The wisdom of human life

The next sutra is Tasya Hethuravidya, which means “thinking that these causes are yours is ignorance”. What is the way out of ignorance? The only way is definite knowledge in the mind that your body is constantly changing. You must know that you are not the body, you are the self. You are imperishable, untouched and untainted by the probabilities of the world. Every particle in this body is changing. The mind is changing. The world is changing all the time.

The entire universe is in the state of fluidity. It is full of change and it is going on according to its nature. This definite knowledge is the way to get out of the circle.

Human consciousness is like a seed. A seed has the possibility of a tree, of the leaves, of a branch, of fruits, of flowers and of multiplication. A seed needs proper ground, proper conditions, sunlight, and water, soil for it to sprout and blossom. Human consciousness is like that. Either the seed can be dormant for years together keeping its possibility within itself or it starts sprouting. The sprouting of the seed of human consciousness is viveka or discrimination. Freedom comes with discrimination.

All other species in this creation are governed by nature. They do not need discrimination, nor do they have the freedom. So they never break the laws of nature. The human mind has this possibility of freedom and it also has been given discrimination. It is through wisdom and discrimination that the human consciousness can progress or else it can remain where it is. You will never see an animal overeating. They have no choice. But human beings have this freedom to do whatever they want. This freedom is given along with discrimination, along with wisdom, along with the consequences of action. Knowledge of consequences of action helps humans to choose and lead life with wisdom. Are you getting what I am saying? The human life is governed by wisdom and discrimination.

How should this come up? How can this be enhanced? How do you make the seed sprout? A seed has the possibility. But if it is not watered then the possibility remains a possibility and does not manifest.

Time for the next sutra — Yoganganushtanadashuddhikshaye jnanadipthiraviveka khyatehe. It means that by the sustained practice of the eight limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and the light of wisdom and discrimination shine forth.

The husk is strong. The sprout moves through this and the grain comes out. Similarly, by the practice of eight limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and wisdom as well as discrimination shines forth.


What are the limbs of yoga?

Yamaniyamaasanapran? ayamapratyaharadharanadhyna samadhayoashtavangan, the next sutra, is the answer. It means ‘restraint, observance, postures, regulation of breath, substitute food for the mind, ability of the mind to focus, meditation and higher states of consciousness are eight limbs of yoga’.

Yoga has eight limbs and each one is connected to the whole. So, if you pull one, everything else will come. When the body is developing, the whole body develops simultaneously. Organs develop together and all the aspects or limbs of the body develop. That is why Patanjali says that these are all the limbs of yoga.

Unfortunately people think that these are all stages, one after the other which has to be achieved. This is wrong understanding or misconception that has crept in yoga.

The series on Patanjali’s yogasutras continues…

Patanjali Yog Sutra

Breathing ahimsa

The next sutra is Jatidesha kalasamayanavachchinnaha sarvabhouma mahavratam meaning ‘the great vows are universal and are not limited by life — state, country, time or circumstances’.

These words are applicable everywhere, all the time and to everyone. These five principles mentioned above are universal. An animal does not go into violence for no reason. Wild animals hunt only when they are hungry and when they want to eat. Human hunt out of pleasure. Human beings have no qualms about killing in the name of God. Mindless violence is prevalent in the world in the name of country, in the name of religion, in the name of race. This is absolute nonsense. This is total lack of viveka or wisdom. A violent person cannot listen to anybody.

Why does violence arise? Frustration is the answer. The mind gets frustrated and frustration builds up. The question ‘why, why, why?’ transforms into violence and this contagious, so to speak. A crowd commits violence. Individually, a person may not be able to do that violent act, but when that person is in the crowd he joins hands. Viveka is when a person takes to non-violence saying, “I will not kill any animal or any life on this planet consciously or unconsciously.” Already without your knowledge you are destroying many creatures. You walk and many ants are dying under your feet. You are not killing anyone. It is just happening. But an intention to destroy something, an intention to do violence can destroy your very basis, your very own root. Dropping this intention for violence is ahimsa.

What is the effect of ahimsa? Patanjali Maharishi gives a beautiful explanation in Sutra 35: Ahimsapratishtayam tatsannidhau vairatyagaha, which means “When a person is established in non-violence, then violence is dropped in his or her presence.”

If you are established in non-violence, in your very presence, violence will be dropped by other creatures. For example, someone comes to attack you. As soon as they come near you, because your vibrations are totally nonviolent, they drop down. They stop being violent. Lord Mahavira emphasises on ahimsa. It is said that whenever he walked, twenty kilometers around him, people would stop being violent. The story goes even to that extent and says even the thorns would not prick anybody but would instead become soft.

Ahimsa gives rise to tolerance.

Have you ever felt like hitting somebody? Why is that violence arising in your mind? What is the source of the violence? As you watch the source of violence, you will see that violence disappears, dissolves and peace dawns. Yoga brings that inner peace which in turn establishes non-violence. Practice of non-violence is two-way traffic. Ahimsa or non -violence brings about the union of the mind or peace of mind and when you are peaceful or calm within, you naturally become non-violent.

Patanjali Yog Sutra

Breathing ahimsa

The next sutra is Jatidesha kalasamayanavachchinnaha sarvabhouma mahavratam meaning ‘the great vows are universal and are not limited by life — state, country, time or circumstances’.

These words are applicable everywhere, all the time and to everyone. These five principles mentioned above are universal. An animal does not go into violence for no reason. Wild animals hunt only when they are hungry and when they want to eat. Human hunt out of pleasure. Human beings have no qualms about killing in the name of God. Mindless violence is prevalent in the world in the name of country, in the name of religion, in the name of race. This is absolute nonsense. This is total lack of viveka or wisdom. A violent person cannot listen to anybody.

Why does violence arise? Frustration is the answer. The mind gets frustrated and frustration builds up. The question ‘why, why, why?’ transforms into violence and this contagious, so to speak. A crowd commits violence. Individually, a person may not be able to do that violent act, but when that person is in the crowd he joins hands. Viveka is when a person takes to non-violence saying, “I will not kill any animal or any life on this planet consciously or unconsciously.” Already without your knowledge you are destroying many creatures. You walk and many ants are dying under your feet. You are not killing anyone. It is just happening. But an intention to destroy something, an intention to do violence can destroy your very basis, your very own root. Dropping this intention for violence is ahimsa.

What is the effect of ahimsa? Patanjali Maharishi gives a beautiful explanation in Sutra 35: Ahimsapratishtayam tatsannidhau vairatyagaha, which means “When a person is established in non-violence, then violence is dropped in his or her presence.”

If you are established in non-violence, in your very presence, violence will be dropped by other creatures. For example, someone comes to attack you. As soon as they come near you, because your vibrations are totally nonviolent, they drop down. They stop being violent. Lord Mahavira emphasises on ahimsa. It is said that whenever he walked, twenty kilometers around him, people would stop being violent. The story goes even to that extent and says even the thorns would not prick anybody but would instead become soft.

Ahimsa gives rise to tolerance.

Have you ever felt like hitting somebody? Why is that violence arising in your mind? What is the source of the violence? As you watch the source of violence, you will see that violence disappears, dissolves and peace dawns. Yoga brings that inner peace which in turn establishes non-violence. Practice of non-violence is two-way traffic. Ahimsa or non -violence brings about the union of the mind or peace of mind and when you are peaceful or calm within, you naturally become non-violent.

Patanjali Yog Sutra

The real truth

Restraint, observance, postures, regulation of breath, substitute food for the mind, ability of the mind to focus, meditation and higher states of consciousness are the eight limbs of yoga. The first limb is Yama or the rules. Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, moving in the Brahman, non-accumulation are the five yamas. We already discussed about ahimsa or non-violence.

The second rule is Satya. It means to be with what is right now, to be with something that is not changing. Satya does not mean just speaking the truth. It is total commitment for truth. It is not just words. Unfortunately people mistake satya to be just speaking words. Many people consider being blunt as being truthful.

The sutra is Satyapratishtayam kriyaphalashrayatvam, meaning When you are established in truth then the fruits of action will follow.

When you become established in truth, any action you do will become fruitful. Many people do their actions, but their action does not bring about results because there is no truth consciousness inside. When there is truth consciousness inside, when you are established in the truth, the fruit of the action will follow the action immediately. It is the quality of the consciousness. Even if you lie, if you are bold enough to say that, ‘I am telling a lie right now’, you are speaking the truth!

When you lie, your consciousness is not straight-forward or strong. A person who is committed to truth is committed to the presence of the being. For them, success comes easily. The ancient saying in India is Satyameva jayate meaning ‘truth alone triumphs’. Truth will eventually win though it may appear not to be winning.

There is a story about Emperor Akbar and his minister Birbal. Once Akbar heard a lecture on truth and he became so enthusiastic and said “Okay, I will make everybody speak the truth.” Immediately he ordered that ‘‘anybody who says a lie will be hanged!” He wanted this law to be implemented. As this law was announced, there was a big commotion in the market place. What was the commotion about? All the lawyers gathered together and said “What is this law? Our profession will be finished.” In another corner all the merchants gathered together and said, “See, what is happening. This is disastrous. How can we sell anything?”

Next, all the priests gathered and it was the same story there too. The doctors gathered and said “Oh! We have to migrate to some other country. This law is too dangerous.”

All of them approached this wise minister in the king’s court, Birbal and said, “Come on Birbal, you have to do something. What will happen to our trade? This is outrageous.” Birbal said “Okay I will do something.” So, the next day Birbal, the minister entered the king’s bedroom. As he was trying to enter, the guards stopped him and asked him where he was going. Birbal said “I am going to get hanged.” Now, this was a lie! He was one of the top ministers of the cabinet. He was getting into the king’s room and saying “I am going to get hanged.” That was not a place to be hanged. So the guards said, “Minister Birbal has spoken a lie!” He was brought in front of the king. If Birbal was to be hanged then he had not spoken a lie. Whatever he had said was the truth. Then it means that an innocent man will be punished for no crime of his. It will be a big crime. If he will not be hanged then the law becomes obsolete. Then what to do?

All the wise people and all the ministers were called and there was a big debate, “Now, what should we do? Should we hang him or not? If we hang him we violate a law. If we do not hang him, even then we violate a law.” The king was in a fix. Everybody else was in a greater fix. So they told Birbal, “You yourself suggest to us as to what we should do?” Birbal then said, “Truth is not what is spoken. Anything you speak becomes a lie. The moment you open your mouth, you are distorting the truth.” Akbar realised this and withdrew the law!

Satya or truth means ‘to be with what is’. It is not just the words but it is to be truthful in one’s life, heart and presence. Truth is not what we speak, but what we are.

Looking beyond the trials and tribulations of life

We were discussing about the Niyamas first one being Shoucha (inner and outer cleanliness) and second one being Santosha (Contentment or happiness).

Shoucha and santosha come together.

If there is no shoucha there can be no santosha. If you are in constant touch with other people, then you are not letting your energy to be your energy even for sometime. You are always trying to be in association with somebody .

So, you are lost. You do not know who you are. You do not know yourself. So keep some distance and some time for yourself once in a while. Learn to know what your real strength is, what your real weakness is and what your true spirit is. This is shoucha and with shoucha comes santosha or happiness.

You can come home happily and say with a smile, "today the entire job that I did flopped! There was no success in any of the work I did today." Anyway everything has flopped, so at least do not let the mind also flop. You should have the guts to say "come what may I am not going to give up the smile on my face because I am much more than the event or the circumstances. Everything comes and goes, but I continue in spite of all the situations."

Just turn back and look at your life when you were a kid. How many times have you cried? You cried as though hell has fallen on your head. You thought that was the end of the world and then sobbed and sobbed and then went off to sleep. So what happened afterwards?

Once a lady from Italy told me, "I lost my daughter not even six months ago. But I have started going to public functions. I am just being normal. I am not sad. Is something wrong with me? I feel so guilty even to smile. When she was gone I was very sad, no doubt, but I still go to parties. Of course, every mother has that little pinch inside." I said, "never mind, go. You do not have to be a masochist, thinking about the sad event all the time." She said, "But, people expect me to be sobbing all day I cried for a whole month.

I felt all that pain. But I am moving on with my life now. But people expect me to be sad all the time."


This is true. If someone has the courage to move ahead, we think that something is wrong with that person.


I tell you there is nothing wrong. In the places where Tsunami stuck on December 26, 2004 and people who were hit so badly, after our teachers taught them some breathing techniques and meditations, people were singing, smiling and dancing!! Many would not understand this. These people who were so paranoid to even look at the sea, in just two-three sessions of meditations began singing and dancing and they wanted to carry on with their lives.

The traumas have been left behind because our very nature is joy and happiness. The sadness or sorrow is only in the circumference. It is like a cloud covering the light that you are. The nature of your being is joy. That needs to be uncovered. Again, you need not make a mood out of it. When somebody has passed away, you cannot say "Okay, now I am going to be happy" and smile and dance! No, you should not do that. The ancient people had designed a methodology for this. They said that, if anyone dies in a house, the people of that house are in ‘ashoucha' for 10 days. For 10 days you can mourn and cry Even if you do not cry, they will bring some professional criers in some parts of India! There is a whole drama of crying which happens. Later these people collect the two or five hundred rupees and go happily , laughing the moment they are out of the gate and leave the house. But they really cry when they are in the dead person's house. This is to bring out the emotions of the near and dear of the dead one, so that they can be genuinely happy after the 10 days. After 10 days of mourning, on the eleventh day , they usually distribute sweets to the people, have a celebration, wear new clothes, have a family get together and have a feast.

On the day of the final rituals, they take some ghee and water and put it on their eyes which give a cooling effect and then they decide. "Okay, now we get on with our life." If a spiritual person passes away, then even this not there. Then every moment is a celebration because the sprit is all pervading. In the same way, there is shoucha when a child is born in a house for 10 days. You are so excited because a new soul has come into your family. So be with all the excitement and happiness for 10 days. You are free from all the social rules and obligations for you to enjoy 100 per cent.

Then come back to your commitments and responsibilities.

Patanjali Yog Sutra

Patanjali and the gift of knowledge

We will begin with a story, the greatest and most effective way of conveying knowledge. Once upon a time, long ago, all the munis and rishis approached Lord Vishnu to tell him that even though He (incarnated as Lord Dhanvanthari) had given them the means to cure illnesses through Ayurveda, people still fell ill. They also wanted to know what to do when people got sick.

Sometimes it is not just physical illness, but mental and emotional illness too that needs to be dealt with. Anger, lust, greed, jealousy etc. How does one get rid of all these impurities? What is the formula?


Vishnu was lying on the bed of snakes — the serpent Adishésha with a 1,000 heads. When the Rishis approached Him, he gave them Adishésha, the symbol of awareness, who took birth in the world as Maharishi Patanjali.

So Patanjali came to this earth to give this knowledge of yoga which came to be known as the yogasutras. Patanjali said he was not going to discuss the yogasutras unless 1,000 people got together. So 1,000 people gathered south of Vindhya Mountains to listen to him.

Patanjali had another condition — he would put a screen between him and his students and told them that nobody was to lift the screen or leave. Everybody had to stay in the hall till he finished. So Patanjali stayed behind the curtain and he transmitted his knowledge to the 1,000 gathered. Each of them absorbed this knowledge. It was an amazing phenomenon and even amongst the students, they could not believe how they were getting this knowledge, how the master was making each of them understand without uttering words from behind the curtain.

Everybody was amazed. Each one of them experienced such a blast of energy, such a blast of enthusiasm, that they could not even contain it. But they still had to maintain the discipline.

But one little boy had to go out to attend nature’s call. So he left the room. He thought to himself that he would go quietly and return quietly. Another person became curious. “What is the Master doing behind the curtain? I want to see.” He got so curious that he lifted the curtain to see the Master. But just as he did so, all 999 disciples were burnt to ashes. Now, Patanjali became very sad. There he was, ready to impart knowledge to the whole world and all of his disciples were burnt.

At this moment, that one little boy returned. Patanjali asked him where he had gone. The boy explained and asked his forgiveness. Patanjali was compassionate and felt that at least one of his disciples was saved.

So he gave him the rest of the sutras, the rest of the knowledge. But the student had violated the law and Patanjali was not willing to forget that. So he said, “Since you have violated the law, you will become a Brahmarakshasa , a ghost and hang on the tree.” And the only way he could liberate himself from the curse is to teach one student. Saying this Patanjali disappeared.

Now Brahmarakshasa, hanging on a tree, would ask everyone who passed by one question and when they could not answer he would eat them. He had no choice and for a few thousand years this was the story. He could not find a single person to whom he could teach the yogasutras. So he remained in the tree as a Brahmarakshasa (the lesson here being that for the one who has great knowledge, and who does something wrong, the state of Brahmarakshasa will come. An intelligent person becoming a criminal becomes more dangerous than an innocent person becoming a criminal. If a person, who knows all knowledge and then turns a criminal, it is much more dangerous). So the Brahmarakshasa was hanging there and waiting for relief.

Then out of compassion, Patanjali himself becomes a disciple and comes as a student to Brahmarakshasa who told him all the sutras, which Patanjali wrote on the palm leaf. The story goes that to redeem one disciple, the Master became the disciple of a disciple.

Patanjali wrote the sutras sitting on the top of the tree as that was where the Brahmarakshasa sat. Also, Brahmarakshasa worked only in the night. So he dictated the sutras at night and Patanjali wrote them on the leaves. He plucked all the leaves and made a small scratch, drew blood and wrote. This went on for seven days. At the end of it, Patanjali was tired and put everything he had written on a piece pf cloth and set it down and went to bathe. But when Patanjali returned, he found that a goat had eaten most of the leaves. Patanjali then took the cloth bag and the rest of the leaves and walked away.

In this story, there is a lot of depth. The puranas do not give any explanation. They just give a story and it is for us to unlock the meaning. So what is that you all have to find out? (1) How did the master convey the knowledge to everybody without uttering a word? (2) What was the significance of the veil and when it was lifted why did everybody burn down? (3) Why was the one boy forgiven? (4) What is the significance of the goat? (4) What is the significance of this story? You should think about all this and come up with your own answers.

This is the first in a series on yoga sutras

Please to announce that GuruJi will be in West Bengal from 4-6th Nov. He is coming for us, R we not going to meet the Master?. Be ready. JGD

Q&A

Q: My heart wants to move ahead but my mind won’t let me, what to do Guruji? Thank you.

Sri Sri: They keep getting into a conflict again and again. Like an old couple they get into conflict every day. (laughter)