The way in

The way in

To 

Garba Graha...

The Sanctum Sanctorum

Wherefrom Lord

Mathrubhutheswar showers

His benign blessings 

On all the 

Bhakthas, 

- by the grace of 

Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi. 

If you have nagging questions like 

How do I abide in the inherent self and be free from the idea of birth or the fear of death, who   else could better elucidate than Sakshat Bhagavan Himself?

Please listen to Bhagavan Himself summing up the whole process... Process of atma vichara,  the way dhyan graces upon an earnest seeker:

"No matter how many thoughts thus occur to you, if you would with acute vigilance enquire immediately as and when each individual thought arises to whom it has occurred, you would find it is to ‘me’. If then you enquire ‘Who am I?’ the mind gets introverted and the rising thought also subsides"

Maha Periyava on Astrology

Maha Periyava on Astrology,  ஜ்யோதிஷம். 

Pages 557 to 587,

Edn 32, May 19

Volume 2

தெய்வத்தின் குரல். 

He dedicates a whole chapter on the above subject. 

He traces the origin of the word,  'Man' to மனு. Man gets the capability to accomplish what he thinks, aims at.  நினைக்கிற காரியத்தைச் செய்கிற அங்கம்தான் மனம். Hence the name  மநு.

Cites Blavatsky, co-founder of Theosophical Society and the scientist Oliver Lodge. They laid more emphasis on studying the world of spirits and Deities, தேவதாலோக விஷயங்கள் than on science in their later years. 

Refers to Oliver Lodge that....  இவை - spirits,  தேவதைகள் - நிச்சயமாக இருக்கின்றன; இவைகளைக் கொண்டு மனிதன் அநுகூலங்களை அடையலாம். '

If questioned,  after referring to  ஜ்யோதிஷம் sastras on one hand stressing on science like astronomy,  it on the hand refers to spiritualism too,  He answers according to a scientist, there is no contradiction between both. 

 

It boils down to the ubiquitous Karma theory. 

So simple. 

Do good. 

And

Live well. 

Who is the Guru?

Why you need a Guru? 

To 

Tell you to 

Do this

Or that?

Certainly not. 

Guru is not the one

Who mesmerizes you 

To see beyond your Ken. 

Jnana Guru is one

Whose mere presence,

Nay,  not even 

The presence,

Mere glimpse -

A flashing glimpse in you -,

Silence,  the mouna,

Just suffice. 

Suffice to kindle

To enable you feel 

That the Self  is

Sakshat You

In You. 

And Not anywhere. 

Apt to recall a conversation 

Some Bhakth had with 

Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi. 

Bhakth :

Although I understand it, 

I cannot realize the Self. 

Bhagavan:

Why should this thought 

Disturb your present 

State of REALISATION? 

Revel in 

Bliss, 

Peace

And abundant 

Blessings of Bhagavan. 

The wrap up quote :

I am not a teacher, but an awakener.
– Robert Frost

Time, You supercharge...

தமிழில் பொருள் பொதிந்த சொல் வழக்கு ஒன்று உண்டு. 

'சுவர் இருந்தால் தானே சித்திரம் வரைய முடியும்."

உடல் நல் ஆரோக்ய நிலையில் இருந்தால் தானே செவ்வனே பணியாற்ற இயலும். 

அவ்வுடலை ஆராதிக்கும் திருமந்திரப் பாடல் இதோ:

உடம்பார் அழியில் உயிரார் அழிவர்

திடம்பட மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் சேரவும் மாட்டார்

உடம்பை வளர்க்கும் உபாயம் அறிந்தே

உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன், உயிர் வளர்த்தேனே...' 

(பாடல் 724).

Life is a gift. 

Its mission:

To realize

To get enlightened. 

When a loved one passes away,

We say He/She reached

Almighty's Lotus feet. 

When do we attain the realization?! 

Certainly not after leaving our mortal coils. 

So, 

It's right away, 

Even while we are alive and kicking. 

How to do it? 

Care your physical health. 

Mental health. 

Emotions.

And above all 

Your wholistic spirituality.

Are you asking, 

"With all constraints, barriers,  stumbling blocks, uncertainty, .....ooh.. Deadly 

pandemic?".

Answer is yes, 

Yes

Amidst 

All challenges,

Anxieties 

And fear. 

When all else 

In existence fall apart 

What holds you steadfastly 

And on command of all

Is your 

Consciousness. 

On con side

What hampers it? 

We stress more than enough of 

Taking good care of our physical health. 

It goes Parallely with the 

Responsibility in the sense 

We should never abuse our physical self. 

Also we need to be on guard and alert 

24x7

We leave no leeway for even slightest trace of any negativity to harm us,  pull us away by force,  tricks and tantrums. 

Be on command. Even at toughest of times and challenges. 

There was an inspiring real life story. Published in தினமணி - வெள்ளிமணி  dt 19 June,  2020.

Years ago there was a lady who was so terminally sick that doctors expressed their helplessness. It's horrible to lead a life when it comes to the knowledge of the patient that her days are very close to death. 

With heavy heart she returned home. 

At that time there was an orphanage which trained young and willing inmates in nursing. The lady who returned from hospital couldn't do anything on her own. So decided to take the help of one of the inmates from the orphanage. 

The story of inmates moved her.  So now she gave out of her savings some money for the welfare of the inmates in the orphanage. 

The nurse who helped the lady and the orphanage thanked the lady profusely. The lady slowly forgot the severity of her illness. 

She was a Hindi Teacher too.  She felt why not she teach Hindi freely to children in the neighborhood.  She gradually began to get occupied in a productive way.  Her preoccupation literally saved her.  She no longer felt sick. Turned healthy lady to the surprise of all the doctors.

So get, set on your march.... 

Turn the stronger you are. 

God bless. 

Your inner strength is your outer foundation

- Allan Rufus

Power of Mantra

Power of Mantra

Daniel 

Years... Early 80s.

He just flashes my mind as I read Tiruppur Krishnan's writing about Maha Periyava's emphasis on significance of Mantras. 

Back to Daniel,  Maha Guru.

A disciple of Maharsi Mahesh Yogi,  Maha Guru who initiated the celebrities,  pop stars,  the western world into learning and benefiting from ancient India's gift to the world, 'dhyan', the Meditation. They call it Transcendental Meditation,  the popular acronym,  TM. 

Daniel and couple of his other colleagues from USA were on their mission to carry back and enable us,  the Indians to be aware of our own wisdom,  rich treasure,  the dhyan. 

I was into college,  may be fag end of 4th Semester. Though had a little familiarity to English,  thanks to Prof AJ Mariadoss,  my English Teacher and the mega Library at St. Joseph's vast campus, still speaking in English was a herculean task,  almost literally nil,  having studied from standard 1 to 11 in Tamil medium. 

We were used to break for a cup of tea at a tea stall opposite to the college.  Around the same time,  Daniel and his team too were used to visit there for tea. 

I was wondering what these foreign guys were doing here. Also,  it was just wondering and it didn't occur to me to get to know. 

Paul Coelho's magic worked one day. 

He used to say when you have even the slightest tinge of desire,  nature sees to it that everything falls into place to turn dream into reality.  Even when you weren't  desperate about or even aware of your desire. In fact desire would have been just at its conceptional stage. 

One day, I felt someone tabbing on my shoulder.  I turned to look at. It was Daniel. 

He asked,  "Can you speak some English?".

Very difficult to decipher his American accent. 

Mustered myself and said,  "yes,  a very little."

Next he dropped a bombshell,  "where do you have your haircut?"

Hare,  gathered my guts to ask him,  "could you repeat? "

He looked strangely at me and for my poor sake,  he said it again. 

How could I answer?  First looked around for some saloon nearby. Found out one on the opposite side. I pointed the direction where the saloon was and told Daniel,  "there".

This was how befriending happened between  different desis. Language, accents need not be a deterrent to making friends. 

Well slowly inched towards my exploring and taking my curiosity forward,  I asked for their purpose of being in India. 

Daniel,  " to help you learn Transcendental meditation and benefit from it, your own wisdom. "

Meditation!  It was a big word and not definitely not there in my vocabulary till then. 

Transcendental... surely a bigger word. 

Slowly progressed to pick up and catch up with a little English and a trial to conversate in English.   Looking back at decades,  though the peak and perfection are still miles away and eluding,  it's awesome, "yeah, we have come across at least a few milestones."

Back to what Daniel taught and what we have learnt. ...about TM,  Transcendental Meditation. 

Yes. 

He explained how easy,  simple to learn and practice TM,  how it helps us in leading a healthy,  blissful, creative and productive life. 

The gateway to this beautiful experience... Of learning and practicing TM is just a tiny tool,  a mantra, not a complicated one,  just a single syllable. Once you are on that,  you are set on the whole journey of joy,  bliss. 

That's the Power of Mantra. 

Remember reading in தெய்வத்தின் குரல்,  mantra,  Veda is just a sabda, a sound and not even a letter.  No scripts. Traditionally these Ved mantras have been taught orally from Maharishis' period. 

These Mantras are energetic and powerful. 

One devotee asked Maha Periyava, "what use is there in just chanting  simple mantra syllables?"

To elucidate to this Bhaktha, Maha Periyava didn't draw from puranic evidence but cited a historic evidence from a recent century. 

During World War,  when oppressions were mounted on Britain,  British Minister gave a single letter Mantra to British soldiers.  That single syllable mantra is to chant the letter 'V'.  V standing for Victory. Everywhere in Britain the letter V was written in a bigger and bold type. The Minister propagated the letter V in a massive scale all across the nation. 

The Letter V caught the attention of people and energized their emotions and thoughts. 

No need to say.  They succeeded a big battle.

When you chant a mantra,  you don't do it mechanically. It purifies and energizes your thoughts, emotions. Heart becomes peaceful and you succeed. 

In Hindu sects,  Vaishnavites chant, "Narayanaya" and Saivaites,  "Namasivaya".

I remember listening to a soulful Sai Bhajan.  The lyrics go like this,  "sab Ka Malik Ek hai". Meaning God is one and He is the Supreme of all. So pick "Ra" from Narayanaya and "Ma" from Nanasivaya,  combine them.  You have "RaMa". This way you pray and be blessed by both Lords Narayana and Shiva. 

Single shot solution to the devotee by Maha Periyava : chant "RaMa", "RaMa".

May God bless all. 

The Yog Divas

Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat any time and be yourself. ” ― Hermann Hesse

Pranams to 

Yog Maharishi.

For granting us 

The boon:

Yoga. 

Thanks to 

Pradan Mantriji. 

For making the world 

Celebrate

The Yog दिवस.

The World Yoga Day. 

Yog, as it stands 

To mean,

'to unite'. 

The World unites. 

Just not on the day, 

The World Yoga Day. 

But shankalp happens

That every day is

Day for sadan, practice. 

Try 

Do just an Asan. 

Just a single Asan. 

You are on the path. 

An unbreakable continuity. 

A ceaseless celebration. 

Celebration of 

Bliss

Peace

Health 

And 

Godliness. 

Om Shanthi. 

The inspiring Alchemist

The Alchemist. 

It didn't occur to me to look into dictionary to know what it means to be Alchemist, even beyond reading the whole masterpiece. 

There are more takeaways from the Author's interview to beliefnet.com than from his fable itself. 

It feels like breathing in fresh unpolluted air at the dawn when you hear him say,  'let's distinguish religion from spirituality.'

He quotes William Blake -

"God is in a grain of sand and in a flower.  This energy is everywhere."

There are certain things which God chooses to keep to His chest.  No way to know it.  The only certain way is to respect and reconcile to this fact. 

In the same breath, in the fable,  the author never fails to repeat, 

"When you want something,  the whole universe conspires in order for you to achieve it."

Every creation is God's unique piece, 

For a purpose, an obligation... Call it whatever. 

And set out full force to achieve it come what may. 

For,  the whole universe conspires in order for you to achieve it.