Sri Swami Sivananda’s Favourite Formula
The best way in which we can
benefit ourselves whether we are near Swami Sivananda or away from him, is by
carrying out his advice, and because there are so many things which he has
written about in more than 250 books, it may be impossible for us, ordinary
people, to understand everything, even if we have time to read everything.
Therefore, he has been so kind as to condense all his teaching into a few words
which constitute what may be called the Mantra that he is uttering everyday in
our hearing, so that it might sink deep in our minds and enable us to meditate
upon its meaning. I am referring to what he always says at the end of the Sat
Sang, "Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise, Be good, Do good, Be
kind, Be compassionate, Enquire, ‘Who am I?’, Know the Self and Be free."
I consider that this is his favourite formula, the Mantras that he is giving as
Upadesh not in the formal way, but in the really valuable way to all people,
who come and visit him here and this is a Mantra that has also spread in all
parts of the world. If we are to benefit ourselves by the Grace that God has
shown to us by giving us this Guru, so that we may improve, the best way is to
think about its meaning and act according to it in the best manner possible for
us.
Just think about the meaning
of these words, "Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise." Each
one of these words has been specially chosen and the word coming after the
previous one comes with a purpose. It is not placed without any thought. Even a
person in the lowest stage of spiritual evolution can enter into the path of
progress, or evolution, only by serving others. That is the first thing that we
have to do. Serve everybody as much as you can in the manner in which you are
fitted to serve. Now, spiritual service, is selfless service. When you remember
that you are part of the universe, that you cannot live independently of the
universe, that you partake of the blessing that God is conferring upon you only
through others who are living in this universe, your sense of duty will tell
you that you have to serve others. Otherwise you will be selfish. Nobody in
this universe can live independently. He lives only because there are others
who help him in some fashion or other. Therefore, service is only a return for
the obligation that we have received and are continuing to receive from others
in the world. So, that is the first thing. Whenever you do anything, remember
that you are doing it as a sort of repayment of the debt that you have received
from other people. Then if you want to have a little better position in the
spiritual field than you are having, you must invest a little more in the form
of service to mankind. If you have put money in the bank you can take that
money from the bank. But if you want to have more credit, do not take away all
the money you have put there; but go on increasing your investment. Therefore,
serve the world a little more than you have a claim to receive from the world.
So, that is the first thing, Karma Yoga. So, then, in this Mantra, the first
thing that is taught is Karma Yoga.
Naturally, when you have
developed this feeling that you are part of this universe and it is your duty
to do something for the universe, the next stage is reached that you should
love the universe. Here also we are only returning the love that we are
receiving from other people. Love has been shown to us by the parents from the
day on which we were born. In our childhood, the whole world loved us. Who does
not love a child? Therefore, even in returning, we have to return much more
than what we have received. And unless there is love in the world, there cannot
be any kind of harmony even in our own little family or community even in the
immediate neighbourhood where we live, unless we received love and give love
there cannot be any happiness, and mind you, love is the life of Bhakti Yoga.
If you love in the manner in which you ought to, you are loving the world,
recognising that every person has got in him the all-pervading Atman and that
every person functions on account of the presence of God in him. When you
recognise that you are able to talk intelligently to other people, only because
God gives you that intelligence, when you recognise God everywhere, automatically,
you love everyone.
Then, ‘Give’. That is a very
important advice that has to be given to a man. In the Upanishads there is a
story that once thunder was heard as "Da Da Da" by Asuras,
Devas and men. Those who heard the three words, Da Da Da, understood
them in their own respective ways. The Devas said, ‘This is the teaching God
has given us, because we do not have Dama (restraint).’ Devas are known
for their want of restraint, and therefore they felt, ‘We must have restraint.
We are running towards the enjoyment of pleasures. We must have a little more
control.’ And the advice was taken by men as Dana (charity). The tendency
for human beings is to receive and not to give. Asuras have no Daya. Dana is
very important for men. If you search your heart, you will find that out of
necessity you will pay something, give something and even supposing you had
given very willingly, you will be thinking about it and taking pride in your
heart of hearts for having given something, though you may not show the pride
you feel. When you have given charity, you have done something which is quite
abnormal for an ordinary being. Therefore, the teaching that is given us is,
"Remember you are a human being. Rise above the average human being.
Become divine. Give." This is the teaching there.
Then when all these are
practised, the true preparation is made. When you have done selfless service,
have decided to rise above the average human being so that you can make your
life divine, then you become fit to proceed further. Therefore, serve, love,
give, purify. There you have to think of cleansing your mind. Swamiji has got
another set of phrases: "Purify your mind, simplify your life and
intensify your Sadhana." Why should you purify your mind? So that later on
you will not fall a victim to the temptations of your mind. Therefore,
purification is for keeping the mind filled with good thoughts. They should
stick themselves permanently to the mind, and when you have done that by the
practice of Yama and Niyama, by controlling yourself completely, by not
allowing yourself to be led away by temptations, by not taking advantage of the
simplicity of others in business matters or other matters, when you are
avoiding all these bad things you will have purified yourself.
Therefore, serve, love, give,
purify. ‘Then you will be fit for meditation. Suppose you are inviting a friend
to your house. You will first of all keep your room clean. You will not keep
your room dirty. Ordinary courtesy requires that you clean a room before you
receive an honoured guest. Now, if you are inviting the most honoured guest,
God, to take His seat in your mind, you cannot keep your mind dirty. He will
sit only in a place which is clean. Therefore, purify. Then meditation will be
possible. Meditation means that you will be able to keep God inside you. When
once you have cleaned your mind in the way that it is fit for God to dwell in,
then Realisation comes quickly. That is why Swamiji says, "Serve, love,
give, purify, meditate and realise."
When you have developed
yourself into the position of some divine personality, then it becomes your
duty to be positively good. Be good. Till then all the virtuous qualities are
only to perfect yourself. Afterwards you are qualified not only to receive
power-vibrations from God, but also to transfer your power and godliness to
other people. Therefore, you are asked to be good. Perfect goodness is perfect
‘Godliness’. Therefore, "Be good, Do good, Be kind’. "Be
compassionate" comes naturally.
Because, you are no longer
selfish, you will begin to live only for others’ good. Then, "Be kind and
Be compassionate." Then you will be able to understand how other people
are to be benefited by the level you have reached. Then enquire, ‘Who am I?’ Be
conscious of your identity with the Paramatman, and "Be free".
This is the Mantra which we
are receiving every day from Swamiji. Even the person who is very low in the
spiritual evolution can practise, "service". The person who is a
little advanced, can practise Bhakti Yoga. So, it is possible to practise all
these virtues one after another. I would request you to keep this Mantra
running in your mind always, concentrate on the meaning of it, when you have
time, and work out the ideas, always. That is the way in which you can benefit
from the thought vibrations that are always emanating from Swamiji. Now, I am
not qualified to describe him to you, but still I can give you this secret that
saints like our Swamiji can never be keeping quiet at any moment of their life
without radiating vibrations of a spiritual nature. They are always there, and
the result is that when we have attuned our mental radio to the appropriate meter
to receive those vibrations by simplifying our life, by purifying our mind, by
meditating on our inner Self, we shall be able to receive those vibrations and
transform ourselves into divine beings, which we are called upon to become,
having been born in the world and especially in India, where we have preserved
the spiritual heritage of our ancestors. Let us become worthy of them.
Excerpts from:
Sri Swami Sivananda’s Favourite Formula – Philosophy and Teachings of Swami
Sivananda by Sri Swami Sadananda
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