September 22, 2022 Class Notes by Siddharth Kashinath

Introduction

Speaking on the topic “How to be successful in college and beyond from the perspective of Hinduism” at the University of Portland, one of the thoughts shared by Vivekji was to revolve around inspiring people, inspiring people’s ideas (through books), and to eventually evolve to developing and revolving around one’s own inspiring ideas. Acharya Shankara was one of the greatest in terms of leading himself and nurtured great disciples because they revolved around him and his ideas. Then, they developed their own inspiring ideas. A disciple is one who is ready for discipline. Most of us are scared of the word “discipline”. Instead we prefer the term “practice”. These practices will lead us to perfection – a perfect joy that is not dependent and that does not change. This is the vision of our course.

The first inspiring practice shared by Acharya Shankara is vedo nityamadheeyatam, which means to know oneself / to know joy perpetually. From the perspective of devotion, Veda is God’s word. In Sanskrit, the phrase is Narayana Vakhya. The sharing of Sanatana Dharma was originally an oral tradition. A teacher taught the student and students listened. As students became more distracted, that oral tradition evolved to a written tradition so that we could read. The point is to feel the utility of the teaching within oneself whether we listen to or read the teachings. 

Our scriptures are known as shastras and puranas. One meaning of purana is ancient or old. Those who actually try to read or learn from the purana are training themselves in “long-term-ism” which is a facet of effective altruism. A way to live selflessly is to think, speak and act for the long-term. The more one studies the purana, the more of a visionary one becomes. Out of IQ, EQ and SQ, the most long-term is SQ (spiritual quotient). That is what one should feel when they are serving i.e. they are facilitating that which is long-term.

The first sadhana was to read inspiring – to read a book that one can relate to so that one feels the subject is real and personal. A true story moves one much more. 

Discourse

Verse 1 / Practice 2: 

Verse 1: taduditaṃ karma svanuṣṭhīyatāṃ

Tat is in reference to the first practice i.e. to read the vedas daily. Uditam refers to the teachings that have come from the vedas, and from that one comes to know karma. Who’s karma? Svakarma – one’s own actions i.e. what one should do. Anushtiyatam means one should be diligent and faithful to what one is supposed to do.

Sanatana Dharma in English means infinite nature. The reason why we do not feel our infinite nature is because we are not ready. How do we get ready? That which prepares us to feel our infinite nature is unchanging responsibility. What is our unchanging responsibility? To feel our infinite nature. This responsibility is being described as svakarma i.e. your responsibility. Another word for svakarma is dharma i.e. your dharma. One should be faithful to their responsibilities, which means one is committed to them and one follows through with them. If one reads and follows dharma (first subject of the vedas), then one will eventually get to the other subject, which is brahma.

If one has benefitted from life / creation, then one must also give back. Shri Krishna uses a very harsh term to describe those who take but do not give back as sthena i.e. thief. Those who benefit without contributing are following adharma i.e. they are living irresponsibly. 

One’s karma, one’s dharma, one’s responsibility can be visualized as follows: Imagine life is an immense puzzle and every one of us is a puzzle piece and only if we are all working to align the pieces does the puzzle look beautiful. But if one of us dissents and decides not to participate, then that puzzle is incomplete. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda shares in a very reflective way – if everyone follows their responsibilities, then everyone’s rights would be fulfilled. 

When one is engaged in their responsibility, then one is directed (along a certain path or course). And the more one is directed, the less one is dissipated. For example, over-thinking is a form of dissipation. When one is stuck in over-thinking, one must do something physical – wash dishes, do laundry, go for a walk – so that one can get out of one’s head.

Practice 2: Delete the word “But”

Do not think it, do not say it, do not act it. This is our responsibility. Also shared in a different way as no complaining (about the circumstance), no blaming (others), no annotating (feeling that one is an exception to responsibility). 

Discussion

Discussion subject: How do you know / figure out what your dharma is?

Vivekji’s observation: We start with the ends. If the ends is there, then the means / path will present itself. If the purpose of one’s breathing and thinking is independent joy / infinite nature, then the means is all that is leading one to feel that. That is why dharma is being defined in a non-ritualistic way. That which quietens us more is our dharma. 

Dialogue

Question 1: Sometimes there are situations where we are trying to fulfill the responsibilities of one role and in the process we are unable to fulfill the responsibilities of another role. How do we handle conflicting dharmas / conflicting responsibilities? 

Answer: The more relationships one has in life, the more complex it becomes to balance all our responsibilities. When one has a relationship only with themselves, then it is easy to balance all of one’s responsibilities.

Higher perspective – If one wants to be a bhakta, then one has to practice sannyasa i.e. if one loves God, then one has to have strength to let go that which is holding one back. One must follow the dharma that leads to maximum happiness for the maximum people for the maximum time in maximum ways (Note: maximum does not mean all). One has to have the strength to endure what people think / say about one not fulfilling their expectations. One needs to know that they are trying their best and that may not satisfy everyone. 

Lower perspective – To be over-communicative. The more we talk to the people with whom our responsibilities relate to and ask what their expectations are, and the more we can share what we can give them, then there is more of a match. It is almost akin to getting their feedback constantly. We may be projecting that we need to fulfill a certain responsibility, however, if the person is not expecting anything, then we could direct our time and energy to fulfilling another responsibility. 

Question 2: What if we are in a situation at work or at home where we are following our responsibilities, but others are not following theirs? How do we handle that?

Answer: 

Higher perspective – If we are so engaged in our own dharma, then we actually will not notice or be bothered by others’ adharma. The more immersed one is in one’s responsibilities, others around will watch and align their adharmas towards one’s dharma. So, we need to commit fully to our dharma. 

Lower perspective – We need to create a culture of dharma. Then everyone in the home or workplace will follow that. However, this is not easy. Shri Krishna shares how even wise people are confused by karma, akarma, vikarma. It is not that they are confused intellectually, but it is related to having the strength to follow that. Even wise people become weak when it comes to committing to their responsibilities.

Question 3: Should we be picking our top-5 or top-10 of the 40 practices in Sadhana Panchakam?

Answer: Pick one for now and just pick one that you need the most. Follow the Ikigai framework – instead of doing what you get paid for, do what the world needs the most. Applying this framework, we must do what we need. Then our whole day becomes sadhana-oriented. This course is not about intellectual perfection, but more about perfecting the practice. 

Reflection Adventure of the Week (RAW): Follow your sadhana – i.e. delete ‘but’.