Greetings All, Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, Sri Krishna has been talking about vedantic meditation that closely follows Ashtanga Yoga. Now he talks about the actual process of meditation and its culmination. As discussed in last class, culmination of meditation is the mental absorption in flow of similar thoughts also called […]
Greetings All, Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, after discussing the general and specific preparations to be taken care of before meditation, now, Sri Krishna is talking about the actual process of meditation itself. The process of meditation includes dharana, dhyanam and samadhi. Dharana is focusing mind on object of meditation. This […]
Greetings All, Chapter # 1, Anuvakaha # 11, Shloka # 1 through 4: Summarizing last class Swamiji said Anuvakaha 11 summarizes the dharma shastras covering topics of values, ethics, puja and developing a proper attitude. Our teachings are scriptures oriented, not person oriented. In person oriented it tends to become a cult while in scripture […]
Greetings All, Chapter # 1, Anuvakaha # 11, Shloka # 1: Having taught the Vedas the preceptor enjoins the pupils, “ Speak the truth, do your duty, never swerve from study of the Vedas, do not cut off the line of descendants in your family, after giving the preceptor the fee he desires. Never err […]
Greetings All, Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, in the first 17 shlokas Sri Krishna dealt with Bahiranga and Antharanga sadhanani. Bahiranga sadhanani are general disciplines to be followed throughout life while Antharanga sadhanani are specific disciplines to be followed just before performing meditation. Both sadhanas contribute to meditation. Now in the […]
Greetings All, Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, Sri Krishna is now dealing with antaranga sadhanani including preparations before meditation. We see him mention the role of the place (desha), time (kala), asanam, posture of body (sharira sthiti), indriyanigraha (withdrawal of sense organs from external world, especially the eyes should be partially […]
Greetings All, Chapter # 1, Anuvakaha # 11, Shloka # 1: Having taught the Vedas the preceptor enjoins the pupils, “ Speak the truth, do your duty, never swerve from study of the Vedas, do not cut off the line of descendants in your family, after giving the preceptor the fee he desires. Never err […]
Greetings All, Continuing his teaching of the Gita, Swami Paramarthananda said, in the first nine shlokas of chapter six Sri Krishna dealt with some important general disciplines called Bahiranga Sadhanani. They have to be followed by an individual who wants to practice meditation. These disciplines include: equanimity of mind, self-confidence, self-effort and self-integration. These disciplines […]
Greetings All, Chapter # 1, Anuvakaha # 9, Shloka # 1: The practice of what is right and proper, as fixed by the scriptural texts, is to be done along with reading the texts oneself and propagating the truths of the same. “Truth”, meaning practicing in life what is to be understood to be right […]
Greetings All, जितात्मनः प्रशान्तस्य परमात्मा समाहितः। शीतोष्णसुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः।।6.7।। The supreme Self is concentrated for one who has subdued the self and is quiescent, in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and disgrace. Continuing his teaching of the Gita Swami Paramarthananda said, in chapter six Sri Krishna is talking about general […]