Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

September 8th is Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji
Maharaj's 119th birthday anniversary. In honour of
this occasion several articles and video clips about
Gurudev have been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/sept8/video-clips.shtm

The birthday celebration programme at Sivananda
Ashram, Rishikesh can be accessed from the link given
in the page above.

In addition, we uploaded two articles on Gurudev by
his disciples. The first is titled "Sri Swami
Sivananda--A Composite Personality" by Sri Swami
Paramanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_composite.htm

The second is titled "Siva--The Sevak (Servant)" by
Sri Swami Narayananandaji.
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_sevak.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

THE MASTER'S HEART: Not long after the admittance of
the Sikh boy, a young man from the South arrived at
the Ashram, prostrated to the Master, and similarly
requested for food, shelter and some work. Again the
Master gave his consent instantaneously.

Somebody began to whisper, "But what about the boy's
antecedents? He may turn out to be a traitor like
some others before him?"

To this the Master remarked, "Yes, I am conscious of
the fact that some people had proved false to their
salt and deceived me. A blind man bolted overnight
with a harmonium from here; a postman duped me to the
extent of Rs. 10,000, and another so-called devotee
took away some of my books and misappropriated the
sales proceeds. Nevertheless, I have not the heart to
refuse such requests while several others might also
show contempt. Somebody has to harbour such
supplicants, otherwise, thrown into the streets, they
would be forced to go astray in other channels.
Sometimes I am not surprised to see a Peter, a Paul
or a Thomas around me, but I hope and pray that some
day even such persons would be transformed into
saints."

The Master then directed that the boy be admitted as
an inmate and given facilities like the previous Sikh
lad.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Swami Sivananda never came forward to teach anybody.
Later I learnt that his method is to permit people to
learn from his own life. I found that he went from
Kutia to Kutia carrying curd and milk for serving the
sick persons with his own hands and then took his
meals late. He never relied on others." - Swami
Paramananda


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Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Today, September 24th, is Revered Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj's 90th birthday anniversary. In
honour of this occasion, we uploaded an article on
Swamiji titled "In the Company of Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/chida_company.htm

September 23 to October 1 is the holy Navaratri
festival. This festival is observed in honour of the
Divine Mother. We have uploaded an article about the
Divine Mother by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji
Maharaj at:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/devi.htm

There is further information about Navaratri along
with video clips at:
http://www.sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/navaratri/introduction.shtm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

DUTY TO ONE'S PARENTS: A young man from Coorg
prostrated to the Master, saying, "Swamiji, I wish to
stay here and carry on my Sadhana. I can work in your
office and be useful."

Quick came the question, "Have you got parents?"
"Yes, Swamiji, my brothers will look after them," was
the explanation.

The Master said bluntly, "But what about your share
of service and duty to them?"

The young man felt the prick of conscience and
quickly retreated with his face downcast. He departed
forthwith for his native place.

-----------------------------------------------------

"He who has a made a determination now, "I will try
to become like Chidanandaji" and he alone will be
benefited." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

There is a new update on Sri Swami Chidanandaji
Maharaj along with photographs taken on Swamiji's
birthday on September 24th at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

We have uploaded an article titled "Quest for Peace"
by Sri Swami Chidanandaji at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/oct2006.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

CARE OF A SICK DOG: On the 18th of November, 1958,
while on his way back to his room from the office,
with a crowd of devotees following him in mirth and
devotion, the Master suddenly stopped and closed his
eyes, as if in prayer. He had noticed a dog resting
in a semi-conscious state, emaciated and exhausted.
There was a big, deep ulcer on its head. Scores of
passers-by were walking past unconcernedly.

"Poor creature!" exclaimed the Master. "This injury
could not be the result of an accident. It appears to
be some chronic infection and it should be attended
to at once."

He immediately called the resident doctors, Dr
Panjabi Prahlad and Dr Ram Chandaran to do the
needful. In a few moments all those following the
Master began expressing sentiments of pity and
sympathy for the poor beast.

The doctors immediately attended to the dog when it
awoke from its slumber. They gave it a lot of food
and drink and sprinkled the necessary powders and
medicines on the ulcer, finally bandaging the wound.

At the night Satsang the first thing that the Master
anxiously enquired about was the health of the dog,
and called upon the doctors to give their day's
report. He was happy to learn that the treatment was
proving effective and the dog progressing
magnificently.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Unseen, God helps you with faithful hands. Unheard,
He hears your speech. He knows your thoughts.
Remember, He is always with you. He is pure, all-
pervading Consciousness, Satchidananda." - Swami
Sivananda


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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

The October 2006 issue of the Divine Life magazine
has been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2006/oct-2006.shtm

The articles in the above issue are:
1) Devi Worship Constitutes Goodness, Prosperity And
Knowledge by Sri Swami Sivananda
2) Prayer Must Become Part of Our Life and Action by
Sri Swami Chidananda
3) Meditation Part 3 by Sri Swami Krishnananda
4) Preceptor-Disciple-Relation by Sri Swami
Brahmananda
5) Planting the Seed of Aspiration by Sri Swami
Venkatesananda
6) The Map is Not the Journey by Sri Swami
Atmaswarupananda

A series of articles titled "Sri Swami Sivananda and
His Mission" is being uploaded to Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji's website. These articles are being
posted on the 8th of every month. The first two
chapters can be accessed from:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/gurudev_0.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

JAPA ENCOURAGED: Emerging from the Satsang on his way
to his quarters the Master noticed three striplings
(servants of the Ashram), with their foreheads
besmeared white with the sacred ash, uttering, "Ram,
Ram, Ram" in chorus.

Amused at the sight, the Master asked his secretary,
Swami Satchidananda, to give a rupee note to each one
of the boys. He further instructed them, "Continue
this Ram-Nam Japa always."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Sadhana is the real wealth. It is the only thing of
real and lasting value." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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http://www.dlshq.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi
-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Today (Oct. 21) is the holy Deepavali day. In honour
of this occasion we uploaded a Deepavali message by
Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj at:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/deepavali2.htm

There are videos of Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj
celebrating Deepavali during previous years at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/deepavali/deepavali-video.shtm

Please visit the following link if you would like more
information about Deepavali:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/deepavali.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

A CONFESSION: The date was 11 December, 1958. In the
Satsang hall tonight, a youth of about twenty-five
years was ushered in by Swami Chidanandaji--one
Suresh Chandra--whom the Master knew some years ago
as a "problem child", and who today had voluntarily
come forward to atone for his past sins and talk with
honest pride about the great change for the better
that had overtaken him.

The Master welcomed him as "Pundit Suresh", and with
a bewitching smile blessed him profusely. Suresh
informed the Master that he was now a graduate (B.A.)
and was studying privately for the M.A. He was
presently teaching at Rishikesh in a secondary
school.
Today he was emboldened to come into the Master's
presence.

He began: "So here I am, Gurudev. Let me read to you
from my written confessional statement in Hindi,
which I had kept ready several months ago, waiting
for an opportunity of expressing it."

Suresh Chandra read the long scroll in high-flown
Hindi, with a heavy heart and tearful eyes, but with
faith and confidence in himself, oblivious of
everyone except the Master.

"Gurudev, thou knowest me since several years when I
was considered a problem child, a 'lost son', a do-
nothing, roaming about in the streets, irresponsible,
disobedient and quarrelsome. I was a vagabond,
deserving of every epithet. It was thy Grace that
saved me, and next, Swami Chidanandaji's.

"Thy Ashram, as the name implies, is a place which
affords refuge to rogues and saints alike, and to
those who seek spiritual bliss. My parents had driven
me out of home as useless. My brothers and sisters
looked upon me with contempt. I would not go to
school and loafed about with do-nothings. Food and
shelter thy Holiness gave me.

"I was given some work to do in the Ashram kitchen
but my childish pranks and mischievous habits
continued. Even here I was a veritable nuisance.
Swami Chidanandaji chided me many times, stopping my
food and even driving me out of the premises in
wintry cold and scorching heat. But I continued to be
a blockhead. Swami Chidanandaji, with his motherly
affection, always let me back with a prayer: 'Let me
hope you will do better next time'.

"As an urchin I had no imagination to gauge the
greatness of a sage like 'Bada Swamiji'. Together
with other street boys I used to criticise him,
ridicule him and indulge in mimicry, like stroking
his belly. I played all sorts of pranks, both big and
small.

"Another very bad habit in which I was an expert was
throwing stones at monkeys and dogs and lynching
them. On a fateful day, while I was thus wasting my
time and energy, harassing the poor beasts and
throwing stones at them, I was quite unmindful of my
surroundings and the consequences of my foolish play.

"Suddenly I heard a passer-by shouting at me
forcefully, 'Stop, you devil! You have hurt Bada
Swamiji.' And he pounced upon me with a stick.
Gurudev was at that time proceeding from his quarters
to the office for the day's work. From a distance I
could see him bleeding from his forehead and somebody
wiping the blood off. Even in that condition, Gurudev
appeared cool and kind to the faults of others. He
asked the man not to beat me and beckoned me to
himself.

"A salt eater of the Ashram and a servant of his that
I was, I felt very much ashamed of my evil act, and
for once felt deeply that I deserved and will suffer
as a penance any indictment and punishment that Bada
Swamiji ordained.

"And what do you think his 'punishment' was? A pat on
my back, a few sweetmeats from a satchel he was
carrying, and a sermon for future guidance-'child,
behave better. Don't waste your precious time and
energy in this way. Do something useful.'

"This incident was the turning point in my life and
career. It was God-sent. Ashamed and repentant, I at
once returned to my home and mother and resolved that
I shall be an ideal boy, man and citizen. I shall go
back to school and attend to my studies zealously. I
prostrated to Bada Swamiji and Chota Swamiji.

"Off and on I used to come from Rishikesh to render
small services to Swami Chidanandaji and seek his
advice and guidance, which he always gave
ungrudgingly. My faith in both the Swamijis began to
grow greater. By their Grace I not only passed the
matriculation but also the B.A. with distinction. And
now I am a teacher and efficient in many arts and
crafts. My poverty-stricken family is much better
off. I earn a good salary and have a good reputation.
My students and comrades respect me. All glory to the
two Swamijis who, by their sweet ways and divine
prayers, wrought this change in me!"

There was pin-drop silence in the Satsang hall as Sri
Suresh Chandra read out his story in deliberate
tones. The Master was very happy to listen to this
confessional statement and account straight from
Suresh Chandra's mouth, without any reservations. He
hailed Suresh and called him over to himself from the
dais. With downcast eyes Suresh prostrated at the
Master's feet and asked for forgiveness for his sins
and failings of the past. He assured the Master that
he was now on the right spiritual path and only
craved for his blessings to strengthen his resolves.

The loving Master, ever ready and willing, blessed
him vociferously, wishing him "still greater success
in all his ventures." He prayed for the prosperity,
health, long life, peace and eternal bliss of Suresh
and his family. He then invited Suresh to wind up his
beautiful 'oration' with his amusing comics and
dramatic acting, which the latter did to the great
delight of all. The audience, too, raised their hands
to bless him from the core of their hearts.

-----------------------------------------------------

"If anyone injures you, forgive him and forget the
injury done by him. You will gain immense spiritual
strength." - Swami Sivananda


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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

June 1st is the anniversary of sannyasa diksha of
Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. In honour of
this occasion we uploaded an article by Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj titled "Gurudev--An Exemplar of
Renunciation" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/jun2007.htm

There are photos and video clips of Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj taken in March 2007 at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

There have been numerous additions to Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji Maharaj's site since I last sent a
message more than 7 months ago. Please be sure to
read Swamiji's new book "The Study and Practice of
Yoga". It is an indispensable guide for the aspirant.
You can access this from:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/uploads.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

SPONTANEOUS GIVING: In the very early days of the
Ashram, a man with hat, boot and suit, looking like a
real gentleman, came to the Master. He was from
Ambala.

He requested one of the disciples, "I want a complete
set of Swamiji's books."

He went on enumerating all his requirements as if he
intended to purchase the entire Sivananda Publication
League!

"Are you going to pay for the whole lot here?" the
disciple asked.

He replied, "No, I will send the money from
Mussoorie."

The disciple refused to let him have anything.

But the Master said, "Give them to him. Give him a
complete set of books. He is going to open a
library."

"Swamiji, he may cheat us," said the disciple.

The Master's reply was spontaneous, "No, no. It does
not matter. Give him what he wants."

The gentleman also wanted two large framed pictures--
rare pictures illustrating the Gita Upadesha--that
were hung in the office.

The disciple again refused but the Master instructed
him, "Give him the pictures, too."

Ultimately the gentleman took books worth Rs. 180,
the pictures, gramophone records, etc. The Master was
cross with the disciple for about two or three days
because he did not hand over to the gentleman all the
books and pictures immediately.

After waiting for three months the disciple
discovered that there was no such man in Mussoorie.
He went to Ambala and fought with the parents.

They said, "What are we to do? We know nothing. Our
son is in the mental hospital at Lahore!"

-----------------------------------------------------

"Gurudev engaged himself in multifarious activities
each day when he came out of his kutir to the office.
He met visitors, entertained them, freely gave them
spiritual literature, gave a patient hearing to their
troubles, solved their problems, and if they were in
distress, gave them solace. Like a great-grandfather,
he did all these things. Yet we saw that he was
constantly immersed in the Cosmic Being. He was
constantly and continuously living in the Divine, in
the Spiritual. He was a dual-dimensional marvel of
our contemporary times." - Swami Chidananda


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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We uploaded an article by Gurudev Sri Swami
Sivanandaji Maharaj titled "What is True Vairagya
(Dispassion)?" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/jul2004.htm

An article by Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj titled
"Swami Sivananda--Personified Synthesis of Dynamism
and Renunciation" has been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/sannyasasiva/sannyasa1.shtm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

IDOL WORSHIP: It was during the All-India Tour on the
13th of September, 1950. Dr Hafiz Sayed, Ph.D.,
D.Litt., of the Allahabad University, an admirer of
the Master and a keen student of Hindu philosophy,
met the Master at his university. During the course
of his conversation, he said that he had stayed at
Tiruvannamalai in South India for some time, and
asked the Master, "Swamiji, do you believe in the
greatness of the Arunachala hill? Do you think there
is special glory in the hill itself?"

"Yes, yes. Why not? By the very remembrance of the
place one gets liberation. It is true. We must have
faith and realise its benefit."

Then Dr Sayed acquainted the Master with his own
study of the Master's works. He summed up his
estimation of the Master's mission in the following
words: "Swamiji, a man has only Rs. 50 and gives the
whole thing in charity. Another has a few lakhs of
rupees but keeps it all to himself. Swamiji, you are
like the man who has lakhs and still gives everything
away. You are more useful to society and mankind than
the sages who dwell in caves."

Dr Sayed had another interesting question to ask the
Master.

"Swamiji, when Vedanta says that God is nameless and
formless, how did idol worship arise? Do you justify
it?"

"Yes, yes," came the Master's immediate reply. "What
about the beginner? He requires a name and a form
upon which to fix his mind. Further, the Vedas ask
the idol worshipper to repeat hymns like the Purusha
Suktha, which take him to the very threshold of the
nameless and attributeless Brahman."

-----------------------------------------------------

"You should seek a renewal of the spiritual life as a
solution to many of the problems that confront you."
- Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We uploaded an article by Gurudev Sri Swami
Sivanandaji Maharaj titled "Dissemination of
Knowledge" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/aug2004.htm

The June 2007 issue of the Divine Life magazine has
been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2007/June-2007.shtm

Some of the articles in the latest issue are:
1) The Rugged Path by Sri Swami Sivananda
2) The Glory of Renunciation by Sri Swami Chidananda
3) The Search for Truth by Sri Swami Krishnananda
4) Peace and Liberty by Sri Swami Shivapremananda
5) Truly Understanding the Path by Sri Swami
Atmaswarupananda
6) The Earnings Which Increase by Sri Swami
Ramarajyam

A new book by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj titled
"The Heart and Soul of Spiritual Practice" is being
serialized at Swamiji's site. Please visit:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/heart/heart_1.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

THE REAL SADHU: During the Master's epoch-making All-
India Tour, a large number of people had gathered
under a shamiana (canopy) erected for Satsang in the
compound of Sri Wahi's house at Allahabad. The Master
would not lose an opportunity of serving his
children. He stood up, sang and delivered his
discourse.

"If you find mercy and humility in a person, then
alone can you know that he is a Sadhu. His heart will
melt at the suffering of others. Man has a sin-
hardened heart. When it begins to melt, the Lord
manifests Himself. A Sadhu need not deliver lectures
on the Panchadasi. He need not necessarily be able to
deliver eloquent discourses on the Gita. He may not
be able to comment for three hours on a single verse
of the Brahma Sutra, but a sweet aroma will always be
emanating from him. This will attract you to him. It
will give you peace and inner bliss when you approach
him. All your worry and anxiety will disappear as you
approach him. His very look will elevate you. His
words will inspire you and engrave themselves on the
tablet of your heart. Your nature will be transformed
by his very look. You will turn a new page in your
life. Such will be his power! Such is the glory of
true mercy and humility!

"People have a hard heart, a heart harder than
granite, harder than diamond, on account of wrong
actions done life after life. This heart should melt.
Only then can they have Self-realisation. Note well
that there is no short-cut to Self-realisation. A man
without mercy, love and humility cannot realise the
Self. You must understand this clearly. You must
engrave these words in your heart. You must write
them in bold letters on placards and place them in
your rooms and offices. The Lord cannot manifest
Himself in a sin-hardened heart. It must melt like
butter before He can reveal Himself.

"This melting is done by Kirtan and untiring selfless
service rendered with the feeling that all are forms
of Lord Narayana. Then you will develop a feeling of
oneness with all. Listening to the scriptures and
contemplation will be of no avail if there is no
purification of the heart. Vedantic Sadhana at this
immature stage will only fatten your egoism and
harden it. The bonds of worldliness will grow tighter
and the veil of ignorance become thicker.

"Without purifying the heart no progress in Sadhana
is possible. Therefore, practise Japa, sing Kirtan,
do untiring selfless service. Be generous. Give,
give, give. Kill vanity. Worldly people have their
own vanity, but much harder is the egoism of a Sadhu.
He thinks that he is superior to a householder
because he knows the Gita by heart and he can deliver
thrilling lectures for weeks on end on each verse of
the Upanishads. This spiritual pride is extremely
difficult to eradicate.

"Maya assumes many different forms. The ego assumes
various shapes. Just as water takes on the form of
the vessel into which it is poured, so also the ego
adjusts itself to all circumstances and persists in
its work.

"You renounce the world so that you can get rid of
the vanity of wealth and material desires. Now you
acquire another vanity--the vanity of renunciation.
In order to crush the ego you do scavenging, though
you are highly educated. Now the ego assumes the
subtle form of the vanity of service. You bow to all,
you prostrate to all, in order to develop humility.
This indefatigable ego comes up there also--you now
have the most dangerous vanity of humility. You feel
inwardly that you are humbler than others. This ego
is your terrible enemy. It wages guerilla warfare
with you. Beware! Beware! Beware!

"If you are sincere you can eradicate this ego
through Japa, Kirtan and selfless service. Sincere
people are very rare in this world. You can count
them on your finger-tips. Sincerity--it is a very
rare virtue! It is a combination of several virtues--
of truthfulness, straight-forwardness, simplicity,
absence of vanity, courage, fearlessness, tenacity of
purpose, love and humility. All these go to form
sincerity. A sincere man is immediately respected and
trusted by all. Only if you have this virtue will
there be rapid spiritual progress. Only then will you
realise the fullest benefits of the Japa, Kirtan and
meditation that you practise daily.

"Introspect and find out how you are progressing in
the cultivation of these divine virtues. You are not
practising introspection regularly. You have not the
strength of mind or the power of discrimination to
introspect. You think that you are very much
advanced, but when a test comes you fail miserably.
It is because there has been no real progress, no
real spiritual advancement. It is vanity that makes
you think that you are very advanced.

"Apply this acid test on yourself: does your heart
melt at the suffering of others? Has charity and
generosity become your very nature? Your money
belongs to the Lord. You have no business to keep
more than you need. How can you accumulate wealth
when your God in the form of a poor man is starving?
How can you take food four times a day when the
beggar--Lord Narayana--is starving outside the door?
These are the tests of spiritual progress.

"Do you run to a poor man walking along the street
and offer him food? Do you rush to the aid of a sick
or injured man lying on the roadside and ask, 'My
Lord, in what way may I serve thee?' If you do so,
then you are really advancing on the spiritual path.
You will soon develop cosmic love, which is the
threshold of liberation.

"If you really want God, then all these things must
be done. You should have mercy. You should feel that
you are only a trustee of your money; you are like a
gatekeeper. God has given you money. You should share
it with others. Purchase blankets in winter and
distribute them to the poor lying on the roadside.
What a joy you feel! The man who has not shared what
he has with others has a poor heart indeed, though he
may be a millionaire. Even the man who has nothing to
eat is the richest man in the world if he has a large
heart, if he shares what he has with others.

"The real Sadhu is one who has nothing to call his
own except a large, magnanimous heart--not one who
can skillfully argue about the existence of God or
the falsehood of creation, who is an expert in
intellectual acrobatics, who is proficient in the
coining and use of a few phrases. You can discover
him on the station platform. He will quarrel for half
an hour with a porter for the sake of two annas!

"If you are Ramprasad, feel that all are Ramprasad.
One Divine Consciousness pervades all. It sees
through all, It works through all. All ears are
yours. Feel as such. What an expansion of heart you
experience! All barriers are now broken down.
Everywhere you behold the one Lord, one Krishna, the
God who is both immanent and transcendent. "The
aspirant should be very careful. Not even an angry
look or the slightest trace of irritability should
arise in his heart. He should possess a sweet heart
and a sweet tongue.

"You should remain under a Guru. Serve him. There is
no greater Sadhana than service of the Guru. The Guru
will teach you the appropriate Sadhana for your
development. "May God bless you all with health, long
life, peace, prosperity and eternal bliss!"

-----------------------------------------------------

"If you take one step towards God, He takes ten steps
towards you." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

There are a couple of videos of Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj taken on June 2nd, 2007 at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

We uploaded an article by Sri N. Ananthanarayanan
titled "Living in the Present" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/jan2007.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

COMPASSION IN ACTION: It was a hot summer day on the
10th of August, 1958. A beautiful, innocent-looking
girl, hardly about twenty-two, arrived in a shabby
white sari and asked the receptionist at the Ashram
for asylum and stay as a "seeker". She entered a
false name in the register.

Night came, and after the Master had occupied his
seat at the Satsang, the girl made the customary
namaskar to him, prostrating and handing a note. The
Master was always up and doing and did not lay things
by for scrutiny later. Then and there his decisions
were taken.

The note in effect read: "Sri Satguru Maharaj, I am a
sinner, a spoilt child. Unmarried, I yet carry a
child within. I am the innocent victim of a young
scoundrel of Delhi, a neighbour who, after having
exploited me, deserted me. My parents are elsewhere
but in order to supplement their income I was
employed in Delhi, staying with certain relatives. I
went astray, not realising the consequences. I cannot
raise my head anywhere. I cannot return to my
parents. I have come here to drown myself in the
Ganges after the expression of this confession and
penitence to thee. Bless me and save my soul."

The Master lost no time in giving her his
benediction, and asked her not to be rash but to wait
and watch.

He allowed her to remain in the Ashram till he
thought over the matter and found a solution. Since
she had completely thrown herself at his mercy, it
was now his responsibility. She was given a separate
room, food and clothing, and a venerable Swami of her
own community was in charge of her comfort, safety
and needs. An old lady was her room-mate. Except
these two persons no one else knew about the
situation.

The Master contacted a devotee lady doctor to take
charge of the poor girl, who was due to deliver the
baby in October at a maternity hospital. The doctor
very joyfully accepted the command and promised
utmost secrecy.

The Master then consulted a venerable couple who were
devotees of his and were childless, to ascertain from
them whether they would adopt the coming child, be it
a boy or a girl.

"Yes, Swamiji, and by thy Grace we will perform the
adoption ceremony with great eclat. Whether the baby
be a male or a female, it would be a divine
blessing," came the answer from the couple.

On the 22nd of October there came a telegram to the
Master: "X. blessed with a baby daughter."

Greetings and blessings were sent to the girl and a
letter written to the couple requesting them to come
over to the Ashram to see and adopt the baby
treasure. All arrived on the 14th day of the birth of
the child--the girl from the maternity home and the
childless couple from Delhi.

On the 7th of November the sacred adoption ceremony
was performed in the benign presence of the Master,
with the chanting of verses and prayers. Trays of
sweets were ready. The baby was smiling and as
beautiful as her mother. The girl bowed to the Master
with great fervour and gratitude. The adopting
parents, too, were filled with great joy. The
ceremony lasted for about an hour, with everyone
joining in prayers and blessings for the long life
and prosperity of the girl, the baby and the adopting
parents.

The Master applied the sacred ash to all three and to
the baby, naming her "Shakuntala", saying that he
liked that name best. Taking the baby from the girl
he handed it to the adopting mother with a prayer,
"Long live Shakuntala! She will be an ideal girl."

Tears trickled down the girl's cheeks. Overwhelmed,
she sat down.

Addressing her, the Master said, "Worry not, my
child. I bless you! You will now marry suitably and
have many more such children."

A devotee from amongst the audience remarked, "We see
the greatness of Gurudev only in our old age. We have
come and prostrated to him so late in our lives, but
this fortunate baby of only fourteen days has found
out Sri Satguru Maharaj so miraculously and is taken
in his lap and blessed so abundantly."

The foster parents returned to Delhi the same night.
As for the girl, she was now wiser and a new light
radiated from her. She later returned to her parents
who accepted her back with equally good grace and
blessings.

-----------------------------------------------------

"To behold the one Atma or Soul in a dog, elephant,
cow, ant, outcaste, rogue and in all forms is Jnana
or wisdom." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We uploaded an article by Gurudev Sri Swami
Sivanandaji Maharaj titled "Where Is Real Love?" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/jul2007.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

THE WORTH OF MONEY: As soon as the Master was seated
in the office chair, Sri K. came to take leave of
him. Sri K. was an ambitious young man who had
previously worked in the Sivananda Charitable
Hospital. He left the Ashram without informing the
Master and accepted a job in Delhi. After a short
period there he felt restless and longed to have
Darshan of the Master. Being fully aware of the
Master's magnanimous capacity to forget and forgive,
he came without hesitation and stayed at the Ashram
for a couple of days. As usual the Master received
him with kindness and love.

Before taking leave, Sri K. remarked to the Master
that in spite of enjoying a larger salary and more
physical comforts in Delhi, he had no peace of mind.

"How can you find peace and rest there?" asked the
Master. "You will have to be a servant there. To the
worldly-minded people money is the most important
God. What is the worth of money? A dip in the sacred
Ganges is equal to two crores of rupees.

"Go back to Delhi and work there and, when you feel
completely dissatisfied with that life, return to the
Ashram. But before you return make up your mind never
to quit the Ashram again."

Sri K. felt rather ashamed because of his ingratitude
to the Master and tried to justify his action by
saying that he was trying to gain good experience in
the X-ray department so that he could utilise it for
the benefit of the Ashram hospital when he returned.

The Master, with an amusing smile, replied, "Are you
trying to give me plantains? I have already passed
the plantain school!"

The Master was referring to the common trick played
by mothers, who offered plantains to their children
in order to pacify them!

-----------------------------------------------------

"You can be a good scholar but still far from
religion or the pious life." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We have uploaded an article by Sri Swami Chidanandaji
Maharaj titled "Dwell in God-thought" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/nov2006.htm

The July 2007 issue of the Divine Life magazine has
been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2007/E_JULY-2007.pdf

Some of the articles in the latest issue are:
1) What Religion Means to Humanity by Sri Swami
Sivananda
2) The Necessity for a Guru by Sri Swami Chidananda
3) The Search for Truth by Sri Swami Krishnananda
4) Peace and Liberty by Sri Swami Shivapremananda
5) Transcend Your Feelings by Sri Swami
Atmaswarupananda
6) Sirshasana by Sri Swami Chidananda
7) Change Your Way of Thinking by Sri Swami
Ramarajyam

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

SANNYAS: The Master was awarding titles to some of
his deserving devotees. He turned towards Sri S. and
asked her, "What title do you want?"

"Sannyas title, Swamiji."

"Do you know how to fight? Before taking Sannyas you
must know how to fight."

Sri S. was puzzled at this unexpected remark. It took
her a few minutes to understand the inner meaning of
the words. She then replied, "Yes, Swamiji, I will
fight with the lower mind."

"Yes, that is what I meant," said the Master.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Develop the power of endurance. Lead a hard life." -
Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We have uploaded an article by Sri N.
Ananthanarayanan titled "How to Get Your Desires
Fulfilled" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/dec2006.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

A DEVOTEE'S FAITH: The Master was informed by Dr.
Mukerji that Sri Neelakantan, one of his dearest
disciples, was seriously ill. The doctor advised that
he be shifted to a bigger hospital. The Master was
anxious and immediately sent for Savitri, Sri
Neelakantan's wife.

"The doctor is of the opinion that Sri Neelakantan
must be treated in a more efficient hospital. Is your
brother in Delhi? What do you say to this?"

Sri Savitri, who was very much devoted to her
husband, replied with tears in her eyes, "To me the
best place is where Bhagavan lives. (She always
addressed the Master as 'Bhagavan'). With Bhagavan's
Grace and the treatment of the doctors of the Ashram
I am sure my husband will get well. I came here with
full faith in Bhagavan and I have the faith that my
husband will be all right. I do not want to take him
anywhere else. Will you allow me to bring him to you
to get your blessings?"

The Master immediately interrupted, "No, do not bring
him here. I will go and see him."

Sri Savitri asked, "May I send a telegram to Murali
to come here? Her presence may comfort him." Murali,
her daughter, was studying in a medical college.

"What about her lessons? She will miss them," said
the Master.

"Yes, she has to appear for the examination."

The Master turned to the doctor, "How can we shift
him to Delhi? His wife and children are here. Where
will they stay in Delhi? She is not willing to take
him there."

With his eyes closed, in a second the Master withdrew
himself within and began conducting Japa of the Maha
Mrityunjaya Mantra. The office hall resounded with
the divine vibrations.

After a while he said, "Ohji, arrange for Mrityunjaya
Japa to be conducted in the temple. Let it go on the
whole day long."

He was informed that the priest was doing the Japa.
"That is not sufficient. Some of the Ashramites also
must join in." He then instructed one of the Swamis
to go and do the Japa whenever he found the time. He
instructed another Swami also to go and conduct the
Japa. Turning to Sri Savitri, the Master said, "You
also must do Japa with your children. Give him
complete rest. Let him take fruit juice and ask him
not to worry. Everything will be all right."

He handed her some sacred ash to be applied on Sri
Neelakantan. He also requested some of the disciples
to go and help the family, and was informed that
Swami S. was already doing so and had been awake the
whole night.

Turning to him the Master said, "You are old. If you
exert much you yourself will need someone to look
after you." He then requested Swami P. to kindly go
and help the family.

Turning to the doctor, the Master said, "Doctor
Saheb, I wish you would extend your stay here for a
few days more."

Dr Mukerji said that he had to leave that day.

"Then please write down the necessary treatment. If
the medicines are not available here I will send
someone to Dehra Dun and get them."

The Master himself took a paper and gave it to the
doctor, requesting him to write down the treatment.

It was now very late, long past office hours. The
Master was waiting for the doctor to finish writing.
Noticing this the doctor said, "It will take half an
hour for me to write the history of the case and the
treatment."

"Does not matter," came the prompt reply.

In the evening when the Master came out, he anxiously
asked Sri Savitri, "How is Sri Neelakantan? Is he
better? Is he able to talk? Did you give him the
fruit juice? Did he drink it?"

By late evening Sri Neelakantan was much better. His
fever had come down, his pain was reduced and he was
cheerful and full of hope of a speedy recovery.

When the Master reached the office the next morning,
he called Meenakshi Amma and instructed her, "Kindly
go and find out how Sri Neelakantan is feeling,
whether he had good sleep, whether his pain is less
and what food he took."

Meenakshi Amma immediately departed and, returning
shortly, reported that he had slept well, his
appetite was better and his pain less. The fever,
too, had come down.

"First class! Is he smiling?" the Master asked, with
a joyful expression on his face, and continued, "Yes,
he will be able to run tomorrow."

Swami S. now appeared before the Master, but before
he could talk, the Master said, "Your patient is all
right, I think."

"Yes, Swamiji, when your Grace is there what else can
happen."

"The doctor was frightening him. Tomorrow he can eat
sambar and rice. Yes, I made Lord Shiva run to him by
the force of my Mrityunjaya Japa yesterday. So he has
to be all right."

Overjoyed with the news of the quick recovery of Sri
Neelakantan, the above sentence just slipped out of
the Master's mouth.

-----------------------------------------------------

"No one who thirsts for name, fame, power, lordship
and enjoyment here or elsewhere can achieve success
in Yoga." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow, July 29th, is the Holy Guru Purnima
celebration. This is a special day of worship of ones
Guru. Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj has
written about the significance of this holy festival
and it has been posted at:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/guru_purnima.htm

We have also uploaded a book titled "Guru-Bhakti
Yoga" by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji. This book is
a compilation of Gurudev's "sayings" on Guru and Guru
Bhakti Yoga. This book has been posted at:
http://www.dlshq.org/download/download.htm#gurubhaktiyoga

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

LOVING CONSIDERATION: A very old lady devotee of the
Master was always very keen on having a last glimpse
of him just before he went to his quarters from the
office. She also loved to watch the Master
approaching from a distance. So, while he walked
along the road, she would make a short-cut by
climbing down the steep steps, and wait at a
particular spot every day to do her pranams to him.
Today, the Master affectionately said to her, "Don't
go by the steps. Go the other way. For your sake I
will walk very slowly, then you can reach your
favourite spot before me."

-----------------------------------------------------

"The best form of worship of the Guru is to follow
his teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his
teachings, and to propagate his glory and his
message." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!

Namaste!

There is a Guru Purnima message by Sri Swami Chidanandaji
Maharaj on video at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We have uploaded an article by Gurudev Sri Swami
Sivanandaji Maharaj titled "Real Education" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/aug2007.htm

A Guru Purnima message by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji
Maharaj has been posted at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_106.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

LAUGHING AND WEEPING: Hearing the sound of some
laughter issuing from a corner of the office, the
Master turned towards one of the devotees and asked,
"Do you know how many muscles operate during weeping
and how many during laughter?"

He could not answer the question, so the Master said,
"Seventy-five muscles during weeping and fifteen
during laughter. Such a great amount of energy is
wasted during weeping!"

-----------------------------------------------------

"It is the very anthithesis of the spirit of true
religion to look into the defects of other people's
religion with a vilifying attitude. Only then do
quarrels arise. "My religion is superior; my religion
dates back to fifth century B.C." All these mean
notions are the seeds of misunderstanding. All
religions have come from God; every religion is
good." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
To subscribe to this mailing list please go to:
http://www.dlshq.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi
-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We have uploaded an article by Sri Swami Chidanandaji
Maharaj titled "Pain is a Blessing in Disguise" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/feb2007.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

SPIRITUAL PRIDE: An old gentleman, a devotee of the
Master, who had been practising Kundalini Yoga, came
to the Master's quarters to receive his blessings as
he was leaving the Ashram that day. The Master made
enquiries about his progress in Sadhana.

With an expression of pride he informed the Master,
"I am doing Kechari Mudra. Now I must be able to move
in the air."

With a significant smile the Master said to him,
"Yes, you can go up in the air, but do come back to
Ananda Kutir*!"

