Chapter 41
Hints To Aspirants
Aspirants to Yoga are classified into three degrees: (1) Arurukshu, one who is attempting to climb the steps of Yoga, (2) Yunjana, one who is busily engaged in the practice of Yoga and (3) Yogarudha, one who has already reached the height of Yoga.
Indispensability Of Inner Purity
Aspirants are very eager for realisation. But, when that realisation actually comes, they begin to tremble, to quiver. They cannot bear the illuminating blaze of God. They are so puny, impure and weak that they cannot face the mighty brilliance and divine splendour. They have not prepared the vessel to hold on the Divine Light. Mark how Arjuna trembled with fear at the huge cosmic vision of Virat and prayed to Lord Krishna to show him again the usual form with four hands which represents harmony, perfection, power and wisdom.
It is difficult to speak about Brahman. It is still more difficult to understand. It is yet still more difficult to practise spiritual Sadhana. This corresponds to the Gita's teaching, Chapter II-29:
"As marvellous one regardeth Him, as marvellous one speaketh thereof, as marvellous one heareth thereof; yet, having heard, none indeed understood."
It demands a subtle, pure, clear mind, determined will, patience, perseverance and Utsaha (cheerfulness) for the realisation of Brahman.
Vital Need For Moral Strength And Courage
A spiritual aspirant will have to face boldly misrepresentation, calumny and misunderstanding. That has always been the lot of those who tried to raise themselves above their fellows. Moral strength and courage are necessary to meet that and to enable that man to maintain his position and what he thinks right, whatever those around him may think or say or do. People will despise and persecute you. You will have to stand boldly on your moral footing to live for your own convictions. As aspirant who has outgrown the rules of society should act according to the dictates of his pure conscience and pure reason. Then alone he can grow spiritually.
When anyone rises to fame and power, enemies come in by themselves. Even Sri Sankaracharya had many enemies. Even Sannyasins who live in forests have enemies. Jealous and petty-minded men create various sorts of mischief against people who are prosperous and famous. Have Sakshi-Bhava (feeling of witness) and rise above the idea of friend or foe. Become an Udasina (indifferent man). Develop the power of endurance. Bear insult, injury with a cool mind. Then only you can be happy in this world.
There are as many spiritual Sadhanas as there are individual minds. What suits one mind may not suit another. Raja Yoga will be easy for one mind, while Jnana Yoga will be easy for another. One form of Tapas may suit one mind. A different kind of Tapas will suit another.
Daily Spiritual Routine
Here is a daily spiritual routine for whole-time aspirants. Those who work in offices and business-houses can adjust and make necessary alterations according to their convenience and time at their disposal.
Japa and Meditation Morning ... 4 hours
Night ... 4 hrs
Svadhyaya (study) ... 3 hrs
Interview (if need be) ... 1 hr
Asana and Pranayama Morning ... 1 hr
Night ... 1 hr
Walking ... 1 hr
Sleep ... 5 hrs
Service ... 1.5 hrs
Bath, etc. ... 1 hr
Food ... 1 hr
Rest ... 0.5 hr
24 hrs
A Slightly Different Schedule
It is difficult in the beginning to fix the mind on God all the twenty-four hours. As soon as meditation is over, the mind will begin to wander, will try its level best to have its old habits. What are you going to do to check its habits? You must give another Sattvic object for its grasp. It wants variety. Now, study philosophical books for some hours. As soon as study is over, take down notes on what you have studied. You can devote some time in this direction. This will serve to relax the mind. This will form a mental recreation. You can spend some time in serving poor, sick persons, according to your capacity. I give below a time-table for your daily routine:
Meditation ... 8 hours
Study ... 4 hrs
Writing ... 2 hrs
Service ... 2 hrs
Food, bath, exercise ... 2 hrs
Sleep ... 6 hrs
24 hrs
The most impious of men can, by earnestly devoting himself to God, reach the highest Bliss. "Even if the most sinful worship Me, with undivided heart, he too must be accounted righteous, for he hath rightly resolved" (Gita, IX-30). "Pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati-Know thou for certain that My devotee perisheth not" (Gita, IX-31). What reason, then, is there for despair? Therefore, be up and doing. God will surely crown your efforts with success. Even the vilest of us shall obtain Moksha.
Om purnamadah purnamidam purnat purnamudachyate
Purnasya purnam-adaya purnam-eva-vasishyate
Om Santih Santih Santih
OM THAT IS FULL. THIS IS FULL. FROM THAT FULL, THIS FULL EMANATES,
TAKING AWAY THIS FULL FROM THAT FULL, THE FULL STILL REMAINS BEHIND.
OM PEACE, PEACE, PEACE.
Hari Om Tat Sat
APPENDIX I
To The Mind
Thy Life-History
O Mind; O Maya's child!
You always want a form
To lean upon;
You have two forms-
Suddha Manas, pure mind,
Asuddha Manas, impure mind.
Time, space and causation
Are thy categories.
You work through
The law of association;
You think, feel and know.
You are Atma-Sakti.
You are Manomaya Kosha.
You are like a mirror;
Brahman is reflected on you.
You are compared to a tree:
Ego is the seed of this tree,
Sankalpas are the branches,
Buddhi is the first sprout.
You have another three forms
The conscious mind,
The subconscious mind,
And the superconscious mind.
You are made up of
The subtlest form of food.
You are a bundle of habits,
Samskaras and Vasanas.
You are fourfold:
Manas does Sankalpa-Vikalpa,
Buddhi determines,
Chitta executes,
Ahankara self-arrogates.
Chitta comes under mind,
Buddhi comes under Ahankara.
It is all Vritti-Bheda.
Thy Birth
Thy father, Supreme Brahman,
Felt loneliness once.
He was alone,
One without a second.
He wanted to multiply;
He thought,
"May I become many."
There was a vibration or Spandan
In thy mother, Maya,
The undifferentiated,
The unmanifested;
The equilibrium was disturbed.
You were born at once.
Thy body was made of pure Sattva;
You were known by the name 'Manas'.
The Lord ordained you to do four functions;
So you became fourfold-
Manas, Chitta, Buddhi, Ahankara.
You separated yourself from the Lord
Through self-arrogating 'I'.
You indulged in sensual objects
In company with the senses
And forgot thy divine origin.
You became attached to sons, wife,
Property, names, titles and honours;
You became quite worldly.
You identified yourself with the body,
Sons, wife, house and property
Through Avidya or ignorance.
This is the cause for your downfall
And all sorts of miseries and sufferings.
This is, in short, your life-history.
Give up attachments
And identification with the body.
Annihilate ignorance
By attaining Brahma-Jnana;
You can become one with Brahman
And regain thy divine nature.
Thy Abode
O wandering Mind!
You have three abodes.
In the waking state,
Your abode is the right eye
And the brain;
In the dreaming state,
You rest in the Hita Nadi
Of the throat;
In the deep sleep state
You rest in the Puritat Nadi
In the heart.
According to the Hatha Yogins,
Ajna Chakra is thy seat.
You can be easily controlled
If one concentrates on the Ajna.
Aspirants know now
Thy resting places;
They will surely attain you
And drive you out ruthlessly.
Vacate these dwelling houses
And go back to your original home,
The "Omkar Bhavan"
In the limitless Brahmapuri.
Thy Nature
You are compared to quicksilver,
Because your rays are scattered.
You are compared to a deer,
Because you are unsteady.
You are compared to a monkey,
Because you jump from
One object to another.
You are compared to a bird,
Because you fly like a bird.
You are compared to a ghost,
Because you behave like a devil.
You are compared to wind
Because you are impetuous
Like the wind.
You are compared to an engine,
Because you work
When the food-fuel is supplied.
You are compared to a child,
Because you need caning.
You are compared to the reins
In the Kathopanishad;
He who holds the mind-reins tight
Can reach the Abode of Bliss.
You are compared to a dog
That strolls in the streets.
You are compared to a flower,
Because a devotee offers you to the Lord;
This is the only good compliment for you.
Thy Thick Friends
O Mind! O Enemy of Peace!
Thy friends are many.
They help you
In a variety of ways.
So you are very strong.
Ahankara is your best friend;
He is very powerful too;
He is thy commander general.
Lust is your thick chum;
He is your right hand;
He lives with you always;
He is your constant companion;
You are attached to him.
Anger is your amiable friend;
He is your war-minister;
He is your left hand;
He assists you very much.
Raga-Dvesha are your
Intimate acquaintances;
They are very dear to you;
They render you great service.
Greed is your best friend;
He follows you
Like your shadow;
He is your obedient servant.
Pride feeds you;
Hypocrisy ministers you;
Moha counsels you;
Jealousy inspires you;
Cunningness vivifies you;
He is thy propaganda minister.
Crookedness energises you;
Arrogance fattens you;
Deceit rejuvenates you.
Thy Enemies
O Mind, why do you tremble?
Show your strength now.
You cannot stand now.
Surrender yourself
Or you will be killed.
You shudder
When you hear the words
"Vairagya," "Tyaga," "Sannyasa,"
"Satsanga," "Sadhana," "Yoga."
Vairagya is your dire enemy;
It is an axe to cut you.
Renunciation is a sword
To cut your throat.
Sannyasa is an atom bomb
To reduce you to ashes.
Meditation will roast you.
Samadhi will fry you.
Take to your heels, O Mind;
Run away at once,
Get thee gone.
Tarry not; stop thy havoc.
You will be crushed now.
Your teeth will be extracted.
You will be blown out.
You will be smashed.
Japa and Kirtan also
Have joined the forces.
Pranayama is working hard.
Vichara is fiery.
Viveka is persevering.
There is not the least hope for you.
Go back to your original home
And rest peacefully.
Thy Tricks
O Mind! O Wanderer!
In this dire Samsara,
I have found out thy tricks;
You cannot delude me now.
You tempt the worldlings
Through imagination.
You produce intoxication
And turbulence of the mind.
You put on a veil also.
There is nothing in the objects;
And yet you make the people
Believe there is great pleasure
In the sensual objects.
You cause forgetfulness in people.
You cause perversions
Of the intellect.
You tantalise, tempt and enchant.
You cause disgust in monotony.
You always want variety.
You excite the emotions.
You play through instincts.
You agitate the senses.
You destroy discrimination.
Attachment, affection,
Praise, respect, name and fame
Are thy tempting baits.
O Mind! I cannot live with you;
I cannot tolerate now your company.
You are a traitor, diplomat.
You are treacherous.
You cannot play with me now.
Enough, enough of thy tricks.
I am a Viveki.
I will rest in Brahman.
I will ever be blissful.
Thy Secrets
O Mind! O Slayer of Atman!
I know thy secrets now.
You have no real existence.
You appear like a mirage.
You borrow your power
From the Brahman, the substratum.
You are only Jada,
But appear to be intelligent.
You lurk like a thief,
When thy nature is found out;
You are definitely pleased,
When you are coaxed;
You hiss and raise your hood,
When you are directly attacked.
You can be easily attacked
Through Pratipaksha-Bhavana method.
You keep the Samskaras
In the subconscious;
This is your strength,
This is your strong fortress.
You emerge out of your fort
And attack the Jiva again and again
And then hide yourself
In the subconscious.
You play with the Gunas.
You have three colours-
White, red and black.
When you are Sattvic,
You are white;
When you are Rajasic,
You are red;
When you are Tamasic,
You are black.
Vasanas and Sankalpas
Are your vital forces;
You exist
On account of them.
You are nowhere
If these are destroyed;
I will subdue you now
And attain Eternal Bliss.
Thy Blunder
O Mind! Thy glory is indescribable.
Thy essential nature is all-bliss.
Thou art born of Sattva.
Thou art pure like crystal and snow.
Thy powers are ineffable.
Thou canst do anything.
Thou canst do and undo things.
Thou hast spoiled thyself
In company with Rajas and Tamas,
In friendship with the senses and objects.
Thou hast forgotten all about thy divine nature.
Bad company has tainted you.
The evil Vrittis have degraded you.
You were tempted once by lust;
You have become a slave of lust now.
You were very quiet, calm and serene;
Desires have made you restless now.
You were very near the Supreme Lord once;
Worldliness has blinded thy heart
And taken you away from the Lord.
Keep company with saints and sages;
Shun the company of Rajas, Tamas and senses.
Free yourself from the taint of desires.
You can regain your original position;
You can reach your original sweet home.
Thy Weakness
O Mind! You are the greatest fool on this earth!
You are dull, stupid and obstinate;
You never heard the words of the wise;
You have your own foolish ways;
You do not wish to attend Satsanga of saints;
You dislike, hate, speak ill of Mahatmas;
You belong to the dregs of the society;
You always like to revel in filth.
You never find out your own faults,
But you magnify the faults of others;
You even superimpose Doshas on them.
You never like to hear the praise of others;
You want to glorify yourself only;
You hide cleverly your own faults.
You never think of the glorious feet of the Lord,
But you think of all sorts of rubbish things.
You know you can get Supreme Bliss
Through meditation on the Supreme Lord;
And yet you wander here and there
Like the strolling street-dog.
I rebuked you, scolded you;
I reprimanded you;
I gave you admonitions;
And yet you stick to your own ways.
Thy Powers
O Mind! you are not weak.
You are not impotent
You are not a beggar.
You are not a slave of objects.
You are not impure.
You are not a clerk.
You are not poor.
You are omnipotent.
You are Light of lights.
You are Sun of suns.
You are King of kings.
The whole wealth of the Lord belongs to you.
You are the nectar's son.
You are the child of Immortality.
You are Amrita Putra.
You are purity itself.
You are strength itself.
You are fountain of joy.
You are ocean of bliss.
You are pool of immortality.
You are river of felicity.
You are the abode of peace.
You are sweet harmony.
Restlessness is not thy nature.
You have clairvoyance.
Ashta Siddhis are yours.
Nava Riddhis are thine.
Powers of judgment,
Discrimination, Vichara,
Reflection, meditation,
Thought-reading, telepathy,
Trikala-Jnana
Are all yours only.
Brahmakara Vritti
Rises from you alone.
The door of intuition is in you.
The key of knowledge is with you.
Thou art the Lord of lords.
Way To Bliss
O Mind!
I shall show you the way
To Eternal Bliss.
March in the way boldly
And go direct to the abode.
Do not think of objects any more.
Do not keep company with the senses.
Free yourself from Rajas and Tamas.
Kill Vasanas and cravings.
Give up 'mine-ness' and 'I-ness'.
Let thy conduct be pure.
Let thy behaviour be noble.
Let thy Nishtha be steady.
Be firm in your resolves.
Cultivate virtuous qualities.
Stick to daily spiritual routine.
Keep daily spiritual diary.
Follow the "Twenty Instructions."
Write Mantra for two hours daily.
Be truthful and non-violent.
Do 200 Malas of Japa.
Do Kirtan daily for one hour.
Study Gita and Bhagavata,
Upanishads and Yoga Vasishtha.
Fast on Ekadasi.
Take simple, Sattvic diet.
Be moderate in everything.
Have Saguna realisation first.
This will enable you
To equip yourself with the "Four Means"
And to attain Nirguna realisation.
Bhakti alone will give you Jnana.
Glory Of Divine Life
O Mind! Just hear
The glory of the Divine Life.
You will love it immensely;
You will rejoice and dance.
The glory of Divine Life
Is the glory of the father,
Thy creator, thy master,
Thy source and support.
You will be ever peaceful.
You will be always blissful.
You will be one with the Lord.
No cares, worries and anxieties
Will affect you.
You will not be touched
By hunger and thirst.
You will be free from fear,
Fatigue and disease.
No enemies will attach you.
Atomic bomb cannot touch you.
Heat will not torment you.
Cold will not benumb you.
You will sleep soundly.
