Sitaramdas Omkarnath | Sanaatan Niketan

Naam is Amrit 1

Source: https://www.themotherdivine.com/28/naam-amrit.shtml

MASTER. Jnana, Jyoti are the different aspects of the same Naam.

Q. I cannot quite comprehend this.

A. Take for example sugarcane juice, molasses, sugar and candy. When sugarcane juice is boiled, it becomes molasses. After certain chemical reactions, molasses is turned into sugar or sugar-candy. Though the root is sugar-cane juice, none of it is visible externally in molasses, sugar or candy. From external appearances, it is not at all possible to assume that molasses, sugar and candy are all derived from sugarcane Juice. But the sweetness of sugarcane juice continues in molasses, sugar and candy as well. In the same way Bhaktas taste the same Naam in Vaikhari, Madhyama, Pashyanti and in Para and also in Kirtan, Bhava-Samadhi, Saguna-Samadhi or in Nirguna-Samadhi in different ways. But the root is Naam only. It plays about in different ways and in different forms according to the merit of different persons. Vaikhari is the state of sugar-cane juice. Madhyama is the state of molasses which also has some juice left. Pashyanti is like sugar and Para is candy.

Q. In these two states does the Naam dry up?

A. It does not. The liquid goes away and it becomes thick and solid. But the person, who tastes it at any stage, feels the sweetness.

Q. Sugar has some softness but candy is hard and cannot be chewed. How can one get sweetness?

A. One does not have to chew candy. It is enough to keep it on one’s tongue. If necessary one can grind it to a powder like sugar or dissolve it in water to make a drink. But the substance is the same. As the Bhakta progresses, he tastes the different states of the juiciest of all i.e. Naam.

Q. If it is the same juice which everyone is tasting then what is the necessity of different forms of Sadhana? Some do it in company of others, some do it in company of Sadhus only, some do it in a lonely place and still others give up all company and do it in absolute loneliness. What is the need of practising it in so many different ways?

A. When sugar-cane juice is to be converted into molasses, one requires a big tray, fire and many people to help. But once molasses is prepared all this paraphernalia is not required any longer. The other processes follow and molasses gets converted into sugar or candy. Similarly, for Naam Kirtan, one requires Mridanga, Kartal and other musical instruments. Later Naam is tasted in company of good people or Sadhus. Still later one tastes Naam alone in a lonely place. Finally, all difference between Naam and the Naam-Kari (singer of Naam) disappears. Have you followed me?

) disappears. Have you followed me?

Q. I cannot say that I have. Let me have time to think. Why is Naam called Amrita?

A. From Brahma to the meanest insect, everyone fears death. Sooner or later death will come with its huge open mouth and swallow everyone on the appointed day and so every living creature is frightened of death. As a person becomes immortal by drinking Amrita so Amrita is considered to be the best substance in this world. Hence one compares Naam with Amrita. Though it is contended that there is no greater substance than Amrita, but Naam is greater. Though the gods became immortal after drinking Amrita, which came out of the churning of the sea, but it did not end their sorrows, jealousies and pain. Indra, the king of gods, is always restless lest someone, by dint of his Tapasya, takes away his kingdom from him. This fear always bothers him. If one is performing severe austerities, Indra has to take to so many subterfuges to disturb his Tapasya. But he, who succeeds in his Tapasya, first attacks the kingdom of heaven and drives away the gods from there. Then Indra, along with other gods, has to roam about the earth like human beings. Therefore, though the gods have been immortalised by drinking Amrita, their sorrows and difficulties have not abated.

But one, who has drunk this Param Maha-Amrita: Naam, has no fears left in this world or in the next. He is constantly floating in the sea of Ananda. By gaining love which is like full ‘consciousness’, he lives in this world but is still out of it. The whole world transforms itself for him into God that is consciousness. Nothing remains for him except God. He sees God, eats God, hears God and talks God; — there is no second for him except God. Gazing at the mountains, the sky or the sea, he thinks of the infinite forms of the Infinity and loses his small Aham (ego) in that limitless ocean. Then he stays speechless having lost all sense of himself and his ownself as well.

Sometimes he prostrates himself on the ground to do Pranam to men or women, animals or birds, trees or creepers, insects or worms thinking them to be the same as his Beloved’s loving body; sometimes the internal touch of God sparks off a sense of Ananda (bliss) in him and he starts dancing raising both his arms like a mad man.

“The great Bhakta sees in each animate or inanimate object nothing but the projection of Sri Krishna. Looking at any object, living or inert, he does not see its form, but sees it in the image of his Ishta Deva only”.

— Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita.

Sometimes he behaves as Arjuna did when he said —

“Thou art Vayu, Yama, Agni, Varuna, the Moon,

Prajapati and the Great-grandfather.
Salutation, Salutation to thee, a thousand times,
and again and again salutation, salutation to Thee.”

And he starts doing Pranam in front of him, to his rear, to his right and left and to above and below.
Sitaram, Sitaram, Sitaram.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Naam is Amrit 2

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/29/naam-is-amrit.shtml

Q. You mentioned Jyoti. Can one get Jyoti by only singing Naam?
A. Yes, the more the Naam deepens, the more the Jyoti appears. At madhyama, Jyoti and Nada both coexist.

Q. Does one get Jyoti or Nada first?
A. That is not certain. According to the adhikar, (i.e. merit of the person concerned) Nada or Jyoti comes first.

Q. Will you explain to me clearly what is Jyoti?
Atha Yadatah Paro Divo Jyotir Dipyate Vishvatah
— Again, the light of Brahma, that shines above this heaven, above everything, above all, in the incomparably best and the highest worlds, even this is the light within the body of the man.

Q. Then is that Brahma-Jyoti which illuminates everything is the Jyoti inside a person? But how do I realise that the Jyoti exists within myself?
A. Heat is the sign of the existence of Jyoti. When you touch anyone’s body, you feel the heat. From that it can be concluded that Jyoti exists in that body. The dead body has no heat.

Q. But I have heard that one cannot feel heat in the bodies of great men who are in a state of samadhi.
A. Heat exists in a very fine form in their Brahma-randhra (top of the head from where life goes out), but it cannot be felt by anyone by touching his sthula (gross) body.

Q. What is Nada?
A. Nada is the sign of hearing this Jyoti (light);
— It can be heard in the same way as, on closing the ears, one hears something like the sound of chariot or the bellowing of a bull or the sound of a blazing fire.
— These are the signs of hearing the Brahma Jyoti.

Q. It means that Jyoti is the sign of seeing and Nada is the sign of hearing the Brahma Jyoti. When one sees Jyoti, it signifies that he is seeing the Brahma-Jyoti; and when one is hearing Nada, it means that he is hearing the same Brahma Jyoti. But how is Naam related to Brahma Jyoti?
A. The first word or Naam, which is at the root of all Naam, is Omkar. It is made of three letters A, C, ‘(a, u, m). From the letter A (a), all letters have been created. Hence all Naam is but one or another form of Omkar.

Q. But what is the relationship between the Brahma-Jyoti and Pranava or Omkar?
A. Pranava itself is Brahma. Para Pranava is nirguna Brahma or Apara Brahma (Brahma without attributes) and Apara Pranava is saguna Brahma or Apara Brahma (Brahma with attributes). Para Pranava and Apara Pranava exist like two threads entwined in a piece of cloth.

Q. But I am asking about the relationship between Jyoti and Pranava or Omkar.
— In the sushumna which is lying along the backbone, light like that of crystal diamond, smoke, bindu, nada, kala, star, glow-worm, candle-light, eye, gold, nine-jewels are visible. That is the identity of Pranava.

Q. Then it follows that the identity of Pranava is found in the different varieties of Jyoti and if one can see Jyoti it amounts to one’s seeing Pranava or Brahma.
A. Yes. In the Chandogya Upanishad (Chaper 3), in describing Madhu Vidya, it has been said. “The madhu of yajna (karma) done according to the Rig-Veda is the red hue of the sun, the madhu of karma done according to Yajur-Veda is the white hue of the sun and the madhu of work done according to Sama-Veda is the black hue of the sun. The mantras of Atharva-Veda impinge on the itihasa-puranas and from this one gets fame and wealth. This madhu settles in the sun and appears as its deep black hue. That is the sun’s deep black appearance. Secret practices and meditation give rise to a special kind of madhu (nectar) and this appears as the quivering in the middle of the sun (dityasya Madhye Kshobhate Iva.)

Q. Do all these Jyotis remain in the sun?
A. These Jyotis remain in the sun of the greater brahmanda (world). But these Jyotis also remain in the sun which exists in the small brahmanda, which is in everybody’s heart. Only those sadhakas, whose sins have been destroyed by sadhana, can see these internal Jyotis.

Q. But many other varieties of Jyotis can be seen; what are they?
A. (Bindu Koti Shatani ca) — Jyoti is of billion varieties. Whichever Jyoti is visible, it is the Jyoti of the Omkar. Omkar alone is dancing about as hundred and thousand varieties of Jyoti and Nada.
— Nada is like a pure crystal extending from the muladhar to the Brahma randhra. This Nada is called the Brahma, the Paramatma.

Q. I have heard much. What do I have to do?
A. What will you do? Why not only sing Ram Ram; that will give you everything.

Jai Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Sitaram.

Naam is Amrit 3

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/30/naam-amrit.shtml

Q. Even a great sinner can gain Param Pada by simply singing Naam?

A. Certainly, he can. He does not have to do any other sadhana. Simply by singing Naam, he can go to Param Pada by way of the Deva-Jana. The singer of Naam can gain all the four desirables — i.e. Dharma, Artha (riches), Kama (desires), Moksha (liberation). Kali, which is like the ocean of faults, has this one great virtue i.e. by simply doing Naam-kirtan, a man may gain all the four vargas (desirables)”. Anyone who takes shelter with this Naam, which has infinite power, himself becomes equally powerful. He, who meditates on Purushottama or sings his Naam or does obeisance to him, becomes so meritorious that anyone who touches him or sees him is released from all sins”. Therefore, people go to see sadhus. Sadhus sing God’s Naam. Hence, simply by seeing a sadhu and without doing any sadhana, a sinner is relieved of his sins.

Q. Then Sadhu Darshan is an easier way to achieve salvation than singing Naam?

A. Certainly. ‘Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati’— The knower of Brahma himself becomes Brahma. “By reading the slokas of the Bhagavad Gita, by meditating on or singing Govinda’s Naam or having darshan of sadhus, a man gets the fruit of visiting ten million places of pilgrimage.”

Q. Then why people do not adopt such an easy course?

A. A real sadhu is rare. And a sinful person does not have a desire to see a sadhu; rather he abuses the sadhu from a distance and thus increases his load of sins.

Q. But one cannot live forever with Naam alone; his mind craves for other things as well.

A. Write Naam in your heart and then meditate on it. Sadhus say “Naam is the real image of God.” God comes down as an Avatara in many forms like fish, tortoise, boar etc. to save sadhus and destroy sin and evil. Naam is also one of his Avataras. In the assembly of Kurus, God came as the Avatara of cloth to protect Draupadi from being dishonoured; in Gokul as the calf and the child of a cowherd to please the world; and as the Kurma to hold the Mandara Hill on his back at the time of the churning of the sea. In the same way He has come as the Naam-Avatara to lift the entire humanity from sin. “God Narayana himself appears in the form of letters of the name Krishna and dances on the tongue of the Bhakta.”

Q. I want to sing Naam sweetly; if there is any particular way of doing it, please tell me.

A. Worship can be done in four ways — (1) Naam, (2) Rupa (form); (3) Leela (activities); (4) Dham (feet). Each of these has infinite power, each is God Himself. If a man can develop faith and concentration in any one of these four, he will be able to cross this sea of life as easily as a man crosses holes made by cow’s feet. Each is related to the other. If one holds on to one of them, the rest will also gradually appear.
Sadhus have prescribed the easy way of gaining salvation in the Kali Yuga by chanting Naam and thinking of God’s leela. Thinking of God’s leela sweetens the heart. By thinking of God’s leela, a person can very easily gain Paramananda (great bliss) and gain a good life in the next world.

Q. What do you mean by ‘thinking of God’s leela’?

A. If one hears the story of any act of God and then thinks about it, he is thinking of God’s leela. I shall tell you a story which will explain the unlimited power of the thought of His leela:
There was a Brahmin physician who had the deities of Radha and Krishna in his house. He never did any sadhana or bhajan except serving the deities. He used to write scripts of open-air dramas. When he began writing a script, he used to be engrossed in it till he could finish it. Even when walking on the streets he used to make gestures by his arms and face as if he was acting in the drama; the thought of the drama occupied his mind even when he was eating or lying down. Throughout the whole period of his writing the drama, he would remain engrossed in the thought of God’s leela.
He fell sick of blood-dysentery. He realised that this would result in his death and he told people so. He continued to suffer for something and on the day of his death, in the morning, he told his attendants that his pulse was not beating. A local physician came and found that his pulse-beat had stopped. Then the Brahmin told his relatives to take him to the Ganga. As it was winter and they would have to face many difficulties in doing so, the relatives dissuaded him from going to the Ganga. Then he told them to do his expiation ceremony and bring the deities from the puja room to the sick room. This was done. Later he asked them to take their meals which also they did reluctantly in order to please him. At about noontime, he said that his breath was deep (as happens when a person is about to die). He asked some relations to sing Naam.

In the evening, he had difficulty in breathing. He asked his youngest son to bring some hydrocyanic. The son protested saying that it was a poison. He then said he wanted homeopathic hydrocyanic. Even at this he remembered the proper medicine applicable to his condition. But this medicine could not be obtained. He asked about the time and was told that it was 8 P.M. He then remarked that he would depart from this life before 10 P.M. His relations sat surrounding him and he remained lying quietly. Even before the clock had struck ten, he changed his side in the bed, his eyes become dilated and the relations went on singing Naam. In the midst of Naam, the life of this great man left his body through the way of his eyes and he gained a higher life.

Q. How could it be made out that he had gained a higher life?

A. If one’s life leaves his body by the upper apertures like the eyes, he gets a higher life, this is what the shastras say. This Brahmin gained a higher life simply by thinking of God’s leela at the time of writing dramas.

Q. By which way do such people leave their bodies to get the Param Dham?

A. He, whose life leaves the body by way of the invisible aperture at the top of head (Brahma-Randhra), is not born again. He travels by the ‘Deva Jana’via ‘Archi’, ‘Divasaviman’ ‘Suklaviman’ and ‘Sambatsara’ ‘Devatas’ and gradually goes to the world of sun, the world of moon and finally the world of thunder. Here a spirit comes from the Brahmaloka, and takes him to the heaven.

Q. If one sings Naam, does he go by the Deva-Jana?

A. Of course, he does. “At the time of death, he, who remembers ‘Rama Naam’ even once, pierces through the Surya-loka (world of Sun) and goes to Param Dham (Vishnu Param Pada).”

Q. Then I need only sing ‘Ram Ram Ram’.

A. Yes, sing only ‘Ram Ram Ram, Ram Ram Ram’.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Naam is Amrit 4

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/31/naam-amrit.shtml

Q. Will you please tell me more about ‘Ram Naam’?
A. “In the 'Sruti', ‘Smriti’ and the ‘Puranas’, ‘Ram Naam’ has been very well described. By the repeated ‘Kirtan’ of this ‘Naam’ all the three types of ‘Tapa’ (difficulties) are destroyed.”

Q. Does ‘Ram Naam’ occur in all the ‘Puranas’?
A.“That is not a ‘Purana’ where Rama does not exist. That is not a ‘Samhita’ which does not contain Rama. That is not history which has no mention of ‘Rama’. That is not poetry in which there is no Rama.

Q. What are the three ‘Tapas’ (difficulties)?
A.The difficulties and dangers that are caused by ¨dhi-Bhautik sources e.g., men, animals, birds, snakes, scorpions etc., are called ‘dhi-Bhautika Tapa’. Those that are caused ‘dhi -Daivika’ sources (that is supernatural sources) e.g. spirits or due to the constellation of stars are called ‘dhi-Daivika Tapa’. And those that are caused due to 'adhyaatmika’ reasons (i.e. due to one’s own mind and body), are called ‘dhyatmika Tapa’. The ‘Shastras’ have laid down various methods of nullifying these ‘Tapas’. ‘Sakhya’ has discussed the difference between ‘Purusha’ and ‘Prakriti; ‘Patanjal’ has prescribed ‘Ashtanga Yoga’; ‘Vedanta’ has given the knowledge ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (I am Brahma); ‘Nyaya’ has explained the sixteen objects and ‘Bhakta’ has shown the path of ‘Bhakti’. If one adopts any of these paths according to his merit, he can get relief from these three ‘Tapas’ forever.
“Ram-Naam Kirtan’ is considered to be the atonement for all sins. In the three worlds, there is nothing of greater purity than ‘Ram-Naam”.

Q. Well, you are repeatedly asserting that by doing ‘Ram-Naam Kirtan’ one can see ‘Pranava’ and ‘Jyoti’. Are you imagining these things or are they mentioned in any ‘Shastra’?
A. There is no imagination on my part. On the basis of the ‘Shastras’, I am telling you the great Truth which has been realised by those ‘Sadhakas’ who, by the dint of their ‘Sadhana’, have gained ‘Pranava’, ‘Jyoti’, ‘Nada’ etc.

Q. But there may be a mistake in the realisation?
A. If the realisation tallies with the words of the ‘Shastra’ & the Guru and if that realisation continues for a long time, then it must be correct. In such a case, even if ‘Brahma’ comes and says that your conception is wrong, you may courteously show him the door and tell him that he need not bother about you.
The answer to your question has been given in the Sloka that by Naam Kirtan one can see Tarak Brahma.
“If one sees, hears it, thinks about it and meditates on it, then one can get ‘Atma-Jyana’ (knowledge of self”. But by ‘Naam Kirtan’ alone one can see ‘Taraka-Brahma’.

Q. What is Taraka Brahma?
A. “Om’, this letter is ‘Para-Brahma’, it should be worshipped and meditated upon. These are very fine eight syllables.

“Because it protects you, therefore it is ‘Taraka’ i.e. Protector. Know this that ‘Om’ itself is ‘Taraka-Brahma’. So, you should worship it and meditate on it.”

Q. You have called ‘Pranava’ the ‘Taraka-Brahma’ have you not?
A. It has been said in Advayta-Taraka-Upanishad that ‘Brahma’ is of two types (1) ‘Mirta’ that is visible and (2) ‘Amrta’ that is invisible. That which is perceived by the senses is visible. That which is the ‘Jyoti’ that exists beyond the junction of the eyebrows is not visible”.One should constantly practise concentrating one’s mind in the thought of that which is inside.
“With the help of the ‘Taraka’ one can see the substance at the top (i.e. sky); then with mind concentrated in the sky, ‘Brahma’ in the form of ‘Satchidananda’ is seen.

Q. Does ‘Taraka’ signify ‘Pranava’ and ‘Jyoti’?
A. Yes; one can see ‘Taraka-Brahma’ by simply singing ‘Ram Naam’. This ‘Sadhan’ of ‘Ram Naam-Kirtan’ is not dependent on the success of other forms of ‘Sadhan’. In other words, it does not depend upon hearing, thinking, repeated concentration, or Japa’, ‘Dhyana’ and Prayer. It is self-sufficient unto itself. By ‘Kirtan’ alone, the man attains all that he desires.

“Those, who consider other forms of ‘Sadhan’ equal to ‘Ram Naam’, are like ‘Chandalas’ and they are consigned to ‘Raurava hell.”

“The unanimous decision of the four Vedas is that the only source of all happiness, Ram Naam Param Brahma, gives ‘Prema’ (love) to all. Hence leaving aside all evil tendencies, you should, with great care, do ‘Bhajan’ of ‘Ram Naam’ by body, mind and deed.

Q. That ‘Ram Naam’ is ‘Param Brahma’, I do not understand properly?
A. Why?

Q. You and your Name are not the same — are they?
A. It is true that my Name and myself are not the same. But God and his ‘Naam’ are the same thing. When there is nothing else in this ‘Brahmanda’ other than Himself, then His ‘Naam’ cannot be anything outside Him.

“Whatever can be perceived by the mind, whatever can be seen or heard by the senses like eyes and ears, whatever can by analysed by the intellect, all that is your ‘Rupa’ (form or beauty).”
Whatever is ‘Murtam’ (visible form) or ‘Amurtam’ (invisible or without form) or anything else that exists all that is your ‘Rupa’ (form and beauty). Whatever there is that is poetry, music, song etc. that is also your ‘Rupa’. All songs are - “The form of the sound of song is the body of Mahatma Vishnu.”

“Naam’ is the giver of all desired fruits; ‘Naam’ is Krishna Himself who in the embodied form of ‘Chintamani-Chaitanya-Rasa’; ‘Naam’ is complete in itself, pure, everlasting and free because ‘Naam’ and the ‘Naami’ i.e. the named are not different.

Q. Because there is no substance other than God, so ‘Naam’ is also God. In common parlance there is difference between the thing indicated and the indicator. But in case of ‘Naam’ it is not so. Is this not what you mean?
A. Yes, Sri Rupa Goswami, the greatest of all Vaishnava Acharyas said —
“You have two forms — ‘Vacya’ (that which is indicated) and ‘Vacaka’ (that which indicates). You are ‘Vacya’ and ‘Vacaka’ is your ‘Naam’; Of these two I know the latter i.e. ‘Vacaka’ as the kinder. God is not so kind as His ‘Naam’.

Q. Why is it so?
A. In order to see God face to face, the ‘Bhakta’ has to undergo hard penance, give up everything and to create in himself an irrepressible desire to see Him. But ‘Naam’ is very kind. Whoever has tongue can utter this ‘Naam’. It is not necessary for him to give up all desire for possession, to do austere penance or to develop a strong desire. In whatever condition he is, if a man sings ‘Naam’, sitting or standing, eating or lying, ‘Naam’ does ‘Kripa’ (blessing) to him.

Q. How will one realise that he has received blessing from ‘Naam’?
A. “Naam’ gives ‘Prema (love)”. Shivers, tears, feeling of pleasure are all companions of ‘Prema’. On hearing ‘Naam’ these feeling come trooping in and occupy the body, speech and mind. ‘Prema’ starts dancing both inside and outside the body of the singer. ‘Prema’ takes away all the old ‘Indriyas’ (senses) of this loving ‘Bhakta’ and gives him new senses. That person, who is bereft of all earthly possessions, finds that whatever he sees is God, whatever he hears is God, whatever he eats is God and whatever he utters is God. Everything becomes God to him. Nothing but that God full of ‘Prema’ (love) remains within his cognizance. He says ‘thou’, ‘thou’, ‘thou’ and at last no one remains to be called ‘thou’. He has become one with God.

Ram, Ram, Sitaram

Naam is Amrit 5

Source: https://www.themotherdivine.com/32/naam-amrit.shtml

“Amongst the two, ‘Hari Naam’ and ‘Hari’, ‘Hari Naam’ is the better. Great Hari first considers and then decides that this is Ravana, he should be killed, this is my friend Arjuna, I must be the driver of his chariot; and thus, he settles the result. But ‘Naam’ does not distinguish between the sinner and the virtuous, it blesses both.

Q. Do people even these days get such unmerited ‘Kripa’ (blessing) from ‘Naam’?
A. So many people have received it and so many are yet receiving it. I shall tell you a true story: ‘N’ used to live in Santipur. His elder brother’s father-in - law’s place was in some village in Hoogly district. ‘N’ used to excel in talks, discussions, killing birds and in precocious behaviour. When he used to visit his brother’s father-in-law’s place, he used to keep the whole village awake by the ‘bang’ ‘bang’ of gun-fire. When the villagers heard the sound of a gun, they knew that ‘N’ had arrived. In that village, a Brahmin used to observe ‘Naamkirtan’ for the whole night on ‘Ekadasi’ day. ‘N’ was fond of song and music. For the sake of song (and not due to any devotion to Sri Hari) he used to join the Naamkirtan. In course of time, ‘Naam’ did ‘Kripa’ to him. He developed passion for ‘Naam’. He used to sing ‘Taraka-Brahma’ Kirtan in many melodies. Many people learnt singing from him. Thereafter ‘N’ was no more his old self. He put on a garland of ‘Tulsi’ beads on his neck and calling Sri Chaitanya his own, he established a deep relationship with that hero of Nadia. He would not touch his gun again. Ultimately ‘Naam’ took him to the abode of ‘ananda’ (bliss). Even now many singers start singing the ‘Tarak-Brahma’ ‘Naam’ in the melodies given by him.

Q. ‘Naam’ then does not distinguish between the deserving and the undeserving?
A. There is none undeserving before ‘Naam’.
— “A man may drink wine, kill a Brahmin, steal gold, commit theft of other things as well, break his vows and be unclean (impure); he may be bereft of the study of the Vedas, he may be a sinner, full of temptation, without any religious practice and he may be a cheat; he may not observe any fasts, he may have married a Vrishali (aged girl), had been a drunkard in his previous life and may be a seller of the ‘Soma’ (the juice drunk after a Yaj~a); but even if such a person sings Vishnu’s ‘Naam’constantly, he gets ‘Mukti’ (liberation).

Q. Is drinking a great sin?
— The man who steals gold, the man who drinks, the man who covets his Guru’s wife, and the man who kills a Brahmin — these four and he that eats, sits and stays along with them — all the five fall to hell. Each of these five acts is a great sin.

In ancient times, the Brahmins used to drink. The Asuras made Shukracharya drunk and then made him eat the flesh of his disciple, Kach, along with wine. For this Shukracharya cursed that a Brahmin who would drink would be counted as a killer of a Brahmin, coveting Guru’s wife. killing a Brahmin, drinking wine and stealing gold are sins of the same order. An ordinary thief steals money, clothes and utensils. ‘Bhagna-Vrata’ is he who has broken a vow previously taken.

“If a person takes the vow that he will observe Brahmacharya by body, mind and deed, and later leaves that ‘Vrata’ (discipline) under the influence of ‘Kama’-lust, he becomes a ‘Chandal’ (very low born) in this life and in his next life is born as a dog.” If any one takes up a ‘Vrata’ (discipline) and later breaks it, he is called ‘Bhagna-Vrata’ (breaker of ‘Vrata’).

“Even when in danger or difficulty, a man must clean (purify) himself before doing any religious act.” Unless one has cleaned himself, he has no right to perform any religious act. An unclean person has no right to any religious ceremony. The next sin is not to study the ‘Vedas’. For a Brahmin it is compulsory to study the ‘Vedas’ every day. Study of the ‘Vedas’ is a form of ‘Tapasya’. The ‘Srutis’ have said that without the study of the ‘Vedas’ and practising ‘Yoga’, one cannot realise ‘Paramatma’. After studying the ‘Vedas’ one should practise ‘Yoga’ and after ‘Yoga’ again study the ‘Vedas’; then only the ‘Paramatma’ will appear before him. One who does not study books like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata etc. is a bad and irreligious person; and then comes the person who does not observe any ‘Vrata’ which purifies the body. The person who marries an aged girl is called the husband of a ‘Brishali’. He who used to drink wine in his previous life is a ‘Kunakhi’. ‘Soma’ must be drunk only by Brahmins after a ‘Yajna’; to sell it to others is a great sin. A Brahmin who sells ‘Soma’ can be purified only if he undergoes severe penance and then puts on a new sacred thread after proper ceremony. All the above-mentioned sinners, even if they do not do any form of ‘Prayaschitta’ (expiation ceremony) but only sing ‘Naam’ constantly, can be liberated from all sins by ‘Naam’ alone. And it is not that only his sins are destroyed; this great man, who sings ‘Naam’ incessantly, attains to ‘Mukti’ (liberation) in form of ‘Salokya’ (to be in the presence of God).

Q. Then does it not follow that however heinous may be the sin, it is destroyed by singing ‘Naam’ constantly? When shall I be able to believe this steadfastly by my mind and heart? When will that day dawn for me?
A. Even if you do not have complete faith it does not matter, go on singing ‘Rama Rama’ incessantly.
“A person can gain ‘Mukti’ only by remembering with love the two syllables — ‘Rama’. In the ‘Kali Yuga’, this ‘Naam’ destroys all sins, there is no need to observe any other religious rites.

Ram, Ram, Sitaram

Naam is Amrit 6

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/33/naam-amrit.shtml

Q. Does it follow that even if a person thinks of God with a feeling of enmity, he attains a better life after death?

A. If one constantly thinks of God even with a feeling of lust, anger or enmity, a state of complete immersion in that though comes, which makes him one with God. ‘Sadhus’ say that hearing, singing etc. are the paths of a ‘Bhakta’, who has ‘Satvikk Gunas’. The feeling of enmity (also a form of ‘Bhakti-rasa’) is another path for those who are ‘Asuras’ with too much of ‘Raja-Guna’. Bopadeva has said that any ‘Bhakta’ of Vishnu gets (‘Raudra-rasa’) like Sisupala, Danta-Vakra, Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, all gained their fulfilment through ‘Raudra-rasa’.

Q. Well, the nine types of Bhakti have been described as ‘Sravana’ (hearing), ‘Kirtana’ (singing), 'Smarana' (remembering),
'Padasevana' (serving the feet), ‘Archana’ (worshipping),
‘Vandana’ (singing praise), ‘Dasya’ (serving),
‘Sakhya’ (befriending) and ‘Atma-Nivedana’
(offering oneself completely). Later it is said that by ‘Sravana’ (hearing) alone all the sins are destroyed. Then why is ‘Kirtana’ called the best form of ‘Bhakti.

A. By ‘sravana’ (hearing), you only hear. But by ‘Kirtana’ you both sing and hear. Hence ‘Kirtana’ has been given the foremost place in ‘Bhakti’. But the first thing is ‘sravana’. A sinner’s tongue cannot sing ‘Naam’. When he sheds his sin by hearing ‘Naam’; then he gets the ability to do Kirtana’. Those who are great sinners, they do not even have the right to hear. They remain aloof from any talk of God. But if by any means ‘Naam’ gets into his ears, then it attracts him powerfully to itself.

“Bhrigu said — On hearing ‘Naam’ from Pushkar, the dwellers of hell were immediately freed from it.”

Q. They were freed as soon as they heard the ‘Naam’?

A. Yes, such is the power of ‘Naam’. After giving Diksha to a disciple, when latter falls at his feet, the Guru says: - “Oh my son, arise, you are ‘Mukta’ (free), be of correct behaviour”. As soon as the Guru gives ‘Diksha’, the disciple is immediately liberated. Just as fire consumes a heap of straw slowly and a heap of cotton-wool rapidly, the consciousness of liberation comes to some with delay and to others quickly. “As soon as a person receives ‘Mantra’, he becomes one with Narayana; ‘Mantra’ easily purifies hundreds of people.”

Q. Many people take ‘Mantra’; but only very few are found to have been relieved of their sorrows.

A. There is some delay in case of those who have been born with a large store of sins accumulated in their previous births. But ‘Naam’ does not desert even the worst sinners. ‘Naam’ gives him ‘Param Gati’ (liberation) after three births.

Ram, Ram, Sitaram

Naam is Amrit 7

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/34/naam-amrit.shtml

Q. Does it follow that the process of purification commences as soon as one hears ‘Naam’? Delay only occurs in being completely relived of sin according to the weight of the accumulated sins?

A. Yes.

Q. I am repeating the same question time and again; please do not get annoyed with me.

A. I shall certainly be annoyed if you do not sing ‘Naam’ all the time.

Q. Indeed, I am singing ‘Naam’, please hear me.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Even if a person murders his mother or father, even if he is a drunkard or covets his Guru’s wife, he will gain his ‘Mukti’ (liberation) by singing the Naam, Krishna, Krishna.

Sins arising out of theft of gold, drinking wine and coveting Guru’s consort are soon destroyed by singing Govinda’s Naam.

Q. Do you mean to say that all these grave sins will soon be destroyed by singing Govinda’s Naam?

A. Yes, hear further; these are not very serious sins. Even sins arising out of thousands of murders, thousand types of drinking bouts, adultery with Guru’s wife a million times, theft of much gold and other materials — are all immediately destroyed by singing Govinda Naam, which is dear to Hari.

Q. Please excuse me, but you seem to be exaggerating.

A. If a person, on hearing ‘Hari-Naam Mahatmya’ (greatness of Hari-Naam), thinks that this is only praise and actually it does not happen, that sinner amongst men certainly falls to hell.

Q. I have heard this before also. But is it not a sin to conceal one’s actual thought and outwardly agree with this view? Please explain this to me by an illustration. How is it possible that as soon as one utters the Naam of Govinda all sins arising out of drinking, killing cows and killing Brahmins get destroyed?

A. Well, how long does it take for darkness to be dispelled when the sun rises?

Q. The sun rises after dispelling darkness.

A. In the same way, sins are dispelled even before the sun of Naam arises.

Q. I do not quite understand what you are saying.

A. Whenever in a man’s heart awakens the desire to sing Naam, it is evident that night of sins is about to end. Thereafter, as soon as he starts singing ‘Naam’, his sins are destroyed. Just as a heap of cotton-wool burns rapidly and a heap of straw takes some time to burn, in the same way the understanding that the sin has been destroyed comes to some quickly and to some with delay.

Q. Does it mean that the man’s sin is destroyed at once, only he takes time to realise it?

A. Take for instance a man entering the Ganga for a bath. His bath starts as soon as he enters the Ganga but its completion comes when he immerses himself. Suppose you set fire to piece of wood; the wood starts burning immediately but the end comes only when the entire wood is reduced to ashes. There is something more. Those who sing ‘Naam’ only for the destruction of their sins, do not realise the greatness of ‘Naam’. Sin is destroyed even otherwise.

A sinner gets relieved of his sins by confessing his sins to others, by repentance, by Tapasya (penance), by the study of the Vedas and by helping others in their times of difficulty. Sin is destroyed by 'Prayaschitta' (expiation). Naam is great because it generates love for God. By using Naam for the purpose of destroying sin, which is insignificant, the singer deprives her/himself of the real fruit of singing ‘Naam’. When the sun rises one does not have to implore the sun to remove darkness? Darkness is automatically destroyed as soon as the sun rises.

Ram, Ram, Sitaram

Naam is Amrit 8

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/35/naam-amrit.shtml

Q. Then with what end in view should one sing Naam?
A. One should sing Naam for pleasing God, for the sake of Naam itself, for generating love for God and for His ‘Darshan’ face to face. That best of the Bhaktas who, without any mundane desire, sing ‘Bhajan’ for the sake of ‘Bhajan’ only, is to be worshipped by all.

Q. One should not have the desire even to see God?
A. No, that desire also should not be there — “I love, that is why I love. I do not know why I love, Love is my ‘Japa’ and ‘Tapa’. Love is my ‘Sadhana’.”

Q. If one does ‘Bhajan’ for the sake of ‘Bhajan' only, does God appear before him?
A. The person, who does ‘Bhajan’ for the sake of ‘Bhajan’, gets His ‘Darshan’ much quicker than one who does it for having His ‘Darshan’. Now hear a story of how sin is destroyed by Naam —

In Kashidham, one day a Brahmin came to Tulsidas Goswami and said — ‘Ram, Ram, Ram, I am a killer of cow, hence I am a great sinner! Ram, Ram, Ram.” Goswamiji said — “Well sir, you are incessantly uttering Ram Naam and yet you call yourself a great sinner; how is that possible? Sin cannot exist when one does Ram Naam. You are without sin. Please go and have a bath in the Ganga, then you will have 'Prasad' (food dedicated to God) along with me. The Brahmin asked — ‘Then I have no sin left’. Goswamiji said — ‘No’.

If one does ‘Japa’ of Ram Naam, millions of grave sins are immediately destroyed. On hearing this, the Brahmin, with a happy heart, went and had a bath in the Ganga and had ‘Prasad’ with Goswamiji. There was a great uproar when this news spread in Kashidham. All the residents of Kashi used to respect Goswamiji as he was a great ‘Bhakta’. Then why did he behave in this way which was not sanctioned by the Shastras? Without first getting ‘Prayascitta’ (expiation ceremony) done by this killer of a cow, why did Goswamiji eat sitting in the same line with him? These adverse comments were not passed in his absence only; some Brahmins went to Goswamiji and asked him — “Why did you do this act which is forbidden by the Shastras?”

Goswamiji asked them “Do you accept — the tenets of the Shastras.” They replied — ‘Of course, we do.’ On this Goswamiji said —

If a person always i.e. in his childhood, youth and in old age, commits sin, even he goes to ‘Sanatan Param Dham’ by singing Ram Naam.

Those sinners, who utter ‘Sri Ram Ram Ram’, get relieved from millions of sins in a moment.

A wicked man may commit sins by body, thought and deed, in morning, noon, afternoon and night, but even then, if he does the ‘Japa’ of Ram Naam, which is the Param Brahma, Param Dharma, Param Pavitra (pure) and Param Shrestha (greatest of all), all his sins are certainly destroyed.

Sri Krishna has said that by doing ‘Japa’ of Ram Naam, a person can with ease cross the ocean of ‘Samsara’ — he certainly does it. Are these not the words of the Shastras? If one utters Ram Naam once even unwillingly, his sins gathered during millions of births are destroyed. Then when this Brahmin is uttering Ram Naam, incessantly, how do you all accuse him of being a sinner? The Brahmins said — “Whatever proof you have quoted from the ‘Shastras’ is correct. Yet we are unable to believe that this person has become sinless.” Goswamiji asked them — “What will give you the faith that this man is sinless?” The Brahmins said — “If the stone bull of Baba Viswanath eats from his hand, then we shall believe that he is sinless”. Goswamiji said — “All right”. Taking some grass and a plateful of ‘Maha-Prasad’, they all arrived near the huge stone bull resting near the well of ‘Jnana’. The Brahmin, who had killed a cow, held the plate of ‘Maha-Prasad’ near the bull's mouth. Goswamiji then spoke - "Oh king of bulls, if this Brahmin is sinless, then you take the ‘Maha-Prasad’ which he is offering you.” No sooner had he said this than the stone bull ate up the grass and the 'Maha-Prasad'. Everyone was astonished to the stone bull eating in presence of all in open day light. In the end the Brahmins begged of Goswamiji repeatedly to be pardoned.

Q. When shall I acquire the power to believe that all this is true?
A. God has limitless power; I hope you believe that?

Q. Yes, I do.
A. The Yogis possess the eight powers like ‘Anima’ etc. Do you believe that?

Q. Yes, I do.
A. Then what is there to disbelieve in the fact that the stone bull ate as the result of the prayer of Goswamiji, who was a ‘Siddha’?

Q. This miracle could happen due to Goswamiji’s ‘Sadhana’ and not due to the power of Ram Naam.
A. But what helped Goswamiji to attain this state of ‘Siddha’? It was Ram Naam.

Q. That is true.
A. ‘Naam’ and the ‘Name’ are not different. When you can believe in the limitless power of the ‘Name’ (i.e. God) why can you not believe in the power of ‘Naam’?

Q. That I do not know. You please kindle the faith in me.
A. Repeat ‘Ram Ram Ram’; your faith will come running by itself.

Ram Ram Ram.

Naam is Amrit 9

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/36/naam-amrit.shtml

Grandfather Bhishma told Yudhisthira — “Oh king, ‘Kali Yuga’ is like a sea of faults and vices; but it has one great quality. In this ‘Yuga’, only by the ‘Kirtan’ of Sri Krishna’s ‘Naam’, a person can free himself from all entanglements attain 'Paramatma'. Oh, the greatest of all men, if a man does ‘Kirtan’ of Vasudeva day and night, ‘Kali’ cannot create any obstacles in his path of ‘Dharma’ nor fasten him to woman or gold, nor oppress him with the sorrows of the ‘Samsara’; neither can it persecute him nor create any trouble.

Q. ‘Kali’s’ oppressions consist of wilful act against the dictates of the ‘Shastras’, not distinguishing between right and wrong to gain one’s end, not caring for virtue or sin, false boast and pride etc. Is it not so?
A. Yes, ‘Kali’ is now performing its great ‘Tandava’ dance, nothing but ‘Naam’ can stop this ‘Tandava’.

Q. Is there any special place where Kali stays?
A. Yes, there is. Raja Parikshit gave ‘Kali’ four abodes for habitual living. They are — Gambling, which is a mine of falsehood, drinking, woman, and killing of animals. On being asked for one more, he gave gold. In gold exist all the five evils — untruth, pride, lust, anger and spite. A normal house-holder cannot give up ‘Suna’, wife and gold. He has to live with them.

Q. What is ‘Suna’?
A. ‘Suna’ is the place where living creatures are killed. The oven, pestle, broomstick, hammer, jar and wooden platform for sitting are such places. Unconsciously a person kills living creatures at these places and so he cannot go to heaven. Daily study of the ‘Vedas’, ‘Agni-hotra’ (worshipping the gods), offering oblations to ancestors, feeding animals and entertainment of guests — with these five ‘Maha-yajnas’ the sin derived from killing living creatures at the five ‘Sunas’ is destroyed. If one lives with one’s wife according to rules laid down by the ‘Shastras’ and is non-attached to gold and other possessions and can do every day the five ‘Mahayajnas’ mentioned above, he can escape from the clutches of ‘Kali’ which otherwise destroys for a person both this life as well as the next one.

Q. But everyone has to live with woman and gold. How can one escape them?
A. In case of a person who cannot follow the injunctions of the ‘Shastras’, a woman behaves like a tigress and after sucking his blood sends him to hell. In this world, at the beginning the bond of woman and gold seems pleasant but in the end, they are found to be oppressive bondages. For him, who cannot break the bondage of this chain, achieving ‘Shanti’ will remain an unfulfilled dream.

Q. The mutual attraction for man and woman seems to stem from their birth. What is the reason for it?
A. The two main ingredients of this world are ‘Purusha and ‘Prakriti’. There is no substance in this world where these do not co-exist. Human beings, animals and birds, trees and creepers, molecules and atoms, whatever is living or inert, are composed of these two. A man’s body is also divided in two parts. A man’s left eye, ear, nostril, hand and leg are feminine and the other half is masculine. ‘Sadhus’ say that only the nerve-system of the head goes from right to left and from left to right. Otherwise, all are divided half and half between masculine and feminine. When a man breathes through his right nostril, he gets masculine nature. In the same way, a woman’s right side is masculine and the left is feminine. With the desire to unite with each other, the love-lost man wants the woman and vice versa.

He, that is a mine of ‘Ananda’,
Whilst existing in his own self,
Suddenly desired to play with ‘Viswa-rupa’,
As if a ruby suddenly glittered.
From that radiant globe,
Flakes of radiance spread all around
The Nature-Queen awoke with a smile,
This was the first song of union. In union is birth, in union is life,
In union is its final end,
Union is the life of this world.

Attachment to woman is the bane of this ‘Samsara’. So long this attachment is not ended, a person would suffer from pangs of sorrow day after day.

Q. How can this thirst for union be quenched?
A. As long as one is conscious of one’s body and as long as he has breath, this thirst will continue.

Q. What do you mean by saying when there is no breath? Do you mean after death?
A. No, when the ‘Kundalini’ wakes up and rises from ‘Muladhar’ and goes to the ‘Sahasrara’ to form union with Siva, then the thirst will die.

Q. Is there no breathing at that time?
A. No; in the ‘Sushumna’, ‘Prana’ and ‘Apana’ join with ‘Nada’ and ‘Bindu’ and with them go to the ‘Chakra’ situated in the neck. Then there is no breathing. As long as the consciousness of one’s body is not made to disappear by the practice of constant ‘Samadhi’, the thirst for union with the other sex will not go.

Q. What you are saying relates to ‘Yoga’. But how many people can practise ‘Yoga’? A capable Guru, a suitable place, regular practice, food suitable for the purpose, relatives who will encourage the practice of Yoga — all these are required for achieving success in ‘Yoga’. But how many persons get all these? Please tell me if there is any other path.
A. That is why I am stressing that ‘Kali’s’ ‘Brahma Astra’ and ‘Pashupata- Astra’ are woman and gold. They are present everywhere. One cannot take one step in any direction without encountering them. It is with the help of woman and gold that ‘Kali’ has today become the undisputed monarch of this world. It is no exaggeration to say this. — In this terrible ‘Kali Yuga’, only those get fulfilment who are steadfast in ‘Hari-Naam’. ‘Kali’ cannot inflict any sorrows on them. ‘Kali’ cannot create any trouble for those who constantly sing the names Hari, Keshava, Govinda, Vasudeva, Jaganmaya (who pervades the universe). ‘Kali’ cannot place any obstacle in the path of those who sing ‘Hari-Naam’ and do ‘Hari-puja’ day and night. In the ‘Kali Yuga’, by ‘Hari Kirtan’ alone, one can earn all the merit which a person could get by ‘Dhyana’, ‘Yajna’ and ‘Puja’ etc. in ‘Satya’, ‘Treta’ and ‘Dwapar Yugas’ respectively. In doing ‘Kirtan’, no formalities are to be observed with regard to the place, the time and the persons doing the Kirtan.

— Therefore, in the ‘Kaliyuga’, to sing nicely Hari’s greatness is the real and ultimate ‘Dharma’. The ‘Sadhus’ of the other three ‘Yugas’ praise ‘Kali’ because in this ‘Yuga’. :—

By ‘Hari-kirtan’ alone a person attains the ‘Param Pada’. People, who in ‘Satya’ and other ‘Yugas’ could not gain ‘Mukti’ (liberation), may succeed in attaining ‘Mukti’ in ‘Kali’ by ‘Hari-kirtan’ alone. I do obeisance to Kaliyuga which is the greatest of all Yugas, in which YugaHari-NaamaSankirtana has been publicly acclaimed.So, go on doing Kirtan without a pause —

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Jai Ram, Jai Ram.

Even if one hears or utters in connection with something else the name of Hari, who is the performer of astonishing feats, all his sin is reduced to ashes i.e., destroyed. Then what cannot be achieved if one sings Hari’s Naam with Bhakti?

I am taking complete shelter in that Ram Naam Mantra by hearing or uttering which a person becomes free of all dangers.

Q. If one hears the mantra, even then will it be effective?
A. A. Yes; amongst the five jnanendriyas, Srotra receives the first mention. The source of creation itself is ‘sound’. It is Ear which receives that sound. Skin, Eyes, Tongue, Nose, cannot receive waves which are at a distance or which are hidden from the senses; but Ears have this capacity. At the final stages, it is the Ear which goes on hearing the sound of nada and makes the mind lose itself at the lotus feet of Vishnu.

— A man is purified by hearing or singing the qualities and leela of Bhagawan Sri Krishna who is a friend of the sadhus. He himself removes all evil tendencies like lust from the hearts of those who hear his kirtan.

Q. In order to produce result, does that hearing not depend on the reverence of the hearer?
A. It does not. If by any means Naam enters some one’s ears, it is bound to exhibit its power. I shall narrate a true incident. In Burdwan district there was a village which was full of drunkards. A vaishnava one day arrived there with his disciples and started doing Naam kirtan. The headman of the village was himself a great drunkard and would drink in the company of his son without any hesitation. Many villagers followed their example and would indulge in heavy drinking. The neighbouring villages used to call this village ‘the Drunkard’s Paradise’.

The drunkards would pelt stones on the roof of the house in which the vaishnavas had taken their abode. But the latter did not bother. One day, one young villager told one of vaishnavas that their Gurudeva would not be able to make any impact on this village. But later the same young man came to the vaishnava’s Guru to take shelter under him. Naam then did so much kripa to him that he started crying bitterly (for his past sins). People gathered round this weeping young man. Ultimately, through his medium, Naam took control of the village. Many villagers took shelter with Naam. Even the young granddaughter of the headman started dancing with Naam.

Now that young man is a steady follower of Naam; he goes about doing Naam kirtan at many places and, in his own house, kirtan is held daily. Through his medium, Naam has attracted to itself many other persons and has given them peace and is doing so even now. Incidentally, towards the end of the stay of the vaishnavas in that village, the drunkards would feed them every day with much care and adoration. When the vaishnavas were about to leave the village, large quantities of sweets and mangoes were gifted to them and many villagers accompanied them up to a considerable distance. Hearing works first, one must hear Naam. Unless one hears Naam, he does not develop the desire to do kirtan.

Q. You have said earlier also that by hearing Naam, sins are destroyed. Now please tell me whether Naam gives moksha (liberation) to the singer.
A. No; whatever one prays for before Naam Kalpataru (wish tree), he gets that.

— If a person does japa of a Naam for the achievement of a desired object, then hundreds of his desires are fulfilled.

Naam gives sattva-shuddhi i.e. purifies the Naam-singer and gives him sattva guna; Naam gives jnana to the singer of Naam; Naam liberates those who are seeking moksha i.e. liberation; and those, who sing Naam with any material desires, have all their wishes fulfilled.

Q. What is Sattva-shuddhi?
A. The three gunas: Sattva Rajah and Tamah cannot be separated. Any one of them cannot exist without the others. When Sattva guna is strong, Rajah and Tamah gunas are in a feeble state. But when Rajah and Tamah become strong, Sattva lies in a dormant state. So, these three gunas always stay together. One guna may be awakened, the second one may be asleep and the third may be half-asleep; but in this way the three gunas carry on their functions on the world stage. With the singing of Naam, Sattva guna gets transformed into pure Sattva; with the appearance of pure Sattva, Rajah and Tamah gunas are not awakened again. They fall asleep forever. Then the sadhaka becomes Gunatita i.e., beyond all gunas.

Q. How does Naam give jnana? As far as I have been able to learn, I think jnana is acquired by hearing (from Guru), thinking, regular and sustained practice and analysis. How can Naam do this?
A. God gives the path of dharma to the man of good character, the path of jnana to the man who sings Naam, the path of vairagya to the man who practises dhyana and wealth to the man who worships him.

Q. Though it is true that the shastra has said this, but I cannot believe that one simply utters ‘Ram’ and automatically acquires jnana. I cannot understand this. Will you please explain it to me properly?
A.With the constant repetition of Ram Naam, the radiant Omkar appears. By illuminating the heart, Omkar dispels the darkness of ignorance. Sruti says — Though Omkar is radiant, in the heart of the a-jnani (i.e., man without jnana) it stays with its head down.

— Omkar remains with its head up in a jnani and with head down in a person without jnana.

— In the jnani, Omkar remains with its head up in form of Anahata Nada. Ram Naam first transforms itself into Omkar and drives away all darkness from the heart and the mind. Later it gives the jnana that ‘Everything is Vasudeva’ and takes the bhakta to Vaikuntha while on this earth. For the bhakta at that stage — “Wherever his eyes go, he sees Krishna”. He then swims day and night in the water of Krishna sagar. Just as for a fish there is nothing but water, similarly the mind-fish of the bhakta takes its permanent abode in the Krishna sagar. The fisherman in the form of karma cannot any longer get at that fish in spite of all efforts. So long as the bhakta exists in this body, he plays about swimming and dipping in this sea of love, and when he leaves this body, he becomes one with the eternal Paramananda-maya leela of the leela-maya i.e., God.

Q. Shall I ever be able to attain this state?
A.Certainly you will. When you have the tongue functioning and when you can sing Naam, then why do you worry? Chant, chant constantly.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Jai Ram, Jai Ram.

Naam is Amrit 11

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/38/naam-amrit.shtml

Naam’ is the wealth of the desireless persons. However, even if one desires material fulfilment or Moksha (liberation) or bliss, he gets it through ‘Naam’. ‘Naam’ is the source of all non-materialistic pleasure. ‘Naam’ brings about Vairagya (non-attachment). If anyone desires wealth, high position, health etc., ‘Naam’ gives him all that he desires. Any supplicant before ‘Naam’ gets his desired result. But if anyone prays at the root of this Naam-Kalpataru (Naam tree which gives whatever one desires) only for physical enjoyment and pleasure in this life, he deprives himself of the real effect of ‘Naam’, because though ‘Naam’ fulfils his worldly desires, it does not show him its real self, i.e., the ‘Paramananda’ identity. If any wicked person chants ‘Naam’ in order to get respect and honour from others, ‘Naam’ brings him that honour, but, due to his excessive wickedness, he will suffer punishment also.

Q. What is excessive wickedness?

A. A man may chant ‘Naam’ in the presence of others only; but unseen by them he commits many sinful acts such as coveting others' wives, eating prohibited food and telling lies. For these sins he will have to suffer a great deal of pain and sorrow in this life. He will have to cry day after day due to the pains of illness and sorrows.

Q. Then what is the use of singing ‘Naam’?
A. But that is not taking shelter under ‘Naam’, rather it amounts to deserting ‘Naam’. After getting respect and reverence with the help of ‘Naam’, if one gives up ‘Naam’ and starts doing evil deeds, then those deeds are bound to give him trouble. If you utter ‘Naam’ once, but then abuse sadhus, covet others’ wives, indulge in perjury, commit theft and drink, how can uttering ‘Naam’ once produce any result? Rather you will get punished for not uttering ‘Naam’ regularly.

Q. But you have said: one who utters ‘Naam’ once, all his sins like killing a brahmin, drinking, coveting other’s wife are destroyed and he gets Param Gati i.e. liberation. Does it mean that this is untrue?

A. No, why should it be untrue? By uttering ‘Naam’ once all his past sins are destroyed. But if he does not utter ‘Naam’ any more but indulges in sinful acts, why should he not be punished for that? That by uttering ‘Naam’ even once, one pleases God and gets rid of his sins, has been said by the Shastras. On the other hand, the Shastras also say that there is no greater sin than coveting another’s wife and that if one indulges in drinking, perjury, theft and dacoity, he has to undergo certain punishment. If one continues to indulge in sin but wants to becomes a sadhu suddenly by uttering Hari Naam once, why should he not undergo punishment?

Q. Then the ‘Naam’ which he has uttered once becomes fruitless.

A. No, why should it be fruitless?

If that ‘Naam’ is thrown amongst persons for whom the body is everything, who are devils for money, who are slaves to women, who are avaricious and wicked, it does not produce result quickly./p>

Q. Suppose one dies while committing sins, what good will ‘Naam’ do to him later?

A. That one ‘Naam’ will be his fare for the journey to the next world. It will accompany him, kindle in him good intentions and ultimately make him one with itself.

Q. But that happens in the next life. No fruit is evident in this life?

A. If he wants to see the result in this life, then he must give up all guilty deeds and sing ‘Naam’ daily and incessantly.

Q. What is a guilty deed?

A. There may be ten guilts in connection with ‘Naam’. The first is to speak ill of sadhus - this is a serious guilt. Sadhus praise God. So, he cannot tolerate any abuses hurled at them. The second guilt is to think that ‘Naam’ and the qualities of Vishnu and Shiva are different. The third is to look down upon Guru. The fourth is to speak ill of the Shastras. The fifth is to argue that by singing Hari Naam one does not get the result as described by the Shastras; all the attributes are given only to praise the so-called greatness of ‘Naam’. The sixth is to commit sin under the shelter of ‘Naam’s power; even Yama cannot purify such a person. The seventh is to compare as equals Dharma, Vrata, Tyaga, Homa, etc., with ‘Naam’, i.e., to think that one gets by Yajna all that one can get from ‘Naam’. The eighth is to give instructions about ‘Naam’ to those who have no reverence for it, who are hostile to Sri Hari and who do not like to hear ‘Naam’. The ninth is not to love ‘Naam’ even after hearing about its greatness. And the tenth is to remain attached to pride, affection and enjoyments even when uttering ‘Naam’.

Q. How does one get inclination not to do sins by singing ‘Naam’? How is this possible?

A. Suppose some one hears that by singing ‘Naam’ one is relieved from grave sins like killing a cow or a Brahmin, coveting another’s wife, drinking or speaking lies and entertains the idea that, if he commits adultery or drinks, that sin will be destroyed by singing ‘Naam’ for two hours, or if he commits perjury and then sings ‘Naam’ for an hour, his sin would be destroyed and he will be sinless and acts accordingly, he is a great sinner. He wants to commit sin by making ‘Naam’, the God his abettor. As a result, he suffers from endless sorrows.

Q. Well, the Vaishnavas do Nagar-Kirtan, singing loudly. Do they not thereby make ‘Naam’ available to even men without faith and reverence?

A. Singing Kirtan in loud voice does not do any harm, rather it is beneficial. But if one tries to initiate a faithless, person in ‘Naam’, the latter will not accept the instruction. Rather he will spoil his tongue by speaking ill of ‘Naam’ and also make the instructor share in the sin by making him hear ill of ‘Naam’. Hence to instruct the man without faith about ‘Naam’ is counted among one of the guilts concerning ‘Naam’.

Q. How can one escape from these guilts; one commits them consciously or unconsciously every day.

A. If one takes shelter under God, he is freed from all these guilts. If a man offends Sri Hari, he can overcome this sin only with the help of ‘Naam’ by taking shelter with ‘Naam’. But if one commits offence towards ‘Naam’, which is the well-wisher of the entire universe, his downfall is certain.

Q. Is there no way to overcome this guilt?

A. Yes, there is: —

If by mistake one commits an offence in the respect of 'Naam', then he should take complete shelter with 'Naam' by singing 'Naam' constantly. In this way he is relieved of his guilt.

Naam destroys the sin of those persons who are guilty of offences in respect of ‘Naam’. ‘Naam’ which is kept engaged ceaselessly, i.e., which is sung repeatedly, produces all merit and bestows love for God.

Q. Then Akhanda Naam Kirtan is the antidote for offences concerning ‘Naam’, is it not?

A. Yes, continue singing ‘Naam’ incessantly; let the world disappear from your view. Let ‘Naam’ dance both inside and outside yourself. Sing —

Sri Rama, Jai Rama, Jai Jai Rama

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 1

http://www.themotherdivine.com/30/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Satya (Truth):

Speak the Truth. Satya (Truth) itself is God. He, who is able to take refuge with Truth, can reach his desired goal speedily.
Always speak the truth. Whether in speech, thought or deed, do not resort to falsehood of any kind.
Beware of the tongue; speak less, and let not your tongue utter false or useless things.
Satya is Bhagawan (God). He who takes refuge with truth realizes God. There is no sin greater than uttering falsehood.
Whatever you resolve, or speak: try to defend it and stick to it. When you succeed in this, you will be able to realize your intents without frustrating them– whatever you think of, will come true! There will be no futile endeavours.
Truth is forever the truth, even as Agni is always Agni.

Ahimsa (Non-violence):

Renounce himsa (violence). Nobody will be able to be inimical towards you.
A blanket is made out of the sheep-hair; inspite of the fact that it is among the pure materials, the vaishnavas didn’t make use of it because it is made by troubling a creature and cutting its hair. The fragments of Srimad Mahaprabhu’s cloth are still present in ‘Gambhira.’

Shraddha (True Faith):

Shraddha or faith is the life of all sadhanas (spiritual practices). Where there is no faith, there is nothing.
To firmly believe in the words and injunctions of the Guru and Vedanta, this is the definition of faith.
He who pledges firmly: ‘I will walk the path shown by the Guru with an intellect rooted in belief of God’s existence and thus accomplish everything,’ and follows his Guru’s instructions unswervingly, such a one is said to be endowed with faith. It is faith which confers immortality upon man.
What is devotion and spiritual practice? Guru has asked you to chant Naam; ‘I will follow his command whether I get any experience or not’– singing Naam thus, with firm faith, and sentiments manifest with time.
Shraddha is the proposed end of all siddhis, shraddha is the cause of true knowledge; true knowledge and shraddha are indistinguishable. Therefore, after realizing this, disciples who have belief in Guru and the mantra, they certainly achieve Mantra Chaitanya (spiritualization of their mantra), irrespective of the nature of their Guru.
Those, who are so immersed in evil deeds that they don't care about public censure, fear or insult, or for that matter anything in this world, these have an appropriate turn of the mind; if their consciousness can somehow be directed to God, it can speedily get fixed on God simply because they have a one-pointed mind.

Karma & Nishkaam Karma:

Shastras say, you will have to undergo the prarabddha or those karmas, which constitute this body. Fresh karmas won’t develop if these karmas are exhausted in a lifetime.
There is one Being, one relation who is forever protecting you. He is drawing you closer to His lap. Never forget this. Whatever work you do, treat it as His work and keep doing it. He will take the onus.
Nishkaam karma is divided into three categories:
- Performing religious and secular duties in accordance with the command of God.
- Serving God.
- To be free from the sense of doership and to think that I am doing nothing, everything is inspired by God. Acting in this manner, one is freed of samsara.
Mother! How much karma does a man bring into this world? All that stock will have to be destroyed. It is better to deplete it while singing Naam.

Tapasya (Austerity):

There are several meanings of the word ‘tapasya’. “Tapah dvandva sahanam” – tapasya is enduring of polar opposites like heat and cold, hunger and thirst, and observance of vaak mauna (refraining from speech), kaashta mauna (refraining from speech including communication through sign language), kriccha-chandrayana vrata etc. Some say tapasya is observance of vratas or regimes aimed at soothing the mind.
The knowledge related to Brahma is known as tapasya. Some say – undertaking of fast on ekadashi etc. is tapasya. The shrutis declare “taponaanshanaatparah.” There is no tapasya greater than ‘anashana’ (fasting). Some even name swadhyaaya as tapasya “samanaska-indriyaanaam-ekaagrakaranam tapah”. Tapasya is the name given to the effort of concentrating all the sense organs alongwith the mind on a single object.
Tapasya bestows on man genuine human nature, it is because man does not snap out of the intoxication of the body that he is unable to reach the origin of joy. It is through tapasya that the inebriation of the body-consciousness is removed.
Those who undertake tapasya in order to realize God; those who acquire the knowledge of pranava; the root cause of this world, through tapasya, they are truly blessed.
What is the remedy? Tapasya, adoption of His Naam, hymns, prayers, these are the things. It is strange, human beings have acquired God, but due to the lack of tapasya they have to put up with loud lament despite having God.
Whatever may be the wealth and prosperity enjoyed by human being; it is a product of purva tapasya (past austerities), worship and austerities undertaken earlier. A host of devas and sages attained eminence through tapasya. Those who are desirous of self-development must consider tapasya as their necessary duty.

Tyaga (Renunciation):

Renunciation! Renunciation! Well, there can be no sense-gratification once you have renounced.
Company of people, honour and fame are as disastrous as poison for the sadhus. Foolish sadhus who cannot renounce the company of men have to come to a very sad state indeed.
The magnet is bound to attract, ghee is bound to melt, which is why it is essential for sadhus to be on guard, if they are not cautious ‘Ram Ram Ram Sitaram’, their faces are bound to be tainted with whitewash or lampblack.
Listen, my dear! The devotee does not desire any dharma, artha, kaam moksha; all he desires is service unto God. Devotional service alone is his desired object.
Happiness and joy cannot be had until God is found. Renouncing everything, forsaking all objects and saying: ‘I seek only God’, life will have to be dedicated to God alone.
Renounce everything; he who does not renounce cannot gain peace.
Judging from your dress, trimmings and your cigarette case, I can clearly see you have no desire to be liberated. He whose head burns with fire; can he be interested in clothes and appearances or worldly life? He who has received the funeral offerings of Ganga water, can he be interested in marrying a sixteen-year-old maiden?
All the objects of this world have only sorrow to offer. The extent to which an individual move away from worldly pleasures is the extent to which he keeps himself aloof from experiencing sorrow. He moves far away (from sorrow).

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 2

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/31/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

How to become Desireless & Dispassionate?

If you can’t become desireless with effort– fill your heart and mind with Naam, there will be no place left for any desire.
Continue to endure everything while repeating ‘Ram’, ‘Ram’– pray for freedom from worldly desires. When it’s time for God’s grace, wipe away the collyrium of desires, sever the bondage of attachment and renounce the samsara (worldly existence) dancing with pleasure.
Even a mountain of your wealth will not liberate you from this mortal world, money will only bring misfortune; stay aloof from it.
Both effort and detachment are required. Without detachment it is not possible for anyone to continue efforts.

Seva (Service) & Welfare Acts:

“Aasib jaayib charan sevib”. The devotee finds his satisfaction in this alone. (These are devotees who don't want to attain nirvana but to keep coming back to Lord’s lotus feet, for His service, which is best possible in the human form).
It is service which takes one to the higher regions. Service destroys sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’, and ending body-consciousness, enables one to realize oneself. It is service that leads one to the direct vision of the Beloved God.
Service alone! Service! Service in the material way! Service mentally! The servant does not even realize when and how he was able to become free from the bondage of samsara.

Paropakara (Service to Others):

Having been born in this world and obtained the transient human body, one must forever try to engage oneself in serving others to the extent possible. Paropakara (welfare of the others) is supreme dharma. The enlightened ones consider their lives fruitful by simply serving the mankind.

Just Seva (Service) Isn’t Enough:

Seva without upasana cannot purify the chitta. It cannot gain roots in firm ground, because after performing service for a few days, the chitta falls down to its lower state.
Just seva (service) won’t do, you will have to regularly do a japa of twenty-one thousand six hundred beads-counts. It doesn’t matter whether you are a householder or a renunciate; those who have done this, have gained experiences and supreme joy, while those who engaged themselves in seva (service) alone have dropped seva after a few days and have fallen. It is because of this, many renunciates have fallen from the path.
Even while engaged in welfare activities and service, there is a need to do japa-dhyana etc. The purpose of service is to realize God, therefore continue welfare work, but don’t give up Naam and contemplation of God’s divine sports.

Compassion:

Among the various paths available for assimilation of dharma (virtue), the path of compassion is the most excellent one. It is the compassionate one who is designated a sadhu and attains immortality.

Daan (Charity):

Daan (charity) brings religious merit to the daataa (donor), not the grahitaa (recipient)

Grace:

When one feels naturally drawn to (and shows great respect for) listening to or contemplating on Bhagawat Katha, one must take it that grace of Satguru has descended.
Shuddha-ahara, sadachara, Yathakaal upasana – pure food, virtuous conduct and worship at prescribed hours, these three can rain His grace. The grace comes from above (invariably).

Contentment:

Worldly sorrows cannot reach anywhere near those whose minds have been calmed by drinking the nectar of divine bliss. They constantly dwell in ananda (bliss). Sorrow, hardship, sufferings and diseases run away from them.

Character:

It is by virtue of strength of his character that a man is adored like a God or despised like a devil. There is no virtue that can overwhelm one’s natural character.
Whether it’s a man or a woman, character is a priceless wealth for everyone. This is a wealth which once lost cannot be regained. All men and women must preserve this wealth with utmost care.
In the short run, prosperity may be achieved through unrighteous means (aversion to dharma), and then one begins to see good in it. Thereafter, victory is obtained over enemies, and then shortly after, everything is destroyed.

Shaucha (Purity)/Traditional attire/ Spiritual Hygiene:

The pores of the body throw out impure substances every moment, when you wear clothes such as full trousers and shirt; these impurities stay glued to the body and disturb the mind. “I am the body” – this is ignorance. It is a sin not easily dispelled.
The dirty substances of the human body are released through the pores of the skin, attires such as full pant and long gowns sustains the dirt on the body and afflicts the body with tamasik particles.
Do not use shirt, shoe, towel, bed, bed sheet etc. of another.
It is always a necessary duty to clean up with water after relieving yourself of urine or excreta; what is released from the body is vicious, how can you remain healthy while being clothed in the vapour of your waste matter? How can you pursue sadhana in dirt?
The object of men and women of India is (should be) to realize God– imitating the ways of the West, the educated Indians of today wear full pants and scarcely realize that full pants blemished by urine and excreta is taking them to degeneration.
Water is the source of life, it is from water the life is inspired, therefore the length of time you spend in water for bath etc. makes your body healthy, and the energy of prana is enhanced. That is why the first instruction of the Aryan Rishis was to take bath in the morning.
Rising early in the morning and doing daily ablutions, one must take bath. Through bathing in the morning both the body and mind are endowed with sattvik bhava. The Shastras declare that morning bath rids one of infinite sins.
During the four impure days of monthly cycle of women, one should not seek to unite with a woman. That results into damage to the eyes; several cases of current day men with eye-diseases are due to this.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 3

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/32/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Nature of Guru:

Do not forget Guru is embodiment of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. He assumes the human body in order to grace and consecrate human beings.
First concern yourself with obtaining Guru; once you take refuge with the Guru, all your woes and worries will cease, he will usher you on the path of God. You won’t have to think of anything else. You will be free from all worries.
A father gifts the body; Guru gifts knowledge— therefore in the sorrowful ocean of worldly existence there is none greater than Guru.
Satguru and God are not different; God Himself appears in the form of Guru.
What do you mean by distinguishing between Guru and Shiva? Gurudeva is Shiva personified— He is omniscient. He knows everything! The dirty mirror of your heart reveals the sullied image of Gurudeva, but it is not real.

Guru Mantra:

Try to purify the ground first by repetition of ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’. Once the soil is ready, you will get the seed in fitness of time, and with the receipt of Guru’s Grace, you won’t have to worry about anything.
By being initiated into a mantra, the power of the Guru is gained. The siddha mantra handed down through spiritual succession takes the spiritual aspirant into inner world extremely fast. The purpose of getting initiation into a mantra is to get Guru’s Grace. Guru is none other than God. He imparts His own Self through the investment of mantra; it is to install Guru in one's heart and happily cross over the ocean of worldly existence that the refuge with the Guru is sought.
Sri Gurudeva puts God inside us in the form of mantra whispered into the ears; he decorates one externally by bestowing rosary, holy mark, and robe etc.
The mantra ‘Guru’ is the supreme lord among all the mantras in this world. Without taking recourse to it nobody can advance in the spiritual world.
‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, the devotees should do the japa of ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’ all the time, while standing or sitting, in the day and night. Whoever takes shelter with a Guru, for him the vast ocean of worldly existence becomes small and easy to cross as cow’s hoof. Just keep doing the japa of ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’
By mere utterance of the sub-syllable ‘Ga’ one is absolved of the heinous sin of Brahmahatya, the utterance of ‘U’ indemnifies the individual from sins committed throughout the life. The remaining three sub-syllables of the magic word “Guru” viz. the “Ra”, the “U” and the “Hu:”, once uttered, destroys the cumulative effect of all the sins committed in the past ten million births! By chanting the mantra ‘Guru’ lord Shiva absolved Himself from the sin of Brahmahatya, Parashuram from the transgression of Matruhatya and foremost of the gods Indra from the sin of Brahmahimsa

Guru Protocol:

“I will act in whichever way my Guru, with whom I have taken refuge, commands me” – this is the duty of a disciple. To conduct oneself according to one’s own will is foolishness.
After the diksha your body is in the possession of God embodied as Sri Guru. ‘I’ is turned into ‘this servant’, ‘mine’ is turned into ‘of this servant’— this is the way to conduct yourself.
Meditating on Guru-paduka (wooden sandals worn by Guru) or on Guru Himself and performing Guru-Puja (worship of the Guru) with the mind as its sole offering – these should be done at the Sahasrara (top of the head). External Guru-Puja or worship of Guru-paduka and prayers chanting of Stava/ Kavacha (mantras for ensuring safety and wellbeing) etc. are various forms of service to Guru. Continuous repeating of the Mantra-Japa or, doing it by writing the same on two-petalled lotus (between the eyebrows), and going round the Guru, constitute true service to Guru. Meditating on Kundalini at the Muladhara, performance of mental worships, reading/chanting of prayers and Kavachas and to meditate that He (the Guru) is permeating through one’s entire body – all these constitute His worship. Finally, the Parameshthi Guru-puja (i.e., the ultimate form of Guru-worship) is nothing but uniting the awakened Kundalini at Muladhara with the Supreme Shiva dwelling in the form of a Bindu (pointed light source) at the Sahasrara (top of the head) after penetrating the Six Chakras.

Guru, Mantra, Ishta:

He is the Ishta Devata (Favourite Deity), He comes in the form of Guru; He resides in the form of Mantra.
Without duly recognizing the oneness of Guru, Mantra and Ishta, it is not possible to achieve mantra siddhi. Guru is both mantra and Ishta Devata (Favourite Deity).
Taking Guru to be a human being, treating mantra as mere collocation of words and to see the stone in an idol are all offences leading one to hell.
You were born, you were educated, and you went through samsara, in all this you are merely a body! One day Gurudeva came into your life and accepted you, you became a disciple. From the time the compassionate Gurudeva absorbed you, this body became Gurudeva’s; now the body is not yours. It belongs to Gurudeva now.

Asana (Posture):

A seat made of cloth alone is detrimental to spiritual practices. By laying it on top of a skin or a blanket, the encumbrance is eliminated.
Doing japa seated on an asana made of kusha grass enhances longevity. Tiger skin confers moksha, deerskin bestows son, and japa on a blanket gives excellent siddhi.

Diksha (Initiation):

Diksha is mandatory for everyone. If diksha is not received, the oblations water from one’s hands is not purified. Husband does not become Narayana merely by dubbing him so. One needs to receive diksha and perform spiritual practices to realize the state of perceiving the truth.

Which Form to Meditate On?

Whichever form appears while you are meditating, contemplate on that form; there is no need to forcibly conjure images.

Siddhis (Spiritual Powers):

Siddhi (spiritual powers) is an indication of the fact one is making progress in spiritual practice. When one performs sadhana (spiritual practices), siddhi is certain. One must be indifferent to siddhi and perform spiritual practices to the best of one’s abilities until the main goal is reached. You will surely realize your Ishta (favourite deity). You surely will!
Japa, dhyana and tapasya are His forerunners, He sends them ahead to purify the heart of the devotee– human being doesn’t do anything.
Experience of Jyoti, Naad and such other encounters are not futile imaginations. It takes years to pass M.A. and be capable of earning money. (Spiritual experiences likewise don’t happen overnight). If a genuine seeker after liberation undergoes atonement according to the scriptures and performs spiritual practices as directed by Sri Gurudeva for three months, he is bound to experience the truth of these things, and be blessed with personal realization.
Though the goal is realization of your Favourite Deity, all the siddhis (extraordinary powers) concomitant with it are bestowed, even if you don’t wish for them.
Through ascetic practice sattva guna is acquired, the unattainable is attained; every wish borne is amply satisfied.
Through the grace of Guru, the devoted disciples succeed in gaining siddhis swiftly.
Just as it is meaningless for a beggar to declare ‘I don’t want a lakh of rupees’ because anyway a lakh of rupees are not lying on the street side to be picked up, it is meaningless for a person lacking faith in the word of the Guru, and incompetent in renouncing worldly pleasures, to say ‘I don’t want siddhis.’
He, who pretends to be Shiva and impersonates Him even before actually attaining to Shivahood, will have to suffer the burning pain of poison and the striking of the snake.
Sometimes fear of death can also loom large, but at that time one must perform spiritual practices with greater determination. Do not desire to acquire vibhutis, let no thought of gaining honour from people come to your mind, if it does, banish it immediately.
Mantra siddhi is impossible without firm faith in Gurudeva. Whether the Guru is a fool or a scholar, given to virtuous conduct or evil ways, He is still a devata (God). He is the only recourse.
To cheat people by dressing up like a sadhu amounts to deceitful behaviour. Efforts aimed at conquering one’s own mind can never be deceptive.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 4

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/33/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Naam, Thakur’s Favourite:

People love Baba (Sitaramdas Omkarnath) in the same proportion as they repeat Naam; your Baba loves Naam very dearly. Forever and ever sing Naam to Him.
To chant Naam is to do great service to Sitaram. Consider yourself to be akin to a blade of grass. As you sing Naam, earn the virtue of tolerance of a blade of grass.
“I” am no different from Naam; sustain the Naam on the tongue, in your breath, in the mind, in the heart, uphold Naam everywhere, drown yourself in Naam, only then will you be able to live in my heart and all the burning pain will cool down.

Naam, the Kaliyuga Remedy:

In this Yuga, there is no other way than taking refuge in Him and chanting Naam. ‘I take refuge in you’, ‘I am at your mercy, protect me!’ – reciting this mahamantra and chanting Naam while sitting and standing, eating and lying down– this alone is the supreme remedy.
In Kaliyuga one of the most accessible, simple, easy, joyous and incomparable means of welfare of the world is to steadfastly take refuge in Naam-Sundara. Name (of God) and God are one and the same.
The means to attain bhakti (devotion) is Naam; Naam helps grant salvation to individual selves in Kali Yuga; that is why the virtuous, as well as those adept in perceiving the essence, highly revere Kali Yuga. The beings of the other Yugas desire to be born in Kali Yuga.
Naamkirtan alone is the way in Kali Yuga. The specially qualified one gets more fruit out of writing Naam than kirtan; he is freed from incurable maladies.

Tarak Brahma Naam:

Hare Krishna Mantra has a foundation in Vedas, Tantras and Puranas. Sri Mahaprabhu preached this Naam. This is the Naam-deliverer of Kali Yuga.
The path of Naam Samkirtana is simple, straight and easily reached. The splendour of My Name transcends even that of Veda and Vedanta. Those who forever sing the Name of God are equally worshipped in all the three worlds. Their blessing delivers the sinful and the afflicted.
There’s as much bliss as you sing Naam!
There’s as much bliss as you sing Naam!
There’s as much bliss as you sing Naam!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare
If you sing a great deal of Naam, great deal of bliss will come to your lot. There’s as much bliss to be enjoyed as you chant Naam.
To seek authentic welfare of every devotee, and to bless them, preach the adoption of Tarak Brahma Naam: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare, may it be sung to the accompaniment of khol and kartaal and with dance. That is enough. This alone will manifest the Anahat Naad.

Singing Naam Aloud:

By singing Naam loudly the birds and the beasts, plants and trees, are all sanctified (by listening to Naam), the Naamkari is also sanctified. There’s one more thing: normally only those who are in close vicinity hear Naam, but by singing it loudly Naam will mix with air and reach those who are even five hundred feet far. It will sanctify the atmosphere, the distant ones will be blessed, and breathing in this charged air, their hearts will be purified.

Naam Is Easy. It’s for Everyone:

Naam is definitely a great spiritual practice, but it is not difficult at all. It is something which children, old men, young boys and girls, everyone can do. By adopting Naam, one can be rid of sorrow, disease, distress and suffering. This is a practice that embodies the essence of various sadhanas (spiritual practices).
There is no one who is free from physical or mental disorders. Nor is there anyone who is free from all wants. That is why it is necessary for everyone to repeat ‘Ram’, ‘Ram’. ‘Ram Naam’ means Name of God. Whichever Name (of the deity) has been given by one’s Guru, by repeating that very Name, man succeeds in reaching the destination.
Self-restraint and sacred texts establish a man in supreme bliss. He, who is good for nothing and cannot undertake to purify food habits, cannot seek association of holy men, nor do any worship, the way for such a person is ‘Ram Naam’.

Shabda Brahma:

This world is created from Shabda (sound); whatever is visible outside is the manifestation of compact mass of Shabda (sound). Inside, the same Shabda or Naad sports, in the form of Para in the anal region, Pashyanti in the navel, Madhyama in the heart and Vaikhari in the tongue. This Shabda is indeed God.

Nature of (Naam):

Everything in this world is asat (unreal), only Naam is sat (real).
There is but one single entity – it is seen as a form with the eyes, ears hear it, skin touches it, and the tongue tastes it. The entity is but one.
Shastras have proclaimed it loudly – other than the inferior pleasure of the senses, there is a great joy on earth which is sublime and supreme. This very body can experience it; it can be obtained in this Yuga only through chanting of Naam.

Shravan & Kirtan:

In shravana (listening to Naam) only shravana is achieved, but in kirtan (singing) you have the benefit of both shravana and kirtana, therefore kirtana is considered superior.
The root lies in shravana (listening to Naam). The tongue of the sinner is incapable of singing Naam. After having recourse with shravana (listening to Naam) repeatedly, when the sins deplete, then the tongue gains power to sing Naam.
Extremely sinful ones do not even have the fortune of shravana (listening to Naam). These people stay far away from any contact with God. If somehow Naam manages to reach their ears, it attracts them to by dint of its own force.
You are listening to God’s lore; if you will remember God while listening to His divine sports, you will gain more joy. To forget Him and to recite things inanely gives no joy.

Sufficiency of (Naam):

People who are capable of chanting Naam continuously need to undertake no other spiritual practice. But how many can be so fortunate? That is the reason Gayatri Japa, at the three prescribed hours, japa of the Ishta Mantra and reading of the sacred texts extolling the divine sports, need to be undertaken daily.
Those who take refuge with Naam and try to conduct themselves righteously according to their ability, they entertain merely the desire: 'I will forever adhere to Naam'; they don’t have to worry about doing anything else. These are the people I hold close to my heart.

Power of (Naam):

Even today a man can attain God by chanting Naam. I don’t say it just once; I avow it a hundred times, thousand times, a million or zillion times that even now men can see God.
It is possible to win His grace by chanting ‘Ram’, ‘Ram’ while sitting and standing, eating and lying down. There is no doubt about this. Those desirous of God’s grace can test this out on their own.
Keep chanting Naam always and blow away the frenzied tensions of the mind, and difficulties (which the scriptures report to) on the path of spirituality, with the help of the Naam-cannon.
With the cannon of Naam blow away all your deficiencies, disturbances, grief, unhappiness, disease, and distress; carry on unperturbed. Sitting or standing, eating or sleeping, sing Naam– Victory to Naam! Victory to Naam! Charaiva iti charaiva iti – march on; keep moving ahead! Jai Sitaram!
Sing Naam. Naam alone is the great net to catch the prana. By singing Naam a devotee can succeed in taking prana to prananath (lord of the breath) and make even God his eternal companion.
Once you take refuge with Naam, there is nothing to worry. The waves of the ocean of samsara will leave now.

(Naam) Satisfies Desire:

Naam is the wish-yielding tree. Whatever you desire of it, you will get it. You will surely get it. If anyone sings Naam with one wish in mind, a hundred are fulfilled.
Are you crying due to the grief due to lack of food, clothes and money? Sing Naam, sing Naam! Whether you desire it or not, food will be heaped at your doors, you will be able to feed thousands of people. Without seeking it, lots of money will fall at your feet. You will not have to worry about clothes; infact you will be able to distribute clothes to people. Even if you want to renounce it, the objects and wealth you are indifferent to, will follow you. I am in no way exaggerating. Should you require proof, come to me I can give you a testimony of this.
“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare” –Keep chanting this Mahamantra continuously. You will not have to worry about anything; God will take care of your entire burden. He will look after all your needs; you will be free of all tensions. Just keep chanting Naam. Don’t let a single breath waste away.

Naam Is Too Powerful for Worldly Good, Sins Etc.

Repentance, austerities, reading holy texts and giving charity during times beset with difficulties, even these can exhaust one's sins. Therefore, it is inappropriate to take refuge with Naam for the purpose of destroying one's sins. ‘God, be thou pleased with me!’ this is the sentiment a devotee must harbour in mind while adopting Naam. One doesn't need to summon an elephant in rut to kill a mosquito!
It is possible for a supplicant to get the desired object through Naam. But those who sit beneath the wish-yielding tree of Naam and seek worldly pleasures; they are deprived of the ultimate good. Naam satisfies their desires; it does not reveal its supremely blissful nature of truth to them.
He who enthrones Naam on the asana (seat) once, he doesn’t have to think of anything; the second seat is naturally taken by God. Wealth rolls at the feet of he who sings Naam.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 5

Source: http://www.themotherdivine.com/34/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Pranaam:

Always offer pranaam– this way, no matter who you are, and how much impurity there is in you, you will still attain to Me. You will surely reach Me; that’s certain! I give my unfailing assurance that I will appear in your vision, I will surely reveal Myself to you.
Pranaam means "Na Mam"! (‘Not mine’ or ‘this body is not mine’). ‘Lord! This is your body.’ Sacrificing oneself thus, the sins are destroyed; God’s compassion rains down … Ram! Ram! Sitaram!
It is our duty to offer pranaam– in the case of those who will not let you touch their feet, bow before them from a distance. (That is why they say it is always good to offer pranaam to everyone from a little distance). It is our duty to offer pranaam, and we must always do it.
‘Everyone is a part of the vast body of God, mentally contemplating thus, practice offering pranaam to all. He alone is disguised in everything. Human beings see friend and enemy, good and evil, due to the vision marred by one’s sins.
If possible, bow down in obeisance to the elders three times daily. ‘Everything is a part of God’s body’— thinking thus, one must make it a practice to offer pranaam to all objects.
When people look at a holy man and offer pranaam to him, if the holy man returns a glance, the sattvik current in his body purifies the one who offers a pranaam with a mere glance.
He who obtains a sight of anything holy has his sins destroyed; that is the reason a pranaam is tendered. The sattvik currents pass into him in proportion to the deference he shows (to the holy entity).
A pranaam that involves full prostration helps a holy man see and bless the entire body. His sight purifies the entire body of the supplicant. The merit and purification are reduced, to the extent body is revealed when bent on knees, and further reduced, when one joins palms to offer pranaam.
God can be realized easily. Pranaam! Pranaam! If you can offer just pranaam, you need to do nothing more. God declares in the Gita– “maam namaskuru” (offer obeisance unto me).
To worship and realize God with mere Pranaam– no path easier than this has ever been heard of! (There was a time) I felt like running up to people and telling them: “Listen! You just do pranaam. You will liberate yourself with that alone.”
All is mine…this is rooted in “I am the body”. Namah na mam namah– one ‘m’ kaar has disappeared. This body is ‘na mam’– it’s not mine! It is only to forsake this body in the spirit of surrender that you must take recourse to namo namah.
Progressively as bhajan (singing in praise of God) helps build more and more sattvik currents in the man’s body, he evolves; his mind is turned inwards and he enters the realm of Anahata Shabda. Then properly communing with it, by His advice ‘Aham-Mam’ i.e. the awareness of ‘I-Mine’ is at once dispelled. This is to be reckoned as mukti (liberation).
Say what you like, but all the Shastras proclaim that a holy man, sight of the Guru, touch, pranaam, service, drinking the water from Guru’s feet, eating the remains of the food offered to the deity– all these help grant peace even to the gravest sinners.
The place where the holy men and the devotees of God live is surcharged with sattvik vibrations in great concentration. Whoever visits these places experiences the flow; these sattvik vibrations enter into their body, waves of joy permeate their being.
Trinadapi sunichen taroriva sahishnuta amanina manadenkirtaniyahsada Harih. Forever committing the meaning of this shloka in one’s heart, one must try to act accordingly.

Nature of Mantra & Japa:
Purpose/ Nature:

Japa is the sole expedient for this Yuga. Drown yourself in God while doing japa.
There is no simpler way than this. No matter which state you are in, sleeping or awake, standing or sitting, pure or impure, by doing japa a human being can achieve perfection. Can there be a better hope than that?
Those who are forever engaged in internal or external japa are indeed jivanmuktas– free of worldly existence.
The extent to which a person can undertake japa is the extent to which a person can be submerged in God. The purpose of japa is to increase the divine touch. Increase japa, you will be able to gain more of the divine touch; if you don’t forsake japa, you will stay submerged in God.
The fruit of a host of spiritual practices is gained through conscientiously pursuing oral japa alone.
On the foundation of japa stands the palatial building of Brahma Jnana. If you try to raise the palace of Jnana without making the foundation strong, you will merely turn into a hollow prattler of profundities.
The purpose of japa is to still the mind. If the body keeps moving around, how could the mind become still? Therefore, doing japa while strolling and walking makes the mind still. Similarly, japa while sitting still on the asana gives joy.
As long as there is a stock of evil deeds done earlier, no joy may be derived in japa; even so, it is not to be considered futile. Keep doing japa whether you derive any pleasure or not– I am sure you will experience the grace of the Divine Mother!

Japa Considerations:

All mantras spring from Shiva. To utter anything out of one’s own sweet will or fancy does not make it a mantra.
If the Gayatri mantra comes to your mind as you are chanting Ishta Mantra, repeat the Gayatri Mantra. Every day you must chant one thousand-count Gayatri Japa. Regularly observe the sandhya worship.
If there is a tendency to pass urine or stools during japa, one must go and relieve oneself first and then pursue japa.
There is no harm in performing mantra japa at any time or any place. Ceaselessly engage in mantra japa, peace will dance inside you and on the outside; there will not be even a trace of unrest.

Manas Japa:

Contemplating upon the syllables of the mantra, one after the other, and writing them mentally in the heart or in the region of the third eye, and uttering them mentally, is called manas japa.

Process Experiences in Mantra Japa:

By tying the rope of japa to the pot of Guru-endowed mantra and then dropping it in the well of one’s heart, one must draw it up uttering ‘Jai Guru’; this can yield excellent spiritual water. It is a way in which human efforts are sure to be crowned with success.
As one keeps doing japa, the mind is purified. The tendencies of sattva, rajas and tamas are transcended; trembling, tears, thrilling of hair, Naad-Jyoti etc. appear, the soul is filled with joy, and there is tremendous eagerness for vision of God.
While doing mantra-japa bestowed by one’s Guru, when Naad and Jyoti appear, then the disciple is able to clearly discern ‘I am not the body,’ one sees the continuity of embodiment, and attachment to the body is dispelled.
Women and men of other varnas (other than Brahmins) will decidedly experience the rise of Shakti after they complete one lakh japa count of Ishta Gayatri Mantra at the rate of thousand Japa count daily. Those who complete twelve lakhs will see fulfillment (of their desires). After that, it is their duty to take up Naam Samkirtan, the great sadhana of Kaliyuga, every day.
While chanting ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’ –God’s ambassadors appear in the form of sattvik bhavas (divine sentiments) – tears, thrilling of the body hair, rapture etc. Thereafter, God appears in the form of Jyoti and Naad.
Shastras state that ten billion varieties of Naad and one billion kinds of Jyoti play within, either manifested or unmanifested. Once the Naad is awakened it is sure to drown in Param-Naad.

Stillness in Japa:

To be able to count japa on the palm is a rare blessedness. Every day, after accomplishing a predetermined count of japa sit down with palms joined for as long as you can.

Mantra Shesh/ Realization:

When the (inhalatory) breath is in the left nostril, Kundalini is asleep. She is regularly awakened when the (exhalatory) breath flows through the right nostril. Special awakening happens through japa-dhyana etc.
How can one realize the Atma (Soul)? Guru bestows a mantra, doing japa of that mantra regularly, the Atma in the shape of Naad and Jyoti is revealed in the heart. Then the awareness that ‘I am the body’ is progressively dispelled. Jiva is immersed in delight. One is freed from samsara.
As soon as you have fully realized the mantra by chanting it until it is drowned in its original sound body, you will realize you are not a creature imprisoned in the mortal cage and afflicted by disease, sorrow, sins and burning pain. You will realize you have become as unfathomable as the ocean, as vast as the sky. On your left and right, front and back, above and beneath, happiness is dancing. All around you, in all the ten directions, a wave of delight has risen. You are immersed into the ocean of bliss.
No matter what, don’t waste the rare human birth! Listen! Sense-gratification is available in the womb of even a dog and a pig, but mantra cannot be gained in any other birth. You have received it. “Mananattrayate” – it is through the mind (mana) one is delivered.
O Traveler! Do not cry! Put an end to this. Take the mantra to its logical conclusion (mantra shesha). Just once, try with all your might to merge your mantra in its original sound-form. I pledge this under oath – as soon as your mantra ceases, you will derive supreme bliss – you are sure to obtain it!
Let the mantra attain chaitanya (be instilled with life), may the (divine) experience dawn; it is then saguna samadhi will be possible. The five transcendental objects of the senses will present themselves– transcendental sound, touch, sight, taste and smell. By adopting any one of these you will attain samadhi. It is only after this, that all talk of jnana is valid. There are several penalties for a fake jnani. Be Shiva; don’t impersonate Shiva.
The Shastras are endless, several are the subjects worthy of knowing, there is limited time and obstacles abound. In this very brief interlude, it is only appropriate for every well-meaning devotee of the Lord to work towards fructification of the Ishta-Mantra bestowed by his or her Guru, rather than debating over so many Shastras.
Mantra is peace– take the mantra to the culmination point with constant repetition–then you will realize what a great gem Gurudeva has conferred upon you.
To bring about mantrashesha is to dissolve the mantra to its original state; it means mantra will come to an end. It will cease to exist. The mantra will help you realize God, and cross over birth, death, old age and sickness, and eventually join the joyous ocean of its essential nature.
You won’t have the power to pronounce the mantra. As soon as your mind beholds the mantra, your prana will internally become still. You will see God; the mantra will cease. Leave alone uttering it, at that time you won’t even be able to remember it.
I affirm this on pledge, and proclaim it at the top of my voice, if you can take the mantra to the point of culmination, repeat it till it’s dissolved it in its source (mantra shesh); you will attain liberation. You will surely attain it, yes you will!
Those who are able to get a glimpse of the supremely blissful One, thrice a day (at Sandhya hours), soon get established in the realm of delight.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 6

http://www.themotherdivine.com/35/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

How much Japa?

Keep doing japa; let the days and nights pass one after the other while you have refuge with Naam, let your seat of meditation be well established. ‘Asana jayaat prana jayah.’ When you conquer asana (stay firm in your prayers in a single spot), you will triumph over prana (vital breath) too. Just watch! God Himself will grant you vision thereafter.
You have been blessed with this life with Guru’s grace. You have received the mantra. Put that mantra into practice through japa and make progress. Be scrupulous in doing japa in the morning, midday, evening and midnight. Mantra is no ordinary thing. Mantra is God.
It is advisable to do japa constantly; it is for the bounden duty of a brahmachari to make a firm resolve in this matter. Let not the tongue rest without Naam even for a moment. Thereafter, the grace of compassionate Lord will descend on him.
Many people take diksha (initiation) just for the sake of amusement. They give up the required practice in a month or two. What can even a Siddha Guru do for this kind of disciple? It is not fair to do this; if not a full course of a thousand counts; somehow one must do japa 108 times. Effort is a must. How can one expect fruit without any effort?
Gurudeva hasn’t bestowed mantra alone; he has gifted God in the shape of a mantra. If you chant that mantra ten or twelve times or a hundred and eight times, how can you gain peace? At least for six months, try and do a japa count of 21,600 daily and then see whether you get peace or not.
Virakta sadhus (renunciates) should carry out one lakh japa-count daily and the householders must achieve a count of 25,000 Naam Japa every day.
The first duty of the spiritual aspirant is to perform minimum of one hour of japa thrice daily— at the dawn, noon and dusk. Thereafter, once there is growth of sattva guna, sleep will decrease, and it will be possible to get up in the morning after meditating in the midnight.

Writing Naam/ Likhita Japa:

Those who can write must write (Ram Naam). Depending upon competence, adopt the practice of meditating upon the favourite deity, sushumna etc. This will bring you supreme bliss. Basically, only when the Naad is gained, dhyana is to be practiced.
By writing Naam, it is possible to quickly get bindoo darshan. Utterance of Naam may not touch the mind, but writing ‘Sri Ram Ram Ram’ while saying it puts into action the ‘tongue’, 'eye' (which is superior organ among the senses), ‘mind’ (the lord of the senses), and also the ‘hand’. It is not possible to write Naam without involving the ‘body-speech-mind’ triad; as a result of this synthesis, abundant sattvik vibrations are attracted to the being. It removes the impurities of the body, frees one of disease and bestows Naad and Jyoti.

Ma Japa:

Blow up the desires, more impenetrable than even the forts made of iron, with the cannon of ‘Ma’ Naam. Lust cannot come anywhere near person who chants ‘Ma’, ‘Ma’, ‘Ma’.
Do not consider yourself happy or sad on account of false joy and sorrow arising from this mortal frame, home, wife and children etc. – call out ‘Ma!’… ‘Ma!’ … Enter the blissful world of Mother!

Dehatma Bhava:

As long as there is ‘I’ (pride and ego) nothing can be achieved. The root cause of all sufferings pertaining to the outside world lies in the ignorance ‘I am the body.’
Life after life, human being has gone astray out of sheer ignorance, mistaking the ‘physical body’ to be ‘the self’.
You are not the body – you have heard this from the Shastras and holy men; but you have never tried to experience the truth underlying this. The awareness ‘I am the body’– this is ignorance. As long as this body-consciousness is not dispelled, you can’t find your own self.
The simple way is to chant Naam incessantly. The weakness lies in false identification— in the awareness 'I am the body'. Just as a fish lives in water, but the fish and the water are independent entities, an insect lives in a fig but the insect and fig are separate. Similarly, the body and the spirit (Atman) are distinct from each other– to consider body to be oneself, this is ignorance-sin-vice (call it what you like).
Sin consists in deha-abhimana, in things like 'I am great' etc.
‘If all this is the body of God, then my body is also His.’ Reflecting thus, the devotee is filled with joy; he is not scared by the praise of the body, he takes the glory of the body to be glory of God and rejoices in it. As long as he maintains the body, he rejoices in it calling it sporting ground of God. Oh! How wonderful! How delightful!

Ego:

Be free from ego– by no means let the feelings like “I am great” or “I am knowledgeable” or “I am virtuous” etc. find room in your heart.
The purpose of human life is direct vision of God. So, keep making progress. Let trivial hatred, violence, the foolishness of “I am great”, “I am intelligent” etc. go away. Regarding everyone as just another manifestation of your favourite deity, learn to respect everyone in thought, deed and action.

Me & Mine:

The root cause of the disease of samsara lies in ‘I’, ‘my self’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’. The degree to which ‘me’ and ‘mine’ is pronounced in a man, to the same degree is his misery enhanced.
Whatever is happening in this world, whatever has happened, as also whatever will transpire, is the work of merciful Lord of this universe. He shines forth as the primordial cause, but reflects in the form of the doer. It is the foolish men devoid of philosophic knowledge who vainly entertain egoism.
No matter who you are, if you develop pride, there is no release for you. Someday that pride is bound to get shattered; you are bound to weep saying, ‘Oh! I am nobody, I am helpless!’
You will not have to renounce the worldly life; you won’t have to go into the forest; wherever you are, you still can progress on the spiritual path and be in the world of bliss! The suffering is only because of sense of ‘me’ and ‘mine’.
The sorrow exists as long as one feels a sense of ‘mine’ with regard to samsara; the moment one feels ‘this samsara belongs to God and not me’, there can be no trace of sorrow. Life of a householder is in itself a service to Sri Gurudeva. Being fearless with this sentiment and serving Guru (latent in samsara) and chanting ‘Guru, ‘Guru’, ‘Guru’, one must reach fulfilment.
There is as much suffering, torment and grief as there is ‘me-me’, ‘mine-mine’ and masquerading in the external world.
The day no bubble or wave of ‘I’, ‘I’ rises in the heart, that day you can assume Gurudeva has truly assimilated you.
What you refer to as ‘I,’ is the body of Sri Sri Gurudeva. He alone is performing Leela in this world assuming the form of ‘I.’ This body is His Leela Vigraha. That is the reason you won’t have to perform difficult austerities. Whatever mantra you have received, just hold on to it with determination– that will suffice.
To look for good living quarters as soon as one reaches a new place, or to assign a good room, house or a spot on the riverbank is also among the ludicrous things of Kali Yuga. It increases the awareness of ‘I am this body.’ Our Ishta Devata (Favourite Deity) takes away this ignorance. ‘Everything is my Ishta’ – how can there be a better house or a better place for me?
Now that you have adopted the path of renunciation, don’t leave a stamp of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ anymore. Listen brother, whichever thing you sign with ‘mine’, it is going to give you tremendous suffering.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 7

http://www.themotherdivine.com/36/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Need for Refuge in View of False Freedom of Man:

There is one Being, who is the controller of the whole world; He regulates the sun, moon, stars, planets, all the atoms and molecules in this world to go about their respective tasks.
Nobody is independent, everyone is a doll in God’s play, and one has to dance to His tune.
We are not free – this is indeed true! Man is not independent; karmas performed over several births regulate him.
People who wish to stand on their own feet and become great have to court disaster at every step. But those who take refuge with God become servants and work like instruments. God always protects them.
All sadhana, yoga, worship and sacrifices are meant to firmly realize that we enjoy no free will/ independence. As soon as this knowledge is obtained, the bondage of karmas tears away and one becomes truly free. One enjoys everlasting bliss.
Everyone is bound (by past karmas), there is nothing anybody can do, ‘I will do this–I won’t do this’, ‘it is better if I do this’ – all these are misappropriations of the mind. In reality whatever is to happen has already been determined.

Refuge / Sharanagati (Surrender):

We are not without support, we have a Being, kin to protect us, and there is nothing to worry. We have come into this world with scores of karmas; we will have to reap their fruits. There is no alternative than repeating ‘Ram’, ‘Ram’ and experiencing it all.
‘Sharanaagatoham – I am taking refuge with you’. This is the mantra you must keep repeating.
‘I have taken refuge in Thee,’ always remember this mahamantra; with this you will reach the region of divine light, sound and joy. My dear! There is an ocean of delight right inside your heart. Dive deep into it with Nama in your lips. The kingdom of peace is near at hand.
There seems to be no way other than the prapattimarg —the way of surrender, the way of taking refuge in God. My Lord is like a father, affectionate to His devotees. If any one takes refuge with Him once saying, ‘I am yours,’ no matter what kind of person he is, Lord makes him fearless.
‘God is the real doer in this world; we are His servants. Whatever we may do, may it be for His pleasure; let us not undertake any work that will displease God’– those who perform their actions with this sentiment succeed in gaining eternal bliss on earth.
In the beginning there is this pride: ‘I will perform spiritual practices and attain God.’ Nobody in this world has the power to lay hold of Him through spiritual practice. It’s only when one leaves the entire burden on Him saying, ‘Now I am powerless, I can’t do it’ that He comes within one’s hold.
Thakur (God) is the wealth of the destitute. As long as you call things your own, Thakur (God) keeps away from you. The moment sense of mine (ownership) completely ends, that very moment Thakur (God) holds you close to his heart.
The only object of a devotees’ desire is God. A devotee should take exclusive refuge with God and undertake practices to realize Him. Make sure no other wish in any form finds a place in the heart. “I have taken shelter with you” –never swerve from this mantra.
Those who are under my protection, why should they look at sense gratification? My devotees cannot be insects in the excrement of sense-gratification.
Renounce worthless concerns and just repeat ‘Guru’- ‘Guru’ while standing and sitting, eating and lying down, keep repeating “Sharanaagatoham –I am taking refuge with you,” thereafter what transpires in your favour will be beyond your grasp.
How can a human being given to the slavery of the stomach and generative organ achieve the welfare of the world of embodied beings? You have come to do well to serve this world and to contribute to its welfare. Unless you attain to the state of a jivanmukta , you won’t be able to good in this world.
What appeals to my mind is sense of servitude. It is better to pray ‘grant me devotion’ than to pray to Him saying ‘liberate me from poverty.’ Once you get devotion, there cannot be dearth of anything.
An axe chops a tree, but in reality, the One who chops it is responsible. The axe is merely an instrument.

Seek Refuge in God:

What is the nature of force of attraction between the devotee and the Lord? Even as a servant loves a master, affectionate mother loves her son, a woman devoted to her husband loves her husband, the Lord is also attracted in the same manner; because, only in these states of emotional transcendence, the body and the senses are absent; what exists is unbounded and infinite love.
He who has been arranging the food for the baby in the mother’s womb (even before it is born) for so long, why do you lose faith in that God and become anxious? Don’t you do any japa or other forms of devotion? If you did, such useless anxiety wouldn’t touch you.
Submit your mind to Shastra Bhagawan with exclusive devotion; He who nourishes the whole world will look after you. You won’t need to worry about your food and clothing; you won’t have to worry at all.
There is water in Ganges, the trees bear fruit, the earth offers a resting place, there is the cushion of the present; even today alms are offered to a beggar– why do you worry? Your worries are about desires; set them on fire– let them burn off! If you don’t set them on fire, you will have to keep on crying.

Worldly Emotions are the Beginning:

If there were no earthly pleasure in this world (pleasure from the objects of the senses), human being wouldn’t have realized what the supremely divine happiness is– it would have been impossible for him to even imagine it. Sense pleasures therefore bring the delightful news of the divine joy.
He gives you the vision in a material form first, thereafter brahma-jnana rises.

Play with God:

Forget the rest! Just think of playing with God. In the same way as you are pleased while eating, dressing up and sleeping, with the same sentiment live and sport with God, making offerings.

Love:

One understands immortal love through mortal love. It is only because there is worldly pleasure that the human being seeks supreme bliss and happiness.
As long as love is tainted with desire, it is worldly love – that love is productive of sorrow; when love becomes desireless, from then on, the natural love actually springs. This is the love that brings immortality!
Genuine love is desireless. It does not expect anything in return.
It’s possible to stay close to the heart while staying away from the body. The Gopis did not gain Krishna in the union; they found Him in separation.

Ashru (Tears):

Tears are one of the principal offerings in the worship of God.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 8

http://www.themotherdivine.com/37/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

External Worship

Despite the fact that external worship is not given a high status, even those having bona fide authority in external worship are not to be found nowadays. You have finely decked up your body, opened shop for your upkeep, you are enjoying yourself in the company of wife and child – you are so immersed in the most mundane pursuits of the external world! Don’t you experience discomfort in this situation? How come all the hesitations come up only at the time of daily worship?
As long as there is an aesthetic attraction and an awareness towards external objects, there is need for external worship.

Yathakaal Upasana/ Sandhya:

Wake Up in the Morning:

Importance of Sandhya:

You will have to try and practice waking up at dawn. Nobody can end the animal propensities in a man who refuses to wake up early morning in the Brahma muhurta (pre-dawn).
God is the dearest one for all; He is the most intimate one! That is why it is the duty of man to perform yathakaal upasana (timely prayers). With this, it is possible to remember Him uninterruptedly.
His first command is – ‘Aharahah Sandhyanupaasit.’ O twice-born class! Perform sandhya every day, those who desire to realize God genuinely must observe sandhya and upasana at appropriate times.
God’s first command is to observe sandhya. “Aharah sandhyaamupaasit”. There was no sadhana available in the Vedic times other than sandhya. Sandhya means ‘samyak dhyana’, which is an attempt to realize the fact there is One Supreme Being alone who assumes different guises and dwells in this world.
- It is the bounden duty of the first three castes, starting with the Brahmins, to observe the Vedic sandhya daily; the members of lower orders should perform the Tantrik sandhya or the upasana outlined by one’s Guru.
- Dear traveller! Always keep chanting ‘Krishna’, ‘Krishna’ and do your prayers at the appropriate time.
- If sadhana (japa, meditation etc.) is done punctually at the appropriate hours, one reaps the result much faster.
- Just as partaking of food at an appropriate hour aids in releasing gastric juices and digests the food, enhances blood in the body and increases its strength, in the same manner, sandhya at appropriate hour helps still the restless mind due to the beneficial influence of that hour, and turns it into the intellect which can touch the soul and gain supreme bliss. The body-consciousness of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ disappears.
- Three-and-half-thousand-crore demons by the name Mandeha wage a war with the Sun in the morning (dawn), noon and in the evening (dusk) at the time of sandhya; the water consecrated through Gayatri mantra and thrown upwards during the three sandhyas, quells these demons. Those who fail to do this incur the sin of slaying the Sun.

God Appears at Sandhya Time:

In the morning (dawn), midday and in the evening (dusk), God appears in the heart of human beings, therefore it is the bounden duty of all men and women to be present much before the aforesaid sandhya hours and await His arrival. While waiting for Him, in due course one actually gets His vision, by His grace.
Morning (dawn), noon, evening (dusk) and midnight, these four are excellent hours for sadhana (spiritual practice). In these hours, the prana naturally turns towards the sushumna current and stabilizes there – it is in this period that God descends into the sanctum of one's heart.
Those who observe moderation in diet and perform sandhya upasana in the morning and night for six months are able to directly perceive Jyotirmaya Atma.
Those who truly wish to obtain a vision of God, it is necessary for them to try their best to perform japa, dhyana etc. in these four prime times with full devotion.

Neglect of Sandhya/ Upasana:

O Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras and venerable women, sandhya upasana is everyone’s duty. To avoid sandhya or upasana is a great sin, by not doing yathakaal sandhya, the sin of suicide accrues.
- When sandhya is not done at appropriate hours, the prana is deformed, the eyes are spoiled, and the power of sight diminishes. Non-performance of timely sandhya upasana results in diseases like high blood pressure, palpitation in the heart, increase in gastro-enteric wind formation, disorientation of mind, blindness etc.
- Those who don’t follow the sandhya worship at the prescribed hours, in effect, show disregard towards God and Sri Gurudeva. They close the gates of their hearts and forbid entry to God and Guru.
- Dear traveller! Do you really want peace? Do you really crave for God? If yes, undertake yathakaal sandhya; this is the first command of God. Do not be guilty of violating the first diktat of God. The fruit accruing from yathakaal sandhya is indeed limitless. Try it out and discover the great bliss which is in store for you.
- Sandhya upasana is to be performed in the prescribed period alone. When the designated hour passes, sin is incurred. To do away with that sin, the shastras have prescribed atonement through repetition of Gayatri ten times before performing sandhya.

Place Detrimental to Prayers:

It is detrimental to live in places where strong wind is blowing. Prana does not function smoothly in these places; the mind is unable to turn inwards due to the winds; it keeps playing around the body. In places near the seashore and the altitudes of mountains, powerful winds bring about obstacles in meditation.

Praayaschitta (Atonement) for Time Transgression:

The meaning of the term praayashchitta is ‘naitat paapam punah karishyaami’ – I shall not commit such sins again. To perform sandhya after the expiry of the prescribed time-slots is akin to ridiculing God.

Prarthana:

Prarthana (daily prayer) is obligatory for everyone. Prarthana is a special spiritual practice like yoga and jnana. It is possible for a person to obtain bliss by practicing just prarthana (daily prayer) and no other sadhana.
It is the duty of those who cannot put into effect prarthana (daily prayer), to do uninterrupted Naam japa. You know, the essence of all these is to keep the mind permanently anchored to Me in one way or the other.

Morning, Afternoon and Evening Rites:

Rising early at pre-dawn (brahma-muhurta) and sitting up on the bed, meditate on Sri Gurudeva between the eyebrows and your Ishta deva (favourite deity) in the heart, then do japa according to your capacity, go to the washing room after bowing down to earth.
Your morning rites shall include morning sandhya, Guru Puja, Shiva Puja, recitation of stava and stotras, other prayers, reading and study of Gita, Ramayana, Srimad Bhagawad, Chandi etc. and at least two hours of japa followed by a singing Naam samkirtan of ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare’ with kartaal for sometime. You shall offer arghya to Surya, and pranaam to Surya, Gurudeva, and Ishta deva, thus accomplishing morning rites.
At noon – perform the midday sandhya, chant Gayatri japa according to your ability, japa of Ishta mantra and make due offerings in panch mahayajnas – 1. Brahma Yajna (study of Vedas) 2. Dev Yajna (worship of deity and homa) 3. Pitri Yajna (Pitri shraadh tarpan) 4. Bhoot Yajna (Vaishwadevabali) 5. Nri Yajna (worship of guest). The guest should be given something. If the guest is residing in the house, the food offered to the deity should be given to him and subsequently had by the host. Do not eat anything that has not been offered to God.

Exact Time for Sandhya/ (Daily Prayers)

There is a designated time for every activity. Sandhya upasana too has a designated time. In the mornings, from 24- minutes before sunrise to twenty-four minutes after sunrise is the prime duration for morning sandhya; at noon, it is at midday, roughly 24-minutes before the sun is overhead (around 12 o’ clock) and twenty-four minutes after; in the evening, the principal hour of sandhya is 24-minutes before sunset to 24-minutes after sunset.
From four in the pre-dawn to eight in the morning is the first time-slot for spiritual practice. The second time slot begins half an hour before sunset and continues till two hours after the sunset. In the afternoon one must try to do japa according to one’s ability.
Yathakaal upasana (timely act of devotion), first of all, provides you the power of the mantra; secondly, the power also comes from time. During these periods sattvik paramanus rain down from the sun and the mind is inevitably turned inwards. When one practices sitting at all the three sandhya periods, there is a rise in sattva quality and sleep is reduced. Then it is possible to sit in the nights. The three periods are: just before dawn, when the night retreats and the day breaks, at twilight, when the day retreats and night sets in and in the afternoon, twenty-four minutes before twelve o’ clock and twenty-four minutes after.
In the evening, after sandhya prayers and repetition of Gayatri Japa according to one’s ability, one must sit in mauna (silence) at least for five minutes. Thereafter, performing the mantra japa according to one’s ability, and recitation of stavas or stotras in the end, one must sing kirtan of the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna…) to the accompaniment of dance for at least one or two hours. Sins incurred by the body are destroyed through dance. Thereafter, subsequent to having dinner, contemplate Guru in the forehead and Ishta in the heart on the bed and, chanting Guru mantra and Ishta mantra as also the Mahamantra, go to sleep. This will help you attain your supreme essence.
Before taking food, one should wash hands, feet and mouth and then with pure food nourish the body, which is the temple of God. Don’t forget: you are not the one who is eating the food; you are serving God who resides within the body.
Observing mauna (silence) and contemplating upon God, make an oblation to God in the form of vaishvanara. Serving God in this manner with food over a period of time, you will have the vision of Jyortirmaya Atman and His call will be evident to you. Even in the present yuga, it is necessary to undertake Brahminical duties to the extent possible.

Teachings from Cloudburst of a Thousand Suns 9

http://www.themotherdivine.com/38/teachings-cloudburst.shtml

Obstacles to Sadhana

True Nature of Food

Until the diet is purified, the restlessness of the mind does not go away which is why it is the necessary duty of those who desire health, longevity, strength, and God, to eat sattvik food.
Food is to be consumed in order to maintain the body. It is the duty of one and all to protect the body through food. The body cannot afford to be weak.
Ahara basically means the grasping of objects (sound, touch, smell etc.) through the sense organs. Once the body is purified with sattvik food, the organs turn around and the senses are able to grasp sound, touch, taste, sight and smell in the form of God.
Food or the dietary intake is made up of three parts – one part creates the body, the second creates the mind, and the third part is excreted and discharged. The body, which is created from consuming foods such as meat etc., makes the senses as unrestrained as in an animal; they are directed towards lust and the mind starts singing their tune. Of all the pleasures on earth, there is none like the pleasure of sexual congress; reflecting on it the senses are intoxicated and intent only on women, forgetting all concerns of virtue, duty, this world and the next, they merge in the delight of women; after that there is no possibility of checking the futile loss of virya (semen virile).
The body, which is created from consuming foods such as onion, garlic, carrots, hens, duck and the like, is not competent to do virtuous deeds, it is indeed disposed to undertake evil deeds, and the mind thus created is naturally inclined towards despicable ponderings, it cannot undertake sattvik thinking.
The essential substance of the human body is virya (semen virile). Virya is the soul stuff; to stop suicide imminent through the loss of virya is rather difficult for those of unrestrained food habits. As a consequence of it, the body is afflicted with several diseases, it is destitute of inner essence and the mind is intoxicated with sense objects. Then there is no other way than to live in a human body like an animal. Wilful indulgence in rajasik and tamasik foods destroys the basic humanness; the genuine object of one’s existence is forgotten.
You are feeding Him actually; He is the one who is eating. It is out of ignorance you are pandering to the tongue, killing chicken, fish and egg to fill the stomach. There is no religion in this world greater than non-violence and no irreligion greater than violence.
Brahma created rice, barley and gram, so that with these, the human body will be sustained. The goat and other animals were not created for human consumption.

Ahara Shuddhi (Purification of Diet):

By winning over tongue alone, one can conquer all the senses. Just as one takes medicine when one is sick, similarly food must be partaken when one is hungry. Those who wish to realize God must follow this precept in diet.
Ahara Shuddhi leads to dhruvasmriti (permanent memory) and faithful devotion; once this kind of unadulterated and unwavering devotion is gained, the dual knot of matter and spirit in the shape of the gross, subtle and the causal body is undone.
The first duty of those who aspire to get rid of the impurities of the body is to eat sattvik food and offer worship regularly in the morning and evening. Cleansing the body thus, when the defects of the mind too are dispelled, it is possible to get a vision of the soul in the form of Jyoti – there is no doubt about this.
Taking only sattvik food is desirable. Those who are unable to give up eating fish altogether, should at least refuse to have it on Sundays, the full moon and new moon days and on the eighth, fourteenth and eleventh days of the lunar cycle. The meat-eaters should only take the meat that has been offered to God. It is better to give it up anyway. Take food prepared and served by sattvik persons. Do not take food from anyone in an indiscrete manner.
When the homa is performed with pure ghee, the aroma of smoke issuing from it purifies the human body and mind. Not only is the man purified, all moveable and immoveable things are purified too. But if you cook chicken, fish, meat, onion or if onions are roasted in the same fire; the resulting stench makes it difficult to stay in the vicinity. The body becomes restless. That stench pollutes the body and mind of all animate and inanimate creatures.

Food Has A Direct Impact On God-Realization:

If the body is not pure, man cannot experience God. The body becomes pure by observing purity in food and constantly chanting Naam i.e., Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare. Those who partake of sattvik food and are of virtuous conduct, they can hear from within the melodious call of God.
By serving Him, having recourse to God’s Name, and by observing pure food habits, His compassion will flow and all suffering will surely end with it.
God resides in the human body in the form of jatharagni (gastric fire); when fish, chicken, meat, egg, onion etc. are offered to Him, by consuming these, He is obliged to digest these vicious, impure, foul-odoured and toxic food, potent for increasing the rajas and tamas guna. The samana wind nourishes the body with this food and the toxins spread all over the body and affect all the organs with its poison.
By partaking of impure food and by neglect of practices of worship, the substances of the body have been despoiled; through Naam and by partaking of pure food, when these substances are transformed, they will be fit to perceive the Self.
When those who eat rajasik and tamasik food take refuge with Naam, they don’t desire love of God; there is in it a hidden desire for worldly happiness, religious fame, acquisition of success etc. It is not in the nature of a premi (divinely inspired lover) to cause violence. A human being comes into this world to see God; a man, who eats rajasik and tamasik food is not able to recall this even in delusion, he doesn’t have the capacity to understand that he is not the body but the soul.

Effects of Impure Food:

He who is controlled and eats rajasik food can become strong – it is also possible that his mind is sharp; he can discover happiness and general prosperity, but the door of spirituality is closed to him. Sometimes one sees an exception to this in a few great souls, but that’s a different story.
A person consuming the flesh of an animal develops a temperament akin to the nature of that animal.
Foods which are extremely bitter (neem etc.), extremely hot (tea etc.), extremely pungent (chilly etc.), extremely sharp (pepper etc.), extremely inflammatory (mustard etc.), extremely sour, extremely salty, and those productive of sorrow, distress and disease, are all dear to people with rajasic tendency. Fish, meat, onion, garlic, chicken and eggs are even worse!
By having these harmful and prohibited foods and feeding them to your wife, child, kith and kin, you not only destroy yourself but also the dear ones. You drag them to their death! ‘Lack of restraint and death are one and the same thing!’ Nobody can observe restraint after having these aggravating foods; if you want peace, if you wish to see God, eat only sattvik food.
If a man is able to clearly understand the harm that lies in eating food indiscriminately from anyone’s hands, it would become easy for him to observe regulations in this regard. Poison can only kill a man, but impure food can destroy a man’s very wisdom.
Srimad Vishuddhananda Paramhamsa declares onion to be a very harmful thing; onion eating can be compared with eating beef (cow’s meat).
By consuming onion, garlic, meat, egg, chicken, the mind develops animal propensities.
Fish eat dead stuff, night-soil and mucus, that is its diet; it is the stuff that nourishes the fish. Fish is nothing but an aggregation of contemptible vibrations. That is why eating fish makes both the body and mind wicked. It is for this reason that those who desire a disease-free, healthy body and a stable and calm mind, must give up eating fish.
Do you relish fish? Do you know what the fish eats? It eats excreta, dead matter and phlegm. One can only hope to build a mind that is akin to a demon’s by consuming these.
Those who eat goat meat have increased sexual tendency like the goat. They are unable to guard their brahmacharya. They wear their body and mind away with perpetual contact with women.

Anna Nivedan/ Food/ Bhoga:

After the food is cooked, it should be offered to God and served with patience and care. He who serves food must think he is serving God.
To whichever caste you may belong, after the food is cooked, place a tulasi leaf in it and offer it to God saying: ‘Thakur, please partake of this’. Then closing the door and standing outside, you must think God is partaking of your offering. This done, offer seats for those who are going to eat. Let them please wash their hands, feet and mouth and then eat with a thought of God.

The Cook, Serving, Attitude:

Mothers! This is no food, it is service of God, and you probably do not know that the bodies of men and women are parts of God’s body. They have been perversely nourished with meat, fish, onion, egg etc. No wonder they have to suffer lust and anger, disease and sorrow. The vessel of the body has been deformed.
Even if you can afford it, do not engage a cook – you cannot know the nature of the cook; by eating out of the hands of a cook with impious character, the body and mind becomes evil. One has to experience lust, anger, greed, disease and sorrow. Wrong food will present obstacles in your japa and tapa as well. Husband is Narayana, the child is Gopal – how can you trust a cook to serve them? Why not cook with one’s own hands and serve God in the shape of the human body?
It is through this food that the gross body endowed by God is maintained. Therefore, it is important to cook food with great caution, proper procedure and remembrance of God.
Make sure the food is not defiled before it is offered to God; let not even a glance of anyone make it impure.
If the cook and those who serve the food go out of the kitchen precincts, they must wash their hands and feet before re-entering. The sanctity of the kitchen is to be guarded like the temple. One should not enter the kitchen without washing one’s feet.
While preparing food, the cook must not speak, he should not chew betel leaves or the like – the kitchen should not only forbid entry to other classes, but should also prevent even another Brahmin. None other than the cook, and the one who serves, should enter the kitchen.
On festive occasions and places of feasts, before placing food in the vessels meant for different food-items, a tulasi leaf should first be offered in the food and then only the food-items be transferred to the vessel.
Eat sattvik food for a few days, have havishya. You will notice within a few days of your taking to havishya diet that your body has started becoming free from disease.
Those who partake of havishya live long and healthy, they are free from disease. They speedily attain God’s grace and are worshipped in this world akin to Gods.
First of all, you will have to be cautious about food. You will have to pledge and give up harmful foods like onion, egg, fish, meat, and chicken etc. completely. Don’t worry about nourishment. Even if milk and ghee are difficult to get, peanuts and soybean will make you strong and nourish you fully. The nutritional power of pulses and rice too is unlimited. Tea, cigarette should be given up altogether.
It is because the raw material which contributes to the making of the body is impure and polluted, men and women are suffering from lust, anger, greed, infatuation, disease, sorrow and intense distress.

Fasting:

The Shastras decree is to eat twice a day; once in the morning, once in the night. This affords the fruit of upavasa (fasting), which directs the senses inwards. ‘Tapona-anashanaat parah’ – there is no austerity superior to anashana (fasting).
Everything is dependent on food. God has created men to eat once in the morning and once in the night. This way the human being obtains the fruit of upavasa (fasting), the mind becomes still speedily.
A healthy body is a prerequisite for a vision of God. If you have fasted yesterday, it may be difficult for you to do japa today, and perhaps impossible to even get up tomorrow. Instead, it is better to take recourse to mitahara i.e., moderation in food.

Nature & Power of Virya (Semen Virile):

Virya-brahma gives enormous joy when it leaves the body; there is no telling the amount of unworldly joy it can give if it is held back in the body itself.
The basic cause is ananda (bliss); the foundation of this ananda is virya (semen virile). When the man and woman unite, the same virya is released from the body resulting into tremendous joy.
Shukra (semen virile) is Brahma. Shukra is the soul; if it flows out of the body, how long can a man live?

Restraints:

Self-restraint is the life of this nation (India). Men and women become immortal with self-restraint. The self-controlled ones remain blissful at their last hour and are ferried across through the devayana.
My dear, it is possible to get direct vision of God through just three expedients — pure diet, virtuous conduct and timely worship.
Give up bad company, malicious gossip and addiction of any kind. Always stay pure. “Aacharahinam Na Punanti Vedaah.” i.e., even the Vedas cannot purify a person of bad conduct.
Whether in the spiritual domain or otherwise, he who is able to look upon the company of the people as a snake, sweetmeats as poison and women as she-demons, only he is able to gain knowledge: “I am not the body, I am the soul.”
Do not read drama-books, novels etc., even the newspapers distract the mind; read only the devotional texts or those books which enthuse and enhance you in chanting God’s Name. Those qualified for it must read Mahabharata, Mokshadharma-Parva and Uddhava Gita, Srimad Bhagawad, Ramayana etc.
In order to walk on this path, it is necessary to renounce indiscrete eating habits, evil company and excessive attachment to women. If you can’t renounce these, you will experience hardships and will take long to reach the goal.

Tulasi Mahimamrita

नारद उवाच
साम्प्रतं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तुलस्या: परमाद्भुतम् ।
माहात्म्यमपि संक्षेपादु रुद्राक्षस्य शिवस्य वै ॥
पूजायाश्च महादेव संक्षेपादनुशाधि मे ॥

Preceptor - My son ! I am delighted to find you increasingly inquisitive about the spiritual potency of Tulasi. Let me now relate the account of Tulasi's spiritual efficacy in Sri Maha Bhagavat.

Narada said 'O Mahadev ! I am now eager to know about Tulasi's spiritual efficacy and be told in a nut shell, about the spiritual value of rudraksha, Siva and worship. Do please enlighten me.'

श्रीमहादेव उवाच
तुलस्याः शृणु माहात्म्यं संक्षेपेण महामते ।
यच्छ्र त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो नरो मुक्तिमवाप्नुयात् ॥
तुलसीद्रुमरूपस्तु भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः ।।
सर्वलोक परित्राता विश्वात्मा विश्वपालकः ॥

Said Lord Mahadev, 'O you of mighty mind ! Listen in brief, to Tulasi's spiritual merit : to hear of it is enough for a man to be rid of every sin. God Himself who is the Supreme Being. the soul of the universe, its protector, saviour of every creature-he verily, has assumed the form of the Tulasi plant.

दर्शनातू स्पर्शनान्नामकीर्तनाद्धारणादपि ।
प्रदानात् पापसंही नराणां तुलसी सदा ।।
प्रातरुत्थाय सुनातो यः पश्येत् तुलसीद्रुमम् ।
स सव्वतीर्थ संदृष्टि फलमाप्नोत्य संशयम ।।
दृष्टा गदाधरं देवं क्षेत्रे श्रीपुरुषोत्तमे।
यत् पुण्यं समवाप्नोति तुलसीदर्शनाच्च तत् ।। "

To see Tulasi, to touch it, to sing its Name, to wear it, to offer it at God's feet chastens man of every sin.

He who sees a Tulasi plant after a decent bath in the morning is sure to obtain the fruit of visiting every place of pilgrimage.

The spiritual merit that comes from a visit to Lord Jagannath in that sacred place which is called Sri Purushottam Keshetra (shrine of the Supreme ) can be obtained by just a sight of Tulasi

दिनं तच्च शुभं प्रोक्त तुलसी यत्र दृश्यते ।
न तत्र जायते तस्य विपत्तिः कुत्र चिन्न ने ॥
अपि जन्मान्तरे कृतं पापमत्यन्तगर्हितम् ।
विनश्तति मुनिश्रेष्ठ तुलसीवृक्षदर्शनात् ॥
अशुचिर्वा शुचिर्वापि यः स्पृशेत् तुलसीदलम् ।
सर्वपाप विनिमुक्तस्तत्क्षणात् शुद्धतामियात् ॥
प्रयाति च पदं विष्णो रन्ते देव सुदुर्लभम् ।
तुलसीस्पर्शनं स्नानं तुलसीस्पर्शणां तपः ।
तुलसीस्पर्शणां मुक्तिः तुलसीस्पर्शणां ब्रतम् ॥
प्रदक्षिणी कृता येन तुलसी मुनिसत्तम ।
कृतप्रदक्षिण स्तेन विष्णुः साक्षान्न संशयः ॥

"The day one sees Tulasi is reputed to be a sacred day. Even the most abominable of sins committed in the previous existence is destroyed at the sight of a Tulasi plant.

He who touches Tulasi leaves, no matter whether he is pure or impure is at once purged of every sin and is instantly rendered pure. Finally, he passes on to the abode of Vishnu which is so hard to attain. Touching Tulasi is ablution; touching Tulasi is tapasya ; touching Tulasi is mukti ; touching Tulasi is brata.

O Great Sage! He who circumambulates Tulasi, circumambulates God Himself. There can be no doubt about it.

Disciple. - Yes, sir. To touch Tulasi is to acquire sattva guna by virtue of which one is made pure.

Preceptor.- Thus by constant sight and touch one can reside permanently in sattva guna; otherwise he who serves Tulasi acquires sattva guna for the time being

तुलसी प्रणमेद् यस्तु भक्त्या मानवसत्तमः ।
स याति विष्णोः सायुज्यं न पुनः प्रपतेक्षितौ ॥

That great man who bows before Tulasi with reverence attains intimate association with Vishnu; he has not to be reborn on earth.

तुलसोकाननं यत्र तत्र साताजनाहनः ।
लक्ष्मीसरस्वती युक्तो मोदते मुनिसत्तम ।।
यत्रविष्णुजगन्नाथः सर्वदेवमयः प्रभुः ।
तत्राहं सह रुद्राण्या सांवित्र्या च प्रजापतिः ।।
तस्मात्तत् परमं स्थानं देवानामपि दुर्लभम् ।
यो गच्छेत् स बजेद् विष्णोवैकुण्ठ नगरं मुने ॥
स्नात्वा प्रमाज्जयेत् यस्तु तत् क्षेत्रं पापनाशनम् ।
सोऽपि पाप विनिर्मक्तः स्वर्ग लोकमवाप्नुयात् ।।

O Great Sage! Where there is a Tulasi grove, Vishnu dwells with joy along with Luxmi and Saraswati ; where Vishnu, Lord of the Universe and embodiment of all Gods dwells, I too abide with Rudrani and Brahma remains with Savitri. So that supremely holy spot is hard of access even for Gods. O Sage ! He who goes there goes to the city of Vaikuntha rid of sin and passes on to Heaven.

यः कुर्यात्तुलसीमूलमृदा तिलकमुत्तमम् ।
कपाले कण्ठदेशे च कर्णयोः कवचद्वयः ॥
ब्रह्मरन्ध्रे हृदि पृष्ठे पार्श्व योर्नाभिदेशके।
स पुण्यात्मा मुनिश्रेष्ठ विज्ञेयो वैष्णवोत्तमः ॥
तुलसी पुष्पवृन्दन पूजयेद् यो जनाईनम् ।
सोऽप्युक्तो वैष्णव श्रेष्ठः सर्व पाप विवर्जितः ॥
वैशाखे कार्तिके माघे प्रातः स्नात्वा विधानतः ।
यो ददाति सुरेशाय विष्णवे परमात्मने।

O Greatest of Sages! That sacred soul is indeed the Vaishnava of Vaishnavas who paints well with marks of tilak his forehead, throat, ears. navel, the centre of the head, heart, the two sides and the navel region with the earth that is the root of a Tulasi plant. He too is described as a Vaishnava of vaishnavas purged of every sin who worships Vishnu with flowers of Tulasi. Unending is the spiritual merit obtained by a man who in the month of Vaisakh, Kartik and Magh baths in the early hours of the morning and offers Tulasi leaves to Vishnu, the Lord of Gods and the Supreme soul.

गवामयुतदानस्य वाजपेय शतस्य च।
यत् फलं तत् समाप्नोति कार्तिके पूजयन हरिम् ।।
तुलसी पत्रकस्तद्वत्तुलसी पुष्पकैरपि ।
तुलसीकानने यस्तु जगन्नाथं समच्चयेत् ।।
महाक्षेत्र कृतायाश्च पूजायाः फलमाप्लुयात् ।।

-Worship of Hari in the month of Kartik yields the fruit of offering ten thousand cows as gifts and of performing a hundred vajpeya sacrifices. He who worships the Lord with Tulasi leaves or with Tulasi flowers in a grove of Tulasi plants receives the fruit of worship performed in the holiest of all holy places.

तुलसीरहितं नैव कम्म कुर्याद् विचक्षणः।
कुर्वन्न कम्मणस्तस्य सम्यक् फलमवाप्नुयात् ।।
तुलसी रहिता सन्ध्या कालातीतेव निष्फला ।।

- The wise man should perform no pious work without Tulasi ; in case he does, he wont have the full benefit of the performance. Sandhya without Tulasi is as fruitless as Sandhya performed after the proper hour,

तुलसी वृन्दमध्ये तु निर्माय हरिमन्दिरम्।
तृणे नेष्टकवृन्दैव्वा तत्र यः स्थापयेद्ध रिम् ।।
नियतं सेवनासक्तः स हरेः साम्यतामियात् ।
यस्तु तुलमीवृक्षं विष्णुरूपं विभाव्य च ।
त्रिधैवं प्रणमेन्मच्यः स तस्य समतां व्रजेत् ॥

नमस्ते देव देवेश सुरासुर जगद्गुरो।
त्राहि मां घोरसंसारान्नमस्तेऽस्तु सदा मम ।।
यस्तु श्रीतुलसी मर्त्यः प्रणमेत्तारिणी धिया।
त्रिधा प्रदक्षिणीकृय सप्तधारा महामते ।
मन्नानेन सद्भत्त्या स तरेद् घोर संसारात् ।।

-He who installs Hari in a temple built with stones or bricks in the midst of Tulasi plants is a man devoted exclusively to Hari: he attains equality with Hari. That man who to special degree, looks upon a Tulasi plant as the embodiment of Hari and bows with body, mind and speech attains equality with Him, O God of Gods! O Preceptor of Gods and Asuras alike, and of the universe itself, I bow to you; rescue me from dreadful material attachment; I bow always to Thee'- he who circumambulates Tulasi three or seven times, with this mantra, knowing the sacred Tulasi as the Saviour Herself escapes material attachment.

त्रैलोक्य निस्तार परायणे शिवे
यथव गङ्गा सरितां वरा स्वयम् ।।
तथैव लोकत्रय पावनार्थम् ।
द्रुमेषु साक्षात्तुलसी स्वरूपिनी ॥
त्वं ब्रह्माविष्णु प्रमुखैः सुरोत्तमैः
पुरार्चिता विश्वपवित्र हेतवे।
जाता धरण्यां जगदेक वन्धै
नमामि भक्त्या तुलसी प्रसीद ।।

- O Benign Goddess engaged in delivering the three worlds ! Just as the Ganga that purifies the three worlds is the foremost among rivers, so art Thou among trees and plants, for Thou too maketh the three worlds pure. Thou hadst formerly been adored by the greatest Gods headed by Brahma and Vishnu. O Thou that alone art adorable in the world ! Thou hast been born on earth to render the universe pure; I bow to Thee with reverence; be pleased unto me.

एवं ये प्रणमन्त्येनं प्रत्यहं मुनिसत्तम ।
तस्य सर्व्वोर्थदा देवी यत्र कुत्रापि तिष्ठतः ।।
तुलसी सर्व्व देवानां परमप्रीति वर्द्धिनी।
सर्व्व देवाधिसंस्थानं यत्रास्ते तुलसीवनम् ।।
पितरोऽपि परं प्रोत्या वसन्ते तुलसीवने।
अवश्यं तुलसी देया पितृदेवार्चनादिषु ।।
अदत्वा मनुजैः सम्यङन कर्मफलमाप्यते।
विष्णोस्त्रैलोक्यनाथम्य पितृणाञ्च विशेषतः ।।
सर्व्वषामेव देवानां देवीनाञ्च महामते ।
परम प्रीतिदाज्ञेया तुलसी लोकमुक्तिदा।।
तस्माद्धि तुलसी देया देवे पैत्र्ये च कर्मणि।
यत्रास्ति तुलसीवृक्षस्तत्र भागीरथी स्वयम् ।।
तीर्थैः समस्तैः सहिता वसतिं कुरुते सदा॥
तस्मात्तत्र मुनिश्रेष्ठ देहं सत्यजतां नृणाम् ।
गङ्गायां मरणे यादृक् फलं स्यात्ताटगेव हि ।।

- ‘O Greatest of Sages! Thou who bow to Tulasi in this way receive whatever they may care for from Goddess Tulasi, no matter where they live. Tulasi adds supremely to the delight of all Gods. Where there is a Tulasi grove is the abode of all Gods. The departed fathers too dwell with great joy in a grove of 'Tulasi plants. Tulasi must be offered to the fathers when they are worshipped. A deed does not bear ample fruit unless tulasi is offered in course of it. O great of intellect! Tulasi that grant deliverance to the universe is the source of supreme delight, you know of Vishnu who is the Lord of the three worlds, of the departed fathers in particular and of all Gods and Goddesses. That's why tulasi bas to be offered in every ceremony pertaining to the Gods and to the departed fathers.

Where stands a Tulasi plant, the Bhagirathi (i.e. Ganges) too abides for ever there along with every place of pilgrimage. That's why, o greatest of sages! Persons who die there receive the benefit that accrues from death in (or by ) the Ganges.

धात्री वृक्षश्च चेत्तत्र वर्तते बहुभाग्यतः।
तदाधिकतरं ज्ञेयं स्थलं तद् बहु पुण्यदम् ॥
तत्र देहभृतां देह परित्यागानहामुने।
अज्ञानतोऽपि मुक्ति: स्यात् सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः॥
एतयोः सन्निधौ यत्र विल्ववृक्षोऽपि विद्यते ।
ततस्थानं हि महातीर्थ सक्षाद वाराणसी समम् ।।
तत्र सम्पूजयेच्छेम्भोर्देव्या विष्णोश्च भावतः ।
वहु पुण्यप्रदं ज्ञेयं महापातक नाशनम ॥
तत्रैकं विल्वपत्रं यो महेशाय निवेदयेत् ।।
तथा विष्णुं सुसम्पूज्य तुलस्यामलकीदलैः ।।
प्रयाति विष्णु साखुज्यं सत्यमेव महामते ।
न पुनर्जन्म चाप्नोति तत् क्षेत्रस्य प्रभावतः ।।
इत्युक्तं ते मुनिश्रेष्ठ माहात्म्यं वै समासतः ।
य इदं शृणुयान्नित्यं सोऽपि स्वर्गमवाप्नुयात् ।।

- If in that place by great good fortune there happens to be a Dhatri tree, that holy place comes to be holier still. O great sage! Even if men die there in an unconscious state, they meet with salvation. It is true, true, true. There is no doubt about it. Where beside these two trees stand too the Bael tree, is a grand place of pilgrimage, comparable to Varanasi itself. Devout worship there of Sambhu, Devi and Vishnu destroys the deadly sins and results in manifold spiritual merit. He who offers there a single Bael leaf to Siva and similarly worships Vishnu with Tulasi and Amloki leaves, does in fact attain association with Vishnu; O great of intellect ! thanks to the spiritual virtue of that sacred spot, he is not born again. O Greatest of Sages ! Briefly I speak of Tulası's sanctity. Even he who listens to it goes to Heaven. Have you listened, my son, to the spiritual glory of Tulasi?

Disciple. I am gratified.

Sadhana and Siddhi

A Guru is of two types, based on his Sadhana or his Siddhi. A Sadhaka Guru gives diksha which is based on certain rituals. For this diksha, there are certain requirements like flowers, sandal, votive offerings, cloth, ghee etc. After taking diksha, the disciple follows the instructions of his Guru and does japa, homa and panchanga sadhana and thereby awakens his own mantra. Thus, he attains siddhi. A siddha, who is desirous of getting material results, gets the darshan of God by his sadhana and then he gains his desired objects like dharma, artha and kama.

But a Siddha Guru gives diksha which is based on jnana and does not require any other support. No offerings are required for such diksha. The Siddha Guru develops strength in the body of the disciple by touch, sight or even by thought. The disciple’s mantra is awakened in this way. A disciple, who has got Siddha Yoga from his Guru, does not have to do the panchanga sadhana. The complete upasana of any devata is called panchanga. According to mantrashastra, the panchanga of any devata consists of the mantra japa, sahasranama, the kavacha, the geeta and the hridaya.

His kundalini is awakened and she proceeds upwards, sometimes at snail’s pace and sometimes at a flying pace, to the sahasra kamal in his head and there she becomes one with Shiva. The sadhak then gains self-fulfillment and does not have to suffer from future births and deaths.

A person, by the light of the siddhi he gains, can discern whether or not he is progressing properly with his sadhana. If he does sadhana with determination, siddhi is bound to come. But the sadhaka should ignore such siddhis as being inconsequential and carry on his sadhana, staking his very life, if necessary. He is bound to gain direct darshan of his Ishta.

But if he becomes satisfied with the small powers that he develops such as gaining wealth or bringing people under control, then all his effort will be in vain. He will prolong his cycle of rebirth. If one tries to pose as Shiva before actually rising to Shivahood, he will only get the bite of the serpent and the poison will make him writhe in pain.

An Emaciated Sadhu

Hari: Well, Dada, where had you been?

Hara: Well, brother, I had been to see a Sadhu.

Hari: What kind of Sadhu was he?

Hara: He was sitting in the middle of a small room with his head leaning on a wall, and women surrounded him from the other three sides.

Hari: What sort of women were they?

Hara: Children, elderly and young women. They were from six-year old children to sixty-year-old women. They had surrounded the Sadhu. The room was packed. Those who could not enter the room were unhappy. They were looking at the Sadhu through the windows.

Hari: What was the sadhu saying?

Hara: ‘Come in, there is room for more.’

Hari: Is the Sadhu beautiful to look at?

Hari: No, no. He is very old, with grey beard and moustache. Even his eyebrows are grey. He seems to be about 70 or 72 years old. He is toothless, bony, sickly and emaciated.

Hari: Why are the women so eager to see such an emaciated Sadhu and sit near him? What is going on? Does he smoke hemp or such other drugs?

Hara: O, no, no. Leave alone being addicted, he does not even smoke a cigarette or chew betel leaves or tobacco.

Hari: Does he accept much service from women?

Hara: Not at all. He does not accept any kind of service from anyone.

Hari: What do the women do?

Hara: They sit there; call him ‘father’ again and again, and chant the Name.

Hari: What does he do?

Hara: He narrates stories about God and reads to them from books. The women just do not want to leave his company.

Hari: Do the women surround him day and night?

Hara: No, no. Perhaps the women remain for two hours. Then the men come in for the next two. Then the women come in again, followed by the men. This way he remains surrounded by people, day and night. Only by mid-night does he get some respite. Then he and his disciples go to sleep. The crowds return in the morning; alternating sessions of men and women. This has been going on day after day. Is it good for a Sadhu to remain in the midst of women always in that way? Many men are speaking ill of him.

Hara: He does not remain always with women. You say that men also surround him. Then why do people blame him?

Hari: They speak ill of the Sadhu but also go and prostrate before him, and remain standing with folded hands. The matter cannot at all be understood.

Hari: What does the Sadhu say when he hears of his dispraise?

Hara: The Sadhu says that Muni Sanatsujata gave King Dhritarashtra the advice that it was the nature of those who were honest, to praise and those dishonest, to blame. So, one should be neither be elated on hearing one’s praise nor deflated on being dispraised. The Sadhu loves his critics. He says ‘A detractor is a great friend of mine. By speaking ill of me, my detractor frees me from the sins that none of my relations, sons, friends and disciples will take.’ He is an interesting Sadhu. He himself bows three times a day to the critics and asks everyone to do so. To him his detractor is much dearer than his admirer. He loves the drunkards, thieves, impostors, rogues and the licentious more than the ordinary people. He says, ‘Can a man who is good be made better? If a licentious man and a drunkard take to the good path, the world will be greatly benefited.’

Hari: A strange Sadhu indeed! Is he not afraid of disrepute?

Hara: He is afraid neither of disrepute nor of fame. The Shastras and the Sadhus say that a man should put his fingers into his ears and leave the place as soon as anybody praises him. But that withered Sadhu listens to his praise without the least uneasiness and with great delight.

Hari: What does the Sadhu say after listening to praise?

Hara: He says, ‘This is the praise of God. Nobody praises me. God has given me His Name to sing and keeps me near Him. Hence, so many people say so many things. Nobody will look at my face if today I give up chanting His name and commit something unjust.

Hari: I see that he is a unique Sadhu. But what needs to be considered, is why do boys, girls, the elderly, the youth, the rich and the poor, love him? Why do they seek his company? Why do they look upon him as their own? What is the reason for this?

Hara: I do not find any reason, dada. I have fallen in love with him at first sight.

Hari: Does he know any hypnotizing mantra?

Hara: What will he gain by hypnotising anybody? He does not want anything from anybody. Rather, he gives everybody what he wants, according to his ability.

Hari: Where does he get it?

Hara: The disciples supply it. He does not pay attention to anything.

(Outside the madman chants ‘Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram'.) There comes the mad father. Let us ask him. (The madman enters dancing and singing ‘Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram’)

Hari/Hara: Mad father, we bow to you.

Madman: Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. I too bow to you. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: Mad father, tell us why do men and women of all ages surround a Sadhu day and night? Why do women and men take turns to sit around him? We cannot clearly understand what the matter is.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. How does the sadhu look? Does he like singing and dancing? Rama, Rama.

Hara: He is bony, old and toothless. All his hair looks like flax. There is no telling his age. It does not seem that anyone in his past seven generations knew how to sing.

Madman: What attraction makes men and women love him? Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: That is what we are asking you.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. If there is no outward reason for their love, Rama, Rama, they love him for the root cause. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: What is the root cause?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Bliss! Rama, Rama, Sitaram. All the creatures are born of joy. They live in joy and will re-enter joy in the end, Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Perhaps he has attained bliss.

Hari: What is the proof that he has attained bliss?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. The proof of this is that young and old, men and women, rich and poor, love him. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Is anything known of his previous life? Rama, Rama.

Hari: Yes, he has lived with the name of God since his boyhood. His disciples also try to live always with the name of God.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Jai Rama, Jai Sitaram, we now know the cause. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. That God, who is bliss, appears in the gross form as Name. The Name and the one who has the Name are not different. That is why the men and women, hankering after happiness, always surround the Sadhu. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: Does he who chants the Name, find the blissful Lord?

Madman: Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. Yes Sitaram. The name of Hari is the purest essence. The place where the Name is chanted becomes filled with the purest essence. Therefore, men and women tormented by the Rajas and Tamas surround that Sadhu, to get rid of their suffering. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: How does the place where the Name is chanted, get filled with purest essence?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. If iron is kept in fire what becomes of iron? Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: Iron is transformed into fire. All the energy of fire enters the iron.

Madman: Similarly, the power of the Name enters into him who is always immersed in the Name. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. This is a unique transaction. Great scholars and learned men also start proclaiming the person who has the Name, as God. Rama, Rama, Sitaram

Hari: I see that the Name has great power.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Chant the Name and see what happens. Jai Sitaram. People will bow down to you as God. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. In the end, you will have to flee the place, overwhelmed by people’s attention. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Chant the Name, father, chant the Name. Sin and suffering, disease and grief, sorrow and poverty flee from him who chants the Name. Heaps of money is poured at his feet. Men and women, rich and poor, run frantically for the dust off his feet, a loving look or a moment’s company. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Hari: O mad father, are you speaking of this age?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. I am not speaking of the Satya, Treta and Dwapar Yugas. I am speaking of this age. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram

Hari: Can you show Him to us?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Surely, I can. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. ‘The Name and Hari are indivisible Hari appears there where the Name is chanted’. (The madman begins to dance with abandon).

Hari: It will not do merely to dance like this. You must show Him to us.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Surely, I will show you, come along with me. (The madman goes out dancing and chanting ‘Sri Rama, Jai Rama, Jai Jai Rama’. Along with him, Hari and Hara also go out dancing and singing ‘Sri Rama, Jai Rama, Jai Jai Rama’).

The Rama Naam Charitable Dispensary

Rama, Rama, Sitaram. A devotee has given the Madman a room in the bazar. The Madman has put up a board in bold letters ‘Raam Naam Charitable Dispensary’.

The name of Rama is written on all the walls. Tulsi is planted outside. The Madman is chanting the name of Rama.

A woman comes in and asks, ‘O father, is it the dispensary of the Mad father’?

Madman: Yes, Rama, Rama. What ails you?

Woman: A bad headache.

Madman: Only chant the name of Rama. At dawn, drink water through the nose. Bathe three times in the day. Eat less. Always chant the name of Rama. Your disease will be cured.

Woman: Mad father, will I be cured?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama. Surely it will be cured. Say, ‘Rama, Rama, Rama’ (The woman bows and goes away chanting the name of Rama).

(An old man enters and bows).

Old man: Save me father.

Madman: What ails you? Rama, Rama.

Old man: I am suffering from asthma.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Make a garden of Tulsi plants and try to live in it as much as possible. Eat what is easily digestible. And always chant the name of Rama. Chant the name of Rama regularly in the morning, noon and evening.

Old man: Baba, will I be cured? Madman: There is no ailment in this world which cannot be cured by chanting the name of Rama. Say, Rama, Rama. (The old man goes away uttering the name of Rama)

(A Youngman enters and bows)

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. What ails you? Rama, Rama.

Y. Man: I am afflicted by phthisis.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Is there any river near your house?

Y. Man: Yes, I live just on the bank of the Ganga.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Have you any garden? Rama, Rama.

Y. Man: Yes.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama. Create a garden of Tulsi plants on one or two grounds of land. Make a cottage in it and write the name of Rama on its walls. Live inside the cottage during sunshine and rain. Spend the rest of the time in the Tulsi garden, chanting the name of Rama.

Y. Man: Will I be cured?

Madman: I have seen people live as well as die chanting the name of Rama. Who can save the person, whose time of death has come? Chant the name of Rama. Regularly perform Japa in the morning, noon and evening. Write the name of Rama.

Y. Man: What should be my diet?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Eat sundried rice, plantain, dal made of peas, sugarcane jaggery, sea salt and cow’s milk. Eat only as much as you can digest. And utter the name of Rama. He dwells in your heart. Beg his pardon for offences committed previously.

Y. Man: What offence have I committed?

Madman: Men are attacked with diseases because of undisciplined living. Rama, Rama. You have committed many irregularities and excess on your body. Rama, Rama.

Y. Man: True, I did not observe discipline in my life.

Madman: Rama, Rama. What has happened can’t be helped. Only chant the name of Rama. He is within you. Till He responds and till He calls you, go on chanting the name His name.

Y. Man: My mind is very restless.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Let it be so. If you go on chanting the name of Rama the mind will become steady. Rama, Rama. Phthisis is an infectious disease. Don’t allow anybody to come near you. Bury your sputum and phlegm under the earth. Rama, Rama. Drink at least two and a half litres of water every day. Light, water and air are good in the countryside. Always live in a ventilated place. Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama. You also say, ‘Rama RamaRama.’ (The Youngman bows and goes away uttering the name of Rama.)

(A boy enters).

Madman: Rama, Rama. What ails you? Rama, Rama.

Boy: I have the problem of bed-wetting and I am unable to commit my lessons to memory.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Bow before your father, mother and other elders, daily in the morning, noon and evening. Drink the juice of Tulsi leaves. Always chant the name of Rama. Chant the name of Rama ten thousand times in the morning and in the evening. Do not eat rice at night. Do not drink water in the night. Lie on a hard bed. Sit on the bed and say the name of Rama, five thousand times. Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama. Say ‘Rama Rama’.

Boy: How shall I keep count?

Madman: With the garland of Tulsi beads. Rama, Rama. Turn the beads this way (shows the method) and keep the count. Rama, Rama, Rama. (The boy bows and goes away repeating the name of Rama)

(A young man enters)

Madman: Sitaram, what ails you?

Y. Man: I have a great pain in my stomach. I cannot digest anything.

Madman: Rama, Rama. Do you observe any rules about chanting? Do you eat anywhere and from the hands of everybody?

Y. man: Yes.

Madman: Rama, Rama. You have invited pain. It is sure to cause you suffering. Everything depends on food. Those who eat pure food are not attacked by diseases. They always hear the call of God. Are you addicted to any intoxicating drug? How many cups of tea do you drink? Jai Sitaram.

Y. Man: I smoke twenty-five bidis, drink eight cups of tea and consume small quantities of opium.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Rama. Your disease is incurable. If you want to be cured, you must become peaceful. Drinking tea and smoking bidis is the same as taking poison. Rama, Rama, Rama. You must give up your addiction.

Y. Man: I try but I am not able to.

Madman: Only chant the name of Rama. You have been born as a man; you must find God. One addicted to intoxication cannot find God. He for whom the world has any fascination is far away from God. Day and night, utter the name of Rama at all times. Your addiction will go. Eat light food. Fill one-half of your stomach with food, one fourth with water and keep one-fourth empty for air. You must give up taking your meals from the hands of everyone and everywhere. Rama, Rama. Will you be able to do so?

Y. Man: I can do so.

Madman: Only chant the name of Rama. Your disease will be cured. Pray three times a day. (The Youngman bows and goes away muttering the name of Rama).

Madman: Rama, Rama, Rama. Sitaram, Sitaram.

(A middle-aged man enters.)

Madman: Rama, Rama, what ails you?

Man: I cannot sleep at night.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Rama. Eat pure food. Utter the name of Rama in every breath. At dawn, drink at least a quart of water through your nose. In the afternoon sit on the bank of some river and watch the water for at least an hour. And utter the name of Rama. Drink the juice of Tulsi leaves. Rama, Rama, Rama.

Man: Will this disease be cured simply if I utter the name of Rama?

Madman: It is an ordinary disease! Sitaram, if one utters the name of Rama the disease of existence is cured. There remains nothing to see or hear except God. There is no cause of worry. Go on repeating the name of Rama. (The middle-aged man goes away repeating the name of Rama).

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

(A young man enters).

Madman: What is the matter with you?

Y. Man: There is a great want in the family. Diseases visit us often. I think of being good, of remaining restrained but I cannot. I commit wrong.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Always chant the name of Rama and everything will be set right. Pure food is the best medicine for the body and mind. The mind is purified only by the purification of body. The person, who eats fish, meat, nonvegetarian things and drinks honey on Sunday, becomes a patient for seven lives and poor in every birth. He goes to the Suryaloka. Neem and ginger also are forbidden for Sunday. Those who want to keep their body healthy should follow the path shown by the scriptures. Do you know which kinds of food should not be eaten on certain tithis? Jai Sitaram.

Y. Man: No.

Madman: Know it and take care in the matter of food.

Y. Man: What have ailments to do with tithis?

Madman: Rama, Rama. Do you know that rheumatism, hydrocele etc give pain on the New Moon and Full Moon Tithis?

Y. Man: I know.

Madman: Whatever concerns man depends on the Sun. The Sun preserves every living being as life. The external life of everybody is the Sun. The blood is polluted on the New Moon and Full Moon. According to the movement of the Sun, rheumatism, and such other diseases get the upper hand on these days. On the Pratipada (the first lunar day), the movement of the Sun affects the gourd and it gets contaminated; eating it can cause illness. On the eighth lunar day, the movement of the Sun pollutes the coconut, which perverts the intellect. So, if a man eats the coconut on the eighth lunar day, he becomes foolish. On the thirteenth lunar day, the movement of the Sun affects the brinjal and semen-polluting germs appear. So, the eating brinjal on this Tithi prevents or causes loss of progeny. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Y. Man: I do not understand these things.

Madman: Rama, Rama. You have not done anything to help you understand them. You have only finished your body by unregulated diet. Judge Woodroff cut open a brinjal at the end of the twelfth lunar day and examined it through the microscope. He said that as soon as the thirteenth day set in, the brinjal was filled with tiny germs. Again, on the fourteenth day, he said that there were no more germs. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Everything depends on the Sun. Utter the name of Rama. Bow to the Sun. Eat pure food and chant the name of Rama.

Y. Man: Will my poverty be removed if I chant the name of Rama?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. God will have mercy on you. He says, ‘I take away the poverty of that man whom I favour.’ Only chant the name of Rama. He will take your entire burden and set your anxiety completely at rest. He has promised, ‘I bring to them who meditates on me with undivided attention, what they do not have and I protect what they have.’ Do not worry. Not a single name will go in vain. There is hope for you however sinning, however feeble, however unrestrained you may be. Only go on chanting the name of Rama and the torture of disease, grief, want, lust and such other things will vanish. (The Youngman goes away chanting the name of Rama.)

(A ‘Babu’ enters).

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Babu: Hello, Baba! What’s your design here?

Madman: A charitable dispensary of the name of Rama.

Babu: Which diseases are cured by your name of Rama?

Madman: There is no disease in the world but is cured by the name of Rama. There is no problem but is solved by the name of Rama. This is said loudly in all the Shastras.

Babu: Mad father, it is the age of science. Nobody will now accept what is said in the rotten Shastras by all those Rishis.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. It is because Shastrik injunctions are not accepted that there are so many diseases, needing hospitals in every village. All are proclaiming the victory of science. Its noise is drowning out the cry of millions for food. Science has brought merely the message of enjoyment and has increased the suffering. Rama, Rama. Peace does not dwell outside; it dwells inside. The spell for entering inside is to chant the name of Rama.

Babu: I will listen neither to your rotten Shastras nor to a fraud! Can you tell me which educated respectable man in this age has spoken of your name of Rama and has said that diseases are cured by the name of Rama?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Have you heard of the name of Mahatma Gandhi?

Babu: Who is there in the world who has not heard his name?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Do you follow what he says?

Babu: I follow him a million times.

Madman: Rama, Rama. He says in Ramnama Ki Mahima, ‘Today my sole physician is my Rama. As I go on singing hymns during prayer, Rama dispels all physical, mental and moral ailments. He who has the name of Rama in his heart stands in no need of any residence. The worshipper of Rama has no need of anything in the earth or water.’

Babu: Has Mahatmaji said these things?

Madman: He not only said them in the secret but also wrote them in books. He says, ‘Similarly, he who seeks refuge in the name of Rama in unrest wins.’ It was not only Tulsidasji who sang the glory of the name of Rama. I also find it in the Bible. In the Romans 10.13 it is said that he who will take the name of God will be delivered. We are saved much trouble if we look upon the diseases in this manner and understand that Rama is the sole Vaidya, who can cure them all.

Babu: Which of his books contains these things?

Madman: Rama, Rama. Some devotee of his collected his messages from many of his books and from The Harijan and published them in a book called Ramanama Ki Mahima. Would you like to hear more on this?

Babu: Will I not listen? I will listen to Bapuji as long as I live.

Madman: There is nothing equal to the golden rule of saying the name of Rama in conquering matter. If there is any violation of the vow during sleep, the expiation for it is generally greater caution and the uttering of the name of Rama whenever one wakes up. An unfailing way for being saved from perverted thinking is the name of Rama. If a man is attacked by a disease, it must be cured by taking name of Rama with sincerity. The name of Rama is the same as Ishwar, Khuda, Allah and God. Is not the name of Rama the central point in naturopathy? Rama and I have nothing to do with the occult. The real physician is Rama. Man becomes well protected by the name of Rama. The only condition is that the name of Rama must come from within. Did you hear, Sitaram, what Mahatmaji says?

Babu: He has laid emphasis on the words coming from the heart. Nothing will come of repeating the name orally like a parrot.

Madman: It is quite true that if the name of Rama is uttered with undivided attention by establishing harmony between the mind and the Prana, immediate result can be had. But for those who cannot do so, the Shastras say ‘Whether by slighting or by reverence, with devotion or without devotion, if a man hears or utters the name of Rama by any means, he becomes successful.’ A great man has said, ‘If one is not able to involve one’s body or mind, one can pray only by words. Bhajan has such powers that everything becomes divine.’ Rama, Rama.

Babu: O Mad baba! I find your words very good. Let me ask you a question, ’A man in need may utter the name of Rama to get rid of illness and necessity; why will, he who does not suffer from any disease, has no need and unrest, labour in vain?’

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. There is no man without a physical or mental disease or need. So, all should utter the name of Rama. The name of Rama means God’s name. If anybody utters the name given by his preceptor, he will be able to reach his destination.

Babu: Where is the destination? Man is born, lives for some time and then dies. He suffers from anxiety and troubles. What can give him peace? What can he do to live in peace in this world?

Madman: Man becomes successful if he discovers the ‘I’. What men call the ‘I’ is not the real ‘I’ but the cage of ‘I’.

Babu: Who is ‘I’? Where is that ‘I’?

Madman: ‘I’ is a part of God. ‘I’ is the Bindu, the light. ‘I’ resides in the heart. Pure food in a small quantity, good company, worship of God at all times, Japa and Dhyana lead to the Darshan of Pranava full of light, with Nada as its soul. Rama, Rama, Rama.

Babu: Then is light the Soul?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Yes. It is said in the Annapurna and RudrahridayaUpanishads, ‘Paramarthikam is Pashupata Brahma. Those whose faults have worn away can see this Light in their own bodies. Those who are blind-folded by illusion cannot see it.’ Tattva Samagita says, ‘Light is the Supreme Brahma. Light is the Supreme beatitude. Light is the highest peace. Light is the highest state.’

Babu: What is fault?

Madman: Rama, Rama. According to Mandala Brahmana Upanishad lust, anger, breath, fear, sleep; are faults.

Babu: How can they be removed?

Madman: By giving up, resolution, forgiveness, light meals, freedom from mistakes and wisdom.

Babu: What is he to do, who cannot do these things?

Madman: All can be achieved by chanting the name of Rama. Man is sure to get what he wants by uttering the name of Rama. There is no medicine for diseases greater than pure meals, good company and the name of Rama in the world.
Babu: I have become a slave to desires. It is not possible for me to have pure food and get good company. How am I to be saved?

Madman: Chant the name of Rama at all times. By your calling, the mad woman will wake up. If she begins to sing, it is done. She herself will drag you to the very ocean of Joy and keep you immersed in it for ever. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. Sing the name of Rama, say the name of Rama and meditate on Rama. Rama, Rama, Rama.

Here Comes the Rain

One day, the madman, after having discarded all his clothes, was dancing on the bank of the Ganga, and saying, ‘Rama, Rama. Here comes the train.’ Haladhara came there and said, ‘O mad father! Why are you dancing saying, ‘Here comes the train? It seems you that you have completely lost your senses. Put on your clothes, quickly.’

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Here comes the train. I am standing waiting for the train with my bag and baggage. Jai Sitaram.

Haladhara: Why do you say, ‘Here comes the train’? What does that mean?

Madman: Have you not seen that the passengers book their tickets and wait for the train? As soon as the bell announces the arrival of the train, they pick up their bag and baggage and keep looking in the direction from which the train is expected. They board the train as soon as it comes. Since my train is about to arrive, I too, am standing with my bag and baggage, ready to board. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: People wait for the train with their luggage but you have taken off your clothes and are dancing and saying ‘Rama Rama’. Where is your luggage?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Well, this cage made of the five elements is the bigggest baggage. I am dancing because I will board the train with it.

Haladhara: What you are calling the cage, is you!

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. As fish and water are not the same, as the water-pot and the sky in the water-pot are different, and as man and his cloth are not one, this cage and I are different. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: How do you know that you and your cage are separate?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. I know it well.

Haladhara: How do you know it?

Madman: Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. The Mother of ‘I’ is singing inside day and night. She has overwhelmed the cage by singing tunes and songs that sometimes sound like the cloud, the storm, an engine, a fountain or the cricket. No effort by the cage could stop her singing. Sitaram, by dancing and singing she creates points of light. She dances freely, creating points of light or vast empty spaces. By the impact of her dancing this cage has been shattered and ruined. Through this incessant dancing and singing I have realised that I am not this cage. The cage and I are separate. Rama, Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: Well, father, can ‘I’ be seen?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. It can certainly be seen. However, ‘I’ sometimes hides behind the sound of ‘OM’ produced while chanting ‘Whenever…’ or while saying ‘Soham’ or ‘Sohamasmi’ or ‘Shivoham’, and cannot be located. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Sitaram.

Haladhara: How does ‘I’ look?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Does ‘I’ always come out in the same guise?
Sometimes ‘I’ assumes the form of a supreme light; bright, incomparable and charming. Sometimes it becomes a very little point. Sometimes it becomes bigger and bigger, and becomes a vast empty space and smiles softly. Sometimes it swallows up everything and cannot be fathomed. What it becomes and what it does cannot be understood, Sitaram. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: What good comes of the realization of ‘I’?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. If one attains ‘I’, nothing else remains to be achieved. Everything comes to an end. One can become self-contented and self-satisfied. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Once the four-headed Master said, ‘I is sinless, free from decrepitude, deathless, free from mourning, free from hunger and thirst, seeker of truth and true to his vows. He alone should be sought. It should be one’s duty to specifically know the ‘I’. Those who get to know and experience the ‘I’, receive all that is desirable. Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: What happens after that?

Madman: Without knowing this, Indra, the king of the Gods and Virochana, the king of the demons, went to Brahma. After they had performed penance and observed the code of conduct for thirty-two years, Brahma said, ‘This Purusha that is visible to the eyes is ‘I’.’ Though he tried to illustrate and explain to Indra and Virochana, they could not understand completely. They left thinking the body to be the ‘I’. Virochana took the cage for ‘I’ and went away. While on his way back, Indra realized that the cage was not ‘I’. He returned and performed penance for another thirty-two years. Still he did not understand the truth. He went back to do yet another penance for thirty-two years. He still did not get the desired knowledge. After another five years’ penance, the swan-riding Brahma gave him the complete knowledge. After a total of one hundred- and one-years’ hard penance, Indra received the knowledge of ‘I’. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara: Mad father, I did not follow what you said about ‘I’.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Everything is ‘I’. The eye within eye is ‘I’; the ear within the ear is ‘I’; the nose within the nose is ‘I’; the skin within the skin is ‘I’ and the mind within the mind is ‘I’.

Haladhara: Where does ‘I’ live?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. It lives in the eyes. Within the black pupils of the eyes is the dwelling place of ‘I’. The master lives in the right eye and the mistress lives in the left eye. He lives even in the point in the middle of the forehead. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. The madman began to dance saying, ‘Here comes the train, here comes the train.’

Haladhara: Well, stop, stop. I have not completed my queries about the ‘I’. How many forms of ‘I’ are there?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram. The Great ‘I’ is one. When he likes to play, he assumes crores of tiny forms and thus arise innumerable universes. He plays with the various forms of himself. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Here comes the train. Those who had come have gone away. Rama, Rama.

Haladhara: If Indra, the King of the Gods, had to stay in the house of his Guru for one hundred and one years to know ‘I’, there is no hope for us.

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Well, this is not heaven; it is the mortal world. It is not the Satyayuga; this is the Kaliyuga. You have only to chant the name of Rama. If you can chant the name of Rama always, know your voyage to be complete. The Big ‘I’ and the tiny ‘I’ will begin to dance freely. In the end, the Big ‘I’ will swallow the tiny ‘I’. There will be no trace of the tiny ‘I’. Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara : Mad father, what is the name of the ‘I’?

Madman: Rama, Rama, Sitaram. All names are the names of ‘I’; all forms are the forms of ‘I’. ‘I’ itself is taking form of everything and playing. Once the Big ‘I’ told Brahma, ‘At the beginning of the creation I alone existed, after the creation I was whatever there was, and after the creation is destroyed, I alone will remain.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Haladhara : I cannot understand that, please explain

Madman: Yogis call Kundalini as ‘I’. The Vaishnava fathers call it Radharani and Jnani call it Omkara. In the Sharada Tilaka the five-faced God riding an ox says, ‘The consciousness of all beings is Shabdha-Brahma which resides in the bodies of all creatures as Kundalini.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram. Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.

Do you wish to listen to some more?

Prapanchasara, says, ‘This Omkar which is the seed, resides within all creatures. It also extends over the universe consisting of fourteen worlds. It pervades everything, whether movable or immovable. It is called Nada, Prana, Jeeva, Ghosha, etc.’ Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama Sitaram.

Haladhara: How shall I find ‘I’, mad father?

Madman: Ceaselessly go on chanting the Name.
Surely will you gain direct perception of your Dear,
He who chants the Name always is soon emancipated.
God Himself appears as the Name,
Dedicate your mind and life to the chanting of the Name.
Rama, Rama, Rama. Well, well, listen to an old song.
A sweet strain is rising, resonating in the sky
Who is that singing the chant ‘He is I, He is ‘I’?
The cloud roars again and again, not a drop of rain falls.
Being possessed, the body, life and mind are absorbed,
The body is thrilled.
The singer is singing far away in heaven,
The song in that empty space.
It is bringing a flood of joy,
Into this trembling body of mine.
The startled mind longs for you,
Loving Lord, do not remain away
Let me see You.

Singing ‘Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram’, the madman begins to dance with abandon.

Haladhara watches the ceaseless dance of the madman, becomes struck and begins to chant ‘Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram.
Rama, Rama, Sitaram, Jai Jai Rama, Sitaram'.

Service of God

Never should a moment pass without service,
When will this mind turn,
That only desire of serving Him remains?

A devotee does not want anything except being in the service of his dearest Thakur. He does not want virtue, wealth, desire or emancipation. His only object of desire is service. He is satisfied with the resolve that ‘I will come and serve your feet’.

God Himself says, ‘The Heaven, happiness, wealth, riches and the Kingdom of Heaven are trifles.’

‘The devotees do not accept anything except my service.’

Srimadbhagavata mentions, ‘Even if I offer Salokya, Samipya, and Sayujya emancipation; the devotee does not accept them.

The devotees only pray:

Never should a moment pass without service
.
When will this mind turn,

That only desire of serving Him remains?

The act of anointing the house,
Cleaning the temple,
Cleaning the remains of offering from the Holy Body,
Picking Tulsi, sandal, flowers,
Meditation on God Thinking of the Self with the uttering of the mantra,
Reading Suktas, hymns, chanting the Name,
Study of the Vedas, Puranas and other Shastras,
Worship of God according to rules,
Performing these five kinds of worship I will remain always engaged in speech,
body and mind and cool all my agonies,
‘Service alone lifts upwards’.

It is service that takes us to the higher world. That service alone does away with self-identification and the feeling of ‘mine’ and gives us experience of the soul. Service alone gives us direct perception of the loving and the loved Lord. Service alone keeps Him bound in love. No other Sadhana, worship, Yoga, sacrifice and penance, is needed. Service; only service is needed. The devotee, rendering service through body and mind, does not even realise when and how he has been set free. He does not even notice his crossing this vast ocean infested with dangerous creatures like lust, anger, etc. In the Upanishads we see that God wished to become many and take different forms. Then, in innumerable universes, He took form of everything from a tuft of grass to Brahma, and started this act.

He says to Brahma in Srimadbhagavata, ‘Before Creation, I alone existed. There was nothing; existent, non-existent or unmanifested. On Creation, I become all the objects that are, gross or subtle, and on dissolution, I alone will remain. I only was, I am and I only will be.’
There is nothing else.

Vishnupurana says, ‘Gods, human beings, birds, beasts, trees and reptiles, though they exist like dissimilar things, are all the manifestations of Vishnu. Knowing this the whole world should be looked upon as the one Soul since Vishnu assumes all forms.’

‘All objects that exist at any place, with or without any form, are His body.’

‘Vishnu alone is the Moon, the Sun, the stars, and all others heavenly bodies. Vishnu alone is the fourteen worlds. Vishnu alone is all forests, mountains, directions, rivers and the oceans. He is all. All objects that exist or not, are all Vishnu.’

‘This is my teaching to you in brief; the knowledge that there is no difference between all objects and the Supreme Soul is the highest truth and essence.’

‘All that exists in the world is Lord Vishnu. There is nothing except Him. You or I and all the objects that exist, are the Soul. Give up the delusion of distinction.’

Maitreya said, ‘I have already received the knowledge from you that this world is the manifestation of Vishnu, it exists in Vishnu and there is nothing except that Vishnu.’

‘That Supreme Being is the manifested and the unmanifest. That universal soul Lord Hari exists as the Universe.’

‘O Shankara, know yourself as inseparable from me, you are who I am. Even this world full of gods and demons and men, is the manifestation of myself. It is the men deluded by ignorance, who make a distinction.’

That, God himself is in the guises of all and is performing His act, is gradually understood by the devotee.

The loving devotee with undivided devotion, bows to all things; the sky, the air, fire, water, the earth, the Moon, the Sun and other heavenly bodies, all material objects, all creatures, the ten directions, all trees, all rivers, all oceans and all other things, thinking them to be the body of Sri Hari.

The devotee loses his self-doing the service of God and in chanting His name. He offers obeisance with the belief that all are His form. His belief that, gods, human beings, beasts, birds, trees, creepers, worms and insects are all the images of God in His Leela, and that all things beginning from the atom up to the Himalayas are His forms, becomes strengthened.

Vishnudharmottara states, ‘Anyone related to me is Vishnu, anyone who is my enemy is Vishnu, the heaven, the sky, the earth and the directions are Vishnu. The whole universe consisting of objects both animate and inanimate, is Vishnu. The fourteen worlds are Vishnu. I have no friends, I have no enemies, there is no collection of elements and there is no one apart from me. You, he and I are only physically different bodies of God.

I belong to that God and that King of the Gods is mine. I am not invisible to him and he is not invisible to me. I bow to God, who pervades this whole universe. I take refuge in only Him, who is mine and to whom I belong

While serving God, the devotee sees everything as the body of God. He also comes to look upon his own body as the ‘Leela-image’ of God. He begins to consider taking care of it as service to God. On eating his meal, the devotee says, ‘I offered food to God.’ He remembers nothing except service. Since everything is the image of God this body is also His. The devotee is then filled with joy. He is not afraid of hearing the praise of the body and accepts it as praise of God. ‘What I had so far known to be my body is the form through which He performs His Leela. Oh, what joy! What joy! I am without a separate identity. This ‘Leela-Vigraha’ of God is serving all the ‘Leela-Vigrahas’ of Himself! Oh, what joy! That Supreme Being Sri Bhagwan is playing his Leela as the doer and receiver of service, as worship and the object of worship.’

Glory to God!

Glory to service!

GURU PARAMPARA

RAMANANDIYA SRI VAISHNAVA
JAI GURU SAMPRADAYA PARAMPARA

Sri Kakustha Sriram Ji,
Sri Sita Ji,
Sri Vishvaksen Ji,
Sri Shathakop Swamiji,
Sri Nathmuni Ji,
Sri Pundarikshaaksha Muni Ji,
Sri Ram Mishra Ji,
Sri Yamunacharya Ji,
Sri Mahapoornacharya Ji,
Sri Ramanujacharya Ji,
Sri Kuresh Swami Ji,
Sri Madhavacharya Ji,
Sri Bopdev Ji,
Sri Devadhipaacharya Ji,
Sri Purushottamacharya Ji,
Sri Gangadharacharyaa Ji,
Sri Rameshwaracharya Ji
Sri Dwaranandacharya Ji,
Sri Devanandacharya Ji,
Sri Shriyanandacharya Ji,
Sri Haryanandacharya Ji,
Srimad Raghavanandacharya Ji,
Sri Jagatguru Bhaashyakaar 108 Srimad Ramanandacharya Ji,
Sri Anantanand Ji,
Sri Ganesh Ji,
Sri Purnavairati Ji,
Sri Kaludas Ji,
Sri Gangadas Ji,
Sri Vishnudas Ji,
Sri Harbhanjandas Ji,
Sri Ghanshyamdas Ji,
Sri Prayagdas Ji,
Sri Lakshmandas Ji,
Sri Bhaktamali Ramdas Ji,
Sri Madhavdas Ji,
Srimad Damodardas Ji,
108 Srimad Dasharathidev Yogeshwar Ji,
1008 Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath Ji.

List of Books written in Bengali by Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath dev:

1. Sri Sri Guru Gita -- translated into Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and English.
2. Sri Sri Gita -- translated into Hindi.
3. Sri Sri Gita Mahatmya.
4. Sri Sri Gopi Gita.
5. Madhumayi Gita.
6. Sri Sri Udhava Gita I
7. Sri Sri Udhava Gita II.
8. Sri Sri Bhagwat Gita (Pranava - Prema Piyush) part I & II.
9. Sri Sri Chandi.
10. Sri Sri Guru Mahimamrita
11. Sri Sri Nama Mahimamrita (11 volumes).
12. Sri Sri Ganga Mahimamrita.
13. Sri Sri Narmada Mahimamrita.
14. Sri Sri Tulsi Mahimamrita.
15. Sri Sri Namamrita.
16. Sri Sri Matri Mahimamrita.
17. Sri Sri Rupamrita.
18. Sri Sri Matri Rupamrita.
19. Sri Sri Dharmamrita.
20. Sri Sri Lilamrita part I.
21. Sri Sri Lilamrita part II.
22. Sri Sri Lila Bibhuti.
23. Sri Sri Purushottam Lila -- translated in Hindi and English.
24. Sri Sri Nada Lilamrita -- translated in Hindi and English.
25. Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari Part I -- translated in Hindi and English.
26. Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari Part II -- translated in Hindi and English.
27. Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari part III -- translated in Hindi and English.
28. Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari IX.
29. Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari part X.
30. Sri Sri Brajanath Lilamrita Lahari part I.
31. Sri Sri Brajanath Lilamrita Lahari part II.
32. Sri Sri Siva Namamrita Lahari.
33. Sri Sri Bhagwannama Mahima.
34. Sri Sri Krishna Nama Mahima.
35. Sri Mahaprasad Mahima.
36. Sri Sri Ramanama Mahatmya.
37. Sri Sri Ramanama Likhan Mahima.
38. Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama -- translated in Hindi.
39. Sri Sri Rama Sahasra Nama.
40. Sri Sri Siva Sahasra Nama.
41. Sri Sri Sitaram Sahasra Nama.
42. Sri Sri Lakshmi Sahasra Nama.
43. Sri Sri Onkar Sahasra Giti.
44. Sri Sri Nama Mahima Giti.
45. Sri Sri Mahamantra Samkirtan.
46. Sri Sri Mahamantra Kalpataru.
47. Sri Sri Nama Rasayana.
48. Namavata
49. Maharasayana -- translated in Hindi and English.
50. Prema Giti.
51. Prema Gatha.
52. Milan Gatha.
53. Mannatha (Amar Thakur).
54. Brajanath Gatha.
55. Matri Gatha -- translated in Hindi.
56. Chokher Jale Mayer Puja -- Translated in Hindi and English.
57. Virakta Puja.
58. Ganesher Sandhya.
59. Phula Mala.
60. Puja Phula.
61. Pushpa Chandan.
62. Tulshi Chandan.
63. Seva.
64. Sava Sadhana.
65. Smashane.
66. Maran Jai.
67. Andhare Alo -- translated in Hindi, Tamil and English.
68. Alor Desha.
69. Duti Katha.
70. Premamrita.
71. Sudhar Dhara -- translared in Hindi and English.
72. Abhai Vani -- translated in Hindi and English.
73. Yuga Vani -- translated in Hindi and English.
74. Vanimala
75. Vani Vilas part I
76. Vani Vilas part II.
77. Sri Ujjivana.
78. Tara Tarao.
79. Srestha Dharma - translated in Hindi.
80. Mahabrata.
81. Sai.
82. Bada Atithi.
83. Sadachara.
84. Ananda Sambad - translated in Hindi and English.
85. Amrita Gamaya -- translated in Hindi and English.
86. Abhai Amrita -- translated in Hindi and English.
87. Amrita Bindu -- translated in Hindi and English.
88. Kalir Kausal.
89. Kalir Patha.
90. Param Path - translated in Hindi and English.
91. Paramander Path.
92. Sri Sri Purushottam.
93. Veda Bhagwan.
94. Yoga Rahasya.
95. Makar Baba.
96. Brahmanusandhan Part I.
97. Brahmanusandhan Part II.
98. Prapanna Pathik - part I.
99. Prapanna Pathik - part II.
100. Sri Sri Narad Bhakti Sutra.
101. Bhakti Darshan (Sandilya Sutra).
102. Pagaler Kheyal - translated in Hindi.
103. Kshepar Jhuli - part I -- translated in Hindi.
104 Kshepar Jhuli - part II - translated in Hindi.
105. Kshepar Jhuli - part III -- translated in Hindi.
106. Kshepar Jhuli - Part IV -- translated in Hindi.
107. Kshepar Jhuli (Phusmantra).
108. Sata Pancha Chaupai.
109. Manur Atyadhar.
110. Varnashram Viplava.
111. Patravali.
112. Traikalik Stavamala.
113. Prarthana.
114. Sri Sri Jayavali.
115. Jai Guru -- translated in Hindi and English.
116. Jai Ma -- translated in Hindi and English.
117. Jai Bhagwan -- translated in Hindi and English.
118. Guru Ratnam.
119. Hari Ratnam.
120. Pancha Ratna.
121. Mumukshur Pratah Kritya.
122. Mumukshur (Ramanandiya Vaisnava Ganer) Pratah Kritya.
123. Sakti and Saiva Mumukshur Pratah Kritya.
124. Tantrik Nitya Kritya ( Brahman).
125. Tantrik Nitya Kritya( Sudra and Stri).
126. Path Harar Patheya.
127. Bipath Gaminir Ashar Alo.
128. Viswa Janani Ramani -- translated in Hindi and English.
129. Arya Ramani.
130. Jagat Janani Sati Ramani.
131. Sati Charitra.
132. Ay Phire Ay Ma.
133. Matri Puja - translated in Hindi and English.
134. Amulya Ratna.
135. Sati Sanga.
136. Ami Achi Orey - translated in Hindi and English.
137. Tumi Ami.
138. Sava Tumi.
139. Pita Putra.
140. Mata Putra.
141. Mani Mala Part I.
142. Mani Mala Part II.
143. Guru Puja (Drama) -- translated in Hindi and English.
144. Sukadeva (Drama).
145. Ranachhor ( Drama).
146. Asru Badal -- translated in Hindi and English.
147. Bhakta Lila (Drama) -- translated in Hindi and English.
148. Dasya Madhura (Drama).
149. Nadia Nagar (Drama).
150. Siva Vivaha (Drama).
151. Bijane Vijaya (Drama).
152. Tapas Habib (Drama).
153. Milan Sangha.
154. Jagatguru Ramananda.
155. Katha Ramayana Part I.
156. Katha Ramayana part II.
157. Sri Omkarnath Rachnavali vol. 1 to 16
means 172 books

Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath wrote mostly in Bengali and Sanskrit in chaste and simple language and this went straight to the hearts of the readers.

His 'Brahmanusandhan' and 'Prapanna Pathik' were high philosophical texts which showed the height of his attainment. He put a new interpretation to the Ramayana and His 'Katha Ramayana' is a piece of poetry touching the hearts. Poems, essay, dramas raced out of his pen in a continuous stream and his 'Makar Baba' was an example of perfect writing effectively nullifying all the accusations against Sanatan Dharma without using a single harsh or abusive word.

His 'Matri Gatha' has been acclaimed as the highest exposition of Mother Durga never done in any language and at any time.

Sitaram...Sitaram...Sitaram...