Miracles : Are you a Witness or a Doer

Being on the path, when miracles touch our everyday lives, it is easy to fall into the trap that something special is happening to me, around me... What does one with awareness realize then.. Is there any pitfall around the whole happening?

When miracles happen to you : Are you the Doer or the Witness :)

Is the goal a Siddhi or something more... 

Stories are perhaps a great way to bring about the essence of a teaching in a somewhat light, sometimes serious, sometimes humorous undertone.. :) 

Sharing a Zen story by Osho.  

"When powers start happening in your spiritual growth, the greatest courage is needed not to show them.

It is said of a disciple of Rinzai, a Zen Master, that some other religious Master’s disciple was talking to him and the other Master’s disciple said,

‘Our Master is a man of miracles. He can do anything he wants. I have seen many miracles he has been doing, I have witnessed them myself.
What is the great thing about your Master? What miracles can he do?’
And the disciple of Rinzai said, ‘The greatest miracle that my Master can do is not to do miracles.’

Meditate on it. ‘The greatest miracle my Master can do is not to do miracles.’ When miraculous powers start happening, only the weaklings will do them. The stronger one will not do them — because he knows that now this is another trap. Again the world is trying to pull him back.

This is the last trap. If you can avoid psychic energies, silently, witnessing, if you can pass them by without being entangled by them, without being imprisoned by them, only then do you arrive home. It is a great ensnarement."

Each Experience Completes

Life and its Experiences... We label experiences as Good or Bad.. Nevertheless they are just Karmic events unfolding themselves with someone as the Nimitta. The Essence is to take the Lesson perhaps and Move On... 

Even the slightest awareness about what happens around us gives us a glimpse of this reality... The most beautiful or the seemingly worst experiences in life lead us to a state of nothingness... A Vaccum !! 

As Gurudev has put so beautifully :  

"Each experience completes. Completion means leading to void or nothing. In the progression of life, you will leave behind every experience saying, "This is nothing." Anything that is completed loses its importance. That is to say it leads you to void - this is nothing. 

A sign of intelligence is how soon you arrive at this understanding. Examine everything in life and say "This is nothing" and what remains after all that, is Love, and that is everything. When "This is nothing" does not come out of knowledge, it comes out of misery.

 Either through knowledge or through misery, you come to the point of "This is nothing, this is nothing". The choice is yours. If you got this, it is really NOTHING, If you didn't get this, never mind - this is nothing. (laughter)

 -Sri Sri

Want Blessings?

I remember : I was new to Art of Living and had gone to the Ashram.. perhaps the second visit..
And by chance (we all know there are no chances) caught myself face to face with Gurudev on VishalakshiMantap steps with almost noone around....

Completely zapped : The only words that stumbled frm my lips were "Guruji Blessings"
Gurudev replied.. "Blessings Blessings..."

An instant regret of having opened my mouth followed... Coz it seemed meaningless..  :) I have never asked him for Blessings after that... We all know they just flow...

Sharing a Talk by Sri Sri on Blessings..


"Everybody asks for blessings. Usually people say, “Guruji, please give me blessings”. Even if someone doesn’t want anything, they need blessings! Whichever Guru you go to, the only words which come out are, “Give me blessings”. And these are mere words tumbling out of your mouth. But how do we obtain blessings? We have not learnt this.

There is no dearth of blessings. You get more blessings than necessary. There is sunlight, a burning blaze of bright light all 12 hours of the day, but your doors and windows are tightly shut. Then,how is it possible for light to enter? If the sun’s light has to reach you, you cannot sit in a dark room and keep chanting on a microphone, “I want sunlight, I want sunlight!” This will not bring the sunlight in. You have to open the doors and windows, so that light may enter on its own.

When you ask for blessings, you should have an honest and clean mind. When you have a truthful mind, that mind becomes capable of receiving and absorbing blessings. When does the mind become truthful? When there is nothing to hide, no dirt in the mind and the mind is open. Blessings should only be asked with an open mind.

If somebody asks, “How are you?”, you answer saying “I am fine”. You,in reality, will not be fine at that point in time. In spite of that, you say, “I am fine, doing very well and on top of the world” and you are boiling inside! When you communicate without hiding anything inside you, with an open and innocent mind, only from this level will you acquire the capability of receiving blessings.

Now, why are we not honest in this way? That is because we are not communicating with ourselves. We are not living with the real truth in us. We are under the illusion that we may get something in this world of objects. The most common comment that people make often is that politicians are not honest. Why are not many politicians honest? That is because their mind is only outward bound. They are always calculating and keeping watch of how much and what they can loot. If they want to loot people then it is not possible to be honest. Why? This is because they are dependent on somebody else. 

If you have to depend on somebody, then depend only on the divine power. The powerful God is the strength of the powerless.

It is not that we always obtain whatever we wish. Many a times, our desires will not be fulfilled. There are many times when we regret our desires and wonder why we ever wished for them. Isn’t it? You desire something and then you regret as to why you desired it. We live under the illusion that we will live happily when we obtain all objects of our desire. You should keep observing your desires. Only then you will know whether you will really derive happiness from your desire or if
you will land in more trouble because of the desires.

It is said that, “Daivadheenam Jagat Sarvam, Mantradheenam tu
daivatam” which means that the whole creation is under the control of Gods and the Gods are under the spell of mantras. All that you are seeing in this gross world is just a reflection arising from the subtle world. The one who works in the subtle world is known as Devatha or God. Surrender to the Gods in the subtle plane. This is known as “Ishwara Pranidhaana”. God does not mean that you simply visit a temple and break the coconut and come back after offering a prayer.

There is one honest corner in our consciousness. Just go and sit there. The moment you sit in that silent, honest corner of your consciousness, that very moment, you are tapping divine energy. “All the forms in the world reside in my consciousness,” this experience will gradually begin to happen to you. You will realise that you are not only the body. You are that consciousness which is very vast and spread everywhere, on all sides. It is necessary to realise that you are not just the body. “

Who am I? This body is only a small window, that is all. I am really the Sun. When the Sun enters the window, does the window itself become the Sun? No. Sun only enters through the window. Moonlight is entering in, but the Moon is very far away. In the same way, I am far away from the body. In spite of being far away, I am still in the body”. This feeling should arise in you again and again. For that you need honesty. This requires practice.

Then, even if you don’t need, blessings will always be showered on you!"

- Sri Sri 

Salad Bar - Corn Crunch in the Munch !!

I love corn and this is a simple salad recipe I have made very often and usually when we have guests over. Simple, Filling, Tasty and Crunchy. 

 

Corn and Veggie Salad

 

Ingredients

2 cups boiled sweet corn kernels (makai ke dane)

1/4 cup chopped capsicum

1/4 cup chopped  onions/spring onions

1/4 cup chopped beetroot

1/2 cup tomato cubes

To Be Mixed Into A Dressing

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

Method 

·         Combine the sweet corn, onions, capsicum, beetroot and tomatoes in a deep bowl and mix well.

·         Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well and refrigerate for at least an hour.

·         Serve chilled.

Looking forward to sharing some more of my experiments with food and would like to hear from you all on simple and different Salad/Soup and other healthy recipes !! Do Share in Comments ..

Sri Sri on the Bhagavad Gita

Terrorists are cowards. Whenever terror has struck in any part of the world, we have heard people say it is an act of cowardice. A coward runs away from action but harbours all negative feelings and does it surreptitiously.
This is exactly what happened to Arjuna. Arjuna was angry, upset, sad and wanted to run away. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said not to be a coward. So, it is an antidote to terrorism. Lord Krishna said bravery is the way - face the war when it is inevitable and do your duty.
A terrorist is stuck in his identity - he hides it, has no rationale and inflicts pain. Whereas Bhagavad Gita helps one to transcend one’s identity, encourages reason and infuses wisdom. In this sense, it could be called the antidote to terrorism.

The duty of a policeman, a soldier or a king is to be impartial for the sake of the nation, whether it is their mentors or relatives. Terrorists are never impartial.
A soldier is brave and a terrorist is a coward. A soldier is protecting and preventing violence and a terrorist is inflicting pain and suffering. The Bhagavad Gita is the scripture of bravery in both realms of physical and metaphysical.

Terrorism is deeply steeped in hatred. An act without hatred is what Bhagavad Gita propounds. The Bhagavad Gita epitomizes the correct action - of righteousness, of upliftment of spirit and an action or duty that ought to be performed even in the most compelling situation.
In the last 5149 years of the existence of the Bhagavad Gita, there is no evidence of someone becoming a terrorist after reading it. In fact, Mahatma Gandhi wrote commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita and it was an inspiration for his non-violent movement. The Bhagavad Gita is a unique scripture which caters to the entire range of human evolution, comprising every level of this vast existence.

Bhagavad Gita stands for poise and equanimity and for performing one’s designated duty. Lord Krishna does not encourage everyone to take the weapons and fight but a soldier cannot sell bananas in the market. He has to take his weapon to bring security to his people.
If Bhagavad Gita is a terrorist scripture then all military academies in the world are nothing but terrorist organizations. Doesn’t this sound strange? Would the courts ban Lenin, Marx and Mao Tso-Tung, who to stay in power inflicted terror on millions?
A terrorist or a coward hides and inflicts pain on others whereas a soldier sacrifices his own life to bring security and peace to people. They both may take the gun but their intentions are poles apart.
Bhagavad Gita encourages reasoning and dialogue while terrorists are blind to any reasoning and are closed to any form of dialogue.
Interestingly, in any military training all over the world, the soldiers are asked to see the enemies as dangerous objects which need to be eliminated. The psychology behind indoctrination of such an idea is that when they think the enemy is a human being the soldiers are unable to raise their arms. There are many such survival tactics where the army men are desensitized.
A similar situation happened to Arjuna.
Lord Krishna went step by step to deal with Arjuna’s emotions, ego, mindsets and concepts. He finally touched on the nature of his spiritual being; revealing him the highest knowledge and making him realize his eternal nature. This brought him enormous strength and then propelled him to perform his worldly duties. A doctor cannot be taken as a dacoit just because he opens up the stomach of the patient.
Lord Krishna says, ‘no sin begets him whose intellect is unattached and free from cravings and aversions, even if he kills the whole world.’
Now, the condition of an intellect free from cravings and aversions itself counters terrorism. Terrorism is done when the intellect is deeply attached and is hateful. The metaphors and the high standards of humanism exhibited in the Bhagavad Gita are unparalleled.
Jesus had said, ‘I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.’
In the Quran, there are many verses which talk about striking terror in the hearts of the infidels and cutting off their fingers. By these standards if you still call Bhagavad Gita a terrorist scripture then you have to precede such statements by Bible and Quran.
The fact is that it is not the scriptures that inflict terrorism; it is the mis-interpretation of an ignorant and stressed mind which justifies their actions quoting scriptures.

This article is to cater to the common man. This piece was written in December 2011, in the midst of a Russian court case against the Bhagavad Gita. The case ended with the Russian court rejecting the ban.

Source
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-bhagavad-gita_b_1178149.html

Just Relax....

#‎GitaJayanti‬
 
Just believe in God, know that He is there and He will take care of everything for you. He will protect you at all times. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says:

Ananyas chintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate |
Tesham nityabhiyuktanam yoga-kshemam vahamy-aham || (9.22)

Lord Krishna says that once you are surrendered to God, once you take His refuge, then He takes on the responsibility to provide you with all that you need, and also protect that which you already have.
This is why Lord Krishna says:‘Yogakshemam Vahamyaham’. Here Yog- means to give you what you have yet to receive and kshema- means to take care of and protect what you have already received. Both are His responsibility. Lord Krishna says this very clearly.

So just know this and relax.

- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Stop That ....!!!

15 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

I was recently inspired to put together a list of tendencies that I have found in both the observation of myself and those around me. These tendencies, in my opinion, can make life a lot more complicated and difficult to go through than it needs to be. Read through the list, see how many apply to you and feel free to add any others that you may want to share through the comment section of the article.

1. Stop Running From Your Problems - You cannot run from something forever, and believe it or not the longer you run from something the more difficult it becomes to face. Challenges arise for a reason, and as difficult as many of them can be to both face and overcome they always give you the opportunity to become a stronger and more capable version of yourself. There are also fewer things more liberating than the feeling of finally facing something that you had put off or had been afraid of for so long.

