Firewall the Inner Self

In the prevailing digital landscape, with quantum computing, robotics and AI-enabled applications, chatbots and deep-learning algorithms mimicking neural networks, the line between man and machine has blurred. Let us first understand our personality construct that comprises the physical and subtle bodies, that is, mind and intellect. For efficient functioning of the body, all these constructs need to work in sync like hardware and software in computers and other electronic devices, physical body being the hardware and subtle body being the software. Subtle body, however, is more like a Black Box concept. Our mind, like the CPU in a computer, is the epicentre of all our vasanas, thoughts, our inherent orientation. Mind is also a double-edged sword. Whereas good thoughts lead to creativity and noble actions, bad thoughts lead to an agitated mind and destructive tendencies, which weaken our immune system and can prove fatal in the long run. Since negativity breeds negativity, it needs to be administered regularly, an antivirus treatment like is done in computers and other devices. The intellect, apart from being mature, logical and objective, also functions as a robust ‘firewall’ and ‘antivirus’ to protect the mind from other negative aspects like ego, anger and jealousy, thereby strengthening the overall architecture of our psyche and freeing our mind from energy-sapping entanglements, rendering it more calm, serene and peaceful, enabling it to focus on the higher goal of achieving spiritual realisation.

Source: Economic Times, 20/02/2020

Economy and Spirituality

The slump in the economy has distressed the common man. Although the government is doing whatever it can to stop the nosedive of the economy and put it on the growth track, success has been elusive for a while. Along with various financial reforms, fiscal measures that the government is trying to adopt, spirituality too has an interesting role in restoring economic growth. Most people would think that spirituality would decelerate a person on material progress. Then how can it contribute to falling GDP numbers? But as one carefully studies the fundamentals of spirituality, one understands that it plays a major role in the financial well-being of society — so long as the spiritual masters and practitioners are educated and informed genuine people. Scriptures like the Ishopanishad advise not to accumulate things after utilising one’s quota. The Bhagavata says the Kali (The ‘Kaliyuga, the age of quarrel’ personified) stays in where gold is hoarded. Clearly, the emphasis is on the flow of liquidity. Scriptures explain, a person should only possess as much as he needs and distribute the wealth for a higher cause. Kings and wealthy merchants would utilise their wealth for higher causes that would help in maintaining the peace. Among the reasons for the economic slowdown is a conservative attitude in spending, bringing slowdown to the manufacturing and service sectors. Spirituality encourages us not to hoard the wealth but to spend for the higher cause.

Source: Economic Times, 19/02/2020

Preventing Violence

Spiritual practices like prayer, meditation and yoga help us to overcome violent thoughts. Mohandas Gandhi said, “When I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagwad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me, and immediately I begin to smile in the midst of overwhelming sorrow. My life has been full of tragedies and if they have not left any visible and indelible effect on me, I owe it to the teachings of the Gita.” Sage Valmiki, born as Ratnaker, took to robbery to take care of his family. Once Sage Narada passed through the jungle and was attacked by Ratnaker. Narada asked Ratnaker whether his family members will take responsibility for his sins. Ratnaker was surprised when his father and wife refused to share his sins. He came to his senses. After long years of meditation, when his body got covered by anthills, Narada came and removed those anthills and named him Valmiki, as ant-hill is called valmika in Sanskrit. Valmiki founded his ashram on the banks of the Ganga. He wrote the Ramayana in Sanskrit, consisting of 24,000 versus. Ratnaker had gotten transformed from robber to maharishi. A kernel of truth is at the heart of religion because spiritual experience, ethical behaviour and strong communities are essential for human happiness. While spiritual experience is a natural propensity of the human mind, we need not believe anything on insufficient evidence. So, it must be possible to bring reason, spirituality, and ethics together. This will have a positive effect, leading to less violence and fewer violent thoughts.

Source: Economic Times, 18/02/2020

Searching for Undying Love

Unless your life arises from your spontaneity, from your very empty heart, it is going to be just superficial. And with the superficial, you cannot be blissful; you are going to remain miserable. Only with the truth is there the beginning of a different kind of life — of joy, of bliss, of dance…. You are all in search of a secret love, and are trying to find it in somebody else; hence the frustration of all lovers except those who are never allowed to meet. Only those who are never allowed to meet are remembered always, for their great love. In the East, we know Shiri and Farihad, Laila and Majnu. Because they were never allowed to meet by their parents and society, they have become symbolic of great lovers. And what has happened to the millions of lovers who have been allowed to meet? Not a single one of them has proved to be a great lover. All are simply lousy. Every love affair is a failure, without exception. Frustration is bound to happen. Your real love is for the eternal Self, hidden behind the curtain, and you never look behind the curtain. You are on stage and befooling yourself. The real, eternal lover is within you. Once you have found it, you are absolutely content with yourself. There is no need for anyone because you are no longer incomplete.

