THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER O Adorable Lord of Mercy and Love! Salutations and prostrations unto Thee. Thou art Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Thou art Satchidananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute). Thou art the Indweller of all beings. Grant us an understanding heart, Equal vision, balanced mind, Faith, devotion and wisdom. Grant us inner spiritual strength To resist temptations and to control the mind. Free us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and jealousy. Fill our hearts with divine virtues. Let us behold Thee in all these names and forms. Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms. Let us ever remember Thee. Let us ever sing Thy glories. Let Thy Name be ever on our lips. Let us abide in Thee for ever and ever. —Swami Sivananda WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AFTER RETIREMENT When one has successfully nished his duties as a householder, when his sons are all xed up in life, when the daughters are given in marriage, he should devote the remaining years of his life in spiritual pursuits, study of religious literature and divine contemplation. Many people have no denite ideas as to what they are going to do (after retirement). After retirement from active service, they take to some other avocation. They are still greedy. Till the end of life, they count money and entertain thoughts of grand children and great grandchildren. Pitiable is the lot of these men indeed! Blessed is he, who spends the whole time in study and meditation in a solitary place after retirement from service. THE DIVINE LIFE Vol. LXXVIII JUNE 2019 No. 3 PRASNOPANISHAD TRITIYA PRASNA (QUESTION III) KAUSALYA AND PIPPALADA ö{X øof AmË_mŸ& AÌ¡VXoH$eV§ ZmS>rZm§ Vmgm§ eV§ eV_oH¡$H$ñ`m§ ÛmgßV{VÛm©gßV{V… à{VemImZmS>rghòm{U ^dÝË`mgw ì`mZüa{VŸ&&6Ÿ&& 6. This Atman is in the heart. Here, there are a hundred and one nerves. Each of them has a hundred branches; again, every one of these has seventy-two thousand sub-branches, in these the Vyana moves. (3) 4 THE DIVINE LIFE JUNE 2019 {edmZÝXñVmoÌaËZ‘mbm SIVANANDA-STOTRA-RATNAMALA (Jnana Bhaskara Mahamahopadhyaya Sri S. Gopala Sastri) g§JrVemñÍmH${dVm{Xfw Xj^º$mZ² àmoËgmø JrVnQw>dm³àgam§ñVXr¶mZ² AmH$ʶ© gpñ‘V‘‘yZ{^ZÝX¶ÝV‘² ¶moJrída§ göX¶àda§ ñ‘am{‘ &&11&& 11. I recollect the king of saints who is foremost among lovers of arts and who encouraging the devotees skilled in music, science, scriptures, poetry etc, applauded them with a smile on hearing their songs and scholarly oration. VÎmËnQw>Ëd‘Zwg¥Ë¶ H$bm~wYoä¶mo d¡X½Ü¶{M•{~éXm[H§$Vn{ÌH$míM & ‘mbm {dewÕVwbgr‘{U‘{ÊSVmíM gå^mdZm` XXV§ Jwé‘ml¶m{‘ &&12&& 12. I take refuge in the Satguru who distributes garlands of holy Tulasi beads and certicates adorned with degrees as token of scholarship according to the skill of the artists to honour them. (To be continued) JUNE 2019 A TEST OF TRUE SANNYAS 5 A TEST OF TRUE SANNYAS1 (Sri Swami Sivananda) What the true Sannyas spirit is, his Pancha-koshas (Five sheaths) with is not properly understood even by very the Karma and Jnanendriyas (sense many Sannyasins themselves. Of o r g a n s ) , P r a n a s , A n t a h k a r a n a course, Virakti (detachment), solitude, C h a t u s h t a y a ( f o u r f o l d i n n e r observance of Mouna, living on Bhiksha, instruments) and Aham-bhavana constantly chanting Om may all be some (I'ness). Thus from that moment of the eternal characteristics of a monk onward, he is Pure Chit (consciousness). but quite apart from all this is the real Thus he comes to regard all things that inner Bhav (feeling) which constitutes is said, done to or experienced by the the basic essence of the Sannyas spirit. body as having absolutely no concern This is the absolutely dispassionate with him. The Sannyasin should by all sameness to all the pairs of opposites – means be unshakably established in the heat and cold, pain and pleasure, grief serene tranquility of his essential and joy, failure or success, insult or blissful spiritual nature. honour. The Sannyasin receives and If a Sannyasin does not strive to regards them all with same-sightedness manifest spiritual Bhav then who else is and with calm forbearance. supposed to do this? Moving with people A Sannyasin is Dwandwa-atita of diverse natures and simultaneously (beyond pairs of opposites). To him, endeavouring to keep up this inner Bhav friends or foes are alike and praise and will alone help in making this Pucca blame have no difference. How is this so? (strong). To easily get offended by Why is this so? Because, the true adverse criticism, a little harsh Sannyasin is above body. His Drishti treatment or unpopularity and become (vision) should not be based upon agitated and to leave the place and go Dehatma Bhavana (identication with away is a sign that you have failed in the body). “No”. The Sannyasi always sticking to your Sannyasa Bhav. Your ceaselessly tries to live in the thought that ego is still grounded in the physical body he is pure spirit. 'Deho naham, jeevo only. You have been at once affected and naham' (I am not the body; I am not the upset by something done to the body. A Jiva) is his attitude. 'Nitya Shuddha Sannyasi has no body. How absurd to Buddha Satchidanandoham' (I am ever- become upset by something said to this pure, ever awakened Satchidananda) is mere temporary garment that you are his constant Bhavana. When he performs wearing which is only to be thrown away the Viraja Homa at the time of taking at a moment's notice! Sannyasa, he offers up his everything into A Sannyasin should have no the Kunda i.e. Fire of sacrice including Abhiman (ego). It is Abhiman which 1 Taken from DL 1950 6 THE DIVINE LIFE JUNE 2019 makes you get offended easily at every moreover for what happens to the trie. Too much touchiness shows that external body, who is there to blame? you have not at all got rid of your idea of Everything comes to this body according self-importance, the 'Ahamta' or to its Prarabdha Karma (actions superior ego sense. This is real death to performed in past lives). It is simply a Sannyasin. Maana-abhimana is getting its due. How foolish to seek to rampart inside. Keen self-analysis alone put the blame upon some other for this? will help to save you from the self- Thus analyses the earnest Sannyasin delusion that you are established in and keeps his peace. ideal Sannyasa. Such actual test in the eld of What to say of a little disrespect active service helps to indicate your or insult; even if anyone is to beat you inner progress towards the ideal of with shoe or slipper and cut your throat Sannyasa. They afford an invaluable with a knife, then too you must remain training ground for you to perfect peaceful and perfectly unperturbed. A yourself. To the Nivritta Sannyasin also, garland of rose owers put around your Vyavahara (not Loukika or secular neck or a dirty shoe hurled at your head V y a v a h a r a b u t P a r a m a r t h i k a should both mean the same to you as a unattached seless Vyavahara) gives Sannyasi. Of course the perfect Bhav much needed scope for practical does not come in its fullness all of a spirituality. sudden but even then every Sannyasi Beloved Atman, accept all worth the name should strive every experiences in a spirit of joy. Meet all minute towards the attainment of this difculties and trials with serenity and A t m i c - b h a v a n a . U n d e r c e r t a i n fortitude. Remember O Sannyasin, that circumstances, there may be a little to you there is neither trouble nor trial, agitation in the beginning. A sudden for thou art Pure Atman. Sometimes insult, an extreme experience, some some Karma (action) may affect the harshness or disrespect may no doubt mind a little. But it is a mere passing agitate you somewhat for a little time, cloud only. Brush it aside, O Sannyasin perhaps for a whole day or even two days bright, and shine again with all the in some cases. Perhaps more if you are of effulgence of thy true spiritual a very sensitive nature. But ultimately s p l e n d o u r ! L e t d a i l y V y a v a h a r the Sannyas spirit must prevail. Viveka (activities) mean for you so many (discrimination) and Vichara (enquiry) welcome opportunities to manifest and must set working at once. Who am I? to give expression to your true inner What is insult or honour to me—pure spiritual nature. Learn the secret of Atman that I am? What is all this regarding everything only from this transitory experience of this perishable Atmic view-point. Dehatma Buddhi will body? It is unreal, petty, of no account vanish and nothing will affect you in the a n d a s s u c h n o t w o r t h m y least, for you will never forget that you consideration. I am in truth blissful, are Pure Atman and Atman alone! May nameless, formless innity.