GAYATHRI MANTRA STEPS

                                                                       STEP TWO

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            THE SECOND STEP IS TO PIT ON FRESH CLOTHES. SOME PEOPLE KEEP A SEPERATE SET OF CLOTHES FOR THEIR DAILY PUJA, AND THEY DON'T WEAR THEM ANYWHERE ELSE, WHICH IS QUITE GOOD, BUT I HAVE ALSO SEEN SOME LAZY ONES WHO WOULD WEAR THEIR CLOTHES FOR A PUJA AND HANG THEM ON A HOOK AND THEN THE NEXT DAY TAKE THEM OFF AND WEAR THEM AGAIN. THEY WILL SAY, "THESE ARE MY PUJA CLOTHES", BUT THEY MIGHT NOT WASH THEM FOR 30,40 OR 50 DAYS. BELIEVE ME, I KNOW SUCH PEOPLE. DON'T DO THAT. PUT ON FRESH CLOTHES.

             THERE IS A STORY I WROTE ON MY BLOG SOME TIME AGO. ONECE BUDDHA WAS IN SOLITUDE, WALKING, HE ASKED FOR ALMS FROM A MAN. THE MAN REFUSED AND STARTED SHOUTING AT HIM, CALLING HIM NAMES. BUDDHA DID NOT SAY ANYTHING, AND WENT ON HIS WAY QUIETLY 

           ANOTHER MAN, WHO WAS OBSERVING THIS, WENT TO THE MAN AND SAID, YOU JUST INSULTED BUDDHA".

           THE MAN SAID, "THAT BEGGAR COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE BUDDHA" THE OBSERVER SAID, "NO, HE WAS!"

           "BUT BUDDHA IS ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE"

      WELL, HE IS IN HIS STINT OF SOLITUDE.

            REPENTING HIS ACTIONS, THE MAN WENT LOOKING FOR BUDDHA, BUT COULDN'T TRACE HIM. THE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER, HE FOUND HIM, AND FELL AT HIS FEET.

            O LORD! HE SAID REMORSEFULLY, I AM SORRY I INSULTED YOU AND CALLED YOU NAMES.

            OH, WHEN WAS THAT? BUDDHA SAID CALMLY.

           JUST YESTERDAY!

          TATHAGATA DOES NOT KNOW YESTERDAY, BUDDHA SAID, I ONLY KNOW TODAY, THIS MOMENT.

          BESIDEDS HYGIENE, THE IDEA OF BATHING AND PUTTING ON FRESH CLOTHES IS SO YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO HAVE A FRESH START FOR THE DAY. IT IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY, A DIVINE BLESSING THAT YOU HAVE ONE MORE DAY TO LIVE, ONE MORE MOMENT TO BREATHE. I READ SOMEWHERE THAT IF WE WERE TO LIVE EVERY DAY AS IF IT IS OUR LAST DAY, WE ARE MOST CERTAINLY  GOING TO BE RIGHT. SO PUT ON FRESH CLOTHES.

                                                               STEP THREE

                       NOW YOU ENTER THE PUJA GRIHA, THE SANCTUM SANCTORUM, OR STAND BEFORE THE ALTAR, IF YOU HAVE A SEPERATE PUJA ROOM OR JUST A LITTLE SPACE, HOW DO YOU APPROACH IT? YOU ARE ENTERING YOUR SACRED SPACE. LIKE YOUR WASHROOM IS WHERE YOU PERFORM PHYSICAL CLEANSING, YOUR ALTAR IS FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL CLEANING. THERE IS A MANTRA THAT YOU SAY PHAT, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO STAMP THE FLOOR WITH YOUR HEEL. IN EARLIER TIMES, THEY USED TO DO THIS BECAUSE FLOORS WERE SEALED WITH COW DUNG AND THE LIKE. THUS, THERE WOULD BE SOME MICROORGANISMS ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR SANCTUM SANCTORUM, AND BY STAMPING YOUR HEEL ON THE FLOOR, YOU WOULF SHAKE THE SURFACE SO THEY COULD MOVE, SO YOU DON'T STEP ON THEM.

                      HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THESE SEED SYLLABLES? IS IT "HRING", OR IS IT "HRIM", ? FOR THAT, I WOULD GIVE YOU A SIMPLE RULE OF THUMB - THE ELABORATE METHOD IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED, AND THIS IS NOT THE FORUM FOR THAT. BUT QUITE SIMPLY, HOW DO YOU SAY THE WORD, "MAA", YOU DONT SAY "MAAG", - YOU SAY MAA, SIMILARLY, THE WORD IS "HRIM", (M BEING THE SAME SOFT NASAL SOUND AS IN THE WORD "MAA") NOT "HRING".

                   IF I HAVE TO PRONOUNCE AN "M" SOUND AT THE END, I WILL NOT WRITE AN "M". I QILL SIMPLY HAVE WHAT WE CALL AN ANUSWAR, A DOT. THE ANUSWAR DENOTES A PURELY NASAL SOUND WHERE THERE IS A LURKING "G" SOUND, AS IN OM HRIM ASTRAYA PHAT. I CAN'T THINK OF ANOTHER WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS IN WRITTEN ENGLISH.

                                                                          STEP FOUR

                      STEP FOUR IS PERFORMING THE PURIFICATION RITUAL. YOU WOULD HAVE A LITTLE VESSEL OF WATER - YOU JUST DIP YOUR FINGER IN IT. REMEMBER, THE INDEX FINGER REPRESENTS IGNORANCE, IN THE INVOCATION OF MANTRAS, AS IN ALL SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS KARMA, WE KEEP THIS FINGER AWAY. TO PERFORM PURIFICATION, EITHER TAKE A FLOWER IN YOUR HAND, HOLDING IT WITH YOUR THUMB AND THREE FINGERS (EXCEPT THE INDEX FINGER) OR SIMPLY JOIN THE RING FINGER WITH THE THUMB IF YOU ARE NOT USING A FLOWER. NOW TAKE A LITTLE POT OF WATER. YOU DIP RING FINGER JOINEDD WITH YOUR THUMB, OR IF YOU HAVE A FLOWER, YOU CAN DIP YOUR FLOWER IN THE WATER AND CHANT THE MANTRA.

                                              OM APAVITRAH PAVITRO VA

                                              SARVAVASTHAM GATO API VA

                                              YAH SMARET PUNDARIKAKSAM

                                              SA BAHAYA ABHYANTARAM SUCIH

                          AS YOU ARE DOING THAT, SPRINKLE SOME WATER IN ALL THE TEN DIRECTIONS. YOU DON'T COUNT, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, ETC., - JUST DO SO SYMBOLICALLY.

                       THIS MANTRA EXPRESSES THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TAKEN A BATH AND PUT ON FRESH CLOTHES, THERE ARE STILL IMPURITIES I CARRY ON MY BODY, IN MY HEART AND MY MIND, WHICH ARE TO BE REMOVED BY MEDITATING ON THE DIVINE ENERGY. THE MEANING OF THIS MANTRA IS GIVEN BELOW:

                                                  OM APAVITRAH PAVITRO VA

                                                  SARVAVASTHAM GATO API VA

                        IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW IMPURE YOU ARE, IN WHATEVE STATE YOU MAY BE. 

 

                                            YAH SMARET PUNDARIKAKSAM

                                            SA BAHAYA ABHYANTARAM SUCIH

   

           THE ONE WHO MEDITATES ON THE DIVINE ENERGY - THE LORD IS CALLED PUNDARIKAKSHA HERE, WITH BEATIFUL LOTUS EYES - THE ONE WHO MEDITATES ON SUCH FORM OF THE LORD IS PURIFIED INSIDE OUT.

            THIS MANTRA DOES NOT GIVE YOU AN EXCUSE TO NOT BATHE, BUT IT WILL PURIFY YOU, SO DO IT WITH THAT SENTIMENT.

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ESSENTIAL STEPS IN GAYATHRI SADHANA

                                                               GAYATHRI SADHANA

                 THE COMPREHENSIVE INVOCATION HAS 36 STEPS WHILE THE BRIEF METHOD HAS ONLY 7 STEPS.

                 TO PERFORM SO MANY STEPS IN CHANTING THE MANTRA MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE DAUNTING IN THE BEGINNING, BUT DON'T WORRY, FIRST, WE'LL COVER ALL THE STEPS, SO YOU KNOW HOW TO DO EACH STEP, AND THEN WE CAN SEE WHICH ONES WE CAN DO WITHOUT. SOME THINGS IN MANY OF THE STEPS BELOW MAY SOUND LIKE RITUALS. WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE. AS I SAID EARLIER, FIRST LET ME TELL YOU EVERYTHING, AND THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS CUT OUT WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE. BESIDES, IN CASE YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THE IMMERSIVE WAY, YOU CAN ADOPT THE SHORTER ROUTE OF JUST SEVEN STEPS DESCRIBED AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER.

                PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MANTRAS USED IN THIS CHAPTER ARE FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY. THEIR CORRECT SANSKRIT TRANSLITERATION (FOR BETTER PHONETIC ACCURACY) IS GIVEN IN THE APPENDIX. (THE DESCRIPTION FOR VARIOUS MUDRAS GIVEN IN THE APPENDIX HAVE BEEN QUOTED VERBATIM FROM MY BOOK THE ANCIENT SCIENCE OF MANTRAS). THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER IS TO HELP YOU GET FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE STEPS BUT WHEN YOU DECIDE TO DO THE ACTUAL SADHANA, IT IS THE IMFORMATION IN THE APPENDIX YOU'LL USE DIRECTLY.

                                               THE COMPREHENSIVE METHOD

                                                                    STEP ONE

               THE FIRST STEP IS BATHING, REMEMBER YOUR MOTHER USED TO TELL YOU WHEN WERE GROWIN UP, "TAKE A SHOWER, TAKE A SHOWER?, AND YOU WOULD SAY,"NO, I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT TODAY",  AND YOU WOULD NOT LISTEN (JUST KIDDING). I AM TELLING YOU THE EXACT SAME THING. I READ THE BOOK, ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEANT IN KINDERGARDEN. THIS IS SO TRUE. ALL THE BASIC HUMAN VALUES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAUGHT TO US BY THE TIME WE ARE JUST FIVE-OR -SIX YEARS OLD. YOU KNOW, SHARE YOUR STUFF, SAY GRACE, DON'T TELL LIES, GO TO BED ON TIME AND WAKE UP EARLY, AND SO ON.

              THE FIRST THING IS BATHING IN THE MORNING AND IT BEGINS BY SHOWING TWO MUDTRAS. FILL A BUCKET OF WATER IF YOU TAKE BATH USING A BUCKET OR SIMPLY DISPLAY THE TWO MUDRAS BELOW UNDER THE SHOWER (IF YOU BATHE BY STEPPING INTO THE SHOWER).

                                                                 KALASHA MUDRA

                  KALASHA MEANS A VESSEL, A POT, A GHAT. THIS HAS COME FROM MY LINEAGE OF SIDDHAS. FORM A FIRST WITH YOUR LEFT HAND AND HOLD IT WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND (WRAP YOUR LEFT HAND WITH YOUR RIGHT).

               SOME PEOPLE BEGIN THEIR DAY, NOT WITH KALASHA MUDRA BUT KALESHA MUDRA. KALESHA IS THE SANSKRIT WORD FOR MENTAL AFFLICTION. THEY START THEIR DAY THINKING WHAT IS NOT RIGHT IN THEIR LIFE. STAY WITH KALASHA.

             FORM A FIRST WITH YOUR LEFT HAND AND COVER IT WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND. THIS IS THE MOST SIMPLE KALASHA MUDRA. ON THAT, WE FORM A MATSYA MUDRA, WHICH IS CALLED THE FORMING OF A FISH. THIS IS WITH THE LEFT HAND AT THE BOTTOM AND RIGHT HAND ON TOP. THIS IS THE FISH - DON'T EAT IT. NOW YOU HAVE FILLED THE BUCKET WITH WATER, PERFORMED THE KALASHA MUDRA AND THE MATSYA MUDRA.

                                                                    MATSYA MUDRA

               MATSYA MUDRA FISH. STRETCH YOUR LEFT HAND, PALM FACING DOWNWARDS AND THUMB POINTING OUT. PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND ON TOP, ONCE AGAIN, PALM FACING DOWNWARDS AND THUMB POINTING OUT. JUST TWIDDLE YOUR THUMBS A BIT AND THE MATSYA MUDRA IS COMPLETE. ( MATSYA MUDRA IS SHOWN IN THE APPENDIX)

             ONE OF VISHNU'S FIRST INCARNATIONS WAS A MATSYA. THE IDEA IS THAT BY SHOWING THESE TWO MUDRAS, WE GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR PRIMORDIAL SOURCE.

                                  NOW CHANT THE FOLLOWING MANTRA:

                           GANG CHA YAMUNE CAIVA GODAVARI SARASVATI,

                           NARMADE SINDHU KAVERI JALESMINA SAMNIDHIMA KURU.

          WHEN WE CHANT THIS WITH DEVOTIONAL SENTIMENT, WE ARE INVITING THE ENERGY OF ALL THE HOLY RIVERS INTO OUR WATER -THAT WHILE I AM UNABLE TO BATHE IN THE RIVERS STATED IN OUR SCRIPTURES, WHERE OUR SAGES ONCE BATHED, I AM INVOKING THE ENERGY OF THESE RIVERS IN THE BATH I AM NOW GOING TO TAKE.

              IT IS ESSENTIAL TO INVOKE THAT SENTIMENT INSIDE YOU. A LOT BOILS DOWN TO YOUR SENTIMENT AND FAITH IN MANTRAS. YESTERDAY, A GENTLEMAN RAISED A BEAUTIFUL QUESTION ABOUT FAITH, IS FAITH REALLY NECESSARY IN MANTRAS? YES, IT IS. BECAUSE INVOKING THE ENERGY OF A MANTRAS IS NOT ABOUT BRUTE CHANTING OF IT, BUT CONNECTING YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS WITH A HIGHER SOURCE. FAITH MAKES IT EASIER. FAITH IS LOVE. IT IS HOP.

          I ONCE READ A QUOTE, "ACROSS THE GATEWAY OF MY HEART I WROTE, NO THOROUGHFARE", BUT LOVE CAME LAUGHING BY, AND CRIED, I ENTER EVERYWHERE," FAITH IS SIMILAR. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU RESIST, ONCE YOU PURIFY YOURSELF AND LEAD A LIFE OF PURPOSE, FAITH JUST MAKES ITS WAY INTO YOUR HEART. IT'S LIKE YOUR FAVOURITE PET DOT WHO WANTS TO SIT NEXT TO YOU - IT JUST BARGES IN AND LEANS AGAINST YOU.

