Role of Restraint in Sadhana Sri Swami Sivananda About one hundred and fifty miles above the Sannyasins’ colony of Rishikesh, in the Himalayan interior there is an outpost, Chamauli by name. Here they have built a sort of dam or barrage across the flow of the mountain Ganga. One fine day something happened there and the water was likely to get out of hand and burst out in an excessive flow. At once wires began to hum. A telegram was given to all the lower regions, warning them of a likely flood in the Ganga and asking them to shift higher up from the Ganga bank. Now Ganga water is the very life and the soul for the people living by the side of the Ganga bank. But what is this strange phenomenon—people are now fleeting away from its life-giving waters. What is the reason for this? So long as its flow was within the limits, so long as its volume was restrained to a safe margin, it was most beneficial and very desirable. When the self-same natural and legitimate function of the dam (of supplying waters) exceeded, these waters became dangerous and terrible. Thus excess rendered a blessing into a menace. Now consider a similar state of things in the life of man. The average man is the slave of his senses. Usually his life is one constant whirl amidst the numerous varieties of Vishayas that hem in upon his day-to-day life. His appetites goad him on to do two things, viz., they go out towards certain external pleasing and attractive things and they also desire to draw in certain things inward themselves. Thus man’s slavery to his senses takes these two forms of going out towards certain things and drawing in certain things. At times in the case of certain types of objects both these processes are present combined together, viz., indulgence and consumption. It will not be wrong to say that both these are but the two aspects of the quality of sensuality. Now sensuality is a broad, general term. It includes all and every variety of indulgence through the avenue of the senses. However it is not all indulgence that is totally unethical, immoral or criminal. Certain forms of indulgence like drunkenness, debauchery, adultery etc., are manifestly immoral and criminal. They are ruthlessly condemned. Some others, though not actually criminal, are yet extremely harmful either physically or mentally or both to the individual and at times to others near him as well. Tobacco chewing, snuffing or smoking, betting, gambling etc., come under this class. Such practices are strictly forbidden and stigmatised in unequivocal terms. Thirdly, there are still others (and it is with this class we are particularly concerned) that are of a natural character and within limits are even tolerated and legalised by convention. Consuming food and drink and indulging in sleep, rest and proper apparel for covering the body—these and the allied routine physical necessities are of this last mentioned category. They are to some extent amoral. There is basically nothing unethical in doing these actions, but when they are overdone they immediately assume the nature of moral issues. They lose their neutral nature and become directly or indirectly (at times directly and indirectly both) immoral. Thus for instance, to sleep is normal to all creatures on earth. Animal and man, sinner and saint alike do it. But then there is a limit within which it is a desirable and beneficial necessity. Too much sleeping makes a man lazy, lethargic, dull and ultimately, useless to both society and himself. To the Sadhaka it is one of the most dangerous habits. To him it is a vice to be eradicated. Habitual oversleep increases Tamas and makes Sadhana nullified and retards his progress. Take another process—eating. Eating is recognised as an indispensable necessity so long as the physical sheath lasts. The lowest vermin to the highest realised saint, all take food. Overdo it, then indirectly as well as directly it becomes wrong, improper, unethical and positively criminal. It is a wrong and harmful practice from the health and medical point of view; improper from the point of social etiquette which regards gluttony with disfavour and disapproval; it is unethical, for by overfeeding man fattens his lustful propensities and becomes gross and sensual; and it is criminal from the economic point of view, for the wanton overfeeding of a section of people transgresses all canons of distribution and deprives the starving masses of their sorely needed food. Now it is precisely here that we perceive the vital role of restraint in giving the proper balance, proportion and direction to such functions of variable moral implications. Inasmuch as their classification as moral or otherwise directly depends upon limit and extent of their indulgence or consumption, it is the equality of restraint and self-control in the individual that acts as the regulator that keeps them within the limits of the good, the proper. Thus it is the presence and absence of this element of self-control and restraint that makes the identical action of eating praiseworthy in one and blameworthy in another. It is laudable in the saintly persons of simple and Spartan habits, and culpable in the shameless voracious gourmand. And this is different in the quality of the self-same action in two persons which is due to the factor of restraint. Why the role of restraint has been dealt with particular reference to this third class of neutral amoral function will be apparent when we consider that the other two categories are matters for eschewment in toto, wherein, strictly speaking, no question of restraint need arise at all. These actions are unnatural, unnecessary and dispensable. They are never to be done. Whereas the third class of inevitable routine items of sensual consumption and indulgence have got to be done, yet not to be overdone. And it is restraint that achieves this. It is restraint that supplies the guarantee and insurance against overindulgence. This function of restraint in guarding against

