Instant Enlightenment

In these days of instant coffee, time-saving devices, and quick service restaurants, some people are impatient. They want fast results - instant Enlightenment. So they turn to psychedelic (mind expanding) drugs to chemically precipitate an instantaneous shift to higher consciousness. But more and more people are realizing that drugs are not the way to self-realization; they are only a faint reflection, a shadowy glimmer, of that blissful, all expanded state of consciousness. Many of the "Gurus" of the psychedelic movement in the West have widely spoken of their own realization of the limitations of drugs: Drugs opened the door for us into the mansion of the mind, and we saw there are so many rooms inside. But then we found that drugs could only give us a glimpse of the interior - they could...

Inner Transformation and Virtuous Elevation

The extraordinary changes, transmutation educed by Gayatri Sadhana are first experienced in the inner self. These inspire the Sadhak's mind thoughts and sentiments towards the righteous path. Gradually, the evil assimilation the vices, the weakness of mind are waned out with a simultaneous increase in virtuous potentials and inner strength. This way, the Sadhak gets endowed with enlightened personality and talents that make his life more blissful, successful and peaceful and nurture righteous progress on the materialistic as well as spiritual fronts. The excelling of mental tendencies is also accompanied by a positive orientation of attitude that inspires welcome change in every act of life. Straying of mind in agile passions of the sense organ begins to reduce with this healthy development....

Generally people accept the concept of immortality of the soul on the basis of inherited faith or tradition, but there lurks a doubt about its authenticity. Let us not accept this concept blindly without reasoning. It could be hearsay? If you are told to sit for meditation and are asked to conceive; "I have died", it may appear a dimple proposition; but when you actually begin to do so, it would be impossible to think that you as individuality have ceased to exist. It would not be difficult to have such a simple imagery for those who have been practicing the elaborate exercises of one think about one's death, although an image of one's dead body is formed in the mind, at the same time there is awareness. "I am standing aside looking at it". This "I" is ever vigilantly, ever present. Try...

Hurdles in Sadhana

Many persons aspire for spiritual progress but do not achieve the desired progress because of their halfhearted, lop-sided process of Sadhana. The goal of Sadhana is to violently shake man out of his body-conscious state of slumber, so that he becomes fully awakened to the reality of his true identity as an Immortal Soul. The holistic therapy for any disease involves treatment of the root cause of the malady. Mere palliatives do not serve the purpose. The same principle holds true in case of spiritual Sadhana. No doubt, the conventional rituals of Sadhana like continence, philanthropy, fasting, Jap, anusthan, yajna, etc. are beneficial as initial steps. Nevertheless, they do not constitute the totality of Sadhana. These rituals do enhance purity of mind, positive traits and nobility, but these...

How to Dissociate From Body-Consciousness?

In order to overcome the confusion between the narrow lower self and the Real Self, in the state of meditation visualize that you and your body are two separate entities and you are using your body as your garment or a tool. Try to understand your body as you consider your garments. Visualize that your "I" would continue to exist even after the body has been discarded. Conceptually leaving the body, look at it from a higher level. Look at the body as though it were a hollow nest, in which you live and could easily come out of it. Consider yourself as the caretaker of this house, who is responsible for its sanitation (keeping it pure in thoughts and deeds), strength (keeping it strong) and functionality (physical activity). You are the master of the body and are using it as per your own...

Gayatri Upanishad

Brahman Granths are offshoots of Vedas. Each Veda had several Brahman Granths but only a few are now available. With the passage of time most of them have disappeared. Two Brahmans of Rig-Veda viz. Shankhayan and Etreya are available. Shankhayan is also known as Koupeetki. Similarly, there are three Brahman granths of Yajur-veda also, ie. Shatpath, Kanva and Tettareeya, eleven Brahman of Sam-Veda viz. Aarsheya, Jaiminiarsheya, Sanhitopnishad, Mantra, Vansh, Samvidhan, Shadvinsha, Devat, Tandya, Jaiminya, Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahman and only one of Atharva-veda which is known as Gopath Brahman. Parse 31 to38 of Gopath Brahman are known as Gayatri Upanishad in which the important secret of Gayatri has been explained in the episode of discussion between Maitereya and Moudgalya. According...

Gayatri - The Deity of Bright Prosperity

Apart from harvesting virtuous potentials, inner peace and content and thus enlightening the personal life, Gayatri Sadhana enables prosperous growth of the devotee's social life too. The refinement of body and mind (educed by Gayatri) also adorns the external fronts of life with several boons. Because of his increased awareness and wisdom and prudent self-confidence, the Sadhak finds the same circumstances, the same obstacles as supporting and easily resolvable, which were adverse and challenging earlier. Changing the circumstances of life at will may not be feasible for every one every time. However, changing one's approach and attitude to face the circumstances positively - is a natural sign of farsighted wisdom, Clash of one's imaginations, expectations and the facts of life is the...

Gayatri Prayer

ü  Oh, mother, Gayatri! You are manifested in the  Eternal sound of Om. You are Tripada (hymn comprising of three steps: Tatsaviturvenyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yonah prachodyat;  vedtriyi (source of three Vedas); revered by three gods - Brahma, Vishni, Mahesh; Creator anf protector of the three worlds (the heavens, earth and nether regions); knower of all the three times (past, present and future); and the ordainer of all the opportunities ü  You possess all the three gunas (rraits): Satwa, Rajas, and Tamas. You are bestower of the three types of boons: Natural (materialistic), supernatural and spiritual. It is only you who provides salvation. You always see your devotees with compassionate eyes. ü  You are Goddess of knowledge. You are an embodiment...

Inexhaustible Source of Spiritual Energy

The scriptures prescribed that Gayatri should be worshipped thrice daily during "Trikal Sandhaya" in the morning at noon and in the evening. It is all the more beneficial in Jap, worship, meditation and contemplation of Gayatri is done even more intensively. But for specific purposes, when more energy is required to be generated, specific performance which is known as Anusthan is done. When long journey is proposed to be undertaken, special food and adequate money are kept for being used in transit. Anusthan similarly is like journey expenses. When this energy capital is accumulated, Sadhak's journey through life, whether in mundane or spiritual pursuit, becomes easier and smoother. When a tiger pounces upon a deer or a cat attacks a mouse or a heron attacks a fish, they pause for a moment, stop...

The Energy of Brain

The Energy of Brain In The Hollow Of The Body Words would always be less in expressing the importance of health in human life. 'Healthy mind lies in a healthy body' - is an enthusing statement reflecting the importance of health of physical body. However, this does not represent the ultimate truth. Mind cannot manifest its faculties so easily without the tool of the body. But, it can very well maintain its unique potentials even in a weak, injured or handicapped body. That the mental powers could be awaken and made more sharp and creative even in an unhealthy body - has been demonstrated by plenty of live examples in human history. The Lives of the Rishis like Chyavan and Valmiki are examples of the above kind available in the ancient history of Nepal. The bodies of these Rishis had become...

Conscious Mind.

The First Layer of the Mind: Conscious Mind. A sage was once asked to show the miracles of the mind. He pointed to a shopkeeper in the market selling honey, who dipped his fingers in the honey pot and then wiped them on the wall of his shop. Suddenly dozens of flies swarmed about the honey, and then a lizard appeared and started to eat the flies, one by one. Just then a cat crept over to the wall and pounced on the lizard and ate it. At that moment, a dog saw the cat and chased it around the shop and, in a furious fight, killed it. Now, that was the shopkeeper's pet cat and he angrily told his servant to kill the dog. Unfortunately, that was the dog of his customer, who was enraged when he saw the shopkeeper's servant trying to kill his dog, and he started attacking the shopkeeper with...

"Subtle Causal Mind"

The Highest Level of the Super-conscious Mind: The "Subtle Causal Mind" When this love, this divine attraction for the infinite splendor becomes so intense that it overflows from the heart and fills one's entire existence - when all the currents of the mind surge into a single stream of intense yearning - then a radiant flood of light blazes through one's being. This is the highest level of the super-conscious, the "golden realm" of the mind. Sometimes, the body even reflects the effulgence of the mind. In this state, the complexion of the Saint Ramakrishna becomes so luminous - like a "golden amulet" - that it drew attention everywhere. He wrapped a sheet around his body and prayed to God, "Take back this outward beauty and give me inner beauty, give me purity of spirit!"Repeatedly stroking...

Supra-Mental Mind

The first Layer of the Super-conscious Mind - Supra-mental Mind The Layer of Intuition "There is something mysterious, without happening, without end, That existed before the heavens and the earth, Unmoving, infinite, standing alone, never changing, It is everywhere and it is inexhaustible. It is the mother of all. Looked for it cannot be seen - listened for it cannot be heard- reached for it cannot be touched. It is the form of the formless It is existence in non-existence It is the greatest mystery." From ancient wisdom to modern physics, our sages speak of a Cosmic Mind - the infinite storehouse of all knowledge, where past, present and future merge into one super-stratum of reality beyond space and time. Those who can transcend the lower conscious and subconscious levels of...

Subtle Aspects of Yagya

The extremely subtle effects are by far the more important. Like humans, matter too, has three bodies -- physical, subtle and causal. The body which eats, sleeps, walks, acts; which consists blood, flesh etc. is visible man's physical body. Subtle body is that which thinks, considers and controls the physical body. Causal or astral body is that in which faith, convictions, aspirations etc. are deeply rooted. The subtle body is much more powerful as compared to the physical body. The casual body is several times more powerful than the subtle body. The casual energy underlying all the Havishya used in Yagya is stimulated by the rituals prescribed for the Yagya performance. Only then alone it is possible to affect desired changes in the mind and consciousness of the participants. It this...

The Four Stages of Meditation

Thus throughout the centuries masters have taught that there are four stages of spiritual progress. The first is the stage of difficulty, when one has to exert much effort to calm and control the agitated, scattered waves of the mind. Many people at this stage become restless and impatient, and abandon their spiritual practice. The second is the stage of attainment when the mind achieves complete concentration and experiences a higher state of consciousness. Those who taste that supreme bliss, even for a moment, realize that it is the highest experience of human life, and dedicate all their energies to remain merged in the state forever. In the third stage, by regular and intense concentration, the mind becomes coherent and psychic powers develop. This is the most dangerous stage, when...

The Genesis of Divine Culture

Once Mahatma Gandhi was invited to address the academia at the Jamia Millia University. He spoke for about half an hour but mostly on the Gayatri Mantra. This was annoying to the Islamic members of the management, as they considered it as a mantra of the Hindus. They expressed their resentment after the function was over. Gandhiji cleared their doubt saying that this is not a mantra of a Hindu priest; neither does it belong to any particular cult or religion. It is universal; it is the mantra of all human beings. It is a mantra of pure intellect, foresightedness, a source of divine illumination of the inner self. It is a mantra of awakening humanity in people's heart. I fully agree with what Mahatma Gandhi said about the Gayatri Mantra. I feel that I have found our lost golden heritage...

The Laser of the Mind

A laser is a special kind of light. Unlike an ordinary light ray, which is made up of waves of many different frequencies, laser light is "coherent" - it has been concentrated to only one frequency, and this gives it tremendous power; a laser light bulb of only 10 watts would have a far greater intensity than the surface of the sun. A narrow laser beam of such intense energy can melt diamonds or - like the "ray guns" of science fiction -incinerate a person to ashes within a second.  Already the super- powers are preparing for laser wars in space. During deep meditation, the yogis' mind becomes like a laser beam: all the mental and physical energies are made "coherent" by the intense concentration on the mantra, and he or she develops immense psychic power. Normally, the different...

The Layer of the Mind

According to the most ancient ideas of Yoga and the most modern theories of physics, existence is not a single reality but a continuum of several interpenetrating layers of being, ranging from the coarsest and densest - the physical - through various layers of mind, to the final one called "spirit". As one moves up the continuum, the layers become finer and subtler. Yogis have divided the levels of mind - in between body and spirit - into five layers of Kosas. In each succeeding layer, there is a more joyful and expanded awareness; the higher layers contain vast reservoirs of energy and knowledge, and exert a subtle influence over the lower ones. Beyond all the five layers of each individual mind is the realm of "spirit" or infinite consciousness, the pure Self within. In this state of...

The Role of Gayatri Yagya in Transformation of this Era

The relationship between Gayatri and Yagya (chanting of prayers with oblations into holy-fire) is mutual. Scriptures have called Gayatri as the mother of religion and Yagya as the father. Both are considered as complementary to each other and inseparable. Only the co-ordination of good knowledge and good deeds raises the level of a person and society. Keeping this truth in mind, Gayatri, the Goddess of good knowledge and Yagya, the symbol of good deeds are considered as two wheels of the chariot of Def- Sanskrit (divine culture). There are three meanings of the word Yagya (1) Generosity of charity ( 2) coming together and organization (3) worship of deities, selecting and supporting excellence. Wherever these three good activities are adopted, greatness and gentlemanliness will come up...

The Energy of Brain In The Hollow Of The Body

Words would always be less in expressing the importance of health in human life. 'Healthy mind lies in a healthy body' - is an enthusing statement reflecting the importance of health of physical body. However, this does not represent the ultimate truth. Mind cannot manifest its faculties so easily without the tool of the body. But, it can very well maintain its unique potentials even in a weak, injured or handicapped body. That the mental powers could be awaken and made more sharp and creative even in an unhealthy body - has been demonstrated by plenty of live examples in human history. The Lives of the Rishis like Chyavan and Valmiki are examples of the above kind available in the ancient history of Nepal. The bodies of these Rishis had become almost like skeletons because of practicing...