Om Sri Durgayai Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

A Message To Mothers
by Sri Swami Sivananda

A Navaratri Message Delivered in 1945

Beloved Immortal Selves,

Today you have all assembled in shrines and temples devoted to the great Goddess, the Divine Mother, for celebrating the Dussera. This function is celebrated in various parts of India in different styles. But the one basic aim of this celebration is to propitiate Sakti to bestow upon you all wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, Vidya and all other potent powers. Whatever be the particular or special request that every one of you may put before the Goddess, whatever boon you may ask of Her, the one thing behind all these motives is propitiation, worship and linking oneself with Her. There is no other aim. This is being effected consciously or unconsciously. Everyone is blessed with Her loving mercy and is protected by Her.

This unique aim is yours not only in this particular occasion but every moment of your life. There is incessant struggle within you. The inner self struggles to escape from the clutches of the various senses, being sheathed and suppressed by them. It constantly warns you to identify this self with the major Self. It reminds you that you are on return journey unto the place whence you started. Whether it is your will or not, there is no second course or second destination left or reserved for you. You have to retrace your path. And on no spot can you dwell longer than the wink of an eye. Any amount of retardation on your part will not arrest this onward course. The more the momentum you gain, the sooner you will return to the destination or the goal. Therefore, equip yourself with proper contrivance and speed up. Do not waste a single minute. The leading of your life and the various aspects of it may differ from others, as the boon you ask of the Mother is different from your neighbour’s. But the view of both is the same and the views of different lives too. Every one yearns for liberation.

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October 1st marks the beginning of the nine day worship of the Divine Mother known as Navaratri. For further information, please read Sri Swami Sivanandaji's article on Navaratri.

A couple of articles by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji have been posted at Sri Swamiji's site. They are:

1. The Duty of Karma Yoga: Cooperating with Our Higher Self
2. An Outline of the Philosophical Foundations of the Religion of Man

Tomorrow, September 30th, is the last day of special concession on our publications for 2016. Please avail yourself of this opportunity as per the details below.

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

We are currently having a Special Aradhana Concession on all our publications from 1st June 2016 to 30th September 2016. The discount on publications is as follows:

20% on Orders Upto Rs. 300/-
30% on Orders Upto Rs. 1,000/-
35% on Orders Above Rs. 1,000/-
40% on Orders Above Rs. 25,000/-
 

40% Special Discount on the following Pictorial Volumes of Worshipful Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji and Worshipful Sri Swami Chidanandaji
1. ES8 Glorious Vision
2. ES4 Gurudev Sivananda
3. EC70 Ultimate Journey
4. EC71 Divine Vision

Please visit our online bookstore for further details: http://www.dlsbooks.org/

Book Synopsis

The Devi Mahatmya
By Swami Sivananda

The Devi Mahatmya or the Durga Saptasati is a unique book in this world. It is the base and the root of the religion of the Saktas. It is a Kamadhenu for one and all; it gives whatever man wants. It gives Bhakti in this world and Mukti afterwards. It is a powerful reservoir of Mantras from the beginning to the end. Every verse of this text is a dynamic force which acts powerfully in overhauling the nature of man.

The conception of the Infinite as Mother is not an altogether meaningless one. The Rigveda bears testimony to the fact that even in such ancient times, there was the persistent belief that the Ruler is the All-compassionate Mother. Further, Mother is the personality that appeals most to the human heart, not so much the Father who is considered a hard task- master. Moreover the conception of the Divinity as Devi, Durga or Sri, is not merely a theory but a practical way of life. It is a particular view which cannot be set aside. It is as important as any school of religious belief, and is one of the most important reigning branches of Hindu religion--Vaishnavism, Saivism and Saktaism. Even a subtle philosopher cannot dispense with the conception of Sakti, for he is essentially an embodiment of Power, and he has love for power. The highest Intelligence and the most speculative metaphysics is only a manifestation of Jnana-Sakti and is not outside the range of Saktaism. Let us therefore adore and worship the Glorious Mother for the purpose of attaining Wisdom or Self- realisations.

For more information, please see: The Devi Mahatmya

CAVE-LIFE: On March 28, 1950, while speaking at the Ashram Satsang, the Master commended very highly the services rendered to the Divine Life cause by a lay disciple. In that context, he went on to describe the comparative difficulty of leading a spiritual life in the busy world as against life in a cave.

“It is very easy to retire to a cave,” said the Master. “How easy it is not to tell a lie when you have no one to talk to! How easy it is to control anger when no one approaches you, much less opposes you! What is there in controlling the mind when there are no distractions at all? The real glory of a Yogi or Jnani lies in being able to control the mind and engaging himself in selfless service for the good of humanity while yet living in the world.”

"Durga Puja is the greatest Hindu festival in which God is adored as Mother. Hinduism is the only religion in the world which has emphasised to such an extent the motherhood of God. One's relationship with one's mother is the dearest and the sweetest of all human relations. Hence, it is proper to look upon God as mother." - Swami Sivananda

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