Thought for the Day

ENERGY

      January  2001

Prayer is the most powerful of energy one can generate. It is a force as real as terrestrial gravity. As a physician, I have seen men, after all other therapy had failed, lifted out of a disease and melancholy by the serene effort of prayer……. Prayer like radium is a source of luminous, self-generating energy……… In prayer, human beings seek to augment their finite energy by addressing themselves to the Infinite source of all energy. When we pray, we link ourselves with the inexhaustible motive power that spins the universe. We ask that a part of this power be apportioned to our needs. Even in asking, our human deficiencies are filled and we arise strengthened and repaired…..    Whenever we address God in fervent prayer, we change both soul and body for the better. It could not happen that any man or woman could pray for a single moment without some good result.

-Dr. Alexis Carrel

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PRANA

April 2001

              Prana is the sum total of all energy that is manifested in the universe. It is the vital force, Sukshma. Breath is the external manifestation of Prana. By exercising control over this gross breath, you can control the subtle Prana inside. Control of Prana means control of mind. Mind cannot operate without the help of  Prana. It is the Sukshma Prana that is intimately connected with the mind. Prana is the sum total of all latent forces which are hidden in men and which lie everywhere around us. Heat, light, electricity, magnetism are all the manifestations of Prana.  Prana is related to mind; through mind to the will; through    will to the individual soul, and through this to the Supreme Being.

-         Swami  Sivananda

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The Purpose of Our

Life is to 'Know'

July 2001

Creation is an ocean of surprises. Just see the little planet in the universe - our world, the earth! Count the variety of living and non-living things here! From the amoeba to the elephant, the variety is simply astonishing.

But there are five vital questions about creation. The first one is, who created this universe? The second question is, why has this universe been created? The third one is, when was this universe created? The fourth question is, out of what has this universe been created? Fifth and final question: 'What's our role in creation?'

How do we know? There are two methods: one of science, and other of religion. Science is the study of the external; religion is the study of the internal. The first is objective while the second, subjective. Scientists too thought they alone were right, but many are differing now. Consciousness and universe, they see, are interwoven. The mind, can't find answers to all our questions through the five senses.

This leads us to the second path-religion. Religion alone has declared that the universe is only an objective manifestation of the subjective.

Religion is the study of man-an in-depth study. This study leads to supreme knowledge of everything.  How? It was Swami Vivekananda who experienced the grandest truth that 'The microcosm and the macrocosm are built upon the same plan.' To know the human being is to know the universe. But to know the human being you don't need instruments. The fine instrument called mind will suffice. Using it, we have to dive deep into ourselves: we should meditate. Meditation leads us to the hitherto unseen universe within. The inner universe, say saints, is astounding. This universe will reveal all the knowledge we need. This, again will free us. The knowledge of why, who, how, what, etc, will all become perfectly clear once we look within. Sri Ramakrishna declared: "A man attains everything when he discovers his true Self in himself that also is the purpose of  assuming a human body".

Shankaracharya sang that human birth is the most precious gift of God. To utilize it to know is the greatest good. Therefore let's all sit down quietly for sometime every day, close our eyes, and dive deep within. This alone, and nothing else, will bring us knowledge, lasting peace and supreme happiness.

- Swami Sunirmalananda       

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MNC Culture

October 2001

MNCs, using powerful weapons of money, gifts and aggressive advertisement convert humans into apes sacrificing   individualism in the name of economy and quality. Even the innocent children are not spared in convertion into robots. Robots do not have any choice except what is dished out by the masters. The MNC culture of rapid growth by any means has been evolved from imbalanced growth of physical & mental needs. Too much attention to physical luxuries and consumerism has helped in faster growth of economy but it has been at the loss of spiritual growth and mental peace. The net result is that selfishness, greediness, exploitation and violence have increased. Poverty could not be eliminated even in affluent countries in spite of vast resources at their command. Sacrifice, adjustment and restraint in word or action is never emphasized and shown in action and thus destroying the family system. In the name of democracy and freedom, we have mobocracy. In mobocracy, majority of ordinary people are manipulated and vote banks are created with clever articulation and help of powerful communication media to keep one's chair for ever. 

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