Yog Daily

Read the previous part here… Karataka seemed convinced. “If that is your intention, then let auspiciousness accompany you. You can go ahead. But remember – you have to be very careful, because my fortunes are linked with yours! Damanaka saluted him, and went to meet Pingalaka. Seeing Damanaka coming towards him, Pingalaka spoke to his…

Read the previous part here… If a person does not get rest or even manage to satisfy his hunger by being in service of a prosperous master, he should discard such service and such a master, just as one would discard a Madar (sodom apple) tree, which is filled with flowers and fruits, but is…

Read the previous part here… Karataka said- “Then, what do you want to do now?” Damanaka said- “At present, our king Pingalaka is very scared, and so are his advisers. So, first let’s approach him and find out the cause of his fear and choose one among the six ways of diplomacy (alliance, war, escape,…

Read the previous part here… “Sounds interesting. Why don’t you tell me what happened to the monkey,” pleaded Damanaka. “Now, listen,” said Karataka and began narrating the story of the monkey… कीलोत्पाटीवानरकथा The story of the monkey who removed the wedge A merchant once started building a temple in the middle of his garden. Many…

वर्धमानो महान् स्नेहः सिंह-गो-वृषयोर् वने ।पिशुनेनातिलुब्धेन जम्बुकेन विनाशितः ॥ १ ॥ vardhamāno mahān snehaḥ siṃha-go-vṛṣayor vane |piśunenātilubdhena jambukena vināśitaḥ || 1 || The increasing true friendship between the lion and the bull in the forestwas destroyed by a deceitful greedy fox. Long, long ago, a merchant named Vardhamānaka (he who is prosperous) lived in a town in…

It’s been a long series – I don’t know when I started and how many posts I made since then. I don’t like to count. All I know is that I have been writing everyday, practising everyday and learning everyday. Yesterday, was the last post on the series of the 21 exercises that followed the…

Exercise 21 Discovering your swara Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : As indicated throughout the day We spoke about knowing the breath, through a preliminary exercise, and we practiced Chandra-bhedana prānāyāma as well. We spoke about preparing for death, and today, the last day of the sadhana exercise series, we will speak about…

Exercise 20 शवासन – Śavāsana Difficulty level -3 (very difficult) Time commitment : 10-15 minutes, after every yogic practice The standing joke in yoga classes, is that everyone’s favourite pose is śavāsana. Most people think of this āsana to be easy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Yoga Guru Shri B.K.S. Iyengar has…

Exercise 19 उद्यान अवगाहन – Forest bathing Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : One hour every week We spoke about connecting with nature in an earlier post. This exercise is an extension of the “walk in the park” aspect of that exercise. A few points to note: No devices – Not even a…

Exercise 18 Chandra-bhedana pranayama Difficulty level – 2 (moderately difficult) Time commitment – 10 minutes, thrice a week in Week 3 This is the first cross-nostril prānāyāma that we will practice. While the prānāyāma has many levels, our attempt here is to get familiar with the process of breathing through one nostril, and observing the…

We had some good exercises this week. We deserve a story! As the frog said, “the one with thousand tricks sat on the head of the fisherman, the one with hundred tricks is hanging by the fisherman’s arm and I with only one trick am happily swimming in the water.” Two fish named Sahasrabuddhi and…

Exercise 17 Freeing up your time – Part 2 Difficulty level – 3 (difficult) Time commitment : (-45) minutes everyday A few days back, I had spoken about freeing up your time. This is the second part of that exercise. The first thing we need to do is to be aware of how we spend…

Exercise 16 Rediscovering food Difficulty level – 3 (difficult) Time commitment : At every meal and throughout the day We have spoken about perspectives, basic breathing exercises, āsanā practice, meditation and mantra japa. All these steps are beneficial, but they don’t amount to much if you don’t take care of what you eat. We are…

Exercise 15 Jñāna Mudra and Chin Mudra Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 5 minutes everyday Today, we will practice our second mudra – the jñāna Mudra. I have made a lot of references to this mudra in my earlier articles, and a lot of you requested for a more detailed look into…

Exercise 14 Sukhāsana Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week This is a meditative āsanā, and among the easiest sitting āsanās. It can be performed without any strain, and by anybody, regardless of their level of flexibility. We had practiced Tāḍāsana earlier, which is the simplest of the standing…

