Divya Jyothi
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Prabhuji Speaks Pratiprasava – Past life Regression. Persons like Mahaveera, Buddha, they were experts in past life regres‐ sion. They used a technique called pratiprasava, its called remember‐ ing the past life. Now the question is by remembering the past life what will you gain? What happens? From sub conscious or uncon‐ scious it comes to conscious, that’s all it happens. So when it is in sub conscious vs. when it is in conscious what is the difference? When it is in sub conscious it is the subject, when it comes to conscious it be‐ comes an object. I have a student in Pune; she has a son, who is two years old. When they were walking on road, the child suddenly said, “Stop here! I died here when a lorry hit me.” How can a two year old say something like that? She was aghast and she started going in another street, child said, “Stop! My wife is there in that house.” What happens is, children at young age, can sometimes remember past life. Almost fifty thousand recorded cases of past life remembrances were studied by American doctors. So this past life and what you call as future life as rebirth is not just a belief. So the jour‐ ney of spirituality is what is subject, to make it object. That is the spiritual journey, that is the crux of spiritual jour‐ ney, and the problem is people don’t understand this so they do lot of circus, this and that. So whatever is subject has to become object.
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Panchadasi - Tattva Viveka 31 Sat karma pari pakatte karuna nidhinod dhrtah Prapya tira taru cchayam visra myanti yatha sukham || 31 || (As) these insects, on account of ripening of their earlier no‐ ble deeds one is lifted away, by a compassionate person and having got under the shadow of a tree on the bank of that river, relax at ease; (so is the case of the seeker coming in contact of a teacher – Sadguru). (31) This shloka conveys a warning to the spiritual seeker to guard from falling prey to spiritual arrogance; it is well to remember that every little step in one’s spiritu‐ al path is by the Lord’s Grace and not by one’s effort alone. In India many board games are spiritual meta‐ phors. Snakes and Ladders was invented by a saint named Namdeo. It states the journey of an individual atma taking multiple lives. Every time he has a bad life, he is caught by snake and then has to come down and start the journey again. In the same sense, every time for a good life he gets a ladder and goes to higher planes of existence. Ladder is the Guru; once the seek‐ er starts climbing, the ego shoots up and because of his spiritual arrogance he has a snake bite. Snake rep‐ resents Maya. Ladder represents awakened kundalini. Snake is bad karma, ladder is good karma. Dice is the mind. 100 represents purnatva fullness. Prayer is ap‐ peal from lower consciousness to higher conscious‐ ness. Prayer definitely works because of intervention. Faith is important. Law of karma is by passed by Grace. This we can also understand in the form of a play, Hide and Seek play, how the Grace is most important in spiritual journey. There is one Grand Mother who closes eyes of one participant and all other participants go and hide. When the Grand Mother opens the eye of the participant, who ever he touches become out. Re‐ maining people continue for next game. Now what is the deeper meaning of this? Who is Grand Mother? Grand Mother is the Mother ‐Mahamaya. When she closes the eyes of the participant, the person is in igno‐ rance. All the other people are Jivatmas. All the people
hide. When Mahamaya opens the eyes of person he gets jnana ‐ He is Sadguru. Whomever Sadguru touch‐ es becomes out from samsara. Those who are not touched by Sadguru continue for next game since they are not freed. They keep on playing game of Samsara ‐ birth and death until they become out by Sadguru in some game! Is there more spiritual game than Hide and Seek!. Eyes closed ‐ Ajnana. Closed by Grand Mother – Maha‐ maya. The hiding place is the forest of samsara – means house. We start thinking samsara is my life my home. When Grand Mother opens the eyes body con‐ sciousness goes realizing that I am not the body mind intellect dawns and He or She becomes Sadguru. Jivatma belonging to prakriti, escaped ‐ one who sur‐ rendered to Shakti ‐Maha maya escaped and attained Mukti. Once the Grace of Sadguru showers on his disciple, The vasanas, impressions, karmas everything will fall or dissolve like the salt gets dissolved in water. Water is the pure Consciousness where we jivas are the bub‐ bles, waves. Even though the ocean is full of salt, the taste can be experienced by the experiencer. The taste is the desire and the result is the salt ‐ vasanas, impres‐ sions, once Sadguru's grace flows on the disciple or the seeker, the salt gets dissolved and there will be no ex‐ perience, experiencer; everything becomes a happen‐ ing, all our vasanas, impressions, karmas gets dissolved like the salt gets dissolved in water. The Maha Maya ‐ Goddess, illusions or the Maya Loka created by the Universal Mother and our Dream world vanishes and there is "Nothing". To know that there is nothing 'we need the touch of Sadguru'. So these insects ‐ jivatmas, on account of ripening of their earlier noble deeds one is lifted away, by a compassionate person ‐ Sadguru and having got under the shadow of a tree on the bank of that river, relax at ease.
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Sanatana Dharma Puja and Tapah Sanatana Dharma means the religion that has no begin‐ ning and no end. Religion who’s beginning is lost in timeless eternity. While many of the Worlds Reli‐ gions have founders, San‐ atana Dharma has no found‐ ers. The birth as human be‐ ing is very precious and should be dedicated to find‐ ing the Truth. To help seekers on the path, Sanatana Dharma stresses the importance of Puja and Tapah. Let us see the real meaning of Puja and Tapah. Puja is not a ritual confined to Puja room for 30 minutes a day. Puja is your focus of life. Puja is what you think how you live and how you work 24 hours a day. The real Puja is Yajna, is your action which is service oriented and done with deep devotion. There are Panchamaha Yajnas or five Yajnas which are prescribed, through which you can do service to Bhagavan: Deva Yajna, Pitru Yajna, Manushya Yajna, Bhuta Yajna and Rishi Yajna. Tapasya means to burn. To burn the vasanas and impres‐ sions and contemplate on the higher Consciousness. When you have to construct a building you first contem‐ plate about what you want to do, visualize it in your mind and then lay the foundation. Mental creation pre‐ cedes actual creation. Similarly, Narayana meditated and visualized about creation and this is called Tapasya. He did Tapasya and created the world out of Tapas. Understanding the word Tapas is understanding the heart of India. Atharva Veda declares – Tapo Rashtram Upasannamantu ‐ This Great country of Bharat was born out of Tapas. Bharat stands for Bha+Rati = Wisdom+deep interest. A country which is deeply in‐ terested in wisdom. A country revelling in wisdom of the Highest. People of India were after Truth. Truth that can liberate. Practices, which lead one to Truth, are called Tapas. Tapas stand for austerities. Tapa means to burn.
The moment we say Tapas we start imagining some‐ body sitting with closed eyes and meditating for days together. On the contrary Tapas is much more dynam‐ ic. It is the mastering of physical, mental and speech. Bhgavadgita chapter 17.14‐17.16 describes 3 kinds of Tapas ‐ physical, mental and speech related. Physical Tapas Bh-17.14 deva‐dvija‐guru‐prajna‐ pujanam shaucam arjavam brahmacaryam ahimsa ca sariram tapa ucyate Austerity of the body consists in worship of the Su‐ preme Lord, the brahmanas, the spiritual master, and superiors like the father and mother, and in cleanli‐ ness, simplicity, celibacy and nonviolence. Mental Tapas Bh 17.16 manaḥ‐prasādaḥ saumyatvaḿ maunam ātma‐vinigrahaḥ bhāva‐saḿśuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam ucyate Satisfaction, simplicity, silence of mind, self‐control and purification of one's existence are the austerities of the mind Tapas of Speech Bh17.15 anudvega‐karaḿ vākyaḿ satyaḿ priya‐hitaḿ ca yat svādhyāyābhyasanaḿ caiva vāń‐mayaḿ tapa ucyate Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not agitating to oth‐ ers, and also in regularly study of wisdom teachings of Vedas and enlightened beings.
Divya Jyothi
Soundarya Lahari
The waves of happiness Thanuschayabhi sthe tharuna‐tharuni –srisarinibhi Divam sarva‐murvi‐marunimani magnam smaranthi ya Bhavanthasya thrasya‐dhwana‐harina shaleena Nayana Sahervasya vasya kathikathi na geervana Ganika He who meditates on, The lustre of your beautiful body, Which is blessed by the rising sun, And which dissolves the sky and the world, In light purple hue, Makes celestial damsels like Uravasi and others, Who have eyes like the wild startled deer, Follow him like slaves. Victory in love One who meditates on the Universal Mother, a real seeker is blessed by Universal Love, Compassion and Passion. Both word compassion and passion involve word ‘passion’ in it. Any compelling emotion or feeling is called passion. Passion arises when there is an attach‐ ment. Passion can be due to attachments for name, fame, money, sex ... while compassion is out of love. Out of deep respect and love arising. Compassion has no attachment. Rather compassion is out of pure de‐ tachment. One who is free from all the attachments only can be compassionate. His actions are based out of pure love for alleviating the suffering of others. Buddha, it was purely out of love that he strived. He strived selflessly to alleviate the suffering. His compassion transformed even the hardcore criminal called Angu‐
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limala. Angulimala ‐ means one who wears the garland of thumbs. He killed hundreds of people and wore their thumbs as garland. He even tried to kill Buddha. It was the compassion of Buddha that transformed him and turned him to the path of liberation and en‐ lightenment. One who meditates on Universal Mother will become Buddha – an Awakened one and all others follow him like slaves.
Divya Jyothi
Lalitha Sahasranama
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pens when enlightenment takes place. Suppression is not advisable. Sublimation and transcendence is advis‐ able. Burning Of Kamadeva means, Shiva is Adi Guru de‐ stroyer of Ignorance ‐ Kamesha. Opening of third eye represents ‐ wisdom. Wisdom gained through Shastra (Scriptures), Sadguru (Enlightened Master) and Atma‐ guru (The Inner Self). The Universal Mother’s neck is adorned with the Man‐ galasutra fastened thereon by Her consort Kamesha – The Lord of Desire. The seekers desire must be the Lord and not materialistic desire.
Anakalita sadrushya chubukashri virajita Kamesha baddhamangalya sutra shobhita kandhara Anakalita sadrushya chubukashri virajita: Her chin is peerless in beauty. Kamesha baddhamangalya sutra shobhita kandhara: Whose neck is adorned with the Mangalasutra fastened thereon by Her consort Kamesha. Kamesha means the controller of Desire, any Desire is under his control ‐ Jnanagni Dagda Karmani ‐ Bhagavadgita There is a story about Kamadeva, the god of love. Kama’s body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his meditation and help Parvati to marry Shiva. In anger for disrupting his meditation, Shiva opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama’s body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama’s wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored Kamadeva only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and spiritual state of love rather than physi‐ cal lust. We need to understand the difference between ‐ sup‐ pression, sublimation and transcendence. Suppression of physical lust is dangerous. You might have seen crim‐ inals committing violence, soldiers committing vio‐ lence, even crimes in monasteries. These are due to sup‐ pression of physical lust. Sublimation happens when the mind is engaged in higher pursuit ‐ for example re‐ search, spirituality, and meditation. Transcendence hap‐
Divya Jyothi
Ratha Saptami
Call for Spiritual Sadhana Ratha Saptami festival is celebrated on the seventh day after the beginning of Uttarayana Punya kala in Sukla paksha. a). What is the religious significance of Ratha Saptami ? Ratha saptami is prayer to Surya Narayana‐ Sun God. Sun God is drawn by a chariot having 7 horses repre‐ senting 7 colours/7days of week and wheel having 360 spokes representing days of the year. b). What is the spiritual significance of Ratha Saptami ? This body of ours is called Brahma Ratha. The Vehicle of Brahman. The deity who rides in our body is the Na‐ rayana himself. Seven represents the 7 layers of the body. Mind is represented as horse. c). What is the message of Ratha Saptami ? Ratha saptami is celebrated 7 days after the Uttarayana Punya kala in Sukla paksha. Uttarayana reminds us of the spiritual paths available to us for liberation ‐ Archiradi Marga, Dhumradi marga and Jnana marga. Rathasaptami is a reminder for us to start our practices, work on our spiritual practices of spirituality. To start our Ratha, our Vehicle. ~ Prabhuji
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Path of Light Shreyas and Preyas Today 23rd January is Sri Pan‐ chami. Today is the day when the Universal Mother Saraswa‐ thi appeared to Rishis as Sharada. Sharada is incarnation of Saraswati. Sharada is the form in which Saraswati ap‐ peared. Sharada is with form Saguna. The five auspicious things of Sharada are: Sharada holds a mala representing meditation with silence; a book that signifies knowledge; veena repre‐ sents viveka and vairagya, the arohana and avarohana. Sharada represents Sadguru as she is the bestower of the auspicious Knowledge. The peacock represents the Soundarya or the Bliss/Joy of Brahma Vidya. Saraswathi is the Adi Devata for Vidya, Knowlegde. There are two types of Vidya, Para Vidya and Apara Vidya. Para Vidya is highest wisdom and Apara Vidya is lower wisdom. What we do for living, whether it is Engineering, Medicine, Science, Arts, Cooking, Cycling etc, they all come under the category of Apara Vidya, the lower knowledge. This lower knowledge is re‐ quired for our daily living We then pray her for Para Vidya, the wisdom of the Self, Atma Jnana, knowledge of the Self, which comes through Upanishads, Vedanta, Brahmasutras, Yoga Shastras, and teaching of the Guru. The prayer for Sharada is to shows us the path for Para Vidya, grant us the path of Para Vidya. What is this highest wisdom and how to get it? I am not the body, I am not the Mind, I am not the intellect, and I am pure sprit’. This realization is called Self Knowledge ‘Atmajnana’ Nanu nanembudu naanalla, ee deha, mana, buddhi naanalla. Sachinandatma, Shiva naanu nane, Shivoham, Shivoham, Shivoham This is the spiritual knowledge that one has to gain. To understand this truth one has to study Shastras, Ve‐ danta, Bhagavad Gita, and Yoga Sutras. We have to understand ‘What is my reality?’ To understand our true nature, we need to get teachings from a Sadguru, Enlightened master. So, we pray Saraswathi to show us
Divya Jyothi
the path of Enlightenment. So, Sri Panchami is about Path of light – Uttaraadi marga. It is about Shreyas and Preyas, it is about Liberation or eternal bondage. It is about prayer for freedom from all ignorance, our illu‐ sions. It is about prayer for granting us all the divine qualities that is the sadhana Sampatti and is about the prayer for Para Vidya.
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Madhva Navami
~ Prabhuji
Sri Madhvacharya born in 1238 AD lived for 79 years and left this world on the 9th day of bright fortnight (Navami thithi) in the lunar month Magha Masam that falls two days after the Ratha Sapthami festival. Under‐ standing of Dwaita, Vishistadwaita and Advaita has to be done more at Antakarana level. The ahamkara, which is Jiva should know very well that Jiva is different from Paramatma. Jiva is different from every other Jiva. Jiva is no way comparable to Paramatma and very infe‐ rior in nature. Jiva should understand that "i" am only reflected light of Sakshi. Sakshi is the Bimba ‐ Source and "i" am Pratibimba (reflection). With this under‐ standing Jiva should develop devotion, think of Scrip‐ tural Truths and live in the present moment. This will cleanse the antakarana. ‐ This is what is called Dwaita. Jiva understands that it is related to Sakshi ‐ Atma. Dropping all effort, Jiva surrenders to Sakshi ‐ Atma. This is called Vishistadvaita. This is actually "prapatti" ‐ surrender. This can only happen when the Jiva has de‐ veloped good amount of qualities of Self through Dwaita Bhava and Bhakti. The peak of Bhakti is surren‐ der ‐ Vishistadvaita. Jiva realizes there is no true exist‐ ence for itself. It is Self‐alone ‐ Atma alone. Jiva ‐ ego self ‐ ahamkara disappears though Grace of the Sadguru. Advaita bhava sets in. Thus, Dwaita‐ Vishistadvaita and Advaita are not different philosophi‐ cal systems but experience of Jiva in the path of spiritu‐ al Journey. ~ Prabhuji
Divya Jyothi
Human Birth
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tening to the glories of the Lord, listening to the song of the divine is a great opportunity. All the messages of India, the most important mas‐ sage, that is the messages of Gurus, that is the mes‐ sage of Acharyas, spiritual masters and enlightened beings in India, that message is ‘to take human birth is the greatest thing to happen, to take human birth is difficult, to take birth in India is much more difficult, to be in Karnataka is the greatest merit, do not spoil it’. The birth of human being is to chant the names of Lord – Bhagavan Nama smarane and purify our consciousness and work towards libera‐ tion, mukti.
Manava Janma Doddado Huchappagalira ‐ Human Birth is Greatest thing to Happen Today 20th January is Purandaradasa Punya Dhena. One of his greatest Dasa Vachanas is 'Manava Janma Doddadu Ida Hani Madali Bedi Huchhappagalira 1:Kannu Kai Kal Kivi Nalige Iralikke Mannu Mukki Marulaguvare Hennu Mannigagi Hariya Namamrta Unnade Upavasa Iruvare Nodi 2:Kalana Dutaru Kal Pididelevaga Talu Talendare Taluvare Dhali Barada Munna Dharmava Galisiro Sullina Samsara Sulige Sikkalubedi 3:Enu Karana Yadupatiyanu Maretiri Dhana Dhanya Sati Sutaru Kayuvare Innadaru Ekobhavadi Bhajisiro Chenna Shri Pu‐ randara Rayana' India is a great country, the Universal spiritual Mas‐ ter that taught and gave the message of spirituality to the whole world. What has happened here is that we have forgotten what we are, we have forgotten our essential values. It is great to be born in India; to get a human birth is very very difficult, extremely difficult. To take birth in a land called India, the spiritual land; the holy land, which everybody in the world seeks, it is very difficult. To take birth in India is a very great merit, that too in the land of Karna‐ taka which is a land of Bhakthi, the heritage state born in the legacy of bhakti. When we listen to the bhajans, dasa vachanas and our mind gets purified. Purandaradasa gave us the banquet of nectar. Lis‐
~ Prabhuji
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Purna Swaraj
Purna Swaraj or Poornatva is the experience and understanding that has to be constant. It has to be constant for Independence\liberation, it cannot be one time. It is not just experiencing something and coming back. It has to be a part of your being. It has to be your own experience all the time. You have the experience that ‘I am so and so’ where nobody has to question you and even if somebody questions you, you know who you are. Even in deep sleep you are aware that you are somebody. If somebody calls you with your name even in your deep sleep you will wake up. So, you do not have to remember it again and again. Similarly this experience is not a temporary experience. It is not a momentary experience. It is not an experience which comes and goes. It has to be a experi‐ ence or your inner state which stays with you throughout the day during deep sleep, dreaming state and till you die. It is not just coming and going. This leads to 'Atmano Mokshartham Jagath Hitayacha'. So, experience of Reality is not an experience which can come and go. It cannot fade away. It has to be nithyam ‐ 24x7, it has to be there with you all the time. ~ Prabhuji
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