How to remember divine (GOD) at every possible moment in the

way towards realisation of divine

1)
The very statement indicates that, as of now, I am making an effort to
remember Divine and further indicates that I have not realised the Supreme-self
(GOD). I need to put more effort with sincerity and develop discrimination about what
is beneficial and what is not, in this effort. The Divine is stated as the Cosmic Self
from which everything is manifested. Divine life on Earth is characterized by the
higher stages of Evolution of human beings, wherein Divine is seen as if working
everywhere. What is remembrance of God? More than calling God to mind now and
then, it is continuing awareness ever with us and even in the smallest action that is
carried out. The goal may not be vague feeling about divine, but a continual
awareness of the reality that God is always present. Practicing the presence of
Divine can be a skill and a habit which one can develop, only with blessings of the
Divine, wherein one will be able to think about God at different times in the day and
train mind to remember God. The nature of such Divine Consciousness as explained
by The Mother is stated below:
1.1)
The Mother has described about What is offering of everything to the
Divine? as below:
a) In the beginning the offering is in a general way as I am the servant of the
Divine; my life is given absolutely to the Divine; all my efforts are for the
realisation of the Divine Life
b) at every moment to remember the Divine and carry it out in all the details of
existence; the constant experience that Divine Consciousness is acting
through you, even the smallest thing (even trivial and insignificant) becomes
full of meaning
c) Live constantly in the presence of the Divine, as it moves everything you do;
Offer all your movements to it, not only every mental action, every thought
and feeling but even the most ordinary and external actions such as eating;
when you eat, you must feel that it is the Divine who is eating through you.
d) In the integral Yoga, the integral life down even to the smallest detail has to
be transformed, to be divinised. There is nothing here that is insignificant,
nothing that is indifferent. You cannot say, When I am meditating, reading
philosophy or listening to these conversations I will be in this condition of an
opening towards the Light and call for it, but when I go out to walk or see
friends I can allow myself to forget all about it.
(The Mother - Collected Works of the Mother, vol.3, 28 April 1929, pp.23-5)
1.2)
It is stated in one of the Upanishads that you are the Brahman (Aham
Bhrahmasmi), which appears to be a state after realisation of Divine.

1.3)
Therefore, the most important aspiration of life is, to remember divine at
every possible moment in the way towards realisation of the Divine. Even though I
have not realised self and had no glimpses of Divine, this paper is contemplated with
a firm belief and faith in the Supreme Divine. Such faith in divine is derived from the
belief I have in the vision of great masters and reverence I have towards such
masters, who have realised the Divine and lived Divine life. Such a faith is also
derived out of observation about orderly existence of matter and spirit following a
cycle of events, driven by a power inside each being and outside. Such a faith is also
formed out of a deduction that the I is neither body nor mind nor thought (buddhi);
since body, mind, and thought (buddhi) are instruments of self alone and self is
beyond these situated as a Sakshi (passive observer).
2) The truth about Supreme Self and why to remember Divine at all moments :
The truth about Supreme Self and origin of this Universe (Existence) is explained in
Gita at many places in all chapters. These truths were elaborated by Sri Aurobindo in
his Essays on Gita. The necessity to remember Divine Self & to live a divine life
was also explained and results of such remembrance were also elaborated. The
references from Gita and Essays on Gita are mentioned below for ready reference.
2.1)

The existence of world is due to Supreme-self

2.1.1) Explaining about the nature of existence Sri Krishna reveals to Arjuna that
All this universe of motion is pervasively extended by me, the Unmanifest Being. All
the existences are situated in me; I am not situated in them; And yet not in me are
the existences situated; behold My Yoga, My godhead; My being as Myself, being
the cause of all creation, is the support and bearer of all becomings, not situated in
them. As the great aerial principle, moving everywhere, dwells in the etheric
principle, so too should you conceive of all the existences to be dwelling in me. (IX 4, 5, 6)
Sri Aurobindo explains the above significant truth in his essays :
All this weft of things to which we give the name of universe, all this immense sum
of motion to which we can fix no limits and vainly seek in its forms and movements
for any stable reality, any status, level and point of cosmic leverage, has been spun
out, shaped, extended by this highest infinite founded upon a self-formulation which
is itself unmanifest and unthinkable. All this mass of becomings always changing and
in motion, all these creatures, existences, things, breathing and living forms, cannot
contain him either in their sum or in their separate existence. He is not in them, it is
not in them or by them he lives, moves or has his being, - God is not the becoming. It
is that they are in him, it is they that live and move in him and draw their truth from
him; they are his becomings, he is their being. (Essays p. 311-312). The self is
one, not many; but the universal expresses itself as all existence and is, as it seems,
the sum of all existences. One is Being; the other is Power of Being which moves

and creates and acts in the existence of the fundamental, supporting, immutable
spirit. (Essays P. 319)
2.1.2) Therefore the entire creation, all the beings and things are a general descent
of the Divine, co-extensive with the whole universe; it exists and moves in the
Supreme Lord of all existences. All the beings are supported by the same divine
which is present in each of them.
2.2)

Supreme-self is the sustainer of all creation

2.2.1) Sri Krishna declared about the Supreme divine as :

The light in the Sun that illumines all this world and the light that is there in the moon
and the fire, know all that light verily as My light. Entering pervasively into the earth, I
sustain and support all the forms and things by Energy, and becoming the soma of
the essence of rasa (the sap), I nourish all plants and trees. Becoming Vaisavanars,
the fire of life, I am lodged in the body of all living creatures; equipped with prana and
apana, the incoming and outgoing breath, I digest their fourfold food. I am seated in
the heart of all; from Me are the memory and knowledge and the resolving debates
of the reason; I am verily the One-to-be-Known by all the Vedas; the author of the
Vedanta and the knower of the Veda also am I. (XV - 12, 13, 14, 15)
Sri Aurobindo points out the great significance of these declarations as :
In other words, the Divine is at once the Soul of the matter and the Soul of the life
and the Soul of the minds well as the Soul of the supramental light that is beyond
mind and its limited reasoning intelligence. (Essays P. 447)
Sri Krishna also reveals That the Supreme Reality, is the Indivisible Status and yet
as if divided in the becomings, the Sustainer of all being is That, the Knowable, the
all-originating Creator and also the all-devouring Destroyer. (XIII 16)
2.2.2) Therefore the Divine is the source of all life and all phenomena. The Divine
sustains the entire creation, being situated in all living beings and becomes the sole
cause of sustainer of the Existence.
2.3)
Result of remembering the Divine in the last moments of life and at all
moments of life
2.3.1) Sri Krishna while replying to Arjuna about how at the moment of departure
are you known by those who are self-disciplined?, explains that
He who departs remembering Me (the Supreme Immutable Brahman) alone while
leaving the body at the time of his end, comes to my status of being, there is no
doubt. Whatever form of being one remembers while leaving the body at the end of

his life, to that very being does he go, his consciousness being always full-of-that.
(VIII 5, 6)
Sri Aurobindo explains this by what he calls the self-creative power of the
consciousness
what the thought, the inner regard, the faith, sraddha, settles itself upon with a
complete and definite insistence, into that our inner being tends to change there
we can see ourselves steadily becoming that on which we keep our minds fixed and
to which we constantly aspire In the critical moment of passing from the mortal
plane of living, the importance of our then state of consciousness becomes evident.
(Essay P.295)
2.3.2) Such a declaration also explains varied levels of consciousness with which
one comes into the life and starts living. The teachings of a great master may be the
same, but the way they are received and understood, put into practice in life varies
from person to person based on such person truth of existence and his
consciousness. The last moment remembrance for any person depends on the
orientation of the whole life. It would not be possible to remember divine at the last
moment unless such remembrance becomes a part of that person existence.
2.3.3) In continuation Sri Krishna exhorts to Arjuna
Therefore at all times, every moment, remember me and fight; with your mind and
your buddhi being given to me in self-offering, you would come to me without any
doubt. Who is always thinking of me with an undeviating consciousness, and is
united in yoga of constant application and practice, comes to the Divine Supreme
Purusha. (VIII 7, 8)
The aim of life is to attain to the Divine, and fulfilment of divine life. For this high aim,
one should constantly turn to the divine. True and meaningful spiritual life is not only
to casually turn our mind and reason to the Divine now and then, being occasionally
attracted to him. The discipline of being always God-oriented, God-remembering,
has to be cultivated in the inner consciousness. The truth of consciousness behind is
the constant remembrance of the Divine in the whole of active life, the endeavor of
making the entire life, Yoga with the aspiration of constant union with the Supreme.
(Gitas Gospel P87)
Further Sri Krishna states that
To the Yogin who is ever-united with me, who continuously and constantly
remembers Me, having nothing else in his consciousness, O Arjuna, to him I am
easily attainable. (VIII 14)
2.3.4) This remembrance of Divine is not a remembrance in seclusion or isolation,
not a life-negating, but it is a remembrance in battle-field while fighting, a
remembrance in the field of action, in the battle of life, an endeavor to keep the

presence of the Divine in the inner consciousness while fully engaged in the struggle
of active life. (Gitas Gospel P89). Unless remembrance of Divine, even while
performing the mundane matter, becomes a constant part of life, as prescribed by
The Mother (paragraph 1.1), it cannot be a part of last moments of life. Also there is
no objection to remembering the Divine if we are children of Divinity and Divine
Nature is our natural state.
2.3.5) It is stated by learned people that out of the vasanas developed in the
present state of existence (body & knowledge) resulting from desires of the body &
mind, the means (Upadhi/ body) of next birth is determined, whereas it is not
determined by the Purushottama. The mind remembers the vasanas (like habits)
developed in the present state of existence and holds on to them. At the last breath
whatever is remembered we become so. Whatever is consumed (i.e. seen, eaten,
touched etc. by the senses) has an effect on the mind in the development of habits
(vasanas). Hence, the need is to regulate our senses/ mind, so as to take good
inputs, which do not disturb the mind, so that they keep the mind steady, which
further helps in keeping peace internally. Therefore remembrance of Divine at all
moments of life is essential for realisation of self.
2.4)
Different types of people who remember the Divine:
The presence of Divine was felt everywhere by many souls. In puranas many people
were described as to have remembered GOD at all moments and were protected by
him, like Prahlada (from childhood), King Ambareesha, Sage Narada. In the recent
past many enlightened souls like Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Swami
Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo have attained supreme self, remained in divinity in their
life and made immense efforts to divinize the world.
2.4.1) Sri Krishna speaks of four types of people who open to higher nature and
aspire to Divine, doing good deeds in life:
Four kinds of virtuous men love and adore Me, O Arjuna : those in distress seeking
deliverance (arti), those who aspire for knowledge (gignasi), those who seek
beneficence (artharthi), those who have wisdom and knowledge (jnani). (VII - 16)
These four kinds of devotees represent four different physical/ mental states a
state of distress, anguish and sorrow in life; a state of inquisitiveness with right
orientation; a state of acquisitiveness for greater gains and high values; a state of
realisation. (Gitas Gospel P79). And out of them, Sri Krishna declares that, Jnani
ever in yoga excels in his singular love for Divine. The oneness of Jnani with Divine
is described as Jnani bhakta by Sri Aurobindo in his essays as
This single devotion is his whole law of living and he has gone beyond all creeds of
religious beliefs, rules of conduct, personal aims of life He loves perfectly the
Divine and is his beloved; for as he takes joy in divine, so too Divine takes joy in him.
This is the God-lover who has the knowledge, jnani bhaktah. And this knower, says
the Godhead in the Gita, is myself; the others seize only motives and aspects in

Nature, but he the very self-being and all-being of the Purushottama with which he is
in union. His is the divine birth in the supreme nature, integral in being, completed in
will, absolute in love, perfected in knowledge. (Essays p. 287-288)
2.4.2) Thoughts other than those of the Divine, distract and make one indulge more
with the senses as per the nature of the gunas, whereas realisation of the Divine
presence takes one nearer to divine.
2.5)
Sri Krishna also states that Divine is attainable to the aspirant who strives for
it with full control over his senses, is full of faith in his heart and is given to the Divine
in his soul. Such a self-controlled man of faith finds supreme Peace by that
Knowledge. But, contrary to this, the man who only doubts, who has no faith, who
stays in ignorance, achieves nothing; neither this world nor any happiness comes to
his gain. Such a person virtually goes to perdition. (IV 39, 40) (Gitas Gospel P47)
Benefits of remembering Divine
3)
It is a natural state for a realized soul to remember God at all moments.
Whereas for persons with little realisation about self and having half-knowledge, one
may ask as to what are the benefits.
3.1)
Inculcates samatva-darshana in the Sadhaka
Sri Krishna mentions the sama darshan (equal-vision) of sages as
The sages are equal-visioned, they see the same reality of Brahman when
regarding an advance soul of a brahmana with learning, knowledge and modesty or
a cow or an elephant or a dog or an outcaste. (V - 18)
The vision in knowledge is verily the divine vision by which seer everywhere sees the
same reality. The men of spiritual knowledge and vision perceive the same universal
Divine in all things, all happenings, all situations, all beings. The Divine is the
Supreme Reality, equally pervading, equally present in all.
3.1.1) In the life of common existence, we always have dualities of pain and
pleasure, sorrow and happiness, vice and virtue, attraction and repulsion, favourable
and unfavourable, foe and friend, loss and gain etc. These dualities are
psychological, social and ethical and may be relevant in their own context. In a state
of higher consciousness, these dualities are all resolved and beings starts looking at
the Divine in all and the same Supreme Reality, one and identical Truth in all
aspects. Such a state of samatva-darshana encourages people to
- Encourage towards actions for the benefit of all, to be undertaken as sacrifice
- Respect for all beings (human/ living)
3.2)
An ideal as demonstrated by many sages
Human beings have tendency to follow what contemporary people great in their
respective fields have stated and try to idolize them. Sri Krishna has stated that

For life in the world is such that people follow the example set before them by those
who are great; whatever standard is established by a great man, is pursued by other
people. (III 21)
In the connected/ common existence, human beings seek to conform to an
established ideal of life, that is set by great people, who are great in their respective
fields. Therefore the lives of knowledgeable people serve as examples for the
common people, for reference and to follow.
3.3)
Sri Krishna explained about the nature of people who do not believe in Self
and Supreme-Self (XVI - 8, 11 to 18) :
a) The world, they say is without God, without Truth, unfounded, a mere
becoming with no causal link, meant just for desires, nothing else whatsoever.
b) Resorting to insatiable desire and craving, possessed of arrogance and
conceit and pride-drunkenness, holding on to wrong things by delusion,
unclean in their resolves, they carry on their active life.
c) Given to measurelessly unceasing care and anxiety up to the end of their
lives, they have decided that only enjoyment of desire is all that is their
supreme aim of life.
d) Bound by a hundred bonds of hope and expectation, given over entirely to
wrath and lust, they strive by unjust means to amass gains and resources for
the sake of gratifying their desires.
e) Today I have gained this object of desire, I shall now obtain the other object; I
have so much wealth now and much more will become my possession; I have
killed this my enemy, the others also shall I kill; I am Lord and master, the
enjoyer of my Kingdom, I am perfect and accomplished, strong and happy
and fortunate; I am wealthy and of high birth, who is there like unto me in the
world? I will perform sacrifice, I will give alms, I will make merry, such are
the ideas and imaginations of these people deluded by ignorance.
f) Being variously bewildered in their minds, caught in the web of their
delusions, addicted to the gratification of their desires, these people fall into
unclean hell.
g) Being self-conceited, obstinate, drunken with pride of wealth and prestige,
they perform sacrifices for name only, with vanity, having no regard for the
rule.
h) Given over to egoism, power, arrogance, desire and wrath, these maligning
characters despise Me dwelling in their own and others bodies.
(Gitas Gospel P174)
It is common that I find such people and such tendencies everywhere and in myself
also. It is essential to remember the Divine and benefit of such remembering is
opposite effect of what is stated above.
3.4)
It is a fact that I have also exhibited such character, qualities and nature in
my life, may be in little extent, and with the Divine grace able to realise a little, and

