Akhand Jyoti

The Light Divine

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March-April 2017

Volume: 15

Issue: 2

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Founder–Patrons

Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya

Mata Bhagwati Devi Sharma

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Chief Editor

Dr Pranav Pandya

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Publisher

Mrityunjay Sharma

Akhand Jyoti Sansthan

Mathura 281003

India

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Phone: 0565-2403940

Mobile: 09927086291

Email: ajsansthan@awgp.org

Contents

Amrit Chintan: Learn the Basics of Sadhana

From Chief Editor’s desk: Let’s celebrate ‘Collective Sadhana Fest’ for individual and global welfare

Don’t be the slave of your senses, master them

Science and Spirituality: Spiritual Psychology

Anti-climax of kali-yuga — Scriptural indications & present scenario

Don’t express happiness this way

Yug Gita: 5 Soul anguish or escapism

Peace Pilgrim's wisdom - 5: The attainment of inner peace

Youth column: May my mind make auspicious resolutions

Magical benefits of fasting

Odyssey of the Enlightened - 54: Another pilgrimage to the South – 2

Improve your eating habits

Do you appreciate the value of time?

Amrit vani: Two steps to spiritual ascent — Yoga and Tapa – II

Simple measures for self-Improvement

On the auspicious festival of Chaitra Navaratri: Some tips for fruitful Gayatri Anushthan

Shantikunj News in Pictures

Om bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ tatsaviturvareṇyaṁ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ prachodayāt ll

—Rigveda 3/62/10; Samveda 1462, Yajurveda 3/35, 2219, 30/2, 36/3

(May Almighty illuminate our intellect and inspire us towards the righteous path)

•••••••••••

Amrit Chintan

Learn the Basics of Sadhana

Precious achievements require great efforts. This is the universal law of Nature. Don’t dream of receiving divine gifts, blessings by merely uttering some prayers in the praise of God, chanting His names, offering flowers and sweets to the deity’s idols or pictures. Had it been so easy to find God or get blessed by divine grace, no saint, ascetic or sage would have performed arduous penance, self-restraint, yoga, chastity, and self-purification. People would have simply learnt the tricks in the form of some rituals or verbal utterances to attract and hold divine powers. Then someone would have also sold the formula of ‘catching’ Lord Hanuman, ‘meeting’ goddess “Santoshi Mata”, ‘appeasing’ Lord Ganesha and so on… Have you seen that happening anywhere? Why would there have been any need of ethics, moral values and disciplines then?

So please don’t rove in any hallucination, illusory convictions or superstitions. Don’t fool yourselves. Don’t run after the mirage of your mental imagination. The true meaning of sadhana is “to perfect”, “to master”. As a spiritual endeavor, it is a devout practice of self-purification, self-transformation (towards perfection) and self-ascent by self-determination. It requires mastery over the senses, over the mind and the intellect.

Pujya Gurudev Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

A note to sadhaks

During this Chaitra Navratri Festival, keeping the above meaning of sadhana in your mind, heart and soul, if you sincerely perform Gayatri mantra japa, meditation, yagya and other austerities, it will open the gates of enlightenment and all-round progress in your life. For more details, please read the article ‘Some tips for fruitful Navaratri Anushthan’ on page 45 in this issue.

“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”

Rabindranath Tagore

“Faith is an oasis in the heart which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.”

Kahlil Gibran

From Chief Editor’s Desk

Let’s celebrate ‘Collective Sadhana Fest’
for individual and global welfare

The forthcoming Chaitra Navaratri Sadhana festival will commence on 28th March, 2017 and will conclude on 5th April, 2017. Our Gayatri Pariwar is a well-organized group of devoted sadhaks. Param Pujya Gurudev not only initiated us into Gayatri Mantra, but also taught us the art and science of spiritual living. He has entrusted us with the ability to perform penance and Sadhana. He taught us that with spiritual perspective and penance, we could not only solve personal problems, but also play a pivotal role in global well-being. This Navaratri has brought us a dual opportunity of taking up the task of individual and collective upliftment. We all have to collectively use our Gayatri Sadhana to prepare an efficient Brahmastra for global protection. The members of Gayatri Pariwar devoted to regular Gayatri Sadhana over many years are certainly capable of achieving this objective.

There are two fundamental reasons for the all-pervasive daunting problems that plague the world today. The first is that evil thinking has creeped into the consciousness of the masses and the second is the toxins in the physical world that have increased to an alarming extent. The negativity in the thought process has corrupted the minds of people, thus leading to perversion in thoughts and emotions. Thinking, behavior and character have been corrupted. People are getting attracted to commit reprehensible acts and coveting the undesirable. It is not only adults, but also kids who are engaging in abhorring acts. All of this is a result of increasing immorality / wickedness in the realm of consciousness.

If we think profoundly and analyze, we can find corruption of intellect and crisis of faith rampant in society. This is the reason why conflicts have become rampant. Most people today want to surpass others by resorting to unfair means. Corruption, immorality, harassment, oppression and other evil acts are slowly getting considered as acceptable human behaviors in our society.

Similarly, physical world has also become increasingly toxic. It is apparent from the news every day. Air, water and earth are getting polluted at an alarming rate. Food and water that we consume are no longer safe. Rapid industrialization has destroyed the protective ozone layer of Earth that prevents earth from the harmful radiation of Sun. All the preconditions are slowly getting met for impending natural calamities and destruction.

Many facts regarding the spread of toxicity in all spheres of physical world and the reasons behind it are very obvious. Most people are not aware of the extent to which the atmosphere has been polluted, but those in the scientific community who continually monitor this are well aware of the problem and are extremely worried. The increasing number of industries is aggravating the problem of toxic waste that is released from factories into the environment. Automobile emissions further aggravate the problem. There is already so much nuclear waste released into the atmosphere that it is sufficient to harm the present and several future generations. The usage of these sources of environmental pollution is not going to decline in the near future. The international conferences on environmental protection are not proving to be effective in enforcing the correction measures. Scientists continue to look for solutions. While their efforts are praiseworthy, they are inadequate.

What can be done in such circumstances?

We need to find a spiritual solution for the implementation of which we can all collectively contribute and benefit from. Both the realms of consciousness and nature have their own invisible boundaries. Both of them influence the physical world. The hazards from the invisible forces cannot be countered by physical methods or means. The cleansing and purification of the thought process of our society can only be done through subtle spiritual energies. This is where the role of spiritual efforts in refining the consciousness of the masses comes in.

Gayatri Sadhana that is performed during Navaratri is especially effective for this purpose. Unique divine energy currents flowing during this transition period can be attracted by the sadhak through specific austerities (tapa), mantra japa, yagya and other methods. When this power of tapa enters the sadhak, it refines his personality and consciousness. The energy thus earned can be retained by self- control and utilized in the desired direction. If our thoughts are noble, we will use this energy in the right direction and, in due course, harvest its benefits. The collective Sadhana of millions of members of Gayatri Pariwar, with physical, mental and emotional devotion, has the power to refine the subtle as well as physical world.

The impact of these spiritual methods can neither be proved on paper like a math’s problem, nor be measured like other physical phenomenon. But, if one inherently believes in the positive impact that these spiritual endeavours have on both the physical and subtle worlds, then it becomes very easy to perform and assimilate these beneficial practices in daily life.

These efforts can be continued even after Navaratri. It will be extremely beneficial if Gayatri Sadhana is adopted by as many people as possible. The 21st century will be brighter if Gayatri Sadhana is done for as much time and in as many places as possible. There are no restrictions in participating in this noble endeavor. Members of All World Gayatri Pariwar are advised to take this movement of subtle refinement to new people and new places. The nectar of Gayatri Sadhana will cleanse the poisonous environment prevailing in the world today. This is the reason why I want to encourage all sadhaks to embark on a mission of this great magnitude during this Navaratri. This is the best opportunity for spiritually-inclined individuals to mobilize their energy and offer it for saving humanity from impending disasters. This will ensure that the negative forces lurking around our planet will not be able to cast a dark cloud of gloom and despondency all over.

This is the first time millions of Gayatri Pariwar members will be harnessing their spiritual powers for accomplishing a singular goal. This collective thought process would create an aura of Sankalpa Shakti (power of resolve) that will rise up in the atmosphere and spread out like a protective shield. This effort will certainly prove to be effective in defeating evil forces. Let us all hope that this Brahmastra of Gayatri Pariwar succeeds in preventing the disasters threatening this era. The blend of Shraddha (faith), Pragya (prudence) and Nishtha (firm determination) of Gayatri Pariwar parijans in the Chaitra Navaratri Sadhana will serve the dual goal of preventing catastrophes and carving out a glorious future for all humanity.

With Prayer-filled Wishes and Warm Greetings for New Samvatsar 2074,

(Pranav Pandya)

Krishna once told Arjuna that Rama was the greatest warrior ever – even better than him. When visiting Rameshwaram, seeing the Nala Setu, a doubt arose in Arjuna’s mind. He wondered why Rama, who was supposedly the greatest warrior, needed the Vanara Sena to create the Setu, when he could have just created a bridge with arrows using his powers.

Hanuman found Arjuna engaged in such doubts and went up to him, disguised as an aged Vanara. He explained to Arjuna that the bridge of arrows would not be able to withstand the weight of the Vanars. Challenging Hanuman, Arjuna said that he would create such a bridge and if the Vanara could walk on it, he would win. Otherwise, he would burn in the bridge of arrows. After building the bridge with his powers, he asked the Vanara to walk on it. Hanuman uttered the name of Rama, and merely kept his tail on the bridge. The bridge collapsed.

Keeping his word, Arjuna burnt the bridge and turned to walk in it. That very moment, Krishna appeared in the form of a saint and asked them to perform the task again, with him as a witness. But this time, the bridge did not crumble. When they turned around, they saw that the saint was supporting the foundation of the bridge with his shoulders bleeding. In the saint, Hanuman saw Rama and Arjuna saw Krishna. Krishna hugged Hanuman and thanked him for what all that he had done for him.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

Mahatma Gandhi

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Thomas Aquinas

“Faith is not Desire. Faith is Will.
Desires are things that need to be satisfied, whereas Will is a force.”

Paulo Coelho

Don’t be the slave of your senses,
Master them

Is man a master or a slave? He can be either. When is he a master and when is he a slave? The main reason of becoming a person slave is his attachment to the objects he desires. Whenever a person gets enamored of an object, he desires it; he runs after it and keeps running till he gets it. Either he fails in this attempt; or even if he succeeds, by the time his desire gets fulfilled, he gets attached to something else. Thus continues an endless pursuit of running after the material objects. In this tale of running after the desires of senses lies the agony of slavery. But, when this thread of attachment snaps, situation turns around; and then he becomes a master.

To be a master means to attain self-realization. When self-realization dawns, attachment to the worldly objects ceases; and one becomes a master. Attachment and desires arise in us naturally and cause us to run after something or the other. This chain of attachment is very long and so is the long story of our enslavement. We often do not even realize that the cause behind what makes us keep running all the time is our attachment. If we like an object we begin to pursue it. If it is beautiful, we run after its beauty; if it is melodious to ears, we stop in our tracks to listen. Similarly, we forget everything else when we smell our favorite fragrance. We run after taste in a similar manner as well. But we must realize that running after objects of our desire and acquiring them does not satiate our senses; instead, their demands increase even more.

Attachment to senses is slavery. Forgetting our true nature, we just enslave ourselves to our senses. Attachment torments us. There is no end to its long path either, because even when we acquire for ourselves whatever we desire, our desires only become stronger and more commanding. This episode has been repeating endlessly forever.

For example, if we like a particular perfume we begin to wish to acquire it. The perfume begins to float in our waves of thought and fuels our desire. It begins to leapfrog in our fantasies and our imaginations. And then when we get it, we get so fascinated by it that we lose sense of everything else. However, this fascination and attachment lasts for only a short time. The moment our attachment to the perfume reduces, it loses its importance for us. Then, just like the perfume we get attracted to some other item, begin to crave for it and strive to acquire it. This sequence will keep going on and on till we feel satiated. But, the truth is that this is an endless and aimless pursuit, because it is impossible to fully satiate our senses.

Our senses are so designed by nature that they cannot provide the feelings of fulfilment and contentment. Senses may weaken after attaining excessive sensual pleasure but still do not feel satiated. If they could then people who have all possible means of sensual pleasures, luxuries and resources would have been completely content with their lives, but that is neither so nor can ever be. Enjoyments and sensual pleasures only incite our senses and the senses then get strongly attached to them.

How strong is this attachment of senses can be easily seen in drunkards and alcohol addicts. When they feel the urge to get drunk, they get so zealous and impatient that they break all barriers of morality and value systems and even commit acts that are completely inhuman. This is the bondage of attachment, tied in whose strong chains a man, just like a slave, meekly follows wherever his senses drive him.

If one breaks this bondage, one can develop awareness of the nature of one’s senses; and if he wins over his senses, an absolute metamorphosis takes place. Mahayogi Patanjali, a great exponent of human consciousness has said in this regard, “When a yogi wins over his senses, he attains the speed of his mind”, which means that his speed begins to measure up to the fantastic speed that our mind has.

We can also say that as the attachment towards sensual pleasures weakens, a metamorphosis begins to unfold in human psyche. A realized yogi, who has won over his senses, does not need to touch or smell an object to experience it. He can experience it without using his senses. He can see happenings in the invisible realms with his closed eyes. Such a yogi no more remains a slave; he becomes a master of the senses. This happens when his desires and aspirations break free from the clutches of senses and their connection snaps. The breakage of bondage means dawn of the glow of discretionary wisdom, and fostering of realization of the true self. As this wisdom and realization begins to grow, new experiences begin to unfold. This can be understood if we look back at our own lives from childhood to today. As a young child we demanded some object we liked and cried loudly, made huge fuss and not let anyone rest till the object was given to us. But such demands begin to reduce with growing age. There would be such a deep attachment in childhood to small objects, toys, clothes etc. that even a thought of separation from them would bring tears in our eyes. But as we grow, this bonding and attachment with objects also begins to fade. Similarly, in the light of discretionary wisdom attachment with senses begins to fade and with self-realization this attachment is completely destroyed. Attachment disintegrates gradually, it first gets removed from the senses, then from the prana, then from the mind, and finally from the chitta (psyche). A very difficult bond of attachment to break is of the chitta. This is because this chitta alone is the central basis of existence of all living creatures including humans. The state and form of each living being’s life is totally determined by the state of its chitta. The sequence of events that unfold in one’s life is also completely governed by the good and the bad actions performed earlier and the intrinsic tendencies (sanskaras) that are stored in this chitta.

