k k december 2016-2017 ist print (11.1.17) iind corr print …kalyana-kalpataru.org/pdf (full...

˙ ¬ÍáÊ¸◊Œ— ¬ÍáÊ¸Á◊Œ¢ ¬ÍáÊÊ¸à¬ÍáÊ¸◊ÈŒëÿÃ– ¬ÍáÊ¸Sÿ ¬ÍáÊ¸◊ÊŒÊÿ ¬ÍáÊ¸◊flÊflÁ‡ÊcÿÃH

A MONTHLY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF SPIRITUALIDEAS AND LOVE FOR GOD

Subhå¶itam

ªÊÒ⁄Ufl¢ ¬˝ÊåÿÃ ŒÊŸÊãŸ ÃÈ ÁflûÊSÿ ‚¢øÿÊÃ˜–ÁSÕÁÃL§ëøÒ— ¬ÿÊŒÊŸÊ¢ ¬ÿÊœËŸÊ◊œ— ÁSÕÁÃ—H

(Dåna Pra‹a≈så 7)One gets respect by being generous in giving away

rather than hoarding riches. The clouds (which give awaywater) are above in the sky while the oceans (which hoardwater) are below on earth.

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Vol. 62 December 2016 No. 3

C O N T E N T S1. Subhå¶itam ..... 32. God-realization through Tyåga

óBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka ..... 53. Service towards the Destitute

óNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar ..... 84. Ideal of PativratåóSwami Chidananda ..... 185. ›r∂ Guru Kårtikeya Stuti ..... 216. Deva‹armåóThe Paragon of Peerless Sacrifice

óDr. Mukunda Pati Tripathi ëRatnamaliyaí ..... 257. Human Birth a Golden Opportunity ..... 298. Service and Tyåga of Lak¶maƒa in Råmåyaƒa

óSwami Sivananda ..... 309. Mind and Its Subtler Role!óProf. Sudesh Gogia ..... 37

10. Nothing but IntentionóGood or Bad óRajendra Prasad Singh ..... 40

11. Read and Digest ..... 4312. Learning to Receive ForgivenessóSri Daya Mata ..... 4413. Ethics in the ∫‹åvåsyopani¶adóSwami Ramarajyam ..... 4714. Art of LivingóChilukuri Venkateswarlu ..... 5415. Manís Love for His Body ..... 5516. Greed took the Life of two Brothers ..... 5617. Japa (Chanting) of the Lordís Name

óSwami Akhandananda ..... 5918. Dear Contributors ..... 65

ILLUSTRATIONS1. Devotee Nåmadeva

2. King Bali with Lord Våmana (Cover)

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EditoróKeshoram Aggarwal Co-EditoróDr. Prem P. LakkarPrinted and Published by Jagdish Prasad Jalan for Gobind Bhawan Karyalaya

Gita Press, Gorakhpur (India)

websites: 1. www. kalyana-kalpataru.org 2. www.gitapress.orge-mail: booksales@ gitapress.org

God-realization through TyågaóBrahmalina Sri Jayadayal Goyandka

This consists in wholly abstaining, in thought, word anddeed, from vile deeds prohibited by the scriptures, suchas thieving, adultery, lying, duplicity, chicanery, coercion,violence, taking forbidden food, indulgence in frivolitiesetc. This is the first stage of Renunciation.Renunciation of actions motivated by desireó

This means ceasing to perform, with a selfish motive,sacrifices, charity, penance, worship and other actionsmotivated by desire, which are generally performed witha view to obtaining agreeable object, such as wife, progenyand wealth etc., or with the object of securing freedomfrom some ailment or ridding oneself of other calamities.This is the second stage of Renunciation.

If by chance one is confronted with a duty, secular orsacred, which is outwardly motivated by desire, but theomission of which is calculated to cause pain to anyoneor interferes with the time-honoured institutions of Actionand Worship, there is no objection to oneís performing itdisinterestedly, and only for the good of the world. Therebyhe will not be deemed to have performed an act motivatedby desire.Complete renunciation of thirst for worldly objectsó

This consists in giving up the thirst for enhancing oneíshonour, fame, social prestige and the number of oneíswives. progeny and whatever other objects of a transientnature have fallen to oneís lot, regarding them as anobstacle to God-realization. This is the third stage ofRenunciation.

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Renunciation of the practice of taking service fromothers with a selfish motiveó

Asking for money or bodily service from another foroneís own gratification and accepting articles or bodilyservice offered without oneís asking for the same andseeking to attain oneís selfish end through anyone by anymeans whatsoeveróall this is included in taking servicefrom another with a selfish motive. Renunciation of allthese, is the fourth stage of Renunciation.

If non-acceptance of physical service from another orof refreshments etc., offered by another, where one isentitled to receive such service or offer, causes any painto anyone or in any way hinders the education of thepeople, accepting service on such an occasion in anunselfish spirit, and only for the pleasure of those offeringit, would not be blameworthy. For, non-acceptance ofservice offered by oneís own wife, son or servant or ofrefreshments etc., offered by friends and relatives etc., islikely to cause them pain and may prove harmful, so faras propriety of social conduct is concerned.Absolute renunciation of sloth and the desire for fruitin respect of all oneís dutiesó

Devotion to God, worship of gods, service to oneísparents and other elders. performance of sacrifices, charityand penance, earning oneís livelihood appropriate to oneísgrade in society and stage in life and bodily functions suchas taking of food and drink and so onóall these constituteoneís duty. Giving up sloth and every form of desire inrespect of these, is the fifth stage of Renunciation.Total renunciation of the sense of meum and attachmentwith regard to all worldly objects and activitiesó

All worldly objects like wealth, house. clothes etc., allnear and dear ones like wife, children, friends etc., and

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all forms of enjoyment of this world and the next likehonour, fame, prestige etc., are momentary and perishable,and should be regarded as impermanent; and there shouldbe no sense of meum and attachment with regard to them.Similarly having developed exclusive and unadulteratedlove for God alone, one should cease to entertain all senseof meum and attachment with regard to actions performedthrough the mind, speech and body and even with respectto the body itself. This is the sixth type of Renunciation.

Men who have reached this sixth stage of Renunciation,develop detachment for all objects of the world; and God,who is the supreme embodiment of Love, becomes the onlyobjects of their attachment. Therefore, hearing and tellingand mentally dwelling on the stories of spotless divineLove, which reveal His virtues, glory and mystery, andpractising constant adoration and meditation and ponderingthe hidden meaning of the scriptures while living in asecluded place, are their only favourite pursuits. They donot like to live in the midst of sensual men or to wasteeven a moment of their valuable time in mirth, luxury,carelessness, vilification of others, sensuous enjoyments andidle talk etc., and they perform all their duties in adisinterested way only for Godís sake, dwelling all the timeon His name and form.

The above six stages of Tyåga (Renunciation) constitutethe practice of Karmayoga. Through the continued practiceof this discipline, the practicant realizes the truth about Godby His grace, and thereby attains the imperishable supremestate.

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God-realization through Tyåga

Service towards the DestituteóNityalilalina Sri Hanumanprasad Poddar

(Continued from November, page 24)

Always bear in mind that whatever you have is meantfor the poor, the helpless and the weak. They have a justclaim on that. The Lord says in the G∂tå:ó

ÿôÊÁ‡Êc≈UÊÁ‡ÊŸ— ‚ãÃÊ ◊ÈëÿãÃ ‚fl¸Á∑§ÁÀ’·Ò—–÷ÈTÃ Ã àflÉÊ¢ ¬Ê¬Ê ÿ ¬øãàÿÊà◊∑§Ê⁄UáÊÊÃ˜H

(III. 13)ìThe virtuous, who partake of what is left over after

sacrifice, are absolved of all sins. Those sinful ones, whocook for the sake of nourishing their body alone, eat onlysin.î One who is sinful and sensual, lives in vain. But onewho utilizes his strength, wealth and life for the serviceof others and satisfies oneself by what is left over, destroysoneís sins. You should, therefore, live upon what remainsafter satisfying the just claims of others. That will be nectarfor you. Never look upon what you have as your personalbelonging. You are merely a trustee, a director or a managerof all that. Look upon it as the Lordís and feel happy inusing it properly in His service. It is then that you willbe counted as an honest servant of the Lord; otherwise,if you utilize things as if you were the owner, then youare a thief and sinner, and you will be punished as such.Wherever there is the chance of using your things, utilizethem for the service of the indigent in a straightforwardmanner, without pride or arrogance. To slight a poor manor to taunt him is to touch him to the quick. If you donot pay proper regard to a rich man, it will not matter muchto him because he has a number of persons to honour him.

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But if a poor man calls upon you and you ignore him,he will feel it very much. And if you go so far as to gethim forcibly out, then you will be deemed to have giventhat treatment to the Lord Himself. Wherever there ispoverty and indigence, the Lord is personally present there.That is why the poor deserve special treatment and service.When you give something to a poor man, think that youare only returning to him what is his own. What you giveis not your own; you are only rendering unto God whatis Godís. Take care that you insult nobody in any waywhatsoever, specially a poor, helpless man without anyrefuge; on the other hand, believe it that honour paid orregard shown to such a person is rendered to God Himself.To speak sweet words, expressing regard for him, is tohonour him, to satisfy his sense of self-respect and to givehim comfort and joy. Lord ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa went to Viduraíshouse and the latter felt elated by the honour. He was happythat the Lord came to him and did not pay a visit eitherto Bh∂¶ma or to Duryodhana, the lord of the Kauravas orother kings. His joy was boundless.

If you are a big man and you go out, there will bemany to welcome you. But if you stayed with a poor man,he would feel exultant. He could never entertain the ideathat a big man would ever condescend to be his guest.The late ›r∂ ›ivaprasåda Guptå, an esteemed gentleman,came to Gorakhpur a short time before his death. I askedhim what had brought him there when he was ill. His replywas so touching that I would never forget it. He said, ìIam about to die. There are some relatives of mine residinghere and they are very poor, specially some old women.I should pay a visit to them. This is what has brought mehere.î

What is the real significance of the friendship between

Service towards the Destitute

10 Kalyana-Kalpataru

›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa and Sudåmå? If Sudåmå had been a man of thestatus, as ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa, the friendship would not have beenanything uncommon. But ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa was the Lord of lords(let alone his divine personality) and yet He washedSudåmåís feet, sipped the water as if it was holy, sprinkledit in the palace, shampooed his feet and embraced the poorman. The real greatness of ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa lay not in His richesand possession but in His nature of befriending the poorand treating them with honour and affection as if they werepeople of His own status.

It would be a great thing if one could associate withthe poor people and take delight in living with them. Ifyou wiped away the tears of someone, saved another froma fall or rescued a drowning person, you have donesomething creditable. If you happen to know a householderwho cannot approach you for help, who apparently livesa decent life wearing the only dress in which he appearsand is too self-respecting to beg, help him or silently andsecretly find out such a one and help him unobtrusively.Let him not know that you are helping him lest his senseof honour be compromised. Watch his condition from adistance and remove his wants.

I know a gentleman whose financial condition is notsatisfactory. For the last three years he has been receivingRs. 100/- every month, but he does not know the anonymousdonor. I regard such a generous person a really high-souledman. These days contributions for any cause are announcedeven before they are actually paid. This is harmful anddeserves condemnation. What is desirable is to help othersin distress as we help ourselves. There is no credit inremoving oneís own difficulties. Nobody ever feels obligedto oneís own self. For fear of flood if we remove ourbelongings from our hut to a safe place, no honour lies

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in this. Our action would be quite natural. Similarly, whileserving the poor, we should feel that they have a right toclaim service from us and no action on our part shouldbe tainted with pride or superiority complex or humiliatethem. Not only we should take care to avoid humiliationto the poor man, but should also see that we do nothingto burden him with a feeling of gratitude towards us. Whenthe turn of the wheel of fortune reduces a rich man topoverty, his one constant prayer is that he may not haveto depend upon anybody. And so, we should avoid thefeeling that we support anybody or he is maintained byus. It would be better if through any other person also itis not disclosed that you are his supporter. If the beneficiaryis a good man he is bound to feel grateful to you; butat the same time an intense feeling will disturb his heartfor which you will have no remedy. Let not your serviceto any person compromise his honour or hurt his senseof self-respect, so that he may lose confidence in you. Seethat his morale is not lowered. Self-respect and honour aredear to all. When you give any aid to a poor man, lethim feel that he is accepting something which is his own.If this is not possible, then the aid should reach him secretly,so as not to compromise his self-respect. And if you canserve him looking upon him as God Himself, you will attainto Him and get liberation.

It is the injunction of our ›åstras that if anybody comesto you just when you are about to take your meal, youshould look upon him as God Himself and withoutenquiring about his caste or family, feed him. In the samemanner whoever comes to you, serve him to the best ofyour capacity.

There are persons who say that to give alms or helpthe poor is to encourage begging or to turn them into



professional beggars. But this is only an excuse forunwillingness to part with anything by way of charity. Itis an exhibition of their uncharitable nature. There are veryfew persons who will beg without being in need; and ifyou help one such person, you lose nothing and are stilla gainer.

You will have to part one day with your possessionsand riches; when you leave this world, your soul will seethat the key of your safe, which you never gave toanybody, has fallen in other hands and that the safe israffled by others and you watch them helplessly. All thatyou owned, will pass into the hands of others and youwill be unable to prevent it. It is, therefore, fit and properthat you look upon everything in your possession as theLordís and that you have no claim of ownership on it.

Among the thousand names of Lord Vi¶ƒu, occurringin the famous Vi¶ƒu Sahasranåma, the first one is Vi‹wa,which means that He is whole and entire and everyonein the universe. It follows, therefore, that we should givewhatever we have to make up for deficiencies whereverthey may be. Be a companion to him who is companionless,support the helpless, give money to the penniless, food tothe hungry, security to the frightened and become a friendof the friendless. In all these forms, God Himself is askingyou for His own things. To offer them in His service istheir proper use, and this is possible by utilizing them forthe sake of the poor, needy, helpless and weak people.Treat none harshly or cruelly. Very often, only throughcarelessness man is harsh to others.

If you happen to surprise a man thieving and speakto him sympathetically, you will be painfully astonishedto learn that for the last several days he has had no morselof food and that he was consequently reduced to a pitiable

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condition. One night a thief entered the house of agentleman and began to steal nothing but corn and tearswere falling from his eyes. The master of the house wokeby chance and asked him why he was weeping. Hearingthese words of sympathy, the thief began to cry loudly andtold him that his family had been starving for many days,and all his efforts to secure some work had proved futile,He and his children were dying of starvation. Thuscompelled by circumstances he had resolved to committheft and for that purpose had come to that house severaltimes before also but could not muster up courage to steal.Finding no other course, he came again to steal corn andnow that he was caught, he should be sent to jail as athief. Then the gentleman asked him with great affectionto come with his family and stay in his house as if it washis own. The joy and comfort which that poor manexperienced at that moment by the friendly treatment ofthe gentleman was more than what could be had by a largesum of money. To know the real suffering of a poor man,place yourself in his position and then experience it. Youmust think what you would have done if placed in similarcircumstances and what would have been your behaviourin such a difficult situation.

We find in society that on the one hand people aredying of hunger, suffer for want of medical treatment, haveno clothes to cover their bodies with and cannot affordto get education; while, on the other hand, people arerolling in luxury and recklessly spending their wealth. Thispaves the way for communism; and if the state of affairscontinues to be what it is, communism cannot be checkedfrom spreading, though it will lead to conflict betweenclasses and thus increase misery. Inequitable distributioncreates dissatisfaction. One man has a full wardrobe, he



has a large store of grain; while adjoining his house, therelives another man of the same colour, body and mind, buthis children are starving and suffering from the pangs ofhunger and sighing for food. They have no clothes to covertheir bodies with. All this is inequity on the part of thesociety. It is, therefore, the duty of everyone who is inbetter circumstances to help those children; and that whichremains after serving them, should be used for oneís self.Whatever one has by way of wealth, riches, property,house, learning or wisdom, should be placed at the serviceof the needy. If this course in not adopted and inequalitygrows worse, the result will be disastrous.

It is a heartless and cruel thing to tell a man in tightcorners that he is suffering for his sins or that the untimelydeath of an only son was the consequence of the poorfatherís misdeeds. This is to pierce him to the quick. Itis true that his suffering is the result of his own sins; butyour duty is to comfort his wounded heart, to wipe awayhis tears and give consolation by all the means you haveat your disposal. Be a friend to him, give him comfort andconsolation, patience and contentment. If you can relievehis pain to the smallest extent, you will have done hima service; if, on the other hand, you ignore him and underthe pretext of policy or religion you neglect him, then hewill curse you. If the man in trouble is a saint he maybear things in silence; but any other person is bound tofeel that if he also had your means and riches, he wouldhave received a different treatment. Do not hurt the feelingsof anybody, otherwise he will utter curses and imprecations.If you share his troubles, befriend him and treat him asa fellowñbeing, he will surely bless you. It is, therefore,oneís duty to remove the sufferings of others as far aspossible. Nay, it is the first duty of man. To remove the

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sufferings of others is the greatest virtue and to give painis the greatest sin. Realizing this, never be a cause ofsuffering to the poor; this should always be borne in mind.It matters little if you touch a healthy person; but to toucha boil would be intolerably painful. A poor man suffersin every pore of his body; do not increase his pain byhurting his feelings; give him comfort if you can bybefriending him. If you are unable to remove his sufferingyou can certainly hear his tale of woe and give him somecomfort thereby, and to some extent remove the load fromhis heart. All your possessions, whatever you have andwhatever you are, must be used for removing the sufferingsof others; and if you are not in a position to offer practicalhelp, at least do not increase his pain in any way. Be verycareful when there is a widow in the family; she is anembodiment of suffering a single harsh word from you willadd fuel to the fire of her suffering. By referring to theprivations of those who do not have money, house orproperty you will give them pain. They will feel that theirpoor condition is being taken advantage of and they aretaunted because they cannot reply back. Such persons onlypray to God for His mercy. You should befriend suchpersons suffering from privations and try to experience theirfeelings by identifying yourself with them.î The famousKing Rantideva saidó

Ÿ ∑§Ê◊ÿ̆ „¢U ªÁÃ◊ËE⁄UÊÃ˜ ¬⁄UÊ◊CÔUÌhÿÈQ§Ê◊¬ÈŸ÷¸fl¢ flÊ–•ÊÏÃ ¬˝¬l̆ Áπ‹Œ„U÷Ê¡Ê◊ãÃ—ÁSÕÃÊ ÿŸ ÷flãàÿŒÈ—πÊ—H

(Bhågavata IX. 21. 12)ìI do not ask of God superhuman powers or faculties

and not even final beatitude or emancipation; I wish to enterthe hearts of all beings and take upon myself their sufferingsso that they may be relieved of them.î



Emperor ›ibi also expressed a similar feelingóŸ àfl„¢U ∑§Ê◊ÿ ⁄UÊÖÿ¢ Ÿ SflªZ ŸÊ¬ÈŸ÷¸fl◊˜–∑§Ê◊ÿ ŒÈÈ—πÃåÃÊŸÊ¢ ¬˝ÊÁáÊŸÊ◊ÊÌÃŸÊ‡ÊŸ◊˜H

ìI do not want a kingdom, paradise or even liberation.I only want that I may be able to remove the sufferingsof the afflicted.î

Such a person cannot be deprived of his right to enterheaven. He is a saint of saints who takes upon himselfthe sufferings of others to relieve them. Do not remind anafflicted man of his loss or privations. Do not call one-eyed a person who is sightless of one eye; do not addressin derision as a widow a woman who has lost her husband;never dishearten a sick man; give him hope and strengthof mind and tell him that he will soon recover. On theother hand, after feeling his pulse, if you tell him to consulta doctor and get himself X-rayed as there is some suspicionof chest disease, he would be upset and lose the peaceof his mind. To remind a man of his privations, is to givehim pain. You should so behave towards him that he mayforget his affliction; this will give him comfort. Never taunta man for his privation lest you hurt his feelings. If youcurse a person for something of which he is deprived ofyour behaviour, would be reprehensible. Who knows oneday you may have to suffer from a greater loss or privation.When you make fun of a lame man, remember that it mayhappen that you may some day lose your both legs; Donot laugh at a man blind of one eye; who knows you maynot lose both your eyes and become blind. A marriedwoman who derides a poor widow may herself lose herhusband and become a widow. One who taunts a poorman, must not forget the possibility of his own reductionto that state of indigence. There is no certainty about lifeand everything in the world is transient. Any kind of

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privation which we notice in others, may possibly fall toour lot also. Do not remind an unfortunate person of hisloss and do not make fun of his privation as it will hurthim. I personally do not like the use of the word ëpoorífor anybody, because one who calls another poor, exhibitshis superiority and is evidently proud of his relatively betterposition. A poor man is fortunate because the Lordbefriends him. He is a friend and benefactor of the poor.It would be our good fortune if we could be of any serviceto the poor and deserving of their blessings and be lookedupon by them as their friends. If they accepted us as theirfriends, then the Lord who is the friend of the poor willalso surely accept us, and will be pleased with us. A motherwould be very happy to know that her child was savedfrom drowning or starvation, and the person doing sucha favour is bound to receive her blessings. The Lord isalso like the mother of us all and the poor persons arethe children. By serving the children we can please theLord, because if the poor are pleased with us, the parentwill also be pleased. A mother gladly gives way a presentto a person who has done some good to her child. Similarlypleased with our service to His poor children the Lord willgive us His most precious gift. It is therefore, fit and properthat with all our means and faculties, wherever possibleand to the extent of our power, we should serve the poor,the sick, the widows, the helpless and the afflicted; andthat too without feeling any pride in our service andbelieving it to be their right to claim it. Offering suchservice, we should think ourselves fortunate beings. Godtoo, will be pleased with us and bless us.

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Ideal of PativratåóSwami Chidananda

Lord Kæ¶ƒa says, ìOf divine seers I am Nårada.îNårada is a well-known figure featuring in all the Puråƒas;there is no Puråƒa without Nårada. He was the spiritualson of Brahmå, the Creator. A great ascetic, he led hislife according to the principles of Dharma. He movedamong the three worlds in order to propagate the Lordísname and preach devotion to God. Hundreds of peoplewho came in touch with him took to the path of religionand devotion. Sometimes, he corrected and brought roundpeople by encouraging them to quarrel! He is a divinemessenger because the Lord identifies Himself especiallywith Nårada among the divine sages. He moves freely inthe three LokasóAsura-Loka, Manu¶ya-Loka and Swarga-Lokaóthe world of demons, the world of men and theworld of celestials. None can touch him; the Asuras andDevatås both give respect to him.

Among his wanderings in the different Lokas he oftenheard the praise of Anasµuyå, the Dharmapatn∂ of the greatsage Atri Mahåmuni. Anasµuyå was a paragon of wifelyvirtues and chastity who served her husband with intensedevotion and loveóa Mahåpativratå. Nårada had a keendesire to see this wonderful lady. He descended upon theearth and went towards Atri Mahar¶iís hermitage. AtriMahåmuni had gone for his bath and Sandhyåóhispersonal austerities. Anasµuyå was husking the paddy andwas completely absorbed in her work. Sage Nåradaannounced himself by uttering ìNåråyaƒa, Nåråyaƒa,Nåråyaƒa.î At that time, Anasµuyå had lifted her hand to

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bring down the pestle. When she heard ìNåråyaƒaî, sheleft the pestle in mid-air and immediately went to welcomehim with due respect. Meanwhile, the pestle was hangingin the air, where she had left it! Sage Nårada stared inwonder and thought, ìTruly my visit has not been in vain.She is not an ordinary woman. She is an extraordinaryPativratå Når∂. He asked her, ìWhat is this miracle?î Shereplied, ìIt is not a miracle. It is all due to my husbandísblessings. Taking the name of my husband, I asked thepestle to remain where it is so that I could come and receiveyou.î Nårada replied, ìIndeed! It is something which I havenever seen in my entire career!î And when he went backhe praised the great Påtivratya of Anasµuyå to Lord Brahmå,Lord Vi¶ƒu and Lord ›iva. The three deities came to testthe chastity of Anasµuyå. They came as Sadhus with mattedhair, ochre robes, KamaƒŒalus and DaƒŒa and asked foralms, ìBhavati bhik¶å≈ dehiî. As soon as Anasµuyå hearsthis she comes out and welcomes them with due respect.But they insist on ëNirvåƒa-Bhik¶åí (Nirvåƒa-Bhik¶å meansto be served without any clothing). Anasµuyå intuits thatshe is up for a severe test. She concentrates on her husbandand says, ìCertainly! As you say, so it shall be.î She takesa palmful of water from Atrimuniís KamaƒŒalu and praysto him, ìMy Påtivratya is in your hands, O Patideva. Itis you alone who can safeguard it.î She then comes outand sprinkles this water upon the three Sadhus who aresitting there as her guests. Within a moment they becomethree little infants and start crying. She goes inside, takesoff her clothes and breast-feeds them! Thus, she passes thetest. The gods are so pleased that they grant her a boon.Being childless she asks that the three gods remain withher in the form of a child. She is granted the boon, anda child with three faces and six arms wielding the symbols

Ideal of Pativratå


›a∆kha and Cakra of Vi¶ƒu. the KamaƒŒalu and Målåof Brahmå and Tri‹µula and œamarµu of ›iva is given tothe couple. So a new Svarµupa of Bhagawån was the resultof the Mahå Påtivratya of Anasµuyå.

This is one of the great ideals our culture has givento those in the Dåmpatya-Gæhastha-J∂vana in the MånavaLoka. The Majority of people live the householderís life.The world is maintained by them. The world is notmaintained by Sadhus who are living isolated in theHimalayas! Though the Hindu scriptures have eulogisedSa≈nyåsa, they have also boldly declared that the Gæhasthais the pivot of the whole society since the members of theother three Å‹ramas depend upon him for their sustenance.The central government, state government, the airlines, etc.,are all manned by the people who are in the world, whoare in the Gæhastha-Å‹rama. If there is no Gæhastha-Á‹rama, there will be no continuance of lineage. Becausethey have progeny, generation after generation are kept up.Therefore, it is the Dharma of the Gæhastha to createprogeny so that they contribute for making the nextgeneration. And if one is without progeny, the ›åstrasenjoin that the Gæhastha must take a second wife to havechildren and possibly a son, so that the family lineage iskept up.

And so, the great ideal before us for all times isPåtivratya for the Når∂ and Eka-Patn∂ Vrata for the Sad-Gæhastha.

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›r∂ Guru Kårtikeya Stuti

ÁŸ⁄UÊ∑§Ê⁄UÊ∑§Ê⁄¢U ÷fl÷ÿ„U⁄¢U ‚ÈãŒ⁄Ufl⁄¢U –‚È⁄UÊáÊÊ¢ ŒÊÃÊ⁄¢U ÁŒÁÃ‚ÈÃ÷ÿÊŒ˜ ⁄UˇÊáÊ¢ ¬⁄U◊˜ –◊ŸÈcÿÊáÊÊ¢ „UÃZÈ ÁŸ⁄U‹‚ ‚ŒÊ ÃÊ¬ÁòÊÁflœÊÃ˜‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 1H

Worship always with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya,known as Guru Kårtikeya, who is essentially formless, whorobs the fear of Sa≈såra (cycle of birth and death), who isthe most handsome, who offered supreme protection to Devasfrom the fear of Asuras (sons of Diti), and who alwaysremoves the three types of misery of humans fervently.

The three types of human miseries (Tåpatraya) are:Ådhidaivikaófrom natural occurrences like floods;Ådhibhautikaófrom other living beings; Ådhyåtmikaófrom oneís own mind.

ÁŸ⁄UÊ÷Ê‚Ê ŒflÊ ÷flÁÃ ø ‚ŒÊjÊ‚Ÿ¬⁄U—‚È÷Q§ÊŸÊ¢ ‡ÊÈh NUŒÿÁflfl⁄U ÁŸàÿ ‚⁄U‹ –•„UÊ⁄UÊòÊ— ÃS◊ÊÃ˜ Áfl·ÿÁfl÷flÊÃ˜ ‡ÊÁQ§⁄UÁ„UÃ—‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 2H

Subrahmaƒya cannot be visualized with the fleshy eyes.He is the Deva, who ever shines with supreme brilliancein the pure heart-cavity of good and straightforwarddevotees. Hence detach yourself day and night frommundane glories, which rob you of power, and worshipalways with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya, known as GuruKårtikeya.

Ÿ ‚Ê ´§Áh— Á‚Áh—‚ÈπÿÁÃ ÁflŸÊ ‡ÊÁQ§ÁŸøÿ—ÿÃ— ‡ÊQ§Ê ŒÒàÿÊ fl‡ÊÿÁÃ ‚È⁄UÊŸ˜ flËÿ¸⁄UÁ„UÃÊŸ˜ –


•ÃÊ ŒflÊ— ÁÄ‹CÔUÊ— ‡Ê⁄UáÊ¢ ©U¬ÿÊãàÿfl ’Á‹Ÿ¢‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 3H

The powerful Asura tormented the Devas devoid ofstrength, whom the prosperity and powers (of Swarga)could not delight in the absence of energy. The tormentedDevas took refuge in Subrahmaƒya, the strong force.Worship always with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya, knownas Guru Kårtikeya.

∑§‹ÊÒ ∑§Ê‹ ŒÈc≈U ∑§Á‹◊‹ªÃ ÷ËÁÃ ¬⁄U◊‚ŒÊ ÃåÃÊ ‹Ê∑§Ê ÁŸ⁄UÁÃ‡Êÿ ŒÈ—πÒ— ¬Á⁄UflÎÃÊ—–’‹¢ flËÿZ ÁfllÊ◊ÁÃ⁄UÁ¬ ø ‡ÊÁQ§— ‚„U÷Èfl¢‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜H 4H

In this wicked, impurity-ridden and supremely fearfulKaliyuga, the worlds are always roasted in unsurpassedmiseries. Worship always with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya.known as Guru Kårtikeya, the very form of strength,valour, knowledge, intellect and power.

ªÈáÊ ÖÿDÔU— üÊDÔUÊÁ¬ ‚∑§‹ ‚È‡ÊÊSòÊ— ‚ÈÁflÁŒÃ—•Ã— ‚ŸÊäÿˇÊÊ ÷flÁÃ ‚È⁄U∑§ÀÿÊáÊ-◊Ÿ‚Ê –‚ •ÊøÊÿÊ¸ ÷ÍàflÊ ÁŸ⁄UflÁœ-‚È‚¢¬Ê‹ÿÃÈ Ÿ—‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜H 5H

Subrahmaƒya is the best among Devas in merit as wellas mastery of ›åstras; hence he became the commander-in-chief of Devas with a mind of benediction. May he bethe Åcårya of all of us and protect us in all ways. Worshipalways with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya, known as GuruKårtikeya.

◊„UÊàÿÊªË ôÊÊŸË Á‡Êfl‚ÈÃŸÿÊ ÁŸàÿ Áfl⁄U¡Ê¡ªº˝ˇÊÊ∑§Ê◊Ê ’„ÈUÁflœ¬˝ÿÊ‚ ¬˝ÿÃflÊŸ˜ –•‹ˇÊÊ˘ôÊÊŸ— ‚Ÿ˜ Áø⁄Ufl‚ÁÃ ‹Ê∑§˘ÁflÁŒÃflÃ˜‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 6H

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Subrahmaƒya is a great renouncer and wise master; heis the coveted son of ›iva and is ever free from impurity.He is engaged in many kinds of efforts with the desireof protecting the world. He is ever present in this world,but unseen and unknown to the ignorant and wickedpeople. Hence worship always with devoted mindsubrahmaƒya, known as Guru Kårtikeya.

flÿ¢ Á‡ÊcÿÊ— ‚fl¸ Ã¬Á‚ ÁŸ⁄UÃÊ— ‡ÊÈhNUŒÿÊ—¬⁄¢U ◊Ê„Uª˝SÃÊ •ÁflÁŒÃÃÿÊ ‚Ê⁄Uª˝„UáÊ –•ÃÊ˘S◊Ê∑¢§ üÊÿ— ∑È§L§Ã ‚ŒÿÊ ÿÁë¿Ufl◊ÿ—‚ŒÊ ‚È’˝rÊÔáÿ¢ ÷¡ ‚È◊Ÿ‚Ê ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 7H

Subrahmaƒya, we are all your disciples and we areengaged in penance with pure hearts. But we are deludedowing to lack of discrimination in absorbing the rightessence. Hence O embodiment of auspiciousness! Kindlydo what is in our best interest with compassion. Worshipalways with devoted mind Subrahmaƒya, known as GuruKårtikeya.

Ÿ ÁfllÊ-‚¢ÿÈQ§Ê¢ Ÿ ø ªÈáÊ ªÁ⁄UêáÊÊÁ¬ ‚Á„UÃÊ—ÿÕÊ ’Ê‹Ê ◊Í…UÊ Áfl∑§‹flø‚Ê flŒÿÁÃ flÒ –flÿ¢ ÃÊŒÎ∑˜ ◊ÈÇœÊ ÁflªÁ‹Ã NUŒÊ ÿÊ◊ ‡Ê⁄UáÊ¢◊„UÊà◊ÊŸ¢ flãŒ ÁòÊ÷ÈflŸ¬ÁÃ¢ ∑§ÊÌÃ∑§ ªÈL§◊˜ H 8H

We do not possess knowledge or weighty qualities. Justas the ignorant child expresses his wish in imperfect words,we, the ignorant people, take refuge in you with brokenheart and worship you, Guru Kårtikeya, the Lord of threeworlds.

ÁŸ⁄UÊ∑§Ê⁄UÊπá«UÊ ÁŸÁœ‚◊ Ã¬‚ ŸÊ¢¡ŸÿÈÃ—‚ ÿÃ˜ ‚èÿÊ˘SÿÊ‚ËÃ˜ ø⁄UáÊÁªÁ⁄UŸÊ◊AÊ ¬Á⁄UÁøÃ—–ÿÕÊ ÿÊÇÿ¢ SÃÊòÊ¢ ÁflªÁ‹ÃÁ◊Œ¢ ÃSÿ NUŒÿÊÃ˜‚ŒÊ¬Ê∆U ÁŸCÔUÊ Áfl◊‹◊ÁÃÿÈQ§— ¬˝÷flÁÃ H 9H

›r∂ Guru Kårtikeya Stuti


This Stotra has emerged from the heart of one, whois known as Caraƒagiri, member of ëTaponidhi AkhåŒå ›r∂Nira¤janaí (assembly of persons, whose complete wealthis austerity and who are free from blemish). The intellectof one, who chants this Stotra always, is purified.

( This Stotra emerged from ›r∂ Caraƒagiri Swåm∂j∂ ofëTaponidhi AkhåŒå ›r∂ Nira¤jana on 13. 01. 1960 onPau¶a Pµurƒimå day.)

óTranslated by P. R. Kannan

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Your religion teaches you to feel the omnipresenceof God and, in spite of this, if you do not have respectand regard for Him, you are not following your religion.If only we could feel the presence of God, we wouldshudder at telling a lie. Our eyes will blow out, if welook at a lady with evil intentions, we should practisein life, what we know to be good and true, accordingto our religion.

óSwami Rama Tirtha

Prayer in which your very soul is burning with desirefor God, is the only effectual prayer. You have prayedlike that at some time, no doubt, perhaps when youwanted something very badly or urgently needed moneyóthen you burned up the ether with your desire. That ishow you must feel for God. Talk to Him day and night;you will see that He will respond.

óManís Eternal Quest

Deva‹armåóThe Paragon ofPeerless Sacrifice

óDr. Mukunda Pati Tripathi ëRatnamaliyaí

The history of the world is full of the instances of rareheroic deeds and sacrifices for a noble cause. Peopleendowed with will to do and soul to dare, create a historyin dire circumstances. Such noble souls, though very few,are available in every time and clime. The legendarysacrifice of ëDeva‹armåí, the Prime minister of KingJayåp∂Œa of Kashmira is such an example. Jayåp∂da wasa very ambitious sort of man. He had a thirst for expandinghis territory. His motto wasó“‚ãÃÊ·áÊ ŸÎ¬Ê— ŸCÔUÊ—”óA monarchmust be daring and desirous to expand his empire,otherwise, he will be overpowered by other kings. Deva‹armåwas his wise and faithful prime minister who helped himin all regal affairs. Once upon a time, the king thoughtof attacking Nepal. Amarasµuri was the then ruling king ofNepal. He also had a strong army of faithful ëGorakhåsíand ëNepalisí. Jayåp∂Œa commanded his troops to invadeNepal. He led his army to the ëTarå∂í area. The soldiersreached upto the bank of river ëKålagaƒŒak∂í. The armylay in ambush. On the other hand King Amarasµuri wasnot careless. His spies, watchful of the activities of KingëJayåp∂Œaí, had informed him of the few intention of theKshmira-Nare‹a.

Night thickened, the king was restless, manueveringplans for attack. The sentry drew his attention saying, ìThecommander-in-chief wants to see your majesty.î The kingbeckoned him to lead him in. The commander reported,


ìThe situation is very grim Sir! The Nepali troops are quitealert on the other side. The battlefield is full of hills, junglesand caves. Our Jawånas will be in a great difficulty to makea straight attack. What do you think Sir in this situation?Will it be proper to take any jeopardic step in prevailingcircumstances?î The king smiled and said, ìYour worriesare totally genuine but we must not halter in our presentexploit. Iíve thought out a riskful strategy. Tell me pleaseabout the depth of the river water. Is it worth crossingfor our Jawånas?î The commander replied, ìThe depth ofthe river water is not formidable. It is just a bit above theknee-deep level our army can cross it quite easily.î Theking said, ìDonít worry then. Make arrangements for animmediate march. Weíll cross the river upto midnight andmake a rapid attack. Our victory is sure.î The commander-in-chief nodded his head in assent and started on themission. But lo! to the embarrassment of the king, the armyhad hardly crossed half of the river when a sudden upsurgein the water-level turned the table. Most of the soldierswere swept away by the swift currents. The king too,was swept by the surging waves and by his utter bad luck,he was arrested by the Nepali army. He was imprisonedby the king at a lonely place. When the news of thisshameful defeat and debacle reached Kashmira, Deva‹armåíspangs knew no bounds. His fertile brain devised a planto comfort the situation sagaciously. He decided to meetKing Amarasµuri and outwit him by tempting him to takecharge of the Kashmira territory. He sent a special envoyto King Amarasµuri, bearing a letter on behalf of the peopleof Kashmira. The content of the letter was like thisóafterthe ignoble defeat of our army on the river-bank, our stateis facing a dire anarchic situation. The neighbouring stateshave decided to grab our land. The internal terrorists also

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are scaring the people. So our people long to come underyour sway. This state of anarchy must be eradicated. Docome to help us. Rush to our rescue.î

When Amarasµuri got the message, his happiness knewno bounds. His mouth watered to taste the apples ofKashmira, his eyes longed to travel round the sweet, heavenlyvalleys, his heart danced with joy to amass profuse wealthfrom that territory. He eagerly sent for the messenger. WiseDeva‹armå gratified and assured the king with his goldenproposal. He was afforded a most cordial welcome.

After the passing of some days, he said to the king,ìWell sir! We must not waste our time. We must proceedon our plan immediatelyî Before marching out I wouldlike to see the arrested king. He alone knows the clueto his treasure house. He has firm faith in me. If he seesme he will feel highly excited. He will not hide anythingfrom me in this critical predicament. So, make arrangementsfor my meeting with him in isolation. Greed had overpoweredthe conscience of King Amarasµuri. He cenceded to hisplan without any deliberation. When Deva‹armå reachedthe prison-fort, King Jayåp∂Œa was sitting in a verydowncast, dejected mood: The scenes of his lost royal gloryand present pitiable confinement were flashing one by oneon his mental screen. He was repenting on his odd decisionand misfortunate state of affairs. Meanwhile, the dooropened with a creak; His eyes fell on Deva‹armå. Hecould not believe his eyes. Was he awaking or having adream. His heart jumped out of joy to see Deva‹armå. Tearswelled up in the eyes of both. He became amazed to seethe successful arrival of his faithful saviour. Both of themclasped each other. Gaining patience and realising the needof the hour, the minister disclosed his plan to him andrequested him not to waste a single second of time at his

Deva‹armåóThe Paragon of Peerless Sacrifice


disposal. He advised him to get out of the room at onceand meet his army by crossing the river. The king thoughtand thought on the proposed scheme. The impendingdanger on the life of his minister loomed first. He couldnot bear bereavement from such a faithful colleague. Whenhe threw his eyes on the adjacent river! his veins gotstunned. The river was in upsurge. He whispered to hisminister, ëDestiny appear ready to topple down your plan.Itís not possible to buffet the angry waves without anyëboatí or ëMashakaí. How can I swim across the river? Theminister too, became broodful for a moment but his creativebrain was not ready to accept defeat. An idea flashed inhis mind like a silver lining in total darkness. He requestedthe king to go out of the room for a few moments. Hehad made up his mind to hang himself by fixing one endof his turban in a peg and the other round his neck. Cuttingone of his fingers, he wrote with the blood thereof ìDouse my corpse as a medium for crossing the river. It willlead you safe to the other shore. Donít waste your valuabletime and life if you want to please me. Life is fragile, whatcan be a better use of this than this enterprise?î

When the king came back, his eyes remained wideopen. His soul shrieked. He was at his witís end.Nevertheless, he braced up his mind to make the best useof the situation. The sacrificial act of the minister galvanisedhim. It enthused him to act like a hurrycane. He crossedthe river, met his waiting army and launched a suddenmassive attack on the enemy-camp. The soldiers of Nepalcould not face the attack and Jayåp∂Œa got victory onceagain. The story of Deva‹armåís superb sacrifice rings inthe valley of Kashmira even today.

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Human Birth a Golden Opportunity

◊Ÿ ¬Á¿UÃÒ„ÒU •fl‚⁄U ’ËÃ–ŒÈ⁄U‹÷ Œ„U ¬Êß „UÁ⁄U¬Œ ÷¡È , ∑§⁄U◊ ’øŸ •L§ „UË ÃH vH‚„U‚’Ê„ÈU Œ‚’ŒŸ •ÊÁŒ ŸÎ¬ ’ø Ÿ ∑§Ê‹ ’‹ËÃ–„U◊-„U◊ ∑§Á⁄U œŸ-œÊ◊ ‚°flÊ⁄U , •¢Ã ø‹ ©UÁ∆U ⁄UËÃH wH‚ÈÃ-’ÁŸÃÊÁŒ ¡ÊÁŸ SflÊ⁄UÕ⁄UÃ , Ÿ ∑§L§ Ÿ„U ‚’„UË Ã–•¢Ã„ÈU ÃÊÁ„¢U Ã¡Ò¥ª ¬Ê◊⁄U! ÃÍ Ÿ Ã¡Ò •’„UË ÃH xH•’ ŸÊÕÁ„¢U •ŸÈ⁄UÊªÈ, ¡ÊªÈ ¡«∏U, àÿÊªÈ ŒÈ⁄UÊ‚Ê ¡Ë Ã–’È¤ÊÒ Ÿ ∑§Ê◊ •ÁªÁŸ ÃÈ‹‚Ë ∑§„È°U , Á’·ÿ-÷Êª ’„ÈU ÉÊË ÃH yH

(Vinaya-Patrikå 198)O mind! When golden opportunity elapse, you would

be remorseful. Therefore, manifesting this rare human body,pray the lotus feet of God by action, speech and heart.Sahastrabåhu (the demon having thousand hands), andRåvaƒa etc., king could not saved themselves from theclutches of Yama (god of death), they had to die. Whois uttering ëWe-Weí and collected enough wealth andproperty, lastly they also left empty-handed. Treating sonand wife selfish, donít get engrossed in worldly love. Oignoble! When they all will leave you in the last, then whyare you not abandoning them right now? O foolish! Getup and spread your love in ›r∂ Raghunåthaj∂ and abandonthe hopelessness. Tulas∂dåsaj∂ speaks, as fire does notsubsides by pouring Ghee (purified butter) in it, likewisedesire goes up with enjoyment.

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Service and Tyåga of Lak¶maƒa in Råmåyaƒa

óSwami Sivananda

Lak¶maƒa, the son of Da‹aratha by his second queenSumitrå, was the youngest brother of ›r∂ Råma. He wasan Avatåra of Ådi ›e¶a. He was a constant companionof Råma both in pleasure and pain. They lived, dined,played and slept together. One could not bear the separationof the other. Lak¶maƒa was a loving servant also of ›r∂Råma. He carried out ›r∂ Råmaís commands to the veryletter. He lived in perfect obedience to ›r∂ Råma.

Lak¶maƒa had pure and unstinted brotherly love for ›r∂Råma. His object in life was service of his elder brother.Obedience to the commands of his brother was the mottoof his life. He would not do anything without gettingRåmaís permission. He regarded ›r∂ Råma as his God,Guru, father and mother. He followed Råma as the shadowfollows the object.

He was quite unselfish at heart. He abandoned all thecomforts of royal life willingly only for the company ofhis brother. He served Råmaís cause in all possible ways.He made Råmaís cause his own. He sacrificed everypersonal consideration on the altar of his brotherís love.›r∂ Råma was his all in all. He could relinquish anything,his life even for the sake of Råma. He abandoned in amoment, his mother, his wife and his royal comforts tofollow ›r∂ Råma and S∂tå in exile. What a magnanimoussoul! What a great Tyåg∂ he was! Here is an unprecedentedexample of the most disinterested and devoted soul in the

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history of the world. He lived only to serve his brother.That is the reason why the readers of the Råmåyaƒaeulogise Lak¶maƒa for his pure and unique love for hisbrother. Some eulogise Bharata, while others speak veryhighly of Hanumån, but Lak¶maƒa was in no way inferiorto Bharata or Hanumån.

Lak¶maƒa followed ›r∂ Råma for the long period offourteen years though he was perfectly aware of thedangers of forest life. He accompanied Råma with his bowand arrow though his help was not required by Vi‹våmitra.It was all due to his devotion and love towards his brotherRåma.

›r∂ Råma also had intense love for Lak¶maƒa. WhenLak¶maƒa fell down unconscious in the battle againstRåvaƒa, ›r∂ Råmaís heart was broken. He wept bitterly.He made a determination not to revisit Ayodhya when helost his brother. He said, ìA wife like S∂tå can be had,but a real, devoted brother of the type of Lak¶maƒa cannotbe had again. The world is nothing for me without mybrother.î

Lak¶maƒa was pure in thought, word and deed. Heled the life of an ideal Brahmacår∂ during the fourteen yearsof exile. He never looked at the face or body of S∂tå, Hiseyes were ever directed towards her lotus-feet only, Hecould not recognise the jewel and ornaments of S∂tå. Hefought and killed the great hero, Meghanåda through hispower of Brahmacarya. Meghanåda, the son of Råvaƒa,wielded great power, strength and skill in warfare. He hadreceived a boon from the gods that he would be killedonly by one who maintained celibacy for twelve yearswithout a break.

Lak¶maƒa became very furious against those who actedagainst the name and glory of Råma. At Chitrakuta he made



up his mind to kill Bharata when the news of Bharataíscoming with his army was made known. He thought thatBharata was coming to destroy Råma in order to rule thekingdom without fear. Råma said, ìMy beloved brother,Bharata is a pure and noble soul. He has intense devotionto you and me. Abandon this misapprehension.î Then onlywas Lak¶maƒa pacified.

He became very indignant when he came to know that›r∂ Råmaís rights to ascend the throne were taken awayby Kaikey∂ on behalf of her son. He would have destroyedKaikey∂ and Bharata if ›r∂ Råma had not pacified him.›r∂ Råma made Lak¶maƒa clearly understand that the matterwas purely providential, that everything was controlled bythe Lord and that destiny was inexorable.

