https://www.spreaker.com/show/srimad-bhagavad-gita_1
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.

Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.

For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California]]>enSpiritualityCopyright Vedanta Society, San Franciscohttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/09ab50d0a5222058e4eefbd322fc3722.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/show/srimad-bhagavad-gita_1Mon, 24 Mar 2025 06:48:29 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoVedanta Society, San Franciscosfvedanta.video@gmail.comSwami Tattwamayananda’s class on Srimad Bhagavad Gita is held at the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) on Friday evenings in the First Universal Hindu Temple in the West (founded by Swami...
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the most important spiritual classic of Hinduism.

Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.

For more:
Web: www.sfvedanta.org
Livestream: https://livestream.com/sfvedanta
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sfvedanta
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SFVedanta
All Original Content © Vedanta Society of Northern California]]>falseserialhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/1-introduction-mahabharata-the-great-sanskrit-classic-swami-tattwamayananda--17129014-Emerson: an example of the universal appeal of the Bhagavad Gita.
-Sir Warren Hastings's introduction to the first English translation Bhagavad Gita is referred to.
-Lord Krishna answers the questions every refined, cultured, human being would ask.
-Our quest for contentment: Psychology of spiritual contentment
-Problems of success
-The solution
-Efficiency minus workaholism
-Psychological/spiritual explanation of mental blocks – the conflict between mind/desire and intellect/will
-Combination of action and contemplation
-Mahabharata and the Gita as part of it.
-Karma yoga: professionalism + link to a higher ideal – the opposite of workaholism
-Freedom from psychological enslavement]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17129014Fri, 01 Feb 2019 22:11:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 01, 2019. -Emerson: an example of the universal appeal of the Bhagavad Gita. -Sir Warren Hastings's introduction to the first English translation Bhagavad Gita is referred to. -Lord Krishna...-Emerson: an example of the universal appeal of the Bhagavad Gita.
-Sir Warren Hastings's introduction to the first English translation Bhagavad Gita is referred to.
-Lord Krishna answers the questions every refined, cultured, human being would ask.
-Our quest for contentment: Psychology of spiritual contentment
-Problems of success
-The solution
-Efficiency minus workaholism
-Psychological/spiritual explanation of mental blocks – the conflict between mind/desire and intellect/will
-Combination of action and contemplation
-Mahabharata and the Gita as part of it.
-Karma yoga: professionalism + link to a higher ideal – the opposite of workaholism
-Freedom from psychological enslavement]]>3336contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-humanity-is-one-spiritual-family-the-mystery-of-the-sacred-word-swami-tattwamayananda--17129015The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 08, 2019.
- Existence is One.
- Seeing God everywhere, all the time, in every action, outside the place of worship
- You are eternal: going beyond the physical, psychological and intellectual
- Spirituality beyond the rituals.
- Introduction continues
- Dhyana-slokas
- Message of the Gita
- Humanity is One Spiritual Family
- The mystery of the Sacred word]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17129015Fri, 08 Feb 2019 18:20:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 11 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 08, 2019. - Existence is One. - Seeing God everywhere, all the time, in every action, outside the place of worship - You are eternal: going beyond the physical,...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 08, 2019.
- Existence is One.
- Seeing God everywhere, all the time, in every action, outside the place of worship
- You are eternal: going beyond the physical, psychological and intellectual
- Spirituality beyond the rituals.
- Introduction continues
- Dhyana-slokas
- Message of the Gita
- Humanity is One Spiritual Family
- The mystery of the Sacred word]]>3274contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/3-swadharma-an-intelligent-approach-to-life-work-and-duty-swami-tattwamayananda--17129016The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 15, 2019.
- You were never non-existent. You will never cease to be. You are eternal.
- Atman: our timeless transcendental dimension
- The secular merges in the spiritual.
- Spiritual food is needed for a healthy mind.
- Swadharma: resolving our inner conflicts
- No separation between the spiritual and the secular]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17129016Fri, 15 Feb 2019 18:22:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 11 - 13 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 15, 2019. - You were never non-existent. You will never cease to be. You are eternal. - Atman: our timeless transcendental dimension - The secular merges in the...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 15, 2019.
- You were never non-existent. You will never cease to be. You are eternal.
- Atman: our timeless transcendental dimension
- The secular merges in the spiritual.
- Spiritual food is needed for a healthy mind.
- Swadharma: resolving our inner conflicts
- No separation between the spiritual and the secular]]>3420contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/4-the-real-and-the-unreal-beyond-pain-and-pleasure-swami-tattwamayananda--17490361The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 22, 2019.
- The nature of Reality in Vedanta
- The creation is One.
- You are immortal.
- Remedy for depression
- The five gateways of secular knowledge and sense-perception
- Sublimation and evolution of our ego and diverting our mind into healthy channels.
- Psychology of real happiness
- The danger of seeking perpetual happiness
- Be a Witness of the drama and life & world.
- Beyond the physical, the psychological and the spiritual]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17490361Fri, 22 Feb 2019 22:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 14 -16 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 22, 2019. - The nature of Reality in Vedanta - The creation is One. - You are immortal. - Remedy for depression - The five gateways of secular knowledge and...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 22, 2019.
- The nature of Reality in Vedanta
- The creation is One.
- You are immortal.
- Remedy for depression
- The five gateways of secular knowledge and sense-perception
- Sublimation and evolution of our ego and diverting our mind into healthy channels.
- Psychology of real happiness
- The danger of seeking perpetual happiness
- Be a Witness of the drama and life & world.
- Beyond the physical, the psychological and the spiritual]]>3818contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/5-karma-re-incarnation-emerson-the-american-vedantin-swami-tattwamayananda--17490362The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 01, 2019.
- Emerson's poem 'Brahma'
- The Bhagavad Gita: Second Chapter, Verse 19 and the fourth stanza of 'Brahma'.
- We are not the perishable body, the changing senses, the wavering mind or the unstable intellect. We are the immanent, omnipresent and transcendental Atman.
- The practical benefit of this realization: A unique spiritual common sense.
- Our spiritual identity beyond the psychological and physical
- Raising the level of consciousness: the eye of intuitive wisdom]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17490362Fri, 01 Mar 2019 22:11:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 17 - 20 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 01, 2019. - Emerson's poem 'Brahma' - The Bhagavad Gita: Second Chapter, Verse 19 and the fourth stanza of 'Brahma'. - We are not the perishable body, the changing...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 01, 2019.
- Emerson's poem 'Brahma'
- The Bhagavad Gita: Second Chapter, Verse 19 and the fourth stanza of 'Brahma'.
- We are not the perishable body, the changing senses, the wavering mind or the unstable intellect. We are the immanent, omnipresent and transcendental Atman.
- The practical benefit of this realization: A unique spiritual common sense.
- Our spiritual identity beyond the psychological and physical
- Raising the level of consciousness: the eye of intuitive wisdom]]>3845contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/6-death-is-not-the-end-of-life-swami-tattwamayananda--17490363The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 15, 2019.
The laws of Karma and rebirth are explained. We are born with a whole lot of accumulated karmas and their results, a bundle or inheritance of samskaras.
Life Continues Even after Death of the Physical Body; Death is a Comma, not a Full Stop.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17490363Fri, 15 Mar 2019 21:15:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 21 - 22 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 15, 2019. The laws of Karma and rebirth are explained. We are born with a whole lot of accumulated karmas and their results, a bundle or inheritance of samskaras. Life...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 15, 2019.
The laws of Karma and rebirth are explained. We are born with a whole lot of accumulated karmas and their results, a bundle or inheritance of samskaras.
Life Continues Even after Death of the Physical Body; Death is a Comma, not a Full Stop.]]>3662contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/7-steady-wisdom-and-spiritual-common-sense-swami-tattwamayananda--17490364The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 22, 2019.
The mystery of life and death. The problem of mindless activism and obsession with success. Diverting the mind into spiritually healthy channels. This body is ephemeral, but the soul (Atman) is eternal and immortal.
Feeding our mind with good samskaras through noble actions and noble thoughts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17490364Fri, 22 Mar 2019 21:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 22 – 30 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 22, 2019. The mystery of life and death. The problem of mindless activism and obsession with success. Diverting the mind into spiritually healthy channels. This body is...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 22, 2019.
The mystery of life and death. The problem of mindless activism and obsession with success. Diverting the mind into spiritually healthy channels. This body is ephemeral, but the soul (Atman) is eternal and immortal.
Feeding our mind with good samskaras through noble actions and noble thoughts.]]>4297contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/8-swadharma-and-inner-contentment-and-fulfillment-swami-tattwamayananda--17533030The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 29, 2019.
The Bhagavad Gita presents a high ideal on inner spiritual transformation through the practice of Swadharma. The important teachings of the second chapter are:
1) The Atman is deathless, unchanging, immortal and eternal.
2) The body is transient.
3) The ideal of Swadharma.
4) The characteristics of a Sthitaprajna (a man of steady wisdom or a spiritually illumined person).]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17533030Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:19:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 31 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 29, 2019. The Bhagavad Gita presents a high ideal on inner spiritual transformation through the practice of Swadharma. The important teachings of the second chapter are: 1)...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 29, 2019.
The Bhagavad Gita presents a high ideal on inner spiritual transformation through the practice of Swadharma. The important teachings of the second chapter are:
1) The Atman is deathless, unchanging, immortal and eternal.
2) The body is transient.
3) The ideal of Swadharma.
4) The characteristics of a Sthitaprajna (a man of steady wisdom or a spiritually illumined person).]]>3635contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/9-swadharma-in-contrast-to-para-dharma-resolving-inner-conflicts-swami-tattwamayananda--17598738The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 5, 2019.
-Swadharma: natural and spontaneous
-An antidote for our perverse notions of freedom and passion for the rationally indefensible
-Description of a perverse tendency for self-deception and untruthfulness and its cascading consequences (with a courtroom illustration)
-References to Dostoevsky's 'Notes From the Underground'
-A contrasting study of 'Adhikarivaada' and 'the Parable of the Sower' from the Bible.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17598738Sat, 06 Apr 2019 02:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 31 - 38 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 5, 2019. -Swadharma: natural and spontaneous -An antidote for our perverse notions of freedom and passion for the rationally indefensible -Description of a perverse...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 5, 2019.
-Swadharma: natural and spontaneous
-An antidote for our perverse notions of freedom and passion for the rationally indefensible
-Description of a perverse tendency for self-deception and untruthfulness and its cascading consequences (with a courtroom illustration)
-References to Dostoevsky's 'Notes From the Underground'
-A contrasting study of 'Adhikarivaada' and 'the Parable of the Sower' from the Bible.]]>3655contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/10-swadharma-and-the-problem-of-unpleasant-duty-swami-tattwamayananda--17672870The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 12, 2019.
-While Swadharma is natural, effortless, inherent and our own, Para-dharma is artificial, alien and false.
-Swadharma and avoiding bitterness
-Swadharma and conservation of energy and facing the conflict of propriety
-Swadharma: an antidote for fragmentation of mind and loss of mental energy
-Swadharma as 'Yajna': the sacrifice of selfishness
-Swadharma is the path to self-fulfillment. Being at peace with ourselves, we take responsibility for our destiny.
-Swadharma and the psychology of happiness
-The Jiva's cyclic transmigration crosses all boundaries.
-When we practice the ideal of Swadharma we have no conflict, we do not fight with ourselves.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17672870Fri, 12 Apr 2019 23:22:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verse 39 - 40 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 12, 2019. -While Swadharma is natural, effortless, inherent and our own, Para-dharma is artificial, alien and false. -Swadharma and avoiding bitterness -Swadharma and...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 12, 2019.
-While Swadharma is natural, effortless, inherent and our own, Para-dharma is artificial, alien and false.
-Swadharma and avoiding bitterness
-Swadharma and conservation of energy and facing the conflict of propriety
-Swadharma: an antidote for fragmentation of mind and loss of mental energy
-Swadharma as 'Yajna': the sacrifice of selfishness
-Swadharma is the path to self-fulfillment. Being at peace with ourselves, we take responsibility for our destiny.
-Swadharma and the psychology of happiness
-The Jiva's cyclic transmigration crosses all boundaries.
-When we practice the ideal of Swadharma we have no conflict, we do not fight with ourselves.]]>3916contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/11-swadharma-the-path-to-creativity-and-contentment-swami-tattwamayananda--17739756The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 19, 2019.
- Swadharma harmonizes the secular and the spiritual. We are able to do even our secular duties in a spiritual way.
- Swadharma is the creative utilization of human energy resources.
- Swadharma saves us from the tyranny of ultra-pragmatism.
- It guards us against our natural obsession with short-term goals.
- Verses 42 - 44 refer to the distorted views of the Purva-Mimamsakas who insist on the Kamya- karmas and the injunctions for the performance of Vedic rituals while denying their spiritual character. They reject the ultimate spiritual goal of human life.
-A brief description of the Vedic injunctions: 'apurva-vidhi', 'niyama-vidhi', and 'parisamkhya-vidhi']]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17739756Sat, 20 Apr 2019 04:36:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 41 - 44 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 19, 2019. - Swadharma harmonizes the secular and the spiritual. We are able to do even our secular duties in a spiritual way. - Swadharma is the creative utilization...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 19, 2019.
- Swadharma harmonizes the secular and the spiritual. We are able to do even our secular duties in a spiritual way.
- Swadharma is the creative utilization of human energy resources.
- Swadharma saves us from the tyranny of ultra-pragmatism.
- It guards us against our natural obsession with short-term goals.
- Verses 42 - 44 refer to the distorted views of the Purva-Mimamsakas who insist on the Kamya- karmas and the injunctions for the performance of Vedic rituals while denying their spiritual character. They reject the ultimate spiritual goal of human life.
-A brief description of the Vedic injunctions: 'apurva-vidhi', 'niyama-vidhi', and 'parisamkhya-vidhi']]>3954contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/12-beyond-reckless-pragmatism-and-short-term-goals-swami-tattwamayananda--17876963The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 3, 2019.
The evolution of the three gunas:
-Tamoguna to Rajoguna to Sattvaguna
-Karma-yoga in contrast to the karma-marga of the Mimamsaka philosophers
-The importance of mental attitude in karma-yoga in contrast to the Mimamsaka’s insistence on the letter of the law and Arjuna's fascination for the latter -Sri Krishna corrects Arjuna.
-The unknown and the unpredictable factor in our life, actions and results of our actions.
-Reference to John Stuart Mill's book 'Utilitarianism'.
-Beyond theoretical knowledge, towards experience.
-A man established in sattvaguna is naturally calm, fearless, balanced and compassionate. He is also extremely sensitive towards his fellow beings. He has established a link to the transcendental.
-Behind his unhurried movements and external aloofness, there is a dynamic humanism and spontaneous spirituality.
-Who is an ideal Brahmana? The Gita is contrasted with Buddha's view ('The Dhammapada' - 26).]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17876963Sat, 04 May 2019 05:58:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 45 - 47 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 3, 2019. The evolution of the three gunas: -Tamoguna to Rajoguna to Sattvaguna -Karma-yoga in contrast to the karma-marga of the Mimamsaka philosophers -The importance of...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 3, 2019.
The evolution of the three gunas:
-Tamoguna to Rajoguna to Sattvaguna
-Karma-yoga in contrast to the karma-marga of the Mimamsaka philosophers
-The importance of mental attitude in karma-yoga in contrast to the Mimamsaka’s insistence on the letter of the law and Arjuna's fascination for the latter -Sri Krishna corrects Arjuna.
-The unknown and the unpredictable factor in our life, actions and results of our actions.
-Reference to John Stuart Mill's book 'Utilitarianism'.
-Beyond theoretical knowledge, towards experience.
-A man established in sattvaguna is naturally calm, fearless, balanced and compassionate. He is also extremely sensitive towards his fellow beings. He has established a link to the transcendental.
-Behind his unhurried movements and external aloofness, there is a dynamic humanism and spontaneous spirituality.
-Who is an ideal Brahmana? The Gita is contrasted with Buddha's view ('The Dhammapada' - 26).]]>3608contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/13-the-brahmana-ideal-the-psychology-of-karma-yoga-swami-tattwamayananda--17943374The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 10, 2019.
-'Brahmana' ideal: its universality
-Ethical and spiritual implications (verse 46).
-Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa on the 'Brahmana ideal'.
-Buddha on the ideal 'Brahmana'
-Our actions and their results: their unpredictability (verse 47).
-We cannot predict how our mind will work, the way we can predict how a machine will work.
-The psychological implications of the 'Karma-yoga' ideal. (Verses 47, 48).
-The 'spiritually enlightened': the goal and the means.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/17943374Sat, 11 May 2019 05:45:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 46-48. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 10, 2019. -'Brahmana' ideal: its universality -Ethical and spiritual implications (verse 46). -Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa on the 'Brahmana ideal'. -Buddha on the ideal...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 10, 2019.
-'Brahmana' ideal: its universality
-Ethical and spiritual implications (verse 46).
-Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa on the 'Brahmana ideal'.
-Buddha on the ideal 'Brahmana'
-Our actions and their results: their unpredictability (verse 47).
-We cannot predict how our mind will work, the way we can predict how a machine will work.
-The psychological implications of the 'Karma-yoga' ideal. (Verses 47, 48).
-The 'spiritually enlightened': the goal and the means.]]>3064contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/14-karma-yoga-freedom-from-anxiety-and-tapping-our-hidden-potential-swami-tattwamayananda--18048579- Why does the mind refuse to cooperate?
- The need for freedom from anxiety and worry
- Extraordinary mental powers without a spiritual ideal conceal within them the seed of trouble
- Great skills need a spiritual ideal to guide them
- How do we develop spiritual characteristics?
- The quest for real and lasting efficiency
- What is real success?
- Five states of the mind and its functions
- There can be no inner serenity and contentment without equanimity of mind
- Karma-yoga enables us to confront reverses and failures with a smile, and go ahead.
- Unselfishness enables us to tap our hidden mental resources.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18048579Fri, 17 May 2019 21:56:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 49-54. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 17, 2019. - Why does the mind refuse to cooperate? - The need for freedom from anxiety and worry - Extraordinary mental powers without a spiritual ideal conceal within...- Why does the mind refuse to cooperate?
- The need for freedom from anxiety and worry
- Extraordinary mental powers without a spiritual ideal conceal within them the seed of trouble
- Great skills need a spiritual ideal to guide them
- How do we develop spiritual characteristics?
- The quest for real and lasting efficiency
- What is real success?
- Five states of the mind and its functions
- There can be no inner serenity and contentment without equanimity of mind
- Karma-yoga enables us to confront reverses and failures with a smile, and go ahead.
- Unselfishness enables us to tap our hidden mental resources.]]>3492contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/15-description-of-a-person-of-steady-wisdom-sthitaprajna-swami-tattwamayananda--18184776- Characteristics of an illumined saint (स्थितप्रज्ञ:):
- The qualities of a spiritually enlightened person (स्थितप्रज्ञ:) should serve as an ideal for the aspirant.
- Spiritual awakening does not make you insensitive to the problems of others.
- A spiritual man is not shaken by adversities and reverses.
- He is never unhappy because he does not go after happiness.
- A spiritual man is able to conserve his mental energy-resources by remaining even-minded in all situations.
- He is free from desire and selfishness.
- He remains in a state of perpetual bliss.
- A man of steady wisdom ( स्थितप्रज्ञ:) according to different philosophers: Shankaracharya, Nilakantha and Madhva (Advaita and Dvaita schools of philosophers)
- Sublimation of desires: The need for a higher ideal
- Spirituality helps us to look up on every problem from a higher perspective.
- The need to feed our mind with healthy mental food: good thoughts and ideas.
- Going beyond pain, pleasure, lust, fear and anger
- The five states of the human mind.
- “राजर्षि:” ('Rajarshi'): The Hindu ideal of a Philosopher-King]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18184776Fri, 31 May 2019 23:02:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 54-56. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 31, 2019. - Characteristics of an illumined saint (स्थितप्रज्ञ:): - The qualities of a spiritually enlightened person (स्थितप्रज्ञ:) should serve as an ideal for the...- Characteristics of an illumined saint (स्थितप्रज्ञ:):
- The qualities of a spiritually enlightened person (स्थितप्रज्ञ:) should serve as an ideal for the aspirant.
- Spiritual awakening does not make you insensitive to the problems of others.
- A spiritual man is not shaken by adversities and reverses.
- He is never unhappy because he does not go after happiness.
- A spiritual man is able to conserve his mental energy-resources by remaining even-minded in all situations.
- He is free from desire and selfishness.
- He remains in a state of perpetual bliss.
- A man of steady wisdom ( स्थितप्रज्ञ:) according to different philosophers: Shankaracharya, Nilakantha and Madhva (Advaita and Dvaita schools of philosophers)
- Sublimation of desires: The need for a higher ideal
- Spirituality helps us to look up on every problem from a higher perspective.
- The need to feed our mind with healthy mental food: good thoughts and ideas.
- Going beyond pain, pleasure, lust, fear and anger
- The five states of the human mind.
- “राजर्षि:” ('Rajarshi'): The Hindu ideal of a Philosopher-King]]>3514contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,philosopher-king,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,sthitaprajna,vedanta,vivekananda,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/16-the-absolute-and-the-relative-the-need-for-re-prioritization-and-freedom-from-the-tyranny-of-the-senses-swami-tattwamayananda--18255499-The Absolute ('Paramarthika) and the Relative ('Vyavaharika'):
-Their practical implication in daily life.
-The need for setting new priorities in life.
-For a स्थितप्रज्ञ: 'Buddhi' is free from all entanglements of mind (verse:55).
-How, in the case of a स्थितप्रज्ञ:, mind reacts differently to the different stimuli: no excitement, no emotions (Verses: 56,57).
-How 'Buddhi' and mind, linked to the 'Atman', always remains stable and steady.
-In the case of a स्थितप्रज्ञ: senses ( इन्द्रियाणि) are completely withdrawn from the sense-objects (verse:58).
-The illustration of the tortoise withdrawing its limbs in the presence of a danger (verse:58).
-The ability to withdraw the senses where there is a problem is natural for a स्थितप्रज्ञ:
-When the स्थितप्रज्ञ: does not welcome the senses, they retire permanently.
-The internal (mental) 'filtering mechanism' which uses spiritual common sense in everyday-life situations.
-Illustration from Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra (Samadhi Pada: sutra: 33) & 'Nimi-Navayogi- samvaada' Bhagavata Purana-XI).
-'Pratyahara' of Yoga tradition, 'Uparati' of Vedanta and 'Prapatti' of Devotional philosophy.
-How certain types of mental entanglements can be suicidal: examples...
-The significance of the description of the qualities of a spiritually enlightened person (स्थितप्रज्ञ:):
1) These qualities serve as an ideal for the aspirant.
2) Managing everyday life with the help of Vedanta.
3) Need for a higher desire and a higher ideal.
- The parable of the Wise and the Foolish builders from the Bible.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18255499Sat, 08 Jun 2019 00:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 57-59. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 7, 2019. -The Absolute ('Paramarthika) and the Relative ('Vyavaharika'): -Their practical implication in daily life. -The need for setting new priorities in life. -For a...-The Absolute ('Paramarthika) and the Relative ('Vyavaharika'):
-Their practical implication in daily life.
-The need for setting new priorities in life.
-For a स्थितप्रज्ञ: 'Buddhi' is free from all entanglements of mind (verse:55).
-How, in the case of a स्थितप्रज्ञ:, mind reacts differently to the different stimuli: no excitement, no emotions (Verses: 56,57).
-How 'Buddhi' and mind, linked to the 'Atman', always remains stable and steady.
-In the case of a स्थितप्रज्ञ: senses ( इन्द्रियाणि) are completely withdrawn from the sense-objects (verse:58).
-The illustration of the tortoise withdrawing its limbs in the presence of a danger (verse:58).
-The ability to withdraw the senses where there is a problem is natural for a स्थितप्रज्ञ:
-When the स्थितप्रज्ञ: does not welcome the senses, they retire permanently.
-The internal (mental) 'filtering mechanism' which uses spiritual common sense in everyday-life situations.
-Illustration from Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra (Samadhi Pada: sutra: 33) & 'Nimi-Navayogi- samvaada' Bhagavata Purana-XI).
-'Pratyahara' of Yoga tradition, 'Uparati' of Vedanta and 'Prapatti' of Devotional philosophy.
-How certain types of mental entanglements can be suicidal: examples...
-The significance of the description of the qualities of a spiritually enlightened person (स्थितप्रज्ञ:):
1) These qualities serve as an ideal for the aspirant.
2) Managing everyday life with the help of Vedanta.
3) Need for a higher desire and a higher ideal.
- The parable of the Wise and the Foolish builders from the Bible.]]>3612contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/17-mind-our-friend-or-our-enemy-swami-tattwamayananda--18322613- The mind: our master or our slave?
- Why does the mind revolt?
- When does our mind become our friend?
- Can we program our mind?
- Why we cannot program our mind.
- We cannot disown our accumulated impressions and samskaras.
- The problem of fragmentation of the mind.
- The pull of the sense-objects, the senses, the visual and the audio objects, the internet, etc.
- If the mind is dragged away from its ideal, it won't stop till it reaches rock-bottom.
- The analogy from Sri Shankaracharya's 'Viveka-chudamani'.
- The analogy of the ball falling down the ladder - The attraction of the senses. - ('Viveka-chudamani', an introductory text on Advaita Vedanta - verse: 326).
- The enslavement of the mind when dragged by unrestrained senses.
- A warning: we should never try to restrain the senses without first evolving a counter-focus.
- The mind compared to a drunken monkey, possessed by a ghost and bitten by a scorpion.
- 'Controlling the mind' does not mean suppression, it actually means sublimation.
- Keeping the senses engaged in creative work.
- Need for a higher ideal in life and going beyond the sensory system.
- Patanjali's concept of 'Parinama-dukha'.
- (Ref: साधन-पादः ॥ परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधा च्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः ॥ २.१५॥ )
- The danger of keeping the mind in a vacuum, without a higher ideal, without a good job.
- Giving a promotion to the mind by feeding it with good food in the form of spiritual ideas.
- The importance of a healthy mind and disciplined senses: directing it into creative channels.
- Psychology of the five 'kleshas' from Patanjali's Yoga-sutras
- (साधन-पादः ॥ "अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः" ॥ २.३॥ ).
- Kunti's prayer to Lord Sri Krishna: "Please give me more trouble so that I will always remember you and will never forget you." (Ref: the ancient Sanskrit epic, 'Mahabharata' ).
- The imagery of the journey on a chariot from the Kathopanishad.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18322613Fri, 14 Jun 2019 22:58:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 60 – 63. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 14, 2019. - The mind: our master or our slave? - Why does the mind revolt? - When does our mind become our friend? - Can we program our mind? - Why we cannot program...- The mind: our master or our slave?
- Why does the mind revolt?
- When does our mind become our friend?
- Can we program our mind?
- Why we cannot program our mind.
- We cannot disown our accumulated impressions and samskaras.
- The problem of fragmentation of the mind.
- The pull of the sense-objects, the senses, the visual and the audio objects, the internet, etc.
- If the mind is dragged away from its ideal, it won't stop till it reaches rock-bottom.
- The analogy from Sri Shankaracharya's 'Viveka-chudamani'.
- The analogy of the ball falling down the ladder - The attraction of the senses. - ('Viveka-chudamani', an introductory text on Advaita Vedanta - verse: 326).
- The enslavement of the mind when dragged by unrestrained senses.
- A warning: we should never try to restrain the senses without first evolving a counter-focus.
- The mind compared to a drunken monkey, possessed by a ghost and bitten by a scorpion.
- 'Controlling the mind' does not mean suppression, it actually means sublimation.
- Keeping the senses engaged in creative work.
- Need for a higher ideal in life and going beyond the sensory system.
- Patanjali's concept of 'Parinama-dukha'.
- (Ref: साधन-पादः ॥ परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधा च्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः ॥ २.१५॥ )
- The danger of keeping the mind in a vacuum, without a higher ideal, without a good job.
- Giving a promotion to the mind by feeding it with good food in the form of spiritual ideas.
- The importance of a healthy mind and disciplined senses: directing it into creative channels.
- Psychology of the five 'kleshas' from Patanjali's Yoga-sutras
- (साधन-पादः ॥ "अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः" ॥ २.३॥ ).
- Kunti's prayer to Lord Sri Krishna: "Please give me more trouble so that I will always remember you and will never forget you." (Ref: the ancient Sanskrit epic, 'Mahabharata' ).
- The imagery of the journey on a chariot from the Kathopanishad.]]>3724contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/18-turning-the-mind-into-our-friend-swami-tattwamayananda--18379435-The path to inner peace and freedom
-प्रसाद:(Inner peace and tranquility) and प्रमाद: (delusion / ignorance) discussed
-The four inner disciplines to obtain inner tranquility and stability of mind
-Beyond attraction, aversion, and sorrows
-Shama and Dama further elaborated
-Two types of purification: the physical and the mental
-How the mind becomes the slave of the senses
-A deluded mind without a spiritual ideal compared to a ball falling down a ladder -further elaborated
-There is no stopping midway
-The ability to enjoy what we dislike
-Our spiritual liberation is our own responsibility
-The need for spiritual commonsense
-Restraining the senses means sublimation, not repression
-Attractions for what is obviously harmful and how to get rid of it
-Desire is both the cause and the effect of प्रमाद:
-Setting the right priorities
-The right ideal for conserving our energy resources
-Psychological and spiritual enslavement by the senses
-How the senses become bad friends and how they can be turned into good friends]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18379435Fri, 21 Jun 2019 22:12:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 64 - 65. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 21, 2019. -The path to inner peace and freedom -प्रसाद:(Inner peace and tranquility) and प्रमाद: (delusion / ignorance) discussed -The four inner disciplines to obtain...-The path to inner peace and freedom
-प्रसाद:(Inner peace and tranquility) and प्रमाद: (delusion / ignorance) discussed
-The four inner disciplines to obtain inner tranquility and stability of mind
-Beyond attraction, aversion, and sorrows
-Shama and Dama further elaborated
-Two types of purification: the physical and the mental
-How the mind becomes the slave of the senses
-A deluded mind without a spiritual ideal compared to a ball falling down a ladder -further elaborated
-There is no stopping midway
-The ability to enjoy what we dislike
-Our spiritual liberation is our own responsibility
-The need for spiritual commonsense
-Restraining the senses means sublimation, not repression
-Attractions for what is obviously harmful and how to get rid of it
-Desire is both the cause and the effect of प्रमाद:
-Setting the right priorities
-The right ideal for conserving our energy resources
-Psychological and spiritual enslavement by the senses
-How the senses become bad friends and how they can be turned into good friends]]>3695contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/19-pathways-to-peace-and-happiness-swami-tattwamayananda--18455964-going beyond the tyranny of the senses and the sense-objects
-how to be in peace with ourselves
-the quest for tranquility of mind [prasada प्रसाद:]
-going beyond infatuation/ fascination and aversion: keeping the senses under restraint: way to perfect tranquility of mind
-Shankaracharya on प्रसाद:
-“प्रसाद: प्रसन्नता स्वास्थ्यम्” (Shankaracharya’s commentary on BG.II.64)
-Harmonizing the senses
-The tragedy of human life: being driven around by the senses and sense-objects
-Our actions reflect our mind
-How the boat of life gets capsized by the stormy waves and fierce winds of the senses and sense-objects
-Beyond likes and dislikes
-How to be in peace with oneself
-Quest for harmony within
-Need of consistency in conviction and practices
-Managing the mind through भावना (meditation) and linking the mind to the Transcendental
-Poet Kalidasa on the dangers of possessing power without wisdom
-No peace, no enlightenment for the unsteady
-How to remain spiritually ever awakened
-Days and nights in spiritual awareness: the contrasting pictures of the wise and the ignorant
-Our spiritual obligation to ourselves
-Steadying the mind by observing, by being its witness]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18455964Fri, 28 Jun 2019 23:34:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 66-69. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 28, 2019. -going beyond the tyranny of the senses and the sense-objects -how to be in peace with ourselves -the quest for tranquility of mind [prasada प्रसाद:] -going...-going beyond the tyranny of the senses and the sense-objects
-how to be in peace with ourselves
-the quest for tranquility of mind [prasada प्रसाद:]
-going beyond infatuation/ fascination and aversion: keeping the senses under restraint: way to perfect tranquility of mind
-Shankaracharya on प्रसाद:
-“प्रसाद: प्रसन्नता स्वास्थ्यम्” (Shankaracharya’s commentary on BG.II.64)
-Harmonizing the senses
-The tragedy of human life: being driven around by the senses and sense-objects
-Our actions reflect our mind
-How the boat of life gets capsized by the stormy waves and fierce winds of the senses and sense-objects
-Beyond likes and dislikes
-How to be in peace with oneself
-Quest for harmony within
-Need of consistency in conviction and practices
-Managing the mind through भावना (meditation) and linking the mind to the Transcendental
-Poet Kalidasa on the dangers of possessing power without wisdom
-No peace, no enlightenment for the unsteady
-How to remain spiritually ever awakened
-Days and nights in spiritual awareness: the contrasting pictures of the wise and the ignorant
-Our spiritual obligation to ourselves
-Steadying the mind by observing, by being its witness]]>4090contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/2013-lake-tahoe-retreat-1-dynamism-without-anxiety-swami-tattwamayananda--18466195-The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between two great men of action. In verse 18.73, Arjuna has had his conflicts resolved.
-We must win the battle within between the senses and the spirit. When we win the battle, we assert our true nature.
-A sthitaprajna has had the real experience of Atman. In verse 2.54, Arjuna asks for the characteristics of a sthitaprajna.
-We should not just imitate these characteristics, we need to imbibe and acquire them ourselves.
-Samadhi is the focus of the mind on the all-pervading Atman. It is already our true nature.
-Sankaracharya's definition of a sthitaprajna
-A spiritual seeker who realizes he is not this psychophysical mechanism but is rather this Atman. This faith, conviction, experience, is very deep and therefore has very few conflicts
-How does such a person behave when he comes out of the monastery or cave and has to interact in the world?
-Verses 4.1 and 4.2 describe the ideal of a Rajarishi - the dynamism of a king with the wisdom of a sage. He works and takes care of all problems in the world without losing his balance because of the result of the work.
-This Yoga was lost because those who were supposed to teach it deviated from real Yoga so people were misled.
-Verse 2.55 – a stithaprajna can accomplish the greatest task with complete calmness. He gives up all desire and ambition. It is possible only when he combines the knowledge of Atman with a strong sense of duty.
Four stages of action are discussed:
1) Tamo guna: running away from our duties and responsibilities. There is great desire yet no ability to actually act to achieve those goals.
2) Rajo guna: strong ambition for accomplishing something great. This is much better than tamo guna but will likely swing between extreme joy and great disappointment.
3) Karma yoga: working with all efficiency but without anxiety as to the result. This is action without desire. (Verse 2.48, 2.50)
4) Highest stage – seeing action in inaction and inaction in action. (4.18) He sees the Atman everywhere, who does not participate in action. He transcends the three gunas.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/18466195Wed, 17 Jul 2019 23:02:57 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoVerses: 18.73, 2.54, 4.1, 4.2, 2.55, 2.48, 2.50, 4.18 -The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between two great men of action. In verse 18.73, Arjuna has had his conflicts resolved. -We must win the battle within between the senses and the spirit. When...-The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between two great men of action. In verse 18.73, Arjuna has had his conflicts resolved.
-We must win the battle within between the senses and the spirit. When we win the battle, we assert our true nature.
-A sthitaprajna has had the real experience of Atman. In verse 2.54, Arjuna asks for the characteristics of a sthitaprajna.
-We should not just imitate these characteristics, we need to imbibe and acquire them ourselves.
-Samadhi is the focus of the mind on the all-pervading Atman. It is already our true nature.
-Sankaracharya's definition of a sthitaprajna
-A spiritual seeker who realizes he is not this psychophysical mechanism but is rather this Atman. This faith, conviction, experience, is very deep and therefore has very few conflicts
-How does such a person behave when he comes out of the monastery or cave and has to interact in the world?
-Verses 4.1 and 4.2 describe the ideal of a Rajarishi - the dynamism of a king with the wisdom of a sage. He works and takes care of all problems in the world without losing his balance because of the result of the work.
-This Yoga was lost because those who were supposed to teach it deviated from real Yoga so people were misled.
-Verse 2.55 – a stithaprajna can accomplish the greatest task with complete calmness. He gives up all desire and ambition. It is possible only when he combines the knowledge of Atman with a strong sense of duty.
Four stages of action are discussed:
1) Tamo guna: running away from our duties and responsibilities. There is great desire yet no ability to actually act to achieve those goals.
2) Rajo guna: strong ambition for accomplishing something great. This is much better than tamo guna but will likely swing between extreme joy and great disappointment.
3) Karma yoga: working with all efficiency but without anxiety as to the result. This is action without desire. (Verse 2.48, 2.50)
4) Highest stage – seeing action in inaction and inaction in action. (4.18) He sees the Atman everywhere, who does not participate in action. He transcends the three gunas.]]>5109contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/20-from-spiritual-sleep-to-spiritual-awakening-swami-tattwamayananda--19246234-The central topics of the second chapter recapitulated
-Spiritual light and spiritual darkness in our life
-Reference to `Hitopadesha’ on the vagaries of life, recipe for disaster in life
-यौवनं धनसम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकिता एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयं
-A person who possesses youth, wealth, power of authority, and no discerning wisdom or a sense of proper judgment is heading for disaster. Each one of these is enough for leading him to catastrophe in life. Then, what to speak of his fate when all these are present in him without the power of judgment!
-The 69th verse shows us the mutually conflicting paths of the enlightened ascetic and the sensual man.
-The enlightened yogi is dead to the world of sensual enjoyments and lives in the constant awareness of Brahman. But worldly-minded people are dead to the world of spiritual reality and are awakened only to the world of senses.
-The ocean does not invite nor reject the waters of rivers pouring into it.
-The mind of a स्थितप्रज्ञ: is like a calm undisturbed motionless ocean.
-If you are like a small pond, then even a tiny stream can cause floods. But an enlightened man is like an ocean remaining undisturbed even when hundreds empty their waters into it every moment. He remains unperturbed in the midst of the problems and challenges of the world.
-Reference to the views of Madhva and Shankaracharya.
-Expansion and gradual sublimation of ego towards its universal dimension
-The eternal pursuit of happiness and the consequent condition of human life
-Evolution from the lower desires to higher desires at the beginning of one’s spiritual life.
-The unpredictability of human life
-The smallest of desires can be a big obstacle in the path to inner peace.
-Life minus desire is not life minus action
-The dawn of peace at the end of all desires
-Stability and motionlessness of mind do not indicate emotional insensitivity and lethargy. They imply a higher state of mind.
-The transcendental experience of peace is a natural spontaneous effortless state of mental equilibrium. It heals the mind, body, and intellect.
-According to the ancient Indian medical scientist, Sushruta [“प्रसन्नत्मेन्द्रिय मनः स्वस्थ इत्यभिदेयते” (Sushruta Sutra)]]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19246234Fri, 20 Sep 2019 22:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 69-70. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 20, 2019. -The central topics of the second chapter recapitulated -Spiritual light and spiritual darkness in our life -Reference to `Hitopadesha’ on the vagaries of...-The central topics of the second chapter recapitulated
-Spiritual light and spiritual darkness in our life
-Reference to `Hitopadesha’ on the vagaries of life, recipe for disaster in life
-यौवनं धनसम्पत्तिः प्रभुत्वमविवेकिता एकैकमप्यनर्थाय किमु यत्र चतुष्टयं
-A person who possesses youth, wealth, power of authority, and no discerning wisdom or a sense of proper judgment is heading for disaster. Each one of these is enough for leading him to catastrophe in life. Then, what to speak of his fate when all these are present in him without the power of judgment!
-The 69th verse shows us the mutually conflicting paths of the enlightened ascetic and the sensual man.
-The enlightened yogi is dead to the world of sensual enjoyments and lives in the constant awareness of Brahman. But worldly-minded people are dead to the world of spiritual reality and are awakened only to the world of senses.
-The ocean does not invite nor reject the waters of rivers pouring into it.
-The mind of a स्थितप्रज्ञ: is like a calm undisturbed motionless ocean.
-If you are like a small pond, then even a tiny stream can cause floods. But an enlightened man is like an ocean remaining undisturbed even when hundreds empty their waters into it every moment. He remains unperturbed in the midst of the problems and challenges of the world.
-Reference to the views of Madhva and Shankaracharya.
-Expansion and gradual sublimation of ego towards its universal dimension
-The eternal pursuit of happiness and the consequent condition of human life
-Evolution from the lower desires to higher desires at the beginning of one’s spiritual life.
-The unpredictability of human life
-The smallest of desires can be a big obstacle in the path to inner peace.
-Life minus desire is not life minus action
-The dawn of peace at the end of all desires
-Stability and motionlessness of mind do not indicate emotional insensitivity and lethargy. They imply a higher state of mind.
-The transcendental experience of peace is a natural spontaneous effortless state of mental equilibrium. It heals the mind, body, and intellect.
-According to the ancient Indian medical scientist, Sushruta [“प्रसन्नत्मेन्द्रिय मनः स्वस्थ इत्यभिदेयते” (Sushruta Sutra)]]]>3164contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/21-achieving-inner-contentment-through-yoga-swami-tattwamayananda--19348544-55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person, how he deals with this world and how he is different from someone who is not enlightened.
-72nd verse: In the midst of being engaged in daily activities, he is able to connect with something higher than the mind (“yoga”), and attain “Shanti” (inner contentment), which is the positive, spontaneous and natural state of the mind.
-The mind of an enlightened person is like an ocean, always undisturbed in the midst of daily duties and obligations.
-The ocean neither rejects the rivers pouring waters into it nor goes out of the way to welcome them.
-If our mind is like a small stream, then even a tiny stream can cause it to overflow.
-True nature of the mind is one with Atman. Anxiety is alien to the mind. Mind connects with external objects through the senses – when it cannot attain what it desires, it becomes agitated.
-To identify its true nature, the mind should be linked to Atman (“yoga”), which is all-pervading, immanent, nature of bliss and always in a state of equilibrium. Then mind becomes peaceful.
-Psychological problems do not have permanent solutions at psychological level. The solution lies beyond the mind, at a spiritual level.
-The spiritually enlightened person is detached. He realizes that his true identity is beyond the body and mind and that “his real I” won’t be the enjoyer of empirical comforts. He as the “real I” is present everywhere and in everything.
-Hindu metaphysics approach existence from three angles. (1) Absolute reality or Paramarthika-sat, which is Atman (2) Empirical reality or Vyavaharika-sat, which is the changing world and (3) Conceptual reality, which we create in dreams.
-One of the causes of anxiety is that we expect permanence from things that are inherently impermanent. What we experience in everyday life is vyavaharika-sat. We need to understand that there is a transcendental reality beyond the empirical and approach pleasant and unpleasant situations in the empirical world without being affected by them. We should have a transcendental link to paramarthika-sat.
-Once we become aware of the Absolute Reality, we become established in the state of lasting contentment and peace. When the body comes to an end, we become one with the Absolute Reality and attain absolute liberation.
-This lasting peace can also be attained while living in this world. Buddha and Christ are examples of enlightened humans, who were active after enlightenment. They just looked at the world from a different perspective.
-Per Shankaracharya, one does not have to wait till the end. The divine truth can be attained by anyone who follows spiritual disciplines such as (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nidishyasana.
-One should look upon all their duties and actions as “swadharma”. Do your duties with sanctity and sacredness - not for results, but for spiritual evolution. Then every action becomes a tool to achieve inner contentment. One feels: “I have done what I ought to have done” and “I have attained what I have ought to have attained”.
-Swadharma goes beyond Kant’s concept of duty and Categorical Imperative. It adds a sense of sanctity, sacredness and provides a path to inner contentment.
-Gita prescribes three paths for people with different temperaments. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.
-Karma Yoga: Our active tendencies can be given a spiritual upliftment. “Karma” means action and “Yoga” means a spiritual link. By giving every action a spiritual link, our karma becomes karma-yoga. Detachment in karma-yoga means that mind is linked to a higher ideal and not enslaved by the results.
-Bhakti Yoga: Our natural faith and religious practices are given a higher spiritual direction. As we evolve, we go beyond rituals and experience the presence of God both inside and outside the place of worship.
-True religion can be practiced every minute, in every action and in every thought. As we evolve, the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual vanishes. We see the whole humanity as one spiritual family.
-Who is the highest devotee of God? “One who feels the presence of God in everything, everywhere, in every action and in every word” AND “one who feels the presence of whole humanity and creation in God.”
-Jnana Yoga is the third path and is suited for those who may be agnostics and opposed to creationism. They can use this path to realize that there is one divine reality present everywhere and in everything.
-God is only an approximation of the highest non-dualistic experience. A sincere seeker will go beyond the conventional God idea and realize that the divine reality is present in all of us. At experience level, there is no difference – only perfect harmony exists.
-Reference to Shankaracharya and Madhwa.
-Shankaracharya on Jivan-mukti
-Evil can be explained by our incomplete spiritual evolution and that we have different tendencies/samskaras. We can neutralize it with our own personal effort and increasing the percentage of positive tendencies in the world.
-In Kali-yuga, we have universal access to great ideas. This can be used as a tool for positive change.
-Prelude to third chapter of Gita (Karma Yoga) is provided. We cannot keep quiet mentally/physically even for a split second. At the same time, our actions may bring unpleasant results. This helplessness of the mind can be addressed by feeding it positive spiritual food. Lord Krishna then unfolds a unique strategy of how to bring spirituality/contemplation in every action and moment of our life.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19348544Sat, 28 Sep 2019 03:19:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 2 Verses 71-72. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 27, 2019. -55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person, how he deals with this world and how he is different...-55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person, how he deals with this world and how he is different from someone who is not enlightened.
-72nd verse: In the midst of being engaged in daily activities, he is able to connect with something higher than the mind (“yoga”), and attain “Shanti” (inner contentment), which is the positive, spontaneous and natural state of the mind.
-The mind of an enlightened person is like an ocean, always undisturbed in the midst of daily duties and obligations.
-The ocean neither rejects the rivers pouring waters into it nor goes out of the way to welcome them.
-If our mind is like a small stream, then even a tiny stream can cause it to overflow.
-True nature of the mind is one with Atman. Anxiety is alien to the mind. Mind connects with external objects through the senses – when it cannot attain what it desires, it becomes agitated.
-To identify its true nature, the mind should be linked to Atman (“yoga”), which is all-pervading, immanent, nature of bliss and always in a state of equilibrium. Then mind becomes peaceful.
-Psychological problems do not have permanent solutions at psychological level. The solution lies beyond the mind, at a spiritual level.
-The spiritually enlightened person is detached. He realizes that his true identity is beyond the body and mind and that “his real I” won’t be the enjoyer of empirical comforts. He as the “real I” is present everywhere and in everything.
-Hindu metaphysics approach existence from three angles. (1) Absolute reality or Paramarthika-sat, which is Atman (2) Empirical reality or Vyavaharika-sat, which is the changing world and (3) Conceptual reality, which we create in dreams.
-One of the causes of anxiety is that we expect permanence from things that are inherently impermanent. What we experience in everyday life is vyavaharika-sat. We need to understand that there is a transcendental reality beyond the empirical and approach pleasant and unpleasant situations in the empirical world without being affected by them. We should have a transcendental link to paramarthika-sat.
-Once we become aware of the Absolute Reality, we become established in the state of lasting contentment and peace. When the body comes to an end, we become one with the Absolute Reality and attain absolute liberation.
-This lasting peace can also be attained while living in this world. Buddha and Christ are examples of enlightened humans, who were active after enlightenment. They just looked at the world from a different perspective.
-Per Shankaracharya, one does not have to wait till the end. The divine truth can be attained by anyone who follows spiritual disciplines such as (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nidishyasana.
-One should look upon all their duties and actions as “swadharma”. Do your duties with sanctity and sacredness - not for results, but for spiritual evolution. Then every action becomes a tool to achieve inner contentment. One feels: “I have done what I ought to have done” and “I have attained what I have ought to have attained”.
-Swadharma goes beyond Kant’s concept of duty and Categorical Imperative. It adds a sense of sanctity, sacredness and provides a path to inner contentment.
-Gita prescribes three paths for people with different temperaments. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.
-Karma Yoga: Our active tendencies can be given a spiritual upliftment. “Karma” means action and “Yoga” means a spiritual link. By giving every action a spiritual link, our karma becomes karma-yoga. Detachment in karma-yoga means that mind is linked to a higher ideal and not...]]>3469contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/22-arjuna-s-conflict-and-karma-yoga-swami-tattwamayananda--19525848-First and second chapters of Gita provide background on this entire spiritual classic. 55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person.
-Second chapter concludes with: “In this state of Brahmi-Sthithi, one becomes fully established in Brahman, attains oneness with the all-pervading Absolute Reality, and is fully liberated from the life-cycle of birth and death (Brahmi -Nirvana)”. Buddhism’s ultimate goal of human existence through Ashtanga-Yoga is Nirvana, which is more or less identical to this state of spiritual attainment .
-Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him.
-To address Arjuna’s predicament, Lord Krishna first instructs Arjuna with the knowledge of Atman, which is within all of us – which is eternal, imperishable, immortal and cannot do harm to anyone. All things at the empirical level are transient. A man of refined wisdom doesn’t worry about what happens to the body, as he knows that within the body is the immortal Atman.
-Lord Krishna then instructs Arjuna with the knowledge of Karma Yoga. One should do his Swadharma, which is duty that naturally comes to us by virtue of our qualification and fitness.
-Lord Krishna then instructs Arjuna with the characteristics of an enlightened person who remains steady in spiritual wisdom and contented in his true nature.
-Lord Krishna finally instructs Arjuna about the highest state – Brahmi-Sthithi.
-Arjuna misunderstands the essence of all these instructions. He thinks that is he has a choice of (1) Karma Yoga, where action is involved OR (2) Brahmi-Sthithi, where no work is involved (as he wrongly interprets it) . He thinks he can avoid his predicament by choosing the highest state. He did not realize that people like Buddha/Christ, who realized this highest state, were very active after realizing that state.
-Arjuna thinks that he can avoid the problems and work by avoiding it. This is a very serious misunderstanding. That was why Arjuna was in need of a proper understanding of the dynamics of Karma-Yoga.
-Arjuna’s conflict tells us that he was a man of some refinement. Conflict doesn’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Who become like Buddha (2) Who are spiritually no different from animals. All great concepts in humanity came from people who experienced some inner conflicts. Among the five Pandavas, Arjuna was the most fit for Lord Krishna’s teachings.
-Karma-Yoga has three levels. Lowest level reflects as inaction and lethargy and is due to Tamas. Next level is a state of dynamism and is due to Rajas. The state beyond this combines dynamism with spiritual values such as unselfishness, where one looks beyond tangible rewards. In the highest state, whatever we do, we do as an offering to God or for the good of others, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness – we are then able to combine action and contemplation in our life.
-Arjuna had two misunderstandings. (1) He thought that the path of Karma-Yoga and the path of Jnana-Yoga are mutually different AND (2) He thought it is a matter of his own choice, which of these two paths to choose.
-Example is provided of a child who wants to choose between studying alphabets of pursuing a PhD at Harvard. It is not a matter of choice, rather one of evolution.
-In the first two verses of Chapter 3, Arjuna expresses his preference for the path of contemplation. He seeks clarity why Lord Krishna wants him to pursue the path of Karma-Yoga.
-Lord Krishna answers – The path of wisdom is for those who are spiritually evolved. Those who have desires, goals and obligations – such people should follow the path of Karma-Yoga. Once they do their duty without being enslaved by results, they will become free from all forms of desires. Then they can then graduate to the next level and follow the path of wisdom.
-When we do things that have no tangible benefit associated with them, we derive inner contentment (Chitta-Prasada). This is also a proof that we are moving in the right direction.
-Karma done as Yoga generates Chitta-Prasada. Karma done as karma alone does not generate Chitta-Prasada. Karma-Yoga generates spiritual wealth, frees the mind from conflicts and is a royal highway that takes one to the highest goal.
-Beyond Kant's Categorical Imperative.
-Sri Ramakrishna and Hazra’s story is discussed. Hazra had left his wife, children and old mother in his home, to pursue a spiritual life. Sri Ramakrishna scolds him for neglecting his duty as an householder and asks him to go back. God won’t listen to the prayers of one who neglects his duty.
-Parents should inculcate spiritual values in children and provide them with a higher ideal. This will help children to work towards success but also handle that success effectively.
-Arjuna’s conflict should be distinguished from a normal conflict, which disturbs the mind. Arjuna’s conflict is like a divine discontentment, when one begins to look for higher spiritual values. The unpredictability in life has the seed for this higher value – one looks towards the spiritual realm when the answers are not found in the worldly realm. People should stop looking for utilitarian benefits all the time – they can then appreciate spiritual values.
-Sattva-Guna enables one to practice Karma-Yoga. It gives one the ability to go beyond tangible rewards. Karma-Yoga also generates Sattva-Guna.
-Change of pursuits by itself does not generate Chitta-Prasada. One should practice Karma-Yoga in whatever pursuit they are involved in.
-Our attitude to work is what matters.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19525848Fri, 11 Oct 2019 23:36:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 3 Verses 1,2,3. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 11, 2019. -First and second chapters of Gita provide background on this entire spiritual classic. 55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the...-First and second chapters of Gita provide background on this entire spiritual classic. 55th through 72nd verses of 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person.
-Second chapter concludes with: “In this state of Brahmi-Sthithi, one becomes fully established in Brahman, attains oneness with the all-pervading Absolute Reality, and is fully liberated from the life-cycle of birth and death (Brahmi -Nirvana)”. Buddhism’s ultimate goal of human existence through Ashtanga-Yoga is Nirvana, which is more or less identical to this state of spiritual attainment .
-Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him.
-To address Arjuna’s predicament, Lord Krishna first instructs Arjuna with the knowledge of Atman, which is within all of us – which is eternal, imperishable, immortal and cannot do harm to anyone. All things at the empirical level are transient. A man of refined wisdom doesn’t worry about what happens to the body, as he knows that within the body is the immortal Atman.
-Lord Krishna then instructs Arjuna with the knowledge of Karma Yoga. One should do his Swadharma, which is duty that naturally comes to us by virtue of our qualification and fitness.
-Lord Krishna then instructs Arjuna with the characteristics of an enlightened person who remains steady in spiritual wisdom and contented in his true nature.
-Lord Krishna finally instructs Arjuna about the highest state – Brahmi-Sthithi.
-Arjuna misunderstands the essence of all these instructions. He thinks that is he has a choice of (1) Karma Yoga, where action is involved OR (2) Brahmi-Sthithi, where no work is involved (as he wrongly interprets it) . He thinks he can avoid his predicament by choosing the highest state. He did not realize that people like Buddha/Christ, who realized this highest state, were very active after realizing that state.
-Arjuna thinks that he can avoid the problems and work by avoiding it. This is a very serious misunderstanding. That was why Arjuna was in need of a proper understanding of the dynamics of Karma-Yoga.
-Arjuna’s conflict tells us that he was a man of some refinement. Conflict doesn’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Who become like Buddha (2) Who are spiritually no different from animals. All great concepts in humanity came from people who experienced some inner conflicts. Among the five Pandavas, Arjuna was the most fit for Lord Krishna’s teachings.
-Karma-Yoga has three levels. Lowest level reflects as inaction and lethargy and is due to Tamas. Next level is a state of dynamism and is due to Rajas. The state beyond this combines dynamism with spiritual values such as unselfishness, where one looks beyond tangible rewards. In the highest state, whatever we do, we do as an offering to God or for the good of others, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness – we are then able to combine action and contemplation in our life.
-Arjuna had two misunderstandings. (1) He thought that the path of Karma-Yoga and the path of Jnana-Yoga are mutually different AND (2) He thought it is a matter of his own choice, which of these two paths to choose.
-Example is provided of a child who wants to choose between studying alphabets of pursuing a PhD at Harvard. It is not a matter of choice, rather one of evolution.
-In the first two verses of Chapter 3, Arjuna expresses his preference for the path of contemplation. He seeks clarity why Lord Krishna wants him to pursue the path of Karma-Yoga.
-Lord Krishna answers – The path of wisdom is for those who are spiritually evolved. Those who have desires, goals and obligations – such people should follow the path of Karma-Yoga. Once they do their duty without being enslaved by results, they will become free from all forms of desires. Then they can...]]>3880contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/23-constructive-spiritual-ego-work-without-the-strain-of-work-swami-tattwamayananda--19681108-Arjuna had an unpleasant duty. He didn't want the challenges. Mind gives false excuses.
-Distinguishing three types of actions will go a long way towards
1)priyam: what we may obsessively enjoy, which may be bad for us.
2)pathyam: a discipline, which we may not like, which is good for us.
3)hitam: something which we should go for, which is also good for us. If we understand this, many of our problems can be solved.
-Gita says it is not possible to renounce all action. A spiritual person only renounces the selfish desire for actions.
-We renounce only the destructive ego. Great saints like Shankaracharya, Buddha, Vivekananda identify with the cosmic ego and leave a legacy of mankind.
-We must work by linking ourselves to a higher ideal.
-Shankaracharya is an example of action combined with a higher perspective. Such action becomes yoga. That action no longer binds.
-Gandhi did not need rest because he never felt he was working.
-Practicing to reach a higher ideal protect us from sliding in the other direction even if we are not able to actually practice the higher ideal.
-Subtle experiences, dream experiences have a powerful impact on the mind because they go deeper. Sri Ramakrishna praised aspirants who had spiritual dreams.
-Hypocrisy is a great danger: it blocks our real path to progress
-Nirguna means beyond all attributes.
-Self-imposed physical disciplines may be harmful if we are not fit to practice them. They can bring the mind down. BG 18.66 states that we should surrender all dharmas. This can be very misleading. Real meaning: when you are fully established in Dharma, you will naturally practice Dharma even without deliberate effort. Then, you will dedicate all your actions to God!]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19681108Sat, 19 Oct 2019 06:11:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 3 Verses 1 – 7. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 18, 2019. -Arjuna had an unpleasant duty. He didn't want the challenges. Mind gives false excuses. -Distinguishing three types of actions will go a long way towards...-Arjuna had an unpleasant duty. He didn't want the challenges. Mind gives false excuses.
-Distinguishing three types of actions will go a long way towards
1)priyam: what we may obsessively enjoy, which may be bad for us.
2)pathyam: a discipline, which we may not like, which is good for us.
3)hitam: something which we should go for, which is also good for us. If we understand this, many of our problems can be solved.
-Gita says it is not possible to renounce all action. A spiritual person only renounces the selfish desire for actions.
-We renounce only the destructive ego. Great saints like Shankaracharya, Buddha, Vivekananda identify with the cosmic ego and leave a legacy of mankind.
-We must work by linking ourselves to a higher ideal.
-Shankaracharya is an example of action combined with a higher perspective. Such action becomes yoga. That action no longer binds.
-Gandhi did not need rest because he never felt he was working.
-Practicing to reach a higher ideal protect us from sliding in the other direction even if we are not able to actually practice the higher ideal.
-Subtle experiences, dream experiences have a powerful impact on the mind because they go deeper. Sri Ramakrishna praised aspirants who had spiritual dreams.
-Hypocrisy is a great danger: it blocks our real path to progress
-Nirguna means beyond all attributes.
-Self-imposed physical disciplines may be harmful if we are not fit to practice them. They can bring the mind down. BG 18.66 states that we should surrender all dharmas. This can be very misleading. Real meaning: when you are fully established in Dharma, you will naturally practice Dharma even without deliberate effort. Then, you will dedicate all your actions to God!]]>3901contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/24-combining-action-with-contemplation-swami-tattwamayananda--19794786-Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life”.
-Third chapter of Gita starts with a question from Arjuna, as he was facing a conflict. He asks which path is better – path of action or path of contemplation. Arjuna had a serious misunderstanding and came to the wrong conclusion that it is more desirable to remain in a path of perfect contemplation with no action.
-Not only is it impossible to remain inactive, but also it is dangerous. If we do not divert our mind towards positive channels, mind naturally turns to its own channels, which may be harmful.
-It is easier for the mind to stay focused when we are active. When we are physically inactive, mind becomes more agitated. It is psychologically impossible for a beginner to remain inactive at the mental level.
-One should avoid selfishness. One should not avoid activity. Action is needed to refine and sublimate the mind and ego. Mind can be turned into a friend with activity.
-Arjuna misunderstood that being a Yogi means to be physically inactive. Spirituality needs mind and senses of action/perception, as it expresses itself through them.
-Gita presents Swadharma as a way to stay properly active. Swadharma is our natural way of work, what we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment.
-Even if one is not engaged in work that he feels perfect harmony with, he should interpret what he is doing as Swadharma. Then every action is turned to our advantage, advances us spiritually and gives us inner contentment.
-One who claims to have transcended action but mentally keeps thinking about what he could have achieved – such a person is a hypocrite. Hypocrisy blocks all channels of growth. Our pretention to have reached the goal will permanently prevent our ability to reach that goal.
-In the 7th verse of 3rd chapter, Lord Krishna gives a picture of a real Yogi. One who has mentally restrained his senses, works hard with a strong motive and whose mind is not enslaved by the work – such a person is a Yogi. He has perfect equanimity of mind and is always serene and happy. Contrasting examples are provided of an executive who is a Yogi versus a hypocrite.
-Action is always better than inaction. Inaction out of laziness is worse than action with a definite purpose. Even better is to combine that action with contemplation. Then every action becomes an active help in our spiritual progress.
-The highest spiritual person is able to see inaction in action and action in inaction. When he works hard, he understands that it is the body/mind that is working and that his “real I” transcends all action and is not doing anything. Therefore, do your work.
-Swami Trigunatitananda’s example is provided. He was a traveling monk before coming to the US. In 13 years, he built the old temple, shaped the Vedanta Society, built a printing press, preached across the city and inspired people to renounce. All along, he never felt he was doing anything.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity.
-Gita provides a graphic symbolism of Yajna with the Brahmarpanam mantra. It says: “What we offer is Brahman, the act of offering is Brahman, the fire on which it is offered is Brahman, the one who is offering is Brahman, the one who is the beneficiary is Brahman, and the one who supervises is Brahman”. Every secular activity becomes spiritual.
-Another illustration of Yajna is provided. Rivers are filled with water by rains. Rivers empty in the oceans. Sun absorbs the water from the oceans and turn it into clouds. Clouds come down as rain. Rain sustains human life with crop. This whole creation and sustenance is a silent, invisible Yajna that is going on.
-Lord Krishna says: “Any activity that you do other than as Yajna becomes a bondage. Whatever you do, do as Yajna, free from all attachments”. Yajna becomes a blessing to others and helps us in our spiritual growth. To turn any activity into Yajna, do it without any expectations.
-Bhoga and Yoga can be combined, if Bhoga is practiced with Tyaga (renunciation). Look upon everything as expression of one Divine Reality. Understand the transient nature of the activity and its limitations. With this awareness, one can enjoy Bhoga without obsessive attachment.
-Bhagavan is used to refer to someone who is endowed with six Bhagas (great spiritual characteristics). (1) Great effulgence (2) Great prosperity (3) Great power (4) Great knowledge (5) Great renunciation and (6) Great reputation. Another interpretation of Bhagavan is a spiritual teacher who can see beyond the division of past, present and future of creation and is endowed with superlative wisdom.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19794786Fri, 25 Oct 2019 22:56:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 3 Verses 2, 7, 8, 9. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 25, 2019. -Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of...-Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life”.
-Third chapter of Gita starts with a question from Arjuna, as he was facing a conflict. He asks which path is better – path of action or path of contemplation. Arjuna had a serious misunderstanding and came to the wrong conclusion that it is more desirable to remain in a path of perfect contemplation with no action.
-Not only is it impossible to remain inactive, but also it is dangerous. If we do not divert our mind towards positive channels, mind naturally turns to its own channels, which may be harmful.
-It is easier for the mind to stay focused when we are active. When we are physically inactive, mind becomes more agitated. It is psychologically impossible for a beginner to remain inactive at the mental level.
-One should avoid selfishness. One should not avoid activity. Action is needed to refine and sublimate the mind and ego. Mind can be turned into a friend with activity.
-Arjuna misunderstood that being a Yogi means to be physically inactive. Spirituality needs mind and senses of action/perception, as it expresses itself through them.
-Gita presents Swadharma as a way to stay properly active. Swadharma is our natural way of work, what we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment.
-Even if one is not engaged in work that he feels perfect harmony with, he should interpret what he is doing as Swadharma. Then every action is turned to our advantage, advances us spiritually and gives us inner contentment.
-One who claims to have transcended action but mentally keeps thinking about what he could have achieved – such a person is a hypocrite. Hypocrisy blocks all channels of growth. Our pretention to have reached the goal will permanently prevent our ability to reach that goal.
-In the 7th verse of 3rd chapter, Lord Krishna gives a picture of a real Yogi. One who has mentally restrained his senses, works hard with a strong motive and whose mind is not enslaved by the work – such a person is a Yogi. He has perfect equanimity of mind and is always serene and happy. Contrasting examples are provided of an executive who is a Yogi versus a hypocrite.
-Action is always better than inaction. Inaction out of laziness is worse than action with a definite purpose. Even better is to combine that action with contemplation. Then every action becomes an active help in our spiritual progress.
-The highest spiritual person is able to see inaction in action and action in inaction. When he works hard, he understands that it is the body/mind that is working and that his “real I” transcends all action and is not doing anything. Therefore, do your work.
-Swami Trigunatitananda’s example is provided. He was a traveling monk before coming to the US. In 13 years, he built the old temple, shaped the Vedanta Society, built a printing press, preached across the city and inspired people to renounce. All along, he never felt he was doing anything.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity.
-Gita provides a graphic symbolism of Yajna with the Brahmarpanam mantra. It says: “What we offer is Brahman, the act of offering is Brahman, the fire on which it is offered is Brahman, the one who is offering is Brahman, the one who is the beneficiary is Brahman, and the one who supervises is Brahman”. Every secular activity becomes spiritual.
-Another illustration of Yajna is provided. Rivers are filled with water by rains. Rivers empty in the oceans. Sun absorbs...]]>3653contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/25-yajna-reaching-life-s-destination-by-performing-all-actions-as-selfless-sacrifice-swami-tattwamayananda--19898057-The mind will not keep quiet even for a split second (kṣaṇamapi). We do not have control over the mind, instead, we learn to redirect it toward creative channels. The mind then becomes our friend and guide.
-When the mind becomes the object of our awareness, then it becomes calm and quiet.
-If we try to remain physically inactive, but still have a lot of mental desire, then we will become hypocrites (mithyācāraḥ). We cannot even travel the journey of life (śarīra-yātrā), without performing actions.
-The Katha Upanishad uses the chariot imagery to illustrate the vehicle with which we travel the journey of life. The buddhi, deciding faculty, is the driver. The mind, the stream of conflicting thoughts and feelings come one after another, is the reins. The senses of perception – touch, smell, taste, sound, sight – and the senses of action – speech, hands, feet, generative, evacuative – are the horses.
-Using our deciding faculty, we must give up slavish attachments to sense objects.
-Our desire and ego must be given a promotion to accomplish noble things, this naturally leads to real unselfish action. At the beginning, we cannot give up all ego all of a sudden.
-We learn to do work with a sense of faith, without desire for any special immediate practical benefit (niyataṁ karma), so we have no sense of worry.
-The Sanskrit word yajña has a narrow meaning - a prescribed Vedic ritual - but it also has a wider meaning - the art of doing all of our obligations with a sense of sanctity and seriousness.
-Satyam, dharma, and ṛtam refer to the truth; the ethical, spiritual foundation; and the unifying harmonizing principle behind all phenomenon, respectively. When we act according to these three principles, it is called yajña.
-When we violate this yajña principle of action, our action binds us to the world. All actions leave an invisible residual effect, as well as a tangible visible result. The invisible residual effects form tendencies in our character, which stay with us.
-We inherit a spiritual bank balance in our next life. Negativity, doubt, etc. are a result of the inheritance of samskaras generated from bad actions, tendencies.
-Shiva-loka refers to a realm where everything is seen in its sublime dimension.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/19898057Fri, 01 Nov 2019 23:52:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 3 Verses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 1, 2019. -The mind will not keep quiet even for a split second (kṣaṇamapi). We do not have control over the mind, instead, we learn to redirect it toward...-The mind will not keep quiet even for a split second (kṣaṇamapi). We do not have control over the mind, instead, we learn to redirect it toward creative channels. The mind then becomes our friend and guide.
-When the mind becomes the object of our awareness, then it becomes calm and quiet.
-If we try to remain physically inactive, but still have a lot of mental desire, then we will become hypocrites (mithyācāraḥ). We cannot even travel the journey of life (śarīra-yātrā), without performing actions.
-The Katha Upanishad uses the chariot imagery to illustrate the vehicle with which we travel the journey of life. The buddhi, deciding faculty, is the driver. The mind, the stream of conflicting thoughts and feelings come one after another, is the reins. The senses of perception – touch, smell, taste, sound, sight – and the senses of action – speech, hands, feet, generative, evacuative – are the horses.
-Using our deciding faculty, we must give up slavish attachments to sense objects.
-Our desire and ego must be given a promotion to accomplish noble things, this naturally leads to real unselfish action. At the beginning, we cannot give up all ego all of a sudden.
-We learn to do work with a sense of faith, without desire for any special immediate practical benefit (niyataṁ karma), so we have no sense of worry.
-The Sanskrit word yajña has a narrow meaning - a prescribed Vedic ritual - but it also has a wider meaning - the art of doing all of our obligations with a sense of sanctity and seriousness.
-Satyam, dharma, and ṛtam refer to the truth; the ethical, spiritual foundation; and the unifying harmonizing principle behind all phenomenon, respectively. When we act according to these three principles, it is called yajña.
-When we violate this yajña principle of action, our action binds us to the world. All actions leave an invisible residual effect, as well as a tangible visible result. The invisible residual effects form tendencies in our character, which stay with us.
-We inherit a spiritual bank balance in our next life. Negativity, doubt, etc. are a result of the inheritance of samskaras generated from bad actions, tendencies.
-Shiva-loka refers to a realm where everything is seen in its sublime dimension.]]>3144contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/26-yajna-harmonizing-our-actions-with-a-spiritual-ideal-swami-tattwamayananda--20152429The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 8, 2019.
-Yajna means 14 Vedic rituals, in the narrow sense.
-In a broader context, it means the art of harmonizing contemplation and action – selfless, sanctified action.
-Ritam is the Vedic concept of the harmonizing thread of all creation.
-Perfect health is the result of being established in this interrelatedness.
-By performing Yajna, all desires are fulfilled through perfect harmony with Ritam.
-A solid philosophy is needed behind actions. Trying to do good without a spiritual ideal may lead to an inability to continue action when we get shocked by the opposite consequence of our attempts to do good.
-Working as a form of worship is called Yajna.
-Becoming successful does not necessarily lead to inner contentment. Actions lead to their empirical result, but also an individual residual effect or spiritual vibration.
-When we act and cook only for ourselves, we sin but when we act and cook for others our actions become Yajna.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/20152429Sat, 09 Nov 2019 00:16:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoChapter 3 Verses 10, 11, 12, 13. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 8, 2019. -Yajna means 14 Vedic rituals, in the narrow sense. -In a broader context, it means the art of harmonizing contemplation and action – selfless,...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 8, 2019.
-Yajna means 14 Vedic rituals, in the narrow sense.
-In a broader context, it means the art of harmonizing contemplation and action – selfless, sanctified action.
-Ritam is the Vedic concept of the harmonizing thread of all creation.
-Perfect health is the result of being established in this interrelatedness.
-By performing Yajna, all desires are fulfilled through perfect harmony with Ritam.
-A solid philosophy is needed behind actions. Trying to do good without a spiritual ideal may lead to an inability to continue action when we get shocked by the opposite consequence of our attempts to do good.
-Working as a form of worship is called Yajna.
-Becoming successful does not necessarily lead to inner contentment. Actions lead to their empirical result, but also an individual residual effect or spiritual vibration.
-When we act and cook only for ourselves, we sin but when we act and cook for others our actions become Yajna.]]>3763contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/27-yajna-living-in-harmony-with-nature-and-ourselves-swami-tattwamayananda--22345430The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 24, 2020.
-Verses 12 & 13 have a contemporary significance. They discuss the importance of living in perfect harmony with nature, and how that helps us to live in perfect inner harmony.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yagna in its broader sense of noble activity.
-12th verse: Those who eat and cook for themselves, produce food and wealth only for comfort and luxury, without sharing with others – they don’t eat food, they eat sin. On the other hand, those who get things from nature, but give part of it back to nature, they will be liberated from their sins. Giving back means practicing contentment, practicing absence of greed and having a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-If we only take from cosmos/nature without giving back, we exploit and disturb the existing balance of life. Nature then responds with problems such as climate change, famine and environment pollution. When the balance of nature is disturbed, our lifestyle also gets disturbed at an internal level.
-Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels contented.
-Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.
-Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.
-12th verse refers to two types of people. First type “live to eat” – they are driven by extreme greed and exploit nature. Second type “eat to live” – they are driven by a higher philosophy and consume food only to keep physical life intact.
-Verses 14 & 15: From food, living beings come forth. Food comes from grains and grains come from rain. Rains are a result of Yajna. Yajna comes from Karma, which are prescribed in the Vedas. Vedas are imperishable and describe the highest philosophical truth. We are part of a cosmic cycle. When we take action as a sacrifice, as part of the cycle, we renounce our selfish desires. Therefore, all higher ideas are centered on principles of renunciation and unselfishness.
-Physical bodies, mind and speech are affected by the food we eat.
-Law of Karma and the doctrine of re-incarnation: whatever we do affects our own life and life outside of us. Everything is inter-related and nothing is without a cause. Law of karma is more powerful and more lasting than any scientific law, which can be modified as nature unfolds its secrets.
-All actions leave an invisible residual effect, as well as a tangible visible result. The invisible residual effects form tendencies in our character, which stay with us. We get from nature according to how we deal with nature.
-All rituals in Karma-kanda of Vedas, are based on giving back to nature a fraction of what nature gives you. One important principle in fire ceremony (homa) is to offer to fire something that we use in everyday life – such as milk, butter and cooked food. One should use mother earth and all that it provides with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-16th verse: He who follows this cosmic wheel of Ritm, principle of inter-relatedness and lives in harmony with nature – he lives in contentment. Others, who disturb cosmic life live in sin. Sin means something that we do to harm others and which, ultimately, harms us.
-Cosmic wheel has two meanings: (1) Wheel of harmony. Live life in a way that gives peace to others and that is in harmony with nature. (2) Continuous cycle of life and death prompted by karma. Allow nature to live in prosperity; nature then allows you to do so.
-Yajna can be practiced in every action and every moment. Gita presents Swadharma as a way to practice Yajna bring cosmic harmony in everyday life and action. Swadharma is our natural way of work and that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment. When we do work as Swadharma, we won’t exploit nature and won’t disturb the inherent harmony that exists.
-Chakra is discussed in various traditions such as Buddhism, Vedanta and Tantric tradition. It refers to the cycle of being born, doing actions, dying and being born again. Death is a comma or a semi-colon, not a full stop. Vedanta states that you come out of this cycle when you recognize your own spiritual reality. Buddhism says that when you attain Nirvana, you transcend this state of endless cycles.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/22345430Fri, 24 Jan 2020 20:53:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 24, 2020. -Verses 12 & 13 have a contemporary significance. They discuss the importance of living in perfect harmony with nature, and how that helps us...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 24, 2020.
-Verses 12 & 13 have a contemporary significance. They discuss the importance of living in perfect harmony with nature, and how that helps us to live in perfect inner harmony.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yagna in its broader sense of noble activity.
-12th verse: Those who eat and cook for themselves, produce food and wealth only for comfort and luxury, without sharing with others – they don’t eat food, they eat sin. On the other hand, those who get things from nature, but give part of it back to nature, they will be liberated from their sins. Giving back means practicing contentment, practicing absence of greed and having a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-If we only take from cosmos/nature without giving back, we exploit and disturb the existing balance of life. Nature then responds with problems such as climate change, famine and environment pollution. When the balance of nature is disturbed, our lifestyle also gets disturbed at an internal level.
-Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels contented.
-Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.
-Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.
-12th verse refers to two types of people. First type “live to eat” – they are driven by extreme greed and exploit nature. Second type “eat to live” – they are driven by a higher philosophy and consume food only to keep physical life intact.
-Verses 14 & 15: From food, living beings come forth. Food comes from grains and grains come from rain. Rains are a result of Yajna. Yajna comes from Karma, which are prescribed in the Vedas. Vedas are imperishable and describe the highest philosophical truth. We are part of a cosmic cycle. When we take action as a sacrifice, as part of the cycle, we renounce our selfish desires. Therefore, all higher ideas are centered on principles of renunciation and unselfishness.
-Physical bodies, mind and speech are affected by the food we eat.
-Law of Karma and the doctrine of re-incarnation: whatever we do affects our own life and life outside of us. Everything is inter-related and nothing is without a cause. Law of karma is more powerful and more lasting than any scientific law, which can be modified as nature unfolds its secrets.
-All actions leave an invisible residual effect, as well as a tangible visible result. The invisible residual effects form tendencies in our character, which stay with us. We get from nature according to how we deal with nature.
-All rituals in Karma-kanda of Vedas, are based on giving back to nature a fraction of what nature gives you. One important principle in fire ceremony (homa) is to offer to fire something that we use in everyday life – such as milk, butter and cooked food. One should use mother earth and all that it provides with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-16th verse: He who follows this cosmic wheel of Ritm, principle of inter-relatedness and lives in harmony with nature – he lives in contentment. Others, who disturb cosmic life live in sin. Sin means something that we do to harm others and which, ultimately, harms us.
-Cosmic wheel has two meanings: (1) Wheel of harmony. Live life in a way that gives peace to others and that is in harmony with nature. (2) Continuous...]]>3499falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/28-performing-actions-as-yajna-swami-tattwamayananda--22757662-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 31, 2020.
-Chakra is discussed in various traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. It refers to the cycle of being born, doing actions, dying and being born again. Life is not one chance – rather, based on impressions and unfulfilled desires of past life, one is born again.
-Within the same family, different children have different characteristics. Only a tiny fraction of the characteristics can be traced to genealogy. Their unique characteristics come from past life. Despite each one having unique characteristics, there is a consistent Ritam of harmony that one should follow, both with other human beings and with nature.
-16th verse: He who follows this cosmic wheel of Ritam, principle of inter-relatedness and lives in harmony with nature – he lives in contentment. Others, who disturb cosmic life live in sin. Sin means something that we do to harm others and which, ultimately, harms us.
-17th verse: Such a person, who follows harmony with nature and living beings, is aware of his identity with nature, and sees the Atman manifesting as this harmony. He sees that the same Atman is inherent and immanent in all of us. As such, he cannot do anything that disturbs this harmony.
-Bhagavad Gita has ~700 verses and achieved prominence because of the commentaries written by Shankaracharya. It transcends religion and speaks about the quest for higher spiritual values that go beyond the physical.
-Ramanuja’s illustration of cause-effect Chakra is discussed. Food comes from clouds/rain, rain from water absorbed by sunlight, rivers empty their water into oceans, ocean water is absorbed by clouds, clouds come down as rain, rains give us food grains, food grains make human life possible and then there is prosperity/happiness.
-Shankaracharya says that the entire universe is a cycle of cause-effect link. This link may not be obvious like physics, but is intensely felt. When we do something wrong, we feel inner conflict. When we do dis-interested actions as Yajna, we feel contentment.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. Vedas discuss 14 types of such Yajnas. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-18th verse: Such a person, who performs all actions as Yajna, he doesn’t have anything to gain or lose. He feels permanent contentment, yet he doesn’t sit quiet but is fully active.
-Vedantic interpretation of richness is discussed. If a person has a lot of money but is not satisfied, he is poor. On the other hand, if a person has no money but is contented, he is rich.
-19th verse: Therefore, perform your actions, which are your obligations, without any attachment. By performing actions as such, one can reach the highest.
-To lead a spiritual life, one need not get rid of what he has and there is no need to achieve what he doesn’t already have. Whatever we do, we can start doing with a new perspective.
-When we do our duties with attachment, it creates mental anguish, which does not improve the performance of that duty. The same duty done without attachment leads to higher efficiency. Gandhiji’s example is discussed.
-20th verse: This verse refers to men with great spiritual merit. By Karma-Yoga alone, King Janaka attained perfection. Therefore, perform your actions without selfish motive.
-Philosopher King: Only the highest philosopher can be the most effective administrator, as he is aware of the limitations of his power, money and authority. Only a person who can think beyond money/power, should be allowed to handle money/power. Janaka was a philosopher king.
-Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava: “Youth, money, power – each individually can lead to one’s downfall, if one has no spiritual common sense. What to speak of all them combined together”.
-Story of Janaka: Once Janaka was sitting in his court, when he got news of fire around the city. He stayed calm and made arrangements to put out the fire. When asked how he could stay calm, he replied: “Nothing is mine that will be destroyed. I am the Atman”. He then proceeded to give a discourse on Atman.
-25th verse: 25th verse should be studied in combination with 20th verse. There are two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.
-We cannot change our duties and obligations. We can change the way we interpret our actions. Karma-Yogis are able to work with greater efficiency because they have a different perspective on their actions.
-Soul has a natural way of connecting with next life. The general background for this is prepared in past life. If we die with a strong desire left, we will be born in circumstances where that desire can be fulfilled. Metaphor of an insect is provided, who fixes its front leg on next step before moving forward. Lord Krishna says that our spiritual practices from this life is deposited in our spiritual bank balance for our next life.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/22757662Fri, 31 Jan 2020 18:01:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 31, 2020. -Chakra is discussed in various traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. It refers to the cycle of being born, doing actions, dying and...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 31, 2020.
-Chakra is discussed in various traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. It refers to the cycle of being born, doing actions, dying and being born again. Life is not one chance – rather, based on impressions and unfulfilled desires of past life, one is born again.
-Within the same family, different children have different characteristics. Only a tiny fraction of the characteristics can be traced to genealogy. Their unique characteristics come from past life. Despite each one having unique characteristics, there is a consistent Ritam of harmony that one should follow, both with other human beings and with nature.
-16th verse: He who follows this cosmic wheel of Ritam, principle of inter-relatedness and lives in harmony with nature – he lives in contentment. Others, who disturb cosmic life live in sin. Sin means something that we do to harm others and which, ultimately, harms us.
-17th verse: Such a person, who follows harmony with nature and living beings, is aware of his identity with nature, and sees the Atman manifesting as this harmony. He sees that the same Atman is inherent and immanent in all of us. As such, he cannot do anything that disturbs this harmony.
-Bhagavad Gita has ~700 verses and achieved prominence because of the commentaries written by Shankaracharya. It transcends religion and speaks about the quest for higher spiritual values that go beyond the physical.
-Ramanuja’s illustration of cause-effect Chakra is discussed. Food comes from clouds/rain, rain from water absorbed by sunlight, rivers empty their water into oceans, ocean water is absorbed by clouds, clouds come down as rain, rains give us food grains, food grains make human life possible and then there is prosperity/happiness.
-Shankaracharya says that the entire universe is a cycle of cause-effect link. This link may not be obvious like physics, but is intensely felt. When we do something wrong, we feel inner conflict. When we do dis-interested actions as Yajna, we feel contentment.
-Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world, material prosperity, well-being of relatives, etc. Vedas discuss 14 types of such Yajnas. (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-18th verse: Such a person, who performs all actions as Yajna, he doesn’t have anything to gain or lose. He feels permanent contentment, yet he doesn’t sit quiet but is fully active.
-Vedantic interpretation of richness is discussed. If a person has a lot of money but is not satisfied, he is poor. On the other hand, if a person has no money but is contented, he is rich.
-19th verse: Therefore, perform your actions, which are your obligations, without any attachment. By performing actions as such, one can reach the highest.
-To lead a spiritual life, one need not get rid of what he has and there is no need to achieve what he doesn’t already have. Whatever we do, we can start doing with a new perspective.
-When we do our duties with attachment, it creates mental anguish, which does not improve the performance of that duty. The same duty done without attachment leads to higher efficiency. Gandhiji’s example is discussed.
-20th verse: This verse refers to men with great spiritual merit. By Karma-Yoga alone, King Janaka attained perfection. Therefore, perform your actions without selfish motive.
-Philosopher King: Only the highest philosopher can be the most effective administrator, as he is aware of the limitations of his power, money and authority. Only a person who can think beyond money/power, should be allowed to handle money/power. Janaka was a philosopher king.
-Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava: “Youth,...]]>3169gita,tattwamayananda,yajnafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/29-karma-yoga-contrasting-the-enlightened-and-the-average-person-swami-tattwamayananda--23090684-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 14, 2020.
-Karma-Yoga is the science of combining spiritual values in our secular worldly duties. It can be practiced in every moment, with every thought, every word and every action.
-22nd verse: People follow the path of the enlightened ones. The enlightened person does not sit quiet – instead, he is always active. In a state of contentment, he acts. This is true of all great spiritual teachers.
-Contentment refers to the feeling: “I have done what I should done, and I have achieved what I should have achieved”. This is possible when action and contemplation are combined, and when we practice detachment from desires.
-Action is problematic for the un-enlightened – he feels enslaved, is driven by desires, and the sense of incompleteness prompts further action. Action is a blessing for the enlightened, who works as a master for the good of others, and has no need to work for selfish purposes.
-23rd and 24th verse: Lord Krishna says: “If I did not continue my work, the whole world will perish”. He means that since people follow the enlightened, if he preaches a philosophy of inaction, people will imitate and there will be disaster.
-Lord Krishna: Never go about teaching the highest spiritual ideal to people who do not have the spiritual maturity to understand its true implications. All great teachers come down to the level of the student. Ashoka’s example is cited from Indian history – because he tried to force a uniform social structure based on a high ideal, the country was ultimately invade by barbarians.
-Imitation is a problem and blocks path to future progress. It prevents one from achieving the qualities that can only be achieved through hard work – those qualities alone takes one to the highest level.
-25th verse: There are two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga, and see their work as Swadharma. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.
-Detachment does not mean lack of sensitivity. Rather it means doing more for the good of the world, as a master of the senses, with mind as friend, and facing unpleasant duties with a smile.
-26th verse: One should not try to disturb the natural understanding of the average person. For the average person, the sense of purpose helps him organize his actions. All of his actions are crystallizations of his vasanas and samskaras. If we tell such a person to work without a sense of purpose, their mind will go blank.
-Shankaracharya’s life is discussed: At the age of seven, he became a monk. By the age of eight, he had read the scriptures. By the age of sixteen, he had mastered the scriptures and written philosophical discourses. He then walked the Indian subcontinent four times and left by the age of thirty-two. His life is an inspiration but an average person cannot imitate his example.
-Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story is discussed to illustrate how a teacher determines what is the right spiritual dosage for the student. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asks him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol, and he transformed into a saint.
-Every person should evolve gradually. The difference between a Buddha and an average person is of degrees, not of kind.
-We can generate healthy samskaras by our own effort and starting this instant. We start by doing good actions because we have freedom at a physical level but not at mental level. Physical actions done with noble objective generate healthy samskaras.
-Witness-ship is a higher state of spiritual evolution under Vedanta, where we observe our own mind as Sakshi. Samskaras of mind become objectified, resulting in non-attachment.
-Sankhya philosophy is dualistic and does not accept witness-ship. This philosophy believes in (1) Purusha, who is effulgent but inactive and (2) Prakriti, which is non-effulgent but active.
-Advaita-Vedanta accepts the psychological analysis of Sankhya. For example, its theory of evolution and how the chakra of actions, vritti, samskaras and vasanas operate.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/23090684Fri, 14 Feb 2020 18:01:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 14, 2020. -Karma-Yoga is the science of combining spiritual values in our secular worldly duties. It can be practiced in every moment, with every...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 14, 2020.
-Karma-Yoga is the science of combining spiritual values in our secular worldly duties. It can be practiced in every moment, with every thought, every word and every action.
-22nd verse: People follow the path of the enlightened ones. The enlightened person does not sit quiet – instead, he is always active. In a state of contentment, he acts. This is true of all great spiritual teachers.
-Contentment refers to the feeling: “I have done what I should done, and I have achieved what I should have achieved”. This is possible when action and contemplation are combined, and when we practice detachment from desires.
-Action is problematic for the un-enlightened – he feels enslaved, is driven by desires, and the sense of incompleteness prompts further action. Action is a blessing for the enlightened, who works as a master for the good of others, and has no need to work for selfish purposes.
-23rd and 24th verse: Lord Krishna says: “If I did not continue my work, the whole world will perish”. He means that since people follow the enlightened, if he preaches a philosophy of inaction, people will imitate and there will be disaster.
-Lord Krishna: Never go about teaching the highest spiritual ideal to people who do not have the spiritual maturity to understand its true implications. All great teachers come down to the level of the student. Ashoka’s example is cited from Indian history – because he tried to force a uniform social structure based on a high ideal, the country was ultimately invade by barbarians.
-Imitation is a problem and blocks path to future progress. It prevents one from achieving the qualities that can only be achieved through hard work – those qualities alone takes one to the highest level.
-25th verse: There are two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga, and see their work as Swadharma. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.
-Detachment does not mean lack of sensitivity. Rather it means doing more for the good of the world, as a master of the senses, with mind as friend, and facing unpleasant duties with a smile.
-26th verse: One should not try to disturb the natural understanding of the average person. For the average person, the sense of purpose helps him organize his actions. All of his actions are crystallizations of his vasanas and samskaras. If we tell such a person to work without a sense of purpose, their mind will go blank.
-Shankaracharya’s life is discussed: At the age of seven, he became a monk. By the age of eight, he had read the scriptures. By the age of sixteen, he had mastered the scriptures and written philosophical discourses. He then walked the Indian subcontinent four times and left by the age of thirty-two. His life is an inspiration but an average person cannot imitate his example.
-Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story is discussed to illustrate how a teacher determines what is the right spiritual dosage for the student. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asks him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol, and he transformed into a saint.
-Every person should evolve gradually. The difference between a Buddha and an average person is of degrees, not of kind.
-We can generate healthy samskaras by our own effort and starting this instant. We start by doing good actions because we have freedom at a physical level but not at mental level. Physical actions done with noble objective generate healthy samskaras.
-Witness-ship is a higher state of spiritual evolution under...]]>3521contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/30-identifying-ourselves-beyond-prakriti-swami-tattwamayananda--24514932-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 27, 2020.
-We are living in difficult times with the health crisis from Coronavirus. Vedanta teaches that we have an inherent, inner power that helps us confront such a challenge, and transcend the fear of the unknown.
-26th verse: One should not try to disturb the natural understanding of the average person. For the average person, the sense of purpose helps him organize his actions. All of his actions are crystallizations of his vāsanās and saṃskāras. If we tell such a person to work without a sense of purpose, his mind will go blank.
-When we perform our actions as yajña, for the good of the world, we get spiritual contentment. However, this is the highest ideal and one should not start this process suddenly – rather, every person should evolve gradually.
-Our actions are not determined by our will. Rather, they are guided by Prakṛti – forces of nature and our mental constitution. Even if we want to do something, sometimes we are not able to, as Prakṛti drives us in another direction.
-One should start by feeding the mind with spiritual food and generate healthy saṃskāras. Gradually, this will make the mind ready for higher spiritual practices. Unless we are spiritually ready, we cannot understand the true meaning of scriptures.
-Seven disciplines for a spiritual seeker are prescribed. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real - viveka (2) Renunciation of what is unreal - (3) Self control: śama, dama, uparati, titikṣā, śraddhā, samādhāna (4) Desire for freedom - mumukṣutvam (5) Hearing - śravaṇa (6) Reflection - manana (7) Meditation - nididhyāsana.
-Pandemics can create mental problems in people, as they worry about being infected, and wrongfully think that the crisis is a permanent one. However, human civilization has always bounced back from calamities. “nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka” gives one a correct understanding of what is Real and what is unreal (is a passing phase).
-27th verse: Guṇas of Prakṛti perform all actions. However, people get deluded and forget this reality. Deluded they think “I am the doer”.
- Prakṛti has two meanings: (1) External nature of the phenomenal world (2) Human consciousness. If we think of ourselves as the evolute of Prakṛti, then we deny ourselves of our true spiritual dimension.
- Prakṛti as human nature expresses itself through three guṇas. Tamo-guṇa is the lowest and manifests in the form of inertia, inaction, ignorance and laziness. Rajo-guṇa is higher, and manifests in the form of action and enthusiasm. Sattva-guṇa is the highest level and manifests in the form of spiritual common sense and actions restrained by spiritual wisdom. Natural evolution of human consciousness is from Tamo-guṇa to Rajo-guṇa to Sattva-guṇa.
-All actions are prompted by one of these guṇas or a combination of these guṇas. The way we view life depends on the impressions stored in cittam or karmāśaya, based on the karma-vṛtti-saṃskāra-cakram. Individual jīvas carry them from life to life. People forget this and think “I am the doer”.
-When we interpret ourselves as the doer, we interpret momentary setbacks as if they are permanent.
-30th verse: This verse provides an opposite view to 27th verse by contrasting the view of the ignorant person with the view of the enlightened. “Renounce all actions and dedicate them to Me, with mind completely focused on Me. Be free from selfishness and go ahead doing your duties”.
-The enlightened person identifies with his higher dimension – that he is not the physical body, that he is the Ātman. Identifying himself beyond nature, he can watch as a witness. In a state of contentment, he acts. Tragedies don’t unsettle him.
-28th verse: One who knows the reality of life as a whole, and that there is something within him that is the witness of nature and transcends nature – such a person is called “Tattva-vit”. He has an insight into the nature of guṇas and is able to take life’s tragedies in stride.
-29th verse: Such a person of perfect knowledge (“Tattva-vit”), whose actions and words are mature and who has a settled view – he should not try to unsettle the views of the average person (related to 26th verse).
-31st verse: Those who practice this truth with great śraddhā, they can live in the world confronting problems, while staying fully contented and happy within. They live their whole life as an offering for the good of others. By doing so, they work for their own good.
-Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature, at a cosmic level and at an inner level. When we direct our actions without disturbing Ritm, we can enjoy life. We can live life doing good to others – such a life is called yajña.
-Live in close proximity to nature. Contented within, make your presence a source of contentment for others.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24514932Sat, 28 Mar 2020 00:26:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 27, 2020. -We are living in difficult times with the health crisis from Coronavirus. Vedanta teaches that we have an inherent, inner power that helps...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 27, 2020.
-We are living in difficult times with the health crisis from Coronavirus. Vedanta teaches that we have an inherent, inner power that helps us confront such a challenge, and transcend the fear of the unknown.
-26th verse: One should not try to disturb the natural understanding of the average person. For the average person, the sense of purpose helps him organize his actions. All of his actions are crystallizations of his vāsanās and saṃskāras. If we tell such a person to work without a sense of purpose, his mind will go blank.
-When we perform our actions as yajña, for the good of the world, we get spiritual contentment. However, this is the highest ideal and one should not start this process suddenly – rather, every person should evolve gradually.
-Our actions are not determined by our will. Rather, they are guided by Prakṛti – forces of nature and our mental constitution. Even if we want to do something, sometimes we are not able to, as Prakṛti drives us in another direction.
-One should start by feeding the mind with spiritual food and generate healthy saṃskāras. Gradually, this will make the mind ready for higher spiritual practices. Unless we are spiritually ready, we cannot understand the true meaning of scriptures.
-Seven disciplines for a spiritual seeker are prescribed. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real - viveka (2) Renunciation of what is unreal - (3) Self control: śama, dama, uparati, titikṣā, śraddhā, samādhāna (4) Desire for freedom - mumukṣutvam (5) Hearing - śravaṇa (6) Reflection - manana (7) Meditation - nididhyāsana.
-Pandemics can create mental problems in people, as they worry about being infected, and wrongfully think that the crisis is a permanent one. However, human civilization has always bounced back from calamities. “nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka” gives one a correct understanding of what is Real and what is unreal (is a passing phase).
-27th verse: Guṇas of Prakṛti perform all actions. However, people get deluded and forget this reality. Deluded they think “I am the doer”.
- Prakṛti has two meanings: (1) External nature of the phenomenal world (2) Human consciousness. If we think of ourselves as the evolute of Prakṛti, then we deny ourselves of our true spiritual dimension.
- Prakṛti as human nature expresses itself through three guṇas. Tamo-guṇa is the lowest and manifests in the form of inertia, inaction, ignorance and laziness. Rajo-guṇa is higher, and manifests in the form of action and enthusiasm. Sattva-guṇa is the highest level and manifests in the form of spiritual common sense and actions restrained by spiritual wisdom. Natural evolution of human consciousness is from Tamo-guṇa to Rajo-guṇa to Sattva-guṇa.
-All actions are prompted by one of these guṇas or a combination of these guṇas. The way we view life depends on the impressions stored in cittam or karmāśaya, based on the karma-vṛtti-saṃskāra-cakram. Individual jīvas carry them from life to life. People forget this and think “I am the doer”.
-When we interpret ourselves as the doer, we interpret momentary setbacks as if they are permanent.
-30th verse: This verse provides an opposite view to 27th verse by contrasting the view of the ignorant person with the view of the enlightened. “Renounce all actions and dedicate them to Me, with mind completely focused on Me. Be free from selfishness and go ahead doing your duties”.
-The enlightened person identifies with his higher dimension – that he is not the physical body, that he is the Ātman. Identifying himself beyond nature, he can watch as a witness. In a state of contentment, he acts. Tragedies don’t unsettle him.
-28th verse: One who knows the reality of life as a whole, and that there is something within him that is the witness of nature and transcends...]]>2700contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/31-adhyatma-chetasa-living-life-with-a-spiritual-attitude-swami-tattwamayananda--24803133The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 3, 2020.
-In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna provides a unique approach to life as a whole. With complete absorption in Brahman and a mind centered in Atman (Adhyātma-chetasā), take a spiritual attitude to life. Do this by surrendering all actions to the Lord. By doing so, one can perform all duties, free of worries.
-When we perform our work with the sense of “doership”, it creates mental burden. This can be remedied by dedicating all actions to the Lord, as if one is performing them as a servant for the Lord. By doing so, one can go about doing his duty or even sit quietly not doing anything, free of any stress.
-Any duty – one involving technical work or the duty of sitting quietly at home during a lockdown – becomes pleasant with Adhyātma-chetasā. With this attitude, one should have the strong conviction that he is an instrument in the hands of the Lord and dedicate all actions and results to Him.
-Karma Yoga is not limited to physical actions alone. Every word, thought, idea and speculation can be linked to Yoga, by combining Tyāga and Yoga. Join every activity to a higher spiritual ideal through Tyāga – this can be done by developing Adhyātma-chetasā.
-22nd verse: Lord Krishna says: “There is nothing for Me to do by which I want to attain anything. Still, I don’t keep quiet. I do everything as Swadharma”. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment.
-If we do not do our duty as “Swadharma”, without attachment, there is every chance we will do it as “Paradharma”. To avoid this, we should stick to Swadharma.
-Lord Krishna: A person who is inactive when he has work to do – such a person will go down in spiritual and material life. On the other hand, a person who performs duties with full dedication but without attachment – such a person will accrue the fruits of actions, and will not be bound. He will know the essence of everything and is called “Tattwa-vit”.
-Those who constantly practice this teaching – that all actions should be performed with a spiritual attitude, dedicating the actions/results to God – they will be on the path to spiritual freedom and will be free from all bondages.
-Lord Krishna: This universal teaching should be practiced with great śraddhā, without unnecessary criticism and fault finding. śraddhā helps us evolve and sublimate our ego, which allows us to pursue a higher spiritual ideal.
-Shankaracharya says: “If our ego is strong and we cannot practice giving up the sense of doership – then do your work for the sake of the Lord like a servant serving the master. Spiritual seeker with this Adhyātma-chetasā becomes free from all worries and sorrow. Any person who does not listen to these teachings, becomes a victim of his skepticism and remains imprisoned within the walls of his worries”.
-Prakriti has two meanings: (1) External nature of the phenomenal world (2) Human consciousness. If we think of ourselves as the evolute of Prakriti, we cannot develop Adhyātma-chetasā. One who can detach from Prakriti is a jñāni, and becomes liberated.
-33rd verse: Even a wise man may follow the characteristics of his external nature, because of his Prārabdha -karma. However, what is common across all wise men is this Adhyātma-chetasā.
-34th verse: Attachment and aversion to senses are natural – however, jñānis are not bound by these. They look upon them as natural characteristics without identifying with them.
-35th verse: It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.
-Even the attempt of performing Swadharma has spiritual value, as it saves us from following “Paradharma. Swadharma also helps in purification of our ego, by investing it in actions that are for the good of others, and thereby opening the pathway to spiritual freedom.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/24803133Sat, 04 Apr 2020 05:44:39 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 22, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 3, 2020. -In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna provides a unique approach to life as a whole. With complete absorption in Brahman and a mind centered in...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 3, 2020.
-In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna provides a unique approach to life as a whole. With complete absorption in Brahman and a mind centered in Atman (Adhyātma-chetasā), take a spiritual attitude to life. Do this by surrendering all actions to the Lord. By doing so, one can perform all duties, free of worries.
-When we perform our work with the sense of “doership”, it creates mental burden. This can be remedied by dedicating all actions to the Lord, as if one is performing them as a servant for the Lord. By doing so, one can go about doing his duty or even sit quietly not doing anything, free of any stress.
-Any duty – one involving technical work or the duty of sitting quietly at home during a lockdown – becomes pleasant with Adhyātma-chetasā. With this attitude, one should have the strong conviction that he is an instrument in the hands of the Lord and dedicate all actions and results to Him.
-Karma Yoga is not limited to physical actions alone. Every word, thought, idea and speculation can be linked to Yoga, by combining Tyāga and Yoga. Join every activity to a higher spiritual ideal through Tyāga – this can be done by developing Adhyātma-chetasā.
-22nd verse: Lord Krishna says: “There is nothing for Me to do by which I want to attain anything. Still, I don’t keep quiet. I do everything as Swadharma”. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment.
-If we do not do our duty as “Swadharma”, without attachment, there is every chance we will do it as “Paradharma”. To avoid this, we should stick to Swadharma.
-Lord Krishna: A person who is inactive when he has work to do – such a person will go down in spiritual and material life. On the other hand, a person who performs duties with full dedication but without attachment – such a person will accrue the fruits of actions, and will not be bound. He will know the essence of everything and is called “Tattwa-vit”.
-Those who constantly practice this teaching – that all actions should be performed with a spiritual attitude, dedicating the actions/results to God – they will be on the path to spiritual freedom and will be free from all bondages.
-Lord Krishna: This universal teaching should be practiced with great śraddhā, without unnecessary criticism and fault finding. śraddhā helps us evolve and sublimate our ego, which allows us to pursue a higher spiritual ideal.
-Shankaracharya says: “If our ego is strong and we cannot practice giving up the sense of doership – then do your work for the sake of the Lord like a servant serving the master. Spiritual seeker with this Adhyātma-chetasā becomes free from all worries and sorrow. Any person who does not listen to these teachings, becomes a victim of his skepticism and remains imprisoned within the walls of his worries”.
-Prakriti has two meanings: (1) External nature of the phenomenal world (2) Human consciousness. If we think of ourselves as the evolute of Prakriti, we cannot develop Adhyātma-chetasā. One who can detach from Prakriti is a jñāni, and becomes liberated.
-33rd verse: Even a wise man may follow the characteristics of his external nature, because of his Prārabdha -karma. However, what is common across all wise men is this Adhyātma-chetasā.
-34th verse: Attachment and aversion to senses are natural – however, jñānis are not bound by these. They look upon them as natural characteristics without identifying with them.
-35th verse: It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.
-Even the attempt of performing Swadharma has spiritual value, as it saves us from following “Paradharma. Swadharma also helps in purification of our ego, by investing it in actions...]]>3243contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/32-kama-krodha-enemies-of-human-mind-swami-tattwamayananda--25477446-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 10, 2020.
-36th verse: Arjuna’s question – “Impelled by what force, do we do unpleasant things, even though we are unwilling?”
-37th verse: Lord Krishna says – Kāma (Desire) and Krodha (Anger) are the two great enemies. They are also linked to the two problems of Rāga (attachment) and Dvesha (Aversion), discussed in earlier verses.
-33rd verse: Even a wise man is seen as following his natural, psychological disposition. This is true of even great mystics, but they do their natural duties, from a higher perspective. Story of Vyadha is discussed – he was a realized person, but did not give up his profession as a butcher.
-34th verse: Our natural tendency is to have attraction or aversion to stimuli from the senses. Mind interprets experiences from these stimuli as Sukha (pleasant) - to which it develops attraction - or Duhkha (unpleasant) – to which it develops aversion.
-If we allow mind to be enslaved by these sense stimuli, we are doomed - mind will waver with sukha and duhkha. Mind should be the master of the senses, not enslaved by them.
-If we can free the mind from extreme attachment and aversion, we will conserve energy and mind will be in a state of equilibrium.
-Mallinātha defines Rāga as: We remember certain experiences of the past that are stored in Chittam. We feel a strange attachment towards them, even though we know it is spiritual slavery.
-Patanjali discusses Rāga as something that brings external enjoyment that is momentary. Once it disappears, what is left is unhappiness. Happiness is nothing but temporary absence of unhappiness.
-Rāga can be given a spiritual promotion with Bhakti. If you want to love something, have love for something sublime and transcendental. Love God. This sublimation of mental disposition is called Bhakti – it becomes a tool for our spiritual progress.
-Dvesha can also be given a spiritual promotion. Have aversion towards things that are not good for us or humanity.
-35th verse: It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.
-Examples of danger when entrapped by sense objects are provided from the animal kingdom. Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-The intellect should control the mind, which should control the senses. Then senses then become obedient and useful instruments.
-37th verse: Kāma and Krodha are the two enemies that draw our mind to actions that we don’t want to do. There are four other enemies: lobha (greed), moha (ignorance), mada (pride), mātsarya (envy). Kāma is the chief enemy.
-When kāma emerges in mind, we direct efforts to fulfill it. If we are successful, we are happy. If not, we get angry. Anger leads to delusion, which leads to loss of memory – at that point, senses take control of our whole personality.
-This happens despite intellectual awareness, as mind and intellect do not co-operate. Religion and philosophy are tools to free the mind from senses.
-38th and 39th verse: As fire is covered by smoke, mirror by dust and embryo by amnion – so also, mind is enveloped by kāma and krodha. Knowledge is covered by kāma – it is like a fire that should be controlled.
-Kālidāsa’s Kumārasambhavam: “Youth, money, power – each individually can lead to one’s downfall, if one has no spiritual common sense. What to speak of all them combined together”.
-40th verse: Kāma resides in the antaḥkaraṇa (mainly mind), five senses of perception and five senses of action. Antaḥkaraṇa refers to four compartments: mana, buddhi, chitta, ahamkara.
-When kāma enters the mind, it activates the senses of perception and action, prompting them to fulfill the desire. Slightest failure can have a devastating effect on a mind that is not in control of senses.
-Ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita, emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit.
-This is only possible by linking the mind to the transcendental because psychological problems can only be solved at the spiritual level. Mind can be given a higher orientation by feeding it with spiritual ideas – then it becomes stable. Then it can look beyond the world of senses. It remains steady in pain and pleasure, happiness and adversity.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/25477446Sat, 11 Apr 2020 05:41:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3rd chapter: verses 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 10, 2020. -36th verse: Arjuna’s question – “Impelled by what force, do we do unpleasant things, even though we are unwilling?” -37th verse:...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 10, 2020.
-36th verse: Arjuna’s question – “Impelled by what force, do we do unpleasant things, even though we are unwilling?”
-37th verse: Lord Krishna says – Kāma (Desire) and Krodha (Anger) are the two great enemies. They are also linked to the two problems of Rāga (attachment) and Dvesha (Aversion), discussed in earlier verses.
-33rd verse: Even a wise man is seen as following his natural, psychological disposition. This is true of even great mystics, but they do their natural duties, from a higher perspective. Story of Vyadha is discussed – he was a realized person, but did not give up his profession as a butcher.
-34th verse: Our natural tendency is to have attraction or aversion to stimuli from the senses. Mind interprets experiences from these stimuli as Sukha (pleasant) - to which it develops attraction - or Duhkha (unpleasant) – to which it develops aversion.
-If we allow mind to be enslaved by these sense stimuli, we are doomed - mind will waver with sukha and duhkha. Mind should be the master of the senses, not enslaved by them.
-If we can free the mind from extreme attachment and aversion, we will conserve energy and mind will be in a state of equilibrium.
-Mallinātha defines Rāga as: We remember certain experiences of the past that are stored in Chittam. We feel a strange attachment towards them, even though we know it is spiritual slavery.
-Patanjali discusses Rāga as something that brings external enjoyment that is momentary. Once it disappears, what is left is unhappiness. Happiness is nothing but temporary absence of unhappiness.
-Rāga can be given a spiritual promotion with Bhakti. If you want to love something, have love for something sublime and transcendental. Love God. This sublimation of mental disposition is called Bhakti – it becomes a tool for our spiritual progress.
-Dvesha can also be given a spiritual promotion. Have aversion towards things that are not good for us or humanity.
-35th verse: It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.
-Examples of danger when entrapped by sense objects are provided from the animal kingdom. Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-The intellect should control the mind, which should control the senses. Then senses then become obedient and useful instruments.
-37th verse: Kāma and Krodha are the two enemies that draw our mind to actions that we don’t want to do. There are four other enemies: lobha (greed), moha (ignorance), mada (pride), mātsarya (envy). Kāma is the chief enemy.
-When kāma emerges in mind, we direct efforts to fulfill it. If we are successful, we are happy. If not, we get angry. Anger leads to delusion, which leads to loss of memory – at that point, senses take control of our whole personality.
-This happens despite intellectual awareness, as mind and intellect do not co-operate. Religion and philosophy are tools to free the mind from senses.
-38th and 39th verse: As fire is covered by smoke, mirror by dust and embryo by amnion – so also, mind is enveloped by kāma and krodha. Knowledge is covered by kāma – it is like a fire that should be controlled.
-Kālidāsa’s Kumārasambhavam: “Youth, money, power – each individually can lead to one’s downfall, if one has no spiritual common sense. What to speak of all them combined together”.
-40th verse: Kāma resides in the antaḥkaraṇa (mainly mind), five senses of perception and five senses of action. Antaḥkaraṇa refers to four compartments: mana, buddhi, chitta, ahamkara.3283contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/33-conquering-senses-and-desires-with-yoga-swami-tattwamayananda--25712822-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 17, 2020.
-You should discipline your senses – do this in the beginning itself rather than waiting for a strong blow. That way, you can get rid of the problem of desire, and not be enslaved by senses.
-Desire means obsessive attachment to stimuli from senses, that we know will bring our downfall. We want to get out of it, but we are not able to take to a spiritual ideal, until it is too late. Gita helps us develop spiritual common sense to control our desires.
-Intellectual desires, such as in arts and philosophy, can help in the beginning by diverting the mind from sensual pleasures. However, just intellectual pursuit is not enough as it can lead to cynicism. Intellectual desires can also be given a sublime direction.
-There are two types of intellectual assertiveness: (1) Creative and constructive, which is grounded in intellectual honesty, as demonstrated by Swami Vivekananda, and (2) Cynicism, where people are stuck in a wheel asking the same questions, without making an effort to listen and get out of it.
-An enlightened person is one who transcends happiness and misery, and who looks upon both of them with the same attitude. He is fully immersed in his true identity as the Atman. This gives him immense joy.
-62nd and 63rd verse of second chapter explain how one falls in spiritual life. Those who keep thinking of sense objects develop a strong desire to enjoy them. They direct efforts in that direction. When these efforts do not succeed, they become angry, which leads to delusion, which then leads to total confusion of memory and degeneration of the mind.
-Unless one can divert the senses towards creative channels, it brings destruction. To divert the mind, one needs to feed the mind with good food.
-The Atman is superior to the intellect, which is superior to the mind, which is superior to the senses. Therefore, restrain your senses. By restraining the senses, and identifying with the Atman, one can destroy the obsession of desires.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.
-Doctrine of karma should not be interpreted as fatalism. Rather, karma-yoga is an approach that enables us to do all our duties with full freedom, as the master of our senses, and with steady spiritual common sense.
-Story of “Appointment in Samarra” is discussed to illustrate how the doctrine of karma can be wrongly interpreted.
-Shankaracharya gives the example of an arrow which has left its bow, but that can change its direction because of a strong wind. Similarly, with our spiritual practices and by the grace of God, we can escape the consequences of unpleasant karma.
-4th chapter of Gita continues the discussion of karma and yajna. The theme of this chapter can be described as: “Dissolving action in knowledge”.
-Lord Krishna’s teachings come to us from two streams: (1) Narada Bhakti Sutras, which says that through spiritual surrender (Sharanagati), we can convert all actions into acts of worship. (2) Through Gita, which says that through Swadharma, we can convert every activity into spiritual practice.
-Lord Krishna says that he first taught Yoga to Surya, who taught it to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshavaku. It has been handed down through the “Guru-shishya parampara”, an unbroken succession of teachers-disciples.
-In course of time, this Yoga as lost - because those who were expected to practice it (for example, reigning monarchs) and lead by example, they were unable to control their senses and failed to practice it properly. Whatever they practiced came to be mistakenly known as Yoga.
-Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Janaka and Ashoka were examples of Rajarshis.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/25712822Fri, 17 Apr 2020 21:59:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco2nd chapter: verses 62, 63. 3rd chapter: verses 41, 42, 43. 4th chapter: verses 1, 2 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 17, 2020. -You should discipline your senses – do this in the beginning itself rather than waiting for a...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 17, 2020.
-You should discipline your senses – do this in the beginning itself rather than waiting for a strong blow. That way, you can get rid of the problem of desire, and not be enslaved by senses.
-Desire means obsessive attachment to stimuli from senses, that we know will bring our downfall. We want to get out of it, but we are not able to take to a spiritual ideal, until it is too late. Gita helps us develop spiritual common sense to control our desires.
-Intellectual desires, such as in arts and philosophy, can help in the beginning by diverting the mind from sensual pleasures. However, just intellectual pursuit is not enough as it can lead to cynicism. Intellectual desires can also be given a sublime direction.
-There are two types of intellectual assertiveness: (1) Creative and constructive, which is grounded in intellectual honesty, as demonstrated by Swami Vivekananda, and (2) Cynicism, where people are stuck in a wheel asking the same questions, without making an effort to listen and get out of it.
-An enlightened person is one who transcends happiness and misery, and who looks upon both of them with the same attitude. He is fully immersed in his true identity as the Atman. This gives him immense joy.
-62nd and 63rd verse of second chapter explain how one falls in spiritual life. Those who keep thinking of sense objects develop a strong desire to enjoy them. They direct efforts in that direction. When these efforts do not succeed, they become angry, which leads to delusion, which then leads to total confusion of memory and degeneration of the mind.
-Unless one can divert the senses towards creative channels, it brings destruction. To divert the mind, one needs to feed the mind with good food.
-The Atman is superior to the intellect, which is superior to the mind, which is superior to the senses. Therefore, restrain your senses. By restraining the senses, and identifying with the Atman, one can destroy the obsession of desires.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.
-Doctrine of karma should not be interpreted as fatalism. Rather, karma-yoga is an approach that enables us to do all our duties with full freedom, as the master of our senses, and with steady spiritual common sense.
-Story of “Appointment in Samarra” is discussed to illustrate how the doctrine of karma can be wrongly interpreted.
-Shankaracharya gives the example of an arrow which has left its bow, but that can change its direction because of a strong wind. Similarly, with our spiritual practices and by the grace of God, we can escape the consequences of unpleasant karma.
-4th chapter of Gita continues the discussion of karma and yajna. The theme of this chapter can be described as: “Dissolving action in knowledge”.
-Lord Krishna’s teachings come to us from two streams: (1) Narada Bhakti Sutras, which says that through spiritual surrender (Sharanagati), we can convert all actions into acts of worship. (2) Through Gita, which says that through Swadharma, we can convert every activity into spiritual practice.
-Lord Krishna says that he first taught Yoga to Surya, who taught it to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshavaku. It has been handed down through the “Guru-shishya parampara”, an unbroken succession of teachers-disciples.
-In course of time, this Yoga as lost - because those who were expected to practice it (for example, reigning monarchs) and lead by example, they were unable to control their senses and failed to practice...]]>3363contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/34-avatara-descent-of-divine-to-human-swami-tattwamayananda--26163928-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 24, 2020.
-Lord Krishna says that he first taught Yoga to Surya, who taught it to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshavaku. It has been handed down through the “Guru-shishya parampara”, an unbroken succession of teachers-disciples.
-In course of time, this Yoga was lost - because those who were expected to preserve this spiritual tradition, failed to practice it properly. Whatever they practiced came to be mistakenly known as Yoga. They did not live as Rajarshis.
-Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
-People should always remember that tradition does not begin with them – rather they inherit it, and it is their duty to preserve it. They should not disown the past. Great cultures and civilizations have survived through parampara.
-Parampara can lead to fanaticism or tyranny of hierarchy. In such situations, to make adjustments, great teachers emerge. Such men are called Avatara.
-Avatara is Lord descending to human level to preserve values and readjust spiritual equilibrium in the world. Avatara is sublime aspects of human and divine rolled into one.
-Avatara can be understood with the concept of parampara. People should understand that civilizations did not begin with them – rather, parampara drives continuity of civilization, resting on the shoulders of great epoch makers.
-If anyone claims to manufacture new truth, disregarding what is already stated in the scriptures, we should not believe such a person. Truth is handed down through parampara.
-3rd verse: “Today, I have taught you this Yoga, the supreme secret, because you are my devotee and friend, and fit for this instruction”
-Among the five Pandava brothers, Arjuna was chosen for the instruction. Even though he was confused and had internal conflicts, he had the ethical courage to implement what he was being taught.
-4th verse: Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to reconcile how he could have taught to Surya, when Surya was born many years ago, and Lord Krishna’s birth was much later.
-Arjuna’s confusion arises because he looked upon Lord Krishna only as a highly refined human being, not as an Avatara - born as Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Shankaracharya and Sri Ramakrishna.
-Avatara signifies descent of the Atman to human form. The Atman takes human form from time to time to protect and sustain the spiritual equilibrium of cosmic existence.
-When we do spiritual practices, we ascend from human towards divine. Avatara represents descent from divine to human.
-5th verse: “Both of us have had many births in the past. I know that, but you don’t. I know that I have a spiritual dimension, but you don’t know that”
-Atman is present in all of us. Avatara understands that a normal human being doesn’t understand this truth. Normal being identifies with body, mind and intellect, and forgets his own spiritual identity.
-With ascent through spiritual practices, a normal being realizes the divine truth. Avataras are aware of this when they are born. They may still do spiritual practices as a way to teach others.
-Avatara is like a mighty ship that can carry thousands of people across the ocean of samsara, and can go back and forth. Ordinary seekers are like a boat by comparison.
-Avatara’s life seems as if everything is pre-meditated. This is seen in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Shankaracharya, Jesus Christ and Buddha.
-Avatara, by his very nature, knows that He is eternally pure, immortal, omniscient, free from bondages and free from delusion.
-6th verse: “Though I am unborn, and beyond all changes – yet, without being subject to the regulation of prakriti, keeping prakriti under control, I incarnate.”
-“I” does not refer to Lord Krishna as a limited human being. Rather it refers to the eternal dimension of His personality as Atman.
-Ordinary beings are subject to interplays of time, space and causation. Avatara is not limited by time, space and causation. Avatara is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death.
-Avatara only appears to become a human being – He does not become a human being. As described in Vivarta-vada (विवर्तवाद), it is a momentary change that can go back to its original state. Parinama-vada (परिणामवाद) refers to changes that are irreversible, such as an oil seed becoming oil.
-In Avatara’s everyday life, activities, and teachings, there is always a visible transcendental connection.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26163928Fri, 24 Apr 2020 23:06:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 24, 2020. -Lord Krishna says that he first taught Yoga to Surya, who taught it to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshavaku. It has been handed down through the...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 24, 2020.
-Lord Krishna says that he first taught Yoga to Surya, who taught it to Manu, who then taught it to Ikshavaku. It has been handed down through the “Guru-shishya parampara”, an unbroken succession of teachers-disciples.
-In course of time, this Yoga was lost - because those who were expected to preserve this spiritual tradition, failed to practice it properly. Whatever they practiced came to be mistakenly known as Yoga. They did not live as Rajarshis.
-Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
-People should always remember that tradition does not begin with them – rather they inherit it, and it is their duty to preserve it. They should not disown the past. Great cultures and civilizations have survived through parampara.
-Parampara can lead to fanaticism or tyranny of hierarchy. In such situations, to make adjustments, great teachers emerge. Such men are called Avatara.
-Avatara is Lord descending to human level to preserve values and readjust spiritual equilibrium in the world. Avatara is sublime aspects of human and divine rolled into one.
-Avatara can be understood with the concept of parampara. People should understand that civilizations did not begin with them – rather, parampara drives continuity of civilization, resting on the shoulders of great epoch makers.
-If anyone claims to manufacture new truth, disregarding what is already stated in the scriptures, we should not believe such a person. Truth is handed down through parampara.
-3rd verse: “Today, I have taught you this Yoga, the supreme secret, because you are my devotee and friend, and fit for this instruction”
-Among the five Pandava brothers, Arjuna was chosen for the instruction. Even though he was confused and had internal conflicts, he had the ethical courage to implement what he was being taught.
-4th verse: Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to reconcile how he could have taught to Surya, when Surya was born many years ago, and Lord Krishna’s birth was much later.
-Arjuna’s confusion arises because he looked upon Lord Krishna only as a highly refined human being, not as an Avatara - born as Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Shankaracharya and Sri Ramakrishna.
-Avatara signifies descent of the Atman to human form. The Atman takes human form from time to time to protect and sustain the spiritual equilibrium of cosmic existence.
-When we do spiritual practices, we ascend from human towards divine. Avatara represents descent from divine to human.
-5th verse: “Both of us have had many births in the past. I know that, but you don’t. I know that I have a spiritual dimension, but you don’t know that”
-Atman is present in all of us. Avatara understands that a normal human being doesn’t understand this truth. Normal being identifies with body, mind and intellect, and forgets his own spiritual identity.
-With ascent through spiritual practices, a normal being realizes the divine truth. Avataras are aware of this when they are born. They may still do spiritual practices as a way to teach others.
-Avatara is like a mighty ship that can carry thousands of people across the ocean of samsara, and can go back and forth. Ordinary seekers are like a boat by comparison.
-Avatara’s life seems as if everything is pre-meditated. This is seen in the lives of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Shankaracharya, Jesus Christ and Buddha.
-Avatara, by his very nature, knows that He is eternally pure, immortal, omniscient, free from bondages and free from delusion.
-6th verse: “Though I am unborn, and beyond all changes – yet, without being subject...]]>3345contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/35-mystery-of-avatara-swami-tattwamayananda--26607996-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 1, 2020.
-6th verse: “Though I am unborn, and beyond all changes – yet, without being subject to the regulation of prakriti and the three gunas, keeping prakriti under control, I incarnate.”
-“I” does not refer to Lord Krishna as a limited human being. Rather it refers to the eternal dimension of His personality as Atman. As Atman, He is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death.
-Highly spiritually elevated men are called Satya-Sankalpa (सत्य-सङ्कल्प). They are capable of assuming any human form at their own divine will. They only appear to take the human form – actually, they are established in their true identity as Atman, and are beyond any human weakness.
-Avatara (incarnation) is endowed with three qualities. (1) As Atman, He is unborn (2) He is devoid of any changes (3) He is the lord of all beings - and present everywhere, in everything,
-Avatara is endowed with six Bhagas (great spiritual characteristics). (1) Great effulgence (2) Great prosperity (3) Great power (4) Great knowledge (5) Great renunciation and (6) Great reputation.
-Avatara emerge in all cultures. When we look beyond the diversity of language and culture, we find universality in their teachings and a cosmic unity. In their everyday life, activities, and teachings, there is always a visible transcendental connection.
-7th and 8th verses: “Whenever there is a decline of dharma (धर्म) and increase of adharma (अधर्म), then this incarnation takes place to preserve dharma (धर्म), to protect virtuous people, to remove their obstacles and to punish evil doers.”
-Ritam (ऋतम्) is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature. Satyam means truth – a person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices Satyam (सत्यम्). Dharma (धर्म) refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam (सत्यम्). For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma (धर्म).
-Avataras are epoch makers and different from ordinary saints and prodigies. They are not affected by prarabdha-karma (प्रारब्ध–कार्म) – karmas that are responsible for present life. They are born with inherent, highest spiritual realization. With time, their spiritual stature grows; their teachings become more relevant; they continue to inspire for thousands of years.
-9th verse: “He who knows My divine nature, My birthless dimension, will not be born again. He becomes a Brahma-jnani (ब्राह्म–ज्ञानि, knower of Brahman).
-Avatara is a synthesis of divine and human. His birth and actions are only relative, at the empirical plane. His true identity is divine only, as Atman. Human form comes and goes. The spiritual ideal represented by the Avatara is eternal – one who understands this mystery of impersonal behind the personal, attribute-less behind attributes, birthless behind birth, becomes a Brahma-jnani (ब्राह्म-ज्ञानि).
-When we pray to a deity, we should always invoke the infinite, transcendental reality represented by that deity and pray to Him. We should do so in every word and every minute of our meditation and prayer.
-10th verse: “Those seekers - who are free from attachment, fear and anger – who are always dependent on Me only – who become purified by Tapas(तपस्) – they reach the highest spiritual realization.”
-God is the only real friend, and worth depending upon. Every other object of dependence only leads to misery.
-In 12th chapter (Bhakti Yoga), Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He is never miserable, knows everything other than God is relative only, is always contented, and is always connected with the transcendental reality with his mind and senses under control.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/26607996Sat, 02 May 2020 06:10:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 1, 2020. -6th verse: “Though I am unborn, and beyond all changes – yet, without being subject to the regulation of prakriti and the three gunas, keeping...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 1, 2020.
-6th verse: “Though I am unborn, and beyond all changes – yet, without being subject to the regulation of prakriti and the three gunas, keeping prakriti under control, I incarnate.”
-“I” does not refer to Lord Krishna as a limited human being. Rather it refers to the eternal dimension of His personality as Atman. As Atman, He is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death.
-Highly spiritually elevated men are called Satya-Sankalpa (सत्य-सङ्कल्प). They are capable of assuming any human form at their own divine will. They only appear to take the human form – actually, they are established in their true identity as Atman, and are beyond any human weakness.
-Avatara (incarnation) is endowed with three qualities. (1) As Atman, He is unborn (2) He is devoid of any changes (3) He is the lord of all beings - and present everywhere, in everything,
-Avatara is endowed with six Bhagas (great spiritual characteristics). (1) Great effulgence (2) Great prosperity (3) Great power (4) Great knowledge (5) Great renunciation and (6) Great reputation.
-Avatara emerge in all cultures. When we look beyond the diversity of language and culture, we find universality in their teachings and a cosmic unity. In their everyday life, activities, and teachings, there is always a visible transcendental connection.
-7th and 8th verses: “Whenever there is a decline of dharma (धर्म) and increase of adharma (अधर्म), then this incarnation takes place to preserve dharma (धर्म), to protect virtuous people, to remove their obstacles and to punish evil doers.”
-Ritam (ऋतम्) is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature. Satyam means truth – a person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices Satyam (सत्यम्). Dharma (धर्म) refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam (सत्यम्). For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma (धर्म).
-Avataras are epoch makers and different from ordinary saints and prodigies. They are not affected by prarabdha-karma (प्रारब्ध–कार्म) – karmas that are responsible for present life. They are born with inherent, highest spiritual realization. With time, their spiritual stature grows; their teachings become more relevant; they continue to inspire for thousands of years.
-9th verse: “He who knows My divine nature, My birthless dimension, will not be born again. He becomes a Brahma-jnani (ब्राह्म–ज्ञानि, knower of Brahman).
-Avatara is a synthesis of divine and human. His birth and actions are only relative, at the empirical plane. His true identity is divine only, as Atman. Human form comes and goes. The spiritual ideal represented by the Avatara is eternal – one who understands this mystery of impersonal behind the personal, attribute-less behind attributes, birthless behind birth, becomes a Brahma-jnani (ब्राह्म-ज्ञानि).
-When we pray to a deity, we should always invoke the infinite, transcendental reality represented by that deity and pray to Him. We should do so in every word and every minute of our meditation and prayer.
-10th verse: “Those seekers - who are free from attachment, fear and anger – who are always dependent on Me only – who become purified by Tapas(तपस्) – they reach the highest spiritual realization.”
-God is the only real friend, and worth depending upon. Every other object of dependence only leads to misery.
-In 12th chapter (Bhakti Yoga), Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He is never miserable, knows everything other than God is relative only, is always contented, and is always connected with the transcendental reality with his mind and senses under control.]]>3464contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/36-truth-is-one-paths-are-many-swami-tattwamayananda--27129096-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 8, 2020.
-11th verse: “In whatever ways people worship Me, I fulfil their aspirations. Everyone follows My path, and approach Me from different angles”.
-First statement on interfaith harmony comes from Rigveda Samhita: “Truth is one, sages call it by various names”
-As one evolves spiritually, he passes through the following stages: (1) Rituals (2) Theology (3) Philosophy (4) Mysticism (5) Experience. Shankaracharya emphasizes experience as the natural culmination of spiritual practices. Then we see God everywhere and everything in God.
-People climb a hilltop from different trails. When they reach the top, they realize that all trails lead to the same destination. Similarly, when we reach the experience level, we become universal in our outlook. We see that beyond all social, cultural and linguistic differences - lies the same spiritual truth.
-Shiva Mahimna Stotra states: “The goal towards which you are traveling is one. The paths could be different. Those who reach the highest spiritual truth, see the whole creation as one spiritual family – they cannot harm or hate anyone, as they see everyone as non-different from themselves”.
-12th verse: “People looking for success and immediate results pursue ritualistic worship of different gods. This reflects the stage of their spiritual evolution, as people follow the path that is suitable for their own aspirations”.
-There are four levels of spiritual seekers: (1) Those who are in distress and seek God’s help (2) Those who pray for material comforts (3) Those who are inquisitive to know what lies beyond empirical comforts (4) Those who have realized the highest spiritual truth.
-13th verse: “God created the four-fold system in society based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas) and their actions (karmas).” This verse is often mis-interpreted and should be properly understood. This system was not hereditary – rather it is based on the spiritual evolution and mental constitution of each person, so each one can progress by following his Swadharma. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness.
-The four groups for conduct of duties are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra. The groups should not be seen as higher or lower. Rather, it is a system to analyze people based on character types, so each person can determine their swadharma.
-The three gunas determine how we interact. These gunas are: (1) Sattva guna: tendency to be spiritually inclined and be naturally meditative (2) Rajo guna: tendency to be dynamic and active (3) Tamo guna: tendency to be lazy and avoid pursuit of higher knowledge.
-Chaturvarnya system is not hereditary. Mahabharata has several examples of saints who were not born as Brahmanas, but lived as Brahmanas. One example is of Vyadha, who was born to a meat seller, but was an illumined person (Brahmana), and followed his swadharma of selling meat.
-Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna, and who demonstrate the characteristics of sama and dama. Sama is the ability to be naturally contemplative on divine presence. Dama is the ability to withdraw senses of perception and action and keep them focused on higher spiritual ideal.
-Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary. He is dynamic and works hard to acquire power, wealth and success.
-Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary. He is interested in trade and agriculture.
-Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary. He is interested in serving others.
-The system described in 13th verse is a profound analysis of human types found in all cultures and civilizations. In course of time, it suffered from prejudices. Every century, great men emerged to articulate its true meaning.
-Buddha explains in Dhammapada the meaning of Brahmana: “Who struggles hard to free himself from desires, who has realized the supreme truth and his real nature, and who is devoid of any wrong thoughts - him I call Brahmana”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/27129096Sat, 09 May 2020 05:12:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 8, 2020. -11th verse: “In whatever ways people worship Me, I fulfil their aspirations. Everyone follows My path, and approach Me from different angles”. -First...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 8, 2020.
-11th verse: “In whatever ways people worship Me, I fulfil their aspirations. Everyone follows My path, and approach Me from different angles”.
-First statement on interfaith harmony comes from Rigveda Samhita: “Truth is one, sages call it by various names”
-As one evolves spiritually, he passes through the following stages: (1) Rituals (2) Theology (3) Philosophy (4) Mysticism (5) Experience. Shankaracharya emphasizes experience as the natural culmination of spiritual practices. Then we see God everywhere and everything in God.
-People climb a hilltop from different trails. When they reach the top, they realize that all trails lead to the same destination. Similarly, when we reach the experience level, we become universal in our outlook. We see that beyond all social, cultural and linguistic differences - lies the same spiritual truth.
-Shiva Mahimna Stotra states: “The goal towards which you are traveling is one. The paths could be different. Those who reach the highest spiritual truth, see the whole creation as one spiritual family – they cannot harm or hate anyone, as they see everyone as non-different from themselves”.
-12th verse: “People looking for success and immediate results pursue ritualistic worship of different gods. This reflects the stage of their spiritual evolution, as people follow the path that is suitable for their own aspirations”.
-There are four levels of spiritual seekers: (1) Those who are in distress and seek God’s help (2) Those who pray for material comforts (3) Those who are inquisitive to know what lies beyond empirical comforts (4) Those who have realized the highest spiritual truth.
-13th verse: “God created the four-fold system in society based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas) and their actions (karmas).” This verse is often mis-interpreted and should be properly understood. This system was not hereditary – rather it is based on the spiritual evolution and mental constitution of each person, so each one can progress by following his Swadharma. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness.
-The four groups for conduct of duties are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra. The groups should not be seen as higher or lower. Rather, it is a system to analyze people based on character types, so each person can determine their swadharma.
-The three gunas determine how we interact. These gunas are: (1) Sattva guna: tendency to be spiritually inclined and be naturally meditative (2) Rajo guna: tendency to be dynamic and active (3) Tamo guna: tendency to be lazy and avoid pursuit of higher knowledge.
-Chaturvarnya system is not hereditary. Mahabharata has several examples of saints who were not born as Brahmanas, but lived as Brahmanas. One example is of Vyadha, who was born to a meat seller, but was an illumined person (Brahmana), and followed his swadharma of selling meat.
-Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna, and who demonstrate the characteristics of sama and dama. Sama is the ability to be naturally contemplative on divine presence. Dama is the ability to withdraw senses of perception and action and keep them focused on higher spiritual ideal.
-Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary. He is dynamic and works hard to acquire power, wealth and success.
-Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary. He is interested in trade and agriculture.
-Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary. He is interested in serving others.
-The system described in 13th verse is a profound analysis of human types found in all...]]>3263contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/37-nature-of-karma-swami-tattwamayananda--27510717-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 15, 2020.
-Karma is any kind of activity – physical, thoughts or words we speak. Gita approaches karma with a broad meaning to help one progress spiritually, as opposed to interpretation of karma as Vedic rituals for secular prosperity.
-Karma has both psychological and philosophical significance. Psychological - every action leaves a residual effect that influences our character. Philosophical – one should perform duties as an end in itself, without looking for tangible benefits.
-Path of karma is difficult to comprehend. Two approaches can be followed for conduct of karmas. (1) Whatever we do, do as Swadharma, without any selfish motive. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. (2) Whatever we do, do as an offering to God.
-14th verse: “Actions do not stain Me, and I have no desire for the fruits of My actions. Those who know this, will not be enslaved by their actions.” “Me” in this verse refers to Atman.
-We cannot do anything without it affecting our character. At the same time, we cannot monitor all actions. The way out is to do every action without selfish motive, as Swadharma, as Yajna. This yogic approach helps one remain unbound even while doing unpleasant actions.
-2nd chapter, 48th verse: “Do your duty being established in Yoga - linking your mind to Atman. Then you can remain in a state of equilibrium and do even unpleasant duties with a smile, without any feeling of effort.
-2nd chapter, 50th verse: Through Yoga and detachment, work becomes effective, and liberates one from bondage (2nd chapter, 50th verse: Through Yoga and detachment, work becomes effective, and liberates one from bondage (yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam). It enables one to enjoy their success.). It enables one to enjoy their success.
-Isha Upanishad says: “Enjoy the world through the medium of renunciation. Do your duties as offering to God. Then you get inner contentment (chitta-prasada).”
-15th verse: “In ancient times, great spiritual seekers attained the highest spiritual enlightenment using this approach of karma-yoga. The efficacy of this path has already been demonstrated by them – you just need to follow this path”.
-If one remains idle or runs away from challenging situations, one commits spiritual suicide. One should always keep trying to do the right thing – this will keep one away from the risk of doing the wrong thing, because the mind cannot stay quiet even for a moment.
-When one feels conflict, one should not mistake it to be a sign of confusion. Conflict is rooted in higher sensitivity and spiritual evolution. Healthy conflict should assure us that we are on the right track.
-16th verse: “Even the wise are confused on what is the nature of action and inaction and what is wrong action.”
-Duryodhana said: “I know what is the right thing to do, but I cannot do that. I know what is the wrong thing to do, but I cannot resist from doing it”.
-17th verse: “The nature of karma is difficult to comprehend. One should understand the true nature of action, that is sanctioned in scriptures.” One way to decide the right action is to determine what a great spiritual personality had done or would do in a similar situation.
-18th verse: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.
-If one identifies himself with Atman – beyond the body, mind, and intellect – then any amount of activity will not make him exhausted – his body and mind may get tired but he is not tired. He can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/27510717Sat, 16 May 2020 06:19:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 2nd chapter: verses 48, 50 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 15, 2020. -Karma is any kind of activity – physical, thoughts or words we speak. Gita approaches karma with a broad meaning to...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 15, 2020.
-Karma is any kind of activity – physical, thoughts or words we speak. Gita approaches karma with a broad meaning to help one progress spiritually, as opposed to interpretation of karma as Vedic rituals for secular prosperity.
-Karma has both psychological and philosophical significance. Psychological - every action leaves a residual effect that influences our character. Philosophical – one should perform duties as an end in itself, without looking for tangible benefits.
-Path of karma is difficult to comprehend. Two approaches can be followed for conduct of karmas. (1) Whatever we do, do as Swadharma, without any selfish motive. Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. (2) Whatever we do, do as an offering to God.
-14th verse: “Actions do not stain Me, and I have no desire for the fruits of My actions. Those who know this, will not be enslaved by their actions.” “Me” in this verse refers to Atman.
-We cannot do anything without it affecting our character. At the same time, we cannot monitor all actions. The way out is to do every action without selfish motive, as Swadharma, as Yajna. This yogic approach helps one remain unbound even while doing unpleasant actions.
-2nd chapter, 48th verse: “Do your duty being established in Yoga - linking your mind to Atman. Then you can remain in a state of equilibrium and do even unpleasant duties with a smile, without any feeling of effort.
-2nd chapter, 50th verse: Through Yoga and detachment, work becomes effective, and liberates one from bondage (2nd chapter, 50th verse: Through Yoga and detachment, work becomes effective, and liberates one from bondage (yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam). It enables one to enjoy their success.). It enables one to enjoy their success.
-Isha Upanishad says: “Enjoy the world through the medium of renunciation. Do your duties as offering to God. Then you get inner contentment (chitta-prasada).”
-15th verse: “In ancient times, great spiritual seekers attained the highest spiritual enlightenment using this approach of karma-yoga. The efficacy of this path has already been demonstrated by them – you just need to follow this path”.
-If one remains idle or runs away from challenging situations, one commits spiritual suicide. One should always keep trying to do the right thing – this will keep one away from the risk of doing the wrong thing, because the mind cannot stay quiet even for a moment.
-When one feels conflict, one should not mistake it to be a sign of confusion. Conflict is rooted in higher sensitivity and spiritual evolution. Healthy conflict should assure us that we are on the right track.
-16th verse: “Even the wise are confused on what is the nature of action and inaction and what is wrong action.”
-Duryodhana said: “I know what is the right thing to do, but I cannot do that. I know what is the wrong thing to do, but I cannot resist from doing it”.
-17th verse: “The nature of karma is difficult to comprehend. One should understand the true nature of action, that is sanctioned in scriptures.” One way to decide the right action is to determine what a great spiritual personality had done or would do in a similar situation.
-18th verse: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.
-If one identifies himself with Atman – beyond the body, mind, and intellect – then any amount of activity will not make him exhausted – his body and mind may get tired but he is not tired. He can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.]]>3489contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/38-going-beyond-action-and-inaction-swami-tattwamayananda--28166349-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 22, 2020.
-18th verse: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.
-This verse provides a brief picture of Vedanta-Sadhana – how to practice Vedanta in daily life through non-attachment while doing duties and responsibilities, and thereby enjoy a state of equilibrium.
-When we perform actions but feel anxiety, it is because we interpret ourselves as the physical body. Non-attachment means we identify ourselves as Atman - beyond the body, mind, and intellect – then any amount of activity will not make us exhausted. We think “My body is working, I am not working. I am Atman”
-If one identifies himself with Atman, he can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.
-When moving in a boat, we feel as if trees on the riverside are moving in the opposite direction, even though we know they are stationary. Similarly, all actions and inactions take place at empirical level, when we identify with the physical body. When we identify ourselves as Atman, there is no action or inaction, as Atman is not in need of engaging in any activity – it is beyond the concepts of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship.
-What does action in inaction mean? Inaction in Gita implies withdrawal from action. There is no action for Atman, so there is nothing to withdraw from. One cannot withdraw from action, unless there is action.
-Our actions are not perfect and do not always produce the desired outcome. We should perform actions to the best of our ability but remain non-attached. Then actions do not bind us, and we can stay free of worries.
-One should always keep trying to do the right thing – this will keep him away from the risk of doing the wrong thing, because the mind cannot stay quiet even for a moment.
-Offering all actions to God is not easy for an early spiritual seeker. As he evolves, he develops an awareness that prevents him from dedicating wrong actions to God, thereby preventing him from doing the wrong actions.
-The secret of success of great spiritual personalities – Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus Christ, Vivekananda – is that they worked at super-human levels, but remained non-attached, established in their true identity as Atman.
-Swami Vivekananda said: The world is a gym for us to work out our karmas, climb the ladder of spiritual life, and transcend action and inaction.
-19th verse: “Those spiritual seekers, whose undertakings are devoid of selfish motives and desires, they are the wise. Their actions do not bind them. Such wise people are called Pandita”.
-One whose mind is withdrawn from the empirical world, who is free from kama (desires) and sankalpa (doer-ship), whose desires are burnt by the Jnana-agni (fire of spiritual illumination), who understand the transitory nature of empirical world, who is established in Brahman as the only reality, whose mind is always oriented towards higher spiritual ideas, who is free from worries and fears – such a person is called Pandita.
-Verses 20, 21, 22: These verses provide the psychology of inner contentment. We should do all duties with full enthusiasm, but have the spiritual awareness that success is not permanent. State of total relaxation comes when we perform our actions, but we feel that we have not done anything.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/28166349Sat, 23 May 2020 00:49:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 22, 2020. -18th verse: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 22, 2020.
-18th verse: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.
-This verse provides a brief picture of Vedanta-Sadhana – how to practice Vedanta in daily life through non-attachment while doing duties and responsibilities, and thereby enjoy a state of equilibrium.
-When we perform actions but feel anxiety, it is because we interpret ourselves as the physical body. Non-attachment means we identify ourselves as Atman - beyond the body, mind, and intellect – then any amount of activity will not make us exhausted. We think “My body is working, I am not working. I am Atman”
-If one identifies himself with Atman, he can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.
-When moving in a boat, we feel as if trees on the riverside are moving in the opposite direction, even though we know they are stationary. Similarly, all actions and inactions take place at empirical level, when we identify with the physical body. When we identify ourselves as Atman, there is no action or inaction, as Atman is not in need of engaging in any activity – it is beyond the concepts of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship.
-What does action in inaction mean? Inaction in Gita implies withdrawal from action. There is no action for Atman, so there is nothing to withdraw from. One cannot withdraw from action, unless there is action.
-Our actions are not perfect and do not always produce the desired outcome. We should perform actions to the best of our ability but remain non-attached. Then actions do not bind us, and we can stay free of worries.
-One should always keep trying to do the right thing – this will keep him away from the risk of doing the wrong thing, because the mind cannot stay quiet even for a moment.
-Offering all actions to God is not easy for an early spiritual seeker. As he evolves, he develops an awareness that prevents him from dedicating wrong actions to God, thereby preventing him from doing the wrong actions.
-The secret of success of great spiritual personalities – Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus Christ, Vivekananda – is that they worked at super-human levels, but remained non-attached, established in their true identity as Atman.
-Swami Vivekananda said: The world is a gym for us to work out our karmas, climb the ladder of spiritual life, and transcend action and inaction.
-19th verse: “Those spiritual seekers, whose undertakings are devoid of selfish motives and desires, they are the wise. Their actions do not bind them. Such wise people are called Pandita”.
-One whose mind is withdrawn from the empirical world, who is free from kama (desires) and sankalpa (doer-ship), whose desires are burnt by the Jnana-agni (fire of spiritual illumination), who understand the transitory nature of empirical world, who is established in Brahman as the only reality, whose mind is always oriented towards higher spiritual ideas, who is free from worries and fears – such a person is called Pandita.
-Verses 20, 21, 22: These verses provide the psychology of inner contentment. We should do all duties with full enthusiasm, but have the spiritual awareness that success is not permanent. State of total relaxation comes when we perform our actions, but we feel that we have not done anything.]]>3379contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/39-characteristics-of-a-karma-yogi-swami-tattwamayananda--28710957The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 29, 2020.
-A karma-yogi is free from kama (desires) and sankalpa (mental worry about results). He is also free from the sense of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He may have a high spiritual ideal as goal, he may work with total efficiency, but he works non-attached. His body and mind are always under control, and he is not affected by the success or failure of his actions.
-Karma Yoga helps us work with a sense of total relaxation. It allows us to work with more focus and concentration, and thereby achieve better results. Work done as karma-yoga, purifies our chittam, and takes us a step forward in fulfilling our spiritual goal of lasting inner contentment.
-For a karma-yogi, work becomes play, and work becomes an experience of relaxation. To achieve this state, one has to give up desires. One should start by first developing higher, noble desires – it helps open up the spiritual path. Once desires are promoted, in the next stage, one can go beyond desires.
-A karma-yogi is always working, but always contented. A lazy man who claims contentment is a hypocrite. Epoch makers - Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus Christ, Vivekananda – were always active and worked for the good of others.
-22nd verse: “Such a karma-yogi is always content with whatever comes to him; he is unaffected by pain/pleasure, good/bad, misery/joy, profit/loss; he is free from envy; he is unperturbed in success or failure; he is always active, but free from bondage.”
-Shankaracharya discusses the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person in second chapter. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.
-One should read scriptures that provide a picture of such enlightened Yogis, and their characteristics. Then one should try to develop the same qualities.
-The real test of spiritual values happens in secular contexts. How we interact with people who do not share our ideas, how we handle success and failure in secular contexts – these are real tests of our spiritual values. Equanimity of mind during ups and downs in secular contexts, is proof that we are spiritual.
-For a jeevan-mukta (liberated), samatvam (equanimity of mind) is natural and automatic. We can practice samatvam, by doing everything with enthusiasm, mentally offering it to God, and then forgetting about it. Then we get total relaxation and contentment.
-A karma-yogi, after reaching highest state, won’t have any external transformation. However, his whole life will be different, and he will be free from kama, sankalpa, and mental vrittis.
-There is no obligation for a spiritually illumined soul to work, as he is not bound by a sense of duty. He works only for the good of others, and he has no desires of his own. If he decides to live an introspective life, that is also his own choice. One of his important characteristics is total freedom.
-Gita presents Yajna as a higher approach to work. Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world and material prosperity (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-23rd verse: Who is liberated and whose mind is immersed in Brahman, whatever he does, it is Yajna. It doesn’t bind him – rather it shatters away the chain of bondage.”
-Selfish actions bind us to the world. Unselfish actions, done as Yajna, break the chain of bondage. Everyone can practice Yajna, by doing their actions for the good others, and by surrendering the results of all actions to God. When actions are performed as Yajna, we feel harmony within and with external nature.
-24th verse: This verse illustrates the attitude of someone who has reached the highest stage of spiritual evolution. To him, everything is Brahman, his whole life is spiritualized, and his every action is sanctified. In the context of eating food, he thinks – the act of offering, what we offer, who offers, into what it is offered, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.
-Ancient mantra chanted at time of sannyasa: “Now onwards, every word is a mantra, every movement is a circumambulation around the deity, every thought a meditation, and the whole life is an offering to God”
-This attitude of highest spiritual seeker is similar to concept of highest devotee of God in Bhagavad Purana. The highest devotee is one who sees God in everything and everything in God.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/28710957Fri, 29 May 2020 18:58:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 29, 2020. -A karma-yogi is free from kama (desires) and sankalpa (mental worry about results). He is also free from the sense of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship....The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 29, 2020.
-A karma-yogi is free from kama (desires) and sankalpa (mental worry about results). He is also free from the sense of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship. He may have a high spiritual ideal as goal, he may work with total efficiency, but he works non-attached. His body and mind are always under control, and he is not affected by the success or failure of his actions.
-Karma Yoga helps us work with a sense of total relaxation. It allows us to work with more focus and concentration, and thereby achieve better results. Work done as karma-yoga, purifies our chittam, and takes us a step forward in fulfilling our spiritual goal of lasting inner contentment.
-For a karma-yogi, work becomes play, and work becomes an experience of relaxation. To achieve this state, one has to give up desires. One should start by first developing higher, noble desires – it helps open up the spiritual path. Once desires are promoted, in the next stage, one can go beyond desires.
-A karma-yogi is always working, but always contented. A lazy man who claims contentment is a hypocrite. Epoch makers - Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Jesus Christ, Vivekananda – were always active and worked for the good of others.
-22nd verse: “Such a karma-yogi is always content with whatever comes to him; he is unaffected by pain/pleasure, good/bad, misery/joy, profit/loss; he is free from envy; he is unperturbed in success or failure; he is always active, but free from bondage.”
-Shankaracharya discusses the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person in second chapter. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.
-One should read scriptures that provide a picture of such enlightened Yogis, and their characteristics. Then one should try to develop the same qualities.
-The real test of spiritual values happens in secular contexts. How we interact with people who do not share our ideas, how we handle success and failure in secular contexts – these are real tests of our spiritual values. Equanimity of mind during ups and downs in secular contexts, is proof that we are spiritual.
-For a jeevan-mukta (liberated), samatvam (equanimity of mind) is natural and automatic. We can practice samatvam, by doing everything with enthusiasm, mentally offering it to God, and then forgetting about it. Then we get total relaxation and contentment.
-A karma-yogi, after reaching highest state, won’t have any external transformation. However, his whole life will be different, and he will be free from kama, sankalpa, and mental vrittis.
-There is no obligation for a spiritually illumined soul to work, as he is not bound by a sense of duty. He works only for the good of others, and he has no desires of his own. If he decides to live an introspective life, that is also his own choice. One of his important characteristics is total freedom.
-Gita presents Yajna as a higher approach to work. Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world and material prosperity (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-23rd verse: Who is liberated and whose mind is immersed in Brahman, whatever he does, it is Yajna. It doesn’t bind him – rather it shatters away the chain of bondage.”
-Selfish actions bind us to the world. Unselfish actions, done as Yajna, break the chain of bondage. Everyone can practice Yajna, by doing their actions for the good others, and by surrendering the results of all actions to God. When actions are performed as Yajna, we feel harmony within and with external nature.
-24th verse: This verse illustrates the attitude of...]]>3518contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/40-spiritualizing-the-secular-swami-tattwamayananda--29723413-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 5, 2020.
-The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be spiritualized – how we can stop seeing the distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Verse 24 is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food. It emphasizes that everything is, spiritually, one. This truth can be realized by associating all actions with the Divine.
-With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.” Our purpose, our actions, the tools that we use, the mantras that we chant, the Agni (fire) – all are expressions of the same supreme reality. This is natural for the person with highest realization – to him, every act is equally spiritual; there is no distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Similar verse is in Bhagavata Purana. It says: “Whatever we do with body, mind, senses of perception, senses of action – dedicate it as an offering to God”
-Actions that we do deliberately, and our instinctive tendencies and thoughts – all can be given a spiritual orientation, by attaching a sense of sanctity of sacredness, by being free from selfish motives, and by offering them to God. We can start this spiritual journey at any time.
-These secular activities then become many ways for us to progress towards our spiritual destination, while at the same time, allowing us to serve for the good of the world. Then, we feel inner harmony and contentment.
-Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.
-A beginner sees secular and spiritual activities as separate. A more evolved seeker does his secular activities as spiritual. For an even more advanced seeker, the line of demarcation between the two disappears. For the seeker at the highest level of realization, whatever he does is spiritual, including activities such as eating food and interacting with others.
-A great devotee looks upon inconveniences also as friends, as they remind him of the higher spiritual reality and the limitations of this world.
-Verses 25-29 describe different types of sacrifices. Some perform sacrifices to the devas (gods); some sacrifice in the fire of Brahman; some sacrifice all activities at sensory level; some sacrifice the functions of all the organs and pranas; some sacrifice through penance and others through Yoga; some sacrifice through reading of scriptures.
-All these sacrifices can be given a spiritual dimension by performing them as Yajna. The attitude with which the sacrifice is performed makes all the difference. Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world and material prosperity (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-All of our daily activities – even the minutest one – can be done as Yajna. The act of cooking food, eating, digesting – all can be done as Yajna. By thus spiritualizing the secular, we get Chitta-prasada (inner contentment).
-This attitude can be extended to human relations and also to external nature. Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/29723413Fri, 05 Jun 2020 22:24:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 5, 2020. -The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 5, 2020.
-The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be spiritualized – how we can stop seeing the distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Verse 24 is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food. It emphasizes that everything is, spiritually, one. This truth can be realized by associating all actions with the Divine.
-With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.” Our purpose, our actions, the tools that we use, the mantras that we chant, the Agni (fire) – all are expressions of the same supreme reality. This is natural for the person with highest realization – to him, every act is equally spiritual; there is no distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Similar verse is in Bhagavata Purana. It says: “Whatever we do with body, mind, senses of perception, senses of action – dedicate it as an offering to God”
-Actions that we do deliberately, and our instinctive tendencies and thoughts – all can be given a spiritual orientation, by attaching a sense of sanctity of sacredness, by being free from selfish motives, and by offering them to God. We can start this spiritual journey at any time.
-These secular activities then become many ways for us to progress towards our spiritual destination, while at the same time, allowing us to serve for the good of the world. Then, we feel inner harmony and contentment.
-Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.
-A beginner sees secular and spiritual activities as separate. A more evolved seeker does his secular activities as spiritual. For an even more advanced seeker, the line of demarcation between the two disappears. For the seeker at the highest level of realization, whatever he does is spiritual, including activities such as eating food and interacting with others.
-A great devotee looks upon inconveniences also as friends, as they remind him of the higher spiritual reality and the limitations of this world.
-Verses 25-29 describe different types of sacrifices. Some perform sacrifices to the devas (gods); some sacrifice in the fire of Brahman; some sacrifice all activities at sensory level; some sacrifice the functions of all the organs and pranas; some sacrifice through penance and others through Yoga; some sacrifice through reading of scriptures.
-All these sacrifices can be given a spiritual dimension by performing them as Yajna. The attitude with which the sacrifice is performed makes all the difference. Yajna has two meanings: (1) Vedic rituals for harmony and peace of the world and material prosperity (2) Any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Gita discusses Yajna in its broader sense of noble activity, which becomes a royal highway for spiritual prosperity.
-All of our daily activities – even the minutest one – can be done as Yajna. The act of cooking food, eating, digesting – all can be done as Yajna. By thus spiritualizing the secular, we get Chitta-prasada (inner contentment).
-This attitude can be extended to human relations and also to external nature. Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.]]>3354contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/41-living-life-as-yajna-swami-tattwamayananda--30681513-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 12, 2020.
-Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God.
-Yajna as a Vedic ritual involves lighting a fire, chanting mantras, offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods).
-Verse 27: Atma Samyama Yoga refers to bringing self-restraint to the senses of perception, senses of action and the mind, and giving them a higher spiritual orientation. It is an inner yajna, where the yajna fire is kindled through spiritual wisdom that there is divinity in the entire creation, in every activity and thought. We offer all our actions, thoughts, deeds into this yajna fire.
-Atma Samyama Yoga enables us to spiritualize our whole life. Every act, thought, deed is performed as Yajna. Every secular activity becomes spiritualized. We can live in tune with the entire creation, as we are convinced of the divinity in everything.
-Yajna is based on the idea that we cannot live in disharmony with nature and expect harmony within. With Atma Samyama Yoga, we connect with the inherent harmony with nature. Harmony outside brings harmony within.
-With Atma Samyama Yoga, great qualities such as - non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from stealing, moderation, non-possessiveness – naturally come to us.
-28th verse: There are others who sacrifice material things (dravya yajna), who meditate and undertake vows (tapo yajna), who sacrifice through yoga (yoga yajna), and who read scriptures and realize their ideas (jnana yajna). These are all different ways of practicing Yajna.
-First step in practicing Yajna is to develop a higher spiritual ideal in our life, and think beyond immediate, tangible benefits. By practicing yajna, one finds harmony and peace everywhere.
-An ancient verse describes the prayer of a woodcutter to the birds who live on trees, to illustrate harmony with nature. “I am going to cut this tree. I pray to you to move to another tree. I am depriving you of your habitation and for that I seek your mercy”.
-Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-Another Vedic verse describes the morning prayer of sages: “Let the earth remain in its perfect purity, let the streams and rivers be filled with pure water, let Agni remain in its perfect purity”. Their morning prayer was for the good of creation, and to bring auspiciousness and prosperity to the whole world.
-29th verse: Some perform yajna by controlling their breath (pranayama). Pranayama is helpful in bringing balance to the mind, but it should only be practiced after being grounded in Yamas and Niyamas.
-30th and 31st verse: There are others who practice restraint in eating food. Whatever we do, if we do it as Yajna, without selfish motives – then our whole life becomes spiritualized.
-32nd verse: Through all these karmas done as Yajna, you proceed one step closer towards the realization of the divine within you. All actions done with selfish motives bind us to the world. All actions done as Yajna takes us to moksha (liberation).
-33rd verse: All actions eventually lead to knowledge. A devotee who is grounded in the knowledge that everything is Brahman – he is not easily influenced by external circumstances. However, a devotee who is a beginner or follower of Bhakti, needs to be careful about what he eats and who he associates with.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/30681513Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:10:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 12, 2020. -Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 12, 2020.
-Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God.
-Yajna as a Vedic ritual involves lighting a fire, chanting mantras, offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods).
-Verse 27: Atma Samyama Yoga refers to bringing self-restraint to the senses of perception, senses of action and the mind, and giving them a higher spiritual orientation. It is an inner yajna, where the yajna fire is kindled through spiritual wisdom that there is divinity in the entire creation, in every activity and thought. We offer all our actions, thoughts, deeds into this yajna fire.
-Atma Samyama Yoga enables us to spiritualize our whole life. Every act, thought, deed is performed as Yajna. Every secular activity becomes spiritualized. We can live in tune with the entire creation, as we are convinced of the divinity in everything.
-Yajna is based on the idea that we cannot live in disharmony with nature and expect harmony within. With Atma Samyama Yoga, we connect with the inherent harmony with nature. Harmony outside brings harmony within.
-With Atma Samyama Yoga, great qualities such as - non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from stealing, moderation, non-possessiveness – naturally come to us.
-28th verse: There are others who sacrifice material things (dravya yajna), who meditate and undertake vows (tapo yajna), who sacrifice through yoga (yoga yajna), and who read scriptures and realize their ideas (jnana yajna). These are all different ways of practicing Yajna.
-First step in practicing Yajna is to develop a higher spiritual ideal in our life, and think beyond immediate, tangible benefits. By practicing yajna, one finds harmony and peace everywhere.
-An ancient verse describes the prayer of a woodcutter to the birds who live on trees, to illustrate harmony with nature. “I am going to cut this tree. I pray to you to move to another tree. I am depriving you of your habitation and for that I seek your mercy”.
-Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-Another Vedic verse describes the morning prayer of sages: “Let the earth remain in its perfect purity, let the streams and rivers be filled with pure water, let Agni remain in its perfect purity”. Their morning prayer was for the good of creation, and to bring auspiciousness and prosperity to the whole world.
-29th verse: Some perform yajna by controlling their breath (pranayama). Pranayama is helpful in bringing balance to the mind, but it should only be practiced after being grounded in Yamas and Niyamas.
-30th and 31st verse: There are others who practice restraint in eating food. Whatever we do, if we do it as Yajna, without selfish motives – then our whole life becomes spiritualized.
-32nd verse: Through all these karmas done as Yajna, you proceed one step closer towards the realization of the divine within you. All actions done with selfish motives bind us to the world. All actions done as Yajna takes us to moksha (liberation).
-33rd verse: All actions eventually lead to knowledge. A devotee who is grounded in the knowledge that everything is Brahman – he is not easily influenced by external circumstances. However, a devotee who is a beginner or follower of Bhakti, needs to be careful about what he eats and who he associates with.]]>3363contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/42-characteristics-of-an-ideal-spiritual-seeker-swami-tattwamayananda--32334314-18th chapter: verses 64, 67, 72, 73
-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020.
-34th verse: “A seeker of spiritual wisdom should approach a wise teacher with humility, do service to him and ask him questions with all sincerity and shraddha. Then the teacher will instruct him with true spiritual knowledge.”
-In terms of inquiry, there are two types of seekers. (1) Those who are humble, straightforward and inquisitive. Once they are convinced of the truth, they become champions of that truth. Swami Vivekananda was such a seeker. (2) Those who ask questions without any seriousness. They pretend to be convinced, but they keep asking the same questions again.
-When we have reverence towards the teacher, and a pure thirst for knowledge, our dedication to the subject is intensified. This leads to natural tendency for further inquiry. This characteristic is demonstrated even in the secular world by great scientists.
-There is famous verse in Vedanta that summarizes the concept of Guru-shishya parampara, long succession of teachers and students: “I bow down to those great masters, succession of great teachers, who expounded Vedantic ideas, and thanks to whose efforts, I am able to study the same ideas today.”
-18th chapter, 67th verse: “Do not teach this spiritual wisdom to those who have no austerity, no devotion, no self-restraint, no humility to do service, and who after listening will belittle you or the wisdom you are imparting”
-Unless we are mentally ready with the right attitude, spiritual instructions will not provide real benefits. Our innate tendencies, from past samskaras, can create a mental block.
-Listening to great ideas is beneficial only if we approach with humility and purity. If a glass is empty and we pour pure milk in it, we get a glass full of pure milk. If the glass already has some dirty water, and we pour pure milk in it, we won’t even drink the resultant mixture. Humility and purity allow us to act like the empty glass and receive the full benefits of instructions.
-An ideal seeker of truth should have the following characteristics: (1) Pure intelligence, which is not cluttered by worldly objects, and which is dedicated to the pursuit of a higher ideal; he should be able to read or listen to ideas and grasp their true meaning (2) Ability to accept what is good for him, and reject what is undesirable.
-Sister Nivedita was an example of an ideal student. The combination of her purity/sincerity and Swamiji’s greatness as a teacher led to her complete transformation.
-35th verse: “Once you get this spiritual wisdom from a wise teacher, you will not be deluded again. By that wisdom, you will experience the spiritual unity of the whole creation”
-18th chapter, 64th verse: “You have listened to Me and My instructions. Now I will teach you the most profound truth of all.”
-18th chapter, 72nd verse: Lord Krishna asks Arjuna after imparting all spiritual instructions. “Have you listened to me carefully, did you follow my instructions, did you understand what I said, are you now free from your delusions and doubts?”
-18th chapter, 73rd verse: Arjuna answers: “Now my delusion is gone. I am totally free from conflicts. I have got back my memory and feel spiritually awakened. I am fully settled in mind and will act according to your instructions”
-36th verse: “If you approach your teacher with this attitude and reach your spiritual goal, then that spiritual knowledge becomes a boat with which you can cross the ocean of worldly life. Even if you have an undesirable past, your dedication will open up your mind, and help you imbibe the teachings completely.”
-37th verse: “As a blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, similarly, the fire of knowledge reduces all karmas into ashes.”
-When sage Suka went to see king Janaka, and entered his city and court, he saw everything made of sugar. This means that sage Suka experienced the unity of the whole creation, seeing God in everything, and everything in God.
-To achieve the highest state of realization, such as that achieved by sage Suka, one needs to practice the following four spiritual disciplines. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam, or desire for liberation.
-An ancient verse says: “It is better to be like an ant that always moves, even though slowly, and covers a long distance, than to be a fast-moving bird that does not make any effort to move at all”.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/32334314Sat, 20 Jun 2020 00:33:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 34, 35, 36, 37 -18th chapter: verses 64, 67, 72, 73 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020. -34th verse: “A seeker of spiritual wisdom should approach a wise teacher with humility, do service to him and...-18th chapter: verses 64, 67, 72, 73
-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020.
-34th verse: “A seeker of spiritual wisdom should approach a wise teacher with humility, do service to him and ask him questions with all sincerity and shraddha. Then the teacher will instruct him with true spiritual knowledge.”
-In terms of inquiry, there are two types of seekers. (1) Those who are humble, straightforward and inquisitive. Once they are convinced of the truth, they become champions of that truth. Swami Vivekananda was such a seeker. (2) Those who ask questions without any seriousness. They pretend to be convinced, but they keep asking the same questions again.
-When we have reverence towards the teacher, and a pure thirst for knowledge, our dedication to the subject is intensified. This leads to natural tendency for further inquiry. This characteristic is demonstrated even in the secular world by great scientists.
-There is famous verse in Vedanta that summarizes the concept of Guru-shishya parampara, long succession of teachers and students: “I bow down to those great masters, succession of great teachers, who expounded Vedantic ideas, and thanks to whose efforts, I am able to study the same ideas today.”
-18th chapter, 67th verse: “Do not teach this spiritual wisdom to those who have no austerity, no devotion, no self-restraint, no humility to do service, and who after listening will belittle you or the wisdom you are imparting”
-Unless we are mentally ready with the right attitude, spiritual instructions will not provide real benefits. Our innate tendencies, from past samskaras, can create a mental block.
-Listening to great ideas is beneficial only if we approach with humility and purity. If a glass is empty and we pour pure milk in it, we get a glass full of pure milk. If the glass already has some dirty water, and we pour pure milk in it, we won’t even drink the resultant mixture. Humility and purity allow us to act like the empty glass and receive the full benefits of instructions.
-An ideal seeker of truth should have the following characteristics: (1) Pure intelligence, which is not cluttered by worldly objects, and which is dedicated to the pursuit of a higher ideal; he should be able to read or listen to ideas and grasp their true meaning (2) Ability to accept what is good for him, and reject what is undesirable.
-Sister Nivedita was an example of an ideal student. The combination of her purity/sincerity and Swamiji’s greatness as a teacher led to her complete transformation.
-35th verse: “Once you get this spiritual wisdom from a wise teacher, you will not be deluded again. By that wisdom, you will experience the spiritual unity of the whole creation”
-18th chapter, 64th verse: “You have listened to Me and My instructions. Now I will teach you the most profound truth of all.”
-18th chapter, 72nd verse: Lord Krishna asks Arjuna after imparting all spiritual instructions. “Have you listened to me carefully, did you follow my instructions, did you understand what I said, are you now free from your delusions and doubts?”
-18th chapter, 73rd verse: Arjuna answers: “Now my delusion is gone. I am totally free from conflicts. I have got back my memory and feel spiritually awakened. I am fully settled in mind and will act according to your instructions”
-36th verse: “If you approach your teacher with this attitude and reach your spiritual goal, then that spiritual knowledge becomes a boat with which you can cross the ocean of worldly life. Even if you have an undesirable past, your dedication will open up your mind, and help you imbibe the teachings completely.”
-37th verse: “As a blazing fire reduces wood into ashes, similarly, the fire of knowledge reduces all karmas into ashes.”
-When sage Suka went to see king Janaka, and entered his city and court, he saw everything made of...]]>3781contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/43-jnanam-the-ultimate-purifier-swami-tattwamayananda--34163538-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020.
-Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman, that our true nature is not the body, mind or intellect, which go through changes, and are of a fleeting nature. 36th, 37th and 38th verse use three approaches to illustrate this Jnanam: (1) A boat (2) A fire (3) The ultimate purifier.
-36th verse compares this Jnanam to a boat, which takes us across the ocean of Samsara (संसार). Even if we have an undesirable past, this Jnanam will purify our thoughts and actions, and we begin to do everything as Swadharma (स्वधर्म), with complete concentration and detachment. Actions no longer have any negative consequences on us.
-Samsara (संसार) refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes, that prompts us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life.
-We develop this Jnanam by practicing seven spiritual disciplines: (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nididhyasana.
-By pursuing these disciplines, at some point, we become aware of our true nature, that we are the Atman. This spiritual awareness (Jnanam), then acts as a boat to cross the ocean of Samsara. We can then watch our own life as a witness, unaffected by it.
-37th verse compares this Jnanam to the fire of knowledge – Jnana Agni - that reduces all karmas (actions) to ashes. The symbolism of fire is taken from vedic sacrifices – whatever was offered to the fire during these sacrifices, was reduced to ashes.
-Actions are inevitable, because we cannot be quiet even for a split moment. At the same time, actions have the problem of unpredictability – sometimes they produce desirable results, sometimes they don’t.
-Once we develop this Jnanam – that actions take place at empirical level, that our true nature is Atman – then consequences of actions will not have an effect on us. They will be destroyed, reduced to ashes. We then develop a transcendental perspective, an inner poise and equanimity of mind. We look at happiness and unhappiness as two sides of the same coin.
-38th verse refers to this Jnanam as the ultimate purifier – it removes the curtain of ignorance that hides our reality from us. We are bound to reach this spiritual awareness, once we are perfected in Yoga.
-We do not attain our true nature due to spiritual practices. Spiritual practices just remove the veil that hides the reality from ourselves. Our true nature, as Atman, cannot be the effect of anything.
-Patanjali states that all spiritual efforts are made to remove the obstacles that hide our reality from us. Just as one removes earth to dig a canal and bring water to irrigate a field - similarly, spiritual practices remove our mis-understanding - that we are the body, mind or intellect - and reveal our true nature to us.
-With this spiritual awareness - that we are the infinite, pure consciousness - we feel inner contentment, which is real, transcendental happiness. Empirical happiness is just the temporary absence of unhappiness.
-Karma Yoga is the royal highway that takes us to this Jnanam. One can start on this royal highway at any moment, by doing everything as Swadharma, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-39th verse: “A person who has shraddha(श्रद्धा), who is devoted with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, who has succeeded in controlling his senses – he attains this Jnanam. Once he has attained this Jnanam, he attains supreme peace.
-40th verse: The ignorant, who has no shraddha (श्रद्धा), who is always doubtful and skeptical – he is spiritually doomed and headed towards his own destruction.” (The next class will discuss how to confront this negative tendency.)
-Skepticism can be of two types. (1) Creative skepticism, driven by a true thirst for knowledge. Seekers with creative skepticism, once they are convinced of the truth, they become champions of that truth. Swami Vivekananda was such as seeker. (2) Negative skepticism – seekers who ask questions without any seriousness. Their mind is closed, they don’t derive any benefits from answers to their questions, and they keep asking the same questions again and again.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/34163538Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:44:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 36, 37, 38, 39 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020. -Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman, that our true nature is not the body, mind or intellect, which go through...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 19, 2020.
-Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman, that our true nature is not the body, mind or intellect, which go through changes, and are of a fleeting nature. 36th, 37th and 38th verse use three approaches to illustrate this Jnanam: (1) A boat (2) A fire (3) The ultimate purifier.
-36th verse compares this Jnanam to a boat, which takes us across the ocean of Samsara (संसार). Even if we have an undesirable past, this Jnanam will purify our thoughts and actions, and we begin to do everything as Swadharma (स्वधर्म), with complete concentration and detachment. Actions no longer have any negative consequences on us.
-Samsara (संसार) refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes, that prompts us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life.
-We develop this Jnanam by practicing seven spiritual disciplines: (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nididhyasana.
-By pursuing these disciplines, at some point, we become aware of our true nature, that we are the Atman. This spiritual awareness (Jnanam), then acts as a boat to cross the ocean of Samsara. We can then watch our own life as a witness, unaffected by it.
-37th verse compares this Jnanam to the fire of knowledge – Jnana Agni - that reduces all karmas (actions) to ashes. The symbolism of fire is taken from vedic sacrifices – whatever was offered to the fire during these sacrifices, was reduced to ashes.
-Actions are inevitable, because we cannot be quiet even for a split moment. At the same time, actions have the problem of unpredictability – sometimes they produce desirable results, sometimes they don’t.
-Once we develop this Jnanam – that actions take place at empirical level, that our true nature is Atman – then consequences of actions will not have an effect on us. They will be destroyed, reduced to ashes. We then develop a transcendental perspective, an inner poise and equanimity of mind. We look at happiness and unhappiness as two sides of the same coin.
-38th verse refers to this Jnanam as the ultimate purifier – it removes the curtain of ignorance that hides our reality from us. We are bound to reach this spiritual awareness, once we are perfected in Yoga.
-We do not attain our true nature due to spiritual practices. Spiritual practices just remove the veil that hides the reality from ourselves. Our true nature, as Atman, cannot be the effect of anything.
-Patanjali states that all spiritual efforts are made to remove the obstacles that hide our reality from us. Just as one removes earth to dig a canal and bring water to irrigate a field - similarly, spiritual practices remove our mis-understanding - that we are the body, mind or intellect - and reveal our true nature to us.
-With this spiritual awareness - that we are the infinite, pure consciousness - we feel inner contentment, which is real, transcendental happiness. Empirical happiness is just the temporary absence of unhappiness.
-Karma Yoga is the royal highway that takes us to this Jnanam. One can start on this royal highway at any moment, by doing everything as Swadharma, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-39th verse: “A person who has shraddha(श्रद्धा), who is devoted with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, who has succeeded in controlling his senses – he attains this Jnanam. Once he has attained this Jnanam, he attains supreme peace.
-40th verse: The ignorant, who has no shraddha (श्रद्धा), who is always doubtful and skeptical – he is spiritually doomed and headed towards...]]>3398contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/44-conquering-doubt-with-shraddha-and-jnanam-swami-tattwamayananda--36150717-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 3, 2020.
-Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness, sincerity, integrity and honesty. When all these attitudes are combined, it is referred to as shraddha (श्रद्धा).
-Patanjali refers to the following obstacles in the 30th verse of Yoga Sutras. Doubt is one of them. “Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration – these distractions are the obstacles to knowledge.”
-Doubt can be of two types. (1) Creative doubt, which is coupled with shraddha (श्रद्धा), and demonstrates a true thirst for knowledge. Buddha, Swami Vivekananda and Shankaracharya had creative doubts. (2) Negative doubt – seekers who ask questions without any shraddha (श्रद्धा). Their mind is closed, they don’t derive any benefits from answers to their questions, and they keep asking the same questions again and again.
-40th verse gives a stern warning referring to those who do not know how to practice constructive doubt: “An ignorant person, who has no shraddha(श्रद्धा), who is always doubtful and skeptical – he is spiritually doomed and headed towards his own destruction.”
-Negative doubts can be due to past samskaras. It can have the most crippling effect on one’s personality, as it causes one’s attention and energy to be dissipated.
-Doubts(संशय) are natural for a sincere spiritual seeker. Doubts and conflicts don’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Those who are absolutely foolish and live in enjoyment of their ignorance (2) Those who are highly evolved and live in an unshakeable state of inner bliss.
-After some spiritual practice, doubts arise for sincere spiritual seekers. Those who are struggling against the natural flow of the senses will feel these conflicts because they are going against the current. They should remind themselves of the risks of being doubtful and turn their mind to something sublime.
-Buddha conquered his doubts with strong determination. As described in Lalitavistara, he sat under a tree with the following vow: “Let this body dry up; let the skin, bones and flesh of the body fall apart; but I will not leave this seat until I attain that supreme knowledge.”
-Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman, that our true nature is not the body, mind or intellect, which go through changes. When doubt is combined with shraddha(श्रद्धा), we develop this Jnanam, which (1) becomes a boat to take us across the ocean of samsara (2) becomes a fire that reduces our karmas to ashes (3) becomes the ultimate purifier that removes the curtain of ignorance.
-41st verse: “Actions will not bind us when we are established in our true identity, when we perform actions with a sense of renunciation, and when our doubts are destroyed with shraddha(श्रद्धा) and Jnanam. We are then able to do our duty efficiently without being bound.”
-We feel we are bound when we identify ourselves with the body, mind and the empirical world. Bondages are washed away with the conviction that the world is not permanent, that our life is changeable, and that Atman is the only permanent reality. Then we can look at ups and downs in the empirical world with a sense of equanimity.
-The story of Nachiketa’s great shraddha(श्रद्धा) and his three boons from Kathopanishad represent the creative value of doubt in spiritual evolution. Proper questions are needed to evolve further. The three boons that Nachiketa asks are: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then describes life as a journey for highest spiritual enlightenment.
-An ideal seeker of truth should have the following characteristics as described in verse 16 of Vivekachudamani: (1) Pure intelligence (मेधावी), which is not cluttered by worldly objects, and which is dedicated to the pursuit of higher ideal; he should be able to read or listen to ideas and grasp their true meaning (2) Ability to accept what is good for him, and reject what is undesirable. (उहापोहविचक्षणः)
-42nd verse: “Therefore, you should cut this constant doubt with the sword of Jnanam and shraddha. Then you will be established in Yoga and have the right spiritual attitude.”
-Combination of Karma and Jnanam helps us conquer the confusion in our mind. Be established in Jnanam – that you are the Atman – and do all karmas as service to God. This combination allows us to spiritualize all secular activities - renuncation and service together.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/36150717Fri, 03 Jul 2020 07:09:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-4th chapter: verses 40, 41, 42 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 3, 2020. -Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness, sincerity, integrity and honesty. When all these attitudes are combined, it is referred to as...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 3, 2020.
-Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness, sincerity, integrity and honesty. When all these attitudes are combined, it is referred to as shraddha (श्रद्धा).
-Patanjali refers to the following obstacles in the 30th verse of Yoga Sutras. Doubt is one of them. “Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration – these distractions are the obstacles to knowledge.”
-Doubt can be of two types. (1) Creative doubt, which is coupled with shraddha (श्रद्धा), and demonstrates a true thirst for knowledge. Buddha, Swami Vivekananda and Shankaracharya had creative doubts. (2) Negative doubt – seekers who ask questions without any shraddha (श्रद्धा). Their mind is closed, they don’t derive any benefits from answers to their questions, and they keep asking the same questions again and again.
-40th verse gives a stern warning referring to those who do not know how to practice constructive doubt: “An ignorant person, who has no shraddha(श्रद्धा), who is always doubtful and skeptical – he is spiritually doomed and headed towards his own destruction.”
-Negative doubts can be due to past samskaras. It can have the most crippling effect on one’s personality, as it causes one’s attention and energy to be dissipated.
-Doubts(संशय) are natural for a sincere spiritual seeker. Doubts and conflicts don’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Those who are absolutely foolish and live in enjoyment of their ignorance (2) Those who are highly evolved and live in an unshakeable state of inner bliss.
-After some spiritual practice, doubts arise for sincere spiritual seekers. Those who are struggling against the natural flow of the senses will feel these conflicts because they are going against the current. They should remind themselves of the risks of being doubtful and turn their mind to something sublime.
-Buddha conquered his doubts with strong determination. As described in Lalitavistara, he sat under a tree with the following vow: “Let this body dry up; let the skin, bones and flesh of the body fall apart; but I will not leave this seat until I attain that supreme knowledge.”
-Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman, that our true nature is not the body, mind or intellect, which go through changes. When doubt is combined with shraddha(श्रद्धा), we develop this Jnanam, which (1) becomes a boat to take us across the ocean of samsara (2) becomes a fire that reduces our karmas to ashes (3) becomes the ultimate purifier that removes the curtain of ignorance.
-41st verse: “Actions will not bind us when we are established in our true identity, when we perform actions with a sense of renunciation, and when our doubts are destroyed with shraddha(श्रद्धा) and Jnanam. We are then able to do our duty efficiently without being bound.”
-We feel we are bound when we identify ourselves with the body, mind and the empirical world. Bondages are washed away with the conviction that the world is not permanent, that our life is changeable, and that Atman is the only permanent reality. Then we can look at ups and downs in the empirical world with a sense of equanimity.
-The story of Nachiketa’s great shraddha(श्रद्धा) and his three boons from Kathopanishad represent the creative value of doubt in spiritual evolution. Proper questions are needed to evolve further. The three boons that Nachiketa asks are: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then describes life as a journey for highest spiritual enlightenment.
-An ideal seeker of truth should have the following characteristics as described in verse 16 of Vivekachudamani: (1) Pure intelligence (मेधावी),...]]>3226contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/45-arjuna-s-confusion-on-paths-of-action-and-renunciation-swami-tattwamayananda--38677512-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 10, 2020.
-In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. He says: “Engage in selfless actions, without attachment to results. Perform every action as Yajna, as an offering to God and for the good of others.”
-In the 4th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and the ideal of renunciation to Arjuna. He says: “Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman. It is the royal path to spiritual enlightenment. Renouncing all actions, focus on this Jnanam, which (1) becomes a boat to take us across the ocean of samsara (2) becomes a fire that reduces our karmas to ashes (3) becomes the ultimate purifier that removes the curtain of ignorance.
-This creates confusion in Arjuna’s mind. In the 1st verse of 5th chapter, Arjuna asks Lord Krishna: “You are recommending the renunciation of action, but you also taught me the path of action. Tell me which path is better for me.”
-Arjuna’s confusion represents his level of readiness to understand the teachings of Lord Krishna. If we go to an ocean of pure water with a jar, we can bring back a jar of pure water. However, if we go to the same ocean with a spoon, we can only bring back a spoon of pure water. Similarly, when listening to the instructions of the same teacher, different students reach different levels of understanding depending on the readiness of their mind.
-Lord Krishna answers Arjuna’s confusion in the 2nd verse. “Both renunciation of action, and the path of selfless action are valid means for liberation. Of these, the path of selfless action is superior.”
-Arjuna’s confusion shows that he did not properly understand the spiritual psychology of karma-yoga. A person who is lazy due to Tamo-guna should first learn to be active. A person who is already active due to Rajo-guna should practice karma-yoga. He should combine his activities with spiritual values such as detachment to results and look upon all results with equanimity of mind. Karma-yoga will take him to the next stage of Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity), which leads to Jnana-prapti (knowledge of Brahman), which leads to Moksha (liberation).
-No one can physically and mentally remain inactive. Anyone who artificially remains inactive and claims to be in contemplation is a hypocrite. Those who are spiritually evolved are also active – the difference is in their attitude, as they are not attached to the results.
-Indian spiritual tradition discusses two types of temperaments in individuals. (1) Pravritti – those who practice action. Majority of people belong to this category. (2) Nivritti – those who choose to live a contemplative life. They are among the minority. While both temperaments are important, those who practice Nivritti, have given eternal values to humanity.
-The path of “renunciation of action” is for those who are spiritually evolved, such as Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Trigunatitananda. They are still active but renounce their ego and the results of their actions.
-Those who are not ready to renounce their ego or the results of their actions, should focus on doing their duty than being lazy. For example, householders should first focus on their duties towards their family. Slowly, then can begin to renounce their ego and take on selfless activities that are good for humanity.
-Karma-yoga helps us to reach the level of spiritual fitness, so that one day we can practice renunciation in the true sense of the word.
-Great householders can also practice renunciation, not just monks. An ancient verse in Hitopadesa says: “If one goes to a forest hermitage but has worldly desires, he is not truly leading a spiritual life. On the other hand, those who live in the world attending to their daily duties, but mentally renounce their desires – such a person’s home becomes a hermitage.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/38677512Fri, 10 Jul 2020 23:09:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 1, 2 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 10, 2020. -In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. He says: “Engage in selfless actions, without attachment to results. Perform every...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 10, 2020.
-In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. He says: “Engage in selfless actions, without attachment to results. Perform every action as Yajna, as an offering to God and for the good of others.”
-In the 4th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and the ideal of renunciation to Arjuna. He says: “Jnanam is the spiritual awareness of our true nature, that we are Atman. It is the royal path to spiritual enlightenment. Renouncing all actions, focus on this Jnanam, which (1) becomes a boat to take us across the ocean of samsara (2) becomes a fire that reduces our karmas to ashes (3) becomes the ultimate purifier that removes the curtain of ignorance.
-This creates confusion in Arjuna’s mind. In the 1st verse of 5th chapter, Arjuna asks Lord Krishna: “You are recommending the renunciation of action, but you also taught me the path of action. Tell me which path is better for me.”
-Arjuna’s confusion represents his level of readiness to understand the teachings of Lord Krishna. If we go to an ocean of pure water with a jar, we can bring back a jar of pure water. However, if we go to the same ocean with a spoon, we can only bring back a spoon of pure water. Similarly, when listening to the instructions of the same teacher, different students reach different levels of understanding depending on the readiness of their mind.
-Lord Krishna answers Arjuna’s confusion in the 2nd verse. “Both renunciation of action, and the path of selfless action are valid means for liberation. Of these, the path of selfless action is superior.”
-Arjuna’s confusion shows that he did not properly understand the spiritual psychology of karma-yoga. A person who is lazy due to Tamo-guna should first learn to be active. A person who is already active due to Rajo-guna should practice karma-yoga. He should combine his activities with spiritual values such as detachment to results and look upon all results with equanimity of mind. Karma-yoga will take him to the next stage of Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity), which leads to Jnana-prapti (knowledge of Brahman), which leads to Moksha (liberation).
-No one can physically and mentally remain inactive. Anyone who artificially remains inactive and claims to be in contemplation is a hypocrite. Those who are spiritually evolved are also active – the difference is in their attitude, as they are not attached to the results.
-Indian spiritual tradition discusses two types of temperaments in individuals. (1) Pravritti – those who practice action. Majority of people belong to this category. (2) Nivritti – those who choose to live a contemplative life. They are among the minority. While both temperaments are important, those who practice Nivritti, have given eternal values to humanity.
-The path of “renunciation of action” is for those who are spiritually evolved, such as Buddha, Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Trigunatitananda. They are still active but renounce their ego and the results of their actions.
-Those who are not ready to renounce their ego or the results of their actions, should focus on doing their duty than being lazy. For example, householders should first focus on their duties towards their family. Slowly, then can begin to renounce their ego and take on selfless activities that are good for humanity.
-Karma-yoga helps us to reach the level of spiritual fitness, so that one day we can practice renunciation in the true sense of the word.
-Great householders can also practice renunciation, not just monks. An ancient verse in Hitopadesa says: “If one goes to a forest hermitage but has worldly desires, he is not truly leading a spiritual life. On the other hand, those who live in the world attending to their daily duties, but mentally renounce their desires – such a person’s home...]]>3877contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/46-combining-action-and-renunciation-swami-tattwamayananda--39983824-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 24, 2020.
-1st verse: In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. In the 4th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and the ideal of renunciation to Arjuna. This creates confusion in Arjuna’s mind. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna: “You are recommending the renunciation of action, but you also taught me the path of action. Tell me which path is better for me.”
-2nd verse: Lord Krishna answers Arjuna’s confusion in the 2nd verse. “Both renunciation of action, and the path of selfless action are valid means for liberation. Of these, the path of selfless action is superior.”
-There is no such thing as total withdrawal from action. Even for a split second we cannot remain inactive. Best way is to engage in actions as karma-yoga. As we evolve, we reach a point where we can give up the desire for the results of actions and we give up our lower ego. We never give up actions.
-Combining action and renunciation gives us the advantages of both, while avoiding their disadvantages. When we do our actions while renouncing the obsessive attachment to results, we can continue to do our duties/obligations without being anxious of unpleasant results.
-When we are free of selfish desires and obsessive attachment to results, we can dedicate our entire energy on the task at hand, with mental freedom, free from kama and krodha. This ultimately yields better results, and this gives us a feeling of real joy.
-Arjuna’s confusion represents his level of readiness to understand the teachings of Lord Krishna. If we go to an ocean of pure water with a jar, we can bring back a jar of pure water. However, if we go to the same ocean with a spoon, we can only bring back a spoon of pure water. Similarly, as we evolve, we find deeper meaning in spiritual statements.
-3rd verse: “He is the real man of renunciation, who neither likes nor dislikes, who has neither obsessive attachment nor aversion, who is totally free from pairs of opposites – such a person is totally free from all bondages.”
-In the spiritual psychology of renunciation, there are five levels of evolution. (1) At the first level, one does activities that are instinctive, such as walking, eating and drinking. (2) At the second level, one takes up higher activities such as fasting and praying. (3) At the third level, one performs various types of fire sacrifices for achievement of heaven (4) At the fourth level, one gives up the performance of rituals and lives the life of a mendicant (5) At the highest level, a nitya-sannyasi renounces all selfish desire and dedicates himself for the good of others.
-A nitya-sannyasi practices the combination of action and renunciation every day, every minute. He is actively engaged in actions for the good of humanity, while practicing renunciation. He is on the way to the highest spiritual realization (Brahma-Sakshatkara [ब्रह्म-साक्षात्कार]).
-4th verse: “Only those who are not aware of the true nature of action and the true nature of renunciation, will argue that the two paths are different and in conflict with each other. The truth is that the person who practices one path will gain the fruits of the other path as well.”
-Great men and women of renunciation – Buddha, Jesus Christ, Lord Krishna – were also the greatest men of action. A sthitaprajna or nitya-sannyasi, as described in Gita, is all the time renouncing and also all the time working.
-5th verse: “The spiritual destination reached by men of knowledge can also be reached by practitioners of karma-yoga. Both paths take us to the same goal.”
-When people of active temperament begin to do their actions as karma-yoga, their mind begins to evolve. They begin to feel inner contentment. In course of time, they learn that there is a Divine Reality present everywhere and everything is a manifestation of that Reality.
-If one goes to a forest hermitage but has worldly desires, he is not truly practicing penance. On the other hand, one who is active in the world doing his duties as a karma-yogi, with shraddha and without attachment – he is the real practitioner of penance. One’s own home is a spiritual hermitage, if one is a man of action and renunciation.
-6th verse: “Renunciation of action is very difficult for those who have not already gone through the path of karma-yoga. One has to practice karma-yoga to be able to renounce later.”
-When we perform our actions as karma-yoga, we feel inner tranquility. Mind then becomes ready for the stage of renunciation, where we can sublimate our ego, and where all attachments, obsessions and selfish desires disappear.
-Mahatma Gandhi practiced Anasakti-Yoga. He led a life of action, but he was not attached to results. When we are non-attached and work for the good of humanity, our duty is no longer a burden. At the same time, it helps us grow spiritually.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/39983824Sat, 25 Jul 2020 01:31:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 24, 2020. -1st verse: In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. In the 4th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 24, 2020.
-1st verse: In the 3rd chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Karma-Yoga to Arjuna. In the 4th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and the ideal of renunciation to Arjuna. This creates confusion in Arjuna’s mind. Arjuna asks Lord Krishna: “You are recommending the renunciation of action, but you also taught me the path of action. Tell me which path is better for me.”
-2nd verse: Lord Krishna answers Arjuna’s confusion in the 2nd verse. “Both renunciation of action, and the path of selfless action are valid means for liberation. Of these, the path of selfless action is superior.”
-There is no such thing as total withdrawal from action. Even for a split second we cannot remain inactive. Best way is to engage in actions as karma-yoga. As we evolve, we reach a point where we can give up the desire for the results of actions and we give up our lower ego. We never give up actions.
-Combining action and renunciation gives us the advantages of both, while avoiding their disadvantages. When we do our actions while renouncing the obsessive attachment to results, we can continue to do our duties/obligations without being anxious of unpleasant results.
-When we are free of selfish desires and obsessive attachment to results, we can dedicate our entire energy on the task at hand, with mental freedom, free from kama and krodha. This ultimately yields better results, and this gives us a feeling of real joy.
-Arjuna’s confusion represents his level of readiness to understand the teachings of Lord Krishna. If we go to an ocean of pure water with a jar, we can bring back a jar of pure water. However, if we go to the same ocean with a spoon, we can only bring back a spoon of pure water. Similarly, as we evolve, we find deeper meaning in spiritual statements.
-3rd verse: “He is the real man of renunciation, who neither likes nor dislikes, who has neither obsessive attachment nor aversion, who is totally free from pairs of opposites – such a person is totally free from all bondages.”
-In the spiritual psychology of renunciation, there are five levels of evolution. (1) At the first level, one does activities that are instinctive, such as walking, eating and drinking. (2) At the second level, one takes up higher activities such as fasting and praying. (3) At the third level, one performs various types of fire sacrifices for achievement of heaven (4) At the fourth level, one gives up the performance of rituals and lives the life of a mendicant (5) At the highest level, a nitya-sannyasi renounces all selfish desire and dedicates himself for the good of others.
-A nitya-sannyasi practices the combination of action and renunciation every day, every minute. He is actively engaged in actions for the good of humanity, while practicing renunciation. He is on the way to the highest spiritual realization (Brahma-Sakshatkara [ब्रह्म-साक्षात्कार]).
-4th verse: “Only those who are not aware of the true nature of action and the true nature of renunciation, will argue that the two paths are different and in conflict with each other. The truth is that the person who practices one path will gain the fruits of the other path as well.”
-Great men and women of renunciation – Buddha, Jesus Christ, Lord Krishna – were also the greatest men of action. A sthitaprajna or nitya-sannyasi, as described in Gita, is all the time renouncing and also all the time working.
-5th verse: “The spiritual destination reached by men of knowledge can also be reached by practitioners of karma-yoga. Both paths take us to the same goal.”
-When people of active temperament begin to do their actions as karma-yoga, their mind begins to evolve. They begin to feel inner contentment. In course of time, they learn that there is a Divine Reality present everywhere and everything is a manifestation of that...]]>3505contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/47-several-spiritual-paths-one-goal-swami-tattwamayananda--40098214-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 31, 2020.
-5th verse: “The spiritual destination reached by men of Jnanam (knowledge) can also be reached by practitioners of karma-yoga. Both paths take us to the same goal.”
-A person who is lazy should first learn to be active. At the next stage, he can do his duties with a sense of surrender, offering his actions and results to God. This is called Karma-Yoga. Karma-yoga will take him to the next stage of Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity), which leads to Jnana-prapti (knowledge of Brahman), which leads to Moksha (liberation).
-A person who follows Jnanam is a karma-yogi of the highest order, practicing renunciation of his actions and results, and offering them to God. It stems from his awareness that there is a Divine Reality present everywhere, and everything is a manifestation of that Reality.
-The royal path of spiritual evolution is always in front of us. We can continue to do our normal duties, but we can start doing them with freedom from selfishness and greed. Then our normal responsibilities become a path for us to progress spiritually.
-6th verse: “Renunciation of action is very difficult for those who have not already gone through the path of karma-yoga. One has to practice karma-yoga to be able to renounce later.”
-Karma-yoga purifies the mind and helps the person reach a stage where he can practice renunciation. A person who wants to be a monk cannot continue in the life of renunciation, unless his mind is previously trained and purified with karma-yoga. Real renunciation is nothing but giving up ahamkara (false ego) and kama (desires).
-7th verse: “A person whose mind is purified by selfless devotion to his duties, whose ego is sublimated, whose senses are under control – such a person realizes the highest spiritual truth. He realizes that his own Self is present in everything.”
-A person whose mind becomes pure and whose ego gets refined, he becomes broad minded and tolerant. He experiences spiritual unity (Sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma), seeing everyone in his own Self and his own Self in others.
-The path of Bhakti (devotion) is another way of reaching the same spiritual destination. In this path, one practices complete self-surrender to God, thinking of Him in every action and every moment, and with complete faith that God will protect Him.
-For the highest devotee of God, there are no injunctions for or against, and he goes beyond do’s and don’ts. Whatever he does is for the good of others. He sees himself in everyone and everyone in himself.
-8th & 9th verse: The knower of truth (Tattwa-vit), centered in Atman, thinks that his senses are moving among sense objects, but he is not involved. He thinks thus even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening/closing the eyelids.”
-This state of non-involvement is a natural state for a highly evolved mystic. It is not something that a beginner should pretend to have reached. A beginner should direct his senses to creative channels and associate with holy company. The final state comes unasked – one does not choose it. The highest renunciation comes naturally to us in our spiritual evolution.
-10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They are like a lotus leaf that lives in water, but never gets wet”.
-When we perform selfish actions, attached to the results, we are enslaved – worried about the results. The path to freedom is to work with full enthusiasm but without obsessive attachment to results of our actions.
-If we work like a servant of God, then we can work as if we are the master. If we work thinking that the work is ours, then we end up working as slaves/servants. A loyal servant who works for a good master, works with total freedom – he knows that the master is worrying about the results of his undertakings.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40098214Fri, 31 Jul 2020 18:14:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 31, 2020. -5th verse: “The spiritual destination reached by men of Jnanam (knowledge) can also be reached by practitioners of karma-yoga. Both paths take us...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on July 31, 2020.
-5th verse: “The spiritual destination reached by men of Jnanam (knowledge) can also be reached by practitioners of karma-yoga. Both paths take us to the same goal.”
-A person who is lazy should first learn to be active. At the next stage, he can do his duties with a sense of surrender, offering his actions and results to God. This is called Karma-Yoga. Karma-yoga will take him to the next stage of Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity), which leads to Jnana-prapti (knowledge of Brahman), which leads to Moksha (liberation).
-A person who follows Jnanam is a karma-yogi of the highest order, practicing renunciation of his actions and results, and offering them to God. It stems from his awareness that there is a Divine Reality present everywhere, and everything is a manifestation of that Reality.
-The royal path of spiritual evolution is always in front of us. We can continue to do our normal duties, but we can start doing them with freedom from selfishness and greed. Then our normal responsibilities become a path for us to progress spiritually.
-6th verse: “Renunciation of action is very difficult for those who have not already gone through the path of karma-yoga. One has to practice karma-yoga to be able to renounce later.”
-Karma-yoga purifies the mind and helps the person reach a stage where he can practice renunciation. A person who wants to be a monk cannot continue in the life of renunciation, unless his mind is previously trained and purified with karma-yoga. Real renunciation is nothing but giving up ahamkara (false ego) and kama (desires).
-7th verse: “A person whose mind is purified by selfless devotion to his duties, whose ego is sublimated, whose senses are under control – such a person realizes the highest spiritual truth. He realizes that his own Self is present in everything.”
-A person whose mind becomes pure and whose ego gets refined, he becomes broad minded and tolerant. He experiences spiritual unity (Sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma), seeing everyone in his own Self and his own Self in others.
-The path of Bhakti (devotion) is another way of reaching the same spiritual destination. In this path, one practices complete self-surrender to God, thinking of Him in every action and every moment, and with complete faith that God will protect Him.
-For the highest devotee of God, there are no injunctions for or against, and he goes beyond do’s and don’ts. Whatever he does is for the good of others. He sees himself in everyone and everyone in himself.
-8th & 9th verse: The knower of truth (Tattwa-vit), centered in Atman, thinks that his senses are moving among sense objects, but he is not involved. He thinks thus even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening/closing the eyelids.”
-This state of non-involvement is a natural state for a highly evolved mystic. It is not something that a beginner should pretend to have reached. A beginner should direct his senses to creative channels and associate with holy company. The final state comes unasked – one does not choose it. The highest renunciation comes naturally to us in our spiritual evolution.
-10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They are like a lotus leaf that lives in water, but never gets wet”.
-When we perform selfish actions, attached to the results, we are enslaved – worried about the results. The path to freedom is to work with full enthusiasm but without obsessive attachment to results of our actions.
-If we work like a servant of God, then we can work as if we are the master. If we work thinking that the work is ours, then we end up working as slaves/servants. A loyal servant who works for a good master, works...]]>3600contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/48-the-spiritual-psychology-of-non-attachment-swami-tattwamayananda--40354558-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 14, 2020.
-10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They are like a lotus leaf that lives in water, but never gets wet”.
-The ability to detach oneself from the results of actions is one of the most important characteristics of Yoga. When established in Yoga, one does his actions with great efficiency, but mentally remains detached, thereby remaining stress free.
-When we perform actions with obsessive attachment to results, we are enslaved – worried about the results. The path to freedom is to work with full enthusiasm but without obsessive attachment to results of our actions.
-Yuktah is a person who is established in the Yoga ideal. Whatever he does, becomes an offering to the sacrificial fire of Brahman. All his activities get a spiritual direction – even seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening/closing the eyelids.
-11th verse: “A spiritual seeker evolving towards the highest state performs actions with his body, mind, intellect and sense – but remains unaffected, as he practices the spiritual tool of non-attachment in every micro-moment, in every thought, word and deed.”
-The psychological meaning of non-attachment can be understood by contrasting a Yogi with an adventurer. Both work with great tenacity. However, if results fall short of 100%, the Yogi continues to smile, while the adventurer may feel shattered. Non-attachment does not mean indifference to action.
-We feel fatigued when we associate ourselves with the body and mind. Our true nature is Atman. The more we associate with Atman, the farther away we go from the body and mind identity. Then we can watch our body and mind doing the work, without feeling fatigued.
-Nitya-mukta is a person who is ever-free, never bound by any entanglements, and always established in his true nature as Atman. For him there is no origination or termination of bondage, he is never bound, and he does not need to struggle for liberation.
-12th verse: “Those who are established in Yoga (Yuktah), mentally give up obsessive attachment to results of their actions, and attain the highest peace. Those who do not practice Yoga, are swayed by their desires, remain attached to the results of their actions, and get bound.
-Peace described here refers to natural, effortless, perpetual peace. It is not the temporary presence or absence of happiness and unhappiness.
-Rajarshi is one who combines kingly and saintly qualities. He works with full enthusiasm and efficiency like a king, but he remains totally free from attachment.
-13th verse: “The person who has control over his senses, resides in the body of nine gates, established in his true identity as Atman. He looks upon himself distinct from the body, and not involved in any action”.
-Vashi is a person who has succeeded in controlling his senses. He can direct his mind in one direction, rather than letting it be dragged in five directions by the five senses. Whatever he does, he can do with 100% attention.
-The body is compared to a city with nine gates where the Atman resides. The nine gates are: Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, and two in the lower part of the body.
-From Mundaka Upanishad: “The Lord creates this world like a spider. It emits a substance from its body, builds a net, stays there and then withdraws the net into itself. Similarly, the Lord creates this world using Himself as the material and efficient cause. Then He withdraws it within Himself.”
-Jivatma resides within the body, but remains distinct from it, and independent. When the body decays, jivatma accepts another body.
-One cannot practice non-attachment so long as he looks upon himself as the body. The first step to spiritual evolution is to have a belief that there is a transcendental, divine spark that presides over the body and that is distinct from it.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40354558Fri, 14 Aug 2020 21:17:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco- 5th chapter: verses 10, 11, 12, 13 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 14, 2020. -10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 14, 2020.
-10th verse: “Those who do their actions without attachment, offering their actions and results to God – they are not affected by anything. They are like a lotus leaf that lives in water, but never gets wet”.
-The ability to detach oneself from the results of actions is one of the most important characteristics of Yoga. When established in Yoga, one does his actions with great efficiency, but mentally remains detached, thereby remaining stress free.
-When we perform actions with obsessive attachment to results, we are enslaved – worried about the results. The path to freedom is to work with full enthusiasm but without obsessive attachment to results of our actions.
-Yuktah is a person who is established in the Yoga ideal. Whatever he does, becomes an offering to the sacrificial fire of Brahman. All his activities get a spiritual direction – even seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, excreting, grasping, and opening/closing the eyelids.
-11th verse: “A spiritual seeker evolving towards the highest state performs actions with his body, mind, intellect and sense – but remains unaffected, as he practices the spiritual tool of non-attachment in every micro-moment, in every thought, word and deed.”
-The psychological meaning of non-attachment can be understood by contrasting a Yogi with an adventurer. Both work with great tenacity. However, if results fall short of 100%, the Yogi continues to smile, while the adventurer may feel shattered. Non-attachment does not mean indifference to action.
-We feel fatigued when we associate ourselves with the body and mind. Our true nature is Atman. The more we associate with Atman, the farther away we go from the body and mind identity. Then we can watch our body and mind doing the work, without feeling fatigued.
-Nitya-mukta is a person who is ever-free, never bound by any entanglements, and always established in his true nature as Atman. For him there is no origination or termination of bondage, he is never bound, and he does not need to struggle for liberation.
-12th verse: “Those who are established in Yoga (Yuktah), mentally give up obsessive attachment to results of their actions, and attain the highest peace. Those who do not practice Yoga, are swayed by their desires, remain attached to the results of their actions, and get bound.
-Peace described here refers to natural, effortless, perpetual peace. It is not the temporary presence or absence of happiness and unhappiness.
-Rajarshi is one who combines kingly and saintly qualities. He works with full enthusiasm and efficiency like a king, but he remains totally free from attachment.
-13th verse: “The person who has control over his senses, resides in the body of nine gates, established in his true identity as Atman. He looks upon himself distinct from the body, and not involved in any action”.
-Vashi is a person who has succeeded in controlling his senses. He can direct his mind in one direction, rather than letting it be dragged in five directions by the five senses. Whatever he does, he can do with 100% attention.
-The body is compared to a city with nine gates where the Atman resides. The nine gates are: Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, and two in the lower part of the body.
-From Mundaka Upanishad: “The Lord creates this world like a spider. It emits a substance from its body, builds a net, stays there and then withdraws the net into itself. Similarly, the Lord creates this world using Himself as the material and efficient cause. Then He withdraws it within Himself.”
-Jivatma resides within the body, but remains distinct from it, and independent. When the body decays, jivatma accepts another body.
-One cannot practice non-attachment so long as he looks upon himself as the body. The...]]>3381contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/49-evolving-towards-higher-swabhava-swami-tattwamayananda--40452492-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 21, 2020.
-14th verse: “The Lord does not get involved in what we do. Neither agency, nor action, nor the fruits of actions can be attributed to Him. Our own Swabhava is responsible for how we act.”
-15th verse: “The all-pervading Reality does not accept the merit or demerit of anyone. Jnanam (knowledge) is enveloped by ignorance – that’s why people get deluded.”
-Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. We are responsible for our actions and control our destiny. God is beyond any kind of agency of actions, and distributorship of results of actions. However, if our heart is pure and we pray with true earnestness, God’s grace can dawn on us.
-Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
-Samskaras are of two types: (1) Klesha, which are related to experiences from this life, and (2) Karmasaya, which are related to previous life experiences.
-Swabhava can be of lower or higher form. The lower form causes us to act based on our biological tendencies. The higher form causes us to act based on sublime tendencies such as unselfishness, broad mindedness, and spiritual wisdom.
-Spiritual practices such as Yamas, Niyamas, and Ashtanga Yoga can help to bring out the higher Swabhava that is inherent in all of us. Gita recommends the practice of Swadharma to bring out this higher Swabhava.
-Mind is compared to a lake with many layers, which has pure water below and mud/filth at the top. With spiritual practices, the mud/filth of the outer layer is removed, and our true higher Swabhava is brought to surface.
-16th verse: “Those whose ignorance is destroyed by the knowledge of the Atman – their knowledge manifests like the Sun, removing the ignorance.”
-When we perform karma yoga and offer our actions to God, the actions/results do not go to God – rather they have a purifying effect on our own mind, they bring out our higher Swabhava, and they remove our ignorance. Just like when we suffer from cold and move towards sunlight, the cold does not go to sun – rather the sunlight removes the coldness.
-Karmas are of three types: (1) Prarabdha karma – accumulated karmas that have already started unfolding (2) Sanchita karma – Accumulated karmas that are not yet manifesting and (3) Agami karma – karmas that are yet to come. When we perform spiritual disciplines, we free ourselves from Agami karmas. Highly spiritually elevated persons also burn their sanchita karmas – only their prarabdha karmas continue.
-17th verse: “Those who have reached Moksha, whose intellect is absorbed in Brahman, whose identities have become one with the divine Reality, who are steadfast, and whose mental impurities are cleansed – they get free from the rotation of lifecycles.”
-18th verse: “Those great spiritual giants - described in the 17th verse – they are called Punditah. God has become a reality for them. They see the same reality in everything, and everything in that reality. They look upon with an equal eye on a Brahman with learning, a cow, and elephant, a dog and an ignorant person.”
-A Punditah develops unique, spiritual common sense. It gives him a sense of what is real and unreal, who should be trusted and who shouldn’t be, and so on. His characteristics are similar to that of a Stitha-prajna, who is always contented, established in equanimity of outlook, and has instinctive common sense.
-Spiritual common sense is natural to a Punditah. One should not try to falsely imitate a Punditah. When we perform spiritual practices, we help our own mind to attain higher level of spiritual purity, so one day we can have the same spiritual common sense that a Punditah has. We will gradually evolve, knowing every inch of our journey.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40452492Sat, 22 Aug 2020 01:40:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 21, 2020. -14th verse: “The Lord does not get involved in what we do. Neither agency, nor action, nor the fruits of actions can be attributed to Him. Our...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 21, 2020.
-14th verse: “The Lord does not get involved in what we do. Neither agency, nor action, nor the fruits of actions can be attributed to Him. Our own Swabhava is responsible for how we act.”
-15th verse: “The all-pervading Reality does not accept the merit or demerit of anyone. Jnanam (knowledge) is enveloped by ignorance – that’s why people get deluded.”
-Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. We are responsible for our actions and control our destiny. God is beyond any kind of agency of actions, and distributorship of results of actions. However, if our heart is pure and we pray with true earnestness, God’s grace can dawn on us.
-Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
-Samskaras are of two types: (1) Klesha, which are related to experiences from this life, and (2) Karmasaya, which are related to previous life experiences.
-Swabhava can be of lower or higher form. The lower form causes us to act based on our biological tendencies. The higher form causes us to act based on sublime tendencies such as unselfishness, broad mindedness, and spiritual wisdom.
-Spiritual practices such as Yamas, Niyamas, and Ashtanga Yoga can help to bring out the higher Swabhava that is inherent in all of us. Gita recommends the practice of Swadharma to bring out this higher Swabhava.
-Mind is compared to a lake with many layers, which has pure water below and mud/filth at the top. With spiritual practices, the mud/filth of the outer layer is removed, and our true higher Swabhava is brought to surface.
-16th verse: “Those whose ignorance is destroyed by the knowledge of the Atman – their knowledge manifests like the Sun, removing the ignorance.”
-When we perform karma yoga and offer our actions to God, the actions/results do not go to God – rather they have a purifying effect on our own mind, they bring out our higher Swabhava, and they remove our ignorance. Just like when we suffer from cold and move towards sunlight, the cold does not go to sun – rather the sunlight removes the coldness.
-Karmas are of three types: (1) Prarabdha karma – accumulated karmas that have already started unfolding (2) Sanchita karma – Accumulated karmas that are not yet manifesting and (3) Agami karma – karmas that are yet to come. When we perform spiritual disciplines, we free ourselves from Agami karmas. Highly spiritually elevated persons also burn their sanchita karmas – only their prarabdha karmas continue.
-17th verse: “Those who have reached Moksha, whose intellect is absorbed in Brahman, whose identities have become one with the divine Reality, who are steadfast, and whose mental impurities are cleansed – they get free from the rotation of lifecycles.”
-18th verse: “Those great spiritual giants - described in the 17th verse – they are called Punditah. God has become a reality for them. They see the same reality in everything, and everything in that reality. They look upon with an equal eye on a Brahman with learning, a cow, and elephant, a dog and an ignorant person.”
-A Punditah develops unique, spiritual common sense. It gives him a sense of what is real and unreal, who should be trusted and who shouldn’t be, and so on. His characteristics are similar to that of a Stitha-prajna, who is always contented, established in equanimity of outlook, and has instinctive common sense.
-Spiritual common sense is natural to a Punditah. One should not try to falsely imitate a Punditah. When we perform spiritual practices, we help our own...]]>3433falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/50-towards-spiritual-sameness-swami-tattwamayananda--40595072-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 28, 2020.
-17th verse: “Those who have reached Moksha, whose intellect is absorbed in Brahman, whose identities have become one with the divine Reality, who are steadfast, and whose mental impurities are cleansed – they get free from the wheel of lifecycles.”
-Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. We are born again with Samskaras, which then regulate our life and determine further actions. In this way, the wheel of lifecycles continues.
-Our spiritual quest begins when we think: “Is there something beyond this wheel, and is there a way to come out of it?”
-Buddha taught the world how to get out of the wheel of lifecycles, by following the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path.
-When the spiritual seeker realizes his true spiritual identity – that he is not the body/mind, that he is the eternal Atman – that knowledge is like sunlight that purifies him and removes all his ignorance. His intellect, thoughts and actions are not centered around fleeting objects of enjoyments, but on the transcendental principle of divine unity of existence.
-The seeker then reaches the state of not coming back to this empirical life of worldly existence, of conflicting experience of opposites, such as pleasure and pain, happiness and unhappiness.
-18th verse: “Those great spiritual giants - described in the 17th verse – they are called Panditah. God has become a reality for them. They see the same reality in everything, and everything in that reality. They look with an equal eye on a Brahman with learning, a cow, and elephant, a dog and an ignorant person.”
-A Panditah is one who has realized the reality of Atman, and his identity with the Atman. Whatever he sees within himself, he sees everywhere and in everything. He transcends diversity and gets established in equality of vision.
-The ideal of Panditah may seem unreachable on the surface. Shankaracharya says that whenever a scripture presents a high spiritual ideal, the purpose is to encourage us to slowly develop the characteristics of that ideal. That ideal then starts regulating our actions, thoughts and words. A spiritual seeker should not pretend that he has already reached the highest state.
-Spiritual practices such as Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Swadharma are means to reach that eventual equality of vision. We then realize that the same Atman is present as the immanent divine spark in everyone. We realize that behind all the manifoldness, there is one divine principle.
-This equality of vision is only possible when we practice non-attachment, are free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion), and we perform our actions as Swadharma – with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-A spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved, and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
-19th verse: “The highest spiritual seeker has already achieved this goal in this life itself, transcending the relatives. To him spiritual sameness is a fact of everyday life and experience, as his mind is established in Brahman who is the ideal of sameness.”
-When a seeker attains the highest state, he will deeply feel it in his own inner being. He will also develop spiritual common sense to properly live in this world. No one teaches him this common sense – it comes to him with the practice that takes him to the highest state.
-20th verse: “He, who is a Brahma-jnani, who is established in Brahman, who experiences his unity with the entire existence in every micro-moment, whose mind, intellect and attitude is steady, who is free from delusion – he is fully established in even-ness. He is neither jubilant on getting what is pleasant nor depressed when getting what is unpleasant.”
-Our constant quest for enjoyment is the real cause of disappointment. To be happy, we should stop looking for happiness all the time.
-This state of even-ness is the natural characteristic of a spiritually evolved person. This state can only be reached through spiritual realization. The attitude of even-ness is not the goal. The goal is to experience the unity of all existence. The attitude of even-ness is a by-product of the spiritual progress made towards this goal.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40595072Sat, 29 Aug 2020 02:24:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 17, 18, 19, 20 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 28, 2020. -17th verse: “Those who have reached Moksha, whose intellect is absorbed in Brahman, whose identities have become one with the divine Reality, who...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on August 28, 2020.
-17th verse: “Those who have reached Moksha, whose intellect is absorbed in Brahman, whose identities have become one with the divine Reality, who are steadfast, and whose mental impurities are cleansed – they get free from the wheel of lifecycles.”
-Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. We are born again with Samskaras, which then regulate our life and determine further actions. In this way, the wheel of lifecycles continues.
-Our spiritual quest begins when we think: “Is there something beyond this wheel, and is there a way to come out of it?”
-Buddha taught the world how to get out of the wheel of lifecycles, by following the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path.
-When the spiritual seeker realizes his true spiritual identity – that he is not the body/mind, that he is the eternal Atman – that knowledge is like sunlight that purifies him and removes all his ignorance. His intellect, thoughts and actions are not centered around fleeting objects of enjoyments, but on the transcendental principle of divine unity of existence.
-The seeker then reaches the state of not coming back to this empirical life of worldly existence, of conflicting experience of opposites, such as pleasure and pain, happiness and unhappiness.
-18th verse: “Those great spiritual giants - described in the 17th verse – they are called Panditah. God has become a reality for them. They see the same reality in everything, and everything in that reality. They look with an equal eye on a Brahman with learning, a cow, and elephant, a dog and an ignorant person.”
-A Panditah is one who has realized the reality of Atman, and his identity with the Atman. Whatever he sees within himself, he sees everywhere and in everything. He transcends diversity and gets established in equality of vision.
-The ideal of Panditah may seem unreachable on the surface. Shankaracharya says that whenever a scripture presents a high spiritual ideal, the purpose is to encourage us to slowly develop the characteristics of that ideal. That ideal then starts regulating our actions, thoughts and words. A spiritual seeker should not pretend that he has already reached the highest state.
-Spiritual practices such as Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Swadharma are means to reach that eventual equality of vision. We then realize that the same Atman is present as the immanent divine spark in everyone. We realize that behind all the manifoldness, there is one divine principle.
-This equality of vision is only possible when we practice non-attachment, are free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion), and we perform our actions as Swadharma – with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-A spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved, and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
-19th verse: “The highest spiritual seeker has already achieved this goal in this life itself, transcending the relatives. To him spiritual sameness is a fact of everyday life and experience, as his mind is established in Brahman who is the ideal of sameness.”
-When a seeker attains the highest state, he will deeply feel it in his own inner being. He will also develop spiritual common sense to properly live in this world. No one teaches him this common sense – it comes to him with the practice that takes him to the highest state.
-20th verse: “He, who is a Brahma-jnani, who is established in Brahman, who experiences his unity with the entire existence in every micro-moment, whose...]]>3296contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/51-the-spiritual-psychology-of-happiness-swami-tattwamayananda--40740992-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 4, 2020.
-19th verse: “The highest spiritual seeker has already transcended the relative and sensory temptations in this life itself. To him, spiritual sameness is a fact of everyday life and experience, as his mind is established in Brahman who is the ideal of sameness.”
-20th verse: “He, who is Brahma-jnani, who is established in Brahman, who experiences his unity with the entire existence in every micro-moment, whose mind, intellect and attitude is steady, who is free from delusion – he is fully established in even-ness. He is neither jubilant on getting what is pleasant nor depressed when getting what is unpleasant.”
-A tiny boat being tossed around by mighty waves, becomes steady when it is anchored to something stable. Similarly, we achieve real equanimity of mind, when we focus our mind on Brahman, who is the highest ideal of steadiness. We then develop a refined sensitivity, and we maintain poise even in unpleasant situations.
-21st verse: “When our mind is not attached to external objects of the senses – rather it is tranquil through absorption in Brahman, then we experience Akshayam-Sukham – happiness that is undecaying, eternal and imperishable.”
-Happiness from contact with external objects is of a fleeting nature, and it takes us away from our inner support. Empirical happiness is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. It is not Sukham (happiness) in the highest sense.
-Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how the blind pursuit of happiness at sensory level brings destruction - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-We achieve Akshayam-Sukham, when through spiritual practices and devotion, we identify with our real spiritual identity, that we are Brahman. Our mind is then tranquil, and it cannot be dragged away by the senses.
-22nd verse: “Every enjoyment at the sensory level is a source of misery. It has a beginning and end. A wise man does not rejoice in them, as he has the wisdom to look beyond the senses and the mind, and he realizes the fleeting nature of sensory enjoyments. Such a person is called Buddha.”
-There is an ascending order in our pursuit of happiness. It begins at the sensory level. Next is intellectual happiness, where one can forego sensory enjoyments – even this happiness is not everlasting. The highest source of happiness comes when we are content from identification with our true spiritual identity, which is Atman - the real source of Akshayam-Sukham - never injured, never unhappy, never bored.
-The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.
-23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a person is established in Yoga and is happy.”
-Every ordinary experience of happiness has its counterpart – for example, profit and loss, pleasure and pain. Highest transcendental happiness is happiness which never becomes anything other than happiness.
-When we identify with our true spiritual nature, Atman, then both lust and anger - the two great enemies of human mind - disappear.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind. Any of the three Yogas – Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga or Karma Yoga – can help us undertake this journey successfully.
-Devotion to God removes all obstacles in the way of spiritual life. When we surrender to a higher spiritual power, all our thoughts and impulses get refined. We don’t control the impulses; we direct them to God. A fire reduces everything to ashes – similarly, devotion to God acts like a fire that destroys all wrong emotions and feelings that are stumbling blocks in our spiritual life.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40740992Fri, 04 Sep 2020 21:55:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 4, 2020. -19th verse: “The highest spiritual seeker has already transcended the relative and sensory temptations in this life itself. To him,...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 4, 2020.
-19th verse: “The highest spiritual seeker has already transcended the relative and sensory temptations in this life itself. To him, spiritual sameness is a fact of everyday life and experience, as his mind is established in Brahman who is the ideal of sameness.”
-20th verse: “He, who is Brahma-jnani, who is established in Brahman, who experiences his unity with the entire existence in every micro-moment, whose mind, intellect and attitude is steady, who is free from delusion – he is fully established in even-ness. He is neither jubilant on getting what is pleasant nor depressed when getting what is unpleasant.”
-A tiny boat being tossed around by mighty waves, becomes steady when it is anchored to something stable. Similarly, we achieve real equanimity of mind, when we focus our mind on Brahman, who is the highest ideal of steadiness. We then develop a refined sensitivity, and we maintain poise even in unpleasant situations.
-21st verse: “When our mind is not attached to external objects of the senses – rather it is tranquil through absorption in Brahman, then we experience Akshayam-Sukham – happiness that is undecaying, eternal and imperishable.”
-Happiness from contact with external objects is of a fleeting nature, and it takes us away from our inner support. Empirical happiness is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. It is not Sukham (happiness) in the highest sense.
-Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how the blind pursuit of happiness at sensory level brings destruction - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-We achieve Akshayam-Sukham, when through spiritual practices and devotion, we identify with our real spiritual identity, that we are Brahman. Our mind is then tranquil, and it cannot be dragged away by the senses.
-22nd verse: “Every enjoyment at the sensory level is a source of misery. It has a beginning and end. A wise man does not rejoice in them, as he has the wisdom to look beyond the senses and the mind, and he realizes the fleeting nature of sensory enjoyments. Such a person is called Buddha.”
-There is an ascending order in our pursuit of happiness. It begins at the sensory level. Next is intellectual happiness, where one can forego sensory enjoyments – even this happiness is not everlasting. The highest source of happiness comes when we are content from identification with our true spiritual identity, which is Atman - the real source of Akshayam-Sukham - never injured, never unhappy, never bored.
-The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.
-23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a person is established in Yoga and is happy.”
-Every ordinary experience of happiness has its counterpart – for example, profit and loss, pleasure and pain. Highest transcendental happiness is happiness which never becomes anything other than happiness.
-When we identify with our true spiritual nature, Atman, then both lust and anger - the two great enemies of human mind - disappear.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms...]]>3346contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/52-attaining-spiritual-freedom-and-happiness-within-swami-tattwamayananda--40885020-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 11, 2020.
-23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a person is established in Yoga and is happy.”
-24th verse: “That spiritual seeker, whose happiness is within, who is relaxed within, whose light is within, he alone is a Yogi, and that Yogi attains happiness from his mergence with Brahman.”
-The real source of happiness is always within, in the Atman – not external. For example, we may think that good chocolate is a source of happiness. But eating the same chocolate may not give the same happiness if the tongue has an inflammation, or the mind is disturbed.
-When we realize that we are in reality the Atman, we experience the whole existence as existing within, and feel complete identity with it. Then we feel happiness within (Antah-sukha), we rejoice, and we feel illumined.
-King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world?” The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.
-When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within. Such a person sees Brahman as non-distinct from himself (Brahma-Bhoota). Such a person is called a Yogi and attains Brahma-Nirvanam.
-25th verse: “Such a Yogi – all his imperfections are gone, and his doubts are dispelled. He has achieved perfect control over his mind and senses. Absorbed in Brahman, he works for the welfare of the whole creation (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).”
-For the Yogi, who has reached spiritual freedom, all sanchita karmas are destroyed. Prarabdha karma are accumulated karmas that have already started unfolding. Sanchita karmas are accumulated karmas that are not yet manifesting.
-Unlike a beginner, who has to fight with his lower self, a Yogi who has attained spiritual freedom, has natural, effortless control over his mind and senses. His intellect, emotions and will are sublimated to a spiritual ideal.
-Such a Yogi, who experiences the highest happiness, has an instinctive eagerness to give that happiness to others. Whatever he does is for the welfare of others (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).
-26th verse: “Those self-realized people who are free from lust and anger, who have controlled their senses and mind – they realize their spiritual identity with the Atman, and experience total freedom, here and hereafter.”
-When a person becomes liberated, his spiritual outlook is changed forever. He carries this emancipation with him everywhere and in every moment, as he conducts his duties in everyday life.
-When King Chitraketu’s young son died and he was lamenting, Sages Aṅgirā and Nārada helped him understand the temporary nature of the relationship between father and son, that the physical body come and goes, and that the Atman manifests in the body. This put a spark of spiritual wisdom in Chitraketu’s heart.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/40885020Sat, 12 Sep 2020 01:05:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 11, 2020. -23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 11, 2020.
-23rd verse: “A person who can conquer the temptations of lust and anger, while doing his everyday duties, and before leaving this body – such a person is established in Yoga and is happy.”
-24th verse: “That spiritual seeker, whose happiness is within, who is relaxed within, whose light is within, he alone is a Yogi, and that Yogi attains happiness from his mergence with Brahman.”
-The real source of happiness is always within, in the Atman – not external. For example, we may think that good chocolate is a source of happiness. But eating the same chocolate may not give the same happiness if the tongue has an inflammation, or the mind is disturbed.
-When we realize that we are in reality the Atman, we experience the whole existence as existing within, and feel complete identity with it. Then we feel happiness within (Antah-sukha), we rejoice, and we feel illumined.
-King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world?” The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.
-When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within. Such a person sees Brahman as non-distinct from himself (Brahma-Bhoota). Such a person is called a Yogi and attains Brahma-Nirvanam.
-25th verse: “Such a Yogi – all his imperfections are gone, and his doubts are dispelled. He has achieved perfect control over his mind and senses. Absorbed in Brahman, he works for the welfare of the whole creation (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).”
-For the Yogi, who has reached spiritual freedom, all sanchita karmas are destroyed. Prarabdha karma are accumulated karmas that have already started unfolding. Sanchita karmas are accumulated karmas that are not yet manifesting.