Source: Economic Times, 14/02/2020

Living That’s Stress-Free

 There are three golden rules to follow in meditation. First, be relaxed and comfortable. For the next 10 to 15 minutes, sit with the thought that ‘I want nothing’. Got it? If you say, ‘I want to drink water’, you are not meditating. The second step is, for the next 10 minutes, ‘I do nothing. I want nothing and I do nothing.’ The third step is, ‘I am nothing’. If you think you are intelligent, forget it. Yet, if you think you are stupid, you are in the same boat. If you think you are too poor or too rich or very holy, forget about it. If you think you are a sinner, forget about it. So, you are nothing! You want nothing, you do nothing and you are nothing. Meditation keeps the energy high in the whole surroundings. Meditation and breathing techniques give more inner clarity, and then we feel that others can understand us better, and also we can express our views better. Concentration is not meditation. Meditation is deconcentration. It is letting go. Meditation calms the mind. But in our daily life, we have to handle paying bills, parking tickets and other mundane things. How can we do this with the same calm mind without getting irritated or perturbed? You take a shower and after that you do all the daily activities. Like that, you meditate and calm your mind, then go on with other activities. It is not easy to keep yourself undisturbed but it will happen if you keep doing the practices regularly. Then keeping yourself calm will become easy.

Source: The Economic Times, 13/02/2020

Knowledge Is Often Mistaken For Wisdom

Knowledge is accumulation of facts and data. It is to be well informed. Wisdom is application of the information. It is transformational. Society esteems the wise for their virtuosity. Subject matter experts number in the thousands, but rare are the wise. You may know recipes but not know how to make a delicious meal. We know we should exercise, eat healthy and be positive. How many are able to actually follow through and achieve it? Across time and throughout history many have been exposed to the spiritual dimension. But seldom has it been acted upon. Instant gratification leads to long term misery while real happiness appears in the garb of pain. Anything that is in our long term interests is unpleasant in the beginning. But due to ignorance, we run after the rapture of the moment. There are three stages of gaining wisdom – sravana, listening/ reading; manana, reflection; and nidhidhyasana, application. Sravana is the intake of knowledge. Having listened, we need to mull over it, contemplate on it, and look at it from different angles. Only then will the knowledge get integrated into our system. This is called manana. When knowledge is internalised we live it. Nidhidhyasana is meditation which leads to Realisation, the last step to gaining knowledge of Self. In the Bhagwad Gita, Arjuna speaks words of wisdom but is unable to live them. Krishna bridges the knowing-doing gap in Chapter 7 by guided reflection. He presents knowledge from a fresh perspective and ignites original thinking. Krishna begins with an analysis of the world and shows how Spirit permeates the universe. As humans, we have the choice of staying with the world or penetrating through to the Force. Pursue limited, myopic goals or rise above the obvious and seek the Eternal. The choice is ours. Krishna supports us in our chosen path and ensures we obtain what we strive for. All paths eventually lead to him. In the end, everyone seeks happiness, infinite bliss. Some look for it in the world, some through different religious practices. Krishna respects all paths. In this lies the open-mindedness of the Indian tradition. Not only do we respect all faiths but we accept agnostics and atheists too in our fold. The onus is on us to figure out the quickest and most effective path to the goal of total fulfilment. The ignorant, unaware of the higher, seek and obtain trivial, finite ends. A few visualise that which transcends the material plane – they belong to four categories. Some turn to God only to enhance their wealth. They believe that will bestow riches on them. The distressed, who meet with tragic circumstances and are agitated, seek solace. Others are curious and look for answers to questions. But the jnanis, the wise, excel. They see the futility of worldly pursuits and abide in the transcendental. They are not carried away by the glitter of transitory joys. They seek permanent happiness. They experience enlightenment. The Spirit is hidden, unmanifest, shrouded by maya, illusion. We see the manifestations and get carried away by them. The deluded world does not know the Truth – the Unborn, the Imperishable – says Krishna
But the virtuous who have freed themselves from worldly enticements seek the Higher with determination.

Source: Times of India, 13/02/2020

Thinking of M K Gandhi

The assassination failed to kill Mohandas Gandhi. Here’s why: as a course instructor teaching Business Ethics to management students for over two decades, I have found Gandhi fitting in the curriculum even without explicit mention of the name in the syllabus. There was a time when Gandhian thought was a part of the course curriculum for the civil services. The Ahimsa Centre at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, US, has been actively pursuing Gandhian ideals ever since it was established in 2004. It is often said that Gandhi’s views are too idealistic to be practised. Nothing can be further from the truth. Gandhi was a practical idealist. And even if Gandhi’s ideas were too ideal and, hence, unrealisable, the point is that there is little sense in setting a wrong benchmark in the name of practicality. Gandhi was a votary of valuesbased leadership, and a practitioner too. Practicality and morality, then, can harmoniously go together. Be it politics, governance or business. Machiavellianism and Gandhism are two different approaches and both are possible. One has to believe. Realism may not necessarily be nonidealism. Gandhi epitomised the most desirable managerial quality that is widely talked about these days in management jargon as ethical leadership. It is not about idealism versus realism but idealism as realism, and it can provide answers to most problems that the world is facing today. Gandhi accomplished what he could by sheer dint of his moral courage. That is what we need today

Economic Times, 12/02/2020

Significance Of Rituals

The scriptures prescribe different sadhanas, practices, to help seekers attune to the higher dimensions. Spiritual practices can be performed through the three equipments of our body, speech and mind. With the body, we can worship or serve by performing puja, the form of the Supreme. In the initial stages when our minds are less single-pointed or pure, when we have not yet gained knowledge, we merely believe that there is a higher power, commonly called ‘God’, but we know nothing more than that. So, we choose a symbol or a murti, a tangible presence of God, to offer our love. In ancient times, rishis worshipped the sun, moon and wind as divine form. This was followed by deity invocations. As we grow in devotion and knowledge, we begin to realise that the entire universe is the eightfold form of the Lord. The eight factors are: the five great elements — space, air, fire, water and earth — the sun, energy; moon, reflecting matter; and jiva, the living being. Just as gold ornaments are gold in different forms, the entire universe is Divinity personified. Puja is not ritualistic worship of throwing flowers or ringing bells but, in its higher sense, it means seva, serving the Beloved. When our minds are active, there are too many thoughts and agitations; we cannot sit still and focus on a single point. We need an altar of concentration. In puja, all the senses are engaged — the bell-ringing, mantrachanting, fragrance of incense — all aid in turning the mind away from distractions. So, puja is a step towards meditation.

Source: Economic Times, 11/02/2020

Going Through The Experience

Pop a paracetamol pill and in a couple of hours, the fever subsides. The symptom is treated and the patient is happy to see a palpable result. Similarly, as we scurry through life, burdened by the plentiful chores and the external pace set by the fast and furious world around us, ‘ends’ matter and not the ‘means’. Result has to be instant and predictable. We seldom value the process or the experience that an activity gives us. We expect every endeavour to end in incredible wizardry. Suppose we attend a two-day crash course on yoga, we expect all our mental and physical ailments to vanish as if the teacher held a magic wand. The real beauty of experiences like yoga or meditation is the process, and being one with the experience itself. These experiences are meant to be savoured as they prepare us to realise our potential and expand the realm of possibility. Allowing ourselves to ‘be’ in the experience, without pre-setting results and looking for them impatiently, will do wondrous things toward enriching our existence. The possibilities of individual experiences can be myriad. Looking for quick and predictable results can only kill the richness of experience by building frustration and negativity. Results will slowly but veritably manifest like a plant growing, maturing and flowering. The flowering will be so complete and bountiful that the existence will get fragrant and blissful.

Source: Economic Times, 10/02/2020

Realise Your Potential

The purpose of yoga is to create the awareness to separate the negative from the positive. We have to reject the negative and connect with the positive. Why do we react? Why do we desire one thing and not another? Reactions are a result of identification with negativity and dislikes. Actions follow positivity. We can practise asanas only as long as we are fit. We practise meditation only as long as there is the desire. If there is no desire to practise yoga, we give it up. If we just revolve around our likes and dislikes, actions and reactions, desires and rejections all our life, it means we have not learnt the lesson to bring out the positivity. That positivity has to be expressed in every situation, whether it is an exam, a human relationship, social living or reclusive living. This is the understanding that yoga tries to give. We go through various experiences, good and bad. Whenever we react, it is a bad experience, and whenever we accept and act, it is a positive experience. Positivity and acceptance have to be our focus if we want to succeed in life. If this focus is lost, we cannot claim to be practitioners of yoga, only practitioners of asana, or meditation. Change has to come from within. In the third sutra of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali discusses being established in one’s own nature as the seer, the drashta. To be established in one’s own nature means there has to be harmony, a flow in life. This optimism and balance does not encounter nor is affected by blocks.

Source: Economic Times, 7/02/2020

Meaningful Meditation

The criterion for wholesome thinking is to determine whether thought is born of equanimity or not. Two kinds of feelings dominate your life: like and dislike; craving and aversion. Totally unconditioned thinking is rare. Someone dear to us says something and we appreciate it; but the same thing uttered by an adversary and we feel contempt or fear. All action is conditioned or motivated by passion or disgust, approbation or disapprobation, attachment or indifference, attraction or revulsion. A man shops for the best quality food; he does not want his family to consume adulterated foodstuff. Yet, the same person sells adulterated medicines to others, because he is indifferent to their fate. Due to lack of affection, he indulges in corruption. This feeling of attachment or unattachment powerfully affects one’s approach and all perversions in thought and action originate from there. True meditation helps you go beyond like and dislike, craving and aversion, to awaken in you a state of dispassion. Meditation is meaningless if it does not bring about a complete transformation. If a meditator keeps tranquil enough in the meditation hall, but on returning home continues fighting and quarrelling, his family would rightly look upon such a person and his meditation with misgiving. Meditation should awaken inner consciousness. The conscious mind becomes inert, but the inward consciousness becomes so active and expands so much that it transcends all conditioning. It remains steadfast and unchanging.

Source: Economic Times, 6/02/2020

Practice Daily

You may have gotten angry many times, but do you stay angry forever? The Shiva sutra, ‘Atma Chittam’, conveys some important. Day, night, clouds and colours all appear in the sky, and later disappear. Similarly, the mind imagines many disappear just as they came. Just as light fades in the evening, anger also fades. It is the same with envy. There is a lim When one thought arises, another falls away. Where does it go? All is in our mind. That mind is the Self. Clouds may cover the sky, but the purity of the sky remains untouched. Whatever may be the state of mind, the Self is such thing as a bad Self. As anger is a quality of the Divine, it is also a quality of the Self ! That is why it is said, ‘Atma C mind itself is the Self. The mind is part of the Divine.
When we say ‘Do your sadhana,’ it means sadhana needs to be done daily. This is because there are millions of cells in work today, and others work tomorrow just like workers do shifts in a factory. The factory is running continually, but th shifts — they come, work and leave. Similarly, in our brain neurons work in shifts. Some neurons are trained today, oth tomorrow and others will be trained the day after tomorrow. Through this process, one day you will reach perfection, s happen only if japa chanting or meditation is done regularly.

Source: Economic Times, 4/02/2020

Beware of Mind Games

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven,” wrote the English poet, John Milton. This signifies the unique space that the mind occupies in our psychological construct. At times, we are rejoicing and are buoyant, but within a few moments, we could feel disappointed and dejected. Quite often, the tornado of thoughts with its whirlwind speed hits us so badly that it leaves us completely disenabled. As a result of the trauma within, a person may appear physically fit but may be paralysed internally. In the Mahabharata, even a distinguished warrior like Arjuna became depressed at the very thought of waging war. On the battlefield, he got emotionally and intellectually paralysed till such time as Krishna came to his rescue. How should a person extricate himself from a paralysed state of mind? First, we need to understand the basic nature of mind. ‘Mind is a beautiful servant but a dangerous master,’ said the Buddha. We need to hand over the reins of our mind to our ‘intellect’, so as to ensure that all our actions are governed by rationale, logic and realistic considerations than emotions. Second, the mind being fickle, it invariably falls prey to worldly things and beings. This, in turn, gives rise to innumerable desires that, if not satiated, result in an agitated mind. Let’s focus on higher ideals without egocentric and selfish desires. Lastly, the mind being restless like a monkey, regular practice of meditation can help in gaining serenity and tranquillity of mind.

Economic Times, 3/02/2020

Many Paths to Salvation

Since ages we have been wondering about the existence of a god or not, and if a god exists, how to reach him, and to know how the world is governed. Seers and saints have given deep thought to this. The Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagwad Gita, Puranas and other works have highlighted a number of aspects related to existential questions. Broadly, most religions concur that there is a super power, and that super power is called by various names. God is believed to be omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The ultimate goal of all would be to get freedom from the cycle of life and rebirth, but one kind of spiritual path may not be suitable for all. Hence, sages have devised four paths of Yoga. These are Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. In Bhakti Yoga, the seeker tries to attain salvation through the heart, surrendering to the will of God. Karma Yoga focuses on good action, based on the law of cause and effect. Krishna says in the Gita that we should perform our karmas without longing for its fruits, results. Even in case of good karmas, we should give up sense of attachment, doership. Jnana Yoga is followed through the intellect. According to this path, everything in this world is an expression of Brahmn. It means, “I am Brahman, you are also Brahmn, everything is expression of the same reality and universal consciousness, Brahmn.” Raja Yoga practitioners try to reach the peak through the mind. Sage Patanjali has described the following steps to achieve this: yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

Source: Economic Times, 4/11/2019

Hold That Outburst

A series of right actions eventually come around to insulate you from the undesirable situations and events in life. Good thoughts, words and actions culminate to become your shield. It’s not that life will stop shooting arrows, but you are protected. And, I think most people can see the value in this strategy: postpone your unkind actions and do the kind ones with a sense of urgency. The issue, perhaps, is not in understanding but execution. That is, how do we ensure we remember this when we are mad with anger and all wisdom is heading south? Temptations, habits, urges and our automatic responses trigger forgetfulness. A fit of rage scares and flees the goodness out of us like a loud clap does to birds. How do you ensure that the mindfulness required to deliver a measured and delayed response stays with you when we need it the most? First, of course, is the practice of mindfulness itself, which is cultivated by repeatedly bringing your awareness to the present moment. Two simple questions will do it for you: (a) what am I doing right now, and (b) what should I be doing in the present moment? Second, even more importantly, a conducive environment is critical to the practice of mindfulness and kindness. Put yourself in the right environment and watch the miracle of mindfulness unfold effortlessly. Our handling of any situation depends primarily on two things: our view of life and our habits. A change in these brings an automatic shift in our feelings, reactions and comebacks. Always postpone an outburst. Never delay a good deed

Source: Economic Times, 1/11/2019

Purpose of Challenges 

Problems in life serve a great purpose. When life is without challenges, we tend to take things for granted; we feel that all that comes to us is owed to us, and we develop a sense of entitlement to all of God’s gifts. In this state, we fail to remember God. By contrast, when we are faced with challenges that we cannot surmount on our own, we look to a higher power for help. It is challenges in life that also cause us to question the meaning of life and seek to understand our purpose for being here — all of which serve to ignite a spiritual thirst in us that helps us realise who we truly are, and brings us closer to God. When we learn to take our attention away from the world outside and focus it within through meditation, we are transported into the inner spiritual regions of love and light. Partaking of the spiritual treasures, we experience ourselves as soul, and are able to experience God’s love. Our first priority should be spending time in meditation. In meditation, we find a place of peaceful retreat within us. During that time, we are engulfed in bliss and joy far greater than any we know in this world. We are elevated to a place far removed from pain and sorrow. When we come out of meditation, we are pulsating with loving energy and peace. We then can radiate it to others. We spread that peace by our very presence, bringing calm and relief into the lives of those around us.