able to de-cultivate some of such tendencies and increase consciousness. I am glad

that Divine Grace has enabled me to analyse, question, and encouraging me to find
Truth about the Self and this existence. I still find unfortunate people exhibiting such
tendencies as described above, and may have to interact with them often every now
and then. But what forces people to act or behave in such manner, and they tend to
state various reasons like others are doing the same or in same manner; I am
born like that; one has to be practical in his approach; one should follow what
majority is doing; why read philosophy now it is meant for old age etc., but it appears
that what is lacking is Divine Grace and sincere & untiring effort. It appears to me
that the most general tendency of human beings is to avoid uncomfortable thoughts
and analysis, just like the fluids, which have a natural tendency to take path of least
resistance, and always flow downwards. However, human being endowed with
faculty to think and to analyse, hence they alone have an excellent opportunity (and
more so a gift from the divine) to explore and realise about things. As a bud flowers,
and undergoes various stages to become flower, yet bud cannot be termed as an
imperfection, and to be stated as in the process of perfection, wherein each stage is
perfect and Truth, leading to full bloom flower, moving from one truth to another,
being ultimate perfection, so also, each stage of being is a Truth of self-expression at
that point of time. Similarly in this journey of realisation of divinity within us each
stage of realisation is a truth but relative at that time and as per consciousness at
that stage.
3.4.1) For a person remembering Divine at all moments, such Divine will help in the
following:
a) Prompts or encourages towards actions undertaken as per Svadharma to
establish a society truly based on Svakarma
b) Acts as a Caution against play of three gunas born of Nature
c) For a person who is given over to the will of God, his Life is much easier,
since even in illness, in poverty and any kind of adversity, following
saranagati, he reflects thus, 'Such is Divine will, and I must endure on account
of ignorance; the situation does not change but the attitude with which he
faces the situation changes due to such remembrance
d) Remembering God is the essence of all spiritual endeavours (sadhanas). All
evils disappear just by remembering God. There is only gain in it and no loss
of any kind exists. In all religious congregations, the remembrance of God is
vital and the gist of everything. Hence, while walking, sitting, getting up all
the times, remember God from your heart. Then it will not matter when your
soul leaves your body.
e) If you do not forget God, then everything will be all right ,since originally the
Self is a part of God and if takes the shelter of God, then nothing is left.
f) Remembrance of God is the essence of everything. Sorrow cant stay when
we remember God and happiness cant stay by being indifferent to God.
Remembrance of God is the real solution for the destruction of all evils.

g) With always remembering God, one will discover in the self, unending peace,
happiness, compassion, forgiveness, magnanimity, etc. All sorrows will
disappear completely forever.
4) Instances when GOD is remembered now
4.1)
At present GOD is remembered on few occasions in the daily schedule, with
an effort, as stated below :
a) Pratahsmaranam of Atma tattvam, Lalitha, Rama before & while getting up to
start the day with Divine remembrance.
b) Pray to mother earth with a request to forgive for all things done with this
earth and benefits gained from the Mother Earth
c) Prayer during Morning Walk by reciting Sundara kandamu of MSR or Bhaja
Govindam or Narayana Satakam or any new prayer/ song learnt, inside the
mind by learning the meaning to develop Bhakti, Vairagya, Knowledge.
d) Puja in the morning Sandhya vandanam to pray goddess enlighten the self
and any prayer to GOD
e) Sometimes during prayer, Surrender ego, worries, problems to GOD (by
saranagati) especially when such worries and thoughts keep coming even
during prayer
f) Remembering Slokas from Gita and Annapoorna Devi before and after any
meal, with a feeling of gratitude to vaisavanara.
g) Attempt to surrender anything done to Narayana (kayena vacha
manasenndriyaiva buddyatmanava prakrute svabhavat karomi yadyat
sakalam parasmai sri narayaneti samarpayami), in a mood that anything is for
your Good only
h) Before going to Sleep remember Hanuman, to close the day on auspicious
note. Before making any journey remember Hanuman to start auspiciously.
4.2)
Remembering God with consistency is found to be not easy, especially so in
today's world where noise - visual, audio, subliminal and emotional, continually
bombard and can distract one from devotion to God. Some of the Hindrances to
remembrance of God :
a) The foremost obstruction is ahankara (self-ego arising by association with
body & mind), that do not want to surrender to God's will (even unknowingly)
because people like to be their own master, and does not see that man has
not wisdom enough to guide himself without God.
b) Worrying also brings forgetfulness of God and ignorance about the Self. The
root of worry is often the pride, out of feeling that we ourselves are doing
something and so perhaps it won't turn out as it should, rather than
remembering that God can do all things, and it is He Who brings forth fruit in
His time and way.
c) For a person who likes to have his own way, is never at peace, since he is
always discontented with felling that this is not right, that is not as it should
be. If one looks logically at the fact that, person having lower consciousness,

d)
e)

f)

g)

where one is not able to control his own mind, why should he expect other
persons to listen to him and others behave as per his wish. But the man who
is entirely given over to the will of God can pray with a controlled mind and
realised self, finds everything pleasant and agreeable.
distressed over anything, as not fully surrendered to God's will
people who are discontented with present conditions, often murmur against
their fate, or against those who cause them offense, such a state of pride
takes away sense of gratitude toward God.
most common distractions are worldly cares, as people get carried over by the family, people, actions, results of action and situations. Yet, it is not our
actual duties or responsibilities that hinder remembrance of God, but carrying
them out in the wrong way, or at the wrong time, or with an incorrect attitude.
Another block to the remembrance of God, is the habit being self-absorbed, of
continually looking at the world from the vantage point of one's own desires
and needs (or what he thinks are his needs), rather than seeking God at all
times. We would spare ourselves and others if we would only have that little
grain of faith and trust in God's care for us.

How should one remember GOD

5.1)
Each sadhaka, faces many circumstances in the life, which presents many
opportunities, many of them are tests for they distract from the path of realization or
from knowing the Self. We take various inputs with our senses and also express
through them. Till the time one realises Self and starts expressing through it, the
instruments available are this body and mind. Sri Aurobindo turned to the practice of
pranayama in 1907 and recorded the results: "I got three things from Lele: (1) Silent
Brahmic Consciousness with its infinite wideness - an experience which was
concrete. (2) Power to speak and write without using the mind. (3) The habit of
putting myself under the guidance of a Power higher than mind.".
5.1.1) At an advanced stage, an enlightened being may be expressing or thinking
with soul, without the help of mind, but till then mind is the powerful instrument,
which can make or mar. The Mind is an instrument of analysis and synthesis, and
organises knowledge, it is useful to control vitality in human beings and for execution
of various works. Further, Mind cannot sit idle as it catches any one or many subject
(s)/ object (s) and engages itself, carries on with them. If it can be disciplined and
given a direction, and a schedule, it becomes a useful tool in realisation of self. It
keeps moving from one truth to another, and a person may get better understanding
with experience of life and practice of YOGA.
5.1.2) On being explained about vision of equality wherein all things everywhere
are seen as image of self, Arjuna raises a question about inherent difficulty about the
mind to control it, which is as difficult as arresting winds (VI - 33). Sri Krishna replied
Arjuna that mind is indeed unstable but it can be controlled by Abhyasa and
Vairagya (VI - 35). The mind with its capacity for many preoccupations, its restless

