In the last week I have discovered some beautiful writings by Kavi Yogi Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharati who was one of the teachers who inspired the ISHTA System. Bharati was a spiritual advisor to Ghandi and was described by Tagore as the Shakespeare of India. He lived in silence for 25 years and wrote over 1000 books on topics such as philosophy, mysticism and hatha yoga . He spoke eight languages was connected to princes and presidents and remained incredibly humble during his 92 years of life. In his book " The Revelations of Saint Meikander" he shares some of the profound teachings of Siddhanta. Siddhanta is said to come from the Agamas. The Agamas were teachings similar to the Vedas. Veda means " the knowledge that leads man to the divine" and Vedanta teaches " thou are that, thou art Brahman so be that. "Agama means " divine approach." Its major path is Siddhanta. Siddhanta is also called Saivism and acknowledges the difficulty in " just being that." We are human after all. It is said that Agama was taught by Shiva to Parvarti and then to the saints. It is a Tantric path...What inspired me in these sutras was the idea that:
The soul is neither the body, nor universal intelligence. It is like a needle on a compass. It is either drawn to experiences through the instrument of the body or drawn to universal intelligence.
The senses are the instrument of the soul. We can tune our instrument so that we can achieve perfect awareness of our consciousness. We can know that there is something peering out into the world from behind the glass of our eyes.
We cannot know what that is, as we can't turn in and look at ourselves, but we can at least be aware that we are not our thoughts, experiences and sensations.
For this awareness to know itself it must be drawn like a magnet by grace back to that universal intelligence.
As dancers in this realm of the senses our music can either be discordant and chaotic or pure and soul stirring. The more we stir the soul the less it looks through the looking glass and the more it turns back in on itself...
The more obstacles we create through our belief in suffering the less we can hear the sweet sounds of our instrument. The trick is to enjoy the dance and know that our soul longs to be drawn back. In a way all we have to do is surrender and trust in the pull of the divine. This is OM NAMO SHIVAYA...
photo by Alan Finger www.ishtayoga.com
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Kaviyogi Maharshi Shuddhananda Bharati was a Divine Composer and Writer who mastered many languages including Tamizh, English, French, and Sanskrit. He spent 20 years in 'Silence’ at the Feet of Bhagwan Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in Puducheri. He mastered all the Yogas and synthesised them to form His own school of Thought that He called as 'SAMA YOGA' meaning 'SPIRITUAL SOCIALISM'. He believed that Yoga and Science together would lead humankind to prosperity and eternity. Yoga for Purified Inner Life and Science for Prosperous Worldly life.
He established Yoga Samaj centers at Vadalur and Chennai in Tamizhnaadu after completing His Silence, and published His books and spread His philosophy and India's celebrated values and culture. In the evening of His life He established Shuddhananda Yoga Samaj and Shuddhananda Bharati Desiya Vidyalayam High School in His birth place, Sivagangai, Tamizhnaadu, South India. Born on 11th May, 1897 at Sivagangai, Shuddhananda Bharati attained Mahasamadhi on 7th March, 1990 at Sholapuram village near Sivagangai. Every year on the Sukla Paksha Ekadasi day of Maasi month His Aaraadana is celebrated at His Memorial Shrine by His devotees at Sholapuram village, Tamizhnaadu, South India.
His books on Yoga - Yoga for All, Secrets of Yoga, Yoga Siddhi (Gospel of Perfect Life), Cosmic Riddles are wonderful contributions to the field of Yogic Science. He wrote hundreds of books mostly in Tamizh and the rest of His books written in English, French, Sanskrit, and Hindi etc. He was a tireless volunteer during the Freedom Movement and had close contacts with Tilakji, Gandhiji, Nethaji, V.V.S. Iyer, Chidambaram Pillai, Mahakavi Bharatiar and many such heroic patriots of that time. He served as Editor in few Tamizh magazines and newspapers. He traveled around India and the world to spread His Vision and Mission. He received many honours and titles for His contributions to Literature, Philosophy and Yogic Science, both in India and abroad. His 'BHARATASAKTI MAHAKAVYAM'- the Epic of modern age - was His Magnum-opus. This book received the 'Mamannan Rajarajan Award' from the Tanjore Tamizh University. Kaviyogi Shuddhananda Bharatiar during His life was simple, healthy, active and kind.
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