sivanandayoga

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SIVANANDA YOGA
A series of talks by
SRI SWAMI VENKATESANANDA
To the students of
The Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy
Edited by
LAKSHMI
Sri Swami Venkatesananda
with Gurudev (left)
SERVE, LOVE, GIVE,
PURIFY, MEDITATE,
REALIZE
So Says
Sri Swami Sivananda
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1980
Second Edition: 1983
Third Edition: 1998
(2000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 2001
WWW site: http://www.SivanandaDlshq.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
FOREWORD
I consider it a unique privilege to write a short foreword to this compiled volume of lectures
entitled “Sivananda Yoga” by Swami Venkatesananda, a resplendent star amongst the disciples of
Gurudev Sivananda. His contributions have been manifold and of significant rare quality, a proof of
his magnificent personality. This chosen disciple of Gurudev had the exclusive privilege of sitting
at the Master’s feet and watching every word and action of the great saint, who was an ideal
manifestation of Divine Glory. Gurudev has given a practical demonstration of achieving Divine
perfection in our day-to-day life at every step, in spite of the dominant mood of wistful, reluctant
scepticism of modern ages.
Swami Venkatesananda could not have done a better service to mankind; he has given us a
‘peep’ into the life and activities of the great saint Swami Sivananda who (it is incredible to believe)
trod seventeen years ago the very earth we tread today.
Swami Venkatesananda in his usual inimitable way has opened for us, through these
lectures, the portals of the Divine Kingdom ruled by Gurudev. Through this spiritual son of
Gurudev, we can have the inspiration and bliss of Divine grace gushing from this spiritual fountain
of Gurudev. The rays of that luminous sun, transmitted through this chosen disciple will illuminate
the dark alleys in our heart, revealing to us the Supreme Love of this God-man and his unique and
profound philosophy of blending Karma, Jnana and Bhakti in our day-to-day activities of life.
All glory to the author of this work, for holding aloft the banner of Divine Life gifted to him
by Gurudev.
Let us look forward to many more such ‘jewels’ from him—the very crest-jewel of Gurudev
Sivananda’s divine mission.
Lucknow
April 1980 —Dr. D. Kutty
FOREWORD
TO THE SECOND EDITION
My humble homage and reverential adorations to the sacred and loving memory of our
esteemed and beloved Gurubhai (brother-in-the Master) Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji who left us
this day, one year ago on 2nd December, 1982. His was a glorious goingforth from the confines of a
limited human consciousness into the ever effulgent realm of Infinite Divine Consciousness. He
departed simply and serenely when he decided that his duty had been done. Only those close and
dear ones who were near his immediate bed-side until the very last breath he took on earth, only
they know the full sanctity, the solemnity, the poignancy and at the same time the indescribable
grandeur of his last moments and of his departure from the physical body.
iii
The book SIVANANDA YOGA edited by his devoted disciple mother Swami Lakshmi
Ananda (“LAKSHMI”) is a tribute to the late revered Swami Venkatesanandaji upon the first holy
Anniversary of his Mahasamadhi.
I was greatly moved and touched when mother Lakshmi approached me and hesitatingly
asked me whether I would like to give a brief Foreword to this memorial publication. Her hesitation
was on account of due deference to the state of physical weakness I was in after a recent acute
illness. But on my part, far from regarding this as a task put before me, I consider it an honour and a
privilege to have been asked to contribute these few lines to this present volume that constitute a
tribute to one whom I hold in highest regard, reverence and love.
Though our varying fields of work and activity took us far apart in physical distance, yet
there has always been an unseen inner bond of spiritual fellowship, friendship and mutual love and
esteem between Swami Venkatesanandaji and this servant of the holy Master Sri Swami
Sivananda. Late Swamiji’s own physical earthly mother (also known as mother Lakshmi!) always
regarded us as two brothers, referring to Swami Venkatesananda as Lakshmana and referring to the
undersigned as Rama. For, that is what she felt to be the relationship between us both.
I deem it my good fortune to give this Foreword to SIVANANDA YOGA which gives an
intimate and unique glimpse into Swami Venkatesanandaji’s personal experiences and
observations about the glorious Master as he lived and moved before us in the majestic simplicity of
his saintly day-to-day living in his holy Ganga bank Ashram sanctified by his purifying presence.
This is indeed a befitting tribute to the holy Master, containing as it does, Swami Venkatesananda’s
spontaneous heart’s outpourings about the one who was the Light of his life, one whom he adored
and considered his visible God upon earth.
May this book inspire numerous seekers and Sadhakas upon the path of spiritual evolution
and God-realisation. May it also serve to keep the memory of our departed brother ever bright in our
heart. I cherish this book. For, it pays tribute to the memory of one whom I love.
I thank Sri Lakshmi. I congratulate the Y.V.F.A. Press for their dedicated labour in bringing
it out so neatly and beautifully. I salute the sublime memory of one of the foremost amongst our
brotherhood, one whose whole-souled and unsparing dedicated labours in his Gurudev’s Mission
are unparalleled. May this example inspire us to dedicate ourselves likewise. Hari Om Tat Sat. Om
Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya! Peace!
Sivananda Ashram, At Gurudev’s Feet,
Friday, 2nd December, 1983. Swami Chidananda
\
iv
PREFACE
In January 1980 Swami Venkatesananda was asked by the Dean of the Yoga-Vedanta
Forest Academy, H.H. Sri Swami Madhavanandaji Maharaj, to share with the students of the
Academy his knowledge of the philosophy and teachings of Gurudev Swami Sivananda, the great
sage-founder of the Academy and the Divine Life Society.
From his experience of living in close contact with Sri Swami Sivananda for 17 years, from
the depth of his wisdom and with his usual clarity and humour, Swami Venkatesananda made
Swami Sivananda come alive, so that we who were privileged to listen felt that Swami Sivananda
himself was present in our midst.
The talks continued for three weeks. This book is the fruit of these talks.
Swami Venkatesananda continued the theme in several talks during the Ashram’s
Satsangas. Some of these talks have also been included in this book.
—Lakshmi
v
CONTENTS
Foreword to the First Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Foreword to the Second Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Theory and Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Who is a Guru? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Planting the Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Self-Purification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Finding the Guru’s Wavelength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Surrender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Karma Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Absence of Attachment, Fear and Hatred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Be Thou an Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Bhakti Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Swamiji’s Yoga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Integral Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Remembering God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
The Path of the Ego. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Selflessness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Discovering the Ego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Yoga of Synthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Love That is God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
vi
THEORY AND PRACTICE
The Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (originally called a University) was Swami
Sivananda’s brain child. When he gave expression to this idea he had a certain vision which was
characteristic of him—that of a synthesis of theory and practice.
In this particular area of the Himalayas you’ll find many enlightened souls (some
perpetually silent, others engaging themselves in their own practices) without the urge—and
sometimes the ability—to communicate with others. Perhaps if you go and live with them, through
what is known as Shaktipath, you might also reach enlightenment—but it is also possible that you
might not.
For the vast majority of people some form of theoretical introduction is vital before they are
even induced to take up the practice of Yoga. The usual gradation in Yoga is that first comes
Karma-yoga, then Bhakti-yoga, then Raja-yoga and then Jnanayoga. There was a great Acharya
called Ramanuja. It was his theory that Bhakti comes after Jnana, for how can you love something
which you don’t know? Real Bhakti (or Parabhakti or devotion) arises after you have some
knowledge of the person or the principle. Thousands of people may be potential Yogis and may
want to practise Yoga. If they are given a glimpse of the theory they would probably enter the path,
but they are neglected by these cave-dwellers who have reached the goal without an intellectual
understanding of the theory.
Krishna suggests this in the Bhagavad-Gita:
chaturvidha bhajante mam janah sukrtino ‘rjuna
arto jijnasur-artharthi jnani cha bharatarshabha (VII. 16)
Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna, and they are the distressed, the seeker of
knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the wise, O lord of the Bharatas.
All sorts of people seek to enter the spiritual path. Among them are the Jijnasus, the people
who want to know. If they are told that they must become like those silent Yogis, either they are
completely turned off, waste their time or imagine that they have become like the masters, which is
even more dangerous. Merely sitting erect and unmoving doesn’t make you an enlightened person.
Gurudev himself used to make fun of these people, comparing them to stones in the Ganga. The
stones also sit there for thousands of years, unmoving. Are they also enlightened?
Two incidents come to mind. Way back in 1946, when the Ganga bank had not been
developed (or spoiled, it depends upon your point of view) there were no steps. There was a longish
veranda on the post office complex; that was our kitchen, dining hall, Satsang place, office and
everything in those days. Gurudev used to conduct a morning meditation class there from 4.15 to
about 6.00. Right on the Ganga bank a howling wind blows early in the morning, and in spite of it he
used to come out of his room exactly at 4.00, wearing an enormous overcoat and a shawl tied as a
turban. It was an exciting, inspiring sight just to look at this Jivanmukta walking out of his little
Kutir. He was regular and punctual in attending the meditation class. A visitor from Andhra
Pradesh was not keen on attending this class, but used to sit up poker-stiff on a huge rock at 4.00
1
a.m. One day after the meditation class Gurudev was seated on one of those cement benches and we
entered into some discussion for about half an hour. In the meantime that gentleman had finished
his meditation and entered through the farther door. Gurudev looked at him with one eye closed.
(He usually closed one eye whenever he wanted to say something very interesting!) For a couple of
minutes, Gurudev questioned him and he revealed that he meditated every day from 4 to 7. Gurudev
appeared to admire him. But suddenly the whole scene changed. He roared: “Look at him! Sleepy
and drowsy. (To him) What are you doing? Sitting and sleeping on the stone? Do you know what
meditation means? What Samadhi means? To touch the infinite. Do you know what power, what
energy you’ll have when you touch the infinite like that? You say you have been enjoying deep
meditation and Samadhi for three hours. Yet when you come out you are sleepy, drowsy. Go and
wash your face.” In those days there was no water supply here. We used to form a line of water
carriers from the Ganga to the downstairs kitchen water tank. Gurudev said to this man, “Join them,
fill up the tank, then you will know what Samadhi means.” So Samadhi is not merely sitting. If that
is Samadhi then all the stones on the Ganga bank have attained Samadhi!
The second incident happened to me. One day in 1948 I went down to the Ganga several
times at three-hour intervals. I saw an almost naked ascetic seated under a tree with half-closed
eyes. I thought he was a very great Yogi who could meditate for over ten hours at a stretch. One
night there was some commotion in the temple where he was staying as a guest. The next day he had
left. On enquiry, the temple priest said to me that he was not a real Sadhu (holy man) but a bad
character and that his ability to sit unmoving was the result of some drug!
When you see someone sit still for a long time and you try to imitate him and can’t do it,
either you give up the whole thing, pretend that you have also attained this state or find a short cut to
it. Someone comes along and says, “You’re wasting your time. Take one sniff of this drug and then
you’ll enter into real Samadhi.” Then you begin to think that may be the Guru also does the same
thing. It leads to all sorts of perversions. So when you imitate these enlightened cave-dwellers you
may become like them, but you may not. You may slip into Tamas, which is very easy. So one needs
some other knowledge.
It is possible for the Mouni (silent) Jivanmukta to transmit his Shakti to an Adhikari
(qualified or mature seeker). Adhikara is the most important thing. A student who is internally ripe
(like Sukadeva) only needs a little bit of concentration and he has knowledge of the Reality. But
what happens to the thousands of people who are not so evolved, who still need some more
theoretical help? Observing this need, Gurudev said that the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy should
impart knowledge of both theory and practice.
A Mouni Jivanmukta may not have much theoretical background. If you go down to
Benares or other such places you will find people who can lecture, but in their own lives they are
nowhere near their own ideal. Gurudev did not have any special admiration for them beyond the
respect that he gave everybody.
The following incident illustrates this: The present post office was our office then. Three of
us used to sit in the office with Gurudev. In those days the work was not so heavy so there was
plenty of leisure, and Gurudev had a lot of time for us. One day a doctor of philosophy entered the
office early in the morning. Gurudev welcomed him. He sat down and said, “Swamiji, I have a
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SIVANANDA YOGA
question. Please tell me what the difference is between Nirvikalpa Samadhi and Savikalpa
Samadhi.” That was an opportunity for us to learn—we would not dare to ask such a question for
ourselves—so we all stopped working and listened. It’s a million dollar question! Gurudev put his
glasses up and looked at him. “Have you had your breakfast?” he asked him. “Would you have
some tea or coffee?” He had to give an answer. He said, “Tea, Swamiji.” Now came tea, fruits and
books. The doctor enjoyed his tea and some Idli. And then came his wife. She stepped into the
office, gave one stern look, and said. “How long have I been waiting there for you! Come, let us
go.” And he quietly got up, bowed down to Swamiji, and said, “I’m leaving.” Once he had gone
Swamiji laughed and laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. “He wants to know about Savikalpa
Samadhi. The wife gives one look and he goes.” This is the type of person you find
elsewhere—pandits who have enormous knowledge, who could keep you enthralled for hours
discoursing on half a verse of the Bhagavad-Gita. Fantastic. Gurudev loved them, admired their
intellect, but that’s all!
There was another very amusing incident. During Gurudev’s All-India Tour a few learned
scholars met him in Varanasi. As he was walking past, greeting them, one of them asked a question
in Sanskrit. Gurudev turned to him and asked, “Comment ca va, comment vous appellez vous?”,
(two sentences in French he had learnt). The pandit just stared with dropped jaw. He did not
understand the reply. (Moral: The purpose of language is communication and not showing off.)
So, you must communicate and you must also learn how to communicate. Theory and
practice must go hand in hand. One is not the enemy of the other, but the friend, and one without the
other is useless. Apart from the dangers I mentioned earlier, there is another. Gurudev himself told
us that when he came to Rishikesh all that he wanted was to sit under a tree, to sing God’s names, to
do Japa—and that’s all. He was fond of Kirtan. There was not a single function which commenced
without Sankirtana. Every occasion demanded the singing of God’s names. If somebody was sick,
dying, dead, born or married, for laying a foundation-stone or pulling a building down, he sang
Hare Rama. In one of his early letters to his senior-most disciple, Swami Paramanandaji, he had
even said that we should transform the whole of India through Sankirtan alone. In accordance with
that ideal, when he was still living in Swargashram he used to preside over and participate in
Sankirtan conferences. Even before the Divine Life Society was started he had established several
groups of Sankirtanists for organising and holding Sankirtan conferences. But very soon he
discovered that it was degenerating into some kind of emotionalism—people jumping and dancing
and calling it ecstasy. Ecstasy can be reached through Sankirtan no doubt, but not all can do that.
Very soon there was a power struggle, so within a year or two he changed his mind. He said,
“Sankirtan alone is no good. It leads to emotionalism. There must be some Jnana, some
understanding. Kirtan is singing God’s name, not conducting a musical competition. It is the
Bhavana that is important, and one must learn to recognise and understand that Bhavana.” As years
went by he evolved a system of synthesis. Practice is extremely important, but not without
understanding.
When you gain this theoretical understanding it must at the same time help you and help
others. Learn whatever you can here, go out and share it, not feeling that you know everything, but
to the extent that you have gained this theoretical understanding and practical knowledge, impart it,
offer it at the feet of the omnipresent God in worship. Gurudev used to insist upon that. Whatever
you have, share—including knowledge of Yoga and Vedanta. That way your shyness is removed
3
THEORY AND PRACTICE
and your own ideas and knowledge become clearer. Otherwise you are your only and greatest
admirer! You are utterly convinced that you are very learned and know everything, and as long as
you don’t open your mouth at all there is nobody to challenge that conviction, but when you open
your mouth and some people laugh you realise you are not all that clever! So there is an incentive to
learn more.
Gurudev started this Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy to train us in the theory and practice of
Yoga Vedanta—not only theory, not only practice, but both these combined—in order that this
knowledge could be broadcast far and wide; in order that they who come to you out of curiosity
might in course of time become Jnanis, because they realise what they are seeking and they also
know the path and the goal.
WHO IS A GURU?
He who imparts the theory concerning self-knowledge and guides us in our practice is not a
Guru, but an ‘Acharya’, a teacher. From this teacher you learn about self-knowledge. It is not
self-knowledge but a peripheral knowledge, which may be very necessary as otherwise we might be
easily misled.
Just as the description is not self-knowledge, a technique is also not self-knowledge, nor
does it lead to Atma-jnana; but it is necessary. In the Yoga Vasistha you have a fantastic double
negative statement concerning this. Vasishtha says that a teacher does not give you Atma-jnana, but
you cannot attain Atma-jnana without a teacher. As we go on, this will become clear. The Acharya
is the person from whom we gain an understanding of the theory, the peripheral knowledge or a
description about (not of) self-knowledge, self-realisation or Atma-jnana. He guides us in our
practice and may even prescribe a practice for us, and if we are responsive to him he removes the
obstacles that we may encounter on the path. He is not exactly a teacher in the modern sense of the
word. Here the word ‘teacher’ refers to some kind of a person who is aloof, who walks into the
class, spits out what he has not been able to digest and walks out. That is what you see in schools and
colleges nowadays. In the Gurukula system where the students lived with the teacher, there was the
transmission of theory and guidance in practice without aloofness. There was a certain amount of
physical and psychological intimacy, and a certain openness between the teacher and the taught.
This is not to be confused with the modern definition of a teacher in the schools and colleges of
today, where there is no psychological rapport at all.
This word ‘Acharya’ to me nearly sounds like the word ‘Achara’. Acharya means teacher,
Achara means your conduct, your lifestyle. So an Acharya is involved in the pupil’s Achara,
external behaviour. For instance he might emphasise punctuality, so that you come at the stroke of
nine. He might emphasise that you should not look through the window, or look here and there.
There can be training in behaviour, but no Acharya can compel your attention, no Acharya can
impose understanding upon you, so there must be a certain psychological rapport. Only then is there
a guidance or governance of behaviour. If you are attentive he transmits to you information about
self-knowledge, and guides you in your practice. That is the only responsibility of the Acharya. So
an Acharya is more a teacher than anything else.
4
SIVANANDA YOGA
摘要：

SIVANANDAYOGAAseriesoftalksbySRISWAMIVENKATESANANDATothestudentsofTheYoga-VedantaForestAcademyEditedbyLAKSHMISriSwamiVenkatesanandawithGurudev(left)SERVE,LOVE,GIVE,PURIFY,MEDITATE,REALIZESoSaysSriSwamiSivanandaADIVINELIFESOCIETYPUBLICATIONFirstEdition:1980SecondEdition:1983ThirdEdition:1998(2000Copi...

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