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Atma and the body were completely separate.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 19   ya enaį¹ vetti hantāraį¹  yaś cainaį¹ manyate hatam  ubhau tau na vijānÄ«to  nāyaį¹ hanti na hanyate    He who regards this (the soul) as a slayer, and he who thinks it is slain, both of them fail to perceive the truth. The soul does not slay, nor is it slain.    The Atma is in the killer, and the Atma is in the one being killed. But the Atma is not perishable. Those who think that the soul of the slayer or the soul of the slain are limited or perishable, are in deep confusion.   Krishna says that an ignorant man attributes the functions of the body to the soul. He says, ā€œLook, you should not mix up the body and the soul. Your soul is the Great Observer, it observes things; it comes here and does its dharma, but it remains separate from the mind, the intellect, and the body. It is something apart from who you are. The one who thinks that the slayer is the soul is completely mistaken, and the one who thinks that t...

Arjuna, donā€™t show any hesitation or unwillingness to engage yourself in the fight.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 18   antavanta ime dehā  nityasy-oktāįø„ śarÄ«riį¹‡aįø„  anāśinoā€™prameyasya  tasmāt yuddhyasva bhārata   Finite bodies have an end, but that which possesses and uses the body is infinite, illimitable, eternal, indestructible. Therefore, fight, O Bharata (Arjuna).   ā€œFinite bodies have an end,ā€ Krishna says, ā€œAll bodies, which have been created from matter, from the five elements, ā€˜have an endā€™.ā€ Everything which is matter, will return to matter. Here the Lord is saying that the mind, the senses, and the physical body are all perishable. Whatever you see outside is perishable, has its limit and will have its end. But you are here to use these limitations to do your duty, to do your dharma. This infinite, the Atma, which is present inside of you is the Reality. He says, ā€œDonā€™t be in ignorance. Know that you are eternal. Know that you are indestructible. So fight!ā€   Here Krishna is not only talking to Arjuna, He is talking to every...

The soul is not something material that you can cut with a sword.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 17   avināśi tu tad viddhi  yena sarvam idaį¹ tatam  vināśam avyayasyāsya  na kaścit kartum arhati   Know that to be imperishable from which all this is extended. Who can slay the immortal spirit?   Whatever is perishable, like the body, the senses, the mind, all these objects of enjoyment, and pleasure ā€“ all these are under the control of Prakriti. And Prakriti is under the control of the Spirit, which means under the control of the Consciousness, the life principle.   ā€œKnow that to be imperishable from which all this is extended.ā€ All matter, everything which is created, comes from the non-created: all emerges from only One Reality, God, the Immortal One, the Supreme Spirit. Everything comes from Him. Everything is just an extension of Him. The one who is realised in this immortality, attains the true Self. He sees that the same Narayana Krishna that is outside, is also inside. And not only in himself, but everywhere, in ...

This is the essential Truth.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 16   nāsato vidyate bhāvo  nābhāvo vidyate sataįø„  ubhayor api dį¹›į¹£į¹­oā€™ntas  tvanayos tattva darśibhiįø„   That which really is, cannot go out of existence, just as that which is non-existent cannot come into being. The end of this opposition of ā€˜isā€™ and ā€˜is notā€™ has been perceived by the seers of essential truths.   This means that everything which is limited, will be destroyed. And what is not limited, the Atma, cannot be destroyed; it is ever-existent. You will realise the eternity of the soul only when you rise above the duality of the real and the unreal. Why would non-existence exist? Non-existence is not real. By non-existence, Krishna is referring to the body and referring to all the people on the battlefield. He says, ā€œThese people are not real. They appear to exist, but they are not real. The only reality behind all this is the Self. Look beyond this duality. Perceive that which is beyond what your mind is showing you. The...

Make yourself apt for immortality.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 15   yaį¹ hi na vyathayantyete  purusā€Œaį¹ puruį¹£arį¹£abha  sama duįø„kha sukhaį¹ dhÄ«raį¹  soā€™mį¹›tatvāya kalpate   The man who these do not trouble or pain, O lion-hearted among men, the firm and wise who is equal in pleasure and suffering, makes himself apt for immortality.   Krishna addresses Arjuna as lion-hearted among men. He is reminding Arjuna, ā€œYou are like a lion! You are strong! You are not weak. You are powerful! Be firm and wise.ā€   ā€œThe man who these do not troubleā€, yaį¹ hi na vyathayantyete, means the one who is not troubled by pleasure and pain. The best and most excellent of men are beyond pleasure and pain. It is easy for them to rise above these opposite qualities, to rise above these dual experiences.   The realised soul doesnā€™t go into the drama of life. He sees pleasure and suffering equally. The one who makes himself ready becomes ripe. He becomes aware to receive the knowledge of the Self.   Krishna i...

Who is watching? That is the great Self. The great Self is always watching

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 14   mātrā sparśās tu kaunteya  śītoį¹£į¹‡a sukha-duįø„khadāįø„  āgamāpāyinoā€™nityās  tāį¹s titikį¹£asva bhārata   The interaction of senses and objects, O son of Kunti, give cold and heat,   pleasure and pain, transient things which come and go. Endure them, O Arjuna.   Mātrā sparśās means ā€˜the contact of the senses with material objectsā€™. Whatever comes into contact with the senses, into contact with the mind ā€“ heat, sound, touch, colour, taste and smell ā€“ these are the products of the senses. Heat and cold, pleasure and pain, are always part of our experience. If one gives attention to the outside, to the sense organs, and the sense objects, one becomes bound by the opposites of duality, like cold and heat, pleasure and pain. Whoever is focused on living only in the external world, will attain only limited things. One will not be aware of the greatness, the eternity of the soul. This duality of experience, also brings joy, gri...

Let this knowledge which is inside of you awaken. See that the soul is eternal

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 13   dehinoā€™smin yathā dehe  kaumāraį¹ yauvanaį¹ jarā  tathā dehāntara prāptir  dhÄ«ras tatra na muhyati   As the soul passes physically through childhood, youth and old age, so it   passes on to the changing of the body. The self-composed man does not   allow himself to be disturbed or blinded by this.   Krishna says, ā€œIt is unwise to suffer, thinking that by changing oneā€™s body, everything is lost. Why are you grieving? Why are you sad about this? Childhood, youth, and old age donā€™t belong to the soul.ā€ When are you growing up, what is growing? The body. Once you were a baby; maybe now you are in youth; later you will be in middle age; and later on, you will become old... some of you are already old now. But these changes are not for the soul. Your Atma is eternal! The Atma is still the same. For all which is created, change is only on the outside. The body changes. Nature, Prakriti changes. The soul itself n...

Awake! Realise yourself! The nature of the soul is eternal.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 12   na tvevāhaį¹ jātu nāsaį¹  na tvaį¹ neme janādhipāįø„  na caiva na bhaviį¹£yāmaįø„  sarve vayamataįø„ param   There was never a time that I did not exist, nor you, Arjuna, nor these kings   of men; nor is it true that any of us shall ever cease to exist hereafter.   ā€œThere was never a time...ā€ This is so beautiful. Here Bhagavan Krishna reveals to Arjuna the quality of the eternity of the soul. He says, ā€œThere was never a time when you nor I did not exist. We all existed even before our birth, before we manifested in these bodies. And we will carry on existing even after these bodies disappear. Even though the body dies, the soul is eternal, it will carry on living. So Arjuna, you should not grieve for these relatives or fear their destruction.ā€ The soul is eternal: one has to come here; one does oneā€™s duty, oneā€™s dharma; and then the body dies. But the soul remains eternal. Before this lifetime here, you were somewhere else...

You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 11   śrÄ« bhagavān uvāca  aśocyān anvaśocas tvaį¹  prajƱāvādāį¹Å›ca bhāį¹£ase  gatāsÅ«n agatāsÅ«į¹Å›ca  nānuśocanti paį¹‡įøitāįø„   The Lord says: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The enlightened man does not mourn for either the living or for the dead.   Now is the beginning of the Gita. The real Gita starts now with the smile of the Lord. All that came before was just a preparation for this.  The Lord says, ā€œYou grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom.ā€ You see, Bhagavan Krishna has been watching and observing Arjuna all the time. The Great Observer always observes life and sees life. He observes how life is going on. Your true Self, the Atma, is always observing life from within you. Krishna says, ā€œYou grieve, ā€˜yet you speak words of wisdomā€™. You know about life, you have the right feeling inside but when you speak, you say something stupid.ā€ ...

