April 7th, 2026

‘Happy slaves are the bitterest/worst enemies to freedom’ – this was shared by Pujya Swami Tejomayananda. When we reflect on the word ‘slaves’ or ‘slavery’, there is an externalization of this. When it comes to our own self-reflection and self-realization, the word that can replace ‘succumbing to slavery’ is dependent. Whatever we are dependent on, that is us being enslaved by that. This is not about functional dependence, but this dependence is on matters like faith, joy and completion. As long as we are dependent on an external entity (for faith, joy or completion), then we are enslaved by that and we become the bitterest enemy to freedom/moksha/purpose of life. What we do together in our Jnana class (Manah Shodhanam) is we are raising the expectation we have of ourselves. Then we feel the quote ‘happy slaves are the bitterest enemies to freedom’ applies to us! A great utility of increasing the expectation we have of ourselves is we decrease the expectation we have of others, and we accept others more.  In this course, we are raising the expectations of ourselves to not be enslaved by any entity. When we depend on ourselves completely, that is independence! The sign that one is flowing through all of this is acceptance. 

For verses 19, 20, 21 and 22 – the theme is ‘action’ (actively cultivating, actively practicing). 

Verse 20: 

ānvīkṣikyā śokamohau dambhaṁ mahad-upāsayā

yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsāṁ kāyādyanīhayā

Recap of the two vices we explored:

When it comes to yoga (our development), that which holds us back (antarāyān) from our development is ‘heaviness’ (this is the vice). The value is ‘simplicity’. Heaviness is overthinking and over-complexity, so the antidote is simplicity. On Mahashivaratri, it is a period where we are to minimize what comes into the system (inputs through our ears, eyes etc). Since so little is input, the output is also little and we just feel lighter. We then come to the intense experience of being the observer/sakshi and at that level one starts to see Bhagavan Shiva in the form of awareness. Extreme simplicity is the design of Mahashivaratri. What Rishi Narada shares with Raja Yudhishtira is ‘mauna’. The origin of these verses is from Srimad Bhagavatam (specifically the 7th section). If we take the sanskrit verse and translate it, then it moves us a little. If we translate it and also interpret this in a traditional way – it moves us more. But we need to take this ancient teaching, reflect on the translation, the tradition and most importantly reflect on the transformation and we have to figure out what is best for us! The direct translation of ‘mauna’ is silence, but mauna has to bring this comprehensive practice of simplicity! 

The eighth vice is ‘himsa’ (harming). Rishi Narada says “kāyādi anīhaya” – control the body and equipments – however controlling the body is hard, more so is controlling the mind. So the way to make this transformative (so it is longer lasting and has a deeper impact), the value is ‘service’. Service is using and directing the body and mind. 

There is a beautiful teaching in the Upanishad – ‘ṣarīra mādhyama khalu dharma sādhanam’, which means the only purpose of this body(and equipments) is to serve. Just like nature is for all, the equipments belong to the totality , this body is made up of earth and so belongs to the earth. 

Verse 21:

kṛpayā bhūtajaṁ duḥkhaṁ daivaṁ jahyāt samādhinā

ātmajaṁ yoga-vīryeṇa nidrāṁ sattva-niṣevayā

Here, Rishi Narada is bringing up why we chant ‘shanti’ three times. The word duhkha applies to the first three quarters of the verse: 

Duhkha that comes from bhutas (beings that are around us)

Duhkha that comes from Daiva (nature’s forces or that which is far away from us)

Duhkha that comes from Atma (here it means our ego and inner equipments)

The vice is duhkha and it comes from nearby, far away and within. 

The way we will orient ourselves towards this duhkha is from the least impactful to the most impactful, from the ‘easiest to tend to’ to ‘hardest to tend to’. So we will begin with the duhkha that comes from Daiva. Another way to understand Daiva is ‘circumstances’. The duhkha that comes from circumstances causes us stress (this is the ninth vice). One should let go of this stress (vice) with balance (value). We are keen on the transformation, so here are some insights into what will help us practice this value of balance: Nature of circumstances is to change. Wherever there is change, there will be conflict. Wherever there is conflict, stress comes with that. But if we know that this is the nature of circumstances, then we won’t allow it to affect us as much. 

Vivekji shared that a father who was around the age of 45 asked about who will be affected more by insult, would it be the father who was 45 or his daughter who was 18 ( and was getting ready to go away to college). Vivekji’s response was that the daughter would be affected more because the father is used to being insulted in his 45 years and the daughter may not be so used to it. The father just has more experience, that this is how circumstances are, they keep changing! 

There is a riddle : ‘what do you say to a sad person that makes them happy, and what do you say to a happy person that makes them sad?’ The answer is ‘Even this will pass’.  So when we know circumstances keep changing, and that there is not always going to be easy times or hard times, it helps one to be more balanced. Being imbalanced does not help. 

In the first quarter, the duhkha referenced comes from bhuta. Bhuta means beings (mostly humans – friends, family). When Sri Hanumana is going over the ocean to find mother Sita, the very first vighna or obstacle that comes is ‘Mynakha’, and Mynakha is actually His relative. Mynakha tells Hanumanji to come and rest, and not work so hard! The duhkha that comes from beings is deeper than stress, it is anxiety. The value against this vice is compassion. When a friend or co-worker is not being reasonable, we have to try to be like Bhagavan Ganesha’s ears. His ears are like a sieve, meaning they are very big, He filters in that which is right and filters out that which is wrong. We should quickly bring this filter of self-criticism and self-forgiveness. If we are being unfair and not courageous, then we should accept that. If not, we should reject them. Too often, when someone shares something about us, we put out a defense mechanism and reject it, but what if they are right?! They are helping us! So we should find that balance of self-criticism and self-forgiveness. Also, not everyone knows how to fight against what is hurting them in life. Maybe they do not have a community where they have an exposure to insights and betterment, which means they don’t know how to fight what is bothering them. So for all of us who do have these tools, we should be more compassionate with them -’Everyone is going through their own fight’. So why make it harder on people?! Also, if we take into account vasanas, we also never know what kind of life one had in the past! So we should learn not to be hard on people. In this balance of self-criticism and self-forgiveness, if someone has treated us in a poor way and we don’t deserve that, we should just absorb that with compassion. 

When stress is not checked, it ferments to become anxiety. When anxiety is not checked, it ferments to become dejection. This comes from one’s own equipment, specifically from mind and intellect. So Rishi Narada shares that one should engage in Yoga Veerya, one should be intense when it comes to yoga. Here yoga veerya means self-development. It is through self-development that our mind bothers us less and our intellect loves us more! The greatest trigger of dejection is purposelessness. A reflective mind is a rich mind, a mind that is reflective has purpose and so gets to enjoy everything and feels rich. A way to come out of dejection is routine. As we are engaged in the routine, there will be faltering. If we expect otherwise, it will lead to failing. While teaching Bhagavad Gita chapter 6, Vivekji shared that as we are trying to contemplate and being distracted, we have to catch ourselves. Once we catch ourselves, we should lift ourselves. Here too, if we falter in our routine, we should catch ourselves and lift ourselves. Without that catching, we cannot lift ourselves and without that catching, the faltering becomes failure.

Summary of vices and values: 

Vice 7 – heaviness, value 7 – simplicity

Vice 8-harming , value 8- service

Vice 9 -Stress, value 9-balance

Vice 10- anxiety, value 10 – compassion

Vice 11-dejection, value 11 – self-development