ઈ-બુકસ -Ebooks

ક્રમ	પુસ્તકનું નામ	લેખક/પ્રકાશકનું નામ	પૃષ્ઠ સંખ્યા
1	યોગદર્શન	શ્રી યોગેશ્વર	240
2	Pollyanna	Eleanor H. Porter	294
3	ભાવ ભર્યો ભક્તિમાર્ગ	સ્વામિ ભજનપ્રકાશાનંદગીરીજી મહારાજ	215
4	વિવેક ચૂડામણી	આદિ શંકરાચાર્યજી	65
5	શ્રી રામકૃષ્ણ દર્શનમ	પ્રકાશકઃ શ્રી રામકૃષ્ણ આશ્રમ, રાજકોટ	35
6	ઘણાં જન્મો – ઘણાં આત્માઓ	મુળ લેખકઃ ડો.બ્રાયન વૈશ, સંક્ષિપ્ત ભાવાનુવાદઃ અશોક ન. શાહ	60
7	મૃત્યુની મોજ	સ્વામિ ભજનપ્રકાશાનંદગીરીજી મહારાજ	84
8	વખત વિત્યાની પહેલા	સ્વામિ ભજનપ્રકાશાનંદગીરીજી મહારાજ	67
9	ભજનામૃત વાણી	સ્વામિ ભજનપ્રકાશાનંદગીરીજી મહારાજ	297
10	અજ્ઞાતમાં ડૂબકી	સ્વામિ ભજનપ્રકાશાનંદગીરીજી મહારાજ	117
11	વિરાટ યાત્રા	પાવર પોઈન્ટની સ્લાઈડ પરથી	65
12	સદાચાર સ્તોત્ર	આદિ શંકરાચાર્યજી મહારાજ	21
12	શ્રી વાક્ય સુધા	આદિ શંકરાચાર્યજી મહારાજ	44
13	શ્રી હરિમીડે સ્તોત્ર	આદિ શંકરાચાર્યજી મહારાજ	33
14	યોગતારાવલી સ્તોત્ર	આદિ શંકરાચાર્યજી મહારાજ	15
15	સ્વામી વિવેકાનંદ – સંક્ષિપ્ત જીવન ચરિત્ર	દિવ્ય જીવન સંઘ	64

 ઊપરોકત ઇ-બુક્સ http://bhajanamrutwani.wordpress.com/e-books/ પર મળી શકશે.

Thought of Swami Vivekanand on Dharma, Goal of Life

સ્વામી વિવેકાનંદ

ઈશ્વર અને ધર્મ :

1.      ધર્મનું તત્વ/ જિવનનું ધ્યેય :  દરેક વ્યકિતમાં દિવ્યતા (આત્મા) સુપ્તપણે રહેલ છે. અંદરની આ દિવ્યતાને બાહ્ય તેમજ આંતર પ્રકૃતિના નિયમન દ્વારા અભિવ્યકત કરવીએ જિવનનું ધ્યેય છે. કર્મ, ઉપાસના, મનનો સંયમ અથવા તત્વા જ્ઞાન - એમ એક અથવા અનેક દ્વારા તેને સિદ્ધ કરો. ધર્મનું આ સમગ્ર તત્વ છે.      

1.    ધર્મ એટલે સિદ્ધાંતો, મતવાદો કે બૌદ્ધિક વાદવિવાદ નહિ; ધર્મ એટલે પરમતત્વમાં જિવવું, તદરૂપ થવું; ધર્મ એટલે અનુભૂતિ.

2.    ભારતમાં જેને ‘યોગ‘ કહીએ છીએ તેના દ્વારા આ ધર્મની પ્રાપ્તિ થાય છે. કર્મ યોગી આ યોગને મનુષ્યો અને સમગ્ર મનુષ્યજાતિ વચ્ચેની એકતારૂપે, રાજયોગી એને જિવ અને બ્રહ્મની એકતારૂપે, ભકત એને પ્રેમસ્વરૂપ ઇશ્વર અને પોતાની વચ્ચે એકતારૂપે અને જ્ઞાની એને બહુધા વિલસતા ‘સત’ની એકતારૂપે નિહાળે છે. ‘યોગ’નો અર્થ આ છે.

3.      ઇશ્વરની પૂજા કરીને આપણે હંમેશા ખરેખર તો આપણી અંદર નિગૂઢ રીતે રહેલા ‘આત્મતત્વ’ ની જ પૂજા કરીએ છીએ.

4.      ઇશ્વર જ સત્ય છે આત્મા સત્ય છે; આધ્યાત્મિક્તા જ સત્ય છે. તેમને વળગી રહો.

