Hari Aum.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna tells Uddhava of the great value of human life. He says that the citizens of svarga (heaven) and naraka (hell) alike long to obtain a human body. Because this human body alone is the instrument to attain that infinite peace, wisdom and bliss (liberation). No other body, be it that of an demi-god, demon, bird, animal or other can be used attain this ultimate experience.
Krishna says that this human birth is extremely rare and very difficult to get. In fact, He says that one only gets it through His grace. He says that it should be utilised to attain the spiritual goal of liberation before death takes it away. Note the difference here between what He says and some other philosophies both in India and outside. Many spiritual traditions talk about attaining something after death, after one leaves the body. Krishna here emphatically states that the spiritual goal is to be attained while still in the body. This is what the yogis call 'jivan-mukta' (free while alive in the body, i.e. a liberated being).
This is what Sivananda and other yogis advise. They do not say that one should hope to get something after the demise of the body. No. The experience of the Supreme is to be had here and now. The Supreme is very close to us, closer than the breath in our nostrils, closer than the beat of our hearts. Extremely close. And the yogis say, He is here and now. They advise us to feel His presence here and now. This can be done in various ways but one of the most powerful is through recitation of His holy names. Because His name and He are one. His name cleanses our minds and enables us to intuit His presence within and without us.
Krishna further tells Uddhava that one should carefully note the passage of time. As every day ends, one portion of our life has gone, never to return. He says that we should utilise our time wisely to attain what is important in life--namely, the highest peace and bliss.
He declares that one who gets a human birth, the protecting care of a true Guru and His grace and yet does not strive for liberation truly commits spiritual suicide. To use a worldly example, one who runs after petty material things after receiving these three great spiritual gifts is like a person who, having got the winning ticket for the lottery jackpot, goes begging on the street (while completing ignoring the ticket). Such a person, the scriptures call a 'mudha', a fool.
Let us not be fools. Maya deludes us at every step. We are all kept running about doing various daily tasks like hamsters running in a wheel. In the midst of all this worldly activity, let us keep up the remembrance of God and recitation of His/Her holy names. Let us also ensure we keep time aside, be it ever so short, to sit down and recite these holy names every day. This is the foundation for peace and success in our lives, it is extremely important and so let us do it daily.
Let us ensure that we take a step forward towards the goal every day. Today is 'akshaya tritiya', a highly auspicious day according to vedic astrology. It is a day that grants success in any undertaking. I have decided to follow a one-month pledge from today that I call the 'three monkey pledge'. This is based on the three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.
For one month therefore, I will make an extra effort to avoid seeing/hearing/speaking evil, meaning no negativity in life as far as possible. It is my plan to avoid reading the news where possible and also to completely avoid getting drawn into any debates with people on religion or politics. Everyone on this planet is entitled to have their own view on religion/politics etc and there is absolutely no point in trying to argue with anybody. Live and let live as the saying goes.
During this one month, I will also make an extra effort to do japa in a disciplined way, do kirtan daily along with some asana and pranayama. I will also keep mauna (vow of silence) regularly and make an extra effort to have a healthy lifestyle (go to bed early, wake early, exercise daily). I am hopeful that this one month spiritual exercise (from May 7 to June 6 inclusive) will help deepen my spiritual practice and give me more peace and bliss. This will also be a time of more dedication to japa and kirtan for world peace along with inner peace.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Krishna tells Uddhava of the great value of human life. He says that the citizens of svarga (heaven) and naraka (hell) alike long to obtain a human body. Because this human body alone is the instrument to attain that infinite peace, wisdom and bliss (liberation). No other body, be it that of an demi-god, demon, bird, animal or other can be used attain this ultimate experience.
Krishna says that this human birth is extremely rare and very difficult to get. In fact, He says that one only gets it through His grace. He says that it should be utilised to attain the spiritual goal of liberation before death takes it away. Note the difference here between what He says and some other philosophies both in India and outside. Many spiritual traditions talk about attaining something after death, after one leaves the body. Krishna here emphatically states that the spiritual goal is to be attained while still in the body. This is what the yogis call 'jivan-mukta' (free while alive in the body, i.e. a liberated being).
This is what Sivananda and other yogis advise. They do not say that one should hope to get something after the demise of the body. No. The experience of the Supreme is to be had here and now. The Supreme is very close to us, closer than the breath in our nostrils, closer than the beat of our hearts. Extremely close. And the yogis say, He is here and now. They advise us to feel His presence here and now. This can be done in various ways but one of the most powerful is through recitation of His holy names. Because His name and He are one. His name cleanses our minds and enables us to intuit His presence within and without us.
Krishna further tells Uddhava that one should carefully note the passage of time. As every day ends, one portion of our life has gone, never to return. He says that we should utilise our time wisely to attain what is important in life--namely, the highest peace and bliss.
He declares that one who gets a human birth, the protecting care of a true Guru and His grace and yet does not strive for liberation truly commits spiritual suicide. To use a worldly example, one who runs after petty material things after receiving these three great spiritual gifts is like a person who, having got the winning ticket for the lottery jackpot, goes begging on the street (while completing ignoring the ticket). Such a person, the scriptures call a 'mudha', a fool.
Let us not be fools. Maya deludes us at every step. We are all kept running about doing various daily tasks like hamsters running in a wheel. In the midst of all this worldly activity, let us keep up the remembrance of God and recitation of His/Her holy names. Let us also ensure we keep time aside, be it ever so short, to sit down and recite these holy names every day. This is the foundation for peace and success in our lives, it is extremely important and so let us do it daily.
Let us ensure that we take a step forward towards the goal every day. Today is 'akshaya tritiya', a highly auspicious day according to vedic astrology. It is a day that grants success in any undertaking. I have decided to follow a one-month pledge from today that I call the 'three monkey pledge'. This is based on the three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.
For one month therefore, I will make an extra effort to avoid seeing/hearing/speaking evil, meaning no negativity in life as far as possible. It is my plan to avoid reading the news where possible and also to completely avoid getting drawn into any debates with people on religion or politics. Everyone on this planet is entitled to have their own view on religion/politics etc and there is absolutely no point in trying to argue with anybody. Live and let live as the saying goes.
During this one month, I will also make an extra effort to do japa in a disciplined way, do kirtan daily along with some asana and pranayama. I will also keep mauna (vow of silence) regularly and make an extra effort to have a healthy lifestyle (go to bed early, wake early, exercise daily). I am hopeful that this one month spiritual exercise (from May 7 to June 6 inclusive) will help deepen my spiritual practice and give me more peace and bliss. This will also be a time of more dedication to japa and kirtan for world peace along with inner peace.
Hari Aum Tat Sat
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