Prabhuji Speaks 3

Sanatana Dharma 4

Panchadasi 5

Renunciation with Awareness 6

Kala Gita 7

Soundarya Lahari 9

Sri Lalitha Sahasranama 10

Swetaswara Upanishad 12

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 13

LADS - Chapter 3 14

From the editor’s desk Hari om, Wishing all Atmajyothis a very happy Holi. Consciousness expresses itself through in‐finite diversity and Holi the festival of col‐ors serves as a reminder to celebrate this diversity in manifestation by seeing the unity behind it and give up our sense of separation. Let the Self be our inspiration and bring its infinite creativity into our minds so we indulge ourselves in bringing about transformations in and around us through beautiful and selfless actions. ‐ In Guruseva.

The monthly ezine from the Light of the Self Foundation

Issue 25, Feb 2014

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Contents

It is Holi time again. Wish you all very Happy Holi. Holi is a festival for celebration of colors of life. Every festival of

India has a deep spiritual significance. What is the significance of the festival of Holi ?

In one of the popular Bhajans, Shri Krishna complains to Mother Yashodha ‐ Why Radha is fair and I am dark ( Ra‐

dha kyon gori, my kyon kala). Mother Yashodha told jokingly to Shri Krishna, you can splash any color on Radha’s

face. This is how the festival of Holi started. Shri Krishna splashed colors on Radha and played holi with all Gopikas.

Shri Krishna represents Paramatma – the supreme spirit. Radharani represents Prakriti – nature. White in Nature

represents the quality of Satwa – purity. Shri Krishna is dark – indicating that Paramatma is beyond manifestation –

unseen. Splashing of the color represents the multifaceted creation. Playing of Holi represents the play of Para‐

matma with Gopikas representing the Jivatmas. This world is a Divine play. Remembrance of this Divine play, cele‐

brating life is holi.

Another legend of Holi speaks of Holika – sister of the Demon Hiranyakashyapu who had boon from Deity of Fire

that she cannot be burnt. She holds Prahlada on her lap and enters into fire in order to kill him. But Prahlad emerges

unhurt while Holika gets burnt in spite of her boon. Hiranyakashyapu represents the ego and holika represents the

emotions like anger, jealousy associated with ego. Prahlada represents the deep devotion to the Lord. The devotion

destroys all the negative emotions.

One more legend of the day represents Shiva opening His 3rd eye to burn Manmatha. This legend represents the

opening of the wisdom eye destroying the desires – In other words the state of enlightenment.

Thus the festival of holi represents celebration of Divine creation through colors. Festival represents liberation

through devotion and State of enlightenment itself.

Prabhuji Speaks

P a g e 3 D i v y a J y o t h i

The Universal Consciousness is God. The Universal Consciousness is the name, which one cannot understand in gen‐eral. When the Universal Consciousness is called as God, then one can understand easily. Everyone believes that there is divine power, which creates, sustains and destroys known as Shrusti; Sthithi and Laya in Sanskrit. That divine power is God – The Universal Consciousness which we call with different names like God, Lord, Eshwara, Bhagavan etc.

When we ask where is God, then the next question would arise is the place where God does not exist! The Universe is full of Consciousness and that Consciousness is God – The Universal Consciousness. Sanatana Dharma says God is in every minute particle, he is in Chara – movable and Achara – immovable, he is known as ‘charaachara Jaganatha chakra rajaniketana’ which means that he is in movable and immovable things. He is the king of cycle of birth and rebirth, he is infinite. Sanatana Dharma says he is sarvavyapi means all pervading, omnipresent. Science can do research which means that it can search for what is already existing but it cannot search for the existence!

Whatever is happening in day‐to‐day life there must be some cause and you are sure to experience the effect of it. For example, a student working hard is the cause and getting first rank is the effect. The result of every action in the Uni‐verse is the cause and effect of the Universal Consciousness. If the action is good the fruits will be good and we feel happy about it; if the actions are bad naturally the fruits will be bad and we feel sad. Who is the one who decides what fruits should be given to what action? Which action is good and which action is bad? It is God – The Universal Con‐sciousness.

The teacher or the examiner decides the marks to be given to the student based on the answers given by him. Similarly, the God, Universal Consciousness decides what fruits have to be given to the actions performed by each and every hu‐man being in the Universe. He has no difference between rich and poor; caste and creed. Everyone are equal to him, he is God – The Universal Consciousness. What is needed to get the grace of God is devotion, good actions, love and compassion and not the richness or any materialistic power.

Sanatana Dharma

P a g e 4 D i v y a J y o t h i

Panchadasi - Tatva Viveka

From the Rajoguna aspect of the five elements are cre‐ated the five organs of action, viz. speech, hands, legs, anus and organs of procreation, respectively. (21) Commentary – The rajoguna aspect of Pancha Maha‐bhutas is responsible for the creation of karmendriyas – the organs of actions. From the sattva guna aspect of all the five elements together, the inner instrument is formed. In yogic terminology Spiritual Heart is called as the inner instrument (antahkarana). From the inner instrument called antahkarana the functions of Jnanendriyas and karmendriyas are performed. Let us see how the spiritual heart – antahkarana is responsi‐ble for the functioning of indriyas. The functioning of the spiritual Heart is explained below. The operation of the spiritual Heart is shown in the ensuing figure. The inputs from sense organs are re‐ceived by the objective mind (manas). When the sens‐es become aware of some object, an impression of the object is created in the objective mind. The objective mind queries, “what is this object”? For further pro‐cessing, the inputs pass through the subconscious mind (chitta), vast store house of memory and egoistic impressions (samskaras). When the match for the object is found in memory (smriti), associated egoistic impressions (samskaras) arise from the subconscious. For example if chair is the object seen by the senses, chitta identifies the object as “plastic chair or wooden chair”. Egoistic impressions color the perception with “my chair, nice chair ... etc.” The intellect takes decision based on the inputs from chitta and directs the organs of action. Due to accumu‐lated impressions (samskaras), there is sense of ego – (ahankara) in every decision making. This ego sense is our lower self. The purpose of various spiritual practices (sadhana) is to reduce egoistic impressions in the Subconscious (chitta) so that intellect becomes free. The freed intellect operates directly under the guidance of the Witness (Sakshi) – our Higher Self. The purpose of practicing the three systems of yoga – Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga or Raja yoga is to puri‐fy the chitta. Purification of chitta leads to serenity of the mind. Serene Mind can enquire into true nature of self and get freed from the bondage. This process of self‐enquiry is Jnana yoga. Vaak – organ of speech; paani – hands; paada – legs; upastha – organs of excretion and jajnnire – organs of

procreation. The five great elements are still in tan‐matra stage i.e., they have not yet undergone any grossification. They are still in their pure state. Karmendriyas represent the independent manifesta‐tion of rajoguna of the five great elements.

P a g e 5 D i v y a J y o t h i

Inputs from Sense Organs (Eyes ‐ Form, Ears ‐

sound, nose ‐ smell, Tongue ‐ taste, skin ‐ touch.)

(Jnanendriyas)

Objective Mind (Manas)

(What is this object ?)

Subconscious mind (chitta) with egoistic impres‐

sions (samskara) and memories (Smriti) ‐

Identification of Object

Subjective Mind (Intellect, Buddhi)

Decision Making

Output to organs of action (Leg ‐ motion, hand

grasping, mouth (speech), sex organs

(reproduction). Anus (excretion) (Karmendriyas)

P a g e 6 D i v y a J y o t h i

Renunciation with Awareness

One of the myths that we have been conditioned to

believe is that to live a spiritually enriched life, seek‐

ers need to renounce everything worldly. This means

that seekers should give up their family, their job,

their friends, and their possessions and live in a cave

or mountains to be with themselves and introspect/

contemplate etc. to realize the Truth. This also

means that the seekers need to reject all the roles

that they have to perform in the earth school, roles

which are meant to provide them the training school

to KNOW themselves, roles in which their ego and

emotional baggage will come out loud and clear so

that they can heal them with awareness and with love

and compassion, roles that would help them move

beyond duality to seek ONENESS‐this also means

Oneness with all beings including their earth family.

There is also a belief that we need to deprive our‐

selves of worldly life and that in deprivation we can

find the Source. This would assume that seekers

should give up a comfortable bed or their house and

sleep on the floor and live in a shack or seekers

should not eat proper food that they have been

blessed with to realize the Truth.

This belief is probably built upon the premise that

renunciation allows the seekers to disconnect from

the material world, so as not to get distracted, there‐

by allowing focus in the spiritual quest. And it is be‐

lieved that seekers should not be tempted by the

worldly attachments in their quest for spiritual

growth. Sleeping on the floor and depriving ourselves

of what we are blessed with may not necessarily lead

to spiritual living.

There are really no ‘should and shouldn't’ in spiritual

living. We can be wherever we are and start living

consciously. That is why we are, where we are. There

are no mistakes in the Universe. If we are blessed

with abundance–material abundance being one of

them–then rejecting that to ‘self‐realize’ in surely not

the way of ‘Acceptance of what IS.’ Rejecting apart of

abundance is also rejecting a part of love to feel and

be whole and complete. It is like saying that a healthy per‐

son should reject his good health and suffer ill health or a

qualified person should give up his profession (unless he

chooses) and remain on the street to be spiritual. We are

meant to use whatever skills/knowledge/energy/wealth we

have for the manifestation of the highest good. That is why

we have been provided with that form of abundance. And

that is our purpose of life‐to experience and express uncon‐

ditional love.

Any thing that is forced to ‘look’ spiritual is not going to

take us HOME. Spiritual Journey is about KNOWING our‐

selves, our true nature, fears, our mind, our emotions and

through awareness and meditation releasing the blockages

to our spiritual growth. It is about BEING and not ‘doing.’ It

is being detached in everything we have and do in whatever

circumstances from the place of love and compassion. It is

about letting go and having faith in the running of the Uni‐

verse. It is about knowing Oneness and our interconnected‐

ness. It is about radiating the divine qualities that are our

real nature. It is all inner work leading to cleansing and pu‐

rifying the mind so that not even a speck of ego/fear re‐

mains. And it is a journey of several life times.

However, I agree that after a certain stage the seeker may

need more stillness and solitude, to spend more time to be

with himself. And this is a part of our learning and our

growth. Yes, balancing the need for stillness while perform‐

ing our roles with more and more love and compassion,

from BEING LOVE and COMPASSION, just like the Source.

And this to me does not imply renouncing the physical

world.

Jyoti Sondhi

www.lightingthelampwithin.com

Oh Master, see this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, the Pandavas, arrayed in battle order by your very

talented disciple ‐ the son of Drupada ‐ Dhrishtadhyumna.

Zen Koans

Inch Time Foot Gem

A lord asked Takuan, a Zen Teacher, to suggest how he might pass the

time. He felt his days very long attending his office and sitting stiffly to

receive the homage of others.

Takuan wrote eight Chinese characters and gave them to the man:

Not twice this day

Inch time foot gem.

This day will not come again.

Each minute is worth a priceless gem.

Reciting Sutras

A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his wife, who

had died. After the recitation was over the farmer asked: "Do you

think my wife will gain merit from this?"

"Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from the reci‐

tation of sutras," answered the priest.

"If you say all sentient beings will benefit," said the farmer, "my wife

may be very weak and others will take advantage of her, getting the

benefit she should have. So please recite sutras just for her."

The priest explained that it was the desire of a Buddhist to offer

blessings and wish merit for every living being.

"That is a fine teaching," concluded the farmer, "but please make one

exception. I have a neighbour who is rough and mean to me. Just ex‐

clude him from all those sentient beings."

