Divya Jyothi - Feb 2012 by Atmajyothi Subbu

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Prabhuji Speaks

Spiritual Calendar

Bhakta Markandeya

Mahashivaratri

Glimpses from Shiva Mahapurana

Contemplation on Symbol-

ism associated with Lord Shiva Q&A: Answers on Lord

Divya Jyothi Sharing the Enlightened Wisdom I S S U E

F E B

2 0 1 2

From the editor’s desk

Shiva Spiritual Insights

Spiritual Masters

Ego Vs Love

Guru Paduka Stotram

Why this Kolaveri di

One inquisitive step at a time towards spirituality

Patanjali Yoga Sutra

Job Interviews

Few Events from life

Levels of consciousness

Page 3

Bapuji Children’s home

Sanatana Dharma

Draupadi Maana Rakshana

Who is the Guru

Narayanam Hari Narayanam 53 Beyond the I, You are That

In search of Happiness

Wishing everyone a happy MahaShivaratri !! We have soup girls in the house !! Well, not the one’s failed in love but lost in life until they met Sadguru Prabhuji who put their life in reverse gear , sent them back to the source we mean. We feature in the Feb edition, the Adhyatmic version of Kolaveri Di, a tribute to Sadguru penned by Atmajyothi Gayatri and Atmajyothi Divya. Until the planets continue to stay in their regular orbits, Prabhuji has come up with a novel idea of organizing contribu‐ tions around a spiritual calendar composed of festivals and events in lives of enlightened masters. This’ll help us under‐ stand the spiritual significance of festivals and also serve as a barometer for us to measure our own evolution and clarity. The stories and lives of enlightened masters will bring inspiration and peace. The Feb edition will feature articles on Shivaratri, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Meher Baba. Of course this will be in addition to the regular contributions sent by Atmajyothis. We’ll go a bit o.eat into our work a day lives. Atmajyothis Uma and Subbu describe how spiritu‐ ality has influenced their thought process during job interviews. Atmajyothi Padmalochan gives us a ring side view of some events in and around his home where he saw the Lord's hand in the hap‐ penings. There is also a new section called Spiritual Insights, which features poems and short notes by Atmajyothis expressing their Love for Sadguru or their understanding of the truth. We will also have a column called Page 3 which will feature satsang meetings and service activities done by various groups in the period between two consecutive publications. To spice up your knowledge of Shiva a little bit more Atmajyothi Komal has contributed a word puzzle where you need to find 20 names of Shiva. We also have a couple of Zen koans to get your contemplative juices flowing. Do check them out. Lastly Divya Jyothi has received some lovely feedback from readers which is featured in the end. Thanks for your encouragement. Happy reading !!!

Musings

Transformation Story

Bhava (athita) Geete

7 steps to peak of human consciousness

In search of eternity

Hari Om,

Nitya Sadhana

Editorial Team.

Vachana Sahitya

Lingas

Readers Review

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Prabhuji Speaks: Light of Lights God is the light of all lights. God is Love, God is Peace. His brilliance is greater than the Light of thousand suns. How do we find this Light ? Where is this light ? The question is like question asked by one fish in a ocean to another fish. First fish : “ I have heard that water is everywhere and everything. I want to see the water one day in my life”. Second fish : “ All this is water !”

I have heard a quote : “Fish is the last one to ﬁnd out what water is ”. Everything in ocean is water including ﬁsh. Similarly, whatever we see, whatever we experience is nothing but God only. God is the only Reality. Sole reality of existence. There is nothing other than God. God is pure awareness, Light of our Self ‐ Atmajyothi is God. Sun is the most brilliant object in the Universe. If we do not have eye sight, we cannot see the sun. Hence the light of eye is greater than the light of sun. Similarly, even if we have eyes, we cannot see if our mind is absent. Light of mind is greater than the light of sun and the eyes. If awareness (Atmajyothi) is not there, even light of mind doesn’t work. Hence, the light of self‐awareness (Atmajyothi) is light of all lights. It is the greatest light. It is the light of thousand suns.

Awareness is the sole reality of the Universe. Awareness manifests as Universal consciousness, individual consciousness and objects of consciousness. In spite of appearance of all these, awareness remains unchanged. It is similar to saying that sole reality of ocean and wave is water. Water is unchanged in spite of waves. One who is established in awareness becomes free from duality of life – free from suﬀering. The purpose of life is to discover the light of awareness within and share the light with others. ( atmano mokshartham, jagad hitayacha)

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Spiritual Calendar Date

Day

Festival

Main focus of Magazine - Front Cover

Additional Coverage - Back Cover

Vivekananda’s teaching

Makara Sankranti, Vaikunta Ekadasi

Teachings of Shiva

Message of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sharada Devi, Vivekananda

Teachings of Mahavira

Message of Ugadi Rama‐ navami

Teachings of Adi Shanka‐ ra

Message of Ramanavami

Teachings of Ramanu‐ jacharya

Message of Hanuman Jayanthi

Teaching of Buddha

Teachings of Zen Masters

Teachings of Suﬁ Mas‐ ters—Meher Baba

Teaching of Eckhart Tolbe

Guru Purnima

Teachings of Prabhuji

Teachings of Atmajyothis

Friday

Krishna Janmashtami

Teachings of Krishna— Bhagavad Gita

Teachings of Chaitanya Ma‐ haprabhu, Prabhupad

15‐Aug‐12

Wednesday

Birthday of Sri Aurobindo

19‐Sep‐12

Wednesday

Ganesh Chaturthi

Teachings of Sri Ramana

Message of Ganesha Chaturthi

24‐Oct‐12

Wednesday

Dusshera

Teachings of Madh‐ vacharya

Message of Dusserah

29‐Oct‐12

Monday

Lakshmi Puja

24‐Oct‐12

Wednesday

Madhva Jayanthi

13‐Nov‐12

Tuesday

Diwali

Teachings of Guru Nanak

Message of Diwali

28‐Nov‐12

Wednesday

Kartik Poornima

28‐Nov‐12

Wednesday

Guru Nanak Jayanthi

23‐Dec‐12

Sunday

Holy Mother Sharada Devi B'day

Teachings of Dattatreya

23‐Dec‐12

Sunday

Gita Jayanthi 2012

Teachings of Christian Mystics, Christ

25‐Dec‐12

Tuesday

Christmas

28‐Dec‐12

Friday

Dattatreya Jayanthi

7‐Jan‐12

Sunday

Ramana Jayanthi

5‐Jan‐12

Thursday

Vaikunta Ekadasi, Birthday of Para‐ mahamsa Yogananda

12‐Jan‐12

Thursday

Vivekananda Jayanthi

14‐Jan‐12

Saturday

Makarsankranti / Pongal

18‐Feb‐12

Saturday

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Jayanthi

20‐Feb‐12

Monday

Maha Shivaratri

25‐Feb‐12

Saturday

Meher Baba Birthday

8‐Mar‐12

Thursday

Holi

23‐Mar‐12

Friday

Ugadi

1‐Apr‐12

Sunday

Ramanavami

5‐April‐12

Thursday

Mahavir Jayanthi

6‐Apr‐12

Friday

Hanuman Jayanti

26‐Apr‐12

Thursday

Adi Shankara Jayanthi

27‐Apr‐12

Friday

Ramanuja Jayanthi

6‐May‐12

Sunday

Buddha Purnima

15‐Jun‐12

Friday

3‐Jul‐12

Tuesday

10‐Aug‐12

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Bhakta Markandeya Once upon a time, there was a sage called Markandu, who married a noble lady by name Maruthavathi. Now, Maruthavathi was a good hearted and kind lady and was very devoted to her husband. They lived in a small hut in a forest. Everything was absolutely ﬁne, but they didn’t have any children. One day, the sage decided to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi. There, he went and had a bath in the sacred river Ganga and visited various temples, like the temple of Viswanath, Visalakshi etc. and did poojas, with full of devotion. Then he went near the temple of Viswanath and started doing intense penance. His intense devotion, made Lord Shiva to appear before him, and the Lord asked the sage “My dear, I am pleased with you, I will grant you a boon, ask anything you want.” The Sage said

The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.’ - Swami Vive-

Shiva protects Markandeya from Yama—Painting by Ravi Varma. Source: Wikipedia.org

“My dear Lord, I would like to have a son”. Lord Shiva said “Would you like to have a child which will live for 100 years and who will be dull and unintelligent, or a son who will live for only 16 years, but will be intelligent, good natured and devoted one”. The sages asks for a child who is completely devoted to Lord Shiva and says it is worth having such a child, even if his life span is short. The Lord grants the sage, the boon.

After some time Maruthavathi gives birth to a beautiful boy baby, and on that occasion Sage Markandu does a lot of charity, and celebrates the birth of his child. Lord Brahma appears before the couple, and asks them to name the child as ‘Markandeya’. Hence the child is named as Markandeya. The child also grows up with full of devotion to Lord Shiva. He also learns all Vedas and other scriptures with ease. His parents were im‐ mersed in their happiness and love for their child. But as his age nears 16, the parents started worrying, be‐ cause their only son will be taken by Lord Yama.

Markandeya also observes the sorrow in his parents eyes and asks them the reason. In the beginning, they refuse to reveal it, but when Markandeya insists then they tell him of how they got Markandeya as their son. On hearing, Markandeya remains calm and tells his parents, not to worry. He decides to go to Kashi and tells his parents about his decision and tells them that he will do pooja and meditate on Lord Shiva and please him and in the process overcome death. Seeking the blessing of his parents, he goes to Kashi.

kananda After reaching Kashi, he takes a bath in the river Ganga, in Manikarnika Ghat and with a heart full of devotion does pooja and meditates on Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is pleased and asks him to continue with it and not to worry about the death. When the time of his death comes, Yama’s servant comes and request Markandeya to follow him, but Markandeya is completely immersed in his pooja. Yama’s servant goes and complains to Lord Yama. Lord Yama gets angry and he himself comes and tells him that his time is over, but Markandeya refuses and hugs the Shivalinga and continues his chanting. When Lord Yama forces to take his life, Lord Shiva appears and warns Yama not to disturb his devotee and blesses Markandeya to be a Chiranjivi. After getting the blessings of Lord Shiva , Markandeya returns back to his parents, who are overwhelmed with tears to have their son back with them. He also takes care of his parents and lives with them happily.

— Atmajyothi Mamatha

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Mahashivaratri MAHASHIVARATRI FOR SHIVA'S WORSHIP Once Parvati asked lord Shiva as to which were the austerities, when on being performed by a devotee, helps him to attain both worldly accomplishments as well as liberation. Lord Shiva told her about ten austerities connected with his worship and their methods. He said‐

Among all the austerities and fastings, Mahashivaratri holds a supreme place.

"On the eighth day of every month a devotee should worship me by observing a fast for the whole day and breaking it in the night. But on Kalashtami a devotee must observe the fast for the whole day and night. He must not have food on that day. On the eleventh day of the dark‐lunar month, a devotee must worship me and observe fast during the day. He should break the fast in the night. But on the eleventh day of the bright lunar month, a devotee should observe a fast for the whole period of day and night. On the thirteenth day of dark‐lunar month a devotee must observe fast for the whole period of day and night, whereas on the thirteenth day of a bright lunar phase he should observe a fast during the day and break it in the night. A fast observed on Monday should be broken only in the night."

Lord Shiva continued with his statements‐ "Among all the austerities and fastings, Mahashivaratri holds a supreme place. It falls on the fourteenth day of the dark lunar month of Phalgun. On this day the devotee should take a vow to observe a fast after awak‐ ening in the morning and ﬁnishing his daily choirs. He must observe a fast for the whole day and night. In the night he should worship me either in the temple or in his own home according to his convenience. He should worship me with the help of sixteen modes of worship (Shodasopachar). He should either chant the mantras of Laghurudra or perform 'abhishek' during the course of worship. While doing worship he should eulogize me and perform 'artis' in my praise. He can perform 'abhishek' with either of the followings ‐ Milk, water, sacred water of belonging to a place of pilgrimage, sprinkling water with Kusha, Sugarcane juice, Honey and Ghee etc. The devotee should engage himself in my devotion for the whole day. In the end he should feed the brahmins and make donation to them. A fast observed in this way gives inﬁnite virtues to the devotee." After observing fasts for fourteen consecutive years on each of the Shivaratri days, a devotee should per‐ form 'Uddyapan' (religious rites performed on the accomplishment of an observance). On the day preceding the Uddyapan ceremony, a devotee must have food for one time. The next day a devotee should perform Uddyapan after making a religious vow and according to the appropriate methods. A devotee who performs Uddyapan in the above mentioned way attains to the Shivaloka.

THE GREATNESS OF MAHASHIVARATRI There used to live a poor Bheel named Gurudruha. He was very poor. One day ﬁnding no food available in his house, he went to the forest to hunt an animal. Unfortunately he did not ﬁnd any animal which he could hunt. Being hungry, he sat down on the bank of a pond and pondered as to what would happen to his family mem‐ bers who were hungry too. He thought that if he waited there, then he might get a chance to kill a thirsty animal, which arrives there to drink water. Gurudruha climbed up a bael tree and waited for his prey. A Shivalinga was established just under that tree

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and co incidentally it was a Shivaratri day. When the first three hours of the night had passed, he saw a fe‐ male deer arriving with her young ones. He got ready with his bow and arrow and aimed his arrow towards the female deer. By coincidence some leaves from that bael tree fell on the Shivalinga along with some drops of water from the vessel in which he was carrying water. Gurudruha had unknowingly accomplished the worship of Shiva during the first 'Prahar' of the night. After hearing the noise made by falling drops of water, the female deer looked up. She saw Gurudruha sit‐ ting with his bow and arrows. She asked him about his desire. Gurudruha told her that he wanted to kill her, so that he could feed his family members. The female deer requested him to allow her to go so that she could leave her young ones in the safe custody of her husband. She promised to come back. At first Gurudruha was reluctant but when the female deer started giving illustrations from the scriptures, he allowed her to go. Meanwhile the sister of female deer arrived there with her young ones. When Gurudruha saw her, he got ready to kill her. Suddenly his movements on the tree, made some leaves of bael and few drops of water to fall on the Shivalinga. It was the second Prahara of the night and Gurudruha had again performed the wor‐ shiped of Shiva unknowingly. When the female deer (Second) heard the noise made by falling drop of water She looked up towards Gurudruha. She asked him about his desire. When Gurudruha told about his desire, she requested him to allow her to go so that she could hand over her young ones in the safe custody of her husband. Initially, Gurudruha was reluctant to allow her to go, but when she promised to return back, he allowed her to go. Gurudruha sat on the branches of the bael tree waiting for his prey. The second prahar of the night was com‐ ing to an end and the third prahar about to begin. The deer arrived there searching his wife and children. Gurudruha again made himself ready to kill that dear. Again some leaves and few drops of water fell on the Shivalinga. The worship of Shiva during the third Pra‐ hara had been accomplished by Gurudruha, though unknowingly. On hearing the noise made by the falling drops of water, the dear looked up and asked Gurudruha about his desire. Gurudruha told him about his de‐ sire. The deer requested Gurudruha to allow him to meet his wife and children for once. The deer promised to return back. After becoming satisfied by his intentions, Gurudruha allowed him to go to meet his family. Gurudruha sat on the bael tree waiting for the deers anxiously. The third prahar of the night was approach‐ ing its end and the fourth prahar was about to begin. Suddenly Gurudruha saw all the three deer's coming towards the pond. He became extremely pleased at the prospect of getting flesh of three animals. He got read with his bow and arrows. His movements on the bael tree again made some leaves and few drops of water to fall on the Shivaling. Gurudruha had successfully accomplished the worship of Shiva even during the fourth Prahar. Not only this he had also remained awake for the whole night of Shivaratri. The fast observed by Gurudruha on Shivaratri along with the worship of Shiva though unknowingly had made him on enlightened person. The thought of killing the deers remained no longer in his heart. He thanked all the deers for their help in his attainment of enlightenment. Lord Shiva became extremely pleased and appeared before him. He blessed Gurudruha that in his next birth he would get an opportunity to serve Sri Rama and would become famous as Nishad. Lord Shiva also told Gurudruha that by the blessings of Sri Rama he would attain salvation by the blessings of Sri Rama he would

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attain salvation. Suta while describing about the virtues of observing fast on Shivaratri told the sages that if a fast observed unwaringly on Shivaratri gives such virtues then what could be said about a fast which is observed deliber‐ ately. According to Suta such a fast would bestow both worldly pleasures and salvation.

WORSHIP OF LORD SHIVA FOR LIBERATION Only lord Shiva is capable of bestowing liberation. One can attain Dharma (virtuosity), Artha (Wealth) and Kama (desires and wishes) by the worship of other deities, but lord Shiva bestows all the four of them. Lord Brahma is believed to be the master of the three elementary qualities i.e. Satva, Rajas, and Tamas. Shiva is beyond these qualities and even the nature itself. He is formless. Lord Shiva is a mystery which remains unsolved even though many sages and even lord Brahma have tried to solve this mystery called Shiva.

lord Shiva with

The ﬁfth stage of liberation is called Kaivalya which is attained by having complete devotion towards lord Shiva. In the present era of Kali, where the attainment of self knowledge is very diﬃcult, devotion is relative‐ ly an easier path.

total devotion

Even devotion has been categorised into two types: a) Saguna (with form) b) Nirguna (formless)

he attains self

If man worships lord Shiva with total devotion he attains self knowledge. Each and every objects of this world is nothing but the manifestation of Shiva's power. The creation achieves expansion only when he de‐ sires. Shiva is omniscient but himself invisible. Just as the fire, which already exists in the wood but is visible only after it is rubbed, similarly only the 'Gyanis' can experience lord Shiva even though he is omnipresent. Just as there is no difference between cause and effect, but is appears so due to our ignorance, similarly an ignorant man can never experience the omnipresent Shiva by his sense organs. The living things possess ego but lord Shiva is egoless. A man can successfully subjugate his ego by becoming knowledgeable and attains liberation after uniting with lord Shiva.

If man worships

knowledge.

This knowledge was received by lord Vishnu from Shiva. Lord Vishnu later on revealed it to lord Brahma and Brahma in turn revealed it to his Manasputra ‐ Sanak, etc. The Manasputra revealed this knowledge to Nara‐ da and Narada revealed it to Vyasa.

— From Shiva Purana, Complied by Atmajyothi Komal ‘So Shiva is the Adiguru and Sadguru is Shiva only’

THE LEGEND OF SHIVA LINGA According to Puranas, once the other two of the triads of Hindu Gods, Brahma and Vishnu were fighting over each other’s prowess. Horrified at the intensity of the battle, the other gods asked Shiva to intervene. To make them realize the futility of their fight, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a flaming Linga in between Brah‐ ma and Vishnu and challenged both of them by asking them to measure the gigantic Linga (phallic symbol of Lord Shiva). Awestruck by its magnitude, Brahma and Vishnu decided to find one end each to establish supremacy over the other. Lord Brahma took the form of a swan and went upwards while Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Varaha ‐ a boar and went into the earth towards nether land. Both searched for thousands of miles but nei‐

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ther could find the end. On his journey upward, Brahma came across Ketaki flower. Exhausted and bewildered with his search to find the uppermost limit of fiery column, Brahma made Ketaki assent to lie that he had seen the top of the col‐ umn where the flower had previously resided. Accompanied by his accomplice, Brahma confronted Vishnu and asserted that he had indeed discovered the origin of the cosmic column. At this point, the central part of the pillar split open and Shiva revealed himself in His full glory. Overawed, both Brahma and Vishnu bowed before him accepted lord Shiva’s supremacy. Lord Shiva also explained to Brahma and Vishnu that both of them were born out of him and that the three were then separated out into three different aspects of divinity. However, Lord Shiva was angry with Brahma for making a false claim. The Lord cursed Brahma that no one would ever pray to him. (This legend explains why there is hardly any Brahma temple of significance in India.) Lord Shiva also punished the Ketaki flower for testifying falsely and banned her from being used as an offer‐ ing for any worship. Since it was on the 14th day in the dark fortnight of the month of Phalguna that Shiva first manifested him‐ self in the form of a Linga, the day is extremely auspicious and is celebrated as Mahashivaratri ‐ the grand night of Shiva.

— Contributed by Atmajyothi Komal

‘Perfection is always infinite. We are the Infinite already. You and I, and all beings, are trying to manifest that infinity. ‘ ‘Perfection does not come from belief or faith. Talk does not count for anything. Parrots can do that. Perfection comes through selfless work.’ - Swami Vivekananda

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Glimpses from Shiva Maha Purana Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu... Shiva Maha Purana highlights the glory of Parameswara. To read and understand entire Shiva Maha Pura‐ na may not be possible for all, So here are some glimpses of Shiva Maha Purana. Salutations To Shiva.

Nature is Maya and Shiva is the presiding enchanter of the

Standing where can one invoke the One who abides everywhere, To which direction can one turn to wor‐ ship Him who faces all the directions! What offerings can one take Whose body is the whole Cosmos! What incense can one offer Him , the crescent moon whose crest is kissed by the fragrant clouds of the Himalaya! What is the use of offering food to One who is for ever sated ? What dance can please him Who dances in rapture in every Atom of the Universe! How can one go around him Who cannot be circumscribed by Space! What song can please him whose breath is the Sama Veda, the primordial sound of music! How can one Prostrate in front of Lord Shiva when he surrounds us in every directions ? Yet, the Lord who is closer to us than our own breath, takes form out of his infinite compassion, to bring himself nearer to us ! Origin and Glory

world.

Kameswara.The Lord , who is the slayer of Kama, the God of Love, is also Kamesvara, the Lord of Love, who has given half his body to his beloved Uma! Nature is Maya and Shiva is the presiding enchanter of the world. As Mahesvara, Shiva transcends the Trinity (Brahma,shiva,vishnu), even as he is above the three states of waking, dream and sleep and the three modes of sattva, rajas and tamas.The Shiva Maha Purana can be sought and understand only by those blessed by Shiva himself. The recitation of the Ru‐ dram is part of the daily prayer of many vaidika devotees of Lord Shiva. In this hymn we meditate on vari‐ ous forms of Shiva, and pray to him to ﬁll our lives with divine blessings. The Formless all pervading Su‐ preme Godhead took the human form of Shiva out of compassion for mankind. Manifestations Dakshinamurti ‐ The Silent Teacher. Below the mighty banyan tree, is seated Dakshinamurti ‐ Shiva in his aspect as a Spiritual master. The silent message revealed by Dakshinamurti in the hearts of his great disci‐ ples is summed up by Bagavatpada Shankara. It is the light of God that illumines the whole universe and shines as perception and thought in the minds of individual souls, like the glow of a powerful lamp placed in a pot with many holes. Those who take refuge at the feet of the Lord with the Vedic Dictum ''Thou Art That'' are granted the boon of knowledge of Brahman and are freed from the realm of birth and death. ''The Guru speaks in eloquent Silence, and the doubts of the disciples are shattered to Smither‐ eens '' , says the famous verse (Gurostu Mounam Vyaakyaanam, Sishyaastu Chinna Samsayaha ). Nataraja ‐ The Cosmic Dancer. On the Vast stage of the universe and the vaster expanse of our conscious‐ ness, Shiva Nataraja dances his exquisite Cosmic Dance. Creation, Protection, Destruction, Illusion and Grace are the ﬁve great acts of the Cosmic process that are symbolized in the grand image of Shiva Nata‐ raja's astounding Icon. Muthuswami Dhikshithar the composer of the classical song as the tribute to the Lord of Cosmic Dance as manifest in Chidambaram is as follows ‐ I take refuge at the feet of The Master of the Dance of Bliss, The Lord of the stage of Consciousness, The Spouse of creeper ‐ Like Shivakami! Lustrous like millions of suns, The giver of enjoyment and liberation , The Protector of the Lowly!.

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Everywhere is his form, everywhere the play of ShivaShakti, everywhere is chidambaram, everywhere is the divine dance, everywhere Shiva alone is, everywhere abides the play of Shiva's Grace ! Lingodhbhava ‐ Infinite Pillar of Light. The illimitable light of The Lord filled the nether worlds and heav‐ ens... This Manifestation of Shiva took place between the destruction and re‐absorption of one world epoch (beginning of an era), and the beginning of another aeon .(yuga or manvantara). Shiva's Lumines‐ cence was like a hundred fires of dissolution, with a thousand garlands of flame, devoid of any decrease or increase, without a beginning, middle or end ! Ardhanarisvara ‐ Two in One. The Lord of yoga is also the Lord of Prema (love). That is why he gave his beloved a place in his very Person ! Day and Night, heat and cold, happiness and sorrow, male and fe‐ male... Such dualities reign in the experience of man.

All is Shiva. Only Shiva Exists.

Bhairava ‐ He shines like a million suns (Bhanukoti Bhasvaram ). He , The Supreme, takes devotees past the ocean of earthly existence (Bhavabdi tarakam param). He spells death to death (kalakalam). He gives worldly happiness as well as liberation (Bhukti mukti dayakam). Shiva’s eight forms All is Shiva. Only Shiva Exists. The five elements, the sun, the moon, the soul everything is Shiva. This is expressed in the concept of Shiva's eight forms. Shiva Maha Purana explains the Ashtamurthi forms of Shiva ‐ The eight forms of Shiva are the five gross elements, the sun, the moon and the Soul. Bhava ‐ As Bhava , Shiva is existence and is represented by Water. Parjanya ‐ As Parjanya, becomes attendant of Shiva, the rain God. Rudra ‐ As Rudra, Shiva appears in the Vedas as powerful and divine force. Rudra means remover of pain. Ugra ‐ As Ugra, Shiva is the wind that throbs in the inner and outer universe. Bhima ‐ As Bhima, Shiva is the embodiment of ether and fulfills the desire of all beings. Pashupathi ‐ As Pashupathi, Shiva is the lord of all beings. He is the lord of their Soul, support of all crea‐ tures. Isana ‐ As Isana, Shiva is the luminous sun, brightens the entire universe as the sun, he is the nourisher. Mahadevan ‐ As Mahadevan, Shiva is the moon that bathes everything around in the nectar of its rays. A Potion of Poison ‐ The search of nectar brings a torrent of poison. But Poison is nectar to Shiva, who is the Venom of world‐ ly attachment. Oh Lord when the ocean of milk was churned by the celestial to get Amrita the deadly poison Kalakuta was spit out by Adhishesha. You swallowed the dark poison because it has been acquired in the process of saving the world from ruin, Even this Faint in the neck is charming to look at !. What was the most noxious venom to the wise one who had seen through the primal poison of attachment to the body and the greed for Possession .

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Mahamrityunjaya The conqueror of death. Shiva is also Mrityunjaya, with the life giving Mahamrityunjaya Mantra we say '' We worship the three‐eyed lord , who is fragrant and nourishes all beings , May he sever us from death and give us immortality, As softly as the ripe cucumber is freed from the creeper '' ! Jai Jai Mahdi ! Glory to the God of Immortality ! The 12 Jyotirlingas ‐ The Shastras say that Lord Parameswara must be worshipped in Linga from. Likewise , the Lord manifest‐ ed of his own accord in Svayambhu Linga form in many places, among these , the 12 prominent and glori‐ ous pilgrim centres are ‐

Shiva is also Mrityunjaya, with the life giving Mahamrityunjaya Mantra we say '' We worship the three-eyed lord , who is fragrant and nourishes all beings , May he sever us from death and give us immortality, As softly as the ripe cucumber is freed from the creeper ''

1 . Somanat ‐ In the land of Saurastra where heaven and the Earth meet, the radiant One adorned by the crescent moon appears. He has descended to enable devotees worship him, I surrender to that Lord Somanath . (Adi shankara). 2. Mallikarjuna ‐ In the Sheshadri hills, on the peak of the Srisailam, where the celestials dwells in peace, reigns Lord Mallikarjuna. I bow to him, who is the bridge over the sea of worldly existence . (Adi Shanka‐ ra). 3. Mahakalesvara ‐ He has incarnated in Avanti (Ujjain) to redeem noble souls and bless with salvation. I bow to that Mahakala, the Lord of Gods, to protect me from untimely death. (Adi Shankara). 4. Omkaresvara ‐ I sing the praise of Lord Omkaresvara, the saviour of noble souls, and worship the divine Linga established in the city of Mandhata on the banks of the Narmada. (Adi Shankara). 5. Vaidyanath ‐ I constantly bow to the Lord Vaidyanath, whose lotus feet are worshipped both by de‐ mons and divine beings, and who resides in the Purulia region along with Girija, the daughter of the hills. (Adi Shankara). 6. Bhimasankara ‐ I bow to the famed Lord Bhimasankara, who is always the benefactor of his devotees and receives homage from demons in the assembly of yoginis named Dakini and Sakini. (Adi Shankara). 7. Ramesvaram ‐ I bow to Lord Ramesvara who was worshipped by Sri Ramachandra with Bilva leaves after constructing a bridge at the spot where the Tamraparani river merges with the Ocean.(Adi Shanka‐ ra). 8. Nagesvara ‐ I seek the refuge of Lord Nagesvara , who is adorned by diverse snakes. He, who lives in the Charming town of Amarda, is the one Lord who vouchsafes worldly enjoyment as well as ﬁnal re‐ lease. (Adi Shankara). 9. Kasi Visvanath ‐ I seek refuge in Vishvanath, the Lord of Varanasi and the protector of those who have no support. He is the embodiment of happiness, resides blissfully in the forest of Joy (Kasi), and nulliﬁes all sins... (Adi Shankara). 10. Tryambakesvara ‐ I sing the praise of Tryambakeswara who resides on the sacred banks of the Godava‐ ri on the ranges of the Sahyadri mountains. The very sight of his form destroys all sins... (Adi Shankara). 11. Kedaranath ‐ I extol Lord Shiva , who takes the form of Kedara on the banks of the Mandakini on the Himalayan ranges, and is forever worshiped by great sages, Gods, Demons and yakshas. (Adi Shankara).

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12. Grishnesvara ‐ I bow to Grishnesvara ,the immensely compassionate Lord who dwells in the large and beautiful temple at Ellora and is worshiped with joy by the whole world.(Adi Shankara).

Shankara Bagavadpada says ‐ '' The current of divine bliss brims from the river of Shiva's holy stories, ﬂows into the mind of the devotee through the canals of his intellect and subdues the dust of sins and cools the heat of earthly misery born of wanderings in transmigratory existence...'' . To attain moksha , one should worship that Paramesvara who wears a crescent and the Ganga on his head, has destroyed cupid, has the serpent as the ornament on his neck and ears, has ﬁre as his eyes, wears the elephant's skin as dress, and is the essence of the three world. To read and understand the entire Shiva Maha Purana ‐ he must be Shiva himself .(My Pujaneya)

To read and understand the entire

Shirasa Namisuva,

Shiva Maha Pu-

Gurudeva Pada sevaki

rana - he must be Shiva himself . (My Pujaneya)

Zen Koans The True Path Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him. "Shall I lead you on?" Ikkyu asked. Ninakawa replied: "I came here alone and I go alone. What help could you be to me?" Ikkyu answered: "If you think you really come and go, that is your delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and no going." With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninaka‐ wa smiled and passed away.

The Real Miracle When Bankei was preaching at Ryumon temple, a Shinshu priest, who believed in salvation through the re‐ pitition of the name of the Buddha of Love, was jealous of his large audience and wanted to debate with him. Bankei was in the midst of a talk when the priest appeared, but the fellow made such a disturbance that bankei stopped his discourse and asked about the noise. "The founder of our sect," boasted the priest, "had such miraculous powers that he held a brush in his hand on one bank of the river, his attendant held up a paper on the other bank, and the teacher wrote the holy name of Amida through the air. Can you do such a wonderful thing?" Bankei replied lightly: "Perhaps your fox can perform that trick, but that is not the manner of Zen. My mira‐ cle is that when I feel hungry I eat, and when I feel thirsty I drink."

— Source http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html .

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Contemplation on Symbolism associated with Lord Shiva 1 2 3 13 12 11 4 5

‘All the powers in the universe are

already ours. It is we who have put our hands before

7 9 8

our eyes and cry that it is dark.’ 1.

River Ganga which puriﬁes the one who takes a bath and also the Jnana Ganga – Wisdom of Lord – Yoga, Tantra, Agamas which puriﬁes the seeker.

Matted Lock represents the order in the Universe. Without Shiva consciousness, there is chaos

Snake represents the Yogic power. Power of Kundalini Shakti.

Damaru – represents two sides of creation – manifest, unmanifest. The sound represents the Omkar – primordial sound of creation.

Garland of Rudraksha – Rudra means ﬁrm. Aksha means eyes. Shiva rules the world with ﬁrmness of Dharma. Hence he is Rudra.

Tiger skin – Tiger represents animal passions (anger, lust etc. ). Shiva wears the skin indicating mas‐ tery over all lower nature as yogi.

Ashes on the body of Shiva represents the detachment ( Vairagya) – a state of total detachment.

Lingam – Represents the form and formless aspect of creation. Union of Shiva and Shankti – Con‐ sciousness and energy.

Kamandala – Made up of dried pumpkin skin – Contains nectar – amrita. Individual souls should re‐ move the inner impressions (vasanas) to drink the nectar of Self Realization.

- Swami Vivekananda

10. Varada Hasta – Shiva is granting boon to devotees. Boon of wisdom, yoga and fearlessness.

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11.

Three eyes of Shiva represent Sun (right eye), moon (left eye) and ﬁre (third eye). Left and right eye represent the action of Shiva in Physical world while the third eye represents the wisdom, spirituality. When Shiva closes his eyes world is destroyed and when He opens eyes, the world is created. Half‐ closed eyes represent – mastery of Yoga and also maintenance of world.

12. Moon represents the mind. Mind is an ornament for Shiva. Moon also represents the passage of time. 13. Trident – Trishula represents three powers of Lord Shiva – Ichcha, Jnana and Kriya. Trident also rep‐ resents the power of Shiva to destroy the trouble of devotees – physical, meta physical and spiritual ( adi bhautic, adi daivic, adhyatimc)

Nandi as vehicle of Shiva represents the Dharma – eternal principle. Shiva rides on Dharma. Nandi in front of Shiva temple represents the power of faith, vigor and devo$on required for a Spiritual seeker (Sadhak)

— by Prabhuji

Q&A: Answers on Shiva Prabhuji answers questions on Shiva put by Atmajyothi Geetu AJ : Who is Shiva ? P: Shiva represents the primordial consciousness . All that is created is nothing but manifestation from consciousness, sustained by consciousness and dis‐ solves into consciousness. Shiva has the five powers of consciousness – crea‐ tion (sristhi), maintenance (sthiti), destruction ( laya), bondage (bandha) and liberation ( moksha). As pure awareness, Shiva is also the Adi Guru – primordial teacher. Shiva is the inner Self of all beings. AJ: Why do we call Shiva – Vishakanteshwara ? P: Shiva drank the deadly poison – halahala generated during the churning of milky ocean by Devatas and asuras in order to save the world. His neck became blue indicating that he is the master of Yoga. Even though he drinks poison for the benefit of the world, it does not affect him. Hence he is called Neela Kan‐ theshwara. As primordial teacher – Adi Guru – drinking of poison also symbolizes partaking the ignorance of the human kind – sadhaks to bestow them immortality. AJ: What is the meaning of Ardhanareeshwara ?

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P: Ardhanareeshwara is masculine and feminine form in union. Shiva represents the consciousness while Shakti represents energy. Ardhanareeshwara form represents that the consciousness and energy ( Shiva and Shakti) are one e.g. : like ﬁre and heat. AJ : What is the meaning of Gangadhara ? P: Shiva holds ganga which was brought from heavens in his matted locks. Hence he is called Gan‐ gadhareshwara. Ganga represents the physical river which sustains life and Jnana ganga – wisdom which shows the path of liberation. Both river ganga and Jnana ganga purify devotees. AJ: What is the meaning of Trishuleshwara ? P: Shiva wields the trisula – representing the power of creation – iccha, Jnana and Kriya. Trishula also repre‐ sents the power of destroying suﬀering at physical, mental and spiritual matters ( adi bhautik, adi daivic and adhyatmic.)

Invitation for Shivaratri Celebrations Dear Prabhu, Atmajyothis,

It is a pleasure for us to invite all Atmajyothis to our home on Shivaratri night Feb‐20‐2012 jagaran, bha‐ jans, meditation, talks by Prabhu.

Time : Feb‐20‐2012 night 9PM to 6am Feb‐21‐2012.

Venue : Flat # D‐003 Mantri elegance, N.S.Palya, Bannerghatta Rd, Bangalore ‐ 560076 Landmarks : Next to Shoppers Stop on Bannerghatta Rd (BTM layout) Landmarks : Opp to Gopalan innovation mall & staples Please get in touch with me or Murali if you want to share your experiences, paintings, plays, jokes, arti‐ cles, speeches etc on that night. ‐ Atmajyothi Prasad and Gayathri

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Spiritual Insights Poem 1: Seeking

it is wrong to wash it? it is wrong to want to feel your feet

Guruji, Guruji, you are all i want

just your feet Guruji, just your feet

you are all i know i don not know if i know half how can i know anything?

i do not know if i know full

how can i know myself?

but i do know that you know all

all i know is confusion

you beyond all are full

all i know is non self

Spiritual Insights will feature poems, short notes, wri$ngs of Atmajyothis expressing their emo$ons towards Sadguru , spontaneous bursts of intui$ve understanding.

you may take me there one day how can i know awareness?

where i wont need you

i cant walk in awareness nor talk

where i or u won’t exist

all i know is when i walk, my mind is on you

but now that we do

when i talk i wish to hear you

I’m glad that we do, or i do you are him, i am me

and you ask 'who is this "i" ?

even if i forget you, don’t forget me

can one really answer? knowing it would all be only a lie?

At your holy feet

i cry no more for the world

—‐ Atmajyothi Murali

the world can no more make me cry but crying i cannot leave now, it is only for you that i cry

you make me laugh, for me i make me cry for you what else can i do? you have shown me the truth

you are the way to silence

‘The first sign of your becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful’

you are the way in sound i am a wave in you have been going up and down

is it wrong to want your feet?

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- Swami Vivekananda

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Poem 2: Song of Light

Poem 3: Grace of Guru

Feelings stemmed out of emotions

Happiness without limits

Emotions based on past experiences

problems without pain

labeled neatly as good and bad

love without boundaries

carried by soul from eternity

attachment without expectations Peace without seeking

Even the labels in turn are illusions given a name either as pleasure or pain in fact nothing but karmic impressions

life's stresses without frustrations wisdom without ego ignorance without bondage

carried by soul from eternity all possible only with Guru's Grace the names given to that illusions classiﬁed and labeled neatly are mere play of words

last barrier down between with and without being carried through life with ease as though walking on ground without footprints

made up of sound and carried by soul from eternity. thanking your Grace comes from within

Only a Sadguru can show the path to shed the words and labels

Poor soul thus carries a shallow sound

all the time, without an eﬀort

and thinks that it is Divine song

ﬁlled with peace and happiness

interprets as Divine will and Destiny.

courage and conviction only oﬀering that can be made

Only a Sadguru can show the path

is the soul ﬁlled with joy

to shed the words and labels emotions and illusions

even that oﬀering is like

in absolute silence and devoid of impressions

giving the fruit back to tree

that Soul can listen to Divine song

light back to Sun and water back to rain nonetheless surrender is the only refuge

there will be no mistake, no illusions

gratitude the only awareness

in silence, the song of Divine can be heard, felt and sensed

Guru the only Truth

through Guru's voice, touch and glance

The song that has depth, full of meaning bring forth joy and bliss to the listener For there is no distinction between God and Guru them being one and the same

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— Atmajyothi Uma

PAGE

I got the understanding that I have no control over subconscious mind. Subconscious mind keeps on producing thoughts (junk or good or no thoughts). When I say 'I' , I am referring to the 5% conscious mind. Mind is a store‐ house of memories of this and previous lifetimes. When a thought comes, I cant say whether it is based on the memories of this lifetime or from previous lifetimes. If I pay attention to those thoughts, it deﬁnes me. If I don't pay attention to them, they will wither oﬀ. All these days I think that the thoughts that comes to me are mine (produced by me, hence I am responsible). As they can be from previous lifetimes, or this lifetime, claim‐ ing that they are mine is not possible, assuming that I am Prasad who has a limited period on earth, birth date to death date. I need not feel guilty for what mind produces. So, none of the thoughts are mine. I exist now, and the baggage can be disregarded. I can take the stand that I am pure, and untainted. Past karma is not mine, because subconscious mind is not mine. Now, This Subconscious mind can be one mind common to all beings, or individualistic, I don't care.

‘Spiritual In-

—‐ Atmajyothi Prasad

sights’ has also featured articles based on last editions’ creative writing topic

You asked once "How can you say for sure the waking state is not a dream. It is possible that You can be sleep‐ ing at your house and dreaming that you have come here ". it was diﬃcult for me to accept that while body appears as solid. It is because of my thinking and feeling that mind resides in the body. Now, my thought pro‐ cess took a slight turn. Thought came to me that body itself might be a solidiﬁcation of a stronger thought. I am willing to accept the possibility that body is also a thought.

“Guru or Sadguru”. The

— Atmajyothi Prasad

topic for next edition is “Ugadi”. Please send your articles to xsubbu @gmail.com or komalmopu

‘Know Thyself’ quiz

@gmail.com 1.

Ajna charka is also called ———— in English.

Ajna means ————————‐ in English.

The color of Ajna charka is ———————.

Ajna charka is associated with —————— gland.

Ajna charka has _———————‐ petals.

————————‐ Sound is associated with Ajna charka.

Answers on page 31

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‘Spiritual Masters ‘ is a section

Osho on Meher Baba’s Enlightenment Question: With growing desirelessness, sometimes the person becomes outwardly inactive. Is it lethargy and dullness? Why does it happen? Osho: Many things are possible, and it will depend. Certainly many de‐ sires will drop and many actions also. Those actions which were just caused by desires will drop. If I was running for a particular desire, how can I run if the desire has dropped? My running will stop. At least the same running on the same route will stop. So when a person becomes desireless, at least for an interim period, for an interval – and how long it will be will depend on the individual – he will become inactive.

that’ll feature articles based on lives and events in the lives of enlightened mas-

The desires will have dropped – and all the actions that he had been do‐ ing were concerned with desires, so how can he continue? They will drop. But by dropping desires and actions, energy will be accumulated – and now energy will begin to move. When it moves, how it moves will vary from individual to individual, but now it will move. There will be a gap, an interim period, an interval. This I call a pregnancy period. The seed is born, but now it will gestate for at least nine months. And it may seem strange, but it happens. This nine months period is meaningful. Near about this, eight months or ten months, will be the interim period, and you will just become inactive. This inactivity will also vary. Someone may become so inactive that peo‐ ple may think that he has just gone into a coma. Everything stops.

ters

For Meher Baba it happened like that. For one year he was just in a coma. He couldn’t even move his limbs. Action was far off, he couldn’t stand up because even the desire to stand had gone. He couldn’t eat; he had to be forced. He couldn’t do anything! For one year continuously he became just helpless – a helpless child. This was a pregnancy period, and then, suddenly, a different man was born. The man who became inactive was no more: a new energy – energy accumulated. Lives and lives of dissipated energy create this gap – because you do not have enough energy. When desire is not there to invoke, provoke, stimulate, you just drop. Your energy is not really energy, but just a pushing and pulling. Anyhow you go on running because the goal seems just nearby. A few moments’ endeavor more and you will reach! You pull yourself on; somehow you carry yourself and run. But when the goal is dropped, when there is no desire, you will drop. An inactivity will be there. If you can be patient in this inactivity period, after it you will be reborn. Then energy will begin to move without desires. But I say it depends. It may happen suddenly as it happened for Meher Baba: that was a sudden case. It happened in Bombay. It happened by a kiss from an old lady, Babajan. Meher Baba was just passing, coming back from his school. Babajan was an old Sufi mystic, an old lady who was just sitting under a tree for years and years and years. Meher Baba was just coming, and Babajan called him. He knew this old lady. She was sitting for years under the tree, and he had passed by that street daily on his way towards his school and towards his home. She called and he came near. She kissed him – and he dropped as if dead just there. Then he had to be carried home. For one year continuously the kiss remained on him and he was in a coma. It may happen suddenly like this. Mm? This was a great transfer, and Babajan died afterwards because she had just been waiting for this mo‐ ment to give someone the whole energy. This was her last life, and there was not enough time even to

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explain what she was giving. And also, she was not the type to have explained. She was a silent mystic.

‘What happened yesterday? Nothing. What will happen tomorrow? Nothing. All happens now . . . the eternal NOW from the beginningless beginning to the endless end.’ — Meher Baba

She had not touched anybody for years. She was a only waiting for this moment when she was to kiss someone and the whole energy was to be transferred in a single transfer. Before this she had not even touched anyone, so this touch was to be total. And this child was simply unaware of what was going to happen. He was ready – otherwise this transfer would not have been possible – but he was not aware. He had worked through his past lives. He was just coming up. He might have become aware later on, but just now he was completely unaware. This happened so suddenly that he had to go again through a second pregnancy. For one year he was as if not. Many medicines were given; many, many doctors and physicians tried to help, but nothing could be done. And the woman who could do something, she disappeared, she died. After one year he was a differ‐ ent man – totally different. If it happens so suddenly, then it will be a deep coma. If it happens through some exercises, then it will never be so deep a coma. If you are doing awareness exercises, meditation, then it will never happen so suddenly. It will come so gradually, so gradually, that you will never even become aware of when it has happened. By and by, inactivity will be there, activity will be there, and very gradually inside everything will have changed. And the desire will drop, the activity will drop, but no one will ever feel that you have been lethargic or that you have become inactive. This is the gradual process. So those who follow yoga or any method will not feel the suddenness. There are also methods in which sudden happenings become possible, but one can be prepared. Babajan never prepared this boy; she never even asked his permission. It was a one‐way affair. She just transferred the energy. Zen monks also transfer, but before transferring they prepare the ground. A person can be made ready to receive the energy, then this reaction will not be there. He may feel lethargy for some days, for some months, but no one will feel outside that inside everything has become inactive. But that needs preparation, and that can happen only in schools. And when I say ”school”, I mean a group working. Babajan was alone; she never made anyone her disciple. There was no school, there was not a following in which she could have prepared anyone. And, also, she was not the type. She was not the teacher type; she couldn’t teach. But she had to give to someone, to whomsoever passed and she felt: ”Now is the moment, and this one will be able to carry it,” so she could just deliver it. So it depends. Inactivity is bound to be there – more or less, but it will be there, a period will be there. And only then can you be reborn, because the whole mechanism has to change completely. The mind drops, old roots drop, the old habits drop, the old association of consciousness and desires, consciousness and mind, drops – everything old drops and everything has to be new. A waiting is needed, patience is needed. And if one is patient, one has not to do anything: just to wait is enough. The energy begins to move by itself. You just sow the seed and then wait! Don’t be in a hurry; don’t go every day to pull the seed out and see what is happening. Just put it inside and wait. The energy will take its own course. The seed will die, and the energy will sprout and will begin to move. But don’t be impatient. One has to wait. And the greater the seed, and the greater the possibility, the potentiality of the tree that is going to be, the more will be the waiting. But it comes. It comes! The deeper the waiting, the sooner it comes. Source: from the book "The Ultimate Alchemy, Volume 1" By Osho — Contributed by Prabhuji

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Meher Baba—Descent of God. Question ‐ Meher baba has talked about god descending in man (avatar, rasool, christ) and man rising to be god (the perfect master, sadguru, qutub, teerthankara). Would you please talk to us about the same?

Osho ‐ God is. He neither ascends nor descends. Where can he ascend to and where can he descend to? God is all. There is nothing in to which God can ascend or descend. There is nobody else other than God. All that is divine. So the ﬁrst thing: there is no ascendence, no descendence.

But when Meher Baba says it, there must be some meaning in it. The meaning is something quite diﬀerent. Let me explain it to you. God is, remember. God is a pure isness, pure existence, and there is nowhere for God to go or come. The whole is full of him. He ﬁlls his existence, one thing. Second thing: but Meher Baba must be true. Then there must be some other meaning to it ‐‐ not God descending and ascending. What can be the meaning? The meaning is there are two ways of man approaching God.

What do I mean by "man" when God is the only reality? Man is the God who has forgotten that he is God; man is a God who has forgotten himself.

What do I mean by "man" when God is the only reality? Man is the God who has forgotten that he is God; man is

Man can remember his godliness in two ways. One way is that of surrender, devotion, love, prayer; another way is that of will, eﬀort, meditation, yoga. If a man tries to work his way through will, then he will feel he is ascending towards God or he is reaching towards God through his will. Hence Jainas call the man who at‐ tains to godliness a TEERTHANKARA. TEERTHANKARA means consciousness has reached the peak; man has arrived by ascending, as if there has been a ladder, the ladder of the will, the ladder of eﬀort and yoga. So is the concept of the Buddhas; that too is the path of will. Avatar means God descending; that is another approach, when a man surrenders. He cannot ascend. He simply opens his heart and waits, prays and waits, and suddenly he starts feeling a stirring in his heart. Certainly he will see "God has descended in me." Ava‐ tar means descendence, God coming down.

a God who has forgotten himself.

Mahavir went up. For Meera, God came down. But God never comes down, never goes up. God is where he is. But your experience will be different. If you try hard to achieve God, you will go higher and higher and higher; naturally you will feel the God hidden inside you is arising, rising up, reaching to the zenith. But if you surrender, nothing is arising in you. You are where you are, you simply wait in deep prayer, in deep love, in deep trust, and one day you find God is descending in you, coming from above. These are the expe‐ riences of two types of seekers. It has nothing to do with God. It has something to do with the seeker and his way: will or surrender, effort or prayer, yoga or BHAKTI.

So the religions which believe in BHAKTI, in devotion.... Christianity says Christ comes from God. That is the meaning of saying that he is God's son ‐‐ he comes from above, he has been sent. And that is the meaning of Mohammed ‐‐ he is a prophet, a messenger, PAIGAMBAR. PAIGAMBAR means a messenger who comes from above, brings the message. He does not belong to this world; he comes like a ray of light into the

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darkness. And so is the concept of the Hindus' avatar ‐‐ Krishna, Ram ‐‐ they come, they come into the world.

The Buddhist, the Jaina concept is just the reverse. They say there is no God to come, and God is not a fa‐ ther and he cannot have a son. These are all very childish concepts for them. And if you look through their eyes they are; these concepts are childish, very anthropomorphic, man‐centered. You create God in your own image, as if God also has a family. He has a family ‐‐ the Trinity: God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost must be a woman; otherwise the family will not be exactly as it should be.

You are really unbound and actionless, self-

But why don't Christians call the Holy Ghost a woman? Male chauvinism. They cannot make a woman also part of the Trinity; it is diﬃcult for them, very diﬃcult for them. So to what have they reduced their God? It seems to be a homosexual family. All men, not a single woman there. It looks ugly. But my feeling is that the Holy Ghost must be a woman. We create God in our own image.

illuminating and spotless already. The cause of your bondage is that

Jainas and Buddhists say that there is no God and there is no God's family and nobody comes from there. Then what has one to do? One has to arise. God is in you like a seed, as a tree arises from the earth and goes higher and higher. God is not like rain falling, but a tree arising. Man has the seed. Man is potentially God. So when you work hard, you start growing.

you are still resorting to stilling the mind.

These are the two concepts. That's why Meher Baba says, "... God descending in man (Avatar, Rasool, Christ) and man rising to be God (the Perfect Master, Sadguru, Qutub, Teerthankara)." But it has nothing to do with God.

Source ‐ Osho Book "The First Principle"

- Ashtavakra Gita 1.15

— Contributed by Prabhuji

“Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached.” - Swami Vivekananda

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Osho on Ramakrishna Enlightenment Osho ‐There is an episode in Ramakrishna’s life.... For his whole life he had been worshipping Mother Kali, But at the very end he began to feel,” It is duality; the experience of oneness has still not happened. It is lovely, delightful, but two still remains two.” Someone loves a woman, someone loves money, someone poli‐ tics; he loved Ma Kali – but love still was divided in two. Still the ultimate nondu‐ ality hadn’t happened and he was in anguish. He began looking out for a nondu‐ alist, a Vedantist – for Some person to come who could show him the path.

A Paramahansa named Totapuri was passing. Ramakrishna invited him to stop with him and asked, ”Help me to have darshan of the one.”

Totapuri said, ”What’s difficult

Totapuri said, ”What’s diﬃcult in that? You believe there are two, so there are two. Drop the belief!” Rama‐ krishna replied, ”But dropping this belief is very diﬃcult – I have lived with it my whole life. When I close my eyes the image of Kali is standing there. I drown in that nectar. I forget that I am to become one; as soon as I close my eyes there are two. When I try to meditate, it becomes dual. Help me out of this!”

in that? You believe there are two, so there are two.

So Totapuri said, ”Try this: when the image of Kali is before you, pick up a sword and cut her in two.” Rama‐ krishna said, ”Where will I ﬁnd a sword?”

Drop the belief!” What Totapuri said is the same as what is said in Ashtavakra’s sutra*. Totapuri said, ”From where did you bring this Kali image? – bring a sword from the same place. She too is imaginary. She too is an embellish‐ ment of your imagination. Through nurturing it for your whole life, through continuously projecting it for your whole life, it has become crystalized. It is just imagination. Not everyone sees Kali when they close their eyes.”

After years of eﬀort a Christian closes his eyes, and Christ comes to him. A devotee of Krishna closes his eyes and Krishna comes to him. A lover of Buddha closes his eyes and Buddha comes to him. A lover of Mahavira closes his eyes and Mahavira comes to him. Christ doesn’t come to a Jaina, Mahavira doesn’t come to a Christian: only the image you project will come. Ramakrishna’s eﬀort was with Kali, and the im‐ age became almost solid. It became so real from constant repetition, from continuous remembering, that it seemed Kali was standing in from of him. No one was standing there.

Consciousness is alone. There is no second here, no other. ”Just close your eyes,” Totapuri said, ”raise the sword and strike.” Ramakrishna closed his eyes, but as soon as he closed them his courage vanished. Raising his sword to strike Kali! – the devotee has to raise his sword and strike God – it was too hard. To renounce the world is very easy. What is worth holding onto in the world? But when you have established an image deep in the

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mind, when you have created poetry in the mind, when the mind’s dream has become manifest, then it is very diﬃcult to renounce it. The world is like a nightmare. A dream of devotion, a dream of feeling is not a nightmare, it is a very sweet dream. How to drop it? how to break it?

Tears would start ﬂowing from his eyes and he became ecstatic... his body would begin shaking. But he didn’t raise his sword – he would completely forget about it. Finally Totapuri said, ”I’ve wasted many days here. It’s no good. Either you do it or I’m going to leave. Don’t waste my time. Enough of this nonsense now!” That day Totapuri brought a piece of glass with him, and he said, ”When you begin to be absorbed in delight, I will cut your forehead with this piece of glass. When I cut your forehead, inside gather courage, raise your sword and cut Kali in two. This is the last chance – I am not staying any longer.”

Totapuri’s threat of leaving... and it is difficult to find such a master. Totapuri must have been a man like Ashtavakra. Ramakrishna closed his eyes and Kali’s image appeared to him. He was about to bliss out – tears were ready to flow from his eyes, overwhelmed, joy was coming – he was about to become ecstatic when Totapuri held his forehead and, where the third eye chakra is, made a cut from top to bottom with the piece of glass. Blood began to stream from the cut, and this time Ramakrishna found courage. He raised the sword and cut Kali in two pieces. When Kali fell apart he became nondual: the wave dissolved in the ocean, the river fell into the ocean. It is said that he stayed immersed for six days in this ultimate si‐ lence. He was neither hungry nor thirsty – there was no consciousness of the outside, no awareness. All was forgotten. And when he opened his eyes six days later, the first thing he said was, ”The last barrier has fallen!”

Source: “The Mahageeta Vol 1” By Osho — Contributed by Prabhuji

"GOD is to be worshipped as the one beloved, dearer than everything in this and next life." - Swami Vivekananda

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Meher Baba’s message On Divine Love My personal religion is my being the Ancient, Infinite One, and the religion, I impart to all is Love for God. Divine love purifies our hearts and glorifies our being. God and love are identical, and one who has divine love has received God. God cannot be explained... God can only be lived. God's nature as the ocean of love cannot be grasped by the mind. God has to be known through love and not through the intellectual search after miracles. The only Real Love is the love for this infinity (God), which arouses intense longing to see, know, and be‐ come one with its truth (God). To love one soul is like adding its life to your own; your life is, as it were, multiplied and you virtually live in two centers. If you love the whole world (God), you vicariously live in the whole world. True love is no game of the faint‐hearted and the weak; it is born of strength and understanding. Even the highest human love is subject to the limitations of individual nature; Divine love arises after the disappear‐ ance of the individual mind and is free from the trammels of individual nature. In human love the duality of lover and beloved persists; but in divine love the lover and the beloved are one. The lover has slipped out of the domain of duality and become one with God; for divine love is God.

God has to be known through love and not through the intellectual search

Love God sincerely and he will reveal himself. God is infinite honesty. To love God you must be honest. Sac‐ rifice everything at the altar of this supreme love, you will realize the Beloved within you. So long for one thing; be restless for one thing; long and wait for one thing that will kill the million other longings. There is nothing that love cannot achieve, and there is nothing that love cannot sacrifice. Long for union with the Beloved. Being is Dying by Loving. Life and love are inseparable from each other. Where there is life, there is love. Love is nothing if it is not spontaneous. It cannot be a conclusion of reasoning. It is not a fruit of the spirit of bargain. If you want to be certain about the object of love before giving your love, it is only a form of calcu‐ lating selfishness. LOVE is essentially self‐communicative: those who do not have it catch it from those who have it.... No amount of rites, rituals, ceremonies, worship, meditation, penance and remembrance can produce love in themselves. None of these is necessarily a sign of love. On the contrary, those who sigh loudly and weep and wail have yet to experience love. Love sets on fire the one who finds it. At the same time it seals his lips so that no smoke comes out

after miracles.

- Meher Baba

If we suffer in the sufferings of others and feel happy in the happiness of others, we are loving God. If we understand and feel that the greatest act of devotion and worship to God is not to harm any of His beings, we are loving God. To love God in the most practical way is to love our fellow beings. If we feel for others in the same way as we feel for our own dear ones, we love God. Start learning to love God by loving those whom you cannot love. Those who cleanse their hearts of the embittering poison of selfishness, hate, and greed find God as their own true self. The more you remember others with kindness and generosity, the more you forget yourself, and when you completely forget yourself (I), you find God.

On Master and Disciple The Master is the very source of purity and to set one's heart on the Master is beginning of self‐puriﬁcation. When the disciple has whole‐hearted devotion for the Master, he is opening himself for the reception of

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the Divine Love which the Master pours on him: and all his weaknesses are consumed in this ﬁre of Divine Love of which he thus becomes the recipient.

When the disciple has whole -hearted devotion for the Master, he is opening himself

The Master helps the seeker in his own invincible ways, which have no parallel in the ways of the world. But if the aspirant is to be the recipient of this help, he must make a real eﬀort to surrender himself to the Di‐ vine will of the Master. The love which the aspirant has for the Master is really the response evoked by the greater love which the Master has for the aspirant; and it is to be placed above all other loves. By sharing the work of the Master the disciple comes closer to him and becomes an integral part of his consciousness. Serving the Master is the quickest means of realizing him. Complete self‐surrender and unquestioning love become possible when the disciple comes to have an un‐ swerving faith in the Master. Faith in the Master is an indispensable part of true discipleship. The most fun‐ damental requisite for the candidate who would be a true disciple is an unquestioning love for the Master. ….in loving the Master above everything else, he becomes one with the Master as Truth and thus attains Godhood—the goal of all search and endeavor—through his grace.

for the reception of the Divine Love which the Mas-

In the service of Sadguru, the divine love, Atmajyothi Komal

ter pours on him - Meher Baba

EGO V/S LOVE When I ask myself what is ego and what is love, The answer is…………. Ego is bondage …….. Ego is hatred…….. Ego reacts……… Ego resists…………… Ego disturbs………….. Ego separates………. Ego burns……………. Ego hurts ……………. Ego is constriction…… Ego is wanting………… Ego is surviving…......... Ego is suﬀering ……….. Ego is greed………. Ego is disease………….. Ego is darkness….

Love is freedom Love is forgiveness Love responds Love accepts Love settles Love connects Love cools Love heals Love is expansion Love is giving Love is surrendering Love is salvation Love is universal Love is cure Love is light

As light ﬂows in, ego blows out……! EGO is ‘Edging God Out’…………. Love is ‘Living One Vith Eternal bliss’ When I ask who am I……….EGO OR LOVE………………..? The change comes.............. By Guru’s grace(love)……………..! Peace and love, Atmajyothi Komal

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Guru Padhuka Stotram: Shloka 2 Kavithva varasini sagarabhyam, dourbhagya davambudha malikabhyam, Doorikrutha namra vipathithabyam, namo nama sri guru padukabyam

Salutations and Salutations to the sandals of my Guru, which is the ocean of knowledge, resembling the full moon, which is the water, which puts out the ﬁre of misfortunes, and which removes distresses of those who prostate before it.

How much have-

The Nature of Things

n’t we asked?

Two monks were washing their bowls in the river when they noticed a scorpion that was drowning. One monk immediately scooped it up and set it upon the bank. In the process he was stung. He went back to washing his bowl and again the scorpion fell in. The monk saved the scorpion and was again stung. The other monk asked him, "Friend, why do you continue to save the scorpion when you know it's nature is to sting?" "Because," the monk replied, "to save it is my nature."

How much hasn’t he given? How much more we ask And the Great

How much haven’t we asked? How much hasn’t he given? How much more we ask? And the Great Lord still lis‐ tens. Such is the nature of the Guru, to give is his nature. He does not compromise in giving. He gives the high‐ est, that which the deity you pray to cannot give. Getting what he gives there will not be anything more for you to get. He gives you the highest, the greatest. What do you think it is? Enlightenment!?

Lord still listens Ha! No. he gives you himself! What you get from the Sadguru is Sadguru. An awakening inside. Freedom from all that that you give yourself. The Guru oﬀers his time for you, his thoughts for you, his life for you. Being ever compassionate he watches over you and see to that you are not harmed. He saves you from all the misfortunes you have created for yourself. The mind is like the scorpion that stings, the guru is the lord who saves.

To such a Guru’s Paduka is the prostration, for how am I to know the highest? How am I to come out of the crea‐ tion of the mind, how am I to put off the fire of misfortune? I have only been able to put ghee to the fire. I have only been able to think more. I have only been able to get more disturbed, and I seek enlightenment? What do I know of enlightenment? All I have are my concepts, my concepts of light, of flight, of seeing colours of experi‐ encing vibrations. Alas there is no end to what my mind can think. Until I met the Guru I thought there was no end to my suffering.

Just to think of the Paduka of the guru gives hope, hope of truth, hope of freedom. Much more to say, no more to say. Guru is pure knowledge, knowledge of the Self. This knowledge is the highest wisdom, wisdom is that which destroys all knowledge. One gets this highest wisdom by the grace of the guru, to receive such grace one should prostrate to the Guru.

—‐ Atmajyothi Murali

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Why this Kolaveri Di yo boys I am sing a song

life reverse gear‐u

soup song hit song

Guru Guru, o my guru you showed me God‐u

why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di rhythm correct

you are light‐u Holy light‐u enlighten my heart‐u

why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di maintain please why this kolaveri..di

distance la moon‐u moon‐u moon‐u rules the mind‐u mind‐u

why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di

God! I am peaceful now‐u Guru knows how‐u

mind background ego ego ego feels like king‐u

this song is for those‐u who have found Guru

why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di

—‐ Atmajyothi Gayatri & Atmajyothi Divya

Self nature bliss‐u bliss‐u mind nature fuss‐u fuss‐u Life full of mess‐u mess‐u future is now dark‐u

why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di

‘All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves

now, the change over!!

lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore love for love’s

mind‐u prays ‐u

sake, because it is law of

seeks for grace‐u

life, just as you breathe to

eyes full aa tears‐u

live.’

empty life‐u

- Swami Vivekananda

Prabhu Ji come‐u

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ONE INQUISITIVE STEP AT A TIME TOWARDS SPIRITUALITY I must admit, when my mother persuaded me to write an article for Divya Jyothi, a magazine that carries articles immensely profound and deep, I wasn’t very sure if I should be taking her advise. Honestly speaking, I know about spirituality the same amount as a six‐year old would know about complex integrated calculus. Zero. Zilch. I am better oﬀ not writing it I thought, but then there was this one other thought that complete‐ ly changed my mind. Read at your own risk and you will ﬁnd out more.

Your first step to spirituality should be towards understanding the need for it in your life.

Spirituality is a topic that I have visited occasionally in my mind but never really developed a strong liaison with it. I feel distant from it, yet somehow close; close because I was born and bred in a traditional Hindu family that followed all of its rituals and traditions to the “T” ever since I can remember; distant because growing up in the time of MTV and Channel [V], I would rather watch Madonna’s pop videos than develop an inquisitive mindset towards understanding the meaning of all the traditions I was made to strictly follow. I’m not saying it was a grave mistake, I’m just saying, as individuals, we can spend all our lives watching MTV but it never really hurts to donate a tad bit of your time to get to know the real deal behind all the rituals one does blindly in the name of following elders’ orders.

The subject of Religion is unfamiliar territory for me. I am still trying to understand its signiﬁcance. Needless to say, it was also the word “religion” that introduced me to the word “spiritual”. It wasn’t until recently, that I learned that the connection between these two words extends far and beyond met‐empirical heights. Thanks to venerable Prabhuji and his grandiloquence speech, I am able to realize that connection and the importance of making space for spiritual living in one’s life. That is also one of the main reasons I chose to write this article. Spirituality is an idea I strongly encourage and vehemently suggest that all contemporary and progressive thinkers like me should be open to.

Before I tell you how and why spiritual living affects the way one thinks, let me make it a thousand times clear as to what spiritual living is NOT or limited to: Spirituality is not just attending trendy yoga classes to stay fit, it’s not about practicing “Pranayama” to obtain flat abs, it is most definitely not about meditating half‐naked on the beach like most T. V shows and magazines portray it to be. It is also not a day out in your nearest Ayurvedic spa where the masseuse’s equivocal Sanskrit chants are as shallow as the mud pot filled with water and flowers, pretentiously displayed as a sign of god‐knows‐what. So before you decide to go the spiritual route, it is of utmost importance to choose the source. Or to say in more profound terms, choose your spiritual advisor. The last person you want to be taking advice from on spirituality is a commercial life‐ style magazine. Believe me, they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Your first step to spirituality should be towards understanding the need for it in your life. Someone once said, “I’m happy I don’t need all this spiritual stuff”. That was probably one of the funniest lines I’ve heard to this date, because spirituality has little to do with your current state of joy or melancholy. However, it does have everything to do with learning about WHAT led you to be happy or sad. What defines the “Real you”, Is there really a “real you”? If so then who is it? What are his/ her characteristics? A wise man once said “actions define a man”, in that case why does one react the way he/she does and consequently be happy or sad af‐ ter? As contrived these questions may seem now, I can bet that at least one of these would have crossed our minds one time or the other. Spirituality is a lesson that allows you to broaden your sense of understanding of human behaviour and his connection with self. And no, contrary to popular belief, spirituality is NOT a

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therapy for troubled souls. It is as ridiculous as saying study of medicine is for the disabled only.

Why not anthropology then, you ask? If at all spirituality is just another intense study of human behaviour, you may just pick up the world’s best book on anthropology that will certainly help you self‐analyze and be done with it, right? Not really! Analyzing one’s very own behaviour is just ONE of the aspects of spirituality. A simple example would be this: In a random anthropology textbook I read, there’s a paragraph explaining the trait of a positive person‐ according to which the optimism of the said person will always allow him to see life as “glass half full”, the text book then says that the trait of a negative person is that he sees life as “glass half empty”, a spiritual book, lets take for example, “The Gita” would argue the very existence of the glass or the water and would subsequently question the very illusion that is the glass, the water or the its meta‐ phorical signiﬁcance. Spiritual reasoning has consistently been multi‐dimensional in presenting its point of view. It triggers you to think beyond what your body allows you to sense.

‘Open your heart

Let me come to the last and one of the most important reasons why an individual should develop curiosity towards understanding the real meaning of spirituality. Ever since the beginning of time there have been a million theories on existence of an entity called God. Scientists believe there is a scientific explanation for everything. The great Albert Einstein believes “religion without science is not possible and science without religion cannot be explained”. And then there is my absolute favorite: The Big Bang Theory that explains how the world came to be. And to top it all, there is the “church of gods” that shrugs, condemn and laugh it off over million such theories. Thanks to the greatest minds of the universe and their complex arguments, over the years, if there is one idea that mankind is sure of and not sure of at the same time, it is about God. No, I am not saying spirituality answers all of your questions regarding God, nor am I proposing that it will turn an atheist into a theist; but it what will do is allow you to make up your mind on what you want to be‐ lieve. That is where the true strength and dignity of spiritual living lies. It gives an individual the power to believe in something. That “something” is obviously for the person to find‐out.

by weeding out all desires and by harboring only one longing—the longing for union with the Ultimate Reality.

Give spirituality a chance. Not because you are in any immediate need for it, but because it is a valuable source of knowledge in itself. In Prabhuji’s own words, it is a necessary education, maybe as vital and im‐ portant as learning maths and science in schools and colleges. I completely agree with him and also advo‐ cate for the fact that it is an essential education by all means. Who knows, it might just end the quest for that “certain something”, which you have been looking for all your life~

The Ultimate Reality is not to be sought in the changing things

— Atmajyothi Swetha

of external environment, but in one's own being.’

Answers to Quiz

- Meher Baba

Third Eye

Command

Aqua (lavender)

Pituitary

Two

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PATANJALI YOGA SUTRA Introduction All of us perform actions with the sole desire of deriving happiness from the ensuing results. Most of us are incomplete, and unhappy in some way. We want to be happy, thus this ‘desire to be happy’ is the root cause of all desires. Few people realize this fact. Not many among them know the way to be happy. Yoga is a means to be happy. All our lives we struggle to ﬁnd a way to satisfy the above primary desire. Spiritual sci‐ ence provides a way to fulﬁll this. And Sanatana Dharma provides two paths for permanent happiness i.e. Karma (Action) and Jnana (Wisdom). Yoga marga is an ideal blend of both the paths.

If one observes closely, our Karma (actions) should be guided by Jnana (wisdom), and one acquires Jnana

If one observes closely, our Karma (actions) should be guided by Jnana (wisdom), and one acquires Jnana through puriﬁed Karma. Patanjali Yoga (a.k.a Ashtanga yoga) contains various methodologies to cleanse the body, mind and intellect. A cleansed intellect will be sharp and clear. The actions of a person with clear intel‐ lect, are driven by Jnana and are always pure. A puriﬁed action will again result in Jnana. For, Jnana is the sole means of liberation. Finally, any spiritual path should be undertaken under the supervision of an en‐ lightened master. The Patanjali Yogasutra describes the various techniques, tools of Yoga marga to cleanse the body, mind and intellect. This article is presented as an interaction between a yoga teacher and a yoga student.

through purified Karma.

Samadhi pada Student : How can one attain liberation / Mukti ? Teacher : By the Grace of Iswara (God).

Student : How long will it take to attain liberation ? Teacher : A spiritual aspirant should have enormous belief and faith in the way and proceed in spite of obsta‐ cles, should strive with energy, Remember what is told by Guru, Have balance of mind, Prajna (consciousness, awareness) to gain the Yoga

Student : Who is Iswara ? and How to know Iswara ? Teacher : Iswara is a special being who is untouched by ignorance (klesha), Karma, Karmaphala, and desires. Iswara is the universal witness consciousness also known as Shiva or Narayana. There is nothing higher than this. This is the ﬁnal refuge. Known as God in theistic terminology. That Iswara is Guru to all, even to most ancient teachers. Iswara is beyond time and not limited by time and with unsurpassed omniscience. Know Iswara to be AUM. AUM is the primordial sound that universe resonates with. The sound that emanates from the Panchajanya of Narayana, and the Dhamaru of Shiva. Cause, Sustenance, destruction of all. It destroys Ignorance. Know the meaning of AUM, do repetition of that mantra and meditate on that for liberation / mukti.

Student : How can one attain Samadhi (balanced intellect) ?

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Teacher : By hanging on to truth (satyam) by the help of AUM.

Student : Are there other ways to attain Samadhi ? Teacher : Yes, Balanced mind will be achieved by cultivating friendliness to all, compassion to the needy, happiness , and indifference towards joy & hurt, indifference towards sin and merit. Pranayama is another way. By intake, retention of Praana (Vital energy) and redistributing it to the universe, by positive thoughts, one can achieve control over mind. Praana (Vital energy) is not just the breath that we take in and leave out, though that is the popular definition of praana. If we take the meaning of Praana as energy, then pranayama becomes intake of energy either in form of gross food, in‐breath, water‐intake, thoughts generation, and result is the body strength, outbreath , controlled mind, and distributing positive thoughts to the world. Mind purification is another way. Mind becomes calm when the sensory perceptions are trained for higher understanding. This is a progressive step from previous ways. Pranayama leads to calmer mind. When this state of mind is used to further discriminate the inputs from sensory perceptions, which leads to proper and right understanding, will lead to further purification of mind.

Just as a pure

Student : How to meditate ?

crystal takes the color of object near it, similarly the

Teacher : One becomes free of sorrow by meditating on inner light. The state of being is light. Not physical light, but situating mind on existence‐being is jyotishmati. Chitta (part of mind) becomes puriﬁed by detach‐ ment to sensory objects.

purified chitta obtains likeness of

Student : How can one meditate on inner light ?

the object on

Teacher : The state of mind during dream state is a common experience to everyone. During dreaming, we have a light body, not gross body. One can train mind remembering that state of mind which exists during dream. This sutra doesn't mean that we have to meditate on dream's content. Similarly, deep sleep state is a state of nothing ness. If possible one can train mind to such a state.

which meditation happened

Or by any suitable means that one’s temperament allows.

Student : Some talk about yoga siddis like vashikara (capability to attract) ? Teacher : Sadhaka's mind is so well trained by meditation that it can be used to concentrate on internal atma (parmaanu), as well as external Iswara (paramamahattva). This stage is called Vashikarah.

Student : How will one’s perception be with pure mind ? Teacher : Just as a pure crystal takes the color of object near it, similarly the puriﬁed chitta obtains likeness of the object on which meditation happened. So, meditating on AUM or Iswara, one will be that. In that state of mind, the world still remains in subtle form as shabda (word) , artha (meaning to that word), jnana vikalpa sankirna (knowledge of shabda and artha with diﬀerent possible meanings and mixture of mean‐

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ings). this state is called 'savitarka samapattih', a samadhi where thoughts still remain in mind. Our objective World is essentially made of Shabda (name, word) and Roopa (form) given to objects. The world is one con‐ tinuous entity. We divide it by giving form and name and cut the inﬁnity to pieces. When mental impressions (smriti, memory) is puriﬁed, by looking at the object, the previous records or im‐ pressions do not color sadhaka's judgement of the object. It is just an object without our past baggage that can color it. This state of mind is called Nirvitarka samapattih (samadhi without gross thoughts)

Sadhana Pada, a conversation Student : What is kriyayoga ?

‘Why is it so dif-

Teacher : Eﬀort, Study, Surrender to god is Kriya yoga.

ficult to find

Tapas is the intense search / struggle / practice / eﬀort that one does before he achieves self‐realisation. In the modern day, tapas is very diﬃcult, it is rigorous and brute force

God? It is because you are looking for something you have never lost.’

approach. Svadhyaya , observing oneself , study of oneself is svadhyaya. sva + adhyaya = study of oneself. It can also mean self‐study of scriptures. Being aware of oneself is svadhyaya. Iswara pranidhana , Surrender to god is pranidhana. Surrender means accepting that there is a higher nobler truth. If you put eﬀort towards the higher truth , however small it may be, it is surrender. For example doing pranayama is a surrender to Iswara. Kriya yoga purpose is to remove suﬀering and ensue bliss of Samadhi.

Student : I am not able to practice yoga, sit in concentration, or meditate. What could be the reasons ? Teacher : There are 5 difficulties (kleshas), they are , Avidya : Ignorance. Ignorance means taking impermanent as permanent, impure as pure, unhappiness as happiness, objective knowledge(not‐self) as subjective knowledge (self). Asmita : Mistaken identification. Asmita arises out of Avidya. Asmita means Subject identifying with the object. e.g. We think we are the body. Raga : Mind gets attached to what it likes. Usually it is the pleasure that we are after. Not getting pleasure is a difficulty. Dvesha : Hatred, or repulsion. Mind repulses what it dislikes. Truth is repulsed if it is bitter. What is pain and suffering is repulsed by mind. Not able to get rid of the disliked thing is a klesha. Abhinivesha : Fear of cessation, fear of loss, death, discontinuity. Desire for continuity. Why do we fear death ? because it is a cessation of our means of happiness (life). All the other 4 are dependent and rise out of Avidya.

Student : How to get rid of these 5 diﬃculties ?

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Teacher : When the 5 diﬃculties are dormant or in seed form, one can eliminate easily by mind. When they are in action, then meditation (dhyana) is the key technique to bring the mind under control and then subse‐ quently remove the 5 diﬃculties.

Student : What is the cause of the 5 diﬃculties ?

The association/

Teacher : The storehouse of memory system we have is called karmaashaya. This contains previous impres‐ sions, some has born fruit, and some yet to take fruit. This memory a.k.a chitta is what is called karma. This is the root cause of difficulties one faces. It is the cause of why one takes birth, and the nature of birth, longevi‐ ty of life, experiences one goes through. This chitta is understood by wise as the cause of life’s experiences and also as the cause of all suffering. The seemingly good things in life will also lead to suffering. Buddha also corroborated with this view.

uniting of seen with seer is the cause of suffering and should

Student : Is there an end to this cycle of suffering ? Teacher : Yes. The fruits of karma that has not come into effect yet, should be and can be avoided. The wise see all worldly experiences as cause of suffering.

be avoided. Student : Tell me more of how suffering happens due to avidya and asmita ? Teacher : The association/uniting of seen with seer is the cause of suffering and should be avoided. Senses come in contact with objects. Mind comes in contact with sensory inputs and processes them. Some entity is experiencing the fruits of action. Let us call that entity as enjoyer. If we apply the tool of viveka in the do‐ main of seer and seen, ultimately it is the enjoyer that sees mind, sense inputs, and objects. If there is a dis‐ tinction in the seeing of the enjoyer that enjoyer is different from seen, then the suffering can be avoided.

Student : What classiﬁes as seen objects ? Teacher : Objects are made up of pancha‐bhoota (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space). They are further classi‐ ﬁed as of 3 types, viz. that illuminates, that are active and those that are inert.

Student : Why does the world of objects exist ? Teacher : They (objects, seen) exist for the purpose of either bhoga (pleasure) through indriyas (10 senses) or for the purpose of Yoga / self‐realization, liberation. The same object or seen can cause bondage or libera‐ tion depending on your perception. For ex: Science and technology gave us the nuclear science. It is being used in war, medical science to treat people, generate electricity etc. Similarly one can use the lifespan for achieving permanent happiness, or for temporary happiness. It is an individual choice.

Student : How can perception vary ? Are there diﬀerent types of perception ? Teacher : There are four stages in perception, They are, Vishesha : We diﬀerentiate objects by their special features. this cow is black, that cow is grey. This cow has only one horn. Etc.

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Avishesha : No special diﬀerentiation. cow is a cow. bicycle is a bicycle. Linga‐matra : cow is an animal. Alingani : cow and you are a part of the universe and it is a whole universe. The above are perceptions seen by Gunas in diﬀerent mixes.

Student : Then who is the seer or perceiver ?

What introverted mind calls peace, outside as

Teacher : The seer is the power of seeing, it is pure and it appears as seeing. For the purpose of the Seer only the world of objects exists. The ﬁeld of experiences is the world of objects, and its purpose is to serve the Seer either in bhoga or liberation. Once the purpose of the objective world is served i.e. helping self‐ realization, The objects are not destroyed for others because of common‐ness of the world. The perception of union between seer and seen becomes reason for the thoughts like me, mine and I have this etc. This perception is the cause of avidya. If this wrong perception is removed or absent, then kaival‐ yam (liberation / enlightenment) happens.

power is shown; Those who have

Student : How can one escape from avidya ?

reached and

Teacher : Through Viveka (discriminating thought process). Viveka means knowing what is atma(self) and what is anatma (non‐self). Vairagya means attachment to Self and non‐attachment to non‐self.

found this truth,

Student : What happens when one takes the help of viveka ?

their unity have

Teacher : Viveka slowly cleans the intellect and an aspirant experiences 7 stages of enlightenment.

known. Student : How can one improve viveka ?

- Ramana Ma-

Teacher : By following eight limbed yoga (ashtanga yoga). The eight limbs are Yama, Niyama, asana, pra‐ nayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi. These 8 form Ashtanga yoga or 8 limbed Yoga.

harishi

Student : What is Yama ? Teacher : Ahimsa (non‐violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non‐stealing), brahmacharya(continence), aparigraha (non‐possessiveness) is called Yama (code of restraint). The above codes of restraint cover bodily action, speech, and thoughts.

Student : When and where can one practice Yama ? Teacher : It can be practiced irrespective of time, location, type of birth etc. If such a resolve is taken, it is called Maha vrata (Great vow).

Student : Then what is Niyama ? Teacher : Cleanliness of body & mind, contentment & happiness, penance, Self‐study of scriptures and study

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of oneself, surrendering to Iswara forms Niyama.

Student : Why is Yama and Niyama important, what happens if they are not practiced ? Teacher : If Yama and Niyama are not practiced at all or if they are practiced incorrectly then incorrect, trou‐ blesome and conﬂicting thoughts will arise. Anger, greed, delusion, attachment will occur. The unending recursive result of these thoughts will produce pain in mild, medium, intense pain as the case may be.

Student : Please explain the parts of Yama in detail ? Teacher : Non‐violence when practiced will get rid of its opposite , the violent behaviour and animosity. Truthfulness (satya) will achieve purposefulness and usefulness of action. Non‐stealing will ensure all treasures come towards the Yogi. One should not literally take this. The treasures of Yoga is meant. Brahmacharya or celibacy means ‘being aware of highest reality’. People misunderstand this sutra easily and observe celibacy stringently. If practiced in right spirit it will energize us. Non‐possessiveness brings knowledge of past and future reincarnations. This sutra should also be not taken literally. We are nothing but our past impressions and future projections of mind. When one is non‐ possessive of thoughts relating to past and unattached to thoughts about what is to come in future, he stays in present.

‘Spiritual freedom is won by one's self for one's self, through

Student : Please explain Niyama in detail ? Teacher : Cleanliness of body leads to detachment with the body and a clear understanding that body is a vehicle for enlightenment. One should never neglect their body.

watchful and

Cleanliness of mind is called sattva, it brings about, kind‐heartedness, purity and clarity, concentration, victo‐ ry over senses, acquiring qualiﬁcation for Self‐realization etc.

unfailing war

Santosha (Contented happiness) brings about extreme pleasure.

against the false

Tapas (austerity) is that which will remove body and mental impurities, and masters sensory organs. Tapas is training the senses.

self.’ - Meher Baba

With Svaadhyaya (study of oneself) , the purpose of yoga is served. The communion of individual self with Self is established. Samadhi (balanced intellect) is attained by surrendering to Iswara and it is a fruit of surrender , Grace of Iswara. Samadhi is not a fruit of our effort. But effort should not be stopped as that qualifies us for Grace.

Student : What is Asana ? Teacher : Steady, comfortable position is called asana. Use any posture that brings comfort and ease. In a posture , one should relax, tension free of the body, and merge with the inﬁnite. Asana is one which helps one to forget body. A perfected posture with relaxation, will make one rise above pairs of opposite.

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Student : What is pranayama ? Teacher : After perfecting asana (posture) one should do Pranayama. Inhale and exhale of breath usually is done subconsciously. The ﬂow of inhalation and exhalation, if done consciously in a controlled manner is called pranayama.

Student : What should be the ratio in pranayama practice ? Teacher : The ratio of inhalation to exhalation and to the interval between inhale‐exhale, is depending on time of interval and place of observation, to make breath long and continuous smoothly. The inhale , exhale, and transition of inhale‐exhale‐inhale cycle has to be one continuous slow , long, deep and smooth breath to calm the mind.

‘Desire for nothing except desirelessness. Hope for

The interval ratio and the practice has to be learnt from a teacher. Cannot be learnt from a book, hence not mentioning it here.

nothing except to

Student : What happens when mind calms down ?

rise above all

Teacher : Mind becomes ﬁt for Dharana (concentration).

hopes. Want nothing and you

Student : What is pratyahara ?

will have every-

Teacher : The indriyas will come into contact with outside objects and then the mental action of senses will come into picture. The withdrawal of aﬀect of this contact at the mental plane is called pratyahara. Then ensues mastery over senses.

thing.’

Vibhutipada :

- Meher Baba Student : What is Dharana ? Teacher : Concentrating on an object, place in the body, or a thought is called dharana.

Student : What is Dhyana (meditation or contemplation) Teacher : Uninterrupted continuous (Ekatanata) concentration is called dhyana

Student : What is Samadhi ? Teacher : When only the object concentrated upon shines forth in its true form, it is called samadhi. Sama + dhi = balanced intellect.

— Atmajyothi Prasad. http://atmajyoti‐prasad‐yogasutra.blogspot.com

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Job interviews Dear Guruji just wanted to share few thoughts I had during my interview. Let me explain the whole scenario. I was in the conference room on 10th ﬂoor in Brisbane city all set for the interview. The interview was conducted by a panel of 3 who were all looking so impressive in their business suits, sitting behind massive writing desks and seem to be very important .the whole scene made me nerv‐ ous initially. the interview started with a question" tell us about yourself' ( "I am not the body, nor the mind, nor am I the intellect". Who am I ???? Self.....) Anyway I answered with what they were expecting to hear." I am so and so, can do such and such, have done blah, blah and blah......

second question was "what are your long term goals??? Love, Peace, Happiness and Wisdom (call it a goal, purpose or self's true nature).. Of course I did not say that but they seem to be pretty satisﬁed with my answer "professional development, acquiring new skills etc. etc. etc.

the feedback I got from the interview is very positive and things started falling in place. But actually Guruji, it is a pleasant surprise to observe myself, doing what I am expected to do and also be‐ ing aware of a fundamental change by your GRACE. It is diﬃcult to pen down exactly but all I can say is it is a Happy state of being.

Peace and Love Uma

Some questions from Atmajyothi Subbu’s interview with Ericsson.

Q: How do you motivate yourself at work. A: I don’t get motivated by work at all. I work because I have to.

Q: Do you mind travelling to Sweden for trainings. A: Short term trips maybe for a month max. I have yoga classes in the weekend which I don’t want to miss.

Q. So, this is the org structure and your scope of work. Are you now ready to put your heart into work. A: My heart is already somewhere else, my brains are all yours.

Well, the interview was cleared, but the oﬀer didn’t come through, probably because of the high price I demanded for my apparent lack of interest :)

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Few events from life Scene 1: In the Kitchen From Upadesa Saram of Sri Ramana Maharshi

Pranav, Kausthub and I are sitting on the ﬂoor and having dinner. Preetha is serving the food. Pranav is reading his Sanskrit book while eating as he has exam on the next day Padmalochanan: Stop reading the book and concentrate on eating. Be in the Present.

‘Fill the brain with high

Kausthub: Father, every page of my school Diary has a Phrase from Guruji (Sri Sri Ravishankar). One among them is “Cut the Past, Shut the Future and Be in the Present”.

thoughts, high-

Padmalochanan: Yes, Be in the Present means no thoughts!

est ideals, place

Kausthub: Father, no thoughts at all?

them day and

Padmalochanan: Yes, no thoughts…

night before you, and out of that will come great work.’ - Swami Vivekananda

Pranav: Father, how is that possible? Now I am studying my lessons but I will have to remember what I stud‐ ied earlier. There are thoughts in me. Am I still in the Present? Padmalochanan: Yes, you are in the Present. You can do actions by three ways‐ By physical Body (Kayena), by Talk (Vacha) and by Mind/Budhi (Manasa). While studying you act through your mind. But there is a diﬀerence between the thoughts of the Present and the thoughts of Past/Future. The thoughts of the Pre‐ sent do not have the Content of “I”. But the thoughts of Past/Future have the Content of “I”. In the pre‐ sent when you think or analyze or plan, you just do that. There is no “I” content in it. i.e. you are not feeling that “I” am doing this.. you are just doing it. But the thoughts about Past/Future always have the content of “I”. “I should not have done that…”. “I will tell this to my friend” etc. So the thoughts those containing/ identifying “I” or the thoughts those diﬀerentiate – Me, He, She, Mine, Yours, His etc. are the ones that should be eliminated. For this you need to “Cut the Past and Shut the Future”. Pranav: Yes, I got it.

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Scene 2: In the Garden

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 13 The good, ea$ng the remnants of Yajna, are freed from all sins. But who cook food for themselves, those sinful ones eat sin.

I am working in the Garden (a vacant site next to my house and owned by someone else). Plucking one Tapioca plant and digging out the roots (Tapioca). I am almost done and I have got about 5‐6 pieces. Sud‐ denly a lady from a group of people cleaning the road came to me and asked for Tapioca. I gave her 2 piec‐ es. Then another old man came and he too asked for Tapioca. Then one of the ladies in the group com‐ mented – “Sir, he himself is having very few. How can he give to you?” I gave one and a half pieces to him and a broken piece to another Lady too. Preetha came with a bucket to collect the Tapioca roots and I told her that there is not much to carry as I gave away few of them and I can take the remaining on hand. Preetha looked at me in surprise!

I explained: I was digging the ground for the roots. Many ants came out of the ground and spread all over. I am confused! If I dig further many of them will die. But I need the roots for the Lunch. So I remembered GOD, Prayed and slowly removed the mud so that I kill as minimum ants as possible. Now, GOD heard my prayer and took away my sins by accepting the Tapioca roots from me in the form of the Road Cleaning people… Preetha convinced….

Scene 3: At home. The calling bell rang. I opened the door. Ji (who runs an RSS Shakha in our locality) and one of my Bhagavad Gita students (Rakshit) are standing at the portico. Ji told: they have an RSS program on the Shankaranthi day and it is clashing with our Bhagavad Gita Class. Many of my students attending the Bhagavad Gita class attend the Shakha too. So Ji proposed me to reschedule the Bhagavad Gita Class. I asked Rakshit for a con‐ venient time. On Saturday many students have tuitions. On Sunday they are fully busy with the RSS pro‐ gram. So we decided to cancel that week’s class and informed all students. On Shankaranthi day.. It was around 1:30 pm. I was standing outside my house and watching the preparations of RSS function. Sagar (another student attending the Bhagavad Gita class) came to me and told: Uncle, the preparations for the function are over. Now we are free. Can we have our Bhagavad Gita class at 2:30 pm so that they can go for the function at 3:30 pm. I said ok! Sagar immediately went around and informed all students to come for the class at 2:30 pm. Preetha too telephoned few others who stayed bit away. All students assem‐ bled at 2:45 pm at our house with a short notice and the class went on till 3:30 pm. Moral of the story: It is God who decides what should happen and when…. We are only the instruments in his hand….

— Padmalochanan & Family

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WORD PUZZLE How many names of Shiva can you find. U can find…. 20 names….!!!!!! Enlightenment was never so easy :) Are you ready, Get set go... Answers on page 50

‘Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and, above all, love.’ - Swami Vivekananda

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Levels of consciousness Transcript of talks given by Prabhuji on 8-Jan-2012

Your question is how to make sub‐consciousness mind stronger?

If proper avenue is given to the desires, then subconscious gets an outlet. That is why we say do service. You have desire for action. so channelise action in creative and right way, that is what is dharma about.

We have three minds, Conscious, Sub‐conscious, Unconscious. These are related to individual minds. there are 3 minds. most of the people live with Conscious, Sub‐conscious, Unconscious minds. all your actions are related to this. all your life you are trying to master sub‐conscious. if you see something, you are afraid or like it etc. The sub‐conscious is very very powerful. if you have to give say it in computer terminology, Conscious is 1000 bits per second. sub‐conscious is 1 terabyte per second. Now somebody say I want to master feel‐ ings , means they want to control sub‐conscious. Unconscious is basic programs, sex, fear, food etc. every living being knows how to eat. Sex, food, fear are coming from Unconscious, foundations of unconscious behaviour is common to all. Sub‐conscious is what you have learnt over a period of time. You touch fire, that goes to memory of sub‐conscious. Sub‐conscious gives triggers to Conscious. It may trigger a signal at a time when Conscious mind doesn't need it, then it gives anxiety and tension. Somebody sees a girl, want to talk to her, sub‐conscious has a bad memory of girls, so he cannot speak to a girl now. Somebody wants to speak on stage, sometime in childhood some teacher told him you cant talk on stage. somewhere in sub‐conscious it is holding him back to go on stage. Sub‐conscious is like a dog, it barks. it is trying to protect you. Problem comes when that dog is barking at wrong time. Sub‐conscious is your servant actually. If it gives triggers at wrong point of time, then you are in trouble. how to handle sub‐conscious. This is what psychiatrists and psychology is about. Impressions, chitta are of two types Subconscious impressions and unconscious impres‐ sions. In spirituality , we talk about chitta shuddhi. purification process of heart. All spiritual sadhana is about chitta shuddi. Do seva, service, it clears subconscious. Sub‐conscious gives triggers to conscious mind for actions. If your action takes place accordingly subcon‐ scious has an outlet. if you suppress the triggers, then it is a problem. Everybody have some desires, they come from sub‐conscious. If proper avenue is given to the desires, then sub‐conscious gets an outlet. That is why we say do service. You have desire for action. so channelise action in creative and right way, that is what is dharma about. You do service, seva, you give an outlet for chitta to come out. Once it comes out it doesn't trouble/disturb you further. Then you have to create and program sub‐conscious for your success. You know how to do mental suggestions, auto suggestions, repetitive mantra chanting. All these put some new things into sub‐conscious. Idea is to do service (yoga), prema devotion for lord. Devotion for higher consciousness cleans your mind and sub‐conscious becomes filled with good impressions and gets purified. Then you have, study of scriptures and higher teachings. If some marketing guy says you are god, you wont get faith in that. We have deeper faith in scriptures, because it is told by somebody who has no self interest. If somebody says you are god, you wont get transformed. That's why you value scriptures, higher truth, because it is told by somebody who is not biased, not by corrupted mind. so you believe in scriptures, or you believe in guru, who has no self interest. if somebody has self‐interest you wont trust in that. If a pure unselfish person tells some‐ thing it has more value. These will affect your chitta, sub‐conscious, 'Seva, devotion, study, understanding'. This is why sub‐conscious gradually gets purified. There are deeper, unconcious feelings like fear, sex, food. Now, food, to some extent you can master it. You cannot give up altogether but nobody has to teach you, about food. Next is sex, no education is required for that, only human beings' children require sex education, that too to teach about what not to do. Sex is a basic universal program. It starts from bacteria also. So celi‐ bacy is advised. Body has sexual urge, to some extent it can be controlled by celibacy. Then fear. We can address fear. What is fear about? Fear is 'I am separate from universe'. I am separate from everybody. Now deep rooted fear, and feeling of 'I am separate from universe' is the cause . You never have fear in the com‐

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Surrender to higher consciousness has to come from deep devotion, love for higher, and with understanding that everything is connected.

pany of your friends and relatives. The moment stranger comes you get fear. Cause of fear is feeling of sepa‐ ration. This can be addressed when you realize that you are not separate from universe. That's what is God realization. Cause of fear is duality. Are you really separate from universe. NOT for single second. If sun doesn't rise for a day, you are dead. If wind stops for a moment, you are dead, no water you are dead. You are totally interconnected with universe. You are grown up. what happened in mothers' womb. Every mi‐ nute you are taken care of. How its taken care, because there is universal energy that takes care of you. Whole universe is one living being, that we call as god. Now if you feel totally as part of that, your fear is gone. We don't feel oneness. We feel I am separate from you, etc. That separation causes fear. all scriptures deal with removing the fear. Fear is programmed in unconscious, sub‐conscious will get much more clear, sub‐conscious mind comprises of the habit patterns you learned. Fear is in Unconscious. it gets removed when 'I am separate from universe' feeling is gone. If you understand that 'I am not the body, mind, intellect, I am sakshi (witness)', then fear is gone. So we have three minds Conscious, Unconscious, sub‐conscious. Through the conscious mind sakshi/witness‐ conscious operates. In Jagrat (waking) state, ego arises. ego is not there in swapna (dream) state, or su‐ shupti (deep sleep) state. We have to master sub‐conscious, for that do service, puja, seva, study of higher truths. They help in mastering sub‐conscious. Repetition of mantra. Then there is one more mind, that is called Super conscious mind, it is not individual mind, it is Gods mind. It is a collection of all sub‐conscious minds. What is god, God is collective consciousness, Super conscious mind. Two ways, one is keep on purify‐ ing your sub‐conscious, that is tapas. Or connect with Higher consciousness, the super consciousness. The moment you connect with god, because all are connected, you get support, help from diﬀerent places. that is called grace. Its like you are accessing a huge internet, internet. That is surrender to god. We have fear, and because of actions from Unconscious fears, that accesses the collective mind, whole things blackout. Everybody in collective mind starts keeping away. When you radiate love, all things come together, help comes from somewhere. We have 4 minds. Always it is better to master sub‐conscious. Always better prac‐ tice to surrender to super‐conscious, higher conscious. This is what is mastery of mind. Surrender to higher consciousness has to come from deep devotion, love for higher, and with understanding that everything is connected. Conscious, Unconscious, sub‐conscious are individual minds, super‐conscious is collection of individual minds. Collection and connection, that is god. Good part is this, all of us are connect‐ ed. Other part is all collective and individual minds are a dream , Maya. Everything is a bigger dream Maya. Collective consciousness is an appearance in paramatma mind, higher consciousness. Dream within dream. like movie inception. if you come out of dream everything goes. Our life is two parts, one is to prevent some unwanted things going into sub‐conscious. You keep your gar‐ den clean. house clean, similarly keep sub‐conscious clean, good music, good thinking etc. what ever makes you peaceful and others peaceful. vibrations in your house, company to keep sub‐conscious clear. What is there already you have to empty. Do seva, study etc. Finally to eliminate the fear which is borne out of the feeling 'I am separate', for that you have to understand that you are not separate, and surrender to higher consciousness. This is what is human life. In human life you have ability to access all 4 (Unconscious, sub‐conscious, Conscious, Superconscious). why ? because human mind has highly developed nervous system. The awareness of self (sakshi) operates through nervous system in human beings, so humans have higher awareness ability to see, understand things. With this understanding and clarity human can access all four minds. Animals cannot do. Humans have ability to access higher also. We have 4 minds in all 4 states, whatever states you go through, waking (Conscious mind), dreaming (sub‐ conscious), sleep (Unconscious), higher conscious (samadhi). Samadhi also you cannot stay for long. In Bhak‐

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ti yoga, they enter into a bliss by bhajan, whenever you think of higher, you get bliss, you go into higher state. now turiya is beyond these 4 states. When you go into Samadhi they participate in that, they are part of Samadhi. But turiya is witness to these 4 states. Becoming aware of 4 and not participating in 4 states. All 4 are sort of dream state. Waking, dreaming, sleep, Samadhi all these 4 are dreaming only. if you are not aware, you are participating, nothing wrong, but if you are in turiya you are not participating. How many states are there, four only, turiya is not a state, it is already there. if you come out of dream, and become detached it becomes turiya.

student : How is it connected to 7 states of enlightenment ? Now you become more and more aware of 4 states, three more states get added. You become more & more aware, not participating, observer, sakshi, then what happens, Conscious is there, sub‐conscious & Uncon‐ scious becomes transparent, you become more & more free, individual freedom, then you understand high‐ er principles of life, that is 5th state. What is that, Dharma, karma, laws of universe, gravitational forces, e=mc2 etc. Understanding universal mind, what is Einstein did, understanding of universal mind. Now comes 5th state. 4th state you touch super conscious and come back. 5th state is living more and more connected to super conscious, savikalpa . 6th state is being aware of super conscious. All 6 are dream only. 7th is bhaga‐ van, its not a state, it is parabrahman. No dream, No state etc there. When you have devotion you enter into 5th state. Then you experience oneness with universe, 6th state is you become aware of that. 7th is no separation. Thats what we are.

any questions ? no questions. chants : Naanu, nanembudu naanalla, Eee deha, mana, buddhi naanalla Sachidananda atma siva naanu naane sivoham sivoham sivoham sivoham ||

In this mantra, this is my original mantra, everything is covered, whole veda vedanta sara is in this only. We are not getting into jivatma, paramatma, dvaita, advaita philosophical debate. We are simply stating what we are. Why to get into complex debates. First understand who you are. All that you are saying is I am not the body, not mind, not intellect. Other people, Ramana teaches enquiry of 'who am I', to understand that you have to know I am not body, not intellect etc, I am stating the answer straight away here, I am not body, mind and intellect. Sit simply. This is the greatest mantra, and vedanta sara. Everybody is Siva. You don't have to worry, I am not paramatma etc. I am sakshi, witness. I don't use word parabrahman, if you know you are sakshi, you are fine. otherwise you will get into perpetual debate. Is jiva different from paramatma ? Are they different ? a lifetime will be spent in debates. First know you are sakshi, after sakshi what comes is not your problem. If there is something going on sakshi observes. if nothing to observe, when commentary is switched off, sakshi has nothing to observe. When space is everywhere whatever is there it is space, but whatever you show is not just space. God is also like that. There is no gap. All our efforts to show god is waste. It is like fish trying to understand water. If fish

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asks another fish, where is water ? what you can show. All effort is also like that. I am not body, mind, and intellect doesn't mean that it is death, one becomes very very alive, like a child. If you are associating with body, mind you are dead. Surrender is when mind is not there. There is no space for 2 people, either god or you can stay. In Gita Krishna says "Sarva dharman parityajya maamekam saranam vraja" , surrender to God. Drop all dhar‐ ma, body dharma etc. drop. If you keep yourself and say I am surrendering, it is not. Surrender your self also. With guns you cannot surrender. You have to drop body mind intellect and surrender. that is surrender. What are you surrendering keeping your body and mind. Surrender is effort ? if you don't do actions then it is laziness. if you surrender to god, and don't do spiritual practices, then it is laziness. Surrender is the feeling "at any moment whatever is happening, it is perfect", ok ? understand sakshi (witness‐consciousness), that's it, you need not analyze further. understand you are not body, mind , that is surrender. body is vehicle, it has become master. the moment you surrender, master is atma, body mind becomes vehicle of atman. All of us become vehicles for our own selfish needs. Ego is the driver, it became master. Surrender means driver is doing the work of master (self). More work, clear work, correct work, not laziness, it is service, love, wisdom , jnana, compassion. Surrender means not becoming lazy. It means to use body for the purpose it is made. Body has a virus called 'I' ego, let it go. You surrender your problems but not the profits. effort : you have to do effort but for right cause. Surrender has become excuse for you. I heard one person who is a businessman, he went into losses, he doesn't work now but he now says I sur‐ render to god. Surrender means not attached to results. It means not doing your work, you have to do bha‐ gavan's work. Have you done any work in life. What is bhagavans work ? It is to bring peace, wisdom, love to all. That is surrender, devotion, bhakti etc. It is not complex, it is easy. See, "manushyanam sahasreshu..." very few beings try to understand higher things. for many other people god is means, not end. End is what you want to get. For most, money is the end, bhagavan is the vehicle. Lakshmi is the goal, Narayana is vehicle. When Narayana becomes goal, Laksh‐ mi is the way it is surrender. It is ulta (otherwise) for many. We want money, for that we want God. God is the means for money. When God becomes end, and money becomes way, you will find God. Then higher truths become goal. You will be free. Now how is it possible? if that happens then you are on spiritual path. In material path money is goal, God is the footpath. You are trampling on God. In spiritual path, money is footpath and god is destination. You have to understand, when truth becomes goal, everything becomes means. There are 1000s of people, is anybody really trying to find god. Nobody is interested in truth. Very few people are interested in god. that is for means not goal. Those interested in finding god, very few find correct guid‐ ance, in form of guru , scriptures. there are few who try. very few find good masters. You are not searching anything, all people are searching for happiness. One searches for money, girl etc. ultimately happiness is the goal. Happiness is the goal, god is the way. but god is happiness. Happiness is my nature, very few people understand. Very simple things people get confused. All view points are there. why ? people try to find sys‐ tem out of you. somebody's happiness is becomes a power structure. clear guidance is difficult to get. It is not difficult to get, but very few people desire it.

Atmajyothi in Guruseva — Contributed by Atamjyothi Prasad

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Page 3 Page 3 will feature events happening in the Atmajyothi fraternity in the period between two editions of Divya Jyothi. Atmajyothis in Satsang groups are invited to send reports and pictures of Satsang events or Yagna initiatives taken up so that they can be shared with everyone. We’ll start with pictures of the launch of Divya Jyothi at Prabhuji’s place on Jan 15th.

Prabhuji with the 1st Edition

Launching Divya Jyothi

Live Satsangs You can catch Prabhuji’s satsangs live at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ atmajyothi. You can subscribe for up‐ coming broadcasts by giving your email id, where you will get reminders.

Saraswathy Group Satsang with Ram Bhandarkarji: Satsang with Ram Bhandarkarji The photographs were taken on 15/11/11 in our Saraswathy Satsangh when both Prabhu Guruji and Bhandarkar Guruji graced the occa‐ sion. Both of them gave discourses on Baghavad Gita in general and 'Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata' (4‐7) in particular. Atmajyothi Shreya gave a talk on how we can participate in waste manage‐ ment [as part of Deva Yajna] and keep our environment clean, she herself being active participant in that. — Reported by Atmajyothi Vasanth Shenoy Prabhuji with Ram Bhandarkarji

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Bapuji children’s home Bapuji Children home is an orphanage where we can see children of diﬀerent categories, We can see just born babies , mentally retarded children, children of diﬀerent ages, some are Innocent, some are depressed, some are disturbed due to circumstances.

When I first went there, the first day, the care taker had thought as usual someone had come to donate some money. when I said I would like to do some service in person, spending time with children in week ends, they were happy to hear this. They were curies to know in what way I would approach the children and how the chil‐ dren would react towards me. I said hello to some girls who had come there to see me, they were happy at my approach, they said hi aunty, they took me to a room, every one was eager to know about me, they wanted to show their talent, they were so innocent that some said they would like to show there dances, some wanted to sing film songs, some wanted to hear stories and some wanted to sing Bhajans. All in a day !

I said let me first know your names and in which classes all are studying. All started together saying '' aunty I am in 5th, I am in 7th my name is...'' I said let me know one by one... ''aunty me first, aunty me first'' , I was simply looking at them, there Pure Love, there innocence attracted me the very 1st day. When I was simply looking at them without uttering a word, all of them became silent. I said now one by one let me know about everyone. All introduced themselves, they want‐ ed to show there talent first, I said Ok. some started dancing for Hindi film songs, some started singing film hits. some small children said rhymes, some Bhajans . This was 1st day.

I started going on week ends to be with children for some‐ time, they became close to me, now they do what I say, I start with Om kara, Guru prarthana. They say along with me. After Prarthana, they say which story they want, they have some story books of Ramkrishna ashrama and Chinmaya mission Bhajans, they want me to read it out for them. Like this my service to them started. Now they are trying to learn Bhaga‐ vad Gita, it is quite diﬃcult for them, but they are practicing with devotion.

They want to touch me, they want to be close to me, some hold my hand, they are missing the touch of Love

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may be of there parents, tears rolled from my eyes. No one is Orphan in the universe. Jagatah pitarau vande Parvati Parameshwaram ! ShivaShakti are the Universal Parents. I am not doing anything here, me, I are the language used. The Doer is Guru deva , without Pujaneya I would not have come out of my home, Once you are at Guru deva's feet with devotion, that is the end, you don't have to do anything everything happens ! This body, mind and intellect becomes SPANDA SHAKTI where GURUDEVA is the DOER and that is THE TRUTH .

— Shirasa Namisuva, Gurudeva Pada sevaki

Sanatana Dharma—Part 2 Parama Sadgurugalige Namanagalu... Part - 2 . Aham Gurum Asmi - I Am the Spiritual Teachers. “Arise and Awake, approach the excellent and experienced ones, learn to realize the Truth. Narrow is the path and difficult to tread, sharp like the edge of a razor. But success is sure to those who dare to do. ( Katopanishad ‐ 1.3.14 ) “ The Upanishads directs us to a Guru for ultimate redemption. It is the Guru who lights the path of darkness for his disciple. Guru is the powerhouse of divine energy. By the Grace of Sadguru material attachments are cleansed from the disciple's thoughts. Once the Grace of Sadguru flows through the disciple, the disciple start discarding what all he/she had accumulated till than, Only when this internal debris have been removed , he/she perceive the divine beauty and light. Total faith in, and commitment to, the Guru or Sadguru is essential for Liberation. Permanent Liberation (moksha) cannot be achieved without a deep spiritual attachment to a Sadguru. Just as a father loves his child with patience and forbearance whatever the child's mistakes, so also the Guru is Loving and tolerant of the disciple's Ignorance. Just as the child loves his/her father without question or criticism, so the disciple loves and obeys his/her Guru. Devoted service to the Guru who is Lord himself is essential for redemption. A disciple must be a clay in the hands of a sculptor ‐ Sadguru. The Sadguru molds him/her into the finest medium for the divine power to mani‐ fest. It is not one way , it is not enough if disciple alone is in urge for Guru, he/she must wait in devotion at the feet of the Guru in hope to achieve Guru's Grace. But success is sure if his/her devotion is true towards the Guru. Once this happens the Guru and the disciple are welded together by divine affection. 24 x 7 Guru Shisya.

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(my experience with Pujaneya Prabhuji ) God himself is Guru ‐ Sri Ramakrishna . One who is able to communicate the Knowledge of Eternal Self to us is Gurudeva, Gurudeva himself is God. Typical Truth is Pujaneya Prabhuji, a realized soul , people who flock to his Home (Guru aalaya) sit hour upon hour in silence listening to his Amrutha Vani , Once Guru's Grace flow through you, you are inspired and fully charged. When one reaches this stage you are with Guru following him like a Shadow, even without your physical presence 24 x 7 Guru Shisya Tatwa. Peace and Love symbol of my Pujaneya. Peace is to bring Prosperity to family, Nation and Humanity as a Whole, we need to have a unity of purpose. we need to see interests of others as our own, or else we tear ourselves apart with our conflicting desire, this prayer is commonly offered to God, society , to help create an attitude of harmony, love and Peace, perfect union at all levels is the secret of Peace.

Peace and Love

Love Love is not something we fall into, Love is what we rise to, it is not selﬁsh attachment to handful of indi‐ viduals at the expense of all others. It is Identifying Yourself with all beings in the world. When we accept that all the world is one Supreme Self, we must love all beings literally as our self.

is not just a

Peace and Love is not just a symbol of my Pujaneya, but he is the Living Truth of it.

symbol of my

Human existence is the rare gift of God, we are lucky in that. Gurudeva is the Boat and Boatman, Grace of Gurudeva is the favourable wind, devotion and urge to get liberated is the path to cross the river called Bhava Sagara. Viveka & vairagya are the Boon Granted by Gurudeva .With all these advantages if we do not attempt to cross the ocean of life, it is indeed inﬂated ego . This is what is said in Guru Paduka Stotra .

Pujaneya, but he is the Living Truth of it.

Shirasa Namisuva, Gurudeva Pada sevaki

Answers to word puzzle:

DIVYA

ANIRUDDHA

HARA

18.

RUDRA

CHATURA

10.

SOMA

19.

SARVA

VIRA

11.

NITYA

20. AJA

MAHESHWARA

12.

ATRI

NILAKANTA

13.

TRILOCHANA

NATARAJA

14.

ISA

BHOLENATH

15.

HAMSA

PUSKARA

16.

DAKSA

17.

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Draupadi maana rakshana Duryodhana then orders Vidura, 'O Kshatta, go and bring Draupadi here and put her in servants quarters'. Vidura refus‐ es and advices Duryodhana to desist from such behaviour. Then Duryodhana orders the Pratikamin at the door to bring Draupadi to the assembly. Pratikamin goes to inner chambers and tells Draupadi, "Yudhistir has lost you in a game of dice and Duryodhan won you, and he is ordering you to be brought to servants quar‐ ters to do menial labour". Draupadi replies to him "Go back and ask Yudhistir , did he lose himself ﬁrst or he staked me before himself. Let the el‐ ders in the assembly determine whether I am won lawfully or not".

‘All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.’ - Swami Vivekananda

Painting by Atmajyothi Prasad’s sister.

Pratikamin comes back and poses this question to all. Nobody including Bhishma, Vidura, Kripa, Drona and other kaurava elders could answer whether Draupadi has been won lawfully or not.

Duryodhan says 'Let Draupadi be brought here and allow her to speak to Yudhistir and let all listen to their conversation. Yudhistir and other pandavas are silent, so they consider Draupadi as won'. Duryodhan then orders his younger brother Dussasana to drag Draupadi to the assembly, thinking that Pratikamin is afraid of Vrikodara (Bhima). Dussasana goes to inner chambers and finds Draupadi there. He tells her to come to the assembly. Draupadi tells him that her season has come and she is clothed in a single robe, and she cannot come in front of kaurava elders in such a situation. She then runs towards the ladies of the Kauravas. Dussasana runs after her and catches hold of her hair and drags her to the assembly. Draupadi repeatedly requests him to let go of her, and her pitiable cries falls on deaf ears. In the assembly she asks elders the same question, whether they consider her as won in the game of dice. Bhishma tells her "I cannot determine the answer to this question, on one hand, Yudhistir lost himself first and he cannot stake you after that, on the other hand a woman is considered as to be under the orders of husband, and when he lost all his belongings, you are included in that". There arose a clamouring in the assembly, the opinion is divided amongst them. Vikarna, the youngest of kaurava princes could not bear himself at the injustice, and requests the elders repeatedly. Failing to get an answer, Vikarna says "Let me give my opinion on this matter. Draupadi does not belong to Yudhistir alone, she is the wife of all five Pandavas. So Yudhistir has no right to stake her. Also, he has been won before Draupadi, so he being a slave do not have right to stake her. Considering these points I tell my judgment that Draupadi has not been won". Karna then says "Vikarna being a child does not know what is right and wrong. While Yudhistir and other Pandavas are silent, they are considering Draupadi as won. Most of the elders are silent, not able to de‐

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cide. If Vikarna feels that Draupadi should not be treated like this, then listen to me , Pandavas and Draupadi being slaves, they can be disrobed also." Saying this Karna then asks Dussasana to remove the robes of Draupadi. Dussasana grabs Draupadi's robes and starts pulling it. Draupadi then cries out to Narayana and Nara for help. Sri Krishna in Dwaraka who is an avatar of Narayana, gets up and starts coming towards Hastinapur. Dharma who is invisible and witnessing all these, then covers Draupadi with layers after layers of robes. As Dussasana is pulling one robe, another robe is covering Draupadi. Dussasana at last desists from that act after getting tired of pulling at the unending layers of clothes oďŹ&#x20AC; of Draupadi. All the people in the assembly then applaud Draupadi and censure son of Dhritarastra. Bhima enraged at this, makes a terrible vow, "Listen all to what I am say, I will not be eligible to enter heaven and the abode of ancestors, if in battle I don't kill Dussasana and break open his chest and drink his blood". Vidura then requests all to deliver their judgment on the matter that Draupadi brought forward. Nobody was able to judge what is right. Karna alone speaks, asking Dussasana to take Draupadi to servant quarters. My Commentary : Dharma (in this case , dharma is equivalent to justice), is subtle. Yudhistir cannot stake his wife before himself, as a husband he is supposed to protect her. On the other hand , if he loses himself, he cannot stake after that. Inspite of whether she is won or lost, no one can stoop to such levels of indecency as the sons of Dhritarastra and Karna. The kauravas have exhibited all the negative qualities that a person can show, and not for nothing the four people 'Duryodhan, Karna, Sakuni, and Dussasana' are named as 'Dushta chatushtayam' (evil four).

Hari Om Atmajyoti Prasad.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The will is not free - it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect - but there is something behind the will which is free.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; - Swami Vivckananda

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Who is the Guru

He teaches infinite times about infinity to a finite mind. He shows us the path to walk on. If we still don't walk, pulls our hand and makes us walk with him. If that still doesn't work, carries us on his shoulder and starts walking. His voice is like a Lion's roar which makes the mind totally silent. He constantly teaches the mind that you are not the mind but the pure self. The only sloka he teaches‐ I am not the mind. I am not the body. I am not the intellect but I am the pure self. He keeps our mind engaged in purifying activities because he very well knows mind will start its activities of the monkey if he leaves it free.

The only sloka he

Let us all get engaged in the purifying activities by writing to this e‐magazine and leave behind the mon‐ key mind.

teaches- I am not the mind. I am not

—‐ Atmajyothi Divyasri.

the body. I am not the intellect but I am the pure self.

Narayanam Hari Narayanam Narayanam Hari Narayanam Narayanam Hari Narayanam Parabrahma Swaroopam Narayanam Sadguru Swaroopam Narayanam.

||1||

Sachchidananda Roopam Narayanam Narayanam Hari Narayanam

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Nityananda Roopam Narayanam Nirakara Roopam Narayanam

||3||

Nirguna Swaroopam Narayanam Nirvikalpa Roopam Narayanam

— Atmajyothi Poornima B Prabhu

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Beyond the I What is, is always What isn’t, is never What seems to be, seen again is gone What is gone is never What seems to be, perishes What is seen in the mirror perishes What is seen with the eyes perishes

"Mind alone is the cause for the state of bondage or liberation in man." - Upanishads

I perish The I that i think I am, perishes The I that I truly am, is All that i do is for the i All is done by the I To know the I is to be the I To be the I, is to stop being the i I am not he perishing body I am not the changing mind I am not the changing intellect I am not what i think I am I am, I am And if I am not I am Nothing is Nothing To speak is to be Not to speak is not to be To see is to be There is always seeing, until there is seen There isn’t anything, if there isn’t anything Is there anything to do for the I Yet there is so much done by the I Yet all is done by the i ‘i’ is everything when I is nothing I is everything when i isn’t Who am i? ‘i’ am not What is after this, alone is.

You are that How can there be silence? When there is seeking How can there be great silence? When there is seeing You can learn how to see How can you learn not to see? The beyond can’t be seen Can’t be heard Can’t be known Can’t be caught Can’t be experienced Can’t be touched Can’t be thought of Then what do you seek? You don’t know what you seek The moment you know is the moment you have Then where is the seeking Is there breath? Are there sounds? Is there life? Are you there? There are forms There are words You are there You alone are there When you are there, there is being When they are there, there is knowing You are that Are you? You don’t know you You don’t know that You run for you You run for that When you simply are You are that. — By Shri Gurupada — Contributed by Atmajyothi Murali

— By Shri Gurupada

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In search of happiness

In the search of happiness (Ananda, bliss, love), I started Desiring (kama) For not getting what I desired, I became Angry (krodha) As desires got fulfilled, I was filled with Pride (madha) To get more of what I desired, I become Greedy (lobha) In fear of losing what I had, I developed Attachment (moha) Looking at others having what I desired, I became Jealous (matsarya) Thus, I wore the six faces of ego , and as a result, of the feeling of separation from infinite, I became finite and started identifying with the body, mind and intellect and my cycle of birth and death continued… for fulfilling the cycle of desire, of desire, of desire… happiness…ananda, bliss… love!

‘…lasting happiness dawns only when there is complete freedom from wants.’ ‘desire nothing (just being... not becoming ) and you will have happiness (Ananda, bliss)’… ! Cos,’ I am that’ (Tat twam asi) … ananda…bliss…divine love… Originally…! . . So ‘DESIRE IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF SUFFERING’ – GOUTAMA BUDDHA

‘Awareness is required to reach the state of bliss, God. When we think, we cannot be

— Atmajyothi Komal

aware. Thinking and awareness

Musings

cannot go together.’

Who is this? He makes us prepared for the worst situation, but that worst situation never comes because of his grace. Mind still does not have complete faith but he does not care for pouring his inﬁnite Love. His Love may be in the form of teaching, scolding or correcting you but he does not miss a single chance in uplifting you. He is totally dedicated to you although you are having half the dedication towards him. He teaches the same thing inﬁnite number of times, for many lifetimes without even a trace of boredom although you get bored of lis‐ tening to it... He is born on this earth just to help you reach your destination. Ans: Guru Who is this? Jumps like a monkey from 1 tree to another, clings to 1 thing like a leech until it gets it and immediately clings to another thing to get that too, becomes silent for sometime from a Guru's grace and again starts the activi‐ ties of a monkey and a leech? Ans: MIND One thought of a Million thoughts!!!!!!!! Daily there is a thought of keeping the mind engaged by some purifying activities but that thought remains a thought in the mind. This is because 'i'(ego) still feels its the mind. Only when the real 'I'(consiousness) is aware of the'i'(ego), the 'i' drops and 'I' is merged with itself. — Atmajyothi Divyasri

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How to contribute articles in kannada. Go to http:// www.google.co.in/ transliterate. Choose Kannada as the language. Type your article and send the transliterated text in the body of gmail to xsubbu@gmail.com or komalmopu@gmail. com.

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ాను అదను శ ె4Jంద bాడుతQెౕ బంU ెoౕ ె .

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classgalalli uр░╛р░Чр░╡hр░╕р▒Бр░д@ р░мр░В р▒Ж . р░Ер░╡р░░р▒Б р░ХH6р░ж р░╕р░з р▒Жр░Чр░│ р▒Ж р░▓) bр░╛3 р▒Жр▒Вр░Вр░бр▒Б р░мр░В р▒Ж . р░Ер░╡р░░H) purthiyaagi р░╢р░░ р░╛р░Чр░дVр░╛ р▒Ж . р░Ер░Вр░др▒Б р░ир░и р░к р░д v р▒Жр▒Хр░╡р░░р▒Б р░ир░и.р▒Ж 6` р░зр░░р▒Б .р░Ер░╡р░░р▒Б р░ир░и р▒Хр░╡р░ир░жH) р░мр░Вр░ж cр▒ХQр▒Ж р░ир░и H) р░к +Uр░и , р░к +vр░г transformation р░Жр░Чр░▓р▒Б р░╢р▒Бр░░р▒Б р░╛Jр░др▒Б . р▒Жр▒Вр▒Хр░к , р░Ер░│ р░╡,р░жр▒Б р░Ор░▓) 5р░Вр░др▒Б Pр▒Жр▒Вр▒ХJр░др▒Б . р░╛р░ир▒Б - р░ир░и р░жр▒Б ├Р р░ир░и р░╡р░░р▒Б р░Ор░Вр░м uр░╛р░╡ р▒Ж Pр▒Жр▒Вр▒Х? р░Ор░▓)р░░р▒В р░ир░и р░╡Iр▒Ж р░Ор░Вр░м % р▒Х+ р░мр░Вр░др▒Б. р▒Хр░╡р░ир░жH) equanimity р░мр░Вр░др▒Б . Pр░╛р░Чр▒Б р░ир░и H) р░Ор░▓) р░др░░р░╣р░ж pleasant experiences р░Жр░Чр░▓р▒Б р░╢р▒Бр░░р▒Б р░╛Jр░др▒Б . Desire Pр▒Жр▒Вр▒Х? р▒Жр▒ЦIр░╛р░Ч р░мр░Вр░др▒Б . р░И р▒Жр▒Хр░╣ р░╛р░ир░▓) ├Р р░И р▒Жр▒Хр░╣ р░ир░и р░жр░▓) р░Ор░Вр░м р░Е#р░╡, р░мр░Вр░др▒Б . р░И р▒Жр▒Хр░╣ р░Зр░╖р▒Б=, Uр░и р░╛р░ир▒Б р░Ор░Вр░жр▒Б +aр░жр░жр▒Б4, р░╛р░ир░▓) р░Ор░Вр░жр▒Б .р▒Жр▒ВBр░╛@Jр░др▒Б . р░╛р░ир▒Б pure consciousness тАУ р░╢р▒Бр░ж4 {р▒Жр▒Хр░др░и ├Р | р░╛ ├Р р░╕р░д nр░д р░Жр░ир░Вр░ж р░Ор░Вр░жр▒Б р░Чр▒Бр░░р▒Б р▒Жр▒Хр░╡

р░ир░и.р▒Ж +a6 р▒Жр▒Вр░Я=р░░р▒Б .

тАШWhen the ego ap-

р░Ир░Ч mind }р░╛ р░╛р░Чр░▓р▒Б peaceful р░Ж?р░░р▒Бр░д@ р▒Ж . р░ир░и.р▒Ж р░др░В р▒Ж Bр░╛J , Iр░╛р░о , р░Хр▒Гр░╖ , |р░╡ р░Ор░▓) р░Ер░╡Iр▒Жр▒Х .

pears, god disap-

р░Ер░╡р░░р▒Б р░Хр░░р▒Б р░╛р░оJ . р░Ер░╡#.р▒Ж р░ир░и р▒Жр▒Вр▒Х┬А р▒Жр▒Вр▒Х┬А р░к р░╛р░ор░Чр░│ .

pears When god appears, ego disappears.тАЩ

"рддреБ рд╣

рдмрдВрдж,реБ рддреБ рд╣

рддреБ рд╣

рд╕реБрдЦ , рддреБ рд╣

рддреБ рд╣

рд╡ рд╛ , рддреБ рд╣ рдирд╛рди , рддреБ рд╣

рддреБ рд╣

"#реА , рддреБ рд╣ реМреАрдГ&рд╕реА , рддреБ рд╣

рддреБ рд╣

рд╢ ) , рддреБ рд╣ рдн ) , рддреБ рд╣

рддреБ рд╣

рд╕&рд╡ , рддреБ рд╣ рдд-рд╡ , рддреБ рд╣реЗ

рдирд╛рде , рд╕ реБ

рд╢рд╛ рдд , рддреБ рд╣рд╕реЗ

р░╣# р░Ур░В , р░Жр░д Aр▒Жр▒В р▒Х+ [ р░╛ $р▒Ж р▒Жр▒Вр▒Х┬Г

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рддреБ рд╣

рдЖрдзрд╛рд░ , рдЖрдирдВрдж рдЕрдкрд╛рд░,

реМрдзрд╛ рддреБ рд╣ рдЧреБрди

рдпрд╛рди ,

рд╕рд╛рдЧрд░ рдорд╣рд╛рди ,

рдХрд╛рд░рдг , рддреБ рд╣ рдореБ ) , рдЖрджрд░ рд╕реЗ

реВрдгрд╛рдо."

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Bhava (athita) Geete

హ#ఓం గురు ౕ , uావ (అ ౕత) ?ౕBె ----------------------------------------------uావ?ౕBె బIెదవరు : | ౕ ల ౕ ాIాయణ భట= . "ఎH)రు ె ా స ె కIెవ ెూరVె ఎH)రు ె Pెౕళ 5ౕ 5జ ెౕ ెరVె మంజు ాణువ సంAె కన6నంBె

‘Liberation

సంAె 6Hన మVెయ మన6నంBె

[moksha], is

5ంత ఎ ెయ ెూళదH) nంBె బIెయలూ }ాIెూౕ ఎNెద ెూౕ?Qెయ ధ5 హరaనంBె .

nothing but, the awareness of

5న.ెం ెౕ ెలuాను కూ? కIె ె

one’s true nature

Pెూa ాల బన ెల) +#? న ె ె

– bliss. We realize

ఓ3 బం ెను ఇ ెూౕ ప# ె ఇర ెౕ

this when our

ఓ3 బరువంBె ఎన.ె కడల కIె.ె."

mind is stilled or

uా ాథM :

our ego is dis-

క[.ె కడల+ౕరవను టు= నగరదQె)ౕ ెలసద సలు ా? ఇరCెౕ ాద సంధభM ఒధ? ాగ

solved.’

రచ ె}ాదంత క[Bె . ఇదర uా ాథM hౕ? ె.

కIెయు+ ె Bాను టు= బంUరువ ఊరు , ఆదIె ాణు+@ల) . 5ౕను 5జ ా?యూ నన ెరaనంBె ఇU4ౕయ అస9ష= ా? సంAె కన6నంBె 5న కIె ఇ ె . సంAె భరువ 6ళ మQెయ ె ౕ మన6.ె అ5 సు+ ె . ఊరను టు= బంUరువ nంBె ఎ ె}ాళదH) 5ం+ ె . 5న కూగు ెూౕ?Qెయ ద5యంBె ,దూరదH) ాణువ హరaనంBె ాణు+ ె . 5న.ా? ెల uాను ఎQా)కeె కూ? కIె ె ాడ ె Qా +రు? సుNా@ ె . కeె.ెౕ నన ఊరు , నన కడలు కIెయు + ె ఎందు +aదు నన ను ాను ఓ3 బరువంBె bా3 ె . uావ ౕత ాద అథM : సn ానంద

పరబ హ

Nా ార బ హ సధుgరు, 6` ద cౕQె namma దృ @యH) బదQావ ె బరుత@ ె

అంత మPాతహ 5ంద కHత ప + ందు [షయ ఎల)కeె ా సుBె@ . Pెౕ.ె ఈ పద దH) గురు నన ను ఎ^ెూ=ౕ జనుమగaంద కIెయు+ద4రు ,అ ానUంద +aయ ా ె. నన ెరaనంBె 5ౕవ, ఇU4#

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ఎందు +aJతు, అస9ష కన6నంBె hత ాద సంAెయ 6ళ మVెయంBె 5మ కూగు ెౕళ + ె గురు ెౕవ ..! . sH)U4#ౕ 5ౕవ, నన ఎ ె}ాళదH) ఇరువ nంBెయను కVెదు 5ౕవ, nత@ శుU4 bా3ద4#ంద, నన.ె 5మ ధ5 ెూౕ?Qెయ ధ5యంBె ెౕళ + ె దూరదH) ఇరువ హరaనంBె >నుగు+ ె . 5మ.ెం ెౕ ఎQా)కeె హుడు ా3 ె ాడు cౕడుగళ ె Qా) సు+@ Nా ా ె, 5ౕవ, ఇరువ,దు ఎH) ఎందు +aJతు (హృదయదH)) గురు ెౕవ ాను ఈగ ఓ3 uారు ె 5మ కeె.ె . హ#ఓం ఆత Aెూ ౕ+ cౖBె Jౕ

By him alone who’s saved himself can other folk be freed;

7 steps to peak of human consciousness

The help of others is as if the blind the blind, would lead. - Ramana Maharishi

- Contributed by Prabhuji

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In search of eternity The story is about my spiritual journey in life. The objective of telling the story is to narrate chronologically events which contributed to spiritual insights in my life. Book Worm in Primary School

‘Energy and matter are one and the same. Matter is nothing but energy vibrating at certain frequency.’

As per my mother while all children were playing, I used to sit in a corner and watch them play. My mother remembers the type of questions I used ask her and pester her for answer. It seems I used to ask her questions like –“why the sky is blue ? Why there is moon? Why there is sun ?” . It took me quite some years in later part of life to realize that there are no answers for “why” in life. Existence simply “is”. There are no answers for why. I was very fond of books. My uncle had a small book shop where he used to sell novels and magazines. I used to sit in his shop and read every piece of printed material. The library in my small town was a boon. I kept reading all possible books available at home or friend’s places or library. I was a book worm. I read 5 to 6 books a day. My parents were worried about my reading habits and complained to School head master. He called me and advised me not to read too much!. I had to continue my reading habits covertly. Even librarian did not know that a kid reads so many books in a day. I used to lie that my uncle needs the books for borrowing books from library. Over a period of time, librarian realized that this kid is the reader and not the uncle. He became very friendly after that – he used to show me newly arrived books. I read books on astronomy, science, hypnotism, yoga, karate and detective novels during this period. Cricket was a rage among my friends. I also enjoyed playing cricket. My friends used to listen to cricket commentary – glued to radio. That time ﬁve day test matches were popular. My friends used to spend days together listening to cricket commentary and discussing. I was not a interested in this activity at all. According to me this is a waste. I used that time reading books. I used to feel very diﬀerent from my friends. None of their interests in dress, talk, game used to attract me. I liked to be alone. I was very detached in all activities.

Discovering the Power of Positive words (During Primary School) There was a tough mathematics teacher Mr. P . He was a terror for all the kids. He used to beat us with a stick if we fail to answer his questions. I was terribly afraid of him. I started bunking classes. Whenever I attended class, I was not able to grasp any subject. I preferred to hide in places near house and read novels. I started failing in the class. I was written oﬀ as a hopeless kid. In the meanwhile my parents admitted me to another school. Even there my condition was hopeless. I could not grasp any subject being taught. One day a lady teacher Ms. V came to our class and asked a question. None of the kids in the class could answer that question. When my turn came for answering, I gave the answer. The teacher was very happy. She told the whole class that I have never seen such a bright kid !. It was my lucky day !. But her appreciation did some magic on me. Suddenly my attitude changed. There was a deep change in me. Now, I could

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grasp any subject very easily. After that I have never looked back in academics. Whatever I am today is all due to Ms. V. Her single encouraging word changed my world. I realized that positive words, compassion can change anybody in the world. If I am a spiritual teacher, and my teaching has impacted lives of many of my students, all the credit goes to Ms. V who showed me the power of positive words. Discovery of Thoughtless Awareness ( During Middle School) – Natural State (Sahaja Samadhi) My life had changed forever because of Ms. V. Now I could grasp any subject very quickly. I used to sit and listen to every teacher attentively. I used to grasp every bit of information pouring out of the mouth of my teachers. I was considered as the most brilliant student. Whatever I hear in the class was suﬃcient for me. I did not have to read at home or prepare for exam. I stood ﬁrst in the district for 7th standard exam. Everybody was praising me.

Truly the yogi feels no excitement even at being established in that state which all the Devas from Indra down yearn for disconsolately.

At that time, I did not know anything about spirituality or meditation At this point of time in life, I can understand that I was in thoughtless awareness all the time during that period of my life. Thoughtless awareness is also called natural state – Sahaja Samadhi. It is a state of being one with the existence. In that state all actions are spontaneous. Due to some Grace, I had touched the core of my being. I had discovered what it means to have pure awareness. But during my high school days, this awareness faded as I faced stresses and strains of studying in high school in another city. The insight I gained from this part of my life – “everybody can attain the natural state. But most of them are not aware of that state. The natural state is our original state. We can always get back to that. If we get that state in total knowledge, the awareness of natural state will not leave us. However, since I got the state without knowing the signiﬁcance of that, I lost 1st in my subsequent High School days. It took me quite a number of years in adulthood to regain what I lost in between.

Continued in next month..

- Ashtavakra

— By Prabhuji

Gita 4.2

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Nitya Sadhana

" Sadhana (sa+dhana) means acquiring wealth ( dhana) through satkarma (sa). This wealth is spiritual wealth required for Self Realization. Shama ( Calmness of mind), dama ( mastery over sense organs), titiksha ( ability to withstand physical and mental pain), uparathi ( mind ﬂowing towards Self realization instead of objects of sense organs), shraddha (true faith), samadhana ( balanced mind), viveka (discrimination), vairagya ( detachment), and mumukshatva ( desire for liberation) - all these qualities are called - spiritual wealth ( sadhana sampatti)". - Prabhuji

Pujya Guruji has been sharing consistently that the Six pillars of support for spirituality is the way to evolve and realize. Out of this Sadhana is one of the pillars.

Shining is my essential nature,

Why Sadhana ?

and I am nothing

Sadhana is needed for a change for better. To know what is, change for better, all about it is apt here to share what Shri Chinmayanandji said

over and beyond that. When the world shines forth, it is simply me that is shining forth.

“The great Rishis of yore had analysed and concluded that change for the better has to be brought about three levels – the quality of thoughts, the quantity of thoughts and the direction of thoughts. After all, the mind is but a ﬂow of thoughts. Once the thoughts change, we can conﬁdently say that the mind has changed. The sadhanas of bhakti, karma and jnana are prescribed to address these three kinds of changes. Through bhakthi yoga, devotion to the Lord, the quality of thoughts will change. Through karma yoga, the quantity of thoughts is reduced. Thoughts of anxiety, the quantity of thoughts is reduced. Thoughts of anxiety and worry about the future, about the results of one’s actions etc are minimized. Finally, the direction of thoughts – ordinarily one’s thoughts are turned outward, but with knowledge ( jnana), an attempt is made to steer the direction of thoughts in search of Consciousness within oneself. When these are undertaken concurrently then one can master the mind at three times the speed. “

- Ashtavakra

Mastering the mind leads to higher realms of consciousness and ultimately to live in witness consciousness.

Gita 2.8

When to do Sadhana ? Sadhana needs to be consistent and regimental if one were to evolve and realise. It is beneﬁcial if one were practice on a daily basis with a speciﬁc time and place allocated. What needs to be done as Nitya Sadhana ? Here is what Sathyana and Guruji have prescribed – Daily kriya and yogasana : 1)

Namaskara ( standing with folded hands and bowing the head) – Remembering all the gurus

Sastanga namaskara

Bho thatwa

Jala thatwa

Agni thatwa

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Akasha thatwa

Suryanamaskara – 4 slow. 4 slow continuous. 4 fast

Shavasana

Pranayama -

Breathing – lower lobe, middle lobe and upper lobe

Breath balance

Nadishodana – 9 rounds

Breath balance

Kapalabathi – 18 x 3 – attention on sahasrara after the kriya

Words cannot ex-

Hand pulling down forcefully – 18 x 3 - attention on agna chakra after the kriya

plain Ultimate

Hand stretch & close forcefully towards heart – attention at the back of the neck after the kriya

Reality, only ex-

Bhasthrika ( in and out forcefully) – full body observation after the kriya

perience can.

Blow air out of mouth – 3 times forcefully and bend forward as you are blowing out x 3 times

Meditation - 30 minutes Naham, Soham, Koham and Soham meditation Karma yoga ( during the day) – Nishkama karma through the 5 yagnas – Deva yagna, Rishi yagna, manushya yagna, pirthru yagna and bhutha yagna Daily text reading – Jnana yoga - Bhagawad gita,upadesha sara and Atma bodha Bhakthi yoga – Guru gita, Gurupaduka strotra, Bajagovindam, Purandaradasa kirthanas

— Atmajyothi Arjun

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Vachana Sahitya

Vachana Sahitya is a form of writing in Kannada that evolved in the 12th Century C.E. as a part of the Veerashaiva 'movement'. Vachanas literally means "(that which is) said". These are readily intelligible prose texts. Vachanas are brief paragraphs in poetry form, and they end with one or the other local names(ankitha namas) under which Shiva is invoked or oﬀered Pooja. In style, they are epigrammatical, parallelistic and allusive. They dwell on the vanity of riches, the valuelessness of mere rites or book learning, the uncertainty of life and the spiritual privileges of Shiva Bhakta (worshiper of lord Shiva). The Vachanas call men to give up the desire for worldly wealth and ease, to live lives of sobriety and detachment from the world and to turn to Siva for refuge. About 20,000 vachanas have been published. The government of Karnataka has published Samagra Vachana Samputa in 15 volumes. Karnataka University Dharwad has published collections of individual vachana poets.

To truly understand God one has to become God. To know God is to be God’

Madara Chennaiah, an 11th-century cobbler-saint who lived in the reign of Western Chalukyas, is first poet of this tradition. Devara (Jedara) Dasimaiah is also called the 'Adya Vachanakara' (The First Vachanakara). This form of writing, in the 20th century, has come to be closely linked with what is called the social revolution of that period in Karnataka led by the vachana writers, such as Basaveshvara, Akka Mahadevi, Allama Prabhu and Siddheshwar .This fact has been attributed to the popularity of the movement. More than 200 Vacahana writers (Vachanakaras) have been recorded, more than 30 of who were women. The Anubhava Mantapa established by Basava laid down the foundation of social democracy. Basava believed that man becomes great not by his birth but by his conduct in the society. He placed practice before precept and his own life was of rigid rectitude. Basava brought home to his countrymen the lesson of self-purification. Auhors of a particular Vachana can be identified by the style of invocation of God (Basveshvara invokes "Kudala Sangama Deva", while Allama Prabhu invokes "Guheshwara", Akkamadevi invokes "Channa Mallikarjuna", Siddhrama (Siddheshwar) of Solapur invokes "Kapilasidda Mallikarjuna") in the vachana. The existing readings of the vachanas are mostly set by the European understanding of the Indian traditions. The Sharanas had no caste divisions and accepted everyone as equal. Jedara Dasimayya was by profession a weaver, Shankar Dasimayya a tailor, Madivál Máchayya a washerman, Myadar Ketayya a basket-maker, Kinnari Bommayya a goldsmith, Vakkalmuddayya a farmer, Hadapada Appanna a barber, Jedar Madanna a soldier, Ganada Kannappa an oilman, Dohar Kakkayya a tanner, Mydar Channayya a cobbler, and Ambigara Chowdayya a ferryman. Along with day to day work , spiritual sadhana and social work their vachanas were both a means to express their experiences and insights and at the same time educate the common man with the timeless spritual knowledge and insights. This series on Vachanas is a small effort to understand the insights and messages of Sharanas …. Let us start with Bassavanna Vachana: “Ayya ni madalaada jagathu Ni madalaada samsara, ninu madida mananssu Ni madida sukha dukha Ayya ni bidisidare bittithu thamasavu ‘nanu e mayeya geddenemba’ hmmu yeke kudala sangama deva!”

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Here Ayya means God. All this creation, this world, this mind is the manifestation of God. YOU are the mind, YOU are the liberation, YOU are the pathâ&#x20AC;Ś.YOU are the play, YOU are the player tooâ&#x20AC;Ś the same message is given in Baghavadgeeta also. Everything is GOD Himself.. Andâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś why man in ego (hammu) says â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I(nanu) have conquered maya, I have been liberatedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; not knowing that the real liberation is not for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;Ś.but from the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;Ś. Such a great message in such a simple wayâ&#x20AC;Śthis is the greatness of Vachanasâ&#x20AC;Ś (to be continued) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Complied by Atmajyothi Rekha

'Desire and Selfish

ŕ°ľŕ°&#x161;ŕ°¨ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°ł ŕ°¸ŕą bŕ°žŕ°°ŕą ŕą§ŕą§ ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022; ŕ°śŕ°¤bŕ°žŕ°¨ŕ°Ś ŕ°¨ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°¤ŕ°° ŕ°¨ŕ°Ž uŕ°žŕ°°ŕ°¤ ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°śŕ°ŚH) ŕ°`@ŕ°Şŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Ľŕ°Ś ŕ°žŕ°˛ ŕ°śŕą ŕ°°ŕą ŕ°žJŕ°¤ŕą . ŕ°&#x2020;ŕ°&#x2014; ŕ°&#x2022; ŕ°žMŕ°&#x;ŕ°&#x2022;ŕ°Śŕ°˛ŕą&#x201A;) ŕ°&#x2C6;

acts flame each other, one has to

ŕ°¸ŕ°Žŕ°Żŕ°ŚH) ŕ°&#x2026; ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°&#x2022; Bŕą&#x2020;Aŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°Ťŕ°˛ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°ł ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°¤ Â?ŕ°ž5ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°ł Cŕą&#x2020;ŕ°ł`.ŕą&#x2020;

renounce

ŕ°Źŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Śŕ°°ŕą . [[ŕ°Śŕ°¸Â&#x2018;ŕ°˛ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°łH) ŕ°šŕą Â&#x20AC;=ŕ°Ś ŕ°&#x2021;ŕ°ľŕ°°ŕą ŕ°&#x2014;a.ŕą&#x2020;Qŕ°ž) ŕ°&#x2022;Qŕ°ž ŕ°Ł ŕą&#x2020;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Ź ŕ°&#x160;ŕ°°ŕą&#x201A; ŕ°&#x2021;ŕ°ľ#.ŕą&#x2020; ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Ś ŕ°¸Â&#x2018;ŕ°ł ŕ°žJŕ°¤ŕą .

both....for attain-

ŕ°&#x2026;H) ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°Źŕ°ľ ŕ°Žŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°&#x;ŕ°Ş ŕą&#x2020;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Ź Pŕą&#x2020;ŕ°¸#ŕ°¨ ŕ°¸uŕą&#x2020;ŕ°Żŕą&#x201A; ŕ°śŕą ŕ°°ŕą ŕ°žJŕ°¤ŕą . ŕ°&#x2021;3ŕą&#x2022; Uŕ°¨ ŕ°žŕ°Żŕ°&#x2022;ŕ°ŚH) 5ŕ°°ŕ°¤ ŕ°ž?ŕ°&#x17D;ŕ°˛)ŕ°°ŕą&#x201A; ŕ°Ş + U ŕ°ž ŕ°¸ŕ°&#x201A;Aŕą&#x2020;

ing liberation.'

ŕ°¸ŕ°¤;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°&#x2014; ŕ°¸uŕą&#x2020; ŕ°¨eŕą&#x2020;ŕ°Żŕą +@ŕ°¤ŕą @ . ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°ŕ°ľŕ°ŚVŕą&#x2020;W ŕ°&#x201A; ŕ°žŕ°Ś ŕ°žŕ°°bŕ°žŕ°ĽMŕ°Ś ŕ°¸[ŕ°Ż Bŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°°ŕą ŕ°ľ ŕ°&#x2019;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Śŕą ŕ°¸uŕą&#x2020;}ŕ°ž?ŕ°¤ŕą @. ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°ľIŕą&#x2020;ŕ°˛) ŕ°Şŕ°°bŕ°žŕ°¤ 5.ŕą&#x2020; ŕ°śŕ°° ŕ°žŕ°Ś ,ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°ľŕ°¨H) ŕ°&#x2019;ŕ°&#x201A; ŕ°žŕ°Ś ŕ°śŕ°°ŕ°Łŕ°°ŕą . ŕ°&#x2026; ŕ°ž ŕ°¤ Nŕ°žŕ°§ ŕą&#x2020; bŕ°ž3, ŕ°¸bŕ°žŕ°&#x153; Nŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020;ŕ°ŻH) Bŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕ°Ą? Nŕ°žbŕ°žŕ°¨ ŕ°žŕ°Żŕ°&#x2022; bŕ°žŕ°Ąŕą ŕ°¤@ ŕ°&#x2026; ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°&#x2022; ŕ°ľŕ°&#x161;ŕ°¨ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°łŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°°n6 ŕ°&#x153;ŕ°&#x2014;+@.ŕą&#x2020; Â?ŕ°žŕ°¨ŕ°Ś ŕ°&#x2026;#ŕ°ľ, ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕ°&#x;=ŕ°ľŕ°°ŕą . ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°¤ŕ°š ŕ°śŕ°°ŕ°Łŕ°° ŕ°ľŕ°&#x161;ŕ°¨ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°ł Nŕ°žŕ°°ŕ°ľŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°Ş + +ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°ł ŕ°¸Tŕ°˛9 ŕ°¸Tŕ°˛9 ŕ°ž? ŕ°¸[ŕ°Żŕą Bŕ°ž@ Â?ŕ°žŕ°¨ŕ°Ś ŕ°ž #ŕ°ŻH) Nŕ°ž.ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A; ŕ°ž..

ŕ°ŚH.ŕą&#x2020; ŕ°Źŕ°¸ŕ°ľŕ°Ł ŕ°¨ŕ°ľŕ°° ŕ°&#x2C6; ŕ°ľŕ°&#x161;ŕ°¨: ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°Ż 5ŕą&#x2022; bŕ°žŕ°ĄQŕ°žŕ°Ś ŕ°&#x153;ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°¤ŕą @ 5ŕą&#x2022; bŕ°žŕ°ĄQŕ°žŕ°Ś ŕ°¸ŕ°&#x201A;Nŕ°žŕ°°, 5ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°¨ŕą bŕ°ž3ŕ°Ś ŕ°Žŕ°¨ŕ°¸ŕą ; , 5ŕą&#x2022; bŕ°ž3ŕ°Ś ŕ°¸ŕą ŕ°&#x2013; ŕ°Śŕą ŕ°&#x192;ŕ°&#x2013; ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°Ż 5ŕą&#x2022; Â&#x2039;36ŕ°ŚIŕą&#x2020; Â&#x2039;Â&#x20AC;=ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°¤ŕą Bŕ°žŕ°Žŕ°¸ŕ°ľ, " ŕ°žŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°&#x2C6; bŕ°žsŕą&#x2022;ŕ°Ż .ŕą&#x2020; ŕą&#x2020;4 ŕą&#x2020;ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°Ź " ŕ°šŕ°Žŕą ŕ°? ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022; ŕ°&#x2022;ŕą&#x201A;ŕ°Ąŕ°˛ ŕ°¸ŕ°&#x201A;ŕ°&#x2014;ŕ°Ž ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022; ŕ°ž I uŕ°ž ŕ°žŕ°ĽM: ŕ°&#x2021;H) ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°Ż ŕ°&#x17D;ŕ°&#x201A; ŕ°žŕ°&#x2014; ŕ°Şŕ°°bŕ°žŕ°¤ . ŕ°&#x2C6; ŕ°&#x17D;ŕ°˛) ŕ°¸ŕą&#x192;Â&#x17D;= , ŕ°¸ŕ°&#x201A;Nŕ°žŕ°° , ŕ°Žŕ°¨ŕ°¸ŕą ; ŕ°&#x17D;ŕ°˛)ŕ°ľÂ&#x2014; ŕ°Şŕ°°bŕ°žŕ°¤ ŕ°¨ ŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x2022;, ŕ°&#x2026;ŕ°Śŕ°¨ŕą +aŕ°Żŕą ŕ°ľ ŕ°Žŕ°¨ŕ°¸ŕą ; 5ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020; , ŕ°Žŕą `@.ŕą&#x2020; ŕ°ž# Bŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕą&#x2022;ŕ°°ŕą ŕ°ľŕ°ľŕ°¨ŕą ŕ°¸ŕ°š 5ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020; ,ŕ°Žŕą `@ŕ°Żŕą&#x201A; 5ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020;, ŕ°ž# Bŕą&#x2020;ŕą&#x201A;ŕą&#x2022;#ŕ°¸ŕą ŕ°ľŕ°ľŕ°¨ŕą 5ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020; ,ŕ°&#x2020;ŕ°&#x; ŕ°&#x2026;3ŕ°¸ŕą ŕ°ľŕ°ľŕ°¨ŕą 5ŕą&#x2022; ŕą&#x2020; ...

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ఆటవ, 5ౕ ె, ఆడువవను 5ౕ ె ఎందు PెౕళQాగు+@ ె . ఇ ెౕ #ౕ+య అథMవను బగవ ౕBెయ ఒందు $ె )ౕకదH) PెౕళQాగుత@

ె. ఎల)వ పరbాతZ 5ౕ అ.ెరు ాగ ' ాను bాsయ .ె ె4ౕ, ముక ా ె' ఎం ాగలూ ాను ఎంద అహం ఏ ె Cెౕకు గురు ెౕ ఎందు బసవణ నవరు ఈ వచనద మూలక +a6 ా4Iె . ము`@య ా#యH) ఇ ా4గలూ) సహ అహం 'న5 ంద న5 ంద ' ఎందు PాIాడుత@ ె. నన.ె ము`@ 6 తు ఎందు 6` దcలూ , ' ాను' ఎంబుద#ంద ముక@Iాగువ,దు ఎందథM. hౕ.ె ఆడుuా^ెయQె) పరbాథMవను +aసువ ానవను ెూడువ Nాద ె bా3 ా4Iె బసవణ నవరు

— Complied by Atmajyothi Rekha

Keep advaita

Lingas

within the Heart. Do not ever carry it into action.

ాTదశ Hంగగళ

Even if you apply it to all the three

నమ ెౕశదH) ప + హబ గళ , ఆచర ెగళ మతు@ +థM ెత గళ ఇవ,గళQె)ల)వ, ఒం ెూందు uౌ+క, ఆUuౌ+క Pాగు

worlds, O Son, it is

అ ా + క అథMగa ె ఇ ెల)వ కeె.ె అతూ ా4ర ె Cెౕ ాదవ,గVా? ె. ఈ +ఒగళ |వIా+ .ె సంబంధ ప = ా? ె. Pా.ా?

not to be applied to

ఈ |వIా+ Jంద ముంUన |వర+యవIె.ె ావ, ౧౨ +ంగళ ౧౨ ాTదశ Hంగగళ ప#చయ Pాగూ అవ,గళ Nా నద మహతT

the Guru.

మతు@ అథMగళను +aయుత@ +ౕథM}ాBె bాeెూౕణ.

- Tattvopadesa

౧౨ ాTదశ Hంగగళ : ౧. NౌIాష¡ Nెూౕమ ాథ ౨. | ౕ $ైల మH) ాజుMన ౩. ఉజ¤J5య మ ాQెౕశTర ౪. పHMయ ైద ాqెశTర ౫. మవం+}ా ఓం ాIెౕశTర ౬. eా`5య ¨ౕbాశంకర ౭. IాcౕశTరద IాcౕశTర ౮. ారు ెయ ా.ెౕశTర ౯. ా|య [$ెTౕశTర ౧౦. త ంబకంన త ంబ ెౕశTర ౧౧. ె ారద ెౕ ాIెౕశTర ౧౨. ఏQెూ)ౕరద ఘ$ెiశTర

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దQె ెయ ా? | ౕ Nెూౕమ ాqెౕశTర :

"వం ెౕ |వం Nెూౕమ ాథం NౌIాష¡ 6 త మవ యం I ప uాస +ౕIెౕ చంద ప జ స ా ఋణ[ముక@sౕ II " | ౕ Nెూౕమనqెశవర ెౕత వ NౌIాష¡ (గుజIాత) దH) ె . ప,IానదH)రువ కqెయంBె hం ె దv5.ె ౨౭ జన క ె య#ద4రు . అవIెౕ ౨౭ నvత గళ . Iా+ .ె అ ప+ చంద ను . ౨౭ జనరను [ ాహ ాదను. ఆదరు చంద ను ౨౭ క ెయ#?ంథ Iెూౕh5యను ౕhసుత@ ఉaదవరను +రNా ర

No Mind is God himself.....

uావ ెJంద

ెూౕడు+@ద4ను. ఆగ దvను చంద న cౕQె ెూౕప.ెూండు vయIెూౕగ బరQెందు $ాప[ట=ను . అంU5ంద చంద

U ెౕU ెౕ ౕ సుత@ ఆతన ౧౬ తaగళ vJ6దవ, . ఆగ చంద ను బ హ ెౕవరను $ాప ప#Pార ా ? Cెౕ3దను .ఆగ బ హ ెౕవను ఇద ె ఒందు ప#Pార ఏ ెందIె Nెూౕమ ాథ ెౕత ె Pెూౕ? మృతు ంజయ - Nెూౕమ ాqెౕశTర జప bాడు

Shiva…

ఎందు Pెౕaదరు . ఆగ చంద న జపUంద |వ సు% ౕత ా?చంద 5.ె ఒందు +ంగళH) ౧౫ Uన ౕణ Pాగూ ౧౫ Uన

Pure Awareness..!

వృU4}ా? PెూVెయువ వర ెూట=ను. ఆగ |వ Nెూౕమ ాథదH) Nెూౕcశవర ెంబ HంగరుపదH) ెQె6దను. ఇదు ప,Iాణద కqె}ా? ె. అ ా + క ా? Nెూౕమ ఎందIె చంద అదరథM మనసు; ఎందు క3 ాణవను `Bె@Nెయువ,దు . నమ H)న 5జ ాద గుణ ాద $ాం+యను మIె6 CెౕIెయ గుణగళ తుం ెూళ lవ,దు మన6;5ందQెౕ . ఆ మనస;ను 5గ h6 అదను జJసువ గుణవను ఆIాUసువ, ెౕ NెూౕcౕశTర ప,Aెౕ}ా? ె. అbా ాNె;యందు [$ెౕష ా? |వన ఆIాద ెౕ. అందIె ఆ Uన చంద నూ ఇల) అqాM° మనసు; ఇల). ఎం ాగ అH) |వ ెౕ ెQె6రుBా@ ె.

గురు PెౕaదంBె : Idle Mind is Devil's workshop Empty Mind is God's workshop No Mind is God himself.....Shiva...Pure Awareness..! | ౕ గురుuెూ ౕ నమః ఆత Aెూ ౕ+ Iెౕ±ా

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Readers Reviews Dear Atmajyothis, Namaste. నమNె@. The ﬁrst edition of Divya Jyothi launched on the auspicious occasion of Makara Sankranti has come out really well. During Sankranti, the mixture 'ELLU' is distributed and also there is a saying that "Ellu bella tindu olle mathadi". ఎళ l Cెల) +ందు ఒVెl bాBా3 The mixture has following ingredients in right proportion - Jaggery (Acchu Bella), Dry Copra/ Dry Coconut, Peanuts, Hurigadale/PottuKadalai/White Sesame/Til Seeds. The ellu mixture tastes really good. Similarly, the Divya Jyothi has all the articles, conversations, reports, stories, quiz in the right proportion and it has been an enlightening experience to read. We can aptly say that "Divya Jyothi Odi Gnana Padeyiri"

Uవ Aెూ ౕ+ ఓU ాన పeెJ# Please keep up the good work. Best wishes. Thanks. Atmajyothi Guru Ananda

ధన ాద ఆత Aెూ ౕ+ గురు ఆనంద

Dear Prabhu, Thanks for sharing this. Noticed the extensive spiritual articles by your students. Glad to know that the existence is flowing through you for the transformation of many souls. Amazed at the effort or effortlessness (!) that emanates from these articles. Let us be in touch and take opportunity to exchange the views and thoughts in this direction. Regards, Bhushan.

My Dear Prabhudev prostrations to your holy feet, The Magazine is Superb. Good colors, excellent presentation. Matter of course is powerfully explained. Even one issue, or one page or one thought, says it all. This was also the day 31years ago we started our satsangh. May this grow and light up the world Jived Varsha shatam Shubhamasthu — From Ram Bhandarkarji

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