Aum Gung Ganapathaye Namah
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato
samma-sambuddhassa
Homage to The Blessed One,
Accomplished and Fully Enlightened
In the
name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Swami Sivananda
A Collection of Articles, Notes and References
References
(Revised:
References
Edited by
An Indian Tantric
What’s
in a name? That which we call a rose
By
any other name would smell as sweet.
- William
Shakespeare
Copyright
© 2002-2010 An Indian Tantric
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Should NOT be used for
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8
"... Freely you received, freely give”.
-
Matthew 10:8 :: New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in
the last days.
2 People will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient
to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers
of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
5 having a form of godliness but denying
its power. Have nothing to do with them.
6 They are the kind who
worm their way into homes and gain control over
weak-willed women, who are
loaded down with sins and are swayed
by all kinds of evil desires,
7 always
learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also
these men oppose the truth--men of depraved minds, who, as
far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
9 But they will not get very far because, as
in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”
-
2 Timothy 3:1-9 :: New
International Version (NIV)
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
-
Hebrews 5:6 :: King James Version (KJV)
Therefore, I say:
Know your enemy
and know yourself;
in a
hundred battles, you will never be defeated.
When you
are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself,
your
chances of winning or losing are equal.
If ignorant both of your
enemy and of yourself,
you are sure to be
defeated in every battle.
-- Sun Tzu, The Art of War, c. 500bc
There are two ends not to be served by a wanderer.
What are these two? The pursuit of desires and of the
pleasure which springs from desire, which is base, common, leading to rebirth,
ignoble, and unprofitable; and the pursuit of pain and hardship,
which is grievous, ignoble, and unprofitable.
- The Blessed
One, Lord Buddha
Contents
Color Code
A Brief Word on Copyright
References
Educational
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A Brief Word on Copyright
Many of the articles whose educational copies are given
below are copyrighted by their respective authors as well as the respective publishers.
Some contain messages of warning, as follows:
Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited
without the written consent of “so and so”.
According to the concept of “fair use” in US copyright Law,
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the source is cited, personal, educational and
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US copyright law) is permitted.
Moreover,
I believe that satisfies the conditions for copyright and
non-plagiarism.
References
Some of the links may not be active (de-activated)
due to various
reasons, like removal of the concerned information from the source database. So
an educational copy is also provided, along with the link.
If the link is active, do cross-check/validate/confirm the
educational copy of the article provided along.
References
Swami
Sivananda. (1990) Concentration and Meditation.
Swami
Sivananda. (1994) Dhyana Yoga.
Swami
Sivananda. (1994) Kundalini Yoga. (WWW
Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/kundalini.htm
Swami
Sivananda. (1998) Mind--Its Mysteries and Control. (WWW
Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/mind.htm
Swami
Sivananda. (1997) Practice of Brahmacharya.
(WWW Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/brahmacharya.htm
Swami
Sivananda. (1997) The Science of Pranayama. (WWW Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/pranayama.htm
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Educational Copy of Some of the
References
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1990) Concentration and Meditation.
Chapter 1. Theory of Concentration
…
5. Know the Ways of Mind
…
Page 18
A Hatha Yogi tries to concentrate his mind by having his breath
controlled through Pranayama, while the Raja Yogi tries to concentrate his mind
by Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha (restraining the various modifications of the Chitta) by not allowing the mind to assume various
shapes of objects. He does not care for control of breath. But his breath becomes
necessarily controlled when his mind is controlled. Hatha Yoga is a branch of Raja Yoga.
Page 19
Worldly pleasures intensify the desire for enjoying greater pleasures.
Hence the mind of worldlings is very restless. There is no satisfaction and
mental peace. Mind can never be satisfied, whatever amount of pleasure you may
store up for it. The
more it enjoys the pleasures, the more it wants them. So people are exceedingly troubled and
bothered by their own minds. They are tired of their minds. Hence in order to remove these botherations and troubles the Rishis thought it best to deprive the mind of all
sensual pleasures. When the mind has been concentrated or made extinct, it
cannot pinch one to seek for further pleasure, and all botherations and
troubles are removed forever and the person attains real peace.
The rays of the mind are scattered in the case of worldly-minded
persons. There is dissipation of mental energy in various directions. For
purpose of concentration, these scattered rays have to be gathered by Vairagya and Abhyasa,
and then the mind must be turned towards God.
The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated. The rays of
the mind are drawn towards various objects. You will have to gather them
patiently through Vairagya and Abhyasa, through Tyaga (renunciation) and Tapas and then march boldly with indefatigable
energy towards God or Brahman. When the mental rays are
concentrated, illumination begins.
Remove the Rajas and Tamas that
envelop the Sattva of the mind by Pranayama, Japa, Vichara and
Bhakti. Then the mind becomes fit for concentration.
Know that you are progressing in Yoga and that the Sattva
is increasing when you are always cheerful, when the mind is even and concentrated.
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Glossary
Page 334
Abhyasa: Practice.
Page 338
Brahman: The Absolute.
Page 339
Chitta: Mind-stuff; subconscious mind.
Page 342
Japa: Repetition of Lord’s Name.
Page 349
Prakriti: Nature.
Page 350
Rajas: One of the three qualities of Prakriti
which generates passion and restlessness.
Rishi: Sage.
Page 352
Sattva: Purity – one of the three qualities of nature.
Page 354
Tamas; Tamoguna: One of the three qualities of nature which generates
inertia, laziness, dullness and infatuation.
Page 355
Tapas: Austerity.
Page 356
Vairagya: Dispassion.
Page 357
Vichara: Enquiry into the nature of Brahman.
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6. Reduce Mind-Wandering
…
He who has learnt to manipulate the mind will get the
whole of Nature under control.
…
When the rays of the mind are scattered over diverse objects you get
pain. When the rays are gathered and collected by practice the mind becomes
concentrated and you get Ananda from
within.
As mind evolves, you come into conscious relation with
mental currents with the minds of others, near and distant, living and dead.
When there is faith, the mind can be easily concentrated on the subject to be
understood and then the
understanding quickly follows.
…
The mind thinks of words and their meanings. While at other times it
thinks of objects. When you attempt to have one-pointedness of mind, you must
make the mind not
to think of objects and the
words and their meanings.
…
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Glossary
Page 335
Ananda: Bliss.
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(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1990) Concentration and Meditation.
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Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1994) Dhyana Yoga.
Introduction
1.
The Science of Meditation
…
Page xi
There is no such thing as miracle or Siddhi. Ordinary man is quite ignorant of higher spiritual things. He is sunk in oblivion. He is shut up from higher transcendental knowledge. So he calls some extraordinary event a miracle. But for a Yogi who understands things in the light of Yoga, there is no such thing as miracle. Just as a villager is astonished at the sight of an aeroplane or a talkie for the first time, so also a man of the world is stunned when he sees an extraordinary spectacle for the first time.
Every human being has within himself various potentialities and capacities. He is a magazine of power and knowledge. As he evolves, he unfolds new powers, new faculties, new qualities. Now he can change his environments and influence others. He can subdue other minds. He can conquer internal and external nature. He can enter into superconscious state.
…
Exercises
…
XII
Page
xviii-xix
Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana in your meditation room. Watch the flow of breath. You will hear the sound “SOHAM”, SO during inhalation and HAM during exhalation. SOHAM means I AM HE. The breath is reminding you of your identity with the Supreme Soul. You are unconsciously repeating Soham 21, 600 times daily at the rate of 15 Sohams per minute. Associate the ideas of Existence, Knowledge, Bliss, Absolute, Purity, Peace, Perfection, Love, etc., along with Soham. Negate the body while repeating the Mantra and identify yourself with the Atman or the Supreme Soul.
…
Chapter
1. Dhyana Yoga Explained
…
7.
Meditation
…
Page 32
Forget the body. Forget the surroundings. Forgetting is the highest Sadhana. It helps meditation a great deal. It makes the approach to God easier. By remembering God, you can forget all these things.
…
8.
Practice of Meditation
…
Page 34
Pride, self-sufficiency,
arrogance, self-assertive Rajasic nature, irritability, curiosity about the
affairs of other people, and hypocrisy are all obstacles in meditation. Subtle
forms of these Vrittis lurk in the mind. They operate as oceanic undercurrents.
Under pressure of Yoga and meditation, various
sorts of dirt in the mind come out, just as dirt of a room that is shut up for
six months comes out when you carefully sweep. Aspirants should introspect and
watch their minds. They should remove them, one by one, by applying suitable,
effective methods.
…
16.
Dhyana Yoga According to Yogasara Upanishad
Mantra
Dharana
or concentration is fixing the mind on an
idea or a
point or
object either
internal or
external.
Notes
and Commentary
It is very difficult to say where concentration ends and meditation begins. Meditation follows concentration.
…
If you want to increase your power of concentration you will have to reduce your worldly activities (Vyavahara Kshaya). You will have to observe Mouna also (vow of silence) for two hours daily. A man whose mind is filled with passion and all sorts of fantastic desires can hardly concentrate on any object even for a second. His mind will be jumping like a balloon. Regulate and master the breath. Subdue the senses and then fix the mind on any pleasing object. Associate the ideas of holiness and purity with the object.
…
17.
The Obstacles, According to Vedantasara Upanishad
…
Page 60
When meditation is practised, obstacles such as absence of right enquiry, impatience, laziness, inclination to enjoyment, absorption in sensual and impure thoughts come. Remove them through right enquiry and discrimination.
…
Chapter
4. Dhyana Yoga Sutras
…
4.
Enquiry and Meditation
Page
126
9. Stand as a witness of your thoughts. Do not identify with them. They will pass away soon. The mind will divide into two. One portion of the mind will be the witness. It will watch. It will remain quiet and undisturbed. The other part of the mind will remain as the object of study or observation.
…
Chapter
5. Questions and Answers
…
8.
Samadhi
Page
151
Q. What is Samadhi?
A. It is oneness with God or Brahman.
…
Page
152
Q. What is Turiya?
A. It is the state of Samadhi wherein one rests in his own Svaroopa or Brahman. It is superconscious state wherein one acquires knowledge of Brahman. It is the fourth dimension according to a Russian Philosopher.
…
Q. How to enter Samadhi quickly?
A. If you want to enter Samadhi quickly, cut off all connections with friends, relatives, etc. Do not write letters to anybody. Observe Akhanda Mouna (vow of continued silence) for one month. Live alone. Walk alone. Take very little but nutritious food, live on milk alone if you can afford. Plunge in deep meditation. Dive deep. Have constant practice. You will be immersed in Samadhi. Be cautious. Use your commonsense. Do not make violent struggle with the mind. Relax. Allow the divine thoughts to flow gently in the mind.
…
Appendix
100
Selected Aphorisms for Meditation
…
Page
164
100. You are never alone. God is always with you and in your heart. He is very close to you. He desires you more than you Him. Therefore drop all fright and fears.
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1994) Dhyana Yoga.
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Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1994) Kundalini Yoga. (WWW Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/kundalini.htm
DEVI
STOTRA
“O Thou Self of everything, of whatever thing existing at whatever place or time, whether cause or effect, Thou art the Power behind that; how canst Thou be praised?”
…
SIVA
STOTRA
“Sins committed in action—with the hands and feet or by speech, or by the body, or by the ears and eyes,—or by those done in thoughts,—forgive all these sins whether of commission or omission. Glory be unto Thee, Thou ocean of mercy! Glory be unto Thee O Mahadeva, O Shambho!”
- Sri Sankaracharya
…
THE
FOUR STAGES OF SOUND
The Vedas form the
sound-manifestation of Ishvara. That sound has four divisions,—
Articulation
is the last and grossest expression of divine sound-energy. The highest
manifestation of sound-energy, the primal voice, the divine voice is
The seat of Pasyanti is the navel or the Manipura Chakra. Yogins who have subtle inner vision can experience the Pasyanti state of a word which has colour and form, which is common for all languages and which has the vibrating homogeneity of sound. Indians, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Japanese, birds, beasts—all experience the same Bhavana of a thing in the Pasyanti state of voice or sound. Gesture is a sort of mute subtle language. It is one and the same for all persons. Any individual of any country will make the same gesture by holding his hand to his mouth in a particular manner, when he is thirsty. As one and the same power or Shakti working through the ears becomes hearing, through the eyes becomes seeing and so forth, the same Pasyanti assumes different forms of sound when materialised. The Lord manifests Himself through his Mayaic power first as Para Vani in the Muladhara Chakra at the navel, then as Madhyama in the heart and then eventually as Vaikhari in the throat and mouth. This is the divine descent of His voice. All the Vaikhari is His voice only. It is the voice of the Virat Purusha.
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Cross Reference
Blavatsky, H P. Collected
Writings of H. P. Blavatsky. Vol.
IV. Pages 164-166. "Tharana," or Mesmerism.
http://www.katinkahesselink.net/health/mesmer.htm
The Hindu occultist, or devotee, while practicing Raja Yoga, hears the
occult sounds as emanating from his own Mûlâdhâra - the first of the series of
six centres of force in the human body (fed at the inexhaustible source of the
seventh or the UNITY, as the sum total of all) and knows that it emanates from
there, and from nowhere else.
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…
Preface
All agree that the one aim which man has in all his acts is to secure happiness for himself. The highest as well as the ultimate end of man must, therefore, be to attain eternal, infinite, unbroken, supreme happiness. This happiness can be had in one’s own Self or Atman only. Therefore, search within to attain this eternal Bliss.
…
Introduction:
Essence Of Kundalini Yoga
…
By the lower processes of
Hatha Yoga it is sought to attain a perfect physical body which will also be a
wholly fit instrument by which the mind may function. A perfect mind, again, approaches and, in
Samadhi, passes into Pure Consciousness itself. The Hatha Yogin thus
seeks a body which shall be as strong as steel, healthy, free from suffering
and therefore, long-lived. Master of the body he is—the master of both life and death. His
lustrous form enjoys the vitality of youth. He lives as long as he has the will
to live and enjoys in the world of forms. His death is the death at will
(Iccha-Mrityu);
when making the great and wonderfully expressive gesture of dissolution,
(Samhara-Mudra) he grandly departs. But, it may be said, the Hatha Yogins do get sick
and die. In the first place, the full discipline is one of difficulty and risk,
and can only be pursued under the guidance of a skilled Guru. Unaided and
unsuccessful practice may lead not only to disease, but death. He who seeks to
conquer the Lord of death incurs the risk, on failure, of a more speedy
conquest by Him. All who attempt
this Yoga do not, of course, succeed or meet with the same measure of success. Those who fail not only
incur the infirmities of ordinary men, but also others brought on by practices
which have been ill-pursued or for which they are not fit. Those again who do
succeed, do so in varying degrees. One may prolong his life to the sacred age
of 84, others to 100, others yet further. In theory at least those who are
perfected (Siddhas) go from this plane when they will. All have not the same
capacity or opportunity, through want of will, bodily strength, or
circumstance. All may not be
willing or able to follow the strict rules necessary for success. Nor does
modern life offer in general the opportunities for so complete a physical
culture. All men may not desire such a life or may think the attainment of it
not worth the trouble involved. Some may wish to be rid of their body and that
as speedily as possible. It is, therefore, said that it is easier to gain Liberation than
Deathlessness! The former may be had by unselfishness, detachment
from the world, moral and mental discipline. But to conquer death is harder than this, for
these
qualities and acts will not alone avail. He
who does so conquer, holds life in the hollow of one hand and, if he be a
successful (Siddha) Yogin, Liberation in the other hand. He has Enjoyment and
Liberation. He is the Emperor who is Master of the World and the possessor of
the Bliss which is beyond all worlds. Therefore, it is claimed by the Hatha Yogin that every Sadhana is inferior to Hatha
Yoga!
Sadhana—Spiritual practice.
Asanas
Importance
of Asanas
Four Asanas are prescribed for the purpose of Japa and meditation. They are Padmasana, Siddhasana, Svastikasana and Sukhasana. You must be able to sit in any one of these four Asanas at a stretch for full three hours without shaking the body. Then only you will get Asana-Jaya, mastery over the Asana. Without securing a steady Asana, you cannot further get on well in meditation. The steadier you are in your Asana, the more you will be able to concentrate and make your mind one-pointed. If you can be steady in the posture even for one hour, you will be able to acquire one-pointed mind and feel thereby infinite peace and Atmic Ananda.
When you sit on the posture,
think: “I am as firm as a rock”. Give this suggestion to the mind half a dozen
times. Then the Asana will become steady soon. You
must become as a living statue when you sit for Dhyana. Then only there
will be real steadiness in your Asana. In one year
by regular practice you will have success and will be able to sit for three
hours at a stretch. Start with half an hour and gradually increase the period.
When you sit in the Asana, keep your head, neck and trunk in one straight line. Stick to one Asana and make it quite steady and perfect by repeated attempts. Never change the Asana. Adhere to one tenaciously. Realise the full benefits of one Asana. Asana gives Dridhata (strength). Mudra gives Sthirata (steadiness). Pratyahara gives Dhairya (boldness). Pranayama gives Laghima (lightness). Dhyana gives Pratyakshatva (perception) of Self and Samadhi gives Kaivalya (isolation) which is verily the freedom or final beatitude.
The postures are as many in number as there are number of species of living creatures in this universe. There are 84 lakhs of Asanas described by Lord Siva. Among them 84 are the best and among these, 32 are very useful. There are some Asanas which can be practised while standing. These are Tadasana, Trikonasana, Garudasana, etc. There are some which can be practised by sitting, such as Paschimottanasana, Padmasana, etc. Some Asanas are done while lying down. These are Uttanapadasana, Pavanamuktasana, etc. Sirshasana, Vrikshasana, etc., are done with head downwards and legs upwards.
In olden days these Asanas were
practised in Gurukulas and so the people were strong and healthy and had long
lives. In schools and colleges these Asanas should be introduced. Ordinary
physical exercises develop the superficial muscles of the body only. One can
become a Sandow with a beautiful physique by the physical exercises. But Asanas are intended for physical and spiritual
development.
Detailed instructions regarding the technique of 94 Asanas are given in my book ‘Yoga Asanas’ with illustrations.
…
Mudras
and Bandhas
Exercises
Mudras and Bandhas are certain postures of the body by which Kundalini is successfully awakened.
…
Dyspepsia, constipation, piles, cough, asthma, enlargement of spleen, venereal diseases, leprosy and all sorts of incurable diseases are cured by Mudras and Bandhas. They are the most effective exercises for maintaining Brahmacharya, without which nothing can be made in the spiritual path.
1.
Mula Bandha
Press the Yoni with the left heel. Keep the right heel pressed at the space just above the organ of generation. Contract the anus and draw the Apana Vayu upwards. This is called Mula Bandha. The Apana Vayu which does the function of ejection of excreta has natural tendency to move downwards. Through the practice of Mula Bandha, the Apana Vayu is made to move upwards by contracting the anus and by forcibly drawing it upwards. The Prana Vayu is united with the Apana and the united Prana-Apana Vayu is made to enter the Sushumna Nadi. Then the Yogi attains perfection in Yoga. Kundalini is awakened. The Yogi drinks the Nectar of Immortality. He enjoys Siva-pada in Sahasrara Chakra. He gets all divine Vibhutis and Aishvarya. When the Apana is united with Prana, Anahata sounds (mystical inner sounds) are heard very distinctly. Prana, Apana, Nada and Bindu unite and the Yogi reaches perfection in Yoga. This highest stage cannot be reached by the first attempt. One should practise this again and again for a long time.
The Siddhi in the practice of Pranayama is attained through the help of Bandhas and Mudras. The practice of Mula Bandha enables one to keep up perfect Brahmacharya, gives Dhatu-Pushti (nerve-vigour), relieves constipation and increases Jatharagni. During the practice of concentration, meditation, Pranayama and all other Yogic Kriyas, Mula Bandha can be combined.
…
Miscellaneous
Exercises
…
Mantras
Awakening Kundalini is effected by Mantra also. It is a portion of Bhakti Yoga. Some aspirants should repeat the Mantra given by their Guru even lakhs of times. During the time of Diksha of an Uttama Adhikari, the Guru utters a particular Mantra and Kundalini is awakened immediately. The consciousness of the student is raised to a very high degree. This depends upon the faith of the student in his Guru and in the Mantra. Mantras, when received from the Guru in person, are very powerful. Aspirants in Kundalini Yoga should take to this Mantra Sadhana only after getting a proper Mantra from a Guru. Therefore I am not touching this point in detail. Mantras when learnt through ordinary friends or through books cannot produce any benefit at all. Mantras are numerous and the Guru should select a particular Mantra by which the consciousness of a particular student can be awakened.
…
Yoga
Addenda
…
Life
In The Astral Plane
During the course of practice, one day you will feel that you have separated yourself from the body. You will have immense joy mixed with fear; joy in the possession of a new light, astral body; and fear owing to the entry in a foreign, unknown plane. At the very outset, the new consciousness is very rudimentary in the new plane. You will only feel that you have a light, airy body and will perceive a rotating, vibrating, limited astral atmosphere with illumination of golden lights, objects and beings. You may feel that you are floating in the air.
You will never fall; but the new experience of subtlety generates novel feelings and sensations in the beginning. How you leave the body and remain, is unknown. You are unaware of how you have completely separated yourself from the body. The new joy is inexpressible. Your will have to actually feel and experience it yourself. When you come back to body-consciousness, there is an intense craving to regain the new consciousness and to remain in that state always. By chance, by repeated attempts, you are able to go beyond the body-consciousness once in a month or so in the course of Sadhana. If you plod on with patience, through Yogic practices, you will be able to leave the body at will and stay for a long time.
You can by mere willing travel in
any place you like with the astral body and there materialise by drawing the
necessary materials either from Ahamkara or the universal storehouse. The
process is very simple to occultists and Yogis who know the rationale, the
detailed technique of the various operations. Thought-reading,
thought-transference, psychic healing, distant healing, etc., can be very easily performed by those who can function
with the astral body. Concentrated mental
rays can penetrate opaque walls and travel miles and miles.
…
The
Spiritual Diary
The Spiritual Diary
is a whip for goading the mind towards righteousness and God. If you regularly
maintain this diary you will get solace, peace of mind and make quick progress
in the spiritual path. Maintain a
daily diary and realise the marvellous results.
…
If you want quick spiritual attainments, you
should never neglect to record everything in your diary. To change the worldly nature it needs rigorous Sadhana.
…
Do
not be ashamed to mention your mistakes, vices and failures. This is meant for your own progress only. Do not waste your precious
hours. It is enough that you have wasted so many years in idle-gossiping.
Enough, enough of the troubles you had all these days in satisfying your
senses. Do not say:—“from tomorrow I will be regular.” That “tomorrow” is for
the worthless worldly-minded fools. Be sincere and start doing Sadhana from
this moment. Be sincere. Take out a copy of the
Spiritual Diary and send it on to your Guru, who will guide you, remove all the
obstacles in your Sadhana and give you further lessons.
…
Yoga-Kundalini
Upanishad
…
Double
Consciousness
In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the Yogi’s consciousness merges with the absolute consciousness. There is no bodily fixation. In his ordinary waking consciousness, even in the midst of worldly duties, he is in communion with the supreme consciousness. He has double-consciousness.
The crow has one eye-ball, but two sockets. It turns the eye-balls, now to one socket and afterwards to the other socket. Even so, the Yogi has double-consciousness.
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1994)
Kundalini
Yoga. (WWW Edition)
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Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1998) Mind--Its Mysteries and Control. (WWW
Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/mind.htm
Chapter
16 Thought Creates The World
The
Why And How Of The Universe-a Transcendental Question
…
According to the idealistic theory, there is no world at all in reality. It is all mere mental imagination. This is Vijnanavada of the Buddhists.
According to the realistic theory, the world is a solid reality. Even the dualist shool of Madhva and Visishtadvaita school of Ramanuja and Raja Yogic school of Maharshi Patanjali hold that the world is real (Jagat Satyam).
…
Chapter
19 Thought-Culture
Haunting
Thoughts Of Sin
Thoughts
of sin haunt the minds of some persons. One man always thinks, "I
have committed a very heinous sin. I do not know what to do." Again and
again, this one idea haunts his mind. This is a bad habit. These people do not know how to divert their minds.
They become prey to these 'haunting thoughts'.
Virtue and sin are relative terms. They are
creations of the mind. Sin is nothing but a mistake. Japa of God's Name, charity and fasting will destroy at
once any amount of sin. Why are you afraid? Even
the worst sinner can attain salvation, can become holy of holies. What was the state of Valmiki, Jagai and Madhai and Ajamila
in the beginning? Were they not rogues of the first water? Repeat
…
Brahma
Vichara
The first and foremost of all thoughts-the primeval thought-is 'I'. It is only after the birth of this thought that any other thought can rise at all. It is only after the first personal pronoun 'I' has arisen in the mind that the second personal pronoun 'You' and the third personal pronoun 'He', etc., can make their appearance. If 'I' vanishes, 'You' and 'He' will disappear by themselves. Eradicate this false little 'I' of an illusory nature through proper Brahma Vichara. There is no other way.
Thinker is different from thought. Remember this. This gives the clue to the fact that you are the silent witness of the modifications that arise in the mind. You are Kutastha Brahman. You are Pratyagatman.
…
Glory
Of The Waveless Jnanin
Through constant and intense practice, you can become waveless (thought-free). The waveless Yogin helps the world more than the man on the platform. Ordinary people can hardly grasp this point. When you are waveless, you actually permeate and pervade every atom of the universe, purify and elevate the whole world. The names of waveless Jnanins such as Jada Bharata and Vamadeva are even now remembered. They never built Ashrams. They never lectured. They never published books. They never made disciples. Yet, what a tremendous influence these waveless Jnanins had produced on the minds of the people. Glory to such waveless Jnanins!
Chapter
21 Desires
…
Desires
Are Insatiable
Mind plays havoc through desires. As soon as a desire arises, you think you will get all happiness by its realisation. You exert yourself to achieve the desired object. As soon as you get it, a little satisfaction (false Tushti or gratification) is experienced for a short time. Again, mind becomes restless. It wants new sensations. Disgust and dissatisfaction come in. Again, it wants some new objects for its enjoyment. That is the reason why this world is termed as mere Kalpana (imagination) by Vedantins.
Desires are innumerable, insatiable and unconquerable. Enjoyment cannot bring in satisfaction. It is a mistake to think so. Enjoyment fans the desire. It is like pouring ghee in fire. Enjoyment strengthens, increases and aggravates a desire. See the case of Raja Yayati of yore. He borrowed the youthful state from his son to have sexual enjoyment for thousands of years. At last, he cries out in his old age with bitterness, "Alas! What a fool I am! Still my sexual desires are waxing. There is no end of desires. I have wasted my life. O God! Have mercy on me. Lift me up from this mire of Samsara." This comes in Mahabharata. In the Gita, Chapter III-39, you will find "Kama-rupena Kaunteya Dushpurena-analena cha-desire which is insatiable as a flame."
Freedom
From Desires Necessary For Jnana
You can attain Jnana only if you
are free from sensuous desires and immortal mental states. Aloofness of body from sensuous objects and aloofness of mind from immoral states of mind are needed for the attainment of Jnana. Then only will
Divine Light descend. Just as a bungalow is
cleaned of cobwebs and all kinds of dirts and the garden of all its weeds for
the reception of the Viceroy, the mental palace should be cleansed of all
vices, desires and immoral states for the reception of the Holy Brahman, the Viceroy
of viceroys.
When a desire arises in the mind, a worldling welcomes it and tries to fulfil it; but, an aspirant renounces it immediately through Viveka. Wise people consider even a spark of desire as a very great evil. Therefore, they will not entertain any kind of desire. They will be ever delightful in Atman only.
How
To Control Desires
In this
Whenever a desire arises in the
mind, consult always your Viveka (power of discrimination). Viveka will at once
tell you that the desire is attended with pain, that it is only a vain
temptation set up by the mind and that Vairagya and Tyaga alone can bring about
satisfaction and peace of mind. It will advise you to renounce the desire
immediately and take to the study of Upanishads, repetition of
Never accept gifts from anybody, even from your closest friends. It will produce slavish mentality, weak will and attachment. Asking is begging. Recommending is begging. A beggar is absolutely unfit for freedom and spiritual pursuits.
Just as you starve a plant by depriving it of water, so you may starve out obnoxious desires by allowing the mind not to dwell upon such desires. You have no desire for a thing till you know what it is like. It is only after you have seen it or heard of it or touched it that you get a longing for it. Therefore, the best principle for a man is not to take, touch or see anything that is likely to taint the imagination. You will have to turn aside the attention resolutely and particularly the imagination from the subject. In course of time, all objectionable desires will die out.
It is desire in the mind that has created this body. The nature of the desire depends upon the quality of Samskaras. If these are good, virtuous Samskaras, good desires will crop up and, if they are bad, they will give rise to evil desires. Buddhi also is Karmanusarini (according to the nature of Karmas). It has to be specially trained by repeated efforts to think and act according to the holy injunctions of sacred scriptures. Desire becomes the thought and thought becomes the action. An evil desire sets up an evil thought which leads to evil action. Do always virtuous action-charity, Tapas, Japa, Dama, Dhyana and study of scriptures. Give up Nishiddha Karma (actions prohibited by Sastras). Have constant Satsanga. This is very important. It is the only means of changing the evil Samskaras of the mind.
The mind with half-developed
Jnana feels severe pain when it relinquishes all desires. It demands aid, through prayer, from higher souls.
A counter-desire, a desire for God, one strong desire to attain Brahman will destroy all other worldly desires. Put down vicious desires through virtuous desires. Then give up virtuous desires through one strong desire-Mumukshutva (desire for liberation). Abandon this desire for God also in the long run. Give up Asubha Vasana through Subha Vasana. Give up Subha Vasana through Svarupa Vasana. Give up Svarupa Vasana by Nididhyasana. Desires will become extinct with the rise of discrimination. When desires cease, Jivahood becomes extinct.
Brahma-Chintana will destroy all desires. There are no desires in Brahman. Brahman is All-Purity. Repeat OM. Repeat the Mantra, "All purity I am." All the desires will vanish.
Kill the thoughts. Practise thoughtlessness. You can destroy desires. Mind associated with thoughts of gratifying the passionate desires, blindly goads a man to seek for sensual pleasures. Uncontrolled thoughts are the roots of all evils. Sublime thoughts will easily destroy lower, base thoughts. Do not entertain any base thought.
Destruction
Of Desires Leads To Atmic Bliss
Vasanasahita mind (mind associated with desires) is Bandha (bondage). Mind free from desires is Mukta (free). Desires are themselves pain. Non-desire is itself pure Atmic Bliss. Mere annihilation of Maya is Moksha. With the extinction of the base Sankalpas, there is also the extinction of Avidya. Should all longings for the visibles cease, then such an abnegation of mind is itself the destruction of Ajnana or the mind. Such a bliss is generated through one's efforts only. There is nothing like Purushartha (right exertion). Purushartha changed the destiny of Markandeya. He became a Chiranjivi.
Desire is the enemy of peace. You
have become the beggar of beggars through desires. A
desireless man is the richest man in the world. It is the mind that makes a man
rich.
Free yourself from the firm grip of crocodiles of desires. Do not get disheartened under trials. Cheer yourself up. Stand up like a lion. Destroy the impure mind with the help of the pure mind. Make friendship with the Sattvic mind and rest yourself peacefully in Atman.
Chapter
22 Raga-Dvesha
…
The
Causes Of Raga-Dvesha
Raga-Dvesha is due to the Anukula-Pratikula Jnana. You have Raga for things favourable (Anukula) and Dvesha for things unfavourable (Pratikula). When this Anukula-Pratikula Jnana which depends upon Bheda Jnana disappears, Raga-Dvesha will vanish.
Raga-Dvesha is also due to Abhimana-Ahankara. As soon as Abhimana manifests, there comes Raga-Dvesha. When you conceive yourself as husband, there comes the attachment (Raga) for your wife. As soon as you conceive yourself to be a Brahmin, there comes the love of the Brahmins. Give up Abhimana, if you want to eradicate Raga-Dvesha. If this Abhimana, the result of Avidya (ignorance) vanishes, Raga-Dvesha will vanish.
Some minds hang on you through Raga, while some others hang on you through Dvesha. Ravana's mind was hanging on Sri Rama through hatred and fear. He was seeing Rama everywhere and in everything through constant, intense thinking of Rama. Similarly, Kamsa's mind was hanging on Sri Krishna. This is also a form of Bhakti (Vaira-Bhakti). Anyhow their minds were on God.
Chapter
23 Pleasure And Pain
…
Sense-Pleasure
Is Only A Mental Deception
Pleasure and pain, beauty and
ugliness are all false imaginations of the mind. Mind is a false illusory
product. Conceptions of the mind also must, therefore, be false. They are all
Mrigatrishna (like a mirage in the desert). What is beautiful for you is ugly
for another. Beauty and ugliness are relative terms. Beauty is only a mental
concept. It is only a mental projection. It is only a civilised man that takes
much of symmetry of form, good features, graceful gaits, elegance of manners,
graceful form, etc. An African negro has no idea of all these things. Real
beauty is in the Self only. Pleasure and beauty reside in the mind and not in
the objects. Mango is not sweet; the idea of mango is sweet. It is all Vritti.
It is all mental deception, mental conception, mental creation, mental Srishti.
Destroy the Vritti; beauty vanishes. The husband
stretches his own idea of beauty in his ugly wife and finds his wife very
beautiful through passion. Shakespeare has rightly expressed this in his
"Mid-summer Night's Dream": "Cupid
is painted blind. It finds Helen's beauty in the brow of
Pleasure arising from external objects is evanescent, transitory and fleeting. It is mere nerve-titillation and mental deception. Jiva joins with mind and Vritti and enjoys the Vishayas (sense-objects). The thing that gives you pleasure gives you pain also. "Ye hi samsparsaja bhoga duhkhayonaya eva te-The delights that are contact-born, are verily wombs of pain." The body is an abode of misery and disease. Wealth brings a lot of trouble in acquiring and keeping safe. Sorrow springs from every connection. Women are a perpetual source of vexation. Alas! People prefer this path of misery to that of spiritual enjoyment.
No true, lasting satisfaction comes from the enjoyment of worldly objects. Yet, people rush headlong towards objects even when they know that the objects are unreal and the world is full of miseries. That is Maya. When the mind rests on Atman, then only Nitya-Tripti (eternal satisfaction) will come; because, Atman is Paripurna (all-full), you get everything there. It is self-contained. All desires are gratified by realisation of Atman.
Some say that children are very happy. It is wrong. They only become exuberant. They get serious reaction also. They have no balanced mind. They weep for hours together for nothing at all. It is only a man of balanced mind that can really be happy.
Chapter
26 Control of Indriyas
…
Object
Of Sadhana-to Prevent Externalisation By The Indriyas
The three organs of eye, ear and
tongue externalise the mind and make a man altogether worldly. Eyes and ears
are the avenues of sense-knowledge or Vritti-Jnana. Close the eyes. Shut the
ears either with balls of cotton or balls of cotton beaten with yellow bee's
wax or with the two thumbs making Yoni-Mudra. Now you have destroyed two-fifths
of the world. Do not allow anything to enter the
mind through these two doors of sense-knowledge.
The object of Sadhana is to internalise
the mind by introspection or Antarmukha Vritti and to realise the Truth within
yourself. Control the three organs of eye, ear and tongue. Then you can bring
the mind under discipline and prevent the mental energy from flowing externally. These organs are
the main causes of making the mind restive. Control over them helps the purpose
of concentrating the energy internally.
He is a real Kshatriya who wages internal war with the mind, who fights with the Indriyas, the Svabhava, through Viveka and will-force and obtains absolute mastery over the mind. He is a real Kshatriya who fights with the host of evil Samskaras and evil thoughts, the Rajasic and Tamasic, by awakening and increasing the Sattva Guna. He is a real Kshatriya whose Sastra is Will, and Astra is Viveka, whose battle-field is within, whose band is chanting of Pranava and Udgitha of the Chhandogya Upanishad and whose coat-of-arms is the three qualifications, viz., Viveka, Vairagya and Mumukshutva.
…
Chapter
27 Mouna and Introspection
…
Introspection-what
It Is And What It Does
…
To have a comprehensive understanding of what is going on in the inner 'mental factory', a Suddha Buddhi (pure reason) and subtle intellect with power of introspection is needed. You will have to turn the mind inside, then concentrate all its powers and throw them upon the mind itself, in order that it may know its own nature and analyse itself. This is Raja Yoga.
Make a vigorous and earnest search within. Do not trust the mind and the Indriyas. They are your enemies. Woman and wealth are your bitter foes. These are two great evils.
In
introspection, the mind itself is the subject of study. A portion of the mind studies the remaining portion of
the mind. The higher mind studies the lower mind. Introspection is
apperception. Just as you watch the work done by a
coolie, a portion of the mind watches the movements of the rest of the mind.
If you are one with the mind, if you identify
yourself with the mind, you cannot know your defects. If you are a Sakshi or
silent witness of the mind and if you practise introspection, you can know your
various defects.
By a
careful watch, many defects are detected and removed by suitable Sadhana.
Enter a quiet room. Enter into silence daily for about fifteen minutes, morning
and evening. Introspect. Watch the mind carefully. The
mind will be doing either thinking, planning, feeling, knowing or willing. You
will have to find out through subjective introspection what the mind is exactly
doing at a particular time. To go through
this practice, you must have Antarmukha
Vritti, a subjective mind and a subtle
Buddhi. Buddhi can
be rendered subtle by study of philosophical books, Satsanga, control of
Indriyas (Dama) and Sattvic food. The constant
utterance of holy Names of God as Hari, OM, Narayana, Rama, Siva purifies the
mind-stuff and helps make the mind introspective (Antarmukha).
How
To Practise Introspection
You
are the best judge of your mind. Introspect by living alone in solitude or retiring
into a calm room for an hour. You must sit quiet in a solitary room alone, with
closed eyes and watch the activities of the mind.
You will then know your defects and weaknesses very clearly.
You should afterwards feel the necessity of removing them. Then your Svabhava should agree to change. You must know the right method to remove the defect. You must apply the method constantly. Then only improvement will set in. Constant application of the Sadhana is an indispensable requisite. You must watch the improvement every now and then, say, once a week, a fortnight or a month. You will have to keep a record of your progress (spiritual daily diary). You must watch carefully whether you are progressing in the spiritual path, whether you remain stationary or retrograding, whether the mind is distracted or concentrated. If it is distracted, you must remove the distracting causes one by one with patience and vigilance by suitable methods. If one method fails to bring about the desired results, you will have to combine two methods (the Yogic methods and Vichara).
Remember the triplet, viz., self-analysis, self-reliance, self-determination. It will be of immense use in your spiritual Sadhana. Analyse your self through introspection. Find out the nature of your Vrittis. Find out what Guna (quality) is predominating at a particular moment, whether it is Sattva, Rajas or Tamas. How long can the mind be absolutely fixed on your Lakshya (point of meditation)-either God, Brahman, idea or object, whether internal or external? How long can the mind be fixed on the object, rose and rose alone to the exclusion of all other objects-whether two seconds or two minutes or five minutes or half an hour? This is self-analysis. Rely on your self alone. You are your own redeemer and saviour. Nobody can give you Moksha. You will have to tread the spiritual path step by step. Books and Gurus can show the path and guide you. This is self-reliance. Make a strong self-determination, "I will realise God. I will have Atma-Sakshatkara or Brahmanubhava this very moment and not in the uncertain future." This is self-determination.
Wordlings
have no time to think over even for a few minutes the life-problems, the
mystery of life, etc. They get up in the morning. Their minds usually run to the
special objects of enjoyment on account of Raga. Their mental energies are
poured forth in the usual grooves and avenues-in thoughts of body, thoughts of
eating and dressing, thoughts of wife, children, friends and also thoughts of
office-work and business; and thus, the day is over. The same routine follows
day after day, week after week. Years roll on and life is wasted. It is highly
lamentable, indeed!
Only
he who does Manana (reflection) and introspection through Antarmukha Vritti can
change his worldly nature. In him only the idea of Brahman can get permanently
lodged.
Chapter
28 Evil Vrittis And Their Eradication
Lust,
A Powerful Force
…
Be careful in destroying
passions. It is easy to control
the conscious mind. But, it is very difficult to control the subconscious mind.
You may be a Sannyasin. You may be a moral man. Mark
how the mind behaves or conducts itself in dreams. You begin to steal in
dreams. You commit adultery in dreams. The sex-impulses, ambitions, low desires
are all ingrained in you and deep-rooted in the subconscious mind. Destroy the
subconscious mind and its Samskaras through Vichara, Brahma-Bhavana,
meditation on '
That state of mind wherein no single sexual
thought enters the mind is termed mental
Brahmacharya. Bhishma
had this state. If you are not established in mental Brahmacharya, at least try to
control the body when
the sex-impulse is troubling you.
A
Source Of Perpetual Danger To Sadhakas
The presence or recollection of a woman usually excites unholy ideas in the minds of recluses who have abandoned this world and devoted themselves to spiritual exercises and thus deprives them of the fruit of their austerity. It is very difficult to understand the presence of subtle lust in the minds of others, particularly in spiritual Sadhakas, though eye (look), tone, gestures, gait, behaviour, etc., may give a clue.
…
Beware
Of Maya-a Warning To Aspirants
…
An aspirant can live only for a short time in his native place if there is an urgent call. Yogic rules and laws cannot permit him to stay there for a sufficiently long period, however suitable the place may be and whatever may be the degree of Vairagya (dispassion) of the aspirant. The force of Samskaras (impressions) is tremendous. Unless all the Samskaras are thoroughly burnt through pure Asamprajnata Samadhi or Nirvikalpa Avastha (seedless state), it is not safe for one to stay for a long time in one's own native place. He is still within the danger zone.
…
Chapter
30 How To Control The Mind
…
Mastery
Of Mind, The Only Gateway To Moksha
On this side is matter; on the other side is pure Spirit (Atman or Brahman). Mind forms a bridge between the two. Cross the bridge (control the mind). You will attain Brahman.
…
Mind
Is The Cause Of Bondage And Liberation
Mind is the cause of bondage and salvation of man. "Mana eva manushyanam karanam bandhamokshayoh"-The mind has two aspects-one is discriminative and the other is imaginative. Mind, in its aspect of discrimination, releases itself from the bondage and attains Moksha. In its aspect of imagination, it binds itself to the world.
It is the mind which binds a man to this world; where there is no mind, there is no bondage. Mind imagines, through indiscrimination and ignorance, that the soul has been confined and located in this body and hence it perceives the soul to be in bondage. Mind exactly identifies itself with the Jivatman and feels itself to be 'I' and hence thinks, 'I am in bondage.' The egoistic mind is the root of bondage. The non-egoistic mind is the root of Moksha.
Destroy
Mind Through Mind
The sovereign specific presented by the wise sages for the eradication of the mind's disease can be had easily through the mind alone. The intelligent cleanse a dirty cloth with the dirty earth only. A murderous Agni-Astra (missile) is counteracted by Varuna-Astra. The venom of serpent-bite is removed by its antidote of an edible poison. So also is the case with Jiva. Having developed discrimination, destroy the delusions of the heterogeneous mind through the one-pointed Manas, like an iron severing another iron.
Purify
The Mind
You must be saved from the malformation and the miscarriage of your mind. Mind is like a playful child. The clamant energies of the mind must be bent to become the passive channels for the transmission of truth. The mind must be filled with Sattva (purity). It should be trained to think of Truth or God constantly.
The Yoga system requires us to go through a course of mental and spiritual discipline. The Upanishads also emphasise the practice of austere virtues before the goal can be reached. Tapas destroys sins, weakens the Indriyas, purifies the Chitta and leads to Ekagrata (one-pointedness of mind).
The penances will give you mental quiet and remove the restlessness of the mind which is a great obstacle to knowledge. The life of celibacy (Brahmacharya), where you will have no family attachment to perturb your mind, would enable you to give whole-hearted attention to your spiritual Sadhana. If you practise Satya and Brahmacharya, you will become fearless (Nirbhaya). You will eventually realise Brahman also. Get hold of one thing firmly with leech-like tenacity. Sraddha or faith is necessary.
Arsenic, when purified and administered in proper doses, is a blessing. It removes many diseases. It improves the blood. When it is not purified properly and given in overdoses, it brings about many ill-effects. Even so, when the mind is rendered pure and Nirvishaya, it leads on to Moksha. When it is impure and Vishayasakta (fond of sensual objects), it leads on to bondage.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will have Darshan of the Lord. The heart must be pure. The eye also must be chaste in its look. There is a tongue in the eye. A lustful eye wants to taste the different types of beauty for its selection. Lust of the eyes is as much dangerous as lust of the flesh. Beauty of nature emanates from the Lord. Train the eye properly. Let it see Atman everywhere.
The Yogic methods give directions as to how you should purify and refine the mind and improve the mirror and keep it clean by getting rid of the impurities such as lust, anger, greed, vanity, jealousy, etc. The aim of Dana, Japa, Vrata, Tirtha-Yatra, Seva, Daya, Svadhyaya, Agnihotra, Yajna is purification of the mind.
The
Sermon on the Mount by Lord Jesus is the
essence of Raja-Yogic Yama practice. It is difficult to put the teachings into
practice. But, if they are put into practice, mind can be easily controlled.
This
is the summary of the Sermon:
(1)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
(2)
"Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted."
(3)
"Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth."
(4)
"Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they
shall be filled."
(5)
"Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."
(6)
"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God."
(7)
"Blessed are the peace-makers; for they shall be called the children of
God."
(8)
"Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven."
(9)
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be
exceedingly glad; for great is the reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you."
(10)
"But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite on
thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
(11)
"And if any man shall sue thee in the law and take away thy coat, let him
have thy cloak also."
(12)
"Love your enemies as thyself, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you."
Before you go to work daily, study once carefully this Sermon of Lord Jesus in the morning and remember the teachings once or twice during the course of the day. In course of time, you will be able to regulate your emotions and moods, cultivate virtue and eradicate vice. You will have immense peace and will-force.
The spiritual path is rugged, thorny and precipitous. Sruti declares: "Kshurasya dhara nisita duratyaya durgam pathastat kavayo vadanti,-The path is as sharp as the edge of a razor and impassable; that path, the intelligents say, is hard to go by." The thorns must be weeded out with patience and perseverance. Some of the thorns are internal; some are external. Lust, greed, wrath, delusion, vanity, etc., are the internal thorns. Company with the evil-minded persons is the worst of all the external thorns. Therefore, shun ruthlessly evil company.
…
Annihilate
Sankalpas
The ideas of differentiation of
this person or that person or 'I' or 'thou' or of this or that object do
pertain to the mind only. Put an end to the mind
with the sword of Abhavana (non-thought). Kill
the soldiers one by one when they emerge out of the fort. Eventually you can
get hold of the fortress. Even so, destroy every thought one by one as it
arises in the mind. Eventually you can conquer the mind.
If you can do the extinction of all sorts of Kalpanas (imaginations, thoughts). like thick clouds that are dispersed through stormy gales, the mind will get absorbed into the Source, Chit (Absolute Consciousness). Then you will be free from all sorts of tribulations and worries and miseries. Then only you will have perennial happiness and the wealth of Moksha.
Mind is Maya. If the mind runs towards the sensual objects wildly, Maya takes a stronghold of the man. Maya havocs through the mind. This lower impulsive mind drags you down in all kinds of petty sensual enjoyments and deludes you in a variety of ways. Maya, through her power, raises millions of Sankalpas in the mind. The Jiva becomes a prey to the Sankalpas.
This lower Manas cannot approach those who have a strong Viveka (power of discrimination) between Sat and Asat (the real and the unreal). Maya is very easy to be detected and Self to be realised by men who possess discrimination and strong determination. Through these powers, viz., Viveka and will, it can be controlled.
Slay the lower mind, the enemy of Atman through the higher and Sattvic mind. Use your Vichara, Viveka and pure reason constantly when objects trouble you, delude you. After reason has dispersed the darkness of the illusions of sense which cover the mind, it still returns to those things which are deceitful as the appearance of water on sandy deserts. Again and again, exercise your reason till you are established in knowledge. The power of Avidya is great, indeed.
Renounce desires; renounce
Sankalpas of objects. Cultivate Vairagya. Give up this little false '
Have no Sankalpa. The fluctuating mind will die by itself. It will melt in Brahman (Arupa Manonasa). Then you will have the Sakshatkara (Beatific vision of Atman). When the mind dies, 'I,' 'you,' 'he,' 'this,' 'that,' time, space, Jiva, Jagat, all will dwindle into nothing. Idea of inside and outside will vanish. There will be only one experience of the One, Akhanda (the indivisible) Chidakasa which is Paripurna (all-full). All the doubts and delusions will disappear through the Jnana in the heart.
Destroy
The Ego
You should try to destroy not
only the thoughts (Sankalpas), but the mind itself and the Aham Vritti that
identifies with the body and the Vyavaharic Buddhi that creates the Jiva-Bhava
and differences in the world. Then you will be established in Svarupa (Sahaja-Sat-Chit-Ananda-Nirvikalpa)
state. That is the real Mouna state or Advaita Brahmanishtha. Control of mind includes control of Buddhi and the
annihilation of the little 'I,' the false self-arrogating personality.
Lord
Jesus says, "Empty thyself and I will fill thee." The meaning
is: "Destroy your egoism. You will be filled
with God." This emptying means "Yogas-chittavrittinirodhah-
restraining all the mental modifications."
This emptying process or "making the mind
blank" is, no doubt, a trying
discipline. But, continued practice of an
intense type will bring success. There is no doubt about this. It is only through the rigorous discipline that you can
rise to that height of strenuous
impersonality from which the gifted souls of the world see distant visions and
enjoy a higher, divine life.
If the mind is divested of all the Sankalpas of 'I,' then, through meditation of Atman after being initiated by a Guru and having known the real significance of the Vedas, the mind can be turned back from various pains and made to rest on the subjective blissful Atman.
…
Chapter
31 Concentration
…
Concentration,
Man's Foremost Duty
Sri Sankara writes in the commentary on Chhandogya Upanishad (VII-xx-1) that a man's duty consists in the control of the senses and concentration of mind. So long as the thoughts of one are not thoroughly destroyed through persistent practice, he should ever be concentrating his mind on one truth at a time. Through such unremitting practice, one-pointedness will accrue to the mind and instantly, all the hosts of thoughts will vanish. Concentration is opposed to sensuous desires, bliss to flurry and worry, sustained thinking to perplexity, applied thinking to sloth to torpor, rapture to ill-will.
You are born to concentrate the mind on God after collecting the mental rays that are dissipated on various objects. That is your important duty. You forget the duty on account of Moha for family, children, money, power, position, respect, name and fame.
Concentration of the mind on God after purification can give you real happiness and knowledge. You are born for this purpose only. You are carried away to external objects through Raga and Moha (attachment and infatuated love).
Fix the mind on Atman. Fix the mind on the all-pervading, pure Intelligence and self-luminous effulgence (Svayamjyotis). Stand firm in Brahman. Then will you become 'Brahma-samstha,' established in Brahman.
…
Chapter
33 Experiences And Obstacles In Meditation
What
Happens During Meditation
In meditation, new grooves are
formed in the brain and the mind moves upwards in the new spiritual grooves.
When the mind becomes steady in meditation, the eyeballs also become steady. A
Yogi whose mind is calm will have a steady eye. There will be no winking at
all. The eyes will be lustrous, red or pure white. When
you enter into very deep, silent meditation, the breath will not come out of
the nostrils. There may be occasional slow movement of the lungs and the
abdomen. During normal exhalation the air comes out 16 digits. When the mind gets concentrated, it will become less and
less. It will come to 15 then 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 and so on. From the nature of the breathing, you can infer the
degree of concentration of an aspirant. Watch the breath very carefully.
Man tries to grasp the abstract through forms. After the mind has been purified, an abstract image is formed in the purified mind by Sravana (listening to spiritual discourses and holy scriptures) and Brahma-Chintana. This abstract image melts later on into deep Nididhyasana. What is left behind is Chinmatra or Kevala Asti (pure Existence alone).
In Nididhyasana or profound and continued meditation, thinking ceases. There is only one idea of "Aham Brahmasmi." When this idea also is given up, Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Sahaja Advaita-Nishtha ensues. Just as salt melts in water, the Sattvic mind melts in silence in Brahman-its Adhishthana (substratum).
…
Obstacles To Meditation
Obstacles to meditation are really from within. Environments are from within; you create your own environments. Try to be happy in whatever situation you are placed. Do not complain. Bear sufferings. You can conquer Nature. Maya is Tuchha (nothing) or Alpa (small or non-entity) for a Brahma-Jnani.
…
Depression
Very often, depression comes in meditation in neophytes owing to previous Samskaras, influence of astral entities, evil spirits, bad company, cloudy days, bad stomach owing to indigestion and loaded bowels in constipation. It must be removed quickly by cheerful thoughts, a brisk walk, singing, laughing, prayer, Pranayama, etc.
Vikshepa
Scents,
soft beds, novel-reading, dramas, theatres, cinemas, vulgar music, dancing,
flowers, company of women, Rajasic diet-all these excite passions and cause
disturbance of the mind. Too much salt, too
much chillies, too much sweets cause intense thirst and disturb meditation. Too
much talking, too much walking and too much mixing disturb the mind in
meditation.
Impulses disturb meditation. All obscure subconscious impulses should be controlled by the intellect and will. Sex-impulse and ambition are two real disturbing factors in meditation. They carry on guerilla warfare. They attack the Sadhakas again and again. They appear to be thinned out for some time. They get revived often. They should be extirpated by great efforts, Vichara, Viveka (power of discrimination between Atman and Anatman, Self and non-Self) and Sivoham-Bhavana.
It is the sound that sets the mind in motion. It is the sound that makes the mind to think. Sound disturbs the mind a great deal in meditation. A sound with meaning disturbs more than a sound without meaning. A continuous sound as the silent murmur of a river is not so disturbing as an abrupt, sudden, sharp, broken sound. The mind does not feel a sound when it is used to it. You feel only when the clock stops.
…
Meditation And Work
He who meditates is not able to work. He who works is not able to meditate. This is not balance. This is not equanimity. The two principles, meditation and action, must be well-balanced. You must be able, if you are ready to follow the divine injunction, to take up whatever work you are given-even a stupendous work-and leave it the next day, with the same quietness with which you took it up and without feeling that the responsibility is yours. You must be able to work hard in the world with tremendous force and, when the work is over, you must be able to shut yourself up in a cave as an absolute recluse for a long time with great peace of mind. That is balance, that is real strength. Then only you have gone beyond the qualities (Gunatita). "He, O Pandava, who hateth not radiance (Sattva) nor outgoing energy (work), nor even sloth and slumber (Moha) when present, nor longeth after them when absent-he is said to have crossed over the qualities" (Gita, XIV-22).
When
you advance in the spiritual practice, it will be very difficult for you to do
meditation and office work at the same time, because the mind will undergo
double strain. Those who practise meditation
will find that they are more sensitive than the people who do not meditate and, because of
that, the strain on the physical body is enormous. The mind works in
different grooves and channels with different Samskaras during meditation. It
finds it very difficult to adjust to different kinds of uncongenial activities.
As soon as it comes down from the meditation, it gropes in darkness. It gets
bewildered and puzzled. The Prana (energy) which moves inward in different
grooves and channels and which is subtle during the meditation has to move in
new, different channels during worldly activities. It becomes very gross during
work. It has to work in different grooves and channels. When you again sit for meditation in the evening, you will have to
struggle hard to wipe out the newly acquired Samskaras you have gathered during
the course of the day and get calm and one-pointedness of mind. This struggle sometimes brings in headache.
It behoves, therefore, that advanced Grihastha Yogic students (householders) will have to stop all the worldly activities when they advance in meditation, if they desire to progress further. They themselves will be forced to give up all work, if they are really sincere. Work is a hindrance in meditation for advanced students. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "For a sage who is seeking Yoga, action is called the means; for the same sage who is enthroned in Yoga (state of Yogarudha), serenity (Sama) is called the means." Then, work and meditation become incompatible like acid and alkali or fire and water or light and darkness.
…
Chapter
34 Samadhi
Characteristics
Of Samadhi
When
the mind is completely absorbed in one object of meditation, it is termed Samadhi. The mind identifies itself with the object
of meditation. In Samadhi, there is neither Dhyana
nor Dhyata (neither meditation nor meditator).
The meditator and meditated, the thinker and the thought, the worshipper and
the worshipped become one or identical. The Triputi (triad)
vanishes. The mind loses its own consciousness and becomes identical with the
object of meditation. The meditator has dissolved his personality in the
In Samadhi, there is neither seeing nor hearing. There is neither physical nor mental consciousness. There is only spiritual consciousness. There is only Existence (Sat). That is your real Svarupa. When the water dries up in a pool, the reflection of the sun in the water also vanishes. When the mind melts in Brahman, when the mind-lake dries up, the reflected Chaitanya (Chidabhasa) also vanishes. The Jivatman (personality) goes away. There remains Existence alone.
Turiya is the spiritual condition where there is no play of mind, where the mind is dissolved in Brahman. It is the "fourth dimension," where there is infinite Brahmic bliss. It is not a condition of inertia, forgetfulness or annihilation. It is a state of absolute consciousness which baffles all attempts at description. It is the final goal of all. It is Mukti. It is Moksha.
Generally, when you have what you call dreamless sleep, it is one of two things; either you do not remember what you dreamt of or you fell into absolute unconsciousness which is almost death-a taste of death. But, there is the possibility of a sleep in which you enter into an absolute silence, immortality and peace in all parts of your being and your consciousness merges into Satchidananda. You can hardly call it sleep, for there is perfect "awareness." In that condition, you can remain for a few minutes or hours or days; but, these few minutes give you more rest and refreshment than hours of ordinary sleep. You cannot have it by chance. It requires a long training.
Samadhi is not a stone-like inert state as many people imagine. A life in the spirit (Atman or Divine) is not annihilation. When the self is bound down to its empirical accidents, its activities are not fully exercised and, when the limitations of the empirical existence are transcended, the universal life is intensified and you have enrichment of Self. You will have a rich inner life. You will have an expanded cosmic life and supra-cosmic life, too.
…
Samadhi
Through Hatha Yoga
A Hatha Yogi draws all his Prana from the different parts of his body and takes it to the Sahasrara Chakra (thousand-petalled lotus) at the top of the head. Then he enters into Samadhi (superconscious state). Therefore it is very difficult to bring him down to objective consciousness by merely shaking his body. Hatha Yogis have remained buried underneath the earth in Samadhi for years together. They plug the posterior nostrils through Khechari Mudra (a king of Hatha Yogic Kriya) with their long tongues.
Prana and Apana that move in the
chest and anus respectively are united by the Yogic processes of Jalandhara,
Mula and Uddiyana Bandhas and the united Prana-Apana is driven into the
Sushumna Nadi of the spinal canal. The Pranas, when thus driven, draw up the
mind also along the Sushumna Nadi which is otherwise known as Brahma Nadi.
During the ascent in the Sushumna Nadi, the three Granthis or knots, viz.,
Brahma-Granthi at Muladhara-Chakra, Vishnu-Granthi at Manipura-Chakra and
Rudra-Granthi at Ajna-Chakra should be cut asunder by strenuous efforts. These
knots prevent the ascent of Kundalini. Bhastrika Pranayama breaks down these
knots. When Kula-Kundalini Sakti that lies dormant in the Muladhara-Chakra in
the form of a coiled serpent with 3 curves or turns, with the face downwards is
awakened by spiritual Sadhana, it ascends upwards towards Sahasrara Chakra or the
thousand-petalled lotus in the crown of the head and takes along with it the
mind and Prana also. When the mind is in the
Sushumna, the Yogi is shut out from the objective, physical consciousness of
the world. He is practically dead to the world, sees various visions and moves
in the mental, ethereal space (Chidakasa). Samadhi starts.
Samadhi
Through Raja Yoga
Deep meditation leads to Samadhi or oneness with God. If you can fix the mind for ten seconds steadily on a particular object or Murti, it is Dharana (concentration). Ten such Dharanas become Dhyana (meditation). Ten such Dhyanas form a Samadhi. The mind is filled with Atman or God. Mind loses its own consciousness and becomes identified with the object of meditation (Tatchitta, Tanmaya, Tadakara). Just as a toy made of salt melts in water, even so, the mind melts in Brahman in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. A sudden stroke of mystic illumination puts an end to all the empirical existence altogether and the very idea or remembrance of such a thing as this world or the narrow individuality of the spirit in this world absolutely leaves the Self.
In trained Yogis, you cannot say where Pratyahara (abstraction) ends and Dharana (concentration) begins; where Dharana ends and Dhyana (meditation) begins; where Dhyana ends and Samadhi (superconscious state) begins. The moment they sit on the Asana, all the processes occur simultaneously with electric or lightning speed and they enter Samadhi at their conscious will. In the neophytes, Pratyahara first takes place. Then Dharana begins. Then Dhyana slowly commences. Before Samadhi manifests, their minds, getting impatient and tired, drop down. Constant and intense Sadhana, with light but nutritious food, will bring about sanguine success in getting Samadhi.
Appendix
II Psychic Influence
…
Telepathy
Telepathy
is thought-transference from one person to another. Just as sound moves
in the ethereal space, so also thought moves in the mental space, Chidakasa. There
is an ocean of ether all round. There is also an ocean of mind all round. Thought has shape, colour, weight and form. It is
as much matter as this pencil. When you have some good thought of an elevating
nature sometimes, it is very difficult to say whether it is your own thought or
the thought of some other person. Thoughts of other
persons enter your brain.
Telepathy was the first wireless telegraphy of the Yogis. Yogis send their messages through telepathy. Thought travels with electric speed that is unimaginable. Sometimes you think of a friend with such intensity in the evening that you get a letter from him early in the morning. This is unconscious telepathy. Your powerful thought has travelled and reached the brain of your friend immediately and he has replied you then and there. So many interesting and wonderful things are going on in the thought-world. Ordinarily, people who have not developed the power of telepathy are groping in the darkness.
Telepathy is communication of mind with mind. The pineal gland which is considered by occultists as the seat of the soul plays an important part in telepathy. It is this pineal gland that actually receives messages. It is a small piece of nervous matter that is imbedded in the brain or hind-brain in the floor of the mind ventricle. It is an endocrine gland that is ductless. It has got an internal secretion which is directly poured into the blood.
Practise telepathy in the
beginning from a short distance. It is better to practise at nights, to start
with. Ask your friend to have the receptive attitude and concentration at
You
can influence another man without any audible language. What is wanted is
concentration of thought that is directed by the will. This is
telepathy. Here is an exercise for your practice in telepathy. Think of your
friend or cousin who is living in a distant land. Bring a clear-cut image of
his face to your mind. If you have his photo look at it and speak to it
audibly. When you retire to bed think of the picture with intense
concentration. He will write to you the desired letter the following day or so.
Try this yourself. Do not doubt. You will be quite surprised. You will get
success and firm conviction in the science of telepathy. Sometimes, when you
are writing something or reading a newspaper, suddenly you get a message from
some one near and dear to you. You think of him suddenly. He has sent you a
message. He has thought of you seriously. Thought-vibrations
travel faster than light or electricity. In
such instances, the subconscious mind receives the messages or impressions and
transmits the same to the conscious mind.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cross
Reference
Brunton, Paul. (1991) A Search in Secret
Refer
the narration about Brunton’s parting with Brahma, the Silent Anchorite of
Adyar.
Written
around
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Great adepts or Mahatmas who live in the Himalayan caves transmit their messages through telepathy to deserving aspirants or Yogis in the world. These Jijnasus or Yogis carry out their orders and disseminate their knowledge far and wide. It is not necessary that Mahatmas should come on the platform and preach. Whether they preach or not, it does not matter. Their very life is an embodiment of teaching. They are the living assurance for God-realisation. Preaching on the platform belongs to the second-class type of men who have no knowledge of telepathy. The hidden Yogis help the world through their spiritual vibrations and magnetic aura more than the Yogis of the platform. In these days, Congressmen expect even Sannyasins to work on the Congress platform. They even force them. As their minds are saturated with Karma Samskaras, they are not able to grasp and understand the grandeur, utility and magnanimity of pure Nivritti of Dhyana-Yogis. The field or domain of activity of Sannyasins is entirely different. They cannot become presidents of Sabhas or Mandalas. Their sphere is of a cosmic nature. Their field is Adhyatmic that relates to the science of the Self. Let me repeat the words of Bhagavan Sri Krishna:
"Lokesmin
dvividha nishtha pura prokta mayanagha,
Jnanayogena
samkhyanam karmayogena yoginam."
"In this world there is a
twofold path, as I said before, O sinless one, that of Yoga by Knowledge, of
the Sankhyas, and that of Yoga by action, of the Yogis" (Gita, III-3). The
glory of Hinduism will be lost, if Sannyasins become extinct. They can never
become extinct from
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is vision of distant objects through the inner astral eye or psychic eye. Just as you have physical sense in the physical body, there are astral counterparts of these Indriyas in the inner, subtle, astral body. The Yogi or the occultist develops these inner organs through practice of concentration. He develops clairvoyant vision. He can see objects in far-off climes. This Siddhi or power is called Dura Drishti.
Just as light rays penetrate a glass, just as X-rays penetrate solid, opaque objects, so also the Yogi can see the things through a solid wall, can see the contents of a sealed envelope and the contents of a hidden treasure underneath the ground through his inner psychic eye. This psychic eye is the eye of intuition or Divya Drishti or Jnana-Chakshus. One has to develop this inner eye through concentration. Just as the microscope magnifies the small cells, germs, etc., so also he can see things of the astral world very clearly through this inner eye and can magnify them also by special focussing of the inner astral lens.
He creates an astral tube by willing and the strong wishing and thinking and, through this astral tube, he sees things at a distance. The vision may not be very clear in the beginning. Just as the new-born baby learns, so also he learns in the beginning. As he advances in his practice, his inner vision becomes quite distinct. There is another method. The Yogi takes astral journey and sees things during his astral travelling unconsciously.
Just as light rays travel in
space, so also astral light rays travel with tremendous velocity. They are
caught up by the astral eye. Every one of you has
got these astral senses. But few only consciously develop them. A
clairvoyant can see the events of the past by looking into the Akasic records
and have Trikala Jnana also. The degree of power
varies in different individuals. Advanced clairvoyants are very rare.
Clairaudience
Clairaudience is the hearing of distant sounds in the astral plane by means of the astral ear. The process is similar to clairvoyance. The astral sound-vibrations are caught hold of by the astral sense of hearing. A clairvoyant need not necessarily be a clairaudient. These are two distinct powers.
Patanjali Maharshi gives the method to develop this power of distant hearing. "Shrotrakasayoh" (Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 3-41). By Samyama on the relation between the ear and Akasa, comes divine hearing. Samyama is concentration and meditation combined.
All the inhabitants of the Pitriloka possess this power. Where their descendants perform Sraaddha and Tarpana in this world, they hear these sounds through the power of clairaudience and they are highly pleased.
These psychic Siddhis are all
by-products of concentration. Just as there are various coal-tar derivatives
and various petroleum preparations, so also there are these Siddhis manifest in
a Yogi when he concentrates. These are all
obstacles in the path of spirituality. The aspirant should ignore them and
develop Vairagya. Then only will he be able to reach the goal.
All the sound vibrations of the past are in the Akasic records. The Yogi can hear these sounds nicely. He can hear the sounds of Shakespeare, Johnson, Valmiki, Visvamitra, etc. Just as you can hear now the music and song of a songster who died fifty years ago in the gramophonic records, so also the Yogi can hear the sounds of those persons of the past by concentration connecting his astral hearing to the Akasic records. Just as impressions of your boyhood remain in your brain and the subconscious mind, so also the impressions of old sounds remain in the Akasic records. One should know the Yogis' technique only. Just as the experienced record-keeper in the office can bring out in a short time any old record, so also the Yogi can hear the sound of good old days in the twinkling of an eye.
APPENDIX
III Annihilation Of Mind
Mind is Atma-Sakti. Mind is a bundle of Vasanas (desires) and Sankalpas (thoughts, imaginations). Mind is a bundle of Raga-Dvesha (likes and dislikes). Annihilation of mind is Manonasa.
Manolaya is temporary absorption
of the mind. This cannot give Moksha. The mind can come back again and wander
in sensual objects. Manonasa alone can give release
or Moksha.
Vichara
How is the mind purified, brought under control and how are its activities stopped and how is it annihilated? Here are some useful and practical points. Mind can be controlled and annihilated by Vichara or enquiry of "Who am I?" This is the best and most effective method. This will annihilate the mind. This is the Vedantic method. Realise the unreality of the mind through philosophical thinking.
Slay
The Ego
Eradicate the feeling of egoism. Ego is the seed of the tree of mind. "I" thought is the source of all thoughts. All thoughts are centred on the little "I." Find out what the little "I" is. This little "I" will dwindle into an airy nothing. It will be absorbed in the infinite "I" or Parabrahman, the source for the little "I" or Ahankara (egoism).
The Sun of Self-realisation is fully seen when the cloud of ego disappears.
Vairagya
Vairagya (dispassion) is another method for annihilating mind. It is distaste for objects of sense-pleasures by finding out the defects in the sensual life. Objects are perishable. Sensual pleasure is momentary and illusory.
Abhyasa
Abhyasa or practice is another method. Concentrate the mind by fixing it on Brahman. Make it steady. Abhyasa is ceaseless meditation. This leads to Samadhi.
Non-Attachment
Asanga or non-attachment is a sword to destroy the mind. Take the mind away from objects. Detach. Attach. Detach it from the objects. And attach it to the Lord. Do this again and again. The essence of the seed of the sprout of world experience, which is desire, can be destroyed by the fire of non-attachment.
Vasana-Kshaya
Vasana-Kshaya is another method. Vasana is desire. Renunciation of desires leads to Vasana-Kshaya. This will lead to annihilation of mind (Manonasa). Desire for objects of pleasure is bondage; giving it up is emancipation. Desire is the most essential nature of the mind. Mind and egoism are synonymous.
Pranayama
Vibration of Prana causes movement of the mind. It gives life to the mind. Pranayama or control of Prana will stop the activities of the mind. But it cannot destroy the mind to its roots like Vichara.
Control
The Thoughts
Control the thoughts or Sankalpas. Avoid imagination or day-dreaming. The mind will be annihilated. Extinction of Sankalpas alone is Moksha or release. The mind is destroyed when there is no imagination. The experience of the world illusion is due to your imagination. It vanishes away when imagination is completely stopped.
Renunciation
Mental renunciation of possessions is another method. The absolute experience can also be realised if you learn to be in a state of thought-suspending Samadhi.
Be
Balanced
Attainment of equanimity is another method. Be balanced in pain and pleasure, heat and cold, etc.
He alone experiences everlasting peace and eternal bliss who has transcended the mind and rests in his own Satchidananda Atman.
Devotion
And Service
Japa, Kirtan, prayer, devotion, service of Guru and study are also means to annihilate the mind.
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1998) Mind--Its
Mysteries and Control. (WWW Edition)
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Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1997) Practice of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/brahmacharya.htm
Chapter
1. The Present-Day Degradation
…
The
world is all sexy
Passion reigns supreme in all
parts of the world. The minds of people are filled with sexual thoughts. The
world is all sexy. The whole world is under a tremendous sexual intoxication.
All are deluded and move in the world with perverted intellects. No thought of God. No talk of God. It is all fashion,
restaurants, hotels, dinners, dances, races and cinema. Their life ends in
eating, drinking and procreating. That is all.
Passion has introduced new
fashions not only in London, Paris and Lahore, but even in Madras amongst the
Brahmin girls of orthodox families who apply Cherry Blossom Powder and Hazeline
Snow to their faces, instead of the sacred turmeric powder, and dress their
hair like the French girls. This sort of vile imitation has crept into the mind
of our boys and girls in
Young
men of the present day indiscriminately imitate the West and this results in
their own ruin. Men are swayed by lust. They lose their sense of righteousness,
and of time and place. They never discriminate between right and wrong. They
lose all sense of shame.
Read the history of the
crimes—robbery, rapes, kidnapping, assaults, murders—that come up for trial
before the Sessions Courts. Lust is at the root of
all this. It may be lust for money or lust for carnal pleasure. Lust ruins
life, lustre, strength, vitality, memory, wealth, fame, holiness, peace, wisdom
and devotion.
Man, with his boasted intellect,
has to learn lessons from birds and animals. Even
animals have more self-control than men. It
is only the so-called man who has degraded himself much by indulgence. At the heat of sexual excitement, he repeats the same
ignoble act again and again. He has not a bit of self-control. He is an
absolute slave to passion. He is a puppet in the hands of passion. Like rabbits he procreates and brings forth countless
children to swell up the numbers of beggars in the world. Lions,
elephants, bulls and other powerful animals have better self-control than men.
Lions cohabit only once in a year. After
conception, the female animals will never allow the male animals to approach
them till the young ones are weaned and they themselves become healthy and
strong. Man only violates the laws of nature and consequently suffers
from innumerable diseases. He has degenerated to a
level far lower than that of animals in this respect.
As a king is no king without a treasury, subjects and an army, as a flower is no flower without fragrance, as a river is no river without water, so also, a man is no man without Brahmacharya. Ahara, Nidra, Bhaya and Maithuna—food, sleep, fear and copulation—are common to both animals and men. That which differentiates a man from an animal is Dharma, Viveka and Vichara Sakti. Jnana and Vichara can be secured only by the preservation of Veerya. If a man has not got these qualifications, he should really be reckoned as a veritable animal only.
If lust, which is the source of all enjoyments in this world, ceases, then all worldly bondage, which has its substratum in the mind, will cease. Even the most virulent poison is no poison when compared to lust. The former defiles one body only, whereas the latter adulterates many bodies in successive births. You are a slave of passions and desires, emotions and attractions. When are you going to rise up from this miserable state? Those persons, who, in spite of the knowledge of the non-existence of happiness, both in the past and in the present, in the baneful objects of the world, do yet entangle themselves in them with their thoughts clinging to them, deserve the appellation of an ass, if not a worse one. If you do not possess Viveka, if you do not try your best for salvation, if you spend your lifetime in eating, drinking and sleeping, you are a horizontal being only, having to learn some lessons from those animals, which possess far more self-restraint.
The
sexual degradation that has overtaken mankind today is due directly to the fact
that people have assumed that there is a natural "sexual instinct" in
human beings. It is not so. The natural instinct is the procreative one.
If men and women restrict sexual indulgence to mere
procreation, then that itself is observance of Brahmacharya. As this is found to be impossible in the vast majority of
cases, total abstinence is enjoined on those
who seek the higher values of life. As far as the Sadhaka of burning
Mumukshutva is concerned, celibacy is a sine qua
non, as he cannot afford to waste his vital energy at all.
The gratification of every
worldly desire is sinful; the flesh should be the
abject slave of the spirit intent upon divine things. Man was created for a life of spiritual communion with
God, but he yielded to the seduction of evil demons who availed
themselves of the sensuous side of his nature to draw him away from the
contemplation of the divine and lead him to the earthly life. Moral goodness, therefore,
consists in renouncing all sensuous pleasures, in separating from the world
through discrimination and dispassion, in living solely after the spirit, in
imitating the perfection and purity of God. Sensuality is inconsistent
with wisdom and holiness. The great business of
life is to avoid impurity.
…
Spiritual
Sadhana is the answer to sex attraction
The attraction for objects will
gradually vanish if one begins to think seriously of the unreal nature of the
world. People are burnt by the fire of lust. All
measures that are calculated to eradicate this dire disease should be initiated
and put through. All people should be made fully conversant with the different methods that will help them to root out the
dire enemy lust. If they fail in one method,
they can take recourse to another. Lust is a brutal instinct in
unregenerated men. One should be ashamed to repeat
again and again the sensual acts when one is fully aware that the goal of life
is Self-realization through the attainment of purity and the practice of
constant meditation. An objector may say that these
topics should not be dealt with openly, but should rather be talked about
secretly. This is wrong. What is the use of hiding things? Hiding a thing is a
sin.
…
Lack of spiritual Sadhana is the main cause for all sexual attractions. Mere theoretical abstention from sensuality will not bring you good results. You must mercilessly cut off all formalities in social life and lead a pious life freed from the business of bodily existence. Leniency to internal lower tendencies will land you in the region of suffering. Excuse will be of no use in this respect. You must be sincere in your quest for the sublime life of spirituality. Half-heartedness will leave you in your old state of misery.
Wake up, friends, from this mire
of illusory Samsara now. Passion has wrought great havoc in you as you are
drowned in Avidya. How many millions of fathers,
mothers, wives and sons you have had in previous births! This body is
full of impurities. What a shame it is to embrace this filthy body! It is mere
foolishness only. Give up Moha for this body. Also, give up identification with
this body by meditating upon the glory of the Suddha Atman. Give up worship of the body. Worshippers of the body are
Asuras and Rakshasas.
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Chapter
2. The Working of the Sex Impulse
The
Samskaras in the subconscious mind
A sexual act produces a Samskara or impression in the subconscious mind or Chitta. This Samskara raises a Vritti or thought-wave in the mind and the Vritti again causes a Samskara. Enjoyment thickens the Vasanas. Through memory and imagination, a revival of the sexual desire comes in.
Remembrance of the image of a woman
unsettles the mind. When a tiger has once tasted
human blood, it always runs to kill human beings. It becomes a man-eater. Even
so, when the mind has once tasted sexual pleasures, it always runs after women.
From the bed of Samskaras and Vasanas
in the mind emanates Kalpana or imagination through Smriti or memory. Then
comes attachment. Along with imagination, emotion and impulse manifest. Emotion and impulse exist side by side. Then comes
sexual irritation—craving and burning in the mind and throughout the body. The
irritation and burning in the mind percolate into the physical body, just as
the water inside a pot percolates into the surface of the pot. If you are very
vigilant, you can drive off the bad imagination in the very beginning itself
and avert the impending danger. Even if you allow the thief imagination
to enter the first gate, keep a careful watch at the second gate when the
sexual irritation manifests. You can stop the burning now. You can stop
also, easily, the strong sexual impulse from being transmitted to the Indriya
itself. Draw the sex energy up towards the brain through Uddiyana and Kumbhaka.
Divert the mind. Chant ‘
Even in a blind man who is a celibate who has not seen the face of a woman, the sexual impulse is very strong. Why? This is due to the force of Samskaras or impressions of previous births that are embedded in the subconscious mind. Whatever you do, whatever you think, are all lodged or printed or indelibly impressed in the layers of the Chitta or subconscious mind. These impressions can be burnt or obliterated only by the dawn of knowledge of Atman or the Supreme Self. When the sexual Vasana fills the whole mind and body, the Samskaras assume the form of big Vrittis or waves and torment the poor blind man.
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Chapter
3. Intensity of the Cravings in Different Persons
Sexual
thought in sages, spiritual aspirants and householders
In a Jnani, the sexual craving is entirely eradicated. In a Sadhaka, it remains well controlled. In a householder, when not controlled, it does havoc. It exists in him in its fully expanded state. He cannot resist it. He yields to it helplessly on account of his weak will and lack of firm resolution.
In a Jnani or a sage, no sensual thoughts will crop up in the mind. There will not be any difference in feeling when he sees a beautiful young girl, a child or an old lady. He will see the one underlying, eternal, immortal Self in a female and a male. He will not have any difference of feeling when he touches a book, a log of wood, a piece of stone and the body of a female. There is no idea of sex in a Jnani. Such must be the condition of mind of a man who is established in Brahmacharya.
In an aspirant, there will be occasional sexual thoughts, but they are kept under check. They cannot do any havoc in him.
A passionate householder,
however, becomes a prey to sexual thoughts. A
passionate man of the world wants the constant company of his wife. The idea of
sex is ingrained in him. It is very powerful. He wants everything to be done by
his wife. Then only he is pleased. This is simply due to passion. After the death of his wife, he never relishes his food,
even when it is prepared by expert cooks.
Such persons are thoroughly unfit for the spiritual line. When a man feels
disgust for the company of a woman and cannot tolerate her company, it is a
sign to show the awakening of Vairagya in him.
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He will not have any difference of feeling when he touches
a book, a log of wood, a piece of stone and the body of a female.
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1997) Practice
of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition)
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Cross-reference from the other side:
HOLDEN
You aired him...
what's funny
about that?
DECKARD
Revenge. I thought you'd...
Holden interrupts, no
longer amused.
HOLDEN
You don't revenge a machine,
asshole! Your slicer cuts your
finger, whaddya
do? Punish it?
Holden looks at Deckard
and lets his wisdom sink in.
HOLDEN
You can't make a 'thing' feel
sorry, Deck.
DECKARD
They're
different, the new ones.
That big one...
he... it had
feelings.
Holden glares at Deckard
for a long moment.
HOLDEN
Whatja do? Fuck it?
DECKARD
Huh? Wh-what?
Who who?
Deckard is alarmed. The secret is out.
HOLDEN
The tit job, the one with the
snake. You stuck it in, didn't
ya?
Deckard is immensely
relieved and confused.
DECKARD
Uh... no... I
mean... uh.
HOLDEN
You made zig zig, then you aired
her out, now
you got conscience,
right?
Deckard is smug, sure of
himself. He knows the score.
As he pontificates we CUT
and suddenly we are seeing
him on a TV screen.
CUT TO:
INT. BRYANT'S OFFICE - DAY
A TV monitor FILLS THE
SCREEN. Holden is continuing to
lecture Deckard on the TV
screen.
HOLDEN
You got the feelings, pal, not
her.
You fucked a washing
machine...
then
you switched it off. So what?
You cry when you turn the lights
out at night?
Now we see Bryant. He's sitting in a chair chewing a
big cigar and glaring at
the screen.
BRYANT
It's pitiful is
what it is. A
couple of old
blade runners trying
to grapple with metaphysics... You
gonna turn out
that way, Gaff?
(Reference:
Fancher, Hampton and Peoples, David. Blade Runner
Movie Script.)
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Chapter
4. Sex is in Imagination
Passion
blinds the intellect
…
There is no sex in the elements. There is mind in the body, which is made up of these elements. There is Kalpana in the mind. And that Kalpana or desire for lust is sex desire. If you kill this mind, which is a bundle of desires, you kill lust and everything. Kill that Kalpana. You will have no lust then. You have killed lust.
The sex idea is a mental
creation. The whole Maya or Avidya is nothing but the body-idea or the sex
idea. The whole spiritual Sadhana is calculated to
destroy this one idea. The extinction of this one idea alone is Moksha!
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Chapter
5. The Disastrous Effects of Sexual Indulgence
The most devitalising and
demoralizing of pleasures is the sex pleasure. Sensual enjoyment is attended
with various defects. It is attended with various sorts of sins, pains,
weaknesses, attachments, slave mentality, weak will, severe exertion and
struggle, craving and mental restlessness. Worldly persons never come to their
proper senses although they get severe knocks, kicks and blows from different
corners. The strolling street dog never stops from
visiting the houses even though it is pelted with stones every time.
Eminent doctors of the West say
that various kinds of diseases arise from the loss of semen, particularly in
young age. There appear boils on the body, acne or
eruptions on the face, blue lines around the eyes, absence of beard,
sunken eyes, pale face with anaemia, loss of memory,
loss of eye-sight, shortsightedness, discharge of semen along with
urine, enlargement of the testes, pain in the testes, debility, drowsiness, laziness, gloominess, palpitation of
the heart, dyspnoea or difficulty in breathing, phthisis, pain in the back,
loins, head and joints, weak kidneys, passing urine in sleep,
fickle-mindedness, lack of thinking power, bad
dreams, wet dreams and restlessness of mind.
Mark carefully the evil after-effects that follow the loss of seminal energy! Persons are physically, mentally and morally debilitated by wasting the seminal power on so many occasions for nothing. The body and the mind refuse to work energetically. There is physical and mental lethargy. You experience much exhaustion and weakness. You will have to take recourse to drinking milk, to eating fruits and aphrodisiac confections, to make good the loss of energy. Remember that these things can never, never repair the loss completely. Once lost is lost for ever. You will have to drag on a dreary, cheerless existence. Bodily and mental strength gets diminished day by day.
Those
who have lost much of their Veerya become very irritable. Little things upset
their minds. Those who have not observed the vow of celibacy become the slaves of anger, jealousy, laziness and fear. If you have not got your senses under control, you
venture to do foolish acts which even children will not dare to do.
He who has wasted the vital energy becomes easily irritable, loses his balance of mind and gets into a state of explosive fury for trifling things. When a man becomes furious, he behaves improperly. He does not know what he is exactly doing as he loses his power of reasoning and discrimination. He will do anything he likes. He will insult even his parents, Guru and respectable persons. It behoves, therefore, that the aspirant who is trying to develop good behaviour must preserve the vital energy. Preservation of this divine energy leads to the attainment of strong will-power, good behaviour, spiritual exaltation, and Sreyas or Moksha eventually.
Excessive sexual intercourse drains the energy enormously. Young men do not realize the value of the vital fluid. They waste this dynamic energy by immoderate copulation. Their nerves are tickled much. They become intoxicated. What a serious blunder they commit! It is a crime that demands capital punishment. They are slayers of Atman. When this energy is once wasted, it can never be recouped by any other means. It is the most powerful energy in the world. One sexual act shatters completely the brain and the nervous system. People foolishly imagine that they can recover the lost energy by taking milk, almonds and Makaradhvaja. This is a mistake. You must try your level best to preserve every drop although you are a married man. Self-realization is the goal.
The
energy that is wasted during one sexual intercourse is tantamount to the energy
that is spent in physical labour for ten days or the energy that is utilized in
mental work for three days. Mark how precious is the vital fluid, semen!
Do not waste this energy. Preserve it with great care. You will have wonderful
vitality. When Veerya is not used, it is all transmuted into Ojas Sakti or
spiritual energy and stored up in the brain. Western doctors know little of
this salient point. Most of your ailments are due
to excessive seminal wastage.
Wet
dream and voluntary copulation—A vital difference
A sexual act shatters the nervous system. The whole nervous system is shaken or agitated during the act. There is excessive loss of energy. More energy is wasted during coition. But it is not so when emission occurs during the dreaming state. In a wet dream, it may be the outflow of the prostatic juice only. Even if there is loss of the vital fluid, there is not much draining. The actual essence does not come out during wet dreams. It is only the watery prostatic juice with a little semen that is discharged during nocturnal pollutions. When nocturnal emission takes place, the mind which was working in the inner astral body suddenly enters the physical body vehemently in an agitated condition. That is the reason why emission takes place suddenly.
The night discharge may not stimulate the sexual desire. But a voluntary copulation, in the case of a sincere aspirant is highly detrimental to his spiritual progress. The Samskara created by the act will be very deep; and it will intensify or strengthen the force of the previous Samskaras that are already imbedded in the subconscious mind and will stimulate the sexual desire. It will be like pouring ghee in the fire that is slowly getting extinguished. The task of obliterating this new Samskara will be an uphill work. You should completely give up copulation. This mind will try to delude you in a variety of ways by giving wrong counsel. Be on the alert. Do not hear its voice, but try to hear the voice of the conscience or the voice of the soul or the voice of discrimination.
Youth
with bloodless faces
A good lot of energy is wasted during copulation. Bad memory, premature old age, impotence, various sorts of eye diseases and various nervous diseases are attributable to the heavy loss of this vital fluid. It is greatly shocking indeed to see many of our youth walking with tottering steps, with pale, bloodless faces owing to loss of this vital fluid, instead of jumping hither and thither with agile, nimble steps with vigour and vitality like the squirrel. Some people are so passionate and weak that even the thought or sight or touch of a woman causes discharge of semen. Pitiable is their lot!
What do we see in these days? Boys and girls, men and women, are drowned in the ocean of impure thoughts, lustful desires and little sensual pleasures. It is highly deplorable indeed. It is really shocking to hear the stories of some of these boys. Many college boys have personally come to me and narrated their pitiable lives of gloom and depression brought about by heavy loss of semen resulting from unnatural means. Their power of discrimination has been lost owing to sexual excitement and lustful intoxication. Why do you lose the energy that is gained in many weeks and months for the sake of the little, momentary sensual pleasure?
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Chapter
6. The Value of Semen.
My dear brothers! The vital energy, the Veerya that supports your life, which is the Prana of Pranas, which shines in your sparkling eyes, which beams in your shining cheeks, is a great treasure for you. Remember this point well. Veerya is the quintessence of blood. One drop of semen is manufactured out of forty drops of blood. Mark here how valuable this fluid is!
A tree draws the essence or Rasa from the earth. This essence is circulated throughout the tree, its twigs, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. The shining colours and life in the leaves, flowers and fruits are due to this Rasa. Similarly, the Veerya that is manufactured by the cells of the testes out of blood gives colour and vitality to the human body and its different organs.
According to
Ayurveda, semen is the last Dhatu that is formed out of food. Out of food is
manufactured chyle. Out of chyle comes blood. Out of blood comes flesh. Out of
flesh comes fat. Out of fat comes bone. Out
of bone comes marrow. Out of marrow comes semen. These are the Sapta Dhatus or the seven Dhatus that support
this life and body. Mark here how precious is semen! It is the
last essence. It is the Essence of essences. The Veerya comes out of
the very marrow that lies concealed inside the bones.
There are three divisions in each Dhatu. Semen nourishes the physical body, the heart and the intellect. Only that man who uses the physical body, the heart and the intellect can have perfect Brahmacharya. A wrestler who uses his physical body only, but keeps the intellect and the heart undeveloped, cannot expect to have full Brahmacharya. He can have Brahmacharya of the body only, but not of the mind and the heart. The semen that belongs to the heart and the mind will certainly flow out. If an aspirant does only Japa and meditation, if he does not develop the heart, and if he does not practice physical exercise, he will have only mental Brahmacharya. The portion of the semen, which goes to nourish the heart and the body, will flow out. But an advanced Yogi who dives deep in meditation will have full Brahmacharya even if he does not take physical exercise.
Semen is the quintessence of food or blood. One drop of semen in manufactured out of forty drops of blood according to modern medical science. According to Ayurveda, it is elaborated out of eighty drops of blood. The two testes or seeds that are located in the scrotal bag are called secretory glands. The cells of these testes have been endowed with the peculiar property of secreting semen from the blood. Just as bees collect honey in the honeycomb drop by drop, so also, the cells of the testes collect semen drop by drop from the blood. Then this fluid is taken by the two ducts or tubes to the vesiculae seminalis. Under excitement, it is thrown out by special ducts, called ejaculatory ducts, into the urethra where it is mixed with the prostatic juice.
Semen is found in a subtle state in all the cells of the body. Just as sugar is all-pervading in the sugar-cane, butter in milk, so also, semen is pervading the whole body. Just as the butter milk is thin after the butter is removed, so also, semen is thinned by its wastage. The more the wastage of semen the more is the weakness. In the Yoga Sastras it is said:
Maranam Bindu Patanat,
Jivanam Bindu Rakshanat.
Falling of semen brings death; preservation of semen gives life. Semen is the real vitality in men. It is the hidden treasure in man. It imparts Brahma-Tejas to the face and strength to the intellect.
Modern
medical opinion
Eminent European medical men also
support the statement of the Yogins of
If the spermatic secretion in men is continuous, it must either be expelled or be reabsorbed. As a result of the most patient and persevering scientific investigations, it has been found that whenever the seminal secretions are conserved and thereby reabsorbed into the system, it goes towards enriching the blood and strengthening the brain. Dr. Dio Louis thinks that the conservation of this element is essential to strength of body, vigour of mind and keenness of intellect. Another writer, Dr. E.P. Miller, says: "All waste of spermatic secretions, whether voluntary or involuntary, is a direct waste of the life force. It is almost universally conceded that the choicest element of the blood enters into the composition of the spermatic secretion. If these conclusions are correct, then it follows that a chaste life is essential to man’s well-being."
Mind,
Prana and Veerya
God is Rasa. Raso Vai Sah. Rasa is Veerya, the vital fluid or
semen. You can get eternal bliss by the attainment
of Rasa or Veerya only. Rasohyevayam Labdhva
Anandi Bhavati.
Grasp fully the importance and value of this vital essence of life. Veerya is all power. Veerya is all money. Veerya is God. Veerya is Sita. Veerya is Radha. Veerya is Durga. Veerya is God in motion. Veerya is dynamic Will. Veerya is Atma-Bal. Veerya is God’s Vibhuti. The Lord says in the Gita: "Paurusham Nrishu. I am the seed or virility in men". Veerya is the essence of life, thought, intelligence and consciousness. Therefore, preserve this vital fluid very, very carefully, my dear readers!
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Chapter
9. Importance of Celibacy In Spiritual Life
Brahmacharya is a divine word. It is the sum and substance of Yoga. Through Avidya, this is forgotten. The importance of Brahmacharya was emphasised by our great Rishis. It is the supreme Yoga, which Lord Krishna emphasises repeatedly in His "Immortal Song". In Chapter VI, Sloka 14, it is very clearly stated that the vow of Brahmacharya is necessary for meditation: Brahmacharivrate Sthitah. In Chapter XVII, Sloka 14, He says that Brahmacharya is one of the requisites for the austerity of the body. Now, we have another statement made in Chapter VIII, Sloka 11, that Yogis practice Brahmacharya in order to attain the goal spoken of by the Knowers of the Vedas. A similar statement is also found in the Kathopanishad.
In the Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi also, Yama is the first step. Yama is the practice of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha—non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy and non-receiving of gifts. Among these Brahmacharya is the most important.
In
Jnana Yoga too, Dama or self-control is the foundation for the student.
In the Mahabharata again, you
will find, in the Santi Parva: "Many are the
branches of Dharma, but Dama is the basis of
them all’.
Brahmacharya is the vital subject
for those who want success in material or spiritual life. Without it, a man is absolutely unfit for worldly
activities as well as for spiritual practices.
Celibacy
in the different religious orders
Down the ages, the highest stress has been laid on Brahmacharya or
sexual abstinence in every religion. Throughout
folklore runs the idea that second-sight and the vision of the supernatural are
especially, if not solely, the privilege of the celibates. Westermack
favours the explanation that pollution destroys holiness. A tribe on the
Lambichus states that the gods do not hear him who invokes them if he is impure
from sexual connections. In Islam, strict continence is required on the
pilgrimage to
The highest type of Christian was a celibate. Christian teachers praised celibacy, and marriage came to be, in their eyes, only a secondary good for those who were unable to serve continence. The bishops of the Greek Church are always celibates, being chosen from the monks.
The monk, who lowers himself to
touch a woman’s person with corrupt thoughts, while he clasps her hand or
clasps her hair or touches one part or another of her body, brings shame and
degradation on the order. The present ordination
vow is to abstain from all sexual intercourse as long as life shall last.
The
Jains force on their Munis the rule to abstain from all sexual relations; not
to discuss topics relating to women, not to contemplate the forms of women.
Lust is thus condemned: "Of the myriad vices,
lust is the worst."
There are other rules subsidiary
to this, forbidding all actions of an unchaste
kind, especially any act or word which might either lead to a breach of the
principal rule or give rise to an impression that it was not being strictly
observed.
A Bhikshu is not to sleep in any place where a woman is present, or to preach the sacred doctrine in more than five or six words to a woman unless a grown-up man be present, or to exhort the sisters unless specially deputed to do so, or to journey along the same route with a woman. On his round for alms, he is to be properly clad and he is to walk with downcast eyes. He is not to accept a robe from any woman not related to him, except under specified conditions. He is not to sit in a secluded place with a woman, much less to touch or speak to her with impure intent.
The Buddhist "Order of Mendicants" was governed by the 227 rules of the Patimokha. Of these, the first four were of specific gravity. A breach of any one of the four rules involved expulsion from the order; and they were, therefore, called the Parajika or the rules as to acts involving defeat.
The first rule says: "Whatsoever Bhikshu—who has taken upon himself the system of self-training and rule of life, and has not thereafter withdrawn from the training or declared his inability to keep the rule—shall have carnal knowledge of any living thing, down even to an animal, he has fallen into defeat, he is no longer in communion". "Withdrawn from the training" was the technical expression for throwing off the robes, retiring from the order, and returning to the world, a step which any member of the order was at liberty to take at any time.
Numa was said to have instituted the "Order of Vestal Virgins". They
remained unmarried for thirty years. Burial alive was the penalty for breaking the vow
of chastity. The Virgins were distinguished
by extraordinary influence and personal dignity. They were treated with marks
of respect usually accorded to royalty; thus, on the streets, they were
preceded by a lictor and the
highest magistrates made way for them. They enjoyed sometimes the exceptional
privilege of riding in a carriage; at public games, a place of honour was
assigned to them. And after death they, like the imperators, were allowed to be
buried within the city, because they were above the laws. They enjoyed the royal privilege of
mercy, for if they met a criminal on his way to execution, his life was spared.
In the large colony of Tibetans
at
The
Peruvian "Virgins of the Sun"—a type of priests—were punished with living burial if
detected in misconduct.
Brahmacharya—the
foundation of spiritual life
Brahmacharya is a sine qua non of spiritual life. It is a great
desideratum. It is of vital importance. Without
perfect Brahmacharya, you cannot have substantial spiritual progress.
Abstinence
or continence is the corner-stone on which the pedestal of Moksha stands.
If the corner-stone is not very strong, the
superstructure will fall down when there is heavy rain. Even so, if you are not
established in Brahmacharya, if your mind is agitated by evil thoughts, you
will fall down. You cannot reach the summit of the ladder of Yoga or the
highest Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
There is no hope for you to have
Self-realization or Knowledge of the Self if you are not well established in
Brahmacharya. Brahmacharya is the master-key to
open the realms of eternal bliss. Brahmacharya is the very foundation of
Yoga. Just as a house that is built on a rotten foundation will surely fall down,
so also, you will fall down from your meditation if you have laid no proper
foundation, namely, the attainment of perfect Brahmacharya. You may meditate for, a period of twelve years, and yet,
you will have no success in Samadhi if you have not destroyed the subtle lust
or the craving-seed that lingers in the innermost recesses of your heart.
Brahmacharya is the basis for the attainment of Kaya Siddhi. Complete celibacy must be observed. This is of paramount importance. By the practice of Yoga the semen becomes transmuted into Ojas Sakti. The Yogi will have a perfect body. There will be charm and grace in his movements. He can live as long as he likes. This is also known as Iccha Mrityu or death at will.
The
practice of Brahmacharya is the most important qualification for the spiritual
aspirant, no matter what his chosen path may be—Karma Yoga, Upasana, Raja Yoga,
Hatha Yoga or Vedanta. The discipline of complete abstinence is demanded from
all aspirants. A true Brahmachari only can cultivate Bhakti. A true Brahmachari
only can practice Yoga. A true Brahmachari only can acquire Jnana. Without
Brahmacharya, no spiritual progress is possible.
Lust deals a deadly blow to the spiritual calibre of man. It is not possible for you to enter the spiritual path that leads to union with God unless and until you control lust and become established in Brahmacharya. As long as lust smells sweet in your nostrils, you cannot entertain sublime, divine thoughts in your mind. That man in whom the sex idea is deep-rooted can never dream of understanding Vedanta and realising Brahman even within Sata Koti Janma, even within one hundred crores of births. Truth cannot dwell where passion lives.
Sexual indulgence is a great
obstacle in the spiritual path. It bars spiritual
practices definitely. The sexual urge must be controlled by entertaining
sublime thoughts and regular meditation. There must be complete sublimation of
the sexual energy. Then only the aspirant is absolutely safe. The total annihilation of the sexual desire is the
ultimate spiritual ideal.
Sex attraction, sexual thoughts
and sexual urge are the three great obstacles in the path of God-realization. Even if the sexual urge vanishes, the sex attraction
remains for a long time and troubles the aspirants. Sex attraction is
very, very powerful. Sex attraction binds one to this world. Each cell in the
body of a male or a female is surcharged with the sex element. The mind and the
senses are filled with sex juice. Man cannot remain without looking at a woman,
without talking to her. He derives pleasure in the company of a woman. Woman
also cannot remain without looking at a man, without talking to him. She
derives pleasure in the company of a man. That is the reason why he or she
finds it extremely difficult to annihilate the sex attraction. Sex attraction cannot be destroyed without the grace of
the Lord. No human effort can eradicate in toto this mighty force of sex attraction.
The organ of sight does great mischief. Destroy the lustful look, the adultery of the eye. Try to see God in all faces. Again and again generate the currents of dispassion, discrimination and enquiry. Eventually you will be established in Brahman or the Eternal. Again and again generate sublime divine thoughts and increase your Japa and meditation. The sexual thought will be annihilated.
Of what avail is knowledge of the arts and sciences, of what avail is reputation or titles, of what avail is repetition of the Lord’s Name or meditation or enquiry of "Who am I?", if you become a slave of lust? Control this strong urge first by the rigorous penance of sense-control. Before you take to advanced meditation, first become at least a strict physical celibate. Then endeavour to have perfection in mental chastity.
Amongst you all, there may be a hidden Shakespeare or a Kalidasa, a hidden Wordsworth or a Valmiki, a potential saint, a St. Xavier, an Akhanda Brahmachari like Bhishma Pitamaha, a Hanuman or a Lakshman, a Visvamitra or a Vasishtha, a great scientist like Dr. J.C. Bose or Raman, a Yogi like Jnana Deva or Gorakhnath, a philosopher like Sankara or Ramanuja, a Bhakta like Tulsidas, Ramdas or Eknath.
Awaken, then, your hidden faculties, potential energies of all description, through Brahmacharya and attain God-consciousness quickly and get over the miseries of this mundane life with its concomitant evils of birth, death and sorrow.
Blessed is the Brahmachari who has taken the vow of celibacy till the end of life. Twice blessed is that Brahmachari who is sincerely struggling to destroy lust and attain perfect purity. Thrice blessed is that Brahmachari who has completely rooted out lust and has attained Self-realization. Glory be to such exalted Brahmacharins! They are veritable gods on earth. May their blessings be upon you all.
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Chapter
11. Women and Brahmacharya.
Loose
life is not freedom
The world is in dire need of such ideal women. I wish that the world may abound with such glorious women. I do not condemn women. I do not oppose giving them education and freedom. I have the highest veneration for women. I adore them as Devis or goddesses. But, I am not in favour of such freedom for women as will ruin them. I am in favour of such education and culture as will make them - immortal and glorious, as will make them ideal women like Sulabha, Mira and Maitreyi, like Savitri and Damayanti. This is what I want. This is what everybody would like.
Loose life is not perfect
freedom. Some women of
By mixing with men freely, woman
loses her dignity, modesty, feminine grace, and the sanctity of her person and
character. A woman who mixes freely with men cannot
preserve her chastity for long. There can
be, and there have been, exceptions. A woman
who mixes with men freely in public life and yet remains pure must be certainly
superhuman. An ordinary woman with her
natural passion will soon succumb. Human
nature will fulfil itself.
What is there in a woman’s life if her purity is lost? She is only a living corpse if there is no purity, although she may be rolling in wealth and moving in high circles in society. Promiscuous mixing will lead to disastrous results. Even Rishis and Yogins who are clad in rags, who live on roots in seclusion, will be pulled down by the dark forces of nature if they are careless. Then what to speak of women who eat daily dainties and sweetmeats, who are clad in perfumed velvet and silk with lace borders, who are given to too much mixing, who do not lead a life of self-control, who have no religious training and discipline, who have no idea of the inner life and the religion of emancipation? O wise reader! I leave this for your own consideration, reflection, cogitation and deliberation.
Women should not do anything that
can bring dishonour or infamy on them and their family, and a blot on their
character. Without character, a man or a woman is
considered as dead while living. Women
should be very careful and cautious when they move in society. They should
avoid too much talking, too much mixing, guffaw and giggling. They should
always walk in a dignified manner and not with the swinging of the hips. They
should never look at men with a flitting gesture. Clothes should not be too
tight or revealing. Abandon make-up.
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Chapter
16. The Dangers of Promiscuous Mixing
Do not be too familiar with
anybody. Familiarity breeds contempt. Do not
multiply friends. Do not court friendship with women. Do
not also be very familiar with them. Familiarity with women will eventually
end in your destruction. Never, never forget this point. Friends are your real
foes.
Do not mix with members of the
opposite sex. Maya works through undercurrents so
stealthily that you may not be aware of your actual downfall. The sexual Vasana will assume an aggravated form suddenly
without a moment’s notice. You will commit adultery and then repent. Then your
character and fame will vanish. Dishonour is more than death. There is no crime more heinous than this.
There is no Prayaschitta for this. So
beware. Be cautious.
Bhagavan
Dattatreya has compared woman to a burning pit of fire and man to a pot of
ghee. When the latter comes in contact with the former, it perishes. Therefore,
abandon her.
If you happen to live in a
Dharmashala or public inn, if there is a single
woman in your neighbouring room, leave the place at once. You do not know what
will happen. It is always advisable to leave
the danger zone immediately, however strong you may be through the practice of
Tapas and meditation. Do not expose yourself to temptation.
Do not test your spiritual strength and purity when you are a beginner on the spiritual path. Do not rush into evil associations when you are a spiritual neophyte to show that you have the courage to face sin and impurity. It will be a serious mistake. You will be running into a grave danger. You will have a quick downfall. A small fire will be very easily extinguished by a heap of dust.
You
should remain far away from women in the beginning of your practices.
After you are perfectly moulded and well established in Brahmacharya, you can
test your strength by moving with ladies very
cautiously for some time. If your mind is very pure then also, if there
is no sex idea, if the mind ceases to act through the practice of Uparati, Sama
and Dama, remember that you have gained real spiritual strength and made
considerable progress in your Sadhana. You are safe now. You should not stop
your Sadhana thinking that you are a Jitendriya Yogi. If
you stop it, you will have a hopeless fall.
Even
advanced aspirants who have made great progress in Yoga should be very careful.
They should not freely mix with women. They should not foolishly imagine that
they have become great adepts in Yoga. A great saint of repute had a
downfall. He freely mixed with women and made women-disciples, whom he allowed
to massage his legs. As the sex energy was not completely sublimated and turned
into Ojas, as lust was lurking in a subtle form in his mind, he became a victim
to passion. He lost his reputation. The sexual
desire was only suppressed in him, and when a suitable opportunity came, it
again assumed a grave form. He had no strength or will power to resist the
temptation.
Another
great soul, who was regarded by his disciples as an Avatar, became a
Yoga-Bhrashta. He also freely mixed with ladies and committed a serious lapse.
He became a prey to lust. What a sad misfortune! Aspirants climb with great difficulty by the ladder of Yoga and they
are irrecoverably lost for ever on account of their carelessness and spiritual
pride.
Havoc
played by mental images
The
presence of, or recollection of, a woman usually excites unholy ideas in the
minds of recluses who have abandoned this world and devoted themselves to
spiritual exercises and thus deprives them of the fruit of their austerity.
It is very difficult to understand the presence of
subtle lust in the minds of others, particularly in spiritual recluses, though the look, tone, gestures, gait and behaviour may
give a clue.
Note
carefully how Raja Bhartrihari had cried during his Sadhana stage: "O my Lord! I left my wife, my territory. I live on leaves, fruits and
roots. The earth is my sofa. The blue sky is my canopy. The quarters are my
clothes. Yet, my passion has not left me." Such is the power of passion.
Jerome writes to the virgin Eustochium about his struggle for abstinence and the power of lust: "Oh, how many times when in the desert, in that vast solitude which, burnt by the heat of the sun, offers but a horrible dwelling to monks, I imagined I was among the delights of Rome! I was alone. My limbs were covered by a wretched sack and my skin was as black as the Ethiopian’s. Every day I wept and groaned, and if I was unwillingly overcome by sleep, my lean body lay on the bare earth. I say nothing of my food and drink, for in the desert, even invalids have no drink but cold water. Well, I who out of fear of hell had condemned myself to this prison, companion of scorpions and wild beasts, often seemed in imagination among a band of girls. My face was pale with fasting and my mind within my frigid body was burning with desire; the fire of lust would still flame up in a body that already seemed to be dead." Such is the power of lust.
The mind is the seed of the world. It is the mind that creates this world. There is no world quite apart from the mind. The images of all objects are contained in the mind. The mind plays with these images when it cannot get the objects and does great havoc. If you constantly think of the image of the Lord, the images of objects will die by themselves.
The
forbidden fruit—God’s test for the spiritual aspirant
God places some temptations before the aspirant to test his spiritual strength. He gives him also strength to conquer the temptations. The strongest temptation in this world is lust. All the saints passed through temptations. Temptations are profitable. People are instructed and strengthened.
Even Buddha was tested for his
mental purity. He had to face temptations of every sort. He had to face Mara. It was only then, and not till then, that he had
illumination under the Bodhi tree in
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Note
Chamatkaras
- Speciall powers (rough translation)
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Although Rishi Visvamitra was practising severe austerities, he was carried away by his turbulent senses when he came across the celestial nymph sent by Indra to disturb his Tapas. If Visvamitra and Parasara who were living on leaves, air and water were victims of lust, what should be the fate of worldly people who are living on rich food? If they can control their passion, the Vindhya mountain will float on the ocean, fire will burn downwards.
The sex instinct is most
powerful. The sex urge is formidable. It may
conceal itself in underground compartments in the mind and assail you when you
are not vigilant. It will attack you with redoubled force. Visvamitra
fell a victim of Menaka. Another great Rishi became a prey to Rambha. Jaimini
got excited by false woman Masa. A powerful Rishi
was excited by the sight of the mating of a fish. A householder aspirant
carried away even his Guru’s wife. Many aspirants
are not aware of this secret urge, a treacherous enemy. They think that they
are quite safe and pure. When they are put to test, they become hopeless
victims. Always remain alone, meditate and
slay this urge.
Money and woman shine more
brightly than God for an ignorant, passionate man. Maya is powerful. Adam fell
on account of one loose moment. Eve tempted on account of one desire. The forbidden fruit will ripen before the human eyes in
no time. A post will look like the
illustrious Deva and make you bow in utter submission before it. Beware
of Maya and its meshes. The chains of gold can be cut asunder, but not the
silken meshes of Maya. A single unguarded moment is
sufficient to capsize the whole casket of pearls, down into the dark abyss of
passion and lust.
The moss that is momentarily displaced in a tank resumes its original position in the twinkling of an eye. Similarly, Maya envelops even the wise, if they are careless even for a minute. Therefore, sleepless vigilance is necessary in the spiritual path. The proverb goes: "There is many a slip between the cup and the lip." Before you begin to eat the fruit of wisdom, the monkey Maya will snatch it away from your hand. Even if you swallow it, it may get stuck to your throat. Therefore you will have to be ever vigilant and careful till you attain Bhuma or the highest realization. You should not stop your Sadhana falsely thinking that you have reached the goal.
He who lives in seclusion is more exposed to temptations and danger. He will have to be very careful and vigilant. The mind will be tempted to do anything as there is nobody to witness its evil action. All suppressed evil Vrittis will be waiting for an opportunity to attack him with redoubled force. He is just like a man who is put in a big bag with a tiger, a serpent and a bear. The enemies anger, lust and greed will take you unawares. When you walk alone in the spiritual path, they will attack you like the thieves who attack a lonely passenger in the dense forest. Therefore, be always in the company of the wise. Do not go astray.
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Chapter
20. Some Powerful Aids to the Practice of Celibacy.
Change
the Drishti or angle of vision.
There
is neither sex nor sexual Vasana in Brahman. Brahman is Nitya-Suddha, eternally
pure: By constant
thinking on that sexless Atman, you will be established in Brahmacharya. This
is the most powerful and effective method.
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Chapter
19. Wet Dreams and Spermatorrhoea
Many young men are troubled by
wet dreams or nocturnal emissions and spermatorrhoea. This
dire disease, spermatorrhoea, has eaten away the very core of the heart of many
brilliant youth, who were once very promising students during the beginning
stages of their educational career. This terrible scourge has sapped the
vitality or the very essence of many students and
even grown-up people and has made them physical, moral and spiritual bankrupts.
This deadly curse has stunted the growth of many young people and made them bemoan their past ignorant, vicious habits.
This wretched malady has blighted the hopes of many
a young person and brought despair, gloom, shattered health and dilapidated
constitution.
I receive numerous letters of pathetic tales of dissipated, lost youth. The recent trend in the increase of vulgar, cheap and aphrodisiac literature and obscene films, both Indian and Western, had added to the miseries of misguided youth. Loss of the vital energy creates great fear in their mind. The body becomes weak, memory fails, the face becomes ugly and the young man is not able to remedy his pitiable condition due to shame. But there is no cause for despair. Even if a few of the hints in the following pages are observed, he will develop the correct attitude to life and will lead a disciplined spiritual life and ultimately attain supreme bliss.
Difference
between physiological pollution and pathological pollution
Spermatorrhoea is involuntary seminal discharge. Nocturnal discharge, night pollution, Svapna-Dosha, wet dream are all synonymous terms. Ayurvedic doctors call this disease Sukra-Megha. This is due to the evil habits in youth. In severe cases, discharges occur in daytime also. The patient passes semen along with urine during micturition. If there is occasional discharge, you need not be alarmed a bit. This may be due to heat in the body, or the pressure of loaded bowels or bladder on the seminal bags. This is not a pathological condition.
Night pollution is of two kinds,
namely, physiological pollution and pathological pollution. In physiological pollution, you will be refreshed.
You should not be afraid of this act. You should not mind if the discharge of semen is very occasional. You need
not worry about it. This is also a slight flushing of the apparatus or a
periodical cleansing through a slight overflow from the reservoir in which the
semen is stored up. This act may not be attended with evil thoughts. The person
may not be aware of the act during the night. Whereas, in pathological pollution, the act is accompanied by
sexual thoughts. Depression follows. There is irritability, languishment,
laziness, inability to work and concentrate. Occasional discharges are of no
consequence, but frequent nocturnal pollutions cause depression of spirits,
debility, dyspepsia, low spirits, loss of memory, severe pain in the back, headache, burning of the eyes, drowsiness and burning
sensation at urination or during the flow of semen. The semen becomes very
thin.
Causes
and consequences
Wet dreams and spermatorrhoea may be due to various causes like constipation, a loaded stomach, irritation-producing or wind-producing food, impure thoughts and long self-abuse done in ignorance.
Seminal weakness, nocturnal emissions, lascivious dreams and all other effects of an immoral life will surely lead one to a miserable state of living if not checked by proper medicines. But these medicines cannot produce a permanent cure. One can get temporary relief during the time one takes the medicine. Even doctors of the West admit that such medicines cannot effect a permanent cure. The moment the medicine is discontinued, the patient will find his disease all the worse. In some cases, the patient becomes impotent by the use of drugs. The only effective permanent cure can be had through the system of ancient Yoga. Nasti Yogat Param Balam. There is no strength higher than that of Yoga. The different methods given in this book will enable you to get success if practiced regularly.
Do not be carried away by the pompous advertisements made by quacks and charlatans. Lead a simple natural life. You will become all right soon. Do not spend any money in buying the so-called patent medicines and specifics. They are worthless. Quacks try to exploit the credulous and the ignorant. Do not go to the doctors. Endeavour to qualify yourself as your own doctor. Understand the laws of nature, the principles of hygiene and health. Do not tresspass against the laws of health.
A warning
against evil sex habits and outbursts of anger
Avoid
all kinds of self-abuse. They drain away your vital energy and leave you
like a dead man or like the sugar-cane from which the juice has been extracted.
Veerya is indeed a priceless possession. Do not
waste it for the sake of a momentary
excitement and sensation.
Give
up the evil habit at once. You will be entirely ruined if you continue the
practice. Open your eyes. Wake up now. Become wise. Shun evil company.
Do not cut jokes with women. Practice chaste look. Up to this time you were
blind and ignorant. You were in the dark. You had no idea of the disastrous effects of this evil practice. You will lose your eyesight. You will have dimness of
vision. You will have shattered nerves.
Do
not look at the reproductive Indriya. Do not also touch the generative organ
with your hands now and then. This will aggravate your Kama Vasana. When
it gets erection, do Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha. Repeat ‘
Sexual excesses and outbursts of anger and hatred should be given up. If the mind is kept cool and calm at all times, you will have wonderful health, strength and virility. Energy is depleted by fits of anger. The cells and tissues are filled with morbid poisonous materials when one loses his temper and entertains deep hatred. Various sorts of physical ailments crop up. The blood becomes hot and thin, and consequently, night pollution results. Various sorts of nervous diseases are attributable to excessive loss of the seminal energy and frequent fits of explosive anger or wrath.
Importance
of proper food and evacuation
Most
of the diseases take their origin in overeating. Observe moderation in diet. Avoid late suppers. The evening meal
should be light and eaten before 6 or
When there is any inclination for micturition at night, immediately get up to empty the bladder. A loaded bladder is the cause for wet dreams. Before retiring to bed, answer the calls of nature. If there is severe constipation and the bowels are loaded, they will press the vesiculae seminalis, and consequently, there will be discharges at night.
To relieve constipation, the use
of the enema is most essential. The use of
laxatives is not of much benefit as it creates
heat in the body.
Never stop the urge to answer calls of nature. If worms are present in the bowels, remove them by a dose of worm powder in the night and take a purgative of castor oil the following morning. This will keep the bowels regular.
Sometimes,
the discharges take place on account of excess of heat in the body, excess of walking or travel, eating a large quantity of sweetmeats or chillies and
salt. Give up tea, coffee, chillies, excess of sweets and excess of
sugar. Avoid dainty dishes, sauces, savouries and pastries. Have occasional
fasts, say, once a week. Do not drink even water on
those fasting days. Do not ride too much on the bicycle.
Chew pieces of the yellow variety of Harad or myrobalan very often. When there is frequent discharge, dissolve two pinches of camphor in a cup of milk and take it occasionally at night. Take half a seer of milk in the early morning and half a seer at night.
Get
up before
Night pollution generally occurs
in the fourth quarter of the night. Those who are in the habit of getting up
from bed between 3 and
Sleep on the left side. Allow the Solar Nadi, Pingala, to work throughout the night through the right nostril. In acute cases, sleep on the back until recovery.
If you are a married man, sleep in a separate room. You should never allow your wife to massage your legs at night. This is a dangerous practice.
For protecting the semen, it is essential to wear always a strip of cloth over the private part; for, there will be no night emission and growth of testicle. Therefore, always wear a Langoti or Kaupin or loin cloth. You will not get inflammation or any other disease of the testicles. This will help you in keeping up Brahmacharya. Wear a wet Kaupin at night when you go to bed, if the disease is very troublesome.
It is befitting for a celibate to wear always wooden sandals as thereby the semen will be conserved, eyes will be benefited, life prolonged and holiness and lustre increased.
Take
to the Name of the Lord
Practice Japa and meditation in
the morning, as soon as you get up, for an hour or two. Also, do this before
sleeping at
Pray to the sun in the early morning before sunrise: "O Lord Suryanarayana, the eye of the world, the eye of the Virat Purusha! Give me health, strength, vigour and vitality." Do Suryanamaskara in the early morning. Repeat the twelve Names of the sun at sunshine: "Mitraya Namah. Ravaye Namah. Suryaya Namah. Bhanave Namah. Khagaya Namah. Pushne Namah. Hiranyagarbhaya Namah. Marichaye Namah. Savitre Namah. Adityaya Namah. Bhaskaraya Namah. Arkaya Namah." Bask in the sun.
The
benefits of a hip bath
Take cold hip baths by sitting in a tub of water and keeping the legs outside the tub. This is very invigorating and energising. A cold hip bath tones and soothes the nerves of the genito-urinary system and stops nocturnal discharges in an efficacious manner. This is a general nervine tonic as well, as all the nerves are braced up.
The hip bath can be conveniently managed at home in a big zinc tub. Aged persons and convalescents can use lukewarm water. Wipe the parts with a dry towel and put on warm clothing.
Or stand
up to your navel in a river, lake or tank for half an hour. Repeat ‘
Cold douches, spinal douches and cold shower bath are of immense use in the practice of Brahmacharya. Shower baths can be easily installed at home by fixing the spray apparatus to the tap.
Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Siddhasana, Sukha-Purvak Pranayama and Uddiyana Bandha are all very effective in eradicating spermatorrhoea. Practice them and realize the incalculable benefits. Practice deep-breathing and Bhastrika Pranayama. Take long walks. Take part in sports.
Some
helpful suggestions
Complete cure may take at least
one to six months, according to the intensity of the disease. If the disease is
of long standing, the cure may take a long time, as Nature’s processes are
slow, though sure. Whenever you are haunted by
sensual thoughts, you should try to replace them by holy thoughts about your
favourite deity.
Let any disease be there. Ignore it. Deny it. Think and meditate on the pure Self. Keep yourself fully occupied. Do not give room for the mind to think of the body or the disease. This is the treatment for any kind of disease. Sing Hari’s Name in a variety of ways. When you are tired, take to the study of religious books. Do selfless service. Run in the open air. Swim in the river. Remove the stones and pebbles lying on the roads. Write down your Ishta Mantra in a notebook for one hour.
Purify the mind by cultivating devotion to God. Do Japa and meditation. Study spiritual books. Pray to God. Observe Brahmacharya. Do not mix unnecessarily with women. See only the Divine Mother in them. Develop Atrna-Bhava in all.
Avoid
cinema, novels, newspapers, bad company, evil talks. Do not look into the
mirror frequently. Do not use scents or fancy clothings. Do not attend dance or
music parties. Do not look at mating of animals and birds.
Root out love of leisure and ease. Overcome laziness and always keep the body and mind engaged in some useful work. Keeping the mind constantly engaged is one of the great secrets of Brahmacharya. Lead a disciplined, rigorous life. Do not brood over the disease too much. It will pass off. When bad thoughts appear in the mind, repeat the Name of God and pray to Him. Ultimately, the Lord’s divine grace and helping hand is the sure antidote for all diseases. Rely on God. Be devoted to purity and piety. Cherish sublime thoughts. Read sacred literature. Naught shall assail you.
This weakness will pass away. Do
not be anxious, worried and depressed over it. Depressing thoughts are
dangerous. Worry will only weaken you more. Learn lessons from the past and be
benefited therefrom. Do not brood over the past and be weakened. Change your
angle of vision. Practice enquiry. Meditate on the advantages of celibacy. Think of the lives of Akhanda Brahmacharins like Hanuman,
Bhishma and others. Think of the evils of a sensual life—loss of health, shame,
disease and death. Cultivate discrimination. You
are the child of the Lord of the universe. The bliss is within you. There is
not an iota of pleasure in sense objects. Dissociate yourself from the body;
identify yourself with the Lord. If your mind is pure and healthy, your body
too will be pure and healthy. Therefore, forget the past and take to a new,
better life of virtue and spirituality, love of God and aspiration for the
higher divine life. Learn to find taste in divine life. Do more Sadhana with
greater intensity. You will be a completely changed and blessed person.
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1997) Practice of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition)
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Chapter
21. Hatha Yoga to the Rescue
And by Pranayama, the mind
gradually proceeds from the gross to the subtle. It therefore exercises a
wholesome check upon sexual irritation. When some
evil thought disturbs your mind, at once take to Padmasana or Siddhasana and
practice Pranayama. The thought will leave you immediately.
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Chapter 22. Some
Illustrative Stories.
2. Passion’s hold over man’s mind. Socrates and his
disciple
One of the disciples of Socrates asked his teacher, "My venerable
master, kindly instruct me how many times a householder can visit his legal
wife." Socrates replied, "Only once in his lifetime."
The disciple said, "Oh my Lord! This is absolutely impossible for worldly men.
Passion is dreadful and troublesome. This world is full of temptations and
distractions. Householders have not a strong will to resist temptations. Their
Indriyas are very revolting and powerful. The mind is filled with passion. Thou art a philosopher and Yogi. You can control. Pray, kindly prescribe an easy path for the
men of the world." Then Socrates said, " A householder can have copulation once in a
year."
The disciple replied, "O venerable sir, this is also a hard job for them. You
must prescribe an easier course." Socrates then replied, "Well, my dear disciple, once in a month. This is suitable.
This is quite easy. I think you are satisfied now."
The disciple said, "This also is impossible, my revered master. Householders
are very fickle-minded. Their minds are full of sexual Samskaras and Vasanas. They cannot remain even for a
single day without sexual intercourse. You have no idea of their mentality."
Then Socrates said, "Well said, my dear child. Do one thing now. Go directly to
the burial ground now. Dig a grave and purchase a coffin and winding sheet for the
corpse before hand. Now you can spoil yourself any number of times you like. This is my final advice to
you." This last advice pierced the heart of the
disciple. He felt
it keenly. He
thought over the matter seriously and understood the importance and
glory of Brahmacharya. He took to spiritual Sadhana in right earnest. He took a vow of
strict unbroken celibacy for life. He became an Oordhvareta Yogi and had Self-realization. He became one of the favourite
disciples of Socrates.
4. Dawn of Viveka and Vairagya. Yogi Vemana
Vemana was born in the year 1820 in a small village in the district of
Godavari in Andhra Desa. He had a brother by name Anu Verna Reddy. His parents
passed away when he was quite a young boy. He was born in a rich family. He was
a Reddy by caste.
Vemana was sent to a primary school. He was not able to prosecute his
studies. He fell into evil company and became a rowdy boy. But he was very
handsome and active. Anu Verna Reddy and his wife Narasamma liked Vemana very
much. At the age of fifteen, Vemana became debaucherous. He spent much money
for the sake of women. Yet, his brother and sister-in-law liked him very much.
Anu Vema Reddy and his wife wanted to correct the ways of Vemana. They
stopped giving him any money. So Vemana stole at night the ornaments of his
sister-in-law and gave them to a prostitute. When his sister-in-law came to
know of the loss of the jewels, she asked Vemana, "Where are my
jewels?" Vemana answered, "As you did not give me money, I took them
and gave away to my beloved." Narasamma did not speak a word. She did not
even inform her husband of the loss of the jewels. She liked Vemana very much.
She locked up all her ornaments in the safe.
The prostitute urged Vemana to bring some more money or ornaments. So,
again at dead of night, Vemana woke up from his bed and tried to remove some of
the ornaments from the neck of his sister-in-law. She was wearing only the
sacred Mangala Sutra that was tied round her neck at the time of her marriage; she
had kept all her other jewels in the safe. Vemana wanted to remove at least
this ornament. When he was attempting to remove it, Narasamma woke up and
caught hold of his hand and asked him why he came to her bedroom at
Narasamma said:
"Vemana! Ask the girl to stand naked in front of you. Let her back be turned
towards you. Then ask her to bend down and take the jewel from your hands by passing her
hands through her thighs." Vemana promised to do so and took an oath also in the name of
Goddess Kali. Then his sister-in-law gave him a valuable ornament.
Vemana proceeded
directly to the prostitute’s house and asked her to do in the manner his
sister-in-law had instructed. While the prostitute was bending down, he saw very clearly the private parts
of the woman. At once intense
Vairagya dawned in his mind. He
retraced his steps to his house with the ornament in his hands. He gave back
the ornament to his sister-in-law and related to her all that had happened. He
said, "My dear sister-in-law! Thank you so much for all your kind acts. I
am a changed man now. There is no real happiness in this world. It is all jugglery of
Maya. I am going now in quest of real happiness." He left the house at once and went to a Kali temple near his
village and sat near the image of Kali.
Now it so happened that, for some years, a man named Abhiramayya had
been praying to Kali for Her Darshan. One day She appeared in his dream and
said, "Come tomorrow at
In course of his wanderings, Vemana went to Cuddapah. He lived in a
forest near Cuddapah. He planted various fruit-bearing trees like melons and
cucumbers. The cucumbers were all filled with gold. With this gold, Vemana
built a temple at Sri Sailam. Even today, this temple at Sri Sailam contains
the famous Jyotirlingam of Mallikarjuna. It is a famous place of pilgrimage.
One day some thieves came to rob the cucumbers containing gold. They all became
senseless due to the Yogic powers of Vemana.
Once Vemana entered the cottage of a poor Brahmin at
Vemana cast off his physical sheath in 1865 in Katarupalli in the
Cuddapah district. He wrote several books in Telugu on Yoga, chief among them
being "Vemana
Tattva-Jnanam" and "Vemana Jivamritam".
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1997) Practice of Brahmacharya. (WWW Edition)
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Reference
Swami
Sivananda. (1997) The Science of Pranayama. (WWW Edition)
http://www.thedivinelifesociety.org/download/pranayama.htm
Chapter
Three What is Pranayama
…
Special
Instructions
…
6. Perfect celibacy for six months or one year will doubtless enable you to acquire rapid progress in the practice and in spiritual advancement. Do not talk with ladies. Do not laugh and joke with them. Shun their company entirely. Without Brahmacharya and dietetic regulations if you practise Yogic exercises, you will not get maximum benefit in the spiritual practices. But, for ordinary health you can practise mild exercises.
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Appendix
…
Yogic
Diet
A diet that is conducive to the practice of Yoga and spiritual progress can be rightly termed ‘Yogic Diet’. Diet has intimate connection with the mind. The mind is formed out of the subtlest portion of food. Sage Uddalaka instructs his son Svetaketu as follows: “Food when consumed becomes threefold, the gross particles become excreta, the middling ones flesh and the fine ones the mind.” Again you will find in the Chhandogya Upanishad: “By the purity of food one becomes purified in his nature; by the purification of his nature he verily gets memory of the Self, and by the attainment of the memory of the Self, all ties and attachments are severed.”
Diet is of three kinds, viz., Sattvic diet, Rajasic diet and Tamasic diet. Milk, fruits, cereals, butter, tomatoes, cheese, spinach are Sattvic food-stuffs. They render the mind pure. Fish, eggs, meat, etc., are Rajasic food-stuffs. They excite the passionate nature of man. Beef, onions, garlic, etc., are Tamasic food stuffs. They fill the mind with inertia and anger. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna in the Gita (XVIII: 8-10): “The food which is dear to each is threefold. Hear thou the distinction of these. The foods which increase vitality, energy, vigour, health and joy and which are delicious, bland substantial and agreeable are dear to the pure. The passionate man desires foods that are bitter, sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning and which produce pain, grief and disease. The food which is stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure is dear to the Tamasic.”
Food is of four kinds. There are liquids which are drunk; solids which are pulverised by the teeth and eaten; some solids which are taken in by licking; and soft articles that are swallowed without mastication. All articles of food should be thoroughly masticated in the mouth. Then only they can be readily digested, easily absorbed and assimilated in the system.
The diet should be such as can maintain physical efficiency and good health. The well-being of a man depends rather on perfect nutrition than on anything else. Various sorts of intestinal diseases, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, lack of high vitality and power of resistance, rickets, scurvy, anaemia or poverty of blood, beriberi, etc., are all due to faulty nutrition. It should be remembered that it is not so much the climate, as food which plays a vital part in producing a healthy strong man or a weakling suffering from a host of diseases. A knowledge of the science of dietetics is essential for every man if he wants to keep up physical efficiency and good health. He should be able to make out a cheap, well-balanced diet from certain articles of diet. Then only all the members of his family will be hale and hearty. What is wanted is a well-balanced diet but not a rich one. A rich diet produces diseases of the liver, kidney, pancreas. A well-balanced diet helps a man to grow, and turn out much work, increases his body weight and keeps up the efficiency and a high standard of vigour and vitality. A man is what he eats. This is a truism indeed.
Food is required for two purposes: 1) to maintain our body-heat and 2) to produce new cells and to make up for the wear and tear of our bodies. Foodstuffs contain proteins, carbohydrates, hydrocarbons, phosphates, salt, various kinds of ashes, water, vitamins, etc. Protein substances are nitrogenous. They build the tissues of the body. They are present in abundance in dal, milk, etc. They are called ‘tissue-builders’. Proteins are complex organic compounds which contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and sometimes sulphur, phosphorus and iron. Starches are carbohydrates. They are present in abundance in rice. Carbohydrates are ‘energy-producers’ or heat givers. Carbohydrates are substances, like starch, sugar or gum and contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrocarbons or fats are present in ghee and vegetable oils. Fats are compounds of glycerine with fatty acids. The human machine of the body necessarily needs lubrication. Butter, cream, cheese, olive-oil, groundnut-oil, mustard-oil are good for lubrication.
A well-balanced diet is one in which the different principles of diet that go to keep the body and mind in perfect health and harmony exist in proper proportions. Milk is perfect food, because it contains all nutritious principles in proper well-balanced proportions. The protein, fat and carbohydrate should be in right proportion. They should be of the right kind also. If a diet contains too much of one thing or too little of another, if it is faulty in one way or the other by being deficient or preponderating in one or more important constituents of food, then it is called an ill-balanced or faulty diet. This will lead to malnutrition, stunted growth, physical deficiency, etc. Many diseases take their origin from malnutrition. If the food is nutritious, wholesome and well-balanced, one has good power of endurance and physical efficiency. If he has physical efficiency he can turn out more work. Some take milk as an animal diet, while some others regard egg as vegetable diet. All these people are under a delusion. Milk is a vegetable diet, while egg is an animal diet. This is the emphatic declaration of learned sages. Yogic students should give up eggs. All the nutritive principles are found in milk, butter, cheese, fruits, almonds, tomatoes, carrots and turnips.
The important digestive juices are saliva in the mouth, gastric juice in the stomach, and pancreatic juice, bile and intestinal juice (succus entericus) in the small intestines. Saliva is alkaline. It is secreted by the salivary glands. It digests starches. Gastric juice is acidic in reaction. It contains hydrochloric acid. It is secreted by the gastric glands. It digests proteins. Pancreatic juice digests starches, proteins and fats. It contains three kinds of digestive ferments. It is manufactured by the pancreas. Bile is secreted by the liver. It digests fats. The food-stuffs are rendered into chyle by the action of these digestive juices, which is absorbed by the lacteals of the small intestines.
Gluttons and epicureans cannot dream to get success in Yoga. He who takes moderate diet, he who has regulated his diet can become a Yogi. That is the reason why Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “Verily Yoga is not for him who eateth too much, nor who abstaineth to excess, nor who is too much addicted to sleep, nor even to wakefulness, Arjuna. Yoga killeth out all pain for him who is regulated in eating and amusement, regulated in performing actions, regulated in sleeping and waking” (Gita, VI: 16,17). Take pleasant, wholesome and sweet food half-stomachful, fill the quarter-stomach with pure water and allow the remaining quarter free for expansion of gas. This is moderate diet.
All articles that are putrid, stale, decomposed, fermented, unclean, twice-cooked, kept overnight should be abandoned. The diet should be simple, light, bland, wholesome, easily digestible and nutritious. He who lives to eat is a sinner but he who eats to live is a saint. The latter should be adored. If there is hunger, food can be digested well. If you have no appetite do not take anything; give rest to the stomach.
A good quantity of food overworks the stomach, induces capricious appetite and renders the tongue fastidious. Then it becomes very difficult to please the tongue. Man has invented many kinds of dishes just to satisfy his palate and has made his life very complex and miserable. He calls himself a civilised and cultured man when he is really ignorant and deluded by the senses. His mind gets upset when he cannot get his usual dishes in a new place. Is this real strength? He has become an absolute slave of his tongue. This is bad. Be natural and simple in eating. Eat to live and do not live to eat. You can be really happy and can devote much time to Yogic practices.
A
Yogic student who spends his time in pure meditation only, wants very little
food. One or one and a half seer of milk and some fruits will suffice. But when he comes on the platform for work he wants
abundant nutritious food. A man who does immense labour (physical work) wants
more food.
Meat is not at all necessary for the keeping up of health. Meat-eating is highly deleterious to health. It brings a host of ailments such as tape-worm, albuminuria and other diseases of the kidneys. After all, man wants very little on this earth. Killing of animals for food is a great sin. Instead of killing the egoism and the idea of ‘mine-ness’ ignorant people kill innocent animals under the pretext of sacrifice to Goddess but it is really to satisfy their tongues and palates. Horrible! Most inhuman! Ahimsa Paramo Dharmah. Ahimsa is the first virtue that a spiritual aspirant should possess. We should have reverence for life. Lord Jesus says: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Lord Jesus and Mahavir shouted at the top of their voice: “Regard every living being as thyself and harm no one.” The law of Karma is inexorable, unrelenting and immutable. The pain you inflict upon another will rebound upon you and the happiness you radiate to another will come back to you, adding to your happiness.
Dr. J. Oldfield, Senior Physician, Lady Margaret Hospital, writes: “Today there is the chemical fact in the hands of all, which none can gainsay that the products of the vegetable kingdom contain all that is necessary, for the fullest sustenance of human life. Flesh is an unnatural food, and therefore, tends to create functional disturbances. As it is taken in modern civilisation, it is infected with such terrible diseases (readily transferable to man), as cancer, consumption, fever, intestinal worms, etc., to an enormous extent. There is little need for wonder that flesh-eating is one of the most serious causes of the diseases that carry off ninety-nine out of every hundred people that are born.”
Meat-eating and alcoholism are closely allied. The craving for liquor dies a natural death when the meat diet is withdrawn. The question of birth-control becomes very difficult in the case of those who take meat-diet. To them mind-control is absolutely impossible. Mark how the meat-eating tiger is ferocious, and the cow, elephant, which live on vegetable matter are mild and peaceful! Meat has a direct evil influence on the compartments of the brain. The last step in the spiritual advancement is the giving up of meat-diet. The divine light will not descend if the stomach is loaded with meat-diet. In large meat-eating countries cancer mortality is very high. Vegetarians keep up the sound health till old age. Even in the West in the hospitals, doctors are now putting patients on vegetable diet. They convalesce very quickly.
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Cross
reference
Daniel 1 :: King
James Version (KJV)
http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&passage=Daniel+1&version=KJV
1 In the third year
of the reign of Jehoiakim king of
2 And the Lord gave
Jehoiakim king of
3 And the king
spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of
the children of
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability
in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the
tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king
appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he
drank: so nourishing them three
years, that at the
end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these
were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the
prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of
Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to
Azariah, of Abednego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not
defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the
eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince
of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed
your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than
the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to
the king.
11 Then said Daniel
to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove thy
servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to
eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our
countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children
that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy
servants.
14 So he consented
to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the
king's meat.
16 Thus Melzar took
away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave
them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge
and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and
dreams.
18 Now at the end
of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of
the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king
communed with them; and among them all was
found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that
the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of
king Cyrus.
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Pythagoras, the Grecian Sage, condemned meat diet as sinful food! Just hear what he says: “Beware! O mortals, of defiling your bodies with sinful food! There are cereals, there are fruits bending the branches down by their weight, and luxurious grapes on the vines. There are sweet vegetables and herbs, which, the flame, digestive fire, can render palatable and mellow. Nor are you denied milk nor fragrance of the aroma of the thyma flower, the bountiful earth offers you an abundance of pure food and provides for meals obtainable without slaughter and bloodshed.”
If you want to stop taking mutton, fish, etc., just see with your own eyes the pitiable, struggling condition at the time of killing sheep. Now mercy and sympathy will arise in your heart. Then you will determine to give up flesh-eating. If you fail in this attempt, just change your environments and live in a vegetarian hotel where you cannot get mutton and fish. Move in that society where there is only vegetable diet. Always think of the evils of flesh-eating and the benefits of a vegetable diet. If this also cannot give you sufficient strength to stop this habit, go to the slaughter house and butcher’s shop and personally see the disgusting rotten muscles, intestines, kidneys and other nasty parts of the animal, which emit bad smell. This will induce Vairagya in you and a strong disgust and hatred towards meat-eating.
It is not only heinous but an atrocious crime to kill a cow or a goat which gives invaluable milk, butter, etc. O self-deluded ignorant cruel man! do not kill these innocent beings. Terrible torture awaits you on the day of judgment. You are morally responsible for all your acts. The law of Karma is infallible. Killing of cows tantamounts to killing one’s own mother. What right have you got to take away the lives of these innocent animals which give you milk to nourish your body? This is a most brutal, inhuman, heart-rending act. The slaughter of cows, goats and other animals should be immediately stopped by legislation. The animal that is taken for slaughter causes various sorts of poisons in the blood on account of its fear and anger. The vegetarian diet can fully supply the dietetic needs of the body. Therefore, such cruelties are unwarranted.
I shall speak a word now on vitamins. Vitamins are also required in the diet. They build the bodies. If they are absent or deficient, the body cannot grow and deficiency diseases such as rickets, scurvy, etc., result. They are present in very small quantities in foods. They are like a spark which ignites the fire of nutrition. There are four important kinds of vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin D. Vitamin A is present in milk. Vitamin B is present in the unpolished rice and tomato juice. Deficiency of Vitamin B causes beriberi. Those who eat polished rice get this disease. Vitamin C is found in vegetables, fruits and green leaves. This vitamin is destroyed by cooking, tinning. Sailors suffer from scurvy, because they cannot get fresh vegetables and fruits during long voyage. They generally take with them the juice of lemons. This prevents the development of scurvy. Vitamin D is present in milk, butter, eggs, cod-liver oil, etc. Absence or deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets in children.
Food is nothing but a mass of energy. Food supplies energy to the body and mind. If you can draw this energy from your pure will, if you know the Yogic technique of absorbing the energy directly from the sun or cosmic Prana, you can maintain the body with this energy and can dispense with food altogether. The Yogi gets Kayasiddhi or perfection of the body.
If food is completely digestible it will produce constipation. Food should contain some residue of fibres or husks which will form faecal matter. No water should be taken when digestion is going on in the stomach. It will dilute the digestive juice and impair digestion. You can take a glassful of water when you have finished your meals.
Where can Sannyasins who live on public alms get a well-balanced diet? They get on some days pungent stuffs only, on some other days sweetmeats only, on some other days sour things only. But they draw the required energy through the power of meditation. This unique, Yogic method is unknown to the medical profession and scientists. Whenever the mind is concentrated, a divine wave bathes all the tissues with the divine elixir. All the cells are renovated and vivified.
Fasting is interdicted for
practitioners of Yoga as it produces weakness. Occasional mild fast is highly
beneficial. It will thoroughly overhaul the system, will give rest to the
stomach and intestines and eliminate uric acid. Yogic students can take one
full meal at
Simple,
natural, non-stimulating, tissue-building, energy-producing, non-alcoholic
foods and drinks keep the mind calm and pure and help one in Yogic practices
and in the attainment of the goal of life.
…
(Reference: Swami Sivananda. (1997) The Science
of Pranayama. (WWW Edition)
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http://in.geocities.com/anindiantantric/sivananda.html
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“Thou belongest to That
Which Is Undying, and not merely to time alone,” murmured the
Sphinx, breaking its muteness at last. “Thou
art eternal, and not merely of the vanishing flesh. The
soul in man cannot be killed, cannot die. It
waits, shroud-wrapped, in thy heart, as I waited, sand-wrapped, in thy world. Know
thyself, O mortal! For there is One within thee, as in all
men, that comes and stands at the bar and bears witness that there
IS a God!”
(Reference: Brunton, Paul. (1962) A Search in Secret
Amen