Talk by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda on 2 December 2022

Swami Shuddhanandaji, Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji (Guruji), Swami Samarpananandaji during the programme.

Photo: Swami Shuddhanandaji, Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji (Guruji), Swami Samarpananandaji during the programme.

Transcript of Talk by Shri Guruji on 2 December 2022 on the occasion of 20th Mahasamadhi Divas of Shri Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji.

There is a mantra in Taittiriya Upanishad,

नमो ब्रह्मणे । नमस्ते वायो । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्म वदिष्यामि ।
namo bramhaṇe | namaste vayo | tvameva pratyakṣam brahmāsi | tvameva pratyakṣam brahma vadiśyāmi ।Salutation to Brahman
Salutation to Thee
O Vayu!
You are the visible Brahman
I will declare you as the visible Brahman

Upanishad is declaring this; but where are we searching God? God is in every breath.

There is another verse from Prashnopanishad.

प्राणस्येदं वशे सर्वं त्रिदिवे यत्‌ प्रतिष्ठितम्।
मातेव पुत्रान्‌ रक्षस्व श्रीश्च प्रज्ञां च विधेहि न इति ॥
prāṇasyedaṁ vaśe sarvaṁ tridive yat pratiṣṭhitam |
māteva putrān rakṣasva śrīśca prajñāṁ ca vidhehi na iti |Whatever exists in three worlds is all under the control of Prana
Prana, protect us as a mother protects her sons,
give us affluence and intelligence

What is the meaning of Sri?
Sri: beauty, sweetness, divinity.
Splitting the word ‘Sri’ as sa – ra – e
sa: breath (svasa); ra: fire, e: with effort or with energy
One meaning of Sri: with effort, with consciousness you take breath and offer it to fire (Brahma Ajni) in Ajna chakra.
Every breath is taken as an offering or oblation; when one is remaining in that state…it is Sri.
During meditation, when you try to experience fire or illumination inside the head; then you are in Sri.
Another meaning of ‘Sri’ is Mother Lakshmi.

Shri Gurudev always quoted, Breath Control is self-control, Breath Mastery is Self-Mastery, and Breathlessness is Deathlessness.
Here, breathlessness means state of immortality; no breath state.
In mother’s womb, we had our breath; but it was mother’s breath. When the child was born and the umbilical cord was cut, then our real breath began. We are taking breath since the time we are born. Breath is wealth, strength, beauty, success, failure, brain power, and life. Who is utilizing this wealth of the breath?

Two words in Sanskrit: prashvasa and nishvasa (inhalation and exhalation).  Never trust the breath for it will stop at any time. Is there any guarantee?

First step of breath control is watching the breath. During normal activities, a normal human being takes 15 breaths per minute. In one hour we take 900 and in a day we take 21,600 breaths. But we misuse the breath in our lives through anger, lustful thoughts, involving in hectic activities and also due to modern day exercises.

Sage Patanjali says,

स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः

sa tu dīrgha kāla nairantarya satkārā sevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ

It becomes firmly rooted when it has been habituated for a long time, without interruption and with sincere belief.

One gets established only when the practice is done for a long time, without interruption, and with devotion.

If we consider the word ‘pranayama’; there are two words: prana and ayama. ‘Ayama’ means to elongate the breath; which means to take the breath slowly and deeply. One should take slow and long deep inhalations and slow, long deep exhalations. During any activity we have to be conscious of breath and keep it slow, long and deep. What happens when the breath is slow, long, and deep? We take more oxygen; oxygen is the nutrient of the brain. Taking more oxygen increases the brain power, memory, gives lots of peace, and success in life.

There are Christians, Hindus, Muslims, and so many other people following different religions, but everybody takes breath.  So when people asked Shri Gurudev what His religion is, He used to answer, ‘Breath is my religion.’