Ishavasya Upanishad: Mantra 3

Sanjaya was a dharmatma, a soul who lives strictly according to Dharma, a maryada, or a soul that lives according to the strictest moral principles, and a sastra-jna, or a perfect knower of the final conclusions of Vedic scriptures. For the monarch it was very significant that all of this will take place in Kurukshetra, which is mentioned in the Vedic scriptures as a very famous place of pilgrimage.

Mantra yoga and its scriptures contain wisdom concerning the seeds of sound as well as their combination.According to the distinuished mathematician and grammarian Kātyāyana (3rd Century BCE.), both shabda and artha, as well as the relationship between them, are nitya or eternal. Whereas for the renowned sage Patanjali (150 BCE or 2nd Century BCE), who in addition to being a great yogi was a sage of Sanskrit grammar, dhvani and sphoṭa constitute two different aspects of shabda: sphoṭa is the definitive and permanent aspect of shabda, while dhvani, or sound, is its transitory aspect. Meanwhile, the nondualist opinion of Bartṛhari (6th -7th century) is very close to the advaita position of Shankara in its identification of shabda with Brahman and its rejection of any difference between the ontological and linguistic aspect.In India, in the middle ages, the most significant controversy in the field of language was between Mimamsa school, whose principal proponents were Prabhakara (aprox. 700 CA) and Kumārila Bhaṭṭa (aprox. 700 CA), and the Sphota school, whose proponent was Mandana Mishra (VIII century CA). In the former’s naturalism, or conventionalism of language, the relationship between word and meaning was seen as natural, and thus, nitya or eternal, so that shabda was designated as the real phonetic expression. In contrast, as Mandana Mishra tried, to a certain extent, to integrate his advait-vada vision with his linguistic philosophy, the latter school identifiedspotha-shabda as a mystical “indivisible word-whole.The different levels of soundWe find explicit knowledge about the wisdom of sound in the Lakshmi Tantra:mulam adharam arabhya dvistkantam upeyusiudita aneka sahasra surya vahnindu sannibhacakravat punar adharat santa pasyatha madhyamavaikhari sthanam asadhya tatrasta sthanavartinivarnanam jananim bhutva bhogya prasnoumi gouriva"Seated in thearea from the muladhara to the position of dvistkana with effulgence equal to the rising of millions of suns, stars and moons. Like a wheel from the adhara becoming the sounds known as santa, pashyati, madhyama. Reaching the position of vaikhari, situated there in eight places, that is to say…the throat etc. Being the mother of all sounds I bestow enjoyments like a cow.

"El bhakti y el jñana parecen diferentes en sus niveles más elementales, sin embargo, se fusionan en los más avanzados ...Porque verdadera renunciación significa no sólo la consagración de toda acción sino que del hacedor ...Consagrar todas las actividades incluye una renunciación a la idea de un actor o a la actitud de un hacedor ...

Therefore the association with an enlightened being or with devotees must be understood as a divine grace. For the bhakta, the pure devotee of the Lord is nothing less than the divine grace of the Lord in a human form. Just finding ourselves in the presence of an elevated soul can liberate us from illusion or maya. As is established by the following verse from the Bhagavata-purana (10. 10. 41),sadhunam sama-cittanamsutaram mat-krtatmanamdarsanan no bhaved bandhahpumso ksnoh savitur yatha“When we are directly in front of the Sun, there is no darkness for the eyes. In the same way, when we are in front of a sadhu, before a devotee completely dedicated and surrendered to God, we cease to be subject to material captivity.”For the bhakti-yogi, the association with a pure devotee is one of the principal reasons to accept a spiritual master, serve him and live in his presence. Just as is stated by the famous Bengali text of Gaudiya Shaivism, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā 22.54)sādhu-saṅga’, ’sādhu-saṅga’--sarva-śāstre kayalava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya"The verdict of all the revealed scriptures is that through just one moment of association with a pure devotee one can obtain all success.”It is of highest importance to learn to recognize an authentic pure devotee of the Lord and to properly value the association and closeness that that we receive undeservedly.The Bhagavata-purana (1.18.13) also states thattulayāma lavenāpina svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavambhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasyamartyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ“The value of a moment of association with a devotee of the Lord cannot be compared even with the attainment of celestial planets or the liberation from the material, nor to speak of the mundane blessings in the form of material prosperity which are for those who are destined to die.”The requirements of bhakti-yogaEach of the different yogic paths has its own requirements and prerequisites to fulfill. To undertake the devotional path and its sadhana, one must have sincere faith in God and in the revealed scriptures. Also important, although not essential, is a certain sensitivity and interest concerning all that is related to the divine, as well as some knowledge of the sacred books.

असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसाऽऽवृताः ।

..Arjuna is requested what we are all required who partake the path of the soul - to renounce the attitude of possessor in order to become accessible and to allow ourselves to be possessed...In other words, in religious life you are at daggers drawn in order to kill - not people or beloved ones, but a deep concept that confirms and nourishes the ego... in fact, the authentic religious person is inclusive and never exclusive, meaning, the destruction of the exclusive concept of my family and my group is extended in order to embrace and include every family and group in the universe...

तास्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥ ३॥

Absolute integration points towards a state that transcends the mind. It is the discovery that the Self is the origin and source of both the individual and the collective; the personal, as well as the universal.

However, there is actually no separation between us and the reality around us; we are the totality. In spite of that, it would be impossible for us to function in this relative world of names and forms as the whole. Thus, the invention of the “I” is essential for activities as simple as asking for help, or buying a pound of tomatoes. Although the “I” is useful, it remains a mere fabrication, the symbol of an unreal separation. It is like the line of the equator on a map: although it does not exist in reality, it is useful as a geographical reference. The problem appears when we confuse it with a rope or twine, and we wish to tie a package with this imaginary line.

As when a block of ice is placed near a blazing fire, when we approach a true spiritual master a process of transformation begins. We gradually melt, losing our rigidity and taking on the liquid qualities of water, which can overcome obstacles like stones, rocks and even mountains. As we draw near to the essence of the master, we evaporate, we disappear, we stop living our life in our way and we allow the fire of life to live its own way through us.

vādhyāya as the study of the Self The study of ourselves is not directed at accepting certain information about ourselves in the same way that we study geography or history. It is not that after studying, we will know new information about ourselves that we didn’t know before, or store up a little more knowledge that up until now we had not possessed.For persons who have been accustomed to studying to obtain recognition, to earn a livelihood, to obtain a diploma and be someone in life, to win the affection and pride of our parents, to obtain power, a job, honor, money, admiration, fame, etc., it is very difficult to understand the true meaning of a religious education, which is not designed to obtain or add anything but to rid us of everything.Religious and spiritual education prepares us, not to obtain a job in society or secure a place for us in the other world, but to perceive reality without this mental phenomenon that is called the ego, to perceive life without the prism of the mind. To really learn, we need to understand that the magnitude of life far outweighs any job, certificate or profession. The study of the Self is an impossibility. I can study about oranges or melons, because there exists a distance between myself and the oranges or the melons, because I am not an orange or a melon, and what is more important, because there are other objects that are neither oranges nor melons. On the other hand, the study of the Self presents problems. For example, there does not exist any distance between you and the Self; you are the Self and the worst of the matter is that there is nothing that is not the Self. Therefore there is nothing like “to know the Self”, because one can only be the Self, or in other words, to know the Self is to be the Self.In the process of studying the Self in order to attain the realization of the Self, one observes the “I” - idea, observing oneself as an egoic phenomenon.

.. Beyond the different names and forms and the diversity, we center in the in the Self, the center of existence...Each and every one of the branches of yoga offers different practices in order to create the appropriate situation in which this awakening to the self as the center and origin of all there is, could happen... Just as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.8):ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo,mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartateiti matvā bhajante māṁ,budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ"I am the source of everything and everyone. Everything emanates from Me. The sages who know this, worship Me in devotion, with all their hearts"... Enlightenment is that phenomenon where the dreamer becomes the awakened one...RELIGIONReal religion does not only consist of rites and ceremonies, it is not only about ways to dress and long lists of prohibitions, it is not only to talk, comment and analyze what has happened in extraordinary beings in the distant past. Religion is something that has to occur in you...Religion without direct realization quickly becomes religiosity, which is something like a corps...Without a spiritual master who has realized the Truth, religion will not be more than philosophy, doctrine and theology, but lack of life...If we really want religion we have to approach a spiritual master... tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā... someone who is a tattwa darśinaḥ... a seer of the Truth...Without the master... without anyone who experiences... there is no religion but only a kind of "templism" or "churchism"...What this mantra presents is the same upaniṣadic vision that Lord Kṛṣṇa presents in the Holy Bhagavad-gītā (13.27-28):yāvat sañjāyate kiñcitsattvaṁ sthāvara-jaṅgamamkṣetra-kṣetrajña-saṁyogāttad viddhi bharatarṣabha"One who sees the Supreme Lord dwelling equally in every being, the imperishable in the perishable, actually sees".samaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣutiṣṭhantaṁ parameśvaramvinaśyatsv avinaśyantaṁyaḥ paśyati sa paśyati"One who sees the same Lord dwelling equally in everything and everyone, does not destroy the Self by the Self, actually sees".

You are not located anywhere, but you are, intensely. And when you truly are, then God is there. It is important to understand that you can be somewhere, yet not be, and that you can be without being anywhere. To be somewhere is to occupy a space and nothing more, but to be is to be somewhere and at the same time to be fully present in this moment with all your being, with all that you can be. To listen is to realize yourself as silence, since you are the space that is revealed to you, is you. Silence is your infinite interior space, empty of words, conclusions, ideas, concepts, interpretations, it is your wide internal sky, without the clouds of the mind…Silence is God, as is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.38), when LordKṛṣṇa says that He is…maunaṁ caivāsmi guhyānāṁ... or " the silence of the secret”.The ordinary man speaks even when he is silent, but the master, the man of the Light remains in silence even while speaking, because true silence is not only an absence of noise, but of ego, of thoughts, of conditioning. It is not an absence of words, but of someone, of a speaker. Authentic silence cannot be disturbed by words, sounds, or clamor, since it is not physical, but is the stilling of the roar of the mind. The enlightened being is a musician who does not need an instrument. He does not need to play any music, because he has discovered and realized his own internal melody, the music of silence.In the world of plurality and multiplicity, the rays of attention disperse in different directions in as we pay attention to sounds. In directing our attention towards silence, however, the consciousness is integrated and internalized. Sounds disappear and evaporate and we enter into the dimension of soundlessness. Although noises are many, you will be surprised to discover that silence is one. Noise and sound belong to the realm of diversity while silence is of the one without a second. When speaking, we are two, but when silent we become one.

The sādhanā or “spiritual practice” of pūrṇa-yoga points us toward creating the propitious situation of harmony and coherence for the light to descend upon us. While this process is viśva or universal, and is intended for all humanity, it cannot be one and the same for all. Although it is a message intended for every human being, it is not directed towards the mass, but towards the individual. In reality, general solutions for everyone are of no use to anyone. The only thing that will be truly beneficial to humanity as a whole is that which promotes the evolution of individual.

Though we may not be able to explain it, we know that this is an original work, unlike anything that came before. Creativity can manifest in the scientific, artistic or technical field, although it is not limited to any particular area. But we must be careful not to confuse creativity with creative products or results that are only its outward signs or manifestations. Every human being is born with a capacity for creativity, which is then encouraged or repressed. The cultivation of creativity is intimately related to the wisdom of karma-yoga. Difficulties in developing creativity are due to the limitations of our self-imposed enslavement.Our creativity is stifled by the inner captivity within which we live bound by social, cultural, national and political chains. Our emotions, thought, words and actions are limited by preconceived ideas, racial prejudice, class discrimination, and nationalist and colonialist attitudes. Whether mentally, verbally or emotionally, we can only act within the confines of our cell, and as we strive in vain to transcend the limitations imposed by our slavery, it only becomes more sophisticated.While our efforts to rise up against a dictator may be crowned with success, it is almost impossible to overthrow the domination of our behavioral patterns, because they are so close to us. In both karma-yoga and creativity we must engage in an inner rebellion against ourselves and our limited conditioning.Creativity cannot flourish in slavery, because it is consciousness, while the collective is automatic. Creativity is an expression of awareness, while the mass is robotic. The paths of society are competent, known, traditional; its ways are copying, plagiarism, and efficient repetitive duplication.The collective demands results, and therefore it appreciates efficiency, which increases through repetition. Because society requires production and fruits, it values competence and not creativity. It educates us to be efficient, but not necessarily creative. Obviously, creativity cannot be born from behind the walls of inner captivity that are signified by the ego. Creativity cannot arise from the public, but only from the individual.Contrary to what one may think, the feeling of separation, of being limited by social constraints, which we call the ego, is a collective, not individual, phenomenon.

 In another interpretation, guru is translated as "heavy”, or as the opposite of laghu, "lightweight", suggesting that the guru is one firmly established in the Truth and unmoved by earthly temptations and illusion.The term guru is a classic and traditional concept that is so ancient that it is mentioned in the Manu Smṛti, or Laws of Manu. In the tradition and culture of classical India, and according to the Vedic religion, accepting a guru, or spiritual master, was basic and essential upon reaching the age of twelve, at which time one received his mantra, his dīkṣā, or sacred initiation, as well as guidance and direction about spiritual life, religion, enlightenment and sādhanā...In the same text of the Śrī Guru Gītā (10) it says...gūḍha vidyā jaganmāyādehe cājnāna saṁbhavāudayo yatprakāśenaguruśabdena kathaye"Māyā or illusion lies in the human body. The one from whose light true wisdom is born is called guru.”The necessity of a spiritual masterIn the West, it is accepted that if we are Jewish, we will follow the guidance of a rabbi, if we are Catholic, we will follow the teachings of our priest, if we are Protestant we will seek the counsel of our respected pastor, and if we are Muslim, we will follow the direction and guidance of an imām. Unfortunately however, due to cultural obstacles and ignorance, we encounter at times a disrespectful attitudes towards the sacred tradition of the guru as a religious and spiritual authority, as well as a resistance to accepting the legitimacy of Hinduism as a religion as worthy of our respect as any other.Within the Guru-disciple tradition, it is a duty of Hindu fathers to educate their sons, by which they learn that having a guru is not only a requirement for yogis and sannyāsīs. The work and service offered by a guru is not limited solely to giving his disciples a mantra, but has a very important place within every Hindu family. Every traditional Indian family has a spiritual master or guru who is consulted not only about religious and spiritual topics, but who offers his support, guidance and counsel in practically each and every one of the aspects of family life.

n authentic spiritual master or saint will not throw away the scriptures but will protect them, he will study them and go profoundly into them in order to protect them... a great man serves as example to the mass, the master receives the name acharya, meaning, someone who teaches through his own example.In the bhagavad-gita it is said(3:21)yad yad ācarati śreñṭhastat tad evetaro janaḥsa yat pramāṇaṁ kurutelokas tad anuvartateThe activities of a great being are an example to be emulated by others. And whatever standards he sets forth by his actions, these will constitute an example for the public, which will follow them.When a seeker of the truth refers to the sacred scriptures, the emphasis remains in the scriptures... the authority resides in the scriptures... when a master refers to the Holy Scriptures, the authority is of the master, the emphasis should be placed in the master...When an enlightened person talks and uses the sacred scriptures, he does not try to test the truthfulness of these, he only cites them in order to illustrate things...Within bhakti there are different levels, in the basic stages the guidance of the scriptures is essential, but not so in the more advanced levels... according to Rupa Goswami in his famous Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu (1:2:5):vaidhī rāgānugā ceti sā dvidhā sādhanābhidhāthere are two different kinds of sadhana bhakti, vaidhi and raganuga bhakti.Here the term vaidhi comes from the Sanskrit word vidhi, which directly refers to the rules and regulations of the holy scriptures, while the term raganuga is made of two words, raga or "loving attachment" and anuga "following the footprints of"...The same bhakti rasamrita sindhu (1:2:6) defines vaidhi as:yatra rāgānavāptatvāt pravṛttir upajāyateśāsanenaiva śāstrasya sā vaidhī bhaktir ucyateVaidhi bhakti is called when the activities of bhakti do not come from raga, but from the sacred scriptures.And in relation to raganuga the same scriptures says in (1:2:270)v

His Holiness Śrī Swami Svarūpānanda Sarasvatī

Later in the text are mentioned 4 more avataras: (1) Pṛśnigarbha, the son of Pṛśni (2)Hayagrīva- with horse-like head. (3)Haṁsa- Swan (4) akṛṣṇa-Not black avatar, which will appear int he Kālī-yuga and will glorify the names of God.

The sage Suta in the Skanda-purāṇa (5.121.19-20) further emphasizes the importance of the Purāṇas

¹›á¹£y-ādi mātṛkā-nyāsohy anuṣṭheyatayā mataḥ“In ordinary worship kara-nyāsa and aṅga-nyāsa only are useful. In elaborate worship, however, ṛṣi-nyāsa and mātṛkā-nyāsa should always be performed…” (Mantra-yoga-saṁhitā, 48.6)9. Mudrā or "gesture" or "seal": Mudrās are powerful exercises carried out through postures, gestures and attitudes that greatly facilitate concentration. Their practice is highly auspicious and beneficial in all aspects because it delights the devas exceedingly. Within this context, we are referring particularly to mudrās that are performed with the hands, and not to combinations of āsanas, prāṇāyāma and bandhas.modanāt sarva-devānāṁdrāvaṇāt pāpa-santateḥtasmān mudreti vikhyātāmunibhis tantra-vedibhiḥ“Pleasure of the deities is increased through the mÅ«dras and mÅ«dras also destroy the sins of the sādhaka. This is the reason why it was called mÅ«dra by the sages adept in Tantras.” (Mantra-yoga-saṁhitā, 53.1)atha mudrāḥ pravaká¹£yāmisarva-tantreá¹£u kalpitāḥyābhir viracitābhiś camodante mantra-devatatāḥ“(The God of Gods, Mahādeva, says): I shall now describe the mÅ«dras which have been incorporated in all the tantras and the by the practice of which, at the time of worshipping a deity, the deities of the mantras are pleased”. (Mantra-yoga-saṁhitā, 53.2)10.Tarpaṇa or refreshing: Tarpaṇa is the ritual in which the sages and the devas are invoked and pleased through  the offering of water. It is auspicious since it makes the heavens favorably disposed towards the sadhaka who practices it with devotion. If it is performed properly, it can liberate us from a great number of sinful karmic reactions, even those from past lives, as well as from various weaknesses that hinder our spiritual development and evolution.tarpaṇād devatā-prÄ«tistvaritaṁ jāyate yataḥatas tat tarpaṇaṁ proktaṁtarpaṇatvena yogibhiḥ“As the deities are soon pleased by tarpaṇa (satiating, refreshing especially the Gods and deceased persons, by presenting to them libations of water). Therefore it (tarpaṇa) has been so named by the yogis.” (Mantra-yoga-saṁhitā, 54.

brāhmaṁ purāṇaṁ prathamaṁ

Each of the Vedas consists of four sections:

Translation:

  taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga- viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo'nirviṇṇacetasā

As is stated in the Bhāgavata-purāṇa (6. 16. 58.):labdhveha mānuṣīṁ yoniṁjnāna-vijnāna-sambhavāmātmānaṁ yo na buddhyetana kvacit kṣemam āpnuyāt"It is impossible for one to have peace who, having obtained a human body and the opportunity to acquire intellectual knowledge, or jñāna, and wisdom, or vijñāna, does not make any effort in this direction.”While jñāna can be acquired through writing or words, vijñāna cannot be transmitted, either verbally, or through the written word, as it is solely a reflection of our state and level of consciousness. Vijñāna is a direct experience between the knower and the known; it is the experience of the Self, which is the only thing that can be experienced without any intermediary. This we see clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā (7. 2):jñānaṁ te ham sa-vijñānamidaṁ vakṣyāmy aṣeśaataḥyaj jñātvā neha bhūyo nyajjñātavyam avaśiṣyate"This knowledge, or jñāna, and wisdom, or vijñāna, is revealed to you in its totality. After knowing it, there is no longer anything else to know."In reality, jñāna and vijñāna, are not two different things, but one and the same. It is we ourselves who undergo a transformation in our evolutionary process. As beginning souls at a basic stage, we read and study, but we are not able to live according to what we have learned, much less perceive directly what the sacred scriptures are speaking of; this is called jñāna. Only after reaching a certain level of development, will we obtain the direct perception of what we had merely read about earlier. That knowledge after which nothing remains to be known is the knowledge of the Self, the source and very origin of all that can be known. All that is born from the sea, whether waves, bubbles or foam, is water, after all. Knowing water, one knows the essence of the rest. Similarly although we see a world of variety, all of this is, in one way or another, the Self. The experience of the Self is the experience beyond which nothing remains to know that is not the Self, since only the Self really is.

After death, the killers of the soul go to the worlds of the demons, covered by blinding darkness.

Yoga is an endeavor to reunite what has never been separated, with the meaning of developing full consciousness that we are not objects, and that no one or nothing exists that can or must be enlightened.

Commentary:

At the moment we meditate, we are trying to observe what is, and so it will be very important to renounce all that we wish to obtain through meditation, no? It will be highly important, it will be essential, basic. Because as long as an expectation exists, this will continue to keep me chained to the world of thought.

Śaiva-siddhānta: Accepts 28 Āgamas, of which 10 are Śivāgamas and 18 are Rudrāgamas, which are principally Pratiṣṭhā-tantras, that is to say, guides to the installation and worship of the deities in the temple.

Demons do not deserve rage, hatred or rancor, but only our compassion. Sinners suffer a great deal, even more than their victims, because they only reveal their own internal misery. Their behavior is a mere symptom of self destruction...

The Śrimad-bhāgavata describes 3 puruṣāvatars and 22 līlāvataras.

ātra rāgātmikoditā“The spontaneous love for a chosen deity should be completely captivating. Here, that devotion is called rāgātmika-bhakti.”In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu Rūpa Gosvāmī speaks about these three verses from the Bhāgavata-purāṇa (3. 29. 12-14):lakṣaṇaṁ bhakti-yogasyanirguṇasya hyudāhṛtamahaituky avyavahitāyā bhaktiḥ puruṣottame sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya-sārūpyaikatvam apy utadīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇantivinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ sa eva bhakti-yogākhyaātyantika udāhṛtaḥyenātivrajya tri-guṇaṁmad-bhāvāyopapadyate “Selfless and constant dedication for God is said to be the characteristic of nirguna-bhakti-yoga. The devotee does not accept any other type of liberation, such as sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, sārūpya or ekatva, not even if it has been offered (by God). That is the most elevated level of what is known as bhakti-yoga, through which (the devotee) transcends the three guṇas, and attains My state.”In his commentary on this verse, Jīva Goswāmi indicates that the word ātyantika means "the highest goal in life that can be attained in this human form” since in madhyama-bhakti, the bhakti-yogi reaches the maximum stage to which one can aspire. He who reaches the following level, or para-bhakti , can no longer be considered a human being. Para-bhakti is the river of devotion that flows into the sea and merges with it. It is consciousness fusing with itself. It is not only loving God, but Being God.Similarly there are two different classes of rāgātmika-bhakti: kāma-rūpā and sambandha-rūpā, and we find them very clearly explained in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.273):sā kāmarūpā sambandha-rūpā ceti bhaved dvidhā "There are two different types of rāgātmika-bhakti: kāma-rūpā , motivated by conjugal sentiments , and sambandha-rūpā, motivated by feelings related to other types of relationships.Kāma-rūpā is the form of romantic love that the gopīs of Vrindavan experienced for Lord Kṛṣṇa. These feelings are of a conjugal character, or kāma.

Never hate those who have tried to hurt you or harm you, believe me that the destructive conduct of the demons is just the proof of their pain and suffering, as they are burnt in the same fire with which they want to burn...

The natural consequence of the sādhanā of integral yoga is meditation. Authentic union resides in what truly unifies everyone and everything: the Self, in which diversity finds its unity. In meditation abides the unity and peace that transcends all division and conflict.

We are ocean waves who believe we are different from the other waves, the foam, the bubbles and the ocean itself. Enlightenment means to awaken to our true identity as the infinite ocean of existence, consciousness and absolute bliss which is the source and support of innumerable waves.

The term "killer of the soul" can appear at first sight as a contradiction, as we are taught by the Holy Scriptures that the soul is eternal. It says in the Bhagavad-gita (2.17):

Dhritarashtra dijo: Oh Sanjaya, habiéndose reunido, mis hijos y los hijos de Pandu, en el campo de batalla de Kurukshetra con deseos de luchar, ¿qué están haciendo?

Observing ourselves, we will discover that we are an organic individuality expressed in myriad facets. We are unity in diversity, the image and likeness of that infinite unity which manifests itself in the multiplicity of creation.

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama nāyakā mama sainyasya saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te Translation:Great Brahmana! For your information let me tell you about my qualified captains that are leading my army.Commentary:Duryodhana, as a good diplomat and politician, addresses Dronacharya and tries to buy him with flattery, this is very clear when he uses the term "dvija-uttama", which means "great Brahmana" or "the best of the brahmanas".We always have to remember that the attitude that we develop towards others and the surrounding is only a reflection of the attitude we have to ourselves...Hypocrisy towards others only shows our hypocrisy towards ourselves

However, the āsana attempts to work with what is most immediate to our reality, the physical body. Therefore, I want my disciples to concern themselves with the real, however simple and ordinary it may appear, and not with fantasies and illusions, however marvelous they may seem. A real hut is preferable to hundreds of imaginary mansions. A plate of soup on our table is better than a thousand gourmet dishes in a dream. When embarking on the search for God it is not necessary to fantasize, or yearn for a vision with lights and colors, but only to begin with what is most real to us, with the most tangible, that is to say, with our physical body. It may seem ordinary, but it has the value of the real. We must maintain that attitude throughout the whole process of internalization, in this path that leads us to ourselves. There are yogic postures especially intended to increase strength and health in one who practices them. Other postures encourage meditation, among which, five are principally recommended: padmāsana (the lotus posture) (photo number 500), siddhāsana (the perfect posture) (photo number 501),svastikāsana (the prosperous pose) (photo number 502), sukhāsana (the simple pose) (photo number 503) andvajrāsana (the diamond pose) (photo number 504).4.        Prāṇāyāmatasmin sati śvāsa-praśvāsayor gati-vicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ“When the āsana is established, the regulation of the motion of ingoing and outgoing breaths is prāṇāyāma.” (Yoga-sÅ«tras 2.49)This is a set of techniques that utilize the breathing and whose natural consequence is an expansion of the vital energy. Along with the āsanas, prāṇāyāma is part of haá¹­ha-yoga.athāsane dṛḍhe yogÄ« vaśī hitamitāśanaḥgurÅ«padiṣṭamārgeṇa prāṇāyāmān samabhyaset"After having acquired mastery over the āsanas, the yogi, with his senses controlled and observing a moderate and agreeable diet, must practice prāṇayāma according to the guidance of his guru." Haá¹­ha Yoga PradÄ«pikā (2.

Listening will not be really effective if we do not dedicate time to reflect on what we hear, to digest it. Each day, in solitude, it is essential for the spiritual aspirant to deeply contemplate the implications for his life of what he has heard. Reflecting on what we have learned from the spiritual master is extremely important, because from that reflection, self-inquiry arises. In religion we only really know something when we are able to live according to it. Thus, we can be highly informed, yet completely ignorant, if we unable to live in a way that is coherent with what we have heard.3. Nididhyāsana or ‘Vedantic meditation’:vijātīya-dehādi-pratyaya-rahitādvitīya-vastu-sajātīya-pratyaya-pravāho nididhyāsanam "Nididhyāsana is a continuous flow of understanding that is uniform with the nondual Brahman and free of non-uniform concepts such as the body, etc." (Vedānta-sāra, verse 192)“…Nididhyāsana must be practiced continuously by those who desire liberation, until the moment that all incorrect understanding has been removed from the mind.” (The Bhāṣya on the Bṛhad-āraṇyakopaniṣad by Śaṅkarācārya, verse 2.4.5)It involves a deep contemplation of the teachings and the received knowledge. In this way, one assimilates the truths until the concepts acquired through the intellect are transformed into reality. Theoretical philosophy is transformed into experience. Nididhyāsana is a meditative search for the very roots of consciousness, because in it, we experience existentially what we have learned from the spiritual master and the Holy Scriptures. Nididhyāsana is a process in which knowledge is transformed into wisdom, and the theoretical, into an experience of a subjective character.If śravaṇa means to listen to the scriptures through our guru, then manana is to internalize them, and nididhyāsana is to experience them as the truth and to live according to them.Ātma-sākṣātkāraĀtma-sākṣātkāra, or the direct perception of the Self, refers to the self-realization that is the natural consequence of the three previously indicated practices.

In repression, the efforts are concentrated in the struggle, the large part of our energy and attention is utilized in resistance, in shoving our weakness inside. You strengthen your exterior to act as if you have renounced, while pushing your weaknesses inside, trying to hide them, where they will be stored in your subconscious. Your desires will not stop seeking to be expressed. This is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (3. 6):karmendriyāṇi saṁyamyaya āste manasā smaranindriyāthān vimūḍhātmāmithyā’cāraḥ sa ucyate"Without a doubt, he who represses the organs of action but whose mind dwells in the objects of the senses, is a confused and is called a hypocrite."If you direct your efforts only to combat your mind, perhaps you will win today, but if you waver or feel weak tomorrow, all the work of years will fall, as it will not have a sufficient base or true foundation. For this reason, in austerity all our focus is directed towards attention, observation.We attentively observe our reactions, our body and instinct, our thoughts and imagination, our feelings and emotions. Only by observing, will it be possible to truly see clearly the suitable doors that can open, the proper paths to travel, just as we can see the doors that are not suitable to open nor much less cross, and the paths that are not appropriate to travel. Śaṅkarācārya saw this and for this reason he said... "One has evil inclinations, it is said. But knowing them, one can avoid them.” Because to transcend our disabilities, to go beyond our lower nature, is a natural consequence of observation. Repression is imposed upon the exterior, austerity springs from comprehension, from the interior realization. Repression is a type of self-torture, while discipline is meditative. Like a gardener who seeks to water the roots of his trees, this wisdom searches our roots, the subjective, and therefore it does not direct our attention only to the external behavior. It does not involve having or not having, doing or not doing, it is not only in our behavior, but in the well-being of its source.

In order to properly comprehend the idea of guru, it is essential to take into account not only theological differences but also social, historic, and cultural differences. For example, from the beginning within the Hindu tradition, the paramparā, or the chain of succession from guru to disciple, preserved the sacred teachings, which were memorized and transmitted orally from master to disciple. Thus, the Vedas themselves, from the Upaniṣads to the great epics like the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata, were preserved orally for thousands of years before they were finally put into writing. This fact alone can give us an idea of the crucial importance of the spiritual master, and his central place in Hinduism.What is a Guru?Generally, the word guru is translated from the Sanskrit as “he who helps to dispel the darkness”, and is composed of two syllables, gu and ru. In the Śrī Guru Gītā (23) it is said...gukāras tvandhakāraś carukāras teja ucyateajnāna grāsakaṁ brahmagurur eva na saṁśayaḥ"The syllable gu is the darkness, and it is said that the syllable ru is the light. There is no doubt that the guru is, is effect, the supreme knowledge that destroys the darkness of ignorance."Also in the Vaiṣṇava-Kaṇṭḥ-Hāra, something very similar is affirmed in the following text…gu śabdas tv andha-kāraḥru śabdas tu nirodhakaḥandha-kāra-nirodhatvādgurur ity abhidhyate"The word gu means “darkness” and ru means "that which disperses”. According to his ability to disperse the darkness of ignorance, such a transcendent being is called guru." If someone teaches us to peel potatoes, to learn how to cook, to iron, if he teaches us to read or write, to sing or dance, that person is, in a certain sense, our guru, because he removes the darkness of our ignorance regarding a specific field of life. When we speak of the guru as spiritual master within the context of Hinduism, we are referring to that guru who removes our ignorance about ourselves, our ignorance of what we really are.

Mientras menos desarrollada y evolucionada es la persona, más fácilmente cae en manos del odio, es decir que mientras más pequeño es el corazón, mayor cantidad e intensidad de odio es capaz de albergar...La rabia y el odio son hijos de los deseos terrenales, el odio es lo opuesto al apego, en realidad el apego es una expresión del odio y el odio lo es del apego, son algo así como las dos caras de una misma moneda, si desgastas una, llegarás inevitablemente a la otra ...En el Bhagavad-gita (2.56) Kṛṣṇa dice:duḥkheñv anudvigna-manāḥsukheñu vigata-spṛhaḥvéta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥsthita-dhér munir ucyate"Se considera un sabio de discriminación estable a aquel que no se altera en medio del sufrimiento, ni se excita con el placer, y que trasciende el apego, el miedo y la ira."En este verso se nos informa acerca de la profunda relación entre la ira, el miedo y el apego... El odio nace del temor y el temor del apego, mientras más apego más miedo, mientras más temes más violencia puede existir en tu corazón y mayores serán las posibilidades de odiar...El apego apasionado es algo así como el "odio en sirsasan" o parado sobre la cabeza, ya que éste no es más que la expresión de un deseo frustrado... El apego apasionado y rajásico se convierte en odio cuando no se desea sufrir pero tampoco se puede olvidar...Rajas predomina en la mente junto a los deseos sensuales, por otro lado, el verdadero devoto no odia a nada ni a nadie porque ya no ve a sus semejantes como aparecen frente a él, sino que ve a todo y a todos a la luz del amor divino ... a la luz de Dios ...Na ramate o "no se alegra por nada"...Esto no significa que el iluminado es un ser triste y agrio, muy por el contrario...Es importante entender que la felicidad y la alegría pertenecen al plano relativo de la dualidad, por lo tanto poseen su opuesto que es la tristeza.

"Know as indestructible that which is spread in everything. No one can destroy the immutable".

Nevertheless, one must understand as well, the key importance of the Smṛti in explaining the scriptures of the Śruti and making them accessible to humanity, especially in an era as degraded as ours. Ultimately, it is our authentic spiritual master who elucidates for us the most profound conclusions of both the Śruti and Smṛti.

Stay in halāsana effortlessly for only 20 seconds to begin with and gradually increase its duration until you can remain for 10 minutes. 5. The back stretch posture or paścimottānāsanaatha paścimottānāsanamprasārya pādau bhuvi daṇḍa-rūpausaṁnyasta-bhālaṁ citiyugma-madhyeyatnena pādau ca dhṛtau karābhyāṁtat paścimottānam ihāsanaṁ syāt“Spreading out the legs on the ground like two sticks, the forehead placed on the knees, and the feet held tightly with the hands, that is paścimottānāsana.”Lie flat on your back (Photo Number 37). Stretch your arms behind your head and join the legs (Photo Number 38). With an exhalation, lift the arms towards the ceiling (Photo Number 39), then the head(Photo Number 40 ), the upper back (Photo Number 41), the middle back (Photo Number 42) and the lower back (Photo Number 43), vertebra by vertebra, until you are seated with your legs straight (Photo Number 44). As you inhale, extend your arms straight upwards (Photo Number 45). Gradually bend and extend the trunk forward, extending and elongating the lower back (Photo Number 47), until the abdomen rests on the thighs, the chest on the knees, and the forehead on the calves.Grab the big toes with the index fingers, placing the thumbs on top (Photo Number 48). Extend the toes towards the face. The elbows lie on the ground close to the legs (Photo Number 49).While inhaling, extend forward from the base of the vertebral column, along the back. While you exhale, try to descend more towards the legs. Keep the knees as straight as possible without straightening them completely. As you reach the final phase of the posture, stop moving and relax gently. Breathe deeply from the abdomen.Keep the posture for at least 30 seconds in the beginning. Little by little, prolong the duration to be able to hold the posture effortlessly for ten minutes.6. The cobra or bhujaṅgāsanaatha bhujaṅgāsanam:aṅguṣṭhanābhiparyantam adhobhūmau vininyasetk

Our longing must be rooted in the integration of all values, whether classified as material or spiritual, for any such division is illusory. Matter is not the counterpart of spirit; the manifested retains within itself the unmanifested, and spirit lies in the depths of the material.

And in the same Holy Bhagavad-gita (2.20) we read the following:

haja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁgovindaṁ bhaja mūḍha-matesamprāpte sannihite kālena hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ karaṇe"Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, o deluded ones! The law and the grammatical rules will not save you at the moment of death.”Both jñāna as well as bhakti are directed towards the realization of our authentic nature, the Ultimate Reality known as Sat Cit Ananda, or Existence, Consciousness and Absolute Bliss. The only difference lies in the approach. Bhakti accesses the Divine through ananda, or the aspect of eternal and absolute bliss, while jñana uses as a door the cit aspect, or Absolute and Infinite Consciousness. On the absolute plane, there is no difference between them, as they are actually just different aspects of the same reality.Bhakti is a process of contraction before the greatness of Kṛṣṇa. Jnana is an expansive and inclusive process which embraces everything, to include all. The devotee exclaims that God exists both inside and outside of everyone and everything, and that nothing exists which is not Kṛṣṇa. As is clearly indicated in the Śukla-yajur-veda (40.1.a) and the Īśopaniṣad (1.a),oṁ īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁyatkiñca jagatyāṁ jagattena tyaktena bhunjīthāmā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam“The Lord dwells within every living being in the universe. Therefore he enjoys the pleasures that He has renounced. He does not covet the wealth of others.”The bhakta wishes to savor the sweet taste of sugar; the jnani wants to be sugar. The experience of an enlightened jnani sage is “Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah" or in other words, only the Self is. The bhakta is like a little kitten who has confidence in his mother’s protection, while the jnani is like a baby monkey who has to make the effort to embrace his mother in order to receive her protection.Jñana leads us to the realization that all is illusion and that only the Blessed Self is, while the final realization of the bhakta is that there is nothing outside of God. As an example, we can see the commentary of Shankara in the Bhagavad Gītā (11.

pūjādiṣvanurāga iti pārāśaryaḥ | Traducción: De acuerdo a la opinión de Vyasadeva, el hijo de Parashara, la devoción se expresa en actos de adoración.

Although the practice of japa-yoga is fundamental in mantra-yoga, we can find it as an integral part of other yogic paths of development such as bhakti-yoga, rāja-yoga, kriyā-yoga, tantra-yoga and even jñāna-yoga.Japa-yoga is one of the classic paths to liberation. Although it is not mentioned in the Vedas, japa-yoga may be considered aVedic practice, since the Vedas prescribe the repetition of mantras in yajñas, or sacrifices.Lord Kṛṣṇa says that among all the yajñas, japa-yajña is considered the superior sacrifice:maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁgirām asmy ekam akṣaramyajnānāṁ japa-yajno smisthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ"Among the great ṛṣis I am Bhṛgu; among words I am Oṁ; among the sacrifices I am japa; among the immobile I am the Himalayas" (Bhagavad-gītā, 10.25)Chanting is carried out with a string of tulasī beads called a mālā, which is typically made from 108 beads and one larger additional bead called a sumeru. When one uses a mālā of tulasī beads, one begins the round with the sumeru and ends when it is reached again (photo number 300). The following round should begin with the same bead upon which the previous round ended, always taking care not to skip the sumeru or central bead. The mālā should be kept inside a small bag especially designed for it, holding it in the right hand with the middle finger and thumb, never with the index finger which is considered inauspicious (photo number 301). The devotees of Lord Śiva usually use rudrākṣa beads (photo number 302).With each bead one repeats the mantra. The repetition of the mantra 108 times completes one round.Japa is a type of communication between “here” and “beyond”, between the part and the whole. As in all types of communication, it cannot be the mumbling of empty words, it cannot be a mechanical or robotic repetition, but it must express an authentic and sincere intention. The mantra must be recited with highest attention and deeply interiorized as is affirmed by Patañjali Maharṣi in his Yoga-sūtras (1.

Acting from a misperception of nature as an inexhaustible resource, we are unfortunately engaged in the worldwide exploitation of all natural resources on a massive scale, for the production of consumer goods. Animals, for example, are considered nothing more than raw materials for the manufacture of clothing, footwear, or food. In consequence, the planet Earth has begun to show symptoms of a grave disease.

Words are the imaginary symbols of what we intend them to represent; they are not real, but are attempts to describe realities. For this reason, these verbal symbols create mental images that do not always correspond to reality. For example when we are the object of insults or verbal offenses, and if we take them personally, we suffer unnecessarily. If only we stopped to think about this point, we would reach the conclusion that the words of others do not necessarily correspond to our reality but are a reflection of their own internal worlds. The opinions they express about us say something about themselves, about their internal reality, about the way they grew up, their family, their way of seeing the world, their maturity. Their words tell us something about their own convictions, and their cultural and spiritual level, but not necessarily something about us.Always remember, it doesn’t matter what is said about you: whether it be negative or positive, you should not take it in a personal way. Whether you have been told that you are a fool or a genius, let it go. You and only you know who you really are.4.        Nidrā or sleep: In contrast to the state of wakefulness, in which the senses are active, the state of sleep is characterized by the temporary cessation of the daily sensory activity. It is a complete mental void in which there is no experience of existence. It can be defined as a mental paralysis, as is stated in the Yoga-sÅ«tras (1.10):abhāva-pratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā“Sleep is an inert mental modification which lacks the sensation of existence.”5.        Smṛti or memory: It is the retention of the diverse impressions registered in the mind by past experiences. It is the record of the mental imprints or saṁskāras. According to the Yoga-sÅ«tras (1.11):anubhÅ«ta-viá¹£ayāsaṁspramoá¹£aḥ smṛtiḥ“The memory is the record of past experiences.”Furthermore, the five types of mental modifications can leave their own imprints or tracks in the mind. These impressions remain in the depths of our mind in a potential state as long as they are not reactivated by a stimulus.

The simple fact of preparing the appropriate atmosphere provides no guarantee that we will be able to sleep. Sādhanā consists in extending our limits to the maximum, to the farthest point. Only when we have done everything we can, will it become possible for meditation to descend upon us.It is not easy for us, educated and intellectual as we are, to accept that our actual state of consciousness is a kind of sleepwalking and that we don’t perceive life and the world as they are, but as they appear to us in our dream. Just as the acceptance of our ignorance is the beginning of wisdom, the first sign of meditation is accepting the fact that we are beings who are half-asleep. To meditate is not to open the eyes, but to awaken…it is not to look, but to see....Trying to describe meditation to someone who has not meditated is like trying to explain colors to a person who is blind, or musical notes to someone who is deaf. Meditating is not complicated, it requires no effort; it is much simpler than what is generally thought. However, what is simple may become extremely complicated when it is verbalized. Meditation is indescribable to the human mind because it is an experience that transcends the limits of time, space and causality. In our normal, finite and limited cognitive state we are unable to grasp anything beyond these boundaries.Whereas in concentration the mind focuses on an object, in meditation what is being observed is the mind; the observer becomes the observed.Attention is the light of the soul that makes us aware of our actions, thoughts and emotions. In meditation, the meditator is the observed. In this way, we expand our awareness, directing our attention towards the observer, and regain consciousness of ourselves.To meditate is to open the eyes of our soul and dare to look attentively and continuously.To meditate is to separate ourselves from the mental contents and their confusion without coming into conflict with the mind. It is to observe what is, as it is, without making any effort, without judging and condemning, and without even reacting.

..Fear and sloth is what impels us to look for supports, in our disconnection from intelligence. Calculators and computers are very comfortable, they save us the effort of books and mathematics, but in our sloth, they make us stupid...And they do in order to control, manipulate and enslave us...Money, fame, sex, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs can give support and refuge only to beings who are completely disconnected from intelligence...

Further along we will see the importance of understanding this original vision.This path of yoga maintains that there is an absolute unity between the universal and the individual, between the Whole and the part, between the Divine and the human soul, between Brahman and the jīva. Similarly, it aspires to the experience and direct realization of the true nature of Atman as identical with the Ultimate Reality or Brahman. Only to know the Self is true purity and authentic nonattachment.The UpaniṣadsThe basis and principle foundation of jñāna-yoga is Vedānta. The Sanskrit word veda means “wisdom”, stemming from the root “vid” or “to know”, while the phoneme “anta” means “conclusion”. The Veda is divided into two different sections: the Veda pūrva and the Veda ānta. The Veda pūrva, also called the karma kāṇḍa, is the extensive section of the Vedas dedicated to the knowledge of actions performed to obtain various benefits. Vedānta means “the final and ultimate conclusion of the Vedas”.Neither a doctrine, theory, or philosophy nor the product of intellectual speculation, jñāna-yoga is a vision based on the sacred Upaniṣads.The word upaniṣad means “to sit near or beneath the feet of the master”. According to tradition, it is a collection of 108 sacred texts, but this number can reach nearly 150 texts, comprising invaluable, authoritative testimony received directly from the Vedic sages of antiquity. While these texts refer to the same theme, they view it from a variety of perspectives.The 108 Upaniṣads that are generally accepted by Vedic tradition are the following:On the basis of these upanishadic teachings, the jñāni uses the mind to inquire, investigate, and explore in the fascinating search for himself. He purifies his intellect, or buddhi, by questioning his own reality, source and origin. As we read in the sacred Ṛg-veda (1.139.2):apaśyāma hiraṇyayaṁdhībhiś cana manasā svebhir akṣibhiḥ somasya svebhir aksabhih“We have seen the brilliant radiance through the eyes of contemplation and the intellect.

4.        Aśva-sañcalanāsana or the posture of the horse-rider: Inhale and extend your left leg, taking a big step backward. Then place the knee on the floor. Raise your chin, and extend the toes of the left foot. Keep your right knee between the arms, the hands on the floor, and the thigh pressed against the stomach and chest (photo number 120).5.        Åšvānāsana or the dog posture: hold the breath and extend your right leg back, placing it next to the already extended left leg. Keep your body away and parallel to the floor in a straight line. Hold your hands firm, keeping the arms extended, and spread out the body weight on your hands and feet (photo number 121).6.        Aṣṭāṅga-namaskārāsana or the eight-point-salutation posture: Exhale, lower your body to the ground and slowly flex the arms. Supporting the chest and knees on the floor, keep the hips lifted slightly and the toes bent under the feet. The body must remain in contact with the ground only with the hands, forehead, chest, knees and toes (photo number 122).7.        Bhujaṅgāsana or the cobra posture: Inhale slowly, pressing down with your hands, with the help of the arms lifting the head and chest, pushing the torso upward and back, as much as possible. Keep your hips on the floor, and tilting your head back, bend the spine (photo number 123).8.        Åšvānāsana or the dog posture: Lift the hips, exhaling and keeping the arms and legs straight. The heels should remain on the floor between the head and arms (photo number 124).9.        Aśva-sañcalanāsana or the posture of the horseman: Inhaling, move your left foot forward to align with the hands and place the left knee close to chest. The right knee and right foot touch the floor. Look up and lift your chin. (photo number 125).10.        Pāda-hastāsana or hand to foot pose: Exhaling, bring the right foot forward next to left. Raising the hips, straighten the knees and bend toward them.

"The soul is never born; neither does it die. It has not come into being, does not come into being and will not come into being. It is not slain when the body is slain."

because just as the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (6.8.7.) says, in the dialogue between Uddālaka and his son Śvetaketu, in what will become one of the greatest mahavakyas of Adwaita Vedānta Hinduism, tat tvam asi... "thou art that"...

lokavedeṣu tadanukūlācaraṇaṁ tadvirodhiṣūdāsīnatā |Traducción:Realizando tanto actividades seculares como sagradas, sólo lleva a cabo aquellas que son favorables, asimismo se mantiene indiferente hacia las negativas.Comentario:En el transcurso de mi vida he conocido a muchos religiosos que nunca conocieron una religión... Y también a muchos conocedores de una religión viviendo y actuando de manera sumamente cruel y antirreligiosa...Esto me condujo a no aceptar las religiones pero si a amar la religión, me di cuenta que quienes han realizado en sus vidas los ideales de la religión no se ven tan religiosos...Favorable es todo aquello que de una u otra manera contribuye a crear una situación propicia para el florecimiento del amor, que nos acerca a nuestra auténtica naturaleza o Dios... Negativo o desfavorable es exactamente lo contrario, todo lo que nos aleja de la conciencia pura y del amor divinoEn otras palabras, lo bueno y lo malo están directamente relacionados con aquello que propicia u obstaculiza el desarrollo de nuestro bhakti...Rupa Goswami, el gran bhakti-yogi de la línea Gaudiya de Śri Caitanya, menciona en el verso 2 de su obra Upadesamrita, El Néctar de la Instrucción, los principales obstáculos que dificultan el adecuado desarrollo del bhakti en el corazón del bhakta, es decir las actividades consideradas desfavorables:atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś caprajalpo niyamāgrahaḥjana-saìgaś ca laulyaṁ cañaḍbhir bhaktir vinaśyati"El bhakti puede ser destruido especialmente por las siguientes seis faltas; 1) Comer más de lo necesario, o acumular más fondos de los requeridos; 2) esforzarse demasiado por cosas terrenales que no son obtenidas fácilmente; 3) hablar sobre temas mundanos sin necesidad; 4) seguir las reglas y las regulaciones de las Escrituras sólo por seguirlas como cuestión de tradición y no para desarrollarse espiritualmente, o rechazar las reglas y regulaciones de las Escrituras y trabajar de manera independiente o caprichosamente; 5) asociarse con personas de inclinaciones mundanas que no se interesan en el desarrollo y evolución; y 6) codiciar logros mundanos y terrenales.