* Ananda Kutir is Swami Sivanandaji's place of
residence.

-----------------------------------------------------

"The seeker, during spiritual practices will have to
undergo different kinds of experiences. These
experiences are part and parcel of spiritual life.
Sometimes the seeker feels joy and sometimes feels no
taste for the spiritual life. You will have to rise
above happiness and unhappiness. Let not these
trouble your mind. They come and go." - Swami
Chidananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (August 28) is the holy Rakshabandhan. There
are a couple of articles on our website on the
significance of this festival. They are:

1) Raksha Bandhan by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji
Maharaj:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/raksha.htm

2) The Divine Insurance Company by Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj:
http://www.sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/rakshabandhan1.shtm

We have also uploaded an article by Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj titled "Focussing Of The Mind"
at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/mar2007.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

OLD AGE AND DEATH: As the Master often suffered from
lumbago, in order to prevent any sudden and jerky
movements, his over-careful disciples always assisted
him when he got up from the chair.

An old Swami, an inmate of the Ashram, who had come
to take leave of the Master before proceeding to
Bombay, witnessed the Master being assisted to get up
from the chair and remarked, "Old age is very bad. It
is full of pain." "Then why don't you die?" asked the
Master.

"How can I do that?" lamented the old Swami, as if he
was eager to die but was unable to do so.

"Yes, how can you do so when you are going to Bombay
to rejuvenate yourself?"

A few minutes earlier the old Swami had admitted to
the Master that he was going straight to Bombay
because there he would be well taken care of by his
relatives.

The Master was pointing out that every man was afraid
of death and would do everything possible to prolong
life.

Only a God-realised sage was not afraid of it.

-----------------------------------------------------

"God helps those who help themselves. The best
possible effort that one is capable of exercising
under the intellectual circumstances provided by God
should be put forth, and only beyond this effort,
should one seek the grace of God." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (September 4) is the holy Krishna Jayanthi
(appearance day of Lord Krishna). In honour of this
occasion several articles and videos of talks by Sri
Swami Chidanandaji during previous celebrations have
been uploaded at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/janmastami/introduction.shtm

In addition, we also uploaded an article by Gurudev
Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj titled "Gopis' Love for
Krishna" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/sep2007.htm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

CURE FOR ASTHMA: A sickly-looking man approached the
Master and complained that he was suffering from
asthma for a long time, and prayed to the Master to
cure him by his Grace. The Master advised him to
repeat the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra and taught him how
to do Pranayama.

He then blessed the man and warned him, "You must
have put some rats in a hole and suffocated them in
your last birth. Perhaps that is why you are
suffering from asthma now. Be careful in this birth
at least."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Krishna's incarnation was to goad man to be perfect,
to be wise and powerful like himself, to be the
towering example of a person with unbroken self-
consciousness. Even the mere remembrance of such a
blessed being like Krishna is, therefore, an
immediate redeemer from all troubles, the bestower of
bliss and peace, for it excites a vibration of
integration and harmony in the mind. Krishna's
glorious deeds are to create in all an irresistible
urge to become pure and strong, wise and powerful,
blessed and immortal!" - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (Sept. 8) is the holy occasion of worshipful
Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj's 120th
birthday anniversary. In celebration of this occasion
we uploaded several inspiring articles on Gurudev by
Sri Swami Narayananandaji Maharaj from his book
"Sivananda--The Perfect Master". They are:

1) Siva--A True Guide
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_guide.htm

2) Siva--His Work for Spiritual Uplift
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_uplift.htm

3) Siva--His Hospitality
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_hospitality.htm

4) Siva--A Unique Personality
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_personality.htm

Here are some excerpts from the above articles for
our meditation on the qualities of Gurudev.

*****************************************************

Treatment of Guests

Just see the way in which Siva serves his guests. A
guest steps into the Ashram. Siva receives him with a
gentle smile in his office and a humble prostration.
He is then made to sit on a comfortable seat. Siva
would offer an equal seat with him. To Mahatmas and
Sadhus he will offer his own seat rising from it.

Siva then enquires about his welfare and gently fans
him and comforts him. He will ask one of the students
to fetch a cup of tea with some fruits. He does not
approve of the practice of keeping a fruit and a
knife before the visitor and ask him to eat. Siva
cuts the fruit into small slices after removing the
skin and offers the fruits kept on a clean plate
together with the tea or milk. A vessel containing
water and a clean napkin will be kept ready to wash
and wipe his hands. Then he would humbly request the
visitor to take the offerings, saying: Maharaj ji
Paayiye. If it is time for meals he would arrange for
a sumptuous meal. He would then sing his Sangeeta
Lila Yoga and other select passages from some of his
books. He will read also the Sangeeta Ramayana and
Bhagavata.

Siva enquires at 10 p.m., whether the visitor was
given a pillow, a water pot, a light and a match box.
Sometimes due to heavy work the students may forget
to attend to these details. But Siva would himself
attend to everything and then only retire to bed.

Siva can never forget even the minutest detail.
Though he attends to many works at a time, he will
never miss his usual routine.

*****************************************************

Sivananda's Unique Personality

Siva is well-versed in all branches of Yoga. He is a
Karma Yogin, Bhakta, Hatha Yogin, Raja Yogin and
Jnana Yogin. He has trained countless aspirants in
all branches of Yoga. He has trained students in
Asanas, Pranayama and selfless service. He was the
editor of four journals. He contributes articles to
countless journals. He has published numerous books,
pamphlets, messages and leaflets on a variety of
subjects. He has established many branches of the
Divine Life Society. He moved about and did vigorous
propaganda and lectures for several years. He has
revived the Sankirtan movement and has done much work
in this field. He has given a new orientation to this
neglected science. He conducts Sadhana weeks. He is
rendering great medical service to the poor.

His activities are many-sided. He can attend to many
things at a time. He will never complain of Vikshepa
(tossing of the mind). City or forest, both are equal
to him. He carries on his activities for the
spiritual uplift of the world under all
circumstances. He keeps correspondence with hundreds
of aspirants. He lectures and sings through the
gramophone records.

Such a unique and all-round Yogi who has done variety
of works without money and assistance, remaining in
one place, the world has not seen till now.

*****************************************************


Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam


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Om Gam Ganapataye Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (September 15) is Sri Ganesha Chaturthi
(birthday of Lord Ganesha). There are several
articles on our websites about Lord Ganesha and the
glory of this occasion. They are:

1) Ganesh Chaturthi by Sri Swami Sivanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/ganesh.htm

2) Ganesha by Sri Swami Sivanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/ganesha.htm

3) Lord Ganesa -- The Remover of Obstacles by Sri
Swami Krishnanandaji
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/fest/fest_11.html

In celebration of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji's
birthday last week, there were several talks
(including videos) by Sri Swami Chidanandaji and Sri
Swami Krishnanandaji posted on our website. The talks
and videos can be accessed from:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/sept8/introduction.shtm

There is also another talk by Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji delivered during Gurudev's 108th
Birthday Anniversary posted at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_107.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

CONCERN FOR A DEVOTEE: A devotee wrote to the Master
complaining that he suffered from sleeplessness and
requested that some medicine be sent to him.

The Master suggested to his secretary, "Why not send
my oil to him?" The Master used a particular
combination of oils to get sound sleep.

The secretary replied that if the oil was sent then
the Master would not have any for his own use. He
suggested that it could be purchased and sent to the
devotee. So he did not take any action in the matter
as he could not bear the thought of depriving the
Master of the oil.

The Master therefore called another disciple and said
to him, "Ohji, go immediately and get the bottle of
oil from my room."

When it was produced, he said, "Put half of it in
another bottle. Label the bottle: 'oil for sleep',
give directions for using it and send a telegram that
the oil has been sent."

While the disciple was going out with the bottle to
carry out the instructions, the Master called him
back and said, "Send three-fourths of the oil to him.
One-fourth is quite sufficient for me."

Such was the Master's great concern for the welfare
of his devotees!

-----------------------------------------------------

"The spiritual path is itself a great secret. The
little Japa that you do, the scriptures that you
read, the audience that you hold and whatever you
appear to be doing, is only an outer crust of the
mystery of life. The mystery is finally in yourself.
You yourself do not know who is goading you to think
in this manner. That goading principle is the
mystery. If you recognise this mystery within you
which mystifies even your intelligence and your
efforts, you will be humble, simple and small before
God, because spiritual Sadhana is an art of becoming
smaller and smaller. It is not to become bigger and
bigger. A person becomes smaller and smaller as he
approaches God, just as a candle flame becomes dimmer
and dimmer as it goes nearer and nearer to the sun;
and just before the sun, it is not there? You cannot
see even its existence. It vanishes. Likewise, when
we approach God, we become smaller and smaller,
humbler and humbler, littler and littler, until we
become nothing. In this nothingness, we will find God
Himself filling us. When there is total emptiness
created by an abolition of ourselves, in this
emptiness or vacuum created, God fills Himself.
'Empty thyself and I shall fill thee'-says Jesus
Christ. The Mahaganapati Purana, the Ganapati
Atharvasirsha Upanishad, the Ganesa Gita and several
anecdotes occurring in the Mahabharata and the other
Puranas glorify this aspect of the Supreme Almighty
which requires our submission at His feet, and
expects us to recognise Him as the sole power that
can remove all obstacles on the path of the spiritual
seeker towards the attainment of Godhead." - Swami
Krishnananda


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Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!

