5/30/14

Saranagathi - Tale of surrender

Saranagathi - Salutations to all the great men in the world

Once upon a time….

Eh! Bansuri, what are you upto?

Hi Sankara, How are you? I am just starting to write my new story series…

Oh ! Not Again, We already had enough with your “Shri Rama Dhootham”, hehehe…! 

How rude! I didn't expect that from you?

Oh!, you have still not given up your expectation? Well, leave it. How did you enjoy this year summer camp?

Marvelous! It was so good to see our Guruji back in action. I have decided, no matter what kind of work I may be held up with, I am never going to miss any of the camps organized by Sadhana Sangama.

Sounds good, I think you are indirectly telling me that I shouldn't miss the future camps, as I did this time, Isn't it Bansuri?

You got that right Sankara! We really missed you….

When Guruji is there with you, what is there to miss my friend?

I cannot argue with you. You know what! I am struggling to come up with a new story series. Didn't know what to write, how to write and even if I write something, if it would be of any purpose!

Did you think about all these when you started writing “Shri Rama Dhootham”?

No, it wasn't planned. 

Then why you are worrying so much. It would come on its own, don’t’ worry. If something has to be shared through you, it would happen. Don’t break your head too much on this. Just surrender yourself completely…

Ah! How many times Guruji has said this, I wish I could do that wholeheartedly.

Gita Govinda says, “Surrender at the feet of your Master, He will show you the way to God “… 

Sankara, Seems like I have heard about Gita Govinda somewhere. Who is the author of it?

Sri Jayadeva Gosvami! 

I think there are still many great people about whom I don’t know much. If you are not in hurry, can you share few more information about Sri Jayadeva?

Are you trying to find some knot for your story in the blog Bansuri ?

I don’t know if I would do that. But still I am eager to know more about him Sankara. 

Ok then let me share what I know & read about him:

About 500 years ago, in a village called Bilvagam, near the sacred city of Jagannath-Puri in the state of Orissa, lived a pious couple by name Narayana Sastri & Kamalabhai. They lead a very auspicious family life devoting their life into God’s worship & service to his worshipers. Even after married for twelve long years, the couple didn't have any child. Even though Narayana Sastri wasn't much worried about this due to his complete devotion into God’s service, his wife Kamalabhai had a great desire to have a child and she always accompanied her husband to the temple to put forth this request at the feet of Jagannath.

Swami Rama used to say “make your mind one-pointed with a desire that motivates you to pray; absorbed in your desire for prayer, the mind becomes calm. When the mind is calm, the Great Majesty reveals itself to the mind, and the purpose of prayer is accomplished”.

In same way, Kamalabhai’s one pointed prayer with pure devotion & love paid dividends. 

One night , in the dream of Narayana Sastri, Sriman Narayanan appeared in his true form holding a lotus flower in the lower left hand, Kaumodaki gada in the lower right hand, Panchajanya Shanka (conch) in the upper left hand and Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand. 

Spellbound by the appearance of the God, whom he was prostrating daily in the temple and whom’s prayers he was reciting throughout the day, Narayana Sastri did full prostration before Him. 

“My dear bhakta, I am greatly moved & satisfied with the utmost devotion you and your wife Kamalabhai are showering. I bless you with the boon of what your wife is praying me all these days”. Lord vanished immediately after uttering this and it also made Narayana Sastri to wake up from his dream. 

Immediately, he woke her wife Kamalabhai who was in deep sleep and shared his vision of Sriman Narayanan in the dream and what he had said to him. He then asked his wife:

“Did you ask for any particular boon from the Lord”?

She replied, “I am happy that our Lord has heard our prayers. What else can a woman ask for other than to get blessed with a child? I only prayed to bless us with a child who can carry on our work”

Hearing this Narayana Sastri felt saddened and his wife could notice it immediately. She then asked:

‘Did I say anything wrong? Why your face is frown suddenly’?

“Kamala, we both have surrendered at the feet of Krishna and I was praying all these years to give us the Moksha, the eternal bliss. Now you have prayed for a child which would lead us to commit more Karma and lead us to have birth again & again on this earth. I am not happy with what you did!

Saying this, with full of despair, Narayana Sastri lied down and after few hours of such helpless state, he slept without his notice.

Sriman Narayanan, not willing to trouble his true followers, appeared on Narayana Sastri’s dream again. 

“My dear Bhakta, for Grihastha’s it is very important to lead a good family life and for that a child is very much required. How can you expect to seek that eternal bliss without leading a good family life? Without realizing this truth why did you hurt your wife who is also very dear to me”?, the lord said with pleasing voice & disappeared. 

Waking up again from the dream, Narayana Sastri, much relieved now, shared about it with Kamalabhai who was also blessed this time with similar vision. The couple both thanked the lord for his mercy & love. Not willing to go to sleep after having such a delight dream, both spent rest of the night in singing the praise of the lord. 

After few seasonal changes, the couple were blessed with a lovely child. The child looked vibrant with full of grace on its face. The couple believed that the child was born to give solace to the entire world and hence they named him ‘Jayadeva’.

Sri Jayadeva from his childhood was found very pious & deeply attached at the service of the lord. He helped his parents in all the activities of the lord’s worship and was grown in a very sacred manner. 

When, Sri Jayadeva reached the age of marriage, his parents prayed to the lord to show them a good daughter in law who could understand & lead a similar virtuous family life as they did. 

Since Sri Jayadeva was a blessed child, Lord Jaganath himself took this task at his hand to search a suitable alliance for his Bhakta.

Similar to Narayana Sastri & Kamalabhai, Sriman Narayanan had also blessed another couple who were childless for many years with a daughter by name ‘Padmavathi’. On her age of marriage, the lord himself appeared in her’s parents dream and asked them to get their daughter married to Jayadeva by providing reference about him. 

When Guru or the Lord take charge of your life, things happen even before you plan for it. In same way, it didn't take much time for both the parents to meet & share their divine experiences with each other. All the arrangements for the marriage started unfolding. 

Realizing the devotion & love of Padmavathi towards his parents & Lord, Sri Jayadeva too wholeheartedly accepted her as his beloved wife.

Bansuri!, Are you listening?

Hmm… yeah, why you ask so ?

You seem to be not so interested?

Hmm…! yeah, frankly I didn't find the story interesting. It’s OK so far without any twists & turns actually. 

Hahaha.. Bansuri!, you have been spoiled by watching quick action movies & emotional TV saga’s. Great soul’s life needs to be listened patiently. Don’t’ expect any dramatic turns & events and don’t think it’s too difficult to believe though it may look fantasy sometimes. Just listen to it and take whatever you feel like. 

OK Sankara!, I got your point, keep continuing…

That's good, then listen:

The newly wedded couple spent their married life together in the service of lord by praising his deeds & play through beautiful songs.  Sri Jayadeva Gosvami had a long wish to bring a particular portion of Padma Purana (one of the eighteen purnas) which talks about Sri Radha Krishna’s divine love. He wanted to compose them in the form of devotional songs. 

He wanted to sing Lord’s rasa play with full of devotion and spread the blissful ecstasy among lord's worshipersIf it’s the wish of the lord, who can stop it from happening. 

One fine day, when Sri Jayadeva, worshipped whole-heartedly to bless him in his new endeavor at the sanctum sanatorium of famous Jagnnath Puri temple, suddenly he heard the temple bells striking on its own with divine light peeking from the temple windows. 

Sri Jayadeva took it as Lord’s blessings & thus started writing his grand immortal poem “Gita Govinda”, which celebrates the glorious divine love of Radha and Krishna. Though outwardly it may look as if it’s all about rasa leela of Radha & Krishna’s divine love, inwardly, if one starts contemplating upon it, it reveals the great Advaita philosophy explaining Jeevatma & Pramatma

The work started flowing in the hands of Sri Jayadeva with the grace of the lord. One fine day, when Jaya Deva was working on the composition of ‘Gita Govinda’ as usual, he suddenly got struck with the thought flow he got while composing it. 

Jayadeva Gosvami was greatly perturbed. “How can I make these words come from the mouth of my Lord Krishna, the supreme controller of unlimited millions of universes?” Many times he asked himself, “Should I write such a thing?” and many times he decided, “Yes, I should.” But even though he wanted to do it, he could not bring himself to write this line. 

Finally he felt he had done a great blunder with the way he wanted to write that particular Ashtapadi that came to his mind. He cursed himself stating he had committed a great sin by thinking the lord in that way.  

Sankara, it’s quite interesting now. What was that he wanted to write which made him feel that he has committed a great sin?

