The human experience is often a series of “becomings”—growing older, seeking status, or chasing results. But according to the Bhagavad Gita, there is a part of you that is absolute “Being.” Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda, a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda, provides a masterclass on how to access this state while living in the world.
Using the profound analogy of the “Sun in a Jar,” Swamiji explains a fundamental truth: while the reflection may appear to shake when the water is disturbed, the Sun itself remains perfectly still. Similarly, our daily problems, anxieties, and stresses belong to the ever-changing mind and body, but our true essence—the soul—remains eternally untouched and serene.
Governing the Nine Gates
Imagine your body as a magnificent, yet intricate, “Nine-Gated City.” To live as an enlightened being is to reside within this city without becoming a slave to its gates—our senses. This profound state is achieved through the practice of Karma Yoga: performing action with unparalleled dexterity and dedication, yet renouncing all attachment to the fruits or outcomes of that action.
Chitta Shuddhi: The Internal Window
Why do we truly work? If our purpose is confined merely to gains within time and space, the inevitable result is stress, disappointment, and a continuous cycle of striving. However, if our purpose elevates to Chitta Shuddhi (purity of heart), a miraculous internal window opens within us. Through this clarity, you begin to profoundly feel your connection to the entire universe, wafting fragrance like a blossoming flower in a vast, interconnected garden.
Scholar’s Corner
Dive deeper into the wisdom that underpins this philosophy:
- Bhagavad Gita 5:10: Understand how actions, when performed as an offering to Brahman, cease to bind the doer.
- The Lotus Metaphor: Discover the secret of remaining “untouched” (papena) by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unsullied by water.
- Vedic Allegory: Explore the poignant story of Sabari and the profound examination of the heart’s purity over external rituals.
Glossary of Key Terms
- Navadvare Pure: The city of nine gates, referring to the human body with its nine openings (two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, anus, and urethra).
- Loka-sangra: Universal welfare; actions performed for the good of the world, without selfish motive.
- Vritti: Thought waves or modifications of the mind that constantly arise and obscure the true Self.
- Prakriti: The primordial force of nature; the material cause of the universe that impels all action.
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This study guide is drawn from the archived teachings of Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda.