Nakshatra Veena Concert (Ensemble of 27 Veena) | Alumni of Sathya Sai Mu...

SHYAM TERI BANSI PUKARE RADHA NAAM | VERY BEAUTIFUL SONGS - POPULAR KRIS...

Just as a mirror shines bright once it has been cleaned of dust, so those who have seen the Self shine in mind and body. They are always and forever filled with happiness.
Only by knowing the Self does on become immortal. 
There is no other path.

Why do you worry unnecessarily? Whom do you fear? Who can kill you? The soul is neither born nor dies.

Whatever happened, was good, what's happening, it's going well, whatever will happen, will also be good. You need not have any regrets for the past. Do not worry for the future. Live in Present.

What do you got, that you cry? What you brought, that you lost? What did you produce, which has destroyed? You did not get anything with you, whatever is there, you received from here(earth). Whatever you will give, you will give here. Whatever you took, was given by God. Whatever you gave, you gave to him.

You came empty-handed and you will go empty-handed. Which is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, will belong to someone else tomorrow. All these things, which give you happiness, is the reason of sorrow

Offer yourself to God. This is the perfect resort. Who know's this, is fearless, free of worries and sorrow forever.

Sri Krishna

“My teaching is simple. Do what is right. Be Pure.”
~ The Buddha ~

Rathotsavam & Sita Rama Kalyanam at Prasanthi Nilayam || 91st Birthday C...

ARMY 2015: Music Programme by Prashanthi Mandir Bhajan Group

Sathya Sai Baba Melodies Bhajans (Krishna Special)

The easiest and most fruitful method of keeping yourself free from dust and rust is good company (Satsang).

Mind...

The man whose mind is purified by a knowledge of the precepts of liberation neither regrets nor rejoices at the loss or gain of the objects of enjoyment.

They neither grieve at unwished-for occurrences nor pine for their wished-for chances. Knowing well all accidents are the consequences of their actions.

The tradition of Gurupurnima

The tradition of Gurupurnima:
Gurupurnima is an ancient Indian celebration.
It goes back to the time when the four Vedas were established as the foundation of the Indian tradition. 
The great sage Veda Vyasa, who compiled the Vedas, was also the one whose inspiration gave rise to this celebration of Gurupurnima — a celebration in honor of the Guru.
The disciples of Veda Vyasa were pondering the immense nature of the gifts that he had bestowed on the world. Not only had he compiled the four Vedas, but he had recorded the Mahabharata and the thirty-six Puranas—masterpieces of the Indian spiritual tradition. In addition to these great bequests to mankind, he was their teacher and had bestowed his grace and his spiritual knowledge upon each one of them.
By following his guidance, the disciples of Veda Vyasa grew to spiritual maturity and felt rich in gratitude to their teacher. Uncertain what form of thanks could possibly be adequate to express their gratitude, they asked Veda Vyasa,
"How can we repay you for the divine wisdom you have imparted to us?"
With great compassion, Veda Vyasa told his disciples that they could choose one day of the year to be especially dedicated to honoring the Guru as a way to express this profound gratitude. On this chosen day, the Guru would be honored with offerings and gifts. Disciples, for all time, would know that their offerings would always, on this day, reach their Guru.
The disciples of Veda Vyasa followed his guidance. They chose the day of the full moon (purnima) in the month of Ashadha, as it was considered the fullest and brightest of all the year's purnimas.
This day became known as "Gurupurnima"—the full moon of the Guru.
This tradition of Gurupurnima has continued throughout the ages, and disciples celebrate the full moon of July with yoga practices, with offerings, and with love—all in gratitude for the Guru's gift of life and knowledge. Disciples bow to the Guru's grace with reverence and love.

The Satguru is Brahman Himself.

The Satguru is Brahman Himself. He is an
ocean of bliss, knowledge and mercy. He is the captain of your soul. He is the fountain of joy. He removes all your troubles, sorrows and obstacles. He shows you the right divine path. He tears your veil of ignorance. He makes you immortal and divine. He transmutes your lower, diabolical nature. He hives you the rope of knowledge and saves you when you are drowning in this ocean of Samsara. Do not consider him to be only a man. If you take him as a man, you are abeast. Worship your Guru and bow to him with reverence.

Swami Sivavanda

Guru Poornima Celebrations - Morning Programme - 19 Jul 2016

When tears of love and joy pour in abundance from the ‪#‎youth‬ for God, you feel so thrilled that the future has got its priorities right! Welcome to day 2 of the ‪#‎WYC‬ at ‪#‎PrasanthiNilayam‬ and hear the thoughts and feel the feelings of the Youth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuXqkUMi_N0 ‪#‎SathyaSai‬Sathya Sai World Youth Festival (Day 02 - Evening Session) from Prasanth...

Happy Mother's Day...

The Mother's Grace
The way is long and tedious; but since one does not walk alone in this yoga, since one learns, in his own time, to feel the Presence, the accompanying light of the Mother's Grace on the path, on anxiety or fear of failure is possible. What is wanted is strength. She alone can give it, and that She certainly does, as we grow, or She Herself hastens up our growth.

Revere your Mother and Love her
Be full of love. There is nothing beyond love. In our heart, we should be full of love. Even a belching, our vision, in everything there will be love, everything will transform itself into love. If you got hatred inside and if you ask for something with a polite veneer, it cannot happen at all. Embodiments of love!!! We have got to remember from moment to moment, the principle of the mother's love. Under any circumstances we must make the mother happy. Without a mother being happy, I will not be happy. With your efforts, if you make your mother happy, I am also happy. If you fill your hearts with love, then I and you are one. You have got to go to the state of oneness. If you think I am separate, you are separate, there is a difference between us. We should not have this feeling. There should be an intimate relationship. There should always be the bond of 'you and I are one'. We might have two bodies, but the love principle should bind us. Therefore, we have got to think of the mother's love. You have got to revere your mother and love her; the love between both of you is one. We have got to love everybody.

Women are the mothers of the coming generation; they are the teachers of that generation, during the first five years of life. The mother is the first of the five Maathas (Mothers), that the Indian child encounters: Dheha-maatha (the mother that gave birth to this body); Go-maatha (the cow that gives sustaining milk); Bhoo-maatha (the land that grows the crops which feed the body); Dhesa-maatha (the Native country that gives protection, care, love, rights and chances to serve and elevate oneself to one's full height), and Vedha-maatha (the heritage of spiritual treasure that reveals the aim and purpose of human life and takes one step by step, towards the Goal of Self-realisation). The Dhehamaatha must reveal to the child the glories of all the other four; so her responsibility is the greatest and most crucial.

Love can be experienced only in a mind flowing with Love and a heart filled with Love. The essence of all spiritual disciplines is contained in Love.

Love sustains. Love strengthens. Love is the urge behind all adventures, all sacrifices, all success. When Love is the lever that operates the mind, only good can result.

Mother's Day

Physically your mother may not be with you, but your love for her should remains the same .

The noble feelings of the mothers are reflected in their children becoming virtuous, intelligent, attaining exalted positions and earning good name and fame. - Sri Sathya Sai

If you honour your mother, the Mother of the universe will guard you against harm. - Baba

6th May 2016 Easwaramma Day.....

"Motherhood is the most precious gift of God. Mothers are the makers of a nation's future or misfortune. They should teach two lessons, fear of sin and fondness for virtues. Both of these are based on faith in God, being the inner motivator of all. If you want to know how advanced a nation is, study the mothers. Are they free from fear and anxiety? Are they full of love towards all? Are they trained in fortitude and virtue? If you like to imbibe the glory of a culture, watch the mothers rocking the cradles, feeding, fostering, teaching and fondling the babies. Mothers must assume this responsibility and not throw it on Aayaas (governess or maid). A child that is brought by the Aayaa loses essential fertilizer for growth and love. The child is denied the best health-giving vitamin, love."
"Respect your mother; obey her commands. Never disrespect your mother or disappoint her. Do not hurt her feelings. Try to satisfy her in all respects. Only then the seed of devotion will sprout in you. Everyone should follow the dictum, "Maatru Devo Bhava" (Worship your mother as God.) in letter and spirit."
AUM SRI SAIRAMA.....

Blessing

Make your home God's home and there will be light, love and abundance.
Make your body God's abode and there will be peace and bliss.
Feel your mind as a toy of God and you'll watch and enjoy all its games.
See this world as play and as a display of God Himself and you will repose in the Non-Dual Self.
Blessing comes to you in many forms.

• If you are generous, blessing comes to you as abundance.
• If you are hardworking, blessing comes to you as happiness.
• If you are lazy, blessing comes to you as hard work! (Laughter)
• If you are pleasure loving, blessing comes to you as dispassion.
• If you are dispassionate, blessing comes to you as knowledge of the Self.

Sincerity And Blessings

Q: Many ask for blessings but only a few will receive it. Why?
A: The giver is anyway giving but the taker is not there - the sincerity is missing. One who gives blessings gives it freely but the one who receives it has to be sincere. Sincerity is the qualification to receive blessings. And everyone is free to be sincere at any point of time or space.
Q: Why do people choose to be sincere only sometimes?
A: Because of the illusion that they are going to miss some mundane pleasure. Hankering after pleasure makes them insincere. When you are sincere you simply enjoy pleasure.
Poor people fight for food. Rich people share their food. Richer are those people who share power. Richer still are those who share fame. Richest are those who share themselves. Richness of a person is indicated by his ability to share and not by what he hoards. Godliness is enjoying sharing fame.
"Sincerity is being in touch with your Depth."

