In the present book an attempt has been made to give rational and logical explanations on relationship between human deeds and destiny. It explains how events of good fortune and misfortune, happiness and suffering in human life are results of one's own deeds. This book will provide satisfactory answers to the queries relating to the role played by the consequences of an individual's deeds in the making of his destiny.
"Ghora is darkness, the darkness of ignorance. Aghora means light, the absence of darkness. Under the Tree of Knowledge is an Aghori, a follower of the path of Aghora. He has gone beyond ignorance thanks to the Flame of Knowledge which billows from the funeral pyre. The funeral pyre is the ultimate reality, a continual reminder that everyone has to die. Knowledge of the ultimate reality of Death has taken the Aghori beyond the Eight Snares of Existence: lust, anger, greed, delusion, envy, shame, disgust and fear which bind all beings. The Aghori plays with a human skull, astonished by the uselessness of limited existence, knowing the whole world to be within him though he is not in the world. His spiritual practices have awakened within him the power of Kundalini, which takes the form of the goddess dancing on the funeral pyre: Smashan Tara. He is bewildered to think that all is within him, not external to him; that he sees it not with the physical eyes but with the sense of perception. The Flame of Knowledge is that which preserves life, the Eternal Flame, the Supreme Ego, the Motherhood of God which creates the whole Maya of the universe and thanks only to Whose grace the Aghori has become immortal."
Kundalini: the Force of forces, Mantra, Tantra, Yantra, the sacred fire, chakras and consciousness. "We Aghoris believe in using fast, terrifying methods of sadhana because we ache to return to God immediately; we cannot bear being separated from Him. An Aghori meditates on burning corpses to force the consciousness beyond all limitations of the personality. Aghora sadhanas destroy everything down to the ground of consciousness and rebuild from the bottom up. Then there is nothing to fear, because the new personality is engineered to be totally surrendered to the Will of God." Often even a sentence or two will shed more significant light on profound states of consciousness or very complex stages of meditation than the reader is likely to find in whole volumes intended to illume the same subjects.
In this third volume of the Aghora trilogy, the Aghori Vimalananda uses the backdrop of the Bombay racetrack as a potent metaphor for the ultimate game of life, where destinies and fortunes are won or lost on the momentary edge of the finishing line. Weaving all the characters favorites and outsiders, jockeys and trainers, owners and 'rail-birds' into the field of karma, Vimalananda masterfully entwines the external reality of the racecourse with the subtle internal reality of creative spirituality. Hidden within the form of every sliding moment are the infinite tracks of destiny and the profound and underlying philosophical truths they reveal. Emphasized is the intertwining of relationships (rnanubandhana - the bondage of karmic debt) which perpetuates itself until recognized.
After half a century in print, this widely acclaimed autobiography is now available in a superb audio translation narrated by Academy AwardR-winning actor Ben Kingsley. The work is enduringly popular because it introduces millions of readers to Eastern spiritual thought. Yogananda's masterly storytelling epitomizes the Indian oral tradition with its wit, charm, and compassionate wisdom. The yogi begins by showing how his childhood experiences in turn-of-the-century India produced a spiritual youth in search of an enlightened teacher, continues with an account of his years of training in the hermitage of a revered master, and concludes with the highlights of a period, beginning in 1920, during which he lived and taught in America. Yogananda sensitively interprets not only his own spiritual evolution but also his relationship with elements of the West's spiritual tradition, such as the story of Adam and Eve, providing a penetrating look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence. Bibliographical footnotes, which would have interrupted Kingsley's magnificent narration, are thoughtfully included in an accompanying booklet. This extraordinary work will greatly enrich any library.
The Bhagavadgita is one phase of the Tripod of Indian philosophy and culture, the other two phases being the Upanishads and the Brahmasutras. While the Upanishads lay the foundation of the loftiest reach possible for humanity and the Brahmasutras logically elucidate the intricate issues involved in the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita blends together the Transcendent and the Immanent features of the Ultimate Reality, bringing together into an integrated whole knowledge and action, the inner and the outer, the individual and the society, man and God, all which are portrayed as facets of a Universal Operation, presenting entire life and all life as a perfectly complete organic wholeness, leaving nothing unsaid and attempting to solve every problem in life. Sivananda's commentary and translation of the Gita is very pure and traditional. His is not catering to the west but writing the commentary for serious seekers who are Indians. Sivanana's commentary is filled with deep insights into the various spiuritual paths delivered by a man who was widely acknowledged as being one of India's great spiritual teachers of the early to mid 20th century.
This book is a true account of the author's journey to the sacred and majestic Himalayan mountain region with the guidance of his guru. The autobiographical context makes this book a wonderful read into the mystical essence of the Himalayas. The author describes his spiritual journey through his day to day experiences with nature, local people and of course the divine spiritual saints that reside within the deepest inaccessible part of the Himalayan region.
The knowledge of Sabd Brahm-Nad Brahm is an important branch of the Indian School of Spirituality. The science and philosophy of Sabd Brahm encompasses the methodology and effects of mantra-jap, prayers, collective chanting and sadhanas of the ved-mantras and that of the Nad Brahm deals with the genesis, expansion and influence of music. The volume 19 of the Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Vangmaya series presents truly rare and detailed information and guidance on this topic. The present book is compiled from the English translation of the first two chapters of this volume that focus on the cosmic dimensions of sound and the science of mantras. Acharya Sharma's elucidation of the esoteric and complex subject matter of Sabd Brahm and Mantras is indeed lucid, logical and scientific. The book also outlines how the modern science could offer multifaceted benefits toward the incessant welfare of human society by constructive investigations in the Science of Mantras.
Books written by the Author Sir John Woodroffe can perhaps be called as Classics. One is indebted to him for his study of Tantra Sastra and the scholarly works he produced in English. His Books like "Serpent Power", "Sakti And Sakta" etc., have helped the Readers to gain excellent knowledge on the generally difficult to interpret subject of Tanta Sastra. In line with the other classics the Author in the present Book has in great detail explained the significance of the Letters in the context of the Tantra knowledge. Thus it becomes a must for the student of Tantra Vidya.
Gayatri – the supreme source of thy power is revered as the origin of the infinite gamut of spiritual, conscious, unconscious and super conscious faculties, cosmic energy and material existence. The higher level sadhanas of Gayatri and Savitri include the endeavors of stimulation and arousal of kundalini and the unfolding and sublime transmutation of the panca koshas. The sagacious, enlightened personalities are aware of this precious source and therefore use it cautiously for creative purposes. We too should know the importance and deeper depths of the spiritual science of kama and proceed along the path of sadhanas as per our present mental makeup.
With its vast pantheon of gods and goddesses and its traditional reliance upon a strict caste system to organize society, Hinduism is often very difficult for people from the West to understand. As the world's third-largest religion and one of humanity's oldest, however, Hinduism is certainly worth learning about. Most Hindus agree that the many deities recognized in their religion are merely different sides of one supreme God. Even so, the Hindu worldview differs dramatically from the monotheistic belief systems of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Hindu faith might be compared to a rainbow in which all possible colors are represented, but where every individual color has its own distinct place. That is, the one God is the rainbow and the thousands of individual deities are colors within the spectrum. Just as it acknowledges many aspects of divinity, perhaps more than any other religion, Hinduism cherishes the different conditions and types of humanity. As respected religious scholar James B. Robinson demonstrates, almost every kind of religious activity in the world may be found in some form somewhere in Hinduism.
A simple man, Nisargadatta Maharaj, was a householder and petty shopkeeper in Bombay where he lived, and died in 1981 at the age of 84. He had not been educated formally, but came to be respected and loved for his insights into the crux of human pain and the extraordinary usidity of his direct discourse. Hundreds of diverse seekers traveled the globe and sought him out in his unpretentious home to hear him. To all of them he gave hope that "beyond the real experience is not the mind, but the self, the light in which everything appears...the awareness in which everything happens." "I Am That" preserves Maharaj's dialogues with the followers who came from around the world seeking his guidance in destroying false identities. The sage's sole concern was with human suffering and the ending of suffering. It was his mission to guide the individual to an understanding of his true nature and the timelessness of being. He taught that mind must recognize and penetrate its own state of being, "being this or that, here or that, then or now," but just timeless being.
This text provides an introduction to the main schools of Indian philosophy within both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It analyzes the schools' different doctrines and compares their approaches to specific philosophical topics - ontology, epistemology, perception, consciousness, and creation and causality. It also looks at contributions by individual thinkers, such as Bhartrhari who helped introduce linguistic analysis into Indian philosophy; and Asanga the believed founder of the Yogacara or "Practice of Yoga" school.
The present work Glimpses of Tantric Studies is an anthology of eighteen articles covering the various aspects of Tantra, Mantra, Yantra and Occult Sciences. The studies embeded here in this treatise are cast over the origin, development and tradition of the Tantric Cult: its rituals and practices. Tantra, being the cult of the feminine, embraces worships, rites and practices related to the Mother Goddesses.
Gayatri and Yajña are considered to be the building blocks of the divine development of the human culture and civilization. While Gayatri encompasses the original knowledge. The present book is a compilation of some of his writings on the science of Yajña and some of the articles and reports published in the proceedings of the grand yajñas and conferences organized under the auspices of his Gayatri Pariwar and Yug Nirman missions. This book gives a brief introduction to the spiritual philosophy of Yajña and the subtle sonic effects of mantras associated with this process. It presents several scientific features of Yajña which have been studied in modern research laboratories and have shown promising roles of Yajña in purification of the environment and development of a new system of medicine and an effective therapy for better health management at extremely low cost. This book should be read by all scientific minded people who, with an open mind, would like to learn from the ancient scriptures. Those, especially the younger generation, who might not have had the chance to know the roots and scope of Indian philosophy and culture in proper light, are also invited to read this book to get a glimpse of the ancient knowledge and come forward to research the buried treasures of the eternal science for humanity. part of the existence, expansion and evolution of the cosmos, Yajña deals with the corresponding domains of creativity and actions. The science and philosophy of Gayatri and Yajña were thoroughly practiced and propagated by the saints and sages of yore. Because of their direct impact on the physical, mental and spiritual development of human life, the principles and practices of these fundamental components of the ancient Indian culture have relevance in the modern times too.
The inner practice of spirituality consists essentially of two components, namely (1) Jap or repeated chanting of some scriptural text, Divine name or Mantra and (2) Dhyan or meditation. Spiritual practices throughout the world have evolved around these two aspects of worship in some form or the other. Variants of Jap and Dhyan, find place in all spiritual traditions...
At once inspirational and instructional, The Journey from the Center to the Page artfully illustrates how yoga philosophies and practices can be an invaluable ally to the writing life.
With wisdom for writers of any level and in any genre, nationally known yoga and writing instructor Jeff Davis shows you how yoga’s principles and practical tools can deepen your writing process and increase your versatility as a writer. A grounded guide to the body-mind-imagination connection, this book shows ways to:
Re-connect with your deeper intention for writing
Sustain concentration and confidence when writing
Make time to write what matters most to you
Write with an authentic voice
Draft, re-vision, and revise with an embodied writing process
Write with a more visceral style replete with fresh imagery, intimate detail, metaphor, and rhythm
Convert fear and anger into powerful stories and satire
Cultivate compassion for complex characters—whether real or fictional
Create an authentic writers community
Kundalini is the coiled up,dormant,cosmic power that underlies all organic and inorganic matter within us and any thesis that deals with it can avoid becoming too abstract,only with great difficulty.But within the pages of the book,the theory that undelies this cosmic power has been analysed to it's thinnest filaments,and practical methods have been suggested to awaken this great prisitne force in individuals.It explains the theory and illustrates the practice of Kundalini Yoga. This book will serve as a kindly light to the seeker and leads the seekr through the dark alleys of an as yet unexplored branch of Yogic exercises,while to the layman it contains a wealth of new infromation which is boud to be a valuable addition to his knowledge of Yogic culture. The book like many of Swamiji's works has run into twelve reprints since it was first published.
Man is afraid of many things, but the fear of death is supreme, the very thought of which makes him shiver. The reason for this unusual reaction is the ignorance about the environment of life beyond the physical death. In this book an attempt has been made to remove these misconceptions and enlighten man about the facts he is curious to know about the unknown future.
The Life Divine is Sri Aurobindo's major philosophical opus. It combines a synthesis of western thought and eastern spirituality with Sri Aurobindo's own original insights, covering topics such as the nature of the Divine (the Absolute, Brahman), how the creation came about, the evolution of consciousness and the cosmos, the spiritual path, and human evolutionary-spiritual destiny. The book explores for the modern mind the great streams of Indian metaphysical thought, reconciling the truths behind each and from this synthesis extends in terms of consciousness the concept of evolution. The unfolding of Earth's and man's spiritual destiny is illuminated pointing the way to a Divine life on Earth.
These texts describe the esoteric teachings of Tantra, a belief system which originated in India, practiced by a number of Hindus and Buddhists. Tantra has become a synonym in the West for unbridled sexuality; however, sexuality is only one faucet of theis elaborate spiritual practice.
Instincts and appetites form a part of all life on earth. Sense impulses and biological urges are common to animal and man alike. Sex is one of the prominent, most important and absolutely essential aspects of human, animal as well as plant life. Sex is an integral part of life—human, animal and plant. While this aspect of life is regulated by nature in plants and by instinct in animals, in man it is left to his common-sense, intelligence and his developed reason to control and regulate the same. The vast and ancient scriptures of the world offer human society specific rules and regulations in this respect. With regard to India, as a nation, our forefathers followed the do’s and don’ts of the Dharma Sastras in meticulous detail and this, in large measure, contributed to their health, longevity and spiritual welfare.
In the present volume, all of Swamiji’s thoughts and instructions on the subject of sex and celibacy have been gathered up from "Practice of Brahmacharya" and elsewhere, and thoroughly edited, with a view to offering the public, and especially to the younger generation, a working guide to the vital subject of sex sublimation. This has been done as an act of loving service to modern youth who are often left groping in the dark by an irresponsible society. These days we often hear about "juvenile delinquency," but this juvenile delinquency itself is the result of adult irresponsibility. The youth of the world craves for guidance which is often not forthcoming from the parents, teachers or society.
Raja Yoga, the path of meditation and control of the mind, gives a scientific treatment of Yoga philosophy describing methods of concentration, psychic development and the liberation of the soul from bondage of the body. Raja Yoga also includes Swami Vivekananda's translation and commentary of the "Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali." Raja Yoga, along with Swami Vivekananda's Karma-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, and Jnana-Yoga, are considered classics and outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy. The Swami's deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, and broad human sympathy shine forth in these works and offer inspiration to all spiritual seekers.
The Author evaluates the divine power of recitation and meditation in day to day life.
The current status and future scope of research on dreams is discussed with substantial references. Special attention is focused on dream based early detection, diagnosis and therapies in the context of reported scientific experiments. The readers will also get to know how the decipheration of dreams could help resolving the complexities of psychosomatic disorders and elevating one's psychology.
A person can proceed rapidly on the path of soul growth and selfrealization through devotion of the Goddess Gayatri the supreme creative energy of the divine. The Sadhana of Gayatri is worship of supreme Knowledge. It is author's personal experience and firm belief that those who worship Gayatri will never be lacking in spiritual enlightenment and worldly happiness. Super Science of Gayatri is a gargantuan effort undertaken by Yug Purush Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya detailing the divine science of Gayatri. This work is an effort by Acharya to simplify and make the science of Gayatri mantra to the ordinary man. The book contains all which is worth knowing about the Gayatri Mantra, Gayatri Sadhana and Gayatri Yagna and provides readers unambiguous guidelines, deep inspiration and firm faith in Gayatri Sadhana and fulfill the true purpose of human life.
Surya Namskara,or salutation to the sun,is an important yogic practice which dates back to the ancient vedic period when the sun was worshipped as a powerful symbol of spiritual consciousness. From it's esoteric origins Surya Namskara has developed into a practice of twelve postures which weave together to generate prana(subtle energy),aiming towards the purification and rejuvenation of the practitioner.
This Book discusses in detail the full practice of Surya Namaskara, including the surya and bija mantras, points of concentration and extended guidelines to aid both practitioners and teachers. An in-depth physiological study of Surya Namskara supports it's present day use as a powerful therapeutic practice.
The physical act of breathing is said to have a very subtle influence on the level of consciousness, and therefore the effects of Swara Yoga are also very subtle. It aims at directly awakening the highest human potential. In other systems a similar understanding of the swara, the breath is also expressed. For example, in Taoism it states that, "if one meditates upon the breath, the cosmic deities or forces can be seen operating the physical body. By sustaining oneself purely on the breath, rather than on coarse food, one's entire being will be purified and strengthened. Then the consciousness is able to ascend to the heavens where eternal life is experienced by the body and soul."
Swara Yoga not only helps those who believe in a supreme reality, but also those who do not have faith and who will also be surprised to discover many truths pertaining to this reality. Swara Yoga is a path which leads to total experience and awakening of the entire being.
This inspiring book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. This new edition of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life.