Awe, elation and wonder … this is how I felt as I floated out of my first yoga class. I was completely relaxed and full of energy, both at the same time.
I was 18 years old. Yet I was so rejuvenated that I felt five years old again. I was instantly hooked on yoga. Now, two-and-half decades later, I continue to be in awe and wonder. It just keeps getting better.
The benefits of yoga are truly amazing! The ancient sages have been saying this for centuries:
Vismayo yogabhuumikaa.h.
— Shiva Sutras 1.12
The stages and experiences of yoga are truly amazing.
Both ancient and modern yoga sages give us this bold promise. If you do the yoga practices, you will have amazing experiences. Their certainty does not come from a research study with many people over a long time period. They didn’t crunch the numbers at the end to prove the benefits statistically. No. The sages confidently make this promise because they know how the system works. It is completely reliable.
Yoga is an inside-out process. All of the yoga practices are for the purpose of opening you up to the truth of your own existence. The you that you truly are is pure and full. Yet you don’t always experience or know this truth. You limit yourself by thinking that you are merely what you do, who you know or where you live. Yet you are so much more. Your true essence is Existence-Itself.
As your yoga practices unveil your true essence, then your own essence shines forth. Wonder, amazement and awe are guaranteed. As your own essence shines through your body, you feel bliss. Your essence also fills your senses — you rejoice in this human experience. And as your own true essence fills your mind, you experience peace, clarity, focus and more.
While this is your future, the sages also tell us that there are stages to arriving at this destination. Like all transformational processes, it’s an evolution. It’s like walking out of a dark movie theatre at noon; your eyes need time to adjust to the light. Similarly, you need time to adjust to the brightness of your own essence. Unfortunately, you have been living in the dark, so it takes time to adjust to the light.
The Svaroopa® yoga practices are so effective at unveiling your own essence that we intentionally make the openings gradual. You learn to live in your increasing brightness. You integrate your new light into your life. You learn to live in a way that allows the light to continue to shine forth. Then you open up to even more light. It’s a step-by-step process.
Sometimes you even take a few steps back. When you don’t know how to live in your brightness, you can slide back into the dark. You go back to your old familiar habits. This can be painful or, at the very least, difficult. While the darkness is familiar, now you’ve experienced the light. The darkness was always painful, and now you know better. That can be tough.
This is when you may wonder about the promise quoted above. Remember, it is part of the process. Keep doing your practices, keep opening up to the light of your own essence. With time, you will learn to live in the light. The darkness of your limitations won’t be able to hold you back anymore.
While you apply your own self-effort, you have incredible support along the way. You can rely on the yogic teachings which come from an ancient lineage. They have been passed down from teacher to disciple throughout time. These teachings are tested and true. We have proof that they work from the Great Masters who came before us.
Perhaps more importantly, there is a power of revelation that flows through this lineage. This power is called “Grace.” While you put one foot in front of the other, it’s like you have jet engines on your shoes. With every step, Grace propels you further than you ever could go on your own.
So when the going gets tough, keep going. It’s simply one of the stages. If you take a few steps back, that’s okay; just return to stepping forward. There are various stages along the way. And you have help from the teachers who preceded you.
You can rely on the promise from the yogic sages. They tell us that the wonders of yoga are truly amazing. They will be your inner wonders by you simply doing the practices.
The yaksha was fully satisfied with Yudhishthira’s answers, so he asked him to choose one of his four brothers to be brought back to life.
Without a lot of thought, Yudhishthira said he chose Nakula. The yaksha was surprised by Yudhishthira’s answer and questioned him. “By picking Bhima you would have obtained strength, or by picking Arjuna you would have the greatest archer beside you. Why did you pick Nakula?”
Yudhishthira respectfully replied, “We are five brothers, sons of Kunti and Madri. Out of Mother Kunti’s three sons, I am still alive but both of Mother Madri’s sons are lying dead. I would want one of Mother Madri’s sons to live. That is the dharma for my father Pandu’s children.”
The yaksha was yet again very pleased to see Yudhishthira upholding righteousness. He said, “Oh Yudhishthira, I admire your virtuous thinking. You are a great soul. With your greatness you have conquered my heart. You have overcome all the obstacles that were put in front of you in your life. From this day onwards you shall be known as Dharmaraja. I am reviving all your brothers, for your selfless virtuous qualities.”
Yaksha & Yudhishthira(1)
With this blessing, all four Pandavas came back to life. Yudhishthira was overjoyed to see his brothers alive again. He hugged them all with delight and thanked the yaksha for giving them back.
The yaksha then revealed his true form. He was none other than Yama Dharmaraja, Yudhishthira’s father, Lord of Dharma and the ever-righteous God of Death. To test Yudhishthira’s integrity, he had devised the poisoned lake, also taking the form of the stag which took the Brahmin’s churner and igniting rod.
Yama handed the churner and igniting rod over to Yudhishthira and blessed them all to successfully complete the thirteenth year of living in disguise, untraced.