5.      ‘ભોજન, ભોજન’ બોલવું અને ખરેખર ભોજન કરવું, ‘પાણી,પાણી’ બોલવુ અને ખરેખર પાણી પીવું - એમાં જમીન-આસમાનનો ફેર છે. એ જ રીતે માત્ર ‘ભગવાન,ભગવાન’ રટવાથી તેનો સાક્ષાત્કાર પામવાની આશા આપણે રાખી શકીએ નહિ.  એ માટે તો પ્રયત્ન અને અભ્યાસ કરવો જોઈએ.

6.      અભ્યાસ એ સંપૂર્ણપણે આવશ્યક છે. ભલે તમે મારી પાસે બેસીને દરરોજ એકાદ કલાક શ્રવણ કરો, પરંતુ જો તમે અભ્યાસ ન કરો તો એક પણ ડગલું આગળ વધી શકો નહિ. બધો આધાર અભ્યાસ ઉપર છે. આ બધી બાબતોનો જ્યાં સુધી આપણે અનુભવ ન કરીએ ત્યાં સુધી આપણને તેમાં કદાપિ સમજ પડે નહિ. આપણે જાતે જ તેમનું દર્શન કરીને તેમને આત્મસાત કરવી જોઇએ, વિવરણો અને સિદ્ધાંતોનુ કેવળ શ્રવણ કરવાથી કશું વળવાનું નથી.

7.      એક વિચારને ગ્રહણ કરો; તેને તમારું જિવન સર્વસ્વ બનાવી દો; તેના વિશે ચિંતન કરો, તેના  સ્વપ્ન સેવો. એ વિચાર પર જ જિવો; તમારું મસ્તિક, તમારા સ્નાયુઓ, માંસપેશીઓ, જ્ઞાનતંતુઓ અને તમારા શરીરનું અંગેઅંગ - એ બધાને એ વિચારથી ભરી દો, અને એ સિવાયના અન્ય સર્વ વિચારોને બાજુ પર મૂકી દો. સફળતા મેળવવાનો આ જ એક માર્ગ છે, અને આ રીતે જ મહાન આધ્યાત્મિક વિભુતિઓનો ઉદય થાય છે.

Phylosophy of Shankrachayra, Advait Vedant

Biography of Sri Adi Sankaracharya Sankaracharya's Philosophy  Sankaracharya wrote Bhashyas or commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads and the Gita. The Bhashya on the Brahma Sutras is called Sareerik Bhasya. Sankaracharya wrote commentaries on Sanat Sujatiya and Sahasranama Adhyaya. It is usually said, “For learning logic and metaphysics, go to Sankaracharya's commentaries; for gaining practical knowledge, which unfolds and strengthens devotion, go to his works such as Viveka Chudamani, Atma Bodha, Aparoksha Anubhuti, Ananda Lahari, Atma-Anatma Viveka, Drik-Drishya Viveka and Upadesa Sahasri”. Sankaracharya wrote innumerable original works in verses which are matchless in sweetness, melody and thought. Sankaracharya’s supreme Brahman is Nirguna (without the Gunas), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without attributes) and Akarta (non-agent). He is above all needs and desires. Sankaracharya says, "This Atman is self-evident. This Atman or Self is not established by proofs of the existence of the Self. It is not possible to deny this Atman, for it is the very essence of he who denies it. The Atman is the basis of all kinds of knowledge. The Self is within, the Self is without, the Self is before and the Self is behind. The Self is on the right hand, the Self is on the left, the Self is above and the Self is below". Satyam-Jnanam-Anantam-Anandam are not separate attributes. They form the very essence of Brahman. Brahman cannot be described, because description implies distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than He. The objective world-the world of names and forms-has no independent existence. The Atman alone has real existence. The world is only Vyavaharika or phenomenal. Sankaracharya was the exponent of the Kevala Advaita philosophy. His teachings can be summed up in the following words: Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya, Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Aparah  Brahman alone is real, this world is unreal; the Jiva is identical with Brahman. Sankaracharya preached Vivarta Vada. Just as the snake is superimposed on the rope, this world and this body are superimposed on Brahman or the Supreme Self. If you get a knowledge of the rope, the illusion of the snake will vanish. Even so, if you get a knowledge of Brahman, the illusion of the body and the world will vanish. Sankaracharya is the foremost among the master-minds and the giant souls which Mother India has produced. He was the expounder of the Advaita philosophy. Sankaracharya was a giant metaphysician, a practical philosopher, an infallible logician, a dynamic personality and a stupendous moral and spiritual force. His grasping and elucidating powers knew no bounds. He was a fully developed Yogi, Jnani and Bhakta. He was a Karma Yogin of no mean order. He was a powerful magnet. There is not one branch of knowledge which Sankaracharya has left unexplored and which has not received the touch, polish and finish of his superhuman intellect. For Sankaracharya and his works, we have a very high reverence. The loftiness, calmness and firmness of his mind, the impartiality with which he deals with various questions, his clearness of expression-all these make us revere the philosopher more and more. His teachings will continue to live as long as the sun shines. Sankaracharya's scholarly erudition and his masterly way of exposition of intricate philosophical problems have won the admiration of all the philosophical schools of the world at the present moment. Sankaracharya was an intellectual genius, a profound philosopher, an able propagandist, a matchless preacher, a gifted poet and a great religious reformer. Perhaps, never in the history of any literature, a stupendous writer like him has been found. Even the Western scholars of the present day pay their homage and respects to him. Of all the ancient systems, that of Sankaracharyacharya will be found to be the most congenial and the most easy of acceptance to the modern mind. (Source: http://www.dlshq.org/saints/Sankaracharya.htm)

Life of Adi Guru Shankrachayra

Biography of Sri Adi Sankaracharya

Birth

       Sankaracharyacharya was born in a very poor family in the year 788 A.D. in a village named Kaladi, six miles to the east of Alwaye, Kerala. Kaladi is a railway station, on the Kochi-Shoranur rail link. Sankaracharyacharya was a Nambudiri Brahmin. Rajasekhara, a Zamindar (a rich landlord), built a Siva temple in Kaladi and formed an Agrahara for Brahmins who were in the service of the temple. Vidyadhiraja was doing Puja (worship) in the temple. He had only a son named Sivaguru. Sivaguru studied the Shastras and married at the proper age. He had no child. He and his wife Aryamba prayed to Lord Siva to bless them with a son. A son was born to them in the Vasanta Ritu or the spring season at noon, in the auspicious Abhijit Muhurta and under the constellation Ardhra. This son was Sankaracharyacharya. 

       Sivaguru died when Sankaracharya was seven years old. Sankaracharya had none to look after his education. His mother was an extraordinary woman. She took special care to educate her son in all the Shastras. Sankaracharya's Upanayana or thread ceremony was performed in his seventh year, after the death of his father. Sankaracharya exhibited extraordinary intelligence in his boyhood. When he was only sixteen, he became a master of all the philosophies and theologies. He began to write commentaries on the Gita, the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras when he was only sixteen years old. What a great marvel! 

      Sankaracharya's mother was consulting astrologers about horoscopes of suitable girls for her son's marriage. But Sankaracharya had a firm resolve to renounce the world and become a Sannyasin. Sankaracharya's mother was very much grieved that there would be no one to perform her funeral rites after her death. Sankaracharya gave full assurance to his mother that he would always be ready to serve her at the death-bed and perform the usual funeral rites. Even then his mother was not satisfied. 

     One day, Sankaracharya and his mother went to take bath in the river. Sankaracharya plunged into the water and felt that a crocodile was dragging him by the foot. He shouted out to his mother at the top of his voice: "O dear mother! A crocodile is dragging me down. I am lost. Let me die peacefully as a Sannyasin. Let me have the satisfaction of dying as a Sannyasin. Give me your permission now. Let me take Apath-sannyasa”. 

     The mother immediately allowed him to take Sannyasa. Sankaracharya took Apath-sannyasa (the adoption of Sannyasa when death is near) at once. The crocodile let him go unharmed. Sankaracharya came out of the water as a nominal Sannyasin. He again repeated his promise to his mother. He left her under the care of his relatives and gave away his little property to them. He then proceeded to find out a Guru with a view to get himself formally initiated into the sacred order of Sannyasa.

In Search of a Guru 

     Sankaracharya met Swami Govindapada Acharya in a hermitage in Badrikashram (Badrinath) in the Himalayas and he prostrated at the teacher's feet. Govinda asked Sankaracharya who he was. Sankaracharya replied: "O revered Guru! I am neither fire nor air nor earth nor water-none of these, but the Immortal Atma (Self) that is hidden in all names and forms". He also said in the end: "I am the son of Sivaguru, a Brahmin of Kerala. My father died in my childhood. I was brought up by my mother. I have studied the Vedas and the Shastras under a teacher. I took Apath-sannyasa when a crocodile caught my foot while I was taking bath in the river. Kindly initiate me formally into the holy order of Sannyasa". 

     Swami Govinda was very much pleased with the truthful narration given by Sankaracharya. Having initiated him and invested him with the robe of a Sannyasin, Swami Govinda taught him the philosophy of Advaita which he himself had learnt from his Guru-Gaudapada Acharya. Sankaracharya learnt all the philosophical tenets from his Guru Govindapada. Govinda asked Sankaracharya to go to Kashi. Sankaracharya proceeded to Kashi where he wrote all his famous commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads and the Gita and successfully met all the criticisms levelled against them. He then began to propagate his philosophy. Sankaracharya had the greatest esteem for his Guru Govindapada and his Parama Guru or the teacher's teacher, Gaudapada.

(Source: http://www.dlshq.org/saints/sankara.htm)