Do you want me to say everything today itself Bansuri? It’s already dark, let me go home & take some rest. I don’t want to miss my Meditation that our Guruji has taught us. Let’s meet at the same point tomorrow & take it up from where we left today… 

Oh No! Sankara, please don't go...

Forgot what our Guruji says, 'Come what may, never miss your Sadhana'... 

Hmm.. right! I agree, Let me also sit for meditation today...

That's sounds like a good sadhaka.... Good Bye Bansuri!

Good Bye Sankara! will be waiting for you…

('Saranagathi' will flow...)

Few glimpses from 'Gita Govinda':

Poet Sri Jayadeva starts his famous "Geeta Govinda' meditating upon the incarnations of Sri Maha Vishnu on the earth, to protect the righteous and punish the wicked from time to time.

yadi hari-smarane sarasam mano
yadi viläsa-kaläsu kutühalam
madhura-komala-känta-padävalim
srnu tadä jayadeva-sarasvatim

If your heart yearns to delight in remembrance of Sri Hari; if you are hankering to contemplate upon him with intense affection; if you are over whelmed with curiosity to know about his skill in amorous pastimes; then by all means read this book. You will find my lovely poetry to be extremely relishable. Although it is so emotive and mellifluous, if you are not possessed of the aforementioned qualifications then you must not read it. This literature is not for you.

praLaya payOdhi jalE dhruta vA nasi vEdam vihita vihitra charitra makhEdam kESava dhruta meena Sareera jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Jagadisvara ! O Hari! From your eternal spiritual abode, you descend to this
temporary world in the form of a fish and save the Vedas from the ocean of
universal devastation, just as a ship effortlessly rescues a drowning man. May
you be victorious.

kshitirati vipulatarE tava tishTati prushThE dharaNi dharaNakina chakra garishTE kESava dhruta kachchapa roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Kesi Nisudana! O Jagadisa ! O Hari! Assuming your tortoise form, you held the
earth upon one part of your expansive back. The fame of the impression made
by the earth on your back is ever-increasing. May you be victorious!

vasati daSana SikharE dharaNi tava lagna SaSini kaLanka kalEva nimagna kESavadhruta sookara roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Jagadisa! O Kesava! O Hari! O you who have assumed the form of a boar!
As the moon appears to contain a blemish, similarly, the earth is situated upon
your tusks. May you be victorious!

tava kara kamalE nakha madbhuta Srungam daLita hiraNyakaSipu vara bhrungam kESavadhruta narahari roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Jagadisa! O Hari! O Kesava! You have assumed the form of Nrsimha,
part man and part lion. With the wonderful, sharp nails of your excellent lotus
hands, you tear apart the body of Hiranyakasipu, just as a bumblebee tears a
flower. May you be victorious!

chalayasi vikramaNE balimadbhuta vAmana pada nakha neera janita jana pAvana kESavadhruta vAmana roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O master of the entire universe! O Sri Hari! O Kesava! Assuming the form of a
dwarf, you cheat King Bali on the pretext of begging for three paces of land.
The population of the universe has become purified by the water that touched
your toenails (the Ganges). O wonderful Vämanadeva, may you be victorious!

kshatriya rudhiramayE jagadapagata pApam snApayasi payasi Samita bhava tApam kESavadhruta bhrugu roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Jagadisa! O Hari! O Kesi Nisudana! You have assumed the form of Bhrgupati
(Parasuräma). You have dispelled the anguish of the material world by
destroying the dynasty of the reigning military caste and purifying the universe
with the water of their blood. O you who have appeared as Bhrgupati, may you
be victorious!

vitarasi dikshuraNE dikpati kamaneeyam daSamukha mouLi balim ramaNeeyam kESavadhruta rAma Sareera jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O master of the universe, Sri Hari! O killer of the Kesi demon! Assuming the
form of Sri Räma, you engage in battle with the ten-headed demon king,
Rävana, and distribute his extremely attractive and coveted crowned heads as
sacrificial offerings to the presiding demigods of the directions such as Indra.
May you be victorious!

vahasi vapushi viSadE vasanam jaladAbham halahati bheeti miLita yamunAbham 
kESavadhruta haladhara roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Jagat-svämi! O killer of the demon Kesi! O Hari! You have assumed a brilliant
white complexion in your form as Baladeva Prabhu. You wear blue clothes that
resemble the beauty of newly formed, fresh rainclouds. It seems that the River
Yamunä has hidden in your cloth, fearing the blow of your plough. O carrier of
the plough, may you be victorious!

nindasi yajna vidhE rahaha Sruti jAtam sadaya hrudaya darSita paSughAtam kESavadhruta buddha Sareera jaya jagadeeSaharE || 

O Jagadisvara! O Hari! O Kesi Nisudana! You have assumed the form of Buddha.
Being compassionate and sensitive, you decry the Vedas when you see the
violence inflicted upon animals in the course of sacrificial performances. May
you be victorious!

mlEchcha nivaha nidhanE kalayasi karavALam dhoomakEtumiva kimapi karAlam kESavadhruta kalki Sareera jaya jagadeeSa harE || 

O Sri Hari, controller of the universe! O Killer of Kesi! Assuming the form of
Kalki, you wield a fearsome sword that resembles a foreboding star as you
slaughter the barbarians. May you be victorious!

Sri jayadEva kavErida mudita mudAram SruNu Subhadam sukhadam bhava sAram kESavadhruta daSavidha roopa jaya jagadeeSa harE ||

O Jagadisvara! O Sri Hari! O Kesi-nisüdana! O you who appear in ten different
forms! May you be pleased to hear this magnanimous prayer of glorification
by Sri Jayadeva, which bestows both happiness and auspiciousness. It is the
extracted essence of all material existence.

- 'Bansuri'

(story of Sri Jayadev inspired from 'Maha Bhakta Vijaya'. Poem extracts are from the book 'Sri Gita Govinda')

5/28/14

Summer Camp 2014 (Final updates)

Guruji Birthday Celebration (update):

On 21st Evening, the Sadhaka's arranged for cake cutting ceremony which Guruji lovingly obliged. He wanted his ailing mother also to be part of this occasion. Before the cake cutting, Guruji shared how his mother was instrumental in organizing Sadhana Sangama activities during its earlier days and how she took care of all the sadhaka's during tough situations.  It was truly a heart whelming occasion when Jyothi Ma shared that they still haven't told Guruji's mother all about Guruji's health condition though she could suspect that something has gone wrong with his son (Guruji) for past few months. 

When Guruji insisted his mother to speak few words on this occasion, it was all tears from her eyes. She then with great difficulty spoke with tears that, "I have given birth to my son (Guruji) and took care of him all these while, but I am now too old that I can no longer do anything for him...." Though she could not complete the sentence, it was understood by all the sadhaka's that its now our duty to take care of our Guruji, so that through Him the Grace that flows can reach thousands & thousands of families...

Then Guruji lovingly patted on her back and then started cutting the cake along with all the parivara's. He then gave a piece of the Cake to her mother, and she in return in spite of her old age/ illness, took all the effort to give a piece to Guruji, Ma & Kavitha Akka.

After the occasion, Guruji's mother was in joyous mood and waved hands to all before leaving.  Truly it's a great memory for all the Sadhaka's assembled there and one could see how much sacrifice & efforts that are required to be in this path of Sadhana. 

Prior to the cake cutting ceremony, Mrityunjaya Japa & Abhishekam was performed inside the Cave along with all the sadhaka's for the welfare of Guruji's health & all the Sadhaka's. 

Curious junior sadhaka's eagerly opening the Cake parcel

Hmm... looks delicious
Now the cake is ready...
Guruji lovingly sharing his Mother's stint with Sadhana Sangama in earlier days

Guruji's mother gracing the occasion

Mother & son recollecting their best moments...


FIFTH SADHANA

Guruji was not feeling well on 23rd and hence could not take any class. But towards evening he wanted to spend the time and hence made the evening session as a question and answer session. He gained energy after coming to the class. The next day morning, i.e., 24th morning, he was suggesting that first four sadhanas itself, if practiced sincerely and regularly, will take time to bring in the desired transformation and, therefore, rushing to fifth sadhana will not do any good. However, he very briefly summed up the four sadhanas and touched upon what the fifth sadhana is. It is Ashtaanga Yoga given by Maharishi.

Summing up:

1.       Be in ATHA, in saakshi bhaava – Atha Yogaanu Shasanam is the First Sadhana.

2.       Mind needs to hold on to something, some ideal. That is ISHVARA who is untouched by Klesha, etc. Keep remembering that you are that ISHVARA – Ishvara Pranidhana is the Second Sadhana.

3.       Merging with OM. Give up the wrong attitude and develop a new energy and merge it with OM. Chant with meaning and feeling. Tasya Vachaka Pranavaha is the Third Sadhana.

4.       Basic kleshas are troubling us and we can come out of these disturbances by adopting the Prathiprasava concept. This is the Fourth Sadhana.

5.       Ashtaanga Yoga is the Fifth Sadhana.

Ashtaanga Yoga flourishes on the backdrop of the above four Sadhanas.

Yogaanga anushtaanath ashudikshaye jnana deeptihi aaviveka kyathehe

In the absence of impurities the wisdom glows and shines. That wisdom is nothing but viveka kyathi – that intelligence which is not touched by any impurities. We will touch our Nija Swaroopa, True Self, in this state and the endeavor of Sadhana Panchaka is to help us rise to this level.

Guruji on the final  day of the Summer camp
Om Shree Gurubhyo Namaha
Gurudev concluded the Camp by appealing to us to practice Sadhana Panchaka with sincerity and regularity and assured that the entire team of Rishis are waiting to guide us in the path of Sadhana and lead us into FREEDOM.

Om Shree Gurubhyo Namaha
Om Shree Parama Gurubhyo Namaha
Om Shree Parameshti Gurubhyo Nama

Om Shree Sarva Gurubhyo Nama


All the sadhaka's took a group photo along with Guruji and shared their happiness and love for Guruji & how they enjoyed this year Summer Camp.

Summer Camp 2014 Group Photo

Summer Camp 2014 Group Photo

This camp was also graced by Jyothi Ma in the form of discourse on 'Durga Saptasati' on how it has to be recited & it's meaning. She also initiated few willing Sadhaka's on the same. We would look for feasibility to upload the audio files of these sessions at the earliest.


Dear Friends, the updates are not verbatims of Gurudev's lectures and hence it is strongly recommended that you kindly buy the DVDs of Gurudev's lecture so that the message is communicated without distortions. The DVD's will take a month or so to be on sale. You may kindly contact Mr. Pandey at +91-9312796128 or write to basantpnd4@gmail.com for getting the DVDs"

Thanks for reading Summer Camp updates and keep visiting us...

- A report by a 'Sadhaka'

5/23/14

Summer Camp 2014 - Update 6

 21 May 2014, 12.15 PM - Guruji Session

It was a bit sultry and humid. But the afternoon juice came to the rescue to sit through the ensuing session of Gurudev. As I type this surprisingly a gentle breeze from nowhere started to provide respite. But this mystery ended soon as I realized that it is Chandan who switched on the pedestal fan behind me.

Gurudev began the session with the concept of deconstructing and rebuilding. In this context he was referring to the Trikaranas i.e., the three channels we have – Kaya, the physical body, Vacha – the speech and Manas – the mind.

THIRD SADHANA

At this point Gurudev introduced the Third Sadhana in Sadhana Panchaka. For this Gurudev relied on the following Sutra of Maharishi.

Tapa Svadhyaya Ishvara Pranidhanani Kriya Yogaha

Gurudev spent quite a length of time in trying to push the dimension of TAPA into our hard psyche. He quoted ample examples one after the other in this regard.

Gurudev said that TAPAS begins with SANKALPA. If we can recollect Gurudev mentioned earlier that LANGUAGE should culminate in SANKALPA. Here that culminating point i.e., SANKALPA is the starting point for Tapas.

Tapas is a process where we gather, where we collect, where we integrate. We achieve this by developing the fire to burn the old habits and create new habits that will lead us towards FREEDOM.

The thought process of Gurudev is something remarkable. The point that he is trying to arrive at here is that since FREEDOM is the purpose and HARMONY is the Language, he gives TAPAS as a wonderful tool to help us in achieving this. TAPAS by this definition is nothing but with one’s self effort establishing harmony among the physical body, speech and thought within oneself. Imagine if one cannot achieve harmony within one’s own self, how can then a disintegrated person bring order and harmony around oneself?

Maharishi’s Sutras work universally on each and every individual. Therefore if Tapa works on you, it has to work on everyone in the universe.

The second dimension in the above Sutra is Svadhyaya. It means one should start studying oneself honestly and sincerely. The yardstick one should use in analyzing oneself is the LANGUAGE viz., HARMONY. Does my TAPAS (Body, Speech and Intellect) is in tune with Harmony? Is my Tapas for Harmony?

The third dimension in this Sutra is Ishvara Pranidhana which means being aware of Ishvara. According to Gurudev Ishvara is not the Gods that we have known already like Shiva, Krishna, Rama, etc., Ishvara for a Sadhaka, according to Gurudev, is that VISHESHA PURUSHA whom we have seen and understood yesterday, the one who is untouched by the Doshas, the 9 obstacles that we saw in the Second Sadhana such as Vyadhi, Sthyana, Samsheya, etc.,

VISHESHA PURUSHA is nothing but the symbol of FREEDOM as he is untouched by doshas and not bound by / with anything. That state is obviously a FREE state. Gurudev has given us Tapas, Svadhyaya and Ishvara Pranidhana as Karma Yoga. In other words, if we do Karma Yoga, we can become VISHESHA PURUSHA.

What a beautiful approach Gurudev has spun around Maharishi’s Sutras !! A PURUSHA, in its process of evolution to be PARAMA PURUSHA, achieves this without disturbing the surroundings, without creating ruckus. On the contrary, in this process of evolution the PURUSHA creates harmony in its surrounding and help others around it to get a taste of freedom through this harmony.

 22nd May 2014, 6.30 AM - Guruji Session

Gurudev began the session with guided meditation after which he asked the Parivara, ‘How are you?’ to which came reply, ‘Fine, Guruji.’

Gurudev continued : Who is fine? One who has connected with the divinity and drops everything at the feet of divinity and accepts the consequences, without any conditions or expectations, is fine.

A Sadhaka is one who does not negate anything but who enquires into everything. Blindly negating is not the solution. Enquiry leads to clarity which helps in developing the right LANGUAGE. We are stuck most of the time and to hide that fact, we develop a LANGUAGE that argues, fights to protect that deficiency.

This is so because we don’t know what is in store for us. This leads to lack of confidence. So people rely on astrology to know what is in store for them. But we fail to realize that there is something else working for you, and through you. One has to put effort to understand and realize this. Wisdom lies in not compromising here, for our own development, good and FREEDOM. Look at the beauty here. Maharishi gives us the definite method by practicing which we will benefit directly, not others. Yet, we apply our intelligence to defy that. May be this is MAYA?

Gurudev gave the example of the Chef in our kitchen.  He said, suppose you want to have Poori and Potato for breakfast. But the menu is something else. Therefore, you should have such a strong Sankalpa to influence the thought process of the Chef to change the menu to what you want or you should have the humility to simply accept what is being served.

In a similar fashion, if you want God to listen to you, either you have such a strong Sankalpa or simply accept what is being bestowed. This is not happening in us because we are confused between the desire and the deservedness. If your child is having high temperature, and if the child is tempted to have ice cream, will you provide the child with one? Certainly not. There is nothing wrong with the child’s desire but it is only that the child does not deserve, at that juncture, what it desires.

Gurudev said that you gain enormous strength by surrendering completely.


Develop the LANGUAGE of harmony is all that I am requesting you out of concern, said Gurudev. What you are going to experience after establishing yourself in the LANGUAGE of harmony is something marvelous, hence the concern friends, he concluded.


22 May 2014, 10.30 AM Guruji Session

FOURTH SADHANA

Basic tensions take away the blessed energy. Nothing much to do in fourth Sadhana except to work on one’s own self, at the attitudinal level.

Enquiry alone will be of help here and mere dependence on rituals will not deliver us from the basic tensions.

There are basically four biological urges:

1.  Food
2.  Sleep
3.  Fear
4.  Urge to have sex

These are common for human beings and animals.

The solution to come out of this are not within us and the Jiva has to go out to get these. For this it uses the flowing six channels:

1. Kama - desire
2. Krodha – anger, out of helplessness
3. Lobah - Greed
4. Moha  -  attachment
5. Madha - arrogant
6. Matsara – jealous

These 10 created 5 basic tensions

1. Avidya – ignorance
2. Asmita – Ego
3. Raaga – attachment
4. Dvesha - aversion
5. Abhinivesha – fear of losing

Maharishi’s Yoga Shastra is not one that of hope but a definite method. It will work and produce results if adopted by oneself, with right understanding and honesty.

Prathiprasava, going back, is the fourth Sadhana. If you get angry, don’t react with anger; instead go backwards (i.e., inside within oneself) and find out from where this anger generates. Similarly with hurt, fear, etc. By doing this you will be able to separate yourself from the reaction and will begin to see things as they are. This delay in reaction will give you the space in which you can fit the LANGUAGE of Harmony. This is the fourth Sadhana Gurudev suggests.

- A Report by a 'Sadhaka'

5/21/14

Summer Camp - Update 5 (birthday special)

21 May 6.30 AM session:

Today is Gurudev’s birthday and the excitement filled the air when the Parivara assembled at 6.30 am in the Dining Hall. The children were highly charged and with bubbling enthusiasm started planning yesterday night itself to put up some show in the evening to celebrate Gurudev’s birthday in their own style. It was heartening to see families from different places with different background and their children becoming one family during the camp and travel in the path of Sadhana with lightness and joy. This was possible because of the Tapas that Gurudev is doing to create one family, Sadhana Parivara. Gurudev, tussi great ho ! (an expression to adore the greatness of Gurudev in Punjabi slang)

Morning was cool and pleasant, as usual.  During evening walk with Gurudev yesterday, Gurudev exclaimed and wondered that Baba (Swami Rama) this time wanted to bless us all with LANGUAGE and SADHANA PANCHAKA.

Gurudev started the class with guided meditation. Oh! Surprise !! Gurudev’s birthday celebrations have begun. It is going to be a day–long celebration it seems. We did record the celebrations and if it is possible we will upload it here in this article or else we will give a link to the video here.

Gurudev with ease connected the celebrations with LANGUAGE. He started by saying that nothing is planned in his life and whatever happens it happens at the right time. He attributed this to the LANGUAGE that he speaks from within and that is ‘mein nahi, tu hi’ (Not me, it’s only you). Gurudev says this is the language of harmony, language of ATHA.

When you develop this LANGUAGE things happen automatically. You need not put effort, plan things. Events, things happen. That is the power of dropping and remaining still from within. Gurudev strengthened this by supplementing the concept of PROCESS.

We are all in PROCESS, whether we consciously recognize it or not, acknowledge it or not, accept it or not. What happens with most of us is that we think that we are the PROCESS and hence the suffering and anxiety. The moment we think that we are the PROCESS and we are in no way different from the PROCESS, then automatically planning, effort, struggle, joy, disappointment everything starts happening in us. For us this is life, being alive, being intelligent.

On the contrary, the reality is that we are NOT THE process but we are WITH THE process. For example, the hurt is there. No doubt. But we assume that we are the hurt which is not so. This is where the detour happens. If at all we have to put effort, it is here that we have to concentrate our energies and stop this detour from happening. Now follow carefully.

What does concentrating our energies imply? It means it is here that we have to practically apply the LANGUAGE Harmony and the technique ATHA, staying in the present. When we get hurt, what we have to do immediately is start living that moment, ATHA and consciously remember that we are here for Harmony. Not to retaliate. Not to hurt the person who hurt me. If we can bring in this stability, every time, then we can break the habit of assuming us to be the process and detach ourselves and understand that the process is happening in us.

When such a transformation happens then the joy, the freedom and confidence that we will experience cannot be described or defined. This is a direct experience which is definite. But again let us not get deceived that if we succeed in this one time it will stay with us forever. It may for some, but for most it has to be repeated every time when we are stuck with such processes in life.

The concern that GURUDEV was sharing is the concern of the Rishis and Spiritual Masters of our Tradition which is that we, as sadhakas, should not stop till we see our TRUE SELF, that we are divine and we are capable of achieving this. Our Tradition is not at all interested in creating hierarchies in the path of Sadhana and connect with every Jiva independently. There is only compassion and not comparison.

Gurudev with all sincerity appealed to all of us to drop and detach ourselves from the process and be with the process, consciously by presenting his own life as an example and inspiration for us to follow. On his birthday, which is very auspicious for us, may we all reaffirm our dedication and commitment to Gurudev not to give up this Sadhana. This is the only way, I think, to be in constant touch with Gurudev and enjoy the brilliance and compassion uninterruptedly and this is the best birthday gift which we can offer to  Gurudev and which he will cherish the most.

Ah! the tempting fragrance of Upma and Kesari disturbs my flow and it is really time for me to join others in breakfast.

