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Sunday, February 28, 2010

The Soul's Search For A Genuine Path and the Secrets of the Supreme Being


The Soul's Search For A Genuine Path and the Secrets of the Supreme Being,
By Huzur Maharaj, Prem Bani Radhasoami, Volume Two, Agra, India





Radhasoami-Reality:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Radhasoami-Reality
{Radhaswami Dayal ki Daya Radhaswami Sahai:
"Grant Merciful Radhasoami Thy Grace and Protection"}

Sant Mat Radhasoami:
http://www.Facebook.com/SantMatRadhasoami



Suratia [the soul], after exercising much
discernment, has adopted Guru
Mat. She had been searching for the
Original Abode, but could get no inkling
of it anywhere. Some advocate
idol-worship, others sing praise of
pilgrimages. Some remain stuck in rites,
rituals and other observances. The
sophists pose and Brahm, but remain
stuck in mana (mind) and maya (illusion).
Being disappointed with all these people,
Suratia [the soul] made search and
enquiry concerning Sant Mat. By sheer
good luck, she happened to meet a
satsangi [initiate] who gave her the
necessary information. He explained to
her the greatness of Sat Mat [the Path
of Eternal Truth]. He gave out the
secrets of the Supreme Being, Beloved
Radhasoami. He explained to her the
great importance of love for and
devotion to Guru and appraised her of
the methods of Surat Shabd Yoga
[Union of the Soul with the Divine Light
and Sound Current]. On performing the
spiritual practices she experienced bliss
within, and her body and mind both
attained tranquility. She joined satsang.
By attending satsang she awakened her
dormant luck. With doubts and delusions
gone, and ever-new love and faith aroused
within, she practices the methods of
Surat Shabd Yoga with love and affection.
Her soul constantly soars higher and
higher. Guru graciously enables her to
witness His ever-new acts of grace.
Adopting the shelter and support of the
Lord of the Soul in her heart, she
accomplishes her task by His grace.



Monday, February 22, 2010

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Anurag Sagar - Kabir Studies: New Material Added to the Anurag Sagar Page


Anurag Sagar - Kabir Studies: New Material Added to the Anurag Sagar Page at:
http://www.SpiritualAwakeningRadio.com/anurag.html




Recently added to the Kabir Page of my website is another talk by Russell Perkins, see: "The Anurag Sagar Satsang Series -- Talks By Russell Perkins, Part Six: A Related Satsang on the Relationship between Kal-Mind, the Soul and God.mp3."


Also added:

a link to the online edition of, "Songs of Kabir," One Hundred Poems of Guru Kabir translated by Rabindranath Tagore;

a link to the Kabir literature section of HajurSaheb.com containing: The Prakashmani Gita, Bandagi Salutation, Sandhya Path, Anandi Arti, Brahm Nirupan, Guru Mahima, Kabir Chalisa, Aradhana, and Mahamantra;

and a short film (via Youtube) about the Story of the Anurag Sagar!

The page also contains links to two translations of the Anurag Sagar in English, one of them with commentary. There are several Satsang MP3 talks based on the Anurag Sagar of Sant Dharam Das, plus a growing collection of Kabir-related links including the Bijak. Am hoping to eventually add links to more online books of Kabir.

Love and Light in the Sound of the Beloved Radhasoami,
James


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Happy Maha Shiva Ratri - On Meditation Practice, the Third Eye


Happy Maha Shiva Ratri -
On Meditation Practice



Sant Mat Fellowship:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SantMatFellowship


A forwarded Hindi and English Post By Pravesh K. Singh is below.

Best Wishes to All on the Highly Auspicious Day of "Maha Shiva Ratri" (12th February 2010)



Lord Shiva in Meditation Posture

Lord Shiva is also called "Maha Yogeeshwara" (Lord of Great Yogis). He is often shown sitting in the posture of a meditating Yogi with another eye, shown to be located in centre of the two eyes, known as the Shiva Netra (The Third Eye of Shiva), the Third Eye, etc. In fact, this Third Eye is present in each one of us but is normally in a closed or shut position. It can be opened by practicing "DrishTi Yoga" or the Meditation on the Divine Light which consists of sitting in a proper posture with the trunk, neck and head held in a vertical straight line without causing any extra tension, closing both eyes ("amA drishTi") and looking intently in the front as taught by an adept Guru who himself has mastered the art. As the Third Eye or the "Ajnaa Chakra" is opened, one enters from the realm of darkness into that of Light, from the "pinD"(body or micro cosmos) into the "brahmAnD" (macro cosmos) as if the doors of the divine or heavenly kingdom have been opened to the practitioner. Thus each one of us has the potential to, and can, become Shiva. The spiritual journey thus starts from here and practicing the Meditation on the Divine Sound (Innumerable Anahad Sounds and the Quintessential Primeval anAhat Sound) culminates in the Soundless Supreme State where not only God is realized but the practitioner (soul) merges into Him to be one with Him, and thus transcends the painful cycle of transmigration.

As a special on the occasion of Maha Shiva Ratri below are presented a few of the shlokas (hymns) from the sacred book "Shiva Samhita" which consists of discourses of none other than Lord Shiva himself. – Hymns have been excerpted from the holy book titled "Satsang Yoga, Part – I" authored by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj (28.04.1885 – 08.06.1986).

- English Translation by Pravesh K. Singh
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati

1. "nAsanam siddha sadrisham na kumbhaka sadrisham balam |
na khecharI samA mudrA na nAd sadrisho layah ||"
[There is no sitting posture as appropriate as "siddhAsan", no power as mighty as "kumbhak", no bodily posturing style as good as "khecharI" and no immersion, absorption or merger as great as "nAd" (Divine Sound).]

2. "yah karoti sadA dhyAnamAjnApadmasya gopitam |
pUrva janma kritam karma vinashyedavirodhatah ||"
[ He who secretly practices meditation on the AjnA chakra (shiva netra, Third Eye, Tenth Door, til dwAr, shaharag, sushumnA, etc.) regularly -- the fruits or effects of actions performed by him in his previous births get destroyed, unobstructed or smoothed.]

3. "iha sthitah sadA yogI dhyAnam kuryyAnnirantaram |
TadA karoti pratimAm prati jApamanarthawat ||"
[His worshipping the idols and chanting (external chanting of mantras) become futile or meaningless, if he incessantly practices this meditation (on the AjnA chakra) daily.]

4. "yAni yAni hi proktAni panch padme falAni wai |
tAni sarvAni sutarAmetajgyAnAdbh avanti hi ||"
[All the benefits of meditating on the five chakras (namely mUlAdhAr chakra, swAdhishthAn chakra, manipUr chakra, vishuddhi chakra and anAhat chakra), which have been described earlier, become naturally, automatically available, or are naturally acquired by meditation on this "AjnA kamal" or AjnA chakra.]

5. "shirah kapAle rUdrAksham vivaram chintayed yadA |
tadA jyotih prakAshah syad vidyut punjasamaprabhah ||
etat chintana mAtrena pApAnAm sankshayo bhavet|
DurAchAroapi purusho labhate paramam padam ||"
[On practicing focused meditation at the hole of the Shiva's eye in the forehead, glittering Light similar to a dazzling beam of lightning is seen inside. A mere reflection on this annihilates all sins and even an evil person thus attains to the Supreme Bliss by practicing this meditation.]




Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Return Again, Awake, O Soul of Splendor!


Return Again, Awake, O Soul of Splendor!





Meditation is the soul's Portal to the Divine, a Doorway to God and the Heavens that are within. Place your mind before the mirror of eternity. Place your soul in the brilliance of glory. Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance and transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead itself through contemplation. Meditate upon the Love, Light and Sound of the Positive Power within you.

When darkness is no longer dark, when the stillness of the night gives birth to a faint Celestial Melody, know this: one more soul is being summoned to awakening, one more soul hears the Call, one more soul ascends to the Place of Life. (from my article, 'Seeing Heaven as a Real Place
': http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpiritualAwakening/message/1938 )


0 Surat [soul]! You have had enough sleep.
Now get up and proceed on. Why do you waste your capital here.

Come under the protection of Satguru. Hold fast to Nam and get rid of all evils.

Kal strikes at you every moment. Associate yourself with Shabd, and throw away the load of karmas.

Why do you not wash off the impurities of your mind now? Why do you not merge your Surat in Shabd?

Behold the marvelous Jyoti (flame) within yourself. Radhasoami has opened the spring of Bhakti.

-- Swami Ji Maharaj (Sant Radhasoami Sahab), Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Volume One, Published in Agra, India)


On Inner Light and Sound Meditation Practice

Below is Excerpted from a Sant Mat Satsang Discourse of Parampoojya Shri Shahi Swami ji Maharaj, Translated by Pravesh Kumar Singh





Shahi Swami ji Maharaj

Kabir Said: "BAsa surat le AvaI, shabda surat lai jAya. Parichaya shruti hai sthire, so guru daI batAya."

[Cravings bring or drag the jiva (non-liberated individual soul) into this world, while the Sound (the Quintessential Unstruck Melody) takes us beyond, back to its true, original home. The surat [attention-faculty of the soul] becomes still (becomes free from movement into endless cycles of birth & death) as it gets acquainted with or meets Him. Guru has taught me (says Kabir) the technique for this (making the surat still).]

Shri Shahi Swami Ji Maharaj: "When our sight becomes fixed, the World or Domain of Light opens up, a spotless Sun is seen. And, thus, "raina andherI miTa gayI, bAjai anahad tUra" (The dark night has come to an end, and countless varieties of enchanting sounds are heard reverberating.), as described by Sant Kabir, is realized in practice. The art to this practice is secret or confidential (has to be learnt from an adept master or Guru). However, obstinacy won't help here (It is to be noted here that obstinacy is distinct from tenacity of purpose – Translator). For this, one has to begin with `Manas Jap' – reciting internally or mentally, with full concentration, the holy mantra given by the Guru – and then has to internally visualize the gross form of the Guru (known as `Manas Dhyan'). Manas Jap puts a brake on the restlessness, flirtatiousness or naughtiness of the mind, whereas Manas Dhyan orients the mind in one particular direction, and, thus, one becomes introverted. `DrishTi SAdhan' or Drishti Sadhan (The Yoga of Light, which has to be practiced after Manas Dhyan) helps accomplishing the single – mindedness and one can testify to the veracity of the Sants' claim "Vindu (Bindu) me tanh nAda bolai" (Nada or Sound reverberates in the Light or Vindu). `Nada Dhyan' enables to realize the Supreme Sovereign Soul. This is what Sants and Great Souls teach."




Meditation: God Resides Inside - Look, Listen for Him There

"My soul, 0 most Splendid One...where have you gone? Return again. Awake, soul of splendor, from the slumber of drunkenness into which you have fallen...follow me to the place of the Exalted World where you existed in the beginning." (Mandaean Gnostic psalm from Iraq quoted in, The Gnostic Religion, by Hans Jonas, Beacon Press)

"The individual soul has decended from the Soundles State to the essence of Sound,from Sound to Light, and finally from the realm of Light to the realm of Darkness.....[In meditation] we travel back from the realm of Darkness to the realm of Light, from the Light to Divine Sound, and from the realm of Sound to the Soundless State." (Swami Sant Seviji Maharaj)

"Look for and search for God within yourself, within your own body. God resides inside - look for him there. The white point shines straight ahead and twinkles. You must concentrate in sushumna [inner passage or tunnel, central channel, middle path**] by leaving the restlessness of the mind behind. Where the subtle sounds vibrate in the ajna chakra [third eye center, point between the eyebrows**], stay and make your dwelling. The Door is subtle and sushumna is the Point or Window. With great effort, you can go through." (Sant Maharishi Mehi)

** NOTE: ajna chakra, sushumna nadi tube: Accessing the Third Eye Center and the tunnel of Light, in meditation with eyes closed, has been described as like looking at a blank tv screen waiting for the program to begin. In this case, the "video" is inner vision: the manifestation of Divine Light. Maharishi Mehi described a bright white twinkling light. This has been called by the Sants of India: "Jagmag Jyoti" or the Twinkling Light that emanates from the astral Thousand Petal Lotus region (Sahans-dal Kanwal).

The Third Eye Center is also known as The Seat of the Soul. When one goes within, in addition to the possibility of contemplating Divine Light, in this world of Inner Space there is also the possibility of hearing "subtle sounds vibrating" (Maharishi Mehi). This is referring to the Inner Sound Current or Music of the Spheres, the Sound coming from Beyond the Silence (Logos, Word, AUM, HU, Tao, Nada, Shabda, Saunt-e Sarmad, Song of the Creator). Often people first hear the Astral Bell Sound, a kind of ringing, like a bell that has been struck that keeps on reverberating .... forever. This ringing comes when we concentrate, and like the Light, seems to "disappear" when we loose concentration and leave off our meditation practice. The Sound and the Light are really still there, are always there. It is only our attention (surat) that comes and goes.


Important Teachings from the Anurag Sagar (Kabir's Ocean of Love)

"Oh Dharam Dass! The soul which is a part of God has been imprisoned in this human body. This soul has fallen in love with mind which is a negative power and it (soul) has forgotten its own Home and Supreme Master ...(God)."

"KAL is very clever. He knows many methods to trap the souls. He deceives them and swallows them."

"Under the influence of KAL a human being has forgotten his own identity. KAL has put him under illusion and entangled him in worldly pleasures. So he does all bad deeds. Though he was given this human life to drink the nectar of 'Naam', instead he is drinking poison."

"Kal has entangled people in illusions to such an extent that they have totally forgotten their real Home. Kal has woven such a net that now it is difficult to get released from it. These traps are rituals and rites, scripture reading and worship, and performing Yagyas (oblations). These have nothing to do with realisation of God."

Kabir Sahib said, "If a person understands the tricks of KAL and realizes that mind is the real enemy, then after getting initiation he can conquer mind and come out of the cycle of 84."

"Illusion is like a deep well where there is all darkness. The mind (Kal) throws the souls in that deep well and eats them up."


Internal Illusion of Kal -- Lower Kal-Light -- False Light

"When we collect the scattered thought and focus it behind the eyes, we first see a light called "Sakha Jot" and then at that very place appears "Jhilmil Jyoti". Showing these lights, Kaal arrests the souls (Jeevas) there. The third "Jagmag Jyoti" or the Twinkling Light is in the Thousand Petal Lotus region. Only the saints see this Light. This is above the eyes and below the "Turiya Pad". This real Light is known only to the saints." (Anurag Sagar)

Dharam Dass: "Oh My Master, during meditation, some persons see Jhilmil Jyoti (flickering light). Which is that stage of meditation where this 'Jhilmil Jyoti' is visible? Kindly explain to me about that". Kindly tell me about the stage where this 'Jhilmil Jyoti' appears as well as about the god who manifests there."

Kabir: "Dharam Dass, mind is the agent of Niranjan and performs in our body just like Ashtangi (the primordial power) doing work of Niranjan. This secret is revealed only through a Guru."

"Light at the region of Sunn is due to mind and various doubts arising within are due to mind."

"Mind, created by KAL, rules over the three regions (Bhulok, Pata Lok and Akash Lok). It has full control over them. It is not under any other power. Only Naam (Word) can control it."

"Mind, created by KAL, rules over the three regions (Bhulok, Pata Lok and Akash Lok). It has full control over them. It is not I under any other power. Only Naam (Word) can control it."

"In reality there is only one Naam or Word or power but due to the confusion created by mind, we recite various names during worship. Since we have not recognised/realised our SELF, we are deceived."

"People worship various gods and goddesses to fulfill their wishes. But to come out of the cycle of 84, we require the help of SATNAM (True Name, Word)." (Anurag Sagar)


Initiation and Protection from Above, Following the Path of Sants

Kabir Sahib said, "If Naam or Word given during initiation is manifested within and the Light emanating from It is seen, then all ignorance goes and KAL cannot come near that soul since Word manifested Guru is the Master of the whole creation. Till one hears the unstruck Sound (Word) within, Kal in the form of a snake, does not leave the soul. Caught in the illusions, the soul has forgotten the Real Home. It is difficult to escape from the powerful KAL. Naam (Word) is the only Power to control him. Just as a snake charmer controls a snake by reciting a mantra, similarly Word given by Guru can control KAL."

"Naam" is the remedy for all ailments."

Kabir Sahib said, "Kal cannot come near the power of Word and Sumiran Bhajan."

"If a person adopts a Master and having faith in him, gets himself initiated, does meditation with devotion then he can become a hans (pure soul). Such an attainment is priceless. His Master (the personification of Word) will take him step by step to Sahansdal Kamal, Trikuti, Daswan Dwar, Bhawar Gupha, Sach Khand and after a short stay, to Alakh, Agam and Anami Desh which is the highest eternal Region, the Ultimate Abode."

"Oh Dharam Dass! If a person gives up all doubts, meditates regularly on Naam imparted by the Master, and behaves in the manner the saints behave and follows in their footsteps, that is, he listens to the Sound Current within himself, then he can tread the path of saints in search of the Highest Truth. There is a Sound Current coming from the Final Abode and calling you to come. So if you listen to that Call, then you can ascend like saints." (Anurag Sagar)


RADHASOAMI -- The Ocean of All-Love

Swami Ji Maharaj: "From one step to another the soul beholds strange things which cannot be described in human language. Every region and everything is utterly beyond words. What beauty and glory! How can I describe them? There is nothing here to convey the idea. I am helpless.... Love plays the supreme part. It is all love. So says RADHASWAMI."