Q: When I eat chocolate I feel happy. So, does it not mean that happiness is in chocolate?
A: When a mosquito bites you, scratching the area gives you happiness. That does not mean that happiness is caused by mosquito. Continue reading Happiness is in You
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The lyrics are as follows: Continue reading Moko Kahan Dhoondhe Re Bande (Full) – Kabir
योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्
Yogaḥ Karmasu Kauśalam
[The above phrase is part of verse 2.50 of Bhagavad Gita]
Expertise in action is Yoga. Yoga here implies union with Self or undivided mind.
4 Category of people that fall under worshippers/seekers/devotees etc.
The two reasons for creation are “upadana karan” and “nimitta karan”.
“Upadana karan” refers to the material cause or the substance that is used to create something. In other words, it refers to the raw material or the building blocks used in creation.
“Nimitta karan” refers to the instrumental cause or the factor that triggers the creation process. It refers to the agency or the force that initiates the creation.
In the case of the spider and the web, both these causes become one. The spider uses its own substance or material to create the web, and it also acts as the instrumental cause or the force that initiates the creation of the web. Thus, the spider itself becomes both the material and instrumental cause of the web.
Similarly, in the case of a dream, the dreamer’s own mind acts as both the material and instrumental cause. The dreamer’s mind uses its own material, i.e., the thoughts, memories, and impressions stored in the mind, to create the dream. At the same time, it also acts as the instrumental cause, initiating the process of dream creation.
In both cases, the material and instrumental causes become one, highlighting the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things in the universe.
Maya, is often described as having two aspects: Avarana and Vikshepa.
Avarana refers to the concealing or hiding aspect of Maya. It represents the veil of illusion that shrouds the true nature of reality, preventing individuals from perceiving the eternal spiritual truth. It creates a sense of ignorance or forgetfulness about the ultimate reality, leading individuals to identify with the temporary material world and its fleeting pleasures. Avarana deludes the soul into believing that the material world is the ultimate truth, thus perpetuating the cycle of birth and death.
Vikshepa, on the other hand, refers to the aspect of Maya that involves faking or projecting something else. It represents the deceptive and misleading nature of the material world, which lures individuals into pursuing false hopes, desires, and ambitions. Vikshepa creates an illusion of satisfaction and fulfillment in material pursuits, leading individuals astray from their true spiritual nature. It perpetuates the cycle of attachment, cravings, and disappointments, further reinforcing the illusion of the material world.
Together, Avarana and Vikshepa work in tandem, creating a complex web of illusion that keeps individuals bound to the material world and ignorant of their true spiritual nature. Understanding and transcending these aspects of Maya is considered essential for spiritual seekers to attain enlightenment and break free from the cycle of birth and death.
Question:
According to the Bhagavad Gita, what are the four types of devotees?
(A) The distressed, the inquisitive, the materialistic, and the wise
(B) The ignorant, the envious, the lazy, and the sincere
(C) The passionate, the deluded, the angry, and the greedy
(D) The humble, the grateful, the loving, and the surrendered Continue reading Bhagavad Gita Quiz
Verse 13.29 from the Bhagavad Gita:
प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः।
यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति।। 29।।
The translation is:
“One sees the fact who sees that all actions are performed by nature alone, and that the Self is actionless.” Continue reading Bhagavad Gita 13.29
Verse 14.5 of the Bhagavad Gita states:
सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसंभवाः।
निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनंव्ययम्॥
“Sattvaṁ rajas tama iti guṇāḥ prakṛti-sambhavāḥ
Nibadhnanti mahā-bāho dehe dehinam avyayam” Continue reading Bhagavad Gita 14.5
