Children basically need two things – Prana-Shakti or vital force and Jnana-Shakti or power of knowledge. One can amaze the whole world with the development of these two powers. Those grownups having no such a Guru, who could guide them how to increase the vital force and impart divine knowledge, are actually still mere children despite their age whereas those children, who have attained such a Guru, are not immature in the real sense. Even the youngest among them can do
marvelous acts.
Skanda Gupta, the 14 year old son of the king of Magadh, Kumara Gupta, had pulverized the Huns in their province. It was by the sheer power of His well developed vital force and power of knowledge that my Guruji could move a margosa (neem) tree from its place to a distant place. After briefly meditating Aum on the image of Om
between the eyebrows, Yogananda Paramhamsa gestured as if he was forcefully breaking something with separation of his hands; and the very next moment a road-bridge which was constructed just a week ago collapsed. Once these powers are developed, one can do just anything simply by will power.
How to develop the vital force:
(1) Nutritious Foods: Consumption of ready-made food items like bread, biscuits, sweets, fast-foods, soft-drinks, etc. diminish the Life Energy (vital force) whereas the natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, cow-milk etc. when taken in appropriate quantities according to the prevailing season increase the Life Energy. One who takes his meals between 9:00 am to 11:00 am and between 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm develops his Life energy.
(2) Physical Exercise & Pranayama: During the Brahma Muhurta (From two and a quarter hours before dawn to sunrise) the winds from all quarters are absolutely free from all types of impurities. Hence walking in open air, running and deep breathing etc. are extremely salubrious for health. Practice of pranayama particularly between 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. increases the vital force.
(3) Continence: Celibacy is destroyed by having friendship with members of opposite sex. The boys who befriend girls and girls who befriend boys cause a great loss to their vital force. Girls should make friends with the girls and boys with the boys alone; this helps strengthen their vital force. One should be righteous in conduct and practice Brahmacharya. Moreover, one should also have a perfect control of the speech and the palate or tongue. That means one should not be a glutton and garrulous in speech.
How to increase the Power of Knowledge
(1) Impartiality: An impartial intellectual attitude helps in enhancing the power of knowledge. One should bring oneself to justice and forgive others. If you pass into sleep while doing japa of AUM your power of knowledge, power of judgment and power of forgiving others will increase.
(2) Equanimity: Don’t be pleased or elated on hearing your sycophants. Do not feel depressed on hearing your criticism. Power of knowledge increases by behaving impartially with all and the practice of remaining equal in pleasures and pains. Yoga of equanimity (Samatva Yoga) is the supreme yoga. The austerities of walking barefoot for thousands of years, observing vratas and fasts for hundreds of years cannot stand in comparison with the mind’s equanimity maintained even for a couple of moments.
Keep in touch with such people as may increase your power of understanding, enable you to pacify the waves of pleasures and pains within yourself, increase your equanimity and make your life radiant.
(3) Discrimination: The discrimination learnt from real satsang and true scriptures helps in increasing power of knowledge. One should be able to discriminate between the eternal and the transient; as also between actions ordained and prohibited by scriptures. Never should one take a decision impulsively in a fit of passion. One must refrain from following the dictates of his mind; and should surely consider the consequences of every action. Better still, ask yourself as to what will happen if Gurudeva comes to know of it? The sentinel of discrimination will guard you against many calamities and in events of downfall.
Vasishthaji says: “O Rama, that man who has taken the grace of the knowledge of our scriptures, he holds a pure mind and strong character and with his firm resolve can achieve anything. That is why good thoughts are his best friend. Such a person never gets stuck in problems and those who do any act without any knowledge; they become the reason of unhappiness. Where there is ignorance, there is sorrow, where there is knowledge, there is happiness. O Rama! That person, who is devoid of the knowledge of the scriptures, is really miserable. Don’t deprive yourself of this knowledge even for a moment.”
Doing japa of ‘ॐ’, while looking with fixed gaze at the image of God (or the Guru) increases both power of knowledge and vital force. The more these two powers are developed in one’s life, the greater one enjoys happiness, wealth, longevity, good health, nourishment etc. in his life. When one meditates on the Lord, Guru, Omkar and reads the scriptures, he discovers the power of mind, intellect and prana – our cultural jewel. He can actually become wise and use his intellect well.