2. Stop Lying To Yourself & Others – Lying is in my opinion the most naturally cumulative process. What starts as a simple and small lie (possibly even with the intention of not hurting someone) quickly spirals into an entirely false reality where the biggest factor preventing you from sharing the truth is the unwanted reputation of being known as a liar. We lie to one another, but even more so we lie to ourselves most often to protect our oh so fragile ego. We might even be inclined to lie to ourselves when reading this list, not wanting to admit how many of these tendencies we actually do. Remember that in the end the past has helped to make you who you are but does not define you, you therefore always have the ability to make the transition to full honesty & you will probably be pleasantly surprised by how much lighter an honest existence can be.

3. Stop Letting The Fear Of Making A Mistake Stop You From Doing Something – Mistakes certainly can be a frustrating experience but never are they worth holding yourself back from doing something you feel pulled to do. We all know we learn from our mistakes but we need to also remember that we learn even more from stepping outside of our comfort zone and doing something different or new.


4. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others – Whether it’s an iconic figure or even a friend or co-worker many of us have a natural tendency to compare ourselves or our circumstance to that of another. Think of how many times you may have said, either vocally or under your breath, “must be nice” when looking at a facet of another person’s life. Just as the famous saying goes: the grass will always seem greener on the other side. Whether or not the grass actually is greener has no true bearing on the only grass we should be focused on, the one right below our feet. The moment we stop comparing and instead focus on our own experience the more likely we are to both find peace in things being the way that they are and motivation to change them should we feel pulled to.

5. Stop Living For Something In The Future – Whether it’s something as temporary as an upcoming vacation or as permanent as retirement, living for something in the future is great for one key thing: preventing us from living right now. One thing is for certain, in this life we are never going to be any younger than we are right now, so what time is better than right now? I’m not suggesting that we stop making all future plans, since they certainly can be useful, but that we instead focus on the present and allow the future to be what it will when the time for it comes.

6. Stop Trying To Get People To Feel Sorry For You – Nobody likes a negative Nancy or a pessimistic Peter, yet so many of us regularly make a habit of sharing nothing but the unpleasant or unfavorable. As nice as it can feel at one level to receive sympathy from another person we all know it does absolutely nothing to change the situation that we are complaining about. In fact it actually makes it a bigger part of your reality since now you aren’t the only one to identify with it. Accept whatever it is that seems to be plaguing you and choose to move on from it rather than bask in the stories or emotions that could be made from it.

7. Stop Trying To Re-live/ Make Up For Your Past – As I previously mentioned your past does not define you, and that applies whether you look upon it favorably or as something you wish you could forget. As fun or torturous as reminiscing can be at times in the end nothing truly matters outside of this moment. Rather than preoccupy yourself with a comparison to another point in time why not try giving all of your energy and attention to the one that is right in front of you.

8. Stop Putting Things Off For The Eternal Tomorrow – This one could alternatively be called ‘stop being lazy,’ and it more than likely is the one that plagues the largest percentage of us that read this. Laziness is a lethal pandemic that has been stood up to before, but still manages to hold its ground a lot more often than we all probably would like. Remembering that there is no time like the present, opt to show laziness who  is boss a little more often and you might be surprised at how contagious present action can be. You will undoubtedly be more productive and might just find yourself motivated to do a lot more than you ever thought imaginable.

9. Stop Blaming Things Outside Of You - Even though we all do genuinely find ourselves as the ‘victim’ to a person or circumstance on occasion, we usually inaccurately point the blame elsewhere far more often. As much as this can be an effective tool in dodging difficulty with another person it never works in dodging difficulty within yourself. You will always know the true cause behind even the grandest lie and not living up to it will never be the easier path to travel. Own up for what you have caused or what is really holding you back and you might just find yourself a lot more in control of your own reality and even comfortable in your own shoes.

10. Stop Letting The Past Define How You Think Of Others – Your friend may have unnecessarily called you a jackass three years ago but that doesn’t mean that you need to see them as a jackass today. You should always use your own guidance to determine whether or not you want to surround yourself with certain people but you shouldn’t let the past taint that guidance. As difficult or as emotionally charged as a lot of it may be, the past is simply baggage that should have no bearing on the present moment. Think of how much you have changed and grown throughout your life, be open to the same level of change existing in another rather than automatically clouding your perspective of them.

11. Stop Setting Expectations For Things Before They Happen – Let’s face it, the imagination loves to wander, and in most cases it wanders to create expectations far grander than even humanly possible. As fun as getting lost in la-la land can be at times it also manages to do a pretty good job of making the present reality seem a lot worse than it actually is. I’ve heard countless people tell me how the best things in life have always seemed to happen when they least expected it, so what better way to help create that then to simply stop expecting. Be in the moment  and things will always seem that much more exciting, mostly because they don’t have so much craziness to try and live up to.

12. Stop Looking For Someone Perfect – Not only is our idea of perfect most likely heavily shaped by entertainment and popular media but it is also ever changing and therefore pretty well impossible to ever be met. Rather than focusing on your search for that perfect someone to complete you, focus on what you need to do to feel complete within yourself. We are all capable of being and feeling complete love on our own, relationships are simply the extension of that love with another person. The shedding of the need for “perfection” will also make you a lot more open to connecting and sharing experiences with anyone that comes into your life, remembering that love can often be found in the oddest places.

13. Stop Trying To Be Someone That You Are Not - Whether it’s the impact of popular opinion once again or simply the preference of someone you are trying to impress, we are never doing ourselves a favor when we try to become someone else. Even if the charade manages to work in getting you what you were going for, it only does so for a false version of yourself. Focusing on understanding and fully owning with comfort who you truly are will take you a lot further in life than anything artificially created.

14. Stop Beating Yourself Up – As insulting as another person can be, there is nothing capable of being more vicious to ourselves than ourselves. Whether you let your high school crush get away, you dropped the game winning touchdown or anything else along those same lines, nothing from the past has to have any bearing on the present. Choosing to create this moment anew rather than weigh it down by things that are completely irrelevant to everything but your mind can be a really freeing process.

15. Stop Just Reading & Start Doing – As amazing as books, quotes and even articles such as this one can be to help remind us of what we already know it’s time that we all regularly put these things into action. Allow these resources to become a starting point rather than a regularly needed reminder.

by Mark DeNicola
Source: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/10/16/15-things-we-need-to-stop-doing/

On the Path... So Fortunate

My students come home to study Japanese..One of them has stress dripping from his face.. Everytime I see him, I tell him to take up the course and do Kriya.. He says there is no time..Handling work, travelling, family responsibilities.. there is no time to release the pressure cooker steam from oneself...

Just in wonder to see how fortunate we are to be able to Be on the Path...in the midst of responsibilities.. So many of our AOL teachers juggle, seva, sadhna with career and family responsibilities.. Hats off...!!
and yet for some it is so very very easy to take more seva responsibilities as family challenges are less...

Just a thought that has been on my mind for long now..Some people have it easy.. some a little tough.. Yet lets be grateful we have Master's presence..and so much Grace to pull us through whatever life brings us through..
To know we are so well taken Care of..
...
Jai Gurudev

We Are Really Fortunate :)

A Beautiful article by Sri Swami Satchidananda

"The scriptures say that it is very, very difficult to get a human birth. We see millions of various species of life, but to be born as a human being is very rare. It is still more difficult to have a sane mind in a sound body. We must understand that well. It's not just an accident that we are in this beautiful, human frame. Certainly we have done millions and millions of meritorious deeds to qualify ourselves for this. A human birth is the only birth in which we can get liberated from the ocean of samsara or the constant ups and downs of life. This is our chance. This is the earning and learning place. That is why a human birth is a rare, rare privilege given to us. But that is only one of the three greatest blessings.

Even though you may have these things, the scriptures say to have a thirst to know the truth is even more rare. We see millions of people with a sound body and sane mind who have a thirst to accumulate a little money, name, fame. Name comes and goes. Money comes and goes. Even beauty comes and goes. A few wrinkles make us look old. So what is permanent? Only those things that are permanent are truth. The quest for the permanent, for the truth, is very rare.

Even if you have a human birth and the thirst to know the truth, there is something that is still more rare. To have someone to tell you where the truth is. A spiritual guide. There are many teachers who can help you to earn a little money, who can help you to beautify yourself or to get a little knowledge, but the ultimate truth is to be shown only by someone who has experienced the truth with the help of another person who got the truth. This truth passes from person to person. Spiritual teachers are very rare; and if you are lucky enough to find one you should realize how fortunate you are. That's how I felt when I met my Master. We are really fortunate to have such guidance and to remember his teachings and his greatness, how he shed light to millions of people without even leaving the Himalayas."

It Is Better To Learn Soon ..

"Even if you achieve the whole world by your selfishness, you are not going to be happy. You cannot be. Selfishness can never make you happy. Sometimes you may get what you want, but your own selfishness will spoil it. In a way, that is what we learn from all these disappointments in life. Every time you approach a thing or a person or an action with a selfish motive, it literally hits you on the head. Unfortunately many people don't learn from a single hit or even a hundred hits. On the other hand, sensible people will learn the lesson just by seeing others getting hit.

Don't ever think that you will escape. You are going to learn the lesson. Until you learn the lesson this will happen again and again and again. Mother Nature is there with a big stick to whack you, "Come on, learn this, learn this." Finally you will say, "Ohh, I am learning, I am learning."

You should remember it is Mother Nature's hand behind all these disappointments. So it is better to learn soon - the sooner, the better - so that you can enjoy the rest of your life with all joy and peace."

Swami Satchidananda


My Take on it ...



Reading this piece ... I realized how sometimes when mother nature is whacking us... we find ourselves saying.. I am accepting.. this time will pass away... etc etc without learning the lesson.. and so often find the same issue comes back to  bother us again n again...


Reason being maybe we have just tried to shove the real issue under the carpet not having learnt what the situation is teaching us...

There could be problems with the boss and at work or relationships or money...And we look for the reason in stars... Sade Sati (Rings a bell!!) :)

Shani Rahu Ketu.....all are here to whack us to learn the lessons... to realize that life has a meaning.. that every disappointment has a meaning... How soon we discover it... :) is upto us...

 

Dreams of Mother Trishala and birth of Mahavira

Tirthankar Mahavir’s soul was an angel in the tenth heaven before being born as Prince Vardhaman. At midnight on the sixth day of the bright half of Ashadh, his Ayushya Karma ended, and so did his life as an angel. His soul came to earth and was conceived in the womb of a Brahmin lady named Devananda. That night, Devananda had 14 unusual and great dreams. She woke up and told her husband about the dreams. He told her that their son would be a great one and gifted with many virtues. After 82 days, on the thirteenth day of the month of Aaso, Saudharma Indra, the King of Angels was in his court. His throne started shaking, so he used his Avadhijnan, a special mental power through which one can see distant things, to see what was going on. He learned that Lord Mahavir’s soul was conceived in Devananda’s womb. For a moment, he was puzzled, but then he realized that this was the result of Lord Mahavir’s gotra karmas from his previous life. He said to himself, "No, Tirthankar Bhagwan is never born in a low status family. This should not happen to Mahavir. I will move his soul to a high status family." Saudharma summoned Angel Hari-naigamesin to his court and commanded him to transplant the fetus from the womb of Devananda to the womb of Queen Trishala, the wife of King Siddharth, and to put Queen Trishala’s fetus in Devananda’s womb.

Angel Hari-naigamesin left the court of King Saudharma Indra to go to Devananda’s home. With his divine speed, he soon arrived at the bed side of Devananda and paid his reverence to the soul of Lord Mahavir. With his divine power, he put Devananda into a deep sleep, removed the fetus and then left to go to Queen Trishala’s palace.

Again with his divine speed, he reached Queen Trishala’s palace within a very short time. He used his divine power to put Queen Trishala into a deep sleep and then he performed the exchange of the fetuses. Once again, he paid reverence to Lord Mahavir’s soul. Then he left with the fetus of Queen Trishala and went to Devananda’s home to replace the fetus in her womb. (Digambars do not believe in the fetus transfer part.) That night, Queen Trishala had those fourteen great dreams. The dreams filled her with wonder and joy. She woke up her husband, King Sidharth and told him what she saw in the fourteen dreams. He told her that those dreams seemed very auspicious. The next day, King Siddharth summoned the scholars to his court and asked them about the meaning of these dreams.

(Digambar sect does not believe prince Vardhaman being conceived by Devananda.)

The first dream Queen Trishala had was of an Elephant. It was a big, tall, and an impetuous with four tusks. It was an auspicious elephant, and was endowed with all the desirable marks of excellence.

This dream indicated that she would give birth to a child with exceptionally high character. The four tusks signified that he would guide the spiritual chariot with its four components: monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.

The second dream Queen Trishala had was of a Bull. The bull was noble, grand, and had a majestic hump. It had the fine, bright, and soft hairs on its body. Its horns were superb and sharply-pointed.

This dream indicated that her son would be highly religious and a great spiritual teacher. He would help cultivate the religion.

The third dream Queen Trishala had was of a Magnificent Lion. His claws were beautiful and well poised. The lion had a large well-rounded head and sharp teeth. His lips were perfect and his eyes were sharp and glowing. His tail was impressively long and well shaped. Queen saw this lion descending towards her and entering her mouth.

This dream indicated that her son would be as powerful and strong as the lion. He would be fearless, almighty, and capable of ruling the world.

The fourth dream Queen Trishala had was of the Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and power. She was seated on a lotus and wore many rows of pearls interlaced with emeralds and a garland of gold. A pair of earrings hung over her shoulders with dazzling beauty.

This dream indicated that her son would enjoy great wealth and splendor. He would be a Tirthankar, the supreme benefactor of all.

The fifth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Beautiful Garland descending from the sky. It smelled mixed fragrances of different flowers. The flowers bloomed during the different seasons. The whole universe was filled with their fragrance.

This dream indicated that the fragrance of her son's teaching will spread throughout the universe, and he would be respected by all.

The sixth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Full Moon. It was a very auspicious sight. The moon was at its full glory. It was as bright as a star. It awoke the lilies to full bloom.

This dream indicated that the child would help lessen the suffering of the all living beings. He would bring the peace to the world. He would help the spiritual progress of entire humanity at large.

The seventh dream Queen Trishala had was of the Bright Sun. The sun was shining to destroy the darkness. It was as bright as the flames of the forest fire. The sun rose and ended the evil activities of the creatures who thrive at night.


This dream indicated that her son would have the supreme knowledge and would dispel the darkness of the delusions.

The eighth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Large Flag flying on a golden stick. The flag fluttered softly and auspiciously in the gentle breeze. It attracted the eyes of the all. A radiant lion was pictured on it.


This dream indicated that her son would carry the banner of the religion. He would reinstate the religious order throughout the universe.

The ninth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Golden Vase filled with the clear water. It was a magnificent, beautiful, and bright vase. It was decorated with a garland.

This dream indicated that her son would be perfect in all virtues and would be full of compassion for all living beings. He would be a supreme religious personality.

The tenth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Lake full of Lotuses. Thousands of lotuses were floating in the lake, and they all bloomed and opened at the touch of the sun's rays. The lotuses had a very sweet fragrance.

This dream indicated that her son would be beyond worldly attachment. He would help liberate human beings who were tangled in the cycles of birth, death, and misery.

The eleventh dream Queen Trishala had was of an Ocean. Its water rose in all the directions to great heights. The wind blew gently and created the waves.

This dream indicated that her son would have a serene and pleasant personality. He would achieve the infinite perception and knowledge and would escape from worldly life which is the ocean of birth and death and the misery. This would lead his soul to the Moksha (liberation).

The twelfth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Celestial plane. The plane resounded with celestial music. It was saturated with the pleasant and spiritual aroma of the incense.

This dream indicated that all of the Angels in the heaven would respect, honor, and salute her son's spiritual teachings.

The thirteenth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Big Heap of Jewels. It was a mixture of all types of gems and precious stones.

This dream indicated that her son would have infinite virtues and wisdom and he would attain the supreme spirit.

The fourteenth dream Queen Trishala had was of a Smokeless Fire. The fire burned with great intensity, but there was no smoke.

This dream indicated that her son would reform and restore the religious order. He would remove blind faith and orthodox rituals. Furthermore, he would burn or destroy his karmas and attain salvation.

Some scriptures say that Queen Trishala had sixteen dreams.

The fifteenth dream was of a Pair of Fish which indicated that her son would be extremely handsome.

The sixteenth dream was of a Lofty Throne which indicated that person would have a very high spiritual status.

To summarize the indication of all these dreams is that the child to be born would be very strong, courageous, and filled with virtues. He would be very religious and would become a great king or a spiritual leader. He would reform and restore the religious order and guide all the creatures of the universe to attain salvation. He would also be liberated.

Lord Mahavira was born on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the month Chaitra, five hundred and forty-three years before the Vikram Era, that is in 599 B. C.

Magnetism...

 by Paramhansa Yogananda

Each human being is a medium through which God’s magnetism flows, but humans allow many things to obstruct that magnetism, and very few people are truly magnetic. However, the right kind of magnetic power can be developed.
We may hear someone say, “Oh, I met a friend who is so magnetic; he inspired me and expanded my consciousness.” This is the kind of magnetic power that we all want – attracting, uplifting and expanding. This type of magnetic power is a quality of Spirit. It expands the consciousness but does not stupefy it, as does hypnosis or animal magnetism.

Magnetic power comes from within
Our magnetism is determined by our habitual attitudes and actions. To become magnetic to others, you must make yourself attractive from within. Sattwic actions, including meditative activities, are those that help you realize the pure image of the Self within. Someone with a sattwic personality is sincere, kind, accepting, and possessed of great self-control – qualities that are highly magnetic and produce a good effect on oneself and others. Positive behavior, control of speech, and kind words are qualities which clothe the soul in spiritual magnetism.
Ego-inspired attitudes and actions obstruct the free flow of one’s energy and are demagnetizing. The mental habit of criticizing others, regardless of whether the criticism is gentle or severe, has a darkening effect on the consciousness and drags a person down into greater delusion. When you occupy your mind with an unholy interest in the failings of others, you also rouse and stimulate your own pre-natal bad habits.
Try not to give in to moods. The darkness of moods will invariably be reflected in your facial expressions. The best cure for a bad mood is to try to do something that will raise your energy level and put you in a good mood. Always stay away from people in ugly moods, to prevent them from spreading to you their epidemic of inharmony.

“Learn to behave”
I can never thank my guru enough for constantly saying to me, “Learn to behave.” Like many people, I thought I was a winged angel and that nobody could say anything to improve me. However, as wisdom grew, I found that I could see myself better in the mirrors of calm minds, especially in my Master’s unprejudiced mind, than in the little mirror of my own hazy understanding. And I discovered there was a difference between how I assumed others viewed me and how they actually viewed me.
It is easy to see the faults of others but very difficult to see your own faults and to conduct yourself properly. If you can find your own faults without developing an inferiority complex, and can keep busy correcting yourself, then you will be using your time much more profitably than wishing others to be better. Your good example will do more to change others than your words or wishful thinking.
Like attracts like. Whatever you want others to be, first be that yourself, then you will find others responding in like manner to you. If you want to be loved, start loving others who need your love. If you expect others to be honest with you, then start being honest yourself. If you want others to sympathize with you, start showing sympathy to those around you. If you want to be respected, you must learn to be respectful to everyone, both young and old. If you want a display of peace from others, you must be peaceful yourself.

The glow of sincerity
Sincerity is a quality of all highly magnetic souls. All the great ones – Jesus, Buddha, Babaji – possess this quality. Many people, to gain fame or outward success in the world, sacrifice their sincerity and self-respect, but they never derive real satisfaction from the achievement of their longed-for goals. Man’s nature is many-sided and demands all-around development, which includes being sincere and truthful at all times.
Be sincere with all and above all, be sincere with yourself. Watch your thoughts to be sure they are right. When your thoughts are right, sincere and helpful words, and good deeds, will naturally follow. Carry the vibration of sincerity with you wherever you go. People will feel this vibration. Sincere, sweet words are nectar to thirsty souls.They contribute to the happiness of people in the home, in social outings, in churches, and in business offices.
Above all, never forget to smile, not the mask-like smile without truth and sincerity behind it, but the sincere, radiant smile that comes from a light, joyful heart, which belongs only to the “good” and cannot be worn by the wicked. Learn to emanate sincere smiles and to wear the glow of sincerity on your face.

Consideration for others
Consideration for others is a wonderful quality and gives you the greatest attractiveness. Practice it! Consideration for others means being aware of them, listening to them, and being attentive to their needs. Try to develop an intuitive awareness of the needs of others.
Let your supreme goal be to make others happy in order to gain happiness for yourself. Take a genuine interest in the problems of others. Every time you meet a receptive human being, make him feel your interest in his physical, mental, and spiritual welfare. Never neglect to do whatever you can for yourself in the forms of others. Live by the principle, “Each for all and all for each.” In getting for yourself, you must get for others too.
Remember that whatever you do attracts those same actions to yourself. If you set the example of selfishness, people will practice selfishness on you, but whatever you freely give to others with love, yields an ever-increasing harvest of happiness. Find happiness in helping whoever crosses your path.
Once a certain well-known teacher in India was invited to participate in a religious congress in Chicago. He and fifteen of his followers were coming through Los Angeles on their way to Chicago. I invited him to Mount Washington, where we prepared a great banquet for them. At the last moment, there came a telegram from him in Hawaii. He had felt the inspiration, suddenly, to return to India. No master would have behaved in such a way!
People would do well to understand that the masters do not behave erratically, even though they are guided by the flow of inspiration. In dealing with this world, they honor its ways. And they are ever true to their word. Moreover, if they are obliged to mix socially with others, they are considerate of people’s feelings.

Self-control and peace-loving behavior
Exercise extreme vigilance in maintaining your self-control at all times.You must be able to put on at will the apparel of your best disposition whenever you come across people with combative mentalities. Above all, be so peaceful that nobody can get your goat.
It is human weakness to get angry and scold, but it shows divine strength to be able to hold the reins over the wild steeds of your temper and speech. No matter what the provocation may be, behave yourself and by calm silence or genuinely kind words, show that your kindness is more powerful than the other person’s ugliness.
Civility, heartfelt courtesy, and continuous good will are the panacea for all bad behavior. You can teach your quick-tempered friends and dear ones to mend their faults through the example of your own magnetic, peace-loving behavior a million times better than by harsh words. If you remain even-minded by holding a calm disposition and, at the same time, are both forgiving and firm in your own principles, then you will inspire the wrong-doers to reform themselves.

Dissolve all inharmonious vibrations
Divine magnetism is the power of all powers. By meditating regularly, you become increasingly charged with the pure magnetism of God. Think of God so constantly that He is with you wherever you go. When you meditate and live in the consciousness that you are God’s child, you gradually dissolve all inharmonious emotions and vibrations.
Always keep in tune with the Divine Magnetic Power. When your prayer bursts from your heart and God gives up His vow of silence and speaks to you — you will have gained divine magnetism.

When your Earth Visa expires

 From Today's Times Of India "Speaking Tree"  by Prashant Solomon


" Where do we go when our Earth visa expires? Most religions suggest that our souls live on and travel into another realm. While this is the common belief, it is not as simple as it sounds. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity talk about multiple levels, dimensions or frequencies of existence after the soul leaves Earth. The Quran and Bible have instances where the term "Seventh heaven" is used. Hinduism talks of various astral planets and even higher spiritual planets or 'loks' where souls travel to after physical life comes to an end.

There have also been accounts on record of near-death experiences (NDEs) where those declared clinically dead have subsequently returned to life. In 'Life after Life' Raymond Moody recounts NDE cases in which patients described seeing their own body after being pronounced dead, then travelling through a tunnel into a room full of light where their dead relatives and friends came to receive them. Then a life review happens, in which they see instances that occurred in the incarnation just passed. Then many see a 'Being of Light', emitting a powerful feeling of love. They are told their time has not yet come and they return to their bodies.

In 'Journey of Souls' Michael Newton talks about the period between incarnations. Newton uses past life regression techniques to take people back to the time after their death in their last life and before the time of their current birth. An account of the spirit realm describes split incarnations where one soul occupies two or more bodies at the same time, soul families, groups, colours are seen based on levels of spiritual development, spirit guides, council of elders, healing areas, library and temple. Finally, the place where the soul decides the type of experiences it needs in the next incarnation and actually chooses parents and circumstances needed for the new incarnation to meet its karmic requirements.

Do our souls actually 'travel' somewhere? It's like asking if you are actually travelling somewhere when you dream. There is obviously something happening to your awareness. The field of awareness shifts from one plane to another. First you are awake and then you enter dreamland. But when you transition from this world to the next, are you actually travelling in the spatial sense or just shifting the frequency of your awareness?

When TV channels are changed, it is only awareness that is shifting from one channel to another. The old channel doesn't cease to exist because the new channel is being viewed. It is just that the screen is now displaying a different frequency. This is the same principle that happens when we die. Our awareness is tuned into a different frequency of creation. The Earth plane does not cease to exist, but for the person who has passed on, the frequency of awareness has shifted. The reality they perceive is now different.Similarly, for those on Earth, the person seems to have gone, but in reality the soul has just moved onto another frequency of awareness. It leaves behind the empty human body, a kind of virtual reality device, through which the soul experienced life on the Earth.The opposite of life is not death.

The opposite of birth is death. Life is eternal. Birth and death are just entry and exit points of incarnations. "

Rudram !!...

 

What is Rudra Puja?

Rudra Pooja is an ancient practice followed in India since time immemorial. ‘Rudra’ means ‘Shiva - the Benevolent', ' the Destroyer of Evil'. 'Pooja' means that which is born out of fullness. Through this Pooja one can aim for inner peace and fulfillment. In this Pooja, Lord Shiva is worshipped in his Rudra form.
It is hailed by all Vedic scriptures as one of the greatest Poojas to remove all evils, to attain all desires and for all-round prosperity. Scriptures on Astrology prescribe this emphatically as a remedy for several planetary doshas.

Why do Rudra Pooja?

The world is a play of energy: negative and positive. When we pray to Shiva – the Lord of transformation - the entire negative energy around us in form of disease, depression, and unhappiness gets transformed into peace, prosperity and joy. Then peace surrounds us in body, mind and soul.

How is the Pooja Performed?

This Pooja is performed with a crystal 'linga'. Each ancient mantra that is chanted gets absorbed in materials like curd, milk, ghee, honey etc. which are used as offerings in the Pooja. It is then offered to Lord Shiva with reverence, love and gratitude. Specially trained Pandits and Veda students from the Veda Agama (Vedic school) perform this special Pooja. The chanting of the mantras is so pure and meditative that it takes one to a different plane.

Source:  http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/shivratri-rudra-puja

Important or Unimportant... Choiceless

"So many people are stuck with what is "important".

Why do you always have to do only that which is important? For something to be important, there need to be many things that are unimportant. So you cannot eliminate unimportant things. It is important to have unimportant things to make something else important. (Laughter.) Things are either themselves important or they make other things important.

So, that means everything is important, and everything is unimportant.

When you realize this fact you become choiceless."

When something is inevitable you don't categorize it as important or unimportant. It is beyond choice.

"Everything is important" is karma yoga. "Nothing is important" is deep meditation.

Sri Sri

Astrology and the Spiritual Path...

Below is a Vedic astrologer's perspective to Yogananda ji's take on astrology..
Later more excerpts abt astrology from the book,,,The Autobiography of a Yogi..



"Paramahansa Yogananda's classic book, The Autobiography of a Yogi, has a chapter entitled, "Outwitting the Stars," that is a must read for any student of astrology in my opinion. In it he describes his own beliefs about astrology, and the attitude he recommends that spiritual aspirants should adopt towards it. Specifically, that we should never see planetary forces as more powerful than our own will power. For instance, see this quote:

“Occasionally I told astrologers to select my worse periods, according to planetary indications, and I would still accomplish whatever task I set myself. It is true that my success at such time has been accompanied by extraordinary difficulties. But my conviction has always been justified; faith in the divine protection, and the right use of man’s God-given will, are forces formidable beyond any the 'inverted bowl' (sky) can muster. The starry inscription at one's birth, I came to understand, is not that man is a puppet of his past. Its message is rather a prod to pride; the very heavens seek to arouse man's determination to be free of every limitaton.”

Yogananda offers here quite a bold shift in perspective. Most of the time people see the planetary influences, especially the dashas and transits, as forces beyond their power of will to effect. However, Yogananda's point is to recognize that our will power is God given for a reason - to change potentially unfavorable outcomes in our lives into favorable ones."


A Further excerpt from the Book..

“Mukunda, why don’t you get an astrological armlet?”

“Should I, Master? I don’t believe in astrology.”

“It is never a question of belief; the only scientific attitude one can take on any subject is whether it is true. The law of gravitation worked as efficiently before Newton as after him. The cosmos would be fairly chaotic if its laws could not operate without the sanction of human belief.

“Charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute. Astrology is too vast, both mathematically 1 and philosophically, to be rightly grasped except by men of profound understanding. If ignoramuses misread the heavens, and see there a scrawl instead of a script, that is to be expected in this imperfect world. One should not dismiss the wisdom with the ‘wise.’

“All parts of creation are linked together and interchange their influences. The balanced rhythm of the universe is rooted in reciprocity,” my guru continued. “Man, in his human aspect, has to combat two sets of forces—first, the tumults within his being, caused by the admixture of earth, water, fire, air, and ethereal elements; second, the outer disintegrating powers of nature. So long as man struggles with his mortality, he is affected by the myriad mutations of heaven and earth.

“Astrology is the study of man’s response to planetary stimuli. The stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity; they merely send forth positive and negative radiations. Of themselves, these do not help or harm humanity, but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past.

“A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results. But the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom: these are few.

“The message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is not meant to emphasize fate—the result of past good and evil—but to arouse man’s will to escape from his universal thralldom. What he has done, he can undo. None other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever effects are now prevalent in his life. He can overcome any limitation, because he created it by his own actions in the first place, and because he has spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure.

“Superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton, slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance. The wise man defeats his planets—which is to say, his past—by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the Creator. The more he realizes his unity with Spirit, the less he can be dominated by matter. The soul is ever-free; it is deathless because birthless. It cannot be regimented by stars.

“Man is a soul, and has a body. When he properly places his sense of identity, he leaves behind all compulsive patterns. So long as he remains confused in his ordinary state of spiritual amnesia, he will know the subtle fetters of environmental law.

“God is harmony; the devotee who attunes himself will never perform any action amiss. His activities will be correctly and naturally timed to accord with astrological law. After deep prayer and meditation he is in touch with his divine consciousness; there is no greater power than that inward protection.”

“Then, dear Master, why do you want me to wear an astrological bangle?” I ventured this question after a long silence, during which I had tried to assimilate Sri Yukteswar’s noble exposition.

“It is only when a traveler has reached his goal that he is justified in discarding his maps. During the journey, he takes advantage of any convenient short cut. The ancient rishis discovered many ways to curtail the period of man’s exile in delusion. There are certain mechanical features in the law of karma which can be skillfully adjusted by the fingers of wisdom."

Now....

How long can we drive looking in the rear view mirror..

Life is all about letting go and moving on...

The hurts and resentments we hold, hurt ourselves more than others

Pain is washed away by time...

and Forgiving is living the moment, moments of gratitude...

Its all about the Now.... :)

Praising is Divine....

Adulation shows the magnanimity of the one who adores, rather than the one who is adored! Adulation indicates that the ego has become transparent; the best antidote for ego is adulation. Adulation works in three ways: If it is for someone else, it is ...not palatable to an egoistic person. If it is for you, it boosts your ego. If you adore somebody, it dissolves your ego and makes you magnanimous.

Unanimous chorus : When Guruji is adulated, E V E R Y O N E adores it! (laughter) Adulation indicates the magnanimity of the person who is adoring. And the one who is great, does not get swayed by adulation. So the test of the greatness of a person is that he is not shaken by any amount of adulation.

A desire for adulation is a sign of immaturity. Aversion to adulation is small-mindedness. Lack of adulation in life is dryness and boredom. A healthy mind would always like to adulate, to elevate others. An unhealthy mind would like to pull down everything. Adulation indicates the trust, enthusiasm and richness in a culture. Lack of adulation is a self-centred, small-minded, fearful and culturally-impoverished society. Being indifferent to adulation when it comes to you and being magnanimous when it is to be given, is the way of the wise!

Sri Sri..

11 Expressions of Love :)

"Love is incomplete. And it will have to remain incomplete. If something is complete, it means that you have marked the boundaries; found its limitations. For love to be infinite, it has to be incomplete. Love is infinite and it finds expression in infinite ways. They can be categorised as eleven ways of expressing love, or eleven ways in which love finds its expression.

1. The first one is Gunamahatmyasakti, imbibing the qualities of the Divine,

appreciating the qualities of the Divine. When you love somebody, what is that in him or her that you love? You'll find some qualities. So‐and‐so is kind, so‐and‐so is caring... Qualities do not have form. Loving God in this sense means imbibing all the qualities that God represents. Normally one picks all the negative qualities in a person. Even in God, you will pick some negativity! The moment your mind is not in love, it behaves thus. When you are living Divine love, you will enhance and rejoice in Divine qualities wherever you find them.

2. The second is Rupasakti. Some may not be able to appreciate the qualities, because they don't see the qualities as qualities. And qualities cannot be seen without a form. When you're unable to appreciate the subtle qualities, you can definitely appreciate the form that is in the form of you. And forms are everywhere! When you appreciate a flower, you appreciate the form. When you see truth in the form as a quality and glorify it, it takes you beyond the qualities. In the same way, if you love a flower, and deeply appreciate it, you will see that it dissolves into the formless. You will see the space which is hiding deep inside that flower.

3. The third is Pujasakti, the interest in worshipping, honouring. Love can find its expression in the form of puja, form of honouring. And one who has done this will know the taste of it. As the state of your wholeness, your mind says, ''I want nothing. I just want to be worshipping like this all my life.'' Pujasakti is a sign of love. If you love someone, something, and whenever there is love you'll see that you start worshipping that which you love.

4. The fourth is Smaranasakti, which means remembering. That something which stays constantly on your mind. Have you noticed that when you love something, and have a desire, that desire lingers on in your mind? Sometimes, as soon as you get up, the same thing rolls on in your mind. When there is strong desire for something, that thought pours in all the time. In the same way, when you hate something, it runs through your mind all the time. This is called smarana. How wonderful it will be if the Divine just rolls in your mind like that?

5. Dasyasakti is the fifth. It means being a servant of God. It means saying, ''I am just the servant of the Divine; He's taking care of me. I do whatever I have been asked to do. My life is here not to get something out of here — I have come to this world to serve Him. Service is expecting nothing in return. Whatever service He wants from me, I'll do it. Whomsoever He will send in front of me, I will be useful to them, I'll help them.'' This is dasyasakti.

6. The sixth is Sakhyasakti, companion of God. A feeling of companionship with the Divine. Many may not like being a servant. Sakhyasakti is a feeling that I am the beloved of my Lord. He is my beloved. I'll do whatever I can to please Him. It is wherein you are able to share fearlessly with the Divine. And this will have to come from you. It's not that one is superior to the other. Gita was taught to Arjuna, and Arjuna made Krishna his friend, sakha, companion. That's why Krishna was called Jagad‐guru, the teacher of the whole universe. He was both a master and a companion.

7. The seventh is Vatsalyasakti. Vastsalya means affection, being affectionate. Can we treat the Divine as a child, as a naughty person? In vatsalyasakti, devotion can take the form of the care you have for a child, or mothering the Divine. The devotee then orders God. There's such a sweet feeling behind it. The devotee tells God, ''See, if You do like that, I'll be angry with you. If You don't make Your presence felt today, I'm not going to talk to You tomorrow.'' So just like a mother deals with a child, a devotee deals with God. Feeling that closeness is vatsalyasakti.

8. Kantasakti is the eighth form. It is the beloved husband‐wife, relationship. Feeling that the Divine is part of you, and, ''He cares for me so much that He cannot exist without me! How can He exist without me?''

9. The ninth form is Atmanivedanasakti, offering one's very self. That is a great form of love that, ''my very breath, my very existence is Yours. Every particle of my existence is offered to You. Every breath I breathe in is Yours. I am Yours.''. That total surrender, letting go. ''You do whatever You want with this life! It is Yours!''. This flavour, of not even keeping any bit of ''me, I'' inside, is atmanivedanasakti.

10. Tanmayatasakti is the tenth form. This is seeing everything as You. That everything belongs to You. The totality of prana, the flow of prana, finding itself everywhere is tanmayatasakti. Being soaked in the Divine love is called tanmaya, tanmayatasakti. Anyway, everything is already soaked in Him! It only has to be recognised!

11. Paramavirahasakti is the eleventh form. Viraha means extreme agony and the pain of longing, of separation. This also a sign of Divine love. Love can never be complete because there is longing. It's the longing that makes love incomplete and infinite! So the pain of longing itself is Divine love. In that painful longing, prayer dawns. Blessed are those who go through that pain.

Usually, when people love something and there is a longing for it, they try to get rid of it because it's painful. The more you try to run away from it, you are destroying not only the longing but also the love. But if you can accept the pain of longing, that brings you the recognition of infinity."

Sri Sri