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VEDANTA FOR BEGINNERS -1.7 . SWAMI SIVANANDA

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======================================================================= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23/01/2020. 1. Introduction -7. 7.The Mind And Its Works  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mind is Jagat. The mind moves the senses, the Pranas, etc. Mind is the cause of bondage and  liberation. A keen study of the mind and its works is necessary for the study of Vedanta.  The presiding deity of the mind is Moon or Soma. Moon is cool. It is formed of Apas-Tattva (water). Water has a tendency to run downwards. So also the tendency of the mind is always to run downwards towards sensual objects. The external ear, the eye-balls, etc., are only instruments. They are not the real senses of Indriyas. The real centres or senses are in the brain or most correctly in the as...

VEDANTA FOR BEGINNERS -5&6. SWAMI SIVANANDA

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====================================================================== ======================================================================= 03/01/2020 5. Upasana & 6. Control Of The Senses : ====================================================================== 5. Upasana  : Practise Upasana for acquiring concentration of mind. Upasana is of various kinds, viz., Pratika Upasana, Pratima Upasana (worship of idol), Panchakopasana (worship of the five deities : Ganesha, Siva, Vishnu, Durga and Surya), worship of Avataras like Rama and Krishna, and Ahamgraha Upasana. Ahamgraha Upasana is Nirguna Upasana. The aspirant meditates on his own Self as Brahman. He identifies his individual self with the Supreme Self or Brahman. He tries to take out the Self that is hidden, within the body of five sheaths. Hence the significant name, ‘Ahamgraha’ Upasana. ‘Food is Brahman’. ‘Akasa is Brahman’. ‘Surya (Sun) is Brahman’. ‘Mind is Brahman’. ‘Prana is Brahman’,—All these are...