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A NEW YEAR OF JOY

A spiritual New Year of Divine Life, of joy supreme, of eternal unity and perfect harmony, has come; let every day of this New Year be filled with a new message, a message of Love, a message of Service, a message of Wisdom! Today is the most favourable day, today is the most auspicious day, for starting the spiritual life, for the new birth, for entering into the natural process of the soul’s rightful urge towards God.

Behold the Dawn of Divine Life, and be born to a new life in God.

Feel God’s sustaining Grace and the Divine Presence. God is visible to the intensely yearning heart saturated with love for Him. Look within: you shall find the Lord in your own heart. Turn your gaze inwards and lead an inner life to order your self with the Law of God. Spiritual life is one of fullness and perfection. Live this spiritual

life this very moment and radiate peace and bliss all around.

Fear nothing and desire nothing but for the consciousness of God in whom you are rooted and who is the Invisible Resource! Drink the nectar compassion towards all beings, who are God and God alone. Give up all that bars the spiritual path. Tear the veil that hides the face of the Lord from you. Break down the wall of ignorance. Destroy the forts of blind passions and attachments! Be sagacious with penetrating understanding. Burn the seeds of clinging to the lower self and become saints in this very year and enjoy the joy supreme that God shall reward thee with. Come on! Wake up!! Miss not this day, this year!!! Focus the rays of mind and put forth your concentrated effort to experience the immensity of bliss that is beyond all sorrows.

Swami Sivananda

Life is a journey from hatred to cosmic love, from death to immortality, from imperfection to perfection, from slavery to freedom, from diversity to unity, from ignorance to eternal wisdom, from pain to eternal bliss, from weakness to infinite strength. Let every second take you nearer to the Lord.

- Swami Sivananda

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FUNDAMENTALS OFMEDITATION(H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj)

Meditation is an unbroken flow of knowledge of the object on which one meditates. Meditation follows concentration. Concentration merges in meditation. Meditation is freeing the mind from all thoughts of sense-objects. Mind dwells on God during meditation. Concentration, meditation and Samadhi are internal Sadhanas.

If you meditate for half an hour daily, you will be able to face the battle of life with peace and spiritual strength. Meditation kills all pains, sufferings and sorrow. It is the most powerful mental and nervine tonic. The free flow of the divine energy exercises a benign, soothing influence on the mind, nerves, senses and cells of the body.

During meditation the mind becomes calm, serene and steady. One idea occupies the mind. Meditation opens the door to intuitive knowledge and realms of eternal bliss.

Deep meditation cannot come in a day, or a week or a month. You will have to struggle hard for a long time. Be patient. Be persevering. Be vigilant. Be diligent. Cultivate burning dispassion, strong aspiration or longing for Self-realisation. Gradually you will enter into deep meditation and Samadhi.

A mysterious, inner voice will guide you. You will yourself feel the way to place

your first step in the next rung in the Yogic ladder. All your doubts will be gradually cleared through meditation

HOW TO MEDITATE

Meditate regularly in the early morning between 4 and 6a.m. Mind is calm and refreshed now. The atmosphere also is calm. You will get good concentration. Have a separate meditation room or screen out a corner of a room for meditation. Do not allow any one to enter there.

If there is much strain in your meditation, reduce the duration of each sitting for a few days. Do light meditation. Use your common sense throughout. Do not go to extremes. Stick to the golden medium.

Mind wants a concrete object for meditation in the beginning. Therefore, meditate in the beginning on a concrete

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form such as on the image of your Ishta Devata, or family icon, Lord Jesus, or Lord Buddha. This is Saguna meditation, or meditation on the form of the Lord with attributes. Think of such attributes as omnipotence, perfection, purity, freedom, when you meditate on a divine form. Rotate you mind over the form again and again. As for example, if you are a devotee of Christ, practice meditation as follows.

Place a picture of Jesus in front of you. Sit in your favourite meditative pose. Concentrate gently with open eyes on the picture for some time. Rotate the mind on his beautiful locks, clear, frank eyes, a broad forehead and handsome beard, then on the cross on his chest, on his symmetrical limbs and the holy feet, on the hallow around his form, and so on.

Simultaneously think of the divine attributes of Jesus such as forgiveness, magnanimity, mercy, forbearance and all-inclusive love. Think of the various phases of his interesting life, his miraculous healing and the other extraordinary powers he possessed. Then close your eyes and try to visualise the picture. When the form is not clear to your mind, open the eyes again and concentrate gently. Repeat the same process again & again.

Similarly you can meditate on Lord Hari, or Krishna or Buddha with their respective attributes. While meditating thus you may repeat their respective Mantras as well with the help of a rosary. It is quite necessary in the beginning.

MEDITATION ON OM

Now, all minds are not prepared for meditation on idols or a human being. They can have abstract meditation. Have the

picture of in front of you. Concentrate gently on this picture with open eyes. Associate the ideas of eternity, infinity, immortality, etc. when you think of OM. The humming of bees, the sweet notes of the nightingale, the seven tunes in music, and all sounds are emanations from OM only. OM is the essence of the Vedas. Imagine that OM is the bow, the mind is the arrow, and the Absolute or God the target. Aim at the target with great care and then like the arrow becoming one with target you will become one with God. You can also repeat OM while meditating. If the mind is tumultuous chant long OM loudly and rhythmically.

ABSTRACT MEDITATION

Meditate on the effulgence in the sun, or the splendour in the moon, or the glory in the stars. Meditate on the magnanimity of the ocean and its infinite nature. Then compare the ocean with the infinite Self and the waves, foams, icebergs to the various names and forms. Identify yourself with the ocean. Become silent. Expand. Become infinite.

Meditate on the lofty Himalayas, the dense forests on the lower slopes, on the tall pine grooves, then on the thorn bushes above ten thousand feet, and finally on the blue, silvery ice.

Gaze steadily on the formless air. Concentrate on the air. Meditate on the all-pervading nature of the air. This will lead to the realisation of the nameless and formless Brahman, the one, living Truth.

Meditate on the Absolute Consciousness. Associate the ideas of existence, knowledge, bliss, absorbing love, perfection, peace, purity, infinity, eternity, all-pervasiveness and omnipotence. In

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due course the attributes will merge in pure Nirguna meditation. Attributes are essential in the beginning, and in any case, cannot be avoided. They are as important to the initial practice of Nirguna meditation as to the Saguna meditation.

EXPERIENCES

The feeling of soaring above during meditation is a sure sign that you are progressing and going above body-consciousness. During your practice you are bound to get various occult powers. But do not use them for some material end. You will get a hopeless downfall. There is really no such thing as miracle. When you know the cause, the miracle becomes an ordinary event.

When you get a flash of illumination do not be frightened. It will be a new experience of immense joy. Do not delude yourself that you have attained your end. A flash is a glimpse of Truth. It is Ritambhara Prajna. This is not the experience whole. This is not the highest experience. Reach the Bhuma or the infinite. This is the acme or the final stage.

You will hear various sounds like the blowing of a conch, chiming of bells, the music of flute, lute, harp, mridanga, thunder clap and beating drums. You will

see brilliant lights in the space between the eyebrows. They are like that of an intensely bright pin point, or like a huge sun. You will experience rapture, ecstasy and thrill. Sometimes, you will behold coloured lights, green blue, red, orange, etc. They are due to the presence of different Tattvas at diffrent times. Sometimes, you will have vision of Rishis, sages, tutelary deity, Nitya Siddhas, astral entities, landscape, and beautiful gardens. Sometimes you may float in air; your astral body may get detached from the physical body and you may move about in the astral world. Those who have entered the first degree of meditation will have a light body, sweetness of voice, beautiful complexion, clarity of mind and scanty micturition and defaecation.

OBSTACLES

The chief obstacles in meditation are Laya (sleep), Vikshepa (tossing of mind) the rising up of latent desires, lack of continence, spiritual pride, laziness and disease. Company of worldly-minded people, over-work, over-eating, self-assertive Rajasic nature, are all obstacles to meditation. Experience of rapture and ecstasy is another great obstacle to meditation. Rise above this, and continue your Sadhana.

Conquer sleep through Pranayama, Asana and light diet. Remove tossing of mind through repetition of Mantras, Pranayama, Tratak, etc. Destroy desire through enquiry, contemplation, discrimination, and dispassion. Shun the company of the worldly – minded. Observe moderation in diet. Obey the laws of health and hygiene. Seek the grace of Lord.

May you all attain success in meditation and reach the goal of life!

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Be clear about the goal(Sri Swami Chidananda)

Worshipful homage unto the Supreme Reality, the eternal, the unchanging, the ever-enduring sat, Existence, that which alone is the Reality!

The path that leads to the realisation of this Reality is the path that gives certainty to life, significance and meaning to existence; it endows one with strength, and then ultimately becomes the liberator from all error. It provides for the human individual soul a purpose, and purposefulness is the secret of strength; it is strength.

Certainty is strength. Certainty is a power that overcomes all that stands in the way. Uncertainty is weakness that lays one open to all the contrary pulls and pushes that abound everywhere in the phenomenon called life. Uncertainty is like a traveller moving through a jungle unarmed and unprotected or a soldier on a battlefield without his arms.

Certainty endows one with a sense of purpose and a sense of overcoming. It is the strength of a seeker who knows what is to be attained. Because, when the goal is clear, when the path is visible and known, and the direction is definite, then life becomes a powerful movement forward towards the goal. Therefore, it is necessary that we know what we are striving for, that we know what we are seeking for and that we have a definite plan and purpose.

There should be no delusion. There should be no confusion. There should be

clarity of thought. The Upanishads give us an analogy that Vedatins oft meditate upon and that Jijnasus oft contemplate: Pranavo dhanush saro hi atma brahma tallakshyam uchyate apramattena veddhavyam saravat tanmayo bhavet (Om is the bow. The individual self is the arrow. Brahman is the target. The target is to be hit by great vigilance. Then alone shall one merge into Brahman, even as an arrow enters into a target).

The key word here is apramatta (careful, watchful, and vigilant). A person who has no delusions – who has no confusion, who is very clear and definite about what he has made up his mind to reach – has no lack of clarity; he has no uncertainty; there is not the least doubt in his mind. He is sure. He has chosen after great thought; so, there is no hesitation. There is a total integration of all his being towards that self-chosen goal. Every bhakta, every jijnasu, every yogi, every Vedantin, every sadhaka has to be apramatta. He has to attain that state where there is no doubt left.

The verse says that you yourself are the arrow. You have to speed straight, unerringly towards the target that you have set for yourself, moving in that one unified, single direction towards the Goal Supreme, towards that divine destiny that you have known to be the one and only thing that imparts meaning to life, that makes life worthwhile, that gives significance to life. Having no more doubt about the destination to be reached, you make yourself like unto

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an arrow that speeds straight towards the target.

And what is it that impels you? What is it that impels an arrow forward? It is the bow, and what is that bow that impels you, that gives force? It is none other than that one mystical symbol, the pranava, Om. Om signifies or betokens an alert state of inner spiritual wakefulness, an ever-awake spirituality. Whether the body is in its wakeful condition, dream or deep sleep, you are ever awake spiritually. For you there is no sleep; you are alert, ever awake.

And it is this ever-awake condition of spiritual awareness that will guarantee the straight, onward flight of the arrow, meaning yourself, towards your target which is Brahman, God-experience, Self-realisation, illumination, bliss beyond all sorrow. That is the target, the objective, and you have to reach that, enter into and become one with that supreme target.

This is possible only if there is no uncertainty no vacillation, no confusion, and no hesitation: “I have known what it is that I aspire after, long for, and wish for in this my life. Having pondered it well, weighed the pros and cons, deeply reflected, and having seen what this world is, known its hollowness, its absolute pettiness, it’s purely evanescent nature where everything is transitory and subject to decay and dissolution, I have turned away, I have now known what there is to be attained.

“Having known that in this pettiness and nothingness there is no great significance, except that in and through this wilderness I can attain that state of everlasting light and blessedness, I gather

together all my energies, all my potential, my entire life, and readily, willingly, gladly, with great enthusiasm, zest and zeal I dedicate myself for this great attainment. “This is what I am. That is what my life constitutes-the flight of this sharp arrow, speeding from the bow towards the target. That is what my life is; that is how I conceive it. I clearly see my life to be this speeding arrow going unerringly in the direction of the Supreme Goal, which is nothing less than Brahmanhood, God –experience.”

Thus clearly knowing oneself and knowing what one’s life is, one should speed on towards that great Goal. That is the essence of the moment by moment, day-to-day life of the true seeker, the classic yogi. He is ever intent upon this achievement. And everything has meaning for such being only with reference to this great quest and attainment. If it is not relevant to that great attainment, then that thing ceases to have any place in the true seeker’s life.

This is the life triumphant. This is an effective life. This is a life where uncertainty is minimal and purposefulness is maximum. Such a life alone is a life that makes one thrive and gives joy, satisfaction and great inspiration!

DEvELOPINg A LONgINg FOR gOD

“Eko devah sarvabhuteshu gudhah..” “Isvarah sarvabhutanam hriddese’ rjuna tishhati…”- The Supreme Spirit is hidden in all beings. The Lord, Isvara, dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna. Thus, variously, the scriptures again and again bring to our attention this

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truth, this fact, that we are never apart from, we are never in any way remote, distant or disconnected from, the Being whom we are seeking, the Being whom we refer to as the parama lakshya, highest goal, of human existence.

When we say parama, highest or supreme, we always think of it as something beyond, something distant or remote, something that requires a long journey to reach. We always think in terms of a long process, but they point out to us that it is an inner journey. We do not have to cover distances. We only have to remove obstacles – formidable obstacles within ourselves – the greatest obstacle being ourselves. And me taphys i ca l l y speaking, the lesser obstacles are certain factors within our own personality that are contrary to the Divine Reality, which, therefore, veil It. They stand in the way, they obscure It; they obstruct our perception of It, our experience of It.

Also, the inveterate tendency of our psychological self is to always move away from the inner center and move outside to external objects, propelled by the desire for the possession and enjoyment of external things. It is the tendency of the mind to imagine that happiness, peace and the fulfilment of our lives lies in striving for, possessing and experiencing external things, and thus it moves outward in the wrong direction due to this wrong notion.

Therefore, the most familiar, the most intimate appears to be remote. Not that it is, but we make it so.

To alter these outgoing tendencies – this deluded thinking of the mind that our happiness is in worldly possessions, contacts, and experiences – becomes an indispensable part of our sadhana. And it is an extraordinary quality of this delusion that it doesn’t allow the deluded being to perceive that he is deluded. On the contrary, he will argue and fight and try to convince others that he is perfectly clear, rational and logical. So, all the world is in the grip of

this delusion that does not permit them to know their delusion; on the contrary, makes them convinced that they are right and that those who do not think like them are deluded. Thus it is that this bhranti, this

delusion, being created by maya makes the being move in a direction contrary to his ultimate goal which is within. It is through satsanga and svadhyaya that this delusion is removed and ignorance is replaced by right understanding and knowledge. That marks the turning of our direction towards God.

We must come to the conviction, the continuous, unalterable conviction that God is present right here, nearest to me as my innermost being. God lives within me; we are never apart. And the next conviction

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is to know that this Being is the only source of true happiness, peace and satisfaction. There is no other source.

The third conviction is that this Being, who is ultimately the only source of true happiness, is, therefore, the highest value in life. There is nothing greater, nothing more valuable, nothing more important. If we make seeking Him our most important task in life, if we develop for Him a great longing, a great desire and an overwhelming yearning: “In this life, before I pass away, I must attain God, I must experience that Supreme Being, I must,” if our whole being becomes filled with this urge, then there is absolutely no doubt, it is absolutely certain, that in this very life, in and through this very body, God will be experienced. There is no room for doubt or despair.

No matter how deluded the world outside may be, no matter how chaotic

and absurd, no matter how outrageously human society in this world may be acting , it does not matter if your interior is all right. And it is in the firm conviction of God’s existence and His most intimate and nearest presence, plus a great conviction that He is the one and only supreme value, the one and only thing worth attaining that you develop within you a great longing to attain and experience God; in fact you become of the nature of God.

Then you may be absolutely certain that nothing can deprive you of that experience. It may be a question of a little sooner or later, but the experience is certain. There is no doubt about it.

Let us, therefore, adore the Supreme by acknowledging His immediate, indwelling presence and by telling Him: “Thou art my all in all. Thou art everything for me. Thy attainment is my life’s only desire.’’

REALISE THE SELF

The real self is hidden behind the clouds of our desire. Since the shadowy part of the self is working with the help of the five senses, the inkling of the real self is hidden behind. So, be bold to cut the Gordian knot to subdue this shadowy self to ultimately enjoy the bliss of the Self.

Swami Sivananda

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(Sri Swami Krishnananda)

T h e B h a g a v a d Gita, known as the ‘Song of the Blessed Lord’, occurs in the Mahabharata, and purports to be a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna. It is believed that the Gita furnished in a novel way the quintessence of the Upanishads, providing a teaching on the proper relationship between God, the world and the individual. Here is, in this teaching, an interesting blend and proportion, the coming together of the call of duty, a harmony of human relation, a consciousness of a higher agency operating behind man and society, the interrelatedness of all the things in the word, and the supremacy of Godhead above everything. Humanity as a whole is represented in the personality of Arjuna, and God in the Incarnation of Krishna.

The Bhagavad Gita commences with a picture of the human predicament in a conflict of duty, of what is proper and improper, in an arena of the vast world which appears to the human individual as a field of opposing forces, where the good and the evil seem to be warring with each other. There is tension at every step and man’s life has been a ceaseless effort at self – adjustment with the changing contours of the world and human society. This situation coverts the human being into a kind of movement towards what ought to be, or is yet to be, rather than something that is, independently by itself. This is the phase in human life which manifests itself

as a series of perpetual types of restlessness, helplessness, dejection and despair.

But there is in man, at the same time, an inner stuff which defies movement, change and caprice and asserts its permanency characterized by an unending longing for deathless values. This dual facet of human individuality is accountable by its involvement partly in the world of name, form and process and partly in eternity that masquerades in the midst of the name-form complex and space – time process. The soul of man is immortal; his body is perishable. The noumenal and the phenomenal join hands in the formation of the human personality.

As the world includes the individual as a content of itself, it is the duty of everyone to participate in a wholesome manner and unselfishly in the evolutionary process of the world which ranges from the visible formation of matter, life, mind and intellect to the higher realms of the several ways in which God reveals himself in creation. Life in the world is not all; the destiny of man is above this world. World-experience is a preparation for God – experience. The individual is a passage to the Absolute. Work becomes a compulsive duty as it is an expression of the way in which the individual can be conscious of its harmonious relation with the world, and finally with God. Since the force of God is immanent in the world, work done in the world becomes also a worship of God.

The gospel of the Bhagavad gita

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Since of the world constitutes an organic network of intrinsic relation, no one can be free from the obligation of duty, not only in the form of cooperation with other living beings but also with Nature as a whole and with God in the light of His eternal order in the form of creation. Action binds when it is thought to be done for one’s own benefit. Action does not bind when it is done as a cooperative participation in the universal activity of creation and in the fulfillment of the Will of God, who is the central Agent of all process, action and creative movement, everywhere.

The source of conflict is mainly four fold; that between the higher and the lower nature in one’s own self; that between oneself and other people; that between oneself and the world of Nature; and that between oneself and God. The Bhagavad Gita endeavours to prescribe methods of resolving this fourfold conflict in an ascending series of methodology, right from the lowest concept of things to their highest universality. The inner schism which one feels within oneself as a psychological conflict is on account of one’s fall from the status of God-consciousness, which consequently becomes the cause of a gulf between man and man and between man and the world. No one who is not established in God as an entirety of existence can feel a kinship with Nature or even a sense of brotherhood with others, let alone have peace of mind within one’s own self. Unselfish dedicated work for the welfare of all (Sarvabhutahite ratah) and constant devotion to God as the universality inseparable from one’s true

being are marks of perfection (Sthitaprajna). The Yoga way of meditation prepares one for the higher identification of oneself with the world as a whole, Nature in its comprehensiveness, and God as the All-Being. The Bhagavad Gita is designated as Brahma – Vidya, or the science of the Absolute; Yoga –

Sastra, or the art of meditation; and Krishna – Arjuna Samvada, or the union of God and man. The first definition makes out that the Bhagavad Gita provides a metaphysical foundation for life as a whole, the second aspect points out that it is a guideline for self – discipline and self – integration, and the third portrayal declares that the teaching is centred on the journey of man to God, and his final union with God. The great promise that God bequeaths to man in the Bhagavad Gita is in the proclamation that He is ready to grant all the needs of the devotee when he unquestioningly and undividedly centres his consciousness in God – Being. The concluding verse of the Bhagavad Gita announces that prosperity, victory, happiness and established polity will reign supreme wherever Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, and Arjuna, the bow-man of action, move forward seated in a single chariot, implying thereby that perfection is possible and is attainable when the Universal and the particular mingle in a state of harmony and balance in the world as well as in the individual. Here is a recipe for the blessedness of all. The God of the Bhagavad Gita presented in the Eleventh Chapter is, verily the God of universal religion, not of a religion, but religion as such, religion as it is, and as it ought to be.

“Happiness comes to him who gives happiness to others.’’ (Swami Sivananda)

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See how humble Hanuman was! How deep was his devotion to Sri Rama! He never said, “I am the brave Hanuman. I can do anything and everything.” Sri Rama Himself said to Hanuman, “I am greatly indebted to you, O mighty hero. You did marvellous, superhuman deeds. You do not want anything in return. Sugriva has his kingdom restored tp him. Angada has been made the crown prince. Vibhishana has become king of Lanka. But you have not asked for anything at any time . You threw away the precious garland of pearls given to you by Sita. How can I repay my debt of gratitude to you? I will always remain deeply indebted to you. I give you the boon of everlasting life. All will honour and worship you like Myself. Your idol will be placed at the door of My temple and you will be worshipped and honoured first. Whenever My stories recited or glories sung, your glory will be sung before Mine. You will be able to do anything, even that which I will not be able to!”

Thus did Sri Rama praise Hanuman when the latter returned to Him after finding Sita in Lanka. Hanuman was not a bit elated. He fell in prostration at the holy feet of Sri Rama.

Sri Rama asked him,”O mighty hero, how did you cross the ocean?” Hanuman humbly replied, “By the power and Glory of Thy Name, my Lord.” Again Sri Rama asked. “ How did you burn Lanka? How did you save yourself?”

Hanuman Jayanti SRI HANUMAN is worshipped all over India either alone or together with

Sri Rama. Every temple of Sri Rama has the murti or idol Sri Hanuman. Hanuman was the Avatara of Lord Siva. He was born of the Wind - God and Anjani Devi. He is also called by the names Pavanasuta, Marutsuta, Mahavira, Bajrangabali and Pravankumar.

Hanuman was the living embodiment of the power of Ram - Nam. He was an ideal selfless worker, a true Karma Yogi who worked desirelessly. He was a great devotee and an exceptional Brahmachari or celibate. He served Sri Rama with pure love and devotion, without expecting any fruit in return. He lived only to serve Sri Rama. He was humble, brave and wise. He possessed all the divine virtues. He did what others could not do-crossing the ocean simply by uttering Ram - Nam, burning the demon-King’s city of Lanka, and bringing the sanjeevini herb to restore the life of Lakshmana. He brought Sri Rama and Lakshamana from the nether world after killing Ahiravana.

Hanuman possesed devotion, knowledge, spirit of selfless service, power of celibacy, and desirelessness. He never boasted of his bravery and intelligence.

He said to Ravana, “ I am a humble messenger of Sri Rama. I have come here to serve Sri Rama to do His work. By the command of Sri Rama, I have come here . I am fearless by the Grace of Sri Rama. I am not afraid of death. I welcome it if comes while serving Sri Rama.”

Swami Sivananda

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And Hanuman replied, “By Thy Grace, my Lord.” What profound humility Hanuman embodied in himself!

There are many who want wealth in return for their services. Some do not want wealth, but they cannot resist name and fame. Others do not want any of these, but they want approbation. Still others want nothing, but they boast of their deeds. Hanuman was above all these. That is why he is recognised as an ideal Karma Yogi and an unsurpassed adept

in Bhakti. His life is full of object lessons. Everyone should try his best to follow the noble example of Hanuman. His birthday falls on Chaitra Shukla Purnima - the March April full moon day.

On this holy day worship Sri Hanuman. Fast on this day. Read the Sri Hanuman Chalisa. Spend the whole day in the Japa of Ram - Nam. Hanuman will be highly pleased and will bless you with success in all your undertakings.

Glory to Hanuman! Glory to his Lord, Sri Rama!

Miss not any opportunity. Avail yourself of all opportunities. Every opportunity is meant for your uplift and development. If you see a sick man lying down on the roadside in a helpless condition, take him on your back or tonga to the nearest hospital. Nurse him. Give him hot milk or tea or coffee. Shampoo his legs with divine Bhava. Feel the all-pervading, all-permeating, interpenetrating indwelling God in him. See divinity in the glow of his eyes, in his cry, in his breath, in the pulsation and motion of his lungs. God has given this opportunity to you to develop mercy and love, to purify your heart and to remove hatred and jealousy. Sometimes you are very timid, God will place you in such circumstances wherein you will be forced to exhibit courage and presence of mind by risking your life. Those world figures who have risen to eminence have utilised all opportunities to the best advantage. God shapes the mind of human beings by giving them opportunities.

Remember that in your weakness lies the strength, because you will be always on your alert to safeguard yourself. Poverty has its own virtues. Poverty infuses humility, strength, power of endurance and the spirit of struggle and perseverance, whereas luxury begets laziness, pride, weakness, inertia and all sorts of evil habits.

Do not grumble, therefore, of bad environments. Create your own mental world and environments. That man who tries to evolve or grow in adverse environments will be a very strong man indeed. Nothing can shake him. He will be of a sterner stuff. He will have strong nerves. Man is certainly not a creature of environments or circumstances. He can control and modify them by his capacities, thoughts, good actions and right exertions (Purushartha). That is the reason why Vasishthaji and Bhishma have placed Purushartha above destiny. Therefore, dear brothers, exert, conquer nature and rejoice in the eternal Satchidananda Atman. - Swami Sivananda

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Among the various concepts of human love, love of Guru, or spiritual preceptor, is considered highest in Hindu culture. As a matter of fact, it is deemed highest in every religion of the world. Guru embodies wisdom that liberates one from the cycles of birth and death. Guru represents that mystic path which leads one to the cessation of all sorrows. Guru symbolizes the way to union with the Supreme Self. Therefore, to a spiritual aspirant, Guru becomes the personification of God Himself.

“Guru is Brahma (creator), Guru is Vishnu (sustainer), Guru is the great God Shiva (destroyer), Guru is the Supreme Brahman Himself. To that Guru I offer my adorations!” This and many similar verses in Sanskrit are devoted to the praise of Guru.

To an aspirant, the spiritual preceptor or Guru is the living temple of God, the Divinity in a living personality. Through that living personality, the aspirant invokes the grace of God.

From an ideal point of view, Guru is one who has attained Self-realization. In addition, he is versed in the great scriptures so that he can transmit knowledge to his disciples through spiritual influences, through personal example, and through verbal discourses.

As you tread the spiritual path, you should not spend all your time looking for an ideal Guru. Rather, what is needed is the promotion of ideal discipleship within your

personality. When you become a disciple, you are sure to draw to yourself a Guru who can lead you on. The conjunction of Guru and disciple is not matter of accident, but a result of continued spiritual process in many lives.

In various forms of human love that exist between father and son, husband and wife, friends, mother and her child, lover and beloved, there is a form of illusion involved. The urge of love is gradually entangled by the vine of thorny attachments and frustrations.

In every form of love you seek the revelation of yourself. To the extent a person or circumstance enables you to discover something unique within yourself, to that extent that person or circumstances is loved. But, in various forms of human love, the feeling of love is unable to rise higher than the ego – center, and therefore, complete discovery of yourself is not achieved . Further, the dim glimpse of love gradually becomes obscure, and all that you find is a network of entanglements created by mental illusions.

But , in spiritual love directed towards Guru, you understand the need of transcending the ego, and therefore, you allow the Guru’s guidance to lead you on to that transcendental development within yourself. This enables you to serve the Guru with whole – hearted devotion. In this process your ego may not be fed, you may not be applauded or rewarded. However, if you are a true aspirant you are not concerned with external recognition.

guru BhaktiDevotion to Guru

By Swami Jyotirmayananda

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You see the Guru’s Grace operating within yourself through a process of emergent knowledge that shows tthe ego-less expansion of the Self. Undaunted services of Guru and his mission enables an aspirant to establish a spiritual contact with the Supreme Self in the Guru. With the assistance of the Guru you are able to integrate your personality, to transcend the ego-center, and dive deep within to recover your spiritual identify as the Supreme Self. Thus, through Guru, God is reached – and Guru, disciple, and spiritual teachings as well are transcended. Every individual is a blend of the eternal and the non-eternal, the witnessing consciousness and the changing ego-self. The eternal part in you is the reality behind the entire universe. It is the Absolute Self – Atman or Brahman.

The changing part in you is the individual soul caught in the world of illusion. In the process of Nature’s plan the soul is led by its intrinsic Divinity to the realization of the truth – “I am That”. It is by realizing the identity with the deepest Self that all miseries’ of the world terminate.

The Self leads the self through the spirals of illusion to the everlasting bliss of Liberation. The higher mind is the Guru; the mind caught in the world – process is the disciple who must be led to a process of spiritual enfoldment. It is the higher mind in a person that assumes the role of a human Guru, and it is the lesser mind that continues to place itself as a disciple, so that it can be guided, purified, exalted and glorified.

The Guru and disciple relationship is the confirmation of the basic union between the Divine and the individual soul, God and Jiva. It is this relationship that

has been expressed through the mystic presentation of Krishna and Arjuna in the sacred scripture of the Gita. In the battlefield of life, the soul is guided by the eternal Friend, God, Who is the driver of the chariot of human personality. The soul, through a process of purification and surrender, comes to realize the friend within as the Guru who guides. As a result, the soul is led to the realization of non-dual experiences, where all relationships terminate, where there is neither a Guru nor a disciple.

The erroneous concept that Guru is superior and disciple inferior on the basis of a complexed mind must be removed. In the unity of your physical organism it is impossible to say that the hands are superior to the legs, or that the brain is superior to the body. Without the disciple, there is no Guru; without the Guru, there is no disciple. When spiritual movement progresses, you discover in yourself the presence of the Guru; and through the presence of the Guru, you unite with the Eternal Self, where there is neither Guru nor disciple.

The tradition of seeking a Guru, serving him wholeheartedly, and placing yourself in his spiritual influences is supremely glorious. While temples and churches must remain as place of worship, you must learn to seek God in the living personality of the Guru, and promote a vision of discovering God in him and in all that exists. Instead of confining God to a concrete structure of temples and churches, you must see God in the living and moving reality of your Guru’s personality. This is the commencement of a process that culminates in the realization that the Self is all this – Gold alone exists – I Am That!

15

ÌÕ§¾Åâ¼ò¾¢ø ¾ýÉÄÁÚôÒ, ¦¾¡ñÎ Àì¾¢, ¦¾öÅ£¸ «ýÒ, À¢Ã¡÷ò¾¨É, ÅÆ¢À¡Î «¨ÉòÐõ «º¡¾¡Ã½Á¡̧ þ¨½ó¾¢Õó¾É, ´Øì¸õ, ͸ðÎôÀ¡Î, ÁÉò¨¾ ¦ÅûÙ¾ø, Áɨ¾ ´Õ¿¢¨ÄôÀÎòоø, ¬úó¾ ¾¢Â¡Éõ ¬¸¢Â¨Å «Åâ¼ò¾¢ø «º¡¾¡Ã½Á¡̧ þ¨½ó¾¢Õó¾É. «Å÷ †¼§Â¡̧ ò¾¢ø º¢ÈóРŢÇí¸¢É¡÷; Á¸¡¾ÀŠÅ¢; ¿¡Áºí¸£÷ò¾Éõ À¡Îž¢ø ÅøÄÅ÷. «Å÷ Àì¾É¡̧ , »¡É¢Â¡̧ , ¸÷Á§Â¡̧ ¢Â¡̧ , ÁÉò¨¾ ¦ÅýÈ Ã¡ƒ§Â¡̧ ¢Â¡̧ Å¢Çí¸¢É¡÷. «Å÷ ±ôÀÊ «¨Éò¾¢Öõ º¢Èó¾Åá̧ ¯ÕÅ¡É¡÷. þ¾ü¸¡̧ «Å÷ ±ýÉ ¦ºö¾¡÷?

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þо¡ý ¿ÁÐ §¿¡ì¸Á¡̧ þÕì¸ §ÅñÎõ. ¿ÁìÌ Å¡öò¾¢Õì¸¢È þó¾ ¯¼ø, ÁÉõ, Òò¾¢ ÁüÚõ §¾¡üÈõ, ¦À¡Ä¢× ±ýÛõ ÅÂø, ¿Î¿¢¨Ä ¯¨¼Â¾¡̧ þÕ츢ÈÐ. «Ð ¿øľ¡̧ ×õ þø¨Ä. ¦¸ð¼¾¡̧ ×õ þø¨Ä. ¦¾öÅò¾ý¨Á ¯¨¼Â¾¡̧ ×õ þø¨Ä. «ÍÃò¾ý¨Á ¯¨¼Â¾¡̧ ×õ þø¨Ä. ¯ûÇÐ ¯ûÇÀÊ þÕ츢ÈÐ. Å¢¨ÇÄô ¦ÀÕìÌõ ºì¾¢ «¾É¢¼õ þÕ츢ÈÐ. ¿£í¸û «¨¾ ±ôÀÊô

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§ÅüÚò ¾òÐÅí¸¨Ç «Å÷ ¦ÅýȾ¡ÉÐ ÁüÈÅÃÐ ¦¸¡û¨¸¸¨Çì ¦¸¡ïºÓõ Á¾¢Â¡Ð ¾ÁÐ ¦¸¡û¨¸Â¢ø ÓÃðÎò¾ÉÁ¡̧ «Å÷ þÕó¾¡÷ ±ýÀ¾É¡ø «øÄ. Á¡üÈ¡÷ ¾òÐÅí¸Ç¢ý Á¢¸ ÑðÀÁ¡É À̾¢¸¨ÇÔõ «Å÷ ¦¾Ã¢óÐ ¨Åò¾¢Õó¾¡÷. «ÅÃÐ º¢ó¾¨É¸Ç¢ý ¿£§Ã¡ð¼õ ¾¡ý ²¨É ¾òÐÅí¸Ç¢ý «Êò¾ÇÁ¡̧ «¨Áó¾É. þ¾É¡ø¾¡ý ¦ÅÇ¢ôÀ¨¼Â¡̧ §ÅÚÀð¼¡Öõ, ÁüÈ ±øÄ¡ ¾òÐÅ¡¾¢¸Ç¡Öõ «ÅÃÐ ¾òÐÅõ ¦ÀâÐõ Á¾¢òÐô §À¡üÈôÀð¼Ð.

«ÅÃÐ ¦ÅüȢ¢ý Ã̧ º¢Âõ ÁüÚõ «¾¢ÖûÇ ¿Âõ ¬¸¢Â¨Å ´ù¦Å¡Õ Å¢„Âò¾¢Öõ «Å÷ ¾Õõ ¦À¡Õò¾Á¡É ¯ Å Á ¡É í ¸ Ç ¡ § Ä Â ¡ Ì õ . ´Õ ¦À¡ØÐõ «Å÷ ¾ÁÐ Å¡¾í¸¨Ç ¦ÅÚõ ¦¸¡û¨¸ÂÇ× ¾ ò Ð Å í ¸ Ç ¢ § Ä ¡ , «øÄÐ ¿¢åÀ¢ì¸ôÀ¼¡¾ ¦ ¸ ¡ û ¨ ¸ ¸ Ç ¢ § Ä ¡ ¿ ¢ ¨ Ä É ¢ Ú ò ¾ ¡ Á ø , ÓØì¸ÓØì¸ ´ðÎ ¦Á¡ò¾ «ÛÀÅò¾¢§Ä§Â ¯ Ú ¾ ¢ ô À Î ò ¾ ¢ É ¡ ÷ . §ÁÖõ «ÅÃÐ Å¡¾í¸û «¨ÉòÐõ, ¯ñ¨Á¡ɨÅÔõ, ¬¾¡Ãâ÷ÅÁ¡É¨ÅÔÁ¡É §Å¾í¸Ç¢ý «ÊôÀ¨¼Â¢ø «¨Áó¾¢Õó¾É.

¾ÁÐ ¦¸¡û¨¸¨Â ̄ Ú¾¢ôÀÎò¾×õ, À¢ÈÃÐ ¦¸¡û¨¸¸¨Ç ¦À¡öôÀ¢ôÀ¾üÌõ «Å÷ ´Õ¦À¡ØÐõ ݼ¡É Å¡¾í¸Ç¢ø ®ÎÀð¼Ð ¸¢¨¼Â¡Ð. ¸£¨¾, ¯À¿¢„¾í¸û, À¢ÃõÁ Ýò¾¢Ãí¸û §À¡ýÈ ÍÕ¾¢ô À¢ÃÁ¡½í¸û ¬½¢ò¾ÃÁ¡̧ ì ÜÚÅÐ §À¡Ä, «Å÷ ¾ÁРŢÂì¸¾ì¸ «È¢×ì Ü÷¨Á¢ɡø ¾òÐÅí¸¨Ç Á¢¸×õ ±Ç¢Â ¦¾Ç¢Å¡É ӨȢø ±ÎòШÃò¾¡÷.

±øÄ¡ÅüÈ¢üÌõ §ÁÄ¡̧ , ºí¸Ã º¢ò¾¡ó¾õ ¦ÀÕõ «È¢×ì Ü÷̈ ÁÔûÇÅ÷̧ ÙìÌ ÁðΧÁ ¦À¡ÕóÐõ ´Õ ¾òÐÅõ «øÄ. º¡¾¡Ã½ ÁÉ¢¾ÛìÌõ «Ð ÒâÔõ ´ýÈ¡Ìõ. «Å÷ ¾ÁÐ §ÀÃȢšÖõ, âý »¡Éò¾¡Öõ,

¬úó¾ ¯ûÙ½÷Å¡Öõ, ¦À¡Õò¾Á¡É Å¢Çì¸í¸Ç¡Öõ, ¸üÈÅÕìÌõ ¸øÄ¡¾ÅÕìÌõ ´§Ã À¡í¸¢ø ÒâÔÁÇ× «Å÷ §Å¾¡ó¾ò¾¢ý «Êò¾Çò¨¾ ¯Ú¾¢ ¦ºö¾¡÷. ÀÄ º¡Š¾¢Ãí¸¨Ç ¦¿ðÎÕô §À¡ðÎ Áñ¨¼¨Â ¯¨¼òÐì ¦¸¡ûÙõ µ÷ «È¢»ÕìÌ «Å÷ ±ùÅÇ× ±Ç¢¾¡̧ ‘Àƒ §¸¡Å¢ó¾’ò¨¾ ÀÊì¸î ¦º¡ø¸¢È¡÷.

«Å÷ ¯Ä¸¢üÌ §Å¾¡ó¾ò¨¾ ÁðΧÁ §À¡¾¢ò¾¡÷ ±ýÚ ¦º¡øĢŢ¼ ÓÊ¡Ð. ¯ñ¨Á¨Â ¿¡Îõ ´ù¦Å¡Õ º¡¾¸É¢ý þ¾Âò¾¢Öõ «Å÷ °ÎÕŢ¢Õ츢ȡ÷. þ¨ÈŨÉô ÀÄ ÅÊÅí¸Ç¢ø ÅÆ¢ÀÎõ Өȸ¨Ç «Å÷

§À¡üÈ¢ô À¡Ã¡ðÊ Àì¾¢¨Âô ¦ÀâÐõ ¬¾Ã¢ì¸¢È¡÷. ±ó¾ ́ Õ ÌÈ¢ôÀ¢ð¼

ÅÊÅò¾¢ýÀ¡Öõ Å¢Õô§À¡ ¦ÅÚô§À¡ þýÈ¢ «Å÷ Àø§ÅÚ §¾¡ò¾¢Ãí¸¨Ç þ  ü È ¢  ¢ Õ ì ¸ ¢ È ¡ ÷ . ´ù¦Å¡ýÚõ À쾢¢ɡÖõ ¾òÐÅ ¯ñ¨Á¢ɡÖõ Á¢Ç¢÷̧ ¢ÈÐ. ´ù¦Å¡ýÚõ ÀìÌÅôÀ¼¡¾ þÇõ Áɾ¢üÌì ܼ

¦¾öÅ£¸ þýÀò¨¾Ôõ, ¿¢¨ÄÂ¡É Á¸¢ú¨ÂÔõ

«Ç¢ì¸¢ÈÐ. ÁÉ¢¾ ÌÄò¾¢ý ¿ý¨Á측̧ «Å÷ ¬üȢ¢ÕìÌõ

§º¡õÀÄüÈ ¦¾¡ñÎ «Å¨Ã ´Õ º£Ã¢Â ¸÷Á§Â¡̧ ¢Â¡ì̸¢ÈÐ.

þ∙¾¨Éò¾¢üÌõ À¢ý ´Ç¢Õõ «ÅÃÐ ÌÕÀì¾¢ «¨Éò¾¢Öõ º¢Èó¾Ð ¬Ìõ. “…òÌÕÅ¢ý ¸Õ¨½Â¢É¡Öõ ¸¼¡‡ò¾¢É¡Öõ ‘¿¡§É «ó¾ À¢ÃõÁý’ («†õ À¢ÃõÁ¡ŠÁ¢) ±ýÚ ±Å÷ ¯½Õ¸¢È¡§Ã¡, «Å÷ «¨ÉòÐ ³Âí¸Ùõ «¸ýÚ þó¾ ¯¼Ä¢ø Å¡Øõ §À¡§¾ ƒ£Åý Óì¾¢¨Â «¨¼¸¢È¡÷”. ±ýÈ «ÅÃÐ Å¡÷ò¨¾¸¨Çì ¸ÅÉ¢Ôí¸û. ÌÕÅ¢¼õ Àì¾¢ ¦ºÖòО¡ø ̧ ¢¨¼ìÌõ ¦ÀÕ¨ÁÔõ Ò¸Øõ¾¡ý ±ý§É!

§Á-ƒ¥ý À̾¢Â¢ø ¨Å¸¡º¢ ÅÇ÷À¢¨È¢ý §À¡Ð ³ó¾¡ÅÐ ¿¡Ç¢ø ºí¸Ã ƒÂó¾¢ ÅÕ¸¢ÈÐ. «ÅÃÐ ¬º¢¸û ¯í¸û Á£Ð ÁÄ÷ž¡Ì¸!

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1) ¬ýÁ¢¸ Å¡ú쨸¢ø ®ÎÀðÎ ÁÉò¨¾ì ¸ðÎôÀÎò¾ Å¢ÕõÒ¸¢ÈÅ÷̧ û þýÉ ¯½¨Åî º¡ôÀ¢ÎÅÐ ¿øÄÐ ±ýÚ ÌÈ¢ôÀ¢ðÎî ¦º¡øÄ ÓÊÔÁ¡? ±Åü¨È ´Ðì¸ §ÅñÎõ? ±Åü¨È ²ü¸ §ÅñÎõ?

±ý. §¸¡Á¾¢ ºí¸Ãý,ºí¸Ãý §¸¡Â¢ø

ÁÉòмý ¦¿Õí¸¢Â ¦¾¡¼÷Ò ¦¸¡ñ¼Ð ¯½× Á¸¡ý ¯ò¾¡Ä¸¡ ¾ÉÐ Á¸ý ͧž§¸ÐÅ¢¼õ, “¿¡õ º¡ôÀ¢Îõ ¯½¨Åô ¦À¡Úò§¾ ¿ÁÐ ÀñÒ¸û «¨ÁÔõ. «ÅüÈ¢ø ¸ÊÉÁ¡É¨Å ¦ÅÇ¢§ÂÈ¢ Ţθ¢ýÈÉ. Á¢¾Á¡É¨Å º¨¾Â¡̧ ×õ þÃò¾Á¡̧ ×õ «¨Á¸¢ýÈÉ. ¦Áý¨Á¡ɨŠÁÉò¨¾ «¨Á츢ýÈÉ” ±ýÚ ¯À§¾º¢ì¸¢È¡÷. º¡ñ§¼¡ì¸¢Â ¯À¿¢¼¾õ, “àö¨ÁÂ¡É ¯½× àö¨ÁÂ¡É ÁÉò¨¾ «Ç¢ì¸¢ÈÐ. àö¨ÁÂ¡É ¯ûÇò¾¢ø ¾ý¨É ¯½Õõ ¦¾Ç¢× À¢È츢ÈÐ. «ó¾ò ¦¾Ç¢Å¢É¡ø Àó¾À¡ºí¸¨Ç Å¢Äì¸¢ì ¦¸¡ûÙõ ÁÉ ¯Ú¾¢ ¸¢¨¼ì¸¢ÈÐ’ ±ýÚ ÜÚ¸¢ÈÐ.

¯½× º¡òÅ£¸õ, Ⴥõ, ¾¡Á…õ ±ýÈ ãýÚ ÀñÒ¸Ù째üÈÀÊ ãýÚÅ¢¾Á¡̧ «¨ÁÔõ.

À¡ø, À¡÷Ä¢, §¸¡Ð¨Á, ÀÕôÒŨ¸¸û, ¦Åñ¦½ö, ÀÆí¸û, §¾ý, ¦ÅøÄõ ¬¸¢Â¨Å º¡òÅ£¸ ̄ ½¨Åî º¡Õõ. þÅü¨Èî º¡ôÀ¢ÎÀÅÛìÌ ÁÉõ «¨Á¾¢Â¡̧ þÕìÌõ.

Á£ý, ãð¨¼, Á¡Á¢ºõ, Á¢Ç¸¡ö, âñÎ, ¦ÀÕí¸¡Âõ ¬¸¢Â¨Å ჅŨ¸ ¯½Å¡Ìõ. þÅü¨Èî º¡ôÀ¢ÎÅÛìÌ Å£Ã¢Âõ ¦ÀÕ¸¢ §¸¡Àõ, ¸¡Áõ, ̧á¾õ ¬¸¢Â¨Å «¾¢¸Á¡̧ ÅÆ¢ ¯ñ¼¡Ìõ.

ÀÍ Á¡Á¢ºõ, ÁÐ, Áº¡Ä¡¦À¡Õð¸û, Ò¨¸Â¢¨Ä §À¡ýÈÅü¨È ¿¡ÊÉ¡ø ¾¡Á… ̽õ «¾¢¸Á¡Ìõ. ÁÉõ ±ô§À¡Ðõ §º¡õÀ¢ì ¸¢¼ìÌõ. §Å¨Ä ¦ºö þÂÄ¡Áø Áó¾Òò¾¢ ¯ñ¼¡Ìõ.

¾¢Â¡Éõ ¦ºöžüÌ Á¢¸ «ÇÅ¡É ¯½¨Å§Â ¯ð¦¸¡ûÇ §ÅñÎõ. À¡ø, ÀÆí¸û, ÀÕôÒ, ¦Åñ¦½ö, ¦ÅøÄõ, °È¨Åò¾ ÀÂÚ §À¡ýȨŠ¿ÁÐ ¯¼¨Ä þ¾ü§¸üÈ ÀìÌÅ¿¢¨Ä¢ø ¨ÅìÌõ. ÅÂ¢Ú ¿¢¨È º¡ôÀ¢ðΠŢð¼¡ø ÁÉõ ±ó¾ §Å¨Ä¨ÂÔõ ¦ºö ´ôÒì ¦¸¡ûÇ¡Ð. Áó¾ ¿¢¨ÄÔõ àì¸Ó§Á ÁÉòÐìÌ À¢Êò¾¾¡̧ ¢Å¢Îõ. ÁÐ×õ Á¡Á¢ºÓõ ÁÉò¨¾ þ¸Ç¢ø ®ÎÀ¼ò àñÎõ.

¯½×측̧ ¬¨ºôÀðÎ ²í¸¡¾£÷̧ û. ¯½¨Åì ¸ðÎôÀÎòÐÅÐ ÁÉò¨¾ì ¸ðÎôÀÎò¾ ¯¾×õ. þ¾É¡§Ä§Â ¿ÁÐ Á¾õ Ţþ¿¡ð¸Ç¢ø ¯½× þýÈ¢ þÕóÐ ¾¢Â¡Éò¾¢ø ®ÎÀ¼ §ÅñÎõ ±ýÚ ¦º¡øÖ¸¢ÈÐ.

ÍÅ¡Á¢ ‚ º¢Å¡Éó¾÷,(Divine Life’ þ¾Æ¢ø ¦ÅǢ¡É

Yogic Diet ±ýÈ ¸ðΨâĢÕóÐ)

¾÷Á º¡Š¾¢Ãõ ¿ý¦ÉÈ¢ «øÄÐ ¿øÄ ¿¼ò¨¾, ´Øì¸õ «øÄÐ ¸¼¨Á þ¨ÅÀüÈ¢ì ÜÚ¸¢ÈÐ. ¾÷Á º¡Š¾¢Ãõ ¿£¾¢ áø. þÐ ÁÉ¢¾É¢ý ́ Øì¸õ, ¿¼ò¨¾ôÀüÈ¢ì ÌÈ¢ôÀ¢Îõ ¾òÐÅô À¢Ã¢× ¬Ìõ.

§¸ûÅ¢ À¾¢ø¯½× ÀüÈ¢ -

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Childrens CornerWhen Buddha was a child

In the beautiful country of Kapilavastu

in the Himalayan regions, Buddha, who was then known as Siddhartha, reflected over the miseries of the world.

One day when he was watching the colourful clouds sailing in the blue sky, he saw a flock of wild swans fly over his head. But lo! One of the swans that had lingered long fell on the earth, shot by the arrow of a cruel boy.

Struggling for life, the beautiful swan fell in front of Siddhartha, who picked her up in his tender arms. An unknown compassion surged in his heart. He took out the sharp arrow from the body of the swan and pierced it into his own body to know the pain that the bird was experiencing.

In the meantime, there appeared Devatta, the cruel boy who had shot the bird, demanding, “This bird is mine, I will never give him to you”.

The matter reached the royal court. When Siddhartha was asked to state his claim on the bird, he said, “Who is the right owner – one who saves or on who takes away innocent life?”

The ministers saw the wisdom of Siddhartha and the wounded bird was returned to him. Siddhartha nursed the bird with great love and when she was strong enough to fly he set her free; and with deep gratitude in her eyes the swan joined her flock.

Moral : Like Siddhartha, learn to be tender to animals. Be compassionate and wise.

Blessed Self Adorations,O children of light!

You have a golden future. You are born to acquire the goal of life, God – realization.

Speak the truth. Pray whole-heartedly to God. Study your class-books. Never be unhappy. Be cheerful. Always remember God in the morning and in the evening. May the Lord bless you! With Prem and Om, Thine, - Swami Jyotirmayananda

The Dog and the Monkey

One day a very peaceful dog met a monkey. The monkey said “Little dog, let me ride on your back. I will show you all the good places to see!”

The dog answered, “Yes, show all those places, you funny monkey. You make me laugh. Jump on my back”.

Off they went down the road. The dog ran as fast as he could and the monkey sat upon his back and smiled. The

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dog went wherever the monkey liked. But each day the dog was in trouble because of the monkey.

The first day the dog took the monkey to a vegetable garden, where the monkey began eating all the tomatoes. Out of the house came a lady running with her bulldog. The bulldog bit the poor little dog on his nose. He ran away, but his nose was bleeding a lot.

The second day the monkey told the dog to go right into a school, where the children were eating lunch. The monkey stole all the fruits of the children and the children threw stones at the little dog and hit him in the eye.

On the third day the monkey forced the little dog to jump into a saint’s window. Then the monkey stole the candies from the basket.

The monkey ran out of the window, but the little dog was caught by the saint. The saint said, “Oh, little dog, do not carry bad company with you. Bad company will always take you into trouble.”

Moral: Never carry bad company with you. Know that bad thoughts are also bad company. Keep all good thoughts in your mind. Go to good places. Speak with good people. Follow the words of the saints.

The Law of Association

Suppose you have a beautiful wrist-watch which has been presented to you by your friend. When you look at it you are reminded of the friend who gave you the the watch. You think of him for a short while. The watch serves as a reminder of your friend. The friend and the watch are associated with each other. This is called “the law of association”, and it is this law that is the cause of much of what we hold in our memory. Here are more examples illustrating how this law causes us to remember things.

If your brother is a stout person, then the sight of a similar figure in another place will remind you of your brother. This memory is due to similarity of objects.

How to Develop Memory

Suppose you had seen a dwarf somewhere. The sight of a tall man will remind you of the dwarf. So also. a place will remind you of a peasant’s hut. This kind of memory is due to dissimilarity of objects.

Suppose you walk along a road soon after a heavy storm. You happen to see a fallen tree on the roadside. You conclude that the tree fell because of the storm. In this case the memory of the storm is due to relationship between the cause - the storm - and the effect - the fallen tree.

The thought of any word ending in “ity”, like “cupidity”, will bring to memory other words, such as “stupidity”, superiority”, etc. The remembrance of a word that ends in “tic”, such as “romantic”, will bring to your memory other words, such as “fantastic”, “bombastic , etc. In this way you can recall things and events using the law of association.

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1. Health is certainly more valuable than money, because it is by health that money is procured. Health is wealth.

2. Without health there is no true beauty. You may have good features and complexion, but you cannot be called beautiful without radiant health.

3. Regularity in the hours of rising and retiring , moderation in all things, simple and nutritious diet, temperance, regular exercise, etc., go a long way to the attainment of health and longevity.

4. Sattwic food (good, wholesome food) rich in vitamins or a well-balanced diet, systematic practice of Asanas and Pranayama, right and simple living and right thinking, are the important requisties for the preservation of health and the attainment of a high standard of vigour and vitality.

5. Proper elimination is as important as a correct diet. Even when the right food is eaten, good health will not be enjoyed unless waste matter is properly removed from the system. You must have a good motion daily in the early morning. Drink sufficient quantity of water and flush the kidneys. You will enjoy good health.

6. Control your temper and tongue. You will have good health and long life.

7. You can have a healthy and beautiful body if you are regular in your habits and take a proper diet, sufficient exercise, etc.

8. For good health, an adult should take 6 glasses of water daily in addition to water taken in the form of food. This is sufficient to flush the body and to meet all internal needs.

9. He who has health has strength, cheerfulness, vim, vigour and vitality. He who has hope, vigour and cheerfulness has everything.

10. Do not overload the stomach. The secret of being always healthy and happy is to be a little hungry all the time.

11. Health is the harmony of the whole man, of body, mind and spirit.

12. If the mothers are happy, the homes are happy; if the homes are happy, the villages are happy; if the villages are happy, the nation is happy. That is the fullest joy of independence.

13. Cheerfulness is the best mental and physical tonic. If you are cheerful, the cells, tissues and nerves are also cheerful and healthy. Cheerfulness expands the heart and the brain, and fills the system with harmony and peace. Therefore be cheerful and joyful.

14. Cheerfulness and contentment are greater beautifiers and are more famous preservers of good looks than expensive cosmetics.

15. Laughter may justifiably be said to be a panacea for all the ills to which human flesh is heir.

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

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1st January 2014New Year Spiritual Retreat

New Year Programme began with Brahmamuhurta Prayers follwed by Bhajans. Devotees left for the cave temple of Lord Muruga at 7.30am. After breakfast the programme continued with Bhajans and kirtan by DLS Youth Wing and branch members. New Year Messages were delivered by President Swamiji and representatives from sub-branches. After chanting of the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra and Paduka Pooja lunch was served for about 500 members and devotees.

11th January 2014vaikuntha Ekadasi

An all night vigil was observed from 6.30pm to 6.30am. Bhajans and devotional songs were sung by DLS Religious class students, Sangeetha class students and the Youth Wing members.President, Swami Swayamjayanandaji Maharaj gave an interesting scientific explanation on reasons for observing Vaikuntha Ekadasi.This was followed by Sri Vijayakumar’s devotional songs, abhishegam, Vishnu Sahasranamam, pooja and arati. After Ram Nam Sankirtan, Thiruvarul Thavaneri Mandram kept devotees wide awake with their Devotional songs. DLS Youth sang a few soul stirring Bhajans followed by Mahamantra chanting, Pooja, Arati and Prasad.

12th January 2014Swami vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary

The Ramakrishna Mission held Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations on 12th January 2014. Swami

Samyamananda attended this function and gave a talk on “The Life of Swami Vivekananda”.

14th January 2014Thai Ponggal

Ponggal was celebrated in the Ashram after Brahmamuhurta Prayers. Swami Samyamananda attended the Ponggal celebration at Bandar Country Homes and gave a talk on the “Worship of Surya Bhaghavan and the significance of Thai Ponggal Festival”.

17th January 2014Thaipusam

The above festival was celebrated grandly like in the former years. More than 300 devotees carried Kavadis and Palkudams from the ashram to the shrine of Lord Muruga in the wee hours of the morning.Annathanam was served non-stop from 16th to 17th January 2014 evening to about 20,000 devotees. Swami President expresses his grateful thanks to the Management Commitee, all volunteers and all donors who made this event successful.

23rd January 2014Bhagavad gita Classes

Br. Brahma Chaitanya held his monthly Bhagavad Gita classes at Seremban and Senawang. He continued explaining Chapter 3 to the participants.

25th - 26th January 2014Antar Yogam

President Swamiji and Br. Brahma Chaitanya attended the A.G.M. and Antar Yogam at the Sungai Karangan Sub branch.

27th January 2014Maha Sivaratri

An all-night vigil was observed with

NOTES AND NEWS FOR THE MONTHS of JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH

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19th - 25th March 2014Youth Camp at Jitra

Swami Karunyananda attended the youth camp at Jitra.

7th March 2014Sutra Dance by Y. Bhg Datuk Ramli Ibrahim

This event was successful and appreciated by the audience who enjoyed the Odissi. Krishna was so real that the audience remained mesmerized.

Annual general Meeting

2nd March 2014

The Prai sub-branch held their AGM. This was attended by Swami Samyamananda.

5th March 2014

Bandar Country Homes, sub-branch held their meeting at their premises. This was attended by Swami Samyamananda.

9th March 2014

The Port Klang sub-branch held their AGM in the evening. This was attended by President Swami Swayamjayananda.

15th - 16th March 2014

The Melaka sub-branch annual general meeting was attended by President Swami Swayamjayananda.

22nd - 23rd March 2014

The Johor Bahru sub-branch held a retreat. President Swami Swayamjayananda attended this function. He also delivered his monthly discourse on the Bhagavad Gita.

23rd March 2014

Swami Samyamananda attended the 17th consecretion ceremony at Port Klang and spoke on Gurudev’s teachings.

abhisheka every 3 hours. Milk, curd, ghee and honey were used. Apart from devotional songs by DLS religious class students and Sangeetha class students Kumari Rajeswari Rajaratnam’s students gave a Carnatic music recital. DLS Golden Youth Wing and Thiruvarul Thavaneri Mandram kept devotees wide awake with their Devotional songs untill the abhisheka, pooja and arati.This Maha Sivaratri is very auspicious to DLS Malaysia because three of Gurudev’s disciples were ordained Sannyasins at DLS HQ Rishikesh:- namely Br. Brahma Chaitanya from Prai who conducts regular classes on the Bhagavad Gita and Narada Bhakti Sutras apart from various other topics and was initiated into Brahmacharya in 2006, Kumari Sujatha Ayadurai who has been secretary of the Petaling Sub Branch for 21 years and teaching Hatha yoga for 15 years and finally Sri Palaniappan from the Malacca sub branch. The Malaysian group was led by President Swami Swayamjayananda.

9th February 2014World Interfaith Harmony Week

President Swami Swayamjayananda attended the launching of the World Interfaith Harmony week programme at the Malaysian Peace Embassy in Petaling Jaya.

16th February 2014Sivananda Home Religious Classes

Swami Samyamananda has started Vedic Chanting and Bhagavad Gita classes for the Sivananada Home children. The first class began 0n 16.02.2014. The Classes will continue every Sunday from 5.00-6.00pm. Swamiji started with Chapter 12 of the Bhagavad Gita.