Self-Knowledge

By

Sri Swami Sivananda

 

A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION

 

First Edition: 1958
Second Edition: 1986
Third Edition: 1995
(4,000 Copies)


World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 2002

WWW site: http://www.dlshq.org/

 

This WWW reprint is for free distribution

 

© The Divine Life Trust Society

ISBN 81-7052-053-3

 

Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.

Contents

  1. Universe
  2. Hinduism
  3. Guru And Disciple
  4. God And Avatara
  5. Bhakti Yoga
  6. How To Develop Bhakti
  7. Japa Yoga
  8. Karma Yoga
  9. Maya
  10. Brahma Vidya
  11. Vedanta
  12. Jnana Yoga
  13. Jivanmukta

Introduction

The life of man in this sense-universe is a life of temptation. Man is born for Self-realisation. He is born for leading a religious life. But he is led astray by the temptations of his environments. He is spoiled by society. He has not got the strength of will to resist the temptations.

A Deputy Commissioner said: “O Swamiji, the world wants bread. I want bread. I care a two pence for the soul. Who wants the soul in these days? Nobody cares for spiritual matters.” I replied him: “You cannot live on bread alone, but you can live on OM, the symbol of Brahman. The mind wants mental food. The soul wants spiritual food.”

The desire to attain knowledge of the Self will dawn in these proud, egoistic people only when they meet some adversities, calamities, troubles and disappointments. The desire to attain the knowledge of the Self dawns in a person who is free from desires for sense-objects. Such a man, with a pure mind alone, is competent to tread the spiritual path.

My heart is filled with joy to see those persons who are filled with spiritual Samskaras and who are attempting for Self-realisation. Even in this iron age (Kali Yuga), when the vast majority of persons run after women and money, there are earnest and sincere young men who want God and God alone. They are exalted personages indeed! My silent adorations to them!

Are you always peaceful? Are you noble? Do you possess self-restraint? Are you endowed with divine virtues? Are you free from ignorance? Do you possess knowledge of the Self? Have you got illumination? Have you realised the immortal pure Self? How do you stand before these questions? If you have not got these things, then, come, sit down and read the lessons given in this book. Therein is the message of Amrita for you all. Even if you practise a little of this, you will go beyond death, sorrow and pain.

Life is a great battlefield. Life is a conquest. To live is to fight for the ideal and the goal. Life is a series of awakenings. You must conquer your mind and the senses. These are the real enemies. You must conquer internal and external nature. You must conquer your environments, old evil habits, old evil Samskaras, evil thoughts and evil Vasanas. You must fight against the antagonistic dark forces. You must resist the forces of degeneration.

The greatest victory is the victory over the turbulent mind. The greatest battle is the inner Adhyatmic battle. The greatest hero is one who has conquered the mind.

Become a hero. Conquer the formidable foe, this turbulent mind. Self-conquest is more than many a martyrdom. The inner fight, the fight with evil thoughts, evil Vasanas, cravings and evil Samskaras or mental impressions, is more formidable than the external war. The fight with the mind and the senses is, indeed, more terrible than the outer war.

Be a spiritual hero in the Adhyatmic battlefield. Become a brave, undaunted, spiritual soldier. Fight against the mind, Vasanas, Trishnas, Vrittis and Samskaras boldly. Use the machine-gun of Brahma Vichara to explode the mind efficiently. Dive deep and destroy the undercurrents of passion, greed, hatred, pride and jealousy through the submarine or torpedo of Japa of OM or Soham. Soar high in the higher regions of bliss of the Self with the help of the aeroplane—Brahmakara Vritti. Use the mines of OM—chanting to explode the Vasanas that are hidden in the sea of the subconscious mind. Sometimes move the tanks of discrimination to crush your ten enemies, the ten turbulent senses. Start the Divine League and make friendship with your powerful allies viz., dispassion, fortitude, endurance, serenity, self-restraint to attack your enemy-mind. Throw the bomb of Sivoham Bhavana to destroy the big mansion of body and the idea, ‘I am the body,’ ‘I am the doer,’ ‘I am the enjoyer.’ Spread profusely the gas of Sattva to destroy your external enemies Rajas and Tamas quickly. ‘Black-out’ the mind by destroying the Vrittis, by putting out all the lights or bulbs of sense-objects so that the enemy-mind may not be able to attack you. Fight closely against your enemy-mind with your bayonet of one-pointedness (Samadhana) to get hold of the priceless treasure of the Atmic pearl. The joy of Samadhi, the bliss of Moksha, the Peace of Nirvana are now yours; whatever you may be, in whatever clime you are born, whatever might be your past life and history, work out your salvation’ O Beloved Ram, with the help of the above means and come out victorious right now in this very second.

The lessons given in this book are particularly addressed to those who have no faith in religion, God, the Law of Karma, theory of reincarnation, a life beyond and an after-world (Metempsychosis, Eschatology, etc.).

These are the collection of the lessons given to the struggling souls in the world, to many atheists, during the last 15 years. Now they are all far advanced in the spiritual line and entirely free from the miseries and troubles of the world.

Through the help of these lessons, many aspirants were able to remove all obstacles and pitfalls in their daily Sadhana and they received a new hope and joy in the spiritual line.

This book is like ‘Chintamani’ or ‘Kalpaka’ tree or ‘Kamadhenu’ cow which will satisfy all desires of people who approach it.

These are the lessons of love, peace and unity. My philosophy and teachings are not for the chosen few, the cultured and the wealthy alone. I am a friend of the poor, the outcaste, the sick, the oppressed, the forlorn, the guilty but penitent transgressor. I live to serve the poor, the sick and the forlorn, and also the criminal. The whole world is my body. The whole world is my home. My Message, my sayings and teachings are meant particularly to the poor, the outcaste, the sick and the oppressed. I embrace all. I include all in my warm embrace. I am a cosmic friend. Anybody can utilise me for his purpose. I belong to all. I am the servant of all. I am the brother of all.

Will you follow my instructions with implicit faith? I have given in this book a spiritual pill for all aspirants, nicely sugar-coated and compressed for ready assimilation and absorption.

Sivananda

Chapter One

Universe

Creation And Evolution

In the beginning Brahman who is one without a second alone exists. When darkness was rolling over darkness, there was existence alone. Nobody knows how this universe came into being. You will find in Rig Veda: “Who knows here, who can here state whence came all this multifarious Universe? Even the Devas are posterior to its creation, who then knows whence this came out? (Rig Veda VIII-17-6).

Hiranyagarbha or the first-born or the golden egg, Sutratman, Karya Brahman are other names for Brahman, the creative aspect of the Lord. Sutratma means thread-soul. Hiranyagarbha pervades all beings like the thread in a garland of flowers. Hence, the name Sutratma. “All this is strung on Me, as clusters of gems on a string.” (Gita-Chapter VII-7). Hiranyagarbha is Karya Brahman. Ishvara is Karana Brahman. Karana means cause. Karya means effect. Hiranyagarbha is born of Ishvara.

Some hold that the universe was created out of nothing by a fiat of God and that it will again lapse into nothing at the period of deluge. This dogma of creation ex nihilo is not endorsed by scientists. They say emphatically that what exists now should have existed always and will continue to exist always in some form or other. In Sankhya philosophy also you will find: “That which is cannot come out of “That which is not” (Sankhya Sutra 78). Gita also states: “There can be no existence out of non-existence, nor can the existent cease to be. The truth about both has been perceived by seers.” (Chapter II-16).

Something cannot come out of nothing. Something can come out of something only.

Unconscious matter cannot be the ultimate cause of the universe. It is Jada. An omniscient Ishvara only, who can have an orderly arrangement, can be the Creator of this universe.

An effect does not exist apart from its cause. For instance, a pot does not exist apart from clay, its material cause. Similarly, this universe does not exist apart from Brahman, its material cause. It has no independent existence. It is one with Brahman. Brahman alone exists. This world is a mere appearance. When one gets knowledge of the Self, this world vanishes, just as the snake vanishes when one cognises the real rope by bringing a lamp.

Ishvara wills. The equilibrium of the Gunas is disturbed through Kaala under the influence of Ishvara. Kaala is a Sakti of Ishvara. Then transformation takes place through Svabhava, which is the essence of Prakriti. The development of the Mahat Tattva follows from Karma. Originally this world was enveloped in darkness. Ishvara or the Lord, though unmanifest Himself, caused this universe to be gradually manifested. By dint of His Will, the Lord, the undecaying substratum or reality of the universe gave the first impetus to nature to shake off her state of primal equipoise and to be gradually and successfully evolved in those twenty-four categories and elements such as intellect, egoism, root-elements or Tanmatras. Prana, Mind, the five Bhutas or elements which were necessary for the formation of the present universe.

The subtler the element, the more powerful it is. Water is more powerful than the Earth, because it is more subtle than the earth. Water removes away earth. Fire is more powerful than the water, because it is more subtler than the water. Fire dries up all water. Air is more powerful than fire because it is more subtle than fire. Air blows up the fire. Ether or Akasa is more powerful than air because it is more subtle than air. The air rests in Akasa. Akasa is the support for-the air. Air is born of Akasa, fire is born of air, water is born of fire, earth is born of water. During cosmic Pralaya, earth is reduced or involved into the water, water into the fire, fire into the air and air into the Akasa.

Now I will describe the evolution of the gross world. The five Tanmatras are divided into two equal parts. With a half of one element is mixed one-eighth of each of the other elements. A fivefold combination takes place. The five gross elements are formed now. This is the process of Pancheekarana or quintuplication. When the Tanmatras are in the original state without being mixed with one another, they are called Apancheekrita or non-quintuplicated five elements. The whole world, the four kinds of gross bodies of four kinds of beings viz., Udbhijja or seed-born, Svedaja or born of sweat, oviparous or born of egg and viviparous or born of placenta, and all objects of enjoyment are formed out of the five gross quintuplicated elements. The physical body of the human beings is called Annamaya Kosha. The Jiva experiences the waking state with this body.

The process of Pancheekarana (quintuplication) is as follows: Each of the five rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) of earth, water, fire, air, ether is divided into two parts. One of the halves is further divided into four parts. Then each gross element is formed by the union of one half of itself (Tanmatra) with one-eighth of each of the other four Tanmatras. Then the gross Brahmanda and physical bodies are formed.

Now I shall proceed to describe the evolution of the subtle world. Ishvara willed and the Tamoguna became divided into Avarana Sakti (veiling power) and Vikshepa Sakti (projecting power). On account of this veiling power man is not able to realise his original Sat-Chit-ananda nature. He is not Koshas. The projecting power has projected this universe. From Vikshepa Sakti the subtle Akasa was born; from Akasa, Vayu; from Vayu, fire; from fire, water; and from water, earth. These five subtle elements which are unquintuplicated are called the Tanmatras or root-elements. These root-elements contain the three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. From the Sattvic portion of Akasa, the ear, the organ of hearing is formed; from Vayu the organ of touch or the skin; from fire, the eye; from water, the tongue; and from the earth, the nose. Antahkarana is formed from the sum-total of Sattva of these five Tanmatras. The Antahkarana is fourfold viz., mind, intellect, Chitta and Ahankara. Chitta comes under mind and Ahankara under intellect.

According to Kapila Muni, the founder of Sankhya philosophy, the Tri-gunatmic Prakriti, consisting of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas is the cause for this world. According to Nyaya philosophy, Ishvara (Nitya Jnana Iccha Prayatnatvam) is the efficient cause of this world. Vaiseshikas of the Kanada school of thought hold that Paramanus are the material cause. According to Patanjali’s Yoga philosophy, Visesha Purusha (Ishvara) who is not touched by Klesha Karma, Vipaka, Ashaya is the efficient cause of this world. Karma (Dharmas and Adharmas) is the cause for this world according to Jaimini (Mimamsic school). According to Vedanta the reflection of Suddha Chaitanya in Maya is Ishvara. Maya Sabalita Chaitanya is the Abhinna-Nimittopadana Karana for this world.

Kalavadins say that all this has time for its root. Time is everything. Time is God. Time indeed is the seed of the universe. It is time again that withdraws everything at its pleasure. But time is Jada. Time is a drop in eternity. Eternity is Brahman.

Kshanika-Vijnana-vadins say: “There is only Vijnana. The world is mere idea. It is only the idea that appears as objects.” Sunyavadins deny objects as well as the Vijnana.

The three elements, earth, water and fire are termed Murta (with form) and air and ether Amurta (formless).

On account of the heat of summer the earth is scorched up. The earth becomes fallow, but the roots of vegetation remain underground. During the rainy season all the roots germinate again with full vigour. Even so when the previous creation is burnt up by the fires of Pralaya, the roots of the tree of Samsara remain imbedded in Avyaktam or Prakriti. When the next Kalpa begins, the roots again germinate, creation begins and the whole world is again projected.

Srishti or creation is of two kinds viz., Yugapat Srishti and Karma Srishti. In Yugapat Srishti, the five elements, Mahat, Ahankar, etc., and other objects of the universe come into being at one time i.e., simultaneously. In Karma Srishti, the elements come out one by one. From Avyaktam is born Mahat; from Mahat, Ahankara, etc., from Akasa, Vayu is born; from Vayu, fire, etc. There is creation in succession.

Sri Vasishtha told Sri Rama: “At one period, all the universe Siva creates; at another period, Brahma; at another period, Vishnu, then Munis and so on. Sometimes Brahma is born in a lotus; sometimes in water; sometimes in a mundane egg; sometimes in Akasa. In one creation the powerful trees alone will exist in this universe; in another the earth alone; in another the stones alone; in another flesh alone; and in another creation, gold alone. Thus it will be in diverse ways. During the several creations, the foremost is sometimes the Akasa, sometimes Vayu, sometimes Agni, sometimes Apas and sometimes Prithvi. Herein I have but briefly described to you the creation of one Brahma. The order of evolution will not be the same in all Yugas, but will vary with the different Yugas. Krita and other Yugas will again and again recur. There is no object in this world which does not again and again cycle round many times.”

As from blazing fire, sparks, all similar to one another, come forth in thousands, so also from the imperishable Brahman various types of beings are born and they also return back to Brahman.

As the web issues from the spider, as little sparks proceed from fire, so also from the one soul proceed all breathing animals, all worlds, all the gods and all beings (Brihad. Upa. II-1-20).

Avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvamidam tatam
Vinasamavyayasyasya na kaschit kartumarhati

“But know that to be imperishable by which all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That, the Inexhaustible” (Gita II-17).

The universe in all its stages is never apart from Brahman. The grass comes out of the earth and is absorbed into the earth. Even so, this universe comes out of Brahman, rests in Brahman and dissolves in Brahman.

Atman is homogeneous. World (Prakriti) is heterogeneous. Atman is one. Manifestation (Nature) is many. One has become many. One is real. Many are unreal and illusory.

Through the help of a powerful telescope you can bring the moon to a distance of 75 miles and photograph the mountains that are seen there to a height of 20,000 feet. Temperatures of other planets are recorded. Experiments like these are very interesting. Study of Astronomy and practical researches are very inspiring. They bring the student in tune with the Lord or Creator. But still more inspiring is the study of Atman or Highest Self. All the planets, stars, satellites hang or float in that mysterious Atman. He is the source or Yoni (womb) for all Solar systems. Glory, glory to the Lord of Lords.

If you attain knowledge of the Self, the meaning of life will cease to be a mystery. You will clearly understand the why and how of this universe. The purpose and progress in the scheme of things will become clear to you. All the transcendental things will be known to you like the apple in the palm of your hand.

In Brahman there was a Spandan or vibration before the world was projected. This is the Sankalpa of Brahman. He thought or willed: “Ekoham bahusyam—I am one; may I become many.” This vibration corresponds to the bulging of the seed within the ground when it soaked with water. Then the whole world was projected.

Brahman creates this unthinkable universe through his illusive power of Maya with three Gunas for his own Leela (sporting). But these activities do not touch Him in the least. He is Asanga, Nirlipta (unattached) like ether. This world floats in Him like a log of wood in the ocean.

When an ordinary, meagre juggler can bring forth mangoes, fruits, money, sweetmeats, an imaginary place, etc., through Indrajala or Sammohana Vidya, can He (the Omnipotent, Omniscient Ruler) not create this insignificant world for His own play? When a mortal King adorns his palace with furniture, pictures, curios, garden, fountain, etc., can He not furnish this world with beautiful landscape, brilliant sun, moon and stars, mighty rivers and oceans?

If you can create countless dream-pictures and give them light and life also during dream, if you can possess such powers can the Lord not have omnipotence, omniscience, etc.?

A famous Harley-Street specialist Professor A.M. Low has discovered a liquid which, he claims, can guarantee the sex of any child before birth. He claims a 90 per cent successful result from his experiments. He has worked on the theory that all parents have either male or female reproductive tendencies. According to Professor Low, the liquid which he has invented after years of research acts on these tendencies to ensure either a male or female birth. These inventions are very amazing indeed. But still more amazing is the eternal soul, the basis for inventions and discoveries, theories and hypothesis, the basis for the energy and the life of a scientist, the basis for cosmic energy. The scientist is able to work in his laboratory, through the light of his eternal soul. His mind cannot work, his eyes cannot see without this soul. This soul is Mind of minds, Prana of Pranas, Ear of ears and Eye of eyes. Let Professor Low try to discover this Eternal Soul now.

The Upanishads or Srutis are authoritative. They will guide you. They will inspire and elevate you. You must have unshakable faith in their teachings. Then only you will be saved from the clutches of Maya or death. Do not destroy them by means of your sophisticated reasoning. The intellect is a frail and finite instrument. Do not depend upon your intellect alone. If you do so, there is no hope for attaining immortality.

‘What is the purpose of God’s creating this world?’—This is a transcendental question or Ati-prasna. You will know the purpose only when you attain God-consciousness. The finite mind that is conditioned in time, space and causation cannot get an answer for a question that relates to transcendental matters.

You simply waste your energy and time by entering into hot discussions regarding the question ‘Why God created this world? Is the world real or unreal?’ It would matter nothing to you whether the world be real or not. You will not gain anything substantial by entering into such controversies. You will have to dive deep into the chamber of your heart by withdrawing the mind and the out-going senses to rest in the Supreme Self. Give up, therefore, these useless discussions and proceed straightaway in the quest of the Self and its realisation. Instead of counting the number of the leaves in a tree, try to eat the fruits directly. Try to enjoy the Eternal Bliss of the Self by realisation. This is wisdom.

If you attain knowledge of the Self, the meaning of life will cease to be a mystery. You will clearly understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of this universe. The purpose and progress in the scheme of things will become clear to you. Through regular spiritual Sadhana attain the knowledge of the Self.

What Is This World

It is the mind that has given shape, colour and taste to an orange. For a scientist an orange is a mass of electrons or atoms. For a student of Vaiseshika school of thought, it is a combination of Anu. For a clairvoyant it is a collection of Tanmatras. For a Jivanmukta or a sage it is Brahman. There is some defect in the lens of your eyes and so you see the external objects. If your inner eye of wisdom is opened, the same orange is perceived as Brahman only, this world is cognised as Brahman only. This world is mere illusion. It is mere appearance like snake in the rope. If the world is a reality, it must appear to you in deep sleep also.

This vast sense-universe shines as Atma Sankalpa. If there is mind only there will be this universe. There is no mind during deep sleep. So there is no world. The more you think of the objects, the more this world will appear to you as real. The conception of the reality of the universe will increase if you think of sense objects often and often.

It is only the waking state that brings before us this creation. The waking state is only the projection of the mind and hence it is Maya or transcient. If the universe is everlasting, it must exist in our experience during deep sleep state. When the mind is free from Sankalpa, there is no universe. The universe does not exist in deep sleep state.

In deep sleep state you have no experience of the world, because there is no mind. This clearly shows that there will be world if there is mind only and that the mind alone creates this world. That is the reason why Srutis declare that this world is Manomatra Jagat, Manah Kalpita Jagat.

Time is a mode of the mind. Time is a mental creation. Time is a trick or jugglery of the mind. Time is an illusion. Brahman is beyond time. It is eternity. There is local time. If it is 12 at Madras, it is 12-23 p.m at Calcutta, 1 p.m at Rangoon, 1-30 p.m at Singapore, 6-30 p.m at London, 12-30 a.m at Chicago, 1-30 a.m at New York. What is all this? There is no uniformity. Does not this indicate that time is a creation of the mind. Go beyond time and rest in the timeless, eternal, imperishable Brahman.

Tomorrow becomes today and today becomes yesterday. Future becomes present and the present becomes past. What is all this? This is a creation or trick of the mind only. In Ishvara everything is present only, everything is here only. Brahman is beyond time.

There is neither day nor night, neither yesterday nor tomorrow in the sun. The mind has created time and space. When you are happy, time passes away quickly; when you are unhappy, time is lingering on you. This is a relative world only. The theory of relativity by Einstein throws much light on the nature of Maya and this world.

A magician throws up a rope in the sky, climbs to the sky through it and disappears. After five minutes he falls down on the ground dead, with shattered limbs. After another five minutes the same magician stands before you. Now tell me whether the death of the magician is real or false. You have perceived the phenomenon with your own eyes. So is the tangibility of matter of the sense-contact.

If you are in Allahabad for a month, you forget all about your native place, Madras, your friends and relatives. You create a new world of your own at Allahabad. When you come back to Madras, you forget all about Allahabad. It is only the mind that creates a world. If you slay this mind which creates the illusion, there will be no world for you.

Through the trick of the mind one furlong appears to be a great distance and three miles appear as a very short distance. You ought to have noted this in your daily life.

In Samadhi or superconscious state wherein there is annihilation of the mind, there is no world. Just as the snake in the rope vanishes when a lamp is brought, so also this world which is mere appearance or superimposition does not exist when one attains illumination, when the sun of knowledge dawns.

The world is nothing but sex and ego. Ego is the chief thing. It is the basis. The sex is hanging on the ego. If the ego is destroyed by Vichara or enquiry of ‘who am I?’, the sex-idea will take to its heels by itself. Man, master of the destiny, has lost his divine glory and has become a slave, a tool in the hands of sex and ego on account of ignorance. Sex and ego are the products of Avidya or nescience. The dawn of spiritual knowledge of the Self will annihilate these two enemies of Atman, the two dacoits who are plundering the helpless, ignorance, little false Jiva, the illusory ‘I’.

World is Parinama Nitya (changing eternal). Brahman is Kutastha Nitya (unchanging eternal).

World is Satyam (in a relative sense). Brahman is Satyasya Satyam (truth of truth). World is Vyavaharic-Satta (empirical reality). Brahman is Paramarthic-Satta (absolute reality). Dream-creatures are Pratibhasic-Satta.

A Paricchinna (finite) thing is always Anitya (non-eternal). Is this not your daily experience in life?

Brahman or Atman which is the essence of mind, body and Indriyas is Aparicchinna (infinite), Nitya (eternal). Realise Atman, therefore, by singing OM. All miseries will terminate. You can become a Dattatreya or Sankara.

This world is not Atyanta Mithya. This is Mithya. But in what sense? Is it as unreal as the horn of a hare or a barren woman’s son or a lotus in the sky? No. It is not as much as a solid reality as Brahman is. When compared with Brahman, it is unreal. It is mere appearance. That is Mithya. Do you clearly understand the point now, dear Chandra? Do not make mistakes in future about the term Mithya. The wrong conception of the world ‘Mithya’ has brought severe havoc in the minds of the Hindus. It has brought ignoble inertia and stagnation in the minds of the people of India and in the majority of Sannyasins too.

Even if you take the world as Sat, you can keep up certainly, as a matter of course, your position of Kevala Advaita of Sri Sankara. You need not deviate even a fraction of an inch. Bear this in mind. Just as heat and luminosity cannot bring duality to fire, so also this world cannot bring duality to Brahman. But how can appearance affect Reality?

This world is Anadi or beginningless. Karma is also Anadi. The path of Karma is mysterious. Get knowledge of the Self. The mystery of Karma will be revealed unto you.

Some say that this is a bad world as there is much pain, sorrow and temptation. But if you do noble deeds, if you practise Japa and meditation, you can attain eternal bliss. This bad world will become a sweet and lovely paradise for you. Do not blame the world but blame your mind. Correct and educate your mind. You will have a changed vision of this world.

There is only one Truth—God and there is nothing else. This world is His manifestation. All activities, happenings and doings are His. All is He. This world is ephemeral and a passing show, a phenomenon only for a time. There is no individual existence. The individuality is simply imaginary and an ignorant condition of the mind.

There is number two, because there is number one. If you start counting one from the little finger, the thumb will be number five; if you begin to count from the thumb, the thumb will become the number one and little finger will be number five. One becomes five and five becomes one. One, two, three, etc., are relative figures only. There must be an unchanging, real permanent substratum for this appearance. That substratum is Brahman or your own Self. In reality there is neither two nor three. There is only existence or Truth or Brahman. The world is subject to the ever recurrent periods of activity and passivity known as Kalpa and Pralaya or day and night. Practically there is no death for anything. There is active life in a piece of stone or block of wood. The atoms, molecules, electrons vibrate and rotate with a tremendous velocity. There is a difference between a Nireeshvara Vadi and a Nastika. Nireeshvara Vadi is one who denies the existence of Ishvara (Ishvara Satta). The followers of Kapila Muni are Nireeshvara Vadins. Nastika is one who says that there is no soul independent of the body and that the body alone is the soul. He further states that the Soul is formed by the combination of betel and chunam (lime). Charvakas belong to this cult. They state that the soul perishes after the death or disintegration of body.

An agnostic is not an atheist. He only says that God is unknowable.

According to the nebular theory, every solar system was in the beginning a huge mass of gaseous matter which filled all space and which was rotating in its own axis. As ages rolled on, the gaseous matter attained the igneous stage. The central portion contracted. The mass rotated very rapidly and threw off rings on the outer side, which gradually cooled down and formed into planets. These planets were in a molten or liquid condition for a protracted period. Gradually they cooled down and became solid.

This world appears as Brahman for a sage, as Lord for a Bhakta, as a mass of energy or electrons for a scientist.

There are only electric vibrations outside. There are only electrons in this world. Everything is electricity, different frequency and different wave-lengths of vibrations. This is the theory of the scientists.

The energy that is contained in a handful of dust, when liberated, can blow up a mountain. This is the theory of modern scientists. They are attempting to demonstrate this by experiment.

The scientist bombards the atoms, watches the movement of the electrons in his laboratory, spends his whole life in understanding the nature and secret of matter and energy, invents many things, studies the laws of nature, and yet he is not able to comprehend the mystery of creation and of the Creator and the meaning of life. He is not willing to study himself. He does not like to go deeper into the recesses of his heart and find out the Superman or the Indweller, who is behind his personality or false ego—the unseen Governor or the hidden sage, who sets the atoms in motion, who gives life to these atoms, who is the universal storehouse of energy. He will be groping in darkness unless and until he comes face to face with this hidden Light of lights, which sheds light to his intellect and senses and his atoms.

All the achievements of science and results of research are used for inhuman purposes. Science has not contributed anything to the real peace of man. It has rendered life more complex and luxurious. Many luxuries have become the very necessaries of life. Let us go back to nature and lead a peaceful and contented life with a few wants, with abundant devotion and meditation. Enough of science. Enough of research. O scientists turn mind inwards; do Atmic research and bring out the priceless treasures of the Soul.

What is that by knowing which everything else will be known, what is that by attaining which there will be no hankering for any other thing, what is that by realising which one becomes Immortal, fearless and desireless and rests in everlasting peace and happiness? It is Brahman or Atman or the ultimate Truth which is the summum bonum of life. It is Bhuma or the Highest or the Unconditioned. You can get real happiness only by attaining this Bhuma or the Highest Self.

Theory of Rebirth

Man can be compared to a plant. He grows and flourishes like a plant and dies at the end but not completely. The plant also grows and flourishes and dies at the end. It leaves behind it the seed which produces a new plant. Man leaves when dying his Karma behind—the good and bad actions of his life. The physical body may die and disintegrate, but the impressions of his actions do not die. He has to take birth again to enjoy the fruits of these actions. No life can be the first, for it is the fruit of previous actions, nor the last, for its actions must be expiated in the next life following. Therefore, Samsara or phenomenal existence is without beginning and end. But there is no Samsara for a Jivanmukta or liberated sage who is resting in his own Sat-chit-ananda Svaroopa.

When a man dies, he carries with him the permanent Linga Sarira which is made up of 5 Jnana Indriyas, 5 karma Indriyas, 5 Pranas, mind, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankara and the changing karmasraya (receptacle of works, the actions of the soul) which determines the formation of the next life.

Sri Jnana Dev, late reputed Yogi of Alandi, wrote his commentary on Gita Jnaneswari when he was only sixteen years old. He was a born Siddha. You can also become a Siddha if you try in right earnest. What one has attained can be achieved by another also.

If a new-born child who has not done any wrong action in this birth undergoes great suffering—this is the fruit of some evil deed done in the previous birth. If you ask, how the person was induced to do a wrong action in his former birth, the answer is that, it was the result of some wrong action done in a birth still anterior and so on.

Many intelligent fathers have sons with dull intellect. If a shepherd boy gave you some food and water in your previous birth when you were dying of starvation, he will be born in this birth as your son, with a dull intellect to enjoy your property.

When creatures are born, they evince a desire to suck the breast and show an instinct of terror. Therefore it follows that they remember the sucking of the breast and the pains experienced in the previous birth. This shows that there is rebirth.

Even a child exhibits Harsha (exhilaration), Soka (grief), fear, anger, pleasure and pain. The Dharma-adharma Samskaras of this birth cannot be the cause of these. The Samskaras of the previous birth must have a support (Asraya). From this we can clearly infer the existence of Jiva in the previous birth and that the Jiva is Anadi or beginningless. If you do not accept that the Jiva is Anadi, the two Doshas viz., Kritanasa and Akritabhyagama will creep in. Pleasure and pain, which are the fruits of virtuous and vicious actions done previously will pass away without being enjoyed. This is the Dosha of Kritanasa. So also, one will have to enjoy pleasure and pain, the fruit of good and evil actions, which were done by him previously. This is the Dosha of Akritabhyagama. In order to get rid of these two Doshas, we will have to accept that the Jiva is Anadi or beginningless.

Some Yogic students ask me: “How long should one practise Sirshasana or Paschimottanasa or Kumbhaka or Mahamudra to awaken Kundalini? Nothing is mentioned on this point in any book on Yoga.” A student starts his Sadhana from the point or stage he left in his previous birth. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “Or he may be born in a family of wise Yogins. There he recovereth the characteristics belonging to his former body and with these he again laboureth for perfection, O joy of the Kurus!” Chap. VI—42, 43. It all depends upon the degree of purity, stage of evolution, the degree of purification of Nadis and the Pranamaya Kosha, degree of Vairagya and yearning for liberation.

Some are born with purity and other requisites of realisation on account of their having undergone the necessary discipline in their past life. They are born Siddhas. Guru Nanak, Jnana Dev of Alandi, Vama Dev, Ashtavakra were all adepts from their very boyhood. Guru Nanak asked his teacher in the school when he was a boy, about the significance of OM. Vama Dev delivered lectures on Vedanta when he was dwelling in his mother’s womb.

Man does actions with the expectation of getting fruits and so he takes a birth to enjoy the fruits of his actions. In the next birth, he does some more actions and he has to take another birth. In this manner the Samsaric wheel is revolving from eternity to eternity. When one gets knowledge of the Self, he is liberated from this round of births and deaths. Karma is beginningless and Samsara is also beginningless. When a man does actions without expectation of fruits in a selfless spirit, all the fetters of Karma get loosened gradually.

Die to live. Kill this little ‘I’ and attain immortality. Live in Brahman. You will live for ever. Possess Atman. You will have eternal life. Identify with your soul. You will cross the ocean of death or Samsara. Rest in your Sat-chit-ananda Svarupa. You will have everlasting life.

A leech moves on a blade of grass and reaches the end of the blade. It first catches hold of another blade with the fore-part of its body and then draws its hind part on to it. Even so, the Jivatma (individual soul) abandons the present body at the time of death, fashions the future body by his thought and then enters into that body.

A good or bad deed always brings its good or bad fruits. You will find in Maha Bharata: “Just as a calf finds out its mother among a thousand cows, so also an action that was performed in a previous birth follows after the doer.”

Yadrisam kriyate karma tadrisam bhujyate phalam,
Yadrisamvapyate bijam tadrisam prapyate phalam.

Just as the fruit corresponds to the seed that has been sown, so also the fruit of the actions that are performed by us corresponds to the nature of the actions that we perform. This is an infallible law of nature. He who has sown the seed of a mango tree cannot expect a jack-fruit. He who has done evil actions throughout his life, cannot expect happiness, peace and prosperity in his next life.

“Many are the times we have all been together in the past, and also been separated and so again shall it be in the future. Even as a heap of grain removed from granary to granary ever assumes new order of arrangement and new combination, so is the case with Jivas (human beings) in the universe through this arrangement” (Yoga Vasishtha).

What Is Death And How To Conquer It

Death is only a change of form. Death is only separation of the astral body from the physical body. Why are you so much afraid of death, my dear Vishvanathan?

Birth follows death just as waking follows sleep. You will again resume the work that was left off by you in your previous life. Therefore, do not be afraid of death.

The idea of death has ever been the strongest motive-power of religion and religious life. Man is afraid of death. In old age he tries to think of God. If he remembers God even from his boyhood, he will reap a rich spiritual harvest in old age. Man does not want to die. He wants to live for ever. This is the starting point of philosophy. Philosophy enquires and investigates. It boldly proclaims “O man do not be afraid of death. There is an immortal abode. That is Brahman. That is your own Atman that dwells in the chambers of your heart. Purify your heart and meditate on this pure, immortal, changeless Self. You will attain immortality.”

O Man, do not be afraid of death at all. Thou art immortal. Death is not the opposite of life. It is only a phase of life. Life follows on ceaselessly. The fruit perishes but the seed is full of life. The seed dies but a huge tree grows out of the seed. The tree perishes but it becomes coal which has a rich life. Water disappears but it becomes the invisible steam which contains the seed of new life. The stone disappears but it becomes lime which is full of new life. The physical sheath only is thrown but life persists.

Can you tell me friend, “Is there any one on the surface of this earth who is not afraid of death? Is there any one who is not uttering the Name of the Lord when he is in serious difficulty, when his life is trembling in the balance, or when he is in acute agony?” Why then, O sceptics, do you deny the existence of God? You yourself admit His existence when you are in trouble. On account of perverted intellect, and worldly intoxication you have turned out as an atheist. Is this not a great folly? Think seriously. Give up arguing. Remember Him and attain Immortality and eternal peace right now.

In Garuda Purana and Atma Purana it is described that the pangs of death are tantamount to the pain caused by the stings of 72,000 scorpions. This is only mentioned to induce fear (Bhayanaka Sabda) in the hearers and readers and force them to attempt for Moksha. In spiritualism there is the unanimous report from the enlightened spirits that there is not even a bit of pain during death. They clearly describe their experiences at death and state that they were relieved of a great burden of this physical body and that they enjoyed perfect composure at the time of separation from the physical body. Maya induces vain fear in the onlookers by inducing convulsive twitching of the body. That is her nature and habit. Do not be afraid of death-pangs. You are immortal (Amara).

Strive ceaselessly to live in God through Japa, Kirtan, service of the poor and meditation. Then only you will be able to conquer time and death.

When the God of Death comes to take your life, he will not accept your excuses: “I had no time to worship God in my life.”

Knowledge of Brahman or Brahma Jnana alone can free us from the clutches of ignorance and death. This knowledge should come to us as a direct realisation through meditation. Mere scholarship or intelligence or study of religious books cannot help us to attain the summum bonum. It is a matter of direct experience but not of argument or reasoning.

Habitual study of abstract problems will result in another earthly life, in a well-developed power for abstract thinking, while flippant hasty thinking, flying from one object to another, will bequeath a restless ill-regulated mind to the birth following in this world.

Self-realisation will remove Avidya or ignorance, the root cause of human sufferings, and produce in you the knowledge of oneness of the Self, which is the means for eradicating grief, delusion, the dire malady of birth and death, the concomitants of Samsara or world’s process.

The sun of pure consciousness is shining in the chambers of your heart. This spiritual Sun of suns is self-luminous. It is the Self of all beings, that transcends speech and mind. If you realise this Self, you will no more return to this Mrityuloka, the world of death.

Birth and death are two illusory scenes in the drama of this world, created by the jugglery of Maya. In truth nobody comes and nobody goes. Atman alone exists for ever. Destroy Moha and fear through enquiry and rest in peace.

“I know that mighty Purusha who resplendent like the Sun, transcends darkness (ignorance). By knowing Him alone, one conquers death. There is no other way to salvation” (Yajur Veda xxxi—181).

Every effort in the direction of Yoga never goes in vain. You will realise thereby the fruit of even a little Yogic practice. If you have succeeded in the practice of the three limbs of Yoga in this birth viz., Yama, Niyama and Asana, you will begin your practice in the next birth from fourth limb, viz., Pranayama. A Vedantin who has acquired two means viz., Viveka and Vairagya in this birth, will start his practice in the next birth from the sixfold virtues, viz., Shama, Dama, etc. Therefore, you should not be discouraged a bit even, if you fail to attain the Kaivalya or Independence or final Asamprajnata Samadhi in this birth. Even a little practice for a short period will give you more strength, more peace, more joy and more knowledge.

You cannot die, because you were never born. You are immortal Atman. Birth and death are two false scenes in the unreal Drama of Maya. They concern the physical sheath only—a false product formed by the combination of the five elements. The ideas of birth and death are mere superstition.

This physical body which is made up of clay or earth is a toy for the Lord for His Leela or sporting. He is the wire-puller or Sutradhara. He keeps His toy running as long as He likes. Eventually He breaks the toy and throws the pieces away. The game of two ceases. There is only oneness. The individual soul merges in the Supreme Soul.

The knowledge of the Self destroys all fear of death. People are unnecessarily alarmed of death. Death is like sleep. Birth is like waking up from sleep in the morning. Just as you put on new clothes, so also you put on a new body after death. Death is a natural incident in its course. It is necessary for your evolution. When the physical body becomes unfit for further activities and use, Lord Rudra takes it away and supplies a new body. There is no pain at the time of death. Ignorant people have created much horror and terror regarding death.

There is only one Reality—Brahman. This world and body are superimposed on Brahman, just as snake is superimposed on the rope. As long as the rope is not known and the idea of snake persists, you are not free from fear. Similarly this world is a solid reality to you until Brahman is realised. When you see the rope with a light, the illusion of snake vanishes and the fear disappears. Even so, when you realise Brahman, this world vanishes and you are freed from the fear of births and deaths.

You dream sometimes that you are dead and that your relatives are weeping. Even in that supposed death-state, you see and hear them weeping. This clearly indicates that even after apparent death, life really persists. You exist even after the physical sheath is thrown out. That existence is Atman or the big ‘I’.

If you realise this immortal soul which is hidden in your heart all these forms of the three knots viz., Avidya (ignorance), Kama (desire) and Karma (action) are rent asunder, if the chain of ignorance viz., ignorance, non-discrimination, egoism, likes and dislikes, Karma, body is broken, you will be freed from the round of births and deaths, you will enter the city of deathlessness.

Moksha

Moksha is the summum bonum of life. Moksha is the fulfilment of life’s purpose. Life ends on this earth plane when you attain Moksha or liberation from birth and death. The realisation of your real object in life is freedom or Moksha. Moksha bestows on you eternal life of undecaying bliss and perennial joy. Moksha is not annihilation. Moksha is the annihilation of this little self-arrogating ego only. Moksha is realisation of the identity of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. By annihilating this little self you possess the whole of true universality, you attain an eternal life.

Mukti is obtained through the knowledge of the Self. To attain Jnana, you must have one-pointedness of mind (Ekagrata). Ekagrata comes through Upasana. Upasana comes through purity of heart (Chitta Suddhi). Chitta Suddhi comes through Nishkamya Karma Yoga. To do Nishkamya Karma, you must have controlled the Indriyas. The Indriyas can be controlled through Viveka and Vairagya.

Moksha is not to be regarded as a becoming into something which previously had no existence. Moksha is not something to be achieved. It is already achieved. Everything is one with Absolute or Para Brahman. What is to be achieved is annihilation of the sense of separateness. Moksha is the direct perception of that which has existed from eternity, but has hitherto been concealed from us on account of the veil of ignorance. Moksha is attainment of the Supreme Bliss or Immortality and removal of all kinds of pain. Moksha is freedom from birth and death.

Freedom or Mukti is your only real nature. You will have to know this truth only 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 original pristine purity and divine glory.

Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness, God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection, Bliss, Bhuma or the unconditioned are synonymous terms. If you attain Self-realisation alone, will you be freed from the round of births and deaths and its concomitant evils. The goal of life is the attainment of the final beatitude or Moksha. Moksha can be attained by constant meditation with a heart that is rendered pure and steady by selfless service and Japa.

Moksha is the highest benefit, Parama Prayojana. Jnana is the benefit which one gets in the internal (Avantara Prayojana). Just as plantain fruit is the highest benefit which one gets, and the leaves, etc., are the Avantara Prayojana in the interval before one gets the fruit, so also Moksha is the highest benefit and Jnana is Avantara Prayojana. Jnana is only the means to attain the highest bliss.

The Jiva falsely superimposes the body and others which are not Self upon himself and identifies himself with them. This identification constitutes bondage. The freedom from this identification is Moksha. That which causes this identification is Avidya or nescience. That which removes the identification is Vidya. Attainment of knowledge of the Self eradicates this Avidya and its effects. The Svaroopa of Moksha is the attainment of Supreme Bliss and removal of all kinds of sufferings.

The right knowledge of Brahman consists in knowing that He is one with one’s own self. The difference between the Jiva and the Brahman lies only in the Upadhi or limiting adjunct. The Jiva, though he is Brahman in reality or essence is subject to the miseries of worldly existence as caused by his connection with the Upadhi of Antahkarana or the fourfold mind (the inner instrument). As there is no real distinction between them, it should be known that Brahman is identical with the Self. Hence it is said that those who know the real truth understand Brahman to be identical with the Self as declared in the great sentences of the Upanishads or Mahavakyas: “I am Brahman”—”This Self is Brahman.” They even teach the same thing to their disciple in the words: “Tat Tvam Asi—Thou art That.” Therefore it should be known that Brahman is identical with the Self.

The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman itself. Having become Brahman while yet alive, he is freed from the round of birth and death. Knowledge of Brahman alone is the means of emancipation or Moksha.

Chapter Two

Hinduism

Hinduism

Hindu is one who lives in Hindustan. This is one kind of definition. A Hindu is one who believes in Sanatana Dharma, who believes in the theory of transmigration, immortality of soul, the teachings of Vedas and the Varnashrama Dharma. The common religious book for the Hindus is the Gita and the common Mantra is Gayatri. The common name of God is Brahman, Paramatman, Bhagavan or Ishvara.

Strictly speaking Hinduism is Arya Dharma or Manava Dharma. Hinduism is the source for all religions. Lord Buddha who was born and bred up in Hindu religion made some changes here and there and brought forth a new religion ‘Buddhism’ to suit the temperament and stage of evolution of the people who lived in his time. Buddhism is only an off-shoot of Hinduism. Lord Jesus who made Tapas in Kashmir and Benares imbibed the teachings and principles of Hinduism and brought forth a religion to suit the fishermen of Palestine. Mahavira made some changes here and there and brought forth a religion ‘Jainism’ which is only an off-shoot of Buddhism. Zoroastrianism and Christianity and all ‘isms’ are all really off-shoots of Hinduism only.

Hinduism is more a philosophy than a religion. It is like an ocean. Just as all rivers join the ocean, so also all religions join Hinduism. All religions have come out of Hinduism. Any kind of man with any kind of temperament, with any kind of capacity, can find out his easy path for salvation in Hinduism. There are so many roads in Hinduism to take any kind of man to the goal. That is the beauty of Hinduism. The teachings of Rishis of yore do not pertain to Hindus alone. They are of an all-embracing, universal nature. They are meant for the people of the whole world. The Gita and the Upanishads are books for the people of the whole world.

Hindu religious books contain philosophy, rituals and myths. These three things are necessary. The object of myth and legend in the Vedas is merely to lure the mind to the truths of religion. The ancient Indian sages introduced the myth and legend in order to inculcate the principles of ethics or the tenets of religion in the people. You will have to dive deep and separate the pearls of truth and wisdom from the shells in which they are imbedded. It is the superficial observer only who makes thoughtless remarks and unwise and unjust criticism when he comes across myths and legends.

If you change your angle of vision, every worldly work will become a Yogic activity. A poor man also can reach the goal through service and devotion. Money is not necessary for him. Hindu philosophy is all-embracing. Even a scavenger can attain Moksha while doing his usual work with Nishkamya Bhava. The wise Rishis of yore have chalked out different paths for different types of persons, according to taste, temperament and capacity.

Proper understanding of Vedanta and its principles and practice of Vedanta in daily life, is sure to bring peace, solace and happiness to a world distracted by war, communal strifes, petty quarrels and religious fights.

True Religion

Religion is real spiritual life in the soul. Religion and life are not two but one. The word “religion” comes from Latin roots ‘re’—back, ‘ligare’—to bind. The mind which is wandering in the sensual objects of this world is fixed to the soul, the original source or abode. Without religion there cannot be any real life. Let us talk of religion less, practise more.

Religion is eternal life in the immortal Soul. Religion is perfection or harmony. Religion is oneness or unity. Religion is above mind and senses. Religion is above ceremonials and ritualism. Religion is union with God. Religion is the attainment of divine consciousness or divine wisdom. Religion is freedom from ignorance, illusion, doubt, fear, grief and delusion. Religion is a call to action in the Adhyatmic field for fighting the battle of righteousness and establishing the ancient Dharmas which elevate the soul and confer Sreyas or Moksha or eternal bliss.

Religion is a faith for knowing God and worshipping Him. It is not a matter for discussion at a club-table. It is the Realisation of the true Self. It is the fulfilment of the deepest craving in man.

Therefore hold religion as the highest prize of your life. Live every moment of your life for its realisation. Life without practical religion is real death.

Religion is one. Real religion is practical. Real religion is the spiritual life beyond senses. Real religion is realisation of Atman. Real religion is feeling God, seeing God and talking to God.

Friends, why do you try to convert a man? There is only one religion on the surface of this earth. That one religion is the religion of love. Conversion is a great social evil. This is the chief and potent cause for communal troubles and disturbances. He who attempts to convert another is unwise. He sows the seed for riots and disturbs the peace of the land.

Why do you fight about petty dogmas of different cults? The essentials of all religions are the same. Why do you fight about non-essentials? Do not lose sight of the core or essence of religion. Take the juice and throw off the rind and the skin of the fruit. Take the kernel and throw away the shell. Develop absolute tolerance. You cannot grow if you are not tolerant. Embrace all cults, all religionists, all sects in your fold. You will have unbounded joy, peace and power.

Annihilation of egoism and likes and dislikes, realisation of the Self, love for all beings, selfless service of humanity with Atma Bhava—this is the essence of true religion.

Religion is practical. Religion must become part and parcel of your daily life. Mere curiosity and a little bubbling juvenile enthusiasm and emotion cannot help you much in your spiritual growth and evolution. Struggle and sustained efforts are needed.

Religion is the science of life. It teaches us to live in God and attain immortality. It helps us to enter the realms of eternal bliss and unceasing peace. It removes the veil of ignorance and enables us to realise the sublime vision of unity of Self.

Some say that religion is a luxury. Those who say that religion is a luxury are sunk in ignorance and worldliness. How can a man live without religion. Religion only enables him to get rid of delusion, sorrow, pain and death and shows him the way to attain the summum bonum or the abode of immortality. Through religion alone he can become perfect and faultless.

Glory of Mother India

India is a spiritual country. India never conquered territories or annexed dominions. Military conquest was not her ambition. She wanted her children to have Atma Svarajya or Absolute Independence. She does not call upon them to rule over others. She wants them to have conquest over internal and external nature. She wants them to possess brilliant divine virtues, moral stamina and inner spiritual strength born of wisdom of the soul. Ahimsa is her weapon to have spiritual conquest and the conquest of the minds of others.

People of India have Self-realisation as their goal. They do not care material prosperity and advancement. They want Yoga or communion with the Lord. They practise Ahimsa, Satya, Brahmacharya. They wish to enjoy the eternal bliss of the Absolute. They are always ready to renounce worldly possessions in order to possess or realise the inner Atman or Brahman. They will sacrifice anything and everything in order to attain the Immortal Atman. They are always spiritually-minded.

India is the land of Yogins, Rishis and sages. How charming is the Himalayan scenery! How sweet is Mother Ganga! How soothing and elevating are their vibrations! How soul-stirring is the company of the Yogins! How beautiful and lovely is Rishikesh, with Yogins, Ganga and Himalayas! If you want to practise Yoga, come to India and stay in Rishikesh. Enjoy the peace of solitude. Realise the bliss of the soul. Meditate in silence. Enter the stupendous silence. May you become a Yogi!

Great souls are born in all parts of the world, but the number of great souls is greater in India than in any part of the world. This is the characteristic feature of India. Hence, India is called the land of Rishis and Sages.

India is a land of Yogins, Rishis, sages and seers. India is the land that has produced many Acharyas or spiritual preceptors like Sri Sankara, Sri Ramanuja, many saints like Kabir, Ramdas, Tukaram, Gauranga Maha Prabhu, many Yogins like Jnana Dev, Gorakhnath, many sages like Dattatreya, Sadasiva Brahman. Even now she abounds with sages and great souls.

You cannot find sandal tree in all forests. You cannot find pearls in all seas. You cannot find gold in all parts of the earth. You cannot find sages in all parts of the world.

Hail India, the beautiful land of saints, Yogins and Rishis, which contains sacred rivers—Ganga, the Jamuna, the Godavari, the Indus and the Kaveri, and the magnanimous Himalayas! Hail Bharatavarsha, the land of ancient glory, the sacred land trodden by the holy feet of Sri Rama, Krishna, Vyasa, Sankara, Dattatreya, Patanjali Maharshi, and others! Hail, Hail, Aryavartha, the sweet home for practising Tapas and Yoga which still abounds with Rishis, Yogins and sages! Hail Motherland, the land of Gods and Jivanmuktas which contains beautiful forests and solitary retreats like Nimsar, Jhusi, Uttarkasi, Rishikesh, etc., and sacred place like Kurukshetra wherein Lord Krishna gave once His dynamic message to His beloved disciple Arjuna through the immortal song of the Gita! May God bless thy children and give them right understanding, knowledge of the Self and spiritual strength to serve Thee and raise Thy banner high!

Nazism, Fascism, Bolshevism and all ‘isms’ will fail to bring peace to man. It is only the Sadhuism or Rishism or Upanishadism of sacred India that can give everlasting peace to man.

What is Sadhuism? Sadhuism is to practise self-restraint and to live in God. What is Rishism? Rishism is to attain immortality through purity, selfless Service, cosmic love, devotion and meditation. What is Upanishadism? Upanishadism is to have the knowledge of the Self or the Brahman of the Upanishads through self-analysis, enquiry, hearing of the Srutis, reflection and meditation on the Self, which is self-luminous, all-pervading, indivisible, timeless, spaceless and deathless.

Swaraj for India or any other nation can only be achieved if political activities go hand in hand with spiritual practice. The workers should regard that every action is Yoga and an offering unto the Lord. They should be free from Selfishness, greed, lust and hatred and possess truthfulness, forbearance, self-restraint, cosmic love, large-heartedness coupled with broad tolerance and strong conviction in the existence of God.

India is a sacred land with several holy rivers and powerful spiritual vibrations. The hoary Himalayas attract the people of the whole world. It is a land peculiarly suitable for divine contemplation, and Yogic practices. Every country has its own special attractive features! India is a land of Yogins and sages. This is the special attractive feature of India. This is the reason why people from America, England and all parts of the world come to India for the practice of Yoga. Glory to India. Glory to the Rishis and sages!

India is the best of all lands. Ganga is the best of all rivers. Himalayas are the best of all mountains. Truthfulness is the best of all virtues. A realised Guru is the best of all men. Atman is the best of all beloved things. Therefore, live in India on the banks of the Ganga. Speak the truth. Seek refuge under a realised Guru and realise the Atman and be free.


Chapter Three

Guru And Disciple

Necessity For A Guru

Knowledge of the Self can be attained only by the Grace of the Guru or the spiritual preceptor. The knowledge is transmitted from the preceptor to disciple.

You can know the unknowable (Brahman) by purifying your mind, by serving a Guru who is a Brahmanishtha (established in truth), by getting lessons from him and by meditation.

A medical student is in urgent need of a Professor of medicine. A Junior Vakil needs the help of a senior advocate for his guidance. A junior cook needs the help of a senior cook. When such is the case with worldly matters, what to speak of Adhyatmic spiritual subjects which deal with hidden, subtle Atman! The help of a Guru who has realised the Self is imperatively necessary for the aspirant for his guidance. Otherwise he will be groping in the thick forest of darkness, of ignorance.

The aspirant gets obstacles or impediments, dangers, snares, pitfalls on the spiritual path. He will have to be very careful in Sadhana also. A Guru who has already trodden the path and reached the goal is very necessary to guide him.

Young aspirants should always live under the guidance of a perfect Guru for some years. They should be under subjection. They should learn perfect obedience and humility. If they have their own ways, they become arrogant and conceited. They do not make even an iota of progress in spirituality.

In nature no two trees are alike; no two leaves are alike; no two persons are alike; no two vibrations are alike; no two temperaments are alike; no two minds are alike. Therefore there are various ways for controlling the mind to suit people of different temperaments. Each can have his own way of Sadhana. For yourself if you are not able to chalk out the path, get it from a Guru or preceptor. Learn Yoga under a Guru. Then only you will be able to understand the subtle points of Yoga. He will inspire you when you are depressed, will remove your doubts when you come across stumbling blocks on the path, and show you the right path because he has already trodden the path himself. If you are sincere and earnest, the Guru’s grace will flow to you like Tailadhara—a continuous flow of oil. He will infuse energy, love, wisdom and spiritual current if you have true receptive attitude, sincere faith and devotion to him. Now stick to one path and one Guru. Do not waver. Be patient. Be sincere.

Aspirants do not possess unshakable faith in the Guru or Srutis. They have half or wavering faith. That is the reason why they fail in attaining success in Yoga or Jnana.

The Lord and the Guru are both one. Try to see the Lord in your Guru. Then only you will have progress in the spiritual path. Then only you will attain Self-realisation. If you try to see defects in your Guru, you will not be benefited in the least. Guru is your father. Guru is your mother. Guru is your saviour. Guru is your sole refuge and support. Therefore revere your Guru as the Lord Himself.

The real aspirant should drink the Charanamrita of his Guru, should take the Guru’s Ucchishta, should meditate on the form of his Guru as Brahman Himself and should do Japa of his Guru Mantra constantly. Then he will have Self-realisation easily.

The duty of a soldier is to obey implicitly the commands of the commander. He must not question anything. Even so, the duty of an aspirant is to obey implicitly the orders of his Guru. Then only he can grow quickly in the spiritual path.

He who is devoted to his Guru and has done Upasana can only comprehend the depths of the teachings of the Vedanta. You will find also in Svetasvatara Upanishad: “Whoso hath highest love for God and for the Guru as for God, to that Mahatman, the truths here taught shine in full.” Section VI-23.

The teachers in this world is said to be of three kinds, viz., the one who commands, the one who imparts knowledge, and the supreme one who gives release. The one who commands shows the way; the one who imparts knowledge teaches the supreme place; and the one who gives release reveals the supreme truth, knowing which you will attain immortality.

The people after crossing a river, wanted to see whether all the passengers were alive. But each of them counted all the nine others except himself, and found that one was missing and all began to weep bitterly for the loss of one of them. At last they were disillusioned by some one telling each of them that the reckoner himself was the tenth.

Just as the iron filings are magnetised in the presence of a magnet, so also aspirants are magnetised when they are in close contact with their masters or Gurus. Just as iron is transmuted into gold by the touch of philosopher’s stone, so also persons with evil tendencies are transmuted into veritable saints when they come in close contact with sages and Yogins.

When a Guru is in the physical body, he can help the aspirants and disciples more. If the disciple has faith in his Guru, he will help him even after he has abandoned his physical body. Sri Sankara, the propounder of the Advaita philosophy, Sri Dattatreya, Sri Jnana Dev of Alandi even now bless the aspirants who have devotion unto them. They have no body on earth but yours, no hands and feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which they behold this universe. They move about through your feet and do good to the world.

Guru And Disciple

One who is versed in Vedas, who has knowledge of Brahman, who has a balanced mind, who is an ocean of mercy and who is able to remove the doubts and Avarana of the aspirants is a real Guru.

A true Sat Guru is absolutely free from passion, anger, selfishness, greed, hatred and egoism. He is beyond worldly temptations. He is able to remove the ignorance of people. He can clear any kind of doubt. He can give practical, easy lessons to control the mind and the senses. His instructions are very impressive. Even an arrogant proud man bends his head before him. He is able to take the students to the door of Moksha. He can remove the obstacles, pitfalls and snares on the path. He is versed in the Vedas. He is sinless. He is an ocean of mercy. He is a friend to all.

There are some Sattvic souls in these days but sages who have Brahmic experience are very rare. These Sattvic souls have no direct experience and they are mistaken for liberated sages. Even Sattvic aspirants who are treading the path of Truth, who possess virtuous qualities must be adored. Such aspirants also are very rare. Some Sattvic souls pose for Jivanmuktas. This is deplorable. Their disciples begin to worship them, gradually they get a downfall by becoming a slave to respect, honour and worship. Maya havocs in a variety of ways. It is very difficult to understand her ways and operations.

Doubtless there is dearth of genuine Gurus. But there is still more dearth of genuine disciples also.

Aspirants complain: “We cannot get good Gurus in these days.” Gurus also complain: “We do not get good disciples these days.” Who is right? Who is wrong? The lower court cannot decide this point. The matter will have to be assuredly placed before the Privy Council of Jnanins. Can a patient gauge the merits of a doctor as soon as he enters the consultation room? Ignorant disciples who have not even an iota of experience in the spiritual path at once begin to test and examine the Gurus. They make serious remarks, some hasty, wrong conclusions and inferences from external appearances and ways of living. Paramahamsas have different mysterious ways of living. Even though you live with them shoulder to shoulder for twelve years, you can hardly understand their hearts and depth of knowledge. Jnana and spiritual experiences are quite internal states. Foolish Chelas run from one Guru to another Guru. Pitiable is their lot!

Do not dig here and there shallow pits for getting water. The pits will dry soon. Make a very deep pit in one place. Centralise all your efforts here. You will get good water throughout the year. Even so, try to imbibe thoroughly the spiritual teachings from one preceptor alone. Drink deep from one man. Sit at his feet for some years. There is no use of wandering from one man to another man out of curiosity, losing faith in a short time. Do not have the ever-changing mind of a prostitute.

With the help of one light you can light up several other lights. Even so, a realised soul can make several others to realise God, provided they are in a fit condition to receive the light imparted by him. Therefore serve your preceptor with great devotion. Out of compassion on you one day or other he will enlighten you. He will lift you up. Wait patiently. Surrender yourself unto him completely.

He alone who sits at the lotus feet of a preceptor, who has knowledge of the Self and who is also well-versed in scriptural knowledge is able to grasp the Truth. In the Gita also, Chap. IV-34, Lord Krishna says: “Know it by means of prostration to the Guru, interrogation and service. The wise who have cognised the Truth will instruct thee in that knowledge of the Self.”

Initiation into the mysteries of Brahman will fructify only in that disciple’s mind who is desireless and will produce Jnana in him.

It takes a long time for the charcoal to catch fire but gun powder can be ignited within the twinkling of an eye. Even so, it takes a long time for igniting the fire of knowledge for a man whose heart is impure. But an aspirant with great purity of heart gets knowledge of the Self within the twinkling of an eye, within the time taken to squeeze a flower by the fingers.

Unless you are pure, you will not be able to realise the true greatness of a liberated sage. When he appears before you, you will take him for an ordinary man only, and you will not be benefited. You will try to find out defects in him on account of your fault-finding nature (Dosha Drishti). Even if Lord Krishna or Sri Sankara remains with you, He will not do anything for you, unless you are fit to receive Him, unless you are ready to receive the spiritual instructions.

It is quite true that mere Grace of a Guru, his touch, sight or Sankalpa can work wonders, but that does not mean that the disciple should sit idle. Guru will show the path and remove obstacles, snares and pitfalls. The student will have to place his feet on the rungs of the ladder of Yoga. The Gita says: “Uddharet atmana atmanam na atmanam avasadayet—Let him raise the Self by the Self, let him not lower himself.” Chap. VI. 5.

Guru’s Grace is needed by the disciple. This does not mean that the disciple should sit idle and expect a miracle from the Guru to push him directly into Samadhi. The Guru cannot do Sadhana for the student. He can guide the student, clear his doubts, pave the way, remove snares, pitfalls and obstacles and throw light on the path. The disciple himself will have to place each foot step in the spiritual path. He himself will have to place his step on each rung of the ladder of Yoga.

You will have to place each step yourself in the spiritual path or rung of the ladder of Yoga. No miracle will happen to push you into Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Teachers can inspire you and remove your doubts and pitfalls. Introspect, find out weaknesses and remove them. Be regular in your meditation. You will reach the goal quickly.

Realisation cannot come to the student as a miracle done by the Guru. Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus, Rama Tirtha have all done spiritual Sadhana. Lord Krishna prescribes: “Vairagya. Abhyasa—dispassion and practice.” He did not say to Arjuna: “I will give you Mukti directly.”

When there is intense urge from within to take the definite steps in the spiritual path, you will have to take recourse to rigorous Sadhana. But the Sadhana must be well-regulated and gradual. There must be ladder-like ascent like the rise of temperature in Typhoid fever. You must place your footstep in the Yoga ladder just as you place your footstep in the staircase.

Distance has nothing to do between a Master and a disciple. It is the nearness of the heart that counts. There must be perfect unity between the Guru and the Chela. Then only the disciple will be immediately benefited.

The sun is at a very long distance and yet the lotus rejoices in the morning as soon as it beholds the sun. The moon is at a very long distance and yet the lady-of-the-lake bursts into joy when it sees the moon. The clouds are at a long distance and yet the peacock dances in joy when it sees the clouds. Even so, friends may be separated by a long distance and yet they can be well-united in bonds of friendship and love. Distance is no bar. Gurus and disciples may live in distant places and yet the Gurus may help their disciples by their strong spiritual thought-currents.

This is a strange world. We have to learn many lessons. Even the disciple who was devoted to his Guru tries to destroy his own beloved Master at a later time. Many obstacles will come for the growing aspirant only at every step. These will develop his soul-force; inner strength and power of endurance. The aspirant will have to show his strength when he is placed in adverse condition. He should think and feel that nothing has happened.

If you have no Guru, take God, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva or Rama as your Guru. Pray to Him. Meditate on Him. Sing His Name. Remember Him. He will send you a suitable Guru. A personal Guru is necessary in the beginning. He the Guru of Gurus alone can show you the path to attain God, and obviate the snares and pitfalls on the path.

Qualifications of Aspirants

Who is a qualified person for attaining immortality?

That man who has shaken off earthly impurities, who has removed worldliness and all sorts of worldly attachments is fit to tread the path of Yoga. He must have purity of nature and cleanliness of life also.

A man who has removed his sins by lot of Tapascharya, who is calm (Santa) and free from attachment (Veeta Raga Purusha) and who longs for liberation from Samsara (wheel of birth and death) is only entitled to read books on Vedanta and other Atma Jnana books.

Those spiritual aspirants, who have destroyed their sins by severe Tapas (austerities), who possess a tranquil mind, who are free from attachment of all sorts, who have controlled the Indriyas, who have intense faith in Guru and Srutis, and who long for liberation are fit for the attainment of Jnana (Knowledge of the Self). They are Adhikarins to approach Brahmanishtha Guru for getting instructions.

Have Vairagya with the world and its objects and Prema (love) with God and spiritual Sadhana.

The way of the enlightened sage is sinless. The way to liberation of freedom of perfect happiness and peace is through perfect purity of mind and heart, of every act, of character and life, through self-restraint and control of mind, and through regular meditation on the pure, self-luminous, indivisible, all-pervading Atman.

Even if there is a small white patch (leucoderma) on the face of a young damsel, it certainly mars her beauty. Even so, even if there is a small defect in an aspirant, it undoubtedly spoils his character and life. An aspirant should be absolutely free from all kinds of weaknesses and faults. He should be an ideal person endowed with all virtues.

Direct realisation of the Self is a means to liberation. He who is endowed with the four means of salvation will be able to realise the Self. One can acquire these four qualifications—Viveka, Vairagya, Shad-Sampat and Mumukshutva, by following strictly the duties of his own caste and order, by Tapas and selfless service, by propitiating his own Ishta Devata or tutelary deity and serving his Guru.

You cannot do tailoring without scissors, needle and thread. You cannot dig the earth without a spade. Even so, you cannot attain Brahma Jnana without possessing the four means—Discrimination, dispassion, sixfold virtues and yearning for liberation. The teachings of Vedanta can enter the mind of that person who has attained purity of heart by performing selfless service or Nishkamya Karma Yoga.

Even an Avatar will not help you unless you possess these qualifications of an aspirant: “Santo, Veeta-Raga, Nishpriya, Sarvasanga Parityaga, Astika, Sadachara, Jitendriya, real sustained Vairagya, strong determination, patience, perseverance, obedience, humility, etc.”

The preliminary qualification for a student of Vedanta is an earnest desire to search for the truth. He must always keep alive this desire for truth. It is the fundamental pre-requisite for an aspirant. If one has this qualification or merit, all merits will cling to him. All good qualities will come by themselves. Then alone he will be able to tread the path of truth easily.

Manushyatva (human birth), Mumukshutva (keen yearning for liberation), Sat-sanga (company of sages), service of Guru, hearing of Srutis, reflection and constant, protracted and profound meditation are necessary for the attainment of salvation.

Faith, dispassion, self-restraint, one-pointedness of mind, purity of heart, devotion, desire for liberation and meditation are the immediate factors of liberation for the aspirant. He who is endowed with these qualities attains immortality and knowledge.

Absence of egoism, development of good qualities, cheerfulness, self-surrender, absence of passion and anger, keeping up a balanced mind at all times, facing honour and dishonour with same feeling, aversion to sensual objects, heat and cold are some of the signs of the person who is on the path of Realisation. These are not to be achieved in a day or two. It is the work of years of ceaseless and protracted Sadhana.

In the spiritual path, there is no preference for graduates Masters of Arts or Doctors of Philosophy. University qualifications can hardly benefit a man in the rigorous path of truth. He who is endowed with dispassion, discrimination, humility, devotion and power of endurance, who has subdued his mind and senses is a qualified person for this path. You are nowhere if you argue too much. The education of the present day induces a man to enter always into unnecessary discussions and controversies. He misses the goal. He only becomes a dry, talkative Pundit.

The Guru will only impart spiritual instructions to that aspirant who thirsts for liberation, who duly obeys the injunctions of the Sastras, who has subdued his passions and senses, who has a calm mind, and who possesses virtues like mercy, cosmic love, patience, humility, endurance, forbearance, etc.

Uttama Adhikarins (first class aspirants) only can have Self-realisation within 3 days. Madhyama Adhikarins (middle class) should do rigorous Sadhana for a long time.

An aspirant should be firm as the Meru, free as the ether, fragrant as the jasmine, broad as the sky, forbearing as the earth, forgiving as the parents, radiant as the sun, fearless as the lion, generous as Ranti Deva.

Live without the feeling of ‘I-ness’, and attachment. Restrain the senses. Observe the rules of right conduct. Get purity of the heart. Hear the Truth. Abide in the Self. Be happy.

A selfish man is unrighteous. Attachment and sense of separateness are present in him to a remarkable degree. He cannot develop those qualities which Yoga needs. A desire to become a Yogi and to learn Yoga can only arise in a man who is free from selfishness, who is righteous, and who has religious disposition. Selfishness constricts the heart and forces a man to do injury to others and to get hold of the property of others by foul means. It is selfishness that prompts a man to do sinful acts.

Austerity, study of religious books and Japa of Mantra, devotion to the Lord and surrender to God constitute Kriya Yoga or action according to Patanjali Maharshi. This is the first Sutra in Second Chapter, Sadhanapada. This is a Yoga of discipline. The practice of Kriya Yoga prepares the Yogic student for entering into Samadhi or superconscious state. It purifies the heart and thins out the five afflictions viz., Avidya, Asmita, Raga, Dvesha and Abhinivesa (ignorance, egoism, love, hatred and clinging to earthly life). The pure and the unselfish alone will be quite fit to receive the divine light and drink the nectar of immortality.

If you fail to ask the wise what you know not, you will remain a dunce throughout your life.

Sit at the lotus-feet of your Guru with Bhava and faith. Serve him with sincerity, humility and love. Prostrate before him—morning and evening. Clear your doubts. Hear the Srutis from him. Reflect. Meditate. Behold the Supreme, transcendental Light of lights. Drink deep the wisdom-nectar and attain Immortality.

You will have to do minor Sadhana in purifying yourself before you are fit to approach any preceptor or Guru. You must be in possession of the preliminary qualifications of an aspirant.

The student of Yoga should be abstemious in his diet. He should avoid laziness, ease, habitual languor and excess of sleep. He should observe silence and occasional mild fasts to ensure a good tone to his constitution. He should develop correct habits. He should check all sorts of ambitions and the counter currents of the worldly desires by enquiry, thinking and discrimination. He should say unto the deceiving mind: “O Mind, I know your tricks. I have got dispassion and discrimination now. Do not wag your tail now. I will clip it off mercilessly. I have learnt many lessons. It is only ignorance that makes a man to prefer a transient gain to permanent benefits. I do not want again these sensual enjoyments. They are like vomited matter for me. I have resolved to attain the free, everlasting fruits of Yoga, viz., eternal peace, infinite bliss and supreme joy.”

If you remove a fish out of water and place it on the shore, it will flutter about in intense agony. It will be thirsting for re-entry into the water. If you keep a boy in the cold water of the Ganga for a short time, he will be in a greatly agitated condition. He will shriek and yell out. He will be eager to come out of water. When the house of a man has caught fire, the owner of the house runs immediately to the municipal office to get the fire-brigade for extinguishing the fire. He takes immediate steps. Similarly you should have earnestness and desire for liberation.

Abandon the idea of becoming a Yogi within a few months’ practice. It takes years and years of sincere Sadhana, practice of Brahmacharya and Ahimsa. You have to labour hard for many years to become a graduate and to earn even a small salary. How much more difficult it will be to become a Yogi and to attain immortality.

O aspirants, have the strong determination: “I will realise God now or I will die.”

Do not say: “I will realise in my next birth.” I will take a cudgel to beat you. I will become very angry. You can realise in this very second if you thirst for God and God alone and do sincere, intense Sadhana.

Sanchita, Purushartha And Prarabdha Karmas

Tarkash (quiver), the case in which arrows are accumulated represents or Sanchita Karmas; the arrow that is ready for shooting represents our Agami Karma and the arrow which has left the bow, which cannot return and which must hit the target represents Prarabdha Karma.

The store-room is the Sanchita. The articles that are put in the shop for sale are Prarabdha. The daily sale proceeds are the Agami.

Sanchita Karmas are the accumulated works; Prarabdha Karmas are ripe of fructiferous actions; Kriyamana Agami Karmas are current works.

The big storehouse for paddy represents Sanchita Karma. The paddy that has been taken out separately for the use of the current year corresponds to the Prarabdha; and the paddy that is growing in the fields in the current year represents Agami Karma or Kriyamana.

Sanchita Karmas are destroyed by Brahma Jnana. One should enjoy the Prarabdha anyhow. (Vyavaharic Drishti only)

Kriyamana Karmas are no actions as the Jnani has Akarta and Sakshi Bhava. God and Purushartha are synonymous terms. They are two names for one thing.

In Mahabharata you will find that exertion (Purushartha) and Prarabdha combined bring about fruits. If you are ailing, you must do Purushartha. You must take medicine. You leave the results to Prarabdha.

Throughout Yoga Vasishtha, Vasishthaji recommends Purushartha only to Sri Rama. Markandeya through Purushartha alone conquered death. Man is, doubtless, the master of his own destiny.

Purushartha can do and undo things. Markandeya changed his destiny through his Tapas. Fatalism will produce abnormal inertia. God helps those who help themselves. Be up and doing. Man is the master of his destiny. Prarabdha is the result of your own thoughts and actions. Change your mode of thinking. Think: “I am the Immortal Self.” The immortal Self you will become. As you think, you so become. This is the immutable law.

You have now the habit of thinking “I am body. I am mind. I am Prana. I am Indriya or sense.” Change your present habit of thinking and think, “I am Brahman. I am the all-pervading intelligence.” You will conquer your destiny. If you are in the habit of writing in a slanting manner, you can change your habit and can write in a vertical manner. Even so you can change your habit of thinking. Conquest of habit is conquest of destiny. Fate or destiny is your own creation through your own Karmas. You are the master of your destiny. Change your mode of thinking. Instead of foolishly thinking “I am body,” think  “I am Atman, all-pervading.”

Prarabdha can elevate anybody to any high level, even to god-head. The life of James Ramsay Macdonald is worth mentioning. He was a man of great Purushartha. He rose from poverty to power, from a field labourer to the Prime Minister of Britain. His first job was addressing envelopes for 10 Sh. a week. He was too poor to buy tea; so he drank water instead. His main meal every day for months was a three-penny beef-steak-pudding. He was a pupil teacher. He took great interest in Politics and Science. He was a journalist. He gradually through right exertion (Purushartha) rose to the present position in life.

Take care of your thoughts. Then the actions will take care of themselves. Action follows thoughts. Acts create habits. Habit creates character. Character creates destiny. So your destiny is in your hands. Shut out all evil thoughts. Allow good thoughts. We are what our thoughts have made us and will be what they make us.

You are not bound. You have got free will. You cannot change the experiences, the results of Prarabdha but you can change your future by right thinking and right action and thus make your will pure and irresistible. You can attain Self-realisation with the help of a dynamic will.

The husk is natural to rice and the rust to the copper, yet they disappear through efforts made. Even so, Ajnana which clings to the Jiva or individual soul can be made to disappear through the ceaseless Atmic enquiry, Destroy the Avidya. May you rest incomparably firm in your own Self.

The man who advocates the theory of Purushartha says: “Am I a straw to be tossed about hither and thither? I can change my Prarabdha. I will undo it by Vedantic practice. I have got a Free Will of my own. I will make it pure strong and irresistible. I will work out my salvation. I will become free myself.”

Another philosopher says: “Everything is pre-arranged in the Grand plan or Grand Scheme. God knows the whole details of evolution of a man from mineral life till he becomes a Jivanmukta or a liberated soul. In reality all is Prarabdha only. We will have to preach Purushartha just to give an impetus for the man to work in right earnest. Otherwise he will become slothful and dull.”

If a man succeeds in his attempt, he calls it Purushartha. He says: “I really exerted much. I have succeeded.” If he fails, the same man says: “What can I do, my friend? It is all Prarabdha. Without Him nothing can be done. Without God no atom can move, no leaf can wave in the air.”

Prarabdha is only Purushartha of previous birth.

What is destiny after all? It is one’s own make-up. You have created certain things. You can destroy them or undo things also. You are thinking in one way: “I am Mr. so and so. I am Brahmin. I am a doctor. I am fatty. I am a householder.” This is Prarabdha. You can change this particular mode of thinking. Think: “I am Brahman. I am Omnipotent. I am a witness or Sakshi. I am God. I am neither the body nor the mind. I am all-pervading Truth or pure Consciousness.” This is Purushartha. You have got a particular way of writing in a vertical manner. This is Prarabdha. You can change that writing into a slanting way. This is Purushartha.

You sow an action and reap a tendency. You sow a tendency and reap a habit. You sow a habit and reap your character. You sow your character and reap your destiny. Therefore destiny is of your own creation. If you change your habits, you can become master of your destiny.

God never punishes nor gives rewards. He is not sitting with a rod to chastise people. Life is governed by fundamental divine laws. The law operates and man reaps the fruits of his actions.

No one can remain quiet even for a second. No one can become a fatalist. There is an urge or stimulus from within to work. That is the reason why the Gita says “Nor can anyone, even for an instant remain really actionless; for helplessly is everyone driven to action by the qualities born of nature. The theory of Prarabdha cannot make any one a fatalist.”

Lead a life outside your bodies. Stand aside and watch the activities of the mind and body. Be a Sakshi or Drishta like the umpire in a foot-ball match. This is Jnana. Train the physical body to obey you at all times. Keep it strong and healthy. Do not become a foolish Mayavadin. Understand Mayavada properly. Do not have Moha for the body. Be prepared to sacrifice it at any moment. When the Divine Call comes, sacrifice this body for a noble cause. This body is a boat or horse to take you to the goal or to cross the ocean of Samsara.

For a Bhakta it is all Prarabdha only. For, he is a man of self-surrender. He has to glorify the power of the Lord. For a Vedanti, it is all Purushartha only. For, he is a man of self-reliance. He has to glorify the power of his own strong will (Atma Bala). Both are correct from their own stand-point.

Each soul must fulfil the Divine Law (Karma) for gaining Divine Wisdom. Each soul must sit alone at the gate. No one can push him in. The Guru can lead him up to the gate. Everyone must fight his battle of self-purification, concentration and control of mind.

One philosopher says: “How does Purushartha bring results? How does Prarabdha operate?” It is very difficult to say.

People ask: “How is it that a good man is suffering in this world and a bad man is in an affluent state?” The answer is that in this life the good and bad deeds of a former life are expiated.

Just as there is Prarabdha for the individual, so also there is Prarabdha for the world also. This is collective Prarabdha. There will be perfect peace and prosperity after commotion and agitation in the land. You are not in a position to analyse the acts of Nature because you have no knowledge of the Laws of Nature.

When there is increase of population in the land, when the food products cannot meet with the requirements of the people, the Divine Sakti removes the extra population through famine, epidemics, pestilence, earthquake, volcanic eruptions and war.

Chapter Four

God And Avatara

Saguna And Nirguna Aspects of God

That which is called Brahman in Upanishads and Paramatman in the Smritis is called Bhagavan in the Bhagavata.

My Lord Siva, whose heart is Hari is identical with Nirguna Brahman of Upanishads.

Just as air is formless and at the same time takes the form as of a cyclone, so also the formless Brahman can assume a form.

God is both with form (Sakara), like ice, for His Bhakta, and without form (Nirakara), like steam, for the Jnani.

Just as water can exist in two states, viz., Nirakara (formless) in the form of H2O, Sakara (with form) in the form of ice, so also Brahman is both Nirakara and Sakara. He can take a form also as an Avatara.

Microcosm is Pinda; Macrocosm is Brahmanda. Samashti means sum-total. Vyashti means individual. A tree is Vyashti, while a grove is Samashti. A single match stick is Vyashti; a match box is Samashti. He who identifies with the macrocosmic causal body or the sum-total of all causal bodies of Jiva is Ishvara. He who identifies with the macrocosmic subtle body is Hiranyagarbha or Sutratman; with the microcosmic or individual subtle body is Taijasa. He who identifies with the macrocosmic or collective gross body is Virat or Vaishvanara; and with microcosmic or individual body is Vishva. Ishvara Himself assumes the forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra through Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and becomes the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. Brahma is included in Virat, Vishnu in Hiranyagarbha and Rudra in Ishvara.

Lord Krishna appeared as Para Brahman before the sages, as supreme Tatwa before the Yogins, as Lord of beauty before the Gopis, as warrior before the warriors, as a child before Vasudeva and Yashoda, as Lord of Death before Kamsa, as King of kings (Samrat) before the kings according to the view and understanding of the seer or subject. The object is the same. It appears different according to the view-point of the beholder.

The “Oversoul” of the Western philosophers is the Brahman of the Upanishads or Atman of the Vedantins. The Supreme Soul or Paramatman which is the support for the individual soul is the “Oversoul.” The “Oversoul” is the “Substance” of Spinoza or the “Thing-in-itself” of Kant. The essence of Vedanta has slowly infiltrated into the minds of the Western Philosophers and they have accepted now the existence of the one eternal principle or the immortal Soul which is distinct from body and mind.

Sri Ramanuja’s Savisesha Brahman works. He is all-merciful. He gives rewards to virtuous persons. But Sri Sankara’s Nirvisesha Brahman is quite indifferent (Udaseena). To be an Udaseena is the highest stage.

“I am Thine, O Lord! Thou art not I. The waves belong to the ocean, but the ocean is not the wave.” This is the teaching of Ramanuja. This is Vishishtadvaita or qualified non-dualism.

Anthropomorphic conception of God is that in which man gives human attributes to God. Mohammedan conception of God is anthropomorphic.

The impersonal aspect (Nirakara, Nirguna) is called Brahman, or ‘unknowable’ by Herbert Spencer, ‘will’ by Schopenhauer, Absolute Noumenon by some ‘substance’ by Spinoza.

The personal aspect (Sakara) of that Being is termed ‘Ishvara’ or Allah, Hari, Jehova, Father in Heaven, Buddha, Siva, etc.

Just as vapour or steam is formless, so also God is formless in His unmanifested or transcendental state. He takes a form to please His devotees. He assumes a form for the pious worship of His Bhaktas. He gives Darshan to His devotees in the form in which they meditate. For a devotee who has Prema Nishtha, a form is necessary. When he develops Para Bhakti, the form will vanish away and he will become one with the all-pervading pure Consciousness.

Lord Krishna is the Prema aspect of Ishvara or the Lord. Lord Siva is the wisdom aspect of Ishvara. Devi is the Sakti aspect of Ishvara. Virat is the manifested aspect of Ishvara. Hiranyagarbha is the immanent aspect of Ishvara. Hanuman is the Rudra aspect of Lord Siva. Dattatreya is the combined aspect of (Trinity) of Ishvara. Brahma is the creative aspect of Isvara. Vishnu is the preservative aspect of Ishvara. Siva is the destructive aspect of Ishvara. Meditate on any aspect you like, attain union with the Lord and cross this ocean of Samsara.

Vimal Kumari came to her husband’s house after the first time. Her brother’s name was Chandra. The dog of her husband’s neighbour had the name Chandra also. The name of her husband’s dog was Moti. Vimal Kumari’s brother had an enemy and his name also was Moti. The two dogs Chandra and Moti were fighting. The husband of Vimal Kumari abused his neighbour’s dog Chandra and praised his own dog Moti. Vimal Kumari thought that her husband was abusing her own brother and praising her brother’s enemy. She was a bit annoyed towards her husband. Vimal Kumari was pained in her heart as she did not understand her husband properly. She was deluded by mere names. Even so, the Vaishnavaites and the Saivites are pained in their hearts when they find the criticism of Hari and Siva in Siva Purana and Vishnu Purana respectively. Hari is criticised in Siva Purana to increase the student’s faith in Lord Siva and vice versa. There is no other reason. Similarly quarrels are occurring in the world daily on account of delusion caused by play of sounds and names. A wise man goes beyond sounds and names and rests in that soundless and nameless Brahman.

If you identify yourself with the personal God or Saguna Brahman, you will see the world within yourself. Ishvara has this world within Himself. There is nothing outside Him. A Jiva separates himself on account of egoism and so sees the world outside. Because you see the world outside, there is attraction for objects. The attraction for all objects will die if one sees the world within.

A dry Pandit-Vedantin ignores Bhakti. He speaks ill of Bhakti. He says: “Bhakti cannot relieve human sufferings. Bhakti cannot give Mukti.” This is a serious blunder. Bhakti can destroy all human sufferings and can give Krama Mukti. Sectarian Bhakta denies Advaita—Nirguna-Nirakara Brahman. He speaks ill of Jnana. He says: “I do not want a dry Brahman without any Rasa. I want my Leela-Krishna alone. There is nothing beyond Goloka.” This is also a grave blunder. Both are petty-minded. Beyond Go-Loka, beyond Leela-Krishna, there exists Nirguna Advaita Brahman, who is the support or substratum for Leela-Krishna, Leela-Krishna merges in Nirguna Brahman during cosmic Pralaya.

Though Sri Sankara had full highest Advaitic, Nirguna Brahmic realisation, yet he says loudly: “My keen desire to fix my mind at the Lotus-Feet of Lord Krishna, my eager longing to wash His benign Feet with tears from my eyes is not gone.”

Whether the owl accepts the presence of light or not, there is always light. Whether you accept the existence of God or not, He always exists. He is ever shining in the three periods of time. He exists before you begin to search Him. He is closer to you than your breath, nearer to you than your hands and feet.

Even if the tenant has not seen the Maha Raja, he knows that there is one Maha Raja who rules the State from the orderliness kept up throughout the State. Similarly even if you have not seen God face to face, you can know His existence from the order maintained in the universe.

When mind, speech, ears, eyes and other organs are asleep the Prana alone is awake. Who causes the vibration of Prana? Who is the support for this Prana? It is Brahman. He is the Yoni or womb for everything.

Who is making the physical body,—a toy made up of clay—dance in variety of ways? Who is the wire-puller of this body? Find Him out.

You feel “I exist.” This itself clearly proves that God exists. Existence is God or Brahman. You always feel despite your possessions and all sorts of comforts that you are in want of something. There is no sense of fullness. If you add to yourself the All-full God only, you will have fullness. When you do an evil action you are afraid. Your conscience pricks you. This also proves that God exists and witnesses all your thoughts and actions.

There is a village known as Dagheta near Muttra. Sri Swami Krishnananda was doing Kirtan one night with his party on 10th October 1934. One lady, a devotee, who was much interested in Kirtan, locked her little girl in the house and went for the Kirtan. There was none else in the house beside the child. When she returned, she saw her child playing and laughing. Mother asked the child: “With whom you are playing, my child?” The child replied: “I am playing with this old man. Do you not see him?” The child repeated these words thrice. The mother was not able to see the old man. The old man who was none else but Lord Krishna, had disappeared. Where there is Bhakti and faith, the Lord is always there. Where there is Kama (passion), there is no Rama.

In front of Sankar Kutia, Meerut, where Sannyasins stay, there is a bungalow of Sankar Dayal, Advocate. Sankar Dayal has a daughter. She is a devoted kiddy. She does worship (Puja) daily to Lord Krishna. This is all due to her previous virtuous Samskaras. She used to pluck flowers in the garden daily for worship. When she was plucking flowers one day in the early morning, a boy came to her with peacock feathers on head and said: “Child, repeat this Mantra.” He gave some Mantra for Japa and disappeared. The boy was Lord Krishna only. This incident took place on 5th October 1934. Even in Kali Yuga, if you have even a minute trace of faith and devotion, the Lord is ever ready to give His Darshan.

In Farukabad (via) Shikohabad Junction, I met a boy aged 19 on November 14th, 1934. He was a Bhakta of Lord Siva. He was repeating Om Namah Sivaya for some months. He did not have Darshan of the Lord. He felt aggrieved on this score. One day he wanted to give up his life by some means or other. He did some violent measure. At once Lord Siva appeared in the midst of a blazing blue light. He disappeared immediately. The boy heard a voice: “Child, what boon do you want?” The boy replied: “I want your Darshan again for a second time.” But Lord Siva did not appear before him for the second time. You can see the boy in Farukabad even now. Bhakta Deputy Collector Sri Bhagavat Prasad brought the boy to me in Sarasvati Bhavan.

The Bhagavatas are of two kinds: (1) (Aprateekalambanas) who worship without any symbol, and who do not take the help of any symbol, (2) Prateekalambanas, those who take the help of symbol. The first class consists of Devas and others who see the Lord as all-pervading. All Devatas, one hundred among the Rishis, one hundred among the Gandharvas belong to this class of Adhikarins. The Prateekalambanas are of two kinds (1) Dehalambana and (2) Pratimalambana. Those who see the Lord in their body are Dehalambanas. The Rishis, etc., called Madhyama Adhikaris belong to this class. They see the Atman in the body. The Pratimalambanas are those who see God in an image, who cannot imagine Him without some form. Ordinary men belong to this class.

Why has Lord Krishna a blue body? Because blue colour indicates the all-pervading nature of God. Blue colour is Vyapaka.

Why has Lord Hari four hands? Four hands represents Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. Four hands denote that Lord Hari welcomes all from all quarters. He is of an all-embracive nature.

Lingam of Lord Siva signifies that Brahman is formless (Nirakara). It points out as if showing with the finger that Brahman is one without a second.

Worship of Sakti or Devi is worship of Brahman only. Sakti and Sakta are one. Brahman and Devi are Abhinna (inseparable). They are identical. Worship of Rama includes worship of Sita also. Worship of Radha goes to Krishna also. Saivites worship Siva only. Saktas worship Devi only. Some worship both Siva and Parvati.

In communion with the Lord, the opening and closing of the eyes cease. Inhalation and exhalation stop. Sankalpa and Vikalpa of the mind also cease. This is Unmani Avastha, the highest state of Raja Yogins. The name of the Lord Rama is an inexhaustible store-house for spiritual knowledge, for eternal life, eternal bliss and eternal satisfaction. The Ramanama is sacred, Holy of holies. It is a destroyer of the sins of persons in this Kali Yuga (iron age). It is a spiritual food of aspirants at every step of their spiritual march towards the attainment of God-consciousness or communion with the Lord.

Remember Lord Hari, the supreme Lord, the Teacher, the prime cause for all worlds, the destroyer of the darkness of Samsara. He pervades this whole universe. He Himself is without origin, but He is the origin of this universe.  He is the first cause. He shines within the heart of all beings. He is the pure consciousness. He is the warp and woof of the web of this universe. He is the real, the eternal, the infinite, the transcendental, the unknown. Meditate on Him daily. Meditate on His attributes. Sing His Name. You will attain immortality and eternal bliss.

God is the Creator and Director of this Universe. He is the Indweller in all beings. He is the supporter of this world. He is the preserver and destroyer of this world. He is the governor and inner ruler. He is the Protector, Saviour and Redeemer. He is the bestower of supreme peace and immortality. He is the giver of Ojas (spiritual power), Tejas (divine splendour), Bala (power), Aishvarya (spiritual wealth), Yasas (fame), Arogya (health), Deergha Ayus (long life), Pushti (prosperity), Tushti (contentment), Santi (peace), Sreyas (emancipation), Vidya (divine wisdom), Moksha (liberation).

Attributes of God

God is beyond cause and effect, time and space, and beyond the reach of mind and speech.

But yet He is the nearest of the nearest, the innermost dweller of the heart, the very life of all that lives and moves.

The cave of the heart is to be sought after by every aspirant for Self-realisation. The Supreme Self which is full of bliss abides in this cave.

God is hidden love. God is hidden power. God is hidden beauty. God is hidden light. Brahman is God of gods. Brahman is knowledge. Live a hidden life in the hidden God.

To define God is to deny God. You can give definition of a finite object only. How can you define the limitless or Infinite being, who is the source and ultimate cause for everything? If you define God, you are limiting the limitless one, you are confining Him within the concepts of mind. God is beyond the reach of gross mind, but He can be realised through meditation with a pure, subtle and one-pointed mind.

God is Truth. God is Love. God is Light of lights. God is Peace. God is Knowledge. God is an embodiment of Bliss. God is Sat-chit-ananda, existence absolute, knowledge absolute and bliss absolute. God is Eternity. God is Infinity. God is Avinasi, Supreme Vastu. God is all-pervading Essence or Substance. God is the only Sara-vastu. God is Infinite Beauty.

There is a maker for a pot or a table. So there must be a Creator for this marvellous world also. That Creator is God.

God created this universe by His own will and then entered into it. He manifests Himself in the mind and heart of every one. He is the first among the Devas. He is the Protector of the world.

A wicked man does a crime and enters the jail as a prisoner. He has no independence in the jail. He is a slave. Sometimes the King also enters the jail of his own sweet will to see the condition of the prisoners. He visits the jail in order to do good to the prisoners and redress their grievances. He is quite independent. If people ask: “Where is the King now?” the Private Secretary says: “The King is in the jail now.” The criminal has entered the jail and the King also has entered the jail. But there is world of difference. Even so, the little Jiva takes birth in this world owing to the force of his desires and Karmas. He is swayed by ignorance. He has no independence. He is a slave of passions. He is a victim of Avidya. He is tossed hither and thither by the two currents, viz., Raga and Dvesha (likes and dislikes) whereas the Lord takes His incarnation in this world as an Avatara, out of his own sweet will, in order to protect Dharma and the righteous persons and punish the unrighteous. He is quite independent. Maya is under His perfect control. He is Omnipotent and Omniscient. He has Sat-karma and Sat-sankalpa.

This body is a complicated machine. Even eminent doctors have not thoroughly understood the functions of the different organs of the body. They had no knowledge of the workings of the various endocrine glands some thirty years ago. Now they say, that the endocrine glands play a very vital part in the economy of nature. Still they are experimenting and studying about the nature and working of this complex machine. If you can get knowledge of the Driver of the machine, then only you can acquire complete knowledge of this human machine. That Driver is God or Antaryamin (Inner Ruler).

Truth is God. It is Satya Vastu (real thing). It is Satyam (Truth), Nityam (eternal), Avinasi (imperishable), Nirvikara (unchanging), Ekarasa (one homogeneous essence). It is self-existent (Svayambhu), self-luminous (Svayamprakash), independent at all times (Svatantra). It has no beginning, middle or end (Anadi, Anantam). It exists in the past, present and future. It is self-knowledge (Chit, Samvit, Vijnana,Prajnana). It is causeless. It is beyond time, space and causation. It is one. It is Akhanda, Aparichhinna.

God and ‘peace’ are synonymous terms. God is very near to those who are free from lust, anger, greed and egoism.

God has no desire. He is Paripoorna (self-contained). He creates this world for His sporting (Lila). It is His Svabhava.

God is the totality of all that exists, both animate or inanimate, sentient or insentient. He is free from ills and limitations. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. He has no beginning, middle or end. He is the Indweller in all beings. He controls from within. God, immortality, freedom, perfection, peace, bliss, love are synonymous or convertible terms.

Sa paryagachhukram akayam avranam
Asnaviram Suddham apapaviddham,
Kavirmanishee paribhuh Svayambhur yatha
tathyato arthan vyadadhat sasvateebhyah samabhyah.

(Isa Upanishad, Mantra 8).

He pervades all, resplendent, bodiless, scathless, having no muscles, pure unsmitten by sin; far-seeing, omniscient, transcendental, self-sprung, He duly allotted to the various eternal creators their respective functions.

God is Omnipotent (Sarva Saktiman). But He is impotent in the sense that He cannot deny his own existence.

The great King cannot be seen by the ordinary persons or the agricultural peasants. But they see daily the Dewan, the Tahsildar and other officials. Through this they know that there is a King who is the supreme Ruler of the state. Even so, the Supreme Self who is the source for everything, who is the inner Ruler of all beings cannot be seen. But you can infer His Existence by looking at the sun, the moon, the stars, and other marvellous objects of this universe, which bespeak of His Supreme Glory and ineffable splendour.

Colour and symmetry give beauty to the physical body. Beauty of body is of decaying nature. Hence it is illusory. But divine beauty is undecaying and real. God is beauty of beauties. He is the fountain head for beauty. He is an embodiment of beauty. He is beauty Itself.

You have great love for your hair on the head. You daily comb it nicely and apply hair oil but you throw the same hair if it falls in a cup of milk. You dislike to touch it. In loving the hair, you love your own Self only. The hair appears to be beautiful and attractive because of its association with the body of the Jiva and with the Chaitanya or Consciousness that is at the back of this body. If you see a silk saree in a shop it is not attractive, but when it is on the body of a lady, it is very attractive and beautiful, because it is connected now with the Chaitanya. This gives the clue that the God exists and that God is an embodiment of beauty.

The Grace of The Lord

Bhakti is not obtained through effort or action. It is obtained through Grace and mercy of the Prabhu (Lord). It is Kripa Sadhya and not Kriya Sadhya.

These three things are rare indeed and are due to the Divine Grace only viz., a human birth, a longing for liberation and the protecting care of a Satguru (perfected sage). But a virtuous noble soul will get these things. Swami Vivekananda, Gorakhnath, Bhartruhari and Nityananda had these three rare things.

Even if you make effort through crores of Kalpas, you will not have Darshan of the Lord. But if you obtain the mercy, you will have His Darshan in the twinkling of an eye. Therefore, surrender your will at His lotus-feet and say with sincerity: “Oh Lord, have mercy on me.”

Through the Grace of the Lord only one can get the four means of salvation, a realised Guru for guidance and other means such as food, abode, clothing, etc. Therefore worship of the Lord is absolutely necessary.

The Grace of the Lord is an antidote to all sorts of fear. He who has the Grace of the Lord will be able to cross the ocean of Samsara. Lord’s Grace is a passport to enter the Kingdom of illimitable bliss. Obtain His Grace through self-surrender, pure love and worship.

Even if the most impure object is thrown into the fire, the fire renders it pure and imparts to it its own lustre and form. Even so, the Lord purifies even the worst sinner and makes him like Himself. This is the nature of the Lord.

He who loves God, who rejoices in Him alone, who delights in Him alone, who serves Him, who adores Him is a child of God. He is a real Bhagavata. All Siddhis and Riddhis will roll under his feet.

The rich man lives in a mansion, moves in a car and has plenty of food, but he is not happy, he suffers from dyspepsia, diabetes and blood-pressure. His mind is filled with cares, worries and anxieties. He is weak. He cannot eat sumptuous food. The doctor has prescribed for him arrow-root Kanjee, and barley water. He has no children. A poor labourer has good health, vigorous appetite, power of endurance and plenty of children. But he is homeless. He has very little to eat. He is clad in rags. This is the keeping up of the balance in the economy of nature. The Lord bestows upon you whatever you ask. If you want wealth, He gives you wealth, if you want health, He gives you the same. If you want Moksha, He gives you Moksha.

Mimamsakas hold that Karma or work but not Ishvara gives the fruits of one’s actions. They say that Karma itself can give results at a future time. This is wrong. Ishvara alone can give the fruits of one’s own works. Karma is insentient or non-intelligent and short-lived. It has no power of bringing about results at some future time. Even the supersensuous extraordinary principle Apurva which is produced by the Karma before it is destroyed is of non-intelligent nature. It cannot act unless moved by some intelligent Being (Ishvara). Ishvara is the bestower of the fruits of actions as He is the cause of the actions even.

God looks to the heart of the devotee rather than to his thoughts or the words in which his homage is expressed.

The mother beats her son when he does some mischief. Has she any hatred towards her son? No. She beats him in order to correct and educate him. Even so, God punishes the evil-doers in order to correct and educate them. He is neither impartial nor cruel.

Love God as Radha did. This is the highest form of worship. Follow in the footsteps of Radha. Feel for Lord Krishna like Radha. The love will gradually develop. You will attain immortality and God-consciousness.

Ahalya says: “O all-merciful Lord Rama! Salutations unto Thee. Through Thy benign Grace, I have assumed my original form. Through Thy mercy alone the stone became a human being. Thou art ocean of compassion and love. The all-pervading Nirguna Brahman who is within and without or the Virat was not able to transform the stone into my original form. You alone were able to do so. Therefore Thou art even superior to the Nirguna Brahman and Virat. Prostrations unto Thee. O Lord, my Saviour and Protector. Glory unto Thee. Glory unto Thy Name, O Lord Rama.”

Thou canst not rest in peace without Rama. How fortunate and happy is that man who remembers Him and sings His Name! The devotee of Rama is free from all cares, worries, fears, sorrows, pains and tribulations. Rama takes care of his body. Rama attends to his physical wants. Awake and see. How merciful is He! Cling to His Lotus-Feet.

Ravana propitiated Lord Siva by his hymns. Pushpadanta pleased Lord Siva by his celebrated Stotra: “Siva Mahimna Stotra” (which is even now sung by all devotees throughout India) and obtained all Aishvaryas or Siddhis and Mukti. The glory of the Stotras of Siva is indescribable. Why do not you all sing the hymns of Lord Siva and obtain His Grace and salvation not in the unknown future, but right now in this very second? You can please Lord Siva easily. Fast on Sivaratri. If you cannot do this, take milk and fruits only. Keep perfect vigil the whole night and sing His Stotras. May the blessings of Lord Siva be upon you all!

The Kurma Purana says: “Water is able to quench the fire, the essence of the sun to dispel darkness and the repetition of the Names of Devi to destroy the multitude of sins in the Kali age.” The Brahma Purana says: “Those who worship the Supreme Sakti whether regularly or irregularly are not entangled in Samsara. There is no doubt, they are the liberated souls.”

Prakriti is preparing you for the spiritual battle in a variety of ways. She is making your mind and body as fit