Divya Jyothi - Dec 2012 by Atmajyothi Subbu

Prabhuji Speaks

The eight beatitudes of Jesus

Divya Jyothi

Panchadasi - Tatva Viveka

Sharing the Enlightened Wisdom

Patanjali Yoga Sutra

Sanatana Dharma

Bhagavad Gita Kannada

Sakshibhavada Adhbhuthagalu

The seven words of Jesus on the Cross

Guru Tattva

My Grandmother

Gita Q&A

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

I S S U E 1 2

D E C

2 0 1 2

From the editor’s desk

Hari Om,

Srimad Bhagavad Gita The treasure house of knowledge

Guru Kripa

Mundaka Upanishad

Page 3

Basement Gita

Sri Dattatreya

The 24 Gurus of Dattatreya

Yogasana

This month is a bit eclectic. We’re celebrating three festivals whose sources are diverse yet point to‐ wards the same underlying essence of all life. Gita Jayanthi is the day Sanatana Dharma was revived by Shri Krishna and transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Reality given to Arjuna. With this divine song we look at all aspects of life (and death) through the eyes of this knowledge and rest our minds in the comfort of this truth. “Live in me, let me live in you, says the Lord.” The teachings of Christ shows us the inﬁnite love of God and also exhorts us to turn our eyes towards that love and be one with it. There are two articles on the teachings of Christ and his teachings are featured as quotes in this months edition. We’re also celebrating Dattatreya Jayanthi. Datta tells us about the 24 Gurus in this life and how each of them helped him realize the Self. In the Page 3 section, we have some snaps from Prabhuji’s 50th birthday celebration where the Light of the Self Foundation was formally launched. Please note that this page will load a bit slowly because of the pictures. Compiled transcripts of Mandukya and Mundaka Upanishad followed by others, will be featured going forward on a monthly basis. This edition, we will continue with Mundaka Upanishad, that was last featured in the Mar 2012 issue. Hope you enjoy this edition and if you believe in the idea of time, wish you a very happy new year :) . — In Guruseva

PAGE

Prabhuji Speaks - Auspicious Month Dear Atmajyothis, Month of Margasira (November‐December) as per traditional calendar is considered as very auspicious month. Shri Krishna in Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita 10.35 says : brhat‐sama tatha samnam gayatri chandasam aham masanam marga‐sirso 'ham rtunam kusumakarah Of the hymns in the Sama Veda I am the Brhat‐sama, and of poetry I am the Gayatri. Of months I am Margasirsa [November‐December], and of seasons I am flower‐bearing spring. Shri Krishna speaks of the Glories of Himself as the Supreme Reality in the Vibhuti Yoga – 10th Chapter of Bhaga‐ vad‐Gita. Consciousness is the substratum of everything in manifestation. The earth, plants, planets and stars, living and non‐living all are nothing but appearance in the Supreme consciousness. The creation is not different from the creator. Wave cannot be different from the ocean nor from water. All that is seen and unseen are nothing but consciousness only – Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma. The Self – Atma is the basis and support behind every form of power, movement, intellect, and life in this uni‐ verse. It is the power by which one sees, hears, smells, thinks, loves, hates, and de‐sires object. Then why should Shri Krishna specifically mention about the month of Margasira, Sama Veda etc. ? When the principle of con‐ sciousness manifests as time and space, every month should be same. Then why Margasira masa is mentioned specifically ? One year of human being is considered as one day of the Devatas ( consciousness of heavenly bodies – like stars, planets). The period of movement of Northward movement of Sun called Uttarayana is considered as the day of the Devatas and Southward movement of Sun is called Dakshinayana. These are traditionally referred as path of Light and Path of darkness. Margashira masa is the period when transition from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana happens. In otherwords, the Devatas start waking up. In case of human beings the we speak of Brahmi muhur‐ tam – the auspicious period just before dawn. The mind is full of pure qualities – satva during this period – very auspicious for meditation. By analogy what happens in microcosm ( humans) happens in macrocosm ( cosmos). The month of Margasira is the brahmi muhurtam for cosmos ! In other words, the totality representing the cos‐ mos is very conducive to spiritual practices. Getting up early in the morning and doing meditation and spiritual practices is recommended practice during this month to utilize the cosmic energies conducive to the spiritual upliftment. Sri Dattatreya – a great realized soul was born in this month. Karthikeya – Lord of the divine army was also born in this month. Vaikunta ekadasi and Geeta Jayanthi are also celebrated in this month. Overall, the month of Margasira is the most auspicious month for spiritual practices. Let us do our Sadhana dur‐ ing this period for the purpose of Self Realization and Service.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

The eight beatitudes of Jesus Jesus Christ gave us the eight Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded for all posterity in the Gospel of Matthew, the ﬁrst Book of the New Testament of the Bible. Matthew's Gospel was directed to an audience steeped in Hebrew tradition. The Gospel of Matthew stressed that Je‐ sus Christ is the Messiah foretold in He‐ brew Scripture, our Old Testament, and that the Kingdom of the Messiah is the Kingdom of God in Heaven. Jesus oﬀers us a way of life that promises eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

The teachings of Christ Jesus were simple but unique and innovative at the time of his life on earth. He began teaching about 30 AD during the ruthless Roman occupation of Palestine. At the time there were four major groups in the Jewish religion, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots, all of whom presented a different viewpoint to the Jewish people. The Pharisees demanded strict observance of the Mosaic law ex‐ pressed in the Torah, but also accepted the oral tradition of Jewish customs and rituals. The Sadducees were mainly from the priestly families and strictly accepted the Law of Moses but rejected oral tradition. The Phari‐ sees, unlike the Sadducees, believed in the resurrection of the dead. The monastic Essenes awaited a Messiah that would establish a Kingdom on earth and free the Israelites from oppression. The Zealots were a militant Jewish group who wanted freedom for their homeland, and were centered in Galilee; one of the Twelve Apos‐ tles was Simon the Zealot. The Ten Commandments, given to Moses on Mount Sinai in the Old Testament Book of Exodus, related a series of "Thou shalt not" phrases, evils one must avoid in daily life on earth. In contrast, the message of Jesus is one of humility, charity, and brotherly love. He teaches transformation of the inner person. Jesus presents the Beatitudes in a positive sense, virtues in life which will ultimately lead to reward. Love becomes the motivation for the Christian. All of the Beatitudes have an eschatological meaning, that is, they promise us salvation ‐ not in this world, but in the next. The Beatitudes initiate one of the main themes of Matthew's Gospel, that the Kingdom so long awaited in the Old Testament is not of this world, but of the next, the Kingdom of Heaven. While the Beatitudes of Jesus provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth. An early contemplation on the Beatitudes came from St. Gregory of Nyssa, a mystic who lived in Cappadocia in Asia Minor around 380 AD. He described the Beatitudes this way: "Beatitude is a possession of all things held to be good, from which nothing is absent that a good desire may want. Perhaps the meaning of beatitude may become clearer to us if it is compared with its opposite. Now the opposite of beatitude is misery. Misery means being afflicted unwillingly with painful sufferings."

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES OF JESUS "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your yourself.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisﬁed. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

you shall not

neighbour as

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Gospel of St. Matthew 5:3‐10 ON THE BEATITUDES "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heav‐ en." "Poor in spirit" means to be humble. Humility is the realization that all your gifts and blessings come from the grace of God. To have poverty of spirit means to be completely empty and open to the Word of God. When we are an empty cup and devoid of pride, we are humble. Humility brings an openness and an inner peace, allowing one to do the will of God. He who humbles him‐ self is able to accept our frail nature, to repent, and to allow the grace of God to lead us to Conversion. It is pride, the opposite of humility, that brings misery. For pride brings anger and the seeking of revenge, especially when one is oﬀended. If every man were humble and poor in spirit, there would be no war! "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." If we are humble and appreciate that all of our gifts and blessings come from God, we grow in love and gratitude for Jesus Christ our Savior. But this can only produce mourning and regret over our own sins and the sins of this world, for we have hurt the one who has been so good to us. One also mourns for the suﬀering of others.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

St. Gregory describes another reason to mourn: the more one ascends in meditation of Divine Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and then realize the poverty of human nature, man can only be left in sorrow. When one contemplates that we were made in the image and likeness of God and lived in Paradise, the Garden of Eden, and compare that to our present state after the Fall, one can only mourn our present condition. But the sentence continues that they shall be comforted, by the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and hopefully one day in the Kingdom of Heaven. Mourning in this context is called a blessing, because mourning our fallen nature creates in us a desire to improve ourselves and to do what is right!

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." St. Gregory of Nyssa taught that the Beatitudes build one upon another. A humble person becomes meek, or be‐ comes gentle and kind, and exhibits a docility of spirit, even in the face of adversity and hardship. A person that is meek is one that exhibits self‐control. St. Augustine advises us to be meek in the face of the Lord, and not resist but be obedient to him. Obedience and submission to the will of God are certainly not in vogue these days, but they will bring one peace in this world and in the next. "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." A continuous desire for justice and moral perfection will lead one to a fulfillment of that desire ‐ a transition and conversion to holiness. This is true for all the virtues ‐ if you hunger and thirst for temperance, you will head to‐ wards the goal you have in mind. St. Augustine called the Beatitudes the ideal for every Christian life! In his dis‐ course on the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, he noted the correspondence of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and their necessity in fulfilling the Beatitudes. For example, one must have the gift of fortitude so one may be coura‐ geous in seeking justice. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Mercy is the loving disposition towards those who suffer distress. Love, compassion, and forgiveness towards one's neighbor will bring peace in your relationships. We say in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. As we are merciful to others, so our Heavenly Father will be merciful with us! Jesus reminds us that whatever "you did to the least of my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:31‐46)." St. Paul calls for the obedience of faith in the beginning and end of his Letter to the Romans (1:5, 16:25‐27). The fol‐ lowing are ways to be merciful to your neighbor, as well as obedient in faith to Christ our Savior. The Corporal Works of Mercy 1 Feed the Hungry 2 Give drink to the thirsty 3 Clothe the naked 4 Shelter the homeless 5 Comfort the imprisoned 6 Visit the sick 7 Bury the dead The Spiritual Works of Mercy 1 Admonish sinners 2 Instruct the uninformed 3 Counsel the doubtful 4 Comfort the sorrowful 5 Be patient with those in error 6 Forgive offenses 7 Pray for the living and the dead

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

"Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." Moses (Exodus 33:20), John (1:18), and Paul (1Timothy 6:16) all say that no one can see God here on earth! But Jesus says the pure of heart shall see God! To be pure of heart means to be free of all selﬁsh intentions and self‐ seeking desires. What a beautiful goal! How many times have any of us performed an act perfectly free of any personal gain? Such an act is pure love. An act of pure and selﬂess giving brings happiness to all.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Peacemakers not only live peaceful lives but also try to bring peace and friendship to others, and to preserve peace between God and man. St. Gregory of Nyssa calls a peacemaker a man who brings peace to another; but one cannot give another what one does not possess oneself. Hence the Lord wants you first to be yourself filled with the blessings of peace and then to communicate it to those who have need of it. By imitating God's love of man, the peacemakers become children of God. "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Jesus said many times that those who follow Him will be persecuted. "If they persecute me, they will persecute you" (John 15:20‐21). Stephen, Peter and Paul, nearly all of the Apostles, and many Christians in the Roman era suffered martyrdom. Oppressive governments and endless conflicts in the last one hundred years, such as World Wars l and ll, and the War in Iraq have seen their share of martyrs, such as Maximilian Kolbe, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Latin American martyrs, and Middle East Christians. The Central American Martyrs include the 38 recognized mar‐ tyrs of La Cristiada, the Cristero War from 1926 to 1929, when the Mexican government persecuted priests of the Catholic Church, such as St. Christopher Magallanes, St. Toribio Romo Gonzalez, and the 14 year old martyr Blessed Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio. St. Maximilian Kolbe offered his life in place of a stranger at the Auschwitz death camps on August 14, 1941. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor who was hung on April 9, 1945 for condemning the leadership of Hitler in Nazi Germany. Another Central American martyr was Oscar Romero, Arch‐ bishop of San Salvador, who was assassinated while saying Mass at Divine Providence Hospital on March 24, 1980 for speaking out against government human rights violations. Christians in Iraq have suffered severe persecution throughout the Iraq War. At least 58 Christians were slaughtered at Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Salvation Syri‐ ac Eastern Catholic Church in Baghdad on October 31, 2010. But the Lord promised those that suffer for his sake will be rewarded with the Kingdom of Heaven! http://www.jesuschristsavior.net/Beatitudes.html — Contributed by Atmajyothi Prema

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Panchadasi - Tatva Viveka Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu... Salutations to Pujaneya Prabhuji... '' O Sadgurudeva ! Thou is the Primordial Sound '' OM '' . Thou is the Auspicious , the Eternal Knowledge Shiva . Thou is the Vishva Vyapi Vishnu . Thou is the Pure Consciousness ‐ Parabrahman ‐ Narayana. O Gurudeva ! O Pu‐ janeya ! Please bless me to merge in Thy lotus feet .'' 4 . What about dream state ? Similar is true with reference to dream state ; although the objects seem to be sta‐ ble in waking state and not in dream, this difference between the dream and waking state seems to be true, but the consciousness is ONE and does not differ in two states. Commentary : The same is the state in the dream , there are many different objects in our dream state . The objects are differ‐ ent, the knowledge is different from the objects, but the knowledge or the consciousness itself is one and the same .

For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?

In dream the objects what we see don't last, they disappear when we wake up . The objects in the waking also disappear when we go to sleep ! the difference between the objects in the dream state and waking state is, the objects in the waking state seems to lasts longer , but the objects in the dream state disappear as soon as we wake up. The objects in both state can be differentiated but the consciousness of both the state is one and are not differ‐ entiated , the consciousness which make perception in dream possible , and the consciousness which make per‐ ception possible in the waking state is one and the same. This shows that the consciousness in all the three states waking, dream and deep sleep is not different. The states may be different, the objects may be different, the objects can be distinguished from one another, but the consciousness itself is one and the same Witnessing in all the three states. Shirasa Namisuva, Gurudeva Pada sevaki

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - Talk 2 Talk by Sadguru Prabhuji, Sep‐26‐2012 My respectful pranams to all the Atmajyothis. My pranams to all the Divine selves. Today we are going to con‐ template on another deﬁnition of yoga. Patanajali Maharshi, the exponent of yoga, gives one more deﬁnition of yoga. It is called, "yogash chitta vritti nirodhaha.” It means, stilling or silencing the Consciousness which is called yoga. Most often only this particular sutra is quoted. Actually we have to use the next sutra also, the formula which Patanjali gives to make the full sense of this statement, 'tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam'. When the Consciousness is still, the Self is established in its true nature. This is actually, the full sutra or the full formula. So, I repeat, 'yogash chitta vritti nirodhaha, 'tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam', which means, 'yogash chitta vritti nirodaha', the Consciousness is stilled. The Consciousness becomes silent, that is called yoga.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Then what happens, drastuh ‐ the seer, 'swarupe avasthanam' ‐ is established in his/her own nature. So let us understand this stilling of Consciousness. One day, Buddha and his disciple were going to a village nearby. Bud‐ dha was thirsty and he asked his disciple to fetch him some water. The disciple went to a pond nearby. The water in the pond was very dirty and muddy as a bullock cart had just passed through the pond. The disciple came back and told Buddha that the water was very dirty. Then Buddha said, “It does not matter, wait for a few minutes.” Both Buddha and the disciple waited for some time and then the pond became very clear. The water was pure, the mud had settled down. Then Buddha went and drank the water from pond which now has clear water. Bud‐ dha used this situation to teach his disciple. Buddha said, “When the mind gets disturbed, the thinking becomes unclear. You have to allow the mind to settle down. The mind has to become silent and when the mind is silent, you can see clearly. It is just like when the mud settles down, you can see the bottom of the lake because the water is now clear. The same thing happens to human Consciousness. When I use the word Consciousness, I use the word mind and Consciousness interchangeably. The mind is constantly bombarded with thoughts, lot of thoughts arise in mind, continuously thoughts arise. Because of our interaction with the world, every sight, every interaction stirs up, causes some disturbance in the Consciousness and the thought process, there is an arising of the thoughts. This is a continuous process. It happens in our waking state and dreaming state. The mind is bombarded with thoughts. Yogis have some ideas about number of thoughts in the mind. Our mind is bombarded with nothing less than some 50‐60 thousand thoughts per day. There is a constant activity, now what happens if this bom‐ barding of thoughts happen? The mind uses the brain and brain is the vehicle of the mind. Every thought gives rise to certain bio‐chemical reactions in the brain which in turn give rise to bio‐chemical reactions in the body. There is a beautiful book, beautiful research on the aﬀect of emotions on the body called ‘The Molecules of Emo‐ tions’. Each of our emotions creates a chemical reaction on the body; each thought creates a chemical reaction on the body. So what is happening now is a constant arising of the thoughts, constant chemical reactions in the body, this causes stress and strain. You have to imagine an engine/vehicle which is constantly running, not even for a minute does it stop. Imagine a car whose engine cannot be switched oﬀ, it is constantly running, or imagine a washing machine which is continuously running, so when that happens, there is noise, there is a wear and tear in that machine. Similarly, constant bombarding of thoughts in our nervous system causes tremendous stress and strain in our nervous system and in our body‐mind‐complex. So that is why meditation helps. Meditation is a process by which the mind becomes silent, the Consciousness is stilled. What happens when the Consciousness or the mind is stilled? That is told in the second part of the sutra, 'tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam'‐ our inner true Self is called seer, the true seer. The true seer is called Atma, the Self or the higher self. It is called by various names. Typically, or most often we call it as 'Atma' means our inner Self, our real Self. The real Self sees the mind, experiences the world through the mind. When there is constant turmoil, constant movement in the mind,

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

the seer identifies with the movement of the mind. There is a feeling that ‘I am limited’ because the thought in the mind creates the impression that I am the body, I am limited by the body. When the seer identifies with this thought, when the self identifies with this thought, there is a mistaken identity for the Self, the Self starts think‐ ing I am the limited being, I am limited to body, I am limited to mind And I am limited to intellect. This misunder‐ standing, this wrong understanding happens because the true seer, the Atma, the Sakshi, the witness inside us identifies with the modifications in the mind, when the mind is in the state of turmoil. So when there is a wrong identification with the ideas in the mind, the Self assumes that I am a limited individual, I am limited to the body and I am the body. This brings an apparent finiteness in the infinite. The nature of Self is infinite. The seer, wit‐ ness, the Sakshi, the Atma is unbound, it is infinite in nature. The seer, witness, the Sakshi, the Atma is always blissful in nature. Because of this wrong identification, the infinite feels finite. Because there is a failing of finite‐ ness, there is a feeling of absence of bliss. So this can be corrected through the process of yoga, yoga is stilling the Consciousness, 'yogash chitta vritti nirodhaha'. When the Consciousness stilled, when the mind is silent, then this seer does not identify with modifications of mind, the seer does not feel that I am limited, the mistaken iden‐ tification drops off. The seer is established in his true nature, this is the meaning of 'yogash chitta vritti ni‐ rodhaha, tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam’.

“Let one who has become wealthy reign, and let one who has power renounce”

These two sutras are to be understood together to understand the meaning of yoga. Now, the stilling of the Consciousness cannot be done in a forceful way. The Consciousness of the mind gets stilled when it is allowed to settle down naturally, and that settling down of mind naturally can happen through the process of yoga. You cannot make it forceful; you cannot apply forces to make the Consciousness still. The stilling of the Conscious‐ ness has to happen in a natural way, by not disturbing the Consciousness, by allowing it to settle down through the process of meditation the Consciousness becomes still. There is other way also, the mind seeks happiness, so give a thought or idea for the mind which gives happiness, which points the mind to higher happiness. Mind gradually and naturally settles down to the stillness state. This is called mantra yoga, give a mantra or a formula to the mind by which the mind repeatedly thinks of peace, thinks of bliss. The mind then settles down and then the yoga is achieved. Yoga is 'yogash chitta vritti nirodhaha, tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam’. This is the definition of yoga by Patanjali Maharshi. This is the most beautiful definition. Now, how you can achieve the union with the highest Consciousness? This is the crux of spirituality. Maharshi Patanjali is a scientist; he gives the science of Consciousness in crisp formulae, exactly like a scientist. He goes through science of spirit‐ uality in well‐defined steps. By understanding the yoga sutras of Patanjali Maharshi, by applying it in our life, we can attain the higher state of Consciousness, which is our true nature. We can realize our Self and that realization is called Atma darshanam, to see your own Self. Atma means you. So, that is why I keep repeating the following: atma darshanam, brahma darshanam brahma darshanam, satya darshanam To see your own Self is called Atma darshanam. For seeing your own Self, you have to make your mind silent; you have to still the Consciousness. That's why Atma darshanam, if you know the Self you know the supreme reality behind the universe, because the same reality appears as your Self and as the reality of the universe. That reality is called Brahma or God and realizing this you will realize your true nature. Once you realize your true nature, you will be freed from all your sufferings, because suffering is due to the illusion caused by the identification of Self with the non‐self, wrong identification of the seer, Sakshi, the witness with the modifications of the mind. And when the mistaken identification drops, you are established in true nature. That's why I say, atma darshanam, brahma darshanam brahma darshanam, satya darshanam

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

To know the Self is to know the supreme reality of god and to know the Supreme reality of the God is to know the truth and to know the truth is to be the truth and once you are the truth which is your true nature you will be freed from all suﬀerings. This is the path of Self Realization. This is what yoga is always about. 'yogash chitta vritti nirodhaha, tatha drastuh swarupe avasthanam’. This is the great deﬁnition of yoga.

Quiz “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for "of such is the kingdom of heaven."

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Mandukya Upanishad is an Upasana, commentary or meditation practice on ............... Mandukya Upanishad is comprised of ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ verses ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ means something which takes you ‘closer to God or 'Self'’ Adi Shankaracharya’s Guru is ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐. When mind is completely absorbed in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ there is no eating, no drinking, nothing is required, and that is called real ‘Upavasa’. 6. The book 'Mandukya Karika' is written by ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐, which outlines the principle of ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 7. Mind is nothing but a small fraction of ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 8. The mind which is full of ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ and ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Guna causes bondage. The mind which is full of ‐‐‐‐‐‐ Guna (purity) helps you to get liberated. 9. ‘Manayeva karanam manushyanam banda mokshaye' means that bondage and freedom is through the ‐‐‐‐‐‐ ‐‐ 10. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ is the mahavakya of Mandukya Upanishad. Answers on page 32

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Sanatana Dharma - Part 10 Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu ... My Spiritual Salutations to The Supreme Truth Pujaneya Prabhuji ... '' O Sadgurudeva ! Beyond ''high'' and ''low,'' Thou is the same Self in all . Beyond ''inner'' and ''outer,'' Thou is the same Self in all . When there is Only the ''One'' , that ''One'' ‐ Thou is the same Self in all . O Gurudeva ! O Pujaneya ! please bless me to merge in Thy Lotus feet .''

As surely as I am the living God, everyone will kneel before me, and everyone will confess that I am God.

Realization of Brahman : * '' The fool thinks, '' I am the body .'' The intelligent man thinks , ''I am an individual soul united with Body .'' But the wise man , in greatness of his knowledge and spiritual discrimination , sees the Self as the only reality , and thinks , '' I am Brahman '' Sri Shankaracharya Vivekachudamani ‐ 160 . Commentary : An simpleton thinks he is the Body , nothing is more than that . He thinks everything happens only with body concept , he forgets that that thinking is also possible only when the Pure consciousness sends message to the brain to think, feel ,see , talk , walk , eat etc. ., A person , by force of habit , quite unwilling to throw away the body to which he has clung so long as his own very self . The intelligent who thinks to be so , equating the body with the world of matter and than equating the world of matter with God thinks he is an indi‐ vidual soul united with body . This is due to the knowledge of scriptures . A wise man , with his knowledge and spiritual discrimination , sees The Self as the only reality , and thinks , '' I am Brahman '' . The attitude of the Dev‐ otee or a wise man , therefore, towards all beings , from the lowest to the highest , all of which equally consti‐ tute the body of God , will be one reverence , Love and Service . * '' It is said that Brahman won a victory for the Gods (over the demons) . After that victory of Brahman's the gods became elated . They thought : this victory is ours , the glory is ours . Kenopanishad 3.1 Commentary : Gods won the battle against the demons with the help of the Supreme Being , Brahman . Gods and the demons represent the good and evil forces operating in material existences . They are the tendencies within us , the virtuous and the vicious . When the vicious tendencies agitate the mind with desires and drag us to the circle of rebirth , the virtuous tendencies calm the mind and shows the spiritual path to Self ‐ Realization . When the Gods win the battle , it is the victor of the Supreme Spirit ‐ Brahman , but , the gods out of ignorance think the victory was due to their personality rather than to the Ultimate Self ‐ Brahman which is the power house of Personality . Brahman knew that the gods were vainglorious and appeared before them . They did not know that Supreme Brahman ! Brahman appeared before the gods in the form of spirit . The gods said to Agni , '' ﬁnd out who that spirit is '' . Agni hastened to the spirit . The spirit asked him '' who are you ?'' and Agni replied , 'I am Agni . I am Omniscient .' The spirit asks Agni '' what power resides in you ?'' Agni said ' I can burn anything and everything in he world ' . The spirit put down a straw before him and said ' Burn it ' .Agni dashed at it but was unable to burn it. So Agni returned and said to gods , ' I could not ﬁnd out who that venerable Spirit is .'

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Then Vayu went and he could not move the straw with his power of wind . When Indira went but the Spirit disap‐ peared from him . When the organs of action (Agni) nor the organs of perception ( Vayu ) could not find who the spirit was . Indira the ruler of mind and intellect come to find out who the spirit was . Uma , daughter of the Himalayas appeared before Indra . Indra asked Uma who that spirit was .? 'Brahman ' she exclaimed . ' Indeed through Brahman's victory you attained greatness . ' Indra understood that the spirit was Brahman . Therefore in Truth , these gods ‐ Agni , Vayu and Indra are closest to the Spirit and were the first to know It was Brahman . Indra is closest than Agni and Vayu as he was the first to know It was Brahman .

