Narada Bhakti Sutra 34-37 (chapter 3, section 1)

Aids to Divine love

Thus sing the teachers about the methods

That indeed is renunciation of objects and attachment

by uninterrupted love & devotion

In this world always dwelling on the nature and glory of the lord.

A Happy New Year

A very Happy New Year to all from Lotus Sutra. 

Kali Maa represents destructive aspect of Nature, but the deeper significance is that she destroys egos. The garland of heads you see around her neck are the egos she’s vanquished. She’s prakruti(nature) and shiva under her feet is Purusha(primordial being)

So this year may our egos be vanquished, may Mother nature nourish us and mother us and let us all lay still and equanimous and at peace just like shiva at the feet of kali shakti, the universal energy. Mother.

Mother always wants the best for her children, no matter how harsh she may seem, she loves, she knows what’s best for her child. Let us surrender at her feet and let go.

Jai Kali Ma

 

Narada Bhakti Sutra 28-33 (chapter 2, section 2)

“Knowlege alone is the means to Obtain it”-some say

“Mutually dependent they are”-others declare

It is it’s own fruit says son of Brahma

As observed in palaces while dining

appeasement of hunger

can not happen with just the knowledge of it

Neither is the king pleased

discussing cooking often

so it is to a seeker for liberation

Hence love alone is to be cultivated

A man named U.G

 

“If you have the courage to touch life for the first time, you will never know what hit you.  Everything man has thought, felt and experienced is gone, and nothing is put in its place.”     “Whether you are interested in Moksha, Liberation, Freedom, Transformation, you name it, you are interested in happiness without one moment of unhappiness, pleasure without pain, it is the same thing.”   “We don’t want to be free from fear. All that we want to do is to play games with it and talk about freeing ourselves from fear.”   “Your constant utilization of thought to give continuity to your separate self is ‘you’. There is nothing there inside you other than that.”   “When the movement in the direction of becoming something other than what you are isn’t there any more, you are not in conflict with yourself.”   –U.G.

Zen is

“Zen” is english transliteration for “cha’an”, which has it’s roots from Sanskrit word “Dhyan” which Buddha used quite a lot. 

But funnily in India “Dhyana has just become synonymous with concentration. So the greater deeper meaning is lost in India, but lives on in the form of Zen.

The real meaning of Zen is…

Narada Bhakti Sutra 25-27(chapter 2, section 1)

Sutra 25

That supreme devotion indeed is far superior than 

Karma Yoga & Jnana yoga

Sutra 26

Because it is the nature of the fruits of  all systems of Yoga or communion

Sutra 27

The lord

distastes ego

and loves the ones who are egoless

 

Neo Advaitins

Three Advaita students came out of a Advaita talk.

“What did you think of JK’s talk today?” one of them asked. “When he talked about ego and self, I thought that was kind of dualistic, wasn’t it?”

“Ah,” said the second, “but your even saying that is dualistic itself, don’t you see?”

“Look who’s talking,” said the third. “I’m glad I’m not dualistic like you guys!”

A moment for Zen

 

The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 21-24

Sutra21

just like the gopis of vrindavan

Sutra22

even there, in this condition of love

there is no bane for forgetting the glory of the lord

Sutra23

love without wisdom

is like couples indulging in illicit love

Sutra24

love in ignorance

is truly not love that can cause true happiness

Meaning of Shiva

 

“Sham Mangalyam iti Shivam”

-That which is auspiciousness is Shiva

Narada Bhakti Sutra 18, 19 & 20 (chapter 1, section 3)

Sutra 18

Without opposing

abide in the self

so says Shandilya

Sutra 19

Narada says indeed

Surrender all to God

& in forgetfullness

feel the supreme pain

Sutra 20

Thus it is.

Sai

Sai Baba, an enigma, a guru, a prophet, a self proclaimed God, a social worker, a paedophile…there are a lot of opinions of Baba, just the way there is Ganga, some people worship her as Goddess, some drink her waters, some cremate their dead and some defecate on her and many dirty her.

Baba sitting on the Nandi!

Intelligence does not in and of itself bring happiness. What brings happiness is acceptance. There is no purpose to intelligence, it is inherent within the energy of all that is. Intelligence and energy are one and the same. Energy is intelligence. Intelligence is energy.

Young Sathya Sai Baba!

 

 

Young Sathya Sai

 

Dharam Nath

 

 

The nath yogi can be recognized to their enormous wooden ring splitting their ears. They travel in group most of the time, mainly in North and central India. Here we are in Haridwar, a holy city on the bank of river Ganga. 

Natha sect was said to have become famous under Matsyendranath and then his disciple and the most famous of the naths gorakshanath, their primordial guru is Shiva and they are said to have a unbroken lineage of Guru starting with Shiva.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 15, 16 & 17 (chapter 1, section 3)

Sutra 15

It’s characteristics are being descibed now

due to the existence of many different views

Sutra 16

Worship with deep love

says the son of parashara Sri Veda Vyasa

Sutra 17

In the stories of the glories of the lord

experience deep love

so says Garga Maharishi

Narada Bhakti Sutra 13 & 14 (chapter 1, section 2)

Sutra 13

or else there is a fear of a fall 

Sutra 14

Be social only to the extent of basic necessities

like eating food, as long as the body exists

Narada Bhakti Sutra 10,11, 12 (chapter 1, section 2)

Sutra 10

All supports when renounced, only then is attained Single mindedness.

Sutra 11

only perform material and spiritual activities congenial to that

renounce  all activities hostile to that

Sutra 12

After a commitment to live the life of devotion

let there be guidance of the scriptural teachings.

Narada Bhakti Sutra 7,8,9 (chapter 1 section 2)

Sutra 7

That being of the nature of Renunciation there is no desire in it.

Sutra 8

Indeed this total renuncation is material, spiritual and of all activities.

Sutra 9

Single mindedness to that

and indifference to all else

This is renunciation.

The Bible in 50 Words or Less

The Bible in 50 Words or Less

God made, Adam bit, Noah arked, Abraham split, Jacob fooled, Joseph ruled, Bush talked, Moses balked, Pharaoh plagued, People walked, Sea divided, Tablets guided, Promises landed, Saul freaked, David peeked, Prophets warned, Jesus born, God walked, Love talked, Anger crucified, Hope died, Love rose, Spirit flamed, Word spread, God remained. Amen.