A Sadhaka should not concern himself with his body at all as all are pre-programmed and pre-determined by the will of the Lord

Nama Article 7th May 2014

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

The sustenance, activities, growth, decay, death, etc. of the body are all pre-programmed and pre-determined by the will of the Lord and so a Sadhaka should not concern himself with his body at all.

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

God is very compassionate because everything in our life is predetermined. No effort need be taken by us in that direction. All we have to do is to turn and fix our mind on Him!

 

Words of wisdom by a great Gnani and a true bhaktha

 

Chanting the Divine Name can change the fate

 

If there is faith, then there is no fate

 

In fact, developing an interest in the Divine Name is but a manifestation of God's grace

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Prayer is thus a potent weapon in the hands of the aspirant.

Nama Article 7th April 2014

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

True dispassion and total detachment (Vairagya) – that is, cutting asunder the deluded attachment to our kith and kin and our possessions – is a "must'' for God-realisation; but this can only come to us with the Lord's Grace.

 

So, repeated prayers to the Lord to help us tide over all our obstacles through His Grace are the only answer. Prayer is thus a potent weapon in the hands of the aspirant.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

By constantly taking the Lord's name and remembering Him, a day will dawn when the mind will get purified and the Sadhaka will get rid of all the desires including that of liberation.

Nama Article 1st April 2014

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

So long as all Vasanas are not completely annihilated, it will not be possible for us to eschew all worldly desires. In the early stages, there is no harm in seeking fulfillment of desires from the Lord who is the father, mother, master, and all-in-all for a devotee. In the Bhagavad Gita, the one who seeks material favours from the Lord (an Artharthi) is classed as one of the four categories of His devotees (Bhaktas). By constantly taking the Lord's name and remembering Him, a day will dawn when the mind will get purified and the Sadhaka will get rid of all the desires including that of liberation.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

What a simple but efficacious recipe and how exceptionally fortunate each one of us is to have, available to us, such an effortless path

Nama Article 6th March 2014

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

God realisation can effortlessly be attained by one in this dreaded Kali Yuga by extolling the Lord and chanting and listening to His names. What a simple but efficacious recipe and how exceptionally fortunate each one of us is to have, available to us, such an effortless path to attain Him even while performing any activity in our routine life.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

While answering Parikshit's question, Sukadeva stresses that taking the names of the Lord and chanting them loudly is an easy path

Nama Article 18th January 2014

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

While answering Parikshit's question, Sukadeva stresses that taking the names of the Lord and chanting them loudly is an easy path for those who wish to reach the state of fearlessness and desire to cultivate dispassion (Vairagya).

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

The crux of all Sadhanas is constant remembrance of the Supreme Being or Lord, who is immanent in all beings as the Self.

Nama Article 27th December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

The crux of all Sadhanas is constant remembrance of the Supreme Being or Lord, who is immanent in all beings as the Self. Narrating the glories and chanting the names of the Lord enable us to attain the supreme state of fearlessness and bliss. This Sarvatma-bhava, namely, seeing the Lord in every creature and in everything will by itself help us rid ourselves of our Vasanas (latent tendencies). Sukadeva and Dhruva represent the pinnacle of this Sarvatma-bhava.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

No yagas, virtuous deeds, study of scriptures, vedic rituals, etc. will ever take us as easily to the Lord as does Satsanga

Nama Article 23rd December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

No yagas, virtuous deeds, study of scriptures, vedic rituals, etc. will ever take us as easily to the Lord as does Satsanga, the company of holy persons and service to them and to the Lord's devotees.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Those devotees who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, I have no control or jurisdiction over such devotees. On the contrary, bring those wicked persons before me whose tongues have never even once uttered the name

Nama Article 15th December 2013

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Yama, the god of death. sums up the glory of the Lord's devotees when he exhorts his messengers thus:

 

"Those devotees who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, possessing equal vision, have their glories sung by the gods and the demigods. They are always under the protection of the mace-wielding Lord. For heaven's sake never dare approach them as I have no control or jurisdiction over such devotees (VI-3-27).

 

On the contrary, bring those wicked persons before me whose tongues have never even once uttered the name or glory of the Lord or whose hearts have never even once remembered the Lord's feet or those who have never even once bent their heads in reverence before the Lord'' (VI-3-29)"

 

Srimad Bhagavatham (6:3:27 & 29)

ते देव-सिद्ध-परिगीत-पवित्र-गाथा

ये साधवः समदृशो भगवत्-प्रपन्नाः

तान् नोपसीदत हरेर् गदयाभिगुप्तान्

नैषां वयं न च वयः प्रभवाम दण्डे

 

जिह्वा न वक्ति भगवद्-गुण-नामधेयं

चेतश् च न स्मरति तच्-चरणारविन्दम्

कृष्णाय नो नमति यच्-छिर एकदापि

तान् आनयध्वम् असतो'कृत-विष्णु-कृत्यान्

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare 

Spends all his time chanting or listening to the names of the Lord, we can be sure that he is a holy person

Nama Article 14th December 2013

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

When we come across a person with absolute forbearance; who is calm and collected; is a friend of all beings; is extremely compassionate; is firmly devoted to the Lord; has renounced his all - family, kith and kin, possessions – exclusively for the sake of the Lord, is willing to undergo any amount of suffering, and spends all his time chanting or listening to the names of the Lord, we can be sure that he is a holy person, a Sadhu, whose company we should cultivate.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare 

Earmark a few moments out of the 24 hours in a day for remembering Him, worshipping Him, chanting His names, then very soon a day will come when the Lord will occupy the entire heart and also take up all of our 24 hours.

Nama Article 13th December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

When the Lord asked him where he should place his third step as all of Bali's possessions had been occupied already by the two steps, Bali did not hesitate or waver, but bent down and indicated his own head.

 

Esoterically, the story is significant in many ways. If only we allot a little space in our heart for the Lord and also earmark a few moments out of the 24 hours in a day for remembering Him, worshipping Him, chanting His names, then very soon a day will come when the Lord will occupy the entire heart and also take up all of our 24 hours. When we take a single step towards the Lord in all sincerity, He takes several steps towards us – that is the secret of all Sadhana.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Japa dispels the various obstacles and impediments which have not been allowing us to have even a glimpse of the Reality.

Nama Article 11th December 2013

 

Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Japa (repeating a mantra again and again) has been very commonly adopted and advocated by almost all the sages of yore (maharishis), by Adi Shankaracharya and his successors till now. The benefit in this method is the mantra being a sound effect, whether the mind is concentrated or not, dispersed or not, it automatically goes inside us as a sound (whether audible or not) and dispels the various obstacles and impediments which have not been allowing us to have even a glimpse of the Reality.

 

Secondly, the power of the tapasya (penance) of the Guru which has permeated the voice of my Guru comes inside me. As my Guru has similarly received initiation from his Guru, etc., the spiritual power of these people is behind us and helps us substantially. Thus Japa alone can take us to liberation.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

The best among devotees is one who looks at all beings with love and reverence as the Self and as the Lord who is the Self of all beings

Nama Article 10th December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Continuous contemplation of the Lord will bestow devotion, dispassion and intimate knowledge of the Lord and will finally lead to liberation.

 

The best among devotees is one

- who looks at all beings with love and reverence as the Self and as the Lord who is the Self of all beings.

- in whose mind no seed of desire ever sprouts and whose sole refuge is the Lord.

- whose mind never swerves from the remembrance of the Lord even for a fraction of a second and is never tempted even by the splendour and prosperity of the three words.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Please grant us that our tongues may always be engaged in singing Your praises and glories

Nama Article 26th November 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Srimad Bhagavatham (10:10:38)

 

वाणी गुणानुकथने श्रवणौ कथायां

हस्तौ च कर्मसु मनस् तव पादयोर् नः

स्मृत्यां शिरस् तव निवास-जगत्-प्रणामे

दृष्टिः सतां दर्शने'स्तु भवत्-तनूनाम्

 

 

When child Krishna releases the twin sons of Kubera from the curse of being two Arjuna trees by uprooting them and restoring the young men to their original form, the twins ask for a boon from the Lord –

 

"O Lord, please grant us that our tongues may always be engaged in singing Your praises and glories, our ears in hearing them, our hands in doing Your service, our minds in the contemplation of Your holy feet, our heads in prostrating to the entire world which is Your dwelling, and our eyes in the vision of the holy persons who are Your embodiments.''

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

As per Lord Krishna, the mind can be completely subdued only by repeated practice of remembering God's name

Nama Article 29th October 2013

 

Source: SADHANAS IN BHAGAVAD GITA by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

CHAPTER VI : MEDITATE AND REALISE

 

According to certain commentators, the entire Gita is an exposition of the great aphorism (TAT TWAM ASI) "You are that'. This chapter is the transition from the yoga of purification of the aspirant (TWAM) to the Yoga of illumination or revelation of that (TAT).

 

The question arises as to how to control the mind (which is the main base for Sadhana). As per Lord Krishna, the mind can be completely subdued only by repeated practice of remembering God's name (bringing the mind again and again to the Lord as many times as it goes astray) and through detachment i.e., abandoning all desires for enjoyment of worldly objects

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Rama Rahasya Upanishad says, "The first letter 'ra' stands for the term 'tat' (That), and 'ma' stands for the term 'tvam' (You). Together "Rama" means the mahavakya "tatvamasi"

 

The aim of spiritual education is liberation or Jivan Mukti.

 

By chanting the Name of Bhagavãn one attains Atma Jnana, Jivan Mukti state

 

Those who are Jivan Muktas today began only in this manner. (Every journey starts with a single step.)

 

The one whose lips are incessantly chanting the Lord's Name is verily the Jivan Mukta (liberated soul).

 

How true are the words of a Mahan that the one on whose tongue God's Divine Name resides is verily the one who has been freed from bondage –a Jivan Mukta!

 

A self realized Jivan Mukta appears once in a generation.  If you are lucky, you will get the company of such a person.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

All Sadhanas are possible only when we are endowed with a human body........Not to make use of the body in this manner is equivalent to committing suicide.

Nama Article 24th October 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Srimad Bhagavatham (11:20:17)

 

नृ-देहम् आद्यं सु-लभं सु-दुर्लभं

प्लवं सु-कल्पं गुरु-कर्ण-धारम्

मयानुकूलेन नभस्वतेरितं

पुमान् भवाब्धिं न तरेत् स आत्म-हा

 

"All Sadhanas are possible only when we are endowed with a human body. This body of ours is the most efficient boat. Make the Guru the oarsman who will guide the boat and take it across the ocean. The Lord's Grace is the favourable wind in which the boat can sail swiftly and you can easily cross the ocean of Samsara (phenomenal world). Not to make use of the body in this manner is equivalent to committing suicide.''

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Bhagavãn has given you all the faculties. The Lord has blessed you with eyes, ears, mouth, hands, legs, etc. Should you not utter the Divine Name? Would you get the human birth again?

 

"Even the dog eats food. But can it chant 'Bhagavan Nãma' - the Name of the Lord? ('Nãyum kooda soru thinnum Nãmam pãdumo?')

 

Human birth is meant only for the purpose of attainment of Bhagavan

 

மனிதப்பிறவியும் முக்தியில் ஆசையும், மகான்களின் ஸஙகமும் உந்தீபற! அரிதினும் அரிதாமென்று உந்தீபற!

 

Three things which are rare indeed and are obtained only due to the grace of God

 

To have the opportunity to serve a Mahatma in some way is indeed the rarest of the rarest.

 

When Bhagavan decides a janma to be the very last one, the man attains a Sadguru. Don't loose the "present" moment, the gift of lord.

 

कौमार आचरेत् प्राज्ञो धर्मान् भागवतान् इह । दुर्लभं मानुषं जन्म तद् अप्य् अध्रुवम् अर्थदम् ॥

 

Take the Name constantly. That is the best Seva.

 

But if I can make a person chant the name of Hari, I consider this a bigger achievement............

 

To collect people living around one's home and help them chant the Lord's Name is verily service to the Guru. Or to follow the special instruction given to him/her by the Guru is verily 'service' to the Guru.

 

Serve the elders, poor and needy and people in misery. That is verily Guru Seva.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare