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| Swami Mukundananda: Science Of God-Realization |
Mona Khaitan
06/23/2009
“We are a tiny fragment of God and it is the nature of each fragment to be pulled or attracted to its source.†Swami Mukundananda, the main disciple of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, explained to over 350 Hindu Americans crammed in the annex of Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland, Massachusetts on Sunday, June 21, 2009, to hear his discourse.
The weeklong discourses along with Yog and meditation are being held in the Sri Lakshmi Temple from June 21 through 27 jointly organized by Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (part of Hindu awareness yatra), Sri Lakshmi Temple, and Jagadguru Kripalu Yog.
Sunday & Saturday: 10:30 to 11:30 am (Yog & Meditation)
(21st & 27th) 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (Discourse)
Monday to Friday: 6:30 to 7:30 pm (Yog & Meditation)
(22nd thru 26th) 7:30 pm to 8:45 pm (Discourse)
Swami Mukundanand says that people have doubts after reading many scriptures. It is his aim to reconcile all such doubts and to assist people to conclude that “this is the way to attain God.†Swami Mukundananda is on a 4 month tour of various cities of the United States. For information, consult: www.jkyog.org
All sessions begin with yog and meditation to concentrate and prepare the mind to understand the later discourse that follows. Yog, which comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj,†means to join. Yog, frequently mistaken for physical exercises, is the psychological transformation of the mind such that the individual atma (soul) can eventually join with Paramatma. A kirtan followed the meditation and bhakti flowed in the heart of bhaktas. Swamiji’s discourse first centered on understanding:
a. What is my goal in life?
b. How I can attain that goal?
Step by step, Swamiji first established that man seeks happiness from the moment of birth, even though tremendous diversity is found in man as well as in Nature. No two thumb prints are alike, and no two leaves are alike. However, despite such diversity, an undisputed common element in man is the quest for happiness. Every single action including crying is a search for happiness. Once the common universal goal of seeking bliss or ananda was established in all including atheists etc. Swamiji proceeded to give the nature of Saguna Brahman (God) which is described in the Vedas as Sat (eternal), Chit (consciousness), and Ananda (bliss). God is bliss. Just as an ocean is nothing but a mass of water, similarly God is simply bliss. It is not an attribute that comes from outside but is the intrinsic nature of God. As all souls are a tiny fragment of God, they are continuously pulled to the source. An analogy of mud was given. Mud is pulled to its source, the earth. It can be held in hand, but as soon as the restraining hand is removed, it falls automatically to earth, to mingle with its source. Water in the rivers is constantly attracted and goes into the ocean, its source. Similarly, all individual souls are constantly pulled towards God seeking happiness. No one needs to teach a baby to seek happiness, it comes automatically. In fact, since time immemorial, all souls have been seeking this bliss in each birth.
The question arises why only a very small minority finds this bliss? Ved Vyasa in the Bhagvatam explains that soul has turned its back on God. Soul sees shadow and darkness of material energy called maya. The soul becomes engrossed in the material world of objects of senses in its quest for bliss. Man finds a modicum of happiness in the sense objects but they fail to satisfy the yearning for bliss as the happiness arising from sense objects is finite and temporary. Soul has been overcome by illusion similar to a man watching a movie in the darkness of a theater losing touch with Reality. The soul becomes identified with the body forgetting its relationship with God. Man starts running after the happiness of the body. Only two kinds of people are happy: God realized masters and madmen. The rest are in search of happiness.
It is not wrong to search for happiness, all saints have done so. Detachment from sense objects must come through the knowledge that all are unhappy and dissatisfied.
One must use the right method to attain permanent bliss. Mind is the cause of bondage as well as an essential instrument for liberation. The rest of the sessions will cover the right method to go Godwards. The topics will include proper diet, Yog Asanas, Pranayam, and Meditation along with discourses.
The guru of Swami Mukundananda is Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, the fifth divine personality in history to be honored by the title of “Jagadguru†(Spiritual Master of the World), the last such title having been awarded to Jagadguru Madhavacharya 700 years ago. Kashi Vidvat Parishat, India’s highest body of Vedic scholars, conferred this title of Jagadguru that recognized Shree Kripaluji Maharajji's mastery of the Hindu Scriptures, at 34 years of age.
For questions on program, contact Sanjay Kaul at 781.893.4982
VHP of America is a national organization which has among its objectives to unite Hindus by instilling in them devotion to the Hindu way of life, to cultivate self-respect and respect for all people, and to establish contacts with Hindus all over the world. For more information please visit http://www.vhp-america.org/
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