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

Namaste!

Not A Rosy Path
by Sri Swami Chidananda

Gurudev says, "There is no royal road in spirituality. Adversity develops the power of endurance and will-force. Adversity develops fortitude and forbearance. All the prophets, saints, Bhaktas and Yogins of yore had to struggle hard against adverse circumstances. God puts His devotees under severe tests and rigorous trials."

Nothing that is worthwhile is to be achieved without undergoing a corresponding amount of pain and suffering. No enduring ideal can be attained without toil and sweat. The seed splits and perishes to put forth the plant. The flower lays its life to give place to the sweet fruit. It is in the furnace that gold emerges from the ore. Even so, the spiritual path demands a rigorous Tapas and heroic endurance at one time or other. A grim endurance of all vicissitudes and a dogged resolution to persevere to the end are essential if one has to realise the Ideal.

Gurudev cautioned a group of aspirants by saying, "Man is sybarite by nature. You may be very zealous in your austerity and vows in the beginning. But if you are not on the guard, slowly will the vigour be relaxed; comforts will creep in and you will be caught hopelessly. If the body is allowed to relapse into softness and luxury, you will find it well nigh impossible to discipline it again." Mind immediately takes advantage of even the least sign of weakness in the aspirant. It is like a tiger crouching on its haunches about to spring.

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The following article has been posted at Sri Swami Krishnanandaji's site:

• Facets of Spirituality - December 19, 1979

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Isavasya Upanishad
by Swami Sivananda

The Isavasya Upanishad is a beautiful Upanishad. The very first line of the first Mantra, "Isavasyamidam sarvam—This whole world is covered by the Lord", induces a thrilling inspiration in the minds of the readers. Meditation on this idea alone will lead to the attainment of the Knowledge of the Self. He who contemplates on the significance of the first line will become a Seer of Oneness, a Knower of the Self. He will have a direct vision of the Reality and inner Illumination. The Upanishad, though apparently simple and intelligible, is in reality one of the most difficult to understand properly.

The aspirant should sit at the lotus-feet of an experienced teacher, a Shrotriyam, a Brahma-Nishtha, and study this Upanishad with one-pointed and pure mind. Then everything will become quite clear. The reader should try to grasp clearly the meanings of the terms Vidya, Avidya, Sambhuti, Asambhuti, Vinasha, Death, Immortality, Krato, etc. Immortality here means relative immortality, not absolute Immortality.

This Upanishad prescribes two paths, viz., the path of renunciation or Jnana Yoga for Sannyasins, and the path of action or Karma Yoga for those who cannot renounce the world. The desirability of combining Karma with the worship of deity (inferior knowledge of god), and of combining worship of Hiranyagarbha with the worship of Avyaktam or unborn Prakriti is mentioned in this Upanishad. Live in the spirit of this Upanishad. Realise the Self. Rejoice in Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman. May the blessings of the seers of the Upanishad be upon you all!

For more information, please see: Isavasya Upanishad

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A LIFE-GIVING MANTRA: A gentleman reported to the Master that he had contracted T. B. and gave a detailed account of his malady.

The Master listened to him with rapt attention and patience and with deep sympathy.

The gentleman ended up by saying, “I have no cough and have never had any temperature but I am weak and there is a shade in the skiagram. I have been trying to feel that I am quite normal.”

“You are normal,” said the Master, “only some kind of imaginary fear. Do some gentle deep breathing.”

The Master demonstrated the breathing exercise and also advised him to take a morning walk, sun-bath and nutritious food. He then said, “The best of all tonics is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.”

He repeated the Mantra and handed the gentleman a leaflet containing the formula, requesting him to repeat it for ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes at night. He also cited the miracles wrought by the Mantra.

“There was a health officer in Bangalore. He was ailing and the doctors declared his case to be hopeless. During my All-India Tour, when I was in Bangalore, I initiated him into the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. He did Japa regularly and was cured.

“In an air-crash in Teheran all the passengers in the plane were killed except one man. He was repeating the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra at the time of the crash. He was saved.

“Many people write to me, conveying news of their diseases. I do Japa of this Mantra three times a day for all those who are in correspondence with me.”

The visitor bowed and departed with greater cheer perceptible on his face.

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“Find that One by knowing which everything else is known.” – Swami Sivananda

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