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Wisdom and teachings of
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T rials and Tribulations in Life:
The distress that is experienced burns to ashes all pleasures derived from worldly things. This is what is called Tapasya. The heartache, the anguish over the effect of obstructions, are the beginning of an awakening to Consciousness.

Remember, one is born to experience various kinds of joys and sorrows according to one's desire. For the time being, God comes to you in the disguise of suffering. He is purifying you in this manner. The suffering is for your own best. A mother gives a slap to her beloved child for its own good, in order to keep it on the right path. When a fond mother gives her baby a bath, the child may scream desperately, yet the mother will not let the baby go until she has thoroughly washed and scrubbed him.

quote 4004 | Ma Anandamayî
The Life and Teachings of Anandamayi Ma

G od encased the human soul successively in three bodies—the idea, or causal, body; the subtle astral body, seat of man's mental and emotional natures; and the gross physical body. On earth a man is equipped with his physical senses. An astral being works with his consciousness and feelings and a body made of lifetrons.(1) A causal-bodied being remains in the blissful realm of ideas.

quote 3976 | Paramhansa Yogananda

(1) Sri Yukteswar used the word prana; I have translated it as lifetrons. The Hindu scriptures refer not only to the anu, "atom," and to the paramanu, "beyond the atom," finer electronic energies; but also to prana, "creative lifetronic force." Atoms and electrons are blind forces; prana is inherently intelligent. The pranic lifetrons in the spermatozoa and ova, for instance, guide the embryonic development according to a karmic design.

T he world illusion, maya, is individually called avidya, literally, "not-knowledge," ignorance, delusion. Maya or avidya can never be destroyed through intellectual conviction or analysis, but solely through attaining the interior state of nirbikalpa samadhi.

quote 3975 | Paramhansa Yogananda
Autobiography of a Yog, chap. The Law of Miracles

B y deep meditations, let him recognize the subtle nature of the supreme Soul (1), and it presence in all organisms, both the highest and the lowest.

quote 3963 | The Law of Manu
VI, 65, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

(1) Brahman

D elighting in what refers to the Soul, (1) sitting (in the postures prescribed by the Yoga), independent (of external help), entirely abstaining from sensual enjoyments, with himself for his only companion, he shall live in this world, desiring the bliss (of final liberation). . . .

By the restraint of his senses, by the destruction of love, (2) and hatred, and by the abstention from injuring the creatures, (3) he becomes fit for immortality.

quote 3962 | The Law of Manu
VI, 49,60, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

1 Atman. 2 Or, affection, passion (raga). 3 Ahimsa, non-injury

L et him reflect on the transmigrations of men, caused by their sinful deeds, on their falling into hell, and on the torments in the world of Yama,

On the separation from their dear ones, on their union with hated men, on their being overpowered by age and being tormented with diseases,

On the departure of the individual soul from this body and its new birth in (another) womb, and on its wanderings through ten thousand millions of existences,

quote 3961 | The Law of Manu
VI, 61-63, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

H e who after passing from order to order, after offering sacrifices and subduing his senses, becomes, tired with (giving) alms and offerings of food, an ascetic, gains bliss after death. [...]

Departing from his house fully provided with the means of purification (Pavitra), (1) let him wander about absolutely silent, and caring nothing for enjoyments that may be offered (to him).

Let him always wander alone, without any companion, in order to attain (final liberation), fully understanding that the solitary (man, who) neither forsakes nor is forsaken, gains his end.

He shall neither possess a fire, nor a dwelling, he may go to a village for his food, (he shall be) indifferent to everything, firm of purpose, mediating (and) concentrating his mind on Brahman. . . .[…]

quote 3960 | The Law of Manu
VI, 33,34,41-43, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

1 Construed as either his capacities after having completed three states of life, or his 'equipment' such as staff and water-pot.

L et him not desire to die, let him not desire to live; let him wait for (his appointed) time, as a servant (waits) for the payment of his wages.

quote 3959 | The Law of Manu
VI, 45, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

B ut having thus passed the third part of (a man's natural term of) life in the forest, he may live as an ascetic during the fourth part of his existence, after abandoning all attachments to worldly objects. (1)

quote 3958 | The Law of Manu
VI, 33, Translation by G. Buhler in Sacred Books of the East, xxv (Oxford, 1886), pp. 204-10

(1) Reference here is to the ideal four stages (ashramas) of the Brahman's life: student (brahmacarin), householder (grihastha), hermit or forest-dweller (vanaprastha), and finally, ascetic or mendicant (yati, bhikshu, parivrajaka, samnyasin).

H e is becoming one, he does not see, they say; he is becoming one, he does not smell, they say; he is becoming one, he does not taste, they say, he is becoming one, he does not speak, they say; he is becoming one, he does not hear, they say; he is becoming one, he does not think, they say; he is becoming one, he does not touch, they say; he is becoming one, he does not know, they say. The point of his heart becomes lighted up and by that light the self departs either through the eye or through the head or through other apertures of the body. And when he thus departs, life departs after him. And when life thus departs, all the vital breaths depart after him. He becomes one with intelligence. What has intelligence departs with him. His knowledge and his work take hold of him as also his past experience.

quote 3950 | The Upanishads
Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad, IV, 4, 1-2, S. Radhakrishnan (editor and translator), The Principal Upanishads (New York: Harper & Row, 1951) pp. 269-70, 296

A man who is averse from harming even the wind knows the sorrow of all things living. . . . He who knows what is bad for himself knows what is bad for others, and he who knows what is bad for others knows what is bad for himself. This reciprocity should always be borne in mind. Those whose minds are at peace and who are free from passions do not desire to live [at the expense of others]. . . . He who understands the nature of sin against wind is called a true sage who understands karma.

In short be who understands the nature of sin in respect of all the six types of living beings is called a true sage who understands karma.

quote 3944 | The Panchadasi
Acharanga Sutra, I, 1, Translation by A. L. Basham; from abridged version in Theodore de Bary, Sources of Indian Tradition (New York: Columbia University Press, 1958), pp. 62-3

A ll beings with two, three, four, or five senses. . . . in fact all creation, know individually pleasure and displeasure, pain, terror, and sorrow. All are full of fears which come from all directions. And yet there exist people who would cause greater pain to them. . . . Some kill animals for sacrifice, some for their skin, flesh, blood, . . . feathers, teeth, or tusks; . . . some kill them intentionally and some unintentionally; some kill because they have been previously injured by them, . . . and some because they expect to be injured. He who harms animals has not understood or renounced deeds of sin. . . . He who understands the nature of sin against animals is called a true sage who understands karma. . . .

quote 3943 | The Panchadasi
Acharanga Sutra, I, 1, Translation by A. L. Basham; from abridged version in Theodore de Bary, Sources of Indian Tradition (New York: Columbia University Press, 1958), pp. 62-3

E arth is afflicted and wretched, it is hard to teach, it has no discrimination. Unenlightened men, who suffer from the effects of past deeds, cause great pain in a world full of pain already, for in earth souls are individually embodied. If, thinking to gain praise, honour, or respect ... or to achieve a good rebirth . . . or to win salvation, or to escape pain, a man sins against earth or causes or permits others to do so. . . . he will not gain joy or wisdom. . . . Injury to the earth is like striking, cutting, maiming, or killing a blind man . . . Knowing this man should not sin against earth or cause or permit others to do so. He who understands the nature of sin against earth is called a true sage who understands karma. . .

quote 3942 | The Panchadasi
Acharanga Sutra, I, 1, Translation by A. L. Basham; from abridged version in Theodore de Bary, Sources of Indian Tradition (New York: Columbia University Press, 1958), pp. 62-3

I n the beginning, my dear, this was Being alone' one only
without a second. Some people say 'in the beginning this Was non-
being alone, one only; without a second. From that non-being, being
was produced.'

But how, indeed, my dear, could it be thus? said he [i.e., the
sage Uddalaka], how could being be produced from non-being? On the
contrary, my dear, in the beginning this was being alone, one only,
without a second.

It thought, May I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth fire.
That fire thought, May I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth water. . . .

That water thought, May I be many, may I grow forth. It sent forth food. . . .

quote 3935 | The Upanishads
Chandogya Upanishad, VI, 2, 1-4, S. Radhakrishnan (editor and translator), The Principal Upanishads (New York: Harper & Row, 1953), PP. 151-2, 399, 447-9

T he Sun is Brahman-this is the teaching. An explanation .thereof (is this). In the beginning this (world) was non-existent. It became existent. It grew. It turned into an egg. It lay for the period of a year. It burst open. Then came out of the eggshell, two parts, one of silver, the other of gold.
That which was of silver is this earth; that which was of gold is the sky. What was the outer membrane is the mountains; that which was the inner membrane is the mist with the clouds. What were the
veins were the rivers. What was the fluid within is the ocean.

quote 3934 | The Upanishads
Chandogya Upanishad, III, 19, 1-2, S. Radhakrishnan (editor and translator), The Principal Upanishads (New York: Harper & Row, 1953), PP. 151-2, 399, 447-9

T here was nothing whatsoever here in the beginning. By death indeed was this covered, or by hunger, for hunger is death. He created the mind, thinking 'let me have a self' (mind). Then he moved about, worshiping. From him, thus worshiping, water was produced. . . .
. . . .. That which was the froth of the water became solidified; that became the earth. On it he [i.e., death] rested. From him thus rested and heated (from the practice of austerity) his essence of brightness came forth (as) fire.
He divided himself threefold (fire is one-third), the sun one-third and the air one-third. He also is life [lit., breath] divided threefold, . . .

quote 3933 | The Upanishads
Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad, 1, 2, 1-3, S. Radhakrishnan (editor and translator), The Principal Upanishads (New York: Harper & Row, 1953), PP. 151-2, 399, 447-9

T his (universe) existed in the shape of Darkness, (1) unperceived, destitute of distinctive marks, unattainable by reasoning, unknowable, wholly immersed, as it were, in deep sleep.

Then the divine Self-existent (2) indiscernible, (but) making (all) this, the great elements and the rest, discernible, appeared with irresistible (creative) power, dispelling the darkness.

He who can be perceived by the internal organ (3) (alone), who is subtle, indiscernible, and eternal, who contains all created beings and is inconceivable, shone forth of his own (will). (4)

He, desiring to produce beings of many kinds from his own body, first with a thought created (5) the waters, and placed [his] seed in them.

That (seed) became a golden egg, (6) in brilliancy equal to the sun;
in that (egg) he himself was born as Brahmin, the progenitor of the whole world.

The waters were called naras, (for) the waters are, indeed, the offspring of Nara; as they were his (7) first residence (ayana), he thence is named Narayana . (8)

From that (first) cause, which is indiscernible, eternal, and both real and unreal, (9) was produced that male (Purusha), (10) who is famed in this world (under the appellation of) Brahmin.

The divine one resided in that egg during a whole year, (11) then he himself by his thought (12) (alone) divided it into two halves;

And out of those two halves he formed heaven and earth, between them the middle sphere, the eight points of the horizon, and the eternal abode of the waters.

From himself (atmanas) he also drew forth the mind, (13) which is both real and unreal, likewise from the mind egoism, (14) which possesses the function of self-consciousness (and is) lordly:

Moreover, the great one, (15) the soul, (16) and all products affected by the three qualities, (17) and, in their order, the five organs which perceive the objects of sensation. (18)

But, joining minute particles even of those six, (19) which possess measureless power, with particles of himself he created all beings.

quote 3932 | The Law of Manu
1, 5-16, Translation by G. buhler, in Sacred Books of the East, XXV (Oxford,1886), PP. 2-8

1 Tamas, a darkness both physical and mental. The Samkhya system finds considerable significance in this stanza: tamas, one of the three twisted strands (gunas) of cosmic substance, represents inertia. 2 Svayambhu, an epithet of Brahmin (masculine), who is the impersonal Absolute (Brahman neuter) personified as manifest god. 3 Atindriya, literally that spirit or mind 'beyond the senses.' 4 i.e., became self-manifest. 5 Or, released. 6 As 'the shape of Darkness' (vs. I) and the environmental 'waters' recall the Rig Vedic creation hymn X, 120, so does this golden 'egg' (anda) and its seed (bija) recall the hiranyagarbha of Rig Veda, X, 121. 7 Brahmin's. 8 An example of popular etymology, nara being primal man or eternal spirit. 9 Literally, having existence (sat) and non-existence (asat) as its nature. 10 See the Purushasukta, Rig Veda, X .90 11 Early commentators disagreed, some saying that the 'year' was a 'year of Brahmin,' others maintaining that a human year is meant, as in the similar version of this selection, Shatapatha- bramana, XI, I, 6, 1 ff. 12 Meditation (dhyana). 13 Manas, mind or intelligence, as distinct from spirit (atman). 14 Ahamkara, literally 'the making of "I" (aham)'; the principle of individuation. 15 Mahat, the 'great'; in Samkhya also called buddhi, consciousness. 16 Atman. 17 Gunas. 18 Tanmatras, subtle elements. 19 Again, the Indian commentators are at variance in their interpretations of these last three lines. Probably 'those six' are classes of tattvas (elements) mentioned in the preceding two verses, in the order: manas, ahamkara, mahat, atman, tattvas affected by the gunas, tanmatras. 'It is interesting to compare the Samkya evolutes of prakriti. Here twenty-five tattvas, a rearrangement of 'those six' above, evolve with greater systematization: (1) purusha; and from prakriti, (2) mahat, (3) ahamkara, (4) manas, (5) five sense organs and five motor organs, (6) five subtle elements (tanmatras) and five gross elements (mahabhutas). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

T hen (1) even nothingness was not, nor existence. (2)
There was no air then, nor the heavens beyond it.
What covered it? Where was it? In whose keeping?
Was there then cosmic water, in depths unfathomed?

Then there were neither death nor immortality,
nor was there then the torch of night and day.
The One (3) breathed mindlessly and self-sustaining. (4)
There was that One then, and there was no other.

At first there was only darkness wrapped in darkness.
All this was only unillumined water. (5)
That One which came to bc, enclosed in nothing,
arose at last, born of the power of heat. (6)

In the beginning desire descended on it-
that was the primal seed, born of the mind.
The sages who have searched their hearts with wisdom
know that which is, is kin (7) to that which is not.

And they have stretched their cord across the void,
and know what was above, and what below.
Seminal powers made fertile mighty forces.
Below was strength, and over it was impulse. (8)

But, after all, who knows, and who can say
whence it all came, and how creation happened?
The gods themselves are later than creation,
so who knows truly whence it has arisen?

Whence all creation had its origin,
he, whether he fashioned it or whether he did not,
he, who surveys it all from highest heaven,
he knows or maybe even he does not know.

quote 3931 | The Rig Veda
X, 129, Translation by A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India (London, 1954), pp. 247-8

1 In the beginning. 2 Asat nor sat. 3 Tad ekam, 'That One,' who 'breathes without air.' 4 Svadha, energy, intrinsic power which makes self-generation possible. 5 Fluid (salila) and indistinguishable (apraketa) 6 Tapas, an archaic word which also defines those human austerities br techniques which, like this cosmic heat, generate power. 7 From 'bond' (bandhu). 8 This stanza is obscure. A. A. Macdonell suggests that the 'cord' (rashmi) implies the bond of the preceding stanza; thought measures out the distance between the non-existent and the existent and separates the male and female cosmogonic principles: impulse (prayati) above and energy (svadha) below. (A Vedic Reader for Students, London: Oxford University. 1917, P. 210.)

A nd why should they not pay homage to Thee, Exalted One?
Thou art greater even than Brahman; Thou art the First Creator;
infinite Lord of Gods, in whom the world dwells,
Thou the imperishable, existent, non-existent, and beyond both! (37)

Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient Spirit,
Thou art the supreme resting-place of this universe;
Thou art the knower, the object of knowledge, and the highest station,
By Thee the universe is pervaded, Thou of infinite form! . . . (38)

Thou art the father of the world of things that move and move not,
And thou art its revered, most venerable Guru;
There is no other like Thee, how then a greater?
Even in the three worlds, 0 Thou of matchless greatness! (43)

quote 3914 | The Bhagavat Gita
XI, Selection, Translation by Franklin Edgerton, in Edgerton Bhagavad-Gita, Vol I. Harvard Oriental Series, Vol. 38 (Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1944)

T hus it is, as Thou declarest
Thyself, 0 Supreme Lord.
I desire to see Thy form.
As God, 0 Supreme Spirit! (3)

If Thou thinkest that it can
Be seen by me, 0 Lord,
Prince of mystic power, then do Thou to me
Reveal Thine immortal Self. (4)

The Blessed One said:
Behold My forms, son of Prtha,
By hundreds and by thousands,
Of various sorts, marvelous,
Of various colours and shapes. . . .(5)

But thou canst not see Me
With this same eye of thine own;
I give thee a supernatural eye:
Behold My mystic power as God! (8)

quote 3913 | The Bhagavat Gita
XI, Selection, Translation by Franklin Edgerton, in Edgerton Bhagavad-Gita, Vol I. Harvard Oriental Series, Vol. 38 (Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1944)

Y ou are everything, earth, water, fire, air, and space,
the subtle world, the Nature-of-All (pradhana),
and the Person (pums) who stands forever aloof.

0 Self of all beings!
From the Creator (Brahma) to the blade of grass
all is your body, visible and invisible,
divided by space and time.

We worship you as Brahma, the Immense Being, the first shape,
who sprang from the lotus of your navel to create the worlds.

We, the gods, worship you in our selves,
we, the King of Heaven, the Sun, the Lord of Tears,
the Indweller, the twin gods of agriculture,
the Lord of Wind, the Offering, who all are your shapes
while you are our Selves.

We worship you in your demonic shapes, deceitful and stupid,
wild in their passions, suspicious of wisdom.

We worship you in the genii, the yakshas,
with their narrow-minds obdurate to knowledge,
their blunt faculties covetous of the objects of words.

0 Supreme Man! We bow to your fearful evil shapes
which wander at night, cruel and deceitful

0 Giver-of-Rewards (Jundardana)!
We worship you as the Eternal Law
whence virtuous men, who dwell in the heaven,
obtain the blissful fruit of their just deeds.
We bow to the Realized (Siddhas) who are your shapes of joy;
free from contacts, they enter and move within all things.

0 Remover-of-Sorrow (Hari)! We bow to you the serpent shapes,
lustful and cruel, whose forked tongues know no mercy.

0 Pervaderl We worship you as knowledge
in the peaceful form of the seers,
faultless, free from sin.

0 Dweller in the lotus of the Heart! We bow to you
as the self of Time which, at the end of the ages,
infallibly devours all beings.

We worship you as the Lord of Tears,
who dances at the time of destruction,
having devoured gods and men alike.

0 Giver of Rewardsl We worship your human shape
bound by the twenty-eight incapacities (badha),
ruled by the powers of darkness.

We bow to you as vegetal life (mukhya rupa),
by which the world subsists and which-six in kind,
trees, [creepers, bashes, platits, herbs and bamboo]
supports the sacrifcial rites.

0 Universal Self! We bow to you under that elemental shape
from which beasts and tnen have sprung,
gods and living beings, ether and the elements,
sound and all the qualities.

0 Transcendent Self! We bow to you as the Cause of causes,
the Principal shape beyond compare,
beyond Nature (pradhana) and Intellect.

0 All-powerful (Bhagavan)! We bow to your shape
which the seers alone perceive and in which is found
no white nor other colour, no length nor other diniension,
no density nor other quality.

Purer than purity it stands
beyond the sphere of quality.

We bow to you, the birthless, the indestructible,
outside whom there is but nothingness.

You are the ever-present within all things,
as the intrinsic principle of all.

We bow to you, resplendent Indweller (Vasudeva)! the seed of all
that is!
You stand changeless, unsullied.

The Supreme stage is your core, the Universe your shape.
You are the unborn, Eternal.

quote 3912 | The Vishnu Purana
3, 17,14-34, Translation by Alain Danielou, in his Hindu Polytheism (New York: Bollingen Series LXXIII, 1964).PP. 367-8

T he sum and substance of the whole matter is that a man must love God, must be restless for Him. It doesn't matter whether you believe in God with form or God without form. You may or may not believe that God incarnates Himself as man. But you will realize Him if you have that yearning. Then He himself will let you know what He is like. If you must be mad, why should you be mad for the things of the world? If you must be mad, be mad for God alone.

quote 3902 | Ramakrishna
Nikhilananda, 1942; p. 449

H ow can one attain yoga? By completely renouncing attachment to worldly things. The mind must be pure and without blemish, like the telegraph wire that has no defect.

quote 3901 | Ramakrishna
Nikhilananda, 1942; p. 375

Y ou will feel restless for God when your heart becomes pure and your mind free from attachment to the things of the world. Then alone will your prayer reach God. A telegraph wire cannot carry messages if it has a break or some other defect.

quote 3900 | Ramakrishna
Nikhilananda, 1942; p. 375

D o you know how a lover of God feels? His attitude is: "0 God, Thou art the Master, and I am Thy servant. Thou art the Mother, and I am Thy child." Or again: "Thou art my Father and Mother. Thou art the Whole, and I am a part." He doesn't like to say, "I am Brahman."

quote 3899 | Ramakrishna
Nikhilananda, 1942; p. 134

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