their senses as the modern people are. They used to do Japa, Pranayam, Sandhyavandana
(Trikala) and Svadhyaya (study of religious books like the Gita, the Bhagavata and the
Ramayana). They used to do charity and selfless service, and observe Vratas like Ekadasi, Sri
Rama Navami, Sri Krishna Ashtami and Dattatreya Jayanti. They used to conduct spiritual
conferences and pray for world peace and not for their own individual selves. They used to take
plenty of physical exercise in the form of walking ten to twenty miles a day and at a stretch.
They used to observe Yama and Niyama very rigidly. They used to live mostly in villages and
not in congested areas. They were self-reliant and not dependent on others even for trivial
matters. They used to have Kaya Siddhi as well as Vak Siddhi. When the present-day generation
realizes the value of the way of ancient living, surely will it achieve all that it desires with the
Prasannata (grace) of the Devas.
From "May I answer that" by Swami Sivananda (1987-1963). More Informations on Swami Sivananda: on the Website of Divine Life Society, Photographs of Swami Sivananda, German Pages on Swami Sivananda
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