-
Opening and closing prayer-chants 4
-
Lecture1.1
-
Lecture1.2
-
Lecture1.3
-
Lecture1.4
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam 6
-
Lecture2.1
-
Lecture2.2
-
Lecture2.3
-
Lecture2.4
-
Lecture2.5
-
Lecture2.6
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 9
Chanting only of Chapter 1 by Pujya Swami Dayananda ji
-
Lecture3.1
-
Lecture3.2
-
Lecture3.3
-
Lecture3.4
-
Lecture3.5
-
Lecture3.6
-
Lecture3.7
-
Lecture3.8
-
Lecture3.9
-
-
Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Saankhya Yoga 46
-
Lecture4.1
-
Lecture4.2
-
Lecture4.3
-
Lecture4.4
-
Lecture4.5
-
Lecture4.6
-
Lecture4.7
-
Lecture4.8
-
Lecture4.9
-
Lecture4.10
-
Lecture4.11
-
Lecture4.12
-
Lecture4.13
-
Lecture4.14
-
Lecture4.15
-
Lecture4.16
-
Lecture4.17
-
Lecture4.18
-
Lecture4.19
-
Lecture4.20
-
Lecture4.21
-
Lecture4.22
-
Lecture4.23
-
Lecture4.24
-
Lecture4.25
-
Lecture4.26
-
Lecture4.27
-
Lecture4.28
-
Lecture4.29
-
Lecture4.30
-
Lecture4.31
-
Lecture4.32
-
Lecture4.33
-
Lecture4.34
-
Lecture4.35
-
Lecture4.36
-
Lecture4.37
-
Lecture4.38
-
Lecture4.39
-
Lecture4.40
-
Lecture4.41
-
Lecture4.42
-
Lecture4.43
-
Quiz4.1
-
Lecture4.44
-
Lecture4.45
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 22
-
Lecture5.1
-
Lecture5.2
-
Lecture5.3
-
Lecture5.4
-
Lecture5.5
-
Lecture5.6
-
Lecture5.7
-
Lecture5.8
-
Lecture5.9
-
Lecture5.10
-
Lecture5.11
-
Lecture5.12
-
Lecture5.13
-
Lecture5.14
-
Lecture5.15
-
Lecture5.16
-
Lecture5.17
-
Lecture5.18
-
Lecture5.19
-
Lecture5.20
-
Lecture5.21
-
Lecture5.22
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Jnana-Karmasannyasa Yoga 30
-
Lecture6.1
-
Lecture6.2
-
Lecture6.3
-
Lecture6.4
-
Lecture6.5
-
Lecture6.6
-
Lecture6.7
-
Lecture6.8
-
Lecture6.9
-
Lecture6.10
-
Lecture6.11
-
Lecture6.12
-
Lecture6.13
-
Lecture6.14
-
Lecture6.15
-
Lecture6.16
-
Lecture6.17
-
Lecture6.18
-
Lecture6.19
-
Lecture6.20
-
Lecture6.21
-
Lecture6.22
-
Lecture6.23
-
Lecture6.24
-
Lecture6.25
-
Lecture6.26
-
Lecture6.27
-
Lecture6.28
-
Lecture6.29
-
Lecture6.30
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Sannyasa Yoga 20
-
Lecture7.1
-
Lecture7.2
-
Lecture7.3
-
Lecture7.4
-
Lecture7.5
-
Lecture7.6
-
Lecture7.7
-
Lecture7.8
-
Lecture7.9
-
Lecture7.10
-
Lecture7.11
-
Lecture7.12
-
Lecture7.13
-
Lecture7.14
-
Lecture7.15
-
Lecture7.16
-
Lecture7.17
-
Lecture7.18
-
Lecture7.19
-
Lecture7.20
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Dhyaana Yoga 15
-
Lecture8.1
-
Lecture8.2
-
Lecture8.3
-
Lecture8.4
-
Lecture8.5
-
Lecture8.6
-
Lecture8.7
-
Lecture8.8
-
Lecture8.9
-
Lecture8.10
-
Lecture8.11
-
Lecture8.12
-
Lecture8.13
-
Lecture8.14
-
Lecture8.15
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Jnana-Vijnana Yoga 16
-
Lecture9.1
-
Lecture9.2
-
Lecture9.3
-
Lecture9.4
-
Lecture9.5
-
Lecture9.6
-
Lecture9.7
-
Lecture9.8
-
Lecture9.9
-
Lecture9.10
-
Lecture9.11
-
Lecture9.12
-
Lecture9.13
-
Lecture9.14
-
Lecture9.15
-
Lecture9.16
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Akshara Brahman Yoga 17
-
Lecture10.1
-
Lecture10.2
-
Lecture10.3
-
Lecture10.4
-
Lecture10.5
-
Lecture10.6
-
Lecture10.7
-
Lecture10.8
-
Lecture10.9
-
Lecture10.10
-
Lecture10.11
-
Lecture10.12
-
Lecture10.13
-
Lecture10.14
-
Lecture10.15
-
Lecture10.16
-
Lecture10.17
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga 20
-
Lecture11.1
-
Lecture11.2
-
Lecture11.3
-
Lecture11.4
-
Lecture11.5
-
Lecture11.6
-
Lecture11.7
-
Lecture11.8
-
Lecture11.9
-
Lecture11.10
-
Lecture11.11
-
Lecture11.12
-
Lecture11.13
-
Lecture11.14
-
Lecture11.15
-
Lecture11.16
-
Lecture11.17
-
Lecture11.18
-
Lecture11.19
-
Lecture11.20
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Vibhuti Yoga 22
-
Lecture12.1
-
Lecture12.2
-
Lecture12.3
-
Lecture12.4
-
Lecture12.5
-
Lecture12.6
-
Lecture12.7
-
Lecture12.8
-
Lecture12.9
-
Lecture12.10
-
Lecture12.11
-
Lecture12.12
-
Lecture12.13
-
Lecture12.14
-
Lecture12.15
-
Lecture12.16
-
Lecture12.17
-
Lecture12.18
-
Lecture12.19
-
Lecture12.20
-
Lecture12.21
-
Lecture12.22
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 11 Vishvarupa Darshana Yoga 10
-
Lecture13.1
-
Lecture13.2
-
Lecture13.3
-
Lecture13.4
-
Lecture13.5
-
Lecture13.6
-
Lecture13.7
-
Lecture13.8
-
Lecture13.9
-
Lecture13.10
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 Bhakti Yoga 16
-
Lecture14.1
-
Lecture14.2
-
Lecture14.3
-
Lecture14.4
-
Lecture14.5
-
Lecture14.6
-
Lecture14.7
-
Lecture14.8
-
Lecture14.9
-
Lecture14.10
-
Lecture14.11
-
Lecture14.12
-
Lecture14.13
-
Lecture14.14
-
Lecture14.15
-
Lecture14.16
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 13 Kshetra-Kshetrajna vibhagah yoga 42
-
Lecture15.1
-
Lecture15.2
-
Lecture15.3
-
Lecture15.4
-
Lecture15.5
-
Lecture15.6
-
Lecture15.7
-
Lecture15.8
-
Lecture15.9
-
Lecture15.10
-
Lecture15.11
-
Lecture15.12
-
Lecture15.13
-
Lecture15.14
-
Lecture15.15
-
Lecture15.16
-
Lecture15.17
-
Lecture15.18
-
Lecture15.19
-
Lecture15.20
-
Lecture15.21
-
Lecture15.22
-
Lecture15.23
-
Lecture15.24
-
Lecture15.25
-
Lecture15.26
-
Lecture15.27
-
Lecture15.28
-
Lecture15.29
-
Lecture15.30
-
Lecture15.31
-
Lecture15.32
-
Lecture15.33
-
Lecture15.34
-
Lecture15.35
-
Lecture15.36
-
Lecture15.37
-
Lecture15.38
-
Lecture15.39
-
Lecture15.40
-
Lecture15.41
-
Lecture15.42
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14 Guna-traya-vibhagah yoga 16
-
Lecture16.1
-
Lecture16.2
-
Lecture16.3
-
Lecture16.4
-
Lecture16.5
-
Lecture16.6
-
Lecture16.7
-
Lecture16.8
-
Lecture16.9
-
Lecture16.10
-
Lecture16.11
-
Lecture16.12
-
Lecture16.13
-
Lecture16.14
-
Lecture16.15
-
Lecture16.16
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Purushottama yoga 14
-
Lecture17.1
-
Lecture17.2
-
Lecture17.3
-
Lecture17.4
-
Lecture17.5
-
Lecture17.6
-
Lecture17.7
-
Lecture17.8
-
Lecture17.9
-
Lecture17.10
-
Lecture17.11
-
Lecture17.12
-
Lecture17.13
-
Lecture17.14
-
-
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 16 Daiva-Asura Sampat Vibhaga Yoga 6
-
Lecture18.1
-
Lecture18.2
-
Lecture18.3
-
Lecture18.4
-
Lecture18.5
-
Lecture18.6
-
This content is protected, please login and enroll course to view this content!
1 Comment
So this chapter on ध्यान-योग does not actually start with meditation.
And some of you are wondering~ when is it coming? You have to wait for some time.
Why? Because most of our disturbances have to do with the way we live our life, the framework that we use to live our life, the values that determine the choices we make, the decisions we take, and the results of those decisions on our lives.
So it’s very interesting and insightful that ध्यानम् loosely translated as meditation, comes only in the sixth chapter of the श्रीमद् भगवद्-गीता |
It’s not the first thing you do; never.
And even in the योग सूत्र~ यम, नियम, आसन, प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, धारणा, ध्यान, समाधि i.e. अष्टाङ्ग योग |
So धारणा, ध्यान, समाधि, the last three अङ्ग- s, where you are more with yourself, in the sense that you are going deeper and deeper into contemplating on the nature of your reality.
When are you ready to do that? When you live a full life. Not before that.
If you try to meditate before that, and of course there are many types of meditations, but if you tried to do any of these meditations, e.g. चक्र meditation, don’t even go there. Don’t go there. I know you all have a fascination for it, everyone has, but first live a full life. Then we will focus on your चक्र-s a little later. There may not be a need also to focus on the चक्र-s.
So living a full life is bringing कौशलम् to all your roles, understanding the धर्म of the different roles and relationships that you have, and contributing. There itself is a big hurdle. Why? I don’t feel like doing. Or, I want to do more of something.
E.g. I want to cook for my children but they don’t want my food. I cook, but then they order takeout. I spent three hours. What is this?
Or, you want to give them advice, you want to give them guidance, and perhaps they need your guidance, but they are not ready for it.
So in the name of controlling other people don’t think that you are performing कर्म योग, कौशलम् |
This week Swaminiji was talking to one mother and daughter duo, and Swaminiji knows both of them very well. The daughter thinks that the mother is trying to control her all the time. Daughter is in her thirties. And so she has boundaries- No you can’t tell me this, you can’t tell me that, don’t tell me, back off mom. Mother doesn’t know what to do. Mother is expressing her great love, and what is the mother trying to do? She’s also trying to control the daughter. Mother is trying to control the daughter, daughter is trying to control the mother ~ You have to do these things, you have to be this way. And we are doing our duty towards each other.
So we all know what it feels like to be controlled by someone. You feel a bit manipulated, you don’t feel accepted and respected for who you are.
So these tendencies- I want to control because I know best for that person, we have not given up.
And then this person sits in meditation. What do you think the person is going to meditate on? Because it is a very strong binding desire that my daughter or my mother should behave in a particular way. That’s what you’re going to meditate on.
So धर्म is the foundation of life.
Definitely meditation as one important mental activity which comes much much later can happen effortlessly, or with some little effort when more or less we have resolved our relationship issues.
More or less Swaminiji is saying. Some relationships are irreconcilable. Then have you made your peace with that? Some relationships have scope for both people to come towards each other. Are you making the effort? No, no, they have to make the effort first only then I will. So, come on. For both of you, will it help if you come closer to each other? If the answer is yes then make the effort. One life to live.
So कर्म योग one brings in into all areas of life again and again. Again and again, why? Because it’s not yet spontaneous. That’s why some deliberate effort, practice is required.
To offer कर्म unto ईश्वर, to learn to accept or rather to drop one’s resistance towards how people are, situations etc. Even how you are.
So we all have this actual ideal divide- how I actually am, and how I would ideally like to be. So stop resisting, and don’t have such a wide divide. There is no need for it.
So talking about the योगी, who is a संन्यासी by lifestyle, or a कर्म योगी by lifestyle,
but the true योगी who is that one?
यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते ।
सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते ॥ ~ ६.४
So when this person is not dependent on कर्म nor इन्द्रियार्थ to feel secure.
कर्म does not bind you.
People will say- Oh, I have a lot of responsibilities. The way they say it, actually they don’t mean responsibility, because responsibility is a great joy. They mean burden.
Oh, I have so many responsibilities. Then don’t do it. Who asked you to do it? You have free choice, free will is there so don’t do it.
Oh, if I don’t do it, who will do it? Let it be. No, no, no, I don’t want things like that.
Then, binding desire.
E.g. the house must be spick and span. So some people who are very obsessed with dusting, if you live in a place like Mumbai, you’ve had it. Or any place like that where there’s lot of industrial pollution. You will be dusting every three hours. And if you are not dusting, you are driving your maids crazy. You cannot avoid it, there will be dust.
Swaminiji remembers reading this~ Dust if you must, but know that you will return to dust.
So you can keep dusting. Important, it’s nice to be neat and clean. But how much dusting? How much? How often? No, no, no it should be spick and span. Good value to have, but don’t overdo it.
Any value which is a subset of धर्म can be overdone. Because we aim for the absolute. But it cannot be absolute, it is contextual. It is universal, but contextually applicable. So we are attached to all kinds of things, we are dependent. Or rather our moods are dependent on all kinds of things.
One might be~ everything needs to be spick and span every moment. This is how my house, my room must be. It could be an object, it could be a person, anything- how your tea is, how it should be made. You are not willing to accept any other kind of tea.
So this योगी,
न अनुषज्जते – is not dependent on the different kinds of sense objects, nor is the person dependent on a type of कर्म |
Oh, I got laid off, I am depressed. Yes, an event happened. Yes, it’s not pleasant. Yes, you’re looking forward to another job soon. Bills have to be paid. Yes, understood.
But I identify and define myself by my work.
So कर्म does not bind me. But my identity on the basis of that कर्म is what I am dependent on.
I didn’t do anything today, I’m feeling so lousy. What a waste. Today was not a productive day. Okay, so there are days like that. In fact, many days are like that.
Still, the one who is not dependent on the कर्म, nor different sense objects for a sense of security, who is that person?
योगारूढ: तत् उच्यते,
so the person is called like that.
So this योगारूढ: is the one who has as though mounted, like a horse. Meaning has certain mastery.
And what else will you do with the mastery of the mind except for knowing the truth.
To steal or cybercrime, or anything like that, you don’t need so much mastery, little mastery is okay. For premeditated murder also some mastery is required.
But all the mastery that you did- you meditated, you did all kinds of things. What for? Anyway it will all return to dust. Correct? ‘It’ means इदम् i.e. इदं शरीरम् कौन्तेय (१३.२). This is anyway returning to dust.
So what will you do with the great mastery of mind? So as they say in Hindi slang, which is crude~ whatever the thing is, are you going to pickle this or what?
So what will you do with mastery? It’s worth it only if you are using the mind for what it is meant which is मोक्ष | When you have used it as an instrument to achieve what has already been achieved, which is your nature, which you did not know, which you did not claim, which you denied yourself. Then that’s a good life.
So this योगारूढ:, the one who has attained/discovered मोक्ष |
How did the person manage that? By mastery. How mastery? I stopped defining myself by my कर्म and the different things, situations, people around me. I don’t deny them. I don’t dissociate from them. They are all important. I do my धर्म | But more and more I am not dependent on them. So there is a great freedom, because you can allow things, and people, and situations to be as they are. People around you will enjoy you more because you’re not demanding. You’re not breathing down their neck-You should be like this, you should not be like this. Or you may say indirectly- What people should be doing in life, I’ll tell you. So you’re not addressing the person directly but you hope that the person will take the hint. The person is of course thick-skinned~ no hint, direct, indirect, no reading between the lines, the lines are only not seen so what will the person read between the lines?
But we depend on all this.
And so the योगी is the one who has recognized that the different संकल्प-s I made, the different resolves/prayerful requests that I made- that may this happen for me, may I gain this. What for? So that I am secure, etcetera, etcetera. The person has given up that.
Given up that? You want to start a गुरुकुलम् project? There is no संकल्प for the गुरुकुल?
Here what is meant is that the संकल्प that a कर्म will fulfill me, that is what one does संन्यास of.
Things have to be done. Why? Because we’re living in this world. But I will be fulfilled as a कर्ता/doer, I will be fulfilled as a भोक्ता/experiencer if I do this, the person has done त्याग of that, संन्यास of that.
In other words, the recognition that I the आत्मा am not the doer. I was never the doer, never the experiencer.
So that recognition is becoming more and more clear, because we understand the relationship between अविद्या,काम, कर्म | I don’t know who I am, I don’t know what I am, then I have a sense of incompleteness i.e. अपूर्णता | I believe I will be completed when I get something, I relate to something, I engage with something else etcetera, etcetera. So, काम/binding desire naturally will be there. Then, can I just sit with काम in my mind?
So, someone gave me really delicious dark chocolate. काम is in the mind. And chocolate is in the refrigerator. Will I sit just quietly? If it is a binding desire, or even if it’s not- No, I have to act on it ~ कर्म |
So this spiral/roundabout of अविद्या-काम-कर्म goes on and on and on and on.
So you may say- Oh, I will give up all my कर्म | But the काम is still sitting in your head. You still have so many desires that must be fulfilled, maximum you can just postpone it, that’s all.
But that thinking- that by fulfilling a desire, I will be fulfilled, that unhealthy connection has to be severed.
The connection is there because of अविद्या |
So anyway for this योगी, there is मोक्ष |
Now this sounds very daunting.
Sometimes I like भगवद्-गीता class, but sometimes I wonder like who is Swaminiji talking about? Do these people really exist? You know, these so called wise people? I don’t see anyone wise around me…
So then how does one go about it? How does one go about this mastery of the mind? The next verse-
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥ ~ ६.५
A very beautiful verse, and a very important verse from the standpoint of how we talk to ourselves, how we are with ourselves.
So can I genuinely say that it is nice to be me. It is nice to be me, I enjoy being who I am. A lot of us cannot say yes to this. We feel a little sad. I can’t put my finger on it, I’m not sure why, some things could be better about me, nicer about me, etc. etc. Or, I am okay but why people don’t accept me the way I am. Why am I struggling all the time for validation, off and on ईश्वर validation okay, but it’s always nice to be acknowledged and appreciated, praised, cared for.
So now, भगवान् श्री कृष्ण is teaching us a very beautiful lesson which is-
उद्धरेत् ~ may you lift,
What?
आत्मनात्मानम् ~ Here आत्मा does not mean सच्चिदानन्द आत्मा, but refers to the person.
So, may one lift oneself; oneself here referring to the body-mind-sense complex, so the entire person really.
So, may one lift oneself by oneself.
What does that mean? It means being a friend to yourself.
And what else?
न आत्मानम् अवसादयेत् – may you not destroy yourself.
How can you destroy?
By looking down on yourself.
He explains why-
आत्मा एव हि आत्मन: बन्धु: – you yourself are your best friend, benefactor and so on,
And if you don’t lift yourself up, then,
आत्मा एव रिपु: – रिपु: means enemy. So you end up becoming your own enemy.
Now how does one be a friend to oneself? All of us have at least one friend in this whole wide world, however introverted/extroverted we are.
So how do you express your friendship with that person, whoever that person is. You do acts of care. You tell the person I am there for you, I care for you, I love you, I accept you, you’re fine, things will be fine, etcetera, etcetera.
Then the question is~
You know the voice in our heads? The non-stop voice that chatters all the time, non-stop commentary. If we look into the content of this voice, what one is talking to oneself, what might that be? Are we thinking about the past? Or are we repeating our to do list for the day- This has to be done, okay after this then there is this, okay, so reminding yourself. Or you think~ Oh, now is not okay. Maybe later things might get better. Or you are regurgitating a conversation from earlier in the day, or this week. I wish I had said that, I don’t know why those words did not tumble out of my mouth. Why I didn’t say that. Or, maybe I should have done something differently.
So again, and again, and again the same thing.
In all of this are you being a friend to yourself? Can you say~ it’s nice to be me? Because you can say it’s nice to be me if you are being a friend to yourself. If I see that I am lovable. If I see that I am acceptable.
But for us love, acceptance comes with conditions. I will become more lovable if I have better control over my anger. Or I will be more acceptable if I lose weight. Yes, all these things are to be done. But does it completely take away the fact that you are lovable?
But people have not expressed their love for me, that means I am not lovable.
At sometime in your life people might have expressed- yes.
And if nothing else, well you are a manifestation of ईश्वर –
देहो देवालय: प्रोक्त: जीवो देवस्सनातन: ।
त्यजेदज्ञाननिर्माल्यं सोऽहं भावेन पूजयेत् ॥
देहो देवालय: प्रोक्त: ~ this देह/body is actually a temple. देवालय – the home of देव/deity.
And who is the one sitting in the heart? It is the देव, it is the जीव |
This जीव~ जीव देवस्सनातन: – this जीव who has been around for the longest, actually is a देव |
So then what is to be done in the temple?
त्यजेत् अज्ञान निर्माल्यम् –
All these flowers that have been offered and which are wilted, which are like अज्ञान/ignorance,
त्यजेत्- give up.
Give up the ignorance- I am not sacred. I am defective. I am not good enough, etc., etc.
सोऽहं भावेन पूजयेत्- So may one pray to the deity in the temple, which is you,
with what भावन?
सोऽहं –
स: means He,
so, He is me/अहम् |
So this आत्मा पूजा is a part of our regular 16-step षोडशोपचार पूजा and it’s such a beautiful ritual because it reminds you if you are doing this puja every day, or at least even if you uttering this श्लोक that I am sacred, I have the support of all देवता-s, I am almost like a देवता only~ जीव देवस्सनातन: |
I also have lots of powers. I can make my room a mess. Of course I can have lots of projects also. So, I have powers.
So जीव देवस्सनातन: – Then, why don’t I feel accepted and loved?
I will have reasons for it. So my mother did something, my father did something. Or they didn’t do, they did not pay attention. There must be some reason. My partner something, or I separated. Or my children they don’t bother about me. So something. These may be valid that you don’t feel cared for by them.
But, do you care for yourself? Do you speak to yourself in a loving way? It’s likely we don’t.
And this श्लोक tells us that it’s time to change that.
So some of the offshoots of this might be the inner child work. Some people are familiar with that. So where you talk to yourself, that self of you, or that part of you which is fragile, needs care, needs acceptance, feels lonely, is hurt, maybe struggles with the fear of abandonment. All of us feel like this. Some of us feel it more frequently than others.
And so for a child who is hurting, or for the little one, for someone who’s feeling fragile, you can give a series of advice~ भगवद्-गीता says may you lift yourself by yourself.
But you retort ‘Shut up’, because when you are fragile and hurt you don’t want to hear any words of advice. Then, what to do?
Then, we have to talk to ourselves in a loving way.
So now is a tough part. What is that?
Swaminiji is going to ask for a volunteer…