Guest guest Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 SAI RAM Dear Brothers and Sisters, (continued from posting no.66) We are in the midst of understanding the methods of purifying the mind in the context of Self-Realization.. We now come to the last of the methods mentioned earlier viz. Vrata Vrata: True vow,or vrata, is one which increases the will-power and discipline of the mind. Examples include a vow not to eat food or drink before finishing one`s daily worship (Upasana)of all forms, fasting on predetermind days of the week or month, chanting a certain number of specific mantras per day, practising celebacy or restaraint while visiting holy places and on days on which Vrata is observed , observing silence (mounam) from dawn to dusk or giving up sweets or some other favourite food or drink on specific occasions etc.etc. All the methods of ritual, austerity, charity, chanting and pilgrimage are prescribed as great purifiers. However, each one of them is effective only if we practise it with proper understanding and faith( shraddha). If we practise them mechanically, without faith and devotion, then it is not real spiritual practice(sadhna), and naturally we will not experience any of the joys of spiritual unfoldment. Let me narrate a story to illustrate this point. A Guru once told his disciple to repeat a mantra with great concentration and single-pointedness of mind. He added, " Japa done with a wandering mind is of no avail " . The disciple sat down to chant but noticed very quickly that his mind was always wandering. Having remembered what his Guru had told him, he discontinued the japa. When the Guru later asked him if he was repeating his mantra, the disciple replied, " No! Because you said it is of no use doing it with a wandering mind. " The Guru said, " But you should have given up the wandering of the mind and not the japa! " . This disciple had clearly no devotion or sincerity in his spiritual practise, hence he did not achieve any positive results. On the other hand, the great saints like,say, Sri Samartha Ramadas Swami did the japa of " Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama " 130 million times. By that simple practice, performed with devotion, he achieved everything: Lord Rama Himself became his teacher! Saint Thyagaraja Swamy of Tiruvayyaru in Tamilnadu chanted the name of Lord Rama 96 crore times within 21 years and Lord Rama is said to have appeared before him . This happened within 200 years or so from now. (to be continued) With Loving SAI Rams, G.Balasubramanian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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