SPIRITUAL DOUBTS & GUIDANCE

SOME SADHAK'S QUESTIONS / DOUBTS CLARIFIED
TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) --
Different people follow different paths --
Some do meditation(dhyana)
Some do Bhakthi thro' Bhajan or Kirthan
Some do idol worship thro' Ritual Pooja
Hata Yoga etc.
How common goal of Brahma Jnana is achieved through 
different paths ?

ANS.1) --
There are many paths like

JNANA YOGA

KARMA YOGA

BHAKTHI YOGA

RAJA YOGA

HATA YOGA  etc

Bhagathpatpada Shankaracharya has told --

Which ever path you follow, you can achieve the goal only

through JNANA.

Hence JNANA YOGA is the best.However people find it 

difficult to understand & follow Jnana Yoga. If you are 

following other paths, then also, by gaining JNANA through 

that path only, you achieve the goal.

As per Kripaluji Maharaj, Bhakthi Marg is the BEST.He has 

achieved Jnana of highest order through Bhakthi & is 

called JAGADGURU. He is like a Super Computer in Jnana.

Combination of Jnana Marg & Bhakthi Marg or Meditation

(Raja Yoga) is the best way. 

Q2) --
Thaitreya Upanishad commentary says OM-KARA 
Upasana is for Yatis or Sanyasis only & not for samsaris ?

ANS.2) --
Reason for this restriction is, due to extreme 
dispassion(vyragya), house holder may walk away leaving 
family.However other writings do not support this view.

For Sadhana Chathustaya--

1)VIVEKA

2) VYRAGYA

3) Shataka sampatti (sama,Dama,Uparama,

    Titiksha, Shraddha,Samana)

4)MUMUKSHATHVA (urge to get MOKSHA)

are the basic requirements.

In Raja yoga by vivekananda, Astanga yoga of Pathanjali 

yoga suthras mental recitation of OM is recommended 

for meditation, to control mind.

OMKAR upasana is for nirakara (formless) sakshathkara 

of Brahman. In the extensive study I did to write OMKARA 
nada article, I have not come across anywhere that it is for 
sanysis only. I, myself follow naturally Omkar as anahatha 
nada successfully. Pl.read omkara nada-sound of pranava 
in this blog. Reaching the goal at the earliest is very 
important, instead of getting confused.

Q3) -- 
How to purify Body & MIND ?

ANS.3) --
Body cannot be purified even if you take bath many 
times a day it is full of dirt & filth. In higher levels of spirituality 
like Avadhutha State they may not take bath for many days.

Others have to take him to their house & give him bath.

He is always in Athmananda & not bothered about care of 
body or covering his body.

MIND PURIFICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

This can be achieved by --

1) Surrender to God fully all the time--highest level of 
    BHAKTHI.

2) Reverence to GURU as Brahman

3)Truthfulness Manasa.Vatcha, & Kaya

4)Sathsangha of those who are pure in Mind.

5)Anahatha nama japa

6)Egoless state--VERY IMPORTANT

7)Unending flow of tears of Bhakthi for many years

8)Unselfishness

9)Jeevanmukthi bhava ie,seeing GOD in all,even in enemies,

   animals.

10) Anhilation of Shadvairies--Kama,Krodha,Lobha, Moha,

     Mada & Mathsara

Q4) --
 In Sadhana we have to do Shravana,Manan 
       Nidhidyasana my doubt is, in Nama Smarana are above 

       three aspects covered ? 

ANS.4) --

ॐ

Please note that, in Nama Smarana also Shravana,Manana,

Nididyasana are covered.

Mental nama smarana is thro' mind which is Manana, feeling 

that you are hearing internally, even during mental recitation 

is there, which is Shravana, concentration of mind 

ie, holding nama smararana continuously in mind is 

Nidhidyasana. When you analyse & think they are not 

different even though on the face of it, they may look 
different !!

Q5) --
There is a book published by a Maharaj which gives 
solutions to worldly problems like sickness, poverty,life span,
snake bite,fame etc. Is it useful to follow the book ? 

Ans.5) --

I went through the book, it gives an impression as if there is 
a solution for every problem.

Prarabhda Karma cannot be altered, however by spiritual 
advancement, it will not have any influence on that person.
 Onlookers of the world think he is suffering due to 
Prarabhda. However I have a question for you, have you 
seen anybody who has overcome death by reciting 
Mruthunjaya Japa ?, no there is nobody.But Mruthunjaya 
Japa goes on in this world !!

May be in some cases,it may look, this book has helped 
those whose Prarabhda supported their problem.My
 personal opinion is that Rama Nama Smarana what you 
are doing, covers all the problems, if you are destined
 to achieve them or overcome the problems.Surrendering 
to God fully, leaving Prarabhda to work itself out is the 
best way to live !!
I wish to tell you one of my experiences in my life--

My Late wife had kept some amount (received by selling 
her property) & her jewellery in some locker of a Bank in 
Mangalore & passed away.

That time I used to go to that Lakshmi Temple at Ittamadu. 
I had told the problem to that old lady of the temple, who 
is supposed to have some siddhi(clairvoyance).

She made me to stand in front of the statue holding my hand 
near shoulder & told me," you ask the Goddess to show you
 & she will show it to you". Next 15 minutes I tried my best 
to ask Goddess to show me,surprisingly I could not. I told
 the lady," I have surrendered to Goddess fully & I live the 
way,how Goddess wants me to live !! hence words are not 
coming out of my mouth & I am unable to request Goddess !!"  

There is no harm in trying out, but it shows that you are not 

'muktha'(free) from MAYA, please note !!

Q6) --
One known person says Dhyan is the only way to God

but I am doing Rama-Nama Japa as told by Brahma 

Chaithanya,pl. clarify.

Ans.6) --

When nama japa becomes steady,ie, when no other thought 

comes to mind except one thought of nama & form of guru 

or Rama remains steady, mind becomes THAT only--mind 

settles in ATHMA which is nothing but DHYANA only.

Please see below what Ramana Maharshi has told--

Following is the narration by a disciple who followed

the conversation between a villager & Ramana Maharshi -

I was curious about this villager and why Bhagavan had 

gone out of his way to meet him. So, while the discussion 

continued I slipped away and caught up with the villager, 

before he left the Ashram. I asked the villager what he 

and Bhagavan had talked about. He said that Bhagavan 

had asked him why he was standing there so far away.

"I told Bhagavan, 'I am only an ignorant, poor villager. 

How am I to approach you who are God incarnate?'"

"What did the Maharshi say then?" I asked.

"He asked me my name, what village I was from, what

work I did and how many children I had, etc."

"Did you ask Him anything?"

"I asked Him how I could be saved and how I could

earn His blessings."

"What did He tell you?"

"He asked me if there was a temple in my village. I told

him there was. He wanted to know the name of the deity 

of that temple. I told Him the name. He then said that I 

should go on repeating the name of that deity and I would 

receive all the blessings needed."

------------------------------------------------------------------

He has aiso told--

Source: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi

Talk 413.

A visitor asked: While making nama-japa and after 

continuing it for an hour or more I fall into a state like 

sleep. On waking up, I recollect that my japa has been 

interrupted. So I proceed again.

BHAGAWAN RAMANA MAHARISHI.: "Like sleep."
That is right. It is the natural state. Because you
are now associated with the ego you consider the
natural state to be something which interrupts your
work. You must repeat the experience until you realise
that it is your natural state. You will then find that
japa, etc., is extraneous. Still, it will be going on
automatically. Your present doubt is due to the false
identity. Japa means clinging to one thought to
the exclusion of all other thoughts. That is the
purpose of japa; it leads to dhyana which ends
in Self-Realisation.



Q7) --

Brahma Chaithanya Paduka was worshipped in 

our house,along with Rama-Nama Japa. Is it beneficial

for Spiritual Progress ?

Ans.7) --

 ॐ

One Athma is everywhere, you may think it as

Brahma chaithanya,Shankaracharya, Shirdi Sai Baba,

Ramana maharshi, my guru Venkatachala, or Goddess 

Mahalakshmi, all other Gods you can call in any name.

It is better to imagine That as your Athma, inside your 

body as well as outside as the world you see. This is 

the TRUTH & ultimate KNOWLEDGE !

Paduka,Photo,Statue,Kalasha,Sri Chakra,  ॐ,  etc. are 

only means to achieve the above knowledge !

         

         ATHMA

Q8) --
Our Maharaj says Sadaka's need to know Sadhu

Charithamrutha, along with Sadhana, for Spiritual 

progress, is it so ?

Ans.8) --

Because sadhu charitamrutha is important in our blog

we have given charitamrutha of --

1) Sadashiva Brahmendra

2) Gajanan Maharaj

3) Kaiwara Thathaiya

4) Gondawale Maharaj

5) My guru's miracles

6) Incidents from Nithyananda's Life

7)      --  do ---      Akkalkot Maharaj

8)      -- do --        Samartha Ramdas

9)      -- do --        Shridhara Swamy

10)     -- do --       Shirdi Saibaba's life

11) 24 Guru's of Lord Dattatreya

12) super natural powers

13) Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti of Ajmer

14) Puttur Ajja's life story

15) Bhagwan Mahavira's life Story

16) Incidents from Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's Life

17) Bhagwath Pada Sri Shankaracharya & his disciples 

18) Incidents from Ramana Maharshi's Life Story

19) Sri Ranga Mahaguru of Mysore 

etc.

           ATHMA

Q9) --
To solve a problem in life,expecting favourable result

in return, is it ok to make a vow to our favourite God like 

abhisheka,neivedya(food offering),homa,pradakshina

(eg.,urulu seva) etc. 

Ans9) --

In our opinion vow(mangath, harake) to God should not 

be made,expecting favorable result in return like 

business !. You can do seva like Abhisheka, Puja, 

Archana etc. out of Love to God without making vow

(mangath,'HARAKE'), as making vow looks like doing 

business with GOD !

God is not interested in your Vow ! Is He in need of 

your vows ? He measures purity of your mind, Bhakthi, 

level of Ego, Prarabhda karmas, your Sadhana etc.

   

 ATHMA

Q 10) --
My brother expired, hence I cannot do Puja rituals for 
10 days, but I feel like doing Nama Smarana ?

Ans.10) --

There is no restriction on Nama Japa at any time. 
Even when you carry dead body it is customary to recite

'GOVINDA' , 'RAM NAM SATHYA HEY' etc.You can do

Nama Japa mentally all the time. 

Shastras do not apply to a liberated person. Rahu Kala, 

Graha Gati, JATHAKA(horoscope), PANCHANGA(book 

following planetary motions & giving auspicious, 

inauspicious time etc.)  are not applicable to him. 

When your SOUL IS BRAHMAN & you are aware 

of it, even NAMA JAPA is not required.

To whom you are doing NAMA JAPA ? As per 

Shankaracharya & Vedas 'AHAM BRAHMASMI', 

'TAT TWAM ASI' etc.,which means 'I AM BRAHMAN',

'THAT THOU ART' etc. are applicable to your soul.

Only to control & concentrate your mind on SOUL, JAPA 

is required !! like THAPAS ie.,mind made to rest in soul !! 

(  UNDER DEVELOPMENT )