The invisible, ancient, illumined and Divine Yogis ( Sages/Saints) living in their astral bodies in the inaccessible spiritual centre of the Himalayas!

At some point in our lives we have all heard stories about the invisible and immortal Yogis, Siddha Purushas , Divine Enlightened Sages living and meditating in their astral bodies in the inaccessible regions of the Himalayas.  

We have also read stories about how these divine souls  have helped ordinary travelers fend attacks from wild animals or helped them navigate the difficult terrains and difficult parts  of the Himalayas. Apart from these Siddha Purushas living in their astral formats in the Himalayas, there is also a region in the Himalayas which is known as the SPIRITUAL POLE of THE WORLD.

For the first time , through the writings of Acharya Shriram Sharma, we now   have a first hand account of what this  Spiritual center/ Spiritual Pole  of the World looks like . Where in the Himalayas is this place located ? What does this place  look like ? How do there Rishi's live ? What do they themselves look like?Who are they ?

These fascinating and descriptive passages can be found in two extraordinary books penned by The Enlightened Master and Scientific Spiritualist of modern times  -Acharya Shriram Sharma. These books are based on Acharyaji's  multiple journeys to the Himalayas at the call of his own Guru and guide and describe Acharyaji's  personal meetings with these Divine messengers.

I have put together in an article form separate  excerpts from these Books " My Life its Legacy and Message" and "Companions in Solitude" that reference meetings with these immortal and invisible divine saints,( referred to as The Parliament of Rishi's).
Book Links to these two amazing Books are provided at the end of this article.

Quoted Text from the Books:

“I was commanded (by my Guru) to undergo rigorous penance of a special nature by staying in certain locations in the Himalayas where vibrant spiritual energy still continues to flow. Thus in 1958, I set out on one year’s penance in the Himalayas. 

This Sadhna of one year was performed by staying at Gangotri (the origin point of the river Ganga /Ganges in the Himalayas). My Sadhna was intended to acquire energy for initiating a New Era of harmony and peace for humanity.

While trekking to Gangotri for this penance of one year, numerous feelings and thoughts used to crop up in my mind. I used to write down these experiences and feelings. While the events narrated in this booklet have become old, the thoughts and emotions expressed are of perennial nature and passage of time has not dimmed their usefulness. 

Axial Pole of spiritual energy of the world - a  description:
A special portion about the features of the Himalayas has been incorporated in this compilation. The region of about 400 miles between Badrinath and Gangotri has been the locale where normally the great Rishis (sages) had performed penance (Tap). What can be called paradise on earth is this portion of land.

If we correlate the history of Gods and events mentioned in the stories describing the Heaven's  in the scriptures and correlate these with geographical markings, it would substantiate that these events,stories  and the  rule of Indra have taken place in this part of earth, and that the center from where Dev Sanskriti originated is the above mentioned part of the Himalayas. 

This region of Uttrakhand which is the real heart of the Himalayas is now covered with perennial ice and the cycle of climatic changes has made it uninhabitable for the weak bodied human beings of the present day. The region referred to as Uttrakhand is shifting down and is limited to Hardwar- Badrinarayan- Gangotri- Gomukh.

In the heart of the Himalayas, still remains a powerful spiritually charged area. My Master draws his tremendous incomparable energy by staying at this coldest of places energized by the purity of penance of the Rishis. I too had the good fortune to stay here for some period and to see those divine places. This is the region that can be said to be the axial pole of spiritual energy on this earth.

While the unique powers of the North and South poles of the earth are well known. I have come across the pole of  Spiritual Energy on Earth. It is necessary to draw the attention of the world towards this Spiritual Centre of the earth. This information can be invaluable. This is also the reason why Brahmavarchasya (the research center to coordinate scientific and spiritual research) and the center for the worship of Gayatri (wisdom, righteous thinking and discriminating intellect) is located at Shantikunj, Hardwar. The people who visit these energy center's experience inner peace and are inspired to lead a nobler way of living.”

Additional passage from page 34 of "My Life its Legacy and Message" elaborating on the Spiritual Energy Center of the World:

"This region (referring to the inner Himalayan terrain) is inhabited by those living in their astral bodies. Circumstances have considerably changed since the last ice age. Elevated souls formerly living in this region of the Himalayas, which is known as Heaven on earth, now live in the etheral space as the present environment here is no longer  congenial to them.

In ancient times Rishis (elevated sages, saints) lived in the areas from Rishikesh to Gomukh according to their choice and convenience. This region has now become disturbed due to an inflow of  tourists, pilgrims and professionals. Also several temples have been built to satisfy people's curiosity relating to ancient history and to enable local people to earn their livelihood.

I was told that Madam Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy Society , was an eminent saint. She was in contact with highly evolved souls living in their astral bodies. She has written in her book that there is a Parliament of invisible divine saints in difficult inaccessible regions of the Himalayas. Illumined residents of this area are also known as invisible helpers. 

Gurudev said (Acharya Shriram Sharma is referring to his own Guru here), "It is all true. You will see all this yourself by your divine vision in this region of Himalayas, which is my abode". The Tibetan area was part and parcel of the Himalayas in those days. Now the boundaries have changed. Yet the statement of Madam Blavatsky is true. Those living in the physical plane cannot see them but I was assured that I would be able to see them by Gurudev's grace".

Description of the Invisible Illumined Divine Yogis and Saints living in their astral bodies in "Rishi Lok". This description is based on Acharya Shriram Sharma's  personal meetings with the Rishis : ( page 54-56 of the Book -My Life its Legacy and Message).

“Gurudev suddenly appeared that night in the cave. It was a full night of Purnima (i.e.full moon night). I did not inquire about the purpose of his visit at this time because I understood that Gurudev had been showering his grace on me for some specific purposes. I followed him outside the cave… My feet were moving above the surface of the earth. I realized that day why there was the necessity to acquire Siddhis (supernatural powers) of flying in the air, walking in space.It was more difficult to walk on a rough and rugged glacial snowy surface than to walk on the surface of water. Now-a-days ,one may not feel the necessity of such Siddhis, but they were definitely needed in those days for movement in these inhospitable regions.

I came out of the cave trembling with bitter cold and started moving behind Gurudev like his tail in mid air over the golden Himalayas. The purpose of that day’s pilgrimage was to introduce me to the tapasthali (place of worship) of the ancient Rishis. They had all cast off their physical bodies but most of them had retained their astral bodies. Causal bodies of some of them could also be glimpsed through their astral bodies. I suddenly found myself in a posture of folded hands with my head bowed down in deferential salutation. I was being introduced today to Rishis living in their astral and causal bodies in the Himalayas. That night was extremely important and fortunate for me. 

Earlier I had seen only those caves of Uttrakhand during my journeys which were easily approachable. I realized today that there was far more unseen compared to what I had seen so far. Small caves were being used by wild animals, but bigger ones were orderly, neat and clean and were meant for Rishis who were living in their astral bodies. They still lived there occasionally on account of their past association. All those Rishis were in dhyaan mudra (meditative posture). Gurudev told me that they often lived in that state. They did not interrupt their meditation without some valid reason. Their astral bodies along with their names were introduced to me. This spiritual treasure is the specialty and uniqueness of this region. 

They all knew about my visit with Gurudev beforehand. So whenever both of us appeared before them, they opened their eyes with a gentle smile on their lips and nodded their head slightly in response to our salutations. There was no conversation with any of them. If any person living in the astral body has to say or convey anything he does it not by baikhari or madhyama speech but by para or pashyanti speech, that is by awakening the intuitive faculty of the listener. That day’s aim was only to see them and not converse with them. A new student who had come to join their class was to be introduced so that he could be provided with the necessary help if needed. Probably the Rishis had already been informed that I (their embodied spiritual child) could carry forward the divine tasks initiated by them and what my specific role would be and the strategy of action towards meeting that  end. 

An astral body can arouse inner inspiration and transmit energy waves. But a person in physical body alone can give direct and concrete guidance to embodied human beings to precipitate events. Divine beings, therefore, make some physically living person as the instrument for fulfilling their purpose. Till then, I was acting as an instrument of only one guide but now these divine souls of the Himalayas could also utilize me as their medium and provide me inspiration, efficacy and competence. With this view Gurudev was introducing me to them, and all of them without wasting any time and observing any formality were indicating their acceptance of this offer. Thus this divine pilgrimage continued in the night; and before dawn Gurudev returned to his abode leaving me in my cave. 

I saw Rishi-lok for the first time that day. I had seen holy places; ponds, rivers, earlier in the course of this pilgrimage but till then I did not know which Rishi was associated with which particular location. This I saw that day for the first time and the last time. Before sending me back Gurudev cautioned me, “Do not try to establish contact on your own with these Rishis and interfere in their work. If they have any direction to give, they will themselves do so. Your understanding with me has also been the same. You will not knock at my door. Whenever necessary, I would myself approach you, achieve my purpose and arrange for all resources. Do not regard this vision which you have seen here as a mere satisfaction of curiosity. All these great divine souls will get their purpose accomplished through you because they cannot do it themselves for want of physical bodies.
It has been the tradition to establish mass contact through the medium of some fit instrument like you. Henceforth, you should regard the instructions of all these Rishis as my own instructions and do whatever you are directed to do.” What could I say accept nod my acceptance. Gurudev disappeared”. 

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Source and Credits : 

We invite you to visit  our "Life Transforming Books" section to read this wonderful  Book "My Life Its Legacy and Message" .
To read the fabulous travelogue to the Himalayas " My Companions in Solitude" please click upon the Book Title and the Book will open up for you: My Companions in Solitude

Spiritual energy, penance(Tap) -its powerful achievements !

The following is a condensed, and abbreviated excerpt from Chapter One of the book "Colleagues in Solitude", authored by Shriram Sharma Acharya . 

The book is a spiritual and mystical travelogue that chronicles Shriram Sharma Acharya's advent into the Himalayas for a year long Tap Sadhna (penance)in 1960-1961. The below mentioned excerpt from the book explains the meaning of the term Tap Sadhna.

The Acharya was a great devotee of Goddess Gayatri and lived an ideal life for 80 years before voluntarily shedding his physical sheath on Gayatri Jayanti on June 2nd, 1990.

Quoted Text:

The power of Tap (penance) is immense. Tap means heat. So penance means heating up the self for purification. 

The greatest of all the powerful elements in this world have their roots in Tap or heat. The Sun heats itself up. Thus it is the Lord of the solar system, providing life- energy to all beings. The heating up of the atmosphere in the hot summer results in benevolent rains that provide relief, happiness and prosperity. When gold is heated it becomes pure and bright, enhancing its value. 

All the metals coming out of the mines in the form of ores are an impure mixture of dirt, dust and stones. But when melted by heat, the pure metal separates itself from dross and becomes valuable. The unbaked pots, utensils and toys made of unbaked clay get broken even when slightly hit. But when baked in kiln they become red and strong; and earthen bricks baked in kilns become strong like stones. The soft limestone’s become cement when processed by heat and the structures prepared with it last for long durations.

The ordinary mica, when heated a hundred times in fire, becomes Chandroday Ras, an invaluable Ayurvedic medicine. Only when purified on fire several times the metals become valuable Bhasma, Rasayan etc that provide cure and healing for serious diseases. Ordinary grains, pulses and vegetable in their raw states are tasteless, uneatable and indigestible. But when cooked on fire they become tasty and easily digestible. The soiled dirty clothes, when heated in the washer man’s boiler are washed clean and spotless. The foods we take in are digested by the fire in the stomach (in the form of pancreatic secretions) and help produce blood, bones, and marrow that build up and sustain our bodies. If the purification in fire or the process of heating is stopped, all the processes of nature will come to halt.

All the functions of creation are going on only because of heating up of nature. The latent potential in the creations manifests itself in various forms of Tap like energy, valour, courage, enthusiasm, knowledge, science and so on. A mother nourishes the embryo in the uterus by her body heat and gives birth to the baby. Whosoever endeavored to rise above the humdrum, lazy, indolent state had to take up Tap.

