Hari Om.

Salutations

Sri Gurubyo Namah

This work on “Belief” is written based on the teachings of my most revered

Guru Swamini Niranjanananda under whom I had the blessings of studying
important Vedantic Texts since 1996. This is an outpouring of a student in his
own whimsical way.

As a student, many of the questions raised during the study were patiently
answered by Amma. As a teacher, she had immense patience, stamina and
great clarity in communicating these lofty texts.

Many of the analogies given in this were narrated by Amma in her talks and
have been used contextually.

With so many nieces and nephews in the family, this work gave an opportunity
to answer their questions raised on God, Temple, Bhakthi etc and has been
presented as a conversation between members of a family with a friend.

All characters in this work are imaginary, and any resemblance to actual
persons is purely coincidental.

Amma’s message

“It is a wonderful presentation of Vedanta way of life to children. The

language is simple and lucid. May God bless you in all your Selfless
endeavours”

Sri Gurubyo Namah

Jayaraman
tvjraman@gmail.com
 Contents

Chapter Topic Page No

Chapter I Who is God 1

Chapter II Who I think I am 5

Chapter III What is Prayer 10

Chapter IV How & Why to Pray 15

Chapter V Why so many Gods 20

Chapter VI Excellence, Perseverance 24

Chapter VII Devotion 30

Chapter VIII Silence 36

Chapter IX Pranayama 44

Chapter X Meditation 50

Chapter XI Who really am I 58

Chapter I – Who is God?

Both Shankar and Sowmya were very worried. Their children Koushik and
Sneha were not only ignoring their advice, but were also vocal in their
objection to the cultural and religious practices. Shankar has continuously
practiced both the cultural and religious rituals without questioning. He found
his children’s objections unreasonable, but could not counter them.

Mahadev, a long-time friend of Shankar, occasionally visits Shankar. After a

long gap, he planned to visit Shankar and stay for a couple of days. Shankar
had a high regard for his friend, who not only was well oiled in the practice of
rituals but also was capable of handling the various questions raised to him in
the past. Shankar was quite eager to receive his friend.

After having a good lunch, Mahadev and Shankar began catching up on events.
Shankar shared his concern regarding his children’s attitude towards God and
other religious rituals etc. Mahadev wanted to meet both of them.

Mahadev received both Koushik and Sneha and enquired what and how they
were doing. At one time, Koushik mentioned his non-belief in God and other
rituals.

Koushik: I do not have belief in God, and father is forcing us to believe

Mahadev: Neither do I

Sneha: What!!!!

Mahadev: Yeah, I do not believe in God too. We are in the same boat. Which
God do you not believe?

Koushik: It does not matter, None anyway.

What do you believe in then?

Myself.

Oh Good. So you have belief in yourself. What do you think you can do?

Anything. I can get done anything.

Page |1 Home
That’s good. Let us check. Suppose I give you a piece of very sweet Mango, and
ask you not to eat, can you do it?

Yes.

Ok, you take it to your mouth, and I ask you not to eat it, can you control this?

Sure, No problem there.

You take it into your mouth, bite it, and I ask you not to swallow it, can you
control?

Sure, why not.

OK, now you swallow it, and I ask you to stop it from going any further. Can
you?

No….

If I ask you to send all the strength and energy that the food you eat, only to
your left leg, can you control this.

No….

Then what is it that you can control within you?

Hmm..

Let us check your mind. What is your favouring song?

Hmm.. Bro Cheva Revarura

Oh, that is a good song. Which Raga is it?

Khamas.

Excellent. Now why don’t you erase it from your memory?

How can I? I can’t.

So you have no control over your mind. What else in you can you control? Can
you control me or anyone else?

Not sure, but why are you asking me this?

Page |2 Home
To check what you can control. If you can’t control your bodily functions, that
are gross, there is no way you can control your subtle mind or intellect. Should
I conclude that you can control very little.

That is your way of putting it, but what are you trying to prove?

Let’s look another way. What do you do when you get up in the morning?

Brush my teeth, bathe, dress, eat, wear my shoes, and off to college.

Fine. Why don’t you stop brushing for a week?

Ooops, it will stink

Or Bathe……

No way, that would be worse

Who asked you to do this?

May be, father or mother when I was young.

Great, but why don’t you object to this and have it your way

Well, it suits us, and everyone does it, in any case, that is normal custom in the
society.

Ok. You agree to do something which society considers normal. You agree to
practice something that you understand is necessary. When it comes to belief
in God, you have an objection, why?

Well, God cannot be seen, and there are far too many Gods which is illogical
and confusing. How can I have belief in such a concept?

Precisely the same problem I had when young. You see, God really has no form
or name. That is what Krishna says in Gita.

Really, can you prove it?

Sure, check Chapter XIII, and he will reveal that God is formless, nameless,
Omniscient, Omnipotent etc.

So…..

Page |3 Home
Let us get back to our earlier topic. When you said, you cannot control your
bodily functions, mental etc, you also agree, that they are being controlled by
something.

Hmm….. Yes, in a way.

That same thing also controls other beings in the same manner.

Ok, so.

Supposing I say God is formless and nameless, you will face an issue.

What?

Try imagining something that has no form or name. Can you think of
something which is formless?

No way.

That is the answer. So long as we have this body identification, we cannot

visualise anything that is formless. This body identification is the reason for a
form for God. We invoke Him, who is formless and nameless, on the form that
is in front of me, say Vishnu. That formless and nameless God is invoked in
Vishnu, and I revere and pray to him as God. So is the case with other Forms
too. It is for your convenience and your interest that you can chose any form or
name, or even choose to create your own form and name for God, that is
perfectly fine. What is important is your reverence and acceptance to your
current limited ability, and acknowledging his supreme capability. That is
prayer, that is what Krishna keeps emphasising in Gita. Do you have any
questions still?

Well, I need to think it over, it sounds interesting.

Sure, do think, and let me have your conclusions.

Page |4 Home
Chapter II – Who I think I am?

“So what?” Koushik thought. He really wanted to scream at Mahadev, “So

what? What if God is Omni this and Omni that? What has that got to do with
me?” He vented his feelings and questions to Sneha. How does my belief or
non-belief affect my life? After all, I am doing fine with my work, my study,
why get into practicing something on which I see no value. Would my prayer
help me pass my exams, or make me succeed in my career? Absolute
nonsense, I wish Uncle was here now, and I can rip him apart.

Sneha knew that Koushik was in a fit. His attitude to anything that was
imposed was to rebel. Quietly she let Shankar know that Koushik was very
keen to meet up with Mahadev once again and engage him in a debate on this.
Shankar felt good that Mahadev has indeed triggered this and awaited his next
visit.

Few months later, Mahadev let Shankar know that he was visiting his city, and
would like to stay for a day with the family. This excited Koushik no end, and
he awaited this meeting.

After a nice late evening snack of Pakkoda and tea, Mahadev enquired if
anyone was interested in a walk. Jumping at this Koushik joined and both went
around the colony to the nearby park.

Mahadev: “So young man, how is everything?

Koushik: “Fine uncle just that you left me last time with a lot of questions”

Great. So go ahead and shoot.

Uncle, you said God is Omni this and Omni that, but in essence, he is formless
and I need to acknowledge his superiority and my limitation and you called it
as Prayer. What do I gain by this?

Good question. There is nothing to gain or lose.

Then why should I acknowledge this. I can get along with my life as I am
currently. Why insist on practices which have no gain or loss?

Page |5 Home
Let us look at it this way. What do you see there? (pointing to a chair)

Chair, obviously.

Are you sure? Is it a chair?

Yeah.

What is this?

A rose.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

What if it had been originally named Kose instead of Rose. Would it still be a
rose?

Well, maybe not, it would be Kose.

So?

So what?

Every object you see has a name assigned to its form, you agree.

Sure.

Think of an object that has no name.

No way.

OK, think of a name that has no form.

No idea, why are you asking me this?

Let us sit on this bench. You see; everything that you claim you see is nothing
but name and form only. In reality they are not that name at all, do you agree.

Can you explain?

Let us take this table. You call it a table, as it has a form for which the name
Table has been assigned. Correct.

Page |6 Home
Yep.

In reality it is nothing but wood, not table.

How?

When it breaks, you say, Table is broken and it is now a piece of wood.

So…

It was wood in the form of a table, it is now wood, after is ceases to be table.

Does that mean, I should call it wood, when I actually see a Table?

Not really, but can you tell me why do we call it a table?

Sure uncle, it is convenient to identify, locate, transact only if we can have

names assigned, otherwise it will be chaos.

Right on the dot. That really is the essence. All the objects that you claim you
see are nothing but names assigned for the forms that you use for
transactional purposes only. Beyond that there is no value.

Really.

What we do is go beyond that and expect those objects to remain permanent.

Be it things, people, relationship, wealth, our own body, our achievements
etc., we expect them to be permanent, don’t we?

Sort of. So what has that got to do with God?

Let us get to God a little while later. We seek happiness by expecting things to
be permanent, and when they change or when we lose them, we feel sad or
bad.

Not really, I am ok with things going awry. I get wild only when things don’t
happen in time.

Right. But you are really not in control of anything, especially time.

Let us say, I agree that this expectation of permanence is the cause for
sadness. Will belief in God solve this?

Page |7 Home
Leave God alone for some time. Let us talk about you. Who are you?

I am Koushik.

That is your name.

I am studying Management.

That is your activity.

I am son of Shankar

That is your relationship

I am a boy, I can sing, I like Dosa, I have a lot of friends, I hate Brinjal, like to
sleep a lot …..

They are “what you like, or dislike, do or do not do”. Who are you?

I am 20 years old.

Again, that is your age. Just let me know who you are.

I am all that I said above and much more.

Really. Actually You are not what you think you are.

Balderdash. I am what I said above.

Not really. You are aware that your name is Koushik, that you are studying,
your father is Shankar, you are 20 years old etc. Just like the wood got the
name Table when it took that form, and lost that name when the table broke,
you got the name Koushik. You could have been named Abhishek, and you will
claim you are Abhishek, right.

Yes.

For the sake of transaction, you have a name, so people can identify you and
relate with you. They identify you with your qualification and use you
accordingly.

So?

Page |8 Home
Actually, you need to know who you are. You have assumed yourself to be
everything that you said earlier.

Agreed. Can we get back to God? How does prayer help me in this?

Let us fix who you are first and get to God later. Find who you are first.

How do I find myself? That sounds stupid.

Not really. You are not alone in this. Almost everyone around you is in the
same state.

That is rude. You mean all the people around me are confused and roaming
around searching for themselves!!!! Ludicrous.

Ok, Go ahead and ask anyone who they are. You will find their answers no
different to what you said.

Uncle, I thought we would debate on God, and you are fixing me. Actually do
you know who YOU are?

Well young man, I expected you to ask this. Let us walk back home and catch
up on this after dinner, ok.

Hmmmm. Ok.

Page |9 Home
Chapter III – What is Prayer?

“Sowmya, what is special for Dinner tonight?” asked Shankar when he saw
Koushik and Mahadev walking back home.

“Poori Bhaaji, Bisi Bele Bath, Gulab Jamun, and a special Bagala Bath done by
Sneha”, Sowmya replied as she spread the items on the dining table. Sneha
and Shankar joined in to get the dining table ready.

The aroma as they entered raised the appetite to both Mahadev and Koushik,
and rightaway they prepared to attack the food. Washing their hands and feet,
they got into action mode.

“Vow, this is worth the trouble of travelling all the way to your house Shankar”
said Mahadev excitedly.

Shankar: In fact, Sneha is equally adept in cooking as well.

Mahadev: That is great, but why was Sneha so quiet last time, she was silent
and did not join my discussion with Koushik.

Sneha: Uncle, I have my own views on the topic, and did not want to disturb
your discussion.

Mahadev: If you have a view, you should raise it, why not?

Uncle, Amma keeps saying, “My success is dependent on my prayers, and I am

sure it will not, what you say?”

You are right. Success is independent of Prayer.

Great. Then I need not follow Amma hereon. What a relief?

But Prayer will help you succeed, that is also true.

What?

If you Pray, God cannot make you succeed in all your efforts, be it your exams,
or a cricket match, or any activity you engage yourself in.

Then….

Have you seen the movie, “Bruce Almighty”?

P a g e | 10 Home
Yes.

What happens when Bruce gets the Powers of God, and he gets a request from
several people wanting this and that?

He simply approves all of them and chaos reigns.

Exactly, though it is a movie, the message is correct. God is not wherever he is,
to simply say, “So be it”, and you win your next event.

Then….

Imagine a plant. To grow, to gain strength, to stand tall, all it does is to lean
towards the Sun. The more it leans towards the Sun, the stronger it grows. Sun
on its own has no interest in the plant growing strong. But when the Plant
leans towards the Sun and intently seeks the light and energy the Sun provides,
the Plant grows and grows to become a tree. By virtue of providing the light
and energy, the Sun does not diminish its Power.

Got it.

Imagine a plant cocooned from the Sun, it can hardly have the strength to last
a few days, leave alone months and years.

True.

Likewise, our leaning to God through Prayer is not for gaining or succeeding. If
that is the case, every one of us will Pray, and every one of us should succeed,
but the contrary only will be true. In a game of two players, only one of them
can win, at most it can be a draw, both cannot win, even if both Pray with
great intent.

Accepted, then what really is the use of Prayer?

Like the Plant seeking strength from the Sun, you seek from God Strength,
Knowledge, Valour, Fearlessness, etc, which he can readily give, since none of
them are result based.

Meaning…

P a g e | 11 Home
You seek from God the Strength to face every situation, the Knowledge to
understand and Process, the fearlessness to face an opposition, and above all,
the Strength to accept both Win or Loss.

!!!!!!!!

True. Your reaction when you win reveals half your character, your response
when you Lose reveals you’re Whole. It requires great courage to face a loss.

How do I know my Prayers are being answered?

Test yourself on the simple parameter of your response to Win or Loss. If you
jump up and down when you win, and sulk when you lose clearly proves you
have not gained any. As time passes, you will find this reaction getting
tempered, and slowly but surely you gain control over your reaction.

Is that all that is to Prayer? Can you site an example.

Well, let’s take a simple Sloka your mother taught you. Do you know any on
Hanuman?

Sneha: Yes, “buddhir balam yasho dhairyam nirbhayatvam arogatAm

ajADyam vAk paTutvam ca hanumat smaraNAt bhavet ||

Mahadev: Its meaning is very simple.

बुद्धि (buddhi) - intelligence, बलम् (balam) - strength, यश् (yash) - fame, धैययम्
(dhairyam) - courage, निर्ययत्वम् (nirbhayatvam) - fearlessness, अरोगताम्
(arogatAm) - disease-free health, अजाड्यम् (ajADyam) - determination, वाक्
पटु त्वम् च (vAk paTutvam ca) - and articulateness of speech, will all last forever
(र्वेत्, bhavet) if you meditate (स्मरणात् , smaraNAt) on Lord Hanuman (हिुमत्,
hanumat) at all times.

Mahadev: Is there any in this prayer where you ask for success, Gains, Wealth,
Profit, etc. None whatsoever. All you seek is Strength for your body, mind and
intellect.

Koushik: Can Hanuman give this?

P a g e | 12 Home
Does the Plant ever think twice before leaning to the Sun? Never. All things in
Nature have a natural tendency to lean towards Sun. Likewise, our Prayers are
leaning towards God, who is the creator of Sun itself.

How do I know this? How do I know that God exists?

The fact that you and everything around exist, is proof that someone should
have the knowledge, the strength, the power to create and destroy, do you
agree.

Let us say, Yes, but where is that Person.

Truly difficult to locate as an object.

Is it blind belief then?

Do you believe in your Teacher when she teaches Physics?

Of course, she has the qualification.

What happens if you did not have that belief?

Well, I may fail to grasp what she teaches.

Right. That is the basis for all belief and faith. You acknowledge that your
teacher is qualified, without having the tools to test her qualification, and that
acknowledgement helps you to understand better.

True.

The same is true with God too. You first acknowledge that God is, and you are.
It is not a blind belief, since Creation is right in front of you. Every creature is in
a state of activity, vibrant, pulsating with energy, yet going through the
motions of creation, driven by an unknown source. That we call as God.

What if I do not have faith in God, but still Pray? I am not convinced that there
is God, but I like the notion that my prayer is about getting Strength etc.

It does not matter. Let us say, a tumbler with small quantity of Castor oil was
on this table. Have you seen Castor Oil?

Yes.

P a g e | 13 Home
It resembles Honey in its texture and colour. Without knowing that it is Castor
oil, and thinking that it is honey, you just gulp it.

Oops.

Exactly. You did not know that it was Castor Oil, thought it to be Honey. Does
the reaction of your drinking depend on what you believed, or will Castor Oil
do its work and get out?

I get what you are saying, Castor Oil will do its work of cleaning my stomach.

Exactly. The same way, your Prayer, with or without belief, will do its work and
go on.

Koushik: Uncle, I asked you, if you know Who you are?

Shankar: Koushik, just hold on. Let us wash and discuss this during our Dessert,
what do you say Mahadev?

Mahadev: Sure why not, nothing like a hot Gulab Jamun with Ice cream.

P a g e | 14 Home
Chapter IV How and Why to Pray?

“Anna, do you want ice cream and Gulab Jamun in the same cup or separate?”
asked Sowmya.

“In the same cup, that’s a great way to go”

Sowmya: “Anna, I have a question. You said Prayer will not help in success, but
I have always believed that one has to share with God our aspirations, our
frustrations, our deep emotions, as you cannot share them with others so
easily”

Mahadev: “True, many would believe that is Prayer, you cannot suddenly
change that perception”

Sowmya: “Would that mean such a Prayer is wrong?”

Not really. It gives a comfort that one has shared the innermost feelings with
God, and it relieves oneself of such a burden in the mind. Sure, it is a way to
ease your mind from the pent up frustration or anger etc.

Mahadev: Another question, Sneha, I know you love reading the Amar Chitra
Katha. Let me ask you this - What about stories where God came to the rescue
like He did for Prahalada?

Sneha: Uncle, But just now you pointed out that Prayer is a continuous process
and I am really convinced that it is.

Right, God came to the rescue during a crisis only because of their lifelong
devotion without expecting anything in return. It was not a simple case of a
desperate request being immediately granted by God. For every action or work
in front of you, you need Strength for the Body, Mind and Intellect. You simply
seek them from the Source, like the Plant does. Plant does not wait till the last
moment to seek out the Sun; it is a continuous process, day in and out, across
all seasons.

Sowmya: What if I had all along believed that Prayer is for getting a result?
How am I to change?

P a g e | 15 Home
Good question. You need to ask if Prayer helped you getting what you sought.
It just may have happened a few times, but not always. You cannot make an
exception as a rule. And if God really has such a Power to help you derive the
result you seek, we know what can happen to the World. Remember Bruce
Almighty movie.

Anna, children these days want proof for everything, how to convince them?

Do you really think it is only the modern child seeking proof for everything; it
has been the case from time immemorial, ever since mankind started
questioning. Introspection is the key to understanding religion. We should
encourage children to ask questions. When they are truly convinced, their
faith will be stronger. In fact, many of our scriptures are structured in the form
of a debate, in the form of a question answer session between teacher and
student.

Sneha keeps asking for proof, how do I answer her?

Simple, remove the expectation of result from Prayer. That is really the
solution. We begin by telling the child that if you pray, you will get this, and if
you do not pray, you will not. Therein lies the confusion.

Sowmya: When you say results, do you mean fruits of actions?

Yes, exactly.

Sowmya: In a way, aren’t Buddhi, balam , dhairyam etc. also fruits of prayer?

Absolutely. The difference is between fruits of action and fruits of prayer.

When you seek strength, you do not seek strength with the object of defeating
Mohammed Ali in a boxing match, you only seek strength, period.

Koushik: Appa says he is a God fearing person, and wants me to be so.

Oops, please correct your statement, where is the need to fear God? It is a
western term of God who metes out punishment to wrong doers. Actually God
is all loving; you can only be God loving and not God fearing. Anyway, that is
only semantics.

P a g e | 16 Home
Koushik: Uncle, I am getting an idea about Prayer, I do not see that as a ritual,
it is more personal. The fact that my prayer is independent of time and place
makes it easier. Then why project this as an important duty or action?

Not really, you can be extremely involved in Prayer without exhibiting it to the
world. It is your personal relationship and choice.

What is the use of Pooja and several other rituals etc?

They help in Cleanliness.

Can you elaborate?

Sure. Let us say Shankar’s Managing Director was to come home this Saturday
for dinner. What will you do to your house?

Get it cleaned up, arrange things neatly, keep the room fresh, cook a very tasty
dinner, and just about do everything in an orderly manner.

Right. For another person, just because he is your MD, you do so much, what
would you do if the Creator of the World was to visit your house?

Wow, got it, we would take it to another level itself.

Precisely. All poojas have been prescribed to encourage you to keep inviting
God to your house periodically, which helps you first to clean up your house.
Get things in order. Above all, it helps you to practice reverence.

And?????

In fact, having the practice of daily pooja in a way also helps in keeping things
in order and clean. Also your prayer is not for one fixed time, and forgotten
thereafter.

Sneha: Also, when Amma gives us those sweets offered, she asks us to take
them as Prasad, can’t figure out what it means.

Let me illustrate this. Let us say Sowmya bought half kilo of Mysorepak from
Sri Krishna Sweets. On the way home, she meets several friends, but to no one
would she offer even a piece of sweet. She brings it home and leaves it on the
dining table. Anyone of you seeing this, will grab a full piece, eat, wash your
hands and get along with work, right.
P a g e | 17 Home
Sure.

Instead, Sowmya takes the box to a temple. She gives the box to the Priest,
and offers it to God. He places the box on the feet, does some rituals, takes a
few pieces from the box and returns it to Sowmya. How would you accept it
Sowmya?

I would receive it reverentially. Make sure not a piece falls down.

Yes, and what would you do while walking back home. Will you offer it to
anyone.

Sure, everyone I meet, I will offer.

