Everyday Geeta

August 21, 2011 Just recently listened to Pujya Guruji 's talk on Geeta 3-33. सदृशं चेष्टते स्वस्याः प्रकृतेर्ज्ञानवानपि | प्रकृतिं यान्ति भूतानि निग्रहः किं करिष्यति ||३-३३|| sadR^isha.n cheshhTate svasyaaH prakR^iterGYaanavaanapi . prakR^iti.n yaanti bhuutaani nigrahaH kiM karishhyati .. 3-33.. Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature; beings will follow their own nature; what can restraint do? 3-33 This is a well known dilemma that was first postulated by Duryodhana in the Mahabharata . "I know what is Dharma but I am unable to live by it. I know what is Adharma, but am helplessly impelled to it." We often come across situations where we know what the right answer is but end up doing something stupid. By now, every one of us is familiar with the numerous corporate training seminars that one attends but that never results in any meaningful change back at our desk. The only valuable output is excellent feedback and a hefty fee to the trainer! First we must ...

August 13, 2011 Did you miss Tiger Woods' recent debacle at the US PGA ? The golfing legend and former golf world no. 1, Tiger Woods did not even make the qualifying cut for the US PGA championship in Atlanta today. This picture by AP photographer Charles Riedel says it all. For me this is a logical segue into Geeta 3-30. मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा | निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ||३-३०|| mayi sarvaaNi karmaaNi sa.nnyasyaadhyaatmachetasaa . niraashiirnirmamo bhuutvaa yudhyasva vigatajvaraH .. 3\-30.. Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centered on the Self, free from expectation and egoism (ownership) , free from (mental) fever, fight! This came to mind especially when I saw this interesting post by Cari Nierenberger on NBC News . The writer quotes research by Marci DeCaro at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. DeCaro and a team of researchers recently published a study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology that found not all high-pressu...

August 9, 2011 Josh Schrei had a very refreshing angle on Hinduism titled "The God Project: Hinduism as Open-Source Faith." Given the ubiquitous Indian programmer all over the world today, it was only a matter of time before we got the IT analogies applied to the faith. Some noteworthy quotes: However, the key point of differentiation between Hinduism and these other faiths is not polytheism vs. monotheism. The key differentiation is that "Hinduism" is Open Source and most other faiths are Closed Source.   While the god of the Old Testament was shouting command(ment)s, Prajapati was asking: "Who am I?" This links neatly to my post on Geeta 3-3. In that post, I referred to an excellent video which features an elaborate commentary by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji . In his inimitable style, Gurudev posits two arguments: 1. A modern university offers numerous subjects from the sciences to the humanities to the arts to suit the taste of the different t...

August 4, 2011 You may have seen my post on the online course on the Bhagavad Geeta launched by the Chinmaya International Foundation. The course is authored by Pujya Swami Tejomayanandaji himself. I have enrolled in this program and seen the first lesson. I like it already. Several points made in the first lesson struck home immediately. 1. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born blind, Pāṇḍu was born with leucoderma, and Vidura was born to a maid servant. None of the three, according to the prevalent laws of the state, was eligible to the throne of Hastināpura. Pāṇḍu and Vidura had no complaints, only Dhṛtarāṣṭra became bitter about his blindness and weaker because of his attachments. 2. Once, after the war, when the Pāṇḍavas were relaxing, Arjuna asked Śrī Kṛṣṇa to repeat the Bhagavad Gita. The Lord said that a masterpiece cannot be repeated. The Lord himself declares गीता मे हृदयं पार्थ Gītā me hṛdayaṁ pārtha. The Gītā, O Arjuna, is my very heart. Would definitely recommend you enroll yourself asa...

August 3, 2011 Today is Param Pujya Gurudev 's Mahasamadhi day. A dear amma, Smt Sushila Acharya, had composed a song on Pujya Gurudev several years ago. A few lines from the song have always been with me. ज्ञान अमृत को हमें स्वाद करने दीजिये शरण अाए हुए हमको अाप रक्षा कीजिए । विश्वरूपी विश्वप्रेमी विश्वजित विश्वेश्वर कोटी नमन है अापको चिन्मय गुणमंदिर । Give us a taste of the nectar of Absolute knowledge Protect us, who have taken refuge in You! Oh Lord of the Universe, Loved by All, Conqueror of this transient world, Whose very form is this manifest Universe! Countless Prostrations, Oh Chinmaya, Abode of Goodness! E&OE. Any errors in the translation are entirely mine! Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

August 2, 2011 There is a very interesting article on "How to Land Your Kid in Therapy" by Lori Gottlieb in The Atlantic. Since it was published two weeks ago, it has been among the the most popular articles. Relevant quotes for me are: Nowadays, it’s not enough to be happy—if you can be even happier. The American Dream and the pursuit of happiness have morphed from a quest for general contentment to the idea that you must be happy at all times and in every way. First, the flaw in the thinking that underlies the behavior described in the article. While colloquially parents are trying to ensure the "happiness" of their children, what they're ensuring is really pleasure. Gurudev addresses this when he talks about shreyas. Secondly, we have to keep in mind Śrī Kṛṣṇa's awesome definition of sātwik happiness or pure joy in chapter 18. यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्। तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्।।18.37।। yattadagre vishhamiva pariNaame.amR^it...

July 31, 2011 Just came across the speech by Śri Aurobindo (at that time was Śri Aurobindo Ghose) at Uttarpara. Here is the wiki link. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Uttarpara_Speech First some context. Śri Aurobindo was actively involved in the movement for India's independence. Like his own hero, Shri Lokamanya Tilak, Śri Aurobindo did not have much tolerance for the moderate wing of the Congress part in the early part of the 20th century. The British Viceroy had once referred to Śri Aurobindo as the "he is the most dangerous man we have to reckon with". He was arrested in 1908 and charged with sedition. He was placed in solitary confinement and following a prolonged trial Śri Aurobindo was acquitted. Śri Aurobindo was released after a year. It was at this time, he gave a speech speaking about his journey of spiritual transformation. I am particularly struck by a few lines: When the case opened in the lower court and we were brought before the Magistrate I was followed...