During the exile Lak¶maƒa worked day and night forRåma and S∂tå. He acted the part of a vigilant watchmanwhen they were asleep. He brought fruits and roots fromthe forest. He attended to their wants very carefully andattentively. He built a hut for them and made a woodenbridge over rivers. He was their most willing and obedientservant. There was nothing that he considered, too greatfor the sake of ›r∂ Råma.

Lak¶maƒa said to Kau‹alyå, ìMother, if Råma entersfire, I shall enter first. If he enters the forest, I shall alsofollow him. I cannot leave the company of ›r∂ Råma evenfor a second.î What great affection he bore for ›r∂ Råma.This is unrivalled in the history of the world. The worldhas not witnessed a brother like Lak¶maƒa and it will notsee in the future also.

Kaikey∂ did not wish that Lak¶maƒa should be sent toexile. Da‹aratha did not order that Lak¶maƒa shouldaccompany his elder brother and yet Lak¶maƒa of his ownaccord abandoned the pleasures of the palace and followed

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his brother to the forest leaving all affection for his motherand wife. It was all due to the love and reverence he hadfor his brother ›r∂ Råma. He had no base motive inaccompanying his elder brother. His life was a life ofperfect dispassion and absolute renunciation.

Lak¶maƒa was bold and fearless. His valour, prowessand strength were beyond description. He marched to theDaƒŒaka forest along with ›r∂ Råma to kill the Råk¶asas.He said to ›r∂ Råma, ìMy venerable brother, I shall wardoff all dangers which would beset you in the forest. I shalllead and clear the way with the bow and arrow in myhands. I shall remove all dangers on the way. I shall bethy soldier and servant. I shall do everything for you. Ishall bring roots and fruits for you. You will have to takerest. I shall watch when you and S∂tå are sleeping. Thouart my all in all. I want thee alone. I do not yearn forheaven or worldly prosperity. Thou art my treasure andspiritual wealth. Thou art my very life and soul.î

He encouraged his brother Råma in all possible waysand consoled him after S∂tå was taken away by Råvaƒa.He assured him that he would recover her after destroyingRåvaƒa. He never lost his courage and presence of mind.He had superhuman capacity for work and indefatigableenergy. He wandered throughout the day in search of S∂tå.He never cared for his personal wants. His loyalty to ›r∂Råma was extremely laudable.

He was indeed very far-sighted. Råma was highlybenefited by Lak¶maƒaís wise counsel. Once ›r∂ Råmapaid no heed to the advice of Lak¶maƒa and he had toreap the bitter results. Lak¶maƒa distinctly told ›r∂ Råmanot to chase the golden deer as it was a false one.›r∂ Råma ignored his words. What followed we all know.

Lak¶maƒa stuck tenaciously to his principles and ideals.



He had a thorough understanding of any situation. Hewould do the right thing at the right time. He had the senseof self-respect, and self-confidence in himself.

Lak¶maƒa tried his level best to remove the grief ofhis brother and make him happy. He was endowed withgreat power of self-reliance.

He exhibited remarkable valour, chivalry and heroismin the war. He destroyed countless Råksasas. He nevercared for his life.

He carried out the behests of his revered brother despitetaunts. He prepared the hot burning vessel for S∂tåís ordeal.Further, he undertook to leave S∂tå in the forest when shewas in the family way, when ›r∂ Råma wanted to banishS∂tå on account of public censure.

Showers of calumnies were poured over his head.Censures were levelled against him, but he did not mindthem. He bore them patiently and thought that they werethe outcome of a sacred cause. He was innocent. He livedonly to carry out the commands of his brother. He wasnot heartless and unsympathetic but he was a superman.These charges cannot bring any infamy on him. Theycannot in any way bring him down and mar his greatness.The acts done by him, on the contrary, bespeak of his glory.They augment reverence in the eyes of the readers of theRåmåyaƒa and posterity.

The life of Lak¶maƒa is highly inspiring and extremelysoul-stirring. He has left an indelible impression on thehuman mind. Derive the best possible lessons from his life,put them into practice in your daily life and be happy.

Develop love for all your brothers. Develop universalbrotherhood. Love all as your brothers. This is the greatlesson you should derive from the life of Lak¶maƒa. Tryto tread in the footsteps of Lak¶maƒa.

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Mark the devotion of Lak¶maƒa unto Lord Råma. Onthe contrary, what do we see in these days? Brothers fightagainst themselves over trifling matters and go to the courtsfor division of property. They will quarrel over nothingat all and do not talk to each other. We see much intrigueand discord among them. Is this not a disgraceful andlamentable state of affairs? O man! Think of the majesticpersonality of Lak¶maƒa and his devotion and love for hisbrother. Place him as an ideal before you. Imbibe hissterling qualities. Study his life and deeds again and again.Your vile nature will be gradually changed. Learn to loveyour brother unselfishly. Make your wavering love firm.You will enjoy peace and happiness at home.

O noble Lak¶maƒa! Who regarded brotherly affectionabove everything else in this world, O indomitable hero!Thy sense of duty and pure love towards Råma hasimmortalised thy name. We cannot think of ›r∂ Råmawithout thinking of you. You were the apple of his eye.You were his right hand. You were only another form of›r∂ Råma, like Bharata. As long as this world exists, solong will your name also exist. You will live as long as›r∂ Råma does. You have earned undying reputationthrough your untiring service and devotion to thy brother.Show us the way to serve and love Råma like you did.Deign to reveal to us the secrets of service unto Råma.Salutations unto thee, O Lak¶maƒa! May we walk in thyfootsteps! Give us a helping hand in crossing this oceanof Sa≈såra by bestowing upon us the true love anddevotion unto Råma which you possessed.

We shall ever sing thy glory and repeat: ìRåmalak¶maƒa jånak∂, jaya bolo hanumån k∂.î Introduce usto our beloved Lord Råma, thy dear brother and master.



Help us also in holding communion with Lord Råma. OLak¶maƒa! Be ever merciful unto those neophyte Sådhakaswho grope in the darkness of ignorance. Teach us the secretof success in becoming staunch celibates till the end ofour lives. Once again salutations to thee. O Lak¶maƒa! Thedarling of Sumitrå and the apple of ›r∂ Råmaís eyes!

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One might gain ownership of the whole world in thislife, but if he has not God, he has not happiness or peaceor anything of real value. When he leaves the shoresof the earth, he will have nothing he can carry into thelife hereafter. But one, who by utmost effort in meditationhas found God, even if he has sacrificed all thingsmaterial and is poor in the eyes of the world, is richin eternal treasure. When his brief stay on earth is over,he will depart with an imperishable God-treasure ofunending bliss, which will be his to enjoy unto eternity.

Great spiritual teachers never claim to forgive unrepentantoffenders; their work is to awaken the natural righteousnessin wrongdoers to the point where they will make an effortto free themselves. No one can prevent confirmed evil-doers from reaping the effects of their evil actions; butif they rouse themselves to righteous efforts, the effectsof their past evil actions can be neutralized by the effectsof their good actions.

Mind and Its Subtler Role!óProf. Sudesh Gogia

What is your true identity? Your true identity is noton physical parameters. Itís constantly under flux. Your job,address even your name is changeable. Love is your basicnature. When love is manifested in words, the action anddeeds, itís commendable. No special efforts are needed toexpress this divine virtue of mind.

Why to allow ëegoí to stand in the way for freeexpression of love and compassion? Egoism is the attitudeof ëIí and ëMineí. Truly thereís no meaning in saying ëIíor ëMineí. Who are you referring to when you say I? Youare not the body which you own. It is the instrument ofI work with the subtlest thing.

Known as Mind. The soul too uses the mind to createyour thoughts and emotions! The mind corresponds to yourcomputer that generate and process data. The ëI amícorresponds to the person using the computer. Lord Kæ¶ƒasays in ›r∂mad Bhagawadg∂tåóìMind is the Master keyto achieve anything you want.î

That this little in-depth knowledge about the mind couldsave you from anything and everyone toiling round in theUniverse. Mind caters you to achieve beauty, success, joy,happiness and ecstasy in life! You will attain which wasonce considered unattainable!

Life is totally governed by the mind, the mind and themind alone! Is it possible to become a master of mind?The Lord says emphatically if, ìYou master, you will beable to know exactly what is going on in someone elsemind.î


Sa¤jaya, in Mahåbhårata war was given boon byMahar¶i Veda Vyåsa through the higher power of mind,clairvoyance to reveal to Dhætarå¶¢ra about what is happeningin the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Dhætarå¶¢ra anxiouslyinquiring to Sa¤jaya. What did they do? The scene is setwhen Sa¤jaya explains everything to Dhætarå¶¢ra what waslatest on the war front!

The life that an individual leads is nothing but thereflection of his ëstate of mindí. The sole reason behindthe sorrows and the fluxes of all the humans the worldover are nothing but the ignorance of the functioning oftheir mind! Mind is your great friend and might prove agreater enemy too! Itís the trickiness of the mind that hasto be understood with force of love and compassion!

At the ëInternational Mind Control and its RepercussionsConference held recently in Switzerland, Dr GoodmansaidóìWeíre fully aware that the root cause of most ofthe physical ailments and disorders lies within the depthsof our mind.î

ìThe treatment of such disorders has to be exploitedat the subtler level of the mind for the well-being of everyindividual! To be happy, relaxed and full of life, the mindhas to get a dose of positive spiritual thoughts from thetrue divine nature of cosmic self.îMind and Brainó

Thereís a clear-distinction between the mind and thebrain. The mind and the brain are two different entities.Both function at their individual levels and their owndomains. The whole of ›r∂mad Bhagawadg∂tå has beenexpounded upon the psychology of the mind.

With proper functioning, one can control the domainsand parameters of brain, the ego, the body, and the senses.For me, itís neither a religious deliberation nor any dogism

39

but great insight depth and functioning of the mind andhow to be happy, relaxed, full of ecstasy and joy in life.ëVivekaí (Áflfl∑§) is the human faculty of all of us, that enableone to discriminate between truth and false, the eternal andephemeral. Viveka truly establishes in us in our ëtrue divinenatureí with perception of cosmic self in relation toindividual self!

The Lord addressing to Arjuna further saysóìThereísno place in your mind for negative thoughts. Get rid ofthem, it an act of love to take care of your mind.î Mentalhygiene is very important to keep our vibration pointingin the right direction and vision of life. This is none ofour judgment on negative thoughts, just a choice aboutwhat we would like to experience in the future.

In this 21st century, ›r∂mad Bhagawadg∂tå contains thewisdom, direction and thoughts of right direction to all thehumans of 7.5 billion habituating our mother earth. Wehumans are facing the worst of confusion, distress, terrorand many mental disorders like manic depressive psychosiswhich were never thought of in humanís history!Thoughts Create:

Thereís no place in our mind for negative thoughts.Get rid of them! Itís an act of unblemished love and divinityto take care of our mind. Itís like your own garden whichneeds regular water, manure and weeding. Thoughtscontinue to come and go constantly to the mind. Who am I?

What is the purpose of life?Where will I go after I banish my body?These and many such enquiries within do give inquisitive

when we connect ourselves in silence solitude in meditation.Itís very pertinent how to get liberated.

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Mind and Its Subtler Role!

Nothing but IntentionóGood or BadóRajendra Prasad Singh

Goswåm∂ Tulas∂dåsaj∂, in the very opening of theRåmacaritamånasa says, ““÷‹©U ¬Êø ‚’ Á’Áœ ©U¬¡Ê∞– ªÁŸ ªÈŸŒÊ·’Œ Á’‹ªÊ∞H”” (I. 5. 3) meaning that everything, goodand bad, has been created by God, but on the basis oftheir merits and demerits they have been classified by Vedasas ëgood or badí. It means, we have Veda-prescribedstandard of good and bad. All our morals and immorals,virtues and sins and ethics and unethics i.e., our ëoughttoí and ëought not toí have been prescribed by Vedas.Following these standards are not binding upon us byconstitutional laws but, at the same time, this is a mustin order to make our human societies worthy of livingotherwise human societies will in no time turn into habitatsof beasts and ëHumanity must perforce upon itself like themonsters of the deepí.

William Shakespeare saysóìThere is nothing eithergood or bad but thinking makes it so.î In other words,it depends upon us to regard a thing as good or bad asper our thinking and requirements. This idea receives asupport from greatest Indian poet and saint Goswåm∂Tulas∂dåsåj∂ . When he saysó““ªÈŸ •flªÈŸ ¡ÊŸÃ ‚’ ∑§Êß¸– ¡Ê ¡Á„U÷Êfl ŸË∑§ ÃÁ„U ‚Êß¸H”” (Måna¶a I. 4. 9) that is, the parameterof our judgement of anything, whether good or bad, ispurpose-based i.e., if it serves our purpose, it is good,otherwise, bad, irrespective of the fact that its propertiesto others. Take for example a flowerógood and beautiful,soft and sweet. No one dislikes it. Even though doomed

41

to living in the company of thorns, it still keeps up itscharming smile. But, King Ajaís wife and Da‹arathaísmother, queen Indumat∂ died when a flower from SageNåradaís garland, travelling in the celestial realm, fell uponher while she was walking with her husband, King Ajain the royal garden. A flower causing death is hardlybelievable, is not it?

There is no denying that our intention plays a determiningrole in turning things from good to bad and from bad togood vice versa. Truth is always good. There is a saying,truth is good (›iva), truth is beautiful. Even some sayótruth is God. We are always taught to speak truth. Butour scriptures ask us not to speak the truth, when it hurts,because it may lead to listenersí breakdown. This is why,breaking the ice should possibly be refrained from. Evenif, it is binding to convey or tell some harsh truth, it shouldbe conveyed in a courteous or circumventive way, onlyto lessen its impact on the listener. There is no need tocall blind a blind or lame, a lame. Its apparent.

If we ponder a bit seriously over Goswåm∂j∂ís abovequoted line, saying all things good or bad have been createdby Lord Brahmå, progenitor of the universe, we shouldtry our best to realize as to why the God made bad thingslike sorrow and suffering, pain and misery, when all thecreatures in the world are His offsprings. Why does a fatherwant His sons and daughters to go through unbearablehardship, unnecessarily? No, its not unnecessarily. He hassome purpose behind subjecting us to hardships. May be,He wants to test our forbearance and fortitude. Apart fromthis, hardships and bad phase of life strengthens us enoughto stand unfaltering against the stormy wind of adversities.So, without doubting Godís intention, we must assureourselves that all profit or loss is but the result of our own

Nothing but IntentionóGood or Bad


doings and misdoings because these two i.e., doings andmisdoings never go unpaid. But, to discuss this is notintended here. What I mean to say is that the pain andsuffering and difficulties and hardship are not at all invited.But, no sooner do they come into our life than we moveheaven and earth to get rid of them without little realizingthat they are the outcome of our own misdoings and thatthey are meant to test our forbearance. All hardships andsufferings are results of our part misdeeds therefore, theybring a check on us for not doing misdeed in future. For,life is not bed of roses rather itís a bed of thorns. We shouldtread on the lifeís path, fully prepared to face eventualities.Moreover, during the period of sorrows and sufferings, wethink of other sufferers and sympathise with them. In otherwords, we come to share a common platform with them,enjoying fellow-feelings. As we see in william Shakespeareísplay. The King Learí, the hero Lear, realizes the rudenessof nature only when he is left to wander in the open wherea pitiless storm was brewing. He comes to think of thepoor and the houseless. See, what he says:

ìPoor naked wretches, wheresoever you are,That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm.How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides,Your looped and windowed raggednessDefended you from season such as these.îBeing a king, Lear had to face such cruelties of fate

and being a prince, Råmacandraj∂, had to live in forest,along with his wife. King Janakaís daughter, the story ofKing Nala proves that ìLife is a mingled yarn of goodand ill together.î

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Read and Digest

Pride is the greatest barrier to wisdom.* * *

How we live this life determines what we are in thenext.

* * *Moods are the brakes on your wheels of progress.

* * *Dependence is misery, Independence is happiness.

* * *Work incessantly, but be not attached to it. This is the

one central idea of the G∂tå.* * *

He who is down needs not to be trampled on. He needsthy lifting hands of love. Think of otherís woes as thy own.

* * *If thy views are not welcome, maintain silence. Mentally

send to the wrongdoer constructive thoughts, love andprayersówithout spoken wordsófor that is also beneficialand will help to awaken him.

* * *Those who do evil stew in their own evil.

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Learning to Receive ForgivenessóSri Daya Mata

The result of dwelling too much on oneís own flawsand wrong actions is a guilt complexóa very painfulfeeling of unworthiness. These feelings can lodge deep inthe consciousness; they are difficult to get at and remove,unless we understand Godís forgiveness.

To be healed of unwholesome guilt complexes, first wemust realize that there is absolutely nothing we can everdo that will cause God to forsake us. He will never turnaway from us; this we realize more and more as we drawcloser to Him through regular meditation. However, it istrue that when we do wrong, we set up a deep disturbancewithin ourselves. When we go against the image of Godwithin us by manifesting qualities that are contrary to thatdivine nature, we feel an unhappiness, an unrest, in theheart. And some people magnify that feeling of guilt tothe point where they canít cope with it any longer. Theythink of themselves as ìsinners,î unworthy of Godísblessing. That is a great mistake.

When the woman taken in adultery, was brought toJesus by a condemning mob, he forgave her sin; and hesaid to her: ìGo and sin no more.î God says the very samething to each one of us who sincerely asks for forgiveness.ìMy child, I do forgive you. But do not do it again.î Toooften, however, people do not hear Him, because they arerather concentrating on the wrong they have done.

Their problem is that they refuse to forgive themselves.When you recognize that you have done something wrong,

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retire to a place where you can be alone with God. Sitquietly, and cry your heart out to Him. This is what iscalled emptying your soul. Silently recount to Him yourerror, and pray: ìForgive me, Lord, forgive me.î Cry outto Him again and again in the silence of your heart; donot ever be ashamed to cry for God. Get all of that badfeeling out of yourself. Lay it all at His feet. And feel whatHe is saying to you: ìYour sin is forgiven. Have a freshstart.î

Having taken Godís forgiveness, do not let the thoughtof your wrong action keep reentering your mind. As oftenas it does, throw it out; do not hold on to it year afteryear, causing it to colour your whole life. That action isin the past; it does not belong to you anymore. Let goof the guilt, and resolve not to repeat the action that causedthe guilt in the first place.

We have all, no doubt, done many naughty thingsthrough out our numerous incarnations; but we are not todwell on them. This is why God did not give us a memorythat goes beyond one incarnation. If we carried into thislife the weight of all the wrongs we did in our past lives,we would be so overwhelmed that we would give up atthe very beginning!

Instead of dwelling on past actions, get busy and dosomething constructive with your life now; that is whatMaster would say to you. Keep trying every day to dogood, to be good, to do better, to live more in the thoughtof God. Gradually, the paralyzing feeling of unworthinesswill fade away. It will become a mere memory, and thencompletely forgotten.

Remember one thing: God loves you very much. Dwellon that; affirm it to yourself. It will become real to youas you show Him that you love Him. Think kind positive

Learning to Receive Forgiveness


thoughts, pray for others, try to manifest goodness in yourlifeóeven just a kind or helpful word to someone, a gooddeed, a positive thought.

When you do these things, there is a deep sense ofsatisfaction in the soul, because you are no longer goingagainst your essential soul-nature. When you contradict thatnature, you become mean, nervous, irritable, discontented,a victim of low self-esteem and other psychologicalinharmonies. But when you have reestablished the divinelink between your soul and God, you have truly learnedhow to live. You become aware of a great river of peaceand love and bliss flowing through you constantly, fulfillingyou forever.

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The more our lives are bound by external pursuitsof happiness, the less happiness we can hold on to,satisfaction quickly goes, because there is always somethingënewí and ëimprovedí to yearn for, increasing the feelingof lack. It is a vicious circle, the deeper our sense non-fulfilment, the more frenzied our chases for some newpossession or material achievement or experience that wehope, will fill the inner void. This lifestyle is the senseof unbelievable pressure in the lives of millions today.

óSwami Achalananda Giri

Real worship consists in surrendering oneself to Godand believing, ìI am only Godís and only God is mine.î

óSwami Ramsukhdas

Ethics in the ∫‹åvåsyopani¶ad*óSwami Ramarajyam

To understand the metaphysics of ethics we should firstunderstand what morality is. Morality is the totality ofprinciples concerning right human behaviour. Ethics is thescience of morality and teaches how to influence humanbehaviour. It enables man to lead a virtuous life characterizedby harmony in the relationship between God, man and theworld.

In the ∫‹åvåsyopani¶ad ethical teachings are rathersubtle. One has to read between the lines to know whatthey are. In the following description an effort has beenmade to point out those teachings which the Mantras ofthis scripture suggest.

›ånti Mantra (the Peace-Chant)The ›ånti Mantra exhorts us to have the great Cosmic

VisionóGod pervading each and every speck of Hiscreation.† This creation proceeds from God and issustained by God. God transcends His creation and remainswhat He is in His exquisite fullness even without it. Thiscosmic vision cleanses manís understanding of the dirt ofisolated and independent individuals and their productcalled ego. It enriches human life with God-consciousness

* This article is based on the commentary on the ∫‹åvåsyopani¶ad,given in the ëUpani¶adí number of the Kalyåƒa Magazine, publishedby the Gita Press, Gorakhpur.

† ‚Ëÿ ⁄UÊ◊◊ÿ ‚’ ¡ª ¡ÊŸË– (Månasa I. 7. 2)óThe entire worldis replete with Lord Råma and S∂tå.


everywhere. It greatly transforms human behaviour. Onewho has such a vision, behave with others reverentiallyand sweetly, thinking that he is behaving with God. Itbrings about a total behavioural change in him. This changetransforms his life which begins glowing with divinity. Adecent ethical ascent!Mantra 1ó

This Mantra advises us to be in the world in a life-positive way. The world, which is pervaded by Godeverywhere, should not be negated as it will amount tothe negation of God. One has to be in the world withoutbeing of the world. Being in the world enjoins us toperform worldly and scriptural duties whole-heartadly, witha view to doing others good without being attached tothe names, forms and circumstances and to the fruits ofactions.

The ethics implied in this Mantra disapproves thenegative approach to life, escapism and indifference towardsothers. This Mantra also points out that beings andthings of the world belong to none except God. Theyshould not be regarded as objects of attachment. They are themeans of doing others good with a view to pleasing God.Mantra 2ó

This Mantra praises those actions which are done withgood intentions for the good of others* for the pleasureof God and as dynamic worship of God† .

*Even personal actions directed towards the body and worldlybelongings should be done with a view to using them as means ofthe welfare of others.

† While doing action, one should think that his actions are theflowers being offered at the holy feet of the Cosmic Body of God(i.e., the world) and the beneficiaries of his actions are the limbs ofthis (Cosmic) Body.

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This praise is an indirect ethical advice to do wisdom-filled actions selflessly in a mental state of worshipping Godfor the sole purpose of pleasing Him.Mantra 3ó

This Mantra suggests that a life unmindful of the truthsrelated to the immanence and transcendence of God andof the awarenessófilled performance of unselfish actionsis a life doomed to the devilish worlds of Asuras whichare filled with the darkness of the desertion of God, areantagonistic to His presence and are characterized bycravings, delusions, etc. Such a life is also doomed tovicious transmigration.

The subtle ethical teaching of this Mantra advises usto keep these worlds at bay and escape transmigration byrejecting all that rejects God and by doing actions in theright way (suggested above in the Mantra 2).

Mantras 4, 5 and 8óThese Mantras enumerate the Divine Characteristics of

God. Of these characteristics, the following two offer valuablesuggestions from the viewpoint of our ethical perfection.

The Mantra 4 advises us against attaching importanceto those who are endowed with various capabilities. Asa matter of fact, the capabilities are not the creation ofthe capable persons. They possess the capabilities becauseGod has blessed them with those capabilities. When praisesare heaped on the capable persons, God is negated.So long as this mistake is not corrected, our link withGod gets weakened every moment. That is an ethicalfall.

In the Mantra 5, God is described as being both farand near. God is far for those who love their bodies andnot God, who are dominated by their little ëIís and aresteeped in the ignorance of who they really are. God is

Ethics in the ∫‹åvåsyopani¶ad


near for those who love and constantly rememberHim. He readily responds to their call and appears beforethem instantly wherever they are. This is a goodpointer on the Divine Love which reinforces our ethicalperfection.

In the Mantra 8, God is described as the causeless,cause of the world and a Highest common factor in allthat is beheld (in this world). He is the Supreme Truthwhich envelops, includes and transcends all beings andthings. All individual values vanish when attention isfocussed on these qualities of God.

This description of God makes the seeker come to anawe-inspiring understanding that helps him deny hisindividuality and annihilate his ego. He is able to havecorrect vision of himself and the world. His behaviour isconsiderably transformed as it is directed not to worldlyindividuals but to God, manifested as these individuals. Anethical rectitude indeed!

Mantras 6 and 7óThese Mantras point out that to live a life free from

hatred, sorrow, delusion, attachments, etc., we should keepin mind the following twin truthsó

God is in all beings.All beings are in God.We should understand that there is nothing in this world

which is devoid of God. We behold none also but Godwhen we behold the world. There are no isolated andindependent individuals in this world whom we can loveor hate. God provides a common link between all namesand forms and unites them with each other through Himself.There is inherent and absolute oneness everywhere in thisworld. This understanding is an antidote to hatred, sorrow,etc., which are the product of relationships developed with

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so-called individuals isolated from each other and fromGod. A life free from hatred, grief, etc., is a life of joyin which joys are shared with others and the readiness tobarter oneís joys for the griefs of others in very conspicuous.Such a life emits the fragrance of excellent (ethical)behaviour.

Conversely, when one beholds the world as if he werebeholding God, he is filled with joyous wonder. Will thiswonderment permit him to hate anybody or be sad orsorrowful?

We should also understand that every being andeverything in this world is enveloped by God. Thisenvelopment is not different from Godís total control overHis creation. This control manifests itself as divine parentalcareóloving and complete care provided by God to Hisoffspring i.e., the creation*. This understanding makes uscompletely carefreeóa state which banishes all desires.Needless to say, desires are the breeding ground forsorrow, hatred, etc. Such a state makes us joyful andhappy† . Our joyfulness and happiness ward off all negativity.It is just ethical goodness.Mantras 9 to 11 and 12 to 14ó

These Mantras indirectly describe the true nature andproper practice (Upåsanå) of Vidyå-Avidyå and Sambhµuti-Asambhµuti.

*Such care is similar to the care taken by a mother holding heroffspring in a warm embrace by enveloping them in her arms.

† 2. Cf ÁøãÃÊ ŒËŸŒÿÊ‹ ∑§Ë, ◊Ê ◊Ÿ ‚ŒÊ •ŸãŒ– ¡Ê ¡ÊÿÊ ¬˝˝ÁÃ¬Ê‹ ‚Ë, ⁄UÊ◊ŒÊ‚ ªÊÁflãŒHWorry is Godís concern. I am always happy. The one who has

created me, is dutybound to sustain me.



The following chart throws light on their nature (Whats)and practice (Hows).

Whats Hows1. VidyåóIt is knowledge

of the Brahman (God) indwellingHis creation as Åtman.

2. AvidyåóIt is selflessactions.

3. SambhµutióIt refers toAllóFull, Eternal, UnchangingOmnipotent, Omniscient andOmnipresent God Who controlsthe existence, sustenance anddissolution of this creation.

4. AsambhµutióIt refers tothe earthly and celestial beingsand heavenly and earthlypleasures.

1. VidyåóIt should beacquired after the seeker hasbeen endowed with the qualitiesof Viveka, Vairågya, etc. Thisshould be followed by unceasingmeditation on the nature of theBrahman (God).

2. AvidyåóActions, whichare recommended by thescriptures, should be doneselflessly in a pious mental stateof worshipping God throughthem without having any desirefor their fruits (e.g., earthly orand heavenly pleasures).

3. SambhµutióIt should bepractised by constantly medita-ting on the nature of God andbeholding Him in all names andforms of the world.

4. AsambhµutióIt should bepractised by serving andworshipping earthly beings(parents, teachers, saints, etc.)and celestial beings with totalselflessness, as oneís foremostduty, for the pleasure of Godand according to the injunctionsof scriptures having theunderstanding of the fact thatsuch service and worship ismeant to contribute to socialharmony although those beingsare subject to change and decayand they exist and act only dueto Godís grace.

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Proper understanding of the true nature of Vidyå-Avidyåand Sambhµuti-Asambhµuti and their practice in accord withthat (understanding) make one an embodiment of ethicaluprightness.Mantras 15, 16, 17 and 18ó

These Mantras contain prayers which should be saidto God.

The thought of the prayers contained in the Mantras15 and 16 should always run through our minds. Throughthese prayers we beg God to let us have His clear visionin all we behold in this world. When answered, theseprayers improve and raise the standards of our behaviour.

The prayers given in the Mantras 17 and 18 suggestthat:

Death should not fill us with dread. It is rather agateway to God.

God should be remembered at the time of death.The ethical teachings implied in these four Mantras are

as follows:Always aspire to have the unobstructed and all-

pervasive vision of God.Say no to the fear of death. Do not let your behaviour

be influenced by this fear.❑❑ ❑❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑


ëIí becomes a barrier between you and God. If youcan remove this ego, this sense of ëIí, then there willno longer be a barrier between you and God. Then yousee that you are one with God.

óSwami Lokeswarananda

Art of LivingóChilukuri Venkateswarlu

The Creator of universe is a great Artist,His creativity implies Art of the Artist,In that Art lives the great Artist.(An Artistís life lies in his ArtóA Saying.)

The whole creation is artistic,It apprises artistry of the Artist,It enchants with its art in it.(Art is for Artís sakeóA saying.)

Each one is different from the other,Animate or inanimate beings do differ,According to the will of the Creator.

Human being is a specimen of His creation,Who resembles the Creator in succession,With creative mind, applying Arts in possession.

ìArt of Livingî is the prime Art,Search in noble men that lively Art,Find in nature that spectacular Art.(Master the Arts for ìArt of Livingî.)

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Manís Love for His Body

Man loves his body more than any external object.Those who are not realised Souls (J¤ån∂s) consider theirbodies as themselves. When a man says that he is fair ordark, short or tall etc., he means his body as himself. Whena close friend stamps on his foot unintentionally, the instantfeeling of the man is annoyance despite his friendship. Thisis due to his love for his body. Man beautifies the bodywith costly cosmetics and clothes.

All pleasures enjoyed by the body are received throughthe organs. If one organ is afflicted, the man agrees toforego that organ to retain the body with other organs ingood health. A diabatic is prepared to let his finger or eventhe leg amputated. When his stomach and digestive systemare affected, he agrees to follow the diet restriction as hewants to recover of treatment to any organ is likely to affectany other organ, he is ready for it. Thus manís love forhis body and life changes from organ to organ.

Although the body as his and himself, man loves oneorgan in preference to others to retain the body and lifefrom time to time.

(From the Divine Voice of Sri Kanchi Mahaswami)SenderóR. T. Nathan

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Greed took the Life of two Brothers

Two young Råjapµuta brothers were going away toanother state for earning money, riding on a camel. Fromquite some distance, they saw a saint is running towardsthem. Coming near to them he toldóìBrothers! Do notgo further ahead. A very fearful witch is sitting. If youhappen to go near her, she will eat you.î They wantedthe saint to stop and give some clarification about his sayingbut he kept running and did not stop.

When he left, the Råjapµuta brothers thought, ëthe saintis armless, and is afraid. We are quite young, energetic,armed with gun and sword. What the witch will do tous. Only coward are afraid. We are brave Råjapµuta.íThinking this they proceeded further. After covering somedistance they saw that few bags full of gold coins are lying.They stopped, got down from camel and found really theyare gold coins and it was ten thousand in numbers. Theywere of the thinking that ësaint was very wise one, hewanted to mislead us from taking these coins and he musthave gone to bring some sort of vehicle to take these coinsaway. It is good that we did not fall in his trap and reachedhere fearlessly.í Both were very happy. Now, there is noneed to go to another state. Without doing anything, ourluck has brightened. They thought that we are without foodfor the whole dayólet us eat something and then we willreturn to our village. The elder brother told the youngerbrotherógo to the nearest village and bring some sweetsto satisfy us. The younger brother went to fetch the meals.

Looking at the gold coins of ten thousand, the elder

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brother became greedy. He thoughtóëHay! When it isdivided, out of ten thousand, I will get only five thousand.Cannot I get the entire coins?í Greed is the father of thesin. His reason got polluted and instantly took a decision.Why could not I get it. Now, these entire ten thousandcoins will be mine. Let me load my gun. He must becoming with sweets. The moment he comes, I will fire.He will die. None is here to see. I will dig a ditch andput his body here itself. And I will be in possession ofentire gold coins. After reaching home, I will tell thatbrother has died of cholera. As per plan he loaded his gun.

On the other side, mind of younger brother also gotgreedy. He also thought to grab entire gold coins of tenthousand. His mind too got polluted. He decided, purchasedarsenic and mixed with sweets. He thoughtóëI will go andtellóBhaiyå! I am too tired, I will eat a little later, youtake food first. Definitely he will eat and die. This wayentire coins will be mine and after putting him in a ditch,I will proceed to my home.í

The elder one did what he had thought. The momentyounger one reached with sweets, within no time two-threebullets pierced him, he fell down and died instantly. Elderbrother was over-joyed. It is seen that one who commitssin, becomes enraptured and forgets the aftermath of thatsin. He was very happy on his success and thought letme finish sweets first, then I will bury the dead body.í

He ate the sweet mixed with deadly poison andinstantly fell down and died. The Bråhmaƒa has told inBhågawataóìOne should always keep himself away fromnamesake money, which is the misfortune itself. Thismoney alone carries as many as fifteen vicesósuch asótheft, violence, lie, hypocrisy, passion, anger, pride, egoity,dissension, enmity, non-reliance, jealousy, wanton, gambling

Greed took the Life of two Brothers


and drunkenness. Very lovely and affectionate relationswith kins, brothers, wife, son, father, mother, all these goapart even for sake of minimal count of money; therebyinviting frustration and anger. One forgets value of loveand relation for each other and rather goes for life of eachother. Same happened here also. The witch (in the formof gold coins) consumed the Råjapµuta brothers within notime.

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The religion which does not wipe the tears of thewidow or the cries of the orphan cannot said to be areligion.

óSwami Vivekananda

God-realization comes to the devotee not only owingto his efforts to manifest self-realization, but also becauseof the Lordís divine compassion. That grace is withheldfrom the devotee who with pride by reason of his spiritualrealizations demands of God to surrender Himself.Egoism is the cause of many difficulties in reaching theultimate spiritual goal; even though one may attainphenomenal powers, there is certain danger of fallingfrom grace without the support of humility.

óSri Paramahansa Yogananda

Japa (Chanting) of the Lordís NameóSwami Akhandananda

Different peopleís eyes have different range of vision,different capacity to see. People with weak eyesight cannotsee far off objects properly. Also, we often do not noticethe things we see, if we are absent-minded. Then, thosewho are dark, donít seem equally dark to all, nor do thefair complexioned people appear equally fair to in everybodyíseyes. So, all the names you have mentionedóIíve evenforgotten which onesóAvadhµuta, Paramaha≈sa, J¤ån∂,and who else?ówhat they see and what they do, will beclear to you only when you reach their stage. When youbecome a Paramaha≈sa; when you become an Avadhµuta,you will understand an Avadhµutaís vision. You will seeeverything from a Yog∂s viewpoint, when you become aYog∂. We can neither see, nor measure anything unlessand until we reach the level of the Yog∂s and theParamaha≈sas. We can only view and measure things byour own level of understanding.

