Cosmic Connection Cosmic Connection Sneh Chakraburtty CHITTA-CHIT PUBLICATIONS iv The Cosmic Connection Inspired by Bharat & Arjun Bhaga Saakshi & Divya Sutarwala Thankful admiration is articulated for Swamini Nishtananda & Bri. Mukta Of Chinmaya Tapovan Ashram in Sidhbari and the many Teachers of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide The Cosmic Connection v Chitta-Chit Publications 206 Locke Street South HAMILTON, L8P 4B4 Tel: 905 570 0440 Re-edited 2009 ISBN: 0-9730057-0-X Laser Typeset by Ankit Informatics (P) Ltd. New Delhi, INDIA Email : [email protected] vi The Cosmic Connection Contents PART I CHHANDI: SHE WHO SURPASSES THOUGHT Preface 3 Chhandi 14 Atha Devi-Kavacham 16 Atha Argalaa Strotram 24 Atha Kilaka Stotram 28 Devi Mahaatmayam 32 Shivaís Mantras to Parvati 39 Prathmo-charitam 42 1 Swami Shivananda 53 2 Dvitiyo Dhyaayah 55 3 Atha-tritiyo-dhyaa-yaha 65 4 Atha Chaturtho Adhyaa-Yaha 72 5 Atha Uttam Charitam 80 6 Atha Shashtho Dhyaa-Yah 92 7 Aatha Saptamo-Dhyaayaha 96 8 Atha Ashtamo-Dhyaayah 103 9 Atha Navamo-Dhyaayaha 112 10 Atha Dashamo Dhyaayaha 118 11 Atha Ekaa-Dasho-Dhyaayah 123 12 Atha Dvaa-Dasho Dhyaayah 132 13 Atha Trayo-Dasho-Dhyaa-Yah 138 Chandi Arati 144 The Cosmic Connection vii PART II : CHILDREN’S PRAYER MANUAL Preface 151 1 Surrender to Chinmaya 153 2 Shlokas For Focused Concentration 154 3 Gurustotram - Salutations to the Teacher 157 4 Guru Vandana 160 5 Shaantih Mantrah ñ Peace Invocation 161 6 Mukundamala ñ A Garland of Hymns to Mukunda (Selected) 165 7 Geeta Dhyanam 168 8 Nama Sankirtanam - Famous Seed Mantras 171 9 Ganapati Stavah 172 10 Ganapati Puja 174 11 Purusha Suktam 182 12 Vedic Arati Mantra 188 13 Sharda Stotram 190 14 Saraswati Puja Vidhi 191 15 Mantra Pushpam 207 16 Kashi Viswanath Stotram 210 17 Shri Shiva Puja 212 18 Chinmaya Aarati 228 19 Vishnu Puja 229 20 Guru-paduka-stotram 302 21 Durga Sukhtam 304 22 Medha Sukhtam 306 23 Meditation upon the Creator 308 24 Sri Hanumah Chalisa 309 25 He Mere Vatan ke Logon 314 26 Hindu Hindu Ek Rahe 316 27 Vande Mataram 317 She who Surpasses Thought 1 Part I Chhandi She Who Surpasses Thought 2 The Cosmic Connection She who Surpasses Thought 3 Preface To evolve as individuals there is a need to study the underlying truths embedded in real philosophy. It is the Mother of all learning. Ancient Greeks considered philosophy a useful study of the physical world. It stressed how man might best live and study this reality of the world. Such seeking requires an understanding of ourselves. Further searching needs understanding the existence of that. Studying This and That needs Man to make a Cosmic Connection, with a clear brain power. Student needs Teacher A Master does not come on earth until you call for him or her. There were many mortals begging for a presence of such a Master in the last century. Today Swami Chinmayananda sits not only in our own center but in the center of all of those lives he touched. To this day he keeps prompting us with secret and not so secret schooling he started while he was physically among us. Many already realise we asked for this exacting Master to appear in our lives at the start of our spiritual journey. He appeared most unexpectedly to most and we received entry into teachings of scriptures Gurudev had already simplified. Anyone who received initiation knows instinctively he or she must commit to several pledges. We promised to learn from studying prescribed texts and upholding a regular schedule to reach a defined goal. These undertakings are our dearest companions today. The assurance we committed to preserve our commitment to continue our spiritual path. Looking back to the beginning, every seeker realises he or she is changing. All those on a spiritual path retrospectively realise, knowingly or not, they just pulled off an excellent human existence. Grace of materialistic and moral gains allowed seeker the luxury of exploring spirituality. There is also a realisation that only grace allows a thirsty seeker to meet with the most excellent Master, who launched each into the secret teachings of the greater highway. Our inner being changed. We behaved differently every day. Our thinking and acting based on a solid foundation of yama and niyama or ìmoral doís and do notísî allowed us unblemished interaction. Our communication through BMI [body-mind-intellect] with OET [objects-emotions-thoughts] was of a continuously changing PFT [perceiver-feeler-thinker]. Along the way through these years, we made special contacts with faultless mortals ìby accidentî who took us further along this Greater Highway. A guruís teachings became clearer every day and with each contact with the wise, holy and pure of heart. Essence of a teacherís total lessons now becomes a definitive education and refuge of compassion in our daily lives. 4 The Cosmic Connection BMI Chart Any intellectual can reach perfect understanding if our old scriptures were arranged and laid out in steps, one by one in a proper order. Gurudev did just that. Swamiji Chinmayanandaís BMI chart is his greatest gift to us. He offered us at every step of a spiritual study a clear and simple stated method. By sketching a study schedule it first took an apprentice along an intellectual path. At one fell swoop, by prescribing practical exercises for self-improvement, the student learned and found an important self-discovery. Its destination is a positive evolution into true Spirituality. Learning The Greater Highway towards self-realisation passes through three stages: learning through study, reflecting on scriptures approved by a teacher until they become part of a thinking pattern, and finally meditating on them. Such lasting activity is impossible without trust, faith and love for the Master. With such reverence, a studentís conviction and confidence leads seekerís sincerity along new thought patterns. These influence all studentsí future actions, whether through body, speech, or mind. Activities unexpectedly become devotional services. The Master presents a new experience and introduces the Cosmic Mother in all Her aspects and ingredients. A Seekerís committed behaviour to Nature releases him or her from the law of cause and effect, magnetism and repulsion and manipulation by intrinsic worth of matter. Mortals are born to spiritual opportunities, but we remain handcuffed to our She who Surpasses Thought 5 present life and involve ourselves with humdrum activities for indulgences, name, game, fame, material gains, and riches for possessions. It is said that we are not mortals having a spiritual experience; rather, we are spiritual beings having physical, mortal experiences. Nature is Cosmic Mother Our connection with Cosmic Mother is never-ending. We are all interconnected. For millions of births, every stone, vegetation, animal, bird, and mortal in this Universe was and is connected to our three bodies, physical, astral and causal, through essential elements of food. On a microcosmic as well as on a macrocosmic level, Universal Cosmic Motherís benevolence helped each achieve our endless wishes. It is important that our mind and thoughts are trained first to understand this before we enter the gateway to a Higher Road. There is precious little time in one lifetime to waste even a moment to meaningless wanting, thinking and acting. It is essential to devote our attention to understanding the Cycle of Life-and-Death. Otherwise we have no choice but to take another birth. Outcomes of our actions follow us close behind as shadows. Interpreting Indulgence To train Oneís Mind, a seeker must want freedom from habit of a life for pleasure. Wish for every pleasure is a door to physical pain and reentry into the circle of life-and-death. Only a true guru interprets hallucinations of a beautiful body, power, fame, and a life of possessions. A seeker eventually realises there is hardly anything in his life that is worth getting. There is nothing he or she can permanently latch on to. There is nobody Man can trust. It does not matter what prosperity one gets in this life. Consistently it misleads and misinforms when worn for indulgence only. After educated and clear thinking the student has the ability to disclose figments of imagination. Enjoyment of indulgence gives transient gladness. By this time, the seeker develops rejection and pleads for definitive delight and independence. Introducing Student to Consecrated Life Man realises he or she has arrived at shores of a unique but distinct destination. It is nonspecific but its power is emphatic. Only a Master has the ability to take you down a path of recollection. Each of us is a godly and beloved child of Mother Nature. Her orphans were never abandoned. Her children just strayed from Home. Adopted by materialism Nature still waits patiently for Her children to return into Her embrace. A return journey needs showing. Leadership under direction is implied. Ground rules are implicit. Life styles are adjusted according to rules of yama and niyama. They need obeying through watchfulness of all activities of body, mind and speech. Only then are mistakes in thought, speech and action prevented. Morals and ethics are foundations of successful journeys back home. Even a single minor 6 The Cosmic Connection misdeed leads to bigger setbacks. They compel the student back into the cycle of life-and-death. A student must have qualities of character that characterize what Krishna says, ìDo all your work, but be watchful of your motive behind it. Do everything for the sake of serving That who endures in all name and form. Adhere to pure duty with no selfish wishes, egocentric motives or personal pleasure. Everyone should worship Nature by following the call of duty and status in life.