Ananda are my ma. Teachings of Anandamaya Ma. From the book “Women of the Absolute. From the teachings of Anandamaya Ma

There have always been many enlightened pandits and true believers in the family. When Anandamayi Ma was still a child, many "unusual phenomena" appeared on her body (it is not specified which ones), most of which passed unnoticed by those around her. Since she kept aloof from others and was indifferent to everything, many people considered her a retarded child. Often she could not tell where she was or what she said a couple of minutes ago. She spoke to trees, plants, and invisible creatures, and often became distracted by her thoughts. At the age of 12, she was married to a Brahmin from her village, whose life was devoted to increasing the welfare of others, and for the next nine years she lived in obscurity.

From 17 to 25 years old, she sometimes fell into trance, and then her body was numb and numb, and she sang the names of gods and goddesses. People saw how at 22, when she recited mantras, visions of gods and goddesses flew out of her body in flashes. Sometimes it happened that she involuntarily performed a variety of yoga poses (she herself never did yoga). For 15 months she could not speak, and after her speech returned, she voluntarily remained silent for another 21 months. When she mentally imagined the images of gods and goddesses, she involuntarily performed rituals and ceremonies of worship (although she claimed that she had no conscious desire to do this), which she did absolutely right, again never learning this. Moreover, she, according to her, was a worshiper, an object of worship and an act of worship at the same time. She later said: "The personalities and forms of the gods are as real as your body or mine. They can be comprehended with the inner vision, which is revealed by purity, love and reverence."

Bhaiji wrote that the dominant mood of her mind at that time was "a natural expression of the symbolism of mantras and yoga practice," and then she continued to maintain her aloofness and silence "until the time when the deepest peace and quiet became the dominant qualities of her life." Her entire appearance shone with bliss and happiness. When she lived in Dhaka, at the age of about 27, her peace began to attract followers. "It is difficult to describe the bliss of peace their souls were immersed in in her presence."

Often during kirtana (chanting and reciting hymns) she would fall into a trance. Once, while applying scarlet paint to the forehead of a woman, she dropped the box, fell and began to roll on the ground. Then she slowly got up and stood on her big toes. Both her arms were extended upward, her head was slightly tilted to the side and back, and the motionless gaze of her shining eyes was directed to the far edge of the sky. She began to move and dance, as if filled with a heavenly presence, until finally her body sank to the floor, as if melted, and she began to roll on the ground again. Then a soft song flowed from her lips, and tears gushed from her eyes.

During kirtan, she often threw her head back until she touched the back of her head, made rotational movements with her hands and feet, until she fell flat on the floor, began to roll on it, stretched strongly, her body size could increase or decrease, while breathing stopped. Sometimes it seemed that there were no bones in her body, she bounced like a rubber ball, but her movements were swift like lightning. The hair follicles swelled up causing the hair to stand on end. Whatever thought flashed through her brain, immediately the body showed the corresponding physical expression.

In accordance with her breathing, her body vibrated rhythmically, as if waves were rolling onto the shore, and, arms outstretched, she swayed to the beat of the music. Just as the fallen leaves sway slightly in the wind, so graceful were her movements. No man, no matter how hard he made, could repeat them. Everyone present felt that the mother was dancing under the influence of divine forces that vibrated her entire being in waves.

In solitude, she involuntarily performed yoga asanas and mudras. It often seemed that her breathing would stop completely, and then her hands, feet and neck "twisted at such incredible angles that they seemed to never take their natural position. A bright glow began to emanate from her body, illuminating the surrounding space, and then , expanding, encompassing the entire universe. At such moments, she wrapped herself in a piece of cloth and retired to a secluded corner of the house. " During such periods, those who looked at her could experience bliss, and those who touched her feet fell unconscious. The places where she lay or sat became very hot. She sat motionless for hours and could suddenly become silent in the middle of a conversation. If she was left alone in this state for several days, she did not feel hungry or thirsty and could forget how to talk, walk or laugh.

She usually ate very little, sometimes even without water for days on end, and once lived for five months on only a handful of food at night, and then for five or six months ate only a little rice twice a week. During this time she looked wonderful, was vigorous, her body was full of health and energy. Later, her diet became even more ascetic, and in 1924 she stopped eating with her own hands, swallowing only three grains of boiled rice in the morning or evening. After she stopped eating rice altogether, she stopped recognizing it altogether. Despite this routine, she sometimes ate huge amounts of food during meetings. On one occasion, she ate enough food for eight or nine people; on another occasion, she ate rice pudding, which cost about 40 pounds of milk, and asked for more. Later, she said that at that time she did not understand that she was consuming so much food, and would then eat whatever was put in front of her.

The biography says that "during samadhi, her face lost the freshness of life; her body seemed very fragile and weak, and in the general expression of her face there was nothing of either joy or pain." During one five-day samadhi, her body was as cold as ice, and there was no sign that she was alive or that she would ever come to life. When she regained consciousness and was asked how she was feeling, she said: “This state is beyond all conscious and superconscious planes - the consciousness of the complete immobility of all thoughts, emotions and activities, both physical and mental, - a state that transcends everything phases of life here below. "

During her life, Sri Anandamayi Ma was said to have come in contact with many people in their dreams and visions, sometimes giving them mantras or leaving flowers on the pillow, and suddenly appeared in many meetings. Her biographer said that she often appeared in front of him at noon in his office or at midnight in his bedroom, and described states of psychic connection with her, such as knowing when she needed something, or fulfilling his desires automatically. Once, walking with her in the field, he saw several women walking towards her, and was upset that she would leave so quickly. Suddenly the field was covered with a thick fog, so that the women were not visible and they had to leave without Sri Anandamayi Ma. She was also credited with cases of healing.

Bhaiji also describes his own experiences with the Kundalini movement, which includes mantras emanating from his heart, bliss and vibrations of joy, staying awake all night long, involuntarily doing yoga poses, and composing songs of love and praise. When he asked Sri Anandamayi Ma about what was happening to him, she replied, “That which takes so long to enter into the being grows into eternal beauty after an equally long hour of development. Why do you worry so much about it? Hold your hand tightly. leading you like a gullible child. "

Indian Saint Anandamayi Ma

“My consciousness has never associated itself with this temporary body. I was the same before I came to this earth. When I was a very little girl, I was the same ”- Anandamayi-Ma.

Indian saint Anandamayi Ma (04/30/1896 - 08/27/1982) is a beautiful Indian woman and in general, her heavenly beauty overshadows the earthly beauty of many women. The name "Anandamayi Ma" in translation from Sanskrit means "Mother, imbued with bliss." In India, many of her followers consider her the embodiment of the goddess Devi. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi treated her with the deepest respect and love. Swami Sivananda called her " the purest flower ever to appear on the land of India. "

Anandamayi Ma was born in a small, predominantly Muslim village of Kheora in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). The parents were brahmanas, poor, but very pious. Anandamayi Ma's father, Bipin Behari Bhattakarya, was an ardent devotee of Krishna, got up at three o'clock in the morning to sing hymns to Krishna, often left home in religious delight, and his wife had to look for him and bring him back. One day a stormy wind blew off the roof from their house, but Anandamaya's father did not interrupt the singing of the hymn to Krishna and continued to sing in the rain pouring down the house. Anandaimaya's mother, Moksada Sundari Devi, was also religious, at the end of her life she became a nun. Before the birth of her daughter, she often saw different deities in her dreams, and when her daughter was born, she named her Nirmala Sundari, which means "flawless beauty." Later, Nirmala Sundari would become known throughout India as Anandamayi Ma.

From early childhood, the girl amazed with her extraordinary abilities. Nirmala was fully aware and well remembered what had happened to her from the moment she was born. Parents sometimes watched their daughter talk to plants and creatures invisible to others. Due to poverty and want, Nirmala only attended school for two years, barely learning how to read and write. When Nirmala was 12 years and 10 months old, she was married. Nirmala's husband was Ramani Mohan Chakravorty, who later adopted the religious name Bholanat. Marriages in India are early, but the wife begins to live with her husband only after reaching adulthood, therefore, until the age of 18, Nirmala lived in the house of her husband's older brother. When Nirmala began to live with her husband together, he, to his grief, discovered that sex life with his wife is completely impossible. As soon as he wanted his wife to fulfill his marital duty, she fell into a fainting state, her body was distorted and numb and he had to recite mantras to make her come to her senses. Once, when he touched his wife's body, it was as if he was electrocuted.

The husband got the idea that she might be possessed and brought her to the priest for an exorcism ceremony, and at a general council, one doctor suggested that she had something like Divine rapture. When Nirmala was 21 years old, her periods stopped forever. Nirmala could not do housework either, because constantly fell into religious ecstasy. Nirmala's husband was offered to marry again, he refused, since hoped that such a state of his wife was temporary, but then he realized that such a state of his wife would never end, since his wife is a saint. He became her first student in December 1922, Nirmala was then 26 years old. In 1925, her disciple Jyotish Chandra Roy calls Nirmala "Anandamayi Ma" (Blissful Mother). In 1926, Anandamayi Ma passes by a Muslim grave and, imbued with Islam, begins to read passages from the Koran and say a Muslim prayer. Later, in an interview, Anandamayi Ma says that he considers himself not only a Hindu, but also a Christian and a Muslim at the same time. The number of followers of Anandamayi Ma is growing, since 1932 she begins to travel all over India without being in one place for more than two weeks.

In 1933, the wife of the future Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru visited her, through her Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru learned about Anandamayi Ma, who also began to visit her, the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, also visited Anandamayi Ma more than once and treated her with the greatest respect. According to eyewitnesses, Anandamayi Ma possessed supernatural powers, for example, she healed people from any disease with just a simple touch. But supernatural powers - siddhis - were not for her (as well as for another great Indian mystic Ramakrishna), but were only side effects of religious practice. Anandamayi Ma's only purpose in life was the realization of God. She never had a teacher and did not know any religious texts. She did not see herself as a guru. However, she was always ready to help people who were looking for her spiritual guidance. She brought people the idea that God dwells inside every person, and the whole world is a Divine creation and his play. A distinctive feature of Anandamayi Ma, according to followers, was the desire to awaken a strong desire for spiritual life in everyone who communicated with her. All her actions and advice changed people and opened the way for them to God. She said: "A saint is like a tree. He does not call anyone to him and does not send anyone away. He offers to protect everyone who wants to come to him, be it a man, woman, child or animal. When you sit under a tree, it will protect you from the variability of the weather, from the heat of the sun and from the pouring rain and will give you flowers and fruits. "

Often during kirtana (chanting and reciting religious hymns), she would fall into a trance. Once, while applying scarlet paint to the forehead of a woman, she dropped the box, fell and began to roll on the ground. Then she slowly got up and stood on her big toes. Both her arms were extended upward, her head was slightly tilted to the side and back, and the motionless gaze of her shining eyes was directed to the far edge of the sky. She began to move and dance, as if filled with a heavenly presence, until, finally, her body sank to the floor, as if melted, and she again began to roll on the ground. Then a soft song flowed from her lips, and tears flowed from her eyes. During kirtan, she often tilted her head back until she touched the back of her head, made rotational movements with her hands and feet, until she fell flat on the floor, began to roll on it, stretched strongly, her body size could increase or decrease, while breathing stopped. Sometimes it seemed that there were no bones in her body, she bounced like a rubber ball, but her movements were swift like lightning. The hair follicles swelled up causing the hair to stand on end. Whatever thought flashed through her brain, the body immediately showed the corresponding physical expression. In accordance with her breathing, her body vibrated rhythmically, as if waves were rolling onto the shore and, arms outstretched, she swayed to the beat of the music. Just as the fallen leaves sway slightly in the wind, so graceful were her movements. No man, no matter how hard he made, could repeat them. Everyone present felt that the mother was dancing under the influence of divine forces that vibrated her entire being in waves. During samadhi, her body began to glow so that everyone around her saw it. During such periods, those who looked at her could experience bliss, and those who touched her feet fell unconscious. One day her followers told her: "Now that you are with us, we do not need to visit the temple."

Anandamayi Ma's yogic practices were spontaneous, and she compared them to a factory where all kinds of machines worked automatically and in concert to produce products. It happened that she shed tears, and then laughed for hours or very quickly spoke in a language similar to Sanskrit, or she began to dance, spinning like a leaf in the wind. In addition, she went on hunger strikes for a long time, and it happened that she could eat as much food as eight people can eat.

In the history of Indian religious tradition, bodily change is considered to be the spontaneous expression of religious emotion. Anandamaya Ma's changes were more pronounced than most common manifestations, which usually indicate strong religious emotion. Manifestations similar to those of Anandamaya Ma are given in scriptures dedicated to revered Indian saints of the past.

Anandamayi Ma has made all kinds of pilgrimages throughout India, stopping at ashrams built by disciples in her honor. In Dhaka, a temple was built in her honor, but that day, when the construction was over, she left it. She moved to Dehradun, where she lived in an abandoned Shiva temple for almost a year without money, without a blanket, often at sub-zero temperatures. Possessing yogic abilities, she could read the thoughts and emotions of her students from a distance, could increase or decrease the size of her body, and also heal sick people. One woman claimed to have been saved from certain death in a car accident when Anandamayi Ma "grabbed her life substance" and then returned to her dead body.

In order to better understand the essence of the teachings and the nature of the essence of Anandamaya Ma, I will give a translation of an excerpt from her letter to one young Bengali girl-student, whose family members were devoted students of A.M. It should be noted that she herself did not write anything, spoke Bengali, and trusted people who were constantly with A.M. Several letters to this correspondent were found during the analysis of the old archive in the ashram of A.M. in Almora many years after they were written.

Second letter, April 1934

Dear Bhramar, Dhyan: With the continuous repetition of the Name, the state of dhyan (dhyan) comes. For now, you should not think about what is higher and what is lower. Try to make sure that the Name is always on your lips, and the memory of the Name is in your heart. And only then will you see that your state of dhyan will come automatically.

About sleep: Some dreams come true at the appointed time, but no one will say when that time will come. I am always with you, remember this. May your mind always be focused on God. Spend your time clean, enthusiastic and joyful. That's all I have to tell you.

Below I will give a partial analysis of these letters, written by that devoted student writer who discovered this letter to a girl who apparently had a meditation problem: “The English equivalent of dhyang meditation was not used in the writing. We understand meditation as a process, while for Ma it is the state of Antakaran (inner I). And in writing, the word dhyan is used in both meanings: as a process and as a state. Ma's answer to the question of defining what is Dhyan (meditation): Achinta-e- param dhyan. (a = no; chinta = thought; e = verily; parama = the ultimate). Let's try to understand what she meant. The paradox is that despite the fact that we know the truth implied here, we still try to bring the All-Encompassing Supreme Reality into the field of thought, but we have no other alternative. There is an apparent contradiction here: on the one hand, Ma says that the Supreme Reality cannot be reached with the mind or by repeatedly listening to conversations about Him, and on the other hand, she uses the words Shrotavya, which means “must be heard”, Nidhidhyasitavya (one should think about Him). The intention of this letter is that Ma wanted to inspire a young girl to practice spiritual practice. First, we should understand the essence of what she said by the mind, and then maybe we can experience Sadhana. To hear, we need the senses, to think, we need the mind. "

Here are some excerpts from some of Ma's dialogues with students:

Ma said, “When I go out to you, you can all come up to me, especially those who have come from far away (foreigners). I always play with people. I continue to play with each of you. I can play with you in any way I want. "

Here are the words that confused the one who recorded the conversation.:

“If you have something left that you did not give me, then stay with it (that is, go further along this path). Otherwise, you are absolutely mine. "

The answers to numerous questions do not come to her as a result of deliberation, they spontaneously pour out, like intuitive understanding. Here is the question being asked: "Why is Ma not answering the cry of her children?" Immediately, without a moment's hesitation, a call is heard to her: "Pitaji, Pitaji" - but no one responds to her call. She calls again, and then someone gets up and answers. Anandamayi Ma laughs heartily and says triumphantly: “You didn’t respond right away, because you thought I was not calling you seriously. But I answered when I realized that I was really talking to you. Likewise, the great Mother knows when her children just playfully call out to her, and when they really need her. When they fall, they are in pain, they ask for help, and it immediately responds. " She reminded one disciple of the teaching of Christ: "Ask, and they will give you, seek, and you will find, knock, and they will open to you." But your requests and searches should be powerful, they should come from the depths of your being, only when there is a substantial request - there will be a corresponding answer. "

Someone once said: “ Ma, we are so tired of endless worries and complaints about household problems of people coming to you in droves. Ma replied, “This is because you believe that your own body and theirs are clearly separate. You don’t feel the weight of your head, arms, legs, ten fingers, your legs, your torso, you don’t think of them as a burden, because you know that they are vital parts of your body, and I also feel that all these people are an integral part of this body. I do not feel the stress from this, and their troubles did not become a burden for me. Their joys, sorrows and victories are vital to me. They are mine too. I have neither egocentrism, nor a sense of separation from them. Each of you has the "height and depth of eternity" in me equally.

All these incidents from the life of Anandamaya Ma echo the following lines given in Hindi: “How wonderful it is; everything is in Me - both the boundless expanse of My Being, and the ripples of separately rising “I”, they rise, they hit each other, play for a while, and then finally disappear in Me, each according to his nature. "

P. S... From the author of the article A: I was fortunate enough to visit Anandamayi Ma Ashram in Varanas in 2004. We were shown the way to her Ashram, at which there was a hotel, where we stayed. There is a small museum, and from its materials I learned about Anandamayi Ma. Her appearance captivated me from the first minute, and there I acquired a book about her. Leaving our things at the hotel, we went to the Temple and there we met an elderly man who spoke English. I found out that he - Swami Vijayananda - is Anandamaya Ma's disciple since 1951, when he came to the Saint as a very young man from France for the purpose of inner spiritual awakening, according to him. Swami is very talkative, he told us many stories from the life of Anandamaya Ma.

I really hope that at least to some extent I managed to introduce you to this holy woman, an amazing manifestation of the Incomprehensible and Transcendental in her image. In many books dedicated to her, the term "god's play", in Sanskrit "lila", is repeatedly mentioned next to her name. The scriptures of India interpret this term as "Divine lila", the play of higher, cosmic and natural forces.

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the essence of God, whom it is impossible to know, which is confirmed in the Holy Scriptures of different religions, one can only come closer to understanding his manifestations. For many millennia, there has been a question of defining "Who is God?" As a result of reflections, I came to the understanding that GOD IS EVERYTHING IN THE MANIFESTED WORLD. People called this phenomenon GOD in order to somehow define its essence. The entire Universe with myriads of stars and planets is His Manifestations, its rays. Everything develops according to a certain rhythm, passing from the Manvantara stage to Pralaya and again the transition to Manvantara. There is no end to it, and obviously there is no beginning. So it was, so it is, and so it will be.

About her own nature

Be sure that I always know your troubles and worries.

There is only Atman (Divine I), you are that Atman, I am that Atman, everyone is that Atman. Therefore, whoever you are, I am with you too!

Truly, this little child (Ma herself) is always with you.

Your sorrow, your pain, your agony are mine as well. This body understands everything. You and I are two of us, and yet we are one.

What a joy to see all of you, who are manifestations of the One Supreme Joy.

Question: Am I right in thinking that you are God?
Ma: There is nothing but God. All living and nonliving are only manifested forms of God. He has now come here also in your body to give darshan (meeting with the saint).

Q: Then why are you here in this world?
Ma: In this world? I am not "somewhere." I rest in Myself.

Q: What is your job?
Ma: I don't have a job. Who can I work for if there is only One?

This body has no desires, no intention or purpose - everything happens spontaneously.

For this body there is only One; there is not even the possibility of the appearance of another.

Q: When did your Self-Realization take place?
Ma: And when was she not there?

On the nature of God

All this, created by Him, is under His care, in His presence and is Him.

Q: How can you prove the existence of God?
Ma: How can you prove your existence?

Q: It's simple. I feel that I am.
Ma: Who am I?

Q: Ma! I do not want to get involved in a philosophical argument. I want you to tell me simply and clearly, is God real?
Ma: God is reality. Just as you are real to yourself.

Shiva, the Eternal Spirit, has turned into jivas - sentient beings, and every being will have to turn into Shiva again. As water, freezing, turns into ice, and melted ice again becomes water, so the transformation of Shiva into a jiva, and then back again, continues incessantly.

Isvara, the Lord of the world, is not something that can be sensed or grasped by the mind. Who created you and all that is manifested is Ishvara, the Lord of the Universe. He and He alone is everything that we need, everything else is useless.

Wherever you turn your gaze, everywhere you will see only manifestations of the One Indivisible Eternal Being. However, this Presence is not so easy to find, because It pervades everything. The Unmanifest reveals Itself through the manifested. If we analyze the substances that make up existing objects at a sufficiently deep level, it turns out that the remainder is the same everywhere. This remnant is equally present in all creations - this is He, this is That, this is what we call Pure Consciousness (chetana).

There is nothing outside of Him, there is only Him and nothing else. All the various names and forms are one. It's amazing how destructible and indestructible exist at the same time - in Him everything is possible.

It is impossible to describe the true existence of God. However, using words, we speak of it as Sat Chit Ananda (Being Consciousness Bliss).

He alone exists. He speaks to Himself (with these words) in order to reveal Himself to Himself.

There is only One immutable, indivisible Reality, which, although not obvious, reveals Itself in infinite complexity and variety. This One Reality - the Supreme Truth - is always present, everywhere, under any circumstances. When we call it Brahman (Absolute Reality), we are talking about nothing else than God Almighty. Almighty God has no name or form, but all names and forms are His. He is both Father, and Mother, and Guru, and Friend, and Creator, and Keeper, and Destroyer - everything is absolute. Its essence is Being, Consciousness, Bliss. Indeed, He is in everything, and everything is in Him; there is nothing but Him. Try to see God in everything and everyone, including yourself. God is behind every mask: He even takes the form of those whom we consider to be sinners, or comes in the form of suffering that seems to us hardly bearable.

Both on the surface and at the greatest depth there is only He alone. And although He is always motionless, He is incessant motion.

God has neither form nor qualities, but He has both form and qualities. Look carefully and you will see with what an endless variety of beautiful forms He plays with Himself in His play of maya (phenomenal world). The Leela (Divine Play) of the all-pervading One continues in this way in endless variety. He has no beginning or end. He is the whole, and he is also a particle. Together, the whole and the part represent true Perfection. Believing in Him in any one definite form is not enough. Receive Him in His countless images, types and forms of existence, in all that exists.
He constantly sits on a throne in the heart of every living being. Indeed, His home is everywhere. Seeing That, having achieved That, you see everything, you achieve everything. It means becoming fearless, certain, free from conflict, permanent, immortal.

One short impulse in the imagination of God is enough for the birth of an immense universe. What is creation really? He Himself, the One. Why, then, are all these differences needed, why are “others” needed? There are no others. When you are established in Yourself, nothing and nobody is separate. What will be the result of your surrender to Him? Nothing will seem foreign, everything will be Yours, Yourself.

Eliminate the separation between "me" and "you" -
that's the only goal
all spiritual aspirations.

The Supreme Power is directly present in all sentient beings, in all religions and sects, in all forms that people worship. Find Him in any one form and in the end you will see that all forms are only expressions of One. Whether you glorify Christ, Krishna, Kali or Allah, in reality you are glorifying the one Light, which is also present in you, since it permeates everything with Itself.

As long as you continue to float on the surface, you will inevitably be bound by the differences of religion, sect, and so on. But if with the help of some method you manage to dive into the depths, you will see that the Essence of all things is one, that Truth and Love are one and the same.

Why do we need so many different religions, sects and branches? Through every sect and religion, He gives Himself to Himself - so that everyone can move forward in accordance with their own uniqueness. Many beliefs and sects are needed so that He can give Himself in many different ways, each of which is beautiful in its own way, and so that He can be revealed as something common, which is in an infinite number of ways, in all forms and in the formless. In the case of full Realization, you cannot quarrel with anyone, you are fully enlightened in relation to all beliefs and doctrines, you see all the paths equally good.

Only He alone knows to whom and in what form He will reveal Himself. The human mind is unable to comprehend in what way, in which way the Omnipotence will most of all attract each individual person to Itself. Each seeker has his own path.

Elements of Spiritual Practice

Choose a word, form, image, symbol - something sacred, symbolizing Him as a whole or a part, and at any time, in joy and in sorrow, continuously turn the flow of your thoughts in this direction. And although the mind can constantly run back and forth, it will again find peace in this center. In due time, love and devotion will awaken the One who takes over your heart.

Although God is always present both inside and outside, constant remembrance of Him is necessary in all our thoughts and actions. The inclinations (samskaras) acquired in countless previous incarnations bind a person with such power that the search for God is not easy for him.

Watch carefully everything you do: how you eat, sleep, move, sit.

Give up sarcasm and frivolous jokes completely. Be silent as much as possible. Speak only in His Name. Always remembering Him, listen only to His prompts.

In order to realize God who is the Truth, at least a few minutes a day sit completely still, let the mind be empty. Do this practice to establish yourself in yoga.

Try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. In the high mountains or by the endless ocean, look inside your heart. If this is not possible, at least look up to the sky whenever an opportunity arises. Little by little, the tight knots that form your bonds will loosen, and you will find that you feel better. Fully awakened consciousness works only in the body and mind, free from all obstacles. When both the body and the mind are light, it is easy to attain Liberation.

Laugh until you drop at every opportunity. It is not enough to laugh superficially: the whole body should be involved in laughing, laughing both inside and out. Do you know what such a laugh is like? You just shake with fun from head to toe. In order to be able to laugh like that, you must unconditionally believe in the power of the Atman and try to bring the outer and inner parts of your being into perfect harmony. Do not give birth to your needs and do not indulge your desires. But live a spotlessly clean life. Having made the interests of others your own, take refuge at His feet in complete humility. Then you will see that the laughter pouring from such a heart conquers the pain of the world.

If you are a bhakta (devotee of God), dissolve your "I" in "You"; if you follow the path of self-exploration, let your "you" drown in "I".

Surrender yourself completely to Him, or completely immerse yourself in self-inquiry. Although you may have to work off your karma further, gradually your problems will diminish and eventually disappear altogether.

Both the path of self-exploration ("I am not that, I am not this") and the path of devotion ("and this is You, and this is You") lead to the One Goal. Following the first path, you will achieve the Goal, following the other, you will come to It. The one walking the path of self-investigation will find out that there is no form, there is only the formless; walking the path of a bhakta (devotee of God) will come to the realization that the Beloved is nothing but Brahman (Reality). Everyone has their own method.

Commit yourself to a practice that will help you stay steadfast in all circumstances.

The sense of separateness is the source of all misery because it is based on a misconception. This feeling either dissolves by devotion (bhakti), or burns out in the fire of Knowledge (wisdom, jnana).

Be it meditation (dhyana) or chanting a mantra (japa), practice something like that. Try to keep your mind on God. The notions and inclinations developed during countless previous lives, like a veil of ignorance, conceal the true nature of things; try to get rid of this veil.
Under all circumstances, one should practice japa, dhyana and similar practices as much as possible.

Prayer and meditation is the path leading to the realization of God. In other words, you need to leave the surface and find the sanctuary in the depths.

Practice sadhana (spiritual discipline). In other words, go to your real Home. If the mind is not turned in this direction, there is stupidity, misery and suffering in life. The mind, like a madman, runs after the fulfillment of desires that bring suffering. The mind has become uncontrollable. By chanting the Divine Name or mantra, this disease can be cured.

Whenever you have free time, silently do japa (chanting of the divine name) in rhythm with your breathing - this exercise should be done constantly until japa becomes as natural as breathing.

When you chant the Divine Name or mantra, your mind is gradually purified, love for the Supreme and reverence for Him arises, and thoughts become sublime and pure. And then glimpses of higher levels of existence begin to come to you, lifting you higher and higher.

(For those who have difficulty meditating on the Name of God): In this case, you can simply sit quietly and concentrate on the natural breathing process.

If you look at the world through the eyes of an ordinary person, then we are surrounded by animate or inanimate objects. In fact, He who is Truth, who is Consciousness, pervades everything. As soon as the fact of His omnipresence becomes obvious, He becomes as if active within us - first as a conductor of breath, which is a manifestation of our life force (prana shakti). Always be aware of the following: what we call breathing is an aspect of the universal all-pervading force acting continuously. It is He in one of His forms. If, with the help of the mantra (name of God) received from the Guru, you can stay focused on the breath or, even without the mantra, you just keep your attention on the breath, this will help calm the mind and may be useful in the search for the One who is the Life of our life, the One who is always whole - the Eternal One.

The mantra transmitted to the disciple through diksha (initiation of the Guru) should not be a dead word used in ordinary speech - it should be a word consisting of one or several syllables filled with life and spiritual energy, capable of actively working in the psychophysical body of the disciple.
This means that the Guru must be able to transfer his power as a grace to other people. In the mantra given by the Guru, the Guru himself is indeed present.

Karma accumulated over the centuries, sins and desires are completely erased by the sacred name of God. The Name and the One to whom this Name belongs are identical, since He Himself manifests Himself in the Name. When the repeated Name comes to life, it is like a seed thrown into the ground sprouting. If you constantly repeat your most beloved Name of God, you come to the realization that all names are His Names, all forms are His forms. Moreover, the fact that He has no name or form is becoming more and more evident.

Listen! Don't waste your time. As the clock ticks continuously, so you constantly repeat the Name of God. There are no rules and strict prescriptions here: awaken Him in yourself with the Name that you like best, practice as much as possible - the longer the better. Even if your interest has cooled somewhat, write down the Name for yourself as a medicine. And then, at some wonderful moment, you will find that the mind itself, as if by beads, pronounces His Name, and you will constantly begin to hear within yourself the praise of the great Teacher, the Creator of all that exists, like the endless music of an endless ocean; you will hear the land and sea, air and heaven sing the song of His glory. This is called the all-pervading presence of His Name. When a spiritually seeker achieves perfection in concentration on the Name, he loses himself in Him. The world ceases to exist for him (as something separate), and his ego disappears. What then is and what is not? Some may realize this, but words cannot describe it.

Guru's grace

A saint is affirmed in his true nature, knowing himself, indifferent to pleasure and pain, since he constantly dwells in the bliss of the Eternal. Filled with universal Love, he is free from sorrows and worries, generous, simple and happy, like a child. The mere sight of such naturally fills a living being with unearthly joy, and closeness to him gives rise to divine thoughts and aspirations. As water purifies everything it comes in contact with, in the same way the sight, touch, blessing, even just remembering a real saint, little by little removes all impure desires and aspirations. The saints are in direct contact with God, and therefore there is saving grace in their presence. For this reason, the society of the saint and the wise (satsang) provides the most effective help and arouses the greatest inspiration to the sincere seeker. The saints are free from sympathy and antipathy, and therefore those who wholeheartedly turn to them in search of refuge will find peace and contentment in them.

The Guru ("one who removes the darkness") is the One who, in the most impenetrable darkness, can reveal the hidden Truth. The Guru is not just an ordinary mentor, but the One who is able to pull a person out of the sea of ​​egocentric becoming. Thanks to the impeccable power of the Guru, everything becomes possible, therefore seek the Guru. Indeed, the Guru is within, and until you find the inner Guru, you will not be able to achieve anything.

In fact, the Guru appears from within. Only where there is a sincere search will its true manifestation be sure to arise. The One, having taken the form of a Guru, himself causes his own manifestation. When the need for a Guru arises, his appearance is completely natural. Until a person has been initiated by the Guru, his duties include studying the sacred texts, doing japa, practicing meditation, chanting the Name of God - the one that he likes best.

When there is no way to physically be in the company of saints and sages, you need to direct all your attention to Vasudeva - the Divine residing in every human heart.

Human Will and Divine Service

Each person wants to be realized in life, but the will of the Most High is above all. Treat everything you do as serving Him. Don't let the illusion of attachment take hold of you. Everything that exists is His gift, and this gift should be offered to Him. As Atman He is always present in everything. Try to remain calm and patient.

Absolute submission to Divine will is the duty of everyone who truly loves God. In this case, the time will surely come when there will be nothing left that can be called “your” will, and all “external” and “internal” will be experienced only as a play of the Almighty One.

Everything belongs to Him, only to Him. What did you have with you at birth? Didn't you come empty-handed? And everything that you have acquired is truly "yours"? Everything belongs to Him, and everything that happens is His will. Try to feel this attitude. Your only desire should be to leave everything to Him. Repeat His Name, meditate on Him, always remain in remembrance of Him. Without asking for anything worldly, strive to give yourself to Him without reserve. There is no need, no pain, no suffering in Him. In Him is all acquisition, the peak of fulfillment, rest, peace, pacification.

There is no "will of man". There is only His only will, with which you do your work, and reflections on the One - according to the same His will. Only by His will will you discover the great Will. That is what is really needed - the higher Will, which will take into that which is above desire and unwillingness.

Everything is His work.
There is only Him, your only duty is
always remember this.
As long as "I" and "mine" remain,
there will inevitably be sorrows and desires.

When performing actions, remember that only He exists. He is both the instrument and the owner of the instrument.

Nobody can be higher than God. Everything that is done is done by Him alone. No one has the power of their own to do anything. Trust in Him.

Where are you without God?

Work without feeling that you are doing this work. See yourself as a tool that God uses to get the job done. Then your mind will remain quiet and still. This is prayer and meditation.

Make the interests of others your own and serve them as best you can with your compassion, kindness, gifts, and so on. Whenever the opportunity arises, give to the poor, feed the hungry, take care of the sick. If you are not capable of this, at least cultivate in yourself friendliness and benevolence towards everyone, pray for general well-being. Forgetting about the body, try to focus on the Heart of everything and perform service as a religious duty. Then you will know directly that the one you serve, the servant, and the act of service itself only seem to be separate.

Q: You say that everything is God, but aren't some people closer to God than others?
Ma: For the person asking this question, it is. But in fact, God is fully and equally present everywhere.

Ignore the mistakes of others. It pollutes the mind and increases the sin of the world. Therefore, try to see only the bright side of everything that happens to be experienced. Good and beauty are alive and real, while evil and ugliness are only shadows of what really is.

Seeking guilt in others creates obstacles for everyone: for the accuser, for the accused, for those who listen to the accusations. Whereas anything said in a spirit of gratitude is beneficial for everyone.

Verily, He alone has manifested Himself in all characters and forms: whoever you hate, you hate your own Lord. In the entire Universe, in all states of being, in all forms, only He is present. All forms, qualities, types and types of existence are truly His. Treat everyone you serve as the Supreme Being.

You must be aware
that there is no place
wherever He is.

Service to anyone means service to yourself. Call it a tree, a bird, an animal or a person, call it whatever name you like - you always serve your own Essence in each of them.

It is impossible to know the true nature of God until Self-realization is achieved. Only then will you discover Him as nothing more than your own Essence, the only existing Atma: Atma with form and Atma without form - Chit, Pure Consciousness.

God is the breath of life, the Heart of hearts, the very Essence. To find Him is to find Himself. Attachment to the world leads to stupidity and misery, away from the Divine. Therefore, the only true path is the one that leads to cognition of the Essence, Self-realization.

Truly, to know Himself is to know Him. With the discovery of one's own Essence, all problems and questions disappear.

To discover the Beloved means to discover your own Essence, to discover that God is this Essence, that I and He are absolutely identical.

Self-realization
there is a realization of God,
and the realization of God is the realization of Himself.

"Who am I?" If you sit down and begin to seriously reflect on this question, you will soon find that neither the vast amount of book knowledge hammered into your head in school or college, nor all your practical experience gained during your life, in no way helps to find an answer to it. If you want to open the source of the feelings "I" and "mine", you will have to direct all your undivided attention to the search for Truth. As soon as the mind begins to wander, resolutely bring it back to focus on the source of self. This is the means by which you come to the realization of the Essence.

First of all, the sadhaka (spiritual seeker) ceases to identify himself with the body and mind; then his aspirations and desires dissolve to the last drop; after this, the consciousness of the complete identity of all that exists is born; and finally, the Essence that transcends mind and body is experienced directly. This is the ultimate goal of all sadhana (spiritual practice). The one-pointedness of the mind is its essence, and faith, trust and patience are its strengths.

Doing meditation
think of yourself as a purely spiritual being,
Self-shining, dissolved in the Bliss of the Atman.

Do not neglect meditation, reflection on your Essence. And because this is really your Nature, it cannot remain hidden. It is bliss and nothing but bliss.

To keep the mind constantly focused on the Atman, to be fully aware in the flow of Reality, where the Immeasurable, One without a second, always unfolds in His infinity - this should be your only aspiration.

Dedicate your transitory ego
or the feeling of "I", the eternal "I".

Live for the discovery of the Essence hidden in you. Whoever does not live like this commits the "murder" of Essence. As you contemplate on God, try to throw away the veil of ignorance.

Strive with all your might to know who you are.

You are immortal, you are the bliss of Essence.
Then why experience birth and death?
There is only the Essence resting in Itself.

Strive to know yourself! To know oneself means to discover everything in Oneself. There is nothing separate from You. Knowledge of Oneself is knowledge of one's own Essence.

By searching for knowledge of her own Essence, the Great Mother of all that exists can be discovered. When the Mother is found, everything is found. To know the Mother means to realize the Mother, to become the Mother. Ma means Atma. “Becoming” really means that it is already there, always.

Supreme Unity means that the whole Universe is in You, and You are in it; moreover, You will not have the opportunity to talk about the "Universe." Now you can say that it exists or does not exist, or that it is impossible to say for sure whether it really exists or not, or something else - all this does not matter. What is important is that He (Atman) must be discovered. At the “moment” when this happens, you recognize Yourself. This will mean the full disclosure of That which is always there - the higher Father, the higher Mother, the Beloved, the Lord, the Teacher - Himself. You will suddenly discover who you really are. The moment you discover your Essence, the whole Universe will become Yours.

Until you are confirmed in your true Being, you cannot remain at rest.

Never try to bargain with God; do not live with the mind of a shopkeeper and merchant: "I have been practicing meditation for so many years, but I have not achieved anything!" This is a wrong attitude. He is the breath of life, your very Essence. God is everywhere. He pervades everything with Himself. The one you thought you have been looking for in vain for so many years is inseparable from you.

It is the perception of the world based on identification with the body and mind that is the reason for your shackles. The time will come when this perception will give way to awakening to universal Consciousness. When the insight into the form and the formless unfolds in its infinity, everything will be uprooted. Having risen above the level where form, difference, manifestation exist, you enter a state of formlessness. What is the name for this? Divinity, Paramatma. As you gradually liberate yourself from the fetters, which are nothing but a veil of ignorance, you realize your identity with the Supreme Spirit (Paramatma).

Death, rebirth, karma and the human condition

You are dying every moment without realizing it.
(In doing so) who dies?

In his last hours, Bholanath, Ma's husband, said, "I am leaving." Ma objected, “Why do you think so? There are no coming and going, there is only Presence, in which there is no place for such. "

In reality, there is no birth or death. There is only One Higher Being, manifesting Itself in countless forms, in endless modifications of life.

But on the conditioned human level, birth is a fact. There is no doubt about that. When a cataract is removed from the eye with surgery, vision is restored. In the same way, due to deep concentration on the Divine, when the veil that hinders clearly seeing is removed, and the mind is purified and directed to the Essence, the meaning of the deities and mantras, which are their sound expression, is revealed, and the impressions of previous births sweep through our consciousness. While in Dhaka, you can see mental pictures of what you observed in Calcutta, and in the same way you can project the most vivid image of your past lives onto the mental screen of the present.

When I look at you, I can see a series of pictures from your past births.

Any of your conscious or unconscious actions leaves an imprint in your mind - regardless of whether you know about it. This is samskara. One who is able to see can discern that these samskara imprints are related to previous births. A Yogi can read the prints of a huge number of past incarnations. Someone may see events from thousands of previous lives, but when there is a realization of what the creation really is, what will he then see? He will see, and at the same time he will not see; and he will neither see nor see.

At the level where everything is present in You, and You are present in everything, there is only One, only He is.

If you remember the history of your past births, this means that you only know the course of your individual lives, which you lived at a certain time in a certain place. But you are not aware of your different movements and static states in the Universe as a whole. You see the "multitude"; how can you go beyond this multiplicity? Until the Essence is revealed, you are doomed to be within the boundaries; boundaries mean ignorance. Making your way through ignorance layer by layer, you will find: "in fact, I am all that exists." I am, therefore there are trees and plants, and everything in the world, countless and diverse. Each individual form is actually Me. They exist in Me in infinite variety, and yet I am all of them. How can the One be separated from the infinite multiplicity? The Many exists in the One, and the One exists in the many.

From an absolute perspective, there is no such thing as rebirth. At a certain stage, the memory of past lives will most likely emerge, but what is the point in these “before” and “after” if I am eternal?

Realize Him in the world and outside the world
means death death.
There (in Him) death is defeated, time is destroyed.

Duality means pain. Until you awaken to the realization of your identity with the One, the wheel of birth and death will continue for you.

Desires and aspirations form the subtle body of a person. When the physical body is dead, the subtle body with its desires and aspirations finds itself without shelter, and a person is born again in accordance with his karma. The ego, or the sense of “I,” replete with desires, comes and goes, while for the Atman there is no coming or going. Man has a gross, subtle and causal body (there is a subtle sense of separateness in the causal body); the root cause of the causal body is the Atman. Until this realization occurs, there will be birth and death. Comings and goings exist only for the individual. To realize Oneself, you just need to remove the veil.

You create desires by your actions, and by your own actions you eliminate them again ... When you make a choice in favor of the pleasures provided by the objects of the senses, you thereby gradually, of your own will, move towards the kingdom of death. Become an ambrosia eater, enjoy that which is not subject to death! Now you are in a state of endless desires. It has already become second nature to you. But the ability to stay in your true nature, in your Essence, is inherent in everyone. Having passed through the door of Knowledge, you return to your true nature, you are affirmed in your own state of Being.

How many lives have you lived in the world, had a family, how long, mistakenly, thought: “This is mine! That's mine! " Tell yourself: “I am immortal, Essence; there is only one Brahman (Reality) without the second; I am His and only His. " If the separation between "I" and "you" remains, then consider "you" as Bhagavan (God).

Quite time has already been spent wandering aimlessly back and forth in search of the pleasures the world has to offer and contemplating its endless beauties. You have spent many centuries doing this. Now, friend, return to your real Home! Everyone should, as far as possible, devote their time to discovering the Self.

You, like a spider, weave your webs web after web and do your best to never get out of the trap. Caught up in sensual pleasures and delusions, you don't even have time to stop to reflect on how painful the endless cycle of birth and death is. Decide once and for all that the fetters of karma (egocentric action) must be broken in this life, and put all your strength into a desperate attempt to break through the veil of maya (illusion of limitations), or prostrate to the Almighty and completely surrender to His mercy. - and He Himself will take care of everything.

Mental desires and dispositions (samskaras) accumulated in a huge number of previous births are the source of all unfreedom ... Like recording tracks on a gramophone record, the human mind is a recording of past actions, thoughts and feelings. By identifying with feelings, old memories come to life, and the mind, like a gramophone needle, invokes the repetition of ideas, emotions and actions that took place in the past. The constant practice of focusing on God in thoughts, actions and intentions not only enhances healthy and wonderful tendencies, but also erases unwanted ones in equal measure. Samskaras - pollution like clouds covering the consciousness - are destroyed by remembering God. Remembering God is necessary to free the mind from the slag of accumulated samskaras.

When your thoughts are constantly in God,
all the knots (granthas) that make up the ego are untied, and as a result That which has to be realized is realized.

Able to be in thoughts of God always,
twenty four hours a day,
actually does the greatest service
for the benefit of all beings.

Attachment to the world, "renunciation" and true joy

Only God is Truth, Happiness, Bliss. Do not place your hopes on anything other than the Highest Happiness, the Bliss of the Atman. Nothing else exists. What appears to exist beyond this is an illusion. The real goal of human existence is to realize God ... That is that which is eternal.

People talk about those who have renounced the world, admire them, but in fact, you yourself have renounced Everything. Fencing off from the highest Bliss, you become a recluse! Rejecting the Highest, you become a recluse to the greatest degree.

Until God is discovered, sadness cannot disappear. In order to realize Him, you need to practice repetition of His Name, meditate on Him (both having form and about formless), honor Him, glorify Him in songs ... On this path it will also be useful to be in the company of sages, saints, seekers of Truth ; attend religious meetings and study sacred texts. This body always emphasizes one thing: sensual pleasures are poison, gradually bringing you closer to death. Therefore this body strongly advises: try to be as focused on Him as possible.

You have spent enough time to think about the worldly, and now turn your mind to the Eternal. Gradually, the path will become clearer, and at the same time the thought of worldly things will leave you. Otherwise it can not be. The veil of ignorance will also gradually disappear. The One Who Is is eternal; everything that is transitory must inevitably be destroyed.

After real meditation, the pleasures offered by the world become unattractive, dull, absolutely tasteless. However, this does not mean that vairagya (lack of desires) makes everything worldly disgusting or despised - no, it just becomes unacceptable, the body rejects it. Neither anger nor resistance rises ... If after returning from the state of contemplation you are able to behave in the same way as before, then the transformation has not happened. When real meditation happens, causing indifference to the world, you begin to desire the Divine simply intolerable, you will feel hunger for Him, you will realize that nothing transient can satisfy this hunger and satisfy you. No one will deliberately stick their hand into the fire and step on the snake; in the same way, when you look at the object of your senses, you will turn away from it. Later, when you become detached even to detachment, problems with attachment and detachment will disappear, because all that is is That.

The Almighty is hidden behind the outwardly visible forms. The Universe can be called in another way a reflection of the eternally awake One. Do not be fascinated by the quickly passing pleasures of the world, try to abide in Him, the Highest, Dwelling in the Heart.

Be very careful to lead an impeccably pure life worthy of being dedicated to the Lord. Talk about Him, meditate on His Glory, try to see Him in everyone - the One who is Atman, the breath of life, the Heart of hearts.

