2. I HAVE A MESSAGE

I have turned away

From the wealth of the world.

I have a mission,

A great task before me.

In my heart

There is a mighty flame.

I spread the message

Of brotherhood, peace and love.

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

3. I HAVE COME TO RECONCILE

I am a peace-maker,

I have come to reconcile,

I belong to the brotherhood of all.

I disseminate the message of love and peace,

The message of unity and goodness.

I sing the song of oneness,

The song of "Be Good, do Good",

The song of "Soham, Sivoham,

Satchidananda Svarupoham".

 

  (a) Soham    - I am

  (b) Sivoham  - I am Siva

  (c) Satchidananda - Absolute Existence, Knowledge, Bliss

  (d) Svarupoham - I am the Self and Soul

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

4. RAM OR RAHEEM

 

Ram or Raheem is the same for me.

Krishna or Kareem is the same for me.

God or Allah is the same for me.

Ahur Mazda or Jehovah is the same for me.

Christ or Krishna is the same for me.

I accept and respect all saints and prophets.

I respect all Gurus and friars.

I find Truth in all religions:

Thus sayeth Sivananda.

 

  (a) Raheem   -   Allah (Bestower of Mercy)

  (b) Kareem   - Benefactor

  (c) Ahur Mazda - The chief deity of Zoroastrianism

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

5. I AM NEITHER HINDU NOR CHRISTIAN

I am neither Hindu nor Christian,

Neither Jew nor Hebrew,

Neither Mussalman nor Parsee,

Niether Aiyer nor Ayengar.

 

I am not of the East,

Iam not of the West.

I am all-pervading Immortal Soul,

I am Satchidananda Brahman,

Existence, Consciousness, Bliss Absolute.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

 

6. MY CASTE, RELIGION, COUNTRY

 

I belong to no particular caste,

Creed, community or country.

The whole univers is my home,

The whole univers is my body.

My religion is universal:

It is the religion of love or Vedanta.

My home is Brahmapuri,

The Immortal Abode of Brahman!

So says Sivananda.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

7. MY RELIGION

 

I have renounced all sects.

I have removed all creeds and dogmas.

My religion is the religion

Of truth and love.

My religion is the religion of the heart.

My religion is the religion

Of the Upanishada and Vedanta.

My religion is the religion of OM.

My religion is the religion

Of service, sacrifice and renunciation.

My religion is the religion

Of goodness, kindness and tolerance.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

8. MY CREED

 

God is my creed.

Cosmic love is my creed.

Selfless service is my creed.

Brotherhood is my creed.

Sacrifice is my creed.

Renunciation is my creed.

Fellowship is my creed.

Unity is my creed.

Equal vision is my creed.

Equanimity is my creed.

Worship of Truth is my creed.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

9. I AM SUCH A TEACHER

 

I am ever a thirsting student,

I am not a teacher.

But God has made me a teacher,

The students have made me a teacher.

I make my students soon as teachers,

I am such a teacher.

I treat them in respectable terms

As Maharaj, Swamiji, Bhagvan, Narayan.

I treat them as my equals,

I give them equal seats,

I am such a teacher.

I make them Mahants, and servants of humanity,

Presidents, lecturers, writers, Swamis and Yogis,

Founders of spiritual institutions, poets, journalists,

Propagandists, divine scavengers, health and Yoga culturists,

Typists, Yoga king of kings, Atma Samrats,

Karma Yoga Veers, Bhakti Bhushans, Sadhana Ratnas.

I am such a teacher.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

10. SAMATA

 

I wandered alone in winter without blankets,

I slept on the roadside without food;

This did not disturb me even a bit.

I enjoyed the Parivrajak life,

I was in communion with the Lord,

I understood His mysterious ways and help.

Then again, Maharanis served me during meals,

Maharajas fanned me,

Ministers washed my feet.

I was neither elated nor puffed up,

I was wondering at the works of Maya,

I thought it was all a slight purging of some Prarabdha

That will help and hasten the Videha Mukti.

Samata alone can give peace.

Samata or eqanimity is Yoga.

There be established in Samata.

 

(a) Samata     - Equanimity

(b) Parivrajak - Wandering Yogi

(c) Maharani   - Great Queen

(d) Maharajas  - Great King

(e) Videha Mukti - Liberation beyond the body

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

11. MY FRAGRANT GARDEN

 

I put the seed of divine love in the garden of my heart.

I watered it with tears.

I nourished it with the manure of Japa, Kirtan.

I removed the weeds of lust, greed and anger.

I fenced the garden with dispassion.

My heart is now a fragrant garden

Wherein my Lord Krishna ever dwells !

 

(a) Japa - Repetition of God's Names.

(b) Kirtan - Singing of God's Names.

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda

12. NATURE'S WONDERFUL ORCHESTRA

 

I roamed in the Sivagiri forest behind Viswanath Mandir.

It was all silence and quietude.

The flowers, the brooks and the deer

Recognised me and saluted me.

The wind played the drum,

The birds sang in a chorus,

The bees played the violin.

The brooks chanted Bum-Bum, Om-Om.

It was Nature's wonderful orchestra.

I enjoyed the Nature's music heartily.

It was soul-stirring and thrilling.

Come along, friends, and enjoy the music !

Hurry up ! Tarry not ! Be quick !

 

(a) Sivagiri - Mountain of Siva

(b) Viswanath Mandir - Temple of Siva in Benares

(c) Bum - Invocation to Lord Siva

 

 

 

  -- Sri Swami Sivananda