Yoga Stretches For The Office - Part 1

Although these exercises have been selected because they are generally simple and safe, if you have any medical concerns or if you are pregnant, please consult with your physician before beginning this exercise program.

1. Releasing breath: Stand with your feet about 6 inches apart and your arms hanging loosely by your sides. Inhale raising your arms overhead, stretching your arms and back.

As you exhale, bend forward from the hip with the knees slightly bent. Allow the upper torso and head to hang down. With the next inbreath, roll up and again raise the arms above the head, stretching upward.

Release into the stretch as you exhale, letting go a little more with each outbreath. Continue for 3 – 5 breaths.

Chair Stretches

To begin: Sit comfortably in a chair with both feet on the floor, arms resting lightly on your lap, and your eyes closed or gazing softly downward. Bring your spine as straight as possible with your chest lifted. Release your shoulders down; allow your face to relax, and your jaw to hang loosely. Breathe: Take a few releasing breaths, inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Focus on the movement of your belly as you breathe – notice the slight inflation of the belly on the inbreath and the flattening back on the outbreath.

Remember, each outbreath brings an opportunity to let go of any unnecessary tension you may be holding. Note: Try to breathe in and out through your nose while doing the following exercises. Focus on the breath and the body movements and passively disregard any intrusive thoughts. 2. Leg stretch: Inhale as you bend the left knee, drawing it in toward the chest. Wrap your arms around your left leg as you pull the thigh in toward the chest. Exhale as you stretch the leg straight. Repeat 3 - 5 times then switch to the right leg.

From - Yoga Stretches

YOGA IN A NUTSHELL - Part 3

Sayings Of Siva

Nitya Sukha and Parama Santi can be had only in God. God is in your heart. He is in you and you are in Him. Just feel His Presence. Through Bhranti caused by the mind, pain is mistaken for pleasure. Everyone in this world runs after pleasure and tries to get rid of pain. Sensual enjoyment is attended with various defects.

Maya binds people through affection, love, tenderness, respect, present, etc. Human love is selfish and hypocritical. As everything is unreal in this world, treat love and respect as poison. Live alone and enjoy the Atmic Bliss in your heart.

Only the man who is spiritually thirsty will drink the Nectar of Immortality. In the presence of sensual pleasures, Atmic Bliss cannot be had. There is no way of overhauling the vicious, worldly persons other than the personal contact of a Guru. Work is a help for beginners and hindrance for advanced persons in meditation. Mind is only a bundle of Samskaras, ideas, habits, impulses, thoughts and emotions. Many have fallen from Yoga by the influence of subtle desires.

The most difficult thing in this world is concentration. Mental purity is of paramount importance for Self-realisation. Memory of the past retards an aspirant’s spiritual advancement. A gross mind with selfishness and lust is absolutely unfit for a spiritual life. Conversations On Yoga

Q. What will give peace of mind to those who are materially poor.

A. Peace of mind for one and all can be had only by realising God. One should not identify himself with the perishable body, but should feel that he is Atman. Then and then alone, he will have Parama Santi.

Q. What is the right way of praying to God and how far is it possible for an ordinary man to
pray like that?

A. The main thing to be looked to while praying to the Lord is one’s mental Bhava. There should be no selfish motive. Pray to God for purity, devotion, light and knowledge. You will get these things. Pray in any way you like. Become as simple as a child. Open freely the chambers of your heart. Have no cunningness. Every man can and should adopt this attitude.

Q. What is the real aim of education?

A. Education should teach the pupils to love God and man. Education should instruct the students, to be truthful, morally sound, fearless, humble, and merciful. Education should teach the students to practise right conduct, right thinking, right living, right action, self-sacrifice and to attain knowledge of the Self. The main purpose of education must be to make man a realMANwith all divine attributes.

Q. What is expected from a teacher in the Elementary School?

A. A teacher is expected to impart real education to the students, as mentioned in the answer above.

Q. Do you really believe that unless I leave my wife and children I will never obtain Mukti?

A. Celibacy is a great desideratum for the path of Yoga. Though it is in no way necessary for you to abandon home, wife and children, yet you would be well advised to reduce all carnal relationship with your partner to the minimum. Married life, if lived in a perfect ideal manner, is no bar to the attainment of Mukti. Mukti is a question of sincere, earnest Sadhana and the Grace of the Lord.

From - Yoga in Daily Life

YOGA IN A NUTSHELL - Part 2

21. Be cheerful always. Give up worries.
22. Be indifferent to things that do not concern you.
23. Fly away from company and discussion.
24. Be alone for a few hours daily.
25. Give up greediness, jealousy and hoarding.
26. Control your emotions by discrimination and Vairagya.
27. Maintain equilibrium of mind always.
28. Think twice before you speak and thrice before you act.
29. Give up backbiting, criticising and faultfinding. Beware of reaction.
30. Find out your own faults and weaknesses. See only good in others.
31. Forgive and forget the harm done by others. Do good to those who hate you.
32. Shun lust, anger, egoism, Moha and Lobha as a venomous cobra.
33. Be prepared to suffer any amount of pain.
34. Have a set of maxims always with you to induce Vairagya.
35. Treat sensual enjoyment as poison, vomited food, Vishta or urine. They cannot give you
satisfaction.
36. Preserve your Veerya carefully. Sleep always separately.
37. Revere ladies as Mother Divine. Root out the sex idea. Prostrate before all.
38. See good in every face, in everything.
39. Take to Sankirtan, Satsanga, prayer when the mind is overpowered by lower instincts.
40. Face obstacles coolly and boldly.
41. Care not for criticism when you are in the path. Yield not to flattery.
42. Respect rogues and scoundrels. Serve them.
43. Admit your faults openly.
44. Take care of your health. Do not neglect daily Asanas and exercises.
45. Be active and nimble always.
46. Develop your heart by giving. Be extraordinarily charitable. Give more than one’s
expectations.
47. Desires multiply misery. Develop contentment.
48. Control the senses one by one.
49. Develop Brahmakara Vritti by repeated thinking.
50. Have a check over all your thoughts. Keep them pure and sublime.
51. Do not lose temper when anybody insults, taunts or rebukes you. It is a mere play of
words and a variety of sound.
52. Rest your mind in God and live in Truth.
53. Be up and doing in the path of perfection.
54. Have a definite aim in your life and proceed cautiously.
55. Benefits of Mouna are incalculable. Never give up this practice.
56. Four important gates for passion to enter the mind are sound, touch, sight and thoughts.
Be vigilant!
57. Have intimate connection with none but God. Mix little with others.
58. Be moderate in everything. Extremes are always dangerous.
59. Everyday have self-analysis and introspection. Know the amount of your growth.
60. Give up curiosities in spiritual path. Conserve your energy and concentrate. Think little
of food, body and relatives. Think more of Atman. You must realise in this very birth itself!

From - Yoga in daily life

YOGA IN A NUTSHELL - Part 1

The Salt of life is selfless service. The bread of life is universal love. The water of life is purity. The sweetness of life is devotion. The fragrance of life is generosity. The pivot of life is meditation. The goal of life is Self-realisation. Therefore, serve. Love. Be pure and generous.

Meditate and realise. Spiritual Lessons If one can always remember that God is watching all his thoughts, he will do very few evil actions. He will realise God quickly. But he forgets this point owing to force of Maya or Avidya.

But a Viveki who has got the power of discrimination remembers this on account of the descent of God’s grace (Anugraha) and marches on the spiritual path with bold, steady and quick steps. The descent of the Divine grace is due to countless virtuous actions done by him with Nishkama Bhava during several births.

This world is as unreal as a shadow, bubble or froth. Why do you run after wealth, woman
and the toys of name and fame? Some Bhaktas think that they have made a complete self-surrender. But they have their own ways sometimes and cherish some desires. They walk in their own egoistic ways. This surrender is insincere.

They are not entitled to the descent of Divine Grace. No one is always praised. No one is also always censured. Also there is no one on earth who is not blamed. Therefore, do not bother about praise or censure. Rise above censure and praise and identify yourself with the Absolute, the Glory of glories, the Holy of holies, the Light of lights, the Sun of suns, Atman or Supreme Self. The body is the source of all pains. Hunger is the worst of all diseases. There is no fire like lust. Santosha (contentment) is the best of all virtues.

Guide To Sadhakas

1. Reduce your wants to the barest minimum.
2. Adapt yourself to circumstances.
3. Never be attached to anything or anybody.
4. Share what you have with others.
5. Be ever ready to serve. Lose no opportunity. Serve with Atma Bhava.
6. Entertain Akarta and Sakshi Bhava.
7. Speak measured and sweet words.
8. Have a burning thirst for God-realisation.
9. Renounce all your belongings and surrender yourself unto God.
10. Spiritual path is a sharp-edged razor path. A Guru is absolutely necessary.
11. Have great patience and perseverance.
12. Never leave the Abhyasa even for a day.
13. The Guru will only guide you. You should yourself tread the path.
14. Life is short. Time of death is uncertain. Apply yourself seriously to Yogic Sadhana.
15. Maintain daily spiritual diary and record correctly your progress and failures. Stick to
resolves.
16. Do not complain that there is no time for Sadhana. Reduce sleep and tall talks. Stick to
meditation in Brahmamuhurta.
17. Let the thought of God (Reality) keep away the thought of the world.
18. Forget the feeling that you are so and so—a male or a female—by vigorous
Brahma-chintana.
19. Never postpone a thing for tomorrow if it is possible for you to do it today.
20. Do not boast or make a show of your abilities. Be simple and humble.

From - Yoga from daily life

JNANA YOGA - Part 3

Out of evil good often cometh. If there is a heavy torrent of rain at the time of a harvest, people consider this as evil. But God knows what is good for His children. He has brought this rain to wash off the earth the germs, which produce severe diseases. Had it not been for this rain, there would have been a severe type of pandemic, infectious diseases which could have swept away the whole population in the twinkling of an eye. Mark here. O friends, the merciful nature of the Lord! Do not try to probe into the Divine mysteries. It will baffle your poor intellect. Then again, what about a war? It is no doubt an evil. But good often cometh out of war. A war cannot break out without the sanction of the Lord. It is He, who goads the minds of the Minister, the King, the Dictator, the President and the Commander-in-chief to wage war. It is war that produces chivalrous warriors, fearless soldiers, undaunted and intrepid statesmen. War makes a man fearless.

Fearlessness is a great qualification for a spiritual aspirant. On account of passion, there is an increase in the population. The supply of foodstuff is not sufficient to meet the demands of the people. War removes the extra population and prevents the outbreak of a severe famine. War brings down to dust the pride of a ruling power. War creates mercy, generosity and cosmic love, in the hearts of rich persons who are misers; and forces them to donate to the helpless widows, orphans and the wounded persons.

The world or society must evolve through evil. Understand His mysterious ways and become wise. Unity And Diversity Though you see variegated forms with different shades of colours, yet there is a definite unity behind them. A philosopher or serious thinker is struck with wonder. He has a different, sensitive pair of eyes to behold the mysterious universe of sounds and colours. He feels and sees unity everywhere. For a scientist the world is a mass of electrons or force or energy. For a student of Kanada’s school of thought, the world is a bundle of atoms, anu and paramanu. For a psychologist the world is all mind only. For a Vijnanavadin it is a mere idea. For a Vedantin this world is nothing but Brahman or Atman. All objects are the products of the five elements. The five elements are reducible to one element, Akasa. Earth is gross form of water. Earth gets dissolved or involved in water. Water is gross form of fire. Water gets involved in fire.

Water comes out of fire. When you feel intense heat, you get profuse perspiration. Fire is gross form of Vayu. There is heat when there is motion of Vayu. Fire gets involved in Air. Vayu is gross form of Akasa. Vayu is reduced into the Akasa. This whole world is projected out of one element Akasa only. Then again all energies such as electricity, magnetism, etc., can be reduced to one energy—Prana. They get involved in the Cosmic Prana (Hiranyagarbha). All minds can be reduced to one cosmic mind.

Though expressed in different languages, the thought-image is one only. The thought-image for water or Apas or Pani or Jal is one. Cows have different colours. But the colour of milk is one. There are different kinds of roses; but the scent is one. The eyes, ears, tongues are different but the power of sight, hearing and taste is one. The feeling of sincerity is one though nations are different. When mercy, love, friendship, feeling of brotherhood operate, all are united at heart. There is oneness everywhere.

There is only one language, the language of the heart. There is only one Dharma, viz., Sanatana Dharma. There is only one Law—the Law of Cause and Effect. There is only one religion—the religion of love or the religion of Vedanta. There is only one sun, one moon, one Akasa, one Brahman, one Atman, one Purushottama, one Chaitanya. Feel the oneness everywhere. Realise the Satchidananda Atman, the common thread of consciousness that links all these names and forms. All diversities, all differences, all qualities, which are Mayaic or mental creations will now totally vanish.

You will now recognise, feel and realise the Truth of Upanishadic utterances of sages, “Aham Brahma Asmi. I amBrahman. Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma. All is Brahman. Atmaiva Idam—all is Atman. All is OM only.” Unity is eternal life. Diversity is death. Unity brings concord, harmony, supreme peace. Diversity brings discord, disharmony and restlessness. Unity is Divine life in spirit. Diversity is Asuric life in matter.

May unity be our centre, ideal and goal! May we all attempt in right earnest to secure an immortal life of supreme joy in Advaitic unity of consciousness! May that Brahman of Upanishads guide us, enlighten the path of unity and remove the obstacles in the path of our realisation of the oneness! May the blessings of Brahman be upon us all! May we all endeavour to bring about unity amongst mankind!

