Serving Krishna with the right attitude

Good morning everybody :-) Here is an excerpt of Sri Swami Vishwananda's Darshan in Munich, September 2007:

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Sri Krishna said in the Gita; “Cast away all dogma.
Cast away all what is from the mind, and surrender to me.”
Then only can true Love be realised.
Otherwise, if you see it with Jnani, they stick only in the mind.
I don’t say it’s not good, it is good.
But it will lead you only to a certain level.
Karma Yoga is very good to help.
But if you’re not helping with the right attitude, it stills brings you only to one level.
Whereas Bhakti is what Sri Krishna said to Uddhava; “ above all the Yogas, I prefer Bhakti Yoga. I prefer the Yoga of devotion.
Where the Devotee and the Lord, become one, when there is no difference that stays.
Whereas in all the other Yogas, there is a difference.

Here a nice video of Sri Krishna and Uddhava:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW-tAZ54CIk

God has given you His sweet name

Sri Swami Vishwananda: He [God] have given you His sweet name.
He has given you His form to meditate on.
First know that the mind has to be focused on Him completely.
Then, you will know what is Self-realisation.
Then, you will know what is surrender.

On the picture you see Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. (1486 - 1534). He was an Indian Saint, who is believed to be the full incarnation of Sri Krishna. Also He was always absorbed in the chanting of God's name and dancing around, as it is seen on the picture, where He is dancing in the forest.
Let's chant's together the Glorification of Sri Gaura Hari. (= Golden Lion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbYZrbbPRI

Here a part of the translation:

He is absorbed in devotion to Sri Hari. He maintains the chanting of the names of Hari. While chanting He counts the holy names on the fingers of His hands. He is addicted to the name of Hari. He always has tears of love welling in His eyes.—I bow down to Gaura, the beautiful son of Mother Saci.

Surrender your mind and your heart

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Surrender your mind.
Surrdender your heart- your heart, which is full of Love.
The heart stays pure always.
Surrender it to Him.
And in case there is doubt- in case, there is anything negative that you feel- you know about it- don't feed this negativity.
But instead of feeding it: offer it to the Lord.
Turn to God and say:”God, look! I want to be spiritual, I want to realize Yourself, Myself- but, you know, there is this small thing that is stopping me- can you get rid of it?”
When you say to Him:”Help me get rid of it!”, He will come and rescue and say:”Yes, I will help you. I will get rid of it.”
But if you want to play with it, He will stand by your side, saying:”My dear child. Look, I have come! But you're playing with it. Well, I'm happy to look at you, playing with it.”

Here a wonderful Love Letter of God.... Read it and imagine Him looking over your shoulder and smiling to you- you, who are His child. A child of God. :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggGwDrxrC2k

The more you desire God, the more you have to let go

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda is explaining to us, that prayer to the outside in the form of Puja or other rituals is of course good, but that it is of more value to do your prayer inside and also to concentrate permanently on the Divine, like the Saints did. For example Mirabai on Krishna or St.Therese on Jesus.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: You rush to God, but at the same time, you don't want to let go of many things.
We like to hang on things.
We think that we really need it for Self- realisation.
Do you think, for Self-realisation we need this insence!?
We need these deities, this statues!?
We don't need all this!
This helps us only.
These things are here to help us to achieve... because our mind has to focus on something.
But in reality, we don't need all this.
If we have faith really, we don't need all this.
So when you have faith, God will show His formless form to you.
I said formless form, because the mind need something. Even the abstinence is a form.
But beyond that He will show it, He will grand you the vision of that.
But know one thing: the more you desire God, the more you have to let go off the world.
Here again a Bhajan from one of the greatest Saints: Mirabai, who was a Rajput Princess. But despite Her material wealth, She was only interested in spiritual wealth and thus let go of everything.
Even though She was called mad, She renounced everything (even Her husband), to merge with Her Beloved Krishnaji.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBKNpxH-z5w
In India about 500 years ago, there was a poet-saint called Meerabai. She was born into royalty and since childhood was a staunch devotee of Lord Krishna.
This is one of Her devotional poems in Hindi, or bhajans.
It is beautifully written and no matter what kind of lifestyle we come from or what religion we follow, we can use it to progress on our own paths to God and to experience the Love that Meerabai and God shared.

Sing God's name and forget everything!

After one of his Speeches Sri Swami Vishwananda talked with us about the continuos chanting of God's name.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Jai Gurudev!
So, for today it's finished.
I am sure you are all hungry (laughing).
Not really, eh?
Good!
That's what I wanted to hear, that you're not hungry!
Because, when you sing the name of God, you should forget about everything!
Only Him should be here.
Hungry, thirsty should not be here because all of this are obstacles on one's way.
It's true: when you chant the name of God continuously, you forget about the outside, even sometime you forget also your job.
So, if this comes so intense in your life: surrender.

A nice piece of kirtan glorifying Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu- the golden avatar .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U9Nhr5NShM

Gauranga (the golden one) refers to Lord Caitanya, who has a fair complexion. In this form Lord Sri Chaitanya took the role of a devotee of God. Nithyananda Prabhu appeared in the form of a devotee's spiritual master. He is a manifestation of Balarama. Together they are called Nitai-Gauranga.

Why do we celebrate Shivaratri?

Maha Shivratri or Shivaratri (Night of Shiva or "Great Night of Shiva") is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th day/13th night (breaking fast/'vrata' on 14th after sunrise) in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha(as per Shalivahana or Gujarati Vikrama) or Phalguna (as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar (that is, the night before and day of the new moon). The festival is principally celebrated by offerings of Bael (Bilva) leaves to Lord Shiva, all day fasting and an all night long vigil. Per scriptural and discipleship traditions, the penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of Yoga and meditation, in order to reach the goal more swiftly and avoid rebirth.

After creation was complete, Parvati asked Lord Shiva which rituals pleased him the most. The Lord replied that the 13th night of the new moon, during the month of Maagha, is his most favourite day. Parvati repeated these words to her friends, from whom the word spread over all creation.

This year we celebrate Shivaratri on the 12th February in our Center.
Last year Guruji explained the meaning of this Holy festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is the destroyer (of ignorance etc.)
Sri Swami Vishwananda: Jai Gurudev!

Audience: Jai Gurudev!

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Firstly welcome to everybody!
As you know today I was explaining before Shivaratri, which is one of the main Hindu festival. How many of you know what is Shivaratri? (Audience laughing but keeps silent)

Sri Swami Vishwananda: (Smiling) Lift your hand. (Audience laughing)
Go on. (Audience laughing, murmuring) Eh?

Someone: Trying to transcend the mind.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Good.
What else?

Someone: Shiva can sleep tonight.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: Eh?

Someone(repeating) Shiva can sleep tonight.

Sri Swami Vishwananda (smiling) No, actually He can’t sleep tonight. (Audience laughing)
We will keep Him awake all the time, by doing the four time Prayer. (Smiling)
Go on.

Someone: Marriage.
It is the union between Shiva and Shakti. Shiva and Parvati.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: No, actually it’s not today. It’s not on Shivaratri.
What is the Original of Shivaratri?

Someone: There are different meanings.

Sri Swami Vishwananda: There are different meanings of course. There are different stories that link to Shiva on that day.
But the most important why we celebrate Shivararti is…

Someone (whispering) surrender

Sri Swami Vishwananda: … to show the love we have for mankind.

A nice video which puts one in the right mood for Shivaratri :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T41bNjSm_4&feature=related

Trust in the will of God and do it!

Devotee 14: Somebody mentioned about surrender, sometimes back.
When we use the word ‘surrender’, is it like when we do something and say “I tried this and I tried that, I have no other choice.
Therefore I am surrendering to you.
Can we say that?
Can we call that surrender?


Sri Swami Vishwananda: No. (laughing) (laughter)



Devotee 14: That means, I am saying on the other side I don’t want to do anything, I just surrender...?

Sri Swami Vishwananda: No, it’s not also that. (smiling)
What I mean is that what you are doing, you trust in the will of God, and do it. (smiling)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGUW8neW96w
a hymn composed by sri Adi Sankaracharya extolling the padukas of the Guru

The fear of surrender

Devotee: Earlier you mentioned about the fear of surrender.
Is it true to say that most of the people are running away from this acknowledging or accepting this fear of surrender to who they really are?

Sri Swami Vishwananda: That’s very true, but many people do want it also.
You see the fear of not knowing- that’s what people are scared of.
But if you trust, you don’t bother. So there should not be any fear if you trust.

Here a nice "reggae version" of 'Om Namah Shivaya'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KdiV5SKKiU

Do you know what is Self-realisation?

Sri Swami Vishwananda:
So you want Self-realisation, eh? (People:”Yes.”)
Eh? (louder:”Yes!”) I don't think so... (laughing)
Human beings are so to proud to even ask for Self-realisation!
First let us clean ourselves.
We ask for something, we don't even know, what it is.
Or how do you know, what is Self-realisation?
You have read it in books, you have heard somebody talking about it?
Do you know, what it is?? Eh? (laughing)
So, why do you ask for something, that you don't know!?

He has given you His sweet name.
He have given you His form to meditate on.
Know that the mind has to be focused on Him completely, first.
Then, you will know what is Self-realisation.
Then, you will know what is surrender.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGAQmu3tNLk
Subramanyaashtakam is a hindu sacred chant which is sung for Lord for the new generation people and released as a part of Sacred Chants Album.

We all want to go back to 'Mama'

Sri Swami Vishwananda about the yearning of the Motherly Love.

Sri Swami Vishwananda:
When a child looks at the Mother, it doesn’t matter how the Mother is in the outside, but the inside knows it, the inside recognizes.
An example with Lilli [the little daughter of a Devotee] itself. (smiling)
I oftenterrorize her. (laughing)
But it’s nice to see, it’s nice to feel, how the longing for the Mother is there.
The first thing when I hold her, she said “I want to go to Mama”. (laughter) (laughing)
But that’s what we all want actually. (laughing)
She knows it now.
For sure when she grows up she will forget about it, but deep inside, it will always be there.

Deep inside each one of us, we long for that. (smiling)
But very often we are so proud of ourselves.
We are so proud; there is so much pride in ourselves that we say ‘No’ to it.
But there, Her hand is always open and She is ever ready.
Like for Navaratri I was saying “When you go to the Mother, She will hold you.
She will handle you.
You don’t need to do much, She will do it.”
But the first step is for you to long for Her, it’s up to you to go in Her lap.
If you don’tmake the step, She will not force you.
She will be patiently waiting for you.

Watch here a nice tribute to Mother Mary: ( with the Song "Let it be" by Paul McCartney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ne4h9Ii4fHI

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Cross over your limitation

Sri Swami Vishwananda (on the 26th December 2009)

Cross over this limitation, face it, don’t have fear. Start firstly with little things. You know yourself. You know that God will always provide for you. If an animal knows that - we are bound by more qualities than an animal. So we can realize who we are. We are all one family, that what we call humanity. Everybody talks about humanity but very few really behave human (laughter). So, if we call ourselves we are part of this society, we are part of humanity, we have not to behave like an animal. Even animals behave better in society. Because they know who they are and they know where they are leading to. They trust in the higher consciousness that God will always provide.

But poor us human beings- us who have more than just an animal, we like to degrade ourselves. We like to make ourselves worse. It is time to cross over this limitation. It is time that you really let, what you have inside of you, awake.

God wants you all to come back to Him

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the complete surrender to God.

Sri Swami Vishwananda:

Sometimes spiritual people think that they are the only one. No one else. Very often, we limit- like I said before- we limit God. He accepts to limit Himself for us!
But know one thing: this unlimited conciousness is for everybody. And to reach and get liberation, get self-realisation, you have to completely surrender and accept everything, like all the Holy, all the saints! Nothing could stop them.
So the saints come to show us that they are normal human being and they have achieve one with God, showing: we all can do it also, if we put our ego aside, if we put what we think we need aside, if we put what we think to be most important aside and make only Him the most important. He will render everything. This is complete surrender. And that is what He wants from the people! He has everything!
What He wants, is that He wants everybody, all His children to come back to Him, all the children to change into Him.
This is the meaning behind the churning of the ocean [Story from the Srimad Bhagavatam], behind one's own spiritual path.

If you want to know more about the Churning of the Milk ocean(one of the most famous episodes in the Purana), click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2GAEswjjUY

Narasimha in His ugra (terrifying ) form

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the ugra (terryfying form) of Narasingha Dev. (The Half Lion /Half Man incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who came to save Bhakta Prahlad and killed the demon Hiranyakashipur)

We will talking a bit about Narshingadev. You see, the form of Narshinga / Narashima, is most of the time very terrifying. It's terrifying, because whatever negativity we have inside of us is also terrifying for the soul. It's a danger for the soul. So the form of Narshinga (Narashima ) is more terrifying than terrifying itself.

So when all this negativity which is inside of us says: “Look, I am great!” What does the Lord show us? He Says: “ Ok, you are great but I am the greater one!” So, He shows Himself in His more powerful form. And this Ugra-form- Ugra means the form of anger- that he expresses, is to kill the anger, pride, egoism inside of us, showing that He is above this. And if you hang on Him, He will remove, He will strip all this negativity out of somebody. But only if you surrender....
If you dont surrender- difficult. You see: If you want do something in life, then give yourself completely into it, but if you just touch this or touch that little by little, it will never work.


Watch here the Narasimha Kavacham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAWqvo-_4j0&feature=related

Narasimha Prayers recorded by Bhakti Marga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Bm2lHaaG8

Homepage of the Narasimha Mandir (Temple) in South Africa
http://www.narasimha.co.za/

We are like a lovely Chandelier

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the equality that connects us all: There is no power of the mind to stop anyone because we all are equal. We all are the same light, the same energy. We are like a lovely chandelier that has many lights, but it’s the same electricity that is lighting all the lights. Keep reminding yourself of your purpose of this incarnation and make sure that you reach it in this life. Don’t think of other lives; now will be the best time.

It is possible to fulfill the purpose of your incarnation only if you surrender body, mind, and soul completely to God. Let go of your identity, let go of this ‘I’, this egoism that causes you to focus only on the outside. When you let go of your identity, then the Divine will reveal Itself to you. Then you will see the Unlimited and you will feel the blissful happiness.

Swamiji's Divali Speech- Shining the Divine Light

This Year on the 17th October Sri Swami Vishwananda celebrated with His Devotees and disciples Divali, the Hindu festival of Lights.
Here is an excerpt of the first part of His speech:
Sri Swami Vishwananda:

First of all: “Happy Divali to all of you.” Before, I explained already about Divali, the festival of lights, especially about finding the inner light and how to let it shine through. Let it shine from deep within your heart to everybody. Often people say „Swamiji, we would always love to have this Divine light shining through, but it’s so difficult. Am i right? (People: Yes)

You see: If you want it to be easy, you will make everything possible to make it easy. It doesn’t matter how hard it is: You will make it. But if you make yourself weak by saying it, it’s difficult. This word, which is so easily used is a barrier and we create this barrier, we make the difference and then we say „Ups, it’s difficult.“

It’s the same: when you say something is easy, what happens inside of you? You build up this self-confidence that you put on yourself, when you generate this energy inside of you ‚Yes, i can do it’. You will receive the blessing of the Divine also.

But if you already make yourself weak, then God will say „What’s the use of me, giving this grace to that person, if he can’t handle it? He is already weak.“ It’s of no use giving the blessing or giving the grace to that person. Actually we stop the grace then. How do you think the light will shine?

Free yourself from illusion and surrender to God

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda gives us an important advice for our spiritual path:

Everybody wants to get liberation quickly. But how many people really want to surrender? Only a few. Everybody wants liberation, but only a few people want to surrender... Only a few people want to let go of and say: “Lord, yes, I let go of everything, this is all just an illusion. I surrender to you!” But no- people like the illusion. They like to dance with the Maya and when Maya has Her effect on people, they like to complain also: “God, why I am having like this? I pray to you every day, but still I am suffering so much!” Whereas, somebody who is wise, surrenders to the Lord. Whatever God gives this person, this person will regard everything as a gift from the Lord. So, the difference is: both of them pray to God, but one has surrendered and the other one has not surrendered everything. He still hangs on his things. That's why the two are different. The one will percieve everything as God's giving. He will enjoy the Lord, whatever may come. But the other one will blame God always, no matter what comes he will say: “Why I am having this?” So, in that way we see that in this world nowadays, only a few people really achieve a spiritual life.

The direct path to God

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the importance of surrendering to God, which will lead us directly to Him:

Let's say you want to go to a destination and there is a direct bus to your destination and a bus which stops everywhere. Which one would you take? The express one. Isn´t it? (people: “Yes.”) But how would you take the express one? Only by surrendering to God. If you choose to take the one which stops at every busstop, of course you will reach late! You will reach your destination, it doesn't mean that you will not reach your destination; you will reach your destination, but with longer time.

Having strong faith like Saint Eknath

Today Sri Swami Vishwananda tells us an inspiring story of Saint Eknath's life. ( If you are interested and want to learn more about this Indian Saint, click here to watch a short introduction about him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHGoGtR9bU)

In the life of Janardana Swami, there was Eknath, who is a Saint. (1533-1599, born in Maharashtra, India)
Janardana Swami was a governor and once a week he would fast. He would not talk and resign himself in a room, where he would sit in meditation and pray.
This would be his weekly meditation. During this time he would not meet anybody, he would not even go out of his room. But that time there were lots of wars between the kingdom. So there was the army, because India was ruled by a Moslem king. So he took the opportunity to attack at that time the castle, where Janardana Swami was. There was Eknath, sixteen years old, seeing that the army was coming. Of course he was aware, that the army will not do anything without the permission or the blessing of the Guru. So he took a great courage, went inside the room of Janardana Swami, dressed himself and put ton he armour of Janardana Swami. He came out of the room, rose above Janardana Swami and went to fought the enemies.
In the evening he came back, quietly went inside, placed back the Guru clothes and everything else in it's place and went for evening prayer. A few days later Janardana Swami heard the story and was really, really amazed with Eknath, that he transfered all his Shakti on him. So St. Eknath took this great courage and responsibility on himself, to act in the time of need.

This courage- that’s what is needed. It’s not that one hears this and one hears that and moves.
It's like Christ said: Your faith has to be build on a rock.
That no matter how strong the storm is, and I’m not saying wind, nothing can move. Then you can consider yourself really lucky, to surrender to the Master, to the Guru.

Talk less and calm the mind

Sri Swami Vishwananda is talking about the importance of a calm mind:
Very often, men have an arrogant attitude. They think, they know better. They will always talk loud and know little. It’s said that the one, who talks less, knows…? Much. And the one that talks a lot knows less. And it’s true: When somebody doesn’t know much, they want to be heard. So, they raise their voice very loudly. But when you look at the master, you look at the spiritual guide, they talk when they have to talk. But they keep quiet most of the time. Like I explained in the morning: They analyze everything. They have a solution for everything. Because, only in quietness you will get solution. Solutions are here, but the mind is to busy to see it. When you have a problem, you look for a solution; you keep looking, looking, looking and get crazy about it. But at the end, when you say: “I am tired of it!” you see: “The solution was just here, but I didn’t see it" and you ask yourself why you didn’t see it. It's because the mind was busy. The mind was too much in action. So, when the mind is in deep action like that, one will always think that one knows better. Even when they don’t know much. Then, were is the quality of humbleness? Where is the quality of obedience? Where is the quality of surrender? Where is the quality of love? There is no! That’s why even some time you will hear that there is certain master which is really, really stict to the disciple.

Like i said: God will send you a Master and if you desire God, but have grater work to do, of course you need a Master who is sharp like an arrow to put you in your place.

The five blind men and the elephant

Sri Swami Vishwananda once told us the famous parable about the five blind men and the elephant:
Once there were five blind men. All of them were blind and would sit under a tree. All day long they would talk and talk and talk. So one day, as it was very hot, a huge elephant came and stood under the tree . Although they were blind they could hear. So they heard that somebody had come. Then all five got up and started walking around. They could feel there is something in front of them. The first one said: “What is this!? This is a huge wall made of mud. But I don’t understand how this wall has moved here?” The second one was holding the tusk. Feeling it, he said: “Oh, these are two speers made of ivery!” The third one was holding the tail and said: “No, no, no- you are wrong. This is a rope, a big huge rope!” Fine. The fourth one was holding the trunk of the elephant and he said: “No, no, no- this is nothing of what you have said. This is a snake hanging from the tree!” and the fifth one said: “No, you are all wrong! This is the trunk of a tree!”
So among all three was a big discussion. Everyone was fighting with each other and was proclaiming: “I am right, I am right, I am right!” At that moment a small boy was passing. Looking at them and seeing how they were fighting, he said: “Oh, you five blind men, what are you quarrelling for? Why are you hanging on this elephant like that!?” When they heard: 'an elephant', they all got shocked, thinking 'An elephant!?' After some time, when the boy went, the first one said: “We are not just blind, I think we are also stupid!” The second one said: “No, no, no. I was a bit confused when I said what I said!” and the third one said: “I thought it was something like that, but I didn’t say it!” . Then the fourth one said: “Well, we were just talking loudly whatever was passing through our mind!” Finally the fifth one said: “You know, I feel so foolish! We could have just asked someone and would have been much faster!”
The same thing: humanity is blind to God-realisation. Only someone who has realized the Divine can really guide you! Only someone who knows the path can really lead you. Otherwise you will be like these blind men- you will be touching everything, left, right; it will not lead you anywhere. So just surrender!