The Yoga Institute Mumbai: Bhagwad Gita

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Bhagwad Gita Slokas 2.64 & 2.65 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sloka 64 & 65

But the self-controoled man, moving among objects, with his sense under restraint and free from both attraction and repulsion, attains peace.

In that peace all pains are destroyed; for the intellect of the tranquil-minded soon becomes steady.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"Maintaining a stable state of mind is an important thing in ancient literature. Same thing is in the Gita, Upanishads and in Yoga also. We don’t follow this and indulge in all kinds of feelings and cause disturbances. In that disturbed condition, real thinking doesn’t happen and that leads to problems. Getting angry, getting confused – these are dangerous things, but we don’t see any harm in them.

If one is sincerely interested in leading a better life then anger will be an important point. We don’t get free from anger because we have lot of intelligence; we believe certain things to be right and react. This is a simple statement, but very hard to believe or follow. Just reading will not help; we have to integrate it into our mind and have full faith in it – it may take a number of years.

There are a few people who have this attitude from childhood and in the end they can do things peacefully and with understanding. These things are rare and to find such persons is also difficult. We get angry on petty things and feel sad. If we want to overcome all this then right from the beginning, we should observe the small small things, face them and not react.

We have a lot of reasons not to follow all this - "If I don’t get angry, people will exploit me." To have control on the mind, and to keep the mind at peace in any circumstance is not our goal. We have to make small beginnings. If anything happens at home, don’t react immediately. Observe, understand and peacefully express. We have to train ourselves. When we burst out a lot and people tell us about it, then we start thinking. This habit doesn’t stop, because we don’t consider it to be wrong. We listen, but we don’t decide not to get angry and in small small things. We have to maintain our peace of mind. No sooner we go out of Institute, something will happen and we will get angry and this will continue. It’s not for a little while, it continues for the whole day. Unless we decide that we have to stop these habits and cultivate the positive habits, there will not be a change."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"We have all the reasons to get attached to someone, to hate someone. The more we are with someone, we get attached. It is a natural phenomenon, but we are supposed to have full control. How to control the senses? Awareness that these things are harmful and not required. When you have a dog in the house, you have to have full control on him. Same with our emotions. Express your love, show your disagreement and gradually a stage should come when nothing disturbs you. Whenever we are suffering we should know we are suffering because of attachment, because of hatred and don’t blame others for our suffering. We have to work on ourself."

About Parisamvad

On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad sessions - Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am.

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

All are welcome to attend.

Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.

(Picture credit http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).

Bhagwad Gita Slokas 2.62 & 2.63

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Slokas 62 & 63

While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"These human weakness are discussed. We look at things, we just can’t help it. We can’t stop. We create feelings, we remember them, wish for them, want to have them. These things happen in life. When we have them, in the beginning we are attached, we hold on to them. Later on, some kind of disgust also occurs. Anger and all kinds of actions and it goes on. These are no doubt very ordinary statements but they apply to us. We just can’t help it. We can’t look at a thing in a very neutral way and respond correctly. If there is something good, we show our happiness, if it's something bad, we turn away from that. This is not the way we should function. We immediately form opinions, express opinions; we want to form a group of people having similar opinions. It goes on snowballing.

A Yogi can look at things without showing any feeling. In case there is something good, he may show a happy feeling but not go further and further. If there is something bad, he doesn’t look at it again, he turns away. This kind of a self control we don’t have and reactions come and reactions don’t stop. One reaction brings another and this is our life. We can’t sit happily, quietly. We have some feelings for others and that is troubling us all the time. So that peace of mind doesn’t come.

