The Spirituality Blog

✓ The Lord Almighty controls the sense organs of perception, and the action of all living beings. ✓ The wandering mind can never be under the control of mortals and can be subdued only by the grace of the Lord Almighty. ✓ The Lord cannot be comprehended fully by anyone. The best one can do is to realise that the Lord has infinite, auspicious attributes. ✓ There is a gradation in the innate capabilities of various deities who all act under the control of the Lord Almighty. ✓ The Lord is to be worshipped as Tadvanam, one who is all-pervasive and one who is worshipped by all. ✓ The path to eternal salvation has three facets – knowledge of the Lord, means of attaining this knowledge, and the source of this knowledge. ✓ One who implements the teachings from this Upanishat will achieve the grace of the Lord Almighty and attain eternal bliss.

 How does a trustee describe the Lord? No one can fully describe the Lord who has infinite auspicious attributes. Hence, the Upanishads resort to three categories of descriptions to convey the Lord’s nature in a way that can be comprehended by humans: 1. Positively – by pointing to the Lord’s limitless attributes such as compassion. 2. Absence of negative attributes (defects). 3. Possessing seemingly contradictory attributes: He is smaller than smallest imaginable object and larger than largest imaginable object. The Lord is near, yet He is far. He is inside every object and at the same time outside the universe. He is everywhere, yet He travels with infinite speed (for the purposes of comprehension, the Upanishat indicates that He travels faster than the speed of thought). All beings are in Him, and He is inside all beings  How does a trustee pray to the Lord? A: In the present Upanishat, Manu – who is the trustee – offers a very thoughtful, sincere prayer to the Lord by subm...

How does a trustee thank the Lord for the blessings received? A: It is impossible to thank the Lord fully for all the blessings He has showered on humanity. In this Upanishat, the trustee mentions that all he can do is to ‘say that he can only bow before the Lord with utmost sincerity and devotion’ to thank Him as no one can offer anything of value to the Lord who owns everything in the universe. It is interesting that the trustee does not say that he will bow to the Lord with utmost sincerity and devotion. He only mentions that he can only say that he will do this. There is a difference. The trustee is indicating with utmost humility that we are not even capable of sincerity and devotion, so we cannot indicate that we will offer sincere prayers to the Lord. Rather, we are only capable of saying that we can do this. Such humility is indeed the hallmark of a trustee.   The Lord is all-pervasive and regulates all activities in the universe. ✓ The Lord is the only independent ent...

One takes the Supreme Stance in life when one sets the right values for the world. Considers objects and being,action and perception ,emotion and thought to be ephemeral, transient. Renunciation is the insignia of spiritual growth. Emanating from knowledge of the Eternal Self. A spiritually evolved person commands a true spirit of renunciation. He runs his family with love and affection, possesses property, enjoys the senses. While he goes through these experiences his mind remains anchored in the Supreme Self within. With the mind rooted in the Self he understands the futility of the world. Feels that inner dispassion towards the events and experiences of mundane existence.  Few in the world today have a proper understanding of this magnificent stand of renunciation. The ignoramuses feign this illustrious state of being by their outward practices. They live in seclusion. Discard property and possession. Avoid sense contact. Put on an act of celibacy. With all that their minds ente...

 https://bhaktimarga.ie/ekadashi-fasting/ The realm of spirituality is as diverse as it is intriguing. Across the globe, a myriad of practices transcending time and space have been devised to cultivate inner peace, mindfulness, and connection with the divine. Among these age-old traditions, Ekadashi fasting – a significant ritual in Hinduism – stands as a testament to spiritual discipline and well-being. Unravelling the Ekadashi tradition The term ‘Ekadashi’ originates from Sanskrit, where ‘Eka’ means one and ‘dashi’ means ten, collectively translating to ‘eleven’. As such, Ekadashi refers to the 11th day of each half of the lunar month in the Hindu calendar, which is observed twice a month. The tradition’s origins can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures – the Puranas – which contain the first recorded instructions for observing Ekadashi fasts. It’s believed that Ekadashi was the day when Lord Vishnu, one of the primary deities in Hinduism, awoke after a...

https://bhaktimarga.ie/chapter-2-of-the-bhagavad-gita-practical-tips-for-life/ Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita is one of the opening chapters in the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse scripture, holds a revered position in Indian philosophy and spirituality. A part of the Indian epic Mahabharata, this sacred text captures the conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. As the Pandava and Kaurava armies stand ready for war, Arjuna finds himself in a moral quandary, torn between his duty and his familial bonds. The Bhagavad Gita, spanning 18 chapters, delves into various aspects of life, spirituality, and the human condition. In this blog post, we will explore the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, known as “Sankhya Yoga” or “The Yoga of Knowledge.” We will outline the main teachings of this chapter and provide practical tips for applying these teachings in our daily lives. The Immortality of the Soul: One of the most profound teach...

  CHAPTER - 2 Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita is a crucial chapter in which Lord Krishna begins to teach Arjuna the path of Karma Yoga, the yoga of action. Arjuna, a warrior prince, is hesitant to engage in battle against his own relatives and friends, and he seeks guidance from Lord Krishna. In response, Lord Krishna begins to teach him the path of self-realization and the true nature of the soul. Lord Krishna explains that the soul is immortal and eternal, and that it is not affected by birth and death. He emphasizes that the soul is distinct from the body and mind, which are subject to change and decay. Therefore, one should not grieve for the loss of the body or for those who have passed away, as the soul is indestructible. Lord Krishna also teaches Arjuna about the concept of dharma, or duty, and the importance of fulfilling one's duty without attachment to the results. He explains that it is better to perform one's own duty, even if it may be difficult or un...