Practical tips to successfully complete a purascharana

Hari Aum.

I thought I would share some practical advice on how to complete a purascharana based on my experience of having completed a few so far. This advice is especially intended for people who want to do a purascharana while juggling various commitments such as career, family and so on.

I will discuss some common obstacles that stop people from completing a purascharana and then suggest some possible solutions. I am myself a student on the spiritual path but I have some experience that may be of help to you. I am therefore sharing this in the hope that this may help you complete your purascharana and move towards the attainment of God.

Note- this article is about providing solutions to overcome some common obstacles in completing purascharana. For the specifics  of how to do a purascharana, please see the article dated November 6, 2015 (link below).

http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/how-to-perform-purascharana-simple.html


Obstacle 1: The mind says it is too big a task 

Solution: Break it down in to smaller goals and celebrate when you complete each one

A purascharana is an extended mantra practice which typically requires several hundred-thousand recitations of a mantra. The mind may be daunted by the number of recitations. What is the solution?

Beak down the purascharana mentally in to smaller goals. If your target is five lakhs of the panchakshara mantra of Shiva, break it down into five portions of one lakh each in  your mind.

After each lakh, enjoy the achievement, thank God and continue. See the purascharana as having different stages. Each time you complete one stage (e.g. 25 %, 50 %, 75%), do something to celebrate your success so far. This will help stay motivated to complete the sadhana and complete 100% of the purascharana.


Obstacle 2: The mind says there are too many rules

Solution: Be realistic, bend the rules where needed, but never abandon the japa 

It is true that there are some traditional rules to be followed when doing purascharana. However, rules are meant to support the practice, not to destroy it. A purascharana should not collapse simply because one cannot precisely follow every rule.

For example, it is advised that one should bathe three times a day when doing purascharana. My Guru says that it is enough to wash one's face, hands and feet and sit for japa if one cannot bathe. Obviously a busy mother who has to care for her children and also do a job, may not be able to bathe three times a day! It is perfectly reasonable in these circumstances to bathe once a day to maintain basic hygiene.

Equally one may not be able to eat freshly prepared sattvic vegetarian food daily. This is especially true for people living in the West where there is limited domestic help. One is one's own cook, driver, cleaner and everything rolled into one (Sivananda says this is a good thing as one should be independent and not rely on servants!). In these circumstances, one may have to eat food cooked the previous day from the fridge. While this may not be the traditional way, it may be the only practical solution. One has to be realistic about one's external circumstances when doing purascharana and not get overly bogged down by rules.

As my Guru Sivananda says, "Use your common sense always". All worries about rules etc, will vanish when one reminds oneself that the purest thing in the world is the name of God. It makes the unclean into clean and the unholy into holy.

If one is tired, unwell, sick or weak, one can bend all rules and do the japa alone. If one feels too weak to sit and do japa, one may lie down and do japa. If one feels too ill to even brush one's teeth one day before doing japa, one can sit up in bed without doing so, and do japa.

Every rule can be abandoned if necessary, but the japa should never be abandoned under any circumstances.

If one has to choose between keeping the rule and doing the japa, one should always choose the japa over the rule. The rule is to support the japa, not break it.

Note- my Guru says that those who do purascharana with worldly goals in mind (more money, career etc) will have to follow every rule. However, he says those who do purascharana simply to please God and attain His grace, should focus more on doing the japa with devotion and worry less about external rules (though one should of course keep these where possible).

In summary, one should emphasise the spirit rather than the letter of the rules in purascharana if one is doing this for spiritual attainment.


Obstacle 3: Trying to do too much japa daily

Solution: Be practical, commit to a small amount but do it every day until completion

Many people make big commitments of daily japa to do purascharana and give up after a few weeks or months. This is a mistake. It is better to do a smaller amount with regularity every day for years, than do a lot for a few weeks and then stop completely.

If one has family and work commitments, one has to be realistic about how much seated japa can be done. One may be able to commit 30 minutes or one hour only per day. This may mean that the purascharana takes 1-2 years or more. This is absolutely fine. The important thing is to complete the practice somehow, even if it takes a few years.

The key is to do the same amount every day - not less, not more. This will help develop a habit. Once the daily habit of japa is there, it becomes much easier to complete the purascharana.


Obstacle 4: Fear of God

Solution: Understand that God is love

Some people are afraid that God may become angry if they make some mistake in their practice, do not stick to every external rule, if they give up the purascharana etc. Instead of risking incurring the wrath of God by not doing the purascharana perfectly, they feel it is better not to start at all.

This fear is completely unnecessary and is simply the mind's way of creating obstacles in one's spiritual path.

God is love, He/She is compassionate and our nearest relative and friend. Would our earthly mothers become angry if we start making them a present and give up half way? Obviously not. Then why should the Divine Mother and Divine Father, who are the source of all love in earthly parents, be angry if we stop our spiritual practice?

Nobody will be angry if we give up sadhana. The only thing that will happen, is that we will lose the protection we get from the mantra. The mantra protects our mind from vicious, undivine thoughts and raises our consciousness to a pure level. It destroys our past negative karma and creates new positive karma, it helps us rise above all karma into the realm of the divine.

If we stop our sadhana, the only thing that will happen is that we will lose out on something precious. We will become vulnerable to undivine thoughts (anger, lust, greed etc) and may do evil actions/negative karma and thus create unnecessary suffering for ourselves. We will create delay in attainment of spiritual peace, bliss and immortality.

But nobody will be angry. Especially not God. He/She may feel compassion and pity for us, that we are foolish enough not to see the damage we cause ourselves by stopping sadhana. But there will be no anger. Let us understand this well.


Obstacle 5: Impatience for results

Solution: Learn to manage the mind, remember that good things come to those who wait

The mind wants to see immediate results. We all experience this. We want some fantastic spiritual experience soon after doing a little sadhana. The mind becomes frustrated if this does not happen and wants to give up the sadhana.

However, good things come to those who wait.

Based on my experience, I can say that doing purascharana has made me kinder, more compassionate, more aware of my faults, more sensitive to the suffering of other living beings. Of course I still have a long way to go to purify my mind but some improvement has happened as a result of my sadhana. This is very valuable. Only a pure mind can meditate and realise God.

This internal purification is more valuable than some siddhis like flying in the air, clairvoyance etc that only serve to fatten the ego. I am happy to say that I do not have any such siddhis. Nor do I want them. I pray to God that I may have enough sense to ask for Him alone and not for any siddhis- because He alone is worth having, nothing else. This is the approach advised by my Guru.

So one needs to learn patience on this path. It is not easy. I become frustrated at times myself. But I have learned to manage my frustration and continue the purascharana practice. I am grateful to God for this.

It is also worth remembering- every recitation of the name of God produces a result. It may be invisible but it is there. It has an auspicious effect even if our mind cannot immediately see it.


Obstacle 6: Poor time management, inability to finish the day's japa

Solution: Start the day with japa.  Aim to complete more than 50% of the day's quota in this session

I have two sessions of japa per day. This is realistic given my circumstances.

I have a morning session and an evening session. The morning session is before breakfast. Whatever time I wake up, whether early or late, I start the day with this. During the morning session, I complete more than 50% of my day's japa. This puts me in a relaxed frame of mind as I know I will be able to easily complete the rest in the evening. I am also more fresh in the morning so like to do most of the japa then- in the evening before sleeping, I am more tired and do a shorter session.

On days when I do not start with japa, I am more likely to fail in completing the japa for that day. Therefore I have formed the habit of having a morning japa session before breakfast. This may take place at different times as I wake up later at the weekends, and earlier on working days. But in general, I never have breakfast until I have done my morning japa session.

Also, if you have a busy life, aim to complete your japa in 1-2 sessions during the day. Unless you are a full-time japa yogi with no other commitments, it is very unlikely that you will be able to sit 3-4 times daily. So calculate how much japa to do in 1-2 sessions to be able to finish the daily quota.

If you are unable to complete the full day's japa, note down how much was not done and try to catch up (do the extra) in the coming days to make up the deficit.


Obstacle 7: No clear goal for completion of purascharana

Solution: Have a clear completion date for purascharana

Before starting the purascharana, clearly write down your intended finish date. Calculate this by working out how much japa you can do per day, your intended start date and how many days you need to finish the purascharana.

I use a website (see link below) to help me with this. I enter the start date of my purascharana on the website and add the number of days I need to finish- the website then tells me the end date. I write this down in my mantra japa diary.

https://www.timeanddate.com/date/dateadd.html

Once I decide an end date for purascharana, I try to stick to this at all costs. If I am sick, or there are some unavoidable circumstances, and for example, I can only do 7 malas that day instead of the usual 11, I note this down in my mantra diary and catch up by doing extra 4 malas on another day. (However, in general, I do the same number of malas every day). But I do not extend the date of completion - this remains fixed. This helps me to stay focused and continue the japa steadily every day.


Obstacle 8: Not keeping proper count of japa

Solution: Keep a separate diary for purascharana

I keep a special notebook only to record the mantra done every day during purascharana. Looking at my diary, I can easily see how many malas were done daily since I started. After every 2 lakhs, I draw a line under the date of completion, and write down how much has been done, and how much japa is still to be done. The diary is a valuable visual aid that shows me my progress towards completion of purascharana. It is an exact record of how much japa I have done daily. My Guru Sivananda advised this and I find this very useful in keeping motivated in my sadhana.


Obstacle 9: No fun and relaxation in life, too much discipline 

Solution: Take rest, do some hobbies, let your hair down from time to time

Purascharana is a discipline. It can take years to complete. It takes significant mental adjustment and planning. While japa may be enjoyable at times, on other occasions, it may feel like hard work. It takes effort to discipline the mind and to sit every day to do this practice.

To stay motivated in the path of discpline, it is important to have some relaxation and enjoyment in life. It is good to spend time with family and friends (in a sattvic way), do a hobby, go out in nature, watch a good movie or do something to let your hair down occasionally.

Being very tough with oneself all the time, will lead to mental rebellion as the mind will say it has had enough of discipline. I go out for walks in nature, watch some movies occasionally, spend time with family relaxing and ensure I keep a sense of balance between discipline and fun in my life. This helps me stay balanced and continue my daily purascharana practice.

Note- it may sound strange to say 'have fun' along with being disciplined. After all, in spiritual books, one reads about yogis doing terrible tapas like standing on one leg for years, living on mere air and doing nothing but sadhana.

But one has to be very realistic in spiritual life. Even great yogis like Yajnavalkya and Vishwamitra were overcome by flaws like anger and lust, other great yogis like Bharata became attached to a deer. Even the ancient yogis had to overcome the same flaws that you and I have to overcome.

It is no use building castles in the air and dreaming about tapas. The only tapas that matters is what we actually do, not what we dream about doing.

If having some fun in life, means one will do sadhana daily, then one should have some fun in life (sattvic fun obviously!)- this is to be seen as an investment in sadhana, as an aid to spiritual practice (not as an obstacle).


Obstacle 10: Lack of sleep, poor diet, poor health

Solution: Sleep enough, eat healthy food, exercise and take care of the body

Health is wealth. My Guru Sivananda says: "If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. If character is lost, everything is lost."

A physically healthy body is a great help in doing sadhana. Having a sick body that is in pain will make it difficult for the mind  to concentrate on the mantra. Taking care of one's health is an important duty for every sincere spiritual aspirant.

One should get enough sleep (6-8 hours per day depending on the individual), eat healthy sattvic vegetarian food, and do some exercise at least 3 times a week. Along with this, one can do a little asana and pranayama as able for health.

In the name of being detached, some spiritual seekers disregard the health of their body, and refuse to take care of it, saying they leave this in the hands of God. This is extremely foolish according to my Guru.

He says that self-effort is needed to obtain the grace of God. The human body is a precious instrument given for the purpose of sadhana and God-realisation. The Gurus say that one gets a human birth only after countless births in other species and it is a great gift from God. It is the one birth in which the door to God realisation is open.

One should therefore avoid foolish habits that destroy the body (such as over-eating, smoking, drinking alcohol, using recreational drugs etc) and take good care of one's health to ensure maximum sadhana in this lifetime.


Final advice:

Only one thing ultimately matters in purascharana, i.e. daily practice of mantra japa. This alone will grant everything else that one may lack, be it devotion, discipline, ability to follow other rules etc.

Daily japa without break is the one and only rule that really matters. All other rules are dependent on time, place and circumstances.

My final advice therefore is- be fearless, trust in God and in yourself, and proceed with determination on the path of purascharana, the path of success in spiritual life.

May God and Guru bless us all with spiritual peace, wisdom and bliss.


Hari Aum Tat Sat

Yama and Niyama- the ethical foundation for all paths of yoga

Hari Aum.

Yama and niyama are basic ethics needed for anyone who wants happiness, whether material or spiritual. These are based on the law of karma- you get what you give to others. The idea is to give good things to the world, so you receive good in return (rather than the opposite).

These form the basic foundation of all paths of yoga. Without these, the mind will not be purified and spiritual practice will not yield results.

A sadhaka who tries to practice yoga without yama and niyama is like a sieve trying to fill him/herself with water (tapas)- it will all leak out.

A sadhaka who is committed to practicing yama and niyama will gradually develop a pure and strong mind, capable of directly perceiving the Supreme Truth and attaining the spiritual goal of life. So say the Gurus and scriptures.

We may not be perfect in our practice of yama and niyama but we need to at least try our best if we want to experience spiritual Truth or God. The practice of the name or mantra of God will remove inner impurities and help us to walk the path of dharma (goodness) and practice the yamas and niyamas.

So what are the yama? The five well-known yama, outlined by the sage Patanjali, are as follows (these are mostly qualities of mind that need to be developed):

1. Ahimsa- Non-violence. This applies to thought, word and deed. 

2. Satya- Truthfulness, honesty. Sticking to the truth at all times, in thought, speech and action. 

3. Asteya- Non-stealing. Avoiding taking what is not one's own. 

4. Brahmacharya- Control of the senses. This includes celibacy or marital fidelity. 

5. Aparigraha- Non-possessiveness. Not being greedy.

There are said to be five more yama (in addition to those described above) described by rishi Sandaliya, which are as follows. These are linked with the five yama above:

6. Kshama- Forgiveness

7. Dhriti- Patience

8. Daya- Compassion towards all beings

9. Arjava- Sincerity, straightforwardness (avoidance of cunningness, hypocrisy)

10. Mitihara- moderation in eating

What then are the niyama? These are qualities of mind as well as specific actions to be undertaken to progress on the spiritual path.

Patanjali describes five niyama, as follows:

1. Shaucha- cleanliness, purity - this applies to one's external and internal environment, to body and mind.

2. Santosha- contentment, acceptance of one's situation in life 

3. Tapas- Actions to control the senses and the mind (e.g. fasting, silence, mantra, meditation)

4. Svadhyaya- study of spiritual books, scriptures. Sivananda says svadhyaya also includes japa.

5. Ishvarapranidhana- self-surrender to God, which leads to liberation

There are 10 niyama describes by the sage Sandaliya, as follows:

1. Tapas - as above 

2. Saucha- as above

3. Aastikya- firm faith in God, Guru and the scriptures

4. Dana- charity, giving to others, sharing with others, without a sense of egoism/doer-ship

5. Ishwara pujana- worship of God with single-minded devotion

6. Siddhanta vakya shravana- listening to the scriptures and reflecting upon their meaning

7. Hri- the feeling of remorse when one acts unethically 

8. Mati- faith in the paths to God described in the Vedas

9. Japa- recitation of the mantra of God

10. Vrata- making and keeping spiritual resolutions and vows

To summarise the above yama and niyama in simple terms:

1. Do as you would be done by- treat others as you would like to be treated, i.e. with compassion, forgiveness, honesty, generosity and patience. Not with violence, falsehood, greed and hypocrisy.

2. Control the senses e.g. through occasional fasting, mauna (silence) and so on

3. Purify the mind- develop sattvic, good qualities/virtues through mantra japa, various forms of worship, undertaking vows, study of the scriptures

4. Purify the body and keep surroundings clean (as the saying goes, cleanliness is Godliness)

5. Have faith in God, Guru and the scriptures and surrender to the will of God in all things. Develop contentment as a result of this faith.

Here is a link to the description of yama and niyama by my Guru, Swami Sivananda:

http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=836&parent=686&format=html

These yama and niyama form the ethical basis of yoga and practising these is a lifelong commitment, until one attains the state of perfection known as Self/God-realisation. 

