The nectar-like of His Holiness. Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati, the incomparable saint of the Himalayas, famous in song and legend, are too well-known to the intelligent public as well as to the earnest aspirant of knowledge Divine. Their aim and object is nothing but emancipation from the wheel of births and deaths through absorption of the Jiva with the supreme Soul. Now, this emancipation can be had only through right knowledge.
It is an undisputed fact that it is almost a herculean task for the man in the street, blinded as he is by worldly desires of diverse kinds, to forge his way to realisation of God. Not only is it his short-sightedness that stands in the way but innumerable other difficulties and obstacles hamper the progress onward towards the goal. He is utterly helpless the someone who has successfully trodden the path, comes to his aid or rescue, takes him by the hand, leads him safely through the inextricable traps and pitfalls of worldly temptation and desires, and finally brings him to his destination which is the crowning glory of the be-all and end-all of life, where all suffering ceases and all quest comes to an end. This realisation is nothing but the knowing of the self as the real self, the one without a second.
This volume is, as the title will show, a book that has been carefully prepared for the benefit of those who are intricately placed in life that they cannot read of the path of renunciation or Sannyasa. Certainly, unless one cleanses the augean stables of his mind an expurgates all impurities through selfless and disinterested service while living amid the toil and moil of the world, he will find himself in a fool's paradise, when he puts on the second orange-coloured garb to follow the path of renunciation. So one has to do Karma Yoga first ceaselessly and untiringly, and develop all noble qualities such as cosmic love, endurance, nobility and Brahmachary a, and thus equip himself for the great ensuing battle royal, and finally come out the victor.
The present work. Practice of Karma Yoga, coming as it does, from the inspired and enlightened pen of Swami Sivanandaji, is, as usual, a safe and sound guide to reach the goal in view of the aspirant. Those who have had the good fortune to know of Sri Swami Sivanandaji and his writings-from the biggest volume to the sixteen-page pamphlet distributed free to those who ask the those who do not ask-will agree with us how infallible his writings are, how simple and lucid is the language he employs in order that what he writes may be accessible not only to the university graduate, but also to him or her who ahs a working knowledge of English, and how sincere and earnest the author is in his unquenchable thirst to be even a 'particle' of service to his brethren. Pregnant with the magnetism of a Jivanmukta or liberated sage, they cannot but uplift the seeker after Truth to ineffable heights of spiritual glory, bliss and peace.
- THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
About the Author:
Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Saga Appayya Diskhita and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.
His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.
It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta.
In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament Reliogions'. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read his works is to drink at the fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 he entered Mahasamadhi.
Pages | |
Publishers' Note | v |
Preface | vii |
Only God I Saw | x |
Universal Prayer | xii |
Siva Manasa Pooja | xiii |
Introduction | xv |
Who is God? | 3 |
Yoga of Service | 4 |
What Is Karma? | 10 |
Right and Wrong Action | 10 |
Nishkamya Karma Yoga | 11 |
Karma Yoga: A Means to Knowledge | 14 |
Qualifications of a Karma Yogi | 14 |
Work Is Worship | 16 |
Yoga of Equanimity | 20 |
Poised Reason | 23 |
Work without any Motive | 23 |
No Loss in Karma Yoga | 25 |
Health and Yoga | 27 |
Secret of Karma Yoga | 31 |
Law of Karma | 36 |
Laws of Causation | 43 |
Law of Action and Reaction | 47 |
Law of Compensation | 49 |
Law of Retribution | 51 |
Law of Resistance | 54 |
What Is Svadharma? | 57 |
Duties of Man | 67 |
The Three Gunas | 71 |
Karma Indriyas | 75 |
The Pseudo-Karma Yogi | 78 |
Mithyachara | 80 |
Instructions to Aspirants | 81 |
Free Will | 96 |
Philosophy of Right and Wrong | 98 |
As You Sow, So Shall You Reap | 101 |
Man Can Outgrow Environments | 103 |
Man Is the Master of His Destiny | 106 |
Gleanings | 108 |
Free Will Versus Fatalism | 109 |
Karma | 113 |
Doctrine of Reincarnation | 118 |
Lawful and Forbidden Actions | 124 |
Three Kinds of Karma | 127 |
Sin Is a Mistake Only | 129 |
Secrets of Karma | 130 |
Karma in the Jain Philosophy | 134 |
Purushartha Versus Prarabdha | 136 |
Conduct | 137 |
The Four Paths | 138 |
Live up to Your Ideal | 139 |
Karma Nishtha | 141 |
Transcend the Dvandvas | 143 |
Naishkarmya | 143 |
Meditation and Action | 144 |
Kill Desire | 145 |
Sannyasins, Wake up | 148 |
Practice of Brahmacharya | 152 |
Glory of Brahmacharya | 159 |
Practical Instructions | 161 |
Importance of Brahmacharya | 166 |
Fashion: a Terrible Curse | 168 |
Control of Smoking Habit | 171 |
Meat-Eating | 173 |
Gambling | 175 |
The Wheel of the Universe | 177 |
Scope for Personal Exertion | 182 |
Prakriti Does Everything | 184 |
Action and Inaction | 185 |
Action and Actor | 187 |
Self-surrender | 187 |
Karma Yoga Better than Renunciation | 188 |
Tiruvalluvar | 191 |
Story of a Bania | 193 |
Raja Gopichand | 194 |
Story of a Pandit | 194 |
The Jolly Ant | 195 |
Raja Janaka | 195 |
An Ideal Karma-Jnana-Yogi | 196 |
Highest Self-sacrifice | 199 |
Story of a Bird | 200 |
Special Instructions for Karma Yogis | 202 |
Manu Smriti | 203 |
Spiritual Diary | 204 |
Click Here for More Books Published By Divine Life Society, Rishikesh
The nectar-like of His Holiness. Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati, the incomparable saint of the Himalayas, famous in song and legend, are too well-known to the intelligent public as well as to the earnest aspirant of knowledge Divine. Their aim and object is nothing but emancipation from the wheel of births and deaths through absorption of the Jiva with the supreme Soul. Now, this emancipation can be had only through right knowledge.
It is an undisputed fact that it is almost a herculean task for the man in the street, blinded as he is by worldly desires of diverse kinds, to forge his way to realisation of God. Not only is it his short-sightedness that stands in the way but innumerable other difficulties and obstacles hamper the progress onward towards the goal. He is utterly helpless the someone who has successfully trodden the path, comes to his aid or rescue, takes him by the hand, leads him safely through the inextricable traps and pitfalls of worldly temptation and desires, and finally brings him to his destination which is the crowning glory of the be-all and end-all of life, where all suffering ceases and all quest comes to an end. This realisation is nothing but the knowing of the self as the real self, the one without a second.
This volume is, as the title will show, a book that has been carefully prepared for the benefit of those who are intricately placed in life that they cannot read of the path of renunciation or Sannyasa. Certainly, unless one cleanses the augean stables of his mind an expurgates all impurities through selfless and disinterested service while living amid the toil and moil of the world, he will find himself in a fool's paradise, when he puts on the second orange-coloured garb to follow the path of renunciation. So one has to do Karma Yoga first ceaselessly and untiringly, and develop all noble qualities such as cosmic love, endurance, nobility and Brahmachary a, and thus equip himself for the great ensuing battle royal, and finally come out the victor.
The present work. Practice of Karma Yoga, coming as it does, from the inspired and enlightened pen of Swami Sivanandaji, is, as usual, a safe and sound guide to reach the goal in view of the aspirant. Those who have had the good fortune to know of Sri Swami Sivanandaji and his writings-from the biggest volume to the sixteen-page pamphlet distributed free to those who ask the those who do not ask-will agree with us how infallible his writings are, how simple and lucid is the language he employs in order that what he writes may be accessible not only to the university graduate, but also to him or her who ahs a working knowledge of English, and how sincere and earnest the author is in his unquenchable thirst to be even a 'particle' of service to his brethren. Pregnant with the magnetism of a Jivanmukta or liberated sage, they cannot but uplift the seeker after Truth to ineffable heights of spiritual glory, bliss and peace.
- THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
About the Author:
Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Saga Appayya Diskhita and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.
His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.
It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta.
In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament Reliogions'. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read his works is to drink at the fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 he entered Mahasamadhi.
Pages | |
Publishers' Note | v |
Preface | vii |
Only God I Saw | x |
Universal Prayer | xii |
Siva Manasa Pooja | xiii |
Introduction | xv |
Who is God? | 3 |
Yoga of Service | 4 |
What Is Karma? | 10 |
Right and Wrong Action | 10 |
Nishkamya Karma Yoga | 11 |
Karma Yoga: A Means to Knowledge | 14 |
Qualifications of a Karma Yogi | 14 |
Work Is Worship | 16 |
Yoga of Equanimity | 20 |
Poised Reason | 23 |
Work without any Motive | 23 |
No Loss in Karma Yoga | 25 |
Health and Yoga | 27 |
Secret of Karma Yoga | 31 |
Law of Karma | 36 |
Laws of Causation | 43 |
Law of Action and Reaction | 47 |
Law of Compensation | 49 |
Law of Retribution | 51 |
Law of Resistance | 54 |
What Is Svadharma? | 57 |
Duties of Man | 67 |
The Three Gunas | 71 |
Karma Indriyas | 75 |
The Pseudo-Karma Yogi | 78 |
Mithyachara | 80 |
Instructions to Aspirants | 81 |
Free Will | 96 |
Philosophy of Right and Wrong | 98 |
As You Sow, So Shall You Reap | 101 |
Man Can Outgrow Environments | 103 |
Man Is the Master of His Destiny | 106 |
Gleanings | 108 |
Free Will Versus Fatalism | 109 |
Karma | 113 |
Doctrine of Reincarnation | 118 |
Lawful and Forbidden Actions | 124 |
Three Kinds of Karma | 127 |
Sin Is a Mistake Only | 129 |
Secrets of Karma | 130 |
Karma in the Jain Philosophy | 134 |
Purushartha Versus Prarabdha | 136 |
Conduct | 137 |
The Four Paths | 138 |
Live up to Your Ideal | 139 |
Karma Nishtha | 141 |
Transcend the Dvandvas | 143 |
Naishkarmya | 143 |
Meditation and Action | 144 |
Kill Desire | 145 |
Sannyasins, Wake up | 148 |
Practice of Brahmacharya | 152 |
Glory of Brahmacharya | 159 |
Practical Instructions | 161 |
Importance of Brahmacharya | 166 |
Fashion: a Terrible Curse | 168 |
Control of Smoking Habit | 171 |
Meat-Eating | 173 |
Gambling | 175 |
The Wheel of the Universe | 177 |
Scope for Personal Exertion | 182 |
Prakriti Does Everything | 184 |
Action and Inaction | 185 |
Action and Actor | 187 |
Self-surrender | 187 |
Karma Yoga Better than Renunciation | 188 |
Tiruvalluvar | 191 |
Story of a Bania | 193 |
Raja Gopichand | 194 |
Story of a Pandit | 194 |
The Jolly Ant | 195 |
Raja Janaka | 195 |
An Ideal Karma-Jnana-Yogi | 196 |
Highest Self-sacrifice | 199 |
Story of a Bird | 200 |
Special Instructions for Karma Yogis | 202 |
Manu Smriti | 203 |
Spiritual Diary | 204 |
Click Here for More Books Published By Divine Life Society, Rishikesh