All the brave men and women who have left their imprint on the pages of history have had to undergo Tap in their own way. Similarly the chosen few from amongst the farmers, students, laborers, scientists, administrators, scholars, industrialists, and artisans who have made some great contribution in their respective fields could do so because of their extraordinary hard work, perseverance, devotion and Tap. Had they remained dull, lazy and inactive and indulged in ease, comfort, lavishness and merriment, they could never have reached the heights they attained by the tireless toil and perseverance. 

Of all the energies, spiritual energy is the purest and greatest. It also implies that the wealth of spiritual enlightenment is superior to all worldly wealth. Even with ordinary powers of wealth, wisdom and might, people have achieved enormous progress and happiness, but the achievements of those who have gained spiritual enlightenment are many times greater. The difference between the worldly wealth and spiritual wealth is the same as between brass and gold or between glass and a gem. There are a lot of people who are rich, virtuous, powerful rulers, scholars and artists, but they cannot be compared to the great souls who not only elevated themselves but also contributed immensely for the betterment of the world through their spiritual attainments. In ancient times, those who wanted their children to be endowed with virtuous qualities like hard work, perseverance, patience, peace, truthfulness, compassion, and wisdom used to send them to the Gurukuls, (seats of learning under the guidance of Gurus) so that they could be well groomed to inculcate such virtues and be able to face the hardships, hard realities and challenges of life unflinchingly, confidently and boldly.

Whenever and wherever any great thing has been accomplished in this world, there was inevitably the power of penance behind it. If we go through the past history of Bharat i.e. India, it will become evident that the multifaceted progress of this land has been based on penance and its adoption. The land of Bharat was called Paradise on Earth. The nation was on the forefront of humanity in terms of its wealth, knowledge and the valour of its people. The credit of attaining this peak of progress is attributed to the unshakable adherence to noble- aimed penance of its people in the olden days. The lazy, selfish, amorous, pompous and greedy people have always been looked down with contempt and considered inferior by the basic Indian culture. 

The greatness of the power of Tap was truly understood and imbibed through the golden ages of our history making the ancient Indians the torch bearers of spiritual, ethical and moral values of humanity and also rich in worldly prosperity. Manu, the ancient Indian sage who framed the ancient ethical and moral code of conduct for human society was able to accomplish this great assignment only after performing penance along with his wife Shatroopa.

Leafing through the pages of the history of India one comes across numerous such instances where ordinary human beings have astounded the world by their amazing deeds of benevolence to humanity besides self-upliftment, by the power of their Tap. Even in the present era, the works done by enlightened souls like Mahatma Gandhi, Sant Vinoba, Rishi Dayanand, Meera, Kabir, Dadu, Tulsidas, Soordas, Sri Aurobindo, Maharishi Raman, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, and many others have been of revolutionary dimensions.

The work which the politicians and scientists are engaged in at present is only fanning the fires of mutual hatred and distrust and might lead to mass-scale annihilation of humanity by weapons of mass destruction. Forceful and effective voices advocating peace, harmony, love and brother-sister-hood of all humanity are rare- and are almost inaudible in the din of violence, strife, hatred based on race, religion, region, culture, etc. Such noble virtues surcharged with transforming energy cannot be designed and developed in the seats of political power or in the laboratories of scientists. Even in ancient times, when such a need arose, the weapons of peace were forged in the laboratories of hermitages by resorting to Tap Sadhna. In the present times too, many great souls are engaged in this work.

Many efforts are being made to make human life and the world a heavenly abode for all sentient beings. Many industries, businesses, factories, means of transport, dams, schools, hospitals etc., are being built. It is expected that these efforts will help solve the problems of poverty, disease and illiteracy to some extent. But unless the virtues of love, brotherhood, compassion, generosity, faith in divinity, restraint, and service are operative in human consciousness, no effort in the direction of universal peace will succeed. So long as highly evolved and noble minded souls like Gandhi, Dayanand, Buddha, Mahavir, Narad, and Vyas do not appear on the scene to inspire and provide guidance, it is impossible to elevate the mass mind to a higher consciousness. Until the public thinking is not refined and elevated, until pure idealistic feelings are not generated, the raw urges of hatred, enemity, grabbing, adultery, laxity, and sinful deeds cannot be flushed out from public behavior. Till then there will be no respite from the suffering of pain, strife, disease and poverty.

It is necessary to charge the atmosphere with the subtle spiritual current of transforming energy so that moral forces could develop, sublimating the human character at its base. This can be achieved only through Tap Sadhna of a special nature performed by highly elevated souls. This is the greatest service to humanity, religion and culture. Today its need is urgently felt, for with the passing of time, evil forces will overwhelm us and lead us to colossal disaster.

This call of the Time Spirit has compelled me to take the present step. It has become necessary for me to perform intense concentrated Tap for one year by staying in the area in the Himalayas where the Rishis perform their Tap. This Sadhna is not intended for personal benefits. I have never longed for heaven or salvation and will never do so either. I have pledged umpteen times to work for the upliftment of human dignity, so then how come the question of escapism? Universal welfare is my welfare. It is with this aim that I have taken this step to melt myself in the intense heat of Tap.

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http://www.scribd.com/doc/59987539/Colleagues-in-Solitude-by-Pandit-Shriram-Sharma-Acharya

To know more about Shriram Sharma Acharya please click this wikipedia link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

What is Spirituality ? What is Dharma ?

Lord Buddha is a towering figure in the field of spirituality ! If you have ever wondered about the definition of " spirituality " ( What is Spirituality?) or  wondered about - What is Dharma?,  then the below mentioned simple explanation is a must read....

The below mentioned excerpt is a brief and simple passage  from the book 'Pioneers of Scientific Spirituality' that explains the above and also gives us the eight basic tenents of righteous living as taught by Lord Buddha. 
This excerpt is an abbreviated and modified text from   the  pages 81-83 of the above mentioned book.

So let us read....

Quoted passage :

Lord Buddha defines 'Spirituality' and 'Dharma' in a simple yet meaningful way. 

According to him :

"Spirituality is the experience and expression of a multifaceted human life; an expression of the innumerable powers latent in each and every atom. 

Dharma is the propogation of simple, easy and empathetic ways of behaviour and methods based on these experiences and expressions of human life.Spiritual giants have done this during each era. In the present era I am doing the same thing".

We should practice spirituality in a way that helps us realize the following "Eight virtues to self realization" :

Right view : The right way to think about life is to view the world with wisdom and compassion. 

Right Thought : We are what we Think! Clear and kind thoughts build good, strong characters. 

Right Speech : By speaking kind and helpful words we are respected and trusted by everyone.

Right Conduct : No matter what we say, others know us from the way we behave. 

Right Livelihood: This means choosing a job that does not harm others. "Do not earn your living by harming others. Do not seek happiness by making others unhappy. 

Right Effort : A worthwhile life means doing our best at all times and having good will towards others.This also means not wasting effort on things that harm us and others. 

Right Mindfulness : This means being aware of our thoughts, words and deeds. 

Right Concentration : Focus on one thought or object at a time. By doing this , we can be quiet and attain peace of mind. 

The state in which all suffering ends is called Nirvana. Nirvana is an everlasting state of joy and peace.It is the ultimate objective of life".

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To read the fabulpous Book - "Pioneers of Scientific Spirituality" please click the link below:http://www.scribd.com/doc/87376761/The-Pioneers-of-Scientific-Spirituality-by-Dr-Pranav-Pandya

To know more about Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya please click the wikipedia link below:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

How to mitigate growing economic inequality in the world, lessons from a milestone planted on the road!

The following is an inspiring excerpt from the uplifting, inspiring, spiritual travelogue" Companions in Solitude" that chronicles the author, Shriram Sharma Acharya's journey into the Himalayas for "Sadhana" in solitude and isolation. The text motivates us all individually, to help at least one other  individual who is less fortunate, less intelligent, has less resources than us, using the humble "milestone" as an inspiration. 

In the current global context where one out of six people are hungry, unemployed, uneducated  or simply disadvantaged, we should each individually attempt to help rebuild the lives of  at least five other people through our lifetime.

The quoted text is an abbreviated and  adapted version   of pages 41 to page 43 of the above mentioned text. (Please note page numbers may differ based on text edition used).

Quoted text:

"The widening and repairing work of the road up to Bhatawadi camp was going on.So the milestones (stone signs defining the distance travelled between point A and point B, and distance to destination) were not there. The road was steep and hence the journey along it on foot was exhausting. The lonesome journey through the unpeopled region was also getting more and more monotonous. Anyone who is used to the life of hustle and bustle in the midst of people feels it difficult to bear the pressure of solitude. When this loneliness and hard physical strain tire the mind and the body, the only desire is to know how much distance has been covered and how much yet remains to be covered. And it was not possible to know in the absence of the  milestones.

Cause of unhappiness in modern day city life & lessons from simple hill folk.- by Shriram Sharma Acharya

The short passage below illustrates the "simple yet happy life"  of folks living on the tough Himalayan mounatins  and what makes city dwellers with all modern conveniences unhappy.

The following  excerpt from the travelogue "Companions in Solitude" authored by Shriram Sharma Acharya indicates that the root cause of unhappiness is our endless greed for more and more . The book makes comparisons between the simple and tough life of village folks living in the tough terrains of the Himalayas and compares this outlook with those of city dwellers.

The book is based on Yugrishi Shriram Sharma's  thoughts and observations as he travels through the Himalayas in his journey to do 'Sadhna' in seclusion in some of the remotest parts of the Himalayas .  

The enclosed brief excerpt is from page 45 to page 47 of the above mentioned text. ( Please note that the page numbers listed here may vary based on the text edition being referred to).

So let us read .....

Quoted excerpt - illustrating the root cause of unhppiness ....

"Today all along the way I have been carefully observing and pondering over the hazardous life of the hilly people. Wherever small soil patches measuring a few square feet are found in the hills, they are made use for cultivation. Tilling the land using bullocks is out of question here. So the job is done by pickaxes. 

When the crop matures it is cut and carried to their residences up above the hills, where thrashing is carried out. Where there are no streams, water from the valleys down below is carried on heads or backs to the mountain above. Mostly women do all the back breaking work including the collection of firewood from the jungle higher above.

These people have to climb up and down the hills  many  more times  than we do in our journey here , and it tires us. They have no means of entertainment either. They were clad in hand spun woolen or cotton clothes, mostly torn or patched. Yet they were happy. While working in the fields they were singing in chorus. Being, not acquainted with their language, the meaning of the songs could not be understood but the joy and enthusiasm coming out of them was easily comprehensible.

In comparison to the people here, those living in the plains are many times better off in wealth, education, food, shelter, clothing, and convenience of all sorts. Comparatively they have to toil much less. Yet they are unhappy and dissatisfied. They always go on lamenting their lot. In contrast, these people exude peace, happiness, and satisfaction by living on whatever comes to their lot, after putting in exacting hard work. Why this difference?

It appears that dissatisfaction is a tendency, which is not due to lack of materials but on account of greed. Greed cannot be satisfied with material things. It is a bottomless abyss.Had it not been so why should those living on the plains with much more comforts than the hilly people with so little, be unhappy and dissatisfied? Why should the latter with so little , enjoy a peaceful and joyous life?

Having more means is not bad. They are also necessary. But what is desirable is to be satisfied with what one gets and not indulge in acquiring more than is required for leading a decently simple life. And why remain unhappy and dissatisfied by disregarding the available gifts of God?

The path of modernity that we have adopted for seeking the mirage of happiness by spending more and more and still remaining dissatisfied is not correct. It is amply illustrated by these hilly people, though they are unable to deliver lectures on it or write a thesis on this subject."

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To read this  wonderful book "Companions in Solitude" please click the link below:                                            

http://www.scribd.com/doc/59987539/Colleagues-in-Solitude-by-Pandit-Shriram-Sharma-Acharya
To know more about Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya please click the Wikipedia link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

Prophecy of the Future- Changing the way the Intelligentsia thinks !

The following is an excerpt from the autobiographical book " My Life Its Legacy and Message' authored by Shriram Sharma Acharya in 1988. In this passage from this book he mentions the need for the intelligentsia of the world to come forward and use their abilities (writings, artistic representation, statesmanship etc) and their resources to transform change and to build a better world. Shriram Sharma Acharya devoted his own life to bring about such a change of thinking in millions of minds. The below mentioned quoted text is a condensed , abbreviated passage from page 161 to page 164 of the above mentioned book. ( Please note that page numbers may vary based on the edition of the book being read).

Quoted Text:
" There are even today several geniuses who will be able to do comparatively much more important work than they are doing now, if their minds are diverted to higher ideals.For this a mighty power is required."My spiritual work is aimed at bringing about this work and the transformation in human thinking will be miraculous. 

"History is full of examples of individuals being transformed through the inspiration of illumined souls. Persons who are geniuses in their fields are needed to facilitate the change of the era. Learned people are needed who may by their logic, facts and figures provide a new way of thinking to the people. Artists are needed who may inspire people to imbibe the teachings of chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Meera, Soor, Kabir. Affluent persons are needed who may instead of squandering their money in luxurious living,give away their all to fulfill the noble aims of the Time Spirit. Statesmen are needed who may like Gandhi, Rousseay, Karl Marx, Lenin etc guide people to follow new, revolutionary ways of ensuring equality, fraternity and freedom for all. What to speak of illumined souls, sages, savants and seers? They have totally transformed persons who come in their contact, just as a Paras Stone, by a simple touch, converts iron to gold.

I have also done the same. I have radically changed the thoughts and activities of millions of people and prepared them like satyagrahis of Gandhi, bhudanis of Vinoba, parivrajaks of Buddha, to sacrifice everything for the sake of a noble cause.

It will be necessary in the near future to eradicate several evil tendencies.Such changes are possible by changing the inner consciousness of human beings. Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were born in very ordinary families but they changed the course of their lives to become the Presidents of America.

Leaving apart vicious persons who apply their intellect in acts like theft, dacoity, cheating etc, persons full of noble emotions and sentiments can do a lot in changing the era by their heroic efforts, courage and industriousness.  These days intelligent persons are engrossed in luxurious living, amassing wealth, satisfaction of their ego and thus all their powers are frittered away. If only a few of them are able to turn around towards fulfilling noble and high aims, they can do such marvellous and exemplary work as was done by Jaidayal Goyanka of Geeta Press, Gorakhpur.

Which intelligent person has to be changed? How he has to be changed? What work has to be taken from him? These are matters that are decided at the higher level. Those who are at present thinking in terms of a world war, causing utter devastation will change their minds and will instead think of utilising their intellect , power and resources for creative purposes.This will bring salutary changes in the environment. When tendencies and directions of the mind have changed, actions and activities of such persons will also be completely changed. Persons going ahead on the path of righteousness are bound to get divine help.

Perversion of intellect has made all human activities vicious, sinful and of criminal nature. Whatever is earned is squandered immediately in undesirable acts. If someone is able to change the thoughts, ways, attitudes and tendencies of such persons they can become so great that millions of people may consider themselves fortunate by following in their footprints".

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http://www.scribd.com/doc/101085680/54869318-My-Life-Its-Legacy-and-Message
To know more about Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya click the below mentioned link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

Prophecies and Predictions about the "Future of the World" by the great Indian sage- Acharya Shriram Sharma !

Yugrishi Acharya Shriram Sharma the Great Indian Sage and spiritual Scientist ( Yogi) made certain predictions and prophecies about the future of the World. 

Acharya Shriram Sharma is  the messenger of the Divine Indian Rishis living in their astral formats in the  secret regions of the Himalayas. These Divine Yogis are engaged in perpetual penance and meditation for ensuring a  bright future for  all mankind!
In his autobiographical book-My Life Its Legacy and Message , Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya outlines the future path of the world. 

So let us read  an abbreviated excerpt from this Book ( pages 123 to 126)titled  My Life Its Legacy and Message .This book was first published in 1988 and prophesies accurately the events in the world that  we are currently witnessing today.

Quoted Text:

"My prophecy is that there will be no destruction but creation ; All prominent persons of clear vision have predicted in their own way that the coming years were most critical and crucial.
In the Bible there is reference to the 'Seven Times' as the time of destruction of the world. It coincides with the present times. 
In Islam there is reference to a great crisis in the fourteenth century of the Hijri era. 
Bahvishya Purana (a Hindu text) has also predicted the outbreak of catastrophic conditions during these days.Similar prophecies have been made in the Guru Granth Sahib.
The famous Indian poet Soordas has foretold about the world facing calamities during these days. There are similar forebodings in the carvings on the pyramids of Egypt. Several Indian prophets have also made such prophecies on spiritual as well as on an astrological basis.

Soothsayers like Jeane Dixon,Prof. Harary Anderson, John Baverie, Arthur Clerk, Nostradamus, Mother Shrimpton, Anandacharya who have great influence in the western countries and whose predictions have been ninety nine percent correct, have also predicted horrible possibilities.

Those who are said to be experts in the science of astronomy have expressed the view that the spots appearing on the Sun and frequency of solar eclipses will have harmful effects on life on earth. 

People having ordinary common sense know that due to exponential growth in human population not only food but  water will get scarce and  in the future people will not get space to live in and walk on. 

Due to over industrialization and mechanization air and water have become poisonous and scarce.Mineral oil, metal and coal reserves are getting exhausted. On account of radiation due to nuclear explosions the present and future generations will suffer from dangerous diseases like cancer.

The imbalance in temperature is likely to create storms in the oceans on account of melting ice in the polar regions. Thus, the prospects of return to ice age are being predicted. The sum and substance of all this is that there is definitely going to be turmoil and upheaval in the days ahead. There is a forecast about the change of the era in 2000 A.D. Thus one can easily imagine the possibility of destruction before new-creation, of melting before moulding.

In the past also there have been wars between the Devtas and Asuras (Good and evil), but the the possibility of utter destruction looming large at present , had never arisen before. It is my personal vision that this time (as before) the demonic forces will not be allowed to succeed. Those who are at present involved in destruction will be transformed and will become cooperators of the forces of new creation or new persons will be born to overturn them and in this way transformation will be effected. India is destined to play a prominent role in establishing world peace, securely founded on conscious spiritual unity in diversity.

While many prominent and great thinkers are apprehending annihilation; it is my emphatic prophecy that the Evil, which in reality is inverted form of Good, will be reconverted into the original Good;and that which is topsy- turvy at present will be set alright.

Let this statement of mine be taken with the seriousness it deserves.The dark clouds of evil tendencies created by unbridled scientific advancement will be blown away by a forceful hurricane of divine tendencies. Darkness will be dispelled and eternal light will shine forth.This is possible only through the irresistible and invisible power of the Rishis (sages), still living in their astral bodies. 

It should be taken for granted that the collective will of ordinary people is mighty. Public opinion exercises strong pressure. Those who are today capable of causing harm will have to yield before awakened public opinion.This will go on increasing and becoming more and more powerful and the minds of people will be changed for the better.People will think of utilizing their efficiency and skills for growth rather than for destruction. Intelligence is a great power. It performs miracles in whichever direction it is directed.

Daunting problems of the present times -  pollution, amassing of weapons of colossal mass destruction, universal prevalence of immorality and self indulgence, natural calamities- are all inter-linked. It is not possible to solve them in isolation. Solutions have to be found for all of them together. With the requisite determination, willpower and insight the solutions will be found.

There are two main powers which make or mar. One is the power of arms and money and the other is the power of illumined intelligence and organisation. People have been, in the past , subdued by and made subservient to the power of arms and  money and have been compelled to act against their wishes.This is demonic power.
In future divine power has to be invoked and tapped so that people may experience the influence of the power of love, awakened intelligence and enlightened organisation. People will then see the miracles that divine power can perform when yoked for the achievement of high creative aims.

Justice should get due respect. Moral and ethical values should get proper recognition. All should live together harmoniously and with love; all should have the spontaneous urge for mutual sharing and caring. When these principles will be accepted by the people at large in right earnest, they will get proper direction. New strategies will then be devised and the goal of universal peace, goodwill and prosperity will ultimately be attained.

If the two principles of atmavat sarvabhutesu ( seeing one's own Atman in all forms of life) and vasudhaiva kutumbakam (to consider oneself as a member of one integrated global family) are followed people will immediately be able to know which are undesirable tendencies and vices lodged inside themselves and how much struggle and courage is required to get rid of them. Human capacity for growth and progress is unlimited. Once a person makes up his mind to work for a high, noble and sublime aim there is nothing difficult for him to achieve.

There is going to be one world, one language , one religion and one culture in the near future ( the language of Humanity). 
The day is not far off when discrimination on account of colour, caste, caste, class, sex and money will end. 
It will intuitively occur to people across the whole world what has to be done to achieve this goal; and awakened and empowered persons will play a leading role in the accomplishment of this heroic task. Such a time is coming soon. 
We should eagerly and expectantly look forward to its arrival and consciously prepare ourselves to play our assigned roles in the divine drama".

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Source and credits:
To read the Book " My Life Its Legacy and Message" please click the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/101085680/54869318-My-Life-Its-Legacy-and-Message
Visit our "Life Transforming Books " section to read many  inspiring motivational Books in Hindi and English.
To know more about the author and Divine Enlightened Sage , Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya, please click the link below:http://guidingthoughts.blogspot.com/2012/08/who-is-shriram-sharma-acharya-brief.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

How to establish world peace ? Power and Resource Decentralization the answer!

Dear Readers,

The last few decades has seen unprecedented Global violence, invasion of countries and the rise of local and international terrorism. The poor have become poorer and the rich have become richer. Power and money are concentrated in a few hands .

The question comes to mind - How can we break this vicious cycle that the world has entered into and how do we make the distribution of  wealth and resources just and equitable?

To find the answer to this question let us turn to the writings of Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya and his very moving Book - Companions in Solitude . The Book captures his thoughts as he travels to the deep recesses of the Himalayas ( 4 trips) upon the call of his Guru.

The book is a compendium of  articles that were written in 1960-1961 by Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya during his self imposed seclusion in Uttrakhand Himalayas. This book (a compilation of articles) is equally inspiring for the nature lover, the environmentalist , as it is to the spiritual seekers.

The excerpt below reflects the authors thoughts as he views the simplicity of life lived by the folks living in the Himalayan region. The thoughts penned in 1961 accurately predict the economic dilemmas we face worldwide today.

So let us read.....

"Sheep which is a small animal, is an indispensably benevolent kamadhenu( the heavenly cow which fulfils all desires) for this mountainous region.

It gives milk, wool and lambs.It also carries loads. 

On the way today, a flock of sheep numbering about 100-125 were seen loaded with goods. They were carrying goods like jaggery, flour,rice etc to Gangotri. Depending on its height and capacity, each sheep was carrying a load weighing about 10-15 pounds. Apart from the mules,sheep are the only means for transporting goods in this hilly region. 
Other animals or vehicles are of no use on these hilly paths.

I began to think- It is not necessary to stress on the availability of mega means to solve the basic problems of life. 
A man can live happily and peacefully with meager means. 
Limited industrialization is acceptable.But big industries would grab the livelihood of these sheep as well as the people who depend on them and all the wealth would be concentrated in the hands of a few industrialists. 
The root cause of all the war clouds hovering over the world today is the insatiable greed for capturing and monopolizing the markets for industries.

On the line of sheep, I began to wonder why it is not possible to live peacefully by adopting simple lifestyle with limited means like these simple innocent folks who tend the sheep and live on  their limited earnings.

In olden days, India followed the ideal of decentralization. 

Rishis and Munis ( saints and sages) lived in hermitages forming a unit.

Villages were integrated, interdependent, socially bonded units. They mostly fulfilled their requirements from their own area , form their own society and lived happily in cooperation.There was little scope for corruption, criminality and disharmony.

In today's mad race of industrialization, villages are being uprooted; small portions of cities are flourishing;the poor are being trampled upon and the rich are growing richer through manipulative means and foul tactics. The terrible machines roaring like demons are destroying the health, social relations, and morality. 
Unbridled industrialization, and capitalism, which are being called the pillars of modern developmental process, will eventually lead to violent social upheavals.

My thoughts are getting incoherent. So let me stop this discussion here. But the sheep cannot be forgotten, even if tried to. They remind me of the ancient social system prevailing in India. 

In the present culture, who will consider the utility and helpfulness of the poor sheep? These poor creatures will only be ridiculed as a symbol of an old era, yet the truth will remain the truth. 

For actualizing humanity's dream of universal peace and contentment, power and resources will have to be decentralized and in that system everyone will be living happily and contended by one's own labor, just as the sheep -tending folks along with their bleating sheep are living here."

                                            **********

If you would like to read the book "Companions in Solitude" please click the link below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/59987539/Colleagues-in-Solitude-by-Pandit-Shriram-Sharma-Acharya
If you would like to know more about the author Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya please click the link below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriram_Sharma

How to find a True and Realised Guru - an Enlightened Master !

Dear Readers , 

We live in an age of fake Gurus and  miracle men, seeking to make money of the naivette and innocence of everyday common men . In such an age of money, propoganda and good marketing , how then do we distinguish the fake Guru  from the real Teachers  and the Realised and Enlightened Masters  from the miracle men and charlatans!

Spiritual Guides, and Spiritual Gurus play an important role in our individual spiritual journeys and development . So it is pertinent for us to understand what distinguishes the truly Enlightened Masters or Sadguru's from other spiritual guides . 

In this article we will explore the thoughts of Enlightened Spiritual Masters from our glorious past - Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda and Yugrishi Acharya Shriram Sharma,  and learn from them firsthand on what defines a  true Guru ?
This  article is a blend of quotes from the Gospel of Sri  Ramakrishna, The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the writings of Yugrishi Acharya Shriram Sharma.

So let us read the enclosed Quoted Text:

In the words of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa a real Spiritual Teacher, Guide or Guru is defined as follows: The real teacher - must be a man of Self realization and Enlightenment.

"A worldly person should also receive instructions from a Sadguru, a real teacher. Such a teacher has certain signs. You should hear about Banāras only from a man who has been to Banāras and seen it. Mere book-learning will not do. One should not receive instruction from a pundit who has not realized the world to be unreal. Only if a pundit has discrimination and renunciation is he entitled to instruct." (Source : http://www.belurmath.org/gospel/)

Swami Vivekananda further elaborates on the theme of what defines a real spiritual Guide, Teacher or Guru ?

"Now in intellectual development we can get much help from books, but in spiritual development, almost nothing.

In studying books, sometimes we are deluded into thinking that we are being spiritually helped; but if we analyse ourselves, we shall find that only our intellect has been helped, and not the spirit. 
That is the reason why almost everyone of us can speak most wonderfully on spiritual subjects, but when the time of action comes, we find ourselves so woefully deficient. It is because books cannot give us that impulse from outside. To quicken the spirit, that impulse must come from another soul.

That soul from which this impulse comes is called the Guru, the Teacher; and the soul to which the impulse is conveyed is called the disciple, the student. In order to convey this impulse, in the first place, the soul from which it comes must possess the power of transmitting it, as it were, to another; and in the second place, the object to which it is transmitted must be fit to receive it. 

The seed must be a living seed, and the field must be ready ploughed; and when both these conditions are fulfilled, a wonderful growth of religion takes place. "The speaker of religion must be wonderful, so must the hearer be"; and when both of these are really wonderful, extraordinary, then alone will splendid spiritual growth come, and not otherwise. 

These are the real teachers, and there are the real students. Besides these, the others are playing with spirituality — just having a little intellectual struggle, just satisfying a little curiosity — but are standing only on the outward fringe of the horizon of religion"

How are we to know a teacher then? 
In the first place, the Sun requires no torch to make it visible. We do not light a candle to see the sun. When the sun rises, we instinctively become aware of its rising; and when a teacher of men comes to help us, the soul will instinctively know that it has found the truth. 

Truth stands on its own evidences; it does not require any other testimony to attest it; it is self-effulgent. It penetrates into the inmost recesses of our nature, and the whole universe stands up and says, "This is Truth." These are the very great teachers, but we can get help from the lesser ones also; and as we ourselves are not always sufficiently intuitive to be certain of our judgment of the man from whom we receive, there ought to be certain tests. There are certain conditions necessary in the taught, and also in the teacher.

In the teacher we must first see that he knows the secret of the scriptures. The whole world reads scriptures — Bibles, Vedas, The Koran  and others; but they are only words, external arrangement, syntax, the etymology, the philology, the dry bones of religion. The teacher may be able to find what is the age of any book, but words are only the external forms in which things come. Those who deal too much in words and let the mind run always in the force of words lose the spirit. So the teacher must be able to know the spirit of the scriptures.

The second condition necessary in the teacher is that he must be sinless. The question was once asked me in England by a friend, "Why should we look to the personality of a teacher? 
For the knowledge that the physical sciences require is simply intellectual and depends on intellectual strength; a man can have in such a case a gigantic intellectual power without the least development of his soul. But in the spiritual sciences it is impossible from first to last that there can be any spiritual light in that soul which is impure. What can such a soul teach? It knows nothing. Spiritual truth is purity. Therefore in the teacher of spirituality, purity is the one thing indispensable; we must see first what he is, and then what he says. 

To give a simile: If a heater is hot, it can convey heat vibrations, but if not, it is impossible to do so. Even so is the case with the mental vibrations of the religious teacher which he conveys to the mind of the taught. It is a question of transference, and not of stimulating only our intellectual faculties.  

Some power, real and tangible, goes out from the teacher and begins to grow in the mind of the taught. Therefore the necessary condition is that the teacher must be true.

The third condition is motive. We should see that he does not teach with any ulterior motive, for name, or fame, or anything else, but simply for love, pure love for you. 
When spiritual forces are transmitted from the teacher to the taught, they can only be conveyed through the medium of love; there is no other medium that can convey them. 
Any other motive, such as gain or name, would immediately destroy the conveying medium; therefore all must be done through love. One who has known God can alone be a teacher. When you see that in the teacher these conditions are fulfilled, you are safe; if they are not fulfilled, it is unwise to accept him. There is a great risk, if he cannot convey goodness, of his conveying wickedness sometimes. This must be guarded against; therefore it naturally follows that we cannot be taught by anybody and everybody. "
 (Source :http://cwsv.belurmath.org/volume_4/vol_4_frame.htm)

The Role of an Enlightened Guru while pursuing spiritual progress:

Now that we understand what defines a real GURU , let us try and understand the Role and Significance of a Guru in the pursuit of spirituality .Like a teacher at school helps translate and transmit the knowledge and wisdom present in school text books to students, in the same way a Guru helps the disciple bridge the gap between knowledge and ignorance. He becomes a transmitter, a benefactor of knowledge and wisdom.
The below mentioned  lines elaborate on this theme and are quoted excerpts from the fabulous book " Wonders of Human Bio-electricity" by Yugrishi Pandit  Shriram SharmaAcharya.

Can you have more than one Spiritual Guide?

A related question is – Can you have more than one Guru in your lifetime? The answer is YES. Like you would have different teachers for History, Geography, Math’s, Science etc in school, in the same way Spiritual Gurus can vary in their areas of expertise and you can have more than one Guru at a time.

“History tells us that the divine sage Dattatreya had acknowledged 24 beings as his Guru. Many amongst these were uneducated individuals, some even birds and animals. Perhaps none amongst these were spiritually more enlightened than Dattatreya; none knew about the significance of a Guru or was even aware who had given them the status of a Guru.Nevertheless, because of his own attitude of learning from the good that dwells in others, Dattatreya could derive as much benefit from these Gurus in his spiritual progress, as one would have by interacting with an acknowledged Guru.” 

The Grace of an Enlightened Guru: 

“Books on the science of spirituality, and yoga unanimously extol the role of a Guru in the pursuit of Sadhana.The mystery behind the miraculous grace of a noble Guru emphasized in the scriptures is the strong faith of the disciple in his Guru. In today’s materialistic environment, faith and belief have become subjects of mockery. Faith and belief are seen as symptoms of ignorance. How can an idol carved out of stone be a representation of God? Or a human body composed of flesh and bones be a Guru to some disciple? Why should one who is not perfect and may have some flaws be regarded as a Guru?

The spiritually enlightened person knows that these are means to an aim/end  objective  and not the ultimate aim/ or objective itself. The soul of the individual itself is the actor (subject) in its own gradual evolution or its degradation in the course of its ultimate journey towards ultimate salvation. All external objects merely assist this process.” It is almost impossible to achieve this goal without the support of a noble and enlightened Guru.

The Power of a Noble Guru in the  Initiation of Spirituality ( Deeksha and Shaktipata):

Most of the great sages and seers of the world had little or no formal education. The status of the spiritual evolution of the inner self is independent of formal  education or the regularly measured text book Intelligence quotient of the person.
The transmission of spirituality/ spiritual knowledge from Guru to disciple takes place at the level of the subconscious and unconscious cores of the mind and self (Chitta and Ahamkara). 
Therefore, an interaction between Guru and the disciple on the wisdom of spirituality is not an exchange of knowledge through word of mouth as in the case of regular text book knowledge that is communicated via the intellect.

The sacramental rite of ‘spiritual initiation” or (Deeksha) has been assigned a great status amongst all religions. In the process of initiation, a noble Guru uses his awakened spiritual power to interact with the disciple at great depths of the subconscious levels. He transmits bio-electric currents of his own spiritually activated life force into the sub-conscious life force of the disciple. These seeds of bio electric currents of the Gurus life force when nourished by the disciple can grow and fructify in a short time.

The wisdom of spirituality given by a competent Guru is never wasted. A noble Guru bestows “Shaktipata” (extra sensory transmission of spiritual power) upon deserving disciples.
The secret process of “Shaktipata” can bring a metamorphosis in the entire personality of the disciple. Many Yogis in India are aware of the awakening of “Kundalini” (also known as serpentine fire or the source of miraculous vital spiritual energy) of man by simply touching the persons head.
The author here has personally come across great spiritual masters and Yogis , who can electrify their bodies by activating the hidden force of the tremendous soul power(Atma Teja).In this state ,touching the bio electrically charged body of the sage gives you a shock like that of touching a live wire.

In our day to day living, we must not miss opportunities of interaction with spiritually evolved and virtuous persons. They bring to our lives the “Midas touch” –turning metal to gold OR in this case enabling the common man to communicate with God.

We can interact with virtuous souls in many ways; the best way to do so is to meet them individually or through paper/ letter correspondence in case they are still living amongst us. 

In the event they are not living, hand written papers of enlightened persons are a constant source of bio electric motivation. In the course of writing, paper and ink handled by a saint- sage becomes charged with bio electric impulses of his or her thoughts. Liquid in ink being a good conductor of bio electricity absorbs the intensity of the thoughts of the writer. 
Thus reading his or her self written letter or text may tantamount to meeting the writer to some extent. Audio and video recordings is available serve the same purpose.

Original manuscripts of ancient texts are considered valuable for this reason: besides the knowledge they contain, they are also charged with the “live particles” of the thoughts of their writers. Original paintings of great artists and personal articles of renowned historical persons are regarded precious for the same reason.

The impact of a piece of writing or literature on its reader is commensurate with the depth of emotional input by its author. Books written by people with strong ideologies have moved masses around the world( examples :“Das Capital” by Karl Marx, “Democracy” by Russo, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Stow and the recent Harry Potter series).

Engrossed reading of such texts generates the same thoughts that the author had at the time of writing. Thoughts travel at the tremendous velocity as compared to light and can travel around the world in a fraction of a second, thereby lighting up lives and creating thought revolutions and behavioural changes.

Keeping the company of good books is a form of "satsanga" (meaning keeping company of the virtuous). Collective singing of hymns, listening of discourses, mass prayers help charge and motivate the atmosphere.
The combined force generated by a large number of individuals concentrating on a single subject always creates tremendous impact.

Participating in such events helps us take the primary first step in our attainment of knowledge and wisdom. To reach the core of the subject and grasp its fundamentals we do require contemplation, meditation, solitude and the guidance of a noble Guru".

                                                  

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Source and credits : Visit our Life Transforming Books section to read the below mentioned referenced texts:

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Chapter 15 & 23 of the Book –“Wonders of Human Bio electricity” authored by Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya.