Bhagavad Geeta - Chinmaya Mission

Nachiketa wanted to hear more. What happens after death? The body becomes one with the elements yet what happens to the jiva? With self effort, we can impact this jiva’s journey. Kathopanishad points out that it is so very rare to get a human body, with a desire for spiritual knowledge. This wonderful life is because of all the past work we have done. Difficulties in life will always exist but do...

How do we know that the Self is separate from the body? Kathopanishad clarifies that man does not live purely because he breathes. Instead, Swami Tejomayananda elaborates on what causes bodies to function.  In every body, there is an individual jiva. When the jiva leaves the body, what remains? The functions of the body stop. This implies that there is something other than the body that cause...

Why do I continue to feel bound if this Atman (the Self) is liberated? Even though the Atman is free, since I do not know it, I feel I am bound. However a precious thing you may have, the joy is only in knowing its preciousness. If I have a diamond ring, the joy is not there if I do not know it is a diamond. Similarly if I do not know myself, there is no joy. Once I realise the Self, there is only...

Kathopanishad shares that the same consciousness that is there today will be there tomorrow. This consciousness does not change and is one and the same everywhere. Yet, we are unable to see this oneness. Instead we see differences, which in turn cause likes and dislikes, indifference or love, meaning we experience a range of emotions. Once we see past these differences, the experience will be one...

There is an actor in a play. The actor knows he is playing a role. If he starts to identify fully with the role he is playing, he will lose sight of who he really is. Similarly, Swami Tejomayananda reminds us that we too are playing a role and shouldn’t lose sight of who we are. Once we understand that this Chaitanya in Its pure form is in the body, is the same Chaitanya that is present everywhere...

Kathopanishad shares that there are two types of people; one is action oriented and one is knowledge oriented. For example, in the spiritual field, there are those who are interested in rituals and those who are interested in enquiry, in the nature of the truth. Just like the pujari keeps the fire alive, the knowledge of the seeker should be kept alive. This inner lamp of knowledge should not be p...

Swami Tejomayananda reminds us of one of the most powerful outcomes of understanding this Truth; we become fearless. As long as one identifies with the body, mind and intellect, one remains in fear of numerous things, health, wealth, loss of power etc. Yet the cause of fear is ignorance and wrong notions. When a person enquires and recognises his true nature the cause of fear is removed. Once we r...

Can an inert object know another inert object? Can the body, senses or mind know themselves? Kathopanishad sheds light on the true Knower. The Chaitanya which is unborn and imperishable, that alone is the illuminator. We only know a table is a table as a result of a thought. It is only when my thought goes to something that I know it exists. It is the Chaitanya that powers that thought, that allow...

What are the obstacles to gaining this knowledge? Through our senses, we see only the outside world and not our true selves. Our mind continues to become more and more extroverted. Yet, one can overcome this obstacle and use his senses to guide his mind towards the Self. When we see something, think, who is the Seer? Who is the one doing the seeing, hearing, thinking? The mind can be used to enqui...

In this talk Swami Tejomayananda reflects back on what Nachiketa has learnt from Lord Death to date. Through listening, reflection and meditation on this knowledge, the one who realises that Brahman as his own self attains greatness. He realises he is Ananda, goes beyond joys and sorrows. Any man who realises this Truth becomes great, most revered and worshipped. But the wise person is not bothere...

Swami Tejomayananda reiterates the urgency of this quest, reminding us not to waste our time. Every moment is an opportunity to turn towards Self knowledge. This knowledge will take us beyond pairs of opposites, beyond joys and sorrows. Now is the time to arise, awake and take action to wake up from this sleep in which we are suffering. This knowledge is the subtlest of the subtle and so not easy...

How often should we meditate? Twenty four hours a day! How do we achieve this practice of constant meditation? This talk expounds on practical meditation; how do we do this? How do we withdraw our attention from our senses and slowly turn our attention within, from the individual I to the Totality. We are reminded by the great saints that even if this process is difficult, like walking on a razor’...

