Pearls of Wise

The root of our actions starts with waking up of our mind. Just imagine if the mind does not wake up - what action can we imagine? Only when the mind wakes up and connects with the sense organs , then the world - from there on all the actions have started. So while doing any action we have a choice . We can do it with a relaxed mind or do the same with a disturbed mind . The quality of our action always decides our attitude. If we understand this , Life is full of happiness and Self satisfaction. Swami Udit Chaithanya Bhabavatham Village - Chalakudi- Kerala

Hari om. Navaratri comes in Shukla-paksha (bright fortnight), when the glow of moon goes on increasing night by night! Along with that the positive energies and the womanhood in man, society and the world also grows through nine steps!! Today on the 4th day mother is worshipped as Kooshmanda - one who is carrying the entire world in her womb as an egg. She is a pregnant lady today!! Third step/form of devotion is Smaranam - the constant remembrance of God. We effortlessly remember our beloved in & through all our activities. The only way to remember God always is to make Him our beloved. God loves all. The moment we start loving Him, our life will totally transform!! Swami Chinmayananda Chinmaya Mission Ernakulam KERALA

If you want to get a microscope lens, you will have to grind, grind and grind. If you want to realise that Infinite Brahmam, you will have to practise, practise and practise; you will have to free yourself from pettiness. You must develop serenity, regularity, and all such virtues. You must be able to adapt, adjust and accommodate. After passing the examination, you will join some service. If you are not able to adapt yourself with the staff there, there will be constant friction and you will be thrown out of employment. When there is no adaptability between the husband and wife, there is always quarrel. Swami Sivananda Swami Sivananda Ashram - Divine Life Society - Rishikesh

The State we call Realization is simply being oneself, not knowing anything or becoming anything. If one has realized, he is That which alone is, and which alone has always been. He cannot describe that state. He can only be That. Gems from Bhagavan, VIII Sri Ramana Ashram

There is much confusion surrounding the aim and realisations that are the focus of the yogic path of Knowledge, due to the dichotomy set up by the mind between Spirit and the world of manifestation. This has led to an attempt to realise the Divine by abandoning and severing connection with the world of Nature. Sri Aurobindo clears up this confusion, by clarifying the relation of the seeker of the integral Yoga to God and Nature: “…we have rejected the trenchant solutions which cut the knot of the riddle of the universe; we recognize it neither as a fiction of material appearance created by Force, nor as an unreality set up by the Mind, nor as a bundle of sensations, ideas and results of idea and sensation with a great Void or a great blissful Zero behind it to strive towards as our true truth of eternal non-existence. We accept the Self as a reality and the universe as a reality of the Self, a reality of its consciousness and not of mere material force and formation, but non...

The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong. All knowledge that the world has ever received comes from the mind;  the infinite library of the universe is in our own mind. We want that education by which character is formed,  strength of mind is increased,  the intellect is expanded,  and by which one can stand on one's own feet. Even when you sleep,  keep the sword of discrimination at the head of your bed,  so that covetousness cannot approach you even in dream. Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda Rock Kanyakumari Tamil Nadu

The railway engine easily drags with it a train of heavily loaded carriages. So the loving children of God, firm in their faith and devotion, feel no trouble in passing through life in spite of all troubles and anxieties, and at the same time they lead many to God along with them. Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Ramakrishna Math-Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

1. When we do something that has no purpose , we step out of the rational mind. 2. When we accept this as an act - Life becomes lighter. 3. If we are stuck with only rational acts , life becomes a burden. 4. Playing a game without a thought of winning or loosing is so much more enjoyable. 5. Performing an act without a purpose attached to it is Freedom. Swami Udit Chaithanya

1. Women must be put in a position to solve their own problems in their own way. 2. No one can or ought to do this for them. 3. And our Indian women are as capable of doing it as any in the world. Swami Vivekananda

Hari om. Navaratri is a very ancient festival! Even Shri Ramachandra and Pandavas prayed to Mother before their fight! Today on the 3rd day, Devi is worshipped as Chandraghanta - one who has Ardhachandra (crescent moon) on the head! She is becoming the consort of Shri Shiva today and hence she is in the bridal Since now she will be His sahadharmacharini, she gets the Ardhachandra from Lord Mahadev!! Second step/form of devotion is Kirtanam - singing the glories of the Lord. After listening to his glories, a true devotee can't resist from sharing them with others. He may sing bhajans in praise of the Lord or may talk about the beautiful leela-s of the Lord. Imp thing that we have to remember during Kirtanam is, our ego should not arise! We should do it as a Sadhana!!! Swami Chinmayananda

1. "There is only one Caste— The Caste of HUMANITY. 2. There is only one Religion— The Religion of LOVE. 3. There is only one Commandment— The Commandment of TRUTHFULNESS. 4. There is only one Law— The Law of CAUSE and EFFECT. 5. There is only one God— The Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient Lord. 6. There is only one Language— The Language of HEART or the Language of SILENCE." ~ Swami Sivananda

‘A’ was once badly distracted by sexual thoughts.How to drive them away He fought against them. He fasted three days and prayed to God so that he might be free from such thoughts. Finally, he decided to ask Sri Bhagavan about it. Sri Bhagavan listened to him and remained silent for about two minutes. Then He said  : - Well, the thoughts distracted you and you fought against them. That is good. Why do you continue to think of them now? Whenever such thoughts arise, consider to whom they arise and they will flee away from you. ('Talks of Sri Ramana Maharishi': 545)

When we consider the meaning of the term “renunciation” as it is current in the world, and more particularly in the traditional spiritual paths, it takes on a sense of self-denial, avoidance and limitation. Over time, this has become virtually an “absolute” in terms of the position the seeker should take in order to achieve true and complete spiritual realization. “The refusal of the ascetic” is the standard by which spiritual dedication has been measured. In some cases we find that renunciation has gone beyond simple rejection into forms of self-mortification–self-torture of the body in order to “cleanse the soul”. Sri Aurobindo observes that due to the attachment of the human soul to the objects of the senses and the pleasures obtained from the fulfilment of desire, there is a necessity for this type of external renunciation at a certain stage of the seeker’s progress, and that there are real benefits derived from it. Yet, the external renunciation is not something to be so...

Once Lakshmi and Narayana were seated in Vaikuntha, when Narayana suddenly stood up. . Lakshmi had been stroking His feet. She said, 'Lord, where are You going?' Narayana answered: 'One of My devotees is in great danger. I must save him.' With these words He went out. But He came back immediately. Lakshmi said, 'Lord, why have You returned so soon?' Narayana smiled and said  : - 'The devotee was going along the road overwhelmed with love for Me. Some washermen were drying clothes on the grass, and the devotee walked over the clothes. At this the washermen chased him and were going to beat him with their sticks. So I ran out to protect him.' 'But why have You come back?' asked Lakshmi. Narayana laughed and said  : - 'I saw the devotee himself picking up a brick to throw at them. (All laugh.) So I came back. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna,

Devotee : "Is the world unreal?" Sri Ramakrishna : Why should it be unreal? What you are asking is a matter for philosophical discussion. In the beginning, when a man reasons following the Vedantic method of 'Not this, not this', he realizes that Brahman is not the living beings, not the universe, not the twenty-four cosmic principles. All these things become like dreams to him. Then comes the affirmation of what has been denied, and he feels that God Himself has become the universe and all living beings. Suppose you are climbing to the roof by the stairs. As long as you are aware of the roof, you are also aware of the stairs. He who is aware of the high is also aware of the low. But after reaching the roof you realize that the stairs are made of the same materials-brick, lime, and brick-dust-as the roof. Further, I have given the illustration of the bel-fruit. Both changeability and unchangeability belong to one and the same Reality. The ego cannot ...

"I am the thread that runs through all these pearls," and each pearl is a religion or even a sect thereof. Such are the different pearls, and God is the thread that runs through all of them; most people, however, are entirely unconscious of it. Swami Vivekananda ( Lord Krishna's words "Srimad Bhagavad-Gita )

It is a central characteristic of the mental consciousness that it tends to analyze, divide and fragment into parts. This is due to the need for a practical application in the life of the world, and the exclusive concentration thus made possible allows understanding and progress. At the same time, the knowledge so generated is always partial and limited. This characteristic has been applied in the traditional Yoga of knowledge whereby different aspects of consciousness are viewed separately and essentially independently of one another. The distinctions served a practical purpose to also advise the seeker in that path that these were all limited applications and that the real and true knowledge came about through abandoning these lesser forms and focusing on the One, Absolute, that exists beyond all these names, forms and circumstances and does not have any interaction with them. To be sure, the traditional Yoga of knowledge acknowledged the ultimate unity. Sri Aurobindo explains...

Devotee .: What is the relation between mind and object? Is the mind contacting something different from it, viz., the world? Sri Ramana Maharishi .: The world is ‘sensed’ in the waking and the dream states or is the object of perception and thought, both being mental activities. If there were no such activities as waking and dreaming thought, there would be no ‘perception’ or inference of a ‘world’. In sleep there is no such activity and ‘objects and world’ do not exist for us in sleep. Hence ‘reality of the world’ may be created by the ego by its act of emergence from sleep; and that reality may be swallowed up or disappear by the soul resuming its nature in sleep. The emergence and disappearance of the world are like the spider producing a gossamer web and then withdrawing it. The spider here underlies all the three states - waking, dreaming, and sleep; such a spider in the person is called Atman (Self), whereas the same with reference to the world (which is con...

“All life is one. The world is one home. All are members of one human family. Cultivate cosmic love. Learn to live as members of a single family. Champion the ideal of one humanity. The whole world is one family of God. Feel this. Realise this. Live in peace in one world. Be happy.” ~ Swami Sivananda

Hari om. Nava means nine or new and ratri means night or that which protects (raati iti ratri)! So Navaratri indicates nine days of protection! Since the main Puja is night Puja, it is called ratri!! Today on 2nd day Devi is worshipped as Brahmacharini - Brahmani charati iti - one who is dedicated to the path shown by Veda - Vedaswarupini! First of the Navadha Bhakti is - Shravanam - Listening to the glories of the Lord with Love & faith! We like to listen to stories of our beloved! Also, our Love increases by listening more about our beloved!! In Devotion our beloved is the Lord & hence listening to His glories is the first step!!! Swami Chinmayananda

Your attraction or craving can exist only as long as you think someone is ' other ' . When you think they are a part of you or your Self, then the attraction dies out. Swami Udit Chaithanya

MASTER :-  Why should it be unreal? What you are asking is a matter for philosophical discussion. In the beginning, when a man reasons following the Vedantic method of 'Not this, not this', he realizes that Brahman is not the living beings, not the universe, not the twenty-four cosmic principles. All these things become like dreams to him. Then comes the affirmation of what has been denied, and he feels that God Himself has become the universe and all living beings. Suppose you are climbing to the roof by the stairs. As long as you are aware of the roof, you are also aware of the stairs. He who is aware of the high is also aware of the low. But after reaching the roof you realize that the stairs are made of the same materials-brick, lime, and brick-dust-as the roof. Further, I have given the illustration of the bel-fruit. Both changeability and unchangeability belong to one and the same Reality. The ego cannot be done away with. As long as 'I-consciousness...

Above all, beware of compromises. I do not mean that you are to get into antagonism with anybody, but you have to hold on to your own principles in weal or woe and never adjust them to others “fads” thought the greed of getting supporters. Swami Vivekananda Haridwar

The integral Yoga does not accept the traditional form of outer renunciation as the true basis of spiritual realization. For the integral Yoga, which seeks to transform life rather than abandon it, the renunciation asked for is more subtle: an inner, rather than an outer, renunciation. Sri Aurobindo observes that normal action is driven by egoism. Arjuna, the protagonist of the battle of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata, was driven by rajasic egoism when he appeared on the battlefield.  His realization of the sin and harm to the social structure that would result from the battle led him to respond with the tamasic ego and express the will to quit the fight and renounce the kingdom, the fame and wealth, and even his life is necessary. Sri Aurobindo notes that in a purely traditional sense, this renunciation would be seen as noble and would have been accepted, bringing another great soul to the recognition of the illusion of the world and its fruits, and focusing that soul on its...

A question was asked about the Upanishadic passage, : “The Supreme Spirit is subtler than the subtlest and larger than the largest.” *Maharishi .: *Even the structure of the atom has been found by the mind. Therefore the mind is subtler than the atom. That which is behind the mind, namely the individual soul,  is subtler than the mind. Further, the Tamil saint Manickavachagar has said of the specks dancing in a beam of sunlight, that if each represents a universe, the whole sunlight will represent the Supreme Being. source: Talk 15 Sri Ramana Maharishi Haridwar