Stepping Stones To Spirituality...

Chapter 9: RITES AND RITUALS

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I welcome you all with my love and respects.

Let us completely analyze this topic Rites and Rituals, an updated understanding. Let us look deeply into why the rituals are created.

In ancient times, meditation techniques were used by Masters to feel the connection with the divine, in them selves. Over the course of time, the meaning of these meditation tech niques was lost. When a meditation method i.e. physical action, with out the idea or philosophy behind the technique was transmitted, those meditation techniques became rituals.

When a ritual is conducted with full understanding and consciousness, then that ritual becomes a meditation technique. There is no difference between a meditation technique and a ritual when done with full understanding and consciousness. Both the techniques can directly put you in-tune with the ultimate energy.

VARIOUS RITUALS:

There are so many different kinds of rites and rituals. I think Hindu religion has a few million rituals. Please understand, it is not a few thousands, or a few hundred thousands but it is a few millions. There are so many different types of mudras (special finger postures), homas (prayer done with fire), and poojas (special way of worship) existing in Hindu culture.

The whole of existence is made up of five elements. We can relate with existence through any of these five elements. When we relate with the cosmic energy through stone or metal idol, it is known as pooja. When we relate with the cosmic energy through water, by taking bath in a river or pond, it is known as thirda snana (bath taken in holy water). When cosmic energy is related through fire, it is called homa. Cosmic energy related through air element by chanting of sounds is mantra japa and when we fall in-tune with the cosmic energy through ether, it is Meditation.

Rituals can be classified mainly as rituals done for human beings and rituals done for the gods.

The rituals done for human beings are many, right from the time of birth until death. There are rituals observed when a baby is born, when it is given a name, when we give food to the baby for first time, which is called as anna prasanna . There are rituals for marriage and death. These are one set of rituals.

Rituals for God:

In the other set of rituals, rituals done for gods, we invoke their presence. We invoke their presence in temples and at home, by doing poojas and homas. There are many times when we invoke God's presence.

Pooja is nothing but receiving the guest (God) with all the respects. Actually, what priests do in temples is nothing but that; receiving the guest, the God with all the respects. When a guest comes to our home, for e.g. when a very elderly person visits us we receive him with all due respect. We offer him a chair, give him water to wash his feet or wash his hands. We ask him if he wants to go to bathroom, offer refreshments.

The traditional way of receiving a guest was in this way. The offering of a chair is Asanam Samarpayami; we offer a chair to the guest. Then we ask him do you want to use the bathroom. This offer of bathroom is Vadyam Samarpayami. We offer water to wash his feet. When we offer little flowers to the guest, it is Argyam Samarpayami. After the flowers are offered, naturally we arrange for his bath and comfortable stay. That is s Snanam Samarpayami. Then naturally we ask him to eat, the offered food is Nivadyam Samarpayami. Then betel leaf and betel nut is offered, which is called Thambulam Samarpayami. Then in the end, at the end of the day we show the guest to his bed and wish him a good night’s sleep.

The same thing happens when we do pooja. This is the reason why pooja is seva (service) in the Hindu system. It is serving the lord or serving the deity.

We need to understand the concept of serving. For logic-centered people it is very difficult to understand that energy can be alive in one stone and that we can serve that energy continuously, day in and day out. Serving living energy inside an idol is a very difficult concept to understand. However, I have seen people really feel that devotion through the service and not only feeling but also expressing that devotional feeling; in the physical world, in the physical form.

Ramakrishna and Kali:

When Ramakrishna (an enlightened Master of India) used to perform poojas, some times would doubt; ‘Is Devi (Goddess) really accepting my Pooja or am I just wasting my time’. He would draw a thread from his clothes, keep it around her nose, to see if she was breathing or not! He achieved the peak, the ultimate experience, just through rituals.

Let me narrate an incident to you.

If at all, you get a chance you must go to Calcutta, and see the Kali (Goddess) temple where Ramakrishna did poojas. People are allowed to go very close to the deity. In north Indian temples people can go near the deity, and in almost all the temples, they can even touch the deity. Whereas, in the South people are not allowed to touch the deity as they are covered with gold and silver jewelry. In the North, not only can we go very close to the deity and touch them but also in some temples, we can even do the pooja by our self.

In Calcutta’s famous Kali temple, do not miss one important thing: Goddess Kali with four bangles. Let me narrate the incident, and then you will understand. In Calcutta, devotees habitually offer konch (a type of metal) bangles to deities, bangles made of konch.

A devotee bought four bangles for Devi (another name for Kali). The Kali idol has four arms. On the right side, the hands are in the Abhaya (Assurance) and Varada pose. On the left side, Devi holds a sword with one hand and the head of an asura (Demon) with the other. The sword is removable so Ramakrishna was able to slip the bangles on over that hand and the other two hands but he could not put the bangle on the hand holding the Asura's head as there was no way a bangle could be slipped on to it.

A priest asked Ramakrishna why he was not able to put the bangle on to the fourth hand. He replied that the hand had the Munda (head of a demon) attached to it and there was no way of putting the bangle on. The priest said, 'You are a great devotee, why don't you request Devi to open her hand and then you can slip the bangle on'. Ramakrishna, very sincere and very devout, asked the Mother to allow him to put the bangle on her. She dropped the head; Ramakrishna put the bangle on and gave her back the demon's head to hold!

Neither was the idol broken nor was the bangle broken! The bangle is still there today, on Devi's wrist. You will be surprised to see a bangle on the fourth hand; of course still; I am not able to understand, even after seeing the deity for myself. I can only believe, respect, do namaskar (worship) and come out. If you go to Calcutta, do not miss seeing this. At the time I went to the temple, I was in a famous ashram so I went there as an ashramite. Therefore, I was allowed to touch the bangle and look at it. Not only did I touch the bangle; I also completely rotated it to see whether it was broken at any point. I inspected it carefully, to see whether Ramakrishna had broken the bangle and then stuck it together, after slipping it on to the wrist. I can tell you this; the bangle is a complete whole, it is not broken and the idol too is whole.

It is certainly very difficult to believe. It is not a 300 or 400-year-old incident. It happened just 130 years ago. In 1886, Ramakrishna passed away, so it is only about a130 years ago that this happened! I do not know how, there is no logical explanation, but the truth is there for all to see. All we know is that the power of the mind is such that devotion can express itself, physically. If we have a darshan (vision) of Devi, or if we feel that Devi is here such things are subjective. We cannot prove them physically; it is such an individual subjective experience. Nevertheless, in Ramakrishna's case, his devotion towards Devi was expressed physically in a miraculous event.

We have heard many such stories, like for instance, Udupi (a temple town in South India) Krishna's statue turned around for the sake of Kanakadasa, a devotee, or the case of Vittala, who stood, waiting on a brick, for the sake of his devotee. We hear many such stories but Ramakrishna's incident is something that happened in the recent past and I have seen the bangle with my own eyes. Very difficult to believe, but it is there.

He had reached the peak state just by rituals. Vivekananda says beautifully, 'if we can create one Ramakrishna, not one idol but have thousands of idols and start doing rituals.' Start doing rituals. There are so many other experiences of Ramakrishna, related to these rituals, but this one incident is enough to explain the power behind rituals. Physically he was able to alter the whole structure; physically he was able to command, the Murthy or deity, out of his devotion, out of his power. Not only this incident; there are so many other incidents that have proved the power of devotion and rituals.

Once, Ramakrishna requested a nearby hibiscus plant to bear its flowers in two colors. His devotion, through pooja, resulted in two different colored hibiscus flowers blossoming from the same branch! Like this, there are so many incidents where he was able to command, through the power of meditation or the power of mind, to produce many miracles. When we do the rituals

94 intensely, we completely fall in tune with that deity, with that energy, with that Murthy and the Divine just listens to us.

There are many incidents attached to Madurai (a famous temple town in South India).

