THE VISION, December 2023, Vol 91, Issue 3:

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1. ‘Secret Of Power And Success’ — Beloved Papa’s lead article states: “Man holds in him the Seed of infinite power.” That Seed is the source of all of us. 
2. ‘Satsang With Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas’ — Here it is explained that the Infinite Power stands for the Spirit, and also what spirituality really means. 
3. ‘Words of Pujya Mataji Krishnabai’ — states that the Infinite Power expresses in the form of Seva. 
4. ‘Words Of Pujya Swami Satchidananda’ — highlight another aspect of the Spirit, viz., Consciousness. 
5. ‘God, the Infinite Power’ — is what Yogananda Paramahansa directs our attention towards. 
6. ‘Power To Act Has Come From The Creator’ — explains Swami Chinmayananda. 
7. ‘Prem (Love), An Expression Of The Infinite Power’ — Beloved Papa reveals yet another aspect of the Infinite Power. 
8. ‘Connect To God, The Source Of Infinite Power’ — urges Mata Amritanandamayi.
9. ‘Infinite Power Is The Sustaining Force’ — elaborates Swami Krishnananda.
10. ‘Dear Children’ — the ‘Infinite Power Works Through Every Pore Of Our Being’.
11. ‘Epistles Of Swami Ramdas’ — Beloved Papa urges us to identify with the Self within and offer all actions to Shakti, the Infinite Power within.
12. ‘Pujya Swami Muktanandaji's Visit To Chennai’ — highlights Gandhiji’s words, “Ram Nam enshrined in the heart means rebirth of a man.”
13. ‘Anandashram News’:
• ‘15500 Crore Nama Yagna for World Peace’;
• ‘Anand Kutir’ in Anandashram — thought-provoking sessions with students; and 
• ‘Upcoming Programmes’ — in December 2023 include:
1. Akhand Ram Nam And Satsang;
2. Beloved Papa’s 101st Sannyas Day.
14. ‘BOOK IN FOCUS’ — IN THE VISION OF GOD. 
15. Download THE VISION in PDF format and the Audio Book 

SECRET OF POWER AND SUCCESS

By Swami Ramdas

Man holds in him the Seed of Infinite Power. This Seed is the origin of heavens and earth — of the whole world and the creatures in it.

When man realises that he is born of this Seed, he opens up the channel, through which flows into him the light and power of this Immortal Seed. His weakness is conquered and inexhaustible strength manifests instead. His ignorance is dispelled and his heart is illumined with Divine Knowledge. Doubt vanishes and unshakable faith takes birth in its place. Grief and misery are annulled and true peace and joy pervade his being. Thus, life becomes a dazzling meteor radiating a Divine and soothing brilliance.
 
Every man by the mere right of his birth as such, can attain this supremely blessed state. Let him only recognise the Immortal Source of his being, let him only find his union and oneness with this Source. This Source is Divine, this Source is the Supreme God. Then strength, power, success, peace, knowledge and joy will ever be his. He will have fulfilled the mission of his life. The river will have reached the infinite ocean. The drop will have mingled with the waters of immortality. Read more...

SATSANG WITH BELOVED PAPA SWAMI RAMDAS

The Seed of infinite power is the Spirit within. Anything connected with the Spirit is called spiritual. Beloved Papa explains what spirituality really means:
 
There is the Spirit within us that makes us talk, walk and do everything. People think that they are moving their limbs by their own will and power. There are so many movements and changes going on within this body, such as the functions of the digestive organs, blood circulation, growth of the hair, etc. We cannot say these things are done by us.

The same Power, which is responsible for the movements inside our bodies, is also responsible for the outer movements. You see that the wind blows, the sun gives light, trees grow, birds fly and sing. All these and many more movements and changes are going on about us. They are not movements caused by any separate units of power working accidentally, by chance or due to the fortuitous concourse of atoms. If it is so, we can very well deny the existence of a Spiritual Power that permeates the universe and causes all the movements in it. But this is not so. There is an all-pervading Force or Energy that makes us talk, walk and perform all actions. If we recognise that this Universal Power is responsible for all that we do, our ego will disappear, we shall be one with the Universal Life and Truth, and we shall be supremely free and happy. Read more...

WORDS OF PUJYA MATAJI KRISHNABAI

Pujya Mataji explains how service is an expression of the Divine Power and how to maintain this attitude at all times:

Whatever situations we are placed in, whatever job we do, we should think that it is given to us by Him. In fact it is He who is at the bottom of everything, right from our birth in this human form. It is His power that makes us digest our food, grow up and so on. If only we realise this much, we will also know that if we get any job, it is His doing only. Therefore, whatever work we are doing is His work. As we dedicate ourselves completely to Him, in everything that we do, taking it as being done by Him only, our actions will become spontaneous, just as we unconsciously move our hands or feet. Our body-consciousness then gets diluted. There is, then, none called ‘I’ to call this ‘mine’, ‘my doing’ and so on. Everything becomes He and He alone. Read more...

WORDS OF PUJYA SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA

The Spirit is also identified as Consciousness. Pujya Swami Satchidanandaji recollects his Sadhana:
 
Spirit — The Thread That Connects All Into One:
Swamiji: My practice in those days was that when I saw anybody, I would see the Consciousness in him, pervading every atom of his body, and I took it that the body was active only because of the Consciousness, which is Real, and not the body.

This Consciousness is also called the unifying Spirit, that connects up all the forms in Prakriti into one unit like the thread that connects up all the beads in a rosary and makes it a single unit. Read more...

GOD, THE INFINITE POWER

By Paramahansa Yogananda

Nothing is impossible, unless you think it is. As a mortal being you are limited, but as a child of God you are unlimited… Focus your attention on God, and you shall have all the power you want, to use in any direction.

Will is the instrument of the image of God within you. In will lies His limitless power, the Power that controls all the forces of nature. As you are made in His image, that Power is yours to bring about whatever you desire.
 
When you make up your mind to do good things, you will accomplish them if you use dynamic will power to follow through.
 
If you cling to a certain thought with dynamic will power, it finally assumes a tangible outward form. Carrying a thought with dynamic will power means holding to it until that thought pattern develops dynamic force. When a thought is made dynamic by will force, it can manifest according to the mental blueprint you have created.
(Source: yssofindia.org) Read more...

POWER TO ACT HAS COME FROM THE CREATOR

By Swami Chinmayananda

Action Is A Gift From The Creator:
The principle of right action, nay, even the power to act, has come out of the Creator Himself and the Creator is none other than the Imperishable Supreme.
 
Action is a gift from the Creator! Therefore, the all-pervading Supreme is ever centred in all undertakings pursued, by one or many people, in an honest spirit of self-dedication, for the good of all.

All-Pervading Principle:
The Divine Principle holds the varied objects of this universe together as a string holds flowers of different shapes and colour to form one beautiful garland.
 
Divine Power Makes Sadhana Possible And Liberates:
It is a Divine Power that makes the aspirant restless and drives him in search of a Guru; it is the same Divine Power that makes the Saint more restless to rush forth to serve the world and help others to liberation. Read more...

PREM, AN EXPRESSION OF THE INFINITE POWER

By Swami Ramdas

Another aspect of Divine Power is Love. Prem (Love) is the very form and being of God Himself, shining with the lustre of perfection. Beloved Papa amplifies it thus:
 
Prem is composed mainly of three powers, viz. power of forgiveness, power of compassion and power of endurance.

Although we are subjected to hate, contumely and persecution from others, we do not harbour thoughts of ill will or revenge towards them but think and wish well of them. Here we exercise our power of forgiveness. We take the sorrows and trials of others as our own and to bring them relief, we go forward to serve them with enthusiasm and selfless spirit. We sacrifice for their sake our body, mind and riches. Here we exercise the power of compassion. We suffer to any extent in order to free others from their pains and troubles, and for gaining this end we are prepared to cheerfully renounce all our personal pleasures. Here we exercise our power of endurance. Read more...

CONNECT TO GOD, THE SOURCE OF INFINITE POWER

By Mata Amritanandamayi

Stay Connected With God:
A small battery, which has only a limited amount of power stored in it, will lose some power whenever it is used. However, a wire connected to the mains will always have undiminished power. In the same way, you will lose your power if you identify yourself to be the limited ego, similar to a small battery. On the other hand, if you are connected to God, the Source of infinite power, how can you lose any power? That which comes from the Unlimited is unlimited. If you use a burning wick to light a thousand wicks, it doesn’t affect the radiance of that wick.

Love Him In The Manifestation:
God is the indivisible power, devoid of all boundaries or separation. Mother Nature, the atmosphere, the birds and other animals, plants and trees, each and every atom is overflowing with this Divine Power. God is fully present in all that is sentient and insentient. When we fully understand this truth, we can do nothing but love ourselves as well as everyone around us.
 
(Source: www.amritapuri.org) Read more...

INFINITE POWER IS THE SUSTAINING FORCE

By Swami Krishnananda

All things in the world are flowing into us at every moment of time and we are also flowing into everything in the world at every moment. 

We are sustained, and we feel that we are alive, strong, and healthy because the World of Power and Sustenance is entering into our personality perpetually, either through the breathing process, the food that we take, the energy that is coming from the sun, and many other influences impinging upon us from the total atmosphere of what we may call ecological environment.
 
The very forest around us enters us with its calming influence. You cannot live for a minute here if the beneficent air from the cosmic set-up does not enter your nostrils to sustain your lungs and protect your heart. All these peculiarities connected with the world outside, to which we pay scant respect in our daily life, are our Sustaining Forces. So, when you love an object, you are loving all things connected with that object. The ray of the sun is all the sun; the incarnation is all the gods. The Absolute Itself is concentrated here.
 
(Source: To Thine Own Self Be True) Read more...

DEAR CHILDREN

Infinite Power Works Through Every Pore Of Our Being

An old lady came to a saint with her grandson and asked if it was advisable for her to leave her family and retire to Brindaban.
 
The sage replied, “What is it that looks into your eyes through the eyes of your grandson? What Force, what Energy, what Divinity is it that looks at you from every pore of the body of this child?

The lady said, “It must be God. In this dear boy there is no thought of temptation or wickedness. This dear little boy is innocent and pure. When he cries, in his wailing is the voice of God and nothing else.”
 
Again the sage said, “When you go to Brindaban, you shall have to cling to the one image of Krishna. There in that image you must worship the Divinity. Is not the child just as good as an image of Krishna?” 
 
The lady was surprised. After thinking and reflecting, she came to the conclusion that she might as well worship Krishna through the child by regarding him as the incarnation of Krishna. For, God it is that looks through the eyes of the child; God it is that gives the child its power; God it is that works through the ears of the child; God it is that makes the child’s hair grow; God it is that works through every pore of his body.
 
(Source: Parables Of Rama) Read more...

EPISTLES OF SWAMI RAMDAS

Beloved Ram, 

…You are the Immortal Truth and your life and all its activities are the manifestations of It. In action you are pure joy — in inaction you are pure Spirit. The ego has no existence except for one who is obsessed by ignorance.

God only is and He is all. All actions in the world are His, because by His power alone all things and all beings in the universe move and act. Identification with the Atman coupled with the surrender of all actions to Shakti, grants the light of knowledge, dispelling the darkness of ignorance. Read more...

PUJYA SWAMI MUKTANANDAJI'S VISIT TO CHENNAI

(...Continued From The Previous Issue)

Gandhi Jayanti: This day reminded all the participants of the inspiring words of Gandhiji, which read: “When Rama Nama is enshrined in the heart, it means the rebirth of man.” Such a man: “will take God’s name with every breath. His Rama will be awake even whilst the body is asleep. Rama will always be with him in whatever he does.” He further states, “No one can by mere wishing enshrine Rama Nama in his heart. Untiring effort is required, as also, patience.”

Anecdote: A deeply touching incident was shared that occurred on the 30th of January 1947, exactly a year prior to Gandhiji's death, which was a test of his total reliance on Ram Nama:
 
"When Bapuji was seriously sick in Amki, Manu Di, who was looking after him, was seeking external help for his relief. At that time, Gandhiji reminded her, "I expect you to do nothing else, but take Rama Nama with all your heart." He also added, “One should have Rama Nama on one’s lips till the last minute. But it should not be repeated parrot-like. It should spring from the heart as in the case of Hanuman.” 
 
Thus the 3-days’ sessions came to a close with the clear understanding that we live, we work, we deal with men and matters as we try to shape our mind and heart, trying to manifest the Divine spark that is within us. Ultimately what comes out of these efforts is harmony at home, harmony at the work-place and harmony with friends. Read more...

ANANDASHRAM NEWS

15,500-CRORE NAMA JAPA YAGNA FOR WORLD PEACE:
The total Japa received in the fourth round of the 15500-Crore Nama Japa Yagna For World Peace in the month of October 2023, which includes the count given by Ram Nam Bank in Chennai, is 210 crores, chanted by 187307 devotees. The grand total of the Japa done so far in this round now stands at 1010 crores. Read more...

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ANAND KUTIR:
In the sessions held with the children at Anand Kutir in Anandashram, efforts are made to kindle various aspects on leading a successful and fruitful life, without teaching or preaching.
 
During one of the sessions, some children revealed their mental anguish, which is inadvertently caused by parents: it includes parents’ insistence on academic excellence with total disregard to the preferences of the children; disharmony at home; comparing their children with others, etc.
 
These insights are thought-provoking and can help all parents recognise the fact that each child possesses unique abilities and therefore the methods of absorption and application may vary.
 
In the month of October 2023, 9 camps were conducted in which 411 students participated. Read more...

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UPCOMING PROGRAMMES:

Akhand Ram Nam And Satsang: People visit the Ashram from various places. Initially they may be strangers; however, many of them develop an affinity for each other, which is not based on any selfish motive. Here, they sit together, eat together and join together to participate in the Ashram programmes in general and Nama chanting in particular.
 
To give a boost to this approach, Beloved Papa prompts to have Akhand Ram Nam Saptah every year. He also facilitates Satsang sessions to form the right concepts about various aspects of spirituality.
 
This year’s programme will be held in the Ashram from the 23rd to the 31st of December 2023. Read more...

Beloved Papa’s 101st Sannyas Day will be celebrated on the 27th of December 2023. The turn of events that occurred on this day in 1922 set in motion a series of events such as the blossoming of Pujya Mataji, establishing Anandashram and and later Pujya Swami Satchidanandaji and a wide network of Beloved Papa’s innumerable spiritual children spread all over the world.
 
After adopting Sannyas, he mainly concentrated his spiritual endeavours on three major aspects: chanting Ram Nam constantly, looking upon everyone and everything as forms of His Beloved Ram, and accepting everything that happened as happening by the will of Ram and for the ultimate good.
 
On the 101st Sannyas Day, we seek His unbounded blessings on all of us to be blessed with the steadfastness that he had throughout his spiritual journey so that our endeavours too may culminate in experiencing the absence of otherness. Read more...

BOOK IN FOCUS

IN THE VISION OF GOD

Mr. Lance E Nelson from the University of San Diego, in his foreword to the American edition of IN THE VISION OF GOD, introduced the book thus: "This book, together with IN QUEST OF GOD, comprises an invaluable account of the spiritual life of one of the greatest modern mystics of India. The fact that it is autobiographical adds immeasurably to its value, for rarely has the story of a saint been articulated from such an intimate perspective. These books — IN QUEST OF GOD and IN THE VISION OF GOD — are destined to be lasting classics in the world of spirituality. Readers will become privileged auditors as Ramdas tells his story. They will enjoy a spiritual feast that has few parallels."
 
This illuminating chronicle vividly captures the latter part of Beloved Papa’s itinerant years that concluded with the founding of Anandashram in 1931.
 
Available in English, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. Read more...

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

"God’s will means God’s power. God’s power is the manifested universe. All movement, all change in it, belongs to that Power. To realise this truth is to surrender to the power or will of God. The individual 'I' is utterly unreal. He and His power are the truth. His Power is infinite love and infinite joy."

— Swami Ramdas

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