Spirituality and Religion

Query: What does it mean if a spiritualist tells me, we have another 2 more cycle of life. I have been initiated to learn and perform sadhana as taught by my Baba (Shrii Shrii Anandamurti). Can you explain about chanting Gayathri Manthra?

Vijay Kumar:
Do you realize that spirituality and religion are two entirely different things... not connected to each other at any stage of life! Those immersed in religion indulge in rituals... never truly understanding the facts behind! I have observed many people going to temples regularly not for days, months or years... but for decades!

The result... they stood wherever they were before the start of the journey! In present times rituals practically carry no meaning if our aim of life is traveling the spiritual path. Those indulging in wanton desires and greed for materialistic riches do sometimes benefit from rituals... those walking the spiritual path never indulge in religion.

Rituals are simply meant to appease gods... the astral powers that be! By seeking blessings of man gods who gained enlightenment (kaivalya jnana) in the past... we only enhance our comforts on the physical plane. Worshiping Agni God (god of fire), Vayu God (god of air) and Mother Earth (goddess of life)... we simply seek more and more comforts on the physical plane.

No ritual whatsoever is necessitated in present times! Why? During the time of Vedas... rituals were dominantly practiced all over. In the nascent stage of life when human beings had not yet fully evolved... mankind feared the celestial powers that be! Worshiping and seeking blessings of celestial powers was a daily practice!

To defend the onslaught of diseases, sicknesses, natural calamities and out of world phenomenon... mankind at large worshiped all kinds of gods and goddesses conceivable! In India... it has been a prevalent practice to worship even rivers and mountains. Mount Calash (the abode of Lord Shiva) and River Ganges are the most revered lot.

With advancement of science... mankind has clearly understood the significance of Bhagavad Gita... the doctrine of Bhagavad Gita given to mankind by Lord Krishna in the battle of Mahabharata! Bhagavad Gita... the most sacred scripture existing on Mother Earth makes it explicitly clear that it is our soul atman within the body that is the master and controller of the body and not vice versa.

It is not within the powers of the body to manifest a soul atman! To reach the stage of enlightenment (kaivalya jnana)... one needs traveling the spiritual path and not the path advocated by religious masters! Religion never makes one reach the portals of God Almighty. Following the path of Bhakti Yoga, singing bhajans and organizing kirtans simply paves way for remembering God most of the time... nothing more!

If we seriously desire reaching the portals of God... we need traveling the spiritual path via the path of jnana yoga. Bhagavad Gita is one single document knowing which one gains enlightenment and finally salvation (moksha). Only one who gains enlightenment knows the path. One who knows the path becomes the revered master... a true spiritual guru!

If a spiritualist... a so-called spiritualist tells us something... does it at all mean anything to us! One who has not gained enlightenment... what right one has to preach anything. Mahavira... the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism rightly said, "No human being has the right to preach anything unless one reaches the level of Mahavira... the enlightened one!

Every human being has been ordained to pass through a cycle of 1.1 million manifestations in the human form alone... and earthly life cycle of 12.4 million years! Within this period of 1.1 million manifestations every human being is expected to reach the end of cosmic life... the 8.4 millionth manifestation when one gains enlightenment and finally salvation.

Reaching the stage of enlightenment is becoming a Mahavira, Gautama Buddha, Jesus Christ or prophet Mohammed in physical manifest life! Amongst the myriads of so-called spiritual masters... how many enlightened souls can there be! In the last about 150 years only two persons gained enlightenment... sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharishi Ramana!

If we truly desire knowing our level on the cosmic plane... we need hearing the sweet small inner voice of our soul atman that seems to come from within our heart. The voice of our soul atman always guides us on the right path. Hearing the sweet small inner voice of my soul atman I finally transcended all barriers of manifest ephemeral life and reached the stage of self realization.

The sweet small inner voice of our soul atman can be distinctly heard by one who travels the path of absolute truthfulness... never otherwise! We need practice absolute truthfulness and all the time... something really difficult in the physical manifest world! In the present times of Kali Yuga (the metal age) following the dictates of our soul atman within is an uphill task.

No point chanting mantra most of the time! Almost 99% people world over continue ritualistic religious practices without ever knowing the truth behind. Before we chant a mantra we must know the inner meaning behind! The Navkar mantra of Jainism is without a parallel. If we truly desire singing praises of God Almighty... we must indulge self in chanting the Navkar mantra... the Mother of all mantras!

In Navkar mantra of Jainism... obeisance is offered to all gods and goddesses including God Almighty. The first chant... the first mantra is offered to Arihantas... enlightened beings who have reached the stage of enlightenment! Subsequently prayers are offered to Siddhas... the enlightened ones who after gaining enlightenment gained moksha (salvation).

By offering prayers to all Siddhas, Siddhas Purushas existing in the cosmic system... we negate the effect of all bad karmas in rotation. Chanting the Navkar mantra of Jainism after having understood its meaning is really beneficial! Ritualistic chanting of a mantra loses its efficacy! All prayers carry meaning only when offered truthfully and intelligently.

More Spirituality and Religion related links...

Path of Spirituality - Spiritual Path - Spiritual Guru - Spiritual Consultant

May God bless all!

Always there to clarify your queries (send your query),

Vijay Kumar "Atma Jnani" Vijay Kumar... The Man who Realized God in 1993 on Spirituality and Religion. For more details on rituals worship bhakti yoga bhagavad gita visit - spirituality and religion. Send your query - click here

Full text of query: I would like to know what does it mean if a spiritualist tells, I have another 2 more cycle of life. How does he know that? I have been initiated to learn and perform sadhana as taught by my Baba (Shrii Shrii Anandamurti). Can you explain about chanting Gayathri Manthra?