Kerala: God's Own Country
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Bhagavan spoke about turning inwards to face the Self. That is all that is needed. If we look outwards we become entangled with objects and we loose awareness of the Self shining within us. But when, by repeated practice, we gain the strength to keep our focus on the Self within, we become one with it and the darkness of Self ignorance vanishes. Then even though we continue to live in this false and unreal body, we abide in an ocean of bliss that never feeds or diminishes.
Annamalai Swami
you can listen to this text here:
Bhagavan (Sri Ramana) spoke about turning inwards to face the Self - that is all that is needed.
If we look outwards, we become entangled with objects and we loose awareness of the Self shining within us. But when, by repeated practice, we gain the strength to keep our focus within, we become one with it and the darkness of Self-ignorance vanishes. Then, even though we continue to live in this false and unreal body, we abide in an ocean of bliss that never fades or diminshes.
- Annamalai Swami in "Final Talks" by David Godman.
twelve years ago in the Jewish museum. I should go again soon.
... I had always had a natural inclination towards the spiritual life. Nobody had ever talked to me about spiritual matters, but somehow I had always known that there was a higher power called God, and that the purpose of life was to attain God. Without being told, I instinctively felt that everything I saw was somehow illusory and not real. These thoughts, along with the idea that I should not become attached to anything in this world, were part of my consciousness even in my earliest boyhood.
Annamalai Swami's memories as written in "Living by the Words of Bhagavan" by David Godman
Bhagavan (Ramana Maharshi) spoke about turning inwards to face the Self. That is all that is needed. If we look outwards we become entangled with objects and loose awareness of the Self shining within us. But when, by repeated practice, we gain the strength to keep our focus on the Self within, we become one with it, and the darkness of Self ignorance vanishes.
from "Annamalai Swami; living by the words of Bhagavan" by David Godman
be still - always abide in the Self -
You have the idea that the Self is something that you see or experience. This is not so. The Self is the awareness or the consciousness in which the seeing and the experiencing takes place.
Annamalai Swami in an answer to a questioner, from "Living by the Words of Bhagavan" by David Godman.
countdown - 7
You have heard the ultimate truth [but], noblesse oblige [ i.e. privilege entails responsibility], you have to remember it. You are at the stage when you must put all emphasis on the pure ‘I’-principle, the subject, the changeless, so as to establish your being in lasting happiness.
(c) Sri Ramanasramam
from "The Long Road to Bhagavan
Tracing the Pilgrim Life of Ella Maillart" (Part VII: Conclusion)
on my 1st of November walk from Fü to N.
A Durga puja pandal build on the lines of the main architecture of Iskcon Mayapur
The term “Hare Krishna”, or The Hare Krishna Movement™ Organization, formally The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is the orthodox core of Hinduism. It was registered in the West (in New York) in July 1966, but dates back over 5000 years. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1532) popularized the movement all over India. Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion with over 900 million adherents, second to Christianity and Islam (according to various leading encyclopedias, websites and almanacs). The principal scriptures are The Bhagavad-gita (The Song of God), and the Shrimad Bhagavatam (the story of the Personality of Godhead Shri Krishna Bhagavan). Krishnas believe in one God.
"Seek my grace within the Heart. I will drive away your darkness and show you the light. This is my responsibility."
Bhagavan Sri Ramana, -
as would have told you most of the great sages, so you could take any of them as the author.
just a short one still from the off. <3
It is the room at Skandashrama where Bhagavan Sri Ramana's mother lived, and where she through his hands, in her final hours attained liberation.
Question: The Lord has created all this, has He not? What
was created first? It is said light or sound was created first.
Answer: All these things, which you say have been created
have to be seen by you before you say they exist. There must
be a seer. If you find out who that seer is, then you will know
about creation and which was created first. Of course various
theories as to what came into existence first from God are given
out. Most, including scientists, agree that all has come from
light and sound.
Question: Can we call anything created, like this piece of
wood, for example, God? It is said it is very wrong to do so.
Answer: Even this piece of wood, does it exist apart from
God? Can we confine God to any time or place, since He is
everywhere and in everything? We should not see anything as
apart from God. That is all.
from
DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN
Arunachala Pancaratnam
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Ocean of Nectar, Full of Grace,
Engulfing the Universe in Thy Splendour !
Oh, Arunachala — the Supreme Itself !
Be Thou the Sun, and open the Lotus of my Heart in Bliss,
Oh Arunachala !
In Thee the picture of the Universe
Is formed, has its stay and is dissolved.
This is the Sublime Truth.
Thou Art the Inner-Self,
who dancest in the Heart as 'I',
Heart is Thy Name, Oh Lord !
He who turns inward with untroubled mind
To search where the conciousness of 'I' arises
Realises the Self and rests in Thee,
Oh Arunachala ! like a river when it joins the Ocean.
Abandoning the outer world,
with Mind and Breath Controlled,
To meditate on Thee within, the Yogi sees Thy Light,
Oh Arunachala ! and finds his delight in Thee !
He who dedicates his mind to Thee,
and seeing Thee always beholds the Universe as Thy figure;
He Who at all times Glorifies Thee
and loves Thee as none other than the Self,
He is the Master without rival – being One with Thee,
Oh Arunachala ! And lost in Thy Bliss.
youtu.be/-k1dM2QKYts?si=aDTAlr6gGd3DqJQp
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Fourth of February 2012, around 6:30. As usual in the morning, Sri Arunachala wears a cloud cap which lasts up to the early afternoon on some days. The path is quiet, especially at this part of the road on the western side of the hill. Few vehicles pass by; always one finds some people doing girivalam (the ritual circuit of the holy hill in clockwise direction).
find me here now
not my original photo; historic photo of Sri Ramana Maharshi photographed from the screen.
Bhagavan (Sri Ramana) spoke about turning inwards to face to Self. That is all that is needed. If we look outwards we become entangled with objects and we lose awareness of the Self shining within us. But when by repeated practice, we gain the strength to keep our focus on the Self within, we become one with it, and the darkness of self ignorance vanishes.
Annamalai youtu.be/R0iVJUFF49s?si=05FhnzxOo6ult_zX
The Most Confidential Knowledge
‚If any pure-hearted devotee offers Me a leaf, a flower, fruit or water with love and devotion, i will surely accept that gift.
The preparation may be delicious or not, but if it is offered with love and a feeling that it is very delicious, it becomes most delicious to Me. At that time, I give up all other thoughts and relish it. Even if such a fruit or flower has no taste or fragrance, I still accept it, being captivated by My devotee’s prema.‘
Bhagavan is now explaining the quality of that worship: it is easy to perform. When an easily attainable object, such as a leaf, flower, fruit or water, is offered to Bhagavan with devotion, then He accepts it in an appropriate manner, even though He is endowed with unlimited opulence and is perfectly satisfied. He becomes hungry and thirsty because of His devotee’s love for Him and, absorbed in that mood of devotion, He eats the offering out of prema.
As snow in water, let me melt as love in Thee, Who art Love itself, O Arunachala!
quote from the 108 verses on Arunachala by
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------away till June!
thank you friends for all your support, comments, faves ... <3
today is Sri Ramana's birthday, which varies according to the Hindu calendar.
145th Jayanti Celebration of Bhagavan Sri Ramanamaharshi - 17-12-2024
The Most Confidential Knowledge
‚If any pure-hearted devotee offers Me a leaf, a flower, fruit or water with love and devotion, i will surely accept that gift.
The preparation may be delicious or not, but if it is offered with love and a feeling that it is very delicious, it becomes most delicious to Me. At that time, I give up all other thoughts and relish it. Even if such a fruit or flower has no taste or fragrance, I still accept it, being captivated by My devotee’s prema.‘
Bhagavan is now explaining the quality of that worship: it is easy to perform. When an easily attainable object, such as a leaf, flower, fruit or water, is offered to Bhagavan with devotion, then He accepts it in an appropriate manner, even though He is endowed with unlimited opulence and is perfectly satisfied. He becomes hungry and thirsty because of His devotee’s love for Him and, absorbed in that mood of devotion, He eats the offering out of prema.
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Les Bishnoïs ou Vishnoï (de bish, « vingt » et noï, « neuf » en rajasthani, une forme dialectale de l'hindi), sont les membres d'une communauté vishnouïte surtout présente dans l'État du Rajasthan, majoritairement dans les régions de Jodhpur et de Bîkâner, et dans une moindre mesure dans l'État voisin de l'Haryana en Inde. Elle a été créée par le guru Jambeshwar Bhagavan, appelé communément Jambaji (1451-1536).
Les Bishnoïs sont des hindous vaishnav qui suivent vingt-neuf principes édictés par leur gourou (d'où leur nom). Ils se caractérisent par leur végétarisme, leur respect strict de toute forme de vie (non-violence, ahimsâ), leur protection des animaux et des arbres, leur tenue vestimentaire particulière1. On les définit souvent comme ayant une forte conscience écologique. Les Bishnoïs vivaient paisiblement dans des villages isolés loin des centres de peuplement, mais depuis une dizaine d'années, ils sont de plus en plus nombreux à vivre en ville. Ils seraient environ 700 000 dans l'ouest de l'Inde. Ce sont les rares hindous à enterrer leurs morts, du fait du bois vert (venant d'un arbre vivant, non mort) qu'il faudrait couper pour la crémation (les sadhus vishnouites, eux non plus, ne sont pas brûlés après leur mort, mais enterrés, généralement en position assise ; le site où ils sont enterrés devient un endroit
Sri Naganathaswamy Temple or Rahu Sthalam is one of the 9 Navagraha Temples in Tamil Nadu and is associated to Lord Rahu (Raaghu Bhagvan). Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is located at Tirunageswaram, which is 7 km east of Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam - Nannilam Road, in Thanjavur District, Tamilnadu. The main presiding deity of Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple is Lord Naganathaswamy (Lord Shiva) and his consort Giri Gujambika (Goddess Parvathi) who is enshrined with Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati by Her side. Rahu Bhagavan is seen with his two consorts Nagavalli and Nagakanni. Sri Naganathaswamy Temple is one where Lord Shiva was worshipped by Rahu (Raghu) and got relived of a curse. A unique feature of Naganatha Swamy temple is that Lord Rahu is seen with human face. While in other places, Lord Raaghu is worshipped with a serpent face.
Temple Features
Occupying a vast area, the Thirunageswaram Rahu Temple has vast prakarams, towering gopurams, and several mandapams. There are four entry towers with fort like walls which surround the outermost prakaram.
The Vinayaga temple, Balibeedam, Nandeeswarar Mandabam and Thwaja Sthambam (Flag post) are seen on the eastern gateway. Lord Ragu’s idol is placed in the south-west corner. The southern side of the temple has a water head with four Mandaps, surrounded by a 100 pillar Mandap in a temple-car style. The mandap is decorated by artistic pillars in all directions. The Dwarapalaga Sudhai work (made of Chunam clay) on each side at the entrance is an attractive feature of the temple.
There are twelve sacred water heads in this place, namely, Suriya Pushkarani, Gowthama Theertham, Parasara Theertham, Indira Theertham, Prugu Theertham, Kannuva Theertham and Vasishta Theertham. Suriya Pushkarani is inside the temple compound and is very sacred. The theertham is built in Chola style and is in square shape with 'double-bat' roofing. Legend says that the mythological serpents Aadi Seshan, Dakshan and Kaarkotakan worshipped Shiva here.
Effects of Rahu Bhagavan
Rahu Bhagwan is said to be the cause for one's good position, status, business, faithfulness, winning over opposition, to travel overseas, and for mantra power. It is believed that by doing Milk abishekam here for Rahu during Rahu kalam (period of 1 and 1/2 hours occurring every day) the delay in getting married, childlessness, trouble some married life, ill-effects of Kalasarpa Dhosha (affliction), Kalasthra Dhosha and, Sarpa Dhosha are all cured.
Special Feature
An important aspect of Rahu Temple at Thirunageswaram is that during milk abhishekam, the milk when poured over the idol, turns Blue which is clearly visible. Large numbers of devotees throng here for performing this. On every occasion of Rahu switching over to next Raasi (Rasi) which happens once in one and half years in anti-clockwise, special Abishekam with Homam is performed at Sri Arulmigu Naganathaswamy Temple. Lord Rahu is taken in procession in Sesha Vahanam.
Thanks to
www.touristlink.com/india/thirunageswaram.html
Requesting me to use my photograph in the above link and also for displaying it.....
Special Thanks to
Pakya 3
today at Sri Ramanasramam it is Lucy Ma day. (31.12.)
"Lucy Cornelssen, a German devotee came to Bhagavan Ramana
sometime in 1940s. She became the permanent resident of the
Asramam, right upto her leaving the body a few decades later."
"There is only one way to ovecome the ghost( the ego -I) …to watch it. Do not fight, do not resist. Only try to watch it, quietly but ceaselessly. In other words, develop an unconcerned witness- consciousness towards men, things and happenings without, but particularly towards yourself within. It means to carry on the calmness of the mind gained in your meditation to cover your whole day. You will distinctly feel it as an undercurrent of peace and detachment."
here is her book "Hunting The I"
pgoodnight.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/hunting-the-i.pdf
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a picture, here the b&w version, shows the northern side of the road around the Arunachala hill. Having left my quarter in the early morning, I reach this side just a while after sunrise.
Girivalam is the circuit (circumambulation) around the Holy Hill Arunachala; it is done in clockwise direction, preferably in a slow speed; the distance is about 15 km.
Radha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love.[2] It is believed that Krishna enchants the world, but Radha "enchants even Him. Therefore She is the supreme goddess of all. Radha Krishna"
Copyright reserved by Mirza Imran Khan
today is Sri Ramana's birthday, which varies according to the Hindu calendar.
145th Jayanti Celebration of Bhagavan Sri Ramanamaharshi - 17-12-2024
today is Sri Ramana's birthday, which varies according to the Hindu calendar.
145th Jayanti Celebration of Bhagavan Sri Ramanamaharshi - 17-12-2024
Show me how to abandon this worldly knowledge and acquire the saving Wisdom, O Arunachala!
-
quote from the 108 verses on Arunachala by
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
this is on the north side of the holy Arunachala hill, so when one approaches it in the morning, the rising sun appears in the east. There are always people, night and day, doing what is called "Girivalam" in Tamil, means the ritualistic circumambulation of the hill, clockwise and barefoot, and slowly like a "pregnant queen".
In January/February 2012 I was involuntarily drawn to this practice for about 50 days in a row; even when feeling sick in the morning, somehow Arunachala made me do it later in the day, and it was always a joyful, fulfilling experience.
In this picture, the hill, with around 3,8 billion years, one of the oldest. on earth, is to the right; the circuit is about 15 km.
I met the Swami back in 2012 on the day of my birthday at Sri Ramanashram.
He passed away on December 10th 2020.
Here is a biography taken from Sharanagati, January 2021 published by Sri Ramanasramam.
Born in Rangoon, Burma, in 1938, Swami Ramanananda was named Seshadri. He had one elder brother and two younger sisters. He came to India from Burma in 1942 during the War years as a refugee and did his schooling at the Besant Theosophical High School in Chennai. He excelled in athletics, painting, and, above all, music. In school, he was fortunate to have good teachers such as Rukmini Devi Arundale and the Carnatic maestro Tiger Varadachariar as well as classmates like M.D. Ramanathan. This helped him develop his singing skills, and he once had the chance to sing a song on All India Radio.
After his examinations, he joined the family in Calcutta, and served as a draftsman’s apprentice in a British company that specialized in constructing bridges for the Indian Railways. While still in his teens, he came across Arthur Osborne’s Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge which had a great effect on him. In the late 1950s, he met Ananda Mayi Ma at Ranchi who advised him to go to Ramanasramam. When he suffered an injury to his leg, he was forced to leave his job and came to Tiruvannamalai as she had
suggested. Here he met Hugo Maier who treated his condition with some success. After a lengthy stay, he made up his mind to settle permanently at Arunachala. His gentle nature made him the favourite of older devotees like Muruganar, Swami Viswanathan and K. Natesan. In the early 1970s he served Muruganar during his last years when his health deteriorated. He also helped in the construction of Bhagavan’s Samadhi mantapam and worked in the Ashram Dispensary preparing compounds. In 1973, he left the ashram to be more independent and stayed a year at Guhai Namasivya with Albert Frahm, a close friend who had been living there for some time. The following year, he and Hugo Maier moved out near Nirvritti Lingam onto four acres of land Seshadri’s father had purchased for him, and on which the present day Shantimalai is now established.
In 1983, Seshadri got the blessing of the Paramacharya Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram to take sannyas when the latter was traveling nearby. In a ceremony at Bhagavan’s Samadhi, Kunjuswami placed ochre robes on Bhagavan’s Samadhi overnight and on the following day, Seshadri simply clad himself in them. He stood before Bhagavan’s Samadhi and took the name Swami Ramanananda. After doing the traditional yatra to the mahakshetras of North India, he returned to Tiruvannamalai and stayed for some time at Skandasramam. Eventually Ramanananda built a hermitage named Ramana Padam on the hill-round road near the Varuna Lingam. This came about by the initiative of Moopanar Swami who organised a sannyasin to stay at each of the ashtalingams and their abutting temple land. He gave Swami Ramanananda the choice where he wanted to live since he had helped him renovate the eight lingams.
Ramanananda had agamic knowledge of samadhi construction and helped in conducting abhishikam and puja while interring the mortal remains of Muruganar, Ramaswami Pillai and others. In 1996, he became the principal organizer of the Adiannamalai Temple Maha Kumbhabhsiekam and with permission from the Ashram management, based his fundraising efforts out of Ramanasramam. His enthusiasm for the project got numerous devotees
involved and all participated in the event with relish. He also helped the ARS in its early days. His kuti, Ramana Padam was home to snakes, squirrels and monkeys, but like Bhagavan, Ramanananda was quite at home with his many animal friends. When not practising sadhana, he occupied himself with water- colour painting. His innocent child-like temperament, charitable disposition and great sense of humour allowed him to converse with people of all ages. He was approached by a diverse range of visitors who felt inspired by his understanding of Bhagavan’s teachings and never spoke ill of anyone. Following long months of poor health, on 10th December 2020 at the age of 82, Swami Ramanananda Saraswati attained the lotus feet of Arunachala. —
Vishnu Sanskrit: विष्णु, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, and the Supreme Being in its Vaishnavism tradition. Vishnu is the "preserver" in the Hindu trinity (Trimurti) that includes Brahma and Shiva.
In Vaishnavism, Vishnu is identical to the formless metaphysical concept called Brahman, the supreme, the Svayam Bhagavan, who takes various avatars as "the preserver, protector" whenever the world is threatened with evil, chaos, and destructive forces. His avatars most notably include Rama in the Ramayana and Krishna in the Mahabharata. He is also known as Narayana, Jagannath, Vasudeva, Vithoba, and Hari. He is one of the five equivalent deities worshipped in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta Tradition of Hinduism.
In Hindu iconography, Vishnu is usually depicted as having a dark, or pale blue complexion and having four arms. He holds a padma (lotus flower) in his lower left hand, Kaumodaki gada (mace) in his lower right hand, Panchajanya shankha (conch) in his upper left hand and the Sudarshana Chakra (discus) in his upper right hand. A traditional depiction is Vishnu reclining on the coils of the serpent Shesha, accompanied by his consort Lakshmi, as he "dreams the universe into reality"
Oh Ahrunachala! In Thee the picture of the universe is formed, has its stay, and is dissolved; this is the sublime truth.
Thou art the inner Self, who dances in the Heart as "I".
Heart is Thy name, Oh Lord!
verse 2 of "Five Stanzas to Sri Arunachala" by Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Arunachala Thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on thee in the heart, Oh Arunachala!
The Marital Garland of Letters - verse 1 - by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world. Ramana Maharshi.
Ramana Maharshi (30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950) was a Hindu sage and jivanmukta. He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is most commonly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.
He was born in what is now Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu, India. In 1895, an attraction to the holy hill Arunachala and the 63 Nayanars was aroused in him, and in 1896, at the age of 16, he had a "death-experience" where he became aware of a "current" or "force" (avesam) which he recognised as his true "I" or "self", which he later identified with Ishvara. This resulted in a state that he later described as "the state of mind of Iswara or the jnani". Six weeks later he left his uncle's home in Madurai, and journeyed to the holy mountain Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai, where he took on the role of a sannyasin (though not formally initiated), and remained for the rest of his life.
He soon attracted devotees who regarded him as an avatar and came to him for darshan ("the sight of God"), and in later years an ashram grew up around him, where visitors received upadesa ("spiritual instruction") by sitting silently in his company and raising their concerns and questions. Since the 1930s his teachings have been popularised in the West, resulting in worldwide recognition as an enlightened being.
Ramana Maharshi approved to a number of paths and practices, but recommended self-enquiry as the principal means to remove ignorance and abide in Self-awareness, together with bhakti (devotion) or surrender to the Self. Source Wikipedia.
Sunrise
Taken at 05:20 AM - real time - 04:20 GMT
Dall'attaccamento sorge il dolore, dal dolore sorge la paura; per colui che è totalmente libero, non c'è attaccamento, non c'è dolore, non c'è paura.
-- Buddha
The Most Confidential Knowledge
‚If any pure-hearted devotee offers Me a leaf, a flower, fruit or water with love and devotion, i will surely accept that gift.
The preparation may be delicious or not, but if it is offered with love and a feeling that it is very delicious, it becomes most delicious to Me. At that time, I give up all other thoughts and relish it. Even if such a fruit or flower has no taste or fragrance, I still accept it, being captivated by My devotee’s prema.‘
Bhagavan is now explaining the quality of that worship: it is easy to perform. When an easily attainable object, such as a leaf, flower, fruit or water, is offered to Bhagavan with devotion, then He accepts it in an appropriate manner, even though He is endowed with unlimited opulence and is perfectly satisfied. He becomes hungry and thirsty because of His devotee’s love for Him and, absorbed in that mood of devotion, He eats the offering out of prema.
In South India at last, I had time to sum up, to weigh my travels in my heart — and not in the balance of time and space. At the hour of my death what would the meaning of these travels be? They were important to me in so far as they had changed me, brought me nearer to my real centre. Slowly they had led me to what matters most. Only the inward journey is real. I found myself. Which is the same as to say that I found the way to become freed from my preposterous ego. Now I know that there is a way to the unchangeable Centre — that Core which is the same in all of us. And because of It, I can try with sincerity to love my neighbour as much as myself. Feeling no longer divided but concentrated, I can march with patience towards that oneness which we all feel, is the ultimate as well as the first word of life.
Deep gratefulness. I come back to you, perfect pond of my youth, deep blue line of the far horizon. You sent me away to the seas, and to beyond the seas in search of your promise. I have done it. I regret nothing. I feel all is granted. I have no more wish. I am free from myself, don’t belong to myself any more. What then is my harvest? Nothing. That necessary oneness is a total Mystery. But I learnt the way to it, [and] I kneel before it.
c) Sri Ramanasramam
from "The Long Road to Bhagavan
Tracing the Pilgrim Life of Ella Maillart" (Part VII: Conclusion)
on my 1st of November walk from Fü to N.
The local train life:
Candid photo of a young girl carrying the "Gopal" God in his lap in the local train.
Laddu Gopal or Bala Gopala (child Gopala) is worshiped across India. In Hindu mythology there are many stories of wonderful miraculous and innocent acts of Gopala, like stealing butter with friends or breaking the pots of Gopis and stealing clothes of Gopis when they were bathing in a pond or river.Bala Gopala, is historically one of the early forms of worship in Krishnaism and an element of the history of Krishna worship in antiquity. This tradition is considered as a part of the number of other traditions that led to amalgamation in a later stage of the historical development and culminate in worship of Radha Krishna as the svayam bhagavan. The monotheistic traditions of Bhagavatism and the cult of Gopala, along with the cult of Krishna-Vasudeva, form the basis of the current tradition of the monotheistic Krishna religion
Oh Lord! Lead me from the unreal (Maya, illusion) to the real (True Self, God, Bhagavan), from the darkness (of ignorance) to the light (of knowledge), from the death (the feeling of boundaries) to the eternal life (the feeling of freedom, limitless, infinite)
≈ my photo of Amma in the current issue of Light of Consciousness Magazine ≈
light-of-consciousness.org/lightofconsciousness/LOC_HomeP...
The piece is called Kirtan, the bliss of Chanting
with words by...
Snatam Kaur, Krishna Das, Bhagavan Das, Wah!, Jai Uttal, Linda Johnsen, Maggie Jacobus and Sita Stuhlmiller share their experiences of kirtan, the grace of the Guru and the transformation of chanting God’s Name.
photo Jennifer Esperanza ©
Murali and I took eight hours to walk around the Arunachala hill.
Although he intended to stay only for one day I convinced him to extend his stay to three days and on each of the three days we did the girivalam together (circumambulation of the hill).
On the second day he fell ill - still we did it, as it was always recommended by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, even to people who had disabilities. So on this last day, instead of the usual 3 hours, it took us 8 because we paused every now and then, taking rest, eating of drinking something. Here we stand, after the walk, in front of the old hall where the sage Sri Ramana Maharshi sat and taught mostly in silence.
- A blessing to have been there.
"The ego believes in itself, not in the Guru
The Ego even wants the Guru to believe in it (Ego) instead"
ClicK:
Ramanavami 2024 - Lord Rama's Appearance Day, ISKCON London Radha Krishna Temple Soho Street. 17/04/2024.
Nithyanandeshwara Paramashiva Hindu temple is a spiritual center that is the enlightened ecosystem created by the Avatar The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism, Jagatguru Mahasannidhanam, His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Nithyananda Paramashivam (popularly known as Swamiji or Swami Nithyananda) for the people in the Ohio region. The temple premises and grounds have the natural ambiance of the Himalayas and the Ganga River with the Olentangy river flowing behind the temple!
DSCF6252
You can only escape the habits of the mind by abiding in consciousness as consciousness. Be who you are. Be as you are. Just be still. Ignore all the vasanas (latent tendencies) that rise in the mind and instead fix your attention in the Self.
From “Living by the words of Bhagavan” by David Godman.
stone pillar at Pavarakundru.
Yakushi Nyorai’s Twelve Vows
1. May a radiant light blaze forth from my body after enlightenment, brightening countless realms, and may all beings have perfect physical form, identical to my own.
2. May my body be like pure radiant lapis lazuli, with a radiance more brilliant than the sun and moon, illuminating all who travel in darkness, enabling them to tread upon their paths.
3. By my limitless insight and means, may I enable all beings to obtain the necessities of life.
4. May all beings be shown the path of enlightenment and may adherents to the sravaka or pratyekabuddha paths become established in Mahayana practices.
5. May all beings be aided to follow the precepts of moral conduct. After hearing my name, those who have broken the precepts will be aided to regain their purity and prevented from sinking to a woesome path of existence.
6. May all who are deformed or handicapped in any way have their deformities removed upon hearing my name. (Namo Bhagavate Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Raja Ya Tathagata Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya)
7. May all who are ill be cured upon hearing my name. (Namo Bhagavate Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Raja Ya Tathagata Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya)
8. May all sentient beings who are restrained by their circumstances of birth find a favourable rebirth and progress towards Liberation.
9. May all who are caught in Mara's net, entangled in negative views, be caused to gain correct views and thus practice the Bodhisattva Way.
10. May all who are punished by the king be freed of their troubles.
11. May those who are desperately famished be given food. May they ultimately taste the sublime Teachings.
12. May all who are destitute of clothes obtain attractive garments and various adornments upon concentrating on my name. (Namo Bhagavate Bhaisajya Guru Vaidurya Prabha Raja Ya Tathagata Arhate Samyak Sambuddhaya)
Source: www.onmarkproductions.com/html/yakushi-12_vows.shtml
I met the Swami back in 2012 on the day of my birthday at Sri Ramanashram.
He passed away on December 10th 2020.
Here is a biography taken from Sharanagati, January 2021 published by Sri Ramanasramam.
Born in Rangoon, Burma, in 1938, Swami Ramanananda was named Seshadri. He had one elder brother and two younger sisters. He came to India from Burma in 1942 during the War years as a refugee and did his schooling at the Besant Theosophical High School in Chennai. He excelled in athletics, painting, and, above all, music. In school, he was fortunate to have good teachers such as Rukmini Devi Arundale and the Carnatic maestro Tiger Varadachariar as well as classmates like M.D. Ramanathan. This helped him develop his singing skills, and he once had the chance to sing a song on All India Radio.
After his examinations, he joined the family in Calcutta, and served as a draftsman’s apprentice in a British company that specialized in constructing bridges for the Indian Railways. While still in his teens, he came across Arthur Osborne’s Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge which had a great effect on him. In the late 1950s, he met Ananda Mayi Ma at Ranchi who advised him to go to Ramanasramam. When he suffered an injury to his leg, he was forced to leave his job and came to Tiruvannamalai as she had
suggested. Here he met Hugo Maier who treated his condition with some success. After a lengthy stay, he made up his mind to settle permanently at Arunachala. His gentle nature made him the favourite of older devotees like Muruganar, Swami Viswanathan and K. Natesan. In the early 1970s he served Muruganar during his last years when his health deteriorated. He also helped in the construction of Bhagavan’s Samadhi mantapam and worked in the Ashram Dispensary preparing compounds. In 1973, he left the ashram to be more independent and stayed a year at Guhai Namasivya with Albert Frahm, a close friend who had been living there for some time. The following year, he and Hugo Maier moved out near Nirvritti Lingam onto four acres of land Seshadri’s father had purchased for him, and on which the present day Shantimalai is now established.
In 1983, Seshadri got the blessing of the Paramacharya Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram to take sannyas when the latter was traveling nearby. In a ceremony at Bhagavan’s Samadhi, Kunjuswami placed ochre robes on Bhagavan’s Samadhi overnight and on the following day, Seshadri simply clad himself in them. He stood before Bhagavan’s Samadhi and took the name Swami Ramanananda. After doing the traditional yatra to the mahakshetras of North India, he returned to Tiruvannamalai and stayed for some time at Skandasramam. Eventually Ramanananda built a hermitage named Ramana Padam on the hill-round road near the Varuna Lingam. This came about by the initiative of Moopanar Swami who organised a sannyasin to stay at each of the ashtalingams and their abutting temple land. He gave Swami Ramanananda the choice where he wanted to live since he had helped him renovate the eight lingams.
Ramanananda had agamic knowledge of samadhi construction and helped in conducting abhishikam and puja while interring the mortal remains of Muruganar, Ramaswami Pillai and others. In 1996, he became the principal organizer of the Adiannamalai Temple Maha Kumbhabhsiekam and with permission from the Ashram management, based his fundraising efforts out of Ramanasramam. His enthusiasm for the project got numerous devotees
involved and all participated in the event with relish. He also helped the ARS in its early days. His kuti, Ramana Padam was home to snakes, squirrels and monkeys, but like Bhagavan, Ramanananda was quite at home with his many animal friends. When not practising sadhana, he occupied himself with water- colour painting. His innocent child-like temperament, charitable disposition and great sense of humour allowed him to converse with people of all ages. He was approached by a diverse range of visitors who felt inspired by his understanding of Bhagavan’s teachings and never spoke ill of anyone. Following long months of poor health, on 10th December 2020 at the age of 82, Swami Ramanananda Saraswati attained the lotus feet of Arunachala. —
Who am I?
You have to ask yourself the question `Who am I ?'
This investigation will lead in the end to the discovery
of something within you which is behind the mind.
Solve that great problem and you will solve all other problems.
– Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi
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Erforsche deine Träume
Vorstellungen im Geist erzeugen das Ego. Das Ego glaubt, es habe die Vorstellungen, doch Götter (Archetypen) geben sie ihm ein. Auch das ist eine tiefenpsychologische Vorstellung, doch diese bezieht sich auf die Suche nach der Quelle des „Wer bin ich? Woher komme ich? Wohin gehe ich?“. Und alle Fragen werden gleich beantwortet: “Ich bin die Quelle. Ich entspringe der Quelle. Ich gehe zurück in die Quelle.”
Wenn du alle Vorstellungen von dem, was du bist, loslässt, bleibt nur deine reine Natur, die reine Quelle, die Quelle der Vorstellungen. Der Quelle entspringen alle Gedanken und alle Impulse des Lebens, seines Wandels, des Ein- und Ausatmens.
Du brauchst keine Vorstellungen mehr von dem, wer oder was du bist oder wer oder was du warst. Die Quelle lässt dich glauben, ein Ego zu sein, ein gewöhnliches Leben zu leben. Die Quelle lässt dich sogar träumen, dass du die Quelle bist – oder auch nicht bist.
Was träumst du gerade?
HKD
Digital art based on own photography and textures
HKD
“Suddenly Bhagavan turned his luminous, transparent eyes on me. Before that I could not stand his gaze for long. Now I looked right back into those terrible, wonderful eyes, how long I could not tell. They held me in a sort of vibration distinctly audible to me.” Always it was followed by the feeling, the indubitable conviction, that one had been taken up by Sri Bhagavan, that henceforth he was in charge, he was guiding. Those who knew would perceive when such an initiation took place, but it would usually be inconspicuous; it might happen during the chanting of the Vedas or the devotee might feel a sudden impulse to go to Sri Bhagavan before daybreak or at some time when few or none would be present. The initiation by silence was equally real. It entered into those who turned to Sri Bhagavan in their hearts without being able to go bodily to Tiruvannamalai. Sometimes it was given in a dream, as with Natesa Mudaliar.
You can only escape the habits of the mind by abiding in consciousness as consciousness. Be who you are. Be as you are. Just be still. Ignore all the vasanas that rise in the mind and instead fix your attention in the Self.
From “Living by the words of Bhagavan” by David Godman.
view from Pavarakundru
View people find their way to this ancient temple on one of the eastern spurs of Arunachala, just above the city of Tiruvannamalai.
January 2012
you, you fly about like birds from one holy place to
another [seeking His Darshan]. Consciousness, when
abiding still in the Heart, is the Supreme Shiva.
Sadhu Om: To seek Shiva Darshan outside of oneself requires
movement, but it is revealed here that to be still is the only true
means of seeking it.
191. The ship would be destroyed by the storm if its sails
were spread outside, but it is safe when its anchor is
sunk deep into the sea. Similarly, if the mind were
sunk deep in the Heart instead of being spread out-
side, that would be Jnana.
192. To arrest the mind – which tries to rush outwards –
securely within, is the truly heroic act of the ripe
aspirant who wants to see the Supreme Lord in the
Heart.
Sadhu Om: The end of this verse may also be translated as, ‘to
see the Supreme, who is Lord of the Saints.’
193. When the mind [i.e., the ego’s attention] which wan-
ders outside, knowing only other objects [2nd and
3rd persons] – begins to attend to its own nature, all
other objects will disappear, and then, by experienc-
ing it’s own true nature [i.e. Self], the pseudo-‘I’ will
also die.
Sadhu Om: This verse clearly teaches that if the mind [i.e. the first
person, ‘I’] tries to attend to itself, not only will the 2nd and 3rd per-
sons disappear, but the mind itself will also die. We are thus given
here a complete description of the enquiry ‘Who am I?’ that is, we
are told the method, what happens during the practice, and what
result it will have.
30 The Kingdom of God
194. God does not reside in any place other than the
Heart. It is due to illusion, caused by the ego, the ‘I
am the body’ idea, that the Kingdom of God is con-
ceived to be elsewhere. Be sure that the Heart is the
kingdom of God.
Sri-Sathya-Sai-Vrinda saivrinda.org/ www.youtube.com/channel/UCcUl7Jos-egmgIjKF-87Apw
de.youtube.com/watch?v=a0E8piRbj-g&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fs1OBY82b0
Set Aum Spiritual & Sacred www.flickr.com/photos/arjuna/sets/72057594080447439/
www.flickr.com/groups/spiritualmasters/pool/
My friend has today 81 birthdays.
Set Esoteric - Ezoteryka www.flickr.com/photos/arjuna/sets/72057594082135474/