You perform Yajna (sacrifice) when you dedicate your actions in a spirit of cooperative effort to a higher ideal represented by the gods. Through concerted effort, when your physical, verbal, and mental energies are focused on the higher, you are…

The world consists of minerals, plants, animals, and humans. Minerals are inanimate and change very slowly over time. Plants have physical forms but lack minds. Animals feel emotions, but their thinking is rudimentary. Humans alone possess a fully developed body,…

If a computer is compared to human composition, then the software that enables the computer to function from within is similar to the subtle body. The battery is comparable to the Pranas or life-force. The Pranas are responsible for all…

As opposed to indulgence, some people lead lives of strict abstinence. Verse 16 of Bhaja Govindam describes a youth who practises extreme restraint, denying himself even basic necessities such as clothing and shelter. However, this does not help him overcome…

You are born in a human form based on the collective good deeds of your past lives. The gross body is formed from the five great elements after they have undergone a process of pentamerous self-division and mutual combination known…

Renunciation mainly refers to a mental state of detachment in which one rises above worldly temptations. This maturity stems from a foundation in higher values. Practising renunciation as a lifestyle is recommended only for those willing to observe strict austerities.…

Vedanta encourages you to approach God, postulated as the origin of the universe, much like an arithmetic student solving for the unknown ‘X’ in a problem. Education should move from the known to the unknown through established principles. The process…

Verse 11 discusses Upadhi, which is a limiting adjunct associated with or added to something else, creating an appearance of limitation or modification that does not exist in reality. The gross, subtle, and causal bodies are the Upadhis that seem…

Feel God’s benevolence as the Ordainer. An unseen Force systematically sets the laws that govern the microcosm and macrocosm with perfect precision. Therefore, you only need to follow the law of causation and stop worrying about everything else in life,…

Vedanta prescribes the 3 ‘C’s as a formula for success in any field: concentration, consistency, and cooperation. Concentration is practised when the intellect guides the mind in any chosen action. Consistency is the ability to direct all actions toward the…

Gold is the substratum on which ornaments are superimposed. Gold alone manifests as various ornaments. The ignorant tend to overlook the substratum as they focus on names and forms. Similarly, the world is simply a superimposition on the eternal, all-pervading…

Primary identification of an individual is with his physical body. He also considers wealth and beings as his possessions. He acts with vanity over his youth, accumulated wealth and retinue. However, these are susceptible to being lost in a jiffy.…