Sivananda says that mantra japa helps purify the mind. Practice of mantra along with conscious striving to practice yama and niyama is said to lead to a pure and strong mind, a fit instrument for the attainment of spiritual wisdom, peace and bliss.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Importance of the smallest act

Hari Aum.

One of the challenges of spiritual life is that the seeker has to learn to perfect even the smallest act. This is very hard work. One has to train the eye to see God even in the most ungodly people and things. No matter how severe the provocation, one has to train the mind not to react. This is a terrible task, a tremendous challenge. Every experience of anger, jealousy, greed, craving, pride in the mind is a failing. To fail is ok, it is a step towards success. To make a mistake is ok, but one should acknowledge it and take responsibility (and not blame others).

I want to be perfectly frank here and state that my mind, like that of most others, has two sides. There is the noble, the spiritual, the aspiring side. And there is the other side- that gets grumpy, irritable, negative. There is a Mahabharata (great war) going on in my mind, like in the mind of all spiritual seekers. There is a war between the positive, divine, sattvic forces and the negative, undivine, tamasic energies. The daily recitation of mantra helps to empower the divine energies in the mind and weaken and remove the negative, undivine energies. Reciting a mantra or meditating daily is like having a mental bath. It is necessary for mental hygiene.

The smallest act matters in spiritual life. No progress can be made if one does not pay attention to these. I would like to share an example here of a recent mistake that I made- when I failed to pay attention in a small act and what I learnt from this. It is a rather sad story in some ways.

In the winter here, it gets quite cold and my husband and I had put some seeds out in the garden in a feeder for the birds. We enjoyed watching various birds come and feed - it was a mutually beneficial experience, the birds got food and we enjoyed watching them (some are very cute).

One day, sometime in January this year, a small mouse appeared in the garden and began to eat a lot of the bird food with great energy. We were both rather concerned and wondered what to do. We did not want to stop feeding the birds but did not wish to encourage the mouse due to the risk of causing an infestation that could have affected both our house and the neighbourhood.

On one occasion, I became annoyed and alarmed watching the mouse eat continuously from the feeder - my mind imagined large numbers of mice in the garden and the house. This would not have been good from a health perspective, as mice, although cute, do carry some serious diseases.

I therefore went out into the garden and loudly clapped my hands to scare off the mouse. It looked at me in some surprise (as if wondering why I would try to scare it) and then continued eating. Again, I went closer and clapped more energetically- this made it run away.

After scaring it off, I went indoors. For a few moments I felt satisfied that I had accomplished my task. Soon after though, I began to experience a very uncomfortable feeling. I realised that I had caused fear in another creature- that too, an innocent animal which was only eating because it was hungry like any other (it was simply trying to survive on a cold winter's day).

I had a strange conviction that this act of mine was ignoble, cruel and would not be pleasing to God and Guru- after all, God and Guru are present everywhere including inside the mouse. In the Gita, Krishna says He resides in the heart of all beings. He does not say, only human beings. He says all beings- that includes animals and birds.

In other words, I felt that I had been cruel to a living form of Narayana in the form of the mouse. This act I felt was not befitting one who was trying to develop devotion to Narayana. I felt remorse and regret for my unkind behaviour.

After a while, I noticed the mouse returned to the garden and was cheerfully eating plenty of seeds from the feeder. This time, I did not go and frighten it away. I decided to let it eat as much as it liked. However, from a health perspective, the next day, I decided to close off the entrance to the feeder that the mouse was using and let it eat only the limited seeds on the ground (to reduce the risk of mice infestation). I decided that, while I would not actively hurt the mouse in any way in future (including causing it any fear), I would take sensible steps from a health perspective.

However, the nagging feeling that I had done something wrong and that I had not properly atoned for this did not leave me. I then decided that, to become free of the feeling of guilt from having carelessly hurt a harmless creature, I would dedicate a portion of my mantra chanting tapas to the mouse's spiritual welfare.

I told Narayana, that whatever tapas I had done during the week of the eclipse in February this year (which was the previous week from when I made this prayer), including several rounds of japa during the actual eclipse, should be dedicated towards the spiritual welfare of the soul which currently inhabited the body of the mouse. Mantra done during an eclipse is said to be several hundred thousand times more effective than at other times, so I hoped that this would be a decent attempt at atoning for my negative act.

I also apologised for harming any souls in the form of animals, birds or other species, knowingly or unknowingly, in this and all previous lifetimes and dedicated that week of mantra chanting to all of them. After this, I gave the mouse a name, and enjoyed watching it come and eat seeds in the garden from time to time. There was no mouse infestation - only one mouse (I assume it was the same one) would appear daily to eat a few seeds and then go away.

Spring began a few weeks ago and one day, my husband and I happened to be sitting on the sofa and looking out into the garden. Suddenly, we saw the mouse. By this time, we had come to recognise it rather well and were pleased to see it (my husband had even taken some close-up photographs as it was rather cute and quite fearless).

It was an idyllic sight. The sun glinted on the leaves, flowers bloomed in the bushes and the mouse played on the grass. Suddenly, to our horror, a large magpie swooped down and grasped the mouse by the neck and began to viciously peck at it. The mouse went limp and did not appear to fight back. I looked away in shock, and the bird flew off with the mouse. We have not seen the mouse since and can only assume that it has died. We chanted the Maha-mrityunjaya mantra for the peace of the soul of the mouse (as it was a rather unpleasant way to die) and to make ourselves feel better (we were rather traumatised at the horrible sight).

Nature has an incredibly beautiful and an incredibly terrible side. The episode reminded me again that things can change so quickly. One moment, the mouse was playing cheerfully in the garden. The next minute it was in the vicious grip of a bird, breathing its last. Life changes in seconds.

Cruel though this world is, I suppose it goads us to seek a realm where such cruelty does not exist. One feel shocked at the murderous brutality that abounds everywhere on Earth, and most of all, among human beings (who can behave with a cruelty that animals lack). Seeing the viciousness and cruelty all around- under the beauty of Nature lies such terrible cruelty - one cannot help but agree with Lord Krishna as He says in the Gita- this world is an impermanent world of suffering ('dukhalaya'), seek a way out O Arjuna.

And that is what I guess we are all trying to do as spiritual seekers. Seek a way out. Seeking freedom from the cruelty within and without. I hope the tapas dedicated to the mouse will help it have a better rebirth and that it may quickly attain eternal peace at the feet of Narayana. I am glad I made my apologies to it before it died (would have felt worse otherwise). This episode also reminded me to take care in terms of how I behave towards other species on Earth as these are also manifestations of God.

May God and Guru bless us all to continue on the spiritual path to find a way out of this dukhalaya (abode of sorrow).

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Reflections on sadhana to get a Darshan of God

Hari Aum

I was mulling over the subject of karma yoga again today. Karma yoga means the service of other living beings with the feeling that one is serving God. This is done without a feeling of pride, and with the feeling that one is able to serve due to the grace of God (all our faculties have their origin in God anyway).

Recently I re-read the book about a sadhu who left his million-dollar business to do arduous sadhana in the Himalayas (Om Swami- not the television showman). He was a serious sadhaka for many years even as a businessman. After making a lot of money at a young age (by about age 30), he became a monk to do sadhana to get a darshan (vision) of the Divine Mother, his ishta devata. 

He performed intense sadhana for about two years in the mountains, bearing severely cold weather and braving the elements while living in a forest. He did hours of meditation and worshipped the Goddess with mantra, yantra and tantra. After all this, he finally got what he was yearning for- darshan of the Divine Mother. He obtained the object of his desire- God.

I was reflecting upon the nature of my own sadhana today (as I do from time to time). I often ask myself "Am I doing my best?" "Am I doing enough?" "Is God satisfied with the sadhana I do?" Will He give me darshan one day?". 

I feel my life will have been in vain unless I attain whatever spiritual goal it is that God has put me here to attain. One has to become worthy to attain God's darshan. I ask God often to make me worthy. 

The word 'liberation' is confusing. It cannot be grasped by the mind as it is beyond the mind. Only God genuinely knows what liberation is. We use all sorts of words to describe it but don't really get it, words like Salokya mukti, Sarupya mukti, Savikalpa samadhi, Nirvikalpa samadhi, the list goes on. 

I tell God I have no idea what liberation is, but You know what liberation is, so please help me attain this (in accordance with Your own command in the form of various Gurus).

I hear the stories of yogis wearing the ochre robe, wandering in the mountains in solitude, braving the elements. Some do practices that are highly secret and appear exotic to the ordinary city yogi. They sit on special asanas, roll beads of special materials, utter secret mantras and perform hidden rituals. All this I hear of with wonder. 

And I ask God sometimes (mostly when I feel ignored by Him)- "Do you want me to don the ochre robe and wander in the Himalayas like these yogis?" If this is what You want, then feel free to motivate me to do it. But if You feel that simple sadhanas like karma yoga and japa yoga are equally pleasing to You, then don't ignore us karma-japa yogis! Please also give us your darshan, not just to the exotic yogis in the mountains.

I have not done any exotic, secret sadhana today like some Himalayan yogis do. But I have spent several hours in a clinic treating sick people whom I am convinced are a manifestation of God. I also spent a significant amount of time visiting a sick elderly patient at home today (as he was too unwell to come to the clinic) and provided treatment for him to make him better. This is part of my daily work. I feel fortunate that my patients seem to be satisfied with the care I provide - when they say “God bless you”, I feel that God is blessing me through them and feel strangely happy.

There are no exotic mantras in my sadhana, no yantras, no tantras. It is all very prosaic and ordinary. Very simple in fact. Just daily mantra japa and daily service of humanity. 

Sometimes, I ask myself, should I be doing more exotic sadhanas? Can God ever be satisfied with such ordinary, simple, normal sadhana done in a busy city environment, far away from the pristine Himalayas. 

I sometimes ask God- do You value this? Do You feel this is good enough? Is worshipping You in human form acceptable as a serious sadhana? Or do You want me to abandon medical work and become a yogi in solitude in the hills? Are You more satisfied with the impressive yogis in the Himalayas who brave the elements rather than with people like me who am doing such ordinary day-to-day work? Is twirling a japa mala made of special beads of greater importance than twirling the stethoscope and treating sick people? What sadhana do You want me to do?

But I also say to God-  mountain yogis may remember You by staying awake all night doing meditation, but I have also remembered You frequently during busy night shifts in hospital. Does my sadhana not count? Is my staying awake to serve You less pleasing than the yogis in the caves?

Also, mountain yogis may not eat for hours while in meditation. But I have also not eaten for several hours at a time while serving You during my busy 12 hour on-call shifts in hospital. Does this not count? Is it not pleasing to You when I put service before self?

I tell God- like the mountain yogis, I too have sacrificed sleep and food on many occasions in worship of You but in my own way. Does my sadhana not count?

The mountain yogi says he sees You everywhere in the mountains. I too try to see You everywhere in the city. Are You less present in the city compared with the mountains? How can this be when the yogis say that You are everywhere.

I tell God- do not spurn and ignore us karma yogis. We too should be regarded as Your worshippers. In the mundane city environment, our worship can be as intense and sincere as that of any yogi in the mountains.

And are You not the One about whom the yogis say:

“Mookam karoti vachalam, pangum langhayate girim. Yat kripa tam aham vande, Paramanandam Madhavam”.

I salute that blissful Madhava (Krishna), whose grace enables the lame to cross mountains and the mute to become eloquent.
This prayer invokes the great grace of God that makes unfavourable situations favourable and grants success. His grace can make the environment in a city as favourable as in the mountains. It comes down to what sadhana He wants from us individually.

And so I tell myself, I must follow my own path. I put faith in the words of my Guru who advises the combination of karma yoga and japa yoga for quick spiritual evolution.

Every one of us has a unique path to God. My path is that of karma yoga and japa yoga. I have somehow ended up acquiring knowledge of medicine. I feel I must put this knowledge to use, that it was given for a reason. I feel I cannot turn away, it is my duty to make my medical work into a spiritual practice as long as this feels right to me.

There are times when I watch documentaries about wandering sadhus and read books about yogis doing solitary meditation when I feel a yearning to be like them. At the same time, I strongly believe that I am serving God by serving my family and humanity as a whole though my home and work life. Deep inside I somehow believe that I am on the right path for me.

I firmly believe that sincerity is the key to success in pleasing God and attaining spiritual progress. I feel cleansed by serving humanity as a doctor and though my mantra purascharana practice. There is much more mental cleaning to do and so I must continue my sadhana.

We may not all be able to become wandering yogis. But it is possible to become sincere yogis even when living in cities. Every act that we do, can be done as a worship of God. My Guru advised this.

Each one of us is bound to come across others in need on a daily basis – everywhere there are people who are anxious, worried, depressed, need someone to talk to, physically sick, poor, lacking in food, lacking in medicine. We could serve these people in some way if we wanted to.

We look for powerful sadhanas. But I feel there is no more powerful sadhana than serving humanity as a manifestation of God.  There is a sea of humanity all around us, waiting to be served. It is not easy. But it is essential. So says my Guru.

Karma yoga is essential for the purification of the mind and heart. Spiritual truths can only be seen by a pure mind and clean heart- so say the yogis. I will conclude with a quotation from my Guru on this subject: 

Swami Sivananda says (see below for link to full article): 

“To stop the breath by means of Kumbhaka for two hours, to twirl the beads for twenty-four hours, to sit in Samadhi for forty days in an underground cellar without food by cutting the frenulum linguae of the tongue and practising Khechari Mudra, to stand up on one leg in the scorching heat of the summer sun, to do Trataka on the sun at midday, to chant Om, Om, Om in silent and sequestered jungles, to shed an ocean of tears while doing Sankirtan-all these are of no avail unless one combines burning love for Him in all beings and a fiery spirit of service in serving Him in all beings."

"Aspirants of the present-day are sadly lacking in these two indispensable qualifications. And that is the root cause why they do not make any headway at all in their meditation in solitude. They have not prepared the ground, I mean the Antahkarana, by protracted practice of love and service in the beginning."

"I have seen several Bhaktas in all my experiences of life in this line- Bhaktas who wear half a dozen rosaries around their necks and wrists, and mutter Hare Rama Hare Krishna day in and day out with a long Japa Mala in their hands. These Bhaktas will never approach a sick man even when he is in a dying condition and give him a drop of water or milk, and ask: "What do you want, brother? How can I serve you?" Out of curiosity they will be just looking at him from a distance. Can you call these people true Vaishnavites or Bhaktas?"

"Can there be an iota of real benefit in their meditation or Bhajan? A Jinda Narayana (living Narayana) in the form of a sick patient is in a dying state. They have not got the heart to go and serve him or even to speak a few kind and encouraging words at a critical juncture, when his life is trembling in the balance! How can they expect to have Darshan of that all-merciful Hari when they have hearts made of flint? How can they hope for God-realisation when they have not the eyes to see God in all beings and the spirit of service to serve Him in all these forms?”

http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=636

Many of us complain that we have no time for sadhana. But this is not true. We just need to change our angle of vision as Sivananda says. Then the home becomes a place of tapas, of intense sadhana, not less than the cave of any mountain yogi. 

So let us have faith in the Gurus that 'Nara seva is Narayana seva' (service of humanity is service of God), and strive to do our daily work with this attitude. May we all become worthy of the darshan of God. 

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Start of purascharana four

Hari Aum.

I started my fourth purascharana yesterday. I am doing 11 malas a day for this purascharana as with the previous ones and expect that, by God's grace, this should be completed in about 22 months.

I am planning to write three further ebooks to complete the story of the life of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavatam in the coming months. Therefore I am not going to increase the amount of malas beyond 11 a day at present (I was considering this previously).  My Guru says that any form of remembrance of God whether chanting His names, reading or writing about Him is auspicious. I find that my spiritual life feels more balanced with a combination of practices including japa and also reading and writing about Him.

 Furthermore I hope that I am contributing something useful to society by writing these concise books on the life of Krishna. A number of the books already published are good but they are often rather lengthy and less suitable for busy people with a lack of time. I hope that the concise books I write will help people with a shortage of time to access the key spiritual teachings of Lord Krishna and hopefully inspire them to, one day, read the entire scripture in the original.

I plan to start writing the next ebook sometime in the next couple of weeks and hope to have this ready to publish within two months. This will be about the next phase of Lord Krishna's life as a married householder and ruler of Dwaraka. I am looking forward to reading and writing about this - writing on this subject is a very good educational experience for me.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Qualities of a good disciple: the pledge of purushartha (self-effort)

Hari Aum.

There are many Gurus out there. One chooses a Guru based on one's own character. One gets what one deserves.

Some disciples do not wish to do any sadhana. They want a 'quick fix', a fast route to samadhi with minimal effort. They are attracted by false Gurus who promise everything quickly and easily with  no effort. Such disciples end up nowhere ultimately -their lives are wasted being cheated by 'Gurus' who promise samadhi by giving a drop of water from their kamandalu (water pot of a sadhu) or similar cheap tricks. This is very unfortunate. 

Nothing worthwhile in this world comes free. One should always remember this.

In both material or spiritual life, good things comes to those who are prepared to work for them. A good student who works hard excels in examinations. A lazy student who hopes to pass by sheer luck fails miserably. People blame their bad luck for their failures. The truth is that they simply did not put in the effort.

The law of the universe states that you reap what you sow. If you sow hard work, you will get results. It may take time, but you will get your just deserts in time. If you sow laziness, you will get nothing in return.

If you give nothing, you will get nothing.

If you give everything, your whole heart and soul, you get everything. This applies to spiritual and material life.

As Thomas Edison, the well-known American inventor and businessman said, "Genius is 1 % inspiration (chance/luck), and 99% perspiration (hard work)".

Every genuine Guru attained wisdom by purushartha (self-effort) themselves. They worked very hard to purify their minds, to do tapas, to concentrate, to meditate and attain God. Look at Tulasidas, Mirabai, Jesus, Buddha, Ramakrishna, Sivananda and others. All worked hard to remember God constantly, to develop genuine love of God- and in the end, all attained God.

Such genuine Gurus, who themselves worked very hard, tell their disciples to also work hard. They tell the disciples that there is no short-cut. One must be prepared to put in the effort. Help comes to those who try.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

How to choose a mantra to attain God

Hari Aum.

According to yogis, the great purpose of life is God realisation. Various traditions describe this state as a state of ineffable peace, bliss, wisdom, devotion to God and so on.

One of the great methods to attain God is though the practice of mantra recitation or japa. The first step is the selection of a suitable mantra. I will discuss this topic here. My views are based on that of my Guru Swami Sivananda.

The first thing to say is that a mantra itself is the deity. Mantra is devata. Therefore a mantra should be treated with the same respect as the deity it signifies. One should not casually start a little mantra practice, then discard the mantra and take up another, and keep changing mantras.  This shows an unstable mind and a disrespectful attitude to sadhana. One needs to approach the mantra with appropriate respect, understanding of its greatness and devotion. This is the key to success.

When it comes to attaining God through mantra japa, the Gurus say one should stick to one mantra alone. One should therefore ensure that one chooses the right mantra for oneself.

I have outlined some ways of selecting the right mantra for oneself below based on the Sivananda tradition.

Spiritual tradition:

The first question is whether or not one's spiritual tradition allows one to select one's mantra.

In some spiritual traditions, the Guru selects the mantra for the disciple. The disciple is not allowed to choose his/her mantra here. For example, this is the case in the Ramakrishna tradition.

In other traditions, such as that of my Guru Sivananda, the disciple can choose their mantra if they wish. But if they do not want to choose their own mantra, they can request the Guru to choose this for them.
Generally however, in the Sivananda tradition, the disciple chooses the mantra and then requests initiation into this.

So, if one does not yet have a Guru, or one belongs to a tradition where one can choose one's mantra, the following steps can be followed to choose a suitable mantra:

Two types of moksha mantras:

There are two broad types of moksha mantras. Those to God without form (nirguna) or with form (saguna). Both are equally effective and lead to the same goal.

A full list of nirguna and saguna mantras suitable for attainment of moksha is given at the end of this page (this list is as per my Guru Sivananda).

The first step to choose a mantra for attainment of moksha or God-realisation is to ask yourself which of these two aspects of God you prefer- nirguna or saguna.

Nirguna mantras:

If you prefer to worship the formless God, then suitable nirguna mantras for meditation include:

1. Om Soham (Soham means I am He)
2.  Om Tat Tvam Asi (Tat Tvam Asi means That Thou Art- is from the Upanisads)
3. Om Aham Brahma Asmi (Aham Brahma Asmi means I am Brahman)

Om is the Universal mantra. Its meaning cannot be described. It represents everything the mind can imagine and beyond. It is the essence of Brahman.

Saguna mantras:

 If you prefer saguna mantras, then before you can choose your mantra, you need to choose the deity. To identify the deity, follow the following steps:

1. The easiest way is to ask yourself who your favourite deity is. Is there a form of God that you like the most? If yes, choose a mantra of this form. See below on how to select a specific mantra.

2. If you do not have a favourite form, consider which form of God you appeal to when in distress. My Guru says this gives a clue as to which form of the Divine you worshipped in past lifetimes.  For example, when you are in pain and distress, if you say "Shiva" , this tells you that you probably worshipped Him in past lifetimes and His mantra will be suitable for you.

3. If neither of the above two options apply to you, then there are two further options:

i) Consult an astrologer who can tell you your 'ishta devata' from your birth chart. The ishta devata, is the form of God whose worship can take one to moksha. It is possible to see this from the birth chart.

ii) If you have a Guru in whom you have absolute faith and trust, you can consult them and ask them to select your mantra for you.

The sound of the mantra:

Now that you have chosen whether you want to worship the nirguna or saguna God, the next step is simple.

Basically, you have to find a mantra of the aspect of God you have chosen whose sound you really like.

You need a mantra whose sound you could be happy repeating all day every day. Because the key to success in mantra sadhana is regularity. Mantra japa is a direct path to God, especially for kali yuga, but it still takes time (not a day or two). It can take years of regular practice to attain God. And you will be spending a lot of time with your mantra to attain God through it.

Therefore you need a mantra that you can fall in love with, whose sound makes you joyful, whose sound evokes certain spiritual feelings in you, whose sound you will never get tired of hearing.

So this is the key: you should really like the sound of the mantra you choose.

Every deity has many mantras. E.g. For Krishna there is 'Om Sri Krishnaya Namah', 'Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya', or 'Om Sri Krishna Sharanam Mamah', and the famous maha mantra- Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.

So for example, if you have decided you want a Krishna mantra, you should find some suitable mantras of His such as those described above, and then say each one aloud a few times. See which one feels the best for you to say.

If one mantra does not immediately stand out as your favourite, then take a few weeks or even months, to identify your favourite mantra.
Spend time doing a few malas of japa of some mantras and work out which one feels most natural, makes you most happy when repeating it. Then go for that mantra.


Mantra initiation or mantra diksha:

Once you decide you love a particular mantra, you should consider taking mantra initiation from a Guru. Guru is a very important requirement on the spiritual path. A true Guru is one who has attained God and will be your guide on your journey to God. He/She is a manifestation of God.

Mantra initiation is a very important step. My Guru says that an indescribable change happens deep inside the person who is initiated, whether or not they are aware of it.

But you should only take mantra initiation once you are absolutely sure about your commitment to the Guru and the mantra. Because initiation creates a deep and eternal link between you, your Guru, the mantra and the deity of the mantra.

At the time of initiation, your Guru sows the mantra in you, transmits a part of his/her shakti to you.

After initiation, it is said you are holding a chain which is the mantra- at one end is you, at the other end is God. This 'chain' of mantra, will lead you to God. It is to be revered. This link between you and the mantra and Guru is for lifetimes until you attain God. It is not for one lifetime only.

Once you choose your Guru and your mantra, and take initiation in the mantra from the Guru, you should never abandon the Guru or the mantra. This is the secret of success in spiritual life.

Abandoning recitation of a mantra after initiation is tantamount to insulting the mantra and the deity- this should not be done. If you are not sure about the mantra, do not get initiated, but just repeat it for a while without initiation and see how things go. Later if you feel sure about the mantra, you can take initiation.

So take your time in selecting the deity, the mantra and the Guru. All these three play a vital role in your attainment of moksha or God-realisation. It is therefore essential that you make the right choice for yourself.

If you have not yet found a Guru you have absolute faith in, you can simply start repeating the mantra without initiation. This also has a tremendous effect. When the time is right, the Guru will appear in your life and you will be able to get initiation in your chosen mantra.

Mantra purascharana:

Once you have chosen a mantra, and obtained initiation or diksha, traditionally the Guru asks that you perform a purascharana to 'activate' or establish the mantra in your being.

In practical terms, a purascharana is an extended mantra practice, so by doing this, you learn to integrate the mantra into your daily life.

You develop a habit of repeating the mantra daily. A certain amount of purification of character and spiritual development also takes place with the completion of purascharana.

More important than reaching a certain number of recitations, is the devotional feeling and concentration of mind with which it is done.

See the article on 'How to do mantra purascharana ' for further details on this practice.


Some final points:

My Guru Sivananda says that:
-Bija mantras should not be repeated unless one is advised to by a Guru.
-Sri Vidya mantras such as panchadashakshara and shodashakshara should be learned from a Guru and recited under their guidance only. One should never start reciting these on one's own without a Guru.

Most deity mantras will not cause harm even if mispronounced (see below). However bija and Sri Vidya mantras can cause harm if mispronounced. Furthermore, these mantras can rapidly awaken energies in one's being that one is not ready to handle, before one has reached the necessary purity of character. This can cause significant mental and physical health issues.

-Mantras such as Om Namah Shivaya, Om Namo Narayanaya, Om Sri Durgayai Namah etc can be chanted safely with or without a Guru. These mantras cause no harm even if mispronounced. Although devotional feeling is more important than perfect pronunciation, one should learn to pronounce the mantra correctly as far as possible as this maximises the benefits of chanting.

A complete list of moksha mantras advised by my Guru Sivananda: 

These mantras are moksha mantras that lead to God realisation. (They can also be chanted for material gain if that is what one wishes). As per my Guru, these are perfectly safe to chant even if one has not yet found one's Guru. Mispronunciation of these mantras will do no harm. Recitation of these mantras creates spiritual merit, cleanses body and mind, destroys negative karma, develops devotion and takes one to God:

• Lord Krishna:
  • Maha-Mantra :
    Hare Rama Hare Rama
    Rama Rama Hare Hare
    Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
    Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
  • Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
  • Om Sri Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijana Vallabhaya Namah
  • Om Sri Krishnaya Namah 

• Sri Devi:
  • Om Sri Durgayai Namah 
   
• Lord Ganapati:
  • Om Sri Ganapataye Namah 
   
• Sri Hanuman:
  • Om Sri Hanumate Namah 
   
• Lord Hari:
  • Om Namo Narayanaya (Ashtakshara)
  • Hari Om
  • Hari Om Tat Sat 
   
• Jugal (Combined) Mantra:
  • Sita Ram
  • Radhe Shyam
  • Radhe Krishna
   
• Sri Kalika:
  • Om Sri Kalikayai Namah
   
• Sri Lakshmi:
  • Om Sri Maha-Lakshmyai Namah
   
• Lord Shiva:
  • Maha-Mrityunjaya Mantra:
    Om tryambakam yajamahe
    sugandhim pushtivardhanam
    uurvarukamiva bandhanaan
    mrityor mukshiya maamritaat. 
  • Om Namah Shivaya (Panchakshara)
   

• Lord Rama:
  • Om Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram
  • Om Sri Ramaya Namah
  • Sri Rama Rama Rameti,
    Rame Rame Manorame
    Sahasranama Tattulyam Rama Nama Varanane
  • Om Sri Sita-Ramachandradhyam Namah
  • Sri Ram
   
• Sri Saraswathi:
  • Om Sri Sarasvatyai Namah
   
• Lord Subramanya, Kartikeya:
  • Om Sri Saravanabhavaya Namah
   
• Sharangati Mantra (for surrender):
  • Om Sri Ramah Sharanam Mama
  • Om Sri Krishnah Sharanam Mama
  • Om Sri Sita-Ramah Sharanam Mama
   
• Sharada:
  • Om Sri Bala-Parameshvaryai Namah
   
• Tripurasundari:
  • Om Sri Tripura-Sundaryai Namah
   
• Vedantic Formulae:
  • Om Soham
  • Om Tat Tvam Asi
  • Om Aham Brahma Asmi

See below for a link to my Guru Sivananda's book called 'Japa yoga'. It has every detail needed for mantra japa practice. It has an even more detailed list of mantras for moksha than that provided above (see pages 54-55 for mantras in Sanskrit, and pages 59-60 for the same mantras written in English).

http://gurudevsivananda.org/japa.pdf

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Choosing an auspicious day to start sadhana: Vedic astrology advice

Hari Aum.

In this post I will share my understanding on how to select an auspicious day as per vedic astrology for starting any sadhana including purascharana.

Why use vedic astrology to select an auspicious day? Well, as per the rishis of ancient times, some days naturally have divine energies that support the starting of divine practices. Whereas other days have inauspicious energies that create obstacles in one's work. Starting a sadhana on an auspicious day gives one a good start and increases one's chances of completing it successfully. Starting on an inauspicious day may result in more obstacles and perhaps even being unable to complete the sadhana.

It's like a fisherman going fishing. If he is wise, he will check the weather forecast and select a pleasant sunny day with favourable winds and no rain. That maximises his chances of success. If he is foolish, he may go out fishing in gale-force winds after ignoring the weather forecast that there will be bad weather and end up in serious trouble.

Vedic astrology provides a 'weather forecast' of auspicious and inauspicous energies for different tasks including starting sadhana.

I will share with you some tips to help you start your sadhana on an auspicious day. This will help maximise success in completing it and in achieving the desired goal, while reducing the chance of obstacles as far as possible.

I will divide this advice into two parts:

1) For those with no knowledge of vedic astrology
2) For those who have some knowledge of vedic astrology

1) Let us start with those who have no knowledge of vedic astrology.

Basically, I would advice checking the link below and selecting a day with an 'auspicious yoga' (or combination of astrological factors) such as

i) Sarvartha siddhi yoga
ii) Amrita yoga
iii) Guru pushya yoga
iv) Ravi pushya yoga
v) Dwipushkar yoga
vi) Tripushkar yoga
vii) Ravi yoga
viii) Ravi pushya yoga

http://www.drikpanchang.com/yoga/yoga.html

Check the location on the website is set to the place where you are starting your sadhana. And that is simply it- you have a suitable day to start your sadhana. If you use this or a similar website to find a day with one of the above auspicious yogas, this will be adequate in giving you a good start to your sadhana. Then of course it is up to you to keep it up. For extra reassurance, you may also wish to consult an astrologer.

2) Now I will add some additional advice for those with some knowledge of vedic astrology to help fine-tune the muhurtha for commencing sadhana.

Firstly, check out this book by the famous vedic astrologer BV Raman on 'Muhurtha'- see link below. I find this book very helpful in selecting muhurthas generally.

astrologerjolly.tripod.com/muhurtha.htm

Read some key sections in this book carefully regarding the general principles of a good muhurtha including the requirements of lagna, position of the moon, chandra bala, tarabala,  auspicious yogas and factors that nullify adverse yogas.

I cannot summarise the whole book here obviously, but I will point out some key features for the muhurtha as per this book:

-Lagna and lagna lord should be strong and favourable for sadhana
-Moon should be strong and auspicious
-Benefic planets should be in kendras as far as possible
-Malefic planets should occupy houses 3, 6, 10, 11 if possible
-No planet should occupy the 8th house if possible
-Ensure a good tithi/lunar day and weekday
-Ensure a suitable nakshatra which is good for sadhana and favourable to your birth nakshatra
-Select a day which has one of the auspicious yogas mentioned above such as sarvartha siddhi yoga. This is described in chapter six of this book.
-Remember a completely perfect muhurtha cannot be had, so look for protective factors that nullify any imperfections in the muhurtha chart- these are described in chapter five of this book.
-The presence of a benefic Jupiter or other benefic planet in lagna would be excellent and will greatly strengthen the chart and nullify adverse combinations
-When choosing a muhurtha for mantra sadhana in particular, I like to ensure that 5th house of mantra and 9th house of spirituality are strong
-Check the above for both rasi and navamsa charts. You may also want to check this for the vimsamsa chart of spirituality.

To check if a particular day's nakshatra is favourable to your birth nakshatra, check the 'Tara bala' table below:

http://www.mypanchang.com/tarabalamchakra.php

Finally, I would like to mention that each day of the week is associated with a particular deity. Along with choosing a day with an auspicious yoga of planets as described above, it would be good to start the sadhana on the day of the week of the deity (but I feel this is less essential than the auspicious yoga).

 I have posted some information on deities ruling each weekday in this previous post: http://mantrayoga.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/days-for-worship-and-maha-lakshmi.html

I would also like to mention that some lunar days are sacred to certain deities:
E.g. Ekadasi (11th day of lunar fortnight) is sacred to Vishnu
Trayodashi (13th day) is sacred to Shiva
Ashtami (8th day) is sacred to Durga

So, for example, when starting a sadhana for Durga, it would be nice to choose a day with an auspicious yoga such as sarvartha siddhi yoga, which falls on Ashtami and on Friday (weekday ruled by the Goddess). On such a day, one would find a good muhurtha as described above.

If nothing else, I suggest finding a day with an auspicious yoga and that should suffice.

If the above points are followed, there is good chance of finding a good day to start sadhana which will be a great support in ensuring its successful completion. I hope this is helpful to those readers who would like to select an auspicious day to commence their sadhana.


Om Shri Gurave Namah

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Six friends and six enemies in spiritual life

Hari Aum.

I was reading an article by my Guru, Swami Sivananda, recently on "Purity" as a requirement for success in spiritual life. This is a link to it http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=362&parent=354&format=html

I was reflecting on the story he tells about the sage and the student in this article. You can read the full story above, but this is it in a nutshell. The sage is approached by a student who requests initiation. The sage declines, and the student leaves disappointed. Later the sage approaches the student to request alms or bhiksha.

The student eagerly brings a tasty dish to give the sage in the hope that he will get initiated this time. But he is surprised to see that the sage provides him with a very dirty bowl for the food. He requests the sage to provide a clean bowl for the food as it will be of no use if put into a dirty bowl. The sage then tells the student that this is the reason he has not been initiated.

The student's mind is like a dirty bowl, filled with negative emotions. The sage tells the student to clean up his mind and then return for initiation. The student does so through the usual methods such as selfless service and so on and then obtains initiation.

The moral of the story is that a clean mind is required for spiritual progress.Clean in the sense of filled with good positive thoughts and free of negative thoughts.

In yoga philosophy, there are six types of impure or negative thoughts in the mind. These are described as: desire/lust (kama), anger (krodha), greed (lobha), mada (pride), matsarya (jealousy) and moha (delusional attachment).

These are six very dangerous enemies on the spiritual path. Unfortunately most of us have all of these to varying degrees- some of us may have more of one, some may have more of the other. But we all have these.

The opposite qualities of these six enemies, help us to progress on the spiritual path. These are our six friends. These are friendly thoughts which aid us in our search for God. What are these?

Self-control is the opposite of lust
Calmness is the opposite of anger
Generosity is the opposite of greed
Humility is the opposite of pride
Goodwill is the opposite of jealousy
Detachment is the opposite of delusional attachment

(P.S. Anger is a form of hatred. The opposite of hatred is love. Also detachment means attachment to God as opposed to objects in the world. It means embracing the world as a manifestation of God, rather than rejecting the world)

The six internal friends need to be cultivated. The six internal enemies need to be transmuted or transformed into the opposites.

How shall we achieve this humungous task? This is no mean feat, no easy task. For example, no matter how often we tell ourselves that we will not get angry again, anger arises unbidden, uninvited. When a desire is not met, then anger arises- so says Krishna, in the Gita. Similarly pride, desire, etc are very difficult to control, and keep arising in our minds, despite us not wanting them. What then shall we do?

Our mind is in the internal battlefield, where the six friends, the 'devas' and the six enemies, the 'asuras' are ever in battle. We all know how difficult it can sometimes be to control our inner asuras.

What then is the answer? Life is short and time is fleeting. Much cleaning of our minds is yet to be done. How shall we progress speedily on the path?

The answer as per my Guru Sivananda's advice is through a combination of methods- the 'yoga of synthesis' or 'integral yoga'. He advises development of the head, the heart and the hand of the human being. He advises the following as the three key components of this practice:

1. Japa- develops the heart, is a 'bhakti yoga' practice. This destroys the six enemies as per my Guru and cultivates all divine virtues including those described above. One should therefore seek refuge in the the name of God he says. Daily japa provides a cleansing bath for the mind.

2. Karma yoga- develops the hand, this involves service of humanity as a manifestation of God. Love is not love if it is not expressed in action. The love for God that is cultivated through japa and bhakti yoga must manifest itself in the form of service of human beings and other living beings- to bring peace and joy to others. As Sivananda says, service of human beings, is service of God. This karma yoga provides a very good opportunity to slowly remove undivine emotions from one's  mind and gradually cultivate the opposite divine virtues such as those mentioned above.

3. Jnana yoga- reading and reflection. One studies spiritual books and reflects upon them, their relevance to one's life. This inspires one to perform the above two practices of japa and karma yoga or similar sadhanas. One reflects that life on this planet is short and full of temporary joy and many sorrows. It seems that some people, i.e. the sages, have found a solution to this problem, i.e. the attainment of God. One thinks, well, I should also give this a try. Then one takes up some suitable sadhanas to achieve this purpose.

So one needs to actively cultivate the companionship of the six friends, and actively avoid the six enemies, in order to progress on the spiritual path.

May God bless us all in achieving this task.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

The Spiritual Olympics: Going for gold

Hari Aum.

Like many people, I have been watching some of the events at the Olympics in Rio on television in the last few days. It is no secret that the Olympic athletes have trained for years to come and perform in front of the world in a short space of time to demonstrate their hard-earned skills and talents. The champions make their victory look easy- but underneath the ease of their somersaults, dives, sprints and other sporting achievements lie days, months and years of persistent effort and toil- literally, their blood, sweat and tears. Before the victory, there was much defeat. Many a fall, many an injury. But each time, those who will be champions, got up, dusted off their knees, wiped their tears, gritted their teeth and said "I will not give up" "I will do this. I can do this."

These champions are great examples for spiritual aspirants. One admires their tenacity, discipline, courage, endurance, trust in themselves, trust in their coach, trust in what they're doing.

One needs similar qualities to emerge as a spiritual olympic champion. Only in the case of spiritual olympics, we compete with ourselves, not with others. We seek conquest over our own lower nature, not over others. It is a incredible challenge. A hidden one that is not so obvious to others.

To be a spiritual Olympic champion, in other words, a self-realised being, one needs all of the tenacity, discipline and trust that the athletic Olympians have. May be more - because so much more is at stake here. We seek conquest over ignorance, disease and yes, over death itself. We seek immortality. To know our own immortal nature. We have set ourselves a great task. The sacrifice required must also therefore be great.

One key element here is faith in oneself and faith in one's coach or Guru. Every athlete has a coach who they have absolute trust in. They entrust their valuable athletic career to this person. This person commands them to sacrifice their time, their energy, their all- if they want to win that gold medal. The athlete agrees- is willing to sacrifice. Ideally the coach should themselves be a champion. Many champions go on to coach others and rightly so, because they have been there and done that. They know from experience what getting that Olympic medal takes- the physical and mental qualities that are needed. They mould their students for success.

Similar is the case with spiritual life. The spiritual coach that one chooses, should himself or herself, be a person who has excelled in spiritual life. Someone who has been there and done that. Someone who did sadhana, who knows the sacrifices involved, who knows the pitfalls and the way around them. Someone who is truly experienced. The onus is on the disciple to choose wisely and choose well. So much depends upon one's choice.

Having chosen one's coach, whether in the athletic or spiritual Olympics, one must obey the coach to succeed. When the sports coach says, "Turn up at 6 am today for 2 hours hard training"- the athlete must obey. When the spiritual coach says "Turn up at 6 am today for 2 hours of japa"- the spiritual athlete must obey. There is no other way but the hard way. Training- day after day after day.

The athlete may grumble and whine occasionally but the lure of the gold medal is there and the desire for this forces him or her to put in the required effort. The spiritual athlete may also complain and grumble at times, but the lure of spiritual gold- immortal bliss- is there and the desire for this forces him or her to do sadhana daily.

This is why the scriptures, the manuals of spiritual athletics, state that desire for the goal (mumukshutva) is so important. A burning desire in fact. Without this desire, one will not be able to make the sacrifices and effort required to attain this supreme medal.

The coach stands by watching as the athlete performs in the Olympics and jumps in joy when the athlete excels and wins a medal. Similarly is the case with the spiritual coaches or Guru. Sivananda says that the sages and celestials dance in joy when a soul breaks free of the trammels of samsara and flies free into the spiritual sky.

Let us then, go for gold in spiritual life. Gold in spiritual life is God. For this we need, burning desire for gold, for God.

Let us have immense faith in ourselves. This is the first qualification. We have to believe we can do it. Those who have no faith in themselves, get nowhere- both in material and spiritual endeavours.

Let us also have faith in our goal, our spiritual gold. That this gold we want is worth it. And we feel it is worth it. That gold is God- who represents immortality, wisdom, bliss, truth and freedom from desires, pains and sorrows.
We are tired of worldly toys, we've been here and done this over and over again. It's time to move on (with our consciousness I mean). So let's get moving.

Having decided that we want the spiritual gold, and that we can do it, let us then find a suitable coach (known as Guru in spiritual life) who has attained the gold and ask them to show us how to do the same. There are many such coaches, in all spiritual traditions, we need to find one who resonates with us and then stick tenaciously to their teaching.

Summary of requirements needed to win the spiritual Olympics gold medal:

1. One needs to want the spiritual gold medal. Need to want it enough to make great sacrifices of time, energy and life.
2. One needs to believe that one has what it takes to get this gold. One must be willing to develop within oneself, through hard spiritual training, that which is required to attain this.
3. One needs a spiritual coach, who has been there and done that, who has attained the spiritual gold medal. One then needs to obey the teacher's advice, no matter how tough, to get the spiritual gold medal oneself.

P.S. There are no shortcuts in winning medals, be it the athletic Olympics or spiritual Olympics. Just like an Olympic champion who has won gold, can only show the way to another, but the other has to put in the effort, similarly a spiritual coach or Guru can only show the way. It is up to the disciple to put in all the effort. No room for any spiritual freebies or short-cuts. The Guru cannot and will not just touch someone and give them supreme realisation without the disciple first having done much sadhana and become deserving. So one needs to pick up that mala, or the havan spoon, or stand on one's head, or do whatever sadhana one has chosen and just keep doing it. The results will come with absolute certainty as they have for those before us.

I will conclude with a poem by Walter D. Wintle, who lived in the last century, that I particularly like and which is relevant here:

Title: The Man who thinks he can

"If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't."

If you'd like to win, but you think you can't
It's almost certain you won't."

"If you think you'll lose, you're lost."

"For out of the world, we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind."

"If you think you're outclassed you are;
You've got to think high to rise."

"You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win that prize."

"Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;"

"But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can."


Hari Aum Tat Sat

The art and science of sadhana

Hari Om.

Sadhana is both an art and a science in my view.

I feel the science of sadhana involves:
-following certain rules and regulations for example relating to food, sleep, breath-control/pranayama, mastery of posture/asana, maintaining personal cleanliness, avoiding crossing the Meru bead when using a japa mala, sitting for meditation facing north or east, wearing sattvic colours during meditation, keeping the altar room clean etc. In other words, it is all about rules. Good rules of course. These rules are definitely important (especially for beginners on the path) and primarily involve the body rather than the mind (they indirectly exert a positive influence on the the mind).

On the other hand, I feel the art of sadhana involves:
-direct development of the mind, intellect and emotions, one's higher faculties and involving all these in contemplation of God. It involves developing a feeling towards the Divine, having some regular contemplation of the Divine, feeling that God is one's friend/brother/sister/mother/father/husband/wife- someone beloved.
One develops a desire, a longing for God. This longing motivates one to do sadhana. This is the real work of sadhana. Cultivation of that inner bhav or feeling for God.
Chidananda says "refer to God in whatever you do." If you crack a joke, he says, privately share it with God." May say something like "Did You find that funny too? Well, I hope so, since my sense of humour comes from You!"....if one is fed up after a long day at work one might say "Thank You for helping me survive this day. You know this is all about You. All this toil and trouble I go through at work is ultimately for the highest prize- You. Money is ok, it is needed to keep this instrument alive. But the instrument will fail me one day. But You never will." It is saying to God "Can't believe we're stuck in this traffic again." Or alternatively singing a little kirtan while stuck in traffic.
Real sadhana involves silently dying inside, dying of frustration of being trapped in this cage of mind and senses, that frustration that is made worse by the fact that few seem to understand or share it...."when can I be fit enough to get Your darshan"...."when can I have a taste of nirvikalpa samadhi....I am so bored of the games of this world and the senses...."It is that heroic attitude of saying "Ok, may be another million lifetimes remain for purification, but I will do a bit more intense sadhana TODAY". It is giving importance to Today, the only day we really have.

The art of sadhana ultimately involving God in that endless stream of consciousness, of thoughts in our mind. Which way does the stream flow? When the stream revolves around God, one is developing the art of sadhana.

Too many people focus merely on the science of sadhana/religion (I can do the scorpion asana, I eat only strict vegetarian food, I wear this particular dress etc)- all these may be important but are not enough.

One needs to keep God in mind. As spiritual beginners we may not be able to do it 24/7 but this is still our aim. Therefore we dip into His/Her remembrance time and time again during the day. When brushing our teeth, when at our work desk, when cooking, when ill, when happy, when going to sleep. The day needs to be periodically filled with thoughts of Him in order to be able to attain Him. What a painfully long journey it seems. Yet we must keep going. There is no other way.

One practical piece of advice for people who work in a mundane environment based on Chidananda's recommendation to remember God. Before every new task at work, say your Guru mantra a few times. And keep a record of it to see how you are progressing in God remembrance.
For example, I repeat my Guru mantra five times before calling each patient into my room. I make a small circle on a piece of paper on my desk to indicate I have done so. At the end of the clinic, I count how many circles I drew- this gives me an idea as to how many times I could remember God during my mundane worldly activity. Initially I used to forget to recite the mantra before calling in the patient. Now I am getting better at it. Until one's mind spontaneously attaches to Him and calls Him continuously, one has to practice in this precise manner. One has to observe, measure and practice to the best of one's ability. Sivananda used to say, be absolutely precise in recording the amount of japa done- bhav will come with repetition.

P.S. Second purasharana update:

I have entered the last three months of the second purascharana this month. I want to crank up the sadhana a little in this last phase. An auspicious time in the year is coming with Janmashtami, Navaratri and the month of Kartik all on their way.

I recently started a new job four months ago and have been busy getting used to this lately. I have been thinking a lot about work recently. Now that I am comfortably established in my work for the most part, I want to place a greater emphasis on thoughts relating to sadhana.

I want to think less about worldly things once I get home from work (like what today's patients were like, what's in the news today etc).
I want to think more about God instead. During the final phase of this purascharana, I want to significantly increase the quality and quantity of sadhana.

Quality for me in the next three months means:
-more svadhyaya, a cleaner diet (less rajasic foods like biscuits and chocolate and more sattvic foods like fruit, kitchri etc), better sleep-wake cycle (have to break the terrible habit of sleeping late acquired from working late in the past), get up earlier in the morning for sadhana, seriously limit internet (stop reading the news online daily- a recently acquired bad habit that leaves my mind agitated at the sheer self-destructive behaviour of humankind), more kirtan (always feel I should do more), more satsang, more asana (got to aim for at least 4 times a week), daily pranayama (doing abt 3-4 times a week currently).

Quantity means more frequent remembrance of God (not increasing the number of japa malas which will stay at 11 per day).

One has to look at it this way. One day one will be close to God Realisation....one will be within three months of this experience. One day it has to become that close. It cannot be forever millions of lifetimes away! What if these three months are it for me? I have to commit to sadhana as if it is. Because I will never get these three months of sadhana time back again.  And even I don't attain God after the next three months, with this attitude I should at least be able to make great strides in my sadhana. Sometime one just has to be optimistic (while being realistic too). Nothing is ever lost as Krishna says in the Gita. On that upbeat and hopeful note, I am off to bathe and settle down for some evening sadhana.

Hari Aum Tat Sat