In Negombo, we visited the Reclining Buddha temple. I have placed some pictures. The paintings on the wall depict different aspects of his life. Buddha cutting his hair and he was being given his mendicant garments. Continue reading
There is trouble in the body, trouble in the tongue and troubles in the mind. Having renounced these troubles, I live happily in life’s supreme goal. – Astavakra Gita Chapter 13, Verse 2
However, by practicing penances, the body becomes free, the tongue becomes free by reciting the scriptures and the mind becomes free with meditation. Continue reading
Ambition is insanity. It shows that you are not at ease with yourself, you are not at home. Ambition shows that now you want others to know you are great. That is just to hide your smallness. – Osho
Dear Ones, do we feel like this. We are all motivated by our desire, which overcomes us and causes discomfort. We are seeking acceptance from others, because we feel that we are insignificant. Continue reading
How do I surrender my ego? The most precious pearls of wisdom were given by my Guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati. He shares his experience of when he met Swami Sivananda. He felt his overwhelming influence. Continue reading
Dussehra signifies the triumph of good over evil. It commemorates the victory of the Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon, Mahisha asura and the triumph of Lord Rama over Ravana, the Demon King. It is also believed that good will always prevail no matter how difficult the troubles are. Continue reading
Be victorious Goddess who destroys all passions! Be victorious, Goddess you who remove the afflictions of all beings! Be victorious, Goddess who pervades all. As the dark night of time, reverence to You. – Mahatmya, Argala Strotra – 2 Markandeya Purana
Maya Pancakam is a description of Maya in five verses. Sri Sankara says that Maya cannot be described as either existence or non-existence or both, it is indescribable. Maya makes incompatibles appear together and shows how it brings about what is logically impossible. Brahman is the only reality and Brahman appears to us as the universe of multifarious names and forms, because of our ignorance of Brahman. In our ignorance we think a rope is a snake in a dim light. Continue reading
What does it mean to be liberated? When we speak about liberation, we think of freedom from tradition and escape from conservative ideas. I have been thinking about this word my dear ones, and my understanding of it is to be free from fear. Continue reading
There are three steps for the spiritual sadhana, in our lives. It is according to our temperament, and each one of us finds a spiritual practice, which is suitable for us. Continue reading
Yoga enables us to evolve as an individual and seek the divine within us.
Kabirdas, the great poet-saint was recognized by Hindus and Muslims. He said that the pot is in the water, the water is in the pot; water is both within and without. The pot is symbolic of the human form; the water represents the essence of creation in the form of consciousness and energy, both within and without. This is the human state. We are surrounded by higher nature, and that experience is also within. How ever there is a covering, a shell (the veil) which does not allow the merger of one with the other. Continue reading
Who was Gorakhnath? He was a yogi, who performed tapas for twelve years, living on air alone and he gained tremendous powers through siddhis. He was born somewhere between the ninth and twelfth century and is responsible for spreading the practice of Yoga through out India and Asia. He was a Shiva Bhakti. His sayings are brilliant.
He wrote: Continue reading
The Buddha was delivering a discourse, which was attended by the wisest of the wise monks and nuns. He said that he had taught the dharma using skillful means in order that the beings of the world might overcome attachment. Continue reading
In Hinduism what does the snake signify? The snake represents ahamkara (ego). What happens when we prod a snake, it spreads its hood and attempts to attack us. Similarly, our ego is also affronted when someone is rude to us or says something unpleasant to us. Continue reading
What happens when we have a Guru? S/He creates a situation, where one is free to confront the different aspects of life. If one can go through these phases, then the sun will continue to shine on one. The Guru creates a net of maya (illusions). Continue reading
We idolize our mentors and think of them as God. They are human and have come in the form of man. I had a conversation with Rishi Sukadev and he pointed out to me that even a murderer had a soul and there was goodness within him. I had said that I could never talk to a murderer or a rapist. After he said this, I thought deeply about it. Continue reading