Anecdote 1:

Asha Chakraborty, a Physician, once said to Poojya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, “We are so busy with our everyday lives.  How do we do our sadhana?”

 

“Its not difficult at all,” he answered.  “Everytime you write a prescription, just say, “Om Namo Narayanaya.” Then tll me if your patient does not recover!”

 

Dr.Chakrabarty says today, “Those words of Swamiji’s have stayed with me all this time, guiding my work and my sadhana.” 

 

 

Anecdote 2:

At a camp at Krishnalaya a group of devotes were sitting around Gurudev. A lady with concerns about Gurudev’s advancing years and frail heath asked him, “Swamiji is it true that the Guru’s blessings to his devotees increase after he has dropped his body?”

 

Gurudev replied: “If he is a real Guru, he will have dropped his body long ago. The physical Guru you think you see before you is only the mind’s projection. The real Guru is always there, ready to bless you.”

 

Watch a bhajan of Swami Chinmayananda with children, singing – Khate bhi ram kaho peete bhi raam kaho:

 

Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah

The word Gu means darkness or ignorance and the word ‘Ru' denotes the one who removes it. The Guru Stotram says - Ajnana Timirandhasya Jnananjana Salakaya, Chakshur Unmilitam Yena Tasmai Sri Gurave Namah. Like a physician who cures a person of his blindness, the guru provides the light of knowledge that makes a disciple ‘see' the Supreme Self. It signifies the role of the guru who removes the ignorance caused ego, through the use of the medicine called knowledge.

 

Om Shri Gurubhyo Namah means Salutation to all the Gurus or the entire Guru Parampara.  

 

Why chant it?

All through the day, in fact all through our lives, we are busy with various activities of pursuing, acquiring, preserving etc. leaving very little or no time to pause a little and look up to thank the Lord or our Guru, though it is through His Grace that we have so much.

 

The only time we remember Him is when we are in need or grave danger. Then automatically everything is kept aside and with all our hearts and single pointed concentration we surrender to Him to help us through the difficult times.

When the turbulent period is over once again our lives return bac to the same pattern and we forget to tune upto to Him until the next tragedy strikes.

 

Through the day when we intake any liquid and chant “Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah”, it trains for the mind to return to that tranquil state where the mind is at rest and peace for when one remembers the Guru, immediately a feeling of wellbeing is experienced because the heart is full of love and gratitude for the Guru who has given us so much.

 

A radio when it is tuned to a station, it immediately it starts to play, like that when the mind is tuned to the Guru the ego diminishes and we experience an elevated sense of peace. With regular tuning over a period of time we can make great progress in our sadhana to realize our true nature.

 

How to?

1. Through the day every time you are about to drink any liquid shut your eyes and mentally offer the liquid to your Guru. 

2. Mentally chant “Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah”. If you are in a public place and do not want to shut your eyes, keep them open but mentally focus on the words of the chant.

3. Chant it slowly, with complete concentration on each word and with a feeling of gratitude and love. Automatically the image of the Guru will appear in the mind.

4. Mentally prostrate to your Guru and thank Him – just thank him, do not add anything like a reason or a situation, etc. a simple thank you full of love and devotion.

5. Remain still for a few moments maintaining the silence and peace.

6. If your eyes were shut, open then gently. If they were open, slowly look around.

7. Drink the liquid as prasad from your Guru. Feel the “blessed” liquid flow into your body and mind.

8. At the end of the day observe yourself, your reactions to situations throughout the day.

 

 

Benefits:

1. Trains the mind to withdraw consciously, at will.

2. A few moments of withdrawal rejuvenates the body, mind and intellect.

3. Training to bring the senses under our control and at will.

4. Strengthens the feeling of gratitude and deepens devotion.

5. Helps the mind to remain alert.

 

Beginners and Advanced:

 

Beginners: 

1. Do as advised above

 

Advanced seeker:

Is one who can spend some time in quietitude at some points during the day.

1. Do as above but increase the chant to 5, 11 or 21 times.

2. Remain still and be quiet for 5 minutes or more after the chanting.

3. Observe how you feel through the day.

 

                                                   

 

UNTO HIM OUR BEST