The definition of Dharma is different for different people.
Action-oriented individuals always consider karma as their Dharma.
Religion-biased people always consider their religion as their Dharma.
Veda pundits consider VEDA AND PURANA as their Dharma.
An Army person will consider saving nation as his/her Dharma
A child considers taking care of parents as their Dharma.
In Bhagavad Gita , it is mentioned that Dharma is the side where Krishna stands. Henceforth, it becomes very easy to understand in every situation path which Krishna follows would be the righteous…
"Krishna was in support of Pandavas , so side of pandavas is the righteous path. Dharma is where Krishna is ..!!"
The consciousness has a Purush tatva and Prakriti. Be it a man or woman every one has Purusha and Prakriti in it .
Consciousness or Brahman was unmanifested matter, Prakriti helped it to manifest in it’s evolutes.
Tri Gunas i.e. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the evolutes of Prakriti
The ego ( self identity) is the evolute of Prakriti
The Cognitive Sense i.e. Jnanendriyas like hearing,touching,seeing tasting smelling is all evolutes of Prakriti.
The Active instruments i.e. karmendriyas i.e speaking, holding, moving, procreation,eliminating are evolutes of Prakriti.
Prakriti or Shakti allows us to exhale and inhale …. We usually think it’s the breath which is the prana. But, it’s the prakriti or Shakti that allows the air to fill the lungs. This is why we breathe.
Anything in motion, behind it is the Shakti. The voice from the throat is Shakti in various forms: Para, Prashanti, Madhyama, and Vaikhari. Behind sleep is Shakti which allows us to feel sleepy.
Behind thinking is Shakti which allows us to think.
Without Shakti the cosmos cannot operate … Anything in motion in this Universe is Shakti … If we follow the Shakti/Prakriti we will reach the Purusha or consciousness.
Many people say that Mahabharata happened because of a women “Draupadi” . Does a women like Draupadi born out of fire which is considered to be the purest elements ( pancha tatva) could become a cause of such a huge war ???? 🤔
BHISHMA PITAMAH : The eldest son of the kuru dynasty is the son of goddess Ganga. He was trained in all sorts of weapons and righteousness (dharma) by none other than Parashuram. He surrendered to Dhritarashtra an unrighteousness king …. that became the basis of all sins by kuru son’s or kauravas.
KARN : Karn was the son of the Sun. He was well trained in bow and arrow 🏹 and righteousness by Parashuram. He also surrendered to Kuru Son “Duryodhan”. Karn powers were the basis of all sins performed by Duryodhan.
” When a strong and powerful person who has a capability of changing the society surrenders to a unrighteous , unethical, and corrupt minds, the exploitation of people and resources increase and the basis of this exploitation is always powers of that person who is capable but in the wrong side”
3. GURU DRONACHARYA: Guru Dronacharya was very attached to his son, Ashwathama. His love for his son covered Ashwathama’s sins. During the episode of Draupadi disrobing, Ashwathama abused the women. Love for a child is good but when love turns into attachments then it becomes unrighteous.
Fire is considered the purest element in our sanatan tradition. Marriages are usually conducted around fire as it burns all impurities. Rituals like yagya are performed with fire because it is the purest form. Draupadi was born out of this fire. How could such purity cause massive destruction and a war like the Mahabharata? It was Yagya Saini Draupadi powers which dissolved all the impurities in itself and purifies the outside world!
Once there was a small village where there was temple of Lord Krishna.
The idol of Krishna was kept inside the Garbh Griha .There were steps /stairs which would take the devotees to the idol.
This idol of Krishna was a consecrated (Jagrit murti) idol.
Once, at night this Murti of Krishna heard some noise of talks …. after sometime it realized the voice was coming from the steps of the stairs .The steps were whispering with each other …
People bow down to the idol , respect the idol , offers flowers 💐 . But, we don’t get anything accept they step their foot on us. What have we done wrong …we are made from the same rock of which this idol is made then why so much differentiation ????
The idol heard the talks and responded…
My dear steps, surely we are made of the same rock of Granite. They brought the first rock piece. When the hammer hit the chisel, some portions of the rock couldn’t handle the shape. Those were broken and used to make steps/stairs.
The remaining portion of the rock was strong. It patiently sustained the strokes of the hammer while shaping. This part got shaped into the form of a Krishna idol and that became me ….
Moral of the story is ….
“Some people can’t endure the hammer 🔨 strokes in life. They will not be capable of shaping themselves into Krishna… Those who broke down will become stairs. But, those who sustain the strokes of the hammer will get a beautiful sacred shape of Krishna himself.”
Every stroke of hammer 🔨 will shape you into something good . But if you broke down , you will turn into steps but not the Idol !
In Mahabharat, Guru Dronacharya was accused of taking away the “Thumb” from Eklavya so that Arjun could become the best archerer of the world . However , during those times of dwapar yuga there were division based of action i.e. Brahmin were those who had knowledge of scriptures similarly Kshatriya were those who had knowledge of weapon so they could fight war and save there kingdom. Eklavya although had learnt the archery on his own by keeping guru drona’s statue infront of him , his intensions were pure however , once Guru drona has seen an arrow coming towards a dog and it killed that dog . Guru Dronacharya realised that weapon if get in hands of someone who is not Kshatriya would cause harm to other beings on earth. HENCE WHEN EKLAVYA ASKED GURU DRONACHARYA…” WHAT SHOULD I OFFER YOU IN DAKSHINA, GURUDEV? HE REPLIED “GIVE ME YOUR RIGHT HANDS THUMB…!!”
Moral of the story is do not judge a Guru… as the view point with which a Guru see, we cannot even think of seeing situations and circumstances from that angle…!!
“Vedanta Nama Upanishad Pramana ~”. (Vedanta’s are the teachings of the Upanishads’s . The Philosophy based on the teaching of the Upanishads is Vedanta.
Most of you are familiar with the term Vedanta and the Upanishad to some extent . The Upanishad presents the highest philosophical teachings of the Vedas. These are among the most ancient text known to the mankind.
There is a long list of Upanishads . In fact , in one of the Upanishads called “Muktika Upanishads” we find a list of 108 Upanishads .
But among all of these Upanishads there are around 10 or 11 “major ” Upanishads .
Why major??? Because Adi Shankaracharya some 1200 or 1300 years ago chose these Upanishads to write his commentary (“Bhashyam”) on these Upanishads and since then these Upanishads have become the central text of “VEDANTA”
Adi Shankaracharya interpreted these Upanishads in a non-dualistic fashion , So his teaching are called as “Advaita Vedanta” .
Among all these Upanishad there is a one Upanishad which is the smallest and also regarded as the toughest and i.e. called as the “Mandukya Upanishad“.
There is a saying – ” mumukshunam vimuktaye Mandukyam ekam eva alam “
For the liberation of those who want spiritual Enlightenment ‘ for them Mandukya Upanishad alone is sufficient. In the ‘Atharva Veda’ this Upanishad can be found with 12 mantras.
In this Mandukya Upanishad the central Mantra is the 7th Mantra , which is the core mantra of the entire Upanishad which gives the highest possible and sophisticated answers.
Mandukya Upanishad was commented by “Gaudpadacharya ” and he wrote verses on the Mandukya Upanishads called Mandukya Karikas !!
This book covers the translations from Bhagavad Gita which I found easy to understand . Recommending the Bhagavad Gita readers to refer this book , it has quite detailed and easy to understand translations by Swarupananda ji of Shri Ramakrishna mission publications .
It covers the details of Sanskar’s or Habits and how it is formed , further details about Mind management techniques. This is beneficial for Office going people who have daily course of managing different types of people and people who want to change habits but unable to do it . This book is very useful in changing habits
Karma Yoga is the essence of Bhagavad Gita . This book tells us how to perform a duty in every situation for a common man and how that duty turns into a YOGA .
This is very detailed book by Sadhguru where he has explained the various phases of death, karma and it types and various aspects of the body mind complex .
A seeker who is honestly seeking answers to who am I and how to live in this world and manage all problems , here’s this book which answers questions to all problems also give the way or Art of Living .
IkiGai is good techniques came from Japan where people find solutions to small problems with an objective of wholesome benefit and share it with others . This helps is solving issues and contributing to society . This is applicable everywhere in a work place or home or in society.
As per Kathopanishad there are two paths while taking a decision :
Shreyas : What is good for me ? (which is good us )
Preyas : What is pleasant for me ? (something which is pleasing to our senses )
For Example – I am Dieting !
Shreyas ( What is good for me ? )
Preyas ( What is pleasant for me ?)
Good food which maintains good health
Food which gives instant pleasurable taste
Good wealth which maintain lifestyle
Greed
Good music which keeps mind peaceful and no harm to ears
Loud music which may gives pleasure in the beginning but later it may damage ears
Waking up early in the morning
Sleeping in a cozy bed
Whenever we have a choice like this we need to make a “DECISION” .
While taking a decision we should not just select one option but also completely cut the other option which is not chosen e.g.
The reason is if I am not completely cutting the option B and leave it open and then same thing will happen I will slowly consume little bit of sugar intake and think we will follow the routine from next day . So, decision of choices should always be done in a Right Way !
“So Shri Krishna says the definition of decision is to cut or completely remove the option which you are not going to do in life rather than keeping it open . Also while taking a decision select “Shreyas” in place of “Preyas” !”
Krishna Mentions to chose “Shreyas” rather than “Preyas” while deciding the choice .
Verse 1.18विकल्पो विनिवर्तेत कल्पितो यदि केनचित् ।
उपदेशादयं वादो ज्ञाते द्वैतं न विद्यते ॥ १८ ॥
vikalpo vinivarteta kalpito yadi kenacit |
upadeśādayaṃ vādo jñāte dvaitaṃ na vidyate || 18 ||
Gaudapadacharya says – all this differences would disappear guru-shishya (Student-Teacher), Knower and known ” I am the illiterate who has now realised turiya” , these differences would disappear
उपदेशादयं वादो ज्ञाते द्वैतं न विद्यते (upadeśādayaṃ vādo jñāte dvaitaṃ na vidyate) – all these distinctions have been set-forth by the Upanishads for purposes of instructions. The reason is because we feel it this way , but once we realise turiya , the feeling of Oneness arises ….satchitdanand roop arises ! sat chit and anand !!
“न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म। न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥“
At last Ashtavakra Muni said to King Janaka! I will give you advait Gyan but you give me guru daskhina first , because after the gyan there wont be any guru or shishya … as oneness arises!!
Verse 1.17
प्रपञ्चो यदि विद्येत निवर्तेत न संशयः ।
मायामात्रमिदं द्वैतमद्वैतं परमार्थतः ॥ १७ ॥
prapañco yadi vidyeta nivarteta na saṃśayaḥ |
māyāmātramidaṃ dvaitamadvaitaṃ paramārthataḥ || 17 ||
Will the world go away after i realise “Turiya” , will I be light ? here Gaudapadacharya says – if the world was there then there is question of staying or going arises , but there is no such world at all !!
Will the snake run away after I realise it is a rope ….the correct answer is, there is no snake to run away from …it was a rope only !
प्रपञ्चो यदि विद्येत (prapañco yadi vidyeta) निवर्तेत न संशयः (nivarteta na saṃśayaḥ) – If the world existed !! No doubt it would have gone have away! (But the world does not exists just like snake does not exist)
मायामात्रमिदं ( māyāmātramidaṃ) – It is an error , just like snake is an error !
dvaitamadvaitaṃ paramārthataḥ (द्वैतमद्वैतं परमार्थतः ) – It (Turiya) is an undivided reality i.e. Non-dual reality. There is no world separate from you which has to be driven away!
