Chapter 16: Atma-Shakti (Spiritual strength)

Synopsis : 

Lav and Kush ask Sita about the soul and spiritual strength.  She explains that the soul is divine, taking different forms across lifetimes before merging back into the Divine. 

To illustrate,she recounts a tale of forest-dwellers seeking wisdom, reassuring them that spiritual knowledge is for all. Sincerity in work and childlike devotion lead to enlightenment, says Sita.

She also highlights the sacred bond of marriage as a harmonious path to soul union, guided by truth, dharma, love, and peace. 

Sita concludes that over lifetimes, the soul accumulates radiant inner strengths, and through heartfelt devotion in any lifetime , accumulated  Ātma-Shakti, Spiritual Strength manifests, illuminating one’s very being.

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Lav and Kush:

Mother! What is soul?

What is spiritual strength? How can one attain it?

Song 1 : SOUL

Sita:

Know that the Soul is divine

It takes bodily forms of many a beauty.

It is the body, which perishes

But the soul merges into infinity.

Song 2 : Yearning

Sita:

A large mango tree hides in a small seed,

Infinite knowledge in the soul is concealed,

When it rains, the seedling sprouts,

When one yearns, knowledge is revealed.

Song 3: Introspection

Lav-Kush:

Why is Introspection necessary ?

Sita:

When the larva encapsulates,

Emerges a pretty butterfly,

When one introspects,

Knowledge flowers profusely.

Song 4: Varied species

Sita:

The water drops are countless

So are the types of species

When one does good deeds

One realises this expanse.

Song 5 : Spiritual Strength

Sita:

God has given you spiritual strength,

Use it to serve Him every day,

By helping all beings,

In the most modest way.

Song 6 : Spiritual Development

Message of Atma – Vikas (Spiritual Development) to the tribal couple

Sita: (to her Sakhis)

I will tell you an incident

Different tribes came one of the days

They were homely, simple and innocent

They lived their life in various ways ||1||

Tribal people:

Mother! We are illiterate

We don’t have any knowledge

Children and our family

Is the life we trudge||2||

Then how should we do “Yoga”

And concentrate on Lord

Oh Mother! Please tell us

To develop soul and ward? ||3||

Sita:

Every mango tree has fruits

In every mango there is seed

Every human a fruit of nature

Bears too the spiritual seed ||4||

Do work like it's God's bidding

Love Him with innocent bliss

Your soul harbours strength

In peace like space soundless ||5||

Tribal people:

Oh Mother! Please tell us more

We are already feeling blessed

Advise us some path by which

Wife and husband can progress||6||

Sita:

Husband and wife are wheels of chariot

Progress in mystique

Married couples love each other

Union of souls to seek.

The bangles in hands of bride

Are symbols of 'Truth' and “Dharma”

The sound of these night and morn

Is music of “Lord Brahma” ||8||

Apply red vermilion to the fore-head

Energise centre of knowledge within

The infant in mother's lap sees the "bindi"

Its unsteady eyes to focus begin||9||

When it sees the tears of happiness

In is mother's eyes kind

The infant emerges from depression

Of separation from 'Brahma' in mind||10||

Tribal people (emotionally):

Oh Mother! Yes Mother!

Oh Mother! Yes Mother!

Oh Mother! Yes Mother!

Oh Mother! Yes Mother! ||11||

Sita :

You find holy trees in the forest

Like 'Bel' , 'Audumbar', 'Tulsi'

Dry their leaves and light them

And worship 'Yagnya' holy ||12||

Together you should then pray

For the well-being of children all

Talk sweetly with each other

“Shlokas” shall life enthral ||13||

Truth, Dharma, Love and Peace

Let this in your heart be blissfully

Know you're Shiva and wife is 'Shakti'

Then you'll develop spiritually ||14||

*Bindi is the small circular applicaton of red vermillion on the forehead by Indian women.

Bel,Audumbar, Tulsi are all plants considered holy.

'Tulsi' mean sacred basil

'Yagnya' means holy fire

'Shlokas' means holy verses

Song 7 : The boundless flow of motherly power

A loving mother enquired

Why does my healthy child weep?

I feed him milk, surround him with nature's embrace, 

And sing lullabies to soothe him to sleep. ? ||1||

With a gentle smile, I then replied ,

 "Perhaps he feels a subtle vibration,

 A lingering connection from a past life's ties, 

A mother's longing for her untimely lost son ||2||

The boundless flow of motherly power, 

Spreads through all times,and  nature.  

With humble hearts, let's sing her praise,

Own entrusted children, with  love nurture ||3||

Song 8 : The second ‘Prahar’ (part of day)

Sita:

During Brahma-muhurt 1 you did ‘naamsmaran’2

In ‘second ‘prahar’ 3  do Ye! ‘Pujan’ 4

By bowing at the feet of ‘Audumbar’ 5

To Lord Dattatreya 6…….1

Offer holy water at His feet

And humble leaves and flowers

Listen intently though

To the silent words of your inner-voice…..2

This then is the character of second ‘prahar’

Prepares Ye! for the Duty of the day

Salute  Ye! my dear, Lord ‘Sri Suryanarayan’ 7

The epitome of DUTY.                 ….3

Notes:
1. Brahma-muhurt:  first part of early day before dawn, roughly 3.00 am to 6.00 am.

2. ‘Naamsmaran’:  continuous remembrance of the name of the Lord.

3.  ‘prahar’: In Indian languages, prahara is a unit of time. The day of 24 hours is roughly divided into eight prahars of 3 hrs each. The first prahar , Brahmamuhurt is from  about 3 am to 6 am. The second prahar is about 6 am to 9 am. This Bodh is about suggested activities in ̲iÉÏrÉ mÉëWûU , that is   Second Prahar. .

 4. ‘Pujan’:  worship

5.‘Audumbar’:  a holy tree in Hinduism…of ficus family, where Lord  Dattatreya is supposed to reside.

6. Dattatreya: The Indian deity of trinity of Brahma ,Vishnu and Mahesh.

7. ‘Suryanarayan’  : Sun God. 

Song 9 : Joyful Hearts 

Sita :

Joyful hearts and minds, 

Creative  day designs, 

Worshipping the divine,

Meaningful life pristine ||1||

Meditate on truth's name,

 Fruitful deeds, your aim, 

Merciful Lord’s warm flame , 

Awaken wisdom's claim. ||2||

Song 10 : Like Seven births,in Seven Ages

Sita: 

With sincere devotion, they worship, 

The Banyan tree, sisters and loved ones. ||Refrain||

With pure  hearts they always pray , 

For same  husband in seven  births to come. ||1||

Like Seven births,  in   seven ages, 

Union of soul and supreme emerges. ||2||

Song 11: Good company

Sita:

In the travelers lodge

Depending on the guest

Those people assemble

Who have the same quest ||1||

Body is house of virtues

Shelter those of good power

The divine'll manifest in you

'Satsangis" will visit every hour. ||2||

*'Satsangi' means people of good conduct

Song 12 : Stream of Truth

Sita:

The pure Ganga flows murmuring

From the Himalayas and through forest

Rejuvenating life of all the people

Who live on the shores of it ||1||

People take the water in small vessels

As an object devotional

So too the stream of 'Infinite Truth'

Flows in everybody eternal ||2||

Song 13: Manifestation of 'Spiritual strength'

Sita:

The exquisite diamond shines in the crown of Lord

The rays of sun into it surge

A game of reflections and images takes place

The colours of spectrum then emerge ||1||

You gather many 'capabilities' in several lives

These are encapsulated in the diamond of the soul

When expansive devotion occupies the heart

Colours of “Atma Shakti” *emerge||2||

* "Atma Shakti" means spiritual strength

Song 14: Form of “Jeev Atma”

Lav – Kush:

The medicinal herbs are mixed together

They are wrapped with decorative cover

This cover is given a good name

But the herb is health achiever||1||

When the medicine is finished

Does anyone eat the cover?

Then why does the mind wander?

And always praise the cover? ||2||

We should recognize the truth

That life is only because of “Jeev Atma”

By spreading love every moment

One can become a "Mahatma" ||3||

* “Jeev Atma” means life giving soul
"Mahatma" means a realised soul

End of Chapter 16

Om Shanti! Om Shanti! Om Shanti!