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

Namaste!

Nature of Consciousness
by Sri Swami Sivananda

It is extremely difficult to define what consciousness means. Words and languages are imperfect. They cannot adequately express your thoughts and ideas.

There are different kinds of consciousness. There are physical consciousness, astral consciousness, mental consciousness, supra-mental consciousness or lower Prakamya or Prajna consciousness, cosmic consciousness, superconscious-ness, subconsciousness, unconsciousness, dream consciousness, supra-cosmic consciousness, dual or double consciousness, multiple consciousness, higher Prakamya, Virat consciousness, Hiranyagarbha consciousness, Divine consciousness or Purushottama consciousness and lastly the Highest Nirguna Para Brahman consciousness or Absolute consciousness per se.

In the waking state (Jagradavastha of Vedantins), you are conscious of this physical plane. You see, you feel, you think, you know, you will, you exert (perception or sensation, cognition, emotion, or affection, or cogitation, volition, conation—Prayatna). This is the physical consciousness.

When you transcend the physical body and operate on the astral plane with the astral body, you will have astral consciousness. You will move, and talk with astral entities.

When you operate in the mental plane with the mental body, you will have mental consciousness. You will identify yourself now with the mind just as you identify yourself with the physical body. You will have psychic Siddhis as clairvoyance, clairaudience, psychometry, telepathy, thought-reading, etc. You will converse here with the mental entities. Here the language is one.

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President of The Divine Life Society, Sri Swami Yogaswarupanandaji, has posted his first letter.

The Divine Life Society has started accepting donations online.

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

• Swami Krishnananda in Conversation - 28: Parabhakti

 

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Come Along Let's Play
by Sri Swami Sivananda

A boy wanders in the wilderness and picks precious stones. He collects them in his pocket and presents a handful to his mother. Mother in turn makes a beautiful garland out of them and puts it around his neck telling, "Dear son, always wear it, never let it be away from you. They are not mere stones, but gems precious, walked over by a Master so great, blessed shall thee be ever, in its protection."

This story is re-enacted here. This book too is a garland of beautiful gems, picked from the ocean-like literature of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. Whether one is a student, youth, a grown up, or even on shaky ground of old age, this garland will shine around the neck and add beauty, vigour and vitality to the life, as in essence, all are students till they learn the lessons of the highest truth of life.

The call to play is the call to Liberation. To enter into, one has to shed everything; inhibitions, concepts, delusions etc. Once a Master has said, "The Path is so narrow that you cannot take anything along with, not only that, you cannot take yourself also along with!"

Wear this garland, be childlike, enjoy the company of the Master and recognize your best friend, who is none else but you yourself!

For more information, please see: Come Along Let's Play

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SPECIAL CONCESSION

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20% on Orders Above Rs. 300/-
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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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FINANCIAL CRISIS: Once there was a serious financial crisis in the Ashram. Headed by the Master himself, all were about to go to the alms-house for meals.

The Master was sitting in the office on a sofa and writing, while some of the disciples were working.

A person who looked like a beggar came into the office. He did not know the Master but had heard about him casually from one of his disciples. He came and placed something at the Master’s feet. The disciples thought that it was some sweet offering such as people usually brought.

On the Master’s instruction, his personal attendant picked it up to distribute it. To his surprise he found that it was a bundle containing Rs. 20,000 in notes.

The Master looked up and said, “Good, our financial problem is solved!”

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"What is good for you may be bad for somebody else. There is a popular story of two people: a farmer who wanted rain immediately over his dry fields and a man who was building his house. When the farmer prays for rain, the other man prays to God not to send rain because his house under construction will fall. Now what do you say? Should God send rain or should He not? Both are neighbours, and both pray for the particular favour they are in need of. That is to say, that our devotion quite often is human, sentimental, and very limited. To think of God like that is like bargaining with the shopkeeper or the tongawalas. In spiritual terms you think of Him as the dispenser of Universal Affection, as Universal Perfection. It need not necessarily be sentimental satisfaction, but it will be legal justice which may not give sentimental satisfaction. And if you can see satisfaction in that justice, then you are a spiritual man. Love and law should go together, God combines both qualities. He may not give you what you want, because you may have asked for something which is wrong. Why should He give it to you just because you ask for it?" – Swami Krishnananda

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