Feel blessed

Break through all the barriers and feel that you Are Blessed. This Is The One And Only Step You Have To take - the rest will all happen.
This deep sense of feeling that "I am blessed" can help you overcome any obstacles in life. It gives you courage and confidence and it will open your lid for grace to be poured in.
Once you realize that you are blessed, then:

• All the complaints disappear
• All the grumbling disappears
• All the insecurities disappear
• A sense of feeling unloved disappears
• Wanting love disappears.

If you don't realize you are blessed, then the doership begins. If you want to make a difference in your life, feel you are blessed. And especially for those on this path of knowledge, there is no reason for you to not feel blessed. So, feel you are blessed. This is the first step towards the Self.

What is Guru’s grace? How does it lead to Self-realization?

Questioner : What is Guru’s grace? How does it lead
to Self-realization?

Sri Ramana Maharshi : Guru is the Self. Sometimes
in his life a man becomes dissatisfied and not
content with what he has, he seeks the satisfaction
of his desires through prayer to God. His mind is
gradually purified until he longs to know God, more
to obtain his grace than to satisfy his worldly
desires. Then, God’s grace begins to manifest.
God takes the form of a Guru and appears to the
devotee, teaches him the truth and, more over,
purifies his mind by association. The
devotee’s mind gains strength and is then able to
turn inward. By meditation it is further purified and it
remains still without the least ripple. That calm
expanse is the Self. The Guru is both external and
internal. From the exterior he gives a push to the
mind to turn it inwards. From the interior he pulls
the mind towards the Self and helps in the
quietening of the mind. That is Guru’s grace. There
is no difference between God, Guru and the Self.

Questioner : In the Theosophical Society they
meditate in order to seek masters to guide them.

Sri Ramana Maharshi : The master is within;
meditation is meant to remove the ignorant idea
that he is only outside. If he is a stranger whom
you await, he is bound to disappear also. What is
the use of a transient being like that? But so long
as you think you are separate or that you are the
body, an external master is also necessary and he
will appear to have a body. When the
wrong identification of oneself with the body
ceases, the master will be found to be none other
than the Self.

Sri Lakshminrusimha Stothram by Priya Sisters - Devotional Songs

Last days- Saibaba speaks about leaving body soon

Sai last Darshan 20-03-2011

Goal of Life is God-Realisation

Goal of Life is God-Realisation

Holi is not only about colors and sweets. It reminds of the divine and eternal love of Krishna and Radha. It also reminds one of Narashima, Prahlada and ...

Holi is not only about colors and sweets. It reminds of the divine and eternal love of Krishna and Radha. It also reminds one of Narashima, Prahlada and It is a festival where you are coloured in the colours of your soul.


The 'Holi' festival is a very fun-filled and popular occasion in India. People play holi with Chandan (sandalwood powder) and colored water. This festival is celebrated around early March each year. People believe that the bright colors represent energy, life and joy. Huge bonfires are also lit in the evening as part of the celebration. 

Life should be full of colors! And each color is meant to be seen and enjoyed separately, for if seen all mixed together, they will appear all black. All the colors like red, yellow, green, etc. should exist side by side and simultaneously be enjoyed together. 

Similarly, in life, different roles played by the same person should exist peacefully and distinctly inside him. For example, when a father continues to play his role of a 'father' in office, things are bound to go for a toss. In our country, a politician is sometimes a father first and a leader later! 

In which ever situation we are in, we should play the corresponding role to the hilt and then life is bound to become colorful! This concept was called 'Varnashram' in ancient India. This meant - everyone, be it a doctor, teacher, father, whoever or whatever, is expected to play their roles with full enthusiasm. Mixing professions will always be counter productive. If a doctor wants to do business, he should run a business separately and secondary to his profession and not make business out of medicine. Keeping these 'containers' of the mind separate and distinct is the secret of a happy life and this is what HOLI teaches. 

All colors emanate from white, and when mixed again, they become black. When your mind is white and consciousness - pure, peaceful, happy and meditative, different colors and roles emerge. We get the strength to play various roles with full sincerity against the background. We have to dip into our consciousness time and again. If we only look inwards and play around with colors outside of us, we are bound to find blackness all over again. Between roles we have to take deep rests, in order to play each role sincerely. Now, the biggest impediment to deep rest is desire. Desire means stress. Even petty desires cause high stress - the higher goals give relatively less botheration! Desire tortures the mind at times. 

So what does one do?
The only way out is to focus attention on the desire and surrender it. This act of focusing awareness or sight on the desire or Kama is called 'kamakshi'. With awareness, desire loses its grip and surrender happens and then nectar flows out from within. The goddess, Kamakshi, holds a sugarcane stem in one hand and a flower in the other. The sugar-cane stem is so hard and has to be squeezed in order to obtain sweetness, while the flower is soft and collecting nectar from it is so easy. This truly represents life, which indeed has a little of both! It is far easier to obtain this bliss from the inside than it is to try to extract pleasure from the outside world - which needs a lot more effort.

TRUTH

" You Shall Speak The Truth "

" One day Goddess Parvati asked Shiva, " Lord, I have heard that there is a sacred shrine for your worship by name Kashi and that those who visit Kashi and offer worship to you, after a holy bath in the Ganges, will earn the merit of coming to Kailash and staying here forever. Is it true ? " Lord Shiva replied, " All the people cannot earn that merit. Mere visiting Kashi and offering worship to my image are not enough. Presently, I shall make the point clear to you. Let us go to Kashi as an aged couple. I shall make you enact a drama?"

Lord Shiva and Parvati appeared before the entrance of the temple of Shiva, Parvati as an old hage of eighty years and Lord Shiva a rickety old man of ninety. Shiva laid his head on the lap of Parvati and started groaning in severe pain. The old woman was crying helplessly. She begged every pilgrim saying,
" Oh ye devotees, look here, this is my husband. He is terribly thirsty and may die any moment. Will you please fetch some water for him to drink? I cannot leave him alone and go to fetch water."
The pilgrims were coming from the ghats after their ceremonial bath in the Ganges. Their clothes were wet and they were carrying water in small bright brass vessels. They saw and heard the woman's lament. Some said, " Wait, we shall attend to your husband after offering the sacred Ganges water to Lord Vishwanath."

Some said, "Oh what a nuisance! Why can't these beggars allow us at least to offer worship in peace." Some other said, " These beggars should not be allowed to sit here."

There was a big crowd near the temple entrance. A professional pickpocket walked along with some of these pilgrims. He also heard the old woman's lament. He could not bear the sight of the suffering old man and the bewailing old woman. He walked up to them and said, " Mother, what do you want? Who are you? Why are you here?" The old woman replied, " Son, we came here to have the darshan of Lord Vishweshwara. My husband suddenly took Ill and fainted out of exhaustion. He might survive if someone were to pour some water into his parched mouth. His condition is too critical for me to leave him and go to bring water. I requested many people to help me, but nobody would spare any water though they have been carrying pitchers full of it." The thief was moved to compassion. He had brought some water in the dried gourd-pot. The woman stopped him and said, "Son, my husband may die any moment, he will not accept water unless the person who gives water speaks truth." The pickpocket could not catch the meaning. He said,
" Mother, please tell me what I should do?" With a cynical laughter, he said, " I have not done any good deed so far. I am a professional pickpocket. The only one good deed is that which I am going to do now, to offer water to this dying old man. This is true." He poured gently some water into the mouth of the old man. No sooner had the pickpocket done this deed than the old couple disappeared and in their place stood Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, in all their full splendour. Shiva said, " Son, you are indeed blessed. There is no greater morality than speaking the truth, and no true worship is more fruitful than service to fellow human beings. You have atoned for all the sins you have committed so far because of this one good deed. "

True devotion really means installing the Divine in your heart and enjoying the bliss of that experience.

Parents today lavish too much affection on their children. But such affection alone is not enough. There should be both ‘love’ and ‘law’. Only when both love and restraint are present will the love prove beneficial. For all the evil habits of children, who are naturally innocent and uninformed, the parents are primarily responsible. Parents today do not make any efforts to teach proper ways of behaviour to the children. They pamper the children by giving them money and gifts freely. They want their children to become officers, to earn large incomes, acquire wealth and lead a life of comfort and ease. But they do not consider for a moment how they should make the children realise the need to develop good qualities. It is up to parents to teach the children to cultivate right attitudes and moral qualities. Parents should feel happy only when they see their children leading blameless lives, acquiring a good name and behaving properly. 

True devotion really means installing the Divine in your heart and enjoying the bliss of that experience. 

Gratitude Program by Under Graduate & Music College Students of Sai Univ...

10 Tips For Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth is the process of inner awakening, and becoming conscious our inner being. It means the rising of the consciousness beyond the ordinary existence, and awakening to some Universal truths. It means going beyond the mind and the ego and realizing who you really are.

Spiritual growth is a process of shedding our wrong and unreal conceptions, thoughts, beliefs and ideas, and becoming more and more conscious and aware of our inner being. This process uncovers the inner spirit that is always present, but hidden beyond the ego-personality.

Spiritual growth is of great importance for everyone, not only for people who seek spiritual enlightenment and choose to live in far away or secluded places. Spiritual growth is the basis for a better and more harmonious life for everyone, a life free of tension, fear and anxiety.

By discovering who we really are we take a different approach to life. We learn not to let outer circumstances influence our inner being and state of mind. We manifest composure and detachment, and we develop inner power and strength, all of which are very useful and important tools.

Spiritual growth is not a means for escaping from responsibilities, behaving strangely and becoming an impractical person. It is a method of growing and becoming a stronger, happier and more responsible person.

You can walk on the path of spiritual growth, and at the same time live the same kind of life as everyone else. You do not have to live a secluded life in some far away place. You can raise a family, work or run a business, and yet at the same time engage in practices that lead to inner growth.

A balanced life requires that we take care not only of the necessities of the body, feelings and mind, but also of the spirit, and this is the role of spiritual growth.

10 tips for spiritual growth:

1. Read spiritual and uplifting books. Think about what you read, and find out how you can use the information in your life.

2. Meditate for at least 15 minutes every day. If you do not know how to meditate, it is easy to find books, websites or teachers who can teach you meditation.

3. Learn to make your mind quiet through concentration exercises and meditation.

4. Acknowledge the fact that you are a spirit with a physical body, not a physical body with a spirit. If you can really accept this idea, it will change your attitude towards many things in your life.

5. Look often into yourself and into your mind, and try to find out what is it that makes you feel conscious and alive.

6. Think positive. If you find yourself thinking negatively, immediately switch to thinking positively. Be in control of what enters your mind. Open the door for the positive and close it for the negative.

7. Develop the happiness habit, by always looking at the bright side of life and endeavoring to be happy. Happiness comes from within. Do not let your outer circumstances decide your happiness for you.

8. Exercise often your will power and decision making ability. This strengthens you and gives you control over your mind.

9. Thank the Universe for everything that you get.

10. Develop tolerance, patience, tact and consideration for others.

Spiritual growth is the birthright of everyone. It is the key to a life of happiness and peace of mind, and the manifesting the enormous power of the inner spirit. This spirit is equally present within the most material person, and within the most spiritual person. The level of the manifestation of spirituality is dependent on how much the inner spirit is close to the surface, and on how much it is covered and hidden, by thoughts, beliefs and negative habits.

'Shiva Sankalpamu' Dance Presentation by the Prasanthi Dance Group - 06 ...

NAMA SMARARANA

Smarana

Smarana is remembrance of the Lord at all times. This is unbroken memory of the Name and Form of the Lord. The mind does not think of any object of the world, but is ever engrossed in thinking of the glories of the Lord alone. The mind meditates on what is heard about the glories of God and His virtues, Names etc., and forgets even the body and contents itself in the remembrance of God, just as Dhruva and Prahlada did. Even Japa is only remembrance of God and comes under the category of this Bhakti. Remembrance also includes hearing of stories pertaining to God at all times, talking of God, teaching to others what pertains to God, meditation on the attributes of God, etc. Remembrance has no particular time. God is to be remembered at all times without break, so long as one has got his consciousness intact. Right up from his getting up from sleep in the morning, until he is completely overpowered by sleep in the night, a person is to remember God. He has no other duty in this world except remembrance of God. Remembrance of God alone can destroy all worldly Samskaras. Remembrance of God alone can turn away the mind from sense-objects. Generally the mind runs extrovert. But remembrance of God makes it introvert and does not allow it to run to particular objects of the world. Remembrance of God is a very difficult method of Sadhana. It is not possible to remember God at all times. The mind will cheat the person. He will think that he is meditating on God, but actually he will be dreaming of some object of the world or something connected with the name and fame. Remembrance is equal to concentration or meditation. All the qualities which a Raja-Yogin prescribes for the practice of meditation should be acquired by a Bhakta who wants to practise Smarana-Bhakti. Smarana is swimming against the forceful current of the river of Maya. Smarana leads to exclusive meditation on God, as is done in Raja-Yoga.

Company of real devotees is another auxiliary in the remembrance of God. Service of Mahatmas is still another necessity. The mind cannot but remember divine things when it is in the company of divine people. Therefore one should have Satsanga and he should always live with a saint or a great Bhakta. He should not be perturbed by censure or ridicule from the world. He should rely on God and rest assured that God will help him in all troubles and He will give him Final Emancipation.

Lord Krishna says in the Gita: O Arjuna! He who fixing his mind on Me, constantly remembers Me, I am easily attained by that Yogi, ever united with Me. The Gita is an authority on the nine modes of Bhakti. Lord Krishna illustrates with authority that the various modes of devotion shall lead one to the Supreme.

Remembrance of the Lord has given Liberation even to those who remembered Him through hatred, even as a worm, through meditation on the wasp through hatred and fear, attains the state of the wasp. Haters of the Lord like Kamsa and Sisupala had attained the state of Moksha through Vaira-Bhakti. Constant remembrance is the fruit of almost all other methods of practice in spiritual Sadhana. This is the most potent method and the most difficult also.

The miser does not forget his wealth even if he is engaged in other duties. The lustful man does not forget his beloved, and the cow does not forget its calf even while grazing. Even so a worldly man, even though he may be engaged in other duties of life, should practise the remembrance of God.

