Everyday Geeta

November 25, 2011 There is a great American ritual every year called Black Friday that is typically on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Stores open very early, sometimes at midnight and announce fantastic sales. As expected in the Bhagavad Geeta, this kind of sale encourages the wrong kind of response every year with crowds getting bigger and wilder. This year, the state of the economy is almost a tacit excuse for this kind of madness. The Youtube link below is a long one but you can stop watching after the first couple of minutes unless you take vicarious pleasure in scenes of mayhem (yes, that is normal but.... I am not judging). Once again, Śrī Kṛṣṇa got it spot on in 16-12 आशापाशशतैर्बद्धाः कामक्रोधपरायणाः | ईहन्ते कामभोगार्थमन्यायेनार्थसञ्चयान् ||१६-१२|| aashaapaashashatairbaddhaaH kaamakrodhaparaayaNaaH . iihante kaamabhogaarthamanyaayenaarthasa~nchayaan.h .. 16\-12.. Bound by a hundred ties of hope, given to lust and anger, they do strive to obtain, by unlawful means, hoards o...

November 21, 2011 There are many popular names today which seem to originate in the Geeta. I'd like to start with a popular girl's name - Ananyaa or अनन्या (not sure why boys are not named Ananya). The name is sourced from the Samskritam word अनन्य as in two popular verses in the Geeta: 9-22: अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ananyaashchintayanto maa.n; To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, 12-6: अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते  ananyenaiva yogena maa.n dhyaayanta upaasate; Meditating on Me with single-minded devotion The dictionary gives several meanings of अनन्य ananya such 'as not attached or devoted to any one else', 'having no other', 'unique', 'undistracted'. In his talks on Chapter 12 in Singapore this month, Swami Swaroopanandaji used the meaning of 'having no other'. The 6th verse refers to that devotee who meditates upon the Lord 'having no other' thought or distraction. Then Swamiji said that Adi Sankarach...

November 19, 2011 At different places in the Bhagavad Geeta, Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the qualities of perfection. Swami Swaroopanandaji ticked off several such instances. In chapter 2, in स्थितप्रज्ञ लक्षण, there is an elaborate description of the man of perfect wisdom.  In chapter 5, Śrī Kṛṣṇa narrates the qualities of the perfect renunciate, सन्यासी।  In chapter 6, we come across the qualities of the one perfectly established in meditation.  In chapter 13, again we understand the qualities of one who has realized the Truth as being different from all fields of experience. In chapter 12, Śrī Kṛṣṇa highlights the qualities of the devotee and yet chapter 12 is unique in one respect. It is here that Śrī Kṛṣṇa repeatedly declares यो मद्भक्त स मे प्रियः, "such a devotee is dear to me." So, while the Lord loves everyone, yet the ones who love the Lord demonstrate the qualities that Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes in verses 13-19, such devotees are particularly dear to the Lord. To such...

November 17, 2011 Just came across this report on study that indicates Indian work very long hours. During his talks , Swami Swaroopanandaji , referred to people who claim to be 'karma yogis' and offer the number of hours at work as proof. Swamiji had this to say: "Just because you're working hard or long hours, doesn't mean you're a karma yogi, just a donkey." Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

November 14, 2011 Swami Swaroopanandaji is in Singapore conducting talks on Geeta Chapter 12. Yesterday, he waxed poetic on the nature of Bhakti. Swamiji masterfully brought out the emotional aspects of Bhakti in explaining the essense of Geeta 12-2. As always the post is based on my notes and recollections. Any errors are entirely mine. मय्यावेश्य मनो ये मां नित्ययुक्ता उपासते | श्रद्धया परयोपेताः ते मे युक्ततमा मताः ||१२- २|| mayyAveshya mano ye mAM nityayuktA upAsate . shraddhayA parayopetAH te me yuktatamA matAH .. 12-2.. Sri Krsna points out three essentials qualities of a true Bhakta or devotee: 1. मय्यावेश्य मन:  mayyAveshya manah - Whose mind is immersed in me. Such a devoteee is one who cannot be without the Lord. 2. नित्ययुक्त: nityayukta - steadfast, committed, constant. Guruji once “Hamari Bhakti hai Jo bhaagti rahti hai“ – our devotion is that which keeps running away. For instance, think of when you gave up meditation because a friend is visiting! 3. श्रद्धया परयोपेत...

November 13, 2011 My son and I were reading " The 7 Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens " by Sean Covey. In the first page of the section titled Set-Up, under the heading "Who am I", was this (quotes partially excerpted): "I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure... "I am the servant of all great individuals and, alas, of all failures, as well... "Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.. The answer in the book is "I am Habit". Students of the Geeta are familiar with chapter 6, verses 5 & 6. उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् | आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ||६-५|| uddharedaatmanaatmaanaM naatmaanamavasaadayet.h . aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhuraatmaiva ripuraatmanaH .. 6\-5.. Let a man lift himself by his own self alone, and let him not lower himself; for, this ...

November 11, 2011 I came across a beautiful book, "Gita for Everyday Living" (ISBN 978-81-7823-520-2) published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore . This is a natural subject for review in this blog. The book is a reissue of a special edition published by Vedanta Kesari , the publication of the Math. It is a collection of articles on the Geeta by several eminent Swamis of the Ramakrishna order and other well known writers. I was attracted first by Chapter 4, "Sri Krishna, the Teacher of the Gita" compiled from Swami Vivekananda 's talks in San Francisco on May 26, 1900. "You find in Krishna that non-attachment is the central idea. He does not need anything. He works for work's sake. "He is the most rounded man, I know of, wonderfully developed equally in brain and heart and hand. No cobwebs in that brain, no superstition.. "Every moment [of his] is alive with activity, either as a gentleman, warrior, minister. Great as a gentleman, as a s...

November 5, 2011 Thanks to Samad Karadan for publicly sharing this. The original facebook photo can be found here . पिताहमस्य जगतो माता धाता पितामहः |९-१७ pitaahamasya jagato maataa dhaataa pitaamahaH .9-17 I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the supporter and the grandsire 9-17 Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

November 3, 2011 You can tell by now that Prof V Krishnamurthy 's talk at the International Gita forum resonated with me. I have posted twice about his talk, here and here . During the Q&A, a lady in the audience asked a very pertinent question. Again, all of the below this is based on my memory and notes, any inaccuracies are entirely mine. I hope I have captured the essence of the dialog between the lady and the Professor. You had mentioned earlier that we must have an attitude that everything is the Lord's will. I just bought several books and left it at my seat and in the time I was having tea during the break, someone seems to have taken them. I am angry that at such a sacred event, we think only good people come here, but even here there are still people who steal. Is this God's will?" Prof Krishnamurthy responded very compassionately. I may say that this is God's will but until YOU believe it in YOUR heart and look upon it like that, it is of no use...