Would they grab a whole piece, or a small bit.

Typical of Prasad, everyone will take a small piece only.

And where will you place this on reaching home.

On a clean place, and will also tell all about Prasad.

Exactly. That is the essence of Prasad. We are eager and willing to share with
everyone if it was Prasad, while if it is not, we simply do not care about this.

Why do you say this?

This attitude helps you to appreciate the results better. Your success in
anything, be it in exams or career, or any, is not out of your single effort alone.
There have been several people who have contributed to it, actively and
passively, known and unknown.

So.

Your act of accepting results as Prasad, will make you share them with others.
Accepting the results irrespective of the quality / quantity as prasad makes you
grateful to God and to all those who helped. And also helps you to accept
cheerfully what you got even if you did not get exactly what you aspired for.

Koushik: Does Prayer then make you very soft. There seems to be a lot of
selflessness, lots of Love etc.

P a g e | 18 Home
Good point. If you are strong in body mind and intellect, you can be a soft yet
strong person. You will have the courage to face any situation, analyse the
problem better, resolve it well, and just about do everything to the best of
your ability. What more do you want?

Koushik: Uncle, thanks a lot, I now understand what is prayer, why and how
one should pray, what will get from praying, and how to accept the results of
our actions as Prasad.

Mahadev: Good, Let us break now for a good night sleep, catch up later on.

P a g e | 19 Home
Chapter V – Why so many Gods and Temples

“Good Morning Shankar, hope you had a good sleep?” asked Mahadev walking
into the living room.

Shankar: “Yes. Hope the heavy downpour last night did not affect yours?”

No, I slept like a log.

Koushik should be back after his tennis any time now. What do you want for
Breakfast?

Mahadev : Whatever you all are having .

Sowmya : ….Anna , each one has a different breakfast here…Cereals and Fruit
juice, kanji, Cheese toast or Idli Vada?

Idli and Vada any day.

Sowmya, can we attack tiffin right away. Incidentally today is Sowmya’s

birthday.

Mahadev: Many happy returns of the day, Sowmya.

Sowmya: Thanks Anna.

“Appa, why don’t we go out for lunch today?” asked Koushik walking in.

Shankar: “Looks a good idea, let’s leave it to Sowmya, what do you say.

Sowmya : But first we must visit a temple .

Sneha : Amma , Why can’t we just pray at home and then have lunch outside?
Uncle, did you not tell us yesterday that Prayer is a personal choice and
activity, then why go to a Temple?

Mahadev: Let me ask a question. Why do we go to schools, when we can get

knowledge from private tuitions? Why do we go to theatres when we can see
movies in TV or with a DVD?

Sneha: Simple. In Schools and Theatres everyone comes for more or less the
same purpose. The attention and focus of all is almost the same. Hence, there
is a sense of belonging, less chance of distraction from the focus, the facilities

P a g e | 20 Home
are designed for the specific purpose and are much larger and more focused.
It becomes a group activity and is more enjoyable.

Mahadev: What happens if you study at home or watch movies at home?

Sneha: Well, there will be lots of distractions, disturbances, and the access to
all facilities will be lesser.

Mahadev: See, the difference is in the setting, or we can even use the term
“mood setting”. At home, while watching a movie, we could have distraction
due to cooking, relations or friends walking in, phone calls, you name it. The
setting is not designed for the specific activity called watching movie, and
hence you will face distractions. While in a theatre, there is no such
distraction, and all facilities are designed to enhance your movie experience
and you thoroughly enjoy a movie.

Sowmya: True, I have always found the setting within a temple well suited for
my prayers, though I would prefer temples being cleaner.

Mahadev: The mood is enhanced by the ringing of Bells, fragrance from

flowers, camphor, etc., and the grandness of decoration. The collective
devotional fervour inspires further devotion in us; it has a multiplier effect and
heightens our sense of awareness of God and reverence to God. Temple is
God’s home / palace. Just as we invite God to our home during Pooja, on
special occasions we give a return visit by visiting Him at his temple.

Koushik: That is interesting. Amma, where shall we go?

Sowmya: I have wanted to visit Mangadu Amman temple for a long time.

Sneha: Why go so far Amma? Let us go to Vadapalani Murugan Temple, it is

closer and He is such a handsome Hero.

Shankar: Are you two joking, I am not driving to Mangadu or Vadapalani in this
traffic. I prefer Anantha Padmanabhasamy temple in Adyar, its close by and I
will not have problems with parking.

Koushik: This is a regular problem uncle. We have so many Gods and so many
Temples, it does not make sense to me at all.

P a g e | 21 Home
Mahadev: Not really. We do not believe in many Gods, in fact we do not also
believe in only one God.

Then What??

The true fact is, “We believe in only God”. We believe everything that we see,
hear, feel, taste etc are His creation, and hence we see Him in everything.

Koushik: Then what about Vishnu, Shiva, Amman, Murugan etc?

Mahadev: That Supreme power actually is nameless and formless. Is it

possible for you to close your eyes and think about this nameless formless
supreme power for a few minutes?

Koushik: No, it’s not possible, what will I think about?

Mahadev: Exactly, as humans, we have to seek the Supreme with the tools at
our disposal, namely body, mind and intellect. And these tools can only
comprehend objects with names and forms. That is why we have these Gods
with names and forms, but they all point to the same single Supreme power.

Koushik: Fine, in that case we could have just one God with a name and form.
Why have so many Gods and create so much confusion?

Mahadev: As I told you last night, prayer is based on a personal relationship

that you establish with God. Some people like to visualize God as a powerful
protective father-figure like Vishnu or Shiva, some would like to think of God as
a caring benevolent mother like Amman, some may find the idea of God as a
dashing hero like Murugan or a naughty Krishna most appealing, and to most
children it is usually Hanuman, the brave, fearless, strong, intelligent etc. We
instinctively choose our favourite God or Ishta Deivam depending on where we
find the strongest personal relationship.

Sneha: What about our mythology then? Is it all just fiction?

Mahadev: Maybe, Maybe not! In any case, how does it matter?

Shankar: Doesn’t matter? Why?

Mahadev: Ok. Sneha, who is your favourite actor?

Sneha: Shah Rukh Khan

P a g e | 22 Home
Mahadev: Tell me, are you interested in knowing all about him – where he
grew up, who his friends are, what food he likes, his hobbies and so on.

Sneha: Of course, I read up all about him

Mahadev: Why?

Sneha: It helps me to understand him better as a person.

Mahadev: Ok. Sneha, if I ask you to think about Krishna for a few minutes,
what will you think about?

Sneha: Hmm, A beautiful dark boy, adored by his mother Yashoda , he loves to
eat butter, plays the flute, killed Kamsa, friend of Pandava’s particularly Arjuna
…. I could go on and on, there is so much more to think about uncle.

Mahadev: Do you know all this by just looking at an image of Krishna?

Sneha: Obviously not, this I know from reading Krishna leela

Mahadev: Exactly, our Puranas give the complete background information

about these Gods. They help us to understand all the characteristics of our
favourite Gods. These details add colour to their persona and makes them
more endearing to us. We then recall all this, when we think about God. So,
debating whether it is historical fact or not is purely academic. In no way does
it help you in seeking God.

Koushik: So, we have many Gods because different people have different
preferences, and each one of us can have our own favourite God based on
whichever form of God we find most appealing to our heart. Is that it?

Mahadev: Yes. However, whichever God we choose, we must always keep in

mind that this God ultimately refers to the same supreme power.

Sowmya : Excellent, so since it’s my birthday, we shall visit my Ishta Deivam,

we will go visit my favourite Goddess Kamakshi Amman.

Shankar: Great, and after that let us have lunch at Saravana Bhavan.

P a g e | 23 Home
Chapter VI – Excellence in Work, Perseverance

“What an exquisite decoration!!!” Exclaimed Sowmya, as they got into the car
after visiting the Mangadu Temple.

Shankar: True Sowmya, In any case, you will always find decoration of Amman
exquisite.

Sowmya: True, she is my favourite Deivam?

Koushik: Uncle, I get the reason for Prayer etc. How will it help in my regular
work?

Mahadev: Quite Simple. What do you need to give your best shot in any work
you do or in any sport you play?

Koushik: Focus, complete attention, concentration and commitment.

Mahadev: Big words, but how can you have these in everything that you do?

Koushik: I should shut out all other thoughts, and simply focus on the current
work that is in front of me.

Mahadev: Great, but how can you achieve this?

Koushik: By concentrating on the activity and not worrying about anything

else.

Mahadev: Fine, but how to get that concentration?

Koushik: Appa keeps telling us not to worry about the results, is that the
method?

Mahadev: May be, but how to get to that state of focus?

Sneha: You tell us uncle.

Mahadev: Let me illustrate this. Let us take your room. If you were told that
your classmate was visiting you, how would you arrange your room?

Sneha: Nothing special. That is a regular event and they are anyway used to
how my room looks.

P a g e | 24 Home
Mahadev: What if your teacher was to visit you?

Sneha: Well, definitely I will put effort to clean the room, and arrange things in
an orderly manner.

Mahadev: Why do you do this for your teacher and not for your friend?

Sneha: Teacher is a senior person, whom I respect and regard much.

Mahadev: Exactly. That attitude is the first step to getting your attention on
the job.

Sneha: Can you elaborate this?

Mahadev: Let me ask another question. When your friend comes, how would
you offer any sweet or food to them?

Sneha: Again, nothing special, will ask them to partake with what we have,
Why do you ask?

Mahadev: If it was your teacher, how would you offer?

Sneha: Will take extra care for the quality of the food or fruit, will ensure it is
clean and served on a clean plate etc.

Mahadev: Brilliant. You regard your teacher with a lot of reverence and hence
you take extra care to please them, right.

Sneha: Yes.

If it is for your teacher, you take so much care, how much care would you take
if it was for God Himself.

Quite a different plane altogether.

Mahadev: That is right. Every work that we are engaged, be it book shelf
cleaning, room mopping, cooking, gardening, studying etc., if you engage in
that work as an offering to God, will you not take that extra care to do it
correct, clean and perfectly.

Koushik: Absolutely.

P a g e | 25 Home
Mahadev: As a child, when I was cleaning my room, my father asked me to
clean it since God was going to use it later on. Without thinking, I really took it
seriously and did a fabulous job of cleaning the room. My father told me, that
is how you should do every work. That was a big lesson for me which I practice
even today in all my work.

Koushik: Uncle, if I simply have the attitude that my current work is an offering
to God, will my work be excellent?

Mahadev: It will be to the best of your ability, and that is the best you can
deliver. The least you can always attempt is to give your best shot, right.

Koushik: Sure uncle, and still there is no guarantee that I will succeed.

Mahadev: Success is different to giving your best shot. None of us can control
success or failure in life. But you can definitely give your best shot irrespective
of it results, do you agree.

Yes uncle.

Mahadev: The best way to get complete focus on the work on hand is to have
the attitude that this work is an offering to the Lord. It is that Simple. You must
have heard your father or grandfather saying, “Leave it to Him, and He will
take care of it”.

Koushik: Yes, I definitely have, what does it mean?

Mahadev: For anything to be an offering to the Lord, it has to be clean,

beautiful and complete. You cannot offer a stale banana or a half cooked
sweet to Him, right.

Sneha: Yes.

The moment you regard your work as an offering to Him, you simply focus
entirely on the work, disregarding everything around, and upon completion
you find it being well done. That’s it.

Koushik: If it is so simple, why won’t everyone do it?

P a g e | 26 Home
Mahadev: Not everyone has this attitude. MOST PEOPLE HAVE THE ATTITUDE
THAT “I AM THE DOER” AND THEIR SEEKING FROM GOD IS ONLY THE RESULT
THEREFROM and not in delivering excellent work.

Sneha: Got it uncle.

Mahadev: When you have the attitude that you are doing, own it up and also
accept the result. Alternately, have the attitude that every work of yours is an
offering to HIM and hence the result is also his and you accept that as Prasad.
That way you will not grieve at the result, but will always give your best shot at
every job on hand.

Koushik: I get it Uncle. I have often seen people who practice so many rituals
like, walking barefoot around Hills, or climbing the Seven Hills in Tirupathi,
many fast on specific days of a week, some even practice not talking for a
whole day. Is that necessary and is that also Prayer?

Mahadev: How many times in your life have you taken up a work, and quit
mid-way?

Koushik: Many, why do you ask?

Mahadev: Have you quit because you could not complete or you got bored?

Koushik: Well, I would say, I quit because I did not see the end coming quickly.

Mahadev: It means you are not resolute and do not persevere till you
complete. How can you test your resolve?

Sneha: By taking every work to its logical conclusion.

Mahadev: Agreed, but is there any way by which you can test your resolve and
stamina for completing every work?

Sneha: No idea, can you suggest.

Mahadev: Shankar, do you recall Lakshman?

Shankar: Oh, that Lucky guy, of course. What about him?

P a g e | 27 Home
Mahadev: I know how he used to work as a youngster. He would take up some
work, leave it mid-way and jump on to another work. Some he would
complete, but many he would leave it mid-way.

Koushik: So what happened?

Mahadev: When I met him after some years, I noticed a distinct change in him,
he was so full of resoluteness and determination to complete any work.

Koushik: Did you ask him what caused the change?

Mahadev: I did and his response was very interesting. He said he just took to
walking around the hills in Tiruvannamalai. It used to take over 4 hours. The
first time he walked, after around 3 hours, he reached a point where he could
not go any further. He stopped, sat in a bench. After some time, he wanted to
walk, but found himself staring at another hour of walking. He decided to give
up, but the choice he had was to walk back. Considering the walk back would
be 3 hours or more, he decided to walk forward for another hour and
complete it.

Koushik: Then….

Mahadev: He found his effort to complete the walk very satisfying. He decided
to test it the subsequent month too. Almost the same thing occurred even
then, but his resolve to complete took over and he went on to finish the walk.

Koushik:!!!!!!!

Mahadev: He tested his resolve in this Laboratory, and upon continuous

practice, he found his resolve getting stronger and stronger, and over time this
resolute attitude became second nature to him, that helped him in all his work.

Sneha: All those practices Koushik mentioned, are they not meant for relating
with God as Prayer?

Mahadev: Actually I asked him this question while we were travelling in a bus
to another friend’s house. I asked him if he was undertaking these to see God
and he said, “Not really”. The real reason was to test his resolve and improve
his stamina for taking up a work and completing it. The more he tested this; He

P a g e | 28 Home
found his attitude towards work changed to accomplishing every work he
undertook.

Sneha: Would you say that this is a compulsory practice?

Mahadev: I realised that one should at least attempt at something like this,
and then one will find a benefit that suits them. Whether you walk or climb,
not eat or not talk, all these practices will have zero impact on God and
Maximum impact on YOU yourself by giving you self-control, mental stamina,
perseverance and resoluteness in seeking your goal.

Sowmya: Moreover, it is better for you to get the benefits of these practices at
your young age so that it is reflected as ‘excellence’ in all the work that you do
right from your young age.

Mahadev: In any case, many of these practices are meant only when you are
strong and fit, not when you get old and weak, it can be risky.

Shankar: Why don’t you all get down and walk to the restaurant, I will park and
join you. We can discuss after Lunch.

P a g e | 29 Home
CHAPTER VII – Devotion (Bhakthi)

“I will have North Indian meals, Mahadev, what do you want?” asked Shankar

“I’ve heard Gujarati meals is very good in Saravana Bhavan, let me go for it”
replied Mahadev

Sowmya: Ela Sappadu for the rest of us.

Waiter: Any juice?

Sowmya: Yes, get Water melon for all of us. Also Veg salad and some fryums.

Waiter: Ok, madam.

Koushik: Amma, why don’t you plan visiting Mangadu more often?

Sowmya: Aha, what devotion.

Shankar: Mahadev, that reminds me, I was fascinated with what you told this
morning. In fact, I am happy both Koushik and Sneha had so many questions
and hopefully they have understood what you replied. I have a question.
Where does Bhakthi or devotion come in all this?

Mahadev: What do you think Bhakthi is?

Sowmya: Well to me Bhakthi means utter devotion. Surrendering to the Lord is

Bhakthi.

Mahadev: What do you say Shankar?

Shankar: True, I endorse what Sowmya says. Also doing Pooja’s, undertaking
Pilgrimage etc is Bhakthi. My question is you never mentioned Bhakthi till now,
though you spoke of Prayer etc, any reasons?

Mahadev: Bhakthi is a Path and all Pooja’s and undertaking Pilgrimage etc are
practices followed on that Path. The Goal of Bhakthi is to reach a state of utter
devotion where one sees no differences in the World. Hence one sees God in
everyone and in everything, this is True Devotion.

Sowmya: Can you elaborate this.

P a g e | 30 Home
Mahadev: Bhakthi is way beyond just actions. Koushik, do you recall what we
said about Prayer last time?

Koushik: Of course, You said, Our reverence and acceptance to our current
limited ability, and acknowledging the Lords supreme capability is prayer, that
is what Krishna keeps emphasising in Gita.

Mahadev: If you listen to any Stotram, Slokam, song etc, you will notice that
the supreme Nature of God is elaborated in each one of them. Take any
Stotram, and it glorifies His Capabilities, and at the same time accepts our
limitation and seeks from Him Strength, valour, intelligence, fearlessness etc

Sowmya: Agreed, and is that not bhakthi?

Mahadev: Sneha, do you recall what we said about God last night?

Sneha: Sure, you said that we believe in only God. Meaning, God alone is and
everything that we see is Him only.

Mahadev: This attitude of seeing Him in all beings is Bhakthi.

Sowmya: How?

Mahadev: When you see everything as God or His creation you cannot hate
any of them. Even though you see differences in their shape, colour, size etc.,
but in essence they are all His creation only. It is like different shapes made out
of clay, one looks like a horse, the other a cart, cat, tiger etc. In shape and size
they differ, but they are all clay only.

Sowmya: So?

Mahadev: Since you do not see differences in their essential nature, you do not
have hatred to any, and that is Bhakthi. Not hating any being is Bhakthi or
devotion.

Shankar: Is this your definition, do you have any source or authority for this?

Mahadev: I have not said any that is my view so far. Whatever I am telling is
based on my understanding of our Scriptures taught by my teachers and my
own experience.

Shankar: So what is your source for defining devotion?

P a g e | 31 Home
Mahadev: Would you agree if I said that the best person to describe a devotee
is Lord Krishna?

Sowmya: Of course, I will.

Mahadev: Krishna begins his description of a devotee as one who hates no

being, and such a person is his best devotee, and the one he loves most.

Shankar: Mahadev: let us enjoy lunch and continue this discussion after we
reach home, I find your explanation fascinating, never thought that way.

Mahadev: Sure.

Shankar: Mahadev, I hope you enjoyed your Gujarati Thali?

Mahadev: It was good, though very South Indian Gujarati taste. You can’t
argue about that, they have tried their best.

Sowmya: Anna, you began telling us how Krishna defines a devotee. Please
continue?

Shankar: Also I need you to share the authority on which you are defining this?

Mahadev: Absolutely, and it is a blessing I get a chance to do so. Koushik, I will

need your help in getting the Bhagawad Gita text, that way you can confirm
what I am saying.

Koushik: Sure uncle, give me a minute.

Mahadev: OK, let us check into verse 13 of Chapter XII, from where onwards
until verse 20, Krishna describes who is a devotee. He begins by saying that the
one who hates no being in this world is very dear to Him and such a person is a
true devotee.

Koushik: I can see that in the explanation to the verse.

Mahadev: How can one have this expression? Unless he sees no difference in
every being. That is not possible so long as one sees different shapes and sizes.

P a g e | 32 Home
As I said earlier, the pot, cart, horse etc. can be different, but the essence is
Clay, likewise, each being will be different in size, colour, shape etc., but in
essence they are all His Creation, and hence a true devotee is one who hates
no being.

Shankar: Go on, any other traits that Krishna defines?

Mahadev: One who is friendly and compassionate to all living beings is a

devotee, so says Krishna. This also is an extrapolation of the simple truth that
God alone is. You will be friendly and compassionate only if you do not divide
people or things in terms of what you like and dislike, as they are all His
creation alone.

Sowmya: What about Pooja?

Mahadev: Krishna does not refer to any Pooja or Pilgrimage when it comes to
Bhakthi. It is all about seeing the oneness in His creation. He further adds that
One who does not cause distress to anyone and who is never distressed by
anyone, who is free from happiness, anger, fear and anxiety, is very dear to
HIM and is a true devotee. If you analyse these further, even these traits are
merely an expression of the simple Truth we said earlier, that God alone is.

Shankar: How do I know that I am progressing in this Path?

Mahadev: Your ability to love, accept and accommodate others despite their
obvious deficiencies or misunderstanding etc., will increase. You will love “in
spite of” and not “on account of” their behaviour or characterestics etc.,

Sneha: Would that not take away competitiveness from us? If everything is His
creation, what are we doing?

Mahadev: Good question. Let me illustrate this. When your friend breaks a
promise of getting your work done, would you not get angry with her?

Sneha: Of course, I will and I will let her know that.

Mahadev: Good, and you should. Remember your anger is only at her work,
you are not angry with her.

Sneha: Meaning…..

P a g e | 33 Home
Mahadev: When you are angry with any one, it is not the person you are angry
with, but only at their actions. The fact that he or she did or did not do makes
you angry, not the person as such, will you agree.

Sneha: Yes.

Mahadev: More often, we mix these two, and we get angry with that person
itself, sometimes leading to a breakdown in relationship itself, between
siblings, spouses, parents, and friends. Have you not heard of these?

Shankar: Of course, I have, and it is frustrating sometimes to hear such stories.

Mahadev: If one correctly understands that the anger is only towards the
action of the other person, and not that person itself, how can you have any
hatred to a person, resulting in a breakdown in relationship?

Koushik: Got it. You cannot hate a person at all. All you can is to get upset and
angry with what they did. Am I right uncle?

Mahadev: Exactly. The invisible current that connects all of us is pure Love.
Hatred is our own creation due to misunderstanding. Sneha, to answer your
question about competitiveness, work, career etc., they remain, as they are
transactions that you cannot avoid in your life. If you have to study hard, you
better do so, and if you have to work your way through in your career, do so
with all your abilities at your command. The only shift is in your attitude to the
World at large. That is bhakthi or devotion.

Koushik: Will that make us very passive, weak and docile?

Mahadev: On the contrary it should make you stronger. The finest example of
such an attitude is Gandhi. How difficult would it have been for the British to
knock him off? They just could not, as he was so spiritually strong in his faith.

Shankar: Gandhi was at a different level altogether.

Mahadev: Actually each one of us can easily be so. We need to redefine our
faith, that’s all.

Sowmya: How?

P a g e | 34 Home
Mahadev: INSTEAD OF SEEING DIFFERENCES, SEE THE ONENESS, INSTEAD OF
WANTING MORE, GIVE MORE, INSTEAD OF HOARDING, SHARE WHETHER IT IS
KNOWLEDGE OR WEALTH, YOU CANNOT BECOME A LOSER IN THIS.

Koushik: I am sure such an attitude will make one docile and submissive. What
does Krishna say for this?

Mahadev: The underlying message Krishna gives in the Gita is, BE INTOLERANT
TO EVIL. He urges Arjuna to get to war and do his duty as any warrior should
do, which Arjuna was trying to run away from. He in fact ridicules Arjuna for
shirking his duty. He eggs Arjuna to kill the evil doers, not out of hatred, but to
stop evil actions.

Koushik: How do we know there was Krishna? I always thought Gita was for old
people.

Mahadev: We are here as creatures, so there has to be a Creator. Whatever

Krishna says are from HIS standpoint, which you can choose to agree or
disagree after you have made an effort to analyse and introspect. No point in
rejecting Gita outright without making any effort at all. Also, it will be very
useful to know Gita’s message very early in one’s life. You should acquire all
these knowledge and skills at your young age, to be able to use it right through
your life and be effective in all your activities.

Sowmya: Anna, I have always wanted to study Gita, good you brought this up.

Shankar: Mahadev, What is your travel plan?

Mahadev: Now I am travelling back home, will try to come back next month. I
am sure I will enjoy discussing with Sneha and Koushik next time.

Koushik: There is still one question hanging for a long time, I asked “Who are
you?”

Mahadev: Will keep this as our topic later on. Until then, FIND YOUR SELF.

P a g e | 35 Home
Chapter VIII - Silence

“Mahadev is joining us around 7 PM today. Hope both Sneha and Koushik will
be at home by then?” asked Shankar

Sowmya: Sneha, Mahadev uncle will reach around 7 PM.

Sneha: That’s good, I will let Lekha know, she was very keen to meet him.

Sowmya: Why, what have you told her?

Sneha: I have been sharing with her our discussions with uncle. You know,
since her recent marriage, she has been having a highly stressed out time, and
she found our discussions interesting. She did have questions, it is best left for
her to discuss with uncle.

Shankar: Did you have trouble getting a taxi, or was your flight late?

Mahadev: Flight was on time, mad rush at the airport for taxis. I managed to
get one after waiting for nearly half an hour.

Sneha: Uncle, I have invited my friend for dinner, she had some questions
when I shared with her our discussions.

Mahadev: You shared our discussions, interesting. Give me some time to

freshen up, will join in 10 minutes.

Sowmya: Hi Lekha, how are you?

Lekha: Good aunty.

Sowmya: What juice shall I get you?

Lekha: Nothing aunty, I am fine with water.

Shankar: I will have coffee.

“Aha, what’s cooking?” enquired Koushik as he walked in.

Shankar: Mahadev has come, and Sneha has invited Lekha for dinner. Sowmya
is getting something special done.

P a g e | 36 Home
Mahadev: Hey Koushik, how are you doing?

Koushik: Good uncle. How about you?

Sneha: Lekha, meet Mahadev uncle.

Lekha: Hello uncle, I have heard a lot about you and your discussions with
Sneha.

Mahadev: Good.

Sowmya: Anna, I have made Masala Chai for you.

Mahadev: That will be refreshing.

Sneha: Uncle, Lekha has some questions for you.

Mahadev: Sure, go ahead Lekha.

Lekha: Uncle. Sneha mentioned that Love is the invisible string that connects
all of us. I understand this, but I find it difficult to manage with Mahesh’s
parents. They seem to always find fault with whatever I am doing. How do I
reconcile this?

Mahadev: This is not limited to only with in laws, it can happen to any
relationship between siblings, parents, children, friends etc. That is your
personal problem, why bring this here?

Lekha: I thought you could help me.

Mahadev: What if they find fault with what you do, do you react?

Lekha: Not yet, but I find it difficult to control the urge to give it back.

Mahadev: Ha ha ha. That is brilliant. Why do you want to control it?

Lekha: I prefer to remain silent than give it back.

Mahadev: Oh, that is a very strong word to use.

Lekha: Why uncle?

Mahadev: Actually there are four types of reactions one can have, Quiet, Calm,
Peace and Silence. Silence is on top of the list and the highest in gradation.

P a g e | 37 Home
Their cousins in Tamil are Nimmadi, Amaidhi, Shanthi and Mounam. This was
taught to me by my Yoga Guru.

Lekha: Meaning???

Mahadev: Your current response is “Quiet”

Sowmya: Can you elaborate?

Mahadev: Sure, you have the urge to give it back, you are controlling that urge
by keeping your mouth shut through both mental and physical control, what
you are is in a state of Quietness and you derive Nimmadhi out of it.

Lekha: Sure, I am avoiding having a word war.

Mahadev: Exactly, you get Nimmadhi. This is where you start building your
Love.

Sowmya: What is Calm then?

Mahadev: Your sustained control over the urge to react takes you to the next
stage, which is being Calm.

Lekha: Will I still have that urge then?

Mahadev: Not really, you start becoming more sympathetic. You will
sympathise with whoever is getting you to react so. You internally accept that
it is their nature to get in your skin, but you begin sympathising with them. You
reach a state of Calmness and you derive Amaidhi. The urge to react is gone,
and you are more tempered in your response.

Lekha: I am sure I am not in that stage now, but I understand what you are
saying. How to get to that stage?

Mahadev: Simple, that is what Love is all about. You love in spite of their
actions, not on account of their actions. Sympathise with their concern, and
you will find your reactions turning into responses.

Lekha: Will try, what is Peace then?

Mahadev: That is truly lofty. The more you practice remaining calm, the more
you enjoy the relationships, and you begin to empathise with them. You

P a g e | 38 Home
actually start getting concerned with their actions, and wonder about this.
Empathising with them gets you Peace, or Shanthi. You are at peace with
yourself in spite of the actions of others.

Lekha: I thought I was buying peace by being Quiet.

Mahadev: Actually you have gained Nimmadhi initially, and as you progress
more, you gain Peace. It is an advanced stage that requires tremendous Love
for others.

Lekha: Is it achieved only through practice, is there any shorter way.

Mahadev: Of course, the shortest way is to just Love, in spite of their actions.

Lekha: Where is my self-respect in this?

Mahadev: You are your best judge. You do not go about demanding respect
from others; you gain by your actions or in this case reactions or responses.

Lekha: Is that not too passive?

Mahadev: May be, May be not. It depends on what you think is passive.

Shankar: Being at Peace with oneself, is it gained only by Love?

Mahadev: You cannot be at Peace unless you Love everything that is around
you. Even the slightest irritation can make you lose Peace. This is what Shanthi
is all about. Being at Peace with oneself and with the surroundings is achieved
through Love.

Koushik: How do I check or monitor where I am?

Mahadev: Test your response to the given situation. Are you grinding your
teeth or are you cool or can you actually laugh it off. Three different responses
and three different levels of responses for a given situation.

Sowmya: Anna, what about Silence, which you graded as the highest?

Mahadev: That is very high. In fact it is central to all relationships.

Sneha: What? How can Silence be central to relationship?

Mahadev: Love in its purest form is Silence.

P a g e | 39 Home
Koushik: Are you saying that the absence of any reaction, response from within
is Silence?

Mahadev: Excellently put Koushik. It really is the absence of any reaction or

response from within. That can be achieved only through Love, and its purest
form is Silence.

Shankar: Is it your view?

Mahadev: Forget whether it is my view or otherwise, analyse this yourself. You

love the Sun, Moon, Flowers, and everything in Nature irrespective of time,
size, shape, colour etc, do you not? Do you experience any reaction or
response from within when you see them?

Shankar: That is because we do not get or expect any from them.

Koushik: No Appa, Sun is the source of all energy, and Nature is source for all
food, water etc, how can you say we do not get any from them?

Mahadev: Good. Juxtapose Nature with People, and suddenly you become
different. You start demanding, expecting, rewarding, reacting, responding etc.
Why can’t we just see people as they are?

Lekha: I now see your point.

Mahadev: We currently are unable to see them that way, since our
relationship is based on what we get or what we do etc.

Lekha: I find myself being scrutinised all the time.

Mahadev: That is true in all relationships, between spouses, brothers, sisters,

parents and children. Unless you expand within yourself to Love everyone in
spite of what they are or what they do, you cannot reach this Peaceful state.

Sowmya: Lekha, you are good enough to practice this.

Lekha: Actually I am excited to test it out, I am sure it will work.

Sowmya: Why did you rank Silence so high?

Mahadev: It is not easily attainable. You must have heard of many great Saints,
prominent among them was Ramana Maharishi. His mode of teaching was in

P a g e | 40 Home
Silence. His teaching was Silence. He urged people to remain in Silence. And in
Silence everything was revealed, so many have said so.

Shankar: Can you quote someone?

Koushik: I know, it is Paul Brunton.

Mahadev: Excellent Koushik. Please spend time reading his works and you will
be amazed at the power of Silence. Brunton explains in detail his conversations
with Ramana Maharishi which was in Silence.

Shankar: Really, I should read his works, will do so.

Mahadev: Silence is the source of all thoughts and words, it is from Silence all
sounds arise, they remain in Silence and they dissolve in Silence.

Sneha: That is true.

Mahadev: Do you know all knowledge is nothing but Sound only. Whatever
you know and you can imagine is made up of words which are nothing but
sound.

Sneha: Then you can say that Silence is the source of all Knowledge.

Mahadev: Brilliant Sneha. Shankar, you asked me for a source, the greatest
teacher we have ever come across is your namesake, Adi Shankaracharya, and
he begins his work on Dakshinamoorthy with the word Mouna. He elaborates
this word throughout this text.

Shankar: Really, I did not know that.

Mahadev: We discussed earlier that Space as a brilliant creation of the Lord.

We see objects arising from Space, exist in space and dissolve in Space. These
are gross objects. Silence is subtle. Every thought arises in Silence, exists in
Silence and dissolves in Silence. In fact our Scriptures expound the greatness of
Silence as the vehicle to know the Truth.

Koushik: What Truth?

Mahadev: To know your Self!!!

Koushik: Why such an elaboration of Silence? Does it have many meaning?

P a g e | 41 Home
Mahadev: It is Silence between words that help you get any meaning and
understand; otherwise it will be one long noise only. There can be only one
Silence. You cannot be Silent in Japanese different to being Silent in Tamil.
Everything is Silence. Everything is in Silence.

Koushik: Oh my God!!! You said the same thing about God also. Everything is
God, everything is in God, then you said everything is Space and everything is
in Space. Now you talk about Silence the same way, am I seeing a
contradiction?

Mahadev: No, actually you have grasped the essence.

Sneha: How????

Mahadev: Truth, by definition can only be that which does not change in time
or space, was not different in the past, present and will not change in future.
Do you agree?

Sneha: Yes.

Mahadev: Consider Space. Has Space undergone any change between the Past,
present and will it undergo any in the future.

Sneha: No.

Mahdev: Likewise consider Silence.

Sneha: I get the point.

Mahadev: Silence has no beginning and no ending, same as Space. We also say
God has no beginning and no ending.

Koushik: Wow, that is cool.

Mahadev: Try being in Silence even for a minute.

Sowmya: Are you referring to meditation?

Mahadev: Call it any which way, try remaining in Silence even for a minute.

Shankar: That is really difficult.

P a g e | 42 Home
Mahadev: Exactly. The reason is best explained by Arjuna in Gita, where he
says, Our mind is like a monkey which has had a whiskey, into which a ghost
has entered and the monkey has been bitten by a scorpion. Imagine such a
monkey, can it even remain in one place for a second. No chance.

Koushik: Is our mind like that?

Mahadev: Absolutely. Your mind is the source of all pain, sorrow and joy. It
reacts all the time like that monkey. Training that monkey to remain in one
place is extremely difficult, likewise is our mind.

Koushik: If that is so difficult, why try it at all?

Mahadev: We cannot remain forever grinding our teeth all the time, we have
to evolve higher, unless you like grinding your teeth all the time and expressing
your anger and hatred. Is that an option?

Koushik: Not really, and are you suggesting that we remain in Silence to
achieve this.

Mahadev: No, you first start loving everything. That is really the beginning.
Love conquers all and connects all, the more you practice this, it then becomes
your second nature. You start laughing it off with ease, without shame even at
yourself that is a true sign of Love.

Sneha: That is why you said the purest form of Love is Silence.

Mahadev: Exactly Sneha. You are getting it.

Sneha: But how do I control my mind???

Shankar: Should I say, that was heavy. I need time to think this over.

Sowmya: Sure, let us grab our dinner, and we can discuss thereafter.

Lekha: Attack the food in Silence!!!!

P a g e | 43 Home
Chapter IX Pranayama

Sneha: Uncle, before dinner I asked you how to control my mind.

Mahadev: Did you?

Shankar: Yes, and I thought we should have a separate discussion on that, I

suggested let us have dinner first and then resume our discussions.

Mahadev: Ok. Before we get into how to control the mind, do you know that
breath control helps in increasing your body strength and stamina, likewise
breath control helps in controlling your emotions or reactions of the mind?

Koushik: Really, how is that possible?

Mahadev: Let us start with the body first. What do you mean by strength?

Koushik: Several ways we can define; let us say ability to lift weights is
strength.

Mahadev: Excellent. In fact that is the easiest way to check your strength,
right.

Koushik: I agree, so….

Mahadev: To lift light weights, you do it quite easily. Imagine lifting heavy
weights; say a heavy table, shelf, anything, can you?

Koushik: Yes.

Mahadev: Let me give a different example. Have you seen weightlifting in

Olympics, or Asian Games etc

Koushik: Yes.

Mahadev: Can you elaborate what the weightlifter does in sequence.

Koushik: Sure, he is all pumped up; he walks to the floor, adds some powder to
his hands to keep it dry, measures the bar, fixes the position for his hands, and
then lifts it.

Mahadev: What is the last thing he does before he lifts?

P a g e | 44 Home
Koushik: Well, he holds his breath and then lifts.

Mahadev: Excellent. Why not lift without holding the breath, what would
happen?

Koushik: He will struggle to lift, that’s all.

Mahadev: Exactly, before lifting any heavy object, the last thing you do is to
hold your breath, and then left. It implies that holding your breath increases
your strength. Do you agree?

Koushik: Looks logical.

Mahadev: It is true. The more you have the capacity to hold your breath, you
increase your strength. Test it yourself. Try lifting this table without holding
your breath, you will struggle. This table is quite heavy, and you involuntarily
hold your breath before lifting. That is natural.

Koushik: Ok, what does it mean?

Mahadev: It means, if you practice the ability to hold your breath longer, you
keep increasing your strength.

Koushik: How can one do that?

Mahadev: I am coming to that. Let us also check on stamina. What do you

mean by that?

Koushik: Since you talking about physical body, is it related to running?

Mahadev: Absolutely right.

Koushik: Then, Stamina would mean the ability to run long distances without
gasping for breath.

Mahadev: Brilliant Koushik. If you start gasping for breath after running even a
short distance, you are lacking in stamina, do you agree?

Koushik: I know this, and I find it inconvenient when I play tennis, sometimes
after even 1 or 2 tough games, I get exhausted and quit.

Mahadev: Right, do you know both strength and stamina can be increased by a
single exercise?
P a g e | 45 Home
Koushik: Really, I would love to know that and practice.

Mahdev: Yes, it is called Kapal Bhati Pranayama. All it takes is to spend a few
minutes every morning, drink couple of glasses of water, and do this
pranayama. (Drink half a litre of water, sit in a comfortable posture. Keep your
back straight. Inhale deeply into your stomach, and exhale by compressing
your stomach like a cycle pump. Do this around 20 times continuously. It
should take couple of minutes)

Koushik: That is all????

Mahadev: Yes, it is true and possibly the most effective exercise to increase
strength and stamina.

Koushik: How can I measure this?

Mahadev: Before you practice this pranayama, first check how long you can
hold your breath, likewise check how long after you exhale can you stay
without needing to breathe. Note that down in a paper.

Koushik: Ok, and then.

Mahadev: Practice this Pranayama, and then test both the parameters again.
You will notice that ability to hold increases by at least 50 to 75% and your
ability to remain not needing to breathe increases by the same level.

Koushik: Really.

Mahadev: Also when you are playing, and you find yourself lacking in stamina,
simply stop playing, gulp half a bottle of water, and practice this pranayama
right there. It takes just two minutes, and you will feel refreshed, energised
and ready for at least another couple of games.

Koushik: That is wonderful, I am going to try it right away.

Sneha: You also mentioned about mind control, will this help in controlling the
mind too?

Mahadev: It is a preparation for the next pranayama.

Sneha: Which is!!!

P a g e | 46 Home
Mahadev: It is called Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama. Do you know what feeds your
mind when it gets agitated?

Sneha: You mean anger, someone does or does not do something and that
triggers anger within, am I right.

Mahadev: That is right, but what do you do last before you get angry within.

Sneha: Is it anything to do with breath?

Mahadev: Of course, whether out of anger, frustration, extreme joy, any

reaction in the mind, the excitement begins with a deep breath and then you
express your excitement.

Sneha: I have noticed that you breathe very fast when you are excited.

Mahadev: Correct. The test for any agitation in your mind is your breath itself.
It would be rapid, and the more rapid it is, the more agitated your mind
becomes, do you agree?

Sowmya: Yes, and it takes time to calm the mind and get back to normal.
Many times we even get into a word war, which disturbs relationship.

Mahadev: Well said Sowmya. The best way to keep the mind calm is to have
complete control over your breath.

Sneha: Really!!!

Mahadev: Of course. You are now as calm as you can be, and you are breathing
quite normally, am I right?

Sneha: Yes.

Mahadev: In such a calm state, you cannot get wild and angry, even if there is a
trigger from someone.

Sneha: Is that true?

Mahadev: Your mind instinctively reacts if you do not exercise control over
your breath. Once you control your breath and keep it calm and normal, your
mind will struggle to get agitated.

P a g e | 47 Home
Sneha: That is interesting. You mean, without directly controlling the mind,
one can control it.

Mahadev: Excellently put Sneha. I was actually alluding to that only. You have
grasped it.

Lekha: Is Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama the solution for this?

Mahadev: Yes Lekha, it is. You can do this at any time, any number of times.
The more you do this pranayama, the more you get control over your breath
that indirectly controls the agitation of your mind.(Sit in a comfortable posture,
close your right nostril with your right thumb, inhale through your left nostril
for a slow count of 3 to using your left nostril, close both the nostrils and hold
your breath for a count of 3 to 4, close only your left nostril with your ring
finger and exhale through your right nostril for a count of 3 to 4. Inhale
through your right nostril for the same count, hold your breath, and exhale
through your left nostril. This is one cycle. Do at least 10 cycles at a time.)

Shankar: Will there be any side effects?

Mahadev: You breathe anyway to live. It is as simple as that. In fact you take
breathing for granted. It is the only activity which helps you live, and you do
not even recognise and respect this. It works even when you are deep asleep.

Shankar: I agree.

Mahadev: The only shift here is how you breathe. Do you know this pranayama
directly helps you get deep sleep without dreams and disturbances?

Sowmya: Really??????????

Mahadev: Yes. The process of getting sleep has the following sequence. You
begin with several thoughts in your mind, it slowly reduces to few thoughts,
and when it reaches a single thought, the mind automatically collapses and
you get into a deep sleep. This long process from many thoughts to single
thought is achieved quickly through this pranayama.

Sowmya: You mean, I can do this before I get to bed, and I will quickly get to
deep sleep.

P a g e | 48 Home
Mahadev: Not only that, you will sleep like a log, without frequent
disturbances, and the worst or the best part is, you can only sleep for 5 to 6
hours, you will be forced to get up, and you will be absolutely fresh when you
wake up.

Sowmya: That is incredible. Are you joking?

Mahadev: Not really, try this tonight, and tell me how you slept tomorrow
morning. Imagine if one can begin the day, fresh, energised, and raring to go,
both physical and mental, would that not be a great way to start.

Koushik: Absolutely, and how to do this?

Mahadev: I can show how it is done now, and you can try it out. The best way
is to get in touch with a Yoga teacher nearby and learn from him directly these
two Pranayama’s for starters.

Shankar: Why do you say for starters?

Mahadev: Once you are convinced of the benefits, I am sure you will want to
know more and learn more, that’s why. A word of caution, if you have any
serious heart related issues, it is best to check with your Doctor and then try.

Sowmya: Will this help in meditation?

Mahadev: That is a different subject altogether.

Shankar: Since none of us have any issues, let us practice with you tonight, and
let us check our experiences tomorrow morning, all of you agree with this?

Koushik: Sure Appa.

P a g e | 49 Home
Chapter X Meditation

Shankar: Good morning Koushik, you up already!!!!

Koushik: I got up pretty early, unusual for me. But I really slept very well.

Shankar: Me too. Let us grab coffee and check on others.

Mahadev: Good morning Shankar.

Shankar: Good morning.

Sowmya: Anna, your coffee is ready

Mahadev: Thanks

Sowmya: Anna, I need to tell you about my sleep last night.

Mahadev: Sure, go ahead, did you sleep well?

Sowmya: Did I !!! I really slept like a log as you indicated.

Mahadev: That is possible and I am sure all of you must feel the same. That is
because you are starting from a very low base.

Sneha: Good morning uncle, why do you say so?

Mahadev: You see when the base is 5 and you improve this to 10, it will look
like a 100% jump. While if it is 90 and improves to 95, the jump will be only
5.5%.

Sneha: So????

Mahadev: Initially the relative difference you will experience will be very high,
keep practicing until you reach very little relative difference, you reach a
steady state.

Sowmya: Anna, I asked if this will help in meditation.

Mahadev: Before we get to meditation, Sneha; do you recall I mentioned 4

states we could be in.

Sneha: Is that Quiet, Calm, Peace and Silence?

P a g e | 50 Home
Mahadev: Yes. You initially achieve the state of Quietness by simply Loving
everything. It helps you stay Quiet and gain Nimmadhi.

Sowmya: I understand that.

Mahadev: The Pranayama you learnt last night helps you calm your mind. By
controlling your breath, you do not feed the mind with thoughts that helps it
get agitated. This helps you stay Calm and you gain Amaidhi.

Sowmya: Oh, so are we going to Peace next?

Mahadev: Yes, before that I need to narrate a story, is that ok?

Sneha: Story, sure we are all ears.

Mahadev: This was told by my Spiritual Teacher. There was once a man who
was as lazy as one could think of. He was chided by everyone for being
absolutely lazy. He decided to resolve this by doing penance.

Sneha: Penance, for gaining what?

Mahadev: He sought from the Lord a servant, who would get all his jobs done,
and he could rest and enjoy his time.

Sneha: So what happened?

Mahadev: His penance was so strong, the Lord dutifully appeared before him
and said, “Son, I am pleased with your penance, seek any boon”

Sneha: Wow, and what did he seek?

Mahadev: The man asked the Lord for a manservant, who would get all his jobs
done in double quick time all through his life.

Koushik: That is cool, and did the Lord grant his wish.

Mahadev: Yes, but with a rider, so long as the manservant was given any job,
he will do, but the moment you let him remain idle, the manservant would eat
him up.

Koushik: ok.

P a g e | 51 Home
Mahadev: Thanking the Lord the man walked back to his house. Right in front
him stood a tiny little fellow who said, “Master, I am your servant, what can I
do for you now?”

Koushik: That quickly??

Mahadev: Yes and the man who was in penance for a long time sought from
the servant a 7 course meal. Thinking that it would take a while, he decided to
rest under a tree.

Koushik: I am sure the servant would have brought the food immediately.

Mahadev: Yes, and he spread the food in front of him beautifully. Our man
started to eat and immediately the servant asked, “What next?”

Koushik: Oh, he cannot remain idle, right.

Mahadev: Yes, our man asked the servant to get a big basket of different cut
fruits and began eating. Before he completed his third mouthful, the servant
came back with a big basket of fruits, and asked “What next?”

Koushik: That should put our man off; he cannot even enjoy his food in peace.

Mahadev: Exactly, our Man got worried, he asked the servant to do this and do
that, and found the servant came back within a short time and kept demanding
the next job.

Koushik: What happened next?

Mahadev: Our man asked the servant to make a vehicle that could carry him
home; this too was done immediately by the servant. Boarding the vehicle,
our man told the servant to go the man’s house, clean it, trim the grass in the
garden, water the plants etc. Once the servant left, our man drove the vehicle
to his teacher’s house.

Sneha: Is it to hide?

Mahadev: No, he approached his teacher and narrated the events and sought
help from the teacher to resolve the crisis. He said he lost his peace and was
struggling to even manage a few minutes of peace.

Sneha: What did the teacher tell him?

P a g e | 52 Home
Mahadeve: The teacher laughed it off and advised him, which the man
gleefully accepted, thanked the teacher and walked out. Right outside was the
servant waiting for him, who asked “What next?”

Koushik: What did the man ask?

Mahadev: He asked the servant to cut a tall tree, trim all the branches so that
it looks like a tall mast, take it to his house, dig a hole and fix the mast. Once
fixed, he asked the servant to climb the mast from bottom to top, upon
reaching the top, come down to the bottom, upon reaching the bottom once
again climb to the top and so on. Do not stop this, and whenever I call you,
come, get the instruction, complete the work, and get back to the mast and
restart the climbing.

Sowmya: Interesting, so what happened?

Mahadev: The servant immediately got the mast done, started climbing up and
down the mast. Our man was at complete peace with himself, he could relax,
and every time there was a work, he would call the servant and get it done.

Koushik: What is the moral of the story?

Mahadev: Our mind is like that servant. It always wants something or other. It
wanders hither and thither. Sneha, in Mahabharata, do you recall the
conversation between Yaksha and Yudishtra, where the Yaksha, as part of the
32 Questions, asked which is faster than the wind?

Sneha: Yes, and Yudishtra answered, “Our mind”

Mahadev: Excellent. Our mind can kill us by being hyperactive. It will be so. It is
its nature.

Sowmya: So what is the solution?

Mahadev: Just as the servant was asked to climb the mast up and down, we
train the mind to do so.

Sowmya: How?

Mahadev: That is called, Japa.

Sowmya: Is that the purpose of chanting mantras?

P a g e | 53 Home
Mahadev: Yes. The purpose of Japa is to train the mind to focus on a
mechanical activity. This trains the mind to focus on one thought at a time like
that servant.

Shankar: When I do my Sandhyavandanam, I do Gayatri Japa, is this also the

same.

Mahadev: Absolutely. Having passed the test of Quiet through Love, and
having practiced Pranayama and gained calmness, you get to Peace through
Japa.

Sowmya: Will Japa help achieve this?

Mahadev: Read verse 25 of Chapter 10 in Gita, where Krishna says, “Of all
types of Yagna’s, I am the Japa Yagna”. That is the special level at which Japa is
positioned. (Yagna refers to sacrifice)

Shankar: Really!!!

Mahadev: Yes, and truly this is the most powerful tool that you can have to
evolve from Calm to Peace. Nothing more can help you there.

Sowmya: If I just do Japa, will I achieve this?

Mahadev: Please remember, the real sequence is by checking where you are
now. From Quiet you move to Calm, and from Calm you evolve to Peace. You
cannot do Japa unless you are calm, hope you get this point?

Sowmya: I got it. Pranayama helps in achieving a calm mind, and from there to
Peace is through Japa.

Mahadev: Excellent. When your mind continues to agitate, get quickly excited
and so on, you cannot do Japa. That is important.

Sowmya: What then is meditation?

Mahadev: That is the Mother of all practices.

Sneha: How is it different to Japa?

P a g e | 54 Home
Mahadev: When you practice Japa, you are focussed on the mantra and the
count. Normally you do 108, sometimes 1008 and when you do not have
enough time, you do only 32.

Shankar: Yes.

Mahadev: The entire focus there is on the Mantra and the count.

Sowmya: Yes.

Mahadev: The next step is to focus on the silence between successive mantra.
Having calmed the mind, reached a state of peace, while doing the Japa,
instead of focussing on the count or the mantra, focus on the silence between
two mantras. Stretch the silence and stay in that silence.

Sowmya: How long should one stretch?

Mahadev: Until a new thought arises. When a new thought arises, you
immediately start chanting the mantra, chant as slowly as you can and upon
chanting, focus on the silence and remain in that silence. It does not matter
how many Japa’s you do, more important is how long you can stretch and
remain in silence.

Koushik: Will we not be spending too much time on this?

Mahadev: You will be surprised about this. Initially you cannot be in that
silence for more than half a second, and it will actually look like eternity to you.
You may think you have spent an hour when really you would have spent only
a few seconds.

Koushik: Really.

Mahadev: Yes, Remaining in Silence is no joke. Try it, and you will understand
this.

Koushik: If that is so difficult, why try it at all?

Mahadev: You are doing that daily from the day you were born.

Sneha: What, how, when?

P a g e | 55 Home
Mahadev: When you are in deep sleep, you are in silence only, just that you
are not aware of this. When you wake up from a deep sleep, you feel fully
charged up and refreshed, is that not so?

Sneha: Yes.

Maahdev: Without awareness, you get so fully recharged and refreshed, since
you remained in silence in deep sleep, imagine how recharged you will be
when you remain in silence in awareness.

Sneha: Brilliant uncle. I get it.

Mahadev: Excellent. The whole purpose of Meditation is to achieve this ability

to be Silent, to remain in Silence, be with your Source as long as you can, with
awareness.

Sowmya: Oh my God? I thought chanting was meditation.

Mahadev: Chanting is only the means, not the end. Remember Meditation is
not an action or an activity, it is not a verb. It is the state where you remain in
Silence.

Shankar: That was a revelation to me. Can I practice this right away, is there
any time to be allocated for this.

Mahadev: First check your mind, do you get agitated quickly, then practice
Love to attain Quietness. If agitation is in control, practice Pranayama and
achieve Calmness.

Koushik: I know what next, do Japa and get to Peace.

Sneha: While doing Japa, focus on the Silence between the Mantra, and try to
remain in Silence. That is next.

Mahadev: Brilliant Sneha and Koushik. You are very quick.

Shankar: Is there any time that I need to allot for this.

Mahadev: Scriptures say that the best time to be in Silence is very early in the
morning, typically around 5 to 5.30 AM. I practice whenever I get some free
personal time during the day. The key is to first calm the mind, get into a
mechanical routine and then dwell in silence. (Pranayama – Japa – Dhyana)
P a g e | 56 Home
Sowmya: Are there different types of meditations?

Mahadev: It does not matter. What matters is to be in silence, and the only
way to be in silence is to be in silence. I did mention earlier that there is only
one type of silence, just be in silence.

Sneha: I read that singing songs, listening to music is also meditation, is that
so?

Mahadev: Anything that you really like, or your deeply interested gets your
complete attention, when your entire attention is on that activity, your mind
stays focussed on a single thought, it is similar to pranayama, where you train
the mind to remain in a single thread, that helps you calm the mind. Do not
confuse this calm mind to be Silence.

Sneha: Got it.

Koushik: I will definitely try.

Shankar: Let us grab our breakfast and we can recommence thereafter.

P a g e | 57 Home
Chapter XI – Who really am I?

Koushik: Uncle, I have asked you at least a couple of times, who am I?

Mahadev: Should that not be obvious? Why should you ask me to know who
you are?

Koushik: Well, when I mentioned the obvious last time you ruled them all out
as they are not me, like my name, qualification, height, weight, abilities,
relationship etc.

Mahadev: Yes, they are all what you have, or what you own, or what you can,
are they not?

Koushik: Yes, in that case, who am I?

Mahadev: That really is the true search for all of us.

Shankar: Why do you say so?

Mahadev: Why are we all engaged in so many activities?

Shankar: To achieve success and be Happy.

Mahadev: We actually seek happiness from the outside world.

Shankar: True

Mahadev: In addition, we simply want to avoid anything that is unpleasant,

whether in relation to our body or mind or intellect.

Sowmya: How so?

Mahadev: The moment we have the slightest pain, we pop a pill, we do not
want that pain at all. Likewise, at any moment you get something negative
affecting your mind, you run after something else that would counter the
negative. Also, we just cannot accept ignorance; we seek knowledge all the
time. The moment we get to know that we do not know something, we do all
that is possible to get to know that, right?

Sowmya: Yes.

P a g e | 58 Home
Mahadev: The entire purpose is to avoid Sorrow or unhappiness and to remain
in Happiness.

Shankar: I agree, but how do we achieve this?

Mahadev: Remove the notion that you are your body, mind or intellect.

Shankar: What?????

Mahadev: Yes, you assume yourself to be your body and do all sorts of things
to your body, which anyway will grow old and decay. You have to take care of
your body as it is your instrument, but you cannot assume yourself to be your
body and take on the pain of the body as your own. Also remember the ground
rule as per Gita, “PAIN IS INEVITABLE, and SORROW IS OPTIONAL”.

Sowmya: What does that mean?

Mahadev: When you get injured, the pain that your body will undergo is
inevitable. But to curse anyone or even God for this and feel miserable is
optional. You cannot say, “I have done so many good deeds in life, so many
prayers, so many poojas, so many pilgrimages, still I have to suffer like this” is a
suffering you inflict on yourself. That is optional. If you like and enjoy
suffering, go ahead and enjoy that suffering, but do not drag others and share
your suffering. Leave them aside. That Suffering is your own creation.

Sowmya: That changes my view on so many things.

Mahadev: True. The moment you refuse to allow suffering to enter, you will
not suffer. That option is right here for you. But Pain, no way you can avoid.
Also remember, no pain is everlasting. It will be there for some time, and then
leave, but suffering, you can carry all through your life. You must have heard of
so many who keep dwelling on the suffering of their past, carry those tales and
share them with others. They almost yearn for Self Pity, which is unnecessary.

Sowmya: Don’t we learn from our Past?

Mahadev: Of course, the lessons learnt from difficulties are different. That is
invaluable, but to dwell in sorrow or sufferings is a waste of positive energy.

P a g e | 59 Home
Sowmya: True.

Mahadev: Likewise, your mind can never be satisfied, it always wants this and
that, and you keep feeding it with more. It gets emotional all the time.

Koushik: We also keep changing our minds often and it is never steady.

Mahadev: Well said. Having assumed yourself to be your body, mind, name,
qualifications etc., you are trying to satisfy this assumed self. This assumed Self
seeks many things and the mind is always in thoughts, desires and
incompleteness. This has to be corrected.

Koushik: How?

Mahadev: Let me quote a famous verse

ि कमयणा ि प्रजया धिेि त्यागेिैके अमृतत्वमािशु ुः

It means: Neither by actions, nor through progeny and wealth, but by

renunciation alone is immortality attained.

Koushik: What do you renounce?

Mahadev: You sacrifice your Ego.

Koushik: That should be simple. I will start being humble, stop having Pride and
being arrogant, is that all?

Mahadev: No. Ego is not about being arrogant or being Proud or self-centred.
Ego is the thought that “I am the doer, thinker, enjoyer etc”. Ego is what you
have wrongly assumed yourself to be.

Koushik: You mean all that I said earlier as to who I think I am, is referred as
Ego.

Mahadev: Exactly Koushik. The only way to know your SELF is to sacrifice your
current wrong notion of yourself, which is your Ego. All that you think you are
should be sacrificed. When you rid yourself of all your notions of yourself, what
remains is YOU alone without all those adjectives, nouns, verbs etc.

Koushik: Will that lead to happiness?

P a g e | 60 Home
Mahadev: You do not get happiness as a product. When you dissociate
yourself from this wrong association, what YOU are is Happiness.

Shankar: Is that your definition?

Mahadev: Good you asked, this is what Krishna says in Chapter VI verse 23,
“Dukha Samyoga Viyogam”, meaning Dissociation from the association with
Dukha or Sorrow is Sukham or Happiness.

Shankar: Can you elaborate.

Mahadev: Sure. Our association has always been with objects, people, and
places etc. all of which are to satisfy ourselves. We want permanence in all
these, permanence in objects, relationships, wealth, health, body, intelligence,
in everything. Unfortunately, all these things will change, and every time they
change either due to loss of wealth or relations, or ill health, or loss of fame or
name, we suffer. All the objects that give us happiness at one time can also
give us sorrow at another time.

Sowmya: True.

Mahadev: Our association is always with things that change. The irony is we
cling on to things that will change and expect them to remain changeless.

Shankar: I guess so.

Mahadev: Krishna beautifully describes how a MAN LOSES HIMSELF, in verse

62 and 63 of Chapter II of Gita;

dhyayato vishayan pumsaha sangasteshoopajayate

sangat sanjayate kamaha kamat krodhobhijayate

In the case of a person who dwells on objects, there arises attachment for
them. From attachment grows hankering, from hankering springs anger.

krodad bhavati sammohaha sammohat smriti vibhramaha

smriti bramsad buddhi nashaha buddhi nashat pranashyati

From anger follows delusion; from delusion, failure of memory; from failure of
memory, the loss of understanding; from the loss of understanding, he
perishes.

P a g e | 61 Home
Shankar: Super.

Mahadev: We seek happiness for our self, when what we think as our self is a
changing entity, like our body, mind, intellect, etc. Our body keeps changing, so
does our mind and our intellect, our health, wealth, name, fame etc.

Sneha: I, a Changing entity expect permanence in the world which consists of

changing objects, people, and that is the root cause for sorrow, is that what
you are saying?

Mahadev: Superb Sneha. Do you get the irony? You, who are a changing entity,
expect permanence in the changing world. Here I refer YOU as per your
definition of yourself.

Koushik: I get it. If I shed my Ego, will I get happiness?

Mahadev: Happiness does not get infused into you from any external sources;
it is inherent in YOU but covered by your Ego resulting in ignorance about your
SELF. When this ignorance is removed, YOU are Happiness.

Shankar: Can you give an example.

Mahadev: You do not add shine to gold. When you remove the muck that
surrounds the gold, it automatically glitters. That is its natural state. Likewise
your natural state is Happiness, but your identification with your body, mind,
intellect, name, fame, wealth etc. has created a new entity called your Ego.
That really covers Happiness.

Shankar: True. How do I know that Happiness is inherent in me?

Mahadev: Let us also analyse your experience in deep sleep. In deep sleep you
do not identify with your Ego which is totally absent, and when you wake up
you feel refreshed, charged up and extremely happy. Similarly, when you have
those fleeting moments of remaining in Silence during Meditation, you are in
Happiness only. What weakens you when you are awake is your identification
with the wrong “You” or Ego. Stop that, and you are always charged up, fresh,
ever in Happiness.

Sowmya: Wow.

P a g e | 62 Home
Mahadev: Refer the verse I said earlier, not by action but only by sacrificing
your Ego can you attain immortality. The word immortality here refers to
Anantam or infinite Happiness. This Happiness is not on account of anything,
but in spite of everything. It is not gained by doing anything, but by sacrificing
your wrong notion about yourself which is your Ego.

Shankar: Mahadev, Is that the same as what Buddha said, Shun all
attachments?

Mahadev: Yes, what Buddha refers to is the same, you attach yourself to your
body, ideas, name, fame, and wealth; as though YOU are that, but they all will
change and you will lose them also, so shun these attachments.

Koushik: What then will be the motivation in life, if we shun all attachments?

Mahadev: DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND THIS TO MEAN TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING

AND RUN AWAY. Such a thought can cause major problems. Whatever work
one is engaged in, do not give them up, just go ahead and get them done to
the best of your ability. Enjoy everything that Life has to offer without
hankering for anything. All that is necessary is to REGAIN YOUR SELF, by
LOSING YOUR WRONG SELF.

Sneha: Got it. My current notion of who I am, that should be given up, as they
are not who I am, but they are what I have, or what I can etc. This I should give
up, that would help in being my Self.

Mahadev: That is brilliant Sneha.

Sowmya: Anna, Where should one start to reach this?

Mahadev: You are in that state even now, just that you have assumed yourself
to be otherwise. All the practices we discussed earlier will help you get rid of
this notion.

Koushik: We begin by Understanding Gods Supreme nature and our

limitations. We do every work as an offering to the Lord and accept the results
as Prasad, freeing oneself from the thought that “I am the doer”

P a g e | 63 Home
Sneha: Engage in constant prayer and develop a strong personal relationship
with God. I see everything as God, and hence Love everything. I free myself
from hatred, anger etc.

Shanker: By practicing Pranayama, through control of the breath, I control my

mind and the thoughts.

Sowmya: Through a regular practice of Japa, I gain inner Peace.

Mahadev: The purest of the lot is to remain in Silence. When you remain in
Silence, you are with yourself, without any adjective, noun, verb, adverb, none
whatsoever, just YOU.

Koushik: I remain changeless, objectless, nameless, formless as Silence, is that

what I am?

Mahadev: Brilliant. When YOU remain in Silence, YOU are your SELF, there is
no subject or object, “YOU ARE”, that’s all. Remaining in Silence is Fulfilment or
Completeness.

Koushik: After all this effort, what if I don’t fully realize my SELF?

Mahadev: Firstly, you must start with the conviction that you can and you will.
In any case, following these practices will make you a wonderful, loving and a
happy human being under all circumstances. Is that not worth striving for?

Koushik : Yes, Absolutely.

Sneha: That was inspiring, and I will and I shall be.

Shankar: Mahadev, these discussions have given me a clear picture and a

correct perspective to everything. I feel so light and relieved now.

Mahadev: All that we have discussed have been brilliantly thought out by our
forefathers thousands of years ago. They were the loftiest thinkers. They have
reached the greatest heights Human Mind can ever aspire in all areas from
Arts, Science, Technology, Architecture, Medicine and Astronomy, name them
all.

Koushik: What have they left for us?

P a g e | 64 Home
Mahadev: They have given us the treasure house called the Vedas. And all the
discussions we had so far, they are brilliantly dissected in the final portions of
the Vedas called Vedanta, consisting of several Upanishads.

Koushik: Can one just read them and understand?

Mahadev: You can try, but my recommendation would be to learn from a

teacher. If you want to understand Maths or Physics or any subject, you
definitely need a teacher, right?

Koushik: Of course, how then can we understand the concepts?

Mahadev: Likewise, to understand these, it is best to learn from a teacher, we

call them Guru. They are so called because, Guru means, the one who removes
ignorance. A Guru will lead you in the right path. Simply reading by yourself
can also cause wrong interpretations and lead you astray.

I referred earlier to a verse on how MAN LOSES HIMSELF. Let me conclude

with a verse from Bhaja Govindam by Adi Shankaracharya, the greatest Guru of
all times, who tells how MAN REGAINS HIMSELF

sat sangatve nis sangatvam, nis sangatve nir mohatvam

nir mohatve nischala thatvam, nischala thatve jeevan mukthih

Many think that Satsang is associating with good people. It is actually

associating with the Truth.

By associating with the Truth, you dissociate from Attachment

By dissociating from Attachment, you free yourself from Delusion
By freeing yourself from Delusion, you achieve Stillness of Mind
By remaining in this Stillness you Realise your true Self

Om Shanti Shanti Shantih

P a g e | 65 Home