ESSENTIALS OF THE
HIGHER VALUES OF LIFE
By
SRI SWAMI CHIDANANDA
Sri Swami Sivananda
Founder of
The Divine Life Society
SERVE, LOVE, GIVE,
PURIFY, MEDITATE,
REALIZE
So Says
Sri Swami Sivananda
Sri Swami Chidananda
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
First Edition: 1998
(2,000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition: 1999
WWW site: http://www.rsl.ukans.edu/~pkanagar/divine/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-144-0
EC62
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,
Himalayas, India.
THE PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
This book is a compilation from the lectures to the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy students
given by Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, President, the Divine Life Society. These inspiring
discourses provide very valuable guidance not only to Yoga-Vedanta students, but also to all the
sincere discriminating men.
This inspiring book throws useful light on higher values of spiritual life and gives guidance
for spiritual Sadhana.
We are happy that this very useful book on spiritual Sadhana is released during the Spiritual
Sadhana Week.
May the blessings of God be on all.
—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
iii
CONTENTS
THE PUBLISHERS’ NOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
SOME BASIC TRUTHS OF LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
THE GOLDEN THREAD OF VEDANTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
SUBLIMATION OF MIND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
JEEVO BRAHMAIVA NA-APARAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
OBJECTIVE OF YOGA-VEDANTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
DETACH, ATTACH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
iv
SOME BASIC TRUTHS OF LIFE1
Radiant Divinities! Beloved children of God! Pilgrims on this earth plane! Seekers!
You have all come here for study. The traditional method of studying the Indian