Today, let me tell you another story. 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…

Exercise 13 Mantra Japa Difficulty level – 2 (moderately difficult) Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week We have, so far, practiced an āsana, a form of prānāyāma, a mudra and basic meditation. Bringing this all together is mantra japa, or meditative repetition of a mantra. The mantra that I have chosen is Aum,…

Exercise 12 Anjali Mudra Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 5 minutes everyday Today, we will practice an introductory mudra – the Anjali Mudra. I have made a lot of references to this mudra in my earlier articles, and a lot of you requested for a more detailed look into the mudra. While…

Exercise 11 Soham Meditation Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week As we enter the second phase of our sādhanā, it’s time to introduce to you our first meditation exercise. A few points to note: Time to practice – Ideally before sunrise or during sunset. However, for beginners, early…

Today, let me tell you a story. The great emperor Kṛṣṇadevarāya (Krishnadevaraya) had a lot of wise ministers in his court. The wisest of them was Tenali Ramakrishna. One day, a merchant came to the king’s court from a foreign kingdom. He saluted the king and then said, “Your Majesty, I have heard from many…

Exercise 10 Tāḍāsana Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 10 minutes thrice a week We are nearly halfway through the course, and it’s time to introduce you to our first āsanā. A few points to note: Time to practice – Ideally before sunrise or during sunset. However, for beginners, early morning or late…

Exercise 9 Tracking accomplishments Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 10 minutes everyday This exercise will help you reflect upon your daily tasks, and take the first steps to move from being busy, to being productive. A few points to note: Consistency – It will take a bit of effort to get into…

Exercise 8 Rediscovering Eating Difficulty level – 2 (moderately difficult) Time commitment : 15 minutes per day – week 1, 30 minutes per day – week 2, 45 minutes per day – week 3 You know that things are bad, when someone has to remind us how to eat. When we were kids, we were…

Exercise 7 Saptarishi Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment : 45 minutes every week Those who are familiar with financial planning know the importance of diversification of assets – allocating monies to different asset classes (property, mutual funds, stocks, gold etc.) in different proportions and monitoring the overall performance of your portfolio. You also…

Exercise 6 Freeing up your time – Part 1 Difficulty level – 3 (difficult) Time commitment : (-45) minutes everyday Till now, we discussed 5 exercises that can take up anywhere between 30-45 minutes cumulatively each day. Exercise 6 helps you provision for that time. Hence the time commitment of (-45) minutes each day. An…

Exercise 5 No-Mind Difficulty level – 3 (difficult) Time commitment – 10 minutes every alternate day From observing, to observation. From total involvement, to no involvement. The no-mind exercise has a simple procedure – DON’T DO ANYTHING FOR 10 MINUTES. You may think that this is the easiest exercise of the lot. It isn’t. On…

Exercise 4 Breathing Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment – 10 minutes everyday Breathing is a fundamental life process. Our life is a collection of breaths – and we live between our first inhalation, and our last exhalation. The objective of this exercise is to help you connect with your breath, and introduce you…

Exercise 3 Connect with nature Difficulty level – 1 (easy) Time commitment – 10 minutes everyday – ideal. Else every alternate day. Chances are that you already practice this exercise. If yes, then you can try to add a bit more to it. If no, well, it’s a good time to start! The exercise involves…

Exercise 2 Wake and sleep Difficulty level – 2 (moderately difficult) Time commitment – 10 minutes everyday This exercise is simple – after all, we do this everyday. The catch is that you have to do this AT THE SAME TIME EVERYDAY, FOR 21 DAYS. Choose a waking time and a sleeping time. I wake…

Exercise 1 Write for 3-5 minutes everyday Difficulty level – 1 (easy to execute) Time commitment – 10 minutes everyday This exercise is simple. All you need to do, is write something that no one else will see. Just you. But, you have to follow a short process, and a few house rules. Write at…

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे । न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। manOBuddhyahankAra cittAni nAham, na ca SrOtrajihvE na ca ghrANanEtrE | na ca vyOma bhoomirna tEjO na vAyu:, cidAnandaroopa: ShivOham ShivOham || Nirvana Śhatakam by Ādi Śańkara I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory,I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes,I am…