Love And Love Alone Can Transform Evil For Ever In times of yore, a small Ashram consisting of a few huts and a temple, surrounded by a big garden of flowers, herbs and different kinds of plants and trees, was situated, far from towns and cities, on a hill slope by the side of a swift-flowing stream adjoining the Oudh Forest. A saint along with his six disciples used to live there. He was a devotee of Lord Gopala and used to call himself His servant. Hence his name became Gopaldas and the Ashram was called ‘Gopal Ashram’. Gopaldas was a saint and herbalist too, famous for his nobleness, kindness, purity, loving behaviour and successful free-treatment of all sorts of patients without any distinction of caste or creed or colour, rich or poor. He always kept open house, never demanding anything in lieu thereof. If any rich man, on his own accord, ever donated any sum, almost the whole of it, was utilized in preparation of medicines, lodging and feeding of poor patients and other visitors etc. but he and his disciples, mostly used to live on alms which was generally collected by two disciples—turn by turn—from villages, going from door to door. The young Zamindar (landlord), Jagdish Singh, of the Talug was known for his cruelty and loose conduct. He was very much afraid of Gopaldas. He had a honey tongue and a heart of gall. He never liked Gopaldas but always pretended to respect him whenever they met. Many a time, he sent sinful, mischievous and immoral persons to hurt and harm Gopaldas and his Ashram. A few of them returned back. They could not even dare to approach the saint. Some went to the Ashram and as soon as they saw Gopaldas, their minds were changed and they disclosed everything. Gopaldas heard all very calmly and kept quiet, smilingly. The Zamindar, finding that all his efforts failed and his intentions laid bare, made friendship with one Karan Singh, a renowned dacoit and culprit, living in the nearby forest with his gang. Both met, drank and dined together and made plans etc. Gopaldas had a horse, not only very attractive but belonging to a special, famous breed, scarcely available, having all the qualities of a fine horse. The horse was very useful and dear to Gopaldas. One day, while going to see a patient in a certain village, Gopaldas rode through the forest. Karan Singh saw him and decided to attack him, but his courage gave way. However, on his way back, Karan Singh appeared on the road, disguised as a lame beggar and began to sigh. When the saint saw him, he was filled with love and compassion and made him be seated on the horse and he himself, started walking. After covering some distance, the dacoit spurred on the horse and left the saint behind and said in loud voice turning his face backward, “O Foolish Sadhu, I am Karan Singh. I decided to plunder your horse which I have done so tactfully. Now you can’t get it back.” Gopaldas laughed and replied, “The horse is well trained and will come back to me even now on my whistle. But I do not want to do that. I am glad to see that I was able to serve Gopal in thy form.” After a pause he continued, “Kindly do a favour, if possible.” Karan Singh asked in a stern manner, “What favour do you expect from Karan Singh? Do not try to befool me.” Gopaldas, “Don’t think so. You can take the horse but please do not tell to anyone about this event.” Karan Singh, “What harm will come to you in doing so?” Gopaldas, “After hearing this event, people may not trust and help the poor and needy in future.” Saying so, Gopaldas returned back to his Ashram but his last words fascinated Karan Singh, the dacoit, and he was much ashamed of his act and behaviour. Throughout the night, he remained restless and could not have a wink. The next morning, along with the horse, he went to Gopal Ashram, where he was invited like a friend. He fell down at the feet of Gopaldas and said heavy-heartedly and beseechingly, “I have now decided to give up my profession entirely for ever. I request thy forgiveness, shelter and kindness.” Gopaldas took him in his arms with love and replied, “Don’t worry. Be calm. Probably you have not slept for the whole night, therefore go to the Kutir and take rest.” At the same time, he instructed one of his disciples to arrange for his lodging and food. When the Zamindar came to know all about this, he was flushed with anger. Now deciding to put the whole Ashram on fire himself and to end the existence of Gopaldas and Karan Singh, he started with his few trustworthy servants nearly at mid-night. Jagdish Singh, the Zamindar, was on the horse leading the party. As they reached the Ashram-hill, the Zamindar asked his men to put out all the torches (Mashals) except one. The party now began to ascend. When they were just near the Ashram, the horse suddenly slipped and, with a loud neighing, fell down along with his master into the side vale. The dogs of the Ashram started barking. The men of the Zamindar were quite confused and frightened and  were unable to decide what to do. Soon they noticed a few persons coming towards them with burning torches in their hands. Now they were intending to run away when they heard a sympathetic voice, “Please do not be frightened. I am coming to help you.” Gopaldas accompanied with his four disciples and Karan Singh reached there and enquired about the matter. One servant told all the facts frankly. Karan Singh heard and lost his temper but Gopaldas at once went down with a torch in his hand and followed by his disciples and the Zamindar’s servants. Karan Singh remained standing where

