Everyday Geeta

March 27, 2013 Recently I changed my job of 20+years. As I rode up the escalator on the day of reckoning, what do I find but this...A lady in front of me who had a tattoo <i>"and this too shall pass"</i>. As I always say, there is a Geeta shloka for every occasion. There are at least two that apply here. The easy one is: मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः | आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||२-१४|| maatraasparshaastu kaunteya shiitoshhNasukhaduHkhadaaH . aagamaapaayino.anityaastaa.nstitikShasva bhaarata .. 2-14.. The contacts of senses with objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O descendant of Bharata. The need for a job, brings one to an employer assuming you have the right skill set. That job must have a start date and end date, it will have its share of joys and sorrows, highs and lows. It is only the foolish who act as if their jobs are guar...

March 22, 2013 तुष्टी or संतुष्टी or contentment is valued highly in the Bhagavad Geeta. In 3-17, Śrī Kṛṣṇa extols the Yogi who is content. यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः | आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते ||३-१७|| yastvaatmaratireva syaadaatmatR^iptashcha maanavaH . aatmanyeva cha santushhTastasya kaaryaM na vidyate .. 3-17.. The man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied with the Self, who is content in the Self alone, for Him verily there is nothing (more) to be done. In 12-14, he declares that the devotee who is contented is very "dear to me". सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिश्चयः | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ||१२-१४|| santushhTaH satataM yogii yataatmaa dR^iDhanishchayaH . mayyarpitamanobuddhiryo madbhaktaH sa me priyaH .. 12-14.. Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, possessed of firm conviction, with mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he, My devotee, is dear to me. In this context, I came across a subhaash...

March 16, 2013 7:25 am, Some Wednesday in March. I am about to step into the prayer room. My teenage son says something about "what I did to his computer" and that sets me off. My emotional temperature shoots up and I literally lose my mind. I say, "GET OUT. Don't talk to me!" He is on his way to school. We usually say "Jai Shri Krishna!" to each other, a nice Gujarati custom. He realizes that my reaction is way more than he had bargained for. He wonders. Would I launch into a rant, get him worked up and let more words be exchanged that we would both regret? Or would he get lucky? He says, sorry and stands at the door and says, "Jai Shri Krishna!" He said it three times before the sound penetrated my brain. Gruffly I return the greeting and he laves for school. 7:27 am I am trying to say my prayer. Gurudev's ashtottaram. This time my mind kicks off the chanting. Another part screams inside my head. "WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS? THERE I...