When harmful sanskaras awaken and get activated in chitta, all events that unfold in life also get adversely affected. Nothing good seems to happen, and we are forced to face many unpleasant, unfavorable circumstances. This situation continues till the time the harmful sanskaras get completely cleansed from the chitta. In these times of difficulties, a person’s inner as well as outer life gets completely enveloped by difficulties and he is unable to figure out what to do. Because of these karmas and sanskaras in chitta, soul of every living being is so deeply connected with its life and its events. A living being is also not able to realize its true self only because of these deep impressions hidden inside his chitta.

Beyond the attachments found in chitta, there is one more attachment that ties a human being in the chains of bondage and these are the attachments in the realm of emotions. Even after rising beyond the body, prana, mind and chitta, the bond of slavery does not snap because emotions lie at the root of all life events. Till the emotions are free from attachments the enslavement does not end. The moment attachments get detached from emotions, a person gets liberated and becomes the master of his senses. A master who simply turns into an onlooker and getting established in his inner being, his self-realization becomes firm and unhindered. He then does not perceive time in the three divisions of past, present and future. He sees the events in all three times together. He masters time itself. Nothing remains in the world of which he does not have complete, all- encompassing knowledge.

When the bondage of attachment breaks, man becomes free. Freedom, mastery over self and complete knowledge of everything becomes his nature. He does not remain a slave anymore and does not move about confused. He becomes a master and everything comes under his control. There remains nothing in the world which he cannot get, if he wants it. After all, this alone is the difference between a master and a slave, a slave runs behind illusions while a master has no illusions. To be a master, it is imperative to relinquish all attachments.

Gain control over your emotional responses through ‘Breathing’

Some people have great control over their emotional responses but most people struggle. Doing or saying something wrong in the midst of an emotional meltdown could have very negative effects. So how can one control oneself. Here is the strategy:

The only part of your physiology that can be easily controlled is your breathing. Take a look at how you’re breathing during a strong emotional response and change it.

You should try holding your breath for 5 seconds, breathing deeply and slowly for 30 seconds, breathe in slowly and breathe out even more slowly. Think about your breathing and count your breaths. Focus on the physical feeling of the air moving in and out of your body. If you’re used to being controlled by your emotions, you know that it’s not easy to maintain your composure. But, by this simple technique you can choose to respond differently to your emotions and make wiser choices.

“Faith is not so much something we believe; faith is something we live.”

Joseph B. Wirthlin

“Faith and science…..are two sides of the same coin, separated by an expanse so small, but wide enough that one side can’t see the other. They don’t know they are connected.”

Mary E. Pearson

“Faith makes all things possible. Love makes them easy.”

D.L. Moody

Science and Spirituality

Spiritual Psychology

Among all branches of Science—spanning natural, mathematical, medical, and social sciences, spirituality is most closely and naturally associated with Psychology. The word “Psychology” originates from Greek Philosophy and literally means “Study or research of the Psyche”. As the meaning of ‘psyche’ was interpreted differently by the Greek philosophers as breath, spirit and soul, with complex philosophical and incomplete explanations of the term “soul”, the study of ‘Psychology’ too was largely confined to abstract topics until late nineteenth century. Around 1890, William James defined psychology as “the science of mental life, both of its phenomena and their conditions”. Elaborating on this definition some scholars described psychology as the study of behavior and mind — encompassing all aspects of conscious and unconscious experiences as well as thoughts. However, due to different and largely superficial levels and approaches to understanding the mind (more so the unconscious mind), studies in Psychology mostly address the expressed experiences of the conscious and the subconscious mind.

In 1913 John Watson’s manifesto defined the discipline of psychology as the acquisition of information useful to the control of behavior. By and large this is what seems as the predominant focus and development of the discipline of psychology till date. Applied research, empirical studies, and practices of psychology generally mark it as a behavioral science. It deals with scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. Applications of this behavioral science broadly encompass—(i) study of personality, (ii) analysis of mental process with respect to behavioral symptoms, (iii) study of expressed mental and intellectual potentials, such as memory, grasping, learning, motivation, firmness, determination, perseverance, patience, ability to adjust in new environment, emotional maturity etc, and (iv) diagnosis and treatment of mental or intellectual complexities, deficiencies and abnormalities, psychosomatic disorders (including stress, depression, anxiety, aggression, hallucination, etc), and psychiatric ailments.

In spite of great contribution of psychological research and its applications in behavioral studies, cognitive analysis, neurosciences, and psychiatry, there are some limitations. The theories and methods of this mental science are still far from grasping the depth and enormous expansion of human mind and the inner self. In fact, as pointed out by Lawrence Hyde in “Isis and Osiris” [1], it can’t even tackle the problem of split personality and many such complications, complexities and disorders of the mind even at the behavioral level. According to him understanding and control of mind and multiple dimensions of life is not possible without considering the depths of the inner self (soul). Indeed it is the science of spirituality that can help accomplish comprehensive decipheration and holistic development of mind and personality.

Occult abstraction of spirituality on the one hand and linking it with dogmatic practices and ritualistic customs of ‘religion’, or with spiritualism, ghosts, black magic, etc on the other, has been a major cause of scornful neglect of this great science[2] by the modern scientists. Emotional exploitation and fanaticism in the name of religion have further maligned the image of spirituality as the foundation of religion, and dissuaded the rational minds from researching and disseminating it. In this scenario, mention of “spirituality as a science” itself sounds preposterous, delusive, and laughable. Nevertheless, as pointed out in earlier article(s) on multiple facets of Scientific Spirituality, a major shift of paradigms in the approach of modern science is going to take place in the coming decades.

With advancement of research in natural sciences and in neurosciences in particular, the ‘existence’ of subtler facets of life would become clearer. Once it is clear, it would not be difficult to recognize and acknowledge the sublime realms of nature, and limitless potentials of human consciousness-force that are beyond the grasp of the modern material approach of science. Consequently, spirituality would be rediscovered with open mind as a deeper science of evolution of consciousness. For this, the schools of spiritual philosophy will also have to rise above all the prejudices and obscurity and cooperate with the scientific approach towards study of spirituality as an evolved science of the intrinsic nature and the inner self and practice of this science for illumination of mind and virtuous development of life.

Such an advanced, integrative science of Spiritual Psychology was developed by the rishis —Indian sages, spiritual scientists of yore. The rishis were the scientists of deeper depths of human mind and its conscious, subconscious, unconscious and super-conscious dimensions. The spiritually awakened acumen of the rishis had a reach in the intrinsic core of human thoughts and emotions. Having thoroughly analyzed the nature of human mind, they had devised a science of holistic development of personality and evolution of the inner-self. In a nutshell this science could be termed as “Spiritual Psychology”.

Maharshi Patanjali (the founder of holistic science of Yoga) had pioneered practical methods of experiments of Spiritual Psychology for holistic wellbeing and personality development through yog-sādhanās. Noted thinker and scholar Swami Prabhavanand has elucidated the psychological aspects of the Indian spiritual science in his highly acclaimed book “How to know God: Yoga Aphorism of Patanjali”[3]. In his views, modern psychotherapeutic methods may at best accomplish psychosomatic balance, but can’t achieve anything beyond this (For example, these methods cannot help generate positive orientation of thoughts and cultivation of lasting happiness in the patient.)

George S. Brett’s 3 volumes on the history of psychology presented detailed review of the subject covering ancient, medieval and early modern theories[4]. In the 18th chapter of the first volume (of the 1st edition), he outlined the Indian theories of psychology highlighting the treatment of human psychological aspects, as discussed in the Vedanta, Sankhya, Vaishashika and the Buddhist philosophies. His attempt was a good initiation to introduce the modern researchers to the ancient Indian schools of thoughts in the science of mind.

The first Chapter of first edition the book “Comprehensive Text Book of Psychiatry”[5] discusses the foundation of psychiatric healing, referring to the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagvad Gita and the six Darshanas. A brief but intense analysis of the elements of human psychology is presented (by George Mora) in Vol. I of this book elaborating the holistic approach of ancient Indian sages (rishis).

However, influence of the British colonial dominance and the clout of Sigmund Freud’s approach to psychology had gripped the research studies and practices of the subject in the 19th and early 20th century, the Indian philosophy and science of spirituality and spiritual psychology was ignored in the west so much that even its citation was removed from the latter editions of the above books. Nevertheless, some Psychological researchers, like Carl Gustav Jung did break the path at a later stage, and advocated the need for deeper analysis of mind with spiritual considerations.

Around the mid-20th century, Carl Rogers proposed the trend-setting “Nondirective Therapy” for psychological disorders / deficiencies. Unlike the psychological and psychiatry treatment methods established in the west till then, his approach followed the ancient Indian approach that gives importance to the intrinsic nature which is specific to an individual, and regards self-analysis and auto-suggestion more effective than ‘generalist’ treatment approach. Under nondirective therapy, the patients need to rely less on the judgments of others (therapist) and instead turn inwards to themselves as the best experts on what to do. Similar effect is seen in the process of meditative methods devised by American psychotherapist Ira Progoff who has worked mainly on Depth Psychology and humanistic adaptation of Jung’s ideas to the lives of ordinary people[6-7]. In particular, Progoff’s approach acknowledges Swami Prabhavananda’s views that psychological methods can be truly effective in making one mentally healthy only if these also inspire a kind of personal philosophy to refine and improve the subject’s thought process.

As pointed out by Swami Prabhavanand[3], integrated development of personality and evolution of mind should be the goal of psychological methods beyond providing mental and emotional balance. This can be achieved only by Spiritual Psychology. Indeed the Indian philosophy and science of yoga and spirituality provide effective guidance and practical methods to achieve this goal. The principles and methods of Ashtang Yoga propounded by Maharshi Patanjali can be followed by everyone. It encompasses all elements of what could constitute one’s personal philosophy towards illumined and progressive life.

Spiritual Psychology along with the principles and methods of spirituality and yoga-sādhanās would provide new directions and deeper insights into higher level research in psychology and neurosciences and help develop newer and effective therapies. Most importantly, everybody can practice it to get rid of his/her mental (including emotional) pressures, worries, and deficiencies and enjoy mental peace, strength and enthusiasm. Not only for mental health and happiness, it is also the key to perfect the art of living a fulfilling life; it holds the key to evolution of an ordinary mortal being into a great personality, a superhuman. In successive articles we shall discuss these aspects along with other components of wellbeing and holistic development.

References:

[1] Lawrence Hyde (2013): Isis and Osiris.(3rd ed.) Literary Licensing Co. (ISBN: 978125887944)

[2] What is Spirituality? (English Translation of Hindi book “Adhyātma Kyā Thā, Kyā Ho Gayā, Kyā Honā Chāhiye by Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya). Publ. Vedmata Gayatri Trust Shantikunj, Hardwar, 2007. ISBN: 81-8255-025-4

[3] Isherwood C. (1996): How to Know God — The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali. (Translation of the original book by Swami Prabhavanand) Vedant Press, U.S. (ISBN: 9780874810417)

[4] Brett George S. (1912): A History of Psychology. Vol. I-III. (1st ed.) George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London.

[5] Kaplan H.I., Freedman A. M., Sadock B. J. (eds) (1967): Vol. I-II. Comprehensive Text Book of Psychiatry, 1st ed. Baltimore

[6] Progoff I. (1963): The Symbolic & The Real— A New Psychological Approach to the Fuller Experience of Personal Existence. McGraw-Hill, New York. (OCLC: 1039530)

[7] Progoff I. (1980): The Practice of Process Meditation: The Intensive Journal Way to Spiritual Experience. Dialogue House Library, New York. (ISBN: 0879410086)

ūrdhvo naḥ pāhyaṃhaso ni ketunā viśvaṃ samatriṇaṃ daha;
kṛdhī na ūrdhvāṇcarathāya jīvase vidā deveṣu no duvaḥ.

Rigveda 1/36/14

Meaning: O Fire-God! You are the most exalted. Save us from sinning by the light of knowledge. Burn to ashes all our selfishness. Endow us with excellence for progress and happy life. Make us worthy of honour by the gods.

priyaprāyā vr̥ttiḥ vinayamadhuro vāchi niyamḥ
prakr̥tyā kalyāṇī matiranavagītḥ parichayḥ
puro vā pashchādvā tadidamaviparyāsitarasam
rahasyam sādhūnāmanupadhi vishuddham vijayate

Uttararāmacharitam (Bhavabhuti)

Loving, polite and pleasing interaction with others, controlled speech, a heart which only thinks of the good of others, introduction which is not boastful, uniform behaviour when face to face or behind the back – these are the pure and simple secrets of saintly souls.

“Faith is an organ of knowledge, and love an organ of experience.”

A.W. Tozer

“Faith gives you an inner strength and a sense of balance and perspective in life.”

Gregory Peck

“Faith is not the clinging to a shrine but an endless pilgrimage of the heart.”

Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

Helen Keller

Anti-climax of kali-yuga:
Scriptural indications & present scenario

The name “Kali-Yuga”— the “The Age of Darkness” implies its characteristic environment, in the subtle as well as manifested domains of life. It is signified by gradually rising trends of negativity and evil tendencies. What we see today appears the peak of this darkness that has even put glittering materialistic progress on an edge of annihilation. Negligence of human values, declining morality on personal, professional and social fronts, increasing corruption, clever and cunning manipulation and misuse of intelligence for selfish motives, extreme self-obsession, arrogance, etc, in one form or the other, are some of the common traits today that make one wonder whether humankind has knowingly chosen the path of self-destruction. Most threatening are the devilish crimes of violence against women and elderly, oppression of children, utter fanaticism in the name of religion, dreaded expansion of terrorism, etc. Is it going to be the end of civilization, extinction of life on the earth, or is there an end to this night of utter darkness?

Yes, there is a silver line of hope! From what many of the ancient texts described about the status of the world during the anti-climax of the dark-age, it appears that by the time of the onset of 21st Century the anti-climax phase of Kali-Yug has already begun. Let us look at some excerpts of these scriptures.

Scriptural Descriptions & Present Society:

It is amazing to see that the ancient texts, several of which were ‘written’ in the pre-historic times, refer to the mentality, life-style of people, and prevailing trends in the critical phase of anti- climax of Kaliyug (or equivalent) as a live- commentary of the scenario in today’s world! The following couplets (shloka no. 12-19) of the “Bhavishya Parva” (Section on “Future trends”) of the Hindu scripture “Harivansh Puran” presents a literal sketch of the moral decline of mankind during the peak of the Dark Age (Kaliyuga).

mūrkhā swarthā parā kśudrā kśudraḥ parichchadā
vyavahāropakr̥atta śchachyutāṁ dhachchi śāśvatāta
hartāraḥ pararatnānāṁ hantāro paradāra pahārakāḥ
kāmātmāno durātmānaḥ sopadhāḥ priya sāhasāḥ

Meaning: People will behave unwisely; they will become utterly selfish, and greedy; their thoughts/imaginations and desires will be of low- standard, perverted. They will fall far below the norms (of humanity); cheating, stealing others’ money/property, adultery, unethical relationship with other’s spouse, carnal lust, and even devilish crimes will be common (in the human society).

vipra rupāṇi raksāsi rājāna karṇa bhedinaḥ
prathvīmupa bhokśyanti yugānte sampusthite
niḥmā syāyābava śatakārāṁ arnyāśchabhi māninaḥ
viprāḥ kr̥avyāda rūpeṇa sarva bhaksā vr̥athā vratāḥ

Meaning: Devils will disguise/act like Purohit- Brahmans (sagacious guides of the society); Kings (the protectors) will get carried away by hear- say (will be unmindful, indecisive); Brahmins (scholars and torch-bearers of ethics/morality) will leave their virtuous qualities and duties of self-study (of noble thoughts), dissemination of righteous thoughts and activities, and instead adopt immorality, ostentation, and arrogant boasting; people will have no discipline of purity of food and they would eat (anything) like crows and hawks. All this will be at a peak during the last phase of the dark era.

mahāyuddhaṁ mahānādaṁ, mahāvarśa, mahābhayaṁ;
bhaviśyati yuge kśīṇe tatkaṣāyamya lakśaṇaṁ.

Meaning: There will be many wars in which there will be horrifying thunders of guns and fire-weapons — explosives and bombs. There will be devastating floods, terrible droughts, and many other Natural Calamities (across the globe). Life would be under tyrannical threat due to communal violence, riots, fire, and explosions. This will be the pathetic scenario across the globe during the last phase of Kaliyuga.

In continuation, shlokas 22-23 of this Puran further narrate —

śasya chaurā bhaviśyanti tathā chailā pahāriṇaḥ;
bhakśya bhojyā prahāraścha karaṇḍā nānśva hāriṇaḥ.
chaurāḥ chaurasya hantāro hantā harta bhaviśyati;
chaurāḥ chaura kśaye chāpi kr̥ate kśemaṁ bhaviśyati.

Meaning: Burglars will steal even grocery, cloths, food, etc. There will be mutual thefts and murders among the robbers (criminals) themselves. This way the ‘thieves’ (criminals, vicious people) will destroy themselves. Then the path of peace will gradually open up.

The next shloka of the same scripture refers to the (non-criminal) people,

niḥsāre kśubhita loke niiśkriye kantara sthite;
narāḥ śraṣyanti vanaṁ kara bhāraṁ prapīḍitā.

Meaning: (Many) people will find themselves jobless or purposeless (unimportant, neglected) and will be frustrated, will not be able to decide what to do, what not to do. There will also be high rise in taxes (economic difficulties, recession) because of which masses will go to the forest (i.e. will migrate).

Several other shlokas (no. 41-46) of this Puran “bhaviṣyati tandā ......... dharme pravatsyanti kr̥atyugaṁ” outline the anti-climax of Kaliyuga and gradual change in social trend thereafter as (what we are also witnessing in today’s society) — “People would suffer from varieties of diseases, their sense-organs (body functions) would weaken, their life-span may also shorten, and many of them would suffer pains/sufferings. Because of tensions and worries, people would eventually seek peace in the company of saints and (spiritual) sages and get inspirations from their teachings. Because of sufferings their arrogance, self-obsessions and cravings would diminish and they will tend to put the saintly teachings in practice. Gradually they will become truthful, honest and adopt moral conduct in all walks of life.

The fear of further adversities and hardships will make them modest and duty-bound. They will tend to become generous, compassionate to others, and will participate in several kinds of welfare activities and philanthropic services. This way they will truly adopt religious principles (righteousness). Similar to the gradual decimation and loss (in the descending phase of yugas from Satyuga to Kaliyuga) of religion, there will be gradual (in the ascending phase of the yugas) growth, elevation and expansion of religion. Eventually, there will be a complete manifestation of Satyuga, when everybody will be benevolent, virtuous, and duty-bound. All- round development, prosperity, peace, and bliss, would naturally blossom in this Golden Age.

In “Harivansh Parva” Section of the Epic “Mahabharata”, there is clear indication of the peak of Kaliyuga and its eventual end:

paraspara hrataśvāścha nirākandya saduḥkhitā;
evaṁ kaṣta manuprāptaḥ kali sandhyānśake tadā.
prajākśayaṁ prayasyeti sādhyaṁ kaliyuge na hi
kśīṇo kaliyuge tasmintataḥ kr̥atuyugaṁ punaḥ.
payatsyeta yathānyāyaṁ swabhāvādevanānyathā;
ite chānye cha bahavo divyā devaguṇairyutaḥ.
prādurbhāvā purāṇeṣu gīyante brahmatevādibhiḥ
viśvatva sr̥uṇu me viṣṇorhartvaṁ cha kr̥ateyuge.

Meaning: (During every cycle of the four grand yugas) in the last phase of Kaliyuga and in the twilight transition period thereafter, varieties of severe diseases and health disorders arise. There is dissatisfaction (stress, tension, mental disturbance) among people. Battles and wars of many kinds take place that cause enormous loss of population and prosperity. Acute rise of sinful tendencies, vicious actions, unrest and instability, etc, signify the anticlimax of Kaliyuga. Then gradually the circumstances improve and there is dawn of the Golden Age in which virtuous qualities are awakened in human self. People begin to follow righteous teachings and spiritual disciplines and are inclined towards nobility and virtuous living.

Couplets numbered 88-89 in Chapter 190 of the

“Van Parva” Section of this epic state:

tatastumul sanghāte vartamāne yugakśaye;
dwijāti pūrvako lokaḥ krameṇa prabhāviṣyeti.
daivaḥ kālāntarenyāsminyunarlokaṁ vivr̥addhaye;
bhaviṣyati punardevamanukūlaṁ yadr̥achchhayāi.

Meaning: There will be severe adverse circumstances; calamitous events will take place around the end of this yuga (Kaliyuga). Gradually there will be an ascent of the people having superior character. As destined, the time of (holistic) development will be resurrected. Shloka no. 91 further cites the improvement in ecosystem and weather-cycle:

kāla varṣī parjanyo nakśtrāṇi śubhānicha;
kśemaṁ subhikśamārogyaṁ bhaviṣyati nirāmayam.

Meaning: Then (after the end of Kaliyuga) it will rain at appropriate time (in monsoon season), and all beings will be healthy and happy.

An Arabic text titled “māla buda kabluta qayāmata” describes the state of mankind before qayāmata[1] as — [...] Except during sleep, one would not get peace any moment, anywhere. The oriental culture would praise (and follow) western way of life. The worth (utility) of iron will be more than gold. One more metal (white) like silver will be in use. It will be easy to communicate in no time to long distance places anywhere (in the world). (In place of animals), inanimate means will be used for transport and travel, which will traverse thousands of miles in very short time. People will also fly in the air (air-travel). (Referring to the availability of electricity), Sun (light) will come on the wall, the light of which will be liked by everyone.

People will feel no shame in eating outside in the market places. ‘Metal hands’ (spoons) will be used for eating. People will sleep till noon time. Their cots will be made up of iron. Women will (or would want to) stand on equal footing as men. They will not feel shy and roam around without any pardāh (veil) and humility. There will be no respect for parents. There will be no (true) religion.

“alkaśfā walkatamafī mārfata”, a book kept in the Hamidiya library of Mecca mentions — [...] When devolution of (people’s) character, separatism, and battles/wars will increase extensively, it will be time of grand change. A (divine) person will arise who will be endowed with spiritual powers. His ‘fire’ (power) will blunt (melt) the weapons. He will conquer everywhere without any army. His soul-power itself will supersede all. The world will follow him. He will turn old people into young (i.e., rejuvenate the spirit of life in mankind). He will make this world like heaven. Similar description is there in the treatise “imāme ākhikajjamā”.

It is amazing to see that the ancient texts, which were created in the earlier eras, describe the mentality, life-style of people, and prevailing trends in the critical phase of anti-climax of Kali- Yug (or equivalent) so accurately! So we may also accept their forecast for the future beyond this Age and begin to mould our outlook and way of life accordingly.

Similarity of the present state of the world with the prophetic depiction of the anti-climax of the Dark-Age gives us light of hope that the time of evils is going to be over soon followed by the dawn of the Golden Age in this very century. Astronomical calculations cited in some ancient texts and modern research findings (that will be discussed in the next article) evince and strengthen this possibility.

Notes:

1. Qayāmata: End of the (present) world/era; complete elimination of sinful people and evils from the world.

In order to succeed in Kaliyug, you should stop doing these things:

1. Making Excuses: Successful people do not blame others or make excuses or complain about their bad luck. They take full responsibility for their lives. They know that success and failure lie in their hands. So stop being a victim, stop whining and stop making excuses.

2. Putting Things Off: Procrastination is the enemy of success. Decide on your objective, list out the tasks you have to complete, prioritize them and then get on with the top ones. We all suffer the temptation to put off the jobs we fear or dislike. Bite the bullet. Do the job.

3. Limiting your Ambition: Successful people have enormous self-belief, drive and ambition. They hold themselves to high standards. Are you holding yourself back? Have you lost some of your self-belief and confidence? Start afresh. Set yourself ambitious goals. Remind yourself of your skills and achievements. Motivate yourself every day.

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

“When you focus on being a blessing, God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance.”

Joel Osteen

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

Mother Teresa

“Basically, there are two paths you can walk: faith or fear.
It’s impossible to simultaneously trust God and not trust God.”

Charles Stanley

Don’t express happiness this way

Right from early ages, human beings have desired happiness and joy in life. Their entire life is spent in search of happiness and all his endeavors are only oriented towards this. Happiness is the intrinsic desire of every living being. Not only human beings, but also animals, birds, insects and plants seek happiness. In their forms of existence also they experience happiness; for example – every living being feels happy and satiated when it eats food and dislikes being hungry.

Actually, happiness has no relation with any object or substance; it is the form of emotions that manifest in mind. Happiness can manifest under any circumstance, and can arise irrespective of the presence or absence of any other being or object. And when happiness arises, it cannot remain unexpressed. Entire being resonates when one is joyous and happy. Happiness gets expressed through eyes and facial expressions, and through voice that gets filled with cheer. In the expression of joy, often even the teeth, that normally lay sternly hidden behind lips, liberally begin to display their beauty. Waves of happiness begin to express externally through such cheerfulness that a person’s mind begins to reverberate and dance. Many a time people actually start dancing in happiness.

Truly it is almost impossible to hide happiness and we search for others’ company to celebrate it. When we are unhappy, we search for solitude, tell others to leave us alone, and do not like anyone near us. We express our sorrows in loneliness by crying, grieving and talking to ourselves. But when we are truly happy, we cannot stop ourselves from meeting others and voicing and sharing our happiness with them. We celebrate and try to include everyone in our happiness. The people who are the closest to us, we include them first.

Our mind breaks into songs in happy times, and overwhelmed in joy, it provokes us to celebrate by dancing. This is the reason why during festivals and other joyous occasions people dance to drum beats and music. This is done to spread cheer as far and wide as possible. In Rigveda also in the description of creation of the universe, all the deities are described as breaking into dance to celebrate the occasion.

Happiness is very contagious as well; whoever comes in contact with a happy person also receives a gift of happiness and feels elated. Happy societies are full of vitality and creativity, and reverberate with new thoughts and new ideas. However, nowadays several distortions are percolating in the ways happiness is being celebrated in society. For example, people are dancing to loud, fast paced, disco music played by DJs, getting intoxicated, firing guns in air and so on. How appropriate and apt are these ways of celebration, is a question that needs to be seriously deliberated upon. It is important to think about this because, like a contagious disease, this culture is spreading its tentacles in our society and many people are employing such unruly methods, blindly copying others.

Loud, fast music is indeed exciting and fun to hear, but proximity to loud speakers adversely affects hearing capacity. At such occasions our voice does not reach others’ ears. Neither can we hear others nor can others hear us. Our ears enter into a state of stupor and so cannot feel happy!

Happiness is an occasion to express ourselves, spread joy to others and infect others also with our happiness. For this reason, at joyous occasions celebrations are held, sweets are distributed, parties are organized, dances are staged and various art forms are displayed. In a way, happiness provides us with comfort, contentment and fulfilment. In happiness, people do not ask for anything, they get inclined to give. Even if they have nothing else, they distribute cheer to others faces and by speaking bring cheer to others hearts. They are so overjoyed that they go over to others, spread their happiness, hug them, take blessings from elders and greet others with affection.

But the means adopted these days to express joy and spread happiness to a larger community by playing loud music and dancing intoxicated, definitely does not make our neighborhood and our society happy. Personally an individual may feel happy and his ego may get satisfied but it disturbs others and brings discomfort to animals and birds as well.

The lifestyle we have started living these days is full of artificiality. It lacks simplicity and is unnatural. This is why simple, pure happiness is getting lost now. Artificiality of life has given people mental disorders which is why they are mostly unhappy, hurt and disturbed. So in expressing personal happiness also they do not care about others and in some form or the other give pain and suffering to others.

We must think and understand that in the name of expressing our happiness and spreading cheer, are we making others happy or stupefying them? Are we increasing their happiness or actually furthering sorrows? If we really want others also to be happy with us, our means of expression must be such that they do not disturb or harm the nature and environment.

Roots of Fulfilment

Most thinkers and philosophers of the world opine that self-evolution is a natural desire, and the tendency of every living being. In fact this is what lies behind one’s quest for progress and joy. All efforts, all competitions and struggles for worldly possessions, sensual pleasures, ego-satisfaction emanate from this root cause in the deepest depth, though we don’t realize it because of our extrovert attitude and illusions of letting the worldly substances and circumstances as the keys to a treasure of joy. Most of the time, this joy is just circumstantial, illusory and short-lived. Therefore, we should find ways and means to attain the absolute unalloyed bliss, ultimate fulfillment.

“Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

“When you focus on being a blessing,
God makes sure that you are always blessed in abundance.”

Joel Osteen

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

Mother Teresa

“A man of courage is also full of faith.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Yug Gita – 5

Soul anguish or escapism

(The latter half of the first chapter of Gita)

[In this series of articles, we are trying to present the essence of Srimad Bhagavad Gita in the context of Pujya Gurudev’s thoughts. The previous two articles (Yug Gita – 3 and Yug Gita – 4) constitute the first half of the first chapter dealing with ‘Arjun Vishad Yoga’ (Arjuna’s melancholic state of mind). We saw how seer Veda Vyas advised (through shlokas of Gita) that we should thoroughly analyze the circumstances before taking any action. Valor – bravery – power has its own significance, but if one tackles life’s struggles prudently, then one does not encounter problems. In the coming days, there will be need of leaders who are patient, resolute and full of chivalry. Such leaders, who have attained true discipleship, can work towards ushering a new era. All these virtues were seen in Arjuna; that is why he evolved as an ideal hero for us – the pragya parijans. Let’s take the story forward.]

The first chapter is special in that it first introduces prominent warriors of both the armies as well as analyses their mindsets. Then Arjuna requests Lord Krishna, who is serving as his charioteer, ‘senyorubhyormadhyen ratham sthapay me achyut’ (21st shloka) – Oh Lord! Take me in the middle of the battlefield, so that I can see properly the warriors of both the sides; and decide with whom it would be proper to engage in war. Till then please keep the chariot standing there (22nd shloka). This is a state prior to Arjuna’s melancholy, where, according to earlier note, it was said that one should prudently contemplate prior to taking any decision / action.

Let us compare the mental states of Arjuna and Duryodhana. As described in the previous article, Duryodhana had spoken to Bhishma Pitamah and Guru Dronacharya about the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents, and also sarcastically cautioned them that they should not forget their duties because of their excessive love for Pandavas. It is because of this tendency that Duryodhana is not able to awaken his discipleship, let alone humility. Among the Pandavas, there is Yudhishthira; but he was also a Dharmaraj (king obeying ‘Dharma’ or righteousness). He was a passive person. Had he acted in the proper time, there would have been no Mahabharata war. In fact, when Pandavas returned home after marrying Draupadi, Bheeshma Pitamah called a meeting of the state assembly and proposed that the governance of the state should be transferred to the Pandavas. No one could oppose or challenge his proposal.

When there was no opposition from any side, Yudhishthira stood up and said – ‘It is also the right of the sons of Dhritarashtra to rule over half of the state.’ It is that day that the seed of Mahabharata war was sown – the history was written. Neither was Duryodhana prudent or practical, nor Yudhishthira. It was only Arjuna who was ready to analyze the situation prudently in the middle of the battlefield. It is apparent that everything that happened was in accordance with Lord’s will. Without His will, nothing can ever happen. That is why Lord Krishna took Arjuna in front of his kith and kin.

As soon as the charioteer ‘Yogiraj’ Sri Krishna moved the chariot to the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna observed Bheeshma Pitamah’s and Guru Dronacharya’s chariots position directly ahead of him. On observing Bheeshma, Arjuna reminisced about his childhood. Bheeshma was his grandfather. Sometimes, when he would address Bheeshma as ‘Dad’, the latter would say ‘I am ‘Dad’ of your Dad – or granddad.’ Then, Arjuna started calling him ‘Baba’ (grandfather). He recollected how loving and caring his ‘Baba’ was and how fortunate he was to play in Bheeshma’s lap with his beard. A Himalaya-like high persona, Bheeshma had sacrificed everything to unite Kauravas and Pandavas, and struggled his whole life for their benefit. Arjuna felt overwhelmed by the emotions invoked by his childhood memories. When the memories overpower one’s emotions and make a person contemplate again and again, it should be inferred that it is the time for the purification of one’s sins. Do we feel like weeping whenever we remember how Pujya Gurudev and Vandaniya Mataji took pains for us and how affectionately they guided us on the righteous path? If yes, it’s an auspicious sign. If we are refining ourselves by those memories, then this sermon of the Gita can be meaningful. It is essential to go into this state to awaken true discipleship.

Arjuna thought about who he was going to fight against – the same ‘Baba’ in whose lap he played and the same Gurudev (Drona) who favored him over Eklavya, by taking the latter’s thumb so that he could not surpass Arjuna. Thinking about all this sends Arjuna into deep melancholy. Edwin Arnold, in his book ‘Light of Asia’, describes in detail how Prince Siddhartha became Gautam Buddha. When Siddhartha sees a bier (carrying a dead body to the cremation ground) and the mourners in the funeral procession for the first time in his life, he asks his charioteer why the people were weeping. The charioteer replied that memories make people weep, the mourners in the procession were recollecting memories associated with the dead person. Then Siddhartha asks, “What is the use of such memories that cause people to weep for their whole life? Is there no way to get salvation from these bonds?” This incident awakens his Inner Self and he gets transformed.

In the middle of the battlefield, Arjuna too gets immersed in the fond memories of his loving grandfather, Bheeshma Pitamah, and the pain and sacrifice of his teacher, Dronacharya. He is same Dronacharya, who helped him excel in archery and achieve the ‘Siddhi’ (accomplishment) of possessing the ‘Brahmastra’ (or, the most destructive weapon created by Lord Brahma). Bheeshma remained single and celibate throughout his life just to protect the kingdom and provided love and care to the sons of Pandu. These memories repeatedly flash through his mind and he gets perplexed. Shlokas 27 to 29 of the Gita describe thus:

tan samikshya sa kaunteyah sarvanbhadhunavasthatan
krupya paryavishton vishidannidabravit;

drushdhdemam swajanam krishna yuyutsum samupasthitam.
seedanti mama gatrani mukham va parishushyati;
vepathushcha sharire me romaharshcha jayate;

Meaning: On seeing all his kith and kin there, that son of Kunti, Arjuna was filled with compassion and expressed in sorrowful words – ‘Oh Krishna! By looking at the armies of my relatives and friends willing to engage in war in this battlefield, I feel myself growing weak, my mouth feels dry, and my body is trembling with horror.’

These are the words uttered by a distressed Arjuna. Had he not felt distressed, Arjuna would have been described as heartless and cruel. But he is human and, by awakening his discipleship, he aims to attain divinity. Arjuna is a thoughtful person and is passing through the transition to a state where the mind becomes void of thoughts or concerns. Arjuna is not like most people, who are thoughtless and unable to think about their goal of life. His going into a melancholic state is natural because of his compassionate personality. In the next shloka, Arjuna further explains his state – ‘Hey Keshav! Gandeev dhanush (bow) is falling from my hands, my skin is burning, and I am getting confused. I feel unable to stand. I perceive a bad omen and do not see any benefit in killing my own kith and kin in this war. I don’t want any victory or kingdom or comforts. What is the benefit of winning such a kingdom? What is the use of such luxuries and what is the purpose of such a life? (Shlokas 30-31)

From the viewpoint of psychology, this state of Arjuna appears to be extraordinary. After getting humiliated again and again due to Dharmaraj Yudhishthira’s policies, Arjuna felt very motivated to fight in the war, but when he saw his own kith and kin in the battlefield, he got perplexed. That is why he forgot his swadharma (own duty) and started lamenting. All of us have encountered such a state in our lives too. Our Gurusatta has been making us recall our swadharma by engaging us in the Mahabharata of unfavorable circumstances. We often think what is this–we joined this Mission for the social service, but we have to wage a war against injustice / immorality; we have to encounter opposition every now and then. This is our Mahabharata and we must not retreat under any circumstances.

[To be continued in the next issue]

It began with Gayan, the gandharva, flying his chariot impulsively and close to Dwarka, where Krishna resided. He flew so close to Krishna that Krishna fell down and Gayan did not even apologize for his reckless behaviour. Krishna became furious and vowed to hunt him down and kill him. Gayan, scared, ran to Brahma and Mahesh for help, but they asked him to apologize to Krishna instead. Narad muni then asked him to reach out to Arjuna, Krishna’s close friend, to seek help. After much convincing and manipulation by Narad muni, Arjuna agreed to help Gayan, albeit reluctantly. When Krishna and Arjuna met for battle, Brahma stopped them and found a solution. He asked Arjuna to hand over Gayan to Krishna, who then killed Gayan.

Krishna then told Arjuna that war was near, and he should be prepared to fight even his own brothers and relatives; this battle was meant to prepare Arjuna to fight for the Kurukshetra war.

“Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: ‘Ye must have faith.”

Max Planck

“Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life.”

Jonathan Edwards

“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.”

Voltaire

Peace Pilgrim’s Wisdom – 5

The attainment of inner peace

There were hills and valleys, lots of hills and valleys, in that spiritual growing up period. Then in the midst of the struggle there came a wonderful mountaintop experience—the first glimpse of what the life of inner peace was like.

That came when I was out walking in the early morning. All of a sudden I felt very uplifted, more uplifted than I had ever been. I remember I knew timelessness and spacelessness and lightness. I did not seem to be walking on the earth. There were no people or even animals around, but every flower, every bush, and every tree seemed to wear a halo. There was a light emanation around everything and flecks of gold fell like slanted rain through the air. This experience is sometimes called the illumination period.

The most important part of it was not the phenomena: the important part of it was the realization of the oneness of all creation. Not only all human beings — I knew before that all human beings are one; but now I knew also oneness with the rest of creation–the creatures that walk the earth and the growing things of the earth–The air, the water, the earth itself. And, most wonderful of all, a oneness with that which permeates all and binds all together and gives life to all. A oneness with that which many would call God.

I have never felt separate since. I could return again and again to this wonderful mountaintop, and then I could stay there for longer and longer periods of time and just slip out occasionally.

The inspiration for the pilgrimage came at this time. I sat high upon a hill overlooking rural New England. The day before I had slipped out of harmony, and the evening before I had prayed to God, “It seems to me that if I could always remain in harmony I could be of greater usefulness—for every time I slip out of harmony it impairs my usefulness.”

When I awoke at dawn I was back on the spiritual mountaintop with a wonderful feeling. I knew that I would never need to descend again into the valley. I knew that for me the struggle was over, that finally I had succeeded in finding inner peace. Again this is a point of no return. You can never go back into the struggle. The struggle is over now because you will to do the right thing and you don’t need to be pushed into it.

I went out for a time alone with God. While I was out, a thought struck my mind: I felt a strong inner motivation toward the pilgrimage — toward this special way of witnessing for peace.

I saw, in my mind’s eye, myself walking along and wearing the garb of my mission ... I saw a map of the United States with the large cities marked—and it was as though someone had taken a colored crayon and marked a zigzag line across, coast to coast and border to border, from Los Angeles to New York City. I knew what I was to do. And that was a vision of my first year’s pilgrimage route in 1953!

I entered a new and wonderful world. My life was blessed with meaningful purpose.

However, progress was not over. Great progress has taken place in this third phase of my life. It’s as though the central figure of the jigsaw puzzle of my life is complete and clear and unchanging, and around the edges other pieces keep fitting in. There is always a growing edge, but the progress is harmonious. There is a feeling of always being surrounded by all of the good things, like love and peace and joy. It seems like a protective surrounding, and there is an unshakeableness within which takes you through any situation you may need to face.

The world may look at you and believe that you are facing great problems, but always there are the inner resources to easily overcome the problems. Nothing seems difficult. There is a calmness and a serenity and unhurriedness—no more striving or straining about anything. That’s a very important thing I’ve learned. If your life is in harmony with your part in the Life Pattern, and if you are obedient to the laws which govern this universe, then life is full and life is good but life is nevermore overcrowded. If it is overcrowded, then you are doing more than is right for you to do — more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things.

Now there is a living to give instead of to get. As you concentrate on the giving, you discover that just as you cannot receive without giving, so neither can you give without receiving — even the most wonderful things like health and happiness and inner peace. There is a feeling of endless energy; it just never runs out, it seems to be as endless as air. You seem to be plugged in to the source of universal energy.

You are now in control of your life. Your higher nature, which is controlled by God, controls the body, mind, and emotions. (The ego is never really in control. The ego is controlled by wishes for comfort and convenience on the part of the body, by demands of the mind, and by outbursts of the emotions.)

I can say to my body, “Lie down there on that cement floor and go to sleep,” and it obeys. I can say to my mind, “Shut out everything else and concentrate on the job before you,” and it is obedient. I can say to my emotions, “Be still, even in the face of this terrible situation,” and they are still. A great philosopher has said, he who seems to be out of step may be following a different drummer. And now you are following a different drummer: the higher nature instead of the lower nature.

When you have done the spiritual growing up you realize that every human being is of equal importance, has work to do in this world, and has equal potential. We are in many varied stages of growth; this is true because we have free will. You have free will as to whether you will finish the mental and emotional growing up. Many choose not to. You have free will as to whether you will begin the spiritual growing up. The beginning of it is the time when you feel completely willing, without any reservations, to leave the self-centered life. And most choose not to. But it was doing that growth and finding inner peace that prepared me for the pilgrimage that I walk today.

Looking through the eyes of the divine nature you see the essence within the manifestation, the creator within the creation, and it is a wonderful, wonderful world!

I realized in 1952 that it was the proper time for a pilgrim to step forth. The war in Korea was raging and the McCarthy era was at its height. It was a time when congressional committees considered people guilty until they could prove their innocence. There was great fear at that time and it was safest to be apathetic. Yes, it was most certainly a time for a pilgrim to step forward, because a pilgrim’s job is to rouse people from apathy and make them think. With the last bit of money I had left, I bought not only paper and stencil for my first messages but material for my first tunic. Although I designed it, the sewing was done by a lady in California, and the lettering was painted by a man who was a sign painter. My initial reaction when I first put it on was a wonderful ‘rightness’ about it, and I immediately accepted it.

[Reproduced with kind consent of the publishers – Friends of Peace Pilgrim]

rathasyaikam chakram bhujaga-yamitaah sapta turagaah,
niraalambo maargashcharana-rahitah saarathirapi;
ravir gachchhatyantam, pratidinamapaarasya nabhsah,
kriyaa-siddhih sattwe bhavati mahataam nopakarane.

Chanakya Neeti

Meaning: (This has reference to Sun God and his journey in the sky.) His chariot has just one wheel. The seven horses are reined in by serpents. The path (sky) is without a support. His charioteer (Arun) is without legs. Yet the Sun travels every day to the end of the infinite sky.

Indeed, the fruition of action lies in the character of the great people (performers of action), not in the equipment (means)!

“Accept the past as the past and realize that each new day you are a new person who doesn’t need to carry old baggage into the new day with you. It’s amazing how many people ruin the beauty of today with the sorrows of yesterday. Yesterday doesn’t exist anymore! For example, if ever I feel foolish or guilty about something I’ve done, I learn from it and attempt to do better the next time. Shame or guilt serves no one. Such feelings actually keep us down, often lowering the vibrations of those around us, as well. Living in the present moment is the recurring baptism of the soul, forever purifying every new day with a new you.”

Alaric Hutchinson

“We can no more do without spirituality than we can do without food, shelter, or clothing.”

Ernest Holmes

“Skepticism has never founded empires, established principals, or changed the world’s heart.
The great doers in history have always been people of faith.”

Edwin Hubbel Chapin

“Faith and prayer are the vitamins of the soul; man cannot live in health without them.”

Mahalia Jackson

Youth Column

May my mind make auspicious resolutions

There is a Sutra in the Rudrashtadhayi of Shukla Yajur Veda – ‘tanme manah shivasankalpamastu’. It means – ‘May my mind make auspicious resolutions’. There is an immense power in sankalpa (resolve). This entire creation is a result of the sankalpa of God. Any activity starts with a firm determination and it reaches completion with the same power. If the power of resolve is weak or shadowed by doubt, then the work remains incomplete.

Sankalpa or the power of resolve fills a person with immense enthusiasm and unrelenting courage because of which he reaches his goal with full confidence. Mahatma Gandhi resolved to follow non-violence, love, peace and harmony. He lived his entire life following these principles, resulting in the success of Indian Independence Movement. If our mind is firm and focused, power of resolve gets strengthened. If our mind is wavering, there are cracks in our determination.

If our resolve is firm, even problems will be scared to come near us. It is then that an ordinary person ends up doing extraordinary work. If a person is determined, he can land on his feet anywhere and under any circumstances irrespective of the resources at his disposal. If the resolve is firm, even the smallest of efforts bring about a revolution. For example, Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya was determined to establish Benares Hindu University and it was his firm resolve that made this awe-inspiring task possible. Yugrishi Param Pujya Gurudev established this extensive ‘Gayatri Pariwar’ purely out of his power of resolve and it is continuing to scale new heights till today.

Even mountains can be moved with the power of resolve. Even the biggest of problems bow their head in front of a determined person. On the contrary, those who are fickle-minded lead themselves on the path to self-destruction. Spiritual life of a person is also founded on the power of resolve. If it is weak, then man cannot achieve meaningful success, become self-reliant or beget spiritual attainments.

There is a sutra in Atharva Veda in this context – ‘yo vah shushmo hridayeshvantarakutirya vo manasi pravishta taanseevayami havishya ghritena mayisajaata ramatirvo astu’. It means: ‘when one sets his heart and mind on something and pursues with determination, then such a task is bound to be completed successfully. A person or country or a civilization or culture can become victorious only by the strength of resolve.’

The jeevatma (soul) that resides in the body is endowed with five gyanendriyas (sense organs) and five karmendriyas (motor control organs) and their capabilities are limited. But mind, the eleventh sense organ is the most important and most powerful. Jeevatma expresses its desires and decisions using the mind. The strength of mind is such that it can bind even the soul in the web of desires and make it wander aimlessly through the worlds. This fickleness of the mind can only be controlled by the power of the soul known as sankalpa shakti (the power of resolve). Only a person who is steadfast on the path of Truth can realize the soul.

‘sanshayatma vinashyati’ – one who has doubt in his mind, one whose mind is fickle will cause his own downfall. In general, people do not succeed in their profession because their energy is not focused on it. But when they set their heart and soul into doing their job, their mind gets focused and perceives hitherto unseen opportunities. This increases the probability of success.

If the mind is brought under control and its energies channelized in a specific direction, one becomes immune to the pains and travails of the body. One such example is that of Lokmanya Bala Gangadhar Tilak. Once his thumb needed a surgery. The doctor came to him with chloroform which could be used to make him unconscious so that surgery could be performed. He would then experience no pain. However, Tilak refused to take the anesthesia and said that if he could be provided with a copy of Bhagawad Gita, they could perform the surgery. Once he got the book, in a few minutes he was completely engrossed in reading. The doctors performed the surgery and he was not even aware that it had happened.

There are many other astounding miracles of the power of resolve; like – accomplished yogis stopping rain, impeding the flow of flood water, lifting a massive stone etc. Sir Adyar has written about a saint by name Govind Swami. On Swamiji’s command a pot filled with water would rise 1.5 feet from the ground. Once when Maharshi Galav saw the residents of his ashram dying of thirst, he ordered a mountain to provide water. It is said that as soon as he gave the order, a fountain of water emerged from within the mountain. This place is famous even today in Jaipur and is known as Galtaji. When there was a famine in the ashram of Atri- Anasuya in Chitrakoot, there was not a drop of water available. Maharshi Atri was performing penance and hence was not in the ashram. The maternal instinct of Anasuya was invoked by the cries of her ashramites. With her sankalpa shakti she created a stream of water that is known as Mandakini. The water quenched the thirst of many people during that drought.

It is not that the miracles can be exhibited with spiritual power alone; many a miracle has been exhibited when determination meets physical effort. Dashrath Manjhi, popularly known as

‘Mountain Man’ was a poor laborer of Gehlaur village in Jharkhand. He used just a hammer and a chisel to cut through a mountain and carved a path that is 360ft long and 30ft wide. His untiring work for 22 years shortened the travel from 55 km to just 15 km. There are many such miracles of the power of resolve found in the history.

Sankalpa Shakti is a power that changes the direction of life and brushes aside all the hurdles in the path like a bunch of dry leaves. It is this power of resolve that makes a tiny seed emerge out of the soil and grow into a tree. Any person can scale new heights and reach the peak if he is determined and focused in his efforts. Only those who possess this virtue can attain great heights and be extolled as great souls.

“Faith is a passionate intuition.”

William Wordsworth

“Our doubts are traitors,
and make us lose the good we oft might win,
by fearing to attempt.”

William Shakespeare

“Every tomorrow has two handles.
We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety,
or by the handle of faith.”

Author Unknown

Magical benefits of fasting

For centuries, the tradition of fasting is being followed in India. Our enlightened ancestors and founders of Indian culture decided the days of fasting keeping in mind the importance of the day of the week, or the day of the year, and in accordance with various festivals. They were well aware that fasting on these specific days will help people accumulate unique energies in their bodies, will help in removing the toxins and keep them healthy. Fasting has immense benefits in physical as well as spiritual terms. But we must know that, to attain these benefits it is necessary to enhance our tolerance levels. Fasting is regarded as an inseparable component of higher spiritual practices precisely because of the great spiritual benefits that fasting offers.

There are many types of fasts prescribed that help fulfill our desires, but if pure-selfless emotions also get associated with these fasts then immense spiritual benefits are attained as well. There are two kinds of fasting. First, which is called vrat’, has specific vows and rules associated with it. Every vrat has a different set of rules and do’s and don’ts which are absolutely essential to be followed. The second form is called ‘upavas’ which means renunciation of food and contemplation of the Supreme Soul. The word upavas means being near the Supreme Soul. There are no binding rules and regulations in upavas, so it is not a vrat. However, a vrat can be like an upavas.

Many diseases of different kinds are spreading all over the world these days. This is drawing attention of researchers towards usefulness of fasting as a cure. Many scientists all over the world are now studying and researching on benefits of fasting. Research studies have brought forth the fact that a well-defined process of fasting can be very helpful in attaining good health. Fasting has been found to be beneficial in weight-reduction, controlling high blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, etc.

Obesity is fast becoming a curse today. A large population is falling prey to diseases starting from diabetes, cardiac problems, cancer etc. to other diseases that manifest in older age. As a result, importance of fasting for good health is gaining worldwide attention. Prof. Mark Mattson, Chief of Neuroscience Laboratory of National Institute of Ageing and Professor of Neuroscience in Johns Hopkins University in USA has been conducting research on this topic for many years. He has discovered that fasting helps improve the working of many organs like heart, muscles, intestines etc. and enhances the working capacity of the brain.

According to Prof Mark, during fasting the energy consumption by the body reduces and the brain is able to fight better the diseases of the nervous system that develop with advancing age. Fasting increases memory and happiness, and it also helps in controlling the growth of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases of the brain. Based on a number of years of research Prof Mark has concluded that if we fast for 2 days in a week the capability of hippocampus area of brain increases, which has a direct effect on enhancing our memory. Due to fasting, accumulation of amyloid plaque around the neurons inside the brain is prevented. Amyloid plaque is a type of protein which is found around neurons in the patients of Alzheimer’s disease. According to Prof Mark, fasting strengthens the nervous system which helps a person to fight various problems like depression. Fasting also casts a very positive effect on the entire extent of activities that brain undertakes.

In Ayurveda, like vrat-upavas, there is another special therapy named langhan, which is a process to reduce toxins formed within the body and which helps in their excretion. The word langhan means to bring about a feeling of smallness or lightness in the body. In langhan, as per the disease and the state of a person, food intake is completely stopped for a definite period of time. The purpose behind this is to cleanse all the toxins generated in the body during metabolism leading to increase in the agni tatva (fire element). Some of the benefits of vrat-upavas and langhan are – balanced excretion of stools, urine and apan vayu from the body, enhancement of freshness and energy in the body, upgrading of all processes inside the body, elimination of laziness and tiredness, and attainment of a peaceful, cheerful mind.

Health experts now also believe that if fasting is carried out properly, it is a very good way to keep ourselves healthy. In the tinned, packed food available freely today many chemicals are added by their manufacturers which get accumulated in the body as toxins. Fasting reduces cholesterol and regulates sugar in the body, and helps removal of toxins from organs like liver, pancreas etc. Vrat-upavas also help improve our eating habits and increase resistance to diseases.

Fasting provides well deserved rest to our digestive system for a few hours. It increases efficiency of metabolism of the body. If a person’s digestive powers are weak, his body’s capability to digest fatty substances reduces. Fasting regulates the working of the digestive system and it also improves various metabolic processes inside the body. Research studies have also shown that fasting cures allergy related diseases and is very beneficial in curing diseases of the intestines.

Specialists say that not everyone can do fasting. For example, pregnant and lactating women, malnourished persons, those suffering from heart related diseases, diabetic people etc. should not fast. During fasting a person has to pay special attention to what he eats. For example, common salt should not be eaten during fasting. Those who cannot manage without salt may use rock salt instead. Water, fruits, fruit juices, lemonade etc. must be taken in liberal amounts during fasting. Consumption of sugar or jiggery is permitted but only in a limited quantity. People who take aswad vrat (fasting on food without taste) give up both sugar as well as salt. Different forms of vrat have different rules to be observed. In some, only fruit diet is allowed, in some one meal is skipped, and then there are some in which water is also not taken.

The kind of food we consume during fast has its own specific effect on the body. If during fasting someone eats rich deep fried dishes, or eats throughout the day, or drinks insufficient water then the results won’t be anywhere close to expectations. It is necessary to take easily digestible food and a balanced diet during fasting. Foods and beverages that are harmful to the body should not be taken. People who are not careful about what they eat and drink during fasting actually grow weak and unhealthy. Also, we must fast within our capacity to bear hunger and not be overzealous.

Fasting works if we are careful about whatever we take in. And this applies not only to the food for the physical body, but also to the intakes for our mind, our emotional being and our spiritual being too. The correct food for our mind is good thoughts and these are what we should take during fasting. We should completely protect ourselves from negative thinking. The right food for our emotional being is benevolent emotions and we need to reject harmful emotions like anger, jealousy, malice, hatred etc. Finally, good food for the spirit is worship, chanting of mantras, meditation, etc.; and what is unhealthy food is wrong company, which should be avoided.

So, to get the best results during fasting we must be careful about our food and also pay attention to our lifestyle. If required, it is good to seek advice of experts.

“Fasting from any nourishment, activity, involvement or pursuit—for any season—sets the stage for God to appear. Fasting is not a tool to pry wisdom out of God’s hands or to force needed insight about a decision. Fasting is not a tool for gaining discipline or developing piety (whatever that might be). Instead, fasting is the bulimic act of ridding ourselves of our fullness to attune our senses to the mysteries that swirl in and around us.”

Dan B. Allender

“Let us not believe that an external fast from visible food alone can possibly be sufficient for perfection of heart and purity of body unless with it there has also been united a fast of the soul; for the soul also has its foods that are harmful. Slander is its food and indeed one that is very dear to it. A burst of anger also supplies it with miserable food for an hour and destroys it as well with its deadly savor. Envy is food of the mind, corrupting it with its poisonous juices and never ceasing to make it wretched and miserable at the prosperity and success of another. Vanity is its food which gratifies the mind with a delicious meal for a time but afterward strips it clear and bare of all virtue. Then vanity dismisses it barren and void of all spiritual fruit. All lust and shift wanderings of heart are a sort of food for the soul, nourishing it on harmful meats but leaving it afterwards without a share of its heavenly bread and really solid food. If then, with all the powers we have, we abstain from these in a most holy fast our observance of the bodily fast will be both useful and profitable.”

John Cassian

“In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.”

Blaise Pascal

“Sun beams out of the clouds, faith out of all my doubt.”

Terri Guillemets

“Faith is the quiet cousin of courage.”

Judith Hanson Lasater

Odyssey of the Enlightened – 54

Another pilgrimage to the South – 2

Meeting with Jalahari Baba

On the way to Tirupati, Shriram met some saints, one of whom was Jalahari Baba. He met him (Baba) in Athirala Teerth, which was popular at the regional level. This Teerth is about one hundred kilometers from Madras (now Chennai). It is believed that Lord Parshuram took bath in a pond located here, after which he got deliverance from the sin of Matrihatya (maternal killing). There is a temple of Lord Shiva near the pond. Jalahari Baba had made his hermitage near this temple. He used to wear only the loin-cloth. There would be no other cloths on his body. Most of the time, he would sit near the Dhooni (firepit). His real name was different; but as he lived only on the Ahar (diet) of Jala (water), he was called Jalahari. People never saw him eating / drinking anything other than water. As Shriram approached Babaji, he tried to introduce himself. Baba responded with indifference. Shriram said– “I have one curiosity. Only you can satisfy.” Jalahari Baba avoided the question and said – “No sadhak is able to remove other’s doubts. The question is answered by the Source from where it arises or the Indwelling Lord satisfies it.”

Shriram didn’t give up. He said –“I want to ask something about you. People say that you survive only on water. Do the needs of body get fulfilled by it?” Hearing this, Baba removed his attention from Dhooni and looked at the questioner. After a few moments he said –“Are you not surviving on buttermilk and the bread of barley? Are the needs of body fulfilled by this diet?”

Shriram was taken aback by this answer of Baba. How did Baba know about his sadhana – tapascharya? Not many people knew about it even in his native place. No one, other than the near and dear ones at home, had the knowledge of his vow. Seeing Shriram stunned Baba said –“Don’t worry. Not only me but many other sadhaks also know about your sadhana and its purpose. The astral guide, who has asked you to perform tapa, has also inspired many other sadhaks to help you.”

A new fact was revealed about his sadhana. After that, Shriram didn’t consider it necessary to ask anything more. But Baba said – “After the darshan of Lord Venkateshwara, you are visiting the Ashram of Mahayogi in Pondicherry. Is it? From there you go back home….(Pause). Now don’t make me speak more. Some people are waiting outside.”

Shriram glanced back. Some devotees were standing with folded hands outside Baba’s hermitage. They had come to pay their respects to Baba. Shriram again bowed down to touch his feet and got up from there. He started contemplating on Baba’s words of revelation.

Difficult Journey of Tirupati

It was appearing that, in future, he would have to accomplish great tasks. The participation in the freedom struggle was only a small part of that task. The background and the circumstances that inspired him to visit this place too were conveying that he should keep away from active political and social activities for some time.