When you become possessed by this (Divine) madness, the madness in relation to the world of duality vanishes. Some people go crazy over the body of another. This type of insanity, turning a person into a victim of his passion (moha), destroys the body of the person himself.

If divine power, instead of focusing on the affairs of God, is used to fulfill worldly desires, it is wasted. The use of spiritual energy to meet the needs of the individual interrupts this flow of energy. If, as a result of constant sadhana, he is blessed with Divine power, it should not be scattered about it.

Anyone who wishes to remain drunk with Reality does not need any artificial intoxicants. The use of fakes will only add fake ... Give up everything that seems bad to you. Constant remembrance of God is a source of great joy. Pray with all your might for mercy. Truth itself will help if you are in search of it, and thus will manifest itself through your spiritual practice.
In order to tear the mind away from attachment to sensual pleasures, it is necessary by a directed effort of will to turn it towards spiritual interests and concerns.

The longing to know Reality leads to the annihilation of all other desires.

All feelings and passions must be under complete control. If there is even a small flaw in you, it will be difficult to see the Perfect One. Try to make your goal the One who, playfully, maintains the life of the entire universe. And then the craving for sensual pleasures will disappear by itself.

Perfect renunciation by its very nature
there is perfect enjoyment.

The degree of detachment from the objects of the senses depends on the degree of love for God. The desire to be closer to the Divine and indifference to the objects of the senses exist simultaneously. Renunciation happens on its own. There is no need to drop anything. This is real, true renunciation.

There is definitely no peace in wealth and possessions. What, then, can give rest? My true nature is peace, knowledge, divine consciousness. Until it is realized, where does peace come from? In order to discover your Essence, you have to expose “yourself”.

Forgetting that God is the only Beloved, people give their love to the objects of the senses. Earthly love brings a lot of suffering and does not last long, while Divine love gives unlimited happiness.

Bereavement and suffering, pain and pleasure exist because delusion (moha) exists, while human life should be directed towards the Higher Being. When He is found, everything is found - satisfaction, peace, bliss.

The highest is Joy itself. Therefore, the goal of life of every sentient being is Joy (ananda). Always and at all times, accept and give Joy, see and hear the Delightful, and then you will be able to live in bliss.

A moment of worldly happiness must be followed by despondency. Realization of Brahman is a state that transcends joy and sorrow. Those who have cognized Brahman seem to be always in joy, but this is not ordinary joy or happiness. It is impossible to describe this state in words.

Ananda (unearthly Bliss), Parama Purusha (Supreme Being) and Atman (Higher Self) are different aspects of That. Do you know what real Ananda is? The one that does not depend on anything but the One - self-shining, perfect in itself, true and eternal. You derive joy from what your senses give you, but this joy is impermanent and fleeting, therefore you endlessly pursue one material object, then another. Devote yourself resolutely and irrevocably to the search for the One who is the source of all joy. Give up satisfaction with anything other than His Divine sweetness, and then you will cease to be a slave to your feelings and passions, and you will not have to go from door to door like a beggar.

When the heart is full of worldly desires, it is natural to be confused. That is why effort is necessary. Turn the mind away from the outside and make it turn backwards.

There is nothing in this world, and nevertheless everyone, like a madman, pursues this empty - some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent.

Whatever you wish from in a constantly changing world, it will bring suffering, even if you feel happiness at times. To seek That in which there is no suffering, but which contains everything - this is the only purpose of man.

From century to century you have been satiated with food, sleep, worldly pleasures, comfort. The more you immerse yourself in such, the more important it becomes for you. You can't give in to it.

Laziness and lust -
here are the two greatest obstacles
on the path to Self-realization.

What seems pleasant then turns into a vessel with poison, causing storm and destruction, because it belongs to the kingdom of death. What can you expect from this world if its very nature is change? To live in time means to be limited by time, limited by death. If you don't rise above time, how can you avoid the sharp claws of death?

In this world, everything that can be perceived by the senses has the nature of a dream. Everything that happens belongs to the kingdom of sleep.

He lives happily, who knows that he is only an actor on the stage of the world. Those who take pantomime for reality exist in a fickle, changeable world in which something comes and goes all the time, and happiness and unhappiness replace each other. The one dressed in fancy dress must not forget his true nature. Indeed, you are the offspring of the Immortal. Your real being is the essence of truth, goodness, beauty (Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram).

To neglect the contemplation of Reality means to walk the path of death. How many times have you already taken the journey to death, experienced worldly happiness and pain over and over again? Now make the pilgrimage to Immortality: turn back and go to your true Refuge. Strive to the Highest. Take the pilgrimage that will end all wandering. Don't waste time on insignificant ones. Remain in meditation on your true Essence every moment. Don't let your mind get stuck in the transitory.

How long will you walk along the road teeming with dangers and troubles and leading away from the goal? You just need to make a pilgrimage to your Essence - to give up ordinary pleasures, choosing That which is the highest good for you. Why be so stupid as to come back to this illusory world over and over again?

How long are you going to stay at the inn? Don't you feel like Home? Indeed, the One is a wanderer in himself, a place of exile, a way home and home. One's Own Essence is all there is.

One who is separated from God cannot even have a hint of peace - never, never, never. By abiding in God, one obtains peace. There is only He - the only treasure of the human heart. Peace can be found only in the contemplation of God.

When, through spiritual practice, darkness,
darkens our minds
will have to dissipate,
He will remain standing in all his enchanting glory -
so let us enter the realm of perfect rest.

Attitude towards difficulties

Only because of ignorance of God
there is suffering in this world.

At the heart of all suffering is the fact
that instead of One we see many.

Suffering generates thoughts about something other than God. Mantra japa (repetition of the Name of God), meditation, worship, study of sacred texts, simply remembering God, kirtan or religious music are all different ways to stay in the Divine Presence. You should use these methods.

There is no end to frustration. If you allow yourself to be caught by them and remain their captive, anxiety, fatigue and emptiness are the natural results. Therefore, do not hold on to disappointment, it is better to let your mind soar to a high ideal, to a higher Goal, which is far beyond human understanding. Who can tell by what event or stroke of fate His call will be heard? Do not be afraid. You are real, pure, enlightened, free, eternal.

If life goes along the path of attachment (moha) for the material world, the ties to it become more and more tight. If you walk the path of aspiration to the divine, then, despite the possible problems and pain generated by your past actions, you nevertheless constantly live a spiritual experience in awareness of the holy presence of Bhagavan ... (Lord) and, thanks to this connection with the Divine, you go out on the path leading to the Highest goal.

Regardless of which path you go, at first you will always experience torment and confusion, because you cannot find. Then a state of suspension or emptiness arises: you cannot enter inside, and the outside does not give any satisfaction. The feeling of exhaustion and immeasurable fatigue due to the fact that we have not been able to find Him is actually a very good sign. It indicates the readiness of your heart and mind for cleansing.

The first step towards implementation is
display of unbending stamina
and endless patience.

Seekers of God very often face obstacles and difficulties - the results of their past actions. Do not be discouraged, think that all these obstacles and obstacles are destroying your bad karma. Remember that God cleans and launders you in this way in order to then take you into Himself.

God is merciful. He saved your life. Keep the memory of Him under all circumstances. With patience, get through the tough times. Remember that everything happens by the Will of the Almighty.

God is the source of goodness. The ways in which he attracts everyone to him are incomprehensible to the average person. Everything that He does, the All-Good, is for the best.

Just as a cow cleans her little calf, licking and absorbing all its dirt, so God, cleansing His child, absorbs all his sins and flaws into Himself.

Even if you want to leave God Mother, She will never leave you. Aren't you Her child? Remember - everything is at Her will. She gives everyone what they need, when they need it and how they need it. She is a Mother, and she knows exactly what her child needs and to what extent. And precisely because she knows how to be indulgent to the mistakes of her child and how to forgive, She is called "mother."

Whatever God does is always for the highest good. It is really difficult for a person to understand this, and therefore he suffers when his desires are not fulfilled. If a person has faith in Bhagavan (Lord), he should also believe that He does everything for the better. This world was created by one simple impulse that arose in His imagination. He is continuously doing now and will continue to do whatever is necessary for the prosperity of the Universe, which He Himself created. God really does everything for the good of everyone. And, despite this, when the nurtured desire of a person who is tuned in to receiving worldly pleasures does not come true, he experiences pain, discontent, and suffering. Quite often, even a religious activity performed with the best of intentions encounters obstacles and difficulties in its path. Again, keep in mind, “I cannot know exactly what instrument God is using to bring me closer to Himself. He is the source of mercy and compassion - always and at all times sheds a stream of His mercy on me. " Calm your mind by chanting His Name, focusing on Him.

Failure should not be seen as a disaster.
Who sends bad luck?
All that He does is only for the good.

Everyone gets what they should receive according to their destiny. The Creator created the world in such a way that everyone reaps and will always reap the fruits of their actions. (And remember that only God really exists!)

Whatever happens to a person, it must happen in accordance with his personal karma. All pleasure and suffering by man is deserved. Moreover, if there is no sense of "I" and "mine", the experience of pleasure and pain becomes impossible.

"What to be, that cannot be avoided" is an absolutely correct saying. Everything in the world depends on the incomprehensible law of hidden power. The Universe moves on its course according to the Will of the Supreme Father. Therefore, your principle of life should be to welcome all the circumstances God has prepared for you.

In whatever circumstances you find yourself, reason like this: “This is correct and was necessary for me. This is His way of bringing me closer to His feet, ”and try to remain content. Only He should own your heart.
With grief and misfortune He destroys sorrow. The blows of fate, requiring patience, endurance and fortitude, are the Destroyer of Suffering Himself, who took the form necessary to overcome every suffering to the last.

When others point out your mistakes to you, you need to listen very carefully. They help you to get to know yourself better, while praise does nothing but harm. The attitude of most people is exactly the opposite: they love to be praised and hate criticism.

If the spiritual seeker can endure censure and criticism, that is, if he uses them to improve his character, he will greatly benefit from it. See what a wonderful thing censure is? The accusation is also nothing but He, the One.

There is nothing good about hiding your problems and sorrows and pretending that everything is okay. It is better to bring them to the surface in order to overcome them and leave them behind.

You cannot allow anything bad or unpleasant to remain hidden in your mind. The more pure the mind is, the more progress on the path it promotes. If anger rises in you, try to get rid of it. As soon as you notice subtle signs of anger, immediately drink plenty of cold water. Anger harms the human being in every way. It acts like poison. Ask God to deliver you from such conditions. When you criticize others and are hostile, you thereby harm yourself and create obstacles on the path to the Highest. If you see that a person is doing something bad, you should feel love and benevolence towards him. Think like this: "Lord, this is also one of Your manifestations!" The more friendly and non-aggressive you are in your thoughts and behavior, the wider the door will open for you leading to the One - goodness itself. To oppose oneself to someone means to oppose oneself to the Higher Being, because we are all the only Atma. Maintain a calm, friendly attitude.

Nothing happens that is not an expression of Divine Grace - verily, everything is His Grace. With patience, endure everything that comes, stay faithful to His Name and live in joy.

Q: How is the evil in the world compatible with the idea of ​​God?

Ma: When you comprehend God, there is no "good" or "evil" left for you. Good and evil are different only in human thinking and experiences, in other words, these are two "sides" of the same One. The history of nations, families and individuals is all the great lila (divine game) in which God plays with Himself.

The course of life in the world really consists of sorrows and joys, as a person is born to reap the fruits of his past actions. Therefore, being blessed to be born in a human body, it is everyone's duty to seek a path that can take him beyond pain and pleasure.

Even the suffering caused by your desires and the obstacles that you face should be welcomed, since in reality all this is the work of His divine merciful hands. Why should He let you, the offspring of the Immortal, choose the path that leads to death? And if you are overwhelmed with impatience, let it be impatience to find God.

