Bhagavad Gita Explained by Gurumaa

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita – This word was a spiritualistic jargon for me till 25-12-07. In my twenty-two years I had learnt the one line meaning of this phrase “ KARAM KARO FAL KI CHINTA MAT KARO”. This meaning was enough to make me feel proud of myself. My grandpa’s told me this and I could had nothing more to tell, until GOD pour her blessings on me and gave me an opportunity to be in her footsteps and inculcate in me the teachings and essence of the greatest philosophical and religious dialogue known to man.
It was the first time I realized that my knowledge was not even benchmarked to a speck of sand in the desert or to a drop of water in the ocean or to even a single cell in human body. I realized I was a recidivist with my own life and was passing it in shear darkness.
It is paranormal and completely illogical for me to tell what THE MASTER said but by Her permission I would like to give you a brief narration of my experience of the shiver held from 25-12-07 to 29-12-07 in Rishikesh.
A bright day and warm welcome (by the Sevadars) awaited all the disciples who came from all over the country. Within no time the pandal was filled, to welcome THE MYSTIC. The holy city was approaching to dawn but our hearts could feel the dusk and eagerly waited for the onset of the sun so as to absorb the perpetual rays of knowledge, joy, bliss, love, guidance and energy.
It was predestined that the discourse would be on the 5TH and 6th chapters of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.
Gurumaa told us how Karam Sanayas is in relation to Nishkam Karam Yog. How sense gratification is not good for us? She told us that renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to God and one could not claim proprietorship over anything. One who is always in Krishna’s consciousness is always a renounce as he neither feels hatred nor desires for results of his own actions. She also told us that self-realization is ultimate goal of life and every entity is not part and parcel of this material world but of Supreme Sprit. The art of living a disciplined and healthy life was also explained. The zephyr of words and bhajans sung by THE MYSTIC brought the disciples in a lachrymal state and it was the first time many of us could see the agony and stresses deep with us. Bhagavad Gita Explained videos only at Gurumaa.com

The thoughts and words of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi are creating a stir in the world even after 700 years of his passing away. One way in which he described himself is, “My Mother is Love, My Father is Love, My Prophet is Love, My God is Love, I am a child of Love and I have come only to speak of Love.”

A steady husband and father, Mevlana taught in the medrese (a center of learning similar to a university of the time), gave judgements on religious matters, and had many followers. But when he met the dervish of Tebriz, Shamsuddin Shams, Mevlana’s whole life of book learning, canonical views, and conservative behavior changed radically as the burning of Divine Love swept through him. He was completely absorbed with Shams, stayed in seclusion with him for months, and humbled himself in his attempt to meet his every wish. The moment of their meeting is referred to as “the meeting of two seas”. Each of them had attained an in-depth spiritual awareness, which distinguished them from others . Now these two would complete each other in the boundless Sea of Unity.

The spark of passion for the Divine in Rumi was kindled by Shams.All Rumi’s works are based on love. He says that love is the basis and essence of life. God created the Universe out of love. The origin of creation is love. His thoughts on love have been classified under four headings: comparison between intellect and love/ ascendancy and value of love which is for mortal beings; and lastly, the pitiable situation of those who have not a share in love. As per the Sufi philosophy, metaphysical realities cannot be fully understood by science and intellect. However, one with wings of love can soar to great heights.He considered the distance between man and god as an ocean, with intellect being the swimmer and love the ship to take us across the ocean. Only those who can taste this love can appreciate its worth. According to Rumi,”Love for all living beings is every moment fresher than a bud in the spirit and in the wine that increases life. Choose the love of Him from whose love all the prophets gained power and glory.” Someone asked,”What is love”?, the answer was,”you will know when you become me”. ”Whilst the pen was making haste in writing , it split upon itself as soon as it came to Love”, says Rumi.

Mevlana, who found out that the essence of creation and man’s exaltation of his worldly body was in love alone, never considered a loveless life as a real life. When years of fasting and abstinence took their toll on Rumi’s body, he fell seriously ill and on his deathbed comforted his family by saying, ” Don’t grieve that I am leaving this world . Whatever may happen to you , I am with you . As our Prophet said , ‘ Both my life and my death are auspicious for you .’ The purpose of my life was to show the true path and my death is to aid you along the way . ”

Husemuddin Chelebi, who regularly attended the sema and music assemblies as well as discourses of Rumi, documented the Mevlana’s words into the six volume poem known as The Mesnavi.

It is left to the followers of Rumi and those who believe in his philosophy to awaken in themselves an awareness of the need for the gentle and tolerant views, thoughts, and way of a Lover of the Divine.

Seema

Who is a good disciple? The first trait that comes to my mind which a good disciple should possess is surrender to the Guru. When I offer my very self to the Guru, I will be a good disciple. To me, shedding off my negative qualities will help me in becoming a good disciple. It is said that a good disciple grows strong under a guru’s discipline. So being a good disciple does not mean that the guru is going to be very kind to me. To burn in the fire of spirituality, I have to feel the heat. The disciple must be earnest and sincere. Have you noticed that the words disciple and discipline go well together, so there must be discipline in the disciple’s life – in thought, word and deed. The eight fold path of yoga embodies the discipline which should become a way of life for the disciple.

At times, I feel that I am a good disciple. But when the real test comes and life’s vagaries strike, my stillness breaks and I find myself still getting agitated. Then I ask myself, “Am I a good disciple, am I imbibing the teachings of my Guru?”. If yes, then why do I get agitated?I should remain in the stillness of my heart and not get influenced by what is happening in the world. Then I console myself by saying,”Atleast the awareness has come, so that I may check myself and not be swayed by any turbulence in the still waters of my life”.Yes, I may not have become a good disciple, but I am surely on the way and with my Guru’s support, I shall definitely reach the goal. There will be difficulties on the way, but I must learn from my mistakes and become a better person. The learning from each episode is that I must have trust in my Guru that she is always behind me and will watch over me. All the world’s a stage and some game or drama will always go on. I must watch it like a witness and not get involved in it.

The Guru has touched me with her magic hand. Her pranshakti has flowed into me with her acceptance of me as her disciple. So now a part of the Guru is always with me. Then how can I defile my Guru’s presence in me by continuing with my negativity? How can I deny all that has come into my life due to my Guru? When I get agitated, angry or am full of hatred towards my fellowmen, won’t the Guru’s presence in my heart be pained? It will be demolished by the impure vibrations of my negativity. It is now my duty to see that the bad vibrations of my actions do not agitate the still waters of my sadhana. The purity of my Guru’s initiation has to be maintained at all costs. Only then will I become a good disciple. This will be my real sadhana.

If you want to keep pace with the fast pacing technology, then you got to plunge into the ocean of meditation. Yes! The regular practice of meditation techniques unleashes the reservoir of potential lying dormant within. And it comes as a surprise to oneself.

Now the word meditation has become so prominent these days that all of a sudden every one seems to be searching for that right meditation technique. Certainly there are numerous benefits of meditation like it helps to overcome stress, be at peace with oneself i.e. establishing a harmonious relationship with one self and others around.

As the benefits of meditation are many, so are the meditation techniques, especially guided meditation techniques. The foremost questions that come in the mind of the seeker are: what is meditation? What are the benefits of meditation? Which meditation technique is the best for me? Do I need to do daily meditation? And do I need to have a separate meditation room to practice meditation techniques?

Well, these questions arise in the mind of the beginner, and for a beginner there are again a variety of choices for daily meditation. It is advisable to follow a guided meditation technique with the help of a meditation cd in a meditation room.

The most interesting fact is this process of reaching within starts with a meditation technique and then culminates with no meditation technique. Even walking meditation which in the beginning is a meditation technique becomes natural. You are walking and with the quality of your high awareness it becomes walking meditation.

The meditation techniques are many, but are you ready to explore?

Explore this sacred world of meditation yourself! Start experimenting with your being Now! This is one path where you never loose… Even a “failure” is highly precious and teaches you a lot. So start this inner journey today. Start meditating today.

The enlightened woman mystic, Anandmurti Gurumaa, is using a lot of ancient meditation techniques and moulding them artistically for today’s minds. Gurumaa’s guided meditation techniques are working wonders for people from all the corners of the world. Do visit the gurumaa site and explore it yourself!

Mystica Music has also got a few soothing relaxation meditation music cds which can be used for stress relief and mind relaxation.

Summer camps for adults at Gurumaa Ashram have just concluded. Youth Shivir is on.

This summer three continuous shivirs were organised for seekers to imbibe more and more the teachings of the Bhagwad Geeta. The master gave precious time to her disciples for 15 consecutive days, apart from granting darshans and the opportunity to clarify doubts.

Guruji’s lucid explanation of the Bhagwad Geeta taught us how to lead life, to see God in all beings and treat the ‘Virat Roop’ as just an illusion. The main thing is to do your sadhana, meditate, serve mankind, be obedient to your Guru and realise God. This is what the master has been saying over and over again, but we needed a jolt which made us realise that even the Supreme Godhead said the same things. But will it really register? I have problems with sitting for a long time, Guruji. OK, attend yoga classes in the morning. Chanting is an important part of sadhana. So, we chanted the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra after dinner. For many, it was the first time they had heard of this chant. Yogic breathing and chanting of Om prepared the newcomers for intensive meditation. Seva in the kitchen, in our rooms and in the lawns.Urja meditation helped to reduce thoughts and disturbing symptoms and sensations. Yog Nidra in the afternoons was a great relief, though the sound of snoring was distracting! The tight routine left little time for lazing or chitchatting and encouraged the participants to remain in silence.

Guruji has made the right prescription for us to go ahead in our spiritual journey.

But back home, how many of us will be able to keep up the tempo? Stress-filled jobs, daily chores and family problems — how do I get up early in the morning?I go to bed quite late, I eat dinner late!! In the Ashram, dinner at 7.30pm was strictly followed. The other day Guruji spoke of an Ashram where dinner is served at 5:30pm and that too, only soup and bread! How will the city yuppie survive at these ashrams? Firstly, we have to change our mindset. Are we really equipped for spirituality?Spirituality is not an ‘in’ thing which we have to flaunt in society. ‘I am into spirituality jee, Revered _________ is my Guruji’. Oh, so this guy is on his way to re……ali…….sation, WOW!” If my body is not ready to sit straight on the floor for atleast an hour, hatha yoga is the solution. First master the asanas and make your body fit, then enter the meditation room. Bhakti and seva along with gyan, as Pujya Gurumaa said, are the ingredients which will make your sadhana fruitful. Though, as the Bhagwad Geeta says, “Offer all your acts to me, do not expect any fruit for the action”.

What is the use of doing pranayam?, I ask. Why can’t Guruji just give me shaktipat and I can start meditating like a highly evolved person. No, my dear, Guruji says, this is not a one afternoon wonder. ‘Kabira marag kathin hai.’ “Are my chakras opening, Guruji?”. “You wouldn’t be smiling and asking me then, dear”. Opening of chakras is not a joyous occasion, it is a painful experience. But plod along the way your Guru says and one day, you will definitely come out into the sunshine.

This was surely a refresher course and I came back panting for more. Already, seekers have started asking,”When is the next shivir?”. Give Guruji a breather. Practice all that you have learnt at home and see how you can apply it in your daily life. Blessings of the Sadguru act subtly and the result will be visible only when life’s vagaries strike. How calm and cool you stand in front of difficulties. How you act and not react, improve relationships, that will be the real test!

Don’t worry, if you are sincere, the Guru’s blessings are with you and the road may be long, but at last we shall reach the destination.

Jai Gurudev!

Seema

LONG time back about 7 yrs back a day came in my life that is very difficult for me to forget… A day when I came to “GURUMAA ASHRAM”. I used to hear a lot about “ANANDMURTI GURUMAA” from my parents & my uncle…& I thought I would be very lucky if I just see a glimpse of “GURUMAAJI” & that day arrived. From that day onwards my life changed a lot, now it is just the opposite of what it was seven years back. After that I attended shivir, youth shivir ,in which I just love to go…& these shivirs I think I cant afford to miss them…

“GURUMAAJI” taught us meditation & after that my concentration power had increased a lot & the best thing is that through meditation I got to know that my body & my conscious are two different things. In meditation one keeps oneself away from his body. We are looking what is happening all around us & now things don’t matter a lot.to me, like I am taking my life as it comes & my mind is calm & relaxed & worries don’t bother me a lot..

I just keep “GURUMAAJI’S WORDS” in my mind as a student” STUDY WELL & DO YOUR WORK WITH FULL CONCENTRATION “ These words for me as a student help me to live my life happily & the meditation taught by “GURUMAAJI”

“TRATAK DHAYAN”-Its concentrating on a flame without blinking your eyes. It helps students a lot to increase their concentration power in studies. as it has helped me a lot.

With GURU in my life its life full of happiness that isn’t temporary but is permanent & A LIFE FULL OF MEANING.

Shikha

Everything seems to be a dream, that life could be so meaningful & the world could be so nice. All this seemed to be realistic when I attended the Rishikesh Meditation Retreat by Anandmurti Gurumaaji.Rishikesh – the land of Lord Shiva, a land of sages.The shivir held in this place made it like living in heaven.. In the front of the ashram was the holy river Ganga flowing & at the back of ashram were mountains & all this happened by the blessings of Gurumaaji & to be with “Anandmurti gurumaaji” for 6 days seemed just like 6 mins which flewed, by not even knowing.These are the days that I lived in a dream….

Gurumaaji explained us each & every word & shloka of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 & 6.

Earlier, I didn’t use to understand. The shlokas in Gita – They seemed to be tough to me. I just read them once but was not able to understand the meaning of any shloka.

But gurumaaji explained us meaning of every shloka & how to apply it in different spheres of living life.

It brought a lot of change in my life. I got to know the way in which the life is to be lived. Life is so beautiful & its only the way one looks at it. One should try to enjoy each & every minute of life thinking that it’s the last minute of one’s life. One should do his/her work with not having a feeling of selfishness but with the feeling of “NishkaaM”, that means by doing just the work & not thinking of any rewards. Not expecting anything & just doing your duty..

Gurumaaji taught us Yoga Nidra, that relaxes one’s mind & soul & relieves away all tensions. In this modern era I think it’s a must for every individual. So one should do it regularly. It relieves away one’s mental tensions & makes one feel healthy.

Gurumaaji laid stress on health. That yoga is must for one’s life. One should get up early in the morning… That the time b/w 4:00am to 4:30am is the best time to get up… & if one gets up at this time & does yoga, then that person will remain healthy.

Health is important for life to live longer & if one is healthy than one will be able to do all his daily activities well & meditation is must in one’s life. One should meditate regularly. knowledge is important for life.

Only the diet that one requires should eat, food should be chewed 32 times, one should eat meditatively. Live life with full consciousness & be aware of the surroundings & do every work, whatever it may be, meditatively.

And soon all the days come to an end & it seemed like just few minutes before we have come here & now we are leaving that place. Still today, the fragrance of those days are fresh in my memory & I do follow what gurumaaji taught us.

I daily wake up at 4am & do yoga & meditation & sleep early at night. It has bought a lot of positive effect in my life. Now I always try to remain happy & free of tensions & just wish almighty if I could live those heavenly days of my life again.

–Shashank Aggarwal, B.Tech Student, Chandigarh.

In November of the year 2003, I left my job at the Unit Trust of India after working there for 12 years. I had had two operations, one major and the other minor in the past 1 ½ years. My vitality was at a low ebb. At that point of time, there was only one thought in my mind, I must start meditation. I fervently prayed to God to send a Guru, who would guide me in my spiritual life, which I was yearning to start.

I was aware of Gurumaa’s talks on the TV and sometimes listened to these. It was also my practice to attend the programmes of saints visiting the city of Kolkata where I live, if possible, for atleast a day. In February of 2004, my future Guru, Anandmurti Gurumaa arrived in Kolkata to give her discourse for the first time. I attended her discourse for two days out of the 5 days she was there. My first live interaction with her was transforming. As Gurumaa said, those who were able to imbibe what she said would feel a tremble in their bodies, a softness in their hearts and tears in their eyes. Friends, this is what happened to me when I first saw and heard her live! When she got up to leave with her characteristic namaskar, I surged forward with thousands of others to catch a closer glimpse of her and also offer my pranams to this noble soul who had made a dent somewhere in my mind.

Unfortunately, I could not get deeksha during this visit of hers. However, I pledged that I would start doing seva for my Guru immediately. I requested the organizers to give me some work. I was given the task of making a list of the participants of the ‘Amrit Varsha’ satsang which had just concluded. I was offered money to do this ‘seva’, but politely declined, offering this seva at the feet of my Guru. I joined the group which started regular weekly meditation in Kolkata. To my surprise, I found myself going into deep meditation right from day one. Such was the grace of my Guru. Throughout the year, I continued meditation at home as well as at the Centre. During this time, I started working again as I got an assignment as an HR Consultant with an NGO, which had been my inner wish after leaving my full-time job.

As winter approached, we got the news that Gurumaa was gracing us with her presence yet again this year! With hearts full of happiness, we started preparations for our Guru’s coming. We visited and called up people, inviting them to the programme and accepting their contributions. I also gave my name for seva during the satsang. When the auspicious day arrived, I was given seva in the VIP Book Store. I cannot tell what joy and enthusiasm I experienced during this seva, along with my other co-devotees, even though our darshan and listening to her discourses was almost impossible since our stall was outside the pandal and we had to really concentrate to even listen to her voice!On the last day, deeksha was announced and I was among the privileged ones to be accorded initiation.

In June, our party proceeded to Gurumaa Ashram for the Eastern Region Dhyan Shivir. Each moment of ours passed with remembrance of our Guru and the wait seemed interminable till we reached the Ashram.

My first sight of the Ashram filled me with awe that such a vast and beautiful structure could have been built in the wilderness. I along with our group of devotees who had come to the Ashram for the first time, visited each part of the Ashram and interacted with the sevadaars with utmost humility and devotion. We could not wait for the Gurumandir to open so that we could have darshan there and kept standing there and offering our obeisance till we were asked to go to our rooms, take lunch and rest in the afternoon.

I loved the metal bed allotted to me along with the built-in cupboard under it to keep my belongings. I went around to all the buildings – Gyaaneshwar Aavas was where I was put up, Nanak Dhaam and all the buildings named after rivers and found the atmosphere serene and full of energy.

I appreciated the hard work done by Gurumaa and her devotees in building up the Ashram from scratch. As I entered the Sambuddh Sabhagar for the first time to attend the shivir, I felt detached from those who vied to get a seat closer to the platform. I just sat in a corner and gazed at my Guru and imbibed the knowledge that poured from her lips. After meditation, I felt myself not wanting to leave the hall. However, when she gave darshan at the Madhushala, I vied for her attention by raising my hand, moving forward just to have a word with her and was like ‘ tan man hoye nihaala’ when she smiled and reciprocated(merey sadguru deendayala). I also felt her affection through the friendliness and closeness of other devotees.

The morning and evening aartis were magical moments which left us entranced and we never felt like leaving the spot.

On the last day of the program, our group sang a Rabindra Sangeet for Gurumaa and we could feel her blessings in the way she looked at each one of us with her inward gaze and divine smile. I loved the way devotees put up their palms to receive the roti offered as Prasad in the Annapurna community kitchen.

Ofcourse, needless to say, this visit made a tremendous impact on my spiritual development and for days afterwards I felt like remaining in meditation day and night, feeling the presence of my Guru. We left the Ashram, vowing to come back soon and reveling in the grace and serenity flowing from this messenger from God – our Guru, and wondered how much more full of beauty and grace God would be. We felt as if we had got a glimpse of God himself!

Jai Gurudev!

Seema

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita – This word was a spiritualistic jargon for me till 25-12-07. In my twenty-two years I had learnt the one line meaning of this phrase “ KARAM KARO FAL KI CHINTA MAT KARO”. This meaning was enough to make me feel proud of myself. My grandpa’s told me this and I could had nothing more to tell, until GOD pour her blessings on me and gave me an opportunity to be in her footsteps and inculcate in me the teachings and essence of the greatest philosophical and religious dialogue known to man.
It was the first time I realized that my knowledge was not even benchmarked to a speck of sand in the desert or to a drop of water in the ocean or to even a single cell in human body. I realized I was a recidivist with my own life and was passing it in shear darkness.
It is paranormal and completely illogical for me to tell what THE MASTER said but by Her permission I would like to give you a brief narration of my experience of the shiver held from 25-12-07 to 29-12-07 in Rishikesh.
A bright day and warm welcome (by the Sevadars) awaited all the disciples who came from all over the country. Within no time the pandal was filled, to welcome THE MYSTIC. The holy city was approaching to dawn but our hearts could feel the dusk and eagerly waited for the onset of the sun so as to absorb the perpetual rays of knowledge, joy, bliss, love, guidance and energy.
It was predestined that the discourse would be on the 5TH and 6th chapters of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.
Gurumaa told us how Karam Sanayas is in relation to Nishkam Karam Yog. How sense gratification is not good for us? She told us that renunciation is complete when it is in the knowledge that everything in existence belongs to God and one could not claim proprietorship over anything. One who is always in Krishna’s consciousness is always a renounce as he neither feels hatred nor desires for results of his own actions. She also told us that self-realization is ultimate goal of life and every entity is not part and parcel of this material world but of Supreme Sprit. The art of living a disciplined and healthy life was also explained. The zephyr of words and bhajans sung by THE MYSTIC brought the disciples in a lachrymal state and it was the first time many of us could see the agony and stresses deep with us. Gurumaa narrated the abstruse Sanskrit text with the easiest possible way for us to comprehend. The importance and benefits of Yoga and Yog Nidra were also disclosed.
Though I could understand only a minuscule of what the Mystic said due to its high standards but it is good enough to give me a start to a new beginning.
At last I would request all the disciples who attended the shiver including myself that it would be obnoxious if we don’t even try to follow the MYSTIC’S direction, who is working for us day and night. And for the people who did not attend the shiver, I request you that time is passing by the speed of light and you should act before it’s too late.

Guru literally means the complete & the one who spreads the sea of knowledge and love to shishyas (the disciples). And a true shishya is one who grasps and withstand to gospel of his guru. Nobody is inborn shishya and the same is the case with me. i.e. I came to know about the reality of life in this unreal world only when I encounterted the Great Master ‘Anandmurti Gurumaaji’.

Gurumaa gave me the reason to love and celebrate my life and feel the essence of love. The annual meditation retreat is the one & foremost way where I comfort her & recharge myself by her heart warming, mind-boggling and inspring words. Yoga Retreat enhances our lifestyle by making it disciplined but only if one follows the rules and regulations led by the Master.

The theme of this year’s winter meditation retreat was ‘Shreemad Bhagavad Gita‘. It created such a feeling that Gurumaa seemed like ‘Krishna’ & I, ‘the Parth’. Another thing was the Yoga Nidra which is very important to lead our life free of any fear or stress.

There were many steps taken up by Gurumaa out of which one was to improve our selflessness for what we perfomed many duties out there, which at the end of the day gave the inner satisfaction of being in the ashram.

Last but not the least we were made to know about various aspects of yoga & its importance in our life. Yoga not only helps us to develop ourselves physically but also mentally & spiritually. Atlast I would like to say that the rays of Gurumaa had such wavelength that penetrated into my inner soul and purified it, for which I would like to thank Her from the bottom of my heart.

–Monika Khaneja, Delhi.