daily (516)

ENJOY PEACE OF MIND

Cultivate peace of mind in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of hatred, jealousy, greed and selfishness. Then only can you manifest peace externally.
Inhibit all surging emotions and impulses. Direct your energies into the appropriate channel towards your chosen ideal. Develop self-control. Keep the instruments in harmony with one another. Master all your thoughts and cultivate serenity. Preserve your energy.

From "Daily Sayings" by Swami Sivananda (1987-1963). More Informations on Sw
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THE GATEWAY TO VIRTUE

Good and evil are both in man. A human being is a mixture of both. All creatures contain the forces of virtue and evil. It is the restraint of evil and the active exercise of virtue that raises man above all other creatures.
Anger is an outlet through which emerge cruelty, harshness, pain, harm, vengeance, violence, war and destruction. When anger is overcome, your under¬standing becomes clear and discrimination active. You are able to choose between right and wrong. You proceed without any confu
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THE SUPREME WEALTH

Contentment is real wealth as it gives peace of mind. It is a sentinel at the domain of Moksha. If you keep company with it, it will introduce you to its friends, the other sentinels. These are association with the wise, enquiry into the nature of the Atman, and peace.
If you are earning a hundred rupees per month, do not compare yourself with a man who is earning five hundred rupees. If you compare yourself with others there will be discontent. This will distract the mind and destroy its peace.
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THE DISAPPEARANCE OF IGNORANCE

Tile individual soul creates this world of names and forms on account of its ignorance and delusion. When it attains knowledge of the Self through the Grace of the Guru, it dissolves the external world into itself and sees its own Self everywhere.
The soul now sees only oneness everywhere. It is struck with wonder when it thinks of the world of duality. The world of diversity appears to it like a mere dream and it exclaims in surprise: "Where has this world full of the charms of Maya disappeared
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This is an age-old question, as old as the world itself. The great Bhishma shed tears when
he was on his death-bed. When questioned why he cried, he replied that the Pandavas were great
devotees of the Lord and always abided by the laws of Dharma. Above all, the Lord was
constantly with them in the form of Krishna. And yet they underwent so much of suffering.
Some wicked persons do flourish in this world of hypocrisy, but it does not mean that
they are free from suffering. The really good souls do no
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Don’t be afraid. Remember the saying, “Even this will pass away”. Write this on a piece
of paper in bold types and fix it on the wall in your room. Difficulties and troubles are
Agamapaya. They come and go. Read Verse 14 in Chapter 2 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
Become a hero. Stand firm as a rock. Live in the Centre. Live in Om. Live in Truth or Atma.
Nothing can shake you. Difficulties will make you more strong and endow you with more
endurance. Mysterious are His ways. Say, “Thy will be done”.

From "Ma
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There is improvement. Your mental images are strong and steady now. Remember that
there is no barometer or thermometer to read your spiritual progress in the spiritual realm. You
are now giving only half of your mind to God. Collect the dissipated rays and give the full mind
to God. I assure you, “You will realize Him this very moment”.

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,
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At other times I feel that I am the Atma which is changeless and pure. I am looking for your Kripa which will certainly take me out of this ocean of troubles. Any instructions?

You are in the struggling stage. You are doubtless progressing. You will soon be
established in your real Svarup. Fear not. Plod on. Persevere. Don’t look back. March on
boldly. The goal is very near. Be a Sakshi of all your actions. You are Asanga, Akarta
(unattached, non-doer). Thou art that Immortal Atma!

From "May I answer
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However, it is claimed that saints like Sai Baba
and others, who have attained Moksha, do help and guide those devotees who seek their
blessings. How can we explain this apparent contradiction?

Realized souls, who wish to help the devotees even after they give up their physical
bodies, retain their astral bodies (Sukshma Sarira) for the sake of their eagerness to help those
that are in need of their help. But Jivanmuktas, generally, do not retain their astral bodies just in
order to help the aspirants
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Some Jivanmuktas whose hearts are filled with mercy and Vyavahar Apeksha for
Lokasangraha like the Buddhistic Arhats may, out of their own free will, take a birth¾like Sri
Sankara, Sri Dattatreya or Jnana Dev. They need not do any Sadhana as they are born Siddhas.
At once they appear as spiritual luminaries, do some spiritual preaching, write out some precious
philosophical books, set aright some catastrophe, pass off quickly and merge in Brahman
(Videha Kaivalvam). They are all Amsa-Avataras with sp
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Observe Mouna for a couple of hours daily at any time that suits you. Try to speak little
at other times. Avoid unnecessary conversations. Don’t talk harsh words and obscene language.
Talk sweetly and gently. You must have perfect control over speech. Control over speech means
control of mind. The organ of speech, Vak Indriya, is a great distractor of the mind. Mouna
gives you peace. It removes anxieties and quarrels. It develops your will power. It conserves
energy. It reduces the force of Sankalpa
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You must be frank and as simple as a child. Then only you will get the divine light. You
will grow spiritually. Even if it is a horrible crime, you must admit it before a Guru. Then only
you will get his sympathy and protection. By admitting your faults before others, you remove the
effects of bad actions. It serves as a Prayaschitta or expiatory action.

From "May I answer that" by Swami Sivananda (1987-1963). More Informations on Swami Sivananda: on the Website of Divine Life Society, Photographs o
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Nobody can give me a satisfactory answer.If men kill each other, it is sin; they need not. But, animals cannot live without killing the other animals for food. What do you say? We are anxious for your opinion.

God’s love for the created universe knows no bounds; He cannot be held responsible for
the experiences of created beings. God does not punish or reward anyone in a personal way; it is
one’s own actions, sinful or good, that works as the cause of experience here.
As the human being is endowed w
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CONTROL ANGER

Control of anger is indispensable for the practice of ethics. Anger is your dire enemy; it is the enemy of peace, wisdom and devotion. It is born of Rajas. All actions proceed from this evil quality. It is one of the three gates to hell. It is the slayer of austerities. Therefore, control anger through forgiveness and patience. Indulge not thyself in the passion of' anger.
Bear slight provocation with patience; forgive the faults of others. Forget not your own defects and weaknesses. Forget the i
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THE VOICE OF THE SOUL

Do not mistake the promptings of the lower mind for the voice of the Soul. The higher mind, which tends towards virtue, is the Sattwic mind. The higher mind elevates man and guides him. It acts as a tree preceptor.
You should try to listen to the voice of the Sattwic mind. If a wrong action is done, the Sattwic mind will prick you. This is tile sign of knowing that the action is bad. If there is joy and elevation of mind, the action is a righteous one. That mind which tends towards luxury and evi
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MEDITATION ON GOD

This world is the manifest aspect of the Lord. He alone was in the beginning when there was no creation. After creation He remains unattached and free like the ether in the pot. The earthen pot is full inside and outside with ether, but the ether is not at all affected by the existence or non-existence of the pot.
Even so, the Lord is all-pervading and full inside and outside all beings; and yet He remains ever non-attached. He guides the actions of all beings but He is not the actor.

From "Daily
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THE KEY TO INTUITION

A pure heart is the beginning of divine life. It is the gateway to God, t he ante-chamber to the Presence of the Lord. It is the key by which the doors of intuition, that lead to the abode of supreme peace, are opened. Therefore, attain purity at all cost.
Learn to cleanse your mind with the waters of purity and tile soap of divine love. How can you expect to become pure internally by merely washing the body externally with soap and water? internal purity (purity of the heart), is more important
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When the knower of the Self is centered in his own Self, when he rests in his own essential divine nature, he sees, hears and tastes nothing else. One can be afraid of another but one cannot be afraid of one's own Self.
How can there be fear for one who sees only his own Self in every being and in everything? So Brahman alone is the cause of the fearlessness of the knower. Although there are various causes of fear in this world, the knowers of the Self are fearless.

From "Daily Sayings" by Swami S
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Learn the science of self-control and cultivate a steady mind through constant meditation. Fix your mind upon God. Then you will live the divine life. There will be an inflow of all divine qualities. All negative qualities will then be drowned forever.
Do your duty to your father, mother, wife, son, relatives, friends, religious teachers, and to society and the country. Do not be troubled by worldly cares and anxieties, by sorrow or misfortune.

From "Daily Sayings" by Swami Sivananda (1987-1963).
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KEEP IT UP

When the mind is Sattwic you will get glimpses and flashes of intuition. You will compose poems and understand beautifully the significance of the Upanishads.

But this stage will not last long. Tamas and Rajas will try to enter the mental factory. In the beginning, the state of progress may be like tine jumping of a frog, never steady and continuous. You may think that you have almost reached the goal, and then experience for the following sixteen or twenty days nothing but frustration. Have sust
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