(To the sick person): Whatever the circumstances, you can always find support for yourself in remembering Him. Let your prayer be like this: “Lord, You have shown Your mercy to me in the form of this disease. Grant me the strength to endure it, equip me with patience and give me an understanding that it is You who live in me in this guise. "

(To oneself): Sometimes it happens that illnesses come to this body. They may even enter it and completely take possession of it for a while. This is the nature of this body: it does not invite anyone, it does not expel anyone. Since you are here in this body, diseases are coming. This body does not kick you out. Why should it act differently in relation to them?

Know - the Essence is indestructible.
Only your body is destroyed and disintegrated.

(To a person in a state of despair who wishes to die): Do not seek death while on the path leading to its transcendence. Are you here to gain immortality? And yet you wish to die? Undoubtedly, it is a great blessing to move towards death itself death. The seeker for the realization of Truth must be vigilant, full of determination, and steadfastly move forward.

It is natural that your mind is anxious and scared to death of all kinds of trouble. What to do about it? The only salvation in a state of helplessness is (relying on) Bhagavan (Lord). Don't let yourself break. You are in the hands of the Great Mother. Instead of allowing yourself to surrender without resistance to the all-consuming fire of excitement and anxiety, always try to stick to the conviction that everything happens according to His Will. The real, best and most universal remedy for all difficulties is to remain in constant remembrance of God. Trust Him completely.

If you are firmly convinced that everything is done by God, the desire to find out why something is happening in one way or another does not arise.

Do you know what causes anxiety? Exclusively because you think that God is somewhere very far away. Maliciousness has the same cause. Pushing God into the background is called unrighteousness - moreover, even the very idea that God is somewhere in the distance is unrighteous.

Always banish from your heart everything that has the nature of fear, anxiety or despondency. Where there is joy, enterprise and zeal, the Supreme Energy itself (Mahashakti) is present.

(To a woman grief-stricken over the loss of her daughter and wants to contact her in a seance): Don't try to summon the spirit of a dead person. The call is often answered by other beings, and the average person is unable to distinguish between the true spirit and its false counterpart. Therefore it is harmful. Don't let your mind get caught up in it. At the level of Atma, you and your deceased daughter are One. Remember that as Atma she is with you, in you. This is true, this is not fantasy or speculation. In all forms and states there is no one but Him.

(To the lost child): What can you do, Mother? He lent you His property for a time so that you could serve Him in this way; and He also stayed with you, accepting your service; then He took His property. If tears come to your eyes, cry for God - for the Beloved. Crying for someone who has left this world sometimes hurts the deceased. Many cases confirm this. Therefore, it is the duty of the bereaved person to remain calm, collected and pray for the spiritual well-being of the deceased.

Are you feeling lonely?
But you are not really alone.
Does the Supreme Friend ever leave His friends?

When you are experiencing terrible suffering about a loved one who has gone to another world, there is nothing left but to collect all your courage and patience. Pray for the salvation of your loved one. Try to keep yourself occupied with reading sacred texts, japa (chanting of the Divine Name) and meditation, even if you don't feel like doing it. Do not bring suffering to the departed with your tears and longing for him. Take refuge in God - this is the only way to rest. Those whom God has taken away truly abide in Him.

(To parents whose child has died): Remember that your child's Atma and your own Atma are One. This Atma is never born, does not die, but eternally IS. Only your body, like a worn-out garment, is thrown off.

The Necessity of Sincere Aspiration and Serious Effort

O Higher Being, you are manifested in all forms: in this Universe with all its creatures, in wife, husband, father, mother and children - all in You alone. The mind of man is clouded by worldly attachments. But there is no reason to despair. Go forward with purity, unshakable faith and burning zeal and realize your true Self.

Be constantly aware of the fact that wherever, whatever, however you perceive, all this is nothing but a manifestation of the Supreme Being. Even the feeling of the absence of God is His manifestation that arose so that His Presence could be realized.

Strive to find Him. When you find Him, you will find everything. Call on Him, pour out your heart before Him, share your problems and difficulties with Him. He is complete and perfect, He fills everything, He destroys all sorrow and failure. May your mind always remain at His lotus feet, contemplate Him alone, pray to Him, prostrate, offering Him your body, mind and soul. He is the source of goodness, peace and bliss. What is He not? He is the Life of Life, the Essence.

It is You who weeps helplessly in misery,
it is You who are the Path and the Goal.

Don't delay! The past day will never return.
Priceless time is wasted.
Dedicate your days to the Lord.

Invocation to Him is never in vain. Aren't you addressing your Essence? It is your own Atma, the Heart of your heart, your dear Beloved - this is who you call upon.
To sincerely appeal to God and not receive an answer - this cannot be. Pray to him with your heart and soul. At the limit of all your strength, using all your strength and abilities, try to constantly live in His presence. Bow down at His feet and surrender completely to Him. He Himself will give His kriya (spiritual practice), which will help to go beyond all kriyas and achieve the goal. Therefore, try your best to concentrate your whole being on that form of Him, to which you can give yourself completely, without a trace. Time goes by very quickly.

You keep saying, "I want to find God, I want to find God." But are you really looking for him with all your heart and mind, with all your being? Just look and see! If you are sincere in this, you cannot fail to discover Him. Seek Him only for His own sake and you will surely find Him.

Strong desire for God-realization
in itself a way to this.
True progress in advancing on the spiritual path depends on the sincerity and strength of the seeker's intention.

If you are complete in your striving and give all your heart and soul to the search for the Highest, the discovery of your true Self becomes an easy matter.

Until you reach a certain depth, it will be natural for the mind to be distracted, there will be no stability in it.

Meditation should be a daily practice of every person. Look around! None of this is eternal, so put all your attention on the Eternal. Remember Him in every action. In order to develop a taste for meditation, some effort must be made on purpose. The habits of countless past lives pull you in the opposite direction and make it difficult to meditate; carry on no matter what! If thoughts do not naturally flow in the direction of the Eternal, direct them there using willpower. The blows of fate will also turn you towards God. It will always be only an expression of His Grace - no matter how painful it is, it is through the blows that you learn your lessons. From the point of view of the worldly, such blows of fate are incredibly painful, but in reality they make a change in the heart of a person and lead to Peace: violating worldly happiness, they force him to go in search of the Highest Bliss.

To strive to keep the mind in constant contemplation of That is the only true vocation of everyone. Don't try to evade it by saying, "I can't." You have to develop this ability, you have to do it. Anything is possible for a human being.

Having received the gift of great happiness to be born as a human being, do not waste a moment. Everyone should make every effort to leave this world without a "return ticket".

If anyone really, really wants to find God, he will definitely find Him. If that amount of energy and time that you spend on achieving worldly goals is directed to the search for Him, the path of Self-knowledge will certainly open.

At all costs, try not to succumb to despair and at every moment remain a seeker for the realization of the Essence. The duty of every seeker is to constantly strive for the One Who is beyond everything, Who is simultaneously in all forms, qualities, moods and states of being and at the same time is always outside, Who is Everything in everything, the Essence of everyone.

(Answer to the question about human will and divine grace :) Yes, it is true that there is nothing but Grace, but each person must come to the realization of this fact himself. I say it takes a little effort to get into the flow. Suppose you are going to the river with the intention of swimming. You must first go to the river. Then - swim to the current. Once you are in the current, you will find that it carries you, that nothing else needs to be done, that you can just relax and surrender to its will. It is also true that the required initial effort is possible for you because you are endowed with the gift of will. You will be wise if you use the gift that you know as your own will. However, it goes without saying that nothing will come of it without Divine Grace. It's a bit like getting a job. You cannot hope to get a job until you apply. You have to apply and then wait for the result. The difference is that no effort is wasted (while not every applicant gets a job) when it comes to Grace. I tell you, there is no reason for despair. Be sure that success is guaranteed. Go towards your goal with the greatest optimism you have. I affirm that everything I say is true.

Gems and metals are hidden deep underground. How much hard work it takes to get them! Likewise, God dwells in everyone's heart, but a person through prayer and meditation, deep penetration into the secrets of Truth must clear his mind and get rid of ignorance in order to be ready to receive Divine Grace, thanks to which only the Highest Experience is possible.

The easiest way to God is
through love and devotion.

Do you want to free yourself from the shackles of this world? Then, giving vent to your tears, you need to cry out from the very depths of your heart: "Free me, great Mother of the World, free me!" Lay tears, cry. When the rivulets of your inner and outer tears merge into one, you will find Her - the One that you have been looking for with such despair, which is closer to your loved one, the very breath of life, the very essence of every heart.

Suppose someone wants to go swimming in the sea and along the way decides that he will sail ahead of everyone. Understandably, he has to constantly look back. But for the one whose only goal is the Ocean itself, there is no need to look back and generally worry - there will be only what should be. Surrender to the wave, and the current will carry you; plunging into the ocean, you will never come back. The Eternal Being is a wave that runs ashore to be able to carry you away. Those who can surrender to this element will be accepted by Him. But if your attention is riveted to the shore, you will not go far, because after swimming you will return home again. If your goal is the Highest, the Absolute, you will be attracted to your true nature. There are waves that take with them and waves that take them back out. Those who can surrender to Him, He takes with Him. He comes in the form of a wave, stretches out his hand and calls: "Let's go, let's go, let's GO!"

Do your best, no matter how small.
You are here to finish what
what's left unfinished.

One has to dive deep and dive into the very depth; simply floundering on the surface and swimming here and there will not help your growth, and you will only waste energy.

Who can tell at what point the illuminating flame will break out ahead? Therefore, let your efforts be constant and unremitting. Gradually you will immerse yourself in Him more and more. Your mind and senses will always become occupied by Him alone. And then you will be carried away by the current directed to your Essence. You will find that the more you enjoy the inner life, the less you are attracted to the outer. Awareness of one's identity with the Essence can happen at any moment.

Why talk about the realization of Essence in the future tense?
She is right here and now -
you just need to remove the veil (of egocentrism),
which hides it.

If all the attention of the seeker is directed exclusively to the search for Enlightenment, it must happen there and then.

Constantly directed effort leads to effortlessness of being; in other words, constant practice ultimately leads to going beyond it. Then spontaneity comes in. In effortless existence lies the path to the Infinite.

Spiritual Realization

When an ascetic reaches a certain level of mental purification, he can begin to behave like a child, become indifferent to worldly stimuli like a lump of inert matter, disregard all norms of social life like a madman, or constantly be seized by high thoughts and corresponding emotions. But with all these differences, he remains focused on his main Purpose. If at these stages he forgets his main Goal, his progress will stop. But if he unwaveringly strives for it, then, even looking like a piece of inert matter, absolutely indifferent to external stimuli, he is full of joy when he returns to physical consciousness. Gradually, this joy will strengthen in him and all his relationships will be filled with the spirit of joy and happiness, which will make him attractive to everyone, loved by everyone. His inner and outer life will only become the expression of the One Supreme Bliss.

In the next stage, the devotee of God reaches a level where even the concept of one universal existence dissolves. Then his way of life cannot be explained by ordinary human meanings. In this state, all vibrations of his body mind cease and he can leave the mortal shell. But if there is residual samskara to promote human welfare, it may stay alive for a while. At the same time, he remains unchanged in all circumstances of life, although it may seem that he is subject to change, since he remains in the body. The only difference between such a devotee of God and a yogi is that the yogi leaves the body by his own will. Even at the moment of leaving the physical plane, the yogi remains conscious that he has a body, which he leaves, while leaving his mortal shell in absolute samadhi is unconscious of the individual body and does not make any effort to leave it. The samskaras of life and death cease to function in him, and when the karma of previous lives is worked off, the body naturally falls away.

