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

Namaste!

Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj – A Rare Genius of Spirit
by Sri Swami Krishnananda

All our loves are really dispersed forms of divine love. You have all come here, rushing to this spot, on account of that tremendous magnetic spiritual influence of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. The individuals, the personalities that he has prepared, are only vessels which he has charged with his force. Whatever little meaning, significance, worth or any value that you may be in a position to discover in people like us here is all a modicum of the greatness of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. Whatever is beautiful here, whatever is good here, whatever is of worth here is his spiritual presence working dynamically even at this moment; otherwise, this ashram cannot run. Human beings cannot run ashrams of this kind, and this ashram is not functioning due to human effort. It works like the flow of the Ganga, flowing perennially due to a presence, and not due to an activity. The ashram exists not due to an activity, but due to a presence. That presence may not be visible, but it matters little whether it is visible or not. It is there.

The running of an ashram of this kind is a miracle in itself. Sadhus and Sannyasins cannot be expected to run huge institutions because they have no personal interest in any kind of organisational activity, and if such persons are to be pushed into activity, a mighty presence should be there behind it. Every sincere observer would have deeply felt that there is some uncanny, unveiled presence in this atmosphere. People who come here go weeping with joy. It is not because they see something with their physical eyes, but because they see something in their hearts which they themselves cannot explain. You may see nothing with open eyes, but yet you will go as a changed person with a tremendous difference in your feeling. There is no doubt about it. All this is because mighty sages lived here.

This is Rishikesh, Muni-ki-reti, the sands trodden by the mighty Masters, from Vasishtha onwards. Vyasa, Suka, Sri Ramachandra and others, all these mighty beings moved across this place; and this beautiful, hallowed spot was chosen as the venue of tapasya by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. The power of his tapasya works this ashram. Wherever there is success of any kind, it is tapas that is working. Interest, enthusiasm, desire alone cannot lead to success. You may be bubbling with enthusiasm, but lacking tapas-shakti. Then success is doubtful, and not a certainty.

All success is tapas manifesting itself. It is the tapas of Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj that is this ashrama. This is an embodiment of his personality. For twelve years he did vigorous tapas before this ashram ever existed, before we were all here, when this was a jungle infested with wild animals. Not a single building was here, they say. The place was very cold, much colder than it is nowadays. A handful of sadhus were living in Swargashrama on the other side of the Ganges, and Gurudev was there as an ideal tapasvin. He possessed nothing—no money in his hand, no paper to write on, no friends to talk to—and yet he was an inspired God-commissioned soul, so his life itself was a miracle. A few of the mahatmas who had the opportunity of seeing Swamiji during those days were eyewitnesses of his greatness even then.

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July 18th is the Punyatithi Aradhana of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj (anniversary of the physical passing of a saint).

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

The Mighty Godman of Our Age
By Swami Krishnananda

This book is a compilation of eighteen discourses on Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj that Swami Krishnananda gave over the years. Swamiji discusses the circumstances that necessitated the incarnation of Sri Gurudev on Earth at that period in history and the spiritual renaissance that arose at the beginning of the twentieth century. Swamiji also talks about Gurudev’s early days in Rishikesh and his austere tapas, various aspects of Gurudev’s nature, his mission in the world, and the founding and purpose of The Divide Life Society.

When Swami Krishnananda speaks about Sri Gurudev, it is from direct experience as a disciple who lived closely with the holy Master for decades, and along with this personal viewpoint Swamiji brings everything to Universality in a totality of vision.

For more information, please see: The Mighty Godman of Our Age

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SPECIAL ARADHANA CONCESSION

We are currently having a Special Aradhana Concession on all our publications from 1st July 2017 to 30th September 2017. 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                Rs. 650
2. ES4 Gurudev Sivananda        Rs. 250 
3. EC70 Ultimate Journey           Rs. 500
4. EC71 Divine Vision                 Rs. 300

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

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RECIPE FOR GOOD EYESIGHT: Once an Ashramite was detailing his eye troubles to a visiting surgeon. The Master interrupted the surgeon’s examination with a volley of queries addressed to the patient.

“Do you perform Surya Namaskar?” “No.”

“Do you repeat the twelve names of Lord Surya together with the Dhyana Mantra?”

“No.

“Do you pray and practise gazing at the morning sun.

“No.”

“Do you take saltless diet on Sundays?” “No.

“Do you regularly practise Sirshasana, Sarvangasana and Tratak?”

“No.

“Do you recite the Aditya Hridaya?”

“No.”

As the inmate said “no” each time, he felt shame stinging his heart. But the worst was yet to come.

“Then how do you expect to have perfect eyesight?” asked the Master. And what he said further, revealed his own assiduous spiritual practice and reverence for Deities like the Sun-god.

“See, even today, till this morning from a long time, I am very regular in my Surya Namaskar, in my recitation of the twelve names and the Dhyana Mantra. I meditate on the rising sun. I do not take salt on Sundays. I am very regular in my Asana and Pranayama practices. Therefore, it is by the Grace of Lord Surya that I have good eyes. With good eyesight you can do more service to mankind. The eye is the most important organ. Without eyesight you are as good as dead. Instead of you serving others, there will be a dozen people to serve you!”

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“Never rest contented with a little achievement or success in the path, with a little serenity of mind, a little one-pointedness of mind, some vision of angels or Siddhis, a little faculty of thought reading. There are still higher summits to ascend, higher regions to climb. Continue the spiritual practice. Some aspirants leave Sadhana after some time. They expect great fruits quickly. They expect many Siddhis within a short time. When they do not get some, they give up the Sadhana. There are several ranges of consciousness between the ordinary human consciousness and the supraconsciousness of Brahman. Different veils have to be torn down on the way; many lower centres have to be opened up; many hurdles have to be crossed over before the final goal is reached. When you are established in the highest Nirvikalpa Samadhi, when you have reached the final goal, you have nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to smell, nothing to feel. You have no body-consciousness. You have full Brahmic Consciousness. There is nothing but the Self. It is a grand experience; you will be struck with awe and wonder. You have simultaneous knowledge now. Past and future are blended into the eternal present. Everything is "now". Everything is "here". You have gone beyond time and space.” – Swami Sivananda

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