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

Namaste!

The Godless Man
by Sri Swami Sivananda

The man who sees God in all beings is God-man; the man who denies the very existence of God is a Godless man! It is very difficult often to recognise the God-man because by nature he is extremely humble, simple and unostentatious. Nor is it always easy to detect, the Godless man for he will masquerade in many garbs. That is why the Lord has extensively quoted the very words that these people would often use in their conversations. Watch for these expressions of the diabolical nature. Whatever the man appears to be, if these expressions come out of him, he is a Godless man, shun him; for his company is more fatal than the poison of a cobra.

“I have gained this today,”he would say, “I shall fulfil my other desire also.”What a deluded idea he has of the Power behind his senses, mind and the limbs! Yet, God is all-merciful and allows him to feel that he is powerful enough to fulfil his desires. “All this wealth is mine,”he says, “I shall get more in future.” It is not as though God, the Dispenser of the fruits of previous actions, has granted him material prosperity; he feels that he has acquired the wealth by his own striving! And, of course, he can acquire more by exerting a little more. “That enemy of mine has been slain by me; others, too, I shall destroy.” Such ideas will not rise in the mind of even an ordinary Sadhaka. Now comes the crowning feature. The diabolical, Godless man says: “I am the Lord (Isvara); I am the real enjoyer; I am perfect, powerful and happy.” It is well to mark these expressions and meditate over them. Is it not true that the individual soul is in fact the Lord of the Universe, perfect, powerful and blissful? Yes. Then, why does the Lord include these expressions, too, in the devil’s dictionary? There is great reason for it. The Sage might realise that he is one with the Lord, that he is perfect, omnipotent and blissful. But he will not advertise it. Because he will see that self-same Atman in all, he will not find in the world anything to which he is superior, anything less perfect, powerful and blissful, than himself. Therefore, he will not boast; he will be the very embodiment of natural humility. He who boasts has no justification to do so. Even though he might pose to be a Godless man, Asuric in nature. Of course this expression of the Lord also includes Asuras like Hiranyakasipu and men of Asuric nature. Equally interesting are the next few sentences quoted by the Lord. “I am rich and am born in a good family. Who is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices. I will give in charity. And, I will rejoice.” This is petty egoism and Tamasic Yajna and Daana. No one but the Asuric element in man is benefited by these.

How compassionate is the Lord that he has given us in the clearest terms the very expression that the Asuric individual would use. Find out if you use them. You may even say that you are a staunch theist and devotee of the Lord. But if, at the same time, these expressions escape your lips, your devotion is hypocritical and useless. You may pose to be a great Yogi or saint; but if you share the feelings of the Asuric person which the Lord has described in Chapter XVI 13-15 which I have quoted above, you are cheating yourself and cheating the world.

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The following article was recently posted at Sri Swami Krishnanandaji's site:

• Only One Event in the Universe

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita
by Sri Swami Sivananda

Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the Gospel of Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna is regarded as the Purna-Avatara of God. He was perfect in every respect. God is All-pervading; Sri Krishna's life-on-earth, too, was all-comprehensive. Study Srimad Bhagavata and the Mahabharata. You will understand what a multi-faceted diamond Sri Krishna was. He was a wonderful child, divine boy, resplendent youth, dearest friend, mighty warrior, wise administrator, sweet comrade, master of diplomacy, protector of the meek, death of the wicked, preserver of Dharma, clever strategist, humble servant, obedient pupil, dutiful son, loving husband and Supreme Guru. These and countless others are but aspects of His Immanence as Krishna. Above all these, He is God Who, in His own transcendental nature, is the Lord of lords, the Father and Mother of all creation, the very Soul of all that exists. He is the Substratum of all existence. He is the Reality, immortal, eternal, infinite and absolute. He is not only immortal but Immortality Itself.

It is, therefore, in the fitness of things that the Scripture that He propounded should partake of all these great virtues that characterised His Divine Manifestation and His transcendental Nature. The Bhagavad Gita is so comprehensive that everyone can draw inspiration and guidance from it, whatever his social status may be, whatever his profession and in whatever stage of spiritual evolution he may be. For, into the Bhagavad Gita the Lord has woven a beautiful and universal pattern of ethics that would appeal and apply to all. The grand edifice of the Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita has been built on the Eternal Corner-stones of (1) Immortality of the Soul; (2) Immanence of God; (3) Impermanence of the world; (4) Immediacy of Liberation. Because these truths are universal, the Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita also have universal application.

Soon after Sri Swami Sivananda's dynamic All-India Tour in 1950, the idea occurred to him that a book must be written on the "Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita". This precious and highly inspiring volume is the fruit of that Sat-Sankalpa.

These illuminating essays on the Gita were first published by the "Voice of Sivananda" the official organ of the Divine Life Society, Madurai Branch.

A series of essays on "The Lessons of the Bhagavad Gita" which, too, were published serially in that Journal, are also included in the present volume.

We are confident that this volume would prove to be of great benefit to seekers after Truth.

For more information, please see: Ethics of the Bhagavad Gita

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CLOSENESS TO GOD: A visitor who asked the Master for spiritual instructions received the following advice:

“Rely on the Lord, the indweller of your heart, who is closer to you than your purse!”

He then added smilingly, “But the purse is dearer to you than the indweller! The indweller is nearer, but the purse is dearer!”

The visitor appreciated the instructive humour!

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“The mind needs to be in the top gear, and a steady, unhampered movement forward is indicative of top gear. See whether the mind is in this gear, or is the mechanism sometimes in reverse gear? If you find it in reverse gear, you can ask yourself, “How can I expect to move forward if I have put this propelling mechanism into reverse gear?” At this important juncture, let us move forward in a steadily upward ascent, a ladder to heaven. Let each day be a new rung towards the ultimate supreme pinnacle. Strive to make it an actuality that each day is an upward-ascending stairway.” – Sri Swami Chidananda

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