You will enjoy sleepless sleep.
You will experience Samadhi.
No bugs, no scorpions, no snakes,
No mosquitoes are there.
You will drink the nectar
Of Immortality.
No floods, no earthquake,
No epidemics are there.
There is no communal strife there.
There is no hooliganism.
There is no riot or strike there.
Rivers of honey flow there.
You will enjoy the celestial manna
And all divine Aisvarya.
You will feel oneness
With the Supreme Lord.
You will never be reborn
In the terrestrial plane.
You will become Immortal.
Drink The Nectar Of Name
O dull Mind!
Throw away laziness.
Meditate upon Lord Hari.
Drink, O Mind,
That immortal Elixir
Of Lord Hari's Name,
The joy of the devotees,
The medicine that destroys
The fear of Samsara
And all delusion in man.
Drink, O Mind,
The Divine Medicine
Of Sri Krishna's Name,
That excites the flow
Of divine ecstasy,
That awakens Kundalini
And makes it rise
In the Sushumna Nadi,
That helps the flow of nectar
From the Sahasrara.
Drink, O Mind,
The Amrita of Vishnu's Name.
There is no better Elixir
Than the nectar of
The remembrance of Lord's Name.
The Name will take you
To the other shore-
Of fearlessness and immortality.
Mano-Mandir
O Mind! Drink thou
The nectar of Lord's holy Name.
Shun evil company.
Abandon tea, liquor and smoking.
Give up tobacco, costly dress.
Wear simple clothing.
Have plain living
And high thinking.
Associate with the saints,
Devotees and sages.
Hear thou Lord's discourses.
Drive lust, anger and greed.
Keep thy abode holy.
Then only the Lord
Will dwell in 'Mano-Mandir',
Temple of Mind.
A pure mind
Is the house of love.
Remove the seeds
Of jealousy and pride
Then only my King
Will dwell in you,
Light the light of love
And illumine His palace.
Serve The Saints
O Murkha Mind!
You can't expect
An iota of happiness
In sensual objects.
Give up all vain hopes
If you still hope.
It is like trying
To get butter
By churning water.
It is like the attempt
Of the Chatak bird
To get water from the smoke;
Its eyes will be spoiled.
It is like the attempt
To drink water
In the mirage;
Or to get silver
From the mother of pearl.
Think of the feet of Hari.
Recite His Name.
Live in the company
Of saints and Bhaktas.
Do regular Kirtan.
Meditate on His form.
Serve the saints.
You will enjoy bliss.
Admonition
O Mind! Devotion's path and devotees' company take;
Then Sri Hari will in thy inner Self, His sacred abode make.
Give up forever all abuse of man or beast;
Love and praise all, greatest as well as least.
At early dawn, O Mind, think intently on Ram;
Then soft, yet audible, chant Ram's sweet Name.
Right conduct, the supreme good, never a moment renounce;
The righteous one, all mankind on earth, most blessed pronounce.
O Mind! Vasanas wicked do thou never have.
Likewise, O Mind, sinful mentality never have.
O Mind! Ethics and morality, never leave;
And ever inwardly the essence of truth perceive.
O Mind! thou shouldst all sinful intent abandon;
Cling throughout life to pure and sincere intention.
Give up imagination vain of sensual pleasure;
Such indulgence brings on life-long shame and endless censure.
Never have, O Mind, this anger, so fraught with untold harm;
Never foul desire with all its variegated charm.
Never into thyself, the least access give,
To pride and to jealousy as long as you live.
A lofty ideal in life you shouldst conceive,
All the abuse of the world with forbearance receive.
Thyself shouldst always observe sweetness of speech,
For sweetness, the inmost heart of mankind doth reach.
Perform, O Mind, such actions just, noble and pure,
That, after demise, tend forever to make thy fame endure.
In selfless service wear thyself like sandal-wood;
In inmost heart do thou pray for universal good.
O Mind! Earthly wealth and treasures do not covet;
Selfishness of nature, O Mind, most ruthlessly reject.
Greed of mind, when unfulfilled, great sorrow brings;
Sinful acts, the heart later on with sharp remorse wrings.
Ever and anon on the Divine Lord let pour thy love,
To vicissitudes of life calmly and fearlessly bow.
Pains of physical form as mere trifles regard,
For, in essential nature, thou art nature's overlord.
Rest At The Feet Of Hari
O Mind! You have all along been
In the habit of thinking
That wife, children and bungalows
Are your great possessions.
You have failed to bow
Before the Supreme Lord and saints.
Rest, my Mind, rest at the feet of Hari.
O Mind! Surely this body will drop down.
Every moment life is shortening;
The Serpent of Time is swallowing.
The Prana will depart at any moment.
You are happy-go-lucky and playful.
You are silly and stupid.
O Mind! Thou art blind.
You see only this vanity of things.
You do not see the great end drawing near.
Death is creeping in silently.
Wake up, O Mind,
From thy slumber of ignorance
And think of the all-merciful Hari.
There is no hope for thee
Except through the glorious Hari.
Break through the illusion
And take refuge in Hari.
Then alone you are blessed.
Thus sayeth Sivananda.
Why Do You Forget?
O Mind! You are still under delusion,
Even after doing some Sadhana
And enjoying the Satsanga of great souls.
Why do you, O Mind, forget
That this world is a manifestation of Lord Hari?
Why do you become angry,
Although you know
That all are forms of Lord Hari?
Why do you offer stale plantains to Hari,
Who feeds the whole world
With all kinds of food?
How vainly do you offer to the Lord
Sweetmeats, fruits and Shundal!
Feed Him with the nectar of devotion
And be happy forever.
Sacrifice The Passions
O Mind, why art thou so anxious?
Abandon all anxieties.
Repeat Lord Hari's Name.
Sit in meditation in a quiet place.
Worship the Lord in secret
So that none may know.
You will become proud
From all pomp of worship.
Why do you sacrifice animals?
Sacrifice egoism, Raga-Dvesha
And the sex-passions.
What need is there for drums,
Bells and tom-toms?
Clap your hands
And lay your mind at His feet.
Why do you endeavour to illumine Him
With lamp, petromax and candle?
Light the jewelled lamp of the Mind.
Let is flash its lustre day and night.
To The Mind And Senses-i
O Mind! You are a fool. You have dragged me in the avenues of senses and brought disgrace on me.
I will not keep company with you in future.
You are playing truant. You are a mischievous monkey. You are a strolling street-dog. You are a pig who revels in filth. You are a vile wretch. You are a vagabond.
You are born of Ananda (bliss). Your parentage is very high. Your father is Brahman or the Absolute. You are born in a very exalted, reputed and cultured family and yet you have degraded yourself and me also by your useless company. Your mother Maya also is born in a very high family. She is the wife of Brahman.
Your very Svabhava is to run towards external, sensual objects. Just as the water runs downwards without any effort by its very nature, so also you run by your very nature towards perishable mundane things. You get knocks, blows and kicks and yet you repeat the same old things. You have become like a habitual, old criminal. Any amount of advice and admonition has not done you any good nor reformed your nature and character. Fie on thee!
Now I will totally disconnect myself from you. I will leave you alone. You can do just as you please. Good-bye unto you! I am going back to my original Supreme Abode of Immortality and Eternal Bliss (Param Dhama).
O Ear! You also have been spoiled by your company with the mind. You do take immense delight in hearing the censure of others and all sorts of news of the world, but you do not take so much delight in hearing the Lilas of the Lord and the Kirtan, religious discourses and sermons.
O Eye! You have no interest in looking at the picture of the Lord, images of God in temples, saints and Mahatmas; but you are wholly absorbed in looking at women.
O Nose! You are highly pleased in smelling the odour of scents, lavender, etc.; but you do not evince any interest in smelling the sweet fragrance of the flowers etc., offered to the Lord.
O Tongue! You dance in joy in eating sweet-meats, fruits and all other palatable dishes; but there is no joy for you in taking Charanamrita and Prasad of the Lord in temples.
O Skin! You rejoice in touching women and other soft things; but you do not experience happiness in touching the feet of the Lord and the saints.
O Vak-Indriya! You daily talk all sorts of non-sense. You take delight in abusing others, in scandal-mongering and backbiting; but you do not feel any joy in singing Lord's Name and doing Japa and studying the Gita and other holy scriptures.
O Hands! You are highly pleased in taking bribes, in beating others, in stealing others' properties, in touching women; but you do not rejoice in doing charity, in serving the poor people and Sadhus, in doing worship of the Lord and offering flowers to Him.
O Feet! You take delight in going to cinemas, clubs, restaurants, hotels; but you do not find happiness in going to places of pilgrimage, temples and Ashrams.
O Senses! Behave properly in future. This is the last chance for you. Improve yourselves and get a good name. If you live for the Lord and serve Him, you will be ever happy. All miseries will come to an end.
Good-bye unto you all!
To The Mind And Senses-ii
O Mind!
Always think of Lord Narayana.
Repeat Hari's Name.
Meditate on His form with four hands.
Fix yourself at His lotus-feet.
O Tongue!
Always sing Achyuta's Name and glory.
Do Kirtan and Bhajan.
Take His Prasad and Charanamrita.
O Ears!
Hear the Lilas of Kesava
And Hari Kirtan.
O Eyes!
Behold the image of Mukunda.
O Nose!
Smell the Tulasi leaves and flowers
That have been used in the worship of
Sri Krishna.
O Hands!
Offer flowers to Govinda.
Wave lights to Sri Rama.
Sweep the temple.
Clean the lights in the temple.
Bring flowers and Tulasi for worship.
Do charity and do service,
In worship of Panduranga.
O Feet!
Do Pradakshina around the temple.
Go on pilgrimage to temples of Vishnu.
O Body!
Serve the Bhaktas, saints and the Guru.
Serve the poor and the sick.
Prayer To The Lord
O Lord of compassion!
Just hear my prayer.
The mind is very mischievous.
It is very turbulent.
It is disobedient.
I scolded the mind.
I gave him admonitions.
I gave him good counsels.
But he has his own ways.
I told the mind clearly
Not to take Laddu
When there is diarrhoea.
He said, 'Very well'
Like the lady in labour pains.
But he eats Laddu again!
I told the mind
Not to speak ill of others.
But he never leaves this habit!
I again and again told the mind
Not to become angry.
But he becomes annoyed
For trifling things!
I cannot control the mind.
Thou art the Indweller
And prompter of the mind.
You alone can control him,
Please do this for me.
APPENDIX II
Psychic Influence
Personality
In common parlance when one says that Dr. Tagore has a good personality, he means that Dr. Tagore has a strong, stalwart, tall figure, a beautiful complexion, a fine nose, sharp and lustrous eyes, broad chest, a muscular body, symmetrical limbs, curly hair and so on. That which distinguishes one man from another is personality. In reality, personality is something more than this. It includes a man's character, intelligence, noble qualities, moral conduct, intellectual attainments, certain striking faculties, special traits or characteristics, sweet powerful voice, etc. All these things put together constitute the personality of Mr. So and so. The sum total of all these things makes up the personality of a man. Mere physical characteristics cannot make up the personality.
What you call an umbrella is really a long stick plus a black cloth and some thin iron pieces. Similarly, what you call 'personality' is really the external physical body, plus brain and the nervous system and the mind which has its seat in the brain.
If one man is able to influence many people, we say that such and such a man has a magnetic personality. A full-blown Yogi or Jnani is the greatest personality in the world. He may be of a small stature. He may be ugly also. He may be clad in rags. And yet he is a mighty personality, a great Mahatma. People flock to him in thousands and pay homage to him. A man who has attained ethical perfection by the continued practice of right conduct or Yama and Niyama has also got a magnetic personality. He can influence millions. But he is inferior to a Jnani or a Yogi who has got full knowledge of the Self.
Dr. Samuel Johnson had an awkward figure, a pot belly and unsymmetrical limbs. But he was the greatest personality of the age. He was neither a Yogi nor a Jnani. But he had intellectual attainments. He was a great essayist. He had good command of the English language. He was famous for his bombastic style. It was called Johnsonian English. Just hear some of his lines: "Will you be kind enough to allow my digits into your odoriferous concavity and extract therefrom some of the pulverised atoms which, ascending my nasal promontory, cause a great titillation of all my olfactory nerves?"
Rich people also have some personality. This is due to the 'Money-power'. They may be licentious. Money has its own share in the making up of the personality of man. It infuses in him a sort of colouring. The charitable nature may cover up their licentious nature and may send some fragrance abroad. People flock to them. Lord Jesus says: "Charity covereth a multitude of sins."
Character gives a strong personality to man. People respect a man who has a good character. Moral people command respect everywhere. He who is honest, sincere, truthful, kind and liberal-hearted always commands respect and influence at the hands of people. Sattvic virtues make a man divine. He who speaks truth and practises Brahmacharya becomes a great and dynamic personality. Even if he speaks a word, there is power in it and people are magnetised. Character-building is of paramount importance if a man wants to develop his personality. Brahmacharya is the root of a magnetic personality. No development of a strong personality is possible without celibacy.
Personality can be developed. Practice of virtues is indispensable. One should try to be always cheerful. A morose, gloomy man cannot attract and influence people. He is an infectious parasite amidst society. He spreads gloom everywhere. A man of a jolly nature with the spirit of service, with humility and obedience can influence millions. The law of "like attracts like" operates in the physical and mental planes. A man of strong personality need not send invitations to people. Just as bees come and perch as soon as flowers blossoms, so also people of lesser mind are attracted to men of strong personality, of their own accord.
A powerful, sweet voice, knowledge of music, knowledge of astrology, astronomy, palmistry, art, etc., add to the personality of man. One should know how to behave and adjust himself with other people. You must talk sweetly and gently. This produces a tremendous impression. You must be polite, civil, courteous. You must treat others with respect and consideration. He who gives respect to others gets respect. Humility brings respect by itself. Humility is a virtue that subdues the hearts of others. A man of humility is a powerful magnet or loadstone.
You must know the ways to approach people. You must know how to talk with them and how to behave towards them. Behaviour is most important. An arrogant, stubborn and self-willed man can never become a man of strong personality. He is disliked by all.
Develop joyful nature. Always keep a smiling and cheerful face. This will give you a good personality. People will like you much. Your superiors will be very much pleased. Have an amiable nature, a modest and unassuming temperament. You will succeed in your interviews with all big guns. Take down notes of what you want to speak with them in the course of the interview. Keep a small memorandum slip in your pocket. Remember the points well and talk slowly and gently. Then the man will patiently hear. Do not be agitated in your talks. Do not become nervous. Be bold. Pay respects with sincerity as soon as you see the person. Do not stand erect like the proverbial man who holds the gas-light in a marriage procession. Gently bow your head with feeling. The man will be immensely pleased. He will be glad to receive you with a depth of feeling and you will get success in your interview. Talk about the important points first and just review in your mind whether you have finished all the eight points you wanted to talk. In the West, people care for personality. In India, people care for individuality and assert: "Aham Asmi"-which means "I exist." They try to destroy the personality to realise the Self.
Endeavour to possess a magnetic personality. Try to possess that strange and mysterious power, personal magnetism which charms and fascinates people. Understand the secrets of personal influence. Develop your will-power. Conserve all leaking energy. Enjoy robust, blooming health and a high standard of vigour and vitality and achieve social and financial success in every walk of life. If you can understand the amazing secrets of personal influence, you can increase the earning capacity and can have a broader and happier life.
A strong personality is a very valuable asset for you. You can develop it if you will. "Where there is a will there is a way" is a maxim which is as true today as it was from the time of Adam. Win laurels of name and fame and attain success in life through a dynamic personality. You can do it. You must do it. You know the science now. I shall back you up.
Power Of Suggestions
You should have a clear understanding of suggestions and their effects upon the mind. You should be careful in the use of suggestion. Never give wrong suggestion which will have destructive results to anybody. You will be doing a great harm and a disservice to him. Think well before you speak. Teachers and professors should have a thorough knowledge of the Science of Suggestion and Auto-suggestion. Then they can educate and elevate students in an efficient manner. In Southern India, when children cry out in houses, parents frighten them by saying: "Look here, Balu! Irendukannan has come. (The two-eyed man has come.) Keep quiet. Or I will hand you over to this man." "Puchandi (or ghost) has come" and suggestions of this sort are very destructive. The child becomes timid. The minds of children are elastic, tender and pliable. Samskaras are indelibly impressed at this age. Changing or obliterating the Samskaras becomes impossible when they grow. When the child grows into a man, he manifests timidity. Parents should infuse courage into the minds of their children. They should say: "Here is a lion. See the lion in this picture. Roar like a lion. Be courageous. See the picture of Shivaji, Arjuna or Clive. Become chivalrous." In the West, teachers show the pictures of battlefields to children and say: "Look here, James! See this picture of Napoleon. Look at his cavalry. Won't you like to become a Commander-in-Chief of the army or a Brigadier-General?" They infuse courage into the minds of children from their very childhood. When they grow, these Samskaras get strengthened by additional external stimuli.
Doctors should have a thorough knowledge of the science of suggestion. Sincere, sympathetic doctors are very rare. Doctors who have no knowledge of suggestion do more harm than good. They kill patients sometimes by unnecessarily frightening them. If there is a little cough of an ordinary nature, the doctor says: "Now, my friend, you have got T.B. You must go to Bhowali or Switzerland or Vienna. You must go in for a course of tuberculin injections." Poor patient is frightened. There is not at all any sign of consumption. The case is an ordinary one. It is simple catarrh of the chest from exposure to chills. The patient actually develops phthisis by fright and worry owing to the wrong destructive suggestion of the doctor. The doctor ought to have told him: "Oh, it is nothing. It is simple cold. You will be all right by tomorrow. Take a purgative and inhale a little oil of eucalyptus. Adjust your diet. It is better you fast today." Such a doctor is God Himself. He must be adored. A doctor may say now: "Well, sir, if I say so, I will lose my practice. I cannot pull on in this world." This is a mistake. Truth always gains victory. People will run to you as you are sympathetic and kind. You will have a roaring practice.
There is healing by suggestion. This is a drugless treatment. This is suggestive therapeutics. By good and powerful suggestion, you can cure any disease. You will have to learn this science and practise it. All doctors of Homoeopathic, Allopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani systems should know this science. They can combine this system along with their own systems. They will have a roaring practice by this happy combination.
Do not be easily influenced by the suggestions of others. Have your own sense of individuality. A strong suggestion, though it does not influence the subject immediately, will operate in due course. It will never go in vain.
We all live in a world of suggestions. Our character is daily modified unconsciously by association with others. We unconsciously imitate the actions of those whom we admire. We daily absorb the suggestions of those with whom we come in daily contact. We are acted upon by these suggestions. A man of weak mind yields to the suggestions of a man of strong mind.
The servant is always under the influence of the suggestions of his master. The wife is under the influence of the suggestions of her husband. The patient is under the influence of the suggestions of the doctor. The student is under the influence of the teacher. Custom is nothing but the product of suggestion. The dress that you put on, the manners, the behaviour and even the food that you eat are all the outcome of suggestions only. Nature suggests in various ways. The running rivers, the shining sun, fragrant flowers, the growing trees, are all incessantly sending you suggestions.
All the prophets of yore were hypnotists. They knew the science of suggestion fully well. Their words had tremendous powers. Every word they uttered had magic power and a peculiar charm. All the hearers remained spell-bound. A spiritual preacher produces a sort of hypnosis in the minds of others. The hearers come under the influence of his suggestions.
There is power in every word that is spoken. There are two kinds of Vrittis, viz., Sakti-Vritti and Lakshana-Vritti in words. In the Upanishads, the Lakshana-Vritti is taken. "Vedasvarupoham" does not mean "embodiment of Vedas." The Lakshana-Vritti does denote "Brahman" who can be reached by the study of the Upanishads alone: by the Sabda Pramana alone.
Mark here the power in the words. If anyone calls another "Sala" or "Badmash" or "fool," he is thrown into a state of fury immediately. Fight ensues. If you address anyone as "Bhagavan" or "Prabhu" or "Maharaj," he is immensely pleased.
Hypnotism And Mesmerism
A greater mind can influence a smaller mind. This is mesmerism or hypnotism. This is not at all a new science. It is also Anadi. It has existed from beginningless time. It was only Mesmer and Braid who popularised this science in the West. Hindu Rishis knew this science in days long gone by. Demosthenes and Socrates, Visvamitra and Patanjali Maharshi used hypnotism and mesmerism in olden days. It was James Braid, the Manchester surgeon, who gave this name hypnotism to this science and who first founded this science in the West. The term 'hypnotism' has a Greek origin which means sleep.
Mesmer was a philosopher, physician and astrologer. He was born in 1784. He died in 1815. He brought in the theory of animal magnetism. He believed that man had a wonderful magnetic power by which he could heal and influence other people. He made use of this power in the treatment of various diseases. The system of mesmerism is known after his name.
All orators possess the power of hypnotism. Consciously or unconsciously they subdue the minds of hearers. The hearers are swayed by the powerful speech of orators. They are charmed, as it were, for the time being. All the religious preachers and prophets of the world possessed this power to a remarkable degree.
Suggestion is the master-key to hypnotism. The hypnotist suggests and the operator acts implicitly. The lesser mind implicitly obeys the higher mind. Suggestion is an idea communicated by the operator to the subject. Suggestion is a science. One should be very clever in putting the suggestion in a skilful manner. We live in the world of suggestion and under the magic spell and influence of hypnotism. Hypnotism is a mighty power in the world. We are all hypnotised by the spell of Maya. We will have to dehypnotise ourselves to obtain a knowledge of the Self. Vedanta gives powerful suggestions to dehypnotise ourselves. Hypnotism is a state of mind in which suggestions, verbal and visual, are received as true whether they are true or not. There is an irresistible desire to carry out the suggestions. The power of will and the power of suggestion are very closely linked together.
The operator develops his power of hypnosis through the practice of crystal-gazing and other methods of concentration. Pranayama also helps a lot in the development of this power. Brahmacharya also is very essential. A man of loose character cannot become a powerful hypnotist.
A man can be hypnotised by gazing or suggestion or passes. The operator makes some 'passes' in front of the subject and the subject passes into a hypnotic state. The passes in the reverse direction will bring back the subject to normal consciousness. Sometimes, if the hypnotist is a powerful man, he can hypnotise several persons in a group or bunch. That man who resists the suggestions of the hypnotist cannot be hypnotised so easily. If one believes in the hypnotiser and thinks he can be hypnotised, he can rapidly come under his spell and operation.
There is also another variety of hypnotism called the stage hypnotism in which the hypnotist hypnotises the whole audience and shows several tricks. He puts a lady in a small tight box in standing posture, ties her hands and closes the box and then cuts the box with a saw. Afterwards he opens the broken box and the lady comes out without any injury. A famous Fakir ascended the platform in England with a red rope in his hand, threw it in the air and climbed up through the rope and then vanished in the air. This is stage-hypnotism. This is the famous 'rope-trick' of the Fakir. There was no impression in the plate of a camera. This is a trick only after all. A hypnotist hypnotises a boy and places his head and feet over two chairs. He then places a large weight over his body. The body does not bend. He asks the audience to clasp the fingers of both hands and makes a strong current of electricity to pass. They all actually feel the shock of the current. He first starts the current in his own hands and thinks strongly that the current should pass to the hands of others.
Hypnotism is very beneficial in the correction of bad habits of boys and in the treatment of hysteria and other nervous diseases. The opium habit and the drinking habit are also removed. The hypnotist should not misuse the power in wrong channels. He will get a hopeless downfall. Wherever there is power, there is side by side a chance for misuse. There are temptations also. One has to be very careful.
A hypnotist looks at the second-hand of a watch and the second-hand stops immediately. He asks a subject to look at the second-hand of a watch and stops his thinking. His eyes becomes listless. A hypnotist makes the body of a hypnotised subject to levitate and move in the air through a big iron ring. The hypnotised person is blindfolded. He is able to walk over a rope that is distributed on the ground in quite a zigzag manner. He is able to read the contents of a sealed letter and give proper answers to questions. Here the unconscious mind of the subject operates. He can see through an opaque wall. Marvellous are the mysteries of the science of hypnotism! Thanks to Mr. James Braid of happy memory!
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 ten o'clock. Ask him to sit on Virasana or Padmasana with closed eyes in a dark room. Try to send your message exactly at the appointed time. Concentrate on the thoughts that you want to send. Will strongly now. The thoughts will leave your brain and enter the brain of your friend. There may be some mistakes in the beginning here and there. When you advance in practice and know the technique well, you will always be correct in sending and receiving messages. Later on, you will be able to forward messages to different corners of the world. Thought-waves vary in intensity and force. The sender and receiver should practise great and intense concentration. Then there will be force in sending the messages, clarity and accuracy in receiving the messages. Practise in the beginning telepathy form one room to the next room in the same house. This science is very pleasant and interesting. It needs patient practice. Brahmacharya is very essential.
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.
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 India. The Samskaras of Tyaga and renunciation are ingrained in their cells, nerves and tissues. Buddhists have got monks. Mohammedans have their Fakirs. Christians have got their priests, clergymen and reverend fathers. Every religion has people in the world with the spirit of renunciation. There must be a set of people in every religion who are entirely devoted to divine contemplation. It is the duty of householders to attend to their wants. They will receive their blessings. It is these people who lead the life of Nivritti Marga, who can make researches in Yoga and give to the world new messages. It is these men who can really help the world at large and do Loka-Kalyana.
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.
Glossary
NOTE: This includes only those Sanskrit terms for which the English equivalents are not indicated simultaneously (or almost simultaneously) with their first occurrence in the text.
A
ABHASA: reflection
ABHEDA: without difference
ABHIMANA: ego-centred attachment
ABHYASA: spiritual practice
ACHARYA: preceptor
ADAMBHITVA: unpretentiousness
ADHAMA-UDDHARAKA: uplifter of the downtrodden
ADHIBHAUTIC: elemental
ADHIDAIVIC: celestial
ADHYATMIC: spiritual
ADVAITA: non-duality
ADVAITA-NISHTHA: establishment in the state of non-duality
AGNI: fire
AGNI-ASTRA: fire-missile
AGNIHOTRA: a fire-offering
AHAM: "I" or the ego
AHAM BRAHMA ASMI: I am Brahman
AHANGRAHA UPASANA: meditation in which the aspirant identifies himself with Brahman
AHANKARA: egoism
AHIMSA: non-violence
AISVARYA: divine powers
AJNA CHAKRA: centre of spiritual energy between the two eyebrows
AJNANA: ignorance
AKHANDA EKARASA: the one undivided Essence
AKARTA: non-doer
AKASA: ether
AKASAMATRA: ether only
AKHANDA: indivisible
AKHANDAKARA: of the nature of indivisibility
AMALAKA: phyllanthus emlica, Indian gooseberry
AMRITA: nectar
AMRITA PUTRA: nectar's son
AMSA: part
ANADI: beginningless
ANAHATA: mystic sounds heard by Yogins
ANANDAGHANA: mass of bliss
ANANDAMAYA: full of bliss
ANANTA: infinite
ANANYA BHAKTI: exclusive devotion to the Lord
ANASAKTA: unattched
ANATMA: not-Self
ANITYA: transitory
ANNAMAYA KOSHA: food sheath, the gross physical body
ANTARGATA: immanent
ANTARIKA: internal
ANTAR-INDRIYA: internal sense-organ
ANTARJYOTIS: inner Light
ANTARMUKHA VRITTI: introspective thought-current
ANTARVAHA SARIRA: the subtle body of a Yogi by which he accomplishes entry into the bodies of others
ANUBHAVA: spiritual realisation
ANUBHAVA-GURU: preceptor who has had pesonal spiritual realisation
ANUSANDHANA: enquiry into the nature of Brahman
ANVAYA: the positive aspect
APANA: the down-going breath
APANCHIKRITA: non-quintuplicated
APAS: water
APAVADA-YUKTI: employment of the logical method of negation
ASABDA: soundless
ASAMPRAJNATA SAMADHI: superconscious state where the mind is totally annihilated
ASANA: bodily pose
ASANGA: unattached
ASHRAMA: hermitage
ASHTA: eight
ASHTAVADHANA: doing eight things at a time
ASTI-BHATI-PRIYA: same as Satchidananda, the eternal qualities inherent in Brahman
ASTRA: a missile invoked with a Mantra
ASUBHA: inauspicious
ASUDDHA: impure
ASUDDHA MANAS: impure mind
ASVANI MUDRA: a Hatha Yogic Kriya
ATMA(N): the Self
ATMA-DRISHTI: the vision of seeing everything as the Self
ATMA-JNANA: Knowledge of the Self
ATMAKARA: pertaining to Atman
ATMA-SAKSHATKARA: Self-realisation
ATMA-SAKTI: Soul-power
AVASTHA: state
AVICHHINNA: continuous
AVIDYA: nescience
AVINASI: imperishable
AVYAKTA: unmanifest
B
BAHIRMUKHA VRITTI: the outgoing thought-current
BAHIR-VRITTI: same as above
BAHIR-VRITTI-NIGRAHA: restraint of the outgoing thought-current
BAHYA-VRITTI-NIGRAHA: same as above
BHAJANA: devotional singing
BHAKTA: devotee
BHAKTI YOGA: the Yoga of devotion
BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA: a type of breathing exercise
BHAVA(NA): attitudinal feeling
BHAVA-SAMADHI: supeconscious state attained by devotees through intense divine emotion
BHEDA BUDDHI: the intellect which divides
BHOGA: enjoyment
BHOKTRITVA: the stage of being an enjoyer
BHRANTIMATRA: mere illusion
BHUTAJAYA: control over the elements
BHUTA-SAKTI: the power of the element
BRAHMACHARI(N): celibate
BRAHMACHARYA: celibacy
BRAHMAKARA VRITTI: thought of Brahman
BRAHMA LOKA: the world of Brahma, the four-headed Creator
BRAHMAN: the Absolute Reality
BRAHMANA: member belonging to the priestly caste
BRAHMA NADI: same as Sushumna
BRAHMA-NISHTHA: one who is established in the Knowledge of Brahman
BRAHMANUBHAVA: Self-realisation
BRAHMIN: Same as Brahmana
BUDDHI: intellect
C
CHAITANYA: pure consciousness
CHAKRA: centre of spiritual energy
CHANCHALA: wavering
CHANCHALATA: tossing of the mind
CHARANAMRITA: water sanctified by the feet of a Deity or of a holy man
CHATAK: a bird
CHELA (Hindi): Disciple
CHIDGHANA: mass of consciousness
CHINMAYA: full of consciousness
CHINTANA: thinking
CHIRANJIVI: one who has gained eternal life
CHIT-MATRA: consciousness alone
CHIT-SVARUPA: of the very form of consciousness
CHITTA: subconscious mind
CHITTA-SUDDHI: purity of mind
D
DAMA: restraint of the sense-organs
DAMBHA: hypocrisy
DANA: charity
DARPA: vanity
DARSANA: vision
DEHADHYASA: attachment to the body, identification with the body
DEHATMA-BUDDHI: the intellect that makes one identify with the body
DEVA: a celestial being
DEVATA: a Deity, also the Lord
DHAIRYA: courage
DHARANA: concentration
DHARMA: righteous conduct; characteristic
DHRITI: spiritual patience
DHYANA: meditation
DHYANA YOGA: the Yoga of meditation
DINABANDHU: friend of the poor and the helpless, God
DOSHA: defect
DOSHA-DHRISHTI: the vision that perceives defects
DRISHTI: vision
DRISHTI-SRISHTI VADA: the theory that the world exists only so long as it is perceived
DURA-DRISHTI: distant vision
DVAITA: dualism
E
EKADASI: the eleventh day of the Hindu lunar fortnight
EKAGRA: one-pointed
EKAGRATA: one-pointedness of mind
G
GANIKA: prostitute
GHRINA: ill-will
GUNA: quality
GURU: preceptor
H
HATHA YOGA: the Yoga of physical perfection
HIRANYAGARBHA: Cosmic mind
HITA: astral tubes near the heart
I
IDA NADI: the psychic nerve-current which flows in the left nostril
INDRIYA: sense-organ
ISVARA: Lord, God
J
JAALA: jugglery, illusion
JAGADGURU: world-preceptor
JAGAT: world
JAGRAT: waking state
JALANDHARA BANDHA: a Hatha Yogic exercise
JAPA: repetition of the Name of the Lord
JIVA: the individual soul
JIVANMUKTA: one who is liberated in this life
JIVASRISHTI: creations of the individual soul such as egoism, mine-ness, etc.
JIVATMA(N): the individual soul
JNANA: knowledge of the Self
JNANA-BHUMIKA: plane of knowledge
JNANAGNI: fire of spiritual knowledge
JNANA-INDRIYAS: organs of knowledge or perception
JNANA YOGA: the Yoga of knowledge
JNANA YOGI(N): one who practises the Yoga of Knowledge
JNANI(N): the sage of wisdom
K
KALA-SAKTI: Divine Mother manifesting as Time
KALPA: a period of 432,00,00,000 years
KALPANAMATRA: lying only in imagination
KAMA: desire, lust
KAMANA: longing
KANDAMULA: roots and tubers
KARANA SARIRA: the causal body or the seed body
KARIKA: commentary
KARMA: action operating through the Law of Cause and Effect
KARMA-INDRIYAS: organs of action
KARMA YOGI(N): one who practises the Yoga of selfless service
KASHAYA: a subtle influence in the mind produced by enjoyment, hidden Vasana
KEVALA ASTI: pure Existence
KIRTAN: singing the Lord's Name
KRIYA: Hatha Yogic exercise
KRODHA: anger
KSHAMA: forgiveness
KSHATRIYA: member belonging to the ruling caste
KULA-KUNDALINI: same as Kundalini
KUMBHAKA: retention of breath
KUNDALINI: the primordial cosmic energy located in the individual
KUTASTHA: the rock-seated, unchanging Brahman
L
LAKSHANA: characteristic
LAKSHYA: goal
LAYA: absorption
LILA: divine sport
LILA-VILASA: the splendour of divien sport
LINGA SARIRA: the subtle body, the astral body
LOBHA: covetousness
LOKA-KALYAN(A): good of the world
M
MADA: pride
MADHUKARI BHIKSHA: alms collected from door to door like a bee collecting honey from flower to flower
MAHABHEDA: a Hatha Yogic Kriya
MAHARAJA: emperor
MAHARSHI: great sage
MAHATMA: great soul
MAHAVAKYA: (Lit.) Great sentence; Upanishadic declarations, four in number, expressing the identity between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul
MAHAVAKYANUSANDHANA: enquiry into the truth of the Mahavakyas
MALA-VASANA-RAHITA: free from impurities and subtle desires
MANO-MANDIR: temple of mind
MANAS: mind
MANDALA: region, sphere
MANIPURA CHAKRA: centre of spiritual energy in the region of the navel
MANONASA: annihilation of the mind
MANTRA: incantation
MANTRA SIDDHI: psychic power acquired through repetition of Mantra
MARGA: path
MATRA: unit; alone
MATSARYA: jealousy
MAUJA (Urdu): sweet will
MOUNA: silence
MAYA: the illusory power of Brahman
MAYURASANA: the peacock pose
MITHYA-DRISHTI: the vision that the universe is unreal
MITHYATVA-BUDDHI: the intellect that considers this world as unreal
MOHA: delusion
MOKSHA: liberation
MUDRA: a type of exercise in Hatha Yoga
MUKTI: liberation
MULA AVIDYA: primal ignorance
MULA BANDHA: a Hatha Yogic exercise
MULADHARA CHAKRA: centre of spiritual energy located at the base of the spinal column
MUNI: an ascetic
MURKHA: foolish
N
NADA: a mystic sound
NAIYAYIKAS: followers of the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy
NAMA: name
NAVA RIDDHIS: the nine minor spiritual powers
NETI, NETI: not this, not this
NIDIDHYASANA: profound meditation
NIRABHIMANATA: free from ego-centred attachment
NIRABHIMANI: one who is devoid of Abhimana
NIRAKARA: formless
NIRAVAYAVA: without limbs
NIRBIJA-SAMADHI: Samadhi wherein the Bija or seeds of Samskaras are fried by Jnana
NIRGUNA: without attributes
NIRGUNA BRAHMAN: the impersonal, attributeless Absolute
NIRODHA: suppression
NIRVANA: liberation
NIRVIKALPA: without the modifications of the mind
NIRVIKARA: unchanging
NIRVISHAYA: without object
NISCHAYATMIKA: with firm conviction
NISHKAMA: without desire
NISHKRIYA: without action
NISHTHA: meditation, establishment (in a certain state)
NISSANKALPA: devoid of thought or imagination
NIVRITTI: renunciation
NIYAMA: observances
NYAYA: logic
O
OM(KARA): the sacred syllable symbolising Brahman
OM TAT SAT: a benediction, a solemn invocation of the Divine blessing
P
PADMASANA: the lotus pose
PARAMAHAMSA: the fourth or the highest class of Sannyasins
PARAMANANDA: supreme bliss
PARAMATMA(N): the Supreme Soul
PARAM DHAMA: the Supreme Abode (Brahman)
PINGALA NADI: the psychic nerve-current which flows in the right nostril
PITRILOKA: the world of manes
PRABHU: Lord
PRACHARANA: A Hatha Yogic Kriya
PRADAKSHINA: circumambulation
PRAJNA: Chaitanya associated with the causal body in the deep sleep state
PRAJNANAGHANA: mass of consciousness
PRAJNA-SAKTI: power of consciousness
PRAKAMYA: unhampered will
PRAKASA: luminosity
PRAKRITI: Nature, the primitive non-intelligent principle
PRAMANA: proof
PRANA: the vital force, the life-current
PRANAVA: same as OM
PRANAVA DHVANI: the cosmic sound of OM
PRANAYAMA: control of breath
PRAPANCHA VISHAYA: worldly objects
PRARABDHA: destiny
PRASAD: anything consecrated by being offered to God or to a saint
PRATIPAKSHA BHAVANA: entertaining a counter-idea
PRATISHTA: reputation, fame
PRATYAGATMA: Inner Self, Brahman
PRATYAHARA: abstraction or withdrawal of the senses from their objects
PRATYAKSHA: direct perception
PRAVAHA: flood-tide
PREMA: affection
PRITHVI: earth
PUJA: worship
PUNDIT: a learned man
PURITAT NADI: one of the astral tubes or subtle passages in the body
R
RAGA-DVESHA: attraction and repulsion, like and dislike, love and hatred
RAGA-RAGINIS: melodic structures in music
RAJA: king
RAJASIC: passionate, active
RAJA YOGA: the Yoga of meditation
RIDDHIS: minor spiritual powers
RISHI: a seer of Truth
RUPA: form
S
SABDA: sound
SABDA-BHEDA: difference in sound
SABDA BRAHMAN: sound-form of Brahman
SABDA-JAALA: jugglery of words
SABHA: assembly
SADHAKA: spiritual aspirant
SADHANA: spiritual discipline
SADHU: a righteous man; a Sannyasin
SAGUNA: with attributes
SAHAJA: natural
SAHAJANANDA: state of bliss that has become natural
SAHAJA PARAMANANDA: state of absolute bliss that has become natural
SAHAJAVASTHA: superconscious state that has become natural and continuous
SAHASRARA: centre of spiritual energy at the crown of the head
SAKSHI: witness
SAKTI: power, potency
SAKTI-CHALANA: a Hatha Yogic Kriya
SAMA: calmness of mind induced by eradication of Vasanas
SAMA-BHAVA: feeling of equality
SAMADHANA: mental balance
SAMADHI: the state of superconsciousness where Absoluteness is experienced
SAMA-DRISHTI: equal vision
SAMANYA: ordinary
SAMBHAVI MUDRA: a Hatha Yogic Kriya
SAMSARA: the wheel of transmigration, cycle of birth and death
SAMSKARA: impression in the subconscious mind
SAMYAG-DARSANA: unclouded vision
SAMYAG-JNANA: Supreme knowledge
SAMYAMA: concentration, meditation and Samadhi
SAMYAVASTHA: the state of equanimity
SANDHYA: the daily worship of offering oblations to the Sun-God thrice a day-at sunrise, noon and sunset
SANGRAHA BUDDHI: the intellect that wants to accumulate and possess
SANKALPA: thought, imagination
SANKALPAMATRA: existing in thought only
SANKHYA: system of Indian philosophy founded by Kapila Muni
SANNYASI(N): renunciate, monk
SANTA-SIVA-ADVAITA: peaceful, auspicious, non-dual Brahman
SANTI: peace
SAPTA SVARA: the seven notes of the Indian scale of music
SARA VASTU: true substance, real entity
SARVA: all, everything
SARVANGASANA: a Yogic pose
SARVATMA BHAVA: feeling the one Self in all
SASTRAS: scriptures
SATAVADHANA: doing hundred things at a time
SATCHIDANANDA: Existence-Absolute, Knowledge-Absolute, Bliss-Absolute; Brahman
SATGURU: a true preceptor
SATSANGA: company of the wise
SAT SANKALPA: pure will
SATTVIC: pure
SATYA: truth
SAVIKALPA: with modifications
SAVITARKA SAMADHI: Samadhi with argumentation
SEVA: service
SIDDHANTA: established doctrine
SIDDHASANA: a meditative pose
SIDDHI: major psychic power; perfection
SIRSHASANA: the topsy-turvy pose
SIVOHAM: a Vedantic assertion meaning "I am Siva (the Absolute)"
SLOKA: verse
SMRITI: memory
SOHAM: a Vedantic assertion meaning "I am He (Brahman)"
SPHURANA: vibration. bursting forth
SRAADDHA: an annual ceremony when oblations are offered to the manes
SRADDHA: faith
SRUTI: musical refrain
STHULA AVIDYA: gross ignorance
STOTRAS: verses of praise
SUBHA: auspicious
SUDDHA: pure
SUDDHA MANAS: the pure mind
SUDDHA SANKALPA: pure will
SUDDHI: purity
SUKHA: happiness
SUKHASANA: the comfortable pose
SUKSHMA: subtle
SUKSHMA SARIRA: the subtle body, the astral body
SUSHUMNA: the psychic nerve-current that passes through the spinal column and through which the Kundalini is made to rise through the practice of Yoga
SUSHUPTI: the deep sleep state
SUTRADHARA: the wire-puller, God
SVABHAVA: innate nature
SVADHYAYA: reading of scriptures
SVAPNA: dreaming state
SVARA-SADHANA: science of breath
SVARODAYA: same as above
SVARUPA: essential nature
SVARUPA-LAKSHANA: distinguishing marks of the essential nature of Brahman
T
TADANA: a Hatha Yogic Kriya
TAIJASA: Chaitanya associated with the astral body in the dream state
TAMASIC: dull
TANMATRAS: subtle elements
TAPA: burning
TAPAS: penance
TAPASYA: practice of penance
TARPANA: libation of water for gratifying the manes
TATTVA: principle, Reality
TATTVA-JNANA: knowledge of Brahman
TAT TVAM ASI: That Thou Art
TIRTHA: place of pilgrimage usually containing a bathing place
TIRTHA-YATRA: pilgrimage
TITIKSHA: endurance
TRATAK(A): steady gazing
TRIKALA JNANA: knowledge of the three periods of time
TRIPHALA: three fruits used in the Ayurvedic system of medicine
TRIVENI: the place where three holy rivers meet
TUL(A)SI: the Indian holy basil plant
TURIYA: superconscious state
TUSHNIMBHUTA AVASTHA: a neutral state of the mind
TYAGA: renunciation
U
UDBODHAKA: stimulus, awakener
UDDIYANA: a Hatha Yogic exercise for raising the diaphragm
UDDIYANA BANDHA: same as above
UDGITHA: sonorous prayer prescribed in the Chhandogya Upanishad to be sung aloud
UNMANI AVASTHA: mindless state of Yogins
UPADHI: limiting adjunct
UPAHITA CHAITANYA: pure consciousness associated with Upadhis, the individual soul
UPASAKA: worshipper
UPASANA: worship
URDHVARETAS: a Yogi in whom the seminal energy flows upwards to the brain and is stored up as Ojas Sakti or spiritual energy
UTSAHA: cheerfulness, enthusiam
V
VAIRA-BHAKTI: constant and intense thought of God induced by hatred and enmity
VAIRAGYA: dispassion
VAISESHIKA: system of Indian philosophy founded by Kanada Rishi
VAK-INDRIYA: the organ of speech
VAKYA: sentence
VARUNA-ASTRA: water-missile
VASANA: latent subtle desire
VASTU: substance, entity
VAYU: air
VEDA: the revealed scripture of the Hindus containing the Upanishads
VEDANTA: (Lit.) end of the Vedas; the school of thought based primarily on the Vedic Upanishads
VIBHU: all-pervading
VICHARA: enquiry
VIDEHAMUKTA: one who has attained disembodied Salvation
VIJATIYA-VRITTI-TIRASKARA: casting aside of alien thoughts, i.e., thoughts other than those of God
VIJNANAMAYA KOSHA: the intellectual sheath
VIJNANAVADA: subjective idealism
VIKALPA: fancy
VIKARA: modifications or change
VIKSHEPA: tossing of mind
VIRAT: macrocosm; the Lord in His form as the manifested universe
VIRAT-VISVARUPA-DARSANA: the vision of the Lord's cosmic form
VISESHA: special
VISHAYA: sense-object
VISHAYAKARA-VRITTI: the flow of objective thinking
VISHAYA-VRITTI-PRAVAHA: the continuous thought-current of worldly objects
VISISHTADVAITA: the doctrine of conditioned non-dualism
VISTARA: expansion
VISVA: Chaitanya associated with the gross body in the waking state
VIVARTA: illusory appearance, apparent variation, superimposition
VIVEKA: discrimination
VRATA: religious vow
VRITTI: a wave of thought, a modification of the mind
VYAKARANATMAKA: grammatical
VYANJAKA: indicative, manifesting
VYAPAKA: all-pervading
VYAVAHARA-RAHITA: devoid of worldly activity
VYAVAHARIC: worldly
VYAVASAYATMIKA: with resolution and determination
Y
YAJNA: sacrifice
YAMA: self-restraint
YOGA: (Lit.) union; union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul; any course which makes for such union
YOGABHRASHTA: one who has fallen from the high state of Yoga
YOGAMAYA: the power of divine illusion
YOGA SADHANA: the spiritual discipline of Yoga
YOGI(N): one who practises Yoga; one who is established in Yoga
YONI-MUDRA: the Mudra in which one closes the ears, eyes, nose and mouth with the thumbs and fingers of the hands to enable one to hear the Anahata sounds
