Soul Culture Sep 2005

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An Excerpt from the ‘Nectar Drops’..............................................................................1

An Excerpt from the Book ‘Kriya Yoga’:......................................................................1

An Excerpt from the Book ‘River of Compassion’:.....................................................4

he Bhagava! "ita #Chapter $%& 'erse $()$*+.............................................................6

An Excerpt from the ‘Nectar Drops’

  You are to know Brahma (God) in two steps - Kri and Ya. You are to remain in

the top and observe how the work is going on from morning ti !ou go to bed.

Keep !our tongue under "ontro. #n Kri!a-Yoga !ou are taught to "ontro !our

tongue through Khe"hari $udra.

  %hink hundred times before !ou speak.

&or the monk it is best that he shoud keep on moving and tea"hing' be"ausetheir ives shoud be given to a.

An Excerpt from the Book ‘Kriya Yoga’:

 Emergent Evolution

#n his  Emergent Evolution' $organ sa!s that evoution is the name we give to the

"omprehensive seuen"e in a natura events. Bergson' the &ren"h thinker' suggests that

the evoution of the word "an be satisfa"tori! epained b! admitting a "ommon ivingfor"e that is striving "onstant! for baan"e and harmon!. %his for"e he "as the vita

impetus' the elan vital . #t is identi"a with the basi" reait! or for"e under!ing amanifestations.

#t is observed that the vita impetus strugges to manifest itsef in the iving word in different

kinds of materia environments. *s a resut' evoution of ife takes pa"e aong three "hief 

 paths -pants' ower animas' and human beings. +ons"iousness is sti in a state of seep or torpor in pants' whereas in animas it is partia! iberated from the overpowering

infuen"e of the materia bod! and environment' as is indi"ated b! the power of sensation

and movement. #n human beings "ons"iousness supersedes matter' espe"ia! ininteigent a"tion pre"eded b! deiberate "hoi"e and free movement. %he three main

tenden"ies that hep distinguish the three "hief paths aong whi"h ife evoved are thevegetative torpor' anima instin"t' and human  inteigen"e.%o produ"e a new individua' two iving germ "e- sperm from the father and the ovum

or egg from the mother- unite when "on"eption takes pa"e. Both the egg and the sperm

"ontain tin! threadike stru"tures "aed "hromosomes' the threads of ife. ,ife is not a b!produ"t of matter' be"ause the uait! that is ife vitaies and pervades matter' determining

the degree of "ompeit! reuired for emergen"e of bioogi"a a"tivit!. $ind emerges in

a iving organism of a higher degree of "ompeit!. %hough ife is manifesting in an!

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materia bod!' the "onstitution of the iving bod! shows new t!pes of reationships and

"hara"teristi"s when suffi"ient! evoved to possess the power of thought.

$atter viewed eterna! and superfi"ia! appears to be un"ons"ious' ust as human bodiesand pants ma! appear to be un"ons"ious based on! on our eterna observation. /owever'

 pants and even metas ehibit s!mptoms of sensitivit! when measured on fine s"ientifi"

instruments. *""ording to 0hri *urobindo' matter is the 0ef-epression of the *bsoutethat has pa!fu! punged itsef into apparent seep in order to eno! the deight of 0ef-

dis"over! b! as"ending ba"k to #tsef through the su""essive stages of evoution. $atter is

essentia! "reative matter is a"tivit!. %he "reative a"tivit! observed in inorgani" matter ismore evident in the behavior of iving matter.

2ith the emergen"e of "ons"iousness in the organism' a new uait! is generated that "annot

 be "ompete! redu"ed either to matter or to ife. 0ef-"ons"iousness indi"ates a higher 

degree "ons"iousness and it is a new eve of emergen"e. %he human being is ami"ro"osm of the universe. %he first three manifestations of reait!- matter'

ife' and mind- are embodied in human beings. #n addition' the human being has an

inner and abiding ps!"hi" entit! "aed the sou around whi"h the bod!' ife and mind are

organied into an individua entit! that stores up the individua3s eperien"es and that persists through the "hanges of bod!' ife' and mind.

*""ording to the panishads' matter (anna), ife (prana) and per"eptua "ons"iousness(manas) are the truer epressions of the spirit. %he spirit in human beings is the reait!

under!ing a eisten"e. %he 0ef' God' and the *bsoute are a names of the one universa

spirit in its different aspe"ts. %he 0ef is the manifestation of the spirit in the human formthrough the bod! and mind. %he human sef' ike matter' ife' and other epressions of spirit is

an organied whoe. #t is the atest and highest produ"t of the "reative pro"ess of emergent

evoution.

+ons"ious reaiation of humanit!3s unit! with the spirit is the goa of ife and' "ons"ious!or un"ons"ious!' ever! person tries to advan"e towards that end. %he spirit of a person is awa!s

shining in him. 2hen he reaies his unit! with the universa 0ef 5 his own spiritua

eisten"e 5 a person be"omes one with the universe. $editation is the wa! to 0ef-dis"over!. %o know truth we have to go deeper. %here is on! one method to a"uire

knowedge. &rom the ordinar! person to the highest !ogi -- a must use the same

method and that method is "on"entration. %his is the kno"k that opens the gates of natureand ets out foods of ight. +on"entration is the on! ke! to the treasure of knowedge.

%he power of the human mind is unimited. %he se"ret of the word is ours' if we know

how to kno"k' how to give the ne"essar! bow. %he strength and for"e of the bow "ome

through "on"entration.%here are three sorts of instruments of knowedge. %he first is instin"t' whi"h is most

high! deveoped in animas. %his is the owest instrument of knowedge. #n human

 beings' it is deveoped into reason. Yet reason is sti insuffi"ient. %o a"uire perfe"tion' further evoution is essentia. %hrough the pra"ti"a of Kri!a Yoga during one !ear' one gets the

resuts of man! !ears of evoution. %he great s"ientifi" method is to magnetie and send the

"urrent around the brain and spina "oumn and' thereb!' se"ure one !ear3s evoution inever! inhaation and ehaation' whi"h is eua to one Kri!a. 2hen b! the purif!ing effe"t

of Kri!a' the brain "es are purified' divine magnetism tou"hes them. ver! "e be"omes

vibrant with divine energ!' attaining the state of "osmi" "ons"iousness. * the knowedge

of the word is grasped ver! easi!.

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The Process to Quicken Evolution

%he spina "ord and brain are wonderfu stru"tures. %he! are "omprised of high!spe"iaied nerve-"es and nerve-fibers' surrounded b! "erebro-spina fuid and a thi"k 

and intertwined network of bood vesses. %he ength of the vertebra "oumn is 78 "ms.

and the spina "ord is 49 "ms. %he spina "ord (sushumna) starting at the base of the sku' ends in the umbar region behind the umbii"us in a "one. &rom there' a

dei"ate threadike buish-white stru"ture -- the  filum terminale -etends down to

and is an"hored at the "o""!. %he vertebra "oumn starts at the base of the sku andends at the top of the "o""!. * "entra "ana traverses the whoe ength of the spina "ord

and up to haf or three-fourths of the  filum terminale. * thi"k bunde of nerves des"ends

down the termina "one of the spina "ord' surrounding the  filum and o""up!ing the

sa"ra region. %his bunde is the cauda equina.* !ogi" eer"ise in Kri!a Yoga' known as mahamudra, is a simpe but effe"tive method to

straighten the spine and en"ourage distribution of  prana (ife "urrents) aong the spine.

+orre"t pra"ti"e of mahamudra euaies the fow of ife energ! to a parts of the bod!.

Be"ause of the effe"tiveness of mahamudra in magnetiing and adusting the spine' thiste"hniue ma! be pra"ti"ed whenever the bod! reuires adustment. B! magnetiing the

spine' ife for"e "an be transmuted into radiant' a-a""ompishing sp iritua for"e that'in turn' "an hasten ph!si"a and menta regeneration and reuvenation.

%he great !ogis' the master-minds of #ndia' have taught a method of revoving "ertain

"urrents around the spine and brain. %he spine is the on! adder b! whi"h one "an as"endto "osmi" "ons"iousness. :h!si"a and menta reuvenation through Kri!a Yoga effe"ts the

awakening of atent super-sensor! powers and per"eptions. #n meditation our 

"ons"iousness and energ! have to be "ons"ious! withdrawn from the senses and

mus"es to the spine. %he pra"ti"e of Kri!a magneties the spine b! "ir"uating ife"urrent engthwise around it' thereb! withdrawing ife "urrent from the senses and

invountar! organs and "on"entrating it in the spine.

