My Prayer

Eternal Father of my soul,
let my first thought today be of You,
let my first impulse be to worship You,
let my first speech be Your name,
let my first action be to kneel before You in prayer.

For Your perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love with which You love mankind:
For the love with which You love me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life:
For the indwelling of your Spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of your Spirit:

I praise and worship You, O Lord.

Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of You. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day;

Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honorable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Yours.

Through Jesus Christ my Lord, Amen.

(Taken from Richard Foster’s Devotional Classics, pp. 126-127.)

The Goal of Life

The goal of human life is to re-awaken our original pure love for God, Krishna. We souls exist to have an intimate loving relationship with Him. We can never be happy by rejecting that relationship and denying our true nature.

The things we do in this world indicate our true, eternal nature. We have to love; it’s unavoidable. Having turned away from Krishna, we try to fulfill our need to love and be loved by searching for ideal relationships in this world. But exchanges of love here are never perfect and cannot last forever.

Awakening pure love for Krishna is perfection. Nothing else will satisfy us. Everything that exists in the material and spiritual worlds is meant to support our relationship with Krishna. Human life is a chance for us to reestablish that relationship. That endeavor should be the focus of our lives.

Because love includes service, pure love for God is called pure devotional service, or Bhakti. The ways to awaken Bhakti are the substance of the practice of Bhakti yoga.

Do not blame others

Our Indian culture is great. The rules it provides make everyone lead an ideal life. According to our shastras, it seems, a person who blames others (unnecessarily) gets half of the entire paapam of the person blamed and in addition gives away half of his entire punyam to the person blamed! So there a big loss for the person who blames and a big gain for the person blamed. The following is a small story showing how careful one needs to be while doing Dharma nirnayam and eventually blaming others.

Once a poor braahmana, with hunger, came to a person’s house and asked for bhiksha. The kind woman in the house took pity on him and immediately offered food. She asked the brahmana to sit under the shade of a huge tree in their house and she brought food for him. Before the braahmana cleaned himself, prayed to the God and started eating, a very unfortunate thing happened. There used to live a poisonous snake under the shelter of the tree and vidhi vashah it spilt its poison and it directly fell into the food the braahmana was going to eat. The braahmana unknowing that the food is poisoned, ate food and died.

Now, who needs to be blamed? Is it the woman who gave the food, or the snake or the owner or the braahmana himself. It seems that the person who decides and makes a decision that a particular individual is to be blamed will get the brahma-hatyaa-paatakam.

So did you notice how critical is a dharma-nirneta’s role. How many shastras should he have learnt before taking the seat of dharma-nirneta? How careful and unbiased should his thinking be? Imagine how great is Yamadharmaraaja to be able to do perfect justice for so many people for such huge amount of time. That is why He is called ‘Samavarti’. He has one of his legs in Shri-chandanam and the other in fire. Both are same for Him and thus very unbiased and impartial.

Morals in the story:
A lot of thinking needs to be done before putting blame on others.
A person should be highly knowledgeable and learned in order to be a dharma-nirneta. That is why it is customary in our Indian culture to always say “As far as i know, this is Dharma….” or “This is what I heard from my elders, hence …..”.

Message:
Atleast on hearing to this story, we hope all the govt. officials will be still more careful in performing their duties. The pathetic state of today’s nyaayasthaanas is well-known. The power given to a nyaayaadhikaari is immense. The story also shows how impartial, unbiased, honest and most importantly learned must the nyaayaadhikaris be… One may assume everything is going fine, but at sometime or the other one must experience the effects of his own karma.

