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

Namaste!

Devotion to the Lord
by Sri Swami Sivananda

Do you really want God? Do you really thirst for his Darshan? Have you got real spiritual hunger? These are essential questions which you should every day of your life put yourself to. He who thirsts for the Darshan of the Lord only will develop love unto Him. To him, He will reveal Himself. God is a question of supply and demand. If there is a sincere demand for God, the supply will come at once. Pray faithfully like Prahlada. Repeat His Name like sage Valmiki, Saint Tukaram and Bhakta Tulasidas. Do Kirtan like Gouranga Mahaprabhu. Weep in solitude like Mira for the separation from God. You will have Darshan of the Lord this very second. Ever examine yourself. Introspect and develop your love for the Lord. Pray to him. Weep and cry for him. Repeat His Name and sing His Name. He will surely bless you with His grace.

The grace of God is ever on the true devotee. He has only to feel His presence in himself. He who detecting His hand behind everything that happens remains calm in the face of the worst failures and is peaceful, is really successful in the end. He retains the presence of mind and does not get upset. The man who gets perturbed does not gain his object as he has lost his presence of mind and also ruins his health.

The Lord has always a love for the true devotee. Life is worth living because of His infinite love for us. Our sincere endeavours should all be directed to a simple unfoldment of our inner being and to open out the inner chambers of our hearts, for the reception of the Lord. The Lord is ever sweet. He knocks at the door. Lo! Wilt thou not open thy door for thy beloved to enter? Ah! You search for the key. It is with you, held between your lips—the sweet Name of the Lord. Repeat ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevaya’. Now the door has opened.

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

1. Sessions with Ashram Residents - 22: Standing Parallel to the Object

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

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Book Synopsis

Raja Yoga
Text, Word-To-Word Meaning, Translation and Commentary of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharshi
By Swami Sivananda

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Maharshi are the standard Text on Yoga and these Sutras constitute a philosophy as well as a practical technique of meditation. The purpose of the Yoga way of analysis is an overcoming of the limitations of both subjectivity and objectivity and a union of the deepest within us and the deepest in the Cosmos. Yoga is not one way of living among many. It is the only way—gathering of your personality with one purpose. The removal of the idea of externality of the object is the process of meditation. There are certain misconceptions about Yoga. It is not magic or feat of any kind, mental or physical. It is based on a sound philosophy and deep psychology. It is an education process by which the human mind is trained to become more and more natural and weaned from the unnatural conditions of life.

Very few authentic commentaries on the Yoga Sutras are available today. And, the aspirants in this science-minded world of today take a keener interest in this Branch of Yoga. All the Western Sadhakas take to the practice of Raja Yoga. In Europe and America, hundreds of men and women Sadhakas owe their progress in the practice of Raja Yoga to the practical and efficient guidance of Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. Sri Swamiji’s approach is direct, clear and positive.

For more information, please see: Raja Yoga

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UPLIFTMENT OF THE SOUL: A correspondent placed before the Master his pathetic story.

“All of a sudden my superior dismissed me from service without any cause. I was drawing Rs. 300 per month. I have a debt of Rs. 6,000 on account of the marriage of my daughters. I have four daughters and five sons. My planet is unfavourable. I am really helpless, hopeless and penniless. Kindly help me, O Swamiji! Guide me. Give me strength to tide over this difficulty and problem. We are all starving. Give me spiritual instructions. I have wasted my life in worldly pursuits and am therefore spiritually bankrupt. Kindly open my eyes and show me the way of escape from my present troubles.”

The Master’s most illuminating reply read: “Do not be discouraged when sorrows, difficulties, tribulations and trials manifest in the daily battle of life. You are the master of your destiny. You are divine. Live up to it. Feel and realise your divine nature. Draw courage and spiritual strength from within. Learn how to tap the source. Dive deep within. Plunge into the sacred waters of immortality—the Triveni within. You will be refreshed.

“Do not murmur or grumble when troubles and sorrows descend upon you. Every difficulty is an opportunity to develop your will and grow strong. Welcome it. Difficulties strengthen your will, augment your power of endurance and turn your mind towards God. Face them with a smile. In your weakness lies your real strength. You are invincible, so nothing can really harm you. Conquer all your difficulties one by one. This is the beginning of a new spiritual life, a life of purity, expansion, glory and divine splendour. Develop positive virtuous qualities such as fortitude, patience, courage, etc., that are dormant in you.

“Destiny is your own creation. You have created your destiny through your thoughts and actions, and you can undo it by right thought and action. Even if there is an evil or dark, antagonistic force to attack you, you can still diminish its force by resolutely denying its existence or resolutely turning your mind away from it. You can thus disarm destiny. The thought: ‘I am the immortal Self’ will easily neutralise all evil forces and the evil influences of malevolent planets. It will infuse in you great courage and inner strength. Wrong thinking is the root cause of all suffering; therefore, cultivate right thinking. Always work unselfishly and without any motive. This is right action. Right thinking is the constant feeling of ‘I am the immortal Self.’

“Do not say, ‘Karma, Karma, my Karma has brought me this.’ Exert. Struggle. Practise austerities. Purify and concentrate. Meditate. Do not become fatalistic, do not yield to inertia, do not bleat like a lamb. Roar, ‘Om, Om, Om’ like a lion of Vedanta. See how the boy, Markandeya, who was destined to die at the age of sixteen, became immortal at that age on account of his austerities. You also can do wonders and perform miracles if you apply yourself seriously and earnestly to spiritual practices, austerities and meditation.

“Read the book, Poverty to Power with attention. It will inspire you. Apply yourself with zeal and enthusiasm to Sadhana. You have enough children. Therefore, become a Brahmachari from this moment. Be steady and systematic in your daily spiritual practices. Shine in your native, pristine, Brahmic glory. Become a liberated sage. Feel that you are the immortal Self.

“Develop a new angle of vision. Arm yourself with dispassion, discrimination, cheerfulness, discernment and an undaunted spirit. Let the past be buried. Do not give up hope. You can work wonders now. You can destroy the harmful effects of unfavourable planets through your will-force. You can command the elements and Nature. You can change unfavourable circumstances into favourable ones. You can nullify destiny. Many have done this and so can you. Claim your birthright and feel, ‘I am the immortal Self.’

“You have good education and a lot of experience. So try to get a footing in a reputable firm. Through your sincere, hard and honest labour you can easily please your superior and earn a decent income. Only an incapable person will weep if he loses his employment. The whole world is yours. If you are sincere you can get a good job anywhere. Many firms require capable people. Try to settle your debt completely, for, only then will you be peaceful. See that your children are well educated and provide them with decent jobs. Ask your wife also to tread the spiritual path.

“Hey Saumya! Beloved immortal Self, be ever bold and cheerful. Though you are unemployed and have been ousted from service, though you have nothing to eat and are clad in rags, your essential nature is Satchidananda. The outer cloak, this mortal physical sheath, is an illusory product of Maya. Smile, whistle, laugh, jump and dance in joy and ecstasy. You are not this perishable body. Come out of this cage of flesh and bones and realise that you are the immortal Self.

“March forward on the spiritual path. The light is within you. Fix the mind on the Lord. Pray fervently with intense faith and sincerity. Have an unshakeable conviction in the existence of God and in the efficacy of spiritual practices. “My dear Rama, feel that you are the immortal Self.”

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"You are the most blessed centre of this spiritual activity called meditation sadhana. Here in this great effort, you are guided by nobody except by that independent Actionless Being gazing at you from all sides, and ready to be of assistance to you. Suhṛdaṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (B.G. 5.29). There is one friend for you. That friend is an actionless friend. That friend will not shake hands with you, he will not speak to you, but he will do everything for you." - Swami Krishnananda

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