3/29/13

Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara - Day 2 update

Sadhana Sangama Day 2 program on Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara at New Delhi (Malai Mandir) started with Guruji's guided Meditation. Below is a brief synopsis of 2nd day's program.

Guruji at the start of Day2 Program
Ramana’s language is direct, he does not believe in indirect way of understanding the reality. Ramana’s language is like a telegraphic language, it is direct, similar to our Gurudev Swami Rama’s language. There would be no ambiguity. Their languages are coded and when we start chewing them, the coded language starts releasing signals after signals.
 
Guruji then recited the first sloka of Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara:

Karthru ajnayaa prapyathe phalam
Karma Kim Param Karma Tad jadam

Karthru ajnayaa – Everything happens at the command of the Karthuh, i.e. at the will of the doer.  If everything is happening at the command of the Karthru, then as a Sadhaka what is our responsibility? So friends what is our responsibility as a Sadhaka if everything is at the command of the karthru? Our responsibility is to find out who is this Karthru.
 
A person who has known his true Karthru, starts sharing everything he has. If we don’t realize our Karthru, our life contracts. We are interested in storing, possessing, keeping our possession in secret chambers, that’s why all our experiences are stale experiences. That’s the reason there are no joy in all our experiences.
 
Guruji says, Anything that is known is not tasty. Anything which is unknown is always tasty. Spiritual experience never repeats. Material experiences are called as "pleasure" as it keeps repeating whereas Spiritual experiences are called as "bliss" because it never repeats. We are always in pursuit of pleasure and not the bliss. To experience bliss, it is important to know the true Karthru.
 
We go through this material experiences in the form of various pleasures and we start craving for that experience again and again. As the pursuit continues, a monster keep developing inside. It is very difficult to satisfy this growing pleasure and it has become our habit. So Ramana, a great spiritual master, an innovative scientist, not guided by any written literature, simply asking us to find out the karthru who is behind all these.
 
Guruji is asking us to use this as a formula, without questioning. He is asking us to find out the true Karthru. We are only seeing the actions and getting identified with the actions. However we are not seeing the real Karthru who is behind these actions.
 
We have so much noise inside that we are not able to sit in silence. We don’t have that rejoicing resort in us and we go in search of such resort outside. Guruji says there is nothing needed from outside for this self-enquiry.
 
Guruji is asking us to study ourselves from morning till evening,  to be aware how we behave, how we relate with people, how we talk with people,  how we relate with the situations outside, how do we behave with our relations. Guruji says when we start seeing them; we would then start seeing the intentions, the experiences, the suppressed thing, unexpressed things that are all behind each actions. This would help us to find our Karthru.
 
When we see a person going to temple, then immediately we identify that person as very pious. Same person if we see going to bar, we immediately identify that person as being spoiled. So here depending upon action the person is judged. It might be so that the person might be going to the bar only to convey a message or to see someone. So it’s not the action through which we can decide but it’s the intention, the motivating energy behind the action that would give us a real picture. So if there is hurt in us, hurt becomes the driving energy, and then all our reactions are controlled at the will/command of the hurt.

Why people behave differently? Who is guiding all their reactions, movements etc.? Karthru ajnayaa, Guruji says, please go into & explore the karthru, don’t worry about the crisis, betrayal, dejection, depression, disappointment, failure, pride, joy, pleasure etc. Don’t even try to analyze the action; just find out who is that Karthru inside who is making you do it. We are only seeing the kriya but not the Karthru. Outwardly we may be a very good human being, but inside, every sweet word that is coming out might be dipped in the poison.
 
When we try to find out the Karthru, then we realize, action is not the Karthru. Ramana says Karma Tad Jadam, your Karma is dull & lame, it cannot move. Without creating any guilt or hurt you start studying & understand that there is something behind every action. There is something hidden which is acting.

When Karma is Jada, then Ramana says, Karma Kimparam, why are you glorifying it? Guruji says, don’t think you are working & slogging for family, all nonsense. Your existence is nothing to do with the external things. We are run by the agencies like hurt, discontentment, pleasure, expectation, emotions etc., which is making us to perform these activities.

We are suffering because we go into into self pity and don’t have the guts to see the reality and look at the truth as truth. We always try to glorify our actions. Karma Kimparam Ramana Maharshi says, why are you glorifying them? The moment one start glorifying, then they miss the reality.

Guruji here asks a question back to us, why are you doing so much service for your Guru?  Why are you serving Guru when He visits your place? And after serving Him, we then start glorifying our actions, stating "Look how much I am serving or helping my Guru”? Guruji is asking us to see who is working here and what is that which is making you to serve the Guru.  Please see this impartially, then one can find the true Karthru. Once you have identified your true Karthru, then the life would become full of enthusiasm, one would see opportunities everywhere. The moment you see it, the fear, suffering, all would disappear. 

Find out your true 'Karthru'
Guruji also said that mere by doing pooja or asanas, no transformation is going to happen, unless one realizes & understand the Karthru who is making these actions. We are glorifying our karma, because we don’t know our karthru. So what needs to be done?. Guruji says detach yourself from the karma and start looking at the Karthru. That’s why we have to so our Sadhana and be silent.  For e.g. when you try to sit straight keeping your back, head and the neck along the same straight line, you can identify hundreds of Karthru’s attacking you, by not allowing you to sit straight. Once you start analyzing these karthru’s, then they would lead you to identify the true Karthru.

Today parents are becoming victims of our own children, and the children become helpless. We don’t have any strength to relate with the kids & we have pampered them so much. Guruji is asking a question here, “Have we allowed our child to cry to its last stroke? We don’t because we are scared. We keep feeding them and we don’t allow the children to know what appetite is. We as a parents have failed to show our children the true Karthru here which is in the form of appetite.

So one has to ask this question, Karthru ajnayaa -  who is guiding, commanding, dictating, pushing, motivating us to perform actions in the external world. Who is that? So when you see a action, try to see the immediate Karthru behind it, it may lead you to another Karthru and keep searching until you find out the true Karthru.

You may ask how to look at it. For example, I have gone somewhere and return home with hurt feeling. So who am I now? (Naan Yaar?) I now related myself with the hurt feeling. So the doer is hurt now. When the doer is hurt, all the actions is going to be hurt only. Here Ramana says you are angry because you are hurt. Ramana says, if you are hurt, depressed, anger, frustrated, feeling helpless, these qualities are only the effects. But find out who has created this? In this example, because of my hurt, i become angry. So here the karthru is not anger, but hurt is the karthru. So catch this hurt and look into it, and ask who are you? The hurt says, I am ‘expectation’, I was hurt because my expectation was not met. So who is the karthru of the hurt, punctured expectation is the karthru. So come to the expectation, ask who are you? The expectation says, I am assumption. So expectation is not the karthru and we go to assumption and ask who are you? Assumption says I am not the karthru, and you go further. As you keep going, you will find out it’s the ignorance which is our karthru.

We assume karthru is god, and we blame & throw everything on Bhagwan (God). It’s the act of irresponsibility. There are two karthru that are working in us, one is the karthru created out of ignorance and another is the karthru of something else which is in its true form. If we have to experience the later,  we have to negate the false / fake karthru’s mercilessly.

Most of us are identifying the wrong karthru because of our ignorance. This leads to hurt, expectation, assumption, anger etc.  Go back and find out who is the true karthru in you.

Friends as you can see, in Day 2 of the program, Guruji has repeatedly asking us to go inside and find out the 'Karthru' in us. Instead of literally translating the bookish meaning for the word 'Karthru' as 'God', our Guruji is asking us to find out who is this 'Karthru' as it would lead us to identify that True Self.  So in search of that true Karthru, let us spend our day today.

With Pranams

'Bansuri'
(the messenger)



3/28/13

Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara - Day 1 Update

Guruji’s Morning lecture on Ramana Maharshi’s Upadesa Sara started today at Malai Mandir, South Delhi.  After walking through the aspirants who have come for the program on the guided Meditation, Guruji started the lecture session.  Below is a brief synopsis of Day 1 of Guruji’s lecture.
Guruji lighting the lamp & starting the Day 1 session

Guruji praying to Baba & Devi Gayatri
Ramana Maharshi is a self-realized Master & has given a wonderful path of silence.  He has shared that joy of self-knowledge to the entire humanity, based on His experiences. If we look into ourself, the entire life is for self study. 'Svadhyaya'. Sva-adhyaya, when I start studying myself then this 'I' starts unfolding.

More you try to ponder over, the greater the space it’s going to create deep within. In the beginning this enquiry, we all feel it’s a boring activity, not getting the clue, agitated. Guruji says these are the beginning stages of sadhana.

Modern mind is a very impatient mind. To study oneself, one has to be prepared themselves with qualities such as Love, patience & endurance filled with joy. We are not fit to start 'Svadhyaya' if we don’t prepare the mind with these qualities.  Because of our impatience it’s not happening in us. It’s going to open out once we have the 'Shamatha' (patience / perseverance) & 'Shanthatha' (calm or serenity) in me. This is the whole preparation required for Atma Gyana.

If you only show curiosity to collect information, this kind of impatient approach would not reach you anywhere. If you look at great masters life, every master has gone through so much of hell & crisis. One may wonder, with all these tortures & crisis, is it really worth going for this inner search? This question usually appears in all the sadhakas and this in turn leads to breaking / collapsing.  Many people go through this frustration and develop aversion which finally leads to frustration and aversion towards the Guru & His teachings. One may think they were wasting their energy & time so far. But friends, we don’t realize even otherwise we are wasting our energy & time in the external world.
Don't give any excuses for your 'Sadhana'
If you feel, the Sadhana given to you is difficult, doing your spiritual practices is difficult, one may please ponder what in life is easy otherwise? It is difficult to maintain the family, difficult to raise our children with good education & wisdom, difficult to take care of parents, difficult to maintain a healthy body etc.  So if everything is difficult, why one complain that our individual Sadhana is difficult?

In external world, we slog & suffer so much and go through so much of humiliation, but we don’t understand that what we are going through are all nonsense & are of least importance. However in our Sadhana, we often complain stating, “Oh Guruji, doing meditation is very difficult, getting up in the morning for Meditation is very tough, keeping the back, neck & the head along the same straight line is difficult” etc. Since you have accepted your personal life, you don’t have any complaints, however in your spiritual life, since the total acceptance is not there, you have hundreds of excuses & complaints.

Your external world, your problems & crises keeps multiplying & it keep demanding & it keep asking for your blood & sweat. However your inner world only asks for little time daily to travel inside.
Samarpana Kar (Surrender yourself) & leave the rest to the Grace of the Masters
Our Gurudev, Swami Rama says, “Bete, Samarpan kar, don’t worry about the transformation”. It’s a promise from our Gurudev. You spend time with your Inner Guru, rest leave it to the Masters. Spending time together is Samarpana here.  You are staying with the Inner Guru and He is staying with you and you are staying together in the space of silence, that is Samarpana. Here there is no expectation, misery, complaint between the two.

Is it possible for us to sit in that silence, where you don’t expect anything and have no complaints?

Then Guruji started narrating one childhood incident of Ramana Maharshi life, which transformed Him and how He happened to reach the abode of Arunachala hills in Thiruvannamalai.

Guruji then explained what was Ramana Maharshi's search and what was His Sadhana. Guruji said that His sadhana was pondering over a very basic but important question, “Naan Yaar?” (“who am I?” or "Mein Kaun Hoon?"). 

When people meet Ramana with lot of problems, crises or any of their personal dream related queries, he simply asks them back “OK, you went through these crises, problems or bad dreams, but before analyzing them, first you tell me who has gone through these experiences”?.

Ramana Maharshi is asking us repeatedly to go back with this question “Who am I"?. We make statements like, “I am depressed", "I am agitated", "I am frustrated” etc., Ramana Maharshi says, they are mere adjectives and One has to ask this question, who was depressed, who was agitated, who was frustrated etc. 

Guruji then stressed the importance of knowing the center within. Guruji asks us to find out what is that constant in you which is trying to relate with all variables that is constantly going on outside? Ask yourself, who is that “I”. If you understand this, then Ramana Maharshi’s “Upadesha Shara” would give strong foundation. 

Only for connecting with the external world, you need everything. However to study yourself, you don’t need anything but your own self. Ramana Maharshi says that which is not you, just drop them. The challenge here is, it is so painful for us to drop, remove, and uncover our external identities. It is very easy to add but it is very very difficult to subtract. We keep adding, possessing, collecting but we find it difficult to uncover, subtract, remove them. Unless we do this uncovering, Self Realization is not possible.

Guruji says, we have to mercilessly break all fake forms to identify our true self. Guruji then recited Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara's first sloka:

Karthu rajnayaa prapyathe phalam
Karma Kim Param Karma Tad jadam


and briefly gave the meaning for this Shloka and said this sloka would be further discussed & explained in the subsequent days.
We are eagerly waiting for the Day 2 for Guruju to unfold Ramana Maharshi's Upadesa Sara for us.

Till then, let's ponder over "Naan Yaar?" (Who am I?), thank you & Happy Sadhana

- "Bansuri"  
(the messenger)



3/21/13

Let's hear Guruji - Chakra Meditation (Series 3)

Chakra Meditation

Chakra Meditation
Pranams to all. Hope your sadhana is flowing like a river & marching ahead to meet the ocean of pure bliss. Swami Rama Says, “Sadhana is very important. All sadhanas, all practices, are meant to purify and strengthen the mind that disturbs your being and prevents you from being aware of the Reality that is within you”. So let us remember the Master’s and continue our practice without having any hesitation or doubt.

In our humble effort in analyzing our Guruji Shri Pattabhiram’s DVD program, today we will look upon “Chakra Meditation” DVD today. This is single DVD which we are going to look upon. The same title is also available in 3 DVD tittle also.

Understanding Chakras


Guruji starts the session with a very vital question; what is important in life? Friends, let us close our eyes for a minute and try to answer this question. Please close your eyes and think for a while, what is important in life which is going to give that eternal peace & satisfaction that each one of us are longing for.  If you have sincerely asked this question to yourself, please move on read what Guruji has to say and whether it matches with your answer.

Guruji explains, what is important in life is the 'connectivity with the Universal Self'. To connect with that Universal Self which is very sacred eternal and ever shining with all radiance brilliance and full of bliss compassion and love, one has to do Chakra Meditation.

Connectivity with the Universal Self

Then Guruji goes on to explain what that universal self is & how to understand that universal self. During Meditation when you go very deep within, you realize there is one untouched enthusiasm which is shining in all its sacred beauty. There is some energy which is constantly being connected between you and that Universal Self. Every second there is a beautiful communication between these two through a bridge. Chakra Meditation helps in to touch, feel, experience that sacred center which is there in all of us.

Then Guruji moves on in explaining 3 bodies that every human being is blessed with. They are:

- Sthula Sarira (Gross body),
- Sukshma Sarira (subtle body) and
- Karana Sarira (Causal Body).

Do your Sadhana sincerely
Guruji here mentions that a sadhaka has to constantly work on the Sukshma Sarira taking the support of Sthula Sarira. To study Sukshma Sarira, we need to make the Sthula Sarira, healthy, still & comfortable. 

Sthula sarira is in between the Mooladhara chakra and the Sahasrara Chakra. There is a pillar of light in this passage & the light is traveling up and down shining eternally. This beautiful inner passage is blessed with very powerful universal centers. Each chakra that is working here is correspondingly relating with the cosmic energy field. So the entire universe, the design of the cosmos, all the energy centers are placed in the Sukshma Sarira.

Shri Pattabhiram explaining the importance of Chakra
Then Guruji goes on to explain; what is Chakra, what are the importance of these chakras and why one has to be aware of them. It’s a beautiful knowledge that Guruji has shared with us in a language that we can easily understand with.

What is a Chakra? A chakra is nothing but an energy wheel. Guruji says, each chakra that is there along the spinal column, i.e. the meru marga, if studied properly from the Mooladhara chakra to Sahasrara chakra, then one can start studying the entire universe.

These chakras are connected with 72000 channels that are called as Nadi’s, they are the energy conveyers and they are carrying the energy.  So the chakra meditation is nothing but a process where we free ourselves from all our Karma (Action) Samskara (Impression) & Vasanas (effect of Karma) & energy field that are bugging us.

Now Guruji answers to a very important perennial question, how Karma Samskara Vasanas are developed into the systems.

To answer this, Guruji first goes on to explain beautifully about the four urges that each one of us primarily have and the connecting channels which are developed due to these urges and how each one of these are connected with the Chakra and its effects.

