November 18th 2025

Rishi Patanjali in the final chapter of yoga sutras shares, everyone’s perception is the same but their processing of that perception is different. For example, A ripped piece of paper is the same to two people but it may be of value to one (as it contains important notes) but of no value to the other. Perception happens at a physical level whereas processing happens at the mental level.

In stepping stones, the class is in a section on happy people become helpful people. We are most helpful to others when we are in a good mood. We are investing in something that is extremely utilitarian. My perception is not important than my processing. My service to my family, society and community is based on how strong the individuality is.

Recap:

Class 10, verse 6: Resolve.

This verse is on the relationship between purity and clarity.Sri Krishna describes Prince Arjuna in 15:20 as Anagha. Chapter 15 is known as the spirit of the Bhagavad Gita. Verse 20 is the spirit of the spirit. In the first line, Sri Krishna is empowering Arjuna by calling him Anagha, the one who is pure. In the second line, Arjuna is called Bhārata, one who is clear.

Step 1: Purity

Step 2: clarity

Step 1: Purity

Step 2: Abidance

Abidance is the word used by Guruji in Manah Shodhanam. We can cultivate this purity by determination. My responsibility is purity, my trust triangle’s responsibility is clarity. As a sadhaka, as someone who wants to be pure, my personality should be of nischaya, determined, aspiration. In terms of implementing this, the yata (effort) should be dridha (firm).

Resolve should be: My purpose is purity, through grace of the trust triangle, there will be clarity. In my inner world as a sadhaka, the quality to be invoked is nischaya (living less as the mind and more as the intellect) and in my outer world, it should be yata (strive with firm efforts).

One who is following through with verse 6, their strategy should be of pray and plan. Pray means pray for ways to be pure. Pray to be less reactive (if you have a bad temper) but its not enough, so we need to plan as to how you can not give in to your temper.

This Class: Theme is “Resolution”

A resolve is something that is floating but resolution is when it becomes tactile, as if going from a mission statement to an action statement.

Verse 7:

manah shuddhi karāni iha, sādhanāni vadanti ha;

yajnah dānam tapas cha eva, japah theertham vratah tathā.

Line 1:

manah shuddhi karāni iha = those who have already caused the purity of their minds (our guides)

sādhanāni= these sadhanas

vadanti ha= they are sharing with us today

I need to purify my mind in a light way because that’s how I can help others, in a heavy way because purity precedes clarity. I need to purify my mind but I can be helped only by those who have purified their minds and they have shared these sadhanas. They have shared six sadhanas.

In a sacred field, more important than what is said, it is who is saying that matters.

Practice 1: Yagna, dedication. Dedication pulls sacrifice. Deepavali in 2025, can feel like self sacrificing instead of being self absorbed. Dedication to others forces me to sacrifice myself. It is no longer about one, it is about oneness. The real guage of one’s dedication is that they don’t even know that they are sacrificing, they forget themselves.

Everyone of us is born with five debts (pancha runas), Until you pay off these debts, you can never feel free. So the related resolution from having five debts is pancha yagna. I am dedicated to those that I am indebted to so my debts are paid off. One of the debts is to nature’s beings, bhuta runa. When you live in harmony with nature’s beings, it brings out the selflessness in you, purity in you such that if you were dedicated to nature’s beings, that wouldn’t be there.

Practice 2: Dāna. Dakshina precedes dāna. Dakshina is a feeling of gratitude. Gratitude that most important purpose is to be happy and I am accessing that. When one feel this expansion of their heart, they can’t help but to express this as dāna (generosity). Because they feel so full inside, they can’t help but give effort, time and resources to help others. Dāna expresses as daya (grace). Grace is when you make other person’s life easier.

When Bhagavan Vāmana had asked for three steps from Bali, rishi Shukra was trying to teach Raja Bali saying for anyone who wants to be happy today and tomorrow, then all of their resources should be divided in five. 3/5 of your resources should go towards your own functionality, 1/5 should go to svajana (your people) and 1/5 dharmāya (to further dharma). Implication of this is that 20% of our income/assets should be directed towards society.