By Swami Nikhilananda The first step in meditation is at the level of action. It is being mindful of what we are doing. Learn to meditate whilst performing action. This is done with a sense of service and an awareness of being an instrument in the hands of a higher power. Any action done with an attitude of offering bestows feelings of joy. It is not necessary to sit at one place or go to Rishikesh in order to meditate. With the right attitude kept in mind, even when a person fights for his country, he is in meditation. Observe great singers, dancers and artists – when they perform, free of any ego or pride, they tune themselves, becoming instruments in the hands of the Lord. Then what flow through is perfect. This is meditation in action. The next step in meditation is at the level of feeling – to experience the feeling of love for God and for all His creatures. Meera Bai and Tulsidas were in a constant state of meditation, because they loved and saw God in everything around them. Being in a state of love is to be in a state of meditation. Then, even with our eyes open, going about our daily work in the world, we are ‘in meditation’. When we express deep feelings of love and respect towards what we love and revere, in thought, word or action, we are in meditation. Seeing the whole world as an expression of God, and being in love with Nature or the inner Self is being in meditation. Once Narada Muni saw a gopi sitting alone lost in her thoughts. The gopi was yearning to be with her beloved Lord Krishna. The muni asked if she had studied the Scriptures and learnt how to reach the Lord, or whether she had gone through the different stages of meditation to attain the ultimate state of oneness with Him. The gopi innocently said that she only knew that she was in love with Krishna, and whenever and wherever she thought of her Lord, she found herself with Him. Her love was her meditation and not the study of the Scriptures. Through devotion and love alone she experienced ultimate bliss. Meditation is feeling compassion, friendship, humility, and love for that principle of Oneness pervading all beings and objects of this world. When Jesus Christ was being crucified, he cried out in prayer, “Oh Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. They are acting out of ignorance.” In that state of forgiveness, Jesus was in meditation. Meditation is not just sitting erect, controlling the breath and fighting the mind. We are in meditation by loving God, Nature and upholding higher values in our heart. We experience meditation in understanding the true nature of the Universe, through the intellect or buddhi. The philosophy of division sees differences, creates hatred, violence, misery, and agitation in the mind. This cannot give us peace and quietude. The Vedanta philosophy of Advaita views the whole cosmos and every thing in it as pervaded with Ishwara or God. Through touching, seeing, smelling, hearing and tasting we transact with God alone. See the whole Universe as one family—Vasudhaiva kutumbakam. In this understanding of Oneness, we are in a state of meditation. The highest state of meditation is at the level of being. To reach that state of meditation, we do not have to do anything, because just being is meditation. That is why we are called human beings! In this state we identify with the core or divinity in us – the Principle of Consciousness and Bliss. A person in this state of joy is in a state of meditation. All realized masters reached that state of effortless meditation, by just being aware of the present moment. Learn from the past, plan for the future but live in the present, in the ‘now’, aware of your real Self. Living in the present alone, gives the necessary alertness to effectively respond to all kinds of situations. To experience peace, happiness and fulfillment in life, practice meditation – in action, feeling, understanding and just being. To achieve the best, perform actions with complete awareness and mindfulness, combined with a sense of service. Consider yourself an instrument in the hands of a higher power. Recognize negative emotions such as greed, jealously, fear and anger. Endeavour to overcome them with feelings of love. Love is divine; love is giving, not demanding. We do not fall in love; we rise in love with God. Realize your oneness with all living beings, nature, and the cosmos. Succeed in the practice of meditation and experience the joy and bliss of being.
As one of the rare living Avataras… His Holiness Parama Pujya Sri Ganapati 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. The path of Dattatreya embraces all spiritual paths and is the source of all other traditions. He who treads the path of Truth, regardless of what religion he belongs to, is treading the path of Dattatreya. As an incarnation of God, Datta came down to spread the universality of true religion. Anyone can be his follower, regardless of cast, creed, status, be they student, householder, recluse or renunciate. No matter what sect or religion the true seeker follows, eventually he comes under the guidance of Lord Dattatreya, the Eternal Spiritual Guide of all mankind. Datta’s presence is not limited to any one country or sphere, as He is the Guru of all Gurus, the all-seeing, all-powerful, ever-present link between God and Man. However, special places of worship (Datta Peethas) have grown up around sacred areas, where His presence is most strongly felt by the sincere seeker of Datta. These places include Suchindram, Senthamangalam, Mount Girnar, Nagalapuram in Andhra, Prayag, Datta Guha in the Himalayas, Gulbarga -Ganagapura, Narasimhavadi in Maharastra, Quthambara near Poona, Avadumbara, Somapuram, Chandradronagiri and Datta Peetha at Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashrama, Mysore. One notable aspect of these Datta Peethas is their indefinable but inseparable relationship with worship of God as Mother , the Supreme Energy -Shakti. (Hence, Sri Swamiji’s fierce aspect as Mother Chamunda.) Parasurama (eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu), approached Lord Dattatreya and was initiated into the intricacies of how to worship the Mother (Shreevidya Upaasana), before undertaking intense penance to obtain the grace of the Divine Mother. The Saandilya Upanishad declares very clearly that Lord Dattatreya is the Supreme Reality and is the cause of everything that is created. It states, “The Supreme Brahman performed penance which was of the nature of knowledge (jnyana), and desiring to become many, assumed the form of Dattatreya. From that form came out the three letters A, U, M; the three mystical names Bhuh, Bhuvah and Svah; the three-lined Gayatri; the three Vedas Rig, Yajur and Sama; the three Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara; the three castes Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vysya; and the three fires Gaarhapatya, Ashavaneeya and Dakshina.” “The lord is endowed with all wealth. He is all pervading and resides in the hearts of all beings. He is the great Maayavi, sporting with His own Maaya. He is Brahma. His Vishnu, He is Rudra. He is Indra and He is also all the gods of heaven and all other beings. He is East, He is West, He is North, He is South, He is below and He is above. He is everything. This is the glory of the form of Dattatreya.” Lord Dattatreya came as the Supreme Philosopher ( Avadhoota ) so that the true meaning and purpose of Sacrifice (Tyaaga) may be revealed to mankind. Atri, His father, symbolizes penance (tapas) as described in the scriptures, and Anasooya represents freedom from jealousy. When penance and non-jealous nature unite in a single person, the highest truth emerges as Lord Dattatreya. As ultimate self-sacrifice, the Supreme God gave Himself as Datta to Atri and Anasooya. Hence, “Datta” means not only “that which is given”, but also as the ideal of “giving” without desire for reward, i.e. selfless giving. The whole life of Dattatreya shows us that this “giving” selflessly is the true renunciation/sacrifice. The significance of this sacrifice is stated in the Dattatreya Upanishad where the Lord says, “Not by action, not by progeny, nor even by self, but by renunciation (tyaaga) alone is immortality attained. “Real renunciation is the giving up of “I” and mine, not the mere abandoning of duties. Living a selfless life require giving up one’s ego. That is what Lord Dattatreya describes as true sacrifice. As a Yoga-Avatar, Lord Dattatreya teaches us to perform all our duties skillfully and diligently. Yoga does not require outside aids, nor does it demand great physical effort. All we have to do is change our outlook and transform our attitude to life. This “change” consist of giving up the idea or feeling of “doership”, “enjoyership” and the resultant anxiety (and attachment ) for the fruits of our actions. By performing all our duties with this changed outlook, our mind will be freed from agitation and attain the restful state called “equanimity”, or the state where there is no “mind”. This is the state of Bliss that every soul ultimately aspires to. This is the state of Datta – the ultimate Gift of God. The Hanuman temple at Chennai Vijayanagar is the ashram of the swamiji where we pray and tie the coconut for geting the blessings of the Anjneya in geting our desires fullfilled. Please visit the following You Tube site to listen about the Dattatreya Ashram @ Mysore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7cPjdbJnds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrD9DJSt0RE&feature=related
Anjneya Swamy Ambur Arulmigu Periya Anjaneyar temple The story has been glorified in a temple in Ambur in Vellore district which dates back to centuries. The 11-foot idol of Hanuman carved out of hard black stone has Saneeswara under his foot. The idol and the temple are believed to have been renovated probably in 1489, during the period of Krishanadevaraya of Vijayanagar kingdom who then ruled this region. An inscription found in one corner of the temple testifies to this fact. In 1976, the temple was taken over by the HR & CE department of the State Government. In 1987, Maha Kumbabishekam was performed. Interestingly, the main deity Hanuman is place in one corner of the sanctum sanctorum facing south. This is considered a rarity in India. It is believed that, because devotees lit oil lamps at this temple, it got rid of the harmful effects of Saneeswara, in one stroke. The temple has been drawing thousands of devotees steadily. In the eastern corner of Ambur town, in a place called Anaimadugu, a rocky foot print, believed to be that of Hanuman, receives special poojas once a year during the Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations. It is said that Hanuman holding the Parvatha hills in one hand and standing on Saneeswara made a big leap from here to cross the Indian Ocean to reach Sri Lanka where he gave the herb to revive Lakshmana.
