A Guide to Spiritual Life: Spiritual Teachings of Swami Brahmananda

DescriptionDescription This is a full rendering of Swami Brahmananda’s spiritual conversations, originally recorded by his disciples in Bengali. The swami, who was regarded by Ramakrishna as his spiritual son, gives clear and authoritative instruction beginning from the elementary stages of meditation to the most advance states of spiritual life.ReviewsTestaments of this nature—and calibre—are indispensable to the spiritual quest. Reading it lifted me to heights that bordered on ecstasy.Huston Smith, author of The World’s Religions and Why Religion MattersIt is rare that English readers have such an opportunity to gain insight into the mind of one of India’s great spiritual leaders. Brahmananda’s is not a personal vision only, but one that profoundly shapes the outlook of modern India and the various spiritual movements that have brought Indian spirituality to the West . . . .In a world that has had its share of false and commercialized religious teachers, it is heartening to see Vedantic spirituality presented with such purity and authenticity.Dr. Lance Nelson, San Diego University, Prabuddha Bharata (Awakened India)Contents Translator’s Preface Biographical Introduction by Swami ChetananandaSri Ramakrishna’s Outlook – Love – Training – Spiritual InstructionsSri Ramakrishna’s Experiences and Samadhi – Ramlala – PowersSri Ramakrishna’s Way of Instructing – Visions and Reactions – the Master’s Samadhi – Longing – Swami VivekanandaHoly Places – The Goal of Human Life – Swami Vivekananda – The Need of a Routine – ObstaclesHappiness – Give up the Toys of this World – Enjoy Mangoes – Faith – Dive Deep – Be Up and Doing – Curb DesiresControl of the Mind – Meditation – Food – The Kundalini – InitiationDepression – Sri Ramakrishna – Mantram, Guru, Disciple – PatienceTime factor in Spiritual Life – Sri Ramakrishna’s Power – SinHoly Company – Renunciation – How to Conquer Lust – The Need for Spiritual Disciplines – Samadhi – Unselfish ActionShow of Emotion – Steadfast Devotion – PerseveranceSri Ramakrishna’s Truthfulness and Powers of Perception – A Monk’s EgoRam Datta’s View of Sri Ramakrishna – Ramlal – Swami Ramakrishnananda – Sri Ramakrishna’s Merriment and PowersLonging – Peace – Love – Renunciation – The Guru – Pranayama – The Real and The Unreal – Existence of God – Obstacles – Holy Company and SolitudeJapam and Meditation – The Guru – Holy Company – Routine – MoralitySelf-Surrender – Be Sincere – Faith in the Guru – Grace – Hold to the Truth – God is Infinite – Knowledge – Know God AloneCharacter-Building – The Parlor of God – Purity – Book Learning and Spiritual Life – Money – Renunciation – Three Rare Treasures – Faith – Grace – PerseveranceGod is the Wish-Fulfilling Tree – Discrimination and Renunciation – Pray to God with Heart and Soul – Self-Effort and Divine GraceRestlessness of the Mind – Meditation – Does Sri Ramakrishna Exist?Sri Ramakrishna – Remembrance of GodSelf-Control – God Is – Meditation – Earnestness – LongingFree Will – Willpower – Comprehending the InfiniteRelief Work – Brahmacharya – Study – Work and Worship – Selfless ActionRegularity in Spiritual Life – The Play of Maya – Control of the Mind – Do or DiePrivate Instructions – Faith – Brahmacharya – Control of the Tongue – Keeping Spiritual Practices a Secret – SleepKeep Your Experiences Private – The Spiritual Guide – How to Conquer Fear of Death – Have Faith in Yourself – SinTime for Meditation – The Nerve-Current – How to Control the Mind – Nonattachment – Struggle – Recollectedness – The Mystery of GodHow to Control the Mind – Meditation – The Chosen Deity and the Mantram – JapamJapam – Meditation – The Power of the Mantram – How to Control the MindMeditation – Auspicious Days for Japam – Moral Teachings – Meditation on the GuruThe Play of Maya – Meditation on the Formless GodThe Nature of a Holy PersonRepeat the Name of the Lord – Prayer – Grace – Yearning – The Worldly Way – SurrenderSurrender – The Guru – Grace – Control of the Mind – Renunciation – FaithThe Holy City of Varanasi – Water of the Holy Ganga – The KundaliniJapam and Purashcharana – Food – Methodical Disciplines – MeditationMeditation – Vision – Brahmacharya – Obstacles – Grace – Hallucination vs. Vision – The Value of RitualsWorship – Meditation – Samadhi – The Guru – Bliss – The Absolute and The Manifestation (the Nitya and the Lila)The Kundalini – Meditation – Concentration – The Grace of the GuruHow to Acquire Taste for Spiritual Life – Struggle – Austerity – Faith – Self-Effort – Self – SurrenderWork and Worship – Brahmacharya – The Secret of Work – How to Control the SensesThe Advantage of Youth – Training the Mind – Where is Bliss? – Happiness and Misery – The Goal of Human LifeReligion in Old Age – Grace – Follow One Path – Demand from God His Vision – The Razor’s Edge – BrahmacharyaForbearance – Truth and a Harsh Truth – Power of Adjustment – Dreams – Sri Ramakrishna’s RebirthFix the Mind on God – Doubt and Faith – God is Beyond the Mind – Samadhi – The Three Gunas – How to Live in the World – How to Overcome Depression – Four Kinds of Worship – How to Conquer Bad Thoughts – Determine Your Ideal – The Validity of the Scriptures – About Food – NonviolenceAusterity – Truthfulness – Lust – DesireOn the Divine NameOn SadhanaWork is WorshipOn Sri Ramakrishna and Swami VivekanandaMiscellaneous TeachingsA Letter to a DiscipleAppendix: The Guru GlossaryExcerpts1. Self-SurrenderPlace: Belur Math Year: 1914Maharaj: Sri Ramakrishna used to say, “God reveals himself to a devotee who feels drawn to him by the combined force of these three attractions: the worldly man’s attraction for possessions, the child’s attraction for its mother, and the husband’s attraction for his chaste wife.” What does this mean? It means that when intense longing for God replaces all worldly desires of the mind, one realizes him, and gets his vision and divine touch. Sri Krishna said in the Gita, “Abandoning all duties, take refuge in me alone” [18.66].Self-surrender, self-surrender, self-surrender – there is no other way. In this kali yuga [iron age] human beings are short-lived and depend on food. They have to do many things in this short span of life. People have very little energy, strength, renunciation, forbearance, or courage. Their minds are weak and they naturally run after enjoyments. In spite of all these handicaps, one will have to realize God. Otherwise this precious life will pass in vain without one’s accomplishing anything. Surrender to God and wait for his grace – that is the easiest way in this age.Excerpt from the Biographical IntroductionSwami Brahmananda did not like to talk much about religion. It was very difficult to draw him into spiritual conversations. But when he did talk, his words flashed with fire, and those who heard him received lifelong inspiration. As a result of his spiritual influence and loving personality, many young men joined the Order. A disciple of Swami Brahmananda wrote in his reminiscences:Maharaj had the power to change the atmosphere of a place and to make it vibrate with his spirituality. In his company he could make everybody roll with laughter, and then suddenly, when he became silent, the place would be surcharged with a divine presence. Swami Turiyananda once remarked that Maharaj used to create such an atmosphere around himself that everyone present would be filled with some of his spiritual mood. Many people used to come to Maharaj for the purpose of seeking advice about their problems. But once they were near him they felt no necessity to ask for any solution. Problems solved themselves in his presence, and people would forget themselves, their egoism, temporal pleasure and pain, and be filled with intense divine bliss.