nature, its difficult ways of working, present difficulties for accomplishment of Yogic
Equality, but may be possible with Vairagya and Abhyasa. Vairagya is the
discriminative knowledge about self and supreme-self and Abhyasa is practice of
carrying out of various works in such knowledge. One of the biggest difficulty is mind
itself has to be controlled with the help of a part of mind; which poses lot of
difficulties. If one is caried away by anger or full of self-pride or ahannkara, the mind
assumes itself to be self and stops questioning itself, thereby starts thinking
whatever done by it is always correct, it knows everything etc. Therefore, it is
essential to carefully watch the mind; repeated actions to know Divine and remember
the Divine, supported/ explained/ backed by discriminative knowledge result in
samatva budhi and will help realise self.
5.1.3) Sri Krishna explains that one is his own friend as well as his enemy as :
To his Self is the Self a friend in whom the self is conquered by the self, and to him
who is not self-possessed, his own self acts in hostility like an enemy. (VI - 6)
Thus the person who keeps his outer personality of the body and life and senses and
mind under the control of his inner soul, one who is his own master, is his own friend;
on the contrary, one who does not live by the inner soul, one who regards his outer
personality alone as his real being and lives its slavery, he is his own enemy,
ignorantly hostile to himself. (Gitas Gospel P61)
5.1.4) Suggestion : Therefore, the mind and its actions are to be watched carefully
and make efforts to control the Mind so that it serves the self. In the initial efforts, a
part of the mind (with the help of Buddhi) may be assigned job to observe the other
active part of the mind, Vital and try develop proper control over mind as well as right
intellect (buddhi). If the mind is let loose it indulges in endless enjoyment of senses,
but once it is given a schedule, to make it a habit, with Abhyasa backed by Vairagya,
and repeatedly told as to what is beneficial (sreyas) rather than what is comfortable
(preyas). The mind may be cultivated, by creating reminders at regular times to bring
thoughts back to the Divine presence at everywhere to help in realisation of the Self.
5.2)
It may be observed that ordinarily human beings while performing actions
refer to self and identify self with the body and also many times with mind & thought
(buddhi/ intellect). Since self is gaining experience through body, mind, thought
(buddhi/ intellect), self is neither body nor mind nor thought. It is the divine within us,
referred as individual self. It is necessary to be able to see the true Self of our being,
as different from the natural personality of body, life, senses and Mind; and as
untouched and unaffected by them. There are many levels of consciousness, but it
may be stated that broadly we operate at three levels of consciousness viz physical
(body), mental (mind & intellect), and in a state of realisation (soul).
Hanuman, greatest devotee of Sri Rama explains his relationship with Sri Rama as
O Lord, at the moment when I am steeped in body-consciousness, I am your slave,
when I identify myself with mind and intellect, as jiva I am part of you and when I am
in my swaroopa that is as the spirit I am yourself.

5.2.1) Many human beings alternate between various lower levels of

consciousness due to ignorance (Avidya) about Self, due to association with various
people pursuing various objectives, due to involvement with various earthly/mundane
matters. For a person who realised self and who remains in some of the higher
consciousness levels or state of continuous realisation, he is already remembering
the Divine at all moments and does not require this exercise. This effort is meant for
those who alternate between various basic (lower) levels of consciousness, to serve
as a reminder and as a reference point. If one remembers, by a conscious effort,
about the present state of consciousness while performing various actions, or after
they being performed, it may be useful for further progress.
5.2.2) Sri Krishna elaborates the threefold qualitative distinction of knowledge as :
The Knowledge by which one sees the One Imperishable Being in all becomings,
the same Indivisible in all divisions, is to be known as Sattvic knowledge. The
knowledge that apprehends multiple and many-folded beings, just separately and
severally in all existences, is to be known as rajasic knowledge. But the knowledge
that is stuck up in a single effect or event or movement as if it were the whole thing,
which makes no reference to the cause of that event as though there is no essential
principle behind phenomena, which is confined to its meagerness, that knowledge is
called tamasic knowledge. (XVIII - 20, 21, 22)
It becomes clear that sattvic knowledge is gained, when one remains in a state of
superior consciousness about truth of oneness of this existence and remains in such
awareness and lives the universal truth. (Gitas Gospel P188)
5.2.3) Suggestion : Therefore One can enter into self-analysis, observe his own
being more and more closely, and about the status of consciousness under various
circumstances and can make efforts to move to higher consciousness.
5.3)
The object we desire/avoid, the subject that we take interest/which repels,
the person whom we like/dislike, we keep remembering it with interest/disinterest
and love/hate. If we start loving God at all moments, we will remember God at every
moment. However the mind does not dwell on one object/ subject/ person at all
moments, but keeps changing from time to time, place to place, situation to situation
and seeks pleasure. To engage mind on any object/ subject/ person, some amount
of resource is to be spent. Mind is also so fast that it tricks all the senses, and it does
not stay on one object/ issue, it travels fast from object to object, and to give
example while praying/ doing puja, it makes senses to mechanically act/ recite and
travels to somewhere and remembers the things-to-do on that day or some other
issue. Therefore, it is essential that mind need to be controlled with sadhana and
make it is possible to dwell on the God, either by remembering his name or taking
his name, or by meditating on him or by talking about him or doing works for him or

doing works which are sacrificed to him, the mind will be controlled and we will be
able to remember him, while performing any action/ thought etc.
6)
At present there are certain occasions when GOD is remembered for few
moments with an effort as stated in paragraph 4. It is not a constant remembrance,
but in parts, due to fear of GOD, and for seeking help from the Divine. Therefore it is
felt desirable to look into daily schedule and search for moments when Divine is not
remembered or contemplated and why it is not done and suggest certain steps to
make it a habit. All human beings consume life sustaining inputs like food, water and
air and apart from it many inputs are consumed by eyes, ears etc., wherein beings
associate themselves with body or mind. We attach more value to many other inputs,
due to mistaken beliefs and attachments. If one can reach a stage wherein one
understands the presence of Divine providence, the nature of Divine and its
manifestation and remembers or follows a schedule remembering Divine, with
gratitude, humility, as one takes food/ water/ air or performing any job or interacting
with other beings or the nature, then such a schedule and the Divine/ GOD, in turn
may become a part of life.
6.1)
If a typical daily schedule is observed various actions undertaken may be
broadly classified into the following actions :
a) Consumption of essentials (air, water and food) to sustain the body
b) Keep the body clean and healthy
c) acquire wealth to support ourselves & support family
d) help others
e) interact with various persons while doing the above
f) think about ourselves and our surroundings
These actions are undertaken broadly
to maintain the body
to occupy mind
to understand the self/ this existence
with a view to gain happiness and avoid unhappiness.
7)
The most basic requirements at physical level, for survival, is consumption of
air, water and food. They are essential requirements without which human beings
cannot sustain. A human being cannot live, without Air for more than few minutes
and without water and food for more than few days. It is on this beautiful mother
earth alone that Air, Water and food are available abundantly to facilitate existence
of life.
7.1)
Attitude before taking food and while taking food
It appears that importance of food is not recognised by many human beings, and it is
felt that food required can be purchased from market, as long as one has money to
purchase. The water is available from the tap and it keeps coming as much as one

can use it. The air is available and I do not even acknowledge its presence. The
person who lives in deprived state of such inputs or who has faced, even
temporarily, a situation of such deprivation alone will be able to know/ understand
their importance. Further, the attitude with which food is taken is for taste and for
renewed tastes every time. There may not be any harm if tasty food is taken, but the
attitude with which it is consumed is vital.
7.1.1) Air, water and food also have a natural cycle of existence in this universe
and are available to human beings as well as other living beings, which are
consumed by all living beings as a part of such natural cycle, and which get
reproduced in such a natural cycle. There is no sustenance for all living beings, apart
from these natural cycles. Even if human beings are able to cause any disturbance
to such natural cycles, out of ignorance, nature has its own way of creating checks
and balances in those natural cycle. All animate and inanimate objects in this
existence are physically composed of panch-bhutas (earth, water, fire, air, and
ether), and participates in these cycles, knowingly or unknowingly and dissolve back
into respective elements. It is stated in Gita that creatures come into being from food
and a beautiful explanation about natural cycle of these elements and their place in
the universal yajna are explained by Sri Aurobindo.
7.1.2) Sri Krishna, while explaining the principle of yajna, stated about the universal
law of sacrifice set in nature by the Lord of Creation :
Creatures come into being from food and food from rain and rain from sacrifice and
sacrifice from karma and karma from Brahman, and Brahman from the Immutable
akshara. Hence the all-pervading Eternal Brahman is established in the sacrifice.
One who does not follow the wheel thus set in motion, evil is his being, sensual is his
delight, in vain does he live. (III 14, 15, 16)
7.1.3) Sri Aurobindo explains that there is in life a natural give-and-take, a cosmic
commerce. All things, all beings, all creatures receive their sustenance from the
creation according to the law of nature and also becoming constantly an oblation
unto the same creation of Nature. The laws of nature are orderly, reliable and never
change. No creature, no being, no person, nothing whatsoever, is isolated from all at
any moment of its existence, cut off from the rest, limited and confined to itself. The
very being of everything is always a being in mutual give-and-take. It is an
interchange, and interflow of cosmic principle of being in action, a universal Yajna.
The ordainer of the Yajna is Nature itself, Prakriti, and the Master, the Enjoyer of it is
the Lord of creation Himself. One who does not know the truth of this yajna, enters
into foolish selfishness that he exists in and for himself. One who wakes up to this
truth, lives in a proper consciousness and performs every action in the spirit of yajna.
Every enjoyment of his life is simply a gift coming as prasada from the Lord of Yajna
and his life becomes sacred and pure and blessed. (Gitas Gospel P27)

7.1.4) The resources that I consume, which, all of them are essentially derived from
the Nature (earth and its environment), are a Prasada, hence need to be consumed
with reverence and ensure that all the action undertaken, becomes a part of the
universal Yajna, and perform actions for the sake of benefit of all. Even consumption
of food is a Yajna, wherein the food is offered to vaisavanara, the spark of life inside,
who consumes it and gives energy to the beings for undertaking actions.
7.2)
The type of food we consume may also influence our nature by promoting
certain Gunas as explained in Gita (XVII - 8, 9, 10) and hence it is essential to be
moderate about the nature of food that is consumed by us.
7.3)
After food is taken
7.3.1) The food that is taken is digested, by certain processes within the body,
resulting in giving energy to all parts of the body and rejecting unwanted material.
The entire process is essential for the very existence of any living being and any
deviation of any process results in severe discomfort. Sri Krishna in this regard
states the truth that He is sustaining from within, the entire universe, and is
pervasively present in everything, seated in the heart of all beings and is manifesting
Himself through each one of them, as elaborated at paragraph 2.2.
7.3.2) From factual point, a living being continues to live as long as the spark of life
remains in him. This human body, which is combination of complex set of parts, each
part supporting other, sustains itself only till the spark of life remains. Once such
spark is gone, the body starts decaying. A lifeless body cannot be given life. This
spark of life is lost, for each being under a different set of conditions, which do not
remain same and it can never be stated with surety as to when it will be lost.
7.3.3) It is of utmost important to remember this spark of life, which is nothing but
the Divine present as Vaisvanara, sustaining all beings. Therefore, remember at all
times and specifically after any food is consumed, the presence of Lord in this body
to sustain us (XV - 15). If such habit is cultivated, it not only helps in Remembering
Divine at a specific point of time, but also prevents us from mistreating this body by
consuming junk foods and toxic foods and unwanted foods. One tends to mistreat
the body by indiscriminate consumption only when it is taken that this body is the
self. Once a thought comes that self has an excellent instrument in the mode of
body/ mind, wherein the Divine is also situated, one tends to be more careful. If one
remembers that they are feeding the body, which is helping us to realise the Divine,
one tend to treat the body with care, as it is a means for gaining higher
consciousness.
7.4)
It may be questioned as to why so much attachment with this body when it is
proclaimed to get over body-consciousness in the path of Self-realisation. The
human birth has more significance, in view of special faculty of thinking given to the
human beings. While all other living beings compulsorily follow their senses and

continue to exist, human birth is a gift given so that, they can contemplate with the
help of mind, and grow, in the path of realisation of the Self. The human birth, which
is a gift of the Supreme Lord, need to be properly employed, instead of misusing it.
Hence maintenance of this body is a natural duty imposed on all beings. Further
religion cannot be taught to hungry people. Therefore it is necessary for a
householder to involve in maintenance of the body given to him and take care of it,
and also take care of requirements of his dependents and society. Simultaneously,
by not getting involved and bound by such duty, one shall undertake actions for the
sake of benefit of all, which is a larger duty as a part of realisation of self.
7.4.1) Sri Krishna while explaining the concept of Yajna pronounced that
One who enjoys the enjoyments given by gods without making an offering to them is
indeed a thief. (III - 12)
The enjoyments are the amount of natural resources (in the nature of facilities)
enjoyed by each human while living in the society. A person who enjoys more
physical resources, when such natural resources are not being replaced/
reproduced, he is indeed a thief. Such a person may be enjoying more natural
resources, as per the law of land, but in the context of nature, it is a violation of
natures cycle of reproduction. Therefore our actions shall be undertaken to fulfil
needs of this body/ for dependents of the family, but not for future generations of the
egoistic self; the present generation shall consume only so many resources as are
sufficient for them but not eat upon the resources of future generations without
replacement of natural resources and in disturbance to naturals cycles of the Prakriti.
7.4.2) Suggestion : Therefore it is essential to remember the Divine before & while
consuming food, and be indebted to the Divine, for being dependent on the cycle of
creation set forth in the nature. The least that one is expected to do is not to disturb
the natural cycle of creation set forth and not to consume more natural resources
than what are created. The existence of natural cycle as a part of this Divine creation
may be remembered and undertake actions as a yajna for the benefit of all.
8)
Actions undertaken and interaction with people
8.1)
Interaction with various types of people :
Sri Krishna while explaining the Vision of All-Self, declared that:
the man whose self is in Yoga sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self;
he is equal-visioned everywhere. He who sees Me everywhere and sees all in Me,
to him, I do not get lost, nor does he get lost to me. The Yogin who loves Me
indwelling all beings, having his stand upon oneness, howsoever he lives and acts,
he always abides in Me. (VI 29, 30, 31)
8.1.1) Seeing the same Self everywhere in all beings is certainly a great
accomplishment and perfection of spiritual life. Having the equal vision of Brahman
everywhere, seeing the same self in all things and all things in self is greatest
attainable realisation. Sri Krishna proclaims the enlightening Truth of eternity of Self

and God, and oneness of God-knowledge and God-vision and God-love and Godconsciousness revealed to human consciousness. Love of the Divine is of central
importance in this synthesis. (Gitas Gospel P67-68)
8.1.2) But is it possible to see God in everyone and everything? At what level of
consciousness one can have such a vision? Is it possible to look at a person as God
even when you perceive as being deceived by him or beaten by him or facing an
adverse situation where you perceive as being wronged? The perception of being
deceived or being wronged are felt when one dwells at mental level, while expecting
equal treatment from others in various interactions. A realised soul may not have
such thoughts or such interactions or such circumstances within the society, as he
would have grown beyond such divisions. But, majority of human beings need to
keep interaction within the society and follow ways prescribed within the society.
Therefore, one need to fight against perceived wrong in situations if it demands.
However, it is an important requirement to segregate wrong quality of a person from
such person and treat such person appropriately. Because of one wrong quality, one
person may not become wrong person and because of many good qualities one
person does not become good person, as all persons are children of Divine. How
should one involve himself, with people of various inclinations and various positions,
while carrying out various interactions at personal, social, official levels. The attitude
to be inculcated and mannerism to be exhibited is elaborated by Guru Patanjali as
described below:
8.1.3) Patanjali in his Yoga-Vasistyam (sutras), states that all beings have four
asubha-vasanas, which can be countered by cultivation of four subha-vasanas.
Patanjali, categorized all people in this world into four categories alone, namely (a)
who have lot of money, resources and enjoy with senses (Sukhita), (b) who have no
money and struggling for food (Dukhita), (c) who follow good path by following
dharma and doing good-deeds (Punya), (d) who are cruel, not following dharma and
doing bad-deeds (Apunya). Being a Sadhaka, one is required to keep in touch and
transact with all these four types of people as above in the society and Patanjali has
prescribed four attitudes (subha-vasanas) - Maitri, Karuna, Mudita, Upeksha
respectively to be exhibited against them. Towards Rich people, one should show
friendliness (Maitri) for their wealth and not be jealous about their richness. Towards
people who are suffering, one should always be kind (karuna) and help them,
instead of victimizing or exploiting them or cursing them. Towards people who are
following Dharma and doing good deeds, one should praise them (mudhita) and
express likeness. Towards people who are cruel and doing bad deeds, one should
show neutrality (upeksha). It also comes from chistrian saying treat others as you
would like yourself to be treated.
8.1.4) Sri Krishna explains that devotion to the Divine (Bhakti), is not only an inner
intimate feeling of love in the heart excluding everything of outer life, but also a rich

feeling towards world because of Immanent Divine. Sri Krishna explains the qualities
of the lovers of divine, who are dearer to Him :
The devotee in Yoga who does not detest any creature of the world, who is friendly
to all and compassionate, who is free from ego and the sense of I-ness and Myness, who is equal in pleasure and pain, who is patient and forgiving, who is ever
contended, who is self-controlled and steadfast in will and in resolution, whose mind
and buddhi, intelligence and will are dedicated and surrendered unto Me, he, My
loving devotee, is dear to Me. He by whom the world is not agitated and who is
himself not agitated by the world, who is free from excitement and jealousy and fear
and anxiety, he is verily dear to Me. He who expects nothing, who is pure and
proficient, who is high-poised and free from affliction, who has given up all inceptive
motivation, he, My loving devotee, is dear to Me. (XII 13, 14, 15, 16)
It may be observed that the qualities and mannerism of person always remembering
God and a devotee are a bigger ideal and the prescription of Patanjali as discussed
at paragraph 8.1.3 appears to be an intermediate step in the path of such selfrealization and becoming of devotee. Therefore, for persons who are deeply involved
with various matters and who keep interacting with various persons, the prescription
of Guru Patanjali is useful to keep the mind at peace. Therefore the first step is to
observe the tendencies exhibited by me towards people with whom I am interacting,
watch for any tendency other than the four tendencies, and try analysing the reasons
for such tendency. The bigger goal is to reach a state of looking at all beings with a
view as prescribed in Gita as described above.
8.1.5) Sri Krishna describes that the essential truth of all existences, their
constitution, their quality, their inherent nature and their specific character, their
manifest virtue as well as their subtle and hidden secret and sustaining power is the
Divine Himself. (VII - 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). The ideal of the Gitas vision is perception of
equal Brahman everywhere. The man whose self is in Yoga, sees the self in all
beings and all beings in the self; he is equal-visioned everywhere. He who sees me
everywhere and sees all in me, to him I do not get lost, nor does he get lost to me.
(VI - 29, 30). For such a person of equal vision, able to see same Divine spark which
moves all beings, present in all beings, stops seeing differences with other beings
and starts seeing oneness everywhere, hence can see no evil. However till one
reaches such a state of consciousness, one may follow the prescription given by
Patanjali while interacting with people.
8.1.6) Suggestion : A sadhaka has to keep his mind always at peace and be
transparent in his interactions. By inculcating such attitudes (subha-vasanas), mind
will be peaceful; and unless mind attains peace, sadhaka cannot practice dhyana
and have knowledge about the Divine. Therefore it is necessary to observe our
attitude, while we are engaged in various interaction and the kind of reactions that
are invoked and analyse nature of such attitude and try changing the attitude if it is
asubha-vasana.

8.2)
Actions undertaken :
8.2.1) All beings act at every moment of their existence. The actions undertaken
may be for maintenance of body, or to satisfy mind or to realise the Self; actions
undertaken involuntarily like breathing or actions performed with effort; actions to
acquire health/ wealth for oneself or actions undertaken to help others; actions
according to the personal desire and actions done according to the shastras i.e.
according to mankinds collective living, its culture, religion, science, its progressive
discovery. Our actions are always directed at gaining happiness or for gaining
freedom from unhappiness (Sukha prapti and Dukha Nivritti). All animals, mostly, act
in a specific manner as per specific nature of their kind of species and do not have
any option to act differently. However, all human beings, although act as per gunas
born of nature, they have option to choose and change their actions and the attitude
with which actions are performed by going beyond nature. For human beings actions
arise out of thought of the mind and intellect.
Sri Krishna, referred to the actions undertaken by beings and stated that:
No one remains without work even for a moment, everyone is made to do action
helplessly by the modes of Nature. (III - 5)
Therefore you perform controlled action, for action is superior to inaction; without
action even the journey of the body, its maintenance and continuance, would not be
accomplished. (III - 8)
All movements of karma, actions are being determined by the modes of Nature; the
man deluded by his ego thinks in vain that he is the doer. (III - 27)
8.2.2) Our general tendency while performing work is ownership of actions,
attachment to results/ fruits of action, identification of works and results of such
works to body/mind. Another attitude is to praise self in case of successful result of
any action and blame others in case of unsuccessful results. Most of the scientific
advancements are made to overcome a limitation imposed by nature on human
beings. But these efforts aiming at so called higher standard of living result in
consumption of higher amounts natural resources available, probably at the cost of
denial to other person or other town or other state or other country. Actions
performed in the above manner, develop ego-sense and bondage with body and
mind and results in lower consciousness in persons. Hence the attitude with which
actions are performed is very important and need to be watched.
8.2.3) Actions does not refer to physical actions alone but also refer to mental
attitude and actions performed by mind in the manner of thoughts. Indeed, thoughts
are more powerful and more significance than physical deeds. It is important to
realise that more than the physical actions, mental actions i.e. thoughts, intentions,
determination of the mind, are more significant and to be watched consciously.
Mental preparation, purification is as much or even more superior to the physical
action. Since actions includes not only physical but metal actions, and the influence

of mind has far reaching effect on the being more than the physical actions, the logic
behind actions undertaken, intention with which they are carried out have to be
watched. A person who internally keeps wrong thoughts, but exhibits right conduct is
a hypocrite. Sri Krishna explains about such person as :
The person who holds tight his organs of action, but keeps remembering the objects
of his senses is bewildered, he is called of false-conduct. (III - 6)
Sri Aurobindo has explained that
Our physical life, its maintenance, its continuance is a journey, a pilgrimage of the
body, sarira-yatra, and that cannot be effected without action. But even if a man
could leave his body unmaintained, otiose, if he could stand still like a tree or sit inert
like a stone, tisthati, that vegetable or material immobility would not save him from
the hand of the Nature; he would not be liberated from her workings. For it is not our
physical movements and activities alone which are meant by works, by karma; our
mental existence also is a great complex action, it is even the greater and more
important part of the works of the unresting energy, --subjective cause and
determinant of the physical. .. A man may control his organs of action and refuse
to give them their natural play, but he gain nothing if his mind continues to remember
and dwell upon the objects of sense. . What is vital is the mighty energy of Nature
which will have her play in her great field of mind and life and body; what is
dangerous in her, is the power of her three gunas, modes or qualities to confuse and
bewilder the intelligence and so obscure the soul. (Essays P107-108)
Therefore one has to perform works and undertake actions and also be conscious
about mental actions; examine the thoughts behind all physical actions and attitude
with which they are performed. What is meant by attitude is the state of mind, faith
about the actions undertaken and faith with which such actions are performed,
interest with which vital energy is exhibited, devotion towards actions and self etc.
The attitude with which actions are performed, and the manner in which results of
actions are accepted, helps up to take us nearer to Divine or away from Divine.
Various mental attitudes which human beings exhibit are discussed at paragraph 3.3
and certain general tendencies of persons while performing actions are also
discussed in paragraph 8.2.2. Therefore, a person has to be careful not to get such
attitudes.
8.2.4) Sri Krishna prescribes the solution for undertaking actions and to change
ordinary life into a spiritual discipline - that one should renounce common desires,
expectations, hopes and offer all actions and movements in works to the alldetermining Lord of nature. (III - 30). Sri Aurobindo explains that Since the mind is
the instrumental cause, since inaction is impossible, what is necessary and right way
is controlled action of the subjective and objective instrument. The mind must bring
the senses under its control as an instrument of intelligent will action full and free
done without subjection to sense and passion, desireless and unattached works are
the first secret of perfection. (Essays P108-109). Sri Aurobindo prescribes that,

since desire is the ordinary motive of all human actions the solution is, to undertake
all works with sacrifice as the only object. By doing works otherwise than for
sacrifice, this world of men is in bondage.any action may be done either from the
ego-sense narrow or enlarged or for the sake of the Divine. All beings and all action
of Prakriti exist only for the sake of the Divine; from that it proceeds, by that it
endures, to that it is directed. But so long as we are dominated by the ego-sense we
cannot perceive or act in the spirit of this truth Egoism is the knot of the bondage.
By acting Godwards, without any thought of ego, we loosen this knot and arrive at
freedom. All the works in their totality find their culmination and completeness in the
knowledge of the Divine. (Essays P.111)
8.2.5) Sri Krishna describes various Yajna (IV - 25 to 33) and prescribes to convert
all works into Divine works and the sacrifice of knowledge is superior to material
sacrifice. The Yajna in which all our actions have to become oblations is not some
kind of karma-kanda, but all-life-yajna. Sri Krishna describes various Yajna-sadhana
senses into fires of control, objects of senses into the senses, actions of senses of
the vital into the self-control kindled by knowledge; other offerings are material
goods, austere energy, their Yoga, their study and knowledge; prana and apana into
each other; regulated and controlled in their diet sacrifice their pranas into pranas.
Sri Krishnas guidance is to lead sadhakas by suggesting to offer dynamic being to
the Supreme divine in the spirit of Yajna, which results into spiritual excellence.
8.2.6) By continuous sadhana, arising out of knowledge, one would be able to
convert all works, not merely certain rites, into Yajna, leading to actions that are
spiritual. It appears that the action of eating food can also be a Yajna in the sense
that food is offered to the vaisvanara; study of good books is an action where
knowledge is fed to the divine spark in the mind to develop Buddhi (intellect); the
buddhi (intellect) is questioned, analysed and offered to the Self to gain Selfconsciousness; watching a movie to feed to the tired mind to gain fresh & relaxed
state of mind. It is also possible for one to undertake actions with an aim to benefit
for all, if one keeps remembering divine presence everywhere, else the actions
undertaken will be for the limited purpose of body/ mind and the physical needs of
the dependents alone.
8.2.7) Suggestion: Therefore, the way forward is to perform actions with higher
consciousness and to derive mandate for actions out of higher consciousness. The
solution to perform actions is by doing all works with a sense of sacrifice, and by
participating in the universal yajna (para 7.1.3), to grow beyond desire. By doing
works otherwise than for sacrifice, this world becomes a bondage.
8.3.1) Sri Aurobindo further explains about sacrifice as He begins to discover a
law other than that of his desires, to which his desires must be more and more
subordinated and subjected.. He begins to perceive Nature and Divine powers in
Nature to whom he owes sacrifice, adoration, obedience, because it is by them and

by their law that the workings both of mental and material worlds are controlled, and
he learns that only by increasing their presence and their greatness in his thought
and will and life can he himself increase his powers, knowledge, right action and the
satisfactions which these things bring to him. (Essays P.127). The sacrifice done
with knowledge is the highest sacrifice and that alone brings a perfect working.
8.3.2) Sri Aurobindo explains about Divine works that Patriotism, cosmopolitanism,
service of society, collectivism, humanitarianism, the ideal or religion of humanity are
admirable aids towards our escape from our primary condition of individual, family,
social, national egoism into a secondary stage in which the individual realises, as far
as it can be done on the intellectual, moral and emotional level, -on that level he
cannot do it entirely in the right and perfect way, the way of integral truth of his being,
-the oneness of his existence with the existence of other beings. (Essays P136). All
individual, all social action, all the works of the intellect, the heart and body are still
his, not any longer for his own sake, but for the sake of God in the world, of God in
all beings. Outwardly his actions may not seem to differ essentially from theirs
but the spirit in which he does them must be very different (Essays P139). The
highest fulfilment of that activity, he might say, is my idea of human perfection, of the
Divine possibility in man; some ideal that satisfies the intellect, the heart, the moral
being, some ideal of our human nature in its action can alone satisfy the human
being. For to his nature each being is bound and within it he must seek for his
perfection. According to our human nature must be our human perfection; and each
must strive for it according to the line of his personality, his svadharma, but in life, in
action, not outside life and action. (Essays P141)
8.3.3) Suggestion: Therefore, the actions that are performed as a sacrifice, shall be
done according to ones own inclination, his svadharma, to undertake svakarma.
Actions undertaken as per Svadharma, ones own inherent nature, helps in
realization of Self, progressing in evolutionary manner. Actions so undertaken thus
help in realizing Divine, take us nearer to Divine works.
8.4)
Play of three-gunas and role of Self
8.4.1) Sri Krishna explains the play of modes of Nature in Gita, celestial Song,
repeatedly at many places as mentioned below :
Every person is made to do action helplessly by the modes of action (III - 5)
person situated in Yoga, even though doing all works, think that I am not doing
anything at all, For he holds that it is the senses simply acting upon the senseobjects (V - 9)
The states of being, the bhavas, which are sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic, know them
as originating from me as their source; truly speaking they are in Me, not I in them.
By these three kinds of becoming which are of the nature of the (three) gunas, this
entire world is bewildered and does not recognise Me. (VII - 12, 13)
When the seer perceives none else than these gunas as the doer of all actions, and
knows the Supreme above the gunas, he then attains to My Nature of being,

madbhavam. The embodies being, the dehin, transcending these three gunas of
which the body is born, and being free from birth and old age miseries, tastes and
enjoys Immortality (XIV - 19, 20)
Everything on this earth, in this life, is of the nature of these three gunas, no being
here is free from the effects of any of them. Not only in the earthly life, but even in
the heaven, amongst gods, there is none who is free from them (XVIII - 40)
8.4.2) Sri Aurobindo explains that the faith in us is of triple kind like all things in
Nature and varies according to the dominating quality of our nature For if a man
or the soul in a man consists of the faith which is in him, taken in this deeper sense,
then it follows that the truth which he sees and wills to live is for him the truth of his
being, the truth of himself that he has created or is creating and there can be for him
no other real truth. This truth is a thing of his inner and outer action, a thing of his
becoming. We create our own truth of existence in our own action of mind and
life. (Essays P 481-482)
Therefore by understanding our nature and understanding the truth, when we
undertake actions, we realise our Self. The option between sreyas and preyas are
confronted every day from mundane things to most important things. According to
our own understanding or as per the accepted law of society, we undertake actions.
But the actions undertaken with conviction of our own thought take us neared to the
Divine.
8.4.3) The personality of a person is basically own faith characterizing whole being
which is sum of inward standing, ideas, beliefs, attitudes, willings and intentions,
values of life and existence. Sri Krishna confirms that yajna, dana and tapas are not
to be abandoned and ought to be performed (XVIII - 5). Sri Aurobindo explains about
Yajna, Tapa, Dana as
All dynamic action may be reduced in its essential parts to these three elements.
For all dynamic action, all kinesis of the nature involves a voluntary or an involuntary
tapasya or askesis, an energism and concentration of our forces or capacities or of
some capacity which helps us to achieve, to acquire or to become something, tapas.
All action involves a giving of what we are or have, an expenditure which is the price
of that achievement, acquisition or becoming, dana. All action involves too a sacrifice
to elemental or to universal powers or to the supreme Master of our works. The
question is whether we do these things inconsciently, passively, or at best with an
unintelligent ignorant half-conscient will, or with an unwisely or perversely conscient
energism, or with a wisely conscient will rooted in knowledge, in other words,
whether our sacrifice, giving and askesis are tamasic, rajasic or sattwic in nature
(Essays P.484-485)
8.4.4) Sri Krishna elaborates the triple distinction Gunas on Food, dana, tapas and
Yajna in chapter XVII. In specific about Tapas (of speech, body and mind) he states :

The triple askesis, the physical, vocal and psychological tapasyas, done by men of
self-integration with highest faith having no longing for fruits or rewards, is said to be
sattvic tapasya. The askesis which is done with vanity for the sake of celebrity,
honour and veneration is called rajasic, it is transient and infirm. The askesis that is
done with deluded notion, torturing oneself or else for overthrowing others is spoken
of as tamasic. (XVII - 17, 18, 19)
To give an example, unagitating speech (anudvegakaram vakyam XVII - 15) may
be adopted, as a part of tapas of speech, to deceive somebody (tamasic) or to gain
honour (rajasic) or as a natural state (sattvic). The above analysis is equally
applicable to - other actions undertaken as a part of tapas, food consumed, dana
and Yajna.
8.4.5) Sri Krishna explained in the context of Yoga of Action and renunciation that
one who is pure, master of himself, who has conquered his senses, whose self has
become one with the self of all existences, such a Yoga-united being, even though
doing all works, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, ejecting, taking,
opening eyes or closing them, the Yoga-integrated knower of the essential principles
of existence would think, I am not doing anything at all. For he holds that it is the
senses simply acting upon the sense-objects (V - 6 to 9)
8.4.6) Suggestion: Therefore, it is essential to watch the play of three Gunas while
thinking, undertaking actions and dominant gunas of our nature, and to understand
our own Truth of existence out of this life and create our own action of mind and life,
in the path of realisation of Self and understanding the nature of Supreme Self.
8.5)
Sri Krishna states that - The doctrine of the renunciation of the fruits of action
is based on a comprehensive truth regarding the consequences of works as
determined in Nature. The Gita speaks of this Truth as the fivefold causal conditions
that determine the accomplishment of actions : they are basal ground, the doer of a
deed, the varied instrument, several efforts involved in the performance of deed, and
Fate or the principle of Divine dispensation. Whatever be the nature of work a man
commences, whether it be of the body or of speech or of mind, these five are always
the efficient causes that produce the result. (XVIII - 13,14,15). The man of
intelligence, knowing that every action depends and determined by these five causal
conditions, understands very well that the fruit of his action is beyond his work with
all efficiency and perfection, does not attach himself with any cherished fruit of
action. Sri Krishna elaborated Yoga of Action, as Right to Action and Right not to
inaction (II - 47, 48). Therefore, actions may be performed by giving all fruits of
action to the Divine
9) Vibhuti of Supreme-Self is everywhere
9.1)
Sri Krishna declares his Vibhuti in chapter X. The Supreme Divine is
immanently present in life and world and entire cosmic movement. The entire

creation is the self-creation of the Supreme. All objective things, and all subjective
states and their correlation and their movements are from the Divine who is the
cause in effect and also the resultant consequence and the purpose of all universal
play. If our consciousness wakes up to the truth of the Divine Becoming in its
infinitude and its limitless excellences, it would enter into Yoga and progressively
grow in oneness with the Supreme Divine.
9.2)
Generally we remember somebody when we are benefited by them, or
when we like them, or when we love them or when we are loved by them. It is the
Supreme self which gives us strength, who creates hunger; food consumed is
digested and gives energy to all parts of body. We are at every moment benefited by
such Divine providence (GOD) and loved by him, hence the minimum gratitude that
can be shown is remembrance of GOD.
9.3)
As a part of schedule we perform Puja every day; remember God, perform
certain upacharas. The prescribed upacharas are 64 or 16, and the minimum that
are performed are five - Gandha, Pushpa, Deepa, Dhoopa, Naivedyam. These are
related to the enjoyments of senses like vision, touch, smell, taste etc. and
performed with gratitude towards the God, as an acknowledgement of the senses
given to the beings. However the Puja does not end where it is performed in Puja
room, but may be extended to the entire day if mind performs all the activities of the
senses by remembering god with gratitude as mentioned below:
a)
anything seen to remind us the Supreme Provider. One can think about
the wonderful system created by the Purushottama within the body and
outside the self; by merging with this world, and at every time by
forgetting the world in his remembrance
b)
that this body is able to get energy for carrying out any work, by eating
suitable food, which gets digested and unwanted material is rejected in a
smooth manner
c)
able to get suitable food and water, and fresh air in his creation
d)
consume food as a naivedya to Vaisvanara who is inside
e)
able to sleep (temporary death) so that the instruments (body & mind)
gets refreshed in the morning, hence remember him before and after
such sleep
f)
able to walk and carry things, and see and remember that they are all his
prasada, so that whatever is done is looked at as a seva towards
Purushottama
g)
all movements are employed for the peace of the existence around and
do not become a reason for disturbance
h)
in each movement try to find out the Divine providence
i)
remember God with gratitude before and after sleep, for giving sound
sleep, which enables the body to be rejuvenated
j)
the speech given is employed in a truthful and pleasing manner

k)

l)

to realise that the pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow experienced
by the mind are originating with senses that are given as a special gift to
human being alone
we should have reverence towards such divine providence which gives
us boldness as well as fear, boldness to face all situations encountered
in life and fear against doing unproductive/ counter-productive, useless
deeds. Such actions performed with bhakti, will purify mind, remove
ahamkara, give sat-sankalpa, and provides control over mind.

10.1) Certain techniques and practices which may help to remember God at all
moments as described by learned people :
a) Once Narendra (Swami Vivekananda) expressed with Sri Ramakrishna, about
the distraction faced by him during meditation in the early morning due to the
huge noise from siren of a Jute mill. Then Sri Ramakrishna advised as to why
to think the siren noise as an obstruction but to start concentrating on such
noise itself. Narendra followed his gurus advice and able to deeply meditate.
Similarly Sri Ramakrishna advised Narendra, on another occasion to
concentrate on a pain so that mind gets over tit and able to get over bodyconsciousness. The above advise appears equally applicably even for
mundane obstructions. Suppose I get yawning while praying in the morning,
instead of getting distracted or cursing the yawn, I may as well think of the
excellent mechanism created by the Purushottama by way of yawn, that
whenever the body requires Oxygen, it forces a yawn automatically.
b) offer any one or more of the eight qualities (Ahimsa, Control of Senses,
kindness towards all beings, forgiveness, jnana (vairagya), Dhyana, Tapa and
Satya) as flowers to the Purushottama
c) Looking at all ladies other than wife as Devi/ mother/ sister
d) Money that is not earned by righteous means be looked upon as a snake or
as a stone
e) Treat other in the same manner as you want yourself to be treated by them
start looking yourself in place or situation of others so that you do not mistreat
them and speak to them kindly and help them
f) Measure the desires that have arisen within you to see whether they are as
per Dharma and control all other desires by Bhakti
10.2) Keep satsangatva as it helps in controlling mind and by listening to
enlightened souls or reading their works, one gets inspiration for actions and thereby
remembering God. Presence of enlightened souls (sat-sangatvam) helps in
realisation of Self. Also Singing of devotional songs to inculcate jnana, vairagya and
bhakti will help mind to occupy itself and entertain itself and thereby remembrance of
the Divine.

References :
1) Essays on Gita: Sri Aurobindo
2) The Gitas Gospel - In Sri Aurobindos Light (A movement from Crisis to
Liberation) by H. Maheswari
3) The translated text of Gita quoted is taken from the above Reference at sl 2.
4) Listening to some of Pravachanams of Sri Chaganti KoteswaraRao, Sri
YellamRaju Srinivasa Rao in Telugu

A typical daily schedule :

Get Up, remember GOD/ DEVI
ablutions
Morning Walk (some prayer)
Domestic Help
Sandhya vandanam/ Puja
Drop child at school
Break Fast
Study new paper
Study any book/ material
Leave for office
office work
interact with officers monitor their work, go through files and dispose
Lunch
Office work
leave for home
eat snacks
watch programs in TV
pray GOD/ bhajan
Sit for study
Speak to wife on general matters
Help child in study/ interact with her
Dinner
Retire for sleep
Study book
Tell story to child
Go To Sleep
other works in the daily schedule :

Meet friends/ interact with them

Visit relations on occasions or occasionally

Go for any lunch/ dinner in a function

Visit elderly man on Saturday morning for about 2 hrs
Visit parents at VSKP or receive them at HYD
Watch movies/ programs on Saturday/ Sunday
Play shuttle with child on Saturday/ Sunday or whenever demands and time
permits