A Tale For A Bala (Child) Sri Swami Sivananda Vasishtha said: “O undaunted Rama! the mind of a sage is not any different from Brahman. The mind of the unenlightened one is the cause of his ignorance and error. There are infinite Shaktis in Brahman, namely, Iccha Shakti, Kriya Shakti, Jnana Shakti, Bhuma Shakti, Akarta Shakti, etc. The Supreme Brahman is full, perfect and undecaying. His power of fluctuation is present in the air; His power of hardness is present in the stone; of heat, in fire; of vacuity, in ether; and of fluidity, in water. His bliss is felt in the hearts of the holy; His prowess is seen in Yogis; His creative power in the works of His creation; and His power of destruction in the cosmic Pralaya at the end of a great Kalpa. Just as the tree is contained in the seed, so also everything is contained in Brahman. Brahman is One. He manifests as many through His illusory power. Brahman Himself manifests as Manas or mind through thinking, as the Jivatma or the individual soul through the Upadhi or limiting adjunct of Avidya, as Ishwara through the Upadhi of Maya, and as the universe through Vikshepa Shakti or projecting power. “Bondage and freedom are conceptions of the ignorant. It is wrong to speak of the bondage of the soul, which is ever free. It is futile to seek the emancipation of the soul, which is always emancipated. To the men of this world who are sunk in the mire of ignorance the world is as real as the fabulous old grandmother’s tale narrated by a mother to her little boy.” Rama said: “O venerable Guru! please narrate the story to me. I am eager to hear it.” Thereupon, Vasishtha narrated the story: “A certain boy once asked his mother to narrate to him some pretty story for his amusement. Whereupon the mother related the following mythical story: “ ‘Once upon a time, three princes lived in a city called Void. They were very noble, virtuous and brave. Of these three, two were never born and the third never entered the womb for being conceived. They started on a journey and took rest in the garden of Akasa. They ate various kinds of fruit and continued their journey in the upward direction. Having gone a long way, at midday they came across a confluence of three rivers, running with its rapid currents and swelling waves. Of these three rivers, two had no water in them, while in the third there was nothing but white sand. They all took their bath in the last river and sported for a long time and drank some water which was as sweet as milk, and thus they cheered their spirits. They resumed their journey and reached a town at sunset which was not then in existence and there built three houses. One house had no foundation, the second had no walls and the third had neither walls nor roof. The three princes dwelt very comfortably in these three beautiful houses that were built in an invisible town in the Akasa. They found three pots in their houses. The first two broke into pieces upon being lifted, and the third was reduced to dust on being touched. They placed in these pots eight measures of rice minus twelve measures, and cooked the same in a wonderful manner without water and fire. They distributed the food to countless mouthless, tongueless and toothless Brahmins. The three princes partook of the remaining food with glee. In the evening they went out hunting and spent their time in a pleasant manner:’ “When the mother had finished her story, the boy was very much pleased at what he had heard. He believed that the story was quite a true one. “Similarly, ignorant persons who possess neither discrimination nor Atmic enquiry believe that this world is quite real. This air-built castle of the world, which is taken as a reality, is like the story narrated to the boy, which is only a fabrication of the imagination of the boy’s mother. The mother has given a name and a form to an airy nothing. Even so, the mind has given a name and a form to these illusory objects of this false world. This universe is nothing but of the nature of Sankalpa. The mind generates this world. Nothing is really existent save the creations of your imagination. The imagination fashions all the objects in their peculiar fanciful forms. The heavens, earth, sky, air, rivers, mountains, trees, etc., are all creations of your Sankalpa or imagination, like the visions in your dreams. Imagination gives a shape to an airy nothing. Expansion of this mind alone is Sankalpa and Sankalpa generates this world through its power of differentiation. The whole universe is the network of Sankalpa. Sankalpa is the most active power of the mind. Therefore, O Rama, annihilate all Sankalpas and attain the Nirvikalpa state wherein there are no modifications of the mind or Sankalpas. “O Rama! only ignorant persons are subject to errors caused by their false imagination. They take this illusory world as a reality. They attribute perishable properties to the imperishable Atman or Soul. Their minds ever fluctuate through their Sankalpas or thoughts. They identify themselves with their bodies. But the sages are entirely free from wrong conceptions and errors. This world is like a mirage for them. They always identify themselves with the immortal Atman. “O Rama! abandon your wrong view of the reality of the world. Give up all that is false and untrue. Brahman or the immortal, all-pervading Self, who is the true substratum and support of all, is the only Reality. Enquire into the nature of the Truth. You are never bound. You are ever free. When Brahman alone is the only Reality, where is Jiva? Where is mind? Where is bondage? Where is freedom? Who is bound? Who attains salvation? Bondage and freedom are all false imaginations of the

Conquest of Mind Sri Swami Sivananda THAT form which the Infinite, All-pervading Atman has assumed through its power of imagination is called ‘mind’. Mind creates and destroys. It creates the whole universe by its power of imagination. The chief characteristic of the mind is imagination. Mind is the creator and enjoyer of all happiness and miseries. It is the cause for bondage and liberation. Mind is all in all. It is everything. It is your true friend and bad enemy. The lower mind is your enemy. It causes various sorts of attachment. It is filled with various base desires and appetites. The higher mind is a rare friend and benefactor because it imparts true counsels in the way of obtaining the supreme goal of life. The higher mind becomes your guiding Guru. Hear its sweet, small voice and follow its instructions. The voice of the pure mind is the voice of God. It is an infallible voice. In Gita you will find: “A man should uplift himself by his own self, so let him not weaken the Self. For, this self is the friend of oneself and this self is the enemy of oneself. The self is the friend of the self, for him who has conquered self, the self is inimical (and behaves) like (an external) foe for him who has not conquered the self.” (Chapter VI. 5-6). There is no other vessel on this earth to cross the ocean of Samsara than the mastery of the lower instinctive mind. This world is a very big wheel. It is revolving unceasingly. The mind is the nave of this wheel. Those who are egoistic, proud, passionate and greedy are caught up in this wheel. If you can stop the mind from moving, the world-wheel will come to a standstill and you will be freed from the rounds of  births and deaths. If you wish to stop the mind from moving, you will have to annihilate egoism, pride, desire and greed. It is the mind that is the root of the tree of Samsara with its thousands of shoots, branches, tender leaves and fruits. If you annihilate Sankalpas or thoughts, you can destroy the tree of Samsara at once. Destroy the Sankalpas as soon as they arise. The root will dry up through the annihilation of Sankalpas and the tree of Samsara will wither soon. This demands considerable patience and perseverance. No pains, no gains. You will be bathed in the ocean of bliss when all Sankalpas are extirpated. This state is indescribable. You will have to feel it yourself. Mind and Prana are interdependent. Prana is the overcoat or vehicle of mind. Wherever there is Prana, there is mind and vice versa. If you think deeply on any subject, the breathing becomes slow. When one suffers from asphyxia, the functioning of the mind comes to a standstill. Mind is the rider, Prana is the horse and the body is the chariot. Prana vibrates and mind is set in motion. Mind thinks when Prana moves. If Prana departs from the body, all functions of the body will stop. The body will remain like a log of wood. Separation of Prana from the physical body is called death in common parlance. Control of Prana leads to control of mind and vice versa. You should not try to control the mind through violence. You will not succeed if you do so. You will have to adopt the approved or prescribed means, such as association with the wise, Vichara, renunciation of Vasanas, Pranayama, etc. If you attempt the control of mind through force, it is like trying to bind a furious elephant with a thin twine or a plantain fibre. Just as the goad is the effective instrument to control the furious elephant, so also Vichara is the effective means to control the mind. You should first conquer the mind through Vichara or enquiry of “Who am I?”. As long as the mind is not destroyed, the Vasanas will attack you again and again and you will have no peace of mind. When the mind does not think of any object, when the mind is completely destitute of all Vasanas, you will attain the state of mindlessness and you will enjoy indescribable peace. As long as you do not attain Self-realisation, as long as you have not controlled the mind, so long you should follow implicitly the teachings of your Guru and the scriptures. You will have to coax the mind in the beginning just as you coax the children. Mind is also like an ignorant child. Speak to the mind, “O mind! Why do you run after false, worthless and perishable worldly objects? You will undergo countless sufferings. Look at Lord Krishna, the Beauty of beauties. You will get everlasting happiness. Why do you run to hear worldly love-songs? Hear the Bhajan of the Lord. Hear the soul-stirring Sankirtan. You will be elevated.” The mind will gradually leave off its vicious habits and get itself fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord. When it is freed from Rajas and Tamas it will guide you; it will be your Guru. O restless mind! O truant! O care-worn Chitta! Why do you wander about in vain after sensual objects. Are you not tired of them? Remember, this world, this body and this life are as evanescent and unsteady as a bubble. This world is full of miseries, untruth, deceit, hatred and diseases. You cannot enjoy an iota of happiness here. Be sure of this. Open your eyes now. Take refuge at the lotus feet of Hari and rest in peace. Enjoy the wealth of the three worlds. Drink the nectar of devotion and become immortal. The surface of the lake is compared to the conscious mind. The bottom of the lake is compared to the sub-conscious mind. The objects that come from the bottom of the lake to its surface are compared to the images that come to the surface of the conscious mind from the