Quotes by Sri M

“The practice of yoga is the way of finding that happiness which is our true identity. We discover that we are not what we think we are, but something entirely different.”

“There’s an English saying – 'blind leading the blind’. It is an ancient statement and comes from the Mundaka Upanishad – ‘andhenaiva nīyamānā yathāndhāḥ.‘ It refers to those who have learnt only theoretically and think they know. When such people lead others into spiritual matters, it is like the blind leading the blind.”

“In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that one of the most important qualities of a devotee of mine is 'sarva bhoota hitey rataha' - compassion for all beings. Here, Krishna is not speaking as Krishna, a person, but as the manifestation of the Supreme Being.”

“Live with the understanding that the entire universe is pervaded by that blissful Supreme Being and we are a part of that! This is not a fantasy that needs to be worked out in our minds. It is a fact and the actual process through which it is possible is known as sadhana or meditation.”

“Energy - once its work of creation, preservation, and destruction is done, still remains whole. This is not possible when we think of energy in the daily world. We work and we feel tired. We say, 'some of my energy is lost'. But here, the whole Cosmos is spun out of this energy, which keeps working tirelessly and yet remains unaltered.”

“Krishna represents love, thus love is a comprehensive panacea for all ills. If you really understand it’s meaning which is utter selflessness, not love for my own sake but love for Love’s sake, only then, it is a panacea for all problems. This is very rare. When Kabir Das wove, everyone thought he was weaving cloth. Actually, he was weaving from the warp and weft of love and devotion.”

“We need eyes to see an object. But we cannot see our own eyes except as a reflection in a mirror. Yet, we cannot say that the eye does not exist. It is because of the fact that the eye exists, we see things around us; similarly the ‘Atman’ or Consciousness. It is only because of this root identity that we are ‘alive’ and ‘conscious’. To realize this true identity is the main purpose of meditation.”

“While you are on the spiritual journey, two essential steps have to go side-by-side. One, is sitting down and doing your sadhana; the other is to examine your life - see what you are and how you behave with people.”

“When emotions come, don’t run away from them. Feel what is happening. Being emotional human beings, we cannot discover ourselves in a ‘dry’ emotionless manner. Only when we experience emotions are we human beings. That's when we can look at ourselves to learn and understand who we are.”

“In the process of delving into the mind, there is a lot of churning. When you churn, just like the ancient ‘Samudra Manthan’ (churning of the ocean), the first thing that emerges is poison. Unfortunately for us, there is no Shiva around to consume it. This poison must appear first and, then only will the Amrit (nectar) come.”

“If you are seeking a spiritual teacher, get rid of the conventional ideas you may have about a teacher, because that prejudice may prevent you from seeing a real teacher.”

“If your search for the Truth is serious, then the right kind of guidance will come in some way. You have to remain sincere.”

“Each one of us, with our limitations, needs to understand the fact of how we are related to this world, and how, while we are still in this world, can free ourselves from it.”

“Peace is a state of mind that emerges from within. If I am not peaceful with myself, then I cannot bring peace anywhere.”

“Knowing oneself starts with knowing oneself in the midst of people, not alone. In seclusion, I don’t see how I am. We should first know who we are and where we stand. To know thyself means knowing myself as I am, instead of just repeating ‘I am the Brahman’! I can’t be angry, jealous, narrow and still be Brahman.”