A great, enlightened Master lived in Madurai. The Madurai temple has eight huge, beautifully carved stone elephants in the Garba Mandir (main temple). Actually, the story is about these eight elephants holding up the Garba Mandir or the Madurai temple. The Nawab (king) of Madurai made fun of the statues, when he visited the place. The Nawab said, ‘What is this? Why are these elephants standing here unnecessarily?’ The Nawab made the comment casually. Then the Master replied, ‘do not think they are stone. They are living elephants. They are here to serve the Chukkanadha (deity in the Madurai temple).’ The Nawab laughed with disbelief and said, ‘What are you talking?’ Then the enlightened master offered sugar cane sticks to the elephants, and the story goes to say that the elephants ate the sugar cane!

All our pooja, is nothing but receiving, respecting and serving the Deity. That is why we call it as seva or serving. Ramakrishna says, ‘When I fan the mother, I feel that she is experiencing the cool air’. He said he could clearly see that she was experiencing the cool air and some times, he would say he could even see her very clearly, adjusting her sari. Like this, so many beautiful experiences have happened in Ramakrishna’s life.

All rituals performed for the Gods are of one type. The type of rituals performed for human beings are of another kind. Especially the Pitru Darpana (ritual done when parents pass away) is one of the most important rituals. The Pitru Darpana is done, to give a beautiful farewell to the soul or to release the soul from earthly the bondage.

The Death Process:

Let me describe the whole scene of what happens, when a person dies.

First, his soul leaves the physical body and it moves to the subtle body, the sukshma sarira. In the sukshma sarira it stays for three kshanas (unit of time as per Hindu Scriptures). When I say kshana, I do not mean seconds. According to the Vedas (sacred Hindu Scriptures), time is not calculated chronologically, it is calculated psychologically. A kshana is the gap between one thought and another thought.

If we live a peaceful life, our kshana can be a hundred years as per chronological time. If we have lived a restless life, your kshana is not even a micro second, less than a microsecond. That is the reason people who live peaceful lives have peaceful deaths, because they are allowed to stay only for three kshanas in the subtle body.

The length of three kshanas is decided, based on ones life. How you live your life and how long you can manage with out having thoughts are important factors in deciding the kshana length. Kshana means gap between one thought and another thought. In the Vedic system, we measure time in a very different way.

Concept of Time:

Let me explain the concept of time. For example, if you are sitting with you friend whom you like very much, whom you love, whom you feel in tune with, even if four to five hours pass, sitting with him, you will not even know you have spent so much time with him. Suddenly you realize, ‘oh, four to five hours have passed and I don’t know how the time has passed!’ On the other hand, if you are sitting with a person who is boring and torturing you, you tend to feel tired and every ten minutes will have you glancing at your watch, wondering why time is not moving!

Do you see what is happening? Actually, time is more psychological than chronological. If you are in a state of bliss, if you are here, and now in the present, you will not know how time passes.

If we are restless, if we are continuously moving from the past to the future and future to the past, time will never move for you. That is why, it is said that, one full year for us is one day for the Devatas (demigods), because they are in a higher consciousness hence they have less number of thoughts per second. The number of thoughts are less for them as they are in a more joyous and peaceful state.

That is why time just flies for them. One year for us is one day for the Devatas. In Nataraja (Lord Shiva) temples, only six poojas are done in a year. This is because they follow the calendar of the Devatas and not of the human beings.

When the number of thoughts comes down, time just flies. If you are more restless, time does not move; time seems to stand still for you. For people who are in hell, our one day is equal to one full year for them. That is why hell is called eternal hell. Hell is always used with the word eternal; hell is not eternal, but it feels like eternity because time never moves. You are continuously waiting but time never moves, there is too much of restlessness.

Heaven or hell is actually based only on your state of mind. If you have less number of thoughts, you are already in heaven. If you are very restless, if you have too many thoughts, then you are already in hell. It is not that we go to hell or we go to heaven after we die. We carry heaven or hell with us when we are alive. Be very clear, we do not go to heaven or hell; we carry it with us here, wherever we go, we carry our tent, open it and stay in it.

