Points to Ponder

LISTEN and SILENT.

Look at these two words.

Do you observe something.

Both words are formed by different combinations of the same letters of the alphabet.

You need to be a good listener and also know when to remain silent to succeed in life.

The Temple

Some thoughts on why we visit temples!

The temple is the perceived abode of the Lord.
Many forget that the Lord exists within each of us.
In spite of knowing the truth we continue to visit temples and make offerings.
This gives us a sense of happiness and drives away our worries.
The atmosphere in the divine environment soothes us.

Karthigai Deepam Photos

Dear Devotees,

To view photos of this Karthigai Deepam visit http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/photos/deepam2009/showphotos.html

May the light of enlightenment dispel the dark ignorance of the mind.

Devotion

"If you must be mad, be it not for the things of the world. Be mad with the love of God."-Ramakrishna Paramhansa.

Devotion

Devotion and absence of desire are instrumental in the quest for realization of the Supreme.

Happiness

Happiness lies within each of us.
We often tend to overlook it.

Silence

Silence is not a sign of the weak. Sometimes silence overcomes all pains.

Self-realisation

The human body is the greatest hindrance in realising the Self, but it is also the only means.

HAPPY DIWALI

Let us seek the blessings of the Master and the Lord to bless us on Diwali and ensure joy, prosperity and good health to all.

HAPPY DIWALI

Life

Life is a beautiful gift, given by God.
We as humans cannot waste this gift by getting stressed and depressed.
Enjoy this gift to the best and utilise it to do something good and noble.

Good Habits

Good Habits

There are small things in life, that determine what we are and how we grow. Getting up early in the morning is one such thing. In today's world where the youth are straddled with work-pressures and shifts it is difficult to predict sleep patterns. In turn, one's health gets affected. Good sleep, good health, good food and good thoughts are all inter-connected.

Once you get up in the morning resist the urge to return to the bed and sleep again.

Get up, wash your face, complete your morning ablutions and spend some time meditating and chanting slokas or reading holy books.

Program Updates

From October 9 to October 16, Aacharya Nochur Venkatraman will be conducting pravachanam at Haridwar.

Searching for the divine

Searching for The Divine

One wanders in temples, mosques and churches, trying to find the Divine One.
It takes a long time for one to realize that the Divine One exists in oneself.

Happy Vijaya Dashami

Wishing everyone a Happy Vijaya Dashami and Dusshera!

May the ego be burnt in the realms of self-realization and the soul within merge with the Divine!

Pranayama

In the words of Ramana Maharishi-"The source of the breath is the same as that of the mind. Therefore the subsistence of either leads to the other. The practice of stilling the mind through breath control is called yoga."

Happy Onam

Wishing everyone a Happy Onam!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

He is the most beloved of Indian Gods. Known as Ganesha, Vinayaka, Pullayar, Ekdantha, Gajanana and many other names.

May Lord Ganesha remove all our obstacles and bless us with prosperity and good health.

Divinity

Divinity exists in each one of us. We forget it and search for enlightenment in temples and mountains. We need to look within ourselves to connect with God.

Prayers

Do not give God an ultimatum and a clause of completion when you pray. Pray from your heart.

Sraddha

Sraddha (devotion) is the most important element in spiritual life.

Silence

Sometimes silence is the most effective means to connect to God!

Truth will not pay homage to any person. Everyone pays homage to truth.

Bhakti

Bhagawan(God), Bhakta(Devotee) and Bhakti(Devotion) are one and the same.

Guru and Maya

Anything that takes the mind outward-away from the centre-is maya and the
power which makes the mind 'turn back' and seek the source is guru.

Chennai Pravachanam Ends

The discourses on Ramana Maharishi and the Bhagavatham came to an end on August 1. The programme was a grand success with the hall full of devotees both during the morning and evening sessions.

The evening sessions were preceded by concerts by various singers.

Thanking all devotees who made this programme a grand success.

Satsang

Satsang is the most important path towards spiritual development.

The Guru and the old lady

This was one of the parables narrated by Bramhasri during the discourse on Bhagavatham:

Once there was a Guru who had many followers. The Guru was pompous and wanted everyone to become his followers. He once reached a village and granted mantra deeksham to all the villagers and made them his followers.

He noticed that one old lady did not come to him to obtain deeksha. He called her and said come and get deeksha. She asked him-"What will I do with it?" The guru replied-"I will guide you to Vaikuntam with this deeksha."

The lady obtained the mantra, then the guru asked her to give dakshina. The lady said she did not have anything to offer as dakshina. The guru said give something. The lady said-"Take this village, or this kingdom, or this country." The guru got angry and said-"Are you making fun of me. Is all this your father's property that you will give them to me as dakshina.

Pat came the reply from the lady-"Is Vaikuntam your father's property that you will guide me to it."

The guru left the village as a reformed and wiser man.

Attending day 1 of the discourse

The discourse on day 1 was a massive success. The hall was packed and many people just sat on the floor and listened to Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman speak.

The proceedings started with a group of people chanting the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Then at about 6:20 PM the Guru arrived and after a formal address and valediction the discourse started.

It was a wonderful experience as the entire hall listened in rapt attention. Truly a divine experience.

Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman in Chennai

Dear followers,

Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman will be conducting discourses on the Bhagavatham in Chennai from July 25 to August 1, 2009. The venue is Narada Gana Sabha in Alwarpet, Chennai.
All followers and devotees are requested to attend the discourses which will be held in the morning and evening.

More details to follow soon.

Love

"Love is the juice that flows directly from the Atman. To love without losing sight of the real nature of the Self is Bhakti."-Sandilya in Narada Bhakti Sutras

Attention

Ignore the prattling of the personal-me and keep the energy of attention locked safely in the witness consciousness within.

Renunciation

When all cravings of the heart are renounced, the mortal attains immortality here and now. He attains the ever attained glory of the Atman.

Desire

How people suffer due to desires. Still they pamper them!

Desire

Desirelessness is the source of joy. Possessorship brings in the evils of dependence, envy, fear, anxiety and hatred. Happy is the man who is free of all desires.

Devotion

God will move like a shadow behind the bhakta(devotee).

Peace

Peace is God. Peace is Mukti. Do not seek any God other than peace.

Realisation

Realise the Self and hand over your work to that Atmashakti. This is the essence of spiritual life.

All strength comes from the impersonal centre. Truth is impersonal. An enlightened person is a mighty impersonality.

Jnana and Bhakti

Jnana (Knowledge) and Bhakti (Devotion) are the same. Both mean that one loses one's indvidual freedom in the ocean of eternal freedom.

Popularity

Popularity is not spirituality. The desire for fame has ruined the spiritual quest of many.

Peace

Peace is the fragrance of the real Self in you. Peace is your real nature. To be at peace unconditionally is the greatest Tapas. Only when the serpent called ego is demolished will the inner lake be filled with the joy of peace.

The blue waters of the inner lake will shine with the silvery sheet of devotion when the ego (the assumed me) disappears.

Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman

A brief introduction about Brahmasri Nochur Venkatraman:

Sri Nochur Venkatraman belongs to the parampara of sages like Adi Sankara and Ramana Maharishi. He is not a ‘swami’ in the usual sense and yet devotees call him so considering his realization.Upanishadic wisdom flows through him with unsurpassed clarity. His discourses on Bhakthi and jnana reflect the genuine source of wisdom in him. He lives the simple life of a family man and yet the Atmajnana proves that he is a Rishi.

His discourses on the Bhagavatham and other spiritual topics are extremely popular for their simple explanations and short parables.

This blog is an attempt to present some of his teachings and spread the light of wisdom.

This is my humble offering to my Guru!