The Four means of Liberation - Sadhana Chatustaya ¬ Swami Sivananda

 

The Four means of Liberation - Sadhana Chatustaya

The pre-requisites of the aspirants in the path of Jnana Yoga (Advaita Vedanta) 

- Swami Sivananda

Extract from Swami Sivananda book  Sadhana Chatustaya

BRAHMA-VIDYA or the Science of the Self is not a subject that can be understood and realised by mere intellectual study, reasoning or ratiocination or even by discussions or arguments. It is the most difficult of all sciences. Mere scholarly erudition and vast study with a high degree of intelligence alone cannot help one in the practical realisation of the Ti.uth inculcated by this Science. 

It demands perfect discipline, a discipline that is not to be found in our universities and colleges, and solid Sadhana for the achievement of the goal that is indicated by this Para-Vidya (Highest Science or knoeledge). One has to reach a realm where there is neither light nor darkness, neither East nor West, neither gain nor loss-a realm which can never be reached by either the mind or the senses.

Sadhana Chatushtaya or the fourfold means for salvation or the four kinds of spiritual practices, is a pre-requisite to the aspirantj in the path of Jnana Yoga (Vedanta), or, for that matter, in any system of evolution towards Godhead. The four means are:

1. Viveka-discrimination between Sat (real) and Asat (unreal).

2. Vairagya-dispassion or indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter.

3. Shad Sampat (6 virtues):
(a) Sama-peace of mind through eradication of Vasanas.
(b) Dana-control of sense organs.
(c) Uparati-satiety, renunciation of all works (Sannyasa).
(d) Titiksha - forbearance.
(e) Sraddha-faith in scriptures and the Guru's words.
(f) Samadhana-concentration of mind, balance of mind.

4. Mumukshutva-Intense longing for liberation.

The importance of the fourfold qualifications

A student who treads the path of Truth must equip himself with these four means. OnIy then can he march quite fearlessly on the path. Not an iota of spiritual progress is ever polsible unless one is really endowed with these fourfold qualifications. These four means are as old as the Vedas or even this world itself. Every religion prescribed these four essential requisites for the aspirant. Only ignorant people resort to lingual warfare and raise unnecessary questions. This has become an ignobie habit in them. You should not mind this. It is your duty to try to eat the fruit instead of wasting time in counting the leaves of the tree. Try now to know what these four means are.

 Analysis of  the fourfold qualifications

1. Viveka-discrimination between Sat (real) and Asat (unreal)

Read these essays

The art of discrimination (viveka)
Discrimination with dispassion
The importance of discrimination (Viveka)
BE FIRM IN WISDOM (Discrimination)
Discriminating between the Self and the nonself
Atman is Distinct from the Pancha Koshas
Superimposition and discrimination of Atman
Superimposition and discrimination II
Τhe fourfold sadhana of Advaita Vendata 

Adisankarcharya's Vivekachudamani.pdf  

 Drik Drisya Viveka of Shankaracharya
Baghavad Gita  Swami Sivananda 

2. Vairagya-dispassion or indifference to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter.
 

 Read these essays

DISPASSION (VAIRAGYA)   

Dispassion & Renunciation (Vairagya and Tyaga

Pearls for Vairagya (dispassion)  

Τhe fourfold sadhana of Advaita Vendata

BOOK SADHANA CHATHUSTAYA of Swami Sivananda 

BOOK HOW TO GET VAIRAGYA

Adisankarcharya Vivekachudamani.pdf 

Baghavad Gita  Swami Sivananda   

3. Shad Sampat (6 virtues):
(a) Sama-peace of mind through eradication of Vasanas.
(b) Dana-control of sense organs.
(c) Uparati-satiety, renunciation of all works (Sannyasa).
(d) Titiksha - forbearance.
(e) Sraddha-faith in scriptures and the Guru's words.
(f) Samadhana-concentration of mind, balance of mind.

  Read here babout Shad Sampat (6 virtues)
  
 and also these essays

 Τhe fourfold sadhana of Advaita Vendata

BOOK SADHANA CHATHUSTAYA
Adisankarcharya Vivekachudamani.pdf
Baghavad Gita  Swami Sivananda 

4. Mumukshutva-Intense longing for liberation. 

Lastly, we come to the fourth of the main qualifications, Mumukshutva. Mumukshutva is aspiration or burning desire to attain God-realisation or Self-realisation. God is the one true aim of all human aspirations. Aspiration is earnest longing or an earnest wish for that which is above one's present reach or attainment, especially for what is noble, pure and spiritual. To aspire is to rise or reach upward. To aspire is to have an earnest desire, wish or longing for something high and good not yet attained, and is usually accompanied by endeavor to attain it. 

  Mumukshutva is intense desire for liberation or deliverance from the wheel of birth and death with its concomitant evils of old age, disease, delusion and sorrow.

If one is equipped with the previous three qualifications, -Viveka, Vairagya and Shad Sampat-, Mumukshutva will come by itself. The mind moves towards the source of its own accord, because it has lost its hold on external objects. It has no resting place in this objective universe.

Purification of the mind and mental discipline is the rock-bottom foundation of yoga. When this is effected, the longing for liberation dawns by itselt.

Mumukshutva must be of a burning type. If burning Mumukshutva is coupled with burning Vairagya , Self-realization will come within the twinkling of an eye.

Generally the vast majority of people have got a dull type of Vairagya and Mumukshutva so they do not succeed in their attempts.

If one finds that he has not got burning Mumukshutva he must practice the other three Sadhanas vigorously till he acquires intense longing for attaining salvation or immortality.

To cite an analogy: suppose some dust falls in one's eyes, he will hurry up to wash his eyes and get rid of the dust. He will feel great unrest till the dust is removed, forgetting everything of this world. His sole concern will be the removal of the dust from his eyes. Similarly should one's aspiration be to attain God-realization. He should forget everything else. He should feel extremely restless and should pine for God-realization. 

Another analogy for Mumulshutva is that of the man under water. Suppose you keep the head of a person immersed in water. He will be struggling for breath. He will intensely desire to get out of the water, so that he can breathe. Such intense desire for God-realisation is called Mumukshutva. 

Exctract from the essay  The pre-requisites of the aspirants in the path of Jnana Yoga (Advaita Vedanta) ~ Swami Sivananda

Samskaras and its destruction ¬ Swami Sivananda

Samskaras and its destruction

A conscious action-whether cognitive, affective or conative-assumes a potential and hidden form just below the threshold of consciousness. This is termed a Samskara.

A Samskara of an experience is formed or developed in the Chitta at the very moment that the mind is experiencing something. There is no gap between the present experience and the formation of a Samskara in the subconscious mind. A specific experience leaves a specific Samskara. The memory of this specific experience springs from that particular Samskara only, which was formed out of that particular experience.

When you perceive an orange and taste for the first time, you get knowledge of an orange. You know its taste. You know the object, orange. A Samskara is formed in the subconscious mind at once. At any time, this Samskara can generate a memory of the object, orange and knowledge of an orange. Though the object and the act of knowledge are distinguishable, yet they are inseparable.

The Enslaving Chains Of Samskaras

Mind exercises its suzerainty through Samskaras. From Samskaras emanate Vasanas like swarms of locusts. From Vasana flows the stream of desire and from enjoyment of objects of desires arises Trishna or internal craving (intense longing). Trishna is very powerful. The Samskaras are imbedded in the mind, in the Karana Sarira. There arises a memory of pleasure in the mind. Then the mind thinks of objects. Maya has her powerful seat in the imagination. There comes attachment. The mind plans and schemes. You are swayed by the passions. You exert yourself physically to possess those objects and enjoy them. In your efforts, you favour some and disfavour others through Raga and Dvesha. You will have to enjoy the fruits of your virtuous and vicious actions. Through this six-spoked wheel of Raga and Dvesha, virtue and vice, pleasure and pain, this Samsaric wheel of birth and death moves on without stopping from Anadi Kala (beginningless time).

Thoughts And Desires Depend Upon Samskaras

The nature of desires and thoughts depends upon the nature of your Samskaras. If you have good Samskaras, you will have good desires and good thoughts and vice versa. Even if you have indulged in vicious actions up to the age of forty, begin practising virtuous actions such as charity, Japa, Dama, Svadhyaya, meditation, service of the poor and the sick, service of saints, etc., from this moment and these Samskaras will prompt you to do more virtuous deeds. They will stimulate good desires and noble thoughts.

Who is your real enemy? It is your own evil Samskaras. Substitute Subha (pure) Vasanas in place of Asubha (impure) ones. Then you can approach God. The mind will be changed. Old Samskaras will be obliterated. Wrong suggestions of various kinds and crude fantastic superstitions are rooted deeply in your mind. They are harmful. You will have to knock them down by Vichara, sublime suggestions, right thinking. "I am body," "I am Mr. John," "I am a Brahmin," "I am rich"-these are wrong suggestions and wrong Samskaras. Suggest to yourself boldly that you are Brahman. The previous wrong suggestion and Samskara "I am body" will slowly melt away by strenuous efforts.

If you forget your real Brahmic nature even for a minute, the old Samskaras of Ajnana will try to come up and overwhelm you. See how Narada's determination began to fluctuate even though he was absorbed in meditation, when he saw some Deva-girls. He at once experienced the sexual desire in himself. The seed came out, he put it in a pot and Chudala in the form of Kumbha Muni emerged from out of the pot. (Yogavasishtha, story of Sikhidhvaja). Therefore, you will have to be very, very careful. Keep yourself away from all kinds of temptations-money, woman, name, fame, etc.