You are ready to receive the greater knowledge of the Self. You are ready to fight and transform yourself.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 10   tam uvāca hį¹›į¹£ikeśaįø„  prahasann iva bhārata  senayor ubhayor madhye  viį¹£Ä«dantaį¹ idaį¹ vacaįø„   To him thus depressed and discouraged, Krishna, smiling, O king, speaks these words between the two armies.   Here, Sanjaya is expressing interest in seeing the Lord smile. The smile of the Lord is saying, ā€œHey, now you are ready!ā€ It has been Arjuna himself who has requested Lord Krishna to bring the chariot between the two armies. Arjuna has first been in the spirit of challenging: but when he sees the two opposing armies, he falls into a depression. He becomes very disturbed and grief-stricken. It is this Arjuna who now asks the Lord to guide him and to remove from him the pain which is overwhelming his mind. So Krishna smiles.   When the Guru sees that the disciple is really ready, he has the same smile! The disciple can ten thousand times ask, ask, ask, ask, and the Guru will give whatever He has to give. But when the disc...

Govinda, I will not fight! and becomes silent.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 9   saƱjaya uvāca  evam uktvā hį¹›į¹£Ä«keśaį¹  guįøakeśaįø„ paraį¹…tapa  na yotsya iti govindam  uktvā tÅ«į¹£į¹‡Ä«į¹ babhÅ«va ha   Sanjaya says: Gudakesha (Arjuna), terror of his foes, having thus spoken to Krishna, then says to Krishna, ā€œGovinda, I will not fight!ā€ and becomes silent.    Here Arjuna makes his decision, and says, ā€œIā€™m not ready to fight! Iā€™m happy with my normal, mundane life. I donā€™t want anything else. I donā€™t want to go deeply into spirituality. I donā€™t want to discover my true Self. Iā€™m happy living life; waking up in the morning; having my breakfast; going to work; coming back from work; enjoying the TV and sleeping.ā€ Again, next day the same routine. ā€œThen I look forward to the weekend: I will go to the pub, I will drink; I will lose my mind; I wonā€™t even know what happened. I will go completely into delusion; then I will come back home,ā€ ā€“ if you come back home, or maybe you will sleep on the road; or wake up in ...

I want to be free from this delusion.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 8   na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād  yacchokam ucchoį¹£aį¹‡am indriyāį¹‡Äm  avāpya bhÅ«māv-asapatnam-į¹›ddham  rājyaį¹ suraį¹‡Äm api cādhipatyam   Even if I should attain rich and unrivalled kingdoms on Earth or even the sovereignty of the gods, it would not take from me this sorrow that dries up my senses.   Here Arjuna asks, ā€œWhat am I doing in this battle where I will gain only earthly things? Even if I attain ā€˜sovereignty of the Godsā€™, lordship over the Gods, and become like Indra, that will not remove this grief, which is drying up my senses. Please Lord, help me! Remove this grief! Give me everlasting happiness and bliss. Thatā€™s what Iā€™m longing for. Iā€™m not longing for material gain and Iā€™m not longing for Heaven. I long to hear You. I long to be out of Maya. I want to be free from this delusion.ā€ Bhagavad Gita 

My devotees, who are completely surrendered to Me, are far superior, because I live in them, and they live in Me.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 7   kārpaį¹‡ya doį¹£opahata svabhāvaįø„  pį¹›cchāmi tvāį¹ dharma samÅ«įøha cetāįø„  yacchreyaįø„ syān niścitaį¹ brÅ«hi tan me  śiį¹£yas te śādhi māį¹ tvāį¹ prapannam   It is poorness of spirit that has smitten away from me, my (true heroic)   nature; my deluded mind is bewildered in its view of right and wrong. I ask   You which may be the better - tell me decisively. I take refuge in You as a   disciple. Enlighten me.   The first word here, kārpaį¹‡ya, means ā€œpoorness of spirit.ā€ ā€œIt is poorness of spirit that has smitten away from me, my (true heroic) nature.ā€ Arjuna knows that his noble nature, his powerful nature, has fled. ā€œ...my deluded mind is bewildered in its view of right and wrong.ā€ He is seeing what is right and what is wrong from the point of view of the mind. His mind is showing him what is right and what is wrong ā€“ not his heart, not his consciousness.   ā€œI ask you which may be the better ā€“ tell me de...

The attachment to the outside world is still so strong that one canā€™t really think or see.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 6   na caitad vidmaįø„ kataran no garÄ«yo  yadvā jayema yadi vā no jayeyuįø„  yān eva hatvā na jijÄ«viį¹£Ämas  teā€™vasthitāįø„ pramukhe dhārtarāį¹£į¹­hrāįø„   Nor do I know which is better for us, that we should conquer them or they   conquer us. Before us stand the sons of Dhritarashtra, who if we slay, we   would lose all desire to live. Here again Arjuna is showing that he is in a state of confusion, because he is still very attached to the outside. You see, if somebody is not fully dedicated, they always go into a state of confusion. They are not making themselves ready. Arjuna is in this state and says, ā€œI donā€™t yet know if we will be the winners or they will be the winners. Here are the sons of Dhritarashtra on the battlefield in front of us.ā€ He is still trying to find ways to not fight them. He is indicating that he has the choice: either to fight or not to fight. If he doesnā€™t fight, it will be a great offence of a Kshat...

Unsettled state of mind, with, one foot in and one foot out of the war.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 5   gurÅ«n ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān  śreyo bhoktuį¹ bhaikį¹£yam apÄ«ha loke  hatvārtha kāmāį¹s tu gurÅ«n ihaiva  bhuƱjÄ«ya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān   It is better to live in this world even on alms than to slay these high-souled   gurus. Slaying these gurus, I would only taste blood-stained enjoyments in   this world.   Here Arjuna is referring to Kripacharya, and Dronacharya: ā€œThese people are worthy to be praised and worshipped. How will I slay them? How will I be free from that sin? Even though these noble characters have fallen low, I canā€™t dishonour them. Even though I am a Kshatriya, even though I am a warrior, I would rather live on alms than commit this great sin for enjoyment and pleasure.ā€   Here, we have to see that Arjuna had very high knowledge. For one who is realised, the ā€˜goodā€™ and the ā€˜badā€™ become one. However, Realisation also means that one has to let go of everything. Arjuna was wise, because...

We canā€™t attack them

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 4   arjuna uvāca  kathaį¹ bhÄ«į¹£mam ahaį¹ saį¹…khye  droį¹‡aį¹ ca madhusÅ«dana  iį¹£ubhiįø„ pratiyotsyāmi  pÅ«jārhāv-arisÅ«dana   Arjuna says: How, O Madhusudana, shall I strike Bhishma and Drona with   weapons in battle, they who are worthy of worship?   Kathaį¹ means ā€˜I am surprisedā€™. Arjuna says,ā€œI am surprised! How can I kill these people? They are not demons! They are not really my enemies! On the contrary, they are the great elders who are worthy to be put on the altar and be worshipped. This is terrible! It would be a big sin if I attack them! We should have respect for our elders.ā€ As I said in Chapter 1, the elders were well-respected at that time. When you talk to elders, you should speak to them respectfully. Using harsh or abusive words is a sin. Thatā€™s why Arjuna says, ā€œThese elders are worthy to be worshipped and we shouldnā€™t do anything disrespectful. We donā€™t even dare look in their eyes!ā€   Here again, Arjun...

You are in Me, and I am in you. We are not separate.

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 3   klaibyaį¹ mā sma gamaįø„ pārtha  naitat-tvayyupapadyate  kį¹£udraį¹ hį¹›daya daurbalyaį¹   tyaktvottiį¹£į¹­ha parantapa   Fall not from the virility of a fighter and a hero, O Paartha! It does not befit you.   Shake off this paltry faint-heartedness and arise, O scourge of your enemy!   Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as Paartha, which means son of Pritha (Kunti). He says, ā€œYou are the son of a brave lady. You are the son of Kunti, who is a true Kshatriya, a true warrior. Your mother is so strong! You are a hero! So donā€™t go into this state of cowardice; donā€™t let yourself be overtaken by weakness. You possess great valour and are skilled in fighting. Let go of this ā€˜faint-heartedness and arise!ā€™ You strike fear into the hearts of your enemies; you strike terror into the hearts of great heroes. The moment they hear of you, they are scared! The moment they think of you, their hair stands on end! ā€˜Scourge of your enemy!ā€™ The ...

