• Registered with the Department of Post, India issn 0972-5717 Under No. HR/FBD/297/13–15 Year 2 Issue 9 • Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers, India September 2013 Under No. BIHENG/2002/6305 YOGA Membership postage: Rs. 50 50th year of Ganga Darshan Events & Courses 2014 Golden Jubilee Bihar School of Yoga Jan 1 Hanuman Chalisa Feb 1–4 Sri Yantra Aradhana Feb 1–May 25 4-month Yogic Studies Course (Hindi) Feb 4 Basant Panchami Celebration Bihar School of Yoga Foundation Day Feb 14 Bal Yoga Diwas Mar 1–21 Teachers Training Course (Hindi) Mar 3–20 Yoga HMC*: Asthma (Hindi) Apr 3–20 Yoga HMC*: Diabetes (Hindi) Jun 1–Aug 25 3-month Yogic Science & Lifestyle Course (Hindi) July 12 Guru Paduka Poojan Aug 2014–May 2015 Diploma in Yogic Studies (English) Aug 1–21 Teachers Training Course (English) Aug 3–20 Yoga HMC*: Arthritis & Spinal Ailments (Hindi) Sep 3–20 Yoga HMC*: General (Hindi) Sep 8 Swami Sivananda Janmotsava Sep 12 Swami Satyananda Sannyasa Diwas Oct 1–Jan 25 4-month Yogic Studies Course (English) Dec 25 Swami Satyananda’s Birthday * HMC: Health Management Course Every Saturday Mahamrityunjaya Havan Every Ekadashi Bhagavad Gita Path Every Poornima Sundarkand Path Every 5th & 6th Commemoration of Sri Swami Satyananda’s Mahasamadhi Every 12th Akhanda Path of Ramacharitamanas For more information on the above events contact: Bihar School of Yoga, Ganga Darshan, Munger, Bihar 811201, India Tel: 06344-222430, 09304799615, 06344-228603 Fax: 06344-220169 Website: www.biharyoga.net - A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to ensure a response to your request Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, Bihar, India Yoga Publications Trust Hari Om YOGA is compiled, composed Prana Vidya and pub lished by the sannyasin 271 pp, soft cover, ISBN 978-81-81620-78-6 disciples of Swami Satyananda Saraswati for the benefit of all Prana vidya is an advanced yogic practice distilled from the classical people who seek health, happiness traditions and developed in the Satyananda Yoga system. It involves and enlightenment. It contains in- a deep exploration of prana, the life force, and develops the ability formation about the activities of to channel this underlying principle of existence. Not only does the Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Yoga Publications Trust practice allow access to subtle levels of consciousness, but it is also an and Yoga Research Fellowship. effective healing method. Editor: Swami Shaktimitrananda Prana Vidya is the sequel to Prana and Pranayama, which provides for Saraswati a basic understanding, awareness and control of prana, forming the Assistant Editor: Swami Yogatirth- GUIDELINES FOR SPIRITUAL LIFE ground upon which prana vidya can be practised. ananda Saraswati For an order form and comprehensive publications price Real culture YOGA is a monthly magazine. Late list please contact: New subscriptions include issues from Yoga Publications Trust, Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar January to December. When the earth has hardened into rock, 811 201, India you cannot sow anything in it. When Published by Bihar School of Yoga, Tel: +91-06344-222430 , 06344-228603, 09304799615 • Fax: 91+6344+220169 Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger, Bihar weeds have grown in the earth, it is – 811201. difficult to bring it under cultivation. If you A self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent along with enquiries to ensure a response to your request Printed at Thomson Press India want to cultivate yourselves, you must Ltd., Haryana – 121007 begin before the mind is hardened by © Bihar School of Yoga 2013 stiffening of the ego, and before the weeds Satyananda Yoga Websites ® Membership is held on a yearly of negative habits and thinking grow in it. SATYANANDA YOGA www.biharyoga.net BIHAR YOGA basis. Please send your requests The official website of Bihar Yoga. Includes information on: Satyananda for application and all correspond- Yoga develops the body, mind, heart, Yoga, Bihar School of Yoga, Bihar Yoga Bharati, Sivananda Math activities, ence to: will and spirit harmoniously. Through the Sita Kalyanam events, Yoga Publications Trust catalogues. Bihar School of Yoga practice of hatha yoga you will enjoy good Ganga Darshan health, abundant energy and vitality. And www.rikhiapeeth.net Fort, Munger, 811 201 The Rikhiapeeth blogspot posts a satsang of Sri Swami Satyananda daily on Bihar, India if you practise yama and niyama, you a wide range of topics concerning spirituality. will enjoy peace of mind and develop - A self-addressed, stamped envelope Living Yoga with Swami Niranjan must be sent along with enquiries to en- willpower. sure a response to your request www.biharyoga.net/living-yoga/. Dedicated to the vision and mission of Culture is the process of the conversion Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, the spiritual successor of Sri Swami Satya- nanda Saraswati, it contains news and articles. of the animal nature in man, through the Front cover: Sri Swami Sivananda yatra human into the divine. Real culture, real www.yogamag.net montage education, lies in the practice of yoga. The official website of YOGA magazine. Includes world- Plates: 1–8: Sri Swami Sivananda wide links to Satyananda Yoga centres and teachers, a —Swami Sivananda brief history of Yoga magazine, news and more. Avahan Online www.biharyoga.net/sannyasa-peeth/avahan/. Provides online access to Satya ka Avahan, the bi-monthly magazine of Sannyasa Peeth, which contains the higher teachings of Sri Swami Sivananda, Sri Swami Satyananda and Swami Niranjanan- anda, along with the programs of Sannyasa Peeth. Published and printed by Swami Gyanbhikshu Saraswati on behalf of Bihar School of Yoga, Ganga Darshan, Fort, Munger – 811 201, Bihar World Yoga Convention blogspot Printed at Thomson Press India (Ltd), 18/35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Rd., Faridabad, Haryana. www.wyc2013.com. For useful information about attending the Convention, Owned by Bihar School of Yoga Editor: Swami Shaktimitrananda Saraswati updates on the program and Golden Jubilee activities of Bihar School of Yoga. YOGAYear 2 Issue 9 • September 2013 (51st year of publication) Contents This issue is dedicated to Swami Sivananda Saraswati. 3 Swami Sivananda – Unique Visionary 10 Loving Light of Guru 15 Feeding the Rowdies 19 A Man of Faith 22 A Change of Heart 24 Atmabhava 34 Uncovering the Light 38 Be True to Your Nature 42 The Yoga of Swami Sivananda 45 Kirtan with Swami Sivananda 48 Spirituality and Renunciation 53 Steps on the Spiritual Path The Yogi is superior to the ascetic. He is deemed superior even to those versed in sacred lore. The Yogi is superior even to those who perform action with some motive. Therefore, Arjuna, do you become a Yogi. (Bhagavad Gita VI:46) ¦ã¹ããäÔÌã¼¾ããñçãä£ã‡ãŠãñ ¾ããñØããè —ãããä¶ã¼¾ããñçãä¹ã ½ã¦ããñãä£ã‡ãŠ: ý ‡ãŠãä½ãü¾ãÍÞãããä£ã‡ãŠãñ ¾ããñØããè ¦ãÔ½ãã²ããñØããèè ¼ãÌãã•ãìöã ýý 13-Sep-Yoga.indd 1 7/30/2013 11:45:52 AM YOGA 2 Sep 2013 13-Sep-Yoga.indd 2 7/30/2013 11:45:54 AM Swami Sivananda – Unique Visionary Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati We celebrate the 8th September as the birthday of our Paramguru Swami Sivananda Saraswati. Swami Sivananda represents a force of transformation in the chapter of humanity in the twentieth century. He was not only a sannyasin, a renunciate, a sadhu, not only a doctor, not only a good person. He was unique and outstanding in the pantheon of Indian sannyasins. YOGA 3 Sep 2013 13-Sep-Yoga.indd 3 7/30/2013 11:45:56 AM Sannyasin and rishi Normally sannyasa is a vocation in life, and in order to live sannyasa one has to be clear that this path is to unite with the highest Self within one. That is the purpose of sannyasa, not the adoption of a particular vocation, not to fulfi l a cherished desire, not to become part or a member of a group. Sannyasa represents a process of upliftment, of realizing the dormant divinity within. This is the reason why people come to sannyasa. Over a period of time in human history, sannyasa has been defi ned in different ways. For some it is a process of jnana yoga, knowing the self through the intellect. For some it is realizing the source inside by channelling the emotions through bhakti. For some it is realizing the harmony that can exist within, in the individual’s microscopic world and life, the manifest world and life, and the divine, transcendental world and life, the harmony that can be experienced and lived in all these dimensions by balancing one’s karmas. However, regardless of the path chosen, the aim of sannyasa has been to uplift oneself and realize the divinity inside. Swami Sivananda lived the life of a sannyasin and by doing so he became a light unto himself. He lived what he believed in, what he taught and preached. There was no difference between his actions and his innermost feelings. Maturity in spiritual life is like boiling a potato. In its natural form a potato is hard, but when you boil it in water, the natural, hard form is transformed into a soft form which can be eaten and enjoyed. In the same way, with spiritual illumination it is the breaking down and splitting open of the hard shell of the ego that brings out the pure self. In order to bring out the pure self, one requirement is to be simple in needs, thoughts, attitudes and behaviour. When the thoughts are complex and intricate, they cause frustrations and diffi culties in adjusting to life. Then all human effort is directed to fi nding some balance in this disharmony, whether it is divine or a search for security, happiness, contentment, satisfaction, peace YOGA 4 Sep 2013 13-Sep-Yoga.indd 4 7/30/2013 11:45:57 AM and fulfi lment.