Swamiji talks about the secret behind becoming a true pilgrim. In earlier times, people in India would undertake pilgrimages to holy places to exclusively focus on God for a few days. These arduous journeys were an austerity they willingly undertook in their devotion to God. But does one really have...
Swamiji discusses the context of the Gita to help us appreciate its profound knowledge. The Bhagavad Gita, a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge, is one of the most widely translated books around the world. It is the essence of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, written by Sage Vyasa and...
Question: Lust, greed, anger, jealousy, pride etc torment us despite our best efforts to eliminate them. Why is it so? Swamiji: The reason why they have us in their grip is because we souls are under Maya. These—lust, anger, greed, hatred, envy, illusion—are the generals of Maya. God...
Question: In one of your recent lectures you mentioned that pranayam is 20 times more beneficial than asanas and meditation is 20 times more beneficial than pranayam. Please illustrate since this sounds so incredible to most. Swamiji: The Yog Vasishtha describes a conversation between Lord Ram and Maharshi Vasishtha. Once...
Swamiji: There are different kinds of bliss. A drunkard gets happiness from alcohol; a businessman gets bliss from counting his fortune; a gyani experiences happiness from the cultivation of knowledge. However, none of these can satisfy the soul, for all these kinds of bliss are finite in quantity. If the...
Swami Mukundananda: This is a very good question. Let’s break down these three words to answer it. Bhukti is indulgence in material pleasures to satisfy the desires of the mind and senses. These desires are not limited to the human form. Instead, they continue into the higher regions of...
Question: My mind wanders aimlessly when I sit to meditate, and I feel dejected by this. How can I still my restless mind? Answer by Swami Mukundananda: The mind is such a machine created by God that it cannot remain empty; it keeps working on something or the other. To...