PRACTICE OF BHAKTI YOGA
Book Specification
Item Code: | IDG023 |
Author: | Swami Sivananda |
Publisher: | THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY |
Language: | English |
Edition: | 2019 |
ISBN: | 8170521580 |
Pages: | 334 |
Cover: | Paperback |
Other Details | 8.6" X 5.8" |
Weight | 330 gm |
Book Description
About the Author:
Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Saga Appayya Diskhita and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.
His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.
It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta.
In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament Reliogions'. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read his works is to drink at the fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 he entered Mahasamadhi.
Publishers' Note:
The present work, "Practice of Bhakti Yoga" is yet another of Sri Swamiji's thrilling works. Consistent with the spirit of his earlier works, the revered author has employed a language which cannot be easily surpassed for its simplicity, fluency and spiritual force. Very few books there are today dealing with Bhakti Yoga that make such a marvellously comprehensive survey of this intricate and elaborate subject with such scientific accuracy as this book. And we are really proud to claim this as the first and foremost reason for publishing "Practice of Bhakti Yoga".
All the pages of this book ring with the sublime note that the dire need of the hour is Love, and Love alone. Says the author: "A life without love, faith and devotion is a dreary waste. It is real death. Love is Divine. Love is the greatest power on earth. It is real death. It is irresistible. It is love that can really conquer an enemy. Its power is infinite. Its depth is unfathomable. Its nature is ineffable. Its glory is indescribable. The essence of religion is Love," and exhorts all his readers to develop pure Love which, if possessed even to the magnitude of a ray, can cure all ills and bestow real joy and happiness.
If this book should go perchance into the hands of the dictators of some of the countries of the world and if they should interpret the message in the spirit in which it was intended by us, then all the ills to which this world is heir today will melt away and there will once again emerge a veritable heaven on earth.
May the Lord Krishna, the Source of all Love, the embodiment of Prem, the Lover of Radha, and the Protector of the fallen, bless this war-ridden world and bestow peace. joy, happiness, prosperity and long life for ever and ever!
[THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY]
Publishers' Note | (6) | |
Preamble | (7) | |
Secret of Renunciation | (8) | |
Four Spiritual Gems | (8) | |
Hari Stotra | (9) | |
Surya-Namaskara | (10) | |
Essence of Four Yogas | (11) | |
Sagune Meditation | (12) | |
Universal Prayer | (13) | |
Lord Krishna | (14) | |
Bhaja Govindam | (15) | |
Emotion Needs Culturing | (19) | |
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1. | Who Is God? | 29 |
2. | God Exists | 31 |
3. | God Is Immanent | 35 |
4. | What Is Bhakti? | 37 |
5. | Fruits of Bhakti | 39 |
6. | Six Classifications of Bhakti | 39 |
7. | Five Classes of Worship | 43 |
8. | Five Kinds of Worship | 43 |
9. | Five Kinds of Bhava | 44 |
10. | Five Thorns in the Bhakti Marga | 44 |
11. | Five Internal Enemies | 44 |
12. | Five External Enemies | 44 |
13. | Four Grades of Bhakti | 44 |
14. | Four Classes of Love | 44 |
15. | Four Kinds of Mukti | 45 |
16. | Eight Signs of Bhakti | 45 |
17. | Requisites for God-realisation | 45 |
18. | Characteristics of a Bhakti | 45 |
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1. | Glory of Rama Nam | 47 |
2. | Faith Can Work Miracles | 49 |
3. | Yoga of Universal Love | 53 |
4. | Krishna's Flute | 57 |
5. | Radha- The World Mother | 62 |
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1. | Philosophy of Pratima | 66 |
2. | Jnani is the Greatest Bhakta | 67 |
3. | Doctrine of Avatarahood | 69 |
4. | Mutual Dependence of Bhakti and Jnana | 72 |
5. | Akbar's Four Questions | 73 |
6. | Bhakti and Jnana Compared | 74 |
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1. | Practice of Japa-Yoga | 76 |
2. | God Gives Darshan | 85 |
3. | The Secret of Ramayana | 86 |
4. | Japa of Mahamantra | 88 |
5. | Meditation on Gayatri | 89 |
6. | How to Do Dhyana? | 98 |
7. | Manasic Pooja | 100 |
8. | Anushthana | 100 |
9. | How to Develop Bhakti | 100 |
10. | Secret of Surrender | 101 |
11. | Background of Though | 104 |
12. | How to See God | 106 |
13. | Glory of Lord Siva | 108 |
14. | Lord Krishna and His Teachings | 114 |
15. | Sankirtan Movement | 118 |
16. | Vairagya Maala | 130 |
17. | Sciences of Worship | 133 |
18. | Bhakti Yoga Sadhana | 139 |
19. | Bhaktas of Chiatrakuta | 142 |
20. | Why Should We Believe in God? | 142 |
21. | Where is the Harm in Not Believing in God's | |
Existence? | 144 | |
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1. | Introduction | 146 |
2. | Raja-Yoga and Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad | 146 |
3. | Poor Health | 147 |
4. | Impure and Immoderate Food | 149 |
5. | Doubt | 150 |
6. | Tandri-Alasya-Nidra | 151 |
7. | Manorajya | 152 |
8. | Lack of Preceptor | 153 |
9. | Vishayasakti | 155 |
10. | Lack of Brahmacharya | 156 |
11. | Name and Fame | 159 |
12. | Evil Company | 163 |
13. | Tooshnimbhoota and Stabdha Avashtas | 164 |
14. | False Tushti and Rasasvada | 165 |
15. | So-called Friends | 166 |
16. | Depression | 167 |
17. | Religious Hypocrisy | 168 |
18. | Moral and Spiritual Pride | 168 |
19. | Prejudice, Intolerance and Bigotry | 169 |
20. | Shilly-Shallying | 170 |
21. | Easy, Comfortables Pranayama (Sukha Purvak) | 171 |
22. | Dilly-Dallying | 173 |
23. | Jilly-Vallying | 173 |
24. | Vill-Vallying | 174 |
25. | Irregularity of Sadhana | 175 |
26. | Cessation of Sadhana | 176 |
27. | Fault-finding | 176 |
28. | Fear | 177 |
29. | Force of Old Samskaras | 178 |
30. | Jealousy | 179 |
31. | Habit of Self-justification | 179 |
32. | Backbiting | 180 |
33. | Anger | 181 |
34. | Tamas or Inertia | 184 |
35. | Greed | 185 |
36. | Moha | 186 |
37. | Hatred | 187 |
38. | Valediction | 189 |
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1. | Message of Prem | 192 |
2. | Samadhi | 199 |
3. | Upadesamritam | 216 |
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1. | The Nature of Divine Love | 222 |
2. | Definition of Bhakti | 223 |
3. | Fruits of Bhakti | 224 |
4. | Renunciation | 230 |
5. | Different Definitions of Bhakti | 243 |
6. | Supremacy of Devotion | 248 |
7. | Knowledge and Devotion | 251 |
8. | How to Develop Bhakti | 253 |
9. | Glory of the Company of the Wise | 257 |
10. | Give Up Evil Company | 258 |
11. | Who Crosses Maya? | 261 |
12. | Nature of Love | 263 |
13. | Secondary Devotion | 265 |
14. | Bhakti Easy to Practise | 265 |
15. | Bhakti and Social Customs | 266 |
16. | Glory of Bhaktas | 268 |
17. | Bhaktas Above Caste and Creed | 269 |
18. | Instructions to Devotees | 271 |
19. | Bhakti: The Best Means | 275 |
20. | Conclusion | 276 |
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1. | Shatpadi Stotra | 278 |
2. | Song of Salutation | 279 |
3. | Prayer Song | 280 |
4. | Song of Instructions | 281 |
5. | Song of Jnana Vairagya | 281 |
6. | Song of Goal of Life | 283 |
7. | Shranagati Song | 283 |
8. | Song of Vairagya | 284 |
9. | Song of Admonition | 284 |
10. | Song of Devotion | 285 |
11. | Song of Bhakti and Vairagya | 285 |
12. | Song of Abhyasa | 287 |
13. | Siva Lorrie | 287 |
14. | Song of Grace | 288 |
15. | The Song of Immortality | 288 |
16. | Song of Illusion | 290 |
17. | Song of Freedom | 290 |
18. | Song of Flute-Bearer | 291 |
19. | Song of Bansuriwala | 291 |
20. | Song of Prem | 292 |
21. | Song of Siva Thandavam | 292 |
22. | Song of Prarthana | 292 |
23. | Song of Darshan | 292 |
24. | Song of Savara Bansiwala | 293 |
25. | Song of Real Sadhana | 293 |
26. | Song for Developing Will | 294 |
27. | Song of a Sage | 295 |
28. | Soham Song | 296 |
29. | Song of Vedantin | 297 |
30. | Song of Antaratma | 298 |
31. | Nirugha Song | 298 |
32. | Song of a Paramahamsa | 299 |
33. | Song of Brahma Vichara | 300 |
34. | Song of Brahma-Mayam | 300 |
35. | Select Dwanis | 301 |
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1. | Mataji Omkareshwari | 303 |
2. | Samarth Ramdas | 303 |
3. | Pavahari Baba | 304 |
4. | Raidas-The Cobbler Saint | 304 |
5. | Paltu Das | 309 |
6. | Charan Das | 310 |
7. | Srimati Suratkumari Devi | 310 |
8. | Avadhoot Kesavanandaji | 311 |
9. | Sri Swami Narayanji | 311 |
10. | Sri Sundarnathji | 312 |
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1. | Glory of Womanhood | 313 |
2. | A Talk to Sannyasins | 318 |
3. | How to Develop Love | 322 |
4. | Glory of Mantra-writing | 323 |
5. | Mysterious Self-surrender | 324 |
6. | A Soliloquy of the Lord | 325 |
7. | Places for Meditation | 326 |
8. | Glossary | 327 |