Chintana

December – 2008

The more we identify with the little “i” in us, the more will be our confusions in life. By expanding it to identify with a larger cause, we shall find our confusions dwindling into nothingness. – Chinmaya

All confusions in life arise out of our ignorance of the Self. We are unaware that our true nature is all-pervading, eternally blissful pure Consciousness. Instead, we identify ourselves with our limited equipments of body, mind and intellect and consider these inert equipments as our real nature. All our transactions in this world are with the firm notion that ‘I am this body’ and this notion continues from the moment we wake up till we go to sleep.

This little ‘i’ born out of ignorance is the cause of all sufferings and therefore the moment we enter into deep sleep all our problems also vanish as the little ‘i’ is no more present to trouble us! Hence for all of us, the deep sleep experience is all peace and bliss, free from time, space and dualities.

If ignorance about my real nature is the cause of my sufferings, then the solution lies in gaining knowledge about myself. And this knowledge can be gained only when the mind is quietened. Silence the mind and the Reality, the Supreme Self is seen as it is.

As this Self is me myself, I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything. I just have to know it. And the only obstacle which stands in my way is my own disturbed mind. Therefore all the spiritual practices described in our scriptures are only to quieten the mind. Put in other words, though I am never away from my Self, the apparent separation is experienced only because of my disturbed mind.

Pujya Gurudev used to give the example of a youngster who, on a Shivarathri day, is compelled do take bhang (an intoxicating drink) by his friends. Very soon, the youngster, under the effect of the intoxicant, sitting in his own house starts crying “I want to go to my home”. His friends, unable to convince him that he is already there, just to pacify him, take him to the garage. He is made to sit inside the car, and after starting the car, they shake the car for around five to ten minutes to give him the feel of movement. The youngster, later, comes out of the car fully convinced that he has reached home after the ‘travel’.

In the same way, various sadhanas prescribed are not to create the Self or to reach the Self, but to know the Self which I ever was. The sadhanas purify the mind and once the mind is totally silenced, I come to know myself as I am.

The dreamer suffers throughout the dream not knowing that he is the waker. None of the happenings of the dream can ever affect the waker. But for the dreamer, the sufferings are real and he considers himself an insignificant fellow separate from the dream world. But the moment he wakes up, all his confusions dwindle into nothingness and he comes to know that he alone is real and not the dream world. This transformation happens when he stops identifying with the dreamer and considers himself as the waker.

Even at the relative plane, it is true that when we identify with a larger cause, our problems dissolve. A selfish individual, when identified with his family forgets his selfish needs and readily sacrifices for his family. When his vision expands further and when he is able to identify with his country then effortlessly he loves his countrymen. And finally with the dawn of Self-Knowledge, when he is able to see everyone as his own Self, all confusions are reduced to nought.

Thus the solution to all our problems lies in expanding the little‘i’ to the Supreme ‘I’ which alone can lead to a peaceful life free from all confusions.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

November – 2008

Which else shall beautify a home but the flame of a lovely lamp? Which else shall adore the mind but the light of wisdom deep.
– Chinmaya

Love is the very foundation for a home. And this love is compared to a lamp in a house. No one likes to stay in a house without light. How miserable and sometimes fearful we feel when the power goes off in the night unexpectedly! All comforts and beauties become redundant in a house without lighting.

Same is the case with love also among the members of the family. A home becomes heaven upon the earth when the family members love and respect each other, serve and sacrifice for each other. This is the way of life taught by our scriptures– to consider one’s parents, teachers and elders as God, and hence to bow down to them in reverence, and to obey and serve them in all humility. The husband and wife are asked to serve each other with the attitude of serving God, ever ready to sacrifice their comforts for each other. It is said that God ever resides in such a home with an ambience of love, service and co-operation.

In Ramayana, it was seen that when this lamp of love was put off, the darkness of selfishness and hatred took its place, and overnight the whole kingdom of Ayodhya plunged into gloom. Indeed, love is the greatest force on earth.

Two brothers, farmers by profession, stayed in a village. They earned their livelihood by cultivating the inherited land. Whatever produce they obtained, they used to divide equally among themselves. The elder one was unmarried, while the younger one was married and had two children. Years passed. One day the elder brother thought, “Being unmarried I have no responsibilities. My younger brother has to feed three extra mouths. Therefore it is my responsibility to help him.”

That night, loading the cart with sacks of grains he set out to his younger brother’s house, all in secret.

Almost at the same time, the younger brother’s thought ran thus, “I have my children to take care of me in my old age. But my elder brother is alone. So it is my responsibility to take care of him.” Thus loading his cart with grain-sacks, he also started to his elder brother’s house in secret. Both of them met each other on the way. When they came to know that each of them thought alike, their joy knew no bounds! They hugged each other with eyes filled with tears of love.

If love is that which makes a home alive, it is the wisdom that gives depth to that love. A man of wisdom sees the one Self in all. Therefore love, compassion, forgiveness etc. is natural to him.

 A holy man was walking along the road. A gang of robbers came and attacked him. He fell unconscious. After some time, a rich man with his car passed by that road. He stopped the car, took the holy man to his house and treated him well. When the saint regained his consciousness, the rich man asked giving him a cup of milk, “Swamiji, may I know who did this heinous act?”

The holy man replied, “The One who beat me is now giving milk to me.”Seeing the rich man confused he clarified, “It is God alone who does everything. Through the robbers, He gave me beatings, and now through you, He is taking care of me! Hence praise be unto His name!”

Such a divine mind, ornamented with true wisdom, expresses its beauty by loving all unconditionally and thus by bringing in the flame of love not only to one’s own home but also to the world at large.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

October – 2008

When I rest, I rust. – Chinmaya

 Put it differently, “work hard we must”.
The reasons can be many:

1) Hard work sharpens our abilities:

One notable thing about our talents and abilities is that the moment we stop making use of it, we start losing it, just like a knife, when unused gets rusted.

2) Hard work brings in all worldly prosperities:

When we put forth effort diligently in our chosen field, we start approaching perfection. Success, honour, name, fame, prosperity etc are but different names of hard work.

After a brilliant stage performance, a world-famous musician was surrounded by his friends and admirers who were eager to express their appreciation and best wishes. One rich lady came to him and said, “How lucky you are that God has gifted you with such great talent! I envy you.” The musician replied, “Talent alone is not sufficient madam. It requires continuous practice – 10 hours a day for 40 years!”

3) As a mark of gratitude:

What we receive from this world is much much more than what we give back. We are debted to our teachers, parents, the society, plants and animals. In fact, we are debted to everyone and everything around. Hence it becomes our responsibility to serve others with gratitude and humility.

 A little boy left a brief note on his mother’s bed. In it, he had written all the chores he had completed that day. The note read thus: for washing the car: Rs10/-; for making the bed: Rs.10, for taking care of the baby: Rs 20/- ….total = Rs 100/-. And then he went to school.

When the mother came to clean the room, she saw the list. She read the list and smiled. Carefully pinning a note of Rs100/-to the list, she kept another list next to it which read thus: for taking care of you: nil; for teaching you to walk: nil; for preparing your breakfast: nil; for nursing you when you are sick: nil … total = nil.

When the boy returned he was thrilled to see the Rs 100/- note but when he read his mother’s note, he felt very much ashamed. With tears in his eyes, he ran to his mother and hugged her apologising with all sincerity.

4) Actions with right attitude purify the mind:

No doubt, the highest state of perfection is actionlessness. But actionlessness, i.e. absolute quietude at the mind level can be achieved only when the mind is extremely pure. When actions are performed without attachment as a worship of the Lord, the mind becomes pure.

Thus it is through action only that actionlessness is reached.

“What is the secret of your success?” Someone asked George Washington. He replied, “I pray as if everything depends upon God.” He paused and then continued, “I work as if everything depends upon me.”

Many a time this highest state of actionlessness is misunderstood as doing nothing. As a result, immature seekers idle their time in the name of sadhana giving up all responsibilities. The mind, being impure and unprepared, is neither capable of contemplating upon the Higher, nor is it able to prevent itself from brooding over the sense pleasures. Truly they rust through rest.

Human birth is a rare gift from the Lord. A mortal with finite, limited equipments and abilities is given a golden opportunity to expand to infinite dimensions – infinite in knowledge, strength, freedom, wisdom… never again to come back into this world of finitudes and imperfections.

Once the seeker is convinced and is inspired by this great noble goal, resting and rusting will no more have any meaning in his life.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

September – 2008

In life, it has always been observed that to solve a problem is to rise above it. – Chinmaya

The Omniscient Lord has designed the world in such a way that none is spared from facing some or the other kind of problems! The reason is not difficult to find when we also take into account the fact that He is an ocean of compassion.

There is a beautiful saying which goes thus: “I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong; I asked for wisdom and He gave me problems to solve; I asked for prosperity and He gave me brain and brawn to work; I asked for courage and He gave me obstacles to overcome; I asked for love and He gave me troubled people to help; I asked for favours and He gave me opportunities … I received nothing I wanted but I received everything I needed!”

All problems and challenges in life are in fact, His blessings in disguise. This is the right attitude which helps us in rising above all problems. It is well said that a successful man is the one who builds a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him!

Rising above the problem is nothing but the right way of looking at events, things or happenings. Thomas Alva Edison had to undergo thousands of failures in his laboratory during the initial years of his research. When asked about these failures, he replied aptly, “Failure? Never. Every time I was successful in knowing how it won’t work!”

He considered every failure as an opportunity to learn. And, very soon he came up with the invention of the electric bulb!

Many a time our hidden talents and potentials come to the fore only in the wake of a severe crisis.

Walter Davis, in his childhood, was affected by infantile paralysis and the doctors feared the boy might not be able to walk again. But the events so turned up that the boy, challenging his limitations, later went to become theWorld Champion in the High Jump event!

The truth is that the problems are created not by the external world but by our own fickle mind. It is this weak mind which labels an ordinary situation as a problem or as a crisis.

