Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Essence of Yoga Vasishtha
by Sri Swami Sivananda

If the four sentinels that wait at the gates of Moksha—Shanti (peace), Vichara (Atmic enquiry), Santosh (contentment) and Satsanga (association with the wise)—be befriended, then there will be no obstacle to the attainment of the final emancipation. Even if one of them be befriended, he will introduce you to the rest of his companions.

If you attain knowledge of the Self or Brahma Jnana, you will be freed from the trammels of births and deaths. All your doubts will vanish and all Karmas will perish. It is through one’s own efforts alone that the immortal, all-blissful Brahmic seat can be obtained.

The slayer of the Atman is only the mind. The form of the mind is only Sankalpas. The true nature of the mind consists in the Vasanas. The actions of the mind alone are truly termed actions (Karmas). The universe is nothing but the mind manifesting as such through the power of Brahman. The mind contemplating on the body becomes the body itself and then, enmeshed in it, is afflicted by it.

The mind manifests itself as the external world in the shape of pains or pleasures. The mind subjectively is consciousness. Objectively, it is this universe. By its enemy, discrimination, the mind is rendered to the quiescent state of Para Brahman. The real bliss is that which arises when the mind, divested of all desires through the eternal Jnana, destroys its subtle form. The Sankalpas and Vasanas which you generate, enmesh you as in a net. The self-light of Para Brahman alone is appearing as the mind or this universe.

The persons without Atmic enquiry will see as real this world, which is nothing but of the nature of Sankalpas. The expansion of this mind alone is Sankalpa. Sankalpa, through its power of differentiation, generates this universe. Extinction of Sankalpas alone is Moksha.

Read complete article

---

The following articles have been posted at Sri Swami Krishnanandaji's site:

• Swami Krishnananda in Conversation - 20: War on Our Minds

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

---

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Stories From Yoga Vasishtha
by Sri Swami Sivananda

The earliest work in Sanskrit on Vedanta of the highest order is the Vasishtha Maha Ramayana or Yoga Vasishtha. This monumental work is one without a second in Sanskrit literature. Vasishtha, the great sage, taught the principles of Vedanta to his royal pupil, Sri Rama, the victor of Ravana and hero of the epic, Ramayana. He narrated beautiful and interesting stories to illustrate the principles. The book is written in the language of Valmiki.

It is the crest-jewel of all the works on Vedanta. It is a masterpiece. A study of the book raises a man to the lofty heights of divine splendour and bliss. It is really a vast store of wisdom. Those who practise Atma Chintana or Brahma Abhyasa or Vedantic meditation will find a priceless treasure in this marvellous book. He who studies the book with great interest and one-pointedness of mind cannot go without attaining Self-realisation. The practical hints on Sadhana are unique. Even the most worldly-minded man will become dispassionate and will attain peace of mind, solace and consolation.

For more information, please see: Stories From Yoga Vasishtha

---

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:
http://www.dlsbooks.org/

---

COMPASSION FOR BABY RATS: In 1949, opening an almirah, the Master’s attendant found a bedsheet bitten by a rat and inside the sheet were four of its new-born babies. They had hardly opened their eyes. He took them to the Master. When the Master saw the baby rats his heart was flooded with compassion, and he felt greatly pained that they should have been disturbed. He asked the attendant to put them back immediately in the same place and condition lest their mother should miss them on her return. This was done.

But in a day or two, the mother rat got killed by a cat. Soon after, the little ones also died. When the Master saw the dead rats, he felt sad and did the Maha Mantra Kirtan for a pretty long time for the peace of the departed souls. His attendant also joined him in the Kirtan.

---

“Dislike arises when there is intense conflict of your limited individuality with the existence of the other’s limited individuality. Your true existence is the absolute existence in God. What restricts it to the bodily existence is the ego. Hence, conflicts arise. But the human tendency is towards pure goodness and cooperation. Our real agony is due to our separation from God. We are made to forget this agony by temporary pleasure, which ultimately lets us down in bringing an end to cheap pleasure. Fulfilment of every or any desire is only cheap pleasure. The mind soon discovers this to its consternation. This temporary cheap pleasure is not capable of stopping the deep urge to obtain the ultimate pleasure in the reunion with the Absolute. This drama goes on. And we are both the actor and spectator of this drama, which is directed by the urge for ultimate pleasure of finding ourselves one with the Absolute.” – Swami Krishnananda

---

Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
http://www.dlshq.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi

Other Sivananda related lists:
1) Sivananda Daily Readings

2) Various Selections from Sivananda's Works