Source: http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html

P a g e 9

The devotees who use Raja yoga believe that right

below the back bone there exists a very micro nerve

called Sushmna. Below this is the Mooladhara chak‐

ra(The wheel which is the ultimate basis), and two

inches above is the Swadishtana (ego wishes wheel)

chakra. Above that and opposite to the belly button

is the Mani pooraka (the complete gem wheel) chak‐

ra. Above that and opposite to the heart is Anahatha

chakra (deathless wheel) and above that, opposite to

the throat is the Vishuddhi chakra (wheel of ulti‐

mate cleanliness). Above the Visuddha and in be‐

tween the eyelids is the Agna chakra(Wheel of or‐

der) and in the bottom of the brain is the Sahasrara

chakra(the wheel of thousand lotus).They believe

that the malefic bad thoughts of men sleep in the

Mooladhara chakra in the form of a snake called

Kundalini. If the devotee can wake up this snake and

lead it through each of the above wheels, step by

step and make it reach the Sahasrara, he attains ulti‐

mate redemption and sees the ultimate truth behind

everything.

The Kundalini: Kundalini is the supreme spiritual

power residing in the lowest of the six psychic cen‐

ters in an individual (Muladhara) as a coiled serpent

gone to sleep. As long as this energy is asleep, the

individual is outward‐oriented; he involves in the

world and lives an ordinary life. The grace of

Sadguru is the only way to wake up this energy.

When an individual is graced with Shakti‐path

deeksha from his Sadguru, the Kundalini gets awak‐

ened and suddenly the individual becomes inward‐

oriented and intensifies his spiritual practices. When

the Kundalini is awake, the energy moves upwards,

breaking through the three phenomenal knots of life

named Brahma granthi, Vishnu granthi and Rudra

granthi burning up the six lotus chakras and reaches

the thousand‐petalled lotus on top of the head Sa‐

hasrara where Siva, the Pure Consciousness resides.

The Kundalini shakti moves upwards and unites

with Shiva and this Union is the purpose of what is

known as Kundalini ‐yoga. Kundalini shakti is ever

present in the form of '' hissing'' sound. When we

close both our ears we hear this sound from inside.

(For return of people who have gone on journey; for get‐

ting eight types of wealth)

मह�ं मूलाधारे कम�प म�णपूरे

हुतवहं�ि�थतं �व�ध�टाने ��द

म त-माकाश-मुप#र ।

मनो உ�प &मू'ये

सकलम�प *भ,वा कुलपथं�सह-ारे प.मे

स हरह*स प,या �वहरसे ॥ 9 ॥

Mahim muladhare kamapi manipure

Huthavaham Sthitham svadhistane hridi

marutamakasam upari;

Mano'pi bhruu‐madhye sakalamapi bhittva kula‐patham

Sahasrare padme

saha rahasi patyaa viharase.

Oh Goddess of mine!

You live in seclusion with your consort, in the lotus with

thousand petals,

Reached after breaking through the micro ways,

Of the power of earth in Mooladhara,

Of the power of water of Mani poora,

Of the power of fire of Swadhishtana,

Of the fire of air in the heart,

And of the power of ether in between the eyelids·

Soundarya Lahari: Verse 9

D i v y a J y o t h i

P a g e 1 0

The central ascending channel known as Sushumna oc‐

curs inside the most minute channel enclosed within an‐

other channel, which runs inside and along the back‐

bone called Meru‐danda and reaches up to the subtle

opening on top of the head (brahma‐randhra). To the left

of sushumna but outside the meru‐danda is another

channel called ida, originating from the same source as

the Sushumna, but ending in the left nostril; and to its

right, also outside, the meru‐danda, is the channel known

as Pingala, originating as ida does but ending in the right

nostril. Sushumna represents the principle of Fire, ida

(feminine) represents the lunar principle, and Pingala

(masculine) represents the solar principle.

The three channels are united in their origin in the basal

centre (muladhara) and hence they are called Yukta‐

triveni, (three streams united). The streams are subtle

and representatives of the river Ganga‐ida, the river Ya‐

muna‐pingala, and the hidden river Sarasvati‐

Sushumana.

The central channel being blocked is responsible for the

separation of Shakti and Shiva (pure consciousness). The

awakening and arising of Kundalini uncoiling itself, along

the central channel and reaching the thousand petalled

lotus is the union of Shiva and Shakti ‐ The eternal Bliss.

