Prayer for Health and Long Life

Hari Om,

Swami Vishnudevananda performing Vrischika Asana(Scorpion Pose) before Swami Sivananda

O Adorable Lord of compassion and love,
Prostrations and salutations unto Thee.
O Lord, give me good health and long life,
Free me from my disease, O Lord of my Life.
Let my limbs be strong and firm.
Let my senses function vigorously.
Let my mind be fixed in Thee.
Let the three humours be harmonious.
Let the Koshas vibrate harmoniously.
Let me be full of vim, vigour and vitality.
Let my body, senses, serve Thee.
And let them not do any mischief or wrong.

Source : Swami Sivananda's A Boon To Diabetics

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Meditation on Atman

Hari Om,

Meditation on the fearless Atman removes all sorts of fears in toto. A sage beholds the immortal fearless Self only everywhere. How can there be fear for him then? There is fear only where there is duality. If one feels that there is a second object besides himself, at once fear is generated. He is afraid of the other man. Separation, duality, perception of objects are all due to Avidya or ignorance.

Start the anti-current from today. Deny the body, and identify yourself with the all-pervading, immortal, fearless Atman. Entire denial of the body cannot come in a day or a week. Constantly think of the Atman. Gradually you will become fearless. You will have to fight against the Samskaras of Anadikala (beginningless time). The more you think of Atman, the more courageous you will become. By constant hammering only can you entirely drive the nail into the wall or a plank. Even so, by constant and protracted thinking on Atman alone you can become absolutely fearless.

Meditate. Assert. Recognize. Realize.

Source: Swami Sivananda's Conquest of Fear

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Universal Prayer

Hari Om, 

O Lord! I do want to serve the world disinterestedly and practise Nishkama Karma Yoga to get Chitta Suddhi. I am sometimes perplexed, agitated and depressed. I am in a dilemma. I do not know what to do. I have no clear idea of right and wrong. I have no knowledge of the Sastras and the Smritis. I do not know Sanskrit, Laghu nor Sidhanta Kaumudi. I have no training to hear Thy shrill inner voice.
 

This world is full of apparent contradictions, paradoxes and puzzles, peculiar troubles and difficulties. This world is peculiar. Thou hast given me a peculiar mind with peculiar habits. Nay, this world is full of temptations. I have no strength to resist temptations, public opinions, criticisms,oppressions, pressures and even assaults. I am not able to please anybody to the fullest extent. Enemies do crop up, though I keep quiet, though I do not interfere with anybody.
 

O sweet adorable One! Give me strength to control the restless turbulent Indriyas and the mind that ever wanders.  Stand behind me always and guide me in every inch of my action. Give me good Preranas((thoughts). Give me Chitta Suddhi. Give me a calm, pure and balanced mind. OLord, give me light,knowledge and purity. Om. Om. Om.

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Source : Swami Sivananda's Practice of Karma Yoga

Divine Grace

Hari Om, 

Sri Jagdish Badoni of Baroda writes: 

My father came home after 50 days of hospitalisation. He was treated for an illness called hallucination, in the most modern and well equipped hospital by a galaxy of reputed and experienced medical specialists. At home  a top Neurosurgeon regularly attended him. He was receiving the best treatment known in the medical science for this type of sickness. The treatment cost was very heavy, about Rs. 1.4 lacs. Despite all efforts there was no improvement in his mental condition. He was not aware of the present - he would slide back in the past.He was in a strange condition and lost to himself.

As willed by the Divine, in the month of January, 1993 Swami Chidanandaji - my Gurudev - came to Baroda, and I went to have his Darshan. By sheer grace Swamiji accepted my request to see my father.

I escorted my father to see Swamiji around 1.45 p.m. While talking to him, Swamiji's face was radiant with his usual benign smile, there was unique compassion and love in his eyes. He took an apple, cut it in to pieces, peeled off its skin and with his own hand, put in the mouth of my father. It was a unique moment. How much love was there! How much compassion was there! My whole being was permeated with joy and happiness - not knowing what was happening.

Soon after I left my father at home, at 3.30 p.m., I received a phone call from my wife, "Pitaji has come back to his normal senses. It is a miracle - Swamiji has done it. He is alright and is talking in sense." She was so excited. My father is still alive and happy and is in full senses. He does not remember at all that he was ever in the hospital and ever had any mental illness.

This great Master, so simple, so child-like, so innocent has done what others could not do. We are blessed to have Him as our Satguru.

Source : Harih Karta - Thy Will Be Done

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Madhava In Madhava

Hari Om,

Once during his stay at Jyoti Vihar, the Sambalpur University Campus, Swami Chidanandaji wanted a barber to shave his head. When the barber came, Swamiji politely asked him his name. The barber said that his name was Madhava. Then, to the utter astonishment of the barber, Swamiji prostrated himself at the feet of Madhava who had to serve him as barber. Before he could receive the service of the barber he first of all offered his grateful prayers to the man. When the shaving was over, Swamiji offered him plenty of fruits as Bhog and some coins in the form of Dakshina. Thus by personal example he imparts the lesson that the seeker should behold Madhava in each Manava and rise from humanity to divinity. 

Source : Harih Karta-Thy Will Be Done 

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

 

Passion For Service

Hari Om,

Swami Chidanandaji was once travelling in a taxi with two of his colleagues from the Ashram. It so happened that on the way they found some one lying on the road, badly injured all over the body. The taxi driver, of course, would take no notice of it and rushed forward in his usual speed. But Sri Swamiji quickly observed the scene and asked the driver to stop the vehicle. They got down and on enquiry found that the man was injured due to some accident and was lying in a helpless condition. Sri Swamiji was ready immediately to lift the patient into the vehicle so that he might be taken to the nearest hospital. But the driver would not allow it for he feared that the police would regard him as the culprit and haul him up under the impression that his own vehicle might have been the cause of the accident. What was the alternative for Swamiji? He offered the driver the fare due to him and asked him to go his way, preparing himself with his two companions to lift the patient and go walking to the nearest hospital, whatever the distance. The incident needs no comment. The driver was touched to the core and consented to take the patient in the taxi. 

Source : Harih Karta - Thy Will Be Done

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !

Swami Sivananda's Skanda Shasti Message, 1946

Hari Om,

Beloved Immortal Selves!

Skanda Shasthi is the six-day-worship of Lord Skanda or Karttikeya. He is the spiritual son of Lord Siva. Lord Skanda is worshipped with intense devotion by a very large section of people throughout Southern India and Sri Lanka as well. 

The origin of Lord Skanda, the purpose of His Avatara and its significance are of much importance to all seekers after Truth. During the battle between the Asuras and the Devas, the latter were defeated several times by the former. The Devas were unable to resist the onslaught of the Asuric forces. Then, in despair, they approached Lord Siva and entreated Him to give them an able Leader under whose heroic lead they might obtain victory over the Asuras. They surrendered themselves completely and prayed to Lord Siva sincerely. The gracious Lord granted their request by creating the Mighty Divine Warrior, Lord Skanda, out of His Divine Power or Achintya Sakti. This great son of Lord Siva at once assumed leadership of the celestial forces, originated them, inspired them and attacked the Asuric forces. The Asuras were routed and a glorious victory was gained by the Devas. Thus it was through the able guidance and leadership of Lord Skanda that the Divine forces obtained victory over the demoniacal. 

The inner life of the spiritual aspirant is precisely such a constant struggle between the divine and the demoniacal aspects in him. The seeker’s Sadhana is this determined battle against the Asuric forces that try to drag him down into deeper darkness and take him away from his ideal. At times he becomes so totally helpless under the violent attacks of his lower nature that it seems as if all hope of progress is doomed to failure. He feels that he has fallen, never to rise again. But, let all Sadhakas take heart that the compassion and grace of the Divine Lord is never-failing. It will never let you down. ‘Nil desperandum’ should be your guiding motto, for, the eternal law is “darkness cannot stand before light.” Make a whole-hearted surrender at the feet of the Divine even as the Devas surrendered to Lord Siva. And like them pray earnestly with Bhava and sincerity. The divine help will surely come, and in your heart there will spring up the routing torrent of Divine Sakti. The Lord’s grace will become manifest to you in the form of inner Soul-force. This power is the Skanda manifest in inner being to aid in your battle against the lower Asuric self with its devilish minions like passion, anger, greed, jealousy, falsehood, deceit, cruelty and thousand other aspects of evil. No more are you helpless! The descent of the Divine Grace with this Atma Bala, with this Skanda Sakti, will vanquish all the undivine forces that attack you on the spiritual path and emerge triumphant and victorious. You achieve your life’s goal. 

Therefore Lord Karttikeya is the very embodiment of the Divine Grace. He is the personification of the Daya Sakti, or Kripa Sakti of the Lord. The grace of the compassionate Lord, when prayerfully and sincerely invoked, manifests as such irresistible Divine Power that all Asuric forces fly away in holy terror at its mere approach. The Lord’s Grace is the ultimate resort and unfailing support in the inner warfare of everyone’s spiritual life, of all struggles. The significance and the spiritual message embodied in Skanda Avatara is the message of Supreme importance of self-surrender, the Supreme efficacy of sincere prayer and the unfailing compassion of the Lord. If you truly surrender yourself to the Lord with Bhava, He will at once shower His Grace upon you. No real prayer from the bottom of your heart will remain unanswered. If you obtain the Lord’s grace, you will certainly succeed and overcome all obstacles and annihilate the force of darkness, that stand against you. There is no force that can stand against the Supreme Power of Divine Grace. 

Take shelter at the Lord’s feet Pray to Him earnestly and invoke His aid and obtain His grace and compassion. Emerge triumphant and victorious. Attain the lofty and glorious spiritual state of freedom, perfection and bliss. Upon this joyous occasion of Skanda Shashthi, when you are all celebrating the victory of the Lord over the demon, Tarakasura, the powerful leader of the Asuras, remember these great truths and be courageous. Surrender yourself afresh at His feet. 

May the glorious Lord, Skanda, inspire you all and infuse in you with inner spiritual strength! May He lead you all to victorious triumph against the demons of nescience and worldliness!!

May He bless you all!!! 

 Source : Swami Sivananda's Lord Shanmukha and His Worship 

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Sivanandaya !

Om Namoh Bhagavathe Chidanandaya !