There is a mistaken notion that all those who choose the fourth ashrama, which is Sanyasa, retire from all activities of life, and live shut up in a hermitage or in an isolated cell, doing nothing but meditating on God or Atman. Meditate they all do but they do not renounce life or life's activities. What they renounce is attachment to activities, ceaselessly perform nishkama karma. In India, from the time of Adi Shankara or from even earlier times, sanyasins and pontiffs of muths have travelled widely and spoken to the people about God and religion and moral values. And this is one reason why in India, in villages as well as towns and cities, there is spiritual awareness. Men are exposed to the reality of spiritual experiences and specially to spiritual oneness. A couple of months back, in June-July 2005, the Swamiji visited the USA and spoke to large audiences in Maryland, San Francisco and other places on issues spiritual and cultural. It is from these addresses that we present a couple of extracts:

Need for religious and cultural awareness
There are in America several thousand Veerashaivas and they are aware of their cultural and religious identity. But, their children born and brought up in American cities need the literature and interaction which will introduce them to their rich cultural and religious background. The 12th century witnessed a golden era of highest spiritual and religious renaissance in Karnataka. It was also an era of social, economic and literary excellence. Hundreds of great minds sprang at once into prominence; their selfless service and ethical bearing gave solace to the people who were deprived of social status. The Sharanas gave importance to the unity of word and deed; they attached priority to inward purity rather than outward appearance.
Sharana Sahithya has contributed significantly not only for the promotion of inner-self but also for the welfare of the community.The greatness of Vachana literature lies in its sensitive response to the feelings of common people. In these writings, we find a philosophical insight and a mystic intuition that command universal esteem. This precious treasury of thoughts needs to be propagated globally.
These Sharanas dealt with situations with a practical and pragmatic outlook when they went wrong. They set the tone when the going got really tough. Their gracious words showed the way to fulfillment and solace. Their loving words healed and blessed mankind. They preached to overcome the temptation towards narrow-mindedness and trivialisation of personality.
Sharanas practised what they preached; they preached what they practised. Such unison in precept and practice communicated their conduct in an exemplary way. They were humble and compassionate. They were truthful, non-violent and simple. When it comes to value-based living, their actions spoke louder than words.
To strengthen and sustain humanism, the Sharanas preached certain virtues of life such as truthfulness, temperance, nonstealing, non-killing, and universal love. While underlying the utmost importance of non-stealing and non-killing, they considered truthfulness as the highest virtue of human life.
According to them, "Acharave Swarga, Anacharave Naraka" Right living is heaven; wrong living is hell.
Veerashaiva philosophy breathes the spirit of fearlessness, harmony and universality. It highlights virtues like compassion, empathy, charity, dignity of labour and equality. All ethical values are essentially spiritual values.
Compassion is what makes our lives meaningful. It is the rock foundation of religion. It is the source of lasting happiness and joy. It is the foundation of a good heart. There is no doubt whatsoever that our happiness is inextricably related with the happiness of others. Thus the Sharanas built a society on the basis of humanism and compassion.
The Sharanas taught mankind to walk humbly and deal charitably with the circumstances of life. The echoes of kind words and charity are truly endless. Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven.
The youngsters may perhaps think that religions are inadequate to meet the needs of modern life and that they are forces of division among mankind. They appear so when addressed superficially. But deep beneath them lie time-tested and soul-stirring spiritual experiences guiding the human race on the path of noble attainments and sublime accomplishments. Veerasaivism in this context dwells chiefly on the concept of individual perfection and contentment to achieve these goals.

Spiritual identity
You must always be proud to identify yourself as an Indian and as a Veerashaiva. That strengthens your working capabilities in an alien land and culture. You have been fortunate to be the custodian of an 'ancestral' property in Sharanas' teachings.
We would like to take this opportunity to suggest the VSNA the following thoughts. We think that it would be extremely beneficial to have a Centre which will strengthen the presence and further spread the influence of Veerashaivism. The Centre can have a museum, a place for group meditation and lingapujas and cubicles for individual meditation and linga- pooja. The museum should express the full history and traditions of Veerashaivism and the sharanas. For example, Swami Narayan has created Aksharadhama in Ahmdebad, Gujarat, which is a wonderful museum which uses electronic media and life-size scenes to portray various historic scenes of Hindu religion. This would be a wonderful way to present Veerashaivism to the world. The Centre can also have guest houses for overnight stay.
You all have come here from distant places and made this occasion a memorable one. May the Almighty bless you in all your endeavours.
"Sarve Bhavanthu Sukhina Sarve Santhu Niramaya
Sarve Bhadrani Pashyanthu Maa Kishwat Bhagvaveth"
May all be happy ;
May all be free from diseases ;
May all experience only the good ;
and May none be subject to sorrow and suffering.

Understanding happiness
Yoga, the art of the spiritual life, is a state of grace. It is an expression of happiness that lies within. Grace which exemplifies the descent of God, is a mystery to the finite mind. It is a fact of spiritual experience. Without the Grace of the Divine, nothing can be done. The whole creation pulsates with the breath of Grace.
There is such a phenomenon as the dark night of the soul, in the language of Christian mysticism in which state, advanced spiritual aspirants are suddenly overtaken by intense inner darkness and loss of faith. About this phenomenon, Thomas A. Kempis says, 'Gold must be tested in fire'. And, if a devotee of God cannot go through the fire, of what worth is his devotion?
Sri Ramakrishna says, "The breeze of His grace is blowing day and night over your head. Unfurl the sails of your boat viz., the mind, if you want to make rapid progress through the ocean of life. The wind of God's grace is incessantly blowing. Lazy sailors on the sea of life do not take advantage of it. But the active and the strong always keep the sails of their minds unfurled to catch the favourable wind and thus reach their destination very soon."
Our seers say, "from joy are born all creatures, by joy they are sustained, towards joy they progress, and into joy they enter." The infinite joy is manifesting itself in manifold forms. Thus, joy is the realisation of the truth of oneness and the result of the grace of God. Screnity, steady and efficient work, sustained by deep social feeling, is the hallmark of true spirituality. The vast reservoir of spiritual energy thus provides the infinite dimensions to human personality. So, a person should rise from bhoga (organic satisfactions) to yoga (spiritual growth) to achieve life fulfilment.
It is true that the world is full of problems. It doesn't mean that one should sit idle and worry about the obstacles. Good things come to those who try and work devotedly. If you can't see the stars twinkle in the night, it doesn't mean that they have disappeared. They are just behind a blanket of clouds and you will see them shine again. The world is as beautiful as you see it. Beautiful colours of rainbow can only be seen through the prism of rain.
The great teachers of spiritual truth are the fairest flowers of human life. A guru is "Ahetuka Dayasindhu", the ocean of mercy without any motive.
The spiritual masters are like candles. They light hundreds of candles. So they remain enlightened to keep lighting others. They are controlled, more cautions and more awakened. Their ideal teachings merge with life to flourish into a realization which inspires others. So, the master's role is that of one who initiates the dormant forces of evolution.
We conclude with these words :
"Mahajanyasya Samsarga Kaysa Nonathikara
Padma Pratyastitam Thoyam Datte Muktapalashriyam"
Contact with the Great
is always elevating
Does not even a drop of water
on the lotus leaf shine like a pearl?
May GOd be with You