Poem about life: What is real life?

By Sri Swami Sivananda

To live in the Eternal Atman,

To taste the bliss of the Soul.

To worship the Lord at all times,

Is real Life.

To do Japa of Lord’s Name,

To sing His glory constantly,

To remember Him at all times,

Is real Life.

To practise Yama, Niyama,

To serve the poor and the sick,

To hear the Srutis,

Is real Life.

To reflect and meditate,

To serve the Guru,

To follow his instructions,

Is real Life.

To realise one’s own Self,

To behold the one Self everywhere,

To attain Brahma-Jnana,

Is real Life.

To live to serve humanity,

To practise self-restraint,

To control the mind and the senses,

Is real Life.

To practise Pranayama,

To do Brahma-Vichara,

To stick to resolves,

Is real Life.

To live in Om,

To chant Om,

To meditate on Om,

Is real Life.

To ignore the names and forms,

To take the essence hidden in them,

To drink the nectar of Immortality,

Is real Life.

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This was an excerpt from the book What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Sri Swami Sivananda.

The death and dying and the life after death has always fascinated man. We want to now the truth behind near death experiences and become certain that there really is a life after death.

Many books have been written on the subject of death, but most of the works deal mainly with the astral or other spirit world. It has mostly been the study of the conditions in the Pretaloka which is merely one among the numerous supramundane planes or lokas beyond the grave. Spiritualism, seance and the testimony of recognised mediums have for most part featured prominently in all such works.

What Becomes Of The Soul After Death by Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj is a departure from the usual line in that it is based, to a great extent, upon authoritative scriptural texts and upon knowledge derived through reasoning, deep reflection and personal meditation. It throws a flood of light upon all aspects of life after death not adequately dealt with in other works. The book also gives valuable information about the different beliefs on this subject, of the various races and religions.

The book is dealing with rebirth, the soul, reincarnation, moksha, heaven and hell, karma and different lokas. It even includes death poems and death poetry, giving a complete picture and a new face of death. For more material see this link: What Becomes Of The Soul After Death.

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