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

Namaste!

Seeds of Vairagya
by Sri Swami Chidananda

First comes Vichara, then comes Viveka. Through Vichara and Viveka flowers Vairagya. Vichara is stimulated by careful observations of life around us. We don’t allow an event or an occurrence to pass without observing it carefully and reflecting over it, ‘What is it that I am observing? What is its deeper meaning and significance? Does it hold any special lesson or an unspoken message for me?’ Thus one becomes a thoughtful observer and not merely a passive onlooker; one becomes an active enquirer of what is being seen and one tries to find out the deeper significance from every little thing.

You can observe and learn something even from the behaviour of children. Suppose two children are left alone for a while and there happens to be only one toy. Soon they will quarrel, scream and cry. When the mothers come they find the stronger child holds the toy and has pushed away the other child enjoying the victory over the helpless child. This is the whole commentary on life. The behaviour of elderly people, communities, nations become epitomised in this small incident. If there were two toys, then also the stronger child may try to snatch away both the toys or he may want the same toy that the other one wants. What you find in the children, like that you find in the humanity also.

Gurudev had this faculty of keen observation well developed, because he was a medical man. A physician has to observe every little symptom, whether the patient tells it or not. Sometimes the doctor gathers the symptoms by mere observation. If the patient is fidget and restless, the doctor takes note of it and knows that the patient is a nervous type person, easily susceptible to outer occurrence. So a doctor must be a keen observer. In the olden days diagnosis depended on physical examination and observation only, as there were no laboratory facilities, X-rays, etc. They were able to find out by questioning and observing what a certain symptom meant, and immediately they tried to know the cause behind it. So the medical profession makes a person keenly observant and very subtle in detecting the hidden cause behind the apparent symptoms. The young doctor Kuppuswami of Malaysia was abundantly endowed with these innate qualities which when applied to the spiritual field became very valuable to him, became very helpful to his spiritual unfoldment, to his subtle ability to grasp the actual reality of things in this world.

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June 1st is the Anniversary of Sannyasa Diksha of His Holiness Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj.

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

• Darshan with Swami Krishnananda during 1996: Our Position in the Universe

 

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Swami Sivananda: Saint, Sage And Godman
by Sri Swami Chidananda

Worshipful Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj has brought about a spiritual awakening and resurgence of moral and ethical values throughout the world by his very inspiring writings consisting of more than three hundred books. He is literally a world teacher. He has written on every aspect of philosophy and Sadhana. He has written for everyone. The all-comprehensive vastness of Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji’s writings makes an aspirant to ask, ‘What is his vision? What is his most important message? What are his most important teachings?’

Gurudev preached only those things which he himself had practised most diligently over a long period. So the best way to find answers to these basic questions is to study his life and personality. Those were the most blessed persons who had the good fortune of staying in the Sivananda Ashram as disciples during his lifetime. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, President, The Divine Life Society, had that good fortune for two decades and is, therefore, the most appropriate authority to dilate upon these questions. In these talks, he has brought out the inherent salient teachings from Gurudev’s life and thrown light on Gurudev’s vision, his real message and his most important teachings. These talks were given in Gurudev’s Samadhi Shrine from 26th July to 10th August, 1987.

This book will prove to be an invaluable treasure for all sincere seekers, Sadhakas and householders and inspire them to tread on righteous living and to strive for the goal of life, God-realisation.

For more information, please see: Swami Sivananda: Saint, Sage And Godman

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SPECIAL CONCESSION

The discount on publications is as follows:

20% on Orders Above Rs. 300/-
30% on Orders Above Rs. 3,000/-
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.

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MASTER’S “OM TAT SAT”: Book packets were being shown to the Master one by one by Swami Nityanandaji. The Master would examine the address on each packet and indicate his approval by the words “Om Tat Sat”, after hearing which Swami Nityanandaji would present the next parcel for approval.

Countess Mayo, who was sitting on a chair opposite the Master, was watching this and enquired, “What is the meaning of Om Tat Sat, Swamiji?”

“Om signifies the transcendental Absolute Reality, the all-pervading Self; Tat means ‘That’, the Self; and Sat means that which exists for ever, the Truth. Om, Tat and Sat therefore all mean the same. After doing an action, if one repeats this formula, one will not be bound by the action. Such an action will lead to purification of the mind and will bestow salvation on the person. I utter Om Tat Sat by way of approving the addresses, otherwise I will have to utter ‘Um’ without opening the mouth, or tap on the table to indicate my approval.”

The Master possessed a most phenomenal memory by means of which he had memorised the addresses and names of a large number of his close disciples, patrons and well-wishers. As the office staff often made mistakes in addressing his book parcels, the Master himself checked the addresses for years on end, almost until his very last days.

The Master was always very fond of giving a spiritual association to everything. Some days back there was a feast in his cottage. When the sambar was being served, he asked the person serving it to say, “Sambar, Bhagavan”, in place of merely just saying, “sambar”. He would always utter Om when he wished a lecturer or a songster to conclude the lecture or song. Om was his final “whistle”, as it were!

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“A real Sannyasin is the only mighty potentate on this earth. He never takes anything. He always gives. It was Sannyasins only who did glorious, sublime work in the past. It is Sannyasins only who can work wonders in the present and in the future also. Sri Sankara’s name can never be obliterated so long as the world lasts. It was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayananda, and Swami Rama Tirtha who disseminated the sublime teachings of the scriptures and preserved Hindu religion. A Sannyasin alone can do real Lokasangraha, because he has divine knowledge, he is a whole-timed man. One real Sannyasin can change the destiny of the whole world. It was one mighty Sankara who established the doctrine of Kevala Advaita philosophy. He still lives in our hearts.” – Swami Sivananda

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