In This Issue... Year: 20 Issue: 10 * Your life’s Sankranti must have this aim 4 Continuing Issue: 336 * You consider death as life, and know not what life is! 6 Language: English Price: ` 7 * Why keep the burden on your head! 7 st Publication Date: 1 December 2020 * God Himself secures what they lack Number of pages: 36 (including cover pages) and preserves what they have 8 Owner : Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram * Why perform the rite of sipping water thrice? 10 Publisher : Dharmesh Jagram Singh Chauh an Printer : Raghavendra Subhashchandra Gada * Worshipping ‘Tulsi’ helps in attaining material Place of Publication : Sant Shri Asharamji and spiritual progress 11 Ashram, Motera, Sant Shri Asharamji Bapu * Sh rimad Bhagavad Gita is the World-Mother 12 Ashram Marg, Sabarmati, Ahmedabad- 380005 (Gujarat). * The Guru-Disciple Relationship is greater Printed At : Hari Om Manufactureres, Kunja than every other relationship 14 Matralion, Paonta Sahib, Sirmour (H.P.) - 173025. * Yo u can also emancipate your 21 generations 18 Editor : Shrinivas R. Kulkarni * Attain Immortal knowledge 19 Co-Editor : Dr. P.K. Makwana Patron: Shri Surendranath Bhargava, Former Chief * Attain the state of Liberation 19 Justice, Sikkim High Court, Former Chairperson, * Yo ur Efforts Must Be Constant 20 Human Rights Commission (Assam & Manipur), * Li ke Sitaji, follow Dharma with devotion 20 Former Justice, Rajasthan High Court * What is the sign of Reality? 22 Please don’t send your membership charges or any other type of payment in cash through * Kn ow the signs of a man of good registered or general post. Ashram will not knowledge and imbibe them 23 be responsible for any amount lost in transit * If you want to destroy the mind… 24 under such modes. Send your money only * Life becomes relaxed and sorrow-free, through Money Order or Demand Draft (In the name of ‘Hari Om Manufactureres’ with such insight from Satsang 25 and payable at Ahmedabad). * Benedictory experiential words of Saints 26 Address for Correspondence: * Th e fruit of meditation 27 ‘RISHI PRASAD’ Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram, * Ikke Te Sab Hota Hai, Sab Te Ik Na Hoi 28 Sant Shri Asharamji Bapu Ashram Mar g, * You believe your SatGuru to be a Tattvajna Sabarmati, Ahmedabad-380005 (Gujarat). Ph. : (079) 27505010, 27505011, 61210888 – Swami Akhandanandaji 29 Only for ‘Rishi Prasad’ Enquiry: (079) 61210742 * Strengthening and Nourishing Sesame 30 796121071 4 ‘Rishi Prasad’ * How to cure constipation? 30 ashramind i a @ ashram.org * Simple, easy and effective health measures 31 www.rishiprasad.org www.ashram.org * Beware if you snore whilst sleeping! 31 Subscription Fees (incl. postage) Guru SevÍ- the mother of all good fortune * English Edition 1 Y ear 2 Years 5 Yea rs – Madhulika Shrivastava 32 In India ` 70/- ` 135/- ` 325/- * I behold only Him with a form in all beings Abroad US $ 20 US $ 40 US $ 80 – Sant Pathikji 32

For Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, * A measure to remove strife, ailments Telugu, Odia, Kannada, Bengali and and mental maladies 33 English Editions (In India) * Where does the Goddess of poverty stay? 33 1. One Year : ` 65/- Get extra benefits of bathing 33 2. Two Years : ` 120/- * 3. Five Years : ` 250/- * Questions and Answers 34 4. Lifetime (12 Years) : ` 600/- In SAARC Countries (All Languages) Pujya Bapuji’s Satsang on Various Channels Seva-activities 1. One Year : ` 600/- 2. Two Years : ` 1200/- youtube.com/ youtube.com/ AsharamjiBapu AsharamjiAshram 3. Five Years : ` 3000/- Abroad Internet Channel 1. One Year : US $ 20 Daily 7.30 am 2. Two Years : US $ 40 Daily 10.00 pm & 8.30 pm www.ashram.org/live Ashram’s Official Youtube Channels 3. Five Years : US $ 80 * ‘DIGIANA DIVYA JYOTI’ Channel is available on ‘Digiana’ Opinions expressed in this publication Cable (Channel No. 109) in M.P. * ‘ARADHANA’ Channel is are not necessarily of the editorial board. available on JK Cable in Jammu. Subject to Ahmedabad Jurisdiction. Download: Rishi Prasad, Rishi Darshan & Mangalmay Digital Apps Your life’s Sankranti must have this aim Makar Sankranti: 14th January Just as the sun’s chariot – Pujya Bapuji The sun’s transit across the sky has been moves northwards from the south, in the divided into 12 sections by both ancient same manner, make the downward astronomers and modern scientists. Each tendencies of your mind move upwards. section is called a zodiac. The transition It is the day to make the resolve, “May of the sun from one zodiac to the next the chariot of my life move upwards is called SankrÍnti. (towards the north). I The event of SankrÍnti shall entertain noble occurs every month, thoughts and remove the but UttarÍyaÔa is an thoughts of fear and important festival among anxiety by self-inquiry. the natural festivals. On I shall consider the this day, the sun enters thoughts of satisfaction the zodiac of Makar and dissatisfaction a (Capricorn) and is thus mere play of the mind. called Makar SankrÍnti. I shall consider the feelings of success The spiritual secret of SankrÍnti and failure a dream.” Many people are capable of causing a What you consider worldly success, KrÍnti (revolution) in their lives, yet even achievement or revolutions is nothing but after causing a revolution, their cycle of life a change of dr eam from a difficult, and death continues. Makar SankrÍnti gives strange, dreadful and astounding dream. a sign to make the right revolution. ‘Owning a shop, begetting a son, If a mentally conceived revolution takes conducting the tonsure ceremony of your place, it will induce jealousy, hatred, fear, son… Aha!’ All these are simply changes and anxiety. If one becomes successful, one occurring in the illusion of samsara. is inflated by egoism. Instead, if the right All your expressions, such as ‘Aha’ and revolution takes place, then! There is not a ‘Uh’ are childish gestures in the eyes of trace of egoism, not even of being satisfied. great men, Lord Krishna and Lord Rama. Sage Ashtavakra says: So gracious Lord! Have mercy on yourself. AH$V¥©Ëd_^moŠV¥Ëd§ ñdmË_Zmo _Ý`Vo `Xm & Cause the right revolution in your life. Don’t “All modifications of the mind are cause a revolution which is fraught with destroyed when a man realises that he war, conflict, violence, fear and makes one himself is neither the doer nor the enjoyer.” conceited if one succeeds, but the right (Ashtavakra Gita: 18.51) revolution does not make one conceited of The right revolution occurs in a person’s success or dejected in failure. In it, there is life when one fully realises his true nature no place for violence or terror. of being a non-doer and non-enjoyer and The secret of sesame seeds and jaggery identifies himself with that essence. I love This festival is celebrated in different heartily those enlightened men, the men of ways by people across India as per Puranic Knowledge who realised the Self as a result tradition. People give Til (sesame seeds) and of right revolution. jaggery to one another. Sesame is unctuous

4 Issue-336 December 2020 www.rishiprasad.org God Himself secures what they lack and preserves what they have – Pujya Bapuji (Continued from the previous issue) God changed the course of a horse AZÝ`m{íMÝV`ÝVmo _m§ `o OZm… n`w©nmgVo & for a devotee connected to Him. Vofm§ {ZË`m{^`wŠVmZm§ `moJjo_§ dhmå`h_² && A naïve aspirant of Self-knowledge “To those men who worship Me alone, was sitting on the bank of a river to thinking of no other, to those ever self- practice sÍdhanÍ. controlled, I secure for them that which is ~¡R>o h¢ Voao Xa no, Hw$N> H$aHo$ CR>|Jo & not already possessed (Yoga) by them, and `m dñb hr hmo Om`Jm, `m _a Ho$ CR>|Jo && preserve for them what they already “I am sitting at Your Door, and will get possess (Kshema).” (The Gita: 9.22) up only after doing something. Either I This verse of the Bhagavad Gita makes shall meet You or I will get up after death.” devotees of God free from worry. And the Though he was not seeing the path more one becomes free from worry within, clearly, yet he had firm faith that: ‘He is the more brilliant one Ananya (Absolute Brahman)’ becomes. Freedom from If one worships or by whom, all paths are worry makes one intelligent. prays to any one of illumined. He worshiped and Freedom from worry does the five gods of meditated there for few days, not mean laziness or Sanatan Dharma and does not desire according to the method carelessness. Right worldly things, and which he knew. He was not understanding is called longs for liberaon, able to see the path ahead freedom from worry. In the then these gods (how to proceed further) but Gita, Lord Krishna said, make him meet a he had full faith in the AZÝ`m{íMÝV`ÝVmo _m§... Self-realised Guru. Unique. One day Saint One who remembers and Hazrat Junaid, a renowned adores Me (all-pervading Sufi mystic from Baghdad NÍrÍyaÔa) with exclusive devotion, should was going to avail his horse of drinking not worry about securing what they lack water, but on that day, the horse was not and preserving what they have. In this ready to move towards the ghÍt on which too, there are two paths: one is the path he used to go daily. Hazart Junaid said: ‘All of the inquisitive aspirant of Self- the land belongs to my Allah, go where ever knowledge and the other is of worldly you want to go.’ devotees. The aspirants of Self-knowledge Those who are firmly established in say that if we worship God with exclusive Truth are not excessively stubborn. They devotion, then God Himself will guide us are inspired by Truth and go where ever when and how to perform which sÍdhana truth leads. The Truth-nature God can and God will provide the spiritual means, cause an event to happen even through Shastras and Gurus as per requirement a horse. He went. So the horse ran off by creating the necessary circumstances. and arrived at exactly the same place And this does happen, as we have heard where that boy was practicing meditation and seen. and devotion.

8 Issue-336 December 2020 www.rishiprasad.org Worshipping ‘Tulsi’ helps in attaining material and spiritual progress (Tulsi Worship Day – 25th December) Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) spreads sattvic plant spread around the house. After vibes in the atmosphere. If one sits in bathing, members of the house would offer front of Tulsi and reads, contemplates or water to Tulsi and eat its leaves. Women lights a lamp and does ‘parikrama’ would light a lamp during sunset and (circumambulation), it helps to alleviate worship Tulsi like a form of deity. This the passions of the ten sense organs, and protected them from many diseases. Tulsi one obtains mental peace. is the only plant in the world which spreads The glory of Tulsi Worship the medicinal oil present in its five parts to “A man having devoutly worshipped the the surrounding environment through wind. auspicious Tulsi with durvÍs, sacred rice The blind followers of modernisation grains, flowers, offerings of eatables, will exiled Tulsi from their homes resulting in obtain the fruit of the worship (offered) to a manifold increase in disease, squabbles Lord Vishnu.” and unrest. (Padma PurÍna, KriyÍ Khanda: 24.29) Pujya Bapuji, an ocean of compassion We hear in the ambrosial could not bear to see this agony satsang discourses delivered by of human society. So Pujyashri Pujya Bapuji, “According to propagated the glory and utility the scripture Padma PurÍna, of Tulsi to the masses over the just by having darshan of Tulsi, past 50 years explaining the all sins perish. By touching Tulsi, greatness of Tulsi. He mentioned one gets purified and if one salutes the greatness of Tulsi as described her, one gets rid of all disease. By in scriptures, tested remedies and offering water, even Lord Yamaraj utility to society. Considering the need becomes afraid of coming near. of the hour, Pujya Bapuji initiated also Tulsi bestows longevity, health the tradition of celebrating ‘Tulsi and strength. One must keep at least Worship Day’ on 25th December. 2-4 Tulsi plants in the house. If one plants The campaign assumed giant Tulsi in the house, the members of the house proportions will remain disease free. The presence of Society has started to recognise the glory Tulsi plants also pleases Goddess Lakshmi and utility of Tulsi due to this campaign and Lord Vishnu. Tulsi gives more oxygen launched by Pujya Bapuji. Tulsi, which which in turn creates vibes conducive to started to disappear from even the sÍdhanÍ. If you place a Tulsi leaf on a plate courtyards in villages, has started appearing of food and of fer it to God, that food in skyscrapers in cities. The change is becomes ‘prasÍda’. The person eating it visible in society. ‘Tulsi Worship Day’ is will kindle a longing for God in his mind.” being celebrated across the world. What is the need for Tulsi Worship? Many famous personalities have started Around 75-100 years ago, every Hindu supporting the Tulsi Poojan campaign had at least one Tulsi plant in their house. through social media, particularly Twitter. The wholesome volatile oil present in the Many doctors, thinkers, etc., have started

Issue-336 December 2020 11 For Students

You can also emancipate your 21 generations the children develop the – Pujya Bapuji habit of meditation on God. Consequently, the neighboring children who studied in different Gurukuls started getting delighted in the company of Suvrata, and their parents also began to love Suvrata. Suvrata learned that there are three types of knowledge (VidyÍs). One is taught in schools, secular knowledge. The second is the science of Yoga, and third is This is a old story. At the origin of the the AtmavidyÍ or knowledge of Atman NarmadÍ in the Amarkantak region, there (Self-knowledge). I have attained the lived a Brahmin named SomasharmÍ. His knowledge taught in schools; now I have wife’s name was SumanÍ. SumanÍ’s son to learn the science of Yoga and make was Suvrata. The Principal and teachers progress in AtmavidyÍ. With this thought of the Gurukul in which he studied were in his mind, Suvrata determined firmly to such virtuous souls that they taught him attain God. He told his parents, “I have the science of Yoga and God’s worship, received secular knowledge in the along with secular knowledge. When Gurukul; now I want to learn the science Suvrata played with his neighbor friends of Yoga and Self-knowledge.” he called them Govinda, Mohan, He engaged himself in sÍdhanÍ in a Murlidhara, Gurumukh, Gurucharan or hut near Siddheshwara on mount Haricharan. He played with the children Vaidurya. Doing this, he removed some by calling them by such beautiful names blemishes from his mind and was of God, and after some time He said, absorbed in deep meditation. With the “Playing this game has given some practice of deep meditation, his intellect physical exercise to the body, now play was illuminated with the light of divine the real game, by which the mind and knowledge and he had a vision of Lord intellect will get exercise & divine power. NÍrÍyana (Vishnu). He received a boon Come, take a deep breath in and chant from Him: ‘May my parents go to the God’s name.” abode of Lord (Vishnu); may I have vision He asked them to chant God’s name for of Lord Hari’s form with attributes and 5-10 minutes, then said, “Sit down. Watch realization of his attributes being. May I the incoming breaths and count the not consider anything real in this world outgoing breaths.” By doing this, he made while living in it. Everything is abandoned

18 Issue-336 December 2020 www.rishiprasad.org Benedictory experiential words of Saints Who crossed and In all ways of liberation, Guru’s who drowned? grace is the principal factor – Sant Tulasi Sahib – Swami Muktananda ZrM ZrM g~ V[a J`o, Muktananda holds with firm g§V MaZ bm¡ brZ & conviction that in all knowledge, Om{V{h Ho$ A{^_mZ V|, Sy>~| ~hþV Hw$brZ && in all ways of liberation The glory of loving the lotus feet (their (becoming an ascetic, a yogi or words of Self-realization) is so great that a devotee) and all inquiries into the nature of even those of the lowest caste crossed the Self, the Guru’s grace is the principal factor. ocean of saÒsÍra, whereas people proud of There is no Giver as their high caste who did not develop love towards the Saint’s feet were drowned in great as the Guru the ocean of saÒsÍra. – Guru Ramdasji A Giver as great as the Unbroken Bhakti through SatGuru, as great as the SatGuru – I cannot see the company of SatGuru any other. He blesses me with the gift of the Lord’s Name, the gift of the Lord’s Name; He – Sant Dadu Dayalji is the Immaculate Lord God. Those who gmMm gX²Jwé gmo{Y bo, worship in adoration the Name of the Lord gmMo brOo gmY & Hari, – their pain, doubts and fears are gmMm gm{h~ gmo{Y H$a, dispelled. Through their loving service, those XmXy ^{ŠV AJmY && very fortunate ones, whose minds are attached First of all search for a true Self-realised to the SatGuru’s Feet, meet Him. Says Nanak, SatGuru. Then attain the knowledge of true the Lord Himself causes us to meet the Guru; sÍdhana by living in his company. Then meeting the Almighty SatGuru, peace is seek the Supreme Self of the nature of Truth obtained. A Giver as great as the SatGuru, as by developing discrimination and great as the Guru – I cannot see any other. dispassion. Then perform unbroken devotion through non-dual realization of The difference between the your Brahman-nature, which means to attain Manmukh and the Gurumukh the realization of Brahman by being of the – Sant Thanedarji (Thakur Ramsinghji) certitude that I am undivided Brahman. The Gurumukh, not the Don’t kindle this re manmukh, follows the order of Guru alone. Guru is the only – Sheikh Sadi presiding deity of the Lust is a fire; - from it Gurumukh. He performs every thyself keep well; Nor kindle action only for the pleasure of Guru. The against thyself the flames of mind is the presiding deity of the manmukh. hell. Thou hast not patience to He does every action for his own pleasure. endure that flame, I throw; With patience, This is the only difference between the as with water, quench it now. Gurumukh and the manmukh.

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