Śraddhā can’t be taught, but can be kindled.
“Śraddhā can’t be taught,
but can be kindled.”
– From my notes studying Taittirīyra Upaniṣad Chapter Three verse 5 with TKV Desikachar
Posts archive: Krishnamacharya and Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Posts
The ancient people took the next step……
“The ancient people took the next step.
If there is disease what is to be done?
What is the cause of the disease?
The cause of the disease is that we are unable to follow Īśvara Praṇidhānā.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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Change is universal but not the same for everybody…..
Question to TKV Desikachar on Pariṇāma:
“Change is universal but not the same for everybody.
Pariṇāma gives life to Saṃskāra.
Saṃskāra gives stability to Pariṇāma.
So there is an order in any change.
If there is no Pariṇāma or Saṃskāra there is no Vidyā or Avidyā.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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We can summarise all the Bheda into three……
“We can summarise all the Bheda into three:
– Saṃskāra Bheda (division by tendencies)
– Pariṇāma Bheda (division by transformation or change)
– Avidyā Bheda (division by illusion)
They are not bad things, only different.
We need to recognise and do something so the negative differences don’t take us over.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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Thus we can only know Avidyā through īśvara Praṇidhānā by……
“Thus we can only know Avidyā through īśvara Praṇidhānā by action and its results.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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The relationship we have developed with the fruits of our actions is……
“The relationship we have developed with the fruits of our actions is Īśvara Praṇidhānā”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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īśvara Praṇidhānā – How do we take the fruit of our action?
“Īśvara Praṇidhānā – How do we take the fruits of our action?”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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īśvara Praṇidhānā – What is our attitude towards our own action?
“Īśvara Praṇidhānā –
What is our attitude towards our own action?”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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The re-action of Tapas should lead you towards Svādhyāya……
“Svādhyāya –
Reflecting on our actions will tell us something about oneself.
The word means going toward oneself.
The re-action of Tapas should lead you towards Svādhyāya.
Also means study of texts.
For example Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā and Pūrṇa Matsyendrāsana.
Is the effect different from what it said will happen?
This leads to Svādhyāya and Anumāna or to a teacher.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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Patañjali has proposed 3 approaches to verify the indications……
“Patañjali has proposed 3 approaches to verify the indications.
Tapas – Process of action
Food, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma.
You will be doing something that you will not be habitually doing.
For example one day no salt, cigarettes, Prāṇāyāma.
Tapas is from the root to create thirst.
It means to deprive.
It will tell us about ourselves.
It will reveal our Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma or changes in ourselves.
From this Tapas we will start to get an indication of our individual nature.
For example active or lazy.
Tapas indicates the the beginning of the Bheda, through the Bhāva.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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The means to knowledge i.e. our method of knowing, involves a……
“The means to knowledge
i.e. our method of knowing (Pramāṇa – right perception), involves a progression,
a movement from Āgama (authentic teachings),
what we hear or perceive or learn from authoritative sources;
to Pratyakṣa (through the senses) to see the fire, itself, the fact, the truth, the reality.
Such a means to know is a movement from the gross to the subtle.
In Vikalpa, we don’t have this progression.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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Saṃyama can be on……
“Saṃyama can be on the physical, as in Hasta on the strength of an elephant.
Or Saṃyama on Saṃskāra,
an investigation of mental tendencies leading to an understanding of past traits.
Or on Grahaṇa,
going into the idea of how the senses hold objects,
what is the basis inside for sense perceptions.
This leads to Indriya Jaya.
Patañjali is giving indications that these practices are possible.
Īśvara Praṇidhāna is quoted more than once, through investigation of this idea he tells us that it is this that makes a person aware of their true self
– Tataḥ Pratyak Cetanā Adhigamaḥ (YS Chapter One verse 29).
Sādhana can be physical, senses, mental, spiritual.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
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Does the object of meditation affect the ‘I’?
Question: Does the object of meditation affect the ‘I’?
“The characteristics of the object go into the meditator.
The Dhyeya (object or question) is very important,
it influences the meditator,
for whatever one is linked to,
its through the mind.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras 1988
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I do not reject the concept of meditation without a question for inquiry……
“I do not reject the concept of meditation without a question for inquiry or an object for meditation,
but how, given the previous definition of meditation,
could we explain the absence of a question or an object in this scheme?
Certainly, if the ‘I’ is not there, there can be no meditation.
Many heads have rolled on this question of objectless meditation and I want to save my head.
It may be possible to meditate without an object but,
personally, I am skeptical that one can.”
–TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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According to Patañjali, comprehension is dependent opon two things……
“According to Patañjali (Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 17),
comprehension is dependent upon two things:
1. Your interest
and
2. The proximity of the object.
Apekṣā is the interest of the Puruṣa for the object.
The success of Dhyāna depends on the force (Śakti) of the Puruṣa
that pushes the mind to direct itself towards an object.
Without interest, there is no question and no answer.
If you have the interest, you will discover the proximity.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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How does the ‘I’ influence Dhyāna?
Question: How does the ‘I’ influence Dhyāna?
“Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, which describes
every aspect of mental activity,
provides an answer to this question…….”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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Patañjali was very prophetic, because he spoke not only of……
“Patañjali
was
very
prophetic,
because
he spoke
not
only
of
yesterday’s
mind,
but
also
of
tomorrow’s.
His
message
concerns
clarity,
and it
will
become
more
and
more
pertinent
as
time
goes
by,
because
people
are
now
questioning
much
more
than
before.”
– TKV Desikachar France May 1999
Download PDF of Interview with TKV Desikachar on
Yoga in
the
fields
of
Health,
Psychology
and
Spirituality.
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Once again, let me remind you that Dhyāna is……
“Once again, let me remind you that Dhyāna is:
1. The ability to establish a contact with an object.
2. The ability to prolong this contact so as to create a link both ways.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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Since Dhyāna cannot occur without an object of concentration……
“Since Dhyāna cannot occur without an object of concentration,
there must be an area where you fix your mind.
So, first you have to fix or bind your mind
on a particular place, a chosen object;
this is known as Deśa Bandha.
And second, the mind should establish a relationship with
this object which should last, at least, for a moment.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
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Perhaps the best explanation of Dhyāna is given by Patañjali in……
“Perhaps the best explanation of Dhyāna is given by Patañjali in the Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verses One and Two, where he states that one must first fix the question (Dhāraṇā) and then link to it (Dhyāna).
One who is not able to fix the question is not able to succeed in Dhyāna.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