Goddess lives in seclusion with her consort,in the lotus

with thousand petals, after breaking through the micro

ways of the power of earth in Mooladhara of the power of

water of Mani poora, of the power of fire of Swadhishtana

of the fire of air in the heart and of the power of ether in

between the eyelids·

D i v y a J y o t h i

Lalitha Sahasranama

Champakashoka Punnaga Sougandika lasth kacha

Kuruvinda mani Sreni kanat kotira mandita – 4

Champakashoka Punnaga Sougandika lasth kacha

Her coiffure has the natural fragrance of the Champaka,

Asoka and Punnaga blossoms.

Champakam, ashokam, punnagam, saugandhigam are

the four types of fragrant flowers that adorn Her hair.

But her hair does not get fragrance because of these

flowers, whereas these flowers get their fragrance from

Her hair. Her hair is always sweet smelling. In Sound‐

arya Lahari verse 43, Sri Shankara said that her hair has

natural wetness and extremely soft. That wet and soft

nature of the hair will drive away our ignorance

(ignorance about the Brahman). Wetness indicates her

compassion. Softness indicates her motherhood.

The idea behind this description is when Her hair can

drive away ignorance (knowledge is considered as su‐

preme in realizing the Brahman), what Her total form

can do for her devotees.

Realizing Brahman means realizing 'Tat tvam Asi'

Tat means 'That‘, Tvam means ‘You’; Asi means Are.

Blesses you with Brahma Jnana, the Knowledge of Brah‐

man. Sri Lalita blesses you with the Knowledge of Wis‐

dom 'That Thou Art ‘.

Sri Lalita is One form, No one can know her. She is al‐

ways Pure Consciousness.

Think the below conversation is between Gurudeva &

the student. Student approaches Gurudeva and asks

him, ‘Guruji, I want to reach God, can you help me? '

Guruji ‐ 'Yes.'

Student‐'What should I do?' .

Guruji ‐ 'How can person reach you if he wants to meet

you?'

Student ‐ 'Oh , I am accessible to anybody , all they have

to do is know my address and they can reach me’

Guruji ‐ 'Oh , that's easy then. God follows the same

principle. Just give me your card and I'll pass it on. No

problem.'

So, the student gave Guruji her card. Guruji looked at it

& said, 'Isn't this your name?'

P a g e 1 1

The One who imparts this knowledge is ' Sri Lalita' ‐

Gurudeva alone!!!

Kuruvinda mani Sreni kanat kotira mandita -

Her physical form is thus being described from head

to foot.

She is adorned with a crown bedecked with

(padmaraga) precious stones mined from Red Ku‐

ruvunda stones, symbolising various emotions like

love and also the letters of Student Mantra. This

name also refers to the various vrittis in Sri‐Kala‐

Chakra.

Vrittis ‐ The whole world appears in Universal Con‐

sciousness or Chit, when the Universal Conscious‐

ness identifies with any limited object – body; it is

called Chitta or individual Consciousness. Moment

there is individual Consciousness there is a feeling of

I am the body, I am the mind, I am the intellect and

because of that, feelings of separation, fear, anxiety

and agitations in the individual Consciousness arises

which is called Chitta vritti.

Analogy is that of a king who suddenly becomes a

beggar or a pauper. When the beggar was a king, he

had neither worries nor thoughts about anything as

he was well taken care of, whereas a beggar has to

struggle for his existence. Similarly when the Univer‐

sal Consciousness identifies itself with an object and

becomes a Chitta, there are thoughts, worries, anxie‐

ties and modifications called Chitta vritti. By silenc‐

ing the Chitta vritti individual Consciousness merges

with the Universal Consciousness. Chitta becomes

Chit and Chit becomes one with Sat or Existence and

bliss is attained.

Student ‐ 'Yes.'

Guruji ‐ 'God wants to know who is coming. He doesn't

wants to know your name. The name belongs to you. It

is your possession, but God wants to know who the pos‐

sessor is.'

So than Student wrote on the card that she is

‘Yogacharini’ in Bangalore and Guruji said, ‘Dear, isn't

this your position? That too after the testing is over and

if you go through it.'

Student ‐ 'Yes.'

Guruji ‐ 'He doesn't want to know the position. This

again is your possession to be. Who are you?'

This went on with the student scribbling all over the

card until, finally, she wrote, 'Human being' to which

Guruji said, 'Yes, I know you are not a bird or fox. You

are human being. That is your species. You belong to it.

But who are you?'

Student took the card back and went away because she

understood she did not know who she was. She thought

and thought, attending the satsangs, doing service, dis‐

criminating what she is not.

After few months, she met the person whom she wanted

to meet, she has the answer ‐ 'it is Pure Consciousness'.

Tat ‐ Pure Consciousness, Tvam ‐ ‘I’, Asi ‐ are. Later, she

comes to Gurudeva and asks, “I have the answer, I know

what it is, still I don't not want to accept it. Why Guru‐

ji?”

Guruji – ‘The reason for this is you have the knowledge

and at the same time full of ignorance & the percentage

of ignorance is more than that of knowledge. This is the

nature of your mind, you accept what you see and feel.

One side of your mind says ‐ God has no form or name ,

he is Universal, but the other side of the mind says ‐ God

has lots of names and forms, and describes him as such

and such devata. You want to recognize God in some

physical form or mental form. When I say God is Pure

Consciousness, you forget the existence in it; you look

upon Pure Consciousness but forget the existence "IS" in

it. Catch hold of "IS" and forget the form or experience

in it. When we speak of some object or a person, take for

example yourself, 'This is Student ‘, the mind recognizes

only the name and form of Student , the picture of Stu‐

dent comes to the mind immediately , but not that "IS"

which your existence . Say, ' This is Laptop’. To recog‐

nize the non‐existent also you need "IS”. The form of

Laptop comes to the mind immediately but not "IS" its

existence. "IS" is the Pure Consciousness ‐ The Only Ex‐

istence, which can be realized only when the mind with‐

draws the entire world and world vanishes.

D i v y a J y o t h i

P a g e 1 2

corner or in a cupboard. Where is the place for med‐

itation? For the most important aspect of the life you

don’t have place. Make some nice place and create

some good vibrations by meditating every day. I am

not saying that you should remove the TV and sit

there and meditate, then you can never meditate.

Have the TV but switch off the TV before medita‐

tion. If both Husband and Wife sit and meditate to‐

gether it is good, because if the husband switches off

the TV, the wife wants the TV and vice versa. So

then there will be a war field, no meditation. So

make the environment conducive for meditation in

whatever way possible. If the morning traffic is dis‐

turbing too much, then get up a bit early and sit for

meditation. For me, I used to meditate after coming

back office at 9‐9:30PM when everybody used to

sleep. My meditation starts at 9:30PM and goes up to

1:00AM. There is silence. So you have to create space

for yourself. If you are not able to create space for

yourself, for whom can you create space?

नीहारधूमाक2 3नलानलानां

ख.योत�व.युत �प�टकशशीनाम ्

येता3न 6पा�ण पुर�-ा�ण

78म9य*भ:यि;तकरा�ण योगे ||११||

So when you meditate, what happens normally is the

Subconscious impressions surface. Vishwamitra, the

great king had a fight with Sage Vasishta and wanted

to become a Brahmarshi, so he sat for meditation

and then what happened? A celestial nymph,

Menaka came. There is a symbolic meaning to this.

Vishwamitra was a King and he married many wom‐

en. So when he sat for meditation the first impres‐

sion, the deep rooted impression was his wife and

other women and that surfaced first. Whatever is the

deep rooted impression that surfaces first. Don’t get

trapped by that. Let it go, let it go. A person who

lost parents in his childhood may get the impres‐

sions of the parents. The 8yr old boy, Dhruva, when

he sat for meditation, the first impression he got was

his mother was calling him back to the palace. When

he dropped that impression, then he suddenly start‐

ed seeing the demons dancing and this is because a

child can have naturally deep rooted impressions of

fear. So our Subconscious impressions can come out,

let it go. Then what happens? Then you can have

Swetaswara Upanishad Bhavadhare – 2nd chapter

समे शुचौ शक2 राविAन वालुका-

�वविज2त ेशCध जलाDया�द*भः

मनोनुकूलेन तु चFुपीडने

गहुा3नवातDयणे Hयोजयेत ्|| १० ||

So where do we have to sit for meditation? The place

should be even, the place should be pure. There should

not be stones, fire, and any sound. There should not be

too much movement of people and there should not be

strong wind blowing. Where the nature is beautiful and

the surrounding is naturally pleasing, such a place is good

for meditation.

