Bhagavad-Gita principles lay stress on human welfare, equally for every society peace, prosperity and spiritual progress in life.
Modern civilization is considered to be advanced in the standard of the mode of passion. Civilization is external and material. Men and women become materialistic, worship the body. One cannot become totally detached from the attraction of the material world.
No one is completely free from the materialistic nature. No one is totally Good in all aspects and no one is totally Bad in every aspect. Worldly knowledge can only deal with material things.
Materially, everyone wants to satisfy his senses, everyone wants to show or share happiness, his opulence to friends and relatives.
Obligation is actually binding when the effect is good, but when the effect is otherwise, then no one can be bound.
Perform your prescribed duty; for doing so is better than not working. Move towards fulfillment to a certain extent, to overcome moral sense of right or wrong.
Deviation from duty does not help one in the progress of spiritual life. Any duty or occupation which is meant for progressive life or personal happiness, should never be given up. You can help others while helping yourself. – Bhagavad Gita
The Vedas deal mainly with the three modes(qualities) of material nature. All material activities involve actions and reactions in – goodness, passion and ignorance.
One is happy, another is very active, and another is helpless.
A man’s mood and character depend upon the predominating nature. He cultivates his nature by his thoughts, actions and way of living.
The distressed, the inquisitive, those who seek material gain, and the speculative philosophers.
Life of action in which the individual is bestowed with the faculties of mind, intellect and reason which help him/her choose among various options.
Before one acts, there is some inspiration. These three natures are responsible for the psychological processes of thinking, feeling and action.
Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
In the mode of goodness, there is the possibility for peace and prosperity all over the world. Otherwise, if the world is devoted to the modes of passion and ignorance, there can be no peace nor prosperity.
All imperfections in human nature are general, resulting in the inequalities of the mentality, personality and behavior of an individual. Different people perceive a person differently, with all our apparent differences, at the root(tolerance), we are one. Everyone is a combination of material nature and the spiritual nature.
Any attachment, positive or negative is the cause for bondage. Co-operation is better than escapism. Prosperity will reign for all.
The mode of goodness: From the mode of goodness; real knowledge develops mind expresses itself in calmness, purity and tranquility.
Joy, faith, kind, tolerance, humility, modesty and non-attachment. – mode of Goodness
The mode of goodness produces sense of happiness and wisdom, faith and love. He has contentment and is happy.
The mind is like an ocean. To expect the mind not to wander is like wanting an ocean without waves. The ocean exists, the waves come and go.
The mind is active, even though the body may be silent and at rest, the mind will act-as it does during dreaming.
You can attain bliss only if you try to put your knowledge into practice.
Intelligence is higher than the mind. One has to strengthen the mind in use of intelligence.
Life dedicated to one’s and others’ welfare is the most desirable for human beings. Stick to the right path wherein the seen and the unseen profits abound. – Chandrasekhara Saraswati Swami, Kanchi
Clarity of thought and discrimination, gives a vision. Clarity is acquired not by knowledge but by knowing. Let us progress ourselves, and this is to make others progress.
The mode of Passion: The mode of passion is born of unlimited desires and longings. Passion is born, the mind expresses itself in activity. Desire is the cause of things. When desire dominates, awareness of the Self will be at its lowest. From the mode of passion, greed develops. Greed removes contentment.
Greed asks, "Is there any gain in it?" The greedy, however, remain unsatisfied as they are constantly looking for bigger and better ways to fulfill their desires. A greedy person pays no attention to the quality of his words and deeds.
Pride, vanity, anger, envy, secrecy, suspicion, temptation, discretion, harshness and ignorance. – mode of Passion
Pride is due to illusion. People become angry out of pride, from anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.
False pride opposes true love. Vanity asks, "can I become great".
A man in the mode of passion, he wants some honor in society. He may be engaged in good activities; he owns as much as he can and spends for good causes. Sometimes he tries to open hospitals, give to charity institutions, etc.
There is always bliss and a blessing, in giving and receiving something. For if no one received happily, there could be no happy giving. ‘Keep a thing for seven years, you will find a use for it’ is a popular saying.
He/She thinks himself independent and powerful in every action. They have the power to act, but there is no knowledge of what to do. When this happens, people become restless, doesn't allow them to be quiet. When actions dominate, restlessness follows. He is never satisfied with the money, possessions, position and respect that he has already acquired.
He/She is unyielding, will schedule your days and evening so tightly. He knows how to grab work from you, eternally lengthening the work, without considering your personal health or life.
You won’t have time to spend by your own interests, even time to take rest or sleep. You will be pushed to the edge of your patience.
He/She measures everything with money, possessions, power and authority. But have little compunction, comprehension and unaware of how to return it.
