concepts of Gita and its practise in daily living

February 23, 2007

When we consider ourselves as mere instruments in all our Acts - - as per Bhagwad Gita. I fail here to understand, in such a case how do we choose our actions of our daily living? To illustrate - How we choose between how should we treat a mis-behaving person? What i should eat? What books i should be reading? Which profession i should choose? etc etc. Assuming we surrender our ego to God, then we still we have to act through our Mind to decide such actions. And ofcourse Mind is always laced and contaminated with Ego. Therefore our daily action, living DOES OPERATE FROM A PARADIGM OF MIND AND EGO. I fail to understand how we can nullify the EGO?? Our mind is like a Computer, continuously programmed since our childhood along with some vasanas from our previous birth. This

programming is both good and bad for ourselves, a healthier programming makes us a productive and happy individual, while a bad program may turn us into a criminal. If we choose to surrender our Mind, Ego and operate from that realm, it is like asking a person to live with his brain defunct!! It will be a futile exercise. This is one reason why such an exercise of surrendering mind, ego etc fails in the real world. Man is a biological machine, and he cannot operate without those necessary components of his software. Having said that, i still feel major concepts of Bhagwad Gita can be absorbed and kept in back of the mind in our daily living. A 100% absorption of the message i feel is not feasible. Please pardon for such observations...but this is bits of my conclusion. Kind regards Sundeep

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February 23, 2007

The truth is we never accept this with total conviction that we are mere instruments in the Hands of God. If our conviction is unshaken and firm then all our actions will also be in conformity with Divine dictum. Please read the explanation of Verse 16 to 18 of Chapter 5 of Shri Bhagwat Gita. (Sadhak-Sanjeevani by Swami Ramsukhdas ji Maharaj). A sadhak will attain or will become " sam-darshi " - one in whose vision everything and everybody is equal. After this whatever our external or worldly acts are does not really matter. All our " programming will get debugged " by itself.

With Kind Regards,Sushil Kumar Jalan

February 23, 2007

The answer is we choose our actions based on dharma. What is dharma is nothing but actions divested of raga-dvesha.This helps us evolve from "reaction" to "action"When we are not cultured from a spiritual standpoint, we react to situations. Take your example - someone misbehaves - we strike back immediately - if he uses bad language perhaps we feel justified in doing the same. There is very little thought given and much of how we respond can be considered a instinctive knee-jerk reaction.As we assimilate the teachings of the Gita, we evolve into a more cultured being. Now our actions have the fragrance of a more mature intellect.Going back to the same example.If someone is misbehaving then that person is harming himself or herself as much as they are causing harm to others.We first try to understand the person; try to examine the situation more objectively, more dispassionately. Why is this person saying or doing this? As soon as we have

started being more deliberate in our response we notice that our intellect has space - space to process what is happening, and space to decide what the best course of action should be.With regards to what needs to be done - well - it will depend on what is called for. But whatever one does is geared towards responding to the act and not to the person. The desire is not revenge, nor is the driving emotion anger. Thus our raga-dvesha has been effectively taken out of the picture. Let us say, the misbehavior is unjustified and continues inspite of deliberate efforts on my part for a peaceful resolution. Then retreat or punishment depending on my ability may be the best course. But all this is per the diktats of assessing what is right and wrong and considering all aspects of the situation fully.This is the hallmark of maturity - this is a sign that the teachings are being assimilated by me - i can see how i would have reacted a few years back - and so

can others. I dont immediately flare up like i did, i am more deliberate in my choice of actions, words...even thoughts. Each and every teaching in the Gita is as relevant today as it was hundreds of years ago and will be forever - this is because basic human nature, frailty, etc are timeless. Dont forget what Krishna was exhorting Arjuna to do - take up his bow and fight the kauravas - he didnt tell him - "be a "saint" - if someone slaps you turn the other cheek" - that form of blind immature adherence to ahimsa is as bad as himsa - indifference to injustice and perpetration of injustice are equally bad.Trust this clarifies.Hari OMShyamsundeep gupta <sundeepgupta1 wrote: When we consider ourselves as mere instruments in all our Acts - - as per Bhagwad Gita. I fail here to understand, in such a case how do we choose our actions of our daily living? To illustrate - How we choose between how should we treat a mis-behaving person? What i should eat? What books i should be reading? Which profession i should choose? etc etc. Assuming we surrender our ego to God, then we still we have to act through our Mind to decide such actions. And ofcourse Mind is always laced and contaminated with Ego. Therefore our daily action, living DOES OPERATE FROM A PARADIGM OF MIND AND EGO. I fail to understand how we

can nullify the EGO?? Our mind is like a Computer, continuously programmed since our childhood along with some vasanas from our previous birth. This programming is both good and bad for ourselves, a healthier programming makes us a productive and happy individual, while a bad program may turn us into a criminal. If we choose to surrender our Mind, Ego and operate from that realm, it is like asking a person to live with his brain defunct!! It will be a futile exercise. This is one reason why such an exercise of surrendering mind, ego etc fails in the real world. Man is a biological machine, and he cannot operate without those necessary components of his software. Having said that, i still feel major concepts of Bhagwad Gita can be absorbed and kept in back of the mind in our daily living. A 100% absorption of the message i feel

is not feasible. Please pardon for such observations...but this is bits of my conclusion. Kind regards Sundeep Don't be flakey. Get Mail for Mobile and always stay connected to friends.

