Divya Jivan Newsletter
Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad
October 2015
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OM Namo Bhagawate Sivanandaya!
OM Namo Bhagawate Chidanandaya!
OM Namo Narayanaya!
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Durga Puja  (Navaratri) - a festival of Devi Worship ( October 13, 2015 - October 22, 2015) 

Devi worship is, worship of God’s glory, of God’s greatness and supremacy. It is adoration of the Almighty. The worship of Devi, the universal Mother, leads to the attainment of knowledge of the Self. Sakti is all. She can do anything. She can make or mar. She can mend or end. For the sake of the continuance of Her Divine Play here, She Herself, as Avidya-Maya, has veiled the Truth from you and bound you to this Samsara. When She is propitiated through the practice of sincere devotion and unconditional self-surrender, She, as Vidya-Maya, removes the veil and enables you to perceive the Truth.
 
 No one can free himself from the thralldom of mind and matter without Mother’s grace. The fetters of Maya are too hard to break. If you worship Her as the great Mother, you can very easily go beyond Prakriti through Her benign grace and blessings. She will remove all obstacles in the path, and lead you safely into the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, and make you absolutely free. Swami Sivananda << More>>

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Chidananda Darshan - through Life incidence of Guru Maharaj
Birth Centenary Celebration of Guru Bhagawan Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj at Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad.

"Tender Love For Tiny Creatures"
His cult of non-violence is extended even to the small irritating insects like bugs and mosquitoes whom people kill almost by reflex action and do not feel any qualms whatever. Swamiji endures their stings and allows them to have their own way with his
body. Once while he was doing Kirtan of the Lord's Name, a disciple saw a mosquito sitting on his body and attempted to drive it out. Before he could reach him Swamiji indicated by sign not to disturb the creature. After the Kirtan was over Swamiji told him,
"The hungry one having appeased its hunger goes away automatically; you need not drive it out."

There was an incident at Kotdwar. While Swamiji was giving his address a poisonous insect flew towards him. Yogesh Bahugunaji, a devotee in his company, at once attempted to drive it out. Swamiji, who was then seriously engaged in making an important point,
did not lose sight of this. He signalled to Bahugunaji to leave the insect alone and continued his talk. After sometime he took the insect tenderly and got it seated on his palm, assuring it perfect, security, as it were. This is the unique Brahmi Sthiti of the sage
who in spite of all his busy schedule in Vyavahara is constantly vigilant to observe Ahimsa and love for all creatures at all times.

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Yoga Learning from a book " Yoga a way of Life" by Swami Adhyatmananda

Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation ("salute to the sun"), is a common sequence of Hatha Yoga asanas. Its origins lie in a worship of Surya, the Hindu Solar deity. This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana, which incorporates asana, pranayama, mantra and chakra meditation.

The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series. These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.<< More>>

Yogasana Postures ( video Clip )
 

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Highlighting the News & Upcoming events

Sri Chidananda Birth Centenary Celebrations commenced with three days satsang programs in holy company of Mahatmas, starting from Sept 24, 2015. Large number of devotees joined satsang and Paduka pujan in the morning which followed a ground breaking ceremony by Pujya Sri Swami Adhyatmanandaji Maharaj to commence construction of Swami Chidananda Centenary Memorial Yoga Bhawan at Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad.

The highlight of the evening satsang was the release of the book "Prakash Punj" a Gujarati translation (by Pujya Swami Adhyatmanandaji Maharaj) of book “Light Fountain" by H. H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj. The book originally priced Rs.100/ but it was distributed for token price of Rs.10/- only and 1900 copies were purchased out that evening alone.  << More>>   

Celebrations continues..... "Jnan Yajna" from Nov 25, 2015 to Dece 6, 2015: About 60 learned Saints, Sages, Scholars and Mandleshwars from all over India will perform Jnan Yajna everyday for eight hours encompassing Prasthan Trayaee Parayan ( Brahma Sutra, Ten Principal Upanishads and Srimad Bhagavad Gita)

Please join us for the programs, activities, satsangs and more.... during the Chidananda Birth Centenary Year (Sept 24, 2015 - Sept 24, 2016). "Be a part of it and Be benefited"   

For upcoming Navaratri worship, please refer to upcoming event page. If, you plan to stay at the ashram, please contact the ashram #  079-26861234 email : sivananda_ashram@yahoo.com

Upcoming 35 ^th Yoga Teachers Training course ( Dec 11, 2015 - Dec 30, 2015): Registration form.  for further details, contact  Sivananda_ashram@yahoo.com / # 079- 26861234

News & Activity report for the month of September 2015
Divya Jivan / October 2015  

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Gitamrutam

Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in Yoga and knowledge, alms-giving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity and straightforwardness, (16:1)

Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion towards beings, uncovetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, (16:2)

Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, absence of pride—these belong to one born in a divine state, O Arjuna! (16:3)

Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, harshness and also anger and ignorance, belong to one who is born in a demoniacal state, O Arjuna! (16:4)

The divine nature is deemed for liberation and the demoniacal for bondage. Grieve not, O Arjuna, for thou art born with divine properties! (16:5)