When a devotee of God goes beyond the higher life center located in the region between the eyebrows, his mental forces are immersed in the supramental, the ego dissolves in Mahabhava (a state of deep love for the Divine), and he finds eternal refuge in Svarupa (the highest reality of the Atman). Then he enters the samadhi of eternal bliss. As the various vital centers (chakras) open, sounds are heard inside - the sound of shells, bells, flutes, etc., and then everything merges into the all-encompassing rhythm of a single great voice of endless silence. At this stage, neither thoughts nor external influences can distract his attention. His being dissolved in the bottomless depths of that sound filled with joy that permeates the entire Universe, he discovered eternal peace.

When you reach the Essence of Things
and you discover your own Essence,
this is the Highest Happiness.
When it is found, there is nothing more to look for;
the feeling of wanting will never wake up again.

It is not necessary to form some new kind of unity, but, rather, to realize the unity that exists forever. Where to go? It (Divine Unity) is already here! What is found [in samsara] (temporary psychic experiences) will be lost again.

What is it that we have to achieve? We are That - the eternal Truth. And only because we believe that It must be experienced and realized, It remains separate from us. The eternal always IS. There is no question of attainment or non-attainment, and therefore, even non-attainment is not a lack (of the Eternal). However, if even one tiny attachment is alive, it means that the Supreme State has not been achieved. What we strive for is true awakening, after which there is nothing left to achieve.

In deep sleep you go to your true Being, but you do not know about it. When true Being is discovered, there is no question of sleep. As the practice and intensity of this discovery gains momentum, the need for sleep diminishes.

There is Realization (Essence), after which there is no longer any possibility of being darkened by the newly appeared veil of ignorance - this is the true and final Self-Realization.

In the early stages, you perceive Him as being inside all objects, but then you see that He is not inside objects - there is nothing but Him. Trees, flowers, water and earth are all the Beloved, all are He. Every form, every state, every expression - absolutely everything that exists is He, except for Him, nothing exists.

It happens that while sitting in meditation you lose consciousness. Or, seized with a feeling of immeasurable joy, you turn off and remain in this state for a long time. Upon my return, I am sure that I experienced some special divine bliss. Of course it is not Realization. If the experience of bliss can be described in words, then it still has to do with pleasure, and therefore is an obstacle. One must remain fully awake, in a clear consciousness. Stupor or yogic sleep cannot lead anyone anywhere.

(Regarding your deep states of nirvikalpa samadhi :) This is a state beyond all conscious and superconscious planes - a state of complete cessation of thoughts, emotions and all activities, both physical and mental; a state that transcends all possible phases of life here below. Deep meditation on any of the manifestations of the five senses - sound, touch, smell, taste or picture - leads to identification with the object of observation, and as concentration increases, the body gradually seems to freeze in this state. Then this object of feelings penetrates into your whole being, and the ego gradually dissolves in it, merging with the One Universal Being. When this state becomes stable, the consciousness of the One Universal Essence will also disappear, and what remains is above words, expression and experience.

If the sadhaka (practitioner) cannot completely control his mind, then he will have (in deep meditation) to see and hear a lot of everything - the real and the illusory - mixed. He may even fall under the influence of some "spirit" or force. Such experiences are far from creating pure spiritual aspiration - they hinder rather than help. What's more, seeing or hearing someone speaking to you can also be a source of complacency and self-centered joy. It is undesirable to lose control of yourself. In search of Truth, one should not allow oneself to be captured by anything. It is necessary to carefully observe the appearance of any phenomena, while maintaining vigilance and clear consciousness, completely in control of oneself. What will be the result of such meditation? He reveals your being to the Light, the One that is eternal.

With the increase in the strength of the sincere one-pointed aspiration to the Divine, the practitioner does indeed experience - in accordance with his conditioning and passionate desire - undoubted visions of deities, he hears their voices. However, the serious practitioner perceives such experiences as just a periodically happening celebration of the mind. It is true that as one progresses along the spiritual path and more and more the loss of "oneself" in the stream of divine contemplation, various partial realizations and visions take place. While they can be helpful, they should never be confused with the ultimate Purpose. Sadhana is not completed until the dissolution in the Supreme Being has occurred and Perfection is achieved.

Be careful not to settle down at any stage (without reaching Realization). Some practitioners get visions, others get [partial] realizations. It even happens that you experience bliss, great happiness and think that you have become God. On the way to realizing the Essence, before true Realization happens, you can become a hostage of your superpowers. This situation is a major obstacle to achieving the Goal.

Perfection is complete and final immersion (in Divine nonduality). When this happens, other people continue to see the one who has achieved the same acting and moving person, but in reality He does not go anywhere, does not eat anything, does not perceive anything.
After the realization of the Essence, there is no body, no world, no action, not even the slightest possibility of all this, just as there is no idea that "this is not there." The use of words is the same as silence; conversation and silence are identical - all are the only That.
After realizing Oneness, you can do whatever you want - there is no more seed of karma in it. You arrive at the One Essence. Is “plunging into it” like being petrified? Not at all! Because the variety of forms and manifestations is nothing but That.

In the State of Pure Being
personal effort and identification with body and mind
end. There is only bliss
complete peace and awareness of the unity of everything.

In true vision
there is no "seer" and "visible".
No eyes.

As you gradually go through various stages of more and more opening yourself to the Light, you come to the vision that there is only one Atman, the Lord of everything. From your direct experience you learn that there is only One and nothing but One, that nothing comes and does not go, and nevertheless everything comes and goes.

"Nothing ever happened" - great happiness,
if given to understand it.
If you are able to know
that nothing ever happened
you are truly blessed with inner vision.

If one of those striving for the Formless realizes Him as One without a second, but cannot realize Him on the field of His Divine Play, his realization will not be complete, because he has not solved the problem of duality. When Realization happens, there is nothing left but Shiva - absolute non-duality. Only then can we say that the entire Universe is His Divine Play. You comprehend that the manifestation is only He alone.
He is one, and yet He is many. And despite the fact that He is many, He is one. This is His lila (play).

The Great Mother, Mahamaya, is the source of creation. When a desire to play with life manifested in Her, She split in two: Ma (Divine Mother) and Maya (phenomenal world), and entered the stage of the world, hiding in the many forms of Maya. When a person who is pretty beaten by fate begins to listen to his real intuition, he feels the Presence of the Mother behind all transient forms and goes in search of Her. With the blessing of Her grace, his efforts are crowned with success, and he realizes Her as the First Cause of all creation, Mahamaya. But this is not the end: experiencing Her omnipresence, he completely immerses in It and loses himself in the ocean of Sachchidananda - the Divine Being of the Consciousness of Bliss.

THAT manifests itself in an infinite variety of ways and at the same time as one indivisible Whole. Can I find words to express it? One and the same ineffable Truth is experienced in two different ways: as a Self-Shining Silence and as the Eternal Play of the One, in which He alone plays all the roles. When the kingdom of Pure Consciousness is attained, Form is revealed as Essence Itself.

If the veil of ignorance did not exist, how could the Divine Leela continue? When an actor plays a part, he must forget himself in the present; Leela cannot continue without a veil of ignorance. He, the Almighty, is the scriptwriter of His infinite Leela, His infinite Game. In the Infinite dwells the finite, and in the finite - the Infinite. He Himself - One, Essence - puts on a play in which He Himself plays. When we talk about the fact that He appears in a different guise (in the form of a phenomenon), what is this different guise itself? Yes, of course, He is Himself.

What a comedy this Divine Leela is!
What a crazy house! He plays with Himself!

If after the realization of the Essence, after the essence of Being has revealed Itself, you continue to worship some particular deity, this means that you are worshiping Yourself. This is Leela. (Question: "Whose Leela?") There is only the Divine Leela. Whose else?

In the entire Universe, in all states of being, in all forms - He is. All names are His. All forms are His, all qualities and types of existence are truly His.

You Yourself are the self-evident Atma.
Searching and finding is all in You.

It is said that even the thought of the Whole is from the Whole, the Whole remains the Whole. Neither remove nor add - the integrity of the Whole remains intact. Whatever you follow is only an aspect of the Whole. What are all these methods for, with their mantras, ideas and states, beliefs and rejections? To realize Him - your own Essence.

He is one - water, as well as ice.
What is ice? Nothing less than water.

Verily, you alone ask, and you alone answer.
You hit the drum and listen to the sound.

Worship is not ritual.
This is a feeling, this is an experience.

Be like a child that never grows up.

Doing pranam (bowing down) means putting your head where it should be - at the feet of God. His feet are everywhere, and therefore namaskar (salutation) can be done anywhere, remembering the feet of God. To do pranam means to open up to the Divine Power that is always pouring out on everyone. You usually close yourself off from her. To do pranam means to give your mind, your “I” to Him, to give “yourself” to the One, so that there is only Him, not “you”.

If you crave true Awakening,
after which there is nothing to achieve ...
Becoming fully aware is not enough -
one must rise above the conscious and the unconscious.
That which Is must shine infinitely.

Each vision produces a result. True vision is the direct result of the destruction of the veil of Maya. When the veil is removed, God is revealed. The goal of all spiritual practices is to remove this veil. But how and when such a vision will become possible cannot be predicted. It can be a slow, gradual process, or a sudden flash of insight, at His mercy. If His vision depended on some of our actions, He would fall under this limitation. But He is not limited by anything. He is always free. All our efforts are only [expressing] the intention to remove the veil of Maya. The result is completely in His hands.

Q: Is it necessary to renounce the world?
Ma: No, why? Is there a place where God is not? Ordinary life naturally flows into spiritual life. But in reality there is nothing other than God.

Everyone has his own path

Q: If Mataji has found peace, why is she still wandering?
Ma: I'm a very restless little girl. I cannot stay in one place. This is on the one hand. But from a different perspective of vision, I would say: it is you who see me wandering, in reality I am completely motionless. When you are in your house, do you only sit in one corner? Likewise, I also walk around my house - while I do not go anywhere, always in the peace of my own abode.

I don't go anywhere: I am always here. There is no departure and no arrival - everything is Atman.

Drink nectar - the wine of immortality. Follow the path of immortality, where there is no disease or death.

When you feel the Power in yourself, when a new light appears from within, the more you can be in complete peace and real estate, the more intense this light.

Q: I am burdened with work and family responsibilities, how can my mind be free to pray and meditate?
Ma: Let the work be done as it should, without straining. Work without feeling that "you" are working. See it as God's work done through you as His
tool. Then your mind will be at rest and serenity. This is both prayer and meditation.

To find God, you must give up everything you own. But people keep repeating: "How can I give up pride, anger, a sense of self-importance, how can I resignedly endure insults?"

You should use soap when washing your clothes. And, of course, the clothes will not be clean until they are rinsed out. But can it be cleaned without soap? Remembering God - "soap" - at the end must be washed away by the cleansing waters of the Ganges of Supreme Knowledge. Don't worry about the result. In trading, you give and get something in return. This is a deal, not a real gain. With such a selfish attitude, you cannot find the authentic.

As there is a state of Higher Knowledge, there is also a state of perfection at the zenith of the path of Love. There is found the nectar of Perfect Love, equal to the Highest Knowledge. In this state, there is no room for emotional arousal; emotional excitement would make it impossible to experience the radiance of Higher Love. If, following a certain approach, you have not reached That which is the completion of all sadhanas, the final Goal, this means that you have not entered the Stream. At the summit of Love, there can be no excitement, violent emotions and all the like. Emotional agitation and Higher Love are not comparable at all - they are completely different from each other.

Having become capable of genuine meditation, you come into contact with Reality - and then you discover the indescribable joy that is lurking even in external objects, in all of them.

When, in the process of meditation, you forget and fall into a kind of stupor, and then claim that you were immersed in intense bliss, that kind of bliss is an obstacle. This is a sign of attachment, and this attachment stands in the way of true meditation, since there is a tendency to return to this state again and again, because from a worldly point of view, such a state seems to be a source of deep inner joy and, as it were, indicates spiritual progress. But in fact, holding on to this state is an obstacle and means the cessation of further progress.

There is a state of being where everything is immaterial, whether He takes form or not: all that is is He. And then what to express in words ?! Moreover, at a certain level He reveals Himself to Himself and at the same time does not reveal Himself. To whom should He reveal Himself? When there is neither form nor quality, what is there to talk about? When nothing is excluded, what can hinder Oneness? In this state of absolute equilibrium, there is nothing more separated from Him: all that is is That itself. So what can be said or remain unsaid if It is completely beyond words? Obviously, everyone speaks from the level at which he reveals himself, but all these are truly His words, His song to Himself. In the highest state there is nothing that could hinder - if there is an hindering, then ignorance remains. In reality, there is only He - He is one, there is nothing but Him.

Q: Are there levels in spiritual Knowledge?

Ma: No. Where there is Knowledge of Oneself, there is neither variety nor levels. When there is the Knowledge of Oneself, it is only one. By “levels” we mean the stages when grasping at the objects of the senses is released and the attention is paid to God. God is not yet realized, but following this path becomes attractive. There is meditation, contemplation and Divine ecstasy or samadhi. The experiences of each of these stages are endless. When there is mind, there is experience. Experiences of various stages are a consequence of the thirst for Higher Knowledge. When do visions arising in meditation stop? - When the Essence is Self-Revealed.

Praise the Mother

Glory to You, Sri Anandamayi Ma,
Abiding in everyone - eternal absolute purity!
Your splendor, Mother Nirmala, illuminates the Universe with the radiance of all Divine virtues!
You are the incarnate Gauri, the royal Power, which is symbolized by Om in the exclamations of "Matchmaker!" and "Svadha!"
You, Mother, are always divinely merciful to everyone - the eternally abiding, immeasurably beautiful, supreme reality, the true nature of the manifested Universe!
Sun and Moon, Mother, - Your earrings;
The deep blue of the endless sky is your hair;
The universe is your amazing body!
Mother, You are the magic of all the treasures of the world, sweetness embodied, shining with all the splendor of life!
You are the most holy, Mother, - all gods and goddesses abide in You,
You are like the fullness of Lakshmi's charm for Vishnu, unlimited peace, relaxation, forgiveness!
Mother, You are the distributor of the happiness and blessings of life, divine wisdom, love, the joy of salvation!
The Universe is Your offspring, You cultivate it in endless ways and reabsorb it into Yourself, Mother!
You are the very life of your devotees, the incarnate Divine Grace, bringing this peace and two others.
You are the source of all actions, expressing Yourself in them,
You are above all differences and associations - the supreme Mover of all divine forces!
The sweet words that come from Your lips are full of wisdom -
You charm all the saints, all worldly fears dissipate under Your gaze!
All mantras, all Vedas reveal Your power,
With Your Presence You support all the worlds, Mother!
All gunas and forms emanate from You,
You are above all of them - you create them by just an impulse of thought!
The entire Universe always sings the hymn of Your Grace, experiencing awe at the touch of Yours!
May our hearts unite and in worship of Your feet begin to sing Your glory, Mother, again and again, forever!

Indian saint Anandamayi Ma (04/30/1896 - 08/27/1982) is the most beautiful Indian woman and in general the most beautiful woman that I have seen, her heavenly beauty overshadows the earthly beauty of other women. The name "Anandamayi Ma" in translation from Sanskrit means "Mother, imbued with bliss." In India, many of her followers consider her the embodiment of the goddess Devi. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi treated her with the deepest respect and love. Swami Sivananda called her " the purest flower ever to appear in the land of India. ”Anandamayi Ma was born in a small, predominantly Muslim village of Kheora in East Bengal (now Bangladesh). Her parents were brahmanas, poor but very pious. Father Anandamayi Ma - Bipin Behari Bhattacarya - he was an ardent worshiper of Krishna, got up at three o'clock in the morning to sing hymns to Krishna, often in religious delight he left the house and his wife had to look for him and bring him back. singing the hymn to Krishna and continued to sing in the rain pouring down the house.Anandaimaya's mother, Moksada Sundari Devi, was also religious at the end of her life she became a nun. Before the birth of her daughter, she often saw different deities in her dreams, and when her daughter was born, she named her Nirmala Sundari, which means "flawless beauty." Later, Nirmala Sundari would become known throughout India as Anandamayi Ma.
Saint Anandamayi Ma (Ananda
mayi Ma)

From early childhood, the girl amazed with her extraordinary abilities. Nirmala was fully aware and well remembered what had happened to her from the moment she was born. Parents sometimes watched their daughter talk to plants and creatures invisible to others. Due to poverty and want, Nirmala only attended school for two years, barely learning how to read and write. When Nirmala was 12 years and 10 months old, she was married. Nirmala's husband was Ramani Mohan Chakravorty, who later adopted the religious name Bholanath. Marriages in India are early, but the wife begins to live with her husband only after reaching adulthood, therefore, until the age of 18, Nirmala lived in the house of her husband's older brother.

When Nirmala began to live with her husband together, he, to his grief, discovered that sex life with his wife is completely impossible. As soon as he wanted his wife to fulfill his marital duty, she fell into a fainting state, her body was distorted and numb and he had to recite mantras to make her come to her senses. Once, when he touched his wife's body, it was as if he was electrocuted. When Nirmala was 21 years old, her periods stopped forever. Nirmala could not do housework either, because constantly fell into religious ecstasy. Nirmala's husband was offered to marry again, he refused, since hoped that such a state of his wife was temporary, but then he realized that such a state of his wife would never end, since his wife is a saint. He became her first student in December 1922, Nirmala was then 26 years old.

In 1925, her student Jyotish Chandra Roy (Bhaiji) calls Nirmala "Anandamayi Ma" (Blissful Mother).

In 1926, Anandamayi Ma passes by a Muslim grave and, imbued with Islam, begins to read passages from the Koran and say a Muslim prayer. Later, in an interview, Anandamayi Ma says that he considers himself not only a Hindu, but also a Christian and a Muslim at the same time.
The number of followers of Anandamayi Ma is growing, since 1932 she begins to travel all over India without being in one place for more than two weeks.

In 1933, the wife of the future Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru visited her, through her Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru learned about Anandamayi Ma, who also began to visit her, the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, also visited Anandamayi Ma more than once and treated her with the greatest respect.

According to eyewitnesses, Anandamayi Ma possessed supernatural powers, for example, she healed people from any disease with just a simple touch. But supernatural powers - siddhis - were not for her (as well as for another great Indian mystic Ramakrishna), but were only side effects of religious practice. Anandamayi Ma's only purpose in life was the realization of God. She never had a teacher and did not know any religious texts. She did not see herself as a guru. However, she was always ready to help people who were looking for her spiritual guidance. She brought people the idea that God dwells inside every person, and the whole world is a Divine creation and his play. A distinctive feature of Anandamayi Ma, according to followers, was the desire to awaken a strong desire for spiritual life in everyone who communicated with her. All her actions and advice changed people and opened the way for them to God. She said: "A saint is like a tree. He does not call anyone to him and does not send anyone away. He offers to protect everyone who wants to come to him, be it a man, woman, child or animal. When you sit under a tree, it will protect you from the variability of the weather, from the heat of the sun and from the pouring rain and will give you flowers and fruits. "

Often during kirtana (chanting and reciting religious hymns), she would fall into a trance. Once, while applying scarlet paint to the forehead of a woman, she dropped the box, fell and began to roll on the ground. Then she slowly got up and stood on her big toes. Both her arms were extended upward, her head was slightly tilted to the side and back, and the motionless gaze of her shining eyes was directed to the far edge of the sky. She began to move and dance, as if filled with a heavenly presence, until finally her body sank to the floor, as if melted, and she began to roll on the ground again. Then a soft song flowed from her lips, and tears flowed from her eyes.

During kirtan, she often tilted her head back until she touched the back of her head, made rotational movements with her hands and feet, until she fell flat on the floor, began to roll on it, stretched strongly, her body size could increase or decrease, while breathing stopped. Sometimes it seemed that there were no bones in her body, she bounced like a rubber ball, but her movements were swift like lightning. The hair follicles swelled up causing the hair to stand on end. Whatever thought flashed through her brain, the body immediately showed the corresponding physical expression. In accordance with her breathing, her body vibrated rhythmically, as if waves were rolling onto the shore and, arms outstretched, she swayed to the beat of the music. Just as the fallen leaves sway slightly in the wind, so graceful were her movements. No man, no matter how hard he made, could repeat them. Everyone present felt that the mother was dancing under the influence of divine forces that vibrated her entire being in waves. During samadhi, her body began to glow so that everyone around her saw it. During such periods, those who looked at her could experience bliss, and those who touched her feet fell unconscious. One day her followers told her: "Now that you are with us, we do not need to visit the temple."

Anandamai Ma was the embodiment of Divine love and knowledge of Truth. From a young age she realized that “the entire Universe is my own manifestation ... I met directly with the One, manifested as multiple,” she said. People of different classes and religions came to be in her presence and receive instructions. She was revered as the embodiment of the Divine Mother, she was bliss and love.

“There is nothing but God. Everything living and inanimate is only a manifestation of the form of God. He has now come here also in your body. "

“Strive to know yourself! Knowing yourself means discovering everything in yourself. There is nothing separate from you. To truly know yourself is to know Him. With the discovery of one's own essence, all problems and questions disappear. Self-realization is God-realization, and God-realization is self-realization ”.

Anandamaya Ma's Horoscope

Anandamaya Ma's horoscope is outstanding, clearly reflecting the birth of a saint. In the first house Venus is located in exaltation in the spiritual sign of Pisces in the position of vargottam. The highest manifestation of the energy of Venus is pure unconditional love, of which Anandamayi Ma was a vivid embodiment. Moreover, Venus is the Atma-karaka, the planet of the soul in her horoscope. Lagnesh and the dispositor of Venus - Jupiter - is also in exaltation in the 5th house of accumulated karma of past lives, which indicates spiritual consciousness realized in past incarnations.

In the horoscope there are 2 more planets in exaltation: the Sun and Saturn, which strengthen the already powerful astrological chart.

The reason for the birth of awakened consciousness in the physical body is nothing more than the desire to serve the liberation of others. The horoscope contains indications of such a desire of the soul. Firstly, there is one retrograde planet in the chart, indicating the conditional "duty" (if such a word can be applied to a saint) and this is Saturn - the planet of service, he is also the owner of the 12th house of bestowal. Secondly, Rahu (the planet of direction to the future) is located in the sign of Aquarius (a sign of public service, ruled by Saturn) in the 12th house (charity, giving).

I don’t think it is worth talking more about this horoscope, since the manifestation of the divine essence is beyond the boundaries of forms, stars and planets. It is only worth noting how the horoscope is able to reflect the level of spiritual realization accumulated by the practice of past lives and manifested in this incarnation with the aim of serving others.

“There is only One immutable indivisible reality, which reveals itself in infinite complexity and variety. This only reality - the Supreme Truth - is always present, everywhere, under any circumstances ... Almighty God has no name or form, but all names and forms are His. Its essence is Being, Consciousness, Bliss. He is in everything, and everything is in Him. "

“Everything is His work. There is only Him, your only duty is to always remember this. As long as “I” and “mine” remain, there will inevitably be sorrows and desires. ”

article by Valeria Zhelamskaya (c)