Overcoming Frustrations in Relationships

We face many problems in life. One of them is frustrations in relationships. We do not know how to deal with it. Such frustration plays and replays itself in our mind day and night and does not allow us to live in peace or sleep at nights. They are a hindrance to our progress in material life and spiritual life. We cannot do mantra japa and meditation with so much frustration in our mind. We must all learn to deal with them in order to heal our relationships, improve our lives and enhance our spiritual life.

Frustration is a form of anger. Anger comes when people do not speak, act or perform as per our expectations. Frustration peaks when we don’t get the results we seek from people. We get frustrated with ourselves when we are unable to achieve, perform or behave as per our planning, forecast or desires. This is extremely annoying as it is a sign of failure. We plan and we execute meticulously and we do not get the expected results. We feel like failures. We lose our self esteem and self confidence. And this stirs up more anger and frustration in our lives.

In order to overcome frustration in relationships we must understand two things: the past cannot be changed or undone. And that people do not change.  

So we must learn to let go of the past and not brood on what could have been  there or done. We spend hours analysing the past. We blame ourselves or the other person for the pain of past or lack of results in past. But past is past. No amount of going over past is going to help anyone. It only increases our blood pressure and we indulge in endless arguments of what could have been done. Understand that NOTHING can be done about what is over. We can only learn lessons from past and move on. But past cannot be undone. The parents must not blame each other or the children or others in family for events of past. Let us accept the events of past and their consequences which have already happened and let go.

 People do not change. We must learn and accept this harsh truth. We find it difficult to change ourselves. How can we expect others to change themselves?  We must learn to change ourselves so that we are not hit by how the others behave or perform in life. The mother wants the child to be hard working, obedient, loving, smart and a topper in the school. The child wants the mother to yell less, speak more lovingly, cook his favourite foods and not chase him to do things that he does want not. The husband wants his wife to be calmer, cool, clean, polite and a better cook. The wife wants the husband to pick up after himself, not snore, earn more and carry the garbage. The lists of our expectations towards all members in the family are endless. We misuse our power and position and threaten others with dire consequences if they do not change. Emotional blackmail is another tool used to force others into wanted behavioural patterns.  Using sex – I am Male and you must listen to me or I am female and I am weak and hence you must do the work;  age – I am elder and you must obey me or I am younger and cannot do it;  weeping, violence, threats and other means are used to corner others and enforce our wishes on them. Anything which is enforced in this way will never yield a positive result in the long run.

Having understood that past cannot be changed and people don’t change, let us make realistic goals in life. Once we accept people with their strengths and weaknesses, we will be able to assess the results in each situation in a much better manner. Learn to focus on the strengths of the person but protect your back against his weaknesses.  And when there is a shortcoming in the result, we will be able to adjust and accept in a much more reasonable way rather than getting frustrated. When we make smaller and more realistic goals in behaviour and results while dealing with others, it leads to positive results on daily basis.  When a successful behavioural pattern is established there is more peace, happiness and fulfilment in relationships.  When we get thoughts of people, we must re-label them in our minds with more loving names and associations. Do not call your father “Hitler”. When you think of him call him “daddy’ with the same love you had when you were a child. Pray for his welfare. And you will find an improved mental connection with him. This will reflect ultimately in an improved relationship with him.

It is not easy to establish this change in yourself or in others. But you have some level of control over yourself.  Do not allow frustration to control you, your thoughts, words or behaviour. Take control of your own life and do not allow anyone to force you or manipulate you into negative reactions.  Have control over your thoughts and reactions and hold your personal power. You should think and decide what you want to think and feel.

When you do the SitaRam Mantra japa, the vibrations of the mantra will give you the necessary will power, understanding and ability to exercise self control. Even in extreme situations you will not lose your cool and react as you would normally. The SitaRam mantra vibrations place a protective covering around you and you will be not be affected by the anger vibrations of others.  Then your reactions will be as you want it to be – of a spiritually evolved being.

How to be Happy

When we ask ourselves what we want in life – the answer always is: I want to be happy. Every single person wants to be happy. We have reasonable comforts in life – a home, family, relationships, a job, our daily food and other facilities. Yet we find ourselves being mostly unhappy. We get irritated fast. We shout. We don’t have patience.  We compare ourselves with others and always find ourselves wanting. These are not signs of happy people.

Happiness is an elusive thing. Our happiness seems to depend on everything from the weather to how well our clothes are ironed. When we look around we see that money is not the key to happiness, or good health or a bigger home or faster car or the latest ipod. There are some people who have everything and are never happy. And there are some who have lesser of material blessings and are still happy. The difference is the attitude of the persons.

Let us make our lives simpler. Each week spend two hours in one area of your home and remove the clutter. Donate what you don’t need to charity. A tidy home makes for a smiling face and better japa and meditation.  Do not take on more load of work that is possible for you at home or work. Learn to say no.

Maintain your health. Eat healthy food. Go for a brisk walk daily. Sleep sufficient number of hours. This takes care of your physical well being.

Do not nag. Do not shout and criticise at all time. Present your opinion or suggestion in simple way which is not judgemental.  Have softness and sweetness in speech and respect for all at home.  We must give respect first to get respect. Even when we are not in a good mood, we must not blast off our moods on others.  If you consciously force yourself to be calm and smiling, you will soon find yourself that way. This will help you have good relationship at home and with friends and at place of work.

Do not focus on bad news or bad television all the time. Switch off the television and read a good book or inspiring article. Have a hobby which gives you pleasure.

Most important change we must make in ourselves is to learn to appreciate what we have and be content with our lot in life. This does not mean we do not work hard. We must work hard and accept the results of our efforts as blessings from God.  Appreciation and contentment of what we are given will make our lives happy. We don’t have to seek or achieve or get more in order to be happy. We can be happy now. Gratitude for what we have and contentment gives great peace.  We will have a heightened sense of well being. 

See the life of the farmer’s wife in this story:

A farmer lived in a small village with his wife and three children. His house was small and comfortable and he had sufficient land and produce to make a good living. Due to a sudden problem, his aged parents had to move in with him. The furniture, people and space at home had to be shifted and re-arranged to make place for the parents.   This left the wife fuming and unhappy. After some time she went to the wise man of the village and sought counsel. He heard her out and said: the answer to your problem is very simple. Please keep  a dozen hens in your living room for a week.

The woman was surprised but followed the orders. The hens clucked all the time. They dropped feathers and shit in the living room. Their food and water was strewn everywhere. After a week, the woman was fed up and went to the wise man. He told her: the solution is not complete. You must bring in six goats into your living room. After you do so, please let me know how it goes.

The constant bleating and butting of the goats, the smells of their bodies, food and refuse drove everyone crazy. And the hens had made the living room their roost. Again after a week the woman went to the wise man and complained. The wise man said: just do one more thing and the process is complete. And after that you will be very happy. Bring three cows into the living room. And the woman did so.

The living room was in an uproar. The cows, the goats and the hens seemed to be everywhere. The noise and smells of the animals were intolerable. With a week the woman was fed up. She made up her mind to seek out the wise man and give him a piece of her mind and get rid of all the clutter and animals from her living room. She went to the wise man and raised her voice: what kind of advice do you give? My life is hell now. I am getting rid of all animals. I want my living room back clean and uncluttered. The wise man said: yes please do that. That would complete the process.

The woman went back and cleared out all the hens, goats and cows from her living room. She threw out some old rubbish too. She scrubbed and cleaned and made her living room fine. She also cleaned up the other rooms.  The house was clean and fresh and she was very happy. She went to the wise man and said: your remedy worked. My house is spacious and fine and I am happy.

The wise man smiled: he said your house did not change. It is same. You have learnt to appreciate what you have. That makes you happy and content. Appreciation of what we have is the key.

Finally we must take care of our soul. Know that you are not the body but the soul. It is the nature of the soul to be in bliss. You can uncover this bliss by regular meditation and SitaRam mantra japa and following other spiritual teachings of the ParamGuru. 

Why We Search for Happiness

 From the time we are born we seek happiness. We seek it through food, drink, peaceful sleep, good clothes, good home with facilities and other comforts. Our entire existence is geared towards fulfilment of desires and being happy. Happiness is our goal in life. 

Happiness is an elusive goal. We seek it; we work for it and achieve the object of our desire. We are happy for some time. Then the happiness fades away and again we seek it by fulfilling another desire. We can see this behaviour even in a very small child who has no knowledge of what is desire or fulfilment or happiness. From where does the child learn to search for happiness? What is it that forces us to yearn for and work for happiness all our lives?

All religions of the world declare that we are not the body. We are the Immortal Soul. The nature of the Soul is Bliss. The Super Soul or God is in Eternal Bliss. We are part of that Super Soul and Eternal Bliss. We are now in the human body and living on Earth. But the soul within knows its origin and seeks to go back. It yearns for bliss – the Eternal Bliss of God. We do not know how to go back to Godhead and be established in that peace and bliss.  So we seek happiness by fulfilment of material desires.   Such happiness is only a shadow of the Eternal Bliss.

The Supreme Power, the individual soul and illusion – Maya – are the three permanent components of the eternal Universal Drama of Life. God governs the individual soul and Maya (the illusion of duality, that we are different from God). In order to overcome this illusion that we are different from God and from each other we need the help of God. God does not help us directly. He comes in the form of ParamGuru who is a realised master and shows us how to overcome Maya and become one with Him. Follow the ParamGuru and reach God and be always in a state of happiness and bliss.

The great masters or ParamGurus teach us the way back to Godhead. They have knowledge and inner experience of the path and know how to reach that Supreme State. When we follow their teachings we reach that State of Bliss. Mantra Japa of SitaRam, Kundalini Maha Yoga Systems, meditation  and following the teachings of the Param Guru in a systematic and disciplined manner help us to reach the state of bliss. Live in bhakti  and surrender to God and ParamGuru and be in bliss. Once we reach this state, though we live in this world we will not rush madly after material desires.

Remember always, you are not the body. You are the Immortal Soul – the Child of God. The Bliss is within you. There is no satisfaction in temporary happiness of the material world. Find your roots and realise that you are Divine and full of Bliss. Today, on the birthday of this body, blessings to all that you receive Wisdom and Abundance from Goddess Saraswati and are always happy.

Blessings of Guru Seva- Kalyan

The Supreme Power of God upholds the Universe and Creation. It is not possible for mere mortals to understand what or who God is, what are His rules, how He operates, what are His qualities and why He does certain actions which are beyond our comprehension. Only God can teach us about Him. So God manifests in the form of Guru to teach mankind about Him. God is Guru. And Guru is God. A Guru who has overcome his ego and merged himself with God is God Himself. Doing service to such a Guru is service to God. And the blessings and rewards of such seva are astounding. See the story of Samarth Ramdas and Kalyan:

Samarth Ramdas was a powerful and well known Guru.  He lived in Sajjangad which was on top of a hill. There was no source of water in the fort. The daily requirements of water for the Guru and his disciples had to be carried from the village at the bottom of the hill. This work of carrying and filling water for the requirements of all persons  in the fort was done by a disciple named Kalyan. Kalyan had great love for his Guru and did the task of carrying and filling the water as Guru Seva. All other disciples sat at the feet of the Guru and acquired knowledge from holy books and through question and answer sessions. Kalyan rarely sat at the Guru’s feet to study. He was busy from dawn to dusk carrying and filling the water at the fort. He was the Guru’s favourite and all the students were jealous and envious of Kalyan. They felt that since they sat at the Guru’s feet and studied hard and had more knowledge than Kalyan, the Guru should hold them in high regard.

Samarth Ramdas was aware of the feelings of the other students towards Kalyan. He waited for the right opportunity to show them the value of Kalyan.  One day during a study session, the Guru asked a tricky question to the students. None of them were able to give the answer. At that time Kalyan was passing by carrying buckets of water. The Guru called out to him and asked him the same question. Kalyan gave the correct answer effortlessly. 

The other students were astounded. They asked the Guru: how is it that Kalyan knows the answer to this question? We sit with you day and night and study and learn. We were not able to answer the question. Kalyan never sits with us and studies. Yet he gave the right answer! Samarth Ramdas replied:  Kalyan does Guru Seva with the right understanding and approach. For him, service to the Guru and taking care of needs for water for the persons here in the fort is doing service to God. He does this work cheerfully and willingly. He does not hold a grudge that he carries water all day long and that you sit here comfortably and study. You know only theory of spirituality. For you  the dictum ‘serve all like you serve God’ and 'Guru is God' are only words. Kalyan has realized the truth of these dictum by practice. He is doing the service with the right attitude and understanding. The blessings of God and Guru pour over him.  Therefore he has all knowledge! Samarth Ramdas later on made Kalyan his  official writer for noting down all his songs and teachings. Samarth Ramdas authored many books like the Dasbodh  and Shri Manache Shlok which are read and revered even today. Kalyan was his pen.

Listening to lectures and reading books by saints and others gives us only book knowledge. Theoretical knowledge is of no use. It is like knowing the recipe of making a tasty dish. We may know the ingredients, the method and have a description of taste of the final dish. But just knowing this will not assuage our hunger. We need to eat the actual dish and relish the taste and food to fulfil our hunger. 

Do daily japa of the SitaRam Mantra and meditation. Follow the teachings of the Guru.  It does not matter if you are physically near the Guru or live far away.  Be mentally close to the Guru by thinking of him.  Do your work and follow the practices given to you. This is the best Guru Seva you can do and you will reap the blessings. Whatever is lacking in your life will be granted and you will have contentment. Guru seva is like the Kamadhenu – the Holy Cow which grants all the wishes. Do the Seva of Guru for sake of doing Seva. Do the seva for love of the Guru. This is the highest level of Seva possible.

How to overcome Anger

Anger comes when our expectations in life are not fulfilled. We seethe with anger when we feel we are wronged by another person; when we feel injustice is done to us. We do work with expectations and seek reward by way of appreciation. When we don’t get it we are angry. Our weakness makes us angry. Others take advantage of our weakness and we are not able to protect ourselves. Anger boils in us and we either  hold it within us or we hit out at a person who is weaker than us. We use anger to justify the wrongs we have done or the addictions that enslave us. Most of the time, anger and bluster are cover ups for weaknesses.  When we lack understanding and we misunderstand people or circumstances, we cause ourselves anger and grief. Genuine anger at the pain of others is a great strength which makes an ordinary Mohandas into Mahatma- the Father of the Nation. But such anger is rare. We wallow in the little pool of resentments and irritations most of our lives and make ourselves miserable and the lives of others around us wretched.

We all know that anger is not good and we should not get angry. Anger damages our body and mind. It colours our thinking and speech. We lose rationality, logic and sense of justice when we are angry. There is no balance of greys. Everything appears black and white in our vision. This is dangerous as life is shades of grey- some whiter than others. We hurl words that we should not speak and hurt others. In anger, we take actions which we should not. We do immeasurable damage to ourselves and others. Later on we repent but by then it is too late. Wounds caused by words don’t heal well. They fester for years within us. Such festering sores provoke further actions of anger and revenge. And the cycle never ends.

How can we control anger? Understand the causes of your anger. Take a positive stand against your anger. Offer the fruits of your work to God and Guru and accept rewards which come your way as divine blessings. Live without expectations. Do not let your ego manufacture mountains of out molehills.  Understand that Earth does not revolve around you but around the Sun. Know that you are a part of the Cosmic Drama and you are here to be loving, compassionate and helpful to all. You are a divine being on an earthly sojourn and not a being who wastes his life wallowing in anger and miseries. 

 Make a strong intent never to hurt anyone by words. There is great power in prayers. Pray to God and Guru that you should be sweet and truthful in speech and that your words should console and comfort others and not hurt anyone.  Do the Sita Ram Japa daily. As you do regular sadhana with the mantra you will find a transformation taking place in you. There is a gap of few moments in between the time your anger manifests and the time you react.  In this gap, the sane voice of conscience will speak out and ask you to calm down. The vibrations from Sita Ram are so strong and powerful that they empower this voice to blare out aloud and force you to hear it. SitaRam Mantra gives you strength to overcome anger and let it go. The SitaRam will not permit the anger vibrations to rise up towards the brain and hit the brain and damage the brain and the entire system. Instead the vibrations of anger are transformed by SitaRam. The anger vibrations become one with the SitaRam and they flow downwards in all parts of the body healing the body and making it wholesome. The force and energy of anger  are transformed by the vibrations of SitaRam Mantra  and this new energy will improve your health, give you energy and direction for work and revolutionize your life!

Nothing is as effective in controlling anger as the vibrations of SitaRam Mantra. Never miss out japa even once. Make opportunities for doing more japa of SitaRam Mantra daily. A time comes when your anger lasts for split seconds and then you are sane and balanced. Then the  full power of the SitaRam Mantra will directly get used  for your health, welfare and transformation  instead of being used for overcome your anger issues.

Ignorance and Sanctification of Life

We are children of God. All of us accept that God is One and He is our father and mother. Yet we forget our Divine Origins and live in ignorance and pain. We are drowned in  sensual pleasures and our chase for little things in life.  Our entire life passes in struggle and we think of ourselves as the body and our Ego controls and directs us. Our Soul which is a spark of the Divinity is neglected and forgotten.

The ParamGuru comes into our lives to teach us to remember God and our Divine Nature and reach the final goal of self realisation. The ParamGuru’s words and his presence remind us of who we really are and what heights we can achieve.

O Divine Beings, you are not this body. Do not identify yourselves with this body and the clamour of the senses. Identify your body with Divinity and higher purpose at all times.  Be aware of the Grace of God in the sunlight and wind and each time the light touches your face or you take a breath, the presence of God will fill you. When you take a sip of water, be aware of its coolness and sweetness which is like the love of God and Guru. When you cook your food, sing SitaRam in your mind. The food tastes better. Offer the same food to God and Guru and then partake of it. It tastes even better. The entire cosmos is inside your body. Divine presences, God and Goddesses are present in the chakras of your body. The spark of God graces the temple of your heart. The prana shakti or cosmic energy is the fuel of the subtle functions of the body. The food which you eat is ultimately made from the solar energy and nourishes your body.  The miracle of our lives is dependent on cosmic grace.

Sanctify your life by constantly remembering the grace of God. Every breath you take, every sip of water you have, the food you eat, the energy which vibrates in and around  your body, the logic and intelligence which work in you are all divine gifts. Recall this every moment of your life and keep chanting the SitaRam Mantra. And you will rise above the mundane existence and sanctify your life, understand the cosmos and attain the ultimate goal of Self Realization .

Peace

We all seek peace. We want to be at peace with ourselves and our family. We want to be at peace with our friends, community and nation. We feel that when our desires are fulfilled we will be at peace.

Some seek peace by earning more money, some fulfil their desires by buying bigger cars & homes others buy more clothes and some buy jewellery. Many seek peace by controlling others. Some seek peace and fulfilment in wielding power over others and shaping and directing their future.  Richness, comforts, convenience, power, control, influence may give some fulfilment and peace for a short time.

When desire is fulfilled, there is peace for some time. But that peace does not last long because desires surface again and again.  We feel we have got peace. But can man ever get peace by fulfilment of desires? No. After one desire is fulfilled, another one takes its place. In the modern world of advertisement and publicity, our desires multiply rapidly. They never become less. When we are eternally restless,  how can we get peace?

Where there are desires, power, control, influence etc, there is always fear. There is fear that the power, riches and influence will be taken away from us. Where wealth, power and influence are present, there is also the taint of violence, pain and fear of seizure by force. How does one know how much is enough in life? How can we fix the benchmark for contentment?  How much of wealth, power or influence is satisfactory and conducive to peace of mind and happiness?

The measure of your level of contentment is something which comes from within. The inner guidance from Divinity fixes it. When one is consistent, disciplined and regular in doing the SitaRam Mantra Japa and Meditation, this guidance comes from within and you know how to handle your desires and be content with yourself and life. Divine Love which is the basis of all Life and Peace fills one through the vibrations of the mantra. The SitaRam Mantra acts upon the prickly and ugly qualities of anger, jealousy, lust, fear, attachment, pride and hate  and dissolves them. Only when one is rid of these ugly qualities, do the sweetness of the peace and contentment rise from within and makes life worth living. Grace which flows through consistent and regular efforts of spiritual practices and SitaRam Mantra will fill your life with peace that is long lasting, unchanging and eternal.

Vaikunta Ekadashi

This is one of the most important festivals of India and has a deep spiritual significance. It falls on the 11th day of the bright moon of Hindu Lunar month of Paush and that day is morrow – 5th January 2012.  The month of Paush is dedicated to spiritual practices. Observance of the Vaikunta Ekadashi fasting and worship are supposed to bless us with liberation or Moksha. Hence it is also called ‘Mokshada’ Ekadashi.

The Padma Purana – one of the ancient and holy texts of Hinduism- tells the tale of a demon called Muran and his harassment of Devas (Gods). Lord Shiva directed Devas to seek the protection of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu fought a long and harrowing battle with the demon Muran but was unable to defeat him. So the Lord retreated to a cave called Himavath in Badrinath where he went into yogic slumber to build a new weapon against the demon. Muran found the Lord sleeping in this place and attacked him. The feminine energy in the Lord or the Shakti of the Lord blazed out and burnt Muran with a single look. This feminine energy was named Ekadashi. When offered a boon by the Lord, she sought that those who observed fast, worshiped the Lord all day and night and visited the temple of the Lord on that day, be granted access to Vaikunta or the highest abode of the Lord.

Fasting and worship are an integral part of Vaikunta Ekadashi.  Fasting begins from previous day after lunch and the worship extends up to the day after Vaikunta Ekadashi.  The worshippers remain awake all of night chanting the name of the Lord and visit the temple at the Brahma muhurt or the early dawn hours. At the entrance of the temple they pass through an ornate gate which is symbolic of the gates at entrance of Vaikunta.

There is great spiritual significance in the Vaikunta Ekadashi. Self realisation or entry to the highest abode of the Supreme is possible only when  one overcomes all the negative qualities within and the mind is in peace and full of love for God. The demon Muran symbolises the Rajasic and Tamasic qualities in man. These are the infamous qualities of anger, lust, pride, attachment, greed and jealousy. These qualities have to be overcome or killed and the satvic qualities in self be manifested in order to gain self realisation or moksha at Vaikunta.

Self realisation needs a still and pure mind. In order for the mind to be still, the mind has to be watched. We must watch ourselves and be in a state of awareness. This is possible only when the negative qualities of the mind are diminished and the purer qualities of the mind are strengthened and manifested. Fasting – in specific – not eating certain foods like rice etc are important, as such foods make the mind sluggish.  Keeping vigil all night and chanting the name of God keeps us awake and conscious.  When we enter the temple with a calm and peaceful mind,  true Darshan takes place and there is possibility of self realisation.

The spritual practices are advocated from previous day and up to the next day of the festival to indicate that the holy practises of chanting, reading of holy books, mantra, meditation and being aware of self should be practised on daily basis throughout life in order to attain Moksha or Self realisation. For a peaceful and calm mind are not obtained overnight by a few hours of practice of japa or dhyan.

The cosmic energies which flood the atmosphere on the day of Vaikunta Ekadashi are conducive to spiritual practices. Practising the SitaRam Mantra and meditation on this day and taking Darshan of the Lord within self and also in the physical temple will bless us with enormous rewards. May SitaRam Mantra bless you on this day and every day.

You are Divine Beings in the World

The Universe is very vast. There are over ten thousand worlds in the universe and the highest of the worlds is the Vaikunta. Vaikunta is the abode of Lord Vishnu. Those who do japa of SitaRam Mantra are on way to that world and those who have taken Shaktipat of Kundalini Maha Yoga and are staunch Guru Bhaktas will definitely reach that wonderful world. The inhabitants of the world of Vaikunta are in direct touch with the Unmanifest which has manifested itself in the form of Shri Vishnu.

The other worlds are inhabited by different kinds of beings. They have different levels of development and different gifts. Each being is unique to his world with different nature and characteristics.  The Earth is a meeting point – a place where different types of beings come together and co exist in harmony. This is one place in universe which is melting pot of all Universal Cultures.

 You are Divine beings who are temporary residents of this world. You have come here for some purpose and once that is done you will go back to Vaikunta. Till then remember you are here for a short stay and you are a guest here. You are living here with beings from a variety of worlds.  So live in peace and harmony with all.

You must remember every being has his own unique way and likes & dislikes the same as you.  Some people around you like to do the reading of Pothi or holy books, some like idol worship, some worship nature, some see divinity in music and arts. Some of the beings meditate on the Divine as way of life and others believe in singing the holy name of God. Every being here is walking his own path to God and we must respect that. We are also walking our own path. So you must live your time here on this earth with respect and understanding towards others. This will make your stay here enjoyable and agreeable. And remember at all times to do the SitaRam Mantra which is your safety and passport to the world that is uniquely yours.

New Year Blessings

Today, on the first day of the New Year, my blessings to you all that you are healthy, wealthy and happy and that you receive the right guidance in all that you are doing. 

The start of the New Year gives us an opportunity to let go of the past pains and miseries and start again afresh. Look within yourselves and dump all the negativities of past and make a firm resolution regarding your personal self transformation. The power of SitaRam and the Grace of Guru will fuel your resolution and make it a success. 

All change has to come from within. Resolve primarily to be more regular in your spiritual practices. Do your SitaRam Japa regularly and meditate daily. Be more resolute in your bhakti and surrender to God and Guru. The Guru Bhakta (the one who loves the Guru dearly) is always protected by the Guru and guided in the right direction. 

The Guru is like the Sun. The Sun shines on everything impartially. Those who sit inside homes behind closed doors and windows will not receive any light or warmth. The Guru showers his grace and love impartially on all. Only those who do their daily japa and dhyan will receive the nectarine showers. Therefore resolve each day to increase your love and faith and be more disciplined in your practices and bask in the sunlight of the Guru’s love and grace. May the year 2012 bring you closer to your God and Guru.

Message on New Year's Eve

On the eve of the New Year, we must take stock of ourselves. We must see who we are and where we are headed. We must steer the path of our life in the right direction.

You are all Divine Beings.  You come from Divine Source. You have come here for a short stay and you will go back to your Divine Nature and Divine Home. Never degrade yourself as being a mere man living a life of sensual pleasures on Earth.  

There are 10, 000  lokas or worlds in the Universe.  The highest of these is the Vaikunta Loka – the abode of Lord Vishnu. Those of you who chant the Siddha SitaRam Mantra are on way to that Loka. Those who have taken the Shaktipat of the Kundalini Maha Yoga  and are staunch Guru Bhaktas  will definitely reach there.You all have come to Earth to stay here for a short while.

As a resident of Earth, you must remember  that you are here only for a short period of time. You are a guest here on Earth. When you stay as a guest in someone’s home, you are on your best behaviour. You are well mannered towards all. Your speech is polite and sweet. You are neat and clean in your area of living. You take care of the possessions of your host and do not pollute or spoil his things or surroundings.

As guests living on earth for a short time, we must take care of the gifts bestowed on us in this world. We must respect Mother Earth and not pollute or spoil her. We must make proper use of Wind, Water and Air. These are priceless gifts which support and sustain our lives on Earth.  Mother Nature and Earth give us enough for our needs. But whatever gifts she pours is not enough for our greed.  Our greed drives us to exploit these gifts. We  ensure that only we get the maximum benefit of the fruits of Nature without seeing to the needs of others or the long term effects on our environment.

Hinduism  teaches us to respect all Nature as God. Earth is Bhu Mata or Mother Earth who is a living goddess and mother to all. Sun is Surya Devta or Sun God who spreads warmth, light and brightness to all. Wind is Vayu Devta or Wind God who is the life breath of all creatures on Earth. Water is Varun Devata or God of Water whose nectarine drops are life giving.  Trees are worshipped and all flowers , leaves, fruits are used in worship and hence respected. Animals and birds are vehicles or carriers of Gods and hence respected. All Nature is revered. When such respect is shown and Nature is worshipped, there will be proper utilization of resources and the needs of all will be served.

We need to get back to these tenets of worship of Nature to ensure that Earth and her gifts are properly utilized and not polluted, exploited and exhausted.

O Divine beings, living here on earth remember that you are guests and use whatever is given to you in the right way and share what is given with all. Teach this right approach to your children too. The attitude of thankfulness and right use of gifts and offerings is the most acceptable behaviour of a guest!

Intensity of Mantra Chanting & its Blessings- Draupadi

Mantra Japa or chanting of the mantra is one of the easiest ways of increasing devotion to God. It is simple and it involves no great costs or equipment. The mantra bestowed by the Guru is chanted as per the instructions given and the blessings of the mantra flow.  In Bhagwad Gita, Bhagwan Yogeshwar Sri  Krishna says in the chapter Vibhuti Yoga: ‘I am, among the  Yogas, the Japa Yoga.’

Draupadi, who married the Panch Pandavas in Mahabharat is one of the Panch Maha Kanyas. She was Shakti swarupa- form of Shakti- and it is recommended to remember her every morning to get rid of sins.  Such was her purity and bhakti. Draupadi had deep spiritual love for Sri Krishna and it was reciprocated in full by the Bhagwan. They were Bhakt and Bhagwan- devotee and God.  Draupadi’s love for Sri Krishna was so strong that Sri Krishna became her personal saviour in all the troubles and turbulences in her life.

Being a princess and then later a Queen, Draupadi had immense responsibilities and duties. She and her husbands were always targeted by their cousins, the Kauravas.  Her family had to suffer through royal plots for assassinations, defamation, dethroning and exile. Through all the political turmoil and problems, Draupadi always held on to Sri Krishna in her mind and heart  and did her work throughout the day remembering him. And Sri Krishna too reciprocated by rushing to her rescue every time there was a crisis.

Subadra, the sister of Sri Krishna was jealous of Draupadi. She knew how much her brother loved Draupadi. Sri Krishna  even called Draupadi his sister. She could not understand why Sri Krishna loved Draupadi so much and what Draupadi had done to deserve such love from Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna knew of this jealousy and he decided to teach Subadra a lesson. Once when Draupadi visited Sri Krishna, Sri Krishna asked Subadra to go to her room and help her dry her hair as she had just washed her hair. Draupadi was famous for her long thick gleaming tresses. Subadra went to Draupadi’s room where she found her drying her just washed hair. Subadra picked up the comb to gently untangle the knots. As she combed through the tresses, she could hear each hair on the head of Draupadi chant: Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna .........    Subadra then realised what a great devotee Draupadi was and how much Draupadi loved Sri Krishna and why her brother loved her so much. And all the pettiness and jealousy from her mind vanished.

The SitaRam mantra is chanted in two ways – sitting on asan or seat and while moving around doing ones daily duties. Please chant the mantra while walking, talking, sitting, cooking, bathing, eating, sleeping, waiting for appointments, while on computer, etc. You can easily multi task with one part of your mind on the holy name. The vibrations of the name will protect you and keep you connected to the Supreme at all times. This is easily possible. It is just a matter of reminding yourself now and then to chant the name till it becomes a habit and second nature. If Draupadi, with all her responsibilities, duties and troubles, could remember Sri Krishna at all times, then we can easily do so!

Spiritual Practices Are A Must For All

There arises a question – are spiritual practices for all or only those who are inclined to spirituality?

The answer is: Spiritual Practices are for all, at the levels at which they can easily practise. Only spiritual practice help to protect ourselves from the fast paced life we live today and all its negative effects.

In today’s world there is tremendous competition and stress. Cut throat practices help most to survive and remain on top. These crippling practices shatter the body and mind. In the rat race of today’s world, those who win are losers and losers are already losers. Life revolves around possession, prestige, post, power, greed and glamour.  Caught in this vicious circle, there is no respite for man.  

Every person needs to evolve and grow. And this is possible only by spiritual practices. The spark of Divinity that is within us – our Consciousness – demands that we evolve and we grow. This is possible only when we are protected from negativity around us. Negative energies & forces around us negate and neutralize the creative energies within us which foster growth.

When we practise mantra japa, reading of sacred books – poothi parayana, regular visiting of temples, recitation of slokas, meditation, the higher chakras in our system are activated. Devotion purifies our emotions and mind and guides our thinking. When we submit ourselves to the will of God in love and gratitude our devotion increases and we are protected from the negativities and vagaries of life.  As our practices increase, and devotion blossoms & becomes pure, the third eye develops. Intuition and ability to see and understand the will of God and the grand plan of creation come by itself. Fear, anger, jealousy and other negativities within us fall off. We feel the invisible hand of God protecting us at all times.

The spiritual practices of the Siddha Mantra Japa – Sita Ram and other mantras and Meditation, and service to Guru are the easiest way to living a meaningful life. Our progress in material life and spiritual life goes on smoothly. We see the blessings of God and the hand of Guru protecting us at all times.