Santhosam Podcast: Guiding Light of Spiritual Wisdom

What is life? Life means to live. Is it the body that lives, or the soul that lives? It is the soul that shines as everything. Therefore, it is the soul that truly lives. Hence, this life is a life of the soul, not a life of the body. The soul chooses the body it needs and lives its life through it, using the body as a tool.  

A life based only on the body becomes a worldly life. A life of the soul is a moral life — that is, a spiritual life. If we say the body is living, then a life focused only on food, sleep, and pleasure which are needs of the body — is merely a bodily life. A life of the soul is a life of love, a life of wisdom, a life of strength, and a life of blissful peace.

Every soul wishes to leave the body peacefully. All souls desire to leave the body with happiness and a sense of fulfilment. Just as a person who visits a town wishes to return happily, in the same way, every soul wishes to leave peacefully at the moment of death.  In the afterlife, the soul wishes to unite with God — to merge with that Supreme Light. For these two purposes only, the soul takes a body and lives this life.

While living, through this body, one should see only good, hear and smell only good, speak only good, consume only good things, and perform only good actions. This world is a place of action, a place of karma. Whatever actions we do, we must face the consequences of those actions. Action and its result, deed and the consequences of the deed are interlinked. In this world, whatever we sow, we reap the corresponding result. Whatever action we perform, we receive the appropriate consequences of that action. So if we want good results, we must perform good actions. 

The root of all actions is thought. If there is purity in thought, there will be purity in words and actions too. When actions are pure, the results will also be pure. Through the knowledge gained by educational and intellectual growth, we must understand what is good and bad, what is noble, what is best, and what is superior — and choose to act based on what is truly higher. 

The greatest, best, unchanging, and never-ending thing in this world is the source of everything in this universe. That is the Supreme Being who is present in all things. Think about the Supreme Being, keep that thought growing, and stay focused on it. In that focus, become one with it. 
Concentration, meditation, and samadhi — all three are about thinking of that Supreme Being.

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நம்பனை ஆதியை நான்மறை ஓதியைச்
செம்பொன்னின் உள்ளே திகழ்க்கின்ற சோதியை
அன்பினை ஆக்கி, அருத்தி ஒடுங்கிப் போய்க்
கொம்பு ஏறிக் கும்பிட்டுக் கூட்டம் இட்டாரே.

பாடல் #626, மூன்றாம் தந்திரம்-9 சமாதி

Line 1
நம்பனை ஆதியை நான்மறை ஓதியைச்

Believing in that eternal entity (God) that never changes or perishes; believing in the primordial supreme entity, whom all the four vedas chant on; 

Line 2
செம்பொன்னின் உள்ளே திகழ்க்கின்ற சோதியை

The divine light (jothi) that shines inside the body which is like pure gold; which resides in all places and in all things that is quoted below as,
‘ஆதியும் அகண்ட இருளும் அதன் தொணியும் அருட் பெரும் ஜோதி’ 
There is no difference between the outer and the inner essence; that which dwells in the universe also dwells within this body. 

Line 3 and 4
அன்பினை ஆக்கி, அருத்தி ஒடுங்கிப் போய்க்
கொம்பு ஏறிக் கும்பிட்டுக் கூட்டம் இட்டாரே.

With devotion towards the Divine, the miraculous light within should be raised  through the central channel (Nadi) upwards. 
This divine light that once resided at the crown has now descended downwards to the root centre (mooladharam) , in order to procreate and expand its kind. 

The Supreme Goddess, Parameswari, who resides in Kailash, once descended to the earthly realm out of anger towards Lord Shiva. Because of this descent, she is known as Parvati — the daughter of the mountain. Later, in order to return to Kailash, she undertakes intense penance (dhavam). This story symbolizes the truth that the Kundalini energy, which descended down to the Mooladhara (root chakra), must rise again to its original abode at the Sahasrara (crown chakra) through the Sushumna Nadi and merge with Shivam, the Supreme Consciousness. This union can be attained only through Yogam (spiritual practice). 

It is through Yoga that a human who has lost their true self can regain their true state (Thannilai). In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna instructs Arjuna to become a Yogi through which he can realise his own self (samadhi state).

Therefore the Divine light within oneself that descends down to procreate should be risen above to its original state at the crown chakra through yogic practice and pure devotion in order to discover oneself and to merge with the Supreme. 

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Santhosam

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Send us Fan Mail

Let Wisdom Flourish!
Let Peace Prevail!
Let us protect Mother earth!
Let us protect the Universe!

Santhosam

https://universalpeacefoundation.org

Everyone has five senses — sense of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight. All living beings that possess the five types of perception have these five senses. 

In the *Thirumandiram*, Thirumoolar speaks about perception that goes beyond the physical senses. The knowledge gained through the five physical senses—touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight—is called sensory knowledge. But there is a perception that transcends these senses. That is true understanding, or higher wisdom — known as discerning knowledge (*paguththarivu*) and ultimate truth (*mei arivu*).  Those who have received the initiation through upf possess this discerning knowledge.

In the world, there are two realms — the outer world and the inner world. With our physical eyes, we see the external world and learn about it. In the same way, through inner awareness, we must understand inner knowledge, which is the true knowledge.

The outer world Is made up of five elements: solid matter, liquid matter, heat (or energy), gaseous matter, and ether (space). Beyond this outer world, there is an inner world — the world of the mind, the world of intellect, and the spiritual world. To understand this inner world, inner knowledge is needed. And to gain inner knowledge, inner awareness or true perception is essential.

With the guidance of a true and qualified spiritual teacher, we must attain this true awareness. It is this teacher who initiates the kundalini energy which in turn helps develop and awaken that true knowledge and awareness within us.

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If we look at all the things that exist in this world, there is nothing other than atoms. There is only one fundamental Supreme atom — the ‘Param anu’—which expresses itself as all other atoms. That one alone manifests as everything. Like a single drop drawn from the ocean, all things have emerged from that vast, supreme atom.

All substances in this world are made up of combinations of atoms. Even this body is formed by the union of billions of atoms. It is the merging and splitting of these atoms that brings about changes in form and identity. 
When the weight and properties of the core inside a metal change, its form transforms, and it becomes a different metal with a different name.

So, all visible objects are nothing but combinations of atoms. Thus, the fundamental substance is the atom. For the devotee, the fundamental substance is God.

How does the enlightened one perceive the fundamental atom? One looks at a statue and worships it, while another sees it merely as a stone statue. One’s knowledge perceives the statue as God and worships it, while another’s knowledge sees it only as a mere statue. For the one who sees only a statue, it remains a statue. But for the one who sees beyond it, it becomes God. Therefore, all that is seen exists in the vision of the seer. 

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Whether we like it or not, all the experiences we go through via our senses get imprinted in the back of our minds. When we see a fire or witness a road accident, it gets registered in our subconscious. For example, whichever direction we turn a camera to take a photo, it captures everything in that direction. Whether we like it or not, it takes pictures and records whatever is in the direction it’s turned to. Similarly, the eye, as a sensory instrument, cannot distinguish between what is good or bad. It simply observes and records everything it sees, regardless of its nature. Similarly,the ear, as an instrument, receives and records everything. It doesn’t know whether what it hears is good or bad. The frontal lobe of the brain (the third eye) processes these recorded impressions, but often it doesn’t reflect on whether they are suitable for me, my family, or my society.

All decisions made with selfish thinking — “It’s good for me,” “It gives me pleasure” — eventually lead to suffering. Why? Because we are not living alone. We live with a family, in a society, in a country and as part of this world. We are not separate from the world — we are living with it. There is no me apart from the world.

Whatever one does, if it is done in harmony with the world, it becomes a meaningful action — living in alignment with the world. That is why, if the frontal lobe, the third eye — the centre of reasoning — can examine and refine the thoughts that arise within it, one can attain the benefits of a thousand Gurus.

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Education is the expression of the Supreme Light (Paranjodhi) within you. Education is the expression of the truth (மெய்மை) within you. Therefore, realizing that truth is what education truly is. Such is the essence of yoga education — a journey through which one awakens to the truth and reality that reside within him.

In the sacred tradition of Gurukula education, the Guru begins by offering the most profound of gifts — a mantra. Not just any mantra, but the supreme among mantras, eternal and unchanging — the Beeja Mantra also called Gayathri Mantra —the seed of all wisdom. It is through this divine sound that the student begins their inner journey, guided by the light of the Guru, toward the realization of truth. 

That sacred sound, that mantra, is everything.  Within it lies the call to meditate upon the Paranjodhi —  The Supreme Light that resides beyond the seven chakras. It is an invitation to contemplate the eternal radiance that transcends even the five koshas (sheaths of being). 

Let us meditate upon that boundless Light, The Paranjodhi, the source beyond all. Let us meditate upon the Paranjodhi—The Supreme Light that exists beyond the physical body, the subtle body, and the causal body. Let us contemplate the Paranjodhi, which is the very foundation of the three states of consciousness: Waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.  Beyond these states shines the Omkara Jyoti, The Light of Om —  The essence that transcends all experience.  This is the very core, the distilled essence of the Vedas. 

Let the physical body, the mental body, and the intellectual body find peace. Only when peace is attained in all three states, can one reach the fourth state — the state of the Self. 

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Those who respect their mother, father, and Guru will always attain a noble and elevated status in life. Act in a way that does not hurt the feelings of your parents; instead, let your actions be a source of support for their happiness. Offer your service in such a way that you become worthy of receiving your Guru's blessings and grace. By serving other living beings, one can receive a Guru's grace. When the Guru's grace is attained, the divine grace of God can also be received. If God's grace is with you, everything can be attained.

In the times to come, be a guiding light, so that future generations may live in happiness. To fulfill your duties properly, look within yourself. You have wasted enough time looking only at the outside. It is because you have forgotten the God who resides within you that, despite possessing such great strength/power, you continue to live in a state of suffering. If you experience the divine within yourself for just a moment, it is enough; you can live on this earth for thousands of years.  

If you experience God for just one moment, within that moment, the eyes see something, the ears hear something, and the tongue tastes and speaks something. O beloved souls who received initiation from UPF, experience the bliss of the Divine within yourself for just one moment. It is not outside; it resides within your own being. Until you trust yourself and realize the great divine power within you, you cannot overcome the great state of death. You will keep moving through the realms of birth and death, bound to the tomb and the womb. Countless rebirths await you. To transcend this endless cycle, turn your gaze inward. Within, you will realize the divine, the supreme power that resides within you.

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Thirumandhiram 724, thandhiram -3

உடம்பார் அழியில் உயிரார் அழிவர்
திடம்பட மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் சேரவும் மாட்டார்
உடம்பை வளர்க்கும் உபாயம் அறிந்தே
உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன், உயிர் வளர்த்தேனே.

The penance to attain one’s true state is the penance to realize oneself. Whatever action we do, the mind should be immersed in that action — with both body and mind united. It is a state where the mind and body are united or in harmony, along with the awareness of consciousness. Thus, the feeling of awareness (consciousness) joins with the formless state called mind and the physical form called body. The mind should settle with what is seen — seeing with awareness, experiencing with awareness, listening with awareness, tasting with awareness, speaking with awareness — doing any action with awareness.

Lines 1 and 2
உடம்பார் அழியில் உயிரார் அழிவர்
திடம்பட மெய்ஞ்ஞானம் சேரவும் மாட்டார்

Life resides in this body. The soul dwells within that life. Therefore, I am that very life. Therefore, to keep this life in the body for a long time, we must protect and maintain the body.

To attain wisdom and knowledge, the life must remain within the body. If life is to remain in this body, one must know the way to nourish and care for it. The true purpose of this life is to attain supreme spiritual wisdom — to understand the ultimate reality of the universe. That alone is true knowledge. This life has taken this body precisely to reach that state of wisdom. Until this life attains wisdom, this body is extremely essential for us. Thus, when the body is healthy, the soul also thrives. By nurturing the body, I nourished the life, and through that life, I attained true knowledge. 

Lines 3 and 4
உடம்பை வளர்க்கும் உபாயம் அறிந்தே
உடம்பை வளர்த்தேன், உயிர் வளர்த்தேனே.

Gurumahan emphasies that the methods for nurturing the body is by practicing yoga; one can attain physical health, enrich the mind, and gain knowledge. 

To attain true wisdom, I make use of this body. So, to keep my body healthy, I must keep my spine aligned in a straight line.  I learned the method of aligning the 33 spinal bones in a straight line. When the hips, spine, neck, and head are perfectly aligned in a straight line, the life force within flows upwards through the Sushumna Nadi (central energy channel) and reaches the crown chakra, leading to a good opportunity to gain wisdom. I learned the method to bring balance to this body, which is made up of the five elements.

The life that dwells within the body is Jeevan (the living being).  Oh Jeevan, you went after sensory pleasures through the senses. Now, realize the divine state within you, and you will experience the bliss of the soul. You, who were lost in small pleasures, will move beyond sensory pleasures and unite in the state of true bliss. You will become one with the Divine, who is at the crown. After being controlled by the senses, you will leave the path of the senses, follow the inner path, and become one with the Divine, experiencing ultimate ecstasy.

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Let Wisdom Flourish!
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Santhosam

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Let Wisdom Flourish!
Let Peace Prevail!
Let us protect Mother earth!
Let us protect the Universe!

Santhosam

https://universalpeacefoundation.org