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FOUR STAGES OF MANTRA

                                                 THE SOUND OF MANTRA

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                     IF YOU HAVE EVER ATTENDED ANY OF MY MEDITATION CAMPS OR DISCOURSES IN PERSON, THEN YOU MUST KNOW THAT I ALWAYS BEGIN THEM WITH A SHORT INVOCATION AND BY OFFERING MY OBEISANCE TO THE DIVINE IN YOU. I THEN QUIETLY  WHISPER, NARAYANI NAMOSTUTE, WHICH MEANS THAT I BOW DOWN TO THAT DIVINE ENERGY. I THOUGHT RATHER THAN OFFERING YOU INFORMATION ON VARIOUS STAGES OF ATTAINMENT BASED ON AGEOLD TEXTS, I MAY AS WELL OFFER YOU MY OWN PERSPECTIVE, IN MY VOICE, BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE PRESENT AGE.

                   WHEN I SAY THAT I OFFER MY OBEISANCE TO THE DIVINE IN YOU, I ACTUALLY MEAN IT. IT'S NOT OBEISANCE TO THE DIVINE IN YOU, I ACTUALLY MEAN IT, IT'S NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF MAKING A STATEMENT FOR ME. IT'S A PROFOUND EXPRESSION OF HOW I FEEL ABOUT EACH LIVING ENTITY THAT I ENCOUNTER. WHEN YOU CONTINUALLY MEDITATE THAT I ENCOUNTER. WHEN YOU CONTINUALLY MEDITATE ON DIVINE MOTHER, YOU START TO SEE HER IN EVERYTHING. YOU SEE HER IN EVERYBODY, AND PEOPLE - THEIR FACES,  BODIES, COLORS AND FEATURES- SIMPLY DISAPPEAR. THE FIRST THING THAT COMES IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE FORM OF DEVI.

               THE FIRST LAYER IS DEVI, GODDESS, ENERGY, DIVINITY, WHATEVER NAME YOU WANT TO GIVE, AND THE SECOND LAYER IS LIGHT. I SEE EVERYBODY AS A LIGHT. THEN THE LIGHT DISAPPEAR, AND THE THIRS LAYER THAT I SEE IS THE ACTUAL HUMAN BODY. IT WASN'T LIKE THIS BEFORE, IT'S NOT THAT IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE I WAS BORN. THIS EXPERIENCE CAME ABOUT AFTER MY INTENSE SADHANA IN THE HIMALAYAS. AND THE PRESENCE OF THE DIVINE ENERGY OF MOTHER DIVINE IS SO REAL IN MY LIFE THAT I REALLY HOPE BY THE TIME YOU FINISH THIS BOOK, THAT YOU WOULD WALK AWAY WITH ENOUGH INSPIRATION, AS WELL AS LEARNING, TO MANIFEST THE SAME IN YOUR LIFE.

                 WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN YOU AND OTHERS WILL LESSEN DRASTICALLY. YOU BEGIN TO FLOW GENTLY WITH LIFE. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU BECOME WEAK - YOU REMAIN STRONG, YOU KNOW WHEN TO BE FIRM AND WHEN TO BE SOFT. BUT YOU NO LONGER USE WORDS TO HURT OTHERS. WHEN YOUR SPEECH BECOMES PURE, WITH A PURE HEART AND PURE MIND, YOU BECOME AN EMBODIMENT OF PURITY. PURITY AND LIGHT ARE SYNONYMS OF ENLIGHTENMENT, OF FREEDOM, WHILE THE IMPURE IS TRAPPED AND CONFINED, THE PURE IS ETERNALLY LIBERATED.

                   ULTIMATELY, THE WHOLE SADHANA OF GAYATHRI IS TO PIRIFY YOURSELF. OTHERWISE, CHANTING HAS LITTLE MEANING AT THE END OF THE DAY. IF WE FAIL TO PURIFY OURSELVES INTERNALLY, THEN NO MANTRA WILL EVER YIELD ANY SIDDHIS OR POWERS. AND SIDDHIS WILL COME TO YOU, SIMPLY IF YOU ARE PURIFIED.

               SOMETIMES, PEOPLE ASK ME, "DO YOU READ MINDS"? OR HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM OR MY PAST, PRESENT OR FUTURE? YOU KNOW IT'S NOT THAT I SAT DOWN AND CHANTED ANY SPECIFIC MANTRA TO INVOKE THAT KIND OF ENERGY IN ME. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME SADHANAS THAT CLAIM TO DO THAT, I NEVER DID THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A SADHANA OF A PISHACHINI CALLED KARNA PISHACHINI. KARNA IS YOUR EAR AND PISHACHINI IS A LOWER FORM OF ENERGY. IT IS SAID THAT DEVI SPEAKS IN YOUR EAR. IT'S A TANTRIC SADHANA OF THE LEFT-HANDED PATH.

              MY GURU, NAGA BABA, WHO WAS A GREAT TANTRIC, ONCE PICKED UP HIS CELLPHONE AND SAID, "BETA, THIS IS KARNA PISHACHINI. YEH KARNA PISHACHINI HAI, SHE IS NEXT TO YOUR EAR AND TELLS YOU EVEYTHING". HE WAS REFERRING TO HIS PHONE. THIS IS THE UBER-CONNECTED LIFESTYLE WE HAVE IN THIS DAY AND AGE. ANYWAY IT'S NOT THAT I DID ANY SADHANA FOR THAT - IT JUST HAPPENED NATURALLY.

          

                   THROUGH PERFORMING THE MANTRA PROPERLY, A GOOD MEDITATOR, A SADHAKA, WILL NATURALLY START TO SEE THROUGH PEOPLE, BECAUSE THE LAYERS OF VARIOUS ENTITIES ARE PEELED AWAY. THEN, YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO PEOPLE'S WORDS, YOU DONT HAVE TO SEE THEIR INTENTIONS, YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT THEIR BODIES. INSTEAD, YOU ARE CONNECTED ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL ALTOGETHER AND WHEN YOU ARE CONNECTED, YOU AND THAT OTHER PERSON IS FEELING, YOU SEE WHAT THE OTHER PERSON IS SAYING, AND YOU RECALL WHAT THE OTHER PERSON KNOWS. THIS CONNECTION IS WHAT TRULY DIFFERENTIATES AN ORDINARY PERSON FROM SOMEBODY PURIFIED, SOMEBODY WHO HAS REALLY WALKED THE PATH OF THE LIGHT, OR IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ASPIRANT AND ADEPT.

               FOR THIS LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT, YOU CAN NEVER IGNORE THE QUALITY OF OUR SADHANAS, IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR WELLBEING. WHAT IS THE SENSE IN CHANTING MANTRAS, WHEN YOU FEEL INCREASINGLY RESTLESS IN YOUR MIND, WHEN YOU FEEL AS ANGRY, HURT, JEALOUS AND NEGATIVE AS YOU FELT BEFORE YOU UNDERTOOK ANY SADHANA? NEVER OVERLOOK OR UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF PURIFYING YOURSELF. OTHERWISE, WE ARE JUST BEING PARROTS WHEN WE CHANT.

           A MAN WENT TO A PET SHOP, WHERE THERE WAS A PARROT IN A CAGE, CONSTANTLY CHANTING, "FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM"

          THE MAN SAID TO THE SHOPKEEPER, DOES IT ONLY KNOW ONE WORD"?

            "NO", THE SHOPKEEPER REPLIED, "THIS PARROT KNOWS ONE MORE WORD, AND THE PARROT STARTED CHANTING "LIBERATION, LIBERATION,LIBERATION"

            "THAT'S AN ENLIGHTENED PARROT, I'D LIKE BUY". AND SO HE BOUGHT THE PARROT AND TOOK IT HOME.

               ALL DAY, THE PARROT KEPT CHANTING, "FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM", AND THE MAN'S WIFE SAID, "WHY DONT YOU SET THIS POOR BIRD FREE? IT WILL THANK YOU," THE MAN THOUGHT, THIS IS A  KIND GESTURE, I CAN CERTAILY DO THIS MUCH. SO, HE OPENED THE CAGE DOOR, AND SAID, "OKAY BIRDIE, THE DOOR IS OPEN. OFF YOU GO, FLY AWAY, MY FINE- FEATHERED FRIEND", BUT THE PARROT STAYED ON ITS PERCH AND KEPT CHANTING, "FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, FREEDOM, BECAUSE IT NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT FREEDOM WAS. 

             CHANTING A MANTRA WITHOUT AWARENESS IS LIKE CHANTING "FOOD, FOOD, FOOD, FOOD, " AND EXCEPTING YOUR HUNGER TO BE SATISFIED - AS IF YOU COULD SAY, " SHAHI PANEER", DOSA, IDLI, OR PASTA, AND NO NEED TO FEED YOURSELF. IF YOU REDUCE A MANTRA TO A VERBAL ACTIVITY, CHANTING RECKLESSLY JUST TO FINISH THE ROUNDS, IT WON'T TAKE YOU ANYWHERE.

            THERE ARE FOUR KINDS OF CHANTING, WHICH LEAD TO FOUR PROGRESSIVE STAGES OF SOUND. THE FIRST KIND OF CHANTING IS CALLED VACHIKA, WHICH MEANS AUDIBLE, VERBAL, SOMETHING YOU SPEAK. IN VACHIKA, GAYATHRI JAPA WOULD BE YOU CHANTING OUT LOUD, OTHERS AROUND YOU CAN HEAR YOU EASILY. IT IS THE MOST BASE LEVEL OF JAPA. IT WILL QUICKLY TIRE YOU, AND CREATE RESTLESSNESS IN THE MIND IF DONE OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME.

             THE SECOND TYPE OF JAPA IS CALLED UPANSHU - YOUR LIPS MOVE, AND YOU MAKE ONLY A WHISPERING SOUND. IT IS LIKE TALKING WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO BE  HEARD. TWO PEOPLE IN LOVE, WHEN CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, OFTEN WHISPER THAN TALK OUT LOUD.

             SOMETIMES, MY MOTHER'S FRIENDS USED TO COME HOME AND TALK LIKE THIS. WE WOULD BE SITTING ALMOST NEXT TO THEM AND NOT KNOW WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. SO IT IS WITH UPANSHU. ONLY SOMEBODY WHO IS NO MORE THAN A FEW FEET AWAY FROM YOU CAN HEAR YOU. UPANSHU JAPA IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN VACHIKA.

           THE THIRD KIND OF CHANTING IS CALLED MANSIKA WHERE YOU RECALL THE WHOLE MANTRA IN YOUR MIND. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT. USUALLY, THE MIND KEEPS ON TALKING, SO RATHER THAN LETTING THE MIND RAMBLE ON, SAYING WHATEVER IT WANTS, MANSIKA JAPA IS MAKING THE MIND SAY THE PARTICULAR MANTRA YOU ARE CHANTING.

                THE FOURTH JAPA, THE ULTIMATE ONE, IS CALLED AJAPA. IF YOU ADD "A" IN FRONT OF JAPA, IT MEANS THE OPPOSITE OF JAPA. THEREFORE, AJAPA MEANS YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY CHANTING - THE MANTRA IS CHANTING ITSELF. WITH PRACTICE, YOU WILL GET A GRIP OVER THIS. SOME PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND IT IN A MATTER OF HOURS, FOR SOME IT MAY BE DAYS, WHILE FOR OTHERS IT COULD BE WEEKS. BUT IF YOU STAY ON COURSE, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY HERE.

                WHILE IN THE WOODS, I USED TO SIT FOR VERY LONG HOURS - ONE STRAIGHT STRETCH OF TEN HOURS, AND THEN GET UP AND DO ANOTHER STRETCH OF SIX HOURS, AND SO ON. IT WAS VERY TIRING. I WOULD JUST SIT LIKE THIS AND MENTALLY CHANT (READ RECALL) MY MANTRA. AT THE END OF EVERY SESSION, I WOULD MARK MYSELF. AND IF DURING THE TEN HOURS I TURNED MY HEAD BECAUSE THERE WERE RATS AND OTHER CREATURES THERE DISTRACTING ME, I WOULD IMMEDIATELY DEDUCT FIVE MARKS OUT OF TEN, BECAUSE MY GOAL WAS TO STILL LIKE A ROCK, UNMOVING.

SOMETIMES, WHEN I WOULD CRY OUT FOR DEVI IN DEVOTION, IT WOULD ACTUALLY INTERRUPT MY MEDITATION, BECAUSE TEARS WOULD ROLL DOWN MY CHEEKS. IT WAS ICY COLD, AND WHEN THE TEARS EMERGED THEY WERE WARM, BUT BY THE TIME THEY ROLLED DOWN MY CHEEKS, THEY WERE COLD AND MY BODY CONSCIOUSNESS ROSE.

WHEN YOU SIT STILL FOR LONG HOURS WITH EXTRAORDINARY STILLNESS AND SUPREMEN CONCENTRATION, YOU LOSE AWARENESS OF YOUR BODY FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME. YOU ARE SITTING, YOU ARE MENTALLY AWARE, BUT THE BODY IS NOT THERE ANYMORE. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I EXPERIENCED ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT THIS WOULD DO A BREATHING TECHNIQUE AND SOMETIMES LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS, I USED TO FALL. THERE WAS A LITTLE WOODEN PLANK ON THE WALL. THE WALL ALSO MADE OF WOODEN PLANKS, AND MY HEAD WOULD HIT AGAINST THE PLANK WHEN I FELL, AND THEN I WOULD COME BACK TO CONCIOUSNESS.

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THE POWER OF GAYATRI MANTRA

                                                       GAYATRI MANTRA

             THERE ARE MANY FORMS O GAYATRI, BUT ONE PARTICULAR FORM IS CALLED SAVITUR GAYATRI, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM THE WORD SAVITRI, THE NAME OF MOTHER DIVINE, RADIANT AND EFFULGENT. BEAR IN MIND THAT WHILE MOTHER DIVINE, LIKE OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, ENGENDERS LIGHT, UNTIL WE INVOKE THE LIGHT WITHIN, THE WORLD AROUND US IS DARK. AND THERE IS LITTLE HOPE FOR THE PERSON WHO REMAINS DARK INSIDE.

            THE VEDAS TALK ABOUT FOUR STATES OF MIND, SUSHUPTA, WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING, JAGRITA, WHEN YOU ARE AWAKE, SWAPANA, WHEN YOU ARE DREAMING, AND TURIYA, WHEN YOU ARE BEYOND. THERE ARE ALSO SEVEN PLANES OF EXISTENCE OF WHICH THREE ARE KEY, BHU, THIS MATERIAL PLANE, BHUVAH, THE PLANE OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND SVAH, OUR TRUE SELF, SOMETHING THAT IS EVEN BEYOND SONSCIOUSNESS. THE EXPERIENCE YOU MIGHT GO THROUGH WHEN YOU ARE CONSCIOUS IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT IS BEYOND CONSCIOUSNESS.

            CONSCIOUSNESS ITSELF IS VITAL FOR MANTRA SADHANA. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO REMEMBER WHILE CHANTING ANY MANTRA, AND CERTAILY THE GAYATHRI MANTRA, THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT BECOMING A PARROT AND KEEP CHANTING WITHOUT ANY FEELING, SOME PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GET THROUGH THE MANTRA AS IF IT'S TASK THEY HAVE TAKEN UPON THEMSELVES: GOOD LORD, DO I WANT TO SIT AND CHANT THIS MANTRA AGAIN? AS I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO IN MY LIFE,  AND I HAVE TAKEN UPON MYSELF ONE MORE THING?".

            IF YOU ARE GOING TO CHANT THE MANTRA WITH THIS SENTIMENT, YOU WILL NOT GET ANY RESULTS FROM IT - YOU MAY UNDERSTAND, BUT NOT BENEFIT FROM THE MANTRA. THIS IS THE MOST  IMPORTANT, QUALITATIVE ASPECT OF MANTRA SCIENCE, AND IT SIMPLY CANNOT BE IGNORED. IN THAT SENSE, IT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL SCEINCE - IT REQUIRES FAITH.

         ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF MANTRA SCIENCE IS LEARNING ITS PROPER USE. WHEN YOU CHANT MANTRAS, AND WHEN THE GRACE OF MOTHER DIVINE IS FULLY BESTOWED UPON YOU, YOU WILL REALIZE WHEN AND HOW TO  USE IT. THAT DISCRETION, THAT SENSE OF DISCERNING WISDOM, COMES AFTE A LONG TIME OF MANTRA SADHANA.

          

              INITIALLY WHEN YOU GAIN POWER AND SHARPENIED INTUTION, OR WHEN YOU FELL YOU CAN BLESS SOMEBODY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO SOMEBODY'S LIFE, YOU WILL BE TEMPTED TO SAY, "YES, GRANTED, OKAY, SO BE IT", BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY. OR WORSE, YOU MAY SIMPLY WANT TO IMPRESS PEOPLE. BUT LET'S ASSUME YOUR INTENTION IS SIMPLY TO MAKE OTHERS HAPPY. TO SAY. "OH THIS PERSON IS BOTHERED BY THIS, LET ME MAKE HIM HAPPY", OR YOU'LL SAY, "OH GRANTED, YOU'LL WIN A MILLION DOLLARS TOMORROW," AND SO ON. IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL LOSE THE POWER VERY QUICKLY INDEED - IN A MATTER OF WEEKS, OR EVEN DAYS, IF YOU'RE NOT LUCKY. THERE IS A SAYING IN HINDI, BANDAR KE HAATH USTRA LAG GAYA HAI. THE MONKEY'S GOT A RAZOR IN HIS HANDS AND IT'S NOW JUST RUNNING IT OVER EVERYTHING IT SEES.

                THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU CHANT A MANTRA, IT TAKES TIME FOR THE ENERGY TO COME TO YOU. NATURE IS PREPARING YOU SO YOU ARE READY TO PROVIDE A REAL BENEFIT TO SOCIETY.

             PEOPLE WILL COME TO YOU, AND ONLY ONE PERCENT OF THEM WILL COME SIMPLY TO SAY," I AM VERY HAPPY, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE". NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF PEOPLE WILL COME TO YOU WITH PROBLEMS, ALMOST ALL OF WHOM WOULD BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF THEM. IF SOMEONE BELIEVES HE IS NOT THE CAUSE OF HIS PROBLEM, HOW CAN WE SOLVE IT? IF HE BELIEVES THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS CAUSING THE ISSUE, AND SAYS, "FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT DON'T TELL ME TO DO ANYTHING, BECAUSE I AM NOT THE CAUSE OF IT", YOU MIGHT SAY, "OKAY, YOUR PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLED."

            THERE WAS THIS PERSON IN CANADA - AND I AM TELLING YOU HIS REAL-STORY, WHICH I WITNESSED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WHEN I FIRST MET HIM IN INDIA, HE WAS A DEVOUT WORSHIPPER OF THE GAYATRI MANTRA. HE WAS THE FIRST ONE WHOM I SAW WHO ACTUALLY HAD GAYATRI SIDDHI . SIDDHI IS WHEN A MANTRA BECOMES YOUR OWN AND YOU BECOME THE MANTRA, THE ENERGY OF THE MANTRA WORKS THROUGH YOU, LIVES IN YOU, BENEFITTING OTHER PEOPLE. HE BLESSED AND HELPED MANY PEOPLE SAIL THROUGH DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE IN LIFE.

                                                          FOUR TYPES MANTRA

              

                                1. "OM BHURBHUVAH SVAH," FIRST PAUSE,

                                2. "TATSAVITURVARENYAMA," SECOND PAUSE,

                                3. "BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI", THIRD PAUSE,

                                4. " DHIYO YO NAH, PRACODAYATA," FOURTH PAUSE.

            IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN YOU CHANT THIS MANTRA, YOU FOLLOW A STRICT DISCIPLINE, SO TO SPEAK. YOU MIGHT ONLY SIT DOWN AND THEN CHANT. BUT AS YOU PROGRESS, CHANTING BECOMES A PART OF YOUR LIFE, AND YOU CAN CHANT 24/7.

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TIPS TO GETTING RICH

                                            THE IDEA OF GETTING RICH

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               A KEY STEP IN SETTING THE STAGE FOR GREATNESS TO THINK OF YOURSELF AS YOU DESIRE TO BE, AND SET YOUR IDEAL AS NEAR TO PERFECTION AS YOUR IMAGINATION IS CAPABLE OF FORMING THE CONCEPTION. THIS IS CALLED A THOUGHT - FORM , FOR EXAMPLE , IF A YOUNG LAW STUDENT WISHES TO BECOME GREAT, LET HIM PICTURE HIMSELF (WHILE ATTENDING TO THE VIEWPOINT, CONSECTION, AND IDENTIFICATION, AS PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED) AS A GREAT LAWYER, PLEADING HIS CASE WITH MATCHES ELOQUENCE AND POWER BEFORE THE JUDGE AND JURY, AS HAVING A UNLIMITED COMMAND OF TRUTH, OF KNOWLEDGE, AND OF WISDOM, LET HIM PICTURE HIMSELF AS THE GREAT LAWYER IN EVERY POSSIBLE SITUATION AND CONTINGENCY. WHILE HE IS STILL ONLY THE STUDENT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, LET HIM NEVER FORGET OR FAIL TO  BE THE GREAT LAWYER IN HIS THOUGHT-FORM OF HIMSELF. AS THE THOUGHT-FORM GROWS MORE DEFINITE AND HABITUAL IN HIS MIND, THE CREATIVE ENERGIES, BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT, ARE SET AT WORK. HE BEGIN TO MANIFEST THE FORM FROM WHICH AND ALL THE ESSENTIALS WITHOUT, WHICH GO INTO THE PICTURE, BEGIN TO BE IMPELLED TOWARD HIM. HE MAKES HIMSELF INTO THE IMAGE AND GOD WORKS WITH HIM. NOTHING CAN PREVENT HIM FROM BECOMING WHAT HE WISHES TO BE.

          IN THE SAME GENERAL WAY THE MUSICAL STUDENT PICTURES HERSELF AS PERFORMING PERFECT HARMONIES, AND AS DELIGHTING VAST AUDIENCES, THE ACTOR FORMS THE HIGHEST CONCEPTION HE IS CAPABLE OF IN REGARD TO HIS ART, AND APPLIES THIS CONCEPTION TO HIMSELF. THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE AND THE MECHANIC DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING, FIX UPON YOUR IDEAL OF WHAT YOU WISH TO MAKE OR YOURSELF,  CONSIDER WELL AND BE SURE THAT YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOCE, THAT IS THE ONE THAT WILL BE THE MOST SATISFACTORY TO YOU IN A GENERAL WAY. DO NOT PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE ADVISOR OR SUGGESTIONS OF THOSE AROUND YOU, DO NOT BELIVE THAT ANYONE CAN KNOW, BETTER THAT YOURSELF, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU. LISTEN TO WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO THAN YOURSELF, BUT ALWAYS FORM YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. DO NOT LET OTHER PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE TO BE. BE WHAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU WANT TO BE.

                   DO NOT BE  MISLED BY A FALSE NOTION OF OBLIGATION OR DUTY. YOU CAN OWE NO POSSIBLE OBLIGATION OR DUTY TO OTHERS, WHICH SHOULD PREVENT YOU FROM MAKING THE MOST OF YOURSELF. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF, AND YOU FROM MAKING THE MOST OF YOURSELF. BE TRUE OF YOURSELF, AND YOU CANNOT THEN BE FASE TO ANYONE. WHEN YOU HAVE FULLY DECIDED WHAT THING YOU WANT TO BE, FORM THE HIGHEST CONCEPTION OF THAT THING THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF IMAGINATION, AND MAKE THAT CONCEPTION A THOUGHT-FORM. HOLD THAT THOUGHT-FORM AS A FACT, AS THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT YOURSELF, AND BELIEVE IT. CLOSE YOUR EARS TO ALL ADVERSE SUGGESTIONS. NEVER MIND IF PEOPLE CALL YOU A FOOL AND A DREAMER. DREAM ON.

 

REMEMBER THAT BONAPARTE, THAT HALF-STARVED LIETENANT, ALWAYS SAW HIMSELF AS THE GENERAL OF ARMIES AND THE MASTER OF FRANCE, AND HE BECAME IN OUTWARD REALIZATION WHAT HE HELD HIMSELF TO BE IN MIND.  SO LIKEWISE WILL YOU. ATTEND CAREFULLY TO ALL THAT HAS BEEN SAID IN THE PRECEDING CHAPTERS, AND ACT AS DIRECTED IN THE FOLLOWING ONES, AND YOU'LL BECOME WHAT YOU WANT TO BE.

MICHAEL JORDAN IS ANOTHER PERSON WHO EARLY IN HIS LIFE SAW HIMSELF AS A GREAT ATHLETE AND HE PLANNED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO BECOME ONE OF THE GREATEST ATHLETES OF HIS GENERATION. HE ALWAYS HAD THE DETERMINATION TO WIN AND THE WILL POWER TO DO ALL THAT MUST BE DONE TO KEEP IN SHARP AND PLAY HIS VERY BEST. HE IS COMMITTED TO MAINTAIN HIGH STANDARDS AND TO KEEP IMPROVING HIS OWN RECORDS. JORDAN LEARNED THIS LESSON EARLY. IN HIGH SCHOOL, HED WAS DROPPED FROM TH TEAM, BUT HIS DETERMINATION TO BE REINSTEAD LET TO HIS STARTING A HEAVY REGIMEN OF PRACTICE DAILY- WHICH HE STILL FOLLOWS. HE TAKES EACH DOUBTS AS A CHALLEGE, AND EACH YEAR HE'S HAD A NEW INCENTIVE. 

WHEN HE RETURED TO BASKETBALL AFTER A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM THE GAME, HIS CRITICS SAID THAT HE WAS PAST HIS PRIME AND THAT HE WAS SLOWER AND COULDN'T WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. HE TOOK THIS AS A CHALLENGE AND IT JUST  HONED HIS DETERMINATION TO SHOW THEM THEY WERE WRONG. HE WORKED HARDER THAN EVER TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN HIS CONDITIONING. HE DESIGNED A YEAR-ROUND CONDITIONING PROGRAM WITH HIS OWN PERSONAL TRAINER AND HIS OWN GYM AND WEIGHT ROOM HE RECOGNIZED THAT AS ONE GROWS OLDER, THE BODY STARTS GIVING SIGNALS THAT YOU MUST LISTEN TO AND TO THE THINGS THAT ARE CORRECT IN ORDER TO STAY IN THE BEST SHAPE POSSIBLE TO CONSISTENTLY PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP. THE RESULT WERE ASTOUDING. JORDAN LED HIS TEAM TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1996 AND 1997 AND IN BOTH YEARS WAS NAMED THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. MICHAEL JORDAN'S DETERMINATION TO ACHIEVE HIS GOALS IS A LESSON TO ALL OF US THAT IF WE ARE DETERMINED TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS, NEITHER AGE NOR SKEPTICISM OF OTHERS CAN DETER US. BUT DETERMINATION IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP. IT MUST BE FOLLOWED BY HARD WORK, A REGIMEN OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISE AND WHATVER IT TAKES TO BRING US TO PEAK PERFORMANCE.

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HIMALAYA'S MONSOON

                                                  HIMALAYA'S HISTORY

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             MONSOON HAD STARTED IN FULL SWING FROM THE SOUTHEAST, FROM THE BAY OF BENGAL. THIS WAS THE SEASON OF RICE CULTIVATION IN THE SOUTH AND EAST OF INDIA. VAST STRETCHES OF THE RURAL FIELDS OF BENGAL WERE PARTIALLY FLOODED WITH WATER. TINY GREEN PADDY SHOOTS WERE JUST RAISING THEIR HEADS ABOVE THE WATER.

            FARMERS RELAXED IN THEIR MUD HOUSES AFTER MANY DAYS OF HONESTY, SELF-RESPECT, AND WILLING ENDURANCE. SOMETIMES A LATE RETURNING VILLAGER WOULD BE SEEN TARRYING ON THE MUDDY PATHS, BAREFOOTED, SANDALS IN ONE HAND AND LOOSE DHOTI HELD HIGH ABOVE THE KNEES IN THE OTHER. PASSING BY A FAMILIAR HOME, HE WOULD CALL OUT HELLO, GET A RESPONSE FROM OUTSIDE THE HOUSE - A WORD OUT HELLO, GET A RESPONSE FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE- A WORD OR TWO MORE- AND THEN CARRY ON THE LAST LAP OF HIS HOMEWARD JOURNEY. OUTER ACTIVITIES WERE OTHERWISE HARDLY NOTICEABLE.

           IN THE NIGHTS, FROM FAR - OFF DISTANCES, BENGALI DEVOTIONAL AND FOLK SONGS WERE FAINTLY AUDIBLE WITH THEIR RYTHMIC DRUMBEATS INTILLING A MYSTIFYING AND ENCHANTING MOOD.

           VILLAGE KADAMBINI WAS ABOUT FOUR MILES FROM THE LAST RAILWAY STATION ON THE NARROW GAUGE LINE. A DUSTY ROAD LED FROM THE STATION TO THE VILAGE, FIT ONLY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BULLOCK CARTS. AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE VILLAGE WAS A WELL- KNOWN KALI TEMPLE, A GREAT CENTRE FOR TANTRA PRACTICES. NEARBY AT THE CREMATION GROUND, TANTRICS LIVED AND PRACTICED THEIR CRUDE TECHNIQUES NIGHT AFTE NIGHT.

COMMON PEOPLE OFTEN SHUNNED VISITING THE PLACE AFTER DARK. MANY STORIES OF DREADFUL EPISODES MADE PEOPLE SOMEWHAT FEARFUL. BUT NOT EVERYONE KEPT AWAY. ADHERENTS OF OCCULT SECTS CAME DAILY AFTER DARKNESS DESCENDED. SOME WOULD ENTER THE CREMATION GROUND AND START THEIR PRACTICES, WHILE OTHERS SAT IN THE VICINITY OF THE KALI TEMPLE. BEFORE DAWN THEY WOULD LEAVE, ONE BY ONE, FOR THEIR HOMES.

BUT THE STORY ONE DAY WHEN A YOUNG BHAIRAVI ARRIVED AT THE TEMPLE AND OCCUPIED A CORNER OF THE VERANDAH. SHE ALWAYS REMAINED IN SILENCE. NO ONE SAW HER EATING ANY FOOD. SHE HARDLY SLEPT. MOST OF THE TIME HER EYES REMAINDED CLOSED IN DEEP REVERENCE. SHE SEEMED UNAWARE OF OUTER SURROUNDINGS. WHEN NEWS OF HER ARRIVAL SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE NEARBY VILLAGES, THRONGS OF PEOPLE BEGAN POURING IN DAY AND NIGHT TO SEE HER. RARELY WOULD SHE OPEN HER EYES TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE STANDING NEARBY, HER HEAD SELDOM RAISED BEYOND THIS POINT. GRADUALLY PEOPLE BEGAN TO BRING VARIOUS GIFTS. AFTER BOWING DOWN TO HER AND PLACING THE OFFERINGS AT HER FEET, THEY WAITED FOR HER BLESSINGS. HER SILENCE WAS ELOQUENT. HER OCCASIONAL GLANCE PACIFIED  VISITORS. SOME WOULD THEN GO AWAY, BUT OTHERS KEPT WAITING FOR HOURS.

NOT LONG AFTER THAT, STORIES BEGAN CIRCULATING ABOUT HEALINGS, PROBLEMS BEING SOLVED, AND SUCCESSESS ATTAINED, LARGER CROWS ARRIVED, BLOCKING THE WAY SO THAT IT WAS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO SEE HER FACE. A FEW SELP-APPOINTED VOLUNTEERS STARTED MANAGING THE PEOPLE SO VISITORS COULD STAND IN LINE AND SEE HER ONE BY ONE. THEY OFTEN ADDRESSED HER AS DEVIJI'S.

RAINS DIDN'T SEEM TO BOTHER MOST OF THE PEOPLE. THE TEMPLE'S SPACIOUS OPEN GROUNDS ACCOMMODATED HUNDREDS. THEY EVEN FORGOT THEIR DREAD OF THE CREMATION GROUND AND THE TANTRICS, BELIEVING THAT THE DEVIJI WAS NEAR THEM!

THE BHAIRAVI WAS FAIRLY TALL AND SLIM, WITH SKIN A BIT DARK. HER FACE WAS LONG AND WELL CHISELED AND HER LIMBS WELL PROPORTIONED. USUALLY HER BLACK HAIR WAS TIED UP AT THE BACK OF HER HEAD, BUT WHEN IMTIED, IT FELL TO HER SLENDER WAIST. WHEN SHE OPENED HER BIG EYES, VISITORS WOULD BE REMINDED, CHIEFLY BY HER PROMINENT EYELASHES, OF THE EYES OF A MUSK DEER. DEVIJI NEVER SEEMED TO NOTICE ANYONE IN PARTICULAR, BUT HER QUIET CALM AND POWERFUL BEARING MADE EVERYONE FEEL AT HOME IN HER PRESENCE.

A FEW MONTHS AFTER DEVIJI'S ARRIVAL AT THE TEMPLE, A YOUNG HOLY MAN WAS SEEN STANDING IN THE LINE. HE WAS DRENCHED BY THE MONSOON RAINS AND THE VOLUNTEERS MADE WAY FOR HIM, HELPING HIM REACH THE BHAIRAVI BY GIVING HIM PREFERENCE.

IN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE, DEVI'S OPENED AND FELL UPON THE HOLY MAN, AFTER A BRIEF AND BARELY NOTICEABLE HESITATION, A VERY FAINT SMILE - HARDLY A SMILE - APPEARED ON HER FACE. THE UNFAMILIAR HOLY MAN RESPONDED INVOLUNTARILY WITH A SHY SMILE. HE WAITED FOR SOME TIME, AND WHILE HE WAITED HER EYES DIDN'T CLOSE. THIS WAS PERHAPS THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS SEEN WATCHING SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR! BUT SOON THE HOLY MAN ARRIVED, VOLUNTEERS WOULD USHER HIM NEAR THE BHAIRAVI. GRADUALLY AND QUITE NATURALLY HIS STAY GREW LONGER AND LONGER, SOMETIMES EXTENDING THROUGH THE WHOLE DAY, AND RARELY, EVEN UP TO LAST NIGHT.

NOW DEVI SOMETIMES SPOKE A WORD OR TWO. ONCE SHE ASKED HIM, "SATYAKAM" HE REPLIED IN A SIMPLE TONE.

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TRAVELING TO HIMALAYA'S

                                                            MY DESIRE HIMALAYA'S

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                 ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER SARASWATHI, NEAR THE VILLAGE OF SONAR LINGA, LIVE A SAGE. IN THIS FAR-OFF REGION OF NORTH CENTRAL HIMALAYA, AMIDST SNOW-PEAKED MOUNTAINS, THE SAGE GAZED DOWN ACROSS THE SARASWATHI AT THIS LAST OUTPOST OF THE HIMALAYAN ROUTE. PERCHED HIGH ON THE SLOPES AT ABOUT 8000 FEET, SONAR VILLAGE APPEARED AS NOTHING MORE THANA FEW BROWN HUTS CLESTERED TOGETHER.  A VILLAGER OR TWO CUT WOOD IN THE TALL PINE FOREST, A FEW BIRDS CHIRPED HERE AND THERE. MEADOWS DOTTED WITH PINES ROLLED OVER THE SLOPES, SILENT, LUSH AND LOVELY. GRAY BOULDERS OF VARIOUS SIZES LAY ALL AROUND THE VALLEY. SARASWATHI KUND, THE SOURCE OF THE SARASWATHI RIVER, WAS ONLY ONE DAY'S GIKE AWAY. THE WEATHER WAS COLD, WET, FRESH AND INVIGORATING.

              DAWN VANISHED INTO THE RISING SUN ON THE EASTERN PEAKS OF THE RANGES. THE SAGE EMERGED FROM HIS WOODEN HUT CARRYING A BEGGING BOWL IN HIS HAND AND PROCEEDED TO THE RIVER. HE WALKED ERECT WITH A BEARING WORTHY OF A SAGE. HE STOOD TALL, WITH A BROAD FOREHAND AND MATTED HAIR FLOWING DOWN TO HIS WAIST, SCANTLY CLOTHING COVERED HIS LEARN BODY. HIS SERENE AND PLEASANT COUNTENANCE DISPERSED ALL DOUBTS WITH ITS GUESS HIS AGE, BUT JUDGING BY HIS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HE WAS ABOUT SIXTY. 

            AFTER FINISHING HIS BATH IN THE COLD RIVER, THE SAGE RETURNED TO THE HUT AND PUT THE WATER-FILLED BOWL INSIDE. AS HE CAME OUT OF THE DOOR, A YOUNG MAN DESCENDED THE SLOPES AT THE BACK OF THE HUT. IN A SHORT WHILE, THE STRANGER REVERENTLY APPROACHED THE HOLY MAN, AND WITH AWE TOUCHED HIS FOREHEAD TO THE SAGE'S BARE FEET. FROM HIS CLOSED LIPS THE HOLY MAN UTTERED A SIMPLE HNU-A SORT OF RELAXED ACKNOWLEDGMENT. THE YOUNG MAN STOOP UP, HIS FACE BEAMING, EYE SHINING AND SWEET SMILE DANCING ON HIS LIPS. IN NO TIME HIS FATIGUE, SEEMINGLY FROM A LONG JOURNEY ON FOOT, VANISHED. WITH A LITTLE IMPATIENCE HE WAITED FOR THE NEXT MOVE FROM THE HOLY MAN.

          THE SAGE SAT DOWN ON A NEARLY FLAT STONE AND BABE THE STRANGER TO SIT IN THE ONE OPPOSITE.

         SO YOU HAVE COME "SATYAKAM" ASSERTED THE SAGE WITH SATISFACTION. HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME SIR? YOU SEEMED TO KNOW I WAS COMING, DIDN'T YOU?

       WITHOUT REPLYING DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTIONS, AS IF TAKING THEM FOR GRANTED, THE SAGE CONTINUED, AFTER YOU TAKE A BATH, EAT AND REST FOR TODAY, TOMORROW YOU'LL RECEIVE YOUR FIRST LESSONS ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH.

         BUT SIR, I WANTEDTO SAY SO MUCH ABOUT MY SEARCH, MY DIFFICULTIES, YOUR WHEREABOUTS, MY ASPIRATIONS...'

       CUTTING HIM OFF IN MID-SENTENCE, THE SEER SAID ABRUPTLY WITH A FIRM AND MEASURED TONE, "THERE NEEDN'T BE ANY FORMALITIES OR INTRODUCTION BETWEEN A DISCIPLE AND A GURU OF BIRTH ACQUAINTANCE.'

       SO YOU ARE MY GURU FROM BIRTH TO BIRTH! SAYING THIS WITH ASTONISHMENT AND SATISFACTION, HE BECAME CHOKED WITH EMOTION. HIS EYES BRIMMED WITH TEARS. HE CLOSED HIS EYES SLOWLY WITH UNSPEAKABLE JOY, AND TEARS ROLLED DOWN HIS CHEEKS AS HIS HANDS INVOLUNTARILY FOLDED IN THE MANNER OF RESPECTFUL GREETING. HIS FOREHEAD BENT DOWN A LITTLE, BUT HE COULD NOT HOLD HIMSELF FURTHER AND FELL SPONTANEOUSLY AT THE FEET OF THE MASTER.

              THE MASTER TOUCHED SATYAKAM'S HEAD WITH HIS RIGHT HAND AND SLOWLY LET THE PLACE.

                THE DAY MOVED ON, RYTHMIC IN AGELESS SPLENDOR, THE SKY WAS CLEAR BLUE, SNOW GLIMMERED ON THE PEAKS, A CROW OR TWO FLEW FROM ONE END OF THE VALLEY TO THE OTHER. WATER RUSHED IN THE RIVER, MAKING THE ONLY SOUND IN THE VALLEY. THE LURE AND ENCHANTMENT OF THE UNSPOILED WATERS BECKONED SATYAKAM TO RELAX AND ABSORB THE NATURAL BEAUTY.

             SMOOTHLY AND METHODICALLY, SATYAKAM WENT ON FINISHING HIS CHORES, RESPECTFULLY TAKING, ON OCCASION, NECESSARY INSTRUCTIONS FROM HIS MENTOR, TILL THE DAY ENDED IN PEACEFUL DUSK.

           CALLING HIM WITH A LITTLE INDIFFERENCE, THE HOLY MAN SAID, 'I'LL SEE YOU TOMARROW MORNING. YOU MAY RETIRE TO YOUR HUT NOW'. POINTING A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH.

           NEXT MORNING A FEW PATCHES OF CLOUD FILLED THE SKY, BUT SUNSHINE BROKE THROUGH - A BLESSING IN THIS REGION OF SNOW. THE RAINY SEASON WAS STILL TWO MONTHS AWAY. THE TWO SOLITARY FIGURES SILENTLY ASCENDED THE MOUNTAINSIDE BEHING THE MASTER'S HUT WHERE SATYAKAM HAD APPEARED THE DAY BEFORE. A SHORT WHILE AFTER, ON FAIRLY LEVEL GROUND ON THE SLOPE, THE MASTER SAT DOWN FACING THE RIVER. ON SLIGHTLY LOWER GROUND SAT SATYAKAM, LOOKING AT HIS MASTER AND WAITING ANXIOUSLY.

              SATYAKAM WAS OF AVERAGE BUIL, RELATIVELY FAIR AND IN HIS EARLY TWENTIES. AN UNEVEN SCANTY BEARD HAD GROWN ON HIS FACE, GIVING HIM THE LOOK OF AN ASPIRANT, HIS HAIR HAD NEARLY GROWN DOWN THE BACK OF HIS NECK, BUT WAS NOT QUITE FLOWING YET. HE HAD A MORE OR LESS ROUND FACE, AND ON IT ONE COULD EASILY READ HIS TRANSPARENT SINCERITY, DEVOTION AND SELF-CONTROL. TRUTH WAS READY ON HIS LIPS ANYTIME. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS FATIFUED AND SOMEWHAT UNDERNOURISHED, HE APPEARED RATHER HEALTHY.

            THE GURU LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, "SATYAKAM, WE'LL START WHERE WE ENDED IN THE PREVIOUS BIRTH".

             BUT I DON'T REMEMBER MY LAST BIRTH, SIR! RESPONDED SATYAKAM INNOCENTLY.

            YOU'LL COME TO KNOW IT AS THE DAYS TO BY. THERE IS NO USE IN JUST TELLING YOU AND SATISFYING ONLY YOUR CURIOSITY. BETTER THAT YOU KNOW IT RATHER THAN SIMPLY BE INFORMED. SUFFICE IT TO SAY IT WON'T TAKE YOU LONG TO SEE YOUR PREVIOUS INCARNATION. YOUR PRESENT BALANCE OF MIND AND MERIT ARE WHAT REALLY MATTER. AND YOU HAVE THESE SUFFICIENTLY-TRUTHFULNESS,  SELF-CONTROL AND SINCERITY. 

           FROM TODAY ONWARD FORGET CALCULATING TIME MEASUREMENTS OF DAYS, MONTHS AND YEARS OR EVEN BIRTHS. JUST WATCH THE SUN RISING AND SETTING. LET EACH DAY BE SIMPLY AND DAY AND EACH NIGHT A NIGHT. LET THE DAY FLOW WITH YOUR LIVING. BY THIS, A NEWNESS-EVER NEWNESS-WILL BE PRESENT WITH YOU. PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE WILL MINGLE INTO ONE, AND YOU'LL FLOAT INTO INDESCRIBABLE JOY-LIGHT,  RELAXED AND FREE.

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