OM! Atman is Sat-Chit-Ananda - Swami Sivananda

  Atman is Sat-Chit-Ananda

 Sat, Chit and Ananda are one. Atman is partless and homogeneous. The three characteristics Sat, Chit and Ananda are not distinct from one another. They are coeval and coexistent with Atman. Sat-Chit-Ananda signify the one Atman. Sat is Chit. Sat is Ananda. Chit is Sat. Chit is Ananda. Ananda is Sat. Ananda is Chit. You cannot split up Sat-Chit-Ananda into three separate entities, just as you cannot separate light, heat and luminosity from fire.

 Atman is Sat

 Atman is Sat. That which exists in the past, present and future, which has no beginning, middle and end, which is unchanging, which is not conditioned in time, space and causation, which exists during Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti, which is of the nature of one homogeneous essence (Sada Ekarasa, Sada Ekarupa) is Sat. This is found in Atman. Srutis emphatically declare: Sat only was prior to the evolution of this universe.

 Atman is Chit

Atman is Chit because he shines by himself without the help of any other light and illuminates the entire universe by his own light.

The mind is finite and inert. He has no independent intelligence. He is not self-luminous. The brilliance of him is borrowed from the Light of the fountain. He is subject to various limitations and changes. He is only an inert product of subtle matter. Only the Atman is the source of Chit. The mind is also perceived by Chit. The mind has a beginning and an end.

The external universe, however varied and large it may be, is after all only inert matter. It cannot be the object of our perception unless we cast upon it the flow of light from our consciousness; he can never know us. It is enlightened only by us. It can never enlighten us.

  Atman is Ananda

Ananda is that bliss that is eternal, uncaused and incomparable. It is the true nature of Atman.

 But the supreme bliss of Brahman has no degrees. It is infinite or unlimited because there is nothing superior to it. The bliss of deep sleep has no degrees.

 Brahman bliss cannot be adequately expressed in words. It has to be felt and realized through the direct realization of the Self. Although we experience it, it is not an experience like the enjoyment of an object, because you are then an incarnation of bliss itself.

 All miseries come to an end when one realizes (realizes) the Atman. Therefore the Atman must be an embodiment of bliss. Sat is Chit. Sat is Ananda too.

 He who has realized this Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman is a liberated sage. He has nothing else to learn, he has nothing else to do, he has nothing else to gain. All his wishes are satisfied. He has obtained all the worlds. He is freed from the clutches of death. He achieves immortality.

Om! The Purpose of Life - Awakening of Consciousness - by Nityananda Atman

The purpose of life - Awakening of Consciousness

To have a heart as pure as crystal, 
a mind as luminous as the sun, 
a soul as vast as the universe,  
a spirit as powerful as God  
and one with God              
       ~Omraam Aivanhov

What is the purpose of life?

It is to find out who we really are; the realization of our True Self or Atman.

That is the main purpose of every human being. All other purposes have a secondary place in our life. Self-realization, self-knowledge, God-realization, liberation, enlightenment, are synonymous terms. They point to the same goal. The realization of our real Self whose nature is pure awareness.

'The highest goal of man is to enquire, "Who am I?" and realize the Self. If a human being does not try to realize this, he lives in vain.'

~ Ramana Maharshi

What is illusion?

Illusion is the imagination that you are a body-mind entity, an illusory image, separate from God and the universe. Because of ignorance (maya), and the impurities of mind (the qualities of rajas  and tamas), you cannot discriminate the eternal Self or awareness that you really are from the impermanent vehicles (body-mind) that are objects in awareness.

‘Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over the pure bliss. This ignorance consists in wrong knowledge. The wrong knowledge consists in the false identification of the Self with the body, the mind, etc. This false identity must go and there remains the Self.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

Nobody can really explain when this illusion started or why. This is the game of life. This illusion can be destroyed, if you are sincere and do rigorous sadhana (spiritual disciplne or practices). In the course of time, it will flash through you that you are awareness itself and not the body-mind entity.

‘There must be untiring effort to go inward all the time until the Self is realized.’ 

~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the Self?

The Self or consciousness is the eternal, timeless, formless, causeless, essence of life. It is the one without a second (nondual) reality beyond this perceptual universe. It is a homogenous mass of consciousness, without parts, without attributes, without birth and death.

It is the substratum of all gross and subtle experiences. It is the centerless center in every creature. It is within and without, above and below, it permeates and fulfils everything.

The Self in you is the Self of all. Bodies are many, minds are many but the Self is only One. The One Self appears as many owing to the illusory appearance of bodies and minds. As the one sun in the sky appears as many owing to its reflection in the water of many different vessels, the one without a second (nondual) Self appears as many owing to its reflection in different minds.

This immortal Self shines in the chambers of your heart as your own Self. It is your real identity, your origin and your final destination.

How can the desire to find my true nature arise within me?

Consciousness (the Soul from within) impels you to find out the truth because awareness itself wants to be awakened in you. But you, the person, have to do the sadhana. We are all instruments of the divine will but we become conscious of it only after awakening.

How is possible to get liberation or enlightenment?

Even to win a lottery you have to do something, at least to buy the ticket! Similarly, Self-realization is not going to happen accidentally, except in some very rare cases in which it seems to happen so.

The scriptures and the sages declare that instant realization and liberation can only happen to those who did intense sadhana  in their previous births. This is the case of Sri Ramana Maharshi, but this is unknown to the majority. So you have to do sadhana or spiritual practices to prepare yourself for the dawn of jnana (knowledge).

'Without spiritual practice (upasana), there cannot be attainment. This is certain.‘ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

How will I know who is the appropriate spiritual teacher or which is the right teaching? 

You will feel it; there will be a certainty like ‘I am at home’. You will feel attraction to the teacher or the teaching and you will be elevated. If there is any doubt in your mind, you can pray and the answer will be given to you.

What is the right spiritual practice or the right way for me?

Any practice given from the scriptures and great spiritual masters are appropriate for sadhana.  

For you, good is the practice that is suited more to your temperament, maturity and the present conditions of your life. There is no such thing as good or bad practice. What suits you is a good practice for you. That does not mean it is good for all. Furthermore, what is appropriate for you this time maybe is not so at a more advanced stage.

‘To each person that way is the best which appears easiest or appeals most. All the ways are equally good, as they lead to the same goal, which is merging of the ego in the Self.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

Man is a composition of body, mind and spirit. Therefore, it is necessary to include in your sadhana practices for all these aspects of existence. You need a healthy body, abundant energy, mental and emotional balance and harmony. The spirit can be revealed where there is predominance of sattva quality, which brings harmony at all levels of human existence.

It is absolutely necessary to increase the sattva quality, through spiritual practices and a sattvic lifestyle. Sattva is the foundation of physical and mental well-being and Self-realization.

‘If the aspirants have not one-pointed mind - which is possible for him who has pure mind full of sattva - dispassion, discrimination etc., Self-inquiry is impossible.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the aim of sadhana or spiritual practices?

Sadhana has two aims.

First: The purification of mind from rajas  and tamas qualities and the increase of sattva. The destruction of the lower or impure mind (desires, lust, greed, anger, fear, jealousy, attachments, etc.) and the ego itself (the sense ‘I am the body’ and its consequences: ‘I-ness’, ‘mineness’, I am the doer, and I am the enjoyer).

‘Since purity of mind is indispensable for any kind of spiritual practice, it possesses an eminence of the highest order.’  
‘The greatness of chitta shuddhi (purity of mind) is that it is the mother of all virtuous conduct. Realizing this, examine your mind every day.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

Second: The inquiry into the nature of your real Self (awareness) and the permanent abidance as ‘That’ after the realization.

‘Letting go of the external objects, turn your back on them, and realize through keen inquiry the effulgent truth that shines in the heart.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

These two aspects of sadhana go together but the first one has precedence, because it makes the mind pure, one-pointed, steady, introverted, discriminative, a capable instrument to do Self-inquiry and meditation effectively. Then through meditation or Self-inquiry the mind becomes finer and finer and finally dissolves in the Self.

‘Only to such a mind which has gained the inner strength of one-pointedness, Self-inquiry will be successful.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

Two important notes:

1. Realization is not something you can attain by effort. This does not mean that sadhana is not necessary. You have to prepare yourself for realization. You must eliminate all those things that prevent realization. Realization will happen by itself when the right time will come. Purification, intense longing to find the truth, sincerity, faith, steady determination, vigilance are very important to succeed in this endeavour.

‘You are the Self. You are already That. The fact is that you are ignorant of your blissful state. Ignorance supervenes and draws a veil over pure bliss. Attempts are directed only to remove this ignorance.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

2. Be careful because spirituality also can be a nice field for the egoic mind to play its roles. Beware always! Be alert, because ego always tries its best to delude you. But if you are sincere and unceasingly vigilant, you will find out the fancies of ego and you will dissolve them.

‘The spiritual practice adopted by the jiva becomes complete upon the destruction of the ego at its source.’ 
 ~ Ramana Maharshi

Satsang

Satsang (meetings with realized souls) is one of the most potent means to dispel ignorance. The magnetic aura of a realized sage can elevate you and give you a great help in your way to Self-realization. That does not mean that sadhana is not necessary. Sadhana becomes very effective when is practiced at the feet of a great master.

‘Sankara has said that in all the three worlds there is no boat likesatsang to carry one safely across the ocean of births and deaths.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

It is very important also to do sadhana at sacred places where the energies are very pure and powerful. Reading also books of realized sages or sacred scriptures, like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, can give you light, strength and inspiration.

Who is going to get liberation or Self-realization?

Liberation is not an achievement of the ego, but the dissolution of the ego. Self-knowledge is the realization that you are pure consciousness and not the mind-made entity or ego.

That means that consciousness itself will realize in you, (through the medium of pure crystal like buddhi) its own nature, as the eternal, immutable, blissful essence of life.

The very death of the ego in all its aspects (I-ness, mineness, doership, enjoyership, desires, lust, greed, guilt, anger, etc.) will result in liberation. This is the very death of your egoic self, but your birth to the eternal life.

‘The glory of self-realization is not experienced except in the hearts of those who are very zealous about sinking into the Self.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

What is the difference between awakening and liberation?

Awakening is the realization that we are not the body-mind complex or the ego but the witnessing consciousness behind them. When awakening happens there is a spontaneous disidentification from the mind and body and the realization that we are the space-consciousness in which the body and mind appear.

However, awakening is not necessarily accompanied by the total destruction of the egoic mind. In some cases, awakening can destroy all the egoic mind structures. In other cases, after awakening a great amount of latent impressions (samskaras andvasanas) continue to exist in the subconscious mind, interrupting the experience of the Self. Sadhana must be continued until all vasanas are totally fried and the abidance in the Self will be permanent and effortless.

‘…intense effort is necessary until the I-thought will disappear completely in the heart (Self) and all the vasanas and samskaras will be fried and do not revive again.’ 
‘Knowledge (jnana) can only remain unshaken after all vasanas are rooted out.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

People who have some kind of awakening may confuse it with liberation or the final state of realization. Keep in mind that there is no liberation if identification with ‘ego’, body, emotions, thoughts and sense objects continues after awakening. There is no liberation if the vasanas and samskaras drive out the mind to entertain sense objects.

‘All the age-long vasanas carry the mind outward and turn it to external objects. All such thoughts have to be given up and the mind turned inward. For that, effort is necessary for most people.’ 
~ Ramana Maharshi

The Self shines in the heart, so effort is necessary to keep the mind inward. Until all vasanas, samskaras, desires and the ‘I’ thought are destroyed, effort is necessary to keep the mind still in the heart.

‘If the six illusory enemies (desire, anger, greed, delusion, intoxication and envy), beginning with desire, that mingle in your heart are totally destroyed, the extremely clear light of  jnana will shine.’  
‘An unruffled mind established in the heart is the fence that protects the field of liberation.’  
~ Ramana Maharshi

But do we really want to abandon sense pleasures? Do we really want to lose our egoic identity? The enjoyment of sense pleasures and the abidance in the Self are opposites. We cannot serve two masters; we have to make a choice.

‘Why give up the marvelous experience of peace by desiring imaginary and degraded sense enjoyments?’ 
‘Do not allow yourself to be buffeted by the sense perceptions in this world, but become firmly established in the discipline of spiritual practice (tapas), and be totally free of misery.’
 ~ Ramana Maharshi

‘No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and mammon.’
~ Jesus Christ

What is the main prerequisite for Self-realization?

If you really want the truth heartfully; if you have zeal, earnestness, sincerity, intense longing and if you give all your energy, mind, body, everything you have, the truth will be revealed to you when the time is right. There is no doubt about this. Nothing can stop you reaching your destination; the abode of eternal Peace and happiness.

‘One must be ready to sacrifice everything for the truth.’  
'Firm resolve to discover the truth for oneself is important.' 
~ Ramana Maharshi

At every time on your journey towards Self-realization, you will find everything you need, the right book, the right spiritual teacher, the right teaching for you. Do not worry. Be flexible, be open, be patient, do your best every moment and the next step will come by itself.

'There is a steady determination that gets you on your feet again after a fail or break.' 
~ Ramana Maharshi

O man! What do you really want? To be a small egocentric entity full of miseries and sufferings, a slave of illusory sense pleasures or to realize that you are the formless, timeless and ever free consciousness, always content, happy and peaceful?

Self-realization is your birthright
You can realize it in this very birth
Time is flitting
Death can come at any time
Don't waste your time in trifling things
Roam like a lion, fear nothing
Do rigorous sadhana
Be alert, be vigilant
You are bound to succeed
Realize the Self here and now
And be an embodiment of peace and harmony.

Om Tat Sat

~Nityananda Atman

References:   

Padamalia: Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, recorded by Muruganar, edited by David Godman;

Daily Quotes from Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Jnana Magra In Bhagavan’s Own Words, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Ramana Maharshi Answers 100 Questions, edited and compiled by A.R. Natarajan;

Quotable Quotes from Day to Day, compiled by Sanjay Lohia;

Day by Day with Bhagavan, from the diary of A. Devaraja Mudaliar;

Maharshi's Gospel Books I & II;

Gems from Bhagavan, strung together by A. Devaraja Mudaliar;

The New Testament from the World English Bible.

Peace  love  harmony

The Three Governing Factors of Sadhana (spiritual practice) by Swami Sivananda

The Three Governing Factors of Sadhana (spiritual practice)

by Swami Sivananda

Many people even after studying classic works on religion and philosophy, do not know what they should do in practice to attain the goal of life, viz., God-realization, and they seek enlightenment on this. The three things essential for God-realization are:

1) constant remembrance of God,

2) cultivation of virtues and

3) spiritualization of all activities.

 1. Constant remembrance of God:

There may be breaks in the beginning, but by repeated practice, gradually you can have constant remembrance. Constant mental repetition of God's Name (Namasmarana), alone is possible for the vast majority of people. Awakening of Kundalini and raising of Brahmakara Vritti are very, very difficult, but when the mind is purified, they would come automatically.

2. Cultivation of virtues:

Of all virtues Ahimsa (non-injury), Satya (truthfulness) and Brahmacharya (celibacy) are the most important. If one is established in one virtue, all other virtues will cling to him. Watch the Vrittis (thoughts, mental and emotional modifications). Introspect. Develop purity in thought, word and deed. In the beginning, practise at least physical purity. Then mental purity will come by itself.

3. Spiritualisation of all activities:

Feel you are an instrument in the Lord's hands and that all the Indriyas (senses) belong to Him. Repeat the formula: "I am Thine; all is Thine; Thy Will be done." It is a beautiful formula for self-surrender. You may forget this formula and egoism may assert itself. But introspect again and again and find out your weakness. Try to be established in the feeling, "I am an instrument in the hands of the Lord." Remember the Gita verse:

SELF-SURRENDER & INSTRUMENTALITY

Whatever you do, or eat, or offer in sacrifice, or give, or practice as austerity, do it as an offering unto Me.   - Bhagavad Gita IX-27

Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me (the Lord) alone; I will liberate thee from all sins, grieve not.   - Bhagavad Gita XVIII-66

These are Saranagati formulas (formulas of Self-surrender)

After the day's work, offer whatever you have done to God. Do not identify yourself with actions. Feel that you are doing your duty as a detached instrument of the Lord's benevolence.

Kayena vacha manasendriyairva
buddhyatmana va prakritessvabhavat,
Karomi yadyat sakalam parasmai
Narayanayeti samarpayami.

Offer all actions and their fruits to God. Then you will not be bound. In this way you should spiritualise all your activities. Feel that the whole world is a manifestation of the Lord and you are serving the Lord in all names and forms, and whatever you do-your actions and the results thereof consecrate to the Lord. Then your heart will be purified and will be ready to receive the divine light and grace.

SUREST METHOD

Therefore, practice the three requisites: constant remembrance of God, spiritualising your activities and cultivating virtues.

These three are very important. Practise them. This is the easiest, the quickest and the surest method for attaining God-realization.

This Atman is hidden in all beings, but it is seen only by subtle seers through their sharp and subtle intellect. - Katha Upanishad

The intellect should be razor-sharp if you wish to understand the Brahma Sutras properly. All are not meant for it. Even then practical experience is essential. 

Therefore, to the vast majority, constant remembrance of the Lord, spiritualization of all activities and cultivation of virtues.  Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Thruhfullness), Brahmacharya (Celibacy), form the most important part of Sadhana. These also constitute the noble eightfold path of Lord Buddha. These also correspond to the "Sermon on the Mount" of Lord Jesus. These are the essentials in all religions. So, kindly practice these, and attain God-realization. Love all. Be good and do good. 

May Lord bless you all.

Need for Yoga Sadhana -Swami Sivananda

 

Need for Yoga Sadhana 

by Swami Sivananda

Why should you prolong your bondage unnecessarily? Why should you not claim your divine birthright right now? Why should you not break your bondage now? Delay means prolongation of your sufferings. You can break it at any moment. This is in your power. Do it now. Stand up. Gird up your loins. Do rigorous and vigorous Sadhana and attain freedom, which is immortality or eternal bliss.

Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, Tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom.

The divine within you is stronger than anything that is without you. Therefore be not afraid of anything. Rely on your own Inner Self, the Divinity within you. Tap the source through looking within.

Without renunciation you can never be happy. Without renunciation you can never be successful in gaining the highest good i.e., Moksha. Without renunciation you can never be at your ease. Therefore renounce everything. Make happiness your own. Hold renunciation as the foremost of things.

Improve yourself. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base in you. Endeavour to attain all that is worthy and noble.

Only when you have purified the heart, silenced the mind, stilled the thoughts and surging emotions, withdrawn the outgoing senses, thinned out the Vasanas, you can behold the glorious Atman during deep meditation.

There are five means by which perfect tranquillity or emancipation can be attained. These form the highest happiness. They are Satsanga or association with the wise, discrimination between the real and the unreal, dispassion, enquiry of 'Who am I?' and meditation. These are called Heaven. These are religion. These form the highest happiness.

Become a good man first. Then control the senses. Then subdue the lower mind by the higher mind. Then the divine light will descend. Only then the vessel will be able to receive and hold the divine light.

Practise meditation persistently and calmly without haste. You will soon attain Samadhi or the Nirvikalpa state.

Spiritual life is toilsome and laborious. It demands constant vigilance and long perseverance before substantial progress is made.

You have yourself built the walls of your prison-house through ignorance. You can demolish the walls through discrimination and enquiry of "Who am I?"

Sufferings purify the soul. They burn up the gross material sins and impurities. The Divinity becomes more and more manifest. They give inner spiritual strength and develop the will force, the power of endurance. Hence sufferings are blessings in disguise.

Even a ray of inner light during meditation will lighten your path. It will give you a great deal of encouragement and inner strength. It will goad you to do more Sadhana. You will experience this ray of light when the meditation becomes deeper and when you rise above body-consciousness.

Meditation and worship are the means of evolving your potentialities and seeking a higher level of consciousness or existence.

Life is the unfolding of the latent capacities of the soul. Lead the divine life. Generate sublime divine thoughts in your mind through meditation, Japa, Kirtan and study of sacred scriptures.

Bathe in the river of life everlasting. Plunge in it. Take a dip in it. Swim in it. Float in it. Rejoice.

Bask the body in the physical sunlight. Bask the soul in the sunlight of the Eternal. You will have good health and everlasting life.

Worship is the unfolding of the bud of the flower of the soul. Worship is life. Worship bestows life eternal.

You may conquer millions of persons in battle, but you will become the greatest conqueror only if you can conquer your own lower self or mind.

So long as your senses are not subdued or weakened, you will have to practise Tapas or self-restraint, Dama or Pratyahara.

Sit down with a composed mind. Assert your mastery over the body and mind. Plunge deep into the chambers of the heart, and enter into the stupendous ocean of Silence. Listen to the voice which is soundless.

Build your spiritual life on a sure foundation, on the rock of divine grace and strength of character. Take refuge in the Lord and His eternal law. There is no power in heaven or on earth that can bar your march now. Success in Self-realisation is certain. Failure exists not for you. There is light on your path. All is brilliant.

How to Develop the Will - Swami Sivananda

How to Develop the Will

¬ Swami Sivananda

Attention, power of endurance, fortitude in suffering, Tapas (austerity) such as standing on one foot, sitting in the hot sun or standing in cold water in winter, raising the hands above and keeping them in the same position for a long time, fasting, patience, command of temper, forbearance, clemency, firmness in meeting danger, power of resistance of attack, Satyagraha, keeping up daily diary, Japa of any Mantra-all pave a long way in developing the will. Uninterrupted steady practice of the above with firm faith will enable you to develop your will to a high degree.