The mind is engaged in the mode of passion, the mind is restless, disturbed, rigid, obstinate and very strong. Since personal security, home and health are so important. His/Her activities are troublesome, makes all things complicated. And he is always in trouble and there is neither happiness nor peace of mind.
He/She is more conscious about his sense of pride and self-esteem.
Over trifles he/she becomes very angry and impatient, restrain your speech, limit your personal growth and happiness.
It is always healthy to keep respectable distance with a man/woman who is in power and authority, affluent and wealthy. It is better to stand behind them and go by their rules.
He/She is aware of her efforts, speech and action. And he knows what he’s doing.
One who lack a sense of contentment, makes effort to see others pain or unhappiness; but inability to see others happiness.
He/She makes plans to remove every obstacle and he himself falls into unrelieved anxiety.
Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind. But the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one’s own intelligence; although the mind is supposed to be submissive to the intelligence.
A man who thinks that anything attained by him is permanent and never to be lost. He thinks of himself as the master of the world in the mode of passion. – Bhagavad-Gita
Ego clash effects perception. Ego is thinking that the self and the intellect and the instruments of perception are the same. Some are inclined to understand and realize it by philosophical speculation, devotion to God or exceedingly in empirical experience. – Gita
I am above everything in life, nothing interest me any more. Time spends itself, we do not have to worry about it, we have to live as long as we have to live. – Morargi Desai
A man who has contented mind ignores physical and material aspects of life. He has neither attachment nor detachment.
Being contented doesn't imply that we should not be ambitious, but ambition should be within limits and should not turn into avarice.
For one who is able to see things as they are, the influence of material nature gradually ceases. You may not get rid of all possessions but reduce desire to acquire more.
Self-will and self-effort increases, when desires are limited.
Mahatma Gandhi was a strong individual, and his strength lay in the richness of his personality, not in the multitude of his possessions.
One remains in ignorance and passion, he/she applies of his energy, mind, intelligence, words, wealth, self-conscious in social contact etc. (anything excessively) whatever he may have within his possession. He looses control over himself which damages his life and health in all levels.
Anything too good or bad, extreme or excessive makes a man/woman completely miserable and helpless.
Bewildered by ignorance, he engage himself fully in material activities with excess attachment. He performs his duties over the results of his work. Craving makes life miserable. Misery is caused by ignorance.
Owing to ignorance, the more one is addicted to material pleasures, the more he is entrapped by material miseries.
Excessive attachment for material things puts a man in impatience, weakness of the mind. He is forgetting himself on account of this weakness of the mind. He is easily moved by joy and sorrow.
In completion of any senses create attachment of that object. Ignorance is the cause of bondage. In truth, there is neither bondage nor Liberation: these are only state of mind. The Self is ever free, unaffected by any state of mind.
Fearfulness, wandering mind and loss of mental equilibrium takes place in persons who are affected by ATTACHMENT.
There are two kinds of trembling of the body, with starving words heart sinks, in intimidation or spiritual ecstasy. Because of soft heart, while thinking so much, the limbs of the body begin to quiver, helpless in distress, eyes shed full of tears or crying out of compassion.
One who protects those in fright(fearful) is brave. And one who saves in despair or agony(from humiliation) is a good friend. – Sri Chandrasekhar Saraswathi Swami, Kanchi
Those who suffer pain and grief are victims of the disease of life's bondage.
He/She is really defenseless and vulnerable in the extreme. His/Her thoughtful mind and unrest heart thinks that there is no solace or shoulder for him to lean on and cry his heart out.
By practice of self-control and detachment, the mind will not affect inner nature. Detachment doesn’t mean that you have no relationships. – Bhagavad-Gita
The mode of Ignorance: The mode of darkness is born of ignorance, is in delusion. From the mode of ignorance mind develops dullness, avarice causing laziness.
Indolence, delusion, temptation, whimsical, crazy, indecision, rigid, fear, grief, inertia, sleep, passive, distemper, unclean habits and negligence. – mode of ignorance
Spiritual ignorance or blind fear causes the superstitions, fear of evil spirits.
An Ignorant lives in darkness. When there is no illumination, knowledge is absent. As far as the mode of ignorance is concerned, the performer is without knowledge and therefore all his activities result in present misery.
In ignorance, of being human knew nothing; what is truly important, what must be done, for whom he should work fulfilling duties and responsibilities(family and parental responsibility).
An ignorant does not work by regulative principles; Even though he/she has the capacity to work, negligence of duty and responsibility, he makes no attempt. Laziness causes slow or indecisive nature.
Working(even slight performance) to serve others is always superior than laziness. – Bhagavad-Gita
The awareness of decreased intellectual capacity is too painful for most of them. He/she is always distressed and inactive. Although consciousness is going on, life is inactive.
Always children and women should be given protection and adequate moral support by the elders of the family in fractured culture.
Do not restrain yourself from hurting children and women. Give them opportunity to feel emotionally safe and secure; this is to spread happiness and prosperity everywhere.
He/She is a slave of his senses, speech and body language is not consistent and actions are not guided by reason. This is called illusion.
Forgetfulness is due to illusion. The hurry in remembering delays the remembering. Illusion creates more confusion; which leads to absentmindedness.
Speech is the most important quality of any man. Language makes for identity. It is very difficult to know language and have expressive speech.
Talk slowly but learn to think quickly. Speech is silver, silence is golden.
Ignorance delays in communication, learning and reasoning; it impacts on individual work and social activities.
Speech ability is limited to only a few words; He/She often seems slow to respond or less emotionally responsive. He is fearful of revealing his defects, he himself withdraws from participation in activities such as conversations.
Generally, preference of memory is given to topics of deep interest to the person.
Ignorance leads to diversity. The visible world is a world of diversity and the invisible world is a world of unity. Search for the vision of unity in diversity. Unity in diversity is the plan of action.
We may have or lack some: Beauty, communication difficulty, language problems, higher education, lack of intellect, money, economy, possessions, children, illness, mental pain, disharmony etc. Disharmony and dissent is often caused by language. It is our lack of faith that creates our limitations.
You cannot have everything in life. Harmony begins with tolerance, leads to acceptance and integrity. Harmony is living together while pursuing different ways of life and social practices.
We can conquer our fate with honesty and wisdom. True wisdom is only gained by adopting to life's ever-changing patterns. Accept everything that comes to you and continue to live and work. Without acceptance, there can neither be past nor future.
Our present is a continuation of the past. Acceptance makes you to progress and prosperous. Progress should be maintained whether the pace is slow or quick.
When there is an increase in the mode of ignorance, he may become very lazy or passive and sleeps more than is usual or not wanting to do usual activities. He may be diseased or neglected. Such a man appears to be always dejected and less respected.
Avoidance leads to austerity. “Idle hands seek out mischief” an old saying. Idleness is your foe. Idleness, aimlessness and procrastination.
In the mode of passion and ignorance, mind is easily distracted. Passion brings momentary results. Only some actions will yield to instant results.
Go to a temple or your religious place as a matter of duty and to offer respect to the deity. That will place you in the mode of goodness.
“God is beyond all religions. By whatever religion and by whatever manner you worship Him, your prayers will always reach Him.” – Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
Instability is the distraction of the mind, unable to have discrimination and difference between relations, age and genders.
People have distinct and different ways of showing aggression. Reducing anger takes away all kinds of sinful activities. Anger and arrogance is your true foe.
Frustration and anger encourage impulsive actions. Thoughtless decisions and reckless actions with no regard for the consequences, create more confrontation and it limits livelihood(progressive life) of innocent, who has done no wrong to you and society; and which leads to lose any relationship, everyone and everything.
Make no effort to attack, be either at war with, or in league with, enemy, friend, son, or relative. If you want to attain spiritual bliss soon, be equal-minded towards all things. – Bhaja Govindam
Team work is important and vital. Increases physical and mental strength together. Mind can do either Good or Bad.
People who stand to benefit from others work and words, do anything to put others into misery. It is so easy to limit a man livelihood(mentally or physically) or destroy life, leave him perplexed and let alone.
Liveliness, courage of conviction, gratitude, fortitude, brilliance, serenity: one who has these qualities obtains divine help and strength.
But to save a single man, people(doctors and many others involved) works hard day and night; put their mind and try to bring back to life, and pleasant smile in his face for everyone’s happiness.
Feeling nervous enables one to give his best. You can get nervous only when you care about something. I care for cricket. – Sachin Tendulkar
To be Good and Goodness is not enough. Know even in which respect it is to be.
One who is deluded by duality, is always doubtful and suspicious in everything and everybody.
One of the greatest pleasures of life is conversation. People who converse, to make game of experimenting others virtues and vices fall on bad days.
People spend excess time and energy speculating on the inner secrets of others, personal life, behavior or motives behind, and make a habit of deriving happiness from them. This will not lead one to understanding.
Your doubts are always about something that is good and in goodness. You never doubt negativity. Negativity is Self-defeating. – Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living
You assume that you know everything and speak about people and situations, that don’t concern you and who have does no harm or doesn’t harm. Sometimes even frivolous matters create unfortunate situations.
No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
It is good to know personal limits and not to speak where usefulness is very less. Arguments would not solve fundamental questions. It is difficult to know who is accountable for any complicated things or difficulty.
Never: interfere in others affairs, go in between husband-wife, alienate children from their parents and never abuse a woman at any age. Even in affluence one lives in disharmony and fear.
Do not degrade elderly people, worn out with age, learned and a Vedic scholar; that causes deprivation of sense, and throws one into adversity.
You try to assume your personal desires as universal tastes, interests and characters. What is important to you may be worthless and meaningless to other people.
Any work done in anger, or pretense to work, and pretentious to be good, all the hard work leads to no purpose.
Whatever we do, creates some sort of impression in the subconscious mind. Do your work happily, for lasting happiness and simple things in life.
There is a huge difference doing an act in reel and real, and it takes self-control to present one self during live events. Action in the stage or silver screen as a profession only brings you rewards and awards.
See the self in all things, and leave off everywhere ignorance which is the cause of ignorance. – Bhaja Govindam
How can anyone think nor desire any subsequent happiness even by gaining victory over the foe. There would be any good come or happiness in life.
How can there be any happiness without peace?
Love makes life beautiful. Love is patience and tolerance. Patience gives you to forgive everything. Soft and true forgiveness does over look.
“Live and let live” keeps you to get on with everyone and everything.
Learn to walk in quiet peace. Purity in small things to generosity and nobility; human life can turn into divinity.
Cheerlessness is unhappiness. Out of hopelessness, some of them disbelieve in everything; covered by illusion, he is addicted to intoxicants. Intoxication drives out intellect, thus he sinks further into ignorance. Future in life is very dark.
Morality, Intellect and Knowledge are stolen by illusion. When knowledge fails, worthiness of nature(God, divinity of nature) will be known.
One who is certainly in the influence by the mode of ignorance, is senseless; he/she rejects everything and everyone without knowledge of its usefulness and relationship.
Listening or singing music(sankirtana) and chanting holy names of God brings faith and happiness.
Depressed is an expression of hopeless and helpless feeling. Being distressed by his/her circumstances, he dislikes and avoids healthy food or good eatables, not due to starvation. For some, they may not get or have food to eat.
Do not abuse Food and discard Food. Do not starve or grab others Food. One must not eat the food of another. It is a sin to take the bread out of one's mouth.
He who eats too much or eats too little, sleeps too much or doesn’t sleep enough. An ignorant who eats more than required will dream very much while sleeping.
Don’t be swayed by events, or flattery by smooth talking(self-interested)strangers. Be careful while moving with the strangers. It is better to be an ignorant, than misguided.
Trust in the future. Try to over come your self-doubt, and believe in yourself. Feel free to change your mind and routine, and even to give up a duty that has outlived its usefulness.
He who would stand up in the world must first learn to stop.
Whatever extremes of feelings or experience you face, may be something would come of it. Every problem presents you with a new opportunity to improve yourselves.
Lord Siva supervises the material mode of ignorance. Reciting Dakshinamurthy stotram, without knowing, ignorance will be removed. – by Adi Sankara
The world is full of duality. One has to adopt tolerance in the face of dualities such as happiness and distress, success and failure; and by tolerating such dualities becomes free from anxiety regarding gain and loss.
Ignorance becomes an obstacle for spirituality. There is an opportunity for people in the modes of ignorance and passion to be elevated to the mode of goodness.
Initially, surrender yourself to God; with small knowledge also, You will be blessed to listen philosophical scriptures from learned, even acquires a taste for hearing Vedas(Sruti).
When you are aware of your ignorance, you remain with the attitude of a beginner. Then you listen intently, open and receptive. The beginner is able to bow down with humility, and because of this, true knowledge flows into him.
Knowledge gradually removes ignorance. Knowledge leads to detachment.
Association with educated and learned people removes ignorance, gives honesty to the speech, enhance respect, removes grief, makes your heart pure, expands fame, and brings all kinds of divine grace.
When you are engaged in spiritual thoughts and to listening, the mind is elevated in a silent way. Listening is most important and acts as a best-wishing friend. Repetition of something good is necessary in order to understand the matter thoroughly, without error.
An ignorant man is not to be disturbed in his activities; develop devotion to Lord Krishna, by chanting His name, which is easy.
People realise that true happiness doesn't come from material satisfaction. They turn towards spirituality to seek solace.
Neutralizing the inequalities of nature, Lord Krishna awakens consciousness and holds one back from uncontrolled earthly pleasures, and direct senses without escaping from duties and responsibilities of life.
Lord Krishna consciousness keeps you balance, has neither attachment nor detachment, even when your attempts are unsuccessful.
Consciousness becomes increasingly enlightened, one enjoys his life, not only for sometime, but at every moment. Enlightenment is an altered state of consciousness that can bring about a state of causeless unconditional love and limitless joy.
And whenever and wherever the God is present, the goddess of fortune is also present. - Gita
When one is actually in Krishna consciousness, he automatically loses his taste for pale things. Bonding of a spiritual nature or spiritual life begins and becomes free from the control of material nature.
When one is situated in pure goodness, he worships Lord Krishna(Vasudeva). – Srimad-Bhagavatam
