Great saints in all traditions praise the Name as Supreme.
One who repeats the Name, derives the benefit of repeating the Name.
A householder who repeats the Name, derives as much benefit as a Sannyasi who repeats the Name.
Repetition of the Name, giving the mind to the Name, and not to the world, is real Sannyasa. Wearing orange robes and shaving the head is not automatically sannyasa.
As Sivananda says, mental renunciation is needed. Of course this is not an excuse to ignore external renunciation. As he said, what is needed is "plain living, and high thinking".
One can have plain living and high thinking as a householder.
My life situation is such that external sannyasa is not possible. My family, my own mind will not allow it. I feel that I am destined to live a householder life for now. I greatly admire and respect the ideals of sannyasa though, and want to live up to this to the best of my ability while in the householder stage of life.
I firmly believe that I can make serious spiritual progress while in this stage. I cannot and need not wait for external sannyasa. Life is short and time is fleeting- one cannot wait for ideal situations to arise, one has to work with what one has now.
Ultimately, everything depends on the Name.
Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, Gurudev Sivananda, Ammachi, Jesus, Mohammed, Guru Nanak- ALL of them and countless other saints, declared repeatedly that the Name is the best and most effective refuge from ignorance and suffering. What further reassurance is needed to take up this practice with great enthusiasm?
Even as a householder, one can convert one's house into an ashram for spiritual practice.
One who gives the mind to God, one who sees God alone everywhere, is the real Sannyasi. One can give the mind to God by repeating His Name even as a householder. One need not wait for external sannyasa.
Which brings me to a very inspiring message by Gurudev Sivananda for householders aspiring for Realisation.
He says:
"I will tell you a very, very easy method of Sadhana by which you can attain God-consciousness even while you live in the world amidst multifarious activities."
"You need not have a separate place or room and time of meditation. Close your eyes for a minute or two once in every two or three hours and think of God and His Divine qualities such as Mercy, Love, Peace, Joy, Knowledge, Purity, Perfection and so forth during work and repeat mentally HARI OM or SRI RAM or RAM RAM or KRISHNA KRISHNA or any Mantra according to your liking."
"Feel that the body is a moving temple of God, your office or business house is a big temple or Vrindavan and every activity such as walking, talking, writing, eating, breathing, seeing, hearing, etc., are offerings unto the Lord. Work is worship. Work is meditation."
"Give up expectation of fruits and idea of agency (I am the doer. I am the enjoyer). Feel that you are an instrument in the hands of God and He works through your organs. Feel also that this world is a manifestation of the Lord or Visva Vrindavan and your children, wife, father and mother
are the images of the same Lord. See Him in every face and in every object. Have a cool balanced mind always."
"If you develop this changed angle of vision and Divine Bhava in dally life by
protracted and constant practice, all actions will become Yogic activities."
"All actions will become worship of the Lord. This is quite sufficient. You will get God-realisation quickly. This is dynamic Yoga. This is very powerful Sadhana. I have given you a very easy Sadhana."
"May the Lord bless you all!"
http://www.dlshq.org/download/married.pdf
Hari Om Tat Sat
One who repeats the Name, derives the benefit of repeating the Name.
A householder who repeats the Name, derives as much benefit as a Sannyasi who repeats the Name.
Repetition of the Name, giving the mind to the Name, and not to the world, is real Sannyasa. Wearing orange robes and shaving the head is not automatically sannyasa.
As Sivananda says, mental renunciation is needed. Of course this is not an excuse to ignore external renunciation. As he said, what is needed is "plain living, and high thinking".
One can have plain living and high thinking as a householder.
My life situation is such that external sannyasa is not possible. My family, my own mind will not allow it. I feel that I am destined to live a householder life for now. I greatly admire and respect the ideals of sannyasa though, and want to live up to this to the best of my ability while in the householder stage of life.
I firmly believe that I can make serious spiritual progress while in this stage. I cannot and need not wait for external sannyasa. Life is short and time is fleeting- one cannot wait for ideal situations to arise, one has to work with what one has now.
Ultimately, everything depends on the Name.
Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, Gurudev Sivananda, Ammachi, Jesus, Mohammed, Guru Nanak- ALL of them and countless other saints, declared repeatedly that the Name is the best and most effective refuge from ignorance and suffering. What further reassurance is needed to take up this practice with great enthusiasm?
Even as a householder, one can convert one's house into an ashram for spiritual practice.
One who gives the mind to God, one who sees God alone everywhere, is the real Sannyasi. One can give the mind to God by repeating His Name even as a householder. One need not wait for external sannyasa.
Which brings me to a very inspiring message by Gurudev Sivananda for householders aspiring for Realisation.
He says:
"I will tell you a very, very easy method of Sadhana by which you can attain God-consciousness even while you live in the world amidst multifarious activities."
"You need not have a separate place or room and time of meditation. Close your eyes for a minute or two once in every two or three hours and think of God and His Divine qualities such as Mercy, Love, Peace, Joy, Knowledge, Purity, Perfection and so forth during work and repeat mentally HARI OM or SRI RAM or RAM RAM or KRISHNA KRISHNA or any Mantra according to your liking."
"Feel that the body is a moving temple of God, your office or business house is a big temple or Vrindavan and every activity such as walking, talking, writing, eating, breathing, seeing, hearing, etc., are offerings unto the Lord. Work is worship. Work is meditation."
"Give up expectation of fruits and idea of agency (I am the doer. I am the enjoyer). Feel that you are an instrument in the hands of God and He works through your organs. Feel also that this world is a manifestation of the Lord or Visva Vrindavan and your children, wife, father and mother
are the images of the same Lord. See Him in every face and in every object. Have a cool balanced mind always."
"If you develop this changed angle of vision and Divine Bhava in dally life by
protracted and constant practice, all actions will become Yogic activities."
"All actions will become worship of the Lord. This is quite sufficient. You will get God-realisation quickly. This is dynamic Yoga. This is very powerful Sadhana. I have given you a very easy Sadhana."
"May the Lord bless you all!"
http://www.dlshq.org/download/married.pdf
Hari Om Tat Sat
