God Realisation --- A Review

Like all other books of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, "God Realisation" is a text that should be on the shelf of every sadhak (=spiritual practitioner and aspirant). It should not just be read like any other book but be earnestly perused with the determination to imbibe every single word of advice and instruction that has flowed from Swami Sivananda's pen.

To know a subject matter well, although requires some efforts, is oftentimes unexacting if one has a passion for it. It is yet totally another matter if one knows a subject matter from one's experience and assiduous experiment, something that we do not often see in the spiritual world. It has become common-or-garden, especially these days, for anyone, from tyro to fledging spiritual-seeker, to pass himself off as a past master at anything (virtually anything), even at matters beyond his province: after scouring the internet for information on an issue of interest to him, and after listening to some talks by someone on the YouTube about it, one can, in the 21st century, present oneself as an expert on a subject. What is more bewildering than this dishonesty is there are ingenuous and incautious people who are easily taken in by such mountebanks' facile and shallow intellect.

The author is this book is contrary to everything that has been said of the counterfeit spiritualists.

Swami Sivananda is an apostle that the 19th century has given humanity. He was a sincere, diligent, honest and rare lover of God who attained God at a young age, and made it his bounden duty to share his spiritual treasures with everyone, even with those who were least interested. His sincerity in helping mankind is especially seen in his instructions to his disciples who succeeded him that none of his books should be subject to intellectual property laws. Anyone can copy anything from his books. 

That sage has, out of singular compassion, given the world the present book that I am now reviewing. Not even a page in the text can be turned without being deeply affected by the author's genuine belief in God, his non-sectarian, unselfish views and candor. Swami Sivananda did not hide behind bromides, dishing out esoteric pabulums, trite advice and ambiguous and ambivalent suggestions about God, spirituality, spiritual living and spiritual practices like the way pastors, priests, gurus, new-age mahatmas are proverbially seen waffling and burbling on about. Much of what is seen in the book has sprung and emanated from his personal experiences with God: he has said vehemently that "God Realisation" is for everyone who is genuine, innocent, sincere and honest about attaining God in this birth. It is definitely not for one who has a foot in both camps: spirituality and sensuality, and who runs with the hare of sadhana (=spiritual practice) and hound with the desires of the flesh. Such a hypocrite, Swami Sivananda has warned, will never be happy with this world and the world of the gods.

In "God Realisation", the author categorically assures his readers that self-realisation is within everyone's grasp and abilities. The thin book is packed with practical advice on making this life our last sojourn on earth. Because every word in the work comes from the depth of the author's personal experience with God, even a cursory reading is bound to affect one deeply.