Question: What is Sanyasam?
The word Sannyasa means renunciation. One who renounces both externally & internally is called as a Sannyasin or monk.
Aims and duties of housholder
Question: What are the duties of a householder? What should he aim for?
Answer: Dear Friend, The duty of the householder is to look after first all his family members with utmost respect and to bring harmony at home. Then to spend some time in thinking of God.
How to keep my mind fresh all the day?
Question: How to keep my mind fresh all the day?
Answer: Dear Friend, You are not mind. Mind is again an instrument in your hand. Separate the mind from you and watch it constantly; then it will be fresh. Another easy way is to chant the name of the Lord, even while working.
Which is the best Yoga?
Question:
Which Yoga is the best?
Kindly accept my humble pranams.
I am a bachelor working professional of age 30+. I got a couple of philosophical question as I read a text on the Srimad Bhagvat Gita recently.
My first question is regarding the best form of Yogas as applicable in today’s world. It looks that Bhagavan Sri Krishna has glorified all the four forms of Yoga (i.e. Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Raja) at different chapters of the Gita. Now, which form is the best for practicing in this time with least struggle and with more probability of success?
One more question regarding Karma and Jnana Yoga. As it seems pure Jnana is devoid of any Karma and inclination to Karma is opposite to that of Jnana, is it ever possible to mix both in order to get the best out of those?
I will be obliged in case you kindly give a suggestion to my query.
Answer:
Namaste.
p>It is nice to read your questions.
The final and factual teaching of the Vedas, ( mentioned very clearly in the Upanishads) is that the Jiva (ie. You/ I ) is Brahman – the Infinite consciousness. There is only one Infinite which is called/recognized as Brahman, (the infinite consciousness) by the men of wisdom, and which is called/perceived as Jiva (the finite Individual). Infinitude is a fact, and the finitude is a mere appearance. This is the final teaching of our Vedas.
According to our Scriptures, Self Ignorance is the cause of all problems. Every jiva takes millions of birth and death as long as he/she considers himself/herself as a jiva. Unless a jiva understands the ultimate goal of life, that this life is to conquer the death through the love of God and wisdom of his real nature, he/she is subject to repeated death and birth and various sufferings. The only purpose of human life is to realize our own Inner Divinity, which people generally call as God Realization.
Since Self Ignorance is the cause, the solution must be gaining “Self Knowledge”. Gaining ‘Self Knowledge’ means, recognizing your own Infinite nature which is, an ever existing fact. You just drop the idea that you are “finite jiva”. Therefore ‘jnana’ is the only solution. To get the knowledge, you can start with any yoga according to your temperament and prepare your mind. All the 4 yogas are necessary since each one plays a distinct role. A spiritual seeker has to go through all these yogas in one janma or the other. There is no choice in 4 yogas. Karma Yoga helps you to get Vairagyam (dispassion) from the worldly attachments. Raja Yoga helps you to prepare your physiological and psychological personalities. Bhakti yoga helps you to have emotional stability and love for the Lord (which is the goal). Finally when the seeker is fully matured with four-fold qualifications –like Viveka, Vairagya, Mukukshutwa (burning desire for Knowledge) etc., Jnana yoga reveals the “Ultimate Reality”, which is fortunately happened to be our own “Infinite nature”.
So, start any yoga as per your wish, and in course of time you will understand that they are not water-tight compartments and serious practice of one particular yoga need the practice of other yogas also. Therefore, there are not many paths. There is only one path, wherein many stages have to be crossed and mind must be prepared for the Self- Knowledge.
Generally Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga are prescribed for everybody, since one can’t avoid working and one needs emotional stability in the spiritual life. Therefore perform your duties as the offering to the Lord, wherein there is no place for any worldly desires and unethical means. Surrender to the Lord with full faith. Offer your mind to Him and pray Him to manifest in your mind and make your life a purposeful one and with peace.
Jnana means the absence of idea of “doer-ship”. Karma means “having doer-ship”. Both can’t exist simultaneously. Combination of Jnana and Karma is not possible only in terms of technicality. But we come across in the lives of Wise men like Sri Shankara and Swami Vivekananda were highly active. Since they did not have “doer-ship” they were not affected by the fruits of the Karma. But while doing all the actions they were absolutely wise. Therefore, in general, their life is combination of “Knowledge with action”. Don’t bother about these technicalities. Start your spiritual journey with all earnestness, knowing fully the benefits you are going to get and requirements of this spiritual journey.
Leading a life of Brahmacharya, with the practice of moral values, Prayer, Namajapa and Satsangh are means for growth in spiritual life. Try them and wait for the Lord’s Grace. He will certainly bless you with a Spiritual guide and growth. Offer your mind to Him and pray Him to manifest in your mind and make your life a purposeful one and with peace.
Also we suggest you to read the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda for the general guidance for your spiritual life.
For more personal guidance, if you are staying in Bangalore, you are welcome to attend our Sunday Class (at 3.30p.m.) which is specially conducted for the youths, in our Ashram.
Visit our site http://www.ramakrishnamath.in/home/qa . We update lot of materials for youth. Enrich yourself with good things and be happy in life.
With prayers,
Mere adulation is poor adoration
Akbar as we all know, is one of the greatest Moghal Emperors. He was a lover of mankind and respected the great and pious souls of all religions.
He had heard of Guru Nanak’s reputation and his attempts to unite the Hindus and the Muslims. He desired to welcome him and honour him in his court. So he sent word to him through his minister, paying his respects and requesting him to grace his court. Guru Nanak replied to the minister: “I shall only respond to the call of God, the Emperor of Emperors and shall enter only His court.”
The minister conveyed this message to the Emperor. Akbar’s respect for Guru Nanak increased and so he sent word again to meet him at the mosque at least. Nanak consented and did come to the mosque at the appointed hour. Both Akbar and Nanak were welcomed by the mullah with due honour. According to the custom, the mullah should say the prayers first. So he sat on his knees and prayed loudly. Nanak laughed loudly. All the muslims in the temple got angry but dared not say anything because of the Emperor’s presence. Then Akbar sat on his knees and prayed. Nanak at once laughed even more loudly. The atmosphere in the mosque was becoming tense. The faces of the devotees became red and their lips twitched to pounce upon Nanak. Akbar controlled them by way of silent gesture. Both of them came out. Akbar questioned Nanak with all humility: “Oh revered one!, may I know why you laughed loudly during the prayer session? Does it become you?”
Guru Nanak replied: “Oh king, how could I withhold my laughter when I could see clearly that neither the mullah nor your majesty where thinking of God while praying. The mullah was thinking of his ailing son and you were thinking of the pair of beautiful Arabian horses that were gifted to you. Is it worthy of either the mullah or your majesty to call that prayer? Is it not hypocrisy? The mullah and emperor sought pardon from Nanak and thanked him for opening their eyes to their own weakness.
Remember that prayer is not just a string of words of praise to God to be recited mechanically. It is an earnest attempt to awaken and arouse the divinity in us. We should say prayers with full concentration. What matters is the feeling, not either the voice or words. “Mere adulation is poor adoration”.
Triple Filter test by Socrates
“In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, ‘Socrates, do you know what I just heard about your friend?’
‘Hold on a minute,’ Socrates replied. ‘Before telling me anything I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.’
‘Triple filter?’
‘That’s right,’ Socrates continued. ‘Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?’
‘No,’ the man said, ‘actually I just heard about it and…’
‘All right,’ said Socrates. ‘So you don’t really know if it’s true or not.
Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?’
‘No, on the contrary…’
So,’ Socrates continued, ‘you want to tell me something bad about him, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell about my friend going to be useful to me?’
‘No, not really.’
‘Well,’ concluded Socrates, ‘if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?’
This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem
Kannappa Nayanar
Kalahasti is a holy Saivite (worshippers of Lord Siva) place in the state of Andhra Pradesh. There are five temples of Lord Siva in five different places representing the five elements, viz. fire, water, air, ether, and earth. This holy shrine represents air (vaayu). The purana (history) of this place says that a spider worshipped Kalahasthinathar, the presiding deity. The holy river Swarna Mukhi runs in this place. Atop the mountain in this holy place there is a Siva temple. In the ages gone by a hunter lived in this mountain forest. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Siva of this temple. After spending the whole day in hunting, at nights he used to visit this temple to worship Siva.
A deep desire developed in him to do Pooja and Abhishekha to Siva. But he did not have in his possession any pot to carry water, any basket to carry flowers or any vessel to cook food for offering to Lord Siva. So, he would place the flowers on the matted locks of his hair, carry as much as water as possible in his mouth and the meat of the animals hunted during the day in his hands. Arriving at the temple he would just spit all the water onto the Siva Linga, shake the flowers off his hair onto the Linga and offer the meat as Naivedya. At day-break he would leave the temple.
In the mornings when the priest of the temple came up to do Pooja and Abhishekha he found that someone had offered fresh flowers and meat for God every night. This upset him greatly. He would clean the whole place, do Pooja and Abhishekha and leave the temple sorrowfully. Since this strange night worship continued, the priest not knowing how to stop this , prayed intensely to Lord Shiva to give him an answer. That night the Lord appeared in his dream and instructed him to hide himself in the temple the next night and watch all that would take place. The priest hid himself in the temple and anxiously awaited the night happenings.
The hunter arrived at the temple as usual and conducted the Abhishekha and Pooja. Suddenly one of the eyes of the Linga started bleeding. Immediately, without a second thought, the hunter plucked out one of his own eyes with the help of his arrow and fixed it onto the Linga. He was happy to find that the bleeding stopped. However, blood started oozing out of the other eye. Immediately he decided to fix his other eye there but stopped a while wondering how he would be able to locate the right spot to fix it as with both eyes gone he would be blinded. The idea then struck him to place his foot on the bleeding eye. He plucked out his other eye and fixed it on this spot.
The priest was totally awe-struck and broke down witnessing the deep devotion of the hunter. He realized that his own devotion to the Lord was only superfluous compared to the hunter’s. Just then Lord Siva appeared on the Rishaba (bull) and blessed the hunter. The priest felt a sense of fulfillment of his life being blessed with Lord Siva’s Darshan. The hunter was none other than Kannappa Nayanar, one of the sixty-three Nayanmars (Saivite Saints) who are worshipped by all.
First practice and then preach
A woman brought her child to see a saintly person and said, “The doctor has told me that my child is a diabetic and must stop eating sugar and sweets, but in spite of what I tell him, he won’t stop. Since you are a saintly person, I am sure that if you tell him to stop eating sugar and sweets he will listen and his life can be saved.
Surprisingly, the saintly person replied that he could not tell that to the child. He can supposedly help him if they come back after 2 weeks Disappointed and confused, the mother took the child away and returned back after two weeks. But this time also sage asked for some more time.
When they came back again after two weeks, the saintly person looked sternly at the young boy and said, “Stop eating sweets!” The boy was so startled that from that day he never again ate sweets and sugar.
When the curious mother inquired from the Sadhu, “Why didn’t you tell the same thing on the very first day”? The Sadhu replied, “I myself was fond of eating sugar. Until and unless I practice this myself, how could I tell this to somebody?”
That’s true, example is better than precept. A leader cannot tell the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. A beautiful flower is not very pleasing, if it is without fragrance. Similarly good instructions are not very acceptable, if they are not themselves practiced by the speaker. First practice and then preach
What is in your view the real remedy?
Question: I have been going through internal struggle for quite sometime: If we do Soul searching today..or in last 50-100 years……in India …we see the situation in the Country has gone down rapidly ..from worse to Worst…in all spheres of life…Socially, Educationally… (Terribly poor quality), politically, communally, racially …. Results … Country…. Most of our population .. is living in Terrible traumatic conditions. Things are constantly .. worsening … looking doomed…Poverty levels are alarmingly increasing.
These situations generate …pain..agitation…and i wonder why Ultimate reality…Divine Bliss…God…Supreme soul .. Brahman .. Whatever you Call it… has created such situations … or all those names .. are mere our imaginations…or may be entirely different set of rules govern our …lives…mankind…universe..etc..etc..I have no answer to all these … what do you honestly think about these issues?
What is in your view the real remedy? or we are helpless?…How India and world at large would become Peaceful and blissfully livable ..for entire mankind. or This would remain our dream only!!!!
Or may be a stark Reality of present times will remain…for thousands of years to come..
Your kind views on above would be highly appreciated.
Answer: My Dear ****** *********, The world is a dog’s tail. The absolute sorrow, misery and poverty can never be removed. In fact, you can never point such a place on the earth. But we in the process of removing poverty and misery, become better and better persons. Even though education improves the lot of the people, we also see simultaneously how inhumanely they behave in their dealings. In fact, the wars & conflicts are not the contributions of illiterates, but, of the so called civilized. In fact, I am a believer of Karma Theory & each one face for what he has done. Somehow it only seems to me a rational theory. So, let us be good and go on doing good.
RESPONSE to Above REPLY: Thanks very much for your kind response. My mind runs numerous varied thoughts all the time and generates restlessness. I need to practice some spiritual discipline to achieve some peace of mind. May be attending spiritual retreat once in a while or spending few days in solitary place might help.
Certainly I fully agree with you on Karma Theory, we do our good and surrender to God and God’s will. I need to learn to live on this principle imbibed in my heart. Of course, this would again depend on God’s grace. … …
Query on Advaita Philosphy
Namaskar Swamiji,
I recently read the book Jnana Yog and Karma Yog by Swami Vivekanandji.I was deeply inspired by the books. And I’ve a few queries about the philosophy of Advaita. I couldn’t comprehend the relation of Maya with Brahman. Is it a part of Brahman or is it seperate. If it is seperate from Brahman , won’t there be a duality which is against Advaita? If it is part of Brahman, won’t Brahman also have qualities apart from Sat-Chit-Ananda , because Maya is endowed with Rajas and Tamas as well? Swami Vivekanandji has said in Jnana Yog that our minds are finite and Brahman is infinite ,is it because of this, that this contradiction seems to arise?
Though I have these queries , I still find that Advaita is a most complete explanation of this universe , only because of lack of comprehension I have these queries.
In the Big Bang Theory of Universe, all observable matter was said to originate from a single point . But if we look at this from duality , we still can’t account for empty space (or Akasha), when did the space come into existence is the question that comes to the mind. But Advaita seems to be the answer to this query. That Akasha(i.e space) and Pran (i.e matter) are all one. All part of the absolute.
Answer:
Namaste.
Nice to read your questions with regard to Advaita Philosophy!
Maya means “that which is available for experience but that which does not exist actually, and therefore that which is inexplicable”. Inexplicable means that which can’t be explainable. Can you explain about “mirage water”. Does the mirage water is different from the “sand”, or one with the sand? If it is different from the sand, then you should be able to use it as water for your thirst. If it is one with the sand, then you can’t call it as “mirage water”. You should call it is sand only. The fact is when there is no mirage water at all, then why we should attempt to find a place for it. It is a mere appearance, from the stand point of the fact. What people call as “mirage water” is nothing but sand.
Similarly, you can’t talk about “Maya” which is a mere appearance. Because what the ignorant people call as Maya is nothing but Brahman for the wise-man . The very attempt to find a “place” for Maya shows, that it is taken for granted, that it exists as a second entity. Maya does not exist at all from the Absolute stand point. Wise man does not have any confusion. For him, this Maya is Lord’s power (like the power of a magician) from the Relative stand point of Creation-preservation-destruction. Same Maya does not exist at all from the Absolute stand point.
Don’t try to understand “Maya”. It is neither “existing” nor “non-existing” entity. It does not come under any definition. Without definition, we can’t understand anything as an object. You can’t understand it unless you the Subject recognize your Infinite nature as Brahman.
Moreover, don’t try to understand the Scriptures in an academic way by “self-study”. These academic informations can not solve the human problems. Getting Self-knowledge from the Scriptures depends upon the following questions:
· Are you guided by any Spiritual Teacher?
· Are you a sincere seeker of the Truth?
· Do you have devotion to the Lord, who is the Ultimate Truth of the appearing world?
Therefore, our suggestion is, first of all, find a Gurudev for your spiritual journey.
“Leading a clean life with the practice of moral values, Prayer, Namajapa and Satsangh are means for attaining Gurudev in our spiritual life. Try them and wait for the Lord’s Grace. He will certainly bless you with a Spiritual Teacher. Offer your mind to Him and pray Him to manifest in your mind and make your life a purposeful one and with peace”.
With Prayers,
Yours in Service,