Next Life:

When a person dies, he stays in the sukshma sarira for three kshanas. If we have lived a restless life, we will stay in subtle body for three microseconds. In those three microseconds, we will not have enough time to choose our next birth and will just choose the next birth in a haphazard way; based on whatever thought that comes to our mind. If we have lived a peaceful life, we will have time to look into our complete samskaras (engraved memories) structure; we will be able to see how we lived our whole life. One more thing, the moment you leave the body you will have the capacity or energy to see your complete life.

If you have lived a peaceful life, you will be able to have a complete overview of your sixty or seventy year life span. If you had lived in the body peacefully, you will be able to see the whole structure of your life. You will be able to see the whole life and then, you can decide whether to take a human body or stay with out a body, become enlightened, relax and liberate your self or take any other type of janma (another birth cycle). You will be able to choose because you have the freedom; you are relaxed.

I always tell people, live peacefully, do not be on the run continuously. If you are running continuously, running for material gains, you will not get any VIP seat when you leave the body. Again, you will be running; whichever train comes along, you will be put onto that and sent back to planet earth. You will not be able to stay there. If you have lived peacefully, you will be able to relax; you will be able to stay in the subtle body for a longer time, which will enable you to choose right birth.

There are many reminiscences of Masters. They wait, even for three hundred to four hundred years, to take the right body. They wait for the right parents and the right place. If you have lived peacefully, you can wait and choose your parents, the place and the time to take birth, the right body and the right social setup.

If we live in a restless way, naturally we will not be able to wait for the right body. In addition, if we have lived a restless life, we are in continuous need and we depend on body and mind. Our dependency on the body and mind is what restlessness is; we are very dependent on our body and mind when restless. So naturally, we cannot be with out the body and mind. After death, we take a body randomly; we do not bother. We are not interested in waiting and think ‘let me have some body first, later on I will think about other things; first let me catch a body.’ Then we get onto the first train that comes by, whichever it might be and start the journey of our next life.

If you have lived a deep and peaceful life, you can wait and choose the next body and take birth according to your decision.

Death Rituals:

Katopanishad (Hindu scripture) beautifully explains the whole process of death: how we leave the body, how we can choose the next body and how we miss the opportunity to choose. That is the reason when a person dies we always repeat the katopanishad, sitting next to the dead body. Even at the time of shradda (ritual performed at the time of death), the katopanishad is repeated. These last rites are performed to liberate the soul and give a good fare well.

Actually, if you are continuously bothered or worried about the dead person, then the person’s soul also cannot continue its journey. Hence we bid farewell to that person by saying ‘yes you lived with us, it was really great. Now this is the time for you to carry on your life. Even though we are not able to digest it, we respect your decision. We are here just to respect you, just to support you in your journey.’ It is a good farewell and positive farewell that we give to the departed soul, to enable that soul to continue on its journey.

In every ritual, again and again, Rishis (Masters) have imparted their knowledge to us. Moreover, the Rishis, our Masters, made use of every single opportunity to impart the concepts or the truths to us. They did not miss a single opportunity. Therefore, whether is birth or death, naming ceremony or marriage, in every step that knowledge, the wisdom about life they gave us, is contained.

Marriage Rituals:

The other day I mentioned that in Sanskrit there is no equivalent word for divorce. The word for divorce does not exist because the very concept of divorce does not exist in our system. In

sapthapadhi (the seven steps taken by the couple, around the holy fire), when we take the vows of marriage, we decide to be together until the end of life or until death. Couples can separate only if wife or husband takes sanyas (renouncing life). There are only two ways by which married couples can separate themselves, either death or sanyas. No other way, no other permission or no other possibility exists for separation after marriage.

There is a beautiful sloka (stanza), one of many, chanted at the time of marriage. In the Vedic system, we use this mantra to bless the couple; it is actually a sloka from tantra sastra (branch of Mysticism). The sloka says in the eleventh year of marriage; at the end of eleventh year, let the wife become a mother to her husband and let the husband become a son to her. A new dimension to the relationship emerges. The wife is asked and blessed, to become the mother and the husband, to become a son. This blessing is a very strange thing and very difficult to understand. How can a wife become a mother? Actually, if a real love happens or real intimacy happens, women reach the state of a mother. She flowers in to motherliness.

There are more, deeper concepts, which the tantra shastra explains, how when a woman reaches the depth of love she becomes more motherly, more like a Devi (Goddess). That is reason why in the east, women are always respected and recognized in the nature of a mother. She is respected more as a mother, because we respect the motherly dimension of women. Only when a woman reaches that dimension does she express her fulfillment.

These are beautiful lines, asking the woman to reach the state of a mother and man to reach the state of a child. The man needs to come back to the stage of innocence; he needs to achieve his innocence just as the wife needs to achieve the motherhood, which is the purpose of whole concept of marriage.

Gurukula System:

Let me explain the Gurukula (educational system of the Vedic tradition) system.

At the age of seven, we are initiated with the Gayathri Mantra (a powerful chant). From age seven to fourteen, we have to work and continuously practice the mantra. By the age of fourteen, if we achieve the first experience of consciousness or divine, we study the Brahma sutra; the training for sanyas, training for a spiritual life. If we have not achieved the first divine experience then we are asked to study the Kama sutra, from the age 14 to 21. From age 14 to 21, those who have achieved the divine experience are asked to study the Brahma sutra; others continue studying the Kama sutra.

The sishyas (pupil) studying the Kama sutra will then go on into the life of a gruhasta (householder), the gruhasta dharma. The sishyas studying the Brahma sutra will be 21 by the time they finish it. They are expected to achieve enlightenment. If they have achieved enlightenment, they get the status of a sanyas and lead a sanyasi’s life. If they do not achieve enlightenment by the age of 21, then they are asked to study the yoga sutra and continue with spiritual practice.

The Gurukula structure was created in such a way that the system guided each person on the path to move on, based on their interest. Neither did the sanyas think he was not suited for his life nor did the person living as a gruhasta feel he was missing something. Each person lived in his own way, following his own path.

Gruhastas are given another chance to take up sanyas or spiritual life, any time after ten years of leading the life of a householder. If they want to enter into the spiritual life full time, if the family agrees then they can take an initiation called Vanaprashta dharma, which is living towards eternal life. Vanaprashta dharma is not sanyas, it is living towards eternal life. After the vanaprashta life, they can decide to take sanyas. Once a person takes sanyasa, he starts the Gurukula or university for the next generation. This is the way the system of the Gurukula structure.

There are so many remarkable lessons that exist in our rites and rituals, which we can explore if we have interest. If we go deep into it, it is a big science, an ocean by itself, an endless ocean to explore.

I think it is time for me to stop now. I will answer your questions. I do not think I will be able explain all the rituals and rites, it is a big ocean. However, what ever you ask, those few things I will try to explain. You can ask any question about rites, any rites or any rituals. I will try to explain, in whatever way I understand. You are welcome to put forward your questions on this subject.

Questions and Answers:

1. When we do the final rites, people say if you go to Badrinadh (holy city in India) and do the Darpana (ritual for death of a parent), then we do not have to do any more rites?

Actually, Badrinadh is like a center through which you can relate to Pitru Loka (Parent’s abode). It is like a runway where you can take off and you can relate with the Pitru loka. It is true that Darpana, when done in Badrinadh, is very powerful. One more thing, which I want you to understand is that continuously doing darpana, whether it does good for the parents or not, does good for you.

Let me describe how it helps you. Until the end of your life, some part of your energy, some portion of your energy represents your father and mother. In later studies, they say if your father or mother dies at a very young age, there is more chance for you to have a paralysis stroke. This is because part of your energy is disturbed and the other part of your being is a gift. By doing the Pinda darpana or Shradda regularly, you make that part of the energy, that portion peaceful; you invoke peace in that area.

We do not know whether it does good to them or not, but it certainly does good to you. Please do not miss out the traditional Pinda or Shradda. All the ritual mantras create vibrations, they heal our energies and they pull us out of depression. These vibrations relax us; they create positive vibrations inside our being. To console our self, it is said that once we do the Pinda in Badrinath, there is no need to do it again.

Nevertheless, from my experience, I recommend doing it once a year, even if you have done it in Badrinath and continue to do it once in every year. These shradda rituals are done on the amavasya (new moon) day. The amavasya is the time when we face low energy.

Have you heard the word lunar or lunatic? Do you know why people are called lunatics? People whose mind go up or down, along with the lunar cycle, are called lunatic. On Poornima (full moon) and Amavasya (new moon) days, the oceans have big waves, especially on Poornima days, © 2021 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. All Rights Reserved because of the moon rays. There are many scientific explanations. According to the Hindu system, the moon creates an energy in which the salt water is aggravated. Our body is filled with 80% of salt water and just like the oceans' salt water being aggravated, the body's salt water is also aggravated, and that is why some people feel aggravated.

On amavasya and poornima days, in a humorous way, we say, ‘I think today is amavasya, that is why there is too much of noise in the house.’ People who suffer from depression feel depressed on those days. In someway the moon is associated with our mental setup. On amavasya day, naturally, we will have low energy and that is the reason we are asked to do the ritual shradda and darpana. When these rituals are done, it creates a little peace in side our being and we can pull our self out of depression. It is better to continue these rituals, do not drop them or at least chant those mantras.

2. The Darpana has to be done by the son of the house, what if the house does not have one?

Nice question, here I have to be little clear. In my system, I allow women to perform the darpana. I am open and I feel women are qualified because they are more emotionally attached to parents. Attachment of a son is more like a professional or business attachment. Attachment of a daughter is based more on heart and emotion; I think women should perform rituals. They must be allowed to do them. At least in our system I allow and encourage women to do all the rituals that men can do.

3. Do the Vanaprasta and Sanyasa apply to both man and woman?

Yes. In the Hindu system, we have Mitrayi, Garyi, and many other women rishis, who were enlightened women. The other day I was reading a book, where there was mention of Sulabha a great-enlightened Master who challenged Janaka and Bhishma (enlightened men). We have enough records, on women rishis, who took vanaprasta, followed by sanyasa and of those who directly took sanyas, from the brahmacharya state (being unmarried), who are called Paramahamsas.

Now a days, all the Hindu missionaries give sanyas to women; it is allowed now. Even in the Dasadami Sampradaya (Hindu scriptures), in Omnaya Pathadhi (Hindu scriptures) also, there are very clear mantras to give sanyas to women, a set of rituals are available to give sanyas to women.

4. What is the difference between individuals doing pooja's at home and attending pooja at a Temple?

It is like going to a five star hotel and having nice food versus you yourself cooking and eating at home. What is difference between these two? You cannot go to a five star hotel everyday. You cook and eat at home but occasionally you go to a hotel and enjoy the food. When you go to a temple, you can enjoy the pooja, as it is done in an elaborate and beautiful manner. You get to see and understand every step and you enjoy it. When you cannot go to a hotel, at least do not miss food. Cook what ever you can and eat something in the house. That is all; this is the difference between doing your own and attending a temple ritual.

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5. Why should we go to the temple to worship when God is everywhere?

The idea that god is everywhere can becomes a truth only after your self-realization. Seeing God everywhere happens, only when you reach that state. One more thing, I have had many people come and tell me, 'Master, I love the whole world'. Loving the whole world is very easy; loving your wife is very difficult. Loving the whole world is very easy. You do not have to do any thing but just make a few statements like 'oh, I love the whole world'; 'I care for the whole world' etc. You do not have to do anything to make these statements.

Loving your family is a very difficult thing to do. First, create that love and then love the whole world. With out even creating the idea of love we just say 'we love the whole world'. In the same way, with out even feeling God in a statue, how can you feel God is everywhere? First thing we need to do is feel God, feel divine in one place and then project the same feeling to the whole universe.

First try to relate, through one source, first achieve, establish that relationship, then you will be able to project the same feeling, same relation ship with the whole world. If you cannot relate, even with one statue, how you will be able to relate with the rest of the world. Please understand, the concept, the ultimate truth that God is everywhere, is not a relative truth.

There are two kinds of truths: absolute truths and relative truths. As of now, you cannot experience the absolute truth so start with simple things and then you will be able to experience the absolute truths. However, until you experience the absolute truths, you cannot use it to escape from your duties. I see many people who use all these big, big words, just to satisfy their life, just to satisfy their mind or want to justify what they are doing. We use these big truths, just to satisfy what we are doing. Please understand, start relating; first with the temples and then you will be able to relate to God, who is everywhere.

6. Going to temples for materialistic benefits, is it right thing to do?

Ramakrishna says beautifully, 'Where else can you go to get what you want?' Asking God for materialistic benefits is not wrong. It is fine, but stopping at that is very wrong.

Starting your devotion in a kamya (desirous) way i.e. kamya bhakthi(devotion), is not wrong, but stopping at that is wrong. I always tell people, when you start praying your religion starts, but when you start giving gratitude, your spirituality starts. With prayer your religion starts, with gratitude your spirituality starts. After some time you should start feeling how much He has given to you.

Another thing is asking for something is not wrong but forcing it is wrong. See, why do you pray? You pray because you believe God has shakthi (power) to give you what you want. That is perfectly all right. Sometimes, we force; we say 'I want this, you have to grant it'. Why do we force? We believe that He has shakthi to give what we want, but he also has the buddhi (Intelligence) of when to give! When we want something, we believe he has shakthi, we do not believe he has buddhi; that is where the problem starts.

When you believe he has the shakthi, you start praying and when you know he has buddhi also, you surrender. The real surrender starts and you reach the peak of devotion. You reach the level © 2021 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. All Rights Reserved of gratitude, so of course, it is a good start; it is a good way to start devotion as kamya bhakthi. However, that is not the way to end; that is not the place to stop.

7. Master, you talked about journey of the soul, the various stages we go through at the time of death; is it not that we go through it at the time of meditation?

Not only at the time of meditation but we go through it at the time of sanyas as well. At the time of sanyas, we go through a ritual of complete death. We are told to drop our past name and every thing else, related to the past; we have to live like ghosts for three days and three nights without any identity, with out taking food. We have to live in the mashana (graveyard) for three days with out eating; one can only smell, that is all, we cannot eat. After those three days, we are given new names, a new form and a new meditation technique called kavyastra.

At the time of death, at the time of meditation and at the time of sanyas, we go through the same path; we under go the same transformation. In meditation one practically dies. It is nothing but taking a new birth. The mother carries you in bhugarba, the teacher carries you in aridhgarba and the Master carries you in gnanagarba giving you the birth, the spiritual realization. So you under go three different stages, first is bhugarba, second is aridhgarba and the third is gnanagarba. In meditation, the gnanagarba, you really take anew birth; you are no more same old person.

8. What is your stand on women staying in Vayu Sthithi (Hanuman temple)? It is believed that women cannot stay there because energies mismatch.

I do not know. One thing I can say for sure is, energy of the woman cannot be imbalanced by a mantra, and surely, I do not think it will happen. I do not know for what reason women are not allowed to stay in a Hanuman temple. I know for sure that all mantras can be chanted and used by every body.

One thing, mantras have come out of the experiences of rishis, in that state there is no male or female. It is pure consciousness; it comes from consciousness, and it will directly work on the consciousness. Therefore, the body is in no way related with these mantras.

When a Master gives a mantra, it will surely grow, as the power is more and even if you do not have a Master, it is fine; the very mantra can do miracles, on your being; on your consciousness.

9. Master, what is the difference between chanting Gayatri by itself and by doing it along with water, what is the difference?

These are all different kind of rituals, different ways of repeating mantras; some people chant with water, some people chant with fire while doing homa. There are different methods and you can do it any way, the key point is that you need to keep repeating the chants; that is all that is important. You need to repeat the mantra, that is enough, nothing else is necessary.

10. What is the significance of saligrama pooja?

There are special stones that hold energy and radiate it for long time. They are like batteries. When we do not get electricity, we use batteries. In the same way, when you are not able to go to

temples, when you are not able to visit the energy centers, you can use these batteries in your home, to recharge yourself.

They are actually techniques, methods to recharge your self. Saligrama and banalinga are called healing stones. They hold energy and radiate it for long periods. I have seen this many a time, especially the stones available in Omkareshwar (a holy city in India), called banalinga. If you have knee pain, headache or back pain, just keep the stone on the spot for two to three minutes and the pain will disappear.

I have experimented with hundreds of cases, not just once or twice. I have brought back lot of stones to the ashram from there. I used to give it to people very simply their pain would be removed. Even arthritis, so many cases have been healed. I do not know the mystery behind it, but it does work, I do not know how to explain, but one thing is sure; it works. All I can say is it works. These stones are filled with energy and you can use them to heal your self, or to relate with higher energy. That is the reason; we worship saligrama, banalinga and several other stones. All these stones that we worship are from different rivers.

The other day I was talking to you about the messages from water experiments. Have you heard how water responds to sacred words?

A scientist did a beautiful research; he kept ten glasses of water in ten different rooms. All the ten glasses were of the same type and the water in the glasses was from the same source. He would go to one room and use beautiful, nice words; words like peace, silence, bliss; all positive words. Corresponding positive type of waves were created in that room. Then he would go to the next room and shout terrorism, and violence and war; all negative words, which created corresponding type of waves. In the third room, he chanted some slokas from the Dharmapadha. In each room, he used different emotions thus creating various types of vibrations. After doing this, he froze the glasses of water and photographed the ice.

There is a beautiful movie released, ‘What the bleep do we know’, where they have beautifully described the whole research. He says he got amazing results. The water to which he related very positively showed characteristics of a diamond. The picture of the water, exposed to negativity showed like a devil! The water to which he related with words from the Dharmapadha showed like a Buddhist temple. The picture it presented was like a Buddhist temple!

It is amazing how water can respond to your energy. Understand if water responds in this manner, what vibrations an ordinary doctor can create, in 15 minutes. Imagine thousands of rishis and sanyasis standing in a river and continuously repeating the mantras, what will happen to that river. It becomes living energy. Imagine, what will happen to those stones, they become healing stones! They can help you relate with the higher energy.

One more thing, when the British people used to come from London to Calcutta, they would bring water with them, in the ship. The water would spoil half way through the journey. On their return journey, they would take water back with them, from Calcutta and that water would not spoil. Even after reaching London, it would be okay. They did a research on this, thinking ‘how could this happen?’ Then they understood; the Ganga (sacred river) water has a beautiful quality of purifying itself continuously. It has a quality, a special energy that purifies it continuously.

With so much of mantra, so much worship, not only its water, even the stones vibrate with this high energy. That is why I say India is a spiritual incubator. © 2021 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. All Rights Reserved

11. Master, I heard our saints bodies are vivid and ordinary human beings are varmint, why?

Our bodies are filled with memories; if you are filled with positive memory, you will attract positive energy and radiate it. Almost like satellite, a relay center. If you are filled with negative energy, you will attract and radiate negative energy.

The body of an enlightened Master, as they say in Tamil, ‘Gnanam vilenda boomi’, is the land in which wisdom is grown. Therefore, when enlightenment happens, when a spiritual energy happens in their body, it continuously attracts spiritual energies and radiates the same. That is reason their bodies are buried and not cremated. We need them; we need those energies.

Where as, in the case of ordinary people, we just want to get rid of them. We need to get rid of them. That is why we burn them and put the ashes in the Ganga River, to liberate them from this world. Liberate the world from them, which is good for both.

Nice, I think this is the time to end the session. Prathosam function is also there and you all have to go. Let us pray to the ultimate energy, the divine energy, to bless us all with the understanding, of all these great truths, in our life and experience eternal bliss.

Nithyananda!!

Thank you.