You are the
Children of Light and Immortality
Man wants
happiness. He shuns pain. He makes various sorts of efforts (Pravritti) to get
happiness from objects and gets himself entangled in the meshes or snares of
Maya. As these objects are perishable, finite and conditioned in time, space
and causation, he fails to get the desired happiness from the objects. This
world is Apurna (imperfect) and there is uncertainty of life.
There is not
an iota of happiness in objects and they are Jada (insentient). Even the
sensual pleasure is a reflection of Atmic Bliss only. Worldly-minded persons
foolishly imagine that the happiness they enjoy comes from the objects only.
There is a
mental uneasiness, dissatisfaction, discontent and restlessness even in
multi-millionaires and kings. Some kind of sorrow, misery or pain is always
present even when you are in the height of enjoyment of worldly pleasures. You
entertain the idea that the happiness will pass away soon. This adds pain when
you are in the enjoyment of sensual pleasure.
You can find
eternal, infinite, supreme peace and bliss, only in the Atman of your heart. It
is an embodiment of bliss (Ananda Swarupa).
All objects
that you see consist of five parts, viz. Nama-Rupa-Asti-Bhati-Priya (name,
form, existence, knowledge, bliss). Nama and Rupa constitute the world. They
are the cause for human activities and sufferings. Asti, Bhati and Priya are
the Svarupas of Atman or Brahman or Moksha.
Amongst the
things desired by human beings of this world, Moksha alone is the best and
highest thing. The means (Sadhan) for Moksha is Atma Jnana (knowledge of the
Self or Atman), Vichara of “Who am I?” or significance of “Tat Tvam Asi”
Mahavakya. This is the means for attainment of Brahma Jnana.
Moksha is
desired in order to get rid of the pains of Samsara which are in the form of
birth, death, disease, old age, etc. Moksha can hardly be attained without
Sadhana.
Some say,
that Karma is the Sadhan for Moksha. Some other say, that Karma and Jnana
combined (Samucchayavada) is the means. Sri Shankara has refuted the Karma and
Samucchaya theories by strong, sound, convincing arguments and has established
the Truth that Kevala Jnana (pure knowledge alone) is the means for Moksha.
Just as fire is the direct means for cooking food, so also Brahma Jnana is the
Sakshat Sadhana (direct means) for Moksha. The famous Mandana Misra
(Sureshwaracharya) disciple of Sri Sankara has also said in his reputed book
Naishkarma Siddhi that Kevala Jnana alone is the means for Moksha.
Do not say:
“My Karma has brought me like this.” Exert. Do Purushartha. Do Tapas.
Concentrate. Purify. Meditate. Do not become a fatalist. Do not yield to
inertia. Do not bleat like a lamb. Roar OM, OM, OM like a lion of Vedanta. See
how Markandeya who was destined to die at his sixteenth year became a
Chiranjeevi, an immortal boy of sixteen years on account of his Tapas!
Remember, my friends, that man is the master of his own destiny. Visvamitra
Rishi, who was a Kshatriya Raja, became a Brahma Rishi like Vasishtha and even
created a third world for Trishanku by his power of Tapas. Rogue Ratnakar
became the sage Valmiki through Tapas. Rogues Jagai and Madai of Bengal became
highly developed Saints. They became the disciples of Lord Gauranga.
You can also
do wonders and miracles if you apply yourself to spiritual Sadhana, Tapas and
meditation. Read the book ‘Poverty to Power’? by James Allen with interest and
attention. You will be inspired. Draw up a programme of your life. Follow my
Twenty Spiritual Instructions and Forty Golden Precepts. Adhere to the
“Spiritual Daily Routine” prescribed by me. Apply yourself with zeal and
enthusiasm to Sadhana. Become a Naishtic Brahmachari. Be steady and systematic
in your Yogabhyasa. Assert. Affirm. Recognise. Realise. Shine in your native
pristine Brahmic Glory. Become a Jivanmukta. You are the children of light and
immortality, “Tat Twam Asi—Thou art That.”
Continue to read:
Yoga in Daily life by Swami Sivananda
The mortal and the Immortal by Swami Krishnananda
Sadhana and The Divine Life Society by Swami Chidananda
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