Although the Upanishads, logic and the Guru all say you are the Self, we can't accept this. And although no one tells us we are the body we readily accept we are the body. This is the power of Maya! To know our true self we need a purified mind, clarity of knowledge and the grace of a Guru. By focusing our minds on what our hands are doing, we gain single pointedness which in turn leads to subtlet...

How do we move from the subtle to the subtlest? Our physical body first appears in subtle form but before that it exists in unmanifest form, just like a tree is in unmanifest form in a seed, and butter is in its unmanifest form in milk. Similarly, before the total mind was manifest, it was unmanifest. By peeling back these layers, we are moving towards our Self. What we call our individual mind ca...

Swami Tejomayananda dives into the Kathopanishad as it highlights That which is higher, subtler, more pervasive and most intimate. Subtlety is measured by the greater pervasiveness of one factor over the other. Listen in as Swamiji logically leads us to that which is the most subtle, taking us on our inner journey. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChinmayaChannel/

The human body is the gateway to liberation making it our greatest asset. We unfortunately turn it into our greatest liability! Identifying with the body, mind, senses and intellect, we mistake our true identity to be that of an individual limited being. We create bondages for ourselves by developing the wrong relationships with these equipment. Kathopanishad heeds us to not make our assets, our l...

Kathopanishad uses the metaphor of the chariot to explain our relationship with the True Self. For this inner journey, our chariot is the body, in which the in-dwelling 'jiva' is the master, intellect the charioteer, mind the reins, senses the horses and the sense objects the road. Swami Tejomayananda cautions us that for safety, the charioteer should remain on the path of devotion, right thinking...

Shadow has no independent existence of its own. It exists only with reference to the light. Using this analogy, Kathopanishad elaborates how the jiva (the false ‘I’ ego) is the shadow and Paramata (the true Self) is the light. Seeing the jiva, we therefore know that Paramata is. Only ignorance keeps our true Self far from us, when in fact it is so close. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Chinmaya...

Just as one does not lose sight of the destination despite the traffic and hurdles that are encountered while travelling, Swami Tejomayananda warns us of the impediments in the journey of our Self discovery; bad conduct, sensual indulgence, lack of concentration and impatience to reach the goal. Develop clarity of thought and purity of mind to reach our own Self. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c...

The subjective experience of the Atman - our True Self - cannot be gained by merely listening to discourses. One's study and reflection of the scriptures must be soaked in the intensity of faith. To the spiritual aspirant, who wants nothing else and diligently seeks the Atman, the Atman reveals Itself. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChinmayaChannel/

To realise the Self as it is, without the conditionings of Body, Mind, and Intellect, one has to become free of desires. Swami Tejomanyananda shares how one can become free from desires, emphasising the need to develop purity of mind and control of the senses. The glory of knowing our true Self is that one is permanently released from sorrows, anxiety and stress. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c...

Swami Tejomayananda elaborates on the essence of Atman (the Self) as being beyond sins and merits. Who is the doer of actions? Who experiences the results of the actions? To whom accrues the sins and merits? The Atman cannot be the doer, enjoyer or prompter of any action. Kathopanishad reveals that when a person is awakened to one’s true nature, one is no longer bound by action and can be free fro...

Kathopanishad reveals the true nature of the Atman (the Self). The Atman is neither born nor dies. Neither is it an effect nor a cause. The Atman is changeless. As we listen to the glory of the Self as it is described, Swami Tejomayananda reminds us that the Upanishad is talking about our true nature! So go ahead and get acquainted with yourself. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChinmayaChannel/

Lord Death reveals to Nachiketa “Om”; that which is the best support for worship as well as meditation. By worshipping the form of Om, one can be taken to the world of Brahmaji, the Creator, if one so desires. Alternatively, the meditator who with single pointed devotion meditates upon Om in a Nachiketa-like spirit of seeking the Ultimate and the Immortal, can realise one’s own Self and be liberat...

We now only know the relative world within the confines of space, time and objects - observed in an unending chain of cause and effect. Nachiketa asks Lord Death to share based on His own subjective experience of the Truth, ‘That’ which is the Knower of all causes and effects, yet is neither the cause nor the effect. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChinmayaChannel/