Sthita Prajna Guru Vandana akhandananda bodhaya sishya santapa harine satchidananda rupaya tasmai sriguravenamaha Guru Gita : 334 I bow to my guru who teaches how to experience the state of unbroken bliss, who eliminates the disciples’ troubles, and who has the form of satchidananda (immortality, consciousness, and bliss). ***** 3 CONTENTS VOLUME 16 ISSUE 1 Sub Page No. • GURU VANDANA 3 • EDITORIAL 5 • MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER 6 • PRAJNANAVANI – MIND AND THE... 8 • PARAMAHAMSA YOGANANDA 15 • YOGA SUTRA OF PATANJALI 18 • GURU PURNIMA - 2017 20 • TEACHINGS OF THE MASTERS 22 • MYTHS AND METAPHORS 23 MAHABHARATA • VALUABLE VOLUMES 32 • JNANA SANKALINI TANTRA 41 • GO-NAVARATRI AT THE GURUKULAM 46 • YOGA AT BRAZILIAN COMPANY 48 Printed and Published by Swami Achalananda Giri on behalf of Prajnana Mission, Printed at Graphic Art Offset Press, at Nuapatna, Manglabag, Dist : Cuttack (Orissa) and published at Prajnana Mission at Nimpur, P.O. Jagatpur, Cuttack-754021, Orissa. Editor : Swami Achalananda Giri 4 FROM THE EDITORS : “Keep your mind engrossed with the divine and you will not have time to think about lesser things.” – ParamahamsaYogananda In the Message from the Master,Gurudev talks of a historic moment, the meeting of two great saintly leaders – Mahatma Gandhi, a leader of the nation and ParamahamsaYogananda , a great spiritual leader and how each influenced the other. PrajnanaVani elaborates on the Mind and its qualities and the importance of making your mind, your friend. Our series of Myths and Metaphors continues with the great epic Mahabharata, stressing on the importance of good advice in life. Yoga Sutra of sage Patanjali emphasizes on the qualification for attaining the Samadhi state. Law of Karma explains the power of thought and how every thought, action and talk of ours has a result and the fruit of each single thought manifests sooner or later. Lord Shiva describes the state of brahmajnana answering the question of his consort in JnanaSankalini. Worldwide celebrations of the 125th birth anniversary of our great guru ParamahamsaYoganandaji continue under the guidance of our current guru ParamahamsaPrajnananandaji, both in India and abroad. We bring you inspiring messages, news of the special event of Go-navaratri in Puri,Odisha, and other celebrations of the Kriya family around the globe. We thank our readers for their interest and support during the eventful year of 2017. *** 5 MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER FOLLOW THE MASTER MAHATMA GANDHI AND PARAMAHAMSA YOGANANDA a great rendezvous between two karma yogis achieving excellence in two different fields. As an illustrious embodiment of Karma yoga, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, Mahatma Gandhi, through the extraordinary path of karma, succeeded in bringing independence to India. At the other end of the social spectrum, Paramahamsa Yoganandaji created a great On Aug 22, 1935, the spiritual upsurge in giving direct ship Rajputana docked in the experience with the profundity huge harbor of Mumbai.On this of eternal truth realized by the day the supreme and greatest ancient sages and saints to the spiritual guru of the world, people of the world. Both were Paramahamsa Yogananda, after all renouncing supreme yogis. 15 years of teaching Kriya Yoga There was no difference in the USA and other countries, between the two in the ideal of returned to India. Inspired by karma as depicted in the Swami Satyananda, on the way Bhagavad Gita. to Kolkata Yoganandaji got down at Wardha along with his Gandhiji was concerned fellow disciples to meet with the noble task of liberating Mahatma Gandhi in his ashram. India. Paramahamsaji was This meeting between concerned with a greater work Mahatma Gandhi and – the spiritual liberation of Paramahamsa Yogananda, was mankind. To work detachedly 6 is the essence of karma yoga. and devotionand in strict Gandhiji was a sadhaka of adherence to the technique, he karma yoga. His inner field was can easily be liberatedfrom the ready.So, to guide him on the fetters of karma.Understanding spiritual path of kriya yoga, its profound meaning and ParamahamsaYogananda essence, Mahatma Gandhi arrived at the appropriate time. accepted Yoganandaji as his Paramahamsaji was cordially spiritual guru and the far- welcomed with all felicitation reaching effects of kriya yoga into the ashram.Yoganandaji on Gandhiji’s philosophy, way of was very much moved by the life, and activities have startled very simple and austere life of the world. The life spring of Gandhiji’s ashram. He spoke on Gandhiji was transformed and kriyayoga to the capacity fulfilled many lives. Mahatma audience in Wardha town hall. Gandhi, the father of the nation, Attracted by the simple is the greatest representation of and easy techniques of kriya the Himalayan - like greatest yoga, Mahatma Gandhi and guru. many associates took initiation Listening to from Paramahamsa Yogananda. Paramahamsa Yogananda Through the practice of kriya speak about the simultaneous yoga, the practice of Karma development of body, mind and yoga with detachment becomes intellect, and soul through the very effective rapidly. It was practice of kriya yoga, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi understood Mahatma Gandhi that India got the real meaning of the word independence and the yajna for sarvodaya (total development in independence came to fruition. the individual as well as in the The subtle and all society). This sarvodaya was influencing effects of kriya yoga his life’s greatest objective resulted in Mahatma Gandhi (Article based on the talk being one of the greatest human of Gurudev at the centenary beings of the world…..If any celebrations of Mahatma sadhaka practices kriya Gandhi) sincerely and regularly, with love *** 7 PRAJNANAVANI - THE VOICE OF WISDOM MIND AND THE QUALITIES OF NATURE In vedantic and yogic Sattva is derived from texts you find an elaborate the word sat, which in Sanskrit description of the triple qualities means truth. Thus, that which of nature: sattva, rajas and leads one to truth is sattvic. The tamas. In our own individual qualities of sattva are peace, behaviour, we find that calmness, contentment, and sometimes weare sattvic, inner joy. Rajas means the sometimes rajasic and ability to create, and it also sometimes tamasic. Our means the colour red. Activity, behaviour, our food choice, our restlessness, agitation, ambition reaction, interaction – every and other such states, are all aspect of our being, is the result qualities associated with rajas. of the triple qualities of nature. Finally, tamas the third quality Let us understand these triple of nature, means darkness, qualities a little more and then lethargy, laziness, slumber, see how our mind is also under inertia, lack of interest, and the classification of sattva, rajas, procrastination. and tamas. 8 Effect of Qualities on Human The Tamasic Quality Behaviour When are we tamasic? Now let us apply these We are tamasic when we sleep three qualities to human for a prolonged period of time. behaviour. We have all seen However, the amount of sleep people with sattvic nature, who varies from person to person. are mostly peaceful, loving, calm Those who sleep soundly and quiet. Then there are rajasic require less sleep and are active people, who are frequently and energetic throughout the agitated and aggressive. day. On the other hand those However, it should be noted that who sleep poorly, only derive rajasic quality can take two the benefit of lying down and directions: it can make you resting. In Sanskrit, we have active and creative or it can two words one is nidra and the make you unhappy, aggressive other is tandra. Nidra means and angry. People who are dull sleep and tandra means and lack motivation are said to sleepiness, which is different have a tamasic nature. If we than the sleep. Incidentally there analyse our own behaviour, we is a yogic sleep, known as yoga will find that sometimes we are nidra, which is actually a very peaceful, calm and quiet: contradiction to what we call sometimes agitated, active, sleep. One may see a yogi lying aggressive, quarrelling, fighting; down with eyes closed and and yet other times we think that he is sleeping, but it experience a total lack of may not be so. Only one who interest. Therefore, as a result has crossed that state can know of our ever changing disposition, what he is doing. Nevertheless, the yogis classified the mind into if we analyse our own sleeping three categories. – sattvic mind, patterns, we can see whether rajasic mind and tamasic mind. or not we are tamasic. If we By understanding the function sleep for a long period of time, of the mind, and how it yet feel tired, we are in tamasic becomes tamasic, rajasic, or state. The same applies to when sattvic, we can learn to easily we feel listless during our deal with its fluctuating nature. wakeful state and have no zeal Let us examine what factors or interest in doing anything. influence these three natures of The change of seasons can the mind. 9 make humans tamasic, just like a destructive force that harms animals and plants. anyone who gets in one’s way. The tamasic mind makes Now take a moment to analyse it difficult toget motivated. We your own life. Do you have procrastinate. As human beings, negative rajasic tendencies? we not only have the ability to How do you treat the people in motivate ourselves, we also your life? Are you extremely have our children, our parents, ambitious? Do you love power friends and teachers to motivate and controlling others? Do you us as well as our put someone down so you feel circumstances. In spite of that superior? Are you critical of we still feel uninspired. others? All these are rajasic qualities and sadly, they are far The Rajasic Quality too common in today’s world.