Pranayama vs. mantra
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
DAILY READINGS
Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.
Day 819
A lot of people say, "Swamiji, must I do pranayama [controlled Yoga breathing, pictured above]?" I say, "Don't worry with pranayama just repeat this mantra [sacred sound syllable or one of the many names attributed to God]." As you start telling the mantra, the breath readjusts itself. So you must do it. There is only one dangerous part: you mustn't get depressed. When it doesn't come you mustn't get depressed. Don't feel, "Oh, it's not coming." Treat it as lila – as a game of God.
Devotee: But we will get upset, Swamiji.
Swamiji: Yes that's what I'm trying to say. Try not to get upset. For instance, I get angry and then quickly I say I mustn't get angry and withdraw myself. It's sheer will. In the beginning I may get angry, but then [through abhyasa – practice] I must pull it back again and say "No, no, not like that." It's human, nothing else.
The greatest person that awakened all the mantras was Ravana. Ravana had the stars, the sun and the moon under control. He had everything under control but he wanted to see God, he wanted God to come to him. It's not easy – that God comes to you. If Ravana didn't have purity why would God go to him? He must have had a great deal of purity for God to go to him.
Devotee: During meditation, sometimes you don't see your own Deity [Ishta Deva] but you see another Deity taking its seat. What do you do?
Swamiji: That's very easy. If you see another Deity then let that Deity be there for a little while. Think your Deity has taken that form – and slowly that Deity must go and your own Deity must take its place.
This happens for two reasons. One reason is that during the day when people speak very highly about another Deity you get caught in it. Supposing I speak a lot about Lord Shiva and you are a worshipper of Sri Rama. Then, when you're sitting for meditation, because I spoke so highly and I've got such an intense feeling for Lord Shiva, my Lord Shiva's form comes into you. Both are God's forms, so allow it to be there for a little while and then let it go, and take Sri Rama's form again. Or you can mentally merge Lord Shiva's form into Sri Rama's form. It is written in the Upanishads [Hindu philosophical treatises] that all names and forms are God's, so do not hate it [any form or manifestation].
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time.
2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order.
Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham