Value: Bhakti - October 2025

First Week: Devotion - the path of Love

No living being is unfamiliar with the emotion of love. Even plants and animals comprehend the universal language of love. In fact, this is the first language we learn from our mothers while we are still in the womb. It is the only language that God understands from those who earnestly seek Him.

Bhajanam Bhaktih

The word bhaj in Sanskrit encompasses several meanings: to share, to receive, to cultivate, to pursue, to practice, to choose, to honor, to love, to grant, to worship, and to sing, among others. It represents all actions performed with sincere emotion. Let us explore five aspects of Bhajanam for our analysis: bhakti, japa, namanam, mananam, and mukti.

The first and foremost qualification for being a devotee is recognizing the Lord's role in our lives. He operates for our existence, both externally and internally. The texts of Vedanta emphasize that the entire creation is the will of Ishwara; we live in His mind. By faithfully acknowledging this, we begin to sense His living presence in our minds, similar to how a dream exists in our mind while we are also present in that dream. 

Bhava-rupa Bhaktih

Who is qualified to love God? Everyone is qualified, and no special training is necessary! In Vedanta texts, there are various means of knowledge that also serve as ways to understand the divine: direct perception, inference, illustration, logical conclusion, and so on. However, for devotion, no proof is needed.

The feeling of love cannot be proven through perceptions, such as seeing or sensing; it cannot be established through inference or logical conclusion. Neither is there a need for documentary evidence. Love is, in itself, self-evident. When one is truly in love, one simply knows. 

However, devotion to the Lord differs from love for other beings or inanimate objects. When you love someone, you often seek reciprocation. When you love an object, you care for it possessively. In contrast, in devotion, you do not seek reciprocation, nor can you possess Him. The natural and spontaneous love that arises from your heart for Him is, in fact, the response from the Lord. You also fully allow Him to possess you!

 

Value: Seva - September 2025

Fourth Week: Seva at the Altar

Having a personal deity as part of the family has been a long-standing tradition among Hindus. Daily worship of this personal God is considered a duty for every householder, with the entire family participating in the worship process. Monthly and yearly festivities related to the deity are celebrated as family events, where all members, including relatives, neighbors, and friends, joyfully engage in seva (service) to God. This participation includes children and youth.

Performing seva at the family altar by the youth fosters respect for the elders, who have also served the same altar with reverence and devotion in the past.

Seva begins with surrender to the personal God

The Upanishads teach us that all the faculties of our bodies are engaged in serving the presiding deity, who resides within each of us—the Self. Each faculty has its own unique role and responsibilities, and they do not compete with one another. Similarly, we are like the limbs of the Lord, and our actions are a form of service to Him. Therefore, there should be no comparison or competition among us in performing service wherever we do.

To free ourselves from the stress and strain of a competitive world, let us begin each day with surrender to God. Our work is ultimately His work, and both our successes and failures belong to Him. Our morning prayer at His altar is a request to help us give our best in all that we do throughout the day.

An altar in life will alter your life

Spiritual transformation is a gradual process; it does not happen overnight. The bondage created by ignorance has accumulated over many lifetimes, so the release from it will also occur over many lives. However, we can expedite this process by continually remembering God's presence within us.

 

If we consider Hanumanji as the vital force, the son of the wind, we can understand how He energizes every part of our body to carry out various functions. He embodies the best servant of the Lord by serving everyone as this vital force, without seeking any credit for Himself. He carries the essence of His Lord, Sri Rama, wherever He goes and in everything He does. Similarly, let us carry the essence of God in our hearts while engaging in all our actions as a form of service to Him.

 

In addition to regularly worshipping your personal deity at home, seek out the nearest temple or shrine where you can extend your service (seva) to the Lord. Spend time quietly serving at the altar. This can include ritual worship (puja), washing the lamps and puja utensils, preparing the altar for worship, maintaining the garden for the flowers, and more. All these activities are for the same Divine presence that resides in all of us.

 

Value: Seva - September 2025

Third Week: Seva with vision

Service is about helping those in need. But who should be helped? Assistance should be directed towards those who are helpless and cannot meet their own needs. For someone who is penniless, financial support is essential. For those who have no one to share their thoughts with, a compassionate listener can make a significant difference. For individuals seeking companionship, your time is invaluable. However, it’s important that this service also uplifts you! This way of thinking requires both clarity and vision.  

Seva is to become free from Ego 

Your seva should serve your own growth. In spiritual terms, seva should help in liberating you from ego—the mindset of 'I' and 'mine.' When you dedicate your time to support those in need, you step out of your comfort zone. You set aside your personal needs and security, making yourself available to accommodate others. You break the boundaries created by your ego!

Only by recognizing yourself as part of the larger creation, compassionately crafted by the Lord for all souls to experience the consequences of their actions, will you see that you are working for Him. His actions will manifest through you. Conversely, if you focus solely on your personal agenda, neglecting the needs of those around you, not only do you defer your karmic responsibilities to the next life, but your existence will lack significance for others as well.  

Seva is a path, not a destination

A spiritual journey begins with a clear determination of your destination. Only by understanding how far you are from your ultimate goal can you cultivate the qualities needed to reach it—qualities such as patience, love, faith, dedication, and service. Each of these qualities requires time to develop and mature. Engaging in seva (selfless service) brings all these qualities to the forefront. When you serve the world out of love for God and maintain the faith that He is working through you, while patiently dedicating your seva to Him, you embody these essential qualities. Your growth gets expedited.

When Pujya Gurudev was asked about who would continue his work after his departure, he answered with a smile: 'It is His work. If I disappear, He will find someone else to continue. Why should I worry about it?'  This is true selflessness. This maturity would come to us only when we detach from whatever we do, supported by total surrender to God's will

 

Value: Seva - September 2025

Second Week: Seva with emotion

The word "seva" also signifies reverence and admiration, both of which stem from an emotional connection. We tend to revere only what we respect and devote ourselves to. Admiration, on the other hand, is a form of deep appreciation. Does this mean that seva, or service, should only be offered to those we revere and admire?

Seva is enhanced by devotion

Divine emotion manifests as devotion. Many people dedicate themselves to their personal deities, worshipping them at home or at specific holy shrines. Devotees often undertake yearly pilgrimages and observe festivals with great reverence. While these events can evoke intense love for God, they do not lead to personal transformation unless we maintain the same respectful attitude toward everyone we encounter in our daily lives.

Lord Krishna advises Arjuna (BG 9.27): यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्। यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम्।। - "Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as a sacrifice, whatever you give, and whatever austerities you undertake, all that you offer to Me." Devotion should not be confined to rituals, festivals, and pilgrimages; it should be expressed as a constant love for God, who Himself manifests as all beings. Serving the world is, in essence, serving God.

Loving attitude

Consider viewing service as a way to express your love for God. Seva is about connecting with the world around you to facilitate your ability to serve. When you present a fruit to God, who do you thank or show gratitude to? Is it the shopkeeper who sold it to you, the wholesaler who supplied the shop, the farmer who cultivated the produce, the tree that bore it, or the Earth’s fertility, along with the sun and water?

 

Although we may feel independent, we are actually interdependent. No one can thrive without the support of many others. When we have the opportunity to serve, we should be grateful to all those who contribute to our lives, both known and unknown. True seva is expressing thanks to the Lord, who supports us through countless hands, feet, eyes, ears, mouths, and hearts.

 

 

Value: Seva - September 2025

First Week: Selfless Seva

Seva is more than just a service; it differs significantly from the services provided by any private or public institution. For example, at an airport or a hotel, you can visit a "service center" where your needs are addressed, but only if you have paid for their services. In this context, the value of seva is not comparable to such transactional services.

Sign of seva is sacrifice

A mother selflessly sacrifices her personal needs to carry her child in her womb and, after the child is born, dedicates countless hours to raising him or her. Is she compensated for that effort? Parents work tirelessly to educate their children and instill the right values to help them mature.

We must recognize that many known and unknown members of our family and community have made sacrifices to shape who we are today. Beyond expressing gratitude to our family members, each of us has a responsibility to give back to the community. Seva is an expression of gratitude to those who have sacrificed for us.

Put others first

Did anyone ask Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji to deliver daily discourses on Hindu scriptures? Did they request him to start Balavihar for children and study groups for adults? He keenly observed the lack of awareness about religion and philosophy among Hindus, which could jeopardize the ancient Hindu tradition and culture. 

For over 40 years, he tirelessly worked to enhance the spiritual, religious, and cultural awareness of everyone in his audience through lectures, personal letters, and interviews. He sacrificed his personal needs and health and put others first. He personally answered every mail that came to him and met every one who came with a hunger for spiritual knowledge.

Each one of us can contribute to improving the lives of those around us through our service. At the end of each day, let us reflect: "Today, whom did I help to become better?" 

 

Value: Mindfulness - August 2025

Fourth Week: Leave the mind

The Patanjali Yoga Sutras state, "योगः चित्तवृत्ति-निरोधः," which translates to "Restraining the mind is Yoga." The practice of yoga involves a disciplined approach to both the body and the mind. Restraining the mind means mastering it and curbing its habitual tendencies. Discipline requires consistent practice, and regularity is essential.

 

On the other hand, the path of wisdom focuses on clarity of thought and commitment to knowledge. Keeping the mind engaged in selfless actions reflects the path of action, while surrendering the mind to God embodies the path of devotion. Ultimately, restraining the mind through discipline represents the path of Yoga, and challenging the illusions of the mind illustrates the path of wisdom.

Reduce the thought flow

Sri Ramana Maharshi advises us to question the reality of the mind. According to him, this inquiry into the mind is the direct path to liberation. The bondage we experience is caused by the mind, and we can release ourselves from this bondage by realizing that it is ultimately false.

Pujya Gurudev illustrated this concept with the following story: In an ashram, the students were assigned by the Guru to take the cows to graze every day after the morning class. They diligently carried out this duty. One day, however, it rained heavily, so the students brought the cows to the shed and tied them securely before the day ended. The next morning, when they went to untie the cows to take them out for grazing, one cow that had not actually been tied the previous day refused to move, despite the student's efforts. Frustrated, he complained to the Guru, who instructed him to do the gesture of untying the cow. When he did so, the cow began to move.

To the surprised student, the Guru simply explained, "Every day, you tied the cow, and it has grown accustomed to seeing you untie it the following day. This is merely a mindless belief!"

We also believe that there is a mind, but ultimately, there is only Consciousness. The mind is an illusion. We often fail to recognize this when we continuously follow the flow of thoughts. Reducing the flow of thoughts is emphasized in Vedanta as a way to transcend the mind. 

 

The thought "I am the body" arises shortly after you wake up from sleep and not before. This illusory thought is the root cause of all subsequent thoughts related to your relationships, responsibilities, and worries. If you start your day with the affirmation "I am Brahman," which has no ties to the material world, you can choose your next thought without feeling compelled. It is important to return to "I am Brahman" throughout the day. This will significantly reduce the number of thoughts.

Shift the attention from the object of the thought to the subject

Watch a leaf. Initially, the focus of your thought is the leaf as seen by your eyes. Now, shift your attention from the leaf to your eyes. Keep them open. This change in focus transfers your attention from the leaf to the eyes. Next, direct your attention towards your thought. At this point, the focus has shifted to the thought itself. There is no longer a leaf or watching eyes—only the thought: "I am." Remain in this state for as long as you can.

 

The thought "I am" will not give rise to another thought. If it does, return to the beginning until you arrive again at "I am." Maintaining a single awareness of "I am" is the path to transcending the mind. Initially, having an external object for support is important in your practice.

 

By shifting your focus from an external object to a thought, and then from that thought to "I am," you have renounced the illusory mind and arrived at the reality of "I am."

 

Value: Mindfulness - August 2025

Third Week: Love the mind

There is only one true love in our lives—our Self. Generally, we love only that which brings us happiness. In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (2.4.5), the teacher Yajnavalkya says to his wife Maitreyi, "आत्मनस्तु कामाय सर्वं प्रियं भवति," which means "Everything is loved for the sake of the Self."

You love your daughter simply because she is 'your' daughter. This idea extends to all your relationships with people and things. Currently, our strong identification with the mind leads us to focus on 'me' and 'mine,' influencing our actions based on these thoughts. Our attention tends to follow where the mind finds happiness.

Mind is an expressed form of the Self

The Self is imperceptible and incomprehensible, even to the mind. Why is this so? Because the Self is the very foundation and cause of the mind. According to established logic, the cause cannot be objectified by the effect; it can only be recognized as its own source. Similarly, the non-dual Self expresses itself as the limited mind. For there cannot exist another independent sentient entity other than the Self.

The mind is a continuous flow of thoughts, where each thought represents a relationship between a subject and an object. In all these thoughts, the subject remains constant—it's the Self. The Kena Upanishad (2.4) states, "प्रतिबोधविदितं मतम्" which means, "The Self is known (as the awareness that illuminates) through every thought." When we are unaware of the Self, we mistakenly identify the subject as our notion of 'I' or ego. This confusion leads us to cherish the mind and everything that brings happiness to it. Although the objects of our love may change, the pursuit of happiness never truly ends..

Mind is the means to reach the proximity of the Self

Upon realizing that the mind is only an external expression of the Self, the wise declare, "मनसा-एवमिदमाप्तव्यम्" – it is by the mind alone that the Self can be reached. This process consists of two steps.

 

The first step is to purify the mind. All the values we discuss in this forum aim to make our minds pure and calm, allowing us to remain immune to distractions from the senses and our inherent tendencies (vasanas). This also requires complete devotion to the higher Self.

 

The second step is to comprehend the illusory nature of the mind, often referred to as the phantom Self. As Sri Ramana Maharshi advised, "When you question the reality of the mind alone, it will disappear." Just as a pot is merely a term for a specific shape of clay, the mind is just a limited expression of the Self, designed for practical, worldly purposes.

When we start loving the mind as the pure Self, we start recognizing it as pure Awareness, even while it busily transacts in the wakeful state.