Makara Shankranti

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

SALUTATIONS and adorations to the Supreme Lord, the primordial power that divided the year into the four seasons. Salutations to Surya, the Sun-God, who on this great day embarks on his northward journey.

The Sanskrit term "Shankramana" means "to begin to move". The day on which the sun begins to move northwards is called Makara Shankranti. It usually falls in the middle of January.

Among the Tamil's in South India this festival is called the Pongal, and Telugu people call it just Shankranti.

To many people, especially the Tamil's, Makara Shankranti ushers in the New Year. The corn that is newly-harvested is cooked for the first time on that day. Joyous festivities mark the celebration in every home. Servants, farmers and the poor are fed and clothed and given presents of money. On the next day, the cow, which is regarded as the symbol of the Holy Mother, is worshipped. Then there is the feeding of birds and animals.

In this manner the devotee's heart expands slowly during the course of the celebrations, first embracing with its long arms of love the entire household and neighbours, then the servants and the poor, then the cow, and then all other living creatures. Without even being aware of it, one develops the heart and expands it to such proportions that the whole universe finds a place in it.

As Shankranti is also the beginning of the month, Brahmin's offer oblations to departed ancestors. Thus, all the great sacrifices enjoined upon man find their due place in this grand celebration. The worship of the Cosmic Form of the Lord is so well introduced into this, that every man and woman in India is delightfully led to partake of it without even being aware of it.

To the spiritual aspirants this day has a special significance. The six-month period during which the sun travels northwards is highly favourable to them in their march towards the goal of life. It is as though they are flowing easily with the current towards the Lord. Paramahamsa Sannyasins roam about freely during this period, dispelling gloom from the hearts of all. The Devas and Rishis rejoice at the advent of the new season, and readily come to the aid of the aspirant.

When the renowned Bhishma, the grandfather of the Pandavas, was fatally wounded during the war of the Mahabharata, he waited on his deathbed of arrows for the onset of this season, before finally departing from the earth-plane. Let us on this great day pay our homage to him and strive to become men of firm resolve ourselves.

As already mentioned, this is the Pongal festival in South India. It is closely connected with agriculture. To the agriculturalist, it is a day of triumph. He would have by then brought home the fruits of his patient toil. Symbolically, the first harvest is offered to the Almighty—and that is Pongal. To toil was his task, his duty, but the fruit is now offered to the Lord. This is the spirit of Karma Yoga.

The master is not allowed to grab all the harvest for himself either. Pongal is the festival during which the landlord distributes food, clothes and money among the labourers who work for him. What a noble act! It is an ideal you should constantly keep before you, not only ceremoniously on the Pongal day, but at all times.

Be charitable. Be generous. Treat your servants as your bosom-friends and brother workers. This is the keynote of the Pongal festival. You will then earn their loyalty and enduring love.

The day prior to the Makara Shankranti is called the Bhogi festival. On this day, old, worn-out and dirty things are discarded and burnt. Homes are cleaned and white-washed and lovely designs are drawn with rice-flour on the door front. The roads are swept clean.

These practices have their own significance from the point of view of health. But, here I remind you that it will not do to attend to these external things alone. Cleaning the mind of its old dirty habits of thought and feeling is more urgently needed. Burn them up, with a wise and firm resolve to tread the path of truth, love and purity from this holy day onwards. This is the significance of Pongal in the life of the spiritual aspirant.

If you do this, then the Makara Shankranti has a special significance for you. The sun, symbolising wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, which receded from you when you revelled in the darkness of ignorance, delusion and sensuality, now joyously turns on its northward course and moves towards you to shed its light and warmth in greater abundance, and to infuse into you more life and energy.

In fact, the sun itself symbolises all that the Pongal festival stands for. The message of the sun is the message of light, the message of unity, of impartiality, of true selflessness, of the perfection of the elements of Karma Yoga. The sun shines on all equally. It is the true benefactor of all beings. Without the sun, life would perish on earth. It is extremely regular and punctual in its duties, and never claims a reward or craves for recognition. If you imbibe these virtues of the sun, what doubt is there that you will shine with equal divine lustre!

He who dwells in the sun, whom the sun does not know, whose body the sun is, and by whose power the sun shines—He is the Supreme Self, the in dweller, the immortal Essence. Tat Twam Asi—"That thou art". Realise this and be free here and now on this holy Pongal or Makara Shankranti day. This is my humble Pongal prayer to you all.

During Shankranti, puddings, sweet rice and other delicacies are prepared in every home, especially in South India. The pot in which the rice is cooked is beautifully adorned with turmeric leaves and roots, the symbols of auspiciousness. The cooking is done by the women of the household with great faith and devotion. They feel from the bottom of their hearts that it is an offering unto the Lord. When the milk in which the rice is being cooked boils over, the ladies and the children assemble round the pot and shout with great joy and devotion, "Pongalo Pongal!"

Special prayers are offered in temples and homes. Then the people of the household gather together and partake of the offerings in an atmosphere of love and festivity.

There is family re-union in all homes. Brothers renew their contacts with their married sisters by giving them presents.

The landlord greets the farmer lovingly and gives him gifts of grain, clothes and money.

On the following day, the cows are worshipped and fed. They are beautifully adorned. In some villages the youth demonstrate their valour by taking "the bull by the horn"—and often win their brides thereby! It is a great day for the cattle.

Young girls prepare various special dishes, like sweet rice, sour rice, rice with coconut, etc., and take them to the bank of a river or tank. They feed the birds, fish and other creatures with the various items. It is a very colourful ceremony. Crows appear in large numbers and partake of the food. They call their mates before beginning to eat. All the time a valuable lesson is driven into our minds—"Share what you have with all".

Both these days, which are family re-union days, are regarded as being inauspicious for travel. This is to prevent us from going away from home on such days.

When you celebrate the Shankranti or Pongal in this manner, your sense of value changes. You begin to understand that your real wealth is the goodwill and friendship of your relatives, friends, neighbours and servants. Your wealth is the land on which your food grows, the cattle which help you in agriculture, and the cow which gives you milk. You begin to have greater love and respect for them and for all living beings—the crows, the fish and all other creatures.

In Maharashtra and in North India, devotees of the Lord attach great importance to Makara Shankranti. It is the season chosen by the Guru for bestowing his Grace on the disciple. In the South, too, it should be noted that it was about this time that Mahadeva favoured several of the Rishis by blessing them with His beatific vision.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008

A discussion with Vedic Guru Swami Ramswarup Jee's Answers

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Vedic Guru Swami Ramswarup Ji took some of his precious time to answer my questions in 2006, 2007.

S P Ianala: I am a scientist in chemistry and I have intense interest and faith in our Vedas, shastras and other scriptures, I am trying to learn and practise them now. I understand the creation of universe is by God and also as you have explained Vedas were rendered automatically to four rishis by God. It all explains "how" it was done by God, but since a long time I have been curious to know, "Why" God did this, I mean creation of everything and then destruction of everything, I believe initially God separated a part of him as souls to take birth on this earth, but for that soul to re-assimilate into paramatma, it takes a great deal based on karma etc. but again "Why God took this exercise, what was the divine purpose. In a way did invisible prakriti existed before creation of visible universe from it, or it was created just before to create universe, swami jee I hope my question is clear.

Swami Ramswarup: Your interest in Vedas is appreciated please. This is actually a true worship to formless, almighty, immortal God. As regards creation it is automatic. Actually God has no desire. Like a potter who builds pots from mud, the power of God works in prakriti (non-alive matter) and universe is created. This all has been mentioned in Rigveda mandal 10 sukta 129. I shall try to send you about creation by post being lengthy if you please send your postal address. 

Shwetashwaropnishad shlok 6/8 states - "swabhaviki gyan- bal-kriya", i.e., the knowledge, power and deeds of God are automatic i.e., God has no desire for the same. If someone sits alone then it is also automatic that his mind starts thinking etc. The creation is eternal and automatic/everlasting. In the above Rigveda mantra 10/129/7, it is clearly mentioned that God is creator, "sah yadi waa dadhe yadi waa na", i.e., He creates, nurses and destroy the universe. Suppose God does not create the universe then souls of all human beings will remain in shushupati awastha (like a comma stage), the souls will not get body to act. This will be like a lazy man who is not after hard working etc., and remains on bed for continue sleep. Definitely there will be then no sorrow, no happiness, no struggle, no working etc., etc., and the stage will be of a lazy man as stated above. Actually soul resides in body and as many as bodies are there, the number of souls are same. Souls are also immortal and not made by God even. God is lord of souls and universe. It is mercy of God on souls that he gives bodies to souls according to deeds of souls not to be remained in shushupati where there is no feeling but to work hard from the bodies to see family and get salvation. However, creation is eternal and automatic. It is beyond control of our feelings and imagination, please. You know that God is immortal and formless, unchangeable, etc., so how a change in God (to separate a part) is possible. Even nobody can imagine to break sky to convert into pieces. There are uncountable names of God in Vedas according to his divine qualities. One name of God is also, "Aditya", from "do awakhandne" dhatu, the word 'aditi' (immortal/unbreakable) is made and by doing taddith from it, the word Aditya is made, which is a name of immortal God, its meaning is, he who cannot be broken into pieces. So it is not possible that God will separate any piece from him to form souls or universe. God (alive), souls (alive) and third is prakriti which is non-alive, from which creation is made. All three are immortal, eternal and are separate from each other based on the qualities also. If we consider souls and world is a part of God (which is impossible), then naturally both will be having qualities equal to God but it is not there. Souls is bound to face the result of his good or bad deeds in the shape of happiness or sorrows respectively whereas God never faces. And the worldly articles are non-alive and also cannot be a part of God. God is lord of universe if universe is God (being a part thereof) then there will be no question of being lord. Even there will be no question of omnipresent in respect of God.

Prakriti is also never created by God. It is eternal. The creation is from prakriti. I will send the details by post please. I have written a book about Vedanta in English which can be sent on receipt of your postal address, please.

S P Ianala: Why we should not worship for one year. When someone from our family (paternal line) passes away? Is there any Vedic explanation for this?

Swami Ramswarup: There is no Vedic explanation for such thing. It could have been made a custom by human beings. When a body is cremated, Vedic rituals are made by mantras being one of the Vedic sanskaar amongst sixteen sanskaars.

S P Ianala: Regarding, God, Souls, Prakriti, Universe, I am sure you are the master no doubt about it. The bhakt in me will not listen, argue, discuss anything about God, because He is eternal and is above everything like mercy and punishment etc. but for the sake of understanding, the scientist in me, which always wants to go deeper and deeper. I hope you will not mind if I write few lines.

Swami Ramswarup: Yaskacharya's Nirukta Granth sutras 1/20 and 13/12 clearly state that discussion/arguments are hundred percent needed to come to the truth. That is why Upanishad and especially in Bhagwat Geeta there is great discussion/argument between disciple and acharya, Shri Krishna and Arjuna. As regards listening, Vedas are not book. It is a knowledge which always resides within God being eternal. At the beginning of every universe the Vedas (knowledge) emanates from God and is originated in the heart of four rishis. Yajurveda mantra 31/7 also refers. Thereafter the rishi starts preaching and normal public listens and wiser/learned of Vedas. So first of all listening of Vedas is necessary being eternal process. Then the Vedas are now a days to be studied. So i appreciate your and others questions always. The knowledge is not required to be shouldered stating religious point of view. Otherwise it will be a blind faith which is mostly in practice now a days.

S P Ianala: God is eternal and present everywhere, in you, in me, in earth, in plants, in trees, in elements, in oceans, in fire, in ether, in wind, in flowers, in animals, in pain, in happiness, because he is formless, tasteless, shapeless, nothing can create it or destroy it and we can find him/her deep within us, who is present as a silence (Prashant), we meditate to reach this silence which is him/her.

Swami Ramswarup: Yes please, God has unlimited qualities whereas a man is in limitations. So God is beyond description, beyond calculation and imagination and can not be observed by five senses even, he is only realized during Asampragyat Samadhi. So one has to listen from an acharya about God and the real path to realize Him (God).

S P Ianala: God responds when called for and also knows everything. We don't have to explain but before all this he asks us to purify ourselves in mind (physical self follows mind) and thought.

Swami Ramswarup: Knowledge is attained when it is given by anybody. So we have to think how he will listen our prayers? And how he will be able to purify us? What is the real path for the same?

S P Ianala: God wants us to love him/her unconditionally. We are given this body with distractions, in the form of senses, he wants us to overcome the sensual distractions and reach him in purity.

Swami Ramswarup: God states in Vedas to pray and produce pious demands before 'him' to fulfill. In this way at last we start worship and one day we become desire less. And we too become able to control our senses, our mind etc.

S P Ianala: The puja, havans, dhyanam etc are few ways to appease him, or call him or reach him, which I think is his only desire or expectation from all the souls to whom he has given bodies or chance to take birth in this arena called earth, where we are challenged by cosmos (God) not only to overcome but also to learn or purify ourselves so that the soul can move upwards, towards him for ultimate assimilation into him, which is by means of good action and karma, based on which we will get what we deserve.

Swami Ramswarup: Pooja etc., is our necessity as told in Vedas. But it is not a desire of God, otherwise he could make all human beings wise within a second. As per Yajurveda mantra 7/48 too, we are free to do pious deeds or sins but result is awarded by God in the shape of happiness and sorrows respectively. But he has given us the knowledge of Vedas and has showered his mercy on us to follow the Vedic path to kill the sins/deeds of our previous and present lives and thus to get salvation. And yes you're very much right that the human body is blessed by God giving us a chance to follow the Vedic path to realize God. Upwards mean to get progress day by day to purify the soul etc.

S P Ianala: One thing swami jee, every soul that leaves this earth, already pays for the bad karma accumulated on this earth itself but will it assimilate or not assimilate in to paramatma depends on its level of purity.

Swami Ramswarup: And level of purity comes by real worship according to Vedas. So one must listen the Vedas and then study the Vedas to follow the preaches.

S P Ianala: My experience is in initial stages when a person tries to purify himself he faces hoards of challenge, sleep is one of them, but slowly as he gains control on his indriya or senses, the challenge he faces, appears soothing and sukhadayi. Then at this stage money, power, friends, enemies, pain, sorrow, happiness, hunger, becomes meaningless, because these are related with the body and its senses, the soul does not know anything about these.

Swami Ramswarup: Yes there are five vrittis i.e., pramaann, vipraya, vikalp, nidra and smriti. In Yoga shastra pt I these problems have been mentioned and way to rectify the same. The book is in Hindi please. So amongst five the nidra i.e., sleep/laziness is also to be controlled. Soul actually knows about the above said matters. Actually by real worship when soul becomes able to realize himself then he know the difference between him and the materialistic articles i.e., difference between alive and non alive matters, truth and illusion etc. Otherwise soul does not know himself. This matter is also stated in pt I of above Yog shastra. Comment on which have been written by me in detail.

S P Ianala: The soul again which is also formless, tasteless, shapeless, cannot be destroyed by fire, water, wind, etc. neither it can be created or nor it can be destroyed. Now in a way soul is similar to God, but why separate? Well adivaita or dvaita discussion is never ending.

Swami Ramswarup: That is why Yajurveda mantra 2/26 states that soul is "swyambhu" i.e., eternal. Soul is alive always away from illusion, immortal, and is really shape of merriment. But has forgotten himself due to indulgement with prakriti. But soul is never similar to God, but has very few, even limited qualities equivalent to God and not full. For example--- soul comes in body to face his karmas whereas God not etc., etc. Please read Yog Shastra sutra1/26 in this connection. Adwait matter in the new Vedanta is totally against the eternal knowledge of Vedas which emanates direct form God. I am sending also my book on Vedanta which will clarify the matter in questions.

S P Ianala: This universe which is created automatically by eternal God or cosmos or cosmic power, or cosmic energy, is mithya a big lie because it sooths or seduces our senses, again a big distraction for all the souls with bodies. The one which is invisible i.e. God, souls, prakriti (for me it is the sky or space which I can hold in my closed palm) are the only truth and eternal.

Swami Ramswarup: God is not cosmos but is omnipresent, please. God is separate, soul is separate and prakriti made universe is separate from each other. Yes, jagat is mithya which means it is made from prakriti and is destroyed but turned again into the shape of prakriti. It means the matter is never destroyed but changes its shape. So universe is not mithiya and too is not lie. In this connection Rigved mantra 10/190/3 also refers. Each article of the universe is non-alive and therefore can not sooth or seduce the soul. This is only alive soul who attracts towards materialistic article of universe being indulged in illusion due to his own previous sins. God and soul as i have told above are alive matter and prakriti is non-alive. God is one whereas souls are countless but constant in number. If one will try to bind the God within closed palm it will be quite impossible and beyond calculation even. Because God will reside not only within palm but he is everywhere i.e., out of palm even. As regards soul the matter is same. No remains prakriti. For prakriti it is also not possible. Why? Prakriti always remains in a stage of pralaya, i.e., final destruction of universe and who will keep the prakriti in palm.

S P Ianala: Universe and everything that is visible can be destroyed by man also.

Swami Ramswarup: Nobody can destroy the visible article. Who will destroy the sky and air please? And if a house, stone can be destroyed then too the same will change its shape only, please.

S P Ianala: If Soul was a separate entity, why would it be bothered about bad Karma etc.? It is good for the soul to stay on this earth and keep coming again and again, and enjoy or satisfy their senses to the full and be sensually happy. Why even bother about God (May God forgive me)? Don't you think it is the attraction between the God and the soul, which pulls it apart from all the sensory distractions to return to paramatma once for all, for its complete assimilation?

Swami Ramswarup: Soul will have to bother about bad karmas because she has to face the result of thereof in the shape of sorrows etc. Enjoyment and sorrows are based on pious and bad karmas and not in the power of soul. Therefore soul has a power only to kill the deeds by doing pious deeds according to Vedas to get permanent merriment/salvation. God is almighty and gives merriment based on karmas. So naturally soul must attract towards God because originally soul is also a shape of merriment but has forgotten his shape being indulged in illusion. Atharvaveda says a word--- "parishwangdharmi", i.e., soul has a quality which is natural one, to get attracted towards anywhere. But being in human body she has two way to adopt due to his said quality either towards God i.e., pious path or towards materialistic articles of the world i.e., illusion. Now a days due to lack of knowledge of spiritualism mostly the children are attracted towards illusion. So it is not necessary that soul is attracted towards God only. An acharya who knows the Vedic philosophy is needed to guide the soul properly which is an eternal need for soul as mentioned in four Vedas.

S P Ianala: Take your case you have worked in Indian Army and must have fought a war or two but what kept you pulling towards God? Vedas and spirituality, is it not your already purified soul probably in your previous births?

Swami Ramswarup: I can tell you a fundamental. Such souls have been doing tapsya duly related with previous births, please. This is not the result of present birth only.

(My father was in Indian Airforce too) same thing with my father, he was a staunch devotee, and me, I am born and brought up in defense environment and I stayed for almost 23 years in defense camps till I completed my education. Now I am in Canada, but why this pull towards God? It has been there since I was 10. My father had to search for me during janmastami and other jagratas, who told me to go there and stay awake till the puja is over, not my parents (Though the atmosphere existed in my home) but is it not the soul's constant quest to attain moksha from this cycle of birth and death, and this pull is triggered by the purity of soul. 

Swami Ramswarup: I am glad to listen about your respected father and you too. You are having the spiritual affects within you from your father and that is why you're taking keen interest in spiritualism. Sorrows/suffering matter is mentioned in sutra 2/3 of Yoga shastra pt I in which death is also a great sorrow amongst five. Soul does not happy with death etc., so naturally attracted towards God to get salvation, but specially those who have good affect of spiritualism traditionally.

S P Ianala: Don't you think The soul is a part of God (Please do not take it as a physical part broken from main part) we are talking about something which is similar and invisible like prakriti.

Swami Ramswarup: No please soul can never be part of God as I already explained in my previous e-mail and has explained above too quoting Yog shastra 1/26. Secondly soul is never similar to God. Soul has limited qualities whereas God has unlimited qualities, for example-God is omnipresent but soul is not etc., etc.

S P Ianala: So again prakriti is live which makes prakriti, God and soul all alike and same.

Swami Ramswarup: Prakriti is not live please. Otherwise every materialistic article which is made of prakriti would have been doing deeds like us and could not be destroyed.

S P Ianala: The air we breath is a part of prakriti, is God again, without which the body cannot live more than few minutes. So the soul needs constant unconditional support from the God in form of air, water, etc. all this to finish the task on earth. So again when are we separate as a soul, Never!

Swami Ramswarup: Body can not live, air and body both being non-alive made of prakriti. But soul needs no air, food, water etc., to live upon, being alive and immortal and not created like air, body etc. Therefore soul needs no such unconditional support please. It is body which requires. So we, the soul are always separate from almighty God as soul is not almighty.

S P Ianala: You said creation is eternal and beyond our imagination, I am sorry I differ from your view: If universe (Prakruti) is eternal, there should not be any talk about "God creates and destroys universe".

Swami Ramswarup: Eternal means creation, nursing, and destruction is eternal and automatic, please. This fact is mentioned in mandal 10 sukta 129 and 190 of Rigveda and chapter 31 of Yajurveda, though it is in all four Vedas. It is also in Bhagwat Geeta chapter tenth.

S P Ianala: Another visible manifestation of God is Sun, aditya, which is the sole reason why we are active(living) in the day and loose our consciousness (in form of sleep-dead)in the night. That also means soul does not have power to keep the body alive it simply resides in it. It is the Sun which is connecting, the deep unconscious (invisible, God) with the conscious (body, prakruti or that which is visible) so that it can live, which again means God is needed for a body to live, which also resides in the body along with the soul in form of air. So again soul needs God to get things done.

Swami Ramswarup: God needs nothing please. But after creation, he enters the universe and that is why is called omnipresent. Soul is self sufficient, body needs energy for which every facility has been made by God. Soul being master of the body while residing in it utilize the body and every article of the universe either for spiritualism to get salvation or for worldly enjoyment to get rebirth to be indulged in sorrows.

S P Ianala: You said God alive, soul alive, prakriti not alive. I do not see any difference between God and prakriti, both are same. Swami Ramswarup: If both are same then why prakriti is under control of God? So both are not same please.

S P Ianala: In chemistry we have something called inter molecular spaces, even that space is occupied by God, which correctly defines Vishnu as sarva bhuta vyapecha (please correct me, I left sanskrit 25 years back).

Swami Ramswarup: Vishnu word is made from dhatu vishlri which means omnipresent. So there is no other Vishnu. In Yajurveda mantra 40/17 it is stated, "Om Kham Brahm", i.e., God is everywhere, even the name of God is Kham i.e., space.

S P Ianala: I also differ with your view that souls come to earth to work hard, meet their families, etc, working hard, earning money, meeting families all this depends on the direction the soul had taken, in this industrial modern world, every person has to work to earn money and survive, but all this has nothing to do with soul and God and their purpose.

Swami Ramswarup: Can dead body do any task please? It is soul which was using the body and its organs. Work hard for establishing body and to live in house etc., which will give soul to worship with concentration, otherwise a beggar can not perform yaj, can not study Vedas etc. And it is stated clearly by God in Vedas like rigveda mantra 10/121/10 to become rich by earning. Misuse means freeship, please. Otherwise God can not tell us to misuse his power.

S P Ianala: Finally, God is something above give and take, it is the soul which chooses to come back on this earth, so that it can purify itself but poor thing it looses its memory and objectivity of moksha or emancipation and gets lost in this maya.

Swami Ramswarup: If soul choose to come back she will never come back in the body of snake, lizard, and intestinal worms etc. Soul is originally purified please as stated above.

S P Ianala: God is unconditional, he even have mercy for people like hitler, but one thing is for sure God will not respond, if not called for, even after one response, we have to continue calling him to sustain the response. Hope you will forgive me for contradicting your view, it is my experience with God, and has nothing to do with Vedas, because I am new to Vedas. I am looking forward to read your precious books and literature. Thanks!

Next set of questions...
S P Ianala: Soul has similar properties like god, yes soul has limited presence and god is omnipresent, soul chooses to come back to this earth plane, to get rid of karma or load, but in which body, it is decided by god based on the load of karma. When I say god extends unconditional support to soul, body and mind, I mean, god is not weighing every minute to see if soul is doing good or bad.

Swami Ramswarup: God is Omnipresent and Almighty please. Which means he looks everybody at every moment and Yajurveda mantra 32/10 too says that God knows everybody, every atom, everything, every soul, every deeds of everybody personally. He needs no evidence/witness etc., to decide justice. So he is seeing not for every minute but for more than million part of a minute.

S P Ianala: It is soul's free will to accumulate good or bad karma, the body is nourished by soul's intention, using facilities extended by God, so God has provided all these facilities without any condition attached, good or bad all use it.

Swami Ramswarup: Yes please. But we must think deeply that God has provided us with mind to use and think that what is true and what is false, what is pious and what is sin, what is sorrows/sadness etc., and what is pleasure/merriment etc. One thing more nobody wants sorrows. So mind has to think to decide only these pious deeds by which God gives us merriment, happiness etc. So one should follow Vedic eternal path, otherwise sorrows, sadness, tensions, problems, diseases, restlessness, etc., etc. Are sure to be faced in this birth as well as in following births.

S P Ianala: If soul is separate and exists as a separate entity always, who created it and why? But if it is a part of God used by God to make a human, but due to maya, it accumulates karma and becomes impure, not suitable for assimilating back into God, unless untill it gets rid of its load of karma, it can not assimilate into Paramatma - God.

Swami Ramswarup: Soul is eternal and immortal please. Nobody has created soul. And also can never be a part of god, because god can not be divided in parts like stone, iron, water etc. I have clarified several times on this web site that god is the purest and formless.

S P Ianala: One last point: There is a belief in my home that, if any paternal uncle or aunt passes away, it is not good to perform pooja, specially, breaking coconuts, arti, offerings, it is believed, it will cause bad to the family, what is your thoughts on this.

Swami Ramswarup: No please this is all against the Vedas please. Do not believe because God will give award to you on your worship and pious deeds and not on passing uncle or aunt.

S P Ianala: In Srimad Bhagwadgeeta-Part One-Page 20-21, ",Galat kathaone ne sri krishna ki chavi ko brahmit kiya hai", swami jee, I totally agree with you, as you said initially there were just 10,000 slokas and now there are around 1,10,000 slokas, so definitely a lot had been added by many kings and other contributors, some out of too much love, and some because they felt they had a right to add, but as you said the main context of Vedic knowledge has been overlooked. I think in the later years there should have been another Sri Krishna (not the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu) an ordinary king or a popular figure, so followers of this character must have added all the remaining slokas, combining the two, in a way giving distorted image of Lord Krishna. The one point by Lord Krishna that only a bramacharya can lift my chakra is enough to contradict all the illusions. I would like to suggest: since swami jee you know the Vedic truth about lord Krishna, why not a book about Lord Krishna limiting it only to the initial 10,000 slokas and circulate it in India and abroad, this will clear all the cobwebs.

Swami Ramswarup: Thanking you, please. I shall try to issue the book suggested by you. Now my second book upto sixth chapter of Bhagwad Geeta is under printing and will be completed within a month or so. The same will be sent to you on its completion. Some preach delivered by me on Vedic philosophy has been captured in CDs with spiritual songs too, please.

S P Ianala: Many CD's, Audio MP3, and many more versions of Gyatri Mantra are available in the market and in the internet, and each one of them is distinct and unique in its own way when it comes to chanting it, but I understand that mantra has a very deep connection with the vibration it creates while it is being chanted, as this vibration has to resonate with the presiding deity, so there should be a definite way of saying this Mantra and also the time one should take to say the mantra. Kindly clarify this point swami jee, what does the Vedas’ say about this. Thanks for all the answers and the knowledge you share with us.

Swami Ramswarup: Gayatri Mantra is in three Vedas please i.e., in Rigveda, Samveda and Yajurveda. Samveda when is chanted, other than while performing Yajyen is sung. So Gayatri Mantra may also be sung. Singing can be on any time because God knows the pious ideas of anyone and he awards the result accordingly. But without singing too, Gayatri mantra can be chanted because it is in Rigveda and Yajurveda also which are not sung. Secondly, Gayatri Mantra must be chanted by heart for getting more benefit i.e., it should be chanted by way of pranayaam. When we inhale and stop breathing within us then such time, till we have stopped breathing, the Gayatri Mantra must be chanted. Then we must release the breath slowly, slowly outside, and after releasing the full breath, we must stop the breath outside the body and during such period we must recite in heart the Gayatri Mantra by heart and the action must be repeated. However, I would suggest that such practice must be learnt personally from an Acharya first. Secondly, when we sit on meditation on any suitable aasan then we must concentrate on Agya chakra i.e., between the eyebrows and then we must repeat the Gayatri Mantra with the meaning of each word. This is the best way of meditation. I have written detailed comments on Patanjal Yog Darshan- Part I and II and have also described meditation there in, especially in sutra 3/1. I will advise you to study the book please.

S P Ianala: All my life I have been doing self study, but now I understand I need a Guru to grasp the great knowledge of Vedas, I am a very fast and good learner, lot of information and knowledge reaches me when I am in deep meditation after my regular pooja, I have your books and as you said yagya sarvasrestha pooja, I tried to do in my home but, since I am in Canada, and the climate outside is very cold or very humid and the homes are connected with smoke detectors, little smoke cause these detectors to go beeping. I learned yoga and pranayama from a yogic guru in Hyderabad and I had also been to meditation classes, I have been regular in pranayama since then, but now I am not satisfied with my routine pooja. How can I do yagya pooja with out smoke? What is the best material to start a fire and how do you extinguish the fire and what do you do with the burnt materials etc.

Swami Ramswarup: My blessings to you please. Yes, please. All Vedas state that without a learned Acharya no one can get right path to worship God etc. Yes, Yajyen/agnihotra must be perform daily as said by God in Vedas. If possible you may perform havan out side the house in open sky please, which is even more beneficial.

I have been to U.S.A in winter too where we used to do havan outside the house in open air, within the premises of house i.e., open space surrounded by boundary wall. Tips to do havan are also there on the website.

S P Ianala: I totally agree with your explanation about GOD, that GOD is the supreme energy which can manifest itself in any living or non living thing, it is already known in physics that every particle in this universe is in continuous vibration and they all are interconnected and the sole cause of this vibrations and connection is the supreme energy- GOD, Devi-Devata/Yogi etc. are supreme souls which have attained maximum level of purity so they can manifest themselves as one with the universe, they are very much like GOD- the supreme energy but they are not the supreme energy themselves, again the probability of supreme energy manifesting itself through them is very high given their purity compared to an ordinary human being, this does not limit the human being from achieving that level, but it might take many many cycles of purification (Births), Guruji, what does the Vedas say about the highest achievment in bhakti, I think it is when a soul is accepted as associate of Lord Vishnu and it is higher than assimilation of soul in Lord Vishnu. I know the scientist and the bhakt in me are in conflict here.

Swami Ramswarup: Yes please. God is the Supreme power/energy and is therefore called Almighty, omnipresent, omniscient, etc. Devi -devta and Yogi are supreme souls amongst ignorant souls but God is supreme amongst ignorant souls and devi-devta/Yogis. However God is also not called soul. Soul is separate, prakriti is separate and God is separate and thus God is supreme commander of non-alive prakriti (by which universe is created) and alive souls. Soul resides within human body. A person who becomes aspirant and desires to realize the God, then he goes to the experienced acharya who knows Vedas and who has performed an atma-Yajyen like hard practice of ashtang yoga then the aspirant becomes a Dev i.e., devta. Dev means who is philosopher of Vedas and yoga philosophy. Dev thus attains Asampragyat Samadhi where he realizes God and therefore is called Yogi/Rishi. At this the highest stage of the Yogi he has nothing to go beyond and has nothing to do more. He is never indulged in illusion because he has attained salvation. Now he is equivalent to God but not God. He can not create the universe as is created by God. So, He ever remains soul but is called supreme amongst ignorant souls of the universe. The rules and regulations of rajo gunn, tamo gunn, sato gunn and Almighty God do not apply for the supreme soul then because the soul has attained final liberation.

God is one but as per Rig-Veda mantra 1/164/46 His names are numerous based on His unlimited divine qualities. So Vishnu is also a name of Almighty God who is Supreme. The study of the ancient holy books reveals that our ancient Rishis were the best scientists. In Vedas, all matters of science exist along with spiritualism that is why Yajurveda mantra 40/14 states that we must attain progress in worldly matters i.e., education, science, politics, business etc., as well as in spiritualism. So the ancient Rishis were of the same category. I think your conflict is totally pure and appreciable. May God bless you to be a real scientist as stated above.

2008

S P Ianala: Sato, Rajo and Tamo Guna, are three forms, when it is applied to a human it is mere mentalities, Sato is superior, Rajo is "medium, and Tamo is inferior, when it is applied to universe it is best explained by the trinity, three forms of the same God, which we call Lord Vishnu, who maintains the universe, Lord Brahma who creates and Lord Shiva who destroys, basically it is one God performing various functions, but for our understanding they have been given three different names and their mentalities best explained by the story where Bhrigu Maharaj visits them as if they were human. One creates, One maintains and One destroys, then again we know that God created human in his own form, does it mean physical form or astral form, you have to tell. There is only one energy which occupies all the space of this universe, and we call this energy as GOD, and this energy is not just some electrical current, it is alive beyond our imagination and when all its charges exist together, then things are normal and we can say are being maintained, but when the charges separate, they either create or destroy, so to maintain one has to be balanced in all traits, and we call it Sato Guna, and the one which creates needs lots activity and sensual appreciation also, and we call it rajo guna and the one which destroys needs lots of anger and negative force and we call this as tamo guna, again creation, maintenance and destruction all happens almost at the same time at the minute level, but when we apply these three properties to other things, like food etc. The definitions change but yet Sato guna remains the superior one, Rajo in the middle and Tamo inferior. We have discussed earlier, but few more points in this regard, when we ask, why God did this? i.e. Creation and destruction again and again, no one has answered this question, probably because this is beyond our knowledge. Now the question comes of Soul and God are they separate or one, you said they are separate-advaitwad.

Q- From where the souls came and who created them and why? again why only limited no. We can answer this question by saying, God did, but again the question raised mostly is why separate? It does not look Ok? Now if we say God and Souls are not separate, just for the sake of understanding, imagine in the beginning there is only one energy, then elements came from it, then the universe is created from five elements, then living beings from a small portion of that vast energy to sustain it or to make it alive, imagine it is like flame, you take a straw and lit it with already burning flame, and this is the first soul separated from the God, it got body from five elements, it became lost and got loaded with Karma, now it cannot mix with the original flame, because it is impure with bad Karma, so the cycle of births and deaths begin, more souls created, but once a soul gains enough Good Karma to neutralize all the Bad Karma, it becomes suitable to returns to the original energy, which we normally call that a soul got assimilated in to paramatma due to its bhakti. Paramatma is just a word to glorify the God, it is not limited like a human soul or atma, but it is the only source for every creation and destruction, even five elements. I know we have already discussed that God, Soul and Prakriti are different, I am trying to understand it in terms of just energy, which is alive and self sustaining, we call it "God" If we take this whole thing only at the physical level, it is just energy, but when we take it at all its levels, spiritual and levels beyond our imagination, it is Omnipresent, caring, self sustaining and sustaining others, alive, conscious, interactive, assimilative most powerful energy, it is better to call it just "GOD".

Swami Ramswarup: "VI CHAKRAMEY PRITHIVIMESH ETAAM KSHETRAYE VISHNNURMANUSHEY DASHASYAN, DHRUVAASO ASYA KEERYO JANAAS URUKSHITIM SUJANIMA CHAKAAR."

Meaning:- (VISHNNUHU) omnipresent God (MANUSHE) for man i.e. human beings (KSHETRAYE) abhyuden i.e., to give all kinds of benefit in long, happy life (DASHASYAN) to give Abhyuden to give all kinds of benefits, comforts, assets, wealth in long, happy life etc., to the human beings. Omnipresent God (VICHAKRAMEY) has made (PRITHIVEEM, ETAAM) this earth. (JANAASAHA) devotees (ASYA) of the God (DHRUVAASAHA) have become firm to worship. Because (URUKSHITIM) this wide spread, huge earth (CHAKAAR) is made by (SUJANIMA) God that is wonderful creator.

IDEA- The word Vishnu made from Sanskrit root word "VISHLARI". The meaning of which is omnipresent and there is only one Almighty God who is omnipresent God. Yajurveda states - "DYAVA PRITHIVI JANYAN DEV EKAHA" i.e., there is only one unchangeable, eternal God who creates the universe. So the meaning of Vishnu is omnipresent God and not prophet. In other Ved mantras like in Rigveda Mandal 10, sukta 129 it is clarified that Almighty God who is formless and omnipresent creates, nurses and destroys and again creates the universe alone. Yajurveda mantra 40/8 states He is Shukram i.e., Almighty, akaya i.e., formless. Almighty means He has all unlimited powers and therefore does not need any assistance, for fulfilling any purpose of universe. He alone does all his supreme deeds like creation, nursing etc. Therefore he too does not need any prophet (saint, yogi etc.,) to take care of the universe. Prophet can never be God. God was one, is one and shall ever remain one.

Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 and Yajurveda mantra 32/1 states that there is only one God but he has unlimited divine qualities and therefore His names are unlimited based on His qualities but God remains always one. So His names are Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Varunn, Agni, Surya, Chandrama etc. So we have to worship only one Almighty, formless God who creates, nurses and destroys the universe.

Yajurveda mantra 7/48 states that human beings are free to do pious deeds or sins but result is awarded in the shape of pleasure and sorrows respectively by God.

No saint, yogi etc., is required by God to help Him to control the worldly situation etc. Suppose the world i.e., human beings become sinful and noble behaviours vanish away etc., as written by you then naturally the same situation occurs due to sinful deeds of humans and God under His natural administration would punish human-beings. Then nobody on the earth either saint or yogi etc., is able to save the situation.

Therefore question of taking birth of Vishnu does not arise. Otherwise Vedas tell that creation, nursing and destruction is eternal and takes place automatically at a stipulated time under the control of Almighty God. As said in Shwetashwaropnishad shloka 6/8, "Swabhaviki Gyan bal Kriya Cha" i.e., knowledge, power and divine actions of God take place automatically. Please read the article on creation and prakriti.

S P Ianala: What is the source of these thoughts. Lord Vishnu or Narayana says, I like those bhakts who worship my disciples, like Lord Shiva, Ganesha and others more then those who worship me directly, so basically he tells that it is not necessary that you worship me directly, if you worship any of his followers, his blessings would automatically come to the bhakt. Now there are numerous stories written by many saints, that God appeared like Krishna, Shiva, Ganesha, Durga etc. or like Paramhamsa said that a bright light emanated from the Idol of Durga. What is your understanding on this issue? Is it possible that God will interact in any way with the bhakt, to guide him or to pacify him, is it possible as per Vedas or what does Vedas say in this regard. Did you have any such interaction with the divine power, if yes, what was it like.

Swami Ramswarup: Such worships are not mentioned in Vedas please. The learned of Vedas do not believe the same. Though direct worship of God is not authentic. Vedas tell that the aspirants must first make contact with a learned acharya of Vedas to take his eternal guidance of Vedas. Then the aspirant starts worship.

God being formless cannot appear before anyone but He is realised by a yogi. Vedas tell only to worship a formless, omnipresent, Almighty God who creates, nurses and destroys the universe. God guides the universe through the eternal knowledge of Vedas once in the beginning of earth. At that time, knowledge of Vedas emanates from God and is originated in the heart of four Rishis in the shape of four Vedas. Thereafter only a learned acharya of Vedas has been preaching the knowledge of Vedas for their benefit.

Divine power is eternal and realised by a yogi in the shape of divine light and the yogi experiences divine pleasure.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008.

Rasam ( Charu )

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

"Rasam", also called Charu is a very normal and popular dish in South India, though I lived mostly in North India and I never heard anyone talking about Charu or Rasam there, but yes many use it as a regular dish in their menu mostly South Indians, I myself never liked it as a kid, though it was a regular dish in my home, I always avoided it, not any more.

Rasam can be prepared in many ways but it does help in good digestion and helps the system to remain regular, particularly if people consume meat products or heavy junk food, "Rasam", Should be a compulsory item in your menu.

One way to prepare "Rasam" is.
Items.

Water, 1/2 litre.
Tamarind= equal to your one finger length and width,
Jeera (Cumin) seeds = 10 to 20, do not count :-), just put approximately,
Turmeric powder= 1/4 small spoon, ( Optional)
Red Chilly powder = 1/8 small spoon, ( Optional)
Tomatoes ripe= One, cut into small pieces, ( Optional)
Black pepper= two or three, ( Optional)
Table Salt = To your taste.
Coriander strands with stem, ( Optional)
Vegetable Oil= 10 to 15 ml.
mustard seeds = few,
Garlic pods = one or two ( Semi smashed),
Red Dry Chilly= One ( Break it into two halves),
Curry leaves = Few,

There are other ingredients also but for good Rasam or Charu these are enough.

Boil water in a clean steel vessel, add Tamarind and let it become soft, mix with a spoon, add Cumin, turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt, black pepper seeds, and tomato pieces, let it boil for few more minutes, add coriander leaves with the stem.

After few minutes remove the coriander stem and discard.

In a separate pan, take vegetable oil, add mustard seeds, garlic, red dry chilly, cumin, and curry leaves, saute at low heat and add to the boiled charu, it might splash, take precaution to keep it away from your face.

mix and your "Rasam " is ready.

Rasam can be taken with cooked rice and clarified butter or it can be taken as a drink but as it is spicy take it slowly or with few drops of clarified butter.

To drink, you can filter the whole Rasam using a tea filter to remove all the floating ingredients, I like it this way.

The spice contents can always be reduced to minimum or if you are a spice buff, drink it with more spice in it. :-))

Do not drink more than one glass, you know the reason why, but people suffering from diarrhoea should avoid it.Have a nice Rasam time.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008.

Purify Your System and Food

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Purification of the Food that you consume is the most important step towards spiritual life.

Bring the change in your menu very slowly over a period of two to three years, give enough time to your body to adapt to the new changes, older people should take enough precautions before bringing any changes to their menu, youngsters can bring that change at a faster rate.

But for anyone the first step would be " Shanku Prakshalana", cleaning of your digestive system, most people take their system for granted and hardly think about how much it must be over crowded or clogged with old mucus accumulated in the system over years of consumption, digestion and elimination.

a) Give a break to your system by fasting on one day every month, Ekadashi (11th day from New moon or Full moon), is very auspicious for this.

b) Before initiating " Shanku Prakshalana ", avoid taking any food for at least 4 to 5 hours in advance, if possible 12 hours would be the best.

Items Required.

Clean Drinking Water =10 litres
Iodised Table Salt = Enough to make it taste salty, higher side ( Depends from person to person)
Clarified butter = three large table spoons.
Some fruit juice = One glass.
Carrots = about four or five medium sze.

c) Boil about 10 litre of drinking water in a clean vessel with a lid, and add enough Iodised Salt to make it taste salty, you should be able to drink the salted water, all 10 litre of it slowly over a period of 2 to 3 hours.

d) As you start drinking the salted water, the digestive system will reject it or eliminate it immediately, so you need to settle down near washroom.

e) Basically everything present in the system is eliminated, including all the mucus.

f) As you near the 6 or 7th litre, the elimination of salted water will happen almost immediately, so better wear minimum clothes possible and stay close to the wash room.

g) As the system is almost empty, the eliminated water will be the same as the water that you are drinking, in terms of color etc.

h) Finish off the remaining salted water, and once you are sure that nothing is present in your system, take shower and stay for (one night if possible) or two to three hours without drinking or eating anything, do not drink plain water in this situation.

i) You will not feel dehydrated or you would not need any kind of electrolyte solutions or powders to substantiate the loss of salts etc.

j) Basically in this situation, the system will be like a fresh new system without a trace of mucus, necessary or unnecessary.

k) After about three hours or one night, Take two to three spoons of clarified butter ( heated to warm ) and let it coat the entire system.

l) The whole system from Mouth to Anus will be oiled with this clarified butter.

m) Stay for another two to three hours without drinking or eating anything.

n) Take one glass of Fruit Juice of your choice, Stay for another two to three hours.

o) Take your carrot, chew it properly ( One is enough), wait for few more hours, better If one can avoid eating rice, wheat or any heavy food, keep it simple vegetarian, sattvic, and uncooked (better).

p) Well your system is ready for the changed Food.

q) Start with Sattvic Food and feel the difference in your body over a period of one week, you will never touch anything else in you entire life, once you will experience this.

r) Observe your senses and and their sharpness, your sense of concentration will also go up.

s) People interested in Meditation , can commence their meditation after this, and people who want to live a very natural and spiritual life, can start taking uncooked Sattvic food ( Cooking spoils the actual nutrition value). Try for one or two weeks, your body will feel like a feather, and you will fly like a fly. :-))

t) If your work involves lot of physical work, then include Rajasic items in your menu.

u) Repeat the "Shanku Prakshalana", every year at least once and do not over do it also, one or two times a year would be enough, and if you are taking Sattvic food, one time is more than enough.

v) Most of the Gastro-Intestinal problems will vanish without a trace. ( People already taking medication for their Gastro-Intestinal problems can also do this but inform your Doctor, and it will be better if you do it on Friday evenings or Saturdays so that you are ready on Mondays to go back to your work.

w) Not because you will feel anything like weakness or lethargy, in fact you will feel very energetic and light.

x) Please do not let children below 21 do this, though it is a very safe process, please it is recommended to perform this under the supervision of somebody who knows this process.

y) When you are doing it , in fact it is fun.............................................

z) People who have problems with regularity, instead of taking synthetic medicines, try this process and Include "Rasam", in your diet almost every day or once in a week, but do not take too much, then you will have to stay close to the washroom. :-))

"Rasam", How to make Rasam, 

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Jan 2008

Life And Its Purpose

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Have you understood the significance and the glory of human life? Have you realized what a precious gift and veritable divine power this human birth is? Do you not feel that life is meant for the fulfillment of a most sublime purpose? Truly it is meant for the attainment of a lofty goal, namely divine perfection and perennial peace and bliss. You all know quite well that life is not merely the act of breathing, digesting, eliminating, thinking, feeling, knowing, willing, etc. Life is not meant for eating, seeing, sleeping and dying miserably in the end.

You truly live your life when you strive manfully for working out and driving the mind to spiritual realization and service of humanity. A little toast, butter and jam, a little stylish clothing, a bungalow and a motor car and a round of cinemas, attendance at parties—these do not really constitute life. This is not the end of the real man who has been ‘made in the image of God.’ Mere sensual life is after all only the life of an animal. Every day you must polish it and make it look divine and be divine. Egoism, desire and sensuality—all this is ignorance; it is deep delusion. Can material comforts elevate the souls of the people? Can gross physical prosperity alone confer upon you solace, courage, peace, joy, immortality and eternal perfection in the spirit? Certainly not.

O blessed children of immortality! Reflect yourself over what I say. Think deeply. Discriminate. You will realize the truth about this most transitory pain-filled life on earth. In the dizzy whirlpool of fleeting sensual pleasures and ceaseless seething desires, do not forget the true purpose of life and its real goal. No greater blunder than to think, to feel, to mistake the unreal for the real, the transitory for the permanent and to forget the most important duty in life. What greater folly, what greater tragedy is there than when a man neglects to reach the goal of life?

You are helpless when you are a baby, you are helpless when disease overtakes you and when you are seriously ill and you are helpless when powerful calamities like fire, flood, earthquake, cyclone, etc., strike down mankind, you are helpless and you are miserable when you become old and senile. Why then are you so proud and eccentric? Rise above this delusion and attain your goal through discrimination and dispassion, analysis and inquire of your real spiritual nature. Inquire ‘Who am I’ and try to realize your essential natural self. Then alone you will transcend your body and mind and realize the Self. Then alone you will be really free and ever blissful.

Virtue is the way to peace and Light. Righteousness is the real secret of Self-realization. Purity is the path to perfection. Goodness leads you to godliness. Strive for ethical perfection. Live a strictly ethical life. Adhere to truth and righteousness, even at the cost of your life. Base your life upon absolute righteousness. Cultivate noble qualities with diligence and care. Be sincere, friend! Actively practise all virtues in right earnest and with real zeal. Become an embodiment of goodness. Think no evil. Speak no evil. See no evil. Do no evil. Be good in thought, speech and action.

Remember the Lord daily and every moment of your lifetime. Pray to him fervently with humility and devotion for purifying your nature and helping to attain the glorious goal of life. Live for God. Boldly face all the difficulties and tribulations of this petty earthly life. Be a man. With courage, struggle for the great attainment. Climbing a mountain, crossing a channel, bombing a city or blasting a fort, these are not the true acts of heroism and real courage. Controlling your mind and senses and overcoming anger, passion and egoism, by attaining self-mastery; these constitute the real heroism in man. How long will you be a slave of passion and the senses? Assert your real divine nature and your mastery over your lower nature and lower self. This is your most important duty.

Do not identify yourself with this perishable body. Do not run after fashion and passion. Do not cultivate the habit of clinging to the glittering names and forms. Do not be ignorant, O man; and think of no delusion. Do not feel: ‘I am an Indian,’ ‘I am an American,’ ‘I am an Italian’, etc., "I am black, I am white, I am yellow"; ‘I am superior, I am inferior’; ‘I know everything, he knows nothing: I have done this, I have done that—I am a Hindu, I am a Christian, I am a Mohammedan and I am so and so, I am a Parsi, I am a Jain’, etc.

All this is the worst type of ignorance. Hear the great truths declared boldly by the prophets and god men, saints and men of real deep wisdom. Thou art neither this perishable body nor this impure mind. Thou art in truth eternal, ever free and ever perfect and ever blissful spirit Immortal. Thou art in essence Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman. Thou art imperishable. This is thy real glorious nature.

Feel this, meditate over this and assert this. Realize this and attain the Wisdom of the Self. Be for ever in bliss. Life is meant for the practice of Yoga. Strive ever to attain this great goal. Practise the Yoga of saintliness. Do selfless service in a spirit of pure worship. Cultivate devotion to the Lord and worship Him daily. Purify the heart through charity and generosity. Meditate daily upon the Lord.

Through ceaseless discrimination, reflection and inquire attain the Wisdom of the Self. Love, give, purify, meditate, Realize. Be good. Do good. Be kind. Be compassionate. Inquire ‘Who am I?’ Know the self and be free. The one Lord indwells all beings. Feel his presence everywhere. See Him alone in all men and things. Give up all distinctions and differences. Feel oneness with all beings. Embrace all. Love all. Feel the bliss with all in a spirit of brotherhood and live to kindle the light of life in your heart. Be all-inclusive. Radiate pure love throughout your life. Start the good life right from today and fight from now.

Cast aside all doubts, fears and misgivings. Do not hesitate, be bold; life is short. Time is fleeting. You have to be practical O man! Do not be weak in thy faith. You must have faith that can move mountains. Never forget your Immortal nature. Never forget your true purpose in life. Wake up from your long sleep of ignorance. Realize thy hidden real nature. Stop not till the goal is reached. Stop not till you attain the wisdom of the Self. O Wanderer in this quagmire of Samsara! Overcome all evil. Annihilate all lust, greed and egoism and come back to your sweet original home, the abode of eternal peace, eternal bliss and eternal sunshine. Through sincere struggle with the lower nature and the lower self and through a life of practical goodness and Yoga, attain perfection in thought, word and deed in this very life. To whatever nation you belong, to whatever race you belong, to whatever society you belong, your real duty and the most important work is this, the attainment of the highest spiritual perfection and bliss. May the Lord, the one God who is known variously bestow upon you all the highest bliss and perfection in this very life. May love alone prevail everywhere. May peace and prosperity be unto all living beings.

