Swami Sivananda's Personality

Hari Om,

Here is an excerpt from Dr.Devaki Kutty Mataji's lecture on  Swami Sivananda's personality :

" I will tell you another instance which shows what a wonderful person He was. I had come on holiday from my college. An elderly blind man had arrived. I do not know whether he was really blind, but he sang beautifully. And any good quality meant that Gurudev would take him in. So there he was, singing every night at the Satsang. He sang beautiful Bhajans. Then after four or five days he told Gurudev: “Swamiji, this harmonium is not very good, I would like to have a better harmonium.” And this man had come to the Ashram only four or five days earlier. In those days Rishikesh was a small town, and nothing was available here. So Gurudev asked him: “Where do we get good harmoniums?” And the man said: “In Lucknow.” And you know, Lucknow is far from here. Swamiji called a man and said: “Oh jee, go to Lucknow tomorrow and get him a harmonium according to his specifications.” So this fellow went and within three or four days he came with a beautiful harmonium. And for four days we had beautiful music on that harmonium. On the fifth day the man disappeared from the Ashram with the harmonium. At the Satsang somebody went to Gurudev and said: “Gurudev, that man, you were so good to him, that man has taken the new harmonium and has gone!” Gurudev smiled and said: “But there is one thing. How will he sing without the tabla? He should have taken the tabla also and not only the harmonium.” Look at this! Many of us were furious, my blood was boiling. I thought: “Look at this stupid man! How good was Gurudev to him. And he took the harmonium and went away.” But nothing worried Gurudev. And look at His attitude. He should have taken the tabla also, not only the harmonium. He could have made a living by it. This is the attitude towards life we have to develop. It is far beyond us, but we have to develop it."

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Sannyasa-a Mental State

Hari Om,

Sannyasa is a mental state only. It is Gerua or colouring of the heart and not of cloth alone. He is a veritable Sannyasin who is free from passions and egoism and who possesses all the Sattvic qualities, even though he lives with the family in the world. Chudala was a queen-Yogini-Sannyasini, though she was ruling a kingdom. That Sannyasin who lives in the forest, but who is full of passions is worse than a householder and a worldly-minded fool. Sikhidhvaja was a worldly man, though he lived in the forest naked for very many years.

True renunciation is the renunciation of all passions, desires, egoism and Vasana. If you have a stainless mind, a mind free from attachment, egoism and passion, you are a Sannyasin-no matter whether you live in a forest or in the bustle of a city, whether you wear white cloth or an orange-coloured robe, whether you shave the head or keep a long tuft of hair.

Shave the mind. Someone asked Guru Nanak, "O saint, why have you not shaved your head? You are a Sannyasin." Guru Nanak replied, "My dear friend, I have shaved my mind." In fact, the mind should be cleanly shaved. Shaving the mind consists in getting rid of all sorts of attachments, passions, egoism, Moha (infatuation), lust, greed, anger, etc. This is the real shaving. External shaving of the head has no meaning so long as there is internal craving, Trishna.

Many have not understood what true renunciation is. Renunciation of physical objects is no renunciation at all. The real Tyaga (renunciation) consists in the renunciation of egoism (Ahankara). If you can renounce this Ahankara, you have renounced everything else in the world. If the subtle Ahankara is given up, Dehadhyasa (identification with the body) automatically goes away.

Vedanta does not want you to renounce the world. It wants you to change your mental attitude and give up this false, illusory 'I'-ness (Ahamta) and mineness (Mamata). The snake-charmer removes only the two poisonous fangs of the cobra. The snake remains the same. It hisses, raises its hood and shows the teeth. In fact, it does everything as before. The snake-charmer has changed his mental attitude towards the snake. He has a feeling now that it has got no poisonous fangs. Even so, you must remove the two poisonous fangs of the mind, viz., Ahamta and Mamata only. Then you can allow the mind to go wherever it likes. Then you will have always Samadhi only.

You must renounce the Tyagabhimana also. The Tyagabhimana is very deep-rooted. You must renounce the idea, "I have renounced everything." "I am a great Tyagi"-this Abhimana of the Sadhus is a greater evil than the Abhimana of householders, "I am a landlord; I am a Brahmin, etc." 

Source : Swami Sivananda's Mind -Its Mysteries and Control 

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Life is a Dream

Hari Om,

I have heard many a times from the words of sages, saints and philosophers that ‘Life is a Dream’. I have never been able to comprehend how it could be, until yesterday when I read Swami Sivananda’s 'Philosophy of Dreams'. I am not sure if I have understood it completely, but some insights did dawn in me, and I like to share it on this blog. Well, when we are awake, the dreams we see in our sleep seems so ‘unreal’. When we are dreaming, the state when we are awake seems so ‘unreal’. The mind is a common factor which functions during our wakeful and dreaming states; the only difference is the mind functions along with the senses in our wakeful state and the mind alone functions (without senses) during our dreaming. Both the states are ‘unreal’ relatively. Probably, this is the reason why life which we perceive as ‘real’ during our wakeful state is nothing but a long dream. Even, in the wakeful state, what has passed in our life is a ‘dream’ or the future which we perceive in our minds in also a ‘dream’. What seems real is only the present moment. The present moment seems real since it is limited by a time factor. Once time advances, this ‘present’ also becomes a ‘past’ and becomes a ‘dream’. Remove the time factor, the present is also a dream. Life thus in totality is nothing but a long dream.

