March 24th 2026

More important than what is said is, who is saying. Vivekji shared how in the Vedantic leadership training, the students had the privilege to listen and learn from Dr.Kshama Metre (a Padmashree awardee). One of the main thoughts she shared was – more important than what you have is who you are! What we have tends to be flimsy. Who we are tends to be more firm. This can be put in the negative like our vasanas in terms of identifying with our body or it can be positive such as a habit of being punctual or disciplined. This does not go away quickly. We can either invest our efforts in Desha shuddhi or ManaH shuddhi. Desha shuddhi means investing in what we have (context) and Manah shuddhi is investing in who we are (our content). Pujya Swami Tejomayananda, Vivekji and Dr.Kshama Metre have shared we should invest in our content. 

In the verses from 19-22, Rishi Narada is sharing with Raja Yudhishtira (the one who wants to be better). In verse 19, the first way we hold ourselves back is shared, which is ‘Kama’ (desire). The remedy for this disease is observance. When we observe we are quiet. By being quiet we don’t allow our thoughts to become fertilized with wants and needs. A way to cultivate observance in the short term is to concentrate. We should concentrate like Ekalavya (he lived in the moment). A way to cultivate observance in the mid term is to collaborate. We should ask for help by chanting (japa). A way to cultivate observance in the long term is to contemplate.  Instead of fertilizing the thoughts we should watch them. Such observance is the way to fight back against kama. 

The second enemy that is shared is ‘krodha’ (anger). The way to neutralize this is acceptance. What precedes anger is annoyance. If annoyed we should keep it to ourselves or find a way not to be annoyed. If annoyance does become anger, then what should proceed from that is apology. Even if we cannot say it to someone’s face (example while driving), then we should put out our apology to the multiverse. It helps one to be less angry and not succumb to anger the next time. 

The third enemy is ‘lobha’ (greed). Our strategy to neutralize this is remembrance. Remembrance that all external security did not provide what we hoped this would provide. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has shared that when one remembers the prayojana or purpose then money is used for dharma but if the purpose is forgotten one becomes a dasa to money. Vivekji shared the experience that by giving resources/funds/money we decrease the importance of that money. One is not so money-minded then. 

Verse 19 (Continued) and Verse 20:

Verse 19

asaṅkalpāt-jayet kāmaṁ krodhaṁ kāma-vivarjanāt

arthāmarthakṣayā lobhaṁ bhayaṁ tattvāvamarśanāt

Verse 20

ānvīkṣikyā śokamohau dambhaṁ mahad-upāsayā

yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsāṁ kāyādyanīhayā

Verse 19, 4th quarter : The yamas are transformed through the niyamas. Here the yama is ‘fear’. The niyama to not succumb to fear is faith. The fourth hindrance (out of 14) is ‘bhaya’ (fear). Rishi Narada shares with Raja Yudhishtira that the way to dissolve this fear is by knowing that which is authentic and deep, the tattva. The opposite of fear is faith (in divinity, in Bhagavan). One has such faith through some understanding of Bhagavan. ‘Some jnana’ leads to shraddha which leads to full jnana. If we have ‘some clarity’ about Bhagavan Hanumana in our life, then ‘shraddhavan labhate jnanam’ – that somewhat clarity helps us to have enough faith and it is the faithful who then feel full knowledge.  Fear is really an expression of that which is different from ‘me’. I don’t fear myself but only fear that which is different from me. When we know that our nature is existence, awareness then we won’t have this fear any more. In summary, the methodology to grow out of fear is that ‘some clarity’ about the divine pulls faith in the divine which pulls conviction in the divine. Such a growth in faith is how we let go of fear. 

Verse 20, first quarter: The vice shared here is moha leading to shoka. This can be isolated into moha (confusion). For those who analyse Bhagavad Gita’s chapter 1 and specifically chapter 2, it is shared that Prince Arjuna rapidly went through three vices – moha (confusion), which devolved into bhaya (fear) which then devolved into shoka (sorrow). Stress when not checked ferments into anxiety , and that when not checked devolves into dejection. Here Rishi Narada has put bhaya before moha, these are interchangeable. Both make us feel sad and dejected. 

‘Anvikshikya’ means being able to have insight. There are lots of words that describe seeing like pashya, darsha, darshana, anudarshana, drishti etc. Here what Rishi is sharing is not a seeing with our eyes but rather an understanding of who i am and what i am supposed to do. When we start to engage in the right actions, that is us knowing what to do, and it helps to build a momentum for us to know ‘who i am’. If we are always engaged in wrong actions, we won’t have the quietude of mind to ever inquire into who we are! So right actions help us to know who we are, and once we know who we are, there is confidence in what we do. The right action is dharma, and it is the antidote to moha. When we know our responsibilities and we are responsible with them, then there is no confusion. The softest pillow is a clean conscience, and dharma (integrity) is the way to nurture a clean conscience. 

The three values for kama, krodha and lobha are observance, acceptance and remembrance, so that we don’t drift into the gates of hell. The next three virtues are faith, fortitude and firmness. 

The vice is fear and the antidote is faith. Confusion is the fifth vice and the value it is to be substituted with is fortitude. The way to get rid of confusion will not happen in just a day or hour but we need to keep trying ! Dambha means hypocrisy (the sixth vice). The lower our purpose, the higher our compromise. The higher our purpose, the lower our compromise. Compromise is an overt feeling of hypocrisy. We know what is right and what is our potential, but we give it up for that which is comfortable. Vivkeji shared about the famous song by Pink Floyd about complacency/compromise which is ‘being comfortably numb’ –  we are so used to being comfortably numb that it becomes our default and we don’t know what it means to sacrifice. So our purpose will be the facilitator of whether we compromise (give up the higher for the lower), or whether we sacrifice (give up the lower for the higher). 

‘Mahat upasaya’ – this is the value which is to be close to those who are great. ‘Asana’ means to sit. ‘Upa’ means near. We are not doing this for a short period of time or in a casual way. It is to be near those who are great, where near is not a temporary event but a relationship that we cherish and grow. When we are with the great, they humble us and inspire us! 

In reference to one’s guide, it is shared that one should be ‘like’ one’s guide but not ‘as’ one’s guide.  When are are near someone who is great, we can’t help but start to practice those same values. If we have reflected and made a decision, we need to be firm with that decision, starting with our alarm clock! 

Vivekji shared the story of a brother and sister where the brother has a solid job and is wealthy. For the sister, this was not so important so she did not have a strong job/career. As the brother became wealthier and the sister did not, the brother stopped inviting his sister to his home and gatherings. This naturally hurt his sister, but she understood him. Somehow eventually the sister also became very wealthy through good fortune. As she became wealthy, the brother started to invite her to his home and gatherings. One day, when she had gone to his gathering, she had all her jewelry on and while at the big fancy dinner table everyone is talking about shallow matters, she starts to take off all her jewelry, places them on the table and starts feeding dinner to the jewelry. Her brother is embarrassed by this and asks her what she is doing, and her response was ‘i am feeding who you invited’! The brother did not invite her, he only invited her wealth, so she was feeding who he invited! This helps us remember that whatever we are valuing, that is going to grow in our life! If we value valuables, that will grow. If we are valuing ‘values’, observance, acceptance, remembrance, faith, fortitude and firmness will grow. As these grow, desire,anger, greed, fear, confusion and hypocrisy will shrink!