the Highest. Nothing short of it could satisfy him. Such are the true
heroes. A real hero is not he who stands against bullets or risks his
life in hazardous attempts, fights battles, dives into oceans and climbs
high cliffs, but he who subdues his senses and overcomes his mind, recognises
the supreme unity of life and casts aside dualities and desires. To
achieve this is the duty of man; this is the immortal message of the
sages of the Upanishads.
The tangle of sense-experience in which man is caught is most vexing,
and hard it is to free oneself from it. Man is deluded by the
notion of the reality of the so-called external relations of things
and thus he comes to grief. The Mahabharata says that the contact of
beings in this universe is like the contact of logs of wood in a flowing
river, temporary. Yet the attachment to sense-percepts is so strong
that phantoms are mistaken for facts, the impure is mistaken for the
pure, the painful for the pleasant, and the not-self for the Self.
The message of the ancient sages is that the life one lives in the
sense-world is deceptive, for it hides the Existence underlying all
things and makes one feel that the particular presentation of forms
before the senses alone is real. "Children run after external pleasures
and fall into the net of wide-spread death. The heroes, however, knowing
the Immortal, seek not the Eternal among things unstable here,"
says the Upanishad. The call of the ancient sages to man
is: "O son of the Immortal! Know yourself as the Infinite! become
the All. This is the supreme blessing. This is the supreme bliss."
This is the undying message to man.
The sages have again and again stressed: "If one knows It (i.e.,
the Immortal Being) here, then there is the true end of all aspirations!
If one does not know It here, great is the loss for him." (Kenopanishad).
And sage Yajnavalkya says that all great deeds done in this world, without
the knowledge of the One Imperishable Being, are not worth anything.
Humanitarian services; fasts and charity; one's political, national,
social and individual life; should all be based on the feeling of universal
brotherhood which is the eternal expression of the Reality of universal
Selfhood.
Humanity can hope for peace when this condition, discovered and laid
down by the Rishis, viz., abiding by the law of the Divine is fulfilled.
Peace can be had only to the extent that the system of the Divine is
adhered to in life. And this peace is inversely proportional to the
love of body, individuality and its relations in the world, in which
humanity is generally steeped. An 'awakening' of a higher consciousness
is necessary so that disorder and discontent may be abolished.
Education of humanity in the right direction is the precondition of
world peace. Materialism, atheism, scepticism and agnosticism which
are rampant in these days and which have robbed man of his reverence
for the Supreme Absolute are mainly responsible for the increasing selfishness,
craving, confusion, violence and agitation of mind that are seething
in the world. Man should learn that behind the appearance of materiality,
discreteness, externality, doubt and impermanence, there is the reality
of spirituality, unity and infinity.
Without the recognition of this reality, life loses life and becomes
an emptiness, devoid of meaning and purpose, dead, as it were. To live
in the divine is to die to the narrowness of the sense world; and to
be confined to the latter is to 'destroy oneself' (in the words of the
Isavasyopanishad). The present trend of life has to be overhauled,
and a reorientation in it brought about in the light of morality, ethics
and spirituality. The change that is required is not merely in the outward
form but in the very perspective and the inner constitution of the system
of living.
This can be done when man's ideals are based on the truths of the spirituality
of Oneness, lifted above blind beliefs, differences and materiality.
When this is achieved, man would have fulfilled his great duty here.
For the man scorched in the waterless desert of worldliness, the only
hope is in the cool waters of the Ganga of wisdom, flowing from the
Himalayan heights of the sages of the Upanishads. Drink
from this perennial fount, and refresh yourself.
The true greatness of Indian spiritual inheritance consists in the
secret and glorious methods it has delivered to us for allaying life's
sorrow and human unhappiness and for acquiring for the circumstance
of human existence, the infinite peace and perfection of the Divine
Being. Human grief cannot be alleviated as long as the human individual
is immured in ignorance and strives merely for his individual pleasure
and good. The genius of India has, to its immortal honour, soared above
the conventional ties and the bonds of society, grasped the spiritual
truth, realised it and proclaimed to the world, for the welfare of all
mankind, that "Life is One" and not many. Apart from the petty
disharmonies between one person and another, the nations of the world
seem to be separated from each other and this virulent notion of division
and separation is the mother of war and destruction. Deceived by the
spectacular advancement of scientific knowledge, modern mind in all
countries and continents has not cared to understand the fundamental
meaning of life, and sought its satisfaction in a sensational floating
upon the apparently attractive scum of Existence. Such has been the
spirit in which science has taken its marvellous strides in progress,
that it has nothing in its constitution to drive it towards a grasp
of the deep and significant changes that man undergoes beneath his scalp,
towards understanding the potentialities of man as a mind, as a heart,
as a spirit, as a creative entity, towards directing his aspirations,
towards aiding the blossoming of the noblest forces that lie buried
and latent in his bosom. Redounding to the eternal credit of the genius
of India, there lies the momentous fact that at the very dawn of civilisations,
it has raised the deepest issues of life, questioned the limitations
of human existence, ventured forth for a solution into the realms of
that Infinite Power that is found 'feebly' interpenetrating this world
of physics, physical experience, materialistic philosophy and 'sputniks,'
discovered that guiding, governing and sustaining Permanent Ground upon
which is played the tragi-comic drama of life and the pride of men that
are dressed in brief authority. If there is anything valuable in life
as a whole, it is the knowledge of the solution of the apparent riddle
of existence, the knowledge of the essential nature and the real destiny
of man, the knowledge of man's real relations to the other men, to the
universe, to the Transcendence, and this knowledge is the glorious heritage
of India. The men of India who are also the men of God, men who have
imposed upon themselves the disciplines that lead them to Perfection,
to living the good life, the ideal life, the divine life, the life in
the inner Reality and for the happiness of mankind, for the solidarity
of the world, have discovered the road to Success and Achievement, discerned
the clues to progress and perfection, in a strict adherence to the rhythms
of the universal laws and the eternal verities that guide in accordance
to the genius inherent in them, humanity as a whole and all manifestation
to the final denouement in a Divine Existence.
The attitude of life which the Indians developed was based upon the
nature of the End or the Goal to be attained through the instrumentality
of the phenomenon of life-life which is a step, a stage, and not the
end in itself. This attitude ensouls the righteous law, the Dharma,
and to it, the universe becomes what it intrinsically is, the Dharma-Kshetra,
or the arena for the display and the justification of the prowess of
the right action, the action whose whole spirit moves towards the realisation
of the absolute Good that is the nature of the Infinite Being. The ideal
of Dharma forms the substratum upon which is built the structure of
the whole life of man who wishes to resolve the riddle of his personal
life, win victory over the struggle of existence, be crowned with a
strange and ethereal joy even while he is living in the environment
of the world, of this imperfect earth that is the heir to change, sorrow,
and death. Dharma is virtue and virtue is that which leads one to the
most perfect condition, the condition that is identical with the ultimate
success constituted of the joy of life, unlimited, unfettered and unalloyed,
complete beyond expression. As the highest virtue that man may practise,
Ahimsa is both a negative withdrawal and a positive assertion of the
'mind'. It is refraining from doing, speaking and thinking anything
which will cause pain and sorrow to any other individual, to any living
being. This represents the negative aspect of the discipline of Ahimsa.
Its positive aspect is brought out by an expression of universal love,
love that has no partiality, love that excludes nothing, love that cares
not for the effect of love! The ideal of universal love is a spontaneous
self-fulfilment in the delight of a discovery of Oneself, of the universally
self-same, our own inner consciousness in all. Until this is done, no
civilization is genuine, no culture is true, nothing is perfect and
lasting. In one word, it is in the light of absolute Conciousness which
is undifferentiated that Ahimsa which is more a matter of spirit than
an effect of a mere act, is practised.
Immediately succeeding the devotion to the principle of Ahimsa, comes
the practice of the excellence of truth. To the spiritual genius, Truth
is more than truth-speaking; it is God or the Absolute; it is that which
triumphs, not untruth. Again, Truth is right; untruth is wrong; that
which elevates one and takes one nearer to God is right, that which
brings one down and takes one away from God is wrong. And that God towards
which our whole inner being must rise, in the indivisible unity of conscious
existence, the infinity of delight and awareness. Control over passions
constitutes the essence of truth; self-denial or refraining from greedy
indulgence is truth; to permit the spiritual element in us triumph is
truth. Truth is a life in the eternal. Untruth is change, decay and
death. Love is truth; hatred is untruth; harmony is truth; disharmony
is untruth. There is no greater sin than hatred and battle-the pungent
word and the insolent action, the arrogance and the uncharitableness,
the egoistic self-assertion and vehement action of the selfish impulse.
Relative truths are valid only insofar as they do not run against the
grain of absolute truth which is the Eternal in the highest sense.
The third canon is the self-control which is the holding in check of
the instinctive urges that try to drag the individual away from the
experience of the truth. Self-control is a universal rule unexceptionally
applicable to all men and all women, at all places and at all times.
It is the very key to beatitude. Indulgence in externalities, in sensuous
objects, in physical pleasures is the effect of the failure of the individual
to discriminate the spiritual value from the material chaff, the Truth
from the untruth. Desire to have contact with and enjoy outward things
is the outcome of the ignorance of the Truth that is God, the Truth
that is the Infinite Existence. Self-control is the restraint of the
outgoing tendencies of the senses and the mind and to centre the same
in the active participation of Truth-existence, the Universal One. This
self-control, this energization of consciousness, this Tapas, this restraining
of one's externalising, self-diffusing energies and founding oneself
upon that one Cosmic Being is Dharma that supports the life and law
of the universe, integrates the being of man, and spreads before the
vision of man the creative God-centred life. Adharma is selfishness
and egoism of nature which leads to self-imprisonment, suffering and
failure in life. Absolute righteousness means the sacrifice of the self
for universal well-being, the well-being pertaining not merely to the
earth but to the highest spiritual reality, the well-being of keeping
the Consciousness in its poise liberated from the distraction engendered
by the darkness of ignorance, separativencss, division, limitedness.
It is the opposite of "I"-ness and "mine"-ness which
belong to the nature of the world of bondage.
Life on earth is not self-sufficient and, hence, there is perpetual
flux of states to reach other states of superior knowledge and happiness.
Life in this world and in this body is only a preparation, a step for
the higher life. That which we see and hear of is not the real; the
Real is beyond this. To reach the Real, the present life acts as a ladder,
a field of activity that affords the conditions and the scope for the
individual to establish its relations with the most exalted Divine Life.
Wrong it is to restrict the outlook of our life to the perceptible phenomena
and to judge our sense of values in relation to the objective worth
of things. The grandeur and greatness of our life rests upon the measure
to which we have raised ourselves into the law of inmost life in general,
in the Supreme Being. Dealings with one another are justified only so
long as they do not deviate from the eternal law of the Spiritual Nature.
Neither social welfare nor national betterment is possible by mere clinging
to shadows and forgetting the essential Substance. The substance of
Truth does not belong to any particular person for it is the being and
life of whatever that is. That which is One and Common can only be divisionless
and all-inclusive in a self-identical existence. This is the fulness
of attainment and the culmination of all the aspirations and ideals
of life.
In this integral spiritual view of life is rooted the ethical basis
of social and domestic relationship. Society is the collective body
of individuals determined to pierce the veils and enter the realms of
Immortal Being with the power of a unified and common aspiration and
struggle to grasp the Highest. Unified we live; divided we cease to
live. Human relationship is not meant to signify anything less than
the attempt to live in everyday life the spiritual egoless love that
is at the background of all existent beings. The love of the Self means
the love of everything of the universe. The Indian genius would complete
the teaching "Love thy neighbour as thyself" by adding "because
thy neighbour is thy own Self". Altruistic love is the expression
of eternal unison of the Infinite Life that lies at the depth of the
universe. If family or society or nation is understood as a means to
separate one from another, however much large the scope of its inclusion
of human beings may be, such a family, such a society, such a nation,
cannot triumph. All relationship is expected to end in the absolute
unity of existence excluding nothing from itself. This goal of life
should be borne in mind in the process of daily activities if our actions
are to be free from selfishness, at one with the universal movement
of Nature. Life is a divine worship. The proper conduct of family, the
administration of the country and the society is a part of the Universal
Government which looks at the entirety of beings with a strictly impartial
eye. We live because God exists and our life is to be perfect and just
even as God is perfect and just. We exist in God's Being, we breathe
and move in Him.
The knowledge of this unity of life and the proper moral and the ethical
attitude required to start the process of realising it are achieved
through being directly instructed by the teacher who is truly advanced
in knowledge and has attained Self-perfection.
The psychology of Gurukulavasa is inseparably connected with the science
of self-discipline and Self-knowledge. It is not the mechanical education
of the present day that is meant by real education in the Gurukula,
but the means of erasing out the propensities that cloud the awareness
of the Truth and controlling the distractive nature of the psyche. Self-mastery
is the effect of the protracted checking of the ego-sense and centring
of it in the General God-Being which is egoless, free from the sense
of individual existence. The religion, the philosophy, the code of ethical
and social law of India are all universal in their character. Universality
is the expression of the nature of the Reality. The highest universal
science of the Truth is the Vedanta in which are blended together the
different existent views of life. The Vedanta is neither a sect nor
a creed, but the science of the Absolute Reality, the only life-giving
science, the only solace to the intelligent mankind.
The boldest proclamation of Vedanta is that man is in essence infinitely
Divine, that everyone is bound to succeed sooner or later, that all
are bound to recover themselves in the Infinite Life Divine. The ideal
of the Vedanta is not merely a universal brotherhood nor merely living
a united and happy social life in the world of differentiated individuals,
but the being of the Absolute Essence of the Highest Divinity which
is the Life, Source and End of the Universe. The Vedanta is the master-technique
of transmuting the many into the Undivided One. It means Experience
Whole and existing as the birthless and deathless Infinite. This is
the greatest heritage of India, this is the greatest treasure that India
has and this is the greatest gift that India can offer to the world.
This is the zenith of culture and civilization, this is the highest
knowledge that man can ever attempt to acquire, this is the final fruition
of the best of human aspiration.
The awe-inspiring greatness of India rests mainly upon the bedrock
of Absolute-Experience, of Truth-realisation, or a poised awareness
of the Infinite here on earth, in this life, in the environment of the
dance and pageantry of finitude, relativity, objectivity. As the dwelling
place of the Rishis, the Sages, the Men of God-Vision, India enjoys
in the estimation of the world a unique prerogative.
All the grand ideals of world's great religions that have moulded the
characters of men, the loftiest tenets of ethics and morality that have
raised human beings to the magnanimous height of supreme perfection
and all the sublime truths of spirituality that have made man divine
and have shaped the spiritual life of nations and of the saviours of
mankind, first took their origins in India, the land of those daring
spiritual individuals who entered into the heart of the Absolute and
proclaimed truths which have eternal values. With its spiritual horizons
lit up with the deathless light of the Upanishadic wisdom, India is
essentially a land of spiritual wealth, and its history is the history
of religious experience. The Goal of India is Self-realisation or the
attainment of God-Consciousness through the express manifestation of
a spirit of renunciative detachment and through a dynamic divine knowledge.
If men are but to understand the significance and the richness of this
spiritual inheritance of India, and make the spirit of this heritage
part and parcel of their daily awareness, they all would be veritable
gods on earth.
Chapter
I
Yoga is a perfect practical system of self-culture. Yoga is an exact
science. It aims at the harmonious development of the body, the mind
and the soul. Yoga is the turning away of the senses from the objective
universe and the concentration of the mind within. Yoga is eternal life
in the soul or spirit. Yoga aims at controlling the mind and its modifications.
The path of Yoga is an inner path whose gateway is your heart.
Yoga is the discipline of the mind, senses and physical body. Yoga
helps in the co-ordination and control of the subtle forces within the
body. Yoga brings in perfection, peace and everlasting happiness. Yoga
can help you in your business and in your daily life. You can have calmness
of mind at all times by the practice of Yoga. You can have restful sleep.
You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high
standard of health. Yoga transmutes animal nature into divine nature
and raises you to the pinnacle of divine glory and splendour.
The practice of Yoga will help you to control the emotions and passions
and will give you power to resist temptations and to remove the disturbing
elements form mind. It will enable you to keep a balanced mind always
and remove fatigue. It will confer on you serenity, calmness and wonderful
concentration. It will enable you to hold communion with the Lord and
thus attain the summum bonum of existence.
If you want to attain success in Yoga, you will have to abandon all
worldly enjoyments and practise Tapas and Brahmacharya. You will have
to control the mind skilfully and tactfully. You will have to use judicious
and intelligent methods to curb it. If you use force, it will become
more turbulent and mischievous. It cannot be controlled by force. It
will jump and drift away more and more. Those who attempt to control
the mind by force are like those who endeavour to bind a furious elephant
with a thin silken thread.
A Guru or preceptor is indispensable for the practice of Yoga. The
aspirant in the path of Yoga should be humble, simple, gentle, refined,
tolerant, merciful and kind. If you have a curiosity to get psychic
powers, you cannot have success in Yoga. Yoga does not consist in sitting
cross-legged for six hours or stopping the pulse or beatings of the
heart or getting oneself buried underneath the ground for a week or
a month.
Self-sufficiency, impertinence, pride, luxury, name, fame, self-assertive
nature, obstinacy, idea of superiority, sensual desires, evil company,
laziness, overeating, overwork, too much mixing and too much talking
are some of the obstacles in the path of Yoga. Admit your faults freely.
When you are free from all these evil traits, Samadhi or union will
come by itself.
Practise Yama and Niyama. Sit comfortably in Padma or Siddhasana. Restrain
the breath. Withdraw the senses. Control the thoughts. Concentrate.
Meditate and attain Asamprajnata or Nirvikalpa Samadhi (union with the
Supreme Self).
May you shine as a brilliant Yogi by the practice of Yoga! May you
enjoy the bliss of the Eternal!
Karma Yoga is selfless service unto humanity. "Your duty is to
work incessantly but not to expect the fruits thereof." This is
the central teaching of the Gita.
Repeat your Ishtamantra mentally even when you work in office. God
is the Inner Ruler. He directs 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. It is not the
Karma but the selfish motive that binds the man.
Never, never say, "I have helped that man." Feel and think,
"That man gave me an opportunity to serve. This piece of service
has helped me to purify my mind. I am extremely grateful to him."
If you see a poor man clad in rags standing in front of your door, feel
that the Lord is before you in the form of a poor man. Serve him with
Narayana Bhava.
Never grumble when you do service to others. Take delight in service.
Watch for opportunities, to serve. Never miss even a single opportunity.
Work is worship of the Lord.
A Karma Yogi should have an amiable, loving, social nature. He should
have sympathy, adaptability, self-restraint, tolerance, love and mercy.
He should adjust himself to the ways and habits of others. He should
be able to bear insult, harsh words, criticism, pleasure and pain, heat
and cold.
You can do selfless service according to your ability and station in
life. An advocate can plead for poor people without accepting fees.
A doctor can treat the poor free of charge. A teacher or professor can
give free tution to poor boys. He can supply them books for study.
Have a medicine-chest of 12 tissue remedies or some allopathic medicines
or homoeopathic medicines. Serve the poor and sick with Atma Bhava.
Give one-tenth of your income in charity. This is the highest Yoga.
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 gently. Feel that you are serving the
Lord in the body of the patient. Repeat your Ishtamantra also. If you
see a man or animal bleeding on the roadside, never hesitate to tear
your upper cloth or shirt and use it for bandaging, in the absence of
any other means of bandage. Do not bargain with the poor porters at
the railway station. Be liberal and generous. Keep always some small
coins in your pocket and distribute them to the poor and the decrepit.
Karma Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of light and knowledge.
It expands the heart and breaks all barriers that stand in the way of
oneness or unity. Karma Yoga is an effective Sadhana for Chitta Suddhi
or purity of heart. Therefore, do selfless service constantly.
Hatha Yoga relates to the restraint of breath (Pranayama), Asanas,
Bandhas and Mudras. 'Ha' and 'tha' mean the union of the sun and the
moon, union of Prana and Apana Vayus. 'Hatha' means any tenacious practice
till the object or end is achieved. Trataka, standing on one leg, (a
kind of Tapas) and similar poses are all Hatha Yoga practices. Hatha
Yoga is inseparable from Raja Yoga. Raja Yoga begins where Hatha Yoga
ends. Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga are interdependent. Raja Yoga and Hatha
Yoga are the necessary counterparts of each other. No one can become
a perfect Yogi without a knowledge and practice of both the Yogas. Hatha
Yoga prepares the student to take up Raja Yoga.
A Hatha Yogi starts his Sadhana with body and Prana; a Raja Yogi starts
his Sadhana with his mind; a Jnana Yogi starts his Sadhana with Buddhi
or intellect and will.
A Hatha Yogi gets Siddhis (psychic powers) by uniting Prana and Apana
and by taking the united Prana-Apana through the six Chakras (centres
of spiritual energy) to Sahasrara at the crown of the head. A Raja Yogi
gets Siddhis by Samyama, i.e., combined practice of Dharana, Dhyana
and Samadhi at one time. A Jnana Yogi exhibits Siddhis through pure
will or Sat-Sankalpa. A Bhakta gets Siddhis through self-surrender and
the consequent descent of grace. Kriyas, viz., Neti, Dhauti, Nauli,
Basti, Tratak and Kapalabhati belong to Hatha Yoga. All need not practise
these Kriyas. Those who have got much phlegm in the body should practise
these Kriyas. Learn these under an expert Hatha Yogi. Hatha Yoga is
not the goal. It is only a means to an end. Take to Raja Yoga after
possessing good health.
Do Asana, Kumbhaka, Mudra and shake the Kundalini. Then take it to
Sahasrara through Chakras in the Sushumna. O children of light! Will
you drink not, will you drink not, the nectar of immortality?
Brother! Attain good health. Without health how can you live? Without
health, how can you earn? Without health how can you get success in
Yoga or any undertaking? Possess wonderful health through the practice
of Hatha Yoga. Drink the nectar in Sahasrara and live in the immortal
abode of Siva.
Health is wealth. Health is indeed a covetable possession. Good health
is a valuable asset to one and all. It can be achieved by the regular
practice of Yoga Asanas.
The practice of Asanas controls the emotions, produces mental peace,
distributes Prana evenly throughout the body and different systems,
helps in maintaining healthy functioning of the internal organs, gives
internal massage to the various abdominal organs. Physical exercises
draw the Prana (energy) out but the Asanas send the Prana in. The practice
of Asanas cures many diseases and awakens Kundalini Sakti. These are
the chief advantages in the Yogic system of exercises which no other
systems have.
Practise a few Asanas daily at least for a period of fifteen minutes.
You will possess wonderful health. Be regular in your practice. Regularity
is of paramount importance. Practise Bhujang, Salabh, Dhanur, Sarvang,
Hala and Paschimottasan Asanas. Bhujang, Salabh and Dhanur will remove
constipation and muscular pain of the back. Sirsh, Sarvang and Hala
will help you in maintaining Brahmacharya, rendering the spine elastic
and curing all diseases. Paschimottasan will reduce fat in the belly
and help digestion. Relax all muscles in Savasana in the end.
Asanas should be done on empty stomach in the morning or at least three
hours after food. Morning time is best for doing Asanas. Do not wear
spectacles when you do Asanas. Wear a singlet if necessary and a Langotee.
Be moderate in your diet. Practice of Brahmacharya is very important
for success in Yoga Asanas. Start with minimum time for each Asana and
then gradually increase the period. Answer the calls of nature before
you start the practice. Boys and girls over ten years of age as well
as women can practise Asanas.
The world needs good, healthy, strong boys and girls. What do we find
in these days in India? India, the land of Rishis and sages, the land
which produced Bhishma, Bhima, Arjuna, Drona, Asvatthama, Kripa, Parasurama
and countless other chivalrous warriors, the soil which contained numberless
Rajput chiefs of undaunted courage and matchless strength, now abounds
in weak and timid persons. Children beget children. The laws of health
are ignored and neglected. The nation is suffering and dying. The world
requires numberless brave, moral, Adhyatmic soldiers who are equipped
with the five virtues, viz., Ahimsa, Satyam, Asteya, Brahmacharya
and Aparigraha.
Pranayama is an exact science. It is the fourth Anga or limb of Ashtanga
Yoga. It is the regulation of breath or control of Prana.
Pranayama steadies the mind, augments the gastric fire, energises digestion,
invigorates the nerves, destroys the Rajas, destroys all diseases, removes
all laziness, makes the body light and healthy and awakens Kundalini.
Pranayama should be practised when the stomach is empty. Be regular
in your practice. Do not take bath immediately after the practice. Do
not practise Kumbhaka or retention of breath in the beginning. Have
only slow and mild Puraka (inhalation) and Rechaka (exhalation). Do
not strain the breath beyond your capacity. Keep the ratio for Puraka,
Kumbhaka and Rechaka as 1:4:2. Exhale very very slowly.
Sit on Padma, Siddha or Sukha Asana. Keep the head, neck and trunk
in a straight line. Inhale slowly through the left nostril and retain
the breath according to the ratio, then exhale slowly through the right
nostril. This is half process of Pranayama. Then inhale through the
right nostril, retain and exhale through the left nostril. Do not retain
the breath for more than one or two minutes.
Do ten or twenty Pranayamas according to your capacity. Do not fatigue
yourself. Increase the number gradually. You can go up to 16:64:32.
This is Sukhapurvaka or easy comfortable Pranayama.
Practise Sitali in summer. This will purify your blood and cool the
system too. Practise Bhastrika in winter. This will cure asthma and
consumption. Repeat 'Om' or 'Rama' mentally during the practice. Observe
Brahmacharya and diet-control. You will derive maximum benefits and
will quickly purify the Nadis or nerves.
Prana and mind are intimately related to each other. If you control
Prana, the mind will also be controlled. If you control the mind, the
Prana will be automatically controlled. Prana is related to mind, and
through it to will and through will to the individual soul and through
individual soul to the Supreme Soul.
Start the practice this very second in right earnest. Control the breath
and calm the mind. Steady the breath and enter Samadhi. Restrain the
breath and lengthen the life. Subdue the breath and become a Yogi, a
dynamo of power, peace, bliss and happiness.
Kundalini Sakti is the coiled-up, dormant, cosmic power that underlies
all organic as well as inorganic matter. It is the primordial energy
that lies at the basal Muladhara Chakra in a dormant, potential state.
Kundalini Yoga is that Yoga which treats of Kundalini Sakti, the seven
Chakras or centres of spiritual energy, the arousing of the sleeping
Kundalini Sakti and its union with Lord Siva in Sahasrara Chakra at
the crown of the head. The seven Chakras are pierced by the passing
of Kundalini Sakti to the top of the head.
The seven Chakras are: Muladhara (at the anus), Svadhishthana (at the
root of the organ of generation), Manipura (at the navel), Anahata (in
the heart), Visuddha (in the neck), Ajna (in the space between the two
eyebrows) and Sahasrara (at the crown of the head).
Nadis are the astral tubes that carry Pranic currents. They cannot
be seen by naked eyes. They are not the ordinary nerves, arteries and
veins. There are 72,000 Nadis. Among them three are important. They
are Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. Sushumna is the most important one, because
Kundalini passes through this Nadi only. The first step in Kundalini
Yoga is the purification of Nadis. When Sushumna is pure then only Kundalini
will pass through it. Purification of Nadis is done by the practice
of Pranayama.
The Yogi opens the mouth of Sushumna Nadi through Pranayama, Bandhas
and Mudras and awakens the sleeping Kundalini and takes Her to Sahasrara
at the crown of the head through the lower six Chakras. Kundalini sleeps
in the Muladhara in 31/2 coils. The three coils represent the three
Gunas and half coil represents the Vikritis.
Kundalini is awakened through Pranayama, Asanas and Mudras by Hatha
Yogins, through concentration by Raja Yogins, through devotion and perfect
self-surrender by Bhaktas or devotees; through analytical will, by the
Jnanis; by Japa of Mantra and by the grace of the Guru.
If you are pure and free from all desires, Kundalini will awaken by
itself and you will be benefited. If you awaken Kundalini by violent
methods, forcibly, when your heart is impure, when desires lurk in your
mind, you will come across temptations of various sorts, when you move
from plane to plane, you will have a downfall. You will have no strength
of will to resist these temptations.
That aspirant who has firm faith in Yogic Sastras, who is courageous,
devotional, humble, generous, merciful, pure and dispassionate, can
easily awaken Kundalini and attain success in Samadhi. He should also
be equipped with right conduct and self-restraint; he should constantly
engage himself in the service of his Guru and be free from lust, anger,
Moha, greed and vanity.
When Kundalini is taken to the Sahasrara, when She is united with Lord
Siva, perfect Samadhi (super-conscious blissful state) ensues. The Yogi
drinks the nectar of immortality.
May Mother Kundalini guide you all in your Yogic practices ! May Her
blessings be upon you all!
Raja Yoga is an exact science. It aims at controlling all thought-waves
or mental modifications. It concerns with the mind, its purification
and control. Hence it is called Raja Yoga, i.e., king of all Yogas.
It is otherwise known as Ashtanga Yoga i.e., Yoga with eight limbs.
The eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are: Yama (self-restraint), Niyama
(religious observances), Asana (posture), Pranayama (restraint of breath),
Pratyahara (abstraction of senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana
(meditation) and Samadhi (super-conscious state). Yama is practice of
Ahimsa (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya
(celibacy) and Aparigraha (non-covetousness) in thought, word and deed.
This is the foundation of Yoga. Niyama is observance of the five canons
viz., Saucha (internal and external purity), Santosha (contentment),
Tapas (austerity). Svadhyaya (study of religious books and repetition
of Mantras) and Ishvara-Pranidhana (worship of God and self-surrender).
Cultivate Maitri (friendship with equals), Karuna (mercy towards inferiors),
Mudita (complaisancy towards superiors), Upeksha (indifference towards
wicked people). You can eradicate jealousy and hatred and attain peace
of mind. Ascend the ladder of Yoga patiently through its different rungs
and attain the highest summit of the ladder, i.e., Asamprajnata Samadhi,
wherein all Samskaras (impressions) which bring about successive births
are absolutely fried up.
If you really aspire to unfold the lurking divinity within, if you
really want to get rid of the meshes of this Samsara, you must know
the technique of thought-control which is embodied in the system of
Raja Yoga. You must know the ways of right living, right thinking, right
speaking and right acting. You must practise the five rules of Yama
or right conduct or Sadachara. You must know how to withdraw the mind
from external objects and fix it on one point. You must know the right
method of concentration and meditation. Then alone you can be really
happy. Then and then alone, you will have power, independence and suzerainty.
Then and then alone, you will attain immortality, freedom and perfection.
A knowledge of the ways and habits of the mind, its operations, the
laws of the mind and the methods of mind-control and mental discipline
is very necessary if you want to enjoy real happiness and peace of an
unruffled and abiding nature.
Practise Raja Yoga, control the thoughts, discipline the mind, meditate
regularly and attain independence, immortality, freedom and perfection.
Mind is Atma Sakti. It is through mind only that Brahman or the Supreme
Self manifests as the differentiated universe with heterogeneous objects.
Mind is nothing but a collection of Samskaras or impressions. It is
nothing but a bundle of habits. The true nature of the mind consists
in the Vasanas or subtle desires. The idea of 'I' or egoism is the seed
of the tree of mind. The sprout which springs up from this seed egoism
is Buddhi or intellect. From this sprout the ramifying branches called
Sankalpas take their origin.
Mind is made up of subtle Sattvic matter. According to Chhandogya Upanishad,
mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of food.
Mind is of two kinds, viz., the Asuddha or impure mind and the Suddha
or pure mind. The former leads to bondage while the latter helps the
aspirant to attain liberation.
Manolaya or temporary absorption of the mind in the object of meditation
will not help you to attain liberation. Manonasa or annihilation of
the mind only will enable you to achieve the final emancipation or Moksha.
Have no longing for objects. Reduce your wants. Cultivate Vairagya
or dispassion. Vairagya thins out the mind.
Do not mix much. Do not talk much. Do not walk much. Do not eat much.
Do not sleep much.
Control your emotion. Abandon desires and Vasanas. Control irritability
and lust. Slay the impure mind through the pure mind and transcend the
pure mind through meditation. Practise perfect Brahmacharya. There is
no half measure in the spiritual path.
Never wrestle with the mind. Do not use any violent effort in concentration.
When the mind is jumping and wandering much, make no violent effort
to control it but rather allow it to run along for a while and exhaust
its efforts. It will take advantage of the opportunity and will jump
around like an unchained monkey at first. Then it will gradually become
quiet and look to you for orders.
If evil thoughts enter your mind, do not use your will-force in driving
them. You will lose energy. You will tax your will. 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.
Become a silent witness of those thoughts. Do not identify yourself
with them. They will vanish soon. Substitute good thoughts. Pray and
sing the Lord's name.
Never miss for a day your meditation. Regularity is of paramount importance.
When the mind is tired do not concentrate. Give a little rest. Do not
take heavy food at night. This will interfere with your morning meditation.
Japa, Kirtan, Pranayama, Satsanga (association with the sages), practice
of Sama (serenity), Dama (self-restraint), Yama (right conduct), Sattvic
or pure food, study of scriptures, meditation, Vichara or Atmic enquiry-all
these will help you to control the mind and attain eternal bliss and
immortality.
Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana or Sukhasana. Close the ears with the
thumbs. This is Shanmukhi Mudra or Vaishnavi Mudra. Hear the music of
Anahata sounds. You will have wonderful concentration.
Do Japa (Ajapa Japa) of Soham with breath or Japa of any Mantra. Practise
Pranayama for one or two months. You will hear the ten sounds clearly
and enjoy the music of the soul. The sound that you hear will make you
deaf to all external sounds.
Abandon all worldly thoughts. Control your passion. Become indifferent
to all objects. Practise Yama (self-restraint), or Sadachara (right
conduct). Concentrate your attention on the sound which annihilates
the mind.
The sound serves the purpose of a sharp goad to control the elephant-mind
which roams in the pleasure garden of sensual objects. It serves the
purpose of a snare for binding the deer-Chitta. Just as the bee which
drinks the honey does not care for the odour, so the mind which is absorbed
in sound does not long for sensual objects.
The first sound is Chini, the second is Chinichini. The third is the
sound of a bell. The fourth is like that of a conch. The fifth is like
that of a lute. The sixth is like that of a cymbal. The seventh is like
that of a flute. The eighth is like that of a drum. The ninth is like
that of a Mridanga. The tenth is like that of thunder. Hear the internal
sound through the right ear. Change your concentration from the gross
sound to the subtle. The mind will soon be absorbed in the sound.
You will get knowledge of hidden things in the seventh. In the eighth
stage you will hear Paravak. In the ninth you will develop divine eye.
In the tenth you will attain Para Brahman.
The sound entraps the mind. The mind becomes one with the sound as
milk with water. It becomes absorbed in Brahman or the Absolute. You
will then attain the seat of Eternal Bliss.
Chapter
II
Haft-hearted service is no service at all. Give your whole heart, mind
and soul when you serve. This is very important when you practise Karma
Yoga.
Some people have their body in one place, mind in another place, and
soul in another place. That is the reason why they do not realise any
substantial progress in the path.
Forget not the goal of life amidst selfish activities. The goal of
life is Self-realisation. Are you attempting to reach the end and aim
of life? Are you doing Japa, Pranayama and Meditation? Have you kept
up the ideal before the mind's eye? That day in which you do not practise
any spiritual Sadhana is wasted. Give the mind to God and the hands
to work. You will have to analyse and scrutinise your motives. It is
the selfish motive and not the work itself that binds a man to Samsara.
Prepare the mind for Karma Yoga. Mere selfish work cannot be taken as
Yogic activity. The mind is so framed that it always expects something
for a small piece of work. When you smile you expect a return of smile
from your friend. When you raise your hand in salutation, you will expect
a salute from other people. Even when you give a cup of water to another
man, you expect him to be grateful to you. When such is the case, how
can you perform Nishkama Karma Yoga?
Life is very precious. Live in the spirit of the Gita teaching and
work without expectation of fruits and egoism. Think you are Nimitta
in the hands of Lord Narayana. If you work with this mental attitude
you will become a Yogi soon. Work never degrades a man. Unselfish work
is Puja of Narayana. Work is worship. All works are sacred. There is
no menial work from the highest view-point of the absolute, from the
view-point of Karma Yoga. Even scavenging when done with the right spirit
and mental attitude is Yogic action. Even a scavenger can realise God
in his own station of life by service. The famous butcher-Sadhaka of
the Mahahharata realised God in his meat-shop (through serving his parents).
You have got inside all materials for wisdom. There is a vast magazine
of power and knowledge within you. It wants kindling. Now wake up, O
Saumya!
When you work disinterestedly without any agency and when you surrender
the works and fruits as Ishvararpana, all Karmas are transformed into
Yogic Kriyas. Walking, eating, sleeping, answering the calls of nature,
talking, etc., become offering unto the Lord. Every bit of work is Yoga
for you. Think that Lord Siva is working through your hands, and is
eating through your mouth. Think that your hands are the hands of Lord
Siva. In the beginning some of your actions may be selfish and some
may be unselfish. In the long run you can do all actions in an unselfish
manner. Scrutinise your motives always. This is the key-note for Nishkama
Karma Yoga. Every act can be spiritualised when the motive becomes pure.
Work is meditation. Serve everyone with intense love, without any idea
of agency, without expectation of fruits or reward. If you adopt the
path of Jnana, feel you are a silent Sakshi and the Prakriti does everything.
It is selfishness that has deplorably contracted your heart. Selfishness
is the bane of society. Selfishness clouds understanding. Selfishness
is petty-mindedness. Bhoga increases selfishness and selfish Pravritti.
It is the root-cause for human sufferings. Real spiritual progress starts
in selfless service. Serve the Sadhus, Sannyasins, Bhaktas and poor
and sick persons with Bhava, Prema and Bhakti. The Lord is seated in
the hearts of all.
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. Tall tales and idle gossip will
not do, my dear friends! Evince intense zeal and enthusiasm in work.
Be fiery in the spirit of service.
Have Nishtha with God and Cheshta with hands like the 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 by practice. The manual work will become
automatic, mechanical or intuitive. You will have two minds. A portion
of the mind will be at work; three quarters of the mind will be in the
service of the Lord, in meditation, in Japa. Karma Yoga is generally
combined with Bhakti Yoga. A Karma Yogin offers to the Lord as an oblation
whatever he does through the Karma-Indriyas. This is Ishvara Pranidhana.
A raw untrained aspirant feels, "My preceptor is treating me like
a servant or a peon. He is using me for petty jobs." He who has
understood the right significance of Karma Yoga will take every work
as Yogic activity or worship of the Lord. There is no menial work in
his vision. Every work is Puja of Narayana. In the light of Karma Yoga
all actions are sacred. That aspirant who always takes immense delight
in doing works which are considered by the worldly man as menial services,
and who always does willingly such acts only will become a dynamic Yogi.
He will be absolutely free from conceit and egoism. He will have no
downfall. The canker of pride cannot touch him.
Study the autobiography of Mahatma Gandhiji. He never made any difference
between menial service and dignified work. Scavenging and cleaning of
the latrine was the highest Yoga for him. This was the highest Puja
for him. He himself did the cleaning of latrines. He annihilated the
illusory little 'I' through service of various sorts. Many highly educated
persons joined his Ashram for learning Yoga under him. They thought
that Gandhiji would teach them Yoga in some mysterious manner in a private
room and would give lessons on Pranayama, meditation, abstration, awakening
of Kundalini, etc. They were disappointed when they were asked to clean
the latrine first. They left the Ashram immediately. Gandhiji himself
repaired his shoes. He himself used to grind flour and take upon his
shoulders the work of others also when they were unable to do their
allotted portion of work for the day in the Ashram. When an educated
person, a new Ashramite, felt shy to do the grinding work, Gandhiji
himself would do his work in front of him and then the man would do
the work himself from the next day willingly.
In the West, cobblers and peasants have risen to a very great position
in society. Every work is a respectable work for them. A boy applies
polish to the boots in the streets of London for a penny, carries newspapers
and journals in the afternoon for sale and works as an apprentice under
a journalist during his leisure hours at night. He studies books, works
hard, never wastes a minute and in a few years becomes a journalist
of great repute and international fame. In Punjab some graduates have
taken to hair-dressing work. They have understood the dignity of labour.
A real Yogi does not make any difference between menial and respectable
work. It is only an ignorant man who makes such a difference. Some aspirants
are humble in the beginning of their spiritual career. When they get
some name and fame, some followers, admirers, devotees and disciples,
they become victims to pride.
They cannot do any service. They cannot carry anything on their heads
or hands. That Yogi who carries the trunk on his head without the slightest
feeling in the railway platform amidst a multitude of his admirers,
disciples and devotees, without making any outward show of humility
must be adored. Sage Jada Bharata carried the palanquin of King Rahugana
on his shoulders without murmuring. Lord Krishna shampooed the legs
of a Raja when his barber devotee was on leave. Sri Rama carried a pot
of water for the ablution of one of his devotees. Sri Krishna took the
form of a menial servant as Vithoo and paid the money to the Nawab on
behalf of his devotee, Dhamaji. If you really want to grow in the spiritual
path you must do all sorts of service daily till the end of life. Then
only you are safe. Do not stop doing service when you have become a
famous Yogi. The spirit of service must enter every nerve, cell, tissue
and bone of your body. It must be ingrained in you. Then only you will
become a real fullblown practical Vedantin.
Is there any greater Vedantin or Karma Yogi than Lord Buddha? He still
lives in our hearts, because the spirit of service was ingrained in
him and he spent his whole life in serving others in a variety of ways.
A magnanimous soul, one without a second! You can also become a Buddha
if you apply yourself diligently to selfless service with the right
mental attitude.
Lord Krishna says in His Gita: 'Tasmat Sarveshu kaleshu mam anusmara
yudhya cha". "Therefore at all times think of Me and fight."
Give the mind to God and the hand to work. The typist works at the machine
and talks with his friends. The player on the harmonium plays on the
organ and talks and jokes with his friends. The lady knits and talks
with her comrades. The mind of the girl who has a water-pot on her head
is on the water-pot, though she is talking and joking with her companions
while she is walking on the road. A nurse while she is nursing the baby
of another lady has her mind rivetted on her own baby. A cowherd while
he is looking after the cows of other people has his mind fixed on his
own cow. Even so, have your mind fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord,
while you are doing your household duties and office work. You will
realise Self-consciousness quickly. Just as the water remains unaffected
in the lotus leaf, just as the oil floats upon the surface of the water
without being affected in any way, so also you should remain in the
world amidst troubles, pleasures and difficulties.
Just as the tongue is not affected by taking ghee, so also you should
remain unaffected even amidst worldly activities and troubles. You must
keep up the Nirlipta state. This is Jnana. This is balance (Samata).
You may fail to keep the balance and Nirlipta state in thousand and
one times. But in the long run you are bound to succeed if you persist
in your practice and if you discipline the mind properly. Every failure
is a pillar for future success. Remember this point well.
A Karma Yogin should not expect even return of love, appreciation,
gratitude, and admiration from the people whom he is serving.
Only he who has reduced his wants and controlled the Indriyas can do
Karma Yoga. How can a luxurious man with revolting Indriyas serve others?
He wants everything for himself and wants to exploit and domineer others.
Another qualification is that you must be balanced in success or failure,
gain or loss, victory or defeat. You must be free from Raga and Dvesha.
"An action which is ordained, done by one undesirous of fruit,
devoid of attachment, without love or hate, is called pure". (Gita
XVIII-23).
Karma means work or action. According to Jaimini, rituals like Agnihotra,
Yajnas, etc., are termed Karmas. There is a hidden power in Karma termed
Adrishta which brings in fruits of Karmas for the individual. Karma
is all for Jaimini. Karma is everything for a student of Mimamsa school
of thought. Jaimini is the founder of Purva Mimamsa. He was a student
of Maharshi Vyasa, the founder of Uttara Mimamsa or Vedanta. The Mimamsa
school denies the existence of Ishvara who awards the fruits of works.
According to the Gita, any action is Karma. Charity, sacrifice, Tapas
are all Karmas. In a philosophical sense, breathing, seeing, hearing,
tasting, feeling, smelling, walking, talking, etc., are all Karmas.
Thinking is the real Karma. Raga-Dvesha constitute the real Karma.
Have right thinking. Use your reason and commonsense. Follow the injunctions
of the Sastras. Consult the code of Manu or Yajnavalkya Smriti whenever
you have doubts. You will be able to find out whether you are doing
right or wrong action. If you say, 'Sastras are countless. They are
like ocean. I can hardly understand the truths that are inculcated.
I cannot fathom and gauge their depths. There are contradictions. I
am puzzled and bewildered.' Then strictly follow the words of a Guru
on whom you have absolute faith and confidence. The third way is: Have
fear in God. Consult your conscience. The shrill, inner voice will guide
you. As soon as you hear the voice, do not delay even a moment. Start
the action diligently without consulting anybody. Practise to hear the
inner voice in the morning at four. If there is fear, shame, doubt or
pricking of conscience, know that you are doing a wrong action. If there
is joy, exhilaration or satisfaction, understand that you are doing
the right action.
When the diverse, confining sheaths of the Atma have been dissolved
by Sadhana, when the different Vrittis of the mind have been controlled
by mental drill or gymnastic, when the conscious mind is not active,
you enter the realm of spirit life, the super-conscious mind where Buddhi
and pure reason and intuition, the faculty of direct cognition of Truth,
manifest. You pass into the kingdom of peace where there is none to
speak, you will hear the voice of God which is very clear and pure and
has an upward tendency. Listen to the voice with attention and interest.
It will guide you. It is the voice of God.
(By Sri Sankaracharya)
Atma tvam girija mitih sahacharah pranah sareeram griham.
Puja te vishyopabhogarachana nidra samadhisthitih,
Sancharah padoyoh pradakshinavidhih stotrani sarva giro;
Yadyat karma karomi tat tad akhilam sambhotavaradhanam.
Repeat the Sloka at the end of your meditation.
"Thou art Atma: Buddhi is thy consort, Parvati (who is born of
mountain); the Pranas are thy attendants; this body is thy house; the
action of sensual enjoyment is thy worship; deep sleep is the establishment
of Samadhi; walking by my feet is the perambulation around Thee; all
my speeches are thy praises; whatever actions I perform, are all Thy
worship; Oh Sambho!"
Chapter
III
Para Brahman cannot be demonstrated. But it is possible to infer the
existence from certain empirical factors. The existence of Brahman is
known from the fact of its being the SELF of everyone. For everyone
is conscious of the existence of his self and never thinks "I am
not." If the existence of his self were not known, everyone would
think: "I am not." This self, of whose existence all are conscious,
is Brahman. There is an inherent feeling in everybody: "I exist-Aham
Asmi."
You dream sometimes that you are dead and that your relatives are weeping.
Even in that supposed death state, you see and hear them weeping. This
clearly indicates that, even after the apparent death, life really persists.
You exist even after the physical sheath is thrown out. That existence
is Atman or Brahman or the Supreme Self.
Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you are dead. You can
never do so. You can never think that you will not exist after death.
You will imagine that your dead body is lying flat and that you are
witnessing the dead body. This definitely proves that you are always
the witnessing subject or Sakshi.
When you are in the dark, when you are behind a veil, if anybody enquires:
'Who is there?', you will unhesitatingly answer: 'It is I'. If he again
asks you: 'Who is there?' you will say: 'I am So and So.' This 'I am
So and So' is a mental Kalpnana or false superimposition on account
of ignorance. At first you have expressed spontaneously your inherent
feeling of existence, the big infinite 'I'. Nothing can resist this
innate feeling of 'Aham Asmi.'
By whose command are the earth and the sky, the sun and the moon, upheld
in their places? By whose command do the seas not overstep their limits?
By whose command does the sun rise punctually in the morning and set
in the evening? By whose command do the seasons, solstices and the years
not transgress? By whose command do Karmas and their performers and
their fruits not likewise go beyond their appointed time? It is by the
command of Brahman-the Inner Ruler, Controller and Governor.
What is common in trees, ants, birds, stones and man? Existence. A
tree exists. A bird exists. A stone exists. A man exists. Existence
is Brahman.
Some are rich, some are poor. Some are healthy, some are born blind.
Some die at eighty, some die at ten. What is the cause for this variation?
This clearly proves the theory of Karma that there is one Omniscient
Lord, who is the dispenser of fruits of actions of human beings, who
fixes the span of life in accordance with the nature of their actions,
who knows the exact relation between Karmas and their fruits. Karma
is Jada or insentient. It certainly cannot dispense the fruits of the
actions.
In sleep there are no senses, no objects, no mind and yet you experience
the highest bliss. Wherefrom have you derived the bliss? The mind rests
in Brahman during sleep and it is from Brahman that this Bliss is derived.
Cogito, ergo sum-"I think, therefore, I am." This
is Descartes's fundamental basis of philosophy. Sri Sankara says: "This
Atman cannot be illusive, for, he who would deny it, witnesses its reality
even in denying it."
Prayer elevates the mind. It fills the mind with purity. It is associated
with praise of God. It keeps the mind in tune with God. Prayer can reach
a realm where reason dare not enter. Prayer can move mountains. It can
work miracles. It frees the devotee from the fear of death, brings him
nearer to God and makes him feel the divine presence everywhere. It
awakens in him the divine consciousness and makes him feel his essential
immortal and blissful nature.
It was the prayer of Prahlada that rendered cool the burning oil when
it was poured on his head. It was the prayer of Mira that converted
the bed of nails into a bed of roses and the cobra into a flower-garland.
Prayer has tremendous influence. Mahatma Gandhi was 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.
Sri Krishna had to run bare-footed from Dvaraka on hearing the heart-felt
prayer of Draupadi. You all know this. Lord Hari, the mighty ruler of
this universe, apologised before Prahlada for coming a little late when
the latter prayed. How merciful and loving is the Lord!
Say even once from the bottom of your heart: "O Lord, I am thine.
Thy will be done. Have mercy on me. I am Thy servant and devotee. Forgive.
Guide. Protect. Enlighten. Trahi. Prachodayat." Have a meek, receptive
attitude of mind. Have Bhava in your heart. The prayer is at once heard
and responded to. Do this in the daily battle of life and realise yourself
the high efficacy of prayer. You must have strong Astikya-Buddhi (strong
conviction in the existence of God).
Christians have different prayers for getting various gifts and bounties
from God. Mohammedans and all religionists have daily prayers at sunrise,
noon, sunset, just before retiring to bed, just before taking food.
Prayer is the beginning of Yoga. Prayer is the first important Anga
(limb) of Yoga. Preliminary spiritual Sadhana or practice is prayer.
God helps even a dacoit when he prays. Pray to God for purity, devotion,
light and knowledge. You will get these things. Get up early in the
morning and repeat some prayers for getting mental and physical Brahmacharya.
Pray in any manner you like. Become as simple as a child. Open freely
the chambers of your heart. Sincere Bhaktas know pretty well about the
high efficacy of prayers. Narada Muni is still praying. Nama Deva prayed
and Vittal came out of the image to eat his food. Ekanath prayed. Lord
Hari showed His Chaturbhuj form. Sri Krishna served Damaji as a servant
when he prayed; He played the part of a menial in paying his dues to
the Badshah. What more do you want? Pray fervently right now from this
very second. Do not delay, friend. That 'to-morrow' will never come.
The power of prayer is indescribable. Its glory is ineffable. Only
sincere devotees realise its usefulness and splendour. It should be
done with reverence, faith and Nishkama-Bhava (non-expectation of fruits),
and with a heart wet with devotion. O ignorant man! Do not argue about
the efficacy of prayer. You will be deluded. There is no arguing in
spiritual matters. Intellect is a finite and a frail instrument. Do
not trust this. Remove now the darkness of your ignorance through the
light of prayer.
The term 'Bhakti' comes from the root 'Bhaj' which means 'to be attached
to God.' Bhakti is the form of supreme love towards God. It is love
for love's sake. The devotee wants God and God alone. There is no selfish
expectation here. Bhakti is of the nature of nectar. It is the spontaneous
outpouring of love towards God. It is pure unselfish love or Suddha
Prem. It is the sacred higher emotion with sublime sentiments that unites
the devotee with the Lord. It has to be experienced by the devotees.
Bhakti is the basis of all religious life. Bhakti destroys Vasanas
and egoism. Bhakti elevates the mind to magnanimous heights. Bhakti
is the master-key to open the chambers of wisdom. Bhakti culminates
in Jnana. Bhakti begins in two and ends in one. Para Bhakti and Jnana
are one.
There is no virtue higher than love; there is no treasure higher than
love; there is no Dharma higher than love; there is no religion higher
than love; because, love is Truth and love is God. Love, Prem and Bhakti
are synonymous terms. This world has come out of love. This world exists
in love and this world ultimately dissolves in love. God is an embodiment
of love. In every inch of His creation, you can verily understand His
love.
A life without love, faith and devotion is a dreary waste. It is a
real death. Love is divine. Love is the greatest power on earth. It
is irresistible. It is love alone that can really conquer the heart
of a man. Love subdues an enemy. Love can tame wild ferocious animals.
Its power is infinite. Its depth is unfathomable. Its nature is ineffable.
Its glory is indescribable. The essence of religion is love. Therefore,
develop pure love.
Do you really want God? Do you really thirst for His Darshan? Have
you got real spiritual hunger? Only he who thirsts for the Darshan of
God will develop love. Unto him alone, He will reveal Himself. God is
a question of supply and demand. If there is a sincere demand for God,
the supply will come at once.
Develop the nine modes of Bhakti gradually. Hear the Lilas of the Lord:
this is Sravana. Sing His praise: this is Kirtana. Remember His Names:
this is Smarana. Worship His lotus-feet: this is Pada-seva. Offer flowers:
this is Archana. Prostrate yourself before Him: this is Vandana. Do
service unto Him: this is Dasya-Bhava. Make friendship with Him: this
is Sakhya-Bhava. Do total unreserved self-surrender unto Him: this is
Atma-Nivedana.
Sit not idly praying to God to help thee, but be up and doing as God
helps only 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 Bhagavata. Live in Brindavan or Ayodhya
for some time. You will soon develop devotion.
Pray fervently like Prahlada. Sing like Radha. Repeat His names as
Valmiki, Tukaram and Tulsidas did. Do Kirtan like Gauranga. Weep in
solitude like Mira for the separation from the Lord. You will have Darshan
of the Lord this very second.
Kindle the light of love in your heart. Love all. Include all creatures
in the warm embrace of your love. Cultivate Visva Prem or all-embracing,
all-inclusive cosmic love. Love is a mysterious divine glue that unites
the hearts of all. It is a divine magical healing balm of very high
potency. Charge every action with pure love. Kill cunningness, greed,
crookedness and selfishness. Immortality can be attained only by performing
acts of kindness continuously. Hatred, anger and jealousy are removed
by continuous service with loving heart. You will get more strength,
more joy, more satisfaction by doing kind acts. Practice of compassion,
charitable acts, kind services purify and soften the heart, turn the
heart-lotus upwards and prepare the aspirant for the reception of divine
light.
The Sastras are endless. There is much to be known. Time is short.
Obstacles are many. That which is essence should be grasped, just as
the swan takes the essence of milk alone from a mixture of water and
milk. That essence is love or Bhakti. Drink this essence and attain
the everlasting abode of Peace and Immortality.
Live in love. Breathe in love. Sing in love. Eat in love. Drink in
love. Walk in love. Talk in love. Pray in love. Meditate in love. Think
in love. Move in love. Write in love. Die in love. Taste the honey of
divine love and become an embodiment of love (Prema-Vigraha of Prema-Murti).
May the fire of devotion grow brighter in you all! May your heart be
filled with devotion! May you all live drowned in the ocean of love
in an illumined state! May the blessings of Bhagavatas be upon you all!
Peace be with you all!
Japa is the repetition of any Mantra or name of the Lord. In this Iron
Age, Japa is an easy way for God-realisation. Tukaram, Prahlada, Valmiki,
Dhruva and several others attained salvation by Japa alone. Sri Krishna
says in the Gita, "Yajnanam Japa-Yajnosmi". Among the
Yajnas, I am Japa Yajna (Yaga)".
There are three kinds of Japa, viz., verbal or loud Japa (Vaikhari),
semi-verbal Japa or humming (Upamsu), and mental Japa or silent
repetition through mind (Mansic). Mental Japa is more powerful.
It gives a reward ten thousand times more than the loud Japa. When the
mind wanders aimlessly take to loud Japa.
Japa must become habitual. It must be done with Sattvic or divine Bhava
or feeling, purity, Prema and Sraddha. There is an indescribable power
or Achintya Sakti in the names of God or Mantra. Every name is filled
with countless Saktis or potencies.
Practice of Japa removes the impurities of the mind, just as soap cleanses
the cloth of its impurities. Be regular in your Japa. Japa destroys
the sins and brings the devotee face to face with God.
The name of God chanted correctly or incorrectly, knowingly or unknowingly,
carefully or carelessly, with Bhava or without Bhava is sure to give
the desired fruit. The Bhava will come by itself after some time. Get
up at 4 a.m. and do the Japa for two hours. You will get the maximum
benefits.
The glory of the name of God cannot be established through reasoning
and intellect. It can certainly be experienced or realised only through
devotion, faith and constant repetition of the Name. Have reverence
and faith for the name of God. Do not argue. Devotees of Lord Hari can
repeat the Mantras 'Hari Om' or 'Om Namo Narayanaya'. Devotees of Sri
Ram can repeat 'Sri Rama', or 'Sitaram', or 'Om Sri Ram, Jaya Ram, Jaya
Jaya Ram.' Devotees of Sri Krishna can repeat 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.'
Devotees of Lord Siva can repeat 'Om Namah Sivaya.' Perform 200 Malas
of Japa daily. Wear a Mala on your neck. Mala is a whip to goad the
mind towards God.
O man! Take refuge in the Name. Name and Nami are inseparable. In this
Iron Age, Japa is the easiest, quickest, safest and surest way to reach
God and attain immortality and perennial joy. Glory to the Lord! Glory
to His Name!
Sankirtan is singing God's name with feeling (Bhava), love (Prema)
and faith (Sraddha). In Sankirtan people join together and sing God's
name collectively in a common place. Sankirtan is one of the nine modes
of Bhakti. You can realise God through Kirtan alone. This is the easiest
method for attaining God-consciousness in Kali Yuga or the Iron Age
"Kalau Kesava-Kirtanat".
When several people join together and practise Sankirtan, a huge spiritual
current or Mahasakti is generated. This purifies the heart of the aspirants
and elevates them to the sublime heights of divine ecstasy or Samadhi.
The powerful vibrations are carried to distant places. They bring elevation
of mind, solace, strength to all people and work as a harbinger of peace,
harmony and concord. They annihilate hostile forces and quickly bring
peace and bliss to the whole world.
Lord Hari says to Narada, "Naham Vasami Vaikunthe Yoginam Hridaye
na cha, Mad-Bhakta Yatra Gayanti Tatra Tishthami Narada", i.e.,
"I dwell not in Vaikuntha nor in the hearts of the Yogins, but
I dwell where my devotees sing my name, O Narada."
Kirtan destroys sins, Vasanas and Samskaras, fills the heart with Prem
and devotion and brings the devotee face to face with God.
Akhanda Kirtan is very powerful. It purifies the heart. The Mahamantra:
'Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare' or 'Om Namah Sivaya' should be sung
continuously for 3 hours or 24 hours, three days or a week, by forming
batches. One will lead and others will follow. Do Akhanda Kirtan on
Sundays or holidays. Do Prabhat-Pheri Kirtan in the morning around
the streets. Kirtan in the early morning is more effective than at night.
At night, sit before the picture of the Lord along with your children,
family-members and servants. Do Kirtan for one or two hours. Be regular
in the practice. You will derive immense peace and strength.
Sing the Lord's Name from the bottom of your heart. Be wholly and solely
devoted to Him. Delay in God-realisation is extremely painful. Merge
in Him. Live in Him. Be established in Him.
May peace and prosperity abide in you all!
At the end of Dvapara Yuga, Narada went to Brahma and said: "O
Lord! How can I cross Kali or mundane existence easily?" Brahma
replied. "Well asked. Hearken to that which all Vedas keep secret
and hidden, through which one may cross the Samsara or mundane existence.
He destroys the evil effects of Kali through the mere uttering of the
word 'Lord Narayana,' who is the primeval Purusha!"
Narada asked Brahma: "O venerable Lord! What is the name?"
Brahma replied: "The names are: Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama
Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare.
These sixteen names destroy the evil effects of Kali or sins. There
is no better means than this in all the Vedas. These sixteen names destroy
the Avarana or veil of ignorance that has enveloped the Jivas or the
human beings. Then just as the sun shines fully after the clouds are
dispersed, so also, Para Brahman or Supreme Self alone shines after
the veil is removed."
Narada asked. "O Lord! What are the rules to be observed when
one utters these names?" Brahma replied:" O Rishi Narada!
There are no rules. Whoever repeats these names three and a half crores
or 35 millions in a pure or an impure state, is freed at once from all
sins. He is at once released from all bondages. He merges himself in
the Lord and attains Eternal Bliss and Immortality".
The Jiva has sixteen Kalas, corresponding to which sixteen words or
names are given in this Mahamantra. This is very good for repetition
during Akhanda Kirtan. If you repeat this Mantra 20,000 times per day
you will finish three and a half crores within 5 years. You can sing
this Mantra and can do Japa also. You can write this Mantra in a notebook
as Likhita Japa.
The names of God, chanted in any way correctly or incorrectly, knowingly
or unknowingly, carefully or carelessly, is sure to give the desired
result. The glory of the Name of God cannot be established through reasoning
and intellect. It can certainly be experienced or realised through devotion,
faith and constant repetition of the name only. The power of name is
ineffable. Its glory is indescribable. The efficacy and inherent Sakti
of the name of God is unfathomable.
May you attain God-consciousness by repetition of the names of God
as described above. May you have real taste for the names of the Lord!
Chapter
IV
Mind is a mysterious something which is really nothing but does everything.
It is born of Maya. It is a product of ignorance. It is a compound
of Vasana and Sankalpa. It is a mixture of worry and fear. It is a solution
of Ahamkara. It is a confection.
Absolute and relative Manifestations.
ATMA
or
Absolute
SPIRIT
INTUITIONAL Plane
WILL
MIND
PRANA
Relative manifestations
MATTER
Matter, Prana and Mind are the three relative manifestations of the
Absolute. Prana is really a modification or manifestation of Mind. Prana
is Kriya Sakti or faculty of actions. Matter emanates from Prana. Prana
proceeds from mind. Matter is below Prana. Prana is above matter but
below mind. Prana is positive to matter but negative to mind. Mind is
positive to both Prana and matter but negative to will. Will is the
centre of the ego. Will is the General-in-chief which directs the mind
and Prana to all parts and in all directions. Intuition is above reason
and is the channel of communication between man and spirit. Development
of the Will-power by autosuggestion is the basic principle of Raja Yoga
or Vedanta. Superconscious Mind is the realm or Spirit of Life.
The Physical body, the astral body, Prana, intellect or Buddhi, the
instinctive mind, the spiritual mind and the spirit are the seven principles
of man. Buddhi is pure reason. The seat of Buddhi is just below the
crown of the head in the pineal gland of the brain. Buddhi is manifested
only in those persons who have developed right intuitive discrimination
or Viveka. The ordinary reason of the worldly people is termed practical
reason, which is dense and has limitations.
Prana is the vital force, life-energy or Jiva-Sakti. It is the eternal
symbol of God or Brahman. It is Hiranyagarbha or Golden Son of God.
It is the link between the astral and physical bodies. Prana is divided
into physical Prana and psychic Prana. Breathing is external manifestation
of physical Prana. All thoughts are due to the vibrations of psychic
Prana in the Chitta.
The causal body or Karana Sarira is the support for the astral and
physical bodies. Will is Para Sakti. Get this Sakti-you will get Sat
or Existence.
Chitta is the subconscious mind. It has two layers. One layer for emotion
and the other for passive memory. The instinctive mind is the lower
nature of human beings. It is the desire mind or Kama Manas. The Spiritual
mind is the higher Manas. The seat of the mind is the heart. The mind
connected to the Somachakra of the lowermost portion or undersurface
of the brain is termed the organ of understanding. By Manonasa or annihilation
of the mind is meant the destruction or dissolution of the lower nature,
desire-mind. Sankhya Buddhi or Buddhi in the light of Sankhya philosophy
is will and intellect combined. Mind is microcosm. Mind is Maya. Mind
occupies an intermediate state between Prakriti and Purusha, matter
and Spirit.
You have a whole menagerie within, with the lion, the tiger, the serpent,
the elephant, the ape, and the peacock. Bring them to subjection. The
beauty of the flesh is really due to the life-giving principle Prana.
The beauty is attributable to the light that emanates from Atman. The
nasty body with oozing discharges from nine gutters is composed of five
elements, is Jada-Vastu and Apavitra. Always entertain this idea. Have
a clear-cut, well-defined image-picture like this. You will conquer
lust by such a mental drill. If you understand the doctrine of unity
in variety, if you know there is only one Matter, one Energy, one Mind-substance,
one Life, one Existence, Sat, one Reality, and if you entertain always
such a thought, you can control Krodha. If you remember that you are
only an instrument in the hands of God, that God is everything, God
does everything, God is just, then you can get rid of Ahamkara. You
can annihilate Dvesha by Pratipaksha Bhavana. Look to the brighter side
of persons. Ignore the dark aspect.
Emotion is a motive power like the steam of an engine. It helps you
in your evolution. Had it not been for the presence of emotion you would
have passed into a state of passivity or inertia. It gives a push for
action or motion. It is a blessing. But you must not become a prey to
emotions. You must not allow the emotions to rule over you. You must
not allow them to bubble out. You must purify and calm the surging emotions.
You must allow it to rise slowly and subside quietly from the mind-ocean.
You must keep the emotion under perfect control. Do not mistake physical
sensations for higher sublime emotions. Do not be carried away by emotions.
There are certain people who like to hear some new sensational events
just to arouse their emotions. They live on emotions, otherwise they
feel quite dull. This is a great weakness. This must be eradicated if
they like to have a calm, quiet life.
All evil qualities proceed from anger. If you control anger, all evil
qualities will vanish by themselves.
Ahamkara, Sankalpa, Vasana, Prana have intimate connection with the
mind. There cannot be any mind without these four. Prana is the life
of the mind. Ahamkara is the root of the mind. Sankalpas are the branches
of the tree mind. Vasana is the seed of mind. This deep-rooted tree
of Samsara of dire Ajnana which ramifies in various directions with
branches full of flowers, tendrils, fruits, etc., has the mind as its
root. If this root-mind is destroyed, the tree of Samsara, this tree
of birth and death will be destroyed. Cut this root-mind with the axe
of Brahma-Jnana. Chop off the branches-the Sankalpas-with the knife
of Vichara-Viveka.
The ever-restless mind becomes quiescent when all desires vanish. Desire
raises Sankalpas (thoughts). Man performs actions for acquiring the
desired objects. Thus he is caught up in the wheel of Samsara. The wheel
stops when the Vasanas perish.
Just as there are doors in a bungalow between the outer and inner rooms,
so also there are doors between the lower and higher minds. When the
mind is purified by the practice of Karma Yoga, Tapas, right conduct
or the practice of Yama, Niyama, Japa, meditation, etc., the doors between
the lower and the higher mind are opened. Discrimination between the
real and the unreal dawns. The eye of intuition is opened. The practitioner
gets inspiration, revelation and higher Divine Knowledge.
It is extremely difficult to have a calm and pure mind. But you must
have such a mind, if you want to have progress in meditation, if you
desire to do Nishkama Karma Yoga. Then only you will have a perfect
instrument, a well-controlled mind at your disposal. This is one of
the most important qualifications for the aspirant, you will have to
struggle hard for a long time with patience and perseverance. Nothing
is impossible for a Sadhaka who has iron-will and strong determination.
Just as soap cleanses the physical body so also Japa of a Mantra, Dhyana,
Kirtan and practice of Yama cleanse the mind of its impurities.
The subconscious mind is termed "Chitta" in Vedanta. Much
of your subconsciousness consists of submerged experiences, memories-thrown
into the background but recoverable.
When you show symptoms of losing your memory, as you grow old, the
first symptom is that you find it difficult to remember the names of
persons. The reason is not far to seek. All the names are arbitrary.
They are like labels. There are no associations along with the names.
The mind generally remembers through associations, as the impressions
become deep thereby. You can remember in old age some passages that
you have read in schools and colleges. But you find it difficult to
remember in the evening a passage you have read in the morning. The
reason is that the mind has lost its Dharana-Sakti (power of grasping
ideas). The cells have been degenerated. Those who overwork mentally,
who do not observe the rules of Brahmacharya and who are afflicted with
much cares, worries and anxieties, lose their power of memory soon.
Even in old age you can remember old events as there are associations
with events.
The mental processes are limited to the field of consciousness alone.
The field of subconscious mentation is of a much greater extent than
that of conscious mentation. Messages when ready, come out like a flash
from the subconscious mind or Chitta of the Vedantins. Only ten per
cent of mental activities come into the field of the consciousness.
At least ninety per cent or our mental life is subconscious. We sit
and try to solve a problem, and fail. We look around, try again and
again but fail. Suddenly an idea dawns and leads to the solution of
the problem. The subconscious processes were at work.
Sometimes you go to sleep at night with the thought "I must get
up very early in the morning to catch a train". This message is
taken up by the subconscious mind and it is this subconscious mind that
wakes you up unfailingly at the exact hour. Subconscious mind is your
constant companion and sincere friend. You repeatedly fail at night
to get a solution for a problem in Arithmetic or Geometry. In the morning
when you wake up you get a clear answer. This answer comes like a flash
from the subconscious mind. Even in sleep it works incessantly without
any rest. It arranges, classifies, compares, sorts all facts and works
out a proper satisfactory solution. This is all due to subconscious
mind.
With the help of the subconscious mind you can change your vicious
nature by cultivating healthy, virtuous qualities that are opposed to
the undesirable ones. If you want to overcome fear mentally deny that
you have fear and concentrate your attention upon the opposite quality,
the ideal of courage. When this is developed fear vanishes by itself.
The positive always overpowers the negative. This is an infallible law
of nature. This is Pratipaksha Bhavana of the Raja Yogins. You can acquire
a liking for distasteful tasks and duties by cultivating a desire and
taste for them. You can establish new habits, new ideals, new ideas
and new tastes and new character in the subconscious mind by changing
the old ones.
The functions of Chitta are Smriti or Smarana, Dharana (retention)
and Anusandhana (inquiry or investigation). When you repeat a Mantra
it is the Chitta that does the Smarana. It does a lot of work. It turns
out better work than the mind or Buddhi.
All actions, enjoyments and experiences leave their impressions in
the subconscious mind in the form of subtle impressions or residual
potencies. The Samskaras are the root of causing again Jati, life and
experiences of pleasure and pain. Revival of Samskaras induces memory.
The Yogi dives deep inside and comes in direct contact with these Samskaras.
He directly perceives them through the inner Yogic Vision. By Samyama
(concentration, meditation and Samadhi) on these Samskaras, he acquires
knowledge of previous lives. By doing Samyama on the Samskaras of others,
the Yogi gets the knowledge of their past lives also.
When you desire to remember a thing you will have to make a psychic
exertion. You will have to go up and down the depths of the different
levels of the subconscious mind and then pick up the right thing from
a curious mixture of multifarious irrelevant matter. Just as the mail
sorter in the Railway Mail Service takes up the right letter by moving
the hand up and down along the different pigeon-holes, so also the sorter
in the subconscious mind goes up and down along the pigeon-holes in
the subconscious mind and brings the right thing to the level of normal
consciousness. The subconscious mind can pick the right thing out from
a heap of various matters.
A Samskara of an experience is formed or developed in the Chitta the
very moment the mind is experiencing something. There is no gap between
the present experience and the formation of a Samskara in the subconscious
mind.
Smriti of memory is the function of Chitta (subconscious mind). It
is a separate faculty or category in Vedanta. Sometimes it is Antarangata
(comes under the mind). In Sankhya philosophy it is included in Buddhi
or Mahat Tattva. The Chitta of Patanjali Rishi's philosophy of Raja
Yoga (Yogas Chittavritti-Nirodhah) corresponds to the Antahkarana of
Vedanta.
Just as a busy officer works alone in a room by closing all the doors,
so also the busy mind works alone in a dream by shutting out all the
doors of the senses.
Mind is a power born of the soul. It is through mind that the Lord
manifests Himself as the differentiated universe with heterogeneous
objects.
Mind is merely a bundle of thoughts. Of all thoughts the thought 'I'
is the root. Therefore, mind is only the thought "I".
Mind is nothing but a collection of Samskaras or impressions. It is
nothing but a bundle of habits. It is nothing but a collection of desires
arising from contact with different objects. It is also a collection
of feelings aroused by worldly botherations. It is a collection of ideas
gathered from different objects. Now these desires, ideas and feelings
constantly change. Some of the old desires are constantly departing
from their storehouse of the mind, and new ones are replacing them.
In the waking state, the seat of the mind is the brain; in the dreaming
state the seat of the mind is the cerebellum; in the deep sleep state
it rests in the heart.
Mind always attaches itself to something objective. It cannot stand
by itself. It is only this mind that asserts itself as 'I' in this body.
The things that we perceive all round us are only mind in form of substance.
Manomatram-Jagat Manah-Kalpitam Jagat. Mind creates. Mind destroys.
The occult phenomena that take place in the mental world are all based
on scientific laws. Occultists and Raja Yogins should have a comprehensive
intelligent understanding of these laws. Then only will they be able
to control the psychic forces easily.
Practice of telepathy, thought-reading, hypnotism, mesmerism, distant
healing, psychic healing, etc., clearly proves that mind exists and
that a higher developed mind can influence and subjugate the lower minds.
From the automatic writing and the experiences of a hypnotised person,
we can clearly infer the existence of subconscious mind which operates
throughout the twenty-four hours.
If an idea is planted in the mind, it grows at night through the operation
of the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind never takes any rest.
It works vigorously throughout the twenty-four hours. Those who know
how to manipulate this subconscious mind can turn out tremendous mental
work. All geniuses have control over their subconscious mind. You must
understand the ways of extracting work from the subconscious mind. Subconscious
mind is a wonderful underground mental factory.
Mind is the greatest force on this earth. He who has controlled his
mind is full of powers. He can bring all minds under his influence.
All diseases can be cured by psychic healing. One is struck with awe
and wonder at the marvellous and mysterious powers of the mind of a
man. The source or home or support of this mysterious mind is God or
Atman.
Any action that is done by the physical body is the outcome of a preconceived
idea. The mind thinks, plans and schemes at first. Then the action manifests
itself. He who invented a watch at first had all ideas in his mind about
the construction of the lever, various wheels, dial, minute-hand, second-hand,
hour-hand, etc. These ideas materialised later on into actuality.
A spark of light presents the appearance of a continuous circle of
light if it is made to rotate quickly. Even so, though the mind can
attend but to one thing at a time, either hearing or smelling, though
it can admit of but one kind of sensation at a time, we are led to believe
that it does several actions at a time, because it moves from one object
to another with tremendous velocity, so rapidly that its successive
attention and preception appear as a simultaneous activity.
The best philosophers and seers (Rishis and sages) are unanimously
agreed that the mind cannot actually attend to more than one thing at
a time, but it only appears to be doing so when it is shifting with
prodigious rapidity backward and forward from one end to the other.
Change of thought, relaxation of mind by dwelling on thoughts of pleasant
objects, cheerfulness, Sattvic food, mental recreation of Sattvic nature
are necessary for mental health.
The mind assumes the shape of any object it intently thinks of. If
it thinks of an orange it assumes the shape of an orange. If it thinks
of Lord Jesus on the Cross it assumes the shape of Lord Jesus on the
Cross. You must train the mind properly and give it proper pure food
for assimilation. Have a Divine background of thought or mental image.
If all the thoughts are eliminated, then there remains nothing which
can be called mind. So thoughts are the mind. Again there is no such
thing as world, independent of and apart from thoughts. Two thoughts,
however, closely related to one another, cannot exist at the same time.
The mind becomes that on which it dwells. This is an immutable psychological
law. If you begin to think about the Dosha or defects of a man, for
the time being at least your mind dwells on the bad qualities and becomes
charged with these qualities, whether the man possesses these bad qualities
or not. This may be your vain imagination only through your wrong thinking,
wrong Samskaras or wrong (bad) habits of the mind. He may not possess
even a bit of the bad qualities which you have superimposed on him through
ill-will or some form of jealousy or petty-mindedness or habitual Dosha-Drishti
or fault-finding nature. Therefore, give up the dangerous habit of censuring
others and finding fault in others. Praise others. Develop the power
or vision of finding only good in others. Do not bark like a wild dog
about the bad qualities of others. Glorify others. You will grow spiritually.
You will be liked, honoured and respected by others.
Deep sleep (Sushupti) is not merely a state of inactivity or passive
repose. It has deep philosophical significance. Vedantins study this
state very deeply and carefully. It gives the clue for non-dual philosophers
to trace, search and find out the hidden, silent witness.
Atman is ever awake, although all the minds are at rest. Mother of
this world, Rajesvari, takes the Jivas back to Her and Her Lord during
deep sleep, hugs them to Her bosom, bestows on them refreshing peace,
new vigour, vitality and strength and makes them quite fit for the ensuing
battle of life on the following day. But for this sleep, life would
have been absolutely impossible in this physical plane when miseries,
diseases, cares, worries, fears and anxieties of various kinds trouble
men every second. If a man does not get sound sleep even for one night,
if he loses his sleep one night for three hours by keeping watch over
a sick patient or attending the cinema, how miserable, gloomy, depressed
he feels the next day!
Mind is atomic according to the Indian school of logic. It is all-pervading
according to Raja Yoga school of Patanjali Maharshi; it is of the middling
size (same size as that of the body) according to the Vedantic school.
Mind is material. Mind is made up of subtle matter. This discrimination
is made on the principle that the soul is the only source of intelligence:
it is self-evident; it shines by its own light. Mind is formed out of
the subtlest portion of the food.
Mind can be compared to water. Water exists in four states, viz., causal
state, in the form of hydrogen and oxygen; subtle state, in the form
of water; gross state, in the form of ice: and gaseous state, in the
form of vaporised steam. Even so the mind is in a gross state during
Jagrat state when it enjoys sensual objects, is in a subtle state when
it functions in the dream state, is in a causal state when it gets involved
into its cause, Mula-Avidya, during deep sleep and it evaporates as
gas when it melts or dissolves in Brahman during Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Just as the physical body is composed of solid, liquid and gaseous
matter, so also the mind is made up of subtle matter of various grades
of density with different rates of vibration. A Raja Yogi penetrates
through the different layers of the mind by intense practice.
Just as you nourish the physical body with food, so also will you have
to give food for the mind and spiritual food for the soul.
When your business fails, or when you are in heavy grief by the death
of your only son, you get emaciation of body even though you eat nourishing,
substantial food. You feel tremendous internal weakness. This clearly
proves that mind exists and cheerfulness is a good mental food.
When a lady is deeply engaged in the management of the affairs of her
daughter's marriage, she forgets to take her food. She is always happy.
Her heart is full of joy. The joy and cheerfulness are powerful tonics
for her mind. She gets inner mental strength although she does not take
any food.
Life in this physical plane is a mere preparation for the eternal life
of everlasting sunshine and joy which is to come when one gets knowledge
of the Self through intense and constant meditation after purifying
the mind. This immortal life of supreme joy is described as the 'Kingdom
of Heaven' in the Bible. That Kingdom of Heaven is within you, in your
heart. Realise this Immortal Life, O Susil! by controlling the mind,
and enjoy the Supreme Bliss of the Self.
The secrets of Yoga Sastra can only be imparted to that student who
is Jita-Indriya and Abhyasa-sura, who has devotion to Guru, who has
Vairagya, discrimination, who is firm in his determination and who has
strong conviction in the existence of God.
The mind is single, but it appears dual in dreaming state as the perceiver
and the perceived, through the power of Maya or illusion. The mind itself
takes the forms of rose, mountain, elephant, rivers, ocean, enemy, etc.
Just as heat is inseparable from fire, so also fluctuation is inseparable
from mind. It makes the mind restless. The fluctuation is caused by
the power of Rajas. It is the fluctuation that causes Asanti (absence
of peace of mind). The Bhaktas remove this tossing by Japa, Upasana
and worship of Ishtadevata.
The power of fluctuation is itself the mind. This fluctuating mind
alone is this world. The mind becomes no mind if fluctuation disappears.
The mind ceases to exist, if it becomes destitute of this fluctuation.
What is called Maya is this fluctuating potency of the mind. Mind does
havocs through the power of fluctuation. Fluctuation is Mara or Satan
or Vasana or Eshana or Trishna. It was this fluctuation that tempted
Visvamitra. It is this fluctuation that brings about the downfall of
a struggling aspirant. Destroy this fluctuation through strong Viveka,
constant meditation and ceaseless Brahma-Vichara.
As soon as fluctuation manifests itself various sorts of imaginations
crop up. Imagination co-exists with fluctuation. Imagination is as much
dangerous as fluctuation. Fluctuation moves the mind. Imagination fattens
the mind. Mind minus fluctuation and imagination is a mere zero. Fluctuation
and imagination are the two wings of the mind-bird. Cut the right wing
through Atmic enquiry and the left wing through the practice of thoughtlessness.
The great bird-mind-will fall dead on the spot immediately.
The one dividing wall between the soul and body is mind. If this wall
is broken by ceaseless Atmic enquiry, then the Jiva mixes with the Supreme
Soul just as the river mixes with the ocean.
Close your eyes. Meditate. Open your heart to the inflow of the invisible
power. You will find in the Bible "Empty thyself, I will fill thee".
Then you will have abundant, superintuitional knowledge which is beyond
the reach of intellect. Just as water freely flows when the tap is turned
so also Divine Wisdom will flow freely when the obstacles of ignorance
that stand in the way of knowledge are removed. You will get flashes,
glimpses of the Divine inspiration, revelation and intuition. You will
have to put yourself in a state of quietude by silencing all bubbling
thoughts and emotions and connect the mind with the source by withdrawing
the mind from sensual objects, just as you do in telephone by turning
the switch off and connecting the two persons who want to speak.
All duality is of mind. The whole of duality is caused by the imagination
of the mind. If all imaginations are withdrawn into the mind itself
by constant practice of discrimination, Vairagya (dispassion), Sama,
Dama, and Samadhana, you will not experience the dual universe. The
mind will become no mind. As it has nothing to cognise, it will rest
in the source, the Atman.
"My mind was elsewhere, I did not see". "My mind was
elsewhere, I did not hear"; for a man sees with his mind and hears
with his mind.
The attraction for objects and the ties of various sorts make the man
bound to this world. Renunciation of all attractions for objects and
breaking up the ties constitute real Sannyasa. That Sannyasi or Yogi
who is free from attraction and ties enjoys the infinite bliss, supreme
joy and eternal bliss.
The mind should be absorbed in the word Om (Pranava). That Yogi or
Jnani whose mind is absorbed in Om has no fear whatever. He has reached
the goal of life.
The fire of meditation rapidly consumes all evils and sins. Then there
follows that knowledge of Truth which confers perfections, everlasting
peace and immortality.
Stop the Vrittis through constant and steady practice. The mind will
become no mind. You will attain Yogarudha State (the Absolute state).
The seeds of Avidya in the form of potential tendencies which are embedded
in the mind are all burnt to ashes when the mind rests in the Truth
during Samadhi. The fire that burns is the fire of knowledge of Atman
(Jnana-Agni, Yoga-Agni).
When the Yogi has attained the last stage of meditation, when he has
entered into Asamprajnata Samadhi, he becomes a Jivanmukta in this very
life.
The fire of Yogic Samadhi burns all Samskaras in toto. There are now
no seeds for rebirth.
A powerful occultist hypnotises the whole audience collectively through
his power of concentration and will, and performs the rope-trick. He
throws a red rope in the air, gives the suggestion to the onlookers
that he will climb in the air through this rope and disappears from
the platform, in the twinkling of an eye. But, when a photograph is
taken, nothing is recorded.
Yogins of olden times, like Sri Jnana Deva, Bhartrihari, Patanjali
Maharshi, used to send and receive messages to and from distant persons
through mind-telepathy and thought-transference. Telepathy was the first
wireless telegraph and telephone service in the world. Even now there
are Yogins who are versed in telepathy. Thought travels with tremendous
velocity through space. Thought moves. Thought is as much a solid matter
as a piece of stone is. It can hit a man against whom it is directed.
Understand and realise the powers of the mind. Unfold the hidden powers
or occult faculties. Close the eyes. Concentrate. Explore the higher
regions of the mind. You can see distant objects, hear distant voices,
send messages to distant parts, heal persons who are at a distance,
and move about to a distant place in the twinkling of an eye. Believe
in the powers of the mind. If you have interest, attention, will-power,
faith you are bound to succeed. The source for the mind is Atman or
the Higher Self. This mind is born of Atman through His Maya or illusory
power. Cosmic mind is universal mind. Cosmic mind is the sum total of
all individual minds. Cosmic mind is the Hiranyagarbha or Ishvara or
Karya-Brahman. Man's mind is just a fragment of the universal mind.
A Raja Yogi becomes one with the cosmic mind and knows the workings
of all minds. The Yogi gets omniscience through the cosmic mind. The
Yogi experiences cosmic consciousness through the cosmic mind.
Tap the universal mind. You will get higher supersensuous knowledge.
You will experience cosmic consciousness. You will get knowledge of
the past, present and future. You will acquire knowledge of the Tanmatras
(root elements) and mental plane. You will experience clairvoyance and
clairaudience. You can know what is going on in the minds of others.
You will get Divine Aisvarya or Vibhutis of God. There are scientific
means to tap this universal mind. Purity, concentration, dispassion,
right living, right thinking, right conduct, right action, devotion,
moderation in eating and sleeping, purity in food, truthfulness, continence,
non-injury, austerities have to be regularly practised for a protracted
time.
Look at the marvels of mind! One is struck with awe and wonder when
he witnesses a hypnotised person in trance and hears his narratives.
The hypnotised person narrates very lucidly the life-history and incidents
of a person whom he has not seen in his life.
A maid servant (a Jew) who was attending on a Hebrew Priest used to
hear the Hebrew verses during her service. She suddenly developed a
double-personality when she was sick in the hospital and repeated Hebrew
verses. She did not know the Hebrew language. All the Samskaras (of
hearing from the priest) were in the subconscious mind, and she repeated
the verses. No Samskaras are lost. They are indelibly recorded in the
gramophonic machine of Chitta.
A priest used to forget his old personality and assume a new personality,
a new name, a new avocation for six months. When he developed a double-personality
he could leave his old house, entirely forget all about his old life
and would return to his native place after six months and would entirely
forget all about the second personality he assumed for six months.
Chapter
V
1. Get up at 4 a.m. daily. This is Brahma Muhurta 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 the east or the north. Increase the period
gradually to three hours. Do Sirshasana and Sarvangasana for keeping
up Brahmacharya and health. Take light physical exercises as walking,
etc., regularly. Do twenty Pranayamas.
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.
4. DIETETIC DISCIPLINE: Take Sattvic food, Suddha Ahara. Give up chillies,
tamarind, garlic, onion, sour articles, oil, mustard and 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 life going. Eating for enjoyment is sin. Give up
salt and sugar for a month. You must be able to live on rice, dhall
and bread without any chutni. Do not ask for extra salt for dhall and
sugar for tea, coffee, or milk.
5. Have a separate meditation-room under lock and key.
6. Do charity regularly, every month, or even daily, according to your
means, say six paisa per rupee.
7. SVADHYAYA: Study systematically the Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavata, Vishnu-Sahasranama,
Lalita Sahasranama, Aditya Hridaya, Upanishads, Yoga-Vasishtha, the
Bible, Zend Avesta, the Koran, the Tripitakas, the Granth Sahib, etc.,
from half an hour to one hour daily and have Suddha-Vichara.
8. Preserve the vital force (Veerya) very very carefully. Veerya is
God in motion or manifestation, Vibhuti. 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 Satsanga. Give up bad company, smoking, meat and alcoholic
liquors entirely. Do not develop any evil habits.
11. Fast on Ekadasi day or live on milk and fruits only.
12. Have a Japa Mala (rosary) round your neck or in your pocket or
underneath your pillow at night.
13. Observe Mouna for a couple of hours daily.
14. Speak the truth at all cost. Speak a little. Speak sweetly.
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 plain living and high thinking.
16. Never hurt anybody. 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. Do not brood over past mistakes.
19. Remember that death is awaiting you 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.
The spiritual path is thorny, precipitous and rugged. Temptations will
assail you. Your will, sometimes, will become weak. Sometimes, there
will be downfall or a backward pull by the dark Asuric antagonistic
forces. In order to strengthen your will and resist the unfavourable
currents, you will have to make, again and again, fresh resolves. This
will help you to ascend the ladder of Yoga, vigorously and quickly.
Here are some resolves. Stick to them tenaciously. Watch the mind carefully
and keep a daily spiritual record.
1. I must get up at 4 a.m. today for practising meditation. (I will
have an alarm time-piece).
2. I will certainly observe Brahmacharya for a month.
3. I will, at any cost, speak the truth today.
4. I will not speak harsh or vulgar words today.
5. I will do 21,600 (200 Mala) Japa this Sunday.
6. I will observe complete Mouna this Sunday.
7. I will live on milk and fruits this Ekadasi.
8. I will finish the study of the whole of Gita on this Sunday (Svadhyaya)
and write my Ishta Mantra or Guru Mantra for 2 hours.
9. I will spend one-tenth of my income on charity this month.
10. I will take only three things today-dhall and bread in the noon
and milk at night.
11. I will not use shoes and bed-stead today.
12. I will not become angry today.
I will give up night meals and do 10 Malas of Japa if I break any of
my resolves.
When you make these resolves, stand before the Lord's picture with
folded hands and pray devoutly for His grace and mercy. You will doubtless
get immense strength to carry out these resolves.
Even if you fail in your attempt, do not be discouraged. Every failure
is a stepping-stone for success. Make a fresh resolve again with more
firm and fiery determination. You are bound to succeed. Conquest over
one weakness will give you additional strength and will-force to get
over another weakness or defect. The baby tries to walk, gets up and
falls down. Again it makes another attempt. Eventually it walks steadily.
Even so, you will have to fall down and get up, again and again, when
you walk in the spiritual path. In the long run, you will steadily climb
up to the summit of the hill of Yoga and reach the pinnacle of Nirvikalpa
Samadhi.
May the Lord give you strength of will to carry out your resolves!
There is not even an iota of bliss in this world. Every thing is illusory
in this universe. All worldly things are generative of pain only and
fraught with all dangers. This life is ephemeral. There is nothing so
baneful as this life which is perishable in its nature. What beauty
is there to be enjoyed in this body which is composed of blood and flesh
and which has a tendency to rot? Even the most virulent poison is no
poison but the sensual object is truly so. The former kills only one
body, whereas, the latter destroys many bodies in successive births.
Fie on this uneven life which is attended with pains, sorrows, diseases
and death. You cannot find one object in this universe which is sweet
and beneficial for one twinkling of the eye at least. Even the greatest
of persons will, in course of time, become dust-the lowest of the low.
Emperors, poets, scientists, orators and intellectual giants have come
and gone.
It is very difficult to get a human birth. This precious life is meant
for attaining Self-realisation. Ignorant persons, like innocent children
that do taste again and again sweetmeats which give sweetness for the
time being, indulge themselves in illusory, transient, sensual pleasures
and are caught, again and again, in the wheel of births and deaths.
They are not ashamed to repeat the same sensual act. What a miserable
life they lead! How pitiable is their lot. !
You are elated when you get a son, when you get married, when you get
some sudden fortune or increase in salary; but you feel sorry when your
wife dies, when you lose your money, when you are thrown out of employment,
when you suffer from some acute pain.
Now tell me, friend, what do you really find in this illusory world-happiness
or pain? Have you now understood the illusory nature of this world?
This world is a mere show. The mind and the senses are deceiving you
at every moment. You have mistaken pain for pleasure. There is not even
an iota of happiness in this universe.
Will your son, or daughter, or friend, or relative, help you when you
are about to die? Have you got one, sincere, unselfish friend in this
world? All are selfish. There is no pure love. But that Lord, your real
immortal friend and father who dwells in your heart, will never forsake
you though you may forget Him. Adore Him in silence, that God of gods,
that Divinity of divinities, Highest of the most high. May He bless
you with His love, wisdom, power and peace!
By indiscriminate clinging to wife, children, house, wealth and property,
you have forgotten all about your essential divine nature. In youth
you are enveloped in ignorance; in adult age you are entangled in the
meshes of women; in old age you are groaning under the burden of Samsara.
When you will find time, friend, to do virtuous actions and worship
God?
Sensual pleasure is momentary, deceptive, illusory and imaginary. A
grain of pleasure is mixed with a mountain of pain. Enjoyment cannot
bring satisfaction of desires. On the contrary, it makes the mind more
restless through intense craving. Sensual pleasure is the cause of births
and deaths. It is an enemy of peace and knowledge.
Abandon these selfish struggles and schemes for amassing wealth. Do
all actions with Nishkama Bhava. March directly to that wire-puller
(God), who is moving these toys of fleshy human bodies, who is keeping
up this big show, who is behind this pageant. In Him only you will find
everlasting happiness and perennial joy. Merge in Him by practising
daily Japa and Meditation.
Give up clinging to this illusory life. Take refuge in God. Develop
lasting, sustained dispassion (Vairagya) or indifference to sensual
enjoyments herein and hereafter. You have had countless fathers, mothers,
wives and children in the past. You came alone. You will go alone. No
one will follow you save your own actions. Worship God. Realise Him.
All miseries will come to an end.
O Ram! Do you not wish to attain the illimitable kingdom of eternal
bliss and perennial joy? Do you not long to attain everlasting peace
and immortality? Do you not desire to dwell in that sweet abode of Brahman
where there is neither pain nor sorrow, neither hunger nor thirst, neither
fear nor grief, neither doubt nor delusion?
Then come, my beloved Ram! Develop, real, lasting Vairagya (dispassion
or mental non-attachment) by looking into the defects of sensual life
(Dosha Drishti) and through association with Sages, Sadhus and Sannyasins
(Satsanga). Serve. Love. Give. Be kind. Be good. Do good. Practise vigorous
Japa and meditation and attain God-consciousness or Self-realisation
(Brahma jnana) in this very birth.
May you all possess that master-key, Vairagya to open the realms of
Brahmic bliss!
May you all attain Kaivalya or Atma-Svarajya or independence! May you
all dwell in the immaculate Brahmic seat of ineffable splendour and
glory!
Minus skin, minus dress, minus ornaments, physical beauty is nothing.
Just imagine for a moment that the outer skin is removed. You will have
to stand with a long stick to drive away crows and vultures. Physical
beauty is superficial, illusory and fading. It is skin-deep only. Do
not be deluded by external appearances. It is the jugglery of Maya.
Go to the source-Atman, the Beauty of beauties, the Everlasting beauty.
If your hairs become grey, that is the first warrant from Lord Yama,
the God of Death. You must get yourself ready to meet him. The wrinkles
on the face and the bending of the body will remind you of the warrant.
When the teeth fall and the eyesight becomes dim, you must be fully
prepared to greet him. You will get three hiccups or final passing of
breaths lying on the bed. When the last hiccup comes, all your possession
will be taken away by your sons and partners. One will run after the
savings bank pass-book, another will take hold of the cash chest, the
third, of your provident fund papers and insurance claims, the fourth,
of the ornaments that lie on your person and so on. Such is life on
this earth-plane. Why can't you see that the money is well spent for
your spiritual progress and the service of the poor and the Mahatmas?
Friends! Try to attain immortality through devotion, meditation, purity,
service, Japa, prayer and enquiry. All troubles and miseries will come
to an end.
O Nectar's sons! Enough of this mundane life. Enough of this life of
passion in this earth-plane. You have spent your whole life, energy
and time in obtaining material wealth, power, name and fame. All your
efforts have gone in vain. All your wealth is only a broken shell when
compared with the inexhaustible or supreme wealth of Atman. Obtain this
spiritual wealth. Give up this vain selfish struggle. You have walked
too long with passionate eyes in this universe. Give up this lustful
look. Meditate. Look within now and behold the marvellous Self and be
free.
Atman or Brahman or Supreme Self is the hidden treasure. It is the
pearl of incalculable value. It is the jewel of jewels. It is the gem
of gems. It is the imperishable, inexhaustible, supreme wealth which
no dacoit can rob. It is Chintamani of Chintamanis that will give man
whatever he wishes.
Brahman is beyond speech, time and causation. It is limitless. It is
tranquil and It shines with equal effulgence in all bodies. It cannot
be a particular thing. It is Chaitanya or pure consciousness. It is
Vastu. It is Sat-Chit-Ananda.
Knowing the nature of Brahman or Atman as such, attain freedom or perfection.
Think yourself bodiless. Identify yourself with the Supreme. Achieve
peace and eternal bliss of your all-pervading soul.
May you all lead the divine life sharing what you have with others,
singing the Lord's name, rejoicing in Him alone and melting the mind
in the Supreme Self!
Brahmacharya is purity in thought, word and deed. Brahmacharya includes
the control of not only the sex or reproductive Indriya but also other
Indriyas. This is the definition of Brahmacharya in a broad sense. Brahmacharya
is of two kinds viz., physical and mental. Physical is control of the
body and mental is the control of evil thoughts. In mental Brahmacharya
even a lustful thought will never enter the mind. Freedom from all sexual
thoughts in waking as well as dreaming states is strict Brahmacharya.
The vital energy, the Veerya, which supports your life, is a great
treasure for you. It is the quintessence of blood. Brahmacharya is truly
a precious jewel. It is the most effective medicine or nectar which
destroys diseases, decay and death. This Atma or immortal soul is verily
the nature of Brahmacharya. Atma resides in Brahmacharya.
Veerya is the essence of life, thought, intelligence and consciousness.
When the Veerya is once lost, it can never be recouped in your lifetime
by your taking any amount of Badam, nervine tonics, milk, cream, Makaradhvaja,
etc. This fluid, when preserved carefully, serves as a master-key for
you to open the doors of elysian bliss or the realms of God or Atma
and for all sorts of higher achievements in life. By Brahmacharya alone
the Rishis of yore have conquered death and attained the immortal abode
of joy and bliss.
You cannot have health and spiritual life without Brahmacharya. Brahmacharya
is the key-note of success in every walk of life. Brahmacharya serves
as a gateway for bliss beyond. It opens the door of Moksha (emancipation).
Siddhis and Riddhis (psychic powers) roll under the feet of a Brahmacharin.
Who can describe the majesty and glory of a Brahmachari? Brahmacharya
or spotless chastity is the best of panaceas. There is nothing in this
world that cannot be attained by a celibate. He can move the whole world.
Sensuality destroys life, lustre, strength, vitality, memory, wealth,
fame, holiness and devotion to the Supreme. Death is hastened by letting
out vital energy from the body. Life is saved and prolonged by preserving
it. Those who have lost much of their Veerya or the vital energy become
easily irritable and lazy. They easily succumb to any disease. They
meet with premature death.
Have you realised, my dear friend, the importance and glory of Brahmacharya?
Have you recognised the true significance of Brahmacharya? How can you
expect to be strong and healthy if the precious energy that is acquired
through various means with great difficulty is wasted daily?
What do we find in these days? Men, women, boys and girls are drowned
in the ocean of impure thoughts, lustful desires and little sensual
pleasures. It is highly deplorable indeed. Many college students have
personally come to me and narrated their pitiable lives of gloom and
depression brought about by heavy loss of semen through unnatural means.
Persons are physically, mentally and morally debilitated because of
the want of Brahmacharya or because of wasting the seminal power. Such
persons become easily irritable for little things. They fall a victim
to various diseases and premature death. I appeal to the parents, the
teachers and the professors to instruct and guide their children in
Brahmacharya at the proper time and save them. Through them the country
is saved. Youths are the future hope of the country. If they are inspired
the whole nation is inspired and elevated.
It is quite possible for a man to practise celibacy albeit there are
various sorts of temptations and distractions. A well-disciplined life,
study of Scriptures, Satsanga, Japa, Dhyana, Sattvic diet, daily self-analysis,
practice of sadachara, and the three kinds of Tapas and such other spiritual
discipline, pave a long way in the attainment of this end.
The practice of celibacy is not attended with any danger or any disease
or any undesirable result, such as the various sorts of 'complex' which
are wrongly attributed by the Western psychologists to it. They have
no practical knowledge of the subject on hand. They have got a wrong
ill-founded imagination that the ungratified sex-energy assumes various
forms of complexes in disguise, such as, touch-phobia, etc. It is a
morbid state of mind due to excessive anger, hatred, jealousy, worry
and depression brought about by various causes.
Householders who are moderate in their sexual enjoyment, who are free
from animal passion, who are desirous of progeny to keep up the line
only, are also Brahmacharins. This is also Brahmacharya Vrata. As soon
as a son or daughter is born, the wife becomes his mother.
Do not look at obscene pictures. Do not speak vulgar words. Do not
read novels that excite passion and produce ignoble, undesirable sentiments
in the mind. Shun bad company. Do not go to Cinemas. Give up onions,
garlic, hot curries, chutnies and spiced dishes. Take wholesome, bland
Sattvic food. Transmute the sex-energy into spiritual energy (Ojas)
by sublime thoughts, practice of Japa, Kirtan (singing God's Name),
Vichara or Atmic enquiry, Pranayama (restraint of breath), Sirshasana,
Sarvangasana, study of Gita, Upanishads and other religious books. Have
Satsanga-association with Mahatmas, Yogins and Sadhus. You will be established
in Brahmacharya. There will be sublimation of sex-energy.
Glory to Brahmacharya! Glory to Brahmacharins who are veritable gods
on earth! May you all attain immortality by leading a life of Brahmacharya
or ideal divine life while remaining in the world!!
In the name of Tapascharya (austerities) do not spoil your health.
Constant repetition of "Vairagya Dindima" of Sri Sankara,
with feeling, study of "Vairagya Sataka" of Bhartrihari and
"Vairagya Prakarana" of Yoga-Vasishtha, reflection on the
Slokas of Gita which treat of Vairagya, and finding out the defects
in the sensual life will surely intensify your Vairagya.
Spiritual growth is gradual. There is progressive evolution. You should
not be in a feverish hurry to accomplish great Yogic feats or enter
into Nirvikalpa Samadhi (superconscious state) in two or three months.
You will have to ascend the ladder of Yoga step by step. You will have
to march in the spiritual path stage by stage.
This world is your best teacher. You will have yet to learn many lessons
from this world. The worldly duties are not ties when done in the spirit
of Nishkama Karma Yoga (selfless service). You are not required to renounce
the world and take shelter in the Himalayan caves to claim back your
lost divinity. The secret of renunciation is renunciation of egoism
and desires. Live in the world but be not worldly-minded. He who, living
in the midst of the temptations of this world, attains perfection, is
a true hero indeed.
Guru's grace is needed by the disciple. This does not mean that the
disciple should sit idle and expect a miracle from the Guru to push
him directly into Samadhi. The Guru cannot do Sadhana or the spiritual
practice for the student. He can guide the aspirant, clear his doubts,
pave the way, remove snares, pitfalls and obstacles and throw light
on the path. The disciple himself will have to place each footstep in
the spiritual path. He will himself have to place his footstep in each
rung of the ladder of Yoga.
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; falling down in swoon on account of exhaustion from too much
jumping for Bhava Samadhi; Rajasic restlessness and motion for divine
activities and Karma Yoga; Tamasic man for Sattvic man; movement of
air in the back due to rheumatism for ascent of Kundalini; 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. Try to know the best ways to control the
mind. Conquer the mind. Conquest of mind is really conquest of nature
and the world. Conquest of mind will enable you to go to the source
of Brahman and you can realise: "I am the all-pervading Sat-Chit-Ananda
Atman or the Self".
Learn to discriminate and become wise. Fight out the inner battle,
again and again, and come out victorious, O Sushil!
May you all become dynamic Yogins and radiate joy and peace to all
corners of the world!
Thou art divine. Live up to it. Feel and realise thy divine nature.
Do not murmur when you get difficulties, troubles, tribulations and
diseases. Every difficulty is an opportunity for you to develop your
will and power of endurance and to grow strong. Conquer the difficulties
one by one. This is the beginning of a new life, a life of expansion,
glory and divine splendour. Aspire and draw. Grow. Expand. Build up
all positive qualities, the Daiva-Sampatti, viz., fortitude,
patience and courage, that are dormant in you. Tread the spiritual path
and realise: 'I am the Immortal Self."
Never weep even if you lose your near and dear relations. Births and
deaths are the two illusory scenes in the marvellous drama of this world.
They are all the jugglery of Maya. In reality nobody comes and nobody
goes. Atman alone exists. Atman is Brahman or the Immortal Soul.
Be hopeful always. Face all difficulties, tribulations and anxieties
in life with a smile. Always repeat the formula "Even this will
pass away." You will then be always beyond grief and sorrow.
Pain is a blessing in disguise. Pain is an eye-opener. Pain is your
silent teacher. Pain will turn your mind towards God. Many old Karmas
have to be purged out quickly by the thirsting aspirant before he attains
the blissful Samadhi (superconscious state). Therefore, the thirsting
aspirant only will get more troubles. Become a spiritual warrior and
chop off the thoughts and subtle forms of secret desires for enjoyment.
A glorious brilliant future is awaiting you.
Conquer difficulties one by one. Stand adamant. Root yourself in the
immortal Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman or Self within. Develop a magnanimous,
serene, calm and poised mental state. Sing "Anandoham, Anandoham-I
am all bliss. I am all bliss."
To live is to fight for the ideal and goal. Life is conquest. Life
is a series of awakenings. Conquer your mind and the senses. These are
your real enemies. Live under lifelong vows. Conquer your internal and
external nature. Fight against the antagonistic dark evil forces through
Japa and meditation.
If you are firm in your resolves to reach the highest goal of Yoga,
if you have firm determination to attain the aim of spiritual life,
you will rise up again and march forward even if you have a temporary
fall. Feel the divine within you. Open yourself fully to the divine
influence. Develop burning desire for the attainment of God-consciousness
and burning dispassion (Vairagya) for worldly enjoyments. Abandon all
worldly ambitions and mundane desires. Soar high always in the realms
of higher spiritual knowledge. Show your manliness, moral courage and
spiritual strength now, O Ram!
Spiritual life is not mere idle talk. It is not mere sensation. It
is actual living in Atman. It is a transcendental experience of unalloyed
bliss.
May you all become immortal and drink deep the divine nectar of perennial
joy and eternal bliss!
Immortal Self.
There is a maker for a pot or a table. So, there must be a creator
for this marvellous world also. That creator is GOD.
God is the wire-puller (Sutradhara) standing behind the machine of
this world. He is the indweller of your heart. He presides over all
actions (Karma-dhyaksha). He is the dispenser of the fruits of your
actions. Live in God by singing His name, repeating His Mantra and surrendering
the fruits of your actions unto Him.
The Lord abides in every creature. Behold the Lord in all objects,
in all manifestations. He is in the breath, in the voice, in the eyes.
He is the Life of your life, Soul of your soul. Make no distinction
between a Hindu and a Mussalman, a Protestant and a Catholic, a Saivite
and a Vaishnavite.
Within you is the hidden God. Within you is the immortal soul. Within
you is the inexhaustible spiritual treasure. Within you is the fountain
of joy and happiness. Within you is the ocean of bliss. Look within
for the happiness you have sought in vain in the perishable sensual
objects. Rest peacefully in your own Atma and drink the nectar of Immortality.
Insure your life with God. Depend upon Him alone. All other insurance
companies will fail, but this Divine Company will never fail. You need
not pay any premium to this Divine Company. You will have to love God
only. You will have to give Him your heart.
Satyam (truth) is the seed. Brahmacharya (celibacy) is the root. Meditation
is the shower. Santi (peace) is the flower. Moksha (salvation) is the
fruit. Therefore, speak truth. Practise Brahmacharya and meditation.
Cultivate Santi. You will surely attain the final emancipation or freedom
from the trammels of births and deaths and enjoy eternal bliss, supreme
peace, perennial joy and immortality.
Surrender everything unto Him. Place your ego at His feet and be at
ease. He will take complete charge of you. Let Him mould you in any
way He likes. Let Him do exactly as He wills. He will remove all defects
and weaknesses. He will play beautifully in this body flute. Hear the
marvellous music of the flute of the Lord-the mysterious music of the
soul-and rejoice.
Peace is a divine attribute. It is a quality of the soul. It cannot
remain with greedy persons. It fills the pure heart. It is a sweet companion
of sages and Yogins. It deserts the lustful. It runs away from the selfish.
It is an ornament of a Paramahamsa.
"As you think, so you become." This is the immutable psychological
law. Your thoughts make your life. You can choose your thoughts. You
can choose your mode of thinking. You can make your life as you choose.
If you entertain evil thoughts, you will lead a miserable life. If you
cultivate sublime thoughts, you will attain Godhead.
May you all prosper gloriously! May you all lead the divine life singing
Hari's Name, serving the poor and the sick with Atma Bhava, sharing
what you have with others and melting the mind in the Lord through silent
meditation!
The only Sara Vastu in this world is Prema or love. It is eternal,
infinite and undecaying. Physical love is passion or Moha or infatuation.
Universal love is divine love. Cosmic love, Visva Prema, universal love
are synonymous terms. God is Love. Love is God. Selfishness, greed,
egoism, vanity, pride and hatred contract the heart and stand in the
way of developing universal love.
Develop universal love gradually through selfless service, Satsanga
(association with Mahatmas), prayer, recitation of Guru Mantra, etc.
When the heart is contracted through selfishness, man loves his wife,
children, a few friends and relations only, in the beginning. As he
evolves, he loves the people of his own district, then the people of
his own province. Later on, he develops love for men of his own country.
Eventually he begins to love people of different countries. In the long
run, he begins to love all. He develops universal love. All the barriers
are broken now. Heart expands infinitely.
It is very easy to talk of universal love. But when you want to put
it in actual practice, it becomes extremely difficult. Petty-mindedness
of all sorts comes in the way. Old, wrong Samskaras (impressions) which
you have created by your wrong mode of life in past, act as stumbling
blocks. Through iron determination, strong will-power, patience, perseverance
and Vichara (right enquiry), you can conquer all obstacles quite easily.
The grace of the Lord will descend on you if you are sincere, my dear
friends!
Universal love terminates in Advaitic unity or oneness or Upanishadic
consciousness of Seers and Sages. Pure love is a great leveller. It
brings equality. Hafiz, Kabir, Mira, Gouranga, Tukaram, Ramdas, all
have tasted this universal love. What others have achieved, you can
also attain.
Feel that the whole world is your body, your own home. Melt or destroy
all barriers that separate man from man. Idea of superiority is ignorance
or delusion. Develop Visvaprema, all-embracing love. Unite with all.
Separation is death. Unite in eternal life. Feel that the whole world
is Visvabrindavan. Feel that this body is a moving temple of God. Wherever
you are, whether at home, office, railway station or market, feel that
you are in the temple. Consecrate every act as an offering unto the
Lord. Transmute every work into Yoga by offering its fruits to God.
Have Akartri-Sakshi Bhava, if you are a student of Vedanta. Have Nimitta
Bhava, if you are a student of Bhakti Marga. Feel that all beings are
images of God. Isa-Vasyamidam Sarvam-this world is indwelt by
the Lord. Feel that one power or God works through all hands, sees through
all eyes, hears through all ears. You will become a changed being. You
will enjoy the highest peace and bliss.
May Lord Hari take you all to His bosom and bathe you with the waters
of sweet love!
May your heart be filled with cosmic love!
Meditation is the only royal road to the attainment of salvation or
Moksha. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings, the three kinds of Taapas
(fevers) and the five Kleshas (sorrows). Meditation gives the vision
of unity. Meditation produces sense of oneness. Meditation is an aeroplane
that helps the aspirant to soar high in the realms of eternal bliss
and everlasting peace. It is a mysterious ladder that connects earth
and heaven and takes the aspirant to the immortal abode of Brahman.
Meditation is the continuous flow of one thought of God or Atman, like
the continuous flow of oil from one vessel to another (Tailadharavat).
Meditation follows Concentration.
Practise meditation in the early morning from 4 to 6 (Brahma-Muhurta).
This is the best time for the practice of meditation.
Sit on Padma or Siddha or Sukha Asana. Keep the head, neck and the
trunk in a straight line. Concentrate either on the Trikuti-the space
between the two eyebrows-or in the heart, with closed eyes.
Meditation is of two kinds, viz., Saguna Dhyana (concrete meditation)
and Nirguna Dhyana (abstract meditation). In concrete meditation the
Yogi student meditates on the form of Sri Krishna, Rama, Sita, Vishnu,
Siva, Gayatri or Devi. In abstract meditation, he meditates on his own
Self or Atman.
Place the picture of Lord Hari with Chaturbhuja in front of you. Gaze
at this picture steadily for five minutes, then close the eyes and visualise
the picture. During visualisation move the mind on the various parts
of Vishnu. See with the mind His feet first, then in the following order:
His legs, His yellow silk cloth, His golden necklace set with Kaustubha
gem on the breast, the earring Makara Kundala, then the face, then the
crown on the head, then the disc in the right upper hand, then the conch
in the left upper hand, then the mace in the lower right hand, then
the lotus in the lower left hand. Then come down to the feet and repeat
the process again and again. Finally fix the mind either at the feet
or the face. Repeat the Mantra mentally: "Hari Om" or "Om
Namo Narayanaya". Think of the attributes of the Lord such as Omnipotence,
Omnipresence, Purity, etc.
Meditate on Om and its meaning with feeling. This is Nirguna Dhyana.
Repeat Om mentally. Identify yourself with Atman. Feel, "I am the
all-pervading immortal Self or Atman. I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman.
I am Sakshi or silent witness of three states and all modifications
of the mind. I am pure consciousness. I am distinct from the body, mind,
Prana and senses. I am the self-luminous Light of lights. I am the Eternal
Supreme Soul.
If you have contentment, cheerfulness, patience, unruffled state of
mind, sweet voice, one-pointedness of mind, light body, fearlessness,
desirelessness, disgust for worldly things, know that you are advancing
in the spiritual path and that you are nearing God.
Be regular in your meditation. Regularity is the key to success. Regularity
is of paramount importance. May you all be established in Samadhi (superconscious
state of bliss) through regular meditation!
Religion is faith for knowing and worshipping God. It is not a matter
for discussion at a club table. It is the perception and realisation
of the True Self. It is the fulfilment of the deepest craving in man.
Therefore, hold religion as the goal of your life. Live every second
of your life for its realisation. Life without religion is real death.
Analyse your thoughts. Scrutinize your motives. Remove selfishness.
Calm the passions. Control the Indriyas. Destroy egoism. Serve and love
all. Purify your heart. Cleanse the dross of your mind. Hear and reflect.
Concentrate and meditate. Attain Self-realisation.
There is something dearer than wealth. There is something dearer than
your wife. There is something dearer than your children. There is something
dearer than your life itself. That dearest something is thy own Self
(Atman)-Inner Ruler (Antaryamin), Immortal (Amritam). This Immortal
Self can be realised by incessant practice of meditation.
O Saumya! Dear Immortal Self! Be bold: Be cheerful, even though you
are unemployed, though you have nothing to eat, though you are clad
in rags. Thy essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. The outer cloak, this
mortal physical sheath is an illusory production of Maya. Smile, whistle,
laugh, jump, dance in joy and ecstasy. Sing Om Om Om! Ram Ram Ram! Come
out of this cage of flesh. Thou art sexless Atma. Thou art that Atma
who dwells in the chambers of your heart. Act as such. Feel as such.
Claim your birthright, not from tomorrow or the day after, but right
now from this very second. "Tat Tvam Asi-Thou art That".
Feel, Assert, Recognise, Realise, my beloved Ram!
Find out your centre. Dwell always in this centre. This centre is the
abode of Supreme Bliss and Eternal Sunshine. This centre is the Param
Dham or Paramagati or Supreme Goal. This centre is your sweet original
home, the abode of immortality and fearlessness. This centre is Atma
or Brahman. This is the Imperishable Brahmic seat of ineffable splendour
and glory!
Divine life is life in God or the Immortal Soul. He who leads the divine
life is free from cares, worries, anxieties, miseries, sufferings and
tribulations. He attains immortality, perfection, freedom, independence,
eternal peace, supreme bliss and perennial joy. He radiates joy, peace
and light everywhere.
To lead the divine life, you need not retire into forests. You can
lead the divine life, while remaining in the world. What is wanted is
renunciation of egoism, mineness, attachment, Vasanas and Trishnas.
Give the mind to God and the hands to the service of humanity.
Serve humanity with Atma Bhava. Serve the poor. Serve the sick with
Narayana Bhava. Serve the society. Serve the country. Selfless service
is the highest Yoga. Samadhi will come by itself without any effort
for one, who is solely absorbed in service, when his heart is purified.
Service is worship of the Lord. Never forget this. He who sees Brahman
or the Immortal Soul in the spoon, Brahman in the medicine, Brahman
in the patient, Brahman in the doctor, Brahman in service, he who thinks
or meditates thus, while doing service, verily reaches Brahman or the
Eternal.
The practice of Brahmacharya is very important for spiritual progress.
Brahmacharya is the basis for acquiring immortality. It is itself divine
life. Brahmacharya brings material progress and psychic advancement.
It is a substratum for a life of peace in Atma. It is a potent weapon
for controlling the internal Rajasic forces, viz., Kama, Krodha, Lobha,
etc. It gives tremendous energy and gigantic will power and good Vichara
Sakti.
Japa is an important Anga of Yoga or divine life. A Mantra is divinity.
Japa is the repetition of the Mantra or the names of the Lord. In Kali
Yuga, practice of Japa alone can give eternal peace, bliss and immortality.
Japa ultimately results in Samadhi or communion with the Lord.
Sankirtan is the singing of Lord's names with faith and devotion. When
you sing His names, feel that Lord Hari or Ishta Devata is seated in
your heart, that every name of the Lord is filled with divine potencies,
that the old vicious Samskaras and Vasanas are burnt by the power of
the name and that the mind is filled with Sattva or purity, that Rajas
and Tamas are completely destroyed, and that the veil of ignorance is
torn down. This kind of mental attitude brings the maximum benefit of
Sankirtan. It is not the number of Japa or the length of time of Kirtan
that counts for spiritual growth but it is the intensity of Bhava with
which the Lord's names are sung.
Pure as the snow of the Himalayas, bright as sunlight, expansive as
the sky, all-pervading as the ether; unfathomable as the ocean, cool
as the waters of the Ganges, is the Immortal Atman-the substratum for
this world, body, mind and Prana. Nothing is sweeter than this Atman.
Purify your heart and meditate. Plunge deep in your heart. Dive deep
into the innermost recess. You will find it. Only if you search in deep
water, you will find the pearl of Atman. If you keep to the shore, you
will find broken shells only.
The best flower that can be offered to the Lord is your heart. Penetrate
more deeply into the infinite domain of Kailas, the kingdom of illimitable
bliss and boundless joy and peace within.
Just as the light is burning within the hurricane lantern, so also,
the divine light is burning within the heart. You can behold the divine
light through your inner third eye or the eye of intuition by withdrawing
the senses and stilling the mind.
It takes a long time for charcoal to catch fire but gunpowder can be
ignited within the twinkling of an eye. Even so, it takes a long time
for igniting the fire of knowledge for a man whose heart is impure.
But an aspirant with great purity of heart gets knowledge of the Self,
within the twinkling of an eye with the time taken to squeeze a flower
by the fingers.
Armed with patience, perseverance, tranquillity and courage, slowly
ascend, peak after peak, subdue the Indriyas one by one, control the
thoughts one by one, eradicate the Vasanas one by one and eventually
reach the summit of Self-realisation or Divine Glory.
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 Prema to 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.
Daily self-analysis or self-examination is an indispensable requisite.
Then alone can you remove your defects and can grow rapidly in spirituality.
A gardener watches the young plants very carefully. He removes the weeds
daily. He puts a strong fence around them. He waters them at the proper
time. Then alone they grow beautifully and yield fruits quickly. Even
so, you should find out your defects through daily introspection and
self-analysis and then eradicate them through suitable methods. If one
method fails, you must adopt a combined method. If prayer fails, you
should take recourse to Satsanga or association with the wise, Pranayama,
meditation, dietetic regulation, enquiry, etc. You should destroy not
only big waves of pride, hypocrisy, lust, anger, etc., that manifest
on the surface of the conscious mind, but also their subtle impressions
which lurk in the corners of the subconscious mind. Then only are you
perfectly safe.
These subtle impressions are very dangerous. They lurk like thieves
and attack you when you are napping, when you are not vigilant, when
your dispassion wanes, when you slacken a bit your daily spiritual practice,
and when you are provoked. If these defects do not manifest even under
extreme provocation on several occasions, even when you are not practising
daily introspection and self-analysis, you can be rest assured that
the subtle impressions also are obliterated. Now you are safe. The practice
of introspection and self-analysis demands patience, perseverance, leech-like
tenacity, application, iron will, iron determination, subtle intellect,
courage, etc. But you will gain a fruit of incalculable value. The precious
fruit is immortality, Supreme Peace and Infinite Bliss. You will have
to pay a heavy price for this. Therefore you should not murmur when
you do daily practice. You should apply your full mind, heart, intellect
and soul to spiritual practice. Then only rapid success is possible.
Keep daily spiritual diary and practise self-analysis (self-examination)
at night. Note down how many good actions you have done, what mistakes
you have committed during the course of the day. In the morning resolve:
"I will not yield to anger today. I will practise celibacy today.
I will speak truth today."
The keeping up of a daily spiritual diary is an indispensable requisite
and of paramount importance. Those who are already in the habit of keeping
it know its incalculable advantages. Diary is a whip for goading the
mind towards God. It shows the way to freedom and eternal bliss. It
is your Guru. It is the eye-opener. It develops the Manana-Sakti or
the power of reflection. It will help you to destroy all your evil qualities
and to be regular in your spiritual practices. If you regularly maintain
a diary, you will get solace, peace of mind and quick progress in the
spiritual path. Those who desire to grow in morality and spirituality,
those who wish to evolve rapidly must keep a daily record of their actions.
All great men of the world keep diaries. The life of Benjamin Franklin
is known to you all. He kept a daily diary. He noted down the number
of untruths and wrong actions for which he was responsible during the
course of the day. In course of time, he became a perfect man. He had
perfect control over his mind. Mahatma Gandhi used to advise the students
to keep a daily diary always.
A big thief is hiding himself in your brain. He has snatched away your
Atmic pearl. He is giving you immense worries and troubles. He is deluding
you. The thief is your mind. You must not be lenient towards him. You
must kill him ruthlessly. There is no other sword sharper than this
diary to kill him. It checks his happy-go-lucky ways and destroys him
eventually. All your daily mistakes will be corrected. A good time will
come when you will be entirely free from anger, untruth, lust, etc.
You will become a perfect Yogi.
Your father and mother gave you this body. They gave you food and clothing.
But this diary is superior to your parents. It shows the way to freedom
and eternal bliss. It gives you solace, satisfaction and peace of mind.
Turn the pages of your diary carefully once a week. If you can record
your actions every hour, your growth will be rapid. Happy is the man
who keeps a daily diary for he is very near to God. He has a strong
will and he is free from defects and mistakes.
By keeping a spiritual diary you can then and there rectify your mistakes.
You can do more Sadhana and evolve quickly. There is no other best friend
and faithful teacher or Guru than your diary. It will teach you the
value of time. At the end of every month calculate the total number
of hours you spent in Japa, study of religious books, Pranayama, Asanas,
sleep, etc. Then you will be able to know how much time You are spending
for religious purposes. You have got every chance to increase the period
of Japa, meditation, etc., gradually. If you maintain a daily diary
properly, without any fault in any of the items, you will not like to
waste even a single minute unnecessarily. Then alone will you understand
the value of time and how it slips away.
Compare the total of the last month with those of the previous months.
Find out whether you have progressed in your Sadhana or not. If you
have not progressed, increase your practice daily. You can do more Sadhana
and evolve quickly.
In maintaining a diary, you should not utter any falsehood anywhere.
You are keeping it only for your own benefit. It is the diary of a religious
aspirant who is treading the path of truth to realise Truth. Acknowledge
your faults openly and endeavour to rectify yourself in future. You
should not neglect to record everything in your diary. It is better
if you compare the progress of your work of the present week with that
of the previous week. If you are not able to do so once a week, you
must at any cost compare it once a month. Then you will be able to make
various adjustments in different items, increase the period of Japa
and meditation and decrease the time of sleep.
Self-punishment consists in giving up the night meals and in doing
fifty Malas of Japa more than the usual number. The filling in of the
form should not be a mere routine work. The annexed form is only a specimen
for guidance. These items should be copied on a foolscap size paper
neatly with columns drawn for all the days of the month.
Do not be ashamed to mention your mistakes, vices and failures. This
is meant only for your own progress. Do not waste your precious hours.
It is enough that you have wasted so many years in idle gossiping. Enough,
enough of the troubles you had all these days in satisfying your senses.
Do not say, "From tomorrow, I will be regular." That "tomorrow"
will never come. Be sincere and start doing Sadhana from this moment.
If you are really sincere, He is ever ready to help you and give you
a push in your spiritual march.
He who regulates his life on the above lines is sure to become a Jivanmukta
or a Yogi in this very birth. Do it practically and see how you grow.
Start maintaining a spiritual diary from this moment itself and realise
the marvellous results.
1. When did you get up from bed?
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and
wise." You must get up at 4 a.m., and practise Japa and meditation.
The meditative state of the mind will come by itself without exertion
at this period.
2. How many hours did you sleep?
Sleep for six hours is quite sufficient for every individual. Go to
bed at 10 p.m., and get up at 4 a.m. Napoleon Bonaparte believed in
only four hours of sleep. Too much sleep makes a man dull and lethargic.
Too much sleep causes premature decay and weakens the brain-power. Those
spiritual aspirants who want to do rigorous Sadhana should reduce the
sleep gradually. For three months reduce the sleep by half an hour.
During the next three months go to bed at 11 p.m., and get up at 4 a.m.
In this way you can conquer sleep and become one like Arjuna or Lakshmana.
3. How many Malas of Japa?
Japa is an important limb of Yoga. In this Kali Yuga, Japa and Kirtan
are effective Sadhanas for God-realisation. Japa results in Samadhi
or communion with God. Japa is the repetition of the name of the Lord.
There are three varieties of Japa, viz., Vaikhari (verbal), Upamsu (whispering),
and Manasic (mental). Have a Japa Mala (rosary) round your neck or in
your pocket or underneath your pillow at night. Use a Mala of 108 beads.
A Mala is a whip to goad the mind towards God. The fruits of Manasic
Japa are ten thousand times more than Vaikhari or Upamsu. Always try
to do mental Japa when you are busy in daily activities. Make it a point
to repeat the Mantra some thousand times and record the number in the
diary.
4. How long in Kirtan?
Repetition of God's name enables the devotee to feel the divine presence,
the divine glory and the divine consciousness within himself and also
everywhere. How powerful is God's name! When one sings His name or hears
its sound, he is unconsciously raised to sublime spiritual heights.
He loses his body-consciousness. He is immersed in joy and drinks deep
the divine nectar of immortality. Sankirtan is singing God's name with
Bhava and Prema or divine feeling. Sankirtan brings Darshan of God or
attainment of divine consciousness easily in this Kali Yuga.
5. How many Pranayamas?
Pranayama is 'control of breath'. Sit in Padmasana, Sukhasana, or any
other comfortable pose, with an empty stomach. Close your eyes. Close
the right nostril with the thumb. Draw in the air very very slowly through
the left nostril. Now close your left nostril with the little and right
fingers, and retain the breath as long as you can comfortably keep.
Then very very slowly exhale through the right nostril after removing
the thumb. Again draw in the air through the right nostril retain it
as long as you can and exhale through the left nostril very slowly.
This is one Pranayama. To start with, do five Pranayamas in the morning
and evening and gradually increase to 10 or 20. This is Sukhapurvaka-easy,
comfortable Pranayama.
6. How long did you perform Asanas?
Asana is the first stage of Ashtanga Yoga. Padmasana and Siddhasana
are intended for doing Japa and meditation. Do not often change the
Asana. Stick to one and gradually increase the period to even three
hours. Sirshasana, Sarvangasana and other exercises are intended for
maintaining good health. They remove various diseases. These Asanas
will awaken the Kundalini Sakti. Perform the Asanas when the stomach
is empty or light. Early morning and evening are very good for the practice
of Asanas. Practise the Asanas in well-ventilated room or on the sandy
beds of rivers, open airy places, or seaside. During the practice repeat
your Ishta or Guru Mantra.
7. How long did you meditate in one Asana?
Sit in Padmasana or Sukhasana in your meditation room. Early morning
between 4 and 6 is the best period for contemplation and Japa. You can
have another sitting in the night also. Take your seat before the picture
of your Ishta Devata. Look at the picture steadily for a few minutes.
Repeat some Stotras mentally. Then close your eyes and visualise the
picture. Repeat the Ishta Mantra mentally. Sit for meditation for half
an hour in the beginning and try to increase the period to three hours
by gradual daily practice. When you sit on your Asana for meditation,
do not shake the body. Try to keep up one current of thought of God.
8. How many Gita Slokas did you read or get by heart?
Study of scriptures is Kriya Yoga or Niyama. It purifies the heart
and fills the mind with sublime and elevating thoughts. Gita is a unique
book for Svadhyaya. It contains the essence of all the Yogas and the
cream of the Vedas. You can devote half an hour to three hours for this
purpose according to the time at your disposal.
9. How long in the company of the wise (Satsanga)?
The glory and power of Satsanga or association with the wise, Saints,
Yogins, Sannyasins and Mahatmas, is described in detail in Bhagavata,
Ramayana, and other holy scriptures. Even a moment's company is quite
sufficient to overhaul the old vicious Samskaras of the people. Service
to Mahatmas purifies the mind of passionate men rapidly. Satsanga elevates
the mind to magnanimous heights. Study of books written by realised
persons will also be tantamount to Satsanga.
10. How many hours did you observe Mouna?
Monna means vow of silence. Energy is wasted in idle talking and gossiping.
Mouna develops will-power. Mouna checks the impulse of speech. It is
a great help for the observance of truth and control of anger. Emotions
are controlled and irritability vanishes. Observe Mouna at least for
one hour or two hours a day. During Mouna, sublime thoughts should replace
worldly thoughts and Japa should be done.
11. How long in disinterested selfless service?
The practice of Nishkama Karma Yoga destroys sins and impurities of
the mind and causes Chitta Suddhi or purity of Antahkarana. Knowledge
of Self dawns in a pure mind. Knowledge of Self is the only direct means
to freedom. Nishkama Karma Yoga is selfless service to humanity. The
important point is to serve humanity without any attachment or egoism.
The central teaching of the Gita is non-attachment to work. Sri Krishna
says: "Work incessantly. Your duty is to work but not to expect
the fruits thereof." Do vigorous service for some time. You will
grasp the spirit of Nishkama Karma.
12. How much did you give in charity?
When you walk along the road or street, keep always some loose coins
in your pocket and distribute them to the poor. Be liberal. Feel that
you are enjoying in all the bodies. Your heart will expand. You will
begin to realise unity or oneness. You will become more generous. Do
regular charity of one tenth of your income. Performance of virtuous
actions is the beginning of spiritual life.
13. How many Mantras did you write?
Maintain a Mantra notebook. Write your Ishta Mantra, Guru Mantra or
Maha Mantra for half an hour in this notebook. You should preferably
do this item of Sadhana just before the commencement of the household
duties. You should observe Mouna or silence while writing the Mantra.
There should be perfect calm and quietude. You should concentrate on
the writing alone. In Mantra writing, the eyes, the hands and the mind
are all engaged. There is no restriction of language. If this practice
is continued with sincerity, the aspirant gets concentration easily
and much internal peace and happiness.
14. How long did you practise physical exercise?
Physical culture or the development of the body is as much important
as the development of the mind, will, or memory. If the body is not
kept strong and healthy, vigorous and active, no culture is possible.
"Mens sana in corpore sano" is a wise saying which
means-a sound mind in a sound body. There are different kinds of physical
culture. You will have to select one according to your capacity, taste
and temperament.
15. How many lies did you tell and with what Self-punishment?
Srutis emphatically declare: "Satyam Vada-Speak the Truth".
"Satyameva Jayate Nanritam-Truth alone triumphs but not
falsehood". A truthful man is absolutely free from worries and
anxieties. He has a calm mind. He is respected by all. If you observe
speaking the truth for twelve years, you will have Vak-Siddhi. Then
whatever you speak will come to pass. Speak the truth. Truth is Knowledge.
Truth is Bliss. Truth guides you in all your actions. Write in bold
types the words: "Speak Truth" on cardboards and hang them
in different places in your house. This will remind you when you speak
a lie. You will check yourself at once. Punish yourself by fasting if
you tell a lie and record the lies in the diary. Gradually the number
of lies will decrease and you will become a truthful man.
16. How many times and how long of anger and with what self-punishment?
Anger is an enemy to peace. It is a modification of lust. When a desire
is not gratified, a man becomes angry. He loses his memory and understanding.
Control anger by the practice of Kshama, love and killing egoism. Drink
a little water when you become angry. It will cool the brain and calm
the excited nerves. Repeat "Om Santi" several times. If you
find it extremely difficult to control anger, leave the place immediately
and take a walk for half an hour. Pray to God. Do Japa. Meditation gives
immense strength to destroy anger and other obstacles.
17. How many hours did you spend in useless company?
The so-called friends are real enemies. You cannot find even a single
unselfish friend in this universe. Be careful. Friends come to have
idle talks with you and they waste your time. They want to pull you
down and make you also worldly. Do not be carried away by the flowery
speech of such friends. Cut off connections ruthlessly. Live alone at
all times. Trust in that immortal friend who dwells in your heart. If
you cannot have positive Satsanga of Mahatmas, have indirect Satsanga
with books written by realised Sages, Saints and Bhagavatas.
18. How many times did you fail in Brahmacharya?
No spiritual progress is possible without the practice of celibacy.
Veerya is a dynamic force. It should be converted into Ojas-Sakti. Those
who are very eager to have God-realisation should observe unbroken celibacy
strictly. Observe the vow of Brahmacharya strictly.
19. How long in study of religious books?
Be regular in the study of religious books, Ramayana, Bhagavata, Yoga
Vasishtha and other good books, for Svadhyaya. If you reflect on the
ideas of Gita and fix the mind on these ideas, this itself is a form
of lower Samadhi. Svadhyaya is an auxiliary for concentration. Svadhyaya
will check mind-wandering also.
20. How many times did you fail in the control of evil habits and with
what self-punishment?
There are some who are unconscious of their bad habits and many who
do not recognise them as bad. If they recognise them to be bad, then
the correction is very simple. Alcohol is a strong devil, which if once
enters the system of a man will never leave him. Then comes, smoking.
Another evil habit is betel-chewing. Drinking of strong tea and coffee
often develops a bad habit. Novel reading, visiting cinemas, sleeping
in the daytime, using slang terms and abuses, etc., are some of the
evil habits. First realise that you have got an evil habit and intensely
desire that you should give it up at any cost. Then your success has
already come. Giving up any bad habit at once is better. Use your subconscious
mind for eradication. Establish new healthy habits and develop your
will. There is nothing impossible under the Sun.
21. How long you did concentrate on your Ishta Devata (Saguna or Nirguna
Dhyana)?
Concentration can be done only if you are free from all distractions.
Concentrate on anything that appeals to you as good or anything which
the mind likes best. The mind should be trained to concentrate on gross
objects in the beginning and, later on, you can successfully concentrate
on subtle objects and abstract ideas. Regularity in the practice is
of paramount importance.
Gross Forms: Concentrate on a black dot on the wall or a candle-flame,
a bright star, moon, on the picture of Om, Lord Siva, Rama, Krishna,
Devi, or your Ishta Devata in front of you with open eyes.
Subtle Forms: Sit before the picture of your Ishta Devata and
close your eyes. Keep a mental picture of your Ishta Devata at the space
between the two eyebrows, or heart (Anahata Chakra); concentrate on
Muladhara, Anahata, Ajna or any other internal Chakra; concentrate on
the divine qualities such as love, mercy, or any other abstract ideas,
Sat Chit Ananda, purity, perfection, peace.
22. How many days did you observe fast and vigil?
Keeping wide awake throughout the night is called vigil. You will derive
incalculable benefit if you practise vigil on Vaikuntha-Ekadasi, Sivaratri,
Gokulashtami day (the birthday of Sri Krishna). Complete fasting helps
to control the sleep. Control of sleep by taking recourse to tea is
not desirable. You will not gain spiritual strength as you depend upon
an extraneous drug. During fasting avoid company. Live alone. Utilise
your time in Yogic Sadhana. After a fast, do not take any heavy food.
Milk or some fruit-juice is beneficial.
23. Were you regular in your meditation?
Never miss a day in meditation. Be regular and systematic. Regularity
in meditation is of paramount importance. The meditative state will
come by itself at the appointed time. Take Sattvic food. Fruits and
milk will help mental focussing. When the mind is tired, do not concentrate.
Give it a little rest.
24. What virtues are you developing?
Develop that virtue in which you are hopelessly lacking. Courage, mercy,
universal love, nobility, Kshama, contentment, frankness and honesty
must be developed one by one. Take up one virtue every month and meditate
on that virtue regularly. You will manifest that virtue in your character.
If you develop one important virtue, all other virtues will cling to
you. If you have humility and courage, all other virtues will come of
their own accord. You should spend daily some time, say half an hour,
for development of virtues.
25. What evil quality are you trying to eradicate?
The development of virtuous qualities will itself remove the negative
qualities. But it is better to make a positive attempt also in the eradication
of the evil qualities. Then the progress will be rapid. It is a double
attack on the enemy. If you remove lust or anger or egoism, all other
evil qualities will disappear by themselves. All evil qualities are
the attendants of egoism. All vices originate from anger. If these are
destroyed, all sorts of vices will vanish. Therefore, concentrate your
attention in killing egoism or anger.
26. Which Indriya is troubling you most?
Discipline of the Indriyas is a very important point. If the Indriyas
are turbulent, you cannot have concentration. Watch every Indriya carefully
and curb it by suitable methods, such as fasting, Mouna, Tratak, celibacy,
renunciation of articles, Dama and Pratyahara. Curbing of Indriyas means
curbing of mind. They cannot do any independent work without the direct
help of the mind. Celibacy checks the genitals; Mouna will control the
organ of speech; Tratak controls the eyes. Sufficient practice for a
long time is necessary. Then the Indriyas become emaciated and thin
and are starved to death.
27. When did you go to bed?
Sleep is nature's tonic, for healthy living. The more sound sleep one
has, the more healthy he would be. Hours of sleep depend upon your physical
or mental capacity for resisting fatigue. Without a sufficiency of sleep,
you will not have efficiency. The amount of sleep required varies with
age, temperament and amount of work. According to an old adage there
should be six hours' sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for
a fool. As age advances, people require more sleep. Avoid going late
to bed. Do not take drugs to induce sleep. If you do not get sleep,
take a brisk walk in the open air for fifteen minutes and then go to
bed. You will have refreshing sleep.
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.
Spiritual Diary
Month : ________________
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(Saguna or Nirguna Dhyana) ? |
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Chapter
VI
Courage is thy birthright, but not fear; peace is thy divine heritage,
but not restlessness. Immortality is thy birthright, but not mortality;
strength, but not weakness; health, but not disease; bliss, but not
sorrow; knowledge, but not ignorance.
Pain, sorrow and ignorance are illusory; these cannot live. Bliss,
joy and knowledge are true; these cannot die.
You are the architect of your own fate. You are the master of your
own destiny. You can do and undo things. You sow an action and reap
a tendency. You sow a tendency and reap a habit. You sow a habit and
reap your character. You sow your character and reap your destiny. Therefore,
destiny is your own creation. You can undo it if you like-destiny is
a bundle of habits.
Purushartha is self-exertion. Purushartha can give you anything. Change
your habits. Change the mode of thinking. You can conquer destiny. You
are now thinking: "I am the body." Start the spiritual anti-current
and think: "I am immortal, diseaseless, sexless Atman." You
can conquer death and attain the immortal seat of supreme splendour.
By virtuous deeds and right thoughts you can disarm destiny. You have
a free-will to act. By self-exertion, Ratnakar became Valmiki. By self-exertion,
Markandeya conquered death. By self-exertion alone did Uddalaka attain
Nirvikalpa Samadhi (higher realisation). By self-exertion, Savitri brought
back her husband (Satyavan) to life.
Therefore, apply yourself tenaciously, O Prema, to Atmic enquiry and
meditation. Be vigilant and diligent. Kill the thoughts and desires.
Overcome tomorrow's evil by today's self-exertion. Destroy unholy desires
(Asubha Vasanas) through holy desires (Subha Vasanas). Slay unholy thoughts
by holy thoughts, and gain victory over your destiny.
Do not yield to fatalism. Do not become impotent. Stand like a lion.
Exert and attain independence or Atma Svarajya. There is a magazine
of power within you. There is a vast ocean of knowledge within you.
All faculties are latent in you. Unfold them and become a Jivanmukta
(liberated soul).
Positive overcomes the negative. This is the immutable law of nature.
Purushartha (self-exertion) is a mightier power. Purushartha is the
lion or the elephant. Prarabdha (destiny) is the cat or the jackal.
God helps those who help themselves. Vasishtha asked Rama to do Purushartha.
Fatalism will certainly induce inertia and laziness. Therefore, gird
up your loins and exert yourself to the utmost, O Prema.
May you all attain Self-realisation or Brahma Jnana in this very birth!
May you all live immersed in the ocean of bliss in an illumined state!
May you shine as liberated sages!
That 'Being' who is described in the Upanishads is Brahman or Atman
or the Absolute. He is the fountain-head of all scriptural knowledge.
He is the source or womb for everything. He is Existence Absolute, Knowledge
Absolute and Bliss Absolute. He is indivisible, all-pervading, self-contained,
eternal and immortal. He is beyond time, space and causation. He is
beginningless and endless. He is the indweller of all beings. He is
the witness of the activities of all the minds.
What on earth can cause fear in you when you have realised identity
with Brahman? What on earth can generate hatred, delusion, difference
and sorrow in you when you behold one in all, and all in one? What on
earth can cause agitation in you when you have transcended the mind
and when you rest peacefully in your own Sat Chit Ananda Svarupa-that
magnanimous ocean of bliss and stupendous silence?
You experience disharmony and discord when Rajas (passion) and Tamas
(inertia) prevail in the mind. Annihilate Tamas by increasing Rajas
and destroy Rajas increasing Sattva. There will be harmony and concord
when Sattva prevails in the mind. Go beyond Sattva and hear the celestial
music of the Soul-music that you never heard before. It is the music
of the meeting of the soul with Soul. It is the wonderful music that
transcends all Ragas and Raginis. It is the unstruck music of the Infinite-that
celestial melody which helps the aspirant to merge himself in Brahman.
It is the music of Om or Pranava Dhvani. It is transcendental Anahata
sound. It is the divine music of Krishna's flute. It is silence itself.
Drown yourself in the bliss of the inner music of the soul. Its melody
and sweetness are beyond description. You should experience it yourself.
You are the real master or governor of the universe. You are bound
to none. Feel the majesty of yourself. Whatever your circumstances and
environments may be, keep peaceful and happy. Abandon all anxiety, fear
and worry. Rest in your centre. Be self-poised, self-pleased and self-contained.
Sing Om. Chant Om. Meditate on Om. Realise the Self. Know the Self and
be free. Now the whole world will be a heaven or a paradise for you.
You are the Lord of lords, the God of all gods, the Emperor of emperors.
You are in possession of the inexhaustible spiritual wealth. The sum
total of the pleasures of the whole world is but a mere drop when compared
to the bliss you enjoy now. You are the ocean of bliss now. What a magnificent
state! Even the thousand-tongued Adisesha cannot describe it.
Amrita Putra!
Are you always peaceful? Are you noble? Do you possess self-restraint?
Are you endowed with divine virtues? Are you free from ignorance? Do
you possess knowledge of the Self? Have you got illumination? Have you
realised the immortal, pure Self? How do you stand before these questions?
If you have not got these things, then come, sit down and listen! Here
is the message of Amrita for you all! Even if you practise a particle
of this, you will go beyond death, sorrow and pain.
Meditate always: "I am pure consciousness, I am Sat-Chit-Ananda
Brahman. I am immutable, self-effulgent, immortal Self. I am the silent
witness of the three states, viz., waking state, dream state and deep
sleep state. I am distinct from the body, mind, Prana and senses. I
am distinct from the five sheaths". You will soon attain Self-realisation.
You will attain knowledge of the Self (Brahma Jnana).
It is bondage when you are attached to your wife, son, property or
body, when you take the body as the pure Self. It is liberation when
you are not attached to any object of this world, when you identify
yourself with the pure, immortal Atman.
Whenever there is Kama (desire), there is no Rama; whenever there is
Rama there is no Kama. Whenever there is desire there is the world.
Therefore, go beyond desire by cultivating discrimination (Viveka) and
dispassion (Vairagya) and meditating on Brahman or the Supreme Self
and be happy.
Live without the feeling of 'I-ness,' and 'mine-ness' and attachment.
Restrain the senses. Observe the rules of right conduct. Get purity
of heart. Hear the truth. Abide in the Self. Be happy.
As soon as you realise that you are not this body, you become free
from sorrow and death. You are free from the bondage of Karma, from
the fetters of desires, from the mirage of this mundane life and its
concomitant evils and miseries.
'Soul' or 'Supreme Self' or 'Atma' or 'Brahman' is that abiding, constantly
existing and imperishable entity which is the basis of the world, which
is indivisible, self-luminous, unchanging and all-pervading, which is
the silent witness or SakShi of the three states, viz., waking, dream
and deep sleep. The knower of this soul or Atma attains immortality
and enters the abode of bliss and nectar.
Brahman is real and eternal. This body is unreal and perishable. From
the knowledge of Self (Atma) and not-self (Anatma) springs the stream
of immortality or the ancient wisdom of the seers of the Upanishads.
Atma is the immortal substance or essence in man. Atma is the origin
of thoughts, desires and reasonings. Atma is spiritual because it is
beyond matter and mind. It must be immortal because it is spiritual.
It is beyond time, space and causation. It is beginningless, endless,
causeless and infinite.
If you realise this immortal soul which is hidden in your heart and
all these forms, if the knots of Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and
Karma (action) are rent asunder, if the chain of ignorance, viz., ignorance,
non-discrimination, egoism, likes and dislikes, Karma, body, etc., is
broken, you will be freed from the rounds of births and deaths and enter
the city of deathlessness.
The ignorant man only runs after sensual objects and falls into the
mortal coils spread round him. He lives in the midst of darkness. He
falls again and again under the sway of the Lord of Death (Yama). The
way to Moksha is not apparent to him. He is deluded by the sensual pleasures
of this world. But the patient, thoughtful man of discrimination and
dispassion does not crave for the illusory pleasures of this world.
He meditates on the Supreme Self and attains eternal bliss and immortality.
Moksha is the summum bonum of life. Moksha is the fulfilment
of the life's purpose. Life ends in the earth plane when you attain
Moksha, or liberation from births and deaths. The realisation of your
real object in life is freedom or Moksha. Moksha bestows on you eternal
life of undecaying bliss and perennial joy. Moksha is not annihilation.
Moksha is the annihilation of this little, self-arrogating ego only.
Moksha is realisation of the identity of the individual soul with the
Supreme Soul. By annihilating this little self, you possess the whole
of true universality. You attain life eternal-a fuller life.
If you have purity of mind and concentration, you can make the mind
assume any Bhava you like. If you think of mercy, your whole being will
be saturated with mercy. If you think of peace, the whole being will
be filled with peace.
The spiritual path is doubtless beset with various difficulties. It
is a razor path. The walk in this path is like walking on the edge of
a sharp razor. You will fall down several times, but you will have to
rise up quickly and walk again with more zeal, boldness and cheerfulness.
Every stumbling block will become a stepping-stone to success or ascent
in the hill of spiritual knowledge. Every fall will give you additional
strength to rise up to a great height in the ladder of Yoga. Do not
lose sight of the goal. Do not miss the ideal. Do not be discouraged.
You will soon get spiritual strength from within. The Indweller will
guide you and push you up. All saints and sages, all prophets and seers
had to pass through tremendous struggles and severe ordeals before they
reached the goal. March boldly, O fair youth, and reach the goal.
It is not true that only one attained Moksha or liberation, and none
else can. History bears evidence of many a Sankara having come into
this world. If the past could produce Sankaras, why not the future also?
What one has achieved, can be achieved by others, also. This is the
immutable law of nature. Whosoever would attain the knowledge of Self
like Yajnavalkya of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, like Uddalaka of Chhandogya
Upanishad, will also attain Moksha or Immortality.
The way of the enlightened sages is sinless. The way to liberation
or freedom or perfect happiness and peace is through perfect purity
of mind and heart, of every act, of character and life, through self-restraint
and control of mind, and through regular meditation on the pure self-luminous,
indivisible, all-pervading Self or Atman.
If you attain Self-realisation, all doubts will be rent asunder. Supreme
contentment will ever dwell in your heart. You will be purged of Rajas
and Tamas. You will be ever peaceful and happy. Therefore struggle hard
to attain this rare state of supreme blessedness in this very birth.
The flame of a lamp destroys immense darkness. Even so knowledge of
Self destroys ignorance or Avidya-the root-cause of human sufferings
and tribulations. Therefore, attain the knowledge of the Self, get illumination
and go about happily.
What is that by knowing which everything else will be known? What is
that by attaining which there will be no hankering after any other thing?
What is that by realising which one becomes immortal, fearless, desireless
and rests in everlasting peace and happiness? It is Brahman or Atma
or the ultimate Truth which is the summum bonum of life. It is
the Bhuma or intelligence or the unconditioned. You can get real happiness,
only by attaining this Bhuma or the Highest Self.
May you all live in the spirit of this message of Amrita! May you all
be equipped with the four means of salvation through the grace of the
Lord! May you all attain Self-realisation in this very birth!
The term Veda is derived from the Sanskrit root. 'Vid'-to know. 'Anta'
means end. Thus Vedanta literally signifies "end of wisdom."
Philosophy is called Vedanta, because, it explains what that end is
and how to achieve it. Vedanta is the religion of the Vedas or the Upanishads.
It is the only universal, eternal religion. It is the essence of the
teachings of the Srutis.
Vedanta is that bold philosophy which teaches unity of life or oneness
of consciousness. It is that supreme philosophy which boldly proclaims,
with emphasis and force, that this little Jiva or human being is identical
with the Supreme Soul or the Eternal. It is that sublime philosophy
which elevates the mind at once to the magnificent heights of Brahmanhood,
divine splendour and glory, which makes you absolutely fearless, which
destroys all barriers that separate man from man, and which brings concord,
unruffled peace and harmony to the suffering humanity at large. It is
the only philosophy that can really unite, on the basis of the one common
Self in all, a Hindu and a Mohammedan, Catholic and a Protestant, a
Vaishnavite and a Saivite, an Irishman and an Englishman, a European
and an American, on a common platform, and in the core of their hearts
also. It is the only philosophy that, when properly understood and practised,
can put a definite stop to the world war, dissensions, splits, communal
fights, skirmishes, etc., that exist in different nations and communities.
Vedanta is a magnetic healing balm for the wounded and afflicted in
the dreadful battle-field of this dire Samsara. It is the divine collyrium
which removes the cataract of ignorance and gives a new inner eye of
intuition or wisdom. It is the direct royal road to the domain of unalloyed
felicity and the Supreme Abode of Immortality and Eternal Bliss.
It eradicates ignorance-the root-cause of human sufferings-puts an
end to the ever-revolving wheel of births and deaths and confers immortality,
infinite knowledge and bliss. It gives hope to the hopeless, power to
the powerless, vigour to the vigourless and joy to the joyless.
Vedanta speaks of one Atma or Brahman which is beginningless, endless,
timeless, spaceless, immortal, self-luminous, indivisible and all-pervading,
who is Sat-Chit-Ananda.
Vedanta gives freedom for all. It embraces or includes one and all.
Vedanta is neither theory nor dry philosophy for contention and argumentation.
It is actual life of perennial bliss in Brahman or Truth. Equip yourself
with four means. Enquire, "Who am I?" Meditate on Brahman.
Know "Thou art That." O aspirants bold! Say Om Tat Sat; Om-Sat-Chit-Ananda-rupah,
Sivoham, Sivoham; Sat-Chit-Ananda-Svarupoham."
The Atma is not born nor does He ever die. He is unborn, eternal, changeless,
ancient and inexhaustible. He is not killed when the body is killed.
He slays not, nor is he slain.
A Sthitaprajna or Jivanmukta is free from desires, longings, fears,
mineness, 'I-ness' and attachment. He is satisfied in his own self.
He is indifferent amidst sensual pleasures. He is not elated by getting
desirable objects. He has a poised mind at all times and under all conditions.
He is centred in his own self.
Work incessantly without egoism and without expectation of fruits.
Have a balanced mind in success and failure. You will not be bound by
Karmas or actions.
The senses move among sense-objects. Seeing, hearing, touching, smelling,
eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, sneezing, opening and
closing the eyes are the functions or Dharmas of the organs only. In
reality thou art the silent witness of the activities of the senses
and the modifications of the mind. Prakriti or Svabhava does everything.
The Atma is actionless (Nishkriya). In essence, thou-art the Atma.
With the mind harmonised in Yoga, he who sees the Self in all beings
and all beings in the Self sees the same everywhere.
He who hates no creature, who is friendly and compassionate to all,
who is free from attachment and egoism, balanced in pleasure and pain,
forgiving, ever-content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessed
of firm conviction with mind and intellect dedicated to the Lord, who
neither rejoices nor hates, neither grieves nor desires, who is full
of devotion, who is the same to a foe and a friend in honour and dishonour,
who is the same in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, who is balanced
in censure and praise, is a great devotee or Gunatita. He is very dear
to the Lord.
Doubtless the mind is fleeting like the air, impetuous and restless.
It is hard to be controlled. But by practice (Abhyasa) and dispassion
(Vairagya) it can be controlled.
Fix your mind on the Lord. Become His devotee. Sacrifice everything
unto the Lord. Bow down to Him. Surely you will attain Him. Abandon
the fruits of all works. Take refuge in the Lord alone. He will liberate
you from all sins.
Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga; wherever is Partha, the archer;
there is prosperity, victory, happiness and sound policy.
If the four sentinels that wait at the gates of Moksha (salvation),
viz., Santi (peace), Vichara (Atmic enquiry), Santosha (contentment),
and Satsanga (association with the wise), are befriended, then there
will be no obstacle in the attainment of the final emancipation. Even
if one of them is befriended, then he will introduce you to the rest
of his companions.
If you attain knowledge of the Self or Brahma Jnana, you will be freed
from the trammels of births and deaths. All doubts will vanish; all
Karmas will perish. It is through one's own efforts alone that the immortal,
all-blissful Brahmic seat can be attained.
The slayer of Atma is the mind only. The form of the mind is Sankalpas.
The true nature of the mind consists in the Vasanas. The actions of
the mind alone are truly termed Karmas or actions. The universe is nothing
but the mind, manifesting as such only through the potency of Brahman.
The mind contemplating on the body becomes the body itself and then
enmeshed in it, is afflicted by it.
The mind manifests itself as the external world in the shape of pains
or pleasures. The mind subjectively is consciousness; objectively it
is this universe. The mind attains, through its enemy of discrimination,
the quiescent state of Para-Brahman. The real bliss is that one which
arises when the mind, diverted of all desires through the eternal Jnana,
destroys its subtle form. The Sankalpas and Vasanas (subtle desires),
which you generate, enmesh you as in a net. The self-light of Para-Brahman
alone is appearing as the mind or this universe.
Persons without Atmic enquiry will see as real this world which is
nothing but of the nature of Sankalpa. The expansion of this mind alone
is Sankalpa. Sankalpa, through its power of differentiation, generates
this universe. Extinction of Sankalpas alone is Moksha.
The enemy of Atma is this impure mind only which is filled with excessive
delusion and hosts of worldly thoughts. There is no other vessel of
this earth to wade through the ocean of rebirth than the mastery of
the antagonistic mind.
The original sprout of the painful Ahamkara (egoism) with its tender
stem of rebirths at length ramifies itself everywhere with its long
branches of 'mine' and 'thine' and yields its unripe fruits of death,
disease, old age, pains and sorrows. This tree can be destroyed to its
root by the fire of Jnana only.
All the heterogeneous visibles perceived through the organs of sense
are only unreal but that which is real is Para Brahman or the Supreme
Soul.
If all objects which have an enchanting appearance become eye-sores
and present the very reverse of the former feelings, then the mind is
destroyed. All your properties are useless. All wealth land you in dangers.
Desirelessness will take you to the eternal blissful abode.
Destroy Vasanas and Sankalpas. Kill egoism. Annihilate this mind. Equip
yourself with the four means. Meditate on the pure, immortal, all-pervading
Self or Atma. Get knowledge of the Self and attain immortality, everlasting
peace, eternal bliss, freedom and perfection.
The desire to know the Brahman springs only in the person whose mind
is pure, who is free from desires and who is free from the deeds done
in this birth and in the previous ones, becomes disgusted with the external,
ephemeral perishable objects.
Even when Brahman is explained, those who have not been purged of their
faults and impurities, either disbelieve or misbelieve it as was the
case with Indra, Virochana, etc. Therefore, knowledge as inculcated
arises only in him who has, by Tapas, etc., performed either in this
birth or in many previous births purified himself. The Sruti says: "To
that high-souled man whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion
to his preceptor is as great as that to the Lord, these secrets explained
become illuminated."
Just as the coloured water penetrates freely and nicely a piece of
cloth when it is pure white, so also, the instructions of a sage can
penetrate and settle down in the hearts of aspirants only when their
minds are calm, when there are no desires for enjoyments and when the
impurities of their minds are destroyed.
"But I assure you, on the authority of my own intuitional knowledge
as well as that of other illumined souls, that the Reality can be realised
by man. But one who has known it cannot communicate it to others for
want of means."
-Sage
Vasishtha.
Even the knowledge acquired by the five senses which are common to
all cannot be communicated to others. You cannot tell the taste of butter
to a man who has never tasted it or even communicate the idea of colour
to one born blind.
All that a teacher can do is to tell his disciple the method of knowing
the Truth or the path that leads to the disclosure of intuitional faculty.
Hold the magnificent torch of faith. Fly high the unique banner of
peace. Wear the magnificent shield of dispassion. Put on the marvellous
coat-of-arms of discrimination. Sing the immortal song of 'Soham'. March
boldly with the banner of Pranava-Om Om Om. Blow the wonderful conch
of courage. Kill the enemies-doubt, ignorance, passion and egoism-and
enter the illimitable kingdom of Atma. Possess the imperishable wealth
of Atma. Taste the divine immortal essence. Drink the nectar of Immortality.
The kingdom of peace is beyond all speech and thought. Peace is not
merely the absence of noise, tumult, strife or quarrels, controversies
or disputes. It is not a condition or environment from which all undesirable
elements are removed. This peace is not an inert passive state. It is
not a hypnotic trance. It is not a negative physical condition. It is
a positive state of spiritual attainment. It is your centre, ideal and
goal. It is perfect awareness. It is a magnificent, indescribable state
in which the pure soul enjoys the highest divine bliss and transcendental
divine knowledge. You will become absolutely fearless and desireless
by drinking this divine nectar of peace. You will be in communion with
the Supreme Soul or Atma by attaining this peace. In this state of peace
there are no yesterdays or tomorrows, no sunset or daybreak-there is
eternal sunshine. It can hardly be acquired from external sources. It
can be reached only by patient spiritual practices.
You may be in quite adverse circumstances. You may remain in the midst
of calamities, troubles, tribulations, difficulties and sorrows, and
yet, you may enjoy the inward harmony and peace if you rest in God by
withdrawing the senses, by stilling the mind and eradicating its impurities.
Lord Jesus was persecuted in a variety of ways. He was put to death
on the cross and yet what did he say? He said, "O Lord, forgive
them! They know not what they are doing." How peaceful He was even
when His life was at stake! He was enjoying the inner peace.
The goal of life is attainment of self-realisation or God-consciousness.
There is one supreme, undying, intelligent principle or essence or Atma
or the Supreme Self who dwells in the chambers of your heart. He exists
in the past, present and future. He is Existence Absolute, Knowledge
Absolute and Bliss Absolute. The ignorant may vainly search for their
happiness in perishable external objects that are conditioned in time,
space and causation. He has no peace of mind. His desires are not gratified.
He amasses wealth, begets children, gets titles, honours, name and fame
and yet his mind is restless. He has no abiding joy and lasting happiness.
He is still in want of something. He has no feeling of fulness. This
feeling of fulness and eternal satisfaction can only be obtained by
realising one's own Self through self-restraint, purity and meditation.
How long do you want to lead a life of duality, restlessness, discontentment
and dissatisfaction? How long do you wish to lead a life of ignorance,
bitterness, hatred and separation? How long do you wish to continue
your selfish struggles? How long do you wish to behold differences and
distinctions? How long do you wish to keep the barrier between man and
man?
You cry for peace or Santi. But where to get it and through whom? You
can realise peace in your own heart through association with the sages
and by meditation. You can find this peace only in stillness. Peace
can be found only within. You certainly cannot find it in external objects.
Look within. Sit silently in a quiet room for one or two hours. Close
your eyes. Concentrate on a point between the two eyebrows. Withdraw
the senses and the mind from the external objects. Be still. Silence
the surging emotions and bubbling thoughts. Forget the body and the
world. Enter into the great calm. Get deep down into the innermost recesses
of your heart. Plunge in the ocean of peace. Realise your oneness with
the one Supreme Self that dwells in the chambers of your heart. Have
four daily sittings in winter and two in summer. Be regular in your
practice. Regularity is of paramount importance.
It is useless to talk of the cessation of war while you are all full
of petty jealousy and private hatred. Remove your discordant, inharmonious
vibrations first. There will be no more war between nations. Individuals
only go to constitute a nation. Lead an ideal life of peace. Ruthlessly
kill suspicion, prejudice of all sorts, envy, selfishness, greed for
power and possessions. Lead a simple life. Practise daily meditation
and establish peace in your own heart. Then radiate it to your neighbours
and all who come in contact with you. Disseminate it far and wide.
Mysterious is this peace. If you yourself enjoy this peace, you can
contribute peace to the world. Realise this Peace that passeth all understanding
and be free. May this Peace guide you all! May this Peace be your centre,
ideal and goal!
Brahman or the Supreme Being is the highest of all. Om is His name.
So, Om is to be adored. Om is everything. Om is the symbol of Brahman.
It is the word of power. It is the sacred monosyllable. It is the essence
of the Vedas. It is the boat to take you to the other chore of fearlessness
and immortality.
Pranava or Om is the greatest of all Mantras. It bestows liberation
directly. All Mantras begin with Om. Every hymn begins with Om. Every
Upanishad begins with Om. Gayatri begins with Om. The oblations that
are offered to the various gods are preceded by the chanting of Om.
The greatness of Om cannot be adequately described by anybody.
That place where all speech stops, all thoughts cease, where the function
of the intellect and all organs stop, is Om. The goal or word which
all Vedas praise, which all scriptures proclaim and wishing for which
the aspirants lead the life of Brahmacharya is Om. Om is verily the
highest. It is the best support. It is the highest Truth. He who knows
Om is worshipped in the world of Brahman. He obtains verily whatever
he desires.
Om is formed by adoring the letters A, U and M. 'A' represents the
beginning of the range of sound. 'U' represents the middle. 'M' represents
the end. Thus Om covers the whole range of sound and words.
All triplets, such as, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva; Virat, Hiranyagarbha,
Ishvara; Sattva, Rajas, Tamas; waking state, dream state, deep sleep
state; creation, preservation and destruction, etc., are represented
by Om.
Chanting of Om, Japa or silent repetition of Om, singing of Om, meditation
on Om, purify the mind, remove the tossing of the mind, destroy the
evil of ignorance and help the aspirant to merge in Brahman or the Supreme
Self.
Om is the bow, mind is the arrow, Brahman or the Supreme Self is its
aim. Hit at Brahman with a pure and one-pointed mind. Just as the arrow
becomes one with the target, you will become one with Brahman.
Know this one syllable only. You will know everything. You will attain
the highest knowledge.
Sit in Padma, Siddha or any comfortable pose. Concentrate on the spot
midway between the two eyebrows (Trikuta). Meditate on the significance
of the following formulae with Bhava or feeling. Repeat them mentally
also.
I am Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa
Om Om Om
Aham Brahmasmi-I am Brahman
Om Om Om
I am All-pervading consciousness
Om Om Om
I am Sakshi (silent witness)
Om Om Om
Soham, Sivoham: I am He, I am Siva Om Om Om
I am distinct from body and mind
Om Om Om
I am Immortal. All-pervading Soul
Om Om Om
You will soon realise your identity with the Supreme Self and shine
in your pristine Brahmic glory.
A Jivanmukta or liberated sage is absolutely free from desires, fear,
selfishness, egoism, mineness, attachment, greed and hatred. He is full
of pure love, compassion and mercy.
He has mastery over the mind and senses. He does not identify himself
with the body. He always dwells in his own Inner Self. He is ever contented
and happy.
He does not offend anybody in thought, word and deed. He is not hurt
even a bit by taunts, censures, insults and persecutions. He keeps equanimity
of mind in censure and praise, honour and dishonour, pleasure and pain.
He lives in the world but he is not of the world. He has no idea of
enjoyment or enjoyer. This state is indescribable. He is Brahman himself.
He is a power-house of spiritual energy. Sit before him. Your doubts
will be cleared by themselves. You will feel a peculiar thrill of joy
and peace in his presence. He may not speak and yet may teach the aspirants
through the language of silence.
He sleeps wherever he likes and eats anything from anybody's hands.
He is above injunctions and prohibitions but he will not violate the
rules of the scriptures. He is above good and evil, virtue and vice.
He finds no faults with others. He never becomes angry even under extreme
provocations. He is ever gentle and mild. He always speaks sweetly.
He never utters harsh words. He has no dislike or hatred for any creature
in this world in thought, word or deed. He blesses those who persecute
him.
He speaks a few words but these words produce a tremendous impression
on the minds of the hearers. They give a new life and joy to all who
hear his message.
The liberated sage (the prince of ascetics) has conquered the enemy
of ignorance. He has known the secret of true bliss. He has reached
the imperishable seat of Brahman. He always rests in his own Sat-Chit-Ananda-Svarupa.
He has realised that he is distinct from the three bodies and five
sheaths and that he is the witness of the three states. He is free from
the distinctions of I, he and you.
A Jivanmukta inspired with the divine spirit, intoxicated with the
immortal nectar, filled with the infinite Atma, endowed with an equal
vision and balanced mind, beholds only the Self or Atma everywhere and
embraces all with pure love. Glory to such awakened inspired high souls!
May their blessings be upon you forever!
Chapter
VII
(Yoga-Vasishtha)
Sri Rama asked: "Venerable Guru! What is attraction? What is non-attraction?
What is that attraction which leads one to bondage? What is that non-attraction
which tends to freedom? How can I destroy this bondage? Please enlighten
me on the above points."
Vasishtha replied: "If any one believes that this body is permanent,
if he fails to discriminate between the body and its presider or indweller
or inner ruler who is eternal and if he thinks always of body only he
is a slave to attraction and he is bound by attraction. This is attraction.
This will undoubtedly lead to bondage. The belief that everything is
Brahman or Atma only, and that there is nothing for one to love or hate
in this universe is non-attraction. This non-attraction will lead to
Moksha or final emancipation.
Jivanmuktas are endowed with non-attraction. When there is non-attraction,
the mind abandons the pleasures of the world, egoism vanishes and attachment
for everything perishes. The state of non-attraction leads to Moksha.
Those who have attained the state of non-attraction relinquish the fruits
of actions. They seek neither action nor inaction. Attraction entails
one in rebirths.
This attraction is of two kinds, viz., Bandhya (binding) and Abandhya
(non-binding). The former belongs to the ignorant, while the latter
is the ornament of those who have attained self-realisation. The former
produces rebirths through attachment to objects while the latter generates
discrimination and knowledge of the Self. Lord Vishnu and the hosts
of Siddhas protect this earth by performing various actions through
the Abandhya attraction.
A Jivanmukta is not attached to actions though he performs manifold
actions for the well-being of the world. He is quite indifferent though
he associates himself with objects. He has no attraction for the objects.
His mind is ever fixed in the Supreme Self only. He regards this world
as an unreality. He does neither live in future expectation nor does
he rely on his present possession. He does not live on the pleasure
of his past memory. Sleeping, he is awake in his vision of supreme light;
and waking, he is plunged in the deep, sleepless sleep of Nirvikalpa
Samadhi. He does actions and remains as if he has done nothing. He does
all actions without the error of believing himself as the actor. He
neither rejoices nor grieves at anything. He behaves himself as a boy
with boys and as a veteran with old people. He is youthful in the society
of young men and is grave in the company of the wise. He rejoices at
the happiness of others. He is sympathetic with the people who are in
distress. O Ram! Conduct yourself in such a manner when you rule your
kingdom. You will never lose sight of the Reality."
(Kena Upanishad)
In the fight with the Asuras, the Devas were victorious. The Devas
thought that they did so with their own power and prowess and forgot
that it was divine help which brought victory to them. Lord Brahma wanted
to teach them a lesson. He knew their idea of being puffed up with vanity
and appeared before them in the form of a Yaksha (Great spirit) the
beginning and end of which were not visible. They did not know Him.
They spoke to Agni thus: "O Jataveda! Find out what this great
spirit is". He said "Yes". Agni ran up to Brahma and
Brahma said: "Who art thou"? He replied: "I am verily
Agni, I am verily Jatavedas". Brahma asked Agni: "What power
hast thou?" Agni replied: "I can even burn whatsoever there
is on the earth". Brahma placed a blade of grass before Agni and
said: 'Burn this'. Agni approached it with all its power. He could not
burn it. Next came Vayu (the god of wind). Brahma asked Vayu: "What
power hast thou?" Vayu replied: "I can blow away all the universe
and all that is on the earth". Brahma placed a blade of grass before
Vayu and said: "Blow this away". Vayu approached it with all
his power and was not able to make it move an inch from its place. Last
of all the chief of the Devas, Indra himself came. But when he reached
the spot he found that the Yaksha had vanished. Indra was in a state
of great dilemma. He was confused and perplexed. When he was thus standing
there, bewildered and ashamed at their defeat, Uma (Haimavati)-the daughter
of Himavan (Himalayas) and the consort of Lord Siva-appeared before
him and revealed to him the real identity of the Yaksha. Then only Indra
knew the 'spirit' to be Brahma. He verily became excellent before the
other gods on account of the grace of the Mother Uma.
On account of egoism, you think that you do everything and so you are
bound. Feel that you are an instrument in the hands of God. God works
through your hands, beholds through your eyes, hears through your ears,
smells through your nose. You will be freed from egoism and the bondage
of Karma. You will attain peace and become one with God. This is the
secret of Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
Yajnavalkya, the greatest seer and sage, said: "Maitreyi, verily,
I am going away from this house into the forest to enter another order
of life (Sannyasa); therefore let me divide my property between you
and Katyayani".
Maitreyi said: "My venerable lord, if this whole world with all
its wealth belongs to me, tell me truly, could I attain immortality".
"No," replied Yajnavalkya, "Like the life of rich people
will be your life; but there is no hope of obtaining immortality by
wealth".
Maitreyi: "Of what use would be wealth to me, if I do not become
thereby immortal? Tell me, O venerable lord, any means of attaining
immortality of which thou knowest".
Yajnavalkya replied: "Come, sit down, my beloved Maitreyi, I will
explain it to thee. Try to understand well what I say".
Yajnavalkya said: "Verily, not indeed for the husband's sake the
husband is dear, but for the sake Of the Self the husband is dear. Verily,
not indeed for the wife's sake the wife is dear, but for the sake of
the Self the wife is dear. Verily, not indeed for the sake of the son
the son is dear, but for the sake of the Self the son is dear. Verily,
this immortal all-pervading Atman or Brahman is to be seen, heard, reflected
and meditated upon, O Maitreyi: Atma Vaare Drashtavyah Srotavyo Mantayo
Nididhyasitavyah".
O Maitreyi! When there is duality, one sees the other, one smells the
other, one tastes the other, one salutes the other, one speaks to the
other, one touches the other, one knows the other, but when the Self
or Atma only is all this, how could one see the other, how could he
smell the other, touch the other, know the other? How could he know
Him by whom he knows all this? That Self is to be described by "No,
no" (Neti, Neti). Atma nor the Supreme Self is imperishable. He
is free and unattached. He is not subject to pain or destruction. How
could one know the knower? Thus, O beloved Maitreyi, thou hast been
instructed".
Having said this, Yajnavalkya went to the forest.
(Katha Upanishad)
Nachiketas said: "That which thou seest as other than virtue and
vice, other than cause and effect, other than the past and future, tell
me that, O Lord Yama. This is my third boon from thee".
Yama replied: "The goal which all the Vedas speak of, which all
penances proclaim and wishing for which the aspirants lead the life
of a Brahmacharin or celibate, that goal I will briefly tell thee. It
is Om".
This word is verily Brahman; this word is verily the highest; he who
knows this word, obtains, verily whatever he wishes-he attains Immortality
and Eternal Bliss.
This Atman is beginningless, endless, birthless, deathless, changeless,
formless, attributeless, and colourless. He is without sound, touch,
smell and taste. He is eternal, immortal, all-pervading, self-luminous,
indivisible, one without a second. He is beyond, Avyaktam or the unmanifested.
He dwells in the intellect or the cave of the heart. He is the inner
Self of all beings.
He who is free from desires, whose mind is concentrated and peaceful,
whose senses are subdued, beholds this mysterious Atman through meditation
and intuition in his own intellect and enjoys immortality and everlasting
peace and bliss.
This Atman is hidden in all beings. It is realised by subtle seers
through their sharp and subtle intellect, with eyes and other senses
turned from sensual objects.
When all desires are destroyed, when the three knots of the heart,
i.e., Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire), Karma (work) are rent asunder,
when, the five organs of knowledge are at rest together with the mind
and when the intellect ceases functioning or becomes calm, you will
attain immortality or Parama Gati or the highest state.
Just as you draw the pith or stalk from a reed, so also, you will have
to draw or take out this essence of Atma from the body or the five sheaths
patiently and boldly through meditation, Vichara or enquiry and Viveka
(discrimination)".
Nachiketas got clear instructions on Brahma Vidya from Lord Yama through
the third boon granted by Yama, practised meditation and attained Brahman,
i.e., became immortal through knowledge of the Self. Any qualified student
like Nachiketas who knows the Atman can surely attain immortality.
"Om Saha navavatu, Saha nau bhunaktu,
Saha viryam Karavavahai'; Tejasvi navadhitamastu,
Ma vidvishavahai."
Om Santih! Santih! Santih!
"Om! May He protect us both (teacher and pupil). May He cause
us both to enjoy the bliss of Mukti. May we both exert together to find
out the true meaning of the scriptures. May our studies be fruitful.
May we never quarrel with each other".
Om Peace ! Peace ! Peace !
(Prasna Upanishad)
Kausalya, son of Asvala, questioned Pippalada: "O Bhagavan Pippalada:
Whence is this Prana born? How does it come into this body? How does
it abide after it has divided itself? How does it go out? How does it
support what is without? How does it support all within the body?"
He replied: "You ask questions about transcendental matters. I
will explain to thee because you are a great enquirer of Brahman.
This Prana is born of the Atman. As is this shadow in the man, so is
this Prana in the Atman. By the action of the mind this enters into
this body.
As a king commands his officers, saying to them: 'Govern these or those
villages', so does this Prana dispose the other Pranas, each for their
separate allotted work.
The Apana dwells in the organs of excretion and generation: the Prana
itself abides in the eye, ear, mouth and nose. In the middle is Samana.
It distributes the food supplied equally and the seven flames proceed
from it.
This Atman is in the heart. Here there are a hundred and one nerves
(arteries). Each of them has a hundred branches; again every one of
these has seventy-two thousand sub-branches. In these the Vyana moves.
Again, through one other, the Udana ascending, leads us upwards to
the virtuous world by good work; to sinful worlds by sin: and to the
world of men by virtue and sin combined.
The sun verily is the external Prana. He rises and assists the Prana
in the eye. The goddess of the earth attracts Apana downwards. The other
(between the sun and the earth) is Samana. The wind is Vyana.
The external fire indeed is Udana. Therefore, he whose fire has gone
out, enters another body with his senses absorbed in the mind.
Whatever his thought (at the time of death), with that he attains Prana:
and the Prana united with Udana together with the Jivatma, leads on
to the world thought of. The learned man who knows Prana thus-his offspring
does not perish and he becomes immortal.
He who knows the origin, the entry, the seat, the fivefold distribution
of Prana and its internal state in the body, obtains immortality, yea,
obtains immortality".
(Chhandogya Upanishad)
Uddalaka said: "Svetaketu! Have you ever asked your teacher for
that instruction by which we hear what cannot be heard, by which we
perceive what cannot be perceived, by which we know what cannot be known?"
Svetaketu said: "What is that instruction, Sir?"
The father replied, "My dear, just as by a single lump of clay,
all that is made of clay is known, all modifications being only a name
based upon words, (the difference being only a name arising from speech)
but the truth being that all is clay-thus, my dear, is that instruction".
"Please Sir, explain to me further" said Svetaketu.
Uddalaka: "Bring me a fruit of that Nyagrodha tree (banyan tree)".
Svetaketu: "Here is one, Sir."
Uddalaka: "Break it."
Svetaketu: "It is broken, Sir."
Uddalaka: "What do you see there?"
Svetaketu: "Those extremely small seeds, Sir."
Uddalaka: "Break one of them, my dear."
Svetaketu: "It is broken, Sir."
Uddalaka: "What do you see there?"
Svetaketu: "Nothing, Sir."
The father said: "My son, that subtle essence which you do not
perceive there, of that very essence this great Nyagrodha tree grows
(exists). Believe me, my son."
"Now, that which is the subtle essence (the root of all) in That
all that exists has its Self; that is the Self; That is the Truth; That
thou art, O Svetaketu!"
"Please, Sir, explain to me further," said the son. "Be
it so, my child," replied the father.
Uddalaka: "Place this salt in the water and come to me in the
morning."
Svetaketu, the son, did as he was commanded.
The father said to him: "Bring the salt, my dear, which you put
in the water last night."
The son looked for it and did not find it, for it had become dissolved.
The father said: "My child, taste it from the surface of the water.
How is it?"
The son replied: "It is salt."
Uddalaka: "Taste it from the middle. How is it?"
The son replied: "It is salt."
Uddalaka: "Taste it from the bottom. How is it?"
The son replied: "It is salt."
The father said: "Throw it away and come to me."
The son did so; 'It exists for ever.'
Then the father said to him: "Here also in this body, forsooth,
you do not perceive the Truth (Sat or Pure Being), my son, but there
it is indeed."
The father said: "Now that which is the subtle essence (the root
of all), in That all that exists has its Self: That is the Self; that
is the Truth; That thou art; O Svetaketu."
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad)
Gargi, daughter of Vachuknu said: "I shall ask thee two questions.
Will you answer me, O venerable sage?"
Yajnavalkya said: "Ask, O Gargi."
Gargi said: "O Yajnavalkya, that of which they say that is above
the heavens, beneath the earth, embracing heaven and earth, past, present
and future, tell me in what is it woven, like the warp and the woof."
Yajnavalkya replied: "In ether or Akasa."
Gargi said: "I bow to thee, O Yajnavalkya. Be prepared for the
second question,"
Yajnavalkya said: "Ask, O Gargi."
Gargi said: "In what is the ether woven and rewoven like the warp
and the woof?"
Yajnavalkya replied: "O Gargi, in Brahman is the ether woven and
rewoven like the warp and the woof. Sages call this the Akshara (the
imperishable). It is neither coarse, nor subtle, neither short nor long,
neither red nor white. It is neither shadow nor darkness. It is without
ears, eyes, or mind, or breath, without speech, without smell, without
mouth. It has no within and no without."
"By the command of this Indestructible Being, O Gargi, sun and
moon, heaven and earth, stand upheld in their places. By the command
of this Akshara, O Gargi, minutes, hours, days, nights, weeks, months,
seasons and years stand apart."
"Whosoever, O Gargi, without knowing the Akshara, departs from
this world, becomes a miser. But he, O Gargi, who departs from this
world, knowing this Indestructible Being, is a true Brahman or liberated
sage."
"That Brahman, O Gargi, although unseen, but He sees; although
unheard, but He hears; although unthought, but He thinks; although unknown,
but He knows. There is none that sees but He, there is none that hears
but He, there is none that thinks but He, there is none that knows but
He. In that Akshara, then, O Gargi, the ether is woven and rewoven like
the warp and the woof."
On hearing these words of wisdom from the mouth of Yajnavalkya, Gargi
became silent.
(Chhandogya Upauishad)
Prajapati said: "One must search out and must try to understand
the Self or Atman which is free from sin, old age, death, grief, hunger
and thirst, with true desires (Sat-Kama), and true will (Sat-Sankalpa).
Then only he will obtain eternal bliss and immortality."
Indra said: "O Venerable Lord! I want to know the Atman. Please
instruct me."
Prajapati said: "Adorn yourself well; dress yourself well; clean
yourself well and then look at yourself in the basin of water."
Indra did so.
Prajapati said: "O Indra ! What do you see?"
He replied: "I behold myself in the basin of water well-adorned,
well-dressed and clean."
Prajapati said: "That is the Self, the Immortal, the Fearless-that
is Brahman."
Indra was not satisfied with this instruction. He reflected within
himself: "The Atman also will be blind, if the body is blind; lame,
if the body is lame; one-eyed, if the body is one-eyed; crippled, if
the body is crippled; and will perish if the body perishes. Therefore
I see no good in this doctrine."
He again went to Prajapati.
Prajapati Said: "The Self that dreams is the Immortal, Fearless,
Brahman."
Indra was not satisfied with this doctrine also. He reflected: "Though
the dream self is not blind when the body is blind, not one-eyed when
the body is one-eyed, is not destroyed when the body is destroyed yet
it becomes conscious of pain and sheds tears even in dream. Therefore
I see no good in this".
Indra again went to Prajapati.
Prajapati said: "The Self that enjoys deep sleep is the Immortal,
Fearless, Brahman."
Indra reflected: "In deep sleep there is utter annihilation. I
do not get any intuitional knowledge, I see no good in this doctrine
also."
Indra again went to Prajapati.
Prajapati said: "O Indra, this body is mortal. The embodied self
is subject to pleasure and pain. The eye is the instrument of seeing.
The nose is the instrument of smelling. The ear is the instrument of
hearing. But the Atman or Brahman is the silent witness (Sakshi). He
is immortal, fearless. He is distinct from the three bodies, the three
Avasthas or states of consciousness the mind, body and senses."
Indra meditated on Brahman and attained Eternal Bliss and Immortality
through Brahma-Jnana or knowledge of the Brahman.
Chapter
VIII
Behind this world-show, behind these physical phenomena, behind these
names and forms, behind the feelings, thoughts, emotions and sentiments
there dwells the silent witness thy immortal friend and real well-wisher-the
Purusha or world teacher, the unseen governor or master, the unknown
Yogi, the indivisible power of consciousness or hidden sage. That is
the only permanent reality and living truth. That is Brahman or the
Supreme Being or the Absolute. That is Atma. That is Self. The goal
of human life is to realise the reality behind the changing phenomena.
The summum bonum of human aspiration is to attain Self-realisation.
Self-realisation alone can make you absolutely free and independent.
Trust not your body, mind and senses. Have inner spiritual life. Attain
knowledge of the Self through steady devotion and discipline. Drink
the nectar of immortality, quench the flames of Samsara and allay its
tortures, miseries and sorrows.
Friends! Is there not a higher mission in life besides eating, sleeping
and talking? Is there not any higher form of eternal bliss than these
transitory and illusory pleasures? Is there not a dignified life than
the sensual life? How uncertain is life here! How insecure is our existence
in this earth-plane with various kinds of fear! How painful is this
mundane life? Should we not attempt diligently now to reach a place-the
immortal abode, our original sweet home of pristine purity and divine
splendour-where there is eternal sunshine, absolute security, perfect
peace and where there is neither disease, nor death, nor war?
Come, come! Become a Yogi. Come out of your narrow holes or ruts. Crush
all sorts of superstitions. Aim high. To become an advocate, or a doctor,
or an engineer, or a professor, is the height of your ambition. Can
this give you freedom? Can this give you eternal bliss? Can this give
you everlasting peace? Can this make you immortal? Do you not like to
attain perfection or immortality? Do you not wish to achieve the summum
bonum of existence-Kaivalya or independence-Atma Svarajya? Then
come, struggle for higher things. Be bold! Look not back. March forward!
Enquire: "Who am I?" Hear, reflect, meditate and realise the
Atmic splendour!
Om is Sat-Chit-Ananda. Om is Infinite. Om is Eternal. Om is Immortality.
Sing Om. Chant Om. Feel Om.
Santi! Santi! Santi!
Peace! Peace! Peace!
Chapter
IX
By the command of the Indestructible Being, minutes, hours, days and
nights, stand apart. By the command of the Immortal Brahman, months,
years, seasons and solstices stand apart. He who knows this Indestructible
Being is a liberated sage or Jivanmukta.
Time rolls on. New becomes old and old becomes new again. Today is
the most auspicious New Year's day. God has given you another chance
this year to enable you to strive for your salvation. Today man is.
Tomorrow he is not. Therefore avail yourself of this golden opportunity,
struggle hard and reach the goal of life. Make the best use of every
moment of this New Year. Unfold all latent faculties. Here is a chance
to begin life anew, to grow and evolve and become a superhuman or a
great dynamic Yogi.
On this glorious New Year's day make a strong resolve to wipe away
all the old worldly Vasanas or tendencies and bad impressions and to
control the senses and the mind.
Know the value of time. Time is most precious. Utilise every second
profitably. Live every moment of your life for the realisation of your
ideal and goal. Do not procrastinate. That "tomorrow" will
never come. Now or never. Abandon idle gossiping. Kill egoism, laziness
and inertia. Forget the past. A glorious and brilliant future is awaiting
you.
Equal vision is the touchstone of knowledge. Unselfishness is the touchstone
of virtue. Brahmacharya is the touchstone of ethics. Oneness is the
touchstone of Self-realisation. Humility is the touchstone of devotion.
Therefore, be unselfish, humble and pure. Develop equal vision. Be in
tune with the Infinite.
Satyam (truth) is the seed. Ahimsa is the root. Meditation is the shower.
Santi (peace) is the flower. Moksha (salvation) is the fruit. Therefore,
speak the truth, practise Ahimsa and meditation. Cultivate Santi. You
will attain the final emancipation or freedom from the trammels of births
and deaths, and enjoy Eternal bliss.
Be thou a spiritual warrior of Truth. Put on the armour of discrimination.
Wear the shield of dispassion. Hold the flag of Dharma. Sing the song
of Soham or Sivoham. March boldly with the band of Pranava-Om Om Om.
Blow the conch of courage. Kill the enemies of doubt, ignorance, passion
and egoism and enter the illimitable kingdom of blissful Brahman. Possess
the imperishable wealth of Atma. Taste the divine immortal essence.
Drink the nectar of Immortality.
May this bright New Year's day and all the succeeding days of this
year and all the future years also bring you all success, peace, prosperity
and happiness. May you all tread the path of Truth and righteousness!
May you enjoy the eternal bliss of the Absolute, leading a divine life,
singing Lord's name, sharing what you have with others, serving the
poor and the sick with Atma Bhava and melting the mind in silent meditation
in the Supreme Self.
Guru Purnima is a very auspicious day for doing vigorous Sadhana or
Yogic practice and for starting any spiritual Sadhana also. This is
the Ashadha Purnima day. This is also known by the name Vyasa Puja day.
Sri Vyasa and the Brahma Vidya Gurus are worshipped on this day.
On this memorable day, Sri Vyasa, one of the Chiranjeevis, an incarnation
of Lord Vishnu, began to write his unique Brahma Sutras or Vedanta Sutras
and Mahabharata. Chaturmasa for Sannyasins begins from this day. Sannyasins
stay in one place during rainy season for four months, study Brahma
Sutras and practise meditation.
Live on milk and fruits on this day, practise rigorous Japa and Dhyana.
Worship your Guru and feed the Mahatmas. Sadhus and the poor. Study
the Brahma Sutras and do some lakhs of Japa (Anushthana or Purascharana)
of your Guru Mantra or Ishta Mantra during the Chaturmasa. You will
be highly benefited.
Guru is Brahman or Isvara Himself. Guru is your real father, mother,
friend, guide and saviour. The Grace of the Guru is indispensable for
the spiritual progress of the aspirants. The Sruti says, "To that
high-souled aspirant whose devotion to the Lord is great and whose devotion
to his Guru is as great as that to the Lord, these secrets explained
become illuminated."
Brahman or the Supreme Self alone is real. He is the Soul of all. He
is All in all. He is the Essence of this universe. He is the Unity that
never admits of a duality under all the varieties and diversities of
nature. Thou art this Immortal, All-pervading, All-blissful Brahman.
Thou art That. Realise this and be free-Tat Tvam Asi.
Remember the four important verses of the Brahma Sutras. (1) "Athato
Brahmajijnasa-now therefore, the enquiry of Brahman." (2) "Janmadyasya
Yatah-From which proceed the origin, etc." (3) "Sastra-Yonitvat-The
scriptures being the means of right knowledge." (4) Tat Tu Samanvayat-But
That, because It is the main support."
Now sing: "Jaya Guru Siva Guru Hari Guru Ram, Jagad Guru Param
Guru Sat Guru Syam."
Remember and adore Sri Vyasa and the Brahma Vidya Gurus. May their
blessings be upon you all.
Salutations to Sri Durga (Mother Divine) Who exists in all beings in
the form of intelligence, mercy, beauty; Who is the consort of Lord
Siva; who creates, sustains and destroys the universe.
Dussera is the greatest Hindu festival of adoring God as Mother. Durga
represents the Divine Mother. She is the energy aspect of the Lord.
Without Durga, Siva has no expression and without Siva, Durga has no
existence. Siva is the soul of Durga. Durga is identical with Siva.
Lord Siva is only the silent witness. He is motionless, absolutely changeless.
He is not affected by the cosmic play. Durga does everything.
Mother-worship is the worship of God as the Divine Mother-Sri Mata.
Sakti is the power of the Lord or the cosmic energy. The Divine Mother
in Her aspect of Durga is represented as having ten different weapons
in her hands. She is sitting on a lion. She keeps up the Lila of the
Lord through the three Gunas-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Vidya, Santi,
lust, anger, greed, egoism and pride are all Her forms.
The Upasana or worship of Devi or Universal Mother leads to the attainment
of knowledge of the Self. The story of the Kena Upanishad known as the
"Yaksha Prasna" supports this view. Uma taught the Truth to
the Devas. Goddess Sakti sheds wisdom on Her devotees.
A child is more familiar with the mother than with the father, because
she is very kind, loving, tender, affectionate and looks after the wants
of the child. In the spiritual field also the aspirant or the devotee-the
spiritual child-has intimate relationship with the Mother Durga than
with the Father Siva. It behoves, therefore, that the aspirant should
approach the Mother first and She will introduce Her spiritual child
to the Father for his illumination or Self-realisation.
Mother's grace is boundless. Her mercy is illimitable. Her knowledge
is infinite. Her power is immeasurable. Her glory is ineffable. Her
splendour is indescribable. She gives you Bhukti or material prosperity
and Mukti (liberation) also.
Approach Her with an open heart. Lay bare your heart to Her with frankness
and humility. Be as simple as a child. Kill ruthlessly egoism, cunningness,
selfishness and crookedness. Make total, unreserved, ungrudging surrender
to Her. Sing Her praise. Repeat Her name. Worship Her with faith and
unflinching devotion. Do special Puja on Navaratri days. Navaratri or
Dussera is the most suitable occasion for doing intense Sadhana. These
nine days are very sacred to Devi. Plunge yourself in Her worship. Do
Anushthana. Devi fought with Bhandasura and his forces for nine days
and nine nights. The war ended in the evening of the tenth day known
as Vijaya Dasami day or the day of victory. Aspirants are initiated
on this day. Akshara Abhyasa for children is done on Vijaya Dasami day.
The beginning of learning of any science is done on this most auspicious
day. It was on this day that Arjuna worshipped the Devi before starting
the fight against the Kauravas on the field of Kurukshetra.
May Durga give the milk of divine wisdom to Her children and lift them
to the magnificent heights of divine splendour and glory, the imperishable
state of Kaivalya and eternal Sunshine!
Deepavali is the festival of lamps. It is observed almost throughout
India with great pomp and show. It is a time of great rejoicing and
worshipping among the Hindus and lasts for two days. This is held at
the beginning of the Hindu commercial year in honour of the Goddess
Lakshmi.
It commemorates that blessed day when Sri Rama returned to Ayodhya
after killing Ravana. On this day Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.
In South India all take oil-bath in the morning and wear new clothes.
At this festival, Hindu merchants in North India begin their new account
books and pray for success and prosperity during the coming year. The
houses of the Hindus are cleaned and decorated by day and illuminated
by night with earthen lamps. The best and finest illuminations are to
be seen in Bombay and Amritsar. The famous Golden Temple at Amritsar
is lit in the evening with thousands of lamps which are placed all over
the steps on the sides of the big tank. Vaishnavites celebrate Govardhana
Puja and feed the people on a large scale Annakoot or Samashti
Bhandara).
O Ram! The Light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of Atman
is ever burning steadily in the chambers of your heart. Sit quietly.
Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light
(Param Jyoti) and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination
of the soul.
Egoism or Ahamkara is the real Narakasura. Kill this egoism through
the sword of Atma-Jnana or knowledge of the Self, merge in Sri Krishna,
the supreme light of the world, and enjoy the spiritual Deepavali of
inner illumination.
He who Himself sees all, whom no one beholds, who illumines the intellect,
the sun, moon and stars and the whole universe, but whom they cannot
illumine-That is Brahman. That is Atma. Celebrate the real Deepavali
by living in Brahman and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul.
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do
these lightnings shine and much less this fire. All the lights of the
world cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of the soul.
Merge yourself in this Light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.
Many Deepavali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the
vast majority of persons are as dark as the new-moon night. The house
is lit with the lamps but the heart is full of darkness of ignorance.
O man! Wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realise the constant and
eternal light of the soul which has neither rising nor setting through
meditation and Vichara or enquiry and dispel the darkness of ignorance.
May you all attain full inner illumination! May the Supreme Light of
lights enlighten your understanding! May you all get the inexhaustible
spiritual wealth of Atma! May you all prosper gloriously in the material
and spiritual planes?
Om! Friends, you are the future hope of the motherland. You are the
citizens of tomorrow. You should always think over the goal of life
and live to attain it. The goal of life is the attainment of freedom
from all sorts of misery or the state of Kaivalya or liberation from
the cycle of births and deaths. Lead a well-regulated moral life. Moral
strength is the backbone of spiritual progress. Ethical culture is part
and parcel of spiritual Sadhana. Keep up Brahmacharya or the vow of
celibacy. By the observance of Brahmacharya many of the sages of yore
have attained immortality. Brahmacharya is the source of new strength,
vigour, vitality and success in life, and eternal happiness hereafter.
Loss of this vital energy is the cause of disease, miseries and premature
death. Therefore, take particular care to preserve this vital energy.
Practice of Brahmacharya gives good health, inner strength, peace
of mind and long life. It invigorates the mind and the nerves and helps
to conserve physical and mental energy. It augments the strength and
courage. It gives power to face the difficulties in the daily battle
of life. A perfect Brahmachari can, like Jnanadeva, move the world,
can command nature and the five elements. Develop faith in the Vedas
and the power of Mantra. Practise meditation daily. Take Sattvic food.
Do not overload the stomach. Repent for your mistakes. Admit your faults
freely. Never try to hide your faults by lame excuses or by uttering
falsehoods. 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. Give up vile imitation. Get thorough
overhauling of your wrong-Samskaras you have created through bad association.
Study the Upanishads, the Yoga-Vasishtha, the Brahma Sutras and Sri
Sankara's Select Works and other scriptures. Therein you will find real
solace and peace. Some Western philosophers have declared: "We
are Christians by birth and faith but we can find the peace which the
mind wants and the satisfaction the soul needs only in the Upanishads
of the seers of East." Move amicably with all. Love all. Serve
all. Develop adaptability and the spirit of selfless service and penetrate
into the hearts of all through untiring service. This is verily Advaitic
realisation of unity or oneness.
Om, Children of immortality! The Lord is within you. He is seated in
the hearts of all beings. Whatever you see, hear, touch or feel is God.
Therefore, hate not anybody, cheat not anybody, harm not anybody. Love
all and be one with all. You will soon attain eternal bliss and perennial
joy. Be self-disciplined. Be simple and harmonious in thought, feeling,
diet and dress. Love all. Fear none. Shake off lethargy, laziness, fear.
Lead the Divine Life. Be a seeker after truth or reality. Understand
sorrow and conflict through enquiry and reflection. Move towards freedom,
perfection and eternal bliss every second. Is there any one among you
who can say with emphasis and force: "Now I am a deserving aspirant.
I am yearning for Moksha. I have equipped myself with the four means.
I have purified my heart through selfless service, Kirtan and Japa.
I have served the Guru with faith and devotion and I have attained his
grace and blessings." That man can save the world. He will soon
become a cosmic beacon-light, a unique torch-bearer of wisdom, a dynamic
Yogi. O man! Get yourself ready now. It is a shameful thing that you
have lived in vain till now and spent the life in eating, drinking,
sleeping, idle gossiping and worthless pursuits. You have not done any
meritorious act. The hour draws nearer. It is not too late even now.
Start Namasmaran, or the repetition of the Lord's Name from this second.
Be sincere and earnest. Love all. You can make yourself worthy of His
Grace. You can cross the formidable ocean of births and deaths and attain
eternal bliss and immortality. Never miss a day in meditation. Regularity
is of paramount importance. When the mind is tired, do not concentrate.
Give it a little rest. Do not take heavy food at night. It will disturb
your morning meditation. Japa, Kirtan, Pranayama, Satsanga or association
with sages, practice of Sama (serenity), Dama (self-restraint), Yama
(right conduct), Sattvic or pure food, study of scriptures, meditation,
Vichara (Atmic enquiry) all will help you to control the mind and attain
eternal bliss and immortality. If evil thoughts enter your mind, do
not use your will-force to drive them away. You will lose your energy.
Om.
Chapter
X
Q: Where can you find eternal happiness?
A: In your own Atman within.
Q: Which is the most troublesome organ?
A: Tongue.
Q: Who is your terrible enemy?
A: Mind.
Q: Who is your best friend?
A: Satsanga or association with the wise.
Q: Who is your real father?
A: Guru.
Q: Which is the best language?
A: Language of the heart.
Q: Which is the best virtue?
A: Brahmacharya.
Q: Which is the worst intoxicant?
A: Lust.
Q: Which is the sacred river?
A: Brahma Jnana.
Q: Who is the real king?
A: A Jivanmukta or liberated sage.
Q: Which is the best Dharma?
A: Selfless service.
Q: Which is the worst quality?
A: Anger.
Q: Which is the best thing in this world?
A: Pain (because it is the eye-opener, it goads you to seek liberation.)
Q: Which is the best food?
A: Hearing of the Srutis or Upanishads.
Q: Who is the best man?
A: A kind-hearted man.
Q: Who is the worst man?
A: A selfish man.
Q: Where is the worst hell?
A: In the mind filled with jealousy, crookedness and hatred.
Q: Where is the best heaven?
A: In the heart filled with love, mercy and generosity.
Q: Which is the best science?
A: Brahma-Vidya or the science of Atman.
Q: Which is the most precious thing in this world?
A: Vairagya or dispassion.
Q: Who is the strongest man?
A: He who practises Ahimsa, he who can bear insults, injuries and persecutions
with a smiling face.
Q: Who is a weak man?
A: An irritable man.
Q: Who is the happiest man?
A: A Tyagi or a man of renunciation.
Q: Who is the most miserable man?
A: A rich man.
Q: Who is the most beautiful man?
A: A Yogi.
Q: Who is the ugliest man?
A: A greedy man.
Q: Who is a beggar?
A: He who has desires.
Q: Which is the biggest ocean?
A: Ocean of Bliss (Brahman or Atman).
Q: Which is the most dangerous thing in this world?
A: Company of a worldly man.
Q: Which is the greatest temptation?
A: Woman for a man, man for a woman.
Q: Which is the most desirable thing?
A: Brahma Jnana.
Q: Who is the best engine driver?
A: God.
Q: Which is the most wonderful machine or engine?
A: Mind.
Q: Which is the biggest factory in this world?
A: Mental factory.
Q: Who is a real drunkard?
A: He who is intoxicated with the pride of wealth and learning.
Q: Who is a real blind man?
A: He who has no inner divine eye or the eye of intuition.
Q: Who is the real cobbler?
A: He who thinks that the body is Atman and talks always of matters
concerning the body.
Q: What is your foremost duty?
A: To find out this hidden driver of this body-engine to love Him, to
live for Him, to serve Him, to know Him, to realise Him, to live in
Him and merge in Him.
Q: Why did the All-merciful God create pain in this world?
A: Pain is the only blessing in this world. It is an eye-opener. Man
would never attempt to attain salvation if there had not been any pain
in this world.
Q: How can I know whether I have purity of mind or not?
A: If you have Vairagya (dispassion or indifference to sensual enjoyments),
that is a sign of Chitta Suddhi or purity of mind. No sensual desires
or Vasanas will arise in the mind.
Q: What is the purpose of God creating the world?
A: This is a transcendental question or Atiprasna. You will know the
purpose when you attain Self-realisation or Brahma Jnana. The finite
mind that is conditioned in time, space and causation cannot get an
answer to a question that relates to transcendental matters.
Q: What is the use of repeating the Mantra again and again?
A: It gives force. It intensifies the spiritual Samskaras.
Q: When I concentrate, so many thoughts arise in my mind. How can I
avoid them? Can I suppress them?
A: Do not try to suppress them with force. The thoughts will manifest
with redoubled force. They will rise up frequently also. You will tax
your will and waste your energy. Be a silent witness of these thoughts.
Say unto yourself: "I have no concern with these thoughts."
Be indifferent. All useless worldly thoughts will die by themselves.
Q: How to prevent bad dreams?
A: Study any religious book. Meditate for half an hour just before retiring
to bed. You will have no bad dreams.
Q: What are the signs of a person who has no Ahamkara or egoism?
A: He will not identify himself with his body. He will be free from
pride, likes, dislikes, jealousy, anger and hypocrisy.
Q: Why does evil exist in the world?
A: Change the angle of vision or Drishti. All evils will disappear.
Evil is negative good. Evil exists to glorify good. It has a raison
d'etre, reason for its existence. Evil and good are relative terms.
What is good at one time is evil at another time. What is good for one
is evil for another. Understand this and become wise. Behold the one
Atman in all forms and beings. Evil and good are mental creations. Transmute
evil into good by Atma-Drishti. There is good in evil also.
Q: How to lead the life of unity?
A: This is attained by service, charity, sharing what you have with
others, cultivating cosmic love and realising the one Atman seated in
the hearts of all, through constant Brahmachintana or meditation on
Atman.
1. Nitya Sukha, Parama Santi, eternal satisfaction, Infinite Bliss,
knowledge and Immortality can be had only in God or Atman who gives
light to the intellect and the Sun. Therefore, realise the Sat-Chit-Ananda
Atma through meditation right now, this very second, by purifying the
mind.
2. Samsara (world) is Mithya, Asara, Apadramaniya, evanescent, impermanent,
full of miseries, untruth, hatred and selfishness, disease and pain.
It is a long dream. Be not worldly.
3. Time is most precious. Utilise every second profitably.
4. Serve Sadhus, Sannyasins, the sick, the poor and the country. This
is Pada-Sevan of God.
5. Whenever your friend is annoyed with you, speak to him first, with
a smile, and apologise sincerely with tears in your eyes even though
you may be in the right. Serve him nicely with Prema. Vindictive spirit
is a deadly enemy of peace, devotion and Jnana.
6. Observe Mouna (silent) during eating. Observe Mouna for six hours
on Sundays.
7. Keep the pictures of Saints and Sages in your bedroom and the front
room. Do not keep any obscene pictures in the house.
8. Speak the truth, preserve Veerya and control anger by Kshama, love
and service. Repeat 'Om Santih' twelve times mentally and drink some
cold water when you detect the least symptom of irritation in your mind.
9. Sleep always alone. Take one meal and some milk at night on Sundays.
Do one lakh of Rama-Nama Japa on Sundays.
10. Write daily for half an hour in a notebook the Mantra of your Ishta
Devata or "Rama Rama." Write down in bold types on slips of
paper "Speak Truth." "Om Courage," "Om Purity,"
"I am immortal Atman," "I must realise God now,"
"Time is most precious," "I will be a true Brahmachari"
and "Brahmacharya is Divine Life" and fix them in the bedroom,
front rooms and verandah. Keep some slips in your pocket.
11. Keep always a few pies in your pocket and distribute them daily
to the poor and the decrepit.
12. Do Hari-Kirtan at night. Sing "Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama
Hare Hare-Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare"
along with the members of your family and servants of your house for
one hour.
13. Study Gita or Upanishads, Ramayana, Bhagavata or Yoga Vasishtha
for one hour in the evening with some of your friends. The ladies of
the household should also do this.
The beginning of saintliness is killing of egoism or Ahamkara. The
end of saintliness is Eternal Life. The key to saintliness is humility
and self-mortification. The light of saintliness is silent meditation.
The garb of saintliness is virtue and tolerance, not the Gerua cloth
alone.
Pravritti and Nivritti are not two different paths. They are two aspects
of one and the same path. There is Pravritti in Nivritti and Nivritti
in Pravritti. It is the mental state that counts. Look at Janaka, the
king of Videhas. In him, there was absolute Nivritti in Pravritti. Always
remember: "Yogasthah Kuru Karmani Sangam Tyaktva Dhananjaya."
Man is the master of his own destiny. He sows an action and reaps a
habit; sows a habit and reaps a character; sows a character and reaps
a destiny. So he is entirely responsible for his Prarabdha Karma. Prarabdha
is under his Adheenata or control. He will become an absolute fatalist
and a slothful, inactive man, if he attributes everything to a preordained
destiny or Prarabdha. Let him awaken his free will. Let him avail himself
of his Paramartha (Will). God has endowed man with Buddhi, independent,
free thinking principle, rational reasoning and all sorts of faculties.
He can control atoms; he can control elements; he can fly in the air,
he can forward a thought from one corner to another corner of the world;
he can command electricity to pump out water from a well; he can walk
over water; he can sit on fire: he can pass from one body to another;
he can roam about the world without being seen by any one.
In fact there is nothing impossible for him under the sun. Instead
of realising his real nature by introspection within himself or Atmic
enquiry, he dwells in an instinctive plane, wanders about in vain here
and there in this phenomenal world of mere mental creation and forgets
the magnificence of his real Self. He worships man instead of worshipping
God. He is a man-worshipper. He signs "I beg to remain. Your obedient
servant", instead of asserting his divine nature as a centre of
consciousness in the ocean of life, instead of styling as a Director,
controller and supporter of Universe. Wake up immediately to rectify
this lamentable condition; otherwise it will be too late to gather honey
in winter! Awake! Arise, Dear Reader!
For sincere spiritual aspirants, marching boldly in the Adhyatmic field,
this handy publication provides, succinctly, innumerable PRACTICAL hints.
Every page abounds in much valuable information in a condensed form.
The laconic lessons contained in this book should speak for themselves.
If this proves in any way useful to the ardent Mumukshus, the author's
sincere endeavour to help them will be more than amply fulfilled.
