Process of Meditation - Swami Chinmayananda

Meditation is the final gateway which leads to the discovery of the supreme Self within. Before the Self, the core of the human personality, could be reached, one’s attention must first be withdrawn from the world of sensual activities and then from the five layers of matter enveloping it.

The mind of man attracted by the sense organs constantly dwells in the sense objects around him. His attention being extrovert, the world of beings and things creates desires and agitations in his bosom thereby rendering him unfit for any concentrated activity. To subdue these activities the first step in the process of meditation would necessarily be to disengage his attention from the world.

This is achieved, as seen earlier, by practicing selfless service, by cultivating devotion for the Lord or by studying and reflecting upon the scriptural truths. Having thus achieved a certain amount of withdrawal from the world, the meditator chooses a quiet place for his meditation so as to be physically away from the disturbances of the external world.

It has been the common experience of seekers particularly in larger cities not to be able to procure a quiet place for the purpose amidst the noises both outside and inside the house. Whenever such a situation arises the solution would be to choose a quiet time, say, an early hour of the morning when everything is silent and One should bear in mind that an absolute quietude is not found even in the serene atmosphere of the Himalayas, and what we are seeking for is a relatively peaceful place. In fact, real tranquility is found within one’s self and not in the environment.

In the place chosen for meditation, the idol worshiped by the seeker is fixed in front of his meditation seat with the feet of the Lord in level with the vision of his eyes. In case where no particular idol is worshipped and the meditator wishes to have one, an Om sign may be prepared and placed likewise. Flowers, incense sticks and other decoration help to suggest to the sense organs that the mind has withdrawn from the world and is seeking the Truth.

After having thus detached from the gross external world the next step in the process of meditation is to withdraw one’s attention from the physical body. The mind which has been pulled back from the world may still think of the body and continue to dissipate itself. To avoid this, the sadhaka is advised to maintain proper health and take precautions to ensure that the body does not cause any disturbance during the practice of meditation. Again, at the seat of meditation the strain in the limbs or the tension in the muscles may disturb one’s concentration.

To get over these disturbances the meditator is asked to sit in the correct posture using a thin flat cushion (not too soft—a bed sheet folded twice may serve the purpose). The correct posture for meditation is to sit with legs folded, having a maximum base, vertebral column erect (slightly bending forward in the pelvic region) with the left hand placed on the left thigh and the right hand with the mala on the right calf muscle.

The eyes are kept gently closed and looking nowhere in particular as in sleep. With posture thus fixed, the mind is made to tap slowly the various muscles of the body starting from the neck and descending to the toes with a view to inspect and release their stiffness and tension, if any. This process is called ‘Thought-Massage’. With the completion of the Thought-Massage, the withdrawal of one’s attention from the disturbances of the physical body is complete.

The next source of disturbance is the mind where the predominant thoughts and desires of the day rise and cause agitations. Such of them which arise spontaneously are allowed to come up and exhaust themselves. The meditator is however cautioned not to initiate any fresh thoughts and thus create further agitations instead of quietening those that are already in his mind.

All the while, the intellect stands firm and detachedly observes the thoughts coming up and passing away just as a military officer taking the salute watches a march past without identifying with anyone of the soldiers marching before him. By this practice all the agitations in the mind settle down, at least temporarily, and the mind is available for the chant. The process is known as ‘Thought-Parade’.

After the Thought-Parade is over the individual is fully prepared and he starts his japa or chanting. As long as the chanting continues, the mind and intellect exist, since the mind is thought-flow and the intellect, the discriminating faculty which distinguishes one thought from another.

In a concentrated spell of chanting, the meditator stops the chanting suddenly and in the silence, created by the absence of thoughts, there is neither the mind nor the intellect. That moment of dynamic silence is the state of God-Realization when the meditator, the meditated and the meditation merge into one eternal blissful Experience.

Faith -Swami Tejomayananda

Faith is to Believe what you do not see, the reward of which is you see what you believed.

Faith plays a very vital role in our lives. It is so powerful that it can make impossible targets possible. It has the power to move mountains. Everything in the world revolves around faith.

The entire human race evolved from cavemen to the modern thinking and achieving men of today, solely through the power of faith! The long strides being made in the field of science, economics and religion are all possible due to faith. In fact, we cannot even put one step forward without having faith.

Walking would be a constant falling forward. However, we walk because we have faith that we will not fall. The first step we took as a small child was entirely on faith. Man progressed from the time he was dwelling in the caves to the modern era of computers because of his faith in the observation of the world and in the laws governing it. This faith in his own sense organs and intelligence made him experiment with nature and discover her various secrets.

Though faith is an important aspect of our lives, its full meaning and its profound implications are rarely understood and appreciated. Generally, people take it to be a negative quality, implying lack of intellectual maturity. Pujya Gurudev has well defined it as follows, "Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of which is you see what you believed."

In the beginning, it may appear like a blind belief but it culminates in the verification of what was believed. Blind belief is a belief in something that cannot be verified, neither through experience nor through logic. Blind belief leads to superstitions.

Faith, however, is verifiable; hence it is unique. In the initial stages, faith acts as a motivation for action, called kriti hetah. The first time we perform an action, we do so with faith alone. Many inventions in science were done thus. The scientists never knew how they would turn out but they went ahead and tried them on faith.

The first time man flew an airplane or medicine was tried on a human was all performed on faith. Our travel, education, etc. all depends on faith. The so called Rationalists believe that Faith is opposed to reason. They take great pride in negating the importance of faith in our 'rational' world. The truth, however, is far from it. Our reasoning itself is based on the faith in the power of our intellect.

We have to have faith in the power of the senses to show us the right picture of the world based on which we formulate our logical thinking. The whole scientific process is a journey in our faith in the apparatus used for various experiments.

Most apparatuses are an extension and enhancement of our sense organs. Further, it is faith in the documented formula, such as E = mc2 and Newton's law of gravity, that scientists have been able to make progress in various fields.

Faith plays an important role in our personal life, relationships, business, politics, etc. All relationships, whether of the family or of business, are based on trust, which is another form of faith. In the business world, unless there is an underlying trust among all parties, no amount of legal contracts can help.

We interact with the outside world having faith in human nature and the nobler values. For example, when we board a plane, we are putting our trust in the pilot's hands. One has to trust the world in order to make one's life more peaceful and harmonious.

Faith plays a vital role in the field of religion as well, or the so called world of the unseen. Here, there is faith in the existence of the One Reality, which is not directly visible to us. It is the one underlying principle behind the variety of names and forms. It is that Truth which binds the seeming differences together in one cord.

This Reality is the very Self in all. Though the Self is not visible to the naked eye, the existence of the Self is declared in the scriptures and is the direct experience of many masters. The scriptures are the declarations of these masters' experiences. To believe what the scriptures and the masters say as true is the initial step in striving and realizing our own Self.

Here, faith is the virtue of the intellect that is subtle enough to appreciate and comprehend the Truth. The journey begins with faith and culminates in the realization of the Truth.

Faith is a very important virtue in various aspects of our lives. Faith brings us closer to the secret which makes the whole world move in a wonderful clockwise precision.

Have faith in Faith - for it is the real wealth of man.

Courtesy: Chinmaya Mission, Saket

Brahman and Maya!

Swami Tejomayananda

Brahman And Maya is a free translation in English of Brahma Ani Maya, a hilarious piece written in Marathi by Pujya Swami Tejomayanandaji (in his early twenties) on 9 March 1972. In this piece Swamiji humorously probes into the Vedantic Truths that underlie our day to day experiences.

Scene 1

In an extremely wondrous garden roses of different hues are swaying in ecstacy.

The light of the early dawn has speckled them with its dewdrops which shine as pearls lending an additional grace to the beauty of the garden Just then, a group of young girls giggled and gaggled their way there.

One of the girls cried out in sheer delight, "Aha ! Just look at all these beautiful flowers that have blossomed here. I'd love to put one of them in my hair."

And she ran to fetch it But one of her friends cautioned her about the gardener but who cared?

She touched a flower and was about to pluck it when, suddenly, a voice boomed loudly, "Who is it? STOP ! THIEF !"

The girl's hands shook and shuddererd. No flower came her way, rather, an over -protective thorn, pricked her finger.

But the gardener devilishly gleamed and curled his huge moustache, content with the fact that he had at least caught someone today.

His attention was ever fixed on the flowers waiting for an opprtunity for someone to touch even a single one of them so that he could let out his roar. The beauty of the flowers never really bothered him.

Scene 2

After some time, a Krishna bhakta came along chanting, "Shri Krishna Giovind Hare Murare, Shri

Krishna Govind..............."

"Ah ! What beautiful flowers !" he remarked, " O Krishna, You have Yourself created these flowers

so that they may be offered in worship unto You. I will make a garland of these lovely roses and

decorate them around Your neck, O Krishna."

Singing Krishna, Krishna, the Krishna bhakta ventured closer to pluck, and once again the voice

boomed, "Who is it ? STOP ! THIEF !"

The elderly gardener was a stern disciplinarian of sorts. No sooner did anyone touch the flowers

than he would bellow out loud, suddenly appear out of nowhere and swoop down on his prey.

Otherwise, he was simply invisible to the naked eye.

As soon as the boomimg bellow descended on his ears the devotee lost all sense of devotion and

landed on the other side of the road cowering from sheer fright.

Pleased with the wondrous effect that his voice had, the elderly gardener went back to his hidden

lair waiting for his next prey. God also seemed to be pretty pleased with him. Soon, a young

cajoling couple chanced to come there..

Scene 3

Love is blind, or blinds one. So they say, and here is ample proof.

So lost were the couple in each other's love that they were not aware of others around them.

Slowly but surely, both reached the predestined spot. Now, let's listen to their sweet nothings.

"Oh ! This garden is so cute !" said the girl.

"Ah yes, just like you, my love." said the boy.

"What ? Like me? What a comparison ! ! ! I am not so long and large, am I? And there is no green

grass growing all over my body................What are you talking about ? Had I known earlier that

you were so devoid of poetry, I'd..........................Anyway, let that be. Say, have you seen these

pretty roses? You must get them for me. You had promised that, if need be, you would pluck

flowers from Heaven just for me. Remember? Let the Heavens be as they are. But, for the

moment, get these flowers for me "

Hearing these words, the loverboy's heartbeats beat even faster. He realised what a big mistake

he had committed.

The devilish visage of the gardener and his fierce moustache flashed in front of his eyes. From

his fallen face one could easily infer that he had encountered the gardener earlier too. But, on the

surface, he laughed and said, "You yourself are my most precious rose. Why do you need this

flower then?"

"Nothing doing. I just want that rose."

"Okay, I;'ll get it." Left with no choice the youth threw furtive glances hither and thither and

reached the vantage point and .................then, .......................

The moment the blind lovers had even the faintest suspicion of the presence of a third entity other

than their twin - blessed one, they walked away from the scene of disaster and didn't stop till they

reached home.

Scene 4

"What did you say? This garden is for sale? Good, consider it sold. I'll take it." So saying a trader

went in search of the owner of the garden and returned after some time accompanied with a few

labourers. The labourers immediately started plucking all the rose flowers.The trader stood there

watching it all and so was the gardener. But now he couldn't even let out a whimper of protest.

Mustering up enough courage, he softly asked of the trader, "Sir, why are you plucking all the

flowers?"

"WHAT ?" the trader screamed back at him. Then taking pity on the poor fellow he winked at him

and laughed out, "I'll make Gulkand (a herb made of rose petals) out of it.

Now, let's see - how many of the above 4 or 5 people actually saw the flowers. What a question?

Of course, everyone saw the flowers. But Vedanta asserts, "No. None of them saw the flowers."

"Well then, you mean to say, they saw donkeys? Your Vedanta says anything. Nothing is clear."

"Wait...........Listen carefully.

The first girl saw the beauty of her flower - bedecked hair. The bhakta saw the beauty of

Krishna's idol. The lover saw the blossoming of his beloved's face. And the trader had set his

eyes on the Gulkand.. The gardener never even had time to notice them. In short, everyone saw

merely their own vasanas or desires. Failing to notice the flowers all of them established their

own personal relationships with them. And this alone is Maya !

We never really see any object or person in totality. We see only our own preconceived notions

about them, in them. And this is Maya. For example, we don't see a radio or a cycle as a radio or

a cycle, rather, we see it as my radio or my cycle. And were some one to just mention to us that

our radio is not functioning properly, we would feel so offended as though he had said that we

ourselves had some defects in us. Why is this? Because of Maya. Since, in essence, this

relationship is itself delusory, Maya has ensnared everyone in its spell of delusion and make

believe. So much so that even the spell of delusion is itself a delusion.

Vedanta teaches that whatever we see, hear, feel................. is all, in reality, a delusion, but being

within the web of Maya, we have ouselves superimposed names and forms upon various objects

and deluded ourselves completely. Just as a rose is not the beauty of any bedecked hair, nor is it

any trader's Gulkand, but is actually, merely a rose. In the same way, what we consider to be the

jiva or the jagat is, in essence, Brahman itself. And what we are lost in is Maya. And thus,

Vedanta emphatically asserts,

Brahma satyam jagat mithya,

jivo brahmaiva naparaha

Brahman is the reality. This world, a mere transitory phase.

The jiva is not seperate from Brahman.

Indeed, it is difficult to understand and assimilate this Truth but he who has searched for the Truth

has verily found it. The rest are drowning themselves in the ocean of Maya.

Cultivate aptitude for entrepreneurship from beginning: Kalam

BANGALORE: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam on Saturday said that the students should be encouraged to cultivate an aptitude for entrepreneurship right from the beginning of schooling and at the University level.

"We must teach our students to take calculated risks for the sake of larger gain, but within the ethos of good business", Kalam said in his address to the 43rd annual convocation of Bangalore University.

"They should also cultivate a disposition to do things right. This capacity will enable them to take up challenging tasks later".

He said a good educational system is the need of the hour to ensure that the students grow up to contribute towards the economic growth of a nation. Research, technology and performance in agriculture, manufacture and services sectors lead to economic growth and prosperity of the nation, he added.

"Can we sow the seeds of capacity building among the students? There will be continuous innovation during the learning process. To realise this, special capacities are required to be built in education system for nurturing the students".

The capacities which are required to be built are research and enquiry, creativity and innovation, use of high technology, entrepreneurial and moral leadership, he said.

According to him, as India had entered a trillion dollar economy and was continuing to be in the ascending economic trajectory, there were also concerns about rising unemployment and illiteracy.

"It is not unemployment, a major problem; it is the question of unemployability a bigger crisis".

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2713773,prtpage-1.cms

Desires - By Swami Sivananda

"Sweep out the sphere of your mind:
Make a place for Loved One to sit.
Dust out all thoughts of this world
So that His throne may be fit.
A million desires engulf you,
A million ambitions and aims:
How can you make room for His Presence
Unless they vacate His domain?"

What Is Desire?

Desire is a mode of the emotive mind. It has got a power of externalising the mind. Desire is the fuel; thought is the fire. The thought-fire is kept up by the desire-fuel. If you withdraw the supply of fuel, the fire will be withdrawn into its womb. If you stop thinking by cutting off desires, the mind will be withdrawn into Brahman.

It is only when the mind, being divested of all its desires, is indifferent to pleasures and pains and is not attracted by any object that it will be rendered pure, free from the grip of the great delusion like a bird freed from its cage and roaming freely in the Akasa.

Desire, thought and Ahankara form one vicious circle. If you can destroy any one of them, the other two will die by themselves. These are the three pillars or corner-stones of the edifice of mind. They are the three links of the mind-chain. Destroy any one of the links; the whole chain will be broken.

Why Do Desires Arise?

Why do desires arise in the mind? On account of Ananda-Abhava (absence of Ananda or spiritual bliss). The cause for desire is the existence of objects outside. Curiosity becomes a desire in the mind. Interest and feeling precede a desire. Hope and expectation fatten the desire.

Vikshepa-the Very Nature Of Mind

Just as heat is inseparable from fire, Vikshepa or the tossing of the mind is inseparable from the mind. It troubles the Sadhakas a lot. It destroys all of a sudden the determinations of strong-willed persons also. The mind ceases to exist if it is destitute of this oscillation. This fluctuating mind alone creates the universe. Even Mala (impurity) can be removed easily. It demands strenuous efforts for a protracted time on the part of the Sadhaka to remove this Vikshepa. The undaunted Uddalaka suffered a lot from this distracting Vikshepa when he tried to enter into Nirvikalpa state. Raja Bhartrihari underwent the same difficulty when he tried to overcome this troublesome fluctuating Sakti of the mind. Vikshepa is Maya. Vikshepa is impure Vasana (Asuddha Vasana). You will have to destroy this Vikshepasakti by constant Upasana or Yoga or ceaseless Atmic enquiry (Brahmavichara). Then, peace (Santi) will come by itself.

Types Of Desire

Desire in the mind is the real impurity. Sexual desire, vulgar attraction for the opposite sex, is the greatest impurity. This causes the real bondage. You can even give up wife, children and wealth. But, it is extremely difficult to give up ambition, name and fame. Ambition is a serious obstacle in the path of Yoga. This is the most powerful weapon of Maya with which she slaughters worldly-minded persons. Even if there is a tinge of desire for name and fame, Truth will not manifest. Truth will shine by Itself. It does not need any pompous advertisement. It is the very Self of all beings and objects.

Anirbuddha Or Subtle, Hidden Desires

Even after you have renounced all the desires, there may remain in the mind some subtle, hidden desires (Sukshma, Anirbuddha) that cannot be comprehended. These are very dangerous ones. Therefore, you will have to be very, very careful. The lurking under-currents of desires will throw you down at any moment if you are not very vigilant and cautious, will destroy your Vairagya (dispassion) and will bring about your downfall eventually. I have witnessed many Yogabhrashtas who had fallen from Yoga owing to the overpowering influence of these subtle, hidden desires. So long as you have these subtle, hidden, Anirbuddha (unnoticeable) desires in your mind, you can never dream of entering into the Nirvikalpa state without any modification of the mind. You can never develop real Paravairagya (supreme non-attachment and dispassion) also.

Craving Or Trishna

You may become old, your hairs may turn grey, but your mind is ever young. The capacity may vanish, but the craving remains even when you have reached advanced senility. Cravings (Trishna) are the real seeds of birth. These craving-seeds give rise to Sankalpa and action. The wheel of Samsara is kept revolving by these cravings. Nip them in the bud. Then only will you be safe. You will get Moksha. Brahma-Bhavana, Brahma-Chintana, meditation on OM and devotion will root out these craving-seeds which are laid deep. You will have to dig them out properly in various corners and burn them beyond resurrection. Then only will your efforts bear the fruit of Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

"Love and kill," "Marry and observe Brahmacharya," "Enjoyment without desire," "Action without fruits" are paradoxical terms. A man with gross Vyavaharic Buddhi can hardly understand these terms. A subtle, pure intellect is needed. Suppose you were a terrible smoker for the last fifteen years. Then you gave up smoking for five years. The craving for smoking also died. Suppose one of your friends offers you a cigar in the sixth year. You have no craving for smoking now. If you take it now and enjoy it just to please your friend, it will be called a Suddha Bhoga only. You have enjoyed it without a craving or a desire. Isvara enjoys Suddha Bhoga.

Satisfaction Of Desire Yields Illusory Happiness Only

Desire excites the mind and senses. When desire is gratified by enjoyment of the objects of desire, satisfaction (Tripti) comes in temporarily. Rapture is delight in the attainment of the desired object. Bliss is the enjoyment of the taste of what is attained. Where rapture is there is bliss; but where bliss is there is not, quite of necessity, rapture. Rapture is like a weary traveller who hears or sees water or a shady wood. Bliss is the enjoying of the water or entering the forest shade.

When there is desire, then alone is there pleasure. The cause for pleasure is desire. When there is no desire, there cannot be any pleasure. When there is no hunger, delicious food can give you no pleasure. When there is no thirst, any refreshing beverage will have no effect. So, hunger is the best sauce. The first cup of hot milk gives pleasure. The second cup induces disgust. After the enjoyment is over, Tripti comes. Hence, disgust arises when the second cup is taken. There is no real pleasure in milk. The happiness is in Atman only. It is reflected in the object (milk) owing to ignorance, owing to Bhranti (illusion). It is Bhranti-Sukha. If there were real happiness in milk, it should induce pleasure always and in every person. It is not the case.

A desire arises in the mind. There is a Vritti now. This Vritti agitates your mind till you get satisfaction through enjoyment of the desired object. There is Santi or peace or happiness after the enjoyment is over. Another desire arises in the mind. Now, in the interval between the gratification of one desire and the manifestation of another, there is pure bliss, because there is no mind then. It is at rest. You are in union with Brahman. That state of pure bliss between two desires is Brahman. If you can prolong that period of bliss through Sadhana by keeping up the idea of Brahman and by not allowing another Vritti or desire to crop up, you will be in Samadhi. The period between one Vritti and another Vritti is the real Sandhi (juncture).

Desires Are Insatiable

Mind plays havoc through desires. As soon as a desire arises, you think you will get all happiness by its realisation. You exert yourself to achieve the desired object. As soon as you get it, a little satisfaction (false Tushti or gratification) is experienced for a short time. Again, mind becomes restless. It wants new sensations. Disgust and dissatisfaction come in. Again, it wants some new objects for its enjoyment. That is the reason why this world is termed as mere Kalpana (imagination) by Vedantins.

Desires are innumerable, insatiable and unconquerable. Enjoyment cannot bring in satisfaction. It is a mistake to think so. Enjoyment fans the desire. It is like pouring ghee in fire. Enjoyment strengthens, increases and aggravates a desire. See the case of Raja Yayati of yore. He borrowed the youthful state from his son to have sexual enjoyment for thousands of years. At last, he cries out in his old age with bitterness, "Alas! What a fool I am! Still my sexual desires are waxing. There is no end of desires. I have wasted my life. O God! Have mercy on me. Lift me up from this mire of Samsara." This comes in Mahabharata. In the Gita, Chapter III-39, you will find "Kama-rupena Kaunteya Dushpurena-analena cha-desire which is insatiable as a flame."

Freedom From Desires Necessary For Jnana

You can attain Jnana only if you are free from sensuous desires and immortal mental states. Aloofness of body from sensuous objects and aloofness of mind from immoral states of mind are needed for the attainment of Jnana. Then only will Divine Light descend. Just as a bungalow is cleaned of cobwebs and all kinds of dirts and the garden of all its weeds for the reception of the Viceroy, the mental palace should be cleansed of all vices, desires and immoral states for the reception of the Holy Brahman, the Viceroy of viceroys.

When a desire arises in the mind, a worldling welcomes it and tries to fulfil it; but, an aspirant renounces it immediately through Viveka. Wise people consider even a spark of desire as a very great evil. Therefore, they will not entertain any kind of desire. They will be ever delightful in Atman only.

How To Control Desires

In this ocean of Samsara, desires are the crocodiles. Kill them as soon as they arise on the surface of the mind. Do not yield to them. Do not become despondent under your trials. Make friendship with the pure, Sattvic mind and destroy the impure mind with the help of the pure mind. Make your mind rest in the blissful Atman. Desires should be crushed the very moment they arise in the mind, by discrimination and dauntless, indefatigable efforts.

Whenever a desire arises in the mind, consult always your Viveka (power of discrimination). Viveka will at once tell you that the desire is attended with pain, that it is only a vain temptation set up by the mind and that Vairagya and Tyaga alone can bring about satisfaction and peace of mind. It will advise you to renounce the desire immediately and take to the study of Upanishads, repetition of OM and to have Samadhi-Nishtha in a solitary place on the bank of the sacred Ganga. Think deeply again and again whether the new desire will give you more happiness or more spiritual gain. Viveka will guide you to take up the help of will and drive the desire immediately. Viveka and will are two potent weapons for an aspirant on the Jnana Yogic path to destroy evil Mara (temptation) and remove all major and minor impediments.

Never accept gifts from anybody, even from your closest friends. It will produce slavish mentality, weak will and attachment. Asking is begging. Recommending is begging. A beggar is absolutely unfit for freedom and spiritual pursuits.

Just as you starve a plant by depriving it of water, so you may starve out obnoxious desires by allowing the mind not to dwell upon such desires. You have no desire for a thing till you know what it is like. It is only after you have seen it or heard of it or touched it that you get a longing for it. Therefore, the best principle for a man is not to take, touch or see anything that is likely to taint the imagination. You will have to turn aside the attention resolutely and particularly the imagination from the subject. In course of time, all objectionable desires will die out.

It is desire in the mind that has created this body. The nature of the desire depends upon the quality of Samskaras. If these are good, virtuous Samskaras, good desires will crop up and, if they are bad, they will give rise to evil desires. Buddhi also is Karmanusarini (according to the nature of Karmas). It has to be specially trained by repeated efforts to think and act according to the holy injunctions of sacred scriptures. Desire becomes the thought and thought becomes the action. An evil desire sets up an evil thought which leads to evil action. Do always virtuous action-charity, Tapas, Japa, Dama, Dhyana and study of scriptures. Give up Nishiddha Karma (actions prohibited by Sastras). Have constant Satsanga. This is very important. It is the only means of changing the evil Samskaras of the mind.

The mind with half-developed Jnana feels severe pain when it relinquishes all desires. It demands aid, through prayer, from higher souls.

A counter-desire, a desire for God, one strong desire to attain Brahman will destroy all other worldly desires. Put down vicious desires through virtuous desires. Then give up virtuous desires through one strong desire-Mumukshutva (desire for liberation). Abandon this desire for God also in the long run. Give up Asubha Vasana through Subha Vasana. Give up Subha Vasana through Svarupa Vasana. Give up Svarupa Vasana by Nididhyasana. Desires will become extinct with the rise of discrimination. When desires cease, Jivahood becomes extinct.

Brahma-Chintana will destroy all desires. There are no desires in Brahman. Brahman is All-Purity. Repeat OM. Repeat the Mantra, "All purity I am." All the desires will vanish.

Kill the thoughts. Practise thoughtlessness. You can destroy desires. Mind associated with thoughts of gratifying the passionate desires, blindly goads a man to seek for sensual pleasures. Uncontrolled thoughts are the roots of all evils. Sublime thoughts will easily destroy lower, base thoughts. Do not entertain any base thought.

Destruction Of Desires Leads To Atmic Bliss

Vasanasahita mind (mind associated with desires) is Bandha (bondage). Mind free from desires is Mukta (free). Desires are themselves pain. Non-desire is itself pure Atmic Bliss. Mere annihilation of Maya is Moksha. With the extinction of the base Sankalpas, there is also the extinction of Avidya. Should all longings for the visibles cease, then such an abnegation of mind is itself the destruction of Ajnana or the mind. Such a bliss is generated through one's efforts only. There is nothing like Purushartha (right exertion). Purushartha changed the destiny of Markandeya. He became a Chiranjivi.

Desire is the enemy of peace. You have become the beggar of beggars through desires. A desireless man is the richest man in the world. It is the mind that makes a man rich.

Free yourself from the firm grip of crocodiles of desires. Do not get disheartened under trials. Cheer yourself up. Stand up like a lion. Destroy the impure mind with the help of the pure mind. Make friendship with the Sattvic mind and rest yourself peacefully in Atman.

Mumukshu Musings: dance like nobody's watching!

"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." - Mark Twain

Count Your Blessings!

Verse 1

When upon life's billows You are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged Thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings Name them one by one,
And it will surprise you What the Lord hath done.

Chorus:

Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your blessings See what God hath done.
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings See what God hath done.

Verse 2

Are you ever burdened With a load of care,
Does the cross seem heavy You are called to bear.
Count your many blessings Every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing As the days go by.

Verse 3

When you look at others With their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised You His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings Money cannot buy,
Your reward in heaven Nor your home on high.

Verse 4

So amid the conflict Whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged God is over all.
Count your many blessings Angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you To your journey's end.

GANPATI BAPPA MORIYA

EKADANTHAAYA VIDHMAHEE

VAAKRATUNDAAYA DHEEMAHI

THANNO DHANTIHIH PRACHODAYAAT

According to the Indian Convention, Ganesh is the prime most deity whom everyone of us must worship first since He is the reliever of obstacles, giver of wisdom and all boons and finally bestows liberation on all those who seek His Grace, and thus cuts asunder the worldly bondage.

The Indians are of the firm belief that no success can be achieved without first paying obeisance to Lord Ganesh. So those who aspire wordly and spiritual success in their life should first start their prayers to Lord Ganesh. Adoration of Vinaayaka as Prathama Vandhana (First Deity to be saluted) has been mentioned in the Vedas. Reference to Him is made in the Gayathri also.

He is one who instills purity in body, and fearlessness in the mind. It is said "Thanno Dhanthih Prachodayaath" giving importance to his tusk. He rides on a small Muushika (mouse). Muushika is symbolic of the darkness of ignorance, while Ganesha signifies the effulgence of Wisdom that dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Lord Ganesh is the elder son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Shiva is the one who removes and destroys all evils in the world. Parvathi is the Goddess of Sarvashakthi, who helps in his work. He is also affectionately known by many other names like Vinaayaka, Heramba, Siddhivinayaka, Gajamukha, Vigneshvara, Lambodhara,Gajanana, Ganpathi etc.

What does the term Ganapathi signify? 'Ga' means Buddhi (Intellect). 'Na' mean Vijnana (Wisdom ). 'Ganapthi' means one who is the Lord of the intellect and wisdom. He is also the Lord of all Ganas (spiritual entities). Ganas also symbolise the senses. Ganapathi is thus the Lord of the senses.

It is only when the man is pure that the intelligence blossoms. It is only with the blossoming of intelligence that Siddhi (the spiritual goal) is attained. Vinayak presides over the the Buddhi and Siddhi (the intellect and the spiritual realisation). The scriptues say that Siddhi and Buddhi are the consorts of Vinaayaka and Kshema and Anandha are his two sons. Siddhi and Buddhi symbolises the powers of attraction of Ganapthi.

Vinayaaka is known for his supreme intelligence. He has the head of an elephant. The elephant is also known for its high intelligence. The elephant will not trust anybody except its master.

Because Vinaayaka is endowed with exceptional intelligence, His elephant face is symbolic of supreme intelligence. Vinayaaka also mean that He is the one who has no master above Him. He is the supreme master. He is beyond the mindless state. One who has stilled the mind cannot have any master.

He is also called Lambodhara which means Guardian of Wealth - Lakshmi Svaruupa. Here lakshmi represents all wealth and prosperity and not only Dhanam (money) for which there is a separate deity called Dhanalakshmi. Here wealth means Sukha and Anandha (pleasure and bliss). What is the use of having all things when there is no pleasure and bliss?

Vinaayaka is also called Vigneshvara as He removes all obstacles coming in the way of devotees who pray to Him sincerely. Only Vinaayaka teaches the lessons that are essential for mankind. One should not stop with installing the idol and doing pujas for a few days. One should make efforts to become a Naayaka or Master over onself by practising the nine-fold path of devotion.

He broke his tusk to use it as a pen when He was writing the Mahaabhaaratha to the dictation of Sage Vyaasa. He is a shining example of the spirit of sacrifice that He exhibited for the welfare of the humanity. That is why he is called Ekadhantha or one with single tusk.

Mantra Magic - Sanskrit Mantras Simplified 190108

Oh, Lord, with a twisted trunk and a huge might body, who lustre is equivalent to that of a crores of Suns, (whose intelligence always outshines crores of Suns) I pray to thee, O lord, always remove all obstacles from the good actions I perform.

Vakra tunda = Twisted trunk
Mahakaaya = Huge, mighty body
Suryakoti = Equivalent to lustre of crores of Sun
Samaprabha = i.e the effulgence of his intelligence outshines crores of Suns
Deva = Oh, Lord
Sarva Kaaryeshu = Always and in all works (action)
Nirvighnam Kurume = Remove all the obstacle

Please read GANPATI_BAPPA_MORIYA