Scriptural statements and spiritual masters unanimously declare that a peaceful, steady mind is the best instrument to deal with any situation in life. And the best way to quieten the mind is to turn it to the Divine. It is the Lord’s promise that whoever takes refuge in Him will overcome all the obstacles by His grace and that His devotees shall never perish. Trust Him, and the mind becomes peaceful instantly, making it fit to face all the ups and downs of life. In fact, this is the only purpose for which all problems have been created – to bring out the attitude of total surrender within us unto Him.

Kunti Devi’s prayer to Lord Krishna was, “O Lord, give me only sorrows and miseries. Then alone I will always remember Thee!”

Thus when our surrender becomes complete, He, the Infinite and the Eternal, makes us recognize our total identity with Him. This is the only way to rise above all problems at all times, just like all problems of the dream end permanently when one wakes up.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

August – 2008

The only private treasure we can possess in this world is our own thoughts within. It is a sacred sanctum and none can invade it.
– Chinmaya

Whether we know or not, God is guiding us every moment. We suffer in life only because we are unaware of this fact.

Bhagavad Geeta says that the Lord is present in the hearts of all beings. But then how does He guide us? He guides us through different states of the mind. All the negative emotions like anger, jealousy, lust, greed, arrogance etc., and also the positive feelings of love, compassion; etc., are nothing but His guidance.

The different dials on a dashboard of a vehicle give the driver an idea of the speed, the fuel quantity etc., thus helping him in reaching the destination safely. In the same way, through these different mental states, the Lord guides us like a true friend in reaching Him quickly.

He guides us by becoming a strict Administrator of His law. And the law is “when negative thoughts are entertained in the mind, the mind becomes disturbed and when positive thoughts are encouraged, the mind becomes peaceful”. Thus any person who craves for happiness is left with no choice but to cultivate noble thoughts.

When consciously these noble thoughts are entertained, over a period of time, the earlier dull mind now shines forth in all purity and then such a pure subtle mind becomes a sacred sanctum through which one then clearly receives the guidance from the Divine. Once when the mind is tuned to the Higher, then for such a person peace, cheerfulness, contentment, fearlessness, compassion, etc. is but natural.

A great devotee was once attacked by several people. Some spat at him, some tore his clothes and some abused him. But he continued to smile. One man asked him, “Where is your God? Why does He not appear in this time of need and show us some miracle?”

The devotee continued to smile and said quietly, “What greater miracle can there be than this that, even though I am treated thus, I feel that I am in heaven?”

And in sheer wonder, the man asked, “I find you are being treated as though you are in hell! Where is your heaven?” And the devotee smiled again and said, “My heaven is in my heart, and no man can take it away from me. And even if my body be cut into pieces, yet I will continue to abide in the joy that is deathless.”

The man again asked, “And what is the secret of this joy?” The devotee answered, “I bow down to the Will Divine- I love the Lord and the Lord loves me. And I know that all is well – supremely well!”

Thus once the bliss of being in tune with the Lord has been tasted, no outer gross sense pleasures can tempt him. No outer obstacles or difficulties can disturb his peace within. Bhakta Prahalad was one such great example who remained fearless and smiling amidst all heinous attempts made by his father to kill him.

Our noble, divine thoughts alone are our greatest treasure and our effort in cultivating them alone is the greatest investment. Let us invest wisely and amass this treasure in this fleeting world of sorrows and miseries.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

July 2008

The right way of living is only living without hatred. – Chinmaya

In Bhagwad Geeta, the Lord says “I am the Father and Mother of this Universe”. Hence it is implied that Bhagawan’s love for us is infinite and unconditional. His love can be seen everywhere in the universe as parental love.

Just as the father and the mother expect their children to love and help each other and not to hate or fight with one another, in the same way, the Creator also has the same expectation from His children. Hence our primary duty is to fulfil this expectation of our Creator, and that itself is the right way of living.

A mahatma is the one who has mastered this right way of living and hence he is able to love everyone unconditionally.

Just as we cannot hate our hands, legs etc. because of our feeling of oneness throughout our body, a mahatma experiences this oneness with the entire creation. Thus rooted in this vision of Oneness, he lives majestically, embracing everyone in divine Love and spreading the message of peace and harmony.

Gautham Buddha was once walking through a dense forest. Suddenly a dacoit pounced upon Him with a dagger in his hand. Buddha remained unmoved, His face serene and peaceful, and His eyes reflecting His deep love and compassion. Not even a single wrinkle appeared on His face. The dacoit was stunned. Never in his life had he met a person who could stand absolutely fearless before him. To that dacoit, Buddha spoke in all sweetness. “O Mahatma! Is there something I can do for you?”

 Now that was another strong blow to the dacoit. This attitude of love and service even towards those who have come to loot and kill was something beyond comprehension for him. Moreover addressing a rank criminal as mahatma was unheard of. The dacoit fell at the feet of Buddha and later became His disciple.

The greatest power in this world is the power of love. Anything can be achieved by love but not by hatred. This love, when directed towards the Supreme Lord, attains its zenith. Such a foremost lover cannot but fall in love with the entire universe which is none other than His creation.

It is not practically possible to eliminate hatred without cultivating love. It is as impractical as removing darkness without bringing in light. Similarly to rise above all negativities, the best way is to cultivate positive virtues. Then the negative qualities will automatically find their own grave.

Thus living in divine love alone is the right way of living. This is the message of all our scriptures. This is the way all great men have lived.

Let us all follow our Masters and thus dedicate our lives in cultivating this greatest value of Universal Divine Love through sacrifice and service, remaining ever in tune with Him.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

June – 2008

Faith and total devotion to the Guru are necessary in order to ease the student’s path and level down the slopes en route. – Chinmaya

The path of spirituality is very strange and unique! Scriptures seem to talk of impractical means and impossible goals! Their statements as though contradict all our observations and beliefs. To mention a few of them:

When we say the world is real, the scriptures say that it is unreal! We consider ourselves to be mortals, while the scriptures emphatically declare that we are immortals! In our experience, God doesn’t seem to exist, but according to scriptures, God alone exists! We think we are awake but the scriptures lament that we are only dreaming! For us, success means developing our personality, but success according to scriptures is to destroy it! While we helplessly admit that we are limited in knowledge, strength, size, power etc., scriptures thunder forth to say that we are Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-pervading, All-Blissful, Infinite, Immortal Being!!

And the worst of all, when we request the spiritual masters to prove their statements, they as though ‘conveniently’ escape saying that ‘It’ cannot be proved but can only be subjectively experienced!

Thus, unlike in every other field where the theories can be proved and the results can be shown, the unavailability of these means for confirmation makes spirituality even more mysterious.

Hence when the intellect fails to grasp what the senses cannot perceive, it is but natural that the seekers also reduce in number. Kathopanishad goes on to say “Itis a wonder to see a seeker of Brahmavidya and a greater wonder to see its teacher!”

What can be those noble qualities which inspire one to choose this path despite all worldly temptations? Scriptures say and masters confirm that it is one’s faith – faith in the Supreme, in the scripture and in one’s Guru combined with total devotion that motivates a sincere seeker despite all trials and tribulations en route.

A man wanted to cross a river. A sage gave him an amulet and said, “This will carry you across.” The man, taking it in his hand, began to walk over the water. Before he had gone half the way, he was seized with curiosity and opened the amulet to see what was in it. Therein he found a small piece of paper with the sacred name of Sri Rama written on it. At this, the man said depreciatingly. “Is this the whole secret?”No sooner this scepticism entered his mind than he sank down.

It is the faith that works wonders. Such strong faith is natural for a man of a pure heart. As the saying goes, “Blessed are those with a pure heart for they shall see God.”

It is mentioned in our scriptures that the one who looks upon his Guru as any other human being can never realize God. But for a pure-hearted, one’s Guru is none other than God Himself in human form. It is this faith in Guru that makes the path smoother and the journey faster towards the Supreme, realizing which one comes to know that external Guru is none other than one’s own Self, Who is ever-present in one’s own heart.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

May – 2008

To dissipate ourselves in immoral and criminal thoughts is more harmful than physically indulging in them. The mind has a tendency to repeat its own thoughts. – Chinmaya

The mind which has tasted the bliss of the devotion for the Lord and also has understood the heavy price that has to be paid for entertaining immoral and criminal thoughts and has experimented with and observed that pain and suffering alone are the end results of all sense pleasures, will not find it worthwhile to dissipate himself in that direction. For such a sublimated mature mind, no rules or instructions are necessary as it is effortlessly peaceful and unconditionally cheerful.

But the reverse is the case with the majority of mankind for whom the joys through senses alone are the joys of life. In such a case, an unintelligent, forced restraint of the senses will only add up to a suppressed mind which, like a compressed spring, will always look forward to an opportunity to spring up and exhaust its pent-up passions.

Many a time one imposes this suppression upon oneself to show off one’s saintliness or to gain honour, fame, money etc. False pride in one’s sense control is another great danger of this suppression. The only occupation of such hypocrites (Mithyacharis) will then be to mentally indulge in such pleasures as this gives the pleasure without bartering for worldly recognition. But in reality, such a person is neither able to enjoy the worldly pleasures nor can contemplate upon the Higher, thus ending up in a situation worse than actual indulgence.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to narrate a parable in this regard. Seeing the constant flow of men in the prostitute’s house, a sannyasi one day called and censured her, warning that her fate after death would be miserable. The poor prostitute became extremely sorry for her misdeeds and with genuine inward repentance, she prayed to God beseeching forgiveness. But as prostitution was her profession, she could not adopt any other means of gaining her livelihood. And so whenever her flesh sinned she always cursed herself with greater contrition of heart and prayed to God more and more for forgiveness.

Seeing no effect of his advice to her, the sannyasi started counting the number of persons visiting her by putting a pebble for each person. One day he showed the heap of pebbles to her and threatened that hell alone was her future destiny. The poor wretch began to tremble at the sight of accumulation of her sins and she prayed to God shedding tears of utter helplessness. The prayer was heard. By the strange will of God, the sannyasi and the harlot died on the same day. The messengers of Vishnu came down and carried the subtle body of the prostitute to heavenly regions while the messenger of Yama carried the spirit of the sannyasi to the nether world.

The sannyasi seeing the good luck of the prostitute cried aloud questioning the justice of God. Messengers of Vishnu replied, “You passed your life in external show and vanity, never sincerely yearning for Him. This prostitute earnestly prayed to God day and night. Your heart was always absorbed in contemplating upon her sins and thus has become impure. Therefore you are the real prostitute and not she!”

The statement that mental dissipation is more harmful than physical indulgence should not be taken as a licence to indulge! In fact, indulgence is prescribed in Dharma Shastras only to know from our direct experience that indulgence is not the solution. As the mind has the tendency to repeat its own thoughts, expecting complete fulfilment through indulgence is as ridiculous as expecting ghee to put off the fire.

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

April – 2008

To weep is folly and to smile is wisdom. Keep Smiling.
– Chinmaya

A close look at life gives enough reasons to weep!-painful birth in a filthy body, disease, old age, several limitations at the physical, mental and intellectual levels, uncertain future, impermanent relationships, and the worst of all-sure and unavoidable death! With such a fleeting tragic life, only an unintelligent fool will say “eat, drink and be merry”.

The Lord of this universe Himself has described his world as “Dukhaalayam, Ashaashwatam, Anityam and Asukham”, proclaiming that all pleasures of this world only end up in sorrow. Even the rank optimists cannot prove it otherwise. Given these harsh realities of life, the mantra ‘Keep Smiling’ is absolutely impractical unless one is well protected by the impenetrable armour of Self- knowledge.

Here the ‘smile’ referred to by Gurudev is not the artificial skin-deep smile divorced from the heart, but a smile reflecting a pure heart born out of wisdom and unconditional Love, which comes only with the proper assimilation of the essence of scriptural teachings. Hence one cannot but be serious about life to keep smiling!

For the one who has lived his life intelligently, with the senses fully tamed and the mind totally tuned to the Divine, his smile remains undiminished, irrespective of all vicissitudes of life. History has time and again proved this fact. What greater trial can one possibly undergo than the one faced by Jesus? But even on the cross He could pray “O Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”!

This is the true smile – where the intellect is crystal clear and uncompromisingly firm in the chosen ideal, but at the same time, the heart, loving and forgiving others unconditionally. Only a true devotee with unwavering faith in the Lord can do this wonder.

In a hospital, a 65-year-old man suffering from a minor ailment and a 12-year-old girl suffering from a terminal disease were admitted in the same ward. The old man was seen grumbling and complaining throughout the day narrating his hardships to the doctors and to everyone who passed by. On the contrary, this little girl, though knowing fully well that her days were counted, was seen cheerfully wishing the doctors with a warm ‘Good morning’ and consoling and delighting other patients! When she was asked about this uncommon behaviour, her answer was, “My beloved Krishna loves and cares for me so much!! He wants me to reach His abode as early as possible! I know that He is always with me and whatever decisions He takes is the best for me. So why fear ?”

It is this adamant faith in the infinite wisdom and unconditional love of the Supreme which makes a devotee strong and fearless, enabling him to smilingly face all challenges of life.

Hence holding on to Him, Keep Smiling!

O   M         T   A   T         S   A   T

Chintana

“Old age comes with a passage of time, maturity comes with deep reflection.”

“The values that you uphold in life determine the quality of thoughts, the quality of thoughts  determines  in turn the quality of actions.”

– Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda

Swami Aparajitananda shares his Chintana (reflections) on scriptures and values based on Pujya Gurudev’s quotes. May reading of Swamiji’s Chintana be instrumental in furthering our spiritual journey.

Chintana – 2022

July 2022 – All spiritual practices are to help us accomplish steady equipoise for meditation.

June 2022 – When the mind is calm, serene and pure, it is contemplative. This contemplation gives birth to Rama in you, the Reality.

May 2022 – When we strive to identify with our real nature, that is Vaikuntham.

April 2022 – It is the Lord Himself who gives His faithful devotee the experience of His absolute, unchanging Truth.

March 2022 – Train your mind to keep one ideal in it and work towards it – the mind becomes single-pointed.

February 2022 – Every day is bursting with opportunities for us to do and to serve, to act and to express, to love and to live.

January 2022 – Human greatness is not muscular strength, but the greatness of character.

Chintana – 2021

December 2021 – If we accept and acknowledge the mistake, it is forgiven.

November 2021 – It is our bounden duty to do everything to make children grow into beautiful beings.

October 2021 – Mind at rest is a temple of joy.  

September 2021 – We collect things because our hearts are empty.  

August 2021 – Man cannot get rid of his heavy load of desires. They seem to multiply as the body moves nearer the grave. This is Maya. This is Moha. The only antidote to this disease is Self-knowledge.

May 2021 – To give love to all others is the only way to enrich life as nothing else can.

April 2021 – Yoga is not twisting the body, but straightening the mind. – Chinmaya 

March 2021 – Being himself exactly the Supreme Being, but thinking himself to be separate from Him, Jeeva strives to become united with Him. What is there stranger than this?   – Ramana.

February 2021 – There is no reincarnation at all, either now or before, nor will there be any hereafter. Reincarnation exists only so long as there is ignorance.   – Ramana.

January 2021 – Overall power and adorability by all came to God because He never says ‘I’ even in forgetfulness.

Chintana – 2020

December 2020 – God’s creation does not bind. That which does so is Jeeva’s own creation.

November 2020 – Life is a piece of art which can be made beautiful and polished, chiselled and shaped, by your own careful self-effort.

October 2020 – You are ordinary or extraordinary depending on your attitude towards the situations that you face and how you respond to the challenges in life.

September 2020 – Nothing in this world, which is but a two minutes’ dream, is worth worrying.

August 2020 – We think something is wrong with the outer world.; something is wrong with the Creator. The fact is Creator is supplying us with the best possible things. It is our unintelligent behaviour which is spoiling it.

July 2020 – Why should tools worry about how the technician is going to solve the problem and do his job. Be a mere tool in His hands.

June 2020 – So long as our attitude is purely materialistic and selfish with no touch of spirituality, nature will continue to be disturbed by our actions. It is an echo. Nature is only echoing our behaviour. If we don’t change, nature will make us suffer.

May 2020 – Not Published

April 2020 – Not Published

March 2020 – Submit to the will of the Lord and draw a lesson from every event.

February 2020 – The Lord is in our own heart. To deny Him is to deny ourselves. You may leave Him, but He will not leave you.

January 2020 – All the great Masters have constantly advised seekers to maintain perfect consistency between their thoughts and expressions.

Chintana – 2019

January 2019 – Every event in daily life is a silent proclamation of some profound truth.

February 2019 – Love of God is the highest and the best means to a person’s happiness here and hereafter.

March 2019 – So long as one remains a slave of one’s senses how can one concentrate the mind on God and serve Him?

April 2019 – Practical religion consists in living the philosophy one has understood.

May 2019 – The only way to start a good work is to START. Leave all anxieties about it to Him. His grace will shine out on our work and it will grow and expand.

June 2019 – Vedanta is the answer for the problems of the day; it is the only specific for the malady of the age.

July 2019 – Live in love for Him alone. That is the greatest fulfilment of all existence.

August 2019 – A serene mind is a mountain of strength.

September 2019 – To strive is given to us; success is always His. So never feel beaten out – STRIVE.

October 2019 – Education in a country must help to rebuild the character of its people.

November 2019 – Invoke the Mother to help us annihilate within all negative forces and all weaknesses.

December 2019 – The goal of teaching is to impart to the children the ability to make the right judgments.

Chintana – 2018

January 2018 – The joy of living is clouded when the seeker has no dynamic goal or ideal. If there is a goal, then life gathers a sharpness, a glow of its own accord.

February 2018 – Not Published

March 2018 – Life is as light as a feather to one who has renounced his over-exaggerated pride.

April 2018 – Thoughts feed the desires. The desire vitalises each flimsy dream. In a short time, the consequent chaos creates a roaring inferno within.

May 2018 – If you cannot do great things yourself, remember that you may do small things in a great way.

June 2018 – Tolerate the world and its endless foolishness. Smile and keep on loving the people.

July 2018 – A face overflowing with inner warmth of peace and smile is a charm which none can resist.

August 2018 – The distribution of grace is not controlled by the Guru, but depends upon the capacity of the recipient.

September 2018 – The words of the Master can echo their message only in a bosom that has been stilled in complete love.

October 2018 – No hurry is allowed in nature. In our inner growth also, no hurry is permitted. Any hurry or impatience will end in suppression/repression.

November 2018 – Without learning to live here, there is no hereafter to hope for.

December 2018 – Dassehra is the victory over the senses, over the mind, which ends in the disappearance of the dreadful shadow ‘I’, that cauldron of weaknesses, yearnings, slavery and imperfection.

Chintana – 2017

January 2017 – जगत-ईशधी-युक्त-सेवनं अष्टमूर्तिभृत् देवपूजनम् |

February 2017 – When you are born, you must die. Don’t die while living. Live after you are dead.

March 2017 – The prescription given is – surrender to Him and act on. What we do is act and then surrender.

April 2017 – The renunciation is not measured by things a man gives up. True renunciation is of the will and of desires.

May 2017 – Both rain and sunshine are needed to make a rainbow. Both joy and sorrow are needed to make life truly beautiful and colourful.

June 2017 – Let the sleeping lion of adhyatmic fervour in thee wake up! Fight out thy enemies in the inner Kurukshetra.

July 2017 – Don’t search for the ideal person. Instead, search for the ideals in every person you meet.

August 2017 – Self Realisation is the experience of love in its absolute nature. Realise thy Self.

September 2017 – If we can allow an uninterrupted and faithful flow of His will, He shall ever keep us in His hands and never leave us even for a moment.

October 2017 – To the student of Vedanta, the Guru is the embodiment of his goal.

November 2017 – Every individual has the right to walk the spiritual path.

December 2017 – Infinite is our nature. We have to realise this, and we will find ourselves at our journey’s end.

Chintana – 2016

January 2016 – By thinking deeply of a noble person of character and love, our minds entertain those thoughts, and this causes what we call a blessing.

February 2016 – Even when threatened with death, don’t give in to dishonesty, deception, lust and passion.

March 2016 – Every surrender unto God is an elevation in the status of the soul.

April 2016 – Temperance is the law of all spiritual students.

May 2016 – Not Published.

June 2016 – Religion becomes dead and ineffectual if the seekers are not ready to live its ideals.

July 2016 – ध्यानमूलं गुरोर्मूर्ति: पूजामूलं गुरो: पदम् | मन्त्रमूलं गुरोर्वाक्यं मोक्षमूलं गुरो: कृपा ||

August 2016 – The Lord does that which is best for us always. Even sorrows mould us into better beings.

September 2016 – None gets bound by one’s possessions; it is the mental slavery to our possessions that shackles us.

October 2016 – If by studying the scriptures, one can become a sannyasin, by counting the King’s money one must become a billionaire.

November 2016 – Spiritual perfection is not to be created – it is in us already. We have only to remove what obstructs its manifestation.

December 2016 – The true sevak should not expect recognition of his work from either the people or from his own organization.

Chintana – 2015

January 2015 – Carefully navigate around the dangerous rocks of thy own lower nature. Thou shall reach the eternal heaven of peace and bliss.

February 2015 – Make your life a celebration of His presence.

March 2015 – The secret of success in life lies in keeping the head above the storms of the heart.

April 2015 – Silence the mind and listen; this is the final state of meditation.

May 2015 – Be regular.

June 2015 – Be cheerful within, and loving and peaceful outside.

July 2015 – Accept. Surrender. Let Him be the charioteer of your life.

August 2015 – To discover difficulties in every opportunity is the nature of the failures, while to discover opportunity in every difficulty is the nature of the successful.

September 2015 – Each shock is yet another knock to add to our spiritual stature.

October 2015 – Tranquillity is the innate nature of all; it is a self-existent reality.

November 2015 – Each of us has to awaken the sleeping saint within us.

December 2015 – Without the spirit of sacrifice, no service is possible.

Chintana – 2014

January 2014 – He who reigns supreme as master of himself alone becomes a servant of light unto others.

February 2014 – There is one ornament common to men and women – forgiveness.

March 2014 – A beautiful life does not just happen; it is built daily by prayer, humility, sacrifice and hard work.

April 2014 – The real test of a Perfect One is not in the jungle or in a cave, but in the market place where he is teased by the mischiefs of the world.

May 2014 – What you meet in your life is Praarabdha (destiny); how you meet is your Purushaartha (self-effort).

June 2014 – He who empowers you to examine your own life and then wipe out your weaknesses is your preceptor.

July 2014 – Even though you have not conquered in battles the world, you become the world conqueror when you have conquered your mind

August 2014 – The fewer one’s passion, the greater are one’s freedom and enjoyment.

September 2014 – Any attempt of the mind to rise from low values of its present existence to a healthier and diviner scheme of life is yoga.

October 2014 – Do your job well. Live straight. Devotedly pray and serve. The reward shall come to you.

November 2014 – There is no vessel to ferry man across the ocean of samsara except jnanam (Self-knowledge).

December 2014 – Human life has been given to us unasked. We are blasting it and blaspheming it in a thousand ways.

Chintana – 2013

January 2013 – Silence heals; silence soothes; silence comforts; silence purifies; silence revitalizes us.

February 2013 – To derive a sense of lasting joy, give the mind a new direction. Change the direction of your thoughts; make them divine.

March 2013 – Ethics is something we have to cultivate in ourselves. Its expression in the world becomes morality.

April 2013 – Man can change his destiny not by wishing for it, but by working for it.

May 2013 – Temples are the gymnasiums for the mind.

June 2013 – Beating one’s own drum is worldly outlook. Beating oneself into shape is spiritual effort.

July 2013 – Prayer, in its truest sense, is an attempt to invoke the mightier potential that is already in us, through mental integration.

August 2013 – The brilliance of the divine Self radiating through each individual is directly proportionate to the degree of surrender at the higher altar within.

September 2013 – No true seeker has the right to be pessimistic; he should ever be consciously optimistic.

October 2013 – The secret vein of energy that runs in every one of us is struck, not through pills and elixirs, but through dedicated actions.

November 2013 – Silently hear everyone. Accept what is good. Reject and forget what is not. This is intelligent living.

December 2013 – Brood less; smile more. That is the way to live.

Chintana – 2012

January 2012 – Tomorrow, we will be what we are now, plus what and how we have faced life’s challenges today. This is the Law of Cosmic Justice.

February 2012 – Religion is to become not a mere practice, but a faithful and constant atmosphere around our head and heart.

March 2012 – An unruly mind fluttering with greeds and fancies, worries and fears cannot be expected to settle on sublime thoughts.

April 2012 – Our present work may be great or small. Yet the important thing is to do it well.

May 2012 – On the spiritual path, there may be lots of ups and downs, but never a fall.

June 2012 – In the grand scheme of time, plans will get executed as ordained, in the system of evolution. Individuals are mere tools.

July 2012 – For the man who relies on wealth, of what avail is God’s aid? For the devotee of God, of what use is the worldly wealth?

August 2012 – Effectiveness of Japa to a large extent depends upon the spirit of surrender with which the seeker is practising it.

September 2012 – Contentment in anything that reaches him accidentally, unasked and unexpected should be the motto of all serious seekers of inward growth.

October 2012 – The only private treasure we can really possess in this world is our own thoughts within. It is a sacred sanctum and none can invade it.

November 2012 – Watch in others for weaknesses which you should guard against in yourselves.

December 2012 – Every sunrise is a message from God and every sunset is His signature.

Chintana – 2011

January 2011 – We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.

February 2011 – The action of today becomes the destiny of tomorrow.

March 2011 – Beating one’s own drum is worldly outlook. Beating oneself into shape is spiritual effort.

April 2011 – Success is not in the trophy won but in the race run.

May 2011 – Your life will be blessed if you need nothing until you have it.

June 2011 – ‘Renounce the ego’ is the Lord’s only request; ‘I’ll make you a God’ is the promise.

July 2011 – In introspection, the mind itself is the subject of study.

August 2011 – To restrain the vagrant mind and channel its enormous potential towards a given goal constitutes yoga.

September 2011 – Those who know, do not say. Those who say, do not know. The wise are therefore silent. The clever speak, the stupid argue.

October 2011 – A man who wants to do something will find a way; a man who doesn’t, will find an excuse.

November 2011 – Let us develop a sense of gratitude to the Lord by focusing our attention on what we have.

December 2011 – When the transience of life is understood in all its depth and significance, material possessions are viewed merely as gifts granted for temporary enjoyment.

Chintana – 2010

January 2010 – The situation can hurt us only when the mind is weak.

February 2010 – The really poor man is not the one who lacks money, but who lacks the joy of the heart.

March 2010 – When Ram gives pain, Ram again gives us the power to suffer and provides people to look after us. Never worry.

April 2010 – “Desire to possess” when directed towards Narayana becomes the “burning spiritual anxiety of devotion for the Lord.”

May 2010 –The real men of achievement are the people who have the heroism to fuel more and more enthusiasm in their work when they face more and more difficulties.

June 2010 – “To dissipate our energies through the sense organs is the vulgar hobby of the thoughtless mortal.”

July 2010 – Thought by thought and action by action, we are sculpting our future.

August 2010 – He who believes that change is antecedent to rise will never give way to despair.

September 2010 – I leave all care with Him, seated in my heart, Whose love for me is endless and true.

October 2010 – Love creates and lust destroys peace in the heart of a man.

November 2010 – The impossible is achieved through the process of self-perfection called meditation.

December 2010 – The man who is not proud of his motherland and who is not true to his customary duties must be regarded as a base ungrateful fellow

Chintana – 2009

January 2009 –The day we rediscovered ourselves to be really something higher than our own ego, it is the beginning of a new era.

February 2009 – Lift yourself by yourself; nobody else can do it for you.

March 2009 – The attitude of egolessness is the secret of unveiling the nobler and the dynamic in us.

April 2009 – The suffering of each depends, not upon the factual happenings, but upon the texture of each one’s mind.

May 2009 – That which feels ‘I AM this I’ is neither mind nor matter. It is the eternal Self. The external things exist because of the imagination of this ‘I’.

June 2009 – None gets bound by one’s possessions; it is the mental slavery to our possessions which shackles us.

July 2009 – Character is formed from the repeated choice of thoughts and actions. Make the right choice; then we shall have noble character.

August 2009 – Without I go only to come down; Within I go only to rise above.

September 2009 – Nothing worth achieving can be achieved without self-effort.

October 2009 – A happier tomorrow is built when we live today a life divine.

November 2009 – Let your hands and legs function but let a part of your mind steadily hold on to the Divine Essence in you.

December 2009 – Service in this world is the greatest prayer. Loving the people around is real devotion.

Chintana – 2008

April 2008 – To weep is folly and to smile is wisdom. Keep Smiling.

May 2008 –To dissipate ourselves in immoral and criminal thoughts is more harmful than physically indulging in them. The mind has a tendency to repeat its own thoughts.

June 2008 – Faith and total devotion to the Guru are necessary in order to ease the student’s path and level down the slopes en route.

July 2008 –The right way of living is only living without hatred.

August 2008 – The only private treasure we can possess in this world is our own thoughts within. It is a sacred sanctum and none can invade it.

September 2008 – In life, it has always been observed that to solve a problem is to rise above it.

October 2008 – When I rest, I rust.

November 2008 – Which else shall beautify a home but the flame of a lovely lamp? Which else shall adore the mind but the light of wisdom deep?

December 2008 – The more we identify with the little “i” in us, the more will be our confusions in life. By expanding it to identify with a larger cause, we shall find our confusions dwindling into nothingness.