Gurugram September 2022 | Preface

Om Namah Sivaya
Blessed Self
Greetings from all staff in the Sivananda Centres and Ashrams.

A very active and successful summer season in the Northern Hemisphere is coming to a close. We anticipate entering a very special period of calmer warm and pleasant days.

We wish you an inspiring Autumn 2022 with much inspiration in your practice.

Join us for the monthly Sivananda “Meditation for a Peaceful Planet” on Sunday September 4th 2022 at 2pm CET. Check our website for information. https://sivanandaorleans.org/unite-for-a-healthy-planet

Om and prem,
Acharyas of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams

To view all 2022 TTC/ATTC/SI courses on the Sivananda website: https://sivananda.org/teachers-training/programme-calendar/

Donations: Your donations and financial support would be very gratefully received by any of the International Sivananda Yoga Centres and Ashrams. Please contact any Sivananda Ashram or Centre on how to proceed.

God is Love. Love is God. – Sri Swami Sivananda

2022 TTC, ATTC Courses

SIVANANDA YOGA Teachers’ Training Courses are available both Online (TTCOL) and in-person in residence. Please check with each TTC/ATTC location for any TTCOLs. To view a list of the Ashram website addresses, go to World News: Ashrams section in the Quick Links of this GURUGRAM.

To view all 2022 TTC/ATTC/SI courses on the Sivananda website: https://sivananda.org/teachers-training/programme-calendar/

See the full list of other international courses and events: https://www.sivananda.org/

The Inner voice speaks unto him who has annihilated his ego or false personality. – Sri Swami Sivananda

From Discourse I: “Samadhi Pada – On Contemplations”

I.2. YOGAS CHITTA-VRITTI-NIRODHAH

‘Yoga is restraining the activities of the mind’

Commentary: 
The mind is neither visible nor tangible. It exists not in the physical body, as does the brain, but in the astral body. Its magnitude cannot be measured, for it carries all feelings, ideas and impressions from this life and all previous lives, as well as intuitive knowledge of what is to come. It is the mind, and nothing else, that must be corralled and controlled in order to achieve the true peace of Union. The Sanskrit word ‘chitta’ translates as mind-stuff, or mental substance. It is, in a sense, the ground floor of the mind. In Vedanta philosophy, it is referred to as ‘antahkarana’, which means inner instrument. The ‘antahkarana’ contains four main elements. The ‘manas’, mind, engages in thinking, doubting and willing. The ‘buddhi’ is the intellect, and it performs the functions of discriminating and making decisions. That portion of the mind which is self-arrogating and sees itself as separate from the Source is the ‘ahamkara’, ego. Finally, there is the subconscious, which serves as a storehouse of past experience and memory; this is also called the ‘chitta’.

Your original home is Param Dhama, the Immortal Abode of Brahman. This world is an inn. Start your homeward journey. – Sri Swami Sivananda

GITA MAHATMYA – The GLORY OF THE GITA – To be read at the end of each day’s Gita study

Sri Ganeshaaya Namah!

Gopaalakrishnaaya Namah!

Dharovaacha:
Bhagavan parameshaana bhaktiravyabhichaarinee; Praarabdham bhujyamaanasya katham bhavati he prabho.

The Earth said:1. O Bhagavan, the Supreme Lord! How can unflinching devotion arise in him who is immersed in his Prarabdha Karmas (worldly life), O Lord?

Sri Vishnuruvaacha:
Praarabdham bhujyamaano hi geetaabhyaasaratah sadaa; Sa muktah sa sukhee loke karmanaa nopalipyate.

Lord Vishnu said:2. Though engaged in the performance of worldly duties, one who is regular in the study of the Gita becomes free. He is the happy man in this world. He is not bound by Karma.

Mahaapaapaadipaapaani geetaadhyaanam karoti chet;
Kwachit sparsham na kurvanti nalineedalam ambuvat.
3. Just as the water stains not the lotus leaf, even so sins do not taint him who is regular in the recitation of the Gita.

Geetaayaah pustakam yatra yatra paathah pravartate;
Tatra sarvaani teerthaani prayaagaadeeni tatra vai.
4. All the sacred Centres of pilgrimage, like Prayag and other places, dwell in that place where the Gita is kept, and where the Gita is read.

Sarve devaashcha rishayo yoginahpannagaashcha ye;
Gopaalaa gopikaa vaapi naaradoddhava paarshadaih.
5. All the gods, sages, Yogins, divine serpents, Gopalas, Gopikas (friends and devotees of Lord Krishna), Narada, Uddhava and others (dwell here).

Sahaayo jaayate sheeghram yatra geetaa pravartate;Yatra geetaavichaarashcha pathanam paathanam shrutam;Tatraaham nishchitam prithvi nivasaami sadaiva hi.
6. Help comes quickly where the Gita is recited and, O Earth, I ever dwell where it is read, heard, taught and contemplated upon!

Geetaashraye’ham tishthaami geetaa me chottamam griham;Geetaajnaanam upaashritya treen Uokaan paalayaamyaham.
7. I take refuge in the Gita, and the Gita is my best abode. I protect the three worlds with the knowledge of the Gita.

Geetaa me paramaa vidyaa brahmaroopaa na samshayah; Ardhamaatraaksharaa nityaa swaanirvaachyapadaatmikaa.
8. The Gita is My highest science, which is doubtless of the form of Brahman, the Eternal,the Ardhamatra (of the Pranava Om), the ineffable splendour of the Self.

Chidaanandena krishnena proktaa swamukhato’rjuna; Vedatrayee paraanandaa tatwaarthajnaanasamyutaa.
9. It was spoken by the blessed Lord Krishna, the all-knowing, through His own mouth, to Arjuna. It contains the essence of the Vedas, the knowledge of the Reality. It is full of supreme bliss.

COMMENTARY: The Gita contains the cream of the Vedas and Upanishads. Hence it is a universal scripture suited for people of all temperaments and for all ages.

Yoashtaadasha japen nityam naro nishchalamaanasah; Jnaanasiddhim sa labhate tato yaati param padam.
10. He who recites the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita daily, with a pure and unshaken mind, attains perfection in knowledge, and reaches the highest state or supreme goal.

Paathe’ asamarthah sampoornam tato’rdham paathamaacharet; Tadaa godaanajam punyam labhate naatra samshayah.
11. If a complete reading is not possible, even if only half is read, he attains the benefit of giving a cow as a gift. There is no doubt about this.

Tribhaagam pathamaanastu gangaasnaanaphalam labhet; Shadamsham japamaanastu somayaagaphalam labhet.
12. He who recites one-third part of it achieves the merit of a bath in the sacred river Ganges; and who recites one-sixth of it attains the merit of performing a Soma sacrifice (a kind of ritual).

Ekaadhyaayam tu yo nityam pathate bhaktisamyutah; Rudralokam avaapnoti gano bhootwaa vasecchiram.
13. That person who reads one discourse with supreme faith and devotion attains to the world of Rudra and, having become a Gana (an attendant of Lord Shiva), lives there for many years.

Adhyaayam shlokapaadam vaa nityam yah pathate narah; Sa yaati narataam yaavanmanwantaram vasundhare.
14. If one reads a discourse or even a part of a verse daily he, O Earth, retains a human body till the end of a Manvantara (71 Mahayugas or 308,448,000 years).

Geetaayaah shloka dashakam sapta pancha chatushtayam; Dwautreenekam tadardhamvaa shlokaanaam yah pathennarah.
Chandralokam avaapnoti varshaanaam ayutam dhruvam; Geetaapaathasamaayukto mrito maanushataam vrajet.
15-16. He who repeats ten, seven, five, four, three, two verses or even one or half of it, attains the region of the moon and lives there for 10,000 years. Accustomed to the daily study of the Gita,a dying man comes back to life again as a human being.

Geetaabhyaasam punah kritwaa labhate muktim uttamaam;Geetetyucchaarasamyukto mriyamaano gatim labhet.17. By repeated study of theGita,he attains liberation. Uttering the wordGitaat the time ofdeath, a person attains liberation.Geetaarthashravanaasakto mahaapaapayuto’pi vaa;Vaikuntham samavaapnoti vishnunaa saha modate.18. Though full of sins, one who is ever intent on hearing the meaning of theGita,goes tothe kingdom of God and rejoices with Lord Vishnu.Geetaartham dhyaayate nityam kritwaa karmaani bhoorishah;Jeevanmuktah sa vijneyo dehaante paramam padam.19. He who meditates on the meaning of theGita,having performed many virtuous actions,attains the supreme goal after death. Such an individual should be considered a true Jivanmukta.COMMENTARY:A Jivanmukta is one who has attained liberation while living.Geetaam aashritya bahavo bhoobhujo janakaadayah;Nirdhootakalmashaa loke geetaa yaataah param padam.20. In this world, taking refuge in theGita,many kings like Janaka and others reached thehighest state or goal, purified of all sins.Geetaayaah pathanam kritwaa maahaatmyam naiva yah pathet;Vrithaa paatho bhavet tasya shrama eva hyudaahritah.5BHAGAVAD GITA

21. He who fails to read this “Glory of the Gita” after having read the Gita, loses the benefit thereby, and the effort alone remains.

COMMENTARY: This is to test and confirm the faith of the reader in the Bhagavad Gita, which is not a mere philosophical book but the word of God and should therefore be studied with great faith and devotion. The Gita Mahatmya generates this devotion in one’s heart.

Etanmaahaatmyasamyuktam geetaabhyaasam karoti yah; Sa tatphalamavaapnoti durlabhaam gatim aapnuyaat.
22. One who studies the Gita, together with this “Glory of the Gita”, attains the fruits mentioned above, and reaches the state which is otherwise very difficult to be attained.

Suta Uvaacha: Maahaatmyam etad geetaayaah mayaa proktam sanaatanam; Geetaante cha pathedyastu yaduktam tatphalam labhet.
Suta said:
23. This greatness or “Glory of the Gita”, which is eternal, as narrated by me, should be read at the end of the study of the Gita,and the fruits mentioned therein will be obtained.

Iti srivaraahapuraane srigeetaamaahaatmyam sampoornam.
Thus ends the “Glory of the Gita” contained in the Varaha Purana.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

The Absolute knows Itself without any process of knowing. – Sri Swami Sivananda