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

Namaste!

Man And His Mind
by Sri Swami Chidananda

Radiant Atman! Man is man because he has a mind. Thinking, reasoning, feeling, that alone makes man. If he has no mind he is an animal. But mind can make a man a beast also. Mind can make a man a demon. Because if the mind is not made sattvic, if it is not governed by an awakened, discriminating, ever alert, vigilant and keenly enquiring intellect, then mind becomes the greatest problem; it becomes the greatest trap, the greatest enemy, the greatest complication, the greatest source of all types of troubles to the aspirant, to the seeker. One can become helpless, mercilessly tormented by the mind. It takes charge of one’s life, and one is ruled by emotions, sentiments, passions and error.

Because the nature of the mind is to always create confusion and constant restlessness, constant activity, constant thinking of sense-objects, constant going outside, constant involving and entangling itself in things. It is a bundle of desires, cravings and imaginations. It is a companion with whom you should deal with great caution. It is there; you cannot help it. You cannot get rid of it; you have to live with it. But you must know that it is your problem, it is your trouble-maker. You should not think it is your friend.

But it is the mind, the manas, that is your problem, not the antahkarana. The antahkarana (inner being) also contains your great helper. It contains your greatest asset, which can make you divine. Because the antahkarana contains not the mind only, it contains the buddhi (intellect). And it contains the chitta (sub-conscious mind), Pandora’s box, which contains all that is wonderful and beautiful and also all that is ugly and not so wonderful.

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The following articles were recently posted at Sri Swami Krishnanandaji's site:

• Questions from a French Group
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Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Ponder These Truths
by Sri Swami Chidananda

Early morning group meditation has long been a part of the life at Sivananda Ashram. Usually held in the sacred Samadhi Shrine of His Holiness Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, the saintly founder of the Divine Life Society, it includes chanting, kirtan, guru stotra, santi path and silent meditation, followed by a message from one of the senior Swamis.

For many years these prayer gatherings were a daily occurrence, but by the 1980’s they were being held only on special occasions. One such special occasion was the birthday celebration of Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj on September 24, 1984. During his short talk, Swamiji suddenly said: “What would really be a wonderful birthday gift for me is if you were to hold these group meditations every morning at this time. And if you will, I promise that whenever I am in the Ashram I will come and give the message.”

Immediately, one of the senior Swamis offered to lead the prayers, and the very next morning the regular early morning gatherings were resumed. They have continued to this day, and, true to his word, whenever Swamiji is in the Ashram, regardless of the condition of his health or the weather, he has never failed to attend and give a message.

Many of the Ashram residents noticed that there was a very special quality about these talks. They felt that the talks were so helpful and valuable that they should be shared with others. So, taping and transcribing began. This volume contains a selection of 75 of the talks recorded from the beginning of August 1987 until the end of December 1990. They are being brought out in 1991, the year that marks Swamiji’s 75th birth anniversary (platinum jubilee).

In the editing of these talks, no attempt was made to convert them into essay style. Rather, the intent was to stay as close as possible to the spoken word, so that Swamiji’s messages, frequently spontaneous and highly inspired, would be conveyed as he spoke them.

Sanskrit language words have been put in italics with the exception of a few words like Brahman, Atman, Yoga, Vedanta, Guru and Ashram which are commonly found in an English dictionary. Often, while using a Sanskrit word, phrase or verse, Swamiji would give either a translation or a free rendering of it. These have been included in the text. Otherwise, the meaning follows in parentheses or can be found in the glossary.

The publishers would like to acknowledge the very valuable and helpful contribution of all those residents of the Ashram who taped, transcribed, edited, checked, and prepared the talks for printing. Many were involved and our grateful thanks to them all.

The talks are full of the inspiration and wisdom of a true son of our ancient Indian culture. They have been an inspiration to those who heard them and to those who have prepared them for publication. May they be an equal inspiration, help and solace to you!

For more information, please see: Ponder These Truths

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BHAKTI: A person once requested the Master to initiate him with the Mantra, “Aham Brahmasmi—I am Brahman”.

The Master gave him the Mantra. Later, by way of a test, the Master demanded of him, “Give me your bangles.” (He was wearing a pair of gold bangles).

The man refused to part with the bangles. A lady who was witnessing everything, at once removed her bangles and of her own accord placed them on the Master’s table. The Master appreciated her attitude.

On a subsequent day the Master referred to the above incident and said, “People who are too much attached to the body and the perishable things of the world want initiation into the ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ Mantra. How inconsistent this is! How absurd it is to repeat this Mantra when one is not prepared to part with a pair of bangles even for the sake of one’s own Guru! Look at that lady! She had no attachment to the bangles. She had dispassion. Even if she does not repeat the ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ Mantra, she will realise the inner meaning of it quicker than the other person, who is much attached to the things of the world, who has no dispassion even though he repeats the Mantra any number of times.

“Nowadays spiritual aspirants want to take up Vedanta and Vedantic meditation without possessing the required qualifications. They spurn devotion. As long as you are attached to the body, as long as you lack dispassion, do not give up devotion. Devotion itself will lead you to the realisation of Vedantic oneness. Even if you take up Vedanta, do not abandon devotion. Vedanta and devotion should go side by side. After taking Sannyas, many aspirants begin to scoff at devotion. They dislike becoming Bhaktas. Their ambition is to become erudite Jnana Yogins. They give up devotion and do not try to get a good grasp of Vedanta either. They thus lose both. Their position is like that of Trisanku, who had to hang between earth and heaven. Seekers who are fit to practise Vedantic meditation, who have burning dispassion and intense longing for liberation, can be counted on our finger-tips. Others are only ‘rotis’ and ‘parotas’!”

“A sage is the sustainer of the world. He is a source of perpetual inspiration. He is an instrument through which Divine Grace is transmitted to the unregenerated man.” – Sri Swami Sivananda

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