Everyday Geeta

September 2, 2014 As Arundhati and I waited to pick our son up from tabla class, we suddenly saw a cluster of photographers chase a fashionably dressed lady in front of a trendy restaurant in Singapore. For the next several minutes, the young lady tossed her head hither and thither and struck a multitude of poses as the photographers clicked away on their fancy DSLR cameras. Given the lack of frenzy that is said to surround celebrities and the paparazzi who stalk them (did you just ask, "how do I know?"), Arundhati and I concluded that this was a group of student photographers who were practicing their craft on a live model outdoors. Within 10 minutes, I had come to the earth shattering conclusion that I was not cut out to be a supermodel. How could any rational person want to preen on demand so that a photographer caught the perfect image? And on why on earth did it require so many shots? Imagine if it was the old days of film photography? These guys would be bankrupt expos

August 17, 2014 Only yesterday, I read the 1992 Playboy interview of Robin Williams . There is a wonderful quote there by Robin: “If you take the chance, sometimes you’ll find something so magnificent that it was worth dying for, and sometimes you’ll find nothing and have a horrible night. To go deeper with it, that’s the most interesting challenge.” I flashed back today to the news of Robin Williams passing during our Geeta study class. We were reading verse 1-32, 33. In these verses, Arjuna laments his existential crisis. "Why must I fight, O Kṛṣṇa?", he asks. "With the death of my loved ones, what is the point of winning a kingdom and gaining pleasure? Indeed, what is the point of living this life?" (Note: This is free translation, full verse and translation below). Robin Williams undoubtedly loved and was loved by his daughter, Zelda and wife, Susan and millions of fans. His accomplishments as a comedian and actor are legendary. Through the non-profit Comic R

August 10, 2014 I was recently reading an HBR blog entry titled  "Why Smart People Struggle With Strategy"  by  Roger Martin . Maybe I am weird, but I could not help thinking of Bhagavad Geeta verse 2-47,(probably the Geeta's most famous verse; see below for the full text of verse 2-47). The post opens thus: Strategy is often seen as something really smart people do — those head-of-the-class folks with top-notch academic credentials. But just because these are the folks attracted to strategy doesn't mean they will naturally excel at it. The problem with smart people is that they are used to seeking and finding "the right answer"; unfortunately, in strategy there is no single right answer to find. Strategy requires making choices about an uncertain future. It is not possible, no matter how much of the ocean you boil, to discover the one right answer. There isn't one. In fact, even after the fact, there is no way to determine that one's strategy choice

March 25, 2014 Pujya Swami Swatmanandaji is a dynamic teacher of the Chinmaya Mission, based in Mumbai. His post on verse 6-5 is a wonderful elaboration of a pivotal verse in the Geeta. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, "Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone, and let him not lower himself" . Among the gems in this post: Toys to Truth Vanity to Vairagya Doership to Divinity Dreamer to waker Theory to Practice Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

I, YADAVENDRA KRISHNA PARAMATMA,   do hereby unconditionally guarantee that: If you should study, understand and apply even a little teaching of the Bhagavad Geeta, I SHALL PROTECT YOU FROM GREAT FEAR. 2.40 I SHALL CARRY YOU ACROSS this endless cycle of birth and death, on the “boat” of aatmavidya, otherwise known as self-knowledge, even if you consider yourself to be a sinner of the worst kind.  4-36 The gains of your SPRITUAL PRACTICE SHALL NEVER EVER GO TO WASTE in this world or any world. 6-40 I SHALL FOREVER ENSURE THE GROWTH & PROTECTION THE YOUR WEALTH should you ceaselessly chant and reflect on my name to the exclusion of all other worldly distractions. 9-26 Despite being a sinner, if you unwaveringly & constantly worship me, YOU SHALL BECOME RIGHTEOUS AND AS MY DEVOTEE, YOU SHALL NEVER PERISH. 9-30, 31 When you renounce all that is dear to you, physical, emotional and intellectual, and you finally surrender unto Me as your only refuge, I SHALL FREE FROM ALL SIN

March 15, 2014 From our facebook friends in The Bhagavad Gita - Your Companion for Life Learn in childhood, the verses of the Gita; in teenage years, its word meaning; in youth, its meaning and in adulthood abide in its knowledge - through satsang, study, reflection and practice. We need to learn, practice and perfect the art of right living from an early age, not just as we are about to die For a systematic study of the Gita at home, click here. For my previous posts and todbits on the Gita course, click here. . Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

March 11, 2014 From our facebook friends in Chinmaya Mission, Delhi comes this gem. The Gita is a unique dialogue between man and God. The Gita provides us with the knowledge, attitude, vision and values needed to build a successful and fulfilled life even as we face situations gracefully and joyfully. For a systematic study of the Gita at home, click here. For my previous posts and todbits on the Gita course, click here. . Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

March 12, 2014 Today, March 12th marks the 83rd anniversary of the start of the Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March . What better occasion to recall the apostle of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi . I was thrilled to discover original film footage of the Dandi march on Youtube. On March 12th, 1930 Gandhiji set out with 78 volunteers to achieve the greatest feat of non-violent protest the world has known. In his speech on the eve of the Dandi March, Mahatma Gandhi said: "I have faith in the righteousness of our cause and the purity of our weapons. And where the means are clean, there God is undoubtedly present with His blessings. And where these three combine, there defeat is an impossibility. A Satyagrahi, whether free or incarcerated, is ever victorious. He is vanquished only, when he forsakes truth and nonviolence and turns a deaf ear to the inner voice." The 60-year Gandhiji led a group of 78 dedicated volunteers on a 388 km (241 mile) walk from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi where he p

March 1, 2014 Nelson Mandela passed away a few months ago. I had written this up but never got round to posting it. I came across a wonderful story that reveals Nelson Mandela's character in the Wikipedia entry for Chris Hani. : In April 1993, ANC leader Chris Hani was murdered by a white man. There were fears that the country would erupt in violence. Nelson Mandela spoke to the nation that day: “Tonight I am reaching out to every single South African, black and white, from the very depths of my being. A white man, full of prejudice and hate, came to our country and committed a deed so foul that our whole nation now teeters on the brink of disaster. A white woman, of Afrikaner origin, risked her life so that we may know, and bring to justice, this assassin. The cold-blooded murder of Chris Hani has sent shock waves throughout the country and the world. ...Now is the time for all South Africans to stand together against those who, from any quarter, wish to destroy what Chris Hani

January 26, 2014 India's Republic day is a good day for me to resume posting to this blog after a hiatus of over 8 weeks. The impetus for this came from listening to Param Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji's audio talks on the " Art of Man Making ". The audio and the accompanying book are the results of 114 talks on All India Radio by Pujya Gurudev in the 1960s. The talks are wonderful, crisp, lyrical at times, yet always marked by the razor-sharp insights into the Bhagavad Geeta, the familiar hallmark of Pujya Gurudev's teaching. As he sets the context for the first chapter, Gurudev vividly lays out the setting of the Bhagavad Geeta. (the Upanishads) are given out in an atmosphere of quietude and in an inner mood of total dispassion. The hum of the Ganges, the hymn of the eternal snow peaks and the salubrious climate are all conspicuous witnesses in the Upanishadic literature. Even the students who listen to the declaration of these Rishis are calm and cool, s