Bhoomananda Foundation

Bhoomananda Foundation

By Narayanashrama Tapovanam, An abode of BrahmavidyaReligion & SpiritualitySpirituality
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Bhoomananda Foundation episodes

  • Points For Sadhana Day - 2 | Gurupoornima Retreat 2022 | Swamini Ma Gurupriya

    Ma Gurupriya ji, in this talk, enlightens the listeners on what makes a seeker 'eligible' for spiritual wisdom.

    She states very categorically that having realized that life has a higher purpose, one must make a wholehearted effort towards attaining it. One-pointed focus and a deep sense of renunciation are the key ingredients of sadhana.
    Ma emphasizes that one must persevere as a Shishya and become fit or eligible to receive this knowledge of the Self. Quoting Shankaracharya, Ma exhorts a seeker to go to a Guru. A Guru alone can lead a seeker forward, enlighten him and establish him in this Truth.
    Ma discusses the 'Sadhana Chatushtaya’ (four-fold qualities of a seeker) which are described in the scriptures. Explaining them in detail, Ma says that these four-fold qualities are necessary for any seeker who yearns for fulfilment and liberation.
    Ma warns us against becoming complacent in one’s Sadhana. Ma also highlights the importance of surrendering at the feet of a Guru. The Guru will remove the hindrances in our spiritual path and help us to grow and realize our Atma, says Ma.

    1 hr 16 min
  • Points For Sadhana Day - 1 | Gurupoornima Retreat 2022 | Swamini Ma Gurupriya

    This discourse series by Swamini Ma Gurupriya was part of the Gurupoornima Retreat 2022 program at Narayanashrama Tapovanam, Kerala.

    In this talk, Ma draws a seeker’s attention to the all-important spiritual pursuit or Sadhana.
    Sharing the wisdom from various scriptures like Vivekachoodamani, Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad Gita, Ma highlights the fact that human life has a higher purpose - to realize our True identity. And the goal of our Sadhana is to be embraced by this Soul identity.
    Soulfully chanting the verses, Ma tells us that, as Sadhakas, we should feel grateful that we are blessed with three things. a) Having had a human birth which helps us to do Vichara. It enables us to reflect, introspect and ask questions. It also helps us to see the impermanence of the worldly objects and recognise the eternal nature of our Soul within. b) Having a burning desire for liberation. Our Sadhana lies in making this yearning more intense and deeper. c) Lasty, but most importantly, Ma underlines the fact that we are indeed very fortunate to have a Sadguru in our lives. For, a Guru alone will guide us and give direction to our Sadhana to progress towards our goal- to realize our universal dimension.
    Quoting from the scriptures, Ma reminds us that a wise person should not waste time. He/she should make sincere efforts to understand and realize the Atma -his/her true nature.

    1 hr 6 min
  • Introspect Over Scriptural Statements - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    Swamiji reveals how scriptural reading and introspection work on the human personality. Arjuna despite being religious, pious, austere and knowledgeable, crumbled on the battlefield in front of all his elders. This resulted in a dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, where Krishna enlightened the intelligence of Arjuna.

    A seeker must read the Gita, absorb and understand it, think about it and assimilate the whole message by reading and thinking over and over again. That is the true sadhana, a pilgrimage for the mind within the body.
    The real sadhana is studying the Gita and reflecting on its messages, doing a mind and intellect sadhana. The real sadhana is only the attitude and objective of the mind and the evaluation of the intelligence. We imbibe purity with more reading and understanding of the Gita verses and this makes us more spatial. Swamiji ends this talk by telling us that we must introspect, evaluate and do a self-verification by reading the scriptures.
    Shlokas Chanted in the Track:
    स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः ।
    Bhagavad Gita 18.45
    असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः |
    Bhagavad Gita 18.49
    PR 26 Jan 2013

    12 min
  • Introspection should be a Corollary of your Activity - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    Through this talk, Swamiji throws light on Sadhana and how one can cultivate sufficient inspiration and commitment towards it. The focal point is our Buddhi, which has to become resolute and determined.

    Desires and hatred make the mind swing. In desire, one has slipped from the self-concept. When we are in grief, do we ask ourselves why we are having grief, as we are the Self? Such introspection is important. As seekers, we cannot allow our mind to be overtaken by things that we have no control on.
    A seeker’s mind must be constantly given to Vichara. One must introspect, even while doing physical activity. Self-reflection should be a corollary of whatever we do. One must observe the agitation within, dissolving it in the mind. Introspection must be truthful and infusional and the agitation should be lessened and finally dissolved by this introspection. When faced with an unpleasant situation, when in grief, we must not allow the mind to become cheerless and heavy. We must keep the mind cheerful through introspection.
    Shlokas chanted in the Track:
    व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।
    बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥
    vyavasāyātmikā buddhirekeha kurunandana ।
    bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ॥
    Bhagavad Gita 2.41
    गच्छतस्तिष्ठतो वापि जाग्रतः स्वपतोऽपि वा ।
    न विचारमयं चेतो यस्यासौ मृत उच्यते ।।
    Yogavasishtaramayanam, Upaśamaprakaranam 93-15
    PR 26 Feb 2015

    15 min
  • Manana to Imbibe a Quality - II - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    In this talk, Swamiji urges us to recognize that as humans we are mental beings and not just physical beings. The Sentient Consciousness animates and activates the body, mind, intelligence and ego. So, the whole focus should be on the mind, which is the functional display of the Consciousness.

    Recognizing the supremacy of the mind, a seeker must love, imbibe and dedicatedly pursue the qualities with fervor, zeal and yearning, to make the mind good, noble, benevolent, enriched, elevated and expansive.
    Swamiji exhorts seekers to spend at least fifty mind hours to nurture the qualities. This empowerment of the mind can be developed by Truthful Introspection – Manana. With such a qualitative mind, all interactions by word, thought and deed would be very benevolent and enriching. This Spirituality can be practiced by anybody, focusing on one’s own mind and nurturing qualitative embellishments.
    PR 25 May 2012

    9 min
  • How to Retain Knowledge - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    Through Vivekachudamani, Swamiji explains how despite gaining the Knowledge of the Self, latent desires are sometimes there in a human. When the desires are very strong, it can lead man astray.

    We find that life in this world is binding and afflicting, but what binds and afflicts is our strong sense of doership, enjoyership and sufferership. This Ego-centric feeling which grips us, is responsible for the continuation of worldliness. This lingering effect of doership and enjoyership on the mind, can be overcome only by an effort of the mind. By constant and consistent practice of contemplating on the unaffected, unconditional, blissful nature of the Self, rubbing this thought against the existing affliction, one can weaken the strong hold of the feeling of doership and enjoyership.
    By Vichara, slowly the feeling of doership and enjoyership will become weak and make the seeker a happy and contented person. Swamiji exhorts all seekers to spend mind hours to bring about a transformation in the thinking.
    Shlokas chanted in the Track:
    ज्ञाते वस्तुन्यपि बलवती वासनानादिरेषा
    कर्ता भोक्ताप्यहमिति दृढा यास्य संसारहेतुः ।
    प्रत्यग्दृष्ट्यात्मनि निवसता सापनेया प्रयत्नान्
    मुक्तिं प्राहुस्तदिह मुनयो वासनातानवं यत् ॥
    Vivekachudamani–267
    PR 20 Apr 2018

    13 min
  • The Object World is Illusory - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    In this audio, Swamiji says that though objects are incidental to our experiences, the experience itself is inner, Subjective and personal. Swamiji speaks about his own resistance to considering the objective world as illusory. However, he emphasizes that when he met his Guru and started pursuing the Deeksha Sadhana, along with all the deep study and application of the various Vedantic Shastras, he discovered the Reality of the Subject within, and understood that everything else is objective and illusory.

    The seeker must be anchored on the magnificence and potential of this Inner Subject. The understanding that the objective world is finite and an illusion, and realization of the Infinite Subject within, can be had by anyone–whether a Housewife, an Enlightened Scholar or an Experienced Seer.
    Shlokas chanted in the Track:
    अविद्यमानोऽप्यवभाति हि द्वयो ध्यातुर्धिया
    Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.38
    यत्र त्रिसर्गोऽमृषा
    Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.1
    PR 25 Jun 2015

    14 min
  • The Source of Creation - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    When Arjuna crumbled in the battlefield, refusing to fight, Sri Krishna made Arjuna introspect over grief. He empowered Arjuna’s mind by speaking about the Self which is unborn and undying, which is ever-present, never absent.

    Our senses interact with objects and there are two outcomes of interactions in the mind level–Sukha and Duhkha. They cannot be avoided; they are inevitable. A seeker must forbear them.
    A seeker treading the spiritual path, must introspect on the source of creation. From the grossest to the subtlest, all things in the world are formful. In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna speaks about the non-dual singular presence and the manifest creation of the world. A seeker must make both these the subject of his enquiry.
    PR 20 July 2018

    13 min
  • A Pursuit of Knowledge - Prabhata Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    Swamiji, through this talk, compels us to reflect deeply on the pursuit of Knowledge. Just as the body and senses are employed in our life, our mind and intelligence are also employed. The delusion, which is there in the mind and intelligence, has to be removed by the pursuit of knowledge. The knowledge pursuit is far greater than sensory and oral pursuits.

    A seeker must cultivate the habit of sensory regulation in Jnana Sadhana. The seeker must cultivate noble virtues to bring about purity of mind. The intelligence must be purified by constant reflection on the Subject.
    Knowledge alone is the greatest mentor and influencer. Through introspection alone can one purify of mind and intelligence and regulate the senses. When it is done, the spiritual path becomes the best and most rewarding.
    Shlokas chanted in the Track:
    प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ।।
    Bhagavad Gita 5.16
    ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः ।
    तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम् ।।
    Bhagavad Gita 5.16
    तद्बुद्धयस्तदात्मानस्तन्निष्ठास्तत्परायणाः ।
    Bhagavad Gita 5.17
    वेदान्तविज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थाः |
    Mundakopanishad 3.2.6
    सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ।।
    Bhagavad Gita 4.33
    PR 17 Jun 2016

    14 min
  • Right Introspection - Prabhatha Rashmih | Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

    Swamiji urges us to do the right kind of Introspection, constantly being aware of the mind. One must reflect whether it is overshadowed by either desire, hatred or fear. Only with the right kind of Introspection can the mind become absolutely free of desire, hatred or fear.

    Through interpersonal relationships, the mind comes out with its inadequacies, irregularities and defects. Being aware & attentive, one should go into the mind and find out if it is behaving properly or not and bring about the necessary correction. This is the introspection which can be done in any situation, anywhere and at any time. By introspection, the mind gets corrected and is treated beautifully. It can achieve any level of purity and goodness so that one can be happy. Every tiny fractional improvement will make the mind more joyous.
    Shlokas chanted in the Track:
    दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्र्च क्रोध: पारुष्यमेव च
    Bhagavad Gita 16.4
    PR 17 Jan 2007

    13 min

About Bhoomananda Foundation

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A series of talks from Narayanashrama Tapovanam.