Immortal Atmasvaroopa:
Blessed Seeker of TRUTH:

Om Namo Narayanaya: Loving Namaskars.

Glory be to the Divine and to Gurudev, the visible expression of the Divine upon this human place. My salutation to you all, travellers upon the shining highway of Divine Life, pilgrims to the shrine of the Eternal.

Jai Sivananda: This letter is the holy Sivananda JAYANTI letter. It brings you my special Birthday-greetings for the auspicious 8th September, which is a great day to us all. It is a day which held the seeds of our blessedness and Spiritual awakening. Upon this day 77 years ago, there took place the dawn of our good fortune or our Bhagyodaya. At the close of the last century, this day granted to us our wonderful Spiritual guide, our inspirer, friend and well-wisher. On this holy day was born our spiritual father, our Gurudev. Sivananda JAYANTI is the day of auspiciousness, joy and extreme sanctity. His advent meant a Spiritual rebirth to all of us who were born into Divine Life through our contact with Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji. Upon this day, the true significance of that ancient prayer of our land -

Asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrityorma amritam gamaya

dawned upon us in a luminous way. For, verily, that great soul who took birth upon that day came into your life, awakened your spirit and set you upon the road to the great Reality, Light and Immortality. Such is Sivananda JAYANTI.

May your thoughts flow towards his sacred feet in worshipfulness and love! May the Bhava and Bhakti of your heart wind their way up to him now in his tranquil transcendence and silent splendour. May all your energies be directed and applied with determined will and devout loyalty to the vigorous furtherance of his Spiritual Mission of awakening Divinity in the hearts of men. May your time, energy and abilities be dedicated to the leading of the divine life of the Truth, Purity, and Selflessness which Gurudev demonstrated. This is indeed the great privilege of your discipleship. This is indeed the most fitting token of your devotion. Such is indeed the celebration of Gurudev's sacred JAYANTI.

Now a word about the recent Aradhana. It is my deep privilege to tell you all that on the 2nd August upon the most holy Punyatithi Aradhana Day you all did offer worship to Gurudev's Divine Presence through this servant, who represented you all. In keeping with my solemn promise to you in the August, Sivanandashram Letter, I stood in the holy river Ganges, thought of you all, adored Mother Ganga in your name, and took the sanctifying dips on behalf of you. Then filling a vessel with the Sacred waters. I went up to the Samadhi Shrine, the Gurusthana, vibrant with his silent Presence, and offered the Ganga-water in ceremonial Abhisheka for your sake. I then offered flowers and worshipped Gurudev's marbled Charan-Paduka feeling myself only as a representative of you all in the presence of Gurudev. Thus while I apparently worshipped yet, in reality, YOU offered worship. When the elaborate Puja was ultimately concluded by midday and the rush of devotees was over, I went silently and did Pradakshina (Prikrama) around the Samadhi. And while I thus Perambulated it was verily you who walked around the holy one. While this servant thus worshipped, a photograph was taken, perhaps in the next issue you will see it.

A special event that took place during the Aradhana, I wish to recount for your benefit. One day the glory of the Divine Name and the Supreme importance of Japa Sadhana was discoursed upon. In this connection it was later on mentioned how the method of Mantra Purascharana found an effective way of progressing in Japa. I called upon the assembled Sadhaks to come forward and undertake such Mantra Purascharana right then. Numerous Sadhaks readily took the pledge to start and complete Mantra Purascharana before the end of Chaturmasa (i.e. 15th November, 1964). Forms were signed to confirm this undertaking. All commenced it in the Ashram during the Aradhana Period itself. One of the Sadhaks has even continued the Japa in the Ashram itself and will be concluding it by the holy Krishna Janmashtami Day. We are arranging for the customary sacred Havan at the conclusion of this Sadhak's Purascharana. She is the venerable Mrs. Raj Devi Shivraj of Delhi. Despite considerable bodily discomfort, she had determinedly persevered in her Purascharana. She deserves our congratulations.

Two days after Gurudev's Birthday falls the Vinayka Chaturthi or the holy Ganesha Chouth. Lord Ganesha represents the Divine power in the functions as a force overcoming all obstacles and bestowing success to all undertakings. Therefore, he is called variously Vighna-Vinayaka, Vighneshwara, Siddhi-Vinayaka etc. It is a day of supreme and unique importance on which to commence any new undertaking in your life. Do not let this rare occasion go by. Make new resolutions. Commence any fresh activities. Start any important programme which has been eluding you so far. Ganesh Chouth is wonderful juncture to assure successful commencements and obstacles-free progress in undertakings. Worship Lord Ganesh upon this day. Offer your adorations. Make auspicious beginnings of worthy achievements. May Lord Ganesha bless you with all success, prosperity and progress.

I am glad to tell you that Sri Swami SIVANANDA CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, DELHI with its newly constituted executive body is launching into a new programme of public Satsangs in different parts of the Capital to spread more effectively the gospel of Good Life, Pure Conduct, and Divine Living. As an inauguration of these new activities, the Association has decided to celebrate public function of Sivananda Jayanti on 13th of the month (13-9-1964). On the day before, it being second Saturday, it will also hold certain programmes. This servant is to go to Delhi to attend this two-day programme. Incidentally, this enables Delhi devotees to attend the Ashram Jayanti Celebrations on 8th September, I wish the Sivananda Cultural Association all success during the year ahead of them.

From Delhi to Dehra Dun, en route return to Ashram, I go because Dehra Dun devotees would like to revive the activities of that centre which have ceased due to misfortune and bereavements of the main organisers of the Divine Life Branch there. Sri Chandravati Singh, Mr. & Mrs. B.N. Kaul, the family of our late revered Gurubhai Dr. R.R. Anand and other friends intended to arrange some Satsang function. I must not forget to tell you that during Sadhana week preceding the Punyatithi Aradhana, many Sadhaks took down notes of important talks and discourses, Dr. Sivananda Adhvaryoo of our Gujarat Centre proposes to compile, edit and bring out a Sadhana Souvenir. It is in preparation. I look forward to its early publication, may be before the end of this year. This reminds me, the present letter now completes a full year of the Sivanandashram Letters. This one, as you will see is the letter No. 12. I hope they have conveyed, to some extent at least, the Bhava with which our worshipful and beloved Satguru Sivananda is making this servant of his work and offer his Seva to His Divine Life fraternity, scattered throughout this country and abroad. These letters, it has been my intention are to convey to you my true feeling my wishes for you and ideas of how we may serve the cause of Divine Life. I am happy to have this opportunity and privilege of thus speaking to you all through these lines. I must now conclude for to be too lengthy would mean depriving you of other matter that comes to you through this “Wisdom Light”.

May God bless you all. May health, strength, prosperity and joy be with you all the days of your Life. Be always happy. Work with good cheer. Lead a pure life. Be rooted in God-remembrance. Jai Gurudev Sivananda.

With regards, Prem and Om,

Yours in Gurudev,
Swami Chidananda
Ananda Kutir
1st September, 1964.

Sivanandashram Letter No. XIII