Value: Cleanliness & Purity- June 2025

Second Week: Cultivating Purity - samskara

According to the scriptures on Vedanta philosophy, every soul is unique due to the latent impressions that shape it during conception in a specific womb, leading to a birth that occurs in a chosen environment and upbringing. 

Samskara:भावनाख्यस्तु संस्कारः जीववृत्तिरतीन्द्रियः - refers to the deep-rooted impressions that reside within the soul and are imperceptible to the senses. Although vasanas are also impressions like samskaras, the latter guides the soul towards emancipation. 

In Hindu culture, individuals are introduced to certain samskaras through teachings and rituals, which foster purity and instill a sense of responsibility. A person with samskara is considered eligible for spiritual study and practice, resulting in moksha. 

Redefine the purpose of the action

"None can remain without action," states the Bhagavad Gita. Actions arise from the thoughts generated by vasanas. If someone seeks freedom or moksha, they must manage the compulsive actions driven by these vasanas, as they lead to repetitive behaviors that bind the soul to the world.

The solution is to shift the purpose of action from fulfilling desires to fulfilling duties. A person who has developed samskaras through guidance from the wise and self-study can observe the compulsive actions that emerge from vasanas and can transform them into intentional choices and perform them as duties, rather than allowing them to become mindless, repetitive actions for self-gratification. 

Be mindful of your thoughts as they drive your actions. Immediately question: Is this desire for instant gratification, or does it relate to my current responsibilities? Make your choice with care. For instance, when eating your daily meals, ask yourself: Am I eating to satisfy my taste buds or to nourish my body? When engaging in conversations, reflect: Am I trying to impress the other person with what I know, or am I primarily sharing knowledge to learn what I do not?

Purify the attitude

Arjuna exemplifies a type 'R' personality, characterized as Rajasic. Individuals with this personality type often experience anxiety due to their aspirations to conquer, win, and showcase their abilities. In contrast, a type 'T' personality, known as Tamasic, avoids challenges yet enjoys the benefits of success.

Lord Krishna, who stands beside Arjuna, advises him to engage in the righteous battle without becoming anxious about the outcomes. His guidance is to "Act without Rajas," encouraging Arjuna to move towards a type 'S' personality, which is Sattvic. This type acts with enthusiasm but remains free from anxiety regarding results.

The Bhagavad Gita does not advocate changing one's work but rather emphasizes a shift in attitude. Transitioning from a type 'T' to a type 'R' personality necessitates a clear vision of the ultimate goal of human life. This goal motivates individuals to take action. Once the goal is established, one can gradually evolve into a type 'S' personality, making them open to higher knowledge and spiritual practices.

 Value: Cleanliness & Purity- June 2025

First Week: Healthy living 

While embarking on personal spiritual growth, the importance of cleanliness cannot be overstated. It is often observed that those with unhealthy habits tend to neglect their personal hygiene. Shabby clothing and an unkempt appearance are signs of carelessness.

Ancient philosophers categorized human personality into three broad groups to illustrate how diet primarily influences a person's mental well-being. Moreover, our physical health relies not only on the food we consume but also on the environment in which we live. 

Watch what you eat

While conversing with Arjuna, Lord Krishna points out the need for taking care of the body through the right food, since the Lord resides and helps in digesting the food in everyone's body!

The right food for efficient work, spiritual study, meditation, and devotional practices is that which augments life, firmness of mind, strength, health, and happiness. Food should be fresh, soft, easy to digest, substantial, and agreeable to the body type. It should be served with love and eaten with a delightful mind.

Avoid those which are extremely bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning. Give up completely on the food that is not fully cooked, tasteless, rotten, and stored for a long time.

Maintain an orderly environment

What we truly need in our lives is limited, but our greed is endless. This applies not only to the quantity of food we consume but also to the objects and relationships we possess. Everything we need should have a designated place in our lives.

When we maintain the objects we use regularly and return them to their rightful places after use, we create an orderly environment. Having easy access to these items when needed can help reduce tension and stress in our daily lives.

Similarly, when we treat others with respect and love, giving them their appropriate roles in our lives, we foster cordial and pleasant relationships. Undue importance and possessiveness only lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointments. So, take a moment to reflect!

 

  Value: Salutations to Guru - May 2025

Fourth Week: Hear His words - upadesha shravanam

The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word उपदेश (upadesha) is 'advice.' However, if we break the word into two parts, we uncover a deeper meaning: उप (upa) means 'near' and दिश् (disha) means 'to show' or 'to point out.' 

The essence of a Guru's teaching is not to overwhelm the student with excessive information. Instead, the Guru points out the direction in which the student should begin to think and live. The Guru's guidance aims to impart wisdom to students, encouraging them to think critically rather than simply obey instructions. A Guru remains close to us as long as we regularly listen to His teachings.

Listening to His Teachings

When in the physical presence of a Guru, students naturally exhibit greater discipline. However, even in the absence of the Guru's physical presence, His influence can still be felt through His words of advice. Reading a book allows us to travel along with its author, and similarly, when we engage with the teachings of the Guru, we embark on a journey toward wisdom. The Upanishads affirm that when an enlightened Guru speaks, there is no more bondage (अनन्यप्रोक्ते गतिरत्र नास्ति).

Four types of individuals listened to Gurudev. The first group consisted of those who attended His lectures and gained knowledge of Hindu scriptures; they appreciated His teachings and presentation. The second group became sadhakas, attending study groups to learn more from His books and engage in discussions.

The third group comprises His devotees. Even after His mahasamadhi (passing), they continued their studies and selfless service at the Chinmaya Mission and its various projects. The fourth group consists of His disciples who renounced worldly life and fully dedicated themselves to serving His cause.

Following His Guidance

Guidance from Gurudev varies depending on the type of listener you are. It can be likened to being near a fire: if you are in the first group, you enjoy the brilliance of the fire from a distance. In this case, simply follow Gurudev's inspiring words of wisdom, such as "plan out your work and work out your plan."

The second group moves closer to the fire and feels its warmth. Here, one begins to understand Gurudev's saintliness and starts to embody spiritual values through regular study and reflection. 

The third group draws even closer to feel the intense heat of the fire. The devotees get transformed through selfless service (seva), dedicated to Gurudev, along with regular study and contemplation.

The fourth group enters the fire like dry wood. They permit their ego to burn away in His service via daily swadhyaya (self-study) and pravachan (lectures). They strive to exhaust impure vasanas (impulses) until their individuality is completely dissolved at His feet.

 Value: Salutations to Guru - May 2025

Third Week: Serve Guru's cause - seva

The scriptures teach us that there are two types of creation: one created by God, known as Ishwara srishti, and the other created by individual ego, called Jeeva srishti. God's creation is flawless, eternal, and selfless; it is always engaged in serving without seeking anything in return.

If you look around, you can perceive His creation taking care of you and all beings in the universe. Sunlight, rain, forests, plantations, and fertile lands—do these ask anything from you? Ever? Many thousands of living beings have indeed existed in the same places where you and I live, and yet, His creation continues to tirelessly serve every generation.

The creation of the individual ego is solely based on strong likes and dislikes. Each of us continuously divides the world into various parts according to our preferences, which leads us to live within the confined bubble of our ego. This distorted perception prevents us from seeing the true essence of creation.

A spiritual guru guides us to transcend our narrow-mindedness. His first instruction is to practice selfless service to all, often referred to as "do seva," even before teaching us about the Highest Truth.

Take up a seva task

If you truly feel indebted to Gurudev, begin engaging in seva (selfless service) wholeheartedly. We can never fully repay the revered Guru who has bestowed upon us the man-making science, the means for self-unfoldment, and the guidance to kindle life.

Start by taking on simple tasks at your nearest Chinmaya Mission center. Approach this service with joy, keeping in mind that you are directly serving Gurudev. Gurudev dedicated himself to the world by tirelessly speaking, writing, and responding to every letter from ardent seekers. He often referred to his work as a 'yagna'—an offering to the Lord.

He stated, "Whenever I am in front of the microphone, I remember one thing: I am speaking to Him. He is my audience, and my lecture is my daily puja (worship) at His altar!"

Duty as seva to Him

Often we get tired doing everyday chores at home, workplace etc., Boredom sets in when we do the routine work. But we never get tired of taking care of our own body - eating, bathing, giving rest etc., Why? Because we see our body as 'Me and Mine!'

If we extend the same love to all through everything that we do, upon viewing the whole world as God's body and every chore is seva to the Guru, who opened the windows of our mind to see God in everything, we will never get tired or bored in fulfilling our daily duties. Your wife and children are His limbs, a part of Him, and not apart from Him!

Sri Ramana Maharshi once remarked. 'I am only an open window to God; you may see Him through me. I cannot take credit for that!'  Pujya Gurudev also served with the same humility, and so should we. 

When we act, the glory of our action is dependent upon not the environment, not where you work and how you work, but it is the intention or motive, behind the work that lends enchantment to the very work. ~ Swami Chinmayananda

 Value: Salutations to Guru - May 2025

Second Week: Take His guidance - pariprashna

There is a distinction between doubt and questioning. A person who lacks faith in the Guru may have doubts about the Guru's guidance or teachings. In contrast, someone who faithfully follows the Guru's teachings may have questions that arise from a desire for clarity in the understanding.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna poses many questions to Lord Krishna, not due to lack of faith but because he seeks deeper insights. Lord Krishna cautions, "संशयात्मा विनश्यति," which translates to "a person filled with doubt perishes." The term "prashna" refers to inquiry and the pursuit of clarity.

Take up to study Gurudev's original writings

The wisdom of a true teacher is reflected in their creative approaches to teaching. Pujya Gurudev's original writings are both practical and easy to understand. Reflecting on these can help align our minds with His. I can share a personal experience to illustrate this.

During my time at Yuvakendra, we held youth meetings every Sunday. One week, our discussion focused on the topics of proficiency and efficiency. Gurudev provided valuable guidance when he said, "Efficiency is the capacity to bring proficiency into action." Although this statement seems straightforward, we debated whether efficiency actually requires proficiency. Opinions were divided; some agreed while others disagreed.

The following week, one of the youth members came to the meeting with a bright smile, sharing that he got the job he applied for. He mentioned that during the job interview, he was asked to discuss efficiency. He credited our discussion from the study class as a significant help in articulating his thoughts clearly on the subject.

I have no doubt in my mind that when we make it a daily habit to read His writings, our minds can easily enter into the mood of contemplation, leading to clarity in thinking.

Reflect on the teachings

In Sanskrit, the term for reflection is 'Mananam,' which also means 'churning the thoughts.' This process is akin to churning milk to extract the hidden butter. Once the butter is obtained, the remaining curd holds little value. Similarly, in the study of scriptures, the true essence is what one seeks to uncover.

According to Adi Shankaracharya's "Atma Bodha" (25), the phrase 'I know' arises from a lack of discrimination between the Existence-Knowledge aspect of the Atman (Self) and the thoughts produced by the intellect. Just as the reflection of sunlight appears bright when the water is calm, we can perceive the pure reflection of the Atman only when our thoughts are quiet.

To gain a deeper understanding of these teachings, reflect on the rationale behind your Guru's advice. By recognizing this, you can work on reducing conflicting thoughts. Engaging in excessive study or debate is futile if it does not lead to inner stillness.

 Value: Salutations to Guru - May 2025

First Week: Submit the Mind - pranipada

Pujya Gurudev said, "Man is what his faith is." This concept is inspired by Lord Krishna's teaching in the Bhagavad Gita (17:3), which states, "यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः."  Our thoughts are shaped by our beliefs. If you believe that wealth can bring more joy into your life, your thoughts will focus on seeking more wealth. Others may prioritize health over wealth, and so on.

 

As you gain maturity in your thinking and reflection, you begin to develop faith in spiritual knowledge and the pursuit of liberation. This leads to building faith in your Guru, whose words and guidance become paramount in your life. Fondly remembering the Guru with deep reverence will become second nature to you.

Japa - daily repeat 108 names of Pujya Gurudev

The qualities of a Guru serve as the sadhana (spiritual practice) for seekers (सिद्धस्य लक्षणानि साधकस्य साधनानि). Many seekers are often unsure about where to begin their spiritual journey. What is the first step? We can start by recalling the qualities of Gurudev as indicated in the 108 names. Daily chanting and remembering Him as the embodiment of those qualities will inspire us to elevate our spiritual awareness. Take, for example, the first name, Ajah, which means 'unborn.' Upon reflection, you will realize that this does not refer to His physical body or mind. He embodies Chinmaya, the Pure Consciousness that is unborn. If that is the case, who am I? I am also the same unborn Pure Consciousness. I, too, am the beginningless presence that knows no death. I am immortal. So, where is the fear of change and death? Everyone around me is also immortal by nature. I do not need to grieve for anyone's departure. Instead, I only need to pray that the immortal soul that left the body discovers this truth sooner rather than later. This includes me too. This is how to reflect.

Keep Him near you

We cannot expect the loving Guru to be physically present with us. But we can uplift our mind to recognize His constant presence. If we have true reverence to Gurudev, we will not say, do or even think anything immoral, unethical or vulgar. This is a simple discipline every disciple of Gurudev follows.

Even while doing the daily chores, feel His company as if He is watching you doing what you do. His advice has been: 'Keep the mind where the hand is!' More so, one should recognize His presence while chanting His holy names. If you are doing the paduka puja, feel that you are offering the puja at His very own lotus feet.

 Value: Self-honesty - April 2025

Fifth Week: Promise not to compromise

Self-honesty in spiritual terms means abiding by what is true. In the Mundaka Upanishad, truth is given a revered status: "सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः" – "Truth alone prevails, not falsehood. By truth, the path is laid out, the Way of the Gods."

Lord Sri Rama honored His father's promise to Kaikeyi, fully aware that keeping this promise would safeguard His father's journey to the higher realms. He assured Sugreeva and Vibheeshana that He would restore peace in their respective territories and stood by His promise. Promptly, He returned to Ayodhya to keep the promise He had given to His beloved brother Bharat.

What is your promise to yourself? Only by upholding your own promises to yourself can you be truly eligible to make promises to others.

Maintain the quality of your performance without compromise.

Only the faithful listen to the words of God with devotion. Both the words and actions of humans are observed by the world. Thus, everyone watches our actions, as they reflect our integrity and the quality of our thoughts. Excellence in our own work is a journey toward perfection. The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that "योगः कर्मसुकौशलम्," meaning yoga is skillfulness in action.

Performance excellence depends on four essential factors: 1. Clarity of purpose, 2. Skill or knowledge, 3. Enthusiasm, and 4. Consistency of action until the goal is achieved. These four components are also necessary on the spiritual path.

Daily, submit to God what you have compromised

It is unrealistic to believe that we will never make mistakes. Simply feeling guilty does not correct those mistakes. Living a conscious life means learning from our errors and not repeating them. To achieve this, we should work on enhancing our resilience—the ability to bounce back and refocus on personal growth.

Seek the Lord's help to develop this resilience. In your daily prayers, surrender and ask for His forgiveness for your compromises related to external excellence and inner discipline. Do not look back, keep moving ahead. Pick up from where you left behind. Gather inner strength with His grace to do better than ever before.