भोगा न भुक्ता वयमेव भुक्ताः, तपो न तप्तं वयमेव तप्ताः । कालो न यातो वयमेव याताः तृष्णा न जीर्णा वयमेव जीर्णाः ॥ bhogā na bhuktā  vayameva bhuktāḥ,  tapo na taptaṃ  vayameva taptāḥ ।kālo na yāto vayameva yātāḥ, tṛṣṇā na jīrṇā vayameva jīrṇāḥ ॥ Vairagya Shatakam by Bhartṛhari Pleasures aren’t satisfied, only we are consumed by our…

विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद्याति पात्रताम् । पात्रत्वाद्धनमाप्नोति धनाद्धर्मं ततः सुखम् ॥ vidyā dadāti vinayam, vinayādyāti pātratām | pātratvāddhanamāpnoti, dhanāddharmam tatah sukham || Hitopadeśa Knowledge makes one humble, humility leads to worthiness,worthiness creates wealth and enrichment,enrichment leads to right conduct, right conduct brings joy and contentment. If you studied Sanskrit in school, you would have surely…

निद्रा–प्रियो य: खलु कुम्भकर्णो हतस् समीके स रघूत्तमेन | वैधव्यम् आपद्यत तस्य कान्ता श्रोतुं समायाति कथां पुराणम् || Nidra priyo yah khalu Kumbhakarno hatas samike sa raghuttamen | Vaidhavyam aapadhyat tasya kanta shrotum samaayaati kathaam puraanam  Kumbhakarna loved Sleep. When he was killed by Rāma, Sleep was widowed. Now, she spends her time visiting discourses…

आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते । इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् ॥ १९ ॥ ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate | ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaramśamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam  from Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya First is enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal; next comes aversion to the enjoyment of fruits (of one’s actions) here and hereafter; (next is) the group of six attributes; and (last) is clearly the…

सत्संगत्वे निस्संगत्वं, निस्संगत्वे निर्मोहत्वं। निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं, निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥९॥ Satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ, niḥsaṅgatve nīrmohatvam  nirmohatve niścalitatvam, niścalitatve jīvanmuktiḥ from Bhaja Gōvindam, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya Through good company arises non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion; when there is freedom from delusion, the mind becomes steady and unwavering, from a steady mind comes liberation.  This śloka is…

अमन्त्रमक्षरं नास्ति नास्ति मूलमनौषधम् ।अयोग्यः पुरुषो नास्ति योजकस्तत्र दुर्लभः ॥ amantramakṣaraṃ nāsti nāsti mūlamanauṣadham ।ayogyaḥ puruṣo nāsti yojakastatra durlabhaḥ ॥ Samayocitapadyamālikā There is not a syllable which is not a mantra; there is not a root that is not a medicine. There is no person who is not able, but rare is the person who knows how to…

आत्मौपम्येन सर्वत्र समं पश्यति योऽर्जुन | सुखं वा यदि वा दु:खं स योगी परमो मत: || ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśhyati yo ’rjuna sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ Bhagavad Gīta 6.32  I regard them to be perfect yogis who see the true equality of all living beings and respond to the joys…

उदेति सविता ताम्रस्ताम्र एवास्तमेतिच।  सम्पतौ च विपत्तौ च महतामेकरूपता॥ udeti savitā tāmras tāmra evāstameti ca |  saṃpattau ca vipattau ca mahatāmekarūpatā || Kavya Prakash 7.245 The Sun is red at the time of rising, and red at the time of setting too. Likewise, great men remain alike in both good times and bad times. In…

द्विविधो हि वेदोक्तो धर्म: प्रवृत्ति लक्षणो निवृत्ति च | जगत: स्तिथि कारणम् प्राणिनाम् साक्षादभ्युदयनिश्रेयशहेतुः || dvividho hi vedokto dharmah; pravíttilaksano nivritti-laksanah ca| jagatah sthiti karanam praninam sākshāt abhyudaya nishryasa hetuh|| Gita Bhaśya – by Ādi Śankara The dharma (धर्म) taught in Vedas is of a two-fold nature, characterized by pravrtti (प्रवृत्ति), which is outward action…

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥ īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || Īśopaniṣad Verse 1 Whatever exists in this Universe, is pervaded by the eternal Truth of the Self. Protect your Self through detachment. Or – Do not covet, for whose is wealth?…

यदपि स्यादसमये यातो वनमसाविति ।अकालो नास्ति धर्मस्य जीविते चञ्चले सति ॥ yadapi syādasamaye yāto vanamasāviti |akālo nāsti dharmasya jīvite cañcale sati|| Buddhacarita 6.21, by Aśvaghoṣa Though he might be said to have gone at a bad time to the forest, in dharma, in truth, no bad time exists – life being as fickle as it is. The Buddhacarita…

क्षणशः कणशश्चैव  विद्यामर्थं च  साधयेत्  |क्षणत्यागे कुतो विद्या कणत्यागे कुतो धनम् || kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaḥ ca eva vidyām arthaṃ ca sādhayet । kṣaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ vidyā kaṇa-tyāge kutaḥ dhanam ॥ Subhashita Knowledge and wealth are procured with every moment and grain (respectively). If a moment is wasted, how can knowledge be accrued? If a grain is wasted, how…

सर्वं परवशं दुःखं सर्वमात्मवशं सुखम् ।एतद् विद्यात् समासेन लक्षणं सुखदुःखयोः ॥ sarvaṃ paravaśaṃ duḥkhaṃ sarvamātmavaśaṃ sukham |etad vidyāt samāsena lakṣaṇaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ ||  Manusmriti 4.160 All that is dependent on others is painful; all that is dependent on oneself is pleasing; he shall know this to be, in short, the definition of pleasure and pain. A very simple,…

यशोधिगन्तुं सुखलिप्सया वा मनुष्यसंख्यामतिवर्तितुं वा |  निरुत्सकानामभियोगभाजां समुत्सुके वाङ्कमुपैति सिद्धिः || yashodhigantum sukhalipsayā vā manuśyasamkhyāmativartitum vā nirutsakānāmabhiyogabhājām samutsuke vānkmupaiti siddhih Kavya Prakasha Success itself is keen to fall in the lap of and embrace a person who is not very keen to be famous, or who is not desirous of attaining pleasure or happiness, or who…

यश्चेमां वसुधां कृत्स्नां प्रशासेदखिलां नृपः ।तुल्याश्मकाञ्चनो यश्च स कृतार्थो न पार्थिवः ॥ yaścemāṃ vasudhāṃ kṛtsnāṃ praśāsedakhilāṃ nṛpaḥ ।tulyāśmakāñcano yaśca sa kṛtārtho na pārthivaḥ ॥ Mahabharata Shanti Parva 17.11 A king who rules over the whole earth is not satisfied. But a sage for whom a piece of stone and gold are equal, is always content.​…

तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया |उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayāupadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśhinaḥ Srimad Bhagavad Gīta 4.34 Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him with reverence and render service unto him. Such an enlightened Saint can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth….

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: || śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitātswa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ Srimad Bhagavad Gīta 3.35 It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform another’s prescribed duty, though perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better…

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत |श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्ध: स एव स: || sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārataśhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ Bhagavad Gīta – 17.3 The faith of all humans conforms to the nature of their mind. All people possess faith, and whatever the nature of their faith, that is truly…

मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णाम्कुरु सद्बुद्धिं मनसि वितृष्णाम् ।यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तम्वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम् ॥ mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛṣṇāmkuru sadbuddhiṃ manasi vitṛṣṇām |yallabhase nijakarmopāttamvittaṃ tena vinodaya cittam || from Bhaja Gōvindam, written by Jagadguru Adi Śaṅkarācārya ‘O fool, give up excessive desire for wealth; yoke your mind to the good and the true, and cultivate detachment. Whatever wealth you…

नामुत्र हि सहायार्थं पिता माता च तिष्ठतः । न पुत्रदारं न ज्ञातिर्धर्मस्तिष्ठति केवलः ॥ २३९ ॥ nāmutra hi sahāyārthaṃ pitā mātā ca tiṣṭhataḥ | na putradāraṃ na jñātirdharmastiṣṭhati kevalaḥ || 239 || Manusmriti 4.239 The Manu Smriti tells us: namutra hi sahayartham pita mata ca tisthatah. na putradarah na jnatih dharmas tisthati kevalah. “When you depart from this world, your…