Satsang with Sri Shãntãnanda Puri

Premika Bhavanam - 12.07.2002 - 6.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Sri Shãntãnanda Puri is a ‘parivrãjaka’ sanyasi (ascetic who keeps moving). He is the disciple of Swami
Purushotamanandaji Maharaj of Vasishta Guha, Himalayas, who is the disciple of Swami Brahmananda
(the great disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa).
Born in 1928, Sri Shãntãnanda Puri yearned for ascetic life since his younger days. He is known for his
simplicity and deep faith in Bhagavan; he is full of jnana and ‘vairagya’ (dispassion). His knowledge in
Vedic scriptures and Holy Texts like Srimad Bhagavatam is very deep. His elucidation of Bhagavad Gita,
Yoga Vasishta and Ashtravakra Gita have attracted the spiritually thirsty. He has written commentary on
Siva Sahasranama (Linga Purana). Ramanasramam has brought out an audiocassette of the Swami’s
‘Ramana Suprabhãtham’.
Guru in his own right, Sri Shãntãnanda Puri performs Bhãgavata upanyasa in English, Hindi and Tamizh.
He has authored Sri Bhãgavatam - its message for the modern man; Sadhanas in Bhagavad gita;
Fragrant flowers; The quantum leap into absolute.
Sri Shãntãnanda Puri was received with ‘poorna kumbham’ in Premika Bhavanam, by Sri Mallikarjuna
Sarma (Mukhya Adhyãpak of our Mission’s Veda Patasala) and his ‘vidyãrtis’.
Sri Shãntãnanda Puri discoursed on the “Greatness of Srimad Bhãgavatam and Nãma kirtan” from 7 p.m
to 9.30 p.m.
Excerpts from Sri Shantãnanda Puri’s discourse at Premika Bhavanam
“When Sri Krishna was about to shed his mortal coil, his beloved disciple Uddhava could not bear the
thought of being away from Krishna’s physical form. Krishna assures Uddhava that he was not going
away and would be ever present in Srimad Bhãgavatam. Therefore Srimad Bhãgavatam is the very
personification of Sri Krishna. Every akshara in this grantha is the form of Bhagavan. No other grantha
enjoys this special status. It would suffice if one were to prostrate before Srimad Bhãgavatam. That alone
will lead him to moksha”
“Srimad Bhãgavatam says that King Parikshit was cursed to die in seven days. The implication here is
that every one of us will die on one of the seven days i.e, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday or Saturday!”
“In the beginning of Srimad Bhãgavatam, Sage Sukha praises Parikshith in nearly 20 slokas. If a
mahatma such as Sukha were to praise the shrotha(Listener-Parikshith) in such glowing terms, then the
great fortune of the shrotha needs no further mention.”
"In the 4th Canto, it is very interesting to note that four charitras denoting the four purushãtas namely
Dharma, Artha(Wealth), Kãma(Desire) and Moksha(Liberation) are narrated. The charitra of Daksha
Prajãpati represents Dharma. Dhruva Charitra represents Artha. Pruthu charitra represents Kãma and
Prãchina Barhis charitra stands for Moksha.”
“ When the Devas and the Asuras churned the ocean of milk in order to obtain the Amrita(Ambrosia),
Goddess Mahalakshmi appeared from the ocean. This has been described in the 8th canto-8th chapter-
8th sloka of Srimad Bhãgavatam. This is not a mere coincidence. This is only a reflection of the divinity of
the grantha”
“The greatness of Ram Nãm is indescribable. Once, some devotees requested Swami
Purushottamãnandaji Maharaj to discourse on “The greatness of Ram Nãm”. Swami Purushottamananda
who prefers to remain in mouna(Silence) agreed to do so after repeated requests. He raised his hands
and began “The greatness of Ram Nãm….”. Immmediately, he went into samadhi and remained
motionless for several minutes. When he came out of that state, he once again began, ”The greatness of
Ram Nãm…”. He went into samadhi again. All those gathered there sat spellbound as if in a trance.
Swami Purushottamananda concluded his “Discourse” by saying,”As you have directly witnessed the
greatness of Ram nãm there is nothing left to talk about it!”
“This human body is composed of the five basic elements- earth, air, water, fire and space. This physical
body represents the earth. We inhale air. We drink water in order to maintain hydration. Fire is
represented by the heat in our body. We always ensure that these four elements are maintained within
normal limits. We forget that there is “Space” within us. Shabda (sound) is the food for this space. The
sound of Bhagavan nãma and mantras help maintain normalcy as far as “Space” is concerned.”
"One should make it a habit to take the Name of God frequently. Every time a question is put forth to you,
stop a while. Do not answer immediately. Take the Name of the Lord twice -- Loudly or within your mind.
Say the Name again twice after answering. So, that makes it four times. In a day there are about 200
questions thrown at you. Therefore, 200 X 4 makes it 800. Very easily you utter the Name of the Lord 800
times a day! "
"Talk to God -- even when you desire to complain about someone, let it be done to God! Make it a
practise to speak everything only with God. Let your gossip also be done with God! "
“ A sãdhak practicing dhyãna encounters numerous unpleasant thoughts as he advances in his sadhana.
Some of these thoughts can be very disturbing. The sãdhak wonders where these bad thoughts are
coming from? However, there is nothing to worry and the sãdhak should continue with his sadhana. The
septic tank in our house is filled with malodorous debris. We experience the bad odour from the septic
tank only on the day the cleaning of the tank is undertaken and not otherwise. Sadhana is similar to this
cleaning process. As we progress, the bad vãsanas are flushed out first and this is the reason for the rise
of bad thoughts.”
Mathurapuri Ashram - 13.07.2002
Sri Shãntãnada Puri visited our ashram the next morning. Sri Balaji and Sri Mruthyunjaya Sarma
welcomed the Swami on behalf of our mission. Sri Shãntãnanda Puri explained the “Greatness of the
Vedas and Vedic education” to our Veda patasala vidyarthis. He then performed puja to Madhuri Sakhi
sametha Sri Premika Varadan and offered thirtha prasad to all.
Excerpts from Sri Shãntãnanda Puri's discourse at Mathurapuri ashram amidst our Sandeepani
Gurukulam vidyãrthis
“You are fortunate indeed to be blessed with this opportunity to learn the Vedas. Your parents must have
earned a lot of punya in their previous janmas. That is the reason you are here learning the Vedas”
“The entire cosmos is purified by the sound of the Vedas. As you chant the Vedas here, the cosmos
around you is being cleansed. You should all keep this in mind when you chant the Vedas”
“Man is ever running around in search of joy. He thinks that building a house, marriage, earning a lot of
money etc. will bring joy. But the real joy lies within us.”
“There is nothing that is not contained in the Vedas. The cat jumps from great heights and does not
fracture a bone. That is because the cat has flexible bones. Chanting certain Vedic mantras can make our
bones flexible like that of a cat. If you take Vedic mathematics, even the greatest mathematicians of the
modern age are unable to comprehend it complete