Death Of Samskaras Leads To Moksha (Liberation)

The physical body may die. But, the thoughts and Samskaras of actions, enjoyments and thinking follow you after death till you attain Moksha. These are variable Upadhis that accompany you after death. They are variable because you carry different kinds of Samskaras each time when you die. In defferent incarnations, you create different kinds of Samskaras. The permanent Upadhis that accompany you after death are the five Jnana-Indriyas, five Karma-Indriyas, five Pranas, fourfold mind and the Karana Sarira which is the support or Adhara for the Linga Sarira or astral body. It is the death of the Samskaras, it is the death of the Karana Sarira that leads to the final Moksha. It leads to the attainment of Brahma-Jnana. You will be getting fresh births so long as there are Samskaras. You will have to take birth again and again till all the Samskaras are obliterated or fried up by the acquisition of Brahma Jnana. When the Samskaras are wiped out, Brahmic Knowledge shines by itself in its own glory.

Sadhana Consists In Destroying The Samskaras

The aim of a Sadhaka is to fry out or burn or obliterate all these Samskaras through Nirbija Samadhi. Sadhana consists in wiping out the Samskaras. Breathing, hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling-all cause Samskaras or latent Smriti in the mind. The world enters the mind through the eyes, ears, tongue (speech) and old Samskaras. If you remain in seclusion, you can shut out the first three doors. Through Vichara (right enquiry of Supreme Self), you can destroy the fourth route. Then, Jnana (Knowledge of Self) will dawn. A Jnani is without Samskaras. They are fried out by Jnana. No doubt, the force of the Samskaras remains in the Antahkarana. But they are harmless. They will not bind the Jnani.

I'm! Self-awareness the foundation of Liberation - by Atman Nityananda

Self-awareness the foundation of Liberation

by Atman Nityananda

Being Self-aware moment to moment is an art that enables us to avoid identification with the mind and sensory impressions and live in peace, plenitude and freedom!

By dwelling (as firmly and deeply as possible) in inner silence we avoid identification with mental and emotional formations (desires, emotions, lust, likes, dislikes, etc.), we can manage them and let them go or make them subside and through prayer and the power of the mantra eliminate (diminish) their energy.

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 Being Self-aware moment to moment is an art that enables us to in peace, plenitude and freedom!

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EMOTIONAL FREEDOM by Inquiring into emotions and impulses!

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM 

by Inquiring into emotions and impulses!

Whenever an emotion or an impulse arises in you, you can contemplate the following questions:

To whom this arises?

Am I this emotion (or impulse) or is it something that happens in me?

With this you will be very attentive, you will connect with the inner silence and fully aware of the emotion and distancing yourself from the emotional reaction and thus avoid or stop identifying with it.

With this inner state you can realize that:

- you are not that emotional or impulsive reaction, 

- it is only a mechanical compulsive reaction of the lower nature, and 

- is only agitating your mind and distracting you from inner peace and bliss by a mere meaningless energetic puppetry.

Once you realize this, the emotion or impulse loses its importance and the charm it exerts on you and diminishes.

However, if the emotion persists,  is very alluring, and you find it difficult to disidentify from it, you can also ask yourself:

What do I prefer, to experience, this ephemeral emotional disturbance or to be free, in peace and plenitude?

This contemplation makes you remember the freedom you long for and feel happiness, which results in letting go of the emotion or impulse.

The more attentive and in deep contact with the inner silence we are, the easier it will be to notice the emotion as soon as it arises and the easier it will be to avoid identification with it and let it go.

We can maintain a high level of alertness and Self-awarenes by repeating a mantra, the name of God or an affirmation of our true Self.

I strongly recommend concluding this process by praying for Divine Mother to eliminate the emotional energy and fill you with peace, love and light!

Later at home you can dedicate some time to investigate thoroughly the emotions, impulses and the associated situation to know and understand them in depth and utilize some method for further eliminating their energy. 

You can use for their elimination prayer along with affirmations and visualizations, EFT, the Healing Code, cleanse the energetic channels, chakras and subtle bodies and elimination in the 49 subconscious levels.

Om! Liberation Passes Through the Transcendence of Pleasure and Pain

 Liberation Passes Through the Transcendence of Pleasure and Pain "

Spiritual bliss is the happiness of your very Soul. It is independent of sensory objects, continuous, homogeneous, eternal, and indestructible." 

~ Swami Sivananda

The fundamental tendency of the ego is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. However, what appears pleasant or unpleasant to the ego is not necessarily beneficial for us. As a result, for the vast majority of people, life becomes a constant struggle to avoid the unpleasant and chase the pleasant, always according to the programming of our mind. Due to this basic tendency of the ego, even spirituality can be used by the ego as a tool to make life more pleasant and interesting. Is this necessarily bad? No, but it is not spirituality. It is simply another crutch for the ego to continue living in its illusory world as comfortably and pleasantly as possible. True spirituality, however, aims to transcend the ego's desires — that is, to go beyond pleasure and pain and experience our true nature. It is impossible to experience the peace and bliss of the spirit without transcending both pleasure and pain. Pleasure and pain belong to the lower (rajasic-tamasic) ego and the sensory mind. They do not belong to the Soul, to our spiritual or true Self. Peace, love, wholeness, and bliss are the essential nature of our Soul. But to experience these, the mind must stop seeking pleasant sensory experiences, abandon its attachment to them, and turn inward to the center of our Being, where our spiritual essence shines beyond the senses, the body, the mind, pleasure, and pain. Thus, spirituality and spiritual practice are not tools to "comfort" the ego but means to transcend the ego and ultimately dissolve it. The purpose of spirituality is to transform the mind, purify it of its passions and desires for sensory pleasures, and renounce them so that the mind can focus wholly on the heart, where our eternal spiritual essence resides. This process of purification from lower tendencies (jealousy, greed, pride, vanity, anger, hatred, etc.), desires, and cravings for sensory pleasures (lust, gluttony, etc.) is inherently unpleasant for the ego, even though it is profoundly beneficial for us. For this reason, the ego resists and reacts against this process unless life becomes a complete wreck, filled with misery. However, in my opinion, beyond misery, a genuine yearning for something higher and spiritual is also essential. The work of eliminating lower tendencies is difficult for the ego because it is accustomed to its comfort zone and is unwilling to let go of the sensory pleasures it has long enjoyed with our consent. Thus, the ego creates obstacles to prevent us from making serious efforts to renounce sensory pleasures. This is why many start on the spiritual path, but only a few (at least for now) reach its end. By the very nature of things, we cannot have both entirely — we cannot keep the pleasures of the senses and enjoy the bliss of the Spirit. The mind can either dwell in the senses and their pleasures or reside in the heart and experience the bliss of the Spirit. Sensory pleasures are fleeting and accompanied by much pain and suffering, while the bliss of the Spirit is eternal, indestructible, and untouched by misery or sorrow. Finally, it is worth noting that although the spiritual path may initially be painful for the ego, as the mind becomes increasingly pure and luminous, the difficulties and unpleasant emotional states (which, of course, are created by the ego itself) diminish in intensity, frequency, and duration. Peace, serenity, wholeness, contentment, love, joy, and happiness will increasingly dominate our daily experience. The misery and dissatisfaction we once endured will eventually seem like a distant dream.

OM! The essence of Advaita Vedanta ~ Atman NItyananda

The essence of Advaita Vedanta

  

There is only one absolute non-dual reality (without parts, form, time, space and cause). There nothing else beside That nondual reality. This nondual dual principal it is called Brahman and in relation with the individual Atman.

That nondual reality is what we really Are.

The identity of the apparently individual Consciousness (called Atman) with the absolute or Universal Consciousness (called Brahman) is clearly affirmed by the great sentences -Mahavakyas of Upanishads):

‘Aham Brahmasmi’ (‘Brahman I am’), ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ (‘That you Are’), ‘Ayam Atma Brahma’ (‘Atman is Brahman’).

We are That reality doesn't mean that we as an ego entity We are That nondual reality, but that We, as the apparently individual Consciousness We are the absolute nondual Consciousness (the nondual reality).

This non-dual reality, is self-existent, self-luminous (awareness itself and aware of itself), indestructible, changeless, immovable, without beginning and end, ever present, peaceful, blissful, free and complete. It is called also as Sat-Chit-Ananda (absolute Existence, absolute Consciousness and absolute Bliss).

  

The innate power of this nondual reality called Maya creates this multiple universe of innumerable forms and the Jivas (embodied souls, human beings). Sattva, rajas and tamas are the fundamental substances (qualities or gunas in Sanskrit) by which Maya creates the universe and all forms. The nature of Maya and the nature of the nondual reality are incomprehensible, beyond description and mental concepts.

The universe created by Maya is a superimposition on That nondual reality which is unperceived by the senses, but fully experienced in a pure awaken sattvic mind. 

We are in essence this nondual reality. The apparently individual Consciousness We are, is identical with universal or absolute non-dual Consciousness.

  

The factor that creates the illusion of separation and duality is the ego and the rajas and tamas qualities that operate through the ego and the mind.

The lower rajasotamasic ego veils the non-dual reality and makes us identify with the instruments (body, prana, mind, intellect) and regard as our self the physical body and what there is in the body (vital energy, mind, intellect / prana, manas, buddhi).

The lower rajasotamasic ego causes a mutual identification between the nondual reality or Consciousness and the instruments.

Due to this mutual identification, the qualities of the body, prana, mind and intellect are superimposed on the nondual reality and the 'qualities' of the non-dual reality are superimposed on the instruments.

So, when the body is hungry, we feel that We are hungry, when the body is tired, we feel that We are tired. Οn the contrary, although we as a body we are going to die, we feel that this body will never die because the deathlessness of our essential nature (the non-dual reality) is superimposed on the body.

