Svamin Janglidas maharaj Spiritual Teachings!

[Guest guest]

Shree Shree Svamin Janglidas Maharaj!

 

T e a c h i n g s

 

A saint is a god on earth. To him, the whole world is mere

straw. To him, gold and stone are alike. To him, pleasure and pain are

the same. A saint lives in God. He has realized God. He knows God. He

has become God. He speaks of God. He shows the way to God. He is God

Himself. He is one with God. Saints are God's agents on earth. God

reveals Himself in a saint in his full glory, infinite power, wisdom

and bliss. The saints constitute a ladder for the pilgrims to the

shrine of God. Wherever saints and sages stay even for a half-second,

then and there are sacred places like Varnasi, Prayag and Brindavan. A

saint is a blessing on earth. Saints are the living symbols of

religion and are the true benefactors of humanity. Throughout history,

saints have played a great part in preserving spiritual values in the

world. A saint is a spiritual washerman. He applies the soap of

devotion and knowledge, and removes the spots of sin in worldly

people. In his presence, man becomes holy. The moment the mind thinks

of a sage, immediately all evil desires, base passions, are brushed

aside. Meditation on the lives of saints is equal to holy company.

Study of their teachings is equal to holy company. To think of saints,

to live in their company, to have good fortune of receiving their

blessings, is to draw forth upon yourself a shower of purity,

inspiration and divine consciousness.

 

 

 

T H E N A T U R E O F A S A I N T

 

He loves all beings as his own Self. He is endowed with

dispassion and mercy. He speaks the truth and serves all. He ever

meditates on the Lord. He sings the glory of the Lord. He has divine

knowledge. He is fearless and generous. He never begs, but gives. He

is majestic and lordly. Such a one is rare in the whole world. He is

not easily found. He is not born everywhere. Love is the very breath

of a saint. Mercy is his very nature. His heart overflows with

compassion. He does not look to the faults of others. He returns good

for evil and blesses those who curse him. The heart of a sage is a

flame of love and his whole being thirsts for the uplift of suffering

humanity. He forgets himself utterly and lives but for the sake of

others. A saint sees the whole world as the projection of his own

soul. A sage sees unity in diversity. He becomes one with the whole

world. A sage is a youth amongst the youth, aged amongst the old,

brave amongst the brave, a child amongst children. He feels the pain

and suffering among sufferers.

 

 

 

T H E L I F E O F A S A I N T

 

The life of a saint is plain, simple, and attractive. It is

full of grace. It is methodical. He is untouched by the changes of

the world. No external happening can shake him off his balance. He is

centred in his own Atman or Absolute Consciousness. A sage is

desireless and so he is ever happy. A king possesses everything and so

he is happy. But, the happiness of a sage is infinite, because he

lives in his own Atman, the ocean of Brahmic Bliss.The happiness of a

liberated sage is not sensual pleasure. It is Atmic Self-bliss. He

enjoys the whole world simultaneously as the Self of all objects. His

happiness is not in time. It is transcendental bliss. A sage alone is

really wealthy. A sage has awakened from the dream of life. He enjoys

eternal bliss. To a sage of illumination, the entire world surrenders.

 

 

 

A S A G E N E E D N O T B E A G E N I U S

 

The sage moves among men, but he is unseen by all men; he is

taken by them as an ordinary man. Only a sage can know a sage. He will

sometimes appear like a Sarvajna, an all knower. He will sometimes

appear like an Ajnani, an ignorant man. He knows when to act like a

Brahma-nishtha and when to behave like a fool. Do not judge him. If

you approach him with the proper Bhava, with faith, devotion and

spiritual thirst, he will impart the highest knowledge to you. If you

approach him with a bad motive, he will behave like a madman and you

will be deceived. Great will be your loss then. A Brahma-jnani or

liberated sage need not be a genius. He need not be an eloquent

speaker, orator, lecturer or professor. But, he is calm, serene, and

tranquil. He is taciturn and silent. His silence is superior

eloquence. He has equanimity and balanced mind. He has equal vision.

He has Samata and Sama-drishti. He is a Mouni, Maha Mouni, and Muni.

He has divine wisdom and intuitive knowledge. In his presence, all

doubts are cleared.

 

 

 

S A I N T S H A V E N O C A S T E

 

There is no caste among saints and sages. A sage is like a

lion out of the cage, free from shackles of caste, creed, profession,

tradition and scripture. Do not look to the caste of saints and sages.

You will not be benefited. You cannot imbibe their virtues. In higher

religion, there is neither caste nor creed. Cobblers, weavers, and

untouchables had become the best saints. There is no real difference

between a Christian mystic and a Hindu saint. Their sayings never

clash. The messages of the saints are essentially the same. They have

always been a call to men to discover the Wisdom of the Self or Atman.

 

 

 

S A G E S D I F F E R I N T H E I R C O N D U C T

 

Knowledge is the same in all sages, but their conduct is

different. Sri Vasishtha was a Karma-kandi; he did Havans and

sacrifices. Raja Janaka was a Bhogi; he ruled his dominion; he enjoyed

regal pleasures. Sri Dattatreya was a wanderer; he was an Avadhuta, a

naked Fakir. Kakabhusundhi was a Yogi. Some even marry. Sages like

Dattatreya and Jadabharata roam about happily. They have neither rooms

nor clothing. All dualities have become extinct. They cannot work for

the well-being of the world like Raja Janaka and Sri Sankara. But,

their mere presence elevates people. The other type of sage is the

benevolent sage - like Raja Janaka and Sri Sankara - who works for the

solidarity of the world. He has compassion for all. He writes books,

conducts classes, establishes Mutts or Ashrams. You may ask: " Which of

the two kinds is superior ? " . The answer is: " Both are on the same level " .

 

 

 

A S A G E I S N O T S E L F I S H

 

Ignorant people say, " A sage is attempting for his own

Self-realization. He is extremely selfish. He is of no use to

society " . This is a serious mistake. A sage is the most benevolent

superman. He is extremely kind and compassionate. He elevates at once

all persons who come in contact with him. Further, he does

Shakti-sanchar through his Divya-Drishti. He finds out the deserving

aspirants and raises them up through Sankalpa Shakti, even while

remaining in a cave or Kutir in the distant Himalayas. A Jnani is not

a selfish man as worldly men think. His spiritual vibrations purify

the world. His very life is exemplary and elevating. He gives hope and

encouragement to others to tread the spiritual path. He is the only

real lover of mankind. He feels the presence of God in everyone. A

Jnani only does real selfless service as he feels the presence of God

in all beings. He is the real altruist and humanitarian.

 

 

 

D O N O T J U D G E A S A I N T

 

You cannot apply the worldly yardstick to measure the

greatness of the saints. Do not superimpose defects on them on account

of your evil eye. You cannot judge their merits. Brahma-nishtha are

like fire. They can consume anything. Their very touch purifies

everything. They are beyond good and bad; they are themselves the

supreme good. Do not imitate their actions. Their actions are strange

and mysterious. They are beyond your intellect. If you commit theft

and say, " Did not Krishna steal butter ? " , you will be hopelessly

ruined. Krishna lifted up the Govardhana Hill with His little finger.

Can you lift even a big stone with all your strength ? Follow the

Upadesa of saints and Mahapurushas; you will attain Brahma-Jnana here

and now.

 

 

 

H O W T O B E N E F I T B Y C O M P A N Y O F S A I N T S

 

To benefit from the company of saints, you have to prepare

yourself first. Do not go with any preconceived notion or prejudice.

Go with an open, receptive mind. Go without expectations. Approach

them humbly and respectfully. Assimilate what appeals to you. If some

of their teachings do not appeal to you, do not form a hasty opinion.

If you do not like them, you need not take them to heart. What may be

suitable to another may not be suitable to you. Yet, with regard to

broad fundamentals, there can be no difference of opinion. When you go

before a sage, do not ask him questions out of mere inquisitiveness.

Sit in his presence humbly. Observe him. Listen to him without

prejudice. Ask him only such questions about which you really need

clarifications. Ask him only pertinent questions. Do not draw him into

politics or public bickering. Meditate in the presence of a sage. You

will get inner light which will clear your doubts.

 

 

 

S A I N T S A S A D V I S E R S

 

The very company of sages and saints has a tremendous

transforming effect on the lives of true seekers. It lifts them up to

heights of sublimity, purity and spirituality. It does not fail to

affect even the rank materialists. Every school, every college, every

boarding house, every jail, every institution, every house should have

a saint for the guidance of its members. Saints and sages only can

become real advisers to the kings, because they are selfless and

possess the highest wisdom. They only can improve the morality of the

masses. They only can show the way to attain eternal bliss and

immortality. Shivaji had Swami Ramdas as his adviser. King Dasaratha

had Maharishi Vasishtha as his adviser. Saints are in abundance. You

do not want them. You do not wish to approach them. You do not wish to

serve them. You do not aspire for higher things. You are perfectly

satisfied with some broken shells and glass-pieces. There is no thirst

or spiritual hunger in you for achieving higher divine knowledge and

inner peace. Spiritual opportunity is a rare privilege. Do not lose

such opportunities. Take recourse to the company of sages and saints.

One moment of company with the Holy builds a ship to cross this ocean

of life. God is the great purifier. A saint also is a great purifier.

God incarnates as saints and sages when their need is felt most. Study

the lives of saints. You are inspired at once. Remember their sayings.

You are elevated immediately. Walk in their footsteps. You are freed

from pain and sorrow. Seek the company of sages and evolve. Satsang

with sages is unfailing in its results.

 

 

 

T h e N e e d F o r G u r u

 

For a beginner in the spiritual path, a Guru is necessary. To

light a candle, you need a burning candle. Even an illumined soul

alone can enlighten another soul. Some do meditation for some years

independently. Later on, they actually feel the necessity of a Guru.

They come across some obstacles in the way. They are unable to know

how to obviate these impediments or stumbling blocks. Then they begin

to search for a Master. Only the man who has already been to Badrinath

will be able to tell you the road. In the case of the spiritual path,

it is still more difficult to find your way. The mind will mislead you

very often. The Guru will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles,

and lead you along the right path. He will tell you: " This road leads

you to Moksha (liberation); this one leads to bondage " . Without this

guidance, you might want to go to Badrinath, but find yourself in

Delhi! The scriptures are like a forest. There are ambiguous passages.

There are passages which are apparently contradictory. There are

passages which have esoteric meanings, diverse significance, and

hidden explanations. There are cross-references. You are in need of a

Guru or Preceptor who will explain to you the right meaning, who will

remove doubts and ambiguities, who will place before you the essence

of the teachings. A Guru is absolutely necessary for every aspirant in

the spiritual path. It is only the Guru who will find out your

defects. The nature of egoism is such that you will not be able to

find out your own defects. Just as a man cannot see his back, so also

he cannot see his own errors. He must live under a Guru for the

eradication of his evil qualities and defects. The aspirant who is

under the guidance of a Master or Guru is safe from being led astray.

Satsanga or association with the Guru is an armour and fortress to

guard you against all temptations and unfavourable forces of the

material world. All the sages, saints, prophets, world- teachers,

incarnations, great men, have had their own Gurus, however great they

might have been. Svetaketu learnt the nature of Truth from Uddalaka,

Maitreyi from Yajnavalkya, Bhrigu from Varuna, Narada from

Sanatkumara, Nachiketas from Yama, Indra from Prajapati; and several

others humbly went to wise ones, observed strict Brahmacharya,

practiced rigorous discipline, and learnt Brahma-vidya (the science of

God) from them. Lord Krishna sat at the feet of his Guru Sandeepani.

Lord Rama had Guru Vasishtha who gave him Upadesha (spiritual advice).

Lord Jesus sought John to be baptised by him on the banks of the river

Jordan. Even Devas (celestial beings) have Brihaspati as their Guru.

Even the greatest among the divine beings sat at the feet of Guru

Dakshinamurti. A neophyte must have a personal Guru first. He cannot

have God as Guru to begin with. He must have a pure mind. He must have

ethical perfection. He, must be intensely virtuous. He must be above

body-consciousness. Then alone can he have God as Guru.

 

 

 

H o w T o C h o o s e Y o u r G u r u

 

If you find peace in the presence of a Mahatma (great soul),

if you are inspired by his speeches, if he is able to clear your

doubts, if he is free, from greed, anger, and lust, if he is selfless,

loving, you can take him as your Guru. He who is able to clear your

doubts, he who is sympathetic in your Sadhana, he who does not disturb

your beliefs but helps you on from where you are, he in whose very

presence you feel spiritually elevated-he is your Guru. Once you

choose Your Guru, implicitly follow him. God will guide you through

the Guru.

 

 

 

M y s t e r i o u s H e l p F r o m G o d

 

Just see how the Lord has helped the devotees in the following

instances. Eknath heard an Akasavani (a voice from the sky). It said,

" See Janardan Pant at Deva Giri. He will put you in the proper path

and guide you. " Eknath acted accordingly and found his Guru. Tukaram

received his Mantra, Rama Krishna Hari, in his dream. He repeated this

Mantra and had Darshan (vision) of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna directed

Namdev to get his higher initiation from a Sannyasin (renunciate) at

Mallikarjuna. Queen Chudalai assumed the form, of Kumbha Muni,

appeared before her husband Sikhidhwaja in the forest, and initiated

him in the mysteries of Kaivalya (state of absolute independence).

Madhura Kavi saw a light in the firmament for three days

consecutively. It guided him and took him to his Guru Nammalvar who

was sitting in Samadhi underneath a tamarind tree near Tinnevelly.

Vilvamangal was very much attracted to Chintamani, the dancing woman.

The latter became his Guru. Tulasidas received instructions from an

invisible being to see Hanuman and, through Hanuman, to get Darshan of

Sri Rama. Competent disciples are never in want of a competent Guru.

Realised souls are not rare. Ordinary ignorant-minded persons cannot

easily recognise them. Only a few persons, who are pure and

embodiments of all virtuous qualities, can understand realised souls,

and they only will be benefited in their company. So long as there is

a world, there are Gurus and Vedas to guide the struggling souls in

the path of Self-realisation. The number of realised souls may be less

in the Iron Age when compared with the Satya Yuga (age of Truth), but

they are always present to help the aspirants. Let each man take the

path according to his capacity, temperament, and understanding. His

Sadguru will meet him along that path.

 

 

 

S i k s h a G u r u s A n d D i k s h a G u r u

 

Man has a twofold duty here on earth-to preserve his life, and

to realise his Self. To preserve his life, he has to learn to work for

his daily bread. To realise his Self, he has to serve, love, and

meditate. The Guru who teaches him the knowledge of worldly arts is

the Siksha Guru. The Guru who shows him the path of Realisation is the

Diksha Guru. Siksha Gurus can be many-as many as the things he wishes

to learn. The Diksha Guru can be only one-the one who leads him to Moksha.

 

 

 

S t i c k T o O n e G u r u

 

Do not dig here and there shallow pits for getting water. The

pits will dry up soon. Dig a very deep pit in one place. Centralise

all your efforts here. You will get good water that can supply you

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. Follow the spiritual

instructions of one man only. If you go to several people and follow

the instructions of many persons, you will be bewildered. You will be

in a dilemma. From a doctor, you get a prescription. From two doctors,

you get consultation. From three doctors, you get your own cremation.

Even so, if you have many Gurus, you will be bewildered. You will be

at a loss to know what to do. One Guru will tell you: " Do Soham Japa " .

Another will tell you: " Do Japa of Sri Ram & #8221;. A third Guru will tell

you: " Hear Anahat (mystic) sounds " . You will be puzzled. Stick to one

Guru and follow his instructions. Listen to all, but follow one.

Respect all, but adore one. Gather knowledge from all, but adopt the

teachings of one Master. Then you will have rapid spiritual progress.

 

 

 

G u r u P a r a m p a r a

 

Spiritual knowledge is a matter of Guru-parampara. It is

handed down from Guru to disciple. Totapuri imparted knowledge to Sri

Ramakrishna, and Ramakrishna to Swami Vivekananda. It was Ashtavakra

who moulded the life of Raja Janaka. It was Gorakhnath who shaped the

spiritual destiny of Raja Bhartrihari. It was Lord Krishna who made

Arjuna and Uddhava get themselves established in the spiritual path

when their minds were in an unsettled state. Gaudapadacharya imparted

Self-knowledge to his disciple Govindacharya; Govindacharya to his

disciple Sankaracharya; Sankaracharya to his disciple Suresvaracharya.

Matsyendranath imparted knowledge to his disciple Gorakhnath;

Gorakhnath to Nivrittinath; Nivrittinath to Jnanadeva. Gurudev Jangali

Maharaj from pune too imparted self-knowledge to his beloved disciple,

after which he was not left only disciple became das of Gurudev

Jangali Maharaj and he followed the same footprints as told to him by

his master after which there was no difference left between disciple

and Gurudev (Master), from which this disciple (Satshishya) was came

to known as Gurudev Jangalidas Maharaj.

 

VISHWATMAK GURUDEV JANGALIDAS MAHARAJ further under guidance

of his Gurudev Jangali Maharaj is carrying away his Gurudev's karya (

VISHWATMAK KARYA ) in all the directions and for benefits and total

awakening among human beings in all aspects, Guruji has established

many ashrams at various places, where Kokamthan ashram which is

situated 7km away from Shirdi's Saibaba temple towards KOPARGAON road

in KOKAMTHAN village is the main ashram. Each ashram has a full daily

program of activities including Meditation, Satsang, Dhyaan Yog

Shibir, Gurukul (school from nursery to std XII).

 

 

 

S A D H A N A W I T H R I G H T A T T I T U D E

 

Every one has to do his Sadhana himself, Guru will direct him,

make him aware of the pitfalls on the path but he cannot do Sadhana

for the disciple. This Sadhana should be done with proper Bhava

(attitude). If the service is done with Bhava (Narayana Bhava) towards

the sick and the afflicted, it would be first class Sadhana. But if

the same service is done without that Bhava it brings almost no

result. With this consideration one who wants to tread the path of

Sadhana should become a pacca disciple and proceed step by step on the

path with the determination not to step back even once. Remember

again, two things, Bhava and Shraddha (faith) are essential for any

progress so i humbly suggests following stages.

 

 

 

H U M I L I T Y

 

Believe oneself to be the Sandals of the Guru. One must

believe firmly that one is no more than the shoes of Gurudev. This

should be the real Bhava from the bottom of the heart and one should

behave accordingly. By being saturated with this Bhava, one gets some

satisfaction that one is at the feet of Gurudev and that he is able

to, or rather has been given, opportunity to protect his feet. Just as

shoes do not remain quite long on the feet of Gurudev, one is not able

to maintain this Bhava for a longer time in the beginning. In being

his shoes one learns the most important quality of humility and gets

over the evil of Abhiman (ego). This Abhiman is the greatest hindrance

to progress in any path, and more so in the spiritual path. In similar

way, one must guard oneself from that subtle Abhiman that one is a

prominent disciple of Guruji. In this process one shall cultivate

humility and eradicate Abhiman with all its possible forms.When one

thinks that one is well-established in this stage, then would begin

the second stage.

 

 

 

HIS HOLINESS PARAM PUJYA VISHWATMAK OM GURUDEV

 

 

 

I N S T R U M E N T A L I T Y

 

Believe oneself to be the Danda (stick) that Gurudev holds in

his hand.One must think oneself to be nothing more than a stick, as it

were, in the hands of Gurudev. This stick does not do anything by

itself. It only does the thing that is done by the hands of Gurudev.

In the same way, cultivate the Bhav that one is only an instrument in

the hands of Gurudev and whatever is done by that instrument is done

by the life behind, i.e., Gurudev. One should thereby cultivate

Nimitta Bhav (nominal disposition). Keep fit so that the Guru can use

you as his instrument as he choose. If this Bhava gets established

then the pride of " Doership " & #8212; " I did this, " " I am doing such and such a

thing, " " I am going to do this thing next year " will vanish. The knife

is cutting but cannot say that it is operating. It is the surgeon who

operates, the knife being the instrument. One must become a sharp

knife in the hands of the Master Surgeon (Sadguru). He will do the

finest operation of our " ego-dectomy. " Because of this Bhava of being

the stick one may have the satisfaction of being of some service to

him and one shall have the privilege of being in his hand.

 

 

 

S E L F S U R R E N D E R

 

Believe to be the pen with which he is writing. One must write

about him and for him. It is not the pen that is writing but the hand

which holds the pen. Pen is only the instrument. It writes what the

mind dictates. One must surrender the mind to Gurudev and only write

what the Master Mind dictates to the pen, & #8212;oneself. His mind shall be

the ruling mind. One should have no independent existence, i.e.,

complete surrender to Gurudev.

 

 

 

B E L I E V E T O B E H I S S P E C T A C L E S

 

If one's glasses are dirty, one cannot see properly. In the

same way, by being Gurudev's glasses let us clean the dirt in

ourselves first. This will make one quite pure. One must feel that his

X'ray eyes would see the slightest dirt in ourselves and therefore the

necessity of self-cleansing. It is not the glasses that see but the

eyes. Glasses are only an aid. If one is Gurudev's glasses one must

see things as he sees. One must adjust one's vision according to his.

In this Bhava one is in Gurudev's company for the greater part of the

time as the glasses are in use for a long time and by this time one

has raised oneself to that stage as to be in Sattvic mood for the

greater period than in the beginning.If one has passed through all

these stages with proper Bhava, one may consider oneself to be the

" upper cloth " for Gurudev and be always nearer to his heart. When one

reaches nearer to Gurudev's heart, I think life's Sadhana is over. It

is at this stage that Gurudev's real blessings will grace us. Let us

be prepared to earn this now, in this very life only.

 

 

 

M E D I T A T I O N

 

A state of Meditation is acquired by practice. The tranquility

of mind cannot be obtained overnight. It is a gradual process and

requires patience with oneself. You are dealing with your own demons.

Human mind is the most powerful gift that the Creator has given

mankind. We are unable to fully understand, forget utilise the mental

powers given to us, because, our mental powers are distributed into

thousands of thoughts that constantly crowd our mind. This decreases

our concentration, makes one impatient and many times unable to

comprehand a simple situation due to mental fatigue.

 

Meditation opens the awarness to infinite reservior of energy,

creativity and intelligence that lies deep within everyone.

Transcendental Meditation or Mantra Meditation when most people

hear the word meditation, they often think of transcendental

meditation or similar practices used to evoke the relaxation response.

In these approaches you focus attention on one thing, usually the

sensation of breath leaving and entering your body or a mantra (a

special sound or phrase you repeat silently to yourself). Anything

else that comes into your mind during meditation is seen as a

distraction to be disregarded. These practices can give rise to very

deep states of calmness and stability of attention. They are known as

the concentration, or " one-pointed, " type of meditation--what

Buddhists call shamatha or samadhi practices. How to meditate ?

 

The most essential requirements for meditation are: a calm

atmosphere to an extent possible, an object of concentration, a mind

that is empty of thought and a comfortable posture. One can sit in

Padmasana (the lotus posture) or ardhapadmasan (sukhasan). This two

asanas are recomended for their ease, it allows a person to sit in

this position for longer period of time.

 

If you sit on the ground, sit on the woolen blanket. The body

should not come in contact with the ground. The reason for this is

when a person starts meditating, the body produces energy. To conserve

this energy in the body itself and not to get loose the energy to the

earthing in the ground, blanket proves to be a bad conductor of heat.

Close the eyes and relax your body. The vetebral column should be

straight and you should sit erect. When you close your eyes hundreds

of thoughts will crowd your mind. Just watch these thoughts, more and

more thoughts will flood your mind. Then start vacating your mind of

these thoughts. Visualize as if you are sweeping aside all the

thoughts and the floor of your mind is clean. Visualize that the

floor of your mind is clean. Breath deep breath and start

concentrating on your breathing. The more you try to empty your

thoughts, more thoughts will crowd your mind. Tell yourself that you

are going to sit there in this position for as much as time you have

decided to meditate and that it can think or all the things it wants

to, or just try to concentrate on the breathing and relax. After some

struggle your mind will start listening to you. It will start relaxing

and stop thinking of all the mundane things that had bothered you

during the day. Start concentrating on your breathing. It you have

been initiated by any spiritual teacher, then you could breath your

spiritual mantra ( Guru-Mantra ) in and out. You can also breathe in

and out the name of the Almighty God. Or you could breathe in the name

of Almighty God and count numbers as you breathe out. At first,

medtation is cleansing of your mind, of unlearning all the emotions

that have eaten away at your mental strength. But with time, you will

be able to increase the counts of breaths. Later on you may not even

need to count it. You can then read some beautiful holy book and then

in the state of awareness, when you are in control of your mind, you

can analyse that verse. The highest state of meditaiotn is when you

are able to achieve thoughtlessness, meaning that your mind is

thoughtless. In this state you will be very relaxed and all your

mental powers will be relinquished.

 

Meditation improves concentration, memory, will power,

tolerance and patience. It improves creativity in person. People

practising meditation has good control over their emotions and can

judge when to dispens their emotions, instead of being swept away by

them. They are not perturbed by trivial things and are able to think

of solutions to problems with clear minds as they are in control of

their emotions. Hope this information can help you start on the path

of meditation, and bring you peace and happiness.

 

There is no Knowledge without Meditation. The aspirant churns

his own soul. Truth becomes manifest. Through regular meditation, you

gradually grow in spirituality. The divine flame grows brighter and

brighter. Meditation gradually offers you the eternal light and

intuition. By constant practice of concentration and meditation, the

mind becomes as transparent and pure as a crystal. The din of the

strife for things mundane becomes smaller and smaller as one recedes

inside. There are laws on the new plane. The music is different. The

notes are very sweet. There is a perpetual pervading of something

better. The lustre of spiritual awakening changes the perspective and

one seeks devotedly that which will bring him real lasting joy and

peace in the long run. Therefore, the seeking of material and

immediate advantages becomes less urgent. Meditation leads you more

and more inward, from the gross to the subtle, from the subtle to the

subtler, from the subtler to the subtlest, the Supreme Spirit. Going

beyond the consciousness of the body by meditating on the Lord, one

attains the universal lordship. All his desires are satisfied.

Meditation is the only right royal way for attaining immortality and

eternal bliss. Peace and bliss are not to be found in books, churches,

or monasteries. It is realised when Knowledge of Atman dawns. Why do

you read many books? It is of no use. The great book is within your

heart. Open the pages of this inexhaustible book, the source of all

knowledge. You will know everything. All names and forms vanish in

deep meditation. There is consciousness of infinite space. This also

disappears. There is a state of nothingness. Suddenly dawns

illumination, Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

 

 

 

O T H E R T Y P E S O F M E D I T A T I O N

 

Padhastha (From feet onwards)

Meditation on the feet of Hari or spiritual teacher (Sadguru) is

called Padastha Meditation.

 

Pindastha (From Chakras onwards)

Meditation on the presiding deities of chakras or on the form of

spiritual teacher is called Pindastha meditation.

 

Rupastha (Meditation on universal form)

Meditation done thinking Sun and Moon in the eyes and universal

form of God in the hear is called Rupastha Meditation.

 

Rupatheeth (Meditation on formless God or ATMAN)

Meditation on the formless all pervading Atman is called

Rupatheeth Meditation.

 

Meditation should be natural and spontaneous. When a women is

pregnant with, she always thinks, and remember that she is pregnant.

Just similar to this our meditation should be natural.

 

 

 

M A N T R A D I K S H A

 

The significance of incantation of Mantra has been gloriously

extolled in the scriptures. Sadhaka can attain higher planes of

spiritual consciousness by regular incantation of Mantra (sacred

syllable) initiated by an enlightened Guru. Mantra initiation is the

confluence of the Sadhaka's faith as well as Guru's grace.

 

It is essential to have Mantra initiation for each and every

Sadhaka from an enlightened Guru, for without it one may practice

various types of Sadhanas even for a number of lives and still not

attain liberation.

 

Mantra initiation is in one sense transmission of spiritual

energy, Shaktipata or imparting of knowledge on part of the Guru and

awakening of the dormant powers or revelations of knowledge on part of

the disciple. Therefore, some devotees who may have deep devotional

feelings, intense aspiration, and good faith do not reap the fruits of

the divine grace or experience " Spirituality " first hand as much as a

disciple having Mantra Initiation from an enlightened Guru does.

 

A Sadhaka may practice any kind of Sadhana independently,

including rigorous penance, regular incantation of Mantra, etc. cannot

progress as easily and quickly as an initiated disciple of a Sadguru.

Mantra initiation increases the receptive power of the disciple to

make Shaktipata more effective. It can also bestow subtle powers and

if the Sadhaka is not impressed by these Yogic powers (Sidhhis) which

come to him unasked, but continue his Sadhana neglecting them, he can

definitely attain Self-Knowledge, and become a Poorna Yogi.

 

By a constant practice of mantra incantation, a Sadhaka is

able to remove all kinds of sorrows and sufferings from his life. The

reason for this is that old depressing thoughts are replaced, if not

diverted by the new invigorating thoughts generated by constant

repetition of the mantra. A great saint, Sant Tukaram used to say,

" There is no Sadhana superior than that of mantra " . It is my clarion

call to all that they should chant Lord's name whether they practice

other Sadhanas or not. No other Sadhana is required for one who chants

Lord's name with diligence and sincere faith. "

 

No evil spirit can ever possess one who has received mantra

initiation and who chants the mantra in in the correct way as shown by

the Satguru. Nothing in this world can cause grief and pain to a

Sadhaka who chants his given mantra with utmost faith and sincerity.

 

Priority is given to Mantra incantations in Upasanas

(worship). In order to make a mantra for a particular deity, one has

to place 'OM' as prefix and 'Namah' as a suffix and the name of that

deity in between as the root. Apparently, mantra chanting seems a very

small neams as a separate worship, but its power and influence is

enormous. Our ancestors, great sages and saints have obtained

international acclaim only by the power of mastering the mantra given

by their Satguru. 'Japist' (one who chants the mantra) must maintain a

constant stream of the same divine thoughts in his mind (the meaning

of his mantra), thereby increasing his concentration. This alone is

the underlying reason for chanting of mantra.

 

During every previous day of Poornima i.e., CHAUDAS (14

th day of every month), the process of " MANTRA-DISKHA " takes

place in Kokamthan ashram (Kopargaon). Follow on the path of

Self Knowledge according to Guruji's teachings. Get Mantra

Initiation... Practice Japa regularly, and see what happens.

 

 

 

I N I T I A T I O N I T S M E A N I N G

 

A Bhakta will be initiated by a Bhakta saint in the path of

devotion. A Jnani will initiate a student of Vedanta in the

Mahavakyas. A Hatha Yogi or a Raja Yogi can initiate another in his

particular path. But, a sage of perfect realisation, a Purna-jnani

(full-blown sage) or Purna-yogi, can give initiation in any particular

path. A sage or saint like Sri Sankara or Madhusudana Sarasvati can

initiate a Sadhak in any particular path for which the aspirant is

fit. The Guru will find out by close study of the aspirant his tastes,

temperaments, and capacity, and decide for him the most suitable path.

If his heart is impure, the teacher will prescribe selfless service

for a number of years. Then the Guru will find out for what particular

path the student is fit and initiate him in that. Initiation does not

mean reciting a Mantra into another's ears. If Rama is influenced by

the thoughts of Krishna, the former has got initiation already from

the latter. If an aspirant treads the path of truth after studying the

books written by a saint, and imbibes his teachings, that saint has

already become his Guru.

 

 

 

G R A C E A N D S E L F E F F O R T

 

Realisation cannot come to you as a miracle done by your Guru.

Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus, Rama Tirtha have all done Sadhana. Lord

Krishna asks Arjuna to develop Vairagya (dispassion) and Abhyasa

(practice). He did not say to him, " I will give you Mukti (liberation)

now " . Therefore, abandon the wrong notion that your Guru will give you

Samadhi and Mukti. Strive, purify, meditate, and realise. Guru-kripa

grace of a Guru is very necessary. That does not mean that the

disciple should sit idle. He must do rigid Purushartha, spiritual

practices. The whole work must be done by the student. Nowadays,

people want a drop of water from the Kamandalu (water-pot) of a

Sannyasin and desire to enter into Samadhi immediately. They are not

prepared to undergo any Sadhana for purification and Self-realisation.

They want a magic pill to push them into Samadhi. If you have got such

delusion, give it up immediately. The Guru and the Shastras can show

you the path and remove your doubts. Anubhava (direct experience) of

the Aparoksha kind or direct intuitive knowledge is left for your own

experience. A hungry man will have to eat for himself. He who has a

severe itching will have to scratch for himself. No doubt, the Guru's

blessing can do everything. But how can one have his blessings? By

pleasing the Guru. A Guru can be pleased with his disciple only if the

latter carries out his spiritual instructions implicitly. Carefully

follow,therefore the instructions of the Guru. Act up to his

instructions. Then only will you deserve his blessings, and then alone

his blessings can do everything.

 

If you focus the rays of the sun through a lens, they can

burn cotton or a piece of paper; but, the scattered rays cannot do

this act. If you want to talk to a man at a distance, you make a

funnel of your hand and speak. The sound-waves are collected at one

point and then directed towards the man. He can hear your speech very

clearly. The water is converted into steam and the steam is

concentrated at a point. The railway engine moves. All these are

instances of concentrated waves. Even so, if you collect the

dissipated rays of the mind and focus them at a point, you will have

wonderful concentration. The concentrated mind will serve as a potent

searchlight to find out the treasures of the soul and attain the

supreme wealth of Atman (the Self), eternal bliss, immortality and

perennial joy. Real Raja Yoga starts from concentration. Concentration

merges in meditation. concentration is a portion of meditation.

Meditation follows concentration. Samadhi (superconscious state)

follows mediation. The Jivanmukti (liberated being) state follows the

attainment of Nirvikalpa Samadhi which is free from allthoughts of

duality. Jivanmukti leads to emancipation from the wheel of birth and

death. Therefore, concentration is the first and foremost thing a

Sadhaka or aspirant should acquire in the spiritual path. You are born

to concentrate the mind on God after collecting the mental rays that

are dissipated on various objects. That is your important duty. You

forget the duty on account of Moha for family, children, money, power,

position, respect, name and fame. Concentration of the mind on God

after purification can give you real happiness and knowledge. You are

born for this purpose only. You are carried away to external objects

through attachment and infatuated (moha) love.

 

 

 

HIS HOLINESS PARAM PUJYA VISHWATMAK OM GURUDEV

 

 

 

W H A T I S C O N C E N T R A T I O N ?

 

Once a Sanskrit scholar approached Kabir and asked him, & #8220;O

Kabir, what are you doing now? " . Kabir replied, " O Pandit, I am

detaching the mind from worldly objects and attaching it to the

lotus-feet of the Lord " . This is concentration. Concentration or

Dharana is centering the mind on one single thought. Vedantins try to

fix the mind on the Atman. This is their Dharana. Hatha Yogins and

Raja Yogins concentrate their mind on the six Chakras (energy

centres). Bhaktas concentrate on their Ishta Devata (tutelary diety).

Concentration is a great necessity for all aspirants. During

concentration, the various rays of the mind are collected and focussed

on the object of concentration. There will be no tossing of the mind.

One idea occupies the mind. The whole energy of the mind is

concentrated on that one idea. The senses become still. They do not

function. When there is deep concentration, there is no consciousness

of the body and surroundings. When you study a book with profound

interest, you do not hear if a man shouts and calls you by your name.

You do not see a person when he stands in front of you. You do not

smell the sweet fragrance of flowers that are placed on the table by

your side. This is concentration or one-pointedness of mind. The mind

is fixed firmly on one thing. You must have such a deep concentration

when you think of God or the Atman. Everybody possesses some ability

to concentrate. Everybody does concentrate to a certain extent when he

reads a book, when he writes a letter, when he plays tennis, and in

fact, when he does any kind of work. But, for spiritual purposes,

concentration should be developed to an infinite degree. There is

great concentration when you play cards or chess, but the mind is not

filled with pure and divine thoughts. The mental contents are of an

undesirable nature. You can hardly experience the divine thrill,

ecstasy, and elevation when the mind is filled with impure thoughts.

Every object has its own mental associations. You will have to fill up

the mind with sublime, spiritual thoughts. Then only the mind will be

expurgated of all worldly thoughts. The picture of Lord Jesus or

Buddha or Lord Krishna is associated with sublime, soul-stirring

ideas; chess and cards are associated with ideas of gambling, cheating

and so forth.

 

 

 

O B J E C T S O F C O N C E N T R A T I O N

 

Sit on any comfortable pose. Place a picture of your Ishta

Devata in front of you. Look at the picture with a steady gaze. Then

close your eyes and visualise the picture in the centre of your heart

or in the space between the eyebrows. When the picture fades out in

your mental vision, open the eyes and gaze at the picture again. Close

your eyes after a few seconds and repeat the process. It is easy to

concentrate the mind on external objects. The mind has a natural

tendency to go outwards. In the beginning stage of practice, you can

concentrate on a black dot. on the wall, a candle flame, a bright

star, the moon, or any other object that is pleasing to the mind. The

mind should be trained to concentrate on gross objects in the

beginning; and later on, you can successfully concentrate on subtle

objects and abstract ideas. There is no concentration without

something to rest the mind upon. Concentrate on anything that appeals

to you as good or anything which the mind likes best. It is very

difficult to fix the mind, in the beginning, on any object which the

mind dislikes. Practise various sorts of concentration. This will

train or discipline your mind wonderfully. Now concentrate on the

Himalayas, a very great object. Then concentrate on a mustard or a

pin-point. Now concentrate on a distant object. Then concentrate on a

near object. Now concentrate on a color, sound, touch, smell, or

taste. Then concentrate on the 'tik-tik' of a watch. Now concentrate

on the virtue & #8216;mercy & #8217;. Then concentrate on the virtue 'patience'.

Now

concentrate on the Sloka, " Jyotishamai Tat Jyotih & #8221;. Then concentrate

on " Satyam Jnanam Anantam " . Now concentrate on the image of Lord

Shiva. Then concentrate on the & #8220;Aham Brahmasmi " Mahavakya.

 

 

 

A N U P H I L L T A S K F O R T H E B E G I N N E R

 

For a neophyte, the practice of concentration is disgusting

and tiring in the beginning. He has to cut new grooves in the mind and

brain. After some months, he will get great interest in concentration.

He will enjoy a new kind of happiness, the concentration-Ananda

(bliss). He will become restless if he fails to enjoy this new kind of

happiness even for one day. The vital point in concentration is to

bring the mind to the same point or object again by limiting its

movements in a small circle in the beginning. That is the main aim. A

time will come when the mind will stick to one point alone. This is

the fruit of your constant and protracted Sadhana. The joy is

indescribable now. Concentration will increase by lessening the number

of thoughts. Certainly, it is an uphill work to reduce the number of

thoughts. Just as you will have to take back with care your cloth that

is fallen on a thorny plant by removing the thorns one by one slowly,

so also, you will have to collect back with care and exertion the

dissipated rays of the mind that are thrown over the sensual objects

for very many years. In the beginning, it will tax you much. The task

will be very unpleasant.

 

 

 

A M E N T A L P R O C E S S, N O T A M U S C U L A R

 

E X E R C I S E

 

Concentration is purely a mental process. It needs an inward

turning of the mind. It is not a muscular exercise. There should be no

undue strain on the brain. You should not fight and wrestle with the

mind violently. When you concentrate on any object, avoid tension

anywhere in the body or mind. Think gently of the object in a

continuous manner. Do not allow the mind to wander away.

 

 

 

H O W T O I N C R E A S E Y O U R P O W E R O F

 

C O N C E N T R A T I O N

 

Concentration can be done only if you are free from all

distractions. A man whose mind is filled with passion and all sorts of

fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any object even for a

second. His mind will be jumping like an old monkey. Japa of any

Mantra and Pranayama (breathing exercise) will steady the mind, remove

tossing, and increase the power of concentration. Too much physical

exertion, too much talking, too much eating, too much mixing with the

opposite sex and undesirable persons, too much walking, will cause

distraction of mind. Those who practice concentration must abandon

these things. Whatever work you do, do with perfect concentration.

Never leave the work without finishing it completely. When you sit for

prayers and meditation, never think of your office work. When you work

in the office, never think of the child who is sick or of any other

household work. When you take bath, do not think of games. When you

sit for meals, do not think of the work that is pending in the office.

You must train yourself to attend to the work on hand with perfect

one- pointedness. Celibacy, Pranayama, reduction of wants and

activities, renunciation of objects, solitude, silence, discipline of

the senses, annihilation of lust and greed, control of anger,

non-mixing with undesirable persons, giving up of the newspaper habit

and of visiting cinemas, all these pave a long way in increasing the

power of concentration. You must try to be always cheerful and

peaceful. Then only you will have concentration of mind. The practice

of friendship with equals, compassion towards inferiors or distressed

persons, complacency towards superiors or virtuous persons, and

indifference towards sinners or wicked persons will produce

cheerfulness or serenity and destroy hatred, jealousy, and dislike.

You should have real and intense thirst for God-realisation. Then all

obstacles will be obviated. Concentration will be quite easy for you

then. Mere emotional bubbling for the time being out of sheer

curiosity, or for attaining psychic powers, cannot bring any tangible

result.

 

 

 

C O N C E N T R A T I O N A N D P R A N A Y A M A

 

The practice of concentration and the practice of Pranayama

are interdependent. If you practice Pranayama, you will get

concentration. Natural Pranayama follows the practice of

concentration. A Hatha Yogi practises Pranayama and then controls the

mind. He rises upwards from below. A Raja Yogi practises concentration

and thus controls his Prana. He comes downwards from above. They both

meet on a common platform in the end. There are different practices

according to the different capacities, tastes, and temperaments. To

some, the practice of Pranayama will be easy to start with; to others,

the practice of concentration will be easier. The latter had already

practised Pranayama in their previous births. Therefore they take up,

in this birth, the higher limb of Yoga, i.e., concentration.

 

 

 

I M P O R T A N C E O F A N E T H I C A L B A S I S

 

Purify the mind first through the practice of right conduct

and then take to the practice of concentration. Concentration without

purity of mind is of no avail. Some foolish, impatient students take

to concentration at once without in any manner undergoing any

preliminary training in ethics. This is a serious blunder. There are

some occultists who have concentration. But, they have no good

character. That is the reason why they do not make any progress in the

spiritual line.

 

 

 

C O N C E N T R A T I O N - T H E M A S T E R - K E Y T O

 

S U C C E S S

 

Nothing is impossible to a man who practices regular

concentration. It helps the scientists and professors to do great

research work. It helps the doctor and the lawyer to do much work and

earn more money. It develops will-power and memory; it sharpens and

brightens the intellect. Concentration bestows serenity or calmness of

mind, inner spiritual strength, patience, great capacity to turn out

tremendous work, alacrity, acumen, agility, beautiful complexion,

sweet voice, brilliant eyes, powerful voice and speech, power to

influence others and attract people, cheerfulness, joy, bliss of soul,

supreme peace. It removes restlessness, agitation of mind, laziness.

It makes you fearless and unattached. It helps you to attain God-

realisation. The more is the mind fixed on God the more is the

strength you will acquire. More concentration means more energy.

Concentration opens the inner chambers of love or the realm of

eternity. Concentration is a source of spiritual strength. Be slow and

steady in concentration. By practice of concentration, you will become

superhuman. Those who practice concentration off and on will have a

steady mind only occasionally. Sometimes the mind will begin to wander

and will be quite unfit for application. You must have a mind that

will obey you at all times sincerely and carry out all your commands

in the best possible manner at any time. Steady and systematic

practice of Raja Yoga will make the mind very obedient and faithful.

You will be successful in every attempt. You will never meet with

failure.Bliss is the essential nature of man.

 

The central fact of man's being is his inherent divinity.

Man's essential nature is divine, the awareness of which he has lost

because of his animal propensities and the veil of ignorance. Man, in

his ignorance, identifies himself with the body, mind, Prana and the

senses. Transcending these, he becomes one with Brahman or the

Absolute who is pure bliss. Brahman or the Absolute is the fullest

reality, the completest consciousness. That beyond which there is

nothing, that which is the innermost Self of all is Atman or Brahman.

The Atman is the common Consciousness in all beings. A thief, a

prostitute, a scavenger, a king, a rogue, a saint, a dog, a cat, a

rat-all have the same common Atman. There is apparent, fictitious

difference in bodies and minds only. There are differences in colours

and opinions. But, the Atman is the same in all. If you are very rich,

you can have a steamer, a train, an airship of your own for your own

selfish interests. But, you cannot have an Atman of your own. The

Atman is common to all. It is not an individual's sole registered

property. The Atman is the one amidst the many. It is constant amidst

the forms which come and go. It is the pure, absolute, essential

Consciousness of all the conscious beings. The source of all life, the

source of all knowledge is the Atman, thy innermost Self. This Atman

or Supreme Soul is transcendent, inexpressible, uninferable,

unthinkable, indescribable, the ever-peaceful, all-blissful. There is

no difference between the Atman and bliss. The Atman is bliss itself.

God, perfection, peace, immortality, bliss are one. The goal of life

is to attain perfection, immortality or God. The nearer one approaches

the Truth, the happier one becomes. For, the essential nature of Truth

is positive, absolute bliss. There is no bliss in the finite. Bliss is

only in the Infinite. Eternal bliss can be had only from the eternal

Self. To know the Self is to enjoy eternal bliss and everlasting

peace. Self-realisation bestows eternal existence, absolute knowledge,

and perennial bliss. None can be saved without Self-realisation. The

quest for the Absolute should be undertaken even sacrificing the

dearest object, even life, even courting all pain. Study philosophical

books as much as you like, deliver lectures and lectures throughout

your global tour, remain in a Himalayan cave for one hundred years,

practise Pranayama for fifty years, you cannot attain emancipation

without the realisation of the oneness of the Self.

 

 

 

W H A T M O K S H A I M P L I E S

 

Oneness of Self or oneness of Existence is Reality, and the

realisation of this Reality is Moksha. Moksha is the breaking down of

the barriers that constitute separate existence. Moksha is the

absolute state of Being, where the unity of all-pervading and

all-permeating consciousness is realised with certainty, like that of

an orange which we see in our palm. Moksha is not an attainment of

liberation from an actual state of bondage, but is the realisation of

the liberation which already exists. It is freedom from the false

notion of bondage. The individual soul feels itself to be in bondage

on account of ignorance caused by the power of Avidya. When the false

belief caused by delusion is removed by Knowledge of Atman, the state

of Moksha is realised then and there, in this very life. It is not to

follow after death. The cause of delusion is the desire in man. The

desires generate the thought-waves, and the thought-waves veil the

real nature of the Soul which is blissful, immortal, and eternal. When

the desires are annihilated, Knowledge of Brahman dawns on the

individual. Knowledge of Brahman is not an action. You cannot reach

Brahman even as you cannot reach yourself except by knowing yourself.

Knowledge of Brahman is absolute and direct. It is intuitive experience.

 

 

 

R E A S O N A N D I N T U I T I O N

 

Intuition dawns like a flash. It does not grow bit by bit. The

immediate knowledge through intuition unites the individual soul with

the Supreme Soul. Intuition merges the subject and the object of

knowledge, together with the process of knowing, into the Absolute

where there is no duality. In intuition, time becomes eternity, space

becomes infinity. Intuitive knowledge alone is the highest knowledge.

It is the imperishable, infinite knowledge of Truth. Sense-knowledge

is a knowledge of appearance, and not of Truth. Sensing is false

knowledge and intuition is right knowledge. You can attain Atma-Jnana

or Knowledge of the Self through intuition and intuition alone.

Without developing intuition, the intellectual man remains imperfect.

Intellect has not got that power to get into the inner chamber of

Truth. Intellect functions in the realm of duality, but is powerless

in the realm of non-duality. Mind and intellect are finite

instruments. Reason is finite. It cannot penetrate the Infinite.

Intuition alone can penetrate the Infinite. The scientific attempts to

prove the Infinite are futile. The only scientific method here is the

intuitional. Meditation leads to intuition. Meditation is the key to

unfold the divinity or Atman hidden in all names and forms.

 

 

 

T H E B L I S S O F S A M A D H I

 

Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the realisation of the highest value.

During Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the Reality is intuited in all its

wholeness. It is the experience of oneness with the Absolute. You have

Brahmic superconsciousness, in place of the stilled

Jiva-consciousness. Experience of fullness is called Samadhi. It is

freedom from misery. It is bliss absolute. Samadhi is not the

abolition of personality. It is the completion of personality. In that

state of supreme illumination, you feel the oneness of subject and

object. You see nothing else, hear nothing else, know nothing else.

The knowledge simply illumines. It does not require you to do

something after that illumination. To know is to be. Knowing and being

cannot be separated. Chit and Sat are one and the same. Where absolute

knowledge and absolute existence prevail, there is also absolute

bliss. The bliss of Self-realisation cannot be described in words.

Tranquillity which nothing can touch, supreme peace without a ruffle,

light and bliss unalloyed-such is the glimpse of Self-realisation.

 

Sensual pleasure is nothing when compared with the bliss of

meditation and Samadhi. Rise from the sense-life. Awake and realise

that you are the pure, immortal Atman. Behold the one Atman in all

beings and attain immortality and bliss eternal. Hear all about Atman

or Soul. Then understand the Atman. Then reflect on the Atman. Then

meditate on the Atman. Then realise the Atman. Tat Tvam Asi. That Thou

Art. Thou art Atman! Atman art Thou. Realise this and be free. Nothing

can hinder thee from the realisation of thy essential nature.

Self-realisation is not an invention. It is only discovery of the

Self. It is knowing one's Self. It is awareness. Self-realisation is

nothing to be attained afresh. You need not reach or attain the Atman

or the Self. You are, indeed, the Atman or Supreme Self. Only, you

will have to open your inner eyes. The Vedanta philosophy summons the

individual to his own freedom, glory, and dignity. Know this source of

freedom, the root of bliss, and be free. Bliss is, indeed, thy

essential nature. Bliss is your birthright. You are a glorious heir to

bliss infinite. Realise this bliss right now, in this very second.

Look not outside for light, peace, joy, and bliss, but look within.

Moksha or salvation is neither in heaven nor in Mt. Kailas. The

inexhaustible, supreme divine treasure, the Atmic pearl, is locked up

in the chambers of your own heart, in the casket of silence. Discover

the true Reality in the very heart of your own subjectivity, in the

very depth of your own being.

 

 

 

M A Y A A N D M I N D

 

There is no duality in Reality. All modification is illusory.

Multiplicity is an illusion. Maya projects multiplicity. Maya creates

division, division between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul.

Maya is a tremendous, delusive power of God. Maya is the material

stuff of this world. Maya is the source of the physical universe. This

world of names and forms is a false show kept up by the jugglery of

Maya. Just as a stick burning at one end, when waved round quickly,

produces an illusion of a circle of fire, Alata Chakra, so is it with

the multiplicity of the world. Maya deludes us. Maya havocs through

the mind. The things that we perceive all round us are only mind in

form or substance. The world is a product of the mind. The whole world

is an expansion of the mind. The entire universe arises and exists in

the mind. Nothing of the world is outside the mind. Earth, mountains,

and rivers-all are fragments of the mind, appearing as it were to

exist outside. The world does not exist by itself. It is not seen

without the aid of the mind. It disappears when the mind ceases to

function. It is imagination alone that assumes the forms of time,

space, and motion. Space and time have no independent status apart

from Brahman or the Self, which is Awareness. There is no space

without time, and there is no time without space. Space and time go

together. Space and time areinterdependent. They are unreal. Time and

space are mental creations. Time and space are mental projections,

unreal as dreams. However real they may seem to be, they are not

ultimately real. Timeless, spaceless Brahman is the only Reality.

Brahman alone is. It is Brahman alone that shines as the world of

variegated objects, like waves differentiating the water into many

kinds of foam, bubbles, etc. Brahman appears as the world when

cognised through the mind and the senses.

 

 

 

M A T T E R A N D S P I R I T

 

This whole universe is the body of God. This entire world is

God or Virat Svarupa. This world is not a world of dead matter, but a

living Presence. This world is a manifestation of the Spirit. The

fundamental error of all ages is the belief that the spiritual world

and the material are separate. Spirit and matter are neither different

nor separable. Matter is Spirit cognised through the senses. Matter is

spirit in manifestation. Matter is Spirit in motion. Matter is power

of the Lord. Matter is dynamic aspect of the static Lord. The world is

an expression of Brahman, the Absolute. This world is a shadow of

Brahman. It is an overflow of the bliss of Brahman. It is an emanation

of God. It is a manifestation of God. It is a reflection of God. The

world is charged with the splendour, glory, and grandeur of God. God

is the one light that shines in various forms. He is the one voice

that speaks in various languages. He is the one life that thrills

through every atom in the universe. God fills everywhere. God is

equally and fully contained in all things. The world is a play of God.

God, the warp and the woof, is blended with the world. As there is no

difference between gold and ornaments, so there is no difference

between God and the universe. God is the relisher. He Himself is the

relish. The world is not different from God. God is within and without

everything. There is no place where God is not. Everything is God, and

there is nothing but God.

 

 

 

I S T H E W O R L D U N R E A L ?

 

In reality, there is no world. It is a mere appearance, like

the snake in the rope. All names and forms are unreal like the shadow,

like water in the mirage, blueness in the sky. The unreality of the

world is the truth in the ultimate analysis. But, in relative

existence, one cannot deny it. It is quite real from the empirical

standpoint. This world is not absolutely unreal, because you

experience it, you feel it. It is not absolutely real also, because it

vanishes when you attain wisdom. This world is unreal: for whom? and

when? For a liberated sage alone, this world is unreal. It is a solid

reality for a worldly man. When you wake up alone, the dream becomes

unreal. When you are dreaming, the dream is quite real to you. This

world is unreal. But in what sense? Is it as unreal as the horn of a

hare or a barren woman's son or the lotus in the sky? No. It is not as

much solid or reality as Brahman is. When compared with Brahman, It is

unreal. It Is mere appearance. Creation is the appearance of the Lord,

who is one, as many. Atman, who is one and immutable by nature, seems

to have assumed innumerable forms. Brahman or the Absolute manifests

Itself as the universe through forms.

 

 

 

T H E R I D D L E O F E V I L

 

This world is God's revelation of Himself. His bliss or joy

assumes all these forms. All life is alike. The universal heart beats

in the minutest life. The Lord breathes in all life. Just as one

thread penetrates all flowers in a garland, so also, one Self

penetrates all these living beings. Behold this one Self in all. Serve

all. Love all. Be kind to all. Give up the idea of diversity. The

world is neither good nor bad. The mind creates good and evil.

Thinking makes it so. To the good, the world is full of good; but to

the bad, the world is full of evil. The evil is not in the world. It

is in the mind. Man sees only the reflection of his mind. If you

become perfect, the world will appear good. Behold the Lord always, in

everything. You will see no evil. You will see good everywhere. You

will find peace.

 

 

 

U N I T Y O F E X I S T E N C E

 

One Soul abides in all. There is one humanity. There is one

brotherhood. There is one Atmahood. None is high. None is low. All are

equal. Vain are the distinctions. Man-made barriers should be

ruthlessly broken down. Then alone there will be peace in this world.

There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one

religion, the religion of love. There is only one commandment, the

commandment of truthfulness. There is only one law, the law of cause

and effect. There is only one God, the omnipresent, omnipotent,

omniscient Lord. There is only one language, the language of the heart

or the language of silence. All life is one. The world is one home.

All are members of one human family. All creation is an organic whole.

No man is independent of that whole. Man makes himself miserable by

separating himself from others. Separation is death. Unity is eternal

life. Cultivate cosmic love. Include all. Embrace all. Recognise the

worth of others. Destroy all barriers, racial, religious and natural

prejudices that separate man from man. Recognise the non-dual

principles, the immortal essence within all creatures. Protect animals.

 

Let all life be sacred. Then this world will be a paradise of

beauty, a heaven of peace and tranquillity. When one Atman dwells in

all living beings, then why do you hate others? Why do you sneer and

frown at others? Why do you use harsh words? Why do you try to rule

and domineer over others? Why do you exploit others? Why are you

intolerant? Is this not the height of your folly? In this not sheer

ignorance? Learn to live as members of a single family. Champion the

ideal of one humanity. Live in peace in one world. All are children of

God. The whole world is one family of God. Feel this. Realise this. Be

happy. Behold the One-in-all and all-in-One. Feel: " I am the all " and

" I am in all " . Feel: " All bodies are mine. The whole world is my body,

my sweet home " . Feel: " I work in all hands. I eat in all mouths " .

Feel: " I am the immortal Self in all " . Repeat these formulae mentally

several times daily. Repeat Om mentally and feel oneness of life or

unity of consciousness when you play football or tennis, when you

drink and eat, when you talk and sing, when you sit and walk, when you

bath and dress, when you write a letter, when you do work in the

office, when you answer calls of nature. Spiritualise every movement,

action, thought, and feeling. Transmute them into Yoga.

 

 

 

Y O G A A N D T H E P R A C T I C E O F R E L I G I O N

 

Yoga is a conscious and sustained attempt towards

self-perfection. The goal of Yoga is to calm the mind so that it may

mirror without distortion the Atman that is behind the mind. Restrain

the senses. Control the mind. Meditate regularly. Be a Yogi, be a

Yogi, be a Yogi. Live the Yogic life and spread the great doctrine.

You have forgotten to look within, to gaze within, to introspect,

concentrate and meditate, and so you are ignorant, you are lost in

darkness. Introspect.

 

Look within. Try to remove your defects. This is the real

Sadhana. This is the most difficult Sadhana. You will have to do it at

any cost. Intellectual development is nothing. It is more easy. Sit at

the Central Library, Baroda or Imperial Library, Calcutta for three to

six years with a dictionary by your side. You can develop your

intellect. But removal of defects needs a great deal of struggle for

many years. Many vicious habits will have to be rent asunder. There

are big Mandalesvars (Hindu spiritual head) who can deliver lectures

for a week on one Shloka of the Gita or the Upanishads. They command

respect, and yet they are disliked by the public, because they still

have great defects. They have not done much introspection. They have

not done drastic Sadhana to remove their defects. They have developed

only their intellect. What a great pity! True religion begins where

intellect ends.

 

An impure heart, a conceited intellect, cannot understand the

spirit of religion. Religion is a manifestation of the eternal glow of

the Spirit within man. The main purpose of religion is the unfoldment

of the divinity within man. Prayer and meditation are the chief

pillars of religion. A life of selfless service and sacrifice, with

regular prayer and meditation, is the highest religion. Practice of

religion is the practice of righteousness, goodness, justice, truth,

love, and purity. The righteous man is the truly religious man. The

ringing notes of religion are: Be good. Do good. Be pure. Be kind. Be

compassionate. Serve all. Love all. See God in all. The practice of

these precepts alone will awaken man to the consciousness of the unity

of existence and the realisation of the Divine Spirit within and

without. Religion is life. Life is sacrifice. One may meticulously

perform religious devotion, and yet be very irreligious at heart and

conduct. Religion should be a living experience in the life of man.

Religion is living, not speaking or showing. Real religion is the

religion of the heart. The heart must be purified first.

 

 

 

T H E P A T H O F S E L F L E S S S E R V I C E

 

Practice the religion of the heart. Build on the edifice of

love. Selfless service purifies the heart and opens it for the receipt

of divine light. Plunge in selfless service. Cheer up a man who is in

distress. Encourage a man when he is dispirited. Wipe the tears of the

afflicted. Remove the sorrow in a man by kind, loving words. Make a

man smile when he is in despair. Be a lamp to those who have lost

their way. Be a doctor and nurse to the ailing patients. Be a boat and

bridge to those who want to reach the other shore of fearlessness and

immortality. Do your duty to the best of your ability and leave the

rest to God. Do all your actions detachedly in a spirit of dedication

to the Divine. Then actions will not bind you. Your heart will be

purified. Spiritualise all your activities. Let your eyes look with

kindness, your tongue speak with sweetness, your hand touch with

softness. Be thou as compassionate as Buddha, as pure as Bhishma, as

truthful as Harischandra, as brave as Bhima. Feed your mind with

thoughts of God, your heart with purity, and your hands with selfless

service. Remain soaked in the remembrance of God with one-pointed mind.

 

 

 

G O A L O F L I F E

 

God has a Master-plan. We have our parts to play. Play out

your part well in the worldly play. But, do not fetter yourself. Keep

your mind steady on the lotus-feet of the Lord. You will swim in the

ocean of divine bliss. Have no attachment for this mortal body of

flesh and bone. Cast it off like a slough anywhere, just as the snake

throws away its skin. Make up your mind to give up the body at any

moment. Become absolutely fearless. As long as there is the least

Deha-Adhyasa, identification with the body, so long you cannot expect

Self-realisation. Exhibit undaunted spirit, intrepidity, and

manliness. Make a strong resolve: " I will die or realise " . Birth and

death, bondage and freedom, pleasure and pain, gain and loss, are

mental creations. Transcend the pairs of opposites. You were never

born. You will never die. Thou art the immortal Self always, O Prem!

Thou art ever free in the three periods of time. It is the physical

body that goes and comes. Recognise, O Prem, that you are the living

Truth.

 

Realise that you are always inseparable from the one essence

that is the substratum of all these illusory names and forms, these

false shadowy appearances. Get yourself firmly established in the

Brahman, the Light of lights. Nothing can disturb you now. You have

become invulnerable. Feel this. Feel this through intuition when you

enter into deep Samadhi or supreme silence, my child! The god of death

will tremble before you now. By your command the sun shines, the fire

burns, and the wind blows. By your command Indra, Prajapati, Agni, and

Varuna do their respective functions. Thou art beyond time, space, and

causation. You must not be afraid of Maya now. She is under your

perfect control now. Stand firm like the yonder rock. Be adamantine.

Move about in the world now like a lion and lift up the young,

struggling souls out of the mire of Samsara. Disseminate Knowledge of

the Self. Share it with others. Be catholic, liberal, universal,

all-inclusive. Love all. Be kind to all. Expand thy heart. Have space

in thy heart for all, even for that man who is planning to poison you,

who is drawing the dagger to cut your throat. Become a practical

Vedantin. Become a Kriya-Advaitin. Rely on your own Self, your own

inner spiritual strength. Stand on your own feet. Do not depend on

money, friends, or anyone. When the friends are put to the test, they

will desert you.

 

Lord Buddha never trusted even his disciples. When he was

seriously ailing, he himself jumped like a frog to drink water from

the river. Be not bound to anybody, any place, or thing. Do not desire

to possess. Possessions bring pain. Become absolutely free by

identifying with the inner Self, thy Inner Ruler, immortal. Challenge

the whole, world now. Stand up, O Prem! Follow me. Enjoy the bliss of

Atman. The river of Atmic joy is flowing all around. There is a deluge

of Bliss of Self. Drink this nectar to your heart's content. Care not

for the world. Go thy own way. Let others hoard up wealth and become

multi-millionaires and mill-owners. They are misers only. Let others

become barristers, high court judges, and ministers. They are still

ignorant men. Mind not a bit. The wealth of the three worlds is

nothing, mere straw, before the spiritual wealth, the wealth of

Atma-Jnana. The joy of the three worlds is a mere drop when compared

to the ocean of bliss of the Self. The knowledge of all secular

sciences is mere husk when compared to the Knowledge of the Self. Here

are the priceless treasures of Atman for thee. Here is the

inexhaustible wealth of Brahma-Jnana.

 

Enjoy these riches. No dacoit or robber can rob thee of this

imperishable wealth of Tattva-Jnana. No insolvency, no failure of

bank, no bankruptcy here. Take possession of this spiritual treasurer

the splendour of Brahman, and enjoy for ever and ever. Thou art now a

real King of kings, Shah of shahs, Emperor of emperors. Indra and

Brahma will be jealous of thee now, O Prem! Go and distribute this

imperishable wealth of Knowledge of Self far and wide. Glory unto

thee! Peace be with thee for ever and ever! Who is God? What is God?

Is there a God? Where is God? How to realise God? Man wants an answer

to these eternal questions. Certainly there is God. God exists. He is

the only reality. God is your creator, saviour, and redeemer. He is

all-pervading. He dwells in your heart. He is always near you. He is

nearer to you than your jugular vein or nose. He loves you. He can

talk to you.

 

You cannot find God by the intellect. But, you can find Him by

feeling, meditation, experience, and realisation.

 

 

 

W H O I S G O D ?

 

The Petromax does not talk, but it shines and sheds light all

around. The jessamine does not speak, but it wafts its fragrance

everywhere. The lighthouse sounds no drum, but sends its friendly

light to the mariner. The Unseen beats no gong, but Its omnipresence

is felt by the dispassionate and discriminating sage. Behind all names

and forms is the one nameless, formless Essence. Behind all governors

is the one Supreme Governor of governors. Behind all lights is the one

Light Of lights. Behind all sounds, there is the soundless Supreme

Silence. Behind all teachers is the one Supreme Guru of Gurus. Behind

all these perishable objects is the one imperishable Absolute. Behind

all these motions is the one motionless Infinite. Behind time,minutes,

and days is the one timeless Eternity. Behind hatred, riots, and wars

is the one hidden Love. God is the totality of all that exists, both

animate and inanimate, sentient and insentient. He is free from ills

and limitations. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He has

no beginning, middle, or end. He is the indweller in all beings. He

controls from within. God is all in all. God is the only reality in

this universe. The existence of things is by the light of God. God is

ever living. All depend on Him. He is not depending on any. He is the

Truth. God is the end or goal of all Yoga Sadhanas. He is the Centre

towards which all things strive. He is the highest purpose or highest

good of the world. You have the urge of hunger. There is food to

appease the hunger. You have the urge of thirst. There is water to

quench the thirst. There is the urge to be always happy. There must be

something to satisfy this urge. This something is God, an embodiment

of happiness. God, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection, Peace, Bliss,

Love are synonymous terms.

 

 

 

W H A T I S G O D ?

 

What is God? It is hard to tell. But, when I look at the

Ganga, I know it is God. When I see the jessamine, I know it is God.

When I behold the blue sky, I know it is God. When I hear the chirping

of birds, I know it is God. When I taste honey, I know it is God. The

Supreme is indefinable, though scholars give intellectual accounts of

It which are not absolutely true. Every man has his own conception of

God. The God of a military man wears a helmet. The God of a China-man

has a flat nose and a pipe for smoking opium. The God of a Hindu has

marks on his forehead, and wears a rosary and a garland of flowers.

The God of a Christian wears a Cross. For some, God has wings. A

buffalo will think that God is a very big buffalo. Such an

anthropomorphic conception of God is obviously puerile. The greatest

and most important thing in all the world is to get a right concept of

God, because your belief about God governs your entire life.

 

 

 

HIS HOLINESS PARAM PUJYA VISHWATMAK OM GURUDEV

 

 

 

I S T H E R E A G O D ?

 

God is beyond human imagination, but he is a living reality.

Brahman is no metaphysical abstraction. It is the fullest and the most

real being. The existence of God cannot be proved by scientific

experimentation. The Absolute baffles the mind of even the greatest

scholar. It eludes the grasp of even the mightiest intellect. It is

experienced as pure consciousness, where intellect dies, scholarship

perishes, and the entire being itself is completely lost in It. All is

lost, and all is found. You want laboratory proofs? Very fine, indeed!

You wish to limit the illimitable, all-pervading God in your

test-tube, blow-pipe, and chemicals. God is the source for your

chemicals. He is the substratum for your atoms, electrons, and

molecules. Without Him, no atom or electron will move, He is the inner

ruler. It is God who lends power to our senses, perception to our

mind, discernment to our intellect, strength to our limbs. It is

through His will that we live and die. But man vainly imagines that he

is the actor and the enjoyer Manis a mere nothing before the almighty,

governing Power that directs the movement in the universe. God's will

expresses itself everywhere as law.

 

The law of gravitation, cohesion, relativity, cause and

effect, the laws of electricity, chemistry, physics, all the psychic

laws, are expressions of God's will. As we explain everything within

nature by the law of cause and effect, so also, nature as a whole must

be explained. It must have some cause. This cause must be different

from the effect. It must be some supernatural entity, i.e., God.

Nature is not a mere chance collection of events, a mere jumble of

accidents, but an orderly affair. The planets move regularly in their

orbits; seeds grow into trees regularly; the seasons succeed each

other in order. Now, nature is Jada, insentient. It cannot order

itself. It requires the existence of an intelligent being-God-who is

responsible for it. Even Einstein, the scientist, was strongly

convinced of the creation of the universe by a Supreme Intelligence.

Though you do not see the stars in the daytime, yet they do exist.

Though you cannot see the sun during a cloudy day, yet it does exist.

Even so, though you cannot see God with these physical eyes, yet He

does exist. If you get the divine eye or the eye of intuition by the

practice of meditation, you will behold Him. God is self-proved. He

does not want any proof, because He is the basis for the act or

process of proving.

 

 

 

W H E R E I S G O D ?

 

Where is God? There is nowhere where He is not. Just as one

thread penetrates all the flowers in a garland, so also, one Self

penetrates all these living beings. He is hidden in all beings and

forms, like oil in seed, butter in milk, mind in brain, Prana in the

body, foetus in the womb, sun behind the clouds, fire in wood, vapour

in the atmosphere, salt in water, scent in flowers, sound in the

gramophone records, gold in quartz, microbes in blood. God dwells in

all beings as life and consciousness. God is in the roar of a lion,

the song of a bird, and the cry of a baby.

 

Feel His presence everywhere. See God in the wings, of a

butterfly, in the letters Alpha and Omega, in the cough of a patient,

in the murmur of a brook, in the sound of a bell. Behold the wonder of

the Lord's face in every object of this world. Every breath that flows

in the nose, every beat that throbs in the heart, every artery that

pulsates in the body, every thought that arises in the mind, speaks to

you that God is near. Every flower that wafts fragrance, every fruit

that attracts you, every gentle breeze that blows, every river that

smoothly flows, speaks of God and His mercy. The vast ocean with its

powerful waves, the mighty Himalayas with its glaciers, the bright sun

and stars in the wide sky, the lofty tree with its branches, the cool

springs in the hills and dales, tell you of His omnipotence. The music

of the sweet singers, the lectures of the Powerful orators, the poems

of the reputed poets, the inventions of the able scientists, the

operations of the dexterous surgeons, the utterances of the holy

saints, the thoughts of the Bhagavad Gita, the revelations of

theUpanishads, speak of God and His wisdom. Everything is God. Good is

God. Misfortune is God. Greet Him in everything and rest peacefully in

bliss. God pervades the entire universe. He walks in the garb of a

beggar. He moans in pain in the guise of the sick. He wanders in the

forest clad in rags.

 

Open your eyes. See Him in all. Serve all. Love all. Feel the

Divine Presence everywhere in every form, in every thought, in every

feeling an in every sentiment, in every movement, in every emotion.

God, seen through the senses, is matter. God, seen through the

intellect, is mind. God, seen through the spirit, is Atman or the

Self. Thou art indwelt by the Lord. He is the inner ruler, Antaryamin,

guarding and controlling your life. He is in you and you are in Him.

He is quite close to you. He is not very far, but is nearer to you

than you are to yourself. You were thinking in the beginning that He

could be found only in Mount Kailas, Ramesvaram, Mecca, Jerusalem, sky

or heaven. You had very vague ideas. This body is His moving temple.

The sanctum sanctorum is the chamber of your own heart. Close your

eyes. Withdraw your Indriyas from the sensual objects. Search Him in

thy heart with one-pointed mind, devotion, and pure love. You will

surely find Him. He is waiting there with outstretched arms to embrace

you. If you cannot find Him there, you cannot find Him anywhere else.

 

 

 

H O W T O R E A L I S E G O D ?

 

God is a question of supply and demand. If you really yearn

for His Darshan, He will reveal Himself to you in an instant. You need

neither art nor science, neither study nor erudition for

God-realisation, but faith, purity, and devotion. Combine all the love

you cherish towards all worldly objects-wife, son, wealth, property,

relatives, friends-and then apply this combined love towards God. You

will realise in this very second. To serve God and Mammon at the same

time is impossible. You cannot enjoy the bliss of the Self and the

sensual pleasure in one and the same cup. You cannot have light and

darkness at the same time. The Lord demands your whole heart. Reduce

yourself into zero before God. Only then will God completely take care

of and guide you. Only then surrender becomes complete. Forget your

own interests, your own longings, your own desires. You will attain

the bliss of the Supreme Self. Crucify, sacrifice the lower self, if

you wish to have union with God. Empty your egoism. You will be filled

with God. Lose your personality. You will find the Divine Life. You

will realise God.

 

With time and faith in the commitment to practice frequently,

(daily meditating is ideal), during your meditation time you may

" leave the moment. " A feeling of separation exists where the mind is

clear, clean and blank. You will still hear sounds around you, but

they will not interfere with your meditation.Sometimes you may weep --

you may not even be aware of what is making you weep. It is your own

emotions having a voice of their own.Sometimes you may feel a smile

across your face -- that is contentment showing itself. Sometimes you

may fall asleep and awaken truly refreshed. The Meditation Room-this

is where you will begin your journey into a new level of relaxation

and awareness. Here are some hints to get you started:

 

1. Make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions.

 

2. Allow some time for your meditation. You can start with 5 mins

and progress to as long as you want to.

 

3. Try to meditate at the same time and place if possible.

 

4. Be patient. It is a gradual process of unlearning and freeing

yourself of years of layers of stress and worry. You are teaching your

mind to relax, be patient with yourself.

 

Sadhana is spiritual movement consciously systematized.

Sadhana is the purpose for which we have come to this place. Abhyasa

and Sadhana are synonymous terms. The object of Sadhana is to release

life from the limitations with which it is bound. Sadhana is a

lifelong process. Every day, every hour, every minute, is an onward

march. Obstacles are innumerable in this great voyage. But, so long as

you hold God as thy guide, there is nothing to worry about. You are

sure to reach the other shore. Some people have curiosity for the

spiritual line. They have no real thirsting for liberation. They think

that they will get certain powers or Siddhis (psychic powers) if they

do some Yogic practices. When they do not attain the powers, they lose

patience and give up the practices, abandon the spiritual path, and

pooh-pooh the Yogis and Yoga. Mere curiosity will not help you to

attain any spiritual progress. Curiosity-mongering is more abominable

than mischief-mongering. Introspect. Analyze your thoughts and find

out whether you have real spiritual hunger or mere

curiosity-mongering. Transmute curiosity-mongering into real thirsting

for salvation by constant Satsang (association with the wise), study

of good religious books, prayer, Japa, and meditation. You must have

interest and liking in your Sadhana. You must understand well the

technique and benefits of Sadhana. You must select a Sadhana that is

suitable for you. You must have the ability and capacity to do

Sadhana. Then alone you will have joy in do ing the Sadhana and full

success in it.

 

 

 

A S P I R A T I O N A N D A C H I E V E M E N T

 

Good intentions alone will not do. They must be backed up by

good actions. You must enter the spiritual path with the best

intention of attaining Atma-Jnana (Self-knowledge), but unless you are

vigilant and diligent, unless you do intense and rigorous Sadhana,

unless you guard yourself against lust, anger and egoism and

selfishness, the good intentions alone will not enable you to achieve

success. Moral purity and spiritual aspiration are the first steps in

the seeker's path. Without a strong conviction in moral values, there

can surely be no spiritual life, or even a good life. Stern

self-discipline is absolutely essential. Self-discipline does not mean

suppression, but taming the brute within. It means humanization of the

animal and spiritualization of the human. You will have to break the

virgin soil before you sow the seed. The seed breaks itself before it

sprouts out as a plant. Destruction precedes construction. This is the

immutable law of nature. You will have to destroy your brutal nature

first before you develop divine nature. The spiritual path is rugged,

thorny, and precipitous. The thorns must be weeded out with patience

and perseverance. Some of the thorns are internal; some are external.

Lust, greed, wrath, delusion, vanity, etc., are the internal thorns.

Company with evil-minded persons is the worst of all the external

thorns. Therefore, shun ruthlessly evil company. During the period of

Sadhana, do not mix much; do not talk much; do not walk much; do not

eat much; do not sleep much. Observe carefully the five 'do-not's'.

Mixing will cause disturbances in the mind. Talking much will cause

distraction of the mind. Walking much causes exhaustion and weakness.

Eating much induces laziness and sleepiness.

 

 

 

D A N G E R S O F M I X I N G W I T H W O M E N (O R

M E N)

 

A N D W O R L D L I N G S

 

During the period of Sadhana, avoid the company of women (or

men in the case of women). You must never mix with young ladies (or

men), however strong you may be. Maya works through under-currents so

stealthily that you may not be aware of your actual downfall. Keep the

mind fully occupied with spiritual pursuits. Keep yourself at the

farthest distance from everything that would stir up your passions.

Then only you will be safe. Do not live with householders. Do not test

your spiritual strength and purity when you are a beginner on the

spiritual path. Do not rush into evil associations when you are a

spiritual neophyte to show that you have the courage to face sin and

impurity. It will be a serious mistake. You will be running into a

grave danger. You will have a quick downfall. A small fire will be

very easily extinguished by a heap of dust. Mind has a great power of

imitation. This is the reason why a spiritual aspirant is prohibited

from mixing with householders. His mind will try to imitate the minds

of worldlings. Downfall will ensue. If an aspirant moves with rich

people, Zamindars, and Rajas, his mind begins to imitate the luxurious

habits of these people and, ere long, he gets an unconscious downfall.

Certain bad habits creep in him unconsciously. And he finds it

difficult to tear out or remove these bad habits. An aspirant can live

only for a short time in his native place if there is an urgent call.

Yogic rules and laws cannot permit him to stay there for a

sufficiently long period, however suitable the place may be and

whatever may be the degree of Vairagya of the aspirant. The force of

impressions is tremendous. Unless all the Samskaras are thoroughly

burnt through Nirvikalpa-Samadhi, it is not safe for one to stay for a

long time in one's own native place. He is still within the danger zone.

 

 

 

T H E S P I R I T U A L P A T H

 

The spiritual path may, in the beginning, appear to be very

hard, thorny, precipitous and slippery. Renunciation of objects gives

pain at the outset. If you struggle hard to tread the path, if you

once make a strong determination and firm resolve, then it becomes

very easy. You get interest and new joy. Your heart expands. You have

a broad outlook of life. You have a new, wide vision. You feel the

help from the invisible hands of the Indweller of your heart. Your

doubts are cleared by themselves by getting answers from within. You

can hear the shrill, sweet voice of God. There is an indescribable

thrill of divine ecstasy from within. There is deep, abiding,

everlasting joy and unruffled peace. There is ineffable, unabating,

undiminishing, undecaying spiritual bliss. This gives new strength.

The footing in the path becomes firmer and firmer. The Jivanmuktas,

Yogins, Nitya-siddhas, Amara-purushas, and Chiranjivis lend their

helping hands to the struggling aspirants. The aspirants feel this

actually. The feeling of loneliness and of being neglected and

forsaken vanishes entirely. You are backed up at all times by a mighty

power that works everywhere in the cosmos. Therefore you have nothing

to fear. Take care of the details in Sadhana. The major factor will

take care of itself. Some aspirants leave Sadhana after some time.

They expect great fruits quickly. They expect many Siddhis within a

short time. When they do not get some, they give up the Sadhana. There

are several ranges of consciousness between the ordinary human

consciousness and the supra-consciousness of Brahman. Different veils

have to be torn down on the way; many lower centres have to be opened

up; many hurdles have to be crossed before the final goal is reached.

 

 

 

S P I R I T U A L P R O G R E S S I S L I K E A S P I R A L

 

You have to plod on and scale many hills. You cannot climb

the Everest in one jump. There is no jumping on the spiritual path.

Self-realization is not like a six-year post-graduate course. It is

the result of intense protracted Sadhana. There is no short-cut in the

spiritual path. There is no royal road to the kingdom of immortal

bliss. There is no half-measure in the divine path. Strict, hard

discipline is wanted. Then alone you can conquer Maya. Only then can

you control the mind. Saints and Yogins will never think that they

have controlled the mind. Only the deluded Sadhaka will imagine he has

controlled the mind and get a terrible downfall. It is the very nature

of life, mind, and Prakriti to be constantly in motion. When there is

the idea in the mind that the highest goal is yet to be achieved, you

will always move towards it. If you imagine that you have got to the

top, you will anyhow have to move, and that movement will be downward.

You will have a downfall. Aspire for higher realization till the

breath ceases in the nostril. Spiritual progress is slow, as the

spiritual Sadhana is difficult and laborious. It is like the spiral.

In the beginning, great striving is needed. Gradually, the circle

becomes smaller and smaller. So also, the striving becomes less and

less. The aspirant gains spiritual strength slowly. He marches faster

and faster. Finally, he does not go by furlongs after furlongs. He

proceeds by mile after mile. He gallops and gallops. Therefore, be

patient; be persevering; be steady.

 

 

 

S I G N S O F S P I R I T U A L P R O G R E S S

 

The gradual inward progress is mostly silent and unseen, like

the quiet unfolding of a bud into a flower in the hours of the night.

Therefore, do not be dejected. Do not depress yourself with the idea

that you are not progressing. Real spiritual progress is really and

accurately measured by the peacefulness, serenity, and calmness that

you manifest in waking state. You will have a healthy body and mind,

the excretions will be scanty, the voice will be sweet, the face will

be brilliant, the eyes will be lustrous. You will be ever calm,

tranquil, and poised; you will be ever cheerful, fearless, and

contented. You will be dispassionate and discriminative. There will be

no attraction for the world. Things that used to upset you before will

not upset you now. You will have an unruffled mind. You will have

introversion. Things that used to give you pleasure produce disgust or

a reverse effect now. You will have a one-pointed, sharp, subtle mind.

You will be longing to have more meditation. You will experience

lights, visions, divine smell, divine taste. The idea that all forms

are forms of the Lord will get stronger and stronger in you. You will

feel everywhere the presence of God. You will experience the nearness

of God. You will have a very steady Asana. You will develop a burning

desire for selfless service. Watch whether you are stationary in the

spiritual path, retrogressing, or advancing. If your Japa, meditation

or Vedantic Vichara thickens your veil and fattens your egoism, it is

not then a spiritual Sadhana. Remember this point well. It is only a

kind of occult practice. Watch, introspect. Practice self-analysis and

kill ruthlessly this formidable egoism. This is important Sadhana.

Egoism will lurk like a thief and assume various forms like a

chameleon or a Bahurupi (a dramatic actor). Do not stop the Sadhana

when you get a few glimpses of realization. Continue practice till you

are fully established in Bhuma, the unconditioned Brahman. This is

important. If you stop practice and move about in the world, there is

every likelihood of a downfall. The reaction will be tremendous.

Examples are not lacking. Numerous persons have been so ruined. A

glimpse cannot give you perfect safety. Do not be carried away by name

and fame. You can renounce your wife, children, parents, house,

friends, and relatives. It is very, very difficult to renounce the

intellectual pleasure, the pleasure from name and fame. I seriously

warn you. A man who can draw happiness from the Atman within, will

never care a jot for this trivial, paltry affair.

 

The world is a mighty big thing for a worldly man. It is a

straw for the Knower of Brahman.

It is a mustard, a pin's point, a dot, a bubble, an airy nothing

for a Brahma-jnani (Knower of Brahman). Be circumspective. Ignore all

these trivial things. Be steady with your practice. Never stop the

practice till the final beatitude is reached. Never cease Sadhana till

you can constantly dwell in full Brahmic consciousness. Do not let

failures discourage you, but go on doing your best. Do not brood over

your past mistakes and failures, as this will only fill your mind with

grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in future.

Becautious. Just think of the causes which led to your failures and

try to remove them in future. Strengthen yourself with new vigour and

virtues. Develop slowly your will-power. Every temptation that is

resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is

subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble aspiration

that is encouraged, every sublime thought that is cultivated, adds to

the development of will-force, good character, and attainment of

eternal bliss and immortality.

 

Every bit of Sadhana done is surely recorded without fail in

your hidden consciousness. No Sadhana ever goes in vain. Every bit of

it is credited immediately towards your evolution. This is the law.

Think not negative thoughts, but calmly go on with the Sadhana. Be

regular at it. Without missing a single day, proceed onward with your

spiritual practices. Little by little, the power accumulates and it

will grow. Ultimately, the cumulative force of all the continuous

earnest Sadhana done perseveringly and patiently over a long period of

life has its inevitable grand consummation at the supreme moment when

it bears fruit in the form of blissful Realization. Let the Sadhana be

regular, continuous, unbroken, and earnest. Not only regularity, but

also continuity in Sadhana and meditation is necessary if you want to

attain Self-realization quickly. A spiritual stream once set going

does not dry up, unless the channel-bed is locked, unless there is

stagnation. Be vigilant eternally. Meditate regularly. Annihilate the

under-current of Vasanas.

 

 

 

O B S T A C L E S T O S P I R I T U A L P R O G R E S S

 

Sometimes the aspirant gets stuck up. He cannot proceed

further in his path. Sometimes he is side-tracked through Siddhis. He

loses his way and walks in some other direction. He misses the goal.

Sometimes he is assailed by temptations and various oppositions.

Sometimes he gets false contentment. He thinks he has reached his goal

and stops all Sadhana. Sometimes he is careless, lazy, indolent. He

cannot do any Sadhana. Therefore, be eternally vigilant, like the

captain of a ship, like the surgeon in the operation theatre. The

spiritual path is full of hurdles. If you conquer one obstacle,

another obstacle is ready to manifest. If you control the sense of

taste, another Indriya is simply waiting to assault you with redoubled

force and vigour. If you remove greed, anger is waiting to hurl you

down. If you drive egoism through one door, it enters through another

door. Great patience, perseverance, vigilance, and undaunted strength

are needed. Be frim, steady, and steadfast. People will mock at you;

be silent. People will insult you; be silent. People will spread evil

rumours about you; be silent. Stick to the spiritual path. Do not

swerve. Seek the truth wherever it may lead you to, and whatever be

the cost and sacrifice.

 

 

 

S T A R T S A D H A N A N O W

 

Act now. Live now. Know now. Realize now. Be happy now. Every

death is a reminder. Every bell that rings says, " The end is near " .

Every day robs off from you one part of your precious life. Therefore,

you should be very earnest in plunging yourself in constant Sadhana.

Never fall a victim to fruitless regret. Today is the best day. Today

is the day of your new birth. Start Sadhana now. With folded palms,

bid good-bye to past mistakes and faults. You have learnt your

lessons. March forward now with new hope, determination, and

vigilance. Waver not. Fear not. Doubt not. Do something substantial in

the path of Sadhana instead of wasting your time in idle pursuits and

lethargy. You have infinite strength within you. There is a vast

reservoir of power within you. Therefore, do not lose heart. Obstacles

are stepping stones to success. They will develop your will. Do not

allow yourself to be crushed by them. Defects remind you of

perfection. Sin reminds you of virtue. Chose the positive path. If you

think, " I will take a bath when all the waves of the sea subside " ,

this is not possible. The waves will never subside and you will never

take a bath. Even so, if you think, " I will start spiritual Sadhana or

meditation when all my cares, worries and anxieties cease, when all my

sons are fixed up in life, when I have ample leisure after

retirement " , this is not possible. You will not be able to sit even

for half an hour when you become old. You will have no strength to do

any rigorous Tapas when you are in advanced senility. You must start

vigorous spiritual practices when you are young, whatever your

conditions, circumstances and environments may be. Then only you will

reap a rich spiritual harvest when you become old. You will enjoy the

everlasting peace of the Eternal.

 

 

 

S A T S A N G

 

Satsang means a meeting where in many devotees gather together

to get valuable & practical guidance from a holy Saint. Om Gurudev

arranges the satsangs for his disciples.The satsangs are either

arranged in Jangli Maharaj Ashram or in the cosmopolitan cities like

Mumbai, Surat, Indore, Banglore & Delhi. In satsang & during satsang

sermons are delivered and devotional songs are sung from the pious

stage. The common man after becoming the disciple of Om Gurudev goes

for meditation, after practicing meditation for long time he finds and

experiences some positive changes in his life. These changes,

transformations & experiences are shared through satsangs. Om Gurudev

hardly talks in the satsang but he is always in deep meditation

sitting in padmasana.

 

When he is in such deep meditation & even other times

electromagnetic field or aura is created around his body which is

circular, luminous & spreads nearly around 200 feet from his body in

all directions. Persons who sit in such type of aura have the positive

effect of it and they feel easy, happy and tension free. Every day if

we sit in the pious, serene & holy company of saints, listen to them &

follow their preaching we will surely experience a change or

transformation in our life. This is also now proved with the help of

Kirleon photography. In satsang we learn how to meditate and

meditation is the best medicine of mind and body. It is always said

sound mind in sound body, but in case of saints it is sound body in

sound mind. Your mind should be always stable and balanced. This type

of mind can be achieved from satsang and then meditation. Om Gurudev

always delivers, preaches, teaches and follows that " God lives in our

body i.e. heart and He can be attained through meditation. " All the

saints have told the same thing but in the different ways. A person

who strongly believes that God (Soul) lives in his own body and he

worships him there i.e. he meditates, that person can attain God, can

feel satisfied and can experience a very positive change in his life

speedily. Babaji is always in such type of meditation and he is making

his disciples to practice meditation by play way methods, where in the

disciple easily attains the stage and state of being with the nature

and once you are with the nature you learn to live without much

spending and once the spending are less you understand the value of

your own self and once you understand your value you develop strong

self-confidence and once you develop your self-confidence you can

easily solve your own problems and the problems of others. Once you

can solve the problems you become happy and this is what is taught in

satsang and this is what we learn from satsang.

 

This is from Vishvatmak Janglidas website!