Ananda Gita (The Song of Bliss)

by Swami Sivananda

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Paperback: 128 + xii pages
Book Dimensions: 7.0 x 5.0 x 0.25 inches
Shipping Weight: 130 grams

Table of Contents

Publishers’ Note vii
Introduction viii
   
Chapter I
WHAT IS DIVINE LIFE
 
Divine Life 3
Religion 4
Essence of Gita 6
   

Chapter II
WAY OF ATTAINMENT

 
Sadhana 9
Satsanga 10
Guru Is Necessary 12
Virtue and Vice 13
Pleasure and Pain 15
All about Mind 16
How to Control the Mind? 18
Sankalpa and Its Destruction 20
Ahamkara or Egoism 22
Way to Peace 24
Special Instructions 25
   

Chapter III
KARMA YOGA

 
Practice of Karma Yoga 28
Anasakti Yoga 29
   

Chapter IV
BHAKTI YOGA

 
What Is Bhakti Yoga 32
Power of Prayer 34
Surrender and Grace 35
   
Chapter V
RAJA YOGA
 
Elements of Raja Yoga 38
Vrittis 39
Ahimsa 41
Satya 43
Brahmacharya 45
Kriya Yoga 47
Pranayama 48
Concentration 50
Meditation 52
Obstacles in Meditation 54
Experiences in Meditation 56
Samadhi 57
Sleep and Samadhi 59
   

Chapter VI
OTHER YOGAS

 
Hatha Yoga 61
Asana Yoga 63
Benefits of Asanas 71
Kundalini Yoga 72
Lambika Yoga 74
Nada Yoga 76
Japa Yoga 77
Yogas of Synthesis 79
   

Chapter VII
JNANA YOGA

 
Yoga of Wisdom 82
Nature of the Atman 84
Thy Real Nature 85
Maya 87
Nature and Workings of Maya 89
Avidya 90
Good and Evil 91
Puriashtaka Body 93
Bondage and Liberation 94
Bliss, Immortality, Freedom 96
Vivarta Vada 98
Vichara 99
Discrimination 100
Vairagya 101
Who am I? 103
Pranava or OM 105
Asparsa Yoga 106
Moksha or Final Blessedness 109
Immortality 110
Bliss Absolute 111
What Is Jivanmukti 113
Who Is a Jivanmukta 115
Essence of Upanishads 116
Essence of Yoga Vasishtha 118
Gist of Vedanta 122
   

Chapter VIII
UPASAMHARA

 
Mokshapriya Addresses His Guru 124
Swami Sivananda to Mokshapriya 125

Publishers’ Note

This small volume written by Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, is appearing in print for the fourth time.

A study and, what is more important, diligent practice of the lessons, would convince the reader beyond all doubt that this small volume gives the essence of Yoga Sadhana in a most practical manner.

The simple, lucid, direct and forceful style that characterises Sri Swamiji’s writings is born of more than a quarter of a century of Tapas, meditation, intense practical application of Yoga Sadhana, and sympathetic understanding of the aspirant’s problems that Sri Swamiji Maharaj has been solving by his spiritual preceptorship to thousands all over the world.

May all the readers be spiritually illumined and be blessed with this unique book come from one great saint.

THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY


Introduction

Who is Mokshapriya?

Mokshapriya is a young seeker after Truth. He is a practical illustration of Sri Swami Sivanandaji’s principle that one should renounce the world in youth. He has negatived the temptations of the flesh, the beckoning of Mara or Satan. He is a very quiet and peace-loving Sadhaka; and he has controlled the innate Rajas in man. He loves seclusion, and has set at naught the theory that man is a sociable animal. He is a thorough-going introvert; he has blinded himself to the false glittering of the sense-objects. He is convinced of the futility of seeking after anything mundane, and of the glory of seeking after a Brahma Vidya Guru. He has, therefore, resorted to the Bhumandala Sad Guru Sri Swami Sivanandaji; and today he shines in the lovely apparel of Tapas, Svadhyaya and Guru Seva.

Mokshapriya, in his (previous) life, comes of a very respectable family of Hyderabad. He is a Graduate in Mathematics. He stood first in the whole State. His teachers loved him; he captured their heart by his studiousness, keen intelligence, quick grasp and intense application. Even as a student he was considered a genius by his professors. He worked for sometime as a Mathematics teacher; and all students were eager to be his pupils! Then he gave up the job and devoted all his time to the study of philosophy and Yoga. This took him to the feet of Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj.

Glory to Sri Mokshapriya through whom Sri Swamiji has given to the world his priceless Ananda Gita, even as Lord Krishna gave the Gita through Sri Arjuna. May all young men follow his example and become Mokshapriyas!

Swami Chidananda


Chapter I
What is Divine Life

Divine Life

What is Divine Life? To shed the animal in Man, and to sublimate the human in him into the Divine; to express this sublimation in his daily, hourly life, in thought, word and deed–that is Divine life.

Mokshapriya said:

Tell me, Swamiji, what is divine life?

Swami Sivananda replied:

O Mokshapriya, divine life is life in God or Brahman or the pure Spirit.

To pray, to do Japa or recite the names of the Lord at all times, to sing His glory, to do Kirtan, to meditate on His form, Lilas and attributes, is divine life.

To speak the truth at all costs, to speak sweetly with love, to practise non-violence, celibacy, to behold the Lord in all forms is divine life.

To be ever in communion with the Lord by annihilating mine-ness and egoism through faith, devotion and self-surrender is divine life.

To study the Gita, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Bhagavata, the Yoga-Vasishtha, the Koran, the Bible, the Zend Avesta, and to follow the teachings contained therein is divine life.

O beloved disciple, feel His presence everywhere. Love all. Serve all. Be kind to all. Be tolerant. Be humble. Be pure. Be patient. Be forgiving. This is divine life.

Drive away Rajas (passion) and Tamas (inertia) and fill the mind with Sattva (purity). This is divine life.

Cultivate the divine virtues, straightforwardness; courage, serenity, generosity, mercy, self-restraint. This is divine life.

Keep up a balanced mind in success and failure, censure and praise, honour and dishonour, gain or loss, heat and cold. This is divine life.

O Mokshapriya, give up identification with the body, wife, children and property; identify yourself with the All-pervading, Immortal Brahman, and rest peacefully in Brahman. This is divine life.

Religion

Religion unites the individual soul with the Supreme Soul. Real religion is Self-realisation. Essentials of all religions are the same. Different religions are essential. Universal religion is LOVE.

Mokshapriya said:

O adorable Swamiji, speak to me on Religion.

Swami Sivananda answered:

O Mokshapriya, religion shows the way to Self-realisation of eternal life in Brahman.

O beloved aspirant, religion unites the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.

Real religion, O Mokshapriya, is above mind and senses. Real religion is Self-realisation.

Know that life without religion, O Jijnasu, is a dreary waste and is real death.

O Mokshapriya, the fundamentals or the essentials of all religions are the same. Non-essentials or rituals only differ.

Each religion, O seeker after Emancipation, is suitable to that particular man who is in a particular state of evolution. Different religions are, therefore, essential.

O Mokshapriya, the universal religion is the religion of heart or love, the religion of Vedanta or Oneness.

O Adhyatmic hero, every religion teaches: there is one eternal, all-pervading, immortal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, self-luminous, timeless, spaceless, formless, birthless, deathless, all-blissful, all-peaceful, Supreme Being. Speak the truth. Love all. Serve all. Purify your heart. Never hurt others’ feelings. Do not kill any creature. Be pure, observe celibacy. Be generous. Be merciful. Be charitable. Forgive the mistakes of others. Be tolerant. Control the senses and the mind. Concentrate. Meditate and attain God-realisation. Then alone, O Mokshapriya, can you be ever blissful and peaceful.

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