Yama Dharmaraja & Pandava brothers(2)
He directed the Pandavas to go to the kingdom of Matsya, to be safe and untraced there for their thirteenth year incognito. The Pandavas happily returned to Draupadi and handed the churner and igniting rod over to the brahmin who was so thrilled to receive them.
It was time for the Pandavas to say goodbye to the brahmins who were living with them, to go into their thirteenth year incognito. Yudhishthira thanked them for their loyalty and full support throughout these past twelve years. He was lost for words with his heart full of gratitude and sadness for departing them. He humbly asked them for their blessings. The elder brahmin Dhaumya advised Yudhishthira to stay focused in his path of righteousness as always and blessed them to be victorious.
Map of Matsya Kingdom(3)
The prior advice from Krishna and the later advice from Yama Dharmaraja made it easy for the Pandavas to decide to go to the Matsya Kingdom. Together with Draupadi, they devised a plan to approach the king of Matsya Kingdom, Virata. He was married to Queen Sudeshna. Prince Uttara and Princess Uttaraa were their children.
The Pandavas discussed seeking various jobs to serve the king in the palace so that they would stay close to each other. They knew they neither could be seen together, nor could they do what they were good at. They had to depend on their secondary ability in order to disguise themselves well. This was very hard on Yudhishthira’s brothers. The thought of Yudhishthira , such a mighty king, especially after performing the Rajasuya Yaj~na, now going in disguise to serve another king brought tears to their eyes.
On their way to the kingdom, they dug a pit under a tree and buried all their weapons. Yudhishthira disguised himself as a brahmin named Kanka, to serve the king as an adviser. He played dice with the king and discussed politics, astrology and scriptures. He claimed that he had a good relationship with Yudhishthira. In the past twelve years, Yudhishthira had trained himself in the game of dice as he was so bad at it when he played in Hastinapura. He wanted to be ready if there was another such occasion. Therefore, it was now his second strength.
The Pandavas’ disguises in King Virata’s palace(4)
Bhima took the name Vallabha to serve as the royal cook, as he had been fond of culinary arts from his youth. To entertain the king, Vallabha occasionally participated in wrestling matches. Arjuna didn’t need a secondary ability as he became Brihannala, a eunuch serving in the queen’s palace. He taught music and dance to Princess Uttaaraa and her friends. In this way he used the curse from Urvashi to his benefit.
Nakula in the name of Dhamagranthi, training and looking after the horses in the royal stables. Sahadeva as Tantripala worked at the royal cowshed, taking care of the king’s cattle, protecting them from disease and attacks from wild animals. Draupadi as Sairandhri became Queen Sudeshna’s companion and personal maid. No one knew their true identity.
Shakuni & Duryodhana developing plan to find Pandavas(5)
With Shakuni’s help, Duryodhana was trying to create a plan to locate the Pandava brothers during their thirteenth year. If found, the Pandavas must repeat the thirteen years all over again. This would be the ideal solution for Duryodhana, so he would not need to give the half of the kingdom to Yudhishthira after the thirteenth year.
Duryodhana sent hundreds of spies in search of the Pandavas to all the friendly kingdoms. The news from the spies did not reveal any information. Eleven months went by without any progress in getting information. Desperate, Duryodhana and Shakuni went beyond the nearby kingdoms, expanding their search in far kingdoms.
They collected information about these far kingdoms, finding that the Matsya Kingdom was going through several improvements, both in relations with their neighboring kingdoms as well as the living standards of its citizens. This made them think the Pandavas could be hiding in the Matsya Kingdom. Duryodhana and Shakuni planned a trip there.
Kichaka(6)
Meanwhile, in the Matsya Kingdom, the Pandavas and Draupadi blended in very well with the royal workers. They had only one more month to go before the end of their thirteenth-year incognito. At that point, Kichaka returned to the kingdom after a long absence, having been engaged in wars with some of the kingdoms. Kichaka was Queen Sudeshna’s brother, serving as King Virata’s commander-in-chief.
Kichaka had immense influence in the kingdom. He was a great warrior and acted as if he was the king. King Virata was very weak, depending on Kichaka in many ways. One day, Kichaka came across Sairandhri at his sister’s palace. Her beauty attracted him so much that he desired to have her for himself. She said that she was married and was protected by powerful gandharvas, who would kill anyone who troubled her. Kichaka continued to harass her and pursue her, thinking that after all she was just a servant.
Kichaka & Sairandhri(7)
All his many attempts to get her failed, so he sought his sister’s help to get Sairandhri. She advised her brother against the idea. He refused to accept it and poured his heart out to her about wanting Sairandhri. Feeling sorry for her brother, Queen Sudeshna sent Sairandhri to her brother’s palace, asking her to bring some items from there for a festival that was to be held on the next day.
Seeing Sairandhri in his room made Kichaka lustful. Using the opportunity, he harassed her more forcefully. She refused him again so he attacked her. She fled to the royal court for her safety, but Kichaka followed her, abusing and kicking her in front of the king. No one dared to oppose him, but he could not go beyond that as it was in the royal court.
Distressed, Draupadi took the risk to reach out to Bhima for help. Bhima consoled her and was full of fury, ready to bring an end to Kichaka. But, remembering their situation, together they devised a plan. Bhima told her to act as if she was consenting to Kichaka’s advances and make him come to the dancing chamber in the night without anyone else knowing. Sairandhri acted as planned and asked Kichaka to come and meet her that night at the dancing chamber alone.
Bhima kills Kichaka(8)
Kichaka was delighted to hear this and anxiously came to the chamber that night. When he entered the chamber, he saw Sairandhri waiting in the dark. He didn’t know that it was Bhima, dressed in Sairandhri’s clothes. Kichaka was too drunk to see the differences. He went close to Sairandhri to embrace her passionately. Before he realized what was going on, Bhima gave him a big blow. Kichaka was thoroughly confused. Before he could comprehend what was going on, his resistance was no match to Bhima’s aggression. Bhima killed him and left his body in the dancing chamber.
The next morning, everyone was shocked to see Kichaka murdered. When the queen asked Sairandhri about her knowledge of the incident, she told the queen and everyone else that her gandharva husband had killed Kichaka, as she had already warned.
Everyone feared Sairandhri after they learned about this. Queen Sudeshna was afraid to keep her as a maid, but Sairandhri requested to let her stay for a few more days, which would complete the thirteenth year incognito. Queen Sudeshna was too scared to refuse her request and agreed to keep her until then.
The news of Kichaka’s murder reached Duryodhana and Shakuni. Only a few people could kill Kichaka. Their suspicions increased. They were pretty sure that the Pandavas were in the Matsya Kingdom.
You put words to your most important thoughts. It would be impossible to speak everything that runs through your mind, so you say only the most significant things. Thus, when you say something, it matters.
Yoga would have you speaking Divine words, names of your own inherent Divinity. Repeating such mantras — better yet, chanting them aloud — changes you from the inside out.
Chanting was not part of Western yoga when I started teaching. In the background, we played classical music, then “New Age” music as it developed. As I had already discovered the beauty and power of the ancient Sanskrit mantras, I wanted to share them. Thus I made a few recordings, pacing them for our slower-paced yoga practice.
Yet you are born into this delusion by taking on the human condition of not-knowingness. Your job is to discover who you really are by looking inward to the deepest dimensions of your own Beingness. For this, you need the help of one who already knows.
I celebrated the advent of kirtan-wallahs, musicians traveling to yoga centers to share the traditional Hindu chants. I led chanting evenings for my students, which even attracted a few musicians. We captured that bliss in a recording I recently released, “Gurudevi Live! La Jolla ’02.”
Yet the trend was toward chanting the names of Gods or Goddesses, even of Rama and Krishna. I only wanted to chant to the Self. So I began writing the music for Sanskrit verses, adding more audios to my collection.
My Guru explained my inner feeling. He said that chanting to an external God has much less power and significance than chanting to God on the inside – God in the form of your own Self. While God is out there, along with all the gods, goddesses and celestial beings, it is on the inside that God is closest.
For your own Self is the One Divine Reality. The One is being you. However, you don’t know it, not yet, not all the time. But the Absolute Truth is that there is not the slightest difference between your own Self and the Supreme Being. To see them as different is delusion.
I got that help from my Guru. Thus I lead chants to the Self and to the Guru, for the Guru is the one who gives you your own Self. Remember, Guru is spelled “gee, you are you.” My newest release features songs to the Guru, “Honoring the One Who Needs No Praise.”
And I still sometimes like to chant to God, in the form of the gods, goddesses and incarnations – as though they were only on the outside. But the truth is that you will find them all inside. You just have to look in the right place.
A little boy sat despondently at the ocean’s edge. He had a cup in his hand and was looking wistfully out to sea.
The great Christian theologian, Saint Augustine, happened to be walking by and asked the boy why he looked so sad. “I love the ocean so much,” cried the boy, “I want to take it home with me, but alas it will never fit in my tiny cup.”
Saint Augustine was hit with a realization. “Ah! It’s true my boy, your cup can never contain the entire ocean. So, what you must do is throw your cup into the sea.”
This little boy with his cup represents you and me. We want to be great, as great as the ocean. Yet, at the same time, we don’t know how to let go of our limitations that keep us small. We hold on to our tiny cup while yearning to be full, overflowing with joy and love.
The good news is yoga helps you with this in two ways:
From the outside in
From the inside out
First let’s look from the outside in. When you do your yoga practices — poses, breathing, chanting, seva (selfless service), meditation and more — you actually grow your container. Your cup — your body and your mind — expands so you can hold more of the ocean. This is the ocean of Consciousness and Bliss, your own Divine Essence.
Your capacity to experience this ocean expands as you do your practices. Your body is more supple and has more energy and strength. Your mind becomes more expanded and open. Your capacity to love grows. You function in the world with more skill. And you live your life with more peace and joy.
If this was all yoga gave you, that would be incredible. Yet there is more. Yoga not only works on your container; it also shows there is more to find inside. Especially in a Shaktipat tradition, in which you get the help from a great Meditation Master. This is the Guru, whose job it is to give you direct inner access to your own Divine Essence.
You discover that the ocean is within you. Yet, you cannot access it when you are only focused on your container. This is the part where you throw your cup into the sea. That’s not to say that you get rid of your body and mind, but rather you look deeper.
Gurudevi says it this way:
When you look outward for fulfillment, you lose out on the inner fullness. It’s like the ocean asking for a drink of water.
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda, “Why Do You Do What You Do?”
I remember many summers at the beach. I would spend hours in the ocean. Yet, before I jumped in, I would have a moment of hesitation as I anticipated the shock of the cold water. So I would create this inner feeling of separation, distancing myself inside from the ocean. This feeling would build and build until finally I would yell running full steam ahead!
The moment I submerged myself into the cool waters, my resistance vanished. My apprehension disappeared, replaced with delight, satisfaction and a sense of wondrous freedom. Yet, while I would stay in the ocean for hours, eventually I would need to get out. I couldn’t take the ocean with me. It wasn’t until I began yoga that I discovered that the joy of the ocean is located inside.
It is the inner mystical opening of Shaktipat, the gift of the Guru, that shows you where to find the ocean. Your own divinity lies within you. So, my dear ocean, you don’t need to ask for a drink of water. You are already full and complete and whole. It is your own inner depths that fill you fully — your own Divinity that washes away all your fears, agitation and fragmentation.
When you are filled from the inside, you can still swim in the ocean on the outside. You can see all the same people, and maybe meet some new ones. You can go to all the same places, and perhaps even somewhere new. You can do all the things you did before, as your options to do anything are still open to you. The point is not who you see, where you go or what you do. The point is that you are you. And you bring your inner fullness everywhere you go. For that you must throw your cup into the sea!
A full moon’s luminous glow — it is beautiful and captivating. On the fullest full moon of the year, which happens in July, it is traditional in India to celebrate the Guru. It’s called Guru Purnima.
Purnima means full moon. Guru refers to your chosen spiritual teacher. Why celebrate the Guru then? It’s because moonbeams light up the darkness of night. In the same way, your Guru dispels the inner darkness (gu) and reveals your inherent light (ru).
There are so many Gurus who are a light in this world. Teachers who inspire and uplift you. I hope you have had many in your life. I know I have. Perhaps because I really needed the help! Teachers showed up and encouraged and inspired me when I needed it the most.
Their guidance led me towards the next steps on my life’s path. I honor each one. And I’m grateful because their help on my path took me to the one who takes my breath away. It’s been 25 years, and she still leaves me breathless.
Her name is Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati. We call her Gurudevi. She is my Guru. She teaches from yoga’s ancient mystical texts, which say there is One Divine Reality. That Reality is ever-blissful, all-knowing Beingness. Everything that exists is made of the same Beingness, including you. As a human being, you have the capacity to know the Divine Beingness that you are. It is your own Self.
Why would you want to know? Because when you know your Self, you experience the ever-arising bliss of your own Beingness. You discover that your Self is the source of joy, happiness, love, contentment and creativity. These are merely a few of your Divine qualities. Plus you recognize this world and everyone and everything in it as another form of your own Divinity. There’s only One. And it’s you. Wow!
Unfortunately, you don’t start off knowing this is who you are. At least, not enough of the time. But help is available. Gurudevi can awaken you to your Divinity. Gurudevi’s Guru, Baba Muktananda, puts it this way:
Every house has a lamp, and in the same way there are many Gurus,
but rare is that Guru who, like the sun, gives light to all.
Baba Muktananda, The Perfect Relationship, page 6
Gurudevi is such a rare Guru. Like the sun constantly radiates light and heat, she radiates the light of the Self. And she has the ability to give that light to you. It’s not her personal light. It’s the light of the Self. It’s a Divine energy.
With that energy, she sparks the flame of your own inner light in a mystical initiation called Shaktipat. She can do this because her Baba gave her this capacity. And he had a Guru, Bhagavan Nityananda, who gave him Shaktipat. And Nityananda had a Guru, who had a Guru, who had a Guru, in a lineage of Gurus that stretches back to the beginning of time. Gurudevi is a modern-day representative of this ancient tradition of Shaktipat Gurus.
Baba Muktananda gave Shaktipat to thousands and thousands of people. Once you receive Shaktipat, it’s up to you to bank the embers and keep the fire going. You do that by doing the practices your Guru gives you, especially meditation. Of the thousands that Baba initiated, very few dedicated themselves to the practices with the diligence and perseverance necessary to become Self-Realized.
Self-Realized means you know your own Divinity all the time. And of those who became Self-Realized, even fewer were empowered and authorized to awaken others. A Shaktipat Guru is extremely rare. Gurudevi is such a Guru. My gratitude is boundless.
Are you curious? Here she is, in Pennsylvania and online as well. She’s just a few clicks, or a few steps, or perhaps a short flight away. Are you ready to get lit up?
You want to solve problems. You want to be creative. You want love and joy. You want to care and share. Where does all that come from?
It all comes from within. As you settle in deeper and deeper, you can base yourself in your own Divine Essence. It is Grace that gives you inner access, but it is your own efforts that give you the inner steadiness, the deep inner center that sets you free.
This is freedom, in Sanskrit — moksha. It means liberation. It means you won’t have to come back for another lifetime. You can if you want to, but you won’t be stuck in the repetitive cycle for eons. You’re free!
In honor of 4th of July, the American holiday celebrating freedom, I focus on freedom. I do realize that July 4 is about political freedom – but I like to use it every year to celebrate spiritual liberation. That you really can become free:
* No more inner shadows.
* No more knee-jerk reflexes.
* No more need, greed and fear.
When you find your own inner essence, and when you base yourself in your own Self, you are free from everything that used to drag you down. It’s great!
And it’s a little strange.
* For your past is still your past, but it doesn’t drag you down.
* And your life is still your life, but it’s not weighty and constraining.
* And your future is still your future, whatever you think it could be or should be – it’s up to you, but you’re not holding your breath waiting to see.
You know what freedom is? That your sense of self doesn’t come from your past, nor your imagined future, and not even from the circumstances of your life. Your sense of self is an inner sense, an inner knowing, a wordless Knowingness… of your own Beingness.
In the Knowingness of your own Beingness, you have fulfilled life’s highest purpose – liberation! Freedom!
And you have the freedom to create, to care and share. To give without measure. Free to be without analyzing or strategizing, without making up for or trying to attain. And your mind becomes your greatest tool. Instead of having mental shadows that block your inner light, your mind shines with the light of Consciousness. Chetana, it’s called in Sanskrit.
Expanded mind. Divine mind. Your heart overflows. What a way to live!
Who can change you for the better? Who really gets you? Other yogis!
I think about all the yogis who have made — and continue to make — a difference in my life. These thoughts especially arise when I hear For Good, a song about the friendship between two witches, Glinda and Elphaba in the musical “Wicked.” Tears well up in my eyes when I hear its lines “I do believe I have been changed for the better. And because I knew you.”
One of the things I love about teaching yoga classes and immersions is how students inspire each other. When you put words to your deep inner experiences, others gain insight into their own inner experiences. Your comments and questions enrich everyone’s understanding. Perhaps it’s an understanding of how to handle a difficult situation or person in their life. Perhaps you understand yourself better. From knowing each other, you have been changed for the better. And you are inspired to do more yoga!
You become yoga buddies. You may not know if they have a partner, children or grandchildren or what they do for a living. Yet you share, understand and know one another at a much deeper level. This is the purpose of being in community with fellow yogis. As long as you continue to come to Ashram programs, I will be in relationship with you – over decades. For I, too, am changed for the better because I know you.
International Day of Yoga, observed across the world on June 21st annually, celebrates the spread of yoga throughout the world with gatherings of yogis. How can you celebrate International Yoga Day?
Get together with a few yoga buddies in person or on Zoom. Share tea or a meal, or enjoy an outing or a yogic get-together of some kind. Find new yogis to be friends with, even if they do a different style or are from another tradition. Yoga doesn’t say that one tradition is right. All paths of yoga are honored, states the sage Kshemaraja from over 1200 years ago:
Tad bhuumikah sarva-darshana-sthitayah — Pratyabhij~nahrdayam 8
The various traditions are different roles of Consciousness. — Rendered by Gurudevi Nirmalananda
In this text, the One Divine Essence is called by the name “Consciousness.” The One has become everything that exists. In addition to being you, Consciousness is also being all the different forms, traditions and paths of yoga. Kshemaraja explains that Consciousness becomes so many different traditions because different kinds of people need different ways and paths to the knowing of their own Divine Essence, their own Self.
I enjoy talking to yogis that come from a different tradition. I learn something more about the breadth of yoga, about them and about me. There are lots of yogis out there to meet. With the worldwide increase of people doing yoga, you are part of a huge yoga family.
According to Shri Google, the worldwide population of yoga practitioners is more than 300 million. The global number of people who meditate is anywhere between 200 and 500 million. Considering there is likely some overlap, let’s say 500 million people meditate and/or practice yoga. This is 6% of the world population. This means 6 of every 100 people you meet do yoga. This doubles to 12% when you are in the US. I am going to assume this is also true in Australia, Canada and Europe.
So yogis are everywhere. In the past two days alone, I met two while traveling. One was my Lyft driver, who takes local YMCA yoga classes twice weekly. Coming back on the plane, I sat across the aisle from a yogi. She zooms into a Mumbai teacher’s yoga classes and meditation every week. Telling me about the benefits they are getting, both yogis had such love for their yoga. Yogis love to talk about yoga!
