1. Pain to Bliss

There is one thing you need to understand first: Enlightenment is NOT an escape from pain! On the contrary, it is born of a deep insight into the nature of pain, a profound and total understanding of 'Why am I unhappy? What is it in me that is causing this pain?'

Just to see with intense inner clarity the nature and causes of pain, will cause pain to evaporate of its own accord - because it no longer has a reason to exist in you. And this realization brings with it a state of absolute bliss, which is the state of Enlightenment.

Enlightenment allows you to see, for the first time, that what you called happiness and contentment earlier were not true happiness, true contentment. Enlightenment showers upon you real bliss, real ecstasy. It gives you a taste of the real.

But remember, none of this can happen till you have crossed the 'pain barrier' - a total understanding of the whole spectrum of pain. Enlightenment is certainly not an 'easy way out' of pain!

And in a way, you need to be thankful for the pain and suffering you experience - for aren't they the catalysts that set you upon your quest for truth and transcendence?

Why do you try to avoid it? To suppress pain, anger, humiliation will only cause it to stay in your system in a repressed form. Suppressed emotions can be dangerous - a little anger, a small feeling of hurt, can fester over time into a deep and lasting hatred.

Instead, try accepting your emotion without judging yourself. Are you feeling hurt? Right, now enter completely into the feeling of hurt. Don't avoid it, don't reject it. Don't sympathise with yourself either, don't direct it against the person who hurt you - simply watch the emotion as it plays in your system. This may take a while - maybe a few hours, even a few days And then you will see a transformation you never imagined. After all, emoton is energy, tremendous energy. Just how long can so much raw energy circulate in your system? The moment you accept your pain with no rejection, welcoming its role in your life, the whole quality of pain changes. The same energy that was pain, anger, suffering is transformed into the blessed emotions of love and bliss.

This is Compassion, the silent force that moves in each of us, the force that transforms the ugly into the beautiful. And Compassion brings its own rewards.

Difficult to believe? It will certainly be, till you experience it yourself. Give it a chance!

Q. Why do love and pain always go hand in hand? I try to give a lot of freedom to my partner in my relationships, but just end up getting used.

In the first place, isn't your idea of 'giving freedom' to your beloved a very wrong one? Love itself implies giving the other total freedom, unconditional freedom. To say that you are giving a certain amount of freedom to the other (whatever you consider necessary!) itself shows that you are holding back something in your giving.

It is natural to want to possess your beloved - that is the play of the ego. It is difficult to imagine that your beloved may need space and time away from you, isn't it! You try to do the right thing - by 'giving freedom' to your lover - but when she actually uses that freedom, you end up feeling exploited. Honestly, you never expected that she would never use that freedom to do her own thing, or to be with someone else, did you?

Don't make the mistake of generalising: 'Every time I give freedom in my relationships, I get used.' Are you sure the fault is not yours as well? The reason that love usually brings with it so much pain is that lovers unknowingly force each other into the golden cage of their own expectations. But true love can never blossom in captivity. You try and imprison your lover, and she does the same, time after time - till you end up feeling that love is so much misery that perhapsit is better not to love at all. But once you close yourself to Love, what is left?

Love can be a door to joy and freedom, or it can become a

living hell. To experience love as pain is to miss the whole point of Love.

There's a saying: 'If you love someone, set her free. If she's yours, she'll come back to you; if she doesn't come back, it means she never was yours anyway.' Try following that - not just in your romantic attachments, but in all your relationships!

Q. We in Bharat have been brought up on the concept of 'karma', necessary suffering. Is suffering really essential in our lives?

To start with, it will help to realise that suffering is not a state of life, it is a state of mind. It is not an event in your life - it is your response to some event. Whether you suffer or not in a particular situation depends entirely on your reaction to that situation.

When do you undergo suffering? When you fall ill? When your neighbour gets a new car? When your boyfriend / girlfriend leaves you for someone else?

Well, suppose you decided to just accept these situations without anger or resentment. Just as they are, so be it. Would you still suffer as much? After all, there is nothing inherently painful about your neighbour getting a new car. Even if there is pain in the moment, as when a loved one leaves, you cannot wish it away. Try to accept the inevitability of the moment, without reaction. It is ONLY your negative response to an experience that allows it to hurt you. Don't you see, no one or nothing can make you suffer without your silent permission?

Make a habit of witnessing experiences minus your personal judgement. Learn to recognise with clarity the causes of your suffering - the obvious and the subtle. The ability to do this will

come, not in a day but certainly through practice.

Once of the most deeply hidden reasons for suffering is: you could be enjoying it! For example, falling ill can become a source of pleasure if it fetches you the attention and care you have been craving. Examine why it sometimes gives you pleasure to inflict pain on yourself, or on others. Is there a better channel through which you can receive the same pleasure without the suffering? Become Aware - this is the first step.

The second is to Accept totally the Here and Now - without questions and without reaction. Awareness with Acceptance this is the only way out of suffering.

The second part of the question - is suffering essential?

Yes, in a way it is. Because suffering can be a powerful catalyst to growth. Just like a seed first has to rupture before a plant can grow and blossom, intense suffering can break down the defenses of your ego, leaving you open and vulnerable to existence. With your usual thought patterns shattered, you begin to see things as they actually are. You begin to recognize a subtle distance betwen you and the pain - that it is not 'your' pain, someting intrinsic to you. In fact, pain is simply the response you've

chosen to that particular situation. And once you see that, how can you suffer anymore? In consciously accepting your pain, you truly let go of it.

Suffering is not necessarily the key to bliss. But if you learn your lesson well, suffering can certainly open your eyes to the unreality of suffering. It can teach you how unneccessary it is to suffer at all. This is what I call 'necessary suffering'!

Q. You say the dropping of pain can bring bliss - but bliss too leads to pain when it ceases.

What you first need to understand is that pain and bliss are not opposites. Bliss has nothing to do with pain. Pleasure is the opposite of pain - and like all opposites, they have no existence without each other. You are right, you cannot enjoy pleasure without suffering pain. It is significant that ancient Hindu scriptures used the same word, Pain, to imply both pleasure and pain - because pain is the ultimate result of both.

Bliss is that which arises when you drop the ideas of both pleasure and pain. And you have to drop them both together - there is no othe way. Bliss is what floods you when both and pleasure have ceased to disturb you. Bliss is beyond pain and pleasure both. It is perfect harmony, complete inner silence, total peace.

Can you understand me?

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The Formless in Form A pictorial biography of Swamiji

The Gossip Of THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM A collection of Swamiji's most memorable quotes

A Small Story... Swamiji's best-loved parables

The Many Moods of Swamiji Swamiji captured on camera

From Pain to Bliss Insights from Swamiji

From Worrying to Wondering Insights from Swamiji

Question + Swamiji + Answer! Your questions answered

The Simple Truth, Straightaway! A public address by Swamiji

Is Spirituality relevant in our time? A frank talk with the press

Om Mani Padme Hum 27 ways to approach the Master

Discovering Love Insights from Swamiji

Open the door... let the breeze in! Swamiji's guide to simple living & high thinking

Ananda Healing : Your shortcut to God! An introduction to healing initiation

A Garland of Memories Devotees' reminiscences of time spent with Swamiji

Voices of Gratitude Testimonials about healing miracles

Nithyasmaran A printed collection of devotional songs

Nithyananda : Oru Arimugam

Nandri! Nandri! Nandri!

Part 2: Pain to Bliss_English_part_2.md

The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism ("SPH"), Jagatguru Mahasannidhanam ("JGM"), His Divine Holiness ("HDH") Bhagavan Sri THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM, is recognized as the 1008th living incarnation of Paramashiva as per Sanatana Hindu Dharma ("Hinduism") and by His predecessors of enlightened masters and adepts.

The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM is reviving Hinduism as the 1008th Acharya Mahamandaleshwar (the head for all spiritual leaders) of Atal Akhada (ancient apex body of Hinduism), coronated as Mahamandaleshwar (Supreme Spiritual Head) of Maha Nirvani Akhada (largest apex monastic order) and the youngest Mahamandaleshwar, ordained as the 233rd Guru Mahasannidhanam (Pontiff) of Thondai Mandala Aadheenam, ordained as the 293rd Guru Mahasannidhanam (Pontiff) of Shyamalapeeta Sarvajnapeetam, ordained as the 23rd Guru Mahasannidhanam of Dharmamukthi Swargapuram Aadheenam, and coronated as the 203rd Emperor of Suryavamsa Surangi Samrajyam.

The Srimad Karana Agama, Purva bhaga, Patala 71, Sakalotpatti vidhi, Sloka 8 & 9 (Sacred Ancient Hindu scripture) declares:

इत्येवं नि ष्कळं प्रो क्तं परं भा वमि ति स्मृतम्। सृष्टि स्थं लो करक्षा र्थं लो कस्यो त्पत्ति का रणम्।। सा धका नां हि ता र्थं तु स्वेच्छया गृह्णते तनुः ।

In this way (Shiva) who is Nishkala - without any body and parts, who is the Ultimate Supreme Being, who is established in the Creation, who is the Cause of the creation of the Universe, assumes a body out of His Free Will for the protection of the Universe, and for the welfare of the Spiritual seekers and Devotees.

The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM is the reigning spiritual emperor of 17 ancient traditional Hindu kingdoms and the reviver of the most ancient, most peaceful, stillliving and long-lasting demonstrable system that shows the possibility of peaceful coexistence amongst people. Following the coronation to establish KAILASA worldwide at the age of 16, for the past 27 years, THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM, as the face of the unified Hindus, has been single-handedly, tirelessly inspiring the dispossessed Hindu Diaspora to reclaim their Hindu centric freedom and stand unified for the centuries-old Hindu genocide.

The 1008th living incarnation of Paramaśiva, The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM stands as the unifying force for the 2 billion born and practicing Hindu diaspora worldwide and established the Hindu State, KAILASA for the persecuted Hindus in over 100 countries.

The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM has made resolute efforts towards recognizing and legitimizing the Hindu genocide which has been receiving scant consideration by global leaders and international bodies, The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM founded KAILASA Uniting Nations. For the past 27 years, this international body has been responsible in building relations, bridging dialogs, inspiring leaders, uniting nations towards acknowledging the Hindu policies which are universal, life positive as referenced from the ancient text of Hinduism. This is the 'ahimsa' (non-violent) way of bringing acknowledgment to the horrors of the Hindu genocide, the untold facts of the darkest act of mankind on Earth to the most contributing civilization - KAILASA.

KAILASA is an apolitical nation whose vision is enlightened living for all. Towards this goal, KAILASA is the only Hindu nation on planet Earth today bringing legitimacy to the principles of Hinduism. Social principles, economic principles, judicial principles, Hindu medical principles, and Hindu economic principles. KAILASA is The SPH THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM's response to humanity's global problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, disease, violence and global warming and the continuing ethnocide and genocide of over 80 million Hindus worldwide since 7 centuries.

Over the last 50 years, the effects of meditation and its significant impact on stress, crime rates, violence, political decision making and even war in local and global consciousness is well established. Unfortunately, in the last two hundred years, forcibly we are made to believe Hinduism is a functional principle only for enlightenment and spirituality. It is absolutely dysfunctional for the political, social, economical system. Making Hindu family structure, Hindu social structure dysfunctional is the greatest crime done against humanity.

Sanatana Hindu Dharma has faced both historical and ongoing religious persecution and systematic violence, in various forms including assassination attempts on living incarnations, targeted elimination of Hindu pontiffs through bio war and lawfare, cyberbullying, Hindu phobia, forced conversions, documented massacres, demolitions, desecration and grabbing of worship temples and monasteries, looting of Hindu temples properties, destruction of Hindu educational institutions, elimination of well known Hindu libraries, the gross violation to the freedom to practice the Hindu school of liberated thinking (Sankhya), Hindu schools of living enlightenment (Jeevan Mukthi), gross violations of the right to freedom of religion that includes violations of the right to life, personal Hindu integrity or personal Hindu liberty, mass execution, looting and enslavement.

Hinduism was once practiced freely in over 56 nations across the continent from Afghanistan, Bharat, Nepal, Burma, Sri Lanka, all the way to Singapore, Malaysia, and Cambodia and Indonesia, and in 200 states, 1700 samasthanas (provinces) and 10,000 sampradayas (traditions). Over several centuries the combined forces of foreign invasion, political upheaval, colonialism and religious persecution systematically ended millennia of Hindu Swarajya, or self-rule. Today Hindu temples remain in a few countries but the Hindus who worshiped in them have been ethnically cleansed.

The revival of Hinduism through the civilizational nation of KAILASA globally irked vested interests of atheistic terrorist militant elements, caste supremacist terrorists and other anti-Hindu forces who executed a massive persecution and genocide on SPH and His followers on 2 March 2010 that continued for the next whole decade and comprised of over 70 assassination attempts, over 250 sexual assaults on SPH and his monks and disciples, lawfare of 120 false cases over 10 years, massive hate propaganda in electronic media of over 14,000 hours and print media of over 25,000 articles in 5 years, destruction of heritage properties worth over 27 million USD, and the continuing ethnocide and genocide of over 80 million Hindus worldwide since 7 centuries. Specifically, the lawfare involved:

Delegitimizing THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM by hate propaganda, disenfranchising Him of His civil and human rights, prejudicing Him from fair representation and fair trial

Repeated illegal imprisonment, with brazen torture, custodial assassination attempts, supported by system justification in various forms, including the common processes of bureaucracy, indifference, self-deception, diffused responsibility and has resulted in continued systemic complicity with torture, murder and genocide

Well-planned multi-layer false hate propaganda by the 'fourth estate' media sustained by moral disengagement, leaving the broader public in a state of willful ignorance, motivated denial, out-group victim-blaming, dehumanization and bystander apathy to even genocide.

THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM stands in solidarity with the untold, multi-level - social, political, intellectual, religious, cultural, linguistic, economic, legal, digital persecution done to Hinduism and faced by Hindus and Hindu minorities worldwide for the past several thousands of years continues through the modern day. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM has been recently acknowledged by the United Nations for the persecution of The SPH and the KAILASA global community, especially the affected women and children.

The KAILASA with de facto spiritual embassies operating across over 100 countries and having presence across the globe as the largest spiritual knowledge source on Hinduism is spiritually governed with the life positive, all-inclusive, universal policies sourced from Hinduism revived by THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM. Having enriched and enreached more than one billion individuals over the past 27 years the KAILASA raises the voice to protect Hindus, defend Hindus and preserve the Hindu narrative for the world.