;uring the pra"ti"e of Kri!a' the entire spine is "onverted into a magnet' whi"h draws bodi! "urrents awa! from the senses and nerves. %he pituitar!' the "enter of the wi'

 be"omes the positive poe and the "o""!gea peus be"omes the negative poe. %he

"urrent "reated b! "ontinuous inhaation and ehaation be"omes a magnet of energ! thatdraws into the spine more energ! from the nervous s!stem and from the "osmi"

sour"e. %he Kri!a te"hniue transfers our attention from sensations of sight' sme' sound'

taste' and tou"h to the subter per"eptions in the spine and brain. * devotee then be"omes

automati"a! introverted and eperien"es the divine sensation of sound' vibration'tou"h of heaviness above the forehead' vision of gow of ight in the mid-brain' and

 be"omes absorbed in meditation. %herefore' the Kri!a te"hniue is the foundation of 0ef-

reaiation. #t makes the brain "ear and "am' be"ause the entire "ons"iousness is"entraied in the spine. %here is nothing to be "ompared with the soothing sensation of 

 o! fet in the spine. B! revoving the ife for"e on"e around the spine' as the Kri!a !ogi is

wont to do' one "an effe"t a "hange in the brain and bod! that is ordinari! possibe in one!ear of diseaseess eisten"e' "arefu eating' and absorption of soar energ!. %he passing

of this "urrent around the spine on"e "orresponds to the effe"t of sunight during <69 da!s.

+osmi" "ons"iousness is spread a over the universe and pervades ever!thing. /uman

"ons"iousness is imited to the human bod! and its environment. %o attain "osmi"

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"ons"iousness' it is ne"essar! to epand the "ons"iousness that resides in ever! iving "e of 

the bod! and brain. Kri!a pra"ti"e "ears and stimuates the brain and strengthens the

medua. #t aso great! magneties the bod!' saturating and feeding a its ph!si"a "es withunde"a!ing ight and keeping them in a magnetied state.

0pirit is sef-born. 0pirit is ever-"ons"ious. God3s attention is eua! distributed

ever!where and is fu! "on"entrated ever!where. 2e human beings' made in God3s ownimage' have atent within us the power to "on"entrate our attention and to fee our 

eisten"e ever!where. B! proper! foowing the aws of iving and b! faithfu pra"ti"e of 

Kri!a Yoga' we "an epand our "ons"iousness and rea"h the o"ean of "osmi""ons"iousness or divine 0pirit.

An Excerpt from the Book ‘River of Compassion’:

Nanga Baba - The Great Saint of Puri

#n the s"riptures there is a sa!ing =

 sadhundm darsanam punyam ttrthabhuta hi sadhavah

tirtham phalati kalena sadya sddhu samagamah

>%o see or to get the "ompan! of the ho! is a great bessing' whi"h enhan"es one3s virtue

as the! are "onsidered moving tirtha (the pa"e of pigrimage). %ime and energ! are needed to benefit from pigrimage but the "ompan! of the ho! gives instant resuts' immediate pea"e'

 biss and o!.?

* man who oves wine goes to wine shop. @ne who oves food goes to a restaurant. %hose who

ove %ruth seek good "ompan!' for a $an is known b! the "ompan! he keeps.:uri is not on! a pa"e of pigrimage it is a pa"e sane b! the presen"e of man! saints' sages and

ho! men who ive there. God is infinite and so are the paths to rea"h him. But it is on! the

enightened sous who "an show us these paths.*though Aabinara!an sta!ed at the *shram most of the time in sien"e and se"usion' he never 

missed the opportunit! to be in the "ompan! of other monks and ho! men' whi"h a""eerated

his spiritua progress.*t the etreme southwest "orner of the town of :uri' near the tempe of ,ord ,okanath' there

ived a famous monk on a sand hi "aed Girnari Banta. /e was a ta naked monk' popuar!

known as anga Baba' aso as ;igambar :aramahamsa. /is ife and a"tivities werem!sterious. $an! peope beieved that he was the same as %otapuri' the divine guru of 0ri

Aamakrishna :aramahamsa of ;akshineshwar' who enabed him to attain the samadhi state. /e

was in his bod! for about C98 !ears and the ast 98 !ears of his ife was spent in :uri. ;uring his

sta! in :uri' there was no visibe "hange in his ph!si"a bod!. $ost of the time he was absorbed in

the state of non-dua Brahman; sometimes with e!es open and sometimes "osed. /e rare!opened his mouth. 0ometimes his behavior and tak seemed rude' but he was tea"hing great

essons of ife.0omeone on"e asked him D2hat is !our ageED /e repied' 0ef-reaied sou is be!ond birth

and death. # was not born' so how "an # te m! ageED @""asiona! he woud disappear for 

da!s or weeks. obod! knew his whereabouts and after some time he woud "ome ba"k whi"h made his devotees happ!. /e was a deta"hed person' who never iked to ive in "rowded

areas. /e awa!s preferred to ive in se"usion. ven the ashram in :uri' where he ived' was

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far awa! from the main town. But man! peope sti visited him dai!. /e "oud read peope3s

mind and motives. *fter pa!ing regards through prostration and bowing down' if someone ust

sta!ed around' he woud sa!' F@ka!' !ou have seen me. Go into town and see the tempes and themonke!sD But if he found a sin"ere seeker' then he woud speak of spiritua truths.

Brahma"hari Aabinara!an visited this ashram o""asiona! to sit sient! and to meditate inhis divine presen"e. Hust as a godsmith knows the uait! of god' this monk with burning

renun"iation and deta"hment knew Brahma"hari Aabinara!an3s thirst for God and was

awa!s deighted to see him. 0ometimes he said in /indi' DBeta (m! "hid)' #f !ou have someuestions' pease ask.D

@ne da! Brahma"hari Aabinara!an asked' DBaba # have a uestion in m! mind about the

"reation of the universe. %he taittiriya upanisad sa!s' 3#n the beginning there was nothing

 but brahman the *bsoute. %hrough inner "ontempation Brahman thought of "reation and be"ame man!. 0o through meditation' from the sef "ame the spa"e' then air' fire' water and

earth. $! doubt is' when water was "reated before the earth' what was the support for the

water ED %he naked monk aughed oud!' his big bod! vibrating with o! %hen he said'

beta, abhitak srsti nehin hua hai (m! "hid' unti now the "reation has not taken pa"e)./earing this the !oung Brahma"hari was surprised. /e ooked at him and istened to his

ever! word ver! attentive!. %he monk "ontinued' DYou have seen brin!al (eggpant) hangingon the pant. a"h seed inside is dreaming of being a pant and bearing new fowers and fruits.

0imiar! we a are the seeds in the divine womb of brahman. *s the seed dreams of a new

 pant' ea"h one is dreaming of "reation. %here is no "reation' it is a dream.D %hen he said'D&ire was "reated before water' and it took thousands of !ears for water to "ome down

through repeated evaporation and this pro"ess resuted in sedimentation. %hat was how the

earth was formed.D

@ne da! Brahma"hari Aabinara!an was sitting near him in introvert stage. @ne ri"h businessman "ame to him and bowed down and asked' DBabai :ease give some advi"e to

me.D %he divine monk did not pa! an! heed to his reuest. 2hen the man repeated! said'

D/ave gra"e on me. :ease te me what shoud # do EI %he monk ooked at him andsaid' D,ook' from toda!' don3t te ies an!more. %his is m! advi"eD and then remained

sient. %he visitor said' DBaba # am a businessman. /ow "an # survive and "ontinue m!

 business without teing iesED %hen the monk said with apparent disgust D%hat is wh! # do notgive an! advi"e. Go' throw m! advi"e in to garbage and "ontinue !our business in

fasehood.D

*nother visitor who was sin"ere! tr!ing for spiritua evoution asked' DBaba /ow "an

one be free from ego ED /e repied' D%here are two wa!s. &irst' "onsider this universe to be a dream and unrea. &oow the path of renun"iation and non-atta"hment. Be a karma

 sannyasi (renun"iate in a"tion). 0e"ond' "onsider the universe to be the manifestation of the

;ivine and work without epe"tation.D@n another o""asion he said' D* fami! man shoud do three things to progress in the path of 

iberation= 1. 0tud! sou-eevating spiritua s"riptures. C. Keep good "ompan!. <. &oow the

instru"tions of the divine masters (sadgurus) in spiritua pra"ti"e.%his naked monk was awa!s absorbed in divine "ons"iousness. @ne da! some

devotees "ame with musi"a instruments and started singing devotiona songs oud!.

/e remarked' D2h! do !ou a how ike a"kasE Be introvert and pra"ti"e meditation.D

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@n"e a ri"h devotee approa"hed him to seek his bessings before he went on a

 pigrimage to ho! pa"es. %he monk remarked DYes' !es. Go and visit the ho! pa"es. %he

same stones' whi"h are here' are there aso (stone statues and tempes). You have enoughmone! to roam here and there and after "oming ba"k' !ou "an te !our friends man! stories

- about what !ou did and what !ou saw. Aenoun"e a these egotisti" attitudes. 0ta! for 

some time in se"usion and tr! to meditate and attain sef-knowedge.D@n another o""asion he advised a sin"ere aspirant' D@n! b! doing meditation for some time

!ou "annot get rea progress. *ong with it' !ou need to deveop the attitude of renun"iation

and non atta"hment. @ne who has no "ontro over food and sense eno!ment "annot get theight of inner sef ED

* ri"h househoder invited the naked monk to his house for his ho! "ompan!. /e repied' D#

do not appre"iate monks iving in the fami! of househoders. @ne ma! have the desire

for good "ompan!' but in reait!' it adds to the ego of su"h ri"h men that the! "oud host agreat monk. :ease do not misunderstand' but this is the bitter truth. owada!s some ri"h

fami! men have the attitude of keeping the monks with them as a kept woman $an

wants pea"e' but eaving the true path he goes astra!. /ow "an he get the taste of rea pea"e

and biss in this eterna word where ever!thing is perishabe to get pea"e from thesetransitor! obe"ts is impossibe. $ateria obe"ts in reait! breed sorrow.D

%his m!sterious monk with mira"uous powers was never seen going to an! tempe. /ewas sear"hing God in the inner "hambers of his own sef. *fter iving for severa

"enturies in the ph!si"a bod!' he entered into the state of mahdsamadhi on *ugust C4' 1J6C.

/is bod! was buried inside the ashram premises' where a beautifu tempe was "onstru"ted.%he name of the ashram is *dvaita Brahma *shram' Girnari Banta. nti toda!' the ashram is

"harged with spiritua vibrations. #t ooks ike a sma sand hi' de"orated with man!

 pants and trees and has a few "ottages. $an! pigrims and visitors "ome to spend a few

moments in se"usion and sien"e.

he Bhagava! "ita #Chapter $%& 'erse $()$*+

Verse 18 satkaramanapu!arthamtapo dambhena caiva yat 

kriyate tad iha proktam

ra!asam calam adhruvam

rans,ation

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-enance that is practice! .ith hypocrisy& for the sake of honor& respect& an! reverence an!

for sho.& is !ec,are! to /e ra0asic #passionate& extroverte!+1 2t yie,!s 3ncertain an!

momentary fr3it1

4etaphorica, 2nterpretation

Aaasi" peope are etreme! restess' materiaisti"' show!' etroverted' and

h!po"riti"a. #n this verse' the ,ord des"ribes the raasi" tapasya 5worship performed b!

raasi" peope.

*though the! know that the! are dishonest' insin"ere' and "orrupt in ever!da! ife' the! pretend to be honest and good. %he! hide a their negative uaities inside' and fase!

advertise themseves to be high! advan"ed in spiritua ife on the outside5 b! their 

appearan"e' spee"h' and a"tivities. #t is a show of spirituait!.Aaasi" peope aso perform man! rituas and worships with the epe"tation of gaining

honor' respe"t' and reveren"e from peope. %he! epe"t position and status in their 

"ommunit!. %ru! spiritua peope are etreme! humbe' awa!s thinking' D# aminsignifi"ant' # am not worth! of an!thing' e"ept to ove God and meditate.D But

raasi" peope are the ea"t opposite.

Aaasi" peope spend huge amounts of mone!5not to serve God' but to earn respe"t

and gratitude from others. ver!thing is done with an epe"tation of the fruit of their a"tions and worship. &or prosperit!' the! pra! to ,akshmi for respe"t and strength to

Kartike!a for su""ess' to Ganesha fo r freedom from troube' to ;urga.

Aaasi" peope are etreme! bus! with a kinds of reigious a"tivities' pomp' andgrandeur' but the! remain far from truth. %he! "annot a"hieve God-reaiation through

a this show and pretense. %ru! speaking' the mind of raasi" peope is not seeking

truth or God.

'erse $*

mudhagrahena "tmano yat 

 pidaya kriyate tapah

 parasyo "tsadanartham vatat tamasam udahrtam

rans,ation

A3sterity that is performe! .ith !e,3!e! notions an! se,f)mortification or to ca3se harm to

others& is !ec,are! to /e tamasic1

4etaphorica, 2nterpretation

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%here are man! ide' a!' ethargi"' pro"rastinating' and sothfu peope who do not work 

 produ"tive! and proper!. %he! maintain their iveihood b! unfair means ike theft'

embeing mone!' begging' and sometimes torturing peope. %he! do not even hesitate toki peope. %he! are deuded. %heir minds are fu of "haos and "onfusion. %he! "annot

de"ide what is good for them.

%amasi" peope pra! to and worship gods in an effort to hide their evi a"tions' so that eventhe poi"e "annot tra"e their "rimes. %he! do this out of ignoran"e. %he! worship not

on! to fufi 2eir evi motives' but aso to bring harm to others through their so-"aed

reigious a"tivities. %he! undertake ong fasts and even :erform ver! bad a"tivities' su"has anima sa"rifi"e. %he! torture themseves and bring harm to others. 0u"h reigious

a"tivities' penan"e' and austerities are tamasi".

%amasi" peope are fied with etreme pride' ego' anger' and "ruet!. %heir forma

worship on! serves to foo themseves as we as "heat others. %heir minds are notseeking God at a the! are after the satisfa"tion of their inner' ower' evi aspirations.

%his is the owest form of worship.