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It is the mind and the intellect which discover the identity of Brahman the Supreme Self . Agni Vayu and Indra represents the three forms of worship which help us to approach Brahman ‐ The ritual worship through the or‐ gans of actions ( chanting , pilgrimage etc., ) , receptive worship through the organs of perception ( perceiving God in temple , a hymn , etc.) and devotional , thoughtful worship through mind and intellect ( study , medita‐ tion ). It is Indra ( the mind and intellect ) who can come closer to Brahman and Ultimately , lead the Self to Realiza‐ tion . Shirasa Namisuva , Gurudeva Pada sevaki

Zen Koans The wild geese do not intend to cast their reﬂection The water has no mind to receive their image.

Entering the forest he does not move the grass, Entering the water he does not create a ripple.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Bhagavad Gita - Kannada. Lesson 5. భగవ ౕ ా: అ ా య ౨, ె ౕక ౧౩ ానవర సహజ బద!ావ"ె

#ెౕ$%ెూ'() య*ా #ెౕ+ెౕ ,ౌ ారం /ౌవనం జ0ా | త*ా #ెౕ+ాన3ర4ా5637ౕ8రస3త5 న ముహ ; ||

Yes I am with you always, until the very end of time

అవర <కప> మరణ +ెూం ద @ౕ!ె, Aశ) +ాగు Cెౕతన క5@ౕణ CెౕతD',ెూండు తమ( నచDGె $ందుDHదరు. Aశ) ా!ెGెౕ +ెూౕగు;3దర J ు, తరగ;Gె +ాజK ఆగు;3దJరు, అవన మన'Mన ఆళద , అవన <కప> మరణ +ెూం ద న, అవన <కప>న మ%ెయ అవన తం#ె +ెౕOద ా;న బGె Pౕ<సు;దJ . ఒందు న సంRె , Aశ) ;ంS ;నుT;3#ాJగ అవన ాU అవన బ య కుOతు ,ా రV +ెచుW;3దJరు . Aశ) ఒందు ,ా రటYనుT %ెూౕS '' అమ( , ఈ ,ా రటనుT %ెూౕడు , ఇదు ముదుS,ెూండు ాతన చమ8ద +ాGె ,ాణుత3#ె . అల వ అమ( ?'' ఎందు +ెౕO నక`ను .

Aశ) అమ( అదనుT ెGెదు,ెూండు +ెౕOదరు , '' సaల> నద $ం#ె , ఈ ,ా 0ెV తం#ాగ , అదు పbణ8cాH +ాగు ాజcాH ఇతు3 . న కdెద+ాGె , అదు బద!ాUతు ; అదు ముదుS+ెూౕH హdెయ#ాH ,ాణుత3#ె . ఎల వb బద!ాగుత3#ె . fనT gావ<త5ద ఆలhiఅనుT %ెూౕS Jయ , అదర fౕను హుjY#ాగ ఎషుY <క`వ%ాH#ెJ . fనT #ెౕహ ఈ నడుcె /ావతరహ బద!ావ"ె ఆH#ె fౕను ,ాణబహుదు . సaల> వష8ద నంతర fనT #ెౕహ fమ( తం#ెయ తరహ ఆH నంతర , సaల> వష8ద నంతర fమ( ాతన తరహ ఆగుత3#ె . ఇదు lాల ంద /ౌవననదవ0ెగూ +ాగు /ౌవన ంద $Sదు వృ#ా ప దవరగూ ఆగువ సహజ బద!ావ"ె . #ెౕహ,ె` వయnాMH మరణ +ెూందుత3#ె . '' Aశ) అదర బGె సaల> ఆ!ెూౕ<' ,ెౕOద , '' అమ( , #ెౕహవo వయnాMH మరణ +ెూం ద@ౕ!ె ఏ%ాగుత3#ె ? ఏను బద!ాగుత3#ె ? <కప> బద!ాద0ెూౕ అథcా మరణ +ెూం ద0ెూౕ ? '' Aశ) అమ( +ెౕOదరు , '' <కప> ఆ #ెౕహవనుT rటుY మ ెూ3ందు #ెౕహ,ె` +ెూౕదరు మగు . అదు మరణద సమయద ఆGెూౕ బద!ావ"ె . మరణ ఒందు #ెౕహ ంద మ ెూ3ందు #ెౕహ,ె` ఆగువ బద!ావ"ె . '' Aశ) అవన ాUయనుT ,ెౕOద , '' అమ( , అప> భగవంత ఒబh%ెౕ ాశaత ఎందు +ెౕOదరు , fౕను <కప> ఒందు #ెౕహ ంద మ ెూ3ందు #ెౕహ,ె` +ెూౕదరు ఎందు +ెౕళsత3U J/ా , %ాను <కప> మరణ +ెూం దJనుT %ెూౕS#ె . సత ఏను అమ( ? ననGె అథ8 ఆగు ా3 ఇల . '' Aశ) ాU +ెౕOదరు , '' Aశు , %ాను fనGె పbణ8cాH ఈగ tవDసు ె3ౕ%ె , గమనtటుY ,ెౕళs . ానవ ఒందు #ెౕహ ాత5 అల . మూరు గుణగళs ఒjYGె nెౕD ానవ uౕవంతcాHరలు ,ారణcాగుత3#ె . fనGె Gెూ;3రువ+ాGె ఒందు #ెౕహ , ఎరడ%ెయదు uౕవ శA3 +ాగు మనసుM , మూర%ెయదు #ెౕహద ఒళGె ఇరువ భగవంత . ఒబhను మరణ +ెూం #ాగ , #ెౕహవo %ాశcాగుత3#ె , uౕవ శA3 +ాగు మనసుM మ ెూ3ందు #ెౕహ,ె` +ెూౕగుత3#ె , ఒళHన భగవంత బద!ాGెూల . ఇద%ెTౕ fమ( తం#ె ఆ న +ెౕOదుJ , భగవంత ాశaత ఎందు , +ాగు భగవంత భూత,ాళదలూ ఇదJ , వత8 ాన,ాలదలూ ఇ#ాJ%ె ,+ాగు భtష ా`ళదలూ ఇరు ా3%ె . '' Aశ) ,ెౕOద , '' అమ( , uౕవంతcాద ానవ మరణ +ెూం #ాగ , అవన ఒళGె ఇరువ భగవంతfGె ఏను ఆగువo ల cా ? భగవంత మరణ +ెూం ద #ెౕహద ఒళGె ఇరు ా3న ? '' Aశ) ాU అవననుT %ెూౕS నగు ా3 +ెౕళs ా30ె , '' +ౌదు మగు , భగవంత uౕవంతcాదవర ాత5 అల , మరణ +ెూం దవరలూ ఇరు ా3%ె . భగవంత సవ8cా 6 +ాగు సవ8దరలూ ఇరు ా3%ె . '' Aశ) ,ెౕOద , '' +ాGాద0ె మరణ +ెూం ద @ౕ!ె ానవ +ెూందువ +ెూస #ెౕహద బGె ఏను ? భగవంత +ెూస #ెౕహద vద!ెౕ

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

15 р░Зр░░р▒Б р░╛3%р▒Жр░п ? '' Aр░╢) р░╛U +р▒Жр▒ХOр░жр░░р▒Б , '' +р▒Мр░жр▒Б р░ор░Чр▒Б . р░нр░Чр░╡р░Вр░д %р░╛р░╡o р░Ьр░и( р░╛р░│sр░╡ vр░жр░▓р▒Б р░Зр░жJ , %р░╛р░╡o uр▒Хр░╡р░Вр░дcр░╛Hр░░р▒Бcр░╛р░Ч р░Ер░Вр░ж0р▒Ж р░Ир░Чр░▓р▒В р░Зр░░р▒Бр░╡р░ир▒Б , %р░╛р░╡o р░ор░░р░г +р▒Жр▒Вр░В р░ж @р▒Хр░▓р▒В р░Зр░░р▒Бр░д3!р▒Жр▒Х р░Зр░░р▒Бр░╡р░ир▒Б .'' Aр░╢) р░╕ р░╛#р░╛р░и р░Вр░ж 7р▒Хр░Ч8cр░╛H р░Й'р░░р▒Б rр░ЯYр░ир▒Б +р░╛р░Чр▒Б +р▒Жр▒ХOр░жр░ир▒Б , '' р░Ер░о( , р░Ер░к> р░Ж р░и /р░╛,р▒Ж р░Ер░│ р░▓ р░Ор░Вр░жр▒Б р░Ир░Ч р░Ер░е8cр░╛р░Чр▒Б;3#р▒Ж . р░Зр░ир▒БT р░ор▒Бр░В#р▒Ж р░ир░ир░Чр▒В <р░Хр░к>р░и р░мGр▒Ж р░жр▒Б:р░Ц р░Зр░▓ . р░Ор░▓ р░╡b р░мр░ж!р░╛р░Чр▒Бр░д3#р▒Ж , р░мр░ж!р░╛р░Чр▒Бр░╡oр░жр▒Б р░╕р░╣р░Ь , р░Жр░ж0р▒Ж р░нр░Чр░╡р░Вр░д р░╛р░╢aр░д . р░Ир░Ч р░ир░иGр▒Ж р░Зр░жр░░ р░мGр▒Ж р░Ер░е8cр░╛Hр░░р▒Бр░╡oр░жDр░Вр░ж , /р░╛р░╡ р░мр░ж!р░╛р░╡"р▒ЖUр░В#р░╛р░ир▒В р░ир░иGр▒Ж р░жр▒Б:р░Ц р░Жр░Чр▒Бр░╡o р░▓ . '' Aр░╢) р░ир░Вр░др░░ р░╛р░ир▒Б р░Ор░╖р▒БY р░мр░ж!р░╛H#р░╛J%р▒Ж %р▒Жр▒Вр▒Хр░бр░▓р▒Б р░др░о( р░Хр▒Бр░Яр▒Бр░Вр░мр░ж gр░╛р░╡<р░д5р░╡р░ир▒БT р░др░░р░▓р▒Б р░УSр░жр░ир▒Б .

It is not the healthy who

р░Еgр░╛ р░╕ : р░И р░к5 р▒ЖTр░Чр░│р░ир▒БT р░Йр░д3D' .

need a doctor, but

р▒з . ' р░╡р░п'Mр░и р░Ер░ир▒Бр░Чр▒Бр░гcр░╛H #р▒Жр▒Хр░╣р░╡o р░мр░ж!р░╛р░Чр▒Бр░д3#р▒Ж .' р░╕DPр▒Х р░д┬Ж>р▒Х .

the sick. I have

р▒и . uр▒Хр░╡р░Вр░д р░╛р░ир░╡р░ир░ир▒БT р░ЖHр░╕р░▓р▒Б lр▒Жр▒Х,р░╛р░Чр▒Бр░╡ р░ор▒Вр░░р▒Б р░Чр▒Бр░гр░Чр░│s /р░╛р░╡o ?

not come to call

р▒й . ' р░нр░Чр░╡р░Вр░д р░нр▒Бр░д,р░╛р░│р░жр░▓р▒В р░Зр░жJ , р░╡р░д8 р░╛р░ир░жр░▓р▒В р░Зр░░р▒Бр░╡р░ир▒Б +р░╛р░Чр▒Б р░нtр░╖ р░╛`р░│р░жр░▓р▒В р░Зр░░р▒Бр░╡р░ир▒Б .' р░╕DPр▒Х р░д┬Ж>р▒Х .

the righteous, but sinners to

р▒к . Aр░╢) /р░╛р░╡ р░мр░ж!р░╛р░╡"р▒ЖUр░В#р░╛р░ир▒Б р░жр▒Б:┬Ир░╕р▒Бр░╡o р░▓ . ,р░╛р░░р░г р░Пр░ир▒Б ? р▒л . р░Хdр▒Жр░ж р░Тр░Вр░жр▒Б р░╡р░╖8р░ж fр░иT р░ЖHр░░р▒Бр░╡ р░мр░ж!р░╛р░╡"р▒Ж р░мGр▒Ж ;O' .

repentance.

Sakshibhavada Adhbhuthagalu - Part 3 р▒й р░мр░Вр░зр░и р░ор▒Бр░В#р▒Ж р░мр░░р▒Бр░╡ р░╕р▒Вр░д5р░Чр░│ , р░нр░Чр░╡р░Вр░д xр░╡ р░мр░Вр░зр░и +р░╛р░Чр▒Б р░ор▒БA3р░п р░к5 р▒ЖTр░Чр░│ р░мGр▒Ж tCр░╛р░░ р░╛р░бр▒Б р░╛3%р▒Ж . р░мр░Вр░зр░ир░ж р░ор▒Вр░▓ р░ор░и'Mр░и р░Жр░│cр░╛р░ж р░Чр▒Бр░к3nр░╛yр░ир░ж р░Ер░бH#р▒Ж . р░ор░и'Mр░и р░кр░жр░░р░Чdр░╛р░ж , р░Еzр░╛р░и ( р░Ер░╣р░В,р░╛р░░ ) +р░╛р░Чр▒Б р░Е0р▒Ж р░к5zр▒Жр░п (<р░д3 ) %р▒Ж!р▒Ж'р░░р▒Бр░╡ р░Жр░│cр░╛р░ж р░Ж!р▒Жр▒Вр▒Хр░Ъ%р▒Жр░Чр░│s , р░о%р▒Жр▒Вр▒Хgр░╛р░╡%р▒Ж , р░ир░Вr,р▒Жр░Чр░│s , +р░╛р░Чр▒Б р░Еgр░╛ р░╕р░Чр░│s , р░Тр░мh uр▒Хtр░п nр░╛р░ор░е 8р░ж @р▒Х!р▒Ж 'р▒Х}р░др░╡р░ир▒БT +р▒Жр▒ХD , Pр▒Х<nр▒Жр▒Вр▒Х +р░╛р░Чр▒Б ,р░╛р░п8 fр░╡8$р░╕р▒Бр░╡ nр░╛aр░др░Вр░д5р░╡р░ир▒БT р░╕р░В~р▒Жр▒Хр░к3Gр▒Жр▒ВOр░╕р▒Бр░д3#р▒Ж . р░ЕDtр░и р░ор░ир░╕р▒БM , р░Еzр░╛р░ир░ж р░Еgр░╛ р░╕р░Чр░│ р░╛р░жDGр▒Ж р░ЕSр░Жdр░╛р░Чр▒Бр░д3#р▒Ж . р░ир░о( #р▒Жр▒Цtр▒Хр░Х р░╕agр░╛р░╡р░ж р░мGр▒Ж р░кbр░г8 р░ЕRр░╛Tр░и р░Вр░ж uр▒Хр░╡р░и р░и┬Ар▒Жр░╕р▒Бр░╡o#р▒Жр▒Х fр░Ьcр░╛р░ж р░мр░Вр░зр░и . р░Ер░еcр░╛ , р░ир░о( р░ор▒Вр░▓ р░╕agр░╛р░╡р░ж р░мGр▒Ж р░кbр░г8 р░ЕDtfр░Вр░ж uр▒Хр░╡р░и р░и┬Ар▒Жр░╕р▒Бр░╡o#р▒Жр▒Х р░ор▒БA3 .

рд╛рди рдм рдз:

реереирее

zр░╛р░и р░мр░Вр░зр░и,р▒Ж` ,р░╛р░░р░г . рдпреЛрд┐рдирд╡рдЧ :

рдХрд▓рд╢рд░ рд░рдо.

|| рейрее

р░мр░Вр░зр░и,р▒Ж` ,р░╛р░░р░г р░╛┬Б +р░╛р░Чр▒Б р░Ер░ж,р▒Ж` р░╕р░Вр░мр░В7'р░ж р░Х!р▒Жр░п р░др░дaр░Чр░│s . рд╛рдирд╛рд┐рдз рд╛рди рдорд╛рддреГрдХрд╛.

|| рекрее

р░Е┬Вр░░р░Чр░│ р░╕agр░╛р░╡'р░жJcр░╛р░ж р░╢A3Uр░Вр░ж 'р▒Х}р░д zр░╛р░и .

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

16 ఈ ఎ!ా తరహ బంధన,ె` ,ారణ ా;5క శA3 - అ రగళ , పదగళ , cాక గళ +ాగు gా ెగళ ఒళGెూంSరువ సagావ'దJcాద శA3 . అ!ౌAక సaరూపద , భగవంత xవ సవ8cా 6 , సవ8శక3 , +ాగు సవ8 . ఆద0ె uౕవ - భగవంత xవన వ క3 రూపద అవను ఎల తరహ 'ౕ}తగళ అనుభవ,ె` ఒళGాగు ా3%ె . 'ౕ}తcాద ఇCె , zాన +ాగు A5/ా శA3Uంద , uౕవ fభ8ందన,ె` ఒళGాH , బంధనద సూ ెయనుT అనుభtసు ా3%ె . uౕవద అనుభవ,ె` బరువ మూరు tధcాద బంధనగళs ,ెళGె ;Oస!ాH#ె . •

zాన ంద బంధన

•

నTcాH గ5$సువoదDంద బంధన

•

కమ8ద ఫల ంద బంధన zాన ంద బంధన ( అనవ ాల ) zాన బందన,ె` ,ారణ ! ఇదు భగవంత xవfంద ఆశWయ8కcాద వచన . zాన ంద ముA3 ఎనుTవ భ5@య ఇరు ె3ౕcె . భగవంత xవ ాత%ాడు;3రువ zాన , ఒబh వ A3యు ప5పంచద Rెూ ె వ వహDసువ ఆ#ారద@ౕ!ె అవన zాన అవలంr'#ె ఎందు ! ప5పంచద Rెూ ె వ వహDసలు %ావo హలcారు 4ాత5గళనుT +ాకు ె3ౕcె - గండ , +ెండ; , cా 4ారస3 , యజ ాన , ఉద } $ౕGె .... lెౕగ అథcా తడcాH , ఇవo ప5పంచద Rెూ ె వ వహDసలు %ావo ఆర',ెూంSరువ వ Aతa ఎందు మ0ెతు ఆ వ Aతa %ాcెౕ ఎందు నంబలు

“For everyone

శురు ాడు ె3ౕcె . ఒబh 4ాత5 ాD ాను 4ాత5 ాడు ా3 ఇ#ెJౕ%ె ఎందు మ0ెతు , ఆ 4ాత5ద %ెూౕవo +ాగు సంకటగళనుT అనుభtసలు

who exalts himself will be hum-

శురు ాడు ా3%ె . nా ాuక వ వ+ార,ా`H %ావo ధDసువ ముఖcాడ నమ( వ A3తacాగుత3#ె ( గురుతు ఆగుత3#ె ) . %ావo నమ( పరతతaవనుT ( మూలతతa ) మ0ెతు సంబంధగళ తతaవనుT (బంధుతa ) సత cెందు నంబలు శురు ాడు ె3ౕcె . %ాcెౕ నమ(

bled, and he who

ముఖcాడcాగు ె3ౕcె . ఇ#ె zాన ంద బరువంత (ఆగువంత ) బంధన . ప5పంచద Rెూ ె న ెసువ /ావo#ెౕ తరహ వ వ+ార ంద <త3ద

humbles himself

సంnా`రగdాH , ఆకృ;గdాH , +ాగు స ;గdాH ఉOయుత3#ె . ఈ ఆకృతుగdెౕ త4ా>ద zాన,ె` ,ారణcాH uౕtయనుT బం7సుత3#ె .

will be exalted.”

పరతతa +ాగు బంధుతa zా%ెౕం 5యగOంద ఒళబరువ (గ5$సువ ) zాన ంద uౕtయ మూల తతaవనుT మ0ెతు , తనTనుT #ెౕహ , మనసుM +ాగు బు య Rెూ ె త4ా>H గురు;' , uౕtయు ;ళsవO,ెయ నూ న ెయనుT +ెూందు ా3%ె . అపDపbణ8 zానద ,ారణ ంద , uౕtయు +ెూందువ ఈ నూ న ెయ gావ%ెయనుT అనవ ాల ఎందు +ెౕళ!ాH#ె . ఈ నూ న ెUంద , పbణ8 ెయనుT +ెూందlెౕకు ఎంబ బయ,ెGె #ాD ఆగుత3#ె . బయ,ెUంద కమ8 అథవ ,ాయ8 ాడలు #ాD/ాH , ఈ కమ8ఫల ంద <త3ద మూడువ ము#ె5గdెౕ సంnా`రగళs . ఈ కమ8ద ,ారణ ంద uౕcాత(వనుT బంధన,ె` దూడుత3#ె .

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

The seven words of Jesus on the Cross Christ Jesus died on the Cross to redeem mankind, to save us from our sins because of his love for us. As recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ was mocked, scorned, and tortured in the praeto‐ rium. He carried his cross up the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem to Calvary, was nailed to the Cross and hung between two com‐ mon criminals, and suﬀered an indescribable end, recalled by the Church on Good Friday of Holy Week. One may meditate on the Passion of Christ by reﬂecting on his Seven Words on the Cross or by a devotion known as the Way of the Cross.

For God so loved the World that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

When religious pilgrimages to the Holy Land ended with mili‐ tary occupation of Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, a popular devotion known as the Way of the Cross arose during Lent retracing the Passion, Crucifixion, and Death of Jesus. The four‐ teen stations of the Cross are (1) Pilate condemns Jesus to death; (2) Jesus takes up his Cross; (3) He falls the first time; (4) Jesus meets his sorrowful mother Mary; (5) Simon helps carry the cross; (6) Veronica cleans his face; (7) He falls the second time; (8) Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem; (9) He falls the third time; (10) Jesus is stripped of his garments; (11) Jesus is nailed to the cross; (12) Jesus Christ dies on the cross; (13) He is taken down from the cross; (14) Christ is laid in the tomb. Here are his Seven Words, the last seven expressions of Jesus Christ on the Cross recorded in Scripture. THE FIRST WORD "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Gospel of Luke 23:34 Jesus is looking down from the cross just after he was crucified between two criminals. He sees the soldiers who have mocked him, scourged him and tortured him, and who have just nailed him to the cross. He probably remem‐ bers those who have sentenced him ‐ Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, Pontius Pilate, and Herod. But is he not also thinking of his Apostles and companions who have deserted him, to Peter who has denied him three times, to the fickle crowd, who only days before praised him on his entrance to Jerusalem, and then days later chose him over Barabbas to be crucified? Is he also thinking of us, who daily forget him in our lives? Does he react angrily? No! At the height of his physical suffering, his love prevails and He asks His Father to forgive them! Right up to his final hours on earth, Jesus preaches forgiveness. He teaches forgiveness in the Lord's prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Matthew 6:12). When asked by Peter, how many times should we forgive someone, Jesus answers seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21‐22). At the Last Supper, Jesus explains his crucifixion to his Apostles when he tells them to drink of the cup: "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:27‐

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

28). He forgives the paralytic at Capernaum (Mark 2:5), and the adulteress caught in the act and about to be stoned (John 8:1‐11). And even following his Resurrection, his ﬁrst act is to commission his disciples to forgive: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:22‐23). THE SECOND WORD "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Gospel of Luke 23:43 Now it is not just the religious leaders or the soldiers that mock Jesus, but even one of the criminals, a down‐ ward progression of mockery. But the criminal on the right speaks up for Jesus, explaining the two criminals are receiving their just due, whereas "this man has done nothing wrong." Then, turning to Jesus, he asks, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). What wonderful faith this repentant sinner has in Jesus ‐ far more than the doubting Thomas, one of his own Apostles. Ignoring his own suﬀering, Jesus mercifully responds with His second word.

If you bring

The second word again is about forgiveness, this time directed to a sinner. Just as the ﬁrst word, this Biblical expression again is found only in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus shows his Divinity by opening heaven for a repentant sinner ‐ such generosity to a man that only asked to be remembered!

forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will de-

THE THIRD WORD "Jesus said to his mother: "Woman, this is your son". Then he said to the disciple: "This is your mother." Gospel of John 19:26‐27 Jesus and Mary are together again, at the beginning of his ministry in Cana and now at the end of his public min‐ istry at the foot of the Cross. What sorrow must ﬁll her heart, to see her Son mocked, tortured, and cruciﬁed. Once again, a sword pierces Mary's soul: we are reminded of the prediction of Simeon at the Temple (Luke 2:35) . There are four at the foot of the cross, Mary his Mother, John, the disciple whom he loved, Mary of Cleo‐ pas, his mother's sister, and Mary Magdalene. He addresses his third word to Mary and John, the only eye‐ witness of the Gospel writers.

stroy you. But again Jesus rises above the occasion, and his concerns are for the ones that love him. The good son that He is, Jesus is concerned about taking care of his mother. In fact, this passage oﬀers proof that Jesus was the only child of Mary, because if he did have brothers or sisters, they would have provided for her. But Jesus looks to John to care for her. St. Joseph is noticeably absent. The historic paintings, such as Tondodoni by Michelangelo and The Holy Family by Raphael, suggest Joseph was a considerably older man. St. Joseph had probably died by the time of the cruci‐ ﬁxion, or else he would have been the one to take care of Mary. Early Christian traditions and the second‐century apocryphal Protoevangelium of James held that Joseph was a widower, and his children by his former wife were the "brothers and sisters of Jesus." Another striking phrase indicating Jesus was an only child is Mark 6:3, referring to Jesus: "Is not this the carpen‐ ter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" Now if James, Joses and Judas and Simon were also natural sons of Mary, Jesus would not have been called the "son of Mary," but rather "one of the sons of Mary."

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

THE FOURTH WORD "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 This was the only expression of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Both Gospels related that it was in the ninth hour, after 3 hours of darkness, that Jesus cried out this fourth word. The ninth hour was three o'clock in Palestine. After the fourth Word, Mark related with a horrible sense of ﬁnality, "And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last" (Mark 15:37). One is struck by the anguished tone of this expression in contrast to the ﬁrst three words of Jesus. This cry is from the painful heart of the human Jesus who must feel deserted by His Father and the Holy Spirit, not to mention his earthly companions the Apostles. As if to emphasize his loneliness, Mark even has his loved ones "looking from afar," not close to him as in the Gospel of John. Jesus feels separated from his Father. He is now all alone, and he must face death by himself.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears by voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he

But is not this exactly what happens to all of us when we die? We too are all alone at the time of death! Jesus completely lives the human experience as we do, and by doing so, frees us from the clutches of sin. His fourth Word is the opening line of Psalm 22, and thus his cry from the Cross recalls the cry of Israel, and of all innocent persons who suffer. Psalm 22 of David makes a striking prophecy of the crucifixion of the Messiah at a time when crucifixion was not known to exist: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones" (22:16‐17). The Psalm continues: "they divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots" (22:18). There can not be a more dreadful moment in the history of man as this moment. Jesus who came to save us is crucified, and He realizes the horror of what is happening and what He now is enduring. He is about to be en‐ gulfed in the raging sea of sin. Evil triumphs, as Jesus admits: "But this is your hour" (Luke 22:53). But it is only for a moment. The burden of all the sins of humanity for a moment overwhelm the humanity of our Savior.

with me. But does this not have to happen? Does this not have to occur if Jesus is to save us? It is in defeat of his humanity that the Divine plan of His Father will be completed. It is by His death that we are redeemed. "For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all" (l Timothy 2:5‐6). THE FIFTH WORD "I thirst" Gospel of John 19:28 The fifth word of Jesus is His only human expression of His physical suffering. Jesus is now in shock. The wounds inflicted upon him in the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the nailing upon the cross are now taking their toll, especially after losing blood on the three‐hour walk through the city of Jerusalem to Golgotha on the Way of the Cross. Systematic studies of the Shroud of Turin, as reported by Gerald O'Collins in Interpreting Jesus, indicate the passion of Jesus was far worse than one can imagine. The Shroud has been exhaustively studied by every possible scientific maneuver, and the scientific burden of proof is now on those who do not accept the Shroud as the burial cloth of Jesus. "He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

By his wounds you have been healed." I Peter 2:24. THE SIXTH WORD When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is ﬁnished"; and he bowed his head and handed over the spirit. Gospel of John 19:30 It is now a fait accompli. The sixth word is Jesus' recognition that his suﬀering is over and his task is completed. Jesus is obedient to the Father and gives his love for mankind by redeeming us with His death on the Cross. The above painting is meant to capture the moment. What is the darkest day of mankind becomes the brightest day for mankind. When Jesus died, He "handed over" the Spirit. Jesus remained in control to the end, and it is He who handed over his Spirit. One should not miss the double entendre here, for this may also be interpreted as His death brought forth the Holy Spirit.

I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Gospel of John gradually reveals the Holy Spirit. Jesus mentions living water in John 4:10‐11 when he meets the Samaritan woman at the well, and during the Feast of Tabernacles refers to living water as the Holy Spirit in 7:37‐39. At the Last Supper, Christ announces he would ask the Father to send "another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth" (14:16‐17). The word Advocate is also translated as Comforter, Helper, Paraclete, or Counselor. "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you" (14:26). The symbolism of water for the Holy Spirit becomes more evident in John 19:34: "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water." The piercing of his side fulfills the prophecy in Zechariah 12:10: "They will look on me whom they have pierced." The piercing of Jesus' side prefigures the Sacraments of Eucharist (blood) and Baptism (water), as well as the beginning of the Church. THE SEVENTH WORD Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit": Gospel of Luke 23:46 The seventh word of Jesus is from the Gospel of Luke, and is directed to the Father in heaven, just before He dies. Jesus recalls Psalm 31:5 ‐ "Into thy hands I commend my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God." Luke repeatedly pleads Jesus' innocence: with Pilate (Luke 23:4, 14‐15, 22), through Dismas (by legend), the crimi‐ nal (Luke 23:41), and immediately after His death with the centurion" "Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent" (Luke 23:47). John's Gospel related that it was the Day of Preparation, the day before the actual Passover (Pesach in He‐ brew, Pascha in Greek and Latin), that Jesus was sentenced to death (19:14) and sacrificed on the Cross (19:31). He died at the ninth hour (three o'clock in the afternoon), about the same time as the Passover lambs were slaugh‐ tered in the Temple. Christ became the Paschal or Passover Lamb, as noted by St. Paul: "For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7). The innocent Lamb was slain for our sins, so that we might be forgiv‐ en. Jesus fulfilled His mission: "They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Je‐ sus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith" (Romans 3:24‐25). The relation‐

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

ship of Jesus to the Father is revealed in the Gospel of John, for He remarked, "The Father and I are one" (10:30), and again, at the Last Supper: "Do you not believe I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works" (14:10). And He can return: "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (16:28).Jesus practiced what He preached: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). — Contributed by Atmajyothi Prema

Guru Tattva As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

I came to know of Sri Dattatreya in 1998. As time passed by, I understood that a Guru is essential in one's spiritual life for making progress. More time passed by, and lack of a Guru started to trouble me. Some more time passed and desire for a one to one interaction with a Jnani and desire to be under the direct guidance of a Sadguru increased. It became evident to me that whatever I know is of little value. I was in desperate need of a Spiritual master / jnani. There are so many great souls in India. I looked at past Masters, and cur‐ rently living ones. I found Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings appealing, but direct one to one interaction is not there, as he passed away long time back. By reading Sri Ramana's teachings, I am convinced that a living Self‐ realized Guru is necessary. So, I prayed to Lord Dattatreya to come and teach me. In my daily prayer to Dattatreya, I put in a request to him to come and teach me. Finally my prayers were answered in the form of Sadguru M. Narasimha Prabhu. I met Prabhuji in 2009 February/March. On the first meeting, he removed a major conflict in my mind and put a rest to my mind. On second meeting, I asked him whether he can be my Guru, he immediately accepted. Thus started a delightful journey of learning under a Sadguru. Prabhuji guided me in so many things and explained to me in detail various topics. He has taught me surya namaskara, meditation, kundalini yoga. He has taught me how to be simple and straight forward in thought. He showed me how to be compassionate. He steered me clearly out of many problems. He and his wife, Guru‐mata mamathaji has done pranic healing to me. The way they welcome into their home, making me feel that it is my home, is in itself healing to a restless mind. His life, his behaviour, his thinking pattern, his com‐ passion to all beings, his honesty, his humbleness, his clarity of mind and speech is my sacred book. I try to imitate him in all ways and learn. He is leading a life of grihastha, a rishi and inspired me to lead a similar life. His every word, every action, every thought is pure in nature and untainted by selfishness. I have observed him for close to 5 years and can vouch that there is not an iota of selfishness in him. I have seen many sadhakas come to his home and go back richer in wisdom. It is a privilege to be associated with Sadguru for last five years. I am deeply indebted to him and I offer him my humble respectful pranam and want to let everybody know that , it is possible for a human being to achieve jivanmukti and be divine. Hari Om Atmajyothi Prasad

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

My Grandmother

Let me into your lives, your world. Live on me, so that you may become truly alive.

Born in a place obscure Days’ women were forced to endure Humiliations and censure She has shown her mettle for sure

Devotion and love for Guru Made her walk extra miles Gave her inspiration to write A precious gift for coming generations to recite

When girls her age played with dolls She chose to play and befriend idols Immersed in a world of day dreams Wrote poems about meadows and moon beams

My grandmother is a force to be reckoned with It is a privilege we the family are blessed with Her caliber is such that Even Guru takes a bow to her

Married at young age and embraced new life Loved her home, in‐laws and adored husband Children made her life worthwhile Enjoyed her role for a short while.

~ Love and peace Atmajyothi Uma

Her companion left her midway Children were her main stay Worked to the bone everyday Stood by her principles and did not sway Zeal and passion Love and devotion Guided her every action and preferred to Change rules instead of changing decision Some times gentle some times harsh Her words can be kind or sharp Love or hate but One cannot ignore her. Children and grandchildren Even the great grand children Each and every one loves her For she is a real trooper Death of dear ones Diseases and pain Stress and suﬀering She has seen every kind. Faith in Guru and absolute surrender Protected her from every pain Made her strong and ﬁrm To support others with compassion

DIVYA

JYOTHI

Upanishad Quotient Match the Sanskrit words with their English mean‐ ings. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Upanishad ‐ to stay close Upasana ‐ frog Upavasa ‐ Instrument Upanayana ‐ night out Mandukya ‐ that which uplifts you Shushupti ‐ eyes of truth Jagarana ‐ deep sleep Turiya ‐ listen, reﬂect, meditate or, contemplate Upaadhi ‐ fasting Shravana, manana, nidhidhyasana ‐ fourth state of Consciousness

Answers on page 40

PAGE

Q & A on Gita What is the Bhagavad‐Gita? The Bhagavad‐Gita is the eternal message of spiritual wisdom from ancient India. The word Gita means song and the word Bhagavad means God, often the Bhagavad‐Gita is called the Song of God. Why is the Bhagavad‐Gita called a song if it is spoken? Because its rhyming meter is so beautifully harmonic and melodious when spoken perfectly. What is the name of this rhyming meter? It is called Anustup and contains 32 syllables in each verse. Who originally spoke the Bhagavad‐Gita? Lord Krishna originally spoke the Bhagavad‐Gita.

For everyone who Where was the Bhagavad‐Gita originally spoken? In India at the holy land of Kuruksetra.

exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.

Why is the land of Kuruksetra so holy? Because of benedictions given to King Kuru by Brahma that anyone dying in Kuruksetra while performing pen‐ ance or while fighting in battle will be promoted directly to the heavenly planets. Where is the Bhagavad‐Gita to be found? In the monumental, historical epic Mahabharata written by Veda Vyasa. What is the historical epic Mahabharata? The Mahabharata is the most voluminous book the world has ever known. The Mahabharata covers the history of the earth from the time of creation in relation to India. Composed in 100,000 rhyming quatrain couplets the Mahabharata is seven times the size of the Iliad written by Homer. Who is Veda Vyasa? is the divine saint and incarnation who authored the Srimad Bhagavatam, Vedanta Sutra, the 108 Puranas, com‐ posed and divided the Vedas into the Rik, Yajur, Artharva and Sama Vedas, and wrote the great historical treatise Mahabharata known as the fifth Veda. His full name is Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa and he was the son of sage Par‐ asara and mother Satyavati. Why is the Mahabharata known as the fifth Veda? Because it is revealed in the Vedic scripture Bhavisya Purana III.VII.II that the fifth Veda written by Veda Vyasa is called the Mahabharata. What are the special characteristics of the Mahabharata? The Mahabharata has no restrictions of qualification as to who can hear it or read it. Everyone regardless of caste or social position may hear or read it at any time. Veda Vyasa wrote it with the view not to exclude all the people in the worlds who are outside of the Vedic culture. He himself has explained that the Mahabharata contains the essence of all the purports of the Vedas. This we see is true and it is also written in a very intriguing and dramati‐ cally narrative form.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

What about the Aryan invasion theory being the source of the Bhagavad‐Gita? The Aryan invasion theory has been proven in the 1990?s not to have a shred of truth in it. Indologists the world over have realized that the Aryans are the Hindus themselves. What is the size of the Bhagavad‐Gita? The Bhagavad‐Gita is composed of 700 Sanskrit verses contained within 18 chapters, divided into three sections each consisting of six chapters. They are Karma Yoga the yoga of actions. Bhakti Yoga the yoga of devotion and Jnana Yoga the yoga of knowledge. When was the Bhagavad‐Gita spoken? The Mahabharata conﬁrms that Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad‐Gita to Arjuna at the Battle of Kuruksetra in 3137 B.C.. According to speciﬁc astrological references in the Vedic scriptures, the year 3102 B.C. is the beginning of kali yuga which began 35 years after the battle 5000 years ago.

All my authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

What is the opinion of western scholars from ancient times? According to the writings of both the Greek and the Romans such as Pliny, Arrian and Solinus as well as Mega‐ stathanes who wrote a history of ancient India and who was present as an eyewitness when Alexander the Great arrived in India in 326 B.C. was that before him were 154 kings who ruled back to 6777 B.C. This also follows the Vedic understanding. When was the Bhagavad‐Gita first translated into English? The first English edition of the Bhagavad‐Gita was in 1785 by Charles Wilkins in London, England. This was only 174 years after the translation of the King James Bible in 1611. Was the Bhagavad‐Gita also translated into other languages? Yes. The Bhagavad‐Gita was translated into Latin in 1823 by Schlegel. It was translated into German in 1826 by Von Humbolt. It was translated into French in 1846 by Lassens and it was translated into Greek in 1848 by Galanos to mention but a few. What was the original language of the Bhagavad‐Gita? The original language of the Bhagavad‐Gita was classical Sanskrit from India. Why is Srimad often written before the Bhagavad‐Gita? The word Srimad is a title of great respect. This is given because the Bhagavad‐Gita reveals the essence of all spiritual knowledge. Is history aware of the greatness of Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita? Historically many very extraordinary people such as Albert Einsten, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Her‐ man Hesse, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Aldous Huxley, Rudolph Steiner and Nikola Tesla to name but a few have read Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita and were inspired by its timeless wisdom. Who is qualified to read Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita? Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana a 16th century saint from the Brahma Madhva Vaisnava Samparadaya has stated that those who are pious and reverent, those who are of controlled senses and those sincerely performing their daily spiritual duties are qualified to read Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

What can be learned by the study of Srimad Bhagavad‐Gita? Accurate, fundamental knowledge about God, the ultimate truth, creation, birth and death, the results of ac‐ tions, the eternal soul, liberation and the purpose as well as the goal of human existence. — Contributed by Atmajyothi Murali

Srimad Bhagavad Gita The Treasure House of Knowledge For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.

Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu ... Salutations to Pujaneya Prabhuji ... '' O Sadgurudeva ! All that exists in this world of forms is nothing but Self , and Self Alone ! How , than , shall the Infinite worship itself ! Shiva is One Undivided Whole ! Pujaneya Sadgurudeva is the Supreme Reality of that Self ... O Gurudeva ! O Pujaneya ! please bless me to merge in Thy Lotus feet .'' Dharamaksetre Kuruksetre Samaveta Yuyutsavah | Mamakah Pandavaschaiva Kimakurvata Sanjaya || (Srimad Bagavadgita 1.1) Commentary : Here we can see the Duality of a person . When Dhrtarastra says Mamaka and Pandava , this shows not only his sightlessness but Ignorance or Ajnana which is his real Blindness . He differentiates the relationship between his sons and Pandu's sons when Pandu was non other than his younger brother . This difference is caused due to the Egoistic desires . The mind which says Mamaka is the objective mind or the 'Manas' , and Pandava which means the Subjective mind or the 'Buddhi ' . Most of the time we are not ready to act as Buddhi says , we are running after the Ma‐ nas . Manas is always attracted towards the worldly desire and stick to it like a magnet . Listening to Buddhi is the Inward Journey , towards the Eternal Truth which is possible through ' Yoga ' . ' Yoga ' is to merge of Sub‐ jective and Objective mind or merging of Buddhi and Manas is Yoga . By selfless service we can reduce the Vasanas and purify the mind . Mind is the reflection of ones nature , if the mind is silent , the person is silent . If the mind is disturbed , the person is also disturbed . To bring this disturbed mind to Peace is ' Yoga '. Here Dhrtarastra is disturbed , which means the mind is disturbed by what it sees . Dhrata means View ; rastra means space . Space is the mind , what mind views is what we want to cling to it , the mind is attracted to the outer view , the worldly pleasure , it never thinks about the after effects ! or it never wants to think about the after effects !! Dhratarastra never thinks about the after effects of the war . He is so much emotionally attached to his son that he never sees the Negativity in his son ! he is blind not out sightlessness but out of ignorance due to Egoistic desire for the kingdom and emotional attachment ( Vyamoha ) towards his son .

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Sri Krishna repeatedly says to his friend Arjuna in Bhagavadgita '' Get up and fight '' . This does not mean to say ‐ '' Get up Arjuna and fight '' . This is the call for each one of us to fight the battle of our own life according to our own Dharma . Sri Krishna never says to go out of ones own Dharma . Arjuna is a Kshatriya and his Dharma is to fight against Adharma and bring peace in his kingdom . Fighting against the negativity of our mind and exhausting them according to our own 'Svadharma' and gaining the inner purity is the battle of our own life . What is Svadharma here ? Our True Nature and what is our True Nature ? our True Nature is '' Bliss '' . The battle between the Manas and the Buddhi is the battle between Dhar‐ ma and Adharma . Winning the mind with the help of the intellect by discriminating what we are not and making the mind silent and Living in our True Nature (Bliss) is our Svadharma and The Great Victory !!

So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

Arjuna Vishada Yoga - Arjuna's Grief : Arjuna is not the only person whom we see in Bhagavadgita . Arjuna is the State of mind . When our mind is rest‐ less and agitated , we are in the state of Arjuna . When the unity of home is shattered , when purity and sanctity of thoughts are destroyed within the family , the mental weakness drains off the judgement , we crave for self‐ pity . This is the disease . The Bhagavadgita gives the cure for this disease and The cure is '' Krishna Conscious‐ ness or Krishna cure .'' Sankhya Yoga - Knowledge : Situation in life makes us disastrous failure in every step . The knowledge is the only solution to all the ugliest situation which can transform the ugliest into a charming smile of success . Every situation must keep on chang‐ ing according to its own nature. To get upset at every change is foolishness . It is the knowledge or wisdom which makes a wise man to go through life , both in joy and sorrow , in success and failure , in pain and pleasure , with constant awareness . True knowledge makes a man realise that he is a ''Soul '' , but , out of ignorance he thinks he is '' body '' . Life is the mixture of good and bad , it is life's nature ! The knowledge makes a person experience the best and the worst with equal detachment , and the ignorance makes a person to avoid the bad and experience the good . Running away from the sense objects will never bring the inner peace because the inner disturbance of the minds agitation for the desire of the worldly objects can be healed by discriminating what is desirable and what is undesirable . Life in self‐control alone is life worth living . Sri Krishna's life is a message of cheer and joy . His way of living is his teachings . Sri Krishna's teaching insists on ''to weep is folly and to smile is wisdom'' . Karma Yoga - The Action : Any action can be a glorious 'worship' (yagna) , if it is done with inner purity and with spirit of surrender , and with deep emotion of love and compassion . 'Path of action' and 'path of knowledge ' has to be practised one after the other , they never go together . Selfless action , with full of love and compassion , surrendering the fruit of action to God purifies existing mental impressions by exhausting them . Thus, purified mind takes the 'path of knowledge' and finally experiences the Transcendental Absolute . Actions are nothing other than actor's thought which are expressed in the world . Thoughts are according to our desire . Thoughts are the disturbances created in our mind by our desire. As the desire in us , so are the thoughts. Thoughts expressed in the outer world of objects , becomes actions . Thus , out of ignorance , we are bound in the chain of desire, thoughts and actions . Actions performed without desires are not actions at all , as they does not produce any painful reactions . This is the action performed with knowledge .

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Jnana Karma Sanyasa Yoga - Renunciation of Action in Knowledge : Action done with devotion and dedication creates a complete detachment , he/she becomes an observer of all that is happening within them and without . Their own activities become a part and parcel of the world activities around . This leads to Meditation . When the knowledge is acquired , the body , mind and intellect function and act but not the Self ! The Self ‐ which is the life in them . Actions done with knowledge and detachment is the Divine Path where individual Consciousness merges with Universal Consciousness .

Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone.

Karma Sanyasa Yoga - True Renunciation : Desireless activities or Yagnas make mind and intellect fly across the Bhava Sagara and Back to Godhead . Total detachment means attachment to the Real . When we constantly think of Lord , we realise the Truth , which is our own Nature . Peace is the state of Mind , sense of Eternal joy . This is our True Nature . Desireless Yagna makes one feel Divinity everywhere . Just as the ocean is not different from waves , Gold is not different from ornament , Mud is not different from mud pots , Desireless Yagna make a man ego less , and he can in no way find any distinction in outer world of names and forms . Dhyana Yoga - Meditation : If the mind is kept engaged in contemplation of a great Truth , an ample joy reflects within . This is Dhyana , the mind no more goes hunting for bits of joy from sensuality . In spiritual way one must move Alone . This is not loneliness , this is '' Alone to the alone all alone '' . Agitations in the mind is purified by Meditation . A purified mind is that which has no agitations . The mind is 'thought flow' and , as such , the constant thought of the Self is the exercise by which the mind should be re‐ strained by the intellect . Steady contemplation on Self makes the mind Still . When the meditator keeps his mind undisturbed , his mind gets purified . At the pinnacle of meditation , mind shatters itself , drops the ego down and merges with the supreme , the individual Self becomes one with Brahman . Jnana Vijnana Yoga - The Knowledge and Wisdom : Jnana is the knowledge gained through the study of the scriptures . Vijnana is wisdom gained through direct Realisation . Person who is satisfied with knowledge and wisdom remains unshaken , who has conquered the senses to whom a lump of earth , a stone and gold are same, is said to be 'United '. Akshara Brahma Yoga - The Imperishable Brahman : To know The Self is to know everything , and to know everything is to Know the Eternal as one's own Real Na‐ ture . The last thoughts in a dying person makes his future embodiment and environment . If ones mind is com‐ pletely turned towards the Self will reach the Eternal and Immortal , The Supreme where there is no return . Death is not an end , it is only a restful pause in the unmanifested condition , like sleep is not an end in life To merge with the Eternal Self one has to come out the vasanas completely . When ones Vasanas or impressions are Perished they merge in Imperishable Brahman ! Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga - Royal knowledge and Royal Secret : Rajavidya means Royal Knowledge and Rajaguhya means Royal Secret . The Self knowledge is the Supreme knowledge and the Supreme Secret , the Supreme Purifier . This is performed according to Dharma and is imper‐ ishable . A Realized person sees the Self , expressed through every movement and action , every word and thought around him. He/she sees everywhere Self dancing , acting , talking to him from all around at once. He/she sees Self in the sparkle of the eyes, in the smile of a friend , in the grin of an enemy , in the harsh words of jealousy and the soft tones of love , in heat and cold , in success and failure ‐ among men , among animals ,

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

amidst trees and in the company all and everywhere ! His vision is Supreme ‐ Dhivya , his knowledge is Supreme ‐ Rajavidya and his Nature is Bliss ‐ Rajaguhya ! This is Ishvara Darshana . Vibhuti Yoga - Divine Glories: When one identifies oneself with the happening of the world and behaves with emotions , ideas dishonouring one's Godly divine nature will result in low pleasure only . They can never rise above and climb the higher peaks of real perfection . Satsang has a greater effect upon all intelligent and interested listeners . When a True Teacher discourses upon Truth , this becomes the good beginning . We are not satisfied by any theory of compromise by which we reject God's association with what we do not like . Death brings even the crown to the level of begging bowl . After death , the wise and the fool , the good and the bad , the strong and the weak , the ruler and the ruled ‐ all come to dust . Here there is no distinction between anyone !

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you?

Vishvarupa Darshana - Vision of Universal Form : Sri Krishna did not Transform Himself into Cosmic Form , but He only helped Arjuna to make inward adjustments so that he could perceive what was there evidently in Sri Krishna . The Eternal Truth is one and the same . Every‐ where and at all times ; only its manifestation are varied . Each man sees the world as he himself is . We look at the world through the windows of our mind, as our mind is , so is the world to us .

Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Love for all and hatred for none can be considered the Gita . To know the quality of Realization and intensity of experience a seeker has gained through his sadana is the 'Touch Stone ' ‐ The Gita . This is the Treasure House of Universal Dharma .... Srimad Bhagavad Gita . Shirasa Namisuva , Gurudeva Pada sevaki

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Guru Kripa Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu ... Salutations to Parama Pujaneya Paramahasma Prabhuji .... '' O Sadgurudeva ! Gurudeva alone is eternal and is the embodiment of Peace and Love . An ordinary person who mingle with Gurudeva end up being the Dust of his Lotus feet . There is no Greater Prasada than being the Dust of Parama Pujaneya's lotus feet . No matter how busy a person is , One Guru Namana daily brings him purity in his/her life . Gurukripa is the only inﬁnite and immutable in this ever changing time . O Gurudeva ! O Pujaneya ! Please Bless me to Merge in Pujaneya Gurudeva's Lotus feet .''

Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in this world.

Gurukripa Hi Kevalam : Gurukripa is the only Reality . When we sit and think of us , we really don't understand who we are ! we don't know who we are ! we identify our self with the relationship and say i am such a person's daughter , after some years in young age , I am such a persons wife . Later in old age , I am such a person's mother . But who am I ? I am not the daughter , I am not the wife nor I am the mother permanently . As the time changes , even my char‐ acter changes , from daughter to wife to mother , All the characters are like the precarious shadow dancing on the winds of ever changing time ! It is Only the Grace of Sadgurdeva which shows who you are . ‐ Gurukripa Hi Kevalam ... Gurudeva Darshana : It was on March 12th 2011 , i was Blessed with Gurudeva Darshana . Darshana happened with the Grace of Gurudeva , the inner Guru who appeared on that day before me . I had heard of Gurudeva but was not lucky enough to see him or meet him till than . But , deep inside my heart , i wanted to meet him, see him as there was an inner call 24x7 saying he is your destination . I had to attend a marriage function and in that marriage function He gave me the Darshana maybe he heard my inner call ! when You gave me the Darshana out of com‐ passion Gurudeva , that was the end of my inner call . There was a deep silence the moment i saw you .From that day , my aim was to be your disciple . How i met my Pujaneya : I arrived at Gurudeva Aalaya , it was November 6th 2011 . The doors were open and was full of joy when i saw Gurudeva , He was seated , He smiled and his warmth of his smile crept his eyes , '' what have you come for ?'' was his silent question . '' To be your disciple '' was my reply in silence . He was silent for a while with his eyes closed . My gaze was totally ﬁxed on him . Then suddenly Gurudeva opened his eyes , and looking at me just smiled . Do you have any questions ? he asked . ''No '' was my reply. '' I simply want to be in your presence '' . Gurudeva smiled . I got up to leave , I whispered in my heart , '' Can i be your disciple ?'' Gurudeva simply nod‐ ded , smiled and Embraced me , and LO ! Gurudeva accepted me ! When i came out , i felt as if walking on air , there was joy bursting in me . It was not much later that i realized , in front of Gurudeva my mind was ceased to question . I felt great joy just to be there . There was no questions and no answers to be sought . ''' My search was over ' i donated '' Myself'' to PUJANEYA SADGURUDEVA and from that moment ‐ I am only the tool in the hands of Gurudeva and is honored to be so by you Pujaneya . The '' I '' in this body is '' YOU '' Gurudeva . So , Everything is Gurudeva ! Everything is of Gurudeva ! Everything is from Gurudeva ! Gurudevara Pada Padmagalige Bhakti poorvaka Namanagalondige Arpane. Sada Tamma Padada Dhoolagiruva. Tamma Pada sevaki Pujaneya.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Mundaka Upanishad Chapter 3 Invocation Prayer Invocation of Peace and Blessings by the Master and Disciple: Human life is very precious. It is a great blessing to have a healthy body. The dispenser of Truth – the Master and the recipient of the Truth – the Disciple both should be blessed by good health and healthy organs. It is just not suﬃcient to have healthy body and healthy organs, each organ should be used appropriately for one's up‐ liftment. The most appropriate usage of the organ of hearing is ‘to listen to auspicious words of the Spiritual Master’. Only that can be auspicious which awakens the Divinity in the disciple So, that the listener of the Truth himself becomes auspicious. The words of the Upanishad coming from the mouth of the Enlightened Master have the power of bringing out the Divinity and auspiciousness hidden in the disciple.

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Invocation Prayer Traditionally the Spiritual Master and Student together chant the Invocation Prayer at the beginning of the Upanishad. This is 'a Prayer for health'. ‘Om May we hear the most auspicious Om May we see the most auspicious Om may we with strong limbs and hands Sing your praise and enjoy this life May the lord protect all of us Om Peace! Peace! Peace’ This human life is very precious, it is like a vehicle, it is your vehicle, any vehicle in a good condition will take you to your destination, otherwise it will stop somewhere, having a good vehicle is very important, especially in a journey of life having a good vehicle of ‘Body, Mind and Intellect’ is very important. This body is the greatest gift given to us by the God, only when this body is in good condition we can do Karma, we can follow Dharma and also we can attain Jnana, the body is vehicle for it. It is important that the vehicle is used in a right way, having the vehicle is not important, using it in a right way is important. Do our eyes see the most auspicious? Do our ears hear the most auspicious? What is Auspicious? What is Auspicious for eyes, for ears? When we say auspicious we may think of something which brings us luck! News which is happy, this auspicious‐ ness is not related to the temporary happiness which you gain... what can bring you the eternal Peace and eter‐ nal happiness that which gives 'That' is called auspicious! That which you gain today and lose tomorrow, what is the point of having that, gain some little bit of joy this way that way, next moment you feel unhappy, what is the use of such happiness. What is most auspicious? That which 'uplifts you from a human being to a Divine Being', That which can bring out the auspiciousness in you is the most auspicious!! That which awakens the Shiva in you is the most auspicious! The awakening of the Divinity in you is called the auspiciousness!

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

There is Divinity in each of you, but it is like a seed, it has to sprout and it has to become plant, you have to blos‐ som to the fullest Divinity, and it is already there in you. Seed is there, the seed has to grow, whatever helps you to grow the seed of Divinity in you that is called Upani‐ shad that is called auspiciousness. For a seed to grow, water is required, fertilizer is required, some light to grow, for to growing the seed of Divin‐ ity in you, it requires Jnana, the wisdom can come only through ears, ‘bhadram karnebhi srunuyama devaha’, Jnana, can it not come through eyes, through eyes you can see rupa, through ears you can hear, and from that hearing you understand and from that hearing and understanding you have to see ‘Your‐Self’.

My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.

The path of Upanishad The method of imbibing the Spiritual Knowledge involves listening to the Truths (sravana) from the Master, understanding the truth (manana) and being established in the Truth (nidhidhyasana). So the path of Upanishad involves Listening (Shravana) Understanding (Manana) Contemplation (Nididyasana) That is why, the first Prayer is… ‘Bhadram karnebhi srunuyama devaha’ ‘May we hear the most auspicious through our ears!’ The Upanishads Seers always used minimum number of words, with full accuracy, first let we hear the auspi‐ cious, after listening the auspicious, some changes happens in you, Ajnana, the deep rooted ignorance gets destroyed, then auspicious unfolds in you, then… whatever we see becomes auspicious, So, the next Prayer is… ‘Bhadram pasyema akshabhir‐yajathraha’ ‘May we see the most auspicious through our eyes!’ The Purpose of Human life When, whatever we see becomes auspicious, the whole world appears as a Divine Play (Leela). Right now you are seeing the world as Matter, but there is Consciousness behind that matter, 'to see the Consciousness be‐ hind the matter' is the purpose of life. To hear the most auspicious called Upanishad, to see the most auspi‐ cious Divine play and to live a life, ‘vyasema devahitham yadayu’ in an auspicious way, in the service of the Di‐ vine, that is the purpose of life. For this our ancestors told that the purpose of human life is… ‘Atmanomokshartham Jagadithayacha’ ‘Atmanomokshartham’ means 'to lose what is unwanted, unhappiness, suffering, which is not auspicious', and 'to attain Moksha or Liberation', there by ‘to obtain the permanent Ananda, Bliss, in simple, 'to see, to realize what is there in you already’. ‘Jagadithayacha’ means as a respect to our great Rishis, ‘offering service to the Lord, i.e., the world’. For having received the auspicious teaching, the student and Master seek the blessings to live rest of their lives in a way befitting the blessings they have received as service to the Universe (jagad hitaya). Just hearing is not sufficient. Just knowing is not sufficient. The disciple should SEE the Truth. Seeing the Truth is BEING the Truth. It is very appropriate that the Master and the Disciple both seek the blessings of the 'indra', the Master of Mind

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

('indra'‐ ‐lord of indriyas or senses), so that the Truth heard is understood (manana). Also the Prayer is for bless‐ ings from brihaspati – the protector of Spiritual wealth so that the disciple may be established in the Truth (Nidhidhyasana). While it may give the impression that the Master and Disciple are praying for various Gods, in reality, they are praying to Brahman only. Various Gods are nothing but powers of the Supreme Brahman – one without a second. This is based on the Vedic dictum – ‘Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti’ (R.V. 1.164.46). "The one Being – poets, sages, and Masters Call it by diﬀerent names, such as Indra, Vayu, Varuna, Agni, and so on... (All is one Consciousness, Brahman).

Open the door to me, as I have opened myself for you.

Both Master and disciple invoke Peace thrice seeking Peace at three levels of existence – Physical (Adibhautik) Metaphysical (Adidaivka) Spiritual (Adhyatmika) This is the meaning of the Shanti Mantra, the ﬁrst sloka of Mundaka Upanishad.

Answers to Quiz 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

DIVYA

Omkara Twelve Upasana Govindapadacharya Brahman Gaudapadacharya, Advaita Tattwa Consciousness Rajas, Tamas, Satwa Mind Ayamatma Brahma (This ‘Self’ is Brahman)

JYOTHI

PAGE

DIVYA

Page 3 Prabhuji’s 50th Birthday Celebrations

JYOTHI

PAGE

Basement Gita - The Cosmic Trip

Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

Sri Dattatreya Dattatreya is the Grand Teacher or "Guru principle" in the universe. The teachers in various planes are the mani‐ festation of the one teaching principle who is referred to in the ancient Indian wisdom as Dattatreya. Athri and Anasuya are said to be the parents of Dattatreya in the Indian mythology. This is again an Eternal Principle of Saswatha Dharma. That which is beyond the three, as said before, is A‐thri, the pure consciousness is called Athri. The pure consciousness pervades all the planes of existence worked out by the triple quality, just like the cotton exists in the coloured threads of cloth. The cotton is the essence of the cloth; likewise the consciousness is an emergence from Pure Existence.

“In the world

Anasuya in Sanskrit means: "not Asuya". Asuya means malice. Dattatreya is said to be born to Anasuya, the Mother and Athri, the Father. Athri, the Father, is said to be the pure consciousness and Anasuya, the Mother, is said to be the state of no malice (jealousy). The state of Anasuya is depicted as an equilateral trian‐ gle and the state of Athri is depicted as a centre within the circum‐ ference.

you will have trouble but take courage for I have conquered the world.”

This is the essential principal relating to the state of Dattatreya, which is: pure consciousness expressed through equated qualities. He is beyond the Trinity but can equally express through the Trinity. He is therefore creative like the creator Brahma, preserver like Vishnu, and can also be the destroyer like Siva. As pure consciousness he can be like the Divine Mother and as Pure Existence he can be the God Absolute. He is potent with all possibilities. That is how he is conceived by the seers of ancient times, as "all in one and one in all". ATHREYA Athreya means in Sanskrit "the son of Athri". Athri is one of the 7 seers / principles of creation. Athri also means in Sanskrit "not three". The one who came down from that which is not three is called Athreya. DATTA Datta in Sanskrit means: "The One that is donated". Thus, that which is not three, is donated trough the three into all the planes of creation to help the beings to ﬁnd the Path back to Truth. That which is not three means: "that which is beyond the three". The three are the three basic Logos, the Trini‐ ty of every system, that is: Divine Will, Love‐ Wisdom and Divine Activity. That which is beyond the three is the pure consciousness, which manifests through the three qualities of itself. The whole creation is a triangle of forces. The One that is beyond enters into the triangle of creation and helps the creation. He exists in all as the pure consciousness beyond the triple quality of the individual. It is the divinity in every being. Dattatreya is thus the principle, which exists in all as the Teacher principle, as the friend, as the guide that leads one unto one's own source of Existence. Dattatreya is an Eternal Principle. Dattatreya also exists in a form in all planes. Just like the World Teacher is the principle that guides the beings of this globe, Dattatreya is also a principle that incarnates as per the time and need in any plane of existence.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

THE TEACHER Since Sri Guru Datta (Dattatreya) is the synthesis of the Trinity who presides over the 7 planes of creation, he is considered the foremost one. The foremost one is called in Sanskrit, Guru. In any group, the grupal head of wisdom is therefore called Guru, meaning: "the foremost one in that group and for that group". Sri Gum Datta is the foremost one, the Guru in creation, if we take the creation as a group. It is him that every spiritual group in India invokes when the groups utter forth the following invocation: Guru Brahma, Gurur Vishnuhu Gurur Devo Maheshwaraha Gurur Sakshat Parabrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave namaha

“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and

The ancient tradition is to invoke Sri Guru Datta, the Synthesis of Trinity, through one's own groupal Guru. The meaning of the sloka is: The Teacher who is Brahma (the Intelligent Activity), The Teacher who is Vishnu (the Knowledge/Love Wisdom), The Teacher who is Isvara/Siva (Will) and The Teacher who is Parabrahma, "the synthesis of the Three and the One who is beyond the Three", To that Teacher, I oﬀer my salutation.

intelligence. Love others as well as you love yourself.”

Thus, the One Teacher/Master of the universe is invoked through every teacher/Master. The Teacher is always One. The individual in whom the equilateral triangle is built, and who transcended the 3 qualities, contacts the most sublime energy of the Guru and therefore becomes himself an outpost to the One Guru. Verily an individu‐ al teacher is a representation of the Teacher and The Master, hence all forms of teachers should be accepted and respected as the forms of "The One Teacher". The One Teacher radiates through all such accomplished beings. Guru also means, "the One who causes recollection". The True Teacher, Sat Guru, has only one mission to ac‐ complish, that is, to recollect to each one that gather around him his real state of being, or the original state of being. In other words, the secret mission of the teacher is to recollect to every being that it is a being of light and nothing less than that. He lays the Path giving the means to every being, so that the aspiring beings, can function as per the given code and realise themselves as beings of light, beings of pure consciousness, immor‐ tal and divine. This mission, is carried out by Sri Guru Datta with an army of accomplished beings, in all the 7 planes of exist‐ ence. At every plane of existence there is the teacher principle, functioning through certain beings. The essential quality of the teacher is compassion, Dakshinya. He is compassionate towards the beings, never judgmental. He knows that those around him hold on to diﬀerent states of awareness and compassionately guides them towards their goal. A true teacher never believes in punishing, for him every being is a being of light, a divine being and hence he cannot but be friendly and compassionate towards their ignorance. — To be continued. Contributed by Atmajyothi Gayatri. Source: http://www.worldteachertrust.org/bk/dattatreya/index.html

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

The twenty four Gurus of Dattatreya When Guru Dattatreya was a child, a king visited the ashram. Be‐ cause his parents were away, Dattatreya greeted the king and the king saw an inner joy radiating from the boy. The king immediately realized that the boy was gifted with great wisdom and started talking to him. King: You have been studying with your parents? Dattatreya: There is much to learn from everyone and everything, not only from my parents.

Every knee will bend before me,

King: Then you have a teacher? Who is it? Dattatreya: I have 24 gurus.

and every tongue shall give glory to God.

King: Twenty‐four gurus at such a tender age? Who are they? Dattatreya: Mother earth is my first guru. She taught me to hold those who trample me, scratch me, and hurt me lovingly in my heart, just as she does. She taught me to give them my best, remembering that their acts are normal and natural from their standpoint. King: Who is your second guru? Dattatreya: Water it is a force that contains life and purity. It cleanses whatever it touches and provides life to whoever drinks it. Water flows unceasingly. If it stops, it becomes stagnant. Keep moving is the lesson I learned from water. King: Your third guru? Dattatreya: Fire. It burns everything, transforming it into flame. By consuming dead logs, it produces warmth and light. Thus, I learnt how to absorb everything that life brings and how to turn it into flame. This flame en‐ lightens my life and in that light, others can walk safely. King: Who is your fourth guru, sir? Dattatreya: Wind is my fourth guru. The wind moves unceasingly, touching flowers and thorns alike, but never attaches itself to the objects it touches. Like the wind, I learned not to prefer flowers over thorns or friends over foes. Like the wind, my goal is to provide freshness to all without becoming attached. King: The fifth guru, sir? Dattatreya: This all‐pervading and all‐embracing space is my fifth guru. Space has room for the sun, moon, and stars and yet, it remains untouched and unconfined. I, too, must have room for all the diversities, and still re‐ main unaffected by what I contain. All visible and invisible objects may have their rightful place within me, but they have no power to confine my consciousness. King: Who is your sixth guru, sir? Dattatreya: The moon. The moon waxes and wanes and yet never loses its essence, totality, or shape. From watching the moon, I learned that waxing and waning‐rising and falling, pleasure and pain, loss and gain‐are simply phases of life. While passing through these phases, I never lose awareness of my true Self.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

King: Who is your seventh guru? Dattatreya: The sun is my seventh guru. With its bright rays, the sun draws water from everything, transforms it into clouds, and then distributes it as rain without favor. Rain falls on forests, mountains, valleys, deserts, oceans, and cities. Like the sun, I learned how to gather knowledge from all sources, transform that knowledge into practical wisdom, and share it with all without preferring some recipients and excluding others. King: And your eighth guru? Dattatreya: My eighth guru is a ﬂock of pigeons. One pigeon fell into a hunter's net and cried in despair. Other pigeons tried to rescue it and got caught, too. From these pigeons, I learned that even a positive reaction, if it springs from attachment and emotion, can entangle and ensure.

Give to everyone who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would

King: Your ninth guru, sir? Dattatreya: My ninth guru is the python who catches and eats its prey, and then doesn't hunt again for a long time. It taught me that once my need has been met, I must be satisfied and not make myself miserable running after the objects of my desire. King: Who is your tenth guru? Dattatreya: The ocean, which is the abode of the waters. It receives and assimilates water from all the rivers in the world and never overflows its boundaries. It taught me that no matter what experiences I go through in life, no matter how many kicks and blows I receive, I must maintain my discipline. King: Who is your eleventh guru, oh wise one? Dattatreya: The moth is my eleventh guru. Drawn by light, it flies from its dwelling to sacrifice itself in the flame. It taught me that once I see the dawn, I must overcome my fear, soar at full speed, and plunge into the flame of knowledge to be consumed and transformed.

do to you, do so to them.

King: The twelfth? Dattatreya: My twelfth guru is a bumblebee who takes only the tiniest drops of nectar from the flowers. Before accepting even that much, it hums and hovers and dances, creating an atmosphere of joy around the flower. It not only sings the song of cheerfulness; it also gives more to the flowers than it takes. It pollinates the plants and helps them prosper by flying from one flower to another. I learned from the bumblebee that I should take only a little from nature and that I should do so cheerfully, enriching the source from which I receive suste‐ nance. King: Your thirteenth guru? Dattatreya: My thirteenth guru is the honeybee who collects more nectar than it needs. It gathers nectar from different sources, swallows it, transforms it into honey, and brings it to the hive. It consumes only a bit of what it gathers, sharing the rest with others. Thus I should gather wisdom from the teachers of all disciplines and process the knowledge that I gain. I must apply the knowledge that is conducive to my growth, but I must be ready to share everything I know with others. King: The fourteenth guru, oh wise seeker? Dattatreya: Once I saw a wild elephant being trapped. A tame female elephant in season was the bait. Sensing her presence, the wild male emerged from its domain and fell into a pit that had been cleverly concealed with branches and heaps of leaves. Once caught, the wild elephant was tamed to be used by others. This elephant is my fourteenth guru because he taught me to be careful with my passions and desires. Worldly charms arouse our sensory impulses and, while chasing after the sense cravings, the mind gets trapped and enslaved, even thought it is powerful.

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

King: Who is your fifteenth guru, sir? Dattatreya: The deer, with its keen sense of hearing. It listens intently and is wary of all noises, but is lured to its doom by the melody of the deer hunter's flute. Like the deer, we keep our ears alert for every bit of news, ru‐ mor, and gossip, and are skeptical about much that we hear. But we become spellbound by certain words, which, due to our desires, attachments, cravings, and vasanas (subtle impressions from the past), we delight to hear. This tendency creates misery for others and ourselves. King: And who is your sixteenth guru? Dattatreya: The fish who swallows a baited hook and is caught by the fisherman. This world is like bait. As long as I remember the episode of the fish, I remain free of the hook.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

King: Who is your seventeenth guru? Dattatreya: A prostitute who knows that she doesn't love her customers, nor do they love her. Yet she waits for them and, when they come, enacts the drama of love. She isn't satisfied with the artificial love she gives and receives, nor with the payment she is given. I realized that all humans are like prostitutes and the world, like the customers, is enjoying us. The payment is always inadequate and we feel dissatisfied. Thus, I became deter‐ mined not to live like a prostitute. Instead, I will live with dignity and self‐respect, not expecting this world to give me either material or internal satisfaction, but to find it myself by going within. King: Who is your eighteenth guru? Dattatreya: My eighteenth guru is a little bird who was flying with a worm in its beak. Larger birds flew after him and began pecking him. They stopped only when the little bird dropped the worm. Thus, I learned that the secret of survival lies in renunciation, not in possession. King: Who is your nineteenth guru, sir? Dattatreya: My nineteenth guru is the baby that cries when it is hungry and stops when it suckles at its moth‐ er's breast. When the baby is full, it stops feeding and nothing its mother does can induce it to take more milk. I learned from this baby to demand only when I really need. When it's provided, I must take only what I require and then turn my face away. King: And your twentieth guru? Dattatreya: A young woman whom I met when I was begging for alms. She told me to wait while she prepared a meal. Her bracelets jangled as she cooked, so she removed one. But the noise continued, so she took off all her bracelets, one by one, until only one remained. Then there was silence. Thus, I learned that wherever there is a crowed, there is noise, disagreement, and dissension. Peace can be expected only in solitude. King: And your twenty‐first guru? Dattatreya: A snake that makes no hole for itself, but who rests in holes other creatures have abandoned, or curls up in the hollow of a tree for a while, and then moves on. From this snake, I learned to adjust myself to my environment and enjoy the resources of nature without encumbering myself with a permanent home. Crea‐ tures in nature move constantly, continually abandoning their previous dwellings. Therefore, while floating along the current of nature, I find plenty of places to rest. Once I am rested, I move on. King: And your twenty‐second guru? Dattatreya: My twenty‐second guru is an arrow maker who was so absorbed in shaping his arrowheads that the king and his entire army passed without attracting his attention. Thus I learned from the arrow makes to be absorbed in the task at hand, no matter how big or small. The more one‐pointed my focus, the greater my ab‐

DIVYA

JYOTHI

PAGE

sorption, and the greater my absorption, the more subtle my awareness. The goal is subtle, and can only be grasped by subtle awareness. King: Your twenty‐third guru? Dattatreya: My twenty‐third guru is a little spider who built itself a nice cozy web. When a larger spider chased it, it rushed to take refuge in its web. But it ran so fast that it got entangled and was swallowed by the bigger spider. Thus, I learned that we create webs for ourselves by trying to build a safe haven, and as we race along the threads of these webs, we become entangled and are consumed. There is no safety to be found in the com‐ plicated webs of our actions.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.' II Corinthians 5:7”

King: And who is your twenty‐fourth guru? Dattatreya: My twenty‐fourth guru is a worm who was caught by a songbird and placed in its nest. As the bird began singing, the worm became so absorbed in the song that it lost all awareness of its peril. Watching this little creature become absorbed in a song in the face of death reminded me that I, too, must develop the art of listening so that I my become absorbed in the eternal sound, nada, that is always within me. Listening to Dattatreya, the king realized that the wisdom of this sage flowed from his determination to keep the goal of life firmly fixed in his awareness and from his ability to find the teachings everywhere he turned. This particular conversation is found Srimad Bhagavad Purana and is part of the conversation between Lord Krishna and Uddhava. This dialogue is also part of various Puranas and other holy scriptures in Hinduism.

(Source: Book ‐ The Himalayan Masters: A Living Tradition by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD) http://www.hindu‐blog.com/2009/12/guru‐sri‐dattatreya‐teachings‐twenty.html

Answers to Upanishad Quotient 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

DIVYA

Upanishad ‐ that which uplifts you Upasana ‐ to stay close Upavasa ‐ fasting Upanayana ‐ eyes of truth Mandukya ‐ frog Shushupti ‐ deep sleep Jagarana ‐ night out Turiya ‐ fourth state of Consciousness Upaadhi ‐ Instrument Shravana, manana, nidhidhyasana ‐ listen, reﬂect, meditate or, contemplate

JYOTHI

PAGE

Please ensure the Asanas are practiced only under the super‐ vision of a quali‐ ﬁed Yogacharya. You can contact Atmajyothi Pra‐ sad for more details.

Yogasana

• • • • • • • • •

STEP – 1 : Introduction of Asana Name: Veera bhadrasana Meaning: Warrior posture Justiﬁcation: Final posture looks like a warrior ﬁring an arrow Type: Standing Category: Culturative Stithi: Tadasana Vishranti: Shithila tadasana Counts: 8 Complimentary: Self STEP – 2 : Demonstration

• •

Yoga Classes

• • • •

Atmajyothi Pra‐ sad is conduct‐ ing yoga classes through youtube. Please visit youtube.com/ yogajyothi You can also contact him at sppillut‐ la@gmail.com

• • • • • • •

Silent Demonstration: Final posture as shown in figure. Demonstration with counts, explanation and breathing: Come to Stithi (Tadasana) Ekam: Inhale and spread the feet a meter apart Dve: Exhale and raise both hands slowly to horizontal position Trini: Inhale and turn right foot 90 degrees away from you Chatvari: Exhale and bend right knee and gaze at infinity over right hand. Hold the posture for 1 minute with normal breathing Pancha: Inhale and straighten your right knee Shat: Exhale and straighten your right foot Sapta: Inhale and drop your hands by the side of the body Ashta: Exhale and come to tadasana Come to sithila tadasana and relax. STEP – 3 : Benefits and Limitations

Specific Benefits: • Specific Benefits: • Strengthens thighs and leg muscles • Helps in relieving cramps of calf muscles • Brings elasticity to back muscles and leg muscles Specific Limitations: • People with arthritis should avoid posture • People with knee pain should avoid this asana • People with severe hypertension should avoid this asana

• • • • •

DIVYA

STEP – 4 : SUBTLE points The bent knee should make 90 degrees angle Don’t bend forward or backward Don’t bend the other knee Hold the posture for at least 1 minute Perform the asana on the other side as complementary .

JYOTHI

PAGE

Participate There are various forums for you to participate and contribute. Readers Reviews: If you have valuable feedback for Divya Jyothi please share them with us. You can email them to xsubbu@gmail.com and komalmopu@gmail.com Spiritual Insights: You can contribute short articles on your spiritual experi‐ ence, your love for Saduguru (prose/poems), poetry, etc.

Articles: These can include articles on various spiritual topics like Upanishads, Vedanta, Yoga, Trivia, Quiz, Puzzles, Yajna Activities, or your own original ones. Please encourage children to contribute. For contributing in Kannada, please visit google.co.in/transliterate to transliterate your article from English to Kan‐ nada font. Copy paste the Kannada font in the body of Gmail and mail the same.

Next month Jan 2013 we are celebrating Ramana Jayanthi,

Page 3: Pictures and short reports of Satsang activities

Vaikuntha Ekadasi, Spiritual Masters: Articles of teachings on various spiritual masters. All contri‐ butions can be mailed to xsubbu@gmail.com and komalmopu@gmail.com

Birthday of Paramahamsa Yogananda, and

Transcribe: We’ll be studying the 10 important Upanishads over the next year. Prabhuji’s teachings will be translated to various languages. Atmajyothis have volunteered. If interested, please get in touch with Prabhuji

Makara Sankranthi/ Pongal. Please send your contributions

Weekly satsangs: At Prabhuji’ s place over the weekends and at Atmajyothi Anand’s place on Thursdays. Satsangs for festivals are organized at a convenient date/time.

based on the same.

Come Online:

DIVYA

JYOTHI

• •

Atmajyothi Satsang is online at www.atmajyothi‐satsang.org.

•

Atmajyothi Satsang is also on Facebook and Prabhuji can be reached at atmajyothi.satsang@gmail.com

•

Listen to Prabhuji’s live and recorded talks on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/atmajyothisatsang

•

Atmajyothi Vishwa Gurukulam’s classes on Gita and Upanishads for chil‐ dren are broadcast on www.ustream.tv/channel/atmajyothi‐LADS

•

Yoga classes conducted by Atmajyothi Prasad on youtube.com/ yogajyothi

Prabhuji blogs at www.atmajyothi‐prabhu.blogspot.com and http:// www.atmajyothi‐satsang.org/wpadmin_prabhu/wordpress/