From Yoga in Daily Life

JNANA YOGA - Part 2

(c) Nothing belongs to me (Whenever anybody dies in your house, whenever you lose anything, repeat this formula several times daily.You will have real peace of mind).
(d) I amnot the body (I am distinct from body). I amnot the mind (I am distinct from the mind). I am not Prana (I am distinct from Prana). I am not Indriyas (I am distinct from Indriyas). I am Immortal Atman. (Body idea will disappear).
(e) I am Sakshi OM OM OM I am Sakshi of mind OM OM OM I am Akarta OM OM OM I am Asanga OM OM OM
(f) I am Immortal Atman OM OM OM
(g) I am Satchidananda Brahman OM OM OM (h) I am Brahman OM OM OM Those who meditate on the above ideas and formulae will become changed. They will become veritable Gods on earth, radiating joy and peace everywhere. After doing some practice, stick to one idea only. This one idea will die by itself when you get established in Brahman, in pure Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Take any triplet which you like best and meditate on that seriously in right earnest. 4. Meditate on the following. Feel and identify yourself with the whole world. Formulae for Meditation

(a) The whole world is my body.
(b) The whole world is my home.
(c) I suffer and enjoy in all bodies.
(d) I work through all hands.
(e) I eat through all tongues.
(f) I see through all eyes.
(g) I hear through all ears.

This will result in Cosmic Consciousness and oneness of life. All sorts of Ghrina, hatred, envy, jealousy, will vanish. You will become one with the Virat and Hiranyagarbha. 5. Meditate on these ideas:
(a) All is good.
(b) All is sacred.
(c) All is one.
(d) All is God (Brahman).
(e) All bodies are mine.

6. Positive Nirguna Meditation
(a) I am the All.
(b) I am all-in-all.
(c) I am the Immortal Self in all. Feel this. Feel this. Vedantic Assertions (For Self-Realisation) 1. Enquire “Who am I?”
2. Find out the “Seer” of sight.
3. Thou art neither body nor mind, O Sushil! Thou art the Immortal Atman. Feel this. Feel this.
4. Deny body, deny world. Assert. Recognise. Realise. “I am the living Truth. I am the living Reality. I am Satchidananda Brahman. “Aham Brahma Asmi”—“I am the Immortal Self.” 5. Roar: OM OM OM, Soham, Soham, Soham Sivoham, Sivoham, Sivoham, like a lion of Vedanta and come out of this cage of flesh, my dear Sushil, “Tat Tvam Asi!” Soham Dhyana Soham andOMare one and the same. Soham Dhyana is Nirguna, Nirakara meditation only. Soham means “I am he” This is associated with the breath. Repeat “So” when you inhale and “Ham” when you exhale. This is easy for some. This is known as ‘Ajapa Japa’. Feel that you are the all-pervading pure consciousness when you think of Soham.

The source for this breath is Brahman or Atman. You are identical with that source and reality. 33 JNANA YOGA Problem Of Good And Evil The universe contains two dynamic forces, viz., good and evil. Good and evil are twin forces. They are twin born of the same father. They are “Dvandvas” or pairs of opposites. They have no independent existence. Evil exists to glorify good. Evil is destructive force. Good is constructive force.

There is neither absolute good nor absolute evil in this universe. Evil has no independent existence apart from good. Wherever there is evil, there is good; wherever there is good, there is evil. You cannot expect absolute good in this relative world. You can find absolute good in Brahman alone. From the viewpoint of the basic Reality which lies at the back of evil and good, evil and good dwindle into an airy nothing. Evil and good are mental creations. Transcend good and evil and reach the abode of Supreme Peace and Immortality. For a Jnani who has knowledge of the Self, there is neither good nor evil.

The ‘Why’ of the evil can only be understood when you get Atma-Jnana. Do not rack your brain now. It is a transcendental mystery. Only Brahman knows. Finite intellect that is conditioned in time, space and causation cannot find out a solution for this problem of evil. When you are fully established in your Svarupa (Atma Nishta) evil and good vanish altogether.

Do not put the cart before the horse. Transmute evil into good by changing your mental attitude or angle of vision. Out of evil, good often cometh. Destruction is necessary for regeneration, renovation and reconstruction. Will a patient with intense type of appendicular colic try to find out the ingredients of a pill, when the doctor gives him a medicine? Will he not take the pill immediately? Will a man whose cloth is on fire try to find out the “why” and “how” of the fire? Will he not run towards water for cooling himself? Tamas is evil. Sattva is good.

Convert Tamas into Sattva. Then evil is transmuted into good. Selfishness is evil. Selflessness is good. Lust is an evil. Brahmacharya is good. Greed is evil. Generosity, integrity, disinterestedness are good. Pride is evil. Humility is good.

From Yoga in Daily Life

JNANA YOGA - Part 1

Moksha is the summum bonum of life. It is freedom from births and deaths. It is not annihilation. It is annihilation of this little “I.” It is obtained through Knowledge of the Self. You will have to know the truth through direct intuitive experience.

You will have to cut asunder the veil of ignorance by meditation on the Self. Then you will shine in your pristine purity and Divine glory. Assert The Majesty Of Your Real Self You are not the little self, Mr. John Murray. You are not Miss. X.Y. Banerjee. You are not Mr. S.R. Iyer. You are not Mrs. A.M. Iyengar. Endeavour to remove this body idea. Attempt to eliminate this sex idea. You are neither a male nor a female.Transmute the sex energy or reproductive energy into spiritual energy or Ojas Sakti by pious thoughts, constant Satsanga, ceaseless Atmic enquiry, study of Atma Jnana books, mental drill and meditation. Remember always, “I am. I exist. I am a centre of consciousness in the ocean of life. I am a centre of thought, influence and power.” Courage, power, strength, wisdom and joy are your divine heritage, your birthright from the Absolute. Develop your will-power. Will has made intellectual and spiritual giants.

You are equal to any and every man. You have emanated from the same source. You are an expression of the same one life, one Existence, one Sat, one Reality. You are the real “I”, the real Atman. You are immortal. You can hardly be destroyed. You are invincible. You can by no means be injured. Belief in this sense-world alone is death. Your real nature is Satchidananda, immortality and bliss. The Seer of Self sees not death nor disease nor sorrow. The Seer sees all as his own Self. He pervades all.

He knows everything. He is all-powerful. What Is Atman? Atman or Brahman is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute. It is different from the gross, subtle and causal bodies. It transcends the five sheaths (Pancha Koshas). It is the witness of the three states: waking, dreaming and deep sleep. It is the support of the twenty-four Tattvas. It is distinct from Jiva and Ishvara who are associated with Avidya and Maya respectively. The Self appears to be finite on account of Avidya. But when the ignorance is dispelled, that one Atman shines by its own light, like the sun when clouds are dispelled.

This Samsara which is filled with love, hatred, etc., is really like a dream. It appears to be all real, so long as one is involved in it, but when one awakes by acquiring true knowledge, it becomes unreal. Just as bubbles rise from, exist and dissolve in the water, so also the Supreme Lord who is the material cause for everything, the pure Atman, by the contact with the five sheaths, etc., appears to put on their respective qualities. Just as we attribute blue colour to the sky, so also we attribute on account of indiscrimination, the qualities and activities of the body and the organs to the pure, Satchidananda Atman.

Passion, desires, happiness, misery, etc., exercise their functions only during waking and dreaming states when the intellect is present and are not present in the deep sleep, when intellect is absent. They, therefore, belong to the intellect and not to the Pure Nirvikara Atman. Egoism and the idea “I know” crop up by indiscriminately mixing up the Satchidananda aspect of Atman with the functions of Buddhi. Vedantic Sadhana Abeginner in Vedanta should study Atma-Bodha, Tattva-Bodha, Laghu Vasudeva-Manana and Vivekachudamani. English translations are available.

He should have a comprehensive understanding of the Vedantic Prakriyas. He should have an intelligent grasp of the three bodies, the five sheaths and their Dharmas or functions, and the three states of consciousness, viz., Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti. He should know the various Yuktis such as Anvaya Vyatireka, Adhyaropa-apavada, Neti-neti, Laya Chintana, Bhaga-Tyaga Lakshana, etc.

He should have a clear knowledge of Vivarta Vada, Advaita Vada, Drishti-Srishti Vada, Sva-Prakash-Vada and Ajati Vada. An advanced student should study Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, Panchadasi, Vichara Sagar, Naishkarma Siddhi, Chit Sukhi Khandana Khadhyam, Advaita Siddhi, the monumental works on Vedanta. Advanced books should be read under a Brahma-Srotri, Brahma-nishta. He should repeat mentally Pranava (OM) at least 21,600 times daily. He should start his Sadhana, Japa and Nirakara meditation early in the morning at 4 a.m. He should possess the four means of salvation. Meditation 1.

Meditate on the all-pervading air, ether, light, expansive sky, expansive ocean in the beginning to render the mind subtle and fit for abstract meditation. 2. Meditate on abstract virtues, viz., mercy, generosity, magnanimity, courage, patience, peace, balance, poise, etc. Possess these virtues also to the maximum degree. Become an embodiment of these virtues. Have the mental image ‘Om Courage, Om Mercy.’ Repeat these formulae several times daily. 3. Meditate on the following. Take up one formula every month. Repeat the formula several times daily. Vedantic Formulae (a) Nothing exists (names and forms). (b) The world is a long dream.

From Yoga in Daily Life

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 7

In the west the woman is wife. In India the woman is the mother. Mother is worshipped. Mother is considered as the Goddess Lakshmi of the house. The Srutis emphatically declare, “Let thy mother be thy God.” The late Ashutosh Mukherji, Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University used to wash the feet of his mother and drink the water before he went to his office. This water is called ‘Charanamrit’.

It is a great purifier of the heart. In the West the wife governs the home. In an Indian home the mother rules. In the West the mother has to be subordinate to the wife. In India the wife has to be subordinate to the mother. If woman be pure she can save and purify man. Woman can purify the race. Woman can make a home a sacred temple.

The Hindu women have been the custodians of the Hindu race. The Hindu religion, the Hindu culture and civilisation still survive in spite of the many foreign invasions, when other civilisations have come and gone, on account of the purity of the Hindu women. The women are taught to regard chastity as their most priceless possession, and the loss of it as equal to the eternal damnation of their souls. Religion is ingrained in the Hindu women from their very childhood. Hindu women illumine and enliven the house through the glory of their purity. This is the secret of the endurance of the Hindu religion, civilisation and culture.
Advice To Householders

Start that pure life of a Yogi the very day on which you read these lines. No leniency to mind. Self-reliance is indispensably requisite. You can get suggestions from outside. But you will have to tread the path yourself, to place each step yourself in the spiritual ladder. You will have to train your wife also. She also will have to do rigid Sadhana. Mere gossiping will not do. If she serves the husband nicely and takes care of his body with the right mental attitude and gives him the wants of the flesh, food and drinks as soon as he comes down from meditation, she can have Self-realisation in and through the form of her husband alone, like Laila in Majnu, Savitri in Satyavan, Anasuya in Atri.

That house is a miserable place, veritable hell on earth wherein the husband moves up in spirituality and the wife pulls him down in sensual grooves and vice versa. They should be harmoniously blended or joined by the thread of the knowledge of the Self, each aspiring eagerly for attaining God-consciousness. That house is really a Vaikuntha where the husband and wife lead an ideal Divine Life, singing Hari’s Name, repeating His Mantra 200 Malas daily, studying the Ramayana and the Bhagavata, controlling the Indriyas and serving Bhaktas and Sannyasins.

Renunciation is mental. Renunciation brings peace. There is no loss in renunciation. You renounce the illusory sense pleasure to get the Supreme, Eternal Bliss and Immortality. Bear this in mind. Do not be guided and influenced by public opinion. March boldly and cheerfully in the path of Truth, consulting your inner conscience and hearing the inner, small, shrill, sweet voice of the soul. Do not be hasty in doing any outward renunciation. The world is the best teacher. Unfold the Divinity by remaining in the world alone. Nivritti Marga is extremely difficult. Ninety per cent fail
in this path.
Save as much money as possible. Do 200 Malas of Japa. Cut off society. Keep company with one Sattvic man. Spend every second profitably. Serve sick people. Share what you have a small portion with poor people. May the Divine Glory shine in your face!
Nil Desperandum

(Cheer up yourself—never despair) Sin is a mistake committed by the ignorant Jiva during his journey towards Sat-Chit-Ananda abode. Once you make up your mind to tread the path of truth all sins will be destroyed. Lord Krishna gives His assurance: “Even if the most sinful worship Me, with undivided heart, he too must be accounted righteous for he hath rightly resolved. Speedily he becometh dutiful and goeth to eternal peace. Know thou for certain that My devotee never perisheth.” The repetition of even ulta-nam (reverse name) of Rama Mantra, transmuted rogue Ratnakar into a sage Valmiki.

When such is the power of the inverse name (Mara, Mara), what to speak of the glory of repeating Rama, Rama with Bhava from the bottom of the heart! Ajamila who was in a degraded and abject state on account of his bad character attained Mukti by repeating ‘Narayana’ once in his death-bed by calling his son by his name Narayana. Licentious Vemanna of Andhra Desa became a full-blown Yogi by his devotion to mother Kali.

Grieve not, my dear friends. Fear not. Stand up. Gird up the loins. Fight with the Indriyas and Vasanas. Become a Yogi. Forget the past. A glorious, brilliant future is awaiting you. Cheer up yourself. Purify. Concentrate. Do Japa and Kirtan. Meditate. Realise the Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman!

From - Yoga in Daily Life

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 6

The eternal fidelity of a Hindu woman to her husband makes her an ideal of the feminine world. It makes her sublime and lofty. This sublime virtue still runs deep in the heart of hearts of every Hindu woman of India superior to any of the other countries in national integrity and honour. The inspiring force of the home is woman.

The home is the origin and the beginning of every form of social organisation. It is the nursery of the nation. It is the sweet place or centre wherein children are trained for future citizenship. The woman illumines the home through the glory of motherhood. Man is incapable of doing the domestic duties incident upon the rearing up of the children.

Good habits, right conduct, formation of character are created in children spontaneously in a well-regulated home under the personal influence of the mother. The loving kindness and the cultured gentleness of the mother help the children to unfold their native talents and dormant capacities quickly. Children absorb ideas by suggestion and imitation. Early training and impressions are lasting formation of character can be done by efficiently by mothers at home. Therefore, home is the beautiful training ground for the building up of character in children under the personal guidance of the mother.

Women are the backbone or bedrock or the basis for sustaining religion and national strength and prosperity. There is no difference between her and Lakshmi, the Goddess of Beauty, Grace and Prosperity. Manu says, “That woman who does always good, who is efficient in work, sweet in speech, devoted to her Dharmas and service to her husband, is really no human being but a Goddess.” If the mother trains her children on the right lines she is rendering a great service indeed to the nation and the national culture.

Women have got ample opportunities to improve and increase the national health and prosperity. They really build the nation. They can utilise their talents and abilities in making the home the cradle of culture character, personal ability and religious upheaval. It is therefore wrong to say that their life is cramped or stunted by attending to the duties at home and that no scope is given for evolution and freedom. This is a sad mistake indeed! The life of a woman is as noble and serious as that of a man.

There is no doubt of this. It is the women that keep up the life and happiness of the home through their smile, tender affection, sweet speech, charming personality, grace and angelic presence. The home will be a real void without them. It will lose its peculiar charm and beauty without their presence. It will be of great benefit to know what the Great Ones have said about the ideal of conduct and deportment that a woman should try to live up to. Sri Rama instructs Kausalya, his mother, as follows: “To a woman so long as she is alive, the husband is indeed the Lord and God. That woman, who, though noblest of all and given to the practice of vows and fasts, does not look after her husband, will indeed obtain an unmeritorious future. Even if a woman has never bowed to the Gods and has ceased to worship them, she obtains the highest heaven by serving her husband.

A woman should be absorbed in the service of her husband, taking delight in his pleasure and his good. This is the path of the Dharma, known for long ages, revealed in the Vedas, and remembered by the world. There is nothing more cruel for a woman than to desert her husband. To attend upon and to serve one’s husband is no doubt the highest duty of a woman. So long as a woman lives, her husband is her only master.” Then again there is Kanva Rishi’s advice to Sakuntala on the eve of her departure from his Ashram to King Dushyanta’s residence. Kanva Rishi says: “Sakuntala! Serve all your elders.

Though your Lord is angry with you at times, do not go against his wishes. Do not be too much attached in enjoyment. Treat your dependants and co-wives with motherly affection and tenderness. Be an affectionate companion to your sisters-in-law. Be obedient to your mother-in-law. These attributes will make you the true mistress of the house. Otherwise, you will give pain and trouble to the whole family.” It is the duty of the lady of the house to get up before her husband in the early hours of the dawn, take her bath and perform the household work. Tiruvalluvar’s wife shampooed the feet of her husband, slept after her husband and rose up in the morning before he got up from bed. She is regarded as a model woman.

To a lady the husband is indeed the highest ornament of all ornaments. Being separated from him, she, however beautiful, does not shine. The Hindu scriptures say that the wife must be very obedient and that the husband is God to her. Some ignorant persons take advantage of this and exercise undue authority over their wives and keep them under extreme subordination. Is this not a sad mistake? Woman is in no way inferior to man. The home is a co-operative organisation. It flourishes on the principle of division of labour.

The husband should not think that he is superior to his wife, simply because he is the earning member of the family. Women have a definite field of their own. They are mothers of the house. The extraordinary abilities and intellectual attainments, and the magnetic personality of the modern women are a standing monument to their undoubted equality with men. The personal influence of women at home is essential to unify the various interests of the family. It is women alone who can rear and nurse children. Hindu wives are queens in their own homes. The husbands should treat their wives with intense love and respect.

They should be regarded as equals in all respects and be held in the light of partners in life. Manu says, “The householder should first serve his relatives and dependants with food and then take the remaining food along with his wife,” hinting thereby at the position of equal footing on which she is to be treated. If a man earns and the wife stays at home, it does not mean that the woman is a parasite and a slave. She is indeed the builder of the nation. Verily, women exercise an authority over their husbands through their love, tenderness, affection, grace, beauty, selfless service and fidelity, purity and self-abnegation.

From - Yoga in Daily life

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 5

Here is an Anushthana for 40 days. You will have to do Japa of Rama Mantra one Lakh and twenty five thousand times in the following manner for 40 days, at the rate of 3000 daily. During the last five days do 4000 daily. Get up at 4. a.m. Write down in a thin paper ‘Rama, Rama’ 300 times.

Then cut it into small pieces. Each piece will contain one Rama Nama. Then roll it with a small ball of Atta (wheat flour paste). Writing will take two or three hours according to your strength and capacity. Then you will have to cut one by one. You will have to do the whole process by sitting on one Asana. If you find it difficult to sit on one Asana, you can have change of Asana. But you should not leave your seat. Some use a special ink made of saffron, musk, camphor, etc., and special writing pen made up of a sharp-pointed thin, Tulasi-stick.

You can use ordinary ink and pen if you cannot get the above special ink and special pen. You will have to do the Anushthana on the banks of Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri or Narmada, at Rishikesh, Benares, Hardwar, or Prayag. You can do it at home, if you find it difficult to move to these places. Take milk and fruits and Palahar during these days. Two Punjabis, a student of law, and his father, are having this Anushthana in Rishikesh. Throw the balls in the Ganga or any river for fishes. You will develop wonderful patience. You will get Divine Grace. Study the whole of the Ramayana 108 times with purity and concentration. This can be done within three years if you can devote three hours daily. You can go through the book three times in a month. You will acquire Siddhis.

You will have Darshan of Lord Rama. Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga are not incompatibles like acids and alkalis. One can combine Ananya Bhakti (one-pointed devotion) with Jnana Yoga. The fruit of Bhakti Yoga is Jnana. Highest love (Para Bhakti and Jnana are one. Perfect knowledge is love. Perfect love is knowledge. Sri Sankara, the Advaita Kevala Jnani, was a great Bhakta of Lord Hari, Hara and Devi. Jnana Deva of Alandi, Poona, a great Yogi of late, was a Bhakta of Lord Krishna. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa worshipped Kali and got Jnana through Swami Totapuri, his Advaita Guru.

Lord Chaitanya was a fine Advaita Vedantic Scholar, and yet he danced in streets and market places, singing Hari’s names. Appaya Dikshitar, a famous Jnani of Adaipalam, North Arcot District, Madras, the author of Siddhanta Lesha and various other Vedantic books was a devotee of Lord Siva. It behoves, therefore, that Bhakti can be combined with much advantage with Jnana.

May we hear with our ears and see with our eyes nothing but what is pure, so that with our senses unperturbed, remembering God, meditating on Him, singing His praise and repeating His name, we may attain life as that of the Gods. Om Santi. Kirtan At Home This is an easy way for attaining God-consciousness. At night all the members of the house should sit in a circle and do Kirtan for one hour before the picture of Lord Krishna. The servants of the house also should be included. Sing any Name of the Lord as Siva, Hare Ram, Sita Ram, Raghupati Raghava Rajaram, etc., in a chorus with one Svara, Tala harmoniously.

Nada Brahman will be generated. You will forget the body and the world and enter into ecstatic state. Practise, try and feel yourself. Mere tall talk will not do. Just as the intoxication that you get by taking a dose of opium lasts for hours, the Divine intoxication that you get from Kirtan will last for some hours during the following day also. At night you will be free from bad dreams. During Kirtan a special spiritual wave comes from the indweller of your heart and purifies the mind and Pranamaya Kosha.

All diseases are cured thereby. Doctor’s bills are saved. Sattva flows from the Lord to your mind, just as oil flows from one vessel to another vessel. Kirtan gives you strength to face the difficulties in the battle of life. Singing the Names of the Lord is a mental tonic. Evening Katha At Home In the evening four people can join together and read regularly the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana or the Bhagavata. Svadhyaya or study of holy scriptures is Kriya Yoga. It is of immense benefit for householders who do not find much time for serious spiritual practices and constant meditation. The study itself is a form of meditation. When the mind is concentrated on Divine thoughts, it is filled with purity.

The gross mind is rendered subtle. What Should Ladies Do I want to say a word on the devotional nature of Hindu ladies. In India, religion is maintained by the ladies only. There is peculiar religious instinct in them. Hindu ladies are highly devotional. They infuse the religious spirit in the males through their daily conduct and practical life. They get up in the early morning, wash the house, take bath, do Japa, make a small temple in their house and keep there pictures of the Lord and Pooja vessels, etc. They keep the place sacred and in the evening do Arati and prayer. The atheistic male members of the house are forced to do some prayer or other through their influence, on account of fear.

In reality the ladies of the house govern the house. They are the manifestations of Sakti. The husband is not entitled to do any religious rite without her presence by his side. “Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah, Yatrai tastu na pujyante sarvastatraphalah kriyah” —Manu Smriti III-56. “Where women are honoured, there Devas are pleased; but where they are not honoured, there no sacred rite is fruitful.” Such is the glory of Hindu ladies. My earnest prayer is that they should sing the Name of the Lord in the early morning as soon as they get up.

They should train their children also to sing the Names. The whole house will be charged with spiritual vibrations. Even when they cook and draw water from the wells, they should be singing in mild tone the Names of the Lord. A strong habit of repeating the Names of the Lord will be formed in two months. This itself is quite sufficient for attaining God-consciousness. Singing the Names of the Lord is a very easy method for getting Darshan of the Lord in this Kali-Yuga. Even when anyone dies, the habit of singing the Name of the Lord will come to his rescue.

Duties Of Womanhood

From time immemorial Sita, Savitri, Damayanti, Nalayani, Anasuya and Draupadi have been regarded as sacred ideals of Indian Womanhood. They are sublime and exemplary characters who have exalted womanhood to the height of divine perfection.

Modern women should draw inspiration from their lives and try to tread their path. As long as such characters continue to exercise their influence upon the lives and character of Indian ladies, so long they will be looked upon with admiration and reverence by their sisters of other countries. All of them were subjected to very severe tests in which their purity, courage, patience and other virtues were put to and nobly did they come out through those tests. Hindu women are, since the dawn of the early civilisation, distinguished for their disinterested love and self-abnegation. What a wife is to a Hindu husband is well illustrated by a verse in the Ramayana where Sri

Rama referred to Sita says:
Karyeshu Mantree, Karaneshu Dasee,
Dharmeshu Patnee, Kshamaya Dharitree,
Sneheshu Mata, Sayaneshu Rambha,
Rangecha Sakhi, Lakshmana Sa Priya Me.

“In counsel she is my counsellor, in action she is my servant, in religious performances she is my partner, in tolerance she is like the earth, in affection she is like unto my mother, in bed she is like the celestial Rambha and in play she is my companion. Such indeed, O Lakshmana, is my beloved...” This is the Hindu ideal of a wife.

From - Yoga in Daily Life

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 4

Mantra For Japa Select any one of the following Mantras. Repeat it with concentration from 10 to 50 Malas from 4 to 6 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. regularly, everyday.

Mantras Deities

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah —Ganapati
Om Namassivaya —Lord Siva
Om Namo Narayanaya —Lord Narayana
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya —Lord Krishna
Om Kling Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijana
Vallabhaya Svaha

—Lord Krishna

Om Sri Rama, Jaya Rama, Jaya Jaya Ram —Lord Rama
Om Ram Ramaya Namah —Lord Rama
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
—Mahamantra

Jugal Mantra

1. Sita Ram
2. Radheshyam
3. Sri Sita Ramachandrabhyo Namah
Saranagati Mantra
1. Sri Rama Saranam Mama
2. Sri Sita Rama Saranam Mama
3. Sri Ramachandra Saranam Prapadye
4. Sri Krishna Saranam Mama

Bhakti Yoga Sadhana

God is the Inner Ruler of your heart and mind. He is the silent witness of your thoughts. You cannot hide anything from Him. Become guileless and straightforward. Adevotee of Hari is always meek and humble. Name of God “Hari” is always on his lips. He sheds profuse tears when he is alone. He is very pious. He is friendly towards all. He has equal-vision. He does good always. He never hurts the feelings of others. He has a spotless character. He never covets the property of others. He sees Hari in all beings.

Bhakti can move mountains. Nothing is impossible to it. It was the devotion of Mira that converted a snake into a flower garland, poison into nectar and a bed of nails into a bed of roses. It was the devotion of Prahlada that turned fire into ice. A devotee should become an embodiment of goodness. He must be ever ready to do good to living beings. That devotee who is intent upon the welfare of all beings obtains the peace of the Eternal. He who rejoices in the welfare of all, gets the Darshan of the Lord. He develops Advaitic consciousness eventually. Service of Bhagavatas, repetition of God’s name, Satsanga, singing His name, study of the Bhagavata or the Ramayana, living in Brindavan, Pandharpur, Chitrakuta or Ayodhya, are the six means for developing Bhakti.

Anger and lust are the two inner enemies that stand in the way of developing Bhakti. From lust follow the ten vices that are mentioned in Manusamhita—love of hunting, gambling, sleeping by day, slandering, company with bad women, drinking, singing love-songs, vulgar music, dancing, aimlessly wandering about. Anger begets eight kinds of vices. All evil qualities proceed from anger. If you can eradicate anger all bad qualities will die of themselves. The eight vices are: Injustice, rashness, persecution, jealousy, taking possession of others’ property, harsh words and cruelty.

How are Bhaktas to be known? Lord Krishna has given a description of them. You will find it in Bhagavatam. “They do not care for anything. Their hearts are fixed on Me. They are very humble. They have equal vision. They have no attachment towards anybody or anything. They are without ‘mine-ness’. They have no egoism.

They make no distinction between sorrow and happiness. They do not take anything from others. They can bear heat, cold and pain. They have love for all living beings. They have no enemy. They are serene. They possess exemplary character.” Here is a Sadhana for advanced students. This is highly useful for getting quick, solid progress in the spiritual path. Get up at 4 a.m. Start your Japa on any Asana you have mastered. Do not take food or drink for 14 hours. Do not get up from the Asana. Control passing urine till sunset if you can manage. Finish the Japa at sunset.

Take milk and fruits after sunset. Householders can practise this during holidays. Practise this once a fortnight or once a month or once weekly. Here is another Sadhana for 10 days. You can do this during the Christmas holidays or Puja holidays or summer vacation. Shut yourself in an airy room. Do not talk to anybody. Do not see anybody. Do not hear anything. Get up at 4 a.m. Start Japa of the Mantra of your Ishta Devata or your Guru Mantra and finish it at sunset. Then take some milk and fruits or Kheer (milk and rice boiled with sugar). Take rest for one or two hours. But continue the Japa. Then again start the Japa seriously. Retire to bed at 11 in the night.

You can combine meditation along with Japa. Make all arrangements for bath, food, etc., inside the room. Have two rooms if you can manage, one for bath and one for meditation. Repeat this four times a day. This practice can be kept up even for 40 days. You will have wonderful result and various experiences. You will enter into Samadhi. You will have Darshan of your Ishtam. I assure you.

From - Yoga in Daily life

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 3

Upamsu brings fruits thousand times more than that of Vaikhari. Manasika brings fruits crores of times than Vaikhari. Mind wants varieties, new sensations. It gets disgusted with monotony. Just as you want brinjal vegetable today, Lauki tomorrow and Parwal day after tomorrow, the mind wants varieties in Japa also; otherwise it becomes dull. It refuses to work. Do Vaikhari for some time, then Upamsu for some time and then Manasika for some time.

The repetition of a Mantra serves as a gate-keeper. When the mind runs away, the repetition of the Mantra will at once tell you that some other evil-intruding thoughts have entered the mind. Benefits Of Japa There is Mantra Sakti and Mantra Chaitanya in every Mantra. It changes the mental substance from passion to purity, from Rajas into Sattva. It calms, strengthens the mind. It makes the mind Antarmukha, introspective. It checks the outgoing tendencies of the mind. It eradicates all kinds of evil thoughts and inclinations. It destroys Vasanas and reduces the force of thought. Eventually it leads to the direct Darshan of God or Ishta Devata. Japa purifies the mind, induces Vairagya, destroys Vasanas and brings you face to face with God.

Instructions On Japa

Have Suddha, Sattvic Bhava when you repeat the Mantra. Repeat the Mantra at least 21,600 times daily, to correspond with the 21,600 Soham breaths. You must do the Japa regularly. The shorter the Mantra the greater is the concentration. Of all the Mantras, Rama, Rama, Rama is the best. It is easy to repeat also. If you are tired of repeating the Mantra at one stroke, have three or more sittings; from morning 4 to 7, evening 4 to 5 and night 6 to 8. Repeat the Mantra very quickly for some time and when you find that the mind is wandering much then repeat it slowly. The golden rule is to repeat the Mantra neither too slow nor too quick. Observe the happy medium. Everyone of you should have a separate meditation room.

Make a small enclosure in a corner of a room with screen and sit for Japa if you cannot manage to get a separate room. Do not allow anybody to frequent the place. Both morning and night sit there regularly for 10 minutes. Gradually increase the time as much as you can. This is very, very important. In this Kali Yuga when rigid Hatha Yoga Kriyas are difficult to be performed owing to poor physique of people and when people do not possess sharp intellect and power of inflection and ratiocination, Japa and Kirtan are easy methods for Self-realisation. Ram Prasad of Bengal had Darshan of Mother Kali through Kirtan alone. “Na-aham vasami Vaikunthe yoginam hridaye na cha, mad bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tishthami Narada—I dwell not in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of Yogins; but I dwell there where my Bhaktas sing of Me, O Narada!” Upamsu brings fruits thousand times more than that of Vaikhari. Manasika brings fruits crores of times than Vaikhari. Mind wants varieties, new sensations. It gets disgusted with monotony. Just as you want brinjal vegetable today, Lauki tomorrow and Parwal day after tomorrow, the mind wants varieties in Japa also; otherwise it becomes dull. It refuses to work.

Do Vaikhari for some time, then Upamsu for some time and then Manasika for some time. The repetition of a Mantra serves as a gate-keeper. When the mind runs away, the repetition of the Mantra will at once tell you that some other evil-intruding thoughts have entered the mind. Benefits Of Japa There is Mantra Sakti and Mantra Chaitanya in every Mantra. It changes the mental substance from passion to purity, from Rajas into Sattva. It calms, strengthens the mind. It makes the mind Antarmukha, introspective. It checks the outgoing tendencies of the mind. It eradicates all kinds of evil thoughts and inclinations. It destroys Vasanas and reduces the force of thought. Eventually it leads to the direct Darshan of God or Ishta Devata. Japa purifies the mind, induces Vairagya, destroys Vasanas and brings you face to face with God. Instructions On Japa Have Suddha, Sattvic Bhava when you repeat the Mantra.

Repeat the Mantra at least 21,600 times daily, to correspond with the 21,600 Soham breaths. You must do the Japa regularly. The shorter the Mantra the greater is the concentration. Of all the Mantras, Rama, Rama, Rama is the best. It is easy to repeat also. If you are tired of repeating the Mantra at one stroke, have three or more sittings; from morning 4 to 7, evening 4 to 5 and night 6 to 8. Repeat the Mantra very quickly for some time and when you find that the mind is wandering much then repeat it slowly. The golden rule is to repeat the Mantra neither too slow nor too quick. Observe the happy medium. Everyone of you should have a separate meditation room. Make a small enclosure in a corner of a room with screen and sit for Japa if you cannot manage to get a separate room. Do not allow anybody to frequent the place. Both morning and night sit there regularly for 10 minutes.

Gradually increase the time as much as you can. This is very, very important. In this Kali Yuga when rigid Hatha Yoga Kriyas are difficult to be performed owing to poor physique of people and when people do not possess sharp intellect and power of inflection and ratiocination, Japa and Kirtan are easy methods for Self-realisation. Ram Prasad of Bengal had Darshan of Mother Kali through Kirtan alone.

“Na-aham vasami Vaikunthe yoginam hridaye na cha, mad bhakta yatra gayanti tatra tishthami Narada—I dwell not in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of Yogins; but I dwell there where my Bhaktas sing of Me, O Narada!”

From - YogaDaily

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 2

“Nayamatma pravachanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena” (Katha Upanishad). Not by arguments, not by extreme intelligence, not by the voracious and wide study of scriptures, will you reach God. You can reach Him by sincere Sadhana or ascetic spiritual practices.

Avoid wrangling and vain quibbling. Make genuine efforts. Mysterious Help From The Lord To Bhaktas O faithless ones! Just hear the life-history of Roopkala Bhagavan of Ayodhya and the soldier-Bhakta of Punjab. Roopkala Bhagavan was a famous Bhakta in Ayodhya. It was he who started the All-India-Kirtan. He died a few years ago. He was a native of Chapra near Benares. He was the Inspector of Schools.

He was a sincere devotee of Sri Rama. One day he was absorbed in meditation. He did not visit a school for inspection. Lord Rama Himself assumed the form of the inspector through his Yoga-Maya-Sakti, inspected the school boys, signed in the register and disappeared. When the inspector came to the school next morning, the teachers said that he was present all along in the school the previous day and showed him his signature in the register. He was very much astonished. This one evidence gave him much encouragement.

He instantaneously resigned his post and went to Ayodhya to spend the rest of his life in communion with Lord Rama. Have you not heard of a recent Punjab incident? A soldier, a sincere Rama-Bhakta, was on patrol duty at night. One night a fine Kirtan-party was moving about quite close to the soldier. The soldier was much moved by deep devotion, left his duty and joined the Kirtan-party.

He enjoyed the Kirtan to his heart’s content. In the depth of higher emotions, he entered into Bhava-Samadhi, the ecstatic state of Bhaktas. When he returned at 6 a.m. he enquired the Subedar-Major whether anything happened during his absence. The Subedar said, “Nothing happened. I saw you always on the patrol duty.” The Bhakta soldier was extremely surprised to hear the statement of the Subedar.

He thought it was all the Grace of Rama. Rama Himself took charge of patrol duty to protect His devotee. He assumed the form of the soldier. When the Bhakta came to know of this incident, he immediately resigned his post and went to Ayodhya to spend his whole life in devotion. My dear brother, do not become a sceptic. If you are sincere in your devotion, you will have Darshan of God face to face this very moment.


What Is Japa?

Japa is the repetition of any Mantra or Name of the Lord. In this Kaliyuga, Japa is an easy way for God-realisation.

Tukaram, Dhruva, Valmiki, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Narsi Mehta, Gauranga, Ramdas, Mira—all had attained salvation by uttering the name of God. Why not you also, my dear friends, my amiable comrades? Japa is an important Anga of Yoga. Any Mantra is powerful. It is a mass of radiant energy. Japa is of three kinds: (1) Vaikhari or verbal with Ucchara. (2) Upamsu with humming sound. (3) Manasika wherein the lips do not move. It is done with the mind and mind alone....

BHAKTI YOGA - Part 1

Bhakti can be acquired and cultivated. Constant Satsanga with devotees and Bhagavatas, repetition of His Name, Sri Ram, Sita Ram, Hari Om, etc., constant remembrance of the Lord, prayer, study of religious books such as the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, Hari Kirtan, service of Bhaktas, etc., can infuse Bhakti in your heart. Lust, anger, greed, Moha, pride, jealousy, hatred, egoism, desire for power, name and fame, hypocrisy are all obstacles in the way of Bhakti Yoga. Remove lust by entertaining pure thoughts; anger by love, Kshama, etc.; greed by charity, honesty, disinterestedness; Moha by Viveka; pride by humility (Namrata, Vinaya); jealousy by magnanimity, nobility and Mudita; hatred by love; and egoism by unconditioned, unreserved and ungrudging self-surrender to the Lord, Atmanivedana or Saranagati. Pray fervently like Prahlada.

Sing His Name like Radha. Weep in solitude like Mira on account of Viraha Agni. Do Kirtan like Lord Gauranga. Sing Bhajan like Ram Prasad of Bengal. Dance in Divine ecstasy like Chaitanya Maha Prabhu and enter into Bhava Samadhi. Repeat His Name like Valmiki, Tukaram or Ram Das. Be up and doing, my dear friends, in spiritual Sadhana, Bhajan, etc. Never waste a single minute. Wasting time is the highest sin. Lord Rama will surely crown your efforts with success. Combine all the love you cherish towards all worldly objects, wife, son, wealth, property, relatives, friends and then apply this combined love towards God. You will realise in this very second. Repeat His name 200 Malas daily (200x108=21,600 times). Sing His praise. Do Hari Kirtan. Repeat His Stotras and hymns.

Live in Ayodhya, Brindavan, Pandharpur, Mathura for some months. Control the Indriyas. Eat simple food. Wear simple clothing. Lead a simple, natural life. You will develop Bhakti soon. Cultivate Vairagya towards sensual objects. Have Mithya and Dosha Drishti for objects. Objects are unreal, perishable. They are attended with various sorts of pains and miseries. Vairagya will come by itself. Raga for objects is an enemy of Bhakti. Repeat the formulae “I am Thine. All is Thine. Thy Will be done.

” Have perfect self-surrender. Then only you will have Darshan of God. Do not keep any desires for you. Destroy egoism completely. A Bhakta gets Salokya, Sameepya and Sayujya Mukti. He lives near God. He serves God. He enjoys all His Aishvaryas. He gets Krama Mukti. In the end he gets Jnana. Where Is God? Where is God? Is He only in the temples, churches or Musjids? No. Is He only in the four Vedas or Upavedas or six Vedangas or six schools of philosophy or eighteen Puranas or sixty-four sciences? ‘No’.

Is He in the places of pilgrimage or Tirthas alone? No. No. No. Where is He then? “Hridi Sarvasya Tishthitam (Gita XIII-17)—Wisdom, the object of Wisdom, seated in the hearts of all.” He is not very far. He is quite close to you. “Anoraniyan mahato mahian atmasya jantornihato guhayam.” Subtler than the subtlest, greater than the greatest, He is located in the cavity of your heart, in the innermost recesses or chambers, the Hridaya Kamala.

From - YogaDaily