Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Many of us do not know Sanskrit well. If you read any of the 108 or 1008 names in praise of the Divine the Lalita Sahasranama or Vishnu Sahasranama - and read the names of the Divine written there.  You will feel like closing your ears after hearing the gross descriptions of the various body parts - huge buttocks, hefty thighs, large breasts, the goddess with breasts like an elephant's head.  Why were these descriptions used? Had the rishis lost their minds that they would think like this? Were their minds so sick? These questions come up.  Only those who are daring and have clear, pure minds can say such things. You may have a Vrataratna mald. If you open it, you will see that it contains praises of each and every limb.  In any vrata, or observance, whether of Ganapati, Vara Lakshml, or Svarna Gauri, the practice is to worship every limb of that form of the Divine.  Worshipping in this way, the mind, which is attracted to a particular body part, is liberated f...

Once a A Swami went and stayed as a guest in an elderly gentleman's home in Kanpur. Since the son and his wife both worked outside the home, this elderly man did all the household chores like sweeping and looking after the children.  When the son returned home in the evening, he would scold his father, and once even slapped him in front of the Swami.  The Swami felt pity for the elderly man and asked him, “Why do you struggle so much? I feel bad for you. Come stay at my ashram where I'll look after you and you'll live comfortably”.  “At this age, after having lived 70 years, why do you stay with your son who abuses you? Why lead such a life? Please, come."  The old man, who until this point had been pouring out his sorrows, suddenly became enraged and said to the Swami, "Did you not have any other home to break apart? Why did you come only to my house?”. “Go find some other house to ruin. If I leave the house, what will happen to the children? What will happen to ...

Knowledge can be acquired through analysis and logic. This is what science is. Analysis comes from logic. Knowledge of objects can be experienced, but knowledge of the self is only possible through vitarka.  If you want knowledge of the self, then drop logic and apply yourself to vitarka, or special logic. This logic does not destroy anything.  Spiritual knowledge and vitarka find unity in everything. It sees fullness and understands things as they are. Knowledge of the self is an all encompassing vision.  It is the pinnacle of vitarka. With Vitarka we create questions that have no answer. You can ask yourself, "Who am I?" This question is very complex.  Merely asking this question will take you to such depth. Vitarka has no answer in words. You can know that a person is asleep from his snoring.  If that same person gets up and tells you, "I am asleep," it will mean that he is not asleep. Similarly, if someone asks you, "Have you seen God?" It ...

Chapter 14 - Offering To Shiva  Day 69 There are four types of wishes - putraitava, vittaitava, lokaitava and jivaitava. "Putraitava" means "my son, mine, my daughter-in-law, and my daughter" and so on.  It is over-attachment to one's children. People get so attached to their children that they do not allow them to leave the house. Those who have putraitava suffer the most and also ruin the lives of their children. There was a famous family in Kerala, who sheltered their son so much and kept him at home that he was unable to do any work. He could not even go to the bank to withdraw money. And if someone came to the house to visit, he was not able to speak to them, though he was 40 years old. Now the son is unhappy, and the family, including his parents, is also unhappy.  They have made him a prisoner in the house. He has been raised in prison. He calls his 70 year old father to accompany him on a trip to the bank. This is how he lives.  This family is not an exc...

Chapter 14 - Offering To Shiva  Day 68 Pure consciousness, pure understanding and pure knowledge start from love. Desires are below the navel. Imagination is between the navel and throat and between the throat and the head, in between the eye brows lies pure consciousness.  Only one pure consciousness shines in us. This alone is called Brahma Vishnu and Maheshvara. Brahma is the creator and creates all desires.  Vishnu is the protector everything in the world is sustained only by love. Shiva offers liberation, brings transformation and gives knowledge.  Our lives should reach the highest level, like Mount Meru, and we should cultivate the essence of Shiva, innocence, auspiciousness.  That light should glow within us, and for this to happen we need to keep going deep in meditation. What does it mean to go into meditation? So many techniques have been given up till this point.  There are already many ways. Life is like a game of snakes and ladders. You climb ...

Chapter 14 - Offering To Shiva Day 67  The river of life is not always flowing evenly. Sometimes it crashes like a waterfall and after hitting the rocks, it rises back up. It courses in between boulders and sometimes runs so softly that we hardly feel it move.  Until it reaches the sea, the river's currents and movements take different forms. Similarly, it is difficult to say what will happen in life and when. Life is just like a river.  As long as it flows, it is shivamaya, filled with Shiva, and if it stops somewhere, it starts to stagnate. On certain occasions we float oil lamps on the river's surface or offer flowers to the water.  Some people throw in garbage or planks of wood. The water carries anything you throw in it and moves ahead. Our lives should flow in a similar manner. This is the core of the Shiva Sutras.  Now we are coming to the end of the Shiva Sutras. Let us look at the last sutra. "See happiness or misery in your life as though it is taking ...

Chapter 13 - Embers Covered In Ash  Day 66 There is not much difference between you and an enlightened person. If you consider his external knowledge, actions and moods, you may not see much difference between your actions and his actions.  But it is difficult to understand the enlightened. We have made up different measuring rods for the enlightened. We think that it is one who does not sleep or does not smile or cry.  Krishna describes the special qualities of someone who is established in wisdom. An enlightened person is always equanimous. He does not cry, laugh or become distressed.  Yet we impose all the qualities that we want to see on the enlightened. Take a look at the Gods and enlightened saints of the past.  Rama became so upset and lost his mind after losing his wife, Sita. Do we not consider a person mad when he starts asking questions to leaves and trees? These days, what would you say if you saw someone who lost his scooter keep on asking, "Oh door...

Chapter 13 - Embers Covered In Ash  Day 65  The power, by which water transforms into water vapour, rises up and falls down as rain is the same power by which we see with the eyes and hear with the ears.  There is no difference between these two, the energy of life and the energy of the sun. In the Gita, when Krishna was asked where he is.  He replied - "I exist in everyone's stomach as hunger. I am also the power of digestion." After saying this, he told Arjuna, "You think that you are Arjuna of the Pandavas? Even Arjuna is me.  The one who is speaking is me, and the one who is listening is also me." The whole word is created through one energy. I am the center point of that energy."  This is the essence of Vedanta and the essence of the Shiva Sutras. Even if only a part of this sutra enters your mind, it will automatically create complete faith, trust and confidence in you.  Krishna goes on to say, “I am not only creating all this, but I am also anni...

Chapter 13 - Embers Covered In Ash Day 64 How does ash form? It is formed by burning charcoal. The same ash formed by the charcoal cinders finish off the charcoal. Similarly, arrogance, jealousy, desire and anger have come from the knowledge in our consciousness.  You can only desire something that you have knowledge of. If you do not know what cham cham is how could you desire it? Is it possible? If in your mind there is a desire to eat gulab jamun, then you must know what it is. Desire arises from knowledge and the same desire destroys knowledge. In a similar way, you get angry because of knowledge. Nobody gets angry without a reason.  Does anybody become angry when they are sleeping? Why do you get angry? It is because you did not get something that you wanted. Your desire is unfulfilled.  When this happens, you will instantly become angry. You become angry because of knowledge. Likewise, where does greed come from? It comes because of knowledge.  Why did you get ...

Chapter 12 - The Body Is A Temple Day 63 Do an experiment one day. When your mind is dull or bored, take something and give it to someone. Your mind will change. Have you observed this?  Give something, maybe a blanket or a quilt, to someone in need, or if this is not possible, then give a few kind words.  Only when you give more, will you be able to receive more, but do not give with the intention of getting more. Then it is not a gift at all.  So make a decision to give and give a noble gift. There is a saying, which is very common here. "If we are happy today, it may be from some good deeds done by our ancestors. Our elders did good deeds, and that is why we are well off today."  The benefit of the good work we do, the religious acts we perform and the gifts we give is not limited only to us, but extends to future generations. That is why this saying is so common. If you just collect different things and give them away for business, you will not be com...

Chapter 12 - The Body Is A Temple  Day 62 I met a married man in Delhi, who had fallen in love with a woman, who worked in his office. What to do? He could not share anything at home since he had a wife and children.  He did not know what to do. The same thought kept coming again and again. Her name was Rama. So he kept writing her name, "Rama," "Rama," in a note pad.  When he was asked for a signature, he wrote "Rama." It became such a problem that he started seeing her face everywhere.  Even the cat's face looked like Rama, and when he went out on his scooter, he would see her face in the streetlight. He would see her face even in the moon.  When he saw her face in the cat, he became afraid and so he came to me, asking, "Guruji, what has happened? Have I lost my mind? I think about her 24 hours a day.  Even in my sleep, I call, "Rama, Rama," and my wife is angry, demanding to know whose name I am calling. It has become a ja...

Chapter 11 - Complete Happiness  Day 60  When you are doing these practices, do not worry if obstacles come up. It is natural that they come. You say, "Gurudev, I meditated and did everything, but I'm the same person I was. I haven't changed."  Not only you, but your wife, children and the people you know say, "What is the use of going to satsang? You haven't changed a bit. Show us what has changed in you. What is the point of going?"  This is the question that the young ask their elders : “What did you learn by meditating? You aren't peaceful. You still get angry”.  “There was some change - you were better for a while, one or two months, then you returned to your normal behaviour." It is not surprising if people say this.  It is possible that in between, at some places, you will come across such problems. It is not necessary, but it is not unusual if you encounter such problems. It is natural.  Accept it as part of the process becau...

Chapter 12 - The Body Is A Temple Day 61  This sutra is for advanced seekers. Who is an advanced seeker? This is for those who have already overcome laziness, who do not get angry or jealous and who feel a certain amount of contentment.  Since they are not yet fully content, the flower has not yet fully bloomed, but the bud is ready to blossom. This sutra is for this category of seekers.  Some people say, “I go to satsang, but something is missing. I am not content. There is some lack in my life. I sing bhajans and have organised many satsangs”.  “I've meditated, taught others meditation and had them sit and practice. Still, I am not satisfied”. This sutra is for people in this category.  Looking at all the happenings in the body with love and care is an observance. What has happened to us? We not only abuse others, but we abuse ourselves.  When children make noise the elders shout at them and the women swear. It is sheer chaos what happens in a...