Podcasts about vanaprastha

18th Chapter: verse 40, 41, 42, 43, 4440th verse: “Everyone in this world is dictated by these three gunas.”Lord Krishna divides human traits in three areas – sattvic, rajasik and tamasik.A sattvic person is calm and serene even in difficult situations. A rajasik person is swayed by his circumstances. A tamasik person is lazy, confused and deluded.The sattvic person has emotional equanimity. He is not elated in success and he is not devastated in failure. The rajasic person is swayed by success and failure.Lord Krishna discusses these traits because he wants us to combine action with mental equilibrium. Understanding that everything in this world is transient – success, failure, heath and so on – we should develop an attitude that helps us remain in perfect equanimity of mind even in difficult situations.The 41st verse onwards, Lord Krishna discusses four groups of people based on people's innate spiritual qualities (gunas). These four groups are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra.In Hindu tradition, there were also four stages of human life and four values which guide human life.The four stages of human life are Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage.The four values that guide human life are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Kama represents our desires, what we want to achieve. Artha represents the means to achieve those goals. Dharma represents a set of moral disciplines that guide and regulate our pursuit of artha and kama. Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara.42nd verse: “Who is a brahmana? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: Shama (control of mind), dama (control of the senses), Tapah (austerities for a higher purpose), saucha (mental and physical purity), kshantih (forbearance), uprightness, jnanam (natural inclination for knowledge), vijnanam (realization), astikyam (belief in the law of karma and doctrine of reincarnation).43rd verse: “Who is a Kshatriya? Lord Krishna lists the following qualities: ambition for power, boldness, fortitude, dexterity, not running away from battle, generosity, assertion of freedom.”44th verse: “Who is a Vaishya? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: agriculture, cattle rearing and trade – an inclination to do business and acquire wealth.” In the midst of earning wealth, the Vaishya may engage in higher duties such as charity. These duties are based on the social circumstances that prevailed when Gita was written.44th verse: “Who is a Sudra? Lord Krishna lists the following duties: not interested in higher values, want to do simple service.”Lord Krishna lists these four groups to represent four levels of human evolution. We can always climb up the ladder, acquire sattvic qualities, and become a Brahmana.Shankaracharya defines Brahmana as one who has a dominance of Sattva-guna and in whom Rajo guna is secondary.Shankaracharya defines Kshatriya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom sattva-guna is secondary.Shankaracharya defines Vaishya as one who has a dominance of Rajo-guna, and in whom tamo-guna is secondary.Shankaracharya defines Sudra as one who has a dominance of Tamo-guna, and in whom Rajo-guna is secondary.Highest spiritual evolution happens when we transcend the three gunas. Such a person is called Guṇātita. One has to be fully established in sattva guna to transcend the three gunas.In spiritual life, we are all individual travelers. Just like someone traveling in a train meets other travelers – similarly, it is an accidental meeting with our near and dear ones in this life. Our journey comes to an end when we experience and realize our true identity as the Atman.

The 18th chapter is the longest and is about moksha-sannyasa-yoga. It is also considered as a summary of the previous 17 chapters.Moksha means liberation from the bondage of samsara. In modern times, it can be interpreted as liberation from utilitarian values, ultimately reaching a state where we stop searching for continuous happiness, and where we don't suffer from the ups and downs of life.Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.The chapter starts in the first verse with a question from Arjuna. He asks: “What is the nature of Sannyasa and Tyaga? I want to know the distinction between the two.”In previous four chapters, Lord Krishna taught Arjuna that one should give up activities that are rajasic or tamasic in nature and evolve towards sattvic activities. Lord Krishna also says in the 8th verse of the 3rd chapter: “No one can escape the need for action. It is impossible to be in a state of inaction.” So, one the one hand, Lord Krishna says that action is inescapable. On the other hand, he says that one should perform sattvic activities only without desire for results, and one should give up other activities. Arjuna's question is rooted in his confusion as to what actions should be performed.In Hindu tradition, two underlying principles guide human life.The first principle is that every person has to go through four stages of life: Brahmacharya (student), Grhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (renunciate). Manu Smriti says that Grhastha ashrama supports all the other three stages of human life. There is also another verse which says that when one sees the face of his grandchild, when his face begins to wrinkle and when his hair begins to turn grey, he should retire to a life of hermitage. It may take several life cycles for one to reach the stage of sannyasa.The second principle is the division of society based on people's innate spiritual qualities (gunas) and their actions (karmas). The four groups for conduct of duties are: (1) Brahmana (2) Kshatriya (3) Vaishya (4) Sudra. The groups should not be seen as higher or lower. Rather, it is a system to analyze people based on natural temperaments.Those who take to Sannyasa give up all activities related to worldly desire. They only undertake activities that are for the good of others and that have no selfish motive.According to Yamunacharya, who wrote Gitartha Sangraha, the central teaching of the 18th chapter is: “Whatever we do according to the principles laid down by ancient spiritual teachers is appropriate. Whatever we do that is against these principles is inappropriate.” The essence of this statement is to progress in spiritual life by practicing our everyday activities with a sattvic attitude and giving up our sense of doer-ship – “God is acting, I am not acting.”1st verse: Arjuna asks: “I want to know the meaning of Sannyasa and Tyaga.”2nd verse: Lord Krishna answers: Tyaga means giving up the desire for results. Sannyasa means giving up all activities motivated by selfish desire.”There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one's natural evolution. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.There is a statement in one of the Upanishads: “When a person wants to become a monk, at that very moment, he should become a monk.” It may happen at an early age, as was the case with Shankaracharya, or it may happen at old age. The split second that one develops an intense conviction that the world is transient, at that moment he should quit the world. This is the ideal concept of sannyasa and is called Mukhya sannyasa. Buddha's case is an example of Mukhya sannyasa.If a person has studied scriptures and takes sannyasa as part of an institution without full spiritual evolution and without full conviction that the world is impermanent, that sannyasa is secondary and is called Gauna Sannyasa.3rd verse: “According to Samkhya philosophy, all actions should be given up. According to Mimamsa philosophy, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”According to Shankaracharya, one can ascend to higher stage of sannyasa from any stage in life. He says that a monk should not give up laukika karma – everyday duties and responsibilities. Instead, he should give up all ritualistic activities meant for material prosperity. He should do his duties with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, without any selfish motive. This way his activities turn into a worship towards God, his mind becomes pure, and he becomes fir for the highest spiritual evolution.

Jacqui has collected stories from five different women all on the topic of moving. Tales include messages about loss, other's hope for the future. You might laugh, cry, or both.  Thank you for listening to this episode. If you enjoyed it, please leave a review (5 stars is always welcome), or leave a comment at Jacqui's FB page: FacebookCaroline Crocker “The Worst and the Best” Caroline is trained as a scientist: microbiology and immunology. Then she worked in medical research, college teaching, leading a nonprofit, and being a CEO, before finally doing what she loves most. Enjoying her eight grandchildren, gardening, and writing books. Brave Face: The Inspiring WWII Memoir of a Dutch/German Child, https://iammeta.org Unforgivable: Through a Child's Eyes, will be published Nov 1, 2024, https://unforgivable.website Caroline's blog is at https://ramblingruminations.comPagyn Harding “Moving to Minnesota” Still living in Minnesota, Ms. Harding is a published poet who has recently co-authored two poetry books that are available on Amazon: Thirty Poems with Kelly Tompkins and Pagyn Harding, 2021  Poems Birthed from Page 29 by Pagyn Alexander and Janet DeMars, 2022Theresa Maue “Making (It) Home” Terri Maue is a retired English professor. She requests you not hold that against her! She's been in love with the mystery genre since she was a child, reading Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes. After she retired, she decided to pursue a life-long dream to write a mystery novel. The result is Knife Edge: A Zee & Rico Mystery, published in August 2023 by Camel Press. You can visit her website at www.terrimaue.com and write to her at terri@terrimaue.com. FB at Terri Maue Author Marita Markeson “Starting out Great Adventure”  Marita Markeson is a neonatal nurse. She writes as part of the Hawley library writers club in Minnesota. When she's not saving babies or writing a story, she spends time with her husband, Randall, and son. She also paints, and currently has an exhibit displayed at 20 Below in Fargo.Carole Duff “This is Home”Carole Duff is a veteran teacher, flutist, naturalist, and writer of creative nonfiction. She posts weekly to her long-standing blog Notes from Vanaprastha . Wisdom Builds Her House releases in early 2024. Carole lives in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband, writer K.A. Kenny. You can contact Carole through her website and blog: caroleduff.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/carole.duff.94  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/carole.duff2010/  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/CaroleDuff #JacquiLents #JacquiJustChatters #podcast #podcasts #podcastersofig #feelgood #uplifting #positive #grief #moving #storytelling #writer #writers #writersofinstagram #writercommunity #writerssupportingwriters #bookish #booklover #shortstories Music used for this episode includes Carmen María and Edu Espinalfound's  - Ratatouille's Kitchen/ Nesrality - Always/  Musictown - cinematic-piano-pretty-emotions / dreamy / TrackTribe  - Last Train North  / Romarecord1973 - warm-sunset / Nico Staf  - Sunny Travel. Thanks to Emily Clarke for my logo. 

In the Hindu tradition there is the stage of life called Vanaprastha. It is when one retires from many family and professional responsibilities to dedicate more time to spiritual advancement. Our guest on these 2023 episodes is not Hindu, but Unitarian Universalist. Rev. W. Fred Wooden, and he is expressing this epoch in his life by pilgrimage. He has traversed the globe, honoring multiple religious traditions as he walks the well trodden paths of our ancestors. Fred is a longtime friend of mine. At one point in his ministry he had a radio show of his own: Faith & Reason. I was a frequent guest. When I was we called the episode "Common Freds." Much of our conversation here revolves around a recent pilgrimage he took in Japan. His reminiscences of that experience is recorded in the book "Basho and I Take a Long Walk."

Carole Duff completed a 34-year career in education, as an award-winning high school history and social studies teacher, mid-management administrator and curriculum technologist. She is also an accomplished presenter, serious flutist, and avid naturalist. Carole has written articles for the professional journals Educational Leadership and Momentum. After pivoting to writing narrative nonfiction, her short works have appeared in: The Perennial Gen Streetlight Magazine Brevity's Nonfiction Blog Mockingbird An adapted chapter from her to-be-published manuscript Wisdom Builds Her House: A Memoir of Finding Grace in the Third Stage of Life appeared in The Perennial Gen, for which she is a regular contributor. Since 2011, Carole has posted weekly to her long-standing blog Notes from Vanaprastha. Carole holds degrees from Wheaton College in Massachusetts (BA in History, Magna cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa), University of Texas at Dallas (MA in Humanities), University of North Texas (MA in Education Administration, Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi), and Goucher College (Certificate in Educational Technology).  She and her husband, the writer K. A. Kenny, now live in the house whose construction she oversaw in her memoir Wisdom Builds Her House, in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, along with their three dogs. She has a daughter, a son, a step-son, and a son-in-law, and she and her husband share a granddaughter.

We are in the beautiful Rauri village in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. Join us on this serene afternoon as Suneel and I chat about acting, theatre, our life experiences, and more. 39 years of friendship and counting...I have known Suneel since 1984 and our bond only grows stronger. A kind and humble human being, an amazing friend with whom I can sit for hours and chat about anything, he has been a constant source of support, laughter, and joy in my life. An alumnus of NSD, an incredible actor, and a theatre thespian, Suneel Sinha is a popular name in the Films, Theatre & TV industry. He has garnered a lot of love and affection for his numerous performances in plays, movies, tv shows, and web series like Mirza Ghalib, Tara, Hosh, Bharat Ek Khoj, Mujarim, Rishtey, Basera, Noorjahan, Uttaran, Junoon, Be-Inteha, TVF Pitchers, Dev DD, Breathe, Rudali, Maachis, Ambedkar, Pinjar, Netaji-the Forgotten Hero, Aarakshan, Rangrezz, Katti-Batti, Teen, Padman, Maroon, Maya, and Manto to name a few.In the conversation, we share about: 1:16 When things don't go as planned in life 3:03 Importance of Riyaaz (Practice) in our life, career, and profession4:09 What is the difference between Performance and Practice? 5:12 Why does an actor perform? 7:08 The characteristic of wild ideationCaught up in our responsibilities in life, how can we express our imagination? 8:28 Suneel talks about his 2 adorable fur babies - Shasha & Laika 11:03 Enjoy our funny banterWhy do I even do these interviews? 13:18 Why is the term "Paidal " (Slow) considered offensive or bad? 14:46 Where is the truth in our stages of life: Brahmacharya (student), Gṛhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest walker/forest dweller), and Sannyasa (renunciate)? An interesting anecdote from Suneel's life 18:08 How can we use our philosophies about life to express ourselves creatively? 19:05 Does curiosity kills the cat? 19:19 The secret to remaining youthful in life20:05 How can we overcome our weaknesses and transform them into our strengths? &Dealing with criticism 24:20 How to not take yourself seriously?Blessed & grateful to have an amazing friend like Suneel in my life.Share your love for this wonderful human beingSubscribe to the podcast. Stay connected and keep yourself inspired with new thoughts.Be a part of the dialogue. Click here: https://linktr.ee/AshishvidyarthiAlshukran Bandhu,Alshukran Zindagi---------------Follow Suneel Sinha on @suneelsvibgyor7849 YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCHd67wGk...Insta: https://instagram.com/suneelshine#life #podcasts #spotifypodcast #spotify #ashishvidyarthi #lifetalks #livelife #vibes #thoughtsforlife #inspirationdaily #inspirationalpodcast #motivationdaily #hindimotivation #podcasters #podcasting #AshishVidyarthi #SuneelSinha #Bollywood #Actors #Acting #theatre #interview #acting

In this episode, we discuss further concepts related to Hinduism. We present some more fundamental concepts in addition to those covered in Episode-1 that are important to an understanding of Hinduism. A knowledge of the basic framework will help us raise confident young Hindus.Show Notes0:03 Recap of Episode 1 and notes2:36: Linear vs Cyclical Concept of Time5:44: Seekers vs Believers10:01: Ashramas of Life15:09: Oneness and Divine Presence in Everything21:13: The Hindu RitualsSubscribers are requested to look for The Hindu Parenting notification emails for new podcasts/posts in their email promotions/spam tab and personally move these into the main inbox. Thereafter all posts will be delivered to their main inbox. Thank you!For questions that you'd like us to address, please use the form below:Hindu Parenting QuestionsFor comments and suggestions, please use the comments tab or write to us at contact@hinduparenting.orgPlease note that questions will not be answered on email.Transcript[0:03] Rekha: Namaste. Welcome to another edition of the Hindu parenting podcast. Today Shalini and I will outline for you part 2 of “What it means to be a Hindu”. Before we start that, let's just make a couple of clarifications. The first point is, we discussed that a Hindu temple is also called a mandira, or a devalaya, which translates to the home of the deity. So this is a very important concept for us to know. Because in most faiths, the place of worship is a place that people congregate in and perhaps hear a sermon and get together to pray. But in Hinduism, that temple is the home of the deity. This is something that kids need to know. The second point is about the purusharthas. It is to be understood that artha and kama are the primary purusharthas that we deal with in today's world; artha meaning the desire for power and wealth/money, kama being the desire for pleasure. Artha, and kama always go together, and they are to be bounded by the principle called dharma. So these are just a couple of things that I wanted to clarify. Shalini any more points?[1:27] Shalini: I think there are a couple more things that I wanted to say. One, that what we are discussing here are topics which are not in any order of importance, nor are they in any chronological order, we are just discussing them as they come to us. Okay, then the other point that I wanted to say was that it is important to discuss these concepts, because these form the philosophical basis for Hinduism, and we believe that starting with this is just like starting to construct a house. When you construct a house, you always build the foundations first, and then only you build the superstructure. So the foundation is what actually stays below the ground, is a bit unglamorous, but it's a stable base, without which you cannot build a superstructure. So what we are discussing here is akin to discussing the foundations of Hinduism, which will then lead us to topics of everyday concern and everyday value for all of us to help us navigate everyday life. So I think these two things, was something that I wanted to say. So Rekha, I think we can just start now and we will delve into the concepts one by one, the ones which we have lined up for today. [2:36] Rekha: Today, let's start with something that most kids will find very fascinating. This is the concept of time. Time, as we commonly understand today is linear in nature, I mean, time by itself has no specific principle. It's just the way that we look at it. So the way we understand it today is fully linear, which means it has a past, present and future which does not repeat over and over again. But looking back, it's very intuitive to know that what we observe in nature is cyclical all the time: the seasons repeat, the phases of Moon repeat, day and night repeats. So, this is something that was noticed in most or almost all ancient cultures, including in Hinduism. So the Hindu conception of time is cyclical, it is also known as the kala chakra, chakra meaning a wheel. So we often refer to it as the Wheel of Time. So it starts with the srishti which the Western mind understands as creation, but we refer to it as srishti. It starts with srishti, then there is sustenance of the srishti and it ends with something called the pralaya. And then this cycle of time repeats over and over again. And time is divided into large and small units, large units, like the kalpa, the manvantaras, and the yugas, the chatur yugas are something that you find a reference to…the yugas in almost all the literature of Hinduism, like the puranas and the itihasas; they all refer to this cyclic dimension of time. So this is something that is a fascinating study by itself and is definitely of great interest to everybody. So Shalini, anything more you'd like to add to this? [4:37] Shalini: Well, perhaps we can look at it as you know, best elaborated with an example. So if you look at the the cycle of a plant, it grows from the seed. So the seed carries all the lifeforce, it grows from the seed, it becomes a plant, it becomes a tree, it flowers, it fruits, and then it sort of decays and goes back into the ground in the seed form. So the lifeforce is then again, coming back through a new seed. Similarly for us, we conceptualize time also in the same fashion. So there is potent form in the form of a single unity, there is an expansion and then again there's a contraction and then starts the cycle all over again. So, I think, yeah, it summarizes what we think about how time operates. So, moving on, I think we should look at the concept of Hindus being seekers rather than believers. So how would we go about explaining that Rekha? [5:44] Rekha: Most faiths mandate some sort of a belief system. This is where Hinduism is quite different from everything else that we know. Here the importance… there's a lot of importance is given to seeking and finding your answers, which means that the dichotomy of religion versus science is not something that Hinduism is very concerned about, because there is a natural inclination to seeking here and this is actually beautifully brought out in the oldest scripture, which is called the Rig Veda. And there is the Nasadiya Sukta in the 10th Mandala of the Rig Veda, which discusses how srishti came to be, you know… from where… how has this srishti happened? What happened before that, what was life? When did life start and what happened at the earliest time of srishti. “So who can say what happened then; do the gods themselves know what happened; does the person, or the entity who created this srishti know what happened? Or how this whole beautiful universe came about? Does he know or maybe even he does not know!”This is the ending of the Nasadiya Sukta. So you can right away see from this, that there is no mandate, there is nothing that HAS to be believed. And if you do not believe that you cannot function as a Hindu. We are open to scientifically seeking answers. [7:17] Shalini: So this experience, I think is wonderful, yeah, that is correct. Because this, the Nasadiya Sukta is, I think, very, very profound, you know, and I think culture, which tells people to believe, will never write words like this, because they are all words of a seeker, you know, when you're even saying “even he knows, or maybe does not know” which means you are questioning even the divine as a creator. That can come only from a culture of seeking, not from a culture of believing. I think, also, there's another facet, which helps us understand that we are a culture of seekers. For the longest time, I think, until the 15th century, or something like that, somewhere in the middle, middle ages, it was believed by most of the West that the earth is flat. However, our oldest description of the Earth is as a spherical entity, not a flat entity. So we have always known that the earth or any of the planetary bodies are more or less spherical in shape, you know, and not flat. So this, I think, also comes from a lot of seeking, questioning and demanding answers and looking for them, which testifies to our culture being one of seeking rather than believing, don't you agree? [8:37] Rekha: Absolutely. And we all know what happened to Copernicus and Galileo; such stories of persecution for differences from the accepted viewpoint are almost not heard of at all in Hindu history or culture. We have a system of… we have had, which is sadly not so well known now, but we have had a system of open debates. And there are many famous debates that are examples of, you know, questioning, seeking, of this entire spirit that our culture is defined by. So yes, this is something I think we should all be proud of.[9:23] Shalini: …And our art of debating where scholars debated on practically every issue under the sun. So we have always been a culture of questioning and seeking answers rather than blind belief. Though, ironically, we are called as a culture that is, you know, into blind beliefs, superstition and the like, which I think is not at all warranted, given the long history of debate and discussion and, you know, seeking that has happened in this civilization. [10:01] Rekha: This is a great point. Absolutely and we all need to understand this and also make sure our kids understand it. So that anything that is thrown at them can be answered you know. Kids need to have an understanding of what our culture is, what it was all about, because a lot of it is not understood today. And many Hindus today like to describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. So we will examine this towards the end of the program when we come to rituals. But before that, let's talk about ashramas. The Hindu is familiar, most Hindus are familiar with the ashrama system, or at least the names that are given to the four stages of life. First being the Brahmacharya which covers student life. Brahmacharya just means seeking or proceeding in the direction of finding Brahman. So this refers to specifically the student part of life where young children and adolescents are encouraged to study and to build up skills that will then serve them well for the next phase of life, which is called Grihasta, gruha meaning home. So Grihasta refers to the phase of life that we all are in. It is the householder phase of life where you have kids, and you are responsible for the older generation, the younger generation, the responsibilities are high, and this is supposed to form the backbone of society. So this is considered the most important ashrama of the four ashramas in Hinduism.The third one is the Vanaprastha, which is common among older people whose children have grown up. They've handed over their responsibilities to their children, and they're slowly detaching themselves from the worldly life and moving into a secluded forest dwelling life where they then begin to focus on their own internal sadhana. The fourth ashrama is called sannyasa, which is of very little relevance today, I think, with hardly anybody reaching that stage. But what's interesting is that all the four ashramas that have been conceptualized so long ago, are pretty much unchanged. And, you know, this is what you see in the world around you today, the student life and then the householder, and then slowly detaching yourself from responsibilities, which, again, is a bit of a gray area today. Any comments on that Shalini? [12:43] Shalini: Yeah, I think, today, vanaprastha does not have the same significance as in older times. I think because the concept of Hindu seeking moksha, has somehow taken a backseat. Now, vanaprastha, I think, was designed because every Hindu in older times was expected to strive to attain moksha. So vanaprastha was supposed to be sort of the preparing ground for the seeking, seeking answers from within. And sannyasa was the stage where one actually reached or attempted to reach the divine. And this was true for everybody. But I think, over time, these two stages of life have become a little more diluted, and perhaps not possible for everybody. But we do think that, you know, if people are inclined to do this, we could do with some upping of the spiritual quotient of current society, you know, so, if there are people who are keen to pursue the path of moksha, they should actually follow the vanaprastha and sannyasa stages. It would be nice if some people started to adopt these two stages more seriously. [14:08] Rekha: Shalini I think here, perhaps, you know, in ancient times itself, people have thought about the friction between the older generation and the younger generation. And so when the older generation hands off responsibilities to the adult children, and you know, detaches from worldly life, it is a kind of green signal for the current grihastas to take over and that lessens conflict also, in many ways. [14:41] Shalini: That's absolutely true. Yeah, I think our our ancestors actually, you know, conceptualized things after a lot of deliberation, and there was nothing offhand or random about any of the things that Hinduism stands for. Yeah. So I think we shall move on.[15:04] Rekha: and talk about the divine presence in everything?[15:09] Shalini: Yes, yes, we shall do that. So Hindu thought, believes that everyone and everything is absolutely divine. So we consider that all of srishti is a manifestation of the One single, divine essence, you know, and this encompasses not just animate, but inanimate objects too. So, the difference being in the levels of consciousness that an inanimate object has, and that which a living being or an animate entity has. Also, even in the animate world, there is levels of consciousness from lower to higher, and at present man is the highest form that is there. However, Hinduism does not, does not say that evolution stops with man. We think that it is also possible to go higher, and that's why we have the concept of moksha. So that is, I think, where we conceptualize everything as divine. And we also understand that it's not easy to reach this, or transcend ourselves - that it's not an easy task. And therefore, we have multiplicity of paths to attain this. We believe that all paths essentially lead to the One divine, and this is often repeated, you know, the statement from our Upanishads, Ekam Sat Viprah Bahuda Vadanti, which means that multiple paths lead to the same goal. So, we do believe in that, but there might be something that we want to probably dissect over here and say that while all paths do ultimately lead to the One, it is also important that the paths have to be in consonance with dharma. Adharmic paths need not necessarily lead to the One goal. So any any further things that you'd like to add Rekha?[17:12] Rekha: No, I like the point that you mentioned, that adharmic paths and dharmic paths do have a difference. And in modern times, the average Hindu is quite confused about this. So, this is something that we will be addressing, especially while teaching kids because it's a beautiful concept in itself, but the way we apply it, you know, has to be very carefully thought out. When when we talk about the divine presence in everything, this is a good point of time to mention that the Hindu view of nature, no the way we respect every tattva or element in nature, rivers are given the form of river goddesses you know, there is there are many elements in nature that we treat as sacred. And it all boils down to this feeling of a divine presence in every one and everything, I think this is a principle that animates our existence and you know, it is carried down into everything that a Hindu does or thinks in daily life. So, yes, this is absolutely important principle to know. [18:34] Shalini: And perhaps, I think, making nature and it's tattvas all divine, prevents us from messing around with nature too much. We know that imbalance created in nature or of any element will mean that whole of srishti will have to bear consequences. So, this very, very tight bond between cause and effect, I think deters us from exploiting nature ruthlessly, no? Or at least until until recent times, this kept us from degrading nature, like we see happening elsewhere, Considering that probably the landmass that we call India has had the highest dense density of population for all times, we have been one of the least polluters, least rapacious in terms of exploiting the environment till recent times, and that could not have happened if we did not imbue the sacred element with nature. So, I think that's very important that associating sacredness with anything acts as a natural deterrent to exploitation.[20:07] Rekha: This is beautiful. And at some point, it gives kids a great deal of perspective, to know that this is not true of just Hinduism but of many original ancient cultures in the world. We are the only surviving ancient culture really, but this principle of finding the sacred in every element of nature, has been around for a long time. And if you look at many ancient cultures, you see this all across the board, and it's something that maybe I'm sure kids will find fascinating to explore on their own, to come up with examples. [20:53] Shalini: Yeah, sure, sure. So now let's move on to rituals, because all that we have discussed so far, are the concepts and now we'll see how they come into our life on a practical level. So, Rekha, please explain to us about rituals and their significance, [21:13] Rekha: The much maligned ritual of Hinduism! It's interesting that rituals have a very important place in Hinduism, and of late Hindus have become a little bit defensive about this, because we have lost a lot of the understanding of the basics behind rituals. Rituals are mainly performative. And of all the concepts that we have discussed, you know, some of the principles that of Hinduism that we have discussed so far, all of them flow down into our everyday life as the Hindu ritual. A Hindu ritual is very aesthetic, it's beautiful to look at, think of the Ganga Aarti you know, something, it engages all your senses, it has a special function of its own. A ritual in everyday life is gives you a sense of predictability, of discipline. And to that extent, small rituals keep children really grounded and on the right path, I would say, because, interestingly, recent studies in Harvard Business Review have referred to the power of ritual. Of course, they were not talking about the Hindu ritual, they were talking about a sense of ritual created, new rituals being created. And modern life has learned to think of Friday night popcorn and movie as the ritual too. But when we as a culture have so many rituals that are of specific significance of you know, which ties to our culture, and which bring out its essence, which have been going on for 1000s and 1000s of years, and which we know are also tied to seasons, and are good for us in so many ways, then we would really be foolish to throw that away and adopt something very new, because I think it's been proven that ritual is very good for the human brain right now. So I think this is the Hindu ritual that is so important for us to follow and not just throw it away. [23:31] Shalini: Yeah, that is absolutely true. So we have really come to almost close to despising any sort of ritual, especially when connected to Hinduism. It's all brushed off as being backward, being not at all in touch, in tune with the times. But it's really much maligned. I agree completely. So I think we have discussed some of the main concepts and there might be more and we might delve into other concepts in some future episodes if we feel the need. We hope that you have all liked to listen to us, have been able to get some takeaways from our conversation. Please do come back for another edition in about a fortnight's time. [24:30] Rekha: And I just a quick thing here. Yes, yes. I think while raising children, we need to keep all these principles, because a lot of things we will be talking about specifically, even current events. When you think about looking at them through a Hindu lens, these are the principles that we will be referring to again and again. So it really helps us as parents to keep these in the back of our minds. And when kids are on on the defensive as Hindu kids, you know very often in the world today, they don't know what they have to say, you know, what they can say in answer to some of the things thrown at them. So, a well conceived worldview exists. And just keeping this in your mind will help you to help children see what it means to be a Hindu and also to answer the questions that they are often faced with in today's world. So this is a small point I wanted to make. [25:40] Shalini: Yeah, so in the next episode, we will be covering the festival of Sankranti. So we look forward to having you all with us one more time in a fortnight, and there's nothing more currently. So, we will say Namaste and see you in a fortnight. Get full access to Hindu Parenting at hinduparenting.substack.com/subscribe

This episode describes the four stages of āśramas; Brahmacharya (student), Gṛhastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest dweller), and Saṅyāsa (renunciate). It also elucidates the difference between and the reason for meditating upon Saguna Brahman (with form) and contemplating on Nirguṇa Brahman (without form).

Preparing For Vanaprastha Life. Lecture delivered by His Holiness on philosophy, principles, and practices of Krishna consciousness based on revealed Vedic scriptures as received in parampara.

The term Brahmacharya means, ‘going after Brahman' ,The Reality. This has two connotations in practice. One is engaging oneself in the pursuit of Reality. The other is the virtue of practicing celibacy. Let us study the Etymology of the word. The word brahmacharya stems from two Sanskrit roots: Brahma (ब्रह्म, shortened from Brahman), means “the one self-existent Spirit, the Absolute Reality, Universal Self, Personal God, the sacred knowledge”. charya (चर्य), which means “occupation with, engaging, proceeding , behaviour, conduct, to follow, going after”..This is often translated as activity, mode of behaviour, a “virtuous” way of life. So the word Brahmacharya literally means a lifestyle adopted to seek and understand Brahman – the Ultimate Reality. In historic literature of Hinduism, it means “devoting oneself to Brahman”. In modern literature, it is commonly translated to mean celibacy for those unmarried, and fidelity to one's partner when married. In ancient and medieval era Indian texts, the term brahmacharya is a concept with more complex meaning. Brahmacharya embodies in its meaning an overall lifestyle that helps the pursuit of sacred knowledge and spiritual liberation.It is a means, not an end, and usually includes cleanliness, ahimsa, simple living, studies, meditation, voluntary restraints on certain diet, intoxicants and behaviors (including sexual behavior)' So, one interpretation, which is basic, is that Brahmacharya means making efforts to Realize Brahman, The Reality. Brahman can be realized, according to scriptures, with the help of a Preceptor, Guru.. Though the Smritis  /Sruthi declare that Brahmacharya begins with Upanayana, at an early age with the Upanayana, which is recommended at ages between 5 , 7, and 9,people were aware that the quest for Brahman might arise in an individual at a later date, say at the age 25, 30, 40 or even 50. In such cases  by following of the enquiry into the nature of Brahman, one becomes a Brahmachari, a Student. He could be a married man or woman. Being married or unmarried , man or woman is no hindrance in pursuing the Reality Brahaman. We have many Grahasthas, married people as great Rishis, Vasishta,Krupar,Kashyapa, Agastya, Gargi , Maitreyi. Therefore these great souls, though married are students, Brahmacharis, as they pursued Brahama Gnana. Hence a Married man is also a Brahmachari in this sense. Brahmacharya indicates a Stage of life,  that of study. The four Asramas are Brahmacharya, Gruhastha, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa. These relate to the dispositions and the actions being contemplated upon by the individual, while Celibacy is a part of Sadhana marga which expedites spiritual journey. Coming to Celibacy, Celibacy is essential in preserving the Semen from falling to the ground or flowing down as this hinders the spiritual growth, It is called Urthvarethas, Meaning that the semen flows upwards through the Chakras in the body to reach the Sahasrara in the head, This Celibacy is called Naishtika Brahmacharrya.(not allowing the semen to flow down) Bhishma is a Naishtika Brahmachari. He is the only Naishtika Brahmachari, apart from Hanuman. This is  the reason, why Devavrataha, was  called Bhishma, one who does the Impossible. In the case of the Grahasthas, so long as their object of physical interaction is to produce progeny without Lust, they are also rated high in the scheme of things. King Janaka is one such. Therefore a married one can also be called a Brahmachari, provided he/ she is after the enquiry into the Nature of Brahman. You may read this at ramanisblog.in marrried men women are brahmacharis --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

In this episode, I talk to prolific author and social scientist Arthur Brooks about finding meaning in the second curve of life. According to Arthur, the world and our biology urge us to relentlessly chase after the next win. This flawed formula for satisfaction ultimately leaves us unfulfilled. To find true purpose, we must break our addiction to success and confront life's hard truths. We also touch on the topics of motivation, relationships, aging, transcendence, and love.BioArthur C. Brooks is the Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Before joining the Harvard faculty in July of 2019, he served for ten years as president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Enterprise Institute (AEI), one of the world's leading think tanks.He is also a columnist for The Atlantic, host of the podcast “How to Build a Happy Life with Arthur Brooks,” and subject of the 2019 documentary film “The Pursuit”. Arthur has written 12 books, including the national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” and “The Conservative Heart”. His most recent book is “From Strength to Strength”, available this February 2022.. Website: arthurbrooks.comTwitter: @arthurbrooks Topics02:18 The plane ride that changed Arthur's life08:46 Transcendence as the reward of life13:11 The addiction to success17:52 Motivated by why21:20 From success to freedom 28:45 Arthur and Scott's shared values 33:18 The Harvard Grant Study36:33 Love, worship, and commitment41:24 Vanaprastha: retire to the forest45:01 What it means to be fully alive52:42 The Dalai Lama's pen56:59 Liminality and the magic of transitions1:01:25 Being happy vs. the need to feel special

In this story, Narad muni educated Yudhistir about Brahmacharya and Vanaprastha Ashrams and its features.

Krishna says (2.67) that the mind, which follows roving senses, carries away one's intellect as the wind carries away the boat on the water. The wind is a metaphor for our desires which drives our mind and senses making intellect (boat) unstable. In the context of desires, life is divided into four stages namely Brahmacharya (bachelor), Grihast (householder), Vanaprastha (facing forest) and Sanyasa (renunciation) where division isn't just on age but also on the intensity of living. The first stage includes growing up, gathering theoretical knowledge and physical strength along with some basic skills. In the second stage, it's family, work, refining skills, gathering possessions and memories, exposure to various facets of life and gaining life experiences through pursuing passions and desires either with success or failure. Through this process, one attains a cocktail of knowledge, skill and life experiences which is the breeding ground for awareness. Transition to the third stage isn't automatic. As per legend, in the Mahabharat, King Yayathi took a thousand years for this transition as he couldn't leave his luxuries. Interestingly, these extra years came at the cost of a son. In these circumstances, this verse (2.67) helps us to reflect upon and make the transition to the third stage. In the third stage, awareness lets us slowly drop desires as one realises that the desires of the past look silly or irrelevant now; how our assumptions were erroneous; how both fulfilled and unfulfilled desires can have the same disastrous consequences. With this realisation, one is ready for the final stage to become a sanyasi, which is dropping of ahankaar/kartapan (sense of doership) to be a sakshi (witness). In the final stage, it's the transition from 'knowing' (through senses) of the first stage to 'being'(independent of senses). Krishna calls this (2.68) "Wisdom is established when all senses are restrained from sense objects."

Ein Beitrag zum Sanskritwort: Vanaprastha Hier findest du: Sanskrit Wörterbuch Seminare zum Thema Sanskrit Seminare mit Sukadev Seminarübersicht Yoga Vidya YouTube Live Kanal Online Seminare Video Seminare Yoga Vidya kostenlose App Yoga Vidya Newsletter Yoga Vidya Online Shop Schon ein kleiner Beitrag kann viel bewegen... Spende an Yoga Vidya e.V.!

Ein Beitrag zum Sanskritwort: Vanaprastha Hier findest du: Sanskrit Wörterbuch Seminare zum Thema Sanskrit Seminare mit Sukadev Seminarübersicht Yoga Vidya YouTube Live Kanal Online Seminare Video Seminare Yoga Vidya kostenlose App Yoga Vidya Newsletter Yoga Vidya Online Shop Schon ein kleiner Beitrag kann viel bewegen... Spende an Yoga Vidya e.V.!

A deep and mystical exploration through music, dance, and spirituality, Mahabharat is an in-depth look into the wisdom of this immortal saga. Guided by Sadhguru, participants had the opportunity to live the intensity, the adventure and the enchantment of Mahabharat in an eight-day festival event. Presented here is a glimpse into this once-in-a-lifetime program. Mahabharat is a possibility to explore your own consciousness, as Sadhguru personally takes us through the lives and stories of the varied characters.

Vanaprastha Ashram is the third stage according to the scriptures , of the four Ashrams (Chaturashrams ). It denotes to a transition phase from Grihasta (householder) stage to #Vanaprastha stage of life . It deals with handing over the household responsibilities to the next generation . Detaching oneself from the household aspects of wealth , security , pleasure , and sexual pursuits . Transiting to a life with greater emphasis on #Moksha and #spiritual liberation . In this stage one is supposed to serve as a counsellor , peace maker , judge , or a teacher to the youth and an adviser to the middle aged . This stage is said to be the preparation period for the sanyastha life or the #Sanyasa Ashram . #Hinduism #Hindipodcast #sanyas #spirituality #AshishPMishraPodcast #indianpodcast Instagrame, Twitter ,Koo and Facebook id @ ashishpmishra --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ashish-p-mishra/support

-by Jagadguru Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj Answered in Hindi. Presenting "Prashnottari", a series recorded at different parts of India. These are the unique answers to some of our frequently asked questions related to Religion, Spirituality and Nationalism. Puri Peethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati Ji is one of the highest authorities of the Hindu religion. Hope the listeners will take benefit from the queries of various minds from multiple backgrounds. Thanks to Brahmachari Prakash Ji WebSite: https://www.govardhanpeeth.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hindu-podcast/message

The Necessity of Vanaprastha Life. Lecture delivered by His Holiness on philosophy, principles, and practices of Krishna consciousness based on revealed Vedic scriptures as received in parampara.

I still very much feel within me the vitality of self-transcendence, this quest to keep evolving and growing into more of who I really am. How to keep this alive as the inevitable loss of function in various ways begins to manifest? What might the Hindu notion of Vanaprastha offer us by way of counsel?

Yoga in verschiedenen Lebensstadien: Brahmacharya, Garhasthya, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa. Sukadev spricht über die 4 verschiedenen Lebensalter, die vier Ashramas, in denen man aus unterschiedlichen Motiven zur spirituellen Praxis bzw. zum Yoga gelangt. Dieses ist ein Vortrag aus der Vortragsreihe „Yoga Vidya Schulung – Der ganzheitliche Yogaweg“ sowie ein Teil der 2-jährigen Yogalehrerausbildung.

Yoga in verschiedenen Lebensstadien: Brahmacharya, Garhasthya, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa. Sukadev spricht über die 4 verschiedenen Lebensalter, die vier Ashramas, in denen man aus unterschiedlichen Motiven zur spirituellen Praxis bzw. zum Yoga gelangt. Dieses ist ein Vortrag aus der Vortragsreihe „Yoga Vidya Schulung – Der ganzheitliche Yogaweg“ sowie ein Teil der 2-jährigen Yogalehrerausbildung.

  The four stages of life describe our focus, aim and role in life over a 100 year time span. They were outlined in ancient Indian texts. Being able to verbalize the four stages and what they are about helps us become more conscious and choose our orientation, engagement, actions and attitude in a certain phase. In a way, knowing them gives us permission to be who we are and focus on what is present in the particular stage we find ourselves in.   The four stages are: Brahmacharya or student/bachelor Grihasta or householder Vanaprastha or forest dweller Sannyasa or renunciation Each stage comes with a certain focus or aim.   What You get from tuning in: An understanding the 4 stages of life and how it shapes your role How the stages influence your actions, attitudes and orientation Permission to be who you are in each phase The transition from material focus to spiritual focus     Visit my Website  Join me on Facebook  Watch the free video series 5 secrets to a Better Menopause Upgrade your body experience. Apply for Body Joy  

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda given on October 12, 2014, at the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston, MA

Bhagavatham 11-18 Vanaprastha, yathi dharmaah 11-18VanaprasthaYathiDharmaah.mp3

Sukadev Bretz, Gründer und Leiter von Yoga Vidya, spricht über: Vanaprastha, sinnvoll Leben im Alter. Er widerspricht da etwas der "klassischen" Sichtweise über die 4 Ashrams. Er hält ein aktives, engagiertes Leben im Alter für am sinnvollsten. http://www.yoga-vidya.de Hari Om Tat Sat.

Sukadev Bretz, Gründer und Leiter von Yoga Vidya, spricht über: Vanaprastha, sinnvoll Leben im Alter. Er widerspricht da etwas der "klassischen" Sichtweise über die 4 Ashrams. Er hält ein aktives, engagiertes Leben im Alter für am sinnvollsten. http://www.yoga-vidya.de Hari Om Tat Sat.