Gurudev Swami Sivananda's birthday: 8th September

Sept. 8 is Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj's 122nd birthday anniversary. In celebration of this occasion the Divine Life Soceity have uploaded several articles on Gurudev. They are:

1) "Practised Before Preaching" by Sri Swami Chidananda

http://www.dlshq.org/saints/practicepreach.htm

2) "Swami Sivananda's Philosophy" by Sri B.S. Mathur

http://www.dlshq.org/saints/siva_philo.htm

3) "Treatment of Visitors" by Sri Swami Venkatesananda

http://www.dlshq.org/saints/treatmentvisitor.htm

Swami Sivananda's Yoga Questions and Answers 3: Q: How can we steady the mind?

Q: The mind is attracted by brilliant lights, beauty, pleasant colours, sounds etc. How can we bring it back to steadiness?

A: If you follow the path of Vedanta, through discrimination you can clearly understand that what you see is mere appearance and unreal and that the Self, the substratum for the world, is eternal and real. Now the mind will not run towards external objects. It will move towards its source, the Atman within. If you think that the eternal objects are the mere manifestations of your own Self and so exist in you, then also the mind will not run towards, the sensual objects. If you follow the path of devotion, try to fix your mind on the Lotus Feet of your Ishta Devata whenever the mind runs outside. Gradually the mind can be controlled.

Taken from: Yoga Questions and Answers

Swami Sivananda

A Divine Life Society Publication

Swami Sivananda's Parables 1: Parable Of The Lost Wrist-Watch

Parable Of The Lost Wrist-Watch PARABLES OF SIVANANDA By SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION A man was frantically searching for something in a dark room. He was weeping and shouting. He was making a mess of the things kept in the room. He broke some and tumbled on others. Yet, what he was searching for, he could not get. A friend came to the threshold and asked for the reason of the man's misery. He replied: "O my friend, I have lost my wrist-watch. It is gone." The friend said: "How can it go away from here? But, what a fool you are to search for it in the darkness! I have brought the light. Now, calm yourself. Think deeply and try to remember where it ought to be. You will soon discover it." The man did so, and got the wrist-watch. The friend explained: "The watch was not lost, nor have you gained it now. It was there all the time. But because of the darkness that prevailed in the room, and because you were searching for it where it was not, you did not get it. You were ignorant of its whereabouts. Now that the ignorance is removed, you think you have got it. It was ever yours and was never lost." Similarly, within the deepest recesses of man's heart is the Self, full of bliss and peace. But, blinded by the darkness of ignorance, man is unable to see it and experience the bliss and the peace. Searching for happiness and peace, he wanders about among the objects of this world, makes a mess to himself and the things of the world, causes misery to others and to himself, weeps and shouts. But the object of his quest is not found. At last the Guru appears with the lamp of wisdom in his hand. He says to the man: "Remove the darkness of your ignorance with this lamp of wisdom; calm yourself; restrain all the mental modifications. Then analyse all experience and meditate on the result. You will discover the Self. You had not lost it before; nor have you gained it now. It has always been there. Only you were ignorant of it. Now that in your pure heart and calm mind, the Self shines, self-luminous, you feel that you have regained it. In fact you had never lost it."

Swami Sivandanda Pocket Spiritual Gems 1: Who is Happy?

Who is Happy?

He alone is happy Who has controlled his mind and other senses, Who is free from egoism, lust and pride, Who is resting on is own Atma. Therefore realise this all-blissful Atma. Taken from Pocket Spiritual Gems

Swami Sivananda A Divine Life Society Publication OM