Summer Camp 2014

Summer Camp 2014

Summer Camp 2014

Summer Camp 2014

Summer Camp 2014


 - A report by a 'Sadhaka'

Summer Camp 2014 - Update 4

20 May 2014  - 10:30 AM Session


The Parivara assembled to listen to Gurudev on the next step in Sadhana.

Gurudev started the session with guided meditation. He then recapitulated the first Sadhana that he shared yesterday a little bit before starting to explain about the second Sadhana.

Gurudev opined that Harmony means including all and excluding none. Including all means trying to understand the whole in a given scenario with the attitude of acceptance. Acceptance does not mean yielding. Acceptance leads to freedom and our viveka ie., discriminative power of intelligence works only in the space of freedom and not in a crowded mind. This is what we have seen yesterday that freedom is the purpose of life and harmony is the LANGUAGE and ATHA is the technique to attain and experience that harmony.


The Second Sadhana

For the second Sadhana, Gurudev relied on the following Sutras:

Tasya Vachaka Pranavaha
Tat Japaha Tadartha Bhavanam

Our Master took us all through a beautiful journey from here on filled with wonder and adventure. When we confuse ourselves with clarity and determination using our intelligence and feel lost and helpless, here is our Master who deconstructs the mystery of the sutras and presents it in a simple way which, even a person young in age, can understand and follow.

When the mind engages in the anushasana of yoga, naturally MOUNA occurs. In that state the mind wants to break from its confinement and expand to experience the expansiveness. At the same time, it is unable to hold on to that INFINITY which it has not experienced yet. In this situation the mind gets into a SPIRITUAL CRISIS.

Therefore, the mind needs something to hold on which will help the mind to confidently break its own confinements and travel to experience the INFINITY. We can call that SOMETHING as Vehicle which the mind needs to travel towards the INFINITY. Maharishi has suggested that OMKARA is that vehicle which is going to help the mind to experience expansive INFINITY.

Why OM? Because, OM is the voice of INFINITY i.e., the LORD. When we want to find a person in a crowd who is there but cannot be seen, we call the name of the person. And after hearing the name when that person responds we immediately turn and look towards the direction from where the response came. This means, voice at both the ends attracts response and we are guided by the voice in such a scenario till both meet. In the same way, if we follow the voice of the Lord i.e., OM, then the Lord will also follow the voice and eventually both we and the Lord will meet at some point in time.

Now, if we begin this practice with doubt in mind as to whether this will happen to me and all that, certainly this will not happen. The Master Psychologist, Maharishi, has given us a definite solution for this as well and that is the second sutra quoted above.

Maharishi says when you start doing the Japa do with the full understanding of the meaning of the Mantra and the feeling of the Mantra. As explained above if we start chanting OMKARA with the meaning and feeling there is no way that it will fail us. Maharishi is so sure about this sutra because chanting OM will deliver us from the following ills:

Gurudev quickly touched upon the points and did not go into the details. He just wanted to give us a broad understanding of the relevance of the above sutra by explaining the following.

Vyadhi – psychological resistance to transformation is Vyadhi, in addition to the physical diseases.

Sthyana – start advising

Samsheya – doubt

Pramadha – indifference

Aalasya – physical fatigueness, laziness.

Aalaysa leads to various emotional complexities like depression, arrogance, etc.

Avirathi – holding onto, clinging on to

Alapdha Bhoomika – aspiring for an unattainable state

Anavasthi Tattva – inconsistency

Brandhi Darshana – hallucination

If I had wrongly spelt some of the above terms, kindly bear with me. I was at the back and I could not clearly understand the pronunciation of the Sanskrit words.

The rest of the lecture Gurudev dedicated to explain PURUSHA and PURUSHA VISHESHA.

I am amazed at the invigorating combination of Maharishi and Gurudev and I am convinced that only silence can adore this duo. There can’t be two opinions if I am to say that we are extremely fortunate to be blessed by these two great Masters and should not waste the opportunity life has given us.

PURUSHA, i.e., we, are disturbed and troubled by the following.


Klesha – day to day tensions
Karma – expecting the fruits of actions
Vipaka – excitement about some special skills, our luck, etc.

Aashaya – bag of desires

One who is not troubled by the above is Vishesha Purusha, special being. That special being is Ishvara and connecting with Ishvara is Satsanga.

Gurudev concluded the session by saying that our transformation from PURUSHA to PURUSHA VISHESHA is possible by following the voice of the Lord, OMKARA.


 - A report by a 'Sadhaka'



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