-Unlike a beginner, who has to fight with his lower self, a Yogi who has attained spiritual freedom, has natural, effortless control over his mind and senses. His intellect, emotions and will are sublimated to a spiritual ideal.
-Such a Yogi, who experiences the highest happiness, has an instinctive eagerness to give that happiness to others. Whatever he does is for the welfare of others (Sarva-bhoota-hite-ratah).
-26th verse: “Those self-realized people who are free from lust and anger, who have controlled their senses and mind – they realize their spiritual identity with the Atman, and experience total freedom, here and hereafter.”
-When a person becomes liberated, his spiritual outlook is changed forever. He carries this emancipation with him everywhere and in every moment, as he conducts his duties in everyday life.
-When King Chitraketu’s young son died and he was lamenting, Sages Aṅgirā and Nārada helped him understand the temporary nature of the relationship between father and son, that the physical body come and goes, and that the Atman manifests in the body. This put a spark of spiritual wisdom in Chitraketu’s heart.]]>3425contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/53-dhyana-yoga-the-art-of-meditation-swami-tattwamayananda--41029709The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 18, 2020.
-In the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna gives an exposition of Karma-Sannyasa, but advises Arjuna to practice Karma-Yoga. A spiritual seeker should begin practicing Karma-Yoga by reducing his attachment to work and its results. Karma-yoga helps him achieve inner purity and to reach the level of spiritual fitness, so that one day he can practice renunciation in the true sense of the word.
-In the 5th chapter, Lord Krishna explains that the purpose of Karma-Yoga is to achieve Chitta-Shuddhi (inner purity), so we can instinctively practice non-attachment. Gradually, this leads to the stage of Moksha (liberation), where we experience Akshayam-Sukham (everlasting happiness).
- The 27th, 28th, and 29th verses introduce Dhyana-Yoga, the art of meditation, discussed in detail in the 6th chapter.
- 27th & 28th verse: “Keeping out all external objects, keeping the gaze steady between the eyebrows, controlling the incoming and outgoing breaths, with senses, mind and intellect fully under control, with Moksha as his supreme goal, free from desire, fear and anger – a man of meditation attains Moksha and becomes ever free.”
- External objects are kept out through non-attachment and by practicing restraint, so the sense organs do not flow towards them. A beginner should practice by focusing on a higher ideal, such as mantra or the form of a spiritual person, whose association fills his mind with spiritual ideas.
- The left eye represents Krodha (anger) and the right eye represents Kama (desire) – together they represent the world. When we transcend both kama and krodha, we attain even-ness, which is the symbol of Atman, represented by the mid-point. Then we go beyond all duality and all opposites, such as good and bad, pain and pleasure.
- During meditation, one should sit in a proper seat, with head, body and neck in a straight line (Sthira-sukham-aasanam). Eyes should neither be completely closed nor completely open – they should be “as if” gazing at the tip of the nose. A beginner will experience darkness within if eyes are complexly closed. If eyes are open, they drag the mind to the external world.
- There is a relationship between the flow of breath and our thought currents. When our mental balance is altered, it is accompanied with a slight disturbance in the breathing system. If we regulate our breath and make it rhythmic, we calm the mind.
- The sage sublimates all his emotional elements – desire, fear, anger, skepticism, negativity, anxiety – to one supreme goal of attaining Moksha. These emotional elements, dedicated to God, do him no harm. He becomes Mukta (liberated).
- 29th verse: “Such a sage is liberated and attains eternal Shanti (peace). He sees God as Suhridam Sarva Bhutanam - the friend of all beings - as the dispenser of all yajnas. He sees God as the giver of all grace and benefits for whatever spiritual practices we undertake. From this understanding, he derives eternal peace.”
- He does not want anything for himself. He lives his life spreading harmony and joy among all living beings.
- Mahabharata says: “God is the friend of all created beings, always engaged in the welfare of the whole creation”.
- 6th chapter, 1st verse: “The one who performs his duties without thinking about the fruits of his action – he is the ideal man of renunciation.”
- We only renounce what we earn, and what is the result of our own work. When we give up what we struggle for, that is real renunciation.
- A real Yogi is both a karma-yogi and a karma-sanyasi. He continually does his duties, but mentally gives up any claim to the results of his actions. He practices action and renunciation at the same time. This is the natural characteristic of a highly evolved spiritual person.
- Shankaracharya discusses the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person to remind us that these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41029709Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:44:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-5th chapter: verses 27, 28, 29. 6th chapter: verse 1 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 18, 2020. -In the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna gives an exposition of Karma-Sannyasa, but advises Arjuna to practice Karma-Yoga. A spiritual...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 18, 2020.
-In the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna gives an exposition of Karma-Sannyasa, but advises Arjuna to practice Karma-Yoga. A spiritual seeker should begin practicing Karma-Yoga by reducing his attachment to work and its results. Karma-yoga helps him achieve inner purity and to reach the level of spiritual fitness, so that one day he can practice renunciation in the true sense of the word.
-In the 5th chapter, Lord Krishna explains that the purpose of Karma-Yoga is to achieve Chitta-Shuddhi (inner purity), so we can instinctively practice non-attachment. Gradually, this leads to the stage of Moksha (liberation), where we experience Akshayam-Sukham (everlasting happiness).
- The 27th, 28th, and 29th verses introduce Dhyana-Yoga, the art of meditation, discussed in detail in the 6th chapter.
- 27th & 28th verse: “Keeping out all external objects, keeping the gaze steady between the eyebrows, controlling the incoming and outgoing breaths, with senses, mind and intellect fully under control, with Moksha as his supreme goal, free from desire, fear and anger – a man of meditation attains Moksha and becomes ever free.”
- External objects are kept out through non-attachment and by practicing restraint, so the sense organs do not flow towards them. A beginner should practice by focusing on a higher ideal, such as mantra or the form of a spiritual person, whose association fills his mind with spiritual ideas.
- The left eye represents Krodha (anger) and the right eye represents Kama (desire) – together they represent the world. When we transcend both kama and krodha, we attain even-ness, which is the symbol of Atman, represented by the mid-point. Then we go beyond all duality and all opposites, such as good and bad, pain and pleasure.
- During meditation, one should sit in a proper seat, with head, body and neck in a straight line (Sthira-sukham-aasanam). Eyes should neither be completely closed nor completely open – they should be “as if” gazing at the tip of the nose. A beginner will experience darkness within if eyes are complexly closed. If eyes are open, they drag the mind to the external world.
- There is a relationship between the flow of breath and our thought currents. When our mental balance is altered, it is accompanied with a slight disturbance in the breathing system. If we regulate our breath and make it rhythmic, we calm the mind.
- The sage sublimates all his emotional elements – desire, fear, anger, skepticism, negativity, anxiety – to one supreme goal of attaining Moksha. These emotional elements, dedicated to God, do him no harm. He becomes Mukta (liberated).
- 29th verse: “Such a sage is liberated and attains eternal Shanti (peace). He sees God as Suhridam Sarva Bhutanam - the friend of all beings - as the dispenser of all yajnas. He sees God as the giver of all grace and benefits for whatever spiritual practices we undertake. From this understanding, he derives eternal peace.”
- He does not want anything for himself. He lives his life spreading harmony and joy among all living beings.
- Mahabharata says: “God is the friend of all created beings, always engaged in the welfare of the whole creation”.
- 6th chapter, 1st verse: “The one who performs his duties without thinking about the fruits of his action – he is the ideal man of renunciation.”
- We only renounce what we earn, and what is the result of our own work. When we give up what we struggle for, that is real renunciation.
- A real Yogi is both a karma-yogi and a karma-sanyasi. He continually does his duties, but mentally gives up any claim to the results of his actions. He practices action and renunciation at the same time. This is the natural characteristic of a highly evolved spiritual person.
- Shankaracharya discusses the characteristics of a spiritually...]]>3173contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/54-transcending-actions-and-rituals-swami-tattwamayananda--41145319The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 25, 2020.
- In the first five chapters, Lord Krishna infuses in Arjuna a sense of duty and righteousness of action. He then explains Advaita philosophy, karma yoga, and how to perform duties with a sense of sanctity and scaredness, and without desire.
- In the 5th chapter, Lord Krishna describes two types of renunciation. (1) Renunciation of the identification of oneself as the agency of action and (2) Renunciation of the strong desire to enjoy the fruits of one’s actions. To achieve this, one must make his mind ready by undertaking spiritual practices and by transcending obsessive attachment and aversion.
- 1st verse: “The one who performs his duties without attachment to the fruits of his action – he is the ideal man of renunciation, not the one who physically gives up his duties.”
- Renunciation is both for monks and householders. It is a symbol of our spiritual wisdom that there is something higher that we should aspire for, and that we should go beyond the realm of worldly enjoyments.
- Lord Krishna implies through this verse that just by giving up external vedic rituals, one does not become a man of renunciation. He needs to transcend them. A beginner should perform rituals with desire for worldly comforts. As he evolves, he should perform the rituals with a higher perspective of purifying his mind – this allows him to transcend rituals.
-Know that devotion to karma yoga and renunciation are the same in actual practice. They constitute an integral part of our spiritual life. One cannot achieve this without giving up our thoughts and concerns about the results of actions.
- A real man of renunciation performs all his duties with full attention, but without anxiety about what he is doing and what the results will be.
- There are two types of karmas; (1) Kaamya karma – karmas performed with an objective and (2) Nitya karma – our everyday obligations. One should not give up these karmas. Rather, one should perform them with a sense of prayer, mentally offering to God and for the good of humanity. Then these karmas have a purifying effect on our mind and lead to Chitta-shuddhi.
- A person who has attained Chitta-shuddhi can practice meditation naturally. When a beginner meditates, he may feel restless due to negative samskaras. These samskaras can be removed through the practice of unselfishness in daily duties.
- One should not suddenly sit for meditation, as it can create conflicts. He should slowly lift his mind to higher levels by reading good books or listening to bhajans. Practice of selfless duties also prepares the mind. Meditation is the seventh stage in Patanajali’s Ashtanga Yoga – Yamas, Niyama, Aasana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhayna and Samadhi.
- 3rd verse: “For a spiritual seeker who is still evolving, duties themself become the path that will take him to a stage that transcends duties. For the sage who has attained he highest state of Yoga, inaction becomes natural – he withdraws himself from worldly pursuits and bondages.”
- Swami Vivekananda said: “The world is a gym for us to work out our karmas, climb the ladder of spiritual life, and transcend action and inaction.”
- For a beginner, whatever work he does – that work offers an opportunity for him to work out his karmas, purify his mind and get to the next stage.
- This evolution is demonstrated in the life of Sri Ramakrishna. When he came to Dakshineswar, he performed all rituals with meticulous care. After a few years, he was completely identified with Brahman and could not even pluck a flower - he saw it as non-distinct from Brahman.
- At the highest state, one does not have to perform rituals. The whole life is spiritualized. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41145319Sat, 26 Sep 2020 05:07:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco- 6th chapter: verses 1, 2 and 3 The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 25, 2020. - In the first five chapters, Lord Krishna infuses in Arjuna a sense of duty and righteousness of action. He then explains Advaita philosophy, karma...The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 25, 2020.
- In the first five chapters, Lord Krishna infuses in Arjuna a sense of duty and righteousness of action. He then explains Advaita philosophy, karma yoga, and how to perform duties with a sense of sanctity and scaredness, and without desire.
- In the 5th chapter, Lord Krishna describes two types of renunciation. (1) Renunciation of the identification of oneself as the agency of action and (2) Renunciation of the strong desire to enjoy the fruits of one’s actions. To achieve this, one must make his mind ready by undertaking spiritual practices and by transcending obsessive attachment and aversion.
- 1st verse: “The one who performs his duties without attachment to the fruits of his action – he is the ideal man of renunciation, not the one who physically gives up his duties.”
- Renunciation is both for monks and householders. It is a symbol of our spiritual wisdom that there is something higher that we should aspire for, and that we should go beyond the realm of worldly enjoyments.
- Lord Krishna implies through this verse that just by giving up external vedic rituals, one does not become a man of renunciation. He needs to transcend them. A beginner should perform rituals with desire for worldly comforts. As he evolves, he should perform the rituals with a higher perspective of purifying his mind – this allows him to transcend rituals.
-Know that devotion to karma yoga and renunciation are the same in actual practice. They constitute an integral part of our spiritual life. One cannot achieve this without giving up our thoughts and concerns about the results of actions.
- A real man of renunciation performs all his duties with full attention, but without anxiety about what he is doing and what the results will be.
- There are two types of karmas; (1) Kaamya karma – karmas performed with an objective and (2) Nitya karma – our everyday obligations. One should not give up these karmas. Rather, one should perform them with a sense of prayer, mentally offering to God and for the good of humanity. Then these karmas have a purifying effect on our mind and lead to Chitta-shuddhi.
- A person who has attained Chitta-shuddhi can practice meditation naturally. When a beginner meditates, he may feel restless due to negative samskaras. These samskaras can be removed through the practice of unselfishness in daily duties.
- One should not suddenly sit for meditation, as it can create conflicts. He should slowly lift his mind to higher levels by reading good books or listening to bhajans. Practice of selfless duties also prepares the mind. Meditation is the seventh stage in Patanajali’s Ashtanga Yoga – Yamas, Niyama, Aasana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhayna and Samadhi.
- 3rd verse: “For a spiritual seeker who is still evolving, duties themself become the path that will take him to a stage that transcends duties. For the sage who has attained he highest state of Yoga, inaction becomes natural – he withdraws himself from worldly pursuits and bondages.”
- Swami Vivekananda said: “The world is a gym for us to work out our karmas, climb the ladder of spiritual life, and transcend action and inaction.”
- For a beginner, whatever work he does – that work offers an opportunity for him to work out his karmas, purify his mind and get to the next stage.
- This evolution is demonstrated in the life of Sri Ramakrishna. When he came to Dakshineswar, he performed all rituals with meticulous care. After a few years, he was completely identified with Brahman and could not even pluck a flower - he saw it as non-distinct from Brahman.
- At the highest state, one does not have to perform rituals. The whole life is spiritualized. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship.]]>3202contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/55-growing-spiritually-through-non-attachment-and-self-effort-swami-tattwamayananda--41300407-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 2, 2020.
-3rd verse: “For ārurukṣhoḥ - a spiritual seeker who is still evolving - duties become the path that will take him to a stage that transcends duties. For Yoga-ārūḍha - the sage who has attained the highest state of Yoga - inaction becomes natural; he withdraws himself from worldly pursuits and bondages.”
-4th verse: “When a seeker has given up all sankalpas, and he has absolutely no attachment to sense objects or to actions, then he reaches the highest state of Yoga.”
-When we identify ourselves as the doer or enjoyer of our actions, we walk into a trap and worry about the consequences of our actions. This worry can manifest itself as anxiety, negativity, complaints and concerns – it is called Sankalpa.
-Work will naturally produce a result – sometimes favorable and sometimes not favorable. Sankalpa does not affect the outcome – it is unnecessary, and just a play of the mind.
-A Yoga-ārūḍha, has renounced his ego, desires, and all his sankalpas. He has given up all kinds of identification with actions and their results. The three characteristics of a Yoga-ārūḍha are: (1) he is not attached to sense objects (2) he has no interest in external activities and (3) he is free from all sankalpas.
-To reach the stage of Yoga-ārūḍha, one has to first start his spiritual journey as ārurukṣhoḥ. At this stage, the mind will present obstacles due to past negative samskaras. To counter this, one should increase the storage of positive samskaras.
-Mind tends to look in the external world, what it has already stored within itself. When the storehouse of positive samskaras is increased, mind will seek spiritual objects and holy company. This helps one progress from ārurukṣhoḥ to Yoga-ārūḍha.
-5th verse: “A seeker should lift himself through his own self and never let it weaken himself. When mind, senses and ego are conquered, he will be able to raise himself to the highest spiritual state – his mind is then his friend. On the other hand, his mind will act as an enemy, if it is guided by the senses.”
-Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how one reaches destruction when guided by the senses - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-A real Yogi focuses his mind exclusively on the task at hand. His senses are perfectly under control. His mind is in perfect harmony with Buddhi, which is linked to Atman.
-When a seeker practices self-restraint by withdrawing from external objects, there is a risk of him becoming careless and inactive. To prevent this, he should provide a counter focus by increasing his spiritual practices such as practicing karma-yoga, offering prayers, reading spiritual literature, and associating with holy company. Then his self-restraint becomes effective.
-Saints and mystics, such as Swami Vivekananda, demonstrated great self-effort and self-confidence to raise themselves in their spiritual life. They were very humble, but behind their humility was great Atma-balam – the inner strength of Atman.
-Lord Krishna mentions strong determination as one of the essential characteristics of a true devotee. The other two characteristics are that such a devotee is fully content and has full control over his senses.
-A strong will is essential to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind. Once we make our own effort to lift ourselves, God also comes to assist us. We then become graceworthy.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41300407Sat, 03 Oct 2020 05:06:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 3, 4, 5 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 2, 2020. -3rd verse: “For ārurukṣhoḥ - a spiritual seeker who is still evolving - duties become the path that will take him to a stage that transcends duties. For...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 2, 2020.
-3rd verse: “For ārurukṣhoḥ - a spiritual seeker who is still evolving - duties become the path that will take him to a stage that transcends duties. For Yoga-ārūḍha - the sage who has attained the highest state of Yoga - inaction becomes natural; he withdraws himself from worldly pursuits and bondages.”
-4th verse: “When a seeker has given up all sankalpas, and he has absolutely no attachment to sense objects or to actions, then he reaches the highest state of Yoga.”
-When we identify ourselves as the doer or enjoyer of our actions, we walk into a trap and worry about the consequences of our actions. This worry can manifest itself as anxiety, negativity, complaints and concerns – it is called Sankalpa.
-Work will naturally produce a result – sometimes favorable and sometimes not favorable. Sankalpa does not affect the outcome – it is unnecessary, and just a play of the mind.
-A Yoga-ārūḍha, has renounced his ego, desires, and all his sankalpas. He has given up all kinds of identification with actions and their results. The three characteristics of a Yoga-ārūḍha are: (1) he is not attached to sense objects (2) he has no interest in external activities and (3) he is free from all sankalpas.
-To reach the stage of Yoga-ārūḍha, one has to first start his spiritual journey as ārurukṣhoḥ. At this stage, the mind will present obstacles due to past negative samskaras. To counter this, one should increase the storage of positive samskaras.
-Mind tends to look in the external world, what it has already stored within itself. When the storehouse of positive samskaras is increased, mind will seek spiritual objects and holy company. This helps one progress from ārurukṣhoḥ to Yoga-ārūḍha.
-5th verse: “A seeker should lift himself through his own self and never let it weaken himself. When mind, senses and ego are conquered, he will be able to raise himself to the highest spiritual state – his mind is then his friend. On the other hand, his mind will act as an enemy, if it is guided by the senses.”
-Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how one reaches destruction when guided by the senses - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.
-A real Yogi focuses his mind exclusively on the task at hand. His senses are perfectly under control. His mind is in perfect harmony with Buddhi, which is linked to Atman.
-When a seeker practices self-restraint by withdrawing from external objects, there is a risk of him becoming careless and inactive. To prevent this, he should provide a counter focus by increasing his spiritual practices such as practicing karma-yoga, offering prayers, reading spiritual literature, and associating with holy company. Then his self-restraint becomes effective.
-Saints and mystics, such as Swami Vivekananda, demonstrated great self-effort and self-confidence to raise themselves in their spiritual life. They were very humble, but behind their humility was great Atma-balam – the inner strength of Atman.
-Lord Krishna mentions strong determination as one of the essential characteristics of a true devotee. The other two characteristics are that such a devotee is fully content and has full control over his senses.
-A strong will is essential to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind. Once we make our own effort to lift ourselves, God also comes to assist us. We then become graceworthy.]]>3126contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/56-towards-equanimity-and-a-friendly-mind-swami-tattwamayananda--41398190-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 9, 2020.
- 6th verse: “The positive aspect of mind, that is linked to Buddhi and Atman – that mind is our friend. The uncontrolled mind, that is away from spiritual values, acts as if it is our own worst enemy.”
- Mind is our friend when it instinctively guides us on the spiritual path and gives us warning signals when undesirable thoughts emerge. Such a mind has conquered the lower self, is restrained and is linked to the higher self.
- The mind which has moved us away from our natural tendency to do what is good for us, is under the power of the lower self, and creates stumbling blocks when we want to implement a change for the good – such a mind is our enemy.
- If we cannot direct the mind to spiritual values, we should direct it to other higher values such as music, culture and philosophy. This keeps the mind properly employed and away from harmful channels.
- 7th verse: “A person who has reached the stage of Yoga-ārūḍha is self-controlled, is constantly focused on the Atman, and is established in inner peace and poise. For him heat/cold, pain/pleasure, honor/dishonor are the same.”
- A Yoga-ārūḍha has renounced his ego, desires, and all his sankalpas. He has given up all kinds of identification with actions and their results.
- We cannot suddenly decide to have equanimity of mind. It is developed gradually by focusing on a higher transcendental ideal. If we guard ourselves from being over-joyed in pleasant situations, then we can prevent ourselves from being grief-stricken in painful situations.
- A Yoga-ārūḍha experiences Prashanta – absolute peace and inner tranquility – because his mind is identified with Paramatma. His Antahkarana becomes calm and quiet because of mergence with Paramatma. His mind functions as God/Guru, sitting within and guiding him.
- The external characteristics of a Yoga-ārūḍha are: (1) he is self-restrained (2) he is contented (3) his presence gives contentment to those around him.
- 8th verse: “Such a Yoga-ārūḍha is free from desires and attachment to sense objects, is equanimous in his outlook, and experiences tremendous feeling of contentment. Not only has he understood the truth but also, he has realized the truth. He is unmoved and undisturbed, because his senses are in control. To him - a lump of earth, a stone, and gold are of equal value.”
- Sri Ramakrishna had this equanimous outlook – to him gold and mud were the same. King Janaka remained poised when someone reported to him that his city was burning. They both identified their real “I” as Atman.
- 9th verse: “A Yoga-ārūḍha looks upon people with a higher spiritual perspective. He looks with equal regard upon a well-wisher, a friend, an enemy, one neutral to him, one who does not take any side, one who acts against him, a relative, a righteous person, and an unrighteous person.”
- This verse represents different attitudes of human nature. Mind changes its attitude depending on who we interact with. A Yoga-ārūḍha is equipoised in all such situations. He attains this state by feeding his mind with great spiritual ideas and lifting his mind to higher levels of consciousness.
- There are two ways we can look upon the world. If we look at it through the lens of the world, we experience plurality and won’t have peace of mind. If we look upon it through the lens of God, then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.
- 10th verse: “A person who wants to be Yogi should constantly practice concentration and develop a natural tendency to live in solitude.”
- Solitude is natural for the spiritually evolved, but dangerous for those who are not ready. Out of solitude comes the strength to work in public. In solitude, we accumulate spiritual wealth that we can distribute to people. A beginner should not force himself to be in solitude – he should develop the desire naturally by practicing spiritual practices such as karma-yoga.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41398190Sat, 10 Oct 2020 00:39:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco- 6th chapter: verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 9, 2020. - 6th verse: “The positive aspect of mind, that is linked to Buddhi and Atman – that mind is our friend. The uncontrolled mind, that is away from...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 9, 2020.
- 6th verse: “The positive aspect of mind, that is linked to Buddhi and Atman – that mind is our friend. The uncontrolled mind, that is away from spiritual values, acts as if it is our own worst enemy.”
- Mind is our friend when it instinctively guides us on the spiritual path and gives us warning signals when undesirable thoughts emerge. Such a mind has conquered the lower self, is restrained and is linked to the higher self.
- The mind which has moved us away from our natural tendency to do what is good for us, is under the power of the lower self, and creates stumbling blocks when we want to implement a change for the good – such a mind is our enemy.
- If we cannot direct the mind to spiritual values, we should direct it to other higher values such as music, culture and philosophy. This keeps the mind properly employed and away from harmful channels.
- 7th verse: “A person who has reached the stage of Yoga-ārūḍha is self-controlled, is constantly focused on the Atman, and is established in inner peace and poise. For him heat/cold, pain/pleasure, honor/dishonor are the same.”
- A Yoga-ārūḍha has renounced his ego, desires, and all his sankalpas. He has given up all kinds of identification with actions and their results.
- We cannot suddenly decide to have equanimity of mind. It is developed gradually by focusing on a higher transcendental ideal. If we guard ourselves from being over-joyed in pleasant situations, then we can prevent ourselves from being grief-stricken in painful situations.
- A Yoga-ārūḍha experiences Prashanta – absolute peace and inner tranquility – because his mind is identified with Paramatma. His Antahkarana becomes calm and quiet because of mergence with Paramatma. His mind functions as God/Guru, sitting within and guiding him.
- The external characteristics of a Yoga-ārūḍha are: (1) he is self-restrained (2) he is contented (3) his presence gives contentment to those around him.
- 8th verse: “Such a Yoga-ārūḍha is free from desires and attachment to sense objects, is equanimous in his outlook, and experiences tremendous feeling of contentment. Not only has he understood the truth but also, he has realized the truth. He is unmoved and undisturbed, because his senses are in control. To him - a lump of earth, a stone, and gold are of equal value.”
- Sri Ramakrishna had this equanimous outlook – to him gold and mud were the same. King Janaka remained poised when someone reported to him that his city was burning. They both identified their real “I” as Atman.
- 9th verse: “A Yoga-ārūḍha looks upon people with a higher spiritual perspective. He looks with equal regard upon a well-wisher, a friend, an enemy, one neutral to him, one who does not take any side, one who acts against him, a relative, a righteous person, and an unrighteous person.”
- This verse represents different attitudes of human nature. Mind changes its attitude depending on who we interact with. A Yoga-ārūḍha is equipoised in all such situations. He attains this state by feeding his mind with great spiritual ideas and lifting his mind to higher levels of consciousness.
- There are two ways we can look upon the world. If we look at it through the lens of the world, we experience plurality and won’t have peace of mind. If we look upon it through the lens of God, then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.
- 10th verse: “A person who wants to be Yogi should constantly practice concentration and develop a natural tendency to live in solitude.”
- Solitude is natural for the spiritually evolved, but dangerous for those who are not ready. Out of solitude comes the strength to work in public. In solitude, we accumulate spiritual wealth that we can distribute to people. A beginner should not force himself to be in solitude – he...]]>3559contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/57-the-art-of-meditation-swami-tattwamayananda--41525305-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 16, 2020.
-10th verse: “A person who wants to be a Yogi should constantly practice concentration and develop a natural tendency to live in solitude.”
-A beginner should not force himself to be in solitude – he should develop the desire naturally by practicing spiritual disciplines. Once he is evolved, he can practice solitude even when he is in the midst of a crowd.
-Spiritual practice is one’s individual journey. The seeker should not discuss his experiences in public, as it can affect his inner progress.
-When spiritual practices are done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, it has a positive effect on the mind. It becomes tranquil and focused. The seeker does not feel fatigue in his practice.
-When a beginner sits for meditation, his mind may be agitated. This happens because all previous impressions (vrittis) stored in his chittam come to the surface. These vrittis should be restrained by creating counter vrittis through spiritual practices such as karma yoga, prayers, reading of scriptures and holy association. When we meditate, these positive tendencies will also come to surface and nullify the negative ones.
-11th verse: “The seeker should sit on a firm seat in a clean place. The seat should neither be too high nor too low. The seat should be made by placing Kusha grass on the ground, then spreading a tiger/deer skin over it and then spreading a clean/soft cloth on top.”
-Meditation is a universal spiritual practice. Where you sit and what you sit on – these are relative and subject to changes according to time, culture, geography, and availability of materials.
-12th verse: “Seated on that seat, he should subdue wavering of the mind and senses, he should make his mind one-pointed, and he should practice Yoga for the purification of the mind.”
-The mind is made one-pointed by stopping the inner and outer wavering of the mind. One should control inner wavering by developing good samskaras. Prayers and holy association help develop these good samskaras. Over time, the good tendencies become dominant and turn the mind into a friend. External wavering may manifest as fatigue. This can be overcome with inner concentration and by developing positive samskaras.
-13th verse: “During meditation one should sit firmly on his seat with his body, neck and head in a straight line. His eyes should neither be completely closed nor completely open – they should be “as if” gazing at the tip of the nose.”
-During meditation, firmness and steadiness of the body should be a pleasant, natural and effortless experience. This prevents the body from dragging the mind towards itself.
-A beginner will experience darkness within, if eyes are completely closed. If eyes are open, they drag the mind to the external world.
-These instructions are important for a beginner. For one who is highly evolved, these instructions are not very relevant – he can turn his mind towards God irrespective of where he is.
-14th verse: “With a serene heart, free from fear, with his mind controlled, living a chaste life – he should be focused on Atman, as his goal is to realize the Atman within.”
-Vows, disciplines, self-restraint, and purity of life are emphasized for both mendicants and householders.
-A beginner should practice meditation with his body and mind alert, avoiding any form of laziness. When he becomes advanced, he will experience naturally tranquility within. The effort involved in the early stages will be gone. At the advanced stage, he experiences total freedom from fear. He has nothing to fear, as he identifies with the Atman.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41525305Fri, 16 Oct 2020 18:01:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 16, 2020. -10th verse: “A person who wants to be a Yogi should constantly practice concentration and develop a natural tendency to live in solitude.” -A...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 16, 2020.
-10th verse: “A person who wants to be a Yogi should constantly practice concentration and develop a natural tendency to live in solitude.”
-A beginner should not force himself to be in solitude – he should develop the desire naturally by practicing spiritual disciplines. Once he is evolved, he can practice solitude even when he is in the midst of a crowd.
-Spiritual practice is one’s individual journey. The seeker should not discuss his experiences in public, as it can affect his inner progress.
-When spiritual practices are done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, it has a positive effect on the mind. It becomes tranquil and focused. The seeker does not feel fatigue in his practice.
-When a beginner sits for meditation, his mind may be agitated. This happens because all previous impressions (vrittis) stored in his chittam come to the surface. These vrittis should be restrained by creating counter vrittis through spiritual practices such as karma yoga, prayers, reading of scriptures and holy association. When we meditate, these positive tendencies will also come to surface and nullify the negative ones.
-11th verse: “The seeker should sit on a firm seat in a clean place. The seat should neither be too high nor too low. The seat should be made by placing Kusha grass on the ground, then spreading a tiger/deer skin over it and then spreading a clean/soft cloth on top.”
-Meditation is a universal spiritual practice. Where you sit and what you sit on – these are relative and subject to changes according to time, culture, geography, and availability of materials.
-12th verse: “Seated on that seat, he should subdue wavering of the mind and senses, he should make his mind one-pointed, and he should practice Yoga for the purification of the mind.”
-The mind is made one-pointed by stopping the inner and outer wavering of the mind. One should control inner wavering by developing good samskaras. Prayers and holy association help develop these good samskaras. Over time, the good tendencies become dominant and turn the mind into a friend. External wavering may manifest as fatigue. This can be overcome with inner concentration and by developing positive samskaras.
-13th verse: “During meditation one should sit firmly on his seat with his body, neck and head in a straight line. His eyes should neither be completely closed nor completely open – they should be “as if” gazing at the tip of the nose.”
-During meditation, firmness and steadiness of the body should be a pleasant, natural and effortless experience. This prevents the body from dragging the mind towards itself.
-A beginner will experience darkness within, if eyes are completely closed. If eyes are open, they drag the mind to the external world.
-These instructions are important for a beginner. For one who is highly evolved, these instructions are not very relevant – he can turn his mind towards God irrespective of where he is.
-14th verse: “With a serene heart, free from fear, with his mind controlled, living a chaste life – he should be focused on Atman, as his goal is to realize the Atman within.”
-Vows, disciplines, self-restraint, and purity of life are emphasized for both mendicants and householders.
-A beginner should practice meditation with his body and mind alert, avoiding any form of laziness. When he becomes advanced, he will experience naturally tranquility within. The effort involved in the early stages will be gone. At the advanced stage, he experiences total freedom from fear. He has nothing to fear, as he identifies with the Atman.]]>3408contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/58-moderation-in-spiritual-life-swami-tattwamayananda--41745245-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 30, 2020.
-16th verse: “Success in Yoga is not possible for him, who eats too much or doesn’t eat at all, nor for him, who sleeps too much or is awake too much.”
-Eating is used as a metaphor here for any kind of activity by the senses of action and perception, as they feed the mind. All such activities should be done with moderation. Extreme ascetic practices and extreme indulgence are both equally harmful.
-Some seekers may over-indulge themselves in spiritual activities thinking that they can reach the goal faster. Since we play with the mind in spiritual life, this should be done with moderation. There are remedies for over-exertion at physical level, but very few such remedies exist at mental level. For example, long hours of pranayama can cause asthma and delusions of grandeur.
-Some seekers are able to practice extreme asceticism successfully as they may have attained a high level of self-control from spiritual practices in previous life.
-According to Shankaracharya, the purpose of spiritual life is to transcend the physical level. With extreme asceticism, the body may become weak and drag the mind to physical level.
-Prayer or meditation should not be done in a way that makes one feel exhausted. Meditation should bring a feeling of inner bliss and contentment. If one has a sense of reverence towards what he is practicing, he will be able to sustain the practice without feeling the effort, and he will be able to overcome obstacles – both external and from his own mind.
-If one enforces spiritual practices on himself before being ready for it, it can create bitterness. For example, someone who is always fasting may start finding fault in others, even though the purpose of fasting is to get closer to God.
-Extreme asceticism can also manifest itself as a strong desire to let off the steam after the spiritual activity – for example, the desire to watch TV soon after meditation. This happens because of the desire to escape the strain or effort put into the spiritual activity.
-Spiritual disciplines involve a delicate process of purifying our samskaras and sublimating them. A beginner should make himself ready for spiritual practices by holy association and by reading spiritual literature. This gives the mind a new focus to concentrate upon.
-17th verse: “Yoga is the destroyer of all problems and miseries. It is attained by that person who is moderate and steadfast in eating, recreation, work, sleep and wakefulness.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. If they over-exert, once the spiritual activity is over, their mind can sway in the extreme opposite direction. Hence, moderation is necessary.
-Moderation is also necessary at work. If work becomes the only supreme goal, then setbacks in life can shatter the mind. Laziness and extreme obsession to work – both should be avoided.
-One who practices moderation in all activities, for him Yoga becomes a path to spiritual discovery. He feels inner joy from his spiritual practices, A true devotee of God is in a state of perpetual contentment. Mystics and devotees, such as Prahlada, were in this state of contentment and free from strain, even when faced with problems.
-18th verse: “When a devotee is able to fully control his mind which rests in the Atman alone, when he becomes free from all desires, when he becomes established in the presence of the Lord in his own heart – then he is said to have attained Yoga.”
-Sri Ramakrishna attained this state of Yoga. He felt the presence of the Lord within him, he was focused completely on the Divine Reality, and all his emotions were spiritually sanctified.
-God’s presence is like a magnetic hill. When a boat passes near the magnetic hill, its nails and screws loosen. Similarly, God’s presence drives away lust, passion and anger.
-When one is established in Yoga, all of his emotions get purified by devotion. A cooked seed cannot germinate. Similarly, when emotions are purified and sublimated, they don’t do any harm.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41745245Fri, 30 Oct 2020 23:13:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 16, 17, 18 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 30, 2020. -16th verse: “Success in Yoga is not possible for him, who eats too much or doesn’t eat at all, nor for him, who sleeps too much or is awake too...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 30, 2020.
-16th verse: “Success in Yoga is not possible for him, who eats too much or doesn’t eat at all, nor for him, who sleeps too much or is awake too much.”
-Eating is used as a metaphor here for any kind of activity by the senses of action and perception, as they feed the mind. All such activities should be done with moderation. Extreme ascetic practices and extreme indulgence are both equally harmful.
-Some seekers may over-indulge themselves in spiritual activities thinking that they can reach the goal faster. Since we play with the mind in spiritual life, this should be done with moderation. There are remedies for over-exertion at physical level, but very few such remedies exist at mental level. For example, long hours of pranayama can cause asthma and delusions of grandeur.
-Some seekers are able to practice extreme asceticism successfully as they may have attained a high level of self-control from spiritual practices in previous life.
-According to Shankaracharya, the purpose of spiritual life is to transcend the physical level. With extreme asceticism, the body may become weak and drag the mind to physical level.
-Prayer or meditation should not be done in a way that makes one feel exhausted. Meditation should bring a feeling of inner bliss and contentment. If one has a sense of reverence towards what he is practicing, he will be able to sustain the practice without feeling the effort, and he will be able to overcome obstacles – both external and from his own mind.
-If one enforces spiritual practices on himself before being ready for it, it can create bitterness. For example, someone who is always fasting may start finding fault in others, even though the purpose of fasting is to get closer to God.
-Extreme asceticism can also manifest itself as a strong desire to let off the steam after the spiritual activity – for example, the desire to watch TV soon after meditation. This happens because of the desire to escape the strain or effort put into the spiritual activity.
-Spiritual disciplines involve a delicate process of purifying our samskaras and sublimating them. A beginner should make himself ready for spiritual practices by holy association and by reading spiritual literature. This gives the mind a new focus to concentrate upon.
-17th verse: “Yoga is the destroyer of all problems and miseries. It is attained by that person who is moderate and steadfast in eating, recreation, work, sleep and wakefulness.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. If they over-exert, once the spiritual activity is over, their mind can sway in the extreme opposite direction. Hence, moderation is necessary.
-Moderation is also necessary at work. If work becomes the only supreme goal, then setbacks in life can shatter the mind. Laziness and extreme obsession to work – both should be avoided.
-One who practices moderation in all activities, for him Yoga becomes a path to spiritual discovery. He feels inner joy from his spiritual practices, A true devotee of God is in a state of perpetual contentment. Mystics and devotees, such as Prahlada, were in this state of contentment and free from strain, even when faced with problems.
-18th verse: “When a devotee is able to fully control his mind which rests in the Atman alone, when he becomes free from all desires, when he becomes established in the presence of the Lord in his own heart – then he is said to have attained Yoga.”
-Sri Ramakrishna attained this state of Yoga. He felt the presence of the Lord within him, he was focused completely on the Divine Reality, and all his emotions were spiritually...]]>3228contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/59-attaining-atyantikam-sukham-with-a-steady-mind-swami-tattwamayananda--41846495-6th chapter: verses 19, 20, 21, 22
-19th verse: “A lamp placed in a sheltered place does not flicker. Similarly, the mind of a Yogi who has reached the Niruddha state through concentration, is steady and does not waver.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. Yoga helps our mind become steady and evolve towards Ekagra and Niruddha state.
-Mind goes after objects that senses are attracted to. When it does not get what it desires, it gets bitter and angry and slowly loses its balance. To prevent the mind from wavering, one should have a higher ideal, that keeps the mind and senses employed and directed towards a healthy channel.
-It is possible to steady the mind in the midst of daily duties. Anything that distracts the mind should be clubbed together as of lesser importance. While doing worldly duties, one should know that there is something beyond that is of primary significance.
-In Vedanta, for a thing to be real, it should satisfy two criteria (1) It should remain without change in the past, present and future – both time and space. (2) It should remain without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states. One should look upon all distractions as part of the changing phenomenon that constitutes the relative. He should keep his mind focused on the Absolute Reality. Then his mind will not waver.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.
-20th verse: “When the mind is completely controlled by concentration, it attains tranquility and peace. Then the Yogi is able to see the Atman by the Atman and recognize his own true identity as the Atman. He attains complete contentment and does not look for anything else.”
-Such a Yogi transcends the realm of pain and pleasure. He is neither elated in a pleasant situation nor depressed in a painful situation. He realizes that both are harmful, and he keeps his mind steady in both situations.
-21st verse: “Such a Yogi experiences Atyantikam sukham – real infinite bliss. This experience of bliss goes beyond senses and normal faculties – it is perceived by the purified mind and intellect of the Yogi, a mind that has ceased to be mind and has merged with the Atman.”
-Normal mind is of a fleeting nature and experiences empirical happiness, which is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. Atyantikam sukham is transcendental bliss that goes beyond the cognition of the mind and the intellect, and which never becomes anything other than happiness. It is a feeling of inner fulfillment and enrichment that cannot be explained – it can only be experienced.
-Atyantikam sukham is the type of happiness that everyone is seeking. Unfortunately, without being aware of it, they only chase momentary happiness, which is the root of all painful experiences. Vedanta helps us reach this highest state of happiness with an evolved, steady and equanimous mind. Buddha, Christ and Sri Ramakrishna experienced Atyantikam sukham.
-This highest happiness is also called Brahmanandam, which is beyond the five sheaths and transcends them all. The five sheaths are: Anamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Vijnanamaya Kosha and Anandamaya Kosha.
-22nd verse: “After attaining this spiritual concentration, the Yogi realizes that there is no other acquisition superior to that.”
-When we feel that there is nothing greater than what we have already acquired - that is the real foundation of real, lasting contentment. Then we won’t be moved by any kind of sorrowful experience.
-Lord Krishna says that any effort we put towards attaining this highest bliss remains ours across lives. A sincere, humble desire to pray or read a holy book creates a positive vritti that stays ours forever. We inherit it as a spiritual bank balance when we are born again, so we can start our journey where we left off.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41846495Sat, 07 Nov 2020 01:26:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 6, 2020. -6th chapter: verses 19, 20, 21, 22 -19th verse: “A lamp placed in a sheltered place does not flicker. Similarly, the mind of a Yogi who has reached the Niruddha state through...-6th chapter: verses 19, 20, 21, 22
-19th verse: “A lamp placed in a sheltered place does not flicker. Similarly, the mind of a Yogi who has reached the Niruddha state through concentration, is steady and does not waver.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. Yoga helps our mind become steady and evolve towards Ekagra and Niruddha state.
-Mind goes after objects that senses are attracted to. When it does not get what it desires, it gets bitter and angry and slowly loses its balance. To prevent the mind from wavering, one should have a higher ideal, that keeps the mind and senses employed and directed towards a healthy channel.
-It is possible to steady the mind in the midst of daily duties. Anything that distracts the mind should be clubbed together as of lesser importance. While doing worldly duties, one should know that there is something beyond that is of primary significance.
-In Vedanta, for a thing to be real, it should satisfy two criteria (1) It should remain without change in the past, present and future – both time and space. (2) It should remain without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states. One should look upon all distractions as part of the changing phenomenon that constitutes the relative. He should keep his mind focused on the Absolute Reality. Then his mind will not waver.
-Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.
-20th verse: “When the mind is completely controlled by concentration, it attains tranquility and peace. Then the Yogi is able to see the Atman by the Atman and recognize his own true identity as the Atman. He attains complete contentment and does not look for anything else.”
-Such a Yogi transcends the realm of pain and pleasure. He is neither elated in a pleasant situation nor depressed in a painful situation. He realizes that both are harmful, and he keeps his mind steady in both situations.
-21st verse: “Such a Yogi experiences Atyantikam sukham – real infinite bliss. This experience of bliss goes beyond senses and normal faculties – it is perceived by the purified mind and intellect of the Yogi, a mind that has ceased to be mind and has merged with the Atman.”
-Normal mind is of a fleeting nature and experiences empirical happiness, which is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. Atyantikam sukham is transcendental bliss that goes beyond the cognition of the mind and the intellect, and which never becomes anything other than happiness. It is a feeling of inner fulfillment and enrichment that cannot be explained – it can only be experienced.
-Atyantikam sukham is the type of happiness that everyone is seeking. Unfortunately, without being aware of it, they only chase momentary happiness, which is the root of all painful experiences. Vedanta helps us reach this highest state of happiness with an evolved, steady and equanimous mind. Buddha, Christ and Sri Ramakrishna experienced Atyantikam sukham.
-This highest happiness is also called Brahmanandam, which is beyond the five sheaths and transcends them all. The five sheaths are: Anamaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Vijnanamaya Kosha and Anandamaya Kosha.
-22nd verse: “After attaining this spiritual concentration, the Yogi realizes that there is no other acquisition superior to that.”
-When we feel that there is nothing greater than what we have already acquired -...]]>3228contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/60-towards-a-tranquil-mind-swami-tattwamayananda--41976477-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 13, 2020.
-23rd verse: “The Yogi then reaches a state of severance from any feeling of incompleteness such as agony, pain and unhappiness. This is called duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogam”
-Every experience of happiness at the empirical level is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. We reach a state of permanent happiness with an evolved, steady and equanimous mind – when we look upon both happiness and unhappiness with a higher perspective, without attachment or aversion.
-So long as we look upon ourselves as the mind and body, we cannot have permanent happiness. When we identify ourselves as Atman, the transcendental reality, then we experience Brahmanandam – highest, permanent happiness.
-24th verse: “We should abandon all desires. Desires are born of sankalpa. This should be done by restraining our senses using the mind alone.”
-Sankalpa means brooding or thinking about worldly objects. Desires are created when we connect with worldly objects through the senses. The mind creates a false notion that we need them to be happy.
-Mind should be slowly lifted through healthy, sublime desires that are rooted in unselfishness - such as reading of scriptures, noble deeds, and holy association. This helps purify our samskaras and restrain the desire for worldly enjoyments.
-25th verse: “With the buddhi set in patience, with the mind linked to Atman, let the spiritual seeker try to attain to peace and quietude by degrees. He should not think of anything else.”
-Spiritual practices should be done with moderation to avoid delusions of the mind. Mind should be gradually liberated from the clutches of the senses. The senses should be liberated from the clutches of sense objects. The mind should be linked to Atman – it then becomes steady.
-26th verse: “When the restless mind wanders away, it should be brought back closer to Atman.”
-Mind is a continuous flow of thoughts. If the thought currents are conflicting, they manifest as restlessness and unsteadiness of the mind.
-Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-Atman is steadiness, bliss itself. Mind should be brought closer to Atman by feeding it with ideas that remind one of his true identity as Atman. Then the distractions of the mind slowly disappear and it becomes tranquil.
-27th verse: “Mind becomes calm like an ocean with all waves completely subsided. When the mind identifies itself with the Atman, supreme bliss comes to the Yogi. His mind becomes serene, all his passions are gone, and he becomes free from all disturbances.”
-The first step is to free the mind from the clutches of the senses. Then the mind becomes pure and slowly gets directed towards Atman. Then Avarana (veil that conceals our true identity) and Vikshepa (false projection) disappear.
-At such a stage, the mind is free from distractions caused by Rajo and Tamo guna. A jeevan mukta has such a mind – such a Yogi thinks that everything is Brahman.
-One can look at the ocean in two ways. One way is to look at it as disturbed with waves and currents. Another is to look upon the waves and currents as constituted by the same water that constitutes the ocean – they emerge, exist and dissolve in the ocean. The Yogi who looks upon everything as Brahman is like the person who sees the same water in waves, currents and ocean.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/41976477Sat, 14 Nov 2020 04:46:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 13, 2020. -23rd verse: “The Yogi then reaches a state of severance from any feeling of incompleteness such as agony, pain and unhappiness. This is...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 13, 2020.
-23rd verse: “The Yogi then reaches a state of severance from any feeling of incompleteness such as agony, pain and unhappiness. This is called duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogam”
-Every experience of happiness at the empirical level is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. We reach a state of permanent happiness with an evolved, steady and equanimous mind – when we look upon both happiness and unhappiness with a higher perspective, without attachment or aversion.
-So long as we look upon ourselves as the mind and body, we cannot have permanent happiness. When we identify ourselves as Atman, the transcendental reality, then we experience Brahmanandam – highest, permanent happiness.
-24th verse: “We should abandon all desires. Desires are born of sankalpa. This should be done by restraining our senses using the mind alone.”
-Sankalpa means brooding or thinking about worldly objects. Desires are created when we connect with worldly objects through the senses. The mind creates a false notion that we need them to be happy.
-Mind should be slowly lifted through healthy, sublime desires that are rooted in unselfishness - such as reading of scriptures, noble deeds, and holy association. This helps purify our samskaras and restrain the desire for worldly enjoyments.
-25th verse: “With the buddhi set in patience, with the mind linked to Atman, let the spiritual seeker try to attain to peace and quietude by degrees. He should not think of anything else.”
-Spiritual practices should be done with moderation to avoid delusions of the mind. Mind should be gradually liberated from the clutches of the senses. The senses should be liberated from the clutches of sense objects. The mind should be linked to Atman – it then becomes steady.
-26th verse: “When the restless mind wanders away, it should be brought back closer to Atman.”
-Mind is a continuous flow of thoughts. If the thought currents are conflicting, they manifest as restlessness and unsteadiness of the mind.
-Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-Atman is steadiness, bliss itself. Mind should be brought closer to Atman by feeding it with ideas that remind one of his true identity as Atman. Then the distractions of the mind slowly disappear and it becomes tranquil.
-27th verse: “Mind becomes calm like an ocean with all waves completely subsided. When the mind identifies itself with the Atman, supreme bliss comes to the Yogi. His mind becomes serene, all his passions are gone, and he becomes free from all disturbances.”
-The first step is to free the mind from the clutches of the senses. Then the mind becomes pure and slowly gets directed towards Atman. Then Avarana (veil that conceals our true identity) and Vikshepa (false projection) disappear.
-At such a stage, the mind is free from distractions caused by Rajo and Tamo guna. A jeevan mukta has such a mind – such a Yogi thinks that everything is Brahman.
-One can look at the ocean in two ways. One way is to look at it as disturbed with waves and currents. Another is to look upon the waves and currents as constituted by the same water that constitutes the ocean – they emerge, exist and dissolve in the ocean. The Yogi who looks upon everything as Brahman is like the person who sees the same water in waves, currents and ocean.]]>3286contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/61-experiencing-spiritual-unity-swami-tattwamayananda--42110468-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 20, 2020.
-28th verse: “Such a Yogi, free from all obstacles, experiences Atyantam Sukham – ultimate, infinite, spiritual bliss.”
-Atyantam Sukham is not the temporary absence of unhappiness. It is happiness itself. It is the feeling of permanently being settled in a state of contentment, even in the midst of obstacles and challenges.
-Antaraya means obstacles. Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-Spiritual life is about moving against our natural instinct, which is driven by the attraction of senses towards sense objects. In spiritual life, we turn the mind away from the pulls of nature. We turn it towards our true inner chamber, the Atman. In the process, we face obstacles.
-This Yogi, who experiences his unity with the transcendental reality in every moment and action, is Yoga-antaraya-varjitah – he has transcended all antarayas (obstacles) in his spiritual life. The Yogi gets the feeling of Atyantam Sukham, because these antarayas cannot distract his mind.
-29th verse: “Such a Yogi develops an equanimity of mind, an eye of evenness for all things, because he beholds the presence of Atman in all beings and he beholds the presence of all beings in his own Atman.”
-An ideal devotee may ready his holy books and go to the temple - but in his interactions with others, he sees all as children of the same God, whom he worships in his temple and whose instructions he reads in the holy book. Religion goes beyond the four walls of the temple – it reaches the hearts of everyone.
-In the Bhagavad Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ The same answer is given in the Gita.
-30th verse: “One who sees God in all beings, and all beings in God – that person is never separated from God, and God is never separated from him. He is always in the company of God. “
-As we advance in spiritual life, our interpretation of the Divine Reality also changes. In the early stages, as we experience happiness and unhappiness, we attribute these opposites to God as well. The highest reach of spiritual evolution is when we realize the Divine Reality within our own hearts, and we experience its presence in everyone and everywhere. Then we live in the constant company of God.
-31st verse: “That Yogi, that spiritually illumined person, he is always established in this ideal of spiritual unity. He worships my presence everywhere. Whatever his mode of life, that devotee lives in me, and I live in him.”
-The favorite dwelling place of God is the pure heart of a devotee. Often, we do not allow him to stay there as we have other guests occupying the space such as: desires, anger, hatred, aversion, fear and doubt. When trying to enter, God withdraws, as he sees other guests occupying the space. If the heart is pure, God enters that residence.
-32nd verse: “He who judges pleasure and pain everywhere by the same standard that he applies to himself, that Yogi is regarded as the highest.”
-Whatever is desirable to us, we should assume is desirable to others also. We should treat others as we want to be treated by them. A spiritual seeker develops this attitude when he reaches the highest level of spiritual unity.
-The entire cosmic existence is one for a spiritual seeker who has reached this highest state. He feels compassion towards all beings and towards nature. To him, religion and spirituality transcend the barriers of culture and nationality.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42110468Fri, 20 Nov 2020 19:53:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 20, 2020. -28th verse: “Such a Yogi, free from all obstacles, experiences Atyantam Sukham – ultimate, infinite, spiritual bliss.” -Atyantam Sukham is...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 20, 2020.
-28th verse: “Such a Yogi, free from all obstacles, experiences Atyantam Sukham – ultimate, infinite, spiritual bliss.”
-Atyantam Sukham is not the temporary absence of unhappiness. It is happiness itself. It is the feeling of permanently being settled in a state of contentment, even in the midst of obstacles and challenges.
-Antaraya means obstacles. Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-Spiritual life is about moving against our natural instinct, which is driven by the attraction of senses towards sense objects. In spiritual life, we turn the mind away from the pulls of nature. We turn it towards our true inner chamber, the Atman. In the process, we face obstacles.
-This Yogi, who experiences his unity with the transcendental reality in every moment and action, is Yoga-antaraya-varjitah – he has transcended all antarayas (obstacles) in his spiritual life. The Yogi gets the feeling of Atyantam Sukham, because these antarayas cannot distract his mind.
-29th verse: “Such a Yogi develops an equanimity of mind, an eye of evenness for all things, because he beholds the presence of Atman in all beings and he beholds the presence of all beings in his own Atman.”
-An ideal devotee may ready his holy books and go to the temple - but in his interactions with others, he sees all as children of the same God, whom he worships in his temple and whose instructions he reads in the holy book. Religion goes beyond the four walls of the temple – it reaches the hearts of everyone.
-In the Bhagavad Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ The same answer is given in the Gita.
-30th verse: “One who sees God in all beings, and all beings in God – that person is never separated from God, and God is never separated from him. He is always in the company of God. “
-As we advance in spiritual life, our interpretation of the Divine Reality also changes. In the early stages, as we experience happiness and unhappiness, we attribute these opposites to God as well. The highest reach of spiritual evolution is when we realize the Divine Reality within our own hearts, and we experience its presence in everyone and everywhere. Then we live in the constant company of God.
-31st verse: “That Yogi, that spiritually illumined person, he is always established in this ideal of spiritual unity. He worships my presence everywhere. Whatever his mode of life, that devotee lives in me, and I live in him.”
-The favorite dwelling place of God is the pure heart of a devotee. Often, we do not allow him to stay there as we have other guests occupying the space such as: desires, anger, hatred, aversion, fear and doubt. When trying to enter, God withdraws, as he sees other guests occupying the space. If the heart is pure, God enters that residence.
-32nd verse: “He who judges pleasure and pain everywhere by the same standard that he applies to himself, that Yogi is regarded as the highest.”
-Whatever is desirable to us, we should assume is desirable to others also. We should treat others as we want to be treated by them. A spiritual seeker develops this attitude when he reaches the highest level of spiritual unity.
-The entire cosmic existence is one for a spiritual seeker who has reached this highest state. He feels compassion towards all beings and towards nature. To him, religion and spirituality transcend the barriers of culture and nationality.]]>3213contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/62-attaining-ekatvam-and-samatvam-swami-tattwamayananda--42218870-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 27, 2020.
-32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th verses are interrelated. 32nd verse concludes the important idea of the spiritual unity of the entire creation. 33rd and 34th verses present Arjuna’s question on whether the equanimity of mind can be achieved. The 35th verse contains Lord Krishna’s response to Arjuna’s question.
-32nd verse: “He who judges pleasure and pain everywhere by the same standard that he applies to himself, that Yogi is regarded as the highest.”
-The first stage of spiritual evolution is Atma-jnanam, where we realize that behind and beyond the body and mind, there is the Atman. At the second stage, we realize that this Atman is identical with Brahman. At the third stage, we realize that Brahman as God is present everywhere and in everything. At this highest level, one develops ekatvam (oneness) and samatvam (evenness).
-For a person who has reached this state of samatvam, every secular thing becomes spiritualized. His mind does not deviate from the state of samadhi.
-We can look at clothes made of the same thread from two perspectives. We can see them as different clothes, or we can see the same thread in these clothes. Similarly, for the spiritually evolved person, wherever his mind goes, he only connects with its spiritual dimension. He cannot consciously do harm to anyone.
-“yatra yatra mano yāti tatra tatra samādhayaha” (Drg-Drshya-Viveka 30)
-The statement “Brahma satyam, jagat mithya” is only at a philosophical level. At the highest advaitic level, which transcends all duality, one experiences “Brahma Satyam, jagat satyam”. The world, when perceived from a transcendental perspective, without names and forms, becomes non-distinct from Brahman.
-In the Bhagavad Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“
-33rd verse: Arjuna says: “You have taught me this Yoga of ekatvam and samatvam. I do not see the possibility of it becoming a reality in my life because my mind is restless.”
-34th verse: Arjuna continues: “The mind is restless, turbulent and not yielding. It is difficult to control the mind like the wind.”
-Arjuna thought that running away from his duties and taking on the life of a mendicant was the right path for him. Lord Krishna eventually tells him that the life of renunciation is more intense, as it deals with inner warfare. Renunciation is about taking on bigger challenges and more difficult than facing external challenges.
-35th verse: Lord Krishna responds: “You are right that the mind is restless and difficult to control. Yet, it can be controlled through constant practice and through renunciation.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Arjuna’s question reflects the state of his mind as Vikshipta.
-When we develop a sense of renunciation towards what is harmful to the mind, and we practice disciplines that feed the mind with positive food, then the mind becomes calm and quiet.
-From the Bhagavad Purana: “If horses are not under your control and running away, you don’t jump away from the horses. Instead, holding the reins steady and strong, you direct the horses in the proper direction. Similarly, one should control the rebellious mind, by controlling its negative thought currents.”
-The Bhagavad Purana says that one should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Positive samskaras are generated by reading of scriptures and through holy associations.
-According to Shankaracharya, the word Krishna means the one whose holy name helps remove the negativity from our mind. A farmer ploughs his field to remove undesirable vegetation. Similarly, Lord Krishna’s name purifies our mind and removes all undesirable elements.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42218870Sat, 28 Nov 2020 06:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 32, 33, 34, 35 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 27, 2020. -32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th verses are interrelated. 32nd verse concludes the important idea of the spiritual unity of the entire creation. 33rd...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on November 27, 2020.
-32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th verses are interrelated. 32nd verse concludes the important idea of the spiritual unity of the entire creation. 33rd and 34th verses present Arjuna’s question on whether the equanimity of mind can be achieved. The 35th verse contains Lord Krishna’s response to Arjuna’s question.
-32nd verse: “He who judges pleasure and pain everywhere by the same standard that he applies to himself, that Yogi is regarded as the highest.”
-The first stage of spiritual evolution is Atma-jnanam, where we realize that behind and beyond the body and mind, there is the Atman. At the second stage, we realize that this Atman is identical with Brahman. At the third stage, we realize that Brahman as God is present everywhere and in everything. At this highest level, one develops ekatvam (oneness) and samatvam (evenness).
-For a person who has reached this state of samatvam, every secular thing becomes spiritualized. His mind does not deviate from the state of samadhi.
-We can look at clothes made of the same thread from two perspectives. We can see them as different clothes, or we can see the same thread in these clothes. Similarly, for the spiritually evolved person, wherever his mind goes, he only connects with its spiritual dimension. He cannot consciously do harm to anyone.
-“yatra yatra mano yāti tatra tatra samādhayaha” (Drg-Drshya-Viveka 30)
-The statement “Brahma satyam, jagat mithya” is only at a philosophical level. At the highest advaitic level, which transcends all duality, one experiences “Brahma Satyam, jagat satyam”. The world, when perceived from a transcendental perspective, without names and forms, becomes non-distinct from Brahman.
-In the Bhagavad Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“
-33rd verse: Arjuna says: “You have taught me this Yoga of ekatvam and samatvam. I do not see the possibility of it becoming a reality in my life because my mind is restless.”
-34th verse: Arjuna continues: “The mind is restless, turbulent and not yielding. It is difficult to control the mind like the wind.”
-Arjuna thought that running away from his duties and taking on the life of a mendicant was the right path for him. Lord Krishna eventually tells him that the life of renunciation is more intense, as it deals with inner warfare. Renunciation is about taking on bigger challenges and more difficult than facing external challenges.
-35th verse: Lord Krishna responds: “You are right that the mind is restless and difficult to control. Yet, it can be controlled through constant practice and through renunciation.”
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). Arjuna’s question reflects the state of his mind as Vikshipta.
-When we develop a sense of renunciation towards what is harmful to the mind, and we practice disciplines that feed the mind with positive food, then the mind becomes calm and quiet.
-From the Bhagavad Purana: “If horses are not under your control and running away, you don’t jump away from the horses. Instead, holding the reins steady and strong, you direct the horses in the proper direction. Similarly, one should control the rebellious mind, by controlling its negative thought currents.”
-The Bhagavad Purana says that one should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras....]]>3323contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/63-dealing-with-deviations-in-spiritual-life-swami-tattwamayananda--42339144-6th chapter: 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41
-Spiritual life is our ideal. We have to restrain the thought currents in the mind by feeding it with positive ideas. However, the mind is called Vikshipta-manah, always wavering like a pendulum.
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The mind of a normal person is in Vikshipta state.
-Spiritual life is about coming face to face with our own mind. When we try to turn the mind away from the pulls of nature, the mind revolts.
-In the 35th verse, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “You are right that the mind is restless and difficult to control. Yet, it can be controlled through constant practice and through renunciation.”
-When we develop a sense of renunciation towards what is harmful to the mind, and we practice disciplines that feed the mind with positive food, then the mind becomes calm and quiet.
-We should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Positive samskaras are generated by reading of scriptures and through holy associations.
-Spiritual growth is achieved by constant practice and by one’s own self effort. When we are hungry, we have to eat to get rid of the hunger. Similarly, our own effort is crucial for progress in spiritual life. Through practice, one gets uncommon power of mind.
-36th verse: “Yoga is very hard to attain by someone whose mind is not in his control.”
-We should always keep in our mind a spiritual ideal. In the midst of our secular activities, we should recollect our spiritual ideal again and again.
-In the 37th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, his mind wanders about, he feels he has not progressed enough, and he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?”
-If a spiritual seeker feels that he is not making progress, it actually shows that he is making progress. Without making progress, he would not feel such dis-satisfaction. At the same time, it means that he has not made enough progress.
-When a person starts his spiritual practices with shraddha - - it is like boarding a train that is bound to reach its destination.
-The person referred to in Arjuna’s question is an ārurukṣhoḥ - a spiritual seeker who is still evolving. He has not reached the Yoga-ārūḍha state, where he experiences identity with the Atman. He could also be a karma-yogi, who has not achieved contentment.
-38th verse: Arjuna continues his question: “Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm?”
-Per Shankaracharya, a spiritual seeker may find himself in a stage where he continues to earnestly pray, do karma-yoga, meditate - and yet does not feel inner contentment. At the same time, he sees others enjoying the world around him. This is a state that every sincere spiritual seeker has to go through.
-Shankaracharya also says that a seeker with shraddha, who has not yet attained the ultimate goal, may have a deviation from his spiritual ideal – this is called Yoga-bhrashta. His past samskaras may assert themselves as one of the following obstacles to deviate him from his spiritual path - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-There are many examples of seekers who led an intense spiritual life, then had Yoga-Bhrashta in their last life and died. In their new life, at some point, the old positive samskaras assert themselves and lead to a mysterious spiritual transformation in their life.
-Lord Krishna explains later in the 40th and 41st verses: “Even if you had a deviation, do not worry. You will not lose anything. Your spiritual samskaras are like a fixed deposit that no one can take away from you – it is yours forever. Even if you want a material life, you will be forced to continue your spiritual journey.”
-Time is only an imagination. Birth and death are a continuous process. Everyone is born again based on accumulated samskaras.
-Lord Krishna explains further in the 41st verse: “If a devotee has practiced spiritual disciplines in this life but has a deviation towards the end, he will be able to continue his spiritual journey by being born in a family where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42339144Sat, 05 Dec 2020 06:36:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on December 4, 2020. -6th chapter: 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41 -Spiritual life is our ideal. We have to restrain the thought currents in the mind by feeding it with positive ideas. However, the mind is...-6th chapter: 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41
-Spiritual life is our ideal. We have to restrain the thought currents in the mind by feeding it with positive ideas. However, the mind is called Vikshipta-manah, always wavering like a pendulum.
-Vyasa classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The mind of a normal person is in Vikshipta state.
-Spiritual life is about coming face to face with our own mind. When we try to turn the mind away from the pulls of nature, the mind revolts.
-In the 35th verse, Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “You are right that the mind is restless and difficult to control. Yet, it can be controlled through constant practice and through renunciation.”
-When we develop a sense of renunciation towards what is harmful to the mind, and we practice disciplines that feed the mind with positive food, then the mind becomes calm and quiet.
-We should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Positive samskaras are generated by reading of scriptures and through holy associations.
-Spiritual growth is achieved by constant practice and by one’s own self effort. When we are hungry, we have to eat to get rid of the hunger. Similarly, our own effort is crucial for progress in spiritual life. Through practice, one gets uncommon power of mind.
-36th verse: “Yoga is very hard to attain by someone whose mind is not in his control.”
-We should always keep in our mind a spiritual ideal. In the midst of our secular activities, we should recollect our spiritual ideal again and again.
-In the 37th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, his mind wanders about, he feels he has not progressed enough, and he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?”
-If a spiritual seeker feels that he is not making progress, it actually shows that he is making progress. Without making progress, he would not feel such dis-satisfaction. At the same time, it means that he has not made enough progress.
-When a person starts his spiritual practices with shraddha - - it is like boarding a train that is bound to reach its destination.
-The person referred to in Arjuna’s question is an ārurukṣhoḥ - a spiritual seeker who is still evolving. He has not reached the Yoga-ārūḍha state, where he experiences identity with the Atman. He could also be a karma-yogi, who has not achieved contentment.
-38th verse: Arjuna continues his question: “Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm?”
-Per Shankaracharya, a spiritual seeker may find himself in a stage where he continues to earnestly pray, do karma-yoga, meditate - and yet does not feel inner contentment. At the same time, he sees others enjoying the world around him. This is a state that every sincere spiritual seeker has to go through.
-Shankaracharya also says that a seeker with shraddha, who has not yet attained the ultimate goal, may have a deviation from his spiritual ideal – this is called Yoga-bhrashta. His past samskaras may assert themselves as one of the following obstacles to deviate him from his spiritual path - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.
-There are many examples of seekers who led an intense spiritual life, then had Yoga-Bhrashta in their last life and died. In their new life, at some point, the old positive samskaras assert...]]>2911contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/64-spiritual-wealth-is-never-lost-swami-tattwamayananda--42471420-6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
-In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm? I have this doubt, which you should dispel.”
-Shankaracharya says that a seeker with shraddha, who has not yet attained the ultimate goal, may have a deviation from his spiritual ideal – this is called Yoga-bhrashta.
-When we come in contact with sensory objects that can take us away from our spiritual path, we should withdraw our senses from these objects. We should do so by thinking about the dangers of succumbing to such temptation (dosha-drishti) – we should do so again and again.
-The faculty to detect such temptation and withdraw from – it grows when we feed our mind with higher spiritual ideas and associate with holy people. Then, we develop an inner self-correcting mechanism.
-Lord Krishna answers in the 40th verse: “Even if you had a deviation, do not worry. You will not lose anything. Your spiritual samskaras are like a fixed deposit that no one can take away from you – it is yours forever. Even if you want a material life, you will be forced to continue your spiritual journey – you will be helpless because of the power of your accumulated spiritual samskaras.”
-What happens to a Yoga-bhrashta? Lord Krishna answers this question from two different perspectives in the 41st and 42nd verse. 41st verse discusses a seeker who has not achieved Shama (self-restraint), and 42nd verse discusses a more advanced spiritual seeker.
-41st verse: “If a devotee has practiced spiritual disciplines in this life but has not achieved shama - and he has a deviation towards the end - he will be able to continue his spiritual journey by being born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled.”
-42nd verse: “Those who are more advanced are born in families that have a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants. Such a birth is rare indeed.”
-In both 41st and 42nd verse, Lord Krishna’s main message is: “Nothing is lost, and you are never late. You can begin your journey right now.” We can start by praying or by doing noble deeds that give us inner tranquility and enrichment.
-Pedigree is not a criterion for rebirth. One of the greatest devotees, Prahlada, was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
-43rd verse: “That mind and impressions inherited from previous spiritual life – you connect with those tendencies. You continue your spiritual journey. You strive for your spiritual life more vigorously. Because of the latent memory of striving hard in previous life, you desire not to fail in this life.”
-The 43rd verse explains the mystery of how our samskaras transmigrate. At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, the tendencies that they created are stored in the Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory and ego). These stored tendencies in the Antahkarana are never lost and are born again.
-Per Shankaracharya, at re-birth, if good tendencies are dominant, they begin to manifest without delay. If bad tendencies are dominant, then the good tendencies lie dormant for some time and assert themselves after the negative tendencies are extinguished.
-44th verse: “The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from previous life – they constitute the momentum that moves the seeker forward. Those who even have a wish to lead a spiritual life, they will reach their destination.”
-When we transcend rituals for material prosperity and start praying for higher things, we start our journey towards the highest spiritual destination.
-Some scriptures say: “what we think of at the last moment, that we become in the next birth”. When we breathe our last, we will have a collection of conflicting thoughts. These thoughts are determined by our collective life as a whole. We can have a good thought at the last moment by building a storehouse of positive samskaras that will assert themselves at the last moment.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42471420Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:11:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on December 11, 2020. -6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 -In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to...-6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44
-In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm? I have this doubt, which you should dispel.”
-Shankaracharya says that a seeker with shraddha, who has not yet attained the ultimate goal, may have a deviation from his spiritual ideal – this is called Yoga-bhrashta.
-When we come in contact with sensory objects that can take us away from our spiritual path, we should withdraw our senses from these objects. We should do so by thinking about the dangers of succumbing to such temptation (dosha-drishti) – we should do so again and again.
-The faculty to detect such temptation and withdraw from – it grows when we feed our mind with higher spiritual ideas and associate with holy people. Then, we develop an inner self-correcting mechanism.
-Lord Krishna answers in the 40th verse: “Even if you had a deviation, do not worry. You will not lose anything. Your spiritual samskaras are like a fixed deposit that no one can take away from you – it is yours forever. Even if you want a material life, you will be forced to continue your spiritual journey – you will be helpless because of the power of your accumulated spiritual samskaras.”
-What happens to a Yoga-bhrashta? Lord Krishna answers this question from two different perspectives in the 41st and 42nd verse. 41st verse discusses a seeker who has not achieved Shama (self-restraint), and 42nd verse discusses a more advanced spiritual seeker.
-41st verse: “If a devotee has practiced spiritual disciplines in this life but has not achieved shama - and he has a deviation towards the end - he will be able to continue his spiritual journey by being born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled.”
-42nd verse: “Those who are more advanced are born in families that have a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants. Such a birth is rare indeed.”
-In both 41st and 42nd verse, Lord Krishna’s main message is: “Nothing is lost, and you are never late. You can begin your journey right now.” We can start by praying or by doing noble deeds that give us inner tranquility and enrichment.
-Pedigree is not a criterion for rebirth. One of the greatest devotees, Prahlada, was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
-43rd verse: “That mind and impressions inherited from previous spiritual life – you connect with those tendencies. You continue your spiritual journey. You strive for your spiritual life more vigorously. Because of the latent memory of striving hard in previous life, you desire not to fail in this life.”
-The 43rd verse explains the mystery of how our samskaras transmigrate. At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, the tendencies that they created are stored in the Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory and ego). These stored tendencies in the Antahkarana are never lost and are born again.
-Per Shankaracharya, at re-birth, if good tendencies are dominant, they begin to manifest without delay. If bad tendencies are dominant, then the good tendencies lie dormant for some time and assert themselves after the negative tendencies are extinguished.
-44th verse: “The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from previous life – they constitute the momentum that moves the seeker forward. Those who even have a wish to lead a spiritual life, they will reach their destination.”
-When we transcend rituals for material prosperity and start praying for higher things, we start our journey towards the highest spiritual...]]>3823contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/65-influence-of-inherited-samskaras-swami-tattwamayananda--42573538-6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46
-In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm? I have this doubt, which you should dispel.”
-In normal activities, we may see tangible results soon after the activity. In spiritual life, there are results, but the results may not be in visible form all the time. These results are Adhrishtam (not visible) and Apoorvam (did not exist before the activity). These results are never lost.
-In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna discusses three categories of people in the next few verses. At the lowest level is Vimudha –one who is highly confused and deluded. At the next level is ārurukṣhoḥ - one desirous of entering the path of Yoga. At the advanced level is ārūḍha – one who has entered the path of spiritual life.
-Vimudha will be born in a family where, at different stages of his life, his past samskaras start unfolding. Arurukṣhoḥ will be born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled. Arūḍha will be born in a family that has a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants.
-Pedigree is not a criterion for rebirth. One of the greatest devotees, Prahlada, was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
-44th verse: “The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from previous lives – they constitute the momentum that moves the seeker forward. With a sincere enquiry for higher truth (jijñāsuḥ), he begins his spiritual journey, and is superior to one who mechanically practices rituals.”
-The stories of Ajamila and Jada Bharata show how our inherited samskaras are never lost, and how the force of our past samskaras helplessly push us towards spiritual life.
-Ajamila initially led a spiritual life but had a deviation later. His son’s name was Narayana, synonym of Lord Vishnu. At the last moment, when he uttered Narayana to call his son, his mind went towards Lord Vishnu and he attained liberation.
-King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman.
-45th verse: “This Yogi who strives with great tenacity, becomes completely purified, is perfected through his evolution across many life cycles, and eventually reaches the highest goal.”
-46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who is a mere scholar), and superior to the Karmi (one who follows rituals).”
-Per Shankaracharya, mere scholarship and intellectual understanding leads to chitta-bhrama-karanam (mental confusion). It is not spiritual wisdom, which gives inner tranquility. A Yogi is superior, because he has attained spiritual wisdom.
-Asceticism is of three types: (1) physical, such as external purity (2) Verbal, such as truthfulness (3) Mental, such as self-restraint. A yogi is superior, because he has attained all three of these qualities.
-Rituals can bind us and hinder further progress. A Yogi has transcended rituals, and is, therefore, superior.
-Scriptures, asceticism and rituals have their place in spiritual evolution. However, a seeker should not stop there. He should go beyond. After traveling some distance, he should have genuine inquisitiveness about the higher truth – that’s when his real spiritual journey starts.
-Mind does not cooperate due to the storehouse of negative samskaras. To turn the mind into a friend, one should develop a surplus of positive samskaras by doing noble deeds, reading of scriptures and through holy association.
-If a seeker has mumukshutvam (desire for spiritual liberation), then other qualifications, such as holy association, come naturally.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42573538Fri, 18 Dec 2020 22:38:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on December 18, 2020. -6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 -In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest...-6th chapter: verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46
-In the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? Has he totally failed and fallen from both worlds – having neither attained anything in the secular world nor in the spiritual realm? I have this doubt, which you should dispel.”
-In normal activities, we may see tangible results soon after the activity. In spiritual life, there are results, but the results may not be in visible form all the time. These results are Adhrishtam (not visible) and Apoorvam (did not exist before the activity). These results are never lost.
-In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna discusses three categories of people in the next few verses. At the lowest level is Vimudha –one who is highly confused and deluded. At the next level is ārurukṣhoḥ - one desirous of entering the path of Yoga. At the advanced level is ārūḍha – one who has entered the path of spiritual life.
-Vimudha will be born in a family where, at different stages of his life, his past samskaras start unfolding. Arurukṣhoḥ will be born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled. Arūḍha will be born in a family that has a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants.
-Pedigree is not a criterion for rebirth. One of the greatest devotees, Prahlada, was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.
-44th verse: “The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from previous lives – they constitute the momentum that moves the seeker forward. With a sincere enquiry for higher truth (jijñāsuḥ), he begins his spiritual journey, and is superior to one who mechanically practices rituals.”
-The stories of Ajamila and Jada Bharata show how our inherited samskaras are never lost, and how the force of our past samskaras helplessly push us towards spiritual life.
-Ajamila initially led a spiritual life but had a deviation later. His son’s name was Narayana, synonym of Lord Vishnu. At the last moment, when he uttered Narayana to call his son, his mind went towards Lord Vishnu and he attained liberation.
-King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman.
-45th verse: “This Yogi who strives with great tenacity, becomes completely purified, is perfected through his evolution across many life cycles, and eventually reaches the highest goal.”
-46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who is a mere scholar), and superior to the Karmi (one who follows rituals).”
-Per Shankaracharya, mere scholarship and intellectual understanding leads to chitta-bhrama-karanam (mental confusion). It is not spiritual wisdom, which gives inner tranquility. A Yogi is superior, because he has attained spiritual wisdom.
-Asceticism is of three types: (1) physical, such as external purity (2) Verbal, such as truthfulness (3) Mental, such as self-restraint. A yogi is superior, because he has attained all three of these qualities.
-Rituals can bind us and hinder further progress. A Yogi has transcended rituals, and is, therefore, superior.
-Scriptures, asceticism and rituals have their place in spiritual evolution. However, a seeker should not stop there. He should go beyond. After traveling some distance, he should have genuine inquisitiveness about the higher truth – that’s when his real spiritual journey starts.
-Mind does not cooperate...]]>3775contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/66-bhakti-supreme-devotion-to-god-swami-tattwamayananda--42870769-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 8, 2021.
-6th chapter, 46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who is a mere scholar), and superior to the Karmi (one who follows rituals).”
-Scriptures, asceticism and rituals have their place in spiritual evolution. However, a seeker should not stop there. He should go beyond. After traveling some distance, he should have genuine inquisitiveness about the higher truth – that’s when his real spiritual journey starts.
-6th chapter, 47th verse: “Of all the Yogis, the one whose self and mind is always merged in God with shraddha, devotion, love and sweetness – he is the greatest.”
-The attitude of bhakti (devotion) makes the spiritual journey a sweet and enjoyable experience, even in the midst of difficulties that the seeker may face. Many great mystics had to face difficulties – they were able to withstand them with the love and sweetness of their devotion.
-Mumukshu is one who aspires to enter the path of Yoga. He starts his journey with Karma Yoga, surrendering the fruits of actions to God. However, such surrender is not easy and can involve effort and strain. Combining karma-yoga with devotion, the mumukshu can turn it into a sweet, enjoyable experience.
-Both Narada Bhakti Sutra and Shandilya Bhakti Sutra define Bhakti as the “nature of supreme devotion to God”.
-Sadhana bhakti is the means and sadhya bhakti is the goal.
-Sadhana bhakti is of two types: (1) Vaidhi bhakti, where the devotee is still evolving and performs daily rituals such as prayers and reading of scriptures. (2) Gauna bhakti, which expresses itself through the three gunas, as sattvic bhakti (serene, contemplative), rajasic bhakti (externally expressive) and tamasic bhakti (crude expression of bhakti).
-Sadhya bhakti is of two types: (1) Prema bhakti, where the devotee doesn’t feel any strain. Devotion for him is a sweet, enjoyable experience – he transcends time, effort and strain. (2) Para bhakti, where the devotee feels total identification with God.
-If prema bhakti can be brought to everyday activities, where we can do our work as an offering to God, then that work becomes a means for us to enjoy inner serenity, and to achieve freedom from strain.
-In the 47th verse, Lord Krishna says that the highest devotee is one who is devoted to God in the most exalted sense of the term - who has reached sadhya bhakti, prema bhakti and para bhakti – where life itself becomes an occasion for celebration, every moment becomes enjoyable, and every thought, word, and deed becomes spiritualized.
-7th chapter, 1st verse: “With the mind completely intent on Me, taking refuge in Me, learn from Me and know Me in full, without any doubt”
-“Me” in this verse refers to Brahman in Advaitic tradition - not just one deity, but God as understood and conceived by different traditions. Gita says that irrespective of what path one follows, it leads to the same destination, that is prescribed in Gita itself. Rig Veda says: “Reality is one; sages call it by different names.”
-Gita’s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections. In the first section, Jnanam means knowledge of spiritual practice. In the second section, Jnanam means the knowledge of Bhagavan. In the third section, Jnanam means Atman.
-A devotee should see the world as a manifestation of God’s magnificence. With this attitude, he will evolve and ultimately reach a point, where he understands that the world is relative – he will evolve from duality to non-duality.
-In modern times, it is best to practice karma-yoga, but with a spiritual ideal in mind. It is difficult to practice any of the three yogas – karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga – in isolation. They have to be combined. A karma yogi cannot escape being a devotee of a higher ideal.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42870769Fri, 08 Jan 2021 21:48:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-6th chapter: verses 46, 47; 7th chapter: verse 1 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 8, 2021. -6th chapter, 46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 8, 2021.
-6th chapter, 46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who is a mere scholar), and superior to the Karmi (one who follows rituals).”
-Scriptures, asceticism and rituals have their place in spiritual evolution. However, a seeker should not stop there. He should go beyond. After traveling some distance, he should have genuine inquisitiveness about the higher truth – that’s when his real spiritual journey starts.
-6th chapter, 47th verse: “Of all the Yogis, the one whose self and mind is always merged in God with shraddha, devotion, love and sweetness – he is the greatest.”
-The attitude of bhakti (devotion) makes the spiritual journey a sweet and enjoyable experience, even in the midst of difficulties that the seeker may face. Many great mystics had to face difficulties – they were able to withstand them with the love and sweetness of their devotion.
-Mumukshu is one who aspires to enter the path of Yoga. He starts his journey with Karma Yoga, surrendering the fruits of actions to God. However, such surrender is not easy and can involve effort and strain. Combining karma-yoga with devotion, the mumukshu can turn it into a sweet, enjoyable experience.
-Both Narada Bhakti Sutra and Shandilya Bhakti Sutra define Bhakti as the “nature of supreme devotion to God”.
-Sadhana bhakti is the means and sadhya bhakti is the goal.
-Sadhana bhakti is of two types: (1) Vaidhi bhakti, where the devotee is still evolving and performs daily rituals such as prayers and reading of scriptures. (2) Gauna bhakti, which expresses itself through the three gunas, as sattvic bhakti (serene, contemplative), rajasic bhakti (externally expressive) and tamasic bhakti (crude expression of bhakti).
-Sadhya bhakti is of two types: (1) Prema bhakti, where the devotee doesn’t feel any strain. Devotion for him is a sweet, enjoyable experience – he transcends time, effort and strain. (2) Para bhakti, where the devotee feels total identification with God.
-If prema bhakti can be brought to everyday activities, where we can do our work as an offering to God, then that work becomes a means for us to enjoy inner serenity, and to achieve freedom from strain.
-In the 47th verse, Lord Krishna says that the highest devotee is one who is devoted to God in the most exalted sense of the term - who has reached sadhya bhakti, prema bhakti and para bhakti – where life itself becomes an occasion for celebration, every moment becomes enjoyable, and every thought, word, and deed becomes spiritualized.
-7th chapter, 1st verse: “With the mind completely intent on Me, taking refuge in Me, learn from Me and know Me in full, without any doubt”
-“Me” in this verse refers to Brahman in Advaitic tradition - not just one deity, but God as understood and conceived by different traditions. Gita says that irrespective of what path one follows, it leads to the same destination, that is prescribed in Gita itself. Rig Veda says: “Reality is one; sages call it by different names.”
-Gita’s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections. In the first section, Jnanam means knowledge of spiritual practice. In the second section, Jnanam means the knowledge of Bhagavan. In the third section, Jnanam means Atman.
-A devotee should see the world as a manifestation of God’s magnificence. With this attitude, he will evolve and ultimately reach a point, where he understands that the world is relative – he will evolve from duality to non-duality.
-In modern times, it is best to practice karma-yoga, but with a spiritual ideal in mind. It is difficult to practice any of the three yogas – karma yoga, bhakti yoga, jnana yoga – in isolation. They have to be combined. A karma yogi cannot escape being a devotee of a higher ideal.]]>3930contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/67-jnanam-and-vijnanam-swami-tattwamayananda--42981175-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 15, 2021.
-Gita’s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections, each with six chapters. The first section deals with the knowledge of spiritual practice. The second section deals with the knowledge of Bhagavan. The third section deals with knowledge of Atman.
-Advaitic scholars also treat the three sections as interpretation of the mahavakya: Tat Tvam Asi. First section deals with Tvam. Second section deals with Tat. Third section deals with the unity of jivatma and paramatma. It represents our evolution in understanding of God.
-1st verse: “With the mind completely intent on Me, taking refuge in Me, learn from Me and know Me in full, without any doubt”
-2nd verse: Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and Vijnanam. Jnanam is the knowledge of God from books. When that knowledge becomes a reality in our life, because of our own real experience (anubhuti), it is called Vijnanam. Then every thought, word and deed become sacred.
-In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. When one progresses, eventually, one reaches a stage where this line is broken, and every secular activity becomes spiritualized. In the beginning, it is “work and worship”. Later it is “work as worship”.
-Sri Ramakrishna said: A jnani reasons about the world through neti-neti. To a Vijnani, Brahman alone has become everything, and the world is a mansion of mirth. A jnani is like a person who has just heard of milk. A vijnani is like a person who has drunk the milk, enjoyed it and is nourished by it.
-We cannot choose to be a vijnani – it is not a concept. It is not a matter of choice – rather a matter of where we stand right now and how we evolve. We reach vijnanam through spiritual practices and by going through the stage of jnanam.
-How does a vijnani live in this world? Even at the highest stage, he falls back to the empirical level and lives like normal people. Whatever he does, it involves a spiritual element. This is seen in great spiritual teachers such as Sri Ramakrishna. Another example is of King Janaka, who lived like a rajarshi.
-Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
-3rd verse: “Among thousands of people, very few strive for a spiritual life. Among those who sincerely strive for spiritual life, very few realize the truth.”
-Not many people can think beyond the immediate and empirical. One of the reasons is that most people examine the value of everything by its tangible utility.
-This verse is similar to one from Dhammapada, which says: “It is very difficult to get human birth. Among them, very few desire to live like a cultured human being. Among them, very few follow the law of dharma. And among them very few reach enlightenment.”
-Human birth is a golden opportunity. Once we realize that there are many others who will reach the stage of human birth only after many life cycles, it should give us renewed confidence and a different perspective on life.
-4th verse: “My lower prakriti – Apara prakriti or Kshetram - is eight fold. The first five are the subtle dimensions of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and space. The remaining three are mind, intellect and egoism.”
-According to Sankhya philosophy, from prakriti comes mahatattva, then ahamkara, then mind, senses, and the subtle elements.
-5th verse: “My higher prakriti – para prakriti – is the principle of consciousness by which the entire universe is sustained. Everything is made conscious by the presence of this inner, divine spark.”
-Creator is present in his creation. If this were not so, it would lead to dualism. In the 4th and 5th verse, Lord Krishna gives a prelude, before discussing in later verses, the unity of existence.
-We can easily understand the presence of para-prakriti by the following example. If someone, who does not have a physical problem, suddenly dies, something departs the kshetram. And body/mind, that was otherwise operational, stops working. That something is the Antaryami - the immanent, divine reality.
-6th verse: “These two prakritis are the source of all. I am the origin and the dissolution of the universe.”
-The higher prakriti is everywhere – in the hero and the villain, in the good and the bad. Electricity is everywhere in the house, and depending on the color of the bulb, it emits light of different color. Similarly, our samskaras are like the glass of the bulb, which determine how this higher prakriti manifests. With spiritual practices, we can make it manifest in its full effulgence.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/42981175Sat, 16 Jan 2021 00:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 15, 2021. -Gita’s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections, each with six chapters. The first section deals with the knowledge of spiritual practice....-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda January 15, 2021.
-Gita’s eighteen chapters are divided into three sections, each with six chapters. The first section deals with the knowledge of spiritual practice. The second section deals with the knowledge of Bhagavan. The third section deals with knowledge of Atman.
-Advaitic scholars also treat the three sections as interpretation of the mahavakya: Tat Tvam Asi. First section deals with Tvam. Second section deals with Tat. Third section deals with the unity of jivatma and paramatma. It represents our evolution in understanding of God.
-1st verse: “With the mind completely intent on Me, taking refuge in Me, learn from Me and know Me in full, without any doubt”
-2nd verse: Lord Krishna explains Jnanam and Vijnanam. Jnanam is the knowledge of God from books. When that knowledge becomes a reality in our life, because of our own real experience (anubhuti), it is called Vijnanam. Then every thought, word and deed become sacred.
-In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. When one progresses, eventually, one reaches a stage where this line is broken, and every secular activity becomes spiritualized. In the beginning, it is “work and worship”. Later it is “work as worship”.
-Sri Ramakrishna said: A jnani reasons about the world through neti-neti. To a Vijnani, Brahman alone has become everything, and the world is a mansion of mirth. A jnani is like a person who has just heard of milk. A vijnani is like a person who has drunk the milk, enjoyed it and is nourished by it.
-We cannot choose to be a vijnani – it is not a concept. It is not a matter of choice – rather a matter of where we stand right now and how we evolve. We reach vijnanam through spiritual practices and by going through the stage of jnanam.
-How does a vijnani live in this world? Even at the highest stage, he falls back to the empirical level and lives like normal people. Whatever he does, it involves a spiritual element. This is seen in great spiritual teachers such as Sri Ramakrishna. Another example is of King Janaka, who lived like a rajarshi.
-Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
-3rd verse: “Among thousands of people, very few strive for a spiritual life. Among those who sincerely strive for spiritual life, very few realize the truth.”
-Not many people can think beyond the immediate and empirical. One of the reasons is that most people examine the value of everything by its tangible utility.
-This verse is similar to one from Dhammapada, which says: “It is very difficult to get human birth. Among them, very few desire to live like a cultured human being. Among them, very few follow the law of dharma. And among them very few reach enlightenment.”
-Human birth is a golden opportunity. Once we realize that there are many others who will reach the stage of human birth only after many life cycles, it should give us renewed confidence and a different perspective on life.
-4th verse: “My lower prakriti – Apara prakriti or Kshetram - is eight fold. The first five are the subtle dimensions of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and space. The remaining three are mind, intellect and egoism.”
-According to Sankhya philosophy, from prakriti comes mahatattva, then ahamkara, then mind, senses, and the subtle elements.
-5th verse: “My higher prakriti – para prakriti – is the principle of consciousness by which the entire universe is sustained. Everything is made conscious by the presence of this inner, divine spark.”
-Creator is present in his creation. If this were not so, it would lead to dualism....]]>5009contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/68-everything-is-an-expression-of-the-divine-reality-swami-tattwamayananda--43088329-7th chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
-3rd verse: “Among thousands of people, very few strive for a spiritual life. Among those who sincerely strive for spiritual life, very few realize the truth.”
-Not many people can think beyond the immediate and empirical. Even when some incidents in life make them seek a higher meaning of life, it may not last long due to the effect of Maya. Only a small percentage of people genuinely ask “what lies beyond”, and with that, they begin their spiritual life.
-4th verse: “My lower prakriti – Apara prakriti or Kshetram - is eightfold. The first five are the subtle dimensions of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and space. The remaining three are mind, intellect and egoism.”
-5th verse: “My higher prakriti – para prakriti – is the principle of consciousness by which the entire universe is sustained. Everything is made conscious by the presence of this inner, divine spark.”
-6th verse: “These two prakritis are the source of all. I am the origin and the dissolution of the universe.”
-Creator is present in his creation. As we evolve, our understanding of God evolves from a monotheistic God to its highest state as one all-pervading reality, that is present everywhere and in everything. It is the essential totality of the whole universe – everything is an expression of this divine reality.
-7th verse: “There is nothing beyond Me, and there is nothing distinct from Me. Everything in this world is strung in Me, like jewels on a thread. “
-Per Shankaracharya, long threads constitute a piece of cloth. The cloth and the threads are not distinct from each other. Without the thread, there is no cloth. Similarly, the creation and creator are the same. It is not a philosophical construct, but a matter of one’s own experience.
-Everything in this world is able to exist, and the essence of its existence is not distinct from this divine reality that is present everywhere. According to Satkaryavada, the cause and effect are not different – the effect pre-exists in its cause.
-Everything that we experience and perceive, using our mind and the senses of perception and action – all these constitute the divine reality, which is like an ornament made of jewels strung together on a thread.
-8th verse: “I am the sapidity in water, I am the radiance in the moon and sun, I am OM – the essence of the Vedas, I am the sound in akasha, I am the manliness in every man and the womanliness in every woman.”
-9th verse: “I am the sweet fragrance in the earth, I am the brilliance in the fire, I am the life in all beings, and I am the austerity in the ascetics.”
-10th verse: “I am the eternal seed of all beings, I am the intellect of the intelligent and heroism of the hero.”
-Every entity in the world has something within it that makes it what it is, and which gives it its identity. That essence in everything is an expression of the same divine reality. The great qualities, found in everyone, which constitute the identity of that person – they are an expression of this divine reality.
-Even in the greatness of the great, in an empirical sense, there hides within them the seed of their downfall. But great men, who understand the limitations of the empirical, realize that all their powers come from a higher source. That makes them spiritual.
-11th verse: “Of the strong, I am their strength that is devoid of desire and attachment. I am that desire in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma.”
-True strength comes when it is devoid of pride and is enriched by a sense of renunciation and non-attachment.
-Shankaracharya says in Vivekachudamani that adharmic desires bring one’s destruction. A ball thrown from the top of a staircase won’t stop until it reaches the bottom. Similarly, adharmic desires act as a poison and bring one’s destruction.
-Higher, sublime desires are good and are the root of all creativity. The desire to do good for others – such a desire is a spark of the divine.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43088329Sat, 23 Jan 2021 01:35:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 22, 2021. -7th chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 -3rd verse: “Among thousands of people, very few strive for a spiritual life. Among those who sincerely strive for spiritual life,...-7th chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
-3rd verse: “Among thousands of people, very few strive for a spiritual life. Among those who sincerely strive for spiritual life, very few realize the truth.”
-Not many people can think beyond the immediate and empirical. Even when some incidents in life make them seek a higher meaning of life, it may not last long due to the effect of Maya. Only a small percentage of people genuinely ask “what lies beyond”, and with that, they begin their spiritual life.
-4th verse: “My lower prakriti – Apara prakriti or Kshetram - is eightfold. The first five are the subtle dimensions of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire and space. The remaining three are mind, intellect and egoism.”
-5th verse: “My higher prakriti – para prakriti – is the principle of consciousness by which the entire universe is sustained. Everything is made conscious by the presence of this inner, divine spark.”
-6th verse: “These two prakritis are the source of all. I am the origin and the dissolution of the universe.”
-Creator is present in his creation. As we evolve, our understanding of God evolves from a monotheistic God to its highest state as one all-pervading reality, that is present everywhere and in everything. It is the essential totality of the whole universe – everything is an expression of this divine reality.
-7th verse: “There is nothing beyond Me, and there is nothing distinct from Me. Everything in this world is strung in Me, like jewels on a thread. “
-Per Shankaracharya, long threads constitute a piece of cloth. The cloth and the threads are not distinct from each other. Without the thread, there is no cloth. Similarly, the creation and creator are the same. It is not a philosophical construct, but a matter of one’s own experience.
-Everything in this world is able to exist, and the essence of its existence is not distinct from this divine reality that is present everywhere. According to Satkaryavada, the cause and effect are not different – the effect pre-exists in its cause.
-Everything that we experience and perceive, using our mind and the senses of perception and action – all these constitute the divine reality, which is like an ornament made of jewels strung together on a thread.
-8th verse: “I am the sapidity in water, I am the radiance in the moon and sun, I am OM – the essence of the Vedas, I am the sound in akasha, I am the manliness in every man and the womanliness in every woman.”
-9th verse: “I am the sweet fragrance in the earth, I am the brilliance in the fire, I am the life in all beings, and I am the austerity in the ascetics.”
-10th verse: “I am the eternal seed of all beings, I am the intellect of the intelligent and heroism of the hero.”
-Every entity in the world has something within it that makes it what it is, and which gives it its identity. That essence in everything is an expression of the same divine reality. The great qualities, found in everyone, which constitute the identity of that person – they are an expression of this divine reality.
-Even in the greatness of the great, in an empirical sense, there hides within them the seed of their downfall. But great men, who understand the limitations of the empirical, realize that all their powers come from a higher source. That makes them spiritual.
-11th verse: “Of the strong, I am their strength that is devoid of desire and attachment. I am that desire in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma.”
-True strength comes when it is devoid of pride and is enriched by a sense of renunciation and non-attachment.
-Shankaracharya says in Vivekachudamani that adharmic desires bring one’s destruction. A ball thrown from the top of a staircase won’t stop until it reaches the bottom. Similarly, adharmic desires act as a poison and bring one’s destruction.4122contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/69-maya-the-great-wonder-swami-tattwamayananda--43218492-7th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13, 14
-Lord Krishna first teaches Arjuna to evolve a sense of duty consciousness. Later he teaches him karma yoga – learning to do duty without selfish purpose. This is a matter of one’s evolution. One should first do duty with desires. As he evolves, he will learn to do the same duty without selfish desires, with a refined, healthy ego - he evolves from Sakama Karma to Nishkama Karma.
-11th verse: “Of the strong, I am their strength that is devoid of desire and attachment. I am that desire in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma.”
-The strength of a great person who uses it for the good of others, the genius of a scientist or a poet or a musician who uses it for noble purposes – that transcendental touch is an expression of the divine.
-12th verse: “Sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – they all proceed from Me. They all exist in Me. But I am not in them.”
-The Lord is the master of the three gunas. The three gunas constitute the totality of all human experiences, such as changes of mood and temperament.
-13th and 14th verses discuss Maya. Lord Krishna says that those who devote themselves to Him, the Divine Reality, they are saved from the entanglement of Maya.
-In life, we encounter situations that defy human logic and have no satisfactory answers. For example, good people may run into difficulties while the opposite kind may have a good time. We may help someone but end up not being in good terms with them. These unknown, unpredictable situations are the manifestations of Maya.
-Sri Ramakrishna describes two types of Maya. Vidya-Maya, which creates the desire to do good deeds and liberates us. Avidya-Maya, which creates the desire to selfish deeds and binds us.
-Objects in the world are not maya. Our outlook towards them determines whether we end up in vidya maya or avidya maya. A car used for selfish purposes can bind us in avidya maya. But an ambulance used for noble purposes can liberate us with vidya maya.
-Maya functions at the level of three gunas. When dominated by sattva guna, it is vidya-maya. When dominated by rajo and tamo guna, it is avidya maya.
-Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy. It is better to have rajo guna than tamo guna, and it is better to have sattva guna than rajo guna. A person with sattva guna can be very active without selfishness and attachment, he connects with higher ideas and develops spiritual common sense.
-When a magician performs magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. If one concentrates on the magician, he will not be deluded by the magic. Similarly, God is the magician and real. By concentrating on Him, we won’t be deluded.
-Vedanta defines something as sat (real) if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-Maya is composed of two sounds: “Ma”, which negates and “Ya” which is a pronoun and refers to something real. So, it is there, but it is not really there.
-Maya is not sat. It changes – therefore, it is relative. Maya is not asat either, as it is not Absolutely unreal. It is not a combination of sat and asat either. Only Brahman is sat.
-Maya is anadi (without a beginning), but not ananta (it is not eternal). These aspects of maya are realized only when we go beyond maya.
-Maya is neither endowed with parts nor devoid of parts, nor a combination of the two. If it were endowed with parts, it cannot be anadi. If it were devoid of parts, it cannot be the cause of evolution.
-All of us experience Maya in our everyday life. It is beyond logical comprehension, cannot be explained in words or cognized with the mind, and is a great wonder.
-Maya is neither subjective, nor objective, nor a combination of the two. We understand the relativity of maya only when we come out of it. Describing maya within it is impossible.
-Maya operates with two powers: Avarana-shakti, which conceals the reality and Vikshepa-shakti, which projects something false.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43218492Sat, 30 Jan 2021 01:48:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on January 29, 2021. -7th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13, 14 -Lord Krishna first teaches Arjuna to evolve a sense of duty consciousness. Later he teaches him karma yoga – learning to do duty without selfish...-7th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13, 14
-Lord Krishna first teaches Arjuna to evolve a sense of duty consciousness. Later he teaches him karma yoga – learning to do duty without selfish purpose. This is a matter of one’s evolution. One should first do duty with desires. As he evolves, he will learn to do the same duty without selfish desires, with a refined, healthy ego - he evolves from Sakama Karma to Nishkama Karma.
-11th verse: “Of the strong, I am their strength that is devoid of desire and attachment. I am that desire in all beings, which is not opposed to Dharma.”
-The strength of a great person who uses it for the good of others, the genius of a scientist or a poet or a musician who uses it for noble purposes – that transcendental touch is an expression of the divine.
-12th verse: “Sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – they all proceed from Me. They all exist in Me. But I am not in them.”
-The Lord is the master of the three gunas. The three gunas constitute the totality of all human experiences, such as changes of mood and temperament.
-13th and 14th verses discuss Maya. Lord Krishna says that those who devote themselves to Him, the Divine Reality, they are saved from the entanglement of Maya.
-In life, we encounter situations that defy human logic and have no satisfactory answers. For example, good people may run into difficulties while the opposite kind may have a good time. We may help someone but end up not being in good terms with them. These unknown, unpredictable situations are the manifestations of Maya.
-Sri Ramakrishna describes two types of Maya. Vidya-Maya, which creates the desire to do good deeds and liberates us. Avidya-Maya, which creates the desire to selfish deeds and binds us.
-Objects in the world are not maya. Our outlook towards them determines whether we end up in vidya maya or avidya maya. A car used for selfish purposes can bind us in avidya maya. But an ambulance used for noble purposes can liberate us with vidya maya.
-Maya functions at the level of three gunas. When dominated by sattva guna, it is vidya-maya. When dominated by rajo and tamo guna, it is avidya maya.
-Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy. It is better to have rajo guna than tamo guna, and it is better to have sattva guna than rajo guna. A person with sattva guna can be very active without selfishness and attachment, he connects with higher ideas and develops spiritual common sense.
-When a magician performs magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. If one concentrates on the magician, he will not be deluded by the magic. Similarly, God is the magician and real. By concentrating on Him, we won’t be deluded.
-Vedanta defines something as sat (real) if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-Maya is composed of two sounds: “Ma”, which negates and “Ya” which is a pronoun and refers to something real. So, it is there, but it is not really there.
-Maya is not sat. It changes – therefore, it is relative. Maya is not asat either, as it is not Absolutely unreal. It is not a combination of sat and asat either. Only Brahman is sat.
-Maya is anadi (without a beginning), but not ananta (it is not eternal). These aspects of maya are realized only when we go beyond maya.
-Maya is neither endowed with parts nor devoid of parts, nor a combination of the two. If it were endowed with parts, it cannot be anadi. If it were devoid of parts, it cannot be the cause of evolution.
-All of us experience Maya in our everyday life. It is beyond logical comprehension, cannot be explained in words or cognized with the...]]>3804contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/70-transcending-maya-swami-tattwamayananda--43449615-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 12, 2020.
-Absolute Reality is the only sat. Vedanta defines something as sat (real) if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-One can look at the river in two ways. One way is to look at the momentary changes – waves, high tides, and low tides. Another is to look upon the waves and tides as constituted by the same water that constitutes the river – they emerge, exist and dissolve in the river. The river is the only reality.
-Similarly, behind all everyday challenges, which come and go, there is one Absolute Reality. Every right-thinking person can experience it. Once we become aware of it, we begin to understand the mystery of life, and can remain calm in the midst of life’s challenges.
-Maya is the mystery that we experience in daily life, that defies human logic and has no satisfactory answers. For example, we assign permanence to something that we know is inherently impermanent. Maya deludes us into thinking that we are this body, nothing else.
-All of us experience Maya in our everyday life. It is beyond logical comprehension, cannot be explained in words or cognized with the mind, and is a great mystery. We understand the relativity of maya only when we come out of it. Describing maya within it is impossible.
-Even those who read many scriptures, who teach these scriptures, who expound the highest philosophy – even such people are sometimes bound by Maya. Transcending Maya is a matter of our own evolution, when our scriptural study also defines our actions.
-Even an intellectual understanding of Maya and the unreality of sense pleasures, helps us develop a unique spiritual common sense, maturity of outlook and sense of modesty.
-14th verse: “Those who devote themselves to me, they transcend Maya.”
-Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.
-Once we transcend Maya, it cannot come back. A spiritually enlightened person, who has transcended Maya, understands momentariness of empirical situations, and won’t be affected by them.
-When a magician performs magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. If one concentrates on the magician, he will not be deluded by the magic. Similarly, God is the magician and real. By concentrating on Him, we won’t be deluded.
-When we focus on a higher transcendental ideal, our thoughts get a spiritual orientation. It is called Vidya-maya. It liberates us. Avidya-maya binds us. The purpose of spiritual practices is to turn Avidya-maya into Vidya maya. Swami Vivekananda said: “The world is a gymnasium for us to work out our karmas”.
-How our mind responds to situations depends on its constitution based on the three gunas. Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy.
-Sri Ramakrishna gives the example of three thieves to explain the three gunas. A person is caught by three thieves. The thief representing tamo-guna wants to kill him. The thief representing rajo-guna wants to bind him. The thief representing sattva-guna takes him to the main road and shows him the way to his home. He refrains from joining him though. Reaching home is like reaching the highest state, which is beyond all three gunas – sattva-guna can only help.
-15th verse: “Those who do not devote themselves to Me, they are deluded, they commit sinful deeds and belong to the lowest human category, they have no discerning wisdom, they are caught by Maya, and they follow the path of evil-doers.”
-16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants of knowledge (3) Those who want wealth (4) Those who are wise.
-In the 15th verse, Lord Krishna explains the negative temperaments of people who have no interest in spiritual values, and which prevent them from transcending Maya. In the 16th verse, Lord Krishna explains the characteristics that prompt people towards spiritual values. These two verses should be read together.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43449615Sun, 14 Feb 2021 01:36:29 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 14, 15, 16 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 12, 2020. -Absolute Reality is the only sat. Vedanta defines something as sat (real) if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 12, 2020.
-Absolute Reality is the only sat. Vedanta defines something as sat (real) if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-One can look at the river in two ways. One way is to look at the momentary changes – waves, high tides, and low tides. Another is to look upon the waves and tides as constituted by the same water that constitutes the river – they emerge, exist and dissolve in the river. The river is the only reality.
-Similarly, behind all everyday challenges, which come and go, there is one Absolute Reality. Every right-thinking person can experience it. Once we become aware of it, we begin to understand the mystery of life, and can remain calm in the midst of life’s challenges.
-Maya is the mystery that we experience in daily life, that defies human logic and has no satisfactory answers. For example, we assign permanence to something that we know is inherently impermanent. Maya deludes us into thinking that we are this body, nothing else.
-All of us experience Maya in our everyday life. It is beyond logical comprehension, cannot be explained in words or cognized with the mind, and is a great mystery. We understand the relativity of maya only when we come out of it. Describing maya within it is impossible.
-Even those who read many scriptures, who teach these scriptures, who expound the highest philosophy – even such people are sometimes bound by Maya. Transcending Maya is a matter of our own evolution, when our scriptural study also defines our actions.
-Even an intellectual understanding of Maya and the unreality of sense pleasures, helps us develop a unique spiritual common sense, maturity of outlook and sense of modesty.
-14th verse: “Those who devote themselves to me, they transcend Maya.”
-Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.
-Once we transcend Maya, it cannot come back. A spiritually enlightened person, who has transcended Maya, understands momentariness of empirical situations, and won’t be affected by them.
-When a magician performs magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. If one concentrates on the magician, he will not be deluded by the magic. Similarly, God is the magician and real. By concentrating on Him, we won’t be deluded.
-When we focus on a higher transcendental ideal, our thoughts get a spiritual orientation. It is called Vidya-maya. It liberates us. Avidya-maya binds us. The purpose of spiritual practices is to turn Avidya-maya into Vidya maya. Swami Vivekananda said: “The world is a gymnasium for us to work out our karmas”.
-How our mind responds to situations depends on its constitution based on the three gunas. Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy.
-Sri Ramakrishna gives the example of three thieves to explain the three gunas. A person is caught by three thieves. The thief representing tamo-guna wants to kill him. The thief representing rajo-guna wants to bind him. The thief representing sattva-guna takes him to the main road and shows him the way to his home. He refrains from joining him though. Reaching home is like reaching the highest state, which is beyond all three gunas – sattva-guna can only help.
-15th verse: “Those who do not devote themselves to Me, they are deluded,...]]>3331contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/71-spiritual-and-non-spiritual-temperaments-swami-tattwamayananda--43593410-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 19, 2020.
-14th verse: “Those who take the help of Vidya-maya, they eventually transcend Maya.”
-Brahman is the only Absolute Reality. Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-The world we live in is a relative reality. It is not absolutely real, but it is not absolutely unreal either.
-The relativity of the relative world is understood only when we understand the absoluteness of the absolute reality, when we realize the supreme truth. Then we understand that our experiences in this world are relative.
-In a semi-dark room, we may mistake a rope to be a snake. When we bring light, what we formerly misunderstood to be a snake is now recognized as a rope. As a snake, it is unreal. As rope, it is real.
-Similarly, a jeevan-mukta, who has transcended the relative, he continues to live in the world. To him, the world as a distinct entity does not exist. He experiences the world as non-distinct from Brahman.
-In Vedanta, there are two levels. As philosophy, it is at the level of duality. As experience, it is non-dual. Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya is only an approach to the highest reality from a philosophical level. At the highest experience level, it is Brahma Satyam Jagat Satyam. To reach this highest experience level, we have to meditate on the absoluteness of Brahman, and the relativity of the world.
-Advaita, as an experience, is silent. Advaitic truth can only be experienced – it cannot be explained. Scriptures only help to remove wrong notions from our mind.
-In the 15th and 16th verses, Lord Krishna unfolds a unique kind of spiritual psychology illustrating that not everyone in the world is of the same type. He discusses the characteristics of people with negative traits and also of those who are spiritually inclined.
-15th verse: “Those who do not devote themselves to Me, they are deluded, they commit sinful deeds and belong to the lowest human category, they have no discerning wisdom, they are caught by Maya, and they follow the path of evil-doers.”
-Verse 4 of 16th chapter provides the characteristics of people with negative temperament. Their six characteristics are: ostentation, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness and ignorance. Later verses of the chapter provide 18 additional characteristics of such people.
-16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants of knowledge (3) Those who want wealth (4) Those who are wise. Among these, the highest type are the wise ones, who understand that God is present in everything, everywhere.
-Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the 16th verse, explains that the first three categories of people pursue mechanical spiritual practices. Their bhakti is apara-bhakti. The bhakti of the fourth category is the highest - their bhakti is para-bhakti.
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of the 16th chapter provide 26 characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth. Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures and practice of non-violence.
-A spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved, and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
-We progress in spiritual life by acquiring more and more sattvic qualities. Once we are saturated with sattva-guna, we cannot but turn to the higher reality for all our needs. Any spiritual practice that we do to develop more sattva-guna is never lost.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43593410Sat, 20 Feb 2021 06:42:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 14, 15, 16. 16th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3, 4 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 19, 2020. -14th verse: “Those who take the help of Vidya-maya, they eventually transcend Maya.” -Brahman is the only Absolute...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 19, 2020.
-14th verse: “Those who take the help of Vidya-maya, they eventually transcend Maya.”
-Brahman is the only Absolute Reality. Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.
-The world we live in is a relative reality. It is not absolutely real, but it is not absolutely unreal either.
-The relativity of the relative world is understood only when we understand the absoluteness of the absolute reality, when we realize the supreme truth. Then we understand that our experiences in this world are relative.
-In a semi-dark room, we may mistake a rope to be a snake. When we bring light, what we formerly misunderstood to be a snake is now recognized as a rope. As a snake, it is unreal. As rope, it is real.
-Similarly, a jeevan-mukta, who has transcended the relative, he continues to live in the world. To him, the world as a distinct entity does not exist. He experiences the world as non-distinct from Brahman.
-In Vedanta, there are two levels. As philosophy, it is at the level of duality. As experience, it is non-dual. Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya is only an approach to the highest reality from a philosophical level. At the highest experience level, it is Brahma Satyam Jagat Satyam. To reach this highest experience level, we have to meditate on the absoluteness of Brahman, and the relativity of the world.
-Advaita, as an experience, is silent. Advaitic truth can only be experienced – it cannot be explained. Scriptures only help to remove wrong notions from our mind.
-In the 15th and 16th verses, Lord Krishna unfolds a unique kind of spiritual psychology illustrating that not everyone in the world is of the same type. He discusses the characteristics of people with negative traits and also of those who are spiritually inclined.
-15th verse: “Those who do not devote themselves to Me, they are deluded, they commit sinful deeds and belong to the lowest human category, they have no discerning wisdom, they are caught by Maya, and they follow the path of evil-doers.”
-Verse 4 of 16th chapter provides the characteristics of people with negative temperament. Their six characteristics are: ostentation, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness and ignorance. Later verses of the chapter provide 18 additional characteristics of such people.
-16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants of knowledge (3) Those who want wealth (4) Those who are wise. Among these, the highest type are the wise ones, who understand that God is present in everything, everywhere.
-Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the 16th verse, explains that the first three categories of people pursue mechanical spiritual practices. Their bhakti is apara-bhakti. The bhakti of the fourth category is the highest - their bhakti is para-bhakti.
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of the 16th chapter provide 26 characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth. Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures and practice of non-violence.
-A spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved, and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
-We progress in spiritual life by acquiring more and more sattvic qualities. Once we are saturated with sattva-guna, we cannot but turn to the higher reality for all our needs. Any spiritual practice that we do to develop more sattva-guna is never lost.]]>4243contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/72-the-ultimate-goal-of-spiritual-life-swami-tattwamayananda--43664895-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 26, 2020.
-16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants of knowledge (3) Those who want wealth (4) Those who are Jnani (wise). “
-17th verse: “Of all these four groups, the highest one is the Jnani. He combines in his life Yoga, Bhakti and Jnanam. I am supremely dear to him, and he is supremely dear to Me.”
-We are all spiritual seekers. We may initially start with prayers for material benefits. When these prayers are answered, our conviction becomes deeper and takes us to higher levels of spiritual experience.
-Of all spiritual seekers, the highest is the one who has come closest to the realization that everything is an expression of the Divine Reality.
-Swami Vivekananda said: “We are not traveling from error to truth. Rather, we are traveling from truth that is lower, to truth that is higher.” We travel from dualism to qualified non-dualism to non-dualism.
-Non-dualism was preached by Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. Ramanuja came around 250 years later and preached qualified non-dualism. Madhvacharya came later and preached dualism.
-Under non-dualism, there is one transcendental reality that is immanent, attribute-less, formless and eternal. Everything else is relative.
-Under qualified non-dualism, God is the totality of all noble qualities that we can conceive of. He is present in everything, but everything is distinct from God.
-Under dualism, God, Jagat (world) and living beings are all different and distinct from each other.
-Shankaracharya says that at the highest experience level – highest knowledge and highest devotion are the same. As means, they are different. As a goal, they are the same.
-Only the most compassionate and broad-minded people, who are free from fanaticism, who look upon everyone as God’s children – are dear to God.
-18th verse: “All of them are noble. But the Jnani is the one who looks upon himself as non-distinct from Me.”
-Swami Vivekananda pointed out the benefits of looking upon ourselves as non-different from God. Then we consider it as our duty to manifest the divinity within, which expresses itself as compassion and joy. It provides a remedy from fanaticism.
-Everyone who has begun his spiritual journey will one day reach the top of the hill and become a Jnani.
-19th verse: “The highest stage in spiritual evolution is to see everything as an expression of Vasudeva.”
-At the highest stage, we feel God’s presence in all our interactions - even when we are not in the temple or not reading a holy book. For the Jnani, every thought, word and deed becomes divine.
-To reach this highest stage, we may have to take many births. We have to accumulate enough positive samskaras through spiritual practices. One day, we will reach this destination.
-Reading of scriptures and association with holy people remove obstacles towards the highest realization. They drive away undesirable thought currents and make positive samskaras more dominant in our mind.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43664895Sat, 27 Feb 2021 07:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 16, 17, 18, 19 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 26, 2020. -16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on February 26, 2020.
-16th verse: “People endowed with sattva-guna are of four types. (1) Those who take to spiritual life due to distress (2) those who are aspirants of knowledge (3) Those who want wealth (4) Those who are Jnani (wise). “
-17th verse: “Of all these four groups, the highest one is the Jnani. He combines in his life Yoga, Bhakti and Jnanam. I am supremely dear to him, and he is supremely dear to Me.”
-We are all spiritual seekers. We may initially start with prayers for material benefits. When these prayers are answered, our conviction becomes deeper and takes us to higher levels of spiritual experience.
-Of all spiritual seekers, the highest is the one who has come closest to the realization that everything is an expression of the Divine Reality.
-Swami Vivekananda said: “We are not traveling from error to truth. Rather, we are traveling from truth that is lower, to truth that is higher.” We travel from dualism to qualified non-dualism to non-dualism.
-Non-dualism was preached by Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. Ramanuja came around 250 years later and preached qualified non-dualism. Madhvacharya came later and preached dualism.
-Under non-dualism, there is one transcendental reality that is immanent, attribute-less, formless and eternal. Everything else is relative.
-Under qualified non-dualism, God is the totality of all noble qualities that we can conceive of. He is present in everything, but everything is distinct from God.
-Under dualism, God, Jagat (world) and living beings are all different and distinct from each other.
-Shankaracharya says that at the highest experience level – highest knowledge and highest devotion are the same. As means, they are different. As a goal, they are the same.
-Only the most compassionate and broad-minded people, who are free from fanaticism, who look upon everyone as God’s children – are dear to God.
-18th verse: “All of them are noble. But the Jnani is the one who looks upon himself as non-distinct from Me.”
-Swami Vivekananda pointed out the benefits of looking upon ourselves as non-different from God. Then we consider it as our duty to manifest the divinity within, which expresses itself as compassion and joy. It provides a remedy from fanaticism.
-Everyone who has begun his spiritual journey will one day reach the top of the hill and become a Jnani.
-19th verse: “The highest stage in spiritual evolution is to see everything as an expression of Vasudeva.”
-At the highest stage, we feel God’s presence in all our interactions - even when we are not in the temple or not reading a holy book. For the Jnani, every thought, word and deed becomes divine.
-To reach this highest stage, we may have to take many births. We have to accumulate enough positive samskaras through spiritual practices. One day, we will reach this destination.
-Reading of scriptures and association with holy people remove obstacles towards the highest realization. They drive away undesirable thought currents and make positive samskaras more dominant in our mind.]]>3967contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/73-spiritual-evolution-swami-tattwamayananda--43768530-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 5, 2020.
-19th verse: “The highest stage in spiritual evolution is to realize that there is one supreme reality that pervades the entire universe and that the same reality is present in all of us. Such exalted spiritual seekers, who see everything as an expression of Vasudeva, are rare.”
-This highest stage is the natural culmination of our spiritual evolution. To reach this highest stage, we may have to go through many life cycles of evolution. We have to accumulate enough positive samskaras through spiritual practices. Eventually, we will reach this destination.
-Vasudeva is the name of a Hindu deity. In this verse, it means the one who lives in all jivas, and who is all-pervading. At the highest stage, we feel God’s presence in all our interactions - even when we are not in the temple or not reading a holy book.
-In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“
-20th verse: “Those who do not have the highest spiritual knowledge, they follow certain rituals, and turn to deities, impelled by their desires and their own innate nature.”
-In early stages of evolution, we turn to God compelled by our needs and desires. Because we lack the highest spiritual knowledge, we conceptualize our own ideas of God, without realizing that Vasudeva is the ultimate goal – the desires color our idea of God, and we look upon God as an agency that comes to our rescue.
-When our prayers are answered, our conviction that God is a reality becomes deeper. Then we begin our further evolution.
-If we turn to transcendental reality with evil desires, the same evil desires get stronger. This is why it is important to practice yamas and niyamas before undertaking intense spiritual practices.
-Extreme selfish desires lead to self-destruction. Bhasmasura prayed to God due to his selfish desire to have the power to turn into ashes anyone on whom he placed his hand. He ended up using his power on himself and turned into ashes.
-Even when we reach the highest idea of transcendental reality, at practical level, we do not reject the idea of the beautiful, charming, heartening idea of a personal God. This is best illustrated in the writing of Madhusudan Saraswati. After writing Advaita Siddhi, which describes the Absolute Reality as attribute-less, transcendental, all pervading and impersonal, he said: “My highest idea of God is the child Krishna holding his flute, wearing a yellow cloth and with beautiful childish eyes.”
-21st verse: “Whatsoever form a devotee seeks to worship God with full shraddha, that shraddha is enough for him to reach his goal.”
-Shraddha is the highest qualification needed to reach our spiritual goal. Shraddha refers to a sense of sincerity, integrity and purity. It is the language of the heart, not head.
-A humble person, with no knowledge of scriptures, but who has a pure heart, who is compassionate, who follows yamas and niyamas – that person, when he approaches God with his heart, God will open his door to him. He will realize the supreme truth.
-In the Parable of the Sower, the seeds fall on fertile ground as well as rocky surfaces and thorny bushes. The results depend on the quality of the soil where the seeds fell. Shraddha is like fertile soil. A person with shraddha surrenders to God and eventually connects with the highest spiritual reality.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43768530Sat, 06 Mar 2021 07:07:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 19, 20, 21 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 5, 2020. -19th verse: “The highest stage in spiritual evolution is to realize that there is one supreme reality that pervades the entire universe and that the...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 5, 2020.
-19th verse: “The highest stage in spiritual evolution is to realize that there is one supreme reality that pervades the entire universe and that the same reality is present in all of us. Such exalted spiritual seekers, who see everything as an expression of Vasudeva, are rare.”
-This highest stage is the natural culmination of our spiritual evolution. To reach this highest stage, we may have to go through many life cycles of evolution. We have to accumulate enough positive samskaras through spiritual practices. Eventually, we will reach this destination.
-Vasudeva is the name of a Hindu deity. In this verse, it means the one who lives in all jivas, and who is all-pervading. At the highest stage, we feel God’s presence in all our interactions - even when we are not in the temple or not reading a holy book.
-In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees in all beings the presence of God, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“
-20th verse: “Those who do not have the highest spiritual knowledge, they follow certain rituals, and turn to deities, impelled by their desires and their own innate nature.”
-In early stages of evolution, we turn to God compelled by our needs and desires. Because we lack the highest spiritual knowledge, we conceptualize our own ideas of God, without realizing that Vasudeva is the ultimate goal – the desires color our idea of God, and we look upon God as an agency that comes to our rescue.
-When our prayers are answered, our conviction that God is a reality becomes deeper. Then we begin our further evolution.
-If we turn to transcendental reality with evil desires, the same evil desires get stronger. This is why it is important to practice yamas and niyamas before undertaking intense spiritual practices.
-Extreme selfish desires lead to self-destruction. Bhasmasura prayed to God due to his selfish desire to have the power to turn into ashes anyone on whom he placed his hand. He ended up using his power on himself and turned into ashes.
-Even when we reach the highest idea of transcendental reality, at practical level, we do not reject the idea of the beautiful, charming, heartening idea of a personal God. This is best illustrated in the writing of Madhusudan Saraswati. After writing Advaita Siddhi, which describes the Absolute Reality as attribute-less, transcendental, all pervading and impersonal, he said: “My highest idea of God is the child Krishna holding his flute, wearing a yellow cloth and with beautiful childish eyes.”
-21st verse: “Whatsoever form a devotee seeks to worship God with full shraddha, that shraddha is enough for him to reach his goal.”
-Shraddha is the highest qualification needed to reach our spiritual goal. Shraddha refers to a sense of sincerity, integrity and purity. It is the language of the heart, not head.
-A humble person, with no knowledge of scriptures, but who has a pure heart, who is compassionate, who follows yamas and niyamas – that person, when he approaches God with his heart, God will open his door to him. He will realize the supreme truth.
-In the Parable of the Sower, the seeds fall on fertile ground as well as rocky surfaces and thorny bushes. The results depend on the quality of the soil where the seeds fell. Shraddha is like fertile soil. A person with shraddha surrenders to God and eventually connects with the highest spiritual reality.]]>3901contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/74-reality-is-one-swami-tattwamayananda--43887286-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 12, 2021.
-21st verse: “In whatsoever form a devotee seeks to worship God with unwavering shraddha, that shraddha is enough for him to reach his goal.”
-Shraddha is the highest qualification needed to reach our spiritual goal. Shraddha refers to a sense of sincerity, integrity and purity. It is the language of the heart.
-Vedanta doesn’t say that there is only one concept of God. It is the devotee’s heart that matters. Any good human being, such as one who follows the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path prescribed by Buddha – and who is endowed with shraddha, can realize the supreme truth.
-In the Parable of the Sower, the seeds fall on fertile ground as well as rocky surfaces and thorny bushes. The results depend on the quality of the soil where the seeds fall. Shraddha is like fertile soil. A person with shraddha surrenders to God and eventually connects with the highest spiritual reality.
-22nd verse: “Endowed with that kind of shraddha, he worships his deity and his desires are fulfilled. To whomever he worships, all that worship comes to Me, and all the results are granted by Me. I am the one Absolute Reality behind all gods and goddesses.”
-164th sukta of the first mandala of Rigveda Samhita says: “Reality is one; sages call it by various names.”. The full mantra is: इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथॊ॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णॊ ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । ऎकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥
-The different hymns in Rigveda begin with polytheistic ideas, but end with monotheistic conclusions. In Rigveda, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with the external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).
-As we evolve, our understanding of the Divine Reality becomes clearer. At the highest experience level, we find that the same Absolute Reality is within all of us, it is all pervading - and it is impersonal, transcendental, indescribable and non-definable.
-Shraddha is spiritual wealth that involves effort and evolves from lifecycle to lifecycle. In the 41st and 42nd verses of the sixth Chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains how spiritual wealth evolves across lifecycles. A spiritual aspirant, who has unfulfilled desires, will be born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled. A highly evolved seeker will be born in a family that has a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants.
-23rd verse: “Those who worship to fulfill desires are men of little understanding. They worship different deities and reach the goal accordingly. They do not seek the highest knowledge and do not develop an attitude of total surrender to God.”
-24th verse: “My true swarupa is Avyaktam – it is universal, impersonal, transcendental, unmanifest, cosmic, birthless and deathless. Not understanding this true state of Mine, one brings it down based on his own spiritual evolution.”
-Avyaktam means abstract, subtle, unmanifest – that cannot be empirically understood.
-Per Shankaracharya, this Absolute Reality is universal, infinite, cosmic, non-dual. But because people have not reached the highest state of evolution, they do not understand its cosmic dimension – they understand the Absolute only in terms of the relative. The cosmic dimension remains concealed to them due to the Avarana and Vikshepa shakti of Yogamaya.
-When we think of a great spiritual teacher, such as Lord Krishna or Sri Ramakrishna, we should think of their universal, transcendental dimension that is not limited by time, space and causation.
-When we feel inner contentment and joy during spiritual practices, it is a definite sign that we are on the right path.
-For the one, who has reached the highest state, his whole life becomes spiritualized. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/43887286Sat, 13 Mar 2021 00:38:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 21, 22, 23, 24 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 12, 2021. -21st verse: “In whatsoever form a devotee seeks to worship God with unwavering shraddha, that shraddha is enough for him to reach his goal.”...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 12, 2021.
-21st verse: “In whatsoever form a devotee seeks to worship God with unwavering shraddha, that shraddha is enough for him to reach his goal.”
-Shraddha is the highest qualification needed to reach our spiritual goal. Shraddha refers to a sense of sincerity, integrity and purity. It is the language of the heart.
-Vedanta doesn’t say that there is only one concept of God. It is the devotee’s heart that matters. Any good human being, such as one who follows the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path prescribed by Buddha – and who is endowed with shraddha, can realize the supreme truth.
-In the Parable of the Sower, the seeds fall on fertile ground as well as rocky surfaces and thorny bushes. The results depend on the quality of the soil where the seeds fall. Shraddha is like fertile soil. A person with shraddha surrenders to God and eventually connects with the highest spiritual reality.
-22nd verse: “Endowed with that kind of shraddha, he worships his deity and his desires are fulfilled. To whomever he worships, all that worship comes to Me, and all the results are granted by Me. I am the one Absolute Reality behind all gods and goddesses.”
-164th sukta of the first mandala of Rigveda Samhita says: “Reality is one; sages call it by various names.”. The full mantra is: इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथॊ॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णॊ ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । ऎकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥
-The different hymns in Rigveda begin with polytheistic ideas, but end with monotheistic conclusions. In Rigveda, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with the external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).
-As we evolve, our understanding of the Divine Reality becomes clearer. At the highest experience level, we find that the same Absolute Reality is within all of us, it is all pervading - and it is impersonal, transcendental, indescribable and non-definable.
-Shraddha is spiritual wealth that involves effort and evolves from lifecycle to lifecycle. In the 41st and 42nd verses of the sixth Chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna explains how spiritual wealth evolves across lifecycles. A spiritual aspirant, who has unfulfilled desires, will be born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled. A highly evolved seeker will be born in a family that has a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants.
-23rd verse: “Those who worship to fulfill desires are men of little understanding. They worship different deities and reach the goal accordingly. They do not seek the highest knowledge and do not develop an attitude of total surrender to God.”
-24th verse: “My true swarupa is Avyaktam – it is universal, impersonal, transcendental, unmanifest, cosmic, birthless and deathless. Not understanding this true state of Mine, one brings it down based on his own spiritual evolution.”
-Avyaktam means abstract, subtle, unmanifest – that cannot be empirically understood.
-Per Shankaracharya, this Absolute Reality is universal, infinite, cosmic, non-dual. But because people have not reached the highest state of evolution, they do not understand its cosmic dimension – they understand the Absolute only in terms of the relative. The cosmic dimension remains concealed to them due to the Avarana and Vikshepa shakti of Yogamaya.
-When we think of a great spiritual teacher, such as Lord Krishna or Sri Ramakrishna, we should think of their universal, transcendental dimension that is not limited by time, space and causation.
-When we feel inner contentment and joy during spiritual practices, it is a definite...]]>3695contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/75-transcending-time-and-mental-traps-swami-tattwamayananda--44082601-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 26, 2021.
-25th verse: “The Absolute Reality is unmanifest, eternal, changeless, birthless, deathless and non-dual. For people who have not reached the highest state of spiritual evolution, the true nature of this Absolute Reality remains concealed due to the Avarana and Vikshepa shakti of Yogamaya.”
-Maya is non-awareness of the fact that everything in this world is subject to change. This maya veils the light of truth (Prakasha) and projects something false. What we may know intellectually, maya makes us forget at the emotional level.
-We experience Maya in our daily life, when we excessively worry, delude ourselves into thinking about the permanence of situations that are inherently impermanent. For example, a person who has lost his job may worry that he will be permanently jobless.
-If we are aware of a traffic jam ahead, then the traffic jam doesn’t bother us as much. Similarly, once we become aware of maya, we develop spiritual common sense, and are not bothered by it.
-26th verse: “Arjuna – I know the past, present and future of everyone, everything. But no one knows Me.”
-We see only one dimension of time. We worry about the past and future. We forget that in the past things were different, and they will be different in the future. Those stuck in time do not know the Lord, as he is beyond time.
-In the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Krishna is depicted as always smiling. This is because He could see the triple dimensions of time. He knew that situations would change. The ability to see triple dimensions of time gives one the ability to think, talk and act with wisdom.
-Ayurveda defines perfect health as: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It means that we are in perfect health when we are physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. And we are mentally healthy when we accept the changeable nature of all empirical phenomena.
-Per Shankaracharya, when we take to spiritual practices and completely surrender to the transcendental, divine reality, we become instruments in the hands of a higher power that is beyond time. The dividing line between past, present and future is only imaginary. We can transcend the time trap by looking upon the past, present and future with detachment.
-Vibhuti pada in Patanjali Yoga Sutra mentions that when one practices meditations, prayers, yamas and niyamas – one can develop the ability to see far into the future.
-27th verse: “This mental trap of polar opposites – such as raga and dvesha, pain and pleasure, profit and loss – they create maya. They express themselves in the form of desire. Because of this, people fall into delusion.”
-28th verse: “Those who have done virtuous deeds, who undertake spiritual practices such as karma yoga, prayers, meditation – for them this mental trap of pairs of opposites, will end. They will be free from raga and dvesha. They attain chitta shuddhi and they worship Me.”
-We are not able to do what we want to do because of a mental trap. This mental trap is created by our samskaras, which are the result of our past actions. They propel us to act in a certain way, and we feel imprisoned.
-These samskaras can be neutralized by developing a storehouse of positive samskaras, with spiritual practices. As the past samskaras weaken, we feel less conflict in what we want to do.
-Total surrender to God is one way to weaken past samskaras. When we open our heart and place everything at the feet of God, we become spiritually refined and feel a weight lifted from our shoulders. The intensity of surrender determines how fast we progress.
-If a glass is half full of water and we pour milk in it, it will only have 50% milk. However, if we empty the glass and then pour milk, it will have 100% milk. Similarly, when we empty our mind, all negative samskaras are emptied. The mind can then be filled with the pure milk of God’s grace.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44082601Fri, 26 Mar 2021 23:41:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-7th chapter: verses 25, 26, 27, 28 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 26, 2021. -25th verse: “The Absolute Reality is unmanifest, eternal, changeless, birthless, deathless and non-dual. For people who have not reached the...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on March 26, 2021.
-25th verse: “The Absolute Reality is unmanifest, eternal, changeless, birthless, deathless and non-dual. For people who have not reached the highest state of spiritual evolution, the true nature of this Absolute Reality remains concealed due to the Avarana and Vikshepa shakti of Yogamaya.”
-Maya is non-awareness of the fact that everything in this world is subject to change. This maya veils the light of truth (Prakasha) and projects something false. What we may know intellectually, maya makes us forget at the emotional level.
-We experience Maya in our daily life, when we excessively worry, delude ourselves into thinking about the permanence of situations that are inherently impermanent. For example, a person who has lost his job may worry that he will be permanently jobless.
-If we are aware of a traffic jam ahead, then the traffic jam doesn’t bother us as much. Similarly, once we become aware of maya, we develop spiritual common sense, and are not bothered by it.
-26th verse: “Arjuna – I know the past, present and future of everyone, everything. But no one knows Me.”
-We see only one dimension of time. We worry about the past and future. We forget that in the past things were different, and they will be different in the future. Those stuck in time do not know the Lord, as he is beyond time.
-In the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Krishna is depicted as always smiling. This is because He could see the triple dimensions of time. He knew that situations would change. The ability to see triple dimensions of time gives one the ability to think, talk and act with wisdom.
-Ayurveda defines perfect health as: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It means that we are in perfect health when we are physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. And we are mentally healthy when we accept the changeable nature of all empirical phenomena.
-Per Shankaracharya, when we take to spiritual practices and completely surrender to the transcendental, divine reality, we become instruments in the hands of a higher power that is beyond time. The dividing line between past, present and future is only imaginary. We can transcend the time trap by looking upon the past, present and future with detachment.
-Vibhuti pada in Patanjali Yoga Sutra mentions that when one practices meditations, prayers, yamas and niyamas – one can develop the ability to see far into the future.
-27th verse: “This mental trap of polar opposites – such as raga and dvesha, pain and pleasure, profit and loss – they create maya. They express themselves in the form of desire. Because of this, people fall into delusion.”
-28th verse: “Those who have done virtuous deeds, who undertake spiritual practices such as karma yoga, prayers, meditation – for them this mental trap of pairs of opposites, will end. They will be free from raga and dvesha. They attain chitta shuddhi and they worship Me.”
-We are not able to do what we want to do because of a mental trap. This mental trap is created by our samskaras, which are the result of our past actions. They propel us to act in a certain way, and we feel imprisoned.
-These samskaras can be neutralized by developing a storehouse of positive samskaras, with spiritual practices. As the past samskaras weaken, we feel less conflict in what we want to do.
-Total surrender to God is one way to weaken past samskaras. When we open our heart and place everything at the feet of God, we become spiritually refined and feel a weight lifted from our shoulders. The intensity of surrender determines how fast we progress.
-If a glass is half full of water and we pour milk in it, it will only have 50% milk. However, if we empty the glass and then pour milk, it will have 100% milk. Similarly, when we...]]>3902contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/76-the-urge-for-spiritual-freedom-swami-tattwamayananda--44183652-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 2, 2021.
-29th verse: “Those who strive to attain freedom from old age and death by taking refuge in Me, they know Brahman. That Brahman is all of adhyatma and karma in its entirety.”
-Old age/death is a metaphor that represents the impermanence of the body and the world. Once we become aware of this impermanence, we can face life’s challenges more effectively.
-Those who are lucky enough to get to higher philosophy understand that there is a quest for a higher meaning that provides freedom from clinging to things that are impermanent. They develop an urge to seek this higher freedom.
-One can take refuge in a great spiritual teacher who reveals the supreme truth – such as Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ. One can also take refuge in the essence of the eternal teachings of these spiritual teachers. The Advaitic interpretation is to take refuge in Brahman.
-This urge for spiritual freedom cannot be developed suddenly. It is developed gradually. We should start by developing an element of detachment from raga, dvesha, results of actions, and selfish motives. Selfish motives represent our desire for the impermanent.
-Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”
-30th verse: “Those who know Me, they know the supreme truth in a comprehensive manner – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam. They continue to know Me even at the time of death.”
-Adhibhutam represents the gross, material elements that constitute the empirical world. Adhidaivam represents the presiding deities of the senses of perception, senses of action, mind and intellect, that enable us to perceive the phenomenal world. Adhiyajnam represents the presiding deities over rituals and sacrifices.
-Verses 1-4 of 8th chapter explain that one who is spiritually fit for higher pursuit, naturally develops the ability to understand everything in a comprehensive manner.
-When we get into spiritual life, we develop an intuition into the nature of things. We develop a spiritual common sense that gives us maturity, wisdom and a better outlook towards life.
-Ashtanga Yoga prescribed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra – Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi – only takes us to a stage, where we become fit for enlightenment. It does not take us to the highest state of enlightenment.
-Vedanta prescribes a more comprehensive plan that takes one to the highest enlightenment. The plan involves seven disciplines. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nidishyasana.
-If one has Mumukshutam, the strong urge for spiritual freedom, all the other qualities naturally come to him.
-Swami Vivekananda said that every living creature has an innate desire for freedom and self-preservation. The difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Every ordinary pursuit of life preservation is part of our attempt to get freedom from old age and death.
-Swami Vivekananda also gives the example of a locomotive and an ant. The locomotive is not more powerful than the ant, as it only has borrowed intelligence. The ant has the ability to decide its fate and look for freedom.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44183652Fri, 02 Apr 2021 22:27:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco7th chapter: verses 29, 30 Introduction to chapter 8 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 2, 2021. -29th verse: “Those who strive to attain freedom from old age and death by taking refuge in Me, they know Brahman. That Brahman is...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 2, 2021.
-29th verse: “Those who strive to attain freedom from old age and death by taking refuge in Me, they know Brahman. That Brahman is all of adhyatma and karma in its entirety.”
-Old age/death is a metaphor that represents the impermanence of the body and the world. Once we become aware of this impermanence, we can face life’s challenges more effectively.
-Those who are lucky enough to get to higher philosophy understand that there is a quest for a higher meaning that provides freedom from clinging to things that are impermanent. They develop an urge to seek this higher freedom.
-One can take refuge in a great spiritual teacher who reveals the supreme truth – such as Lord Krishna or Jesus Christ. One can also take refuge in the essence of the eternal teachings of these spiritual teachers. The Advaitic interpretation is to take refuge in Brahman.
-This urge for spiritual freedom cannot be developed suddenly. It is developed gradually. We should start by developing an element of detachment from raga, dvesha, results of actions, and selfish motives. Selfish motives represent our desire for the impermanent.
-Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”
-30th verse: “Those who know Me, they know the supreme truth in a comprehensive manner – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam. They continue to know Me even at the time of death.”
-Adhibhutam represents the gross, material elements that constitute the empirical world. Adhidaivam represents the presiding deities of the senses of perception, senses of action, mind and intellect, that enable us to perceive the phenomenal world. Adhiyajnam represents the presiding deities over rituals and sacrifices.
-Verses 1-4 of 8th chapter explain that one who is spiritually fit for higher pursuit, naturally develops the ability to understand everything in a comprehensive manner.
-When we get into spiritual life, we develop an intuition into the nature of things. We develop a spiritual common sense that gives us maturity, wisdom and a better outlook towards life.
-Ashtanga Yoga prescribed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra – Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi – only takes us to a stage, where we become fit for enlightenment. It does not take us to the highest state of enlightenment.
-Vedanta prescribes a more comprehensive plan that takes one to the highest enlightenment. The plan involves seven disciplines. (1) Discrimination between unreal and the Real (2) Renunciation of what is unreal (3) Self-control: shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana (4) Mumukshutam (5) Shravanam (6) Mananam (7) Nidishyasana.
-If one has Mumukshutam, the strong urge for spiritual freedom, all the other qualities naturally come to him.
-Swami Vivekananda said that every living creature has an innate desire for freedom and self-preservation. The difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Every ordinary pursuit of life preservation is part of our attempt to get freedom from old age and death.
-Swami Vivekananda also gives the example of a locomotive and an ant. The locomotive is not more powerful than the ant, as it only has borrowed intelligence. The ant has the ability to decide its fate and look for freedom.]]>4406contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/77-aksharam-brahman-swami-tattwamayananda--44281300-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 9, 2021.
-30th verse: “Those who know Me as the totality of all that exists – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam – they continue to know Me even at the time of death.”
-8th chapter starts with questions from Arjuna. In the 1st and 2nd verses, he asks: “What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action? What is Adhibhuta and what is Adhidaiva? Who and in what way is Adhiyajna present in the human body? How are You known at the time of death by those practicing spiritual disciplines?
-Lord Krishna answers starting with the 3rd verse.
-3rd verse: “Aksharam (Brahman) - as the imperishable, indestructible, impersonal, unmanifest reality - is the supreme truth. Its presence in every human being is called Adhyatma. The vibration of this potentiality into creative and evolutionary activities is called action (karma).
-Aksharam means indestructible. It also means something that is indescribable. Anything that can be explained, is finite and has limitations. Brahman is beyond these limitations. Scriptures only help to remove wrong notions about the supreme truth. Realization of the supreme truth is a matter of one’s own experience and cannot be explained.
-Our Antahkarana is like a mirror on which this supreme reality is reflected. When we practice spiritual disciplines with shraddha, the Antahkarana becomes pure, like a clean mirror, and the supreme reality reflects with more effulgence.
-Yajna as a Vedic ritual involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Both types of yajnas constitute action (karma).
-Yajnavalkya in a reply to Gargi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad describes Aksharam (Brahman) as “At the command of that Reality, O Gargi, the sun and moon hold their courses; heaven and earth keep their positions; moments, hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years–all follow their paths; rivers issuing from the snowy mountains flow on, some eastward, some westward, others in other directions.”
-4th verse: “What is perishable – comes into existence and later disappears – is Adhibhutam. The reflection of the supreme reality in the human body is Adhidaivam. The supreme reality itself is Adhiyajna, as the cause of evolutionary activity and sustenance of the universe.
-5th verse: “Those who at the time of death remember Me alone – when they leave the body, they attain Me. There is no doubt about it.”
-5th verse reveals the mystery of human life, death, reincarnation, and the doctrine of karma. Brahma Sutras discuss this in further detail – the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world.
-Doctrine of karma in Vedanta is the opposite of pre-determinism – it says that we can assert our future and freedom by generating good samskaras.
-6th verse: “Whatever object one thinks of at the time of death, he attains that very object, being absorbed in its thought.”
-The dominant idea at the time of death constitutes the background of next life. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. At the time of death, one cannot just think what he wants - one’s true nature comes out.
-Isha Upanishad depicts a person pleading and praying to his mind at the time of death – “O mind, think of all the good thoughts, words and deeds from your life.”
-3rd chapter, 35th verse: “It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.”
-Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our qualification and fitness. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment. When we neglect our Swadharma, we violate Ritm - the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature, at a cosmic level and at an inner level.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44281300Fri, 09 Apr 2021 22:34:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-Conclusion of 7th chapter; 8th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 3rd chapter, verse 35 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 9, 2021. -30th verse: “Those who know Me as the totality of all that exists – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 9, 2021.
-30th verse: “Those who know Me as the totality of all that exists – Adhibhutam, Adhidaivam and Adhiyajnam – they continue to know Me even at the time of death.”
-8th chapter starts with questions from Arjuna. In the 1st and 2nd verses, he asks: “What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is action? What is Adhibhuta and what is Adhidaiva? Who and in what way is Adhiyajna present in the human body? How are You known at the time of death by those practicing spiritual disciplines?
-Lord Krishna answers starting with the 3rd verse.
-3rd verse: “Aksharam (Brahman) - as the imperishable, indestructible, impersonal, unmanifest reality - is the supreme truth. Its presence in every human being is called Adhyatma. The vibration of this potentiality into creative and evolutionary activities is called action (karma).
-Aksharam means indestructible. It also means something that is indescribable. Anything that can be explained, is finite and has limitations. Brahman is beyond these limitations. Scriptures only help to remove wrong notions about the supreme truth. Realization of the supreme truth is a matter of one’s own experience and cannot be explained.
-Our Antahkarana is like a mirror on which this supreme reality is reflected. When we practice spiritual disciplines with shraddha, the Antahkarana becomes pure, like a clean mirror, and the supreme reality reflects with more effulgence.
-Yajna as a Vedic ritual involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Both types of yajnas constitute action (karma).
-Yajnavalkya in a reply to Gargi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad describes Aksharam (Brahman) as “At the command of that Reality, O Gargi, the sun and moon hold their courses; heaven and earth keep their positions; moments, hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years–all follow their paths; rivers issuing from the snowy mountains flow on, some eastward, some westward, others in other directions.”
-4th verse: “What is perishable – comes into existence and later disappears – is Adhibhutam. The reflection of the supreme reality in the human body is Adhidaivam. The supreme reality itself is Adhiyajna, as the cause of evolutionary activity and sustenance of the universe.
-5th verse: “Those who at the time of death remember Me alone – when they leave the body, they attain Me. There is no doubt about it.”
-5th verse reveals the mystery of human life, death, reincarnation, and the doctrine of karma. Brahma Sutras discuss this in further detail – the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world.
-Doctrine of karma in Vedanta is the opposite of pre-determinism – it says that we can assert our future and freedom by generating good samskaras.
-6th verse: “Whatever object one thinks of at the time of death, he attains that very object, being absorbed in its thought.”
-The dominant idea at the time of death constitutes the background of next life. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. At the time of death, one cannot just think what he wants - one’s true nature comes out.
-Isha Upanishad depicts a person pleading and praying to his mind at the time of death – “O mind, think of all the good thoughts, words and deeds from your life.”
-3rd chapter, 35th verse: “It is better to practice one’s own Swadharma, even if practiced imperfectly, than doing someone else’s work in a perfect manner.”
-Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our...]]>4969contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/78-dynamics-of-leaving-the-body-swami-tattwamayananda--44372718-This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 16, 2021.
-5th, 6th and 7th verses deal with the importance of living life in such a way that enables one to leave the body with the thought of the transcendental. Death is not undesirable – it is a creative, constructive transition.
-5th verse: “Those who at the time of death remember Me alone – when they leave the body, they attain Me. There is no doubt about it.”
-6th verse: “Whatever object one thinks of at the time of death, he attains that very object, being absorbed in its thought. Therefore, keep your thoughts constantly focused on Me.”
-5th verse reveals the mystery of human life, death, reincarnation, and the doctrine of karma. Death is nothing but the destruction of the physical body, which has served its purpose. Life continues with another fresh body.
-Brahma Sutras discuss the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world. At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, our accumulated tendencies follow us when we transmigrate. After exhausting the fruits of work in this life, the soul returns with the residual karma.
-Sri Ramakrishna gives the analogy of an elephant. After it is bathed, it tends to get dirty again. However, if it is put in a stable soon after bath, it remains clean. Similarly, if we think of God at the time of death, there is no room for our mind to get impure again.
-We cannot play diplomacy with our own mind at the time of death. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. At the time of death, one cannot just think what he wants - one’s true nature comes out.
-If one practices spiritual disciplines during their life, then at the time of death, then can think of something higher, transcendental. Our good karmas from this life are like a spiritual treasure that is ours forever, and that ensures that our next life is elevated.
-Sri Ramakrishna also gives the example of a toothache – when we have a toothache, we constantly think about it. Similarly, we should cultivate the ability to constantly think of God in the midst of our daily work.
-There are two ways of looking upon God. One is through the lens of the world – then we create God in our own image and see him as a creator, keeping a close eye. Another way is to see the world through the eyes of God – then we see the world as a fleeting phenomenon belonging to time and subject to change; then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.
-Bhagavata Purana is the story of King Parikshit who has seven days left to live because of a curse. The entire Purana is a response to his question to Sage Suka – “What should a dying man do? How should he live the rest of his life?” Suka says: “One should be able to live life in such a way that he can leave the body with a smile on his face and with holy thought in his mind.”
-Swami Turiyananda, on his return from the US to India in a ship, encountered a violent storm on the way. While other passengers were scared, he remained calm. He presents a good example of how to live life in a way that gives us freedom from the fear of death.
-Jeevan-muktas are liberated from the transmigratory cycle. Their actions do not produce further karmas.
-Devotion to God provides freedom from the difficulties of life. According to Holy Mother, if we have true devotion, the intensity of suffering that we were destined for, gets reduced. For example, if we were destined to be bitten by a snake, we may be bitten by a scorpion instead.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44372718Sat, 17 Apr 2021 00:26:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 5, 6 -This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 16, 2021. -5th, 6th and 7th verses deal with the importance of living life in such a way that enables one to leave the body with the thought of the transcendental....-This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 16, 2021.
-5th, 6th and 7th verses deal with the importance of living life in such a way that enables one to leave the body with the thought of the transcendental. Death is not undesirable – it is a creative, constructive transition.
-5th verse: “Those who at the time of death remember Me alone – when they leave the body, they attain Me. There is no doubt about it.”
-6th verse: “Whatever object one thinks of at the time of death, he attains that very object, being absorbed in its thought. Therefore, keep your thoughts constantly focused on Me.”
-5th verse reveals the mystery of human life, death, reincarnation, and the doctrine of karma. Death is nothing but the destruction of the physical body, which has served its purpose. Life continues with another fresh body.
-Brahma Sutras discuss the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world. At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, our accumulated tendencies follow us when we transmigrate. After exhausting the fruits of work in this life, the soul returns with the residual karma.
-Sri Ramakrishna gives the analogy of an elephant. After it is bathed, it tends to get dirty again. However, if it is put in a stable soon after bath, it remains clean. Similarly, if we think of God at the time of death, there is no room for our mind to get impure again.
-We cannot play diplomacy with our own mind at the time of death. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. At the time of death, one cannot just think what he wants - one’s true nature comes out.
-If one practices spiritual disciplines during their life, then at the time of death, then can think of something higher, transcendental. Our good karmas from this life are like a spiritual treasure that is ours forever, and that ensures that our next life is elevated.
-Sri Ramakrishna also gives the example of a toothache – when we have a toothache, we constantly think about it. Similarly, we should cultivate the ability to constantly think of God in the midst of our daily work.
-There are two ways of looking upon God. One is through the lens of the world – then we create God in our own image and see him as a creator, keeping a close eye. Another way is to see the world through the eyes of God – then we see the world as a fleeting phenomenon belonging to time and subject to change; then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.
-Bhagavata Purana is the story of King Parikshit who has seven days left to live because of a curse. The entire Purana is a response to his question to Sage Suka – “What should a dying man do? How should he live the rest of his life?” Suka says: “One should be able to live life in such a way that he can leave the body with a smile on his face and with holy thought in his mind.”
-Swami Turiyananda, on his return from the US to India in a ship, encountered a violent storm on the way. While other passengers were scared, he remained calm. He presents a good example of how to live life in a way that gives us freedom from the fear of death.
-Jeevan-muktas are liberated from the transmigratory cycle. Their actions do not produce further karmas.
-Devotion to God provides freedom from the difficulties of life. According to Holy Mother, if we have true devotion, the intensity of suffering that we were destined for, gets reduced. For example, if we were destined to be bitten by a snake, we may be bitten by a scorpion instead.]]>3295contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/79-constant-remembrance-of-god-swami-tattwamayananda--44469481-This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 23, 2021.
-7th verse: “Constantly remember Me and fight. Then you shall attain Me.”
-Fight here refers to the battle with our own lower self. Lord Krishna says that we should combine contemplation and action, and do our everyday secular duties with a higher ideal in mind. By doing so, we spiritualize the secular.
-Lord Krishna chose Arjuna over Yudhishthira and other Pandavas because Arjuna was a man of action, who was eager to learn, and who would put into practice what he learnt.
-Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to always think and contemplate on a higher ideal – all the time, in every thought, word and deed. By doing so, he would have peace of mind and be a source of harmony to those around him.
-8th verse: “With constant practice and continued effort, one who thinks of the Supreme Being, attains Him.”
-In spiritual life, we may encounter two types of problems. First – when we follow an ideal and do not succeed, we may get disappointed. Second – we may develop a liking for the negative, like a camel who enjoys eating thorny bushes despite bleeding in the process.
-Continued effort is necessary. As we continue our effort, the resistance slowly disappears, and we are able to follow the higher ideal.
-Shankaracharya says in his commentary that we should read spiritual books, understand the teachings of the great sages, contemplate on them, and bring this contemplation to every action in daily life.
-Ramanuja says in his commentary that we should do our duty in a way that it does not violate ethical principles, and at the same time contemplate on a higher ideal.
-Once a person succeeds in spiritualizing the secular, by combining action and contemplation, his character begins to reflect a sense of contentment. He is able to face difficulties of life with a smile.
-9th verse: “The one who meditates on this Supreme Reality – who is omniscient (Kavi), ancient, the ruler, smaller than the atom, the sustainer, self-luminous and beyond the darkness of Maya.”
-The word “kavi” is used to imply omniscient. A great poet is able to see far into things and bring out the grandeur of the subject he is writing on. This ability to see beyond the surface of things is an expression of the divine.
-One great example is from the life of Valmiki, who was a sage and a poet. Once he was watching two birds playing on a tree. Suddenly, one of the birds fell after being short by a hunter’s arrow. At that moment, Valmiki’s heart was filled with the charm of the innocent bird, the cruelty of the hunter and the agony of the surviving bird. He uttered a profound verse: “O’ hunter – you will not get respect; you will not get existence. You also will perish. For you have killed this innocent, unsuspecting bird.”
-We cannot play diplomacy with our own mind at the time of death. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. If one practices spiritual disciplines during their life, then at the time of death, then can think of something higher, transcendental.
-There are two ways of looking upon God. One is through the lens of the world – in this scenario, we won’t have peace of mind. Another way is to see the world through the eyes of God – then we see the world as a fleeting phenomenon belonging to time and subject to change; then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44469481Sat, 24 Apr 2021 00:29:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 7, 8, 9 -This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 23, 2021. -7th verse: “Constantly remember Me and fight. Then you shall attain Me.” -Fight here refers to the battle with our own lower self. Lord Krishna says that...-This lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 23, 2021.
-7th verse: “Constantly remember Me and fight. Then you shall attain Me.”
-Fight here refers to the battle with our own lower self. Lord Krishna says that we should combine contemplation and action, and do our everyday secular duties with a higher ideal in mind. By doing so, we spiritualize the secular.
-Lord Krishna chose Arjuna over Yudhishthira and other Pandavas because Arjuna was a man of action, who was eager to learn, and who would put into practice what he learnt.
-Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to always think and contemplate on a higher ideal – all the time, in every thought, word and deed. By doing so, he would have peace of mind and be a source of harmony to those around him.
-8th verse: “With constant practice and continued effort, one who thinks of the Supreme Being, attains Him.”
-In spiritual life, we may encounter two types of problems. First – when we follow an ideal and do not succeed, we may get disappointed. Second – we may develop a liking for the negative, like a camel who enjoys eating thorny bushes despite bleeding in the process.
-Continued effort is necessary. As we continue our effort, the resistance slowly disappears, and we are able to follow the higher ideal.
-Shankaracharya says in his commentary that we should read spiritual books, understand the teachings of the great sages, contemplate on them, and bring this contemplation to every action in daily life.
-Ramanuja says in his commentary that we should do our duty in a way that it does not violate ethical principles, and at the same time contemplate on a higher ideal.
-Once a person succeeds in spiritualizing the secular, by combining action and contemplation, his character begins to reflect a sense of contentment. He is able to face difficulties of life with a smile.
-9th verse: “The one who meditates on this Supreme Reality – who is omniscient (Kavi), ancient, the ruler, smaller than the atom, the sustainer, self-luminous and beyond the darkness of Maya.”
-The word “kavi” is used to imply omniscient. A great poet is able to see far into things and bring out the grandeur of the subject he is writing on. This ability to see beyond the surface of things is an expression of the divine.
-One great example is from the life of Valmiki, who was a sage and a poet. Once he was watching two birds playing on a tree. Suddenly, one of the birds fell after being short by a hunter’s arrow. At that moment, Valmiki’s heart was filled with the charm of the innocent bird, the cruelty of the hunter and the agony of the surviving bird. He uttered a profound verse: “O’ hunter – you will not get respect; you will not get existence. You also will perish. For you have killed this innocent, unsuspecting bird.”
-We cannot play diplomacy with our own mind at the time of death. The dominant thought at the time of death is linked to what ideas dominated one’s life. If one practices spiritual disciplines during their life, then at the time of death, then can think of something higher, transcendental.
-There are two ways of looking upon God. One is through the lens of the world – in this scenario, we won’t have peace of mind. Another way is to see the world through the eyes of God – then we see the world as a fleeting phenomenon belonging to time and subject to change; then we can practice equilibrium of mind, and the world won’t disturb us.]]>3238contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/80-omkara-upasana-swami-tattwamayananda--44631977-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 30, 2021.
-Verses 10-14 provide a detailed description of meditative practices and the importance of Omkara upasana.
-Mandukya Upanishad elaborately discusses Omkara as a spiritual symbol. It says that if one is spiritually fit, and his mind is fully ready to realize the identity with Brahman, then upon hearing this expression, immediately he will realize its true meaning (Shabda-aparoksha-vada). Others will take more time for such realization and will have to pursue spiritual practices.
-Omkara is the best tool for meditation on the transcendental, all-pervading, attribute-less, impersonal, immanent Reality. When we meditate on a deity, we use a mantra connected to that deity. To meditate on the Absolute Reality, we use Omkara upasana.
-Omkara should be chanted with a lengthened vowel sound. It begins and ends in silence. Its chanting gives us inner tranquility and peace.
-As an abstract symbol, Omkara takes us to the realization of the most abstract spiritual truth. As a practice, it represents the totality and oneness of existence. It is universal, as it can be added to any religious practice.
-10th verse: “At the time of death, with full of devotion and steadfast mind, and with the power of Yoga if a person fixes his prana between the eyebrows, then he attains the highest spiritual realization.”
-Yoga has two meanings. First, it is an expression of the unity of the individual soul with the universal soul. Second, it means samadhi, when one has transcended all vrittis, and his mind is fixed on one thought.
-When we meditate, distracting thought currents can emerge. With constant practice, if one can meditate without any distraction, it is called Abhyasa. Shankaracharya says that we should combine Yoga and Abhyasa – so that we can meditate on one ideal without any distracting thought currents.
-11th verse: “This spiritual truth - that knowers and Vedic scholars call Aksharam, that great monks become one with, to gain which they live the life of Brahmacharis – that I am going to explain to you.”
-12th and 13th verses explain how a person can cast away the body and transcend the cycle of life and death. First, he should restrain the door openings that drag the mind to external objects. Second, the mind should be fixed in hridaya. Third, uttering Omkara, and meditating on the Supreme Reality, he should depart the body. Then he attains the highest goal.
-Human body has door openings, such as the eyes, ears, nostrils, that drag our attention to external objects. When we restrain them through samyama, the mind won’t be dragged to external objects.
-Om is the word symbol of transcendental Reality. When we pray to a deity, we may get blessings, but we don’t transcend the cycle of birth and death. We transcend this cycle, when we meditate on the all-pervading, Supreme Reality with Omkara.
-Omkara is used in all mantras as a prefix to imply the transcendental Reality, even when invoking a deity. The sound of Omkara is what is universal, not the letter symbol. In puja, Omkara is used as mangala-vachaka (auspicious).
-Before undertaking spiritual practices, one should be established in yamas and niyamas.
-14th verse: “I am easily attainable by that Yogi, who remembers me constantly with an undistracted mind.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44631977Sat, 01 May 2021 06:06:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 30, 2021. -Verses 10-14 provide a detailed description of meditative practices and the importance of Omkara upasana. -Mandukya Upanishad elaborately...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on April 30, 2021.
-Verses 10-14 provide a detailed description of meditative practices and the importance of Omkara upasana.
-Mandukya Upanishad elaborately discusses Omkara as a spiritual symbol. It says that if one is spiritually fit, and his mind is fully ready to realize the identity with Brahman, then upon hearing this expression, immediately he will realize its true meaning (Shabda-aparoksha-vada). Others will take more time for such realization and will have to pursue spiritual practices.
-Omkara is the best tool for meditation on the transcendental, all-pervading, attribute-less, impersonal, immanent Reality. When we meditate on a deity, we use a mantra connected to that deity. To meditate on the Absolute Reality, we use Omkara upasana.
-Omkara should be chanted with a lengthened vowel sound. It begins and ends in silence. Its chanting gives us inner tranquility and peace.
-As an abstract symbol, Omkara takes us to the realization of the most abstract spiritual truth. As a practice, it represents the totality and oneness of existence. It is universal, as it can be added to any religious practice.
-10th verse: “At the time of death, with full of devotion and steadfast mind, and with the power of Yoga if a person fixes his prana between the eyebrows, then he attains the highest spiritual realization.”
-Yoga has two meanings. First, it is an expression of the unity of the individual soul with the universal soul. Second, it means samadhi, when one has transcended all vrittis, and his mind is fixed on one thought.
-When we meditate, distracting thought currents can emerge. With constant practice, if one can meditate without any distraction, it is called Abhyasa. Shankaracharya says that we should combine Yoga and Abhyasa – so that we can meditate on one ideal without any distracting thought currents.
-11th verse: “This spiritual truth - that knowers and Vedic scholars call Aksharam, that great monks become one with, to gain which they live the life of Brahmacharis – that I am going to explain to you.”
-12th and 13th verses explain how a person can cast away the body and transcend the cycle of life and death. First, he should restrain the door openings that drag the mind to external objects. Second, the mind should be fixed in hridaya. Third, uttering Omkara, and meditating on the Supreme Reality, he should depart the body. Then he attains the highest goal.
-Human body has door openings, such as the eyes, ears, nostrils, that drag our attention to external objects. When we restrain them through samyama, the mind won’t be dragged to external objects.
-Om is the word symbol of transcendental Reality. When we pray to a deity, we may get blessings, but we don’t transcend the cycle of birth and death. We transcend this cycle, when we meditate on the all-pervading, Supreme Reality with Omkara.
-Omkara is used in all mantras as a prefix to imply the transcendental Reality, even when invoking a deity. The sound of Omkara is what is universal, not the letter symbol. In puja, Omkara is used as mangala-vachaka (auspicious).
-Before undertaking spiritual practices, one should be established in yamas and niyamas.
-14th verse: “I am easily attainable by that Yogi, who remembers me constantly with an undistracted mind.”]]>3423contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/81-freedom-from-rebirth-swami-tattwamayananda--44728937-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 7, 2021.
-14th verse: “I am easily attainable by that Yogi, who remembers me constantly with an undistracted mind.”
-When our mind is focused on a spiritual ideal without any wavering, then that spiritual ideal becomes a physical reality to us. Sri Ramakrishna said to his disciples: “God can be seen the way I am seeing you. You too can see.” For this, the mind has to be raised to a level where constant remembrance is natural and effortless.
-Yoga Sutra classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The mind of a normal person is in Vikshipta state. To reach the fully focused state, Yoga has to be practiced for a long time without breaks, and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-The story of Jada Bharata explains why continuous spiritual practice is important. King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer and forgot his spiritual practices. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman. He did not lose his spiritual wealth, but his realization was delayed.
-Constant remembrance of God is an advanced stage. We should start from where we stand. We should start with simple spiritual practices in the morning and evening, and feed the mind with positive, spiritual food.
-15th verse: “Those who attain Me will not be subject to rebirth. They will come out of this abode of non-eternal, which is a house of pain.”
-In the 34th verse of the 6th chapter, Arjuna complains that the mind is restless, turbulent and not yielding. It is difficult to control the mind. Lord Krishna addresses that problem in these verses. In the 14th verse, he asks Arjuna to focus on a higher ideal all the time. In the 15th verse, he addresses life as a whole and provides a way to attain eternal and absolute peace.
-Vedanta says that we are one with the all-pervading, transcendental reality. The only way to come out of the wheel of birth, death and rebirth is to realize this highest truth.
-We evolve spiritually when we go beyond the physical embodiment and feel discontent with the non-eternal. Buddha had everything as a prince. Yet, he felt a divine discontent due to the changing nature of the world. He took a firm vow to realize this highest truth and made great contributions to human civilization.
-16th verse: “All the levels of existence, including the abode of Brahma, are subject to return. But if one attains Me, he is free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”
-According to Hindu mythology, Brahma-loka (abode of Brahma) is a higher level of existence. One full day and night of Brahma is equal to 2000 yugas. There are four yugas – Satya, Dvapara, Treta and Kali yuga. We are currently in kali yuga, having completed 4000 years and 429,000 more years to go.
-Lord Krishna is implying that even Brahma is not free and belongs to the realm of the relative. His central message is that everything in this life – job, wealth, joy, sorrow – belongs to a lower order of reality, the realm of the relative. If we understand just this, we develop spiritual common sense, and can be level-headed in everyday life. The way out of the relative is to realize our identity with the all-pervading, transcendental reality.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44728937Sat, 08 May 2021 00:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 14, 15, 16 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 7, 2021. -14th verse: “I am easily attainable by that Yogi, who remembers me constantly with an undistracted mind.” -When our mind is focused on a spiritual ideal...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 7, 2021.
-14th verse: “I am easily attainable by that Yogi, who remembers me constantly with an undistracted mind.”
-When our mind is focused on a spiritual ideal without any wavering, then that spiritual ideal becomes a physical reality to us. Sri Ramakrishna said to his disciples: “God can be seen the way I am seeing you. You too can see.” For this, the mind has to be raised to a level where constant remembrance is natural and effortless.
-Yoga Sutra classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The mind of a normal person is in Vikshipta state. To reach the fully focused state, Yoga has to be practiced for a long time without breaks, and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.
-The story of Jada Bharata explains why continuous spiritual practice is important. King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer and forgot his spiritual practices. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman. He did not lose his spiritual wealth, but his realization was delayed.
-Constant remembrance of God is an advanced stage. We should start from where we stand. We should start with simple spiritual practices in the morning and evening, and feed the mind with positive, spiritual food.
-15th verse: “Those who attain Me will not be subject to rebirth. They will come out of this abode of non-eternal, which is a house of pain.”
-In the 34th verse of the 6th chapter, Arjuna complains that the mind is restless, turbulent and not yielding. It is difficult to control the mind. Lord Krishna addresses that problem in these verses. In the 14th verse, he asks Arjuna to focus on a higher ideal all the time. In the 15th verse, he addresses life as a whole and provides a way to attain eternal and absolute peace.
-Vedanta says that we are one with the all-pervading, transcendental reality. The only way to come out of the wheel of birth, death and rebirth is to realize this highest truth.
-We evolve spiritually when we go beyond the physical embodiment and feel discontent with the non-eternal. Buddha had everything as a prince. Yet, he felt a divine discontent due to the changing nature of the world. He took a firm vow to realize this highest truth and made great contributions to human civilization.
-16th verse: “All the levels of existence, including the abode of Brahma, are subject to return. But if one attains Me, he is free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”
-According to Hindu mythology, Brahma-loka (abode of Brahma) is a higher level of existence. One full day and night of Brahma is equal to 2000 yugas. There are four yugas – Satya, Dvapara, Treta and Kali yuga. We are currently in kali yuga, having completed 4000 years and 429,000 more years to go.
-Lord Krishna is implying that even Brahma is not free and belongs to the realm of the relative. His central message is that everything in this life – job, wealth, joy, sorrow – belongs to a lower order of reality, the realm of the relative. If we understand just this, we develop spiritual common sense, and can be level-headed in everyday life. The way out of the relative is to realize our identity with the all-pervading, transcendental reality.]]>3547contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/82-rhythmic-cycle-of-life-and-cosmos-swami-tattwamayananda--44882626-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 14, 2021.
-17th verse deals with the Hindu concept of Cosmogony, according to which cosmic movement is in rhythmic cycles.
-According to Yuga theory, there are four Yugas - Satya, Dvapara, Treta and Kali Yuga. Satya Yuga is 1 million and 28,000 years. Treta Yuga is 1 million and 3,000 years. Dwapara Yuga is 854,000 years. Kali Yuga is 429,000 years. These four Yugas together constitute a Mahayuga, and 1000 Mahayugas constitute a Kalpa. One full day and night of Brahma is equal to 2000 yugas. At Pralaya, these four Yugas get dissolved.
-The theme of verses 17-21 is the following. Cyclicism applies to both human life and the cosmos. Just as the tree exists in a seed in an involved (unmanifested) state, similarly, the cosmos comes from a state of non-manifestation to a state of manifestation. After many years, it goes back to its unmanifested state. After trillions of years, manifestation begins again. This goes on in cycles. The manifested (Vyakta) and unmanifested (Avyakta) belong to the realm of the relative. Beyond these, there is the unmanifested reality that is Aksharam (imperishable) and Sanatana (eternal).
-There are three schools of thought on cause-effect relationship in Indian philosophy. According to Sanghatavada, things come into existence when different parts come together. For example, a chair comes into existence by combining several parts. According to Arambhavada, every effect is a new creation, and the effect does not pre-exist in the cause (Asatkaryavada). For example, a cloth made of threads has a new existence that is different from the threads. According to Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita, the effect pre-exists in the cause (Satkaryavada). For example, the cloth pre-exists in the thread – it just gets a new name and form.
-Our life begins long before we are born, and our life will continue long after we are dead. Life is only a transition. We continue going through these revolving cycles, until we realize the supreme truth, that we are one with the supreme reality that does not belong to the realm of the relative.
-17th and 18th verses: “The whole cosmos exists in two states – the undifferentiated (Avyakta) and differentiated (Vyakta) – both these states belong to the relative. The differentiated state will go back to the undifferentiated state. When the day of Brahma begins, creation begins. When the day of Brahma ends, dissolution takes place.”
-The day of Brahma represents the cosmic mind. Creation is symbolically compared to the dawn of the cosmic mind. Dissolution of the created universe corresponds to the sunset of the cosmic mind.
-The universe has two dimensions – Vyakta and Avyakta. The earth evolved into a state (Vyakta) where living conditions became appropriate for living creatures to evolve and survive. These living conditions may disappear after millions of years - the earth will then merge back to its unmanifested state (Avyakta).
-19th verse: “The same variety of different beings that existed in the preceding day of Brahma, they merge when the night comes. And then they manifest again at daybreak – the morning of Brahma’s day.”
-20th and 21st verse: “Beyond this Avyakta (unmanifested) and Vyakta (manifested), which belong to the realm of the relative, there is the one Absolute Reality which is different from the unmanifested state of the relative – it is Aksharam (imperishable) and it is Sanatana (eternal). Those who realize their spiritual identity with this Supreme Reality, they get liberation from this cyclic rotation”
-Everything moves in cycles – both in human life and in the cosmos. In human life, there is a cause and effect link between our lives. When a person dies, the senses of perception and action disappear, but the samskaras transmigrate in seed form, and manifest in the next life. At the Cosmic level, from the Avyakta state, the Vyakta state comes. The same Vyakta state later goes back to the Avyakta state. The causal dimension is Avyakta. The effect dimension is Vyakta.
-When we are in the realm of the relative, we think that time and space are eternal. Only when we get out of the relative, we realize that time and space are relative. With spiritual practices, we can transcend the relative.
-Silence is the language of the highest spiritual experience. Sri Ramakrishna said that one has to come down several steps from the highest state of samadhi to Omkara, then several steps down to Gayatri, and then several steps down to Vedas. This means that the highest truth can only be experienced – even Omkara does not explain this highest truth.
-When we evolve in spiritual life our questions cease to be questions. They self-destruct.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44882626Sat, 15 May 2021 00:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 14, 2021. -17th verse deals with the Hindu concept of Cosmogony, according to which cosmic movement is in rhythmic cycles. -According to Yuga theory, there...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 14, 2021.
-17th verse deals with the Hindu concept of Cosmogony, according to which cosmic movement is in rhythmic cycles.
-According to Yuga theory, there are four Yugas - Satya, Dvapara, Treta and Kali Yuga. Satya Yuga is 1 million and 28,000 years. Treta Yuga is 1 million and 3,000 years. Dwapara Yuga is 854,000 years. Kali Yuga is 429,000 years. These four Yugas together constitute a Mahayuga, and 1000 Mahayugas constitute a Kalpa. One full day and night of Brahma is equal to 2000 yugas. At Pralaya, these four Yugas get dissolved.
-The theme of verses 17-21 is the following. Cyclicism applies to both human life and the cosmos. Just as the tree exists in a seed in an involved (unmanifested) state, similarly, the cosmos comes from a state of non-manifestation to a state of manifestation. After many years, it goes back to its unmanifested state. After trillions of years, manifestation begins again. This goes on in cycles. The manifested (Vyakta) and unmanifested (Avyakta) belong to the realm of the relative. Beyond these, there is the unmanifested reality that is Aksharam (imperishable) and Sanatana (eternal).
-There are three schools of thought on cause-effect relationship in Indian philosophy. According to Sanghatavada, things come into existence when different parts come together. For example, a chair comes into existence by combining several parts. According to Arambhavada, every effect is a new creation, and the effect does not pre-exist in the cause (Asatkaryavada). For example, a cloth made of threads has a new existence that is different from the threads. According to Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita, the effect pre-exists in the cause (Satkaryavada). For example, the cloth pre-exists in the thread – it just gets a new name and form.
-Our life begins long before we are born, and our life will continue long after we are dead. Life is only a transition. We continue going through these revolving cycles, until we realize the supreme truth, that we are one with the supreme reality that does not belong to the realm of the relative.
-17th and 18th verses: “The whole cosmos exists in two states – the undifferentiated (Avyakta) and differentiated (Vyakta) – both these states belong to the relative. The differentiated state will go back to the undifferentiated state. When the day of Brahma begins, creation begins. When the day of Brahma ends, dissolution takes place.”
-The day of Brahma represents the cosmic mind. Creation is symbolically compared to the dawn of the cosmic mind. Dissolution of the created universe corresponds to the sunset of the cosmic mind.
-The universe has two dimensions – Vyakta and Avyakta. The earth evolved into a state (Vyakta) where living conditions became appropriate for living creatures to evolve and survive. These living conditions may disappear after millions of years - the earth will then merge back to its unmanifested state (Avyakta).
-19th verse: “The same variety of different beings that existed in the preceding day of Brahma, they merge when the night comes. And then they manifest again at daybreak – the morning of Brahma’s day.”
-20th and 21st verse: “Beyond this Avyakta (unmanifested) and Vyakta (manifested), which belong to the realm of the relative, there is the one Absolute Reality which is different from the unmanifested state of the relative – it is Aksharam (imperishable) and it is Sanatana (eternal). Those who realize their spiritual identity with this Supreme Reality, they get liberation from this cyclic rotation”
-Everything moves in cycles – both in human life and in the cosmos. In human life, there is a cause and effect link between our lives. When a person dies, the senses of perception and action disappear, but the samskaras transmigrate in seed form, and manifest in the next life. At the Cosmic level, from the Avyakta state,...]]>3929contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/83-the-two-departure-paths-swami-tattwamayananda--44971658-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 21, 2021.
-20th and 21st verse: “Beyond this Avyakta (unmanifested) and Vyakta (manifested), which belong to the realm of the relative, there is the one Absolute Reality which is different from the unmanifested state of the relative – it is Aksharam (imperishable) and it is Sanatana (eternal). Those who realize their spiritual identity with this Supreme Reality, they get liberation from this cyclic rotation”
-22nd verse: “This Supreme Reality is the source of everything. It is our true nature and is attainable through pure devotion.”
-One method of developing this devotion is to give a spiritual orientation to our natural human impulses, such as our love for friends and parents. Under Navadha Bhakti, one follows nine disciplines: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him).
-Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.
-23rd verse: “I am going to tell you about the two spiritual paths that Yogis take upon departing from this body, and attain non-return or return.”
-24th verse: “Yogis of the highest type follow the bright path of Shuklagati or Devayana. It is the path of fire, flame, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern passage of the sun - departing by this path the knowers of Brahman attain Brahman.
-The Yogis who follow the path of Shuklagati are devoted to a higher spiritual ideal. They lead a pure life and are free from selfish desires. To them every action is a spiritual offering. They have dedicated their life to the realization of Brahman, and they practice seeing the same divine principle everywhere. Taking this path, they gradually realize Brahman and do not come back again to Samsara.
-The Yogis taking the path of Shuklagati are less evolved compared to the Jivan-muktas, who are liberated while living in this world.
-Such a Yogi is able to leave the body with full awareness. His focus is between the eyebrows, from where a light comes and lights up the path that takes him through different stages, which are guarded by different deities and who take care of him. The whole journey is lighted up by the power of his spiritual sadhana until he merges with Brahman.
-25th verse: “Yogis whose spiritual practices are driven by a motive, follow the dark path of Krishnagati or Pitrayana. It is the path of smoke, nighttime, dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern passage of the sun – departing by this path, the Yogi reaches a higher abode, but returns to Samsara.”
-The message of the 24th and 25th verses is twofold. First, it inspires us to lead a good life. Second, it tells us that we are independent travelers. We came alone and will go back alone.
-Chandogya Upanishad describes the scenario of a dying person. First, the function of speech becomes quiet and merges in the mind. Next, other sense faculties merge in the mind. Next, mind merges in mukhya prana. Next, mukhya prana merges in the jeeva. Then, the individual self merges into the five elements. Samskaras that are accumulated in the Antahkarana, constitute the subtle body - they are preserved and transmigrate, as the subtle body takes a long journey. When we are born again, we are born with these accumulated samskaras.
-There is a third category of spiritual seekers who do not have a higher spiritual ideal and keep on doing wrong things. They take a descent and come down the ladder of evolution. They may be born in the animal or insect world.
-26th verse: “These are two paths - one bright and the other dark. One takes the Yogi beyond the transmigratory cycle. The other keeps him confined to the transmigratory cycle.”
-27th verse: “A Yogi who knows the secrets of these two paths, is not deluded. Therefore, we should always be steadfast in Yoga, staying linked to a higher spiritual ideal.”
-Even if the Yogi is not in the path of Shuklagati, he does not feel lost. He feels secure. He knows that he will be reborn in a family where he can continue his spiritual journey.
-One should not expect to reach the highest spiritual goal immediately. Even if noble deeds are done with desires, they produce results that are deposited as a spiritual bank balance. These results are Adhrishtam (not visible) and Apoorvam (did not exist before the activity). These results are never lost.
-Spiritual qualities are not inseparably connected to family. One of the greatest devotees, Prahlada, was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/44971658Fri, 21 May 2021 22:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 21, 2021. -20th and 21st verse: “Beyond this Avyakta (unmanifested) and Vyakta (manifested), which belong to the realm of the relative, there is...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 21, 2021.
-20th and 21st verse: “Beyond this Avyakta (unmanifested) and Vyakta (manifested), which belong to the realm of the relative, there is the one Absolute Reality which is different from the unmanifested state of the relative – it is Aksharam (imperishable) and it is Sanatana (eternal). Those who realize their spiritual identity with this Supreme Reality, they get liberation from this cyclic rotation”
-22nd verse: “This Supreme Reality is the source of everything. It is our true nature and is attainable through pure devotion.”
-One method of developing this devotion is to give a spiritual orientation to our natural human impulses, such as our love for friends and parents. Under Navadha Bhakti, one follows nine disciplines: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him).
-Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.
-23rd verse: “I am going to tell you about the two spiritual paths that Yogis take upon departing from this body, and attain non-return or return.”
-24th verse: “Yogis of the highest type follow the bright path of Shuklagati or Devayana. It is the path of fire, flame, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern passage of the sun - departing by this path the knowers of Brahman attain Brahman.
-The Yogis who follow the path of Shuklagati are devoted to a higher spiritual ideal. They lead a pure life and are free from selfish desires. To them every action is a spiritual offering. They have dedicated their life to the realization of Brahman, and they practice seeing the same divine principle everywhere. Taking this path, they gradually realize Brahman and do not come back again to Samsara.
-The Yogis taking the path of Shuklagati are less evolved compared to the Jivan-muktas, who are liberated while living in this world.
-Such a Yogi is able to leave the body with full awareness. His focus is between the eyebrows, from where a light comes and lights up the path that takes him through different stages, which are guarded by different deities and who take care of him. The whole journey is lighted up by the power of his spiritual sadhana until he merges with Brahman.
-25th verse: “Yogis whose spiritual practices are driven by a motive, follow the dark path of Krishnagati or Pitrayana. It is the path of smoke, nighttime, dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern passage of the sun – departing by this path, the Yogi reaches a higher abode, but returns to Samsara.”
-The message of the 24th and 25th verses is twofold. First, it inspires us to lead a good life. Second, it tells us that we are independent travelers. We came alone and will go back alone.
-Chandogya Upanishad describes the scenario of a dying person. First, the function of speech becomes quiet and merges in the mind. Next, other sense faculties merge in the mind. Next, mind merges in mukhya prana. Next, mukhya prana merges in the jeeva. Then, the individual self merges into the five elements. Samskaras that are accumulated in the Antahkarana, constitute the subtle body - they are preserved and transmigrate, as the subtle body takes a long journey. When we are born again, we are born with these accumulated samskaras.
-There is a third...]]>4032contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/84-attaining-liberation-while-living-swami-tattwamayananda--45130753-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 28, 2021.
-To properly understand the 28th verse, we need to understand the context of the 8th chapter, which starts with seven questions from Arjuna. He asks: “What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is Karma? What is Adhibhuta? What is Adhidaiva? Who and in what way is Adhiyajna present in the human body? How are You known at the time of death by those practicing spiritual disciplines?
-In answer, Lord Krishna says: Aksharam(Brahman) - as the imperishable, indestructible, impersonal, unmanifest reality - is the supreme truth. Its presence in every human being is called Adhyatma. The vibration of this potentiality into creative and evolutionary activities is called Karma. What is perishable – comes into existence and later disappears – is Adhibhutam. The reflection of the supreme reality in the human body is Adhidaivam. The supreme reality itself is Adhiyajna, as the cause of evolutionary activity and sustenance of the universe. Those who remember Me alone at the time of death, they attain Me.
-Lord Krishna then discusses the two spiritual paths that Yogis take upon departing from this body.
-Yogis of the highest type, who lead a pure life and are free from selfish desires, follow the bright path of Shuklagati or Devayana. It is the path of fire, flame, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern passage of the sun - departing by this path the knowers of Brahmanattain Brahman. Bhishma in Mahabharata decided his time of death, to take this path.
-Yogis whose spiritual practices are driven by a motive, follow the dark path of Krishnagati or Pitrayana. It is the path of smoke, nighttime, dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern passage of the sun – departing by this path, the Yogi reaches a higher abode, but returns to Samsara.
-We find two types of teachings in Hindu scriptures. First type of teaching is linked to belief systems of ancient India – some of them are not easily intelligible in this modern age. Second type of teaching is very universal and rational. It says that there is a divine reality present in all of us. If we live a pure life and practice Yamas and Niyamas and other spiritual disciplines we can manifest this divinity within us.
-In the 28th verse, Lord Krishna brings it all together and says that those who know the answers to these seven questions and understand the mystery of the twofold departure paths, they get the transcendental knowledge and they attain the ultimate liberation even while living in this world.
-26th verse: “These are two paths - one bright and the other dark. One takes the Yogi beyond the trans migratory cycle. The other keeps him confined to the trans migratory cycle.”
-27th verse: “A Yogi who knows the secrets of these two paths, is not deluded. Therefore, we should always be steadfast in Yoga, staying linked to a higher spiritual ideal.”
-Even if the Yogi is not in the path of Shuklagati, he does not feel lost. He is not worried about his fate and he feels secured. He knows that he will be reborn in a family where he can continue his spiritual journey.
-According to Gita, everyone has a path to liberation. Nothing is ever lost, and we are never late – we can start our spiritual journey right now. Gita puts the responsibility on us and says that we can build our own spiritual destiny.
-28th verse: “The Yogi who understands the full meaning of the seven questions and understands the mystery of the twofold departure paths – he becomes a Jivan mukta. He gets liberated while living in this world, realizes the supreme truth, and gets results that transcend the collective meritorious results of all the ancient Vedic rituals.”
-Such a Jivan mukta realizes his true spiritual identity as the Atman. He looks upon life from a higher perspective and is not disturbed by the ups and downs of life. He experiences spiritual oneness with the whole existence. Some of the greatest men of action, such as Shankaracharya and Swami Vivekananda, were Jivan muktas.
-Vyadha became a jivan mukta through his spiritual practices. Upon attaining the highest realization, he did not give up his profession as a butcher. He continued his secular activities, fully established in his true spiritual identity. His dialog with another saint constitutes Vyadha Gita.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/45130753Sat, 29 May 2021 05:19:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verses 26, 27, 28 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 28, 2021. -To properly understand the 28th verse, we need to understand the context of the 8th chapter, which starts with seven questions from Arjuna. He asks:...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on May 28, 2021.
-To properly understand the 28th verse, we need to understand the context of the 8th chapter, which starts with seven questions from Arjuna. He asks: “What is Brahman? What is Adhyatma? What is Karma? What is Adhibhuta? What is Adhidaiva? Who and in what way is Adhiyajna present in the human body? How are You known at the time of death by those practicing spiritual disciplines?
-In answer, Lord Krishna says: Aksharam(Brahman) - as the imperishable, indestructible, impersonal, unmanifest reality - is the supreme truth. Its presence in every human being is called Adhyatma. The vibration of this potentiality into creative and evolutionary activities is called Karma. What is perishable – comes into existence and later disappears – is Adhibhutam. The reflection of the supreme reality in the human body is Adhidaivam. The supreme reality itself is Adhiyajna, as the cause of evolutionary activity and sustenance of the universe. Those who remember Me alone at the time of death, they attain Me.
-Lord Krishna then discusses the two spiritual paths that Yogis take upon departing from this body.
-Yogis of the highest type, who lead a pure life and are free from selfish desires, follow the bright path of Shuklagati or Devayana. It is the path of fire, flame, daytime, the bright fortnight, and the six months of the northern passage of the sun - departing by this path the knowers of Brahmanattain Brahman. Bhishma in Mahabharata decided his time of death, to take this path.
-Yogis whose spiritual practices are driven by a motive, follow the dark path of Krishnagati or Pitrayana. It is the path of smoke, nighttime, dark fortnight, and the six months of the southern passage of the sun – departing by this path, the Yogi reaches a higher abode, but returns to Samsara.
-We find two types of teachings in Hindu scriptures. First type of teaching is linked to belief systems of ancient India – some of them are not easily intelligible in this modern age. Second type of teaching is very universal and rational. It says that there is a divine reality present in all of us. If we live a pure life and practice Yamas and Niyamas and other spiritual disciplines we can manifest this divinity within us.
-In the 28th verse, Lord Krishna brings it all together and says that those who know the answers to these seven questions and understand the mystery of the twofold departure paths, they get the transcendental knowledge and they attain the ultimate liberation even while living in this world.
-26th verse: “These are two paths - one bright and the other dark. One takes the Yogi beyond the trans migratory cycle. The other keeps him confined to the trans migratory cycle.”
-27th verse: “A Yogi who knows the secrets of these two paths, is not deluded. Therefore, we should always be steadfast in Yoga, staying linked to a higher spiritual ideal.”
-Even if the Yogi is not in the path of Shuklagati, he does not feel lost. He is not worried about his fate and he feels secured. He knows that he will be reborn in a family where he can continue his spiritual journey.
-According to Gita, everyone has a path to liberation. Nothing is ever lost, and we are never late – we can start our spiritual journey right now. Gita puts the responsibility on us and says that we can build our own spiritual destiny.
-28th verse: “The Yogi who understands the full meaning of the seven questions and understands the mystery of the twofold departure paths – he becomes a Jivan mukta. He gets liberated while living in this world, realizes the supreme truth, and gets results that transcend the collective meritorious results of all the ancient Vedic rituals.”
-Such a Jivan mukta realizes his true spiritual identity as the Atman. He looks upon life from a higher perspective and is not disturbed by the ups and downs of life. He...]]>3681contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/85-attaining-royal-knowledge-with-shraddha-swami-tattwamayananda--45187668-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 4, 2021.
-8th chapter, 28th verse: “The Yogi who understands the full meaning of this supreme truth, he becomes a Jivan mukta. He gets liberated while living in this world, realizes the supreme truth, and gets results that transcend the collective meritorious results of all the ancient Vedic rituals.”
-Such a Jivan mukta realizes his true spiritual identity as the Atman. He looks upon life from a higher perspective and is not disturbed by the ups and downs of life, seeing them as part of the relative, momentary experience. He is always in a state of contentment.
-Lord Krishna describes contentment as one of the characteristics of a spiritual person. He is contented, practices yoga, has strong will, has restrained his senses and mind, and is devoted completely to the Lord. Contentment transcends happiness and unhappiness.
-Om Tat Sat. Thus ends the eight chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which is a summary of all sublime teachings found in the Vedas, which deals with Brahma Vidya, and describes the three paths to attain it – Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga – and which is in the form of a dialog between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.
-9th chapter, 1st verse: “Now I am going to teach you this most profound, highest spiritual truth, ways to realize it, and the art of making use of the realization in doing one’s duty. It is the royal secret.”
-Raja vidya refers to the royal spiritual truth that was practiced by enlightened kings. After learning from their teachers, these kings made use of that knowledge when ruling. King Chandragupta Maurya and his preceptor Chanakya are grand examples - the spiritual restraining power through Chanakya and the executive power through Chandragupta.
-Power should be given to one who does not want power. Wealth should be given to one who does not want wealth. Such people will make proper use of power and wealth.
-2nd verse: “Of all the branches of learning, this supreme truth is the highest (kingly), it is the supreme purifier because it does good to everyone, it pertains to dharma, it can be realized through direct perception, and it is easy to practice.”
-Spirituality is in reality, very simple. It tells us that spiritually, the entire existence is one. For a person who is spiritually fit, a simple statement such as Tat-tvam-asi is enough. Upon hearing this expression, immediately he will realize its true meaning and his identity with Brahman (Shabda-aparoksha-vada). Others will take more time for such realization and will have to pursue spiritual practices.
-3rd verse: “Those without shraddha, they won’t be able to think about the higher meaning of life. They do not attain Me, and they continue going the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.”
-Shraddha cannot be translated to a single word in English. It is best understood as what it is not – casual approach, dismissive nature, skepticism, doubt, restlessness – temperaments that make it difficult to focus. Shraddha can be described as a combination of integrity, sincerity, honesty, and desire for something sublime and higher with concentration and focus. To take interest in higher ideas, one needs shraddha.
-Hitopadesha says: “Food, sleep, fear, infatuation – these are common to both human beings and animals. What is unique about human beings is their ability to think about dharma and higher values.” The awareness of the need for these higher values gives us shraddha.
-It is not easy to be dis-satisfied with worldly life. When we start thinking “what is the meaning of life” – we board the bus of our spiritual journey, and we direct our efforts to come out of the wheel of samsara. When Buddha saw old age, disease and death, he developed shraddha and began his spiritual journey.
-When we do not look for higher values, then after death, we may take a descent in evolution. On the other hand, if we are interested in spiritual values, even if we do not succeed, we don’t lose anything – every good action will produce its results.
-We should not see a line of demarcation between spiritual and secular activities. Instead, we should spiritualize the secular.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/45187668Fri, 04 Jun 2021 20:27:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-8th chapter: verse 28 9th chapter: verses 1, 2, 3 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 4, 2021. -8th chapter, 28th verse: “The Yogi who understands the full meaning of this supreme truth, he becomes a Jivan mukta. He gets liberated...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 4, 2021.
-8th chapter, 28th verse: “The Yogi who understands the full meaning of this supreme truth, he becomes a Jivan mukta. He gets liberated while living in this world, realizes the supreme truth, and gets results that transcend the collective meritorious results of all the ancient Vedic rituals.”
-Such a Jivan mukta realizes his true spiritual identity as the Atman. He looks upon life from a higher perspective and is not disturbed by the ups and downs of life, seeing them as part of the relative, momentary experience. He is always in a state of contentment.
-Lord Krishna describes contentment as one of the characteristics of a spiritual person. He is contented, practices yoga, has strong will, has restrained his senses and mind, and is devoted completely to the Lord. Contentment transcends happiness and unhappiness.
-Om Tat Sat. Thus ends the eight chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which is a summary of all sublime teachings found in the Vedas, which deals with Brahma Vidya, and describes the three paths to attain it – Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga – and which is in the form of a dialog between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.
-9th chapter, 1st verse: “Now I am going to teach you this most profound, highest spiritual truth, ways to realize it, and the art of making use of the realization in doing one’s duty. It is the royal secret.”
-Raja vidya refers to the royal spiritual truth that was practiced by enlightened kings. After learning from their teachers, these kings made use of that knowledge when ruling. King Chandragupta Maurya and his preceptor Chanakya are grand examples - the spiritual restraining power through Chanakya and the executive power through Chandragupta.
-Power should be given to one who does not want power. Wealth should be given to one who does not want wealth. Such people will make proper use of power and wealth.
-2nd verse: “Of all the branches of learning, this supreme truth is the highest (kingly), it is the supreme purifier because it does good to everyone, it pertains to dharma, it can be realized through direct perception, and it is easy to practice.”
-Spirituality is in reality, very simple. It tells us that spiritually, the entire existence is one. For a person who is spiritually fit, a simple statement such as Tat-tvam-asi is enough. Upon hearing this expression, immediately he will realize its true meaning and his identity with Brahman (Shabda-aparoksha-vada). Others will take more time for such realization and will have to pursue spiritual practices.
-3rd verse: “Those without shraddha, they won’t be able to think about the higher meaning of life. They do not attain Me, and they continue going the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.”
-Shraddha cannot be translated to a single word in English. It is best understood as what it is not – casual approach, dismissive nature, skepticism, doubt, restlessness – temperaments that make it difficult to focus. Shraddha can be described as a combination of integrity, sincerity, honesty, and desire for something sublime and higher with concentration and focus. To take interest in higher ideas, one needs shraddha.
-Hitopadesha says: “Food, sleep, fear, infatuation – these are common to both human beings and animals. What is unique about human beings is their ability to think about dharma and higher values.” The awareness of the need for these higher values gives us shraddha.
-It is not easy to be dis-satisfied with worldly life. When we start thinking “what is the meaning of life” – we board the bus of our spiritual journey, and we direct our efforts to come out of the wheel of samsara. When Buddha saw old age, disease and death, he developed shraddha and began his spiritual journey.
-When we do not look for higher values, then after death, we may take a descent in...]]>4357contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/86-the-all-pervading-infinite-cannot-be-finitized-swami-tattwamayananda--45300264-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 11, 2021.
-4th verse: “All this is pervaded by Me in unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I don’t exist in them.”
-The infinite pervades the finite. The finite is not a creation or a product of the infinite. For example, the clay pot is pervaded by clay. Under the dualistic system, the clay pot is a product of clay. In Advaita, the clay pot is clay itself with a different form and name. Before manufacturing, it existed as clay. After it is broken, it is clay. The clay pot is only an apparent creation.
-Similarly, the phenomenal world is unreal in the absolute sense. It is real only in the relative sense.
-The word “Idam” in this verse refers to the entire phenomenal creation that we perceive with our senses of perception, senses of action, mind and reasoning power. This Idam is finite and is pervaded by Me, which is the infinite, attribute-less, transcendental, all-pervading, indescribable absolute reality.
-Just as a thread organizes the flowers in a garland, this absolute reality harmonizes and unifies everything we perceive in this world.
-We cannot conceive of a gold ornament without gold. Similarly, we cannot conceive of anything that is devoid of Atman.
-The absolute reality does not dwell exclusively in any being. All things together do not exhaust the absolute reality. It is not a numerical totality. Rather, as the essence of everything, it is the essential totality of everything. The absolute reality is infinite and cannot be exhausted in the finiteness of different beings.
-For example, pots are made of clay. Thousands of pots together do not equal the totality of clay. Clay is the cause and the pots are the effect. The effects can never be equal to the cause. Cause has the possibility of taking many effects – for example, clay can become a clay pot or a clay jar. The clay pot can never become a clay jar.
-When we become a devotee and meditate on God, then the inner divinity begins to manifest in our nature. We become humane, compassionate and broad-minded.
-God exists in everything as the inner divine principle. But that does not make the entity itself God. When we worship an image or a statue, we worship a symbol that reminds us of the all-pervading divine principle, and which helps us ultimately to connect with our own divine nature.
-When we do something wrong, there is a voice within that reminds us that it is the wrong thing to do. As we become spiritual, this voice becomes more audible and we become more inclined to listen to it.
-Those who can connect with this inner divine principle all the time become saints and eventually become non-distinct from this reality. To them, every word becomes sacred, every thought becomes meditation and life itself becomes a pilgrimage.
-In Antaryami Brahmana in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya provides this instruction: “He who dwells in this earth, water, fire, body mind complex or other gross elements – he regulates them from within, yet he is distinct from them. He knows them, but they don’t know him. He is the eternal self of all.”
-5th verse: “In reality, these things do not exist in Me. They all come forth from me, and I support them. But I do not dwell in them and I am not limited by them.”
-A jar holds and supports the water within it. God, as the support behind all beings, cannot be equated to such a jar – any such attempt to define God would be limiting the infinite. The infinite cannot be finitized.
-There are two schools of thought on cause-effect relationship in Indian philosophy. According to Arambhavada, every effect is a new creation, and the effect does not pre-exist in the cause (Asatkaryavada). For example, a cloth made of threads has a new existence that is different from the threads. According to Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita, the effect pre-exists in the cause (Satkaryavada). For example, the cloth pre-exists in the thread – it just gets a new name and form.
-Vedanta accepts Satkaryavada. The infinite appears to be finite when we look at it in association with name and form. At the highest level of experience, the world is seen as non-distinct from Brahman.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/45300264Sat, 12 Jun 2021 03:50:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-9th chapter: verses 4, 5 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 11, 2021. -4th verse: “All this is pervaded by Me in unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I don’t exist in them.” -The infinite pervades the finite. The finite...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 11, 2021.
-4th verse: “All this is pervaded by Me in unmanifest form. All beings exist in Me, but I don’t exist in them.”
-The infinite pervades the finite. The finite is not a creation or a product of the infinite. For example, the clay pot is pervaded by clay. Under the dualistic system, the clay pot is a product of clay. In Advaita, the clay pot is clay itself with a different form and name. Before manufacturing, it existed as clay. After it is broken, it is clay. The clay pot is only an apparent creation.
-Similarly, the phenomenal world is unreal in the absolute sense. It is real only in the relative sense.
-The word “Idam” in this verse refers to the entire phenomenal creation that we perceive with our senses of perception, senses of action, mind and reasoning power. This Idam is finite and is pervaded by Me, which is the infinite, attribute-less, transcendental, all-pervading, indescribable absolute reality.
-Just as a thread organizes the flowers in a garland, this absolute reality harmonizes and unifies everything we perceive in this world.
-We cannot conceive of a gold ornament without gold. Similarly, we cannot conceive of anything that is devoid of Atman.
-The absolute reality does not dwell exclusively in any being. All things together do not exhaust the absolute reality. It is not a numerical totality. Rather, as the essence of everything, it is the essential totality of everything. The absolute reality is infinite and cannot be exhausted in the finiteness of different beings.
-For example, pots are made of clay. Thousands of pots together do not equal the totality of clay. Clay is the cause and the pots are the effect. The effects can never be equal to the cause. Cause has the possibility of taking many effects – for example, clay can become a clay pot or a clay jar. The clay pot can never become a clay jar.
-When we become a devotee and meditate on God, then the inner divinity begins to manifest in our nature. We become humane, compassionate and broad-minded.
-God exists in everything as the inner divine principle. But that does not make the entity itself God. When we worship an image or a statue, we worship a symbol that reminds us of the all-pervading divine principle, and which helps us ultimately to connect with our own divine nature.
-When we do something wrong, there is a voice within that reminds us that it is the wrong thing to do. As we become spiritual, this voice becomes more audible and we become more inclined to listen to it.
-Those who can connect with this inner divine principle all the time become saints and eventually become non-distinct from this reality. To them, every word becomes sacred, every thought becomes meditation and life itself becomes a pilgrimage.
-In Antaryami Brahmana in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya provides this instruction: “He who dwells in this earth, water, fire, body mind complex or other gross elements – he regulates them from within, yet he is distinct from them. He knows them, but they don’t know him. He is the eternal self of all.”
-5th verse: “In reality, these things do not exist in Me. They all come forth from me, and I support them. But I do not dwell in them and I am not limited by them.”
-A jar holds and supports the water within it. God, as the support behind all beings, cannot be equated to such a jar – any such attempt to define God would be limiting the infinite. The infinite cannot be finitized.
-There are two schools of thought on cause-effect relationship in Indian philosophy. According to Arambhavada, every effect is a new creation, and the effect does not pre-exist in the cause (Asatkaryavada). For example, a cloth made of threads has a new existence that is different from the threads. According to Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita, the effect pre-exists in the cause...]]>3931contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/87-the-all-pervading-divine-reality-swami-tattwamayananda--45388224-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 18, 2021.
-6th verse: “Just as the mighty, strong wind, that is always moving everywhere, rests in the sky, but does not have the ability to make any modifications to the sky – similarly, all beings rest in Me.”
-According to the Upanishadic concept of evolution - from Atman, akasa evolves - from akasa, air evolves - from air, fire evolves - from fire, water evolves - from water, earth evolves - from earth, plants evolve - from plants, different living beings evolve.
-A tree is pervaded and sustained by its living liquid. If this liquid dries out, nothing can grow from the tree. Similarly, everything is pervaded and sustained by the Divine Reality.
-When a spiritual seeker worships an image, he first invokes and projects the all-pervading divine principle in that image. Over time, with spiritual practices, the inner divinity begins to manifest in his nature, which ultimately helps him to connect with his own divine nature.
-Yajnavalkya in a reply to Gargi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says that we can use the power of inference to understand this all-pervading divine principle. He says “At the command of that Reality, O Gargi, the sun and moon hold their courses; heaven and earth keep their positions; moments, hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years–all follow their paths; rivers issuing from the snowy mountains flow on, some eastward, some westward, others in other directions.”
-7th verse: “At the end of a kalpa, all beings go back to My prakriti. At the beginning of the next cycle, manifestation starts again.”
-A kalpa is equal to one day and one night in the life of Brahma. An iceberg is not a creation – rather, it is just a projection of water. Similarly, the world is not a creation – rather, it is a projection, and not separate from its causal form. In the day of Brahma, projection starts. In the night, dissolution takes place, and it goes back into its causal form.
-Mundaka Upanishad gives three analogies of how creation emerges from Brahman. First, a spider weaves a web using material from its own body. Similarly, Brahman is the origin and dissolution of the universe. To illustrate that Brahman has no purpose behind the creation, the second analogy is provided – plants and trees emerge spontaneously from the Earth, which does not have a purpose. Similarly, Brahman is the essence of creation, with no purpose. To illustrate that Brahman is not an inert entity, the third analogy is provided – in a living, conscious person, hair and nails grow. Similarly, Brahman is the essence of consciousness.
-8th verse: “Animating My own prakriti, I project this whole multitude of different beings. Then they exist, but they are helpless and not free.”
-So long as we are attached to prakriti, under the influence of the three gunas, we are in a state of helplessness, and we are not free – we are slaves in the hands of our own samskaras. We begin our quest for spiritual freedom when we become aware of this absence of freedom. Buddha started his spiritual quest after becoming aware of the helplessness of all beings against old age, sickness, and death.
-When we realize that there is no real freedom at the empirical level, we look for a different, higher form of freedom. Until we realize our true spiritual identity, we are under the control of prakriti.
-According to Vedanta, every attempt to solve problems at the empirical level, is only a postponement of the problem. Real answers come when we attain spiritual freedom – we then understand that there is no freedom at the empirical level.
-The four mahavakyas are: (1) Tat Tvam Asi, which is an upadesa vakya (2) Prajnanam Brahma, which is a lakshana vakya (3) Ayam Atma Brahma, which is a siddhanta vakya (4) Aham Brahma Asmi, which is an anubhuti vakya. Aham Brahma Asmi is only an approximation of the highest experience of one’s identity with Brahman. In the process of teaching Shvetaketu, Uddalaka utters: "Tat tvam Asi" and repeats it eight more times during his instructions.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/45388224Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:54:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-9th chapter: verses 6, 7, 8 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 18, 2021. -6th verse: “Just as the mighty, strong wind, that is always moving everywhere, rests in the sky, but does not have the ability to make any modifications to...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 18, 2021.
-6th verse: “Just as the mighty, strong wind, that is always moving everywhere, rests in the sky, but does not have the ability to make any modifications to the sky – similarly, all beings rest in Me.”
-According to the Upanishadic concept of evolution - from Atman, akasa evolves - from akasa, air evolves - from air, fire evolves - from fire, water evolves - from water, earth evolves - from earth, plants evolve - from plants, different living beings evolve.
-A tree is pervaded and sustained by its living liquid. If this liquid dries out, nothing can grow from the tree. Similarly, everything is pervaded and sustained by the Divine Reality.
-When a spiritual seeker worships an image, he first invokes and projects the all-pervading divine principle in that image. Over time, with spiritual practices, the inner divinity begins to manifest in his nature, which ultimately helps him to connect with his own divine nature.
-Yajnavalkya in a reply to Gargi in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says that we can use the power of inference to understand this all-pervading divine principle. He says “At the command of that Reality, O Gargi, the sun and moon hold their courses; heaven and earth keep their positions; moments, hours, days and nights, fortnights and months, seasons and years–all follow their paths; rivers issuing from the snowy mountains flow on, some eastward, some westward, others in other directions.”
-7th verse: “At the end of a kalpa, all beings go back to My prakriti. At the beginning of the next cycle, manifestation starts again.”
-A kalpa is equal to one day and one night in the life of Brahma. An iceberg is not a creation – rather, it is just a projection of water. Similarly, the world is not a creation – rather, it is a projection, and not separate from its causal form. In the day of Brahma, projection starts. In the night, dissolution takes place, and it goes back into its causal form.
-Mundaka Upanishad gives three analogies of how creation emerges from Brahman. First, a spider weaves a web using material from its own body. Similarly, Brahman is the origin and dissolution of the universe. To illustrate that Brahman has no purpose behind the creation, the second analogy is provided – plants and trees emerge spontaneously from the Earth, which does not have a purpose. Similarly, Brahman is the essence of creation, with no purpose. To illustrate that Brahman is not an inert entity, the third analogy is provided – in a living, conscious person, hair and nails grow. Similarly, Brahman is the essence of consciousness.
-8th verse: “Animating My own prakriti, I project this whole multitude of different beings. Then they exist, but they are helpless and not free.”
-So long as we are attached to prakriti, under the influence of the three gunas, we are in a state of helplessness, and we are not free – we are slaves in the hands of our own samskaras. We begin our quest for spiritual freedom when we become aware of this absence of freedom. Buddha started his spiritual quest after becoming aware of the helplessness of all beings against old age, sickness, and death.
-When we realize that there is no real freedom at the empirical level, we look for a different, higher form of freedom. Until we realize our true spiritual identity, we are under the control of prakriti.
-According to Vedanta, every attempt to solve problems at the empirical level, is only a postponement of the problem. Real answers come when we attain spiritual freedom – we then understand that there is no freedom at the empirical level.
-The four mahavakyas are: (1) Tat Tvam Asi, which is an upadesa vakya (2) Prajnanam Brahma, which is a lakshana vakya (3) Ayam Atma Brahma, which is a siddhanta vakya (4) Aham Brahma Asmi, which is an anubhuti vakya. Aham Brahma Asmi is only an approximation of the highest...]]>3370contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/88-daivi-sampat-and-asuri-sampat-swami-tattwamayananda--45487512-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 25, 2021.
-8th verse: “Animating My own prakriti, I project this whole multitude of different beings. Then they exist, but they are helpless and not free.”
-So long as we are attached to prakriti, under the influence of the three gunas, we are in a state of helplessness and we are not free – we are slaves in the hands of our own samskaras. We are helpless against old age, sickness and death.
-We spend most of our lifetime confronting the problem of death – we may be able to postpone it, but we cannot avoid it. Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”
-When a person asks the question - “what is the nature of death?” – that is the beginning of his higher spiritual evolution. Nachiketa’s story and his three boons from Kathopanishad is a good illustration of this spiritual evolution. The three boons that Nachiketa asks are: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then describes life as a journey for highest spiritual enlightenment.
-9th and 10th verses: “I am the one behind this cycle of creation. Presided over by Me, Prakriti brings forth moving and unmoving things. I am there in everything, but I am not part of it. I am the immanent, inherent, divine principle present in everything, and that regulates everything. But I remain uninvolved, unattached.”
-Brahman does not have a purpose and remains unaffected. Prakriti produces moving and unmoving things as manifestation from the causal form. Dissolution is effect going back to its causal form.
-An iceberg is not a creation – rather, it is just a projection of water. Similarly, in Vedanta, the world is not a creation – rather, it is a projection, and not separate from its causal form.
-11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual dimension as the divine principle in everything.”
-This idea of God creating the visible world is illustrated through a magician performing the “Indian Rope Trick “in Shankaracharya’s commentary on the Mandukya Karika. When the magician performs his magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. Similarly, God is the magician and real. The whole creation is like magic, which is only relatively real.
-In a semi-dark room, we may mistake a rope to be a snake and try to run away. When we bring light, what we formerly misunderstood to be a snake is now recognized as a rope. As a snake, it is unreal. As rope, it is real.
-A jivan-mukta realizes the relative nature of the phenomenal world. At the same time, he becomes more humane, showing friendliness, generosity and compassion towards everyone. He does so without being bound.
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of 16th chapter provide 26 characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures and practice of non-violence. Those who possess these virtues have entered the path of manifesting their inner divinity.
-Shankaracharya describes the characteristics of a sattvic person. Such a person reads and gets knowledge of higher virtues from scriptures, which are recorded diaries of the path traveled by realized teachers. He then internalizes these teachings and practices them in his life.”
-Such a sattvic person is bold, speaks the truth, is forgiving, practices purity, and has no hatred or pride.
-Strong will is necessary for spiritual practice to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind.
-True strength comes when it is devoid of pride and is enriched by a sense of renunciation and non-attachment. Lord Krishna says in the 11th verse of the 7th chapter of the Gita: “Of the strong, I am their strength that is devoid of desire and attachment.”
-Saints and mystics, such as Swami Vivekananda, demonstrated strong will to raise themselves in their spiritual life. They were very humble, but behind their humility was great Atma-balam – the inner strength of Atman. The strength of a great person who uses it for the good of others - that transcendental touch is an expression of the divine.
-In the concluding verse of each Gita class, we say: “Hari Om Tat Sat. Sri Ramakrishna Arpanam Astu”. It means we offer everything to Vishnu and Sri Ramakrishna. Om is the auspicious word symbol of the essence of the Vedas.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/45487512Sat, 26 Jun 2021 06:52:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-9th chapter: verses 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 25, 2021. -8th verse: “Animating My own prakriti, I project this whole multitude of different beings. Then they exist, but they are helpless and not...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on June 25, 2021.
-8th verse: “Animating My own prakriti, I project this whole multitude of different beings. Then they exist, but they are helpless and not free.”
-So long as we are attached to prakriti, under the influence of the three gunas, we are in a state of helplessness and we are not free – we are slaves in the hands of our own samskaras. We are helpless against old age, sickness and death.
-We spend most of our lifetime confronting the problem of death – we may be able to postpone it, but we cannot avoid it. Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”
-When a person asks the question - “what is the nature of death?” – that is the beginning of his higher spiritual evolution. Nachiketa’s story and his three boons from Kathopanishad is a good illustration of this spiritual evolution. The three boons that Nachiketa asks are: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then describes life as a journey for highest spiritual enlightenment.
-9th and 10th verses: “I am the one behind this cycle of creation. Presided over by Me, Prakriti brings forth moving and unmoving things. I am there in everything, but I am not part of it. I am the immanent, inherent, divine principle present in everything, and that regulates everything. But I remain uninvolved, unattached.”
-Brahman does not have a purpose and remains unaffected. Prakriti produces moving and unmoving things as manifestation from the causal form. Dissolution is effect going back to its causal form.
-An iceberg is not a creation – rather, it is just a projection of water. Similarly, in Vedanta, the world is not a creation – rather, it is a projection, and not separate from its causal form.
-11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual dimension as the divine principle in everything.”
-This idea of God creating the visible world is illustrated through a magician performing the “Indian Rope Trick “in Shankaracharya’s commentary on the Mandukya Karika. When the magician performs his magic, only the magician is real. The magic is delusion. Similarly, God is the magician and real. The whole creation is like magic, which is only relatively real.
-In a semi-dark room, we may mistake a rope to be a snake and try to run away. When we bring light, what we formerly misunderstood to be a snake is now recognized as a rope. As a snake, it is unreal. As rope, it is real.
-A jivan-mukta realizes the relative nature of the phenomenal world. At the same time, he becomes more humane, showing friendliness, generosity and compassion towards everyone. He does so without being bound.
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of 16th chapter provide 26 characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures and practice of non-violence. Those who possess these virtues have entered the path of manifesting their inner divinity.
-Shankaracharya describes the characteristics of a sattvic person. Such a person reads and gets knowledge of higher virtues from scriptures, which...]]>3569contentment,freedom,gita,god,hinduism,immortality,interfaith,karma,krishna,mahabharata,meditation,peace,psychology,ramakrishna,reincarnation,sanskrit,vedanta,vivekananda,workaholic,yogafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/89-combining-sattva-guna-with-spiritual-strength-swami-tattwamayananda--46729454-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 24, 2021.
-11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual dimension as the divine principle in everything.”
-Our concept of God depends on our own spiritual evolution. Hinduism doesn’t consider anyone’s view of God as wrong. Among seven billion people of the world, each person’s idea of the highest reality represents that person’s spiritual evolution. At the highest level, God is one divine reality present everywhere and in everything.
-Lord Krishna says in the Gita: “Everyone follows his or her own path. Whether they are aware of it or not, every person is approaching Me.”
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
-None of the gunas can exist alone in anyone. Every human temperament is a combination of these gunas. For example, a person cannot have just sattva-guna. To practice, sattva-guna, he needs intelligence, strength and the ability to see through the game played by others.
-Asuri-sampat is natural to asuras. They have a combination of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, with tamo-guna being the dominant. They have no sattva-guna. Their actions are guided by evil motives.
-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons. They have a combination of sattva-guna and rajo-guna, with sattva-guna being the dominant. They have no tamo-guna. Their actions are guided by noble motives. They are active but self-restrained.
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of 16th chapter provide the characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures, practice of non-violence, boldness and fortitude. Those who possess these virtues have entered the path of manifesting their inner divinity.
-Fortitude and boldness are mentioned in the qualities of a sattvic person. They help to protect the good qualities from being hijacked by others. Goodness, to be good, should be combined with spiritual strength. This strength is necessary in spiritual practice to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind.
-Lord Krishna introduces daivi-sampat and asuri-sampat in the 9th chapter to help us understand the true meaning of spirituality. Sattvic qualities have to be combined with spiritual strength, to practice and defend the high values. Characters in Mahabharata, such as Yudhishthira and Bhishma, show that only sattvic qualities do not make one perfect – it needs to be combined with spiritual strength. In Mahabharata, only Lord Krishna had the sattvic qualities and the strength to implement them.
-14th verse: “These great souled persons – they uphold these values and worship Me. They live in this world, do their duties, but are not deluded by the phenomenal world, which is impermanent.”
-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”
-Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God.
-One may begin spiritual life at a temple with rituals. As he evolves, his idea of God evolves. At the highest level, he sees God everywhere and in everything.
-Shankaracharya gives a way to determine whether one has reached the highest level of seeing the divine present everywhere and in everything. Such a person starts practicing sama (calmness) and dama (self-control).
-We can develop dispassion when we understand the limitations of the phenomenal world. Health, wealth, friendships – all are of a fleeting nature. Once we understand it, the natural result is that we look for something higher.
-In dualism, God is seen and distinct and different from creation. In non-dualism, the creator is seen as present in creation. Non-dualism is a matter of one’s experience – it is not philosophy. At the mystical level, monotheism becomes non-dual.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46729454Fri, 24 Sep 2021 19:15:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-9th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 24, 2021. -11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 24, 2021.
-11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual dimension as the divine principle in everything.”
-Our concept of God depends on our own spiritual evolution. Hinduism doesn’t consider anyone’s view of God as wrong. Among seven billion people of the world, each person’s idea of the highest reality represents that person’s spiritual evolution. At the highest level, God is one divine reality present everywhere and in everything.
-Lord Krishna says in the Gita: “Everyone follows his or her own path. Whether they are aware of it or not, every person is approaching Me.”
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.
-None of the gunas can exist alone in anyone. Every human temperament is a combination of these gunas. For example, a person cannot have just sattva-guna. To practice, sattva-guna, he needs intelligence, strength and the ability to see through the game played by others.
-Asuri-sampat is natural to asuras. They have a combination of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, with tamo-guna being the dominant. They have no sattva-guna. Their actions are guided by evil motives.
-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons. They have a combination of sattva-guna and rajo-guna, with sattva-guna being the dominant. They have no tamo-guna. Their actions are guided by noble motives. They are active but self-restrained.
-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of 16th chapter provide the characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures, practice of non-violence, boldness and fortitude. Those who possess these virtues have entered the path of manifesting their inner divinity.
-Fortitude and boldness are mentioned in the qualities of a sattvic person. They help to protect the good qualities from being hijacked by others. Goodness, to be good, should be combined with spiritual strength. This strength is necessary in spiritual practice to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind.
-Lord Krishna introduces daivi-sampat and asuri-sampat in the 9th chapter to help us understand the true meaning of spirituality. Sattvic qualities have to be combined with spiritual strength, to practice and defend the high values. Characters in Mahabharata, such as Yudhishthira and Bhishma, show that only sattvic qualities do not make one perfect – it needs to be combined with spiritual strength. In Mahabharata, only Lord Krishna had the sattvic qualities and the strength to implement them.
-14th verse: “These great souled persons – they uphold these values and worship Me. They live in this world, do their duties, but are not deluded by the phenomenal world, which is impermanent.”
-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”
-Yajna in Gita refers to any...]]>3950gitafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/90-non-distinction-between-spiritual-and-secular-swami-tattwamayananda--46796207-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 1, 2021.
-Lord Krishna discusses two types of temperaments in verses 12 and 13. Those who are endowed with daivi-sampat and those endowed with asuri-sampat. As we evolve, we become more endowed with daivi-sampat, and our concept of God evolves.
-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons, who are like angels. Daiva means the effulgent one.
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-There are three categories of devotees endowed with daivi-sampat – superior, medium and lower. The superior devotee has reached the highest level and sees God in everything and everything in God. This is not a concept, but a fact that the devotee experiences. The medium and lower category devotees are described in the 14th verse:
-14th verse: “They have not reached the highest level. They worship Me by engaging in different types of spiritual practices such as reading books, striving with austere vows and singing devotional songs.”
-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”
-16th verse of 9th chapter reads very similar to 24th verse of 4th chapter. The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be spiritualized – how we can stop seeing the distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.
-Verse 24 is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food. It emphasizes that everything is spiritually one. This truth can be realized by associating all actions with the Divine.
-With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.” Our purpose, our actions, the tools that we use, the mantras that we chant, the Agni (fire) – all are expressions of the same supreme reality. This is natural for the person with highest realization – to him, every act is equally spiritual; there is no distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-In 16th verse, Lord Krishna says, “I am kratu”. “I” am yajna. “I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).
-Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Vedic mantras uttered during the yajna emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-By equating “I” to many Vedic rituals, Lord Krishna is saying that all the Vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality. Every act is an expression of the divine.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/46796207Sat, 02 Oct 2021 02:35:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco-9th chapter: verses 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 4th chapter: verse 24 -The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 1, 2021. -Lord Krishna discusses two types of temperaments in verses 12 and 13. Those who are endowed with daivi-sampat and...-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 1, 2021.
-Lord Krishna discusses two types of temperaments in verses 12 and 13. Those who are endowed with daivi-sampat and those endowed with asuri-sampat. As we evolve, we become more endowed with daivi-sampat, and our concept of God evolves.
-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons, who are like angels. Daiva means the effulgent one.
-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).
-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”
-There are three categories of devotees endowed with daivi-sampat – superior, medium and lower. The superior devotee has reached the highest level and sees God in everything and everything in God. This is not a concept, but a fact that the devotee experiences. The medium and lower category devotees are described in the 14th verse:
-14th verse: “They have not reached the highest level. They worship Me by engaging in different types of spiritual practices such as reading books, striving with austere vows and singing devotional songs.”
-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”
-16th verse of 9th chapter reads very similar to 24th verse of 4th chapter. The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be spiritualized – how we can stop seeing the distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.
-Verse 24 is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food. It emphasizes that everything is spiritually one. This truth can be realized by associating all actions with the Divine.
-With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.” Our purpose, our actions, the tools that we use, the mantras that we chant, the Agni (fire) – all are expressions of the same supreme reality. This is natural for the person with highest realization – to him, every act is equally spiritual; there is no distinction between the secular and spiritual.
-In 16th verse, Lord Krishna says, “I am kratu”. “I” am yajna. “I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).
-Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Vedic mantras uttered during the yajna emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.
-By equating “I” to many Vedic rituals, Lord Krishna is saying that all the Vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality. Every act is an expression of the divine.]]>4054gita,vedas,yajnafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/91-everything-is-an-expression-of-the-divine-reality-swami-tattwamayananda--47020586
16th verse: “I am kratu and yajna (vedic rituals), I am svadha (word symbol uttered in yajna), I am aushadham (medicinal herb offered in yajna), I am the mantra (vedic hymns uttered in yajna), I am ajyam (clarified butter offered in yajna), I am agni (sacrificial fire of yajna), I am hutam (oblation).”

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).

Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Yajna, as a vedic ritual, involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Pancha maha yajnas are sacraments that householders perform to show generosity to others, including human beings, animals and ecosystem. Yajna in Gita also refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Lord Krishna is saying that all the vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality.

Svadha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to ancestors. Svaha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to a deity. Mantras are vedic hymns that are uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness. Lord Krishna is saying: “I am these word symbols and mantras. By uttering them with sanctity and sacredness, you are honoring Me, and invoking My presence within you.”

When we utter sacred mantras, we feel inner purity and fulfillment because we manifest the divine spirit that is already within us. We feel, “I have done what I ought to have done”.

Agni is honored with the mantra – “Agneya Idam Na mama”. It means everything belongs to the God of fire – it is not mine. It is an expression of detachment from the momentariness of the empirical. One should live in the world but remember that everything belongs to a higher power. Agni consumes everything. Lord Krishna is saying that the sacrificial fire is also a symbol of the all-pervading divine reality.

Vedic rituals emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature, at a cosmic level and at an inner level. When we practice the spiritual principle of the unity of existence, and direct our actions without disturbing Ritm, we achieve inner tranquility.

17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.”

18th verse: “I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the storehouse and the seed immutable.”

The divine reality, that is present everywhere, acts as the protecting, nourishing, upholding principle. It is this divine reality that is to be realized. It can be realized by any of the four yogas: bhakti yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.

Omkara, as a sound symbol, represents the totality and oneness of existence, and the essence of the vedas. The highest truth can only be experienced – Omkara and scriptures do not explain this highest truth. Scriptures only help us turn our mind away from the external world and direct it to the right pursuit.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47020586Sun, 17 Oct 2021 22:08:55 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco9th chapter: verses 16, 17, 18 16th verse: “I am kratu and yajna (vedic rituals), I am svadha (word symbol uttered in yajna), I am aushadham (medicinal herb offered in yajna), I am the mantra (vedic hymns uttered in yajna), I am ajyam (clarified...
16th verse: “I am kratu and yajna (vedic rituals), I am svadha (word symbol uttered in yajna), I am aushadham (medicinal herb offered in yajna), I am the mantra (vedic hymns uttered in yajna), I am ajyam (clarified butter offered in yajna), I am agni (sacrificial fire of yajna), I am hutam (oblation).”

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).

Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Yajna, as a vedic ritual, involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Pancha maha yajnas are sacraments that householders perform to show generosity to others, including human beings, animals and ecosystem. Yajna in Gita also refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Lord Krishna is saying that all the vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality.

Svadha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to ancestors. Svaha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to a deity. Mantras are vedic hymns that are uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness. Lord Krishna is saying: “I am these word symbols and mantras. By uttering them with sanctity and sacredness, you are honoring Me, and invoking My presence within you.”

When we utter sacred mantras, we feel inner purity and fulfillment because we manifest the divine spirit that is already within us. We feel, “I have done what I ought to have done”.

Agni is honored with the mantra – “Agneya Idam Na mama”. It means everything belongs to the God of fire – it is not mine. It is an expression of detachment from the momentariness of the empirical. One should live in the world but remember that everything belongs to a higher power. Agni consumes everything. Lord Krishna is saying that the sacrificial fire is also a symbol of the all-pervading divine reality.

Vedic rituals emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature, at a cosmic level and at an inner level. When we practice the spiritual principle of the unity of existence, and direct our actions without disturbing Ritm, we achieve inner tranquility.

17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.”

18th verse: “I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the storehouse and the seed immutable.”

The divine reality, that is present everywhere, acts as the protecting, nourishing, upholding principle. It is this divine reality that is to be realized. It can be realized by any of the four yogas: bhakti yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.

Omkara, as a sound symbol, represents the totality and oneness of existence, and the essence of the vedas. The highest truth can only be experienced – Omkara and scriptures do not explain this highest truth. Scriptures only help us turn our mind away from the external world and direct it to the right pursuit.]]>3906bhagavadgita,gita,vedanta,vsncfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/92-god-as-the-supreme-principle-behind-everything-swami-tattwamayananda--47121711
9th chapter: verses 17, 19, 20, 21, 22. 18th chapter: verse 66

17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.”

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality, which acts as the protecting, nourishing, upholding principle. It is this divine reality that is to be realized.

Omkara, as a sound-symbol, represents the totality and oneness of existence, and the essence of the Vedas. It represents the unified universe consisting of the three worlds of existence: below the earth, upon the earth, and celestial level. In monotheistic religions, it corresponds to the unity of all divine personifications – Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara. It is the beginning, middle, and end of all human speech. In Patanjali Yoga Sutra, it is described as the name of the Lord.

Gayatri mantra has 24 letters and is a very sublime mantra. Om is an integral part of Gayatri mantra. It invokes the effulgent divine reality, that is present everywhere, and it takes one beyond the three levels of existence - towards the transcendental.

The 17th verse puts a very high philosophical ideal – oneness and unity of human family – in the language of everyday human relations.

19th verse: “As the sun, I am the heat. I withhold and send forth rain. I am immortal and also dead. I am also the being and the non-being.”

The 19th verse uses the sublime technique of using language that seems contradictory to point to its transcendental meaning. A poet in Vedantic tradition is one who is able to see far into things and bring out the grandeur of the subject he is writing on.

Ramanuja in his commentary on this verse says: “I provide both heat and rain. I am the source of energy that sustains human life. I am the sequence in the seasons. I am the supreme principle behind the harmonious existence of life in this world. I am the immortal principle behind that which is immortal. I am the finite principle behind that which is finite.”

One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialog between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

Both existence and non-existence are non-distinct from the divine reality. Nothing can be excluded from that reality, not even the concept of evil. Vedanta does not define God as the totality of all positive virtues. It replaces the doctrine of evil with the doctrine of ignorance. As we evolve, so called evil is understood to be a stage where we experience something due to our lack of the highest spiritual enlightenment. At the highest level, all secular activities become spiritualized.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Worshipping the terrible is a sign of sannyasa (mendicant).” A Mendicant is a person who accepts everything. For him, the totality alone exists – it includes good and bad. But, at a spiritually evolved stage, he automatically accepts only the good – he cannot harm others, as described in the 18th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

In the 66th verse of the 18th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual psychology of self-surrender. He says to Arjuna: “Give up all distinctions between dharma and adharma. Attach your will to God’s will. Attach your mind and emotions to the divine. Then you will naturally choose the right dharma.”

20th and 21st verse: There are those who perform rituals for material prosperity and long life. They are also worshipping the same divine Lord, but not in its most sublime sense. They are at the beginning of spiritual life. They go to heaven, and once their spiritual merits are exhausted, they return to the world. For them, the cycle of birth and death continues.

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit – for such people, I carry what they lack, and preserve what they already have.”

Yoga in this verse means helping you attain what you have not already attained. Kshema in this verse means preserving what you have already attained.

Lord Krishna makes a big promise in this verse. “If you do God’s work, God will work for you.” We experience this in our lives. When we do good, noble deeds without selfish motives, then some of our problems are automatically solved. A noble act done for the good of others is an act of worship and generates spiritual energy.

The story of Lord Krishna and Sudama illustrates this promise. When Sudama gave parched rice to Lord Krishna, it returned to him as prosperity in an invisible way.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47121711Sun, 24 Oct 2021 02:26:02 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoSummary: 9th chapter: verses 17, 19, 20, 21, 22. 18th chapter: verse 66 17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.” “I” here...
9th chapter: verses 17, 19, 20, 21, 22. 18th chapter: verse 66

17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.”

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality, which acts as the protecting, nourishing, upholding principle. It is this divine reality that is to be realized.

Omkara, as a sound-symbol, represents the totality and oneness of existence, and the essence of the Vedas. It represents the unified universe consisting of the three worlds of existence: below the earth, upon the earth, and celestial level. In monotheistic religions, it corresponds to the unity of all divine personifications – Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara. It is the beginning, middle, and end of all human speech. In Patanjali Yoga Sutra, it is described as the name of the Lord.

Gayatri mantra has 24 letters and is a very sublime mantra. Om is an integral part of Gayatri mantra. It invokes the effulgent divine reality, that is present everywhere, and it takes one beyond the three levels of existence - towards the transcendental.

The 17th verse puts a very high philosophical ideal – oneness and unity of human family – in the language of everyday human relations.

19th verse: “As the sun, I am the heat. I withhold and send forth rain. I am immortal and also dead. I am also the being and the non-being.”

The 19th verse uses the sublime technique of using language that seems contradictory to point to its transcendental meaning. A poet in Vedantic tradition is one who is able to see far into things and bring out the grandeur of the subject he is writing on.

Ramanuja in his commentary on this verse says: “I provide both heat and rain. I am the source of energy that sustains human life. I am the sequence in the seasons. I am the supreme principle behind the harmonious existence of life in this world. I am the immortal principle behind that which is immortal. I am the finite principle behind that which is finite.”

One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialog between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

Both existence and non-existence are non-distinct from the divine reality. Nothing can be excluded from that reality, not even the concept of evil. Vedanta does not define God as the totality of all positive virtues. It replaces the doctrine of evil with the doctrine of ignorance. As we evolve, so called evil is understood to be a stage where we experience something due to our lack of the highest spiritual enlightenment. At the highest level, all secular activities become spiritualized.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Worshipping the terrible is a sign of sannyasa (mendicant).” A Mendicant is a person who accepts everything. For him, the totality alone exists – it includes good and bad. But, at a spiritually evolved stage, he automatically accepts only the good – he cannot harm others, as described in the 18th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

In the 66th verse of the 18th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual psychology of self-surrender. He says to Arjuna: “Give up all distinctions between dharma and adharma. Attach your will to God’s will. Attach your mind and emotions to the divine. Then you will naturally choose the right dharma.”

20th and 21st verse: There are those who perform rituals for material prosperity and long life. They are also worshipping the same divine Lord, but not in its most sublime sense. They are at the beginning of spiritual life. They go to heaven, and once their spiritual merits are exhausted, they return to the world. For them, the cycle of birth and death continues.

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as...]]>3549falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/93-the-spiritual-psychology-of-self-surrender-swami-tattwamayananda--47248301
9th chapter: verse 22

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they lack, and preserve what they already have.”

Lord Krishna makes a big promise in this verse. “If you do God’s work, God will work for you.” When we do good, noble deeds without selfish motives, then some of our problems are automatically solved. Sometimes we are not aware of this, and we think results are due to our own efforts.

Suppose a person is traveling on a train. If he moves around on the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. He is better off sitting quietly and letting the train driver do the work. This example illustrates the self-surrender attitude of a devotee of the highest type. He is an instrument in the hands of God – the higher power works through him.

Devotees, who have not reached the highest level, need a combination of their own effort and God’s grace. They should reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.

Those who pray to God for material prosperity. They are also worshipping the same divine Lord, but not in its most sublime sense. There are four levels of spiritual seekers: (1) Those who are in distress and seek God’s help (2) Those who pray for material comforts (3) Those who are inquisitive to know what lies beyond empirical comforts (4) Those who have realized the highest spiritual truth. All these seekers are noble-hearted, as they are directing their minds to God instead of undesirable channels.

Even though God answers prayers for material prosperity, he does not give what is harmful to the devotee. Along with granting desires, he grants higher wisdom to understand the harmful effects of material things and develop aversion towards them.

Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story illustrates how a teacher determines what is the right spiritual dosage for the student. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asked him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol.

There are four stages of surrender. They are Sarupya, Samipya, Salokya and Sayujya. Sarupya means the worshipper assumes some similarity with the object of worship. Samipya means the devotee feels nearness to God. Salokya means that the devotee feels he is living on the same abode as the deity. Sayujya means merging in God – becoming one with Him.

As a devotee evolves spiritually, mysteriously he gets assistance. His questions are no more questions. His problems are no more problems. Every problem becomes a means for his spiritual evolution.

When a person, who has done spiritual practices in a previous life, deviates from that path, God will help put him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The person whom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomes isolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy of angels.”

In the 6th chapter of Gita, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a sincere devotee fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?” In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that such a person will be born again with spiritual inheritance. Nothing will be lost. The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from a previous life – constitute the momentum that moves such a seeker forward.

Unlike Ramana Maharshi, who looked at spiritual life from the highest level, Lord Krishna comes down to our level and teaches us spiritual life step by step. He does not teach Arjuna the highest philosophy in the beginning. Rather he asks him to be active first. Then he teaches him to do his duty with detachment.

There is a difference between detachment and surrender. Detachment is a tool we can use in everyday life, where we look upon success and failure from the same equanimity of mind. Surrender is the natural state of a devotee of the highest type. It can also be practiced in everyday life by offering every action and its results to God.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47248301Sun, 31 Oct 2021 22:01:38 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoSummary: 9th chapter: verse 22 22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they lack, and...
9th chapter: verse 22

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they lack, and preserve what they already have.”

Lord Krishna makes a big promise in this verse. “If you do God’s work, God will work for you.” When we do good, noble deeds without selfish motives, then some of our problems are automatically solved. Sometimes we are not aware of this, and we think results are due to our own efforts.

Suppose a person is traveling on a train. If he moves around on the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. He is better off sitting quietly and letting the train driver do the work. This example illustrates the self-surrender attitude of a devotee of the highest type. He is an instrument in the hands of God – the higher power works through him.

Devotees, who have not reached the highest level, need a combination of their own effort and God’s grace. They should reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.

Those who pray to God for material prosperity. They are also worshipping the same divine Lord, but not in its most sublime sense. There are four levels of spiritual seekers: (1) Those who are in distress and seek God’s help (2) Those who pray for material comforts (3) Those who are inquisitive to know what lies beyond empirical comforts (4) Those who have realized the highest spiritual truth. All these seekers are noble-hearted, as they are directing their minds to God instead of undesirable channels.

Even though God answers prayers for material prosperity, he does not give what is harmful to the devotee. Along with granting desires, he grants higher wisdom to understand the harmful effects of material things and develop aversion towards them.

Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story illustrates how a teacher determines what is the right spiritual dosage for the student. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asked him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol.

There are four stages of surrender. They are Sarupya, Samipya, Salokya and Sayujya. Sarupya means the worshipper assumes some similarity with the object of worship. Samipya means the devotee feels nearness to God. Salokya means that the devotee feels he is living on the same abode as the deity. Sayujya means merging in God – becoming one with Him.

As a devotee evolves spiritually, mysteriously he gets assistance. His questions are no more questions. His problems are no more problems. Every problem becomes a means for his spiritual evolution.

When a person, who has done spiritual practices in a previous life, deviates from that path, God will help put him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The person whom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomes isolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy of angels.”

In the 6th chapter of Gita, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a sincere devotee fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?” In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that such a person will be born again with spiritual inheritance. Nothing will be lost. The spiritual disciplines and samskaras from a previous life – constitute the momentum that moves such a seeker forward.

Unlike Ramana Maharshi, who looked at spiritual life from the highest level, Lord Krishna comes down to our level and teaches us...]]>3939bhagavad_gita,gitafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/94-self-surrender-and-god-s-grace-swami-tattwamayananda--47469946
9th chapter: verse 22, 23, 24

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they lack, and preserve what they already have.”

This is one of the most celebrated verses of the Gita. Lord Krishna makes a big promise in this verse. “If you do God’s work, God will work for you.” When we do good, noble deeds without selfish motive, then some of our problems are automatically solved.

In all spiritual traditions, there is a strong emphasis on God’s grace. If we surrender to God, our problems are mysteriously solved; our karmic blocks are removed. Such surrender needs to be complete, without any second thought or doubt. If there are doubts or second thoughts, our energy and concentration get dissipated.

Doubt can be of two types. (1) Creative doubt, which is coupled with shraddha, and demonstrates a true thirst for knowledge. (2) Skepticism– seekers who ask questions without any shraddha. Their mind is closed, they don’t derive any benefits from answers to their questions, and they keep asking the same questions again and again.

The devotee needs to blend his own effort with God’s grace. Self-effort helps him reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna provides an analogy on combining self-effort with God’s grace. If a boat is tied to an anchor, the effort is needed to first untie it and row it to the middle of the river. Only then, it can use the power of the wind to move further.

Saint Teresa of Avila provides an analogy on the need to remove all doubts when surrendering to God. Before irrigating a field, one needs to remove the weeds and make it ready for irrigation. Similarly, doubts should be removed and then the mind should be connected to the perennial waters of God’s grace.

Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story illustrates the importance of sincerity and integrity in self-surrender. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asked him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol.

There is a contrasting example in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Pratap Chandra Hazra was a devotee who lacked sincerity. He worshipped in a bombastic manner and had a high opinion of his own spiritual attainment. As a result, he could not completely surrender to Sri Ramakrishna.

According to Narada Bhakti Sutra, highest devotion means complete dedication to a higher ideal. When we pour oil, it has a natural, continuous flow. Similarly, the mind should flow to God, naturally and continuously.

23rd verse: “Those who worship other gods with shraddha – not for highest enlightenment but for material prosperity – in reality, they are worshipping Me, although they are using the wrong method and are not aware of it.”

To whichever god we pray, the prayer goes to Brahman. Fulfillment also comes from Brahman.

There is a difference between a spiritual person and a religious person. A spiritual person is dedicated to a higher ideal without any selfish, worldly motive. A religious person may pray for material comforts, and he has more distance to travel before he becomes spiritual. Both are knocking at the same door, but depending on how they approach, they get different results. The spiritual person prays for contentment, devotion and welfare of humanity.

25th verse: “The votaries of different deities, they reach those deities. The one whom you worship, you reach him.”

Depending upon our own mental makeup, we evolve our own ideas of God. First stage in our evolution of concept of godhead was ancestor worship. The next stage was the worship of the divine power behind natural phenomena.

At the primitive stage, we may give a human dimension to the transcendental reality. As we evolve further, we are not satisfied with that idea of God. We feel it cannot be the highest idea of God.

According to the Bhagavata Purana, the highest devotee of God is one who sees the presence of God in everything, and the presence of everything in God. All lines of demarcation disappear for him. He sees all humanity as one spiritual family.

23rd and 24th verses are about those devotees who have not reached the highest stage, but who are working towards reaching that stage.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47469946Sun, 14 Nov 2021 17:22:10 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoSummary: 9th chapter: verse 22, 23, 24 22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they...
9th chapter: verse 22, 23, 24

22nd verse: “People who meditate on God as not separate, who worship Him in all beings, who are always engaged in that divine pursuit, who engage in noble, unselfish deeds – for such people, I carry what they lack, and preserve what they already have.”

This is one of the most celebrated verses of the Gita. Lord Krishna makes a big promise in this verse. “If you do God’s work, God will work for you.” When we do good, noble deeds without selfish motive, then some of our problems are automatically solved.

In all spiritual traditions, there is a strong emphasis on God’s grace. If we surrender to God, our problems are mysteriously solved; our karmic blocks are removed. Such surrender needs to be complete, without any second thought or doubt. If there are doubts or second thoughts, our energy and concentration get dissipated.

Doubt can be of two types. (1) Creative doubt, which is coupled with shraddha, and demonstrates a true thirst for knowledge. (2) Skepticism– seekers who ask questions without any shraddha. Their mind is closed, they don’t derive any benefits from answers to their questions, and they keep asking the same questions again and again.

The devotee needs to blend his own effort with God’s grace. Self-effort helps him reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna provides an analogy on combining self-effort with God’s grace. If a boat is tied to an anchor, the effort is needed to first untie it and row it to the middle of the river. Only then, it can use the power of the wind to move further.

Saint Teresa of Avila provides an analogy on the need to remove all doubts when surrendering to God. Before irrigating a field, one needs to remove the weeds and make it ready for irrigation. Similarly, doubts should be removed and then the mind should be connected to the perennial waters of God’s grace.

Sri Ramakrishna and Girish Chandra Ghosh’s story illustrates the importance of sincerity and integrity in self-surrender. Girish had high integrity but was an alcoholic and not ready to do even a single prayer every day. Sri Ramakrishna asked him to give him his power of attorney. Thereafter, it became impossible for Girish to touch alcohol.

There is a contrasting example in The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. Pratap Chandra Hazra was a devotee who lacked sincerity. He worshipped in a bombastic manner and had a high opinion of his own spiritual attainment. As a result, he could not completely surrender to Sri Ramakrishna.

According to Narada Bhakti Sutra, highest devotion means complete dedication to a higher ideal. When we pour oil, it has a natural, continuous flow. Similarly, the mind should flow to God, naturally and continuously.

23rd verse: “Those who worship other gods with shraddha – not for highest enlightenment but for material prosperity – in reality, they are worshipping Me, although they are using the wrong method and are not aware of it.”

To whichever god we pray, the prayer goes to Brahman. Fulfillment also comes from Brahman.

There is a difference between a spiritual person and a religious person. A spiritual person is dedicated to a higher ideal without any selfish, worldly motive. A religious person may pray for material comforts, and he has more distance to travel before he becomes spiritual. Both are knocking at the same door, but depending on how they approach, they get different results. The spiritual person prays for contentment, devotion and welfare of humanity.

25th verse: “The votaries of different deities, they reach those deities. The one whom you worship, you reach him.”

Depending upon our own mental makeup, we evolve our own ideas of God. First stage in our evolution of concept of godhead was...]]>3630bhagavad_gita,gita,vedantafalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/95-importance-of-bhakti-in-offerings-to-god-swami-tattwamayananda--47580548
9th chapter: verse 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

23rd and 24th verse: “Depending upon our own mental makeup, we evolve our ideas of God. Those who worship other gods with shraddha – not for highest enlightenment but for material prosperity – in reality, they are worshipping Me, although they are using the wrong method and are not aware of it. To whichever god we pray, the prayer goes to Brahman. Fulfillment also comes from Brahman.”

25th verse: “The votaries of different deities, they reach those deities. The one whom you worship, you reach him.”

There are two ways that we can think about Absolute Reality. In the early stage, we may look upon it as the presiding deity, as the creator god, that decides the destiny of creation. As we evolve and get closer to the divine within, we develop a higher, universal outlook. At the highest level, we see Absolute Reality as the source of everything.

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ This ideal devotee sees the entire creation as one spiritual family.

26th verse: “If you offer with bhakti (devotion) even a leaf or flower or fruit or water – I accept it as the devout gift of the pure-hearted devotee.”

Bhakti is defined as the spontaneous, natural flow of love towards God. It is not for God’s sake that we love God. Spirituality is the manifestation of higher qualities present in us. When they are developed, our minds naturally turn towards God.

Bhakti and purity of heart are what is important – it is what compels the Lord to accept the offering. A big ritual is in no way superior to a leaf offered with a pure heart. What we are offering is not a leaf or flower – we are offering ourselves and our own heart, which is what the Lord cares about.

The story of Lord Krishna and Sudama illustrates that the Lord only cares about the bhakti with which the offering is made. Sudama carried ordinary, parched rice as a gift for Lord Krishna – he was hesitant to even offer it to him. But Lord Krishna accepted it with great delight, exclaiming how wonderful the gift was. Lord Krishna’s acceptance (of the gift) returned to Sudama as prosperity in an invisible way.

In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, there are contrasting illustrations of bhakti. One example is of a person offering the choicest items to God, but with elaborate display and splendor. This is rajasic bhakti – it is not the most sublime. Another example is of a person who lives in a humble hut, offers fruit or water, but spends his time in meditation. This is sattvic bhakti. The third type of bhakti is tamasic bhakti, which expresses itself as laziness, indifference, and ignorance.

When we are evolving spiritually, we should have a sense of value for what we offer to God. We should offer something that we consider as precious, not something insignificant. When we reach a stage where the mind naturally flows to God, then we can mentally offer our hearts to God.

Shankaracharya, in one of his verses, gives a beautiful description of the spiritual psychology of a devotee of the highest type. He feels “O Lord, you are my Atman. My friends are my own pranas. My body is your holy shrine. Everything I do – all my actions and interactions, in thought, word and deed – are my puja (offerings) to you.”

For such a devotee of the highest type, his whole life becomes spiritualized. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.

27th verse: “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever gift you give to others, whatever austerities you practice – do that as an offering to Me.”

This is the highest state of a spiritual person, where every secular activity becomes spiritualized. Every secular activity becomes puja. The difference between work and worship disappears.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47580548Sun, 21 Nov 2021 06:11:26 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoSummary: 9th chapter: verse 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 23rd and 24th verse: “Depending upon our own mental makeup, we evolve our ideas of God. Those who worship other gods with shraddha – not for highest enlightenment but for material prosperity – in...
9th chapter: verse 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

23rd and 24th verse: “Depending upon our own mental makeup, we evolve our ideas of God. Those who worship other gods with shraddha – not for highest enlightenment but for material prosperity – in reality, they are worshipping Me, although they are using the wrong method and are not aware of it. To whichever god we pray, the prayer goes to Brahman. Fulfillment also comes from Brahman.”

25th verse: “The votaries of different deities, they reach those deities. The one whom you worship, you reach him.”

There are two ways that we can think about Absolute Reality. In the early stage, we may look upon it as the presiding deity, as the creator god, that decides the destiny of creation. As we evolve and get closer to the divine within, we develop a higher, universal outlook. At the highest level, we see Absolute Reality as the source of everything.

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ This ideal devotee sees the entire creation as one spiritual family.

26th verse: “If you offer with bhakti (devotion) even a leaf or flower or fruit or water – I accept it as the devout gift of the pure-hearted devotee.”

Bhakti is defined as the spontaneous, natural flow of love towards God. It is not for God’s sake that we love God. Spirituality is the manifestation of higher qualities present in us. When they are developed, our minds naturally turn towards God.

Bhakti and purity of heart are what is important – it is what compels the Lord to accept the offering. A big ritual is in no way superior to a leaf offered with a pure heart. What we are offering is not a leaf or flower – we are offering ourselves and our own heart, which is what the Lord cares about.

The story of Lord Krishna and Sudama illustrates that the Lord only cares about the bhakti with which the offering is made. Sudama carried ordinary, parched rice as a gift for Lord Krishna – he was hesitant to even offer it to him. But Lord Krishna accepted it with great delight, exclaiming how wonderful the gift was. Lord Krishna’s acceptance (of the gift) returned to Sudama as prosperity in an invisible way.

In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, there are contrasting illustrations of bhakti. One example is of a person offering the choicest items to God, but with elaborate display and splendor. This is rajasic bhakti – it is not the most sublime. Another example is of a person who lives in a humble hut, offers fruit or water, but spends his time in meditation. This is sattvic bhakti. The third type of bhakti is tamasic bhakti, which expresses itself as laziness, indifference, and ignorance.

When we are evolving spiritually, we should have a sense of value for what we offer to God. We should offer something that we consider as precious, not something insignificant. When we reach a stage where the mind naturally flows to God, then we can mentally offer our hearts to God.

Shankaracharya, in one of his verses, gives a beautiful description of the spiritual psychology of a devotee of the highest type. He feels “O Lord, you are my Atman. My friends are my own pranas. My body is your holy shrine. Everything I do – all my actions and interactions, in thought, word and deed – are my puja (offerings) to you.”

For such a devotee of the highest type, his whole life becomes spiritualized. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.

27th verse: “Whatever you...]]>3870bhagavad_gita,gita,vedanta,vsncfalsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/96-making-the-decision-to-surrender-to-god-swami-tattwamayananda--47873508https://api.spreaker.com/episode/47873508Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:40:34 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco4234falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/97-realizing-that-the-world-is-transitory-swami-tattwamayananda--48005960
30th and 31st verse: When we take a real decision to turn to God with complete surrender, we have boarded the bus and are bound to reach the destination. We are then endowed with a new sense of inner fulfillment and contentment. Lord Krishna promises that such a spiritual devotee will not come to harm anywhere, anytime. Therefore, we should make the right decision.

Such a sincere decision brings positive changes to our mental system. It purifies our vrittis, vasanas and samskaras. All psychological obstacles are gone. On the spot, one becomes a dharmatma.

When we try to make such a decision, there are two voices within the mind. One voice blocks. The other encourages. Every failed attempt to make the right decision weakens the mental block and strengthens our ability to make the decision.

How do we know that we have made the right decision? We feel inner tranquility and contentment. We feel – “I have done what I ought to have done and I have attained what I ought to have attained.” Such a decision is good for the person and for others.

32nd verse: “Anyone can attain this supreme, spiritual goal. There is no discrimination based on caste or gender.”

Gita was written at a time when there were some inequalities in the social structure. Certain classes of society were not allowed to participate in vedic rituals. Lord Krishna says that the highest goal is within the reach of everyone, even people with sinful deeds.

Regarding feminine gender, in the 34th verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “I take the form of the exquisite, refined, feminine qualities such as speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and peace.”

33rd verse: “If everyone can attain the supreme spiritual goal, what to speak about holy sages and rajarshis (philosopher kings). They will naturally attain the highest goal. Having come to this anityam-asukham-lokam (transient, joyless, world), you worship Me.”

This verse makes two important points. First, the highest goal is open to everyone. It is the freedom of the soul. Second, the highest goal is worthy of attainment. It should be the goal of all human endeavors.

Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.

When we understand the subtle truth of secular prosperity – that it is not eternal (anityam), that it is within time, space and causation, that it only provides transitory happiness (asukham) – then we take to higher thinking and become a philosopher while doing our secular activities. Anityam does not mean non-existent. It exists, but it does not exist eternally.

Lord Krishna says to Arjuna that this world is transient and can only provide transitory happiness. You should realize this truth and then think of Me (the highest truth). Then your life, which is a blessing from God, will become complete.

In the Vivekachudamani, Shankaracharya describes the three rare gifts from God. First gift is to be born as a human being. After being born as a human being, the second gift is to have mumukshutvam (desire for spiritual enlightenment). After being endowed with the first two gifts, the third gift is to have the association of an illumined teacher.

Intellectually, we know that the world is transient, but we are not able to translate this intellectual awareness to emotional awareness. We attribute permanence to things that are inherently impermanent. When we realize the transitory nature of the world, we develop higher common sense and get peace of mind.

Behind every worry, there is an undue expectation. This life becomes a blessing when we realize that this world is anityam-asukham-lokam.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48005960Sun, 09 Jan 2022 07:26:50 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco9th chapter: verse 30, 31, 32, 33 30th and 31st verse: When we take a real decision to turn to God with complete surrender, we have boarded the bus and are bound to reach the destination. We are then endowed with a new sense of inner fulfillment...
30th and 31st verse: When we take a real decision to turn to God with complete surrender, we have boarded the bus and are bound to reach the destination. We are then endowed with a new sense of inner fulfillment and contentment. Lord Krishna promises that such a spiritual devotee will not come to harm anywhere, anytime. Therefore, we should make the right decision.

Such a sincere decision brings positive changes to our mental system. It purifies our vrittis, vasanas and samskaras. All psychological obstacles are gone. On the spot, one becomes a dharmatma.

When we try to make such a decision, there are two voices within the mind. One voice blocks. The other encourages. Every failed attempt to make the right decision weakens the mental block and strengthens our ability to make the decision.

How do we know that we have made the right decision? We feel inner tranquility and contentment. We feel – “I have done what I ought to have done and I have attained what I ought to have attained.” Such a decision is good for the person and for others.

32nd verse: “Anyone can attain this supreme, spiritual goal. There is no discrimination based on caste or gender.”

Gita was written at a time when there were some inequalities in the social structure. Certain classes of society were not allowed to participate in vedic rituals. Lord Krishna says that the highest goal is within the reach of everyone, even people with sinful deeds.

Regarding feminine gender, in the 34th verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “I take the form of the exquisite, refined, feminine qualities such as speech, memory, intelligence, steadfastness and peace.”

33rd verse: “If everyone can attain the supreme spiritual goal, what to speak about holy sages and rajarshis (philosopher kings). They will naturally attain the highest goal. Having come to this anityam-asukham-lokam (transient, joyless, world), you worship Me.”

This verse makes two important points. First, the highest goal is open to everyone. It is the freedom of the soul. Second, the highest goal is worthy of attainment. It should be the goal of all human endeavors.

Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.

When we understand the subtle truth of secular prosperity – that it is not eternal (anityam), that it is within time, space and causation, that it only provides transitory happiness (asukham) – then we take to higher thinking and become a philosopher while doing our secular activities. Anityam does not mean non-existent. It exists, but it does not exist eternally.

Lord Krishna says to Arjuna that this world is transient and can only provide transitory happiness. You should realize this truth and then think of Me (the highest truth). Then your life, which is a blessing from God, will become complete.

In the Vivekachudamani, Shankaracharya describes the three rare gifts from God. First gift is to be born as a human being. After being born as a human being, the second gift is to have mumukshutvam (desire for spiritual enlightenment). After being endowed with the first two gifts, the third gift is to have the association of an illumined teacher.

Intellectually, we know that the world is transient, but we are not able to translate this intellectual awareness to emotional awareness. We attribute permanence to things that are inherently impermanent. When we realize the transitory nature of the world, we develop higher common sense and get peace of mind.

Behind every worry, there is an undue expectation. This life becomes a blessing when we realize that this world is...]]>4000falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/98-imbibing-divine-characteristics-swami-tattwamayananda--48430268
Such a sincere decision brings positive changes to our mental system. It purifies our vrittis, vasanas and samskaras. All psychological obstacles are gone. With that decision, we have boarded the bus and are bound to reach the destination. We are then endowed with a new sense of inner fulfillment and contentment.

The story of Sadasiva Brahmendra Saraswati is a good example of such a spiritual transformation. In early days, he was arrogant and defeated many scholars in logic and debates. Upon hearing this news, his guru rebuked him and asked him one question: “When are you going to keep quiet.” In response, he did not utter a word, closed his mouth with one hand, and signaled with his other hand – “Today and now.” He then practiced non-speaking, both vocally and mentally. He went on to become a great mystic.

9th chapter, 34th verse: “Fill your mind with the thought of Me (God), become My devotee, resign yourself to My will, undergo your rituals, keep your heart/mind steadfast and fixed on Me – then you will eventually reach Me.”

This verse represents the harmonization of the three Yogas. One can realize God through any of the three Yogas. Practice rituals with devotion (Bhakti Yoga) or think of God all the time (Jnana Yoga) or do everything as an offering to God (Karma Yoga).

In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahalada explains Navadha Bhakti (nine devotional disciplines) as a way to give a spiritual orientation to all conceivable human activities. These nine disciplines are: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him). In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna is also asking us to be his devotee in whatever way possible.

Prahalada is the greatest devotee in the Bhagavata Purana, which is the story of King Parikshit who has seven days left to live because of a curse. The entire Purana is a response to his question to Sage Suka – “What should a dying man do? How should he live the rest of his life?” Suka says: “One should be able to live life in such a way that he can leave the body with a smile on his face and with God’s thought in his mind.”

The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. It lists several divine characteristics. God does not look at the grammatical or phonetical accuracy of our prayers. God only focuses on the state of our mind and the attitude with which we pray. In whatever way possible, if we can think of the characteristics of God, that is one method of evolving in spiritual life. The real purpose of this spiritual practice is to imbibe within us the qualities that we attribute to God. For example, if we think of God as compassionate, we should develop compassion within us.

Lord Krishna discusses the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person in the second chapter. Shankaracharya says that these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached. We can develop these characteristics with our own effort. We should read about the life of great saints – then we will be inclined to develop the great qualities of these saints.

These qualities should not be the focus of our meditation and spiritual practices. The focus should be on God Himself. If we cannot focus on God, then as a secondary practice, we can focus on these qualities. Shandilya Bhakti Sutra says that the highest spiritual liberation is not possible by focusing on certain characteristics. At the highest level, we should be able to focus on an incarnation or a saint, who is an embodiment of these qualities.

10th chapter, 1st verse: “Listen Arjuna. I am going to give you an exposition of vibhutis (divine characteristics). It is for your spiritual growth.”

From the highest Advaitic standpoint, the supreme reality is beyond all characteristics. It is impersonal and transcends name, form, characteristics, time, space and causation. Adavaita does not reject a personal God. It says that at a higher level of evolution, we realize that the supreme reality in its highest dimension, is guna-atita - it is beyond gunas, it transcends gunas.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48430268Mon, 07 Feb 2022 22:40:54 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco9th chapter, 30th verse: “Even a wicked person, if he takes a decision to turns to God with one sided devotion - at that decisive moment, he is actually liberated. Such a person should be regarded as a noble person.” Such a sincere decision brings...
Such a sincere decision brings positive changes to our mental system. It purifies our vrittis, vasanas and samskaras. All psychological obstacles are gone. With that decision, we have boarded the bus and are bound to reach the destination. We are then endowed with a new sense of inner fulfillment and contentment.

The story of Sadasiva Brahmendra Saraswati is a good example of such a spiritual transformation. In early days, he was arrogant and defeated many scholars in logic and debates. Upon hearing this news, his guru rebuked him and asked him one question: “When are you going to keep quiet.” In response, he did not utter a word, closed his mouth with one hand, and signaled with his other hand – “Today and now.” He then practiced non-speaking, both vocally and mentally. He went on to become a great mystic.

9th chapter, 34th verse: “Fill your mind with the thought of Me (God), become My devotee, resign yourself to My will, undergo your rituals, keep your heart/mind steadfast and fixed on Me – then you will eventually reach Me.”

This verse represents the harmonization of the three Yogas. One can realize God through any of the three Yogas. Practice rituals with devotion (Bhakti Yoga) or think of God all the time (Jnana Yoga) or do everything as an offering to God (Karma Yoga).

In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahalada explains Navadha Bhakti (nine devotional disciplines) as a way to give a spiritual orientation to all conceivable human activities. These nine disciplines are: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him). In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna is also asking us to be his devotee in whatever way possible.

Prahalada is the greatest devotee in the Bhagavata Purana, which is the story of King Parikshit who has seven days left to live because of a curse. The entire Purana is a response to his question to Sage Suka – “What should a dying man do? How should he live the rest of his life?” Suka says: “One should be able to live life in such a way that he can leave the body with a smile on his face and with God’s thought in his mind.”

The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. It lists several divine characteristics. God does not look at the grammatical or phonetical accuracy of our prayers. God only focuses on the state of our mind and the attitude with which we pray. In whatever way possible, if we can think of the characteristics of God, that is one method of evolving in spiritual life. The real purpose of this spiritual practice is to imbibe within us the qualities that we attribute to God. For example, if we think of God as compassionate, we should develop compassion within us.

Lord Krishna discusses the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person in the second chapter. Shankaracharya says that these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached. We can develop these characteristics with our own effort. We should read about the life of great saints – then we will be inclined to develop the great qualities of these saints.

These qualities should not be the focus of our meditation and spiritual practices. The focus should be on God Himself. If we cannot focus on God, then as a secondary practice, we can focus on these qualities. Shandilya Bhakti Sutra says that the highest spiritual liberation is not possible by focusing on certain characteristics. At the highest level, we...]]>3528falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/99-manifestations-of-the-divine-reality-swami-tattwamayananda--48634245
Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. In its pristine nature, it is impersonal and goes beyond all personal dimensions. While infinite, the Absolute Reality can have a finite dimension.

Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, the divine reality. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine reality.

Depending on our samskaras and the state of our mind, the divine manifests itself as good or evil. We can refine our samskaras through good physical actions. They generate spiritual energy and refine our samskaras.

We are not really as free as we imagine. Our mind, under the influence of samskaras, prevents us from what we want to do. With constant effort and by doing good actions, the resistance of the mind wears down, and we achieve more freedom.

3rd verse: “Those who understand Me as birthless, beginning-less and infinite – they are the greatest, they are the wisest and they understand Me.”

The absolute reality cannot be defined or explained. It is infinite and transcends all possibilities of description. It is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. The supreme reality in its highest dimension, is guna-atita - it is beyond gunas; it transcends gunas.

4th and 5th verses list 20 different characteristics as manifestations of the divine reality. These characteristics are: (1) Intellect (2) Jnanam, which refers to knowledge, and the discerning wisdom to make proper use of what we know (3) Asammohah or freedom from delusion – ability to see into the reality of things (4) Forgiveness (5) Truth (6) Restraint of external senses (7) Control over thoughts and emotions (8) Happiness – feeling joy when good happens to others (9) Misery – what we feel when something unpleasant happens (10) Birth (11) Death (12) Fear (13) Fearlessness (14) Non-violence (15) Even-mindedness (16) Contentment – understanding the limitations of what we aspire for (17) Austerity – restrain our aspirations and desires (18) Charity – wisdom to know that material things do not give contentment (19) Reputation (20) ill-fame.

Regarding death (11th quality), Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”

Regarding Asammohah (3rd quality), Shankaracharya says that through purity of mind we develop the ability to look deep into things and understand their true nature. An intellectual person is not necessarily the wisest. There are others, who may not be educated, but are wise and can see deep into things. Such wisdom is a manifestation of the divine.

To perceive things as they are, we should take an interest in higher ideas, develop a discerning wisdom and have a higher ideal in life, which can help us focus our energies in one direction.

Both positive and negative characteristics are mentioned in this list as manifestations of the divine. In Vedanta, evil is not a separate category from good. Vedanta believes in the doctrine of error, not doctrine of evil. Error refers to our ignorance, which prevents us from recognizing the divine within.

6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from My mind. All creatures in this world emerge from them.”

The essence of this verse is that the wisdom of all the great ancestors of humanity comes from the divine reality.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48634245Mon, 07 Feb 2022 22:41:22 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. Vibhuti means power of manifestation. This chapter lists several characteristics that are manifestations of the divine. Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal...
Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. In its pristine nature, it is impersonal and goes beyond all personal dimensions. While infinite, the Absolute Reality can have a finite dimension.

Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, the divine reality. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine reality.

Depending on our samskaras and the state of our mind, the divine manifests itself as good or evil. We can refine our samskaras through good physical actions. They generate spiritual energy and refine our samskaras.

We are not really as free as we imagine. Our mind, under the influence of samskaras, prevents us from what we want to do. With constant effort and by doing good actions, the resistance of the mind wears down, and we achieve more freedom.

3rd verse: “Those who understand Me as birthless, beginning-less and infinite – they are the greatest, they are the wisest and they understand Me.”

The absolute reality cannot be defined or explained. It is infinite and transcends all possibilities of description. It is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. The supreme reality in its highest dimension, is guna-atita - it is beyond gunas; it transcends gunas.

4th and 5th verses list 20 different characteristics as manifestations of the divine reality. These characteristics are: (1) Intellect (2) Jnanam, which refers to knowledge, and the discerning wisdom to make proper use of what we know (3) Asammohah or freedom from delusion – ability to see into the reality of things (4) Forgiveness (5) Truth (6) Restraint of external senses (7) Control over thoughts and emotions (8) Happiness – feeling joy when good happens to others (9) Misery – what we feel when something unpleasant happens (10) Birth (11) Death (12) Fear (13) Fearlessness (14) Non-violence (15) Even-mindedness (16) Contentment – understanding the limitations of what we aspire for (17) Austerity – restrain our aspirations and desires (18) Charity – wisdom to know that material things do not give contentment (19) Reputation (20) ill-fame.

Regarding death (11th quality), Yaksha posed a question to Yudhishthira – “What is the most mysterious fact of life?” In answer, Yudhishthira said – “Every minute and second, we see so many creatures moving towards the abode of death. Still, we believe that we will not have to join this procession. This is the most mysterious fact of life.”

Regarding Asammohah (3rd quality), Shankaracharya says that through purity of mind we develop the ability to look deep into things and understand their true nature. An intellectual person is not necessarily the wisest. There are others, who may not be educated, but are wise and can see deep into things. Such wisdom is a manifestation of the divine.

To perceive things as they are, we should take an interest in higher ideas, develop a discerning wisdom and have a higher ideal in life, which can help us focus our energies in one direction.

Both positive and negative characteristics are mentioned in this list as manifestations of the divine. In Vedanta, evil is not a separate category from good. Vedanta believes in the doctrine of error, not doctrine of evil. Error refers to our ignorance, which prevents us from recognizing the divine within.

6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from My mind. All creatures in this world emerge from them.”
3879falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/100-buddhi-yoga-higher-intuition-on-life-swami-tattwamayananda--48720220
6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from one supreme reality. All creatures in this world emerge from them.”

7th verse: “Anyone who in reality knows Me as the supreme spiritual ideal which is present everywhere – that person will naturally understand the truth. There is no doubt about it.”

Vibhuti means manifestation of divine qualities. They naturally come to a person when he meditates on God. The glory of the ocean is reflected in every pebble and wave in the ocean. Similarly, in all human beings who meditate on God, some unique characteristics manifest. Sunlight falls on water in a pot and the quality of its reflection depends on the cleanliness of the water. Similarly, the degree of manifestation depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. We should not begin our spiritual journey with the unmanifest. We should begin by focusing on a higher ideal and practice spiritual sadhanas. What we meditate upon, that we become. When we always think of a higher ideal, we begin to imbibe the qualities of that higher ideal. That makes us ready to transcend the personal and practice the impersonal – it is a matter of one’s evolution, not choice.

8th verse: “I am the origin of everything. And everything originates from Me. If a person understands this and recognizes Me with loving consciousness, he will become enlightened.”

When Lord Krishna uses “I” or “Me” he refers to the one supreme reality. 164th sukta of the first mandala of Rigveda Samhita says: “Reality is one; sages call it by various names.”. The full mantra is: इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथॊ॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णॊ ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । ऎकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥

Just as electricity manifests through different gadgets, the same divine energy enables different living beings to function. The one who understands this is enlightened.

In the next few verses, Lord Krishna states that wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful – physical strength, intellectual power, creativity, grandeur of a mountain, beauty of a flower – they are all an expression of the divine reality.

9th verse: In this verse, Lord Krishna explains how a spiritually enlightened person functions in the world. “Those who get this enlightenment, their minds are absorbed in this divine reality. They spend their time talking about this higher truth and discussing spiritual teachings. They always speak about God and this gives them eternal contentment and happiness.”

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality. Finally, both of them become spiritually enlightened and spent their lifetime in contemplation, meditation and scripture reading and studying.

10th verse: “Those who are steadfast, who are devoted, who are contemplative – I give them that higher intuition called Buddhi Yoga.”

Buddhi Yoga is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to get contentment along with knowledge. Along with knowledge we get the ability to make proper use of that knowledge and avoid the temptation to make improper use of that knowledge.

Intellectual ability alone is not enough to interpret the meaning of life. When we take to spiritual life, our mind becomes pure, it becomes our friend. And along with that, we develop an intuition that gives us a unique clarity of life and its mysteries. That faculty is called Buddhi Yoga. It naturally comes to us irrespective of the spiritual path we follow, such as Bhakti Yoga or Jnana Yoga.

11th verse: “When they become completely devoted to Me, out of mere compassion for them, I enter into their hearts and light the lamp of effulgence, the luminous lamp of knowledge.”

Light is an important symbol in Vedanta. It symbolizes enlightenment and knowledge. The mantra: ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः means “Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. Om Peace Peace Peace.”

God, as light or atma-jyoti, is already within us. When we do our spiritual practices such as japa and meditation with sincerity, compassion and looking upon the whole humanity as one – then our mind becomes pure and this divine light within us reveals itself.

King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.

When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48720220Tue, 15 Feb 2022 22:45:39 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco10th chapter: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from one supreme reality. All creatures in this world emerge from them.” 7th verse: “Anyone who in reality knows Me as...
6th verse: “The seven great rishis, the four great ancestors, and the Manus – they are born from one supreme reality. All creatures in this world emerge from them.”

7th verse: “Anyone who in reality knows Me as the supreme spiritual ideal which is present everywhere – that person will naturally understand the truth. There is no doubt about it.”

Vibhuti means manifestation of divine qualities. They naturally come to a person when he meditates on God. The glory of the ocean is reflected in every pebble and wave in the ocean. Similarly, in all human beings who meditate on God, some unique characteristics manifest. Sunlight falls on water in a pot and the quality of its reflection depends on the cleanliness of the water. Similarly, the degree of manifestation depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

Absolute Reality has two dimensions. One is the unmanifested or impersonal dimension, and the other is the manifested or personal dimension. We should not begin our spiritual journey with the unmanifest. We should begin by focusing on a higher ideal and practice spiritual sadhanas. What we meditate upon, that we become. When we always think of a higher ideal, we begin to imbibe the qualities of that higher ideal. That makes us ready to transcend the personal and practice the impersonal – it is a matter of one’s evolution, not choice.

8th verse: “I am the origin of everything. And everything originates from Me. If a person understands this and recognizes Me with loving consciousness, he will become enlightened.”

When Lord Krishna uses “I” or “Me” he refers to the one supreme reality. 164th sukta of the first mandala of Rigveda Samhita says: “Reality is one; sages call it by various names.”. The full mantra is: इन्द्रं॑ मि॒त्रं वरु॑णम॒ग्निमा॑हु॒रथॊ॑ दि॒व्यः स सु॑प॒र्णॊ ग॒रुत्मा॑न् । ऎकं॒ सद्विप्रा॑ बहु॒धा व॑दन्त्य॒ग्निं य॒मं मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑नमाहुः ॥

Just as electricity manifests through different gadgets, the same divine energy enables different living beings to function. The one who understands this is enlightened.

In the next few verses, Lord Krishna states that wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful – physical strength, intellectual power, creativity, grandeur of a mountain, beauty of a flower – they are all an expression of the divine reality.

9th verse: In this verse, Lord Krishna explains how a spiritually enlightened person functions in the world. “Those who get this enlightenment, their minds are absorbed in this divine reality. They spend their time talking about this higher truth and discussing spiritual teachings. They always speak about God and this gives them eternal contentment and happiness.”

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality. Finally, both of them become spiritually enlightened and spent their lifetime in contemplation, meditation and scripture reading and studying.

10th verse: “Those who are steadfast, who are devoted, who are contemplative – I give them that higher intuition called Buddhi Yoga.”

Buddhi Yoga is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to get contentment along with knowledge. Along with knowledge we get the ability to make proper use of that knowledge and avoid the temptation to make improper use of that knowledge.

Intellectual ability alone is not enough to interpret the meaning of life. When we take to spiritual life, our mind becomes pure, it becomes our friend. And along with that, we develop an intuition that gives us a unique clarity of life and its...]]>3379falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/101-god-the-indweller-swami-tattwamayananda--48809019
The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

Based on this verse, Swami Vivekananda defined religion. “Religion is the manifestation of divinity already in man.” Body mind complex is distinct from the divine – it is an instrument for the manifestation of the divine.

In modern times, it is more appropriate to replace religion with spirituality in Swamiji’s quote. Religion is a man-made structure comprising of a book, a place of worship, a set of rituals and an intermediary between God and man. Swamiji was defining spirituality, which is the essence of all religions, and which is the manifestation of divinity within us.

How do we recognize spirituality in a person? When a person lives a spiritual life, it will reflect in his character. The more we live a spiritual life, the more the divinity within expresses itself.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as Gudakesha – one who is alert, has sense control and is fit for spiritual enquiry. Vedanta prescribes four-fold spiritual disciplines called sadhana chatusthaya to become fit for spiritual enquiry. The four disciplines are: (1) a proper understanding of what is real and what isn't real (2) a sincere renunciation of worldly desires (3) self-restraint and control of the senses and mind (4) a strong urge for spiritual liberation. Nitya anitya vastu viveka Ihāmutra phala bhoga virāga Śamādi ṣatka sampatti Mumukṣutvam.

And after one becomes desirous of spiritual pursuit, there are three additional disciplines he should pursue. He should listen to spiritual instructions, focus on their meaning and finally he should meditate and realize their meaning. It is called Sravana, Manana, Nididhyāsana.

It is important to properly understand the 20th verse to make sense of verse 21 onwards in the 10th chapter, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations – “I am Vishnu among Adityas, I am sama veda among vedas, and so on.” What he means is - the divine reality is present in all beings; wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To understand verse 21 onwards, it is also important to know the three levels of Hindu Vedantic canonical hierarchy. The highest are the vedas, next are smritis and then the puranas. Among vedas, the Upanishads talk about the natural spiritual aspiration of humanity. Vedantic tradition accepts all religions because it does not take a single book as the wisdom coming from God.

From the 13th to 18th verse, Arjuna demonstrates his understanding that Lord Krishna is not a normal charioteer. He is Brahman, the cause of everything, the essence of purity and present everywhere as Atman. He states that only Lord Krishna understands how his spiritual characteristics manifest in this universe. He then asks Lord Krishna to explain all his manifestations to him.

In the 19th verse, Lord Krishna expresses his willingness to tell Arjuna about his vibhutis. We cannot know God except through his vibhutis. Spirituality is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of realization.

In the beginning, the mind may not cooperate with our sadhana, as the past samskaras assert themselves. To progress, we have to accumulate healthy samskaras. We should begin our spiritual journey by focusing on a higher ideal and practice spiritual sadhanas. What we meditate upon, that we become. When we always think of a higher ideal, we begin to imbibe the qualities of that higher ideal. Then our mind co-operates.

As we progress in spiritual life, we develop a unique spiritual common sense. The inner light within us becomes more effulgent.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48809019Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco10th chapter: 13th verse to 20th verse The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning;...
The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

Based on this verse, Swami Vivekananda defined religion. “Religion is the manifestation of divinity already in man.” Body mind complex is distinct from the divine – it is an instrument for the manifestation of the divine.

In modern times, it is more appropriate to replace religion with spirituality in Swamiji’s quote. Religion is a man-made structure comprising of a book, a place of worship, a set of rituals and an intermediary between God and man. Swamiji was defining spirituality, which is the essence of all religions, and which is the manifestation of divinity within us.

How do we recognize spirituality in a person? When a person lives a spiritual life, it will reflect in his character. The more we live a spiritual life, the more the divinity within expresses itself.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as Gudakesha – one who is alert, has sense control and is fit for spiritual enquiry. Vedanta prescribes four-fold spiritual disciplines called sadhana chatusthaya to become fit for spiritual enquiry. The four disciplines are: (1) a proper understanding of what is real and what isn't real (2) a sincere renunciation of worldly desires (3) self-restraint and control of the senses and mind (4) a strong urge for spiritual liberation. Nitya anitya vastu viveka Ihāmutra phala bhoga virāga Śamādi ṣatka sampatti Mumukṣutvam.

And after one becomes desirous of spiritual pursuit, there are three additional disciplines he should pursue. He should listen to spiritual instructions, focus on their meaning and finally he should meditate and realize their meaning. It is called Sravana, Manana, Nididhyāsana.

It is important to properly understand the 20th verse to make sense of verse 21 onwards in the 10th chapter, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations – “I am Vishnu among Adityas, I am sama veda among vedas, and so on.” What he means is - the divine reality is present in all beings; wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To understand verse 21 onwards, it is also important to know the three levels of Hindu Vedantic canonical hierarchy. The highest are the vedas, next are smritis and then the puranas. Among vedas, the Upanishads talk about the natural spiritual aspiration of humanity. Vedantic tradition accepts all religions because it does not take a single book as the wisdom coming from God.

From the 13th to 18th verse, Arjuna demonstrates his understanding that Lord Krishna is not a normal charioteer. He is Brahman, the cause of everything, the essence of purity and present everywhere as Atman. He states that only Lord Krishna understands how his spiritual characteristics manifest in this universe. He then asks Lord Krishna to explain all his manifestations to him.

In the 19th verse, Lord Krishna expresses his willingness to tell Arjuna about his vibhutis. We cannot know God except through his vibhutis. Spirituality is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of realization.

In the beginning, the mind may not cooperate with our sadhana, as the past samskaras assert themselves. To progress, we have to accumulate healthy samskaras. We should begin our spiritual journey by focusing on a higher ideal and practice spiritual sadhanas. What we meditate upon, that we become. When we always think of a higher ideal, we begin to imbibe the qualities of that higher ideal. Then our mind co-operates.

As we progress in spiritual life, we develop a unique spiritual common sense. The inner light within us becomes more effulgent.]]>3728falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/102-greatness-is-an-expression-of-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--48901735
The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

By “I”, Lord Krishna means the divine spirit that is present everywhere. As we evolve in spiritual life, our idea of God evolves. In the beginning, we think of a creator God, confined to a place of worship and a book. As we evolve, we associate spirituality outside of this idea of God – beyond the place of worship or a book. At the highest level, every spiritual activity is given a spiritual orientation – the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears.

There is a mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ He also states that the lowest level of devotee is one who confines his idea of God to a place of worship or a book.

Swami Vivekananda said: “It is good to be born in a church. But it is terrible to die there.” We have to begin somewhere. But we should not end our spiritual life there.

41st verse: It is important to properly understand the 20th and the 41st verse to make sense of verse 21 onwards in the 10th chapter, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations. In the 41st verse he says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”

In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

21st to 24th verse: In these verses, Lord Krishna describes his manifestations – “Among Adityas, I am Vishnu; among vedas, I am sama veda; among deities, I am Indra; among senses, I am mind; among beings, I am intelligence; among priests, I am Brihaspati, and so on.” What he means is - the divine reality is present in all beings; wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

Among Vedas, sama veda is considered the most musical. Among the senses, the mind is the most crucial because to cognize anything both senses and mind have to come together. Lord Krishna cites these as examples of excellence, and therefore a manifestation of His divinity. They only provide a general idea of His divine nature – ultimately, these vibhutis have to be experienced.

In ancient times, every king had a priest so that they could practice being a Rajarshi. Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Brihaspati is mentioned in the 24th verse – he was the great teacher of the devas.

Our pursuit of material prosperity (artha and kama) should be guided by the regulating power of ethics and morality (dharma).

Abraham Lincoln said: “If you want to know the true character of a man, give him power.” How he uses the power will reveal his character.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48901735Fri, 25 Feb 2022 20:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 21-24 The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am...
The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse. It says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

By “I”, Lord Krishna means the divine spirit that is present everywhere. As we evolve in spiritual life, our idea of God evolves. In the beginning, we think of a creator God, confined to a place of worship and a book. As we evolve, we associate spirituality outside of this idea of God – beyond the place of worship or a book. At the highest level, every spiritual activity is given a spiritual orientation – the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears.

There is a mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“ He also states that the lowest level of devotee is one who confines his idea of God to a place of worship or a book.

Swami Vivekananda said: “It is good to be born in a church. But it is terrible to die there.” We have to begin somewhere. But we should not end our spiritual life there.

41st verse: It is important to properly understand the 20th and the 41st verse to make sense of verse 21 onwards in the 10th chapter, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations. In the 41st verse he says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”

In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

21st to 24th verse: In these verses, Lord Krishna describes his manifestations – “Among Adityas, I am Vishnu; among vedas, I am sama veda; among deities, I am Indra; among senses, I am mind; among beings, I am intelligence; among priests, I am Brihaspati, and so on.” What he means is - the divine reality is present in all beings; wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

Among Vedas, sama veda is considered the most musical. Among the senses, the mind is the most crucial because to cognize anything both senses and mind have to come together. Lord Krishna cites these as examples of excellence, and therefore a manifestation of His divinity. They only provide a general idea of His divine nature – ultimately, these vibhutis have to be experienced.

In ancient times, every king had a priest so that they could practice being a Rajarshi. Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Brihaspati is mentioned in the 24th verse – he was the great teacher of the devas.

Our pursuit of material prosperity (artha and kama) should be guided by the regulating power of ethics and morality (dharma).

Abraham Lincoln said: “If you want to know the true character of a man, give him power.” How he uses the power...]]>4047falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/103-everything-is-an-expression-of-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--48971502
The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime supreme, beautiful and creative. Then, when we look around, we won’t see anything other than the divine.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

From the 25th to 34th verse, Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech system. It represents the totality and oneness of existence. Omkara should be chanted with a lengthened vowel sound. It begins and ends in silence. Its chanting gives us inner tranquility and peace.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna also says: “Among prayers, I am japa-yajñaḥ”. Japa-yajñaḥ is the most sublime form of spiritual practice - a state where the devotee is naturally and spontaneously merged in the continuous recital of the mantra.

Mantra japa has four stages in descending order: Para (realize the essence), Pashyanti (focused on the meaning of the mantra), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound) and Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound). It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.

In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha; among divine sages, I am Narada; among perfect souls, I am Kapila.” Narada is a sage in Hindu mythology who appeared before anyone needing spiritual guidance and helped them.

In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death.

In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among demons, I am Prahlada.” Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.

In the 31st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among warriors, I am Rama.” Rama was an embodiment of dharma. He was a warrior but an embodiment of ahimsa. Valmiki is the author of Valmiki Ramayana, and his own story of spiritual transformation is very inspiring.

In the 33rd verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among compounds, I am Dvandva; I am the dispenser of fruits of all actions.” Dvandva is a linguistic compound in Sanskrit in which any number of nouns can be concatenated together with equal importance. There is a cause effect link in whatever we do – the result of our action may be invisible, but it is felt. These results are dispensed by the indweller within us.

In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death. I take the form of the exquisite feminine qualities such as good name, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, and endurance.” Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/48971502Fri, 04 Mar 2022 17:49:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-34 The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is...
The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime supreme, beautiful and creative. Then, when we look around, we won’t see anything other than the divine.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

From the 25th to 34th verse, Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech system. It represents the totality and oneness of existence. Omkara should be chanted with a lengthened vowel sound. It begins and ends in silence. Its chanting gives us inner tranquility and peace.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna also says: “Among prayers, I am japa-yajñaḥ”. Japa-yajñaḥ is the most sublime form of spiritual practice - a state where the devotee is naturally and spontaneously merged in the continuous recital of the mantra.

Mantra japa has four stages in descending order: Para (realize the essence), Pashyanti (focused on the meaning of the mantra), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound) and Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound). It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.

In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha; among divine sages, I am Narada; among perfect souls, I am Kapila.” Narada is a sage in Hindu mythology who appeared before anyone needing spiritual guidance and helped them.

In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death.

In the 30th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among demons, I am Prahlada.” Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu.

In the 31st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among warriors, I am Rama.” Rama was an embodiment of dharma. He was a warrior but an embodiment of ahimsa. Valmiki is the author of Valmiki Ramayana, and his own story of spiritual transformation is very inspiring.

In the 33rd verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among compounds, I am Dvandva; I am the dispenser of fruits of all actions.” Dvandva is a linguistic compound in Sanskrit in which any number of nouns can be concatenated together with equal importance. There is a cause effect link in whatever we do – the result of our action may be invisible, but it is felt. These results are dispensed by the indweller within us.

In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death. I take the form of the exquisite feminine qualities such as good name, prosperity, speech, memory, intelligence, and endurance.” Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi where Maitreyi questions whether wealth can give eternal happiness and immortality.]]>4035falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/104-manifestations-of-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--49202871
10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-38

The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To make this clearer, from the 25th to 38th verse, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech systems.

In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha.” Ashvattha is considered the most auspicious among trees.

In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death. In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death.”

Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Atman is indestructible – it was never born, and it never dies. Immortality cannot be achieved at physical level.

Yama explains the mystery of death to Nachiketa in the Kathopanishad. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

In the 35th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among vedic mantras, I am Brihat sama.” Sama is mantra turned into its musical form. He says: “Among metres, I am Gayatri.”

In the 36th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am gambling in those who deceive.” What Lord Krishna means is that if someone is possessed with great qualities but is wicked, he implants something in that person that becomes a cause of his downfall. For example, Ravana’s obsession with sensuality was the cause of his downfall.

Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, the divine reality. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine reality.

In the 37th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the Pandavas, I am Arjuna.” Lord Krishna chose Arjuna as his student, over Yudhishthira and other Pandavas, because Arjuna was a man of action, who was eager to learn, and who would put into practice what he learnt.

Spiritual life should not be lived in the world of ideas. We need to put these ideas into action. We can start our spiritual life by doing unselfish, noble deeds. Such physical actions generate spiritual energy and increase the storehouse of our healthy samskaras.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49202871Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:49:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Manifestations of the Divine 10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-38 The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by...
10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 25-38

The summary of the 10th chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of verse 21 onwards, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To make this clearer, from the 25th to 38th verse, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.

In the 25th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the sounds, I am Omkara.” Omkara is the essence of all human sound and speech systems.

In the 26th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among sacred trees, I am Ashvattha.” Ashvattha is considered the most auspicious among trees.

In the 29th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the regulators, I am Yama.” Yama is the great equalizer – real equality is possible only in the palace of the Lord of death. In the 34th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am the all-consuming death.”

Death is inescapable. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Atman is indestructible – it was never born, and it never dies. Immortality cannot be achieved at physical level.

Yama explains the mystery of death to Nachiketa in the Kathopanishad. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

In the 35th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among vedic mantras, I am Brihat sama.” Sama is mantra turned into its musical form. He says: “Among metres, I am Gayatri.”

In the 36th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am gambling in those who deceive.” What Lord Krishna means is that if someone is possessed with great qualities but is wicked, he implants something in that person that becomes a cause of his downfall. For example, Ravana’s obsession with sensuality was the cause of his downfall.

Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, the divine reality. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine reality.

In the 37th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Among the Pandavas, I am Arjuna.” Lord Krishna chose Arjuna as his student, over Yudhishthira and other Pandavas, because Arjuna was a man of action, who was eager to learn, and who would put into practice what he learnt.

Spiritual life should not be lived in the world of ideas. We need to put these ideas into action. We can start our spiritual life by doing unselfish, noble deeds. Such physical actions generate spiritual energy and increase the storehouse of our healthy samskaras.]]>4164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/105-manifesting-the-divinity-within-swami-tattwamayananda--49228557
10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 38-42

The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. The summary of this chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of other verses, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To make this clearer, in other verses of this chapter, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.

38th verse: “I am danda, the principle of punishment; I am statesmanship among those who want to conquer; I am silence among secrets; I am the knowledge of the knower.”

There are four techniques used to solve problems in state affairs. Sama (pacify with soft speech), dana (gift to someone fighting for his rights), bheda (creating division among troublemakers) and danda (punishment, which deters a person from doing wrong). Among the four methods, danda is the most important.

39th verse: “I am the seed of all beings; there is nothing in this world, moving or stationary, which can exist without Me.”

When we put seed in soil, it sprouts and grows into a plant or tree. The seed contains an unseen, subtle power that helps it grow. That unseen power is the presence of the divine reality.

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).

There is nothing in this world without God’s presence within it. Highest definition of God cannot be limited to one physical form. We can start our spiritual journey with one physical form, but as we evolve with our spiritual sadhanas, we manifest the divinity within us, and see the presence of God in everything.

40th verse: “There is no end to My divine glories. I have just given you a sample of My glories.”

God is the essential totality of the whole universe. His characteristics cannot be listed numerically. Everything is an expression of the divine reality.

We can manifest this divinity in many ways. Every human endeavor can be given a spiritual dimension. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

Valmiki’s personal transformation and his authorship of Valmiki Ramayana is an illustration of how to manifest this divinity by doing some dedicated, unselfish work – achieving a degree of perfection in that work yet maintaining an attitude of renunciation.

When a person starts karma yoga – practicing unselfishness with duty consciousness, doing all his work as an offering to God – he has already boarded the bus that is bound to take him to his destination.

42nd verse: “What is the use of knowing all this diversity. You know this much – I exist everywhere, and I am the support of this whole creation by a portion of myself.”

Thus, ends the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of all scriptures.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49228557Fri, 25 Mar 2022 18:16:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Manifesting the Divinity Within 10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 38-42 The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. The summary of this chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent...
10th chapter: 20th verse, 41st verse, verses 38-42

The 10th chapter of Bhagavad Gita is Vibhuti Yoga. The summary of this chapter is that everything is an expression of the divine. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The central thesis of the 10th chapter is in the 20th verse and 41st verse. It is important to properly understand both these verses to make sense of other verses, where Lord Krishna describes his manifestations.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says: “O Arjuna, I am present in the heart of all beings as the indweller– residing there I regulate and function everything. I am the beginning; I am the middle; and I am the end of all beings.”

In the 41st verse, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

To make this clearer, in other verses of this chapter, Lord Krishna describes his physical manifestations.

38th verse: “I am danda, the principle of punishment; I am statesmanship among those who want to conquer; I am silence among secrets; I am the knowledge of the knower.”

There are four techniques used to solve problems in state affairs. Sama (pacify with soft speech), dana (gift to someone fighting for his rights), bheda (creating division among troublemakers) and danda (punishment, which deters a person from doing wrong). Among the four methods, danda is the most important.

39th verse: “I am the seed of all beings; there is nothing in this world, moving or stationary, which can exist without Me.”

When we put seed in soil, it sprouts and grows into a plant or tree. The seed contains an unseen, subtle power that helps it grow. That unseen power is the presence of the divine reality.

“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).

There is nothing in this world without God’s presence within it. Highest definition of God cannot be limited to one physical form. We can start our spiritual journey with one physical form, but as we evolve with our spiritual sadhanas, we manifest the divinity within us, and see the presence of God in everything.

40th verse: “There is no end to My divine glories. I have just given you a sample of My glories.”

God is the essential totality of the whole universe. His characteristics cannot be listed numerically. Everything is an expression of the divine reality.

We can manifest this divinity in many ways. Every human endeavor can be given a spiritual dimension. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

Valmiki’s personal transformation and his authorship of Valmiki Ramayana is an illustration of how to manifest this divinity by doing some dedicated, unselfish work – achieving a degree of perfection in that work yet maintaining an attitude of renunciation.

When a person starts karma yoga – practicing unselfishness with duty consciousness, doing all his work as an offering to God – he has already boarded the bus that is bound to take him to his destination.

42nd verse:...]]>4162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/106-the-cycle-of-existence-is-within-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--49319450
In the 10th chapter, the main message is that everything is an expression of the divine. When we see a golden ornament, the essence of it is gold. When we see a pot made of mud, its essence is mud. Similarly, the divine is the essence of everything. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The 11th chapter communicates the same essence in a different manner. We should be able to see the different ornaments when we see gold, and we should be able to see pots when we see mud.

The manifestations described in the 10th chapter are meant to increase devotion. When we realize the various manifestations of God, we should also know that the Lord transcends time, space and causation. He is present everywhere and in everything. He is not just immanent – He is also transcendental.

Our idea of events is limited to time and space. If we can transcend these, we can see the entire existence in one dimension, with no demarcation between past, present and future. We will see various beings coming and going – birth, existence, death, rebirth – all happening simultaneously.

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine.

1st verse: Arjuna says: “You have taught me this supreme, spiritual truth. With this discerning wisdom of spirituality, you have removed my delusion and ignorance.”

Gita is a discussion in the field of action. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. After Lord Krishna’s instructions, the same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

How did Arjuna learn this wisdom? At first, Lord Krishna taught him philosophy, the knowledge of Atman – that did not work. Then Lord Krishna taught him the path of devotion. Arjuna’s doubts still remained. Finally, Lord Krishna shows him the vision of His universal form – then Arjuna is freed from all doubts.

When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.

In the 77th verse of the 18th chapter, Sanjaya says: “I still remember the wonderful form of Lord Krishna. Remembering it, I feel great joy and contentment.”

2nd verse: “I have heard from many sources that you are the origin and dissolution of all beings – from you everything originates. They exist and dissolve in you. And they re-emerge from you.”

3rd verse: “You have declared yourself to be present in everything. You are the divine reality that manifests in many ways. I want to see that supreme divine form of yours. Then only I will get peace of mind.”

4th verse: “If you think I am deserving of seeing this vision, then O’ Lord of Yogis, please show me that divine form.”

Later in the chapter, Lord Krishna shows his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.

5th verse: Lord Krishna says: “You can see by hundreds and thousands my different forms of celestial, human, non-human beings of various colors and shapes – everything that you consider as existence. They emerge in infinite numbers and dimensions. They exist, they dissolve, and they re-emerge. This cycle continues all within Me.”

Later in the chapter, Lord Krishna gives Arjuna the power to see his divine form. He must have put Arjuna in a state similar to samadhi, where one transcends time, space and causation. Sri Ramakrishna put Swami Vivekananda in a similar state through his touch – upon that touch, names and forms started disappearing. Such an experience is not possible at the physical level, - it can only be experienced at the spiritual level.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49319450Fri, 01 Apr 2022 19:29:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco11th chapter: verses 1-5 In the 10th chapter, the main message is that everything is an expression of the divine. When we see a golden ornament, the essence of it is gold. When we see a pot made of mud, its essence is mud. Similarly, the divine is...
In the 10th chapter, the main message is that everything is an expression of the divine. When we see a golden ornament, the essence of it is gold. When we see a pot made of mud, its essence is mud. Similarly, the divine is the essence of everything. This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by seeing its presence in anything that is sublime, supreme, beautiful and creative.

The 11th chapter communicates the same essence in a different manner. We should be able to see the different ornaments when we see gold, and we should be able to see pots when we see mud.

The manifestations described in the 10th chapter are meant to increase devotion. When we realize the various manifestations of God, we should also know that the Lord transcends time, space and causation. He is present everywhere and in everything. He is not just immanent – He is also transcendental.

Our idea of events is limited to time and space. If we can transcend these, we can see the entire existence in one dimension, with no demarcation between past, present and future. We will see various beings coming and going – birth, existence, death, rebirth – all happening simultaneously.

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine.

1st verse: Arjuna says: “You have taught me this supreme, spiritual truth. With this discerning wisdom of spirituality, you have removed my delusion and ignorance.”

Gita is a discussion in the field of action. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. After Lord Krishna’s instructions, the same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

How did Arjuna learn this wisdom? At first, Lord Krishna taught him philosophy, the knowledge of Atman – that did not work. Then Lord Krishna taught him the path of devotion. Arjuna’s doubts still remained. Finally, Lord Krishna shows him the vision of His universal form – then Arjuna is freed from all doubts.

When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.

In the 77th verse of the 18th chapter, Sanjaya says: “I still remember the wonderful form of Lord Krishna. Remembering it, I feel great joy and contentment.”

2nd verse: “I have heard from many sources that you are the origin and dissolution of all beings – from you everything originates. They exist and dissolve in you. And they re-emerge from you.”

3rd verse: “You have declared yourself to be present in everything. You are the divine reality that manifests in many ways. I want to see that supreme divine form of yours. Then only I will get peace of mind.”

4th verse: “If you think I am deserving of seeing this vision, then O’ Lord of Yogis, please show me that divine form.”

Later in the chapter, Lord Krishna shows his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.

5th verse: Lord Krishna says: “You can see by hundreds and thousands my different forms of celestial, human, non-human beings of various colors and shapes – everything that you consider as existence. They emerge in infinite numbers and dimensions. They exist, they dissolve, and they re-emerge. This cycle...]]>3974falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/107-combining-god-s-grace-with-spiritual-readiness-swami-tattwamayananda--49401413
When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.

Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. The same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

This highest experience of seeing the Absolute reality as immanent, all-pervading and transcendental is not possible at the empirical level. It can only be experienced at the spiritual level. Buddha had this experience after meditating for many years at Bodh-Gaya. Buddha was able to see all his previous life cycles. Similarly, Arjuna, with the grace of Lord Krishna, was able to the past, present and future of himself and the entire creation.

7th verse: Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “You can see this cosmic vision, the entire existence, both moving and unmoving, all within this one Reality.”

Reality is one. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.

In the Ocean, there is only pure water. Waves are just water in another form. Similarly, the entire existence can be viewed in one dimension. Our concept of past, present and future is only imaginary. We only experience the present. We experienced the past when it presented itself as the present. We will experience the future when it presents itself as the present.

8th verse: “But you cannot see this vision of mine with these eyes of yours. I am giving you the celestial eye to behold My vision.”

Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Everyone can experience this reality by evolving through spiritual practices.

Lord Krishna helped Arjuna by removing the veil of Maya. Maya functions as mental blocks. It is the mystery that we experience in daily life, that defies human logic and that has no satisfactory answers. We can reduce the intensity of Maya by achieving mental purity through karma yoga.

In the Mahabharata, there are other instances where the Lord shows his cosmic form. Both Yashoda and Duryodhana had these opportunities, but it did not have a similar beneficial effect on them. We should be spiritually ready to benefit from God’s grace. Our spiritual efforts and God’s grace must come together.

Sri Ramakrishna said to Swami Vivekananda that God can be seen by a pure buddhi. The purified mind becomes Atman itself.

We listen to scriptures as they give a glimpse into the higher possibilities of life. As we evolve, our mind becomes more ready to translate what we read into our own experience.

During meditation, we should de-identify with our thoughts. This means we should not welcome them, we should not befriend them, and we should not antagonize them.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49401413Fri, 08 Apr 2022 18:53:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoIn the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals,...
When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. When we face an adversity in life, such as death, a well-wisher may give us good counsel. But it is not sufficient – we may feel that we are being told what we already know. Imagine, however, that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form.

Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. The same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

This highest experience of seeing the Absolute reality as immanent, all-pervading and transcendental is not possible at the empirical level. It can only be experienced at the spiritual level. Buddha had this experience after meditating for many years at Bodh-Gaya. Buddha was able to see all his previous life cycles. Similarly, Arjuna, with the grace of Lord Krishna, was able to the past, present and future of himself and the entire creation.

7th verse: Lord Krishna says to Arjuna: “You can see this cosmic vision, the entire existence, both moving and unmoving, all within this one Reality.”

Reality is one. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.

In the Ocean, there is only pure water. Waves are just water in another form. Similarly, the entire existence can be viewed in one dimension. Our concept of past, present and future is only imaginary. We only experience the present. We experienced the past when it presented itself as the present. We will experience the future when it presents itself as the present.

8th verse: “But you cannot see this vision of mine with these eyes of yours. I am giving you the celestial eye to behold My vision.”

Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Everyone can experience this reality by evolving through spiritual practices.

Lord Krishna helped Arjuna by removing the veil of Maya. Maya functions as mental blocks. It is the mystery that we experience in daily life, that defies human logic and that has no satisfactory answers. We can reduce the intensity of Maya by achieving mental purity through karma yoga.

In the Mahabharata, there are other instances where the Lord shows his cosmic form. Both Yashoda and Duryodhana had these opportunities, but it did not have a similar beneficial effect on them. We should be spiritually ready to benefit from God’s grace. Our spiritual efforts and God’s grace must come together.

Sri Ramakrishna said to Swami Vivekananda that God can be seen by a pure buddhi. The purified mind becomes Atman itself.

We listen to scriptures as they give a glimpse into the higher possibilities of life. As we evolve, our mind becomes more ready to translate what we read into our own experience.

During meditation, we should de-identify with our thoughts. This means we should not welcome them, we should not befriend them, and we...]]>4124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/108-arjuna-s-vision-of-the-universal-form-of-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--49521735
11th chapter: verses 12-18

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.

When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. Imagine that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form. Human life becomes a problem when we relate to a specific experience at a moment. If we can extend this vision backward to the past and forward to the future, then we can see the reality beyond time. We understand the insignificant nature of our present worries.

In Vishwa-Rupa-Darshana (vision of the divine form), the Absolute Reality is conceived as one physical all-pervading reality. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.

Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Higher mystical thoughts emerge when we turn the journey inward, in pursuit of the truth.

In the next few verses, Arjuna and Sanjaya describe this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

12th and 13th verse: Sanjaya says: “This cosmic effulgence is like the combined effulgence of thousands of suns rising in the east. Arjuna saw in one point the entire cosmic life manifesting in so many ways in the past, present and future.”

14th verse: Sanjaya says: “When Arjuna saw this vision, he was overwhelmed and struck with wonder. He folded his hands and prayed to Lord Krishna.”

15th verse: Arjuna says: “I see in You all the gods and goddesses. I see Brahma the creator. I see the point of origin, existence and dissolution. I see saints and sages. I see different creations and so many different manifestations in You.”

16th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You as the boundless form, as the infinite reality, with manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes. However, I see neither Your end, nor the middle nor the beginning, O Lord of the universal form.”

How can a human explain the infinite? He can only use finite tools to explain the infinite. These verses are poetic – they sing about the absolute reality but do not define it.

17th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You with diadem, club and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere which is like the blazing sun and fire everywhere, and immeasurable.”

Lord Krishna presented himself as Vishnu, who has these external symbols, for blessing and protection of creation.

18th verse: “You are the totality of existence. You are indestructible. You are the supreme truth to be realized. You are the supreme abode of the universe. You are inexhaustible. You are the protector of dharma. You are eternal and unchanging. You are the purusha – the divine spark that is immanent and all-pervading.”

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which we preserve, sustain, regulate and protect the universe. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49521735Sat, 16 Apr 2022 00:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Arjuna’s Vision of the Universal Form of the Divine 11th chapter: verses 12-18 In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form...
11th chapter: verses 12-18

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time and space. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.

When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. Imagine that we are given a vision of how every minute, beings are born, beings are dying, they make money, they lose money – then our doubts will be dispelled. This is what happened to Arjuna when he saw the divine form. Human life becomes a problem when we relate to a specific experience at a moment. If we can extend this vision backward to the past and forward to the future, then we can see the reality beyond time. We understand the insignificant nature of our present worries.

In Vishwa-Rupa-Darshana (vision of the divine form), the Absolute Reality is conceived as one physical all-pervading reality. Every effort to explain this one, infinite, reality is only an approximation. Purusha-Suktam of Rig Veda says: this reality is both immanent in the manifested world and yet transcendent to it. It is infinite and beyond words. It transcends the triple dimensions of time.

Lord Krishna granted this vision to Arjuna, not through a special eye, but by removing the impurities from Arjuna’s mind. Normally, our mind is clouded with impurities from our past samskaras that prevent us from realizing our true nature. Higher mystical thoughts emerge when we turn the journey inward, in pursuit of the truth.

In the next few verses, Arjuna and Sanjaya describe this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

12th and 13th verse: Sanjaya says: “This cosmic effulgence is like the combined effulgence of thousands of suns rising in the east. Arjuna saw in one point the entire cosmic life manifesting in so many ways in the past, present and future.”

14th verse: Sanjaya says: “When Arjuna saw this vision, he was overwhelmed and struck with wonder. He folded his hands and prayed to Lord Krishna.”

15th verse: Arjuna says: “I see in You all the gods and goddesses. I see Brahma the creator. I see the point of origin, existence and dissolution. I see saints and sages. I see different creations and so many different manifestations in You.”

16th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You as the boundless form, as the infinite reality, with manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes. However, I see neither Your end, nor the middle nor the beginning, O Lord of the universal form.”

How can a human explain the infinite? He can only use finite tools to explain the infinite. These verses are poetic – they sing about the absolute reality but do not define it.

17th verse: Arjuna says: “I see You with diadem, club and discus, a mass of radiance shining everywhere which is like the blazing sun and fire everywhere, and immeasurable.”

Lord Krishna presented himself as Vishnu, who has these external symbols, for blessing and protection of creation.

18th verse: “You are the totality of existence. You are indestructible. You are the supreme truth to be realized. You are the supreme abode of the universe. You are inexhaustible. You are the protector of dharma. You are eternal and unchanging. You are the purusha – the divine spark that is immanent and all-pervading.”

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which we preserve, sustain, regulate and protect the universe. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.]]>3873falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/109-moving-away-from-the-blazing-fire-of-sensory-world-swami-tattwamayananda--49550643
The whole reality is visible to Arjuna is one dimension, transcending time, space and causation. When we have a transcendental spiritual experience, we transcend time and space – the reality is then visible in one dimension.

29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”

32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “

Every moment something ceases to exist – all of us are moving towards disappearance. To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we pause and reflect on the true meaning of life and understand that we are not this body-mind complex - at that moment, we start our journey away from the blazing fire.

In the Kathopanishad, Yama explains the science of going beyond death to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

Death is just at the physical level. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Once we realize our immortal dimension, we are no longer like moths rushing towards the blazing fire.

We have two options. Our first option is to identify ourselves as beings that come into existence, exist for a while and then disappear. The second option is to identify ourselves with our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless.

Ishavasya Upanishad says that the entire world is enveloped by the divine spark everywhere. We don’t have to run away from the world – we have to change our perspective. We need to understand the perishable nature of the perishable and the imperishable nature of our true identity. Then the world is no longer a blazing fire – it becomes a happy and enjoyable place.

At the end of the 11th chapter, after showing his cosmic form, Lord Krishna says: “You can understand My true nature only by true devotion.” Then we can live in this world but convert this blazing fire into a heavenly place. We can give all our secular activities a spiritual orientation – we can do them with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and detachment, as an offering to the Lord and for the welfare of others.

In the next few verses, Arjuna describes this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental. He also describes his reactions.

21st verse: “The divine angels, the saints and sages, they enter You. Some extol You in fear with joined palms. They praise you with splendid hymns. Every word that is uttered as an expression of glory or greatness is a tribute to You, directly or indirectly.”

In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

22nd verse: “All the celestial entities – the rudras, adityas and so on – they all exist within You. They are all looking at you quite astounded.”

23rd verse: “Seeing your immeasurable form with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, bellies, tusks – the worlds are awe-struck and so am I.”

How can a human explain the infinite? He can only use finite tools to explain the infinite. These verses are poetic – they sing about the absolute reality but do not define it.

24th verse: “I am seeing You touching the sky, shining in many colors, with gaping mouths and large fiery eyes. I am terrified at heart and find no courage or peace O Vishnu.”

25th verse: “Having seen your mouths with fearful tusks and blazing like fire, I have no sense of direction nor do I find peace. Please have mercy on me, O Lord of the universe.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49550643Fri, 22 Apr 2022 20:23:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoIn the 11th chapter, the whole mystery of human existence is expressed in sublime poetry, which describe Arjuna’s vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows Arjuna his divine form. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of...
The whole reality is visible to Arjuna is one dimension, transcending time, space and causation. When we have a transcendental spiritual experience, we transcend time and space – the reality is then visible in one dimension.

29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”

32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “

Every moment something ceases to exist – all of us are moving towards disappearance. To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we pause and reflect on the true meaning of life and understand that we are not this body-mind complex - at that moment, we start our journey away from the blazing fire.

In the Kathopanishad, Yama explains the science of going beyond death to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

Death is just at the physical level. However, it can be transcended when we realize our deathless dimension, as the Atman. Once we realize our immortal dimension, we are no longer like moths rushing towards the blazing fire.

We have two options. Our first option is to identify ourselves as beings that come into existence, exist for a while and then disappear. The second option is to identify ourselves with our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless.

Ishavasya Upanishad says that the entire world is enveloped by the divine spark everywhere. We don’t have to run away from the world – we have to change our perspective. We need to understand the perishable nature of the perishable and the imperishable nature of our true identity. Then the world is no longer a blazing fire – it becomes a happy and enjoyable place.

At the end of the 11th chapter, after showing his cosmic form, Lord Krishna says: “You can understand My true nature only by true devotion.” Then we can live in this world but convert this blazing fire into a heavenly place. We can give all our secular activities a spiritual orientation – we can do them with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and detachment, as an offering to the Lord and for the welfare of others.

In the next few verses, Arjuna describes this vision of the Absolute Reality, which is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental. He also describes his reactions.

21st verse: “The divine angels, the saints and sages, they enter You. Some extol You in fear with joined palms. They praise you with splendid hymns. Every word that is uttered as an expression of glory or greatness is a tribute to You, directly or indirectly.”

In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.” Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality.

22nd verse: “All the celestial entities – the rudras, adityas and so on – they all exist within You. They are all looking at you quite...]]>4356falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/110-spiritualizing-the-secular-swami-tattwamayananda--49732230
29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”

32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “

To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we have a higher spiritual goal that guides our actions, then we start moving towards our true spiritual destination. Upon reaching it, we realize our immortal dimension as the Atman. We realize that the same Atman exists in all of us.

Upon that highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship. We can spiritualize our everyday activities – our whole life becomes a spiritual sacrament.

In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”

Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of transcendental excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by practicing karma yoga, bhakti yoga or other yogas. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with an unselfish attitude, then it becomes a spiritual action. The line of demarcation between secular and spiritual vanishes.

48th verse: “The highest truth cannot be realized just by scholarship.” Theology or philosophy is not a substitute for one's own spiritual experience and realization. When we realize the presence of the divine, a transformation comes upon us. We feel inner contentment. We become broad-minded and a better human being. We see God in everything and everything in God.

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “

55th verse: “You should do everything as offering to Me (mat-karma-kṛit). You should consider Me as the supreme goal in life (mat-paramaḥ). You should be devoted to Me (mat-bhaktaḥ). You should be free from obsessive attachment ( saṅga-varjitaḥ). You should look upon the whole creation as one spiritual family, without malice towards anyone (nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu). Then you will certainly come to Me.”

The attitude with which one does the action determines whether he is a spiritual action. A priest’s worship may be mechanical as a duty. On the other hand, a soldier may do his duty as an act of worship. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity, sacredness, unselfishness and without obsessive attachment to results, then it becomes an act of worship. Our journey starts with “Work and worship, evolves to “Work as worship” and culminates in “Everything is worship.” Then all secular activities are spiritualized.

Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender. When we surrender, we feel a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders.

Only a person who follows the principles of Satyam, Ritm and Dharma can be spiritual. He looks upon the entire creation as one spiritual family.

Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness.

Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.

Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.

54th verse is the prelude to the 12th chapter. Lord Krishna says: “You can understand My true nature only by true, single minded devotion.”

Thus, ends the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of all scriptures.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49732230Fri, 06 May 2022 20:03:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco11th chapter: verses 29, 48, 54, 55 29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.” 32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “ To those who look upon...
29th verse: “As moths rush towards a blazing fire only to perish, so also all of us are rushing towards Your mouth only to perish.”

32nd verse: “I am the mighty, all-consuming time. “

To those who look upon the world as a place for sensual pleasures, the world is like a blazing fire, and they are like moths rushing towards it. But when we have a higher spiritual goal that guides our actions, then we start moving towards our true spiritual destination. Upon reaching it, we realize our immortal dimension as the Atman. We realize that the same Atman exists in all of us.

Upon that highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship. We can spiritualize our everyday activities – our whole life becomes a spiritual sacrament.

In the 41st verse of the 10th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Wherever you find some greatness, prosperity, power or excellence – know that to be a part of My splendor.”

Wherever we find a unique manifestation that is sublime and beautiful, it is an expression of the divine reality. In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of transcendental excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him. When the scholarship of a scholar is combined with sattvic nature such as humility, or the power of a person is combined with wisdom and maturity – then it becomes an expression of the divine.

This divinity is immanent within us. We can manifest this divinity by practicing karma yoga, bhakti yoga or other yogas. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with an unselfish attitude, then it becomes a spiritual action. The line of demarcation between secular and spiritual vanishes.

48th verse: “The highest truth cannot be realized just by scholarship.” Theology or philosophy is not a substitute for one's own spiritual experience and realization. When we realize the presence of the divine, a transformation comes upon us. We feel inner contentment. We become broad-minded and a better human being. We see God in everything and everything in God.

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialogue between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “

55th verse: “You should do everything as offering to Me (mat-karma-kṛit). You should consider Me as the supreme goal in life (mat-paramaḥ). You should be devoted to Me (mat-bhaktaḥ). You should be free from obsessive attachment ( saṅga-varjitaḥ). You should look upon the whole creation as one spiritual family, without malice towards anyone (nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu). Then you will certainly come to Me.”

The attitude with which one does the action determines whether he is a spiritual action. A priest’s worship may be mechanical as a duty. On the other hand, a soldier may do his duty as an act of worship. When we do our actions with a sense of sanctity, sacredness, unselfishness and without obsessive attachment to results, then it becomes an act of worship. Our journey starts with “Work and worship, evolves to “Work as worship” and culminates in “Everything is worship.” Then all secular activities are spiritualized.

Prapatti is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender. When we surrender, we feel a huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders.

Only a person who...]]>2749falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/111-bhakti-yoga-swami-tattwamayananda--49823502
Narada Bhakti Sutra defines Bhakti as the “nature of supreme, unselfish love for God”. In Bhakti, we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. In Bhakti tradition, one can look upon God with various attitudes – as Mother, father, child or friend. When we divert our emotions towards God, we get a feeling of inner richness, joy, fulfillment, and contentment.

Inner contentment is not the absence of dis-satisfaction. It is called Santosha in Sanskrit. Inner contentment is the first sign of a true devotee. A true devotee can never be bitter towards anyone.

Bhagavata Purana is one of the Hindu classics on bhakti. It was written by Vyasa and has over 18,000 verses divided into twelve skandhas and 335 chapters. Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata Purana on the advice of Narada to help the common man get inner spiritual contentment.

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a University. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God with rituals. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. Upon the highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship.

If our mind is pure and we have total sense control, then we can feel the presence of the divine everywhere. Just believing that God is everywhere is not enough – it has to become our own spiritual experience. It is not philosophy – it is a matter of our own spiritual experience.

A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, at the highest spiritual level, one transcends rituals - he does not reject them.

Shankaracharya is the greatest teacher of Advaita. He taught that the highest devotee is one who feels the presence of God everywhere and spiritualizes all his secular activities. The essence of his teachings is that we can transcend rituals. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.

Under Bhakti tradition, even hatred can be directed towards God – with the constant thought of a divine idea, divinity enters our hearts.

In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu. He teaches Navadha Bhakti to his friends. Under Navadha Bhakti, one follows nine disciplines: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him).

Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. We can be proud that we are devotees. If we do not direct our ego towards good channels, it will go towards negative ones. Whatever we do, do as an offering. Then spiritual qualities will come to us. Finally, we can transcend ego.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/49823502Fri, 13 May 2022 23:52:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco12th chapter: verse 1 is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of devotion. Gita classifies spiritual practices in three categories depending on the temperament of the person. Those who are intellectual in nature and have complete sense control can pursue...
Narada Bhakti Sutra defines Bhakti as the “nature of supreme, unselfish love for God”. In Bhakti, we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. In Bhakti tradition, one can look upon God with various attitudes – as Mother, father, child or friend. When we divert our emotions towards God, we get a feeling of inner richness, joy, fulfillment, and contentment.

Inner contentment is not the absence of dis-satisfaction. It is called Santosha in Sanskrit. Inner contentment is the first sign of a true devotee. A true devotee can never be bitter towards anyone.

Bhagavata Purana is one of the Hindu classics on bhakti. It was written by Vyasa and has over 18,000 verses divided into twelve skandhas and 335 chapters. Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata Purana on the advice of Narada to help the common man get inner spiritual contentment.

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a University. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God with rituals. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. Upon the highest realization, we see the presence of God within and outside the place of worship.

If our mind is pure and we have total sense control, then we can feel the presence of the divine everywhere. Just believing that God is everywhere is not enough – it has to become our own spiritual experience. It is not philosophy – it is a matter of our own spiritual experience.

A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, at the highest spiritual level, one transcends rituals - he does not reject them.

Shankaracharya is the greatest teacher of Advaita. He taught that the highest devotee is one who feels the presence of God everywhere and spiritualizes all his secular activities. The essence of his teachings is that we can transcend rituals. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.

Under Bhakti tradition, even hatred can be directed towards God – with the constant thought of a divine idea, divinity enters our hearts.

In the Bhagavata Purana, Prahlada is one of the greatest devotees, and was born to a demon, Hiranyakashipu. He teaches Navadha Bhakti to his friends. Under Navadha Bhakti, one follows nine disciplines: Sravanam (Hearing about God ), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Offering Oneself to Him).

Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. We can be proud that we are devotees. If...]]>3400falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/112-evolving-our-idea-of-god-from-sakara-to-nirakara-swami-tattwamayananda--50031045
1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as Sakara - the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as Nirakara - as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. The idea of God as Sakara is not wrong, but it is not the highest idea of God. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. At the highest level, we see God as Nirakara. Arjuna thought he could choose between these two ideas of God.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara. Upon the highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.

A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, the highest idea of God transcends names and forms – it is not devoid of them.

We have to start with what we are ready for. Our readiness is determined not just based on our present life. It is based on all our accumulated samskaras from past life. A good example of this are the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna instructed Swami Vivekananda in the Nirakara concept of God, because he knew he was a deserving candidate for non-dualism. At the same time, he instructed other disciples to practice dualistic forms of worship (Sakara concept of God).

Eshana-traya refers to three types of desires. 1. Desire to have family and children 2. Desire for wealth 3. Desire for reputation or desire for heavenly enjoyments.

If one has desires left, he is not a deserving candidate for the highest idea of God. He should start by praying to God to get his desires fulfilled. He should give a spiritual orientation to his natural emotions and feelings – this helps direct the mind towards healthier channels. Then he will reach a point where he will feel a sense of renunciation.

Karma-Yoga or unselfish, noble deeds done as an offering to God help in sublimation of desires and in weakening the effect of negative samskaras. Every good action leaves a vritti (impression) in the mental system and increases the storehouse of positive samskaras. Ultimately it takes us to a stage called Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity). At that point, we are ready for the highest idea of God (Nirakara).

A person who has reached the Nirakara concept of God is established in the highest humanistic moral, ethical and spiritual qualities. He is contented, self-restrained, and a friend of everyone – no one is afraid of him, and he is not afraid of anyone.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/50031045Fri, 27 May 2022 22:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco12th chapter: verse 1 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from...
1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

In his introduction to 12th chapter, Shankaracharya says - from earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as Sakara - the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as Nirakara - as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. The idea of God as Sakara is not wrong, but it is not the highest idea of God. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves. At the highest level, we see God as Nirakara. Arjuna thought he could choose between these two ideas of God.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in the beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara. Upon the highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.

A university professor does not have to learn alphabets – he naturally uses them. He does not reject alphabets but transcends the need to learn them. Similarly, the highest idea of God transcends names and forms – it is not devoid of them.

We have to start with what we are ready for. Our readiness is determined not just based on our present life. It is based on all our accumulated samskaras from past life. A good example of this are the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna instructed Swami Vivekananda in the Nirakara concept of God, because he knew he was a deserving candidate for non-dualism. At the same time, he instructed other disciples to practice dualistic forms of worship (Sakara concept of God).

Eshana-traya refers to three types of desires. 1. Desire to have family and children 2. Desire for wealth 3. Desire for reputation or desire for heavenly enjoyments.

If one has desires left, he is not a deserving candidate for the highest idea of God. He should start by praying to God to get his desires fulfilled. He should give a spiritual orientation to his natural emotions and feelings – this helps direct the mind towards healthier channels. Then he will reach a point where he will feel a sense of renunciation.

Karma-Yoga or unselfish, noble deeds done as an offering to God help in sublimation of desires and in weakening the effect of negative samskaras. Every good action leaves a vritti (impression) in the mental system and increases the storehouse of positive samskaras. Ultimately it takes us to a stage called Chitta-shuddhi (inner purity). At that point, we are ready for the highest idea of God (Nirakara).

A person who has reached the Nirakara concept of God is established in the highest humanistic moral, ethical and spiritual qualities. He is contented, self-restrained, and a friend of everyone – no one is afraid of him, and he is not afraid of anyone.]]>3724falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/113-navadha-bhakti-nine-methods-of-worship-swami-tattwamayananda--50093331
12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, we need to start our spiritual life based on where we stand and what we are fit for. Even Buddha had to evolve through 543 life cycles before becoming Buddha.

2nd verse: To encourage Arjuna and to have him focus on God with name and form, Lord Krishna answers in the second verse. “There are some devotees who put their whole mind on Me, they worship Me, and they are completely dedicated to Me. To them, I reveal My true nature. They are certainly great Yogis.”

Lord Krishna continues with his answer in the 3rd through 20th verse.

3rd and 4th verses: “But those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they also attain Me alone.”

Normally our mind flows towards the external world through our senses of perception and action. These advanced seekers, when they think of God, they can keep their mind focused on that divine idea. Swami Vivekananda said: “Standing in the middle of market street in San Francisco, if you can meditate, then you are a Yogi.”

For those who have not reached this higher state, they should set apart some time for spiritual practices in the middle of their secular activities.

There are nine ways of connecting with God, as taught by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him, also known as Prapatti or Sharanagati).

Devotion comes when we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. When we do so, we get a feeling of inner fulfillment and contentment.

Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. If we do not direct our ego towards good channels, it will go towards negative ones. Whatever we do, do as an offering. Then spiritual qualities will come to us. Finally, we can transcend ego.

Prapatti or Sharanagati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.

Such a devotee considers every hindrance as a blessing in disguise. He interprets every problem of life in a spiritual way.

Bhagavata Purana has beautiful stories of devotion. Ajamila’s story illustrates how devotion comes to our rescue at the time of death. Ajamila initially led a spiritual life but had a deviation later. His son’s name was Narayana, synonym of Lord Vishnu. At the last moment, when he uttered Narayana to call his son, his mind went towards Lord Vishnu, and he attained liberation.

In the Ishavasya Upanishad, there is a verse where a dying man pleads to his mind: “O my mind, remember all the good deeds you have done.” At the point of death, we feel helpless and want to hold on to something. We should have a storehouse of good thoughts that can give us a sense of fulfillment at the last moment.

In Pantheism, when we equate nature to God, our mind begins to evolve spiritually. Ancestor worship reminds us that there is something beyond the body and makes us think beyond the empirical. In image worship, one does not equate the image to God. When a spiritual seeker worships an image, he first invokes and projects the all-pervading divine principle in that image.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/50093331Fri, 03 Jun 2022 21:34:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Navadha Bhakti – Nine Methods of Worship 12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”...
12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, we need to start our spiritual life based on where we stand and what we are fit for. Even Buddha had to evolve through 543 life cycles before becoming Buddha.

2nd verse: To encourage Arjuna and to have him focus on God with name and form, Lord Krishna answers in the second verse. “There are some devotees who put their whole mind on Me, they worship Me, and they are completely dedicated to Me. To them, I reveal My true nature. They are certainly great Yogis.”

Lord Krishna continues with his answer in the 3rd through 20th verse.

3rd and 4th verses: “But those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they also attain Me alone.”

Normally our mind flows towards the external world through our senses of perception and action. These advanced seekers, when they think of God, they can keep their mind focused on that divine idea. Swami Vivekananda said: “Standing in the middle of market street in San Francisco, if you can meditate, then you are a Yogi.”

For those who have not reached this higher state, they should set apart some time for spiritual practices in the middle of their secular activities.

There are nine ways of connecting with God, as taught by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him, also known as Prapatti or Sharanagati).

Devotion comes when we give a spiritual orientation to our natural emotions and feelings – we divert these emotions towards God. When we do so, we get a feeling of inner fulfillment and contentment.

Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. If we do not direct our ego towards good channels, it will go towards negative ones. Whatever we do, do as an offering. Then spiritual qualities will come to us. Finally, we can transcend ego.

Prapatti or Sharanagati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapatti means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.

Such a devotee considers every hindrance as a blessing in disguise. He interprets every problem of life in a spiritual way.

Bhagavata Purana has beautiful stories of devotion. Ajamila’s story illustrates how devotion comes to our rescue at the time of death. Ajamila initially led a spiritual life but had a deviation later. His son’s name was Narayana, synonym of Lord Vishnu. At the last moment, when he uttered Narayana...]]>3877falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/114-the-two-paths-of-worship-swami-tattwamayananda--50239393
12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) Saguna – God with names and forms, as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Nirguna - God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. One must be spiritually ready to pursue the path of Nirguna. A philosophical conviction about the higher reality does not equate to experience or one’s readiness to pursue the higher path. Philosophical conviction helps us guard against fanaticism.

Lord Krishna talks about the journey of all spiritual seekers in his answer in the next few verses.

In the 3rd and 4th verses he says: “Those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they can pursue the higher path.”

Before this, in the 2nd verse, he says that those who are not ready for this higher contemplation should slowly take the graded path. They should practice rituals and go to temples – when they do this with shraddha, their mind will be absorbed in God. Then gradually, they can reach the higher path.

A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. When the mind and senses are perfectly under control, the higher path can be pursued.

We cannot wish away our mental karmic blocks. The first path is to sublimate our mind, emotions and thoughts to God. In the 8th through 11th verse, Lord Krishna provides a descending order of the journey of spiritual seekers. In the 8th verse, he explains the highest state where one is always focused on God. For those who cannot do this, in the 9th verse, he asks them to pursue spiritual practices such as Navadha Bhakti. For those who cannot do this, in the 10th verse, he asks them to do all work for God’s sake. For those who cannot even do this, in the 11th verse, he asks them to do their normal work and offer the fruits of their work to him.

How does one know that they are on the right track? When they do something wrong, their own mind will throw a red flag. When the mind develops a self-correcting mechanism, one should know that he is on the correct track.

In the 5th verse, Lord Krishna explains the challenges associated with directly pursuing the higher path. He says: “Those who identify themselves with the body-mind complex and the empirical phenomenon, for them the path of knowledge is extremely difficult, almost impossible. It leads to self-deception.”

Some people read advaitic books and start thinking they are Brahman. They think there is no need to practice self-control. This is self-deception. Advaita is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of experience. One has to travel some distance from a concept to experience.

Advaita does not reject rituals and devotion, which is the beginning stage of one’s spiritual journey. Shankaracharya was the greatest teacher of Advaita. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.

6th verse: “There are those who perform all their duties dedicated to Me, keeping Me in their mind, who offer the fruits of all their actions to Me – they do all their secular duties as a spiritual activity.”

Our journey starts with “Work and worship, evolves to “Work as worship” and culminates in “Everything is worship.” Then all secular activities are spiritualized.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/50239393Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:20:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Two Paths of Worship 12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”...
12th chapter: verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?”

Arjuna’s question comes from a conflict he is facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are two ways of looking upon God. (1) Saguna – God with names and forms, as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) Nirguna - God as the all-pervading divine spirit, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he could choose between God with form or God without form.

It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. One must be spiritually ready to pursue the path of Nirguna. A philosophical conviction about the higher reality does not equate to experience or one’s readiness to pursue the higher path. Philosophical conviction helps us guard against fanaticism.

Lord Krishna talks about the journey of all spiritual seekers in his answer in the next few verses.

In the 3rd and 4th verses he says: “Those higher spiritual seekers, who have their senses under control, who are even-minded, who are fully focused on the Atman as the divine spirit within them and as the all-pervading divine reality without names and forms – they can pursue the higher path.”

Before this, in the 2nd verse, he says that those who are not ready for this higher contemplation should slowly take the graded path. They should practice rituals and go to temples – when they do this with shraddha, their mind will be absorbed in God. Then gradually, they can reach the higher path.

A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. When the mind and senses are perfectly under control, the higher path can be pursued.

We cannot wish away our mental karmic blocks. The first path is to sublimate our mind, emotions and thoughts to God. In the 8th through 11th verse, Lord Krishna provides a descending order of the journey of spiritual seekers. In the 8th verse, he explains the highest state where one is always focused on God. For those who cannot do this, in the 9th verse, he asks them to pursue spiritual practices such as Navadha Bhakti. For those who cannot do this, in the 10th verse, he asks them to do all work for God’s sake. For those who cannot even do this, in the 11th verse, he asks them to do their normal work and offer the fruits of their work to him.

How does one know that they are on the right track? When they do something wrong, their own mind will throw a red flag. When the mind develops a self-correcting mechanism, one should know that he is on the correct track.

In the 5th verse, Lord Krishna explains the challenges associated with directly pursuing the higher path. He says: “Those who identify themselves with the body-mind complex and the empirical phenomenon, for them the path of knowledge is extremely difficult, almost impossible. It leads to self-deception.”

Some people read advaitic books and start thinking they are Brahman. They think there is no need to practice self-control. This is self-deception. Advaita is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of experience. One has to travel some distance from a concept to experience.

Advaita does not reject rituals and devotion, which is the beginning stage of one’s spiritual journey. Shankaracharya was the greatest teacher of Advaita. The same Shankaracharya wrote the most wonderful devotional poems in Sanskrit, praising God with form.

6th...]]>4007falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/115-spiritual-journey-the-four-stages-swami-tattwamayananda--50297813
12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”

Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not settled on a decision. When we see an object from a distance and are unsure whether it is a human being or pillar, that state of the mental system is the mind. When we come to a decision on our speculation, that state of the mental system is intellect (buddhi).

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

This highest state, where we are completely absorbed in our ideal, is not easy to achieve. In our spiritual journey, there are four levels through which we travel. Suppose we are reciting a sacred word symbol, we go through the following evolution: Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound), Pashyanti (silent, focused on the meaning of the mantra), Para (realize the essence). Para is the level described in the 8th verse. It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice).”

Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).

Devotion to God should make us a better human being. In the 13th and 14th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual characteristics of a devotee. He says that such a devotee is content, he is a friend of everyone, and he is sympathetic to everyone. There is a total absence of negative feelings in him.

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.

Even if we don’t think it is God’s work, it is really God’s work. Suppose a person is traveling in a train. If he moves around in the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. The train is doing the work. Similarly, even though we are not aware of it, everything is God’s work. When we do the work as God’s work, we don’t feel the weight of the work, and we are free from anxiety.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/50297813Fri, 17 Jun 2022 19:02:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Spiritual Journey - The Four Stages 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution. 8th verse: “You fix...
12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”

Mind (manah) is the contemplative aspect of the mental system, which thinks but is not settled on a decision. When we see an object from a distance and are unsure whether it is a human being or pillar, that state of the mental system is the mind. When we come to a decision on our speculation, that state of the mental system is intellect (buddhi).

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

This highest state, where we are completely absorbed in our ideal, is not easy to achieve. In our spiritual journey, there are four levels through which we travel. Suppose we are reciting a sacred word symbol, we go through the following evolution: Vaikhari (verbal repetition with sound), madhyama (verbal repetition, no sound), Pashyanti (silent, focused on the meaning of the mantra), Para (realize the essence). Para is the level described in the 8th verse. It is an evolution from the gross to the subtle, from outer to within, and from external practice to internalization.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice).”

Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).

Devotion to God should make us a better human being. In the 13th and 14th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual characteristics of a devotee. He says that such a devotee is content, he is a friend of everyone, and he is sympathetic to everyone. There is a total absence of negative feelings in him.

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.

Even if we don’t think it is God’s work, it is really God’s work. Suppose a person is traveling in a train. If he moves around in the train, he cannot reach the destination faster. He will reach the destination when the train reaches its destination. The train is doing the work. Similarly, even though we are not aware of it, everything is God’s work. When we do the work as God’s work, we don’t feel the weight of the work, and we are free from anxiety.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.]]>3450falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/116-sarva-karma-phala-tyagam-philosophy-of-desireless-actions-swami-tattwamayananda--50395378
12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice of rituals with sincerity).” Rituals are like a fence that protects a plant when it is growing. You don’t need it when the plant becomes a tree. Similarly, the devotee needs rituals at early stages. As he evolves, he transcends rituals.

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.

12th verse: “Knowledge is better than mechanical practice of rituals without proper understanding. If you can practice meditation with knowledge that is even better. Renunciation of fruits of your actions (karma-phala-tyāgaḥ) is far better than meditation.”

Why is it so? A beginner’s mind may not cooperate with his intellect. When he sits for meditation – it throws undesirable thought currents. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras. The advantage of karma-phala-tyāgaḥ is that it purifies the mind and makes it ready for meditation. It also helps connect the mind to God when we perform the action. One important sign of spiritual progress is that the mind creates less obstacles to what the intellect wants to do.

Actions done with karma-phala-tyāgaḥ reduces our anxiety and increases our inclination to acquire knowledge and our ability to concentrate/meditate.

Ramanujacharya says: “When we do our duty without desire for self-enjoyment of the results, the mind is cleansed of all sins, karmic blocks and negativity. It attains peace – it becomes calm, quiet and composed.”

Physical actions do not make the mind tired. Meaningless, disconnected thought currents make the mind tired. Desireless actions turn the mind towards healthy channels and train it on how to get proper rest.

Shankaracharya glorifies desireless actions. He says that when we do desireless actions, we are boarding a bus that is bound to reach its spiritual destination.

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He says: “He is not an enemy of anyone; he has no ill-feeling towards any living-being; he is friendly and compassionate towards all living-beings; he is free from ideas of possession; he is free from negative egoism; his mind is in a state of equilibrium; he is forgiving; and he is always contented.”

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. At the same time, he is free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dvesha (obsessive aversion). He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.

Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength to withstand the suffering and obstacles.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/50395378Fri, 24 Jun 2022 18:41:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Sarva-Karma-Phala-Tyagam – Philosophy of Desireless Actions 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution....
12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice of rituals with sincerity).” Rituals are like a fence that protects a plant when it is growing. You don’t need it when the plant becomes a tree. Similarly, the devotee needs rituals at early stages. As he evolves, he transcends rituals.

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.

12th verse: “Knowledge is better than mechanical practice of rituals without proper understanding. If you can practice meditation with knowledge that is even better. Renunciation of fruits of your actions (karma-phala-tyāgaḥ) is far better than meditation.”

Why is it so? A beginner’s mind may not cooperate with his intellect. When he sits for meditation – it throws undesirable thought currents. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras. The advantage of karma-phala-tyāgaḥ is that it purifies the mind and makes it ready for meditation. It also helps connect the mind to God when we perform the action. One important sign of spiritual progress is that the mind creates less obstacles to what the intellect wants to do.

Actions done with karma-phala-tyāgaḥ reduces our anxiety and increases our inclination to acquire knowledge and our ability to concentrate/meditate.

Ramanujacharya says: “When we do our duty without desire for self-enjoyment of the results, the mind is cleansed of all sins, karmic blocks and negativity. It attains peace – it becomes calm, quiet and composed.”

Physical actions do not make the mind tired. Meaningless, disconnected thought currents make the mind tired. Desireless actions turn the mind towards healthy channels and train it on how to get proper rest.

Shankaracharya glorifies desireless actions. He says that when we do desireless actions, we are boarding a bus that is bound to reach its spiritual destination.

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal devotee. He says: “He is not an enemy of anyone; he has no ill-feeling towards any living-being; he is friendly and compassionate towards all living-beings; he is free from ideas of possession; he is free from negative egoism; his mind is in a state of equilibrium; he is forgiving; and he is always contented.”

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. At the same time, he is free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dvesha (obsessive aversion). He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.

Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They...]]>3813falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/117-characteristics-of-a-devotee-swami-tattwamayananda--51311432
In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee.

He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.

When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.

In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who utter God’s name mechanically, but do not practice ethical and moral values, and do not do their duties – they are deluded; they are the enemies of the Lord.”

You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”

It is important to note that if someone has these qualities that does not necessarily make him a devotee. These verses simply say that a genuine devotee will have these characteristics.

A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.

Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength and strong will to withstand the suffering and obstacles.

15th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation, envy, fear and anxiety.”

A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity. So, the world does not agitate him – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he sees the whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.

Sri Ramakrishna explains the experience of universal oneness of humanity with a metaphor. Suppose we visit someone’s home. We see that the outside gate is made of marble. As we go inside the building and ascend various floors, we find that they are all made of marble. Finally, we reach the terrace and find that the terrace is also made of marble. We get convinced that everything is made of marble only after reaching the terrace. Similarly, in spiritual life, there is an evolution from many to one.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51311432Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:10:20 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution. 8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There...
In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.”

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee.

He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.

When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.

In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who utter God’s name mechanically, but do not practice ethical and moral values, and do not do their duties – they are deluded; they are the enemies of the Lord.”

You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”

It is important to note that if someone has these qualities that does not necessarily make him a devotee. These verses simply say that a genuine devotee will have these characteristics.

A true devotee of God is a humanist. He has an instinctive feeling that everyone is a child of God. He instinctively feels contented – he does not crave for worldly things, as he has a sense of inner fulfillment and richness.

Several mystics had to face physical suffering. They had deep contentment which gave them inner strength and strong will to withstand the suffering and obstacles.

15th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation, envy, fear and anxiety.”

A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity. So, the world does not agitate him – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he sees the whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.

Sri Ramakrishna explains the experience of universal oneness of humanity with a metaphor. Suppose we visit someone’s home. We see that the outside gate is made of marble. As we go inside the building and ascend various floors, we find that they are all made of marble. Finally, we reach the terrace and find that the terrace is also made of marble. We get convinced that everything is made of marble only after reaching the terrace. Similarly, in spiritual life, there is an evolution from many to one.]]>3381falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/118-the-ideal-devotee-sees-oneness-in-existence-swami-tattwamayananda--51531433has 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the great
sage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of a much great work, Mahabharata. Its central theme is the
philosophy of Advaita – it preaches that creation is one spiritual family and all religions represent so
many paths leading to the same spiritual goal. “
The 12th chapter is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of Devotion. The three other paths taught in the Gita
are Jnana Yoga – the path of knowledge, Karma Yoga – the path of selfless actions, and Dhyana Yoga –
the path of self-restraint.
In the 13 th and 14 th verses, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee. He does not mention
rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.
15 th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation,
envy, fear and anxiety.”
18 th and 19 th verses: “His attitude is the same towards a friend or someone hostile to him, towards honor
and dishonor, towards praise and criticism, towards heat and cold, and towards happiness and misery.
He is content with whatever comes his way and is not attached to a place of residence – such a devotee
is dear to Me.”
A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity, because he has a sense of inner
fulfillment. The line of demarcation between the duals disappears for him. The world does not agitate
him – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he sees
the whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.
20 th verse: “Anyone who practices this great spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with
unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is extremely dear to Me.”
In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the
King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The
one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “
Bhagavata Purana describes that we can reach this highest level of devotion by practicing Navadha
Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam
(Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam
(Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam
(Surrendering to Him).
The 12th chapter of Gita can be seen as a commentary on an important verse in the Bhagavata Purana.
The essence of this verse is: “A spiritual seeker can begin his journey at a temple or with a book. That is

just a starting point. As he moves forward, he starts seeing the presence of God outside the temple
walls. As he evolves further, he sees the presence of God everywhere and in everything. Everything
becomes an act of worship. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every
action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a
circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God. “
What is the residential address of God. Lord Krishna says that his permanent residential address is the
heart of all beings.
Every Gita chapter ends with a verse which starts as an auspicious prayer referring to the unity and
oneness of existence. It then says that Gita was written by Vyasa and appears in the sixth section of
Mahabharata. Finally, it equates Gita to the Upanishads. It teaches the science of spiritual
enlightenment through four important paths.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51531433Fri, 07 Oct 2022 22:34:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoIts meaning is: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you. I invoke your divine presence in my heart. This text has 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the great sage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of...has 18 chapters and was preached by Lord Krishna to his disciple Arjuna. It was written by the great
sage, Vyasa, and is placed in the middle of a much great work, Mahabharata. Its central theme is the
philosophy of Advaita – it preaches that creation is one spiritual family and all religions represent so
many paths leading to the same spiritual goal. “
The 12th chapter is about Bhakti Yoga – the path of Devotion. The three other paths taught in the Gita
are Jnana Yoga – the path of knowledge, Karma Yoga – the path of selfless actions, and Dhyana Yoga –
the path of self-restraint.
In the 13 th and 14 th verses, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee. He does not mention
rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.
15 th verse: “A devotee is not agitated by anyone, and nobody is agitated by him. He is free from elation,
envy, fear and anxiety.”
18 th and 19 th verses: “His attitude is the same towards a friend or someone hostile to him, towards honor
and dishonor, towards praise and criticism, towards heat and cold, and towards happiness and misery.
He is content with whatever comes his way and is not attached to a place of residence – such a devotee
is dear to Me.”
A devotee is well-established in strong faith and inner equanimity, because he has a sense of inner
fulfillment. The line of demarcation between the duals disappears for him. The world does not agitate
him – he has no reason to be excited, envious, fearful or anxious. There is no otherness for him – he sees
the whole world as one spiritual family. He does not do anything to violate the Ritm of nature.
20 th verse: “Anyone who practices this great spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with
unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is extremely dear to Me.”
In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the
King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The
one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “
Bhagavata Purana describes that we can reach this highest level of devotion by practicing Navadha
Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam
(Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam
(Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam
(Surrendering to Him).
The 12th chapter of Gita can be seen as a commentary on an important verse in the Bhagavata Purana.
The essence of this verse is: “A spiritual seeker can begin his journey at a temple or with a book. That is

just a starting point. As he moves forward, he starts seeing the presence of God outside the temple
walls. As he evolves further, he sees the presence of God everywhere and in everything. Everything
becomes an act of worship. Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every
action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a
circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God. “
What is the residential address of God. Lord Krishna says that his permanent residential address is the
heart of all beings.
Every Gita chapter ends with a verse which starts as an auspicious prayer referring to the unity and
oneness of existence. It then says that Gita was written by Vyasa and appears in the sixth section of
Mahabharata. Finally, it equates Gita to the Upanishads. It teaches the science of spiritual
enlightenment through four...]]>3110false118fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/119-distinction-between-body-and-spirit-swami-tattwamayananda--51601976God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest.
Which is better?”
Arjuna’s question came from a conflict he was facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are
two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God
as the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he
could choose between God with form or God without form.
It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old
boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in the
beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara, as the creator and protector. Upon the
highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in
everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.
In answer, Lord Krishna says that for those who identify with their body, the path of Nirakara is very
difficult. Their only option is to worship God as Sakara, by performing spiritual practices.
They can have the intellectual conviction of the highest idea of God to prevent fanaticism. Advaita
accommodates the path of Bhakti – each one should follow the path that is most suitable for them.
Bhakti reaches its zenith when the devotee feels he is an instrument in the hands of God.
In the 13 th to 19 th verses of the 12 th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal
devotee. Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine
devotees are good human beings.
Lord Krishna concludes the chapter in the 20 th verse by saying that anyone who practices this great
spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is
extremely dear to Him.
When a person, who has done spiritual practices in previous life, deviates from that path, God will help
put him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The person
whom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomes
isolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy of
angels.”
The 13 th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1 st verse: “What is Prakriti or
matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the
field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”
The context behind this question comes from the 11 th chapter. In the 11 th chapter, Arjuna experiences
the vision of the universal form of the divine. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time
and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human
beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.
When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from doubts. However, some doubts remained. For example,
he thought of the cosmic form as God’s body. He thought, “What happens to God’s body?”

Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2 nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. This body
is a complex, intelligent machine. There is a designer behind it who came up with this intelligent design.
That designer is the kshetrajna, the one who knows this machine – it is the divine spark that is present
within this body.
It is present in every being. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a
Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord
manifests in His full effulgence.
We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality.
Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize
that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51601976Mon, 17 Oct 2022 20:27:30 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 12 th chapter on Bhakti Yoga begins with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “Some people worship God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest. Which is better?” Arjuna’s question came from a...God with name and form – they chant and pray. Others worship the imperishable, the unmanifest.
Which is better?”
Arjuna’s question came from a conflict he was facing. From earlier chapters, Arjuna knew that there are
two ways of looking upon God. (1) God as the creator and protector, who listens to our prayers (2) God
as the all-pervading divine spirit, that is Nirakara, transcending names and forms. Arjuna thought he
could choose between God with form or God without form.
It is not a matter of our intellectual choice. It is a matter of our own spiritual evolution. A ten-year-old
boy has to attend primary school first – he cannot just choose to go to a university. Similarly, in the
beginning of our spiritual journey, we worship God as Sakara, as the creator and protector. Upon the
highest realization, we see God as Nirakara, the all-pervading divine spirit present everywhere and in
everything, transcending names, forms, time, space, causation, and verbalization.
In answer, Lord Krishna says that for those who identify with their body, the path of Nirakara is very
difficult. Their only option is to worship God as Sakara, by performing spiritual practices.
They can have the intellectual conviction of the highest idea of God to prevent fanaticism. Advaita
accommodates the path of Bhakti – each one should follow the path that is most suitable for them.
Bhakti reaches its zenith when the devotee feels he is an instrument in the hands of God.
In the 13 th to 19 th verses of the 12 th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of an ideal
devotee. Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine
devotees are good human beings.
Lord Krishna concludes the chapter in the 20 th verse by saying that anyone who practices this great
spiritual discipline with sanctity and sacredness, with unselfishness, with a universal outlook – he is
extremely dear to Him.
When a person, who has done spiritual practices in previous life, deviates from that path, God will help
put him back on the right path. In Vaishnava tradition, there is a verse, where God says: “The person
whom I want to bless, I shall steal all his wealth, I shall ensure he is deserted by his friends and becomes
isolated. If he still retains his faith, I shall elevate him to such a high position that he will be the envy of
angels.”
The 13 th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1 st verse: “What is Prakriti or
matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the
field? What is known, who is the knower, and what is knowledge?”
The context behind this question comes from the 11 th chapter. In the 11 th chapter, Arjuna experiences
the vision of the universal form of the divine. This cosmic divine form transcends our concept of time
and space. He shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human
beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form.
When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from doubts. However, some doubts remained. For example,
he thought of the cosmic form as God’s body. He thought, “What happens to God’s body?”

Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2 nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. This body
is a complex, intelligent machine. There is a designer behind it who came up with this intelligent design.
That designer is the kshetrajna, the one who knows this machine – it is the divine spark that is present
within this body.
It is present in every being. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and...]]>3694false119fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/120-discrimination-between-the-real-and-the-unreal-swami-tattwamayananda--51675474
Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.

When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.

We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.

We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.

Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.

3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”

4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”

In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.

5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. The evolutes of sattva guna are the mind, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. The evolutes of tamo guna are the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.

The material world consists of the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, sense objects, and human tendencies –desires, love, hatred, pleasure, pain and so on.

Within this material world is the divine spark. It is immanent in every being. When we begin to manifest spiritual qualities that are described in the next few verses, then we connect with the divine within.

7th and 8th verses: These verses describe the qualities of someone who has spiritual knowledge. (1) Humility – it is the natural expression of one with spiritual growth because he understands that the body is just an instrument to do great things. (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Respect for the teacher (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Understands the misery of birth, death, sickness and old age.

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

Ego cannot be wished away. Our ego can also be given a spiritual orientation. By sublimating the ego and giving it a promotion, eventually, we can transcend ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “Let this rascal ego remain as a servant of God.”

Buddha reflected on the miseries of birth, death, sickness and old age. He went to Bodh Gaya, sat under a tree and took a vow to not leave his seat until he realized the spiritual truth.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51675474Sat, 22 Oct 2022 02:30:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 13th chapter begins with another question from Arjuna. He asks in the 1st verse: “What is Prakriti or matter? What is the nature of consciousness? What is kshetra or field? Who is kshetrajna, knower of the field? What is known, who is the knower,...
Lord Krishna starts answering in the 2nd verse. He says that this body is the kshetram, or field. More broadly, we can think of the field as this material universe, which is changing and that is not eternal. It gradually decays and eventually disappears. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.

When we refer to kshetram as the body, it refers to the following – the physical body comprising five elements, five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect.

We sow seeds of tendencies and impressions in this field through our actions, thoughts, emotions and words. We are reborn with this legacy of tendencies and impressions. They determine in which direction our mind goes. That is why different people demonstrate different level of interest and understanding when reading a spiritual book. We can only understand what we are spiritually ready for.

We march towards enlightenment when we realize kshetra as only kshetra, not as the highest reality. Then we look for something higher than kshetra, and our spiritual journey begins. Ultimately, we realize that the divine spark is present as drshta, as the witness, as kshetrajna, in all kshetras.

Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence. Noble, unselfish action generate spiritual energy which purifies our mind, and helps us manifest this divinity with more effulgence.

3rd verse: Lord Krishna says: “What is the nature of this kshetra? How does it undergo change? How does it originate? What is the real nature of kshetrajna? How does it manifest? Hear this from Me.”

4th verse: “This great science of understanding the distinction between the Real and the unreal – this is the real knowledge of spiritual realization. Great vedic sages sang great hymns on the glory and greatness of this knowledge.”

In daily life, we get into trouble because of wrong prioritization. We prioritize the empirical, the non-eternal. When we learn to prioritize the Real, lots of problems of daily life can be avoided.

5th verse: The 5th verse describes the Sankhya philosophy of evolution expounded by Kapila. In Sankhya, there are two categories: (1) Purusha, which is eternal and self-effulgent (2) Prakriti, which is the cause of material evolution. From Prakriti, the first evolute is Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence. From Mahatattvam, the next evolute is Ahamkara or ego-sense. From Ahamkara, the three gunas evolve: Sattva guna, Rajo guna and Tamo guna. The evolutes of sattva guna are the mind, the five senses of perception and the five senses of action. The evolutes of tamo guna are the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.

The material world consists of the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, sense objects, and human tendencies –desires, love, hatred, pleasure, pain and so on.

Within this material world is the divine spark. It is immanent in every being. When we begin to manifest spiritual qualities that are described in the next few verses, then we connect with the divine within.

7th and 8th verses: These verses describe the qualities of someone who has spiritual knowledge. (1) Humility – it is the natural expression of one with spiritual growth because he understands that the body is just an instrument to do great things. (2) Not...]]>4110false120fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/121-spiritual-qualities-to-gain-knowledge-of-kshetra-and-kshetrajna-swami-tattwamayananda--51734271
Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.

In this field, we sow seeds – our actions, thoughts and emotions are the seeds. They sprout with some results visible in this life and some in next life. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.

Law of karma should not be thought of as determinism. Rather, it asks to own responsibility for our actions. Our actions produce two types of results: One that is tangible and immediate. Another, that is invisible (Adhrishtam). These results are Apoorvam – meaning they did not exist before the action.

Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements, as described in the 5th verse. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in the phenomenal world.

Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arises because of we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.

The next few verses describe the spiritual qualities that one should practice to help discriminate between kshetra and kshetrajna.

The qualities described in the 7th and 7th and 8th verses are: (1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life.

The 9th verse encourages us to be broad minded and look beyond our near and dear ones. Relationships become less spiritual when we become obsessed with our near and dear ones to the point of hating others.

What we know intellectually does not necessarily become our emotional attitude. Only through spiritual practices and reflection are we able to translate our intellectual conviction into our emotional attitude and spiritual common sense.

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51734271Sat, 29 Oct 2022 00:06:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 13th chapter is about the discrimination between kshetra and kshetrajna. Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification –...
Human life in its empirical form is kshetra or the field. Kshetrajna is the knower of the field. Within the field there is something that is not subject to modification – that is kshetrajna. It is the Atman, which is immanent, all-pervading and transcendental.

In this field, we sow seeds – our actions, thoughts and emotions are the seeds. They sprout with some results visible in this life and some in next life. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.

Law of karma should not be thought of as determinism. Rather, it asks to own responsibility for our actions. Our actions produce two types of results: One that is tangible and immediate. Another, that is invisible (Adhrishtam). These results are Apoorvam – meaning they did not exist before the action.

Kshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements, as described in the 5th verse. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements. The sixth verse adds seven other elements to kshetra - desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, body, intelligence and fortitude. With these, we live in the phenomenal world.

Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arises because of we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.

The next few verses describe the spiritual qualities that one should practice to help discriminate between kshetra and kshetrajna.

The qualities described in the 7th and 7th and 8th verses are: (1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – his thoughts, words and deeds become one (3) Non-violence, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Detachment from sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life.

The 9th verse encourages us to be broad minded and look beyond our near and dear ones. Relationships become less spiritual when we become obsessed with our near and dear ones to the point of hating others.

What we know intellectually does not necessarily become our emotional attitude. Only through spiritual practices and reflection are we able to translate our intellectual conviction into our emotional attitude and spiritual common sense.

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.]]>3797false121fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/122-highest-devotion-and-highest-knowledge-are-the-same-swami-tattwamayananda--51816223https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51816223Fri, 04 Nov 2022 20:33:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3734false122fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/123-the-divine-reality-is-all-pervading-swami-tattwamayananda--51892185https://api.spreaker.com/episode/51892185Fri, 11 Nov 2022 22:48:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco3904false123fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/124-attaining-deathlessness-swami-tattwamayananda--52039914
Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arise because we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.

In the 13th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am now going to teach you that supreme truth, which alone is to be known, and which alone is to be realized. By realizing that, you will become immortal and realize your deathless dimension. This supreme truth is anadi (beginningless), param (beyond tools of knowledge), and Brahma (all-pervading). It is beyond existence and non-existence.”

Atman is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. Atman does not come into existence as a pot comes into existence from clay. It is beyond the state of coming into existence. In fact, it is beyond time, space and causation.

Atman is param: it cannot be seen or known by the six tools of epistemology. Pratyaksha is perception. Anumana is inference. Shabda is verbal testimony. Upamana is comparison. Arthāpatti is presumption. Anupalabdi is the non-cognition. These are the six pramanas or tools of knowledge in Vedantic epistemology. Atman is beyond these six pramanas. None of these six instruments of knowledge can explain the Reality.

Atman is our own true nature and can only be experienced. The purpose of scriptures is to drive the wrong ideas from our mind, so we can experience this truth. We cannot really explain an experience. Even an empirical experience such as the taste of milk cannot be fully explained.

One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

To realize this supreme truth, one needs to attain 20 spiritual qualities that are described in verses 7-12. Per Shankaracharya, these characteristics should be acquired by those seeking to strive for spiritual enlightenment However, these same characteristics become second nature for the enlightened person. These characteristics are:

(1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – respects others but does not demand respect from them (3) Non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Sense of renunciation towards sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life. (13) Non-attachment (14) Not being obsessively attached to near and dear ones (15) Equanimity of mind in happiness and unhappiness (16) Constant, unwavering devotion to the spiritual ideal (17) Inclination for solitary places (18) Aversion to mundane society (19) Constant reflection of spiritual knowledge (20) Realizing the ultimate purpose of knowledge.

When we acquire these spiritual qualities, we transform the whole world into a temple because we see the presence of the divine everywhere. These qualities describe a good human being. The greatness of Gita is that it gives a spiritual dimension to what we normally consider secular.

The next few verses describe the all-pervading nature of the divine reality.

14th verse: “That Divine Reality has hands, feet, eyes, heads, mouths, ears everywhere.” It is the poet’s language to put in words what cannot be put in words, as the absolute reality is indescribable. The poet uses a metaphor in this verse. The meaning is that the divine reality is present everywhere and in everything.

15th verse: “It expresses itself through the senses but is beyond the senses. It is unattached to everything, yet it sustains everything. It is beyond all characteristics.”

Whatever we do with our mind, and senses of perception and action, is an expression of the divine spark within us. The physical body and mind are only a tool for its manifestation. The senses are able to function because of the presence of this divine spark. Death is the withdrawal of this unseen divine spark from the body.

16th verse: “This Supreme Reality is inside and outside of everything, both moving and unmoving. It is so subtle that it cannot be known. It is very far but also very near.”

For those who are lost in worldly pursuits, this attainment of the highest truth is far away. For those pure in heart, it is very near.

17th verse: “The divine reality is present everywhere and in everything. It is indivisible but appears to be divided.”

The extent to which the divine reality manifests within us depends on our own accumulated samskaras and how ready we are for its manifestation.

18th verse: “It is the light of all lights; it is beyond darkness of ignorance; it is knowledge, the object of knowledge and the goal of knowledge; it is present as the divine spark everywhere and in everything.”

King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, and agni to function.

Light is an important symbol in Vedanta. It symbolizes enlightenment and knowledge. God, as light or atma-jyoti, is already within us. The revealing power of the senses and mind is borrowed from this atma-jyoti. When we do our spiritual practices with sincerity, compassion and looking upon the whole humanity as one – then our mind becomes pure and this divine light within us reveals itself. When a person identifies with this light, he experiences spiritual freedom, happiness within, and illumined within.

19th verse: “I have now explained to you Kshetra and Kshetrajna. I have explained the nature of the empirical world, how to live in this world, acquire spiritual qualities, and realize your own deathless dimension. When you realize this, you transcend death.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52039914Tue, 29 Nov 2022 03:17:12 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoKshetra or the phenomenal world is constituted by 24 elements. These are Prakriti, Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five...
Within this material world is the divine spark, Kshetrajna. It is immanent in every being. All problems in the world arise because we identify ourselves with the kshetra. The one who identifies himself as kshetrajna, as distinct from the field, he is able to understand the impermanent nature of the world and its problems.

In the 13th verse, Lord Krishna says: “I am now going to teach you that supreme truth, which alone is to be known, and which alone is to be realized. By realizing that, you will become immortal and realize your deathless dimension. This supreme truth is anadi (beginningless), param (beyond tools of knowledge), and Brahma (all-pervading). It is beyond existence and non-existence.”

Atman is beyond the six changes: birth, existence, growth, evolution, degeneration and death. Atman does not come into existence as a pot comes into existence from clay. It is beyond the state of coming into existence. In fact, it is beyond time, space and causation.

Atman is param: it cannot be seen or known by the six tools of epistemology. Pratyaksha is perception. Anumana is inference. Shabda is verbal testimony. Upamana is comparison. Arthāpatti is presumption. Anupalabdi is the non-cognition. These are the six pramanas or tools of knowledge in Vedantic epistemology. Atman is beyond these six pramanas. None of these six instruments of knowledge can explain the Reality.

Atman is our own true nature and can only be experienced. The purpose of scriptures is to drive the wrong ideas from our mind, so we can experience this truth. We cannot really explain an experience. Even an empirical experience such as the taste of milk cannot be fully explained.

One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

To realize this supreme truth, one needs to attain 20 spiritual qualities that are described in verses 7-12. Per Shankaracharya, these characteristics should be acquired by those seeking to strive for spiritual enlightenment However, these same characteristics become second nature for the enlightened person. These characteristics are:

(1) Humility – not being too proud of oneself (2) Not pretentious – respects others but does not demand respect from them (3) Non-violence in thoughts, words and deeds, as he instinctively feels spiritual affinity with entire creation (4) Forbearance (5) Uprightness (6) Service mindedness (7) Mental purity (8) Steadiness (9) Self-control – the spiritual energy from his noble actions gives him steadiness and self-control (10) Sense of renunciation towards sense pleasures (11) Absence of egoism (12) Ability to look upon birth, death, sickness and old age as imperfections of this empirical life. (13) Non-attachment (14) Not being obsessively attached to near and dear ones (15) Equanimity of mind in happiness and unhappiness (16) Constant, unwavering devotion to the spiritual ideal (17) Inclination for solitary places (18) Aversion to mundane society (19) Constant reflection of spiritual knowledge (20) Realizing the ultimate purpose of knowledge.

When we acquire these spiritual qualities, we transform the whole world into a temple because we see the presence of the divine everywhere. These qualities describe a good human being. The greatness of Gita is that it gives a spiritual dimension to what...]]>2970false124fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/125-purusha-and-prakriti-swami-tattwamayananda--52102119
13th Chapter: Verses 19, 20, 21, 22

These verses deal with the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy. There are two main schools of thoughts in Indian philosophy. (1) Theistic schools which accept Vedic testimony and (2) Atheistic schools, which do care much for Vedic testimony. The six theistic schools were the Mimamsakas of Jaimini, Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa of Badarayana), the Samkhya philosophy of Kapila, the Yoga of Patanjali, the Nyaya school of Gautama, and the Vaisheshika school of Kanada. The six aetheistic schools include the four schools of Buddhism, the Jaina philosophy, and the Indian materialists, called Charvakas.

Samkhya school is silent about God. It talks about evolution. Its original exponent was Kapila. Later, a karika was written by Isvara Krishna.

There are two fundamental categories in Samkhya. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active but non-effulgent. The evolutes of Prakriti are Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras are a practical application of Samkhya. When we practice spiritual disciplines such as Yamas and Niyamas, we start our journey backwards (involution) towards our true spiritual identity as Purusha.

The main idea of Samkhya is this - the entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, the evolutionary cycle comes to an end for us.

Vedanta accepts ideas of Samkhya, such as the evolutes of Prakriti and its wonderful analysis of the human mind. However, it does not accept the conclusions of Samkhya.

19th verse: “Know that Purusha and Prakriti are beginningless. All these evolutes and changes come into existence as a result of evolution in Prakriti.”

In Indian philosophy, there are two concepts of evolution and change. (1) Apparent change or Vivartavada refers to apparent change that can go back to its original state, such as a clay becoming a pot (2) Parinamavada refers to changes that are irreversible, such as an oil seed becoming oil. Vedanta says that the absolute reality appears to have become this world – it is only an apparent change.

20th verse: “Purusha is the self-effulgent reality. It does not undergo any change. It is the presence of the Purusha that allows us to have experiences in this world. What we experience is the evolution of Prakriti in the form of three gunas.”

Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy.

21st and 22nd verses: “Our body, thoughts, emotions are all parts of evolution from Prakriti. Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does not change. Our true identity is the Purusha.”

In the Kathopanishad, Yama explains the science of realizing our true identity to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

Kathopanishad also compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses, and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52102119Mon, 05 Dec 2022 18:27:14 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Purusha and Prakriti 13th Chapter: Verses 19, 20, 21, 22 These verses deal with the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy. There are two main schools of thoughts in Indian philosophy. (1) Theistic schools which accept Vedic testimony and...
13th Chapter: Verses 19, 20, 21, 22

These verses deal with the Samkhya school of Indian philosophy. There are two main schools of thoughts in Indian philosophy. (1) Theistic schools which accept Vedic testimony and (2) Atheistic schools, which do care much for Vedic testimony. The six theistic schools were the Mimamsakas of Jaimini, Vedanta (Uttara Mimamsa of Badarayana), the Samkhya philosophy of Kapila, the Yoga of Patanjali, the Nyaya school of Gautama, and the Vaisheshika school of Kanada. The six aetheistic schools include the four schools of Buddhism, the Jaina philosophy, and the Indian materialists, called Charvakas.

Samkhya school is silent about God. It talks about evolution. Its original exponent was Kapila. Later, a karika was written by Isvara Krishna.

There are two fundamental categories in Samkhya. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active but non-effulgent. The evolutes of Prakriti are Mahatattvam or cosmic intelligence, Ahamkara or ego-sense, the mind, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras are a practical application of Samkhya. When we practice spiritual disciplines such as Yamas and Niyamas, we start our journey backwards (involution) towards our true spiritual identity as Purusha.

The main idea of Samkhya is this - the entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, the evolutionary cycle comes to an end for us.

Vedanta accepts ideas of Samkhya, such as the evolutes of Prakriti and its wonderful analysis of the human mind. However, it does not accept the conclusions of Samkhya.

19th verse: “Know that Purusha and Prakriti are beginningless. All these evolutes and changes come into existence as a result of evolution in Prakriti.”

In Indian philosophy, there are two concepts of evolution and change. (1) Apparent change or Vivartavada refers to apparent change that can go back to its original state, such as a clay becoming a pot (2) Parinamavada refers to changes that are irreversible, such as an oil seed becoming oil. Vedanta says that the absolute reality appears to have become this world – it is only an apparent change.

20th verse: “Purusha is the self-effulgent reality. It does not undergo any change. It is the presence of the Purusha that allows us to have experiences in this world. What we experience is the evolution of Prakriti in the form of three gunas.”

Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and jealousy.

21st and 22nd verses: “Our body, thoughts, emotions are all parts of evolution from Prakriti. Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does not change. Our true identity is the Purusha.”

In the Kathopanishad, Yama explains the science of realizing our true identity to Nachiketa. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend death. He teaches him how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman, which is deathless, and which is present everywhere and in everything.

Kathopanishad also compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses, and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not...]]>3817false125fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/126-spiritual-sameness-swami-tattwamayananda--52166886
Verses 19-21 deal with the two fundamental categories of Samkhya philosophy. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active, non-effulgent, and impermanent. The entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti.

The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, we can approach life with wisdom and level-headedness.

28th verse: “A spiritually enlightened person sees the same divine spark in all beings. He looks upon the whole creation as one entity. He recognizes the impermanent as impermanent and goes beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation – he achieves equanimity. Such a person cannot harm anyone.”

Sri Ramakrishna felt this sameness, so it was natural for him to accept all faiths. From what standpoint did he see all religions as the same? It was from the realm of spiritual experience, not from the realm of the empirical. True non-violence, as described in the 28th verse, is also only possible at the spiritual level, when we see everyone as the same.

Swami Vivekananda said: “The infinite oneness of soul is the only ethical foundation behind all morality, all good actions and thoughts.”

Equanimity of mind is a recognizable characteristic of a spiritually enlightened person. His mind is Prasanna – means it is healthy and does not remind of its existence as an unhealthy mind would. The reference to Prasanna comes from this ayurvedic verse: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. This verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit.

27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees the same spiritual reality in every being. He understands that the psycho-physical mechanism is perishable and within it is the imperishable divine reality.”

Once we understand the 27th and 28th verses, we take on the earlier verses 22-26. They emphasize that the changes we experience only happen at the level of matter (Prakriti), not at the level of spirit (Purusha). The divine spark is present everywhere and activates all these changes. When we look at the world from this angle, we see sameness, as described in the 27th and 28th verses.

22nd verse: “Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does not change. Our true identity is the Purusha.”

23rd verse: “Any spiritual seeker who realizes this infinite oneness, who sees the Purusha behind everything – he goes beyond the transmigratory cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”

What happens when we realize that we are the Purusha and not this physical body? We become a witness to our mind, and we are able to watch our own emotions and feelings. We no longer identify with them. We objectify our mind and thereby make it our friend.

24th and 25th verses: “Some people practice Dhyana Yoga, some practice Jnana Yoga and some practice Karma Yoga. Still others hear from others and begin to worship the Lord.

Karma Yoga is simple. It means we do all our actions to the best of our ability, but at the same time, we understand that everything in this world is impermanent and that we may not attain 100% success from our efforts. Then success and failure won’t bother us. This attitude takes us to equanimity of mind.

26th verse: “Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of Kshetra (field) and Kshetrajna (knower of the field). One who realizes this achieves equanimity.”

29th verse: “All actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. The surface is always changing and is constituted by the three gunas. Behind this is the divine spark which is actionless.”

Sattva guna manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52166886Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:49:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco13th Chapter: Verses 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 Verses 19-21 deal with the two fundamental categories of Samkhya philosophy. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active, non-effulgent, and...
Verses 19-21 deal with the two fundamental categories of Samkhya philosophy. (1) Purusha, which is self-effulgent, eternal and inactive. (2) Prakriti, which is active, non-effulgent, and impermanent. The entire universe comes from Prakriti and exists in Prakriti.

The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Purusha, we can approach life with wisdom and level-headedness.

28th verse: “A spiritually enlightened person sees the same divine spark in all beings. He looks upon the whole creation as one entity. He recognizes the impermanent as impermanent and goes beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation – he achieves equanimity. Such a person cannot harm anyone.”

Sri Ramakrishna felt this sameness, so it was natural for him to accept all faiths. From what standpoint did he see all religions as the same? It was from the realm of spiritual experience, not from the realm of the empirical. True non-violence, as described in the 28th verse, is also only possible at the spiritual level, when we see everyone as the same.

Swami Vivekananda said: “The infinite oneness of soul is the only ethical foundation behind all morality, all good actions and thoughts.”

Equanimity of mind is a recognizable characteristic of a spiritually enlightened person. His mind is Prasanna – means it is healthy and does not remind of its existence as an unhealthy mind would. The reference to Prasanna comes from this ayurvedic verse: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. This verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit.

27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees the same spiritual reality in every being. He understands that the psycho-physical mechanism is perishable and within it is the imperishable divine reality.”

Once we understand the 27th and 28th verses, we take on the earlier verses 22-26. They emphasize that the changes we experience only happen at the level of matter (Prakriti), not at the level of spirit (Purusha). The divine spark is present everywhere and activates all these changes. When we look at the world from this angle, we see sameness, as described in the 27th and 28th verses.

22nd verse: “Within this psycho-physical mechanism, there is a divine spark, the Purusha, which is the witness – it is eternal and does not change. Our true identity is the Purusha.”

23rd verse: “Any spiritual seeker who realizes this infinite oneness, who sees the Purusha behind everything – he goes beyond the transmigratory cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”

What happens when we realize that we are the Purusha and not this physical body? We become a witness to our mind, and we are able to watch our own emotions and feelings. We no longer identify with them. We objectify our mind and thereby make it our friend.

24th and 25th verses: “Some people practice Dhyana Yoga, some practice Jnana Yoga and some practice Karma Yoga. Still others hear from others and begin to worship the Lord.

Karma Yoga is simple. It means we do all our actions to the best of our ability, but at the same time, we understand that everything in this world is impermanent and that we may not attain 100% success from our efforts. Then success and failure won’t bother us. This attitude takes us to equanimity of mind.

26th verse: “Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of Kshetra (field) and Kshetrajna (knower of the field). One who...]]>4129false126fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/127-spiritual-humanism-swami-tattwamayananda--5253235113th Chapter: Verses 26, 27, 28, 29

26th verse: “There is one supreme divine reality present in everything and everywhere. Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements.

27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees that there is one unchanging supreme reality in everything in this world, both perishable and imperishable.”

When we evolve spiritually, we do not limit the presence of God to the temple. Everywhere, we feel the omnipresence of the divine. It is not a matter of philosophy – it is a matter of inner experience.

Spirituality in its highest form is to see the divine everywhere. Its practical application is explained in some verses in the Bhagavata Purana – they emphasize spiritual humanism, and that existence is one from a spiritual perspective. When we understand this, we won’t harm anyone and won’t pollute nature.

The verses from Bhagavata Purana are below:

“I am present in everything that has come into existence. Anyone who neglects this truth and thinks that I am only present in a book or a place of worship, his worship is fake worship.”

“I have built a temple for myself in the hearts of those who are pious, humble and pure, those who are humanistic and have compassion, those who understand that the divine is present everywhere.”

“Those who perform elaborate rituals but who do not understand that I am present in everything that has come into existence, who look down upon other beings – their worship is not completely fruitful."

28th verse: “The one who sees the same, unchanging, eternal reality present everywhere and in everything - such a person cannot harm anyone and attains the highest level of spiritual evolution.”

Ahimsa (non-violence) is the most tangible sign of spirituality. It does not just mean doing anything violent. It means not thinking, speaking, and contemplating anything violent. Being established in Ahimsa is only possible when we see others as non-distinct from ourselves. Ahimsa is one of the ten spiritual disciplines emphasized in yamas and niyamas.

You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”

29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”

A true spiritual person performs every action as a noble action. A noble action has two characteristics: First, it is done with full concentration, sanctity, and sacredness. Second, the person does not expect anything in return – he does everything as an act of worship.

There is a practical relevance of this teaching. The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Atman, we can approach life with wisdom and level-headedness.

In modern times, even successful people may suffer from anxiety. Material success alone does not give us happiness. Gita tells us: “you work hard, achieve what you want. But remember, all these things are impermanent.” This gives us a unique kind of level-headedness.

Mahatma Gandhi led a life of action, but he was not attached to results. When we are non-attached and work for the good of humanity, our duty is no longer a burden. At the same time, it helps us grow spiritually.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52532351Fri, 20 Jan 2023 19:23:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco13th Chapter: Verses 26, 27, 28, 29 26th verse: “There is one supreme divine reality present in everything and everywhere. Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements. 27th verse: “Who is the wise...13th Chapter: Verses 26, 27, 28, 29

26th verse: “There is one supreme divine reality present in everything and everywhere. Everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements.

27th verse: “Who is the wise person? The one who sees that there is one unchanging supreme reality in everything in this world, both perishable and imperishable.”

When we evolve spiritually, we do not limit the presence of God to the temple. Everywhere, we feel the omnipresence of the divine. It is not a matter of philosophy – it is a matter of inner experience.

Spirituality in its highest form is to see the divine everywhere. Its practical application is explained in some verses in the Bhagavata Purana – they emphasize spiritual humanism, and that existence is one from a spiritual perspective. When we understand this, we won’t harm anyone and won’t pollute nature.

The verses from Bhagavata Purana are below:

“I am present in everything that has come into existence. Anyone who neglects this truth and thinks that I am only present in a book or a place of worship, his worship is fake worship.”

“I have built a temple for myself in the hearts of those who are pious, humble and pure, those who are humanistic and have compassion, those who understand that the divine is present everywhere.”

“Those who perform elaborate rituals but who do not understand that I am present in everything that has come into existence, who look down upon other beings – their worship is not completely fruitful."

28th verse: “The one who sees the same, unchanging, eternal reality present everywhere and in everything - such a person cannot harm anyone and attains the highest level of spiritual evolution.”

Ahimsa (non-violence) is the most tangible sign of spirituality. It does not just mean doing anything violent. It means not thinking, speaking, and contemplating anything violent. Being established in Ahimsa is only possible when we see others as non-distinct from ourselves. Ahimsa is one of the ten spiritual disciplines emphasized in yamas and niyamas.

You can be a good human being without affirming your faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”

29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”

A true spiritual person performs every action as a noble action. A noble action has two characteristics: First, it is done with full concentration, sanctity, and sacredness. Second, the person does not expect anything in return – he does everything as an act of worship.

There is a practical relevance of this teaching. The problems that we face in our lives are due to our false identification with the impermanent psycho-physical mechanism. The moment we understand that we are higher than this psycho-physical mechanism, that our true nature is Atman, we can approach life with wisdom and level-headedness.

In modern times, even successful people may suffer from anxiety. Material success alone does not give us happiness. Gita tells us: “you work hard, achieve what you want. But remember, all these things are impermanent.” This gives us a unique kind of level-headedness.

Mahatma Gandhi led a life of action, but he was not attached to results. When we are non-attached and work for the good of humanity, our duty is no longer a burden. At the same time, it helps us grow spiritually.]]>3426false127fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/128-practicing-detachment-swami-tattwamayananda--52599444Title: Practicing Detachment

13th Chapter: Verses 29, 30, 31, 32; Summary of 2nd chapter

29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”

30th verse: “A person who understands that the world of plurality that we experience is built upon one single point – he attains the highest realization.”

All experiences that we have are expressions of the same divine spark in innumerable forms. Spirituality expands into the realm of everyday life. In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. As we evolve, the secular becomes spiritualized – the line of demarcation disappears. Work becomes an act of worship.

We can start our spiritual journey at any moment in life. Karma Yoga is the art of doing all activities from a spiritual perspective. When we begin to do our actions as karma yoga, we board the bus for our spiritual destination. When Buddha saw old age, disease and death, and the serenity of a monk, he began his spiritual journey.

31st verse: “The Atman is beginningless. It neither acts nor is attached.”

In the 18th verse of the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.

We should do our actions with full efficiency but stay detached from the results. Then we won’t have anxiety and mental fatigue from worrying about the results.

32nd verse: This verse compares the Atman to space. Space is everywhere but it is not affected by anything. It remains detached but accommodates everything. Similarly, the Atman is present everywhere but remains unaffected.

Gita begins with an invocation which in summary means: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you who rain down blessings of the nectar of Advaita.”

47th verse of the 2nd chapter says: “You have the right to action, but not to the results thereof. You should not be attached to inaction either.”

Gita presents Swadharma as a way to stay properly active. Swadharma is our natural way of work and that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment.

Swami Trigunatitananda’s was a traveling monk before coming to the US. In 13 years, he built the old temple, shaped the Vedanta Society, built a printing press, preached across the city and inspired people to renounce. All along, he never felt he was doing anything.

Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52599444Fri, 27 Jan 2023 22:16:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Practicing Detachment 13th Chapter: Verses 29, 30, 31, 32; Summary of 2nd chapter 29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our...Title: Practicing Detachment

13th Chapter: Verses 29, 30, 31, 32; Summary of 2nd chapter

29th verse: “A spiritual person realizes that all actions of the mind and body (thoughts, words and deeds) take place at the superficial or material level. Our true nature is Atman, which is unchanging and actionless. This Atman when joined with samskaras makes us do things.”

30th verse: “A person who understands that the world of plurality that we experience is built upon one single point – he attains the highest realization.”

All experiences that we have are expressions of the same divine spark in innumerable forms. Spirituality expands into the realm of everyday life. In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. As we evolve, the secular becomes spiritualized – the line of demarcation disappears. Work becomes an act of worship.

We can start our spiritual journey at any moment in life. Karma Yoga is the art of doing all activities from a spiritual perspective. When we begin to do our actions as karma yoga, we board the bus for our spiritual destination. When Buddha saw old age, disease and death, and the serenity of a monk, he began his spiritual journey.

31st verse: “The Atman is beginningless. It neither acts nor is attached.”

In the 18th verse of the 4th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.

We should do our actions with full efficiency but stay detached from the results. Then we won’t have anxiety and mental fatigue from worrying about the results.

32nd verse: This verse compares the Atman to space. Space is everywhere but it is not affected by anything. It remains detached but accommodates everything. Similarly, the Atman is present everywhere but remains unaffected.

Gita begins with an invocation which in summary means: “O’ Mother Gita, I bow down to you who rain down blessings of the nectar of Advaita.”

47th verse of the 2nd chapter says: “You have the right to action, but not to the results thereof. You should not be attached to inaction either.”

Gita presents Swadharma as a way to stay properly active. Swadharma is our natural way of work and that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our Swadharma, we derive inner contentment.

Swami Trigunatitananda’s was a traveling monk before coming to the US. In 13 years, he built the old temple, shaped the Vedanta Society, built a printing press, preached across the city and inspired people to renounce. All along, he never felt he was doing anything.

Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life.”]]>3871false128fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/129-summary-of-thirteen-chapters-swami-tattwamayananda--52656709Title: Summary of Thirteen Chapters

Summary of earlier chapters of Gita; introduction to 14th chapter

55th through 72nd verses of the 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada also discusses similar characteristics.

Such a person is not worried when there is a problem, and he is not over-joyed when something
pleasant happens. He has no special admiration for others, nor does he hate anyone. This spiritual
stability is an essential characteristic. He is contented, happy within, and has a deep sense of inner
fulfillment. He identifies himself with the divinity within and feels oneness with other beings.

The 4th chapter of Gita has a description of karma yoga. It describes how we can begin our spiritual journey any moment by bringing an element of spirituality into our everyday life.

In the next few chapters, there are discussions of the highest philosophical concepts of Advaita.

In the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee of God.

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. Thereupon, you will always live in Me.”

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th - 11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts
spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a
certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be
done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee. When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.
He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have
animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards
everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.

The 13th chapter says that everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements.

The 63rd and 67th verses of the 18th chapter of Gita describe the attitude of the teacher of Gita, Lord Krishna.

In the 63rd verse, he says: “I have taught you this great spiritual truth. You analyze what I have taught you, use your own reasoning, and do what you want.” This verse emphasizes the importance of spiritual freedom and encourages one to think for oneself. It also indicates that we can only learn from a book or teacher what we deserve to learn, what our mind is ready to learn.

In the 67th verse, Lord Krishna says: “Don’t ever discuss this subject with a person who does not have the mental purity, who has not practiced austerity, who is impolite, who is arrogant, who is jealous of his own teacher, and who is not ready to do good to anyone.” This verse emphasizes that to learn spiritual subjects, we must have a sense of sanctity and sacredness.

The 14th chapter is important because it describes the secret of plurality in this world. There are many common factors such as the divine spark that is present in everyone. The plurality comes from the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – which constitute the entire material world. Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52656709Sat, 04 Feb 2023 03:49:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Summary of Thirteen Chapters Summary of earlier chapters of Gita; introduction to 14th chapter 55th through 72nd verses of the 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada also...Title: Summary of Thirteen Chapters

Summary of earlier chapters of Gita; introduction to 14th chapter

55th through 72nd verses of the 2nd chapter of Gita discuss the characteristics of an enlightened person. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada also discusses similar characteristics.

Such a person is not worried when there is a problem, and he is not over-joyed when something
pleasant happens. He has no special admiration for others, nor does he hate anyone. This spiritual
stability is an essential characteristic. He is contented, happy within, and has a deep sense of inner
fulfillment. He identifies himself with the divinity within and feels oneness with other beings.

The 4th chapter of Gita has a description of karma yoga. It describes how we can begin our spiritual journey any moment by bringing an element of spirituality into our everyday life.

In the next few chapters, there are discussions of the highest philosophical concepts of Advaita.

In the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the characteristics of a devotee of God.

In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual journey of a seeker in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. Thereupon, you will always live in Me.”

When we identify with a higher ideal, both mentally and intellectually, we live in that ideal and that ideal lives in us. This is the highest state of devotional evolution.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th - 11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated practice, such as Navadha Bhakti).”

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.”

To do Abhyasa-Yoga, we need a friendly mind. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts
spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a
certain manner. Such a mind should be given healthy food first and turned into a friend. This can be
done by bringing spirituality to all secular work. How? By thinking that everything is God’s work. Then his mind will evolve to a stage where he can practice Abhyasa-Yoga.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of your actions to Me.”

For example, when one returns home after a day’s work, he can mentally say: “Whatever I have done today and its results, I leave it to God.” Slowly his old mind will disappear, and a new mind will take its place, enabling him to do his work as God’s work.

In the 13th and 14th verse, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee. When speaking about the characteristics of a devotee, Lord Krishna does not mention rituals or going to a temple. He essentially says that all genuine devotees are good human beings.
He says that the devotee who is dear to Him has the following characteristics. (1) He does not have
animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards
everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God.

The 13th chapter says that everything in this world is nothing but a combination of this divine spark and external elements.

The 63rd and 67th verses of the 18th chapter of Gita describe the attitude of the teacher of Gita, Lord Krishna.

In the 63rd verse, he...]]>3216false127fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/130-the-secret-of-plurality-in-human-nature-swami-tattwamayananda--52719839Title: The Secret of Plurality in Human Nature

14th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 6th chapter 46th verse

The 14th chapter is important because it describes the secret of plurality in this world. There are many common factors such as the divine spark that is present in everyone. The plurality comes from the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – which constitute the entire material world.

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Sri Ramakrishna describes the three gunas with the story of three thieves. Three thieves ambush a traveler in a forest. The thief representing Tamo guna says: “Let’s kill him and take all his belongings.” The second thief representing Rajo guna says: “Let’s give him some blows and bind him to a tree.” The thief representing Sattva guna takes the traveler to the road and shows him the way to the village. He does not accompany him – he knows that he is a thief and can be caught by the police.

The 6th verse of the 14th chapter says: “Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is luminous, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds you. Ultimate supreme goal is to go beyond all three gunas.”

Shankaracharya says in his commentary on the 6th verse that sattva guna is harmless. It is like a brilliant, stainless crustal. However, even for a man of sattva guna, any kind of ambition that leads to temporary happiness, may lead to invisible bondage. There is a degree of imperfection even in sattva guna. The ultimate goal is to go beyond all three gunas. However, one cannot do so without attaining sattva guna.

1st verse: “I am going to discuss the supreme knowledge, which is a proper understanding of what is real and what is unreal, what is eternal and what is non-eternal, and what is matter and what is the ultimate reality.”In our life, we are manipulated by matter - the three gunas - which is not eternal. We should go beyond matter. We should stop looking for happiness all the time. “Perpetual happiness is unrealistic and a delusion.” – Once this becomes a part of our emotional system, it gives us level-headedness.

2nd verse: “A proper understanding of what is the body-mind complex and what is the unchanging divine spark, helps us to go beyond the transmigratory cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Ultimately, it helps us become one with Brahman.”

Most of the problems that we face in life are due to our wrong association with the body and the mind. When we can be a witness to our own mind, our own thoughts, then we can objectify our worries; then they cease to be worries. Worry is an unintelligent way of responding to a situation.

3rd and 4th verses: “The cosmic mind of emotions, feelings and thoughts – when it gets associated with the divine spark, then creation happens. When the two get disassociated, dissolution happens.”

These verses express cosmic evolution and dissolution in a human way by comparing to human birth. The feelings that we experience in our daily lives do not happen by themselves. They become active by association with the divine spark.

5th verse: “The three gunas bind us to this world. Our true identity is the divine spark. We get bound because we identify with the three gunas.”

One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. This is the advice Lord Krishna gives to Arjuna in the GIta. He first asks him to become active and evolve from tamo guna to rajo guna.

In the Gita, Lord Krishna also says: “Don’t teach karma yoga to a person who is inactive or lazy. He should first become ambitious and active with a purpose. He first has to evolve from tamo guna to rajo guna. Only then, he can get to sattva guna.”

A person endowed with sattva guna is active, but for the good of others. He is not opposed to rajo guna, but he is not bound by rajo guna. Spiritual giants such as Buddha, Christ and Swami Vivekananda were endowed with sattva guna and were hyperactive. They worked only for the good of others.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna.

The three gunas are not linked to the work one does. Rather, it is linked to the attitude with which one does the work. A person with sattva guna does even the most unpopular work with total dedication, humility, and inner contentment.

Our ultimate objective is to go beyond all the three gunas. Then we will be guided by sattva guna and we will use rajo guna for the good of others.

6th chapter, 46th verse: “This Yogi is superior to the Tapasvi (one who practices extreme asceticism), superior to the Jnani (one who is a mere scholar), and superior to the Karmi (one who follows rituals).”

Scriptures, asceticism and rituals have their place in spiritual evolution. However, a seeker should not stop there. He should go beyond. After traveling some distance, he should have genuine inquisitiveness about the higher truth – that’s when his real spiritual journey starts.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/52719839Fri, 10 Feb 2023 19:09:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Secret of Plurality in Human Nature 14th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 6th chapter 46th verse The 14th chapter is important because it describes the secret of plurality in this world. There are many common factors such as the divine...Title: The Secret of Plurality in Human Nature

14th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 6th chapter 46th verse

The 14th chapter is important because it describes the secret of plurality in this world. There are many common factors such as the divine spark that is present in everyone. The plurality comes from the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – which constitute the entire material world.

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Sri Ramakrishna describes the three gunas with the story of three thieves. Three thieves ambush a traveler in a forest. The thief representing Tamo guna says: “Let’s kill him and take all his belongings.” The second thief representing Rajo guna says: “Let’s give him some blows and bind him to a tree.” The thief representing Sattva guna takes the traveler to the road and shows him the way to the village. He does not accompany him – he knows that he is a thief and can be caught by the police.

The 6th verse of the 14th chapter says: “Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is luminous, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds you. Ultimate supreme goal is to go beyond all three gunas.”

Shankaracharya says in his commentary on the 6th verse that sattva guna is harmless. It is like a brilliant, stainless crustal. However, even for a man of sattva guna, any kind of ambition that leads to temporary happiness, may lead to invisible bondage. There is a degree of imperfection even in sattva guna. The ultimate goal is to go beyond all three gunas. However, one cannot do so without attaining sattva guna.

1st verse: “I am going to discuss the supreme knowledge, which is a proper understanding of what is real and what is unreal, what is eternal and what is non-eternal, and what is matter and what is the ultimate reality.”In our life, we are manipulated by matter - the three gunas - which is not eternal. We should go beyond matter. We should stop looking for happiness all the time. “Perpetual happiness is unrealistic and a delusion.” – Once this becomes a part of our emotional system, it gives us level-headedness.

2nd verse: “A proper understanding of what is the body-mind complex and what is the unchanging divine spark, helps us to go beyond the transmigratory cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Ultimately, it helps us become one with Brahman.”

Most of the problems that we face in life are due to our wrong association with the body and the mind. When we can be a witness to our own mind, our own thoughts, then we can objectify our worries; then they cease to be worries. Worry is an unintelligent way of responding to a situation.

3rd and 4th verses: “The cosmic mind of emotions, feelings and thoughts – when it gets associated with the divine spark, then creation happens. When the two get disassociated, dissolution happens.”

These verses express cosmic evolution and dissolution in a human way by comparing to human birth. The feelings that we experience in our daily lives do not happen by themselves. They become active by association with the divine spark.

5th verse: “The three gunas bind us to this world. Our true identity is the divine spark. We get bound because we identify with the three gunas.”

One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. This is the advice Lord Krishna gives...]]>4248falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/131-the-bondage-of-the-three-gunas-swami-tattwamayananda--53670159Title: The Bondage of the Three Gunas 14th Chapter: Verses 6, 7, 8, 9

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

The 6th verse of the 14th chapter says: “Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is luminous, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds you. Ultimate supreme goal is to go beyond all three gunas.”

Those endowed with sattva guna have a natural tendency to know things. They enjoy the quest for knowledge. A person endowed with sattva guna is active, but for the good of others. He is not opposed to rajo guna, but he is not bound by rajo guna. Along with action, he displays wisdom and level-headedness.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna.

There is a degree of imperfection even in sattva guna, as it can lead to invisible bondage when one can feel attached to manifestations of this guna such as the quest for knowledge.

7th verse: “Rajo guna is of the nature of extreme likes and dislikes, extreme attachment and aversion. It leads to bondage by attachment to action.”

Trishna in Buddhism refers to thirst or desire. It is not ordinary desire. When one is thirsty, he may go to any extremes to get water. This attitude is natural for those endowed with rajo guna.

While rajo guna is superior to tamo guna, it is not of the highest type. A man endowed with rajo guna will not be able to find fulfillment in his life, as his mind is divided into two extreme thought currents.

8th verse: “Tamo guna is caused by ignorance and delusion. It binds one through laziness.” Ignorance here does not mean absence of information. It means ignorance of higher values and our true nature. Along with that comes delusion.

Vyasa in Patanjali Yoga Sutras classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused).

Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. There are two portions of the mind at play. One portion is friendly and may say: “Let me start meditation or reading a good book with higher ideas.” The other portion is unfriendly and wants to procrastinate. A person with such a mind is endowed with lot of rajo guna. He has some sattva guna as well – that’s why he feels like meditation of learning about higher ideas. When he starts the activity, tamo guna comes into play and procrastinates.

In Ekagra state, rajo guna decreases and sattva guna increases. In Niruddha state, one transcends all the three gunas.

Spiritual life is about coming face to face with our own mind. When we try to turn the mind away from the pulls of nature, the mind revolts.

We should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels, by feeding it good food. We should start by doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such actions generate spiritual energy that helps the mind evolve and become friendly. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Then the mind starts becoming friendly. Spiritual growth is achieved by constant practice and by one’s own self effort.

9th verse: “A person endowed with sattva guna is bound to higher ideas and happiness. A person endowed with rajo guna is bound to action and ambition. A person endowed with tamo guna is bound to delusion and inaction.”

The ultimate goal is to go beyond all three gunas, as they all cause bondage Then we will be guided by sattva guna and we will use rajo guna for the good of others.

One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. If one is lazy, he should first become active with a purpose, even if that purpose is selfish. He would then have boarded the bus that will take him to his destination. The moving bus is rajo guna. Slowly, his selfishness will decrease and he attains sattva guna.




]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53670159Fri, 17 Feb 2023 21:14:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Bondage of the Three Gunas 14th Chapter: Verses 6, 7, 8, 9 Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as...Title: The Bondage of the Three Gunas 14th Chapter: Verses 6, 7, 8, 9

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

The 6th verse of the 14th chapter says: “Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is luminous, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds you. Ultimate supreme goal is to go beyond all three gunas.”

Those endowed with sattva guna have a natural tendency to know things. They enjoy the quest for knowledge. A person endowed with sattva guna is active, but for the good of others. He is not opposed to rajo guna, but he is not bound by rajo guna. Along with action, he displays wisdom and level-headedness.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna.

There is a degree of imperfection even in sattva guna, as it can lead to invisible bondage when one can feel attached to manifestations of this guna such as the quest for knowledge.

7th verse: “Rajo guna is of the nature of extreme likes and dislikes, extreme attachment and aversion. It leads to bondage by attachment to action.”

Trishna in Buddhism refers to thirst or desire. It is not ordinary desire. When one is thirsty, he may go to any extremes to get water. This attitude is natural for those endowed with rajo guna.

While rajo guna is superior to tamo guna, it is not of the highest type. A man endowed with rajo guna will not be able to find fulfillment in his life, as his mind is divided into two extreme thought currents.

8th verse: “Tamo guna is caused by ignorance and delusion. It binds one through laziness.” Ignorance here does not mean absence of information. It means ignorance of higher values and our true nature. Along with that comes delusion.

Vyasa in Patanjali Yoga Sutras classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused).

Most beginners are in the third stage, where the mind sways like a pendulum. There are two portions of the mind at play. One portion is friendly and may say: “Let me start meditation or reading a good book with higher ideas.” The other portion is unfriendly and wants to procrastinate. A person with such a mind is endowed with lot of rajo guna. He has some sattva guna as well – that’s why he feels like meditation of learning about higher ideas. When he starts the activity, tamo guna comes into play and procrastinates.

In Ekagra state, rajo guna decreases and sattva guna increases. In Niruddha state, one transcends all the three gunas.

Spiritual life is about coming face to face with our own mind. When we try to turn the mind away from the pulls of nature, the mind revolts.

We should slowly withdraw the mind from conflicting thought currents by directing it towards positive channels, by feeding it good food. We should start by doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such actions generate spiritual energy that helps the mind evolve and become friendly. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras has to be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Then the mind starts becoming friendly. Spiritual growth is achieved by constant practice and by one’s own self effort.

9th verse: “A person endowed...]]>3859false131fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/132-effects-of-the-three-gunas-swami-tattwamayananda--53670162Title: Effects of the Three Gunas

14th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 6th chapter verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is the most refined, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds, as the person endowed with sattva guna feels attached to sukha – he has a natural tendency to seek inner serenity and poise.

10th verse: “In a person who is serene, detached and contented, sattva guna dominates. Rajo guna and tamo guna are almost non-functional. In such a person, laziness and confusion, which are manifestations of tamo guna, disappear. Similarly, hyperactive nature, manifestation of rajo guna, disappears.”

The 11th verse refers to the five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect as the doors of the body, or the instruments through which one acts. A person endowed with sattva guna is able to restrain all these instruments of action – in him, these doors are illumined by light which represents serenity, wisdom and insight. He has a sense of inner fulfillment and contentment.

12th and 13th verses: “Greed, craving, hyper activism, and restlessness prevail in a person predominated by rajo guna. Ignorance, laziness, negligence and delusion prevail in a person predominated by tamo guna.”

Vyasa in Patanjali Yoga Sutras classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The first two are manifestations of tamo guna, viskhipta is manifestation of rajo guna, and ekagra is manifestation of sattva guna. In niruddha state, one transcends all the three gunas.

The characteristics describes in the 12th and the 13th verses have parallels to the nine antarayas describes in Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Antaraya means obstacles to spiritual growth. Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.

14th verse: “If a person dies when sattva guna is predominant, he goes to higher regions and stays with higher beings. Later, he is born in a surrounding where he can continue his spiritual journey.”

15th verse: “If a person dies when rajo guna is predominant, he is born among people who are hyper-active. If a person does when tamo guna is predominant, he is born among the lower species.”

At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, the tendencies that they created are stored in the Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory and ego). These stored tendencies in the Antahkarana are never lost and are born again.

In the 6th chapter, in the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? “

In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that the one who is desirous of entering the path of Yoga, will be born in a pure and prosperous family, where his parents are spiritually oriented, and where his unfulfilled desires can be fulfilled. The one who is advanced and has entered the path of spiritual life, will be born in a family that has a tradition of producing great spiritual aspirants.

Bhagavata Purana is the story of King Parikshit who has seven days left to live because of a curse. The entire Purana is a response to his question to Sage Suka – “What should a dying man do? How should he live the rest of his life?” Suka says: “One should be able to live life in such a way that he can leave the body with a smile on his face and with holy thought in his mind.” One is able to depart in such a manner only if sattva guna predominates in him.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53670162Fri, 07 Apr 2023 20:20:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Effects of the Three Gunas 14th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 6th chapter verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the...Title: Effects of the Three Gunas

14th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15; 6th chapter verses 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is the most refined, healthy and good. However, even Sattva guna binds, as the person endowed with sattva guna feels attached to sukha – he has a natural tendency to seek inner serenity and poise.

10th verse: “In a person who is serene, detached and contented, sattva guna dominates. Rajo guna and tamo guna are almost non-functional. In such a person, laziness and confusion, which are manifestations of tamo guna, disappear. Similarly, hyperactive nature, manifestation of rajo guna, disappears.”

The 11th verse refers to the five senses of perception, five senses of action, mind and intellect as the doors of the body, or the instruments through which one acts. A person endowed with sattva guna is able to restrain all these instruments of action – in him, these doors are illumined by light which represents serenity, wisdom and insight. He has a sense of inner fulfillment and contentment.

12th and 13th verses: “Greed, craving, hyper activism, and restlessness prevail in a person predominated by rajo guna. Ignorance, laziness, negligence and delusion prevail in a person predominated by tamo guna.”

Vyasa in Patanjali Yoga Sutras classifies the human mind into five categories: (1) Kshipta (scattered) (2) Mudha (dull) (3) Vikshipta (partially focused) (4) Ekagra (one-pointed) (5) Niruddha (fully focused). The first two are manifestations of tamo guna, viskhipta is manifestation of rajo guna, and ekagra is manifestation of sattva guna. In niruddha state, one transcends all the three gunas.

The characteristics describes in the 12th and the 13th verses have parallels to the nine antarayas describes in Patanjali Yoga Sutras. Antaraya means obstacles to spiritual growth. Patanjali refers to the following obstacles, which cause the mind to wander - Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of interest, sloth, clinging to sense pleasures, false perception, lack of concentration, and unsteadiness in concentration.

14th verse: “If a person dies when sattva guna is predominant, he goes to higher regions and stays with higher beings. Later, he is born in a surrounding where he can continue his spiritual journey.”

15th verse: “If a person dies when rajo guna is predominant, he is born among people who are hyper-active. If a person does when tamo guna is predominant, he is born among the lower species.”

At death, even though our senses of perception and action are gone, the tendencies that they created are stored in the Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory and ego). These stored tendencies in the Antahkarana are never lost and are born again.

In the 6th chapter, in the 37th, 38th and 39th verse, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is endowed with shraddha and is making an earnest effort to control his mind. Yet, he fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person? “

In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that the one who is desirous of entering the path of...]]>3470falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/133-transcending-the-three-gunas-swami-tattwamayananda--53670389
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is the most refined. If a person has dynamism combined with a sense of serenity and wisdom, he is endowed with sattva guna. He can concentrate, and direct his time and skills in one direction. Sattva guna manifests as strength combined with humility, richness combined with generosity and so on.

A person endowed with sattva guna does his work as swadharma, as a way to properly stay active. Swadharma is our natural way of work that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our work as Swadharma, we derive inner contentment and do not feel tired from the work.

A person endowed with sattva guna is active, but for the good of others and with no attachment. He is not opposed to rajo guna, but he is not bound by rajo guna. Spiritual giants such as Shankaracharya, St. Teresa of Avila, Buddha and Christ were endowed with sattva guna and were always active. They worked only for the good of others.

One drawback of sattva guna is that it can lead to spiritual pride. There is also the risk of descending down to a level where rajo guna becomes predominant. This can be remedied by staying detached and doing the work as swadharma.

Greed, craving, hyper activism, and restlessness prevail in a person predominated by rajo guna. A person endowed with rajo guna always has a new desire and he directs his actions towards realization of that desire. Such desires have no end. Such a person can also have delusions of grandeur – a consequence of the person having a high opinion of himself.

The predominance of rajo guna in humans and civilizations can lead to great creativity and commerce. However, it can also lead to bad outcomes such as colonization.

Rajo guna is necessary, but it should be guided and restrained by sattva guna, as was done by Rajarshis (philosopher kings). Human civilization will not survive if there was only rajo guna without sattva guna.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosopher/sage aspect comes sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. As a king, he has power, wealth and status. As a sage, he can see far into things - he understands both the merits and limitations of power, wealth and status.

Ignorance, laziness, negligence and delusion prevail in a person predominated by tamo guna. Such a person is deluded and interprets the right as wrong and wrong as right. Political anarchism prevailed in some countries due to such inversion of ideas.

Gita asks us to strive to transcend all the three gunas. Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. To transcend the three gunas, we have to get established in sattva guna which promotes physical and emotional well-being and helps us make proper use of rajo guna.

18th verse: “Those with sattva guna evolve upwards – they go to the realm of angels and devas. Those with rajo guna remain in the same state. Those with tamo guna descend to lower levels. “

19th and 20th verse: “Those who are endowed with sattva guna, they will be able to realize that human being is not a just a body mind complex. There is something beyond that. The three gunas are linked to all our actions and thoughts. Our real identity is as Atman. When we realize this true identity, we can transcend the three gunas. Then the gunas will be tools in our hands, not vice versa.”

We will then be able to attain immortality, not in the physical sense, but by realizing our true nature. One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

In the 20th verse, Lord Krishna says that when we transcend the three gunas, we reach a state where there is no birth, no old age or sickness, and no death. We realize that we are the Atman, which is never born, which never dies, which is not subjected to changes and which is all-pervading. This is what is meant by attaining immortality.

The concept of the three gunas can also be applied to food. Food that agitates the mind is rajasic. Food that gives us serenity is sattvic. And food that makes us sleep and creates confusion is tamasic.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53670389Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:38:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco14th Chapter: Verses 18, 19, 20 Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests...
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

Of these three gunas, Sattva guna is the most refined. If a person has dynamism combined with a sense of serenity and wisdom, he is endowed with sattva guna. He can concentrate, and direct his time and skills in one direction. Sattva guna manifests as strength combined with humility, richness combined with generosity and so on.

A person endowed with sattva guna does his work as swadharma, as a way to properly stay active. Swadharma is our natural way of work that we feel perfect harmony with. When we do our work as Swadharma, we derive inner contentment and do not feel tired from the work.

A person endowed with sattva guna is active, but for the good of others and with no attachment. He is not opposed to rajo guna, but he is not bound by rajo guna. Spiritual giants such as Shankaracharya, St. Teresa of Avila, Buddha and Christ were endowed with sattva guna and were always active. They worked only for the good of others.

One drawback of sattva guna is that it can lead to spiritual pride. There is also the risk of descending down to a level where rajo guna becomes predominant. This can be remedied by staying detached and doing the work as swadharma.

Greed, craving, hyper activism, and restlessness prevail in a person predominated by rajo guna. A person endowed with rajo guna always has a new desire and he directs his actions towards realization of that desire. Such desires have no end. Such a person can also have delusions of grandeur – a consequence of the person having a high opinion of himself.

The predominance of rajo guna in humans and civilizations can lead to great creativity and commerce. However, it can also lead to bad outcomes such as colonization.

Rajo guna is necessary, but it should be guided and restrained by sattva guna, as was done by Rajarshis (philosopher kings). Human civilization will not survive if there was only rajo guna without sattva guna.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosopher/sage aspect comes sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. As a king, he has power, wealth and status. As a sage, he can see far into things - he understands both the merits and limitations of power, wealth and status.

Ignorance, laziness, negligence and delusion prevail in a person predominated by tamo guna. Such a person is deluded and interprets the right as wrong and wrong as right. Political anarchism prevailed in some countries due to such inversion of ideas.

Gita asks us to strive to transcend all the three gunas. Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. To transcend the three gunas, we have to get established in sattva guna which promotes physical and emotional well-being and helps us make proper use of rajo guna.

18th verse: “Those with sattva guna evolve upwards – they go to the realm of angels and devas. Those with rajo guna remain in the same state. Those with tamo guna descend to lower levels. “

19th and 20th verse: “Those who are endowed...]]>3622false133fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/134-the-state-beyond-the-three-gunas-swami-tattwamayananda--53670604
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

20th verse: “Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. He reaches a state where there is no birth, no old age or sickness, and no death. He realizes his true identity as the Atman, which is never born, which never dies, which is not subjected to changes and which is all-pervading. He attains immortality (amṛitam).”

Those who are endowed with sattva guna, they will be able to realize that human beings are not just a body-mind complex. There is something beyond that. Our real identity is as Atman. When we realize this true identity, we can transcend the three gunas. Then the gunas will be tools in our hands, not vice versa.

Gita asks us to strive to transcend all the three gunas. Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. To transcend the three gunas, we have to get established in sattva guna which promotes physical and emotional well-being and helps us make proper use of rajo guna.

The difference between a Guṇātita and the one established in sattva guna is this. The one with sattva guna has the risk of descending down to a level where rajo guna becomes predominant. The Guṇātita may come down to the level of sattva guna, but never to the level to rajo guna or tamo guna.

We attain immortality, not in the physical sense, but by realizing our true nature. One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. We realize that the body is just a cage or instrument for the Atman to manifest. We realize that everything at the empirical level is non-eternal, there is something beyond that is eternal. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

In the 21st verse, Arjuna asks: “What are the characteristics and signs of this Guṇātita, the one who has transcended the three gunas? How does such a person act and behave? How does one understand that he has gone beyond the three gunas?”

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. For example, if a person is active but with a sense of serenity and wisdom, we can infer that he is endowed with sattva guna.

We can transform our own personality. We have to understand where we stand and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. If we are lazy, we should first become active to develop rajo guna. If we are active, we should listen to higher ideas or do noble actions which generate sattva guna.

In Gita, there are various references to the characteristics of the person who has reached the highest state of spiritual evolution, such as Yogi, Guṇātita, Bhakta, Jnani. These characteristics are of the same personality, who has reached the highest level evolving through different channels. Guṇātita has a number of faculties, he is very efficient, but he is absolutely calm. A bhakta thinks that whatever he does is God’s will, so he remains calm. A Yogi does all his actions as duty without any selfish ambitions, so he remains calm.

In the 22nd verse, Lord Krishna says that the person who has transcended the three gunas (Guṇātita), he may be active but remains serene and detached. Even when active he thinks, “My body and senses are involved in the activity. As Atman, which is my true self, I am detached from the activity.”

Mahatma Gandhi led a life of action, but he was not attached to results. He considered Gita as his mother.

If our true nature is that of a mukta, why be in the pursuit of being a jivan-mukta? Yes, it is true that our true nature is that we are mukta. Due to Maya, we superimpose the body mind complex on our true nature. However, just by reading a statement such as Tat-tvam-asi we do not become Jivan mukta. We have to start the journey from where we stand and undertake spiritual practices to become liberated.

In Vedantic philosophy, there are two approaches that explain how this liberation actually takes place. According to one school, if one is spiritually fit, and his mind is fully ready to realize the identity with Brahman, a simple statement such as Tat-tvam-asi from the teacher is enough. Upon hearing this expression, immediately he will realize its true meaning and his identity with Brahman (Shabda-aparoksha-vada). Others will take more time for such realization and will have to pursue spiritual practices.

Vedanta prescribes four-fold spiritual disciplines called sadhana chatusthaya to become fit for spiritual enquiry. The four disciplines are: (1) a proper understanding of what is real and what isn't real (2) a sincere renunciation of worldly desires (3) self-restraint and control of the senses and mind (4) a strong urge for spiritual liberation. Nitya anitya vastu viveka Ihāmutra phala bhoga virāga Śamādi ṣatka sampatti Mumukṣutvam. And after one becomes desirous of spiritual pursuit, there are three additional disciplines he should pursue. He should listen to spiritual instructions, focus on their meaning and finally he should meditate and realize their meaning. It is called Sravana, Manana, Nididhyāsana.

Maya manifests in two ways. Vidya-Maya, which creates the desire to do good deeds and liberates us. Avidya-Maya, which creates the desire for selfish deeds and binds us.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53670604Fri, 21 Apr 2023 20:57:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco14th Chapter: Verses 20, 21, 22 Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests...
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

20th verse: “Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. He reaches a state where there is no birth, no old age or sickness, and no death. He realizes his true identity as the Atman, which is never born, which never dies, which is not subjected to changes and which is all-pervading. He attains immortality (amṛitam).”

Those who are endowed with sattva guna, they will be able to realize that human beings are not just a body-mind complex. There is something beyond that. Our real identity is as Atman. When we realize this true identity, we can transcend the three gunas. Then the gunas will be tools in our hands, not vice versa.

Gita asks us to strive to transcend all the three gunas. Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. To transcend the three gunas, we have to get established in sattva guna which promotes physical and emotional well-being and helps us make proper use of rajo guna.

The difference between a Guṇātita and the one established in sattva guna is this. The one with sattva guna has the risk of descending down to a level where rajo guna becomes predominant. The Guṇātita may come down to the level of sattva guna, but never to the level to rajo guna or tamo guna.

We attain immortality, not in the physical sense, but by realizing our true nature. One cannot transcend death at the physical level. When we realize our true nature and its immortal dimension, we transcend death. We realize that the body is just a cage or instrument for the Atman to manifest. We realize that everything at the empirical level is non-eternal, there is something beyond that is eternal. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad has a profound dialogue between Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi on the topic of immortality.

In the 21st verse, Arjuna asks: “What are the characteristics and signs of this Guṇātita, the one who has transcended the three gunas? How does such a person act and behave? How does one understand that he has gone beyond the three gunas?”

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. For example, if a person is active but with a sense of serenity and wisdom, we can infer that he is endowed with sattva guna.

We can transform our own personality. We have to understand where we stand and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. If we are lazy, we should first become active to develop rajo guna. If we are active, we should listen to higher ideas or do noble actions which generate sattva guna.

In Gita, there are various references to the characteristics of the person who has reached the highest state of spiritual evolution, such as Yogi, Guṇātita, Bhakta, Jnani. These characteristics are of the same personality, who has reached the highest level evolving through different channels. Guṇātita has a number of faculties, he is very efficient, but he is absolutely calm. A bhakta thinks that whatever he does is God’s will, so he...]]>3653false134fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/135-characteristics-of-a-gunatita-swami-tattwamayananda--53781526Title: Characteristics of a Guṇātita

14th Chapter: Verses 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. This is a state similar to Nirvana in Buddhism and that of Stitha-prajna in the 2nd chapter of the Gita.

Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. Guṇātita is a state where there is no birth, no old age or sickness, and no death. He realizes his true identity as the Atman.

In the 21st verse, Arjuna asks: “What are the characteristics and signs of this Guṇātita, the one who has transcended the three gunas? How does such a person act and behave? How does one understand that he has gone beyond the three gunas?

In the 22nd to 25th verses, Lord Krishna gives a list of the essential characteristics of a Guṇātita. He lives in the world, is active and does all his duties, but remains serene and detached. He does not identify himself as involved in the action. He is established in the state of witness to his own actions. He remains in a state of perfect equanimity – not overjoyed when things are going well and not disturbed in unpleasant situations. He remains the same when talking to a friend or enemy and whether is honored or dishonored. He transcends the pairs of opposites.

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached. Any spiritual practice that we undertake to travel this road is never lost as described in the 6th chapter.

In the 6th chapter, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is making an earnest effort in spiritual practices but fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?” In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that the spiritual effort is never lost. It is like a seed that has been sowed and will sprout in a future life cycle. The person will be born again with the positive samskaras and these samskaras will force him to continue his spiritual journey in next life.

26th verse: “Those who practice this devotion to God with concentration, they transcend the three gunas and become one with Brahman.”

Spiritual progress requires both human effort and God’s grace. The latter is of no value until one is ready. The soil should be fertile for the seed to sprout. When we do noble activities or try to practice the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person, we are making ourselves ready for God’s grace. We should first read about great ideas and contemplate on them (jnanam). Then we should imbibe them and make them part of our lives (vijnanam).

27th verse: “Those who with full one-pointed concentration attain the Atman, which is eternal and immortal, they attain eternal happiness and bliss. They become established in śhāśhvatasya dharmasya, eternal spiritual values.”

śhāśhvatasya dharmasya is a set of great spiritual qualities as described in the characteristics of a bhakta in the 12th chapter and as described in daivi-sampat in the 16th chapter. In Gita, there are various references to the characteristics of the person who has reached the highest state of spiritual evolution, such as Yogi, Guṇātita, Bhakta, Jnani. These characteristics are of the same personality, who has reached the highest level evolving through different channels.

In the 12th chapter, Lord Krishna describes eleven characteristics of an ideal devotee who is dear to him: (1) He does not have animosity or ill-feeling towards anyone (2) He is a friend of everyone (3) He is sympathetic towards everyone (4) He is free from ideas of possession (5) He looks upon happiness and unhappiness with equanimity of mind (6) He is forgiving (7) He is contented (8) He is always connected with the divine (9) He is self-controlled (10) He is strong-willed in pursuing his ideal (11) His mind and intellect are fixed on God. These are examples of śhāśhvatasya dharmasya – eternal spiritual values.

On friendliness, there is a discussion in one of the scriptures on who is one’s best friend. Two options are given: (1) One who is compassionate and helpful in need (2) Second, who is happy when you are happy and when you don’t need his help. The scripture says that the second is a truer friend. There is a possibility that the first one may not be happy in your happiness as he may begin to enjoy your dependence on him.

In the 16th chapter, Lord Krishna provides 26 characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, steadfastness, control of senses, interest in scriptures, practice of non-violence, compassion, modesty and absence of pride. These are examples of śhāśhvatasya dharmasya – eternal spiritual values.

In the Bhagavata Purana, there is a dialog between King Nimi and the Nava Yogis. In answer to the King’s question: “Who is an ideal devotee of God?”, one of the sages gives the following answer: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God. “

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53781526Mon, 08 May 2023 20:28:37 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Characteristics of a Guṇātita 14th Chapter: Verses 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It...Title: Characteristics of a Guṇātita

14th Chapter: Verses 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. This is a state similar to Nirvana in Buddhism and that of Stitha-prajna in the 2nd chapter of the Gita.

Being established in sattva guna is not enough as there is a risk of descending down to rajo guna by the force of circumstances. Guṇātita is a state where there is no birth, no old age or sickness, and no death. He realizes his true identity as the Atman.

In the 21st verse, Arjuna asks: “What are the characteristics and signs of this Guṇātita, the one who has transcended the three gunas? How does such a person act and behave? How does one understand that he has gone beyond the three gunas?

In the 22nd to 25th verses, Lord Krishna gives a list of the essential characteristics of a Guṇātita. He lives in the world, is active and does all his duties, but remains serene and detached. He does not identify himself as involved in the action. He is established in the state of witness to his own actions. He remains in a state of perfect equanimity – not overjoyed when things are going well and not disturbed in unpleasant situations. He remains the same when talking to a friend or enemy and whether is honored or dishonored. He transcends the pairs of opposites.

Shankaracharya says that in spiritual literature, whenever a list of characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person is provided, there is only one purpose. These characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached. Any spiritual practice that we undertake to travel this road is never lost as described in the 6th chapter.

In the 6th chapter, Arjuna asks: “Suppose a person is making an earnest effort in spiritual practices but fails to attain perfection. What happens to such a person?” In answer to Arjuna’s questions, Lord Krishna says that the spiritual effort is never lost. It is like a seed that has been sowed and will sprout in a future life cycle. The person will be born again with the positive samskaras and these samskaras will force him to continue his spiritual journey in next life.

26th verse: “Those who practice this devotion to God with concentration, they transcend the three gunas and become one with Brahman.”

Spiritual progress requires both human effort and God’s grace. The latter is of no value until one is ready. The soil should be fertile for the seed to sprout. When we do noble activities or try to practice the characteristics of a spiritually enlightened person, we are making ourselves ready for God’s grace. We should first read about great ideas and contemplate on them (jnanam). Then we should imbibe them and make them part of our lives (vijnanam).

27th verse: “Those who with full one-pointed concentration attain the Atman, which is eternal and immortal, they attain eternal happiness and bliss. They become established in śhāśhvatasya dharmasya, eternal spiritual values.”

3390false135fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/136-the-nature-of-the-empirical-world-swami-tattwamayananda--53896637Title: The Nature of the Empirical World

15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2

In previous chapters of Gita, various methods of spiritual practices are discussed, such as the path of bhakti, the path of karma yoga, the path of dhyana yoga, the path of jnanam, and the path of transcending the three gunas. One essential characteristic in all these paths is that the seeker should develop detachment towards worldly enjoyments. For that, it is important to understand what constitutes the world.

Matter, energy, mind and time constitute the empirical world. This empirical world is explained by imagery in the 1st verse.

In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The verse says that the leaves are the ritualistic portion of the vedas, where one performs rituals with the purpose of some empirical gain. Leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results.

Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.

According to the commentary on the 3rd verse, this world is non-eternal – it is something that you see now, and which is gone the next moment (drashta-nashta). What we see in a dream seems real in the dream – we realize it is not real when we come out of the dream. Similarly, worldly enjoyments seem real at the empirical plane, but are unreal from the view of absolute reality in Vedanta.

Various examples are cited in Vedanta to illustrate the mithya nature of this world. In a desert, from a distance, we see a pool of water. We realize later, that in reality, it is a continuous expansion of sand. The water was only an imagination. Small children may imagine a city in the celestial regions or a flower garden in the sky. Their father tells them that it is not real. Similarly, from the absolute point of view, this world is not real.

Maya really does not exist. The wrong notion, that Maya exists, disappears when we realize that Atman is the absolute reality. In the rope snake analogy, the snake exists only as an idea, and it goes away when light is brought to the room.

If we keep in mind that everything that we seek in this world, including human relations, are not eternal – it gives us transcendental wisdom and level headedness.

The whole Gita is about how to live in this world without being worldly minded. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. The same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

2nd verse: “The branches, leaves and fruits are below the root in this imagery of the tree. They are nurtured by the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – which constitute our worldly life. They drive human emotional drives and activities.”

The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything. This can be done with spiritual practices such as yamas and niyamas. When we undertake these practices, we can detach from our desires and remember the root (Atman).

Every action which is done other than as yajna binds us to this world. The practical message of Gita is about doing our duty as swadharma, as yajna. Then our actions do not bind us, they liberate us.

When we carry a heavy weight on our head, we feel it. However, if a one-millimeter gap is created between the head and the weight, we do not feel it at all. When we perform actions as yajna, it is like creating the one-millimeter gap, where we are detached from the results of the actions. We do the actions with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and for the good of others. Mahatma Gandhi led a life of action, but he was not attached to results.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53896637Tue, 16 May 2023 21:52:43 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Nature of the Empirical World 15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2 In previous chapters of Gita, various methods of spiritual practices are discussed, such as the path of bhakti, the path of karma yoga, the path of dhyana yoga, the path of jnanam,...Title: The Nature of the Empirical World

15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2

In previous chapters of Gita, various methods of spiritual practices are discussed, such as the path of bhakti, the path of karma yoga, the path of dhyana yoga, the path of jnanam, and the path of transcending the three gunas. One essential characteristic in all these paths is that the seeker should develop detachment towards worldly enjoyments. For that, it is important to understand what constitutes the world.

Matter, energy, mind and time constitute the empirical world. This empirical world is explained by imagery in the 1st verse.

In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The verse says that the leaves are the ritualistic portion of the vedas, where one performs rituals with the purpose of some empirical gain. Leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results.

Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.

According to the commentary on the 3rd verse, this world is non-eternal – it is something that you see now, and which is gone the next moment (drashta-nashta). What we see in a dream seems real in the dream – we realize it is not real when we come out of the dream. Similarly, worldly enjoyments seem real at the empirical plane, but are unreal from the view of absolute reality in Vedanta.

Various examples are cited in Vedanta to illustrate the mithya nature of this world. In a desert, from a distance, we see a pool of water. We realize later, that in reality, it is a continuous expansion of sand. The water was only an imagination. Small children may imagine a city in the celestial regions or a flower garden in the sky. Their father tells them that it is not real. Similarly, from the absolute point of view, this world is not real.

Maya really does not exist. The wrong notion, that Maya exists, disappears when we realize that Atman is the absolute reality. In the rope snake analogy, the snake exists only as an idea, and it goes away when light is brought to the room.

If we keep in mind that everything that we seek in this world, including human relations, are not eternal – it gives us transcendental wisdom and level headedness.

The whole Gita is about how to live in this world without being worldly minded. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. The same Arjuna says in the 73rd verse of the 18th chapter: “By your grace, all my doubts are gone. I shall act according to your instructions.”

2nd verse: “The branches, leaves and fruits are below the root in this imagery of the tree. They are nurtured by the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna – which constitute our worldly life. They drive human emotional drives and activities.”

The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything. This can be done with spiritual practices such as yamas and niyamas. When we undertake these practices, we can detach from our desires and remember the root...]]>3644false136fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/137-the-weapon-of-non-attachment-swami-tattwamayananda--53990063Title: The Weapon of Non-Attachment15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The branches and leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results. The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything.

The 3rd verse states that no one knows the true nature of this tree. It has no beginning and no end. One can get out of the entanglement of samsara with the strong weapon of non-attachment (asaṅga-śhastreṇa).

When we do our actions without being attached, then our life becomes enjoyable. We are no longer imprisoned by the results of our actions. Mahatma Gandhi practiced Anasakti-Yoga. He led a life of action, but he was not attached to results.

The 4th verse says that those who are spiritually evolved develop an inquiry into something higher – they go in the search for the transcendental. It gives them a higher purpose in life. The moment we develop this higher goal, we begin our journey to get out of the wheel of samsara. Upon reaching the goal, the transmigratory cycle comes to an end – we become one with the divine. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.

The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.

The ultimate purpose of human life is to transcend the empirical world and realize our true identity as the Atman. Kathopanishad explains the evolution of this quest for the transcendental with Nachiketa’s story. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman.

The 5th verse explains the weapon of non-attachment. Essentially it says that we should do our duty with full focus but not be enslaved by desires. “Those who are detached, who are free from entanglement of worldly objects, who have a higher ideal in life, who are free from desires – they are liberated and dwell in the awareness that they are not the physical body.”

To understand the 5th, 6th and 7th verse, it is important to understand the 8th verse. It says: “When this body is destroyed, the soul within is not destroyed. It leaves the body behind and acquires a new body taking with it the senses and the mind, just like the wind carries the scent away with it.”

We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the soul when it takes a new body.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly, it is an accidental meeting with our near and dear ones in this life. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.

6th verse: “This Atman is neither understood nor perceived as we perceive empirical objects. It is not illuminated by the sun, the moon or the fire. It is to be realized as our own true self by turning our inquiry inward. Then we realize that we are not the physical body which comes and goes.”

7th verse: “A portion of the eternal reality lives in every living being, from the amoeba to the Buddha.” The spiritual oneness of existence is emphasized in this verse.

The degree of manifestation of this eternal reality depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/53990063Fri, 19 May 2023 22:24:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Weapon of Non-Attachment15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the...Title: The Weapon of Non-Attachment15th Chapter: Verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

In the first verse, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The branches and leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results. The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything.

The 3rd verse states that no one knows the true nature of this tree. It has no beginning and no end. One can get out of the entanglement of samsara with the strong weapon of non-attachment (asaṅga-śhastreṇa).

When we do our actions without being attached, then our life becomes enjoyable. We are no longer imprisoned by the results of our actions. Mahatma Gandhi practiced Anasakti-Yoga. He led a life of action, but he was not attached to results.

The 4th verse says that those who are spiritually evolved develop an inquiry into something higher – they go in the search for the transcendental. It gives them a higher purpose in life. The moment we develop this higher goal, we begin our journey to get out of the wheel of samsara. Upon reaching the goal, the transmigratory cycle comes to an end – we become one with the divine. This should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation.

The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.

The ultimate purpose of human life is to transcend the empirical world and realize our true identity as the Atman. Kathopanishad explains the evolution of this quest for the transcendental with Nachiketa’s story. Nachiketa asks Yama for three boons: (1) Let my father not scold me when I return (2) Teach me rituals to get to heaven and (3) Teach me the reality beyond death. Yama then teaches Nachiketa how to transcend our physical identity and realize our true nature as the Atman.

The 5th verse explains the weapon of non-attachment. Essentially it says that we should do our duty with full focus but not be enslaved by desires. “Those who are detached, who are free from entanglement of worldly objects, who have a higher ideal in life, who are free from desires – they are liberated and dwell in the awareness that they are not the physical body.”

To understand the 5th, 6th and 7th verse, it is important to understand the 8th verse. It says: “When this body is destroyed, the soul within is not destroyed. It leaves the body behind and acquires a new body taking with it the senses and the mind, just like the wind carries the scent away with it.”

We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the soul when it takes a new body.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly, it is an accidental meeting with our near and dear...]]>3827false137fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/138-evolution-of-the-karma-ideal-in-gita-swami-tattwamayananda--54106343
In the 15th chapter, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The branches and leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results. One can get out of the entanglement of samsara with the strong weapon of non-attachment.

The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything.

The purpose of this metaphor is to emphasize that the phenomenal world is unreal in the absolute sense. It is real only in the relative sense. Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.

In an ocean, waves come and go, but the ocean remains the same. The waves are not unreal, but they are not permanent. They go back to the ocean and they are non-different from the ocean. Atman is like the ocean (permanent) and the phenomenal world is like the wave (impermanent and non-different from Atman).

The idea that everything in the empirical world is impermanent translates into a matured outlook and level-headedness. We don’t have to get anxious when bad news comes our way because we won’t assign permanence to that impermanent event. The 15th chapter attempts to translate what we intellectually know into spiritual common sense.

Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life.” It emphasizes that we should do our actions with the efficiency of a king but combine it with the calmness and far-sightedness of a sage.

In Gita, there is an evolution of the karma ideal from the 1st to the 18th chapter. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. Such conflict is only faced by an evolved soul. Conflict doesn’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Who become like Buddha (2) Who are spiritually no different than an animal.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that he is in self-delusion. If he runs away from his duties, his duties will chase him. In strong language, he calls him a hypocrite. He says that a person who is not willing to do his duty and takes refuge in higher philosophy as a pretext for not doing his duty - he's a hypocrite.

Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the ladder of evolution in Karma-Yoga. The first instruction is: do your work, whatever may be that work. It is better to do the work with a selfish motive than to remain inactive. At the next level, we begin to do the duty with spiritual values such as unselfishness, looking beyond tangible rewards. At the highest level, it becomes natural for us to do the duty with unselfishness. In the highest state, whatever we do, we do as an offering to God or for the good of others, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness – we are then able to combine action and contemplation in our life.

When we do our work this way, we can put our whole mind to the work and our energy and concentration is not dissipated worrying about results.

Karma theory is not fatalism. It is the opposite of fatalism. It says that we can modify our future by doing good actions. The divine is present in all of us. By doing good actions, we can manifest this divinity.

The degree of manifestation of this eternal reality depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

The central thesis of Swami Vivekananda’s teaching is: “For the good of the world and for one’s own spiritual enlightenment.” We should learn Sri Ramakrishna teachings through Swami Vivekananda. Whatever Swami Vivekananda taught came from Sri Ramakrishna.

The 8th verse discusses transmigration of the soul. It says: “When this body is destroyed, the soul within is not destroyed. It leaves the body behind and acquires a new body taking with it the senses and the mind, just like the wind carries the scent away with it.”

We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the soul when it takes a new body.

The 9th and 10th verses say: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that perceiver to the body-mind complex. Those who are enlightened see him as separate and as the real perceiver.”]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54106343Mon, 05 Jun 2023 23:22:10 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco15th Chapter: Verses 8, 9, 10 In the 15th chapter, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the...
In the 15th chapter, the whole world is compared to the Ashvattha tree – the tree of life. Its roots are above and the branches are below. Roots represent the origin or the source which is the Atman. From this Atman, the empirical world, which is represented by the branches and leaves, evolves and moves downward. Only the Atman is eternal – the empirical world is non-eternal.

The branches and leaves represent the continuous flow of samsara (empirical world) through human desires, actions and results. One can get out of the entanglement of samsara with the strong weapon of non-attachment.

The Atman, as the source, is the root. Without it, the tree collapses. So, in the midst of our daily activities, we should remember the Atman, the source of everything.

The purpose of this metaphor is to emphasize that the phenomenal world is unreal in the absolute sense. It is real only in the relative sense. Vedanta defines something as real if (1) it remains without change in the past, present and future (2) It is beyond time, space and causation and (3) it remains without change in waking, dream and deep sleep states.

In an ocean, waves come and go, but the ocean remains the same. The waves are not unreal, but they are not permanent. They go back to the ocean and they are non-different from the ocean. Atman is like the ocean (permanent) and the phenomenal world is like the wave (impermanent and non-different from Atman).

The idea that everything in the empirical world is impermanent translates into a matured outlook and level-headedness. We don’t have to get anxious when bad news comes our way because we won’t assign permanence to that impermanent event. The 15th chapter attempts to translate what we intellectually know into spiritual common sense.

Gita ends with the verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, success and stability of life.” It emphasizes that we should do our actions with the efficiency of a king but combine it with the calmness and far-sightedness of a sage.

In Gita, there is an evolution of the karma ideal from the 1st to the 18th chapter. Gita starts with Arjuna’s predicament towards a duty that he is expected to do, but that is unpleasant to him. Such conflict is only faced by an evolved soul. Conflict doesn’t exist for people in two categories: (1) Who become like Buddha (2) Who are spiritually no different than an animal.

Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that he is in self-delusion. If he runs away from his duties, his duties will chase him. In strong language, he calls him a hypocrite. He says that a person who is not willing to do his duty and takes refuge in higher philosophy as a pretext for not doing his duty - he's a hypocrite.

Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the ladder of evolution in Karma-Yoga. The first instruction is: do your work, whatever may be that work. It is better to do the work with a selfish motive than to remain inactive. At the next level, we begin to do the duty with spiritual values such as unselfishness, looking beyond tangible rewards. At the highest level, it becomes natural for us to do the duty with unselfishness. In the highest state, whatever we do, we do as an offering to God or for the good of others, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness – we are then able to combine action and contemplation in our life.

When we do our work this way, we can put our whole mind to the work and our energy and concentration is not dissipated worrying about results.

Karma theory is not fatalism. It is the opposite of fatalism. It says that we can modify our future by doing good actions. The divine is present...]]>3771false138fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/139-atman-the-light-of-all-lights-swami-tattwamayananda--54306394Title: Atman – The Light of all Lights

15th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

10th verse: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that perceiver to the body-mind complex. Those who are enlightened see him as separate and as the real perceiver.”

Those who identify with the physical body continue with the transmigratory cycle of birth, old age, death and rebirth. The 10th verse should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation. According to the law of karma, our actions produce two types of results – one that is visible and immediate, another that is invisible. For example, if we help a person, the other person benefits (visible result). But we ourselves feel “I did something sensible” – this is the invisible result, which is stored in our Antahkarana as samskara. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them.

There are two ways of looking upon our experiences. The first is a worldly view where we think: “I (body-mind-complex) is doing this.” Second, a spiritually evolved view, where we think: “There is something within me for whom this body-mind-complex is an instrument.” The soul continues its transmigratory cycle until the wrong notion is gone.Those who are enlightened understand that the soul (the primary and the owner) has a body. Those who are not enlightened, their understanding is that the body (the primary and the owner) has a soul.

11th verse: “Those who are not endowed with the power of discerning wisdom identify with the physical body and empirical experiences. They enjoy and suffer. They deceive themselves by wanting a continuing succession of happy experiences. Those endowed with spiritual wisdom look upon happiness and unhappiness with the same equanimity of mind.

”We cannot have continuous happiness. For example, when our profits go down, we compare to the previous profit level and become unhappy – so decreasing happiness can make us unhappy. The way to be happy is to stop the pursuit of happiness all the time.

12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent and supreme reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”

Everything - living beings and non-living things such as stones - are all pervaded by this light. Living beings have an antahkarana which acts as the reflecting medium for this light to manifest. Non-living things do not have an antahkarana.

By doing good actions, we can manifest this light. The degree of manifestation of this eternal reality depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

The 12th verse compares this divine presence to light. The idea of light comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad where King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.

Lord Krishna says: “This light comes from Me.” “Me” here does not refer to Lord Krishna as a human being. It refers to Atman. A person becomes spiritually enlightened when this light manifests in its full effulgence. This is what happened to Buddha. In his journey, 543 previous life cycles were replayed – he de-identified with all life cycles. He realized his real essence is the Atman.

13th verse: “This light, which enters the earth, enlivens everything.”

When we sow a seed in fertile soil, it sprouts, then becomes a plant and then a tree. It is the gradual evolution of this light which is already present in the seed.

14th verse: “It is this light that resides in every being, eats and digests the food, and nourishes the body.”

15th verse: “This light is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance and forgetfulness.”

Everything in this world – good, bad, indifference – all come from the same source, this divine light. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, everything in this world is a different manifestation of the same divine light.

The human body should be cared for – it acts as an instrument to undertake spiritual practices, manifest this light, and take us beyond the body.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54306394Fri, 09 Jun 2023 22:12:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Atman – The Light of all Lights 15th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 10th verse: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that...Title: Atman – The Light of all Lights

15th Chapter: Verses 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

10th verse: “In this body, there are physical senses. There is a perceiver who uses these senses to perceive sense objects. Those who are deluded equate that perceiver to the body-mind complex. Those who are enlightened see him as separate and as the real perceiver.”

Those who identify with the physical body continue with the transmigratory cycle of birth, old age, death and rebirth. The 10th verse should be understood in the context of the law of karma and the law of incarnation. According to the law of karma, our actions produce two types of results – one that is visible and immediate, another that is invisible. For example, if we help a person, the other person benefits (visible result). But we ourselves feel “I did something sensible” – this is the invisible result, which is stored in our Antahkarana as samskara. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them.

There are two ways of looking upon our experiences. The first is a worldly view where we think: “I (body-mind-complex) is doing this.” Second, a spiritually evolved view, where we think: “There is something within me for whom this body-mind-complex is an instrument.” The soul continues its transmigratory cycle until the wrong notion is gone.Those who are enlightened understand that the soul (the primary and the owner) has a body. Those who are not enlightened, their understanding is that the body (the primary and the owner) has a soul.

11th verse: “Those who are not endowed with the power of discerning wisdom identify with the physical body and empirical experiences. They enjoy and suffer. They deceive themselves by wanting a continuing succession of happy experiences. Those endowed with spiritual wisdom look upon happiness and unhappiness with the same equanimity of mind.

”We cannot have continuous happiness. For example, when our profits go down, we compare to the previous profit level and become unhappy – so decreasing happiness can make us unhappy. The way to be happy is to stop the pursuit of happiness all the time.

12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent and supreme reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”

Everything - living beings and non-living things such as stones - are all pervaded by this light. Living beings have an antahkarana which acts as the reflecting medium for this light to manifest. Non-living things do not have an antahkarana.

By doing good actions, we can manifest this light. The degree of manifestation of this eternal reality depends on the purity of the person’s mind. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.

The 12th verse compares this divine presence to light. The idea of light comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad where King Janaka asked Sage Yajnavalkya: “Endowed with what light does a person live in this world”. The first answer was sunlight. As each option provided in previous answers was eliminated, subsequent answers were moonlight, agni, and sound. When all four of these options were eliminated, the final answer was Atma-Jyoti, which is in all of us and that is self-revealing. It is the light of all lights - that enables all other lights, such as sunlight, moonlight, agni to function.3662false139fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/140-expressions-of-the-divine-swami-tattwamayananda--54557307Title: Expressions of the Divine

15th Chapter: Verses 12, 13, 14, 1512th

12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent, and supreme divine reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”

Our creativity and our ability to think and work are all expressions of this divine principle. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, our skills are like outer shells that manifest this divine principle.

In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him.

Wherever we find a super abundance of serenity, spiritual wisdom, intuitive power and human qualities such as sacrifice – all these are expressions of the divine.

We can manifest this divinity through spiritual practices such as Yama and Niyama in Vedanta or Ashtanga Yoga in Buddhism. Then our mind becomes pure and reflects this divinity in more effulgence like a pure mirror.

Lord Krishna says: “This light comes from Me.” “Me” here does not refer to Lord Krishna as a human being. It refers to Atman.

13th verse: “This divine principle, which enters the earth, enlivens everything. When we look around in nature, we see trees, mountains, valleys, water, plants, food grains – these are all expressions of the divine.”

Nature is not meant for our exploitation. We are all visitors on this mother earth. Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.

Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels content.

Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.

14th verse: “It is this divine principle that resides in every being, eats and digests the food, and nourishes the body.”

There are four types of food referred to in this verse – food that we chew, that we drink, that we swallow and foods such as ice-cream that belong to the first three categories. The divine principle manifests as the digestive faculty in the human body.

Even the act of preparing and eating food is divine. Every secular activity can be given a spiritual orientation – as we evolve spiritually, the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears.

We can think of our entire life as a divine act. There is a mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

15th verse: “This divine principle is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance and forgetfulness.”

The ability to forget and to be blissfully unaware in ignorance is also a gift from God. Without the ability to forget no one can live in this world.

The highest advaitic experience cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. The mahavakya “Aham Brahmasmi” – as an expression is not non-dualistic; it represents only the penultimate state; in its experience dimension it is non-dualistic.

The language of duality is verbosity; the language of the infinite non-dual experience is silence. The role of the scriptures is to remove the wrong notions that are in our mind.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/54557307Fri, 16 Jun 2023 22:05:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Expressions of the Divine 15th Chapter: Verses 12, 13, 14, 1512th 12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent, and supreme divine reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being....Title: Expressions of the Divine

15th Chapter: Verses 12, 13, 14, 1512th

12th verse: “There is one all-pervading, immanent, omnipresent, and supreme divine reality which is the Atman. This Atman is the divine light that is present in every being. The light that is in the sun, in the moon and in the fire – that light is nothing but the light of the Atman.”

Our creativity and our ability to think and work are all expressions of this divine principle. Just as electricity manifests in different ways depending on the gadget it powers, similarly, our skills are like outer shells that manifest this divine principle.

In whatever profession one may be, if that person reaches a level of human excellence – that perfection is a spark of the divinity within him.

Wherever we find a super abundance of serenity, spiritual wisdom, intuitive power and human qualities such as sacrifice – all these are expressions of the divine.

We can manifest this divinity through spiritual practices such as Yama and Niyama in Vedanta or Ashtanga Yoga in Buddhism. Then our mind becomes pure and reflects this divinity in more effulgence like a pure mirror.

Lord Krishna says: “This light comes from Me.” “Me” here does not refer to Lord Krishna as a human being. It refers to Atman.

13th verse: “This divine principle, which enters the earth, enlivens everything. When we look around in nature, we see trees, mountains, valleys, water, plants, food grains – these are all expressions of the divine.”

Nature is not meant for our exploitation. We are all visitors on this mother earth. Vedic mantras emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.

Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels content.

Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.

14th verse: “It is this divine principle that resides in every being, eats and digests the food, and nourishes the body.”

There are four types of food referred to in this verse – food that we chew, that we drink, that we swallow and foods such as ice-cream that belong to the first three categories. The divine principle manifests as the digestive faculty in the human body.

Even the act of preparing and eating food is divine. Every secular activity can be given a spiritual orientation – as we evolve spiritually, the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears.

We can think of our entire life as a divine act. There is a mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

15th verse: “This divine principle is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance and forgetfulness.”

The ability to forget and to be blissfully unaware in ignorance is also a gift from God. Without the ability to forget no one can live in this world.

The highest advaitic experience cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. The mahavakya “Aham Brahmasmi” – as an expression is not non-dualistic; it represents only the penultimate state; in its experience dimension it is non-dualistic.

The...]]>3839false140fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/141-purushottama-the-supreme-divine-truth-swami-tattwamayananda--56007670
The 15th chapter discusses the idea of immanence, transcendence and omnipresence of the Absolute Reality. The Absolute Reality is beyond verbalization and description – it can only be experienced.

15th verse: “This divine principle is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance, and forgetfulness. It is the one that is described and explored in all scriptures. It is the one to be known.”

16th verse: “There are two kinds of beings in this world: First, is ksharah, which is the perishable. Second, is aksharah, which is imperishable. Ksharah is this phenomenal world, which comes and goes. Aksharah is the jivatma, present as the indweller in all beings, and is imperishable.”

The anvil is installed on the ground and does not move. On top of it, metal pieces are hammered and shaped. Metal pieces undergo change – the anvil doesn’t. The jivatma is like the anvil and does not change – it assumes new bodies from birth to birth.

The 8th verse of the 15th chapter discusses transmigration of the soul. It says: “When this body is destroyed, the soul within is not destroyed. It leaves the body behind and acquires a new body taking with it the senses and the mind, just like the wind carries the scent away with it.”

We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the jivatma when it takes a new body.

We come out of the wheel of samsara – birth, old age, death, rebirth – when we dehypnotize ourselves into knowing that we are not this body, and we realize our true identity as Atman.

17th verse: “Purushottama is the supreme divine truth that is immanent, omnipresent and transcendental. It is distinct and different from both the phenomenal world and the jivatma.”

The jivatma is the supreme Atman manifesting through this body, in combination with the Antahkarana and past samskaras. When we remove the samskaras and the antahkarana from the jivatma, what remains is Purushottama – the supreme divine truth. To get back into our true identity is to realize that we are Purushottama.

In the Ashtavakra Samhita, there is a verse: “In the ocean, there are so many waves. Without any effort, by the characteristics of the ocean, waves come and go. They emerge by their own nature and then they disappear. The ocean is not distinct from the waves. The waves cannot exist without the ocean. But the ocean can exist without the waves.”

Similarly, in this Purushottama, the entire phenomenon of creation, dissolution and re-emergence of the world happens. Purushottama is like the ocean, and the phenomenal world is like the waves.

Purushottama is all pervading and is immanent in everything. It is present in all three states of consciousness – waking, dream sleep and deep sleep states. At the same time, it is transcendental.

The 17th verse emphasizes the spiritual oneness of existence. The whole creation is one spiritual family. We should maintain the harmony of nature and not deviate from the principles of Satyam, Ritm and Dharma.

Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels content.

Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices Satyam. For example, it is immoral to pollute the earth and therefore against Dharma.

18th verse: “I am the Absolute Reality, the Purushottama, which is present everywhere.”

19th verse: “A person who is free from delusion, who has understood this supreme divine truth through spiritual practices, he becomes the knower of everything - he knows the essence of all knowledge.”

Shankaracharya explains this verse by reminding us of the inverted Ashvattha tree from the first verse. Roots represent the origin or the source. If the branches declare their independence from the root, the tree collapses. Similarly, a person who thinks that he is the body-mind-complex and forgets his connection to the Atman, he is deluded. The one who is not deluded, maintains his connection to the root – he understands that whatever he does, is powered by the Atman. Every action is an act of worship for him. For him, the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears.

To him, his entire life is a divine act. He lives his life like the mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

20th verse: “I have now talked to you about this secret knowledge, which requires higher intuitive power to grasp.”

To summarize, the purpose of the 15th chapter is to understand the true nature of Purushottama, and the impermanence of this material world.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56007670Fri, 23 Jun 2023 22:55:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco15th Chapter: Verses 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 The 15th chapter discusses the idea of immanence, transcendence and omnipresence of the Absolute Reality. The Absolute Reality is beyond verbalization and description – it can only be experienced. 15th...
The 15th chapter discusses the idea of immanence, transcendence and omnipresence of the Absolute Reality. The Absolute Reality is beyond verbalization and description – it can only be experienced.

15th verse: “This divine principle is present as the indweller in every living being in this world. It manifests as memory, knowledge, ignorance, and forgetfulness. It is the one that is described and explored in all scriptures. It is the one to be known.”

16th verse: “There are two kinds of beings in this world: First, is ksharah, which is the perishable. Second, is aksharah, which is imperishable. Ksharah is this phenomenal world, which comes and goes. Aksharah is the jivatma, present as the indweller in all beings, and is imperishable.”

The anvil is installed on the ground and does not move. On top of it, metal pieces are hammered and shaped. Metal pieces undergo change – the anvil doesn’t. The jivatma is like the anvil and does not change – it assumes new bodies from birth to birth.

The 8th verse of the 15th chapter discusses transmigration of the soul. It says: “When this body is destroyed, the soul within is not destroyed. It leaves the body behind and acquires a new body taking with it the senses and the mind, just like the wind carries the scent away with it.”

We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the jivatma when it takes a new body.

We come out of the wheel of samsara – birth, old age, death, rebirth – when we dehypnotize ourselves into knowing that we are not this body, and we realize our true identity as Atman.

17th verse: “Purushottama is the supreme divine truth that is immanent, omnipresent and transcendental. It is distinct and different from both the phenomenal world and the jivatma.”

The jivatma is the supreme Atman manifesting through this body, in combination with the Antahkarana and past samskaras. When we remove the samskaras and the antahkarana from the jivatma, what remains is Purushottama – the supreme divine truth. To get back into our true identity is to realize that we are Purushottama.

In the Ashtavakra Samhita, there is a verse: “In the ocean, there are so many waves. Without any effort, by the characteristics of the ocean, waves come and go. They emerge by their own nature and then they disappear. The ocean is not distinct from the waves. The waves cannot exist without the ocean. But the ocean can exist without the waves.”

Similarly, in this Purushottama, the entire phenomenon of creation, dissolution and re-emergence of the world happens. Purushottama is like the ocean, and the phenomenal world is like the waves.

Purushottama is all pervading and is immanent in everything. It is present in all three states of consciousness – waking, dream sleep and deep sleep states. At the same time, it is transcendental.

The 17th verse emphasizes the spiritual oneness of existence. The whole creation is one spiritual family. We should maintain the harmony of nature and not deviate from the principles of Satyam, Ritm and Dharma.

Satyam means truth. A person will not deviate from the path of harmony if he practices truthfulness and feels content.

Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature.

Dharma refers to the ethical and moral principles through which one practices...]]>3413false141fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/142-daivi-and-asuri-sampat-swami-tattwamayananda--56858103
For example, there are some who live in the world, do their normal jobs, but follow the principle of modesty, honesty and self-restraint. They acquire these good qualities through good actions in their previous life. They follow the path of dharma, in their pursuit of artha and kama. Such people are endowed with daivi sampat.

Kama means desire. Artha refers to the means to acquire material comforts and fulfill desires. Both artha and kama are regulated by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint.

Those endowed with asuri sampat, follow the path of material comforts without self-restraint.

In this chapter, Lord Krishna talks about 26 characteristics of those endowed with daivi sampat and 6 characteristics of those endowed with asuri sampat.

Shankaracharya says in the second chapter that the qualities of a spiritually enlightened person are listed as they show the path to us to become spiritually enlightened. All these characteristics have two stages. In the first stage, one reads and practices. In the second stage, the person is naturally established in the higher quality.

The 1st verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with daivi sampat:

He is fearless. He is not afraid of anyone and no one is afraid of him.

He has purity of mind. His mind, thoughts, words and actions agree on the same thing. His mind is devoid of unspiritual tendencies.

He is established in Jnanam. He understands the impermanent nature of the world and that only the divine reality is permanent. He follows the teachings of ancient masters who recorded their spiritual experience.

He has a natural, instinct desire to engage in charitable activities (danam).

He has self-control (dama). The mind has a natural tendency to go towards sense objects. Such a person is able to divert his mind away from objects of enjoyment.

He performs yajna – spiritual rituals. Rituals, when performed with a sense of sanctity, create shraddha, and help elevate our mind to a higher level.

He listens to scriptures, practices austerities and is straightforward in his interaction.

The 2nd verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with daivi sampat:

He practices ahimsa (non-violence) in thoughts, words and deeds. Gita says that any conscious or deliberate thought/word/deed to cause harm to others should be avoided.

He is truthful.

There is an absence of anger in him. The difference between the anger of a spiritually evolved person and an ordinary person is this: The anger of a spiritually evolved person is for a higher cause and does not affect his mind. For example, the anger of a mother and teacher would be of this kind. An ordinary person gets identified with his anger, which comes from a desire to do harm to others - it inflicts pain on his mind.

He is established in Tyaga (a sense of renunciation). There is an absence of tendency in him to possess material things.

Per Sri Ramakrishna, householders do not need to have external renunciation. They should do their duties with an inner sense of renunciation, without an extreme sense of possessiveness.

He has Shanti (a sense of inner peace).

He has no crookedness.

He is compassionate towards all beings, including human beings, animals, and nature. It is an instinctive quality in him with a total incapacity to be cruel towards others.

He has an attitude of non-covetousness. He is gentle. He is modest.

There is an absence of fickleness in his mind. A strong, stable mind is needed to preserve and take care of one’s goodness.

Holy association is important, especially for a beginner. They help develop these qualities and reinforce them.

The doctrine of rebirth and karma is not pre-determinism. Per these doctrines, we can build our own future. We can begin a new life at any moment by beginning to do noble deeds, which increase the balance of good samskaras.

We need role models from history to demonstrate these good qualities, so that they can go deep into the human psyche. Otherwise, they are just ideas like floating clouds. Imagine what mindfulness would be without Buddha’s example from history.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56858103Fri, 15 Sep 2023 18:29:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 16th chapter discusses human characteristics by dividing them into two groups. The first group is called Daivi Sampat – those who have divine spiritual characteristics and are naturally inclined to do good. The second group is called Asuri Sampat...
For example, there are some who live in the world, do their normal jobs, but follow the principle of modesty, honesty and self-restraint. They acquire these good qualities through good actions in their previous life. They follow the path of dharma, in their pursuit of artha and kama. Such people are endowed with daivi sampat.

Kama means desire. Artha refers to the means to acquire material comforts and fulfill desires. Both artha and kama are regulated by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint.

Those endowed with asuri sampat, follow the path of material comforts without self-restraint.

In this chapter, Lord Krishna talks about 26 characteristics of those endowed with daivi sampat and 6 characteristics of those endowed with asuri sampat.

Shankaracharya says in the second chapter that the qualities of a spiritually enlightened person are listed as they show the path to us to become spiritually enlightened. All these characteristics have two stages. In the first stage, one reads and practices. In the second stage, the person is naturally established in the higher quality.

The 1st verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with daivi sampat:

He is fearless. He is not afraid of anyone and no one is afraid of him.

He has purity of mind. His mind, thoughts, words and actions agree on the same thing. His mind is devoid of unspiritual tendencies.

He is established in Jnanam. He understands the impermanent nature of the world and that only the divine reality is permanent. He follows the teachings of ancient masters who recorded their spiritual experience.

He has a natural, instinct desire to engage in charitable activities (danam).

He has self-control (dama). The mind has a natural tendency to go towards sense objects. Such a person is able to divert his mind away from objects of enjoyment.

He performs yajna – spiritual rituals. Rituals, when performed with a sense of sanctity, create shraddha, and help elevate our mind to a higher level.

He listens to scriptures, practices austerities and is straightforward in his interaction.

The 2nd verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with daivi sampat:

He practices ahimsa (non-violence) in thoughts, words and deeds. Gita says that any conscious or deliberate thought/word/deed to cause harm to others should be avoided.

He is truthful.

There is an absence of anger in him. The difference between the anger of a spiritually evolved person and an ordinary person is this: The anger of a spiritually evolved person is for a higher cause and does not affect his mind. For example, the anger of a mother and teacher would be of this kind. An ordinary person gets identified with his anger, which comes from a desire to do harm to others - it inflicts pain on his mind.

He is established in Tyaga (a sense of renunciation). There is an absence of tendency in him to possess material things.

Per Sri Ramakrishna, householders do not need to have external renunciation. They should do their duties with an inner sense of renunciation, without an extreme sense of possessiveness.

He has Shanti (a sense of inner peace).

He has no crookedness.

He is compassionate towards all beings, including human beings, animals, and nature. It is an instinctive quality in him with a total incapacity to be cruel towards others.

He has an attitude of non-covetousness. He is gentle. He is modest.
4193falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/143-guiding-ourselves-towards-divine-qualities-swami-tattwamayananda--56919444
Gita’s conclusion is that the essence of spirituality is about becoming a good human being. This is emphasized in the 9th chapter, in the 12th chapter and in the 16th chapter. The qualities described in these chapters should be imbibed and should express themselves in our everyday interaction with fellow beings.

In the 13th verse of the 9th chapter, Lord Krishna says that the one who is dedicated to God should have these divine qualities and should be broad minded.
The commentators of the 16th chapter divide human types into three categories. The first group is endowed with Daivi Sampat – those who have divine spiritual characteristics and are naturally inclined to do good. At the other extreme is the third group, those endowed with Raakshasi Sampat – they are evil and cannot do any good by their very nature. In between is the second group – those endowed with Asuri Sampat – they are neither evil, not divine; they have temptations, and are still striving to be spiritual. There is a long list of such people in the world, and such people should be watchful of what they feed to their mind – by doing noble deeds, they can evolve spiritually.

A long list of undesirable characteristics is given in the 4th verse as a red flag to help humans to avoid following the path of Asuri Sampat or Raakshasi Sampat.

The 2nd verse says that a spiritually evolved person practices ahimsa (non-violence) in thoughts, words and deeds. According to Gita, Ahimsa means avoiding any conscious or deliberate thought/word/deed that can directly or indirectly cause harm to others.

The 3rd verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with Daivi Sampat: Boldness, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, and absence of provide.

A devotee of God is in a state of perfect inner contentment. He has the strength of mind, the will power, the determination to withstand the problems of life and not be shaken by them. Strength without goodness is dangerous – it can create problems for others. Goodness without strength is useless and unproductive.

The 4th verse lists six undesirable characteristics of those endowed with Asuri Sampat: Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness, and ignorance.

Hypocrisy does great harm to the mind. When we are straightforward, there is only one layer in the mind. When we think something else, say something else, and do something else, we create many artificial layers, which create conflict and harm the mind. Being upright and sincere to ourselves is necessary for our mental health.

5th verse: “Of the three types - Daivi Sampat, Asuri Sampat or Raakshasi Sampat - Daivi Sampat leads to liberation. The other two lead to bondage. Arjuna – you do not have to worry as you are born with Daivi Sampat.”

Samsara refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes that prompt us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life. Daivi Sampat helps us get out of Samsara and eventually attain liberation. The other two keep us rotating along the wheel of Samsara.

Lord Krishna anticipates that Arjuna has a doubt about where his character stands. Anticipating this doubt, he clarifies that Arjuna is born with Daivi Sampat.

The easiest way to acquire Daivi Sampat is to start practicing spiritual disciplines – prayers, reading scriptures or doing noble deeds. The spiritual energy from these disciplines enriches the mental system.
When we undertake spiritual practices, the mind develops the ability to react to life’s situations in a matured manner. Just writing down answers on how to respond to specific life’s situations will not help, because our mind has to be made ready to cooperate.

6th verse: “There were two types of beings at the beginning of creation. I have described the divine ones. Now let me describe the other.”

From the 7th verse onwards, Lord Krishna describes the external manifestations of those endowed with Asuri Sampat.

In the 7th and 8th verse he says: “They do not know what do and what not to do, they have no sense of purity or impurity, they do not have a sense of propriety or impropriety, and they do not have a sense of truth or untruth. They have a natural disposition towards doing the wrong things.”

Vedanta discusses two types of temperaments in individuals. (1) Pravritti – those who live in the world as normal human beings enjoying comforts of the world. (2) Nivritti – those who choose to live a life of renunciation.

Even when we follow the path of Pravritti, we should be guided by dharma, in our pursuit of artha and kama. Kama means desire. Artha refers to the means to acquire material comforts and fulfil desires. Both artha and kama are regulated by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint. This self-restraint helps us enjoy the world without harming the mind with worries and anxieties.

Mahatma Gandhi considered Gita as a commentary on the first two verses of the Isha Upanishad, which says: “The whole world is pervaded by the Divine. Therefore, enjoy the world through renunciation.” We can enjoy the world by having the awareness that everything in this world is, by its very nature, impermanent. This intellectual knowledge needs to become spiritual common sense.

Practicing vegetarianism is helpful in the beginning stages of spirituality but it is not a definition of spirituality. During early stages, it can help bring down negative biological drives, emotions and feelings.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/56919444Fri, 22 Sep 2023 22:23:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco16th Chapter: Verses 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Gita’s conclusion is that the essence of spirituality is about becoming a good human being. This is emphasized in the 9th chapter, in the 12th chapter and in the 16th chapter. The qualities described in these...
Gita’s conclusion is that the essence of spirituality is about becoming a good human being. This is emphasized in the 9th chapter, in the 12th chapter and in the 16th chapter. The qualities described in these chapters should be imbibed and should express themselves in our everyday interaction with fellow beings.

In the 13th verse of the 9th chapter, Lord Krishna says that the one who is dedicated to God should have these divine qualities and should be broad minded.
The commentators of the 16th chapter divide human types into three categories. The first group is endowed with Daivi Sampat – those who have divine spiritual characteristics and are naturally inclined to do good. At the other extreme is the third group, those endowed with Raakshasi Sampat – they are evil and cannot do any good by their very nature. In between is the second group – those endowed with Asuri Sampat – they are neither evil, not divine; they have temptations, and are still striving to be spiritual. There is a long list of such people in the world, and such people should be watchful of what they feed to their mind – by doing noble deeds, they can evolve spiritually.

A long list of undesirable characteristics is given in the 4th verse as a red flag to help humans to avoid following the path of Asuri Sampat or Raakshasi Sampat.

The 2nd verse says that a spiritually evolved person practices ahimsa (non-violence) in thoughts, words and deeds. According to Gita, Ahimsa means avoiding any conscious or deliberate thought/word/deed that can directly or indirectly cause harm to others.

The 3rd verse lists the following characteristics of a person endowed with Daivi Sampat: Boldness, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of hatred, and absence of provide.

A devotee of God is in a state of perfect inner contentment. He has the strength of mind, the will power, the determination to withstand the problems of life and not be shaken by them. Strength without goodness is dangerous – it can create problems for others. Goodness without strength is useless and unproductive.

The 4th verse lists six undesirable characteristics of those endowed with Asuri Sampat: Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness, and ignorance.

Hypocrisy does great harm to the mind. When we are straightforward, there is only one layer in the mind. When we think something else, say something else, and do something else, we create many artificial layers, which create conflict and harm the mind. Being upright and sincere to ourselves is necessary for our mental health.

5th verse: “Of the three types - Daivi Sampat, Asuri Sampat or Raakshasi Sampat - Daivi Sampat leads to liberation. The other two lead to bondage. Arjuna – you do not have to worry as you are born with Daivi Sampat.”

Samsara refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes that prompt us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life. Daivi Sampat helps us get out of Samsara and eventually attain liberation. The other two keep us rotating along the wheel of Samsara.

Lord Krishna anticipates that Arjuna has a doubt about where his character stands. Anticipating this doubt, he clarifies that Arjuna is born with Daivi Sampat.

The easiest way to acquire Daivi Sampat is to start practicing spiritual disciplines – prayers, reading scriptures or doing noble deeds. The spiritual energy from these disciplines enriches the mental system.
When we undertake spiritual practices, the mind develops the ability to react to life’s situations in a matured manner. Just writing down answers on how to respond to specific life’s situations will not help, because our mind has to be made ready to cooperate.4460falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/144-the-danger-of-materialism-swami-tattwamayananda--57062089Asuri traits that is described is Dambhah, big show of one’s status. In relation to it, it describes Darpah as another Asuri trait. Someone who may be humble and calm, may assure himself of his superiority and feel that he does not need to display that. That is a kind of arrogance, which is included in the meaning of Darpah. When we deny the possibility of a positive trait in others, that trait in us becomes a negative trait.

6th verse: “There were two types of beings at the beginning of creation. O’ Arjuna, I have described the divine ones. Now let me describe the other.”

From the 7th verse onwards, Lord Krishna describes the external manifestations of those endowed with Asuri Sampat.In the 7th verse he says: “They do not know what do and what not to do, they have no sense of purity or impurity, they do not have a sense of propriety or impropriety, and they do not have a sense of truth or untruth. They have a natural disposition towards doing the wrong things.”

Samsara refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes that prompt us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life.

Every individual should evolve further by acquiring Daivi Sampat. Asuri Sampat brings one down in evolution. Daivi Sampat helps us get out of Samsara and eventually attain liberation.

When we live in this world, we should be guided by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint. This self-restraint helps us enjoy the world without harming the mind with worries and anxieties. It also helps in our spiritual evolution.

8th and 9th verse: Those endowed with Asuri Sampat say: “There is no such thing as Truth or morality. The idea of spirituality is without any meaning. All human beings are the result of biological union and the underlying basis is lust.” The 9th verse says that such misdirected people arise as enemies of the world and threaten its destruction.

Charvaka was the school of Indian materialism. They taught: “Might is right. We should not believe what we cannot see with our own eyes. Don’t think of yesterday or tomorrow. Don’t think of anything other than giving pleasure to this body.” The 8th and 9th verses provide a picture of this crude materialism and the commentators discuss the dangers of following such a path.

The Bārhaspatya sūtras (derived from the name of the author Brhaspati) is a text on the Charvaka school of materialist philosophy. It was written to help people avoid falling into the trap of materialism.

The Charvakas used wonderful words on superficial ideas of comforts without deeper meaning of life. They were speaking what we want to hear not what we need to hear. According to them: “One should enjoy life as long as one lives. It is okay to even steal money as long one can avoid punishment. This is because life is only one chance and this body will not come back.”

There is great danger in this philosophy. If society follows such a philosophy, there won’t be any self-restraint. In such a society, people’s body may be healthy but the mind will fall sick. In such a society, people have no interest in higher transcendental value.

Shankaracharya says that it is okay to enjoy things in this world if the conduct is not opposed to dharma. It is also important to stay connected with a higher transcendental ideal. Without such as an ideal, one cannot say no to the wrong temptations.

10th verse: “Filled with insatiable desires, hypocrisy, pride, arrogance and evil ideas – such people work with impure resolve to accomplish their evil ideas and goals.”

Ambitions and goals are good. Our attempt to achieve these goals should not violate the universal principles of morality and ethics.

All good qualities and hard work should be accompanied by Daivi Sampat. Otherwise, there is a risk that they can make human civilization more evil. Ramayana and Mahabharata have examples of mythological figures such as Ravana and Hiranyakashipu. They lived in forests and meditated to become more evil.

In the last few verses, Gita gives us a list of problems that we face in modern life and warns us of the danger of falling into the trap of materialism. Vallabhacharya said: “If people think that they don’t see anything good or permanent in this world, then their only destination is darkness.”

Some chapters and verses of Gita are chanted with great spiritual significance. The 12th chapter and the 2nd chapter are some examples. The 24th verse of the 4th chapter is chanted before taking food. Some verses of the 2nd chapter that deal with the eternal nature of the Atman and the perishable nature of the body are chanted at the time of death.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57062089Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:35:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 16th chapter does not just give a list of dos and don’ts. It makes us understand the subtle differences between the characteristics. For example, one of the Asuri traits that is described is Dambhah, big show of one’s status. In relation to it, it...Asuri traits that is described is Dambhah, big show of one’s status. In relation to it, it describes Darpah as another Asuri trait. Someone who may be humble and calm, may assure himself of his superiority and feel that he does not need to display that. That is a kind of arrogance, which is included in the meaning of Darpah. When we deny the possibility of a positive trait in others, that trait in us becomes a negative trait.

6th verse: “There were two types of beings at the beginning of creation. O’ Arjuna, I have described the divine ones. Now let me describe the other.”

From the 7th verse onwards, Lord Krishna describes the external manifestations of those endowed with Asuri Sampat.In the 7th verse he says: “They do not know what do and what not to do, they have no sense of purity or impurity, they do not have a sense of propriety or impropriety, and they do not have a sense of truth or untruth. They have a natural disposition towards doing the wrong things.”

Samsara refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth – our actions leave a residual effect on our mental system, which then become strong attitudes that prompt us to do further actions (karma-vritti-samskara-chakra). We carry these mental tendencies with us from life to life.

Every individual should evolve further by acquiring Daivi Sampat. Asuri Sampat brings one down in evolution. Daivi Sampat helps us get out of Samsara and eventually attain liberation.

When we live in this world, we should be guided by dharma, a self-regulating mechanism and a sense of self-restraint. This self-restraint helps us enjoy the world without harming the mind with worries and anxieties. It also helps in our spiritual evolution.

8th and 9th verse: Those endowed with Asuri Sampat say: “There is no such thing as Truth or morality. The idea of spirituality is without any meaning. All human beings are the result of biological union and the underlying basis is lust.” The 9th verse says that such misdirected people arise as enemies of the world and threaten its destruction.

Charvaka was the school of Indian materialism. They taught: “Might is right. We should not believe what we cannot see with our own eyes. Don’t think of yesterday or tomorrow. Don’t think of anything other than giving pleasure to this body.” The 8th and 9th verses provide a picture of this crude materialism and the commentators discuss the dangers of following such a path.

The Bārhaspatya sūtras (derived from the name of the author Brhaspati) is a text on the Charvaka school of materialist philosophy. It was written to help people avoid falling into the trap of materialism.

The Charvakas used wonderful words on superficial ideas of comforts without deeper meaning of life. They were speaking what we want to hear not what we need to hear. According to them: “One should enjoy life as long as one lives. It is okay to even steal money as long one can avoid punishment. This is because life is only one chance and this body will not come back.”

There is great danger in this philosophy. If society follows such a philosophy, there won’t be any self-restraint. In such a society, people’s body may be healthy but the mind will fall sick. In such a society, people have no interest in higher transcendental value.

Shankaracharya says that it is okay to enjoy things in this world if the conduct is not opposed to dharma. It is also important to stay connected with a higher transcendental ideal. Without such as an...]]>3258false144fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/145-blind-pursuit-of-desires-swami-tattwamayananda--57213906
11th verse: “There is continuous thought in the mind – no control, no restraint – with a desire to acquire something. Gratification of objects of enjoyment is the dominant theme of such people’s existence.”

Mind always wants to possess something, not necessarily because we need it. Desires are not always linked to need.

12th verse: “Driven by aspirations and desires, they go on to secure those objects of enjoyment by whatever means.”

13th verse: “Today, I have got so much wealth and prestige. That is not enough. I have many other desires. I must continue my effort to go after these desires. These objects of enjoyment are mine and will remain mine in the future.”

The 13th verse is interpreted in light of the 4th verse, which list six undesirable characteristics of those endowed with Asuri Sampat: Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness, and ignorance.

The 14th verse should be understood in the context of when Gita was written when warfare was common. It says: “I have killed this enemy. I am the master. I am going to enjoy. I am successful, powerful and happy.”

While the 14th verse is written from the perspective of warfare, it applies to modern times where people compete with each other from the standpoint of the companies they work for.

15th verse: “I am coming from a high position. There is no one as great as me. I shall perform big rituals. I shall enjoy and I shall acquire great things.”

Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the 15th verse, says that such people are in self-delusion. They find out they are deluded when they get a blow from nature such as losing their job or money. The continuous thought current of acquiring material comforts imprisons them.

The ancient text Bhagavata Purana (12th skandha, 2nd chapter, 2nd verse onwards) projects what life would be like in the future in Kaliyuga. It says: “Money will be the single most decisive factor in judging the value of people. With what values one lives his life, will be immaterial. Might will be right. Justice and social order will be built on the foundation of wealth. Some people will be enormously rich. Others will suffer from starvation. There will be epidemics spreading all over the world.”

The 16th chapter is only concerned about the nature of human beings, not society as a whole. It warns us that if we forget the fundamental human values, society will collapse.
16th verse: “They fall into the hellish life of constantly thinking of material comforts. Their mind becomes sick.”

We can never achieve everything that we want to achieve. There is no end to desires. All these desires create a cloud of confusion and self-deception. The unfulfilled desires make the mind sick with anxiety and worries.

We cannot meet all desires and everything in this world - such as health, money, status - is essentially impermanent. We may intellectually know this, but that intellectual knowledge has not become our emotional state, our common sense. The purpose of the 16rth chapter is to translate this intellectual knowledge into spiritual common sense.

17th verse: “Extremely conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform all sacrifices with great ostentation disregarding all ordinances.” This is the literal translation. The meaning of the verse is that such people do things in an improper manner without any consideration for propriety.

For example, when we read a scripture, we should read it with shraddha, contemplate on it and imbibe what we read. Instead, in modern times, if we just click our way through different kinds of content, it would be considered improper.

18th verse: “Filled with egotism, power, insolence, lust and anger, such people hate Me. They do not recognize the presence of the divine spark in themselves and in others.”

Egotism is an important trait when directed towards creative channels. Sri Ramakrishna used to say that the ego should be given a good job to do. The ego should be our servant, not vice versa.

The three gunas operate at the level of the antahkarana, which has four compartments: mind, intellect, memory system and ego. The difference between beings is not at the physical level; rather, it is at the level of antahkarana.

Consciousness is one. Antahkarana is different among beings and it reflects consciousness differently. Swami Vivekananda said that the difference between an amoeba and a Buddha is only of degrees, not of kind. Buddha is like the clean mirror, in whom the presence of the lord manifests in His full effulgence.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57213906Fri, 06 Oct 2023 17:50:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 16th chapter is an analytic study on the basic elements of human personality. Its purpose is to help people understand fundamental values that have enriched human civilization. It reminds us that we should not forget those values in our pursuit of...
11th verse: “There is continuous thought in the mind – no control, no restraint – with a desire to acquire something. Gratification of objects of enjoyment is the dominant theme of such people’s existence.”

Mind always wants to possess something, not necessarily because we need it. Desires are not always linked to need.

12th verse: “Driven by aspirations and desires, they go on to secure those objects of enjoyment by whatever means.”

13th verse: “Today, I have got so much wealth and prestige. That is not enough. I have many other desires. I must continue my effort to go after these desires. These objects of enjoyment are mine and will remain mine in the future.”

The 13th verse is interpreted in light of the 4th verse, which list six undesirable characteristics of those endowed with Asuri Sampat: Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, rudeness, and ignorance.

The 14th verse should be understood in the context of when Gita was written when warfare was common. It says: “I have killed this enemy. I am the master. I am going to enjoy. I am successful, powerful and happy.”

While the 14th verse is written from the perspective of warfare, it applies to modern times where people compete with each other from the standpoint of the companies they work for.

15th verse: “I am coming from a high position. There is no one as great as me. I shall perform big rituals. I shall enjoy and I shall acquire great things.”

Shankaracharya, in his commentary on the 15th verse, says that such people are in self-delusion. They find out they are deluded when they get a blow from nature such as losing their job or money. The continuous thought current of acquiring material comforts imprisons them.

The ancient text Bhagavata Purana (12th skandha, 2nd chapter, 2nd verse onwards) projects what life would be like in the future in Kaliyuga. It says: “Money will be the single most decisive factor in judging the value of people. With what values one lives his life, will be immaterial. Might will be right. Justice and social order will be built on the foundation of wealth. Some people will be enormously rich. Others will suffer from starvation. There will be epidemics spreading all over the world.”

The 16th chapter is only concerned about the nature of human beings, not society as a whole. It warns us that if we forget the fundamental human values, society will collapse.
16th verse: “They fall into the hellish life of constantly thinking of material comforts. Their mind becomes sick.”

We can never achieve everything that we want to achieve. There is no end to desires. All these desires create a cloud of confusion and self-deception. The unfulfilled desires make the mind sick with anxiety and worries.

We cannot meet all desires and everything in this world - such as health, money, status - is essentially impermanent. We may intellectually know this, but that intellectual knowledge has not become our emotional state, our common sense. The purpose of the 16rth chapter is to translate this intellectual knowledge into spiritual common sense.

17th verse: “Extremely conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform all sacrifices with great ostentation disregarding all ordinances.” This is the literal translation. The meaning of the verse is that such people do things in an improper manner without any consideration for propriety.

For example, when we read a scripture, we should read it with shraddha, contemplate on it and imbibe what we read. Instead, in modern times, if we just click our way...]]>4120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/146-we-build-our-own-spiritual-destiny-swami-tattwamayananda--57236690
Kama refers to desire – the mind wants to go after worldly desire all the time. Dambha refers to religious or spiritual pride and superiority. Māna means they think they deserve more honor than others. Mada means delusion, an over estimation of one’s abilities. These are characteristics of people who become conceited and indulge in showmanship.
Sri Ramakrishna refers to three types of devotees – Sattvic, who are serene and contemplative. Rajasic who are externally expressive. And Tamasic who worship in a careless manner.

18th verse: “Filled with egotism, power, insolence, lust and anger, such people hate Me. They do not recognize the presence of the divine spark in themselves and in others.”
There are two types of strengths. In the first type, one has wealth, power, status but he is self-restraint. He does not have aversion towards anyone. In the second type, the power is accompanied by extreme likes and dislikes.

It is important to combine any kind of power with humility and self-restraint. If a wealthy or powerful person is humble, it is a blessing to society.

Ramanuja says in his commentary on the 18th verse: “The very idea of Viveka (discrimination) and Vairagya (renunciation) never comes to them because they have no genuine devotion to God. Their mind remains impure, and they always criticize. They think of someone who exercises self-restraint as weak. They think of knowledge without showmanship as ignorance.”

19th verse: The literal meaning is: “These people – who are proud, malicious, cruel and born of evil qualities – I hurl them perpetually in the wombs of the demons.” The interpretation is: “Those who deliberately do sinful deeds, they fall into perpetual demonic state.”

There is no eternal damnation in Hinduism. Only Madhvacharya talked about it. The majority do not accept this view. God is not the arbitrator.

Gita says that we should build our own spiritual destiny. We reap according to the types of seeds we sow. According to our own actions, we create heaven or hell like conditions in our life.

If we take refuge in God’s grace, our destiny will change. But we have to make ourselves graceworthy with our own self effort. Such refuge requires complete self-surrender. If we do so, it will be difficult for us to do anything wrong.

Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.

One of the Brahma Sutras says: “God is taking care of everything. Everything happens according to our previous deeds.”

Though everything comes from God, God is not responsible for what we do. We act according to our own samskaras. Just professing a belief in God will not change our life. Prapati or complete self-surrender will have an immediate effect.

20th verse: “Those who hate others and reinforce their own evil character, they continue to rotate in this cycle of samsara.”

21st verse: “There are three gates to a hellish life – hellish conditions created from our own actions. These three gates are lust, anger and greed (kamah, krodhah, lobhah). These three should be abandoned.”

Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire. Not all desires are fulfilled. When the desire remains unfulfilled, we become angry. And then there is endless greed.

Patanjali prescribes five yamas (important) and five niyamas (auxiliary) in Yoga Sutras. When we practice yamas and niyamas, these three gates are closed.

The five yamas are: ahimsa (non-violence, satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (right use of energy) and aparigraha (non-hoarding). The five niyamas are: saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), svadhyaya (study of scriptures) and Isvara Pranidhana (surrender to God).

In terms of inquiry, there are two types of seekers. (1) Those who are humble, straightforward and inquisitive. Once they are convinced of the truth, they become champions of that truth. Swami Vivekananda was such as seeker. (2) Those who ask questions without any seriousness. They pretend to be convinced, but they keep asking the same questions again.

A spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved, and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57236690Fri, 13 Oct 2023 22:35:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco17th verse: “Extremely conceited, haughty, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth, they perform all sacrifices with great ostentation disregarding all ordinances.” This is the literal translation. The meaning of the verse is that such people do...
Kama refers to desire – the mind wants to go after worldly desire all the time. Dambha refers to religious or spiritual pride and superiority. Māna means they think they deserve more honor than others. Mada means delusion, an over estimation of one’s abilities. These are characteristics of people who become conceited and indulge in showmanship.
Sri Ramakrishna refers to three types of devotees – Sattvic, who are serene and contemplative. Rajasic who are externally expressive. And Tamasic who worship in a careless manner.

18th verse: “Filled with egotism, power, insolence, lust and anger, such people hate Me. They do not recognize the presence of the divine spark in themselves and in others.”
There are two types of strengths. In the first type, one has wealth, power, status but he is self-restraint. He does not have aversion towards anyone. In the second type, the power is accompanied by extreme likes and dislikes.

It is important to combine any kind of power with humility and self-restraint. If a wealthy or powerful person is humble, it is a blessing to society.

Ramanuja says in his commentary on the 18th verse: “The very idea of Viveka (discrimination) and Vairagya (renunciation) never comes to them because they have no genuine devotion to God. Their mind remains impure, and they always criticize. They think of someone who exercises self-restraint as weak. They think of knowledge without showmanship as ignorance.”

19th verse: The literal meaning is: “These people – who are proud, malicious, cruel and born of evil qualities – I hurl them perpetually in the wombs of the demons.” The interpretation is: “Those who deliberately do sinful deeds, they fall into perpetual demonic state.”

There is no eternal damnation in Hinduism. Only Madhvacharya talked about it. The majority do not accept this view. God is not the arbitrator.

Gita says that we should build our own spiritual destiny. We reap according to the types of seeds we sow. According to our own actions, we create heaven or hell like conditions in our life.

If we take refuge in God’s grace, our destiny will change. But we have to make ourselves graceworthy with our own self effort. Such refuge requires complete self-surrender. If we do so, it will be difficult for us to do anything wrong.

Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Total self-surrender.

One of the Brahma Sutras says: “God is taking care of everything. Everything happens according to our previous deeds.”

Though everything comes from God, God is not responsible for what we do. We act according to our own samskaras. Just professing a belief in God will not change our life. Prapati or complete self-surrender will have an immediate effect.

20th verse: “Those who hate others and reinforce their own evil character, they continue to rotate in this cycle of samsara.”

21st verse: “There are three gates to a hellish life – hellish conditions created from our own actions. These three gates are lust, anger and greed (kamah, krodhah, lobhah). These three should be abandoned.”

Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire....]]>3955false146fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/147-what-is-shastram-swami-tattwamayananda--57477874
Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire. Not all desires are fulfilled. When the desire remains unfulfilled, we become angry. And then there is endless greed.

22nd verse: “The genuine spiritual seeker, who has gone beyond these three gates, who is free from lust, anger and greed, he does things that are good for himself and others. He does not see distinction between himself and others. What is good for him will naturally be good for others.”

23rd verse: “Those who act under the impulse of desire and ignore the fundamental principle – to act in accordance with shastram – they will not attain perfection, they will not attain happiness, and they will not reach their spiritual destination.”

The literal, dictionary meaning of shastram may be science and theological scriptures. The true spiritual meaning of shastram is that which helps us conduct our life without desire, greed and anger. Shastram is that which helps us conduct our life in such a way that it becomes a blessing for ourselves and others.
24th verse: “Therefore this shastram should be your pramanam (authority) in ascertaining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.”

Shastram also means spiritual heritage, accumulated spiritual wisdom, and teachings of great men and women who helped humanity preserve its values. Shastram is the totality of the best elements of human civilization.
Civilization was able to preserve those best elements, that sanctity, that tradition because the exponents of these values had no selfish desire, no anger, and no greed.

Bhagavata Purana has the following verse: “When honey bees go from one flower to another, whether it is a tiny or big flower, they only collect and imbibe its essence, the honey. They ignore everything else. Similarly, we should only imbibe the highest and most universal spiritual teachings. A wise person should only collect the essence and practice it in his own life – only then it becomes effective.”

To emphasize the importance of spiritual practice and realization, Sri Ramakrishna used to give the example of almanac. The almanac has forecasts on rain, but if one takes the almanac and squeezes it, there won’t be a drop of rain. It is true that many teachings are recorded in the scriptures. But they are useless without the effort to practice and imbibe these teachings and realize God.

Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, oneself, God, teacher, and inner consciousness. Shraddha can also mean concentration.

Arjuna had shraddha but did not understand shastram. The 17th chapter starts with this doubt in Arjuna. He asks the question: “Those who have a high degree of shraddha but do not know how to follow shastram, what happens to them?” The 17th chapter deals with three levels of shraddha.

The essence of Arjuna’s question is: “Do spirituals directly talk to us?” For a true spiritual seeker, if his mind is pure and sincere, the whole nature becomes an open book, an open university, an open education institution – he learns from everything.

Bhagavata Purana has the legend of Avadhuta who learns spiritual lessons from birds, honey bees, elephants, fish and others from nature. His own mind helps him become a good student and learn from everything in nature. If the mind is pure, it captures the essence of spirituality from everything in this world. Otherwise, there is no end to doubts.

Spiritual questions go through a process of self-destruction. They cease to be questions as we spiritually evolve. There are no shortcuts in spiritual evolution – it is a gradual process of evolution.

Dogmatic approach does not allow one to evolve to a level of spiritual fitness to make use of what one learns – a dogmatic approach expects the student to just accept it. This is the opposite of shraddha. In Vedanta lineage, the teacher first elevates the student to a higher level where the student is naturally fit to accept the higher truth. For example, Sri Ramakrishna taught Advaita to Swami Vivekananda because he was spiritually ready. Other disciples wanted to learn Advaita, but Sri Ramakrishna did not teach them.

In the 63rd verse of the 18th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “I have taught you this great spiritual truth. You analyze what I have taught you, use your own reasoning and do what you want.” This verse emphasizes the importance of spiritual freedom and encourages one to think for oneself. It also indicates that we can only learn from a book or teacher what we deserve to learn, what our mind is ready to learn.

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna. Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita – he is active but remains serene and detached. Swami Trigunatitananda demonstrated this in his life’s work.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57477874Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:58:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco21st verse: “There are three gates to a hellish life – hellish conditions created from our own actions. These three gates are lust, anger and greed (kamah, krodhah, lobhah). These three should be abandoned.” Every wrong action has desire or lust as...
Every wrong action has desire or lust as its source. Once we have a desire, we direct our senses and energy to fulfill that desire. Not all desires are fulfilled. When the desire remains unfulfilled, we become angry. And then there is endless greed.

22nd verse: “The genuine spiritual seeker, who has gone beyond these three gates, who is free from lust, anger and greed, he does things that are good for himself and others. He does not see distinction between himself and others. What is good for him will naturally be good for others.”

23rd verse: “Those who act under the impulse of desire and ignore the fundamental principle – to act in accordance with shastram – they will not attain perfection, they will not attain happiness, and they will not reach their spiritual destination.”

The literal, dictionary meaning of shastram may be science and theological scriptures. The true spiritual meaning of shastram is that which helps us conduct our life without desire, greed and anger. Shastram is that which helps us conduct our life in such a way that it becomes a blessing for ourselves and others.
24th verse: “Therefore this shastram should be your pramanam (authority) in ascertaining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done.”

Shastram also means spiritual heritage, accumulated spiritual wisdom, and teachings of great men and women who helped humanity preserve its values. Shastram is the totality of the best elements of human civilization.
Civilization was able to preserve those best elements, that sanctity, that tradition because the exponents of these values had no selfish desire, no anger, and no greed.

Bhagavata Purana has the following verse: “When honey bees go from one flower to another, whether it is a tiny or big flower, they only collect and imbibe its essence, the honey. They ignore everything else. Similarly, we should only imbibe the highest and most universal spiritual teachings. A wise person should only collect the essence and practice it in his own life – only then it becomes effective.”

To emphasize the importance of spiritual practice and realization, Sri Ramakrishna used to give the example of almanac. The almanac has forecasts on rain, but if one takes the almanac and squeezes it, there won’t be a drop of rain. It is true that many teachings are recorded in the scriptures. But they are useless without the effort to practice and imbibe these teachings and realize God.

Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, oneself, God, teacher, and inner consciousness. Shraddha can also mean concentration.

Arjuna had shraddha but did not understand shastram. The 17th chapter starts with this doubt in Arjuna. He asks the question: “Those who have a high degree of shraddha but do not know how to follow shastram, what happens to them?” The 17th chapter deals with three levels of shraddha.

The essence of Arjuna’s question is: “Do spirituals directly talk to us?” For a true spiritual seeker, if his mind is pure and sincere, the whole nature becomes an open book, an open university, an open education institution – he learns from everything.

Bhagavata Purana has the legend of Avadhuta who learns spiritual lessons from birds, honey bees, elephants, fish and others from nature. His own mind helps him become a good student and learn from everything in nature. If the mind is pure, it captures the essence of spirituality from everything in this world. Otherwise, there is no end to doubts.

Spiritual questions go through a process of self-destruction. They cease to be questions as we spiritually...]]>3858false147fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/148-samskaras-determine-our-level-of-shraddha-swami-tattwamayananda--57535486
2nd verse: “The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. It is born out of their own swabhava – their own natural tendencies. “
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna
manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

If a person has wealth and power, but he is humble, has self-control and does not make a show of it – he is endowed with sattva guna. Sattva guna indicates higher transcendental wisdom in a person. If a person is very active and makes a show of his wealth and power, he is endowed with rajo guna. If a person is lazy, ignorant, confused and does not want to earn higher qualities, he is endowed with tamo guna.

Shraddha is based on our inherent natural tendencies, our swabhava, which is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
In Patanajali Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says: “The river of the human mind flows in two directions. One takes us towards higher spiritual fulfillment. The other is of a negative nature and takes us away from our cherished aspirations.” The mind may not act as our friend when it is not ready. For example, when we want to meditate (positive flow of the river), the mind may procrastinate (negative flow of the river).

Vyasa also says: “We can never refine samskaras and turn the mind into a friend without a refining process. The refining process starts with doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such deeds increase the store house of positive samskaras and negate the negative samskaras.
The mind then begins to evolve.”

The 1st sutra of sadhana pada in Patanjali Yoga Sutra says: “tap ah-svadhyaya-isvara-pranidhanani kriya-yoga” Kriya yoga refers to any kind of noble, unselfish activity. Such actions help us climb the ladder of three types of shraddhas – from tamasika, to rajasika to sattvika.

One of the commentators on this verse says: “This shraddha is inherent but not inflexible. If inflexible, everything will degenerate into blind fatalism. We have the freedom to ascend to higher levels of shraddha by applying our own resources. This will strengthen the river of mind and help it flow in the positive direction.”

3rd verse: “The shraddha of every individual is according to his/her natural disposition. Every individual and his level of shraddha are identified as one.”

Brahma Sutras discuss the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world. We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory system, ego sense) through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the soul when it takes a new body.

These samskaras in the Antahkarana decide what level of shraddha each person possesses.
In the next few verses, Lord Krishna describes how we can infer the level of shraddha by analyzing a person’s actions and behaviors, such as whom he worships and what kind of food he eats.

4th verse: “Those endowed with sattvika shraddha worship divine, angelic deities. Those with rajasika shraddha worship a god idea that gives them material comforts such as wealth and power. Those with tamasika shraddha worship supernatural and black magic concepts of god.”

The God idea that we worship is dependent on our level of spiritual evolution. As we evolve, our idea of God also evolves.

In spiritual life, we are never late and nothing is lost. Every moment can be used as the beginning of a new journey.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57535486Fri, 03 Nov 2023 19:41:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoShraddha cannot be properly translated in English. Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, God, teacher, and a sense of integrity. One of the verses says: “A man...
2nd verse: “The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. It is born out of their own swabhava – their own natural tendencies. “
Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna
manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament.

If a person has wealth and power, but he is humble, has self-control and does not make a show of it – he is endowed with sattva guna. Sattva guna indicates higher transcendental wisdom in a person. If a person is very active and makes a show of his wealth and power, he is endowed with rajo guna. If a person is lazy, ignorant, confused and does not want to earn higher qualities, he is endowed with tamo guna.

Shraddha is based on our inherent natural tendencies, our swabhava, which is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.
In Patanajali Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says: “The river of the human mind flows in two directions. One takes us towards higher spiritual fulfillment. The other is of a negative nature and takes us away from our cherished aspirations.” The mind may not act as our friend when it is not ready. For example, when we want to meditate (positive flow of the river), the mind may procrastinate (negative flow of the river).

Vyasa also says: “We can never refine samskaras and turn the mind into a friend without a refining process. The refining process starts with doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such deeds increase the store house of positive samskaras and negate the negative samskaras.
The mind then begins to evolve.”

The 1st sutra of sadhana pada in Patanjali Yoga Sutra says: “tap ah-svadhyaya-isvara-pranidhanani kriya-yoga” Kriya yoga refers to any kind of noble, unselfish activity. Such actions help us climb the ladder of three types of shraddhas – from tamasika, to rajasika to sattvika.

One of the commentators on this verse says: “This shraddha is inherent but not inflexible. If inflexible, everything will degenerate into blind fatalism. We have the freedom to ascend to higher levels of shraddha by applying our own resources. This will strengthen the river of mind and help it flow in the positive direction.”

3rd verse: “The shraddha of every individual is according to his/her natural disposition. Every individual and his level of shraddha are identified as one.”

Brahma Sutras discuss the dynamics of leaving the world and the dynamics of returning to the world. We are born with the baggage of past samskaras (tendencies) – we cannot disown them. We collect these tendencies in our Antahkarana (mind, intellect, memory system, ego sense) through actions involving the senses and the mind. When the body is cremated, the physical senses are gone, but the Antahkarana is retained. It accompanies the soul when it takes a new body.

These samskaras in the Antahkarana decide what level of shraddha each person possesses.
In the next few verses, Lord Krishna describes how we can infer...]]>3857false148fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/149-spiritual-meaning-of-food-swami-tattwamayananda--57672317
7th verse: “The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.”

The Chandogya Upanishad contains the first important discussion on the effect of what we eat and the true meaning of food. Shankaracharya has also written commentaries on the broader meaning of food. Food is not just hat we eat with mouth – our mind also eats food. It is all the ideas and associations that we imbibe and that impact our emotions and feelings. The five senses of perception and the sense objects – they all bring food to the mind.

The verse in Chandogya Upanishad is:
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ स्मृतिः ध्रुवा स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनां विप्र मोक्षः || [7.26.2]
It means: “From purity of food comes purity of mind. From purity of mind comes constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas. From constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas comes liberation from bondage.”

We remember what we are interested in. What are we are interested in depends on the structure of the mind. Whatever the mind has in its system, it wants more of it. If the mind is pure, it remembers and imbibes higher spiritual ideas.

In a broader sense, mind refers to Antahkarana, which is made up of four compartments (mind, intellect, memory system, ego sense). In darkness, we may speculate whether something is a pillar or a human – this comes from mind, which is the speculative faculty. When we conclusively determine that it is a pillar, it comes from the intellect which is the determining faculty. We may remember that we had seen a similar pillar elsewhere – that comes from chittam, which is the memory system. And then we may think “I am the one who saw it” – that comes from ahamkara, which is the ego sense.

8th verse: “Foods that enrich vitality, energy, strength, health, cheerfulness, mental equilibrium, appetite, contentment, and which are nourishing and agreeable, are liked by those endowed with Sattva guna.”

Bhagavata Purana emphasizes that we should only eat what we need for our health and sustenance. It says: “One should only eat what the system permits to eat. Those who eat more, fall sick and become a liability to themselves.” In a broader sense it also means: “Those who are greedy and keep things which they do not need and which belong to others, such people are thieves.”

There is an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita, which defines health in a universal sense.
“sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”

It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. In particular, this verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit. They should not remind us of their existence.

Manu Smriti defines what is the wrong type of food. It says:
ANAROGYAM ANAYUSYAM ASVARGYAM CA ATIBHOJANAM APUNYAM LOKA VID VISTAM TASMAT TAT PARIVARJAYET (MANU SMRITI 2/57)

It means: “One should avoid the following: (1) Food that is not good for health (2) Food that reduces the duration of life (3) Food does not guarantee good health in next life (4) Eating too much (5) Food that makes us do sinful deeds (6) Food that causes people to ridicule you.”

Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people with good temperament and with affection.

The 24th verse of the 4th chapter of Gita is the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra. It is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food, so the food is purified. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”

There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. With this strong conviction, when we utter this mantra before eating food, then whatever we eat becomes purified. Whatever we eat, we should eat with a prayerful attitude.

We should be moderate when it comes to eating food. Our body should not complain after we eat food. Extreme fanatical fasting and extreme gluttony are both non-spiritual.
9th verse: “Foods that are bitter, sour, saline, hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by those endowed with Rajo guna.”

Food that creates temporary emotional excitement, violent tendencies, and disturb the balance of the mind are of the rajasika type.

Gita has no reference to vegetarianism. There is no indication that ancient vedic culture was a vegetarian culture. The discussion of sattvik, rajasik and tamasik food goes beyond the concepts of vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Lord Krishna is addressing food in the context of the entire humanity.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57672317Sat, 11 Nov 2023 00:42:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoOur temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition....
7th verse: “The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.”

The Chandogya Upanishad contains the first important discussion on the effect of what we eat and the true meaning of food. Shankaracharya has also written commentaries on the broader meaning of food. Food is not just hat we eat with mouth – our mind also eats food. It is all the ideas and associations that we imbibe and that impact our emotions and feelings. The five senses of perception and the sense objects – they all bring food to the mind.

The verse in Chandogya Upanishad is:
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ स्मृतिः ध्रुवा स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनां विप्र मोक्षः || [7.26.2]
It means: “From purity of food comes purity of mind. From purity of mind comes constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas. From constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas comes liberation from bondage.”

We remember what we are interested in. What are we are interested in depends on the structure of the mind. Whatever the mind has in its system, it wants more of it. If the mind is pure, it remembers and imbibes higher spiritual ideas.

In a broader sense, mind refers to Antahkarana, which is made up of four compartments (mind, intellect, memory system, ego sense). In darkness, we may speculate whether something is a pillar or a human – this comes from mind, which is the speculative faculty. When we conclusively determine that it is a pillar, it comes from the intellect which is the determining faculty. We may remember that we had seen a similar pillar elsewhere – that comes from chittam, which is the memory system. And then we may think “I am the one who saw it” – that comes from ahamkara, which is the ego sense.

8th verse: “Foods that enrich vitality, energy, strength, health, cheerfulness, mental equilibrium, appetite, contentment, and which are nourishing and agreeable, are liked by those endowed with Sattva guna.”

Bhagavata Purana emphasizes that we should only eat what we need for our health and sustenance. It says: “One should only eat what the system permits to eat. Those who eat more, fall sick and become a liability to themselves.” In a broader sense it also means: “Those who are greedy and keep things which they do not need and which belong to others, such people are thieves.”

There is an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita, which defines health in a universal sense.
“sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”

It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. In particular, this verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit. They should not remind us of their existence.

Manu Smriti defines what is the wrong type of food. It says:
ANAROGYAM ANAYUSYAM ASVARGYAM CA ATIBHOJANAM APUNYAM LOKA VID VISTAM TASMAT TAT PARIVARJAYET (MANU SMRITI 2/57)

It means: “One should avoid the following: (1) Food that is not good for health (2) Food that reduces the duration of life (3) Food does not guarantee good health in next life (4) Eating too much (5) Food that makes us do sinful deeds (6) Food that causes people to ridicule you.”

Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people with good temperament and with...]]>3782false149fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/150-austerity-of-body-speech-and-mind-swami-tattwamayananda--57909465
These three temperaments are based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our temperament.

The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.

Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people with
good temperament and with affection.

10th verse: “The food that was cooked several hours earlier and whose original taste is gone, food that has foul smell, food that has been partly eaten by someone else, and food that is not conducive to the development of higher qualities in the mind and intellect, is liked by those endowed with tamo guna.”

Gita as a text belongs to 3,300 BC when there was no refrigerator. The staleness of food implied in the 10th verse should be interpreted in the context of modern times.
If a person eats food that was partly eaten by someone else, the emotional state of the other person can be transferred to him.

The next few verses describe the three levels of yajna – sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. In Gita, yajna means any unselfish, noble activity. However, in the next three verses it means rituals.

11th verse: “Yajna that is performed with great reverence, with no showmanship, with great concentration, with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and self-restraint, with no selfish motive, with the sense that it is a sacred act and duty – such yajna is sattvika.”

12th verse: “Yajna that is performed with a desire for material benefit or with a desire for fame or with great pomp and show – such yajna is Rajasika.”
When the yajna is performed with showmanship, it is less spiritually beneficial. However, it is better to do yajna with publicity than to not do it at all.

13th verse: “Yajna that is performed in an unconventional manner, without a sense of sanctity and sacredness, without the proper utterance of mantras, without giving dakshina to the priests – such yajna is tamasika.”

If a priest performs rituals on our behalf and we do not give them dakshina, then the benefit of the ritual only goes to the priest. If we donate to the construction of a shelter, then some spiritual benefit from the construction of that shelter comes to us. In whatever charity we do, we should consider the fitness of the recipient.

The 14th, 15th and 16th verses discuss tapah (austerity) - physical austerity, austerity of speech and mental austerity.

When we fast, or after a pilgrimage we give up eating a certain food, it is an example of physical austerity. When we speak with good words, it is an example of austerity in speech. When we think good thoughts, it is an example of mental austerity.

Upavasa is normally interpreted as fasting. However, its true meaning is “staying near God.” If someone fasts and at the same time fights with neighbors, that is not upavasa. Upavasa also does not mean self-torture. If someone does not fast but decides to read scriptures instead, he is closer to the real intent of upavasa.

Austerity is about directing our mind and senses towards higher ideas. Great artists, musicians and scientists gave up worldly enjoyments to direct their mind exclusively on their activity. That is a symbol of austerity. Tyagaraja was a great Indian musician who denied treasures offered by kings – he wanted to compose music only for God.

14th verse: “Those who practice reverence towards gods/goddesses, ancient sages, wise men and tradition, who do so with mental and physical purity, who do so with chastity and non-violence, whose body, mind and intellect operate in harmony and in one direction – their austerity is of the physical type.”

Brahmacharya is mentioned in this verse. It is important for householders also. After having children, householders should practice chastity and contemplate on higher values. Many ancient sages were retired householders. To reach the experience of oneness with Brahman, one has to go through long spiritual practices which include Brahmacharya. To reach the highest state, one has to transcend tamo and rajo guna, be established in sattva guna and ultimately transcend all three gunas.

15th verse: “Speech that does not cause vexation or anguish or disturbance in the minds of the listener, which is truthful, which is agreeable to the listener, which is beneficial to the listener, as well as recitation of the vedas, are austerities of speech.”

When Hanuman meets Rama for the first time as Sugriva's messenger, Rama was charmed by Hanuman's art of speaking and his austerity in speech. Rama says to Lakshmana: “See how excellently Hanuman has spoken. He did not utter a single word without relevance. Nor did he omit an appropriate word. Such a voice promotes general welfare and remains forever in the hearts and minds of generations to come. His expression is not too elaborate, not confusing, not dragging, and not very fast. The language he spoke is richly endowed with grammatical purity. It is wonderful and auspicious. It is neither too fast nor too slow. It is captivating the heart. Whose mind will not be pleased by such words. He is a knower of all the vedas.”

There is a verse in Mahabharata which says: “There are people who are ready to talk to you about what you want to hear. There are very few people who tell you what you need to hear and what is eventually beneficial to you.”

Some people say that they are straightforward and say things as-is. However, if such speech causes anxiety to the listener, it is not sattvik. It should be beneficial to the listener.
16th verse: “Serenity of mind, sympathy, kindliness, silence, self-control, sincerity and honesty in dealings – these are austerities of the mind.”

Silence is sometimes more powerful than verbosity. Silence is also a language which is inaudible, where mind is involved, and where the sense of hearing is not involved.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57909465Fri, 24 Nov 2023 19:11:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoOur temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition....
These three temperaments are based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our temperament.

The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.

Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people with
good temperament and with affection.

10th verse: “The food that was cooked several hours earlier and whose original taste is gone, food that has foul smell, food that has been partly eaten by someone else, and food that is not conducive to the development of higher qualities in the mind and intellect, is liked by those endowed with tamo guna.”

Gita as a text belongs to 3,300 BC when there was no refrigerator. The staleness of food implied in the 10th verse should be interpreted in the context of modern times.
If a person eats food that was partly eaten by someone else, the emotional state of the other person can be transferred to him.

The next few verses describe the three levels of yajna – sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. In Gita, yajna means any unselfish, noble activity. However, in the next three verses it means rituals.

11th verse: “Yajna that is performed with great reverence, with no showmanship, with great concentration, with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and self-restraint, with no selfish motive, with the sense that it is a sacred act and duty – such yajna is sattvika.”

12th verse: “Yajna that is performed with a desire for material benefit or with a desire for fame or with great pomp and show – such yajna is Rajasika.”
When the yajna is performed with showmanship, it is less spiritually beneficial. However, it is better to do yajna with publicity than to not do it at all.

13th verse: “Yajna that is performed in an unconventional manner, without a sense of sanctity and sacredness, without the proper utterance of mantras, without giving dakshina to the priests – such yajna is tamasika.”

If a priest performs rituals on our behalf and we do not give them dakshina, then the benefit of the ritual only goes to the priest. If we donate to the construction of a shelter, then some spiritual benefit from the construction of that shelter comes to us. In whatever charity we do, we should consider the fitness of the recipient.

The 14th, 15th and 16th verses discuss tapah (austerity) - physical austerity, austerity of speech and mental austerity.

When we fast, or after a pilgrimage we give up eating a certain food, it is an example of physical austerity. When we speak with good words, it is an example of austerity in speech. When we think good thoughts, it is an example of mental austerity.

Upavasa is normally interpreted as fasting. However, its true meaning is “staying near God.” If someone fasts and at the same time fights with neighbors, that is not upavasa. Upavasa also does not mean self-torture. If someone does not fast but decides to read scriptures instead, he is closer to the real intent of upavasa.

Austerity is about directing our mind and senses towards higher ideas. Great artists, musicians and scientists gave up worldly enjoyments to direct...]]>4592false150fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/151-the-three-levels-of-austerities-swami-tattwamayananda--57909558
The three gunas reflect in different areas of human conduct such as the way we practice rituals, austerities and charity.

The 14th, 15th and 16th verses discuss tapah (austerity) - physical austerity, austerity of speech and mental austerity. Austerity is about directing our mind and senses towards higher ideas.

14th verse: “Those who practice reverence towards gods/goddesses, ancient sages, wise men and tradition, who do so with mental and physical purity, who do so with chastity and non-violence, whose body, mind and intellect operate in harmony and in one direction – their austerity is of the physical type.”

The 14th verse refers to the “twice born”. This refers to people who had a biological birth and later a spiritual birth through initiation. The verse says that we should respect such good people in society. Then we develop their good qualities in ourselves. What we appreciate in others, that we develop in ourselves.

15th verse: “Speech that does not cause vexation or anguish or disturbance in the minds of the listener, which is truthful, which is agreeable to the listener, which is beneficial to the listener, as well as recitation of the vedas, are austerities of speech.”

16th verse: “Serenity of mind, sympathy, kindliness, silence, self-control, sincerity and honesty in dealings – these are austerities of the mind.”

17th verse: “When the three-fold austerities described in the 14th, 15th and 16th verses are done with no desire for material rewards, with the mind, word, thoughts and deed in harmony with each other, with no pretention, with a serene expression – such austerity is considered Sattvik.”

18th verse: “When the three-fold austerities are done with the objective of getting respect or acceptance or done with ostentation and pretention – such austerity is considered Rajasik. Such austerity is shaky and transitory in nature.”

A smile that is done with pretention or for diplomacy does not last long – it is transitory in nature. Unnatural expressions create problems for the mind.
19th verse: “Due to misconception, without following principles of moderation, if someone practices austerities that involve self-torture or harm others – such austerity is considered Tamasik and doomed for disaster.”

If a spiritual seeker is very evolved, such as Buddha, and is able to withstand extreme austerity with joy because he is connected with the transcendental, then such austerity is Sattvik. It is a royal highway to enlightenment.

Bhasmasura practiced austerity to gain powers to harm others. He ended up destroying himself.

The 20th verse describes charity of the sattvic type.

20th verse: “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

In commentaries on this verse, Kurukshetra is cited as an example of an auspicious place for charity and Sankranti is cited as an auspicious time for charity. Such charity is helpful to both the giver and receiver.

Every act of charity loosens our karmic blocks. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Noble, unselfish deeds, such as charity, generate spiritual energy and loosen the karmic blocks.

With spiritual practices, such as the three yogas, there is a gradual evolution of the human consciousness from the lowest level of Muladhara to the highest level of Sahasrara. This ascent reflects the loosening of karmic blocks and their eventual disappearance. One should start with karma yoga, in the form of noble, unselfish activities.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/57909558Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:18:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoOur temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition....
The three gunas reflect in different areas of human conduct such as the way we practice rituals, austerities and charity.

The 14th, 15th and 16th verses discuss tapah (austerity) - physical austerity, austerity of speech and mental austerity. Austerity is about directing our mind and senses towards higher ideas.

14th verse: “Those who practice reverence towards gods/goddesses, ancient sages, wise men and tradition, who do so with mental and physical purity, who do so with chastity and non-violence, whose body, mind and intellect operate in harmony and in one direction – their austerity is of the physical type.”

The 14th verse refers to the “twice born”. This refers to people who had a biological birth and later a spiritual birth through initiation. The verse says that we should respect such good people in society. Then we develop their good qualities in ourselves. What we appreciate in others, that we develop in ourselves.

15th verse: “Speech that does not cause vexation or anguish or disturbance in the minds of the listener, which is truthful, which is agreeable to the listener, which is beneficial to the listener, as well as recitation of the vedas, are austerities of speech.”

16th verse: “Serenity of mind, sympathy, kindliness, silence, self-control, sincerity and honesty in dealings – these are austerities of the mind.”

17th verse: “When the three-fold austerities described in the 14th, 15th and 16th verses are done with no desire for material rewards, with the mind, word, thoughts and deed in harmony with each other, with no pretention, with a serene expression – such austerity is considered Sattvik.”

18th verse: “When the three-fold austerities are done with the objective of getting respect or acceptance or done with ostentation and pretention – such austerity is considered Rajasik. Such austerity is shaky and transitory in nature.”

A smile that is done with pretention or for diplomacy does not last long – it is transitory in nature. Unnatural expressions create problems for the mind.
19th verse: “Due to misconception, without following principles of moderation, if someone practices austerities that involve self-torture or harm others – such austerity is considered Tamasik and doomed for disaster.”

If a spiritual seeker is very evolved, such as Buddha, and is able to withstand extreme austerity with joy because he is connected with the transcendental, then such austerity is Sattvik. It is a royal highway to enlightenment.

Bhasmasura practiced austerity to gain powers to harm others. He ended up destroying himself.

The 20th verse describes charity of the sattvic type.

20th verse: “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

In commentaries on this verse, Kurukshetra is cited as an example of an auspicious place for charity and Sankranti is cited as an auspicious time for charity. Such charity is helpful to both the giver and receiver.

Every act of charity loosens our karmic blocks. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks or accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. Noble, unselfish deeds, such as charity, generate spiritual energy and loosen the karmic blocks.

With spiritual practices, such as the three yogas, there is a gradual evolution...]]>3762false151fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/152-meaning-of-om-tat-sat-swami-tattwamayananda--58052909
17th Chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23

Yajna, Dana, and Tapah – these spiritual principles have the triple dimensions of Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika.

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Our everyday activities can be spiritualized when we perform them as yajna. Then there is no difference between the shrine and the workplace. Any activity not done as yajna becomes a bondage – it is an invisible chain that binds us to the world.

Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others.
Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with total dedication and with a sense of going beyond the body-mind complex.

20th verse: “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

21st verse: “When charity is practiced with the expectation of getting something back in return or done with a mind that is not happy as it is struggling with its own greed, ort done with a desire to be known as a charitable person – such charity is Rajasik.”

22nd verse: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is Tamasik.”
Suppose a person is sitting in a dirty, filthy place and we give him restaurant food. It is an example of wrong place. Suppose that person has already had his meal and we give him food. It is an example of wrong time. Suppose we give money to a person who uses it for terrible things. It is an example of charity to an unworthy person.

The 23rd and 24th verses are very important and explain how we can purify our spiritual activities such as yajna, dana and tapah.
23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”

There are four vedas. Each veda has four parts – Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad. Samhita contains hymns to deities. Brahmana contain description of rituals. Aranyaka contain philosophical discussions and spiritual disciplines. Upanishads contain the highest and most sublime portion of the vedas.

It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. For example, a prayer is effective when the mind, the act of prayer, the thoughts and emotions are all focused on the prayer. It is difficult for normal human beings to do so – there is an inherent incompleteness and imperfection in their prayer. The same applies to rituals. The spiritual practice – a prayer or an offering or a ritual – can be purified by uttering “Om” or “Om Tat Sat.”

The utterance of “Om Tat Sat” can have two levels. The utterance has more effect when we understand its meaning. It has less effect if it is uttered without understanding its meaning.
Om is a word symbol that represents the totality of existence and divinity. Whatever we experience in waking state, dream state or deep sleep state – they are all represented by Om.

Om is comprised of A-U-M. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.
Om contains the essence of all vedas. All the vedas are an attempt to describe the Absolute Reality which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, the Absolute Reality is denoted with Om.

Om comes from two Sanskrit roots which mean “something that is all-pervading that sustains us, protects us from problems of the empirical world, and leads us to the highest spiritual realization.”

Sri Ramakrishna used simple language to describe Om. In ascending order, he said: “Puaranas are the lowest. Higher than Puranas are Upanishads. Upanishads are condensed in Gayatri. Gayatri is condensed in Om. Beyond Om is total silence.”

The highest level of experience cannot be explained. It is a deeply felt experience whose language is silence. Below silence is Om, which is the first audible, verbal symbol of the divine. When we elaborate Om, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get Upanishads. Below the Upanishads, there are many mythological books. All these books are meant to take us beyond books. The highest experience is beyond all these books.
Tat means “I am offering it to the all-pervading, divine reality.” It is used to purify all forms of yajna, dana and tapah. These spiritual practices may have inherent imperfections which are rectified by utterance of Tat.

When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. In fact, this is the essence of the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra in the 24th verse of the 4th chapter. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”

There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. With this strong conviction, when we utter this mantra before eating food, then whatever we eat becomes purified.
Sat means strong, steady faith. Yajna, dana and tapah, when done with a sense of sanctity, sacredness, sincerity, honesty and integrity – they get purified.

Sometimes devotees chant “Hari Om Tat Sat”. Hari is the name of Vishnu and means the Lord.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58052909Sat, 09 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Meaning of Om Tat Sat 17th Chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23 Yajna, Dana, and Tapah – these spiritual principles have the triple dimensions of Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense...
17th Chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23

Yajna, Dana, and Tapah – these spiritual principles have the triple dimensions of Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika.

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Our everyday activities can be spiritualized when we perform them as yajna. Then there is no difference between the shrine and the workplace. Any activity not done as yajna becomes a bondage – it is an invisible chain that binds us to the world.

Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others.
Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with total dedication and with a sense of going beyond the body-mind complex.

20th verse: “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

21st verse: “When charity is practiced with the expectation of getting something back in return or done with a mind that is not happy as it is struggling with its own greed, ort done with a desire to be known as a charitable person – such charity is Rajasik.”

22nd verse: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is Tamasik.”
Suppose a person is sitting in a dirty, filthy place and we give him restaurant food. It is an example of wrong place. Suppose that person has already had his meal and we give him food. It is an example of wrong time. Suppose we give money to a person who uses it for terrible things. It is an example of charity to an unworthy person.

The 23rd and 24th verses are very important and explain how we can purify our spiritual activities such as yajna, dana and tapah.
23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”

There are four vedas. Each veda has four parts – Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad. Samhita contains hymns to deities. Brahmana contain description of rituals. Aranyaka contain philosophical discussions and spiritual disciplines. Upanishads contain the highest and most sublime portion of the vedas.

It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. For example, a prayer is effective when the mind, the act of prayer, the thoughts and emotions are all focused on the prayer. It is difficult for normal human beings to do so – there is an inherent incompleteness and imperfection in their prayer. The same applies to rituals. The spiritual practice – a prayer or an offering or a ritual – can be purified by uttering “Om” or “Om Tat Sat.”

The utterance of “Om Tat Sat” can have two levels. The utterance has more effect when we understand its meaning. It has less effect if it is uttered without understanding its meaning.
Om is a word symbol that represents the totality of existence and divinity. Whatever we experience in waking state, dream state or deep sleep state – they are all represented by Om.

Om is comprised of A-U-M. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.
Om contains the essence of all vedas. All the vedas are an attempt to describe the Absolute Reality which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, the Absolute Reality is denoted with Om.

Om comes...]]>3627false152fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/153-purifying-spiritual-practices-with-om-tat-sat-swami-tattwamayananda--58053258
17th Chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. It represents the triple designation of Brahman. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”
Om represents the vedas. The entire vedic literature can be condensed into Om. All the vedas are an attempt to describe Brahman which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, Brahman is denoted with Om. Om represents the highest spiritual awareness, the highest wisdom, the highest existence, the highest consciousness and the highest blissfulness.

Sri Ramakrishna said that the highest level of experience cannot be explained. It is a deeply felt experience whose language is silence. Below silence is Om, which is the first audible, verbal symbol of the divine. When we elaborate Om, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get Upanishads. Below the Upanishads, there are many mythological books. All these books are meant to take us beyond books. The highest experience is beyond all these books.

Dharmaśāstra says: “All Vedas are founded on Pranava (Om). It takes you away from the transmigratory cycle of Samsara. It is the essence and totality of all verbal presentations. Any mantra without Om becomes meaningless.”
Every mantra is preceded by Om. It is because the mantra becomes sacred when associated with Om.

Omkara is not a letter symbol. It is a sound symbol comprised of three sounds A-U-M. It is pronounced with an elongated vowel sound. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.

“A” is pronounced with an open mouth. “U” is pronounced with the mouth half open. “M” is pronounced with the mouth closed. We cannot pronounce anything which does not belong to these three categories. And, since everything in the world has a verbal counterpart, A-U-M represents everything in this world.

“Tat” stands for the totality of existence. It also indicates Brahman. In the mayavakya “Tat-tvam-asi” -which means “The spiritual truth that you are seeking is non-different from yourself - “Tat” indicates Brahman.

“Sat” is explained in the 26th verse. It is used to denote the Absolute Reality. It also represents goodness, auspiciousness and steadiness in dana, tapah and yajna.

Why is the utterance of “Om Tat Sat” important? It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.

For full effect, “Om Tat Sat” should be uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with full awareness. Mantras gather potency because they have been recited by spiritual seekers and sages for thousands of years. They help us realize the spiritual truth when we recite them with full concentration on the meaning of the mantra.

24th verse: “Therefore, one should practice dana, tapah and yajna by uttering Om. When you do so, the activity becomes purified.”

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.
25th verse: “When we perform dana, tapah and yajna with the utterance of Tat, it means we are performing that duty without expecting any fruits in return. We offer the activity and its fruits to the all-pervading divine reality.”

“Tat” means Brahman, the all-pervading divine reality. When we perform dana, tapah and yajna with a sattvic attitude, and offer our activity and its fruits to Brahman, the activity is purified.

When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. In fact, this is the essence of the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra in the 24th verse of the 4th chapter. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”

There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. The Brahma-Yajna-Mantra brings the spiritual unity of existence to every thought, word and deed, including eating food. There should be no line of demarcation between our secular and spiritual life. Every secular act should be spiritualized.

We should live life like the mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”

26th verse: “Sat indicates the Absolute Reality which is all-pervading, immortal, good for humanity and which sustains us. Sat means sat-bhāve “with the intention of essential goodness and nobility”, sādhu-bhāve “with auspicious intention” and praśhaste karmaṇi “Inspired by the an inner call and the Atman within”.

Divinity is present in all of us. However, in some people it does not manifest because of the effect of past samskaras. At some point, people feel an inner call to do something good for humanity. This call is inspired by the Atman within. When we do something inspired by this inner call, we feel inner joy and contentment.

We can be a good human being without affirming our faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”
27th verse: “When we think of the Absolute Reality through the utterance of Sat, it brings an element of steadiness to the activity and becomes a blessing to humanity. Steadiness comes from the Absolute Reality which is eternal and unchanging.”

Tapah should be done with a sattvic attitude where the mans and the goals are in harmony. Success becomes a liability if tapah is done with improper means.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58053258Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:56:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Purifying Spiritual Practices with Om Tat Sat 17th Chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. It...
17th Chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. It represents the triple designation of Brahman. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”
Om represents the vedas. The entire vedic literature can be condensed into Om. All the vedas are an attempt to describe Brahman which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, Brahman is denoted with Om. Om represents the highest spiritual awareness, the highest wisdom, the highest existence, the highest consciousness and the highest blissfulness.

Sri Ramakrishna said that the highest level of experience cannot be explained. It is a deeply felt experience whose language is silence. Below silence is Om, which is the first audible, verbal symbol of the divine. When we elaborate Om, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get Upanishads. Below the Upanishads, there are many mythological books. All these books are meant to take us beyond books. The highest experience is beyond all these books.

Dharmaśāstra says: “All Vedas are founded on Pranava (Om). It takes you away from the transmigratory cycle of Samsara. It is the essence and totality of all verbal presentations. Any mantra without Om becomes meaningless.”
Every mantra is preceded by Om. It is because the mantra becomes sacred when associated with Om.

Omkara is not a letter symbol. It is a sound symbol comprised of three sounds A-U-M. It is pronounced with an elongated vowel sound. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.

“A” is pronounced with an open mouth. “U” is pronounced with the mouth half open. “M” is pronounced with the mouth closed. We cannot pronounce anything which does not belong to these three categories. And, since everything in the world has a verbal counterpart, A-U-M represents everything in this world.

“Tat” stands for the totality of existence. It also indicates Brahman. In the mayavakya “Tat-tvam-asi” -which means “The spiritual truth that you are seeking is non-different from yourself - “Tat” indicates Brahman.

“Sat” is explained in the 26th verse. It is used to denote the Absolute Reality. It also represents goodness, auspiciousness and steadiness in dana, tapah and yajna.

Why is the utterance of “Om Tat Sat” important? It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.

For full effect, “Om Tat Sat” should be uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with full awareness. Mantras gather potency because they have been recited by spiritual seekers and sages for thousands of years. They help us realize the spiritual truth when we recite them with full concentration on the meaning of the mantra.

24th verse: “Therefore, one should practice dana, tapah and yajna by uttering Om. When you do so, the activity becomes purified.”

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.
25th verse: “When we perform dana, tapah and yajna with the utterance of Tat, it means we are performing that duty without expecting any fruits in return. We offer the...]]>3418false153fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/154-performing-actions-with-sattvic-shraddha-swami-tattwamayananda--58282015
17th Chapter: verses 26, 27, 28; recapitulation of 17th chapter

It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.

26th verse: “Sat indicates the Absolute Reality which is all-pervading, immortal, good for humanity and which sustains us. Sat means sat-bhāve “with the intention of essential goodness and nobility”, sādhu-bhāve “with auspicious intention” and praśhaste karmaṇi “Inspired by the an inner call and the Atman within”.

27th verse: “With great steadiness, when we perform Yajna, dana and tapah, it is called Sat. Any activity done for the sake of Tat, which is the all-pervading divine reality, is also Sat.”
Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.

When we perform anything thinking of the all-pervading divine reality, then it becomes worship in the form of action, and it brings an element of steadiness to the activity. Steadiness comes from the Absolute Reality which is eternal and unchanging.
28th verse: “Performing Yajna, dana and tapah with a sattvic attitude and a sense of dedication to the divine is Sat. Its opposite is called Asat. Performing hutam (sacrifice), dattam (charity), tapaḥ (austerity) or kṛitam (any other activity), without sattvic shraddha is Asat.”

Shraddha cannot be properly translated in English. Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, God, teacher, and a sense of integrity. The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed with sattvic shraddha.

When we perform charity there is a possibility that we may get the opposite of gratitude from the recipient. That can hurt us unless we are guided by a higher spiritual ideal in the act of charity. Sattvic shraddha turns any activity into a spiritual activity.

The following is a recapitulation of the 17th chapter:

The 17th chapter starts with a question from Arjuna: “Those who have a high degree of shraddha but do not know how to follow shastram, what happens to them?”
Shraddha is of three types - Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Sattvika is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. If a person is very active and makes a show of his wealth and power, his attitude is Rajasika. Tamasika attitude manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes from sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. His rajo guna is dominated and regulated by sattva guna.

Shraddha is based on our inherent natural tendencies, which is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara.

In Patanajali Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says: “The river of the human mind flows in two directions. One is of a positive nature and takes us towards higher spiritual fulfillment. The other is of a negative nature and takes us away from our cherished aspirations.” The mind may not act as our friend when it is not ready. For example, when we want to meditate (positive flow of the river), the mind may procrastinate (negative flow of the river).

Vyasa also says that we can turn the mind into a friend with a refining process. The refining process starts with doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such deeds increase the store house of positive samskaras and negate the negative samskaras. The mind then begins to evolve. When we perform our activities with sattvic shraddha, we improve the proportion of positive flow in the river of mind.

The following discussions took place in the question-answer section of the class:
The translation of Sanskrit words, such as Samskara, are limited in scope in the dictionary meaning. They can only be explained by giving examples. An example of past samskaras is a child prodigy in music, whose family has no background in music.

We should put our ego to good work. When we perform an activity as Swadharma and as an offering to the divine, the ego is sublimated to a sattvic level.

Creation moves in cycles – from creation to sustenance to dissolution to re-emergence.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58282015Fri, 22 Dec 2023 20:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Performing Actions with Sattvic Shraddha 17th Chapter: verses 26, 27, 28; recapitulation of 17th chapter It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we...
17th Chapter: verses 26, 27, 28; recapitulation of 17th chapter

It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.

26th verse: “Sat indicates the Absolute Reality which is all-pervading, immortal, good for humanity and which sustains us. Sat means sat-bhāve “with the intention of essential goodness and nobility”, sādhu-bhāve “with auspicious intention” and praśhaste karmaṇi “Inspired by the an inner call and the Atman within”.

27th verse: “With great steadiness, when we perform Yajna, dana and tapah, it is called Sat. Any activity done for the sake of Tat, which is the all-pervading divine reality, is also Sat.”
Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.

When we perform anything thinking of the all-pervading divine reality, then it becomes worship in the form of action, and it brings an element of steadiness to the activity. Steadiness comes from the Absolute Reality which is eternal and unchanging.
28th verse: “Performing Yajna, dana and tapah with a sattvic attitude and a sense of dedication to the divine is Sat. Its opposite is called Asat. Performing hutam (sacrifice), dattam (charity), tapaḥ (austerity) or kṛitam (any other activity), without sattvic shraddha is Asat.”

Shraddha cannot be properly translated in English. Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, God, teacher, and a sense of integrity. The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed with sattvic shraddha.

When we perform charity there is a possibility that we may get the opposite of gratitude from the recipient. That can hurt us unless we are guided by a higher spiritual ideal in the act of charity. Sattvic shraddha turns any activity into a spiritual activity.

The following is a recapitulation of the 17th chapter:

The 17th chapter starts with a question from Arjuna: “Those who have a high degree of shraddha but do not know how to follow shastram, what happens to them?”
Shraddha is of three types - Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Sattvika is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. If a person is very active and makes a show of his wealth and power, his attitude is Rajasika. Tamasika attitude manifests itself as laziness and delusion.

In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes from sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. His rajo guna is dominated and regulated by sattva guna.

Shraddha is based on our inherent natural tendencies, which is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara.

In Patanajali Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says: “The river of the human mind flows in two directions. One is of a positive nature and takes us towards higher spiritual fulfillment. The other is of a negative nature and takes us away from our cherished aspirations.” The mind may not act as our friend when it is not ready. For example, when we want to meditate (positive flow of the river), the mind...]]>4443false154fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/155-what-is-sannyasa-swami-tattwamayananda--58355944
Moksha means liberation from the bondage of samsara. In modern times, it can be interpreted as liberation from utilitarian values, ultimately reaching a state where we stop searching for continuous happiness, and where we don’t suffer from the ups and downs of life.

Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.
The chapter starts in the first verse with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “What is the nature of Sannyasa and Tyaga? I want to know the distinction between the two.”

In previous four chapters, Lord Krishna taught Arjuna that one should give up activities that are rajasic or tamasic in nature and evolve towards sattvic activities. Lord Krishna also says in the 8th verse of the 3rd chapter: “No one can escape the need for action. It is impossible to be in a state of inaction.” So, one the one hand, Lord Krishna says that action is inescapable. On the other hand, he says that one should perform sattvic activities only without desire for results, and one should give up other activities. Arjuna’s question is rooted in his confusion as to what actions should be performed.

In Hindu tradition, two underlying principles guide human life.
The first principle is that every person has to go through four stages of life: Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that Grhastha ashrama supports all the other three stages of human life. There is also another verse which says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage. It may take several life cycles for one to reach the stage of sannyasa.

The second principle is the division of society based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas) and their actions (karmas). The four groups for conduct of duties are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra. The groups should not be seen as higher or lower. Rather, it is a system to analyze people based on natural temperaments.
Those who take to Sannyasa give up all activities related to worldly desire. They only undertake activities that are for the good of others and that have no selfish motive.
According to Yamunacharya, who wrote Gitartha Sangraha, the central teaching of the 18th chapter is: “Whatever we do according to the principles laid down by ancient spiritual teachers is appropriate. Whatever we do that is against these principles is inappropriate.” The essence of this statement is to progress in spiritual life by practicing our everyday activities with a sattvic attitude and giving up our sense of doer-ship – “God is acting, I am not acting.”

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “I want to know the meaning of Sannyasa and Tyaga.”

2nd verse: Lord Krishna answers: Tyaga means giving up the desire for results. Sannyasa means giving up all activities motivated by selfish desire.”

There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one’s natural evolution. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.

There is a statement in one of the Upanishads: “When a person wants to become a monk, at that very moment, he should become a monk.” It may happen at an early age, as was the case with Shankaracharya, or it may happen at old age. The split second that one develops an intense conviction that the world is transient, at that moment he should quit the world. This is the ideal concept of sannyasa and is called Mukhya sannyasa. Buddha’s case is an example of Mukhya sannyasa.

If a person has studied scriptures and takes sannyasa as part of an institution without full spiritual evolution and without full conviction that the world is impermanent, that sannyasa is secondary and is called Gauna Sannyasa.

3rd verse: “According to Samkhya philosophy, all actions should be given up. According to Mimamsa philosophy, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”

According to Shankaracharya, one can ascend to higher stage of sannyasa from any stage in life. He says that a monk should not give up laukika karma – everyday duties and responsibilities. Instead, he should give up all ritualistic activities meant for material prosperity. He should do his duties with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, without any selfish motive. This way his activities turn into a worship towards God, his mind becomes pure, and he becomes fir for the highest spiritual evolution.

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58355944Fri, 12 Jan 2024 20:43:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 18th chapter is the longest and is about moksha-sannyasa-yoga. It is also considered as a summary of the previous 17 chapters. Moksha means liberation from the bondage of samsara. In modern times, it can be interpreted as liberation from...
Moksha means liberation from the bondage of samsara. In modern times, it can be interpreted as liberation from utilitarian values, ultimately reaching a state where we stop searching for continuous happiness, and where we don’t suffer from the ups and downs of life.

Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.
The chapter starts in the first verse with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “What is the nature of Sannyasa and Tyaga? I want to know the distinction between the two.”

In previous four chapters, Lord Krishna taught Arjuna that one should give up activities that are rajasic or tamasic in nature and evolve towards sattvic activities. Lord Krishna also says in the 8th verse of the 3rd chapter: “No one can escape the need for action. It is impossible to be in a state of inaction.” So, one the one hand, Lord Krishna says that action is inescapable. On the other hand, he says that one should perform sattvic activities only without desire for results, and one should give up other activities. Arjuna’s question is rooted in his confusion as to what actions should be performed.

In Hindu tradition, two underlying principles guide human life.
The first principle is that every person has to go through four stages of life: Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that Grhastha ashrama supports all the other three stages of human life. There is also another verse which says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage. It may take several life cycles for one to reach the stage of sannyasa.

The second principle is the division of society based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas) and their actions (karmas). The four groups for conduct of duties are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra. The groups should not be seen as higher or lower. Rather, it is a system to analyze people based on natural temperaments.
Those who take to Sannyasa give up all activities related to worldly desire. They only undertake activities that are for the good of others and that have no selfish motive.
According to Yamunacharya, who wrote Gitartha Sangraha, the central teaching of the 18th chapter is: “Whatever we do according to the principles laid down by ancient spiritual teachers is appropriate. Whatever we do that is against these principles is inappropriate.” The essence of this statement is to progress in spiritual life by practicing our everyday activities with a sattvic attitude and giving up our sense of doer-ship – “God is acting, I am not acting.”

1st verse: Arjuna asks: “I want to know the meaning of Sannyasa and Tyaga.”

2nd verse: Lord Krishna answers: Tyaga means giving up the desire for results. Sannyasa means giving up all activities motivated by selfish desire.”

There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one’s natural evolution. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.

There is a statement in one of the Upanishads: “When a person wants to become a monk, at that very moment, he should become a monk.” It may happen at an early age, as was the case with Shankaracharya, or it may happen at old age. The split second that one develops an intense conviction that the world is transient, at that moment he should quit the world. This is the ideal concept of sannyasa and is called Mukhya sannyasa. Buddha’s case is an example of Mukhya sannyasa.

If a person has studied scriptures and takes sannyasa as part of an institution without full...]]>3886false155fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/156-the-four-values-dharma-artha-kama-and-moksha-swami-tattwamayananda--58410513
Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara. Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.

According to Hindu tradition, four values guide human life – dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama.

When we do not violate the path of dharma, then we can focus on something higher than artha and kama. That gives a new meaning to life. Life becomes more livable and enjoyable.
The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.

These are two stages in our pursuit of the transcendental. First stage is one where we use the higher transcendental value to guide our daily life. At a higher stage, we attain the higher transcendental value and become a mendicant.

It is important to understand that in Gita, the principles of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha are primarily meant to be applied at an individual level (not at a macro, society level), for one’s own spiritual development in everyday life.

In Hindu tradition, there is a method of understanding the central theme of a book, which is comprised of six elements: Upakrama-Upasamhara (commencement, conclusion), Abhyasa (practice or reiteration), Apurvata (novelty), Phalam (practical utility), Arthavada (glorifying statement) and Upapatti (logical analysis).

Upakrama-Upasamhara – Normally, the beginning and conclusion should be the same. Gita does not begin with a focus on action It starts with Arjuna’s dilemma, which was due to ignorance. When this ignorance was removed through knowledge, he became a man of action. Arjuna’s last statement in the Gita is: “I am now free of all doubts. I shall act according to your instructions.”

Abhyasa – Gita repeatedly talks about efficiency, detachment, bhakti, and karma yoga. It emphasizes that jnanam is necessary to be active in an intelligent manner.
Apurvata – If something is stated in Gita but is not stated elsewhere, then it must be the central theme of Gita.

Arthavada - Gita ends with the glorifying verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, justice and stability of life.” This verse is a condensation of the 18th chapter.

Upapatti – Gita gives a logical analysis to drive the idea: “Live in this world, work for prosperity, but know that this alone will not bring lasting peace and happiness.”
The central theme of Gita combines the four values of dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Based on dharma, we should live in this world. Over time, we realize the true status we should give to worldly life and start thinking of higher transcendental values.

3rd verse: “According to scholars and sages, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”

Sannyasa does not mean being physically inactive. Lord Krishna states in the 3rd chapter: “A person who thinks who is active without the idea of yajna, that person gets bound to this world.” Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish activity done for the good of others and as an offering to God – activities done as yajna don’t lead to bondage. In the same chapter, Lord Krishna gives a warning: “A person who deliberately gives up his duties and imagines that he is going towards moksha, he is a hypocrite.” All great spiritual men of the word, such as Shankaracharya, were active.

The status of householder is supreme in Hindu tradition. It should be understood before we discuss sannyasa. Jainism and Buddhism are oriented towards sannyasa. Hinduism is not a negation of life. Rather it is a balanced approach towards life. Hinduism emphasizes that we should follow the four values: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.

Hinduism gives a very high stature to mother and wife. One of Panini’s verses says: “If a husband performs a vedic ritual without his wife, it is considered incomplete.” Another verse says: “A house without a mother and wife is like a forest.”

There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one’s natural evolution. Buddha’s renunciation and Yajnavalkya’s renunciation in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are examples of such sannyasa. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.
Sannyasa does not mean physically giving up wealth and resources. One must give up one’s selfish sense of ownership. Without the ideal of renunciation, one won’t be able to use his resources for the good of others. The richest man can be a man of renunciation – King Janaka was one such example. On the other hand, the poorest man can be a man of tremendous attachment.

Besides Bhagavad Gita, there are other gems in the Mahabharata. One example is Vyadha Gita. Vyadha became a jivan mukta through his spiritual practices. Upon attaining the highest realization, he did not give up his profession as a butcher. He continued his secular activities, fully established in his true spiritual identity. His dialogue with another saint constitutes Vyadha Gita.

In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form. When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. He understood that he is not just a body-mind complex with one life.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58410513Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:44:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 18th chapter is the longest and is about moksha-sannyasa-yoga. It is also considered as a condensation of the previous 17 chapters. Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara. Sannyasa...
Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara. Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.

According to Hindu tradition, four values guide human life – dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama.

When we do not violate the path of dharma, then we can focus on something higher than artha and kama. That gives a new meaning to life. Life becomes more livable and enjoyable.
The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.

These are two stages in our pursuit of the transcendental. First stage is one where we use the higher transcendental value to guide our daily life. At a higher stage, we attain the higher transcendental value and become a mendicant.

It is important to understand that in Gita, the principles of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha are primarily meant to be applied at an individual level (not at a macro, society level), for one’s own spiritual development in everyday life.

In Hindu tradition, there is a method of understanding the central theme of a book, which is comprised of six elements: Upakrama-Upasamhara (commencement, conclusion), Abhyasa (practice or reiteration), Apurvata (novelty), Phalam (practical utility), Arthavada (glorifying statement) and Upapatti (logical analysis).

Upakrama-Upasamhara – Normally, the beginning and conclusion should be the same. Gita does not begin with a focus on action It starts with Arjuna’s dilemma, which was due to ignorance. When this ignorance was removed through knowledge, he became a man of action. Arjuna’s last statement in the Gita is: “I am now free of all doubts. I shall act according to your instructions.”

Abhyasa – Gita repeatedly talks about efficiency, detachment, bhakti, and karma yoga. It emphasizes that jnanam is necessary to be active in an intelligent manner.
Apurvata – If something is stated in Gita but is not stated elsewhere, then it must be the central theme of Gita.

Arthavada - Gita ends with the glorifying verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, justice and stability of life.” This verse is a condensation of the 18th chapter.

Upapatti – Gita gives a logical analysis to drive the idea: “Live in this world, work for prosperity, but know that this alone will not bring lasting peace and happiness.”
The central theme of Gita combines the four values of dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

Based on dharma, we should live in this world. Over time, we realize the true status we should give to worldly life and start thinking of higher transcendental values.

3rd verse: “According to scholars and sages, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”

Sannyasa does not mean being physically inactive. Lord Krishna states in the 3rd chapter: “A person who thinks who is active without the idea of yajna, that person gets bound to this world.” Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish activity done for the good of others and as an offering to God – activities done as yajna don’t lead to bondage. In the same chapter, Lord Krishna gives a warning: “A person who deliberately gives up his duties and imagines that he is going towards moksha, he is a hypocrite.” All great spiritual men of the word, such as Shankaracharya, were active.

The status of householder...]]>4186false156fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/157-yajna-dana-and-tapah-should-not-be-given-up-swami-tattwamayananda--58492468
18th Chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

3rd verse: “According to Samkhya philosophy, all actions should be given up. According to Mimamsa philosophy, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”
According to Kapila and Samkhya philosophy, every action is mixed with some imperfection and, therefore, it should be given up. Mimamsa philosophy upholds the views of the vedas and says that Yajna, dana and tapah – activities which serve the good of others – should not be given up.

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.

The 4th verse is a response from Lord Krishna to a request that Arjuna makes in the 7th verse of the 2nd chapter. There Arjuna expresses his helplessness and asks Lord Krishna to tell him what he should do. He surrenders himself to the will of the Lord (prapannam).

If a glass is half full of water and we pour milk in it, it will only have 50% milk. However, if we empty the glass and then pour milk, it will have 100% milk. Similarly, when we empty our mind and surrender to God, the mind can then be filled with the pure milk of God’s grace.

Those who have completely surrendered to God or who have reached the highest spiritual enlightenment, they live in constant communion with God and do not have to worry about dos and don’ts. It is impossible for them to do anything wrong. They are like a pencil which does not assert its independence and only operates as a tool in the master’s hands.

Those who have not reached the highest level have to be reminded of moral values such as truthfulness, non-stealing, practicing unselfishness, and so on. According to Shankaracharya, whenever scriptures describe characteristics of an enlightened person, these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

5th verse: “The three virtues of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up. These three virtues become natural to the enlightened and become the means to those aspiring to be enlightened.”

The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:

Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.

Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.

Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).

Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.

Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.

The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.

In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who give up their own Swakarma and Swadharma, who do not take care of their parents and elders, who are cruel to other beings, who treat ancient tradition with a sense of indifference, who break the principles of panchamahayajna, such people are fools as their prayers won’t be taken seriously by God.”

6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving up our attachment to the results and our selfish desire to enjoy the results of the work.”

Those who cannot practice total detachment, they should start by performing these activities with attachment. Slowly, they will evolve to naturally be good human beings and will be able to perform these activities without selfish motives.

4th and 7th verse: “4th verse: Relinquishment is of three types – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.” The 7th verse explains tamasik relinquishment. “Those who imagine that they can live in peace and meditative mood by running away from their duties and obligations, they are deluded. Their relinquishment is tamasik.”

We can never run away from our core duties and responsibilities. They will follow us. Even if we are physically lazy, the mind will not stay inactive. In fact, people may feel more tired sitting quiet. The best way is to change our perspective towards work, as a sattvik person does. Then work won’t bother us.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58492468Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:56:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Yajna, Dana and Tapah Should Not be Given Up 18th Chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 3rd verse: “According to Samkhya philosophy, all actions should be given up. According to Mimamsa philosophy, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be...
18th Chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

3rd verse: “According to Samkhya philosophy, all actions should be given up. According to Mimamsa philosophy, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”
According to Kapila and Samkhya philosophy, every action is mixed with some imperfection and, therefore, it should be given up. Mimamsa philosophy upholds the views of the vedas and says that Yajna, dana and tapah – activities which serve the good of others – should not be given up.

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.

The 4th verse is a response from Lord Krishna to a request that Arjuna makes in the 7th verse of the 2nd chapter. There Arjuna expresses his helplessness and asks Lord Krishna to tell him what he should do. He surrenders himself to the will of the Lord (prapannam).

If a glass is half full of water and we pour milk in it, it will only have 50% milk. However, if we empty the glass and then pour milk, it will have 100% milk. Similarly, when we empty our mind and surrender to God, the mind can then be filled with the pure milk of God’s grace.

Those who have completely surrendered to God or who have reached the highest spiritual enlightenment, they live in constant communion with God and do not have to worry about dos and don’ts. It is impossible for them to do anything wrong. They are like a pencil which does not assert its independence and only operates as a tool in the master’s hands.

Those who have not reached the highest level have to be reminded of moral values such as truthfulness, non-stealing, practicing unselfishness, and so on. According to Shankaracharya, whenever scriptures describe characteristics of an enlightened person, these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.

5th verse: “The three virtues of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up. These three virtues become natural to the enlightened and become the means to those aspiring to be enlightened.”

The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:

Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.

Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.

Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).

Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.

Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.

The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.

In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who give up their own Swakarma and Swadharma, who do not take care of their parents and elders, who are cruel to other beings, who treat ancient tradition with a sense of indifference, who break the principles of panchamahayajna, such people are fools as their prayers won’t be taken seriously by God.”

6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving...]]>3238false157fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/158-renouncing-the-fruits-of-actions-swami-tattwamayananda--58579274
6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving up our attachment to the results and our selfish desire to enjoy the results of the work.”

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.

The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:
Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.

Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.

Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).
Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.

Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.
The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.

The 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th verses describe the three forms of tyagas. Of these three, only one is ideal (verse 9) – the other two are not desirable.

4th verse: “Relinquishment is of three types – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.”

The 8th verse describes the worst form of tyaga, which is rajasik. “There are a set of people who find work difficult or painful. They provide false justifications for not taking up the tasks that they are expected to do. Then they boast in front of others that they have relinquished.”
The 7th verse explains tamasik tyaga. “Those who give up because they are under the wrong notion, who imagine that they can live in peace and meditative mood by running away from their duties and obligations, their relinquishment is tamasik.”

The 9th verse describes the ideal way of tyaga. “Those who do not give up work, who perform the actions enjoined by the scriptures, but who mentally renounce the fruits of the work, their tyaga is sattvik.”

Our focus should not be on karma-tyaga. Instead, it should be on karma-phala-tyaga. We do not give up work; we transcend work.

Giving up work is easy – a lazy person can do it. It is more difficult to do all our duties with full efficiency but without any selfish desire and attachment to the results. Selfish attachment is the most difficult to renounce. Mystics and great spiritual men were always active but had no selfish attachment to results.

We can never run away from our core duties and responsibilities. They will follow us. Even if we are physically lazy, the mind will not stay inactive. In fact, people may feel more tired sitting quiet. The best way is to change our perspective towards work, as a sattvik person does. Then work won’t bother us.

There is an earlier verse in the Gita which compares two brothers. Both work with equal efficiency and are successful. However, one is not attached to success while the other is attached. The former practices the ideal of renunciation and is contented. The other sways between happiness and unhappiness.

When we carry a heavy weight on our head, we feel it. However, if a one-millimeter gap is created between the head and the weight, we do not feel it at all. When we are detached from results of actions, it is like creating the one-millimeter gap.

10th verse: “A spiritual person endowed with sattva guna is even minded in all forms of action as he has renounced selfish attachment to results. He is free from doubts. He does not blame or praise any form of work, irrespective of whether it leads to temporary happiness or not.”

If we do not practice detachment, we may get temporary happiness but not contentment or everlasting happiness. The happiness that we normally experience is only a temporary absence of unhappiness. They are two sides of the same coin. To get to contentment, we have to stop the pursuit of temporary happiness and detach ourselves from the results of action.

11th verse: “It is impossible for anyone with body consciousness to remain in total inaction at mental and physical level. One should renounce the fruits of action. He should transcend action by being active at the physical and mental level but identifying with the Atman, knowing that the body and senses are in the hands of a higher power.”

In spiritual life, there is a gradual ascent towards transcending action. If someone is lazy, the first stage is to become active with selfish desires. In the next stage, the person can mentally offer the results to God or for the welfare of humanity. This has a healing effect on his mind.

The 18th verse of the 4th chapter says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.
If one identifies himself with Atman, he can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.

What does action in inaction mean? Inaction in Gita implies withdrawal from action. There is no action for Atman, so there is nothing to withdraw from. One cannot withdraw from action, unless there is action.

12th verse: “For those who have not renounced the results of action, they experience results that are threefold: sometimes agreeable, sometimes disagreeable, and sometimes mixed. Those who have renounced the fruits of action, experience no effect on their mental system from their actions.”

Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. These Samskaras form our character and determine further actions. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras can be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Positive samskaras are generated by doing unselfish, noble activities, reading of scriptures and through holy associations.

When we practice attachment towards a higher goal, it helps us practice non-attachment towards the results of our day-to-day actions.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58579274Sat, 03 Feb 2024 05:54:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco5th verse: “The three virtues of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up. These three virtues become natural to the enlightened and become the means to those aspiring to be enlightened.” 6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed...
6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving up our attachment to the results and our selfish desire to enjoy the results of the work.”

Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.

The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:
Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.

Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.

Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).
Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.

Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.
The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.

The 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th verses describe the three forms of tyagas. Of these three, only one is ideal (verse 9) – the other two are not desirable.

4th verse: “Relinquishment is of three types – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.”

The 8th verse describes the worst form of tyaga, which is rajasik. “There are a set of people who find work difficult or painful. They provide false justifications for not taking up the tasks that they are expected to do. Then they boast in front of others that they have relinquished.”
The 7th verse explains tamasik tyaga. “Those who give up because they are under the wrong notion, who imagine that they can live in peace and meditative mood by running away from their duties and obligations, their relinquishment is tamasik.”

The 9th verse describes the ideal way of tyaga. “Those who do not give up work, who perform the actions enjoined by the scriptures, but who mentally renounce the fruits of the work, their tyaga is sattvik.”

Our focus should not be on karma-tyaga. Instead, it should be on karma-phala-tyaga. We do not give up work; we transcend work.

Giving up work is easy – a lazy person can do it. It is more difficult to do all our duties with full efficiency but without any selfish desire and attachment to the results. Selfish attachment is the most difficult to renounce. Mystics and great spiritual men were always active but had no selfish attachment to results.

We can never run away from our core duties and responsibilities. They will follow us. Even if we are physically lazy, the mind will not stay inactive. In fact, people may feel more tired sitting quiet. The best way is to change our perspective towards work, as a sattvik person does. Then work won’t bother us.

There is an earlier verse in the Gita which compares two brothers. Both work with equal efficiency and are successful. However, one is not attached to success while the other is attached. The former practices the ideal of renunciation and is contented. The other sways between happiness and unhappiness.

When we carry a heavy weight on our head, we feel it. However, if a...]]>4503false158fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/159-daivam-the-unknown-factor-in-all-actions-swami-tattwamayananda--58893875
14th verse: “In any activity, there are five factors involved. (1) adhiṣhṭhānam – The body-mind-complex, which is the basis of all actions. (2) kartā – the agent of action, which is the jivatma. (3) karaṇam – Different instruments of action, such as the senses of perception and action. (4) pṛithak cheṣhṭāḥ - Different gestures and body movement. (5) daivam – the unknown factor in all activity, which is beyond human grasp.

In laboratory science experiments, we can predict the result. But life is beyond human calculations. In life, there is Daivam - an unknown, unpredictable factor that makes life beautiful and worth living.

Take the example of aa very successful entrepreneur. In the beginning itself, if he is aware of all the difficulties he has to face in the journey, he may never embark on the journey. The unknown factor and the optimism that the next step may be easier keeps him going.

The basis of Daivam is in the law of karma and the doctrine of reincarnation. Daivam is constituted by our own karmas over many life cycles.

Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. These Samskaras form our character and determine further actions and influence Daivam (the unknown factor).
Positive daivam can be generated by doing unselfish, noble activities, reading of scriptures and through holy associations.

15th verse: “Whatever action we perform with our body, speech and mind – whether it be a right or wrong action, these five factors are involved in those action.”

An action is good if it produces positive daivam. Its opposite is bad action. The 42nd verse of the 18th chapter describe the characteristics of a person who is inclined to do the right action – withdrawing the mind from temptations, sense control, focused on noble causes, internal and external purity, straightforwardness, learn what is worth learning form the empirical world, strong belief that wrong actions do not help in the future.

16th verse: “Those who are with an unrefined intellect and mind identify with the body and have a strong sense of doer ship. They think: “My atma is my body. I should give as much pleasure to this body. They do not understand the daivam aspect.”

This verse is a reference to Charvakas, the school of Indian materialism. They taught: “Might is right. We should not believe what we cannot see with our own eyes. Live in the present - don’t think of yesterday or tomorrow. Don’t think of anything other than giving pleasure to this body.”

The true interpretation of “Living in the present” is grounded in the fundamental impermanence of the empirical world. Due to this impermanence, we should focus on the right actions in the present but with a sense of detachment.

17th verse: “Those whose mind, body, thoughts are refined by listening to spiritual instructions, they are free from the sense of doer ship. They think: “I am not this body. There is a divine element within me.”

18th verse: “Knowledge, the known and the knower – these are the three factors that prompt action. The instrument of action, the action itself and the doer – these are the three constituents of action.”

Any activity is prompted by three factors – the knower, what is to be known and the act of knowing. For example, when one meditates, there are three factors: (1) Dhyata – the one who meditates (2) Dhyeya – the object of meditation and (3) Dhyanam – the act of meditation.

In the 19th verse, Lord Krishna states that knowledge, action and doer have three levels of refinement – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

The 20th verse describes the Sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.”

Whatever divides is inferior. Whatever harmonizes is superior. In spiritual path, one progresses from many to one, from plurality to oneness.

Vedanta accepts plurality. Behind everything, there is one reality. Diversity is the penultimate stage.
Beyond that, at the experience level, there is oneness and unity.

Bhakti is a preparatory stage towards the highest advaitic experience.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/58893875Fri, 16 Feb 2024 22:37:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 13th, 14th and 15th verses discuss the five factors involved in any kind of activity. 14th verse: “In any activity, there are five factors involved. (1) adhiṣhṭhānam – The body-mind-complex, which is the basis of all actions. (2) kartā – the...
14th verse: “In any activity, there are five factors involved. (1) adhiṣhṭhānam – The body-mind-complex, which is the basis of all actions. (2) kartā – the agent of action, which is the jivatma. (3) karaṇam – Different instruments of action, such as the senses of perception and action. (4) pṛithak cheṣhṭāḥ - Different gestures and body movement. (5) daivam – the unknown factor in all activity, which is beyond human grasp.

In laboratory science experiments, we can predict the result. But life is beyond human calculations. In life, there is Daivam - an unknown, unpredictable factor that makes life beautiful and worth living.

Take the example of aa very successful entrepreneur. In the beginning itself, if he is aware of all the difficulties he has to face in the journey, he may never embark on the journey. The unknown factor and the optimism that the next step may be easier keeps him going.

The basis of Daivam is in the law of karma and the doctrine of reincarnation. Daivam is constituted by our own karmas over many life cycles.

Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. These Samskaras form our character and determine further actions and influence Daivam (the unknown factor).
Positive daivam can be generated by doing unselfish, noble activities, reading of scriptures and through holy associations.

15th verse: “Whatever action we perform with our body, speech and mind – whether it be a right or wrong action, these five factors are involved in those action.”

An action is good if it produces positive daivam. Its opposite is bad action. The 42nd verse of the 18th chapter describe the characteristics of a person who is inclined to do the right action – withdrawing the mind from temptations, sense control, focused on noble causes, internal and external purity, straightforwardness, learn what is worth learning form the empirical world, strong belief that wrong actions do not help in the future.

16th verse: “Those who are with an unrefined intellect and mind identify with the body and have a strong sense of doer ship. They think: “My atma is my body. I should give as much pleasure to this body. They do not understand the daivam aspect.”

This verse is a reference to Charvakas, the school of Indian materialism. They taught: “Might is right. We should not believe what we cannot see with our own eyes. Live in the present - don’t think of yesterday or tomorrow. Don’t think of anything other than giving pleasure to this body.”

The true interpretation of “Living in the present” is grounded in the fundamental impermanence of the empirical world. Due to this impermanence, we should focus on the right actions in the present but with a sense of detachment.

17th verse: “Those whose mind, body, thoughts are refined by listening to spiritual instructions, they are free from the sense of doer ship. They think: “I am not this body. There is a divine element within me.”

18th verse: “Knowledge, the known and the knower – these are the three factors that prompt action. The instrument of action, the action itself and the doer – these are the three constituents of action.”

Any activity is prompted by three factors – the knower, what is to be known and the act of knowing. For example, when one meditates, there are three factors: (1) Dhyata – the one who meditates (2) Dhyeya – the object of meditation and (3) Dhyanam – the act of meditation.

In the 19th verse, Lord Krishna states that knowledge, action and doer have three levels of refinement – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

The 20th verse describes the Sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the...]]>4633false159fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/160-daivam-the-three-levels-of-knowledge-and-action-swami-tattwamayananda--59883161
Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasic person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasic person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.

The 20th verse describes the Sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.”

The person endowed with sattvik knowledge sees unity and oneness behind diversity. He sees humanity as one spiritual family. Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.

This was the central theme of Swami Vivekananda’s talk in Chicago in 1983 at the Parliament of 
Religions. He emphasized the spiritual unity and oneness of creation.

21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is Rajasik knowledge.”

The sattvik person also sees the differences, but he understands that the differences are not eternal. They are due to different temperaments driven by the three gunas. Behind them, he sees the unifying divine reality. The rajasik person sees the differences as eternal.

Sri Ramakrishna and Jesus Christ were born in two different cultures, spoke different languages, wore different types of dresses and used different parables. But behind these differences, there was unity at the spiritual level. The rajasic person overlooks the unifying principle and focuses on the differences. The sattvik person focuses on the unity. It is a matter of our spiritual evolution.,

22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still they believe in that idea as being very great and are attached to it, and they think everyone should accept that idea, even though the idea is tribalistic and not humanistic – the knowledge of such people is Tamasik.”

The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.

Shankaracharya says in his commentaries: “The same divine principle is present in all living beings. It is called Atman. The way the Atman functions could be different from person to person, but the same Atman is present in all, as it is all-pervading. The differences in human emotions and feelings reflects in the way we deal with others.”

For example, in the 20th verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the sattvik level of charity. “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

In the 22nd verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is Tamasik.”

23rd verse of 18th chapter: “When we do our actions considering it as our sacred duty, without extreme attachment, without aversion to anyone, without any selfish expectations of benefits – such action is Sattvik.”

Actions done without selfish motives and attachment keeps the mind tranquil and become a steppingstone and great help in our spiritual life. Actions done with selfish motives and attachment unsettles our mind and emotional system and take us backward in spiritual life.

24th verse: “Actions that are done with selfish desire, and which are done with strain to the mental system, are Rajasik.”

Such actions may give us empirical success, but they are accompanied by agony and anxiety. Workaholics are an example as they perform their actions with lot of calculations and expectations.

25th verse: “People who are reckless and ruthless, who do not worry about consequences, who are slaves of their impulses, who do not worry about loss of money or resources, who do not worry about whether their actions bring harm to others, who want to finish the action at any cost – their actions are tamasik.”
 
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/59883161Fri, 03 May 2024 21:06:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoOur temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition....
Gunas are not visible and cannot be physically verified. We can infer which guna is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasic person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasic person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.

The 20th verse describes the Sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.”

The person endowed with sattvik knowledge sees unity and oneness behind diversity. He sees humanity as one spiritual family. Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.

This was the central theme of Swami Vivekananda’s talk in Chicago in 1983 at the Parliament of 
Religions. He emphasized the spiritual unity and oneness of creation.

21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is Rajasik knowledge.”

The sattvik person also sees the differences, but he understands that the differences are not eternal. They are due to different temperaments driven by the three gunas. Behind them, he sees the unifying divine reality. The rajasik person sees the differences as eternal.

Sri Ramakrishna and Jesus Christ were born in two different cultures, spoke different languages, wore different types of dresses and used different parables. But behind these differences, there was unity at the spiritual level. The rajasic person overlooks the unifying principle and focuses on the differences. The sattvik person focuses on the unity. It is a matter of our spiritual evolution.,

22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still they believe in that idea as being very great and are attached to it, and they think everyone should accept that idea, even though the idea is tribalistic and not humanistic – the knowledge of such people is Tamasik.”

The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasic. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.

Shankaracharya says in his commentaries: “The same divine principle is present in all living beings. It is called Atman. The way the Atman functions could be different from person to person, but the same Atman is present in all, as it is all-pervading. The differences in human emotions and feelings reflects in the way we deal with others.”

For example, in the 20th verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the sattvik level of charity. “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”

In the 22nd verse of the 17th chapter, Lord Krishna says: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is...]]>3260false160fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/161-the-three-traits-of-karma-swami-tattwamayananda--60074106
18th Chapter: verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Gita is a condensation of the entire vedic literature. The 18th chapter is a condensation of entire Gita.

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action) and buddhi (intellect) – all can be divided into these three traits. Jnanam refers to our perception of life, how we interpret life. Karma is any kind of activity that we engage in. Karta is how we act and define ourselves in terms of what we do. Buddhi refers to the workings of our emotional system. If we understand our traits in all of these four areas, we can transform and improve ourselves.

We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

These traits can also be applied to food. Sattvik food keeps us serene. Rajasik food creates excitement. Tamasik food makes us sleepy, confused and deluded.

The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.

The 20th verse describes the sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.” Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.

21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is rajasik knowledge.”

22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still, they think that their perception alone is correct. Everything else is false. The knowledge of such people is tamasik.”

The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.

23rd verse: “When we do our actions considering it as our sacred duty, without extreme attachment, without aversion to anyone, without any selfish expectations of benefits – such action is sattvik.”

24th verse: “Actions that are done with selfish desire, and which are done with strain to the mental system, are rajasik.”
Actions done without selfish motives and attachment keeps the mind tranquil. Actions done with selfish motives and attachment unsettles our mind and emotional system.

25th verse: “People who are reckless and ruthless, who do not worry about consequences, who are slaves of their impulses, who do not worry about loss of money or resources, who do not worry about whether their actions bring harm to others, who want to finish the action at any cost – their actions are tamasik.”

Lord Krishna describes Karma Yoga as a method by which we can make ourselves sattvik. At a mental level, we do not have control over what thought comes next. At a physical level, we have more freedom. By doing noble activities without selfish motives, in the midst of our normal professional duties, we generate spiritual energy and deposit more sattvik properties in the mental system.

The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does not identify himself as the doer.”

If we engage in a lot of work without sense of doer ship, we are not fatigued. The body may take a toll, but the mind stays fresh.

Shankaracharya says: “The kindergarten of spiritual life is to engage in some good noble activity.” That approach is described in the 26th verse. It turns the mind sattvik.

At the age of seven,  Shankaracharya  became a monk. By the age of eight, he had read the scriptures. By the age of sixteen, he had mastered the scriptures and written philosophical discourses. We read the Gita today because of his commentaries. He walked the Indian subcontinent four times and left by the age of thirty-two. Sister Nivedita says on Shankaracharya’s greatness: “This is greatness that we can only appreciate from a distance but can never understand.”

27th verse: “Who is rajasik karta? His mind moves from one polar opposite to another, from extreme joy to depression. When he gets expected results, he is overjoyed (harsha). When he does not get expected results, he is depressed (shoka). Obsessed by what he is doing, he is mentally fatigued.”

The secret to happiness is to stop looking for happiness all the time.

The way to get rid of obsessive attachment is to feed the mind with great spiritual ideas, give it good mental food.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60074106Fri, 10 May 2024 19:03:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Three Traits of Karta 18th Chapter: verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 Gita is a condensation of the entire vedic literature. The 18th chapter is a condensation of entire Gita. Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas –...
18th Chapter: verse 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27

Gita is a condensation of the entire vedic literature. The 18th chapter is a condensation of entire Gita.

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action) and buddhi (intellect) – all can be divided into these three traits. Jnanam refers to our perception of life, how we interpret life. Karma is any kind of activity that we engage in. Karta is how we act and define ourselves in terms of what we do. Buddhi refers to the workings of our emotional system. If we understand our traits in all of these four areas, we can transform and improve ourselves.

We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

These traits can also be applied to food. Sattvik food keeps us serene. Rajasik food creates excitement. Tamasik food makes us sleepy, confused and deluded.

The 20th, 21st and 22nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of knowledge - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. They discuss how people with these three gunas comprehend different situations.

The 20th verse describes the sattvik nature of knowledge. “That knowledge by which one sees the one supreme reality which is immanent, which is all-pervading, which remains the same without division, which is the indweller in every being, is Sattvik knowledge.” Even when perceiving the differences in the world, he keeps in mind the presence of the divine as the unifying factor everywhere.

21st verse: “That knowledge by which one sees everything as different from everything else, by which one sees certain people as eternally good and certain people as eternally bad, is rajasik knowledge.”

22nd verse: “There are people who may have a small, petty idea, which may be irrational, but still, they think that their perception alone is correct. Everything else is false. The knowledge of such people is tamasik.”

The 23rd, 24th and 25th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of actions - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik. The way we act and perform our responsibilities is also a sign of spiritual growth.

23rd verse: “When we do our actions considering it as our sacred duty, without extreme attachment, without aversion to anyone, without any selfish expectations of benefits – such action is sattvik.”

24th verse: “Actions that are done with selfish desire, and which are done with strain to the mental system, are rajasik.”
Actions done without selfish motives and attachment keeps the mind tranquil. Actions done with selfish motives and attachment unsettles our mind and emotional system.

25th verse: “People who are reckless and ruthless, who do not worry about consequences, who are slaves of their impulses, who do not worry about loss of money or resources, who do not worry about whether their actions bring harm to others, who want to finish the action at any cost – their actions are tamasik.”

Lord Krishna describes Karma Yoga as a method by which we can make ourselves sattvik. At a mental level, we do not have control over what thought comes next. At a physical level, we have more freedom. By doing noble activities without selfish motives, in the midst of our normal professional duties, we generate spiritual energy and deposit more sattvik properties in the mental system.

The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does...]]>3821falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/162-the-three-levels-of-intellect-and-happiness-swami-tattwamayananda--60277755
18th Chapter: verse 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action), buddhi (intellect) and sukham (happiness) – all can be divided into these three traits.

We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does not identify himself as the doer.”

If we engage in a lot of work without sense of doer ship, we are not fatigued. The body may take a toll, but the mind stays fresh.

27th verse: “Who is rajasik karta? His mind moves from one polar opposite to another, from extreme joy to depression. When he gets expected results, he is overjoyed (harsha). When he does not get expected results, he is depressed (shoka). Obsessed by what he is doing, he is mentally fatigued.”

28th verse: “Who is tamasik karta? He is totally disturbed, crude, without politeness, dishonest, malicious, indolent, never in a happy mood, arrogant and perpetually procrastinating.”

The tamasik karta is always unhappy seeing the whole world as his enemy and seeing the whole world as doing injustice to him.

The 30th, 31st and 32nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of buddhi (intellect) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

30th verse: “What is an example of sattvik, most refined intellect? That intellect by which one knows what ought to be done, how it ought to be done, what ought not to be done, how to begin and retire from work, and how to combine action and contemplation, how to avoid actions that create bondage, is sattvik.”

Work can bring desires and ambitions that are not helpful. One should do his duty properly but have the ability to say “NO” to his own mind.

According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.

31st verse: “What is an example of rajasik intellect? That intellect by which one mixes up dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness),  by which one does not have the discerning wisdom to choose what is to be done and what is to be avoided, is rajasik.”

32nd verse: “What is an example of tamasik intellect? That intellect which enveloped in ignorance and delusion covers the truth and sees everything in an inverted way, which considers dharma as adharma and adharma as dharma, which deliberately thinks that doing something wrong is the best thing for the world, is tamasik.”

In the Mahabharata, Duryodhana says: “I know what the right thing is to do, but I cannot do that. I know what the wrong thing is to do, but I cannot resist from doing it.”
People with tamasik intellect have an obsession to do something which eventually brings their own downfall.

How do we know that we are following the path of dharma? We feel inner tranquility and contentment. We feel – “I have done what I ought to have done and I have attained what I ought to have attained.”

The 37th, 38th and 39th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of sukham (happiness) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

37th verse: “What is the nature of sattvik happiness? Certain activities appear in the beginning to be like poison (difficult and painful), but eventually is like nectar (brings greatness, joy and contentment) – such happiness is sattvik.

38th verse: “What is the nature of rajasik happiness? Certain activities which are like nectar in the beginning (which appear to be very pleasant because they are the result of senses and mind coming in contact with objects of enjoyment), but which are like poison in the end (which inevitably lead to unpleasant outcomes) – such happiness is rajasik.

39th verse: “What is the nature of tamasik happiness? The happiness which is delusive and unpleasant both in the beginning and in the end, which is the result of laziness, delusion, ignorance, which is the result of understanding dharma as adharma, is tamasik.”

To develop bhakti, one should have a strong desire to get out of the cycle of happiness and unhappiness. Second, one should pray to God or engage in karma yoga. Third, one should read about the life and teachings of great spiritual personalities.

While the condition of the mind affects our actions, our actions also affect the mind. Good. Noble actions done without a selfish motive generate spiritual energy and create more sattvik qualities in the mind.

We always function at the emotional level, not intellectual level. Through spiritual practices, what we know intellectually, we should strive to become our emotional state. 
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60277755Sat, 11 May 2024 20:04:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: The Three Levels of Intellect and Happiness 18th Chapter: verse 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39 Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik. Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action), buddhi...
18th Chapter: verse 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38, 39

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

Jnanam (knowledge), karta (doer), karma (action), buddhi (intellect) and sukham (happiness) – all can be divided into these three traits.

We can infer which trait is predominant in a person by observing his external temperament. A sattvik person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is dull and non-responsive., not understanding what is happening around him.

The 26th, 27th and 28th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of karta (doer) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

26th verse: “Who is a sattvik karta? He is totally devoid of any attachment. He does a lot of good things but does not identify himself as the doer.”

If we engage in a lot of work without sense of doer ship, we are not fatigued. The body may take a toll, but the mind stays fresh.

27th verse: “Who is rajasik karta? His mind moves from one polar opposite to another, from extreme joy to depression. When he gets expected results, he is overjoyed (harsha). When he does not get expected results, he is depressed (shoka). Obsessed by what he is doing, he is mentally fatigued.”

28th verse: “Who is tamasik karta? He is totally disturbed, crude, without politeness, dishonest, malicious, indolent, never in a happy mood, arrogant and perpetually procrastinating.”

The tamasik karta is always unhappy seeing the whole world as his enemy and seeing the whole world as doing injustice to him.

The 30th, 31st and 32nd verses discuss the three levels of refinement of buddhi (intellect) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

30th verse: “What is an example of sattvik, most refined intellect? That intellect by which one knows what ought to be done, how it ought to be done, what ought not to be done, how to begin and retire from work, and how to combine action and contemplation, how to avoid actions that create bondage, is sattvik.”

Work can bring desires and ambitions that are not helpful. One should do his duty properly but have the ability to say “NO” to his own mind.

According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.

31st verse: “What is an example of rajasik intellect? That intellect by which one mixes up dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness),  by which one does not have the discerning wisdom to choose what is to be done and what is to be avoided, is rajasik.”

32nd verse: “What is an example of tamasik intellect? That intellect which enveloped in ignorance and delusion covers the truth and sees everything in an inverted way, which considers dharma as adharma and adharma as dharma, which deliberately thinks that doing something wrong is the best thing for the world, is tamasik.”

In the Mahabharata, Duryodhana says: “I know what the right thing is to do, but I cannot do that. I know what the wrong thing is to do, but I cannot resist from doing it.”
People with tamasik intellect have an obsession to do something which eventually brings their own downfall.

How do we know that we are following the path of dharma? We feel inner tranquility and contentment. We feel – “I have done what I ought to have done and I have attained what I ought to have attained.”

The 37th, 38th and 39th verses discuss the three levels of refinement of sukham (happiness) - sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.

37th verse: “What is the nature...]]>4057false162fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/163-division-of-duties-based-on-gunas-swami-tattwamayananda--60415386
40th verse: “Everyone in this world is dictated by these three gunas.”

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is lazy, confused and deluded.

The sattvic person has emotional equanimity. He is not elated in success and he is not devastated in failure. The rajasic person is swayed by success and failure.

Lord Krishna discusses these traits because he wants us to combine action with mental equilibrium. Understanding that everything in this world is transient – success, failure, heath and so on – we should develop an attitude that helps us remain in perfect equanimity of mind even in difficult situations.

The 41st verse onwards, Lord Krishna discusses four groups of people based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas). These four groups are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra.

In Hindu tradition, there were also four stages of human life and four values which guide human life.
The four stages of human life are Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage.

The four values that guide human life are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama. Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara.

42nd verse: “Who is a brahmana? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: Shama (control of mind), dama (control of the senses), Tapah (austerities for a higher purpose), saucha (mental and physical purity), kshantih (forbearance), uprightness, jnanam (natural inclination for knowledge), vijnanam (realization), astikyam (belief in the law of karma and doctrine of reincarnation).

43rd verse: “Who is a Kshatriya? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: ambition for power, boldness, fortitude, dexterity, not running away from battle, generosity, assertion of freedom.”

44th verse: “Who is a Vaishya? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: agriculture, cattle rearing and trade – an inclination to do business and acquire wealth.” In the midst of earning wealth, the Vaishya may engage in higher duties such as charity. These duties are based on the social circumstances that prevailed when Gita was written.

44th verse: “Who is a Sudra? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: not interested in higher values, want to do simple service.”

Lord Krishna lists these four groups to represent four levels of human evolution. We can always climb up the ladder, acquire sattvic qualities, and become a Brahmana.

Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna and in whom Rajo guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary.

Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. One has to be fully established in sattva guna to transcend the three gunas.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly, it is an accidental meeting with our near and dear ones in this life. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60415386Fri, 07 Jun 2024 23:47:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco18th Chapter: verse 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 40th verse: “Everyone in this world is dictated by these three gunas.” Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik. A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult...
40th verse: “Everyone in this world is dictated by these three gunas.”

Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.

A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is lazy, confused and deluded.

The sattvic person has emotional equanimity. He is not elated in success and he is not devastated in failure. The rajasic person is swayed by success and failure.

Lord Krishna discusses these traits because he wants us to combine action with mental equilibrium. Understanding that everything in this world is transient – success, failure, heath and so on – we should develop an attitude that helps us remain in perfect equanimity of mind even in difficult situations.

The 41st verse onwards, Lord Krishna discusses four groups of people based on people’s innate spiritual qualities (gunas). These four groups are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra.

In Hindu tradition, there were also four stages of human life and four values which guide human life.
The four stages of human life are Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage.

The four values that guide human life are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama. Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara.

42nd verse: “Who is a brahmana? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: Shama (control of mind), dama (control of the senses), Tapah (austerities for a higher purpose), saucha (mental and physical purity), kshantih (forbearance), uprightness, jnanam (natural inclination for knowledge), vijnanam (realization), astikyam (belief in the law of karma and doctrine of reincarnation).

43rd verse: “Who is a Kshatriya? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: ambition for power, boldness, fortitude, dexterity, not running away from battle, generosity, assertion of freedom.”

44th verse: “Who is a Vaishya? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: agriculture, cattle rearing and trade – an inclination to do business and acquire wealth.” In the midst of earning wealth, the Vaishya may engage in higher duties such as charity. These duties are based on the social circumstances that prevailed when Gita was written.

44th verse: “Who is a Sudra? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: not interested in higher values, want to do simple service.”

Lord Krishna lists these four groups to represent four levels of human evolution. We can always climb up the ladder, acquire sattvic qualities, and become a Brahmana.

Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna and in whom Rajo guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary.

Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary.

Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. One has to be fully established in sattva guna to transcend the three gunas.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly,...]]>4886false163fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/164-following-our-swadharma-swami-tattwamayananda--60415387
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our samskaras and natural traits. We feel such work is our calling/duty. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment and a sense of fulfillment.

Sometimes the work that we are trained for is the same as our swadharma. But sometimes it is not. It is important to engage our mind in some activity that gives us a sense of fulfillment – by doing so, we engage in our swadharma, which helps cultivate a friendly mind.

Mind is our friend when it instinctively guides us on the spiritual path and gives us warning signals when undesirable thoughts emerge. The mind which has moved us away from our natural tendency to do what is good for us, and which creates stumbling blocks when we want to implement a change for the good – such a mind is our enemy.

Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment. This way we can spiritualize all secular activities.

A verse in Mahabharata says: “Our body, mind, intellect – all can be used to attain something immortal. These are non-eternal, but they can be used as resources to attain spiritually everlasting fulfillment.”

The 46th verse refers to the highest concept of Truth and how we can attain that highest Truth by doing our Swadharma. This highest concept is a spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

As we evolve in spiritual life, our idea of God evolves. In the beginning, we think of a creator God, confined to a place of worship and a book. At the highest level, we see it as the spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. At the highest level, every secular activity is given a spiritual orientation – the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears. We look upon every act as an act of worship. We look upon every living being and the whole phenomenal world as an expression of the divine. Such a person attains the highest inner fulfillment.

47th verse: “There are certain types of work that are determined by our samskaras, that we want to do and that gives us contentment. That alone is our chosen role (swadharma). Even if doing one’s own chosen role is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”

Vedanta believes in the law of karma and the doctrine of reincarnation. Every action that we do is determined by our swabhava and samskaras.

Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Swabhava is based on our samskaras.  Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers gathering samskaras in each life and shaping our Swabhava. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.

48th verse: “Fire is invariably mixed with smoke. Similarly, every kind of work is invariably mixed with some imperfection and inconvenience. Sometimes the results of the activity are favorable and sometimes not. Therefore, one should never give up one’s swadharma despite the challenges.”

Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.
In a rajarshi, the philosophical aspect comes from sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. His rajo guna is dominated and regulated by sattva guna. One has to understand where he stands and start climbing the ladder from tamo guna to rajo guna to sattva guna.

49th verse: “One should do his actions without obsessive attachment to material things. One should practice self-restraint through control of the mind and the five senses. One should keep in mind the impermanence of the empirical world. Once this impermanence is kept in mind, it helps us develop a unique spiritual common sense which is the most important characteristic of a Rajarshi. This spiritual common sense ultimately helps us get freedom from desires for undesirable things.”

Advaita is not an intellectual concept – it is a matter of experience. One has to travel a long distance from concept to experience. We evolve from life to life. When we do our work without attachment, our mind becomes pure, and advaitic experience will ultimately be the result. Anyone can start the journey at any moment by beginning to do their secular activities with a spiritual attitude.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60415387Fri, 14 Jun 2024 23:50:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco18th Chapter: verse 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.” Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our samskaras and natural...
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked”, by virtue of our samskaras and natural traits. We feel such work is our calling/duty. When we do our Swadharma, we find contentment and a sense of fulfillment.

Sometimes the work that we are trained for is the same as our swadharma. But sometimes it is not. It is important to engage our mind in some activity that gives us a sense of fulfillment – by doing so, we engage in our swadharma, which helps cultivate a friendly mind.

Mind is our friend when it instinctively guides us on the spiritual path and gives us warning signals when undesirable thoughts emerge. The mind which has moved us away from our natural tendency to do what is good for us, and which creates stumbling blocks when we want to implement a change for the good – such a mind is our enemy.

Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment. This way we can spiritualize all secular activities.

A verse in Mahabharata says: “Our body, mind, intellect – all can be used to attain something immortal. These are non-eternal, but they can be used as resources to attain spiritually everlasting fulfillment.”

The 46th verse refers to the highest concept of Truth and how we can attain that highest Truth by doing our Swadharma. This highest concept is a spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

As we evolve in spiritual life, our idea of God evolves. In the beginning, we think of a creator God, confined to a place of worship and a book. At the highest level, we see it as the spiritual reality that is all-pervading, immanent and transcendental.

In the beginning, there is a line of demarcation between the secular and spiritual. At the highest level, every secular activity is given a spiritual orientation – the line of demarcation between secular and spiritual disappears. We look upon every act as an act of worship. We look upon every living being and the whole phenomenal world as an expression of the divine. Such a person attains the highest inner fulfillment.

47th verse: “There are certain types of work that are determined by our samskaras, that we want to do and that gives us contentment. That alone is our chosen role (swadharma). Even if doing one’s own chosen role is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”

Vedanta believes in the law of karma and the doctrine of reincarnation. Every action that we do is determined by our swabhava and samskaras.

Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Swabhava is based on our samskaras.  Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.

In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers gathering samskaras in each life and shaping our Swabhava. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.

48th verse: “Fire is invariably mixed with smoke. Similarly, every kind of work is invariably mixed with some imperfection and inconvenience. Sometimes the results of the activity are favorable and sometimes not. Therefore, one should never give up one’s swadharma despite the challenges.”

Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism...]]>4160false164fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/165-intellect-with-spiritual-wisdom-swami-tattwamayananda--60495649
18th Chapter: verse 45, 47, 51, 52, 53

45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked” due to our samskaras and natural traits. It is work that we are supposed to do, that we are qualified to do and that the society expects us to do.

We can listen to our inner voice to determine whether we are doing our swadharma. When we do our swadharma, we feel inner contentment. When we do not do our swadharma, we face inner conflict.

Swakarma refers to one’s actions. Swadharma is swakarma combined with one’s chosen ideal, something that gives him contentment. For example, when a soldier fights a war for a higher ideal such as removal of a greater injustice, he follows his swadharma.

According to Gita, our spiritual progress should reflect in our actions.

We can convert our everyday activities as a tool for spiritual development. Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment and inner conflicts are resolved. If we cannot do our duty as an offering to God, we can do it for the good of others. Swadharma is a conflict free way of doing our everyday duty.

47th verse: “Even if doing one’s own swadharma is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”

Society expects us to do our role even if it is imperfect. When we do our swadharma, it loosens our karmic blocks. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks which creates conflict between the mind and the intellect. When we do our swadharma, it generates spiritual energy and loosens the karmic blocks.

When we do our Swadharma, we feel inner contentment. We feel: “I have done what I ought to have done” and “I have attained what I ought to have attained.”

51st verse: “One becomes fit to attain the highest spiritual truth when he has (1) a pure intellect (2) the ability to restrain his senses (3) the ability to control his mind and emotional forces with a strong determination to practice his ideal and (4) attained freedom from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion).”

Intellect that acts just as intellect is not necessarily pure. Intellect that acts as wisdom, which has the higher faculty of wisdom to use the intellectual resources for good, higher purpose is a pure intellect.

A Rajarshi has the ability to use his intellectual resources for higher purpose. He attains Rajatvam (kingly qualities) with his intellectual resources. He attains Rishitvam (saintly qualities) with his wisdom. As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.

Knowledge without wisdom becomes a liability. Knowledge with wisdom becomes a creative force. Betrand Russell said: “Unless we develop wisdom as much as intellect, the development of the intellect will only lead to downfall.”

Vedic literature talks of a deity called Medha. Medha has two meanings: (1) The ability to retain higher ideas in the mind (2) Higher faculty to make proper use of what we know and avoid the temptation to use it for a bad purpose.

In the 51st verse, Yukta means self-restrained, one who is the master of the senses. Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses, and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to the mind.

Shankaracharya uses examples from the animal kingdom to explain how one reaches destruction when guided by the senses - Deer (sense of hearing), Elephant (sense of touch). Moth (sense of seeing), Fish (sense of taste), Bee (sense of smell). Each of these creatures reaches death as they are guided by one of their senses. What to speak of humans who have five senses active all the time.

If the intellect is pure, then we become free from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion). A pure intellect enables us to perform our actions as Swadharma – with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with a sense of detachment. This, in turn, gives us mental equilibrium, and frees us from raga and dwesha.

52nd verse: “Such people with higher faculties like to spend their time in solitude. They practice moderation in food and exercise of the senses. Their words, activity and thought are properly restrained. They practice meditation. They develop a sense of detachment from extreme likes and dislikes. They develop mental equilibrium.”

Solitude is a spiritual quality and different from loneliness. Solitude is not just the physical absence of anyone else. It is the mental and emotional state of being with oneself. When the mind and intellect start functioning with inner peace, the person wants to spend time in solitude. Such a person can practice solitude even within a crowd.

As we grow in spiritual life, our eating habits, thoughts and senses are naturally disciplined.

53rd verse: ”In such people, egoism, thirst for power, inner pride, lust, tendency to possess material things, selfishness – they slowly disappear. They naturally become calm and quiet. This leads them to the highest spiritual wisdom.”

In Gita, there is an evolution of Arjuna’s mind. In the first chapter, he wants to run away from an unpleasant duty. By the 18th chapter, all his doubts are gone.

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60495649Fri, 21 Jun 2024 21:47:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Intellect With Spiritual Wisdom 18th Chapter: verse 45, 47, 51, 52, 53 45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.” Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked” due to...
18th Chapter: verse 45, 47, 51, 52, 53

45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

Swadharma, is work that naturally comes to us “unasked” due to our samskaras and natural traits. It is work that we are supposed to do, that we are qualified to do and that the society expects us to do.

We can listen to our inner voice to determine whether we are doing our swadharma. When we do our swadharma, we feel inner contentment. When we do not do our swadharma, we face inner conflict.

Swakarma refers to one’s actions. Swadharma is swakarma combined with one’s chosen ideal, something that gives him contentment. For example, when a soldier fights a war for a higher ideal such as removal of a greater injustice, he follows his swadharma.

According to Gita, our spiritual progress should reflect in our actions.

We can convert our everyday activities as a tool for spiritual development. Whatever we do, if we do with total dedication and with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we get a sense of fulfillment and inner conflicts are resolved. If we cannot do our duty as an offering to God, we can do it for the good of others. Swadharma is a conflict free way of doing our everyday duty.

47th verse: “Even if doing one’s own swadharma is filled with difficulties or imperfection, one should stick to that. One should avoid the temptation to do other people’s duty.”

Society expects us to do our role even if it is imperfect. When we do our swadharma, it loosens our karmic blocks. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to karmic blocks which creates conflict between the mind and the intellect. When we do our swadharma, it generates spiritual energy and loosens the karmic blocks.

When we do our Swadharma, we feel inner contentment. We feel: “I have done what I ought to have done” and “I have attained what I ought to have attained.”

51st verse: “One becomes fit to attain the highest spiritual truth when he has (1) a pure intellect (2) the ability to restrain his senses (3) the ability to control his mind and emotional forces with a strong determination to practice his ideal and (4) attained freedom from raga (obsessive attachment) and dwesha (obsessive aversion).”

Intellect that acts just as intellect is not necessarily pure. Intellect that acts as wisdom, which has the higher faculty of wisdom to use the intellectual resources for good, higher purpose is a pure intellect.

A Rajarshi has the ability to use his intellectual resources for higher purpose. He attains Rajatvam (kingly qualities) with his intellectual resources. He attains Rishitvam (saintly qualities) with his wisdom. As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers.

Knowledge without wisdom becomes a liability. Knowledge with wisdom becomes a creative force. Betrand Russell said: “Unless we develop wisdom as much as intellect, the development of the intellect will only lead to downfall.”

Vedic literature talks of a deity called Medha. Medha has two meanings: (1) The ability to retain higher ideas in the mind (2) Higher faculty to make proper use of what we know and avoid the temptation to use it for a bad purpose.

In the 51st verse, Yukta means self-restrained, one who is the master of the senses. Kathopanishad compares human life to a journey on a chariot. Atman is the traveler on the chariot, body is the chariot, intellect is the driver, mind is the reins, senses are the horses, and the sense objects represent the path. Just as horses should not dictate terms to the rider, so also, sense organs should not dictate the terms to...]]>4008false165fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/166-highest-level-of-devotion-swami-tattwamayananda--60638333
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

If we dedicate our resources to our appointed duty, and if we do it with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, and with total unselfishness, then that attitude becomes our instrument for our own spiritual enlightenment. It means that we can practice spirituality in whatever activity we are engaged in.

This discussion continues until the 53rd verse.

54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”

Prasanna-atma means he is in very good terms with our mind and he feels serenity within. He has zero conflict within and with others. His mind is free from all negativities. Prasanna means serene, at peace, with inner contentment and without desires for anything.

Even-mindedness is a natural state of a Prasanna-atma. He resonates spiritual blessedness within and with everyone.

God is not mentioned in the 45th or 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions.

Human beings create God in their own image. They attribute their own likes, dislikes and prejudices on their idea of God.

What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”

55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”

Our scriptures give a roadmap of how to reach the level of devotion described in the 55th verse. In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee that is also described in the 55th verse of the 18th chapter, where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated spiritual practices).”

Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.

These represent the four levels of spiritual evolution. Through Bhakti, we reach the highest state where Prapati or self-surrender (describes at the ninth discipline in Navadha Bhakti) becomes natural.

According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa).

When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.

The devotee needs to blend his own effort with God’s grace. Self-effort helps him reach a level of spiritual fitness to become graceworthy and recognize God’s grace as God’s grace, not an accident.

The 10th verse of the 13th chapter expounds the idea that the highest devotion, unwavering dedication to one spiritual ideal, is the same as highest knowledge, where we realize the infinite oneness of existence, when we realize that the same truth is all-pervading, transcendent, and immanent in all beings. The devotee realizes that the God he worships in the temple is in the hearts of everyone.

There are a few billion people in the world, each at a different level of evolution. Their understanding of God depends on their own evolution. Hinduism gives the flexibility to use a symbol that pleases the devotee based on his level of evolution.

All deities worshipped by Hindus are different symbols of the same divine reality. The purpose of the image is to help the devotee in his meditation. The devotee withdraws his mind from external objects, he conceives of the presence of the divine principle in that image, he then worships and meditates on the divine principle in that image chanting his mantra, and ultimately, he meditates on the divine principle present within him and everywhere.

Every religion has a symbol. A book is a symbol. A building is a symbol. When someone prays in a direction, that direction is a symbol. 

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/60638333Sat, 29 Jun 2024 00:45:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco18th Chapter: verse 45, 54, 55. 12th chapter: verse 8, 9, 10, 11. 13th chapter: verse 10 45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.” If we dedicate our resources to our appointed duty,...
45th verse: “By engaging in one’s own swadharma, man attains perfection and the highest inner fulfillment.”

If we dedicate our resources to our appointed duty, and if we do it with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, and with total unselfishness, then that attitude becomes our instrument for our own spiritual enlightenment. It means that we can practice spirituality in whatever activity we are engaged in.

This discussion continues until the 53rd verse.

54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”

Prasanna-atma means he is in very good terms with our mind and he feels serenity within. He has zero conflict within and with others. His mind is free from all negativities. Prasanna means serene, at peace, with inner contentment and without desires for anything.

Even-mindedness is a natural state of a Prasanna-atma. He resonates spiritual blessedness within and with everyone.

God is not mentioned in the 45th or 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions.

Human beings create God in their own image. They attribute their own likes, dislikes and prejudices on their idea of God.

What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”

55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”

Our scriptures give a roadmap of how to reach the level of devotion described in the 55th verse. In the 8th through 11th verses of the 12th chapter of Gita, Lord Krishna gives four options for devotion, in descending order of evolution.

8th verse: “You fix your mind and intellect on Me. There upon, you will always live in Me.” This is the highest state of a devotee that is also described in the 55th verse of the 18th chapter, where he keeps his mind and intellect fixed on God. He then lives in God and God lives in him.

For seekers who have not reached this highest state, Lord Krishna provides alternative options in the 9th-11th verses.

9th verse: “If you cannot fix your mind and intellect on Me, then you can reach the higher goal through Abhyasa-Yoga (uniting with God through repeated spiritual practices).”

Abhyasa-Yoga is described by Prahlada in the Bhagavata Purana. It is called Navadha Bhakti - Sravanam (Hearing about God), Kirtanam (Chanting His Name and Glory), Vishnu smaranam (Remembering Him), Pada sevanam (Serving His Lotus Feet), Archanam (Worshipping Him), Vandanam (Prostrating before Him), Dasyam (Being His Servant), Sakhyam (Befriending Him), and Atma Nivedanam (Surrendering to Him).

10th verse: “If you are incapable of doing Abhyasa-Yoga, then do all your work as My work.” Every such work connects the mind with God and helps the devotee evolve.

11th verse: “If you are unable to do your work as My work, then offer the fruits of all your actions to Me (sarva-karma-phala-tyāgam)”.

These represent the four levels of spiritual evolution. Through Bhakti, we reach the highest state where Prapati or self-surrender (describes at the ninth discipline in Navadha Bhakti) becomes...]]>4810false166fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/167-bhakti-and-self-surrender-swami-tattwamayananda--62276998
18th Chapter: verses 54, 55, 56

54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”

A true devotee of God has equanimity of mind and serenity. He is not shattered by what happens outside. He experiences identity with Brahman and is established in a state of perfect contentment.
Great spiritual personalities, such as Jesus Christ, were able to withstand obstacles because of the serenity within.

The 13th verse of the 12th chapter lists the characteristics of a devotee. He is contented and derives joy from the fact that he is a devotee of God. He has strong determination to pursue his spiritual goals.

God is not mentioned in the 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”

What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.

55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”

There are two levels of Bhakti: Sadhana bhakti and sadhya bhakti. Sadhana bhakti is the means and sadhya bhakti is the goal. Bhakti is the means towards Advaitic realization, when we see God as the transcendental principle that is immanent and present everywhere.

During the early stages of Sadhana Bhakti, one should have strong determination. All great spiritual men and women has strong determination. With this determination, they promoted their ego to a spiritual ego. The ego: “I am a devotee” ultimately takes us out of ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “You cannot root out ego. Therefore, you should give the ego a good job to do.”
56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”

When we hit a dead wall with our own self-effort, we should surrender ourselves and give him the entire responsibility to a higher power. Then we become a tool in the hands of the higher power. All doubts vanish and karmic blocks are dismantled.

A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents karmic blocks. At that time, he should surrender to a higher power.

According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa). When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.

In the 66th verse of 18th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual psychology of self-surrender. He says to Arjuna: “Give up all duties and take refuge in Me. Then you don’t have to worry about anything.”

Actions done expectation of results bind us. If we do the same actions without selfish desires, then the actions do not bind us. Every action can be done in a spiritual manner.

Gita has a lot of repetitions because it is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and Arjuna did not fully understand Lord Krishna’s teachings in earlier chapters.

According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, a spiritual seeker should practice friendliness (Maitri) towards fellow spiritual seekers, practice compassion (Karuna) towards those who are less evolved, practice happiness (Mudita) towards those who are more evolved and practice a filtering attitude (Upeksha) towards those who may shake his faith.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62276998Sat, 28 Sep 2024 03:58:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Bhakti and Self-Surrender 18th Chapter: verses 54, 55, 56 54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry....
18th Chapter: verses 54, 55, 56

54th verse: “The one who does his work with sanctity and sacredness, he ultimately become a Prasanna-atma. He becomes identified with Brahman. He has no desires and no reason to worry. He sees everyone as the same. Such a person attains the highest devotion.”

A true devotee of God has equanimity of mind and serenity. He is not shattered by what happens outside. He experiences identity with Brahman and is established in a state of perfect contentment.
Great spiritual personalities, such as Jesus Christ, were able to withstand obstacles because of the serenity within.

The 13th verse of the 12th chapter lists the characteristics of a devotee. He is contented and derives joy from the fact that he is a devotee of God. He has strong determination to pursue his spiritual goals.

God is not mentioned in the 54th verse. Spirituality is about being a good human being, which should express in our thoughts, words and actions. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.”

What is the idea of God in the Gita? It is the God of everyone, present as the divine principle within everyone. He is the God of even those who do not believe in Him.

55th verse: “Such a person understands Me through Bhakti (devotion). His devotion is mixed with the understanding that God is present everywhere and within everyone. With such devotion that is combined with the understanding of the spiritual unity of creation, he understands God or the supreme reality in a comprehensive manner.”

There are two levels of Bhakti: Sadhana bhakti and sadhya bhakti. Sadhana bhakti is the means and sadhya bhakti is the goal. Bhakti is the means towards Advaitic realization, when we see God as the transcendental principle that is immanent and present everywhere.

During the early stages of Sadhana Bhakti, one should have strong determination. All great spiritual men and women has strong determination. With this determination, they promoted their ego to a spiritual ego. The ego: “I am a devotee” ultimately takes us out of ego. Sri Ramakrishna said: “You cannot root out ego. Therefore, you should give the ego a good job to do.”
56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”

When we hit a dead wall with our own self-effort, we should surrender ourselves and give him the entire responsibility to a higher power. Then we become a tool in the hands of the higher power. All doubts vanish and karmic blocks are dismantled.

A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents karmic blocks. At that time, he should surrender to a higher power.

According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa). When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.

In the 66th verse of 18th chapter, Lord Krishna describes the spiritual psychology of self-surrender. He says to Arjuna: “Give up all duties and take refuge in Me. Then you don’t have to worry about anything.”

Actions done expectation of...]]>3334false167fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/168-universal-approach-of-gita-swami-tattwamayananda--62277039
18th Chapter: verses 56, 57, 58, 59

Gita offers four paths for spiritual realization: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Dhyana Yoga.

56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”

57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Your life will be spiritualized through this philosophy of dedication and internal detachment.”

58th verse: “If your fix your mind on Me, you will overcome difficulties through My grace.”
Gita encourages us to live life in such a way that we become good human beings. Everything we do should become a path of worship and leads to highest enlightenment.

Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Gita. He said: “Gita has become an infallible guide of my conduct. It has become the dictionary of my daily reference, the dictionary of my conduct. It has the ready solution for all my troubles and trials.”

The 57th verse refers to Buddhi Yoga. It is the wisdom and spiritual common sense with which we live in the world. We keep in mind that everything in the world is impermanent – money, power, health are all impermanent. Buddhi Yoga is also mentioned in the 39th verse of the 2nd chapter of

Gita – it says that we should do all our actions with a degree of detachment.

Buddhi Yoga helps us conserve energy. Our energy gets dissipated when we get anxious and worried due to obsessive attachment to results.

These two verses have references to both karma yoga and bhakti yoga. Bhakti is spontaneous, natural flow of love towards God. The 26th verse of the 9th chapter says: “If you offer with bhakti (devotion) even a leaf or flower or fruit or water – I accept it as the devout gift of the pure hearted devotee.”

Bhakti and purity of heart is what is important – it is what compels the Lord to accept the offering. A big ritual is in no way superior to a leaf offered with a pure heart. What we are offering is not a leaf or flower – we are offering ourselves and our own heart, which is what the Lord cares about.

Bhagavata Purana and Gita both define the highest devotee of God. Bhagavata Purana defines it as: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“  Gita defines the highest devotee as one whose “every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, whose whole life becomes spiritualized and an offering to God.”

When we can do all our secular activities in a spiritual manner, our karmic blocks are dismantled. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first, such as reading good books, listening to higher ideas and holy association.

How can we judge whether our mind is healthy? The answer is in an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It says that the mind is healthy when it is contented, enjoys inner serenity. This happens when we do start doing our actions endowed with Buddhi Yoga.

Spirituality goes beyond religion. One who is truly spiritual (1) feels inner contentment, and (2) interacts with others in a positive manner. He feels inner serenity and at the same time is a blessing for others.

Gita takes a universal approach towards spirituality. It is not confined to the walls of a place of worship. A spiritual person treats the entire creation as one spiritual family, not limited to human beings. He does not violate the existing harmony of nature. He is not afraid of anyone nor is anyone afraid of him.

Gita is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna in a battlefield. The battlefield is the human mind. Arjuna wanted to shy away from a duty that was unpleasant to him. So, Lord Krishna tells him in the 59th verse: “Everyone should perform their duty with dedication and without attachment top results. If you think that running away from duty will solve your problems, you are mistaken. Your own nature will compel you to do your duty (fight).”

Action is inescapable. How we face our action is what matters. No one can remain mentally inactive even for a split moment. The attitude with which we perform our actions determines whether the action is secular or spiritual. 

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62277039Sat, 05 Oct 2024 03:04:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Universal Approach of Gita 18th Chapter: verses 56, 57, 58, 59 Gita offers four paths for spiritual realization: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Dhyana Yoga. 56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace...
18th Chapter: verses 56, 57, 58, 59

Gita offers four paths for spiritual realization: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Dhyana Yoga.

56th verse: “Surrender all your actions and results to Me. Then My grace will take you to the highest spiritual destination.”

57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Your life will be spiritualized through this philosophy of dedication and internal detachment.”

58th verse: “If your fix your mind on Me, you will overcome difficulties through My grace.”
Gita encourages us to live life in such a way that we become good human beings. Everything we do should become a path of worship and leads to highest enlightenment.

Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Gita. He said: “Gita has become an infallible guide of my conduct. It has become the dictionary of my daily reference, the dictionary of my conduct. It has the ready solution for all my troubles and trials.”

The 57th verse refers to Buddhi Yoga. It is the wisdom and spiritual common sense with which we live in the world. We keep in mind that everything in the world is impermanent – money, power, health are all impermanent. Buddhi Yoga is also mentioned in the 39th verse of the 2nd chapter of

Gita – it says that we should do all our actions with a degree of detachment.

Buddhi Yoga helps us conserve energy. Our energy gets dissipated when we get anxious and worried due to obsessive attachment to results.

These two verses have references to both karma yoga and bhakti yoga. Bhakti is spontaneous, natural flow of love towards God. The 26th verse of the 9th chapter says: “If you offer with bhakti (devotion) even a leaf or flower or fruit or water – I accept it as the devout gift of the pure hearted devotee.”

Bhakti and purity of heart is what is important – it is what compels the Lord to accept the offering. A big ritual is in no way superior to a leaf offered with a pure heart. What we are offering is not a leaf or flower – we are offering ourselves and our own heart, which is what the Lord cares about.

Bhagavata Purana and Gita both define the highest devotee of God. Bhagavata Purana defines it as: “The one who sees the presence of God in all beings, and who sees the presence of all beings in God.“  Gita defines the highest devotee as one whose “every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, whose whole life becomes spiritualized and an offering to God.”

When we can do all our secular activities in a spiritual manner, our karmic blocks are dismantled. A beginner’s mind may not cooperate when he starts spiritual practices. This is due to accumulated samskaras which make him act in a certain manner. He may want to read a spiritual book, but the mind presents stumbling blocks – it is accustomed to things that are not conducive to spiritual life. Such a mind should be given healthy food first, such as reading good books, listening to higher ideas and holy association.

How can we judge whether our mind is healthy? The answer is in an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita: “sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”. It says that the mind is healthy when it is contented, enjoys inner serenity. This happens when we do start doing our actions endowed with Buddhi Yoga.

Spirituality goes beyond religion. One who is truly spiritual (1) feels inner contentment, and (2) interacts with others in a positive manner. He feels inner serenity and at the same time is a blessing for others.

Gita takes a universal approach towards spirituality. It is not confined to the walls of a place of worship. A spiritual person treats the entire...]]>4170false168fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/169-buddhi-yoga-art-of-working-intelligently-swami-tattwamayananda--62443651
18th Chapter: verses 57, 58, 59, 60, 61

57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Buddhi Yoga is the tool with which you should live and work in this world.”

Buddhi Yoga refers to purified intellect. It is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to perform our actions without obsessive attachment to the outcome. Our actions sometimes yield favorable results and sometimes unfavorable results. When the mind reacts to unfavorable results, we become anxious. Buddhi Yoga enables us to remain calm even if results are not favorable.

The 1st and 2nd verses of the 4th chapter refer to Rajarshi. Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Buddhi Yoga means working with the refined intelligence of a Rajarshi.

From an advaitic sense, Buddhi Yoga means living and working in this world with the understanding of the transient  nature of the empirical world.

The 25th verse of the 3rd chapter contrasts two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga, and see their work as Swadharma. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.

58th verse: “Anyone who practices karma yoga or buddhi yoga can cross the barrier of samsara (transmigratory cycle).”

The 59th and 60th verses take us back to the original narrative of Gita, where Arjuna was facing conflicts as he did not want to do an unpleasant duty. Lord Krishna says: “If instead of practicing karma yoga, you think you can run away from your duty, that is your fantasy. Your own swabhava will compel you to do the duty.”

Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.

We can change our swabhava by consciously doing good actions and increasing the storehouse of positive samskaras.

In the 61st verse, Lord Krishna puts forward a new idea. He compared God to an engineer and says: “He is running this huge machinery of creation. He is present in everyone as one immanent reality. He regulates and activates every being just like an engineer regulates and activates a machine.”

God is omnipresent through immanence. Creator is present in creation. Neither is outside of the other.

Spiritually, the entire existence is one. one who is truly spiritual cannot hurt any being. There is no otherness for him.

Happiness is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. When we reach a state of mind, where we have santosha (contentment), we stop looking for happiness. We go beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation. That is true happiness.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62443651Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:12:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoTitle: Buddhi Yoga: Art of Working Intelligently 18th Chapter: verses 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Buddhi Yoga is the tool with which you should live and work in this world.” Buddhi Yoga refers to purified...
18th Chapter: verses 57, 58, 59, 60, 61

57th verse: “Mentally offer all actions to Me. Buddhi Yoga is the tool with which you should live and work in this world.”

Buddhi Yoga refers to purified intellect. It is the higher faculty of the human mind that enables us to perform our actions without obsessive attachment to the outcome. Our actions sometimes yield favorable results and sometimes unfavorable results. When the mind reacts to unfavorable results, we become anxious. Buddhi Yoga enables us to remain calm even if results are not favorable.

The 1st and 2nd verses of the 4th chapter refer to Rajarshi. Rajarshi is a person who has the dual qualities of a king (Rajatvam) and a saint (Rishitvam). As a king, he has great prosperity, dynamism and efficiency. As a saint, he has a calm attitude, can see far into things, and understands the limitations and impermanence of his wealth and powers. Buddhi Yoga means working with the refined intelligence of a Rajarshi.

From an advaitic sense, Buddhi Yoga means living and working in this world with the understanding of the transient  nature of the empirical world.

The 25th verse of the 3rd chapter contrasts two types of people. (1) Those who work hard with motive and are ignorant of the higher philosophy of Karma-Yoga. For them, every small problem becomes a big headache (2) Those who work equally hard, but who are grounded in Karma-Yoga, and see their work as Swadharma. They are not worried and are called Vidwan.

58th verse: “Anyone who practices karma yoga or buddhi yoga can cross the barrier of samsara (transmigratory cycle).”

The 59th and 60th verses take us back to the original narrative of Gita, where Arjuna was facing conflicts as he did not want to do an unpleasant duty. Lord Krishna says: “If instead of practicing karma yoga, you think you can run away from your duty, that is your fantasy. Your own swabhava will compel you to do the duty.”

Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our Swabhava.

We can change our swabhava by consciously doing good actions and increasing the storehouse of positive samskaras.

In the 61st verse, Lord Krishna puts forward a new idea. He compared God to an engineer and says: “He is running this huge machinery of creation. He is present in everyone as one immanent reality. He regulates and activates every being just like an engineer regulates and activates a machine.”

God is omnipresent through immanence. Creator is present in creation. Neither is outside of the other.

Spiritually, the entire existence is one. one who is truly spiritual cannot hurt any being. There is no otherness for him.

Happiness is only the temporary absence of unhappiness. When we reach a state of mind, where we have santosha (contentment), we stop looking for happiness. We go beyond the happiness and unhappiness equation. That is true happiness.
]]>3573false169fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/170-taking-refuge-in-god-swami-tattwamayananda--62655727
Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. It is shaped by tendencies that we gather over many life cycles.

Each jiva is a solitary traveler. He meets his parents and relatives as travelers meet in a train and then separate at the end of each life.

Bhagavata Purana has the story of a king who crowned his young son as the heir apparent. Unfortunately, the son died and everyone was in grief. Narada and some sages visit him to console him. brings the son back to life, but the son was not able to recognize his parents. He said that he had many parents over many life cycles. This helped the king understand the wisdom of the sages.

The story of Jada Bharata explains that life is not just one chance. We are not tools in the hands of destiny. We have enough freedom to build our destiny. King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer and forgot his spiritual practices. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman. He did not lose his spiritual wealth, but his realization was delayed.

We are imprisoned by our samskaras. At the same time, we can use our mind, our five senses of perception and five senses of action to accumulate good samskaras and control our destiny.

61st verse: “God is present as the divine spark in everything and everyone. Sitting within everyone as the in-dweller, he regulates and operates this world just like an engineer operates a machine.”

Vedanta does not emphasize a creator God. Rather it emphasizes the idea of God as the divinity within. We can manifest this divinity through spiritual practices and by being a good human being. Buddha is a good example of this, as he did not believe in a creator God.

When we do noble actions for the good of others or as an offering to God, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we become spiritually elevated and the divinity within us begins to manifest.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.” Swami Vivekananda also said: “Religion is the manifestation of divinity already in man.” Spirituality transcends religion but does not reject religion.

62nd verse: “Take refuge in the ultimate divine reality for your own spiritual good.”

63rd verse: “You have listened to the great spiritual truth and My instructions. Now, you do whatever you want. Act according to your own conviction and understanding.”

There is no compulsion from the teacher, Lord Krishna. He encourages the student to use his own intellect and conviction.

64th verse: “I have taught you this great spiritual truth because I consider you as My dear disciple.”

65th verse: “If you try to follow this path and be a steadfast devotee, you will attain the highest spiritual enlightenment.”

66th verse: “When you feel that all your efforts are in vain, you should very sincerely and mentally give the entire responsibility to God. Then you do not have to worry about anything.”

This verse describes the concept of Prapati or Sharanagati. According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and broad mindedness. (2) Rejecting all the opposing qualities such as skepticism and self-doubt. (3) Strong faith that God will protect me. (4) Strong faith that God is the only protector. (5) A feeling of total helplessness and dependence on God (6) Total self-surrender (atmanikshepa). When the first five characteristics are fulfilled, atmanikshepa is the result. He then becomes an instrument in the hands of God and God operates through him.

When we link ourselves to a higher ideal, we can develop the ability to remain unaffected from the outcome of our actions. For example, if we did something good to others but they are still ungrateful, we will not be affected.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62655727Fri, 25 Oct 2024 15:08:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoThe 59th and 60th verses take us back to the original narrative of Gita, where Arjuna was facing conflicts as he did not want to do an unpleasant duty. Lord Krishna says: “If instead of practicing karma yoga, you think you can run away from your duty,...
Swabhava is our inherent nature that determines our outlook to life and our actions. It is shaped by tendencies that we gather over many life cycles.

Each jiva is a solitary traveler. He meets his parents and relatives as travelers meet in a train and then separate at the end of each life.

Bhagavata Purana has the story of a king who crowned his young son as the heir apparent. Unfortunately, the son died and everyone was in grief. Narada and some sages visit him to console him. brings the son back to life, but the son was not able to recognize his parents. He said that he had many parents over many life cycles. This helped the king understand the wisdom of the sages.

The story of Jada Bharata explains that life is not just one chance. We are not tools in the hands of destiny. We have enough freedom to build our destiny. King Bharata retired to a hermitage for spiritual practices but developed strong attachment towards a baby deer and forgot his spiritual practices. He was born as a deer in his next life, but under the effect of his samskaras, he stayed near a hermitage. In his next life, he was born as a great saint - Jada Bharata - always established in his identity with Atman. He did not lose his spiritual wealth, but his realization was delayed.

We are imprisoned by our samskaras. At the same time, we can use our mind, our five senses of perception and five senses of action to accumulate good samskaras and control our destiny.

61st verse: “God is present as the divine spark in everything and everyone. Sitting within everyone as the in-dweller, he regulates and operates this world just like an engineer operates a machine.”

Vedanta does not emphasize a creator God. Rather it emphasizes the idea of God as the divinity within. We can manifest this divinity through spiritual practices and by being a good human being. Buddha is a good example of this, as he did not believe in a creator God.

When we do noble actions for the good of others or as an offering to God, with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, we become spiritually elevated and the divinity within us begins to manifest.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in such a way that Good will accept you even if you do not accept Him.” Swami Vivekananda also said: “Religion is the manifestation of divinity already in man.” Spirituality transcends religion but does not reject religion.

62nd verse: “Take refuge in the ultimate divine reality for your own spiritual good.”

63rd verse: “You have listened to the great spiritual truth and My instructions. Now, you do whatever you want. Act according to your own conviction and understanding.”

There is no compulsion from the teacher, Lord Krishna. He encourages the student to use his own intellect and conviction.

64th verse: “I have taught you this great spiritual truth because I consider you as My dear disciple.”

65th verse: “If you try to follow this path and be a steadfast devotee, you will attain the highest spiritual enlightenment.”

66th verse: “When you feel that all your efforts are in vain, you should very sincerely and mentally give the entire responsibility to God. Then you do not have to worry about anything.”

This verse describes the concept of Prapati or Sharanagati. According to Ramanuja, Prapati is the highest state of a devotee of God. Prapati means complete surrender and is composed of the following characteristics. (1) Always having a positive outlook in life, full of sattvic qualities such as serenity, wisdom, compassion, and...]]>3723falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/171-fitness-to-study-gita-swami-tattwamayananda--62655798
There is no compulsion from the teacher, Lord Krishna. He encourages the student to use his own intellect and conviction. This is because everyone in the world is at a different level of spiritual evolution. The goal is to experience the truth, not blindly believe.

Swami Vivekananda expounded in the parliament of religions that spiritual life is like climbing the top of a hill. Once we are at the top, we see many trails leading to the top. When we are on the trail, we may think that is the only path. Similarly, when someone is early in their spiritual life, at the level of belief and rituals, they think only their path is right.

66th verse: “When you feel that all your efforts are in vain, you should very sincerely and mentally give the entire responsibility to God. Then you do not have to worry about anything.”

There are two interpretations of this verse. Ramanuja interprets it as sincerely taking refuge in God and becoming a tool in God’s hands. Shankaracharya’s interpretation is that all problems have a solution at the spiritual level. Psychological problems can only have a permanent solution at a higher, spiritual level. Shankaracharya says that the real reason behind Arjuna’s delusion and inactivity is his wrong perception of his true nature – lack of atma-jnanam. Once Arjuna understood his true nature, his delusions vanished, as he states in the 73rd verse.

67th verse: “I have taught you this spiritual truth. You should not teach this to a person who does not have the following qualities: (1) a sense of devotion, sanctity and sacredness (2) willing to practice it with spiritual humility, service and discipline (3) has great respect and appreciation for the teacher.”

St. Matthew has a similar statement. The effectiveness of spiritual teachings depends on the readiness of the listener’s mind. A sense of sanctity and sacredness from the disciple towards the teacher and heritage (Parampara) is important.

There is a story of Durvasa rishi and Indra. Indra came on an elephant and had a spiritual conversation with the sage. Pleased, the sage gave him a sacred flower garland. Indra was on the elephant and without paying attention, put the garland on the elephant’s neck, who dropped it and crushed it under his feet. Since Indra did not show respect towards the sacred garland, the sage cursed him.

68th verse: “Those who teach this to people who are ready to listen and understand its true meaning with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, they will attain supreme liberation.”

69th verse: “Anyone who tries to preach this spiritual truth, he is dear to Me and he will be spiritually elevated.”

Teaching these spiritual truths itself is a spiritual practice and becomes a road for spiritual progress – even if it does not lead to spiritual growth of the listener.

Our mind constantly accumulates ideas. Instead of getting toxic food, even mechanical listening to spiritual ideas has benefits. For complete effectiveness, the mind should be ready.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62655798Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:15:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San Francisco63rd verse: “You have listened to the great spiritual truth and My instructions. Now, you do whatever you want. Act according to your own conviction and understanding.” There is no compulsion from the teacher, Lord Krishna. He encourages the student...
There is no compulsion from the teacher, Lord Krishna. He encourages the student to use his own intellect and conviction. This is because everyone in the world is at a different level of spiritual evolution. The goal is to experience the truth, not blindly believe.

Swami Vivekananda expounded in the parliament of religions that spiritual life is like climbing the top of a hill. Once we are at the top, we see many trails leading to the top. When we are on the trail, we may think that is the only path. Similarly, when someone is early in their spiritual life, at the level of belief and rituals, they think only their path is right.

66th verse: “When you feel that all your efforts are in vain, you should very sincerely and mentally give the entire responsibility to God. Then you do not have to worry about anything.”

There are two interpretations of this verse. Ramanuja interprets it as sincerely taking refuge in God and becoming a tool in God’s hands. Shankaracharya’s interpretation is that all problems have a solution at the spiritual level. Psychological problems can only have a permanent solution at a higher, spiritual level. Shankaracharya says that the real reason behind Arjuna’s delusion and inactivity is his wrong perception of his true nature – lack of atma-jnanam. Once Arjuna understood his true nature, his delusions vanished, as he states in the 73rd verse.

67th verse: “I have taught you this spiritual truth. You should not teach this to a person who does not have the following qualities: (1) a sense of devotion, sanctity and sacredness (2) willing to practice it with spiritual humility, service and discipline (3) has great respect and appreciation for the teacher.”

St. Matthew has a similar statement. The effectiveness of spiritual teachings depends on the readiness of the listener’s mind. A sense of sanctity and sacredness from the disciple towards the teacher and heritage (Parampara) is important.

There is a story of Durvasa rishi and Indra. Indra came on an elephant and had a spiritual conversation with the sage. Pleased, the sage gave him a sacred flower garland. Indra was on the elephant and without paying attention, put the garland on the elephant’s neck, who dropped it and crushed it under his feet. Since Indra did not show respect towards the sacred garland, the sage cursed him.

68th verse: “Those who teach this to people who are ready to listen and understand its true meaning with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, they will attain supreme liberation.”

69th verse: “Anyone who tries to preach this spiritual truth, he is dear to Me and he will be spiritually elevated.”

Teaching these spiritual truths itself is a spiritual practice and becomes a road for spiritual progress – even if it does not lead to spiritual growth of the listener.

Our mind constantly accumulates ideas. Instead of getting toxic food, even mechanical listening to spiritual ideas has benefits. For complete effectiveness, the mind should be ready.
]]>4052falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/172-conclusion-of-gita-swami-tattwamayananda--62695698
Many of Buddha’s teachings were taken from Gita. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada is repetition of the characteristics of a “stitha-prajna” (wise man) described in the 2nd chapter of Gita. The concept of moderation discussed in the 17th verse of the 6th chapter of Gita was also adopted by Buddha.

73rd verse: Arjuna says: “Now, I have listened to you carefully. I have overcome my doubts. I have regained my wisdom. I shall act according to your instructions.”

Gita begins with Arjuna’s dilemma. It was taught to an ordinary man of action, because it has a realistic approach to life, interpreting spirituality as common sense. In essence, it says that when we face a crisis in life, we should not know that it is transient. We should also know that happiness and unhappiness are two sides of the same coin, and we have to transcend both to find peace and happiness.

Arjuna thought of himself as a physical body. Once he learnt the spiritual truth of his own true nature and a common-sense approach to life in this world, his delusions were gone.

Gita is not just a book of action. According to Shankaracharya, the central theme of Gita is not action alone but the importance of spiritual knowledge.

There is an epilogue to Gita called Uttara Gita. There Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to explain his teachings again, as he forgot the teachings. At that point, Lord Krishna scolds him. The implication of this story in modern times is that when we listen to something, we may emotionally connect with it, but we may not be able to implement the spiritual wisdom. We have to struggle hard to translate our intellectual understanding to our emotional system.

After the 73rd verse, the scene shifts in Gita. In the next several verses, Sanjaya, who was blessed with divine vision by Vyasa says: “I still recall again and again in my mind the dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It fills my heart with joy.”

Sanjaya was able to listen, enjoy and recall this great dialog because his mind was ready for it. We do not remember what we are not interested in. Sanjaya was a spiritual seeker and had the right spiritual attitude.

Gita ends with the 78th verse: “Wherever there is a blending of Yogeshwara (man of spiritual wisdom) and Dhanurdhara (man of action), there will be fortune, prosperity, victory, welfare, righteousness and justice.”

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62695698Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:20:00 +0000Vedanta Society, San FranciscoGita is the most celebrated spiritual text of Hinduism and Vedanta. Shankaracharya immortalized Gita with his commentary. Many of Buddha’s teachings were taken from Gita. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada is repetition of the characteristics of a...
Many of Buddha’s teachings were taken from Gita. The 26th chapter of Dhammapada is repetition of the characteristics of a “stitha-prajna” (wise man) described in the 2nd chapter of Gita. The concept of moderation discussed in the 17th verse of the 6th chapter of Gita was also adopted by Buddha.

73rd verse: Arjuna says: “Now, I have listened to you carefully. I have overcome my doubts. I have regained my wisdom. I shall act according to your instructions.”

Gita begins with Arjuna’s dilemma. It was taught to an ordinary man of action, because it has a realistic approach to life, interpreting spirituality as common sense. In essence, it says that when we face a crisis in life, we should not know that it is transient. We should also know that happiness and unhappiness are two sides of the same coin, and we have to transcend both to find peace and happiness.

Arjuna thought of himself as a physical body. Once he learnt the spiritual truth of his own true nature and a common-sense approach to life in this world, his delusions were gone.

Gita is not just a book of action. According to Shankaracharya, the central theme of Gita is not action alone but the importance of spiritual knowledge.

There is an epilogue to Gita called Uttara Gita. There Arjuna asks Lord Krishna to explain his teachings again, as he forgot the teachings. At that point, Lord Krishna scolds him. The implication of this story in modern times is that when we listen to something, we may emotionally connect with it, but we may not be able to implement the spiritual wisdom. We have to struggle hard to translate our intellectual understanding to our emotional system.

After the 73rd verse, the scene shifts in Gita. In the next several verses, Sanjaya, who was blessed with divine vision by Vyasa says: “I still recall again and again in my mind the dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It fills my heart with joy.”

Sanjaya was able to listen, enjoy and recall this great dialog because his mind was ready for it. We do not remember what we are not interested in. Sanjaya was a spiritual seeker and had the right spiritual attitude.

Gita ends with the 78th verse: “Wherever there is a blending of Yogeshwara (man of spiritual wisdom) and Dhanurdhara (man of action), there will be fortune, prosperity, victory, welfare, righteousness and justice.”

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