Light

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LIGHT by Swami Sivananda

 

Do You Really Want God?

 

Do you really want God? Do you really thirst for His Darshan? Have

you got real spiritual hunger?

 

He who thirsts for the Darshan of God only will develop love. Unto

him alone He will reveal Himself. God is a question of supply and

demand. If there is sincere demand for God, the supply will come at

once.

 

Pray fervently like Prahlada. Sing like Radha. Repeat His name like

Valmiki, Tukaram and Tulsidas. Do Kirtan like Gouranga. Weep in

solitude like Mira over the separation from the Lord. You will have

Darshan of the Lord this very second,

 

The Light Is Within You

 

Be righteous always. Never deviate from the path of righteousness.

Stand upright. Be bold. Be fearless. Practise Truth. Proclaim it

everywhere.

 

March forward in the spiritual path. The light is within you. Fix the

mind on the Lord. Kill egoism and pride. Cultivate fellow-feeling and

universal brotherhood. Love all. You will have full life.

 

Control the senses. Pray fervently with intense faith and sincerity.

Have an unshakable conviction in the existence of God and in the

efficacy of spiritual practices. Be humble and simple. You will

attain Immortality.

 

Lesson Of Life

 

Get up at 4 a.m. daily. Practise to sing God's name in the early

morning hours in the form of Nama Kirtan (like, Govinda Jaya Jaya,

Gopala Jaya Jaya, Radha Ramana Hari Govinda Jaya Jaya). When you sing

Hari's Name, feel that the Lord Hari is seated in your heart and is

hearing all your songs.

 

Study systematically Gita, Ramayana, Bhagavatam, Vishnu Sahasranama,

Lalita Sahasranama from half an hour to one hour daily. Obey your

parents. Speak the truth at any cost. Speak little. Speak sweet.

 

May the Divine Flame grow brighter in you! May you tread the path of

righteousness and attain God-realisation in this very life!

 

Be Good, Do Good

 

Do thou always without attachment perform action which should be

done; for by performing action without attachment, man reaches the

Supreme. —Gita II-19.

 

When the thought of good becomes part and parcel of man's very being,

then he will not entertain any bad motive at all. He takes immense

delight in serving others, in doing good to others. There is peculiar

joy and Ananda in doing selfless service.

 

Expand. Purify your heart. Live in the true spirit of selfless

service. Live every second for the ideal and goal of life. Then and

then alone will you realise the true glory of selfless service. May

you shine as a dynamic Yogi by the practice of selfless service! May

you enjoy the true bliss of the eternal.

 

Do As You Wish To Be Done By

 

All the phenomena of nature are governed by one important law, the

law of causation, the law of Karma. It is that law that keeps up the

inner harmony and logical order of the universe. No phenomena can

escape from the operation of this mighty law.

 

The cause is bound in the effect and effect is in the cause. The

effect is similar to the cause. This world runs on this fundamental

vital law. This law is inexorable and immutable.

 

Any action is bound to react upon you with equal force and effect. If

you do some good to another man, you are really helping yourself.

Because there is nothing but the Self. " Atmaivedam Sarvam " is the

emphatic declaration of the Srutis or Upanishads. This virtuous

action will react upon you with equal force and effect. It will bring

you joy and happiness.

 

Be Up And Doing

 

The power of prayer is indescribable. Its glory is ineffable. Sincere

devotees only realise its usefulness and splendour.

 

Sit not idly craving God to help thee, but be up and doing as God

helps those who help themselves. Do the best you can and leave the

rest to God.

 

Serve the devotees. Remain in their company. Do Japa and Kirtan.

Study Ramayana and Bhagavatam. You will soon develop devotion. The

Divine Grace will descend upon you.

 

Practise Ahimsa

 

Goal of life is God-realisation. Never forget this. Aspire

ceaselessly for His Grace. Thirst for His Darshan. Have constant

Satsanga. You will realise Him.

 

Practise Ahimsa. Speak the Truth. Have faith in God. Do everything

for the sake of God (Ishvararpan). Serve untiringly. Pray with

complete devotion. Fight with the mind and the Indriyas. Turn them

towards God. Weep for the separation from the Lord. You will have His

Darshan.

 

Feel that God works through your hands, sees through your eyes, hears

through your ears. You will become a changed being. You will have a

new angle of vision. You will enjoy the Supreme Bliss.

 

Be Kind

 

Extract the essence from all scriptures, great or small just as the

bee does from flowers. Abandon all vain expectations and evil desires

and take refuge in the Supreme Lord.

 

Perceive the immanence of God in all objects. Be kind and

compassionate to inferiors, friendly to your equals and respectful to

your superiors.

 

Get possession of the wealth of Vairagya. Cool your mind with the

bliss of the Self. Rejoice yourself in the ambrosia of the serenity

of the mind induced by the eradication of the Vasanas and the dawn of

Tattva-Jnana.

 

Develop Pure Love

 

Love is the immediate way to Truth or Kingdom of God or the vast

domain of perennial peace and joy. It is the life-principle of

creation. It was the driving force behind Mira, Tukaram and Gouranga.

 

Therefore, develop pure, unselfish love. Pure love is a rare

commodity. Cultivate it gradually. All your negative qualities like

dislikes, prejudice will be eradicated. Love is a great purifier of

the mind.

 

Abandon all sorts of wrong beliefs, weaknesses, superstitions, wrong

notions, and ideas of impossibilities. Live in Love. Cling fast to

the faith in Divine Life. Aspire fervently and constantly to live in

the Divine. You will enjoy the Supreme joy.

 

Have Equal Vision

 

Have equal vision for all. Give up dry idle talking. Learn to be

wise. Have unshakable faith in the name of God. Sing His Name. Feel

His Presence everywhere.

 

Do not be troubled by difficulties. Endure them patiently. Turn your

mind towards God. Walk like a spiritual lion. Break the bond of

desire. Cultivate Daivee Sampat such as mercy, peace, forgiveness

tolerance etc. You are bound to attain the highest knowledge and

Bliss.

 

Pray fervently to the Almighty Lord for His Grace. Rise above the

conventional distinctions of mundane life. Dispel the cloud of

ignorance by the dawn of Jnana Surya, the Sun of knowledge. Do total

unreserved self-surrender unto the Lord. You will enjoy Peace.

 

Have A Broad Vision

 

Live a life of utter devotion to service. Fill your heart with

fervour and enthusiasm for service. Remember the Almighty Lord every

moment.

 

Mould your character. Behave properly. Develop sympathy, affection,

benevolence, tolerance and humility. Come out of the centre of your

small narrow egoistic circle and have a broad vision. Speak gently

and sweetly in a courteous manner. Eradicate undesirable thoughts and

desires.

 

Stick to your ideals, convictions and principles tenaciously, even if

the whole world opposes you. Stand up boldly on your own principles

of right conduct and right living. Follow the instructions of one

preceptor. You will attain the Supreme.

 

Love All

 

Love all. Be pure. Serve all with Atma Bhava. Have perfect control

over your senses. Rely on your own self. Aspire ceaselessly for the

Grace of God.

 

Do not make any difference between male and female. When you are in

the company of women, repeat the Mantra " Ek Sat Chit Ananda Atman. "

The same Atman which is in your heart prevails in all the bodies of

women. The idea of sex will vanish. You will see God in them.

 

Feel that Lord Krishna works through all hands, sees through all

eyes, hears through all ears. Sing like Radha. Thirst like Gopis for

His vision. Lord Krishna's Grace is bound to come. He is the Immortal

friend. Never forget this. You will realise Him.

 

Behold The Self In All

 

There is something dearer than wealth. There is something dearer than

a son. There is something dearer than a wife. There is something

dearer than Prana (Life). That something is thy Self, Inner ruler,

Immortal and All-Merciful Lord.

 

Be kind and compassionate. Be pure and gentle. Be sweet and loving.

Be humble. Be sympathetic. Be friendly to the poor. Live with them.

Serve them. Cheer them up when they are in difficulties. Be simple in

your life. Behold the Self in all. Give up the idea of diversity.

Have equal vision for all.

 

Do not use harsh words. Do not exploit others. Do not waste your

energy in idle talking and worldly gossiping. Renounce all

attachments.

 

Serve, Love, Give

 

Do not make any difference between menial and respectable work. If

any one is suffering from acute pain in any part of the body, at once

shampoo the affected part very very gently. Feel that you are serving

the Lord in the body of the patient. Repeat your Ishta Mantra also.

If you see a man or animal bleeding on the roadside, tear your upper

cloth or shirt and use it for bandaging. Do not fight with the poor

porters at the Railway Station. Be liberal and generous. Keep always

some paise in your pocket and distribute them to the poor and

decrepit.

 

When the heart is purified, the mind is naturally turned towards God.

Eventually it is absorbed in the Lord, through pure love, self-

surrender and worship.

 

Give, Give

 

Sins can be destroyed by charity.

 

Lord Jesus says, " Charity covereth a multitude of sins. " In the Gita

you will find: " Yajno danam tapas-chaiva pavanani manishinam: Yajna,

charity and austerity are purifying to the wise. "

 

Doing abundant, spontaneous and unrestrained charity to relieve the

pains of suffering humanity is an effective means to destroy evil

nature; give money like water. If you give, the whole wealth of the

world will be yours. Money will come to you. This is the immutable,

inexorable, unrelenting law of nature. Therefore give, give.

 

Be Cheerful Always

 

Be cheerful and happy. Away with depression and gloom. There is

nothing more infectious than depression. Drive the feeling of

depression and gloom at once by enquiry, singing divine songs,

prayers, Pranayama, a brisk walk in the open air, the thinking of the

opposite quality viz., the feeling of joy.

 

Live only to be a blessing to others. Feel that all is light and

Bliss only. Do not allow the mind to see any external objects.

Collect all the dissipated rays of mind. Develop the power of

attention. Throw interest upon uninteresting objects and ideas. Many

mental weaknesses will vanish. The mind will become stronger and

stronger.

 

Cultivate Adaptability

 

Never grumble when you do service to others. Take delight in service.

Watch for opportunities to serve. Work is worship of the Lord.

 

Have an amiable, loving, social nature. Have sympathy, adaptability,

self-restraint, tolerance, love and mercy. Adjust yourself to the

ways and habits of others. Be balanced even when you are insulted,

when others use harsh words against you. Have equal mind in pleasure

and pain, heat and cold.

 

Karma Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of Light and

Knowledge. It expands the heart and breaks all the barriers that

stand in the way of oneness or unity. Karma Yoga is an effective

Sadhana for Chitta Shuddhi or purity of heart. Therefore do selfless

service constantly.

 

Be Righteous

 

Happiness results from good acts, pain from evil ones. Acts must

always bear fruits. Without action no fruit arises. Righteousness is

the refuge to attain to the feet of God. Everything can be attained

by righteousness.

 

Refrain from injury to all creatures in thought, word and deed. Be

kind and charitable. Be liberal in your views. Have constant devotion

to Truth. Free yourself from anger, hatred and malice.

 

Worship your preceptors and elders with respect and devotion. Worship

the Gods with faith and sincerity. Be gentle towards wicked people.

You will enjoy great merit and fame herein and hereafter.

 

Develop Virtuous Qualities

 

Develop virtuous qualities. Build up good habits. Do good. Meditate

regularly. Try to live in God. All defects, evil thoughts and all

weaknesses will vanish in toto.

 

Cherish no desire in your heart. Move amicably with all. Embrace all.

Love all. Develop adaptability and the spirit of selfless service and

penetrate into the hearts of all through untiring service and thus

behold the one Self in all.

 

Forget all the illusory names and forms. Feel and see Lord Krishna in

everything every moment. You will enjoy the Supreme Peace, Bliss and

Immortality.

 

Establish Good Habits

 

Much of your subconsciousness consists of submerged experiences,

memories thrown into the background but recoverable. You can

establish new habits, new ideas, new ideals, new tastes and new

character in the subconscious mind by changing the old ones.

 

Think deeply. Cogitate. Reflect. Have constant Satsanga. Do selfless

service, Nishkamya Yajna. Develop the four means or qualification—

Sadhana Chatushtaya.

 

Do not jeer at any one. Do not frown at anybody. Restrain all your

senses. Be cheerful always. Do not look back. Divest yourself of

desire and wrath. Cast off pride. Turn your gaze inwards.

Contemplate. You will enjoy true happiness.

 

Develop The Power Of Endurance

 

Just as the Sun collects all its rays at sunset and merges in the

horizon, collect all the scattered rays of your mind and merge into

the Lotus Feet of the Almighty Lord.

 

Do not give indulgence or leniency to the mind. Cultivate the spirit

of love and humility and Divine Compassion and tenderness like Lord

Buddha. Nurse the sick. Comfort and console the distressed and

disappointed. You will become Divine.

 

Develop the power of endurance. Open yourself to higher spiritual

consciousness. Fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Pray for

mercy, light, strength, peace and knowledge. You will surely get

them. You will attain Supreme Joy.

 

Speak Measured Words

 

Control the mind skilfully and tactfully. Think rightly and clearly.

Discipline the organ of speech. Speak sweetly, gently, and

truthfully. Become a man of measured words.

 

Be humble and do prostrations to all beings mentally. Feel the Divine

Presence everywhere. Give up vanity, pride and hypocrisy. Never hurt

a man in thought, word and deed. Always do good and kind acts. You

will attain Supreme Peace and eternal happiness.

 

Attune your heart with the Lord by doing fervent and sincere prayer

daily. Be humble and simple. Practise morality. Develop contentment.

Drink the Bliss of the Soul.

 

Light On Life

 

Lust for power, material greed, sensual excitement, selfishness,

passion, passion for wealth and the lower appetites have drawn man

from his true life in Spirit into the materialistic life. He can

regain his lost Divine glory if he practises in right earnest the

principles of Bhakti. Bhakti transmutes animal nature into Divine

Nature and raises him to the pinnacle of Divine glory and splendour.

 

May you develop Bhakti so that it will lead you to attain Godhead or

Self-Realisation in this very life! May the spiritual flame grow

brighter in you!

 

Admit Your Faults

 

Keep the Divine flame burning steadily. Treat everybody with respect.

View all with an equal eye. Behold the Lord in all beings. Have

intense and exclusive devotion for the Lord.

 

Do not be offended by trifling matters. Admit your faults if they are

pointed out by others. Thank the man who points out your defects.

Pray. Sing the Lord's Lilas. You will attain eternal happiness.

 

Use your intelligence. Intelligence is the most precious possession

that a man can acquire. Do everything in this world with

intelligence. Then only will you succeed in achieving all desired

objects.

 

Kill This Little Ego

 

Just as dark clouds hide the burning Sun, so also the clouds of

egoism and Vasanas (desires) hide the Jnana Surya (Atman).

 

Keep up the unbroken current of Meditation. Kill the little ego!

Develop pure love. Surrender the fruit of action unto the Lord.

Beseech Him to bestow His Grace. You will drink the nectar of

Immortality.

 

Wake up from the sleep of ignorance and materialism. Divert your

attention to selfless service and worship of the Lord. Develop

brotherly feeling towards all men. You will enjoy Supreme Peace.

 

Eradicate Self-Justification

 

Do not be offended by trifling matters. Cultivate an amiable loving

nature and adaptability. Admit your faults if they are pointed out by

others. Eradicate them and thank the man who points out your defects;

then only can you grow in spirituality and meditation.

 

Introspect. Look within. Try to remove your defects. This is the real

Sadhana. You will have to remove all your weaknesses. Many old

vicious habits will have to be cut out. Remove the defects of self-

justification and of self-assertive nature.

 

Be regular in Japa, Kirtan, meditation, study of Gita and Ramayana.

Observe Brahmacharya and Mouna. You will enjoy the Supreme.

 

Control Anger By Love

 

Anger shatters the physical nervous system and produces deep lasting

impression on the inner astral body. Dark arrows will shoot from the

astral body. A terrible fit of wrath will produce deep inflammation

of the astral body. Have you realised now the disastrous consequences

of anger?

 

Do not become a victim of anger. Control it by Kshama, love, mercy,

sympathy, Vichara and consideration for others.

 

Fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Give the hands to work.

You will be able to do two things at a time by practice. The manual

work will become automatic, mechanical or instinctive. Your mind will

be at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. You can realise God even while

remaining in the world.

 

Follow The 20 Instructions

 

Spiritual life is not a mere idle talk. It is not mere sensation. It

is actual living in Atman. It is a transcendental experience of

unalloyed Bliss.

 

Tread the path of Truth and righteousness. Stick tenaciously to the

TWENTY SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS. Be regular in your meditation. Do

selfless service. Cultivate all-embracing love. Develop Vairagya. You

will attain Immortality.

 

Lead A Simple Life

 

Lead a simple life. Let your thoughts be lofty. Fear God. Speak the

Truth. Love all. See your own Self in all. Be honest in all your

dealings. You will succeed in your life and God-realisation.

 

Never worry yourself on any matter. Be always cheerful. Use your

common-sense and reason always. Have a balanced mind always. Turn

your mind towards God. Sing His name. Thirst for His Vision. Be

sincere at heart. The Divine Grace will descend on you.

 

Have a strong determination and iron will. You have got everything to

transmute yourself into a sage. Apply yourself diligently and ignite

the spiritual dynamo within. Exert. Plod. Ignite. Realise.

 

Plain Living And High Thinking

 

Kindly develop faith in the Vedas and in the power of Mantras.

Practise regular Japa and meditation daily. Take Sattvic food. Do not

overload the stomach.

 

Obey the laws of nature. Take plenty of physical exercise daily.

Perform the prescribed duties at the appointed time. Develop simple

living and high thinking. You will realise God in this very birth.

 

May you remember the holy Names of the Lord at all times and live in

an ocean of divine ecstasy and divine communion! May you prosper

gloriously!

 

Lead Regulated Life

 

You are the real master or governor of the whole world. You are bound

to none. Abandon all anxiety, fear and worry. Rest in Peace. Perform

worship of Atman at all times. Lead a regulated life. Mould your

character. Develop noble and virtuous qualities. Be righteous, and

work for the good of others. Be devoted to your preceptor. Develop

the power of concentration.

 

Remove lust, egoism, anger, selfishness, pride, etc. You will get

Chitta Shuddhi or purity of heart. You will experience sublime divine

feelings. When the attraction and attachment for sensual objects

vanish, knowledge of Atman will dawn. You will enjoy the Supreme.

 

Life Is Very Precious

 

Neither birth nor learning makes one good. Good character alone makes

one good. He who has lost his character is himself lost. The

cultivation of good character leads to spiritual progress. Life is

very precious. Live in the spirit of Gita's teaching and work without

expectation of fruits and egoism. Think you are Nimitta in the hands

of Lord Narayana. You will become a Yogi soon. Have Nishtha with God

and Cheshta with hands like Bahurupi who has the Nishtha of a male

and the Cheshta of a female. You will be able to do two things at a

time. You will become one with the Lord.

 

Acquire Spiritual Wealth

 

Any number of zeroes have no intrinsic value unless number 1 (one) is

added before them. Even so the wealth of the three worlds is nothing

if you do not try to acquire spiritual wealth and if you do not

strive for Self-realisation.

 

Therefore live in the soul or the Self within. Add Atman to the life

here. " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all

these things shall be added unto thee " (Lord Jesus). Just as the

light is burning within the hurricane lamp, so also the Divine Flame

is burning from time immemorial in the lamp of your heart. Plunge

deep into the chambers of your heart. Meditate on this Divine Flame

and become one with the Flame of God.

 

Understand The Law

 

No event can occur without a positive, definite cause at the back of

it. Everything follows the law of cause and effect. This law is quite

mysterious. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says: " Gahana Karmano

gatih—Mysterious is the nature of action. " All the physical and

mental forces in nature obey this grand law of cause and effect. Law

and Law-giver are one.

 

You can change your thoughts and habits and mould a new character.

You can become a righteous man and a saint by doing virtuous actions

and entertaining noble Divine thoughts. When you attain knowledge of

Self, you can rest in your own Svarupa. You can become identical with

the Law-giver and then the law of cause and effect will not operate

on you. You have conquered Nature.

 

Stick To One Guru

 

Develop forgiveness. Give up idle talk. Study the sacred books.

Observe straight-forwardness, celibacy, innocence and equanimity

under the opposite conditions of pain and pleasure, gain and loss

etc. Do no harm to any being.

 

Have patience, adamantine will and untiring persistence. Stick to one

place, one spiritual preceptor, one method, one system of Yoga. That

is the way to positive success. Drive the feeling of depression and

gloom at once by enquiry, singing Divine songs, prayers, chanting of

OM, Pranayama, a brisk walk in the open air and thinking of the

opposite quality viz., the feeling of joy. Try to be happy in all

states and radiate only joy towards all around you.

 

Worship Your Teacher

 

Be free from desires. Thirst for the knowledge of God. Engage

yourself in performing selfless service. The Divine vision and

intuition will dawn in you.

 

Worship your father, mother, the teacher and guests as veritable

Gods, without regarding them as mere human beings. Pay them due

reverence. Serve them with great respect. Do not yield to fatalism.

Change your habits. Lead a virtuous life. Eradicate greed and

anxiety. Give up vanity. Be devoted to the Lord. The Divine Light

will dawn in you.

 

Have Satsanga With Sages

 

Be sincere at heart. Don't run after the shadowy toys of name and

fame. Name and fame are illusory. They are mere vibrations in the

air. Nobody can earn an everlasting name in this Mayaic plane. Care

not for the little perishable things. Care for the everlasting

Reality only.

 

Do constant selfless service silently with thoughts of God and Bhava

within. Never grumble or murmur when you do service to others. Watch

for opportunities to serve. Never miss a single opportunity. Create

opportunities. Create the field for good service. Be regular in Japa,

Kirtan, meditation and study of Gita and Ramayana. Control your

emotions. Observe Mouna and Brahmacharya. Have contact with sages and

saints. You will reap the Supreme Joy.

 

Follow The Instructions Of Sages

 

Just as the man who runs after two rabbits will not catch hold of any

one of them, so also a meditator who runs after two conflicting

thoughts will not get success in any one of the two thoughts.

 

Have only one Divine thought all times. Stick to it tenaciously at

any cost. Run after the thought with the greater vigour, strength and

one-pointedness. Success is bound to come. Do not be anxious. Do not

act according to the dictates of your mind. Act according to the

words of Sages and Saints. Mere remembrance of the high Souls

destroys atheistic tendencies of materialistic people, inspires and

goads them to strive for the final emancipation or Brahma-Jnana.

 

God Is Love

 

God is Truth. God is love. Speak the Truth. Love everyone. You will

realise Him quickly. Have Satsanga with Sadhus, Sannyasins and

Bhaktas. This alone can give you Viveka, Vairagya, spiritual strength

and peace of mind. There is no other way. Hunt out for Sadhus. They

are everywhere. Sincerity and earnestness are needed in you. They are

ever ready to receive you lovingly with outstretched hands.

 

By Satsanga your mind will be saturated as sugar in water with

thoughts of God, with Divine Glory, Divine Presence, with sublime

soul-awakening spiritual thoughts. Then only will you be established

in the Divine consciousness always. Then you can attain Self-

realisation within the time taken for the squeezing of a flower.

 

Name Is Verily Omnipotent

 

Name of the Lord is a potent unfailing antidote for those who are

bitten by the serpent of Samsara. It is a nectar (Amrita) that can

confer immortality and perennial Peace. Yama is terribly afraid of

those who repeat the names of the Lord. He cannot approach them.

Repeat the name of the Lord always and attain the fearless state.

 

May the Lord guide you in all your activities. May He enlighten your

path enabling you to achieve the goal of life, viz., Self-

realisation, your birthright. May you live drowned in a life of joy,

bliss and prosperity!

 

Do Kirtan Regularly

 

Sankirtan is food for the mind and the Soul. Sankirtan is a Divine

tonic. Sankirtan is a potent healing balm for the shattered nerves.

Sankirtan is a celestial nectar. Drink the nectar daily by doing

Sankirtan in Brahmamuhurta and night.

 

The strength and intensity of devotion depends upon the completeness

of the self-surrender and sacrifice. As the vast majority of persons

keep certain subtle desires for secret gratifications, they do not

grow in devotion. The two obstacles to self-surrender are desire and

egoism.

 

Sing The Lord's Glory

 

Worship the Lord at all times with all your heart and with all your

mind. Sing His glory. Remember His name always. All miseries will

come to an end. Your heart will be purified. The Lord will soon

reveal Himself to you. You will feel His Presence.

 

Pray fervently to the Lord for the descent of the Divine Light. Crave

for His Mercy. Weep for His separation on account of Viraha. Yearn

for communion with Him. Melt the mind in the Agni of Divine Love.

Burn the body in the fire of devotion. Drink the honey of Prem. Get

yourself intoxicated with the wine of Divine Love. Attain immortality

and eternal Bliss.

 

Develop Devotion

 

Control your mind, speech and actions. Speak the truth. Be calm.

Discipline the senses. Hear, recite, sing and meditate on the deeds,

qualities and Avataras of Hari.

 

Have exclusive devotion to the Lord. Give your whole mind to Him. Do

not allow any outside worldly impressions wherein there is an iota of

selfish desire to enter into your subconscious mind. Learn how to

sing, interchange devotion and love each other and speak to each

other of the glory of the Lord, till your hairs stand on end and sing

and dance till you lose yourself in devout contemplation.

 

Realise The Lord Through Prem

 

Lord Siva is the Supreme Soul, the Antaryamin, the protector of all

beings. He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent. He was never born.

He never died.

 

If you are a true seeker of God, you will meet Him within a moment.

Remember Him always. Live by His name. Sing His praises. Search for

Him in your heart of hearts. Learn from the devotees the way to love

and serve Him, the support of your soul, the only sovereign of the

whole world, the Indweller of your heart and the inner Ruler.

 

May you remember the Holy names of the Lord at all times and live in

an ocean of divine ecstasy and divine communion! May prosperity

attend on you for ever.

 

Pray Sincerely

 

Have intense faith in God and have proper understanding of the

scriptures. Take refuge in Vairagya. Do not waste time in idle

gossiping. Time is fleeting. Utilise every moment in His worship and

service. Develop humility, Kshama, patience and the spirit of

service. Be sincere and true. The Lord is quiet close to you in your

heart. Cling to His Name with leech-like tenacity. You will enjoy

Supreme Joy.

 

Pray to God for purity, devotion, light and knowledge. Pray in any

way you like. Become as simple as a child. Open freely the chambers

of your heart. You will attain everything.

 

Prayer Works Wonders

 

Prayer has tremendous influence. Mahatma Gandhiji is a great votary

of prayer, if the prayer is sincere and if it proceeds from the

bottom of your heart (Antarika), it will at once melt the heart of

the Lord.

 

Lord Krishna had to run bare-footed from Dvaraka on hearing the heart-

felt prayer of Draupadi. Lord Hari, the mighty ruler of this universe

apologised to Prahlad for coming a little late when the latter

prayed. How merciful and loving is the Lord! Do not argue about the

efficacy of prayer. You will be deluded. There is no arguing in

spiritual matters. Intellect is a finite and frail instrument. Remove

now the darkness of your ignorance. You will enjoy the unalloyed

bliss of the prayer.

 

(Source: http://sivanandaonline.org/html/)