Similarly, the states of the mind are superimposed onto our essential non-dual nature and the opposite. Due to this superimposition, we take the states of the mind as our states, thus we think, I am clever or stupid, I am miserable or happy and in the contrary we take the awareness, the bliss and the love of the Consciousness that belong to the mind (and the body as well), so we feel as a body mind entity, I am aware, I love, I am blissful.

Self-realization or liberation is the disidentification from the instruments, the realization that the nondual reality is our identity (what We really are) and the cessation of the illusory perception that we are different and separate from the nondual reality, created by the ego (i.e. the cessation of duality). 

Liberation or Self-realization happens by the complete dissolution of the egoic mind and the ego itself and the equality of buddhi with the Consiousness due to continuous identification of the mind with That (by meditation or Self-enquiry /Vichara). 

In the state of liberation, it is experienced, in all places and all circumstances, effortlessly and without a break the peace, bliss, plenitude and freedom eternal of oue essential nature.

OM! Who is called a Jivanmukta or liberated sage ~ Swami Sivananda

Who is called a Jivanmukta or liberated sage

~ Swami Sivananda

extract from his book "Jivanmukta Gita"

He is called a Jivanmukta or liberated sage who has a balanced mind, an equal vision and who beholds the one Satchidananda Atman in all names and forms.

He is called a Jivanmukta who has transcended the three bodies, the three Gunas, the five sheaths and the three Avasthas.

He is called a Jivanmukta who perceives equally the One Infinite Being seated in the Jiva and Siva and in all beings.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is desireless, angerless, egoless, mineless, selfless, homeless and mindless.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is possessionless, who has transcended time, space and causation and who abides peacefully in the Chidakasa of the heart.

He is called a Jivanmukta who has transcended the waking, dreaming and sleeping states and is established in the Eternal Consciousness of Self-Identity.

He is called a Jivanmukta who knows that the Self, the Guru, and the universe are all the taintless Ether of Consciousness and that nothing actually comes or goes. He is called a Jivanmukta who is simple, gentle, humble, bold, courageous, patient, self-restrained, ever-peaceful, calm, serene, forgiving, just, truthful and non-covetous.

He is called a Jivanmukta who has a broad heart like the sky, deep as the ocean, fragrant like the Jasmine, pure as the Himalayan snow and brilliant like the million suns shining at a time in the firmament.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is free from vanity, crookedness, chicanery, cunningness, diplomacy, hypocrisy, harshness and double-dealing.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is benevolent, kind, compassionate, merciful and loving to all beings.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is free from Raga-Dvesha, likes and dislikes and who is endowed with dispassion, discrimination and cosmic love.

He is called a Jivanmukta who has no enemy, who has no body-consciousness and who ever dwells in the Eternal Brahman.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is free from distinctions, differences, and who is above caste, creed, colour and race.

He is called a Jivanmukta who clears all doubts of aspirants, who is an ocean of divine wisdom, who is noble and magnanimous.

He is called a Jivanmukta who practises the highest Yoga, who has internally renounced everything, but appears inert outside, and who has abandoned everything internal and external.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is not bound by any rule of the society, who is ever moral and who does not break the harmony of the society.

He is called a Jivanmukta who sleeps anywhere he likes and who eats any food from anybody’s hands.

He is called a Jivanmukta who realises that he is pure Absolute Consciousness which connects all as a thread connects all pearls, and that he is the attributeless Brahman.

He is called a Jivanmukta who is above sex idea and sex distinction and who has no thought of tomorrow.

He is called a Jivanmukta who ever identifies with the all-pervading universal Brahman, and who is above praise, censure, honour and dishonour, respect and disrespect.

He is called a Jivanmukta who, through the knowledge of the Self realises that the one appears as many like moon reflected in various receptacles of water.

He is called a Jivanmukta who has Trikalajnana, knowledge of the past, present and future and who is free from exhilaration and depression.

He is called a Jivanmukta who sees the one Brahman which is this whole world, shining like the sun in all beings. He is called a Jivanmukta who has realised that there is neither bondage nor liberation, and whose mind ever takes delight in being merged in the practice of meditation.

He is called a Jivanmukta who sees everything filled with one Consciousness which is the Ruler of all and exists all-pervading like ether.

He is called a Jivanmukta who respects all saints, all prophets, all religions, all faiths, all cults, and all creeds.

He is called a Jivanmukta who partakes of the essence of the bliss of Brahman and rejoices alone and for ever, being destitute of habits, natures and pairs of opposites.

He is called a Jivanmukta who, seeing the one Brahman existing in all beings, does not perceive any difference.

He is called a Jivanmukta who, seeing that the Jiva which is identical with Siva exists eternally, is not inimical.

He is called a Jivanmukta who regards the whole world as his body and home, and who has cosmic vision, cosmic love and very broad outlook in life.

Om! SELF-REALIZATION or ENLIGHTENMENT and the EGO / Atman NItyananda

 

SELF-REALIZATION or ENLIGHTENMENT and the EGO

Although great teachers like Adisankaracharya, Swami Sivananda and Sri Ramana Maharshi have made very clear what is the nature of Self-realization, unfortunately many western teachers have created their own idea about Self-realization. Some do not accept the necessity of purification of the mind and others doesn't mention the necessity of complete eradication of the ego and all agoic tendencies (vasanas). Some claim that even after Self-realization the ego remains but in the periphery. All these are are false ideas of unenlightened teachers whose mind resists to see the truth.

Lets see some quotes of these three great beings about Self-realization or libeartion or enlightenment (they are synonymous terms.

Sri Ramana Maharshi said:

"It is not by a single realization, ‘I am not the body but the atman’ that the goal is reached. Do we become high in position by once seeing a king? One must constantly enter into samadhi and realize one‘s Self and completely blot out the old vasanas and the ego, before he becomes the Self."

Therefore meditate!"

"The death of the ego in the unlimited Silence ( the non-dual Truth) and the shining forth of the Self is the attainment of Oneness (Kaivalya-Siddhi ). In that State of Jnana, pure Bliss will gloriously blaze forth as one’s own True Nature."

In his famous 40 verses says:

"He who, having completely lost the ego, sees the Self, has found God, because the Self does not exist apart from God."

"All religions postulate the three fundamentals, the world, the soul, and God, but it is only the one Reality that manifests Itself as these three. One can say, 'The three are really three' only so long as the ego lasts. Therefore, to inhere in one's own Being, where the 'I', or ego, is dead, is the perfect State."

In the above sayings Sri Ramana Maharahi makes very clear that Self-realization is reached when all vasanas and ego itself are completely dissolved! There alre many other quotes in which Sri Ramana says the same thing.

There are similar declarations of Swami Sivananda:

" A Jivanmukta* is a liberated sage. He is emancipated while living. He has cut off all bonds.

He has destroyed his mind. He is in a state of mindlessness. He is absolutely free. He has identified himself with Brahman or the Absolute Consciousness. He has no identification with the body. He is free from egoism, lust, anger, greed, selfishness, pride, likes, dislikes, exhilaration or depression.

NOTE: " In the spiritual teachings of east, who has achieved Self-realization or enlightenment is called Jivanmukta.

Adisankaracharya in his book Vivekachudamani says:

299. So long as one has any relation to this wicked ego, there should not be the least talk about Liberation, which is unique.

300. Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rahu, man attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever blissful and self-luminous.

301. That which has been created by the Buddhi extremely deluded by Nescience, and which is perceived in this body as "I am such and such" – when that egoism is totally destroyed, one attains an unobstructed identity with Brahman.

303. As long as there is a trace of poisoning left in the body, how can one hope for recovery ? Similar is the effect of egoism on the Yogi’s Liberation."

"317... the destruction of desires is Liberation, and this is considered as Liberation-in-life."

We see that in these sayings there is not any doubt that Self-realization requires a complete dissolution of the ego and all egoic tendencies (Vasanas - anger, desires, fear, greed, pride etc.)!

READ ALSO THE NEXT POST: WHO IS A JIVANMUKTA (LIBERATED)

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Om! Desire - the Power of Lust by Atman NItyananda /Aum

Desire - the Power of Lust
by Atman NItyananda /Aum

Desire is the energy that propels us forward, motivates us to pursue the things we want, and gives us a sense of purpose. However, desire has various aspects according the three gunas can be of sattvic, rajasic and tamsic nature. Lust, is mostly of rajasi and rajasotamsic nature and one of the most powerful aspects of desire difficult to manage and get free and it is th one that mostly causes craving, passion, greed, delusion attachment, identification, pain, and suffering.

Lust, especially sex and food-drink lust, is a strong force that overwhelms our senses and clouds mind and intellect ant ht capcity ofrestrain, reason and discenment. It is a passonate longing for immediate gratification that blinds us to the consequences of our actions and makes us lose touch with our essence and our connection to the divine consciousness. We become so consumed by our desires and especially lust that we forget the spiritual values that guide us towards a meaningful life and the true purpose of our existence that is Self-realization and transforming ourselves into beings of peace, love and light.

Lust is also what causes the feelings of dissatisfaction, discomfort, uneasiness and sense of lack that manifest themselves almost constantly in us. We are never satisfied with what we have, always wanting different, more and more intense pleasures and satisfaction of the senses, and craving for that which is created in our imagination bent to the power of lust.
This insatiable desire for external pleasures as well as for money, possessions and fame is what fuels the identification with the body and objects and the cycle of suffering and the illusion of happiness. We think that once we get what we want, we will be happy, but soon realize that the happiness (if any) is fleeting and temporary. We are then left with a feeling of lack and a sense that something is missing, that we want something more to feel okay and aslo boredom and disatisfaction.

Lust foundation is mostly the rajas quality (guna) subcordinated by the tamas guna. Rajas is the quality of passion, craving, and attachment while tamas is the quality of ignorance, lethargy, and delusion.
Tamas makes us identify with lust and passion and become addcitve to them. Tamas is also what makes lust perverted and find pleasure in perverted ways of making sex (porography and majohism among many others) and eating foods and drinks. Tamas causes other perversions too, for example, makes us find satisfantion in creating pain to others.

When rajas and tamas qualities are dominant in a person, desire degradates in the form of lust and other negative emotions such as greed, attachemnt and addiction. The mind becomes restless and agitated, always seeking fulfillment in sense pleasures and sensory experiences.

However, the ancient wisdom of yoga and other spiritual tranditions offer a path for transcendence and freedom of these lower qualities of human nature. By cultivating the sattva quality or the quality of harmony, peace, purity, and clarity, we can rise above our lower nature and connect with our higher self (Atman, Consciousness) and the divine Consicousness.

Spiritual life and daily systematic practice enable us to detach ourselves from lust and other egoic tendencies and conditioning, purify the mind and heart, gradually to diminish them and finally dissolve them completely and attain liberation.

There are many ways and methods of practice, among them living Self-aware and mindfyully moment to moment, medtitation, self-enquiry, mantra repetition, chanting mantras, prayer and devotionare of the most important. In addition to practice, living a sattvic life style is also an essential factor to overcome lust.

By living Self-aware and mindfyully moment to momente, we can observe our thoughts and desires without getting caught up in them. We learn to detach and cease identifying with lust, cravings and impulses for pleasures but also of any other nature, and observe them mindfully make them subside and diminish their energy through prayer and mantra. This way we can gradually deepen in the inner silence and and to find joy and plenitude witin ourselves and the simple things in life.

Through daily practice of meditation and Self-enquiry at home or wherever we are we train our attention and mind to focus on the present moment, develop a deeper and firmer cosncious contact with inner silence and cultivate inner peace and calmness. The more we dettach from the mind (thoughts and emotions) and slowing down the mind and becoming still, the more we can transcend lust, passion and all mental emotional expressionss and connect with the deeper essence of being.
We learn to live from a place of authenticity and wisdom rather than from a place of greed and delusion. We can find joy in the simple pleasures of life, such as spending time with loved ones, enjoying nature, and engaging in creative pursuits, but most of all enjoying just being. Enjoying the peace and bliss of our essence in ourselves regradless of external events and circumsatances.

Spirituality teaches us that the ultimate goal of life is not to fulfill our desires but to realize our true nature and transform ourseves into beings of peace, love and light. It is to awaken to the truth that we are not separate from the divine Consciousness, but merely expressions of it and in essence one with the divine. By realizing that we are infinite eternal Consciousness, we disidentify from the ego and all its expressions and body and connect with the infinite peace, wisdom and love that is within us and pervedaes the whole cosmos.

In conclusion, lust is a powerful force that lead us astray from our true purpose in life and causes greed, delusion, attachment,addiction, pain, and suffering.

However, through sattvic life and systamtic, sincere and diligent practice moment by moment and at home, we can purify our psyche, cultivate the sattva quality and through meditation and Slef-enquiry rise above our lower nature and connect consciouslty with our divine essence. By connecting with our essence and the divine Consciousness, we can transcend and eliminate lust and all other desires and find lasting peace and fulfillment.

The only way to overcome and get free from lust is through spiritual practices, living a sattvic, conscious and mindful life and to cultivate inner peace, contentment, and joy by connecting deeply and firmly with inner silent presence which is our divine nature and one with the divine consciousness.

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

Om! How egoic tendencies are fed and how they are dissolved. - Atman Nityananda

How egoic tendencies are fed and how they are dissolved.

To understand what is happening at the psychological level you can use analogies with the physical level.

What is so above is so below says a hermetic rule and it is true.

I would like here to use the physical body as an example to understand how egoic tendencies work.

Egoic tendencies are psycho-energy entities and are nourished in a similar way that the physical body is nourished. They are hungry like the physical body is hungry and want food to be nourished and continue to live in our psyche.

Identification – Strengthening

Whenever a tendency manifests in our psyche and we identify with it, it feeds on the vibrational frequency energy it has and strengthens itself.

Non-identification – Weakening

On the contrary, when we do not identify it cannot be fed, it settles down and weakens slightly, but it weakens much more if we use the power of a prayer or a mantra.

From all this we understand that the elimination of egoic tendencies from our psyche is a dynamic process. Every time we identify with them they get stronger and every time we do not identify and use prayer or the power of mantra they get weaker.

Dissolution of egoic tendencies

This is a continuous process that ends with their complete dissolution.

Remember that what we have already achieved so far is not enough. If we are not careful and do not practice systematically at home and moment to moment then they can be fed and become strong again.

The work of eliminating them should be continuous until they become too weak so that they do not hinder us to meditate and eventually dissolve by the grace of God in deep meditation and Samadhi (Nirvikalpa Samadhi).


The elimination of egoic tendencies is a continuous process that ends with their complete dissolution.

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony

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Om! Desire is the enemy of Self-knowledge - Bhagavad Gita Ch. III

 Desire is the enemy of Self-knowledge

41.Therefore, O Arjuna, by controlling the senses first, slay this enemy called desire, the destroyer of knowledge (indirect knowledge of Atman, right understanding) and wisdom (direct knowledge or realisation of Atman)!

Bhagavad Gita Ch. III

Comment of Ramanuja (a great Sage of India)

‘For whatever reason a person is engaged in Jnana Yoga, which is of the nature of abandoning the activities of all the senses, should control this enemy in the shape of desire which turns him away from the Self (Atman, Consciousness) through creating infatuation for objects of the senses. By the same reason, you, which are attached to the activities of the senses, should, at the beginning of the practice, control the senses by the practice of Karma Yoga, which is the practice of regulating the functioning of the senses. And then you must destroy, i.e., slay this sinful enemy, which is in the shape of desire and which destroys knowledge and discrimination, i.e., knowledge relating to the nature of the self and of the discriminative power, which is the means to gain this knowledge’.

The end of suffering ~ Atman Nityananda

 The end of suffering

If we want to free ourselves from suffering we must stop being dominated and deceived by the ego and dissolve it by sincere, diligent, unceasing practice and a sattvic life.

 We can achieve this first of all,  by focusing on the present moment do not allowing ourselves to be identified and carried away by the thoughts, emotions, desires and impulses that automatically arise in us and dissolve desires and emotions and egoic tendencies related to them. 

This can be achieved by being attentive and consciously aware of the silent presence of our Being (Consciousness) moment to moment using a variety of methods to maintain our attention and mind under control to remain Self-aware and observe ourselves, inquire our thoughts, emotions, etc. so that become aware of their illusory nature, diminish their fascination exert on us, appease them and dissolve them through prayer and a mantra of God's name.

Complete dissolution of ego is achieved by realizing our true Self and establishing ourselves in the Self through deep Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

 A sattvic life and daily morning and evening meditation and Self-enquiry as well as other practices such as repetition of mantra,  pranayama, devotion, chanting mantras, study and reflection on spiritual teachings at home are the necessary foundation to successfully accomplish this endeavor.

There five means to liberation and highest happiness! by Swami Sivananda

 There five means to liberation and highest happiness!

by Swami Sivananda

There are five means by which perfect tranquillity or emancipation can be attained. These form the highest happiness. 

They are:

1. Satsanga or association with the wise, 

2. discrimination between the real and the unreal, 

3. dispassion, 

4. enquiry of 'Who am I?' and 

5. meditation. 

These are called Heaven. These are religion. These form the highest happiness.

The nature of desire - Swami Sivananda

The nature of  desire

- Swami Sivananda  (extract from The philosophy of desire by Swami Sivananda

Desire is the first child of Maya. The whole Lila of this objective world is kept up by the force of desires.

The river of worldly life flows on account of desires.

Human life consists of procession of desires and in this procession man is immersed; he does not know how to come out of this procession.

Man is a helpless toy in the hand of desire.

Mans environments and circumstances are the materialization of his own desires. The world experience rise or falls in accordance with his desires.

All that you are all that you have and all that you shall be, is the result of your desires. Your destiny is mapped out by own desires.

The objective universe is nothing but a wheel of desire, and momentum is given by the individual mind.

Perception causes desires in immature mind.

Desire is the externalization of the mind towards objects due to a sense of want or incompleteness.

Desire is the movement of the mind towards objects because of its belief that the objects will satisfy its inherent thirst for happiness.

Desire is a projection of thought due to a feeling of limitation.

Desire is the dynamic force behind the manifestation of all objects in the world.

Desire is the mode of the emotive mind.

Desire is deeply implanted in human nature.

Desire has got a power of externalizing the mind.

Desire is the fuel. Thought is the fire. The thought-fire is kept up by the desire-fuel.

Desire, thought and egoism form one vicious circle.

Desire enhances the nature of self-assertion, self-expansion and self-love.

Desires are incentive to actions.

Desire is the greatest impurity of the mind.

Desire is never satiated even though one possesses the Wealth of the whole world. 

Desire is as fickle as monkey. It is never satisfied with the object which is already in the hand, but jumps to other unattained one. The more it is satisfied the more intense it grows.

Desire keeps the mind in motion.

When desire is produced in individual consciousness it becomes mind and hence it is bound. Mind has got an object to think upon but consciousness is beyond thinking.

Desire generates a thought, and thought in turn develops into an act.

In spite of living in the ocean of the Absolute and in reality being identical with it, you imagine yourself to be different from it due to your desires.