CHARACTERISTICS OF A JIVANMUKTA
He who is free from anger, lust, greed, egoism and jealousy is indeed a Sage.
He who calls nothing in this world as his own, he who speaks wisely, he who is not elated by success or gain, and he who is not depressed by failure or loss is a sage.
He who is free from covetousness, who does not grieve over what is no more, who has overcome desire is a Sage or Brahma Jnani(Knower of Brahman).
WISE GUIDANCE FOR SURE SUCCESS
A man who digs a well should not dig a foot here, a foot there, a few feet in another place and then a fourth.
If he does this, he will not find water even after digging in fifty places.
Once a spot is chosen, he must dig on and on in the same place and so he will reach the water.
Even so in Yoga, one teacher, one path, one method, one master, one idea and one-pointed faith and devotion – all the above make up the secret of success in spiritual path.
PRACTICE YOGA TO PROLONG LIFE
Through the practice of Yoga, the evolution of man is quickened.
What he can gain in hundreds of births, he can gain in one birth through the practice of Yoga, and attain final emancipation.
He can attain longevity and attain perfect health.
He can compress in one life the experiences of several hundreds of births.
Practice of Yoga bestows a rich and full life.
It is, in fact, the science of living a pure and healthy life.
PRACTICE YOGA TO PROLONG LIFE
There are methods in Yoga(Tratak) for strengthening the eye-sight and cleansing the nose.
There are detailed practices in Yoga for cleansing of the food-tube (Dhauti) and the stomach as simple and effective as cleansing of the teeth.
He who practises Basti or Yoga-enema never suffers from constipation and other abdominal disorders.
People who suffer from overweight, constipation or dyspepsia will specially find this Yoga-practice very useful.
O LITTLE EGOISTIC MAN
O little egoistic man of vanities, you have become now very old.
Your body is bent now and you walk with a stick and yet your anger has not disappeared now.
Your body is emaciated.
The limbs are in a wasted condition.
The senses are cold and yet your egoism has not vanished.
Your moustache has become grey and yet the desires have not left you.
THE MAN OF EGO
Humanity as cowardice,
Meekness as weakness,
Service as attachment and passion,
Compassion as hypocrisy: everything appears to be just its opposite to the man’s perverted mind, intoxicated with the wine of ego.
On the contrary he feels himself well off and all-knowing and looks upon the rest of humanity with a condescending eye as unfortunate creatures toiling foolishly far below him in the scale of evolution!
Such is the self-delusion the ego produces.
THE MAN OF EGO
The man of ego is ruled by vanity,
he is governed by utter pride;
hatred grips him,
folly sways him,
delusion sits in his very intelligence,
evil hover round him and his steps lead him into the realms of denser ignorance and ruin.
But, his understanding being clouded and his discrimination obscured by his own prejudiced preconception,
he is unaware of his own sorry state!
Wisdom appears to him as folly, Purity as impurity, Perfection as imperfection.
THE MAN OF EGO
Swami Sivananda
Looking through the warped perspective of his own ego, man makes this earth a Hell of gloom and death, tortures and frustration.
By looking through the medium of his own illusions and a sensuous mind, he converts what could be a temple of happiness (this world) into a den of anguish and grief, terror and forlornness.
Laws of darkness and death rule him, and not those of Light and Life. Staying in his own ego, man invites invasion by sin and ultimate annihilation
LIVING BOOK OF LIFE
This bewildered and tumultuous world, with its never-ending tale of toil and tears is in reality a Majestic University of Wisdom wherein everyone gets a chance to learn from the living Book of Life, of their own as well as those of philosophers of realisation, of saints and sages, of divine Teachers and Holy Masters.
They that hug their ego, however, will learn nothing in this Grand University, and all that they have shall be taken away, leaving them forlorn.
RUB THE MIND
The seed must be sown when you are young.
Even when you are studying in the College, get up in the early morning and meditate.
Just as a powerful lenses is made only by rubbing it, rub, rub and rub the mind and make it pure.
Don’t argue much on transcendental matters.
Argument fails.
The frail intellect will not be able to grasp Adhyatmic(spiritual) Truths.
Hello!
I was wondering if anyone has reached jhana yet. If you have, do you suggest letting go of everything, keeping it simple, and not having the idea of jhana as a goal, or did you force yourself to keep a firm grip on your breathing (object of meditation) and keep jhana as a goal? Right now I'm going through kind of a rough stage in life and I feel like that is affecting my meditation, and was wondering if I'm doing meditation wrong (I go with the second technique and started getting headaches and anxiety). Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
- yogasutra
Meditate on the nature of the Self. I am Satchidananda(Existence-Knowledge-Bliss-Absolute). Meditation on divine qualities. If you are not able to practise this abstract meditation, then meditate on the Sun, the Light, or all-pervading ether or air. Meditate on the light that is shining in your heart; meditate on those dream-pictures that you sometimes get. Meditate on the form of your Guru or of Saints. Meditate on anything your mind likes best. Meditate on the form of your father, on his qualities.
METHOD OF SELF-PURIFICATION
Purify the Body through the practice of Yoga Asana.
Purify the Prana through the practice of Pranayam.
Purify the Mind through Japa and Kirtan.
Purify the intellect through Right Enquiry.
Realise the Spirit through constant meditation.
Arise, Awake, Strive hard, Reach the goal.
May God bless you.
SELF-RESTRAINT
Self-restraint is DAMA.
It is control of the senses.
It is a vedantic sadhana (practice).
It comes after the practice of sama (restraint of mind).
It is one of the sad sampat (six-fold wealth).
It does not allow the senses to run outwards.
It gives strength, peace, and concentration.
It develops will-power.
It helps you to disconnect or shut off the mind from the senses, and the senses from the objects.
It corresponds to pratyahara (sense-withdrawal) of Raja Yoga.
ENEMIES OF KNOWLEDGE
Religion Means 'To Do.'
It is only the one two little acts that you actually do, that constitute religion and spirituality.
To rise early and take the name of the Lord for ten minutes is what real dharma is.
TRIPLE GEM
Humility is the path of immortality.
Earnestness is the path of blessedness.
Character is the ornament of the virtuous.
Success in all undertakings is attained as a result of effort; effort put forth in the firm conviction that sincere and earnest human endeavor never goes unfulfilled.
Success is not achieved by never encountering failure.
Failure is often a part of success.
I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL
Where sky is not; nor earth, neither ocean nor rivers; neither sun nor moon, neither pain nor sorrow, there I found my goal, and realised Brahman or the Absolute.
TRUE RENUNCIATION
True renunciation is the renunciation of all passions, desires and egoism.
If you have a stainless mind, a mind free from attachment, egoism and passion, you are a sanyasin, no matter whether you live in a forest or in the bustle of a city, whether you wear white cloth or an orange colored robe, whether you shave your head or keep a long tuft of hair.
Many have not understood what true renunciation is.
Renunciation of physical objects is no renunciation at all.
“You should thank the one who draws attention to something in you,rather than being offended.
Actually that person is doing you a great favour and service by giving you some knowledge about yourself which you,by yourself,have been unable to obtain”
