Upanishadic Vidyas by Swami Sivananda The Vidyas or mystic meditations on Brahman are described in the Upanishads, mainly the Chhan dogya and the Brihadaranyaka. These are discussed in detail in the third Pada of the third Adhyaya of the Brahma-Sutras. These Vidyas are helpful in medita tion both on the Saguna Brahman and on the Nirguna Brahman too. There are, according to the Brahma-Sutras, three kinds of meditation: Nirguna, Saguna and Pratika. Unconditioned or Attributeless, Condi tioned or Qualified and Symbolical or Idolatrous. Many of the Vidyas abound in qualitative and relative con ceptions of the Highest Self. But, in spite of this limitation, these Vidyas can be utilised even for Nir guna Meditation provided the meditator conceives of the absolute aspect of the descriptions given therein and avoids ail dual and gradatory differentiations. Even then, some Vidyas like the Brahma Vidya, the Maitreyi Vidya etc., are highly useful even for Aham graha Upasana and Nirguna Dhyana of the Vedantins. Meditation must be practised only on one Vidya suitable to the temperament of the meditator. The fruit of these meditations is Atyantika-Sukha or absolute happiness, free from the pain of birth, life and death in Samsara. Here are described some of these im portant Vidyas enunciated in the Vedantic Upani shads. These Vidyas cannot be meditated upon without being directly initiated by a Guru (Tea cher). They are very complex and hard to under stand for oneself without a guide.

Wisdom of the Upanishads by Swami Sivananda IGNORANT people identify themselves with the body, mind, Prana and the senses on account of nescience or Avidya. They mistake these false perishable limiting adjuncts or vehicles for the pure immortal Atman and so they are caught in the round of births and deaths. But some wise people abandon this false identification, separate themselves from these limiting adjuncts through enquiry, discrimination, Anvayavyatireka Yukti and practice of ‘Neti-Neti’ doctrine (I am not this body, I am not this Prana, I am not this mind, I am not the senses), identify themselves with the all-pervading, immortal, pure Brahman, obtain knowledge of Brahman and attain immortality. One becomes immortal by renouncing all desires. In this world man always talks of ‘my son’, ‘my wife’, ‘my house’, etc. The wise abandon all such worldly talks and worldly desires and attain immortality by meditation on Brahman who is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, etc. The Sruti says, Not by works, not by offspring, not by wealth, but by renunciation alone is immortality attained. When all desires are abandoned here they attain the Brahman. Having turned his senses inward for desire of immorality, the wise man attains Brahman. Just as water in a cup borrows it heat from sun or fire, so also the mind, Prana and senses borrow their light and power from Atman. Atman is the source for all these organs. The ear hears through the light of the Atman, the tongue speaks through the power of Atman, the mind thinks through the intelligence of Atman and Prana performs its function through the power of Atman only. Mind and these organs are inert and non-intelligent. They appear to be intelligent thought the light and power of the Atman. Brahman or the Atman gives to the ear the power of hearing, the mind the power of thinking, the tongue the power of speaking, the eye the power of seeing and the power of life to the Prana. It is therefore said that it is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, etc. There is a director for the ears, eyes, tongue, mind and life-force who is distinct from the ear, mind and Prana. The ears, eyes, mind and Prana exist for his use just as the house exists for the use of the owner. The director is Brahman or Atman. The eye and the organs cannot go to the Brahman. They cannot approach Him for one cannot go to one’s own Self. How can the eyes see the seer of sight? The eye is an object of perception for the mind and Atman. However clever and acrobat may be, he cannot jump on his own shoulders. So is the case with the senses. The eye can only see the external objects of the universe. That is its only function. How can it know or reach its source which is extremely subtle? It is not possible to go to one’s own self. Similarly, speech cannot go there. When you utter the word cow, that word enlightens the object ‘cow’ denotes by it. Then it is said that the word goes to the object. The source or support or abode or resting place for the word and the organ that utters it is Brahman. Therefore the word or the speech or the mouth does not go there, i.e., approach Brahman. The mind also cannot go there. How can it know the knower? Just as fire that burns and enlightens other objects cannot either burn or enlighten itself, so the mind which knows the external objects through the avenues of the senses, cannot know the Atman or Brahman, because Brahman is the source for the mind also, and the mind is gross, inert and finite. How can the finite know the Infinite? The gross impure mind cannot approach Brahman. But the subtle, pure mind only can go there, for pure mind is Brahman itself. Speech cannot reveal or illumine Brahman. Brahman is beyond the organs of speech. The tongue speaks through the power or light of Brahman. Speech is infinite. How can the finite speech reveal the infinite Brahman. Brahman only illumines speech and its organ Vak which is presided over by fire (Agni); so Brahman is speech of speech, tongue of tongue. The Vajasaneyaka says, Brahma is within speech and directs speech. This Atman is Brahman or Bhuma (infinite or the unconditioned). Brahman is unsurpassable, big, great, highest of all, all-pervading. So He is called Brahman. The mind is connected with all organs. It is the commander or the chief. The Srutis say, Desire, volition, deliberation, faith, negligence, courage, timidity, shame, intelligence, fear, etc., are mind. Mind is the Drik or seer, the objects are the Drishya or visible objects. Atman or Brahman is the Drik, mind is the Drishya. The mind cannot approach Brahman. The mind is enlightened by the intelligence of Brahman shining within. The mind functions through the light and power of Brahman. The mind is pervaded by the Brahman. So say the knowers of Brahman. The interior intelligence of the mind is Brahman. The mind comprehends the world or objects through the power or light or intelligence of Brahman. The senses carry the sense impressions or images of objects to the mind. The mind presents them to the Self or Atman or Purusha. The Purusha beholds them, gazes and fixes His seal and returns them back to the mind, just as the king puts his seal on papers and returns them back to the prime minister. Then only comprehension of objects becomes perfect. Brahman directs the eye towards form. Brahman cannot be seen by the eye, as He is not an object of perception. Eye is a finite instrument to carry the impressions of objects viz., colour, shape, form size, etc., to the mind. Eye derives its power of seeing from Brahman only who is its source. The eye is made to move towards its objects by

Western Philosophy and Vedanta by Swami Sivananda EASTERN philosophy begins where Western philosophy ends. Western philosophy is not perfect as there is no proper foundation, as there is no real ethical basis. The scientist draws his conclusions from his observations and experiences of the wakeful state only. Hence they are not correct. True experiences include the experiences of the three states viz., waking, dreaming, and deep-sleep states. The Vedantin studies the three states. He gains more real knowledge from the deep-sleep state. He gets a clue for the existence of the fourth state or the state of Turiya from the deep-sleep state. Reason is the faculty of reasoning. Reason is also the process of reasoning of Kant. Reason (Buddhi) represents the intellect of Vedantins. Buddhi or intellect comes under the fourfold Antahkarana or inner instrument, Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. Mind (Manas) is one. It assumes the form of Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara according to the function it performs viz., Sankalpa, Vikalpa, determination, memory and self-arrogation. Intuition is a spiritual faculty. It is the eye of wisdom. Super-intuition is knowledge itself or Brahman. Kant has admitted that there is something beyond reason, something which the reason cannot grasp and a transcendental something which transcends reason. That something is Brahman of the Upanishads. That something is the Immoral Self or Atman of the Vedantins. That something is the Paramam Gati or the highest goal of Gita. He has also admitted that the intellect is frail, finite, weak and impotent, as it is conditioned in time, space and causation, that it has its own limits incapable of directly knowing or realising that all-blissful Thing-in-itself which corresponds to Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman of the Srutis. Reason is a help and a hindrance. It is a help if it serves you in any way to attain the goal of life. It is a hindrance if it stands in your way of realising the Self. It is a help if it can make you understand the doctrine of Sankara that Brahma satyam jagat mithya Jivo Brahmaiva naparah i.e., Brahman or Self alone is real, this world is unreal. Jiva or individual soul is identical with Brahman or the Supreme Soul. It is hindrance if it makes you a worldly-minded, passionate and ignorant man. It is a help if it can make you constantly remember the Atman, if it can serve you to fix your mind on the imperishable soul, if it can help you to rise above the body-consciousness. It is a hindrance if it makes you forget your ideal and goal, if it makes you identify with the impure body and if it forces you to indulge in sensual pleasure. It is a help if it can goad you to do rigorous Tapas, vigorous meditation, practice of self-restraint and develop the sublime divine virtues that are enumerated in the 13th and 16th chapters of the Gita, Amanitvam (humility), Adambhitvam (unpretentiousness), etc., and Abhayam (fearlessness), Sattva Samshuddhi (cleanliness of life) and to reach the goal eventually by developing intuition or the eye of wisdom. Intuition does not contradict reason but transcends reason. Intuition is the way to Brahma Jnana or knowledge of the Self attained through purity of heart and Nirvikalpa Samadhi brought about by constant, protracted and intense meditation on the attributeless, timeless, spaceless, brithless and deathless Self. Reason helps you to march to the door of intuition. Reason takes you to the threshold of intuition. Reason gives you the information that the experiences of this phenomenal world are unreal when compared with the true, everlasting experiences of Self-realisation (Atma Sakshatkara or Brahma Anubhuti). Reason tells you that there is a fourth state or Turiya which transcends the waking, dreaming and deep-sleep states, that one can attain immortality and eternal peace by attaining this state through meditation. You can clearly understand now that reason has its own definite utility. You should not ignore it altogether. You are in need of the help of reason in the beginning when you start the quest of Truth. You will have to discipline it properly and make it fit instrument for achieving your end. Then it will be your obedient and willing servant to carry out your behests. Manas (mind) is said to be of two kinds, the pure and the impure. That which is associated with the thought of desire is the impure, while that which is without desire is the pure. To men, their mind alone is the cause of bondage or emancipation. That mind which is attracted by objects of senses tends to bondage while that which is not so attracted tends to emancipation. Now in as much as to a mind without a desire for sensual objects there is stated to be salvation, therefore an aspirant after emancipation should render his mind ever free from all longing after material objects. When a mind freed from the desires for objects and controlled in the heart attains the reality of Atman, then it is in the Supreme Seat. The mind should be controlled till that which arises in the heart perishes. This only is true wisdom. According to the Upanishads, reason is of two kinds viz., pure reason (Vishuddha Buddhi or Suddha Manas) and impure reason (Viparita Buddhi or Ashuddha Manas). Impure reason is perverted intellect. It is a strong weapon of Maya or Avidya. It is surcharged with egoism, lust, delusion and other impurities. It forces you to mistake the impermanent, impure, pain-giving insentient body for the permanent, pure, all-blissful sentient Atman. Impure reason is turbid. It is under intoxication. The function of the impure reason is to make you worldly-minded. The function of the pure reason is to take you to the goal. Vichara or enquiry of the Self ‘Who am I?’ will arise in a man who is endowed with pure reason. The tendency of pure reason is to move towards the Atman. It has an upward pull. Impure reason has a downward pull. It hurls the man into the dark abyss of ignorance.

Become the Svarat or Self-king by Swami Sivananda Salutations to Sadguru who is of the nature of Sat-chidananda, who is the silent witness of all the attributes or Vrittis of the mind, who is the essence of Vedanta, who is of the nature of Brahman, who is one with Brahman, and who has merged himself in the ocean of eternal bliss. Para Brahman is Eternal, pure, all-wise, free, all-full, non-dual, partless, all-pervading, Infinite. In this city of nine gates dwells the Jiva or the individual soul. He has forgotten his essential divine nature on account of Avidya or ignorance. He is not able to behold the Supreme Self on account of the veil which separates him from Brahman. Vikshepa Sakti causes tossing of the mind. So he is not able to concentrate on the Self. Ahamkara is his minister. The twenty-four Tattvas are the members of his family. Pramatra, Pramana and Prameya are his three sons. Vitteshana, Dareshana and Putreshana and the Shad-Ripus or six enemies, viz., anger, lust, greed etc., have robbed him of the wealth of Atma Jnana. He has become a prey to all attachments. He is burnt by the three fires. He is led astray by the wind of hopefulness. He is enveloped by the fog of attachment to the body. He is deluded by the thoughts I am the doer (Karta). I am the enjoyer (Bhokta). He is attacked by the fevers of Pancha Koshas (five sheaths). He is fallen in the state of deep sleep of sensual enjoyments. O man! I shall show you now the way to get rid of these afflictions and attain the supreme goal of eternal bliss. Hearken attentively. Do Japa regularly. Do selfless service without expectation of fruits. Abandon the idea of doership. Consecrate all your works to the Lord. Cultivate Bhakti. Take shelter at the lotus feet of Sadguru who is ever in Nirvikalpa Samadhi under the banian tree of Nididhyasana, in the Siddhasana of Sravana and Manana on the banks of the great river, the grace of the Lord. Make prostrations unto Him wet with Bhakti. He will elevate you. He will inspire you and remove all your doubts and snares in the path and help you to attain the kingdom of Atma Svarajya. He will make you free. O Beloved Ram! You have forgotten your real Svarupa on account of egoism and desires. Thou art pure immortal, Eternal Soul. Thou art That. Tat Tvam Asi. Rise above Moha or delusion. Give up the identification with this impure, perishable body. Take bath in the Ganga of devotion to the lotus feet of Sadguru. Kill the thieves, lust, anger, etc. Abandon the ideas, I am the doer. I am the enjoyer. Be established in the idea of the unreality of the world. This is the practice of Pranayama for you. Make friendship with Mudita, Karuna, Upeksha, Sama, Dama. Fix the arrow of Manonasa on the bow of Vasana Kshaya. Burn the forest of Pratibandhatraya, the three obstacles. Have Vairagya as the shield, discrimination as helmet, Uparati as the necklace, Samadhana or one- pointedness of mind as your brave companion, Brahmanu-sandhana as armour, Satsanga as your minister, Jivanmukti as partner in life. Ascend the throne of Self-Samrajya or Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Become the Svarat or Self-King. Drink the nectar of Immortality or eternal bliss of Brahman. Being crowned with the knowledge of Brahman know that thou art the eternal, pure, all-pervading Atman. There is nothing else besides you. Thou art That.

Renunciation is a Glorious Thing by Swami Sivananda Who is a real hero? He who has controlled his mind and senses, who has annihilated the Vasanas, Samskaras, cravings, who has attained Self-realisation, is a real hero of heroes. A liberated sage, a dynamic Yogi, a realised Bhagavata, is the real hero of heroes, indeed! Ordinarily, ignorant people of the world say that he who has renounced the world is a timid man who cannot earn his livelihood. This is a sad and terrible mistake. It is very difficult to renounce family, children, relations, possessions, property, wealth, One in a million only can take to renunciation. Now, take out all the leaders of the world and put them in solitude for a year in a forest. They will feel like fish out of water. They cannot remain. They will run back to the world within a week without informing their Guru. Such is their spiritual strength! The life of a Sannyasi is the best kind of life in this world. A true Sannyasi is the true monarch of the three worlds. Even an aspirant is the Emperor of the three worlds. Lord Krishna says: Only wishing to know Yoga even, the seeker after Yoga goeth beyond the world of Brahma (VI. 44). This world is full of difficulties and troubles. No one save a Yogi or a Jnani is free from these worldly miseries and anxieties. Go wherever you like. It is all the same. For a passionate man, there is much pleasure in this world. He runs after money and woman. His mind is intoxicated, perverted and clouded. For a Viveki or a man of discrimination, this world is a ball of burning fire. Lead a life of Vairagya and renunciation. Then and then alone can you be happy. You must show extreme contempt towards worldly objects. Treat all earthly possessions and sensuous enjoyments as dung, poison, dust and straw. Turn the mind away from them. Then only will you get Jnana. This world is a mere Mela of two days, and this body is a mere appearance for two seconds. Even if you become the sole monarch of the whole world, you cannot enjoy real bliss and peace. by the worldly affections, by the avarice of wealth, the acquirement of women and jewels and by the attachment to external fleeting forms and beauties, the mind gets fattened, while indifference to them thins it out! (Yoga Vasishta). The Mahabharata says: Desire is not gratified by indulgence. On the other hand it increases like fire after a pouring of ghee over it. All the wheat and maize grown in the world, all wealth, all cattle, all women even, will not be sufficient to gratify the desire of one person. Knowing this, a wise man should control his mind. To attain to an exalted state of spirituality, you should in the first instance fully realise the glory of life in the Spirit or the Soul. Then only will you have the requisite strength to kick and spurn this world mercilessly and take to a life of meditation on the Atman and of renunciation. Constant remembrance of and meditation on the following Slokas of the Bhagavadgita will help you to a great extent in the attainment of your goal: He whose self is unattached to external contacts, and findeth joy in the Self, having the self harmonised with the Eternal by Yoga, enjoys happiness exempt from decay (Ch. V-21). That in which he findeth the Supreme Delight, which the purified Reason alone can grasp, beyond the senses, wherein established, he moveth not from the Reality; which, having obtained, he thinketh there is no greater gain beyond it; wherein established he is not shaken even by heavy sorrow (Ch. VI-21, 22). The Yogi who thus, ever harmonising the Self, hath put away sin, he easily enjoyeth the infinite bliss of contact with the Eternal (Ch. VI-28). When the dweller in the body hath crossed over these three qualities, whence all bodies have been produced, liberated from birth, death, old age and sorrow, he drinketh the nectar of Immortality (Ch. XIV-20). Every moment you should be ready for Sannyasa. The very longing for Sannyasa shows that there is growth of spirituality. Deluded people bring various vain arguments: Mohammed was a householder. Nanak was a householder. Rama married. Krishna married. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa married. Delusion! Even if you are a Jnani, you will have terrible downfall when you come in contact with worldly persons and worldly things! Many Sannyasins have fallen. Many Yogis have fallen! The Bhagavata says that actual fire is not so dangerous, heated iron is not so dangerous, burning charcoal is not so dangerous, as the company of worldly persons! Worldly people always speak against Sannyasa, against renunciation and Tapas! Even a cobra is not so very dangerous as these deluded people! Even in an advanced stage of life, people remain in their house with family, wives and children, but take fancy to say: I have got mental detachment; I am a mental Sannyasin. Ah! There is a terrible attachment in them! Sannyasa has its own glory and splendour. Sannyasa is extremely necessary. One may say: I do not need orange-coloured robes. Still Sannyasa is necessary. Sannyasa has got its own psychology. All arguments against it are false! The Mundaka Upanishad will tell you how necessary Sannyasa is. The world has not produced a greater genius than Sankara, the greatest Sannyasin! Why did Ramakrishna Paramahamsa take Sannyasa? No use of argumentation and logic; mere vanity of the intellect! Sannyasa is necessary though you may have Advaitic Realisation. Totapuri, Ramkrishna’s Guru, though he had Brahmic Realisation, took Sannyasa. Why did Mandana Misra take Sannyasa? Yajnavalkya had the highest Realisation, but yet he took Sannyasa. Why? The world has not produced a greater sage than Yajnavalkya. Study his instructions to his wife, Maitreyi! Sannyasa destroys all worldliness, all evil Samskaras, and establishes you in Divine Meditation. You must come out of the house and wander

Vedanta and Sannyasins by Swami Sivananda IT IS only the ignorant and faithless, who are followers of the philosophy of flesh, carp and say, The Sannyasins who lead the path of renunciation or Nivrittimarga are idlers. They are of no use to the society. They are like drone bees. They simply waste their time in forests, caves and hills, there is nothing in Vedanta. It is the philosophy of dreamers only. There is no need for the order of Sannyasa. Where is Brahman? Can you show your Brahman? If there is really one Sat-Chit-Ananda Brahman, will He not shine now and here? There is no such thing as Brahman. Brahman is only an imaginary phantom of the so-called Vedantins. There is no use in renunciation, Tapas and control of the senses. Let us eat and drink and rejoice in this world. There is nothing beyond these senses. There is nothing beyond this world. There is nothing beyond sensual pleasures. This is a beautiful and soul-stirring philosophy indeed! This is the sublime philosophy of Charvakas, materialists, epicureans, gluttons, followers of Virochana and worshippers of flesh and body. The followers of this school are countless in this world. Every religion has a band of anchorites who lead the life of seclusion and meditation. There are Bhikshus in Buddhism, Fakirs in Mohammedanism, Sufistic-Fakirs in Sufism, Fathers and Reverends in Christianity. The glory of a religion will be absolutely lost, if you remove these hermits or Sannyasins or those who lead a life of renunciation and divine contemplation. It is these people who maintain and preserve the religions of the world. It is these people who give solace to the householders when they are in trouble and distress. They are the harbingers of divine wisdom and peace. They are the messengers of Atmic knowledge and heavenly messages. They are the disseminators of Adhyatmic science and Upanishadic revelations. They tend the sick, comfort the forlorn and nurse the bed-ridden. They bring hope to the hopeless, joy to the depressed, strength to the weak, and courage to the timid by imparting the knowledge of Vedanta and the significance of ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ Mahavakya. Vedanta is that bold philosophy which teaches unity of life or oneness or consciousness. It is that supreme philosophy which boldly proclaims, with emphasis and force, that this little Jiva or human being is identical with the Eternal or the Absolute. It is that sublime philosophy which elevate the mind at once to magnanimous heights of Brahmanhood, divine splendour and glory, which makes a man absolutely fearless, which destroys all barriers that separate man from man and which brings concord, unruffled peace and harmony to the suffering humanity at large. It is the only philosophy that can really unite on the basis of one common Self in all, a Hindu and a Mohammedan, a Catholic and a Protestant, an Irishman and an Englishman, a Jain and a Parsi, on a common platform and in the core of their hearts also. It is the only philosophy that, when properly understood and practised, can put a definite stop to the world wars and all sorts of dissension, splits and skirmishes that exist in different nations and communities. All philosophers should bow down their heads, with implicit obedience and perfect submissiveness, before this grand philosophy. Sankara, Dattatreya, Yajnavalkya and others preached and expounded this unique philosophy. Rama Tirtha and Vivekananda also preached this profound philosophy in America. Brahman cannot be demonstrated. He is beyond the reach of mind and speech. He cannot be seen by these physical eyes but He can be reached through meditation, through the eye of intuition, by one who has purified himself and who is endowed with the four means of salvation. Brahman is not an imaginary phantom. Brahman alone exists. He is the only solid Reality. He is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute and Bliss Absolute. He is the living Truth. There is no world apart from Brahman. This world has no independent existence. Brahman is the support for this world. When one is hopelessly sunk in the quagmire of Samsara, when he is burnt by the three fires of this terrible world of names and forms, when he is in a hopeless state of being drowned in the ocean of phenomena, when he is suffering from fearful tribulations, torments and dreadful diseases, when all his friends, relations and parents have deserted him on account of his chill penury and poverty, when death dances its formidable dance before him, then there comes forth the Vedanta philosophy with its all-loving, all-inclusive and all-embracing hands to lift the distressed soul from abject helplessness, bondage, ignorance and suffering to the magnanimous heights of freedom, perfection, independence and suzerainty. Then he drinks the nectar of immortality and tastes the delicious cup of experience of the inherent divinity and ineffable splendour of Brahman. Glory, glory to the Vedanta philosophy! Thought moves. Thought is a great force. A Yogi or sage can purify the whole world with his powerful thoughts though he remains in a solitary cave in the Himalayas. It is not necessary that he should appear on the platform and deliver lectures and discourses to help the people. Sattva is intense activity. A wheel that revolves very rapidly appears to be at rest. So is Sattva. So is a Sattvic man. Just as coloured water penetrates freely and nicely a piece of pure white cloth, so also the instructions of a sage can penetrate and settle down in the hearts of aspirants only when their minds are calm, when there are no desires for enjoyments and when the impurities of their minds are destroyed. That is the reason why an aspirant is expected to possess the qualifications of Viveka, Vairagya, Sama, Dama, Uparati, Sraddha, Samadhana, Mumukshutva, before he practises hearing of Srutis, reflection and meditation. Discipline and purification of the mind and the Indriyas are the prerequisites of the aspirant in the path of Truth and God-realisation. Even when God is explained, those who have

TURIYA or the Fourth State by Swami Sivananda TURIYA or the fourth state is that state in which the individual soul rests in his own Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa or the highest Brahmic consciousness during Nirvikalpa Samadhi. There are three states, Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti, for a Jiva who is whirling in the mire of Samsara. Turiya is that state which transcends all these three states. Hence the Turiya or the fourth. Turiya is Atman or Brahman. Brahman is Sat-Chit-Ananda Vigraha or the embodiment of knowledge and bliss. He has no beginning or end. He is the cause of all causes. He is the shelter, support and the Lord for all. Languages are many but the language of heart and the mental pictures are one. Cows have many colours but the colour of the milk is one. Prophets are many but he essentials of their teachings are one and the same. Schools of philosophy are many but the goal is one. Opinions and methods of worship are many but the Brahman or God is one. There are two paths in Yoga to realise the Self viz., the Pipeelika Marga and the Vihanga Marga. Just as the ant slowly marches, so also the aspirant slowly marches on in the spiritual path. He practises Karma Yoga to purify his heart and then takes up Upasana to steady his mind. Finally he treads the path of Jnana Yoga and eventually reaches the goal of life. This is Pipeelika Marga or the ant-path. Just as the bird flies in the sky at once, so also the aspirant of the first class type at once practises Jnana Yoga and attains knowledge of the Self. This is the Vihanga Marga or the bird-path. Man can be compared to a plant. He grows and flourishes like a plant and dies at the end but not completely. The plant also grows, flourishes and dies at the end. It leaves behind the seed which produces a new plant. Man leaves when dying his Karma behind, the good and bad actions of his life. The physical body may die and disintegrate but the impressions of his actions do not die. He has to take birth again to enjoy the fruits of these actions. No life can be the first for it is the fruit of previous actions, nor the last, for its actions must be expiated in the next following life. Therefore, Samsara or phenomenal existence is without beginning and end. But there is no Samsara for a Jivanmukta or liberated sage who is resting in his own Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa. Man destroys the Samskaras which bring him again and again in this earth to reap the fruits of his actions by acquiring knowledge of the Self and becomes free. Have a deep study of the Upanishads. In the whole world there is no study so inspiring and so beneficial as that of the Upanishads. Every Mantra is pregnant with deep, original, sublime and soul-stirring thoughts. They are the products of the highest wisdom of the ancient Rishis of India. They bring solace, inner strength, peace and courage to the readers. They infuse hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, joy to the joyless and serenity to the restless. The system of Vedanta takes its origin from the Upanishads which contain the ancient wisdom of the sages of yore. A deep study of these wonderful Upanishads will clearly indicate as to what magnanimous heights those Rishis of yore had climbed in the spiritual ladder. The Western scholars and philosophers pay their homage to the Rishis and appreciate the grandeur and originality of the Upanishads. Do not argue. Give up lingual warfare, intellectual gymnastics and quibbling. You will be nowhere if you enter into disputations and discussions. Have living faith or unshakable conviction in the existence of the immoral, All-pervading Brahman or the Eternal, the words of your preceptor and the Srutis. Learn from your preceptor the fundamental tenets of Advaita Vedanta. The Advaita Vedantin admits six Pramanas but the final court-of-appeal for him is the Srutis. Srutis contain the inspired revelations and experiences of realised sages. He always opens his Vedantic discourses in the following manner. Sruti Bhagavati says, Ekameva Advitiyam Brahma, Ekam Sat Viprah Bahudha Vadanti, Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma, etc. To understand and know the Truth, much logic and argumentation is not necessary. Truth is very simple. It can be realised by simple meditation. Intellect is a finite instrument only. It is an automatic and routine faculty. It is not self-sustained and self-luminous. It will betray you. Intuition only is infallible or unerring. Those aspirants who are well qualified and well equipped will be really benefited in the path of renunciation or Nivrittimarga. Many renounce the world and take to Sannyasa in their temporary zeal. They do not make progress in the spiritual path, because they lack the preparation and qualifications without which spiritual life is not possible. The man who sits by calming the mind, who does nothing at all physically, is the most active man in the whole world; whereas that man who runs hither and thither and who is always very busy, does nothing in substance. This may be paradoxical to you. Very few can comprehend this. Husk is natural to rice and rust to copper, yet they disappear through efforts! Evan so Ajnana which clings to the Jiva or individual soul can be made to disappear through the ceaseless Atmic enquiry. Destroy the Avidya. May you rest incomparably firm in your own Self! Do not mistake Tandri for Savikalpa Samadhi and deep-sleep for Nirvikalpa. The glory of the state of Turiya or Bhuma is ineffable. Its splendour is indescribable. If the body is light, if the mind is clear if there is cheerfulness, know that you are meditating. If the body is heavy, if the mind is dull, know that you were sleeping while meditating. Through ignorance and lust comes death. Through knowledge the deathless state or the immortal Atman is reached. Both life eternal and

Experiences of the Four Stages by Swami Sivananda JAGRAT is the waking state in which man enjoys the five gross objects of senses as sound, etc., through the five organs of knowledge, viz., ear, skin, eye, tongue and nose. He is conscious of the world. He has externalised consciousness (Bahih Prajna). Jiva is called Visva in this state. Svapana is the dreaming state in which man enjoys the five objects of sense through Vasanas or impressions created in his waking state. The body and all senses are at rest and the mind alone works. Mind itself is the subject and the object. It creates all dream-pictures. Jiva is called Taijasa in this state. There is Antah-prajna (internal consciousness). The scriptures say When he falls asleep there are no chariots in that state, no horse and roads, but he himself creates chariots, horses and roads. (Brihad. Upa. IV-3-9-10.). In deep sleep state or Sushupti all senses and the mind are at rest. The mind is involved into its cause, the Karana Sarira. The Jiva is called Prajna in this state. The Anandamaya Kosha is functioning. There is a veil between the Jiva and Brahman. A king gets into his car and moves about in the city. This corresponds to Jiva’s wandering in the world in the wakeful state. He returns back and enters his palace. This corresponds to the dreaming state. He enters his bed-room at night. This corresponds to the deep-sleep state. Mind is not a heavy thing. It is like a light diffusible gas or vapour or fume. When a scented stick is burnt the fumes pervade the whole room in a minute. Even so, the mind pervades the whole brain as soon as it emerges out from the causal body from deep sleep. If you put a grain of musk or potassium permanganate in a very large basin of water, it gets itself diffused in the whole water. Even so, the mind gets itself diffused in the brain. Karana Sarira is like a small seed which contains the whole tree within itself. It is otherwise known by the name, ‘seed-body’. The whole physical body, mind, Prana, senses, etc., have come out of this seed body. During meditation the aspirant enters into a half sleepy state. This is called Tandri. He begins to doubt whether he was meditating or sleeping. If one is really meditating his body will be light and his mind will be cheerful. If he is sleeping the body will be heavy, the mind dull and the eye lids heavy. In swoon there is half of deep-sleep as it is different from the other three states, viz., waking, dreaming and deep-sleep states. A man in a swoon does not perceive any object. The body of a swooning person falls down on the ground. Therefore a man in swoon is not awake. He is not dreaming as he is totally unconscious. Is he dead? No, he is alive as he has life and warmth. He continues to breathe. Swoon is not deep-sleep. The body of a man is swoon trembles and his face is dreadful. His eyes are starring and wide open. But a man who is sleeping looks calm and peaceful. His eyes are closed. His body does not tremble. A sleeping man may be awakened by a slight touch with the hand or by calling him by his name; whereas a man in swoon cannot be awakened even by a blow with a stick. Swoon is caused by a blow on the head with a stick or some such causes, while sleep is due to weariness or fatigue. Swoon is only half sleep. You should not mean by this that man in swoon half enjoys Brahman or that the soul becomes half-united with Brahman. The state of swoon partly resembles sleep. The senselessness belongs with one half to the side of deep-sleep and with the other half to the side of death. It is the door to death. If there is a remnant of Karma he comes back to consciousness; if no work remains he dies. The mind is swoon neither rests in Karana Sarira nor in the Hita Nadi in the throat. It is in a state of stupefaction. It is in a state of being stunned. It takes its rest in a place midway between Hita Naid and Karana Sarira. When one is under chloroform anaesthesia the activity of the cells of the brain is inhibited by the effect of chloroform. The mind which has its seat in the brain during waking consciousness now rests in a place midway between the throat and the heart and so one has no feeling of pain even when his leg is amputated. Man feels pain only when the mind is connected with the body. When one is under chloroform the mind is disconnected from the physical body. The slight interval or Sandhi between deep-sleep state and the waking state is called Tushnim Bhuta Avastha or state of quiescence of mind. Similarly there is an interval or Sandhi between the waking state and the deep-sleep state. In the former Sandhi the mind is coming out with the experience or Rasa of deep-sleep; in the later Sandhi it is going into the recesses of the heart with the experience or Rasa of the worldly objects. In these two Sandhis the mind is free from Sankalpas and attraction or repulsion. The Scriptures say: Suptaprabodhayoh Sandhavatmano gatimatmadrik, Pasyanbandhamcha moksham cha mayamatram na vastutah. The seeker after Atma Tattva should see it at the junction between the waking and sleep state. He should see that bondage and liberation is only due to delusion of Maya of the individual and not a reality. (Bhagavatam, VII. 13, 5). The Self is covered by Avarana during sleep and by Vikshepa during waking state. That which is above Avarana and Vikshepa is the Atman. The Yoga Shastra says: Nidradau jagarasyante yo bhava upajayate, Tam bhavam bhavayan Nityam muchyate netaroyathi. A Yati (anchorite) should always

The Five Characteristics of Atman by Swami Sivananda Mind operates in a mysterious manner in dream. It creates, fabricates many fantastic, romantic pictures, scenery, events, etc. Sometimes you dream that you are dead and that your dear relatives and parents are weeping by your side. The most wonderful thing is that, even when you are dead, you see and hear them weeping. Does this not clearly prove that life really persists even after seeming death? Does this not clearly indicate that the soul is immortal? Think well and cogitate. You will clearly understand that immortality is an inherent attribute of the soul or Atman. The dream phenomenon establishes the Sat aspect of the Atman. If you tell a man that he will die within a year, he becomes indignant at once, because he somehow feels that he will live for ever though he knows that this physical sheath will be thrown away like a cast off slough. Your very desire for continued living clearly proves that your real nature is immortality. This is the Sat aspect of Atman. People build bungalows and mansions with the hope that they can live for ever in this physical plane or phenomenal universe. Though the intellect is clouded by the influence of Avidya or Maya, yet the idea of immortality of the soul, however hazy it may be, is ingrained in the mind of everybody. During calm moments this feeling gets intensified, when the intellect becomes clear and pure. A growing child asks the mother daily: Mamma, what is this? What is that? There is a great curiosity in the child to know things. This is a clear proof that knowledge but not ignorance is the real nature or inherent attribute of the soul or Atman. If you say to any man: You are a fool he gets enraged at once. Why? Because, he feels somehow or other that essentially he is a mass of intelligence. Even a fool thinks that he is a very wise, because in essence he is an embodiment of wisdom, he is identical with the Supreme Self. So the inherent, innate feeling: I am a wise man arises in his heart. This is the Chit aspect of the Atman. Faces are different. Faculties and capacities are different, in different persons. Colours are different. Sounds are different. Gait and mode of thinking are different. Opinions and views are different. But one thing is common in all persons. That common thing is that everybody wants eternal happiness (Nitya Sukha). This is the Ananda aspect of the soul or Atman. This is a clear proof that bliss (not pain) is the real nature or inherent attribute of the soul. A remarkable incident occurred a few years ago. A French girl suffered from a dangerous disease. She was in an unconscious state for weeks. Doctors declared the case to be absolutely hopeless. Somehow or other she was pulled round miraculously through the grace of the Lord. She knew only French. A strange thing occurred now. She entirely forgot her mother-tongue, but she suddenly developed wonderful proficiency in a dozen languages which she never knew before. This was reported in the leading newspapers. This caused a good deal of sensation and curiosity in the readers. At once some leading psychologists, philosophers, doctors and scientists began to investigate into the matter thoroughly. They were fully convinced that the whole report was true, accurate and correct. They said that the only explanation of the phenomenon was that perfect knowledge of all things is stored up in a mysterious manner within our brain but locked in special doors which can be opened only by particular keys. They further remarked that we could open some of the doors by using the right key the key of discipline and training and that we are not able to open the other doors on account of ignorance or lack of training and discipline or non-using the right key. They further added that in the case of the French girl the door French got mechanically shut and the doors for dozen other strange languages got simultaneously opened. Here there is an occult proof of the doctrine of Vedanta that the Soul or Atman is a storehouse of all knowledge or an embodiment of wisdom. Everybody wants independence. He has a burning desire for freedom. The very thought of dependence is painful and irksome. He wants to have suzerainty. He wants to rule over others. He does not like to be guided by the wishes of others. On the contrary, he wishes that others should follow his wishes. This clearly proves that independence and suzerainty also are the inherent attributes of the immortal Atman.

Atman is Sat-Chit-Ananda by Swami Sivananda Atman is Sat Atman is Sat. That which exists in the past, present and future, which has no beginning, middle and end, which is unchanging, which is not conditioned in time, space and causation, which exists during Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti, which is of the nature of one homogeneous essence (Sada Ekarasa, Sada Ekarupa) is Sat. This is found in Atman. Srutis emphatically declare: Sat only was prior to the evolution of this universe. Our common experience, rather innate inherent feeling, that we never were not and that we never will cease to be, even though our physical bodies may disappear, clearly proves that Atman always exists. In reply to the question whether we are in this world or not, it is said by all men: We are here. Do we possess body or not? Yes, we have bodies. Whence came this body? There must be some cause for our getting these bodies, for otherwise it cannot be a cause. That cause is Karma. It is only our Karma that gives birth to this body. The Karma which generated this body in the previous birth ought to have been performed in a birth anterior to that and so on backwards ad infinitum. Thus, on enquiry, we find that Karma and body are beginningless, of the nature of an unceasing flood, the source of which is unknown. Karma and body form an ever-receding chain. Therefore it is certain that Atman which subsists and forms the substratum for this chain must also be beginningless by virtue of its nature. Thus it is proved now through inference that Atman is Sat during the past and present periods. Why can we not say that this body is generated by the works performed in this birth? Just as the seed which can generate a tree cannot generate that tree which is the cause for its own birth, so also the works performed by this body will produce a new body in the next birth but cannot generate this body. Therefore we cannot say that this body has been produced by works done in this birth. Then another point is, does that Karma which generates the body belong to us or to others? Certainly it is ours. We cannot enjoy in heaven through the Karma of another. If Mr. Krishna does an evil act, he will have to suffer. It cannot affect Mr. Sadasiva. Virtue brings its own reward for the person who does the virtuous action. That is the immutable law of Nature. If one were to go to heaven through the Karma of another man, a servant also should attain heaven through the performance of a sacrifice by a learned Brahmin. All should have attained liberation through the Nirvikalpa Samadhi of Sri Sankara or Dattatreya. But this is not the case. Therefore it is quite obvious that it is only one’s own Karma which generates one’s own body. The Karma that we perform now in this birth will not go in vain. Actions are indestructible. They will generate fresh bodies in the future. We will do fresh Karmas with these new bodies which will form the seed for still future bodies and so on forwards ad infinitum. The current of Karma and body will never have an end in the future, but there is an end to Karma through Knowledge of the Self. Karma is completely annihilated by the dawn of Brahma-Jnana. Then comes a cessation of body. Even if Karma is destroyed and future births come to an end, the Atman does not perish. It is ever existent. It is eternal. Karma is of the nature of Avidya. When Karma is destroyed, all causes of pain vanish. Jivahood disappears. The Jiva enjoys the supreme bliss of the Self. Atman always is. It exists in the three periods of time. The world may come and go, but Atman always remains. Pralaya or dissolution is only for this phenomenal universe but not for the changeless, self-existent Atman. The deluge and fire may destroy the illusory names and forms but they cannot touch the imperishable Atman. You can thus clearly understand that Atman is Sat. Atman Is Chit Atman is Chit for it shines by itself unaided by any other light and illumines the whole universe by its own light. It may be asked, how can we be said to illumine the whole universe when we are ignorant? The universe is of two kinds, viz., the external and the internal. The external universe embraces the five elements and their properties, sound, touch, form, taste and odour and their combinations of various sorts, various names and forms, qualities, properties, the quintuplicated elements, Brahma’s egg, the four kinds of beings, viz., the oviparous or egg-born, the sweat-born, the seed-born and the womb-born. The external universe, however varied and big it may be, is after all only inert matter. It cannot be the object of our perception unless we throw upon it the flood of our consciousness light; it can never know us. It is illuminated by us only. It can never illuminate us. The internal universe embraces the five Koshas; the three bodies, viz., gross, subtle and causal; the six changes, the six waves, viz., birth, death, hunger, thirst, grief and delusion; the five organs of knowledge; the five organs of actions; the five Pranas; the fourfold Antahkarana, Sankalpa-vikalpa, determination, self-arrogation and enquiry; the three states of consciousness, Jagrat, Svapna and Sushupti; the activities of the Avasthas, Visva, Taijasa, Prajna; Samadhi and fainting; mind, speech and body; friendliness, mercy, complacency and indifference; Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi; the eight kinds of proofs; hatred, jealousy, lust, anger, pride, hypocrisy; Sattva, Rajas and Tamas; pleasure and pain; the four means of salvation; the three kinds of pain; thoughts, feelings, emotions, sentiments. This entire inside world is also inert and cannot be the object of our perception unless we turn upon it our consciousness. We only can know it; it