Highlights of Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji’s Online Discourse on Yoga, August 30th,2020
Our body is a chakra. (Like a wheel)
It has to be doing something constantly. The Sun is also always crossing the sky on eka chakra, a single chariot.
Our body has seven chakras. But Sahasrara is not the last chakra. It is like the beginning of Paramatma out of the body.
This relates to a very important topic discussed today in ‘Yoga Vasishtha’ - Book 4 ch54 – “Sankalpa chikitsa.” 54th Chapter is very important for yoga students and practitioners.
Sankalpa is Kalpana. It’s imagination.
We have imagination about our happiness. We remember moments of happiness and compare our state with other days. We always keep remembering all our experiences, happiness and sorrow. We think “That day I was happy, because of this and that.” “I ate something very tasty,” or “That day I was unhappy.” This creates love and hate in our state of mind. We love happiness that happened. We want repetition of this day.
What is Yoga?
This doesn’t help equanimity. State of mental balance is yoga. Both joy and sorrow you have to treat alike. You have to treat or (deal with) your sankalpas. ( imaginations) Start doing it. Don’t worry, nor think too much.
Live in the present
Presence is a presentation from God. Stop thinking or bothering about past and future. Leave past. Stop worrying about the future.
Our saptachakras stand for Rishis . We can also think or imagine each rishi is in each chakra! The Saptarishis: Kashyapa, Atri, Bharadwaja, Vishwamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, and Vashishta.
Without them we would not have Vedas nor yoga. Those rishis they saw Vedas. They did not compose it. They saw them in their meditations. Swamiji always says these teachings we got from them.
Importance of Mantra
They got mantra from Paramatma. When we read mantra or chant it, we need to see it—in our eyes, in heart, in throat, mind, in entire being. See the mantra in you. Do not forget repeating mantra. You should not say you are not interested in mantra. This is Mantra Yoga.
If you want to stop - go to Guru and ask permission to stop. Ask excuse! He should permit you, otherwise you cannot stop doing mantra. It’s Mantra Yoga. You have to do it regularly.
You have to see letters of mantra in letters of your language.
Relation of seers with us
Seer - the one who sees. They came from Paramatma to bless us. Paramatma used Rishis as mediators to bless us with mantras. They are mantra swarupas. (They are of the form of mantras also).
Kashyapa - Parashurama gave earth to Kashyapa. He is in Muladhara Chakra. He is pashyaka, seer - the one who sees subtle things. Sukshma drshti. Observe and take the essence of that.
Atri - He is in Swadhishthana Chakra. We have to go beyond the gunas, (the three kinds of temperaments). No trigunas. Forget gunas. Read carefully BG. Understand about the gunas and understand them. Daily do pranayama and meditate. Atri did amazing penance- incomparable. Indra was worried, deities were worried. Penance is discipline. Follow some discipline. Write down and follow. You must think, “Whatever happens – I’m going to live following this.” Once you practice for six months, it’s in your blood.
Bharadvaja - He presides in Manipura Chakra. This is our Appaji’s gotram. He always carries food on his head and distributes food for those who are hungry! He is fond of annadana! Do annadana, impress him by that. He is in Manipura.
Vishvaamitra - He is friend of the whole universe. We have to say Vishvaamitra not Vishvamitra. Become a good friend. Then you will have good friends. Have you shown good friendship to others? Help others , who are in need. Then Vishvaamitra will be satisfied with you.
Gautama - He is in Vishuddha Chakra, throat chakra. Gautama sounds almost like Go-mata and Gau-mata. He is like the cow on two legs. He is our mother. Pure, Sattwa guna.
Jamadagni- Ajna Chakra, Light. He gives energy. No “I” or “me” feeling. Cross those feelings - he will come to you to bless you.
Vasishtha is in Sahasrara. He is not under control of the indriyas. He is controlling indriyas. He is always in Shiva’s mind, Shiva is in his mind. Vasi means Siva.
All those Maharishis are in our Guru! In our Appaji, our Sri Swamiji! You can just see Sadguru in each chakra.
Practise the qualities of the Saptarishis.
This is a practice you can do.
Read about the Rishis. Develop their qualities. One day you will reach That Goal!