YOGALife I Summer 2010 - Sivananda Yoga

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The Divine Grace of Mother Ganga The Divine Grace of Mother Ganga Swami Vishnudevananda had a special reverence and devotion for Mother Ganga. As a young Swami, he spent 10 years with Swami Sivananda near the River Ganga in Rishikesh, and in his later years he made many pilgrimages to her banks for Sadhana and meditation. God Pervades Everything Swami Vishnudevananda often used to recount one of his earliest experiences with Swami Sivananda. In 1946, when he was still a young man fresh from being discharged from the army, he was visiting Master’s ashram in Rishikesh and attended the evening Arati (waving of lights). All the devotees and inmates of the Ashram assembled by the banks of the Ganga to watch Master perform the evening worship of the river. The young visitor was sceptical. After all, he had a scientific temperament and knew that a river is only water, H2 O – imagine worshipping H2 O ! But as he stood and watched, the Master turned and smiled knowingly at Swamiji who saw the river transform into a mass of flowing light. In that instant, the river assumed a divine flow, a manifestation of the Grace of the Lord. It whispered this message to him “God pervades everything – this too is His Special Form.” This experience entirely changed his outlook on life. Swami Sivananda then told the young man to remain at the Ashram. Swami Vishnudevananda spontaneously replied “Yes”. Waves of Energy In 1986, Swami Vishnudevananda decided to stay at Sivananda Guha, a small cave in Gangotri, for the winter months. A small kutir was built into the cave and stocked with firewood and food for the winter. Swamiji remained in the cave to practice meditation and mouna (silence). During December, temperatures dropped and the cave was completely isolated by waist deep snow. All roads had been closed. Swamiji wrote of his experiences in a letter to the staff of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres: “I am very happy to be near the Mother Ganges, the vibration of Her is far beyond description. Waves of energy are moving towards humanity to soothe with her 14 YOGALife I Summer 2010 cool nectar-like energy. I am praying for all your spiritual growth. Do not neglect your Sadhana. Time is short. You can all reach the very goal which all Rishis and sages attained in this very birth. Stick to discipline. Repeat God’s name and do lots of pranayama to keep the mind peaceful. If you neglect your Sadhana then the mind will be filled with weeds. Keep up your duties. Pray with all your hearts that Maya will not overpower you. Only by God’s grace you will be able to overcome these forces.” Time is Fleeting The following month Swami Vishnudevananda wrote another letter: “By the Grace of God, Ganga Ma and Gurudev my health is alright and I am enjoying the peace and solitude. I am regularly praying for all of your health and spiritual progress. Time is fleeting. Life is being burnt like an oil flame and many of my childhood friends are gone. So also this body is waiting to finish its karma. Do not waste time. Use every minute in Japa, pranayama and other spiritual activities. Maya is waiting to push you from the spiritual path. Before you know it you are in the old rut. Only the Grace of God and Guru will help you. Your own effort is successful only when God’s Grace comes. So pray, pray and pray. For me day and night are all same. Sixty years of my life are gone just like a dream. Born, grown up and now in old age. Many things only exist in past memory. There is difference between the time I spent as a young Swami in the Himalayas and now at 60 an old Swami. In those days the body was under control. Walking, hiking, etc. were easy, but the mind was turbulent. Now the body is weak but, by the Grace of God, the mind is calm and strong. In younger days the mind used to plan too many things. Now the mind wants solitude. In those days physical discipline was easy. Now the physical body can do very little.
“I am very happy to be near the Mother Ganges, the vibration of Her is far beyond description“ – Swami Vishnudevananda Swami Vishnudevananda in seclusion at Sivananda Guha, Gangotri on the banks of the Ganga. The Divine Grace of Mother Ganga YOGALife I Summer 2010 15
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