Lead a life of intense activity. Do not depend upon anybody. Rely on God alone. Give up
idle talking. Remember God at every moment. Utter in every breath the name of the Lord. Centre
your thoughts upon His lotus feet. Have strong faith in Him. Endeavour to make your faith a matter
of adoration and love. You will enjoy Supreme joy.
Think rightly and clearly. Become a man of measured words. Do selfless service. Surrender
the fruits of action unto the Lord. Pray to God for His mercy, Divine Light, purity and guidance.
You will attain the Supreme.
From "Light, Power and Wisdom" 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

Collect all the rays of your mind. Turn the mind towards God. Persevere seriously in the
pursuit of knowledge of God. Struggle hard. You will succeed.
Give up all sorts of fears, cares, worries and anxieties. Rest in the ocean of silence. Destroy
all sorts of fears by the rod of Viveka and the sword of Vairagya.
Pray to the Almighty Lord for help and guidance. Thirst for His grace. Place your trust in
Him. Do not be moved by difficulties. Difficulties strengthen your will and augment your power of
endurance and turn your mind towards God. He will guide you in all your activities.
From "Light, Power and Wisdom" 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

When you do Japa and meditation, if evil thoughts enter your mind, do not use your
will-force in driving them. You will lose your energy only. You will tax your will only. You will
fatigue yourself. The greater the efforts you make, the more the evil thoughts will return with
redoubled force. They will return more quickly also. The thoughts will become more powerful. Be
indifferent. Keep quiet. They will pass off soon. Or substitute good counter thoughts or think of the
picture of thy Ishtam and the Mantra again and again. Forcibly pray.
Never miss meditation for a day. Be regular and systematic in your spiritual practices. Take
Sattvic food. Fruits and milk will help mental focusing.
From "Light, Power and Wisdom" 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

Different definitions can be given from different standpoints. The earth is one of the
fields for experiencing the fruits of good, bad and mixed actions, and for performing fresh
actions. It is a Bhoga-bhumi as well as a Karma-bhumi. It is a bundle of atoms, a form of energy,
a materialization of thought, an expression of the effects of the Karmas of the individuals of
whom it is composed and to whom it is related. Scientifically, the earth is only one of the planets
which go to make the universe.

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

Life and death are both processes of gaining more and more fresh experiences in the
progress of evolution tending towards the fruition of the wishes of the experiencer. Life is a
scene where the individual puts on the dress or the form of a certain amount of desires special
environment which can be fulfilled in the special environment afforded by it; and death is the
time when the individual goes behind the screen and puts on a new dress to appear in another
scene of life in order to fulfill another quality of desires which cannot find the required
atmosphere for fruition in the present life, but demand a fresh suitable environment. Hence,
when properly understood, neither of them is dreadful. Both are necessary processes of breaking
barriers and tearing the veils in the path to Perfection. To the ignorant man, however, both are
dreadful experiences. He imagines death to be more dreadful.

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

Asceticism is really the austere life of sense-control and mental concentration lived for
the purpose of devotional practices or spiritual meditations. True asceticism necessarily
includes a strict observance of the moral and ethical disciplines, on the basis of which the higher
practices are undertaken. Asceticism is a means to enlightenment in as much as it prepares the
ground for meditation which leads to wisdom and realization. Sometimes, asceticism is taken in
its narrower sense of bodily mortification alone. But this is a grave error and this alone cannot
lead to enlightenment without the calming of the passions and discipline of the mind.
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

Firstly, I am not working for name and fame. When a person does selfless service, fame
comes to him, though he does not want it. You found it so in the case of Mahatma Gandhiji’s
life also. Only selfless persons know how to utilize even that fame for doing more selfless
service to a greater number of persons.
Secondly, it is through publicity that I come into contact with more and more seekers
after truth. It is the publicity that enables more and more people to offer me opportunities to
serve them. When people glorify me, they glorify only Sannyasa, they glorify a divine life of
Sadhana: and if by bringing this to the notice of others, they too can be inspired to lead the divine
life, practice Sadhana for attaining Self-realization, I do not neglect it. As you know, lives of
great men remind you that you can make your life sublime.
Thirdly, the man who runs after name and fame would nor do menial service, would not
mix freely with everybody, would not cut jokes and make people laugh in his presence, he would
keep himself “far above” the common run of mankind, compel the awe and reverence of tile
people, and by artificially dwelling on high philosophical themes alone during his conversations,
would endeavour to impress on those who meet him that he is far above all of them. I like to mix
with all and to make everybody feel that I am one with all. 1 take intense delight in doing every
kind of service to everybody. I am full of educative humour; even a young boy can cut jokes
with me.
Please come here and spend some time in the Ashram. You will change your opinion.
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

A saint or a Sannyasin will not sleep on thorns, eat mud and stones, walk on his head and
break through walls. His body, too, is subject to hunger and thirst, heat and cold, etc., and an
overcoat is only a vertical blanket in bits and stitched in a convenient way to cover the body
against cold without hampering the movement of the limbs for service. A blanket is a horizontal
piece. I do not attach more importance or value to the coat.
After all, why should you look at the outer garb? Try to perceive the inner man, his
thoughts, his ideas and his virtues. Not the external details. Only a real saint can understand
another saint.
It is not a body besmeared with ashes, or a flowing beard or matted locks that determine a
saint. Why should you attach much importance to this overcoat of mine? To indulge in dress by
way of luxury is certainly not justified. But, for bare necessities, the body must be provided with
proper dress and food.
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

The force behind the system of visual education which psychologists today acclaim as
infinitely superior to text-book education will be apparent if you reflect over a very common
phenomenon. Leave on your table in the study a few good books, a few pictorials and a few
photographs. Let your children, your friends, come into the study. What do they pick up first?
The books? No. The photographs first, and then, the pictorials.
It is not entirely without reason that the old women in South India prevented their
grandchildren from being photographed, saying, “Your lustre will be taken away by the
photograph”. It is true that your lustre is transferred to the photograph. To your friends and
relatives, to your near and dear ones, your photograph is alive, aglow with your lustre. Therefore,
to a devotee, a picture of the Lord, and to a disciple, a picture of the Guru, is a Living Presence.
It is necessary for meditations.
Why are there so many photographs, you may ask. Different people want different
photographs, in different poses, with different backgrounds. I have to satisfy all of them. A
photograph of mine taken twenty years ago may look more youthful and may be better
technically than the photograph taken today; but the aspirant who has seen me for the first time
today insists that he should have a photograph of me as I am today and does not accept another
taken twenty years ago, however nice it may be. And then, people want to be photographed with
me; these photographs act as mementos of their visits and inspire the visitors.
Refusing to be photographed is subtle egoism. It is timidity or fear of criticism in the
garb of humility. If you have right discrimination, you will at once understand.

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

I do not prevent men from sitting around me. In fact, in the office, there are quite a
number of them always surrounding me. They sit on the bench provided for visitors; and the
ladies, naturally in keeping with Indian tradition, sit on the ground, around my table. While
walking about, the European custom prevails; and the men, of their own accord, let the ladies
first. Therefore, the ladies seem to crowd round me and the men walk a few paces behind.
But, when all is said and done, no one can deny that women have more devotion than
men who have been endowed with more of intellect. It is the ladies’ devotion that makes them
sit near my table in the office; and it is the men’s intellect that makes them question the propriety
thereof! When the intellectual man cultivates devotion too, the result is an understanding heart
and breadth of vision that lead him soon to Self-realization.
I am as much interested in the spiritual welfare of women as in that of men; perhaps I take
a little more interest in guiding women on the path of Sadhana. There are three reasons for this.
Firstly, you know the wise saying: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”. Woman is
the maker of man; if she is spiritual, then there is no doubt that the whole of mankind would be
pious and peaceful. Secondly, while men all over the world are busy running after the shadow,
trying to acquire wealth and the useless objects of this world, it is the women who preserve
Dharma as best as they can. They need all the spiritual strength and encouragement that we can
provide them. Thirdly, as man’s “better half”, I know that if woman is spiritually inclined, she
will not leave her man behind, but will take him along with her on the spiritual path. She is
man’s ‘Sahadharmini’, and even if in the busy work-a-day world man forgets his role for a while,
woman will not; and she will be patiently working for his welfare and will convert him to the life
divine.

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

Is it credible? Or, was it only the voice of their own inner intuition?

There is some order in the four Yugas. The consciousness of man grows grosser and
grosser as time rolls by. In the previous Yugas, man’s consciousness was subtler than it is in this
Yuga.
In the Satya Yuga, Bhagavan used to move amidst mankind. Human consciousness was
not far removed from divine consciousness. In the Treta Yuga, man’s consciousness grew
grosser. Though God was not constantly moving amidst human beings, there were frequent
Avataras of the Lord. In the Dvapara Yuga, man’s consciousness grew grosser still; and only the
immortal Brahma-Rishis like Narada, Visvamitra, etc., used to move amongst men, and also,
Akashvanis used to warn people of coming events.
Now we feel that Akashvani is a very rare and miraculous thing; in the previous Yugas it
was not so. Devas themselves used to move amongst men. And Akashvani used to forewarn the
people regularly. Just as we have our Government, the celestials also have their own
Government. Whenever they wished to communicate with mankind, they used to do so through
Akashvani.
Nowadays the deity communicates with the people mainly through dreams and visions.
That is practically the only form of communication with human beings that Devas have retained
in this Yuga.
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

Scriptures, and the personages and episodes in the scriptures, are as true as God Himself.
The former definitely and unambiguously say and propound that all the thirty crores of Devatas
as envisaged in Hinduism have their abode in the frame of the cow, as in the Basil plant (Tulasi).
The cow is boldly proclaimed in the scriptures as one of the objects of Dana (offering) for the
uplift of the soul when the Prana departs from the body of a human being. The cow is really
worthy of our adoration. Pancha Gavya (the milk, curd, Ghee, urine and dung of a cow) are
ordained to be taken in for Prayaschitta at the commencement of certain Vratas like Rishi
Panchami. Any number of instances can be cited regarding the holiness of a cow. Go-puja (cow
worship) is as much fruitful as Sannyasi (Sadhu) Puja. It is equal to, if not more than, Sakala
Devata Puja (worship of all deities). Such being the case, cow-slaughter (Go-Vadha) is
condemnable without hesitation.

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

No, that will lead to all kinds of complications. You should have an expert Guru by your
side to practice Kundalini Yoga.
But why do you worry so much over the awakening of the Kundalini through Hatha Yoga
methods? Any Sadhana, properly done, will awaken the Kundalini. Kundalini can be awakened
through Bhakti, through the grace of the Guru, through the constant practice of Nishkama Karma
Yoga, through Vedantic Vichar and through meditation. Through total self-surrender to the Lord
and by becoming completely desireless, you can get all psychic powers. Nama-smaran,
combined with selfless service, is the best Yoga for this age. You will get the Lord’s grace, and
with His grace, His divine Sakti will flow into you. What can you not achieve through that ?
These psychic powers are all hindrances and obstacles on the spiritual path. We should not run
after them. If we go on serving humanity, even if we have unconsciously acquired psychic
powers through the practice of Bhakti or Karma Yoga, we will be unconsciously utilizing them
for the good of humanity, without being tainted by them. That is the best method.

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

Look at the stupendous and magnanimous work turned out by Lord Buddha, Sri Sankara
and other Karma Yogins of yore. Their names are handed down from posterity to posterity. Their
names are still remembered. The whole world worships them with reverence. Can you attribute an
iota or grain of selfish motive to their actions? They lived for doing service to others. They had
absolute self-abnegation.
Work cannot bring misery. It is the attachment and identification to work that brings in all
sorts of worries, troubles and unhappiness. Understand the secret of Karma Yoga and work without
attachment and identification. You will soon attain God-consciousness. This is Jnana. This is
Jnanagni (fire of wisdom) which burns all fruits of actions.
From "Light, Power and Wisdom" 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

The easiest method of developing devotion is to hear again and again the Lord’s Lilas.
Each time you hear the Lord’s Lilas and glories, an image of the Lord is formed in your mind.
And when you go on hearing the glories of the Lord, in due course, the Lord’s image in your
mind gets strong and bright, even as the piece of wax which a goldsmith uses for collecting the
gold particles which fall on the ground while cutting gold pieces, accumulates gold in it every
day, and after some days, itself begins to shine like a piece of gold, when the maximum number
of gold particles have stuck to it. And when the form of the Lord is bright and firm in the mind,
the devotee has ceaseless remembrance of Him and surging devotion for Him.

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

Is it not true that a man can rise or fall only as a result of his own
Karma and that the Karmas of others can have no effect on him? Are not the
circumstances that a person meets with earned by his own actions? Can a person take
initiative and change the circumstances of himself as well as of others?

Surely one can take the initiative. He can do good to himself and to others. He can
determine the circumstances and environments. Just see how much one can do for others, how
much one can really assist them in the relative plane. One can impart knowledge to the illiterate
and the ignorant, extend monetary help to the poor and the needy.
One can educate the orphans and contribute to the institutions that take care of the
children. Indeed, one can spend not only his entire earnings, but something more! Why should
there be any doubt in regard to one’s being really helpful to others? Take the example of
Gandhiji. Did he not do immense service and good to the nation and to the world at large?
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

Most of the Western thinkers of the rationalistic type accept this.
Modern psychologists assert that by denying or refusing the needs of the body such
as food and sex and suppressing emotions like attachment and love, people generally create
mental problems for themselves. Is there any substance in this?
No; the senses have not been given only to be starved or killed. Neither are they given for
being indulged in and fattened. In truth, the senses are not given for any earthly purpose
whatsoever. That is the highest view that the sages uphold for spiritual aspirants. The senses are
given for being utilized consciously and deliberately for the attainment of something altogether
above and beyond the farthest reach of the senses. To understand the right import and
significance of self-restraint, one must take a more comprehensive view of the question.
In the human being, these senses are given together with the superior, directive faculty of
intelligence with its aspects such as discrimination, selection, etc. The senses are to operate
under its wise supervision. The aim is not the ultimate denial of the senses, but the achievement
through restraint, of a pleasure a million fold greater than that achieved through gratification.
When one realizes this fact, he will understand, how, with the Yogic aspirant, this self-restraint is
not a matter of bitterness or reluctant, unwilling repression at all. Understood in its correct light,
it is a joyous, voluntary discipline undertaken for the acquisition of an infinitely greater and more
blissful experience. Does the angler ever grudge the loss of the worm cast for catching a big
fish?
Moreover, the rationale of asceticism is not rightly understood by most people. The ideal
of asceticism and penance is not based upon repression. Conservation and sublimation are the
principles underlying asceticism rightly practiced. The true ascetic withholds, diverts, canalizes
and finally transmutes his natural propensities. The untoward repercussions of forced repression
such as complex, neurosis, etc., have no place here. No doubt, modern psychologists are correct
in their view about repression, but one must know that it does not apply to religious asceticism,
wherein the process is sublimation and not just repression; and it must always be remembered
that asceticism is a part of Yoga which provides such a marvelous system of mental training and
culture that most effectively counteracts and wards off any possibility of neurotic complexes or
obsessions.
It is, however, true that asceticism is very much misunderstood by the majority of
persons, and unfortunately by the ascetics themselves, as a result of which we hardly come across
a real ascetic in the aspirant world.
Yoga recommends a proper utilization of the tremendous faculties of undissipated senses
for higher purposes of inner culture, social welfare, inventions, scientific progress, and finally,
intuition. The senses are to be sublimated through restraint applied through reason and
intelligent judgement. Their unlimited potentialities are to be harnessed for the greater good and
not allowed to be most shamelessly dissipated for a momentary pleasure, unintelligent and
animalistic. Viewed from this angle, the aspirant is asked not to starve and destroy the senses,
but really to strengthen them and utilize them for his good. Dissipation, on the contrary, actually
causes destruction of the senses.
The Greek ideal was enunciated as a general philosophy of life for the average humanity.
Asceticism, as understood by the sages, is a distinctive discipline specially incumbent upon that
class which would walk the spiritual way, the aspirant class dedicated to the goal of Selfrealization.
This class is vividly aware that the conception of “moderate enjoyment of life” is a
conception alone and is well-nigh impossible to put into actual practice. For, the very nature of
enjoyment is such that it tends to progressively increase in force each time the senses are
indulged in. The habit gets man in its grip and draws him down. This has been the uniform
experience of the sages. Therefore, at one stage or the other, a rigid religious self-control and
denial becomes imperative in the march to spiritual progress.
The rank materialist may not care for it, but the seeker does. The seeker is marked out for
a special achievement. You know how an ultra-modern acrobat, a ballet dancer or an expert
boxer willingly imposes a rigid regimen upon himself to keep perfectly trim and healthy for his
professional success. Mark the denials and restrictions during the training period of any serious
candidate trying for a championship in athletics! His keen zest and enthusiasm serve to keep his
mind in a high mood of inspiration and anticipation. What, then, should be the interest and
aspiration in true asceticism undertaken as a part of the training for an infinitely greater
achievement in the spiritual path?
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

Saints are always present in the world. Rogues are also always present. Saviours and
dacoits are ever present in the world; for, it is a world of dualities. Good and evil are ever
present here. Absolute good can be found only in God. You should get the guidance of saints;
only they can teach you the Brahma Vidya. Books will certainly help you; they will put you in
tune with the great ones. When you read the Bible, you are in tune with Lord Jesus. When you
read the Gita, you are in tune with Lord Krishna. This also will help you. But, just as you cannot
learn cooking from books, you cannot also learn Yoga from books alone. But, you should not
indefinitely wait for a teacher to turn up; when the aspiration arises in your heart, you should at
once start the practice with the help of some scriptural text your mind likes the most, e.g., the
Bible.

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

Feel, as you do your daily duties, that you are only a witness of all that goes on around
you, of even your own actions. This is called Sakshi Bhav. You should inwardly realize that you
are different from the active principle in you. This is the method of Vedanta.
There is the other - asier, but equally potent¾method of Nimitta Bhav. Feel that the
Lord alone is the real doer of all actions and that you are an instrument in His hands. Your
actions will be transformed into worship of the Lord, and you will not be bound to them. Work
without expectation of any reward and without egoism. Root out the idea of agency; feel, “I am
not the doer”. You will be freed from the shackles of Karma. You will not accumulate new
Karma. Allow your Prarabdha Karma to work out; and you will attain liberation.

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

It is a state of consciousness in which you are aware that God is all that there is, and what
is more, that He is the link that connects all individuals. God is the Consciousness that illumines
the entire creation. Realization of this Consciousness or God liberates one from bondage to
passing phenomena, from the illusion of names and forms. This is the state of God-realization or
Self-realization.
After God-realization, the individual is completely merged in the Cosmic Consciousness
or God. It is like the rivers entering into the ocean; they lose their identity and you can no more
distinguish the waters of the Ganges from the waters of the Godavari. The appearance of the
world vanishes in the Reality of God, just as when the lamp is brought, the snake which appeared
to be vanishes in the rope that exists.

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