Now in city like Bangalore where do you find such a

place? So then you will postpone and postpone saying

that ‘One fine day I will find such a place and then I will

meditate’ or ‘One fine day I will go to Himalayas and then

I will meditate’. So, these things about having a good

place to meditate are told to give you a guideline so that

when you sit for meditation you are not disturbed. But

don’t make it so rigid and strong and say, ‘Because there

are vehicles on the road making sound I cannot medi‐

tate’. It is not like that. This is ok for a beginner because

his mind will be running haywire, here and there. We

have to learn to meditate in the place where we are.

Don’t look for Himalayas or mountains or hill resorts or

forests for meditation. All this was possible in the olden

days. They could afford it. Now you cannot afford it. But

if you get such an opportunity, do it, no doubt. But don’t

wait for such an opportunity to have an ideal environ‐

ment for doing meditation. Make a good room or small

place in your house and keep it clean, keep maintaining

the vibrations and do meditation regularly. Don’t search

for ideal conditions. Create the conditions for meditation

in your own house. In your house, I am sure that you

have a nice place for TV, very centrally located. Earlier

days, a centrally located place was given for Puja room,

God’s room. Now the center place in the house is given

for the TV which you anyways worship. Prominent place

in the house is for TV. Then there is a bedroom, kitchen

and a dining hall. And then there is a Puja room in some

D i v y a J y o t h i

Swetaswara Upanishad

P a g e 1 3

visions of Subconscious deep rooted impressions. You

will have visions of Higher Consciousness, glimpses of

various things. Glimpses in terms of snowfall, smoke,

sun, wind, fire, lightning, moon etc. So some of these

natural elements, you will be able to see in your visions

very clearly. So the mind becomes clear, there can be a

light, sparkling light in your visions and you can have

clear vision of Sun or moon or divinity or Master, there

can be many visions. These visions imply that your mind

is becoming more and more silent. Don’t get trapped by

those visions. Don’t go further. The visions are motivat‐

ing, encouraging but the visions itself are not the final

destination. The final destination is the Para Brahma,

the Supreme Reality, and the inner Reality. Go for Para‐

brahma, drop everything and stay in that inner silence.

D i v y a J y o t h i

Patanjali Yoga Sutras

Satsanga

Chapter 2 Sutra 41 (2.41)

12th October, 2012

सJवशु.�धः सौमन�यैकाLयेिAMयजया,मदश2न योNय,वा3न च

॥४१॥

Sattva‐śuddhihi saumanasya‐ikāgry‐endriyajaya‐

ātmadarśana yogyatvāni ca ||41||

My humble pranams to all Atmajyothis, the Divine

Lights of the Self. Today, let us contemplate further on

growing in purity. One can grow in purity

with Satsanga, the company of people who are focused

on Enlightenment, liberation, who work on uplifting

and purifying themselves for Self Realization and study

of Shasthra which are the sayings and teachings of En‐

lightened Masters. In the presence of a Spiritual Master,

in the talks of a Spiritual Master, one finds glimpses of

truth and peace of mind. Listening and contemplating

on what is told by a Spiritual master purifies the mind.

When one performs Seva, service, the mind becomes

purified, silent and peaceful and increases the qualities

of Sattva. Sadhana, the spiritual practices which we

teach in Atma Darshana Yoga, involving yoga for

body, mind and spirit, purifies the mind. Sharanagati,

surrender to the Universal Consciousness is the high‐

est practice for purification of the mind. All these

practices together bring serenity, peace and purity in

the mind called Shaucha.

With Shaucha or Sattva shuddhi, the individual

blooms. Purity can be understood as doing or as being.

It is a spiritual quality, a person’s inner nature is im‐

bued in Sattva, he becomes a Satvik being, a purified

being. A purified being has a Satvik mind – which

clearly reflects the pure consciousness. He/She is hap‐

py and has focused mind with which one can realize

the Self. For example, sunlight reflects on water, on a

stone and on a mirror. Reflection of sunlight in mirror

is very clear. Similarly, in Rajo guna or Tamo gunathe

consciousness is reflected, but the quality is very poor,

whereas in Satva guna the consciousness is reflected

fully and one gets close to consciousness, divinity or

the inner Self. When one engages in Atma Darshana

Yoga meditation practices, the mind becomes si‐

lent, Satvik and moves closer to the inner Self, and Self

Realization dawns.

P a g e 1 4

him or talk to him again, he was so close to us. I am

surprised that you are not crying."

His dad wiped tears off Kishan’s face and said,

“Kishan, don’t you remember what I told Chetana

last week when she was crying for the gift? We

should not cry or feel sad for short‐lived things.”

Kishan was surprised he could not understand what

his dad was trying to tell him. He said, “How can

uncle be one of those short‐lived things? He is a per‐

son not a thing and he was with us for so many years

dad.”

His dad said, “Why not? This body of your Uncle

which you are seeing is not permanent. Everyone

will become old and die one day. So, body is also one

of those short‐lived things. I am not crying because

when your uncle was alive I loved him, I always

wished good for him and helped him whenever I

could and we both had a beautiful relationship. I

knew that everything is short lived and I did my best

in that short time. It is more important to be good to

people when they are alive than cry when they die.”

Kishan, now trying to understand said, “In that case,

everything in this world is short‐lived. Isn't there

anything that is permanent which will never die?”

His dad made Kishan sit on his lap and said, “It is

God; God is inside us and is present everywhere in

this universe. He is the same in everybody. God has

neither birth nor death. It is because of the power of

God the body runs. Now your uncle died which

means that this body that you called as uncle died,

but God inside uncle does not die.”

Kishan said, “Dad, I did not completely understand

what you said, but I feel better now because I was

also good to uncle when he was alive.”

Kishan went inside and sat down with his aunty,

cousins and mother. He was thinking about what his

Dad had told him.

God alone is permanent

Shloka 2. 12

natvevahamjatunasam

natvamnemejanadhipah

nacaivanabhavisyamah

sarvevayamatahpaRam

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor

all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to

be.

A few days later while Kishan was in his classroom, the

Principal's attendant came and told the Teacher that the

Principal wants to see Kishan in her office. Kishan was

very surprised when his teacher asked him to go and

meet the Principal. He went to the Principal's room. The

Principal told him that his father had called her and told

her that he will be coming to the school in a while to pick

up Kishan and requested her to make him wait in the

visitors waiting area. She asked Kishan to take his bag

from the classroom and wait in the reception area. He

was now waiting for his dad and wondering why his dad

is coming to school at this hour to pick him up and was

hoping that everything was fine.

Kishan’s dad arrived and they left from the school imme‐

diately. As soon as he sat in the car Kishan asked his dad,

"Dad, why are we going home? What happened?"

His dad said, "Kishan, I have sad news for you, your Uncle

passed away an hour ago. We have to go to his house.

Your mother and Chetana have reached there."

Kishan was silent for a moment, trying to understand

what he just heard. He then started weeping silently.

On reaching their uncle’s house, Kishan was not prepared

to see his uncle lying dead. He was holding on to his

dad's hand for a long time. He saw everybody sitting

around his uncle's body and weeping. He looked at his

uncle's body. He recollected his uncle hugging him, tell‐

ing him stories, wishing him on his birthday, taking him

and his sister to amusement parks and movies. He wept

more. He later observed that while everyone else were

crying aloud and saying that this should not have hap‐

pened, his dad was not. His dad appeared to have accept‐

ed the death of his brother.

He went up to his dad and asked, “Dad, uncle was your

brother. He died, which means that you can never see

D i v y a J y o t h i

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