One should patiently hear the words of others even though they are not interesting and attractive. He should not fret himself. Patient hearing develops will and wins the hearts of others. One should do actions or tasks that are not. interesting. This also will develop the will-power. The actions that are not interesting will become interesting after some time.

Try to live happily in any place under any condition. Your will will become strong and dynamic. This is a great secret. Keep this in your pocket and unlock the elysian regions of the spiritual realms and the immortal abode. You can get success in any undertaking. You can conquer any difficulty.

The practice of concentration is of great help to strengthen the will. You must have an intelligent understanding of the nature of the mind, how it wanders and how it operates. You must know easy and effective methods to control the wandering mind. The practice of concentration and memory-culture are allied subjects.

All these are of great help in the development of will-culture. You cannot draw a demarcation-line to denote where the practice of concentration or memory-culture ends and the practice of will-culture begins. There is no hard and fast rule. The force of Brahmacharya Is at the back of the will. No will-culture is possible without Brahmacharya. Will is another name for the force of celibacy (Virya-Sakti). Every drop of semen is a magnetic force.

Constant repetition and meditation on the following formulas will doubtless develop your will-power.

My will is pure, strong and irresistible OM OM OM

I can do anything through my will now OM OM OM

I have an invincible will OM OM OM

You must really feel as you repeat the above formulas. Meditation on the immortal Atman will develop the will-power. This is the best method. Do not use the will in wrong directions'

You will have a hopeless fall. Do not test the strength of your will in the beginning. Wait till it becomes strong, pure and irresistible.

Instructions on Will-Culture

l. One who wants to become a magnetic and dynamic personality or a prodigy or a genius should utilise every second to the best possible advantage and should try to grow mentally, morally and spiritually every second. Idle gossiping should be given up entirely. Every one of you should realise the value of time. Will is bound to become dynamic, if one utilises one's time very profitably. Application and tenacity, interest and attention, patience and perseverance, faith and self-reliance can make a man to be a world-figure.

2. You will have to apply your will according to your capacity. Otherwise your will-power will deteriorate and you will be discouraged. This is one important point. Make a programme of work according to your capacity and see that it is carried out daily. Keep only a few items. If you keep several items which cannot be executed in a day, which are beyond your capacity, your interest will slowly fail and your enthusiasm will gradually decline. Your energy will be dissipated and scattered. You will get brain-fag. Whatever you wish to do daily must be carried out to the very letter.

3. Thinking too much is a hindrance on the execution by the will. It brings confusion, diffidence and procrastination. There is slackening of the force of will. The opportunity will slip away. You may hesitate to put the thing in action. Think for some time correctly and then decide. As soon as you have resolved, you must will immediately. There must not be any unnecessary delay. Sometimes you will, but you do not succeed. This is due to lack of right thinking and right feeling. You must think rightly and at the same time feel rightly. Then the will is bound to succeed. Right feeling should invariably accompany right thinking.

4. He who is attempting to develop the will should always try to keep up a cool mind. He should keep up a balanced mind under all conditions. He will have to perfectly discipline the mind. It is worth practising. Balance of mind is one of the important characteristics of a developed Yogi. That Yogi at all times is really a strong and happy man who can keep up a balanced mind. He will get success in all undertakings. You may fail to keep up the balance in fifty attempts. But from the fifty-first endeavour you will gain strength of will. You will slowly manifest balance of mind, You should not be discouraged in the beginning.

5. If a serious calamity occurs, your mind should not be upset. Just keep the mind cool and calm. Have presence of mind. Do not cry over spilt milk. Anyhow it has come to pass. You will-have to face it with cheerful countenance. Try to make the best of things. Find out methods to tide over the difficulty, to make matters smooth. Keep always an unruffled mind. Do not be carried away by undue sentiments and bubbling emotions. Control them. Reflect how the calamity or trouble or catastrophe has come. Devise suitable, effective, easy methods to tide over the crisis or trying situation. Many obstacles and calamities can be obviated quite easily. Do not brood over failures, defects and mistakes. This will weaken your will. Let the defects remain there. They will be removed quickly when the will becomes purer and purer, stronger.

6. Just reflect for a white why you have failed in the attempt and try to be careful in the second attempt. Try to remove those factors that led to your failure in the previous attempt. Fortify yourself now. Be careful and vigilant. Be on the alert. You must be quick and at the same time efficient and capable. You should not make mistakes.

7. Whenever you are in a dilemma or difficulty, never get discouraged. Never lose your heart. Use your skill nicely. Devise intelligent plan or scheme. Call forth all your latent energies or dormant faculties. When the house is on fire, how alert you are! How promptly and skilfully you act at that particular moment! You do not know wherefrom the energy and power are flowing at that time. You are fully concentrated. You contrive skilful methods then and there to save your property as much as possible and to save the lives of your kinsmen who are dwelling in the house. Marvellous actions you do. Then you say at your leisure, when the difficulty passes away: "Some mysterious power of God has worked through me."

8. Unwavering firmness and patience (Dhriti and Dhairya) are needed to tide over critical situations and to get success. Dhriti is spiritual patience. Dhairya is presence of mind. Samata (balanced state of mind) develops the will to a considerable degree.

9. Do not be troubled at all if there is delay in the development of the will. The will is bound to carry out all your orders in the long run. You can treat any ailment of other people by mere willing: "Let the patient be free from this disease." This will really come to pass immediately. You will be really astonished. You can treat any disease in your body by mere willing. Will strongly: "I must see Mr. Balakrishna at 8.00 a.m." The man will be at your door in the exact time. Will is your obedient and willing servant. It will fetch anything you want. If there is delay, apply the will once more with patience. In the beginning you will find it a bit difficult to apply the will, because it is a new practice for you. Gradually you will know how to apply the will. You will understand the knack and technique. Will can be applied in the twinkling of an eye and the object also will be realised in no time. Stronger the will, the quicker the realisation is. Practice will make you perfect. Experiences will teach you.

I0. You will have to be very careful in the use of the will. It is always advisable to reserve the will-force for the achievement of higher spiritual success. Worldly success is nothing. This life is like a bubble. It is a long dream. Worldly success will not give you everlasting peace and happiness. Try your will in one or two instances in worldly matters. You will understand and realise its power. Then apply the will in Self-realisation. Ignore the mundane affairs. They are worthless like straw or dung. Become a Yogin. This alone will give you absolute satisfaction.

11. Practise the assertions boldly and calmly. Fully understand the meaning of every assertion and try to feel. The feeling will slowly manifest. You will have to fight against your old enemies, the old Samskaras. Wait coolly. Try to develop patience, attention, power of endurance, balance or mind and presence of mind. These qualities are very necessary to develop your Will. Develop intention also. Practise will-culture for three months. You will feel your inner strength. The things that appeared difficult some time ago can be done with ease now. You will feel that you now have ai unruffled mind. Things that would easily upset your mind previously cannot do so now. You can turn out immense work quite smoothly. Your walk is graceful. Your speech is powerful. You are quite a changed man. There is a glow in your cheeks and a peculiar charm in your smile. You are able to influence many persons now. Your friends notice a magnetic aura in your face.

12. The practice of concentration should go hand in hand with the memory and will-culture. concentration is an auxiliary in all cultures. No culture is possible without concentration. Have regular concentration-exercises daily in the morning and evening. Have a spiritual basis in your concentration. You practise concentration not only for developing your memory and will but mainly for Self-realisation. That is the chief aim. Never, never forget this point. This is the fundamental difference between my system and the various other systems. Brahmacharya and Self-realisation are the keynotes in my system. I harp on these two points in various places. I want you to develop your memory and will for success ln life and achievement of the Brahmic bliss eventually. The practice of concentration will immensely help your memory and will-culture also. Keep a record of your experiences

in concentration in your diary and send me a copy of it every month.

13. Develop Sattvic virtues also. You will understand the method of developing various virtues. Develop that virtue which you are hopelessly lacking. Courage, mercy, universal love, nobility, compassion, contentment, frankness, honesty must be developed to a high degree. If you develop one important virtue, all other virtues will cling to you. If you have humility and courage, all other virtues will come by themselves. You should spend daily some time for the development of virtues.

14. Eradicate evil qualities. The development of virtuous qualities will itself remove the negative qualities. But it is better to make a positive attempt in the eradication of these evil qualities. Then the progress will be rapid. It is double attack on the enemy. Then success becomes easy and sure. If you could remove lust or anger or egoism, all other evil qualities will disappear by themselves. All evil qualities are the attendants of egoism. If egoism is destroyed, if the commander is killed all the soldiers or retinues will take to the heels out of fright, because they have lost their head. All vices originate from anger. If anger is destroyed all sorts of vices will vanish. Therefore, concentrate your attention in killing egoism or anger. Then the whole work is done.

