Vedanta supports authentic thinking
By: Swami Sukhabodhananda
If your mind is constantly branding and labelling, you begin to control your mind. You start saying 'i should not label.' You superimpose a thought on a thought of labelling. This is often referred to as positive thinking.
This kind of thinking may be functionally sound, but it is not transformative. You are unhappy, but you keep saying, 'I am happy…' You are substituting unhappiness with happiness.
Thoughts are just a shadow. Why do you fight with a shadow? The Lord says, vijatmanah, to the one who has mastered his mind. He says that person is prashantasya, in profound silence, peaceful. No thoughts disturb him. He is only an observer of all thoughts; for him, life is joy, full of adventure and thrill.
There lived a sadhu who regularly gave discourses. One day, at the end of the discourse, he spoke about being grateful for existence. 'Operate from a space of gratitude – kritajna. This will allow us to expand.' A beggar was sitting in a corner and listening to this discourse.
After the discourse, he came up to the sadhu and said, 'Maharaj, your talk was great. However, there is one thing I am unable to do. You said to be grateful to existence because it has always showered benediction on you. Sorry, but existence has not given me anything.'
The sadhu said, 'I will give you ₹2L, will you be grateful?' The beggar was thrilled. 'But I want something in return from you,' said the sadhu. 'I do not have anything, what can i give you? If i have something i shall give you,' the beggar replied. 'I won't ask you for anything you don't have,' said the sadhu, and an agreement was made.
The sadhu said, 'I shall make arrangements for ₹2L, you give me your eyes.' The beggar was astonished. 'I don't agree to this deal,' he said.
We are typically focused on what is missing in life. Vedanta talks not of positive thinking but of authentic thinking. If you're upset, you're upset. Stay with the upset. If your mind is tormented by lust, what should you do? Authentic thinking is – if there is lust in your mind, be with lust. Observe it; experience that observation. It is called being a sakshi, a witness to lust. Don't label or brand it; don't be manipulative and cover lust.
By being a witness, you are aware of lust, and there is a quality of understanding; there is an awakening of intelligence. All myths about functioning of mind drop off. In Vedanta, emphasis is on authentic thinking that enables observation, which in turn, brings about understanding. The moment there is understanding, misunderstanding drops. Such a quality of relatedness is called mastery of mind. You are not then fighting with your mind, but you are observing it. You are not at war with the mind.
Swamiji will conduct a 3-day residential retreat, Existential Laboratory (E-Lab), along with the Mysuru Yatra, Sep 11-13, 2025. For details, contact: +91 99017 77003/+91 91080 70452
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author's own.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Sea of devotees at Rath Yatra celebrations
Ranchi: The historic Yatra celebrations at the Jagannath Temple in Dhurwa here commenced early on Friday morning with sacred rituals and a sea of devotees thronging the temple premises. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Chants and sounds of conch shells rent the air as priests perform the "mangal aarti" at 4 am, marking the beginning of the 334th annual dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. By 5 am, the idols of the deities were open for darshan. As per schedule, darshan was halted at 2 pm, followed by the ceremonial placement of the deities on their respective chariots. Key rituals included offering prayers to the Sudarshan Chakra and the deities before the chariots were readied for the grand procession. Several pilgrims, devotees and vendors from Bengal, Odisha and across Jharkhand arrived at the temple, transforming the area and its surroundings into a vibrant fairground. "I've come from Medinipur with wooden toys. This is our busiest time of the year," said Sukumar Das, a vendor. Rows of stalls offered a typical rural mela charm — toys, bangles, sweet shops stalls, street food vendors selling chana-murhi, jalebi, litti-chokha. Giant wheels and games for children also dotted the area. The local administration has arranged drinking water points, medical kiosks and temporary rest shelters for pilgrims who will continue to visit the temple till July 7 though Ghurti Rath Yatra is on July 6. This year, over a thousand makeshift stalls have been set up and managed mostly by visiting traders and artisans. Tribal jewellery, cotton garments, clay idols, spiritual items, herbal remedies and even handmade household goods were being sold in these stalls. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "We come here every year and stay for 10 days. This mela is our livelihood," said Meena Barla, a handicraft vendor from Simdega. Nirmala Devi, a devotee from Ranchi said, "I come to the temple every year with my family. The energy here is divine. Watching the Lord being taken on the rath fills me with emotion." Between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm, the devotees performed 'bhoj' and offered delicacies to Lord Jagannath's chariot, followed by the symbolic act of devotees sweeping the path. The chariot procession began after 5 pm under the supervision of the Ranchi administration. As per tradition, women were allowed to offer darshan on the rath between 6:00 pm and 6:45 pm before the chariot moved towards the Masi Badi temple. The evening concluded with the 108-lamp 'mangal aarti' at 8 pm. The procession will continue till July 7, culminating in the return of the deities with the 'Bahuda Yatra'.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Spiritual fervour adds to festive spirit in Bokaro
1 2 Bokaro: Amid spiritual fervour and traditional gaiety, the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra was taken out with great devotion here on Friday. The ceremonial chariot procession began at the Jagannath Temple in Sector 4 and concluded at the Ram Temple in Sector 1 with thousands of devotees participating in the procession. Undeterred by rain, men, women, children and elderly devotees turned out in large numbers to pull the chariot, chanting "Haribol" and "Jai Jagannath". The spiritual atmosphere also resonated with the sound of conch shells, cymbals and devotional music. Before the procession began, the traditional ritual of 'Chhera-Pahara' was performed by B K Tiwari, the director-in-charge of Bokaro Steel Plant, who swept the chariot platform as a symbol of humility. "Despite the rain, pulling the chariot felt like a blessing. This is not just a festival... it's a divine connection with Lord Jagannath," said Nitesh Kasyap, a city resident. Social organisations and puja committees set up stalls offering sherbet and refreshments to the devotees along the route. City Centre residents presented 'Chhappan Bhog (56 food offerings)' to the Lord and served sharbat to participants. "It was a deeply spiritual experience. Offering Chhappan Bhog to the Lord and serving water to devotees filled me with inner peace," said Naresh Agarwal, a devotee who distributed prasad at the City Centre.
Hans India
6 hours ago
- Hans India
Rath Yatra celebrated with devotion and grandeur in Odisha's Angul
Angul (Odisha): The sacred festival of Rath Yatra was celebrated with great devotion and traditional splendor at Jagannath Temple in Dev Bhumi, Jindal Nagar, Angul, drawing thousands of devotees to witness the divine journey of the Chaturdha Murti -- Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan. The day commenced with Mangala Arati at the Anasara Bedi, followed by a series of age-old rituals like Mailam and Tadapa Lagi. Devotees thronged the temple premises from early morning, immersing themselves in spiritual chants and devotional hymns. The highlight of the celebration was the grand Pahandi Bije procession, where the deities were ceremonially brought to their beautifully decorated chariots. The atmosphere was electric with the sounds of conch shells, gongs, and chants of 'Haribol' reverberating through the air. Adding to the sanctity of the occasion, Kurukshetra MP Naveen Jindal, accompanied by his wife Shallu Jindal and his mother, Savitri Jindal, MLA from Hisar, Haryana, actively participated in the rituals. Naveen Jindal performed the revered Chhera Pahanra -- the symbolic sweeping of the chariot platforms, a gesture of humility and devotion. Speaking on the occasion, Naveen Jindal said, 'I extend my heartfelt wishes to everyone as Jagannath Yatra begins. I pray to the Lord for the welfare and happiness of all.' At exactly 3 p.m., the much-awaited chariot pulling began. Hundreds of devotees and local villagers gathered with immense enthusiasm to pull the divine chariots -- a sacred act believed to bring blessings and prosperity. Rath Yatra, celebrated in June-July, marks the journey of Lord Jagannath and his siblings to their aunt's abode, the Gundicha Temple. The deities remain there for nine days before returning, symbolising love, unity, and devotion. About 10,000 security personnel, including eight companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, have been deployed to the seaside pilgrim town for the event.