In yoga we are interested in getting into that peaceful state, where understanding can happen. Unfortunately we can’t create that peace. Disturbances get in and sometimes we don’t like that peace also. We want action, occasionally happy, occasionally unhappy. Sometimes terribly unhappy. That will continue. All this sounds pessimistic? All this is logical but it is a fact that we don’t follow. Are we afraid of becoming too sincere? Can it be dangerous? If we put efforts under such fear then on the last day of our life, our condition will be the same. What we call real hard work, real decision making that should happen immediately and we should implement also immediately. Eg. of Mr. Sharad Chauhan. He has been coming for 30 years and doesn’t miss a single day. He keeps coming, keeps learning and there is tremendous change in him. One needs this sort of sincerity. Just to sign the muster, such things will not help. We say, but we are not firm and life just passes away. In no area we are determined, firm. We say and start doing it – this does not happen. We just say for the sake of saying, we make a show; we don’t do any internal homework. We say we will do it, there’s plenty of time and one day we just have to say Good Bye to life.

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"If we don’t control our sensory organs, if we are terribly interested in the world, we start getting attached, we expect something from the world, we start taking joy and sorrow from the world, then we are stuck with the world. Then we have desires and when desires are not fulfilled then we get angry. Whatever you do in life, don’t get stuck with any situation. See, understand, and leave it. Situations will occur. After all, we are in the world. We have to deal with it. Right from the body, everything is matter. We don’t take pain and suffering because of it. We should not expect anything, we don’t desire anything. The expectations that I should always remain happy, always remain healthy, is wrong. People come to me and say that I want to die happily. I don’t want to suffer, be hospitalized and die. Now who has control over what? Why think about it? Why desire for it? Just live properly. One needs to have proper understanding of the world and not have expectations. Expectations lead to anger, frustration, negativity. We have to work on our self. It is very easy to get entangled in situations."

Q : To reach God, does one have to leave ‘Bhajiya’ (a fried food item)?

A : Don’t leave it. If it is the time to eat, eat. Don’t overeat. Always keep the duty idea as the uppermost .

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

All are welcome to attend.

Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.

(Sloka and its English translation taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).

Bhagwad Gita Slokas 2.60 & 2.61 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sloka 60 & 61

The turbulent senses, O son of Kunti, do violently carry away the mind of a wise man though he be striving to control them.

Having restrained them all, he should sit steadfast, intent on Me; his wisdom is steady whose senses are under control.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"The attempt in the Gita is to control the mind and set it on God. The mind gets distracted, mainly the senses. To control the mind, one has to set it on something higher. Ultimately according to these Slokas, it is the Prana that is the disturbing factor. We see it also in our life, the mind is continuously distracted, even though we are thinking about God, praying.

That is where this concept of Prana comes – just very ordinary things, like watching the breath makes the mind quieter. If one can hold on that mind for a very long time, the mind becomes absolutely quiet. In that condition, thinking of God is possible. These are steps that have to be followed. Just merely saying I pray to God or remember him is not enough. The deeper machinery has to be understood. Beginning with the senses, then coming to the mind, then going further to a concept like God and ultimately, that discriminative wisdom – all these are necessary.

Our efforts are very incomplete. Just wanting the mind to be stable would not be enough. We have to control the senses, the mind. These are the central things. Then we come to the concept of God, faith, remembrance and ultimately a decision, understanding, Pragna – that is to be continuously strengthened. If I have arrived at this kind of clarity that ultimately it is God, who is responsible for everything, if I am able to hold on to the God concept, the mind will get controlled. If we work at it that way then there are chances of success.

Just picking up one idea is not enough. Understanding is the central thing. When the mind is clear then it is easy. Generally the mind is not clear. This is true in all our activities in life. We do many things but all half-heartedly and don’t succeed much. We just carry on. Creating that sort of a determination is the beginning of any good work. We have allowed the mind to remain free and the nature is to run from one thing to another. Even when we are thinking about God, God is not totally into our mind. This state of discrimination, Pragna is necessary and that we can gain through reading, thinking, discussing, sharing. All that builds up this discrimination. But we are investing all our energies after money, sex, pleasure, property, position in life etc. etc. That is 99% in control. So the question of keeping the mind steady on God or on discriminative understanding is not there. We may use these words but internally we are not ready. So efforts are made and we fail and this goes on all our life. We are talking about gaining spiritual understanding, gaining the highest, how can that happen? That’s the problem."

Q : Does intense belief of God come to some special persons who are born that way?

A : If you have been thinking about God right from the start, most of your time then it can come. If you are in love with some person, its not just once, it has to be constant, all the time. Then it becomes a real friendship and love.

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"One point is strongly emphasized in the Gita and that is control over your senses. It says that the wisest people also lose their control. We say, "I don’t get angry," "I don’t get upset", "I don’t worry". We very comfortably talk like that. We have to be continuously vigilant of our own mind. If we are getting irritated, immediately stop. Once it overpowers you then you can’t do anything. Just control doesn’t mean anything. The next Sloka says control, meditate, divert towards God. Otherwise just control has no meaning. Just control will create more agitation and anger. Mirabai didn’t have to control; she didn’t react to the people who spoke against her, or Tukaram or any other sages. Their minds were totally focused on God. When that occurs, control on the senses takes place naturally."

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

All are welcome to attend.

Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.

(Shloka taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).

Bhagwad Gita Sloka 2.59 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sloka 59

The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man leaving the longing (behind); but his longing also turns away on seeing the Supreme..

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"The Slokas talk about a person whom we call as 'passed', one who has succeeded. The other efforts are there, one might repeat the name of God or pray, visit temples and what not. When the mind is clear, one doesn’t get attracted to anything except God. When that happens it is the final stage. There are stories of old Indian saints – blind at birth, thrown out of the house. As a child wandering about on the streets for food – such a pathetic state. He is told by a good person to sit in the temple and repeat the name of God all the time and everything will come. He sincerely follows – all the time, eyes closed – he had no eyes – repeated the name and became India’s great saint. No other thought except one.

What is intended is concentration, steadiness of mind. When the mind is clear – we give the example of the pond where the water is dirty and you can’t see the bottom. Allow the water to settle and you see clearly the bottom. So the effort is just this – bring the mind to a steady state. We can’t do that. We have so many urgent things to attend to, so many inner compulsions – e.g. food. We are restless and then we want to think of God. Just for a few seconds. Nothing happens. We remain the same all the time.

This is a good Sloka for those who are interested in a serious study. We had a person working at the reception, a very disturbed person. All that he was told was to take a piece of paper and write the name of whatever he considered the highest, God, etc. He followed the instruction. After about 30 years we saw him a few days ago, and he is a changed man. He does other work also but has just that one thought all the time. This can happen. We have a short life and the days are just passing. In between, so many problems come. Sometimes we don’t have time at all. By the time we wake up we are already on the departure lounge. So we keep regretting at that stage and that is too late. We are all wise people so we should direct our wisdom in this direction also and not like children just enjoy when they are playing games, forgetting their studies and future."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"As long as our sensory organs are taking us out and making us to enjoy things and creating impressions, as long as we have interest in the external world, control of the senses is not possible. You may control but sensations will still remain. When my mother-in-law was young and staying in Bangalore, the Maharaja arranged a feast and invited the entire family. There was a sweet in the feast, called mohan thaal. That taste which she enjoyed that day has remained in her system. Every Diwali when we make mohan thaal in the house, she would say that particular mohan thaal was really very good. I tried to make mohan thaal so that it surpassed that taste but I was not successful. The impression remains and the person cherishes that impressions and enjoys it. Because of that impression, you don’t even live in the present. Everything is fine in the world – unless we come to that level – this also is wonderful – but we stick to the earlier impressions.

One should have Vairagya, at the same time one should be able to enjoy whatever one does. We haven’t to get caught in strong impressions – don’t go overboard. We have to learn to handle emotions. Don’t have too much interest and don’t have no interest. It’s a thin line."

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

All are welcome to attend.

Click Here to learn more about The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, Mumbai.

(Shloka and its English translation taken from http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_bhagavad_gita).

Bhagwad Gita Sloka 2.58 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sloka 58

One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"What the Gita is saying is something simple – keep your mind on something for long. Unfortunately, we have not trained the mind like that. The mind wants to find out new things around, trying to act on them and is never able to stay on one object continuously for a long time. The same thing happens in spiritual development. The attention should be on a spiritual goal – mind stable, concentrated on spiritual life. We just can’t stay there. It is not interesting, we do not want to waste time, we have many other important things to do. We have lots of arguments. One keeps on jumping from one thing to another all the time. In the process, spiritual life and spiritual understanding is very very poor for us. We use the words but we don’t know the contents.

The example of tortoise is given. It withdraws its limbs in the shell and remains there for long. It catches the vibrations of any inimical object around and doesn’t allow the head or legs to come out. For a very long time tortoise can stay that way. In the case of humans it is not so. The founder Shri Yogendraji used to tell us how he together with one of the famous philosopher of India, Mr. S.N. Dasgupta, were climbing the stairs of the library in Calcutta. They were having some deep conversation. The great philosopher looks around and sees a young girl walking and he forgets the conversation and is looking at the young girl all the time. If that is the story of the great philosopher; with ordinary people it is worse. We can’t keep stable on any object and not at all on a spiritual object. This is what this Sloka tells us, how we are and what we have to do. Unfortunately we do not see this as our target. How much more money I can make, that is uppermost. How much better I can look, is high in priority. How much I can control the senses, just doesn’t occur. We take it as natural, normal and in fact we enjoy this way. We have never made these things important. Our whole life is going that way.

Occasionally some people like Mr. Buch (a Sadhaka present in the Parisamvad) may set something and work but most of us don’t. For us, the other things are important. These things appear very petty. Actually these petty things have to be taken up. If during the day I did not speak something harsh or loud and I keep watching that – that will be a great achievement. But we take it as very ordinary. We are thinking of conquering Mount Everest and these little things are left. Learning yoga and such systems, we should not think of Samadhi and all these high things. We should think of the low things. In Ahimsa there are 81 varieties – did I allow someone to cause Himsa – was it verbally allowed – mentally allowed –did I make a show? Each of this can be taken care of. Putting efforts at very low level could be the answer, instead of aiming at something high."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"To gain steadiness, all the senses have to be controlled. The sensory organs create sensations. They are with the sensory objects where you are interested. Then the interest starts, there are likes. If you don’t get what you like, then you get angry, perturbed. So all that starts. The solution is all the sensory organs have to be withdrawn. The example is given of the tortoise. A little danger and it withdraws all the limbs inside. This is symbolic. The Yogis say do not get too much into sensation, pleasures. If you feel that you are going to get lost, withdraw. Otherwise the mind will become unsteady. Unsteady mind means ruin, life is finished. This is a very important Sloka. All of us have to become very cautious in life. Prevention is the suggestion.

There is a story - A man went to Kabir, to keep his valuables as he was going for a long pilgrimage. Kabir refused, he said I don’t want to touch money. The man was sad, so he went to Kabir’s son Kamaal. Kamaal also was a great philosopher and he had a separate house. The man pleaded to him to keep his valuables. Kamaal said, I don’t touch money, but you can dig a hole anywhere in the house, keep the valuables, cover it and go. This is the difference. One side there is total caution; the other side (one is not having personal interest at all) has a helping nature. Kabir was also helpful, but he was cautious. Unfortunately we are very gullible, impressionable. Something will always bother us. Sometimes we think, what will happen if I smoke once, or drink once? There are chances that if there is some problem later then one may start drinking regularly. But if one has never had drinks, then no matter how grave the problem might be, one will not even think of drinking. Let us be away from all wrong things. We have to be very very cautious."

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

Bhagwad Gita Sloka 2.57 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sloka 57