Source: Economic Times, 29/10/2019

Money and Happiness

The role of money can’t be undervalued; at the same time, it can’t be overrated. Most successful business magnates don’t seem to be born with a silver spoon, and among those who have earned that silver spoon, many don’t seem to always ascent to cloud nine happiness, trapped as they are, in the trifling things of life. Those who ascend to cloud nine do not always seem to stay at that position and those who stay for long at that state don’t always seem to be running after money. It shows there is a distant connection between how much money one has and how long one can experience the bliss. Often, the pain and strain of earning and maintaining capital outgrows the happiness it can earn. The total happiness value money can produce can only be increased when it is shared with the causes that can bring happiness to others in need. Our scriptures say, ‘Let no one face the misery.’ Working for alleviating others’ pain is the simple key to personal happiness, since it takes away the mind from personal pains. Theological writer Hosea Ballou has written, “Real happiness is cheap enough, yet how dearly we pay for its counterfeit.” According to spiritual wisdom, real happiness is the natural byproduct of ceaseless service to God without any ulterior motives. If we can set aside our ego, then we can truly feel the bliss of the Soul surging in our consciousness. The experience of such a shelter within and sharing of that shelter through an exemplary life and practical help for others can make us truly happy

Source: Economic Times, 22/10/2019

Chaos or Cosmos?

 Raghunath was a wealthy man. He was rich materially and spiritually. One night, he was robbed. His close friend visited him and expressed his sympathy. Raghunath said, “They have robbed me of my material wealth but not my real wealth. They have robbed me of my perishable wealth but not my imperishable wealth.” Real wealth is love, devotion and purity. With these, one will experience life differently. God gives us problems to humble us and not to tumble us. When bad things happen to good people, they become better, not bitter. Raghunath elaborated to his friend, “All the wealth that I had was a loan from the Lord. I was only a trustee. Nothing is mine; everything is His. He has the right to take it whenever he wants.” The power of detachment is a great wealth. The power of devotion is an asset. Why don’t we work for such wealth? This is because the mind has not been purified. With impure mind, one craves for impure things. With pure mind, one is committed to pure things. Mantras help us to purify the mind. Yoga uplifts. The object of yoga is to free you of psychological mess. The condition of your mind really determines the quality of your life. To a good body, everyone says ‘yes’. But to a good mind, people say ‘no’. This ignorance is adversely affecting the quality of life. Yoga is a wonderful science to dismantle this negative system and create a great inner order. When the inner world of our mind is orderly, then we will see the external order as being more orderly

Source: Economic Times, 21/10/2019

From Theory to Practice

Just as physics or chemistry could be complicated if the teacher is not sure of the fundamentals, with spirituality, we need to go to those who know the subject clearly, so that they can guide us past all the hurdles. How far teachers can take us depends on how far they have gone. Just as we can perform some of our experiments in a science laboratory, similarly, our spiritual laboratory is our body and a spiritual guide teaches us the way to do the experiments here. They help us connect with the inner Light and Sound so that we can go within, experiment and watch our progress. They can give us not only the theory but also the practical aspect of Self-realisation so that we can experience God. A spiritual guide wants us to know who we really are. They help us realise that we are not the body; that the real thing is the soul; that the soul in us is a part of God, and we have to love and respect every human being, and each form of creation. If we can get to a stage where we realise that the soul in each form of creation is a part of God, then we will have no trouble seeing the Light of God in everyone. As soon as we get to that state where we see the Light of God in everyone, then the connection of our soul with God happens immediately. Once we go within and we do the experiments in this laboratory that God has given us, then we can see for ourselves the benefits of meditation


Source: Economic Times, 16/10/2019

Gandhi and the Gita

Two teachings of the Bhagwad Gita appealed most to Gandhiji. The first one was anasakti, nonattachment, to the fruits of one’s actions, “Your business is with the action only; never with its fruits.” In his work Anasaktiyoga, Gandhiji explains the concept of anasakti in terms of the spirit with which one should perform one’s duties. The karma-yogi performs his duties with the understanding that it is by the will of destiny that he has been placed in a particular vocation and he must perform his duties with an attitude of total surrender to the Divine Will, for the benefit of society. The second teaching was that of attaining the exalted state of sthitaprajna, elaborated in 19 verses, that he read at the age of 18, in England. For him, these 19 verses represented the gist of the entire Gita. The yogin who has succeeded in freeing his mind from all attachment to objects of senses, is devoid of all fear and remains calm and composed even in adverse situations. Experiencing even-mindedness, he adopts a compassionate attitude towards all. Krishna cautions Arjuna that even those seekers who ceaselessly strive to curb their senses are not always successful. Gandhi writes, “The most important step towards the haven of security is to rein in the senses, which, if not kept in control, carry off even the wisest to the abyss. Physical starving of the senses works but as a temporary purpose; it is only when the intellect realises its moorings in the Highest and prevents the mind from wandering that one can feel secure.”

Source: Economic Times, 1/10/2019