Guruji explaining four urges
The Four urges that every Jeeva (soul) have are:

1. Ahara, (food)
2. Nidra, (sleep)
3. Bhaya (fear) and
4. Maithuna (reproduction)

Due to ignorance, Jeeva develops six channels through these 4 urges and they are:

1. Kama (lust),
2. Krodha (anger),
3. Lobha (greed),
4. Moha (emotional attachment),
5. Mada (pride) &
6. Matsarya (jealousy).

Guruji then takes us to each one of these channels. First channel that is developed is Kama, i.e. desire. When the Kama is not fulfilled the same Kama, the desire gets converted into another energy form called Krodha. i.e. anger or frustration.

If 'Kama' is fulfilled, then the 'Kama' takes us to the promoted level i.e. 'Lobha'. In the beginning, it is a simple desire, and then this desire gets into 'Lobha', the greed. The need goes away, the greed enters.

Wherever there is greed, this creates another channel, a negative destructive channel i.e. 'Mogha''Mogha' means attachment.

Guruji explaining Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada & Matsarya

When ‘Lobha’ reaches some height, then it introduce another element called the 'Madha'. 'Madha' means Ego.

Where this kind of ego, arrogance is there, it strengthens another channel called 'Matsara', means Jealousy.

These six, when they starts expressing themselves with the external world,  it brings Karma, Samskara & Vasanas into the system.

Guruji showing Heart Chakra position

Guruji showing Crown Chakra position

Guruji showing Throat Chakra position
Now Guruji takes us to each Chakra i.e. Mooladhara (the root chakra), Swadhisthana (the Sacral chakra), Manipura (the solar plexus chakra), Anahata (the heart chakra), Vishuddhi (the throat chakra), Ajna (the brow chakra) & Sahasrara (the crown chakra),explaining where they are  located, what each Chakra is colored & dusted with that needs to be removed so that one can touch, feel, experience that sacred center which is there in all of us and create connectivity with the Universal Self.  This is a very important session in this DVD, which gives lot of insight about each chakras that are present in us and how one should approach them.

Guruji explaining how each chakra is dusted with
Chakra meditation is a beautiful wonderful journey. Chakra Meditation is a Journey from our survival instinct, from our sexual Bhoga, from our Indriya Bhoga to that divine romance. Guruji then goes on to explain what needs to be done to take up this journey. Guruji suggests working at two levels. First level is the 24 hours Sadhana that one has to undertake. Guruji understands what would be our immediate reaction once He asks us to do 24 hours Sadhana. How can we do 24 hours sadhana as we have so many tasks to do in the material outside world? Find out from the DVD, what is that 24 hours Sadhana that Guruji is asking us to perform. It is so simple & effective for sure.

Second level that Guruji is suggesting us is to do is one hour Sadhana which is explained in this DVD under Meditation chapter.

Guruji explaining why Chakra Meditation is important
Guruji again explains why Chakra Meditation is very important for all us. We have to do chakra meditation for two objectives, viz.  Chitha Sodhanam & Mukthi Sadhanam. Find out from this DVD, what is this Chitha Sodhanam & Mukthi Sadhanam.

Guruji also warns aspirants from awakening our inner centers & chakras without any purification & preparation. Guruji clarifies that if we don’t purify them, in that poisonous state of mind, if that energy is awakened in us, the very divine energy is going to be a monstrous energy & would destroy our inner infrastructure completely.

Preparing for Meditation

Every Guru tells the disciple, “Bete you prepare first, the rest you leave it to me” because Guru cannot prepare on behalf of the Sadhaka. It is the responsibility of a Sadhaka to prepare himself. Guruji explains the preparation that is required for this Chakra Meditation. He gives lot of importance to “Sankalpa”.

Bete, you prepare first, the rest leave it to the Guru
Guruji also explains why we are not able to experience the fruits of our sadhana. This is another important section of this DVD which clearly guides an able aspirant for who wants to take up the spiritual journey.

Meditation

Listen, Experience & merge with the inner light by listening to Guruji’s 45 minutes Chakra Meditation Session. Here Guruji systematically takes the aspirants to basics of Chakra Meditation, how to channelize our breathing, how to energize our Chakras and how to connect with that Inner light and make the connectivity with the Universal Self.

To purify one's own Self, one has to work hard
As we come to the conclusion, let us remember that the Chakra Dhyana is a silent evolution. There is nothing to show to external world. We have become bonded labor as our attitude, thinking, emotion, anxiety are guiding and dictating us. We need to free ourselves from these entanglements.

As Guruji suggests, “To purify one’s own Self, one has to work hard, if we don’t have that in us, please forget about the Sadhana and enjoy your usual mundane life. But once you have taken the spiritual journey, be little bit serious and pursue your Sadhana sincerely”.

Swami Rama too emphasizes the importance of Sadhana in a spiritual seeker’s life. He says:
“It is amazing to observe that most of the people enveloped in sloth and lethargy are not aware that life on this earth is but a brief moment, and that moment should be utilized to purify the way of the soul. Those who do not do their duties and yet expect the best in life are fools who live in a fool’s paradise.”

So friends, Let us sincerely do our Sadhana in search of our Inner light. Remember the very Inner light is the Guru; let us offer humble salutations to the Guru, the light, guiding every soul in the universe. With Humble pranams, see you soon, till then, let’s hear Guruji…

Let us offer humble salutations to the Guru
For list of DVD's titles that are available, please click here. If you are interested to get this DVD, please contact +91-9312796128 / 9868112750 or write to basantpnd4@gmail.com.

- 'Bansuri'
(the messenger)


3/19/13

Guruji program update in Indore

As published in leading newspaper Hindustan Times here

Everyone is living a hectic life in order to achieve goals. This causes stress and in the process one forgets to think about his own well being. As a result, it causes physical and mental problems. Such problems are the root cause for building up stress and stress-related issues.

This was stated by spiritual guru Pattabhiramji at a stress management workshop organised by Tavleen Foundation here on Sunday. He demonstrated yogic ways to overcome stress.

Addressing the workshop, he said people tend to create stress in their mind by worrying about some or the other thing. “But we do not know how to de-stress ourselves,” he remarked. Stress, he said, causes anxiety, restlessness, helplessness, insecurity, frustration and all the negative feelings in mind and body.

“For instance, a person cannot sit alone without any movement for even two minutes. We have so many things running in our mind that we need to engage ourselves into some thing or the other. In order to relax and de-stress yourself, you need to meditate for at least 20 minutes,” Pattabhiram said.

He said that the first indication of stress is visible in the eating habits of a person. When a person is in stress, he starts eating unhealthy and spicy food. His eating capacity increases by what he usually eats. The reason is the erratic mental energy which comes out in the form of eating habits. Another indication of stress is behaviour.

According to Pattabhiram, stress is reflected in a person’s behaviour. He said, “When a person is in stress, he will run away from difficult situations or will choose alcohol as a medium to divert his mind. If not this, he may end up in fights with family members, colleagues and friends. A stressed person is full of negativity which gets reflected in his/her behaviour.”

He said developing detachment helps in de-stressing and is the first step of stress management. Yoga helps in releasing stress easily. “Stress management yoga is a technique,” Pattabhiram said. “The best technique,” he continued, “to de-stress is to detach yourself from the outside world by sitting in a straight posture without taking back support and meditating for 20 minutes.” In this posture, the body does not develop any negativity. Meditation helps in releasing the negativity in the body, he added.


3/16/13

Blessings from the Masters at Tarkeshwar

Guru Grace at Tarkeshwar
 
On the auspicious occasion of Shivratri, with Guruji’s blessings, few sadhakas from Sadhana Sangama, Delhi visited the Tapo Bhoomi of Baba, Tarkeshwar.  Swami Rama in his famous book “Living with Himalayan Masters” describes Tarkeshwar as follows:

"I know many calm and quiet places in the lap of the Himalayas where one can live and meditate without being disturbed. Whenever I get tired I think of recharging myself by going to the Himalayas for a short period. One of my favorite places for such a retreat is in the district of Garhwal, twelve miles north of Landsdowne, where at the height of 6,500 feet there is a small Shiva temple surrounded by thick fir trees.”

The Sadhakas were warmly welcomed by Mr. Tittu Bhai, Manager of the Ashram near the Temple in Tarakeshwar. The temple & the residential place were neatly arranged for the Shivratri Occasion. At 6500 feet, it’s quite a task arranging all the basic amenities for any visitor. However Tittu Bhai, who was long associated with Swami Hariharananda (fondly called as ‘Laughing Swami’) meticulously took care of all that is required for a comfortable stay. 

We reached at around 5:00 in the evening on Saturday, 9th March, 2013. The weather was cold with chilly winds greeting us. Initially it was a welcome relief for us from the heat of Delhi but later on we had to take protection from the cold. After tea and a small break, we joined the other devotees (around 100 people were there staying at the Ashram for Shivratri) in the evening Aarti at 7 pm. We came back from the temple around 8.30 pm, had our dinner and retired for the day.

View of Tarkeshwar Temple from our room


Are they meditating?!
Kund (bathing tank) near Tarkeshwar Temple
Sunday, 10th March was Shivratri day and we had already decided to spend the night in the temple. We were blessed to meet Shri Venkateshwaran, direct disciple of Swami Rama from Kerala and also relatives of Baba, Mr. J.P. Dabral, along with his niece and Mama ji, who were from Delhi. They were camping there for Shivratri and during the day we exchanged our experiences with each other. We had lunch and rested for a while and around 4.30 pm we started trekking to Sidh Baba’s place (As refered in "Living with Himalayan Master", Siddh Baba saved Swami Rama's life when he fell down from the Hills in Tarakeshwar) led by Mr. Dabral & his Mama ji. We reached Sidh Baba’s place and meditated for a while in group and sang some Bhajans and Mr. Dabral shot a few photos of our group at that place. We returned in the evening to the room, freshened up and attended the evening’s Aarti.

Siddh Baba's place
 Shivratri decoration at Tarkeshwar Temple


Trees surrounding Tarkeshwar Temple
After dinner, around 10.15 pm we left to the temple for meditation. We started our Sadhana with the sankalpa that we are here on behalf of all those sadhakas who could not make it on this day to Tarakeshwar and dedicated our trip to them. We chanted Maha Mrtyunjaya Mantra, played Maha Rudram and Chamakam, listened to the Meaning of this Mantra from our Guruji’s audio recording, chanted other bheejakshara mantras given by Guruji, and 108 Gayathri mantras on various deities including Shiva, Durga, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Subramanya, Ganapathi, Suryadev. We finished our japa and meditation and left the temple around 5 am in the morning and slept away the entire morning (woke up at 10.55 am).

Beautiful view of Tarkeshvar Temple entrance

Mother Nature

The entire day on Monday, 11th March was spent in a relaxed way so as to prepare for that night’s Sadhana. Towards evening there were mixed feelings amongst us as to whether we can sit through the night consecutively for the second day as well. At last, a consensus was arrived at that we will leave it to Tarakeshwar Mahadev and resolved to sit through the night.

At around 11 pm we entered the temple and sat for meditation listening to our Guruji’s audio recording of Guided Meditation on Lord Mrityunjaya. All of us could feel the presence of the energy of Himalayan Masters and we were all sucked in by that energy. None of us felt like opening our eyes and our posture was stabilized in stillness without effort on our part. Around 1 pm, we came out of meditation and started doing the Abhisheka for Tarakeshwar Mahadev. It went on till 3.30 am. Mahadev was glowing in the light of the oil lamps and we offered prasada that we prepared (upma and rava kesari). Again we sat to chant some Gayathri Mantras and we concluded chanting at 4.55 AM. and we did the Aarti at 5:00 in the morning (Tuesday, 12th March).

All of us in the group felt a unique thing that is, we distinctly heard OM nadha (sound of "OM") gradually merging with the silence. This happened repeatedly after completion of each Gayatri Mantra.

Tarakeshwar Mahadev

Tarakeshwar Mahadev

Tarakeshwar Mahadev & Subramanya

Tarakeshwar Mahadev at the time of Aarti

We moved out of the temple around 6.15 am after winding up and cleaning the temple to the room. Surprisingly none of us felt any tiredness or had sleepy feeling. All of us were fresh, had breakfast and left Tarakeshwar for Delhi around 11 am and reached Delhi by 7:00 in the evening.

Dawn in Tarkeshwar

Mystique Beauty
Shri Venkateshwaran, direct disciple of Swami Rama

Mamaji (Swami Rama's relative)

J.P. Dabral Ji (Swami Rama's relative)

We learnt that Pradosha (9th March), Shivratri (10th March) and Ammavasya (11th March) followed successively and to spent the three nights at such a powerful place is a blessing. We are fortunate to share the blessings with all of you.

Friends, the reason of sharing this trip report is not merely to list down our experience over there, but rather to emphasize the presence of Grace completely for all the Sadhakas & able aspirants. It is the GRACE that WORKS. It is our duty to continue our Sadhana and do selfless service with love if that Grace has to work through us. Therefore, Together let us work for invoking that GRACE. Swami Rama describes in his book "Sadhana: The Essence of Spiritual Life",

"He (the guru) wants nothing, for what He is doing is His duty, the purpose of his life. If He guides you, He is not obliging you, He is doing his work. He cannot live without doing doing His duty. Genuine Gurus cannot live without selflessness, for selfless love, is the very basis of their enlightenment. They radiate life and light from the unknown corners of the world. The world does not know them, and they do not want recognition". 

With the blessings of the Guru Parampara, let us try and maintain a balance between the internal and external worlds and let's not get caught by the rigidity of the external observances, which are actually non essentials.
   
Baba bless all.

- 'Bansuri'

 

3/8/13

Maha Shivaratri Anushttana - 2013



Maha Shivaratri – March 10th, 2013

Shivaratri is a night of auspiciousness where the entire cosmos reverberates with Bliss and Harmony. Shiva means Bliss, Harmony and Auspicious. On Shivaratri if one meditates he experiences a great Harmony in himself, a Blissful communion with the divinity within; an expansive connectivity with the entire cosmos. Of course, the entire activity of the Cosmos is nothing but the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva. On Shivaratri day, through meditation, if you tune your life rhythm with the cosmic rhythm of Lord Shiva’s dance – Ananda Thandava, if one integrates completely with that eternal symphony, then the internal purification sets in; the negative, poisonous vibrations of misery, agony, ill-health will melt away and the waves of Bliss blessed with harmony will enrich the life to lead a vibrant, happy, harmonious living.

Lord Shiva

Practice:

1. Assume a comfortable posture. Keep the body still till the end of the practice. Relax the body  completely.

2. Focus on Sushumna for 3 minutes.

3. Come to Guru Chakra. Feel the presence of Bhole Baba (Swami Rama). Meditate there with the special mantra (minimum 1 mala – 108 times)

“OM HREEM GURUDEVAAYA NAMAHA”

Seek the blessings of Bhole Baba.

4. Come to Ajna Chakra. Feel the presence of Lord Shiva in the form of Jet Black Shivalinga surrounded by Blue Light indicating Health, Harmony and Bliss.

5. Meditating on the Shivalinga in Ajna chakra, chant 9 times Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.

Om Thrembhakam Yajaamahey Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam
Oorvaa ruka miva bandhanaan
Mrityoar Muksheeya Maa Amrutaath

Mrityunjaya Mantra

6. Staying in Ajna Chakra, focusing on Jet Black Shivalinga chant (10 malas must)

OM HREEM NAMAH SHIVAAYA

7. Staying in Ajna chakra as above, chant again 9 Mrityunjaya Maha Mantra.

(This is called Sampooti-Karana – energizing the mantra with a package of Mrityunjaya Maha Mantra).


8. After completing 10 malas of the above mantra, come out of meditation by chanting the prayer –

OM SARVE BHAVANTHU SUKHINAHA
SARVE SANTHU NIRAAMAYAAHA
SARVE BHADRAANI PASHYANTHU

MAA KASHCHIT DUKHA BHAAG BHAVETH
LOKAA SAMASTHAA SUKHINO BHAVANTHU
LOKAA SAMASTHAA SUKHINO BHAVANTHU
SAMASTHA SAN MANGALAANI BHAVANTHU
OM TAT SAT
*****

A model line diagram is provided to understand the chakras

Note:

1. Practice after taking the bath.

2. Best time to practice is 12.00 midnight to 04.00 in the early morning. This timing is only for the Shivaratri day. For regular anushtana of this on other days, it can be done in day time also. Not necessarily during midnight.

3. If you can’t do during the above timing, please do it in the night at a time convenient to you.

Model line diagram to understand the chakras

With love and Blessings,
Pattabhiram & Jyothi
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