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CONTENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- H.H. Sri Swami SivanandajI Maharaj O My Beloved Friends! Have you ever understood the significance and the glory of human life? Have you ever realised what a precious gift and veritable divine inheritance this human birth is? Do you not feel that life is meant for the fulfilment of a most sublime purpose? Truly, it is meant for the attainment of a lofty goal-divine and perennial peace and happiness. You all know quite well that life is not merely the process of breathing, eating, digesting, thinking, feeling, knowing, willing and so on. Life is not entirely meant for all these, only to die at the end, without achieving anything really worthwhile. You truly live your life well when you strive manfully for attaining balance of mind and the highest spiritual realisation as well, serving a great cause for the welfare of humanity. Toast, butter and jam, fashionable clothing, a bungalow and a motorcar, attending cocktail parties-all these do not really constitute life. These are not the end-all of the life of man who is supposed to have been made “in the image of God.” Mere sensual life is, after all, only the life of an animal. Every day you must try to transcend the level and make it as pure as possible by being divine. Egoism, worldly desire and sensuality-all these constitute ignorance; they spring from deep delusion. Can material comforts alone give you real happiness? Can creature comforts alone elevate the soul of man? Can gross physical welfare alone confer upon you solace, courage, peace, joy and eternal perfection in the Spirit? KNOW YOUR IDEAL O Blessed Children of Immortality! Reflect yourself over what I say. Think deeply. Discriminate between the real and the unreal. You will realise the truth about the purpose of life. In the dizzy whirlpool of fleeting sensual pleasures and ceaselessly seething desires, do not forget the true purpose of life and its real goal. There is no greater blunder than to mistake the unreal for the real, the transitory for the permanent and to forget the most important duty in life-Self-realisation. What greater folly, what greater tragedy is there than when a man is satisfied by just being on the animal plane, just functioning on the instinctive, emotionally unsettled and pseudo-intellectual level? You were helpless when you were a baby; you are helpless when disease overtakes you and when you are seriously ill; you are helpless when powerful calamities like flood, earthquake, cyclone etc strike you down; you are helpless and miserable when you become old and senile. Why then are you so proud and egotistic? Rise above your delusions and attain the highest good through discrimination and dispassion, self-analysis and enquiry into your real, spiritual nature. Enquire, “Who am I?” and try to realise the true nature of the Self. Then you will transcend your body and mind and attain Godhead. Then alone will you be really free and happy. VIRTUE VICTORIOUS Virtue is the way to peace and enlightenment. Righteousness is the secret of Self-realisation. Purity is the pathway to perfection. Goodness leads you to godliness. Strive for moral excellence. Live a strictly ethical life. Adhere to truth and equity and swerve not from the basic principles of a good life. Build your life upon absolute righteousness. Cultivate the noble qualities of the heart with diligence and care. Be sincere, friend! Without sincerity everything is tinsel. Actively practise all virtues in right earnest. The spiritual aspirant must be an embodiment of goodness. Think no evil. Speak no evil. Do no evil. Be good in thought, word and deed. Remember the Lord as often as you can. He is your inner Ruler. Pray to Him fervently with humility and devotion, for purifying your nature and helping you to realise Him, Live for God. Live to do your duty. Boldly face all the passing problems of this petty, earthly life. BE A HERO Be a hero. With courage, conviction and common-sense, live your life truthfully. Shooting a tiger from the back of an elephant or bombing a city are not the acts of real heroism and courage. Controlling your mind and senses and overcoming anger, passion and egoism by attaining self-mastery constitute real heroism in men. How long will you be slave of the passion and the senses? Assert your real, divine nature to yourself and your mastery over your lower self. This is your important duty. Do not identify yourself with this perishable body. Do not run after fashion and glamour. Do not cultivate the habit of clinging to the glittering names and forms. Do not be ignorant, friend, and think not much of your intelligence. Be not Obsessed with the feeling : “I am an Englishman, I am an American, I am an Indian; I am black, I am white, I am mongoloid; I am superior; I am inferior; I know everything, he knows nothing; I have done this; I have done that; I am a Hindu; I am a Christian, I am a Mohammedan, I am a Patel, I am a Jain.” THY REAL NATURE All such obsessions are the worst types of ignorance. Hear the great truths proclaimed by the prophets, Godmen, saints and sages of real wisdom. Thou art neither this perishable body nor this impure mind. Thou art the Truth Eternal-ever-free, ever-perfect and ever-blissful Spirit immortal. Thou art, in essence, Sat-Chid-Ananda Atman. Thou art imperishable. This is thy real glorious nature. Where, then, are thy body-min-bound ego, the little intellect, the little learning, the skin-deep beauty? Feel this, meditate over this and assert this. Realise this and attain the wisdom of the Self. Then you will not function on the sensual, animal plane. Life is meant for the practice Yoga. Yoga is life divine. Yoga is right performance of duty. Practise the Yoga of saintliness. Do selfless service in a spirit of humble worship of the Virat. Cultivate devotion to God. Purify the heart through charity and generosity. Meditate daily on the Lord. ESSENCE OF DIVINE LIFE Through ceaseless discrimination, reflection and inquiry, attain the wisdom of the Self. Serve. Love. Give. Purify. Meditate. Realise. Be good. Do good. Be kind. Be compassionate. Enquire “Who am I?” Know the Self and be free. The one Lord dwells in all beings. Feel His presence everywhere. See Him alone in all beings and things. Give up all distinctions and differences, born of prejudice. Feel that you are one with all. Love all. Cooperate with all in a spirit of brotherhood and kindle the light of compassion in your heart. Be not exclusive and selfish. Radiate pure love through your life. Start the good life right from today, right from now. Cast aside all doubts, fears and misgivings. Do not hesitate. Be bold. Life is short. Time fleeting. You have got to be practical. My friend, do not be weak in thy faith. You must have absolute trust in God. Never forget your true purpose in life. Never forget your immortal nature. Wake up from your long sleep of ignorance. Realise your hidden, real nature. Stop not till the goal is reached. Stop not till you attain the wisdom of the Self and till it becomes practically expressive in every moment of your life. ATTAIN PERFECTION O wanderer in this Desert of Samsara! Overcome all evil qualities; annihilate lust, greed and egotism and return back to your sweet, original home, the abode of eternal peace and bliss. Through diligent struggle with the lower nature, the lower self and through a life of practical goodness which is Yoga, attain spiritual perfection in this very life. To whatever nation, to whatever race, to whatever class of society you belong, your great duty and the more important work is this-the attainment of the highest spiritual perfection. Your birthright is Sat-Chid-Ananda. Everybody unconsciously longs to be immortal, because no one wishes to die. This shows, you want to be eternally existent, which is possible only through knowledge eternal. No one wishes to be rated as a fool, and the longing for knowledge is dormant in all. From mundane knowledge when on e progresses to spiritual intuition then one becomes supremely happy, which is a state of bliss which no earthly object can give. No one wishes to be unhappy and the longing for happiness is common in all. There is an indication to the background of man’s real nature, and eternal state of existence-knowledge-bliss. Thou art That, O man! May the Lord, the one God, who is known variously, bestow upon you all the highest bliss and the profoundest peace in this very life. May love alone prevail everywhere. May peace and prosperity be unto all beings? H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj Worshipful homage to the all-pervading, infinite Being who is beyond time and space, beginningless, endless and limitless, who is paramasanti, peace profound! Loving adorations to revered and beloved Holy Master Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj upon whose countenance that peace shone! If ever peace could be combined with radiance, such a peace, radiant peace, shone upon the countenance of Holy Master. To him worshipful adorations and loving prostrations! Bhagavan Visvanatha, the Supreme Being, Paramatman, is the abode of that peace. He is the source of that peace. He is Himself of the nature of that divine peace. Having known That to be the one and the only reality and dismissing all appearances as unreality, the great guru Shankaracharya became established in that peace. As an enlightened monastic and sannyasin of Shankaracharya’s monastic order, our Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj in our own times radiated that great peace. Filled with that peace, they invisibly communicated that peace to anyone who came into their proximity. Seek, find, enter and rest. The knower of the subtler than the subtlest is pure consciousness. That is your real, essential, unalienable nature—pure consciousness, suddha chaitanya svarup atma. That is what you are. Once you know yourself, you are liberated. To know the knower is to become liberated. Seek the knower! Seeking the knower, find the knower. Finding the knower, enter deep into the very nature of the knower. Enter deep into that peace profound. Having entered deep into that ultimate consciousness, abide in that consciousness forever. Abiding in that consciousness, you will find peace. Whoever thus sublates all that is unreal because it is mere appearance, temporary appearance in time only, and affirms the reality, becomes established in that reality. That is the sadhana—affirming the reality and denying and rejecting the temporary false unreality. Again and again constantly affirm your ever-blissful, ever-peaceful nature. And, as and when, due to old habits of the mind, contrary thoughts arise in your mind, reject them, send them out. Do not give any quarter to contrary thought. This is the real worth of a true jijnasu and a mumukshu, a true spiritual seeker, an aspirer after the ultimate experience. It is all a question of from darkness to Light. The Supreme Being is the Light of lights beyond all darkness. The great ones through their sadhana of affirming the truth and rejecting the unrealities became enlightened, illumined. They became filled with that Light of knowledge. They became centres of that Light. Having discovered that great experience, the ancient ones wanted to share it with all mankind, and therefore they issued a call: “Come, come, prapya varan nibodhata. Become illumined with that knowledge.” Thus they have called upon humanity, and it is for you to respond to that call and say, “Yes, I shall seek. I shall approach all sources of knowledge, wisdom and illumination and myself attain that wisdom.” Our daily life should be a response to that call from darkness to Light. And Holy Master, having become illumined with that Light, wished to share it with all mankind, with all his brethren. And this great and intense urge from his great heart manifested itself as 300 books and his free distribution of innumerable pamphlets. This sharing was one hundred per cent of his life. It marked his entire being—share! “May all be illumined. May all attain that great peace. May all become blessed. May all become liberated!” That was Holy Master! And through this institution that he established, he continues to do that sublime work. Fortunate indeed is mankind. Blessed indeed are generations that have come after him, for he has made his light to shine perpetually. He has made it akanda jyoti. He has made a permanent, unbroken light, banishing the darkness, illumining the pathway of life of all sincere seekers. Know and realise, therefore, how much blessed you are, how much graced you are both by God and God-men—both by God, and God’s good men, and God’s God-men. Grace and blessings abide in you and in your life in plenty. Realise this and rejoice. God bless you all! H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj The exposition of the Devi-Tattva goes to explain to us how the Supreme Sakti is all in all. It tells us that whatever we see, whatever we perceive in this phenomenal universe before us, is nothing but the outcome of this supreme power of the Parabrahman viz., the primal force. She is called the Adi Sakti. She is also known as the transcendental power-Para Sakti. She is known as the superlative, the great power-Maha Sakti. What exactly is the relationship between this great Divine Power and the ultimate Supreme Being, the Almighty, is a question that is very interesting and which occupies the minds of all great thinkers. Varied explanations have been given but sages of realisation have stated in illuminating terms the secret of this relationship between the deity as they conceived of in its aspect of Supreme Mother and the deity in its transcendental aspect. We are told how the Parabrahman and His Supreme Mysterious Power of World-Illusion, whom we call Maya or Devi, are in fact one and the same in essence. They are apparently different, nut yet they are one. It is a distinction without a difference, in fact. That is the relationship between them. As it were, they are the obverse and the reverse of the self-same coin. You cannot conceive of the Parabrahman without conceiving of the Devi; and the conception of the Devi automatically presupposes the conception of the Parabrahman. They explain to us how the Devi or the Supreme Divine Mother is the mysterious link between the manifest and the Unmanifest. She is the medium that connects the Unmanifest with the manifest. For instance, there is an effect and a cause which is responsible for this effect; but what is it that connects the effect with the cause and the cause with the effect? There is some mysterious link which connects these two and makes them one. Though apparently two, they are in reality the two terminals of the self-same process. This process of the cause becoming manifest as the effect, this power that makes the cause appear as the effect is known as Maya, the illusion or the Devi. The Supreme Brahman is also described as perfectly beyond all movement and motion because being of the nature of limitlessness and infinity the very question of motion does not arise. The Supreme Power whom we Devi is described as the dynamic aspect of the Parabrahman. They say that they are as inseparable as the whiteness of the milk and the milk, as the heat and fire, as a snake and its zigzag motion. The moment you think of milk, automatically you think of whiteness. The moment you think of fire, you posit also the heat. If the burning properly is taken away from fire, you can no longer call it fire. Even so, Parabrahman and Sakti are as inseparable as the burning property of fire and fire itself. If Brahman is fire, Sakti or Devi is the burning property of fire. A more up-to-date analogy which we can draw to illustrate the mysterious connection between Maya or Prakriti or Sakti and Brahman is this. We have the power of electricity when it is inside a battery. When the power of electricity is there within the battery, it is not manifest. It is not dynamic. It is static. The battery can be taken from place to place; no one will know that it holds within itself a tremendous force. There is no indication to give us an idea that is contains within itself this marvellous power. But the moment this self-same electric current is made to spring in dynamism through a system of wiring through a circuit, we fine this static force springs into a wonderful dynamism. It travels with lightning speed; it is able to give a shock; or to make an electric bulb spring into incandescence and manifest as light; it manifests itself as the freezing cold within the refrigerator and as abnormal power which is held in a static form within a battery becomes manifest as light, motion, heat, cold, sound and any number of aspects manifest and tangible and perceivable through the senses. Even so the Supreme Power in its transcendental motionless, static aspect known as the Parabrahman is nameless, formless, unmanifest and the self-same Supreme Power when it springs into manifestation, into creativity, is projected as names and forms, into countless dynamic forces which pervade the entire phenomenal world. The Supreme Mother is electricity. She is brightness of the sun, the depth of the ocean, movement in the hand, the smell and fragrance in flowers, the musical notes in sound, everything in this universe, invisible as well as visible; all motion, all force, all movements; and She is present in the human being as intelligence, as mind, as Vrittis, as emotions-everything that we perceive in this world either within the individual or without in the forces of nature. She is the very life of the universe. She is the very source, the sustainer and ultimate dissolver of the universe. Sarvam saktimayam jagat—this is the ultimate truth. Whatever there is in the universe from the grossest to the subtlest; the least to the greatest-everything is the variegated manifestation of the Supreme Mother. It is this Cosmic Power which appears as all names and forms, which is the very source of all embodiments, of all manifestation. It is on account of the Mother that manifestation is made possible. It is this Supreme Force that we worship during the Navaratri through the medium of certain forms. This great power of all powers is conceived of by the devout worshipper in certain distinct aspects - in Her three aspects as Mahakali or Durga, Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati. The nine-day-worship is divided into three groups of three days each-the first three days we worship the Mother as manifest in the through the form of Mahakali or Durga. During second group of three days we worship the Divine Mother as manifest in and through our conception of the form of Mahalakshmi. And during the last three days we worship Her in and through the form of Mahasaraswati. The Sadhaka’s task is, therefore, to first and foremost entirely eradicate all that is gross, all that is animalistic, brutal and beastly in his nature. This sacrifice of the lower self of the seeker, of the animal nature of the Sadhaka is what is achieved by the worship or Mother Durga or Kali in the first stages of an aspirant’s Sadhana-life. Secondly, for all human dealings in Society, both intra-national and international money and wealth is of paramount importance. The Mother in Her eightfold aspect as life-sustaining corn, of wealth of knowledge of arts and the sciences which is of very essential if one must live a civilised and happy life of all knowledge pertaining to this material universe, of vitality or virility, of the power of royalty, of the power of victory over adverse circumstances and of prosperity in general,-provides the needed basis for the development of virtues in the Sadhaka. If people are serious, if aspirants are really earnest in their quest, if there is really a burning desire to somehow break the shackles of this mortal, physical existence, this earthly life full of pain and sorrow, disease and ultimate death, if there is longing to free oneself and enjoy eternal bliss, one must become an uncompromising votary of truth. Then only will Mother Saraswati be gracious and will bestow upon that aspirant Her Kripa; and he will get Knowledge of the Ultimate Truth. Let us everyday unfailingly meditate upon this supreme Virtue of virtues, this manifestation of Mother Saraswati in Her most glorious and most radiant form, this Truth Satyam. A man must invoke the Mother as Truth; and he has to establish this splendour of the Atman in his heart. As long as that is not there, the light of the Atman cannot shine in that being. Therefore, let us always meditate upon Mother Sarasvati in the form of Truth. Truth is the greatest Yoga; it is the greatest Tapas and austerity in this Iron Age. A man who has got Truth has got God. Le us always bear in mind this supreme importance of Mother as Truth. Let meditate upon it. Let us reflect upon it. Let us always try by every possible means to gradually approach nearer and nearer to an absolute perfection of Truth in our thoughts, in our words and in our deeds. May the Grace of Mother help us to achieve this very necessary, but very difficult task. H.H. Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj It is, indeed, not strange that most people do not have access beyond the physical level of Yoga, because true Yoga needs intense personal discipline, coupled with hard thinking, under the guidance of an able Teacher. The majority looks for material advantages, and when Yoga promises superphysical and spiritual blessings, it becomes unattractive t the common mind, clamouring for immediate tangible results. Yoga is not merely a means of personal regeneration but is universal in character, and can be and should be effectively applied in all walks of life—social, national, educational, etc. This concept of Yoga ranges beyond, not only the physical, but also the mental realms of existence. Hence the idea of novices that Yoga constitutes physical exercises or merely asanas and pranayamas, etc., is an error. We understand Yoga as a Cosmic Process of the Divine Nature (Aishuara-Yoga) making itself felt in every individual in the Cosmos. Physical exercises have nothing to do with real Yoga, though certain exercises like asanas and pranayamas, bandhas, mudras and kriyas are considered to be aids in Yoga practice. PURPOSE OF YOGA Yoga is not one-sided: this is the essence of the whole matter. Yoga is all inclusive—it comprises physical, mental and moral education and culture in the highest spiritual life which is the supreme ideal of existence. When it is said that the statesman or the administrator should first be a philosopher, what is meant is that Spirit should direct matter, that the universal should determine the particular, that integration of living in the different stages and strata of the realization of ideals and values should govern personal interest and desire. Yoga does all this, and genuine philosophy is life in Yoga. There cannot be different Yogas for the personal level and social and governmental level, etc. Yoga is One. It is applied in different ways in different department of life. Yoga is a system of integral education, i.e., education not only of the body and the mind or the intellect, but also of the inner spirit. Yoga is the complete life. Social work, educational reforms and philanthropic deeds, as well as political activity and effort towards national uplift are, at least according to the standard scripture of Yoga—the Bhagavadgita—meaningful only in the light of this Yoga of self-integration in the individual, family, community, nation and the world. What can be a greater joy than the hope that the governments of the world, especially of India today, will awaken to the knowledge of this great and grand art and science of life, and bring it into full use in the daily life of the people! At present no such Yoga is observable in the life of our nation, and the responsibility in this regard is not merely of the Government; it is also of the people. They must take more interest in a proper understanding of it and be able to feel how essential it is for significant living. The whole point is whether we live for food, clothing and shelter, and name, fame, power and wealth, or whether there is a deeper and wider purpose in our existence and activity here. Even supposing the secular and material ideals are worth striving after for their own sake. Yoga proclaims that these can be successfully achieved, in their true forms, with a vision that is lifted above the simply secular. YOGA IN NATIONAL LIFE Provided people take sufficient interest in acquiring this knowledge and take the initiative in applying it in their daily lives, the Government will naturally have to pay proper attention to it. Public support is based on public interest, and this interest again is based on right understanding. The first thing to be done is to dispel ignorance. The expected result will follow. What are the cultural and national interests? An answer to this question will bring out the extent to which human society is in need of the practice of Yoga. Culture is basically personal; for the society or the nation is nothing but a group of individuals bound by kindred purposes. The good of the nation cannot be bad for the individual, nor the true good of the individual derogatory to national interest; for THE GOOD is one, though likes and dislikes may be variegated. To achieve this Good, all do and have to endeavour. The Government is the protector of the principal interests of the nation, not only material and intellectual but also moral and spiritual. Here the need for Yoga in national life comes into high relief. People should feel it. The Government should help it. The grace of the Almighty is on us. The unique feature of Yoga is that it is a method which overhauls all the sides of the human personality, and the pursuit of any aspect of it, fully and correctly, means a parallel advancement along all the other aspects, also. One should be able to fulfil the demands of the conditions to which one’s individuality is subject, by resort to the transempirical reality underlying the individuality. The Yoga par excellence is he who, ever united with the Eternal Being within, lives as a normal person, working in the world for the good of all, guiding others without disturbing their faith. It means to learn to be friendly with the universe, not to try to conquer it as if it is one’s enemy. The relative should conform to the Absolute, though the relative is not the Absolute in the characteristics it manifests. It is supreme obedience to law, by love. ATTUNEMENT With the equipment of this inner enlightenment, the aspirant may seek to tread the path of Yoga in any vocation of life. Every act then becomes a necessary expression of the impulse to see and serve the Virat in all beings. All actions turn into an adoration of God with love that inundates the heart of the devotee. Every category of the universe, every item of experience, every mode of consciousness becomes a divine worship and a sport of the Infinite. The beauty here is that one attunes oneself to the Infinite at every stage of life, even at the most fundamental step, with the powers given at that particular level. The one condition however, is that there should be a thorough abandonment of the lower appetites, and of vanity and conceit. None who hugs delusions and worships flesh and mammon, none who is not humbled before the wonder of the vision beatific in the form of this creation, none who believes that this is exclusively one and that is another, can hope to achieve success in Yoga. Yoga, to us, is the life that anyone has to lead, only with the knowledge as to what it is, and its relations to the universe really are. Sri Swami Atmaswarupananda Although Gurudev was very orthodox in following rituals and religious festivals, like all great men he lived by his own way of seeing things. And like all those who see clearly, who see the essence of things, it naturally put him in conflict with some of the ideas of his time. His concept of selfless service, especially, opened up new vistas, opened new ground. The traditional idea of selfless service in the spiritual life is that it is a preliminary yoga for purification of the mind. And Gurudev would certainly agree that it is a tremendous purifier. Of course, it has to be true selfless service. Just because we're not being paid for our service, doesn’t automatically mean that it is selfless service. Selfless service means that there is nothing in it for us whatsoever. Gurudev demonstrated the way. He was never concerned about his position, only how well he could serve. So selfless service means not only that we do not receive monetary benefits in the normal way, but we don’t seek prestige, we don’t seek to rule over others. Rather, if we’re in a position of authority, we see how well we can serve those that are under us. Our concern is for others, not ourselves. This will help to purify us of that which we need to be purified of, our ego. However, in addition to selfless service being a great purifier, Gurudev and Pujya Swami Chidanandaji took it much further. While some consider Chapter eleven to be the climax of the Gita, Pujya Swamiji always points to the end of the Gita when Arjuna says, “I have recovered my memory. I will do as you say.” In other words, Arjuna had realised that his “I” and the Divine “I” were one—he had recovered his memory. But then, that didn’t mean he just sat back and rested; rather, having recovered his memory he was in a better position to serve, to do the Divine will. As human beings we were created to be active. However, that activity was not meant to be self-serving, but rather to be in service of the Divine. So selfless service means that we stop serving ourselves and instead serve the Divine, obey the Divine. The final purpose of God-realisation is that we do it automatically because we’re established in the Divine; therefore we naturally and spontaneously express the Divine will. One way, therefore, of looking at our spiritual life is that it is selfless service in the beginning, selfless service in the middle and selfless service at the end. God can truly express himself on earth only through His image, the human being. We were made in the image of God to express God on earth, not for any individual purpose. Individual purpose is ego. Our purpose is to recover our memory and do God’s will. Swami Sivapremananda The Sanskrit root of the word ‘karma’ or that which creates or accomplishes. Karta is one who acts. Karya is work or deed. Kartavya is duty. Swartha karma is selfish deed: swa, oneself, artha interest. Purushartha karma is spiritual deed: purusha, spirit. There are three kinds of karma. Sanchita karma, or accumulated actions over the past several lives, which have not been worked out. They form the genetical tendencies, and influence current actions. The portion of the sanchita karma not borne out forms the basis of the prarabdha karma, the cause of the present life. The philosophy of karma cannot be delinked from previous and future births. It seeks to explain the unfairness of life, such as the wicked having a good luck, and the virtuous running through a series of bad situations, in the sense of bearing out the consequences of past actions that were not realised in the previous life itself. Normally the current actions are worked out by their consequences soon enough. The portion not worked out, together with the remaining sanchita karma, keep forming the prarabdha karma, which is supposed to cause the next birth. The philosophy of Vedanta observes that avidya, or the ignorance of one’s identity with Brahman or God or the supreme spirit, causes sanchita karma. Ahamkara, or ego-consciousness or self-importance, causes the bondage inherent in present actions. Avidya is based in the unconscious, antar-chitta. Ahamkara functions through the conscious mind, manas, with roots in the subconscious, vahirchitta and the unconscious. The conscious aspect of the mind evaluates and decides to act, causing experience and seeds of consequence, which would cause the agami or future actions. Karma is Alterable The word ‘karma’ is mistakenly but generally regarded as fate, over which one has no control, and that it is unalterable. The simple fact is that one’s karma is a consequence of meeting the prarabdha karma with kriyamana karma, a result of the past trying to resolve through purushartha or self-effort. Self-effort with spiritual inspiration is not only a responsibility but a primary duty. Artha is interest, in purusha or in one’s higher self, or spiritual values to serve as guidelines for actions. Blind acceptance of fate is contrary to having been evolved as human beings. An animal expresses its existence through instincts. On the human level, life is worked out by discernment, motivation and engagement. Karma is worked out by the quality of human nature, which is related to the senses. A scriptural observation is that the control of the organ of smell is to control the prithvi tattwa, the palate and tongue the apas, the sight the agni, the touch the vayu, and the hearing the akasha tattwa. Although such explanation seeks to relate human nature with the nature around, to claim that the elements can be controlled is preposterous. There are many fantasies about transmigration to swarga-loka or a heavenly plane, to narka or hell, but for temporary sojourn only, including in the Brahma-loka, or the plane of the creator, not to be confused with Brahman or the formless supreme being, or Paramatman in which the jivatman or the individual soul is ultimately destined to merge. However, for most Hindu’s a desirable life after death means an immortal existence with God in a heavenly abode, and in eternal happiness. For the non-believer, death means extinction of the soul or the individuality of consciousness itself, along with the body and mind. The philosophy of karma plays a significant role in the traditional Japanese and Chinese thinking, and also in the countries where Buddhism influenced indigenous cultures. Non-attachment Attachment is related to the physical body, and that which sustains and gives it security. It is the cause of bondage through dependence. As action is inevitable as long as one lives, Indian philosophy insists on non-attachment, or non-dependence on objects and individuals, so as not to be affected by the results of action. It does not mean indifference in doing action, for without being mindful of the result one cannot learn to improve action. The saying in the Bhagvad Gita: Ashahi paramam dukham, nairashyai paramam sukham (expectation causes supreme sorrow, non-expectation supreme happiness) is hyperbolic and, therefore, false. Only stupid expectation causes disappointment, not ‘supreme sorrow’. Non-expectation by itself cannot cause ‘supreme happiness’. The philosophy of karma is best practised by the teachings of the eighth-century Indian philosopher Shankaracharaya in his work Vivekachudamani. There he speaks of four disciplines (sadhana-chatushthaya): 1. Viveka or knowledge through discernment, 2. Vairagya or dispassion, 3. Shat-sampatti or sixfold wealth, and 4. Mumukshuttwa or a keen longing for liberation. The sixfold wealth are : 1. Shama, serenity, 2.Dama, self-discipline, 3. Titiksha, endurance, 4. Uparati, non-attachment, 5. Shraddha, faith, and 6. Samadhana, inner equilibrium. Ancient Indian tradition allows the student of scriptures to disagree with any teaching therein, and not to accept all that is said, but only after careful discernment, with humility of spirit, and as a result of personal experiment and experience. The vanity in an atheist demolishes him as a student, whereas sincerity in him makes him a seeker of truth.
MONTHLY LETTER OF PRESIDENT SWAMIJI MAHARAJ PRESIDENT SWAMIJI WRITES To the Readers of the D. L. Magazine and the Members of the D.L. Society. Radiant Immortal Atman! May the Divine Grace of God Almighty and the choicest blessings of Worshipful and Beloved Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj shower upon you in abundance. May God and Gurudev grant you long life, continued good health, progress in your occupation and fullest success in all your undertakings and activities including your spiritual sadhana for the attainment of God-Realization, Enlightenment and Eternal Liberation. Most precious is human birth as it is the only form of life endowed with intelligence amongst the countless other forms of living beings who populate the Planet Earth which is our common home where we live together with millions and billions of other creatures like the submarine living beings under water, animals great and small that move about on earth and numerous forms of flying creatures including the swiftly soaring birds with feathers of innumerable colours and hues most breath-taking in their variety and beauty and their melodious bird song. Due to the power of intelligence man has become a pioneer in ever so many fields of human knowledge. This knowledge has enabled him to conquer external nature. By such conquest and scientific advancement a human being has excelled all creatures in their own element. As I have already mentioned in my previous letter in last month's Divine Life Magazine of January 2004, he has outdone the performances of the various types of living creatures that dwell on terra-firma. He flies in the air faster than the speed of the sound. He is able to move under the waters of the ocean with incredible speed in submarines. His normal automobiles and his racing cars move faster than any other creature. His satellites orbit the earth. His space station receives astronauts when they want an interval in their journey. However grand and astounding these achievements are in the visible world of the outer dimension, there is a subtle, invisible inner dimension where a conquest of our inner nature is called for. In this inner dimension of man's psyche the gross elements do not prevail. This is not a realm of earth, water, limitless air and the vast ether of space. This inner nature of man is made-up of thoughts, sentiments, emotions, memories, imaginations and the individual ego principle which asserts, "I am", I shall do this", "I possess so much of such-and-such commodity or quality, etc". This may be money, possessions, physical strength, beauty, status, official authority and the like. These may be well utilized or can be misused also. There is possibility of positive utilization of these factors or negative applications of the self-same factors. You must be awake and alert and see that the mind does not drag you into a negative utilization of these forces. The six hidden enemies of man are impure desire or passion, anger, avarice, delusion, arrogance and envy or jealousy. Conquest of these inner enemies and subjugation of their manifestations is more difficult yet more important than conquest of outer nature. Because, if they are allowed to conquer you and get the better of you, they will make you a puppet in their hands and enslave you permanently and turn you into a problem in social field in which you live and function day by day. This is most undesirable. In this garden of God which the world is, God has sent you to be a beautiful and fragrant Flower and not to be a pricking Thorn. If you address God as your Heavenly Father, then you must maintain the awareness that you are His son and hence you must be Divine in your nature because God is infinite Divinity. This implies all the sublime and noble qualities like kindness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, the spontaneous urge to help others in distress and go to the aid of those who are in a trouble. You must make yourself a centre of benefit to this entire creation of God. Exercising these noble qualities in your daily life will confront you with many challenges which you have to face and overcome. This requires both strength and courage. Bapuji Mahatma Gandhi had declared, "Ahimsa is a virtue of the strong. A weak person cannot practice real Ahimsa. It is better for him to confront an offender and retaliate. Because, in the case of a weak person non-retaliation may prove to be cowardice". Today India needs to adopt the gospel of Strength. The great Swami Vivekananda declared, "What awakened India needs today is Strength. The citizen of India needs the heart of a lion, nerves of steel, muscles of iron and a boldness and a courage that makes one ready to die in the service of one's Country. Self-sacrifice is the watchword of the new era. Be ready to sacrifice your life upon the altar of Humanity in its human welfare. Let all your actions in thought, word and deed flow like an unbroken stream of selfless service to all humanity as well as to all creatures". Our Most Honorable President of India, Rashtrapati Abdul Kalam met 10,000 young Indians, both boys as well as girls upon the eve of the recent Republic Day anniversary on Sunday 25th January evening and made these young folks to take 10 pledges in token of and proof of their love for their Motherland as well as their fellow citizens. He himself spoke the words of each pledge and made the 10,000 young Indians to follow him and repeat it part by part. It was really inspiring to note not only the President's great love for his Motherland but also his keen desire that all his fellow citizens of Bharatvarsha from Kannyakumari right up to Himalayas should also be lovers of their Motherland. It was a most edifying sight that roused up within our hearts the lofty sentiments of both the compositions Jana Gana Mana Adhi Nayaka as well as Vande Matram. The Most Honorable Rashtrapati's special interest in Young India or Yuva Bharati has deep significance because they constitute the India of tomorrow. They are Bhavishya Bharati. They are the citizens of tomorrow who will be in charge of the important affairs of the Nation, including the protection of its citizens as well as the defense of its borders in the coming generation. The Motherland looks up to them to be Her elite guard in every field of National activity. Boldness, fearlessness, strength, courage, daring, unhesitating and dauntless readiness to sacrifice everything to fulfill their mission shall characterize the Indians of tomorrow. In this mission may God bless them with full success. May each one be an inspiration to his/her neighbour. May all the Saints, Sages, Mystics and the Great Souls of India, both ancient as well as modern, shower their benedictions upon Bharatvarsha and make our Motherland the Leader of all other nations and may She be an inspiring ideal as an authentic Secular Socialistic Democracy. Peace be unto you! God bless you! Om Shanti! (Swami Chidananda) President NEWS FROM THE HEADQUARTERS REPORT ON THE SIXTH GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL 24 HOUR NON-STOP JAPA YAJNA OF THE SACRED MAHA MRITYUNJAYA MANTRA Om trayambakam yajaamahe sugandhim pushtivardhanam Uravaarukamiva bandhanaan mrityor muksheeya maamritaat We are very happy to report that the Sixth Global International 24 Hour Non-Stop Japa Yajna of the Sacred Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, coordinated from the Divine Life Society Headquarters, was conducted on Sunday, January 11, 2004, 0001 to Midnight New York time (EST). This japa yajna was offered for world peace and the spiritual upliftment of all mankind. In India, the timing for the japa yajna was from 10.30 A.M. January 11 to 10.30 A.M. January 12, 2004, IST. Opening prayers were conducted by senior Swamis in the Ashram for one hour ahead of time. The lamp was then lit by H.H. Sri Swami Jivanmuktanandaji Maharaj in the sacred Visvanatha Mandir where the japa yajna was held. Revered Sri Swami Vimalanandaji concluded the japa yajna at 10.30 A.M. January 12th 2004 (IST) with closing prayers, bhajan and kirtan. Over 2000 devotees from around the world and throughout India cam together to pray for the welfare of all mankind. In Orissa, Dunguripali, Khurselguda, Mahichala, Salipur, and Sambalpur Branches chanted the sacred mantra for 24 hours non-stop. In addition, The Divine Life Society, Chennai Branch, Tamil Nadu, Vivekananda Vidyapeeth, Andhra Pradesh and the Yoga Vidya Center, Bad Meinberg, Germany also chanted the sacred mantra for 24 hours non-stop. We are still receiving reports and photos from around the world, and hope to give news and pictures from various Branches and Centres etc. in the next issue. The Divine Life Society Headquarters fully upholds these global 24-hour non-stop Japa Yajnas, and is very grateful to all devotees and Branches who enthusiastically participated in this sacred Japa Yajna. The root cause of all fear, sorrow and suffering, religious intolerance, terrorism and was is ahamkara or ego, which separates us from God and our fellow human beings Coming together—to sincerely and earnestly pray for the welfare of all—not only benefits the world at large, but is a powerful weapon against our own selfishness and ego. Constant repetition of such prayer and the harbouring of positive thoughts towards all can bring about an inner transformation in the one who prays, so that one becomes a centre of peace and good-will that radiates to all beings. Chanting the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra will also be immensely beneficial to the participating individual devotee and can also finally grant liberation from the ego forever—which is the highest good that can be offered to all mankind. We therefore hope that all Branches and devotees will continue to fully participate in these global japa yajnas and make them a grand success. SEVA THROUGH SIVANANDA HOME Sivananda Home, situated near Laxman Jhula, is part of the D.L.S. Headquarters activity. It is a place of refuge and shelter for people in need of medical care, who have neither anybody to take care of them nor any place to go. Though more and more patients are admitted on long-term basis, the Home never intends to keep patients longer than necessary and always tries to see if any other arrangement can be made. Leprosy patients are referred from the Home to one of the leprosy Colonies, when their health permits, so that they can stay independently and at the same time make use of the medical facilities when the occasion demands. Inquiries were also made recently to refer destitute mentally challenged lady patients for permanent admission elsewhere. One does what one feels as necessary to be done, but ultimately He alone knows what is good and only His will prevails. The small 3-year-old boy, who was brought from around the Ashram area, abandoned and severely malnourished, improved rapidly and gained weight in full speed. He appeared to be amazingly intelligent, receptive for any new things and words to learn, kind to one and all and well behaved. Though the Home already started to inform several Gynaecologists in the District to see if any couple would like to adopt the child, nobody came forward, but lo and behold! the Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient One, the Indweller and Knower of all hearts, has His own ways, bringing the needy and the career together, the craving of this helpless child to be loved and cared for and a couple, praying to God since many years to bless them with a child. All of a sudden, from far off, a devoted childless couple came to know about this boy and immediately decided approved to take him for adoption. When permission from Ashram Authorities was granted, they even attended the Puja in the Holy Vishwanath Mandir for the welfare of the child. So this boy, to whom the name Krishna was given, got a new birth in this December month (2003), exactly 3 months after his admission in the Home. This reminds us of an incident in Gurudev’s life, narrated in “Swami Sivananda, Saint, Sage and Godman,” discourses by Sri Swami Chidananda, in which an unmarried and pregnant girl, about to commit suicide, is given permission to stay in the Ashram where she delivers a baby,--“There was a childless couple, great devotees and frequent visitors to the Ashram. When they came after this and came to see Gurudev, Gurudev sent someone to bring the child and said, “Oji! God has sent a child for you!” They happily adopted the child. The childless couple got a child and the child a family and protection.” (page 152) Can there be any doubt about His continuous and choicest blessings? “Feed the Hungry. Clothe the naked. Serve the sick. This is Divine Life.”—Swami Sivananda CHRISTMAS EVE The birth of Jesus was celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24th, in the beautifully decorated Library Hall of the Headquarters Ashram of the Divine Life Society at Shivanandanagar. After traditional opening prayers, exquisite classical recorded Christmas music from Bach, Mozart and other great composers was played. This year the theme of the annual Christmas/New Year Retreat, “Arise! Awake! True Spirituality Is Alive!” crept into the Christmas Eve programme. The live programme was introduced with the same gospel song sung on New Years Eve at the millennium conference in Mumbai—“I Woke Up this Morning with a Song in my Heart.” However, instead of singing “Praise, praise the Lord,” the chorus sang “Arise, awake, arise!” And when a few young ashramites found out the theme of the retreat, they also offered to sing a song in Hindi that Parama Pujya Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj likes very much, which tells us to arise and awake from our slumber! Interspersed with both sacred and joyful music, several Swamijis did short readings from Sri Gurudev and from both Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj and Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj on the deep significance of the birth of Jesus. Christmas carols from Holland, Italy and Germany were offered with devotion, and this year for the first time a printed copy of the English carols was given to the audience so that they could join in with the choir. The atmosphere was filled with the holy presence of Christ. Just after the annual candlelight procession singing Silent Night, the evening was capped off with Parama Pujya Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj’s presence for the last hour. Swamiji spoke about the incidents around the birth of Jesus, but started by asking Swami Atmaswarupanandaji to read his few words of greeting from a beautiful large Christmas card he brought. In the card Swamiji said, “Greetings and very special Christmas Goodwishes for all our beloved visitors who are in Holy Master’s SIVANANDA ASHRAM for this sacred occasion of the Birthday Anniversary of JESUS, the son of Mother Mary and Joseph.” Swamiji signed it, “Swami Chidananda, a servant of JESUS.” The worship was concluded after midnight with closing prayers, arati and distribution of sacred prasad. 2003 THE CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR RETREAT FOR DEVOTEES FROM ABROAD The eighth annual Christmas Retreat for devotees from abroad was held between December 26th and January 1st. Participants gathered together for an orientation meeting on Christmas day. After they were welcomed, the theme of the Retreat, “Arise! Awake! True Spirituality is Alive!” was presented. This is the third year the Retreat has had a theme. Both participants and speakers alike find having a theme helps keep them focused as well as challenged. Participants gathered in the sacred Samadhi Hall early morning every day for the regular meditation period. Optional Hatha Yoga was next offered. During the forenoon session two talks were given in the Library Hall. The theme was introduced the first day by H.H. Swami Nirliptanandaji Maharaj. Other speakers included H.H. Swami Premanandaji Maharaj, H.H. Swami Jivanmuktanandaji Maharaj, Swami Atmaswarupanandaji, Swami Padmanabhananadaji, Swami Muktanandaji, Swami Amritarupananda Mataji, Sri Hariharsubramanianji and Sri Alan Neachellji. All the talks were very inspiring and to the point. One participant said that gradually during the week the words of the theme became absolutely alive to her. The talks were also well attended by many ashramites and guests. In the evening there was one hour silent meditation. Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj was a wonderful host at Night Satsang and gave the first talk Christmas night. Swamiji introduced the guest speakers who included Swami Chidananda Ramanaryananda Mataji, Sri Narayana Keikensji, Sri Scott Morrowji, and Swami Suryadevanandaji. The Audiovisual Department presented a wonderful documentary about Gurudev on the last night. On January 1st, H.H Swami Nirliptanandaji Maharaj gave the participants a moving farewell and then presented each one individually with jnana prasad. BOOK—REVIEW “THE EXPERIENCE OF NOTHINGNESS — Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj’s Talks on Realising the Infinite Edited by Robert Powell, Ph.D.--Published by Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi; 2003; I.S.B.N. 81-208-1950.0; Code 19500; Pages 167; Price Rs. 175/- Great Masters who impart the knowledge of the Self are generally placed under two groups. The vast majority of the Masters while imparting knowledge of the Self equip the students with sufficient theories and arguments to help them to understand the subject thoroughly, refuting other concepts which go against their philosophy. Unlike this, a select few Masters adopt direct exposition of the Ultimate Reality rejecting all other theories as non-essentials. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj is one among the very few Masters of our time who preferred to instruct the students directly in his philosophy: “At the highest level, in reality, nothing is.” “The Experience of Nothingness” comprises the dialogues between Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Visitors. Maharaj has in his inimitable style answered the various questions directed at him by the Visitors. Maharaj explains the ultimate non-dual Reality through negation of all that is tangible and finite, including the body and mind of the seeker. Maharaj’s words emanate not from the ordinary conscious level, but from the level of intuition and direct experience through Self-realisation. Therefore, as Maharaj has rightly said, in order to understand the language the Jnani speaks, one should have constant and consistent association with Jnanis and should contemplate again and again. This is an excellent book for the advanced aspirants with keen thirst for Self-knowledge. —DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY REPORTS FROM THE D.L.S. BRANCHES Barbil (Orissa) During November 2003, the Branch held Satsanga on all Thursdays and Mondays. Sivananda Charitable Homoeopathy Dispensary gave treatment to 550 patients during the month. Bargarh (Orissa) The main activities of the Branch were: 1) The weekly Satsanga on Saturdays, 2) Sadhana Day, 3) Yoga Vidyalaya, 4) Charitable Homoeopathy Dispensary and 5) The monthly bulletin ‘Divya Vani’. Bellary (Karnataka) The Branch conducted twice-a-day Puja. The weekly Satsanga on Sundays included Paduka Puja and Swadhyaya also. A special Satsanga and Narayana Seva at the Leprosy Colony were organised on the Mahasamadhi Day of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj. Bhilai Nagar (Chhattisgarh) The monthly Satsanga of the Branch became a special function as Paduka Puja was performed with great enthusiasm of the newly obtained Padukas. The Matri-Satsanga included recitation of Sri Lalita-Sahasranama Stotram on Fridays, Hanuman Chalisa on Tuesdays, and on Ekadasis Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama and the Bhagvad Gita on Ekadasis. Bhimkand (Orissa) In addition to the daily Paduka Puja in the morning and Satsanga in the evening, the Branch conducted the weekly Satsanga on Sundays and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra Japa on Sankranti Day. Bhongir (A.P.) Besides the regular Satsanga and Puja at the Branch temple, the Branch held daily Satsanga and recitation of Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama Stotram at another temple. On the Mahasamadhi anniversary of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, a discourse was arranged on his life and teachings in the special Satsanga on this occasion. Bikaner (Rajasthan) The Branch conducted twice-a-day Puja and daily Satsanga-cum-Swadhyaya. The monthly Matri-Satsanga, a special mobile satsanga with recitation of Sundarakanda and a Yajna with Mahamrityunjaya Mantra on 24th were the other programmes. Social service was continued through Chidananda Homoeopathy Clinic, Chidananda Education Aid Fund and Sivananda Library. An orthopedic surgery on a child was sponsored by the Branch. Daily class of Yogasana-Pranayama was continued. Dharamgarh (Orissa) The Branch conducted daily Puja in the temple, Paduka Puja on Sundays and the weekly Satsanga on Thursdays. It organised a special Satsanga on the Mahasamadhi day of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, and also a free medical check-up camp on the following day. Gandhinagar (Gujarat) There was Satsanga on 8th and 24th November. In addition to the daily Yogasana class and regular monthly Yogasana training from 1st to 10th, a training camp for ladies from 11th to 18th November and a special training camp from 21st to 30th November were also organised. Gaudgan (Orissa) The Branch held the weekly Satsanga on Thursdays regularly. The month-long special spiritual programmes from 10th October to 9th November of discourses on Srimad Bhagavatam by Revered Swami Tyagaswarupanandaji and Revered Swami Ramapremanandaji and also recitation of Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama Stotram and Bhagavad Gita, Paduka Puja and group chanting, Kirtan, etc., daily were attended by local devotees as well as devotees from surrounding villages in a large number. Gumergunda (Chhattisgarh) The Branch continued its regular activities of a) 3-time Puja, b) morning prayers, c) daily Yogasana class, d) daily Satsanga, e) Paduka Puja on Thursdays, and f) group recitation of Sri Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarakanda on Saturdays. The Branch coordinates and guides 15 Satsanga centres conducting daily Satsanga and many centres holding periodical Satsanga regularly in different villages of this backward region as well as a Branch at Ghatpadampur in Jagadalpur. In this newly opened Branch, the regular activities are a) daily Puja, b) morning prayer-meditation, c) daily evening Satsanga, d) Paduka Puja on Thursdays, and e) recitation of Sri Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarakanda. This new Branch has also started a Gurukul providing accommodation to ten students. Jaipur (Rajasthan) The regular activities of the Branch were 1) daily morning Swadhyaya of Siva Purana, 2) daily Swadhyaya of Sukhasagar in the afternoon, 3) Satsanga-cum-Swadhyaya in the evening and four times a week, 4) the weekly Satsanga on Sundays, 5) Matri-Satsanga on Mondays, 6) recitation of Sundarakanda and Sri Hanuman Chalisa on Saturdays, 7) Mahamantra Sankirtan on Tuesdays, 8) Mahamrityunjaya Japa on Thursdays, 9) Swami Sivananda Homoeopathy Clinic which examined 1492 patients during the month, 10) daily Yogasana class by Smt. Sarala Singhavi, 11) Financial support to poor widows and students, 12) Distribution of food to about 300 destitutes daily, 13) Supply of dry ration to a leprosy colony, and 14) Swami Sivananda Library. In addition, the following activities were organised during this month: 1) Sadhana week from 31st October to 6th November under H.H. Sri Swami Premanandaji Maharaj. The daily programmes were morning meditation, evening Satsanga and discourse. 2) Yogasana camp of Revered Swami Dharmanishthananadaji during which there was a morning session of Yogasana training and an evening session of Pranayama and meditation. 3) A discourse by Revered Swami Bhagavatanandaji. 4) Akhanda recitation of Ramayana on 5th and 6th November. 5) Three mobile Matri-Satsangas and recitation of Sundarakanda. Kantabanji (Orissa) The weekly Satsanga of the Branch included Swadhyaya, Pranayama and also Meditation. Kasibugga (A.P.) The Branch conducts daily Prabhat Pheri in the morning and recitation of various Stotras in the evening. It held the weekly Satsanga on Saturdays and mobile Satsangas at the residence of devotees on Thursdays. The monthly programme of Sivananda Day was on the 8th. Food was distributed to about 100 poor persons on every Saturday. Kurnool (A.P.) The daily Satsanga of the Branch included recitation, a talk, Swadhyaya and meditation, and the weekly Satsanga a discourse on the Bhagvad Gita and Swadhyaya. Paduka Puja was done on Thursdays and 8th November. Nagpur (Maharashtra) The Branch organised a special Satsanga on 29th November on the visit of Revered Swami Premanandaji of Ganeshpur and a mobile Satsanga on the next day. Nalgonda (A.P.) The Branch conducted weekly Satsanga with Swadhyaya of Srimad Bhagavatam. On the Mahasamadhi day of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, a special Satsanga, and distribution of fruits and biscuits to in-patients of the Government Hospital and to the poor, were organised. Nandini Nagar (Chhattisgarh) The weekly Satsanga of the Branch included recitation of Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama Stotram, Sri Hanuman Chalisa, etc. Akhanda Kirtan of Mahamantra was done for six hours on 3rd November. The Mahila Manas Mandali, Ahiwara recited Ramayana for two hours on 8th November. On 23rd November, the Foundation Day of the Branch a Havan was performed and clothes were distributed to the poor. Another Havan was organised on the 27th also. New Delhi, Lajpat Nagar The Branch held a meditation session on five days every week and the weekly Satsanga which included group recitation of Sundarakanda, Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama Stotram, Srimad Bhagavad Gita on the first three Sundays and Paduka Puja on the 4th and Mahamantra Sankirtan on the last Sunday. Nimapara (Orissa) Daily Mahamantra Sankirtan was conducted by the Branch for one hour, weekly Satsanga on Thursdays and mobile Satsanga on Sundays. Four special Satsangas were organised in different villages on 3rd, 12th, 26th and 27th November. During the 6-day spiritual session from 3rd to 8th November recitation of Srimad Bhagavatam and other spiritual programmes were carried out. The monthly Sadhana day was held on 30th November. Ningthoukhong (Manipur) The Branch conducted Paduka Puja and the Bhagavad Gita Swadhyaya daily, and on Sundays children’s Satsanga in the afternoons and the weekly Satsanga in the evening. The month-long daily door-to-door Satsanga continued till 9th November as scheduled. A special concluding function arranged on 30th November was attended by Revered Swami Gurugovindanandaji and delegates from most of the Branches of Manipur State. Panchkula (Haryana) The Branch had daily Swadhyaya of Viveka Chudamani, and weekly mobile Satsanga at the residence of devotees. Rajkot (Gujarat) In addition to the daily Satsanga, the Branch held weekly Satsangas in three different localities on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Two public discourses were also arranged. Free eye check-up camps were organised in two villages on 4th and 22nd November. Homoeopathy Clinic was continued. 150 electronic wall clocks having pictures of Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and H.H. Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj were given free to the members. Rourkela (Orissa) The Branch conducted twice-a-day Puja in Viswanath temple and Paduka Puja on Thursdays, and on 8th, 24th and 25th November. It held the weekly Satsanga on Thursdays and also four mobile Satsangas at the residence of devotees on Sundays. A Sadhana day was organised on Gopashtami, the Punyatithi of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj and food was distributed to the students of the Blind School. On the occasion of Kartik Purnima collective Japa of Siva Mantra was done on the previous evening, and 3-hour Japa of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra on Purnima. Free medical service was provided on Sundays. During the monthly visit to the Blind School free medical service, thorough check-up of eyes, Satsanga and food distribution were organised. Rourkela, Fertilizer Township (Orissa) The weekly Satsanga of the Branch was on Sundays. A special Puja with Vishnu-Sahasranama Archana was performed on 30th November. Besides the daily morning class at the Branch, daily Yogasana-Pranayama class is run at another centre, and for three and two days of the week at two other centres. Salipur (Orissa) The Branch conducted 2-time Puja daily, and Paduka Puja on Thursdays. In the 3-hour weekly Satsanga, Swadhyaya was also done regularly. Spiritual programmes were arranged in two sessions on the 8th as Sivananda Day. The monthly mobile Sadhana Day held on 23rd November included Akhanda Kirtan of Mahamantra for eight hours. The monthly programme of Bhagavad Gita recitation was on 2nd November. Homoeopathy Clinic treated 283 patients free. Sambalpur (Orissa) The Branch carried on daily Puja in Viswanath temple. It held a mobile Satsanga and a special Satsanga during the month. Narayana Seva was done on Mondays. Sivananda Charitable Dispensary gave free medicines to 492 patients. South Balanda (Orissa) The Branch held the weekly Satsanga on Fridays and Matri-Satsanga on Sundays. It organised a Bhagavat Saptah from 2nd November which concluded on 8th November in presence of an audience of 1500 devotees. On the Sankranti day, Mahamrityunjaya Japa was done for three hours. Sunabeda (Orissa) The Branch continued the daily Ramayana Swadhyaya and Satsanga. It held Satsangas on Thursdays and Sundays and Satsanga of the Ladies Section on Wednesdays and Saturdays. On Gopashtami, the Punyatithi of H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj was observed with various spiritual programmes including recitation of Bhagavad Gita, Sri Vishnu-Sahasranama, Sri Gopala-Sahasranama, etc. The Ladies Branch, other spiritual institutions and many others also joined the 24-hour Akhanda Kirtan of Mahamantra on Kartik Purnima. Yogasana-Pranayama class held in two batches was continued. In Sivananda Charitable Dispensary and medical camps on Sundays, more than 700 patients were treated during the month. Trivandrum (Kerala) The Branch organised devotional music programme on the 24th and Satsanga and discourses by Revered Swami Padmanabhanandaji on 25th and 26th November. Vadodra (Gujarat) The Branch had discourses on Brahma Sutras by Maha Mandaleswar Sri Swami Vidyananda Giriji Maharaj of Kailash Ashram, Rishikesh on 8th and 9th and also discourses by other speakers on 13th, 20th and 27th November. In the monthly programmes of Mahamantra day on 3rd, Sivananda day on 8th and Chidananda day on 24th, Japa of Mahamantra, of ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya’ Mantra and of Mahamrityunjaya Mantra was done. Biscuits and fruits were also distributed to in-patients of a hospital on 24th November. The Branch continued the Homoeopathy Dispensary on four days a week, Ayurveda Dispensary on other two days, and acupressure twice a week. OVERSEAS BRANCHES Bristol (U.K.) The Branch organised the monthly programme of Satsanga and meditation on 15th November. SPECIAL REPORT SPIRITUAL CONFERENCE, CHENNAI The Divine Life Society, Annanagar, Chennai, organised the fourth spiritual and cultural conference on the theme, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ on 2nd October, 2004, Gandhi Jayanti, in Adi Shankara Auditorium with day-long programmes. After morning prayers, 60 trainees demonstrated 60 Yogasnas. Delegates from five Branches garlanded the statue of Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and Sri Suryachandranandaji, the President of the Annanagar Branch spoke on Gurudev’s inspiring life. A pictorial exhibition on the Divine Life movement was opened. Then, a procession with Gurudev’s portrait and Paduka was taken out. After Paduka Puja Smt. Saraswathi Ramachandran rendered 108 tributes in Sanskrit composed by her. Three speakers gave discourses on, ‘Tat Tvam Asi’. The top rankers and four blind participants of Yogasana course were administered the ‘Divine pledge of 20 dictums’ and were honoured with shawl and sacred Japa Maala. Then followed the discourses on Divinity and Unity of Humanity and Universal Peace. Revered Swamini Gambheeranandaji of Satyananda Ashram and Rev. Father Jose Karipadam spoke giving anecdotes from the life of Gurudev and St. Paul respectively and their spirit of service and sacrifice. The Chief Guest Sri V.R. Laxminarayana (Retd. D.G.P.) emphasised on the values and virtues in Indian tradition, and the principles and practices of the Divine Life Society. The Conference concluded after devotional music, dance and drama by various Branches and a music concert by Christian Sisters. |
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