Creation of the material world

In a corner of the spiritual sky of brahmajyoti a spiritual cloud sometimes appears, and the covered portion is called the mahat-tattva. The Lord then, by His plenary portion as Maha-Visnu, lies down within the water of the mahat-tattva, and the water is called the Causal Ocean (Karana-jala). While Maha-Visnu sleeps within the Causal Ocean, innumerable universes are generated along with His breathing. These universes are floating, and they are scattered all over the Causal Ocean. They stay only during the breathing period of Maha-Visnu. In each and every universal globe, the same Maha-Visnu enters again as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and lies there on the serpentlike Sesa incarnation. From His navel sprouts a lotus stem, and on the lotus, Brahma, the lord of the universe, is born. Brahma creates all forms of living beings of different shapes in terms of different desires within the universe. He also creates the sun, moon and other demigods.

Vedic Cosmology - Planetarium

This is a simplified way to understand the wanderings of a spirit soul within samsara, the cycle of birth and death. It shows the basic facts needed to understand this world and the life in it and helps to learn about the different ways of life leading to elevation or degradation. With this information you can be more in control of your life, in harmony with the universe and its laws:

"We cannot break the laws - we can only break ourselves against the laws."

I am jiva, spirit soul, part and parcel and eternal servant of the Lord. My svarupa, spiritual body, is similar in form to any of the material bodies in the material world but it is of the same quality as myself and the whole spiritual world (sac-cid-ananda). Although I could stay here eternally in Lord's loving company and participate in His lila (pastime), I decided to explore the material world thus beginning my journey...

The Lord does not interfere with my free will by preventing me from leaving Him but is unlimitedly happy when I return to Him again:

"Having attained me [Sarupa], a friend more dear than life, as if He had not seen me for a long time, taking my hand in His lotus hand, asking me wonderful questions, bringing happiness to all the people of Vraja, and walking as gracefully as an elephant, the handsome Lord entered the village of Vraja." (Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.6.76, by Sanatana Goswami)

"After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection." (BG 8.15)

Thoughts...... !

As you start on this journey, there are some things you should know,it's all about life's mystery ...quite a magical show.Wild waves on the water ~ a mirage of the mind,plus words that have meaning, direction and rhyme.

You could surf through these pages, enjoying the art...or study its reason ~ give the poems some deep thought.What I want you to see and read in my words,is that the real world is not obvious ...but rather absurd!

You must see through the surface to understand what is there ~take time to reflect life, even if you don't really care.Someday you'll be older & wiser and see,or you'll still be a traveler on this path eternally.

Unlocking the secrets that are hidden inside,through doors of erception ...Yourself you could find.

You can run as fast as you want to,
you can stop for every pretty face.
The real surprise is no surprise,
the turtle won the biggest race.

Me N My Solitude

Come out of this MAYA you will realize the same…

The quest for all is often within me
To chase my dream and destiny
In a journey of life I still realize
That I have gained and lost nothing

To people darkness is a fear
But an evolution of beings
To people sun is a bright light
But it is twilight to the west

Life is a wonderful Experience
People act according to their incidents
For me there is no sin or blasphemy
For me there is no formula for success

But the zeal to know the ultimate truth
To discover the life’s origin and purpose
I shall go from where I have come from
I shall crave for happiness that lasts forever

Transformation and change are inevitable
Let us cease from abusing each other
Let us ignite the minute formless within
To liberate ourselves with no fear and qualm

-Dinnu

Pain is Real or Unreal ?

They say “Pain is inevitable but suffering is optional”, I agree with this and attempting to practice it, I agree the fact that I failed many times but still I’m happy for the reason that I found a permanent solution for the illness which we will have for a life time.

Face the Pain helps people who suffer low self-esteem, in other words, most of us. This self-help book shows the mechanism of suffering. Understanding how we suffer reveals a choice we can wield.

Most people do not know about the virus infecting them since birth. Most people do not know their unfased emotions seethe under the surface and build until some kind of eruption (physical ailment or emotional outburst) becomes inevitable. Most people do not know how they suffer. Many have not examined what they really want and most do not know who they are, which is why this book is so important today. People are ready for freedom. Timely, simple and direct, Face the Pain, Spiritual Help to Realize Freedom, explores how we suffer. Understanding the mechanism of suffering reveals a choice we can wield. This self-help, inspirational book offers guidance to people who suffer from depression, addiction, their relationships, or a general dissatisfaction with life. It can also help those who feel fine, but would like assistance with understanding a family member or friend. For Seekers... the book points not only to freedom from suffering, but also to Freedom It Self. Although words, however inspired, cannot describe exactly what That is, they can attempt to evoke the direct experience of That... which reveals my intention for all these words: may I and they serve Love.

YOUR EYES ARE POWERFUL

Ever since I was a child, I have been in love with nature and curious about the mystery of the Universe. I was inspired by flavor, sounds, images and feelings and I developed deep awareness of supernatural and spiritual power. My soul explores the powerful experience of living in a world of cultural juxtapositions in which past, present, future, tradition and contradiction, are interwoven with dreams and consciousness.

A deep reverence for nature illuminates the beauty of an evolving human spirit.

Crisis of ecology, political turmoil, social repression and economic development are affecting each creature as civilization becomes increasingly globalized. This phenomenon inspires me to envision a path in which this cycle of cultures can harmonize to a shared rhythm - together riding in the music of joy, anger and sadness.

I feel that what is most important is to give selflessly from a pure and truthful place in the heart. Generosity that seeks to be truly humble creates the capacity of experiencing life in a way that brings joy and fulfillment to the labyrinthine depth of the soul.

To Grow Out You Must Grow In

Growing in means the development of inner resources. When you build a tall building, the crucial aspect that determines success is the building's foundation. To build high, you must dig deep.

A building's foundation is not tested until the exact stress for which its foundation was designed comes to bear upon it. The foundation's strength is then tested and the soundness of its construction is most crucial at this time.

Changing Your Attitude

The first place that God needs to work is in your heart. The heart is the major battle ground.

How does one become successful as spiritual leader, as a businessman, or in any other profession? You first must change your heart attitude. How can you change your heart attitude? You must inspect your vision. If you have the wrong vision or if your vision is too small for the ability God has granted you, your heart attitude is also going to be wrong and you'll find yourself discouraged, bewildered, and depressed.

Some cover up their failures by using catch phrases that sound spiritual. God wants us to grow and to grow in a big way. Being satisfied with smallness may reveal a lack of spiritual insight of God's kingdom purposes. Or perhaps it is a lack of compassion for a world that doesn't know the Lord or for believers that are struggling. How else can we serve God and help others unless we ourselves are successful. This is no time to be satisfied with the status quo in your life. This is the time that God will work in your heart for great growth both spiritually and materially. Don't be fearful when you consider the possibility that God has great things for you. God has called you for special purpose. You must work on your heart to find His purpose for your life.

A Man's Vision Will Also Limit His Behavior.

We can never be any more than we dream of being. As we set our eyes on God's holy word and develop a deep fellowship with the Holy Spirit, our vision is changed. How can you change your vision? You can't, but the Holy Spirit can and will.

I had to be delivered from the concept that the Holy Spirit was just an experience and come to the realization that the Holy Spirit was a real, divine person.
As I began to wait upon him and talk to him, he then became very real to me and began to change my vision. In fact, as we set our gaze upon the Holy Spirit, he takes the brush of faith, dips into the ink of the Word of God and draws beautiful pictures upon the canvas of our hearts. After he gives us a new picture to strive for, we find a new internal motivation.

...there is no obstacle that can discourage a man who's been given a vision by the Holy Spirit. One of the main obstacles to overcome is the opinion of those who say, "It's impossible. It has never been done before." What is their problem? They have never seen what God has shown you. Once God has granted you a vision, then you must learn to spend time dreaming over that vision.

Visions and Dreams

This is the essence of my philosophy. It covers all of the principles of congregational growth work. I call it "visions and dreams." As I travel throughout the world, I've seen evidences of the fact that the application of vision and dreams really works in changing one's heart attitude.
Most men I've seen are satisfied with the status quo. They have congregations of 30 to 50 members and since most tithed, they could live comfortably without expanding. So their congregations become exclusive little clubs. When this happens, the desire for growth will not develop.

Expand Your Vision

Sometimes our actions limit our vision. At times we find ourselves in a situation where we have to choose the level of money we're going to spend for something. Perhaps you're visiting a place and need to stay in a hotel. What kind of a room should you stay in? Does God really want us to stay in a nice place? Does he want us to stay in Spartan surroundings so as to conserve money? This a difficult question, which only you can you answer. Yet sometimes, I've found that people don't believe God for great things, especially when it comes to them selves. This may come from a sense of inferiority, or a false humility or spirituality.

That week I spent much time teaching the leaders to begin to expand their vision and dreams. As amazing as it sounds, it seems that our heavenly Father allows his representatives on earth to limit his activity through a lack of vision. I believe the same thing applies to prayer. God voluntarily limits Himself by our prayers. He can do anything, but He chooses to limit the scope of His authority by vesting it in us.

So here is how it works. Our heart attitude is changed by catching a fresh vision from the Holy Spirit. Once the vision is imparted, we must dwell upon it and dream about it until the vision comes into reality.

Material World

At present, the material world is the only world we know. Science tells us that we're on one planet among many, in one galaxy among many, in one solitary universe of incomprehensible size and complexity.

The Vedas tell us more. They say that this universe is one among countless others, each at least as big and complex as this one.

The Vedas also tell us that the material world has a creator, and He created it with a purpose. In pursuit of that purpose, He has placed living beings on every planet in every universe, most in forms now imperceptible to us.

"This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kunti [Arjuna], producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." –Sri Krishna, Bhagavad-gita 9.10

The Mystery of Life

The time has come to face up to the truth,
whatever the consequences, those are the rules.
Nothing happens by luck or by chance,
the timing is perfect and your world is enhanced.

You're reading this message because of a light,
that has guided you inward, to see toward what's right.
Some of the travelers who get on this ride,
are not ready to see it, to think or decide.

They just need a push, a shove or a guide,
the great illusion is inward, and not just outside.
It's the secret of life that flows in us all,
but why understand it and why climb this wall?

Nothing is simple as we hide under our beds,
all is a paradox and it's all in our heads.

Fantasy is lucid on this trip through the dream,
the path travels inward ~ building high self esteem.
Overcoming all images of fear and of strife.
thought creates reality ...that's the Mystery of Life!

Cause & Effect

The search for the answers to life and its laws, is rooted in everything, since effects have their cause.It's as easy as saying when words hit a wall, they come back at the speaker like a red rubber ball.

You can't hide any garbage, or mess up in this dream... all your actions are viewed from beyond the mainstream.The ancients all looked for that place ~ Shangri-La,
and reflected in the knowledge of what is known as Karma.

You can study the ancients for all that's concealed, or you can look toward intentions to have all be revealed.It's as simple as saying that your thoughts are alive, they create actions & reactions unseen to the eyes.

It's difficult understanding that life's a charade, or that fears create reality ...if you're slightly afraid. A guru can teach you the path that's unsaid,
these words try to show you that it's inside your head.

Mother Nature

I once read a book about the secret of things,
only to start wondering about truth & meanings.
It was a vision of life that came from within,
and it filled me with destiny about the world we live in.

It was written in symbols, in numbers and forms,
the nature of perfection, from the seed to reborn.
All the aspects of life you must discover in self,
and rise to accomplish all you hope to yourself.

But the path to the answer is traveled within,
revealed to the mind by a study of Yin...
The Yang is the outer and a view of contradictions,
you're fighting & struggling all of life's oppositions.

Yin power is quiet & peaceful and still,
and your mind is in focus to understand ...and it will.
As the road curves in and your purpose is changed,
...it's to give you the viewpoints from both youth & old age.

Moments In Life

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.

Find the one that makes your heart smile.Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy.The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!

The meaning of human life

The question of the meaning of one’s life gets inevitably raised before any man who matures in his development, moving up from the instinctive-reflexive stage to the really human one, at which intellect begins to dominate in choosing one’s way of living and conduct.

Many philosophers have been racking their brains over this question. But the majority of them were not able to comprehend the true God’s philosophy, while perverted conceptions created by numerous sects could not satisfy them. As a result the question about the meaning of human life was “declared” by many philosophers to be a “pseudo-question”, i.e. the one that cannot be answered by its own nature. This atheistic concept assumed, in fact, that man is not dramatically different from animals and the objective meaning of his existence on Earth is just... reproduction, ensuring the survival of the human race and creation of material values for the descendants. Therefore no spiritual efforts are necessary, and ethics in relationships with other leaving beings can be neglected...

“What’s our life? — A game... Good, evil — only dreams... Work, honesty — just tales for the females...” And a suicide “when the time comes” is the only right move for those worthy of respect...

But the Truth is that there is the meaning of human life.

It consists in development of consciousness, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Qualitative development consists in intellectual and ethical perfection, as well as in refining of consciousness. Quantitative aspect implies a direct increase of the amount of the refined energy of consciousness.

The latter reflects, among other things, the level of so called “personal power” — the psycho energetic might of the particular individual mass of consciousness that depends on the quantity of the energy of consciousness, or in other words on the size of a given soul.

According to this quantitative criterion souls are classified by God into “minor” and “major” ones But regardless of this classification each of them can possess both positive and negative properties. God calls the “minor” souls that have developed negative properties demoniac ones; if in addition to this they have accumulated significant amount of “personal power” they are considered diabolic, or devils. They could be encountered either in embodied or non-embodied form. Hell is their abode while they are in the non-embodied state; when they do get embodied — this takes place in “hellish” conditions, where they will be experiencing the results of their bad karma (the fate they created for themselves). In this way God suggests that they experience what the pain, which they were causing to other living beings, is like. He does this in order to help them to become better, to make it urgent for them to think about their ways, about the meaning of human life, about God and the Path to Him...

But those people who develop in the right direction at increasing speed rush into embraces of their beloved God; their lives become filled more and more with Divine happiness and exultation of Divine Love.

So, what does God want us to become, specifically?

.:: Thatwamasi ::.

Tat Twam Asi means....That You Is...in pure english That is you...

What you are to the world the world will be to you...Like if you are good to someone the other person will be good to you...If you stand in front of mirror The reflection will smile at you ..if you frown ..the reflection will frown..Tattwamasi means the same..Here it the God who is in front of the mirror and you are its reflection...God is in you...You are Gods reflection...

The Reflection is nothing on its own no life or existance, its not real...That means you are nothing on your own...But as in the example of mirror we feel its all real...Its all his maya..which u think is real...Tattwamasi measn God is the real one and all are his manifestations..

God has created the world...but not difficulties or greviances...Its your thinking of Self...which creates difficulties nad problem...Thats the funda of vratham also...forget your self... be one with god...VAratham teaches us...to leave our self..our Ego...and be one with God..

Hinduism is the mother of all religions and it is individual's (jeevatma) association with the Supreme (Paramatma), and the ultimate objective of religion is realization of Truth. Forms which symbolize Truth are only indications; they are not Truth itself, which transcends all conceptualization. The mind in its efforts to understand Truth through reasoning must always fail, for Truth transcends the very mind which seeks to embrace it. (Tatwamasi)

It is unique among the world's religions. We may boldly proclaim it the greatest and oldest religion in the world. To begin with, it is mankind's oldest spiritual declaration, the very fountainhead of faith on the planet. Hinduism's venerable age has seasoned it to maturity. It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not founded in a single historic event or prophet, but which itself precedes recorded history. Hinduism has been called the "cradle of spirituality," and the "mother of all religions," partially because it has influenced virtually every major religion and partly because it can absorb all other religions, honor and embrace their scriptures, their saints, their philosophy. This is possible because Hinduism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual effort and knows unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with the Divine, and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritual enlightenment and liberation in this or a future life.

Any religion in the world is considered as a mind stratum within people. It is a group of people who think consciously, subconsciously and subsuperconsciously alike and who are guided by their own superconsciousness and the superconsciousness of their leaders which make up the force field which we call a religion. It does not exist outside the mind. People of a certain religion have all been impressed with the same experiences. They have all accepted the same or similar beliefs and attitudes, and their mutual concurrence creates the bonds of fellowship and purpose, of doctrine and communion.

The people in Hinduism through a shared mind structure can understand, acknowledge, accept and love all the peoples of the world, encompass them within their mind as being fine religious people. The Hindu truly believes that there is a single Eternal Path, but he does not believe that any one religion is the only valid religion or the only religion that will lead the soul to salvation. Rather, the Eternal Path is seen reflected in all religions.

The will of God or the Gods is at work in all genuine worship and service. It is said in Hindu scripture that "Truth is one. Paths are many." The search for Truth, for God, is called the Sanatana Dharma, or the Eternal Path because it is inherent in the soul itself, where religion begins. This path, this return to his Source, is ever existent in man, and is at work whether he is aware of the processes or not. There is not this man's search and that man's search. And where does the impetus come from? It comes from the inside of man himself. Thus, Hinduism is ever vibrant and alive for it depends on this original source of inspiration, this first impulse of the spirit within, giving it an energy and a vibrancy that is renewable eternally in the now.

The Hindu feels that his faith is the broadest, the most practical and effective instrument of spiritual unfoldment, but he includes in his Hindu mind all the religions of the world as expressions of the one Eternal Path and understands each proportionately in accordance with its doctrines and dogma. He knows that certain beliefs and inner attitudes are more conducive to spiritual growth than others, and that all religions are, therefore, not the same. They differ in important ways. Yet, there is no sense whatsoever in Hinduism of an "only path." A devout Hindu is supportive of all efforts that lead to a pure and virtuous life and would consider it unthinkable to dissuade a sincere devotee from his chosen faith. This is the Hindu mind, and this is what we teach, what we practice and what we offer aspirants on the path.

Footprints in the Sand Poem

Last night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to me, the other to the Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints.This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. “Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.” The Lord replied, “My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of suffering, when you could see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

Trust in God. Always !

I asked for Strength.........And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom.........And God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity.........And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage.........And God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love.........And God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors.........And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted ........I received everything I needed!

What Vairagya ?

Vairagya is mental detachment from all connections with the world. That is all. A man may live in the world and discharge all the duties of his order and stage of life with perfect detachment. He :may be a householder. What if? He may live with family and children. But at the same time he may have perfect mental detachment. He can do his spiritual sadhana. That man who has perfect mental detachment while remaining in the world is a hero indeed. He is much better than a sadhu living in the Himalayan caves, ,because the former has to face the innumerable temptations of life every moment.

Wherever a man may go, he carries with him his fickle, restless mind, his vasanas and samskaras. Even if he lives in solitude, still he is the same worldly man if he is engaged in building castles in the air and thinking of the objects of the world. In such case even the cave becomes a big city to him. If the mind remains quiet, if it is free from attachments, one can be a perfect vairagi even while living in a mansion in the busiest part of a city like Calcutta or Bombay. Such a mansion will be converted into a dense jungle for him.

A dispassionate, man has a different mind altogether. He has a different experience altogether. He is a past master in the art or science of separating himself from the impermanent, perishable objects of the world. He has absolutely no attraction for them. He constantly dwells on the Eternal or the Absolute. He identifies himself every moment of his life with the witnessing consciousness that is present in pleasure and in pain, in joy and in sorrow, in censure and in praise, in honor and in dishonor, in all states of life. He stands adamantine as a peak amid a turbulent storm, as a spectator of this wonderful world show. He is not a bit affected by these pleasant and painful experiences.. He learns several valuable lessons from them. He has, in other words, no attraction for pleasant objects and repulsion for painful ones. Nor is he afraid of pain. He knows quite well that pain helps a lot in his spiritual progress and evolution, in his long journey towards the Goal. He stands convinced that pain is the best teacher in the world.

Vairagya also may come and go, if you are careless and mix promiscuously with all sorts of worldly-minded people. You should develop vairagya, therefore, to a maximum degree. The mind will be waiting for golden opportunities to get back the things once renounced. Whenever and wherever the mind hisses or raises its hood (for the mind is verily like a serpent), you should take refuge in viveka and in the imperishable fortress of wise, dispassionate mahatmas. There are different degrees in vairagya. Supreme dispassion comes when one gets him self established in Brahman. Now the vairagya becomes perfectly habitual.

A man can develop inner mental detachment from pleasure and pain while living in the world, He should see that he is not carried away by the pleasant experiences of the world. He should not cling to them. He should simply remain as a silent spectator. If he thus practices for some years, every experience will be a positive step in his ascent of the spiritual ladder. Eventually he will be crowned with sanguine success. He will then have an unruffled mind. He will have a poised mind also, A dispassionate man is the happiest and the richest man in all the three worlds. He is also the most powerful man. How can Maya tempt him now?

What Vairagya is Not
Vairagya does not mean abandoning social duties and responsibilities of life. It does not mean detachment from the world. It does not mean a life in the solitary caves of the Himalayas or in the crematorium. It does not mean living on neem leaves, cow's urine and dung. It does not mean wearing of matted hair and a kamandalu made of fence-gourd or cocoanut shell in the hand. It dose not mean shaving of head and throwing off clothes.
Remember the Sayings of the Gita

Meditation on the following sloka of the Bhagavad Gita will induce true vairagya. “The delights that are contact-born, they are verily the wombs of pain, for, they have beginning and ending, O Kaunteya, not in them may rejoice the wise” (5:22). “Indifference to the objects of the senses, and also absence of egoism, insight into the pain and evil of birth and death, old age and sickness” (13:8). “That which from the union of the senses with their objects is at first as nectar, but in the end is like venom” (18:38). “Having obtained this transient, joyless world, worship.”

Stages in Vairagya
There are four stages in vairagya: (1) Yatamanam. This is an attempt not to allow the mind to run into sensual grooves. (2) Vyatirekam. In this stage some objects are attracting you and you are endeavoring to cut off the attachment and attraction. Slowly vairagya develops for these objects also. Then the vairagya matures. When some objects tempt and delude you, you should ruthlessly avoid them. You will have to develop vairagya for these tempting objects and it must also mature. In this stage you are conscious of your degree of vairagya towards different objects. (3) Ekendriyam. The indriyas stand still and subdued, but the mind has either raga or dwesha for objects. Mind is, in other words, the only indriya that functions independently. (4) Vasikaran. In this highest stage of vairagya, the objects no longer tempt you. They cause no attraction. The indriyas are perfectly quiet. Mind also is free from likes and dislikes (raga and dwesha). Then you get supremacy or independence. Now you are conscious of your supremacy. Without vairagya no spiritual progress is possible.

Vairagya is of three kinds, viz., dull (mandha) intense (theevira) and very intense (theeviratara). Dull vairagya cannot help you much in the attainment of your goal.
Vairagya is the opposite of raga. It is dispassion or non-attachment. It is indifference to sensual objects herein and hereafter. Vairagya thins out the fatty sensual mind. It turns the mind inward (antarmukh vritti) This is the most important qualification for an aspirant. It is the one and the only means to enter into nirvikalpa samadhi.

Vairagya that is born of vikalpa is lasting and steady. If you seriously think of the various kinds of pain in this samsara such as birth, death, worries, depression, suffering, disease, loss, hostility, disappointment, fear, etc., if you understand intelligently the defects of sensual life (dosha drishti) and the transitory and perishable nature of all objects of the world, vairagya will immediately dawn.