Your yoga community and conversations are an important part of your practice. Is it expanding? Make it your practice to step into relationship with more yogis. Together you inspire each other on the path and profoundly affect the world. Together, we yogis are a Divine Force enriching the lives of others.
Remember, don’t limit yourself to those who only do your kind of yoga or meditation. All yoga is good yoga. All meditation is good meditation. Get out there and make more yoga friends. Be changed for the better!
Sage Durvasa agreed to Duryodhana’s request and decided to go visit the Pandavas and Draupadi in the forest. He always loved to test people.
To fulfill his word to Duryodhana, Durvasa headed towards Kamyaka forest from Hastinapura. He and his disciples arrived at the Ashram late in the day, after all the Pandava clan had finished their meals for the day, including Draupadi.
Draupadi with Akshaya Patra(1)
Not only had she eaten, but she also cleaned the wish-fulfilling bowl bestowed by Surya, the Sun God, and put it away. The Sun God granted Yudhishthira a boon by giving an inexhaustible vessel called “Akshaya Patra” to be given to Draupadi. Akshaya Patra will produce the food in any quantity desired at every meal and become empty only after Draupadi has taken her own meal, to fill up the next day once again.
Yudhishthira and the Pandava brothers were shocked and puzzled to see the sage visiting so late in the afternoon. They invited them wholeheartedly. When Draupadi saw Durvasa and his disciples, her heart ached as she had already eaten and washed the wish-fulfilling bowl. She was bewildered about how to serve them.
She heard Yudhishthira say that they were going to the river to take a bath and refresh themselves before coming for a good meal. Now Draupadi had a real problem! She was desperate. She was thinking of ways to get some food.
After the sage and his disciples left for the river, the five brothers joined her in brainstorming the solution. Remembering Krishna, Draupadi told the Pandavas that only Krishna could help them. She then thought of Krishna deep in her heart. She prayed to Krishna, pleading to him to save her from the predictable anger of Sage Durvasa, to avoid them getting a curse from him.
Her desperate calling reached Krishna’s ears. There he was, right in front of her smiling. Confused and full of fear, Draupadi started to describe her desperate situation, unable to find words to describe it. Krishna stopped her from talking. He asked for food, saying that he was very hungry.
Krishna, Draupadi & Pandavas (2)
Draupadi exclaimed, saying that it is not the time for jokes as she continued trying to explain the situation. Krishna asked her to bring the cooking vessels to him. She told Krishna that she had already washed and put the vessel away for the day. She didn’t even have a single grain left to feed him or the sage and his disciples. But as Krishna insisted again and again, she brought and handed the vessels over to him.
To her surprise, Krishna scraped the bottom of the pot and got a bit of greens along with a single grain of rice. Holding the grain in his hand, he said that it would not be enough to fulfill the hunger of the sage and his disciples, therefore he was going to eat it so that his hunger is fulfilled. He said a prayer and ate the single grain of rice with full satisfaction.
He then told her that he was fully satisfied and for Bhima to invite Sage Durvasa and disciples for the meal. At first, Draupadi was embarrassed that she hadn’t washed the pot well. Recovering from it, she wondered how Krishna was going to provide the meal for the sage and his disciples. But, trusting Krishna as always, Draupadi requested Bhima to go bring the guests.
Sage Durvasa (3)
When Bhima went to the riverbank, he was astonished to see the sage and disciples burping after their bath as if they had a big wholesome meal. They indeed excused themselves to go along with Bhima to the Ashram, as they were too full to eat. Of course, through his yogic powers, Sage Durvasa knew the reason for them suddenly feeling full. He apologized for not returning to the Ashram and blessed the Pandavas for them to have success in completing their time in exile in the forest, plus the year afterwards where they had to live in disguise untraced, and then to regain their kingdom. He also told Bhima to convey his regards to the other visitor who was at the Ashram.
Time passed. Only a few more days remained for the Pandavas to finish their twelve years of exile. One day a brahmin who was passing through Kamyaka forest came to the Pandavas seeking help. He said that his churner and igniting rod that he had for making his yaj~na fires had been taken by a stag. He explained that he hung them on a tree, but a stag rubbed against the tree, so they fell and got caught in its antlers. The frightened stag ran away with them. He requested the Pandavas to find and return them to him.
The Pandavas set off looking for this stag which disappeared magically into the forest. They searched around for hours with no success. Exhausted, the Pandavas sat down under a tree to rest. They were all both hungry and thirsty.
Lake (4)
Nakula was asked to bring some water to quench their thirst. When he went in search of water, he spotted a beautiful lake with crystal clear water. He was so happy and went closer to drink some water, hoping to take some back for his brothers as well. When he was just about to drink the water, he heard a strange voice saying, “If you want to drink the water from this lake you have to answer all my questions.”
Nakula simply ignored the voice as he was too thirsty and started drinking the water. In no time, he fell dead on the ground. As Nakula didn’t return, Sahadeva decided to go look for him. He met the same fate as Nakula.
Arjuna went in search for them and found them lying dead without any injuries to their bodies. Puzzled, Arjuna started shooting arrows reciting mantras, but the strange voice said that those arrows are not going to be of use. It requested Arjuna to answer his questions and drink the water or else he will attain the same fate as his younger brothers. Arjuna too refused to answer and drank the water and fell dead.
Yudhishthira finds brothers (5)
Yudhishthira sent Bhima, who saw his three brothers’ fate and thought this must be a demon’s work. Yet he decided to quench his thirst before he could battle the demon. He was asked to answer the questions by the voice, but he too didn’t comply and met the same fate.
Yudhishthira was puzzled and worried about the delay in them returning. He decided to go look for them himself. He was shocked to see all his brothers lying beside the lake, breathless. At first his heart sank and tears started rolling down. Then looking at their bodies more carefully, he realized that there was no injury. They looked as if they were sleeping. There were no signs of any enemies’ attack. He wondered if the lake was poisonous.
As he was reaching down towards the water, he too heard the same strange voice saying not to drink the water until he answered all the questions, as the lake belonged to him. The voice also said that his brothers drank the water without answering the questions and met their end. “Do you wish to suffer the same fate?” it asked Yudhishthira.
Yaksha asking questions of Yudhishthira (6)
Yudhishthira happily agreed to answer the questions. He humbly said, “If you claim this lake to be yours, I am happy to satisfy you, by answering your questions to the best of my knowledge. Please kindly show yourself to me.”
A yaksha (nature spirit) appeared in front of Yudhishthira and started with some simple questions, then continued with more difficult ones.
Here are some questions that were asked and answers from Yudhishthira.
What brings out the sun every day?
Brahman.
What is more important than the earth itself?
Mother.
What is higher than the heavens?
Father.
Who is the best mate/companion for a man?
Wife.
Who is the best friend of man?
Patience.
What is faster than the wind?
The mind.
What is the most valuable possession?
Knowledge.
What is the greatest happiness?
Contentment
What is ignorance?
Not knowing one’s duty.
What is the highest dharma?
Not to injure any of the living – ahimsa, non-harming.
What is that must be controlled and restrained?
The mind.
What must be renounced to make a man wealthy?
Desire.
What is man’s greatest invisible enemy?
Anger.
What must be renounced to make a man delightful?
Pride.
Losing what makes one rich?
Greed.
What is truly amazing in this world?
The fact that day after day everyone sees deaths occurring, yet all feel that they will never die. Everyone goes about their life as if they are going to be here forever.
What is real knowledge?
Knowledge of Self, God.
Yaksha, Yudhishthara & 4 dead brothers (7)
The yaksha was greatly pleased with Yudhishthira’s answers. As he was fully satisfied with Yudhishthira’s answers, he decided to revive one of Yudhishthira’s brothers. He asked Yudhishthira to choose one out of the four brothers, who were lying dead. Who would Yudhishthira pick?
Self-help gurus. Fashion gurus. Investment gurus. Health gurus. When I’m looking for help or to learn something new, I want to learn from an expert.
If you are really good at what you do, and you help a lot of people, you are called a guru. It’s not inaccurate. Guru, a Sanskrit word, means “teacher” when spelled with a small-g, “guru.” What about when you want spiritual help? It would make sense to go to a spiritual Guru. Wouldn’t it? Yet that seems to be a less popular option.
I didn’t know I was looking for a spiritual, capital-G “Guru.” I just knew that underlying my day-to-day life, with its responsibilities, relationships, happiness and pain, there was a quiet despair. I wanted my life to have more meaning, but I couldn’t find it. I had moments of joy, even bliss. But I couldn’t hold onto them. It wasn’t enough.
Then I met Gurudevi Nirmalananda. I didn’t know the word Guru, and I would not have said I was looking for one. But I recognized her as my teacher. So I began to orient my life in her direction. I had been like a lost sunbeam that had somehow gotten disconnected from the sun. And now, when I aimed my beam towards her, I shone brighter, like a sunbeam radiates from the sun.
I was being lit up with my own inner light. I began to experience more joy, more happiness, more peace. She didn’t give me her light; she awakened my own light within me. It’s the light of my Divinity, of my own Self.
Yoga’s mystical teachings say there is One Divine Reality. Everything that exists comes from and is made of the One. This universe, the stars and the planets, and everything on the earth down to the smallest ant and grain of sand is Divinity, concentrated into form. Including me. Including you. That Divinity is inherently who you are, so the One is called your Self.
Because you are the Self, you have the capacity to know you are the Self. But you need help to get to that knowing because it is hidden from you. It’s a cosmic setup. So, what do you do? You get help from someone who knows. Someone who is an expert at awakening you to your deeper knowing. That’s a Guru.
Guru is spelled, “Gee, you are you.” It means that you have someone in your life who gives you your Divine Self — Gurudevi Nirmalananda
Gurudevi is such a Guru. She knows her Divine Self, and she can give that knowing to you. She does it through an initiation called Shaktipat. Shaktipat is a transmission of energy that sparks your inner knowing. This is like a cosmic jump-start.
Your knowing of your Divine Essence will fill you with joy, love, creativity, peace and bliss. You’ll discover you are the source of the happiness you’ve been seeking out in the world. And you’ll come to recognize that everyone and everything is a form of the same Divinity. How glorious!
How did Gurudevi become a Guru who can do this for you? She found her Guru, Baba Muktananda. And he gave her Shaktipat. He could do this for her because he found his Guru, Bhagavan Nityananda, who gave him Shaktipat. Gurudevi is part of a lineage of Shaktipat Gurus that stretches through time.
Each Guru was at some point a seeker, looking for something they could not find on their own. And they found a teacher who could give them what they were looking for. They were looking for an expert. And they found one!
Of course, when you find an expert, the story doesn’t end there. Like anything you want to accomplish, you have to apply yourself. Baba Muktananda gave Shaktipat to thousands and thousands of people. He wanted to awaken and uplift as many people as he could. And he gave them practices to do, especially meditation and repeating mantra.
Once your inner flame is ignited, it’s up to you to nurture and grow it. Many people took Baba’s teaching to heart. Because of him, there are many more meditators in the world. However, very few people applied themselves to blossoming the inner awakening all the way, to Self-Realization. Gurudevi did. She gave it her all.
Once she received Shaktipat from Baba, she tirelessly dedicated herself to her own upliftment. She became Self-Realized, meaning she knows she is the Self, all the time. And she became authorized as a Guru, so she can give the inner awakening of Shaktipat to you. Now, she tirelessly dedicates herself to uplifting you. She’s not a Guru because she wants attention or fame or followers.
She wants you to have what she has. Do you want it?
You decide it’s time for a vacation. You need a change of scenery, so you pack up your suitcase and head out.
After some travel, you get to your new location. You unpack and settle down to have a bite to eat or something to drink. You are enjoying your new location with new views, smells, tastes and more. And then your mind brings up the same worries and fears you left miles behind.
The reality of this was a shock to me. During university, I took a semester off and traveled to Southeast Asia. I spent my days exploring the exotic land, food and culture. I even took a meditation retreat. I was shocked when my mind would not stop obsessing on problems that were over 7,500 miles away.
The yogic texts say that your challenges come from your limited knowledge.
Jñanam bandhah.
Limited knowledge is bondage.
Shiva Sutras 1.2
Knowledge is not the problem. It is limited knowledge that creates bondage. Your mind works hard at knowing. Unfortunately, it works only on limited knowledge. You focus on knowing the external world. When all you know is the external world, you get your sense of self from it. As a result, you are impacted by your surroundings.
And even when you change your location, the distance does not protect you from your mind. Your mind can bring up problems from thousands of miles away.
In yoga practices, you stop looking outside for a sense of self. You turn your attention inward to know who you truly are. With each yoga practice, you experience your true Divine Self. With each experience, you come to know who you really are.
This knowledge is not limiting, it is freeing! You don’t merely find the knowledge of who you are. Ultimately, you find the Knowingness itself.
This shift from being outwardly focused to inward is emphasized in our Guided Awareness. In yoga classes, we guide you in being aware of your body on the outside and inside. “Become aware of your toes… all ten toes… outside and inside.”
In meditation, we take it a step farther. You turn your attention inward beyond your body and even beyond your mind. You dive deep inside directly to your own Self.
At first it can be challenging to turn your attention inward. We all have spent so much of our life looking outward. So you practice turning your attention inward again and again. Then it becomes a delight to have the opportunity to close your eyes and turn within.
I remember a few years ago, I was going through a challenging time. I no longer wanted to run away to the other side of the planet like during university. Instead, I wanted to escape inside. One morning, I didn’t want to end my meditation period. I wanted to stay inside. The inner space was my safe haven. This was progress.
Instead of chasing for external realities, I knew that I would only be satisfied by resting in my own Self. While it was progress, it was still limited. I couldn’t settle deep enough inside that I stayed there while also being in the world, regardless of the challenges.
This tantric system is not about leaving the world to find your Self on the inside. However, in the beginning, you do need to take recesses from the external world. You turn your attention inward to discover who you are. Then you learn how to live from your own Self while you step into the world. You go from the outside to the inside, then inside to the outside. You know and be your own Self while you are in the midst of the world. Then you can be in any location.
And there’s more. As you dive deeper into knowing and being your own Self, you come to know that Self is the source of everything. Then when you look inside, you see only your own Self. When you look outside, you see only your own Self. Then there is no inside and outside. There is only the One, who is you.
Yet there is still an inside and outside, and you are still impacted by the world outside you, but you go from outside to inside to outside. Do more yoga.
