Spiritual Masters

Saturday, November 21, 2020

Sivanesan Swamy of Shirdi

Shri. Sivanesan Swamiji

12th April 1927 to 12th February 1996 ( Night around 12:10 )

Pujyaya Dharma Padaya SaiTatwa Vrathayacha

Sadashivaya Shantaya Sri Sivanesan Swami Gurubhyo Namaha

Birth and Childhood:

Shri. Sivanesan Swamiji was born at Nayakkar Palayam in Coimbatore district of once Madras state (present Tamilnadu state) on the Ramanavami (i.e. 12th April, 1927). It was the same holy day Shri Ramnavami which was the choicest of Shri Saibaba, the same tuesday on which Shri Saibaba took his Samadhi and exactly after 9 years after His mahasamadhi, Shri Sivanesan Swamiji was born. His parents Alamelu and Kalappa Nayakkar Muthaiah were cultured and well off. He was the youngest child of the three (Rangaswamy (brother) and Ambujam (sister), who was really not interested in formal education, though He did study upto 8th standard. His family was a devotional family. Visiting temples, reading holy scriptures, doing charity were their daily deeds. By helping the needy they stood as a role model to the villagers. Shri Swamiji indicated right from his birth that he was not any ordinary being but came with a purpose to this world by showing the signs of two teeth and a piece of hair (known as shika) on his head. Everyone in his family were the devotees of Lord Shiva. Because of their devotion to Lord Shiva, they named him Sivanesan which means "devotee of Shiva" or " One who is having love for Shiva"

His childhood is having lot of divine incidents which show that in future he will become a mahaatma and guide people. To name a few incidents, a snake would hold his hood on the head of swamji while he was sleeping, once he went to samadhi state and everyone thought that he was dead as there was no movement in his body and he was not even breathing and later when he came out of the samadhi state, to astonish everyone, he repeated all their talks . He was withdrawn and would wander of to far off places and meditate in solitude, often missing His meals. Right from his childhood he used to maintain silence and preferred being alone. He used to answer with one or two words. A cave near to his home was having a photo of shri shirdi saibaba sitting on the stone, few of the people used to offer their salutations, and others their puja. Though he was unaware whose photograph it was, Shri Swamiji used to daily visit Shri Saibaba and offer his salutations whole heartedly.

Guru Grace:

He understood at a very young age that the education which is taught in the schools are only for wordly livelihood purpose and doesnt help in anyway to progress spiritually and left his school education in middle and later applied for matriculation on compulsion from his family and he couldn't clear the exam. And he understood that without food for body, he cant reach the ultimate goal of salvation. So for that he need to earn, as he felt that he shouldn't be a burden to anyone, he had done many small jobs whichever came his way. Like he worked as salesman for a meagre salary of 5 per month in a bookshop, and had been removed because he showing more interest in reading the books rather than the sales of the books.

One incident which had influenced his life happened during that time. There was plague epidemic spreading all over the area, and lot of rats and people were being killed because of plague. One rat died in the shop where swamiji was working because of plague and no one dared to go near it. But swamiji without listening to anyone went ahead and removed the rat and burnt away the dead body of rat. For the welfare of all, he put his life at stake, and proved to everyone that doing good to others is such a noble cause.That same evening, swamiji was affected with plague and had a high fever with reddish eyes. By seeing this the shopkeeper with fear of plague, alongwith his family, left the village to his relatives house at a far away village. For three days, swamiji was unconsicious and nobody dared to go near him, thinking that for sure he will die. Everyone blamed him saying unnecessarily he brought onto his life by going to the extreme of doing good to others. But on the fourth day, turning down everyone's expectations miracaluosuly swamiji came to consciousness and within two to three days, he became alright. On the other hand his owners son died, though they wen to a far away village and with lot of grief, they returned back to the village. With this incident, swamiji got a clarity on birth and death that "without the will of god, nothing will happen. No one can our destiny, every living being which had been born has to die someday. However far we may go, we cant avoid death". With this strong conviction, Shri Swamiji increased his devotional practices with much intense.

After this he had done some more jobs and once while he was doing the job of helper for daily wages in the electricity department, his family objected him for doing this kind of job and he convinced them that we need to have the dignity of labour and convinced them. During this time only his mother passed away, and as the internal churing of the birth and death topic made him leave his hometown coimbatore and reach Bombay (present day Mumbai) in search of the light which can guide him and answer questions arised in his mind. Here also swamiji did various jobs, there He met Muthaiah Swami of Vallanadu village who became His mentor and Guru. He Progressed rapidly spiritually, and learnt much about the Self, and Vedanta. Deep in His heart He was longing for 'the light'. He left Bombay and wandered about, and had a brief stay at Nityanand Ashram. From thence to Nasik and finally to Shirdi in 1953. As soon as He stepped into the Dwarakamai, He knew He had found ‘The Light' and Baba enveloped Him with His grace. The love and bond between the two was so deep that He never left Shirdi.

At Shirdi:

His life at Shirdi was an endless 'Seva routine'. He worked and cleaned every temple in Shirdi, but his favourite was DWARAKAMAI. The lamps of Dwarakamai shone like gold, after He cleaned them. He was made incharge of the Chavadi. He looked after it lovingly but never forsook Dwarakamai. In His spare time He would clean the Dwarakamai from top to bottom.

His clothes were a simple white and he was just as pure. Any dakshina he received was immediately spent on buying sacred books or food for the poor. Swamiji was a voracious reader and a linguist. He knew about ten languages, thus he held Satsang with anybody, advising and helping them along (using the mother tongue of the devotees). He was a great advocate of ‘Pradakshina' and would be up, and doing pradakshina around Gurusthan at about 3.00 or 3.30 AM, thence it was Lendi Bagh and Datta Mandir. He also advised his devotees to do the same for their health, and spiritual well being. He started the Chavadi Bhajans after the Evening Arati for an hour. His favourite was "Sai Bhavani" which is sung the world over.

Dhuni Puja was a 'must' ritual with him. Many devotees have benefitted from this and are continuing to do so. He gave Baba's Udi and Tirth to everyone who went to see him and nobody returned empty handed. But life at Shirdi was not easy. He often went hungry and without a place to rest. But this only made Him more energetic, it seems.

He was an apostle of Baba and He spread Baba's name throughout the world, by asking Baba devotees to build Baba temples, write their experiences, do Satsang and Naam Jap.

After short illness He took Mahasamadhi on 12th February, 1996. His Mahasamadhi is on Pimpalwadi Road about two and half kilometres from the present day newly constructed Prasadalaya. The Sree Sadguru Sivanesan Swamiji Gurukulam, his Samadhi and the Museum is maintained by M/s.Meher Dhun Endowment Trust (R) as a Public Charitable Trust.

When one's ego is completely annihilated and there is left no trace of it, I Myself shall enter into him and shall Myself write My own life" - Baba's declaration while blessing Sri Hemadpant to write Sri Sai Satcharitra. Pujyasri Sivanesan Swamiji who lived in Shirdi for 45 years and took samadhi in 1996 is the solid proof of this statement. With Sai seva in perfection with absolutely no claim by himself to mention, he was an exemplary Sai devotee to show the world how the Guru-sishya relation should be i.e. eventhough two personalities one in his Guru Sadguru Sainath and the other in himself existed physically but the soul in both was one. In other words eventhough the physical frame named Pujyasri Sivanesan Swamiji was there, in reality, it was Baba who acted perfectly from within the Swamiji. Even during his final period disclaiming any kind of importance for him the revered Swamiji wished that devotees should follow Baba, chant His sweet name, paving way for their merger into Baba Himself.

Although Swamiji is not with us in the physical body, His love and legacy lives on. Numerous Baba Temples are found all over the world. These were constructed upon his advice and instructions. His love for ‘Naam Jap’ and ‘Bhajans’ have flourished everywhere. Most endearing is that Swamiji gives dream visions and Sakshatkar in which he advices, encourages and blesses and inspires his devotees to continue doing Saibaba’s Seva.

Samadhi Mandir

Sivanesan Swamiji Samadhi Mandir, Pimpalwadi Road, Shirdi.

Sivanesan Swamiji Samadhi Mandir is open from 5:30 AM in the morning till 11:00 PM in the night.

Daily Programmes in Swamiji Ashram

Aarti Timings :

Kakad Aarti Madhyanha Aarti Dhoop Aarti Shej Aarti

5:30 AM 12:30 PM 6:30 PM 10:00 PM

Large Scale celebration of festivals:

1. 12th April of every year – Sivanesan Swamiji Birth Day.

2. 12th February of every year – Swamiji Punyatithi

3. Datta Jayanthi

4. Ramanavami

5. Vijayadashmi 6. Gurupoornima - Palki Utsav

7. Deepavali

Location and Direction

Location Pimpalwadi Road, Shirdi.

Address The Sree Sadguru Sivanesan Swamiji Gurukulam,

Pimpalwadi Road, Shirdi.

Maharashtra, India.

Friday, August 21, 2015

Sri Guru Raghavendra

Pujyaya Raghavendraya Sathya Dharma Rathayacha

Bajatham Kalpa Vrukshaya Namatham Kamadehnave

Shri Guru Raghavendra Swami (1595–1671 CE), born Venkanna Bhatta, was a renowned Hindu saint, philosopher and proponent of Dvaita philosophy established by Sri Madhvacharya. He served as the head of the matha in Kumbakonam from 1621 to 1671. His Brindavan in Mantralayam in the present-day Andhra Pradesh is an important place of pilgrimage. The numerous miracles he performed have led to him being worshipped even today as a Guru and he is believed to be the saviour for those who placed faith in him. He is the avatar of Prahlada, who is famous as one of the best bhaktas of Lord Narayana.

Birth

Shri Raghavendra Swami was born as Shri Venkanna Bhatta, the second son of Shri Thimanna Bhatta and Smt. Gopikamba on Thursday, Sukla Saptami of Phalguna month in 1595, when the moon was in Mrigashirisha Nakshatra, at Bhuvanagiri, near present-day Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Shri Thimmanna Bhatta was the son of Shri Kanakachala Bhatta and the grandson of Shri Krishna bhatta, a Veena scholar in the court of King Krishnadevaraya. Shri.Thimanna Bhatta and his wife, Smt. Gopikamba had a son, Gururajacharya and a daughter, Venkatamba.

Shri Venkanna Bhatta was also called Venkatanatha or Venkatacharya in honor of Shri Venkateshwara at Tirupati, with whose blessings he was considered to have been born, as a gift to his parents for their devotion and diligence towards the deity.

Education

Venkatanatha proved to be a very brilliant scholar. This greatness was visible even when he was a child. For example, he is supposed to have questioned his father as to how a small object like ‘Om’ could capture the infinite greatness of god. However, his father did not live long enough to see the greatness of his son. He passed away when Venkatanatha was still at a very young age.

Venkatanatha’s brother took care of his upbringing. The initial portion of his education was under his brother-in-law Lakshminarasimhacharya of Madurai. Sri Venkatanatha is known to be a skilled musician and an expert in playing the instrument Veena (Veena Venkata Bhatta)

Married life along with continued education

Upon returning from Madurai, Venkatanatha was married to Saraswati, who was from a noble family. The Shastras say that for one who has control of his senses, wedded life does not hamper learning. For Venkatanatha, most of his learning occurred after marrying Saraswati, through the blessings of Goddess Saraswati. So Venkatanatha went to Kumbhakonam, the seat of learning at the time. There he studied dvaita vedanta, advanced works on grammar and other shastras under sudhindra tirtha. He used to stay awake past midnight to write his own comments and notes on the lessons that had been done. He engaged in debate and defeated several scholars of opposing doctrines; one of them was Venkatesvara dikshita, a famous scholar of the Tanjore court in 1620. Though his victory was not unexpected sudhindra tirtha was surprised at his scholarship in grammar, profound knowledge and rare debating skill, and called him “Mahabhashya Venkatanathacharya”. Similarly he explained the significance of taptamudra dharana quoting several smritis that the opponents had to accept his arguments were irrefutable.

Poorvashrama miracles

Once while he was touring Kumbakonam along with his wife, Shri Venkatanatha and his family were invited to attend a function. Unfortunately, the hosts did not treat him well and wanted him to earn his food by running a chore. So they asked him to make some sandalwood paste for all the invitees. Shri Venkatanatha per his habit was chanting stotras and mantras while preparing sandalwood for Tilaka. When the guests applied this paste, it induced a burning sensation all over their bodies. Surprised by this, the hosts sought a clarification from Venkatanatha. He replied that the burning sensation was due to the Agni Suktam (hymn for the worship as defined in the Esoteric Vedas) that he was chanting while preparing sandalwood and thus eternal power of Vedic Mantras revealed itself. This happens only when chanted with absolute dedication and devotion. The power is enhanced since it was chanted by someone as virtuous and devoted to Bhagwaan Hari as himself. Upon realizing his devotion and power, the host apologized profusely to Shri Venkatanatha and sought his forgiveness.

Becomes sanyasi after Vidya Lakshmi requests him

Thus while his life was spent in the worship of God and service of humanity, his spiritual guru, Shri Sudheendra Theertharu, was looking for a successor to his math. He had a dream where the Lord indicated that Shri Venkatanatha would be the right person to succeed him as the pontiff. Shri Venkatanatha initially refused due to his responsibility towards his young wife and son but was soon blessed by the Goddess of Learning, where she in a dream indicated that he was to seek salvation as a Sanyasi. Shri Venkatanatha treated this as an omen and changed his mind. The sanyasa ordination took place in 1621 on the Phalguni Sukla Dwitiya at Tanjore.

Wife becomes ghost, obtains liberation

On the day of Shri Venkatanatha’s ascension into Sanyasashrama, his wife, Smt. Saraswathi was seized by a sudden desire to see her husband’s face for the last time. She ran towards the Matha throwing caution to the winds and accidentally drowned in an old and unused well on the way.

Per the tenets of Hinduism, she became a ghost trapped mid-way between Heaven and Earth due to her untimely death. Since her last wish of seeing her husband was not fulfilled, her ghost went to the matha to witness the ordaining function. However, by the time she arrived, her husband had become a Sannyasi Shri Raghavendra Theertha. However, Shri Guru Raghavendra could immediately sense his wife’s presence with his spiritual powers. He sprinkled some holy water from His Kamandalu on her as a means of granting her last wish. This action granted her moksha or liberation from the cycle of births and deaths and was considered her reward for a lifetime of dedicated and selfless service to Shri Raghavendra Swami.

Kumbakonam drought

During Shri Raghavendra Swami’s time at Kumbakonam, the Tanjore district as a whole was reeling under the effects of a severe 12 year long drought. The Maharaja of Tanjore approached Swamiji for spiritual solace and was advised to perform some Yagnas. No sooner were these rites performed, was the region flush with rain and prosperity. As a mark of gratitude, the Maharaja gifted the Matha with a necklace embellished with precious stones.

Swamiji offered the necklace as a contribution to a yagna that he was performing then. The Maharaja took affront at this action. When Swamiji realized this, he immediately put his hand into the homa kunda and retrived the necklace in a condition identical to which it was given to him by the King. Neither the necklace nor Swamiji’s hand showed any indication of having been in a raging fire. This incident only served to reaffirm the greatness of Swamiji and converted the Maharaja of Tanjore into an ardent Bhakta.

Pilgrimages

Shri Raghavendra Swami embarked on a tour of South India, spreading the Dvaita Philosophy and visiting famous pilgrimage centers such as those at Rameshwaram and Srirangam. At Rameshwaram, he clarified the origins of the Siva Linga as the one that was installed by Lord Rama himself before his journey to Lanka to fight Ravana. In this context, he also clarified that Ravana was a Rakshasa since he was born to a Rakshasi mother and Brahmin father. He rebuffed the claim made by some scholars that Lord Rama, as the Supreme One, is not bound by Brahma Hatya Dosha (or any other doshas) for eliminating Ravana.

He also traveled to Kanyakumari, Thiruvananthapuram and Madurai where he met his Poorvashrama brother-in-law with whom he had spent a large part of his childhood. As part of his Yatras, he traveled to Vishnu Mangala, Kukke Subramanya and Udipi in Karnataka, amongst other such spiritual centers and impressed one and all with his mastery of Dvaita philosophy, won many admirers, gained many devotees and published stellar works of literature and philosophy some of which were carried around in processions of elephants as a mark of respect for its brilliance.

Power to revive the dead

On a hot summer day, Shri Raghavendra Swami was on his way home from a pilgrimage. He decided to rest in the shade of a tree at Krishnapuram (near Hubli). While there, he saw the Nawab (Muslim king) walking towards him, with a sad demeanor. The Nawab had heard of his miracles and had come to him as a last resort. He stated that his young son had died from a poisonous snakebite and been buried in a tomb close by. After hearing this, contemplated silently for a few moments and then asked the king to take the body out of the tomb. When the puzzled Nawab did as he was asked, Swami sprinkled holy water from his kamandala and prayed to his Aradhya murthy (favorite form of the Lord). Lo behold, the young boy woke up as though he was getting up from sleep. The Nawab was beside himself with joy.

Nawab of Adoni and Mantralaya

Much after the above incident had occurred, Shri Raghavendra Swami got an opportunity meet the Nawab of Adoni face-to-face. The Nawab, instead of being respectful to him, decided to test his spiritual skills and placed before the Swamiji, a plate of non vegetarian delicacies completely covered with a piece of cloth, in the guise of offering alms.

Per Hindu customs, alms are customarily offered to a visiting saint to seek his blessings. Swamiji took some water from his Kamandala, meditated and sprinkled it on the covered plate, as part of his regular practice of purifying any food before consumption. He then opened the plate. It contained fresh fruits. The Nawab immediately became remorseful and became an ardent devotee of Swamiji then on. As an apology, he offered to give the Swamiji any amount of land and wealth. While Swamiji refused any such gift for his personal gains, he asked that the land around Manchale (present day Mantralayam), which was part of the Nawab’s kingdom, to be handed over to his Matha.

Though the Nawab of Adoni offered to give him a more fertile region, Shri Raghavendra Swami insisted on the dry and barren region around Mantralayam, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River.

Many years later, he told a devotee that it was the region where King Prahalada had performed his yagnyas to Lord Rama during the Dwapara Yuga and was hence an extremely holy land. Thus the Matha moved to Mantralayam where Shri Raghavendra Swamy continued his spiritual journey. At Mantralayam, Shri Guru Raghavendra encouraged Annadhanam (donation of food) to all devotees. It is a practice that is followed by the Matha to this date and is heavily subsidized by donations.

His Works and compositions

He wrote a commentary Sudha Parimala on the SrimanNyaya Sudha, an exposition of Dvaita philosophy

Guru Raghavendraru wrote many spiritual compositions and one devotional song that was dedicated to Krishna ("Show me your feet today, oh Lord Krishna").

List of some of his works:

Dasha Prakarana : Commentaries on six of the ten PrakaraNa-granthas of Madhva

Sutra Prasthaana: works on the brahma-sUtra

Rig and Upanishad prasthaana

Gita Prasthaana

Other famous works

Shri Ramacaritramanjari

Shri Krishnacaritramanjari

Pratah Sankalpa Gadya

Sarvasamarpana Gadya

Last speech

On Dwitiya Day of Sravana Krishna Paksha in 1671, Raghavendra Swami gave a soul-stirring speech to hundreds of devotees who had gathered to watch the event. Some quotes from that speech are as follows –

1. Without right living, right thinking will never come.

2. Social work done for the good of worthy people should also be considered as the Lord’s worship.

3. Always keep away from people who merely perform miracles.

4. Right knowledge is greater than any miracle.

5. Have devotion to the Lord. This devotion should never be blind faith.

Shri Raghavendra Swami attained Jeeva samadhi on Dwitiya Day of Sravana Krishna Paksha in 1671. This date is celebrated each year as Shri Raghavendra Swami Aradhana at Brindavans all over the world. The Raghavendra Matha in Mantralaya housing his Brindavan is visited by thousands of devotees every year.

Loka Samastha Sukhinobavanthu. Sarve Jana Sukhinobavanthu

Om Santi Santi Santi

If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice.
If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees.
If your plan is for 100 years, educate children.

- Confucius.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Sadhguru- a yogi,mystic and visionary

“This life for me is an endeavor to help people experience and express their divinity. May you know the bliss of the Divine.” - SADHGURU

Sadhguru, a yogi and profound mystic of our times, is a visionary humanitarian and a prominent spiritual leader. A contemporary Guru, rooted as strongly in mundane and pragmatic matters as he is in inner experience and wisdom, Sadhguru works tirelessly towards the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of all. His mastery of the mechanisms of life, an outcome of his profound experience of the Self, guides in exploring the subtler dimensions of life.

At home in loincloth as much as he is in blue jeans, barefoot through the mighty Himalayas, or straddling a BMW motorcycle on the expressway, Sadhguru is the most unusual mystic that one can encounter. Marking a clear departure from mere customs and rituals, Sadhguru's scientific methods for self-transformation are both direct and powerful. Belonging to no particular tradition, Sadhguru incorporates and presents what is most valid for the contemporary life from the yogic sciences.

Sadhguru speaks at some of the world's most prominent international leadership forums. In January 2007, he participated in four panels at the World Economic Forum and spoke on issues ranging from diplomacy and economic development, to education and the environment. In 2006, he addressed the World Economic Forum, the Tallberg Forum in Sweden, and the Australian Leadership Retreat. He has also served as a delegate to the United Nations Millennium Peace Summit and the World Peace Congress.

Sadhguru's vision and understanding of modern social and economic issues have led to interviews with BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNNfn, and Newsweek International. His insights are regularly featured in India's leading national newspapers. A well-known public figure, he regularly draws crowds of more than 300,000 people for his public talks and "sathsangs" (group meditation).

Traversing seamlessly from the ancient to the ultramodern, Sadhguru bridges the gap between the known and the unknown, enabling all those who encounter him to explore and experience the deepest dimensions of life.

He founded isha Foundation an International, volunteer-run non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating human potential. The Foundation is a human service organization that recognizes the possibility of each person to empower another - restoring global community through inspiration and individual transformation.

Isha Foundation is operated by over 2 Million volunteers from more than 150 city-based centers spread worldwide. The Foundation is headquartered at Isha Yoga Center, set at the base of the Velliangiri Mountains in southern India, and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences on the spectacular Cumberland Plateau in middle Tennessee, USA. Sadhguru offers powerful methods for self transformation and empowerment through the science of yoga.

Source : http://www.ishafoundation.org/Sadhguru/sadhguru.isa

If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice.

If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees.

If your plan is for 100 years, educate children.

- Confucius.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda

As one of the rare living Avataras...His Holiness Parama Pujya Dr. Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is the Pontiff of Avadhoota Datta Peetham at Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Ashrama in Mysore, India. Sri Swamiji is renowned for His Healing and Meditation music and He is considered a divine guide who cultivates the ancient Vedic traditions. He was born fully realised in command of the eight Mahasiddhis and is a Guru in the Dattatreya Avadhoota lineage. Sri Swamiji honours all religions and teaches that it's possible to reach God by many paths. "It is of primary importance to attune with God through prayer, worship and the chanting of God's holy names". "Then God Himself will give you good guidance" says Sri Swamiji.

If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice.

If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees.

If your plan is for 100 years, educate children.

- Confucius.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Sri Satya Sai Baba

108 Quotes of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The greatest fear man can have is the fear of losing GOD's Love.
Too much food results in dullness of mind.
A language is as sweet as the tongues of the speakers.
Every experience that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.
Love all beings; that is enough.
Discipline is the mark of intelligent living
When calamity approaches, discrimination departs.
A man's well-being depends upon his degree of contentment.
God is all Names and all forms.
Follow the Master, face the devil, fight to the end, finish the game.
Real happiness lies within you.
All things in creation are subject to the law of change, and man, too, is subject to this law.
Renunciation is the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in check.
The teachers of tomorrow are the students of today.
God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since HE is everywhere.
Learn to speak what you feel, and act what you speak.
What is the unmistakable mark of a wise man? It is Love, Love for all humanity.
Each man carries his destiny in his own hands.
Whenever and wherever you put yourself in touch with GOD, that is the state of meditation.
Small minds select narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road of helpfulness, compassion and service.
Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker.
Service springs out of LOVE and it scatters LOVE in profusion.
Ignorance is the most important cause of sorrow.
Once we surrender our mind to GOD completely, HE will take care of us in every way.
Have constructive thoughts, consoling words, compassionate acts.
Where there is FAITH, there is LOVE; Where there is LOVE; there is PEACE; Where there is PEACE; there is GOD; Where there is GOD; there is BLISS.
The end of knowledge is LOVE. The end of education is character.
LOVE is the scarcest article today.
Mine, not thine; this sense of greed is the root of all evil. This distinction is applied even to GOD! -- my GOD, not yours! Your GOD, not mine!
All spiritual practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the revelation of the kernel.
The mind fixed in the awareness of the ONE is line a rock; unaffected by doubt, stable, secure.
LOVE lives by giving and forgiving. Self lives by getting and forgetting.
GOD is the doer; you are but the instrument.
The heart of man, which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be ploughed by spiritual exercises like repetition of GOD's name.
GOD is neither distant, nor distinct from you.
What is meant by the phrase "to know GOD"? It means "to love GOD".
When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be PEACE in the world.
The beauty of life depends upon our good habits.
Good company is important, it helps to cultivate good qualities.
You cannot see ME, but I am the light you see by. You cannot hear ME, but I am the sound you hear by. You cannot know ME, but I am the truth by which you live.
Be ever watchful to see that you strive to take in more and more of GOD into you.
If you honour your mother, the Mother of the Universe will guard you against harm.
The same current activates all.
GOD gave you the time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance and fortune. Why should you feel as if you are the doer?
Make the home a seal of harmony.
Have no desires to place before GOD, whatever HE does with you, however HE treats you, is the gift that HE likes best to give you!
Unity is divinity; purity is enlightenment.
Always respect another's opinion and another's point of view.
Food should not be too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.
Reason can prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up of sound.
Take failure and victory cooly.
There should not be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality, language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.
Your thoughts, words, and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.
GOD is ONE without a second.
The service of man is the only means by which you can serve GOD.
By eating flesh one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.
The PEACE that pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only PEACE of this kind is worthy of the name.
As close as you are to GOD, so close is GOD to you.
Immortality is the fruit of sacrifice.
The grace of GOD is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without any limit.
When you feel you cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.
LOVE seeks no reward; LOVE is its own reward.
The joy that we cause in the heart of GOD is the only worthwhile achievement.
Do not get attached to worldly things and pursuits. Be in the world, but do not let the world be in you.
Truth has no fear; Untruth shivers at every shadow.
Be simple and sincere.
The mind sees separateness, LOVE sees unity.
God is the life-breath of every soul.
The only ache people have nowadays is ache in the stomach due to over eating and lack of exercise!
Being a good example is the best form of service.
Friendship is the expression of unshakable LOVE, LOVE that is noble, pure, free from desire or egoism.
Money comes and goes; morality comes and grows.
GOD first; the world next; myself last.
Try to conduct yourself in such a way as not to injure others.
Do not use poisonous words against anyone, for words wound more fatally than even arrows.
Patience is all the strength that man needs.
With effort and prayer destiny can be attained. Start the effort.
You must welcome tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.
What is offered to GOD is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
Spiritual progress is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.
A nation that has no bridle on its sensuality, can never thrive our survive.
I am you; you are ME. You are the waves; I am the ocean. Know this and be free, be divine.
Teachers must be examples of LOVE and TRUTH.
Each country is but a room in the mansion of GOD.
We should realize that man has not only a mind which conceives thoughts, but also a heart which can put them into practice.
LOVE must express itself as SERVICE.
The wise are those who know the Self.
Whatever the trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting the LORD.
Man will realize his mission on earth when he knows himself as divine and reveres others as divine.
Devotion is not a uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.
When the road ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has traveled only from himself to himself.
So long as you say "I am". there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel "I am GOD", you get unconquerable strength.
Duty without LOVE is deplorable, duty with LOVE is desirable, LOVE without duty is divine.
When you kill an animal, you give him suffering, pain, harm. GOD is in every creature, so how can you give such pain?
When the magnet does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle.
When the people become good, the world will become good.
Practice the vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.
God is in you, around you, behind you, above you, beside you.
Of all the righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most righteous.
Surrendering the fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.
My birthday is the date when divinity blossoms in your heart.
God is neither distant nor distinct from you.
What is offered to God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
The joy that we cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.
The acid test by which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.
Education should build character.
Its is Truth and Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.
Faith is like our life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this world without faith.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Spiritual Masters- Avatars- Guru

What is An Avatar?

The Supreme power assumes form from time to time to bring erring humanity back to the correct path. Leaving His all pervading spirit unaffected, He incarnates choosing a form, place and time. The form and nature He takes will depend on the cause and circumstances leading to the Avatara. Avataras differ in the vehicles or medium through which the Supreme manifests itself, according to the requirement. This is understandable as whenever we find the emergence of a great personality of Superhuman strength advocating or championing the cause of the eternal principles and values of life and Dharma and achieving great things, we are apt to call it an ‘Avatar’. The ultimate purpose of an incarnation is always the re-establishment of right values, of Dharma in the world.

Basing on the timeline in history, we can find such avatars or gurus or saints or masters guiding the humanity by showing them the path of dharma. It can be any religion or any region or any sect, but the end result is to establish the human values, peace, righteousness, love, harmony among each other.

Guru Parampara
Right beginning from Shiva (Dakshinamurthy), Dattatreya (the trinity of gods, Shiva,Brahma,Vishnu), he has taken many forms in many places, many religions and guided the humanity from ignorance, shown the path of dharma. Respectful namaskar to such guru who is one but appears as many.
This series is just a respectful act towards such guru, who has helped, who is helping and who will help the mankind always. It is in a way of guru smarana (meaning -remembering and chanting the name of Guru). The best way is to remember,recollect,narrate,share his (hi)story consisting of his birth,his life, his deeds, his way of living. He has always come whenever there was need of him by the mankind. He is the Guru, the teacher who can show the path and who can guide the mankind in a proper way. His forms and his names may be different, but he is the ONE. Respectful pranams to all such forms who are guiding the mankind. Let people may call them as saints, gurus, sanyasis, teachers, masters, priests, preachers whatever the word they use to associate with them, whatever gender they maybe either male or female, whatever age they may be either young or old,whatever religion they maybe, whatever country or place they maybe of, salutions to all those masters in whom there is this guru principle.