Podcasts about Yajna

The Ati Rudra Maha Yajna is the highest form of worship of Lord Shiva. It is a most befitting offering to our Lord Sri Sathya Sai who is the embodiment of Shiva-Shakthi. The distinguished panel members discuss the various segments of the Yajna itself and many unique aspects of the way it is going to be performed here at Prasanthi Nilayam from February 14 - 25, 2025. In addition to the 121 ritwiks who will perform the Yajnam making the offerings into eleven Yajna Kundams, the devotees in the hall and thousands from across the world watching the live stream will also join and chant the Rudram. The power of these vibrations can never be adequately comprehended. World peace and happiness being the main purpose of the Yajnam here, makes this offering truly a selfless act of worship which is most pleasing to the Lord.

“Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.9)

Chapter 4, v. 24-33 Explore the deep spiritual meaning behind Yajna, the ancient practice of offering, and how it can transform not only spiritual practices but also the simple actions of daily life. By recognizing that life itself is self-giving, learn how to integrate everyday experiences into a sacred practice of offering. Discover how offering oneself fully, with love and presence, can lead to greater harmony with nature, self, and the divine.

Krishna says, "Yajna (sacrifice or performance of duty or selfless action) is satvik which is offered by those desiring no fruit of action; which is performed according to scriptural injunctions, with the firm conviction of the mind that it is a matter of duty (17.11). That yajna performed seeking fruits of action and with an ostentatious spirit is rajasic in nature (17.12). That yajna is tamasic which is without regard for scriptures, in which no food is distributed, no mantras chanted, and no donation is given and is without shraddha (devotion)" (17.13). The word yajna can be interpreted in different ways depending on the level of the seeker and accordingly, the meaning of these verses keeps varying. Firstly, the simple meaning of yajna is a fire ritual. History suggests that fire rituals were a norm during the time of the Kurukshetra battle. Till today, fire rituals are performed across the country on the occasion of festivals to invite good vibes and ward off evil. They are also common on occasions like marriages. A literal description of these verses gives a glimpse of how one performs yajna based on the guna which is dominant at that point in time. Secondly, yagna also stands for the performance of one's duties. These verses indicate how one discharges one's duties and responsibilities, from sincerity to carelessness, depending on the dominant guna. Finally, yajna also indicates selfless actions of give and take. While citing rain as an example, Krishna clarified that the selfless action of yajna holds the supreme reality or supreme power (3.15). He advised that instead of hoarding, one should participate in the cycle of give and take which will free us from all sins (3.13) -hoarding being the original sin. Just being a part of these selfless actions is nothing but the state of guna-ateeth (transcending the influence of gunas).

Govinda Das - Nama Yajna 7.5.24 by Windy City Kirtans

In part 1 we heard about some of the different sadhanas/religious disciplines mentioned in the Gita. Bhagavan helps us see what these can achieve and what they cannot and explains why jnana yajna is the best yajna or sadhana. This is part two of a two part series on sadhanas/yajnas. Podcast transcript - https://discoveratma.com/270-which-is-the-best-sadhana-yajna-in-the-gita-part-2-of-2/ Thank you to Feedspot for featuring 'Vedanta - the river of wisdom' amongst the top 10 podcasts on spirituality in India - https://podcasts.feedspot.com/india_spiritual_podcasts/ Aarsha Vidya Bharati - Mar 2024 - 4 Essential Factors for Learning| Mahashivaratri| Sri Nataraja Stotram| Heritage Hub| Pashupatinath Yātra| And more! - https://mailchi.mp/3576ecea11a8/aarsha-vidya-bharati-mar2024 Our monthly newsletter will bring you more happiness, more wisdom and more freedom. To subscribe to Aarsha Vidya Bharati - https://mailchi.mp/cea95b9ad987/aarsha-vidya-bharati Vedanta - the river of wisdom is a weekly podcast by Swamini B (Brahmaprajnananda), a Vedanta teacher, writer and Hindu monk. Please follow, learn and enjoy Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@DiscoverAtma Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/discoveratma Twitter - https://twitter.com/discoveratma To connect and learn Vedanta - www.discoveratma.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-river-of-wisdom/message

“My dear father, I am very respectfully and humbly inquiring. What is this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, what is the reason, and what is the result? For whose benefit is it and by what means will it be accomplished?” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.24.3)

Although many claims about the efficacy of different sadhanas/religious disciplines are made, the Bhagavad Gita surprises us by telling us the best yajna. In the fourth chapter, Bhagavan reveals other sadhanas/yajnas and helps us see what they can achieve and what they cannot. This is part one of a two part series on sadhanas. Podcast transcript - https://discoveratma.com/269-which-is-the-best-sadhana-yajna-in-the-gita-part-1-of-2/ Thank you to Feedspot for featuring 'Vedanta - the river of wisdom' amongst the top 10 podcasts on spirituality in India - https://podcasts.feedspot.com/india_spiritual_podcasts/ Aarsha Vidya Bharati - Mar 2024 - 4 Essential Factors for Learning| Mahashivaratri| Sri Nataraja Stotram| Heritage Hub| Pashupatinath Yātra| And more! - https://mailchi.mp/3576ecea11a8/aarsha-vidya-bharati-mar2024 Our monthly newsletter will bring you more happiness, more wisdom and more freedom. To subscribe to Aarsha Vidya Bharati - https://mailchi.mp/cea95b9ad987/aarsha-vidya-bharati Vedanta - the river of wisdom is a weekly podcast by Swamini B (Brahmaprajnananda), a Vedanta teacher, writer and Hindu monk. Please follow, learn and enjoy Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@DiscoverAtma Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/discoveratma Twitter - https://twitter.com/discoveratma To connect and learn Vedanta - www.discoveratma.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-river-of-wisdom/message

5th verse: “The three virtues of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up. These three virtues become natural to the enlightened and become the means to those aspiring to be enlightened.”6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving up our attachment to the results and our selfish desire to enjoy the results of the work.”Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.The 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th verses describe the three forms of tyagas. Of these three, only one is ideal (verse 9) – the other two are not desirable.4th verse: “Relinquishment is of three types – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.”The 8th verse describes the worst form of tyaga, which is rajasik. “There are a set of people who find work difficult or painful. They provide false justifications for not taking up the tasks that they are expected to do. Then they boast in front of others that they have relinquished.”The 7th verse explains tamasik tyaga. “Those who give up because they are under the wrong notion, who imagine that they can live in peace and meditative mood by running away from their duties and obligations, their relinquishment is tamasik.”The 9th verse describes the ideal way of tyaga. “Those who do not give up work, who perform the actions enjoined by the scriptures, but who mentally renounce the fruits of the work, their tyaga is sattvik.”Our focus should not be on karma-tyaga. Instead, it should be on karma-phala-tyaga. We do not give up work; we transcend work.Giving up work is easy – a lazy person can do it. It is more difficult to do all our duties with full efficiency but without any selfish desire and attachment to the results. Selfish attachment is the most difficult to renounce. Mystics and great spiritual men were always active but had no selfish attachment to results.We can never run away from our core duties and responsibilities. They will follow us. Even if we are physically lazy, the mind will not stay inactive. In fact, people may feel more tired sitting quiet. The best way is to change our perspective towards work, as a sattvik person does. Then work won't bother us.There is an earlier verse in the Gita which compares two brothers. Both work with equal efficiency and are successful. However, one is not attached to success while the other is attached. The former practices the ideal of renunciation and is contented. The other sways between happiness and unhappiness.When we carry a heavy weight on our head, we feel it. However, if a one-millimeter gap is created between the head and the weight, we do not feel it at all. When we are detached from results of actions, it is like creating the one-millimeter gap.10th verse: “A spiritual person endowed with sattva guna is even minded in all forms of action as he has renounced selfish attachment to results. He is free from doubts. He does not blame or praise any form of work, irrespective of whether it leads to temporary happiness or not.”If we do not practice detachment, we may get temporary happiness but not contentment or everlasting happiness. The happiness that we normally experience is only a temporary absence of unhappiness. They are two sides of the same coin. To get to contentment, we have to stop the pursuit of temporary happiness and detach ourselves from the results of action.11th verse: “It is impossible for anyone with body consciousness to remain in total inaction at mental and physical level. One should renounce the fruits of action. He should transcend action by being active at the physical and mental level but identifying with the Atman, knowing that the body and senses are in the hands of a higher power.”In spiritual life, there is a gradual ascent towards transcending action. If someone is lazy, the first stage is to become active with selfish desires. In the next stage, the person can mentally offer the results to God or for the welfare of humanity. This has a healing effect on his mind.The 18th verse of the 4th chapter says: “One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a Yogi.” He is (1) Buddhiman – wise person, who understands Swadharma (2) Yuktaha – a Yogi (3) Krtsna-Karmakrt – does everything with a smile, unattached.If one identifies himself with Atman, he can remain as if he is inactive, seeing inaction in action. He identifies himself beyond action and inaction.What does action in inaction mean? Inaction in Gita implies withdrawal from action. There is no action for Atman, so there is nothing to withdraw from. One cannot withdraw from action, unless there is action.12th verse: “For those who have not renounced the results of action, they experience results that are threefold: sometimes agreeable, sometimes disagreeable, and sometimes mixed. Those who have renounced the fruits of action, experience no effect on their mental system from their actions.”Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. These Samskaras form our character and determine further actions. The existing storehouse of negative samskaras can be nullified with a new storehouse of positive samskaras. Positive samskaras are generated by doing unselfish, noble activities, reading of scriptures and through holy associations.When we practice attachment towards a higher goal, it helps us practice non-attachment towards the results of our day-to-day actions.

Title: Yajna, Dana and Tapah Should Not be Given Up18th Chapter: verse 3, 4, 5, 6, 73rd 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 Kapila and Samkhya philosophy, every action is mixed with some imperfection and, therefore, it should be given up. Mimamsa philosophy upholds the views of the vedas and says that Yajna, dana and tapah – activities which serve the good of others – should not be given up.Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.The 4th verse is a response from Lord Krishna to a request that Arjuna makes in the 7th verse of the 2nd chapter. There Arjuna expresses his helplessness and asks Lord Krishna to tell him what he should do. He surrenders himself to the will of the Lord (prapannam).If a glass is half full of water and we pour milk in it, it will only have 50% milk. However, if we empty the glass and then pour milk, it will have 100% milk. Similarly, when we empty our mind and surrender to God, the mind can then be filled with the pure milk of God's grace.Those who have completely surrendered to God or who have reached the highest spiritual enlightenment, they live in constant communion with God and do not have to worry about dos and don'ts. It is impossible for them to do anything wrong. They are like a pencil which does not assert its independence and only operates as a tool in the master's hands.Those who have not reached the highest level have to be reminded of moral values such as truthfulness, non-stealing, practicing unselfishness, and so on. According to Shankaracharya, whenever scriptures describe characteristics of an enlightened person, these characteristics constitute the road by which we should travel to reach the goal that the enlightened person has reached.5th verse: “The three virtues of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up. These three virtues become natural to the enlightened and become the means to those aspiring to be enlightened.”The panchamahayajna should be performed by everyone. These five yajnas are:Brahma Yajna – We perform this yajna when we discuss great ideas and spread the noble idea of spiritual universalism. This is the way we pay back to ancient sages.Pitri Yajna – We perform this yajna when we do rituals to preserve the sacred memory of our ancestors. When we are grateful to our ancestors, we will be able to transmit their values to the next generation. This is the way we pay back to our ancestors.Deva yajna – We perform this yajna when we preserve the memory of divine beings (devas).Bhuta yajna – We perform this yajna when we take care of other living beings (such as animals), nature and earth. We should look upon ourselves as guests of earth, not masters of earth. We should be kind and compassionate to other beings.Nara Yajna - We perform this yajna when we show hospitality to fellow human beings.The panchamahayajna should be practiced by everyone. They are natural to the enlightened. For others, it is a means to get enlightenment.In the Vishnu Purana, there is a verse, which says: “Those who give up their own Swakarma and Swadharma, who do not take care of their parents and elders, who are cruel to other beings, who treat ancient tradition with a sense of indifference, who break the principles of panchamahayajna, such people are fools as their prayers won't be taken seriously by God.”6th verse: “Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed giving up our attachment to the results and our selfish desire to enjoy the results of the work.”Those who cannot practice total detachment, they should start by performing these activities with attachment. Slowly, they will evolve to naturally be good human beings and will be able to perform these activities without selfish motives.4th and 7th verse: “4th verse: Relinquishment is of three types – sattvik, rajasik and tamasik.” The 7th verse explains tamasik relinquishment. “Those who imagine that they can live in peace and meditative mood by running away from their duties and obligations, they are deluded. Their relinquishment is tamasik.”We can never run away from our core duties and responsibilities. They will follow us. Even if we are physically lazy, the mind will not stay inactive. In fact, people may feel more tired sitting quiet. The best way is to change our perspective towards work, as a sattvik person does. Then work won't bother us.

The 18th chapter is the longest and is about moksha-sannyasa-yoga. It is also considered as a condensation of the previous 17 chapters.Moksha represents the highest value in human existence and means liberation from the bondage of samsara. Sannyasa means giving up the feeling up doer-ship and the renouncement of ego.According to Hindu tradition, four values guide human life – 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.When we do not violate the path of dharma, then we can focus on something higher than artha and kama. That gives a new meaning to life. Life becomes more livable and enjoyable.The realization of the imperfections of worldly enjoyments brings about the pursuit of something higher and transcendental. This divine discontent is called Parinama Dukha, and it is the springboard of spiritual wisdom.These are two stages in our pursuit of the transcendental. First stage is one where we use the higher transcendental value to guide our daily life. At a higher stage, we attain the higher transcendental value and become a mendicant.It is important to understand that in Gita, the principles of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha are primarily meant to be applied at an individual level (not at a macro, society level), for one's own spiritual development in everyday life.In Hindu tradition, there is a method of understanding the central theme of a book, which is comprised of six elements: Upakrama-Upasamhara (commencement, conclusion), Abhyasa (practice or reiteration), Apurvata (novelty), Phalam (practical utility), Arthavada (glorifying statement) and Upapatti (logical analysis).Upakrama-Upasamhara – Normally, the beginning and conclusion should be the same. Gita does not begin with a focus on action It starts with Arjuna's dilemma, which was due to ignorance. When this ignorance was removed through knowledge, he became a man of action. Arjuna's last statement in the Gita is: “I am now free of all doubts. I shall act according to your instructions.”Abhyasa – Gita repeatedly talks about efficiency, detachment, bhakti, and karma yoga. It emphasizes that jnanam is necessary to be active in an intelligent manner.Apurvata – If something is stated in Gita but is not stated elsewhere, then it must be the central theme of Gita.Arthavada - Gita ends with the glorifying verse: “Wherever the ideals of action and contemplation are present, there will be victory, prosperity, justice and stability of life.” This verse is a condensation of the 18th chapter.Upapatti – Gita gives a logical analysis to drive the idea: “Live in this world, work for prosperity, but know that this alone will not bring lasting peace and happiness.”The central theme of Gita combines the four values of dharma, artha, kama and moksha.Based on dharma, we should live in this world. Over time, we realize the true status we should give to worldly life and start thinking of higher transcendental values.3rd verse: “According to scholars and sages, performance of Yajna, dana and tapah should not be given up.”Sannyasa does not mean being physically inactive. Lord Krishna states in the 3rd chapter: “A person who thinks who is active without the idea of yajna, that person gets bound to this world.” Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish activity done for the good of others and as an offering to God – activities done as yajna don't lead to bondage. In the same chapter, Lord Krishna gives a warning: “A person who deliberately gives up his duties and imagines that he is going towards moksha, he is a hypocrite.” All great spiritual men of the word, such as Shankaracharya, were active.The status of householder is supreme in Hindu tradition. It should be understood before we discuss sannyasa. Jainism and Buddhism are oriented towards sannyasa. Hinduism is not a negation of life. Rather it is a balanced approach towards life. Hinduism emphasizes that we should follow the four values: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.Hinduism gives a very high stature to mother and wife. One of Panini's verses says: “If a husband performs a vedic ritual without his wife, it is considered incomplete.” Another verse says: “A house without a mother and wife is like a forest.”There are two levels of Sannyasa. The primary is Mukhya sannyasa, where one takes to sannyasa because of one's natural evolution. Buddha's renunciation and Yajnavalkya's renunciation in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad are examples of such sannyasa. The secondary is Gauna sannyasa, where one is ordained into sannyasa by an institution.Sannyasa does not mean physically giving up wealth and resources. One must give up one's selfish sense of ownership. Without the ideal of renunciation, one won't be able to use his resources for the good of others. The richest man can be a man of renunciation – King Janaka was one such example. On the other hand, the poorest man can be a man of tremendous attachment.Besides Bhagavad Gita, there are other gems in the Mahabharata. One example is Vyadha Gita. Vyadha became a jivan mukta through his spiritual practices. Upon attaining the highest realization, he did not give up his profession as a butcher. He continued his secular activities, fully established in his true spiritual identity. His dialogue with another saint constitutes Vyadha Gita.In the 11th chapter, Arjuna experiences the vision of the universal form of the divine. Lord Krishna shows that all the different creatures, animals, suns, moons, stars, galaxies, human beings, celestial beings – they all originate, exist, dissolve and re-emerge within that cosmic divine form. When Arjuna gets this vision, he is freed from all doubts. He understood that he is not just a body-mind complex with one life.

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.

Title: Performing Actions with Sattvic Shraddha17th Chapter: verses 26, 27, 28; recapitulation of 17th chapterIt is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.26th verse: “Sat indicates the Absolute Reality which is all-pervading, immortal, good for humanity and which sustains us. Sat means sat-bhāve “with the intention of essential goodness and nobility”, sādhu-bhāve “with auspicious intention” and praśhaste karmaṇi “Inspired by the an inner call and the Atman within”.27th verse: “With great steadiness, when we perform Yajna, dana and tapah, it is called Sat. Any activity done for the sake of Tat, which is the all-pervading divine reality, is also Sat.”Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose with a sense of sanctity and sacredness.When we perform anything thinking of the all-pervading divine reality, then it becomes worship in the form of action, and it brings an element of steadiness to the activity. Steadiness comes from the Absolute Reality which is eternal and unchanging.28th verse: “Performing Yajna, dana and tapah with a sattvic attitude and a sense of dedication to the divine is Sat. Its opposite is called Asat. Performing hutam (sacrifice), dattam (charity), tapaḥ (austerity) or kṛitam (any other activity), without sattvic shraddha is Asat.”Shraddha cannot be properly translated in English. Shraddha refers to a sense of sanctity and sacredness that helps us preserve higher values. It can also mean faith in scriptures, God, teacher, and a sense of integrity. The shraddha of human beings is three-fold – Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Yajna, dana and tapah should be performed with sattvic shraddha.When we perform charity there is a possibility that we may get the opposite of gratitude from the recipient. That can hurt us unless we are guided by a higher spiritual ideal in the act of charity. Sattvic shraddha turns any activity into a spiritual activity.The following is a recapitulation of the 17th chapter:The 17th chapter starts with a question from Arjuna: “Those who have a high degree of shraddha but do not know how to follow shastram, what happens to them?”Shraddha is of three types - Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika. Sattvika is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. If a person is very active and makes a show of his wealth and power, his attitude is Rajasika. Tamasika attitude manifests itself as laziness and delusion.In a rajarshi (philosopher king) – the philosophical aspect comes from sattva guna and the kingly aspect comes from rajo guna. His rajo guna is dominated and regulated by sattva guna.Shraddha is based on our inherent natural tendencies, which is based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara.In Patanajali Yoga Sutra, Vyasa says: “The river of the human mind flows in two directions. One is of a positive nature and takes us towards higher spiritual fulfillment. The other is of a negative nature and takes us away from our cherished aspirations.” The mind may not act as our friend when it is not ready. For example, when we want to meditate (positive flow of the river), the mind may procrastinate (negative flow of the river).Vyasa also says that we can turn the mind into a friend with a refining process. The refining process starts with doing some noble, unselfish deeds. Such deeds increase the store house of positive samskaras and negate the negative samskaras. The mind then begins to evolve. When we perform our activities with sattvic shraddha, we improve the proportion of positive flow in the river of mind.The following discussions took place in the question-answer section of the class:The translation of Sanskrit words, such as Samskara, are limited in scope in the dictionary meaning. They can only be explained by giving examples. An example of past samskaras is a child prodigy in music, whose family has no background in music.We should put our ego to good work. When we perform an activity as Swadharma and as an offering to the divine, the ego is sublimated to a sattvic level.Creation moves in cycles – from creation to sustenance to dissolution to re-emergence.

Title: Purifying Spiritual Practices with Om Tat Sat17th Chapter: verses 23, 24, 25, 26, 2723rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. It represents the triple designation of Brahman. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”Om represents the vedas. The entire vedic literature can be condensed into Om. All the vedas are an attempt to describe Brahman which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, Brahman is denoted with Om. Om represents the highest spiritual awareness, the highest wisdom, the highest existence, the highest consciousness and the highest blissfulness.Sri Ramakrishna said that the highest level of experience cannot be explained. It is a deeply felt experience whose language is silence. Below silence is Om, which is the first audible, verbal symbol of the divine. When we elaborate Om, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get Upanishads. Below the Upanishads, there are many mythological books. All these books are meant to take us beyond books. The highest experience is beyond all these books.Dharmaśāstra says: “All Vedas are founded on Pranava (Om). It takes you away from the transmigratory cycle of Samsara. It is the essence and totality of all verbal presentations. Any mantra without Om becomes meaningless.”Every mantra is preceded by Om. It is because the mantra becomes sacred when associated with Om.Omkara is not a letter symbol. It is a sound symbol comprised of three sounds A-U-M. It is pronounced with an elongated vowel sound. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.“A” is pronounced with an open mouth. “U” is pronounced with the mouth half open. “M” is pronounced with the mouth closed. We cannot pronounce anything which does not belong to these three categories. And, since everything in the world has a verbal counterpart, A-U-M represents everything in this world.“Tat” stands for the totality of existence. It also indicates Brahman. In the mayavakya “Tat-tvam-asi” -which means “The spiritual truth that you are seeking is non-different from yourself - “Tat” indicates Brahman.“Sat” is explained in the 26th verse. It is used to denote the Absolute Reality. It also represents goodness, auspiciousness and steadiness in dana, tapah and yajna.Why is the utterance of “Om Tat Sat” important? It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. With the utterance of “Om Tat Sat”, when we perform any act - Yajna, dana and tapah – they become purified. They become auspicious and spiritually meritorious.For full effect, “Om Tat Sat” should be uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and with full awareness. Mantras gather potency because they have been recited by spiritual seekers and sages for thousands of years. They help us realize the spiritual truth when we recite them with full concentration on the meaning of the mantra.24th verse: “Therefore, one should practice dana, tapah and yajna by uttering Om. When you do so, the activity becomes purified.”Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others. Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with the mind and senses focused on a single purpose.25th verse: “When we perform dana, tapah and yajna with the utterance of Tat, it means we are performing that duty without expecting any fruits in return. We offer the activity and its fruits to the all-pervading divine reality.”“Tat” means Brahman, the all-pervading divine reality. When we perform dana, tapah and yajna with a sattvic attitude, and offer our activity and its fruits to Brahman, the activity is purified.When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. In fact, this is the essence of the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra in the 24th verse of the 4th chapter. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. The Brahma-Yajna-Mantra brings the spiritual unity of existence to every thought, word and deed, including eating food. There should be no line of demarcation between our secular and spiritual life. Every secular act should be spiritualized.We should live life like the mantra in Rigveda which means: “Let every thought become a meditation, let every word become a mantra, let every action become an act of worship, let every travel become a pilgrimage, let every movement become a circumambulation around the deity, and let the whole life become an offering to God.”26th verse: “Sat indicates the Absolute Reality which is all-pervading, immortal, good for humanity and which sustains us. Sat means sat-bhāve “with the intention of essential goodness and nobility”, sādhu-bhāve “with auspicious intention” and praśhaste karmaṇi “Inspired by the an inner call and the Atman within”.Divinity is present in all of us. However, in some people it does not manifest because of the effect of past samskaras. At some point, people feel an inner call to do something good for humanity. This call is inspired by the Atman within. When we do something inspired by this inner call, we feel inner joy and contentment.We can be a good human being without affirming our faith in God. Swami Vivekananda said: “Live life in a way that even if you do not accept God, God will accept you.”27th verse: “When we think of the Absolute Reality through the utterance of Sat, it brings an element of steadiness to the activity and becomes a blessing to humanity. Steadiness comes from the Absolute Reality which is eternal and unchanging.”Tapah should be done with a sattvic attitude where the mans and the goals are in harmony. Success becomes a liability if tapah is done with improper means.

Title: Meaning of Om Tat Sat17th Chapter: verses 20, 21, 22, 23Yajna, Dana, and Tapah – these spiritual principles have the triple dimensions of Sattvika, Rajasika and Tamasika.Yajna refers to any noble, unselfish deed that is done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness and as an offering to God. Our everyday activities can be spiritualized when we perform them as yajna. Then there is no difference between the shrine and the workplace. Any activity not done as yajna becomes a bondage – it is an invisible chain that binds us to the world.Dana refers to any act of compassion, kindness and charity meant to help others.Tapah means austerity, activities that we do with total dedication and with a sense of going beyond the body-mind complex.20th verse: “Charity done with the attitude “It is my duty to help this person”, done in the right manner without any expectation of return, given to someone who is in need of it, who will use it for constructive purpose, and done at the right place and time – such charity is Sattvik.”21st verse: “When charity is practiced with the expectation of getting something back in return or done with a mind that is not happy as it is struggling with its own greed, ort done with a desire to be known as a charitable person – such charity is Rajasik.”22nd verse: “Charity done at the wrong place, at the wrong time, or to unworthy person or without regard for rules and etiquette – such charity is Tamasik.”Suppose a person is sitting in a dirty, filthy place and we give him restaurant food. It is an example of wrong place. Suppose that person has already had his meal and we give him food. It is an example of wrong time. Suppose we give money to a person who uses it for terrible things. It is an example of charity to an unworthy person.The 23rd and 24th verses are very important and explain how we can purify our spiritual activities such as yajna, dana and tapah.23rd verse: “In the Vedic literature, specifically the Upanishads, it is stated that “Om Tat Sat” constitutes the essence of all vedic literature. These three words are behind the origin and creation of the Brahmanas, Vedas and Yajnas.”There are four vedas. Each veda has four parts – Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad. Samhita contains hymns to deities. Brahmana contain description of rituals. Aranyaka contain philosophical discussions and spiritual disciplines. Upanishads contain the highest and most sublime portion of the vedas.It is difficult for normal human beings to perform their spiritual practices with perfection. For example, a prayer is effective when the mind, the act of prayer, the thoughts and emotions are all focused on the prayer. It is difficult for normal human beings to do so – there is an inherent incompleteness and imperfection in their prayer. The same applies to rituals. The spiritual practice – a prayer or an offering or a ritual – can be purified by uttering “Om” or “Om Tat Sat.”The utterance of “Om Tat Sat” can have two levels. The utterance has more effect when we understand its meaning. It has less effect if it is uttered without understanding its meaning.Om is a word symbol that represents the totality of existence and divinity. Whatever we experience in waking state, dream state or deep sleep state – they are all represented by Om.Om is comprised of A-U-M. “A” represents the totality of waking state experiences. “U” represents the totality of dream state experiences. “M” represents the totality of deep sleep experiences. Together, they represent all our experiences, as we cannot have any experience outside of these three states.Om contains the essence of all vedas. All the vedas are an attempt to describe the Absolute Reality which can only be experienced. At the empirical level, the Absolute Reality is denoted with Om.Om comes from two Sanskrit roots which mean “something that is all-pervading that sustains us, protects us from problems of the empirical world, and leads us to the highest spiritual realization.”Sri Ramakrishna used simple language to describe Om. In ascending order, he said: “Puaranas are the lowest. Higher than Puranas are Upanishads. Upanishads are condensed in Gayatri. Gayatri is condensed in Om. Beyond Om is total silence.”The highest level of experience cannot be explained. It is a deeply felt experience whose language is silence. Below silence is Om, which is the first audible, verbal symbol of the divine. When we elaborate Om, we get Gayatri. When we elaborate Gayatri, we get Upanishads. Below the Upanishads, there are many mythological books. All these books are meant to take us beyond books. The highest experience is beyond all these books.Tat means “I am offering it to the all-pervading, divine reality.” It is used to purify all forms of yajna, dana and tapah. These spiritual practices may have inherent imperfections which are rectified by utterance of Tat.When we offer our activity to the all-pervading reality that is present in everyone and everything, the activity is purified. In fact, this is the essence of the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra in the 24th verse of the 4th chapter. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. With this strong conviction, when we utter this mantra before eating food, then whatever we eat becomes purified.Sat means strong, steady faith. Yajna, dana and tapah, when done with a sense of sanctity, sacredness, sincerity, honesty and integrity – they get purified.Sometimes devotees chant “Hari Om Tat Sat”. Hari is the name of Vishnu and means the Lord.

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.These three temperaments are based on our samskaras. Every action leaves a residual effect (vritti) in our mental system. Many identical vrittis – from similar, repeated actions – solidify a distinct memory block called Samskara. Samskaras express through our determination to act in a certain manner, called Sankalpa. Sankalpa leads to further actions. This wheel continues, and it shapes our temperament.The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people withgood temperament and with affection.10th verse: “The food that was cooked several hours earlier and whose original taste is gone, food that has foul smell, food that has been partly eaten by someone else, and food that is not conducive to the development of higher qualities in the mind and intellect, is liked by those endowed with tamo guna.”Gita as a text belongs to 3,300 BC when there was no refrigerator. The staleness of food implied in the 10th verse should be interpreted in the context of modern times.If a person eats food that was partly eaten by someone else, the emotional state of the other person can be transferred to him.The next few verses describe the three levels of yajna – sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. In Gita, yajna means any unselfish, noble activity. However, in the next three verses it means rituals.11th verse: “Yajna that is performed with great reverence, with no showmanship, with great concentration, with a sense of sanctity, sacredness and self-restraint, with no selfish motive, with the sense that it is a sacred act and duty – such yajna is sattvika.”12th verse: “Yajna that is performed with a desire for material benefit or with a desire for fame or with great pomp and show – such yajna is Rajasika.”When the yajna is performed with showmanship, it is less spiritually beneficial. However, it is better to do yajna with publicity than to not do it at all.13th verse: “Yajna that is performed in an unconventional manner, without a sense of sanctity and sacredness, without the proper utterance of mantras, without giving dakshina to the priests – such yajna is tamasika.”If a priest performs rituals on our behalf and we do not give them dakshina, then the benefit of the ritual only goes to the priest. If we donate to the construction of a shelter, then some spiritual benefit from the construction of that shelter comes to us. In whatever charity we do, we should consider the fitness of the recipient.The 14th, 15th and 16th verses discuss tapah (austerity) - physical austerity, austerity of speech and mental austerity.When we fast, or after a pilgrimage we give up eating a certain food, it is an example of physical austerity. When we speak with good words, it is an example of austerity in speech. When we think good thoughts, it is an example of mental austerity.Upavasa is normally interpreted as fasting. However, its true meaning is “staying near God.” If someone fasts and at the same time fights with neighbors, that is not upavasa. Upavasa also does not mean self-torture. If someone does not fast but decides to read scriptures instead, he is closer to the real intent of upavasa.Austerity is about directing our mind and senses towards higher ideas. Great artists, musicians and scientists gave up worldly enjoyments to direct their mind exclusively on their activity. That is a symbol of austerity. Tyagaraja was a great Indian musician who denied treasures offered by kings – he wanted to compose music only for God.14th verse: “Those who practice reverence towards gods/goddesses, ancient sages, wise men and tradition, who do so with mental and physical purity, who do so with chastity and non-violence, whose body, mind and intellect operate in harmony and in one direction – their austerity is of the physical type.”Brahmacharya is mentioned in this verse. It is important for householders also. After having children, householders should practice chastity and contemplate on higher values. Many ancient sages were retired householders. To reach the experience of oneness with Brahman, one has to go through long spiritual practices which include Brahmacharya. To reach the highest state, one has to transcend tamo and rajo guna, be established in sattva guna and ultimately transcend all three gunas.15th verse: “Speech that does not cause vexation or anguish or disturbance in the minds of the listener, which is truthful, which is agreeable to the listener, which is beneficial to the listener, as well as recitation of the vedas, are austerities of speech.”When Hanuman meets Rama for the first time as Sugriva's messenger, Rama was charmed by Hanuman's art of speaking and his austerity in speech. Rama says to Lakshmana: “See how excellently Hanuman has spoken. He did not utter a single word without relevance. Nor did he omit an appropriate word. Such a voice promotes general welfare and remains forever in the hearts and minds of generations to come. His expression is not too elaborate, not confusing, not dragging, and not very fast. The language he spoke is richly endowed with grammatical purity. It is wonderful and auspicious. It is neither too fast nor too slow. It is captivating the heart. Whose mind will not be pleased by such words. He is a knower of all the vedas.”There is a verse in Mahabharata which says: “There are people who are ready to talk to you about what you want to hear. There are very few people who tell you what you need to hear and what is eventually beneficial to you.”Some people say that they are straightforward and say things as-is. However, if such speech causes anxiety to the listener, it is not sattvik. It should be beneficial to the listener.16th verse: “Serenity of mind, sympathy, kindliness, silence, self-control, sincerity and honesty in dealings – these are austerities of the mind.”Silence is sometimes more powerful than verbosity. Silence is also a language which is inaudible, where mind is involved, and where the sense of hearing is not involved.

Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.7th verse: “The food that we eat is linked to the three gunas. The way we practice rituals, austerity and charity is also linked to the three gunas.”The Chandogya Upanishad contains the first important discussion on the effect of what we eat and the true meaning of food. Shankaracharya has also written commentaries on the broader meaning of food. Food is not just hat we eat with mouth – our mind also eats food. It is all the ideas and associations that we imbibe and that impact our emotions and feelings. The five senses of perception and the sense objects – they all bring food to the mind.The verse in Chandogya Upanishad is:आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ स्मृतिः ध्रुवा स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनां विप्र मोक्षः || [7.26.2] It means: “From purity of food comes purity of mind. From purity of mind comes constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas. From constant remembrance of higher spiritual ideas comes liberation from bondage.”We remember what we are interested in. What are we are interested in depends on the structure of the mind. Whatever the mind has in its system, it wants more of it. If the mind is pure, it remembers and imbibes higher spiritual ideas.In a broader sense, mind refers to Antahkarana, which is made up of four compartments (mind, intellect, memory system, ego sense). In darkness, we may speculate whether something is a pillar or a human – this comes from mind, which is the speculative faculty. When we conclusively determine that it is a pillar, it comes from the intellect which is the determining faculty. We may remember that we had seen a similar pillar elsewhere – that comes from chittam, which is the memory system. And then we may think “I am the one who saw it” – that comes from ahamkara, which is the ego sense.8th verse: “Foods that enrich vitality, energy, strength, health, cheerfulness, mental equilibrium, appetite, contentment, and which are nourishing and agreeable, are liked by those endowed with Sattva guna.”Bhagavata Purana emphasizes that we should only eat what we need for our health and sustenance. It says: “One should only eat what the system permits to eat. Those who eat more, fall sick and become a liability to themselves.” In a broader sense it also means: “Those who are greedy and keep things which they do not need and which belong to others, such people are thieves.”There is an ancient ayurvedic verse from Sushruta Samhita, which defines health in a universal sense.“sama dosha sama agnischa sama dhatu mala kriyaaha| Prasanna atma indriya manaha swastha iti abhidheeyate”It means that a man is in perfect health when he is physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. In particular, this verse emphasizes that physical health needs to be complemented with a pleasantly disposed and contented mind, senses and spirit. They should not remind us of their existence.Manu Smriti defines what is the wrong type of food. It says:ANAROGYAM ANAYUSYAM ASVARGYAM CA ATIBHOJANAM APUNYAM LOKA VID VISTAM TASMAT TAT PARIVARJAYET (MANU SMRITI 2/57)It means: “One should avoid the following: (1) Food that is not good for health (2) Food that reduces the duration of life (3) Food does not guarantee good health in next life (4) Eating too much (5) Food that makes us do sinful deeds (6) Food that causes people to ridicule you.”Food has both a gross and subtle dimension. At a gross level, the food needs to be hygienically pure. At a subtle level, it means food that is prepared and served by people with good temperament and with affection.The 24th verse of the 4th chapter of Gita is the Brahma-Yajna-Mantra. It is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food, so the food is purified. With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.”There is nothing in this world, but Brahman. With this strong conviction, when we utter this mantra before eating food, then whatever we eat becomes purified. Whatever we eat, we should eat with a prayerful attitude.We should be moderate when it comes to eating food. Our body should not complain after we eat food. Extreme fanatical fasting and extreme gluttony are both non-spiritual.9th verse: “Foods that are bitter, sour, saline, hot, pungent, dry and burning are liked by those endowed with Rajo guna.”Food that creates temporary emotional excitement, violent tendencies, and disturb the balance of the mind are of the rajasika type.Gita has no reference to vegetarianism. There is no indication that ancient vedic culture was a vegetarian culture. The discussion of sattvik, rajasik and tamasik food goes beyond the concepts of vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Lord Krishna is addressing food in the context of the entire humanity.

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Class on Shrimad Bhagavad Gita on 13 August 2023 by Swami Sunishthananda. Bank Details for Donations: CBA A/C Name: Vedanta Centre BSB 06 3159 A/C: 1056 1620   Online class talk links: YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzjwJ9X5QOY6NnOtrL45KA/   Available Listening Platforms Anchor https://anchor.fm/swami-sunishthananda Breaker https://www.breaker.audio/vedanta-melbourne-classes Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yZGUyMTRlMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1526036863/vedanta-melbourne-classes Pocket Casts https://pca.st/q0859ok9 Radio Public https://radiopublic.com/vedanta-melbourne-classes-G1PBQ4 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4N1MLlU3dfRvPUdz7xqY9l   For more information visit https://www.vedantamelbourne.org/

Class on Shrimad BHagavad Gita on 6 August 2023 by Swami Sunishthananda. Bank Details for Donations: CBA A/C Name: Vedanta Centre BSB 06 3159 A/C: 1056 1620   Online class talk links: YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzjwJ9X5QOY6NnOtrL45KA/   Available Listening Platforms Anchor https://anchor.fm/swami-sunishthananda Breaker https://www.breaker.audio/vedanta-melbourne-classes Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yZGUyMTRlMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1526036863/vedanta-melbourne-classes Pocket Casts https://pca.st/q0859ok9 Radio Public https://radiopublic.com/vedanta-melbourne-classes-G1PBQ4 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4N1MLlU3dfRvPUdz7xqY9l   For more information visit https://www.vedantamelbourne.org/  

The importance of gratefulness We discussed the importance of thankfulness and gratefulness for everything that we consume on this planet.  Vedas prescribe a vegetarian diet for humans and this is important for spiritual progress.  However, even plants, vegetables, grains, fruits, etc contain life, and if we eat it for our own enjoyment, we get bound in the karmic reactions of destroying life because violence is caused unknowingly to living entities in the process of cooking.  In 3.13, Krishna uses the word Yajña-śhiṣhṭa, meaning whatever remains after the sacrifice. The concept of Yajña-śhiṣhṭa is strongly interconnected with the philosophy of karma, Ahimsa (non-violence ), and Vairagya (detachment from material enjoyments). The idea is that by offering food (and other things we consume) first to Bhagavan, we are not only expressing gratitude but also acknowledging our role as caretakers of our bodies. This is a very important concept, that we are not our bodies but just caretakers of our bodies, which has been gifted to us by Prakriti, to be used for spiritual evolution leading to God-Realization. Shree Krishna says that, if we eat food as remnants of yajña offered to God then our consciousness rises. We then acknowledge that this body also belongs to God and we are eating this food to nourish this body which we want to use for serving God. And we consume the consecrated food with thanks and gratefulness.  A point to be noted is that pure devotees and saints will never consume or accept anything which is not Yajna-shista. This applies not just to food but to everything that is consumed in some manner. For example, the clothes we wear, the house we live in, the car we drive, etc. should all be offered to God before we consume or enjoy them. Even in modern society, income for which we have not paid taxes is called ‘black money' and income for which we have paid taxes is called ‘white money'. So the money is the same, however the act of paying or not paying taxes makes it either black of white. Similarly, anything we consume without offering to God becomes impure. Let us always remember this and cultivate the habit of saying a quick thanks to God and mentally offering the food to God before we start eating. Once we offer to God, the food becomes ‘prasadam' which means ‘mercy of God'.  In many parts of India, in the Hindu families, as soon as the food is cooked, the lady of the house will offer a small part of it to the crows. In some families there is a tradition of feeding a small part of the food to the cows and in some families there is a tradition of giving a small part of the food to some beggar. All of these practices are in alignment with Krishna's message from verse 3.13. These days many modern families have forgotten this teaching and it would be good for us to help keep this tradition alive. And in 3.14, Krishna reiterates the importance of maintaining this tradition in order to sustain the cycle of nature. Rain is required for grains. Grains are required for humans. And when humans perform yajna (sacrifices), the Gods provide rain. And the cycle continues. If humans stop performing yajnas, it will disrupt the cycle and it will be very harmful for the sustenance of life on this planet.  "अन्नाद्भवन्ति भूतानि" (Annad Bhavanti Bhutani): This part of the verse implies that all beings come into existence from food. Food here is representative of nourishment or sustenance. The idea is that all life forms depend on some form of sustenance for their existence and growth.

The Gita Series - A triune pilgrimage - 074 - Ch 05 - Slokas 26 to 29 Having recognised Me as the enjoyer of all Yajna and Tapas, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds, and as the true friend of all beings, My devotee attains peace.

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In this video we ask Omkar anna on how to get over those dark days when we start questioning our sadhana and if at all there is any use doing it. Omkar anna Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omikamath/ Connect with me and an awesome community on Discord: https://discord.gg/quazmzdf87 Email: vaisakhsabu90@gmail.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaisu90/ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/innerengineering90/ Snapchat: @vaisu1990 Linkedin: vaisakh sabu Twitter: @vaisakhsabu90

Class on Shrimad Bhagavad Gita on 29 January 2023 by Swami Sunishthananda. Bank Details for Donations: CBA A/C Name: Vedanta Centre BSB 06 3159 A/C: 1056 1620 Online class talk links: YouTube Link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNzjwJ9X5QOY6NnOtrL45KA/ Available Listening Platforms Anchor https://anchor.fm/swami-sunishthananda Breaker https://www.breaker.audio/vedanta-melbourne-classes Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yZGUyMTRlMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Overcast https://overcast.fm/itunes1526036863/vedanta-melbourne-classes Pocket Casts https://pca.st/q0859ok9 Radio Public https://radiopublic.com/vedanta-melbourne-classes-G1PBQ4 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/4N1MLlU3dfRvPUdz7xqY9l For more information visit https://www.vedantamelbourne.org/

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This video elaborates on the concept and types of yajnas prescribed in ancient Indian literature, specially designed for student preparing for competitive exams. Students are advised to take notes and post their enquires in the comment box. Join Online Classes for UGC NET preparation. For enquires mail us at veenus.jain2607@gmail.com or message us on 8454931380. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/venus-jain3/message

Parashara grew up thinking, his grandfather Brahmarshi Vashishtha was his father. When he found out the truth and that his father and uncles were killed by a demon under the influence of rishi Vishwamitra, he decided to conduct a yajna to exterminate all the demons from the world.   Rakshasa from all over the world started burning in the fire of Parashara's yajna. When Pulastya rishi noticed this destruction he requested Vashishtha rishi to stop his grandson. Rishi Vashishtha told Parashara rishi to stop his yajna for it was not correct to blame all the Rakshasa for the death of his father.    Parashara rishi eventually calmed down and stopped the yajna. Pulastya rishi blessed the rishi with divine knowledge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Svoboda shares the Hindu mythological story of Daksha's Yajna – the sacrifice of Daksha – involving the leela (play) of Shiva, Sati, & more. "If you're trying too much to be too holy, you're going to get in trouble." – Dr. Robert SvobodaLearn more and sign up for Dr. Svoboda's illuminating online courses at DrSvoboda.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Pṛthā, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge. Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

Some [the unadulterated brahmacārīs] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses. Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind. Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.

A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.

Let's chant together: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

The Gita Series - A triune pilgrimage - 036 - Ch 03 - Slokas 10 to 12 The concept of 'Yajna' (the sacrificial ritual in Sanathana Dharma), its inner significance, and the art of leading life with an 'attitude of Yajna.'

The Gita Series - A triune pilgrimage - 034 - Ch 03 - Slokas 8 & 9 The only way to ensure Karma doesn't bind is to do it as a Yajna, a sacrifice.

In this episode, The Bearded Mystic Podcast discusses the 4th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, specifically verses 30 - 33.  Sri Krishna instructs us to dedicate everything to Brahman, as a sacred offering as this will keep the mind focussed on worship and this naturally creates selfless acts, and no reactions from karma will have its effect upon you. Sri Krishna explains to only consume that which you have offered to the devas, thinking of Brahman. Without this, material success at the very least is not even achieved. Yajna is essential. Sri Krishna explains everything is Brahman and is offered to It. To get freedom is to understand yajna and then practice it. For everything is the Lord's, to the Lord it returns. Sri Krishna guides Arjuna that this Gyana of Brahman is worth far more than anything material. Giving yourself to the Divine is the most important and supreme offering.Translation used: The Bhagavad Gita Comes Alive: A Radical Translation by Jeffrey Armstrong Available here on AmazonI hope you enjoyed listening to the 35th episode of the Thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita and if you are interested in listening to more episodes like this on further chapters and verses, or on Non-Duality, or you want to learn more about the wisdom of the Mystics please follow/subscribe to this Podcast.Support The Bearded Mystic Podcast and get extra contenthttps://www.patreon.com/thebeardedmysticpodcastListen to this episode ad-free on Apple Subscriptions and Patreon.Please rate and write a review for this Podcast on https://www.thebeardedmysticpodcast.com/reviews/new/ it will be greatly appreciated.New episodes will be available every Sunday.If you would like to attend a free weekly meditation with me, join my Whatsapp group:https://chat.whatsapp.com/DcdnuDMeRnW53E0seVp28bSubscribe to the free monthly The Bearded Mystic Newsletter: http://thebeardedmysticpodcast.substack.comYou can find links to Live Streams, Podcast, Videos etc: https://linktr.ee/thebeardedmysticpodcastYou can follow me and contact me on social media:Website: https://www.thebeardedmysticpodcast.com/TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdk3HPJh/Discord: https://discord.gg/4DbureZw8yInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeardedmysticpodcast/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBeardedMysticPodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bearded_mysticFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Bearded-Mystic-PodcastHolistic Life NavigationThis podcast explores how to heal stress & trauma holistically. I am your host, Luis...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Daily routine, “dinacharyā”, is one of the pillars of health in Ayurvedic medicine.Integrating certain practices into your daily routine that are rooted in natural law supports one to smoothly flow on their path of evolution with minimal friction and maximum health.This podcast features world renowned Ayurvedic doctor, Vaidya Ādityā Raju, who generously shares wisdom on the Ayurvedic daily routine in such an elaborate way like you have probably never heard before.This episode was auspiciously recorded on the eve of the fullest moon of the year, known as "Guru Pūrṇimā.”Thus, we explore the role of Guru - which literally translates to “that which removes darkness”, and the multitude of qualities of “Guru consciousness."IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:

When Mayavi got to know about his younger brother's death at the hands of Vali, he decided to attack Vali to avenge his brother's death. When Mayavi realised Vali's strength, he ran away and hid inside a cave. Vali went after him, instructing his younger brother Sugreev to wait for him outside. After many days when Sugreev saw a stream of blood coming out from the cave, he assumed that Mayavi had somehow managed to kill Vali. He closed the opening of the cave with a giant rock and became king of Kishkindha. When a victorious Vali came out of the cave and found out that Sugreev had become king of Kishkindha, he got really angry and ran towards Sugreev with the intent to kill him. Sugreev ran for his life and started living in Rishyamook mountain, when Vali could not set foot because of the curse from Matang rishi. During the duel with Dundubhi, when Vali was throwing Dundubhi around his blood drops fell on Matang rishi performing Yajna in Rishyamook mountain. When he saw the blood and, in his anger, he cursed that whoever has caused this, his head will explode, if he comes near this mountain. That is why Sugreev was safe from Vali living in that mountain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Höre Erläuterungen zum Thema "Tapas Dana Yajna versus Tapas Svadhyaya Ishvarapranidhana" als Inspiration des Tages. Dies ist ein kurzer Vortrag von Sukadev Bretz, Gründer von Yoga Vidya, eine Audio Aufnahme einer Morgenansprache bei Yoga Vidya Bad Meinberg, gehalten im Yoga Vidya Ashram Bad Meinberg während der Corona-Pandemie. Infos über Yoga, Meditation und Ayurveda auf www.yoga-vidya.de

There are forty Samskaras to be performed by a Hindu. Death is an important Samskara, I will provide some guidelines with Links. However, the suggestions of the Purohit is to be taken for consideration as some customs vary for each Caste and even in a Caste for a particular Family/Group. General. Those who become Untouchable during the period of Mourning-Theetu The following link is very useful. http://stotraratna.awardspace.com/sruthi/Samkshepa%20dharma%20sastram/vd4.pdf Check list. 1.Inform Family priest, Sastrigal. 2.Keep the body lying head facing South. 3.Light an Oil lamp near the  Head;apply Vibhuti(basmam, not as a paste) 3.Light some Agarbathis to ward off smell. 4.As one is not to cook at Home till the body is taken out,inform relatives for arrangement of food for the day. 5.Inform people who are to be informed. 6.At best the body can be kept for about 10 hours;under special circumstances, it may be kept for 24 hours in an air-conditioned casket. 7.Those who go to the burning ghat must go the next day for the collection of Ashes. 8.Ensure that a Doctor visits and give you a certificate. 9.In the case of Death in a hospital, make sure that the necessary formalities are complied with and a certificate is obtained. 10.Inform the Crematorium about the expected time of the arrival of the body after consulting the Sastrigal. 11.At the Crematorium show the certificate and get a receipt. Some times it will be issued the next day. 12.Get the Death registered . Clarifications on some aspects. 1,One can perform the ceremonies for the first twelve days at specified places, However it is correct to perform all the Rites at Home and it will bring prosperity. 2.The rites for the first ten days may be done from the seventh day , performing the cumulative rites for six days. 3.There is still a custom in the Hindu communities. especially among Brahmins for a  Widow. That of removing the Mangal Sutra or Thaali and breaking of Bangles in Public. This does not have the sanction of the Sastras. The wearing of Thaali is a later custom developed and it does not find a place in Vedic Marriage, The removal of Mangal Sutra may be done some one who is widowed already(preferably elder to the one in question) quietly on the morning of the Eleventh Day,;have the bangles removed and have the Mangal Sutra removed and dropped in a vessel containing  milk. One can perform all functions in the Family including Marriage after the Thirteenth Day, Subasweekara,Gruha  Yajnam, except in the case of Spouse. Wife and children. The Gruha Yajna means you are  permitted to do Yajna. Subasweekaara means you invite Auspiciousness. More at https://ramanisblog-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/ramanisblog.in/2013/08/18/mourning-death-theetu-rituals-hinduism-details/amp/?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16455961322879&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Framanisblog.in%2F2013%2F08%2F18%2Fmourning-death-theetu-rituals-hinduism-details%2F --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

9th chapter: verses 16, 17, 1816th verse: “I am kratu and yajna (vedic rituals), I am svadha (word symbol uttered in yajna), I am aushadham (medicinal herb offered in yajna), I am the mantra (vedic hymns uttered in yajna), I am ajyam (clarified butter offered in yajna), I am agni (sacrificial fire of yajna), I am hutam (oblation).”“I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Yajna, as a vedic ritual, involves offering auspicious things in the fire as an act of renunciation, for the good of the world and to propitiate the devatas (gods). Pancha maha yajnas are sacraments that householders perform to show generosity to others, including human beings, animals and ecosystem. Yajna in Gita also refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God. Lord Krishna is saying that all the vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality.Svadha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to ancestors. Svaha is a sacred word symbol uttered when making offerings to a deity. Mantras are vedic hymns that are uttered with a sense of sanctity and sacredness. Lord Krishna is saying: “I am these word symbols and mantras. By uttering them with sanctity and sacredness, you are honoring Me, and invoking My presence within you.”When we utter sacred mantras, we feel inner purity and fulfillment because we manifest the divine spirit that is already within us. We feel, “I have done what I ought to have done”.Agni is honored with the mantra – “Agneya Idam Na mama”. It means everything belongs to the God of fire – it is not mine. It is an expression of detachment from the momentariness of the empirical. One should live in the world but remember that everything belongs to a higher power. Agni consumes everything. Lord Krishna is saying that the sacrificial fire is also a symbol of the all-pervading divine reality.Vedic rituals emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Ritm is the central principle of inherent harmony that exists in nature, at a cosmic level and at an inner level. When we practice the spiritual principle of the unity of existence, and direct our actions without disturbing Ritm, we achieve inner tranquility.17th verse: “I am the father of this world, the mother, the upholder, the origin, and the purifier. I am the one thing to be known. I am omkara and I am the vedas.”18th verse: “I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the storehouse and the seed immutable.”The divine reality, that is present everywhere, acts as the protecting, nourishing, upholding principle. It is this divine reality that is to be realized. It can be realized by any of the four yogas: bhakti yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga and raja yoga.Omkara, as a sound symbol, represents the totality and oneness of existence, and the essence of the vedas. The highest truth can only be experienced – Omkara and scriptures do not explain this highest truth. Scriptures only help us turn our mind away from the external world and direct it to the right pursuit.

-9th chapter: verses 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. 4th chapter: verse 24-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on October 1, 2021.-Lord Krishna discusses two types of temperaments in verses 12 and 13. Those who are endowed with daivi-sampat and those endowed with asuri-sampat. As we evolve, we become more endowed with daivi-sampat, and our concept of God evolves.-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons, who are like angels. Daiva means the effulgent one.-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”-There are three categories of devotees endowed with daivi-sampat – superior, medium and lower. The superior devotee has reached the highest level and sees God in everything and everything in God. This is not a concept, but a fact that the devotee experiences. The medium and lower category devotees are described in the 14th verse:-14th verse: “They have not reached the highest level. They worship Me by engaging in different types of spiritual practices such as reading books, striving with austere vows and singing devotional songs.”-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”-16th verse of 9th chapter reads very similar to 24th verse of 4th chapter. The subject of verse 24 is how to spiritualize our entire life - how every secular activity, every word, deed, thought, emotion can be spiritualized – how we can stop seeing the distinction between the secular and spiritual.-Every thought becomes a meditation, every word becomes a mantra, every action becomes an act of worship, every travel becomes a pilgrimage, every movement becomes a circumambulation around the deity, and the whole life becomes an offering to God.-Verse 24 is uttered with a deep sense of reverence before people eat food. It emphasizes that everything is spiritually one. This truth can be realized by associating all actions with the Divine.-With the imagery of a Vedic ritual (Yajna), this verse says: “the process of offering, what we offer, the one who offers, into what it is offered, the act of performing the ritual, the goal to be reached – everything is Brahman.” Our purpose, our actions, the tools that we use, the mantras that we chant, the Agni (fire) – all are expressions of the same supreme reality. This is natural for the person with highest realization – to him, every act is equally spiritual; there is no distinction between the secular and spiritual.-In 16th verse, Lord Krishna says, “I am kratu”. “I” am yajna. “I” here refers to the all-pervading divine reality. In Vedic literature, there is an evolution of Hindu godhead from Pantheism (God is equated with external world) to Panentheism (God is the spirit within the external world) to Polytheism (God is the divine power regulating nature) to monotheism (there is only one God) to monism (non-duality).-Kratu refers to sapta-soma-yajna, where soma juice is offered in the sacrificial fire. Vedic mantras uttered during the yajna emphasize harmony and balance of nature. Let the earth, clouds, skies, plants, trees and the entire cosmos remain pure, undisturbed, and in perpetual peace and harmony.-By equating “I” to many Vedic rituals, Lord Krishna is saying that all the Vedic rituals are non-distinct from the all-pervading divine reality. Every act is an expression of the divine.

Ep.042-सरल भगवद गीता अध्याय 4 (दिव्य ज्ञान) - श्लोक 3, 7, 8 Bhagavad Gita Simplified Chapter 4 (The Yoga of Renunciation of Action through Knowledge) Verses 3, 7, 8 || 17/09/2021. Shri Krishna teaches doubtful Arjuna the Yoga of renunciation to actions by means of knowledge. Krishna teaches that “Know you life itself as a sacred Yajna or sacrifice your activities in life which bring about social upliftment and harmony in society. Devotion to God can be practiced in any of the five sequentially higher bhāvas, or sentiments: 1) Śhānt bhāv: adoring God as our King. 2) Dāsya bhav: the sentiment of servitude toward God as our Master. 3) Sakhya bhāv: considering God as our Friend. 4) Vātsalya bhāv: considering God as our Child. 5) Mādhurya bhāv: worshipping God as our Soul-beloved. Arjun worshipped God as his Friend, and so Krishna speaks to him as his friend and devotee. - Send us in a Voice Message- https://anchor.fm/spirituallearningpodcast/message

-9th chapter: verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15-The lecture was given by Swami Tattwamayananda on September 24, 2021.-11th verse: “People who are not aware of my higher nature, they consider me as a human being. They do not recognize Me in my spiritual dimension as the divine principle in everything.”-Our concept of God depends on our own spiritual evolution. Hinduism doesn't consider anyone's view of God as wrong. Among seven billion people of the world, each person's idea of the highest reality represents that person's spiritual evolution. At the highest level, God is one divine reality present everywhere and in everything.-Lord Krishna says in the Gita: “Everyone follows his or her own path. Whether they are aware of it or not, every person is approaching Me.”-12th verse: “Certain people, who do unnecessary, useless things out of vain knowledge, ignorance, haughtiness – they are possessed of the quality of evil-doers (asuri-sampat).-13th verse: “The great souled ones, they are possessed of the divine nature (daivi-sampat). They know Me as the origin and as immutable. They worship Me with a dedicated mind.”-Our temperaments are determined by a combination of the three gunas – sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna. Sattva guna is the highest and most sublime. It manifests itself as wisdom and serenity. Rajo guna manifests itself as dynamism and ambition. Tamo guna manifests itself as laziness and delusion.-None of the gunas can exist alone in anyone. Every human temperament is a combination of these gunas. For example, a person cannot have just sattva-guna. To practice, sattva-guna, he needs intelligence, strength and the ability to see through the game played by others.-Asuri-sampat is natural to asuras. They have a combination of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, with tamo-guna being the dominant. They have no sattva-guna. Their actions are guided by evil motives.-Daivi-sampat is natural to noble-hearted persons. They have a combination of sattva-guna and rajo-guna, with sattva-guna being the dominant. They have no tamo-guna. Their actions are guided by noble motives. They are active but self-restrained.-Verses 1, 2 and 3 of 16th chapter provide the characteristics of people endowed with divine wealth (daivi-sampat). Examples of such characteristics are fearlessness, purity, interest in scriptures, practice of non-violence, boldness and fortitude. Those who possess these virtues have entered the path of manifesting their inner divinity. -Fortitude and boldness are mentioned in the qualities of a sattvic person. They help to protect the good qualities from being hijacked by others. Goodness, to be good, should be combined with spiritual strength. This strength is necessary in spiritual practice to help us raise ourselves and to face obstacles from the external world and from our own mind.-Lord Krishna introduces daivi-sampat and asuri-sampat in the 9th chapter to help us understand the true meaning of spirituality. Sattvic qualities have to be combined with spiritual strength, to practice and defend the high values. Characters in Mahabharata, such as Yudhishthira and Bhishma, show that only sattvic qualities do not make one perfect – it needs to be combined with spiritual strength. In Mahabharata, only Lord Krishna had the sattvic qualities and the strength to implement them.-14th verse: “These great souled persons – they uphold these values and worship Me. They live in this world, do their duties, but are not deluded by the phenomenal world, which is impermanent.”-15th verse: “These people of divine qualities, they practice jnana-yajna. Some of them devote their life to the realization and practice of the Advaitic spiritual truth – the unity and oneness of existence. Others practice dualistic philosophy, ritualistically worshipping God as a divine, compassionate being. Both are following the same spiritual path.”-Yajna in Gita refers to any noble activity done with a sense of sanctity and sacredness, for the good of others, without selfish motives, and as an offering to God.-One may begin spiritual life at a temple with rituals. As he evolves, his idea of God evolves. At the highest level, he sees God everywhere and in everything.-Shankaracharya gives a way to determine whether one has reached the highest level of seeing the divine present everywhere and in everything. Such a person starts practicing sama (calmness) and dama (self-control).-We can develop dispassion when we understand the limitations of the phenomenal world. Health, wealth, friendships – all are of a fleeting nature. Once we understand it, the natural result is that we look for something higher.-In dualism, God is seen and distinct and different from creation. In non-dualism, the creator is seen as present in creation. Non-dualism is a matter of one's experience – it is not philosophy. At the mystical level, monotheism becomes non-dual.

How may I serve others so that they may have what I desire? The answer to this seemingly contradictory question holds the key to authentic inner peace. Many callers to my radio show are struggling with fears, worries, and concerns that stem, as they see it, from unfulfilled desires. I usually suggest that they try wanting something more for others than they want it for themselves. The love required to do this turns their focus away from the constant turmoil of the ego and instead opens real possibilities for living their highest and most joyful purpose. Supportiveness, or service to others, is one of the four cardinal virtues described by Lao-tzu. When you extend yourself in a spirit of giving, helping, or loving, you act as God acts. Imagine shifting your attention off of yourself and asking the universal mind: How may I serve? When you do so, the message you are sending is: I'm not thinking about myself and what I can or can't have. Your attention is on making someone else feel better. Anytime you're supportive of others, you automatically remove ego from the picture. And with no ego, you go from edging God out to being more like God. Practice giving and serving without expectation of reward (or even a thank-you)—let your reward be spiritual fulfillment. This is what Kahlil Gibran meant when he wrote in The Prophet: “There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” The greatest joy comes from giving and serving. That's much better than the discomfort and distress of focusing exclusively on yourself and what's in it for you. When you make the shift to supporting others in your life, without expecting anything in return, you'll think less about what you want and find comfort and joy in the act of giving and serving. This giving, loving, serving person is the real you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alternate Universe Reality Activation  get full access to new meditations, new lectures, recordings from the reality con and the 90 day AURA meditation schedulehttps://realityrevolutionlive.com/aura45338118 Listen my book on audible https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Reality-Revolution-Audiobook/B087LV1R5V BUY MY BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Revolution-Mind-Blowing-Movement-Hack/dp/154450618X/ Music By Mettaverseinner worldssolsticeinto the omniversenocturnejourney through the multiverse ➤ Listen on Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/2KjGlLI➤ Follow them on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2JW8BU2➤ Join them on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2G1j7G➤ Subscribe to their channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyvjffON2NoUvX5q_TgvVkw All My Manly P Hall Videos in One Playlist - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo9XRvgyMncsaHQV3sNtdul2 All My Neville Goddard Videos In One Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo8kBZsJpp3xvkRwhbXuhg0M Sleep Meditations - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_5Sv8NSXuDWudAVmoDns6Z Guided Meditations https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_BfNnb5vLcwouInskcEhqL All my videos about Dr. Joseph Murphy - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKv1KCSKwOo_OtBhXg2s85UuZBT-OihF_ For all episodes of the Reality Revolution – https://www.therealityrevolution.com Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Reality-Revolution-Podcast-Hosted-By-Brian-Scott-102555575116999 Join our facebook group The Reality Revolution https://www.facebook.com/groups/523814491927119 Subscribe to my Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOgXHr5S3oF0qetPfqxJfSw Contact us at media@advancedsuccessinsitute.com#service #lawofone #totalhumanoptimization

This story tells about Veerbhadra Avatar of Lord Shiva and about Daksha's Yajna

Join Telegram group to stay connected: https://t.me/rasajnadas Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusana, a great commentator on the Bhagavad-gita, writes as follows: ye indrady-anga-tayavasthitam yajnam sarvesvaram visnum abhyarccya tacchesam asnanti tena taddeha-yantram sampadayanti te santah sarvesvarasya bhaktah sarva-kilvisair anadi-kala-vivrddhair atmanubhava- pratibandhakair nikhilaih papair vimucyante. The Supreme Lord, who is known as the yajna-purusah, or the personal beneficiary of all sacrifices, is the master of all demigods who serve Him as the different limbs of the body serve the whole. Demigods like Indra, Candra, Varuna, etc., are appointed officers who manage material affairs, and the Vedas direct sacrifices to satisfy these demigods so that they may be pleased to supply air, light and water sufficiently to produce food grains. When Lord Krsna is worshiped, the demigods, who are different limbs of the Lord, are also automatically worshiped; therefore there is no separate need to worship the demigods. For this reason, the devotees of the Lord, who are in Krsna consciousness, offer food to Krsna and then eat—a process which nourishes the body spiritually. By such action not only are past sinful reactions in the body vanquished, but the body becomes immunized to all contamination of material nature. When there is an epidemic disease, an antiseptic vaccine protects a person from the attack of such an epidemic. Similarly, food offered to Lord Visnu and then taken by us makes us sufficiently resistant to material affection, and one who is accustomed to this practice is called a devotee of the Lord. Therefore, a person in Krsna consciousness, who eats only food offered to Krsna, can counteract all reactions of past material infections, which are impediments to the progress of self-realization. On the other hand, one who does not do so continues to increase the volume of sinful action, and this prepares the next body to resemble hogs and dogs, to suffer the resultant reactions of all sins. The material world is full of contaminations, and one who is immunized by accepting prasadam of the Lord (food offered to Visnu) is saved from the attack, whereas one who does not do so becomes subjected to contamination. Food grains or vegetables are factually eatables. The human being eats different kinds of food grains, vegetables, fruits, etc., and the animals eat the refuse of the food grains and vegetables, grass, plants, etc. Human beings who are accustomed to eating meat and flesh must also depend on the production of vegetation in order to eat the animals. Therefore, ultimately, we have to depend on the production of the field and not on the production of big factories. The field production is due to sufficient rain from the sky, and such rains are controlled by demigods like Indra, sun, moon, etc., and they are all servants of the Lord. The Lord can be satisfied by sacrifices; therefore, one who cannot perform them will find himself in scarcity—that is the law of nature. Yajna, specifically the sankirtana-yajna prescribed for this age, must therefore be performed to save us at least from scarcity of food supply.

Join 'Secrets of Success' group on Telegram: https://t.me/rasajnadas There are many pseudo-meditators who misrepresent themselves as belonging to high parentage, and great professional men who falsely pose that they have sacrificed everything for the sake of advancement in spiritual life. Lord Krsna did not want Arjuna to become a pretender, but that he perform his prescribed duties as set forth for ksatriyas . Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder ksatriya . Such activities gradually cleanse the heart of a mundane man and free him from material contamination. So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture. After all, one has to maintain one's body and soul together by some work. Work should not be given up capriciously, without purification of materialistic propensities. Anyone who is in the material world is certainly possessed of the impure propensity for lording it over material nature, or, in other words, for sense gratification. Such polluted propensities have to be cleared. Without doing so, through prescribed duties, one should never attempt to become a so-called transcendentalist, renouncing work and living at the cost of others. Since one has to work even for the simple maintenance of the body, the prescribed duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that that purpose can be fulfilled. Yajna means Lord Visnu, or sacrificial performances. All sacrificial performances also are meant for the satisfaction of Lord Visnu. The Vedas enjoin: yajno vai visnuh. In other words, the same purpose is served whether one performs prescribed yajnas or directly serves Lord Visnu. Krsna consciousness is therefore performance of yajna as it is prescribed in this verse. The varnasrama institution also aims at this for satisfying Lord Visnu. "Varnasramacara-vata purusena parah puman/visnur aradhyate..." (Visnu Purana 3.8.8) Therefore one has to work for the satisfaction of Visnu. Any other work done in this material world will be a cause of bondage, for both good and evil work have their reactions, and any reaction binds the performer. Therefore, one has to work in Krsna consciousness to satisfy Krsna (or Visnu); and while performing such activities one is in a liberated stage. This is the great art of doing work, and in the beginning this process requires very expert guidance. One should therefore act very diligently, under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Krsna, or under the direct instruction of Lord Krsna Himself (under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work). Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Krsna. This practice will not only save one from the reaction of work, but will also gradually elevate one to transcendental loving service of the Lord, which alone can raise one to the kingdom of God.