Yajurveda: 34.2
Rishi: Vishvamitra
ॐ येन कर्माण्यपसो मनीषिनो,
यज्ञे क्रिन्वंती विदथेशु धीराः I
यद्पूर्व यक्षमन्तः प्रजानां ,
तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु II
OM YEN KARMANYA-APSO MANEESHINO,
YAJNE KRIN-VANTI VIDTHESHU DHEERA I
YAT-POORVE YAKSH-MANTAH PRAJA-NAAM,
TANME MANAH SHIV-SANKALPAM-ASTU II
Oh God! The mind by which dutiful persevering Yogis always remain devoted to ‘ yajnas’ and auspicious scientific actions: that mind having the highest qualities, nature and actions, dwells in the heart of all humans like a God. O Lord, such mind of mine should be of pure thoughts.
In the Bhagavad Gita, kama (desire), krodha (anger) and lobha (greed) are referred to as the three gates leading to the downfall of the individual (16.21). Those seeking to make progress on the spiritual path must give them up on all three. Yoga practitioners of Yog Sadhan Ashram have made a resolution to work on anger this year. Here are some inspiring words from Hershji to motivate us all:
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The serious practice of yoga incorporates a traditional sattvic diet. The general characteristics of the sattvic food are pure, light, and fresh. In other words, these foods possess the highest vitality to support all the koshas or layers of our selves. Organic foods also possess a high vitality in comparison to foods grown with pesticides and herbicides.
Sattvic foods are more easily digestible and are not fat laden nor protein dense as in animal products; therefore, the sattvic diet is primarily lacto-vegetarian. This type of diet leads to a greater clarity and equanimity of mind while also being more beneficial to the body.
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Source: Atharvaveda 1.1.1 Author: Rishi Atharva
ॐ ये त्रिश्प्तः परियन्ति विश्वा रूपाणि विभ्र्तः I
वाचस्पतिर्बला तेषाम तन्वो अद्य दधातु मे II
Oh God, you created this creation with twenty one elements*. By them alone countless forms came into being and by your strength they are existing everywhere in the universe. The same elements constitute our body as well. O Lord! May these elements keep us strong, and their quality should remain intact as it is. Let us strive to keep these pure and do nothing to pollute them in any way.
* 21 Elements:
5 Senses of knowledge: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin.
5 Organs of physical functions: mouth, hands, feet, rectum, genitals.
5 Chief elements: earth, water, air, fire, ether.
5 Objects of senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch.
1 Soul (Self)
Breaking through the material layers of our existence to discover the ultimate reality at our core being is the goal Yoga. The culmination of that great effort is called moksha, liberation, or self-realization. While the Upanishads give many indications of a realized person, the references lie scattered in the pages of those sacred texts. The signs of a self-realized person were first compiled in the Bhagavad Gita by Ved Vyas in the concluding 18 verses of chapter 2. In those verses, we see the portrait of an individual who is liberated even while living, also known as jivanmukta.
The self-realized person is a dynamic person of action. In order to understand him, and we must understand him as he lives in the world, not as he sits under a tree lost in contemplation. How does he see the world, react to problems and relate himself to others?
Our Guruji established Yog Sadhan Ashram with the purpose of teaching everyday people how to achieve liberation without running away from the world. In this lecture, Acharyaji describes what this looks like and the characteristics we must develop to achieve this goal.
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