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Dissemination of Knowledge

By
Sri Swami Sivananda

There is no Yoga greater than dissemination of spiritual knowledge. Even the gift of this whole earth is nothing when compared to the gift of dissemination of spiritual knowledge, because the latter eradicates ignorance and illusion, the root-cause of human sufferings.

Dissemination of Brahma Vidya (spiritual knowledge) is the highest form of Yajna (sacrifice). This is the highest form of charity (Dana). It is the highest Karma. It is the highest form of Yoga. Even if one thirsty soul is elevated and stirred, your work is over. You have justified your existence.

Acquire the knowledge of the Self and distribute this Atma Vidya to others. Vidya Dana is the highest help which one can render to another. Relief work is social scavengering. You cannot remove the evil of the world completely. It will break out like carbuncle or rheumatism or syphilitic ulcers in some form or another.

Seclusion, meditation—a life of peace and spiritual splendour is far superior to a life of social activities. What is the cause of human suffering? Avidya or ignorance. If you give food, clothing, medicine, etc., and other comforts to a man, there is no complete satisfaction for him. Again the same craving manifests. If one can help another in the removal of ignorance, then all miseries will come to an end.

Live intelligently. Study the Upanishads thoroughly. Meditate regularly. Come out of the dungeon of ignorance. Bask in the glorious sunshine of knowledge of Brahman. Share this knowledge with others.

To get Self-realisation and to help others in Self-realisation is the greatest service to mankind which one can do. Building hospitals, Dharmasalas (rest-houses), choultries (guest-houses), temples, tanks, gardens, is nothing when compared with the previous help. People do such kind of charities out of egoism for their own self-glorification.

Form at once a Prem Sabha or Yogic Society or Hari Kirtan Mandal amongst your friends in your own place. Have some common meditation in the morning and evening for half an hour. Assemble together and study regularly some philosophical books, Ramayana, Bhagavatam, Gita, Upanishads, Vivekachudamani, Yoga Vasishtha, etc. Have philosophical discussions. Start Likhita Japa. In the morning assemble together and practise Asanas, Pranayama and physical exercises. At night assemble together and do some Hari Nam Kirtan for one hour.

The members can nicely prepare some lectures in English and local vernacular language and read before the Sunday public meeting. The mother gives a sugar-coated tablet to her boy when he refuses to drink quinine mixture. Even so, sages and saints give spiritual instructions to the people in the form of songs, stories and Drishtantas (illustrations). Abstract metaphysics or high philosophy does not appeal to them. English philosophical songs are suitable particularly for the modern English educated people.

O sweet Ram, you can do your individual Sadhana at home in the early morning between 4 and 5, but you should not ignore the collective Sadhana by conducting common meditation and Gita classes with your friends and neighbours in a temple. The latter is more important. Collective Sadhana also is for one’s own growth.

Quest for Peace

By
Sri Swami Chidananda

We talk constantly about peace—it is one of the most popular topics of discussion in the world today. Peace between nations, peace in our societies, peace in our schools, peace in our families, peace within ourselves. Yet, although billions of dollars and millions of hours are spent each year on think tanks, brainstorming sessions and international conferences, this much-desired peace continues to elude us.

What is the secret of finding this elusive treasure? Let us discuss it. Because without peace both inner and outer—all is meaningless. We can spend millions of dollars building posh downtown centres in our cities, but if we are at war with another country, they will bomb that centre to ashes in a second. We can spend thousands of dollars building beautiful homes, but if our neighbourhood is our enemy, our windows will be smashed and our new lawns destroyed. We can work hard and successfully at our jobs, but if we come home to turmoil in the house, there is no joy in the success obtained at work that day, for there is no one with whom to share. We can devote ourselves to obtaining high education, top credentials and a beautiful figure. However, if we are miserable inside, no outer achievement will ever pacify us.

Recently in Chicago a woman came to see me. She told that she was stressed and tense. She said that in order to sleep at night she took a pill called calmpose. I told her that she did not need to take calmpose. "Just calm you pose", I said "And you will sleep beautifully at night and be peaceful all day." If we are peaceful inside, humble inside, then nothing outside can ruffle us. So, the first message today is, calm your pose and you will never need to take calmpose.

The obstacles and the solution are buried in this statement. Listen: I want peace. What do we have? An ‘I’, a ‘want’ and a ‘peace’. If you remove the ‘I’ and the ‘want’, what is left out? Peace. You do not have to look for peace, find peace or create peace. All you have to do is remove the ‘I’ and remove the ‘want’ and peace stands there in its full glory for the entire world to imbibe. It is the ‘I’ and the ‘want’ which obscure this treasure from our view.

So, how to remove these? First let’s talk about the ‘I’. ‘I’ is one of the greatest obstacles to peace. ‘I’ is our ego. ‘I’ is our sense of ownership, doership and pride. This ‘I’ says, "I want to be in the centre." Isn’t it true? We always want to be the ones getting the glory, the appreciation, the prestige. Even when we don’t do anything still we want to be appreciated. That is our downfall.

We are so proud, this ‘I’ is so proud. It thinks, "Oh, I am so successful. I am so good." But the truth is that we only go to work; God works. We can do nothing without His grace. One minute we are at our desks, acting like king of the world. The next minute, one nerve, just one microscopic nerve in our brain fails and we can no longer speak or write. One small blockage in one tiny blood vessel and we cannot even go to the bathroom by ourselves. We must be fed and taken care of for the rest of our lives.

So, what to be proud of? He works. We just go to work. As soon as we realise this, then we can take our little ‘I’ and merge it in the big ‘I’, the universal ‘I’, the divine ‘I’. Then we surrender our lives and our every action to Him. Then we say, "God, let my tiny drop of water merge with your great ocean. Let me be a tool for Your will and Your work."

It is through this selfless surrender to Him, that the pain of the ‘I’ is removed and with that all our troubles and unrest disappear.

Remember, we said "I want peace". ‘I’ and ‘want’ are the barriers of peace. If you remove them, then there is nothing left but peace. So, first we merge this individual, obstructing ‘I’ with the divine ‘I’, the universal ‘I’ and in doing so we become free of the pride, ego and tension which block our attainment of peace.

Then, we remove the ‘want’, our wants, our perceived needs, our desires. What obstacles these are to peace? The more we have, the more we want. People always think that if they attain something more, whether it’s more money, a better job, a degree, a good husband, then they will be happy.

It is not the having or not having that is the issue. The issue is the wanting, the yearning and the expecting. These external things never bring any lasting happiness.

We must give more and want less. Then, we will know true joy and peace.

Peace comes through prayer. It doesn’t matter what name you use for God or what language you pray in. You can pray to Allah in Arabic, or you can pray to Jesus in English, or you can pray to Adonai in Hebrew, or you can pray to Lord Buddha in Japanese, or you can pray to Lord Krsna in Sanskrit. It doesn’t matter what name or form you use. It doesn’t matter what language you pray in. Just pray. And then you will see the magic. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is devotion. The fruit of devotion is service. The fruit of service is peace.

Through this—prayer, faith, love, devotion and service—we will all, inevitably attain that sought-after state of inner peace. Then, when we are at peace inside, that harmony will radiate out to all those around us, bringing peace to our relations, peace to our communities, peace to our nations and finally peace to the world.

Today, for quick travel, the material world presents us the Railway, Steamers, Aeroplanes
and so forth, but the Yogins claim that by Yogic culture the weight of the body can be so reduced
that it can fly over the space to any distance in an instant. They can prepare a magic ointment, which
when applied to the soles of the feet, gives them power to traverse any distance on earth within a
very short time. By the practice of Khechari Mudra, by applying the elongated tongue to the
posterior nasal openings they can fly in the air. By keeping a magic pill in their mouth they can also
move in space to any place in the twinkling of an eye. When we are anxious to know the welfare of
our own relations in a distant or foreign land, we take recourse to writing letters sending ordinary or
urgent cables. But the Yogins claim that they can, by meditation (Dyana), know anything that
happens in other parts of the world by a projection of the mind or by mentally travelling the distance
which is only a matter of few seconds. Yogi Lahiri, whose Samadhi is still in Varanasi, travelled to
London to see the state of health of his superior’s wife. For hearing a friend at a long distance the
material world presents us with telephones and wireless receivers, but the Yogins claim that
through their Yogic power, they can hear anything, from any distance, even the voices of God and
other invisible beings in the firmament. Today when a man is suffering from a disease the material
world presents us with doctors, medicines, injections and so forth, but the Yogins claim that by a mere glance or by simple touch or by recitation of Mantras, not only the diseases can be cured but also life can be given to a dead man.

By Swami Sivananda

Living in the Present

By
Sri N. Ananthanarayanan

A very distinguished Indian, now no more, had once gone to London to attend a Royal function. On his return to India, while narrating his experiences to friends, he is said to have remarked: "Ar-rhey! They say, ‘Queen! Queen! Queen!’. What man! The queen is just like any other woman". Even so, everyone says, "New Year! New Year! New Year!". What New Year?! It is like every other year. For that matter, why only the new year? Each fresh month is a new month. Each week, each day, each hour, when it is born, is new too. Why, each fresh moment is a new moment. Live every moment fully and well. Live in the present.

Time is but a concept. Past, present and future are but man-made notions, concepts of convenience invented by man for the purpose of Vyavahara or worldly dealings. There is no past apart from the present. Dead present becomes the past, though in common usage we refer to the dead past. The past is never dead. It is the present which, when it dies, becomes the past like man who, when he dies, becomes a corpse. Likewise, the future too has no existence apart from the present. The future is only the yet-to-be-born present. The future is only the present in embryo. The truth of the matter is: there is present only. Present is life. Present is existence. Present is consciousness.

Many waste their time endlessly brooding over the past and day-dreaming about the future. And in the process they miss the present. How sad! Thinking over past mistakes, you lose the joy of the present as well. Building castles in the air about the future—castles which may never materialise—you let go God-given opportunities for living a rich life in the present.

Squeeze the maximum out of your life by living in the present, by living each moment. Face the present boldly with faith in God and courage in your heart. Squeeze the maximum out of each moment by living it. Get the maximum essence out of life by living concentratedly each God-given moment. Have you ever seen little boys sucking the pulp and juice out of a ripe mango? They will not leave a grain of pulp or a drop of juice. Such should be your effort in drawing the maximum blessings out of each moment of your earthly existence.

The present is there with you now. The same cannot be said about the future. You may or may not be. Even if you continue to be alive, you may not be healthy in the future. You may lose a limb or two in some accident, or go blind, or go deaf. Who knows? God forbid but who knows? Is it not prudence, then, that when God has given you a healthy body, an intelligent mind and all comforts, you should utilise time well, not just well but most profitably, in a manner beneficial to yourself as well as to those around you?

The man who declared, "Give me health and a day and I shall make the pomp of emperors ridiculous" apparently knew very well the secret of living in the present. Living in the present implies having your priorities in proper order and tackling the foremost items with all the resources at your disposal, throwing yourself body, mind and soul into the task on hand, forgetting the past and the future.

Little children always live in the present. No matter what they may be doing, their entire attention is on that. They may be eating or they may be playing; they may be watching a ladybird with intense curiosity or they may be chasing a dog lustily—they are totally involved. They are intensely intertwined with life in the present. Little children forget the past and ignore the future. Can we not live like little children?

You are out on a walk and the scenery is breathtaking. The air is crisp and clear. The sky is blue with not a speck of cloud or mist or haze. The birds are calling, chirping, twittering. The trees, the hills—all is green and fine. Enjoy it all—now where you are—instead of planning for the future and dreaming about the dead past. Give yourself over to the sights and sounds. Breathe in the fresh mountain air consciously. Bask in the sun’s rays. Get attuned to the bird’s songs and soak yourself in nature. Forget the rest. Just forget. That is living in the present.

You are lightly asleep. The Satsang music on the loudspeaker wakes you up:

"Sri Krishna Govinda Hare Murare,
Hey Natha Narayana Vasudeva!"

The Nama Sankirtan is sweet, inspiring, soul-satisfying. All right. Shake off the drowsiness at once and sit up and get in tune with the Kirtan Dhvani. Give your mind over to Sri Krishna. Visualise Him. Then and there become full of Bhakti-Bhav. Assume a prayerful attitude. Imagine yourself kneeling before Him and join-in in the singing from your room itself, from your bed itself. Those five minutes or ten minutes are marvellously well spent, are fully lived. That is living in the present.

When you are doing one thing, do not think of another thing. It is the surest way to do everything badly and slovenly. If you are at the stove heating milk and if you allow the mind to wander over past and future, the milk will boil over. If you have spent a full fifteen minutes to make a good cup of coffee, and as you put the cup to your lips your mind goes astray into regions wild, you would have drunk the coffee without ever knowing that you did so. And in the process miss that refreshing feeling which you would have otherwise gained!

Or, let us suppose you are trying to do Mayurasan, the Peacock Pose, or even actually doing it and your mind takes a trip elsewhere. What happens? In a jiffy, you nose-dive into your Yoga mat.

Gurudev tells us the beautiful story of Krishna and Kamala. Krishna and Kamala were husband and wife. They were lying together on the same cot. "If I get a baby, where will I put it?" asked Kamala. "I will make space" said Krishna and moved a little to the side. "If I get a second child, what will we do?" asked the girl. "No problem" said Krishna and moved a little more to the side. "And should I get a third kid?" Kamala asked questioningly. "So what?" said Krishna and moved a little more to the side and fell down with a thud and sprained his ankle. It is a humorous story, but it carries a lesson.

Live in the present. Sri Krishna did not ask Arjuna to brood over the causes that led to the battle of Kurukshetra. Nor did He ask Arjuna to think about the future should he win or lose the battle. He pointedly told Arjuna to fight the battle that faced him, on the spot and with full concentration.

Fighting the battle means doing our Dharma, doing our duty. Doing our duties as they present themselves to us from day to day, from hour to hour, without thought of past or future is the highest Yoga. It is the Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita. Gurudev practised this Yoga with every breath of his life. And even today, his illustrious disciples are practising this Yoga with great devotion and dedication. May we follow in their footsteps and make our lives blessed.

SANNYAS: The Master was awarding titles to some of
his deserving devotees. He turned towards Sri S. and
asked her, "What title do you want?"

"Sannyas title, Swamiji."

"Do you know how to fight? Before taking Sannyas you
must know how to fight."

Sri S. was puzzled at this unexpected remark. It took
her a few minutes to understand the inner meaning of
the words. She then replied, "Yes, Swamiji, I will
fight with the lower mind."

"Yes, that is what I meant," said the Master.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Develop the power of endurance. Lead a hard life." -
Swami Sivananda

Prerequisites of Spiritual Sadhana

I will dwell here upon the main qualificatoins necessary for
launching upon the actual Sadhana. All the ancient saints, seers,
men of God that have had intuitive experience of the Truth have been
declairn to all mankind the great bliss, the vast power & knowledg
that can be experience if only man would turn from sensual sinful
life & strive for the higher divein life. Yet we see today that man
is as much immersed - if not more - in worldliness as he was
centuries ago & the state of mankind is as apathetic & lethargic
towards these questions of a life in the spirit as it was at the
beginning of creation.

Why is it that in spirt of the clarion call of very many great seers,
the confident assurance of the scriptures, the repeated expereinces
of man himself in failing miserably to attain happiness amidst
external physical world, man is again & again being deceived?

Why is it that man has not yet learnt to take to Sadhana? We read
hundreds of spiritual books; we attend discouses; we convene
gatherings as during Sadhana Week. Afters years of intense study of
spiritual books, contact with saints, after hearing these things
again & again, yet man does not actually do anything.

Because he does not have a deep & abiding faith in the admonitions of
saints, in the scriptures, in the worlds of those who have trodden
the path & attained bliss.

His faith in external objects is something more real to him. If only
man did really believe in these great ones he would certainly be
induced to act up to their words. It is this basic lack of faith in
man that is at the root of his failure to do Sadhana.

Sadhana is necessary; but man will not do it because he does not
really believe in its necessity. Man believes that for his happiness
money is required. Man believes that if only he will get a good job
he will get money. Man believes that if he has good colege education
he will get this job; & through that money; & through that, happiness
that he desires.

Believing in it, every parent sends his child to school & from a
young age he is taught to believe that if he passes his examinations
creditably he will get a good job, salary, motor cars, etc. The
child believes in the words; he studies, passes the examinations &
the remuneration he expects comes. Because he had a feeling, because
he thought all these things were necessary he disired them. But
ultimately, of course, it is the unfortunate experience of all men
that this happiness they get is mixed up more thant tenfold with pain.

Man gets an anna of happiness & with it fifteen annas of pain,
suffering, for which he did not bargin when he first set about
searching for this happines. Thus if man has faith in spiritual
course of action he will act up to it. Lacking this faith he does
not do Sadhana.

If a man has to take up to Sadhana, if he really wants to obtain this
bliss which is not mixed with pain, he will certainly have to repose
faith. It may be called blind faith; but there is nothing like blind
faith because all things on this earth go upon faith only & if man
lives today it is on account of mutual trust & faith.

A ten rupee note is a piece of paper & it is because you have the
Asoka Chakra ensign on it, it will immediately get you whatever you
want if presented at the bazaar. Becasue you have the faith in this
piece of paper. If you do not have faith upon this paper, you wold
not have the confidence to start from the house; you would never be
sure of reaching your destination.

The doctor gives you a prescription on a piece of paper. If you do
not have faith you will not take it from him. But the faith upon
which all society is based makes you take his word, pay him money for
his advice, take it to the chemist, get the medicine & you are
cured. The entire social structure & order upon which mankind
smothly runs is based upon faith & trust.

When you are prepared to put faith in mankind which is but a passing
phenomena - those in whom you put your faith are dying before your
eyes - when you are prepared to put faith upon these passing entities
like mankind, why should you not put faith upon the very Creator of
these things?

- Swami Sivananda

By Swami Śivananda

Introduction

Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. They are: (i) Sruti, (ii) Smriti, (iii) Itihasa, (iv) Purana, (v) Agama, and (vi) Darsana; and (i) Subhashita, (ii) Kavya, (iii) Nataka and, (iv) Alankara.

The Agamas are theological treatises and practical manuals of divine worship. The Agamas include Tantras, Mantras, and Yantras. These are treatises explaining the external worship of God, in idols, temples, etc. All the Agamas treat of (i) Jnana or Knowledge, (ii) Yoga or concentration, (iii) Kriya or making, and (iv) Charya or doing. They also give elaborate details about the ontology, cosmology, liberation, devotion, meditation, philosophy of Mantras, mystic diagrams, charms and spells, temple-building, image-making, domestic observances, social rules, and public festivals.

The Agamas are divided into three sections: the Vaishnava, the Saiva, and the Sakta. The three chief sects of Hinduism, viz., Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism, base their doctrines and dogmas on their respective Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas or Pancharatra Agamas glorify God as Vishnu. The Saiva Agamas glorify God as Siva and have given rise to an important school of philosophy known as Saiva Siddhanta. The Sakta Agamas or Tantras glorify God as the Mother of the world under one of the many names of Devi. The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas, but they are not antagonistic to them. They are all Vedic in spirit and character. That is the reason why they are regarded as authoritative.

The Tantra Agamas belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the World-Mother. They dwell on the Sakti (energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses of ritualistic worship of Divine Mother in various forms. There are seventy-seven Agamas. These are very much like the Puranas in some respects. The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Siva and Parvati. In some of these, Siva answers the questions put by Parvati and in others Parvati answers, Siva questioning. Mahanirvana, Kularnava, Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra Yamala, Brahma Yamala, Vishnu Yamala, and Todala Tantra are the important works. The Agamas teach several occult practices, some of which confer powers, while the others bestow knowledge and freedom. Among the existing books the Mahanirvana Tantra is the most famous.
Tantra Yoga

Tantra Yoga had been one of the potent powers for the spiritual regeneration of the Hindus. When practised by the ignorant, unenlightened, and unqualified persons, it has led to certain abuses; and there is no denying that some degraded forms of Saktism have sought nothing but magic, immorality, and occult powers. An example of the perverted expression of the truth, a travesty of the original practices, is the theory of the five Makaras (Pancha Makaras);-Madya or wine, Mamsa or flesh, Matsya or fish, Mudra or symbolical acts, and Maithuna or coition. The esoteric meaning of these five Makaras is: "Kill egoism, control flesh, drink the wine of God-intoxication, and have union with Lord Siva".

Tantra explains (Tanoti) in great detail the knowledge concerning Tattva (Truth or Brahman) and Mantra (mystic syllables). It saves (Trayate). Hence it is called Tantra.

The Tantras are not books of sorcery, witchcraft, magic spells, and mysterious formulae. They are wonderful scriptures. All persons without the distinctions of caste, creed, or colour may draw inspiration from them and attain spiritual strength, wisdom, and eternal bliss. Mahanirvana and Kularnava Tantras are the important books in Tantra Sastra. Yoga Kundalini Upanishad of Krishna Yajurveda, Jabala Darsana, Trisikha Brahmana, and Varaha Upanishad are useful for getting knowledge of Kundalini Sakti and the methods to awaken it and take it to Sahasrara Chakra at the crown of the head.

The Tantra is, in some of its aspects, a secret doctrine. It is a Gupta Vidya. You cannot learn it from the study of books. You will have to get the knowledge and practice from the practical Tantrikas, the Tantric Acharyas and Gurus who hold the key to it. The Tantric student must be endowed with purity, faith, devotion, dedication to Guru, dispassion, humility, courage, cosmic love, truthfulness, non-covetousness, and contentment. Absence of these qualities in the practitioner means a gross abuse of Saktism.

The Sakti Tantra is Advaita Vada. It proclaims that Paramatman (Supreme Soul) and Jivatman (individual soul) are one. The Saktas accept the Vedas as the basic scriptures. They recognise the Sakta-Tantras as texts expounding the means to attain the goal set forth in the Vedas.

Tantra Yoga lays special emphasis on the development of the powers latent in the six Chakras, from Muladhara to Ajna. Kundalini Yoga actually belongs to Tantric Sadhana which gives a detailed description about this serpent-power and the Chakras (plexus). Entire Tantric Sadhana aims at awakening Kundalini, and making her to unite with Lord Sadasiva, in the Sahasrara Chakra. Methods adopted to achieve this end in Tantric Sadhana are Japa of the Name of the Mother, prayer, and various rituals.
Guru and Diksha (Initiation)

Yoga should be learnt from a Guru (spiritual preceptor). And this is true all the more in the case of Tantra Yoga. It is the Guru who will recognise the class to which the aspirant belongs and prescribe suitable Sadhana.

The Guru is none other than the Supreme Divine Mother Herself, descended into the world in order to elevate the aspirant. As one lamp is lit at the flame of another, so the divine Sakti consisting of Mantra is communicated from Guru to the disciple. The disciple fasts, observes Brahmacharya, and gets the Mantra from the Guru.

Initiation tears the veil of mystery and enables the disciple to grasp the hidden truth behind scriptures' texts. These are generally veiled in mystic language. You cannot understand them by self-study. Self-study will only lead you to greater ignorance. The Guru only will give you, by Diksha (initiation), the right perspective in which to study the scriptures and practise Yoga.
Qualifications of a Disciple

The qualifications of the disciple are purity, faith, devotion, dispassion, truthfulness, and control of the senses. He should be intelligent and a believer in Vedas. He must abstain from injury to all beings. He must be vigilant, diligent, patient, and persevering. He must be ever doing good to all. All Sadhana should be done under the personal direction of a Guru or spiritual teacher.

Tantra Sadhana

Bhuta Suddhi is an important Tantric rite. It means purification of the five elements of which the body is composed. The Sadhaka (aspirant) dissolves the sinful body and makes a new divine body. He infuses into the body the life of the Devi.

Nyasa is a very important and powerful Tantric rite. It is placing of the tips of the fingers of the right hand on various parts of the body, accompanied by Mantra.

In Kavacha the one Brahman is invoked by different names in order to protect different parts of the body. For example, Parabrahman is thought of as in the Sahasrara Padma in the head. The Supreme Lord is meditated upon in the heart. Protector of the world, Vishnu is invoked to protect the throat, so that the aspirant may utter the Mantras of his Ishta Devata.

Mudra is ritual of manual gestures. Mudra gives pleasure to the Devatas. There are 108 Mudras. In welcoming (Avahana) the Devata an appropriate gesture is made. In making offering (Arghya) Matsya Mudra is made. The right hand is placed on the back of the left and the two thumbs are extended finlike on each side of the hands. Similarly, there are Mudras for the various acts done during the worship.

Yantra takes the place of the image. It is an object of worship. Yantra is a diagram, drawn on paper. It is engraved on a metal sheet also. A Yantra is appropriated to a specific Devata only. Various Yantras are peculiar to each Devata. They are various designs according to the object of worship. Yantra is the body of the Devata. All the Yantras have a common edging called Bhupura. They have a quadrangular figure with four doors, which encloses and separates the Yantra from the external world.

The Sadhaka first meditates upon the Devata or Deity and then arouses the Devata in himself. He then communicates the Divine presence thus aroused to the Yantra. When the Devata has been invoked into the Yantra by the appropriate Mantra, the vital airs (Prana) of the Devata are infused therein by the Pranapratishtha ceremony. The Devata is thereby installed in the Yantra. The materials used or acts done in Puja are called Upachara. They are sixteen in number, viz., (1) Asana (seating of the Devata); (2) Svagata (welcoming of the Devata); (3) Padya (water for washing the feet); (4) Arghya (water for ablution); (5) Achamana (water for sipping); (6) Madhuparka (honey, ghee, milk, and curd); (7) Snana (bath); (8) Vastra (cloth); (9) Abharana (jewels); (10) Gandha (perfume); (11) Pashpa (flowers); (12) Dhupa (incense); (13) Dipa (light); (14) Naivedya (food) and Tambulam (betel); (15) Nirajana (Arati); and (16) Vandana (prostration and prayer).

Sadhakas are of three kinds, viz., Pasu (animalistic), Vira (valorous), and Divya (divine).
The Pancha Tattva

The Pancha Tattva is essential for the worship of Sakti. The Pancha Tattvas are wine (Madya), meat (Mamsa), fish (Matsya), parched cereal (Mudra) and sexual union (Maithuna). As they all commence with the letter M, they are vulgarly called Pancha-ma-kara or five M's. The Pancha Tattvas stand for drinking, eating and propagation. The Pancha Tattvas, the five elements of worship destroy great sins, Maha-pataka-nasanam.

The Pancha Tattvas have not always their literal meaning. The meaning differs according as they refer to the Tamasic (Pasu), Rajasic (Vira) or Sattvic (Divya) Sadhanas respectively.

Wine may be wine; or it may be coconut water or it may mean God-intoxication or the intoxicating knowledge of Brahman or the Absolute. Wine is a symbol to denote the Supreme, eternal Bliss of Yoga knowledge, or knowledge of Atman (Atma-jnana).

The union of Siva and Sakti in the upper brain centre known as Sahasrara or thousand-petalled lotus is Maithuna.

Mamsa (meat) is the act by which the aspirant consecrates all his actions to the Lord.

Matsya (fish) is that Sattvic knowledge by which the Sadhaka sympathises with the pleasure and pain of all beings.

Mudra is the act of abandoning all associations with evil which leads to bondage.

Wine is fire; flesh is air; fish is water; cereal is earth; sexual union is ether.

Milk, ghee, honey are all substitutes for wine. Salt, ginger, sesamum, white beans, garlic are substitutes for meat. White brinjal, red radish, masur (a kind of grain) and red sesamum are substitutes for fish. Paddy, rice, wheat and grain are Mudra. Offering of flowers with the hands formed with a particular Mudra is Maithuna.

The Sadhaka thinks that he has got a Deva body. This is Bhuta- Suddhi. Various Nyasas are performed. Mental worship is performed of the Devi who is thought of as being in red raiment seated on a red lotus. Her dark body is like rain-cloud. Her forehead is shining with the light of the crescent moon. Japa of Mantra is then done. Thereupon there is external worship.

Sexual intercourse by a man with a woman who is not lawful to him is a sin. The Vaidika Dharma is very strict on this point. It forbids not merely actual Maithuna but Ashtanga or eightfold Maithuna namely Smaranam (thinking upon it), Kirtanam (talking of it), Keli (play with women), Prekshanam (making eyes at women), Guhya-bhashanam (talking in private with women), Sankalpa (wish or resolve for sexual union), Adhyavasaya (determination towards it), Kriyanishpatti (actual accomplishment of the sexual act).

A Tantric can have copulation with his wife. He calls his wife his Sakti. Wife is a house-goddess Griha-lakshmi or Griha-devata united to her husband by the sacramental Samskara of marriage. She should not be regarded as an object of enjoyment. She is his partner in life (Ardhangini). The union of a man and his wife is a veritable sacred scriptural rite.
Conclusion

Tantra Yoga is the saving wisdom. It is the marvellous boat which takes man safely to the other shore of fearlessness, immortality, freedom, and perfection, when practised with understanding under personal guidance of well-established Tantric Guru.

CURE FOR ASTHMA: A sickly-looking man approached the
Master (Swami Sivananda) and complained that he was suffering from
asthma for a long time, and prayed to the Master to
cure him by his Grace. The Master advised him to
repeat the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (http://www.madeinmontenegro.com/vbforum/showpost.php?p=138134&postcount=16) and taught him how
to do Pranayama.

He then blessed the man and warned him, "You must
have put some rats in a hole and suffocated them in
your last birth. Perhaps that is why you are
suffering from asthma now. Be careful in this birth
at least."

Prayer of Sri Durga Mata

Oh, great Babaji,
Lahiri Mahsayaji,
Master Sri Yukteswarji,
And my Guruji.
Take possession of my Body,
Take possession of my Heart,
Take possession of my Mind,
Take possession of my Soul.
Make my body Omnipresent,
Fill my heart with divine love,
Let my thoughts reflect Thy wisdom,
Let my soul shine with Thy Light.

Today (January 23) is the holy celebration of
Thaipusam. This is the day that the lance (Vel) was
given to Lord Shanmukha by His mother to battle the
demoniac forces. This festival is very popular among
the Tamil community in South India as well as
countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius.
In honour of this occasion, we uploaded an article on
Thaipusam by Sri Swami Sivanandaji. We also uploaded
an article on Lord Shanmukha from Sri Swami
Sivanandaji's book "Hindu Gods and Goddesses". These
articles are at:

1) Thaipusam:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/thaipusam.htm

2) Lord Shanmukha
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/shanmukha.htm

Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg53/seka-photo/za%20forum/ammaprayer.jpg

Many people wonder how a little girl from a simple South Indian village came to be known throughout the world as "Amma, the Mother of All." Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with bearing a child, but with love, compassion and selflessness. It lies in totally giving one's self to others.

If we look at Amma's life, this is what we see—someone who has offered her every thought, word and deed for the benefit of others. Giving is the essence. It's just that when the homeless come crying for shelter and Amma gives them a house, we call her a "humanitarian." And when the sorrowful come crying for emotional solace and she gives them love, we call her a "mother." And when those thirsty for spiritual knowledge come earnestly seeking and she gives them wisdom, we call her a "guru." This attitude of selflessly serving all creation, knowing others to be extensions of one's own self, Amma refers to as vishwa matrutvam—universal motherhood. And it is to this pinnacle of human existence that Amma is trying to awaken the world through her life, teachings and darshan [divine embrace].


AMMA'S Dream

"A vision of a world in which women and men progress together, a world in which all men respect the fact that, like the two wings of a bird, women and men are of equal value." - Amma



AMMA'S Desire

"Everyone in the world should be able to sleep without fear,
at least for one night.
Everyone should be able to eat to his fill, at least for one day.
There should be at least one day when hospitals see no one admitted due to violence."

He who sees that the Lord of all is ever the
same in all that is -- immortal in the field
of mortality -- he sees the truth.
And when a man sees that the God in
himself is the same God in all that is, he
hurts not himself by hurting others. Then
he goes, indeed, to the highest path.

Bhagavad Gita 13.27-28

Inspiration of the Day

There was a monk at the bank of a river who kept picking a drowning scorpion out of the swirling waters only to drop again when the scorpion stung him. When his student asked him why he continued to rescue the scorpion, the monk said, "It cannot change its nature. And I cannot change my nature."

................http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg53/seka-photo/za%20forum/sadhaka_ashram.jpg

Sadhana Mandir is a flower-filled island of peace, seated on the banks of the Holy River Ganga in Rishikesh-one of the Holy cities of India-surrounded by the Himalayan foothills. The Ashram serves as an international center for the teachings of The Himalayan Tradition of Yoga and Meditation; providing a living experience of the systematic practice, study and lifestyle of yoga and meditation.

It's mission is to re-link yoga to the ancient spiritual lineage through the process of initiation and to re-establish the spiritual context and content of yoga in its original purity. The attendant sciences, texts and philosophies, such as those of the Vedas and Yoga-sutras of Patanjali, are taught in an experiential-meditative context.
The Ashram still vibrates with the peaceful energy created by its founder Swami Rama. Coming to his Ashram even for the first time, one experiences the special energy, inspiration and pull to a mental silence.

http://www.bindu.org/news.asp#

Swami Veda Barathi
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MISUNDERSTANDINGS only occur when people speak harshly and loudly.
It gets worse if it is coupled with hatred and bad feelings, according to Swami Veda Barathi who spoke to a group of yoga practitioners at a meditation class held in Port Dickson recently.

“Speak sweetly with no jealousy or anger. Treat everyone equally and do not look down on anyone,” said Swami Veda.

“The highest benefit of learning meditation and yoga is to know oneself. That is the ultimate goal,'' he said.

He currently heads the Himalayan Institute located in Rishikesh, India and has been guiding people worldwide for the past 55 years in 23 countries.

Swami Veda believes meditation is a common method of finding peace of mind in all religions.

His work in the interfaith dialogue continues with a strong emphasis on the unity of all faiths in the experience of inner silence through meditation. He is known for placing large amounts of people into a state of stillness and meditation.

“Meditation is what we a call a wordless prayer. Language remains an intellectual exercise. When I teach a Christian to meditate, I give a Christian phrase so that they are comfortable.”

A strong propagator of interfaith endeavours, Swami Veda has students from virtually all faiths and cultural backgrounds and he says that the practical benefits of yoga are extraordinary both for mind and body.

Emotions
by Swami Veda Bharati

How the emotions arise. What are the subtleties of emotions. Now one thing people forget is the divine source of emotions. That is where a lecture like The Theatre in God comes in. The source of all knowledge is Divinity. And the source of all sentiment is also Divinity; the rasa principle. And not enough is being said about that. People are all working on emotion, emotion, emotion, you know, because they are looking at it only as a human problem. Okay, it's no problem. It's a manifestation, see, from the unmanifest rasa, the essence, the flavor of Divinity, which is ananda. All emotion is a reduction in the quantum of ananda. All negative emotion is a warping and a knotting in the reduced quanta of ananda. That is the definition. And bhakti is reversing the process to the Supreme Emotion. Reversing those quanta back to their Supreme Source. Reversing the reduced quanta of ananda back to the Supreme Ananda is bhakti, devotion.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg53/seka-photo/za%20forum/rcyttcobra_sm.jpgStress affects not only adults but children as well. It is best that we teach children to confront their stressors and provide the tools to help them cope with stress at a young age. By teaching them positive coping skills, there is a good chance that they will have less stress in adulthood.

Here are some things you can do to help your kids in coping with stress:
..-Encourage your teens to practice yoga and meditation.
..-Encourage physical activity.
..-Help your child establish a positive support system.
..-Use and encourage humor.
..-Reinforce positive thinking.
..-Crying can reduce stress.
..-Have fun.
..-Practice being an optimist.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg53/seka-photo/za%20forum/haileybend.jpgOne of the easiest and most effective antidotes for stress is deep breathing. Teach your children to take a deep breath by breathing in through the nose and breathing out of the mouth on slow counts.

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THE MASTER'S ROOM: It was the beginning of winter in
1949. The Master led a visitor into his apartments.
"There is a splendid view of the Himalayas and the
Ganges from here," commented the Master as they both
entered his cottage. "If you sit in the verandah or
even if you are within the rooms, you will constantly
hear the Pranava Nada of the Ganga."

The two then went into the inner rooms.

"You are living in this cottage, Swamiji?" asked the
surprised visitor. "Why, it is as ill-ventilated as a
prison cell. You cannot get any light in the rooms
except during midday. They are not rooms, they are
caves, and too small even for that. And you work in
this room? It is not even sufficient to accommodate
your manuscripts and books. You cannot move in it
without treading on something or tripping over
something else. The bedroom is damp and one cannot
even breathe in it. I wonder how you live in it!"

And the visitor continued, "Though I get a positive
feeling of spiritual elation while I am here, I think
I will not be able to keep body and soul together for
six months if I live in this cottage. Why don't you
change to a better suite of rooms, Swamiji?"

"No, no. I am all right here," assured the Master.

The visitor bowed and left.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Never complain against bad environments. Create your
own mental world wherever you remain and wherever you
go. There are some difficulties and disadvantages
wherever you go. If the mind deludes you, at every
moment and at every step, try to overcome the
obstacles and difficulties by suitable means. Do not
try to run away from bad, unfavourable environments.
God has placed you there to make you grow quickly." -
Swami Sivananda

Friendship is the universal spiritual attraction that unites souls in the bond of divine love. If you open the door to the magnetic power of friendship, a soul or souls of like vibrations will be attracted to you. Friendship is a manifes-tation of God’s love for you, expressed through your friends, who constitute the most valuable possessions a human being can have.

You attract those who are like you. That is the law of vibration. Friendship is eternal. If you can form a friendship through which God is awakened in you, that is the greatest of all friendships.

True friendship lies in seeking soul progress to-gether. Friendship must never have a material end in view, or an object to be gained. Friendship is an ever-increasing consciousness of equality and the blending of souls without any physical objective. Only the building of wisdom and intuitional under-standing by mutual effort can bind two souls by the laws of universal divine love, which is unconditional and has its foundation in service on the spiritual planes.

Friendship is the purest of all love. In the love of parents for their children there is compulsion; in filial love there is compulsion; in the love of lovers there is compulsion; but in true friendship there is no compul-sion. Usefulness is love. If you want the love of friends or the world, you must be useful to them.



from .Spiritual Relationships

by Paramhansa Yogananda

copy of a e-mail
Memory is the recorded history.
The entire universe includes the absolute as well as numerous other
universes just like ours or different from ours. We are living in
the relative universe, this means, here everything is in comparison
or relative with something; everything here can be experienced only
in comparison or in relationship with something else. It is very
important to note that everything in the entire universe is
interrelated either in spiritual, mental and physical aspects; there
are also aspects that don't relate with each other.
The relative universe also exists only due to the comparison or
relation with the absolute universe or and all the other universes.
This feeling of separation is what gives it existence and identity
(this is very much alive just like us, for it is expanding and
contracting and has cosmic memory (history) just as we have our own
memory (history) and it is made up of a part of the billions of
consciousness of the omnipotent). It is not only the universe that
is comparing; all of us individually are doing so. This collective
consciousness, is what gives us the reality and experience, it can
be logically concluded that it is developed from all our individual
consciousness and our individual memory (history).
Cosmic Memory (history) is the collective record of all our
individual memory (history); it is the record of both active and
subconscious memory, right from the beginning. This is everything,
all the experiences that has transcended from the present into the
past. (That is if we believe that there was a beginning for our part
of the universe, actually this should not create any difference as
far as understanding the omnipotent is considered, as our primary
goal is what we are trying to understand, we feel that this is why
we have taken birth). Correlating this with "kala" (time), present
is the preserver, past is destroyed present and thus identified with
the destroyer, and future where creation is continuously taking
place is the domain of creator, we take everything from the past to
do this, using the knowledge stored in the memory (history). This
cycle is complete and starts as soon as our consciousness begins or
as soon as it starts to identify with anything.
Now if our memory (history) was not there then we could not possibly
be comparing things with relationship with it! NOTHING WOULD EXIST!
The memory (history) is what gives identity to everything in
comparison with what it is not. This is because we, just like the
relative universe we are comparing to generate the feeling of
separation; this is what gives us our own existence and identity
(ego or I-ness). Extend this argument to the universe the universe
would not exist!
So as the universe exists cosmic memory exists. Cosmic memory
(history) exists as all the happening are being experienced by us is
also recorded in it, any or all experiences must have a record if
they are to be co related and differentiated (as same or different),
this is the only way to generate different feeling corresponding to
each event and thus make it possible for the intellect to
differentiate it. Understanding is correlating the present with the
past; here, by present we mean the things we perceive with our
senses at this moment.
Future is only possible due to our own understanding of things that
we have experienced in the past, because we can think of only those
and we cannot create anything new that is not present in it,
especially that we don't know, know this for a fact we cannot even
imagine anything that we don't know This makes future predictable,
the reason all of us cannot do so is either due to our preoccupation
with the other thing we consider important or we don't know this
fact. Thus to know what will occur in the future observe our
feelings, as these are the things that create thoughts and
meaningful desires. Next find out what are the necessary conditions
that these require to manifested, to know this search from the past
(memory (history)). The desire will manifest only if the conditions
exist otherwise it will not. This tells us that to predict the
future we have to have access to the entire memory (history). This
will make it equal to Maya or illusion. One thing is for sure all
possibilities are manifestable logically, but clarity will be
lacking if details are incomplete.
We can also say that the connection with the omnipotent is through
this. This is like a un- severed umbilical cord connected to the
womb. This can be correlated to the feeling of compassion, void
filled with love. This makes cosmic memory (history) the womb and
everything in this universe is still growing inside it, waiting to
be born outside it, maybe in some other universe or the absolute
depending on the last desire before we give up identifying with the
body.
The last desire guides us to that womb. This last desire will depend
on the desires and cravings we have in the three levels physical,
mental, and spiritual and the satisfaction achieved by us in this
life, the part which is unsatisfied will appear as the desire. All
those who are fully satisfied will merge with the absolute, as they
will have only this desire. This gives us one way to merge with the
omnipotent (this is as per the texts)
Kindly remember we are dealing with only the horizontal component of
time, which we all are living in, the vertical component comprises
of everything and is exists simultaneously at the present, that
means birth and death and all possible happenings are simultaneously
existing for everyone, just waiting to be experienced as soon as we
identify with them (traversing the horizontal component at each
event). Thus, being in the present is traversing or experiencing the
vertical component and refraining from traversing or experiencing
the horizontal component at every event (remember no thoughts, as
thoughts make us traverse the horizontal component). The only
problem with this type of experience is that we will have only
information of everything from birth to death and will be devoid of
knowledge (understanding of that event) or wisdom (complete
understanding of all the events with inter relationship with
everything in the universe by experiencing it).
This experience will not be satisfying, especially during the out of
body experience after death (without food sheath or body and gross
senses to confirm everything). The subtle essence of the gross
senses can only give us the essence devoid of actual realness,
similar to subjects and objects being in the state of concept. Thus,
can get us trapped in those things we don't have understanding.
Guiding us towards those wombs that can enable those experiences.
This means that rebirth is ensured as desire is not satisfied with
complete experience and understanding. This means that the knowledge
and wisdom of everything along with devotion and activity desire
less of any fruits for the same is a necessary for the qualification
of the soul or consciousness to merge with the omnipotent. This is
because we have taken birth to experience everything possible; this
was the primary desire, the seed of creation of the entire universe.
Every desire of the omnipotent achieves a consciousness (spurt of
nada and bindhu that develop the five powers, the interaction of
which is consciousness, this along with the required force produces
the golden glow to become the womb for creation.).
Space is perceived by the consciousness, which is a part of the
mind, we have to consider that it is available as soon as nada
begins or time starts. Space when imagined in a single plane
parallel to the surface of earth, without relationship with time
will be represented a dot or bindhu, this may be at any location on
the circumference of the earth or any where in the universe, there
will be no dimensions in either direction on a two dimension plane x-
y (both representing increase in distance from the origin).
Now add the movement to this dot, the freedom of movement of this
dot will increase in all directions, but as it needs a support it
clings to the only thing it knows or can compare itself with. We
know that to enable this we need to introduce time. The direction in
which it will move will correspond to the direction of time, or the
direction of the external or internal force applied on the dot. What
is this force?
We are interested in the force, its birth and potential. One source
of this force can be the desire, or last thought that was dominant
before the memory stopped recording or the start of blank signal, we
say this because this last thought is the guide or route taken by
the soul along with consciousness as soon as it accepts its new
condition of out of body existence. The other can be the completion
of the present cycle of dormancy experienced after the active cycle
(we are of the opinion that the universe and human birth and death
are cyclic). If they are cyclic then some part of the universe must
be in action to assess the lapsed time. This would mean that one
consciousness would always be there. This would also mean that only
our part of the universe would be cyclic.
We call this force, desire of the omnipotent to experience
something. This means that a force is necessary for introducing time
and space. This means that time must have a specific direction as
soon as it is born; this direction is given by the desire. The
potential of this force will be the accumulated energy built up due
to the delay caused in experiencing the desire due to lack of
suitable environment.

continues...

Space will increase or grow at par with this direction of time. The
space covered will be a specific area. This is true, only as long as
time exists in the horizontal component devoid of vertical
component. Introducing the vertical component along with the
horizontal component will make the space three-dimensional. We
encounter one problem here, that is the observer or consciousness
can engage in only one act at a time, so will still be in still in
the horizontal plane as, area or forward / backward or fluctuation
between different desires available in the vertical component of
time. This can be over come only by considering simultaneous
activity taking place in the vicinity in all the three planes
physically, inside the mind, mentally, and beyond the mind,
spiritually these signals that are generated in the three planes of
our existence and is recorded by the senses or their subtle counter
parts (essence) are continuously storing these in the memory now we
can convert the area into a volume. And the universe will appear as
a sphere to the eyes, the entire universe has no definite shape
(Nirakhara rupa meaning without shape).
We can further complicate this by considering more than one
consciousness prevailing at the same time (as simultaneously in the
three planes physical, mental, and spiritual, as that of our
brothers and sisters or all inhabitants of our universe, at all the
events in the vertical component of time along with horizontal
component. This definitely can answer the three-dimension aspect of
space we experience through our senses (here include collective
consciousness also).
The present passes within the wink of the eye, meaning that it is
continuously becoming present, this can be put in another way,
present will not be present if it lingered any longer than the wink
of the eye, present DESIRES or is unsatisfied with its state and
craves for new experiences. This creates the future. This future is
always related to the past as we cannot desire or even think of
those thongs that we don't know or are not aware of. This makes
everything related with the past (Destroyed present, (the preserver
Vishnu) that is past is identified with the destroyer, Shiva). One
important thing that this tells us is WE MUST THEN, HAVE THE MEMORY
(HISTORY) OF THE OMNIPOTENT. And if desires are the means of
achieving anything then we have a way to achieve him/her through
desire. This desire is not the fleeting wish to want, but the
intense single pointed unwavering craving, as if our life breath is
depending on it.
In ordinary humans the ego (I-ness) or the partially awakened
kundalini, that gives us consciousness (to the level we have
awakened or developed it), is preoccupied with the body mind and
senses experiencing the current. Thus it is busy continuously,
stringing sound to words and thoughts, the intellect is interpreting
the same, using information or knowledge stored in the memory
(history). Memory (history) is related to everything in the past
thus, consciousness is predominately living in the present and past.
This means the domain of the Chita the thought power along with
Janna intellect, kriya action and ananda experience, or joy is
really stuck in the present, partially and the past, permanently.
This makes memory (history) the foundation of our living. In other
word we are totally living in the past.
One important thing that has to be noticed here is that creation of
all the things to be experienced in the present and future are only
replicas of those that we have already experienced in the past. This
is the only possibility that can exist; this is the limitation, as
all permutations and combinations that are possible are already
defined in the past or will become aware when we experience it. So
we can expect nothing new or different we can only re-remember the
past to confirm them by experiencing them. This is because we do not
really create or destroy anything we only experience and forget
(bury it within our memory); we can only transform anything to other
things or experience and become aware of things that we need in the
present, this is enabled by the nature, as we have to use the
existing resources from nature. Our body mind and spirit are also
created in the same way. This is the power of thought Chita shakthi.
Now Maya shakthi (illusion) similarly makes everything look and feel
real or substantial, using the subconscious. This also uses the
memory (history) as foundation but the only difference is, unlike
chita (thought power) which is limited to the superficial memory
(history) or active memory (history), Maya (illusion power) can
relate to the entire memory (history) from all the pervious births
as far as the initial birth of or separation (desire to experience
itself) of our consciousness from the single consciousness of the
omnipotent we call god.
Maya can project everything as real and appealing only after Chita
thought power has clearly defined, differentiated it to the finest
detail possible. It is only after intelligence has accepted these
feelings, related thoughts, and meanings they are stored in the
active or subconscious memory (history) or as a new memory (history)
cycle. This is because not all the things projected by Maya are
experienced; most of it is ignored or not registered by the
consciousness either due its preoccupation with the present or
something else. The effect of the observed or experienced will never
be the same in the actual absence of the particular characteristic
or feature, thus everything is stored in totality; this is because
effect is always in the totality while experience can be limited to
some senses. (Defects of sense organs are being addressed here).
This also means we all are interconnected. The access to the
vertical component of time is possible only in the mental and
spiritual planes. This makes it necessary to develop these through
the path of sadhana (spiritual practice), the mind has to be
purified and perfected. The dormant force of the mind lying in the
subconscious (Known as kundalini) must be made available to enhance
the power of consciousness to enable this, only after maturity
dawns. We feel this is necessary as most of us want to do this
during our present life living in the body, accessing the entire
vertical component from birth to death in the present (NOW) by
consciously going beyond mind and returning, must really require
much more force and potential as the force of attraction of the
consciousness is very powerful. This is available only with the sub
consciousness or kundalini, the dormant part of our consciousness.
We have always considered that one consciousness of the omnipotent
has bifurcated into all the billions of consciousness available in
the entire universe just to experience himself/ herself, in every
possible way. If this is increased to two or more, then the first
objection we will come across is that which of them is superior.
This is because we have a basic feeling that it should be so, as
this is what we see and practice in our lives. Thus, it is best left
as one supreme with out a contender. But are not the billion
consciousness same omnipotent?
In the spiritual plane beyond mind the existence of time vanishes
this means that space will also vanish what is left is the
omnipotent, we will argue this with the statement how much space
exist inside our mind while we imagine the entire universe? Or some
may argue that, everything is only this life and after this there is
nothing.

....

Be like a rhinoceros. - Buddha (attributed). Opposed to this some think "Keep smiling - at times it's the best you can do -"

"Be firmly established by the self in the self." - Yoga Vasistha [Yv 202]



The Villagers and the Snake

ONCE ON a time a venomous, vicious serpent lived in a hole in a hill outside a village. A hermit of great miraculous power also lived in this village. Many of the villagers' children, who ventured to play around the hill, were attacked by the serpent and stung to death. The villagers tried their utmost to kill the serpent, but failed. Therefore they went in a body to the local hermit and asked him to help them.
Yielding to the entreaties of the villagers, the hermit went near the hole where the serpent lived and summoned him to come out. When he did, he was scolded for stinging children to death and instructed never to bite again, but to love his enemies. The snake did not say "No can do" to anything of this; it seemed that the hermit had hypnotised or cast some spell on him in an odd sort of way.
Now the hermit left the village for a year on a pilgrimage. As he was returning to the village by way of the hill, he thought: "Let me see how the friendly serpent is enjoying life." As he came up to the hole in the hill, he found the serpent lying half-dead in front of the hole with stitches in his back.
The hermit said: "Hello, what's all this?"
The serpent whispered: "Oh, this is the result of practicing your teaching. After you had changed me, the village boys knew I would not attack any of them. Then they threw small stones at me, and after a while big stones at me. They wanted to kill me. I got badly hurt. Now I am lying here with several stitches in my back while trying to love these enemies.
"I told you not to sting, but why didn't you hiss and scare a bit?" countered the hermit.


* Although meek and spiritual, one should not be spineless or without common sense and allow himself to be made into a doormat, says Yogananda, and: "One should never hiss . . . if he has the tendency to . . . injure anybody. That is what Jesus did."
Learn from cat ways, rather: Hissing has straightforward meanings and escalations. Further, you may be called odd if you refrain from defending yourself and your territory, and from dealing adequately.
* "Control your destiny or somebody else will." Jack Welch

"Sugreeva and his four-vanara ministers are taking refuge atop the mountain of Rishyamukha. One fine morning Sugreeva sees two handsome young men, divine looking and resplendent with the kshatriya armor. On seeing them, Sugreeva is terrified. He opines that his brother Vali has sent them to this mountain to kill him, and then in a rush hastens to flee from that place along with his entourage. But Hanuman calms him down and suggests that he would go and enquire about their identity and the purpose their visit to that place. After taking Sugreeva's permission he assumes the guise of a young brahmachari and approaches the two newcomers with reverence and humility. He enquires them of their identity and the purpose of their visit to the mountain. Lord Rama and Laxmana reveal their identity and narrate the purpose of their visit, which is to search for Sita with the help of Sugreeva. Lord Hanuman is extremely happy at the turn of events. He then carries them to Sugreeva on his shoulders.

Sugreeva's flight of fear is a lesson to us. In our day to day experiences we find innumerable opportunities knocking at our doors. But being apprehensive, we deprive ourselves the pleasure of welcoming them with open arms. Once we accept the situation in totality, and act accordingly, we are sure to reach our god consciousness or the Lord Himself, which is the ultimate destiny of the mankind. Here Lord Hanuman is comparable to the discriminative powers of the mind, and with its proper use, we are sure to reach the Lord."

This Hindu goddess, consort of Shiva, proves that dignity and smarts prevail.

Parvati is one face of the divine female energy, often called Devi (the shining one) or Shakti (power), that many Indians worship as the power above all deities. The goddess is personified in many forms, including Saraswati, goddess of learning and consort of Brahma, and Lakshmi, goddess of fortune and consort of Vishnu.

Parvati came into being when a female demon was terrorizing the world, smug in the knowledge that only a son of Shiva could kill her. But Shiva had withdrawn from the world to practice ascetics high in the Himalayas. He wouldn't even look at a woman, much less sire a son.

In an effort to woo Shiva, Shakti, the great mother goddess, took the form of Parvati. Shiva scorned her until she engaged in austerities of her own. Impressed, Shiva accepted her as his wife, and they produced a son who destroyed the demon.

Smart and curious, Parvati questioned Shiva about the Vedas and other sacred texts, whose secrets he whispered into her ears. But the couple also had their spats, one of which resulted in Ganesha: Parvati was frustrated that none of Shiva's ganas (attendants) would swear allegiance to her, so she created a boy and instructed him to let no one enter her home. When Shiva arrived, the boy blocked his way, so the god chopped off his head. Parvati was sick with grief. To appease her, Shiva fused the head of an elephant onto the boy's body and breathed life back into it—and named him Ganesha, "leader of the ganas."

Today, Parvati is the epitome of determination and discipline. She refuses to let Shiva's scorn intimidate her and doesn't take no for an answer. Instead, she wins with grace and dignity, something we can all aspire to.


By Shoba Narayan
Yoga Journal

Raja Yoga is mainly concerned with the mind, its modifications and its control. There are five states of the mind - Kshipta, Mudha, Vikshipta, Ekagra and Niruddha. Usually the mind is running in various directions; its rays are scattered. This is the Kshipta state. Sometimes it is self-forgetful, it is full of foolishness (Mudha). When you try to practice concentration, the mind seems to get concentrated but gets distracted often. This is Vikshipta. But with prolonged and repeated practice of concentration again and again, and repeating Lord's Name, it becomes one-pointed. This is called the Ekagra state. Later on, it is fully controlled (Niruddha). It is ready to be dissolved in the Supreme Purusha, when you get Asamprajnata Samadhi.

To have peace of mind, you will have to cultivate the four great virtues - Maitri, Karuna, Mudita and Upeksha. Maitri (friendliness), you should have towards equals. You should have Karuna (compassion) for those who are in distress. You should have Mudita (complacency) towards those who are superior to you. Complacency will destroy jealousy. All are your brothers. If a man is placed in a better position, feel happy over it. When you come across wicked people, be indifferent to them. This is Upeksha (indifference). By these methods, you will have peace of mind.

By
Sri Swami Sivananda

A middle-class couple from Calcutta were traveling to Europe in a large ship. After a few days, all of a sudden a cyclone of the worst type came, and it began raining heavily. Many tiny boats were capsized. The passengers in the large vessel raised a hue and cry because there was no way they could save their lives from imminent catastrophe.

The wife said to her husband, "Everybody is crying because we know that our lives can be counted in minutes. How is it that you are so calm and quiet? Do you have no worries or anxieties? Do you not think that in a few minutes we shall all die? Why are you so silent?"

On hearing this the man took a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at his wife. The wife said, "You crazy man, what are you doing? Is this the time for you to make jokes? What will people think of you?"

The husband gave a broad smile and said, "Look, you know that it is I, your husband, your dearest one, who was aiming a pistol at you. You know perfectly well that I will not kill you because of my tremendous love for you. Now God, who is the Author of all Good, is infinitely more compassionate than I am or than I ever could be, and we are His children. Do you think that He will allow us to be destroyed, or that He will destroy us? If an ordinary human being like me cannot kill you because of the little love that I have for you, how can God destroy us? He has infinite Love for His children, although we do not know and never will know how His Love works in and through us. His Love and Compassion work in and through us in a way that we will never understand. May God's Will be fulfilled in God's own Way. Today let us just be observers, and tomorrow let us participate in the fulfilment of His Cosmic Will."

Immediately the cyclone stopped and everything became calm and quiet. The wife, with utmost pride in her husband's wisdom and gratitude that the storm had stopped, fell at her husband's feet.

When for a moment I cast aside all rationalism and transport myself into the clear mountain air on the solitary rock, I spontaneously go into silence.

Solitude keeps me alive in a society that knows no laws of love and harmony.

Violence, violence, violence everywhere.

I do not understand the law that prompts mortal beings to injure each other. How do they forget that all creatures are breathing one and the same breath?

Why are they ungrateful and why do they forget that all breathing beings are the children of one Father who is giving the life breath to all equally?

From where arises this violence? Which is that power that instigates them to annihilate each other?s existence?

I return to my silence without any reply and with a simple conclusion that human beings have not yet really found out the art of living harmoniously.

The evil that forces one to commit such heinous crimes is because of himsa, the absence of love, consideration, kindness, and awareness that we all belong to One.

By killing others we are cutting the roots of the same tree whose limbs we are.

From Sadhana: The Essence of Spiritual Life, by Swami Rama

Before the great spiritual Master Nigamananda was known by that name, he was called Nolini Kanto. When his wife died, he could not bear the loss, and for a while he literally became insane. Finally he went to a spiritual Master and begged the Master to show him his wife in the other world.

The Master said with utmost affection, "My son, do not cry for things that are transitory. The body came, the body left; but the soul remains eternally. If you pray and meditate, you will see the soul of your wife everywhere. You have all along been attached to the body. Now you should be attached to the soul. When one is attached to the soul, it is not actually attachment; it is devotedness. I see that a day will come when you will give illumination to many. God wants you to be totally freed from earthly bondage. But God will not be satisfied with only your personal liberation. After you have achieved liberation, He wants you to liberate all those who will be with you, at your feet."

Commentary:

The body's attachment-cry is always most painful. The soul's detached oneness is always fruitful. The body knows how to cry the loneliness-cry. The soul knows how to fly in the oneness-sky.

Truth is that Divine Force that dwells in every individual’s heart. It is the all-pervading, eternal Reality, uniting all individuals, and finally, linking all of existence in one divine awareness. That Divine Force is called God.

Belief in the existence of God indicates that one is searching for the Truth. The Truth is that which remains unchanged in the past, present, and future. The Truth is unborn and immortal. To know Truth, one needs to purify one’s thoughts, speech and actions. Purification is of utmost importance, because only through a purified mind can an aspirant think clearly and contemplate.

Once we are determined to search for the Truth through purified thoughts, speech, and actions, we are certain to find the way and reach the goal. Truth itself becomes our guide, and without making a mistake we will find ourselves on the right path.

One who believes in God and surrenders to God attains freedom here and now. He knows that he belongs to God, and that God belongs to him. His awareness shifts from the world to God, and he lives a life free from insecurity and fear. He has an unshakable faith in divine protection.

The scriptures constantly remind us that as the ocean accepts a river and makes it its own, God accepts seekers. It does not matter which path they follow or from which background they come. The only requirement is the desire to know the Truth. Once that desire is awakened, all means and resources come together. Water finds its own level. Likewise, a true lover of God finds God.

The highest philosophy is to know that the Truth and God are one and the same, and the highest practice is to search for Truth through one’s thoughts, speech, and actions.

There is something beyond religion. Though essential in the preliminary stage, it does not allow one to be one with the whole. It is like a moth that eats Kashmir wool, trying to prove to other moths that Kashmir exists. Everywhere in the realm of religion I encountered locked doors. If ever one door should chance to open, I was ultimately disappointed by what lay behind it.

God’s existence does not depend on our proofs. There is something wrong with the philosophers and the theologians, for they have the curious notion that God is a kind of hypothesis that can be analyzed and discussed.

I have seen people struggling with death because they do not admit its existence. God to me is a real annihilating fire and indescribable grace. I accept both.

It is easy to believe in God, and to believe in God is definitely better than not believing, however, that is only half way. It is something great when you come to know that:

God is in me. The Lord dwells in me. I am a finite vessel, and Infinity dwells within this finite vessel.

The human being is great, not because he can speak and narrate things, and not because he can feel. He is great because wherever he goes, the Lord travels with him.

No one has seen God. Highest of all, love without object, is God. How to know him? How to enjoy?

Seeing God in everyone and working for others is one way of enjoyment, but that is not so easy. You will have to practice. Remember the Lord all the time and sooner or later, you will be transformed.

The day you come to know that the Lord is within you, you will be free from fears. Then where are you? Where do you exist? If you have that consciousness that you exist separately from the Lord of the Universe, then it means you deny the existence of the Lord of the Universe.

God is all—a personal God, a universal God, and that which is beyond. Start from a personal God, go to the God within, then to the universal God, and finally beyond.

To love beloved God in any object is knowledge, yet to understand God in the heart is real Truth. It is a vain attempt to search for God. Who can there be more wonderful than myself—that is the Self of all.

Those who crave to see God are foolish. When I see him smiling through the face of man and child, and highest of all in myself, I am born a million times, and die a million times, too.

No God is greater than thyself.



by Swami Rama
From: The Essence of Spiritual Life

The following is an excerpt from the recently released book "The Yogi, Portraits of Swami Vishnu-devananda." It comes from the chapter entitled:


............................... Mantra Initiation


Each individual must have a Mantra to suit his particular mind. But we can't have four billion Mantras. For four billion people we don't cook four billion types of food.
What type of food do you have? One type of food you like much better than another, is it not? What did they serve for breakfast? Granola, fruit, bread, bread and butter, and yoghurt, Some of you took more granola; some took more butter and more bread; some took more yoghurt, is it not? Though we have been given the same food, one food you like much better than another. But the purpose is what? To nourish your body, you take granola, more and more. It is the same with Mantras. There is no such thing as a superior Mantra or inferior Mantra. All Mantras are alike, are equal and have equal efficiency. Jus like fire; all fire burns. Of course, some wood can burn more, if it's not wet. But even wet wood will burn.
In India we know which Mantra is suitable to a particular mind, because we know the deities. Every name has got a form; every for has got a name. We cannot use any word as a Mantra; the form of the word you use will be reflected in your mental state. According the Yoga psychology, your mind assumes the form of the objects you think of or meditate on. If you are thinking of an orange your mind takes the shape of the orange in order to have the perception of the orange. This is the law; this you must remember very clearly. So if I'm thinking orange, orange, orange, the mind takes the shape of the orange. Then only is visibility and perception possible. If there is no form of the orange, even if you're repeating "orange, orange, orange, orange," if there's no form, it has no impact on the mind. The mind does'nt know what it is; it's just a word.
In the same way, form alone is not sufficient. If you just visualize the form without the orange name then the form has no effect on the mind. You need name and form. If you want to see the fire, but there is no form of fire in the mind, you can repeat "file, fire". Still you cannot think of the fire. Name and form go together.
If this were not so, you could use any word for meditation. You can use "flowerr, flower, flower, flowerr, flower, flower," but your body and mind cannot be lifted by a flower, the energy coming from the flower, the radiation from the flower. The wavelength of the flower and the object flower have no permanent impact on your mind. Only spiritual words can lift you up. These words are called spiritual Mantras. The Supreme Being is one and is called OM. The highest Mantra is OM:
A - U - M. All other Mantras emanate from the OM: A - U - M. Every Mantras that we can speak of, and every language in fact, is hidden in this one cosmic syllable OM. The meaning of that OM syllable is very difficult for the ordinary mind to grasp. For this reason we very seldom initiate anyone into OM, though it is the highest Mantra. Because people don't have the highest subtle intellect to meditate on an abstract form like OM, but still you can meditate on OM if you want. There's no harm, because it is abstract. All other Mantras are concrete, they have a specific name or form.

THE SIGNIFICANCE AND OBSERVANCE OF MAHASIVARATRI

By Sri Swami Sivananda
THIS FALLS on the 13th (or 14th) day of the dark half of Phalgun (February-March). The name means “the night of Shiva”. The ceremonies take place chiefly at night. This is a festival observed in honour of Lord Shiva. Shiva was married to Parvati on this day.
People observe a strict fast on this day. Some devotees do not even take a drop of water. They keep vigil all night. The Shiva Lingam is worshipped throughout the night by washing it every three hours with milk, curd, honey, rose water, etc., whilst the chanting of the Mantra Om Namah Shivaya continues. Offerings of bael leaves are made to the Lingam. Bael leaves are very sacred as, it is said, Lakshmi resides in them.
Hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, such as the Shiva Mahimna Stotra of Pushpadanta or Ravana’s Shiva Tandava Stotra are sung with great fervour and devotion. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya. He who utters the Names of Shiva during Shivaratri, with perfect devotion and concentration, is freed from all sins. He reaches the abode of Shiva and lives there happily. He is liberated from the wheel of births and deaths. Many pilgrims flock to the places where there are Shiva temples.
THE STORY OF KING CHITRABHANU
In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhishma, whilst resting on the bed of arrows and discoursing on Dharma, refers to the observance of Maha Shivaratri by King Chitrabhanu. The story goes as follows.
Once upon a time King Chitrabhanu of the Ikshvaku dynasty, who ruled over the whole of Jambudvipa, was observing a fast with his wife, it being the day of Maha Shivaratri. The sage Ashtavakra came on a visit to the court of the king.
The sage asked, “O king! why are you observing a fast today?”
King Chitrabhanu explained why. He had the gift of remembering the incidents of his previous birth.
The king said to the sage: “In my past birth I was a hunter in Varanasi. My name was Suswara. My livelihood was to kill and sell birds and animals. One day I was roaming the forests in search of animals. I was overtaken by the darkness of night. Unable to return home, I climbed a tree for shelter. It happened to be a bael tree. I had shot a deer that day but I had no time to take it home. I bundled it up and tied it to a branch on the tree. As I was tormented by hunger and thirst, I kept awake throughout the night. I shed profuse tears when I thought of my poor wife and children who were starving and anxiously awaiting my return. To pass away the time that night I engaged myself in plucking the bael leaves and dropping them down onto the ground.
“The day dawned. I returned home and sold the deer. I bought some food for myself and for my family. I was about to break my fast when a stranger came to me, begging for food. I served him first and then took my food.
“At the time of death, I saw two messengers of Lord Shiva. They were sent down to conduct my soul to the abode of Lord Shiva. I learnt then for the first time of the great merit I had earned by the unconscious worship of Lord Shiva during the night of Shivaratri. They told me that there was a Lingam at the bottom of the tree. The leaves I dropped fell on the Lingam. My tears which I had shed out of pure sorrow for my family fell onto the Lingam and washed it. And I had fasted all day and all night. Thus did I unconsciously worship the Lord.
“I lived in the abode of the Lord and enjoyed divine bliss for long ages. I am now reborn as Chitrabhanu.”

SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RITUAL
The Scriptures record the following dialogue between Sastri and Atmanathan, giving the inner meaning of the above story.
Sastri: It is an allegory. The wild animals that the hunter fought with are lust, anger, greed, infatuation, jealousy and hatred. The jungle is the fourfold mind, consisting of the subconscious mind, the intellect, the ego and the conscious mind. It is in the mind that these “wild animals” roam about freely. They must be killed. Our hunter was pursuing them because he was a Yogi. If you want to be a real Yogi you have to conquer these evil tendencies. Do you remember the name of the hunter in the story?
Atmanathan: Yes, he was called Suswara.
Sastri: That’s right. It means “melodious”. The hunter had a pleasant melodious voice. If a person practices Yama and Niyama and is ever conquering his evil tendencies, he will develop certain external marks of a Yogi. The first marks are lightness of the body, health, steadiness, clearness of countenance and a pleasant voice. This stage has been spoken of in detail in the Swetaswatara Upanishad. The hunter or the Yogi had for many years practised Yoga and had reached the first stage. So he is given the name Suswara. Do you remember where he was born?
Atmanathan: Yes, his birthplace is Varanasi.
Sastri: Now, the Yogis call the Ajna Chakra by the name Varanasi. This is the point midway between the eyebrows. It is regarded as the meeting place of the three nerve currents (Nadis), namely, the Ida, Pingala and the Sushumna. An aspirant is instructed to concentrate on that point. That helps him to conquer his desires and evil qualities like anger and so on. It is there that he gets a vision of the Divine Light within.
Atmanathan: Very interesting! But how do you explain his climbing up the bael tree and all the other details of the worship?
Sastri: Have you ever seen a bael leaf?
Atmanathan: It has three leaves on one stalk.
Sastri: True. The tree represents the spinal column. The leaves are threefold. They represent the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna Nadis, which are the regions for the activity of the moon, the sun and fire respectively, or which may be thought of as the three eyes of Shiva. The climbing of the tree is meant to represent the ascension of the Kundalini Shakti, the serpentine power, from the lowest nerve centre called the Muladhara to the Ajna Chakra. That is the work of the Yogi.
Atmanathan: Yes, I have heard of the Kundalini and the various psychic centres in the body. Please go on further; I am very interested to know more.
Sastri: Good. The Yogi was in the waking state when he began his meditation. He bundled up the birds and the animals he had slain and, tying them on a branch of the tree, he rested there. That means he had fully conquered his thoughts and rendered them inactive. He had gone through the steps of Yama, Niyama, Pratyahara, etc. On the tree he was practising concentration and meditation. When he felt sleepy, it means that he was about to lose consciousness and go into deep sleep. So he determined to keep awake.
Atmanathan: That is now clear to me; you certainly do explain it very well. But why did he weep for his wife and children?
Sastri: His wife and children are none other than the world. One who seeks the Grace of God must become an embodiment of love. He must have an all-embracing sympathy. His shedding of tears is symbolical of his universal love. In Yoga also, one cannot have illumination without Divine Grace. Without practising universal love, one cannot win that Grace. One must perceive one’s own Self everywhere. The preliminary stage is to identify one’s own mind with the minds of all created beings. That is fellow-feeling or sympathy. Then one must rise above the limitations of the mind and merge it in the Self. That happens only in the stage of Samadhi, not earlier.
Atmanathan: Why did he pluck and drop the bael leaves?
Sastri: That is mentioned in the story only to show that he had no extraneous thoughts. He was not even conscious of what he was doing. All his activity was confined to the three Nadis. The leaves, I have said before, represent the three Nadis. He was in fact in the second state, namely, the dream state, before he passed into the deep sleep state.
Atmanathan: He kept vigil the whole night, it is said.
Sastri: Yes, that means that he passed through the deep sleep state successfully. The dawning of day symbolises the entrance into the Fourth state called Turiya or superconsciousness.
Atmanathan: It is said that he came down and saw the Lingam. What does that mean?
Sastri: That means that in the Turiya state he saw the Shiva Lingam or the mark of Shiva in the form of the inner lights. In other words, he had the vision of the Lord. That was an indication to him that he would realise the supreme, eternal abode of Lord Shiva in course of time.
Atmanathan: So it appears from what you say that the sight of the lights is not the final stage?
Sastri: Oh no! That is only one step, albeit a difficult one. Now think of how the story continues. He goes home and feeds a stranger. A stranger is one whom you have not seen before. The stranger is no other than the hunter himself, transformed into a new person. The food was the likes and dislikes which he had killed the previous night. But he did not consume the whole of it. A little still remained. That was why he had to be reborn as King Chitrabhanu. Going to the world of Shiva (Salokya) is not enough to prevent this. There are other stages besides Salokya. These are Samipya, Sarupya and finally Sayujya. Have you not heard of Jaya and Vijaya returning from Vaikunta?
Atmanathan: Yes, I have understood now.
LORD SHIVA’S ASSURANCE
When creation had been completed, Shiva and Parvati went out to live on the top of Mount Kailas. Parvati asked, “O venerable Lord! which of the many rituals observed in Thy honour doth please Thee most?”
The Lord replied, “The 14th night of the new moon, in the dark fortnight during the month of Phalgun, is my most favourite day. It is known as Shivaratri. My devotees give me greater happiness by mere fasting than by ceremonial baths and offerings of flowers, sweets and incense.
“The devotee observes strict spiritual discipline in the day and worships Me in four different forms during each of the four successive three-hour periods of the night. The offering of a few bael leaves is more precious to Me than the precious jewels and flowers. My devotee should bathe Me in milk at the first period, in curd at the second, in clarified butter at the third, and in honey at the fourth and last. Next morning, he should feed the Brahmins first and, after performing the prescribed ceremonies, he can break his fast. O Parvati! there is no ritual which can compare with this simple routine in sanctity.”
Parvati was deeply impressed by the speech of Loid Shiva. She repeated it to Her friends who in their turn passed it on to the ruling princes on earth. Thus was the sanctity of Shivaratri broadcast all over the world.
The two great natural forces that afflict man are Rajas (the quality of passionate activity) and Tamas (that of inertia). The Shivaratri Vrata aims at the perfect control of these two. The entire day is spent at the Feet of the Lord. Continuous worship of the Lord necessitates the devotee’s constant presence in the place of worship. Motion is controlled. Evils like lust, anger, and jealousy, born of Rajas are ignored and subdued. The devotee observes vigil throughout the night and thus conquers Tamas also. Constant vigilance is imposed on the mind. Every three hours a round of worship of the Shiva Lingam is conducted. Shivaratri is a perfect Vrata.
The formal worship consists of bathing the Lord. Lord Shiva is considered to be the Form of Light (which the Shiva Lingam represents). He is burning with the fire of austerity. He is therefore best propitiated with cool bathing. While bathing the Lingam the devotee prays: “O Lord! I will bathe Thee with water, milk, etc. Do Thou kindly bathe me with the milk of wisdom. Do Thou kindly wash me of all my sins, so that the fire of worldliness which is scorching me may be put out once for all, so that I may be one with Thee—the One alone without a second.”
At the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, the Shivaratri festival is celebrated in the following manner. 1. All spiritual aspirants fast the whole day, many of them without taking even a single drop of water.
2. A grand havan is performed for the peace and welfare of all.
3. The whole day is spent in doing the Japa of Om Namah Shivaya and in meditation upon the Lord.
4. At night all assemble in the temple and chant Om Namah Shivaya the whole night.
5. During the four quarters of the night the Shiva Lingam is worshipped with intense devotion.
6. Sannyas Diksha is also given on this day to sincere seekers on the path.
Offer this inner worship to Lord Shiva daily: “I worship the jewel of my Self, the Shiva residing in the Lotus of my heart. I bathe Him with the water of my pure mind brought from the river of faith and devotion. I worship Him with the fragrant flowers of Samadhi—all this so that I may not be born again in this world.”
Here is another formula for the supreme worship of the Lord: “O Shiva! you are my Self. My mind is Parvati. My Pranas are your servants. My body is your house. My actions in this world are your worship. My sleep is Samadhi. My walk is circumambulation of you. My speech is your prayer. Thus do I offer all that I am to you.

Victory over thoughts is really a victory over all limitations, weakness, ignorance and death.
The inner war with the mind is more terrible than the outer war with the machine-guns.
Conquest of thoughts is more difficult than the conquest of the world by the force of arms.
Conquer your thoughts and you would conquer the world.

----- Thought Power, by Sri Swami Sivananda

.............................http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg53/seka-photo/za%20forum/master.jpg



Paramahansa Yogananda died on March 7, 1952, minutes after giving a speech at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Apparently Yogananda knew in advance of his forthcoming death, having given several hints to his disciples. To one devotee he said, "My lifework is done." And to another, after the death of Sister Gyanmata, his most advanced woman initiate, he remarked, "Now that Sister is gone, there is nothing that holds me here." Nevertheless, it came as a surprise to his large following when news spread that their beloved Premavatar had finally breathed his last. He was 59 years old.


Yogananda died 56 years ago but his teachings are still spreading.

Here are a few spiritual love songs of India's wonderful bhakti yogini saint, MiraBai (c. 1498-c. 1546). These poems are in the form of Hindi devotional song known as pada; here they are presented in transliteration of the original Hindi, with English translation.



Oh Oh I'm Love-Crazy (he rî maim to prema dîvânî).

he rî maim to prema dîvânî, merâ dard na jâne koya
sûlî ûpara seja hamârî, kisa bidha sonâ hoya
gagana maNDala pai seja piyâ kî, kisa bidha milana hoya
ghâyala kî gati ghâyala jânai, kî jina lâî hoya
jauhar kî gati jauhar jânai, kî jina jauhar hoya
dard kî mârî bana bana Dolûm baida milâ nahim koya
mîrâ kî prabhu pîra miTaigî jaba baida sâmvaliyâ hoya

Oh oh! I'm love-crazy. No one knows my pain.
My bed is over the gallows. How could I sleep?
My lover's bed is in heaven's mandala. How could I get to him?
The one who is wounded knows what a wound means, what it means to be burned.
The jeweler knows what it means to be a jeweler, what it means to have a jewel.
Afflicted by pain, I wander from forest to forest. Can't get a doctor.
O Lord, Mira's torment will be wiped out when the doctor is the Dark Lover.




The Divine Name (râma nâma rasa pîjai).

râma nâma rasa pîjai manuâm, râma nâma rasa pîjai
taja kusanga satsanga baiTha nita, hari carcâ suNa lîjai
kâma krodha mada lobha moha ko, bahâ citta se dîjai
mîrâ ke prabhu giradhara nâgara, tâhi ke rang bhîjai

Drink the nectar of the Divine Name, O human! Drink the nectar of the Divine Name!
Leave the bad company, always sit among righteous company. Hearken to the mention of God (for your own sake).
Concupiscence, anger, pride, greed, attachment: wash these out of your consciousness.
Mira's Lord is the Mountain-Holder, the suave lover. Soak yourself in the dye of His color.

Attention is of two kinds – voluntary and involuntary. When the attention is directed towards external objects by an effort of will, when you have an express volition to attend to this or that, it is called voluntary attention. You understand why you perceive. Some deliberate intention, incentive, goal or purpose is definitely involved. Voluntary attention needs effort, will, determination and some mental training. This is cultivated by practice and perseverance. The benefits derived from the practice of attention are incalculable.

Involuntary attention is quite common. It does not demand any practice. There is no effort of the will. The attention is induced by the beauty and attractive nature of the object. Individuals perceive without knowing why, and without observed instruction. Young children possess this power of involuntary attention to a greater degree than adults.

Attention is the basis of will. The force with which anything strikes the mind is generally in proportion to the degree of attention bestowed upon it. Attention on any object may be either subjective (internal) or objective (external). Attention is steady application of the mind. It is focusing of consciousness on a chosen object. Through attention, you can develop your mental faculties and capacities. Where there is attention, there is also concentration. Attention should be cultivated gradually. It is not a special process. It is one aspect of the whole mental process.

Perception always involves attention. To perceive is to attend. Through attention you get a clear and distinct knowledge of objects. The entire energy is focused on the objects towards which attention is directed. Full and complete information is gained. During attention all the dissipated rays of the mind are collected. There is effort or struggle. Through attention a deeper impression is made in the mind. If you have good attention, you can attend to the matter in hand exclusively. An attentive person has a very good memory and is very vigilant, circumspect and alert.

Attention plays a very great part in concentration. When properly guided and directed towards the inner world for the purpose of introspection, it will analyse the mind and illumine very many astounding facts for you. Attention is one of the signs of a trained will. It is a rare faculty which can be cultivated and developed by persistent practice.

The human mind has the power of attending to only one object at a time, although it is able to pass from one object to another with a remarkable degree of speed. So rapidly, in fact, that some have held that it can grasp several things at a time. But the best authorities, eastern and western, hold to the ‘single idea’ theory as being correct. It agrees with one’s daily experience also. There are yogis who can do eight or ten or even a hundred things at a time. This is not strange. The whole secret lies in the fact that they have developed their attention to a remarkable degree. All the great people of the world possess this faculty in varying degrees.


From the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati

The Sanskrit term for memory is smriti. Smarana is remembering. This is the function of the subconscious mind or chitta. The samskaras, or habits, of thinking and acting are deeply impressed in the chitta, which is like the sensitive plate of a camera. All impressions are indelibly recorded there. Whenever you attempt to remember past events or things, they come to the surface of the mind through the trap door. They come out in the form of big waves of thought or as mental images.

Memory culture is very important. It brings success in God-realization as well. A person with a strong and retentive memory has success in all undertakings. One who has a good memory can conduct his business affairs very successfully. A student who has a retentive memory will have success in all his examinations. Intelligence is only one-tenth of memory.

Take up memory culture. Take any exercise that suits you best and put it into daily practice. Keep a daily record – this is very important. Mere skipping over the pages will be of no benefit. If you really want rapid improvement, put the lessons into practice and take notes. You can watch your progress and correct your mistakes.

Whenever you meet a person, look at his figure carefully from top to bottom. Mentally note any peculiar features – the condition of his eyes, eyebrows, teeth, arms etc., the sort of dress he is wearing, what kind of cap he wears, whether he has a moustache or not. Notice his behaviour, his looks, his gait, whether he seems to be kind-hearted or cruel, whether he is intelligent or dull, polite or impolite, his colour and so on.

Many people cannot give a clear description of the faces of their own friends, or their own parents! The obvious reason is that they have not developed the power of memory. Enter your friend’s room; notice carefully all the things you see there. Then close your eyes and reflect. Come out of the room and note mentally all the things the room contains, in order. Then re-enter the room and verify what you noticed. Practise this for some months – you will develop a wonderful power of sight.


From the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Learn the art of extracting work from the subconscious mind. If you want to remember a forgotten passage, give a definite message to the subconscious mind just before you retire to bed. Talk to the subconscious mind, just as you would talk to a friend. Give the order in clear terms. The following morning it will place the words before you. If this fails, wait with a calm mind till the answer comes from the subconscious mind itself. After you are well up in memory culture, you can take up will culture. You will train every nerve in the practice of will culture. You have started the current and it will keep up your enthusiasm.

Practise the assertions boldly and calmly. Fully understand the meaning of every assertion. Try to feel it. This feeling will slowly manifest. Do not be discouraged. You will have to fight with your old enemies, the old samskaras. Try to develop patience, attention, power of endurance, balance of mind, presence of mind and so on.

Pay great attention to this; you will derive great benefit. Will is dynamic soul force. If rendered pure and irresistible, it can work wonders. There is nothing you cannot achieve with a strong will. Most people have no consciousness of will or mind or intellect, though they talk much of ‘will’ and ‘mind’.

The will has become weak through desires or vasanas.. When a desire is controlled, it becomes changed into will. Sexual energy, muscular energy, anger etc. are all transmuted into will force when they are controlled. The fewer the desires, the stronger the will.

Attention, endurance, overcoming likes and dislikes, patience, keeping a daily diary – all pave a long way towards developing the will. You should patiently hear the words of others even though they are not interesting and charming. You should not fret and fume. Patient hearing develops will and wins the hearts of others. Do actions or tasks that are uninteresting – this also develops willpower. The actions that are uninteresting will become interesting after some time.

If you have every comfort in a place, you will not grow strong. Your mind will be puzzled in a new place when you cannot get these comforts. Therefore, make the best use of all places. Never complain about bad environments. Create your own mental world wherever you are, wherever you go. The mind deludes you at every moment, at every step. Do not try to run from bad, unfavourable environments. God has placed you there to grow quickly.

If a calamity occurs, the mind should not be upset. Keep an unruffled mind. Do not be carried away by bubbling emotions. Control the mind. Reflect how the calamity has come about. There is always scope for suitable, effective, easy methods to tide over the crisis. Develop foresight, wisdom – many obstacles will be obviated. Do not brood over failures and mistakes. This will weaken your willpower. Let the defects remain there. They will be removed quickly when the will grows and when the will becomes purer and purer, stronger and stronger.

The practice of concentration is of great help in strengthening the will. You must have an intelligent understanding of the habits of the mind, how it wanders and how it operates. You must know easy and effective methods to control the wandering of the mind. The practice of thought culture, the practice of concentration and the practice of memory culture are allied subjects. All are of immense help in the practice of will culture. You cannot draw a line of demarcation to denote where the practice of concentration or memory culture ends and the practice of will culture begins. There is no hard and fast rule.



From the teachings of Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

Images
Life is made of images floating all around,
With hues spectacular and intervening grey and brown,
When I stand a witness Iam unbound,
Oblivious of this fact Iam drowned.

To be like the unending sky,
In me the clouds pass by
Wind and thunder, rain and storm may pry,
All images! Untainted I lie,
Oblivious of this fact I die.

Images playing parts as the screen lifts,
The play rolls on as the scene drifts,
My image laughs, cries, sings and dies as its roles shift,
But I the audience, watch it play with all its deft
Oblivious of this fact, from Bliss I drift.

My Master, you asked me to 'Just Be'
To transcend the barriers of you and me,
Your Grace abound, this image dissolves in Thee
Where You and I, together I be!

No images of various hues,
No images within emotional grooves,
No images on the stage to play,
No images within night and day,
Yet all images in me, but I just be!

(Based on the teachings of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi)
- Priya Devi R

Two monks were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling. Coming around the bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection.

"Come on, girl," said the first monk. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.

The second monk did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he said. "It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"

"I left the girl there," the first monk said. "Are you still carrying her?"

Yoga is not only learning to stand on your head but also learning to stand on your feet.


- Swami Satchidananda

What a joy it is to discover the ocean of bliss within, to dive deep into the depths of truth and realize who you really are, the Infinite. What problems can ever shake you, who are immortal? Problems and difficulties are stepping stones and not stopping stones. Once you realize that you are one with the all-loving God, then how can worry ever assail you again. To worry is not your true nature. Your true nature is bliss and pure, selfless love.

- BABA

He was a young boy. Though young he had deep interest in spiritual matters. Even in his childhood he used to meditate for long hours. He was desperately looking for someone who can make him realize the God.

Once upon a time he went to a spiritual teacher who was taking bath in a holy river. He stood in front of him and asked - "Have you seen God?". The teacher didn't expected such a straight question and was bit confused. Instead of answering the young boy's question he said - "O Child! Your eyes look like a Yogi". The young body understood that the teacher has not seen God yet. He repeated the same question to many spiritual teachers but in vain. No one gave positive answer.

His search for the answer continued. Once upon a time he went to meet with a priest of Kali temple. He asked the same question to the priest. To his surprise the priest firmly said - "Yes. I have seen the God. I have seen Him more clearly than I see you all."

The priest was no one else but Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the young boy was Swami Vivekananda.

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."
- Mother Teresa

It was the year 1930 in Southern California.

A young gentleman named Peter Kelder was taking a leisurely stroll, when a sudden shower broke out. He ran for cover to a nearby Travelers Club.

There, randomly, he sat at the table of a retired British army officer, known as Colonel Bradford.

The Colonel was a wrinkled, stooping man in his late sixties, drained of physical energy, unable to walk without the help of a strong cane.

Yet despite their differences, the pair soon became friends – and regularly met to discuss the Colonel’s many varied travels.

Of all of his topics, Colonel Bradford preferred to talk about India.

In particular, one story attracted him more than any other...

In almost every Indian district he’d visited, he’d been told about an ancient monastery deep in the heart of Tibet, where Lamas had discovered “The Fountain of Youth.”

Peter Kelder later wrote of this place: “Old men had visited and mysteriously regained health and strength, vigor and virility shortly after entering a certain monastery; but where this particular place was none seemed exactly to know.”

Colonel Bradford decided to leave – and find that monastery for himself.
The Colonel occasionally wrote to Kelder with updates of his progress. He eventually reported that he had found the monastery. But then the scent ran dry, and Kelder heard nothing more.
Until four years later, when Colonel Bradford stepped into his office...

... COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED.

His hair was a rich brown once again. His complexion was smooth and fresh. He no longer walked with a stoop. He was energetic, and strong, and virile, and HAPPY.
Asked how old he looked, most people guessed 38.

HE WAS 72.

The secret, he said, was all down