About the Nåma-Japa (repeating the name of the Lord,with or without a rosary), I greatly respect you for attachingso much importance to Nåma-Japa. I believe that you arereally keen to hear from me, that all these people younamed also do Nåma-Japa, and that we are in the samecategory as them, because we do Nåma-Japa, too.

The Name of the Lord has tremendous power. TheYog∂s also take the name of the Lord, with their tongue.

ŸÊ◊ ¡Ë„°U ¡Á¬ ¡ÊªÁ„¢U ¡ÊªË–Á’⁄UÁÃ Á’⁄¢UÁø ¬˝¬¢ø Á’ÿÊªËH

(Månasa I. 21. 1)


Sa≈nyås∂s also do the Japa of the Praƒava (O≈).Donít feel surprised when you realize that there are someMahåtmås who are aware that all they speak, and all thatthey hear, is the name of the Lord, and nothing else. Theyfeel that since God is everything, and is everywhere,whatever they speak is Godís name. For instance, peopleliving in Ayodhya accept only Råma as Godís name. Thoseliving in Vrindavan, accept only the name of Kæ¶ƒa. Hisname, ›iva, is the name chosen by those who live in Kashi(Varanasi), and for those who live in Gowahati, it isKamakhya. Is only one of these Godís name? No, indeed!This is the talk of different religious cults. The fact is thatas far as the essence (Tattwa) and the Knower of theessence (Tattwaj¤a) is concerned, there is nothing but theessence of God, so all forms are He, and all namesbelong to Him. Just accept anyone name as His, and startuttering it!

It also happens that the Lordís name comes automaticallywithout any conscious effort. There are Mahåtmås who donot chant the Lordís name, but nevertheless, it vibrates inevery cell of their body, every drop of their blood. Thesound of His name is heard when they move. They hearHis name in the movement of an ant, and hear it in thecawing of crows. For those who know the essence of God,His qualities and the truth of the Godhead, there is nothingin the universe, except His name. Whether they have arosary in their hand or not, whether their tongues moveor not, they say that the whole of Creation is chanting thename of the Lord. Creation is impossible without vibration.When God shifts slightly, it creates a vibration, whichresults in the visible Creation. Vibrations create a sound.There can be no vibration without sound, however inaudiblethe sound may be. There is a ›loka in the Puru¶asµukta

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of the Kæ¶ƒayajurveda:ëNåmani kætvåbhivadan yadåsteí.

ìThe Lord, Himself, reveals His own name, and chantsit.î

This means that even the Lord chants His own name!Hence, when there is a form, there is a name, and whenthere is a name, there is a form. There can be no namewithout a form, and there can be no form, without a name.It is written, in the text of the Bhågawata, that the Lord,›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa, used to do Japa every morning, after His bath.So did ›r∂ Råma, Sage Va‹i¶¢ha, and other sages, Japais so all encompassing that whether it is an Avadhµuta ora Paramaha≈sa, everyone chants it.

Donít think that only your drum chants the name ofthe Lord. It is only those who are unaware of the Lordísname, who are engrossed in worldly matters to the pointof being unconscious, who donít hear His name in allsounds. Had they been truly conscious or alert, they wouldhave experienced only the Lordís name being chanted inall the sounds they heard. Why do you put your questionin the name of J¤ån∂s, Yog∂s, Avadhµutas and Paramaha≈sas,about how they do Japa, and what they chant? For them,every wave in the ocean roars the name of the Lord. Thechugging of every train repeats His name. Every flutteringleaf whispers it. His name is chanted silently, in themovements of the Sun, and the Moon. Even an ant chantsthe name of God! There was a camel in Ayodhya.Someone had put a garland of beads around his neck.Whenever he was sitting, he would make a sound, whichsounded like the name of the Lord, and the garland wouldmove, like a rosary.

The movement of our breath contains the Lordís name.The Mahåtmås clarify that without verbal chanting, the

Japa (Chanting) of the Lordís Name


sound, ìHu≈sa¨ so aha≈î and ì So aha≈ hu≈sa¨î goeson as we inhale and exhale. There was a Mahåtmå atBheŒiå Ghå¢a. The sound of the Lordís name could beheard from every part of his body, whether it was his hands,feet, ears, heart or head. So, never say that one who doesníthold a rosary in his hand, is not doing Japa or not chantingthe name of the Lord!

Whoever you seeóthink that they are chanting thename of the Lord. The bird that chirps and trills, is singingHis name. The mouse squeaks His name. If you have thecuriosity to know how this is so, make any sound, andI will explain its connection to the Lordís name. Do notconsider anyone to be not a devotee, thinking that he isnot chanting the Lordís name, and so he is not fit to bea part of our (devoteesí) party. All the bends in our bodymake the letter ìrî, donít they? And every bone in ourbody is shaped like a ›ivali∆ga. There is a story aboutthis. When the enlightened Sage, called Uddålaka, left hisphysical body, the Primordial Mother came, and picked uphis bones, saying that the bones of an Enlightened Oneare the tangible name of the Lord. She made ornamentsof them, and wore them as a girdle, as a long necklace,which covered Her naked breasts (She wore no garments),in the ears, and as a crown on Her head. The bones ofan Enlightened Sage, are no ordinary bones. They becomethe tangible name of the Lord.

Well, one day, a person came to Giriråja (the hill inVraja, which is considered a form of the Lord), and askeda Mahåtmå. ìWe are told that the Giriråja is alive, animate,but how can that be true?î The Mahåtmå was silent. Atnight, he took the visitor with him, and went to circumambulatethe Giriråja. He picked up a stone, and threw it uponanother. At once, the stone started to bleed, and the name

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of the Lord could be heard, coming from the stone.A Mahåtmå was circumambulating the Giriråja,

accompanied by a monk. They heard the sound, ìRådhe›yåma, Rådhe ›yåmaî. The monk asked the Mahåtmåwhere the sound came from.

ìDo you wish to see from where this sound is coming?îasked the Mahåtmå.

ìYes, Sir, I do,î replied the monk.ìThen, come.îThey went a little further, and saw the body of a dead

monk. The sound came from his bones. The bones werechanting ìRådhe ›yåma, Rådhe ›yåma, Rådhe ›yåmaî.The name of the Lord sits on the tongue of a Mahåtmå,just as ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa and Balaråma sat on the lap of Ya‹odå.

Look, now I will tell you of the faults involved.Examine yourself, and analyze what it is, which gives youjoy, in the chanting of the Lordís name. Is it the soundof the name being spoken? Is it the sound of the drumsand cymbals? Is it the melody of the Rågas and Rågin∂s?Or is it the thrill of the vibration created by the sound ofHis name or is it the memory of the essence of the Lordwho is everywhere, which fills you with joy? Gauge yourlevel. Are you at the level of the drum and cymbal or inthe romance of the dancing or the skill of the musiciansor the attractiveness of the singer? Or does it take you tothe Gop∂s, the simple cowherd women of Vrindavan, wholoved the Lord so much? If it reminds you of the Gop∂s,then you are truly remembering God. but if you are lostin the attractions of the singer, then you are not savouringthe Bliss of true devotion. In that case, go ahead a little,then a bit more, and go further inward, and lose yourselfwithin your Self. Never get ensnared by worldly praise.Focus on how engrossed you really are, in the Lord, andensure that you move towards Him, alone.

Japa (Chanting) of the Lordís Name


Then, there is no difference at all, of any type, betweenthe name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. If you havethe name, you have Him! I know a Mahåtmå, who wasasked whether he ever had a vision of God. He replied,ìIs the name any less than the vision? Why do you askwhether I have experienced Him through my eyes?: Whenthe Lord manifests as an Avatåra, as ›r∂ Råma or ›r∂ Kæ¶ƒa,it is not considered that seeing Him is superior to takingHis name.

So, my brother, everyone does Nåma-Japa. The wholeearth is chanting the name of the Lord, the Consciousnessof the Universe is chanting the name of the Lord, the fiveelements and the five senses, all chant His name, and theforms made of these, are chanting His name, too. ThisCreation, its evolution, and dissolution would not bepossible unless His name was chanted. Whether it is inthe chanting of His name or the Praƒava (Om), the fourstages of creationósolid (Vi‹wa), subtle (Taijasa), awarenessor consciousness (Praj¤å) and dissolution (Sa≈håra) existin His name. That is the Divine Law.

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The foundation of all spiritual life is conduct andcharacter, goodness of heart and the purity of oneís innerhidden motivation for actions, speech and thought. Nospiritual life or Yoga or Vedånta can stand upon afoundation of bad character, evil thoughts or wrongpractices.

óA Call to Liberation

Dear Contributors,

Sevå-Tyåga annual number of Kalyana-Kalpatarupublished last year, was well received by our kind readers.It is only Divine Grace and result of affectionate effort ofour contributors. This year we propose to publish BhaktiNumber in 2017.

The aim of human life is attainment of divine lovewhich is possible only through Bhakti. God has createdthe universe, is all powerful, but he yearns for the loveof His childrenóhuman beings; because human beingsalone possess the quality of heart and soul that can satisfyHis hunger for love.

To focus on that connection of Divine love, Kalyana-Kalpataru is to publish Bhakti Number in October 2017.You are requested to send your articles on any of the topicssuggested below or any other topic relevant to the theme.The write-up should be concise and lucid. Typed mattershould be sent to reach us before 30th June, 2017.

1. What is Bhakti?2. “‚Ê ÃÈ §¬⁄U◊¬˝◊M§¬Êósays Nårada3. Prayer from heartócrux of Bhakti4. Bhaktióan unconditional love for God5. Unconditional surrender to God is Bhakti6. Different aspects of Bhaktió

(i) Psychological aspects (ii) Procedural aspects(iii) Social aspects

7. Kinds of Bhaktió(i) Navadhå (Nine ways) according to Råmåyaƒa(ii) Navadhå according to Bhågavata(iii) Other kinds like Sa∆k∂rtana, Dhyåna, Nåma-

Japa etc.8. Description of Bhakti inó

(i) Vedas (ii) Upani¶ads (iii) Puranic Literature(iv) Literary traditions


9. Bhakti as described in Bhagavadg∂tå10. Bhakti as described in Vai¶ƒava and ›aiva traditions11. Importance of Bhakti in God-realization12. Complementary nature of Bhakti and J¤åna13. Special characteristics of J¤ån∂ Bhaktas14. Ease in persuing Bhakti as compared to J¤åna15. Bhakti and Yoga16. Bhakti open to all without distinction of caste etc.17. Ni¶kåma Bhaktiówithout worldly desires18. Bhakti is nothing but service to all as Vasudeva incarnate19. Bhakti as a Householder20. Bhakti by chanting the Divine Name and Mantra21. Bhakti-Sµutras of Nårada and ›åƒŒilya22. Different Åcåryas on Bhaktió

(i) Råmånujåcårya (ii) Ballabhåcårya(iii) Nimbårkåcårya (iv) Madhvåcårya(v) ›a∆karåcårya (vi) Other Åcåryas

23. Caitanya Mahåprabhu and his K∂rtanañBhakti24. Different Bhåvas in Bhaktió

(i) Rådhå Bhåva (ii) Sakhå Bhåva (iii) Sakh∂ Bhåva25. Apparent symptoms of a Bhakta26. Inspiring episodes in the life of great Bhaktasó

(i) Gopikås (ii) Vålm∂ki (iii) ›abar∂(iv) Bharata (v) Ambar∂¶a (vi) Arjuna(vii) M∂rå Bå∂ (viii) Nåmadeva (ix) Ekanåtha(x) Other Bhaktas

27. Moving instances ofó(i) Vi¶ƒu Bhaktas (ii) ›iva Bhaktas(iii) ›akti Bhaktas (iv) Gaƒe‹a Bhaktas(v) Guru Bhaktas (vi) Other Bhaktas

28. Bhakti in Islam / Sufism29. Attributes of Nirguƒa and Saguƒa Bhakti30. Parå Bhaktióthe ultimate unity with Divine

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k k december 2016-2017 ist print (11.1.17) iind corr print …kalyana-kalpataru.org/pdf (full...

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