In the material world, one who is unaffected by whatever good or evil he may obtain, neither praising it nor despising it, is firmly fixed in perfect knowledge.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"In all these ancient writings, the emphasis is on a balanced mind. This was given more importance than anything else. The highest in yoga is such a mind that is steady. Getting excited, angry is not a good state. It disturbs the mind - then decisions are not correct, thinking is not correct. Momentarily we enjoy that state but in reality it is hurting us. A true Yogi just watches, observes, doesn’t go out to stop anyone. These things are seen in the life of great Yogis. The teacher of the Founder (Shri Yogendraji) would just watch and not even comment. Some people make mistakes, his other Chelas would say all this is wrong, but he would say nothing. Let them act, let them suffer and then they themselves will learn. They have that kind of mind, that kind of Karmas when they are acting. When a person is in an excited state, what he says has no meaning. So the ultimate in yoga is to become a good observer, watch this world, which is not going after your wishes, many wrong things are happening, but you can’t do anything. You can’t go to each one and say, ‘This is wrong, don’t do this.’ Get into the condition where you observe and understand and leave it there."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"We are talking about a person who maintains Sthitprajna – absolute steady state of mind – no thoughts – one-pointed. The question is how would he behave? In this Sloka they say that he is not attached to anything – total Vairagya. For him, good and evil are the same. With both, good behaviour and bad behaviour, he will not react. This is a very very important point. The moment bad comes in front of us we are protective, because we are attached to our body, our peace, our happiness, our health. So we are very protective towards our body, our self. A Sthitprajna is not even attached to his body. His behavior is very different, there are so many stories.

Shivaji’s Guru, Ramdas was once travelling in the sun and felt thirsty. There was a sugarcane field nearby and he plucked one sugarcane and started chewing it and quenched his thirst. At the same time, the owner of the field came and when he saw Ramdas, who appeared like the beggar, eating the sugarcane, he got very angry. "How dare you eat my sugarcane?" He got so angry that he took a stick and gave him a good thrashing. Ramdas didn’t say anything and came home. The news spread and when the news reached Shivaji, he was very angry. He ran to his Guru and when he saw his condition he was very very sad. He asked, who did this to you? Ramdas had not even seen the face of that man. He was not concerned. Ultimately, that man was found and brought to Shivaji. Ramdas was asked what punishment should this man be given. Ramdas very politely said, please give him 2 more fields so that he can cultivate more sugarcane. Shivaji was shocked. Ramdas explained that the loss of 1 sugarcane made him so angry, naturally he must be very poor and needy. Don’t punish him, remove his poverty. Only a balanced person can think like that. We always have a tit for tat for that attitude.

You see, it is a very different state. We have to learn something out of all this. Becoming totally detached is difficult. We are all humans – it is the act that is bad, not the person. So don’t develop opinions, don’t hate people. Try and remain neutral. Don’t judge people. Even the worst person can change and become a good human and a good person can also change into a bad human. The suggestion is be objective. A balanced person is not attached to anything – total Vairagya – he alone is Sthitprajna. In our life, someone behaves rudely, we remember forever, someone speaks lies we remember forever. We don’t leave those thoughts from our mind. We can’t forgive and forget. We need to develop a deep understanding of life. There is a larger process and the world is moving according to that larger process. We have a limited job and we have to just attend to that. Good has to exert. We should not tolerate nonsense. Good has to do its role. We need to develop compassion for all."

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

Bhagwad Gita Sloka 2.56 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita

Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Shlokas 56

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"Today’s topic is Sthitprajna - One who has a balanced mind and remains established in that state. Occasionally we get into a quiet condition and we appear to be balanced but it doesn’t last. It will be a real effort to keep the mind steady all the time. We may admit that it is impossible, but that is Yoga. There are instances of Yogis, who remain the same in any situation. Paramhamsa Madhavdasji was the best example. The individual has to come to that kind of understanding and has to have faith, otherwise little little things are always there. Intelligence is a big factor. One has to keep it aside and keep to the experience – feeling steadiness, quiet, composure and faith in the processes that have started. It doesn’t continue, disturbances are bound to come. We have to live in the world, but be aware and move out immediately. This is seen in the life of great people – incidents happen but they don’t bother. When Madhavdasji passed away, a day before he informed, that tomorrow at this time, he will not be there. He will sit in a room and nobody should disturb. That was the kind of control and understanding. We are struggling every moment to keep living and are terribly frightened about losing our life. Practically our life goes just in that way. We have no time to experience stability, quiet, peace, where some deep, good thinking can happen."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

"Always maintain balanced state. How does such a person look, sit, behave? When there are problems, pain, suffering, don’t get perturbed and disturbed. Desire for more happiness, joy, pleasure should be out. Attachment, craving should be checked. Fear, anger should be out. These are the areas we should work on. Anger means there is ignorance – we have less knowledge about situations and things. Anger reflects our weakness, our ignorance. When angry, settle down; bring some more knowledge, more understanding. As regards fears , statements are there in temples - ‘Why fear when I am here.’ Faith is the treatment for fear. All these are formulas to maintain balanced state. Where is any scope for attachment? What you like today will not be there tomorrow. Ultimately we have to work on ourselves."

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

Bhagwad Gita 2.54 & 2.55 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Shlokas 54

2.54 - Arjuna said: O Krishna, what are the symptoms of one whose consciousness is thus merged in transcendence? How does he speak, and what is his language? How does he sit, and how does he walk?

2.55 - The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Partha, when a man gives up all varieties of desire for sense gratification, which arise from mental concoction, and when his mind, thus purified, finds satisfaction in the self alone, then he is said to be in pure transcendental consciousness.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

"The discussion is about Sthitaprajna – one whose wisdom and understanding has stabilized. It is not for a little while that one thinks of God and the next moment of the devil and continues like that. Here is one who is continuously, completely dedicated to God. The wisdom, the Prajna is established. In our case, it doesn’t happen because the mind is very unsteady. It keeps jumping from one thing to another – listening to some person, reading something, seeing someone. Momentarily you feel it’s very good but it passes off. Here, people can maintain that stable state all the time.

In the case of Paramhamsa Madhavdasji, he was highly evolved. Just a day before he passed away, he informed the people that it would happen. Total control. It is a different kind of mind - the mind that has seen everything, known everything, understood. There is no further interest, no curiosity. Conversations of such people are not petty conversations, they are of the divine - God. They can get totally lost into it. Madhavdasji was such a person and Shri Yogendraji saw him and would report about it. Madhavadasji would be sitting in a discussion and suddenly he would be off, quiet and all the disciples would tell each other to walk out and they would all go away. He would continuously sit for hours in a different world.

So the Sthithprajna, whose Prajna / wisdom is established, does not function like the ordinary individual - running around, showing all kinds of emotions. He can remain stable and in these kinds of deep thoughts for long, long periods. For us it is just like a fairy tale. Our mind is all the time running here and there and we can’t remain established. When great people have met other people who are also great – that momentary meeting influences – they see the other person, the poise and that influences them.

Shri Yogendraji was an atheist, a non believer. Physically he was a strong person, a wrestler. His friend in the college pushed him to come with him to the place where Madhavdasji was giving a talk. Very very reluctantly he joined him. When he saw this man, he was stunned - he changed. Madhavdasji, who was lecturing, immediately got up, took him by his hand into a room, made him sit down and put his hand on the boy’s head. The young boy, hardly eighteen years old, a villager, lost his earlier nature. He remained seated for hours till the teacher finished the lecture and came down. He patted him on his shoulders, the boy opened his eyes and the teacher asked, ‘What have you decided?’ The boy who used to hate Sadhus, did not believe in materialism – his answer and gesture – he prostrated – he had never done such a thing in his life before or after. He prostrated and said, ‘I follow you.’ It was an unusual statement and he followed Madhavdasji. He left St. Xavier’s College. His father was shocked. The community people said he has gone off his mind. This is the change that occurred, in one who has understood and is committed. There is no looking back.

These are statements based on actual life. Such individuals are lost in their own world and are not generally interested in the ordinary people and their statements. Occasionally when they are pursued, they speak. They speak something very worthwhile and don’t elaborate. Madhavdasji was brought to Santacruz, Juhu to meet the father of our oldest pathologist, who was given to opium. Madhavdasji came reluctantly. He looked at this man, the man also looked at him and the only thing he said, ‘Stop taking opium.’ That was all. The man stopped taking opium. The work need not be sitting and thinking – company of right persons, one can quickly judge and understand and that little moment is the only work that needs to be done. You are in the company of the right person, grasp the deeper meaning and leave it there. We had a person like that, not talking too much. Actually the person was a tailor. All that I remember is that a new building was built. He personally took care of that building, sweeping it, cleaning it. He set up a hostel for outsiders to stay. He attended to the people who came, helped in the seven day residential camps. Nobody knew him, he made no big announcements. He did it all quietly.

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

Sthithprajna is a person who has no desires. Desires mean imbalance. Such a person is happy within himself. For his happiness he doesn’t need external agencies. Somebody behaves nicely so you are happy; the work is good so you are happy. He doesn’t require any external agencies to make him happy. The character of your true self, Atma is happy, peaceful. The faces of all our saints are always blissful, happy. They were never angry, disturbed, anxious. When you see a wise person, the lesser individuals see how he sits, talks and externally try and imitate him. This is wrong – Kaua chale hans ki chaal. That mind has to be developed. We have to be true to ourself.

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

Bhagwad Gita 2.53 (Parisamvad)

Bhagwad Gita
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Shlokas 53

2.53 - When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you will have attained the divine consciousness.

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

We read a lot, many ideas are there and in a way we are confused. Somebody talks of one technique, another talks of another technique. Someone talks of one Guru, another talks of another Guru. The layman has so many options, and possibly he doesn’t take up any. The answer here is a total faith. If the instructions have been received from a source in which you have full faith, just follow them. Don’t go on reading, listening to others. Every mind is different – Matir Bhinna.

If you take to a spiritual path and want to sincerely follow yoga, then don’t go on fishing about various scriptures and various authorities. Each one will have a different outlook and you will try to find out some common link that may not come. There are 10 to 15 commentaries on the Yoga Sutras. Every commentator has something to say. This is true in other areas also. Shall we spend time in studying these commentaries and arguing? Which we do.

If you look at Sankaracharya’s Bhasya and the comment on that, it’s a thick volume; you can’t carry it. The statements there are simple. Accept one particular belief and follow. Don’t go on dabbling into various opinions and arguments. They will never satisfy. In our culture we have a tremendous belief in the earliest writing, the Vedas and those that followed Vedas, the Upanishads and some later Shastras. Much of our culture is based on that. We are today, challenging all this and setting up some new ideas. The new ideas also get challenged and we don’t arrive at any certainty. It is better that you prefer one particular option which was common sense and carry it out. That’s the way it has happened in our country.

Many, many years ago, my brother had high fever. He was 10 or 11 years old. We consulted the doctors. We had to spend a lot of money. We consulted a Dr. Bharucha who was considered as the final authority. He examined, nodded his head and we thought he had found some solution. We asked him, what was the problem? He announced that the boy has high fever. That, the thermometer showed. What more did Dr. Bharucha detect? Nothing. That night an American surgeon who was associated with the Institute, came down from Navsari. He looked at the child and immediately pronounced, “He has small pox.” Next morning there were markings on the body. So this is our problem. We are not sure of ourselves. Somewhere after some study, investigations, you have to settle down. You can’t keep searching all your life. Once you settle down, there is a lot of virtue in that settling down. The mind gets quiet, there are experiences and one carries on. If the basic is good, in course of time something good can happen.

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

Today’s Sloka gives another definition of yoga. When you steady your mind, make it peaceful, focused – totally undistracted – that is yoga. There are various definitions – balanced state of mind is yoga, excellence in work is yoga. This is your consciousness with universal consciousness, Atma Ka Parmatma Ke Saath Judna – that is yoga. Yoga is a path of self development. The person has to slowly become steadier, calmer, focused and come to a stage where the object of focus is the universal self. That would be the ultimate. Various thinking goes on in our life about anything. What food to eat, what type of work to do, how to do it? For any action there are various angles of looking at it, various opinions, various experiences. There is always confusion. Do this or that, is this right or wrong, etc. There are too many thoughts. So quieten your mind, stop thinking and focus on something which is superior. That is the answer. It is a simple formula.

About Parisamvad

The Tuesday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the the Bhagwad Gita by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.