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

SIanala, Montreal, Jan 2008

Secret of Success

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

I Wish All My Readers A Very Happy New Year 2008,

As everyone will be planning to make new resolutions for the brand new year 2008, (please note the number 8 in the new year, and no 8 is guarded by Sani (Saturn)), here is an Article by Sri Swami Sivanand Maharaj, which would help to guide your minds to decide on your new year resolutions.

What is real success in life? Is it material prosperity and thriving on well in this world with plenty of money and children or something else? Success is of two kinds, viz., worldly success and spiritual success. If you are in good affluent circumstances, if you have everything that this world can give you, this is worldly success. This alone will not suffice, because this world is imperfect. You must have success in the path of realisation as well. Then only will you have complete or perfect success.

What are the ways of attaining real and lasting success in life? It is easy to preach to twenty than to become one of the twenties in following the dictates. An ounce of practice is thousand times better than tons of theories. Now come to the solid field of practice. Become a practical Yogi of this world and the world beyond. Then alone will material and spiritual success ever attend on you.

Life is of two kinds, viz., life in matter and life in Atma or spirit of pure consciousness. Biologist and psychologist hold that life consists of thinking, feeling, knowing, willing, digestion, excretion, circulation, respiration, etc. This kind of life is not everlasting. This is attended with dangers, pain, fear, cares and anxieties, worries, exertion, sin, birth and death with their concomitant evils, viz., old age, disease, etc. Therefore sages, Seers, Rishis, prophets and saints, who have realised the inner self by discipline of the mind and the organs by Tyaga (renunciation) and Tapas (austerities), by Vairagya (dispassion) and Abhyasa (spiritual practice), by leading a life of self-denial, self-sacrifice, and self-abnegation have empathetically, without a shadow of doubt—like Amlaka fruits in their hands—declared that a life in the Atman or pure spirit alone can bring everlasting peace, infinite bliss and supreme joy, eternal satisfaction and immortality. They have prescribed various definite methods for self-realisation according to diverse temperaments, capacity, and taste of individuals. Those who have implicit faith in their teachings, in the Vedas and in the words of the Guru (spiritual preceptor) march fearlessly to the field of spirituality or truth and obtain freedom or salvation or perfection. This is the real goal of human life. This is the highest aim or purpose of human life. Self-realisation is your highest duty.

All these does not mean that your life in the physical plane is absolutely to be ignored. Matter is the expression of God (Brahman) for his own Leela. Matter and spirit are inseparable, like heat and fire, cold and ice, flower and fragrance; power and the possessor of power, are one. Brahman and Maya are inseparable and one. A life in the physical plane is a definite preparation for the eternal life in Brahman. World is your best teacher. The five elements are your Gurus. Nature is your mother and director. Prakriti (Mother Nature) is your silent master. World is the best training ground for the development of various divine virtues, such as mercy, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, universal love, generosity, nobility, courage, magnanimity, patience, strong will, etc. World is an arena for fighting with the diabolical nature and for expressing the Divinity from within. The central teaching of Gita and Yoga Vasishtha is that one should realise one’s self by remaining in the world. Be in the world, but be out of the world. Behave like the water on the lotus leaf. Give up the lower Asuric nature which consists of selfishness, lust, greed, anger, hatred and jealousy. Assert the Divine Nature, a life of mental renunciation and self-sacrifice.

Science and religion, politics and religion are inseparable. They always go hand in hand. Politics prepares the ground for the reception of the spiritual seed. If there is no economic independence, if there is no freedom and peace in country, how can the spiritual seed be sown in the land? How can dissemination of knowledge be made to the children of the land? How can prophets bring home to the minds of the people the subtle philosophical truths and facts when there is absolute chaos in the country, when their minds are perturbed and when they have not got sufficient food, clothing and other auxiliaries of life. The mind can receive the teachings of the sages only when it is beyond cares and anxieties and when everything for Sadhana is fixed up.

Rajas (Kings) like Janaka were looking after the Sadhus and Sannyasins in the days of yore very carefully. Rishis had to be protected with plenty of cows and fruits in their Ashram to carry on nicely in their Sadhana. This was an important duty of all Rajas of old. They had to pay a very heavy penalty before God if they were negligent in the above affairs. They could not escape from the immutable law of God. Scriptures speak that a Raja is an Amsa of God and Lord Vishnu and that he is the real protector of the people. He is really an embodiment of Lord Vishnu. 

A portion of the Tapas of all the religious people goes to him if he administers true justice and if he looks after the spiritual people very carefully. He gains great spiritual strength and peace of mind, if he has good Sadhus and Mahatmas in his land, by taking recourse to their Satsanga. If a beautiful ideal Ashram for Brahmacharins, Vanaprasthis and Sannyasins with isolated Kutias in a solitary place with all the requisite convenience and a good library is established in every state, it will be a blessing for the state and for the world at large. Time and money spent in foreign travels is a sheer waste, if you really want peace of mind. If we really want lasting peace, and real happiness, every one of us should close our eyes, withdraw our senses and Indriyas and mind and plunge deep into the perennial Atmic spring within. Let us all tap the fountain of bliss and unalloyed felicity. Then alone supreme satisfaction will come.

If the householders observe the rules of life laid down in the scriptures, there is absolutely no necessity for so many Sannyasins in these days. It is only just because the householders are failing to observe the injunctions of the Shastras or the code of Manu, there are many blunders in the daily conduct of the householders. It is only to save the householders that Sannyasins grew up in our country, to lead a life of truth and sincerity so as to enable the householder lead a similar life by copying them. This is the real value of Satsanga with great men.

A close study of the observation and revelation of science brings a man nearer to God. Who gave the power to the electrons? What is that power that has combined four parts of Nitrogen and one part of Oxygen? What is the intelligence which moves nature? Can scientific inventions really make man happy? What has science done to us all these days? All scientific knowledge is mere husk when compared with the knowledge of the Self. Brahma Vidya is Para Vidya; All sciences are founded on the knowledge of the Atma. Man is growing more and more restless as his wants and requirements go on increasing with the advancement of science.

The only remedy for improving this deplorable state of man from all ills of modern scientific inventions is to go back to nature and natural thinking and natural living. We will have to adopt simple living and high thinking of our forefathers. Lead a simple natural life. Wear simple clothing. Walk daily; give up cinema and novel reading; eat simple food. Lead a hard and laborious life. Be ever self-reliant. Reduce your wants. Be ever straightforward. Ever strive to control the Indriyas or the senses. Develop noble qualities. Take recourse to the company of wise men. Remember God. Sing His Name. Feel His divine presence. Think aright. Speak truth. And act righteously. Learn how to lead divine life while remaining in the world. Serve society with Atmabhav. This is the best way for your salvation. You will have success in every walk of life and undertaking. Keep this master key with you and open the chambers of Elysian Bliss.

Truth cannot give pain to anyone. Truth alone can triumph. Truth alone can bring lasting happiness. We should live in truth only. Man is an embodiment of truth. You live and have your very being dissolving your mind and body in Truth. Realise the ultimate truth. It is very difficult to get a human birth. Having got it, you cannot afford to waste a minute, as time is ever fleeting. Become a successful man in your life’s career and become a godman right from now and this very second. This is my fervent prayer. All glory and joy be unto thee. Rest in thy Sat-Chit-Ananda Swaroopa.

"All the best to one and all for the New Year 2008"

ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal, Dec 30