Cause and Effect
by Swami Madhavananda
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Paperback: 159 + ix pages
ISBN: 81-7052-148-3
Book Dimensions: 7.25 x 5.0 x 0.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 140 grams
Table of Contents
| Introduction | iii |
| foreword | v |
| 1. Shankara–The First Guru of Kali Yuga | 3 |
| 2. The Great Renunciation | 18 |
| 3. New Age-New Prophet | 31 |
| 4. The Two Sages of China | 43 |
| 5. Mystery of Life | 65 |
| 6. The Principle of Right Thinking | 85 |
| 7. The World Phenomena–A Change only in Name and Form | 98 |
| 8. My Recipe for India’s Regeneration | 106 |
| 9. Atman–A Concept | 111 |
| 10. Be Ever Responsive to the Call from Within | 117 |
| 11. The Charm That Attracted All | 121 |
| 12. Mantra and Japa | 128 |
| 13. Gita | 131 |
| 14. Enduring Spiritual Values | 134 |
| 15. Letter | 140 |
| 16. The Nature of the Gift Indicates the Nature of the Giver | 142 |
| 17. Thy Will Be Done–Not Mine | 144 |
| 18. Everyone is Indeed Divine | 147 |
| 19. Internal and External Tensions Beset Man’s Life | 149 |
| 20. Swami Sivananda’s Life is an Ideal Example of Divine Life | 151 |
| 21. Sri Rama–An Ideal of Every Conceivable Quality of Goodness | 152 |
| 22. Self-inquiry | 154 |
| 23. Every Action is Bound to Have a Reaction | 157 |
| 24. Self-effort and God’s Grace | 158 |
INTRODUCTION
(To the First Edition)
I bow in reverence to this great Saint H.H. Swami Madhavanandaji to say a few words and in this attempt I cannot do full justice and even if I say anything it shall be like holding only ‘a candle before the Sun’. To get a glimpse of his real spiritual personality; one has to refer to the ‘Souvenir’ publication of his birth day anniversary (Shastyabdapurti) celebrations in which other holy Saints and Ashramites have paid glowing tributes of his self-effacing character and on his day to day holy practices as enjoined on him by Gurudev H.H. Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj who is an eternal inspiration to him in this life. He is one of the chosen disciples and a great apostle of the great Saint H.H. Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and highly venerated by all. He has imbibed all the spiritual ideals of Gurudev and to meet him and sit in Satsanga with him is like sitting before the Divinity itself! Sri Swamiji is serving the Divine Life Society in all his sincerity. He adores Gurudev and people adore him.
H.H. Sri Swami Madhavanandaji belongs to the World Spiritual Order spreading the gospel of Divine Love and Bhakti among people. He is considered to be the very embodiment of Bhakti and he maintains silence most of the time. He speaks but he speaks very little. But he has left a legacy of spiritual wisdom in his writings. Some of which we discovered were not printed. I thank Dr. Arunaji, M.D. for helping in this endeavour. So we have printed them. Much of the works is already lost in obscurity. We were able to salvage a few of his articles and hence this publication as our humble homage to this great spiritual personality!
The publication has become possible because of the donations from the devotees and the personal help given by Sri A. Nageswara Rao, Saraswathi Power Press, and the scintillating Foreword, so kindly given by Smt. Vivecananda Devi. I think all of them most sincerely and from the bottom of my heart.
Smt. Sarojini Pandurang
President
DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY (Ladies’ Branch)
HYDERABAD
FOREWORD
H.H. Swami Madhavanandaji’s ‘Cause and Effect’ is like a bouquet of fragrant flowers of variety, whose sweet scent disperses great joy and happiness to one and all.
The great Guru Sri Adi Sankara is not only a spiritual, ethical and psychic illuminator, but is also a pathlayer for the realisation of oneness with God. He came down not to kill or uproot any demoniac forces or demons, but to enlighten the intellectuals and Jnanis.
The Mahabhinishkramana of Siddhartha is a masterpiece in the annals of history as well as an episode in the history of religion.
Taoism and Confucian ethics were discussed at length in this book for the benefit of the so-called rationalists and communists. But the author proves ultimately the uprooting of 2000 years of culture and ethics is not so easy as that. The mystery of life itself is very mysterious and intriguing. Though mankind’s progress depends on physical, chemical and physiological factors, our will plays a dominant part in moulding our fortunes and progress. So we have to take care of the future generation for the younger children.
The force of thought is very powerful, if not powerful than a nuclear bomb. Thoughts effect the world for generations and generations to come. Unless one is selfless the power of thought shall not succeed. Saints and Sages are selfless and they never work for themselves or for the benefit or for the fruits of their action. So they are equal to God.
World never changes, though it seems like ever changing. It is the time, space and causation that creates this illusion. The sage who indwells in his mind is beyond any change of form or name.
For the regeneration of India, faith and self-confidence in our future is needed. As Occidentalists and Advaitists we have to remember that the soul never dies or changes. Nothing can destroy it. By this attitude India once again can be rejuvenated.
The whole book is very enlightening and encouraging. It appeals both to intellectuals as well as rationalists. I am grateful to Smt. Sarojini Pandurang for giving me the opportunity of writing this small Foreword.
Om Tat Sat!
VIVECANANDA DEVI