The Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 verse 24

“samkalpaprabhavan kamams tyaktva sarvan asesatah manasaivendriyagramam viniyamya samantatah”   “Relinquish without exception all longings born of sankalpas (plannings), and completely control, sheerly with the mind, the sensory organs, the sensory powers, and their contact with the ubiquitous sense objects.”   This verse, essentially a meditation technique comes from chapter six titled “Permanent Shelter in Spirit [...]

Bhagavad Gita chapter 5 verse 7

“yogayukto visuddhatma vijitatma jitendriyah sarvabhutatmabhutatma kurvann api na lipyate”   “No taint (karmic involvement) touches the sanctified man of action who is engaged in divine communion (yoga), who has conquered ego consciousness (by attaining soul perception), who is victorious over his senses, and who feels his self as the Self existing in all beings.”   [...]

Bhagavad Gita Chapter IV verse 41

“yogasamnyastakarmanam jnanasamchinnasamsayam atmavantam na karmani nibadhnanti dhanamjaya”   “O Winner of Wealth (Arjuna), he who has relinquished work by yoga, and who has torn apart his doubts by wisdom, becomes poised in the Self; actions do not entangle him.”   In this verse of chapter 4 titled “The Supreme Science of Knowing God”, Lord Krishna [...]

Bhagavad Gita Chapter III verse 4

“na karmanam anarambhan naiskarmyam puruso snute na ca samnyasanad eva siddhim samadhigacchati”   “Actionlessness is not attained simply by avoiding actions.  By forsaking work no one reaches perfection.”   In this verse the term actionlessness is not referring to actions of the body, but of actions of the mind.  It is impossible to stay alive [...]

The Bhagavad Gita Chapter II Verse 13

“tatah sankhas ca bheryas ca panavanakagomukhah sahasaivabhyahanyanta sa sabdas tumulo ‘bhavat” “As is the body, the embodied Self passes through childhood, youth, and old age, so is its passage into another body; the wise thereat are not disturbed.”   In this verse Krishna is responding to Arjuna’s plea for assistance in making a choice to [...]

Bhagavad Gita Chapter I Verse 37

“hato va prapsyasi svargam jitva va bhoksyase mahim tasmad uttistha kaunteya yuddhaya krtaniscayah” “Therefore we are not justified in annihilating our very own relatives, the progeny of Dhritarashtra.  O Madhava (Krishna) how indeed could we attain happiness by killing our own kindred?” (direct english translation) In this passage Arjuna is asking Krishna how he can [...]

Yoga sutra IV.14

“parinama ekatvat vastutattvam” “Unity in the mutation of time caused by the abiding qualities of nature, sattva, rajas, and tamas, causes modifications in objects, but their unique essence, or reality does not change.” We perceive changes in our external world but the real alterations occur internally within the individual and their perceptions change with time, [...]

Yoga Sutra IV.11

“hetu phala asraya alambanaih sangrhitatvat esam abhave tad abhavah” “Impressions and desires are bound together by their dependence upon cause and effect.  In the absence of the latter, the former too ceases to function.” Our soul moves from one life, or body into another life and body due to a rebirth.  Along with the new [...]

Yoga Sutra IV.9

Jati desa kala vyavahitanam api anantaryam smrti samskarayoh ekarupatvat “Life is a continuous process, even though it is demarcated by race, place and time. Due to the uninterrupted close relationship between memory and subliminal impressions, the fruits of actions remain intact from one life to the next, as if there were no separation between births.” [...]

Yoga Sutra iv.4 “nirmanacittani asmitamatrat”

Yoga Sutra iv.4  “nirmanacittani asmitamatrat” “Constructed or created mind springs from the sense of individuality (asmita).” The sutra is explaining the origin of asmita, which we refer to as egoism, pride or our “I” consciousness.  Our ego is our sense of individuality, it is the part of our mind that is constantly screaming “me” what [...]