Bob Sagevid

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Quotes from Swami Brahmananda Saraswati Ji, born 20-12-1868, Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math 1941 - 1953. His most renown disciple is Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

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108 Discourses of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati:
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"The dawn comes to dispel the darkness of night, allowing us to enjoy the light of the sun (which is self-illuminating). Spiritual teachings destroy ignorance and therefore remove darkness, but they cannot throw light on the inner Self, for the Self is Light.

The one who has come, has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant.

One cannot think of appealing against it. Quickly one should leave off everything and leave. Whatever is, wherever is, we have to leave and go. So, if you are ready before, there will be not much of a difficulty, while leaving. The one who is always ready to leave, will never be able to sin. Only by forgetting the other world, one becomes immoral and licentious. If a man remembers at every moment, that one day or the other all will have to leave this world, then he will never be able to bring in untruth and inappropriate conduct into his life.

Think of it when our own father, grandfather and great-grandfather had to leave, then how can we be able to stay? Since going is certain, keep ready from the beginning, so that the travel will be comfortable. If you are not ready, then you will face difficulties. Be aware not to act in such a way, that you will have to regret for it while leaving.

If you are not cautious, you cannot escape from falling. It is the nature of samsara-river (worldliness); it will always try to take you downwards. Involvement with the senses makes man multifaceted. Being multifaceted and with involvement with vasana makes it very difficult to have the ability [kshamata] to discern. So it is essential to be cautious always.

Whatever man does while living, be it good or bad, it comes to be remembered at the moment of death. At the time of death, remembering the dreadful results of ones evil actions, the soul starts repenting and hence becomes very sad. Therefore one should always be cautious, such that no sin happens, so that one has no regrets at the time of death.

Worshipping Paramatman is highly profitable. Any amount of time spent on it will get back to you with multifold interest. It is such a type of business, where there is not even a doubt of losing. Worshipping Paramatman is always profitable. But the fact is that, one should be fortunate enough to do profitable business. The unfortunate will always involve himself in such a business, where loss is inevitable. It is surprising that people put so much of effort making day and night into one, to gain wealth and materials of comfort.

But no effort is put forth in activities that gain Paramatman, which is a natural activity and can be done with ease. What an indiscretion! The still more astonishing thing is, people are not putting attention on Paramatman, who is the source of peace and happiness.

The people struggle hard to gain valueless baubles of daily living, day in and day out. It is said: Gain one thing to gain everything - try to gain everything and you will gain nothing.

By gaining Paramatman, everything will become automatic. If you leave Paramatman and try to gain everything else, you will never be able to gain anything. Whatever is gained, will look so little, that you will not feel happy.

If you want to catch the shadow, catch the real thing and automatically the shadow will be in your hands. Leaving the real, if you run after the shadow, the faster you run, the faster it will run away from you. That is why, to run after shadowy wealth and fame is foolhardy. Catch hold of the real - Paramatman - and all these will come by itself to be under your command. Remember, that remembering Paramatman is always highly profitable. Whatever time you put into this, you will get back with multifold interest.

It is a waste to make much of your activity, so try to live quietly as long as you have to live.

Even emperors like Chakravarti Dasaratha could not get all that they desired. That is why, it is a great mistake to be distressed by involving oneself day and night in trying to satisfy ones desires.

One should not forget, one day it is certain for us to move out of here! Whatever program and in whatever condition it might be, and wherever it is we are involved in, we have to leave it as it is and go.Everyone has to travel alone. So do not be sad about things that we have no choice, but to leave.

As long as one has to live, live peacefully. It is certain; the work here can never be completed. So do not make much out of doing. Work as it is, is a waste. Lead this life with a peaceful mind, doing your duty and always remembering Paramatman.

The Creator is Vishvambhara. He shoulders the duty to sustain and protect us. And so, he will make arrangements. Without having faith in His support, if you depend on your intellect and cleverness, deceit and craftiness, you will lead a life of turbulence and the future path will also be darkened.

So, lead life in such a way, that you will be peaceful while living and making your future path bright as well.

The God's Devotee can never stay dejected.

We, while staying in the dense forests, all-powerful nature of Paramatman. There in the deep forests, where there are no facilities for living are easily available; all needs of the devotee were looked into by Paramatman.

How can a prince experience any need in his own Kingdom? The devotee of the all-powerful Lord, wherever, in any of the three worlds he might be, he is the prince and so he will live in bliss. How can the all-powerful Lord tolerate the suffering of his devotee?

Through one's faith, devotion and trust in Paramatman alone and none else, it is certain to get the Lord's attention. From then onwards Paramatman himself will look after the well being of the devotee. There will be no need to pray for one's welfare.

When the son gets sick, he requests the father to get him treated and then the father acts. Is it? Since the father will not be able to see his son suffer. Even without asking, he will do his best to get his son cured. Thus, who becomes Paramatman's, who wrests Paramatman's love for themselves, for them Paramatman, without even a request, will do the needful. It is an experienced fact, that Paramatman's devotee can never be unhappy.

'Having become a devotee of God one can never remain unhappy. This is our experience. The ego (Jiva) is going on doing its work from several births; its tendency to work exists from time immemorial. Therefore, if the work is just started with a little co-operation of the mind it shall continue to go on just like the wagon moving a long way off ...if it is just jerked and pushed by the engine. It is necessary to bifurcate the work of the mind as main and secondary. Apply your body mainly and your mind secondarily to you work (vyarabara).

When your mind is mainly engaged in God you shall receive his grace, God is all-powerful. Even a little of His grace is capable of bestowing on the ego all that is good in its entirety. The declaration of the Lord that is proved by the scriptures is this; "Whosoever thinks of Me with one-pointed devotion, I shall conduct his necessary work also". The experience of the bhaktis also goes to prove the declaration of the Lord. Accumulate wealth (artha), but in such a way that is not against transcendental wealth (param-artha). That which hinders transcendental wealth and results in accumulation in sin is not wealth but a burden, a debt (anartha).

As is the cloth, so is the price. For carrying on the short-lived activities of the work, employ your short-lived body and wealth. Mind is a permanent thing, which remains with you always. Even in the other world it will continue to stay with you. Therefore connect it with a permanent thing, God, being the eternal existence in animate and inanimate things, is the only permanent thing of the highest order. Therefore connect your mind with Him. If the mind is satisfied with wealth, wife or children, why does it go elsewhere? Because if cannot stick onto anything. From this it is clear that it is not satisfied with anything of the mundane world. It runs after things, taking them to be good and desirable, but after a short while it leaves them.

Nobody wants your mind in this world, and the mind is not satisfied with anything of the world. The mind is not fit for the world, or the world for the mind. When the mind realizes God, it is permanently established there and does not desire other things. From this we can understand that God alone is fit for the mind and nothing else.

Keep this in mind; that your mind, which is not wanted by anyone else in this world, is useful to take you near God. Therefore, in this marketplace of the world, carry on work with your body and wealth, and allow your mind to go towards God. Then your work in this world will get on well, and the path to transcendental wealth will also be clear.

To get a human body is a rare thing - make full use of it. There are four million kinds of lives, which a soul can gather. After that one gets a human body. Therefore, one should not waste this chance.

Every second in human life is very valuable. If you don't value this, then you will have nothing in hand and you will weep in the end.

Because you're human, God has given you power to think and decide what is good and bad. Therefore, you can do the best possible kind of action. You should never consider yourself weak or a fallen creature.

Whatever may have happened up to now may be because you didn't know, but now be careful.

After getting a human body, if you don't reach God, then you have sold a diamond at the price of spinach

Do good works without hesitation.

The Jiva has been experiencing samsara for many, many births. It is only natural, therefore, that its tendencies have become worldly. To turn its tendency toward Paramatma [God] and away from samsara [worldly life] requires effort. In reality, the aim of life is to stop the mind from involvement with this world. If one engages in the spiritual practice of Bhagavan and in thinking and speaking about Him, the mind will start dwelling on Him, and after some time, it will withdraw from samsara on its own.

In our daily affairs we should adopt a strategy of quickly attending to good works and things related to the divine. Should any wrong thought arise, on the other hand, we should try to postpone it to another time by saying, "I'll do it tomorrow, or the day after next." In this way, wrong action can be continuously postponed.

To be born a human is more fortunate than to be born a deva.

Taking birth as a deva is considered comparable to taking birth as any other life form. Birth as a god is attained by those who perform certain sacrifices and karma, etc. associated with divinity, with the intention to enjoy divine pleasures. The minds of the devatas wander incessantly because of the abundance of enjoyable things in the heavenly realms, and hence they cannot perform purushartha [actions consistent with the goals of human life and evolution]. For this reason, the human birth is considered superior, because here, by doing as much purushartha as possible, one can eventually become one with God.

A human being is like a lump of pure gold, whereas gods are like pieces of fine jewellery. Having been perfected as jewellery, their progression is complete, and they cannot be further improved. On the other hand, gold which has not yet been crafted by the jeweller is completely unrestricted in its potential. Hence the birth of a human being is said to be the very best birth for action. Having attained this birth, one should not act carelessly, but should conscientiously perform the best purushartha. Fulfilling one's own dharma while keeping faith in Paramatma is the greatest purushartha. Strive to become one with God in this lifetime. Have firm faith in the Vedas and Shastras and keep the company of saints, mahatmas and wise people. Only then will the purpose of your life be fulfilled."

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