Swami Shantanandaji: Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters. Mahabharata War also lasted 18 days. Number 18 stands for victory as per numerology. How does 18 come about? There are five elements or panca bhoothas – Akash, Vayu, Agni, Apa, Prithvi (space, air, fire, water, earth); five organs of perception or jnana indriyas (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin); five organs of action or karma indriyas (hands, legs, organs of speech, genitals, organs of evacuation). These fifteen plus, mind, intellect and ego come to 18. Unless we transcend these 18 (tattvas) we cannot attain liberation (mukti). The truth is beyond these 18. In Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, you have to climb 18 steps to have the Darshan of God.
Q: Subramanian: Study Group: Self Unfoldment
Given the demands of modern life, we all have very little time available for prayers or spirituality. How best can we spend few minutes of the day being aligned with God?
Swami Shantanandaji: In Srimad Bhagavatam, there is the story of Vamana Avataram. Bhagawan appeared before Mahabali as Vamana, a diminutive persona, and requested three steps of land, measured by his own feet. There is a lot of significance to this story. The general understanding is that Bhagawan increased his size, occupied this whole world with first step, the other world with the second step. Since there was no place for the third step, he put it on Mahabali’s head and pushed him below, into Patala. Nowadays, people say that Bhagvan was very unfair to Mahabali. However, here is the significance of the story. We are all living in the modern world. We have no time – as they say, “Marne ko be phursat nahi - we have no time even to die!”. Everyday, Vamana comes to everyone’s doorstep, asking for just three minutes of our time. He says, “Give me just three minutes. I will then become Virata Purusha and influence your whole life. Gain entire life for only three minutes.” Just spend three minutes every day sincerely in the Pooja Room. You don’t have to spend hours chanting all mantras and slokas. Just three minutes of sincere prayer, whether you know mantras or not. If you know Gayatri Mantra or Triyambhakam, chant that. (If you don’t know, ask your child in Bala Vihar, they will teach you!). You will receive peace and strength for the entire day.
Whatever time you spend in the Study Group or Satsang, is what is going to come with you when you depart, not your money, bank balance, wife, or children. What comes with you is the Punya that you have gained – how much time you spent thinking about the Lord. The merit that you have gained in Satsang is what is going to come with you.
In these Study Groups, we start thinking about what’s life, what’s the purpose of life, what’s our goal, how do we get the best of our lives, how to be happy in spite of problems. Everyone is interested in freedom and happiness. What’s the knack with which we can keep the happiness going? Experiences come from different quarters unasked – wife, husband, children, office. Experience by itself doesn’t give happiness or sorrow - it is the interpretation of the experience that gives us sorrow or happiness. Interpretation is the key and it is in our hands. How to handle such experiences is what we learn in our Study Groups. Don’t say you don’t have time, you have to find time for prayer, just three minutes, just as you have time for parties or watching TV.
Q: Gopal Babu, Study Group: Self-Unfoldment
In Sadhana Chatushtayam, Why are 9 qualifications required for attaining Moksha? How do I know that I have these skills and how do I develop them?
Swami Shantanandaji: The Shamadi Shatak Sampatti (Shama etc. six assets) are the six attributes, called sampatti, assets, to be cultivated just like wealth – they have to be acquired with our efforts. The other three, Viveka, Vairagya and Moksha are a result of our enquiry, Vivechanam.
Viveka is discrimination, the ability to know the lasting from the temporary, truth from untruth. Out of enquiry we develop Viveka, out of Viveka comes Vairagya. Unless you understand what is bondage, you won’t yearn for liberation, Moksha.
Shamadi Shatak Sampatti are Shama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Shradhdha and Samadhan.
Control of mind and the senses (shama and dama).
Strict observance of one’s duty (uparati).
Forbearance (titiksha).
Faith (shraddha).
Balance of Mind (samadhana).
These qualities you have to develop. How? With Nirantar Abhyas, constant observation. Swandhyaya, self study. It is advised, Vedo Nityam Adhiyatayam, read scriptures everyday. There is no shortcut.
We all have a little bit of fire in us. That fire has to be kindled into a conflagration. Everyone has Viveka – the ability to discriminate between sat (truth) and asat (untruth). Vairagya is a result of our Viveka. We all have these qualities but they are not fully developed. We only use them for day to day mundane things. To buy say a TV, we do lot of market research, that is viveka. We discard obsolete model of TV we own with little sense of loss, that is vairagya. To develop these qualities for use in higher purpose, we need to read our scriptures on a daily basis.
Q: Gopal Babu, Study Group: Self-Unfoldment
What is the significance of chanting Geeta Chapter 15 slokas before taking food?
Swami Shantanandaji: Teachings of Bhagavad Gita are concluded in Chapter 15. Subsequent chapters, 16th, 17th and 18th are all appendices. In this chapter, Bhagawan says:
gam avisya ca bhutanidharayamy aham ojasapusnami causadhih sarvahsomo bhutva rasatmakah //13//
aham vaisvanaro bhutvapraninam deham asritahpranapana-samayuktahpacamy annam catur-vidham //14//
“As Sun, I myself fertilize the land and bring up vegetables for nourishing mankind. As moonlight, I give food value to the vegetable kingdom. The vegetables come to the kitchen for cooking - fire, water, spices which are used for cooking are all me. All these are found in nature. When food comes to the kitchen, the understanding is that “Lord, you have come to serve me and therefore I offer my thanks.” That’s the reason for prayer before taking food.
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