When did this dejection come to you, this stain and darkness of the soul

Sankhya Yoga  Chapter 2, Verse 2   śrÄ« bhagavān uvāca  kutas tvā kaśmalam idaį¹  viį¹£ame samupasthitam  anāryājuį¹£į¹­am asvargyam  akÄ«rtikaram arjuna   The Lord says: When did this dejection come to you, this stain and darkness   of the soul, in the hour of difficulty and peril, O Arjuna? This is not the way   cherished by the noble man: this mood came not from Heaven, nor can it   lead to Heaven, and on Earth it is the forfeiting of glory. Here Lord Krishna Himself starts speaking. He says that Arjunaā€™s heaviness of heart and low spirits are due to over sentimentality. He says, ā€œYou have made yourself weak. It is your willingness to become weak!ā€   Krishna continues, ā€œI am taken aback! I am shocked to see that here, in the middle of the battlefield, you are in such a state! This state is very dangerous and difficult! We are in the middle of the battlefield and now you feel like this? If you would have felt like this befor...

Sankhya Yoga

Sankhya Yoga Chapter 2, Verse 1    saƱjaya uvāca  taį¹ tathā kį¹›payāviį¹£į¹­aį¹  aśā-pÅ«rį¹‡Ä-kulekį¹£aį¹‡am  viį¹£Ä«dantam idaį¹ vākyam   uvāca madhusÅ«danaįø„   Sanjaya says: To him thus invaded by pity, his eyes full and distressed with   tears, his heart overcome by depression and discouragement, Krishna speaks these words.   In this state, Arjuna is completely distressed and overtaken by faint-heartedness.   Looking at his friends and relatives, he starts to cry. He is not just talking, he is crying terribly. He is overtaken by grief and fear that the family will be destroyed. That will bring great sin and negative karma to him, to his family, and to their descendants. It will be complete destruction. In this verse, it is very important to understand why Sanjaya doesnā€™t call the Lord, ā€˜Krishnaā€™. Instead he refers to Lord Krishna as madhusÅ«danaįø„, which means the slayer of Madhu. Madhu was a very fierce demon who was killed by   K...

The mind is so blind, that one canā€™t think and one canā€™t see.

Arjuna Vishada Yoga Chapter 1, Verse 47  saƱjaya uvāca   evam uktvāā€™rjunaįø„ saį¹…khye  rathopastha upāviśat  visį¹›jya saśaraį¹ cāpaį¹  śoka saį¹vigna mānasaįø„   Sanjaya says: Having thus spoken on the battlefield, Arjuna sinks down on   the seat of the chariot, casting down the divine bow, his spirit overwhelmed   with sorrow.   Sanjaya sees Arjuna fall down into the seat of his chariot, overwhelmed with   sorrow, in a state of complete dejection. Arjuna puts down his bow and loses himself, miserably concentrating on all this negativity, and feeling pity for himself. When one   has self-pity, one looks for many excuses to not do oneā€™s duty. This is true for Arjuna.   He has created all this fantasy inside his mind: the horrible picture of the destruction of the family, the horrible scene of the ancestors. The film, the drama, which is turning inside his brain, makes him feel terrible, completely depressed. Here...

It would be better for me that the sons of Dhritarashtra, armed as they are, should slay me as I am, unarmed and unresisting.

Arjuna Vishada Yoga Chapter 1, Verse 46   yadi mām apratÄ«kāram  aśastraį¹ śastra-pāį¹‡ayaįø„  dhārtarāį¹£į¹­rā ranā€Œe hanyus  tan-me kį¹£emataraį¹ bhavet   It would be better for me that the sons of Dhritarashtra, armed as they are,   should slay me as I am, unarmed and unresisting.   Even before the war has started, Arjuna says, ā€œI will give up my arms. I will not   fight. I will offer myself as a sacrifice to the opposition. I offer myself unarmed to them, unresisting. If they kill me, such a death will be a blessing for me. And we will not get the sin of slaying the family or killing the sons of Dhritarashtra. If they kill me first, there will be no war; the war will end now. This will save the lives of our friends   and family.ā€ This is the supreme state of sacrifice, sacrificing oneself for the sake of others. That is what Christ also teaches , ā€œA true friend will give his life for the sake of a friend.ā€ Arjuna feels this out of compa...

