Devi Mandir

Temple of Divine Mother

Sadhana and Setting Goals

Topics covered in this Question and Answer session with Swamiji:

  • Definition of sadhana
  • Regularity in sadhana
  • Sadhana plan
  • Learning to recite scriptures
  • Sankalpa, sadhana, and tapasya
  • Making our sadhana strong
  • Worship over prayer and meditation
  • Beginner practice
  • Reducing body-consciousness
  • Short intensive or regular non-intensive sadhana
  • Group sadhana
  • Serving through sadhana
  • Manifesting our sadhana as love
  • Sadhana and personality
  • Who am I?
  • Purification
  • Managing illness and pain in the course of sadhana
  • Cultivating the will for sankalpa
  • Lengthening sadhana
  • Sadhana and compassion
  • Break in sadhana
  • Tapasya and siddhis
  • Sitting still and being with God
  • Brahmamuhurtha
  • Devas and Sages are with us
  • Setting goals

The Guru-Disciple Relationship

Topics covered in this Question and Answer session with Swamiji:

  • Who is a disciple
  • Following the example of the Guru
  • Diksha
  • Bad Guru History
  • Guru-disciple relationship
  • Attachment and loyalty to the Guru
  • Satguru
  • Swami, Guru, Sadhu
  • Guru’s protection
  • Guru taking the karma of the disciple
  • Meditation on the Guru’s form
  • Supporting the Guru’s sadhana
  • Choosing one’s Guru
  • Devotion to the Guru

Sahasra Chandi Yajna

At Devi Mandir, the fire was consecrated for the Sahasra Chandi Yajna on January 24th 2005, and has been burning continuously 24 hours a day since that date. What is the Sahasra Chandi Yajna, the vow to recite the Chandi Path daily for a thousand days? Why would we want to remain in one rhythm of worship without going outside the temple for three years? What could we possibly hope to achieve?

We answer these questions in the video and audio classes below.

Our video shows how the fire was invited and inaugurated, established and energized, and how it is being worshipped. To watch the video, click here:

Sahasra Chandi Yajna

In our audio classes we quote the Chandi itself to describe the tradition of a thousand day yajna. It is the most amazing experience that we can attain in life! The ability to cloister our senses so that we want nothing more than to sing and chant to the Divine Mother Goddess in worship throughout the day and the night.

This is what we propose to do. This discussion tells us from where the tradition has emanated, and what are the possible effects that it can have in our lives.

To hear the classes below you should have the quicktime or real audio players.

Sahasra Chandi Yagna: high res

Hindi Tattva Jnana Class

Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Shree Maa give a class on Tattva Jnana during their 2016 Summer Yatra in India. For those understand Hindi and have interest in the Knowledge of […]

Travelogue: Festival for Annapurna, Varanasi

Travelogue: Festival for Annapurna, Varanasi During our stay in Varanasi, it so happened that there was a very special festival for Mother Annapurna at the Annapurna Temple. Thousands of devotees […]

Travelogue: Satsang in Kolkata

Travelogue: Satsang in Kolkata One evening at the Meera Mandir, Shree Maa and Swamiji conducted a very large satsang. In attendance were many of Shree Maa’s very first devotees and […]

Travelogue: Shiva Temple in the Village

Travelogue: Shiva Temple in the Village Swamiji has often told us that many of the greatest places for worship are “Anjan”, which means they are unknown to most people (as […]

Travelogue: Kala Bhairava and Worshiping with Swamiji

Travelogue: Kala Bhairava and Worshiping with Swamiji After visiting the Vishalakshi temple, Swamiji took the group to the Kala Bhairava Temple (also spelled Kalbhairava Temple). Swamiji explained that wherever there […]

Travelogue: Worship on the Ganga

Travelogue: Worship on the Ganga At sunset, Shree Maa, Swamiji and the group took a very scenic boat ride on the Ganga in Varanasi. On this special occasion, Swamiji and […]