Kṣetra or location:The mūlādhāra-cakra is found at the very base of the spinal column, between the anus and the root of the genitals, at the intersection of the suṣumnā, iḍā andpiṅgalānāḍīs.Presiding Deities:Brahmā and Gaṇeśa.Lord Brahmā is the first deity of the tri-mūrti, the creator of the universe who was born froma lotus flower which emerged from the navel of Lord Viṣṇu.Brahmā, whose name literally means "evolution" or "development", is the deva of the four heads which face the four cardinal points orcatur-loka; theirwhite beards symbolize wisdom.Each one of their mouths recites one of the sacred Vedas. Lord Brahmā has four hands with which he holds a mālā, the text of Vedas, or pustaka, a vessel with the water of life, or kamaṇḍalu and a lotus flower or padma. His wives are Sarasvatī, the goddess of knowlege, science and the arts,and Sāvitrī, also called Gāyatrī, who is the daughter of Vivasvan or Savitṛ, the Sun-god.Lord Brahmāresides in Brahma-loka, which is situated in Mount Meru, in the Gandhamādana mountain range, in the Himalayas. The vehicle on which he is travels through the universe is haṁsa, the swan.Gaṇeśaisthe sacred deva with the head of an elephant, a son of Śiva andPārvatī.Gaṇeśa is the God of intelligence and letters. His namesGaṇeśa (Gaṇa-īśa)and Gaṇa-pati mean“Lord of theGaṇas”, or "attendants of Lord Śiva", as he was chosen as their leader by Lord Śiva Himself. The story of Lord Gaṇeśa (Śiva-purāṇa, rudra-saṁhitā chapters 13-18) begins with the birth of Skanda, the elder son of the goddess Pārvatī and LordŚiva. Due toecstasy before the arrival of their first child, her breasts shed sacred milk. Using this nectarian milk and the sandalwood paste which she used to anoint her body, she proceeded to model her second son.His mother gave him the nameofGaṇeśa, and appointed him to personally guard her, as well as the palace. The child took the order literally, so that he prevented anyone from entering the palace, even Lord Śiva Himself. At this, Śiva was so enraged that he decapitated Gaṇeśa.

Therefore, in order to understand this term, atma-hana or "killer of the soul", a little explanation will be needed. Evidently, nothing and no one can kill or murder life. However, the human being is capable of living as if his soul was dead. He is able to suffocate it, to murder it, or in other words, to ignore it... The Upanishad refers here to those who live ignoring their authenticity, their inner reality, which is like a kind of suicide, because although we do not annihilate the soul, we live as if we lack it completely...

It is said that the Veda is prabhu-sammitam or “given by God”, while the Āgamas are called āpta-vakya, or “the word of the bona fide beings”. While this literature does not claim its authority directly from the Vedas, it is completely Vedic in spirit, and is thus accepted and respected as fully authorized. The texts of the Āgamas are actually not very accessible to the general public.Even today, some are only available in the form of manuscripts, while unfortunately the great majority of those which have come into print have only been published in Sanskrit.

This world no longer appears as a sacred temple to us, because we have been a part of the known for a long time. Living from our past, we have turned life into a habit and our existence into a routine. Far too long ago we ceased to be thrilled at the spring, its birds, its butterflies and its flowering. How can we claim to worship God if we do not wonder at the miracle of existence? How can we not marvel when we look at the starry sky? The most advanced levels of arcana are learned at the seashore on a summer evening or in forest in springtime. Religious books can offer us information about the appropriate way to prostrate ourselves in front of an altar according to the etiquette of one religion or another. But to teach the heart to prostrate in front of the creator, one needs the full moon reflected in a lake. Because only the majesty of a sunset in the desert can induce the soul to offer its most humble and respectful reverences before God.6. Vandana: refers to prayers, reverences and prostrations offered to God.A great part of the wisdom that we find in the sacred scriptures was composed in the form of prayers. When we pray, we accept our limitations and our smallness and we exalt the greatness of God. When we pray, we invoke divine aid, without which, no matter how much we strive, we will never succeed. Like the sun’s rays, divine grace radiates to illuminate all. To pray is to expose ourselves to its rays of light and warmth. God is not biased; therefore He allows the rain of His grace to shower impartially over all. When we pray, we close our umbrella and allow this rain to fall upon us. We pray because we are aware that we can make efforts forever, but without the support of Īṣvara, who is the Supreme controller, we will never attain the desired success. To pray is to open our hearts to the grace of God.In the Bhagavad Gītā (7.

To ignore the soul is to live ignoring ourselves, our authenticity, what we really are... It is to live as if we were long dead...

अन्याश्रयाणां त्यागोनन्यता। १०anyāśrayāṇāṁ tyāgonanyatā |Translation:Unification or exclusive devotion to God is the renunciation of any other support or refuge.Commentary:God is intelligence...God is that creative intelligence that lies behind everything and everyone...And notice that I do not say God is intelligent... which would be something completely different...Intelligence cannot be limited to only a certain mental or physiological capacity, intelligence is not the product or result of the mind or the human thought...The mind is capable of inventing a watch, a vacuum cleaner, a mobile telephone or a computer, but it cannot create intelligence...However, it is enough to observe our environment to see that when we refer to intelligence we speak of a quality of life, intrinsic to existence itself, just like water is humid - life is intelligent...The ego is a phenomenon in which we see ourselves as entities separate from the Whole... from God...It consists of a disconnection from the infinite intelligence which is God...Religión establishes that through thought and the mind it is neither possible to find out what intelligence is, nor to reconnect to it. Therefore it offers us meditation... which is to transcend thought and the mechanical mind and find out for ourselves...Machiavelli said that it is more desirable for a government to be feared than to be loved, and if we look through the history, this has been the most used sentiment, with the goal of controlling the human being...Intelligence is very uncomfortable for tyrants, intelligent beings are a threat to dictatorships...Intelligence is creativity, and it can only manifest it self, flourish and be expressed when there is no fear...When there is no fear to do something ridiculous, fear of contempt...Fear has been the greatest mobilizer of behaviors of human society, the easiest way to manipulate the masses and exploit them...Fear and sloth are the greatest barriers that separate us from intelligence.

Elevate: until the divine energy that lies within you rises, and ultimately merges with Śiva.

In order to deepen our relationship with nature we must first come to know it better, by observing and studying its various phenomena.