Everyday Geeta

January 1, 2013 The words and meaning (in English and Hindi) by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji are as below: क्षणं प्रतिक्षणं यन्नवं नवम् । तच्च सुन्दरं सच्च तत्छिवम ।। १ ।। वर्षनूतनं ते शुभं मुदम् । उत्तरोत्तरं भवतु सिद्धिदम् ।। २ ।। kṣhaṇaṁ pratikṣhaṇaṁ yannavaṁ navam tacca sundaraṁ sacca taccivam . 1 . varśanūtanaṁ te śubhaṁ mudam uttarotaraṁ bhavatu siddhidam . 2 . Beauty is that which at every moment is new and fresh, That Alone is Good, Real and Beautiful! May this New Year bring you greater Goodness, Joy and Success जो प्रतिक्षण र्नूतन व नवीन है वही सुन्दर है, सत्य है व शिव स्वरूप है ।।१।। यह नूतन वर्ष अाप के लिए अधिकाधिक अानंद मंगल व सफलता प्रदान करने वाला हो ।।२।। Who can say it better than that? Click here for a downloadable link for the text and meaning. Hari Om and Namaskaar until my next post

December 30, 2012 Thanks to NPR 's TED Radio Hour broadcast on the " Power of Crowds ", I present Marcin Jakubowski and Open Source Ecology . It is a great follow-up to my earlier post on Wikipedia's 10th Anniversary . In that post, I had extolled Wikipedia as a great example of the यज्ञ that is at the heart of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's prescription of Karma Yoga as the road to freedom from the bondage of action. Take this wonderful TED talk by Marcin Jakubowski and take a look at the Open Source Ecology website (OSE). I realized that the truly appropriate, low-cost tools that I needed to start a sustainable farm and settlement just didn't exist yet. I needed tools that were robust, modular, highly efficient and optimized, low-cost, made from local and recycled materials that would last a lifetime, not designed for obsolescence. I found that I would have to build them myself. So I did just that. And I tested them. And I found that industrial productivity can be achieved o

December 24, 2012 Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

December 24, 2012 Just saw an exciting report on facebook from Chinmaya Vibhooti . the biggest surprise was yet to come. After all the pujas were over, Pujya Guruji went up the dais and treated everybody to a surprise spiritual nectar!! He told us the story of how he recently composed a Hindi poem on Bhagavad Gita comprising over a hundred verses giving a gist of all the chapters. He has named it ‘Gita Kavita’. He then went on to sing the verses on the 1st, 2nd and 15th chapters and concluded with a few verses of ‘samarpan’ or offering to the Lord. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

December 23, 2012. There is a myth out there that the study of the Bhagavad Geeta must be deferred to old age or when there is a major crisis. If you are one of those who say YSG - Why Study the Geeta, on Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā Jayanti, I have 18 compelling reasons why everyone can and should study the Bhagavad Geeta. I hope to expand on each of these in future posts. Can you think of other answers to YSG? Please share with me in the comments column. YSG 1. Transform Yourself. Śrī Kṛṣṇa successfully transformed the warrior prince Arjuna from a weak-kneed, snivelling wreck to a highly motivated, effective warrior who was clear about his goals and course of action. Are you ready to transform your life? YSG 2. Śrī Kṛṣṇa - The Perfect Teacher for the Ages! Despite being raised in a family of cowherds, it is clear from the Mahābhārata that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is no mere mortal. He was revered by the greatest of the era, he slayed several monsters (rākshasās), advised the rich and mighty and conducted

December 23, 2012 Today is the auspicious occasion of Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā Jayanti (Anniversary). It is said that on this holy Ekadashi day, over 5-6000 years ago, Śrī Kṛṣṇa taught this sacred message to the warrior Arjuna. It is also marks the second anniversary of the day that I started this blog . On this occasion, I invoke the 1st verse of the Geeta Dhyanam, attributed to Śrī Madhusudan Saraswati. ँ़ पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेनस्वयं व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्ये महाभारतम् । अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीं अष्टदशाध्यायिनीं अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीम् ।। १ ।। OM paarthaya pratibodhitaa.m bhagavataa naaraayaNenasvaya.m vyaasenagrathitaa.n puraaNamuninaa madhye mahaabhaaratam.h | advaitaamR^itvarshhiNii.n bhagavatii.n ashTadashaadhyaayinii.n ambatvaamanusandadhaami bhagavadgiite bhavadveshhiNiim.h | | 1 | | OM, O Bhagavad Gītā, by which Pārtha (Arjuna) was enlightened by the Lord Nārāyaṇa himself, which was incorporated in the Mahābhārata by the ancient sage

December 16, 2012 I came across a reference to this wonderful poem "Brahma" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the first volume of His Holiness Swami Ranganathanandaji's excellent set of three volumes titled Universal Message of the Bhagavad Gita .  The poem is filled with beautiful references to the Bhagavad Geeta  Chapter 2 !  Brahma BY RALPH WALDO EMERSON If the red slayer think he slays, Or if the slain think he is slain, They know not well the subtle ways I keep, and pass, and turn again. Far or forgot to me is near; Shadow and sunlight are the same; The vanished gods to me appear; And one to me are shame and fame. They reckon ill who leave me out; When me they fly, I am the wings; I am the doubter and the doubt, I am the hymn the Brahmin sings. The strong gods pine for my abode, And pine in vain the sacred Seven; But thou, meek lover of the good! Find me, and turn thy back on heaven. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

December 18, 2012 In Geeta 2-51, Śrī Kṛṣṇa's extols those who are free of the attachment to the "fruit of action". कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः | जन्मबन्धविनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम् ||२-५१|| The wise, possessed of knowledge, having abandoned the fruits of their actions, freed from the fetters of birth, go to the State which is beyond all evil. When one first reads this kind of declaration, an instinctive reaction is, "How can I get anything done if I am not driven by the fruit of action? I expect to be rich, successful, famous, etc. What is wrong with that?" The reality is that while the desire for success might seem like an obvious driver for hard work, the image of these headlines proves just how much the same drive for success can impede performance. It is this pressure to perform that is being addressed in this TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the bestselling book "Eat Pray Love". If you don't have the time to lis

December 12, 2012 In Geeta 3-10, Śrī Kṛṣṇa states: सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः | अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ||३-१०|| At the beginning (of creation), having created mankind, together with sacrifices, The PRAJAPATI (the Creator),said, "by this shall you prosper; let this be the milch-cow of your desire - "Kāmadhuk" (the mythological cow which yields all desired objects). I came across a wonderful letter by Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in my personal collection. Pujya Gurudev always referred to his public Geeta talks as Geeta Gnana Yagna borrowing from verse 4-33 in which Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares that Gnana Yagna is superior to any form of material Yagna. He also referred to the process of organizing the Yagna as an exercise in working in the Yagna spirit as in the verse above. Pujya Gurudev constantly guided us (the organizers) with boundless compassion, yet was always insistent on high quality planning to ensure that the audience be a

December 8, 2012 I am pleased to report that I have updated the page that lists all verses of the Bhagavad Geeta referred to in this blog. Hope you find it useful. Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

December 8, 2012 The video above shows failure of the first launch of the SpaceX mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS) on May 19, 2012. Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji once used the example of a failed spacecraft liftoff to describe the why tuning the mind is so critical on the spiritual path. In Geeta 18-67, Śrī Kṛṣṇa clearly warns of unqualified people trying to understand the Bhagavad Geeta. He is pretty explicit in his caution: इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन | न चाशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ||१८-६७|| idaM te naatapaskaaya naabhaktaaya kadaachana . na chaashushruushhave vaachya.n na cha maa.n yo.abhyasuuyati .. 18-67.. This is never to be spoken by you to one who is devoid of austerities or devotion, nor to one who does not render service, nor to one who desires not to listen, nor to one who cavils at Me (speaks ill of me). In the " Holy Geeta ", Swamiji says: Verses like this in a śāstra are meant as instructions for the students on h

December 6, 2012 अर्जुन उवाच | मदनुग्रहाय परमं गुह्यमध्यात्मसंज्ञितम् | यत्त्वयोक्तं वचस्तेन मोहोऽयं विगतो मम ||११-१|| arjuna uvaacha . madanugrahaaya paramaM guhyamadhyaatmasa.nGYitam.h . yattvayokta.n vachastena moho.ayaM vigato mama .. 11-1.. By this word of the highest secret concerning the Self, which You have spoken out of compassion towards me, my delusion is gone. Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji in "The Holy Geeta" on chapter 11-1. To realize the "Unity in Diversity" is to get an inoculation against the sorrows of plurality. What is the "Unity" vaccine? See Geeta 18-20 सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते | अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तज्ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ||१८-२०|| sarvabhuuteshhu yenaikaM bhaavamavyayamiikShate . avibhakta.n vibhakteshhu tajGYaanaM viddhi saattvikam.h .. 18-20.. That by which one sees the one indestructible reality in all beings, undivided in the divided, know that "knowledge" as SATTWIC (Pure). Hari Om and Namask

November 18, 2012 Time to take another break to celebrate the Lord's glory . If your day's been hectic, take a deep breath and smile... According to a NY Times article ( subscription required ) "To Birds, Storm Survival Is Only Natural" : “..scientists said, powerful new satellite tracking studies of birds on the wing — including one that coincided with the height of Hurricane Sandy’s fury — reveal birds as the supreme masters of extreme weather management, able to skirt deftly around gale-force winds, correct course after being blown horribly astray, or even use a hurricane as a kind of slingshot to propel themselves forward at hyperspeed. "In August 2011, the researchers marveled at the derring-do of a whimbrel named Hope as it encountered Tropical Storm Gert off the coast of Nova Scotia, diving straight into the tempest at 7 miles per hour and emerging from the other side at a pace of 90 m.p.h. Not long after, the scientists cheered as four other whimbrels suc

November 14, 2012 In these times of Deepavali, when the talk everywhere is the "victory of good over evil", the logical question is, "Who is good?" In 4-8, when Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, He takes birth "to protect, the good..." परित्राणाय साधूनां ४-८ (paritraaNaaya saadhuunaa.n 4-8), whom is He referring to? The perfect answer is provided by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji in the e-Gita lesson course conducted by the Chinmaya International Foundation . One who follows the right ways, who wishes good for even those who harm him (apakāryeṣu yaḥ sādhu sa sādhu abhidhīyate - अपकार्येषु य: साधु स साधु अभिधीयते), who sticks to the path of good despite temptation and troubles (nyāyāt pathāt na vicalanti dhīrāḥ - न्यायात् पथात् न विचलन्ति धीरा:), and who continuously works for the good of others (parakāryaṁ sādhnoti iti sādhuḥ - पाराकार्यं साध्नोति इति साधुः) is good. Now, I just need to be a "good boy" and get going towards completing the course that I s

November 13, 2012 In 13-28, Śrī Kṛṣṇa says: समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम् | विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति स पश्यति..13-28.. samaM sarveshhu bhuuteshhu tishhThantaM parameshvaram.h . vinashyatsvavinashyanta.n yaH pashyati sa pashyati .. 13-28.. He indeed sees, who sees the Supreme Lord existing equally in all beings, the imperishable in the perishing (world). Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post The picture shown is from sacred space created within the exhibition dedicated to Param Pujya Swami Chinmayanandaji at Chinmaya Vibhooti

November 7, 2012 Meet the first Hindu elected to the US Congress. Ms. Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat , trounced her opponent, Kawika Crowley by a margin of 4:1 in the election in Hawaii's 2nd Congressional district. According to a Religion News Service dispatch by Omar Sacirbeyl published in the Washington Post , Ms Tulsi Gabbard's favorite verses in the Bhagavad Geeta are: — “That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul.” (2:17) — “The soul can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor can he be burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.”(2.23) Her faith, Gabbard said, helped her through Iraq, where there were daily reminders that she could be killed any time. “First thing in the morning and the last thing at night, I meditated upon the fact that my essence was spirit, not matter, that I was not my physical body, and that I didn’t need to worry about death because I knew that I woul

November 4, 2012 I first read this beautiful poem of Swami Vivekananda in the moving biography of his by Swami Nikhilananda of the Ramakrishna Mission. Hinduism Today in an article in August 1999, called the song "a compelling reminder of the supreme spiritual path." I came across this again recently and cannot resist posting this here.  THE SONG OF THE SANNYĀSIN Wake up the note! the song that had its birth Far off, where worldly taint could never reach, In mountain caves and glades of forest deep, Whose calm no sigh for lust or wealth or fame Could ever dare to break; where rolled the stream Of knowledge, truth, and bliss that follows both. Sing high that note, sannyāsin bold! Say, "Om Tat Sat, Om!" Strike off thy fetters! bonds that bind thee down, Of shining gold, or darker, baser ore-- Love, hate; good, bad; and all the dual throng. Know slave is slave, caressed or whipped, not free; For fetters, though of gold, are not less strong to bind. Then off with them

October 28, 2012 Pujya Swami Swaroopanandaji kicked off a very interesting series of talks in Singapore. Titled, " 14 Spiritual Laws of Success ", the talks started on Friday October 25 at the RELC Auditorium in Singapore. The talks go through till October 30th. The first two laws directly relate to Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Geeta. They succinctly encapsulate Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teaching in verses 2-11 to 2-28. The first law according to Swamiji is the Law of Eternity. The Self is Eternal, undying. Swamiji quoted Geeta 2-20: न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन् नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः | अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||२-२०|| na jaayate mriyate vaa kadaachin.h naayaM bhuutvaa bhavitaa vaa na bhuuyaH . ajo nityaH shaashvato.ayaM puraaNo na hanyate hanyamaane shariire .. 2-20.. He is not born, nor does He ever die; after having been, He again ceases not to be; Unborn, Eternal, Changeless and Ancient, He is not killed when the body is killed. According to Swamiji, t

October 26, 2012 The song "Sansaar se Bhaage Phirte Ho" from the movie Chitralekha (1964) has many overtones of Arjuna's predicament at the start of the Bhagavad Geeta. I say this even though it is clear that this song is sung by a courtesan, Meena Kumar. She addresses this to a Yogi (Ashok Kumar) who, even while he desires Meena Kumari, struggles to reject her. Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics are soulful and on reflection reveal very subtle layers of meaning. For the lyrics, click here. Some of the standout lines are: इस लोग को भी अपना ना सके उस लोक में भी पछताओगे सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो... is log ko bhii apanaa naa sake us lok me.n bhii pachhataa_oge sansaar se bhaage phirate ho (When) you can't accept the challenges of this world / the other will be filled only with regrets / You who run away from this world. ये भोग भी एक तपस्या है तुम त्याग के मारे क्या जानो अपमान रचेता का होगा रचना को अगर ठुकराओगे सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो ye bhog bhii ek tapasyaa hai tum tyaag ke m

October 24, 2012 तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया | उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ||४-३४|| tadviddhi praNipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa . upadekShyanti te GYaanaM GYaaninastattvadarshinaH .. 4-34.. Know that (the Supreme Truth) by prostration (to a Guru), through questioning, and service, the "wise" (i.e. the Guru) who have realised the Truth will instruct you in (that) Knowledge Today is Dussehra or Vijayadashami . This is the perfect day to recommit ourselves to the study of the Bhagavad Geeta. In India, traditionally, students offered दक्षिण (dakshiNa - gifts) to their teachers as a token of their gratitude. For students of the Geeta, my personal recommendation would be to head to the e-course conducted by the Chinmaya International Foundation . As the course brochure says: This course indeed offers the crystallised, experiential wisdom and insightfulness of Swamiji, with great depth and clarity, delivered with simplicity and accessibility. It bears

October 21, 2012 Following up after a long time on my break for glory series , here is a beauty courtesy of NASA's Picture of the Day website. Geeta 7-7 provides a beautiful link to this verse: मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ||७-७|| mayi sarvamidaM protaM suutre maNigaNaa iva .. 7-7.. All this is strung in Me, as clusters of gems on a string Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

October 15, 2012 Love this note  (sourced from Upanishad Ganga 's Facebook page) by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayanandaji. The note succinctly captures the essence of the quest as outlined in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Geeta. Loosely translated: Om Upanishad Ganga: The Search for Truth The Attainment of Supreme Joy! Of course, I am not the master of brevity. Rush now, to watch one of the many episodes of Upanishad Ganga . Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

October 14, 2012 I can't recall the number of times when people have looked at me oddly when I say that I study the Geeta. I simply point out that if Arjuna needed Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teaching at the beginning of the Kurukshetra war, there isn't much doubt that I need it. My life is certainly much less stressed than the indications given by Arjuna in Chapter 1. Besides this, there are numerous ways of addressing this and today I have one more answer. The authority of a Harvard Business Review (HBR) blogger! I first saw the reference to this post in this Hindu Press International post . According to Bregman: Peter Bregman in a post titled, " If You're Too Busy to Meditate, Read This ", holds forth on the benefits of meditation. Meditation brings many benefits: It refreshes us, helps us settle into what's happening now, makes us wiser and gentler, helps us cope in a world that overloads us with information and communication, and more. But if you're still lookin

October 14, 2012 This is how the Bhagavad Geeta comes together for me....

October 2, 2012 Today, October 2, is Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. mkgandhi.org is an excellent resource for all manner of information on this great man. They publish an online magazine on Gandhiji, his life and his philosophy. The October 2012 contains the text of a speech by Shri Arun Bhat in which Shri Arunbhai says: Prayer was Gandhi’s strength and his shelter. A friend had given me a picture of Bapu, that of Gandhi sitting in prayer. It looks as if prayer itself is sitting in the form of Gandhi. A one liner captions the picture, “I can live without food for many days but cannot survive a second without prayer.” His life itself was a prayer. On this day, it is best to let Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself describe this remarkable politician sage (rājaṛṣi) who considered the Geeta to be like "a mother". अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम् | दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम् ||१६-२|| तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता | भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत ||१६-३|| ahi.n

September 24, 2012 It is a strange situation when people undertake a pilgrimage that is a saatvik (noble, pure action) activity but becomes an expression of tamas (stupid, thoughtless attitude). This India Today report of the Amarnath yātris who produce fake medical certificates of fitness to go to Amarnath is a sad story. This is a quote from the report: Dr. Anita Murthy, who volunteered to serve Amarnath yatris at the Baltal base camp, said most of the medical certificates given to the pilgrims certifying that they were fit for the yatra were obtained through fraudulent means. "Their medical certificates are not genuine. Action needs to be taken against doctors who issue such certificates," she said. According to her, most of the yatris have respiratory, cardiac and orthopaedic problems. "Many yatris do not come with adequate clothing and commence climbing without any acclimatization, attempting to complete the yatra in the shortest possible time. Bhagavad Geeta 18-2

September 23, 2012 The theme of इंद्रियनिग्रह or self control is emphasized repeatedly in the Bhagavad Geeta. Śrī Kṛṣṇa highlights the absolute necessity of self control as a preparatory step to wisdom and self realization. He also warns us of the dangers of the lack of self control as in Geeta 2-67: इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते | तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि ||२-६७|| indriyaaNaaM hi charataaM yanmano.anuvidhiiyate . tadasya harati praGYaaM vaayurnaavamivaambhasi .. 2-67.. For, the mind, which follows in the wake of the wandering senses, carries away his discrimination, as the wind carries away a boat on the waters. So, it was interesting to read Mark Baker's interview in Saturday's Today newspaper in Singapore. Mark Baker is the owner of the Mansion nightclub and is considered to be the Godfather of New York city nightlife. You should really check out www.m2ultralounge.com to see what that means. This is what Mark Baker had to say: "You're in a

September 22, 2012 I am very excited by a recent post from the Hindu Press International . Capt Rajiv Srinivasan, of the US Army, recently addressed a Hindu American Foundation  (HAF) fund raiser in Sugarland, TX on September 7, 2012. One quote caught my attention: Srinivasan, who is from Roanoke, Virginia, found the military life ethically challenging to his beliefs, which he had suppressed. He found that he could not really answer questions about his religion. So he turned to the Bhagvad Gita and the sermon that Krishna gives Arjun on the battlefield resonated with him. Krishna's admonishment to stand up and fight for what is right gave Srinivasan a realization. "All of a sudden, my views about the pacifist nature of Hinduism went out of the window," he told the audience of about 150 people, "and I understood that you have to fight for what you believe in." I then followed up and came across this HAF entry by Capt Rajiv Srinivasan as well as his blog . It i

September 17, 2012 I have run several posts on how role models prove that our noble aspirations can find expression in this life. Continuing this series, I came across this interesting New Delhi entrepreneur Kamal Meattle, first through his Ted Talk on the how ordinary house plants can help clean the air in our homes and offices. That caused me to Google Kamal Meattle and I came across an even better article, that has the wonderful title, "The Mad Hatter of Nehru Place Greens". Hari Om and Namaskar until the next post

June 18, 2012 Click on this video, sit back and enjoy this Mohammed Rafi classic. For lovers of old Hindi movies, this song from Hum Dono is a classic. The lyrics for this song are sourced here . मैं ज़िंदगी का साथ निभाता चला गया हर फ़िक्र को धुँएं में उड़ाता चला गया बरबादियों का सोग़ मनाना फ़िज़ूल था - २ बरबादियों का जश्न मनाता चला गया मैं ज़िंदगी... जो मिल गया उसी को मुक़द्दर समझ लिया - २ जो खो गया मैं उसको भुलाता चला गया मैं ज़िंदगी... ग़म और खुशी में फ़र्क न महसूस हो जहाँ - २ मैं दिल को उस मुक़ाम पे लाता चला गया मैं ज़िंदगी... My free verse translation is as below Enjoying Life, I sauntered along All my worries, I just blew them away So what if I failed, no time to regret Got a kick out of failures, didn’t waste any time Enjoying Life, I sauntered along... The gifts of fate, I took in stride Whatever I lost, just left them behind... Enjoying Life, I sauntered along Towards the state, beyond joy, beyond sorrow Didn’t pause at all, just kept moving ahead Enjoying life, I sauntered al