Yog Daily

a bit on dreams…

बन्धुउद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन: ॥ ५ ॥ बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जित: ।अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् ॥ ६ ॥ uddhared ātmanātmānaṁnātmānam avasādayetātmaiva hy ātmano bandhurātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ bandhur ātmātmanas tasyayenātmaivātmanā jitaḥanātmanas tu śatrutvevartetātmaiva śatru-vat One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the …

a bit on dreams… Read More »

Nirjala Ekadashi…

Tomorrow is Nirjala Ekādashi – a vrata without food and water. Started at sunrise, and will end the day after tomorrow, a bit post sunrise. 24 hours without food and water. Not as difficult as you think:) For now, here is a quick primer on Ekādashi – try it! Today is Ekādashi – the 11th …

Nirjala Ekadashi… Read More »

Epishura…

Epishura inhabits Lake Baikal, the largest source of freshwater in the world. It contains 23% of the worlds’s freshwater, and is renowned for it’s pure H2O. But how does the lake remain so clean? The answer lies in a zooplankton species called Epishura baicalensis. The share of Epischura in Lake Baikal is about 80 % of all the crustaceans, and its …

Epishura… Read More »

On drinking food and chewing water…

आहार  शुद्धौ   सत्त्व  शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ  ध्रुवा स्मृतिः     स्मृति लम्भे  सर्व ग्रन्थीनांविप्र  मोक्षः ||  āhāra-śuddhau sattva-śuddhiḥ sattva-śuddhau dhruvāsmṛtiḥ smṛtilambhe sarva-granthīnām vipramokṣaḥ If one eats pure food, one’s mind becomes pure. If the mind is pure, one’s memory becomes strong and steady. If the memory is good, one becomes free from all bondages.  Chandogya Upanishad …

On drinking food and chewing water… Read More »

Of mice and weddings…

There was a beautiful hermitage on the bank of river Gangā, where a group of hermits lived in peace. The hermits were disciples of a Guru Yadnyavalkya, who was always absorbed in meditation, and followed rigorous self-discipline. One day, while he was bathing in the river, a hawk flew over with a mouse in its claws. Suddenly, …

Of mice and weddings… Read More »

An uncomfortable question…

Should we as a society, support the death penalty? More importantly, is it right? This seemingly innocent question can at first instance, be answered in a direct yes, or a no. People can have quite polarized views when it comes to the death penalty. Some crimes, like the Nirbhaya gang rape case that shook India a …

An uncomfortable question… Read More »

A few pages that I recommend…

The reading habit is fast dying…its decline hastened by, among other things, our decreasing attention spans (thank you Social Media) and availability of lesser alternatives (thank you OTT). Having said that, for many, reading has also made a transition – from paperback to electronic versions. I prefer the e-book mainly for its convenience (try carrying …

A few pages that I recommend… Read More »

It’s closer than you think…

An elderly couple lived in great poverty, on the brink of a huge forest. They used to walk through the forest everyday, to gather firewood for their daily needs. One day, Shiva and Parvati were also walking through the same forest, when Parvati happened to see the couple. She was filled with compassion for them, …

It’s closer than you think… Read More »