On the way to Tirupati, several mythological stories, personal experiences and feelings of devotees about Lord Venkateshwara were heard. The temple of Lord Venkateshwara or Balaji, situated on Tirumala Mountain is the richest holy place in the world. This is no exaggeration; indeed this has been verified by the Revenue Department of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The mountain on which it is situated is named ‘Tirumala’ which means literally ‘Prosperous’ (Tiru means rich and malai means mountain).

It is said that mythological Sheshanag is sitting here in the form of a mountain. That is why it is also called Sheshachal. While going up to get darshan (view) of Lord Venkateshwara, the holy mountain has to be trodden upon (considered to be a sacrilege), and hence some devotees bow down at the foot of the hill and go back. With reference to the Puranas, King Ambarish and Bhakta Prahlad didn’t climb the mountain. They worshipped the Lord at the foot of the hill and returned. Ramanujacharya found a way out of this belief. He went up the mountain by repeatedly performing Dandavat Pranam (prostrating himself). Later on many devotees followed this procedure.

Sheshachal or Tirumala is surrounded by seven hills. Now-a-days a spiral shaped bus route has been made to reach the temple situated on the hill. The route is about 33 Km long from Tirupati. But in those days, the mountain had to be climbed up through a steep slope of about 8 km span. Out of this, the climb of 6 km was very tough. The climber had to stop at several places and take rest. It took about 7 – 8 hours for Shriram to climb up the hill. He also stopped at some places other than the resting ones.

The environment of Sheshachal was extremely charming. The hill was covered by Mango and Sandalwood trees. Therefore there was shade and scent present everywhere. It appeared as if he was traveling through the Ashrams of the Rishis as described in Ramayan and Mahabharat. A person, who has read these epics, when passing through such surroundings, will start imagining that the regions where seers and sages made their hermitages which were suffused with the atmosphere of Puja – path, yagya, etc, might have been of this kind.

He also visited Pandu cave which came on the way to Venkateshwara temple. This cave contains the idols of five Pandavas and the footprints of Lord Vishnu. Shriram felt the cave to be filled with live vibrations of Tapa-Sadhana and hence, instead of roaming here and there, he sat there and meditated for about half an hour. After that, without stopping anywhere he went straight to Tirupati temple. A feeling of exhilarating joy was awakened by looking at the standing idol (about 2 meters high) of the presiding deity (Lord Vishnu). Chaturbhuji Vishnu is holding shankh (conch shell) and chakra (discus) in his two hands. One hand is raised in abhay mudra (assurance of protection) and left hand is kept on the waist. All this is seen when one looks at the idol minutely, otherwise these expressions of the deity are hidden by clothes and ornaments. Now-a-days, one can get only a fleeting glimpse of the idol. The crowd surging from behind does not allow the devotee to stand in front of the idol even for a fraction of a minute.

The volunteers of the temple too push them aside. But in those days, that surge of crowd was not there. The devotees used to wait for their turn. This patience evolved automatically after taking a tiring journey of several miles on foot.

Adornment of the Idol

How old is the temple? There are different opinions about this. Shriram didn’t waste his time to investigate it. For about ten minutes he stood in front of the idol of Lord Venkateshwara (which is an integrated form of Lords Shiva and Vishnu) and gazed at it intently. At first glance it appeared that the radiance was coming from the ornaments of the idol. But when he saw minutely, he found that effulgence was emanating from the idol and not from the ornaments. The suggestion came from within. If the idol is suffused with consciousness, this effulgence ought to radiate. Dressing, adornment, etc are done to cover it. The effulgence of the idol may move the mind of a normal viewer. Then he may leave his familial duties and engage himself in worship / service of the Lord, for which the person’s consciousness has not been developed thus far.

After watching the grandeur and regal arrangements, a thought came to Shriram that the splendor of the Ishta / Aradhya (object of adoration) of the millions should be like this only. Instead of going into more details, Shriram took more interest in the mode of worship. Prior to eleventh century, the method of worship was different. After that the Puja–rituals are done as prescribed by Swami Ramanujacharya. In this method, the number of rituals is very large; for example, ashtanga aarti, snan, bhojan, shayan, etc are done through elaborate methods. In order to understand the mystery of these rituals, he sat down near Pushkarni (pond) for some time.

Extraordinary Realization

Performing the rituals in the mental world, Shriram was feeling awakened and enlightened. He was feeling that each ritual was awakening a specific thought / virtue in his mind. For example, when water was offered for aachaman to Venkateshwara, it appeared that the ray of sanctity emanated from the idol and entered in his own mind like a blessing. Similar rays kept coming when different rituals like Prachhalan, Snan, Ahar, Vishram, Shayan, Mangla, etc were performed. Some devotees were taking bath in the Pushkarni after getting their heads shaved. This tradition exists only in Tirupati. It is considered that the devotee after getting his wish fulfilled gets his head shaved. Shriram thought that this is a symbol of freeing oneself from the debt of gods (Devrina).

Possibly, the Puja – rituals may not be required for the Sadhaks of elevated status; but they are certainly needed for average devotees. After this realization, he started returning from Pushkarni. While returning, he looked up towards the peak of the temple. It was glittering in the sunshine. That glitter attracted the attention of Shriram. He stopped suddenly and started gazing the top. While he was gazing, someone from behind said – ‘What are you gazing at? People see their future in it; are you also seeing something?”

Shriram heard these words; but he neither replied nor looked back. He perceived the snowy peak of Himalayas at the top of the temple. It was the same peak which he had seen when he was in the company of his Gurudev (guide) on the Himalayas. For a few moments, he could get the glimpse of his Gurudev also. When he again saw the temple top minutely, it was shining as usual. It was not difficult for Shriram to decipher the message of this scene. It was very clear. Shriram again saw the temple top attentively and folding his hands bowed towards it. Then he bowed towards the main gate of the temple. He realized that, in future, Tirupati would become a bridge between North and South. If the endeavor of spreading Gayatri Sadhana and keeping the nation united has to be done, the vibrations of this place are the best to start from. Thinking this and gazing at the temple, he moved towards his next destination.

From Satsang, comes non-attachment;

From non-attachment comes freedom from delusion,
From freedom from delusion comes self-settlement.
From self-settlement comes liberation (from ignorance).

Adi Shankaracharya (Bhaj Govindam)

Satsang = Sat (Truth) + Sanga (Company)–Means to seek the company of the truth. In simple terms, Satsang is living life with awareness in the company of good people.

An elephant took a bath in a river and was walking on the road. When it neared a bridge, it saw a pig fully soaked in mud coming from the opposite direction. The elephant quietly moved to one side, allowed the dirty pig to pass and then continued its onward journey.

The unclean pig later spoke to its friends in arrogance, “See how big I am; even the elephant was afraid of me and moved to one side to let me pass”.

On hearing this, some elephants questioned their friend, the reason for its action. Was it out of fear? The elephant smiled and replied, “I could have easily crushed the pig under my leg, but I was clean and the pig was very unclean. By crushing it, my leg would have become dirty and I wanted to avoid it. Hence, I moved aside.”

Moral of the story: Realized souls will avoid contact with negativity not out of fear, but out of desire to keep away from impurity though they are strong enough to destroy the impurity.

“Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”

George Seaton

“Life without faith in something is too narrow a space to live.”

George Lancaster Spalding

“Have faith in yourselves, and stand up on that faith and be strong; that is what we need.”

Swami Vivekananda

“If you think you can win, you can win. Faith is necessary to victory.”

William Hazlitt

Improve your eating habits

Food is an indispensable component of our life and the basis of our health. It is not only responsible for the nourishment of our body and mind but even that of our personality. Our basic food habits are developed in childhood and persist throughout our life. The initial meal of every infant is milk but once he becomes 5 to 6 months old, he is initiated into eating and from then begins the process of taking food and the development of his eating habits.

Usually, taste becomes the basis of food selection. So, the tastier the food, the more it is preferred. The desire for taste has led to the invention of various dishes, cuisines and cooking practices and with time, various experiments and changes have been incorporated into it. This diversity of taste has brought about many changes in our eating habits. These changes had the primary bearing on our health, especially that of the children. Therefore, it is immensely important that our eating habits should not only be based on taste, but also be beneficial for our health.

Even adults do not observe restraint when it comes to taste, then the case of children is even worse. They tempt for flavors and crave to taste them. So, today it has become a challenge for the parents to control the eating habits of children in time and keep up their health. They make every possible effort for the health of their young ones, yet under the influence of modern lifestyle, their health is constantly deteriorating. By the time the children become wise and conscious about health, they had already lost it substantially.

Many of them become premature victims of various diseases and the reason is–faulty food habits. In some instances, health may be restored by rectifying the mistakes. But, there are certain diseases like diabetes, which may create health issues for whole life in varying proportions.

It is important for people of every age group to improve their eating habits because habits can be modified any time, if one so resolves. However, it is not easy to bring changes in the childhood habits. Therefore, it is very essential to improve the eating habits while one is still in the formative years. Nevertheless, the food taken in childhood forms the basic foundation of our physical health. This is because this is the stage of rapid physical growth and it plays the most crucial role in providing nutrition to the body. If healthful nutritional elements are taken at this stage, then the body becomes amazingly energetic, balanced, well-formed and healthy.

The eating habits of children are a cause of concern in every family because even after repeatedly insisting on them to eat fruits and vegetables they do not do so but remain adamant for junk food. This is a common trend among the children. Further, as they grow up, their insistence and the selection of eatables tend to become even more worrying. Though parents are concerned about this, but after a time they become helpless and the consequence is that in the long term these small habits lead to diseases. Therefore, it is essential for us to be aware of our eating habits timely and carefully observe the young ones for this.

Children themselves may neither be conscious of their health nor do they understand the risks associated with wrong food habits. They only bother about the taste. Thus, the primary responsibility of preventing them from moving on the path of ailments lies on their parents. It is essential to timely bring changes in their eating habits, while also keeping taste in mind. For this, it is essential to acquaint them with the important facts related to food. They should be told that which food nourishes our health and which food stuff makes us ill and prone to diseases, so that they can know and understand the impact of food in their lives.

The endorsement in advertisements and imitation of others are also the factors which promote the consumption of non-nutritious food. This becomes the chief cause of obesity in them and also proves detrimental for their health. Thus it is extremely important to prevent this distortion in their food habits.

As far as possible, the habit of eating homemade food should be inculcated in children and they should also be told about its benefits. Experts believe that their eating habits substantially impact their behaviour. Moreover, distortion in eating becomes a chief reason of unsystematic routine, due to which the body gets complex diseases, which are not easily curable.

Children learn by observing and imitating others. So, in order to change their eating habits, firstly, the elders of the family and those coming in their contact would have to improve their own food habits. Also, nutrient-rich food stuff like fruits, dry fruits, sprouts, vegetables, juices and milk should be incorporated in their diet. Further, they should be given freshly prepared food. Another important parameter is the quantity. Some children eat very little, while some have a heavy diet. Both the habits are wrong and harmful. If this disparity remains uncontrolled, consulting the experts could prove beneficial. It is wrong to keep scolding the child for food. This may push them into depression or lead to other psychological complexities. The correct way is to insist them lovingly. Sometimes accepting what they say, while at other times convincing them to follow what we advise.

The eating habits of neither the adults nor the children can be improved forcefully. This would instead worsen the situation, rather than improving it. The stubborn insistence, initially gives the impression of improvement but as soon as the person gets freedom, he again becomes willful. Thus, for changing our eating habits, we do not have to compromise with taste, but have to prudently inculcate the healthy food habits.

Michael Jordan suffered his first set- back in his sophomore year when he was left out of the varsity basketball team. Reason? He was only 5’9” at that time. His taller classmate Leroy Smith had won the last spot on the team.

He made up his mind that he would never have to face a similar situation ever again and started practicing every day after that, making it a point to take out time for his practice daily without fail. He soon shot up to 6’3”, made the team the next year and never had to look back after that.

From being a part of two gold-medal winning teams at the Olympics to winning NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award five times in his career, Jordan dominated the sports field for more than a decade in the ‘90s. His famous quote -

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

“Faith is an excitement and an enthusiasm: it is a condition of intellectual magnificence to which we must cling as to a treasure…”

George sand

“Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns.”

Anne Lamott

Do you appreciate the value of time?

Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author and government reformer, has rightly said – ‘Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever’. Thus utilizing time wisely brings improvement in life and wasting time wastes life. Time does not wait for anyone. It keeps ticking towards an unknown destination every second, minute, hour, day, and year. There is a saying that “spent time and spent words cannot come back”. Therefore, it is our duty to utilize time in the best possible manner. Time is the essence of life.

Shakespeare wrote in one of his plays “I wasted time, and now doth Time waste me”. It is true that a person who wastes even a little bit of time loses wonderful opportunities that he could have otherwise availed of by utilizing that time. All the great leaders have one thing in common. They wisely utilize every single minute of their time. When other people are busy squandering away time in self-indulgence and laziness, great men are busy conceptualizing plans for future. There is no person in history who squandered away his time and still managed to achieve greatness.

Many people always say that they are very busy and have no time at all to do anything more than their daily routine jobs. It’s a bitter truth that we are given limited time on this Earth and none of us know our actual time or life span, we still waste and lose our precious time in doing useless things. It is true that we get twenty four hours in a day but we can’t work for entire twenty four hours. We spend about six to seven hours in sleeping, few hours to complete our daily chores, some time for entertainment and some for unproductive things. At the end, we save very little time for our important work to accomplish our goals. If we do not manage our time efficiently, then we may lose even those little valuable hours. So, it is essential to understand the importance of time given to us during our life span and utilize it correctly, instead of always complaining for “Lack of Time”.

If we achieve our desired goals and complete our responsibilities in a timely manner, it indicates that we are managing our time properly. However, if we have a long list of incomplete tasks, then we must change our working style, plan and manage effectively our day-to-day life. For this purpose, we should cultivate some good habits, which may refresh, energize, and increase our working efficiency. This will help in time management as well. Relaxing for a short span while doing our work, reading inspiring books, listening to music, doing something new and creative etc are such habits that make us stress- free. In spite of our busy schedule, we should take out some time for activities of our interest, i.e. singing, praying, cooking or playing games etc. Such habits will help to open up a new horizon to our working efficiency and goals. For example, former Prime minister of Australia, Mr. John Howard had a very good habit of walking for an hour every day, wherever in the world he may be. It was his personal time and very important as well. He always said that “What is to be done will be done” and there is no question of lack of time. It’s not the time, which we lack; it is the lack of proper thinking and planning to perform the work.

Yugrishi Param Pujya Gurudev used to write articles for Akhand Jyoti magazine; and while he was busy with his writing work, he always had visitors to meet with him, to receive his blessings. But, he managed to do both at the same time very easily, without any stress. He, even completed, his daily walk in his private room every day, by counting his footsteps equivalent to two miles to save his time, during his busy schedule. He always went to bed in time and woke up early in the morning. He never had any trouble sleeping or getting up at his desired time, even if too many people stayed in his room. His daily routine was fixed, which also included his prayer and meditation time. He lived his entire life with full enthusiasm and energy. Those, who visited him, also got fully energized and felt an amazing kind of happiness being with him.

Some people tend to be perfectionists. However, Oliver Burkeman mentions in his book “The Antidote”, “Perfectionism, at bottom, is a fear- driven striving to avoid the experience of failure at all costs. At its extremes, it is an exhausting and permanently stressful way to live.” So one need not worry for perfection; it will automatically show in the work that has been planned and executed meticulously.

Time management has a rule, which is known as 80:20 rule. According to this rule, 80% of our daily work has only 20% productivity and rest of the 20% gives us 80% fruitful results to reach our goal. Therefore, it is important to focus on just 20% of designated task in a given time to get the benefit of 80%; however, what should be those 20% task, should be decided carefully.

In our daily life, some designated duties are very important and some hold less importance, so we should choose the task, based on the priority and leave the rest to save some time for our personal growth, in addition to our materialistic growth. Our materialistic growth is admired by the world but the personal growth is seen only by self; the latter eventually becomes the source for our overall growth. Therefore, we must take out some time, out of our busy schedule, for prayer, meditation and reading inspiring books or any other hobby, which may energize and motivate us to be enthusiastic towards life. CEO of Microsoft, Mr. Bill Gates, always read inspiring books before sleeping. He says that he can’t miss reading a book before going to bed, even if it is late at night. This helps him in learning new things.

Time has one simple rule – it flows continuously. We should understand this truth and utilize our years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds for a good purpose. We should plan in such a way that we don’t end up wasting even the tiniest second of life.

Our lives are made up of various elements and experiences. We need to play various roles every day to make it whole. Therefore, our plans also should be multi-dimensional and not one- dimensional. Our plans should encompass our career, character, society, country, and other social aspects. An all-round approach to achieving success is much more fruitful and praiseworthy. It is never too late to start following the simple principles of time management and see our lives turned around. Let’s begin today!

“Back of every creation, supporting it like an arch, is faith.
Enthusiasm is nothing: it comes and goes.
But if one believes, then miracles occur.”

Henry Miller

“All things are inconstant except faith in the soul,
which changes all things and fills their inconstancy with light.”

James Joyce

Amrit Vani

Two steps to spiritual ascent — Yoga and Tapa – II

(Translation of a discourse given by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya on the topic “Adhyātmika UtkarṢa ke Sopāna – Yog aur Tap”–continued from the previous issue)

[In the earlier part of this discourse, Revered Gurudev had highlighted the importance of divine- worship and devotional practices (pūjā-upāsanā); he had also eloquently pointed out their true meaning and purpose. He explained that Yoga and Tapa are essential prerequisites and supports for self-development and worthy progress in life. Here we continue with his consecutive discussion on how to give a righteous direction to the intellect.]

Friends,

The Gayatri Mantra awakens, illuminates, and guides the intellect towards righteousness. There is no magic or any such thing in a Mantra or in the act of simply chanting it. What accounts mainly for its miraculous effects on the mind (and intellect) is its japa-sādhanā — continuous meditative chanting at a consistent pace with deep emotional engrossment in its divine meaning and teachings (see [1-4] for details). While japa (meditative chanting) could only be for a fixed period of time every day, its enlightenment, insight, inspirations and elevating positiveness should remain fresh in your mind throughout the day. Its ‘divine inspiration’ should reflect in your feelings, aspirations, and thoughts. For this, you will have to first understand the importance of thoughts (and emotions) and train your mind accordingly.

You can experience the magical power of thoughts on every front of your life. For example, if you change your attitude of always looking at your scarcities and comparing them with others with higher possessions to an outlook of a giver, a philanthropist, you will suddenly become happy and feel strong. Instead of being driven by cravings, or instead of desiring to acquire more and more (worldly comforts, status etc), if you start learning to care for what you already have and pay attention to making best use of that, you will feel contented, comfortable and happy with the same thing. If instead of extrovert thinking, you start searching for the power within, you will find that there is a source of enormous strength, energy, and unalloyed joy hidden inside you. In fact, as I have explained in my earlier discourses (of this sādhanā course), your outlook and your thoughts hold the key to your real development and progress; spirituality mainly deals with the enlightenment and virtuous transmutation of thoughts. Today I would like to discuss some other aspects of spirituality.

Spirituality pertains to awakening of the divinity indwelling in the inner-self. Pūjā-upāsanā, prayers, to devatās (gods, divine powers) are only some means to feel the beatifying proximity of divine virtues. But, many people, including many of you, wrongly confuse spirituality as confined to these activities and rituals. Not only that, many of you seem to have all kinds of illusions and misconceptions about devatās. For many of you gods are some ‘extra-terrestrial’ or super-powerful human beings, which look like what their idols or pictures show. That way, some deities are shown riding some animals, or even tiny birds. Do you think it is possible for any human being to do that? Moreover, do you think gods would be so imprudent that they would fulfill all your wishes in return of your chants of some prayers or rituals of worship? Do you think they would have no work but to keep roaming around on their ‘animal or bird’ vehicles? This all sounds so absurd. The earlier you get rid of all such illusions and arbitrary imaginations, the better for your spiritual progress. Please note that idols or images of deities are designed mainly as symbols of certain divine virtues and power; praying before these symbols or meditating upon these during devotional practices might ease your emotional conditioning and help focus your mind.

Don’t become ignorant

Don’t let any ignorance or blind-faith ride over your “belief” in divinity. Please note there is no place in spirituality for blind-faith, superstition, ignorance, and illusion. Indeed spirituality leads to ultimate enlightenment and absolute truth.

I think the main cause of your illusion is the wrong impressions and misinterpretations of the allegoric descriptions of gods in some religious scriptures and mythology. Please see the truth behind those allegoric or rhetoric representations. As I said, they actually symbolize divine qualities, powers and virtues. For example, an image or idol of a Goddess riding on a lion symbolizes that divine potential and powers can be attained only by those who are intrepid, who have immense courage and strength. ‘Blessings’ of gods descend only on those who have virtues associated with their mythological descriptions. ‘Blessings’ of gods imply awakening or activation of supernatural talent or divine potential (siddhis) indwelling in the pure inner-self, in the conscience (the ‘soul’ god).

If you understand this, you will realize that without sādhanā — sincere endeavors of self-discipline, self-refinement, self-improvement, and self- development, you cannot ‘harvest’ anything from the ‘farm-field’ of spirituality. Yoga and Tapa are like water and natural fertilizers for this ‘field’. If you succeed in these spiritual endeavors (of yoga and tapa) I can assure you that your devotion, your chanting of God’s names and mantras will certainly prove miraculous.

Spirituality is not a fantasy or child’s play

What most people, the so-called religious devotees and even so-called seekers of spiritual progress (including many of you) do is like a child’s toy- play. You might have seen little girls playing with their dolls. In their own way they ‘organize’ the doll’s wedding. On small table or a corner of the house they make their ‘home’; keep their tiny set of toy-utensils and dolls etc there. Sing and shout and celebrate the doll’s wedding as a play. In their innocent imaginations small pieces of puffed rice or popcorns (or whatever their mothers might have given them) would become varieties of sweets and other dishes. They would happily distribute these ‘preparations’ to everyone around, and so on.

You also do something similar! You ‘decorate’ your Puja table with idols of different deities (Ganesh ji, Siva ji, Ram-Sita ji, Hanumaan ji, Durga Devi ji, Gayatri Maata, etc, etc…). You worship them with water, sandal-wood powder, rice, flowers, etc. Offer some sugar or piece of sweets as “bhoga” (which you will later on eat as Prasāda). You also light a diyā (lamp), agarbatti (incense stick) and utter some mantras or prayers, and chant or sing some things in their praise. Your chants of mantras, no matter how many counts of rosary-beads, are so mechanical! (Your mind keeps wandering in your worldly interests and activities while the tongue keeps chanting the mantra). Your prayers are mostly like putting up your demands or wish-list or simply crying before the deity. And you expect great boons and miracles in return!! This is like making a mockery of devotion and spiritual endeavors.

Little ones could carry out toy wedding with no resources or with one or two penny. But you, the adults, the parents, know what efforts and how many resources are required in the wedding of a daughter or son! Is it so easy like a doll’s wedding? “No, not at all”, you would respond. Then why do you expect that most precious accomplishments of human life — such as spiritual enlightenment, could be achieved simply by some ritualistic activities and superficial devotional practices?

Many devotees lose faith in spirituality, as they don’t get any expected results. You might also doubt — “Can thorough spiritual endeavors lead to spiritual progress? Is spirituality really so precious? Is there any power in it?” My clear response will be — “Yes, indeed”. I have experienced its miracles in so many ways. All my life, it has been my main objective to disseminate the knowledge, the divine light of spirituality. Our scriptures (the Vedic texts) are full of paeans signifying spirituality. You can see my life as a testimony of truth in what they describe?

You may examine my life

You may study every facet of my life; you may examine what I have been able to do, to verify it yourself whether spirituality can make someone powerful? Can spirituality awaken extraordinary faculties and talents? Can it help one eliminate the adversities of not only his life, but also of others’ lives? Can it enable one to uplift the lives of many? The list of what all it can do is too long. I can’t talk about all this here. You may read my autobiography; you may thoroughly review every page of it to see that what appears impossible for an ordinary person could be astonishingly accomplished by the grace of divine guidance and help. You would also see that one indeed gets blessed by miraculous potentials by devout upāsanā–sādhanā of the Gayatri Mantra.

While reviewing the journey of my life [5-6], you will get to know many important instances and experiences of spiritual awakening and ascent. You read about the vast knowledge and illumined wisdom (vidyā) I acquired. Read about how I have dedicated myself to the service of humanity and what I have been able to contribute to help towards others’ well-being and upliftment. Read about how my life progressed and reached the realms that appear to you as glorious, majestic, and, divine. Read about the kind guidance and support I have got from spiritual saints, sages and other great personalities. Read about how the Almighty and the divine forces have blessed me in so many ways.

But you seem to be more interested in simply knowing about how many times I used to chant the (Gayatri) Mantra and for how long every day? Yes I have been doing Gayatri Upāsanā. This has been a great support, like the support of a stick while climbing up the Himalayas. It is true that a stick provides support, but one has to climb up to the top of a mountain on one’s own feet. Do you think one would climb up the Himalayas only with the help of a stick without using his/her legs?

What spirituality sans yoga and tapa?

Friends, the point I am trying to make here is that puja-upāsanā can only lend you a support in spiritual progress in terms of conditioning your mind, reminding yourself of the divine Nature of the soul. But you can’t rise on the path of spirituality sans devout spiritual endeavors. Tapa and Yoga are prominent among these endeavors. (In fact, these are also essential for proper puja-upāsanā). Now ask yourself what do you understand by “tapa” and “yoga”? Most of you think these are activities of the physical body only.

As I had already explained, tapa pertains to self- discipline and self-refinement. I will further guide you on this aspect of sādhanā (spiritual endeavors) later. First we should discuss about yoga — its meaning, purpose and multiple aspects.

As such, the term “yoga” (pronounced as “yogā” by the western world) has become quite popular these days as a means of physical fitness and health. For most people, yoga is confined to the physical body exercises, postures and breathing practices taught in their yoga classes or camps. Many people don’t even know that it has some connection with spirituality. Many others find it difficult to think of life and self-existence beyond the physical body and related experiences of the sensory organs and the conscious (extrovert) mind; their perceptions of spirituality too revolve within the periphery of the body and worldly domains; they think spiritual endeavors are also some kinds of exercises or practices of the physical body, or some intellectual activities and imaginations of the mind. For them, yoga is part of such practices and they regard that harder the postures or exercises of yoga, greater would be its spiritual effects.

I have seen many people who regard that highest kind of yoga is to be able to do the difficult yoga-exercises such as — hold the breath for exceptionally longtime, pass a long thread through the nostrils; enter a thin rope in the stomach through the mouth and then pull it out with ease; do śīrsāsana (stand straight on the head with legs held straight upwards), etc. Friends, whatever be the benefits of such difficult practices, they pertain only to (training of) the physical body and some mental concentration. But spirituality deals with the inner-self; it belongs to the unbounded realms of consciousness. Thus every facet, every endeavor, every practice of spirituality will certainly concern with the refinement and divine illumination of the thoughts, emotions, and intrinsic tendencies.

Without any spiritual discipline, bathing in the holy Ganges is simply an activity of the body and chanting of god’s names or prayers is nothing but an activity of the tongue and the vocal cord. Similarly the physical postures and exercises — including deep and rhythmic breathing exercises of the yoga (called “Yoga Āsanās” and “Yoga Kriyās”) are only physical activities. No doubt, with sincere practice and regularity coupled with necessary disciplines of food and eating habits, these exercises of yoga offer significant health benefits. But these are only like a tip of the ice- berg. The true meaning and domain of yoga is far more deep and vast. “Yoga” being a discipline of spirituality, in its complete sense, also pertains to awakening and evolution of consciousness.

(To be continued in the next issue)

References:

1. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2014): Gayatri Mahavigyan. (40th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2015): Super Science of Gayatri (8th print). Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar.

2. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2014): Japa, Tap aur Dhyan. (10th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2014): Jap, Tap, Dhyan – The Triple Path of Sadhana (6th print). Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura.

3. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2015): Gayatri ka Vaigyanik Adhara. (21st print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura.

4. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2000): Śabda Brahṁ, Nāda Brahṁ. “Pandit Shriram Sharma

Acharya Samagra Vangmay” Vol. 18, Akhand Jyoti Sansthan, Mathura. [English translation of the Chapter on Mantra Vigyan: Eternity of Sound and the Science of Mantra (4th print; 2013). Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura].

5. Acharya Shriram Sharma (2015): Hamari Vasiyat aur Virasat (28th print), Yug Nirman Yojna, Mathura. English Translation (2016): My Life — Its Legacy & Message (8th print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar.

6. Pandya Pranav and Jyotirmaya (2014): Chetana Ki Shikhar Yatra, Vols. I, II, III (4th print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar; English Translation (2013): Odyssey of The Enlightened (2nd print), Sri Vedamata Gayatri Trust, Shantikunj, Haridwar.

To My Soul-Kins

The plan is big; that big as its name – ‘Transformation of Era’ reflects. For this purpose, many great souls are going to contribute, though the greatest contribution towards this end will be from those who are my body-organs – my dedicated disciples.

How will this task be accomplished? From where will the resources be gathered? Please don’t worry about these aspects. The one who has entrusted this responsibility will arrange the resources. You should think only about one thing–how can you lead in terms of determined efforts and dedication?

Hanuman’s ability was insignificant in terms of resources, skills, education, etc. His past was spent in serving dethroned king ‘Sugreeve’. But when he started working with full faith and dedication with the embodied supreme power (Ram), then he could easily perform gigantic tasks, like burning the mighty Lanka, crossing over the ocean and uprooting the mountain. He also had the rare honor of lifting Ram and Laxman on his shoulders. I have hope and expectation from each one of you that your status should be no less than that of Hanuman. None of my soul-kins should lag behind in performing his duty.

Pujya Gurudev Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya

“Faith is not simply patience which passively suffers until the storm is past.
Rather, it is a spirit which bears things …with blazing serene hope.”

Corazon Aquino

“Let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”

Maya Angelou

“WHEN the sun is over your head, there will be no shadow;
similarly, when faith is steady in your head, it should not cast any shadow of doubt.”

Atharva Veda

“Faith is not a thing which one “loses,” we merely cease to shape our lives by it.”

Georges Bernanos

Simple measures for self-Improvement

Christian Daa Larson, an American New Thought leader and teacher, as well as a prolific author of metaphysical and New Thought books, has written in his book ‘Your forces and how to use them’: “The greatest remedy in the world is change; and change implies the passing from the old to the new. It is also the only path that leads from the lesser to the greater, from the dream to the reality, from the wish to the heart’s desire fulfilled. It is change that brings us everything we want. It is the opposite of change that holds us back from that which we want. But change is not always external. Real change, or rather the cause of all change, is always internal. It is the change in the within that first produces the change in the without. To go from place to place is not a change unless it produces a change of mind—a renewal of mind. It is the change of mind that is the change desired. It is the renewal of mind that produces better health, more happiness, greater power, the increase of life, and the consequent increase of all that is good in life. And the constant renewal of mind—the daily change of mind—is possible regardless of times, circumstances or places. He who can change his mind every day and think the new about everything every day, will always be well; he will always have happiness; he will always be free; his life will always be interesting; he will constantly move forward into the larger, the richer and the better; and whatever is needed for his welfare today, of that he shall surely have abundance.”

Thus, in order to lead a happy, healthy and harmonious life, one has to constantly improve oneself. Though this advice may seem simple, it is really not that simple, for one has to incessantly work towards this goal. In this article, some tips on how to use one’s energy effectively, have been given. By imbibing them into practice, one can achieve personal growth and excel in every field of one’s life quickly.

Use your energy on important tasks: If you want to succeed in life, you should not waste your energy on tasks that do not bring any benefits. Such useless activities include surfing the internet without any purpose, watching TV, worrying and wasting money. When you are involved in such activities, you have no or little energy left for tasks that can create a better future. It is worth prioritizing and accomplishing important tasks first, and then if you still have enough energy, you may decide to do the unimportant.

Focus on one task at a time: If you want to get perfect results, you should focus only on one task. This way all your energy will go into it and you will accomplish it perfectly. If you waste your energy on several tasks at the same time, you will get average results because your energy will be divided among different tasks.

Control your thoughts: When the mind is strong, one does not catch the chaos in the outside world. Therefore, in order to avoid negativity of the external world, one should keep a watch on one’s thoughts. As a result, negative thinking will affect you less and you will notice that your days are getting more peaceful and positive.

Get organized: When you live in an organized manner, you do not suffer from stress and your life is peaceful and balanced. To start living this way, you should start planning your day in advance. This will eliminate any stress caused by being late to a meeting or forget to complete some task. You should also live in tidiness because by keeping your home clean you also keep your mental state clear and peaceful. Such mental state will benefit you in many ways, including improved memory and less negativity.

Live in the present: Although this self- improvement measure may seem strange to you, it is very important. The majority of people do not live in the present. They either dwell on their past or daydream about the future. They seem to forget the most important time of all – the present. You should enjoy the present moment because your current state of mind always manifests in the outside world, creating your future accordingly. Therefore, if you remain very positive, you will experience only happy days. However, if you dwell on negative thoughts, you are sure to encounter many obstacles and misfortunes in the present and the days to come.

Complete each task in a perfect manner: Whenever you are working on some project, try to accomplish it in the best possible manner. Always ask yourself ‘Is this project turned out as perfect as it could possibly be?’ If the answer is no, try to correct or add something to it until there is nothing that you can improve. This way you will make sure that each single task you accomplish is done in an excellent manner. By doing this you will create successful future because you cannot possibly fail if you get perfect results. Also, when you entirely focus on one task excluding everything else, you will notice that you start enjoying the task. If you focus on the task but still do not enjoy it that means that you probably see the task as a means to an end rather than the process. You should start focusing on the process itself to find enjoyment in the task. Such enjoyment will fuel motivation and you will accomplish everything quicker and better. If you enjoy your work, you will put only positive energy into it. As a result, your completed tasks will bring you success.

Challenge yourself: Nothing develops you more than challenges. Challenges force you to shift your comfort zone, experience new situations and make you grow. Without challenges, life would be very boring and depressing. Challenges are necessary for every human being who is seeking quality life. Only through trial and error you realize who you really are, which activities you like and what preferences you have. You can easily measure the success of a person by the amount of challenges s/he had.

Socialize only with positive people: Positive people can inspire, empower and make you happy. It is so much worth to be at least once in a while with positive people rather than constantly spend time with negative friends or relatives. If you spend your days with, for example, lazy people, you may notice that you are becoming lazy. So stay away from negative people and seek the company of positive people.

Exercise Daily: Daily exercise improves your health and strengthens your body. It makes you more active, positive and invincible. People who exercise every day are always perceived as strong- willed and disciplined. A simple Pragya Yoga (an exercise similar to Surya Namaskar) done daily can keep your mind and body fit all the time.

Read personal development books: These days it is not possible to get the company of virtuous saints. However, there are plenty of books written by eminent authors on improving personality. Make it a habit to read some good literature daily. Pujya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma has written more than 3000 books on various aspects of life and how to improve them. Majority of them are available for free online reading on our website www.awgp.org.

So incorporate these traits in your routine and very soon you will realize that you have changed your course for a better future.

No one can hurt you without your consent

On his first day in office as President, when Abraham Lincoln entered to give his inaugural address, one man stood up. He was a rich Aristocrat. He said, “Mr. Lincoln, you should not forget that your father used to make shoes for my family.” And the whole Senate laughed; they thought they had made a fool of Lincoln.

But certain people are made of a totally different mettle. Lincoln looked at the man directly in the eye and said, “Sir, I know that my father used to make shoes for your family, and there will be many others here. Because he made shoes the way nobody else can, he was a creator. His shoes were not just shoes; he poured his whole soul into them. I want to ask you, have you any complaint? Because I know how to make shoes myself. If you have any complaint I can make you another pair of shoes. But as far as I know, nobody has ever complained about my father’s shoes. He was a genius, a great creator and I am proud of my father”.

The whole Senate was struck dumb. They could not understand what kind of man Abraham Lincoln was. He was proud because his father did his job so well that not even a single complaint had ever been heard.

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable and receives the impossible.”

Cornelia ten Boom

“Faith makes all things possible.
Love makes all things easy.
Hope makes all things work.”

Unknown

“Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.”

Helen Keller

On the auspicious festival of Chaitra Navaratri

Some tips for fruitful Gayatri Anushthan

“nava-ratri” literally means “nine nights.” This festival is observed twice a year, once in the beginning of summer (from pratipada to navami of bright half of lunar month Chaitra) and again at the onset of winter (from Pratipada to Navami of bright half of lunar month Ashwin). This year Chaitra Navaratri is commencing on 28th March and concluding on 5th April, 2017. Seers have advised that this period of transition is best for undertaking Gayatri Sadhana. Pujya Gurudev always encouraged us (the pragya parijans) to take up an anushthan (endeavor) of Jap (recitation) of twenty-four thousand Gayatri Mantras during these days.

Why Gayatri Sadhana?

Mother Gayatri is considered the supreme creative energy of the divine. She blesses Her devotee with true wisdom so that he can proceed rapidly on the path of soul growth and self- realization. The effect of sincere and steadfast Gayatri Sadhana is swift and miraculous in purifying, harmonizing and steadying the mind and thus establishing unshakable inner peace and a sense of joy-filled calm even in the face of grave trials and tribulations in the outer life of Sadhak. In Atharva-Veda (19/17-1), the following prayer has been offered to Gayatri:

om stuta maya varda vedmata prachodyantam pavmani dwijanam;
ayuh pranam prajam pashum keertim dravinam
brahmvarchasam mahyam datva vrajat brahmalokam.

(This means–“May Vedmata Gayatri to whom I offer prayer, purify dwijas and grant them longevity, vital energy, followers, animals, fame, wealth and spiritual splendor”.)

This implies that a devotee of Mother Gayatri is blessed with all these benefits.

Guidelines for Gayatri Sadhana during Navaratri

In order to make the sadhana fruitful, it is essential to observe certain rules. They should be always observed by the Gayatri Sadhak; however, during Navaratri it is mandatory to follow them strictly.

1. The body should be cleaned by taking bath before sitting in Sadhana. In the event of sickness, one can make do by washing hands and face or by taking a sponge bath with a wet cloth.

2. It is better to put on freshly washed clothes while doing Sadhana. However, one should wear fewer clothes at the time of Sadhana. If there is excessive cold, a blanket may be used instead of putting on tight clothes.

3. The Sadhak should find out an open secluded place for Sadhana where the atmosphere is calm and quiet. A field, garden, temple or the bank of a river or lake are best suited for this purpose. But, if such a place is not available, a clean calm and quiet portion of the house can be selected.

4. The Sadhak should sit in cross-legged, comfortable position so that there may not be difficulty in sitting in that posture for a long time, and the mind is not distracted by a sense of physical discomfort.

5. The back-bone should be kept erect so that the spinal column remains straight and there is no obstruction in the upward flow of Prana.

6. One should not sit for Sadhana on bare ground. The energy which is generated flows into the earth if one sits on the ground. A mat prepared of Kusha is best for this purpose. In its absence one can sit on a cotton mat.

7. Rosary of Tulsi or Sandalwood beads should be used for Japa.

8. Japa should be started two hours before sunrise. In the evening it should be finished an hour after sunset.

9. Special attention should be paid in Sadhana to the following:

(i) The mind should not run hither and thither. If it does so, it should be gently persuaded to meditate on the beautiful idol / image of the Mother.

(ii) There should be unflinching faith and belief in the Divine Mother. Persons with wavering faith cannot derive full advantage of Sadhana.

(iii) Sadhak should resolutely stick to Sadhana.

Lack of enthusiasm, dejection, ill-health, delay in getting benefits immediately and other worldly problems act as obstacles in Sadhana. Ignoring them, Sadhak should keep on advancing on his way.

(iv) Regularity or continuity is an essential rule of Sadhana. Howsoever busy one may be, or placed in adverse circumstances, Mother’s worship should not be interrupted.

10. In normal course, Japa of one rosary or one hundred and eight Mantras is sufficient. But in Navaratri anushthan, twenty-four thousand Japas are to be performed in nine days. This can be done by performing Japa of 27 rosaries daily, which would take about three hours. If it appears to be strenuous to complete Japa in one sitting, a major portion of it should be finished in the morning and the balance in the evening.

11. Sadhak should sit facing the East (towards the Sun) in the morning and West in the evening. Else, one should face the altar of worship set up for this purpose.

12. If one feels tired in sitting in one posture there is no harm in changing the posture.

13. On being required to get up in between for answering the call of nature or for any urgent work, Sadhana can be resumed after washing hands, face etc. with pure water. In that event, Jap of one additional rosary should be performed as atonement for such an interruption.

14. Food should be taken only once a day. Fruits or milk can be taken in the evening. The food should be Satwik. One may eat simple easily digestible food prepared by some pious person. Chilies, excessive spices and pungent articles, fried dishes, sweets, stale food-stuffs kept overnight, non-vegetarian food, intoxicants, food prepared from money earned through foul means, and food offered disdainfully must be avoided.

15. It is always desirable to observe Brahmacharya (celibacy), but it is mandatory to observe it during Gayatri Anusthan.

16. Sadhak should sleep on a flat wooden bed or on the ground. Foot-wear of leather should be avoided. He should do his own service. He should not, as far as possible, allow his body and clothes to be touched by others.

17. Sumeru (the central large bead) of the rosary should not be crossed while doing Jap. After completion of the rosary every time, the Sumeru should be touched on the eyes and forehead and after reversing it, Jap should be resumed till the Sumeru is reached again. Materials of worship should be placed at such a place that they are not touched by others.

18. Havan or Yagya of 108 oblations with Gayatri Mantra should be performed on the last day. After completion, distribute some good literature to friends, relatives or acquaintances.

[Source: ‘Super Science of Gayatri’ by Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya, (Revised edition – 2004) Publisher: Yug Nirman Yojana, Gayatri Tapobhumi, Mathura]

A Note to New Sadhaks: How to perform Gayatri Sadhana?

There are three simple steps to perform Gayatri Sadhana: (i) Shatkarma (rituals of purification, etc), (ii) invocation and worship of Mother Gayatri and (iii) Japa and Dhyana (recitation and meditation).

All our parijans are familiar with the modes and methods of these steps. New sadhaks are advised to consult the following books:

(i) Super Science of Gayatri by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya

(ii) Gayatri Sadhana: Why and How? By Dr. Pranav Pandya

(iii) Procedure of Gayatri Yagya by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya

All these books and relevant literature in English, Hindi or other languages can be found in our stores in Gayatri Shaktipeeths or can be read online on our website: www.awgp.org

To recover a spiritual tradition in which creation, and the study of creation, matters would be to inaugurate new possibilities between spirituality and science that would shape the paradigms for culture, its institution, and its people.

Matthew Fox

“Faith is knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof.”

Kahlil Gibran

“Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.”

D. Elton Trueblood

“Faith is reason grown courageous.”

Sherwood Eddy

Shantikunj News in Pictures

Churning of elite minds by Dr Chinmay Pandya, Pro-Chancellor of DSVV

Meeting with Scientists in Mumbai

Meeting with Scientists of TIFR in Mumbai

Addressing the gathering at Gayatri Centre, Leicester, UK

Revered Dr Pranav Pandya addressing the intelligentsia

Revered Dr Pranav Pandya addressing the intelligentsia in the convention 'Let's adore our Nation' at Ratlam (MP)

National Meet of Indian Yoga Association at Shantikunj, Haridwar

Centre: Dr Pranav Pandya, Left: Swami Ramdev, and Right: Sri Sri Ravishankar

Dr Chinmay Pandya at an international seminar in Liverpool(UK)

Dr Chinmay Pandya with the participants of International Seminar on the "Role of faith based universities in promoting respect' at Liverpool Hope University (UK)

Spring in full bloom at Shantikunj

Shantikunj botanical garden