AVSC SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI GROUP

AJ VIJAY (Group Coordinator)

AJ PADMA KARTHIK

Shri Gurubhyo Namah 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Worry and anxiety was a major part of my life before Gita and Vedanta became part of my life. Many questions on how and why life was the way it was would come up with every experience i went through. Lot of time and energy was wasted in trying to understand or control it.

All worries dissolved. Acceptance and gratitude entered my life as i began my journey with Bhagawat Gita and Tattvabodha.

With each passing day, peace, clarity, silence and acting as the need arises became part of me. I realized that all that is to be changed is only in me and everything else is a reflection of my thoughts. With the purification of my thoughts, i can realize the Truth.

Guruji your talks on Tattvabodha are simple yet profound. Easy to comprehend and apply in my life. May Your blessings and guidance always be with me in my journey inwards.

For all the transformations happening within me, i offer my gratitude and pranaams at your feet Prabhuji. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

AJ PRIYADARSINI

ಅಂದು ಮಧ್ಯಾಹ್ನ ಸುಮಾರು ಎರಡು ಗಂಟೆ ಇರಬಹುದು. ೨೦೨೧ನೇ ಇಸವಿಯ ಮಾರ್ಚ್ ತಿಂಗಳು. ಮೂರನೇ ವಾರ. ಲಾಕ್ ಡೌನ್ ನಿಂದ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಬರೀ ಕಸಿವಿಸಿ. ಕರೋನ ಇಂದ ಭಯದ ಛಾಯೆ. ಆಗ ಇದ್ದಕ್ಕಿದ್ದಂತೆ ನನ್ನ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಧ್ವನಿಯು ನನ್ನ ಕಿವಿಗೆ ಅಪ್ಪಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಯಾರೆಂದು ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ನನ್ನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ ಜಿ ಅವರ ಕರೆ. ಅವರು ನನಗೆ ವರ್ಷದ ನಂತರ ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದರು. “ಏನಿದು? ಇಷ್ಟು ದಿನಗಳ ನಂತರ ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ” ಏಂದು ನಾನೇ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕರೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಆಗ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಡೆದ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ನಿಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಬಳಿ ಕರೆ ತಂದಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಬಹುದು.

            ಅವರಿಗೂ ಕೂಡ ನನ್ನಂತೆ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಕುಗ್ಗಿರುವುದು, ಕಾರಣವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಚಿಂತನೆಗಳು, ಕರೋನಾಮಾರಿಗೆ ಬಲಿಯಾದ ಬಂದುಭಾಂದವರನ್ನು ನೆನೆದು ದು:ಖ ಹೀಗೆ ನಾನಾ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದ ಅವರು ಸಂತೋಷವಾಗಿಲ್ಲದಿರುವ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೀಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯ ವಿರಚಿತ “ತತ್ವಭೋಧ” ವೆಂಬ ಪುಸ್ತಕವನ್ನಾಧರಿಸಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಸದ್ಗುರು ಪ್ರಭುಜಿಯವರ ಬೋಧನೆಗಳನ್ನಾಧರಿಸಿದ ವಿಡಿಯೋಗಳನ್ನು ಅವಲಂಬಿಸಿ  ವಿಜಯ್ ಜಿಯವರ ದಾಯತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿ ಭಾನುವಾರ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ ತರಗತಿಯು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಅರಿತು ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ ಜಿಯವರು ಈ ಸತ್ಸಂಘಕ್ಕೆ ಯೋಜಿತರಾಗಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿದರು. ಅವರ ಮನಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಸ್ಥಿರತೆ, ಹಿತದ ಅನುಭವವಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂಬ ವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿಕೊಂಡರು.

ನನಗೆ ಆ ಕ್ಷಣ ಅಮೃತಘಳಿಗೆಯಂತೆ ಅನುಭವವಾಯಿತು. ನಾನು ಕೂಡ ಅವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಶ್ರೀರಮಣ ಗಣದ ಸದಸ್ಯೆಯಾಗಿ ಸತ್ಸಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾದಾರ್ಪಣೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಇದು ಒಂದು ಮುನ್ನುಡಿ. ಈ ಒಂದು ವರುಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಕಂಡ ಸಕಾರಾತ್ಮಕ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬಿತ್ತರಿಸಲು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

ತತ್ತ್ವಬೋಧ ತರಗತಿ, ಚಿಂತನೆಗಳ ಮೊದಲು 

• ನನ್ನಿಂದಲೇ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿಎಲ್ಲ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳು ನಡೆಯುವುದು,
• ನಾನು ಮಾತ್ರ ಯಾಕೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗಿಂತ ಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ?
• ನನಗೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಬೇಗ ಕೋಪ ಬರುತ್ತದೆ?
• ನನಗೆ ಯಾಕೆ ಕಷ್ಟಗಳು?

ಹೀಗೆ “ನಾನು” ಎಂಬ ಅಹಂ ನಿಂದ ವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ. ಆದರೆ ತತ್ವಬೊಧದ ಅಧ್ಯಯನದ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸತ್ಸಂಘದ ದೆಸೆಯಿಂದ ನಾನೇ ನಂಬಲಾರದಷ್ಟು ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ.

• ಅಹಂಕಾರ ದೂರವಾಗತೊಡಗಿದೆ
• ಇಂದ್ರಿಯನಿಗ್ರಹ, ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ಹತೋಟಿ
• ನನ್ನ ಕರ್ಮಫಲಾನುಸಾರವಾಗಿ ನನಗೆ ದೊರಕಬೇಕಾಗಿರುವುದು ಖಂಡಿತವಾಗಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂಬ ಧೃಡ ನಂಬಿಕೆ, ತಾಳ್ಮೆ,
• ಅನಿತ್ಯವಸ್ತುಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಒಲವು ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗಿದೆ
• ಅನಿರ್ವಚನೀಯವಾದ ಆನಂದದ ಅನುಭವ

ಹೀಗೆ ಅನೇಕ ವಿಷಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನನಗೆ ವೈಯುಕ್ತಿಕವಾಗಿ ಈ ಆಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮ ಚಿಂತನೆಗಳು ಸಕಾರತ್ಮಕ ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆಯನ್ನು ತಂದಿದೆ. 

ಅಂತರ್ ನಿಧಿದ್ಯಾಸ ಮತ್ತು ನಿರ್ವಿಕಲ್ಪ ನಿಧಿದ್ಯಾಸ ವೇದಾಂತ ಧ್ಯಾನದ ಕಲಿಕೆ, ಸೂಕ್ತಿಗಳ ಪರಿಚಯ, ಗುರುವಿನ ಮಹತ್ವ, ಸನಾತನ ಧರ್ಮದ ಸಿರಿತನ,  ಅಂತರ್ಮುಖಿಯಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ನಾವು ಸ್ವತಃ ಅರಿಯಲು ಮನವರಿಕೆ, ಶಿಸ್ತು, ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯ, ಆಸಕ್ತಿಗಳ ಅಳವಡಿಕೆ… ನನಗೆ ಸ್ಪೂರ್ತಿಧಾಯಕವಾಗಿವೆ.

ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾರಣರಾದ  ಸದ್ಗುರುಗಳಾದ ಪ್ರಭುಜಿ, ವಿಜಯ್ ಜಿ ಹಾಗು ಎಲ್ಲ ಆತ್ಮಜ್ಯೋತಿ ಬಂದುಗಳಿಗೆ ನನ್ನ ಸಾಷ್ಟಾಂಗ ಪ್ರಣಾಮಗಳು.

ಹರಿ ಓಂ…….ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು.

AJ SATYA LATHA

Hariom to Prabhuji and all the Atmajyothis

With great respects I bow to you, prabhuji, for introducing the SELF, though the nearest of all and the source of all, ever, but  felt the farthest to realise. Knowing prabhuji and being part of the AVSC  is the greatest blessing possible. I have understood the one truth which Prabhuji has always being pointing to.

Time tells us only one thing_ shows the one fact, Be in the SELF.

Nothing is permanent than the self. Why do we take the same lesson again and again? Is the mind so powerful than the self that we can’t control it, propitiate, or ignore or go beyond it? Can’t we see that higher SELF so great, illuminating, all pervading, can’t we recognise THAT- I ?

The world , the clinging, cravings, expectations, hurt, the cycle of happiness and sorrow, everything so short lived. Why would I seek repose in such temporary objects, which are like a mirage in the desert? Why would I desire that pleasure, which is changing, when the pleasure is pointing to THAT – the ultimate source of uncompromising bliss-unchanging-untethered-ever shining. What you hold on to determines your life, then what is it one should hold on to??? Nothing but the SELF. You are THAT!!!

AJ SARAVANAN

Narayana samarambham sankaracharya madhyamam asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparaamSadashiva samarambham sankaracharya madhyamam asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparaam

Pranams to the Guru as I share my spiritual journey with Shri Prabhuji & the “Light of the Self” foundation, since Jan 2020.

Introduction

What led me to Guru Shri Prabhuji and the Light of the Self foundation?

I guess everyone gets this question at some point in life and after working for 20+ years, I felt getting lost in life and was trying to figure out what is that I should be chasing – company, title, salary, higher education, healthy life, having fun with friends etc. This is when the question came to me – what is the life purpose? I started asking this to many, elders & friends to see if they can lead me to find an answer to this question. And the moment came when my casual conversation with Vijayji in our kids’ school led me to join Shri Prabhuji’s class on Atma Darshana, where he started with the powerful question – who are you? !!!

In short, I’d summarize my state before getting exposure to the knowledge of Atma-jnana as follows:

• Not having clarity in life
• Going after everything – materialistic comforts
• Looking for a steady source of happiness from outside
• Leading to not having a balanced lifestyle
• Letting others around me influence easily (like giving remote control of my life to others)
• Looking for perfection in everything outside and getting disappointed
• Thinking/Planning about future and related anxiety
• Health issues

About my learning

Before joining the class, my spiritual knowledge was limited to going to temple & some high level view of the puranas.

Atmajnana

In 2020, as Guruji started monthly classes with the big question of “who am I?”, I slowly started realizing the ignorance from the present knowledge given by the society, leading to all the misery. The monthly classes became weekly classes and I started tasting the knowledge of Vedanta. The more I heard, the more I enjoyed and wanted to know more of this knowledge, which made so perfect sense. And at that time, Guruji declared the seekers should spend more time with the announcement of AVSC – Atmajyoti Vedanta Study Circle.

Tattvabodha

AVSC turned out to be the perfect avenue for me to further my Knowledge about myself and get clarity in life. I started with Vijayji to learn the teachings of Sankaracharya with Tattvabodha. With AVSC, my learning got more streamlined and came to know about all the literature, which great masters have written 1000s of years back to help seekers. I’m part of the Sri Ramana group and we have a great team, each of us come prepared by listening to Prabhuji’s video talks (Sravanam) and discuss on our learning (mananam). What I like with the approach here is that, we do not move until everyone is clear with the concepts. We discuss at length on every question that comes up from everyone and how everyone is able to apply the learning in their daily life. This make the learning very practical oriented and not just at the intellectual/theory level.

Bhagavad Gita

The learning was so effective that I joined the Gita study group as well. Here I learnt the chanting of slokas, 5 slokas in every class (from the selected 108), followed by the contemplation of the message from one sloka. I find the message from the slokas very relevant to my daily life activities.

Also I learnt following along with Gita Conntemplation from Vijayji:

• Sukta chanting – Purusha Suktam, Narayana Suktam, Medha Suktam and now Sri Suktam. Vijayji takes good time and effort to ensure everyone is able to chant with the right intonations. Chanting has a great effect as the mind gets silent.
• Vedantic meditation (Nidhidhyasa) following Guruji’s videos, sensation awareness meditation, Omkara dhyanam & Divya Jagarana Kriya.

Summary

To summarize, I’d say, the last 2 years of exposure to the knowledge from our ancient scriptures has changed the way I look at life, purpose, success factors etc. I don’t think I can express completely in words how these countless hours of service (Rishi Yajna as Guruji says) by Vijayji, Guruji & the Atmajyotis of the Light of the Self foundation has changed me & improved my view of self & the world.

Would like to end with the same set of points that I started with (using as a yardstick) with the changes

• There is more clarity in life
• Not going after the materialistic comforts (antithya vastu)
• Not consciously looking for happiness from outside
• Much more balanced lifestyle – playing the role when needed (job), at home & for self-awakening
• Not letting outside events/people disturb me – even if disturbed, able to realize quickly and get over it …
• Not looking for perfection in everything outside – accepting the situation AS IS gracefully
• Not overly thinking/Planning about future – living/being in the PRESENT
• Health issues – if body needs attention, do what is needed, but not to think about it all the time. Remember karma concept, nature of the body and focus on all the points above… which leads to being more in the moment peacefully and avoid conflicts with the situation.

Following Shanti mantras give me lot of peace as I chant them

Om Poornamadah Poornamidam Poornaat Poorna mudachyate , Poornasya Poorna maadaaya Poorna mevaa vashishyate , Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi 🙏

Om Sarveshaam Swastir Bhavatu, Sarveshaam Shantir Bhavatu, Sarveshaam Poornam Bhavatu, Sarveshaam Mangalam Bhavatu, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi 🙏

Om sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ, sarve santu nirāmayāḥ, sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu, mā kaścidduḥ khabhāgbhaveta। Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ॥ 🙏

AJ SHUBHA

My AVSC journey started a year back and it has been a fantastic learning experience both spiritually and psychologically. Initially the low awareness and ignorance of topic created a disinterest but through multiple explanations with examples by Prabhuji and Vijayji, it was turned around and I am still a student on my AVSC journey. Group discussions and contemplations on these concepts made it worthwhile. The fact that the sessions are recorded and uploaded helps me go through the videos multiple times and refine my understanding of concepts. 

Up until now the AVSC sessions have calmed me to a point where there is peace in me even at points of failure. My mind is able to resolve to the fact that everything happens for good and everything shall pass soon. At the end of this one year journey all I  can say is that I am a work in progress with a lot of gratitude to Prabhuji, Vijayji and all the Atmajyotis who are working tirelessly and without expecting any fruit in return. My pranaams to everyone. Hari Om.