The Practice and use of Religion

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

The  Practice and use of Religion           

Excepting the infinite spirit everything else is changing. There is the whirl of change. Permanence is nowhere except in yourself. There is the infinite joy, unchanging. Mediation is the gate that opens that to us. Prayers ceremonials and all the other forms of worship are simply kindergartens of mediations. You pray you offer something. A certain theory existed that everything raised ones spiritual power. The use of certain words flowers, images temples, ceremonials like the waving of lights brings the mind to that attitude, but that attitude is always in the human soul nowhere else. (People) are all doing it, but what they do without knowing it, do knowingly., that is the power of meditation. All knowledge you have –how did it come? From the power of mediation. The soul churned the knowledge out of its own depths. What knowledge was there ever outside of it? In the long run this power of mediation separates ourselves from the body and then the soul knows itself as it is –the unborn, the deathless and birthless being. No more is there any misery, no more births upon this earth, no more evolution. (The soul knows itself as having) ever been perfect and free.

 

Drop dogmas to make full use of the intellect

By Shri Shri Anandamurti

 

The internal urge to attain liberation in every sphere of life is a natural wont of every human being.

 

The essence of the human mind is known as intellect. Intuition cannot be called the essence of mind. In fact, intuition is subtler than the mind. It is a special aspect of human existence and should be called the 11th organ or the sixth sense.

 

Discrimination between holy and unholy, permanent and impermanent, pure and impure in the intellectual sphere has a certain yardstick of its own. This yardstick should remain unstained. Due to the bondage of various types of exploitation and tyranny against the intellect in the physical sphere, the human spirit writhes in suppressed agony. Likewise in the mental sphere, the human capacity to think is snatched away. And in the same way in the intellectual sphere, when human beings try to think and act for their spiritual and intellectual unfoldment, various kinds of dogmas arise and create obstacles.

 
A dogma is a preconceived idea that forbids human beings to outstep the limits of that idea or object. In this situation, the human intellect cannot freely function. Some people say, ‘All right, we may not get the maximum utilisation of our intellect, yet we can have at least 10-20% of its services.’

 

Wherever there is dogma, even 10-20% of the human intellect cannot be properly utilised; and the meagre amount of intellect used is not something worthwhile.

 

The greatest treasure of human beings is their psychic faculty, their intellect. When I cannot utilise this precious intellect to its fullest advantage, what more tragic situation could there be than this. So, we need the liberation of the human mind, and even before this, we need the liberation of the human intellect.

 

Suppose the intellect wants to follow a particular path; in the meantime, dogma comes from all sides and forbids it, ‘Oh no! Don’t take a single step further in that direction. If you do, you’ll be doomed to hell for eternity.’ When the intellect wants to make the fullest utilisation of mundane wealth, dogma comes in and says, as it were, ‘Oh no, you must not do it. It is harmful for human beings; it is sheer blasphemy. It will lead to the degradation of humanity.’

 

When the human intellect becomes ardently eager to venture into a new enterprise in the psychic sphere, dogma again comes into the picture and insists, ‘Oh, no! You must not do this. It will bring about your ruin.’ Thus, in every sphere, at every step, dogma puts a blockade on the human mind, on the human intellect. That is why until we liberate our intellect from bondages, we cannot make its fullest utilisation. For the service of humanity, the intellect must be liberated from all sorts of bondages, dogmas and unholy influences. Unless that is achieved, we cannot have a radiant future.

 

If we want to herald the advent of golden dawn, we will have to bring about all-round emancipation of the human intellect through a relentless struggle against dogmas, backed by unlimited, uninhibited courage.

 

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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Path of Devotion

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

Path of Devotion

Purification of the heart is indeed the essence of all religion. The observance of outer cleanliness without inner cleanliness cannot ever bring a sense of purity, so do not make too much of external practices. Know that you are pure, you are clean, whether you touch water or not. Everything becomes pure and clean in His name Repeat the Holy Name of the Lord with sincere faith and earnestness and all impurities will be washed off. Keep your mind always in a pure environment , that is think holy thoughts and seek holy company, then purity will shine in your heart.

 

Above all give up all egotism. There is no impurity than this. Nothing so quickly covers the mirror of the heart with the dust of delusion and selfishness. If you wish to be a true devotee, you must resign the little “I” which always leads to darkness and bondage. When you have resigned this little “I” then the great “I” will shine for you and cover the whole universe., you  must give up the idea that you are something ., that you do or do not do, both must be given up. Give up taking the credit for anything; root out this idea, then you will become unselfish. Root out all selfish desires and you will reach the goal.

 

If you serve your Ideal without selfish desires you work freely, and that work is the only real work. Our can attain perfection though it. Such unselfish service to the Idea will remove all bondages from the heart and give purity.

 

The Bhagwad Gita’s royal path to success

 

By Jaya Row

 

The one misunderstanding about the Bhagwad Gita that has turned away many sincere seekers is that it only promises enlightenment and asks us to give up the world and its enjoyments.

 

While the Gita speaks of Self-realisation, it also enables you to enjoy life to the fullest, achieve remarkable success in the world as well as happiness. It confers mastery over yourself and the world. It enables you to live like a king, not like a beggar. Like a victor, not a victim.

 

 

Free yourself from the persecution of the world and become master of the universe. Live like a king by discovering the royal secret – knowledge of your own power. The world will then transform into your playground. You will enjoy every moment of your life and gain inner strength and growth.

 

Krishn assures the diligent aspirant of both enlightenment as well as worldly success. The Bhagwad Gita does not promise a vague, post-mortem happiness. The benefits can be reaped here and now to gain material prosperity, happiness as well as spiritual growth. The accent is on the constancy of thought and consistency of application. Whatever action you perform, whatever you perceive, offer, give, or strive for, do it as an offering to God. Then every ordinary action becomes worship. You will be freed from the bondage of actions that yield good and bad results.

 

Ignorant of their potential, the deluded ignore the Spirit and get caught up with the world and fritter away their lives in the pursuit of petty, insignificant playthings. They condemn themselves to repeated birth and death which brings in its wake misery and suffering. The mahatmas, great souls, anchored in the higher Goal, worship the Spirit single-pointedly. They dedicate all actions to a higher ideal – Karma Yog. They cultivate love for all beings – Bhakti Yog. They are determined in their pursuit till the goal is attained – Jnana Yog. They then attain total freedom from the pairs of opposites in the world. Thus, worship is a constant effort at union with Atman, not a casual, occasional prayer or ritual.

 

Spiritual evolution is not the exclusive privilege of the chosen few. Krishn accepts even the most wicked people, the rajasic, passionate, and tamasic, lethargic, ones and offers them liberation. Nobody is disqualified provided they choose the right path. Everyone has access to the supreme goal. The highly refined and spiritually evolved ones find it easier to get there. With a serene mind and sharp intellect, they understand the world as anitya, impermanent, and asukha, joyless. They know they are heir to true and abiding bliss.

 

Krishn ends by encapsulating the entire spiritual path in one verse. Fix your mind on me – Jnana Yog. The intellect fixes realisation as the goal and keeps the thoughts focussed there. Be my devotee – Bhakti Yog. Feel for the ideal, pour your heart out to God. Surrender helps calm the mind. It empowers you to go through the ordeals of the world with fortitude. Sacrifice to me – Karma Yog. Act in a spirit of sacrifice and service for the welfare of humanity. Dedicate your actions to the goal. Prostrate to me – dissolve your ego. Place your head and heart at the feet of the Lord. Thus, with me as the supreme goal you shall come to me.

 

The law is – ‘as you think so you become’. People change their lifestyles, clothing and food. They even relocate to an Ashram or the Himalayas. But pay scant regard to their thoughts which are still on the world. The only thing you need to change is your thoughts. Elevate your thoughts to the Spirit and the world will be at your feet. The fringe benefits of spiritual life are material success and happiness.

 

For weekly webinars on the Bhagwad Gita by Jaya Row, Saturdays, 6.30-7.30pm IST, register free at

 

 IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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Vedanta philosophy

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

Vedanta philosophy

 

According to our philosophers, freedom is the goal knowledge cannot be the goal because knowledge is a compound. It is compound of power and freedom and it is freedom alone that is desirable. That is what men struggle after simply the possession of power would not be knowledge. For instance a scientist can send an electric shock to a distance of some feet or meter. But nature can send it to an unlimited distance. Why do we not build statues to nature then? It is not law that we want but ability to break law. We want to be outlaws it you are bound by laws; you will be a lump of clay. Whether you are beyond law or not is not the question; but the thought that we are beyond law-upon that is based the whole history of humanity. For instance a man lives in a forest and never has had any education or knowledge. He sees a stone falling down-a natural phenomenon happening-and he thinks it is freedom. he thinks it has a soul and  the central idea in that is freedom., but as soon as he knows that it must fall, he calls it nature –dead , mechanical action . I may or may not get into the street. In that is my glory as a man. If I am sure that I must go there I give myself up and become a machine. Nature with its infinite power is only a machine, freedom alone constitute sentinel life.

 

When Ganesh and Ved Vyas became partners

 

By Aruna Narlikar

 

The Mahabharat has much to say on the philosophy and strategy of alliance-building in times of peace, war and everything in between. The occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi – the festival celebrating the birth of the god of auspicious beginnings – is a good time to return to the legendary origins of the Mahabharat, which also lay in a powerful partnership.

 

There is a story about Ved Vyas and Ganesh that continues to thrive in the popular imagination from generation to generation.

 

The wise sage, Vyas, wanted a capable scribe to pen his epic poem. Brahma, the creator, knew of the all-encompassing beauty and depth of Vyas’s composition. He advised the poet-sage to turn to Ganesh – the god of creativity, patron of the arts, the first to be worshipped, and remover of all obstacles – as being most worthy of taking on the formidable challenge.

 

 

Vyas called upon Ganesh, who appeared instantly before his devotee and granted his request on one condition: Vyas would have to recite his verses in an uninterrupted flow. Vyas realised this demand would not be so easy to fulfil, so he put in his own condition even as he accepted the offer: If Ganesh did not understand the words, he would have to pause his writing. Legend has it that Vyas introduced complexities in the text to buy time to compose further verses, while Ganesh worked through the deliberately inserted convolutions. A mighty alliance of creativity was formed, well-suited to the colossal task at hand.

 

This delightful story is often cited to show the generous boons that Ganesh grants his disciples. But it also gives us four lessons that apply to business, politics, and indeed our everyday lives.

 

First, when taking on an ambitious enterprise, it is smart to seek allies and friends. Do not try to go it alone.

 

Second, seek worthy allies: capable of tackling the task at hand, trustworthy, and committed. Indeed, so committed was Ganesh to his responsibility that he is said to have broken his tusk off and used it as the writing instrument for the great epic.

 

Third, as you try to identify who your friends are, the only caveat is one that the poet Kalidas offered in his poem, Meghdoot: “A petition made to a virtuous person, even if rejected, is superior to one that is fulfilled by a mean-minded person.” Ved Vyas took a risk by approaching the high deity, Adipoojya Ganesh; he did not fear rejection, and was duly rewarded.

 

Fourth, even with the best of friends, it is all right – even desirable – to ensure terms that both sides are comfortable with. Often in relationships with those we are close to, we assume that we should downplay our own needs. But unnecessary sacrifice is not always healthy. It can go on to produce unfair expectations, guilt and disappointment. This does not mean one should be selfish with one’s friends – not at all. But a good rule of thumb is that both allies treat each other as equals and offer mutual respect for reasonable needs.

 

As we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, amidst the necessary social distancing and masking up necessitated by the pandemic, let’s not be afraid to seek help and build friendships.

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week in epl manunited no 7 scored two goals , Chelsea no 9 scored two goals

 

Transcending happiness and misery

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

Transcending happiness and misery

In the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita  or for that matter in all scriptures of the world , no advice is given to objectively reduce suffering or to escape from it. Instead it has been shown how one can transcend it. The Bhagavd Gita recommends forbearance and equanimity in both happiness and misery. Both are inevitable one must not identify oneself with them. A yogi following the path of concentration of mind aims at achieving such a mastery over his mind that he may withdraw his mind at will form misery or suffering. An adept who has achieved perfect control over his mind, does not allow his mind to register the feeling of suffering. He aspires to get established in a state of such superlatives bliss with the help of yoga that he may not be shaken from it by the severest of sorrows.

According to the Upanishads, there cannot be happiness in the limited. All pervading unity alone can conduce to happiness. Where there is duality there is fear. But for him who sees unity and established in it, there cannot be any delusion or sorrow. This is the ultimate solution of the problem of suffering and prophets and incarnations, saints and sages had solved it by being established in such a state beyond duality. Sri Ramakrishna had suffered from painful throat cancer, and yet he was ever established in his blissful real Self beyond all sufferings. He himself had confirmed it to one of his disciples. Hari who was able to detect Sri Ramakrishna’s transcendental state by carefully observing him. Mahapurush  Maharaj had so perfectly realized his identity with his deathless disease less blissful conscious Self , that in spite of severe breathlessness, he never felt that he was suffering . For him, his body was not be , it was something separate from him

 

 

Create golden moments through self-realisation

By Deepa D Nair

 

Ramana Maharshi connected the search for ‘who am I?’ with two concepts: self-realisation and self-surrender. ‘Self’ can be defined in two ways: the True Self and egoic self. When awake, we see the world; in normal sleep we see dreams; and in deep sleep, there is hardly any disturbance. Still, as we wake up the next morning, we can easily recognise the period of deep sleep we experienced and the dreams we had.

 

So, what is me? Am I all the experience during these three different phases, or the underlying witness who observed all the events in these phases? What remains unchanged in all this is the True Self.

 

 

The Self is ‘Sat’, the pure existence that is present in all these phases. The witness does not experience death. Then why do we not remember our past lives? It is only because of the existence of the egoic self. The True Self which is blinded by the evolutionary garbage accumulated over millions of years is the egoic self. The memory of the Self is thus lost. Persistent effort is needed to see the light of the Self. Then the fear of death too will vanish.

 

So, the True Self is Sat, which is a state of fearlessness and of the nature of continuous existence. It is also ‘Chit’, pure awareness, consciousness. Being aware helps us create moments of ‘Anand’, unaffected by ego, judgments, and thoughts. Understanding the characteristics of the True Self – Sat, Chit and Ananda – helps create golden moments. Each golden moment is the best that one can give to oneself, because it imparts bliss to life.

 

Supreme Creator is the unique force that has created this entire universe in the best possible way, to suit the needs of everything that has been created. He is the embodiment of supreme love. Unconditional giving without any expectation is true love. ‘Love is God’ goes the famous saying of the Gospel. This force of creation is ever-existent, extremely aware of its creation and always in bliss, even in a disaster. The True Self, which is a small creator, is a speck of the larger creative force – God. Thus, Tat Tvam Asi, you are that. This mahavakya helps in understanding the concept of self-surrender.

 

Whom would we love to surrender to? To the one who is fearless, ever-present, creative, blissful and capable of supreme love. Thus, only self-surrender is the way. It also calls for taking more responsibility on the self. Each golden moment should be laden with responsibilities towards the Self and to the universe, opening an internal revolution that can exceed the pace of physical evolution.

 

The measure of our true potential is the extent to which we realise ourselves and surrender to the will of the universe. It depends on the number of golden moments we can create in a lifetime. Each golden moment is full of fearlessness, awareness and extreme bliss. True love starts with the creation of peace with oneself. Only when we are at peace can we generate golden moments for ourselves and the universe.

 

The writer is secretary, Social Welfare and Social Education, Government of Tripura

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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