Prahlada practised the remembrance of God. He never forgot God at any time. He was punished by his cruel father in all possible ways. But the devoted Prahlada crossed over all troubles and obtained the Supreme Grace of the Lord. Prahlada was lost in the consciousness of God. Such should be the ardent aspiration of all devotees. The seventh Skandha of the Bhagavata gives a beautiful description of how Prahlada practised Bhakti even amidst trying conditions.

by Swami Sivananda

To Achieve Nirvana

Nirvana is defined as a peaceful state of mind that is free from craving, anger and mental suffering. The concept of Nirvana is based on the philosophy and beliefs attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha, who lived between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE.

The fundamental teachings of this philosophy acknowledge that there is suffering in the world, and that much of this suffering is caused by our desires and expectations of how life should be. The path to enlightenment, which leads to the cessation of suffering (nirvana), requires that we understand our relationship to the natural world and accept the consequences of being conscious mortal beings. We must understand the cognitive and emotional causes of suffering and attempt to change our patterns of thought and behavior so that our mind and our mood is not controlled by our desires for fulfillment. The traditional steps for achieving nirvana require wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline.

Wisdom purifies the mind and allows it to attain spiritual insight into the true nature of all things. We must be critical observers and view reality as it is, not just as it appears to be. The view of nature gained through deep reflection and validated through investigation provides us with the right intention to reach toward goals that are compatible with the new vision.

Ethical conduct gives us the peace of mind that comes from knowing that our actions do not result in harm for other living beings. We must be truthful and considerate. We must act in ways that are not harmful to others, and our work must not contribute to human misery or aggravate the condition of our fellow men.

Mental discipline provides control over our own mind. This is accomplished through contemplative and meditative practices. We always have to make an effort to improve ourselves. We have to maintain a high level of awareness to see things for what they are without letting them influence our emotions, and we have to allow the mind to observe and gain insight into the changing flow of experience.

Achieving nirvana requires determination, and a whole lifetime of dedication. 

Seek Thee Beauty Of The Real Within

Every now and then, you look for a beauty that will not fade with time. But the approach that you take usually comprises looking at people and judging their qualities. Tell me one thing, is that really the way to seek real beauty? The beauty that comes and goes in a transient manner can never satisfy you fully, for it is by it’s very nature transient. I have seen many a times people running after attracting individuals in response to the charm that they find in others. The charming beauty pleases the person for a certain period of time, thereupon abandoning at a point where he finds no longer the pleasure like the first time. Isn’t it quite ridiculous for all of us to fall for others in such a fickle way? Precisely, it is not a problem if sought out deeply, nor a habit of responding to the natural urges due to carnal desires abnormally. There is something more to it, rather a deep mystery of our mystical soul.

The soul in itself is the complete perfection and a spark of the divine being individualized within an entity. The entity is nothing more than a physical encasement of matter which imposes several limitations to the abundance, and immense vitality of that Great Divine Source. As you can realize, the limitations of this Encasement cum physical body belittles the beauty which is much more than what it holds in it’s confined domain. When the soul gets trapped in this labyrinth of limitations, ignorance begins to cloud his consciousness which in time obscures the visibility of the True beauty which lies beyond the physical body, not in the body. But this innate tendency of rejoicing the Divine beauty keeps on pulling him, or distracting on a phenomenal manner to seek it again and again. Due to ignorance he finds it elsewhere, into the abyss of darkness which can contain nothing more than the mirage of the beauty, not the beauty as such, instead of finding it into the source within.

Being unaware of this subtle innate tendency of seeing the beauty he keeps on wandering around, opting it in “this” or “that”, keeping him always in the vicious cycle of this Grand illusion, the illusion which offers nothing as real, but projecting the unreal as real making you a part of it.

So if you ever see a lad lurking around a girl, don’t take it be a nonsense. Peculiar it may seem, but you should know what the man is desiring inwardly. So if you think over the matter, it will clear your mind off all the debris that there is nothing wrong in searching beauty in a people. But you should know at the same times that the beauty that you are looking will not last for long. It will end with the factor which shows it, the physical body. Once gone, the beauty too is gone. So what is the utility of taking pleasure from something temporary.

There is a fountain of Great beatitude within, which once harnessed can drench you with great vitality, contentment, and joy. Thus stop looking for the beauty that comes and goes, instead dive within find the real source of it.

Peace & Love.

Vipassana: The Golden Silence

Vipassana meditation is an ancient technique, which the Buddha practiced on his journey to enlightenment. The objects of Vipassana meditation are thoughts, emotions and sensations throughout the body. When practiced with persistence, it can impact your life in a number of positive ways.

The key benefits of Vipassana meditation are as follows:

Development of Wisdom

A unique effect of Vipassana is it enables you to understand and experience the Law of Impermanence in action. This law states that everything is changing. Nothing lasts. This is true in our outer world. For instance, you buy a piece of clothing. Your wear it and wash it over again. All the time it is disintegrating.

The Law of Impermanence also applies to our inner world and our thoughts, feelings and sensations, which emerge, stay for a while and then pass away. By meditating on the arising and passing away of mind-body phenomena, one develops true wisdom of what is going on inside them.

Witness How Suffering is Caused

Related to the point above developing wisdom, by practicing Vipassana meditation, you also experience how you are responsible for your own suffering. When you become attached to your thoughts, emotions and feelings, you suffer. For instance if you have an unpleasant thought, you will resist it and become uncomfortable.

On the other hand, if you have a pleasant thought, you will enjoy it. However, it won’t last for long. As soon as it passes, there is potential for you to suffer again as you may become frustrated.

Non-Attachment

Through practice of Vipassana, you learnt to develop non-attachment to your thoughts, emotions and sensations. You know that whatever arises in you will pass away, anyway. By understand and experiencing this, you will become less and less attached to your mind-body phenomena.

You will learn how to stop creating a false Self, which happens through attachment. By meditating on non-attachment, over time you will experience reduced stress and become less agitated.

More Present Moment Living

By observing your thoughts, emotions and sensations objectively, you are living in the present moment, as you are not getting caught up in the contents of your mind-body phenomena. You’re just a detached observer. This is true living in the moment.

How to do Vipassana Meditation

When first starting out with Vipassana, aim to meditate for 20-30 minutes a day in one sitting. A basic outline for Vipassana meditation in the S.N. Goenka style is as follows.

1. Sit in a quiet place, cross-legged on a meditation cushion or a pillow. If it’s too uncomfortable to sit like this, you can also sit upright on a chair. Close your eyes.

2. Starting at the top of your head in the centre of it, observe sensations arising and passing away, objectively, without getting attached to them. These sensations could be prickling, tickling, heat or cold spots. If it’s a pleasant sensation, just observe it without labelling it as being pleasant. If it’s an unpleasant one, do the same.

Don’t react to it. Just observe it. Continue observing such sensations working your way down all over your body, your arms, chest, abdomen and your legs, until you reach the tips of your toes. Once you reach your toes, go back the other way from your toes to your head, observing sensations, arising and passing away.

3. As you’re observing sensations, if a thought or emotion arises in you, just observe it objectively, without becoming attached to it. For instance, if a pleasant emotion arises, don’t become attached it. On the other hand, if it is an unpleasant emotion arises, just observe it objectively. Maintain complete balance of your mind.

True Love Is Eternal Love. Valentine's Day

The love of God is the real truth and reality of ‪#‎ValentinesDay‬
True Love Is Eternal Love.

This Valentine’s Day, make the Divine your valentine. See the Divine in your valentine and make the divinity your valentine. Have the same love for everyone, with different flavours. You cannot behave the same way with everyone, but you can love all of them. Love transcends behaviour and etiquette.

Abiding in the Self, you become the valentine for the whole world. Spirit is the valentine of matter and matter is the valentine of the spirit. They are made for each other. If you hold on to matter and do not respect the spirit, then matter is not pleased. If you honour the spirit, then you will care for the world, and when you care for the world, it will take care of you.

Keep your heart in a safe place; it is too delicate. Events and small things make strong impressions on it. A precious stone needs a setting around it - gold or silver - to hold it; in the same way wisdom and knowledge are the settings that will hold your heart in the Divine. To keep your heart safe and your mind sane, you cannot find a better place than the Divine. Then the passing time and events will not be able to touch you; they will not create a scar.

Often, you do not know how to respond, or feel obliged and bound, when someone shows a lot of love. The ability to receive genuine love comes with the ability to give love. The more you are centred and know by experience that love is not an emotion; it is your very existence, the more you feel at home with any amount of love expressed in any manner.

There are three kinds of love.
1)The love that comes out of charm
2) The love which comes out of comfort and
3) The divine love. 

The love that comes out of charm does not last long. It comes out of unfamiliarity or attraction. In this, you lose the attraction fast, and boredom sets in. This love may diminish and bring along with it a fear, uncertainty, insecurity and sadness. The love that comes out of comfort and familiarity grows, but it has no thrill, no enthusiasm, joy, or fire to it. For example, you are more comfortable with an old friend who is a familiar person rather than with a new person. Divine love supersedes both the above. It has an ever present newness. The closer you go, more charm and depth come to it. There is never boredom and it keeps everyone on their toes.

Worldly love can be like an ocean, yet an ocean has a bottom. Divine love is like the sky which is limitless. From the bottom of the ocean, soar into the vast sky. Ancient love transcends all these relationships and is inclusive of all the relationships. Let love be. Don’t give it a name. When you give it a name, it becomes a relationship, and relationships restrict love.

Often, one experiences love at first sight. Then as time goes on, it decreases, decays, turns into hatred and disappears. Ancient love never decays. Although its mortality rate is high, love dies very young. After a few days, weeks, months, or years, it dies. In society, you say love is never a tree, it is a seasonal crop.

When the same love becomes a tree with the manure of knowledge, it becomes ancient love that goes from lifetime to lifetime. That is our own consciousness. You are not limited to this present body, this present name, this present form and the present relationships around you. You may not know your past, your ancientness. But just know you are ancient, that is good enough.

Pain goes with love. Because you love someone, even a small action can hurt you. And in hurt, you feel very delicate, very deep. Love also creates the same sensation. Separation creates the same symptom. If you don’t love somebody, you will never feel hurt by them. Understand and accept this. Then that hurt will not turn into a sore feeling. Rather, that very hurt will take you deep into dispassion and meditation.

When love glows, it becomes bliss; 
When it flows, it is compassion; 
When it blows, it is anger;
When it ferments, it is jealousy. 
Let love be. Don’t give it a name!
~Sri Sri

Chinese New Year Celebrations, Day 1 - 12 Feb 2016

REWARD FOR APPRECIATION

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth’s academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, Never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, “Did you obtain any scholarships in school?” The youth answered “none”.
The director asked, “Was it your father who paid for your school fees?” The youth answered, “My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees”.
The director asked, “Where did your mother work?” The youth answered, “My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect”.
The director asked, “Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?” The youth answered, “Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me”.
The director said, “I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother’s hands, and then see me tomorrow morning”.
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother’s hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother’s hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother’s hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother’s hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went to the director’s office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth’s eyes, asked: “Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?” The youth answered, “I cleaned my mother’s hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes”.
The Director asked, “please tell me your feelings”. The youth said, *"No:1*I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. *No:2*By working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. *No:3*I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship”.
The director said, “This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired”. Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company’s performance improved tremendously.
MORAL: If one doesn’t understand and experience the difficulty it takes to earn the comfort provided by their loved ones, than they will never value it. The most important thing is to experience the difficulty and learn to value hard work behind all the given comfort.

A small glimpse of the dashaavataar (the ten incarnations).

Within our consciousness, the dashavataar (the ten incarnations) is eternally present.

When the consciousness awakened, knowledge arose, then the Matsya(fish) incarnated; when that knowledge stabilized, became quiet, then Kurma(turtle) incarnated; the mind was cleansed. The old issues that we used to be bothered by, they were cleansed, Varah(boar) incarnated. When the radiance manifested with much gravity and power, then sensitivity appeared, and Narasimha(half man-half lion) incarnated.

Vaman who is very beautiful, extremely beautiful, He destroys arrogance. Beauty is like that. Attraction is one that destroys arrogance. No matter how much arrogance there is, it gets shattered.

If you want to crush the ego in a person, then do just one thing – show him an extremely beautiful thing. Seeing an extremely beautiful object, situation or individual, arrogance gets shattered. Vaman incarnation is that which destroys arrogance.

Parashuram is one who accepts everything. In the incarnation of Ram there is morality. If life is devoid of morality, you would be a nuisance to society, and a misery to yourself. However, if you just remain in propriety, you will not be able to celebrate. If you are unable to experience the infinite nature of your soul, you will become depressed.

In the Krishnavatar, celebration is present in its fullness. In any situation, we can celebrate – this is the message. And along with celebration, there should be silence, become content in yourself, in silence. Contentment - one glimpse of it can fulfill, make you still and take you into silence – be content with celebration also.

Buddha was in such silence, in peace – Buddha’s incarnation carries a lot of significance. When people in yaduvansh itself forgot peace, goodness, love, then trouble began. There was so much pride that God is our very own, so what do we need to do? Just keep celebrating!

When there is celebration, keep one thing in mind, that there is an expansion of the mind. In that expanded mind, attentiveness/one-pointedness is not there, sensitivity is lost. There is no concern for anyone. What kind of effect it is having on someone, no thought is given to this. One is just absorbed in one’s own mood. Often the individual who is happy is lost in his own fantasy, loses all awareness.

When Buddha came, awareness spread everywhere. This is very meaningful. It is significant that after celebration, there should be silence. But after silence, if one remains in silence, then everything will cool down /fizzle out. It will slip into tamoguna (inertia/ignorance).

That is why it has been said that the incarnation of Kalki arrived riding on a horse. What is ‘horse’? It is called ‘Ashva’. In Sanskrit, ‘Ashva’ there is only one word ‘Horse’, and for now, ‘present’; ‘Shva’ meaning yesterday i.e. past or tomorrow i.e. yet to come – ‘ashva’ means that which is not yesterday or tomorrow; which is now, in this moment.

Within you, such awareness will awaken – that Kalki awareness – that relates to the present, and feels a sense of belonging to the whole world; that this whole world is our very own. If you believe this, then it is the victory of the Kalki incarnation. No one is an outsider!

This is a small glimpse of the dashaavataar (the ten incarnations).