Teachings of Swami Sivananda's Posts (1031)

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Sivananda daily reading

FOUR ASHRAMAS

Brahmacharya is intended to develop self-restraint and purity.
The Grihastha is meant for the development of many virtues – charity, generosity etc., Amanitwam Adambhitwam(Gita Ch13-7 :(Humility, unpretentiousness, non-injury, forgiveness, uprightness, service of the teacher, purity, steadfastness, self-control).
Abhayam Sattvasamshuddhih ( Gita Ch 16-1 : (Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and Yoga, almsgiving, control of senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity and straightforwardness).
One should fearless.

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Sivananda daily reading

PROGRAMME OF LIFE

O Lord! Let me have that wisdom where my mind will ever rest in peace in the innermost Atman; let me be ever established in the Absolute, Pure Consciousness or Satchidannda. Sanatkumara gave Narada instructions on Bhuma Vidya(Knowledge of Brahman), by which the unseen becomes seen, the unheard becomes heard, the unknown becomes known, and the unthought-of become thought-of. That is the science you must learn.

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Sivananda daily reading

THE QUINTESSENCE OF YOGA

Yoga is union with the Infinite through meditation and Samashi. A Yogi is frees from Karma or the law of cause and effect from births and deaths and from the trammels of mind and flesh. The Yogi practises discipline of body and mind. The Yogi has perfect control over his life-force, body and mind. He can dematerialise at will. He meditates on Om. Yoga illumines, renovates and helps the Yogi to attain the highest point of perfection.

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Sivananda daily reading

WHO IS A SAGE?


A Sage sees the supreme Atman in all beings. He beholds the imperishable amidst the perishable. A Sage has equal vision. He never think of nobility or lowness. He is above love or hate. He never has actions to do or not to do. A Jivanmukta or a realised sage is above rules. He may live as he likes. A moral behaviour is spontaneous in him. There is no external restraint for him. This does not mean that he can lead an immoral life.

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Sivananda daily reading

SAMADHI AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

Subject and object relationship disappears.
There is an experience of infinite void alone.
There is an experience of “Aham Asmi, I Exist”.
Later on comes the experience of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute.
Then there is only existence(Kevala Asti).
The soul merges in Brahman.
There is intense bliss in Nirvikalpa Samadhi(The superconscious state).

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Sivananda daily reading

SAMADHI AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE

Detach the mind from the objects.

Plunge yourself in the depths of your heart and rest in Atman.

In Samadhi all name and forms vanish.

There is a boundless infinite conscious ocean of light.

The forms appear unreal, like shadows or pictures painted on canvas.

Time and space vanish, Ego disappears. All dualities vanish.

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Sivananda daily reading

BLISS ABSOLUTE

Brahman or the Absolute is void as it transcends all relatively and is indescribable. It is void of the finite things of our ordinary experience. Behind the changing and finite world-appearance, there must be One Reality, infinite and eternal. Unless this being were consciousness, it would be a Self or Spirit(Atman). This Spirit being infinite and eternal, must be self-complete and therefore requires nothing beyond itself. It is therefore Bliss.

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Sivananda daily reading

THE NATURE OF ATMAN

The nature of Supreme Self or Atma is pure awareness.
Awareness always implies existence.
How can awareness be without being existing?
Awareness and existence are one and the same thing.
Non-dual unconditioned, unqualified awareness is also harmony and peace.
So it is also blissful.
Thus the real nature of Atman is awareness or absolute consciousness, existence and bliss.

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Sivananda daily reading

BRAHMAN ALONE IS REAL

Para Brahman is the Substratum for the world. He is the silent witness. The substratum for these names and forms alone is real. The substratum alone is Brahman. Names forms are Maya. The relation Brahman and the objects of the world is itself illusion, because there cannot be a real relation between a real and an illusory thing. The objects have no reality of their own. They appear on the real Brahman.

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Sivananda daily reading

DISCRIMINATION

When discrimination has not dawned in your mind, you are not able differentiate between the real and unreal. You do not enquiry. The mind is duping you every moment. Let us all wake up now at least and cultivate this discrimination through enquiry into the nature of the Self, through Sat-Sanga(company of the holy), study and meditation.

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Sivananda daily reading

YOUR OWN SWAROOPA

When all the desires are gratified, when all desires are annihilated, you are Poorna(full), self-contained, and you enjoy your own Swaroopa(essence) – call it by whatever name you like. All your desires are gratified when you rest in your own Satchidananda Swaroopa (Existence-consciousness-Bliss Absolute the essential nature of Brahman)

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Sivananda daily reading

PHYSICAL BEAUTY

Physical beauty is no beauty. He who has knowledge of the Self is the most beautiful man in the whole world. He is the really handsome man. Though Ashta-vakra had eight kinds of deformities, he was the most handsome man. He had the Brahmic aura in his face. The eyes sparkled with the light of the soul. With this light he subdued Raja Janaka, with this light he made Raja Janaka enter into Samadhi(super consciousness) in the twinkling of an eye.

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Sivananda daily reading

WHAT IS THIS BODY

Look at this body. This is a house with two pillars. The walls are made up of rice, bread, dhall, and potatoes. This will fall down without giving ant notice. Jivatma dwells in this house. Do not perish as a prey in the snare of your sensual appetites. Do not fall like a blind man in the hidden pits of this world. Life is a lightning flash of breath. Time is but a thunder clap of death. Live in Atma. You will attain immortality. Go beyond time. You will attain eternity

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Sivananda daily reading

THIS WORLD IS AN ATOM

This whole big world is a drop or an atom when compared to the Infinite Brahman. Just as a straw is floating in the ocean so also this world is floating in a corner of Brahman. This mind and the lenses of the eyes are deceiving you. They reveal to you an exaggerated picture, just as the microphone exaggerated the sound of a pin-drop into a mighty thunder. This is a Mayaic jugglery which is understood by people who possess dispassion and discrimination, but not by the worldly people.

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Sivananda daily reading

EVERYTHING WILL PASS AWAY

Ah, how quickly does the glory of the world and worldly life passes away! Where are the mighty potentates who once wielded their sceptres with vain pomp and glory? Where are those erudite lawyers, judges and doctors, who once passed for great men in society have come and gone? Name and fame is mere vibration in the ether.

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Sivananda daily reading

THIS WORLD IS A RESTING TREE

This world is verily a resting tree for birds.
One evening birds meet together on a tree for a night’s stay, and the nest morning they leave the tree and part from one another and go their way.
Even so do men meet for a time as relatives, parents, sons and friends and then disperse.
Birth leads to death and death to birth.
Thus without rest man wanders forever.

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Sivananda daily reading

GOD IN ALL

If you really want God, you will find Him. Cultivate faith and devotion.
To realise God you must have patience, perseverance, purity, burning dispassion and yearning.
Whatever you do, see, hear, feel or taste, think that to be God.
God can be realized through faith, devotion, surrender and meditation.
Trust in the Lord. Surrender yourself to him.
He will bless you with peace and plenty.
He will bestow upon thee all health, prosperity, and success.

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Sivananda daily reading

"MAYA"

Maya(illusory power of Brahman) tempts the ignorant Jeeva.

She puts a little coating of sensual pleasure over tense pain-giving objects, a little sugar-coating over the ever bitter quinine pills.

Develop dispassion, discrimination and attain freedom and eternal bliss.

Total, unreserved self-surrender to the Lord alone will enable you to cross this maya, and attain his lotus-feet.

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