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March 11, 2007

Namaste, One has to do an action, but for the sake of God. ie renounce the fruit of ones action. Thus action would no longer be prompted by selfish desire and ones intellect, mind and body are working for the sake of God. Doesnt that amount to these becoming instruments in the hands of God ? Nobody's action, including yours should affect the peace of mind. If you are getting agitated and "reacting" to the person you are just getting more and more entangled. You perform action only for the greater common good, which if it involves ignoring the person, so be it. If it involves scolding him, so be it, But neither action should affect your balance, nor should it boost your ego, that is the mark of your correct action. Equipose, equanimity and balance, these are the keywords used in the Gita. In case you are interested in spiritual progress, eat more Sattvika food as enumerated in the Gita.

(17-6 to 17-10) Books - why the Gita of course . In general, read books which are useful for cultivating ones mind and not just for its entertainment. Profession - Here Gita uses the word "natural duty" - 18-45. Which I take it as what comes to you naturally. This is rather a difficult thing to find out in today's world. It takes some introspection and I havent figured it out yet. If you want to do something and not driven by fame or money, I think you are on the right path. Hari Om. sundeep gupta <sundeepgupta1 wrote: When we consider ourselves as mere instruments in all our Acts - - as per Bhagwad Gita. I fail here to understand, in such a case how do we choose our actions of our daily living? To illustrate - How we choose between how should we treat a mis-behaving person? What i should eat? What books i should be reading? Which profession i should choose? etc etc. Assuming we surrender our ego to God, then we still we have to act through our Mind to decide such actions. And ofcourse Mind is always laced and contaminated with Ego. Therefore our daily action, living DOES OPERATE FROM A PARADIGM OF MIND AND EGO. I fail to understand how we can nullify the EGO?? Our mind is like a

Computer, continuously programmed since our childhood along with some vasanas from our previous birth. This programming is both good and bad for ourselves, a healthier programming makes us a productive and happy individual, while a bad program may turn us into a criminal. If we choose to surrender our Mind, Ego and operate from that realm, it is like asking a person to live with his brain defunct!! It will be a futile exercise. This is one reason why such an exercise of surrendering mind, ego etc fails in the real world. Man is a biological machine, and he cannot operate without those necessary components of his software. Having said that, i still feel major concepts of Bhagwad Gita can be absorbed and kept in back of the mind in our daily living. A 100% absorption of the message i feel is not feasible. Please pardon for such

observations...but this is bits of my conclusion. Kind regards Sundeep Don't be flakey. Get Mail for Mobile and always stay connected to friends.

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March 13, 2007

I agree with sandeepji. Even to surrender to god we need the ego. Therefore in my view Indian philosophy qualifies two egos one is good and the other is bad we surrender bad one by good and finally good gets dissolved like the way burnt seedSuhas Kulhalli <srkulhalli wrote: Namaste, One has to do an action, but for the sake of God. ie renounce the fruit of ones action. Thus action would no longer be prompted by selfish desire and ones intellect, mind and body are working for the sake

of God. Doesnt that amount to these becoming instruments in the hands of God ? Nobody's action, including yours should affect the peace of mind. If you are getting agitated and "reacting" to the person you are just getting more and more entangled. You perform action only for the greater common good, which if it involves ignoring the person, so be it. If it involves scolding him, so be it, But neither action should affect your balance, nor should it boost your ego, that is the mark of your correct action. Equipose, equanimity and balance, these are the keywords used in the Gita. In case you are interested in spiritual progress, eat more Sattvika food as enumerated in the Gita. (17-6 to 17-10) Books - why the Gita of course . In general, read books which are useful for cultivating ones mind and not just for its entertainment. Profession - Here Gita uses the

word "natural duty" - 18-45. Which I take it as what comes to you naturally. This is rather a difficult thing to find out in today's world. It takes some introspection and I havent figured it out yet. If you want to do something and not driven by fame or money, I think you are on the right path. Hari Om. sundeep gupta <sundeepgupta1 > wrote: When we consider ourselves as mere instruments in all our Acts - - as per Bhagwad Gita. I fail here to understand, in such a case how do we choose our actions of our daily living? To illustrate - How we choose between how should we treat a mis-behaving person? What i should eat? What books i should be

reading? Which profession i should choose? etc etc. Assuming we surrender our ego to God, then we still we have to act through our Mind to decide such actions. And ofcourse Mind is always laced and contaminated with Ego. Therefore our daily action, living DOES OPERATE FROM A PARADIGM OF MIND AND EGO. I fail to understand how we can nullify the EGO?? Our mind is like a Computer, continuously programmed since our childhood along with some vasanas from our previous birth. This programming is both good and bad for ourselves, a healthier programming makes us a productive and happy individual, while a bad program may turn us into a criminal. If we choose to surrender our Mind, Ego and operate from that realm, it is like asking a person to live with his brain defunct!! It will be a futile exercise. This is one reason why such an exercise

of surrendering mind, ego etc fails in the real world. Man is a biological machine, and he cannot operate without those necessary components of his software. Having said that, i still feel major concepts of Bhagwad Gita can be absorbed and kept in back of the mind in our daily living. A 100% absorption of the message i feel is not feasible. Please pardon for such observations...but this is bits of my conclusion. Kind regards Sundeep