A Call To Liberation

by Swami Chidananda

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Paperback: xii + 484 pages
ISBN: 81-7052-137-8
Book Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 600 grams

Table of Contents

Publisher’s Note v

Introduction

1. Respond to the Eternal Call 5
2. Until the Very Last Breath 7

Part One: The Spiritual Preceptor
and the Disciple

A. THE ESSENCE OF THE GURU-DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIP

3. The Heart of the Guru 15
4. Guru-Bhakti 18
5. Guru Sishya Yoga 23
6. The Essence of the Guru-Disciple Relationship 27

B. WHAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSE OF THE DISCIPLE

7. Self-awareness As Distinguished from Ego-consciousness 37
8. Supreme Grace and Self-effort: The Life Triumphant 41
9. An Awakening Must Be Followed by Purposeful Action 46
10. True Discipleship 51
11. Permeate Your Life with Divine Bhava 55
12. Be Aware of the Guru’s Presence 59

C. WHAT GURUDEV TAUGHT US

13. Gurudev’s Awakening Call 67
14. Die to Live 72
15. The Penetrating Vision That Beholds Everything As a Blessing 76
16. Our Relationship with God, World and Self 80
17. Why You Are Called Radiant Atman 85
18. What Gurudev Taught 90
19. How to Lead the Divine Life 92

Part Two: The Foundation and
Fundamentals of Liberation

A. INTRODUCTION TO THE FOUNDATION AND FUNDAMENTALS OF LIBERATION

20. Wisely Discern the Foundation and Fundamentals of the Spiritual Life 98

B. WHAT IS LIBERATION?

21. What Is Bondage? What Is Liberation? 103
22. What Is the Greatest Victory? 107
23. Is Liberation Possible in This Very Birth? 109
24. The Essence of All Spiritual Practices 112

C. TRUTH, NON-INJURY, PURITY

25. The True Basis of Morality 117
26. Never Abandon Virtue 119
27. A Call to Rebirth 123
28. The Glory of Truth, Non-injury and Purity 127
29. Truth 137
30. The First Step 141

D. SURE GUARANTEES OF SUCCESS

31. Be Clear About the Goal 149
32. Developing a Longing for God 153
33. Sustained Enthusiasm 156
34. Today Move Onwards and Upwards 158
35. How Gurudev Became What He Was 161
36. Do You Have a Sense of Urgency? 165
37. Belief, Faith, Being and Doing 169
38. Effort Linked with Faith 172
39. He Is Your Guide, Friend and Philosopher 176
40. See the Great Reality Even in Obstacles 179
41. Daily Life: A Test of Inner Sadhana 184

E. DISCRIMINATION

42. The Implications of the Law of Karma 191
43. Discrimination 193
44. Fine-tuning Your Discrimination 198
45. Practice and Dispassion 201
46. Duality in Non-duality 203

F. IT’S YOUR CHOICE

47. You Are What You Choose to Become 211
48. What Will Be Your Choice? 215
49. Choose to Dwell in Truth 220
50. You Choose What You Behold: God or Maya 227
51. Choose to Manifest What You Are 231

G. SELF-CONTROL

52. Liberation Has an Immediate Relevance 237
53. Self-management Is Essential for Liberation 242
54. The Overcoming of Oneself 245
55. Is Denial of Self-expression Doing Violence to Oneself? 249

H. INTROSPECTION

56. Take Responsibility: Introspect 257
57. Always Scrutinise Your Inner Motives 259
58. Ask Yourself a Plain Question 262
59. Metaphysical Introspection 265

Part Three: The Path to Liberation

A. THE SUPREME VISION OF
SANATANA VAIDIKA DHARMA

60. The Vedic Vision of Life 275
61. The Harmony Between Grace and Divine Power 278
62. The Indian Hindu Experience of the Personal God 282
63. The Life Breath of Sanatana Vaidika Dharma 286
64. The Greatest Discovery of Our Upanishadic Seers 290
65. Life Is Upheld by Sacrifice 294

B. THE UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICE OF THE SUPREME TRUTH

66. Brahman in Time and Space 299
67. The Central Purpose of All Spiritual Practices 301
68. The Heart of the Spiritual Problem 305
69. By What Light Is Consciousness Known? 309
70. Understanding Thou Art That 313
71. The Realm of 10,000 Awakenings 318
72. Abide in Your Self! 322
73. How We Should Approach Great Truths 326
74. Practise the Great Revelation 329
75. Non-duality and You 334
76. It Is What You Are and Do That Counts 336
77. Knowledge, Meditation and Spiritualising Your Life 339

C. LIBERATION AND THE MIND

78. Be Aware of Your Interim Dimension 346
79. With What You Have, Make the Highest and Best Use 355
80. Convert Your Mind into a Liberator 359
81. Our Relationship to the Inner and Outer World 362
82. Abide Beyond the Mind 367
83. Living Concentration 372
84. Withdrawal of the Mind Through Prayer 375
85. You Decide the Direction the Mind Will Take 379
86. Mind Was Not Given To Be a Problem 382

D. DEVOTION, FAITH, SURRENDER

87. Undivided Love 389
88. Devotion That Liberates 394
89. Faith Must Be Living 396
90. What Should Be Our Bhava at the Feet of the Lord? 399
91. A Faith That Sustains 402
92. Responding to the Call of God 406
93. The Sure Solution 409
94. Real Surrender and Adoration 413
95. Divine Bhava Must Be Constant 416

E. THE LIVING OF OUR LIFE

96. Keep Moving Towards the Great Destination 423
97. The Truth About Karma 426
98. How Action Will Not Bind 429
99. Work That Liberates 431
100. Expand Your Identification to Others 436
101. Dynamic Selflessness 440
102. Liberation Is the Ultimate Simplicity 442
103. Do It Because It’s Right 446
104. The Life That You Are Meant to Live 449
105. To Live for God Is Life 452
106. Bear Witness to the Truth 456

Touchstones

107. Are You Becoming a Better Person? 463
108. Is the God-nature Growing in You? 467

Glossary

Glossary 473

Publisher’s Note

In each successive generation for innumerable centuries the saints and sages of India have issued forth the call: “uttishthata jagrata prapya varan nibodhata (Arise, awake, having reached the wise become enlightened).” In the twentieth century this timeless call was also echoed by His Holiness Sri Swami Sivananda, the saintly founder of the Divine Life Society, and has been continued by the revered Swami Chidananda who succeeded him in 1963 as president of the Society.

This powerful book, like its predecessor Ponder These Truths, has been compiled from Swamiji’s inspiring early morning meditation talks given in the Samadhi Hall of Holy Master Swami Sivanandaji’s sacred Samadhi Shrine in Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh. Seekers throughout the world will find within a universal message and a compelling call.

Sanskrit language words have been put in italics. Normally, their meaning can be understood by the context or their English equivalent which follows within commas or parenthesis. Otherwise, the meaning can be understood by referring to the Glossary.

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

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