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Parable of The Boy and The Angel

Hari Om,

There was a very hard-working student who used to study till late in the night. He was very poor. He had to exert much for getting books and oil for his midnight studies. One day, being much tired, he fell asleep at night, while he was at his studies. He saw in his dream a strange vision. A celestial being appeared to him and said: "O boy, open your mouth and I shall put into it a pill of all the knowledge of the universe. Thus be relieved of all your troubles, and rest in peace." But the boy said: "I want not all the knowledge of the universe to be spat into my mouth. Be gracious enough to provide me with oil for my studies." Thus, the vision ended and the boy, by his self-exertion, became one of the greatest men of the age. 

A Sadhaka, too, must have the same spirit of self-exertion. Then alone will he evolve quickly and attain to the peak of knowledge. A mother can give food to the son, but she cannot herself digest it for him. He has to digest it himself. A Guru or guide can show one the right path, but one has to tread it oneself. 

Expect not to acquire knowledge without any exertion on your part, for verily such knowledge is mere dream. Right exertion alone can enable you to draw grace from Guru or God. One who flies away from difficulties can never be relieved of them. But one who faces them boldly will afterwards be able to cross them and will attain supreme Peace and Bliss even in this very life. 

Source : Swami Sivananda - Parables of Sivananda 

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Seeing God

Hari Om, 

 

An American philosopher, Dr. Thompson, asked Sivananda a straight question: “Have you seen God, Swamiji?” “I see nothing but God”: replied the Master, “in the food I take, in the water I drink, in the people I greet, in the animals I meet—and in you, Dr. Thompson, I see nothing but God”.

 

 

Source : Swami Sivananda - A Modern Sage

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Swami Sivananda on Idol Worship

Hari Om, 

“A reputed baron of New York came to me one evening for an interview. During the course of conversation the baron said, ‘Swamiji, I have no faith in image-worship. It is all foolishness. The private secretary of the baron who was also with him had a photo of the baron in his pocket-diary. I took the photo and asked the private secretary to spit on it. The secretary was struck aghast. He hesitated and looked at the baron. I again commanded him, ‘Go on, spit at the picture. Quick’. The secretary said, ‘Swamiji, the baron is my master. I serve him. How can I spit at the picture? This is his image. I cannot do this ignoble act. I respect him in this picture’. I said to him, ‘This is only a paper. This is not the real baron. It cannot talk, move or eat’. Then the secretary said, ‘Anyhow I see my baron in this picture. This mean act would affect my feelings as well as wound the feelings of my master. I cannot spit’. I said to the baron, ‘Look here, my friend! Your secretary loves and respects your photo. He associates your presence with the picture although it is just a bit of paper. Is this not image-worship? Even so the devotee associates the attributes of God with the image and feels His presence or immanence there. He finds it easy to concentrate his mind on the image. The mind wants a concrete prop to lean upon in the beginning stage of practice. Do you see the point now, my dear baron? The baron replied, ‘Revered Swamiji! You are quite right. My eyes are opened now. I am quite convinced. Pray, pardon me’”.

 

Source : Yvonne Lebeau's This Monk from India

Om  Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

 

The Human Quest

Hari Om,

Swami Sivananda does not preach from a podium. He comes down to the level of the common man and asks him what he wants. Bang comes the reply: “Happiness!”. Happiness is what everyone is after. From cradle to grave, it is the one ceaseless human quest. The new-born baby seeks comfort in its mother’s bosom. The dying man seeks solace in a last look at his close relatives crowding round his cot. During their earthly sojourn, different people look for happiness in different places, but their goal is common.

Some call it happiness. Others call it peace. Sivananda sees everyone striving for it, each in his own way, but not getting it. Happiness, the most sought-after goal of all human endeavours, is also the most elusive. Worldly happiness is like the will-o’-the wisp. Just as one seems to secure it, it eludes one’s grasp. Even when secured, it does not last. It is fleeting. It is momentary. Not only that, it is invariably mixed with pain. Lasting happiness thus becomes a never-ending chase.

Why is this so? Sivananda says that it is because man searches for happiness in the wrong place. To illustrate his point, the Master tells a story:

“A simpleton was passing through a dark tunnel. A coin he was holding in his hand slipped down on the ground. He came out of the tunnel and started vigorously searching for it all over the place just outside the tunnel. People got curious. They questioned him. He said, ‘I have lost my money. I am not able to find it, though I have been searching for it all day’. ‘Where did you lose it?’ asked a bystander. ‘Inside that tunnel’ came a reply. ‘And why are you searching for it here?’ asked the amazed friend.‘Because it is dark inside the tunnel and bright here!’”

“Who will not laugh at such foolishness?” asks Sivananda, “And yet, such truly is the case with numberless men and women today. They all want peace. They realise that they have lost it. They are frantically searching for it. But where? Where they are able to see. Not where it is, where they lost it!”.

Peace lies in God. Happiness lies in God, from whom man has descended. When man separated from God, he lost his happiness. He can regain that happiness only when he returns to God. “Happiness comes when the individual merges in God,” says holy Master Sivananda in his last sentence, dictated just three weeks before his Mahasamadhi. Once man is merged in God, there is no coming back to this world of woes.

Source : Sri N.Ananthanarayanan's book 'What does Swami Sivananda Teach'

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !