O God never wrongs anyone.

O God is kind. Always have faith in Him.

O M you have faith in God, you can attain salvation.

O Lord Bhavanishankar never neglects His devotees.

SWAMI KRISHNASHRAM

THUS SPAKE OUR GURU

Compiled by GOPAL S. HAITIANGDI

B O M B A Y 1 9 6 6

© DR GOPAL. S. HATTIANGDI

All rights reserved. The e-version of this book is being

published with the permission of the late Dr. Gopal S.

Hattiangdi’s wife and children.

No part of this e-publication will be reproduced, transmitted

or published without the express consent of the author`s

estate, in whom the copyright for the text and art work vests.

In the event the content/excerpts of the book are reproduced

elsewhere, the author’s name, original publisher and year of

publication shall be acknowledged.

First published

M a r c h 1966

5,000 copies: For free distribution

It has been possible to meet the cost of this

publication from the donations received from readers

of PANDURANG, PANDURANG.

PRINTED BY KRISHNA S. KURWAR AT MOHAN

MUDRANALAYA, ACME INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, SEWRI

BUNDER ROAD, SEWRI (EAST), BOMBAY 15, AND

PUBLISHED BY DR GOPAL S. HATTIANGDI, 2 LABURNUM

ROAD, BOMBAY 7, FOR SHRI CHITRAPUR MATH,

SHIRALI—KANARA (NORTH KANAKA).

F O R E W O R D

The seventh chapter of Fifty Years of Bliss was entitled Thus Spake Our Guru. It embodied in a classified form some of the memorable sayings of His Holiness Shrimat Anandashram Swami.

In response to requests from numerous readers of Fifty Years of Bliss, these sayings of our beloved Guru are reprinted in this pocket-size edition to serve as a daily pabulum.

In doing so, a couple of sayings of H.H. Shrimat Anandashram Swami have been added. A few enlightening utterances of H.H. Shrimat Krishn¬ ashram Swami and H.H. Shrimat Pandurang¬ ashram Swami also appear on the inside cover pages.

This little book comes to you on Yugadi Day with the blessings of Lord Bhavanishankar and our bounteous Guruparampara.

2 Laburnum Road Bombay 7 GOPAL S. HATTIANGDI 23 March 1966

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Our Guru delivered his first speech in 1921. The topic was Dharma. It was on the same sub­ject, namely, Pravritti Dharma, that he spoke at the inauguration of the Golden Jubilee year of his ordination on 3 January 1965. In between, he has delivered 571 discourses. Nearly all mem­bers of our Community have heard at least one of them. Many have probably listened to more than one. And some perhaps even remember their purport.

Before beginning a speech, be it a 15 minute ashirvachan or a 2½ hour discourse, he pauses for a moment—a moment when he is so absorbed and oblivious that one feels: "The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him." Then, his lips move slightly, silently offering a prayer. Finally, with a supreme calm so characteristic of him, he pours forth his mind and heart. And, as he does so, the audience is engulfed by the peace of God which passeth all understanding.

The English translations of 31 discourses deli­vered by our Guru between 1932 and 1940 are embodied in The Shrimat Anandashram Ordi¬

nation Jubilee Souvenir. Some important speeches delivered after 1954 are published in The Chitra¬ pur Sunbeam, and brief summaries of a large number of pravachans have appeared from time to time in The Kanara Saraswat.

Some of the gems culled from these publica­tions are reproduced in this booklet to serve as a daily pabulum. The selection of the gems was indeed a difficult task, the mind being constantly dazzled by the uniform brilliance of the sayings of our beloved Guru.

CONTENTS

Page

Foreword 3

Introduction 5

Children 9 Detachment 10 Devotion 11 Dharma 13 Eternal Bliss 16 Ethics 17 Faith 18 For the Common Man 19 God does Exist 21 God helps Those who help Themselves 22 Grace of the Supreme Lord 23. Honour Thy Parents 24 Man and Wife 25 Man's Duties 26 Man's Nature 27 Maya's Veil 28 Meditation 29 Miracles 31 Peace of Mind 32 Religion in a Secular State 33

Sandhyavandana and Gayatri Japa 34 Science and Religion 36 Seeming Saints 38 Social Service 39 Temples and Worship 41 This Math of Ours 42 Vaidiks 44 We are an Ordinary Sanyasi 45

C H I L D R E N

There is a Supreme Being in the hearts of all men with whom we come into contact. If this is realized, it is not possible for anyone to deviate from the path of right conduct A believer in God is always conscious that he is observed by the Supreme Being. Hence, all children should be taught to have unshakeable faith in the existence of God. (Mangalore; February 1956).

The household life, according to our Shastras, is, as you all know, only a venue for the obser­vance of Dharma. The development of the right samskaras in children depends entirely on the attitude of women. (Madras; December 1955).

D E T A C H M E N T

The real and eternal happiness is within us— in the Atman. A Jnani remains blissful and un­affected by worldly contacts whereas an ignorant soul remains miserable, tossed about by the pairs of opposites. Ramakrishna Paramahansa has illustrated this by giving the example of a dry coconut and a tender coconut—in a dry coconut, the kernel is detached from the shell and does not get cut when the shell is broken; however, the kernel of a tender coconut is broken along with its shell. (Kanhangad; December 1957).

D E V O T I O N

Devotion is very helpful. The highest type of devotion is Atmanivedana or complete surrender of oneself to God, reposing unquestion­ing faith and unwavering confidence in Him. Such an attitude sustains us in adversity. (Puttur; December 1938).

Devotion is of two kinds—para and apara. The former, as declared by Shri Shankaracharya, is included in the path of knowledge. As love of God is likely to take firm root only in those who acquire dispassion towards the objects of sense, this parabhakti, which is intense love for the Lord, is not possible for ordinary people. Aparabhakti is prescribed for them; and, as it involves action, it may be included in the path of action. (Bombay; December 1937).

Just as restraints are more important than rules in the path of action, pure unalloyed devotion characterised by harmlessness is pleasing to the Paramatman The worship of images and the method of silent repetition (japa) are also common to the paths of devotion and action. (Bombay; December 1937).

Contemplation of and reliance on the Paramat¬ man is the surest way to attain our ends, here and hereafter. For the realization of the Supreme Soul, the simplest method is Bhakti; pure and unsullied devotion in times of stress and storm as well as in those of sunshine and warmth. (Bombay; March 1944).

DHARMA

Dharma has been defined as that which posses­ses the nature and power of regulating the world. Right conduct (sadachara) has been prescribed for so regulating the world. Such conduct leads also to peace of mind. The essence of Dharma has been stated by Vyasa to be to desist from doing to others what is harmful to oneself. Manu has specified the fundamental elements of Dharma as harmlessness, truth, uncovetousness, purity (both mental and physical), and self-control. (Dharmasthal; December 1938).

Vyasa has declared that the root of Dharma is to realize that the Paramatman is in all beings. According to the Bhagavata, to know this Paramatman as forming the five classes, namely, Gods, Rishis, pitris, bhutas and men, and to wor­ship Him through oblations, study of the scrip­tures, offering of water to the manes, food-offering and hospitality, respectively, constitute the Pan¬ chamahayajnas. It may not be possible, in present conditions, to observe all these rites properly, but there is Manu's statement to the effect that outer display is not the means to Dharma and that Dharma should be observed to the best of

one's power. (Puttur; December 1938).

It is well known that ours is the Bhagavata tradition. It is stated that the basis of this tradi­tion is the Dharma preached by Shri Krishna to Uddhava in the Bhagavata and to Arjuna in the Gita. (Hubli; June 1937).

In keeping with the spirit of this Bhagavata Dharma is the prevalent practice of beginning each action prescribed in the Vedas with the sankalpa that one is going to do it to please the Supreme Lord (Shri Parameshvara prityartham) and of ending it by making an offering of it to Shri Krishna (Krishnarpanam). (Mallapur; Octo­ber 1937).

As the Bhagavata Dharma attaches great im­portance to the repetition of the name of God, it may appear as if right conduct finds no place in it. Shri Shankaracharya has declared on the authority of the Rig Veda that repetition of the name is a method prescribed in the Vedas. He has also expressed the opinion that it is the means to the attainment of all objects of human existence; that it secures much fruit with but

little toil; that it involves no harm and requires no wealth etc; that it does not need another's help or impose restrictions as to place and time; and that it is accordingly superior to all other means. It is essential to remember, however, that it is implicit in this description that those who repeat the name should observe the ethical prin­ciples of harmlessness, etc. If, in prevailing circumstances, it is not possible to observe all the prescribed lines of right conduct, no room should be given for evil conduct at any rate. (Dharwar; January 1938).

While Dharma is known as sanatana or eternal because ordinary duties like harmlessness remain the same for all time, special duties do change according to place, time and circumstances. (Hubli; January 1938).

E T E R N A L B L I S S

Eternal bliss, which is dearer than all else, stands rooted in oneself. A semblance of this bliss of the Atman is itself reflected through the union of the senses and their objects. Actions in the universe take place under the delusion that the happiness springs from the objects of sense. (Puttur; December 1938).

In the universe, there is a two-fold division— Atma (Parabrahma) and Anatma (Prapancha)

Happiness is related really to Parabrahma. The nature of Parabrahma is three-fold—sat (existence), chit (knowledge) and ananda (bliss). This last is the real happiness Prapancha consists of noma (name) and rupa (form). It has no real existence; it is like the proverbial reflec­tion of the money-bag in the mirror. ... This world is not the real seat or source of happiness. If it is, it should be so with respect to the past, the present and the future alike. Also, it should be sweet to all. (Puttur; December 1938).

E T H I C S

That the well-being of society must rest on a foundation of ethics is a proposition which few will deny. But ethical truths will not easily sprout in selfish hearts unless there is a religious feel­ing. Universal religious truths are not dissociated from ethics. (Karkala; May 1937).

Although right thought is more important than right conduct, it should be remembered that the latter purifies the heart and qualifies one to tread the path of knowledge. (Bombay; December 1937).

F A I T H

Although the Vedas proclaim the truth of the Paramatman with great skill and intelligence, they end with the injunction: "Have faith". It is also stated in one place (Kathaka, III—12) that the truth manifests itself to the refined intellect. Hence, success can be attained if one has faith in the Vedas and uses one's reason. (Belgaum; December 1937).

There is no limit to the blessings of Divine Grace which is another form of saying that there are no limits to the power of Faith—faith in God and Dharma. Is it not said that Divine Grace can make the dumb articulate and the lame scale the mountain tops ?...... The most recent instance is that of Mahatma Gandhi, a man of invincible faith, who by sheer dint of prayerful and selfless action achieved the miracle of win­ning independence for the Country. (Bombay; December 1952).

F O R T H E C O M M O N M A N

For ordinary people, worship of the God with attributes is an easy means. It is this which is known as bhakti. This bhakti is of two kinds, para and apara. Parabhakti consists in intense devotion to the Lord. When devotion has thus sprung up, it is only natural that the mind should ever be engaged in the thought of Him. Apara¬ bhakti consists in engaging the other senses in physical worship, salutation, singing His glories, listening thereto, etc, in order to help the mind to remain fixed on Him. When the Paramatman is satisfied with this two-fold devotion, through His grace comes the knowledge that leads to realization. (Hubli; June 1937).

It is easier for ordinary people to contemplate, as God with attributes, the Paramatman who is imbued with the illusory Power through which He undertakes the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. In this way, say the Upanishads, "By rubbing the under log of one's body i.e. the mind, with the upper log of silent repetition of the Pranava etc, one can see the fire of God emerge." (Coondapur; November 1937).

The ultimate goal of a man's life is the attain­ment of true and everlasting happiness which means the realization of the Paramatman. Man is caught in the wheel of births and deaths and this, in turn, gives rise to an incessant round of joys and sorrows. All these joys and sorrows are transient, whereas Man's innate yearning is for everlasting peace and happiness. The cause of this wheel of births and deaths is Man's igno­rance (Ajnana), his sensual desires (Kama), and his actions for fulfilment of these desires (Karma) ......Devotion to God (Bhakti) and performance of action with a sense of detachment and dedica­tion to Him are by far the most effective methods of deliverance for householders and average men and women. (Bombay; February 1963).

G O D D O E S E X I S T

Though the forces of theism and athesim are seemingly equal, theism is reinforced by the evi­dence of great souls who have realized God. The conversion of the arch-atheist Vivekananda to theism by Ramakrishna Faramahansa, is not an incident from the Puranas. Similarly, it may be inferred from many a recent event that God does exist. (Karkala; May 1937).

GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES

God helps those who help themselves. What is required is sustained exertion in the proper direction. If it is maintained that God does every­thing and that man has no freedom in any matter, it would be ascribing to God both cruelty and partiality. Hence, the Brahma Sutras declare that God distributes rewards strictly according to deserts and merit. From this it is clear that there is scope for doing good deeds out of one's own free will. (Puttur; December 1938).

GRACE OF THE SUPREME LORD

The mother who loves her children does not hesitate to punish them occasionally when they disregard her good advice and behave naughtily. Even so, the Lord never likes wicked conduct in His devotees. From all this it follows that libera­tion comes to hand through the grace of the Supreme Lord if one takes care not to infringe the ethical rules of harmlessness, etc, and per­forms, to the best of one's ability and only to please the Lord, actions prescribed in the Shrutis and Smritis. (Mallapur; October 1937).

H O N O U R T H Y P A R E N T S

The Taittiriyopanishad requires that parents should be looked upon as God. Manu not only regards service of parents as. one's main duty, but declares that, so long as they live, one should not abandon them and seek the shelter of others. (Bombay; December 1937).

An individual owes a debt of gratitude to his parents for his birth and for fitting him for life. In old age, he is grateful to his children for it is their vigilant care that he is in need of. For one's well-being, the co-operation of all those with whom one comes in contact is necessary and to them all he is beholdened. (Mangalore; February 1956).

M A N A N D W I F E

It may appear that the declaration in the Dharmashastra that the husband himself is Guru to his wife, detracts from woman's independence. But the Smritis not only lay down that domestic finance should be entrusted to the wife, but also contain a number of sentences which require that women should be respected. Again, the householder, according to them, has no indepen­dence, apart from his wife, in relation to dharma, artha and kama: the husband becomes responsi­ble for an exact moiety of the merit or demerit of his wife's actions. (Bangalore; January 1939).

While the Smritis declare that the husband himself is Guru to the wife, the Bhagavata lays down that the Paramatman should be thought of as the husband of all. On the whole, as Patanjali maintains, it is possible to reach perfection through Yathabhimatadhyana or meditation on the deity of one's choice. But one should not forget the story in. the Mahabharata wherein the faithful wife, who worshipped the husband as her God, is shown to have been gifted with divine wisdom in a larger measure than the Yogi who had burnt down a bird with a mere glance. (Bangalore; January 1939).

MAN'S D U T I E S

Man's main duty is to get rid of the Jeeva con­dition which, according to universal experience, is so full of grief, and to try to regain the Shiva condition which is bliss itself. (Hubli; June 1937).

The ordinary duties like harmlessness men­tioned by Manu have themselves been prescribed by Patanjali, with slight variations, as the five yamas or restraints, namely, harmlessness, truth, uprightness, continence and absence of greed. It is also stated that, when harmlessness is faithfully practised, mutual foes abandon their enmity in the presence of the aspirant and live in peace. Says Manu : "These restraints should ever be practised without fail. He falls who sticks merely to religious observances without practising these restraints. Hence, it does not matter even if ob­servances which nullify restraints are occasionally neglected." Is it not better that the tiger, which observes the Ekadashi by fasting and celebrates the Dvadashi by cow-killing, should refrain from fasting as well as from the cow-killing? (Bombay; January 1938).

M A N ' S N A T U R E

A man's nature is built upon the stock of experiences and tendencies acquired by him as a result of his previous births. This is called prarabdha. It is the stock of his previous karma with which he starts a new birth. But it does not stand in the way of his doing any good deeds in the course of that new birth. As a result of the nature developed in human beings, some have leanings towards good and some towards evil. This nature is of three broad types, satvic, rajasic and tamasic, and a detailed description of these will be found in Chapters XVII and XVIII of the Gita. Chapter XVI sets out the attributes of the divine nature and its opposite. (Puttur; Decem­ber 1938).

Goutama maintains that it is a result of the habit of previous births that the new-born calf seeks its mother's teats straight away to have its fill of milk and does not search for it elsewhere; as also the fact that the cow is frightened at the very sight of the tiger, realizing that it is her mortal foe. (Karkala; May 1937).

MAYA'S V E I L

The Vedas proclaim that there is such a Being as the Paramatman who is invisible to the pub­lic gaze and of the nature of Existence, Know­ledge and Bliss. The principle of consciousness which is present in the animal creation is but part of this Paramatman. But, oblivious of this fact as a result of Maya's veil, man imagines that he is the material body, becomes subject to a succession of joys and sorrows, and thereby suf­­ers. To dispel this ignorance and "to know the nature of the Atman is the main aim of religion— (Yajnyavalkya)." (Bombay; December 1937).

M E D I T A T I O N

The Upanishads declare that the ultimate goal of religion, namely, the attainment of the Self, is possible through intense meditation. Even the Parabrahman, then, is an object capable of being realized. Yajnyavalkya too accepts this. (Kar¬ kala; May 1937).

Man's ultimate object is to acquire a know­ledge of the Paramatman—to realize Him—thus to achieve everlasting happiness and attain sal­vation. As far as possible, one should always be engrossed in the meditation of the Lord, and this is an easy means of realizing Him.... Meditation (should be) qualified by two adjectives: constant and daily. Both these aspects are essential. Con­stantly means without a break, and daily means literally every day. One person meditates for a short while without a break but later gives it up; such meditation is constant but not daily. An­other person meditates daily for a little while and then completely forgets the Lord at other times; such meditation is no doubt daily but it is not constant. Therefore, in order to stress the need for meditating on the Lord as far as possible, through­out one's life-time, and without a break, the two

adjectives, namely, constant and daily, have been used. (Shirali; May 1965).

M I R A C L E S

That lives of saints teem with miracles is a fact known to you all.......If the faithful ex­plain such incidents in one way, moderns may explain them in another. Nevertheless, this does not affect the view that seemingly wonderful tilings do occur in this world. The power of the Paramatman is unbounded. It can bring about strange occurrences. Hence, if a miracle takes place, it is in consonance with the nature of that Power, and is therefore natural. Similarly, there are ever so many laws of Nature not yet known to us, and it is possible that incidents which ap­pear miraculous to us are in harmony with such laws. Accordingly, when a seeming miracle oc­curs, we can only infer that it must be in ac­cordance with a law of nature not yet known to us, and it will not be right to deny it merely because it does not fall within the compass of our limited experience. (Shirali; December 1940).

P E A C E O F M I N D

It may be that, on occasions, the force of pra¬ rabdha outweighs the power of worship, thus leading to disappointment in material expecta­tions. But the prospect of spiritual peace is al­ways present in theism and this satisfaction may lead to the saving of human life. There are not a few instances of atheists taking refuge in sui­cide when faced with troubles which are too hard for them to bear. (Karkala; May 1937).

R E L I G I O N I N A S E C U L A R S T A T E

In the first flush of Independence, some of the Country's leaders seemed to have been carried off their' feet by strange notions of secularism which bordered on disregard and repudiation of religion. They have now begun to see light and it has dawned upon them that, without a Dharmic out­look on the part of the people, it is well nigh im­possible to maintain those standards of honesty, integrity, discipline, self-control, and hard and disinterested labour which are the pre-requisites of a strong and sound State and a stable and pros­perous society. (Bombay; December 1952).

Our Government says that it is a secular State. This probably means that Government accords equal treatment to all Communities in India. But, then, a knowledge of one's own Dharma is abso­lutely necessary and, to inculcate the spirit of Dharma, it is advisable to teach children their own religion and Dharma. (Mangalore; February 1956).

SANDHYAVANDANA AND GAYATRI JAPA

The purpose of Upanayana is the initiation into education, to lift a Vidyarthi into a different world from that in which he was born, to lift him from the world of Nature and necessity into the world of spirit and freedom (Puttur; February 1956).

As Sandhyavandana includes meditation on the Paramatman through the Gayatri mantra, and as such meditation can be of benefit to every one, this kind of worship has the greatest im­portance. Manu has declared that the Gayatri mantra, which embodies the Pranava and the three great mystic words, is the means to the attainment of the Brahman. (Hubli; June 1937).

Yajnyavalkya mentions constancy in the wisdom of the Self. This constancy and the method of Gayatri japa prescribed in Sandhyavandana may be said to be one and the same. As stated in the Patanjala Yogasutras, japa has to be per­formed with a realization of its meaning. The Gayatri mantra, which has been explained in the book on Sandhyavandana, embodies the wisdom of the Self. Hence says Manu, "The Gayatri should be understood to be the threshold of the

Brahman." (Bombay; December 1937).

In Pravritti Dharma, the main essentials are Sandhyavandana and other daily rituals as well as

(some other) essential ceremonies The religious scriptures have laid down the obser­vance of many daily rituals and other ceremonies. Nowadays, it is not possible to observe all of them. Hence, only the most important of these are now in vogue. Considering the present cir­cumstances, the observance of at least these mini­mum rituals and ceremonies would help in the propagation and perpetuation of Dharma. (Bom­bay; January 1965).

Among the daily rituals and the five essential ceremonies may be mentioned Sandhyavandana, Pitra yajnya and Manushya yajnya. Meditation of the Lord Almighty is achieved by the perfor­mance of Gayatri japa. Manu says that this japa is very important for all Brahmins.... For japa, only two things are needed: speech and heart. (Bombay; January 1965).

S C I E N C E A N D R E L I G I O N

If this wonderful material universe should work in obedience to Nature's laws, there must be an intelligent Creator. (Karkala; May 1937).

The discoveries which modern scientists say they have made, may be found embedded in the Vedas, at least in embryo. Inasmuch as such an extraordinary storehouse of knowledge could not possibly have been created by mere man, Shri Shankaracharya declares in his Bhashya that the omniscient Ishvara alone must have created it. (Karkala; May 1937).

The researches of modern scientists (regarding atheism) are still incomplete, but do not disprove what they have not discovered. And there is the possibility of their proving the existence of God in course of time. (Karkala; May 1937).

Some think that the truths of Dharma should be verified with the aid of science. It is no doubt possible to throw dust in the eyes of the ordinary people in this way. But scientists themselves ad­mit that there are ever so many mysteries which science has not been able to unfold. And, further, scientific discoveries of today may be disproved

by scientific discoveries of the future. A method so unstable as this scarcely commends itself to us. (Hubli; January 1938).

S E E M I N G S A I N T S

Instances have come to notice in which a few members of our Community have neglected their wives and children and have lost their all by falling into the net spread by seeming saints who possess no right conduct or thought but have, nevertheless, become famous as great devotees. The company and service of saints have doubt­less been prescribed (Gita, IV-34), but when Bhartrihari asks "How many such saints are there in this world?", it is obvious that genuine ones are rare indeed. According to the Gita, too, "among thousands of men, scarce one striveth for perfection; of the successful strivers, scarce one knoweth Me in essence" (VII-3). Imitation ware has the better shine; even so, seeming saints possess the greater attraction. Hence, it is most necessary to be on one's guard in the search for the true seer. (Bombay; December 1937).

S O C I A L S E R V I C E

Two things should be borne in mind while do­ing social service. The results of benevolent ser­vice are not often appreciated by the beneficia­ries who may be apathetic and even scoff at those rendering the service. One should, how­ever, discharge his duties with unabated faith in God. Only then can one enjoy real mental peace which all mortals seek. (Mangalore; Febru­ary 1956).

Though qualities such as selfishness are in­herent in human nature, the true spirit of social service should take precedence over baser quali­ties, and this is possible if Man treats other fellow beings with love and regards all others as his equals. (Udipi; January 1959).

It is hardly necessary to point out how neces­sary it is for people to act in harmony with those who, without expecting any return and purely in a spirit of service, undertake the work of the Community. To look at controversial ques­tions not only from one's own point of view but also from the point of view of others, and, if not so satisfied, to try to obtain satisfaction through

exchange of thoughts—this alone is calculated to promote the good of the Community. (Shirali; December 1947).

T E M P L E S A N D W O R S H I P

It is not easy for every one to worship an impersonal God in the abstract. An idea becomes easier of mental comprehension if there is a concrete symbol embodying it. That is why, even in the field of nationalism and patriotism, ideas are sought to be given concrete representation— moorta swarupa—by suitable symbols like the national flag. Similarly, in spiritual matters also, placing an image of God before ourselves, we find it easier to engage in devotion by worship­ping that image and prostrating ourselves before it. It was therefore that our forefathers introduced the system of temples wherein to worship God. They help to strengthen devotion. (Vittal; Decem­ber 1937).

The worship of the Paramatman consists in the practice of devotion with shraddha (unfailing faith) in relation to the Supreme Lord of the Universe. According to Vyasa, the one and only objective to be achieved by man is sincere and whole-hearted devotion and the realization of the omnipresence of God. The steady practice of this aim serves to eradicate all selfishness and other defects. All religions agree on this point. (Dharmasthal; December 1938).

T H I S M A T H O F O U R S

You know that this Math is very much your own home, and we feel sure that the grihasthas, out of their filial regard and affection for the institution, would always feel at home and would gladly put up with such inconveniences as may be existing, much in the same way as people usually put up with similar inconveniences and defects which they may sometimes find in their own homes. (Shirali; December 1932).

Though the desire to ensure a permanent exis­tence for the Math is not appropriate to Sanyasis, one of our objects is that the many poor families which seek its shelter should not be ruined. (Ban­galore; December 1938).

There are various kinds of Maths in India, but ours is one of those institutions founded for main­taining the traditions connected with the Varnashrama Dharma and, in particular, the spiri­tual obligations comprehended in the term Brahmanya. Unlike some other Maths, ours was established by the Community itself for this pur­pose. Its perpetuation would, therefore, be all the more a matter entirely for the decision of the

Community. (Madras; December 1955).

The Math was established by our ancestors to propagate achar and vichar. The propagation of knowledge (vichar) is being done by several insti­tutions. Hence, for this purpose alone, we do not feel there is any need for a separate institu­tion. However, there is a need for an institution to propagate Pravritti Dharma (achar), (Bombay; January 1965).

Whoever may look after the administration, it is necessary that the funds of the Math should be utilised in accordance with the aims, usages and traditions observed from the past. Money is a means to Dharma as well. The worship and services at the different shrines, the training of suitable priests and instructors in Dharma, the entertainment of qualified shastris for this porpose and for helping the Swamiji in resolving questions pertaining to Dharma—all this has to be achieved with the aid of money. It is only fair that the income of a seat of Dharma should be utilised for activities pertaining to Dharma. (Bombay; April 1950).

V A I D I K S

The urgent need of the times and the Commu­nity is of efficient Dharmopadeshaks. The priest class was chiefly meant for this work. Its effici­ency and number have steadily decreased owing to change of circumstances. (Gokarn; May 1928).

If Brahmanya is to be preserved, and we assume that that is your intention, several things are needed These things do not stand by themselves but form part of a scheme of samskaras The proper performance of the irreducible minimum of samskaras requires the assistance of competent Vaidiks. They are also necessary for the due conduct of the occasional (naimittika) ceremonials, vratas, shantis and other pujas, and sevas. Faith in the efficacy of these rituals is a condition precedent to their observance. But, even if the faith should be pre­sent, nothing can be done if Vaidiks are not available; and Vaidiks will not be forthcoming unless they are adequately remunerated and res­pected The Vaidiks form a natural extension of the establishment of the Math. It is no use supporting only the Math unless at the same time you give due encouragement to the Vaidik pro­fession. (Madias; December 1955).

WE ARE AN ORDINARY SANYASI

We are an ordinary sanyasi. However, we accept the devotion, regard and reverence you have offered and tender it at the feet of the Lord Almighty who is seated in your heart and: everywhere. (Shirali; November 1955).

Our nature is simple, and we are satisfied with devotion, pure and simple. (Puttur; December 1938).

This was a work accomplished by gentlemen who came forward, impelled by their love of the institution and of the Community. That you give us credit which is not our due indicates your affection and reverence for us. (Hubli; June 1937).

Although we do not consider that our regime deserves a jubilee like this, its importance appeared to us from another angle. The most glorious day in our lifetime is the day on which we obtained, from the mouth of the Sadguru, the upadesha of the Mahavakya which is the foun­dation of unswerving knowledge which, in its turn, is the means to the deliverance of the Self. As the (Silver Jubilee) celebrations (of our ordina­tion) would revive memories of that blessed day,

we agreed to take part in them. If the fact that a totally powerless individual has passed a period as long as twenty-five years in this position is to be taken as a qualification, the merit of it is due only to the Feet of that Sadguru. We remember and offer our Salutations to those Feet of the Sad¬ guru on this occasion. (Shirali; December 1940).

NOTES

NOTES

O There is only one God. People call Him variously.

O Have faith in God and all will be well.

O One who worships the Supreme Lord derives everlasting happiness.

O You may have forgotten me, but I cannot forget you. When you know that I am at Chitrapur, why do you go elsewhere to seek me ? Wake up now and come where you know I am.

SWAMI PANDURANGASHRAM

Dedication

This e-version is a humble Seva by the Chitrapur

Saraswats of Delhi to Lord Bhavanishankar, the

hallowed Shri Chitrapur Math and the revered

Guruparampara, and is dedicated to the Chitrapur

Saraswat community.

The facilitators of the e-version would like to

thank the author’s wife and family, without whose

gracious cooperation this work would not have

been possible.