divya jyothi mar 2014
DESCRIPTION
Divya Jyothi is the monthly ezine of the Atmajyothi Satsang group.TRANSCRIPT
Prabhuji Speaks 3
Sanatana Dharma 4
Panchadasi 5
Renunciation with Awareness 6
Kala Gita 7
Soundarya Lahari 9
Sri Lalitha Sahasranama 10
Swetaswara Upanishad 12
Patanjali Yoga Sutra 13
LADS - Chapter 3 14
From the editor’s desk Hari om, Wishing all Atmajyothis a very happy Holi. Consciousness expresses itself through in‐finite diversity and Holi the festival of col‐ors serves as a reminder to celebrate this diversity in manifestation by seeing the unity behind it and give up our sense of separation. Let the Self be our inspiration and bring its infinite creativity into our minds so we indulge ourselves in bringing about transformations in and around us through beautiful and selfless actions. ‐ In Guruseva.
The monthly ezine from the Light of the Self Foundation
Issue 25, Feb 2014
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Contents
It is Holi time again. Wish you all very Happy Holi. Holi is a festival for celebration of colors of life. Every festival of
India has a deep spiritual significance. What is the significance of the festival of Holi ?
In one of the popular Bhajans, Shri Krishna complains to Mother Yashodha ‐ Why Radha is fair and I am dark ( Ra‐
dha kyon gori, my kyon kala). Mother Yashodha told jokingly to Shri Krishna, you can splash any color on Radha’s
face. This is how the festival of Holi started. Shri Krishna splashed colors on Radha and played holi with all Gopikas.
Shri Krishna represents Paramatma – the supreme spirit. Radharani represents Prakriti – nature. White in Nature
represents the quality of Satwa – purity. Shri Krishna is dark – indicating that Paramatma is beyond manifestation –
unseen. Splashing of the color represents the multifaceted creation. Playing of Holi represents the play of Para‐
matma with Gopikas representing the Jivatmas. This world is a Divine play. Remembrance of this Divine play, cele‐
brating life is holi.
Another legend of Holi speaks of Holika – sister of the Demon Hiranyakashyapu who had boon from Deity of Fire
that she cannot be burnt. She holds Prahlada on her lap and enters into fire in order to kill him. But Prahlad emerges
unhurt while Holika gets burnt in spite of her boon. Hiranyakashyapu represents the ego and holika represents the
emotions like anger, jealousy associated with ego. Prahlada represents the deep devotion to the Lord. The devotion
destroys all the negative emotions.
One more legend of the day represents Shiva opening His 3rd eye to burn Manmatha. This legend represents the
opening of the wisdom eye destroying the desires – In other words the state of enlightenment.
Thus the festival of holi represents celebration of Divine creation through colors. Festival represents liberation
through devotion and State of enlightenment itself.
Prabhuji Speaks
P a g e 3 D i v y a J y o t h i
The Universal Consciousness is God. The Universal Consciousness is the name, which one cannot understand in gen‐eral. When the Universal Consciousness is called as God, then one can understand easily. Everyone believes that there is divine power, which creates, sustains and destroys known as Shrusti; Sthithi and Laya in Sanskrit. That divine power is God – The Universal Consciousness which we call with different names like God, Lord, Eshwara, Bhagavan etc.
When we ask where is God, then the next question would arise is the place where God does not exist! The Universe is full of Consciousness and that Consciousness is God – The Universal Consciousness. Sanatana Dharma says God is in every minute particle, he is in Chara – movable and Achara – immovable, he is known as ‘charaachara Jaganatha chakra rajaniketana’ which means that he is in movable and immovable things. He is the king of cycle of birth and rebirth, he is infinite. Sanatana Dharma says he is sarvavyapi means all pervading, omnipresent. Science can do research which means that it can search for what is already existing but it cannot search for the existence!
Whatever is happening in day‐to‐day life there must be some cause and you are sure to experience the effect of it. For example, a student working hard is the cause and getting first rank is the effect. The result of every action in the Uni‐verse is the cause and effect of the Universal Consciousness. If the action is good the fruits will be good and we feel happy about it; if the actions are bad naturally the fruits will be bad and we feel sad. Who is the one who decides what fruits should be given to what action? Which action is good and which action is bad? It is God – The Universal Con‐sciousness.
The teacher or the examiner decides the marks to be given to the student based on the answers given by him. Similarly, the God, Universal Consciousness decides what fruits have to be given to the actions performed by each and every hu‐man being in the Universe. He has no difference between rich and poor; caste and creed. Everyone are equal to him, he is God – The Universal Consciousness. What is needed to get the grace of God is devotion, good actions, love and compassion and not the richness or any materialistic power.
Sanatana Dharma
P a g e 4 D i v y a J y o t h i
Panchadasi - Tatva Viveka
From the Rajoguna aspect of the five elements are cre‐ated the five organs of action, viz. speech, hands, legs, anus and organs of procreation, respectively. (21) Commentary – The rajoguna aspect of Pancha Maha‐bhutas is responsible for the creation of karmendriyas – the organs of actions. From the sattva guna aspect of all the five elements together, the inner instrument is formed. In yogic terminology Spiritual Heart is called as the inner instrument (antahkarana). From the inner instrument called antahkarana the functions of Jnanendriyas and karmendriyas are performed. Let us see how the spiritual heart – antahkarana is responsi‐ble for the functioning of indriyas. The functioning of the spiritual Heart is explained below. The operation of the spiritual Heart is shown in the ensuing figure. The inputs from sense organs are re‐ceived by the objective mind (manas). When the sens‐es become aware of some object, an impression of the object is created in the objective mind. The objective mind queries, “what is this object”? For further pro‐cessing, the inputs pass through the subconscious mind (chitta), vast store house of memory and egoistic impressions (samskaras). When the match for the object is found in memory (smriti), associated egoistic impressions (samskaras) arise from the subconscious. For example if chair is the object seen by the senses, chitta identifies the object as “plastic chair or wooden chair”. Egoistic impressions color the perception with “my chair, nice chair ... etc.” The intellect takes decision based on the inputs from chitta and directs the organs of action. Due to accumu‐lated impressions (samskaras), there is sense of ego – (ahankara) in every decision making. This ego sense is our lower self. The purpose of various spiritual practices (sadhana) is to reduce egoistic impressions in the Subconscious (chitta) so that intellect becomes free. The freed intellect operates directly under the guidance of the Witness (Sakshi) – our Higher Self. The purpose of practicing the three systems of yoga – Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga or Raja yoga is to puri‐fy the chitta. Purification of chitta leads to serenity of the mind. Serene Mind can enquire into true nature of self and get freed from the bondage. This process of self‐enquiry is Jnana yoga. Vaak – organ of speech; paani – hands; paada – legs; upastha – organs of excretion and jajnnire – organs of
procreation. The five great elements are still in tan‐matra stage i.e., they have not yet undergone any grossification. They are still in their pure state. Karmendriyas represent the independent manifesta‐tion of rajoguna of the five great elements.
P a g e 5 D i v y a J y o t h i
Inputs from Sense Organs (Eyes ‐ Form, Ears ‐
sound, nose ‐ smell, Tongue ‐ taste, skin ‐ touch.)
(Jnanendriyas)
Objective Mind (Manas)
(What is this object ?)
Subconscious mind (chitta) with egoistic impres‐
sions (samskara) and memories (Smriti) ‐
Identification of Object
Subjective Mind (Intellect, Buddhi)
Decision Making
Output to organs of action (Leg ‐ motion, hand
grasping, mouth (speech), sex organs
(reproduction). Anus (excretion) (Karmendriyas)
P a g e 6 D i v y a J y o t h i
Renunciation with Awareness
One of the myths that we have been conditioned to
believe is that to live a spiritually enriched life, seek‐
ers need to renounce everything worldly. This means
that seekers should give up their family, their job,
their friends, and their possessions and live in a cave
or mountains to be with themselves and introspect/
contemplate etc. to realize the Truth. This also
means that the seekers need to reject all the roles
that they have to perform in the earth school, roles
which are meant to provide them the training school
to KNOW themselves, roles in which their ego and
emotional baggage will come out loud and clear so
that they can heal them with awareness and with love
and compassion, roles that would help them move
beyond duality to seek ONENESS‐this also means
Oneness with all beings including their earth family.
There is also a belief that we need to deprive our‐
selves of worldly life and that in deprivation we can
find the Source. This would assume that seekers
should give up a comfortable bed or their house and
sleep on the floor and live in a shack or seekers
should not eat proper food that they have been
blessed with to realize the Truth.
This belief is probably built upon the premise that
renunciation allows the seekers to disconnect from
the material world, so as not to get distracted, there‐
by allowing focus in the spiritual quest. And it is be‐
lieved that seekers should not be tempted by the
worldly attachments in their quest for spiritual
growth. Sleeping on the floor and depriving ourselves
of what we are blessed with may not necessarily lead
to spiritual living.
There are really no ‘should and shouldn't’ in spiritual
living. We can be wherever we are and start living
consciously. That is why we are, where we are. There
are no mistakes in the Universe. If we are blessed
with abundance–material abundance being one of
them–then rejecting that to ‘self‐realize’ in surely not
the way of ‘Acceptance of what IS.’ Rejecting apart of
abundance is also rejecting a part of love to feel and
be whole and complete. It is like saying that a healthy per‐
son should reject his good health and suffer ill health or a
qualified person should give up his profession (unless he
chooses) and remain on the street to be spiritual. We are
meant to use whatever skills/knowledge/energy/wealth we
have for the manifestation of the highest good. That is why
we have been provided with that form of abundance. And
that is our purpose of life‐to experience and express uncon‐
ditional love.
Any thing that is forced to ‘look’ spiritual is not going to
take us HOME. Spiritual Journey is about KNOWING our‐
selves, our true nature, fears, our mind, our emotions and
through awareness and meditation releasing the blockages
to our spiritual growth. It is about BEING and not ‘doing.’ It
is being detached in everything we have and do in whatever
circumstances from the place of love and compassion. It is
about letting go and having faith in the running of the Uni‐
verse. It is about knowing Oneness and our interconnected‐
ness. It is about radiating the divine qualities that are our
real nature. It is all inner work leading to cleansing and pu‐
rifying the mind so that not even a speck of ego/fear re‐
mains. And it is a journey of several life times.
However, I agree that after a certain stage the seeker may
need more stillness and solitude, to spend more time to be
with himself. And this is a part of our learning and our
growth. Yes, balancing the need for stillness while perform‐
ing our roles with more and more love and compassion,
from BEING LOVE and COMPASSION, just like the Source.
And this to me does not imply renouncing the physical
world.
Jyoti Sondhi
www.lightingthelampwithin.com
Oh Master, see this mighty army of the sons of Pandu, the Pandavas, arrayed in battle order by your very
talented disciple ‐ the son of Drupada ‐ Dhrishtadhyumna.
Zen Koans
Inch Time Foot Gem
A lord asked Takuan, a Zen Teacher, to suggest how he might pass the
time. He felt his days very long attending his office and sitting stiffly to
receive the homage of others.
Takuan wrote eight Chinese characters and gave them to the man:
Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again.
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
Reciting Sutras
A farmer requested a Tendai priest to recite sutras for his wife, who
had died. After the recitation was over the farmer asked: "Do you
think my wife will gain merit from this?"
"Not only your wife, but all sentient beings will benefit from the reci‐
tation of sutras," answered the priest.
"If you say all sentient beings will benefit," said the farmer, "my wife
may be very weak and others will take advantage of her, getting the
benefit she should have. So please recite sutras just for her."
The priest explained that it was the desire of a Buddhist to offer
blessings and wish merit for every living being.
"That is a fine teaching," concluded the farmer, "but please make one
exception. I have a neighbour who is rough and mean to me. Just ex‐
clude him from all those sentient beings."
Source: http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.html
P a g e 9
The devotees who use Raja yoga believe that right
below the back bone there exists a very micro nerve
called Sushmna. Below this is the Mooladhara chak‐
ra(The wheel which is the ultimate basis), and two
inches above is the Swadishtana (ego wishes wheel)
chakra. Above that and opposite to the belly button
is the Mani pooraka (the complete gem wheel) chak‐
ra. Above that and opposite to the heart is Anahatha
chakra (deathless wheel) and above that, opposite to
the throat is the Vishuddhi chakra (wheel of ulti‐
mate cleanliness). Above the Visuddha and in be‐
tween the eyelids is the Agna chakra(Wheel of or‐
der) and in the bottom of the brain is the Sahasrara
chakra(the wheel of thousand lotus).They believe
that the malefic bad thoughts of men sleep in the
Mooladhara chakra in the form of a snake called
Kundalini. If the devotee can wake up this snake and
lead it through each of the above wheels, step by
step and make it reach the Sahasrara, he attains ulti‐
mate redemption and sees the ultimate truth behind
everything.
The Kundalini: Kundalini is the supreme spiritual
power residing in the lowest of the six psychic cen‐
ters in an individual (Muladhara) as a coiled serpent
gone to sleep. As long as this energy is asleep, the
individual is outward‐oriented; he involves in the
world and lives an ordinary life. The grace of
Sadguru is the only way to wake up this energy.
When an individual is graced with Shakti‐path
deeksha from his Sadguru, the Kundalini gets awak‐
ened and suddenly the individual becomes inward‐
oriented and intensifies his spiritual practices. When
the Kundalini is awake, the energy moves upwards,
breaking through the three phenomenal knots of life
named Brahma granthi, Vishnu granthi and Rudra
granthi burning up the six lotus chakras and reaches
the thousand‐petalled lotus on top of the head Sa‐
hasrara where Siva, the Pure Consciousness resides.
The Kundalini shakti moves upwards and unites
with Shiva and this Union is the purpose of what is
known as Kundalini ‐yoga. Kundalini shakti is ever
present in the form of '' hissing'' sound. When we
close both our ears we hear this sound from inside.
(For return of people who have gone on journey; for get‐
ting eight types of wealth)
मह�ं मूलाधारे कम�प म�णपूरे
हुतवहं�ि�थतं �व�ध�टाने ��द
म त-माकाश-मुप#र ।
मनो உ�प &मू'ये
सकलम�प *भ,वा कुलपथं�सह-ारे प.मे
स हरह*स प,या �वहरसे ॥ 9 ॥
Mahim muladhare kamapi manipure
Huthavaham Sthitham svadhistane hridi
marutamakasam upari;
Mano'pi bhruu‐madhye sakalamapi bhittva kula‐patham
Sahasrare padme
saha rahasi patyaa viharase.
Oh Goddess of mine!
You live in seclusion with your consort, in the lotus with
thousand petals,
Reached after breaking through the micro ways,
Of the power of earth in Mooladhara,
Of the power of water of Mani poora,
Of the power of fire of Swadhishtana,
Of the fire of air in the heart,
And of the power of ether in between the eyelids·
Soundarya Lahari: Verse 9
D i v y a J y o t h i
P a g e 1 0
The central ascending channel known as Sushumna oc‐
curs inside the most minute channel enclosed within an‐
other channel, which runs inside and along the back‐
bone called Meru‐danda and reaches up to the subtle
opening on top of the head (brahma‐randhra). To the left
of sushumna but outside the meru‐danda is another
channel called ida, originating from the same source as
the Sushumna, but ending in the left nostril; and to its
right, also outside, the meru‐danda, is the channel known
as Pingala, originating as ida does but ending in the right
nostril. Sushumna represents the principle of Fire, ida
(feminine) represents the lunar principle, and Pingala
(masculine) represents the solar principle.
The three channels are united in their origin in the basal
centre (muladhara) and hence they are called Yukta‐
triveni, (three streams united). The streams are subtle
and representatives of the river Ganga‐ida, the river Ya‐
muna‐pingala, and the hidden river Sarasvati‐
Sushumana.
The central channel being blocked is responsible for the
separation of Shakti and Shiva (pure consciousness). The
awakening and arising of Kundalini uncoiling itself, along
the central channel and reaching the thousand petalled
lotus is the union of Shiva and Shakti ‐ The eternal Bliss.
Goddess lives in seclusion with her consort,in the lotus
with thousand petals, after breaking through the micro
ways of the power of earth in Mooladhara of the power of
water of Mani poora, of the power of fire of Swadhishtana
of the fire of air in the heart and of the power of ether in
between the eyelids·
D i v y a J y o t h i
Lalitha Sahasranama
Champakashoka Punnaga Sougandika lasth kacha
Kuruvinda mani Sreni kanat kotira mandita – 4
Champakashoka Punnaga Sougandika lasth kacha
Her coiffure has the natural fragrance of the Champaka,
Asoka and Punnaga blossoms.
Champakam, ashokam, punnagam, saugandhigam are
the four types of fragrant flowers that adorn Her hair.
But her hair does not get fragrance because of these
flowers, whereas these flowers get their fragrance from
Her hair. Her hair is always sweet smelling. In Sound‐
arya Lahari verse 43, Sri Shankara said that her hair has
natural wetness and extremely soft. That wet and soft
nature of the hair will drive away our ignorance
(ignorance about the Brahman). Wetness indicates her
compassion. Softness indicates her motherhood.
The idea behind this description is when Her hair can
drive away ignorance (knowledge is considered as su‐
preme in realizing the Brahman), what Her total form
can do for her devotees.
Realizing Brahman means realizing 'Tat tvam Asi'
Tat means 'That‘, Tvam means ‘You’; Asi means Are.
Blesses you with Brahma Jnana, the Knowledge of Brah‐
man. Sri Lalita blesses you with the Knowledge of Wis‐
dom 'That Thou Art ‘.
Sri Lalita is One form, No one can know her. She is al‐
ways Pure Consciousness.
Think the below conversation is between Gurudeva &
the student. Student approaches Gurudeva and asks
him, ‘Guruji, I want to reach God, can you help me? '
Guruji ‐ 'Yes.'
Student‐'What should I do?' .
Guruji ‐ 'How can person reach you if he wants to meet
you?'
Student ‐ 'Oh , I am accessible to anybody , all they have
to do is know my address and they can reach me’
Guruji ‐ 'Oh , that's easy then. God follows the same
principle. Just give me your card and I'll pass it on. No
problem.'
So, the student gave Guruji her card. Guruji looked at it
& said, 'Isn't this your name?'
P a g e 1 1
The One who imparts this knowledge is ' Sri Lalita' ‐
Gurudeva alone!!!
Kuruvinda mani Sreni kanat kotira mandita -
Her physical form is thus being described from head
to foot.
She is adorned with a crown bedecked with
(padmaraga) precious stones mined from Red Ku‐
ruvunda stones, symbolising various emotions like
love and also the letters of Student Mantra. This
name also refers to the various vrittis in Sri‐Kala‐
Chakra.
Vrittis ‐ The whole world appears in Universal Con‐
sciousness or Chit, when the Universal Conscious‐
ness identifies with any limited object – body; it is
called Chitta or individual Consciousness. Moment
there is individual Consciousness there is a feeling of
I am the body, I am the mind, I am the intellect and
because of that, feelings of separation, fear, anxiety
and agitations in the individual Consciousness arises
which is called Chitta vritti.
Analogy is that of a king who suddenly becomes a
beggar or a pauper. When the beggar was a king, he
had neither worries nor thoughts about anything as
he was well taken care of, whereas a beggar has to
struggle for his existence. Similarly when the Univer‐
sal Consciousness identifies itself with an object and
becomes a Chitta, there are thoughts, worries, anxie‐
ties and modifications called Chitta vritti. By silenc‐
ing the Chitta vritti individual Consciousness merges
with the Universal Consciousness. Chitta becomes
Chit and Chit becomes one with Sat or Existence and
bliss is attained.
Student ‐ 'Yes.'
Guruji ‐ 'God wants to know who is coming. He doesn't
wants to know your name. The name belongs to you. It
is your possession, but God wants to know who the pos‐
sessor is.'
So than Student wrote on the card that she is
‘Yogacharini’ in Bangalore and Guruji said, ‘Dear, isn't
this your position? That too after the testing is over and
if you go through it.'
Student ‐ 'Yes.'
Guruji ‐ 'He doesn't want to know the position. This
again is your possession to be. Who are you?'
This went on with the student scribbling all over the
card until, finally, she wrote, 'Human being' to which
Guruji said, 'Yes, I know you are not a bird or fox. You
are human being. That is your species. You belong to it.
But who are you?'
Student took the card back and went away because she
understood she did not know who she was. She thought
and thought, attending the satsangs, doing service, dis‐
criminating what she is not.
After few months, she met the person whom she wanted
to meet, she has the answer ‐ 'it is Pure Consciousness'.
Tat ‐ Pure Consciousness, Tvam ‐ ‘I’, Asi ‐ are. Later, she
comes to Gurudeva and asks, “I have the answer, I know
what it is, still I don't not want to accept it. Why Guru‐
ji?”
Guruji – ‘The reason for this is you have the knowledge
and at the same time full of ignorance & the percentage
of ignorance is more than that of knowledge. This is the
nature of your mind, you accept what you see and feel.
One side of your mind says ‐ God has no form or name ,
he is Universal, but the other side of the mind says ‐ God
has lots of names and forms, and describes him as such
and such devata. You want to recognize God in some
physical form or mental form. When I say God is Pure
Consciousness, you forget the existence in it; you look
upon Pure Consciousness but forget the existence "IS" in
it. Catch hold of "IS" and forget the form or experience
in it. When we speak of some object or a person, take for
example yourself, 'This is Student ‘, the mind recognizes
only the name and form of Student , the picture of Stu‐
dent comes to the mind immediately , but not that "IS"
which your existence . Say, ' This is Laptop’. To recog‐
nize the non‐existent also you need "IS”. The form of
Laptop comes to the mind immediately but not "IS" its
existence. "IS" is the Pure Consciousness ‐ The Only Ex‐
istence, which can be realized only when the mind with‐
draws the entire world and world vanishes.
D i v y a J y o t h i
P a g e 1 2
corner or in a cupboard. Where is the place for med‐
itation? For the most important aspect of the life you
don’t have place. Make some nice place and create
some good vibrations by meditating every day. I am
not saying that you should remove the TV and sit
there and meditate, then you can never meditate.
Have the TV but switch off the TV before medita‐
tion. If both Husband and Wife sit and meditate to‐
gether it is good, because if the husband switches off
the TV, the wife wants the TV and vice versa. So
then there will be a war field, no meditation. So
make the environment conducive for meditation in
whatever way possible. If the morning traffic is dis‐
turbing too much, then get up a bit early and sit for
meditation. For me, I used to meditate after coming
back office at 9‐9:30PM when everybody used to
sleep. My meditation starts at 9:30PM and goes up to
1:00AM. There is silence. So you have to create space
for yourself. If you are not able to create space for
yourself, for whom can you create space?
नीहारधूमाक2 3नलानलानां
ख.योत�व.युत �प�टकशशीनाम ्
येता3न 6पा�ण पुर�-ा�ण
78म9य*भ:यि;तकरा�ण योगे ||११||
So when you meditate, what happens normally is the
Subconscious impressions surface. Vishwamitra, the
great king had a fight with Sage Vasishta and wanted
to become a Brahmarshi, so he sat for meditation
and then what happened? A celestial nymph,
Menaka came. There is a symbolic meaning to this.
Vishwamitra was a King and he married many wom‐
en. So when he sat for meditation the first impres‐
sion, the deep rooted impression was his wife and
other women and that surfaced first. Whatever is the
deep rooted impression that surfaces first. Don’t get
trapped by that. Let it go, let it go. A person who
lost parents in his childhood may get the impres‐
sions of the parents. The 8yr old boy, Dhruva, when
he sat for meditation, the first impression he got was
his mother was calling him back to the palace. When
he dropped that impression, then he suddenly start‐
ed seeing the demons dancing and this is because a
child can have naturally deep rooted impressions of
fear. So our Subconscious impressions can come out,
let it go. Then what happens? Then you can have
Swetaswara Upanishad Bhavadhare – 2nd chapter
समे शुचौ शक2 राविAन वालुका-
�वविज2त ेशCध जलाDया�द*भः
मनोनुकूलेन तु चFुपीडने
गहुा3नवातDयणे Hयोजयेत ्|| १० ||
So where do we have to sit for meditation? The place
should be even, the place should be pure. There should
not be stones, fire, and any sound. There should not be
too much movement of people and there should not be
strong wind blowing. Where the nature is beautiful and
the surrounding is naturally pleasing, such a place is good
for meditation.
Now in city like Bangalore where do you find such a
place? So then you will postpone and postpone saying
that ‘One fine day I will find such a place and then I will
meditate’ or ‘One fine day I will go to Himalayas and then
I will meditate’. So, these things about having a good
place to meditate are told to give you a guideline so that
when you sit for meditation you are not disturbed. But
don’t make it so rigid and strong and say, ‘Because there
are vehicles on the road making sound I cannot medi‐
tate’. It is not like that. This is ok for a beginner because
his mind will be running haywire, here and there. We
have to learn to meditate in the place where we are.
Don’t look for Himalayas or mountains or hill resorts or
forests for meditation. All this was possible in the olden
days. They could afford it. Now you cannot afford it. But
if you get such an opportunity, do it, no doubt. But don’t
wait for such an opportunity to have an ideal environ‐
ment for doing meditation. Make a good room or small
place in your house and keep it clean, keep maintaining
the vibrations and do meditation regularly. Don’t search
for ideal conditions. Create the conditions for meditation
in your own house. In your house, I am sure that you
have a nice place for TV, very centrally located. Earlier
days, a centrally located place was given for Puja room,
God’s room. Now the center place in the house is given
for the TV which you anyways worship. Prominent place
in the house is for TV. Then there is a bedroom, kitchen
and a dining hall. And then there is a Puja room in some
D i v y a J y o t h i
Swetaswara Upanishad
P a g e 1 3
visions of Subconscious deep rooted impressions. You
will have visions of Higher Consciousness, glimpses of
various things. Glimpses in terms of snowfall, smoke,
sun, wind, fire, lightning, moon etc. So some of these
natural elements, you will be able to see in your visions
very clearly. So the mind becomes clear, there can be a
light, sparkling light in your visions and you can have
clear vision of Sun or moon or divinity or Master, there
can be many visions. These visions imply that your mind
is becoming more and more silent. Don’t get trapped by
those visions. Don’t go further. The visions are motivat‐
ing, encouraging but the visions itself are not the final
destination. The final destination is the Para Brahma,
the Supreme Reality, and the inner Reality. Go for Para‐
brahma, drop everything and stay in that inner silence.
D i v y a J y o t h i
Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Satsanga
Chapter 2 Sutra 41 (2.41)
12th October, 2012
सJवशु.�धः सौमन�यैकाLयेिAMयजया,मदश2न योNय,वा3न च
॥४१॥
Sattva‐śuddhihi saumanasya‐ikāgry‐endriyajaya‐
ātmadarśana yogyatvāni ca ||41||
My humble pranams to all Atmajyothis, the Divine
Lights of the Self. Today, let us contemplate further on
growing in purity. One can grow in purity
with Satsanga, the company of people who are focused
on Enlightenment, liberation, who work on uplifting
and purifying themselves for Self Realization and study
of Shasthra which are the sayings and teachings of En‐
lightened Masters. In the presence of a Spiritual Master,
in the talks of a Spiritual Master, one finds glimpses of
truth and peace of mind. Listening and contemplating
on what is told by a Spiritual master purifies the mind.
When one performs Seva, service, the mind becomes
purified, silent and peaceful and increases the qualities
of Sattva. Sadhana, the spiritual practices which we
teach in Atma Darshana Yoga, involving yoga for
body, mind and spirit, purifies the mind. Sharanagati,
surrender to the Universal Consciousness is the high‐
est practice for purification of the mind. All these
practices together bring serenity, peace and purity in
the mind called Shaucha.
With Shaucha or Sattva shuddhi, the individual
blooms. Purity can be understood as doing or as being.
It is a spiritual quality, a person’s inner nature is im‐
bued in Sattva, he becomes a Satvik being, a purified
being. A purified being has a Satvik mind – which
clearly reflects the pure consciousness. He/She is hap‐
py and has focused mind with which one can realize
the Self. For example, sunlight reflects on water, on a
stone and on a mirror. Reflection of sunlight in mirror
is very clear. Similarly, in Rajo guna or Tamo gunathe
consciousness is reflected, but the quality is very poor,
whereas in Satva guna the consciousness is reflected
fully and one gets close to consciousness, divinity or
the inner Self. When one engages in Atma Darshana
Yoga meditation practices, the mind becomes si‐
lent, Satvik and moves closer to the inner Self, and Self
Realization dawns.
P a g e 1 4
him or talk to him again, he was so close to us. I am
surprised that you are not crying."
His dad wiped tears off Kishan’s face and said,
“Kishan, don’t you remember what I told Chetana
last week when she was crying for the gift? We
should not cry or feel sad for short‐lived things.”
Kishan was surprised he could not understand what
his dad was trying to tell him. He said, “How can
uncle be one of those short‐lived things? He is a per‐
son not a thing and he was with us for so many years
dad.”
His dad said, “Why not? This body of your Uncle
which you are seeing is not permanent. Everyone
will become old and die one day. So, body is also one
of those short‐lived things. I am not crying because
when your uncle was alive I loved him, I always
wished good for him and helped him whenever I
could and we both had a beautiful relationship. I
knew that everything is short lived and I did my best
in that short time. It is more important to be good to
people when they are alive than cry when they die.”
Kishan, now trying to understand said, “In that case,
everything in this world is short‐lived. Isn't there
anything that is permanent which will never die?”
His dad made Kishan sit on his lap and said, “It is
God; God is inside us and is present everywhere in
this universe. He is the same in everybody. God has
neither birth nor death. It is because of the power of
God the body runs. Now your uncle died which
means that this body that you called as uncle died,
but God inside uncle does not die.”
Kishan said, “Dad, I did not completely understand
what you said, but I feel better now because I was
also good to uncle when he was alive.”
Kishan went inside and sat down with his aunty,
cousins and mother. He was thinking about what his
Dad had told him.
God alone is permanent
Shloka 2. 12
natvevahamjatunasam
natvamnemejanadhipah
nacaivanabhavisyamah
sarvevayamatahpaRam
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor
all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to
be.
A few days later while Kishan was in his classroom, the
Principal's attendant came and told the Teacher that the
Principal wants to see Kishan in her office. Kishan was
very surprised when his teacher asked him to go and
meet the Principal. He went to the Principal's room. The
Principal told him that his father had called her and told
her that he will be coming to the school in a while to pick
up Kishan and requested her to make him wait in the
visitors waiting area. She asked Kishan to take his bag
from the classroom and wait in the reception area. He
was now waiting for his dad and wondering why his dad
is coming to school at this hour to pick him up and was
hoping that everything was fine.
Kishan’s dad arrived and they left from the school imme‐
diately. As soon as he sat in the car Kishan asked his dad,
"Dad, why are we going home? What happened?"
His dad said, "Kishan, I have sad news for you, your Uncle
passed away an hour ago. We have to go to his house.
Your mother and Chetana have reached there."
Kishan was silent for a moment, trying to understand
what he just heard. He then started weeping silently.
On reaching their uncle’s house, Kishan was not prepared
to see his uncle lying dead. He was holding on to his
dad's hand for a long time. He saw everybody sitting
around his uncle's body and weeping. He looked at his
uncle's body. He recollected his uncle hugging him, tell‐
ing him stories, wishing him on his birthday, taking him
and his sister to amusement parks and movies. He wept
more. He later observed that while everyone else were
crying aloud and saying that this should not have hap‐
pened, his dad was not. His dad appeared to have accept‐
ed the death of his brother.
He went up to his dad and asked, “Dad, uncle was your
brother. He died, which means that you can never see
D i v y a J y o t h i
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