We are like candle lights
shining on each other
warming the air around us.
And wherever the wind of change
placed our flame
we would not do anything different.
Those whom life has broken
hear the unspoken truth
always from the Heart.
Is there now a choice
but to love
even if silently.
August summer from awesome meadow sings,
I never tire from commune with my Soul,
In silent wood’s enchanted shades, where broad
Shafts of sunlight fall in full accord
Gilding leaves of green. The dusty lane’s my goal,
Which ends where the higher path begins.
The air, the fair horizon, crystal springs,
Rosy lips of dawn, which one yearns to kiss
This hem of heaven’s robe in joyful bliss.
Come! let’s gaze at gleaming stars so chaste
They shine on Mother Earth through veils with haste.
Let pine trees imparting scented breath
Waft you along to life away from death,
To sapphire streams and fields of emerald green.
Let Nature’s radiance reveal her sheen
On the solemn beauty of your furrowed brow.
True love latent in your heart, here and now,
Will ever grace this sacred, monumental hour.
Photos courtesy of Trina Kavanagh
I am starting with this post a series of articles dedicated to the teachings that Gururaj Ananda Yogi gave to his chelas during 12 years. Gururaj Ananda Yogi (birth name: Purushottam Narsinhram Valodia, 3 March 1932, Gujarat, India – died 17 May 1988, Cape Town, South Africa) was the founder of International Foundation of Spiritual Unfoldment. Gururaj Ananda Yogi started giving satsang in his living room at his home in South Africa and during 1974 with the help of some of his disciples in South Africa started The South African Meditation Society and The International Foundation for Spiritual Unfoldment. Since that date to 1988 when he passed away he traveled around the world lecturing and had chelas in several countries, particularly Spain, USA and the UK countries he visited twice a year since he started teaching. His teachings were recorded and more than 3,000 hours of recorded material are now being edited and transcribed to be published in different media. Some of his disciples are today teachng meditation and there are centers in many parts of the world. I actually dedicate myself full time to teach meditation and maintain meditation centers in Barcelona, Asturias, Bilbao and Madrid
Emptiness
Just emptiness
Nothing to do
Nowhere to go
Pulsating life that laughs back at
This bunch of impressions
That feel have an existence by its own
But just exist as impressions of this singled drop of water
Moment by moment, this form performs within this universal dance
And carries images to this singled drop of water
Still pictures of a film
Only existing in its own maya of mind
Clouds that hide the sun
Amazing sun that created those very same clouds
At times merging into my soul – a moment of perfection,
Vain seems my learning, and incomplete
The world’s knowledge gathered through its lifetime,
Impressions of what is, moment by moment, gathered in this singled drop of water
At this moment into timelessness, spacelessness, perfection;
Vain is all art, cults, creeds, humanity – all incomplete
Illusions! Mirages! And then that moment lapses:
The limitless becomes limited, the infinite becomes finite
The machinery of mind starts rolling in its own disturbance –
Surveying the din and tumult of the world,
All existence becomes real and time is divided;
The mind gropes in its own darkness
Real becomes the multitude stricken with pain –
All striving for wealth or fame or a dreamed “forever” prince.
A strive for perfection – the aim of all – consciously or unconsciously.
Knowledge and art and cults and creeds are not in vain
In the world of mind; toiling, striving, fathoming –
Seeking completeness from without
Images gathered reflected back in this moment of delight.
I that have tasted of infinity
Fight with my own mind at times, to loosen its bonds,
And try to seek within
For another moment of eternity
Through these series of articles I will be introducing the teachings of Gururaj Ananda Yogi from which many will be able to benefit
Namaste
Mangal Aaratee Priyaa Preetam kee, Mangal Preeti Reeti Doun kee
Blessed prayer of lover and Beloved, Blessed is the ritual of their union
Mangal Kaanti Hansani Dasanan kee, Mangal murlee Beena Dhun kee
Blessed is the light of His swanlike splendour, Blessed is the sweet rhythm of His flute
Mangal Banik Tribhangee Hari kee, Mangal Sevaa Sab Sahachar kee
Blessed Hari, omnipresent knower of three worlds, Blessed friend of all devotees
Mangal Sir Chandrikaa Mukut kee, Mangal Chabi Nainan mein At kee
Blessed is His crown made of Peacock’s feather, Blessed is His glance enslaving my eyes
Mangal Chataa Phabee ang ang kee, Mangal Gaur Syaam Ras Rang kee
Blessed beauty of ornaments on Shyam’s body, Blessed are Krishna’s activities
Mangal Ali kati peyare pat kee, Mangal Chitvan Naagar nat kee
Blessed love of Sweetheart Govinda , Blessed allure of that magical Krishna
Mangal Shobhaa kamal Nain kee, Mangal Maadhuri Mridul Bain kee
Blessed is the beauty of His lotus eyes, Blessed the soft and sweet voice of His Flute
Mangal Vrinidaavan Mag At kee, Mangal Kreedan Jamunaa Tat kee
Blessed husband of Vrindavan’s gopis, Blessed is His play on the river banks of Jamuna
Mangal Charan Arun Taruvan kee, Mangal Karani Bhagati hari Jan kee
Blessed are His Feet under the Arun tree of the forest , Blessed Lord, remover of obstacles
Mangal Jugal Priyaa Bhavaan kee, Mangal Shree Raadha Jeevan kee
Blessed pair of beautiful charming lovers, Blessed Hari, who is the life of Radha
To listen to this Aaratee, click on the link…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeOEW5bJUHE
Arati (also called Aarti, ãrti, arathi) is performed in many Hindu temples first thing in the morning, and several times throughout the day, with a final arati in the evening. Arati is also performed after services such as puja. The word is derived from the syllables “Aa” which means towards, and “rati” which means the highest love for God. As the devotee waves the lamp before the deity, the frame of mind should be one of surrender and devotion, a prayer to Divinity to annihilate the ego in the flames of the sacred fire such that complete surrender is achieved.
At the Chinmaya Mission temple where I worship, following the monthly group chanting of the Vishnu Sahasranama, we sing a beautiful Mangal Aaratee to Lord Krishna, which glorifies the love of the Lord for Radha and for the gopis, thus symbolically glorifying the Oneness of the Paramatma and the atma as embodied in the living jiva. Something about this Aaratee drew me the first time I heard it even though I could not really make out the melody as a small group of devotees sang it one night. I later found out the language was Hindi, and one afternoon I drove over to the Temple to request Swamiji to sing it for me so I could record it and learn the melody for the monthly chanting. Like some other bhajans have done, this one took me over and I needed to take it a step further, learning it on my harmonium and memorizing the words. Still, something was missing…I knew the general gist of the words had to do with auspiciousness and Lord Krishna and Shrimata Radarani, but I wanted more. I wanted to know what all the words meant.
So, I posted photos of my lyric sheet in the Roman transliteration as well as the Hindi devanagari script on my Facebook page, asking my FB friends if anyone there knew Hindi and might be able to help. One of them did, Shravanji Manyan, and he was kind enough to make an effort which was a great help. But, there were some lines which he felt he could not quite make out and so there will still some missing lines. I knew that if the Lord wanted it to happen, He would make it happen. In the meantime, believing that God helps those who help themselves, I resolved to bring it to a few people at the Mission who I thought might be able to help.
Before I had to do that, I met a woman who joined into a small yoga group which meets at the Mission. When our practice was finished for the morning, I pulled it out for my friend, Lakshmi, to ask for her help. Then a new member of our yoga group, Pushpa, spoke up to say that she had a Masters in Hindi and would be glad to take a look. We started to go over some words, when she offered to take it home. As a result, she sent me an in depth translation, word for word in a prose like fashion, which gave me a thorough outline of the lyrics. But this was not in the flow of the poetic beauty which graced the Hindi lines. I rewrote the translation to at least try to give it more of a poetic feel and do poetic justice to the author, unknown, who penned these beautiful lines. Both the lyrics and the melody are hauntingly beautiful, taking you to the banks of the Jamuna River where Radha, the human soul and Krishna, Divinity gracing us in human form, eternally re-enact the holy union of His Divinity within the human soul. There is a certain mystery and wonder to the dance of the lover and the Beloved. May we all know the glories of this sacred Oneness.
Samo’ham sarvabhooteshu na me dweshyo’sti na priyah;
Ye bhajanti tu maam bhaktyaa mayi te teshu chaapyaham
I look upon all creatures equally,
none are less dear to Me and none more dear.
But those who worship Me with love and affection live in Me,
I come to life in them.”
BG 9.29
Offered with gratitude to the Lotus Feet of my Guru, Shri Krishna, and my Lord, Shri Krishna,
for His Grace in allowing me to love Him, to serve Him and to be His devotee,
and for gifting me with Swami Siddhanandaji in my life, in so many ways,
and in particular, for singing this beautiful work of art for me to learn,
for Shravanji Manyan and for Pushpaji Gairola,
both of whom generously offered their time and talent in
reviewing the lyrics and translating them for me,
and for the unknown poet who wrote this Aaratee through His Grace.
It is said that the Vedas have no author since
they derive from Divinity itself…so too with this Aaratee.
In honor of the Guru, which can only be Him
manifesting in His infinite mercy to remove the illusion of duality.
It may be external, or it may be from within,
opening the chambers of the heart and
unlocking the shackles of the mind such that nothing remains but Him,
everywhere manifesting in everything. Chitta chora! Chitta chora!
Steal it all and give me only one thing in return…your holy Presence.
May I prostrate before you eternally
in gratitude for the Grace you have brought into my life.
Puja Prayer
Like a flower
In complete surrender
I come unto You
Petal by petal
In complete surrender
I come unto You
Like the primrose heralds the spring
In complete surrender
I come unto You
May my actions be right
In complete surrender
I come unto You
May I walk in thy Light
In complete surrender
I come unto You
Earth, my altar… I, my offering
In complete surrender
I come unto You
May my only reward
Be complete surrender
Unto You
The Self manifests externally as Guru when occasion arises;
otherwise He is always within, doing the needful.
From Talks with Ramana Maharshi, 12th June, 1937 Talk 426.
To view Adi Shankaracharya’s Guru Ashtakam…
1. MOTHER DIVINE
Our Mother Divine lifts her sacred cup,
She pours pellucid, precious, potent balm,
Curing, healing, lifting pilgrim’s spirit up.
With power of Love, perfect, peaceful, calm,
She holds poor palsied pilgrim in her palm,
And plies him with pure nectar, honey sweet,
So pouring from her silver grail a potion warm,
To soothe all cares and salve his blistered feet,
With Love’s ointment: oh, perfect Paraclete!
2. WHITE KNIGHT
Feeling his fiery steed between his knees,
He watches restless spirit’s breathing flow;
The stallion settles and he reins with ease.
Now tamed, he canters where he wants to go,
To Himalayan summits crowned with snow,
A pure white splendour glowing bright in light,
Above dark turmoil of dormant worlds below.
He arrives at awesome Selfhood, blazing bright,
Sun burst of splendour, ends soul’s dark night.
Now, White Knight hoists on high his pointed lance,
To joust with Death, a fierce Titanic tilt.
As he mounts his steed in martial prance
He strikes hard at dragon, up to the hilt,
To end all dark sorrow, fear and guilt.
Free from sense of doership, an act replete
With holy knowledge, a temple truly built
To worship God, he kneels to kiss the feet
Of Death’s slayer; such a sacred blessed feat.
3. GOD LOVE SOLDIER
Wielding his spear of sharpest concentration,
The God-love soldier plunges its silver blade,
With mighty force of lucid sheer attention,
Deep into the dragon’s heart. Unafraid,
Delivering the coup de grace, vile ego’s laid!
Well honed with dispassionate discrimination,
Whetted with ardent zeal, no wavering shade
Of cowardice, his steel, with keen anticipation,
Slays his wayward mind of Self alienation.
4. ARCHER
He twangs the bow of Self-Enquiry, to enter
A sharp arrow of clearly aimed insight,
Zinging to the bull’s eye of Truth at centre.
Dispelling all doubts in error free flight,
He finds Love, a beckoning beacon light,
Glowing within his inner cave of heart.
Such marksmanship is God-Warriors right,
To win this vision, the true martial art,
Holy war, waged ‘til soul and body part.
5. AQUARIUS
Water bearer draws deep from Rachel’s well,
A jar of truth for pilgrim’s thirst to slake.
Raising the cup he hears the temple bell
Which calls him home to pray and penance make
To God, whom he adores for His own dear sake
Alone, and free from lust for selfish boon.
His love showers rain of grace, and fills the lake
Where sails the white swan of devotion, soon
To glow beneath the golden harvest Moon.
6. PRIMORDIAL SAGE
Primordial Sage, in silence, takes his seat,
Emitting waves of God-like love to those
Who sit surrendered at his lotus feet.
His mystic vision’s sure, and truly knows
The sure destruction of all disciples’ woes,
That halt the climb to Self’s most blissful place.
His merciful love abundantly flows,
Ever granting pilgrim power to trace
His own Self ablaze, in a sea of grace.
7. BOLD PILGRIM
So bold pilgrim ascends the mountain path,
His friends are unconditional faith and trust.
Gentle compassion rains, a healing bath
Of grace, cleansing his feet of mundane dust,
Freeing him from greed, ego, anger, lust.
Fearless he walks, awakened, to his goal,
Unattached, discriminating, and so just,
‘Til attaining consummation with the Whole,
He finds, hidden deep at heart, Eternal Soul!
.
Filled with divine delight
I can hardly bear my intoxication
sometimes.
It feels like the heart will burst
but vapors of love remain contained,
sealed,
within this shell, but seep out
sometimes.
Where shall I hide the light
burning in this Self-fascination
that healed
the scars as if the wounds existed only
in the emptiness of some starless night.
Without any choice was granted this sight
that finds its voice
in these rhymes.
Now that clouds have burst
waves of the sea remain unstained
and splash over me sometimes.
I fell in love
I fell in a well
I fell in a well of love.
I splashed all about
trying to get out
out of the well of love.
Terror seized me
came this thought;
All is lost!
Tried to swim out
heard myself shout
Help!
A drowning man
gasped for breath
close seemed death.
I wildly thrashed around
in the well of love
and in time got out
safe and sound.
Cold and shaken
lost in thought
dripping from head to toe;
was not sure
if the battle fought
had been with a friend or foe.
Still, shivering body
sought no shelter
with no other place to go
stood quietly into the night
until the sunrise
brought its warmth and glow.
Then I missed love
and circled
the well of love.
Looked inside
but could not tell
how deep it was.
I felt its call
the well of love
thus grew my sorrow and pain.
I could not help it
so I jumped in
the well of love again.
Now, water water everywhere
all thought has ceased to be
and everywhere I stare
my love’s face is what I see.
Yes, water water everywhere
not a single sound is made
I did drown in the well of love
and only love remained.
Luthar.com 
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