Ashram Yoga : India's Spiritual Tradition » supreme-brahman

Parsuit Of Excellence

adam — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:35:00 +0000

The statements of the Upanishads were pronounced millions of years ago; but these statements are relevant even today. Yet there is a perennial doubt about knowing one’s Self (Atma) or the Supreme Brahman because scriptures state that it has no qualities or attributes, and that it cannot be known by the sense organs; moreover, it is also stated that it is not an object to be known. So one may ask whether such a quest to know the Self is worth all the effort. Lord Krishna allays these doubts in the Bhagavad Gita, asserting that this knowledge can be gained by approaching a Guru who is knowledgeable in the scriptures and is a knower of the Truth (Tatva Darshina). The Bhagavad Gita may be a political and administrative gospel where Krishna represents the country’s culture and thought process in its climax, while it unfolds the ideal of excellence that every individual would aspire for, pointed out Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha in a lecture. This excellence is made possible only with the individual’s will power and strength. Purity of mind is important for excellence in performance. Every individual is a psycho-physical complex being where the two aspects are seamlessly melded. Speaking, walking, or sleeping involve the coordination of the physical and the mental powers. But it is the subtle Self (Atma) pervading the entire individual’s personality that is responsible for activating these physical and mental faculties. The crucial message is that the mind is the crux of one’s personality and it can be moulded. It is the inner instrument that can look and assimilate the external world on the one hand and also help us to look inwards to realise our inner Self. All the excellences based on thoughts and feelings pertain to the mind. It is capable of building the inner personality and giving the impetus for excellence. God’s power of Sankalpa is tremendous. While this manifested universe of matter and energy depends on God, He remains a supra-material presence and is the essence of consciousness, bliss and eternal existence. This same consciousness is also within us.

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Parsuit Of Excellence

Cahturmasya Vrata

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:53:00 +0000

The Poornima (full moon day) in the month of Ashadha is called ‘Guru Poornima’. On this sacred day, worship is offered to Brahma Vidyacharyas – the great luminaries of hoary antiquity, who through their Supreme grace, have handed over the knowledge of Brahman – Brahma Vidya – through a long, continuous and uninterrupted line of Acharyas, to the world of seekers of Self. Special pujas are performed to the hierarchy of Gurus, Parama Gurus, Parameshti Gurus, Parapara Gurus and all Brahma Vidya Acharyas, seeking their inestimable blessings to realise the Supreme Truth. This is also called ‘Vyasa Puja’, for, Sri Vedavyasa stands foremost in the line of these preceptors. It was Vyasa who codified the Vedas into four divisions and integrated the messages of the Upanishads relating to Brahman, Jiva and the Universe in his great book, the Brahmasutras. He is rightly addressed as one of ‘vast intellect’ (???????????) ‘the ancient sage’ (??????????) by whom was lit the lamp of knowledge, feeding it with the oil of Mahabharata. Suka, Gaudapada and Govindabhagavatpada kept this light burning; then came the Great Master Sri Sankaracharya, who carried it far and wide throughout Bharata Varsha. A popular verse compendiously expresses the many dimensioned greatness of Veda Vyasa and Sri Sankaracharya and offers obeisance to them: The term Chaturmasya means four months. The term Chaturmasya Vrata is a Vrata to be observed for a period of four months. But according to the Vedic dictum one ‘paksha’ or a fortnight is taken as one month, and traditionally the Vrata is observed only for two months. During the rainy season, Sannyasins observe Chaturmasya and stay at one place to meditate on the Absolute Reality and instruct their disciples in the spiritual lore. so expresses the Srimukha issued by the Acharyas of Sringeri Math. Before observing the Chaturmasya Sankalpa, they perform Vyasa Puja and pay homage to Dakshinamurti, Sadasiva and to the Acharyas who came after him, to the framers of the canons of Brahma Vidya – the knowledge of Brahman – to the great seers of the parampara and to the preceptors. The Narada Parivrajakopanishad which codifies the conduct of the Sannyasins in detail, lays down that Sannyasins must be moving from place to place, to avoid getting entangled with the dealings and habits of the people of the village or town. But during the rainy season, they must halt at one place for a period of four months and observe the Chaturmasya Vrata. The mendicant monk, except in the rainy season, may stay one night in a village and five nights in a city; during the rains, he may stay four months in a village or town. He shall not stay for two nights in a villages; if he stays, affection, lust, etc., may find scope to deflect him and thereby he may go to hell. In the outskirts of a village, in a secluded spot, he may pitch his camp and go about for alms like a worm on the ground; during the rains, he shall stay at one place. If, during the rainy season, the Sannyasins move from one place to another, they may cause injury to many insects and worms that breed and move about on the ground during the season. But as the Sannyasins have taken the vow of non-injury to all creatures (Ahimsa and Abhaya), they should refrain from causing harm to any living being. Moreover, constant travel will also come in the way of Sannyasins having any time for ‘Brahma-vichara’ or for continued profound meditation; So, they halt at one place once in a year for four months and engage themselves in the meditation of the Supreme Brahman, in the company of their Gurus and other Sannyasins, clearing their doubts on complex metaphysical problems. During the Chaturmasya Vrata ,

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Cahturmasya Vrata

Redifining Bhakti

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:55:00 +0000

Redefining Bhakti By Swami Omkara Nanda The greatness of the Vedas lies in the fact that they provide guidance for living for the entire range of human needs — from the most materialistic to the most detached and spiritual. Cutting across time, people and places, the authenticity, versatility and relevance of the Vedas have been acknowledged. The Bhagavad Gita redefines the Bhakti Bhava and establishes its crucial role in the Jivatma’s salvation by providing a direct link with the divine. Bhakti Bhava is a unique emotional experience and its flowering in an individual is directly proportional to the spiritual maturity that one attains gradually. This implies that the individual has faith in the message of the scriptures and in the teachings of the Lord, preceptors and the devout saints who have directly experienced God and remain devoted to Him. Lord Krishna reiterates that faith in scriptures is what differentiates a believer from a non-believer and that lack of knowledge of the Supreme Lord is the cause of all misery in this world. While it is easy to deny God, one needs faith to know Him. While the world, environment and people remain the same, there is an inner transformation bringing about an attitudinal change in us as love and devotion to Him begin to take root in our consciousness. Our outlook on things changes and our ability to deal with the problems of life is strengthened. Arjuna, who always thought of Lord Krishna to be a friend, is made to realise that He is none other than the Supreme Brahman incarnate. There is nothing further to be known than the ultimate knowledge of the Supreme Brahman. Unless one is able to cross the barriers of desire, greed and delusion, it will not be possible to know God. Among thousands of men, one maybe, struggles for perfection. Among those who thus struggle, perhaps one attains perfection. Amongst those who are perfect maybe only one may know the Lord. The Lord explains that He is manifest as the universe comprising earth, water, fire, ether, mind, intellect and egoism. He is also the sustaining force of the entire universe.

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Redifining Bhakti