Namaste!

Today (Sept. 24) is the holy occasion of worshipful
Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj's 91st birthday
anniversary. In celebration of this occasion we
uploaded a couple of articles on Revered Swamiji
Maharaj. They are:

1) Sri Swami Chidanandaji's Epochal Tour With The
Master by Dr. Sarat Chandra Behera at
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/chidatour.htm

The above article describes Revered Swamiji's pivotal
role during Gurudev's All-India tour in 1950. This
article is from Swamiji's biography "The Holy
Stream".

2) The Voice of Reality by Swami Gurudevananda Mataji
at:
http://www.dlshq.org/saints/chidareality.htm

This article is one of several recounts by Mataji on
Swamiji's way of teaching. This article is from the
book "A Steady Light: Swami Gurudevananda -- The Life
of a Western Disciple". This article is reproduced
below.

We are pleased to inform everyone that we are now
able to accept credit card payments for books and CDs
published by The Divine Life Store. Please visit our
bookstore at:
http://www.dlshq.org/books/books.htm


*****************************************************

The Voice of Reality
by  Swami Gurudevananda

In June of 1970, with permission given by Swami
Chidanandaji, I joined him in Los Angeles,
California. It was a week filled with heavenly
satsangs, lectures and a weekend retreat. I was,
also, to meet with him to discuss his upcoming visit
to our Branch in Harriman, New York. As time ran out,
we never had our meeting, so Swamiji suggested that I
join him on the flight to San Francisco. It was very
exciting for me to have the opportunity to spend time
alone with Swamiji, and to possibly be able to serve
him.

As the time of our departure neared, my mind became
very restless and started jumping from thought to
thought, losing all focus. I stood there numb, just
watching the scene as the devotees took leave of him.
It was the usual chaos of loving affection and
emotional goodbyes. While this was going on, I could
not function, not even to hold on to the things he
had given me to carry for him. My mind was
preoccupied with thoughts like, "What will happen if
he misses the plane? Will I have to go on by myself,
missing my precious time with him?" Previously,
Swamiji had told me that he would select a date for
my Mantra Initiation. All of this could now change or
possibly never manifest if Swamiji were to miss his
plane.

As I was wrapped in these thoughts of negativity,
Swamiji suddenly turned towards me and spoke with a
stern voice: "Stop feeling anxious, thinking that I
may miss the plane. Be peaceful and calm!" His strong
command shook me up and awakened me from my stupor. I
realised the enemy of my mental equilibrium was a
collection of tendencies developed during years of
struggle, insecurities and preoccupation with worldly
thoughts that had produced a mind agitated with self-
centred concerns. Swamiji immediately pointed out to
me, through his interjection, that desire and
dissatisfaction are born of mental assumptions that
are essentially false.

With this realisation, I experienced a sense of
harmony around me filled with a love for the others
and a deep serenity for the situation at hand. This
liberation from selfish concerns brought back my
equipoise and stability, freeing me from habitual
worries. It was a worthwhile lesson, one that would
protect me in my future undertakings.

*****************************************************


Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

Om Sri Durgayai Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (October 12) marks the beginning of
Navaratri. This festival is dedicated to the worship
of the Divine Mother and it lasts for 9 days. There
are several articles on our websites about Navaratri
and the significance of this occasion. They are:

1) Navaratri by Sri Swami Sivanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/navaratri.htm

2) God as Mother by Sri Swami Chidanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/download/godmother.htm

3) The Esoteric Significance of the Devi Mahatmya by
Sri Swami Krishnanandaji
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/fest/fest_14.html

In celebration of Revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji
Maharaj's birthday on 24th September, some recent
photos and videos of Revered Swamiji were posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

LESSONS IN VEDANTA: The Master was working in the
office in his usual undisturbed and serene manner.
When he had finished his work he looked around and
his eyes rested on Sri Troja of Trinidad.

Master: "How are you? Are you all right?"

Troja: "Yes, Swamiji, I am all right. I am trying to
learn Vedanta."

Master: "That is good. You must become a Yoga teacher
when you return to your place."

Now the Master proceeded to test Sri Troja's
knowledge of Vedanta.

Master: "What is Vedanta?"

Troja: "It is the philosophy of Truth."

Master: "What is Truth?"

Sri Troja could not express the answer correctly, so
the Master helped him, "Truth is that which existed
in the past, which exists in the present, and which
will continue to exist in the future. It is that
which is unchangeable, infinite, immortal and
decayless. It is the all-pervading Atma."

Master: "What are the qualifications that a spiritual
aspirant should possess?"

Troja: "Selflessness; to be good."

Master: "He should possess dispassion,
discrimination, serenity, a one-pointed mind, faith
and burning aspiration. After possessing all these
qualifications, what must he do?"

Troja: "He must concentrate."

Master: "No, not straightaway. He must hear, reflect
and then meditate on the Truth. He must become one
with It, that is, he must attain Self-realisation.
After attaining Self-realisation, what will you do?"

Troja: "I will surrender."

Master: "You have become the Truth, then to whom are
you going to surrender?"

Sri Troja found it difficult to answer this question.
He was trying hard to find a suitable answer when the
Master came out with a humorous remark, "Will you eat
well, then stretch yourself and sleep soundly after
that? No, you will preach the Truth, make everyone
realise It and thus remove their ignorance. Is it not
so?"

Sri Troja agreed to this.

Master: "What is ignorance?"

Troja: "Not knowing the Truth."

Master: "Taking the body for the soul, getting angry,
having pride, jealousy and hatred--all these are
signs of ignorance. Not knowing that you are the all-
pervading Atma is ignorance."

The Master began joking a little. "Come here daily. I
will teach you Vedanta. You have to accept me as your
Guru. Are you agreeable to it? You are not willing to
do so, I think. You take care of me and I shall take
care of your soul. Now what do I mean by that? How
will you take care of me? I will take care of you by
teaching you Vedanta and removing your ignorance."

Troja: "I will take care of your body."

Master: "By giving me tins of biscuits?"

Troja: "No, Swamiji, I will help you financially to
spread your divine message."

The Master's teaching mood continued.

Master: "What takes place in Samadhi?"

Troja: "It is a Superconscious State. You become one
with the Absolute."

The Master approved of this answer and enlightened
him further, "The senses, mind and intellect all
cease to function. There is no psychology there."
(Sri Troja was a student of psychology).

Master: "What is the mind?"

Sri Troja was struggling to express his thoughts, so
the Master came to his rescue, "It is the thinking
principle."

After attending to a few visitors who had arrived to
have his Darshan, the Master resumed his teaching.

Master: "Where is the mind?"

Troja: "All over the body."

Master: "It is all-pervading and is seated in the
heart during sleep, in the eye during the waking
state, and in the throat during the dream state. Now,
who is Troja?"

Sri Troja was puzzled. Noticing it the Master
prompted him with, "Is Troja the eye, nose or the
body? Who is Troja?"

This gave the clue to the answer and Sri Troja
replied, "This body, with the mind and intellect, is
called Troja."

The Master seemed to be satisfied with this answer.

Master: "Where was Troja thirty-five years ago, and
where will he be after some time?"

Troja: "I do not know."

Master: "After some time you will get liberation,
will you not? What is the Spirit? Is it alcohol, is
it brandy? What is it?"

Troja: "It is the essential nature of man."

Master: "It is the Soul, It is Consciousness. Why is
It Consciousness? Because It knows Itself and knows
others. It is an embodiment of existence, knowledge
and bliss. How do you know that there is the Spirit?"

Troja: "Because of our existence."

Master: "Yes, because you exist. If you exist then
there must be the existence of the Spirit. Now tell
me, while you were drinking the coffee, who was
enjoying it?"

Troja: "The body and the senses were enjoying the
coffee."

Master: "The individual soul, when combined with the
senses, becomes the enjoyer and the actor. The
original pure Spirit neither enjoys nor acts. It is
only a witness. It is the individual soul, which is a
reflection of the Spirit, that enjoys."

The Master's eye accidentally fell on the clock and,
noticing that it was late, he soon left for his
quarters.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Upon this occasion of the external worship of the
Divine Mother during the Navaratri, let us remind
ourselves again and again that real worship of the
Mother is inner allegiance to the benign destructive
force of divine Shakti in its work of breaking our
impure personality and giving us a brilliant divine
personality. Let us remember again and again that
real Mother-worship is our inner co-operation and our
inner loyalty to the Durga Shakti which is doing its
work of breaking our egoism, breaking our human
weaknesses, defects and limitations, so that upon a
field that is thus cleared, we may build a path of
divine life, of spiritual consciousness, to lead us
to immortality and perfection. Let us all pray to the
Divine Mother that She may give us all the necessary
strength and inspiration and inner power, to put
ourselves whole-heartedly upon Her side and join in
the work of the Divine Shakti in regenerating us, in
annihilating our Pashutwa (animal nature) and
bestowing upon us Divya Jyotis (Divine Light)." -
Swami Chidananda


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Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Tomorrow (November 8) is the holy Hindu festival of
Deepavali. There are several articles on our website
about the significance of this festival. They are:

1) Deepavali by Sri Swami Sivanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/deepavali.htm

2) The Yajna-Quintessence of the Culture of India by
Sri Swami Krishnanandaji
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/fest/fest_16.html

In addition, we recently uploaded a message by
Revered Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj titled "The
Significance of Dipavali" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/nov2007.htm

There is also a new upload to Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji Maharaj's site on the subject of the
recently concluded Navaratri celebration. The article
entitled "Navaratri--The Worship of Mahadevi" is at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_108.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

THE MASTER ON HIMSELF: The date was the 23rd of
March, 1947. A disciple was conversing with the
Master regarding the Master's spiritual growth.

"What were the earliest indications Swamiji Maharaj
had of his spiritual mission?"

"I did not have any indication either in my mind or
outside of any spiritual mission."

"When and under what circumstances did this intense
desire of helping mankind grip Swamiji?" was the next
question put by the disciple.

"This is my very nature. From early boyhood I took an
unaccountable pleasure in serving others. This was
only developed further during the Sannyas life."

"Did Swamiji have any kind of premonition as to who
his Diksha Guru would be? What were Swamiji's
feelings upon coming face to face with his Guru?"

"I had absolutely no premonition. I met my Guru, Sri
Swami Viswanandaji, on the banks of the Ganges the
first day I came to Rishikesh, and he took me to his
cottage. I went for alms to the Kalikamliwala alms-
house but they refused to give me food as I was not a
Sannyasin. While walking back after this refusal, the
elderly monk, Swami Viswanandaji, met me on the way
and straightaway felt the urge to initiate me into
Sannyas. On that day itself I was given the ochre
cloth by him."

The disciple questioned further, "What were the
factors that guided Swamiji during the course of his
Sadhana? Was the nature of his Sadhana determined by
his Guru or by personal enquiry, inner voice or
intuitional impulses?"

"I told you how I got Sannyas. The very next day
Swami Viswanandaji started for Hardwar. He did not
have any time to give me instructions in my Sadhana.
He wrote to me from Hardwar, giving instructions
about the Sannyas Dharma. During my Sadhana my own
discretion guided me at every step. I was conscious
that I was proceeding in the right direction."

"What were the outstanding landmarks or particular
spiritual experiences during the Sadhana period?"

"I did not have any outstanding spiritual experiences
during my Sadhana period. There were no external or
internal obstructions in the progress of my Sadhana.
That was the only outstanding feature. I made
meditation-deep meditation-the keynote of my inner
Sadhana. It gave smooth and continuous progress and
rapid arrival at the ultimate experience."

"Can Swamiji be pleased to give out the place and
date of the final illumination?" the disciple made
bold to ask. The Master answered promptly, "The
Upanishads are positive on that subject. None should
talk of the place and date of illumination. If anyone
says that he got illumination at such a place and on
such a date, it is not proper, I can't believe him.
It is a secret of God. I cannot divulge it."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Each year the festival of lights (Deepavali) is held
during the darkest night. It comes as an annual
reminder of what you have to do--banish darkness,
bring in light, be full of light and revel in the
Illumination. Fill yourself with the Light. Fill the
whole world with light by your own being in it." -
Swami Chidananda


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Mahasamadhi/Passing Away of H.H. Sri Swami
Sahajanandaji Maharaj, Spiritual Head, Divine Life
Society of South Africa

From Divine Life Society of South Africa:
http://sivananda.dls.org.za/

It is with great sadness that we announce the
Mahasamadhi/passing away of our most revered and
beloved Pujya Swami Sahajananda on Monday, 10
December, 2007 at 5.30am. The funeral will take place
on Tuesday, 11 December 2007 and Swamiji's sacred
body will lie in state at Sivanandahram, 513
Mountbatten Drive, Reservoir Hills from 6 am. The
procession will leave Sivanandashram at 8:30am,
proceeding to the Clare Estate Crematorium. Cremation
will take place at 9:00am.

Satsang will be held from 5:30pm at Sivanandashram,
Reservoir Hills on Monday, 10 December 2007. Chanting
will continue throughout the night until 6:00am.

About Swamiji and DLS of South Africa:
http://sivananda.dls.org.za/Founding%20of%20the%20Divine%20Life%20Society.htm

Recent Awards and Appreciation received by Swamiji:
http://sivananda.dls.org.za/Current%20News%20and%20Important%20Reports.htm

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

We posted an article by Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj
titled "Secret of Success" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/dec2007.htm

Several new videos and photos of Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj have been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/n-o-swamiji.shtm

Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj's website has been
redesigned and several new articles and book chapters
are now available at Swamiji's site. Of particular
interest would be a new book of Swamiji's, The
Upanishads, that is being serialised. There is also a
video of Swamiji explaining a meditation technique on
YouTube. The book on the Upanishads is at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/upanishad.html

Meditation Technique on YouTube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Xg1K3utOiMc

The page on Christmas has been updated. There are
some audio recordings of the Christmas Eve
celebration at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/christmas/audio.shtm

Please note the links on top of the above page. There
are many Christmas messages along with photos from
this year's Christmas Eve celebration.

Please also see "The Coming of God on Earth" by Sri
Swami Krishnanandaji:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_111.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

MEDITATION IN THE CAVE: On the 23rd March, 1947, the
Master went into the Kaivalya Guha (an underground
chamber), for meditation. A stone mason working on
the construction of the Yajnashala now came with his
chisel and hammer and began breaking the stones just
beside the wall of the Kaivalya Guha and right on its
terrace. It was producing a thunderous sound all
around.

A disciple watching the scene and knowing that the
Master was in the cave, began to wonder how he could
meditate calmly with such a din just on the top floor
of the room in which he was sitting.

When the Master reappeared after half an hour, the
assembled disciples went forward and offered their
salutations. He was in his usual smiling mood and
began to converse and cut jokes. One of the disciples
drew the Master's attention to the stone-cutter and
the noise that he produced, asking how it was
possible to meditate in such a condition.

"When did the stone-cutter begin his work?" asked the
Master. "I did not see him when I went into the Guha.
I did not hear him there."

All were surprised to note the intensity of the
Master's concentration.

-----------------------------------------------------

"The moon is the ornament of the night, the sun of
the day; the ornament of a servant of God is
devotion; the beauty of devotion is consciousness of
non-duality. The ornament of knowledge is meditation;
the decoration of meditation is renunciation, and
renunciation is distinguished by Shanti, pure and
unfathomable." -Swami Sivananda


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Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Revered Sri Swami Sahajanandaji Maharaj's sacred
ashes were immersed in the Ganga on 2nd January. A
photo report along with statements from Sri Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj and Sri Swami Vimalanandaji
Maharaj have been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/Sw-sahajananda.shtm

We have uploaded a couple of articles by Sri Swami
Sivanandaji Maharaj to our website. They are:

1) "Life And Its Purpose" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/jan2008.htm

2) "Science of Relaxation" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/messages/relaxation.htm

An article by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj titled
"The Mission of Swami Sivananda" has been posted at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_113.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

CIGARETTE PROPAGANDISTS: The Master's eagerness for
spreading the Lord's Name was boundless. During the
1938 Kumbha Mela at Hardwar, a party of cigarette
propagandists came to Rishikesh, striking up vulgar
music. The Master saw them. He immediately called for
tea, fruit and biscuits. He offered them to the
cigarette vendors and then coaxed them into singing
Kirtan.

"Ohji, you have sold enough of cigarettes. You have
sung enough of the glory of tobacco. Now, why not
sing Hari's Names? Come, sing with me." The whole
place soon resounded with the Lord's Name.

The Master then gave the party a present of five
rupees and much spiritual literature. And he
requested them, "Along with your cigarette songs,
sing some Kirtans also. Along with the cigarette
advertisement, distribute these spiritual tracts
also."

-----------------------------------------------------

"A man of easily irritable nature cannot enjoy peace
of mind. His brain, nerves and muscles are always
under high tension. He is wasting every minute
abundant muscular and nerve energy and brain-power.
He is a very weak man though he is endowed with
physical strength, because he loses his balance of
mind very easily. If you really want to enjoy
unruffled peace and abiding joy, you must try to
possess a calm, controlled and balanced mind by
eradicating worry, anxieties, fear, anger, and
impulses." - Swami Sivananda


-----------------------------------------------------
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-----------------------------------------------------

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Today (January 14) is the holy celebration of Makara
Shankranti in honour of the Sun-God's (Surya)
northward journey. There are a couple of articles on
our websites about the significance of this occasion.
They are:

1) Makara Shankranti by Sri Swami Sivanandaji:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/makara_siva.htm

2) Sun: The Eye of the World by Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/fest/fest_02.html

In addition, we uploaded an article from a recently
published book by Sri Swami Sivanandaji titled
"Meditation Know-How". The title of the article is:
"Key Guidelines To Successful Meditation" and is at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/apr2007.htm

The introduction to the book by Sri Swami Sivanandaji
is also very inspiring. The "Introduction" can be
read at:
http://www.dlshq.org/books/es106.htm

Continuing on the theme of meditation, there is a new
article (with audio) on "Meditation and Kundalini" by
Sri Swami Krishnanandaji at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_114.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

CARING FOR THE BODY: One winter a Nepali aristocrat
coming down from the Ashram Bhajan hall after the
night Satsang, found the kitchen fires burning
brightly even at that late hour. He turned to the
Master.

"What, Swamiji, you seem to be mindful of everything!
There is Akhand (continuous) Kirtan upstairs and the
'Akhand' kitchen going on down here!"

"You have remarked rightly," was the Master's serious
reply. "Indeed, I do believe in both 'Akhand' kitchen
as well as Akhand Kirtan. For, the latter cannot go
on without the former, as long as you have a physical
body to deal with. It is the 'Akhand' tea, 'Akhand'
milk and fruit and the 'Akhand' puns with which I
nourish all the industrious workers that has resulted
in the wonderful work the Divine Life Society is
doing everywhere."

-----------------------------------------------------

"A human being, every human being knows that he is
finite, but he creates circumstances in society to
remove the consciousness of finitude by somehow or
other creating an atmosphere of bigness, importance.
'I am a socially recognized person; the whole world
knows me.' If this idea enters the head, you feel
somehow that the finitude has expanded into the world
area. It has not really expanded; it has only
conceptually expanded. So, a socially great man is
not a really great man.  He is a small man only, but
people say 'Very good! Very good!' But one day they
say 'Down!', and put him down." - Swami Krishnananda


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Om Sri Saravanabhavaya Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Today (January 23) is the holy celebration of
Thaipusam. This is the day that the lance (Vel) was
given to Lord Shanmukha by His mother to battle the
demoniac forces. This festival is very popular among
the Tamil community in South India as well as
countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Mauritius.
In honour of this occasion, we uploaded an article on
Thaipusam by Sri Swami Sivanandaji. We also uploaded
an article on Lord Shanmukha from Sri Swami
Sivanandaji's book "Hindu Gods and Goddesses". These
articles are at:

1) Thaipusam:
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/thaipusam.htm

2) Lord Shanmukha
http://www.dlshq.org/religions/shanmukha.htm

The January 2008 issue of the Divine Life magazine
has been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2008/jan-2008.shtm

The latest issue has a New Year Message from Sri
Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj. This is at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/newyear/chidananda2.shtm

Some of the articles in the latest issue are:
1) Science of the Self--The Only Bestower of
Happiness by Sri Swami Sivananda
2) Positive and Negative Conditions in Life by Sri
Swami Chidananda
3) The Search for Truth by Sri Swami Krishnananda
4) A Guide to Meditation by Sri Swami Shivapremananda
5) Overcoming Circumstances by Sri Swami
Atmaswarupananda
6) Humility by Sri Swami Ramarajyam
7) The Environment from a Scientific Angle by Sri
Gaurhari Mishra
8) Makarasana by Sri Swami Chidananda

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

RECOLLECTIONS: The Master always laid the greatest
emphasis on the care of one's health. On this subject
he spoke to his disciples one day in the late
forties: "Money or no money, you must take care of
your body. If you do not look after this instrument
of the Lord, then you are not worshipping Mother
Durga properly. The best worship of Durga is to
maintain this body in a proper condition to enable it
to work out His Will in the best possible manner."

Speaking thus, the Master sank into memory of his
Swarg Ashram days and compared the austerities that
he had then practised with the amenities that he was
now enjoying at Ananda Kutir.

"When I was at Swarg Ashram, I never touched oil. Now
I must keep several kinds of oils. All the cells of
my body are vibrating so fast that there is intense
heat. When I was at Swarg Ashram, I slept on the
floor, but now I have a comfortable bed; this is
essential for the work that has to be turned out. I
do roughen the body sometimes; and, for the sake of
keeping up the austerity I rub it against the walls.
But often I do not have time even for this. There is
work to do.

"You are all gigantic brain-workers. Selfless service
has a greater and more pressing demand on you now.
All that your body needs you must give it. You have
practised enough austerity. If you go on in the same
fashion, your body will break down; you will become
useless. You must take nutritious food. You must have
barrels of fruit juice. Now I have twenty bottles of
various medicines--some for my diabetes, some for my
stomach, etc. I have different things for cleaning
the teeth--mouth gargle, tooth-powder, etc."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Lord Shanmukha is the Pratyaksha Devata (visible
God) of this Kali Yuga. He is readily pleased with
His devotees to whom He grants both Bhukti and Mukti
(enjoyments here and Moksha hereafter). Millions are
still living who can narrate instances in their own
life to show the miracles brought about by
propitiation of Lord Shanmukha." - Swami Sivananda


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Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

The February 2008 issue of the Divine Life magazine
has been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2008/feb-2008.shtm

The latest issue has a Memoriam on Revered Sri Swami
Sahajanandaji Maharaj. This is at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/dls/magazine/2008/Feb08-9.shtm

Some of the articles in the latest issue are:
1) Prerequisites to Spiritual Progress by Sri Swami
Sivananda
2) Principles of Yoga by Sri Swami Chidananda
3) The Search for Truth by Sri Swami Krishnananda
4) A Guide to Meditation by Sri Swami Shivapremananda
5) Benefiting From Adverse Circumstances by Sri Swami
Atmaswarupananda
6) Become Like A Lighthouse by Sri Swami Ramarajyam
7) The Environment from a Scientific Angle by Sri
Gaurhari Mishra
8) Salabhasana by Sri Swami Chidananda

We also uploaded an article entitled "How To
Recognise A Jivanmukta" at:
http://www.dlshq.org/discourse/feb2008.htm

A new book by Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj titled
"Lectures on Epistemology" is being serialized at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/epistemology.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

THE MASTER'S ROOM: It was the beginning of winter in
1949. The Master led a visitor into his apartments.
"There is a splendid view of the Himalayas and the
Ganges from here," commented the Master as they both
entered his cottage. "If you sit in the verandah or
even if you are within the rooms, you will constantly
hear the Pranava Nada of the Ganga."

The two then went into the inner rooms.

"You are living in this cottage, Swamiji?" asked the
surprised visitor. "Why, it is as ill-ventilated as a
prison cell. You cannot get any light in the rooms
except during midday. They are not rooms, they are
caves, and too small even for that. And you work in
this room? It is not even sufficient to accommodate
your manuscripts and books. You cannot move in it
without treading on something or tripping over
something else. The bedroom is damp and one cannot
even breathe in it. I wonder how you live in it!"

And the visitor continued, "Though I get a positive
feeling of spiritual elation while I am here, I think
I will not be able to keep body and soul together for
six months if I live in this cottage. Why don't you
change to a better suite of rooms, Swamiji?"

"No, no. I am all right here," assured the Master.

The visitor bowed and left.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Never complain against bad environments. Create your
own mental world wherever you remain and wherever you
go. There are some difficulties and disadvantages
wherever you go. If the mind deludes you, at every
moment and at every step, try to overcome the
obstacles and difficulties by suitable means. Do not
try to run away from bad, unfavourable environments.
God has placed you there to make you grow quickly." -
Swami Sivananda


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Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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Om Namah Sivaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

March 5th (or March 6th depending on your calendar)
is the holy Maha Sivaratri day. This festival is
observed in honour of Lord Siva. A special page,
consisting of discourses on the significance and
glory of this occasion, has been posted at:
http://sivanandaonline.org/html/misc/sivaratri/signi_obser_mahasivaratri.shtm

Please be sure to click on the links above the
article to access more articles and Kirtans (songs)
by Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj.

In addition, we uploaded an article on Lord Siva by
Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj at:
http://www.dlshq.org/religion/siva.htm

There is also a Sivaratri message by Sri Swami
Krishnanandaji Maharaj at:
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_118.html

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

-----------------------------------------------------

SEEING GOD IN ALL: It was Wednesday, May 23, 1962.
The sun had set. The moon had not risen yet. The
Master emerged from his cottage to proceed to the
night Satsang. A loving smile lit his childlike face.
A large group of devotees gathered by the roadside
and greeted him with folded palms. A party of
visitors from Tiruttani cried devotedly, "Muruga!
Vadivela!"

The Master responded with a spontaneous outburst of
divine praise, "Muruga! Muruga! Om Saravanabhavaya
Namah! Om Saravanabhavaya Namah!"

-----------------------------------------------------

"Our hearts are hard like granite. Whatever be the
religiosity and the traditional aspiration for
religious life that many manifest, it is actually a
dying to live for the sake of God. The destruction
that is associated with Lord Siva - he is called the
lord of death as he destroys everything, swallows
everything in the end of time - is actually the
destruction of that element in every one of us, whose
presence prevents him from coming near us. What that
element is, each one of us has to ransack within our
own hearts and see that it is taken out so that the
flood from outside unites itself with the flood that
is arising from inside. This is God-union." - Swami
Krishnananda


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Sivananda Day-to-day is sent out weekly.
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