Greed for the pleasures of kingshipā€, here Arjuna is saying

Arjuna Vishada Yoga  Chapter 1, Verse 45   aho bata mahat pāpaį¹  kartuį¹ vyavasitā vayam  yad rājya sukha lobhena  hantuį¹ sva-janam udyatāįø„   Alas! We were engaged in committing a great sin, we who were endeavouring   to kill our own people through greed for the pleasures of kingship.   Arjuna says, ā€œAlas!ā€ Out of wonder and great sorrow, he expresses himself as if this sin has already happened: ā€œWe were engaged in committing a great sin.ā€ This shows that Arjuna and the Pandavas have great knowledge and virtue and that they are very careful about doing anything which will bring bad karma to them. They are aware of the effect of karma. He says, ā€œWe will have to repay the karma. We will also have to suffer for that karma. And not only in one life, but for many lifetimes weā€™ll have to come again and again to repay this great sin which we will be committing. This karma will be very dreadful. We will not be free!ā€    ā€œGreed for the pleasu...

Ancestors give us their blessing.

Arjuna Vishada Yoga  Chapter 1, Verse 44   utsanna-kula-dharmāį¹‡Äį¹  manuį¹£yāį¹‡Äį¹ janārdana  narakeā€™niyataį¹ vāso  bhavatÄ«ty-anuśuśruma  And men whose family morals are corrupted, live forever in Hell.   Thus have we heard.   Here Arjuna says that those who have lost their family tradition and live in vice, fall into Hell. These poor souls will suffer the torture of Hell for an indefinite length of time. So, be careful! If you do bad, your ancestors will also roast in Hell for a long period of time! This Hell is similar to Hell described in Christianity. But the difference is that in Christianity, youā€™ll stay in Hell forever. Whereas here, you are sent to Hell ā€“ for a holiday.    You have to understand that in the pitris tradition, we do Shraddha ceremony to the ancestors. The gratitude that we show to our ancestors is very important. By doing   good in this world, our ancestors also profit; in return everybody profits, because...

Who will keep this clan relationship tight and strong? Who will keep this tradition?ā€

Arjuna Vishada Yoga  Chapter 1, Verse 43   doį¹£air etaiįø„ kula-ghnānāį¹  varį¹‡a-saį¹…kara-kārakaiįø„  utsādyante jāti-dharmāįø„  kula-dharmāśca śāśvatāįø„   By these misdeeds of the destroyers of the family, leading to the confusion   of the castes, the eternal laws of the clan and moral law of the family will   be destroyed. In that moment, Arjuna is just seeing his own fear. Out of fear, out of sadness, out of guilt, he doesnā€™t want to take this responsibility upon himself. He has already created a certain drama inside of himself: that the Varna Dharma, which is taught in the Vedas will not be respected; the eternal law of the clan and the moral law of the family will not be respected; the duties of the castes and the elders will not be respected. The elders of the family were the ones who were strict about maintaining family customs and they were respected.  Arjuna says, ā€œBhishma is here in front of us. He is Dharmaraj. He is the one who has...

To whom shall we offer pinda?

Arjuna Vishada Yoga  Chapter 1, Verse 42   saį¹…karo narakāyaiva  kula-ghnānāį¹ kulasya ca  patanti pitaro hyeį¹£Äį¹  lupta-piį¹‡įøodaka-kriyāįø„   This confusion leads the family and the destroyers of the family to Hell; for   their ancestors fall, deprived of pinda (rice offering) and libations.  As I said earlier, the pitris were very important in the tradition at that time. Arjuna asks, ā€œTo whom shall we offer pinda? A pinda is a rice ball. In the Christian orthodox tradition, in the ritual for the departed ones, you always offer wheat, koliva, to the departed souls. In the Hindu tradition, it is similar, but the offering is made of rice. This is offered to the departed people along with water, tilatarpana. Before the Navaratri celebrations, we do the Shraddha ceremony to the ancestors. Arjuna asks, ā€œBut if there is a mixture of cultures, to whom shall we offer the Shraddha? Each culture comes from a certain family lineage. If this lineage is broken...

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic

Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic