"Flowers are myriad - but Puja is one, Cows are many - but milk is the same
Languages are different - but the thought is one, Sounds are many - but the Rhythm is the same
Sadhanas are different - yet Mukti is one, Vedas are many - but Moksha is one
Namaroopas are different - yet God is the same, Lights are myriad - yet Jyoti is the same
Gurus appear many - yet He is only one." - Sri Swamiji
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GOD
God is the only friend of yours both in calamity and adversity.
The Lord knows what you want and is pleased only with your sincere devotion.
No outward show is needed to please God.
God is within each one of us though it may not be possible for us to see Him. The eyelids protect our eyes and yet we cannot see them without the aid of a mirror. Similarly God is there but we may not be able to see Him without the help of the Sadguru.
The basic ingredient of all religions and faiths is one and the same. It is experiencing the existence of God through the realisation of the Divinity of Man.
All agonies can easily be averted if only man feels that God is the responsible spirit behind all progress.
The whole Universe is within the animation of Brahman. The whole earth is pervaded by the essence of Brahman.
The love of relatives and friends is only momentary. The love of God is perpetual.
While everything in this world is transitory the soul (Atman) in Man is alone permanent. Atman is but the spark of Paramatman, the Lord God. Man's efforts should be to make the Atman merge into the Paramatman. That is the highest concept of Advaita.
The whole Universe is the external symbol of God and behind that stands His grand name. The nectar of the Lord's name (Nama Sankeerthan) is, greater than the Lord Himself.
God is omnipresent. There is no place where He is not present. He is self effulgent. An honest and sincere attempt to apprehend His source of eternal effulgence is by itself self elevating and rewarding.
When the devotee takes one stride towards the Lord, He takes ten toward sthe devotee. Such is His Grace as experienced by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
The inner light is shining constantly. It reveals itself through the mirror called the mind. The defects in the mind blur the light within. But actually that light remains ever unaffected by the modifications of the mind. Man should ignore the limitations of the mind and should get fixed in the inner light. The inner light is God. Seek Him should be tha aim of man.
All men commonly see the external lights such as the sun, the moon, the star, and the fire. But there is a higher light too.
Happiness derived from the things external is actually the bliss of the Self, apparently imposed on them. The tongue transfers the self-bliss on the delicacies. The eye imposes the beauty of the self from outside, whatever happiness derived from the sense objects is indeed in the self.
Among all living beings it is only man who is blessed with the inner light. The physical eye cannot see it. The light within cognizes itself, it cognizes the things outside.
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GURU
The relationship between a Guru and a devotee is not a business deal; It is a relationship based on bhakti* and Shraddha*.
Concentration or oneness can be attained only by the grace of the Sadguru. Perfect control over the senses is the basic means for attainment of concentration.
Satguru is an ocean of peace and mountain of kindness. His form is love and Shamadamadi Sath Swarupam. Satguru gives strength to do Sadhana.
Guru Kripa is essential for developing love and devotion to God.
The knowing of Dharma is awakened through the service of the Guru; The seeker after knowledge should find God in the Guru.
The grace of Guru get you the Grace of God. The Grace of God dissolves all past Karmas.
The Guru is your friend, philosopher and guide. He is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara.
The world is like a Rose plant which has both flowers and thorns. Like wise joys and sorrows are intertwined in worldly life. As man carefully seperates the flowers from the thorns in the roseplant the Sadguru leads the devotees. Godwards releasing them from the bondage of worldly desires and the wickedness who are akin to thorns.
A Satguru is like sunshine or the mirror. He showers his grace equally on all.
Just as the mother attends on the spoilt child the Guru ministers to the needs of a frustrated devotee. For Guru, like God, is kindness personified.
Just as a Guru is sacred to the devotee, a true devotee is equally so to the Guru. The Saduru goes in search of a true disciple.
Ignorance is the root cause of all of our sufferings, miseries, and sorrows. Seek your Sadguru to remove this ignorance.
The Sadguru is always in search of sinners. For they need his help.
By holding one's Guru and by serving him in however humble way, the disciple will experience at least a fraction of the eternal and unlimited bliss. This leads him on to further progress on the spiritual path.
Sadguru is like gold, sugar cane and sandal wood. Gold : the more you burn it the purer it become. Sugar cane: the more you sqeeze it, the greater is the quantity of juice that it yields. Sandal wood: the more you rub, the greater is the scent that it yields.
Guru is the ultimate manifestation of divinity and as such without him one cannot afford to get deliverance from the cycle of terrestrial turmoils.
Complete surrender to the Sadguru lessens the burden and bondage of the devotee with worldly things. Sadguru speaks to his disciple through the language of the heart.
Service to Guru is service to God.
Guru is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. He is OM. He is light. He is everything. If God forsakes, one can take shelter in Guru. If Guru forsakes none can save him.
Physical body is inherited from the father. A guru gives a Divine birth. That is, he transforms the disciple into a sublime personality. A person may loose his health and wealth. Friends and relatives may leave him. But a Sadguru always remains with the disciple and protects him from all calamities.
The need for a guru is predestined. He enters the life of men at an opportune moment when he can ferry them across the ocean of samsara.
Every man is bound by the cycles of birth and death. If we get rid of pride and prejudice and develop love and devotion to guru our attachment to mundane things will be cut off. Guru-kripa enlightens us to distinguish between good and evil and to select the right path for salvation and release from bondage.
Ignorance is the root cause of all our sufferings, miseries and sorrows in the world. It is due to ignorance that we believe happiness exists outside us in the world. Ignorance gives rise to desires which in turn lead us to act in order to fulfil those desires. This wonderful combination of Ignorance-Desire-Action (Avidyaa-Kaama-Karma) is called HRIDAYA GRANTHI (Knot of the heart) in our scriptures (Mundaka Upanishad). To cut this Granthi or knot we need the guidance and grace of a guru who must be a "Srotriya" (well versed in texts), Brahmanishtha (established in Brahman or Reality).
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KNOWLEDGE
The fire of true knowledge reduces to ashes the sins, the pious deeds and the Karmas.
Through the knowledge and conquest of Panchekarana (the five elements) we attain self realisation.
The one who is devoted to Duty, mastering the senses objects, the Bliss in the self is revealed to him.
When the mind is controlled and shuns all sense objects, the Bliss in the self is revealed to you.
The welfare of society is based on sacrifice. The giving of knowledge is the best sacrifice.
The end of wisdom is freedom.
The end of culture is perfection.
The end of education is character.
The end of knowledge is Love.
Mere book learning leads the aspirant nowhere, whereas the intuitive knowledge makes him consonant with the Reality and the dream and the delusion of the earth-bound life is transcended.
Rarely do we see 'Siddhis' being employed for the spritual benefit of humanity. Do not hanker after miracles or the Siddhis which yield them. Divert your efforts towards obtaining self knowledge - 'Atma Jnana' - which alone is real and eternal. Has it not been declared "Sraddhaavaan Babhate Jnaanam"
The one who is devoted to duty, mastering the senses atains knowledge.
A true student does not care for fame or comfort or power. He cares only for knowledge and truth. He purchases truth by giving up everything, for he looks upon his pursuit as the noblest duty of man.
Man has to know his personality. Ture knowledge makes his life fruitful. It emancipates man.
Jnana /(knowledge) is a potential instrument which enlarges our intellectual horizon while at the same time it projects an authentic and faithful picture of our Self.
The greatest gift is the gift of knowledge.
Wisdom removes false ideas of multiplicity and realises the unity of the Self.
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MEDITATION
The joy and happiness of the Supreme Bliss, Sath - Chith - Ananda can be attained through concentration and meditation.
Grief grows from desire and attachment. Happiness cannot be attained by satisfying desires as new desires crop up. Hence, happiness lies in contentment. This leads to peace of mind. Peace of mind results in concentration, which is the basis of meditation. Through meditation the mind gets united with sath - chit - ananda. There is no happiness higher than this.
The presence of divinity in the heart is the best object for meditation.
The Lord says in the Gita: "Among things profound I am "silence". Observing silence leads to meditation in depth which will verily give a vision of the Lord to the devotee.
Concentrate with silence on the magnificence of the creator. Fill the hearts with frindliness rather than with enmity. Develop love of international brotherhood and establish world peace.
Man's life is the projection of his mind. All problems are created by the mind. The removal of the problems is again in the hands of our mind. To a sensible mind the un-locking of hard chest is not difficult. But to a foolish mind there is no end to the problem. A perfect mind is the key that unlocks the mysteries of life. The purer the mind the easier the solution.
Deep meditation leads to intuition and helps to attain and oceanic calmness of mind. Meditation is the basis of all attainments.
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SATSANGA
True mental tranquillity can be achieved by seeking the company of Sadhus and by doing Satsanga.
There is no greater wealth than the association with saints. A mere glimpse of a saint can confer immeasurable benefit on the disciple and remove his difficulties.
Seeking the company of pious persons is a symptom of virue. Not to injure others is virtue.
For kindling devotion towards God, many ways are shown in our Shastras. Among them, stasang means the company of good people -- people who are good in all respects. They are called by various names,such as mahatmas, Sadhus, Saints, Godmen. They are persons who have transcended the dvandas like raga and dvesha (love and hatred), labh and alabh (gain and loss), sukh and dukh (pleasure and pain). No event that takes place around them can disturb their poise. They reveal virtues such as Saty (truth), Sauch, (purity), Jnana (wisdom), Sama (silence) and Dama (control of senses). They will always be immersed in the contemplation of God. Bhagawan Krishna has declared in Srimad Bhagavatha --"My devotees sanctify the whole universe". By their thoughts, word and deed they influence and ultimately change the course of lives of those who associate with them. Such men are always rare to find. It should be our watchful endeavour always to shun bad company and keep good company.
Be with the pious and keep company whith the good. Befriend them or hold discussion with them. But do not have anything to do with the wicked.
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Prayer
Sincere prayers for the Lord's Grace washes off all your sins.
Universal outlook and Universal prayer "Sarve Janah Sukhino bhavantu - Samasta Sanmangalani Bhavantu" brings you personal salvation.
Pray to the Almighty with cent percent fervour for his grace: not even a straw moves unless He wills it ;"Tena Vina truna mapina chalati".
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BHAKTI
What is imprtant is Bakthi and not how you pray. If with real Bakthi you lie down and pray, the Lord sits up and listens. If you sit up and pray he stands up and litens. If you stand up and pray He dances and listens. What matters then really is Bhaavana.
Adi Sankara preached Jnana marga at the initial stages. But later he declared that the path of Bakthi is easier than the path of knowledge.
Bakthi and Nadha cannot be seperated from each other. Have a fair assessment of your abilities and use them confidently in the service of humanity which is nothing but the service of the Lord.
The essential characterestics of Bakthi are the consecration of all activities, by self surrender to God and expreme anguish if he were to be forgotten.
Bakthi means the love of God. Namasankirtan is the best way to get the bliss of God's Grace.
Bakthi has no room for any intermediary. It is the impulse of love sublimated; as such it is impervious and brooks no obstacle or hindrance. Bakthi transecends priest craft.
Bakthi means not merly devotion. It cosists of the highest kind of love - the love of God and faith in the personal God or Saguna Brahma.
Agni - the fire god is a dutiful postman. During Homa, Agni - our postman carries our offering to the destination provided we perform the homa with spotless devotion.
Several types of devotion are discussed in our scriptures. Among them, Self Surrender(atmaniveda) is considered to be the last and the highest stage of devotion. Self -surrender requires complete effacement of "I" the ego and the feelings of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship.
The Lord knows what you want and is pleased with your sincere devotion. God or Guru is no other than the man's inner consiense. He who knows this is a Jnani. Such a one also knows that in order to find God, he should be mostly self-reliant. That is , he should turn his mind inwards and seek protection of the indwelling Being.
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NAMASANKEERTAN
Bhojana is for the development of the body so is bhajan for the development of the soul.
Nadopasana and Shabdo-pasana washes the mind of fears and evil thoughts and fill the mind with peace and tranquillity.
There is an intimate relationship between music and God. But this relationship is established only when Nadha is approached with reverence and devotion. Nadhopasana leads to moksha.
There are four types of mind. The mind which opposes Dharma is lifeless; a sinful mind is sick; a greedy mind is lazy but the mind immersed in Bhajan - Keertan is indeed healthy.
It was Ramanam Japa that raised Valmiki into Maha Rishi. So do nama Sankirtan with gusto and attain eternal bliss.
Bhakti and nama Sankirtan generally go together. All music has evolved out of OM, the mystic syllable which symbolises the Absolute. To worship God through music called is Nadopasana.
The body is not permanent, it is not pure. Keep the body pure by taking satvic food. Discipline the mind by chanting the sacred hymns.
Since all cannot do tapas (austerities) the easiest and most universally acceptable form is namasankeertana. It opens the door to the province of bakthi as the songs are dedicated to the glorification of Lord.
Human birth is meant for singing the nama-sankeertana with pure mind and a sincere heart.
No outward show is needed to please God.
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VIRTUE
The progress to perfection is through pain and suffering. Hard flint must come into sharp collision before it can produce sparks.
The Human body is a temple and all human beings need to keep the body quite clean and healthy and free from desires.
Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness towards the happy, mercy and compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous and indifference towards the wicked.
Partake your possessions with others as you are only a trustee. Otherwise you will have to part with the same one day.
Not to injure others is virtue while seeking the company of pious persons is a symptom of virtue.
To proclaim that one knows everything, is nothing but one arising from one's ego and pride.
Mere learning in colleges is not education. That which is useful for this and the other world is real education for it purifies life and directs the way to Dharma, controls Artha, destroys Kama and enables attainment of Moksha.
Man has to face problems of life boldly and courageously. Persistant efforts bring success in life. The progress to perfection is through pain and suffering.
Ego is at the root of all ignorance. When this 'I'ness disappears ignorance also disappears.
Happiness does depend on what you can give and not on what you can get.
Education should be a training in humility, Vidya should give Vinaya.
A clean action elevates man while a foul action debases him.
The three cardinal virtues are: do not see evil ; do not hear evil; and do not speak evil. Sri Ganapathi Tatwa reveals this. His small eyes teach people to shut their eyes to evil, the fan like ears to winnow off all worthless hearing, the trunk on the mouth to ward off all evil talk.
'DHARMO RAKSHATI RAKSHITAH' ie Dharma protects those who protects Dharma. What follows you after death is only your Dharma and not your wealth or learning.
Happiness and misery are intermingled. So one has to treat them both with equanimity.
If the mind is clean and upright, life also will be clean and upright.
Erase the animal in you. What you sow, that you do reap. So cultivate goodness and Godliness.
An ounce of practice outweighs tons of tall talks.
A wrong done in secret does not enjoyu immunity any more than an unnoticed fire burn of the finger escapes harm. Right living under all circumstances behoves a clean person.
Uprightness begets excellence. Therefore uprightness ought to be forstered more than life.
Everyone wants that he should be happy. He should also wish others to be equally happy.
Be a ray of light whereever you go. Pray as if everything depends on God. Work as if everything depends on you.
Renunciation is overcomming the world.
The qualities of tolerance, co-operation and coexistence are to be taught from the childhood stage by providing the children with congenial atmosphere and enriched environment.
Education should enable mankind and should help man to lead a happy and healthy life not swerving from the path of Dharma, Artha Kama which lead to Moksha at the end.
Vairagya is non-attachment and has nothing to do with detachment.
Religion is the principle which cannot be eradicated from the heart of the man.
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KARMA
Man's duty is to work and practise his dharma* and not to look for the fruits thereof. Work is worship.
Only when the mind detaches itself from worldy thoughts can God enter. Godliness should illumine your mind, thoughts, speech and action. This is the true aim of Yoga.
All problems are only illusory. In reality there are no problems. Pain and pleasure are both in the hands of man. Learn the art of treating pain as pleasure. Then all miseries melt away.
A foolish mind finds no end to problems. The solution for these problems are created by the mind. A balanced and sensible mind unlocks the hard chest of problems.
A man who is restlessly engaged in intense activities and who works with disinterestedness and non-attachment, may be termed a Karma Yogi in the real sense.
Man should work with yogic renunciation and doubtlessness. Actions do not bind him who is poised in the self.
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TAPAS
If worldly thoughts enter your mind , God cannot enter. Only when the mind detaches itself from those thoughts can God enter. The moment God enters, the mind gets illuminated and in that light, the mind cannot think of anything else except Godliness. Then your tongue will naturally speak of Godliness. This is the true state of yoga.
You will live a life of renunciation, having discarded the ego, love and exercise of power and authority, lust and hate and all objects of pleasure. You will then be at peace with yourself and the world. You will become worthy of God Realization.
Changes in life are to be accepted as calmly as changes in the seasons.
Real happiness does not lie in the satisfaction of desire. Earthly love and attachment bind us and are thus the cause of despair. We should refuse to be taken in by their glamour and direct them towards God instead. Happiness lies in transcending the glamour of the world.
One cannot achive the aims and objectives by renouncing the world and taking refuge in a forest. Persistent effort brings success in life.
Man has to face the problems of life boldly and courageously. He should not run away from them or shift the blame on others. Problems have their origin in past deeds, done either in this or in a previous birth. At such time, one need the support of God or at least confidence in oneself to live upto any situation.
Guru, God and Dharma will never come to you unless you strive to have them and approach them with humility and submissiveness.
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MEDITATION
The joy and happiness of the Supreme Bliss, Sath - Chith - Ananda can be attained through concentration and meditation.
Grief grows from desire and attachment. Happiness cannot be attained by satisfying desires as new desires crop up. Hence, happiness lies in contentment. This leads to peace of mind. Peace of mind results in concentration, which is the basis of meditation. Through meditation the mind gets united with sath - chit - ananda. There is no happiness higher than this.
The presence of divinity in the heart is the best object for meditation.
The Lord says in the Gita: "Among things profound I am "silence". Observing silence leads to meditation in depth which will verily give a vision of the Lord to the devotee.
Concentrate with silence on the magnificence of the creator. Fill the hearts with frindliness rather than with enmity. Develop love of international brotherhood and establish world peace.
Man's life is the projection of his mind. All problems are created by the mind. The removal of the problems is again in the hands of our mind. To a sensible mind the un-locking of hard chest is not difficult. But to a foolish mind there is no end to the problem. A perfect mind is the key that unlocks the mysteries of life. The purer the mind the easier the solution.
Deep meditation leads to intuition and helps to attain and oceanic calmness of mind. Meditation is the basis of all attainments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SATSANGA
True mental tranquillity can be achieved by seeking the company of Sadhus and by doing Satsanga.
There is no greater wealth than the association with saints. A mere glimpse of a saint can confer immeasurable benefit on the disciple and remove his difficulties.
Seeking the company of pious persons is a symptom of virue. Not to injure others is virtue.
For kindling devotion towards God, many ways are shown in our Shastras. Among them, stasang means the company of good people -- people who are good in all respects. They are called by various names,such as mahatmas, Sadhus, Saints, Godmen. They are persons who have transcended the dvandas like raga and dvesha (love and hatred), labh and alabh (gain and loss), sukh and dukh (pleasure and pain). No event that takes place around them can disturb their poise. They reveal virtues such as Saty (truth), Sauch, (purity), Jnana (wisdom), Sama (silence) and Dama (control of senses). They will always be immersed in the contemplation of God. Bhagawan Krishna has declared in Srimad Bhagavatha --"My devotees sanctify the whole universe". By their thoughts, word and deed they influence and ultimately change the course of lives of those who associate with them. Such men are always rare to find. It should be our watchful endeavour always to shun bad company and keep good company.
Be with the pious and keep company whith the good. Befriend them or hold discussion with them. But do not have anything to do with the wicked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer
Sincere prayers for the Lord's Grace washes off all your sins.
Universal outlook and Universal prayer "Sarve Janah Sukhino bhavantu - Samasta Sanmangalani Bhavantu" brings you personal salvation.
Pray to the Almighty with cent percent fervour for his grace: not even a straw moves unless He wills it ;"Tena Vina truna mapina chalati".
