Philosophy

Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 3)

Limiting Pleasures

It is not required for a sādhaka practising dhyāna to adhere to valiant restrictions on food and other diversions. His sitting posture should not hinder easy breathing and other bodily activities, and should not cause trouble to his limbs. There is a proper measure for eating, sleeping and jāgaraṇa[1]. A yogi is moderate in the above aspects. Here, moderation means just as much as is required for mental balance; neither more, nor less.

Ch. 6 The Practice of Dhyāna (Part 1)

Note

jñānārhaté saṃnyāsādé
saṃnyasipudu karmaphalavano karmavano
|
enaṃ karmadoḷillaṃ
tānénuvudu seré karmadóḷagadu kaluṣaṃ
||

Saṃnyāsa makes one fit for knowledge
What should we give up, karma or its fruit?
Karma itself is pure, faultless.
It only becomes impure by the feeling of ‘I’.

svāntada śodhanéyappudu
santatakarmātta lokasaṃparkagaḷim
|
antantaśśodhitadai-
kāntada dṛṣṭiyiné pūrṇatattvaṃ doréguṃ
||

Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 2)

The phrase hita-nirata (engaged in welfare) does not involve merely uttering homilies. It means those who internally resolve to act towards universal welfare and ensure that those resolutions are acted upon externally. It is thus not necessary for a saṃnyāsin to give up activity that yields in the well-being of the world. But such activities have to be performed with an extraordinary mindset. The activity referred to here is interacting with the world – taking from the world and giving back to it.

Ch. 5 Yoga of Harmony of Karma and Jñāna (Part 1)

Prologue to Chapter 5

ಬೋಧಿಸಿದೆ ಕರ್ಮಯೋಗವ
ಬೋಧಿಸಿದಿದಯ್ ಸಂನ್ಯಸನವನುಮನಾ ದ್ವಿಕದೊಳ್ ।
ಸಾಧನ ಮೇಲೆನಗಾವುದೊ
ಆದೇಶಿಪುದೆಂದು ಬೇಡಿದಂ ಕೌಂತೇಯಂ ।। ೧

Bodhisidĕ karma-yogava
bodhisiday saṃnyasana-vanumanā dvikadadoḷ
sādhana melĕnagāvudŏ
ādeśipudĕṃdu beḍidaṃ kauṃteyaṃ
।। 1

The son of Kunti implored,
“You taught me the Yoga of action.
You taught me renunciation.
Which of the two paths is better for me?
Please instruct me”