Swami Sivananda Vani

[Guest guest]

RECOLLECTIONS: The Master always laid the greatest emphasis on the

care of one's health. On this subject he spoke to his disciples one

day in the late forties: " Money or no money, you must take care of

your body. If you do not look after this instrument of the Lord, then

you are not worshipping Mother Durga properly. The best worship of

Durga is to maintain this body in a proper condition to enable it

to work out His Will in the best possible manner. "

 

Speaking thus, the Master sank into memory of his Swarg Ashram days

and compared the austerities that he had then practised with the

amenities that he was now enjoying at Ananda Kutir.

 

" When I was at Swarg Ashram, I never touched oil. Now I must keep

several kinds of oils. All the cells of my body are vibrating so fast

that there is intense heat. When I was at Swarg Ashram, I slept on

the floor, but now I have a comfortable bed; this is essential for

the work that has to be turned out. I do roughen the body sometimes;

and, for the sake of keeping up the austerity I rub it against the

walls. But often I do not have time even for this. There is work to

do.

 

" You are all gigantic brain-workers. Selfless service has a greater

and more pressing demand on you now. All that your body needs you

must give it. You have practised enough austerity. If you go on in

the same fashion, your body will break down; you will become useless.

You must take nutritious food. You must have barrels of fruit juice.

Now I have twenty bottles of various medicines--some for my diabetes,

some for my stomach, etc. I have different things for cleaning the

teeth--mouth gargle, tooth-powder, etc. "

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" Lord Shanmukha is the Pratyaksha Devata (visible God) of this Kali

Yuga. He is readily pleased with His devotees to whom He grants both

Bhukti and Mukti (enjoyments here and Moksha hereafter). Millions are

still living who can narrate instances in their own life to show the

miracles brought about by propitiation of Lord Shanmukha. " - Swami

Sivananda