Inner Journey
Spiritual Activities-- the easy way
Inner Journey
Friends! Welcome Aboard
for Inner Journey!!
This website is devoted to serious accounts, instructions and meaningful discussion on spiritual topics, along Indian/Hindu traditions such as:
--- Yoga - Bhakti, Karma, Jnana, Raja
--- Vedanta -The Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads,
some puranas too
--- Spiritual practices---compassion [Daya], Charity, Japa
[Chanting], Worship [Pooja] and Meditation [Dhyana]
--- Spiritually charged centres [pilgrimage sites] in
India, especially in the South Indian peninsula
--- Lives of saints and sages [not living now, so that I dont
get drawn into controversies and calumny] - both Hindu
and of other faiths.
You can meet me at Bangalore or Palo Alto,CA subject to availability of time.
Bangalore
5th Feb 2008
P S : Please give your opinions/feedback/comments
to the email Id: nksrinivasan@hotmail.com
---N K Srinivasan
Note: Please see my other website also:---
Lord's Promise
to these ever steadfast devotees, I secure safety and supply all their needs [carry their burden]
--- The Bhagavad Gita [9:22]
In whatever way men worship Me, in the same way I fulfill their desires[accept and bless them]. O Arjuna, in every way men follow my path.
--- The Bhagavad Gita [4-11]
Page Contents
By way of Introduction to my web pages:
-- several yoga techniques, mainly focusing on JAPA and MEDITATION--Why?--because they are easy to practice for modern folks.
--places of pilgrimage ,especially in South India, with its magnificent temples and traditional ways of worship,temple rituals- .. a few travel tips.
----A page devoted to Shirdi Sai Baba
---Books--classics and profound ones by great masters of 19th/20th centuries as well as modern books
---Saints and sages of 19th/20th centuries about whom authentic information is available and who have influenced the last few generations --that is my father's and my generation . Most often the information and books available are too vast--One has to be selective.
---brief instruction on the Bhagavad Gita-- 'Gita Snippets" and Upanishads to whet your interests/curiosity and to provide brief instruction.
---ashrams of these great ones where you can stay for a few days/weeks to recoup your spiritual moorings,recharge your spiritual batteries, and to benefit from satsangha.
----Brief notes on Advaita-Nonduality
---Some notes for Westerners on Vedanta and Gurudom...
--.You will quickly perceive that I am not enamoured of or attracted to modern day,self-styled gurus who claim 'self-realization' as a matter of course, who build their empires with media coverage and corporate-style organizations with advertisements and who charge fees for their short, elementary stuff.
If you also feel that way, you will find much useful information in these pages.
Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai
In (Shirdi) Sai Smaran
N K Srinivasan
Hierarchy of Spiritual Practices
--- Worship [Upasana --- with or without form or image]
--- Prayer [spoken, silent, hymns]
--- Chanting [Japa of mantras, names]
--- Meditation [of different kinds, with or without breath control/pranayama]
--- Samadhi [ Savikalpa, Nirvikalpa/Sahaja [Jivan mukthi state], Bhava mukha, in this order]
--- Merging with the Supreme, as Light, Jyotir-maya --[Equivalent of E = m x c x c in spiritual plane]
[Saints and sages pass through these stages with slight differences and detours...Formal religions and popular sects emphasize the first two --- they build temples, churches, synagogues, Gurudwaras and so on.
Japa and meditation can be done anywhere --- but, quiet places are conducive --- hence ashrams & retreats.
Samadhi states are fruits of these efforts, allowed by the Guru/God/Self as Divine Grace. The last stage is merging with the Lord/Self eternally. In Hindu tradition we say that the person has become a Star in the Firmament --- a symbolic way of telling that It is eternal.]
Self -Enquiry
Seeking the ego,that is its source, the ego disappears.What is left over is the Self.This method is the direct one.
------ Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi
Responses & Contact
CONTACT
Dear Friends,
I have moved back to Bangalore ,India and available at my small apartment in Malleswaram, Bangalore.You can contact me through email and visit me whenever possible.email ID: nksrinivasan at hotmail dot com.
- --In Sai Smaran,
N K Srinivasan
Bangalore
16th April 2009
Dear One,
It is more than a year since this website was created.Visitors from various countries, big and small,have seen this website.Most of them are focused on these pages: 'Books','Three Great mystics',Goddess Worship' and 'Shirdi Sai Baba'...Many are interested to know more about Hindu traditions and also books on these.Among these topics, Shirdi Sai Baba information has been the maximum page viewed.Needless to say,Shirdi Sai devotions have been expanding throughout the world.I am a frequent visitor to Shirdi.I also report on new Sai temples.
Another topic of great interest is "Goddess Worship".In western societies,worship of God in the form of a female goddess is not easily appreciated or accepted while in India and China ,Goddess worship is a common mode.The western mind had always pictured God as 'Father in heaven', partly due to early Chrisitian theologians and St Paul's doctrines.Female priests were accepted only recently in certain Christian churches.The Goddess worship,highly developed and stylized in the Hindu tradition, is drawing lot of attention world-wide.You will find some useful info in these pages.
In a month, about 1200 visitors see these pages---some may be visiting several times..Please do send your feedback by emails!
I intend to add a few paragraphs about comparative religion , mainly to bring out the common 'bottom line' of all major religions---the thread of Jnana [knowledge] and Bhakti [devotion] running though these religions.As a first step,I am including several books in that aspect in the web-page on 'books' ---Please see that page to keep updated. ---
In Sai Smaran,
N K Srinivasan
2nd Feb 2009
Donate for "Aid for Blind Children" --a trust operated by the author for Visually challenged in India [See 'My Profile' page.]
Please visit: Click here__> Mathru School