15. You must have discipline of the senses (Indriyas). Conserve energy. This is most important. If the sense (Indriyas) are turbulent, you cannot have concentration. Watch every sense carefully and correct it by suitable methods such as Mauna, Trataka, fasting, celibacy, renunciation of sensual enjoyments, Dama and Pratyahara. The senses draw you out and make your mind outgoing. Curbing of the senses really means curbing of the mind. The senses cannot do any independent work without the direct help of the mind.

16. Another important point is physical culture. I again remind you that no culture is possible if you do not possess a sound and healthy body. Keep your body strong and healthy by regular exercise.

17. If you want rapid progress, if you want substantial growth, keep a daily diary. Let this be a true diary with a clean conscience. Having armed yourself with the above Sadhana you can become a mighty emperor of this world. You can enjoy health, wealth, spiritual bliss and longevity. I have shown graduated exercises according to the capacity of the student. Now it is left for you to expand and grow. You will have to apply yourself diligently. A hungry man will have to eat for himself. A thirsty man will have to drink for himself. Become a spiritual hero. Get success in every department of your life. These practices will become now part and parcel of your nature after some practice. You can go on developing them till you attain perfection.

18. There is a great difference between the eastern way of culture of the Hindu sages and Rishis, and the method of culture of the western occultists. The fundamental difference is that in the west, people train their will and memory for attaining material progress and worldly prosperity only. They have ignored completely the life beyond. This is a serious blunder indeed. Whereas the Yogins of India do develop their will for attaining Self-realisation. They exhibit psychic Siddhis to make their students clearly understand that there is a higher super-sensual life in the Atman, which alone can give real bliss and immortality.

They clearly impress their students in emphatic terms: "Na karmana- na prajaya dhanena tyagenaike amritatvam anasuh (Not by actions, nor by progeny, nor by riches but by renunciation alone can one attain immortality)." "There is no happiness in the perishable, finite objects. The real peace is in the Absolute alone. The Absolute must be sought and understood." This one ringing note is blown in their ears daily.

19. Therefore, the western occultists should not neglect the spiritual culture and should not forget the spiritual basis of all other cultures. One can have material prosperity to a certain extent. He should develop the spiritual side also. There should be a spiritual basis for all sorts of cultures and undertakings. This is the most important point. If this side is ignored completely, then that culture ii no culture at all. There should be the practice of a little Tapas (austerity) along with the will-culture. Saunaka, a wise householder, approached the Sage Angirasa and asked: "O venerable Sir, what is that supreme culture by knowing which all other cultures are known?" Angirasa replied: "It is Brahma-Vidya or the spiritual culture or the Science of the Self." Therefore I draw the attention of western culturists in this direction. Then they will have wonderful success and immense joy. Some Hindu Yogins completely ignore the material side and practise Tamasic Tapas. This is also not advisable. This is condemned by Lord Krishna in the Gita. Extremes are always bad. A healthy combination is highly desirable. Chudala and Janaka had this happy combination.

20. I want to place before you another important point. Those who are attempting to develop their will-power should remove the words 'Cannot.' 'Difficult,' 'Impossible,' etc., from their mind. These are the expressions of a weakling or an effeminate person. These are the expressions of a timid lady. Become a lion. Become a spiritual hero. Become a champion in the Adhyatmic field. By mere willing or chanting of OM, the mountains should be crushed into powder. By mere willing, mountains should move. By mere willing, the ocean should recede. By mere willing, all the waves of ocean should subside. Lord Jesus did this and you can also do. Whatever one has achieved can be attained by all if they will. This is the grand law of nature. Speak with force. Talk with emphasis in a Gambhira manner. Gambhira is not pride. It is the quality of magnanimity.

21. Therefore never entertain any negative terms in your mind. Understand the glory, splendour and power of the Self which is at the back of your mind, thought, will and memory. Understand the magnanimity and immortal nature of that hidden, interpenetrating, indwelling essence. Know that this Self is the storehouse of all knowledge, bliss, power, beauty, peace and joy. Feel that the sun, moon, stars and the fire do their respective functions at your command. Feel that the air moves, rain falls, fire burns, rivers flow, sun shines, stars glitter, at your bidding. Thou art the Glory of glories, Sun of suns, Light of lights. Thou art the Truth. Thou art the imperishable, undecaying, undying Atman that pervades this whole universe. Assert your Divine Majesty. Recognise the

Brahmic Glory. Realise your freedom.