Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
In today's world, both men and woman need motherhood, the nurturing motherly feeling, the feminine energy. By receiving this energy, it will make them independent and free.
Children, temples are places where, at least for a short while, the remembrance of God is kindled in our hearts which otherwise are totally immersed in worldly transactions.
When doing archana (daily prayers) as a group, one person should chant the mantra and the others should repeat it. Mantras should be chanted slowly, clearly and with devotion.
Nowadays everybody wants to become a leader. No one wants to become a servant. In reality, the world is badly in need of servants, not leaders. A real servant is a real leader.
Do your actions in the world, without forgetting that your find goal in life is to break free from all bondage and limitations. Always 'remember that you have a higher goal to attain.
There is the path of karma, selfless action, the path of love and devotion, the path of training the mind and the path of Yoga, mantra and tantra this is what the various saints advocated.
Any action done with the right attitude, understanding and discrimination will take you closer to liberation. If however, the same action is done without the right attitude, it will bind you.
A musk deer searches for the source of the fragrance of musk, but it won't find it because the fragrance comes from within itself. Bliss is not to be found outside of us; it exists within us.
Children, do not listen to those who malign masters and sages. Never listen to or indulge in derogatory talk about anyone. When we harbor negative thoughts about others, our minds become impure.
We must remember that man is not an island, totally isolated and disconnected from others. We are all part of a universal chain, or the universal consciousness. What happens to one happens to all.
We human beings are born in ego, live in ego, are brought up in ego and will die in ego. We need a certain degree 0f vision when we live in this world for achieving and attaining our goals in life.
Make use of all free time at the office and elsewhere for chanting your mantra or reading spiritual books. Avoid indulging in unnecessary gossip and try to talk about spiritual subjects with others.
Our hearts are the shrine; that is where God should be installed. Our good thoughts are the flowers to worship Him. Good deeds form the worship, good words form the hymns and love forms the offering.
While eating, our attention should not be focused just on the taste. Imagine our chosen deity or guru is present within us and that we are feeding Him. This will turn eating into a spiritual practice.
If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic. Japa will bestow good health to both mind and body.
After praying, and before eating anything, it is a good custom for everyone to feed one another a small portion of the food. This will help to cultivate mutual love and affection among the family members.
Ashrams and gurukulas (spiritual schools) are the pillars of spiritual culture. If we perform sadhana according to the guru's advice, we need not go anywhere else. We will get whatever we need from the guru.
The first step in spiritual life is to have compassion. A person who is kind and loving never needs to go searching for God. God rushes toward any heart that beats with compassion-it is God's favorite place.
Real life is developed from within. Real living means that the soul expresses itself through all one's thoughts, words and actions. A person becomes fearless once he understands the nature of the imperishable soul.
Try to gather the strength to live as brother and sister after one or two children are born. This is essential for reaping the full benefit of spiritual practice and to make spiritual progress through mental restraint.
Just as our bodies need proper food to live and develop, our souls need love to blossom. The strength and nourishment that love can give our souls is even more potent than the nourishing power of a mother's milk for a baby.
The beauty and charm of selfless love and service should not die away from the face of this earth. The world should know that a life of dedication is possible, that a life inspired by love and service to humanity is possible.
It is not good to give money to everyone who begs; give food or clothing instead. They may misuse the money we give for drinks and drugs. We should not give them a chance to err. Try not to see them as beggars, but as God himself.
There are thousands ready to die for their religion, but only are few willing to live by its principles. Because of their narrow vision and envy, they have missed the true essence and message of religion which is love and compassion.
Contribute to charitable projects like the printing of spiritual books so that they can be sold at a lower price. Poor people will then be able to buy and read them. In this way we can help to cultivate spiritual culture in them also.
Love is the very foundation, beauty and fulfillment of life. If we dive deep enough into ourselves, we will find that the one thread of universal love ties all beings together. As this awareness dawns within us, peace alone will reign.
Children, if we can do archana of the 1000 Names of the Divine Mother daily with devotion, we will grow spiritually. There will never be lack of life's essentials, food and clothing, in a family that chants the 1000 Names with devotion.
The ashram is Mother's body. Mother's soul is in Her children. Children, all the service done for the ashram, is done for Mother. The ashram is not anyone's private property. It is the means to provide peace and quietude for the entire world.
Happiness comes from the dissolution of the mind, not from external objects. Through meditation we can achieve everything including bliss, health, strength, intelligence and vitality. But it should be practiced properly in solitude and with care.
The sun shines down, and its image reflects in a thousand different pots filled with water. The reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same sun. Similarly, when we come to know who we truly are, we will see ourselves in all people.
Children, we cannot control our mind without controlling our desire for taste. The health aspect, not the taste, should be the prime criteria in choosing the food. We cannot relish the blossoming of the heart without foregoing the taste of the tongue.
Try to spend at least 2 or 3 days every month in an ashram. Just breathing the pure air there will purify and strengthen our bodies and minds. Like recharging the batteries, even after returning home we will be able to continue our meditation and japa.
Make use of radio, TV and films discriminatively; only for programs that will enhance our knowledge and culture. Television is tele-visham (tele-poison, in Malayalam). If we are not careful, it can corrupt our culture, damage our eyes and drain away our time.
Meditation increases your vitality and strengthens your intelligence... your mental clarity and health improve. You acquire the patience and fortitude to face any problem in life. So, meditate! Only through meditation will you find the treasure you are seeking.
A seed has to get buried in the soil for its real form as a plant to emerge. Only through modesty and humility can we grow. Pride and conceit will only destroy us. Live with the firm attitude, 'I am everyone's servant.' Then the whole universe will bow down to us.
Love is our true essence. Love has no limitations of caste, religion, race, or nationality. We are all beads strung together on the same thread of love. To awaken this unity-and to spread to others the love that is our inherent nature-is the true goal of human life.
The guru is not someone who is confined to the body. When there is selfless love for the guru, we will be able to see him not only in his body but in every living and nonliving thing in this world. Learn to see everything as the guru's body and to serve them accordingly.
Children, everyone should try to wake up before five in the morning. The ideal time for spiritual practices like meditation and chanting is Brahma Muhurta. During this period, sattvic qualities are predominant in nature. Moreover, the mind will be clear and body energetic.
If you have patience, then you'll also have love. Patience leads to love. If you forcefully open the petals of a bud, you won't be able to enjoy its beauty and fragrance. Only when it blossoms by following its natural course, will the beauty and fragrance of a flower unfold.
Try not to have any break in chanting the mantra even for a moment. Continue repeating the mantra while engaged in any task. Chanting in the mind may not always be possible at first, so in the beginning, practice japa by moving the lips incessantly-like a fish drinking water.
The mental disposition of the one who prepares the food is transmitted to all those who consume it. Therefore, as far as possible the mothers should do the cooking for the entire family. If it is done while chanting the mantra, the food will benefit everyone in a spiritual way.
In the beginning, not everyone may be able to clearly repeat every mantra in the 1000 Names. In that case, everyone can respond to the chants with just one mantra. While chanting the 1000 Names, the response may be 'Om Parashaktyai Namaha' or 'Om Sivasaktyaikya Rupinyai Namaha'.
If we lose our money while traveling, think how frantically we search for it! In the same way, if we are unable to do japa even for a brief moment, we should grieve: 'Alas, Lord, I have lost so much time!' If there is such anguish, even the time we spend sleeping will not be wasted.
Fill your hearts with love and gratitude. Life gives us what we need and not necessarily what we want. It follows its own wisdom, which is often incomprehensible to our gross minds. We should learn to accept situations in life. This attitude of acceptance is the secret to happiness.
Meditation increases our vitality and strengthens our intelligence. Our beauty is enhanced and our mental accuracy and health are improved. We gain the mental fortitude and patience to face life's problems. Meditate! Only through meditation can we find the treasure we're looking for.
Remember to set apart at least one hour every day to do some service for others. While the food we eat nurtures our bodies, it is what we give in charity that nurtures our souls. If time is not available daily, reserve at least a few hours every week for some worthwhile act of charity.
If chanting is not possible during a certain task, then pray before starting it: 'Lord, give Your blessing so that I may do this work in a manner that pleases You!' At the end, pray again to the Lord for forgiving any mistakes we may have committed during the task consciously or otherwise.
Progress is not possible without discipline. A nation, institution, family or individual can advance only by heeding the words of those who deserve respect and by obeying the appropriate rules and regulations. Children, obedience is not weakness. Obedience with humility leads to discipline.
Let our lives be firmly rooted in Truth. Abstain from lies. In this dark age of materialism, adherence to truth is the greatest austerity. We might have to tell lies now and then to protect somebody or to sustain dharma, but we must be careful not to speak lies for our own selfish purposes.
Children, in the present dark age of materialism, chanting the mantra is the easiest way for us to obtain inner purification and concentration. Japa can be done at any time, anywhere, without observing any rule regarding the purity of mind and body. Japa can be done while engaged in any task.