Bhagwad Gita’s advice on building better ties

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

 

Divine Love

 

Knowledge or Janna requires the idea of a distinction between the knower (mediator), the object of knowledge (Brhaman), and the process of knowledge. However, to have the knowledge of God does not mean that God is the object and the knower is the subject. Immanuel Kant pointed out that as long as there is the least demarcation between the knower and the object of knowledge, the thing –in-itself remains unknown. Sankara many centuries earlier, had also pointed out that as long as there is the least separation between the subject and the object of knowledge and the process of knowledge, God remains unknown. But he stated that ultimately the spiritual aspirant transcends this dilemma; he called it tripti-bhede, the untying of the three knots of knowledge and reaching unified consciousness.

Brhaman or God is Sat-chit-ananda-Existence or eternal reality, pure consciousness and pure Love and Bless. These, however are not attributes of Brahman. That which is Sat is the same as Chit, and the same Ananda. Sat is identical with Brahman. Chit is identical with Brahman Ananda is identical with Brahman. In the path of knowledge emphasis is laid upon Chit, pure Consciousness; and in the path of devotion emphasis is laid upon Ananada –Love or Bliss. When the aspirant reaches the end, there is no longer any distinction between the Chit and Ananda . Then supreme love and unitive knowledge of Godhead become one and the same. Courtesy Divine love

 

Bhagwad Gita’s advice on building better ties

 

By Jaya Row

 

The relationships we form are vital to our mental and emotional wellbeing. We have an inborn desire to connect with people. But as our lifestyles become more reliant on digital tools, these simple interactions are under threat.

 

We have relationships at various levels – professional, social and family. Work isn’t just about the paycheque. It’s about meeting like-minded people, sharing ideas and working towards common goals. A happy family life is the foundation on which our personality develops. Sharing and forming ties at family get-togethers create bonds that give us a sense of belonging. Communities’ help individuals cope with the stress, struggle and chaos of modern life.

 

However, in modern times relationships are breaking at an alarming rate. The joint family system is vanishing. Today, the nuclear family is the norm. Single parenthood is increasing. Organisations are experiencing high-attrition rates and people do not even know their neighbours.

 

 

This is because of increasing selfishness and lack of self-sufficiency. As a result you become dependent. There are expectations from the other person, you make demands, and when these are not met with, there is conflict and bitterness. This is called attachment. When the person is around, you argue and fight. When the person is absent you miss him. Attachment breeds suffering and eventually the relationship breaks down.

 

Once you develop inner strength and grow spiritually, you no longer need to lean on people. You establish wonderful relationships with them. You love them for what they are with no strings attached. And they, in turn, adore you. This is pure love or detachment.

 

How do you get detached? Get attached to something higher and the lower attachment wanes away. Feel for the larger community, nation, all beings, and finally God. Devotion to God has no meaning unless you love all beings. In the Bhagwad Gita, Krishn gives 35 qualities of a devotee. The very first trait is ‘one who hates no being’. Devotion is not about professing love to God, it is the ability to love one’s fellow beings.

 

The Gita says there are no adversaries out there. Your worst foes are within. Question your beliefs and prejudices. Revisit your convictions. And you will realise the enemies you saw everywhere are your friends. You will view even wrongdoers with compassion. And embrace the whole world with a feeling of oneness.

 

Enlarge your circle of love. When you identify with the body you see maximum differences. Align with the mind and you feel one with the family. Stretch to the intellect and your circle of oneness includes the entire nation. In the end, understand the Spirit as the common chord that holds the whole universe. You feel one with all beings. And cease to feel hatred or revulsion towards anybody. This is devotion. Then Krishn loves you whether you love him or not. He declares that such a person is exceedingly dear to him.

 

Where do you begin? With the people you dislike most. Change your attitude towards them. Look at things from their perspective. There is instant relief! You feel happy. And grow spiritually. This helps more than any prayers, visits to temples, or pilgrimages.

 

For the Bhagwad Gita live webinars with Jaya Row, Saturdays 6.30-7.30pm IST on Zoom, register free: vedantavision.org/gita

 

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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The Secret of Happiness

 

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Thoughts on Vedanta

 

The Secret of Happiness

 

We are often tempted to change our external circumstances; to seek what we think could be a better material or psychological situation. But, there is no such thing as an ideal environment. Besides wealth name and fame, social status etc. can never satisfy a man. There is no limit to our desiring. it is, therefore, essential to put a brake on our desires and attempts at seeking a better job, a better house, a better environment or a better salary if one really wants to become introspective.

A formula ne might use to weaken the extrovert tendency and prompting of the mind is to ask oneself during such promptings; can I do without it? Can I do without it? Can I do without the object, activity or pleasure for which my mind is aspiring? Let us take a concrete example suppose; I get a desire for a new fountain pen or a pair of new shoes. Let me ask before going for it; can I do without it? Do I already have a pen or pair of shoes? Do I really need a new one? Or spare one? Is it not a fact that many spare items go on accumulating and demand time and energy for their maintenance? The same question can be posed when there is an urge to embark upon some activity; can I do without it? Can it be postponed? Let us thus try to reduce our requirements and extrovert activities and simplify our lives. To remain contended with our present social economic status thus is the first step towards nivrititi .

 

Vaak Shakti, the power of creative speech

By Shardha Batra

 

Shabda Brahmn is the parent and essence of all that exists – living and non-living. The Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God.” Brahmn is the Eternal Spirit, the transcendental, non-dual awareness. Slumbering within the silence of Brahmn is a pulsating energy, shabda or sound, which follows a rhythm of potential and kinetic expressions.

 

When the kinetic quality of Brahmn emerges, it becomes Brahma the creator. Brahma’s breath emanates as the Shakti of Aum. Mythology recognises Aum as Devi Saraswati.

 

 

The ‘Vaak Suktam’ of the Rig Ved calls Saraswati – Vaak Shakti, the empress who rules the universe. Her spectrum of presence ranges from inspiration and revelation, to thoughts and articulate speech.

 

Vaak Shakti as language is a bridge for communication. Most words used in internal, or external dialogue are an unconscious purging of our   subconscious. However, when an individual silences the useless chatter of his mind, Vaak Devi reveals her beauty and secrets to him.

 

A mantra is a divine archetype, devta, conscious, alive and brimming with creative potency. Repeating a mantra invokes the qualities of the devta and opens different paths of fulfilment.

 

Patanjali summarises the attainment of the power to materialise one’s words into reality: “When one is established in truthfulness, one ensures the fruition of actions.” Even the profane words of a truthful person become a mantra and invariably bear fruit. This is Vaak siddhi or attainment of the power of Creative speech. Both the curses and blessings uttered by such a person come to pass.

 

The story of Trishanku, a king of Ikshvaku dynasty, has been narrated in the Valmiki Ramayan. Trishanku approached Rishi Vishwamitra with his desire to ascend to heaven in his bodily form. It is the sheer power of Vishwamitra’s words ‘Go to heaven’ through which Trishanku ascended to occupy a heaven created just for him.

 

However, the words ‘being established in truthfulness’ defy being put into a box and labelled. Sage Patanjali uses the Sanskrit word ‘Prajna’ for such truth-bearing wisdom. Prajna is the faculty of highest wisdom that dawns when one has realised one’s true Self. It is a holistic amalgam of the objective reality of a situation/person and the subjective inner stirrings associated with it.

 

Such Prajna, insightful wisdom, gives the individual an ability to hold even diametrically contrary aspects of a situation/person, with gentleness and respect. When the knower’s consciousness encompasses, penetrates and fuses with the consciousness of the known, reaching across lifetimes, appearances and distance, the truth of an entity is realised by becoming one with it. This is the only True perception. All other perceptions are delusional and fallacious.

 

Prajna is like a multifaceted, beautiful diamond that reflects all aspects of the truth. An individual who develops prajna transcends the fixed framework of opinions created by the self-serving and manipulative ego. Such a person gets exalted to the position of Vachaspati, the lord of creative speech. Saraswati has her abode on his tongue. Every word he utters is a mantra that connects his intent to the Cosmic energy, bringing it to miraculous fruition.

 

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy there was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting 7 precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting 7 minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste 7 minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 7minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

ILLUSTRATED REVIEW : 7th heaven moment of the week in Tottenham no 7 Son scored a goal and Csk captain 7 won ipl

 

Thoughts on Vedanta

 

Quote from the True Charm and Power of Vedanta

Thoughts on Vedanta

 

There of your who have studied the Gita will remember the memorable passengers. He who looks upon the learned Brahman, upon the cow, the elephant the dog or the outcast with the same eye, he indeed is the sage, and the wise man. Even in this life he has conquered relative existence whose mind is firmly fixed on this sameness for the Lord  is one and the same to all, and the Lord is pure therefore those who have this sameness for all, and  said to be living in God. This is the gist of Vedantic morality –this sameness for all we have seen that it is the subjective world that rules the objective  change the subject and the object is bound to change, purify yourself and the world is bound to be purified,. This one thing requires to be taught now more than ever before. We are becoming more and more busy about our neighbors and less and less about ourselves ., the world will change if we change; if we are pure the world will become pure. The question is why I should see evil in others. I cannot see evil unless I be evil. I cannot be miserable unless I am weak. Things that used to make me miserable when I was a child do not do so now. The subject  changed so the object was bound to change so says the Vedanta  . All these things which we call causes of misery and evil we shall laugh at where we arrive at what wonderful state of equality that sameness. this is what is called in Vedanta attaining to freedom,. The sign of approaching that freedom is more and more of this sameness and equality in misery and happiness the same, in success and defeat the same –such a mind is nearing that state of freedom.

 

Simple truth: Selfishness repels, love attracts

By MPK Kutty

 

The other day I happened to read about a teacher couple who had been going on a tour every year for over more than two decades. It might seem that there is nothing extraordinary about it. But this couple used to take along with them 100 others, including children from orphanages and old people. They would meet all the expenses besides providing good gifts to those accompanying them.

 

Naturally, such a couple will be widely known. They had some strange experiences. Their old students started inviting them to see places. Thus they began travelling to foreign lands as well free of charge.

 Not that the teachers were intentionally kind, expecting some rewards. But that is the way our society is. Like those imitating the evil ways of the criminals, there are also in society those who follow a good example. Every society needs good examples.

  Scriptures have many verses commending generosity. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38.

 

Horace Mann, known for reforms in the US public education system, had this to say: “Doing nothing for others is the undoing of one’s self. He must be purposely generous and kind or we miss the best part of existence. The heart that goes out of itself gets large and full of joy. This is the great secret of the inner life. We do ourselves the most good, doing something for others.”

 

As mankind becomes more and more individualistic and as competition increases, everyone becomes too preoccupied with the question: ‘What is in it for me?’ Some people even call the modern generation as ‘Me First’ generation. This is the secret of its unhappiness, because selfishness is the great enemy of all happiness.

 

It may be because of insecurity or lack of confidence about the future. Or the unwillingness to think of the needs of ‘the other’. All human relationships, all efforts to promote the common good, flounder on this one aspect of human nature.

 

Take any conflict in families or societies. The selfishness of some may be found to stand in the way of a solution. Let someone take the initiative to ‘consider the other’ and the way will be opened for a breakthrough.

 

The simple truth is selfishness repels; love attracts. Every heart responds to love. Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross states, “I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness towards someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fibre of life, the flame that heats our soul, energises our spirit and supplies passion to our lives.” It is our connection to God and each other.

 

Most religions lay emphasis on loving God. Unless this is accompanied by the love of fellow beings, loving God will remain a fruitless ritual.

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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Vedanta in daily life

 

Quote from the true charm and power of Vedanta

Vedanta in daily life

Ideal of Vedanta is to let us know what powers we possess already and how great and majestic the real nature of man is. Its aim is to establish true universal brotherhood. I do not mean that kind of universal brotherhood which we often hear about and which when properly examined appears to be like an outward garb under which is hidden hatred, jealousy, quarrel, ambition for petty worldly property and so forth. But I mean something more than the so-called universal brotherhood. Which is real love for all without seeking anything in return? I mean that kind of brotherly feeling which proceeds from pure and disinterested love. Love means the expressing of oneness, or we may says the feeling which proceeds from the realization of oneness of the Spirit. The mission of Vedanta is to establish that oneness and to bring harmony , peace , toleration amongst different religions, sects, creeds and denomination s that exist in the world its object is to teach us how we can recognize the rights of all men and women alike from that standpoint  of spiritual  oneness, and thus to give a strong foundation to all kinds of social political and religious movements of all countries and amongst all nations of the world. You will notice that each of these ideals of Vedanta is not confined to any particular place, time or class of people, but is universal in its aspect as wide as the heaven over our head. And such is the grand many sided and all embracing ideal of Vedanta

 

Truth is what the voice within tells you

By Satish K Kapoor

 

Religious traditions all over the globe regard truth based on revelation as absolute, imperishable and beyond definition. The truth of instinct is said to be higher than the truth of thought, of reason higher than that of sensory experiences, of discriminative mind higher than that of calculative mind, and of the soul, highest of them all. ‘Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti’ – Truth is one, but wise men speak of it differently, says the Rig Ved.

 

Truth is the law of Being. It is one of the three attributes of God, others being chit, consciousness, and ananda, bliss. Dharma, in its highest aspect, is synonymous with the truth that unfolds itself through the cosmic order. Empirical truth may change, but absolute truth equated with Brahmn, the Supreme Being, never changes.

 

Truth is self-evident. It cannot be suppressed by the state or religious authority. Mundaka Upanishad says: ‘Satyam eva jayate nanritam, satyena pantha vitato devayanah’ – Truth alone conquers, not falsehood. By truth is laid out the path of gods.

 

As a metaphysical concept, truth may appear to be nebulous. But as a social value, truth is applicable to human life. To know the truth is a basic human urge. Truthful living is an ideal for householders. Mandala Brahmana Upanishad includes satya in the category of practices for self-restraint. Narad Smriti considers the application of truth, equal to a thousand sacrifices. The Buddha spoke of Four Noble Truths as a means of attaining nirvana. Mahavir made truth an essential part of the pancha mahavrata, five great vows of monks. Guru Nanak Dev says: ‘Sachahu orai sabh ko upar sach aachar’ – All else falls short of truth. Yet higher still is truthful living.

 

Gandhiji worshipped god as truth only. He regarded his ‘experiments with truth’ as the most sublime of all pursuits. Initially, he thought, god is truth; but revised his opinion to say, truth is god. To him, truth is what the voice within tells you. He advised that if one cannot realise absolute truth, one should adhere to relative truth. Experiencing truth meant realisation of the oneness of everything.

 

Truth and non-violence formed the praxis of his concept of swaraj, self-rule. Swaraj was not to be viewed merely as a political goal to be achieved, but as ‘rule over the self’. He regarded attachment to truth as complete freedom which implied assertion of the power of conscience. His doctrine of satyagrah, call to truth, was aimed as much at changing the minds of the British as those of the Indians. A satyagrahi, votary of truth, was to kindle his soul by self-purification and self-control. He was to hate sin, not the sinner, and wish that better sense prevailed on his adversary. ‘The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust,’ he wrote.

 

Gandhi stood by truth and wanted everyone to realise truth for himself, and not depend on second-hand versions of it. He believed that the path of truth is strenuous and slippery, but it must be trodden for spiritual growth. As he wrote in his autobiography: ‘Truth is like a vast tree, which yields more and more fruit the more you nurture it.’

 

 

IF HE EXIST

 I drive joy There was a doctor in Benaras who spent 7 minutes in the morning and evening for mediation on God. Knowing this, his colleagues and friends laughed at him. One day they argued that he was wasting ten precious minutes on something, which he had been misled into believing. The doctor replied, “Well, if God does not exist, I agree that I am wasting ten minutes a day. But, if He exists? I am afraid you are wasting your entire lifetime. I prefer to waste ten minutes rather than a lifetime. Why should you grudge me the 10 minutes joy that I derive 4m.-

 

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