FF May 2012

CONTENTS

3

Main Article Religiously Irreligious Sadhguru on the Question of Religion and the Spiritual Process 4

Special Feature Temple Completion Project – An Update 6

Musings Beyond the Five Senses Excerpt from Of Mystics and Mistakes 8

From Fear to Freedom How to Rid Yourself of a Debilitating Emotion 10 In Conversation with the Mystic The Business of Environment - part 2 Sadhguru in Conversation with Seemantinee Khot and Jacques Rocher 11

Leela Series

The path of the playful – part XXXI: 13 Krishna and the Women – 2

News & Happenings Sadhguru Named among 100 Most Powerful Indians 15 Enchanting and Exotic Sadhguru in Mauritius 16 Leadership: From Ambition to Vision Sadhguru Speaks at Leading Business Schools in Europe 17 Sadhguru Spot

Entrepreneurship, Tech and Talk 18

Upcoming Programs and Events Isha Yoga – Program Highlights 20 Isha Recipes For Healthy Living This Month: Pineapple Rasam 21

Zen Speaks: Withered Tree Zen 22

May 2012FOREST FLOWER

Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru during the Samyama program in February 2012

Questioner: Sadhguru, if our Isha Foundation is an irreligious foundation, why have there not been any special programs on other religions till date? We only had Leela [about Krishna], Vaibhav Shiva [about Shiva], and Mahabharat [about the epic].

Sadhguru: Because we are an irreligious foundation, we only pick up irreligious people. Shiva is the most irreligious being that you can fi nd. No religion can ever contain him. He is all kinds of things. Do you fi nd Krishna religious? Krishna is absolutely irreligious. These are all peaks of irreligiousness. We have to live in this world, so we are multi-religious; in our heart, we are irreligious. [Applause] Mahabharat is the most irreligious thing – treacherous stuff. [Laughs] The whole Indian culture is irreligious. Only after competitive religions came from outside, people have been trying to package it as a religion, but they have not been able to because what is being labeled as Hindu today cannot be contained in any package. It is all kinds of things – because this is the residue of a million spiritual paths, a residual confusion.

First of all, you need to understand what religion is. Religion means a set of beliefs. When we said dharma, we never meant religion. Now Buddha’s teachings have become Buddh-ism. Buddha taught dhamma or the dharma. Dhamma means law. It is about trying to decipher the universal laws – if you do this, this is what will happen to you. If you do that, that is what will happen to you. This is not a religion. This is about exploring the laws of nature in a certain way. When I say nature, it is not the physical nature but the other dimension of nature, how life works within you. It is defi nitely working to a certain law, no question about that. The Sanatana Dharma is about exploring this universal or eternal law – so there is no such thing as “your religion” or “my religion.”

Religion did not exist in this country till about thirteen, fourteen hundred years ago. Only when outside competition came, people here also wanted to organize themselves because they did not want to be left without a religion. Otherwise this is just a tapestry of millions of spiritual cultures. Nobody can make any sense of them, but all of them are in harmony because as long as you are seeking your liberation, you are okay. If you are not seeking your

4

ReLiGioUsLy IrreLiGioUs

Sadhguru on the Question of Religion and

the Spiritual ProcessSADHGURU


liberation, we just say, “He is lost.” But he has a right to be lost. Nobody will kill him because he is lost. Anyway he is lost, so what is the point in killing him? Being lost is bad enough; death will be a relief. But nobody wants to give him such an opportunity. He will fi nd his way someday, not in this lifetime, maybe ten lifetimes later. So what is there for me to do about him?

So this is just an exploration of the law of nature – not of the physical nature, of the inner nature, how it functions, what will happen if you do certain things, what will happen if you take certain attitudes. This is about exploring the intimacy of life within you. It is something very internal, not something that happens on the street. In this culture, spiritual process never happened on the street; only culture happened on the street. Everybody knew that the spiritual process is internal. But now, in the last fi ve hundred, six hundred years, there is confusion because they discovered packaged religions seemed to be more potent when it comes to conquering power because they believe in something. People who believe very strongly are naturally fanatic. A fanatic fi ghts and wants to die. If you want to fi ght just for fun, if you want to fi ght and go home, that is one thing. If somebody has come here to die, there is no point in fi ghting with him because the consequences are going to be serious.

About fi ve hundred years ago, there was a South Indian king, Krishnadevaraya. In our family, we have very intimate stories about Krishnadevaraya because my forefathers came to parts of Karnataka and southern Andhra Pradesh to conquer those lands for him. When we were kids, our grandfather’s place was full of armory – thousands of swords, spears, shields, all kinds of things, because they maintained an army of their own till after the independence. It was only in ’61 or ’62 that their army was completely beaten down by the Indian police. So when the Muslim rulers came to conquer Vĳ ayanagar, which was the capital city of Krishnadevaraya’s kingdom, they came in great force. Vĳ ayanagar was heaped with gold. Gold and diamonds were sold like vegetables in the market place without any security. They wanted to get it, so even though they were beaten back many times, they repeatedly attacked.

When they started becoming overpowering, Krishnadevaraya sat with his ministers to discuss

how to defeat them, because they seemed to be fi ghting with more fury and intensity than their own soldiers. One of his ministers, Tenali Ramakrishna, said, “Our soldiers are going to the battle to fi ght and go back home to their wives and children. Their soldiers are coming to the battlefi eld and they want to go to heaven – that’s a big difference. Then what should we do to see that either our soldiers get the same intensity or their soldiers lose it?” They came up with a plan. They killed thousands and thousands of pigs and put the pig blood in big caldrons upon elephants. They let the elephants loose and threw the pig blood on the hostile army, announcing, “It’s pig blood.” If one drop of pig blood falls on them, they cannot go to heaven. They could not go to heaven anymore, so they lost the fervor. “What are we fi ghting for?” And the army was slaughtered. So religion is a set of beliefs.

A spiritual process can be dissected as far as you want to go because the more the truth is revealed, the better it is. This is the difference between being religious and being irreligious. [Applause] If you are irreligious, you are not afraid of truth. If you are religious, you dread truth because truth will destroy what you believe. If what you believe is destroyed, the glorious package that you were carrying on your head will fall into the mud; you don’t want that to happen. We will defi nitely have some special programs where we will explore more irreligious people – devotees. It does not matter where they come from, they might have been born into some religion, but devotees are irreligious. They break all the norms of the religion.

If we dissect Shiva or Krishna, there is no problem. Indian saints, sages, devotees and gods are open for dissection. But if we dissect other religions, we could end up being dissected. So we could dissect the rest when we are already close to the grave, when there is nothing much to lose. I don’t think this is a safe thing to do now because I cannot sit here and say something other than what is true. I will not put myself through such an indignity; I will say what I see. [Applause]

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ReLiGioUsLy IrreLiGioUs


6 May 2012FOREST FLOWER

Temple Completion Project

1 Sadhguru’s enlightenment anniversary, and the beginning of Isha

An Update

“Whether rich or poor, king or pauper, ignorant or enlightened – time does not wait for anyone. It is only a question of how we make use of our time here.

Our effort is to make the Isha Yoga Center a big spiritual possibility for many.

“We are striving to complete the Dhyanalinga Temple by September this year because September 23rd is the 30th anniversary1 for us.” – Sadhguru

THEERTAKUNDThe Theertakund for gents will be a 130x50 foot copper-plated water body, energized by three rasalingas (lingas made of solidifi ed mercury). Four immense vaults topped by gold-plated kalasams (ornamental devices that radiate energy) will cover the majestic structure.

Cost of completion: Rs. 7 crore (~ US $ 1.4 million)

TEMPLE ENTRANCE ARCHCost of completion: Rs. 30 lakhs (~ US $ 60,000)

How You Can Contribute

7May 2012FOREST FLOWER

THEERTAKUND MANDAPAMA granite fl oor, terracotta-tile roof, and 84 aesthetically carved pillars will adorn the Theertakund Mandapam (pillared pavilion). Built in two fl oors, the mandapam will be a fi tting ornament for the Theerthakund.

Cost of completion: Rs. 4.4 crore (~ US $ 900,000)

THEERTAKUNDPERFORMANCE MANDAPAMThe Theertakund Performance Mandapam will host classical music and dance performances. Flanked by four grand 48-foot-high pillars, the space will also resound to the chime of 1008 bells hanging from the roof.

Cost of completion: Rs. 2.5 crore (~ US $ 500,000)

GOSHALAThe Goshala or cowshed will epitomize the ancient tradition of reverence for the cow – an animal that holds a special place in India’s culture.

Cost of completion: Rs. 20 lakhs (~ US $ 40,000)

For More Information: + 91 - 94425 04737 – [email protected], [email protected]

w w w . g i v e i s h a . o r g

The average construction cost to complete the Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple Rs. 2100/sq. ft. You can donate towards as many square feet as you like.

Donate online at www.giveisha.com or send a cheque or DD favoring “Isha Foundation” to

Isha Yoga Center Temple Completion Project (FRD), Velliangiri Foothills, Semmedu P.O.,Coimbatore – 641 114


“Sunlight comes into your house not because you want it. It happens because you open the windows.”

Sadhguru: Two cows were grazing on an English meadow. One said, “What’s your opinion on the Mad Cow disease?” The other said, “I don’t care a hoot about it. Anyway, I’m a helicopter.”

If a cow realizes that it is a cow, it becomes a celebrity – a holy cow. It is that simple. It is just a question of realization. In India, we have always called mystics “realized” beings. Realization is not about inventing or discovering something; it is just about realizing who you are. If there is something you do not understand, it is mysterious to you. Someone who seems to know what others do not is called a mystic. But the mystic is just someone who has realized what is there. Others don’t because they are too self-engrossed to pay any attention to life.

Mysticism: what exactly do we understand by the word? That which cannot be understood through logic usually gets termed mystical. Or in other words, that which you are unable to comprehend through the five sense organs gets labeled mystical.

Let me give you an example. I am sitting here; suppose you could not see me, but you heard my voice – that would be very mysterious, wouldn’t it? Now you can see me here, but my voice can be heard all over. Do you see that my voice is coming from everywhere? Is this not mysterious? “Oh, this is just a microphone,” you say. You have an explanation for it, so it is not mysterious. But anything that you cannot explain logically, all those things are considered mysterious.

Right now the logical dimension of thought is filtering life through the intellect. The logical process has become so dominant simply because right now perception is limited to the five senses. The very nature of sense perception is such that it always perceives everything in bits and pieces. It always divides everything into at least two; it never perceives anything as one. If you can see this part of my hand (turns his hand, revealing his palm), you cannot see that part of my hand. If you see this part, you cannot see the other. This is so even if you take a grain of sand; if you perceive one part of it, you do not perceive another.

So the moment you perceive everything through the five sense organs, the world gets divided. And only when there is a division, there is logic. If there is only one, there is no logic; only if there are two, there is logic. So the foundation of the logical mind is in dividing the world. And if you do not divide existence, you cannot employ your logic. So sense perception and logical thinking, or logical understanding, are directly connected; they are complementary to each other.

Now what cannot be contained in logic – or what cannot be perceived by the sense perceptions – is what we are referring to as “mystical.” That dimension of truth which cannot be boxed into your logical mind is being labeled “mystical.” When you say, “we want to explore mysticism,” you are saying that you are willing to go beyond your present levels of understanding and experience, and look for the truth. So our logical mind will not be of use to us here. Only what has been fed to you through the filters of your five sense organs is the content of your logic. And these sense organs are not reliable.

Beyond the Five Senses: From Misunderstanding to Mystery

An Excerpt from the Recently Released Book ‘Of Mystics and Mistakes’


Today neuroscientists are going to great lengths to prove that almost everything that you have known as true until now is false – what you see, hear, smell and taste is not true. It is a big deception. Nothing is the way it seems. This research has been going on in a very serious fashion only for the last few years. In these four-fi ve years, everything that we knew as true has become untrue. Everything that we thought of as illusory has become true. Now neuroscientists are telling you that what you see is not reality. Physicists were telling you this to an extent, but neuroscientists are now confi rming it to you. They can prove to you with experimentation that everything that you see around you – the shapes and forms, colors and sizes – none of this is true. I think, way back, Indian mystics told you everything is maya (illusion), isn’t it? (Laughs) When we say something is an illusion, it does not necessarily mean that it does not exist. It simply means you are not seeing it the way it is.

As you know, what is light for you is darkness for somebody else. What is darkness for you is light for somebody else. In the next few hours the sun will set, and you will experience darkness; a whole range of creatures will come awake, because for them darkness is an alarm bell. The day has begun for them. On this planet, there is more life which is nightlife – and I am not talking about Mumbai people! (Laughs) I am talking about the creatures that are made that way. In terms of population, they are more than you. These nocturnal creatures outnumber the day creatures by far. So with whom are you going to argue as to which is light and which is darkness? If you and an owl sit together and start an argument as to which is light and which is darkness, where would it take you? Into an endless argument!

Maya is not just on this level. Even the very shapes and sizes that you see are not the way they are. There are many creatures here, right now in the grass. They actually do not see you, because they do not see sizes beyond a certain proportion at all; it is not relevant to their survival. You do not see all the microbes, do you? In the same manner, they do not see you. (Laughs) You are not important for them.

So our perception through the sense organs is very limited. And so what we refer to as the mystical is that dimension of life which we are unable to perceive through our sense organs, or deduce through our logical process. When our logic fails, anything that does not look logical becomes mysterious. So right now because your perception is limited to the fi ve senses, the mystical can only be a fantastic story that you either believe or disbelieve. I want you to understand the difference between the mystical and the magical. “Harry Potter” is selling in millions today. That’s not mysticism; that’s magic – and that’s different. When we seek to experience the mystical, we are not looking for entertainment; we are looking for a solution to our lives.

The book by Sadhguru (published by Jaico) is now available in bookstores and online at www.ishashoppe.com

by Sadhguru (published by Jaico) is now available in (published by Jaico) is now available in

Of Mystics and Mistakes


Questioner: Sadhguru, why do we always have this fear in us that something unpleasant may happen in our lives – and how to get rid of this fear?

Sadhguru: Fear itself is one of the most unpleasant experiences. Whatever you fear is actually not as bad as the fear itself. But before someone comes and hurts you, you want to hurt yourself first so much that he does not get a chance to do that much. [Laughter] Competition, you know. You are in a goal-oriented society –everything is on competition basis. [Laughter]

Suppose I take away your mind, would you be fearful? No. Or let us say I take away your body, would you be fearful after that? Now, you don’t have to lose your body. What you need to do is, you just have to create a little distance from your body. Similarly, you have to create a little distance from your mind. Once there is a little distance between you and your body, between you and your mind, what would you be afraid of? Only because of the body, there is fear – fear of pain, fear of suffering, fear of death.

Fear is essentially because you are too identified with the body; you are too identified with the mind. There is nothing wrong with the body and the mind – they are wonderful instruments. But you picked them up, and now they got stuck to your hands. They are so stuck that you cannot even make out which is you and which is the body, which is you and which is the mind – that level of identification has happened to you. Now, let us say you have an ancient vase that you inherited down twenty generations and always, you have been told, “This is the most lucky vase. Our families have lived well only because of this vase and nothing else.” So if I come now and break it, your heart will break because you are so identified with this vase. If I have to cause fear to you, I don’t have to set fire to this hall. If we just gave you a crank call and say, “Your house is burning,” so much fear and struggle would happen; in your mind, you would suffer so much. I am not saying we want it to happen; but suppose it happened, shouldn’t you be glad that you are not in the house?

When you are so identified with something, you cannot make out which is you and which is

not you. Fear is essentially because you believe yourself to be things that you are not. Whether it is your mind, your thought, your body, or whatever else – all this is just acquired. Essentially, there is only fear of suffering and fear of death. Death means you lose your body. Fear of pain is about your body becoming unpleasant for some reason; fear of suffering is about your mind becoming unpleasant for some reason. Fear of pain is understandable; you want to avoid the pain. But when fear grips you, it can be more painful than chopping off your finger. If you have a fracture, it is painful. But – you know I broke my bones about twelve, fifteen times – you get used to it. [Laughter] After two or three times, you know it breaks and you know it can be fixed. But the suffering that fear can cause is way bigger than that which broken bones could cause.

Suffering happens to you because you are so identified with the mind that you cannot control it; you cannot make it do what you want. It is doing something against you. Do not try to conquer fear – that would be a foolish thing to do. Just put everything in the right perspective. If you put your body in its place and your mind in its place, you will see there will be no such thing as fear. You will handle life in a sensible way. Being fearless does not mean going and dashing yourself against the wall. Being fearless means that you are able to see everything just the way it is and conduct your life the way it needs to be conducted. If you are fearful, you cannot conduct your life the way it should be conducted. If you are very courageous, you cannot conduct your life the way it needs to be conducted. Courageous people do idiotic things. Fearful people don’t do anything. [Laughter] If you are fearless, you are simply looking at life the way it is and do the best that you can.

So don’t try to be courageous; don’t try to be fearless. If you create a little distance between you and your mind, between you and your body, there is no such thing as fear in your life. I don’t know fear. I only know it by second hand experience. I have seen people in extreme states of fear around me, but it never happened to me. Many times I tried to scare myself, but it didn’t work. [Laughter]

From Fear to Freedom –How to Rid Yourself of a Debilitating Emotion

Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru

11

15 February – Shubha Mudgal


Excerpted from a recent edition of the In Conversation with the Mystic series, the following is the second part of the episode “The Business of Environment,” a conversation between Sadhguru, Seemantinee Khot of Suzlon, a global wind power company, and Jacques Rocher of Yves Rocher Group, a worldwide cosmetics and beauty brand.

Jacques: I am not an NGO. I have to contribute to the growth of the company. As a cosmetic company, we take a lot of natural raw material and chemical material from the earth. I know that I have a debt to nature. I do business and also I want to do something positive for the environment. We have fifty million customers, that’s why I want to plant fifty million trees, out of which fifteen [million] with you and your Project GreenHands. Fifty million trees is huge and it is necessary. But this just equals three days of deforestation… three days. And it takes five years for us to plant fifty million trees. That’s why I think we have to be humble, very humble.

Sadhguru: Planting fifty million trees takes a lot of money and effort. He has been travelling all over the world, and his is only one part of it. For us to put the tree in the ground, to make it grow, takes a whole lot too. And for the tree to grow into something that you can really call a tree takes another five to ten years. It is fabulous that he has taken this up. Fifty million trees, he is planting – irrespective of which country it is – knowing that it is for the planet, not just for the country. My experience with various other companies has not been the same. If I tell them, “We want to plant hundred and fourteen million trees. Please support this,” they will say, “Will you plant it in my state, in my village, in my factory?” – not understanding that ecological work is not about “my part of the world” and “your part of the world.” Wherever the tree is planted, everybody will benefit from it.

We have approached just about everybody who is running an airline or automobile industry in this country. We worked out enormous plans for

The Business of Environment Part 2


them saying, suppose you drive a car, if you are driving about 10,000 kilometers in a year, this is how much carbon-monoxide you release. If we plant this many trees, whatever pollution that car will create in the next ten years, is taken care of by what we plant. And that cost can be divided between the manufacturer, the dealer, and the customer. And it is not much – it is all a question of hundreds of rupees. And I’m sure the customer will be willing to pay, knowing fully well that he is compensating for what he is using up. Either we do that now, consciously, or a time will come when we will have to put a meter on your nose. We will have to charge you by how many breaths per minute you take.

Seemantinee: Ya, but the dilemma is whether to give it as a choice.

Sadhguru: We have passed the time of choice. It has to be a law. It is just that till now, it has been half-hearted. There should be no business in this country which is not under the law. There is no citizen in this country who is not under the law, isn’t it? So, why are businesses running without being under the law?

Semantinee: But then they just migrate to the USA or somewhere else and come back here only for Inner Engineering.

Sadhguru: If they migrate, that will be good too. [Laughter] People who go away to the United States, to South America or Africa are ecologically very good for India. [Laughs]

Semantinee: Yes, but India doesn’t change, no?

Sadhguru: No, India will change if we export half the population. [Laughter and applause] India will change dramatically. See, there are many societies where the biggest problem is human resource. For India, the biggest problem is natural resource;

human resource is plenty. Not only plenty, it is young. We are the only country in the world which has over six hundred million youth. It is a tremendous possibility. They should go and work across the planet. We can build a whole new world with six hundred million people working hard to make it happen. In other countries, they have had generations of affl uence and the youth are not willing to work. They want to holiday. They want to become something else. But these people [from India] have not seen affl uence, so wherever it is, whatever it is, they want to work because they want to make it.

So if you do not discriminate between nation and nation, if you allow a little more porosity as to wherever people want to move on this planet, let them move. If somebody is looking for employment, they go to the United States; if somebody is looking for a spiritual process, they come to India. Is it not a good exchange? [Applause] But if you want to come to India, they are stopping you. And if you want to go to the United States, they are stopping you.

Today, lawmakers are in many ways subservient to the businesses. So the businesses can play a key role if there is a change of heart in them. But many are not thinking beyond this year’s balance sheet. A few are thinking beyond that, but still not enough to fi nd a solution. There is enough ecological awareness for cosmetic appeal. There is not enough ecological awareness and not enough movement in the world for a solution.

Semantinee: Ya, so if the mindsets and the world view of both lawmakers and business leaders have to change…

Sadhguru: Waiting for them to change is not the way. This is not a spiritual process. [Laughter and applause] If it is a spiritual process, I create a situation and wait for them to change. But this is a disaster looming on us, there is no waiting. You have to shoot them, not with a gun, but with an appropriate law that will fi x them. When I say “shoot,” don’t think of killing. You know, even an injection is a shot.

If you change the landscape of business, some will suffer, some will drown, but immediately, they will adapt and learn to do business in the new atmosphere that we create. Somebody should have the courage to create the new atmosphere.

To be continued…


Another woman who played a very important role in Krishna’s life was Rukmini, his fi rst wife. Rukmini was a princess and daughter of King Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha. She happened to be in Mathura when Krishna entered the wrestling ring with Chanura, a master of bahuyuddha1. She also witnessed how in that same situation, Krishna slew Kamsa, the king of Mathura, which was his fi rst step towards destroying the tyrannical rule and establishing some semblance of balance in that kingdom. Even before Krishna left Vrindavan at the age of 16, the folklore had carried many tales of his Ras Leelas all over the country. People sang ballads and spread the message of the beauty of his dance and the beauty of what was happening in Vrindavan, how the simple village folk used to come together in Krishna’s presence, and the joy and love they shared. Even as a child, Rukmini had heard about these things. She was just about 12 years of age when she witnessed Krishna slaying Kamsa. From that moment, she made up her mind that she was going to marry only Krishna and nobody else but Krishna. At that time, Krishna was not yet anything other than a cowherd boy who performed one heroic act. But she, a princess of a very large kingdom, wanted to marry him. She started plotting many different ways of how to woo him. It came to his notice. He had an eye for anybody’s emotion and intention.

In the next few years, Krishna was travelling as a brahmachari. When he came to Vidarbha and said, “Bikshaandehi2,” Rukmini made sure she was one of the fi rst ones to be there and give him alms. She traveled along – though not in the same group – and gave alms to him wherever he went. She was not the only woman there, but she is prominent because she got to marry him later. There were many others who tried to follow him

and somehow catch his eye. The blue magic was just driving people mad.

He enjoyed it, but he never misused his magic. He just saw how to raise those people. Whether you fell in love with a man or a woman or a donkey or whatever, if love arises in a human being, any sensible person would only want to nurture it, not kill it. He may want to redirect it because certain types of emotions are not workable, but he will never want to kill it. So Krishna allowed his blue magic to play. He encouraged them to love but he constantly tried to re-channel their love into a more productive affair for themselves rather than them getting frustrated and jealous that they cannot get him. There were a million situations in his life where he tried to redirect a woman’s love in a more positive and productive way so that she would make herself into a higher possibility rather than just making it into a biological longing.

Whenever Rukmini found the opportunity, for every festival and every other occasion, she always came to Mathura, just hoping to get a glimpse of him and to have a word with him. Krishna saw Rukmini’s determined approach towards him but he did not want to encourage that kind of love affair with her because she was a princess and he was not a king. Since marrying her was out of question, he did not want to infl ame those kinds of emotions. He always tried to play it down but at the same time, he was not the kind to kill the love in her. So he did pay just enough attention while trying to redirect it. But Rukmini was a very determined woman.

When his friend Udhava visited Vidarbha, Rukmini expressed her determination by saying, “No matter what, I am going to marry Krishna and nobody else but Krishna. If he refuses to marry me, I will enter the fi re and end my life.” Her brother Rukmi planned to get her married to Shishupala, the king of Chedi, because that would be a good alliance. Rukmini’s brother had great imperial ambitions. He wanted to form a grand alliance by marrying Rukmini to Shishupala and he himself planned to marry the Emperor Jarasandha’s granddaughter. Emperor Jarasandha

LeeLa SeriesThe path of the playful – Part XXXI

1 Ancient form of martial arts/wrestling2 Traditional phrase used by sadhus begging alms

Krishna and the Women – 2


was growing old, so Rukmi calculated that once Jarasandha moves to the land of his ancestors, he, Rukmi, would be the only powerful man around and he could become the emperor. For him, Rukmini was an important cog in the whole machine to get him there.

Rukmini saw through this. She was a very vociferous girl who was not contained by being a woman in any way. She spoke her mind out with such vehemence that they did not know what to do with her. Many times, her brother felt like striking her down but he would not dare to do so because she was such a fiery woman. When Udhava came back from Vidharbha and told Krishna, “Rukmini is bent on marrying only you and you alone. Otherwise, she will kill herself.” Krishna laughingly said, “I have heard many other princesses saying the same thing, but now they are married to somebody else and they are living happily ever after. It’s alright for the girls to say that but anyway they will marry somebody who is convenient tomorrow and live with him.” Udhava said, “No, you are mistaken. This is a very determined woman. She has a mind of her own.” Krishna said, “Why should such a very determined princess marry a worthless cowherd like me? Let her find some nice prince for herself.” But she would not leave it; it went on.

When Krishna and Balarama had to leave Mathura to avoid Jarasandha coming and burning down the town, Rukmini’s grandfather, Kaishika, gave refuge to them because Rukmini threatened her grandfather, “If you don’t provide refuge to these two boys who need this help right now, I am going to kill myself right here in front of you.” So he had no choice but to house these two boys for some time. Later, it was decided that there would be a Swayamvara for Rukmini. A Swayamvara is a festival of choice where the princess can choose her man. But this was a fake Swayamvara – there was really no choice. They invited only those kings that they knew would not claim the girl. It was all fixed up so that anyway, she could marry only Shishupala, and the Emperor Jarasandha himself was there to ensure that this would happen.

When this was building up, Rukmini fought with her father and brother in every possible way but they would not give in. They prepared the whole

town for festivities. Leaving her royal protocol, she went into the streets, pulling down the decorations. This was something unthinkable in those days – a princess on the street pulling down the decorations that were made for the festival of choice. But still, this fake Swayamvara or fake festival of choice was bound to happen and trap Rukmini in the process. So she made up her mind, “If I cannot avoid it, I will end my life.”

Krishna acted as if he was totally unconcerned about these events. For a totally different reason, he organized a chariot race in Mathura which had not happened for a very, very long time. Many Yadava leaders and chiefs protested against this chariot race, saying, “What is the point? When there are so many things to do, why conduct a fanciful sport like this?” Krishna said, “If we pull off such a big event and have a thousand chariots with skillful men handling it, the Yadava prestige will go up in the eyes of other kings. That’s a power by itself, so let’s do the festival.” So people started training under the guidance of guru Sandipani and Svetaketu. For a few months, many people underwent vigorous training and learnt how to handle the chariots and horses very skillfully. This chariot race in Mathura was fixed for the same day as the festival of choice in Vidharbha for Rukmini. So Rukmini felt desperate, “How can he do this? I have expressed my love a million times and he has not responded. Today my life is going to be fixed and he is having a chariot race.”

In the meantime, Krishna encouraged Ugrasena, the Yadava king, to appoint his son as the regent and go to the festival of choice uninvited, but that plan did not come through. Everything built up for the race, but three days ahead of the race, suddenly half the men who were supposed to participate just disappeared in the middle of the night. Krishna spread stories that Satyaki, his close friend and lieutenant, had turned against him and left with half the army. People started gossiping about it, that Krishna’s closest aide had left him, that he is finished. Then they found that the night before the festival of choice and the race (that were both on the same day), the remaining half of the army left Mathura along with Krishna.

On the morning of the day of the festival of choice, this whole Yadava army gathered in Vidharbha


around the palace of Bhishmaka, Rukmini’s father. Unnoticed, they had split themselves into many groups and came and converged from every direction. This created fear because suddenly, such a big army was right there with Krishna leading the army. They thought Krishna had come to abduct Rukmini and take her as his wife. But when he came, he left his army outside. Totally unarmed, he walked into the city. They were surprised, “Why is this fool coming without even a sword to protect himself?” He just came with wonderful gifts for the king and Rukmini’s grandfather who had given him refuge a few years ago.

He had no sword but he was armed with the blue which others could not see. They were disarmed by his demeanor and his blue. He said, “I have not come to claim the bride; that is not the reason why I have come. What is happening here is injustice. The girl is being given away against her will to somebody that she does not want to marry. A Swayamvara or festival of choice is a sacred ritual that we have carried on

for thousands of years. Now you are making it a sacrilege by fixing it up in such a way that the girl really has no choice. So I have come to stop the Swayamvara, not to take the bride. You cannot conduct this Swayamvara.” And his army stood in a threatening manner around them. Nobody else was ready for a battle at that moment. So they all backed down and cancelled the Swayamvara. The Emperor Jarasandha was boiling within himself. He already had many scores to settle with Krishna and now this shame of having to back out and go back to his kingdom, he could not bear. He swore, “I will drink the blood of this boy for putting me to such shame.”

To be continued…

Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru during Leela, the path of the playful, a unique exploration with Sadhguru into the mystical realm of Krishna that took place at Isha Yoga Center in September 2005

Indian Express releases a new list of the 100 most powerful Indians each year, reflecting the social, economic and political change in India. Power is defined as the ability to influence people and events. Included in the list for the third straight year, Sadhguru was named last week to the Indian Express Most Powerful Indians List for 2012 – in a country of 1.2 billion people a remarkable achievement.

SadhguruNamed among 100 Most Powerful Indians

From the British Island to the Swiss Plateau to a tropical island off the African coast, Sadhguru crossed a variety of climatic zones in just a few days. The last destination on this route from North to South was Mauritius, where Sadhguru not only gave an Inner Engineering talk on 14 March 2012 in Phoenix, Mauritius, but also had a number of meetings – among others with the Prime Minister and the President of the island nation – and even got to enjoy the beauty of the island. In the following, Sadhguru shares his impressions (excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 21 March 2012):

Just back from the enchanting island of Mauritius. A place of many fl avors and people – Arab sailors discovered it, the Portuguese visited, the Dutch, French and British settled, and the population a mix of Indians, Africans, French, English, Chinese… The food hard-core exotic, a hybrid of three continents.

Four days of work and play. The introductory talk was well-attended, and facilitated by the High Commissioner of India, the former Minister of Education, and a few people from Mauritius who worked hard to make the event happen. The people of Mauritius are keen to build a center, and with the right support, this could happen. The fi rst step that we are now taking in new regions is to start with Isha Kriya – One Drop Spirituality – to build a solid foundation. When this picks up, it would give me good reason to get back.

Had wonderful meetings with the Prime Minister and the President, and a very interesting trip to the Grand Bassin, or the ‘Ganga Talao’ as known by Indo-Mauritians. A lake situated atop a volcanic crater, the view stunning. It is said that the water from the lake communicates with the Ganga, and there are plans by the local community to consecrate a linga. Was invited for a visit – it was touching to see the gentleness and devotion with which this place is being cared for, and the warmth with which we were welcomed.

Three days of golf was just incredible, incredible. Breathtaking scenery, lagoons, wonderful weather… They say the volcanoes of Mauritius are not dead but ‘dormant’ and could awaken in a few thousand years. Still enough time for a few more rounds of golf…

Love and Grace,

EnChantinG and EXotiCSadhguru in Mauritius


What is your personal defi nition of true success?

Sadhguru: When success or failure makes no difference for you, you are a true success. When the fruit of the action does not determine how you are, then you are a success. The result may depend on a variety of things. Results are not always yours. For any result to happen, whether it’s in a game or life situations, there are various factors involved, not all of it is in our control. But, what is in our control is if we do our best or we do not do our best. [Excerpted from Sadhguru’s talk at LBS]

What is your outlook and vision for the world’s leadership?

Sadhguru: In the next ten, fi fteen years’ time, the economic leadership will be the most important leadership in the world. The good thing about the economic leadership is, in the very nature of things, it is a very fl exible leadership. If we bring about the necessary shift from economic leaders operating out of narrow personal ambitions to them operating out of a larger vision, that will be the greatest thing for the future generations of the world. [Excerpted from Sadhguru’s talk at IMD]

A volunteer shares about Sadhguru’s visit to IMD: IMD is among the top three business schools in the world and is set in a beautiful location facing the lake in Lausanne with the mountains in the distance. It was a fi rst for this school to welcome a

yogi on their campus, and how many people would attend was a big question. The answer was simply overwhelming – as soon as the doors opened, people fi lled the theater, seat by seat, until there were no more available. The expectation and curiosity was palpable. It took Sadhguru no time to captivate the attention of all that were present. People listened intently, laughed, and pondered at the new perspectives that were offered. Time seemed to fl y and after a question and answer session, the event was over – too fast, as a member of the audience remarked after the session: “I could have listened to him the whole afternoon!” A couple of other comments by IMD alumni and guests: “Wow, I never thought of management like this!”– “I really didn’t know what to expect, but this was really interesting and I really want to know more.” Sadhguru clearly left a big impression.

Sadhguru sums up the events: “Business schools are opening up to the spiritual possibility, so it could be instead of Business as Usual, Business Sublime. Excellent response from both institutions and we are working towards more enduring relationships and partnerships.”

LeadershiP: From AmBition to Vision

Sadhguru recently spoke at two of the most prestigious business schools in the world. On 8 March 2012, he gave a talk at the London Business School (LBS), and a few days later, on 12 March 2012, at IMD – International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland. The following are a few highlights.

Sadhguru Speaks at Leading Business Schools in Europe


EntrePreneUrshiP, TeCh and TaLKExcer�ted fr om Sadhguru Spot of 28 March 2012

Went to Mumbai to be a part of the CNBC Awards for small and medium sector entrepreneurs. Over 125,000 applied, and they arrived at 18 awardees. In many ways, it is these small and medium sector entrepreneurs who are the legs of the Indian economy. The Indian economy is essentially moving ahead on the efforts of these people who have small and medium enterprises across the country, whose efforts and success do not depend on what happens in the international market. The variety of technologies that are being innovated from this sector is quite incredible. These are real entrepreneurs with fi re in their belly to succeed, and they have really done a great job.

I happened to be there to give the award to the entrepreneur of the year. When I saw these people – many from small towns across the country – who built these enterprises, and their hopes, aspirations, efforts and skills, I could not help

from speaking out and saying how, unfortunately, a booming economy is being dismantled almost systematically by political forces; and I said as much in the presence of a few prominent political leaders. I also made a fi fteen minute presentation on ethical governance on the corporate and business world… A very well attended program.

Then took a late night fl ight to Bengaluru for a three-day Inner Engineering program – packed with corporate honchos, business leaders and socialites – which was tucked away in the basement conference hall of a leading hotel in the city. In Bengaluru with the Bengaloorinavaru1 … It has been a long time, almost twenty-fi ve years, since I closely interacted with Kannada people. It is funny how people are so different. The Tamil people are intense and always a surge, but just across the border, the people of Kannada stock are even physically not so robust – their emotions and energy so much gentler than the

rollick of Tamil people.

I had to participate in the opening of a mall there and the people shed their usually hesitant and timid behavior and went for me in full force. The organizers had a tough time controlling the crowds that they had not expected. Even our volunteers were not ready for the crowd and its response to my presence. One more city where I have lost the pleasure of anonymity.

1 People of Bengaluru

Sadhguru SpotMusings from the Master


Visit: Sadhguru.org/spot

As I see numberless tall buildings coming up and ever-clogged traffic, a wave of nostalgia hits me about a gentle, pretty city full of gardens, early morning mist carrying right up to noon, colonial-time coffee shops, quaint proprietor-owned bookshops…a gentle big brother to Mysore City where I grew up. But today, Bengaluru, its original name being ‘Bendakaluru’ – a town where ‘the beans are well-cooked.’ From Kempe Gowda2 to Sadananda Gowda.3 From the sylvan palaces of the Maharajas to the Silicon Valley of India. The transformation of this city makes you both proud and sad of the things that are lost and can never be regained, and things that have been gained and cannot be discounted. Bengaluru has become a name that nobody in the tech world can ignore. It has become the hub of software technology.

We finished the Inner Engineering program at 7:00 in the evening, had a dinner meeting till 9:30, and then took an 11:00 flight back to Mumbai. So early morning 2:00, I got to Mumbai, and next day was packed with meetings. That evening, we had an In Conversation with the Mystic event, and this time around it was with K.V. Kamath, the man who built ICICI Bank to its current prominence and who is hugely respected and valued. He continues to be the Non-Executive Chairman of ICICI Bank and is now Executive Chairman of Infosys. He had come very well-prepared. It was nice to see that he took the trouble to read Mystics Musings, watch a

few videos, and prepare questions that would be relevant for the evening.

The event was attended by the ‘Who’s Who’ of the financial world in Mumbai. For the 2 ½ hours of this event, people sat there absolutely engaged, and it was nice for me to be exploring something other than the usual questions of spiritual significance, but of the business world and economic problems, and solutions for the country and the world. This is, in a way, a kind of steppingstone for the educational initiatives that Isha is taking on – about ten technical and business fields – and also a very spectacular conference that

we are planning in November/December which is titled ‘Bioscope of Entrepreneurial Leadership.’ The super top talent in the world will be participating in making this happen. We have already roped in some of the biggest names in the field. If any of you want to be there, before we even start the registration,

you must register because it is going to be just 120 people. Very prominent names will be participating and conducting this event for us in the ashram from the 29th of November till 2nd of December. So, if you don’t want to receive a well-worded regret letter, you have to really start now.

Ciao,

2 Founder of Bengaluru 3 Current Chief Minister of Karnataka

May 2012FOREST FLOWER20

Program Highlights

These programs are conducted in English, unless indicated otherwise. Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our website: www.ishafoundation.org.

Date Program Place Contact

3 - 6 May 2012 Inner Engineering Retreat Residential Program

Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India

0422-2515421 [email protected]

3 - 7 May 2012Nature Awareness

ProgramFor Children


09894418089 [email protected]

4 - 6 May 2012Inner Engineering

Conducted by SadhguruHouston, TX, USA

+1-832-408-0663 [email protected]

8 - 10 May 2012Hata Yoga

Residential ProgramIsha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India


9 - 15 May 2012 Inner EngineeringShubhamkaroti

Mandal, Thane(W), Mumbai, India

9967651283, 9819812688 [email protected]

16 - 19 May 2012Bhava Spandana Program (Ladies)

Residential Program


[email protected]

17 - 20 May 2012 Inner Engineering Retreat Residential Program



18 - 21 May 2012 Guru Pooja Training Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India

[email protected]

19 May 2012Pancha Bhuta Aradhana

Dhyanalinga TempleIsha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India


25 - 28 May 2012

Bhava Spandana Program

Residential Program Conducted by Sadhguru

Isha Institute of Inner Sciences,

USA

[email protected]

31 May - 3 June Inner Engineering Retreat Residential Program



9 - 10 Jun 2012Shambhavi Mahamudra

Program Conducted by Sadhguru

ExCel London,UK

+44-7765567347 [email protected]

15 - 17 Jun 2012Inner Engineering with

SadhguruHITEC City,

Hyderabad, India9866661196

[email protected]


Isha Recipes For Healthy Living

In South Indian cuisine, rasam is traditionally served towards the end of a menu as it has excellent digestive properties. The tamarind in the rasam lowers cholesterol levels, is a good source of antioxidants, supports digestion and is used to treat biliary disorders. Black pepper helps prevent fl atulence, promotes urination, and promotes sweating. Rasam also contains a fair amount of essential nutrients such as manganese and iron, as well as dietary fi ber.

QUANTITY INGREDIENTS 2 fi stful Split Toor dal (pigeon peas)½ medium-sized Fresh pineapple 2 tablespoons Sesame (Gingelly) oil ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds ½ teaspoon Skinless split black gram (dhuli urad dal) 2 Red chilies 10–12 Curry leaves 1 ½ teaspoons Cumin seeds To taste Salt2 medium Tomatoes¼ inch piece Ginger 1 lemon-sized ball Tamarind 10–12 Black peppercorns 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds 6–8 sprigs Fresh coriander leaves

METHOD OF PREPARATION

1. Pressure-cook the toor dal with 500 ml of water for 1 whistle. Strain and keep the dal water aside.2. Cut the pineapple in half, remove core and chop fi nely. Place half the quantity of the chopped

pineapple pieces in a blender. Add ½ cup of dal water. Grind to a paste. 3. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. As they begin to change color, add the dal,

red chilies, curry leaves, and 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. 4. Chop the tomatoes and add. 5. Peel and chop the ginger and add. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. 6. Meanwhile soak tamarind in a little water, squeeze the soaked tamarind with your hands and

extract the juice. Add to pan. 7. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Cook on low heat till the raw smell disappears.8. Add the pineapple paste and cook for a few minutes. 9. Meanwhile, roast peppercorns, remaining half teaspoon of cumin seeds and coriander seeds

till fragrant. Let cool and grind to a powder. 10. Add this powder to the pan with the remaining chopped pineapple. Cook for a few seconds. 11. Chop fresh coriander and add. 12. Mix and serve.

Pineapple Rasam

2 Red chilies 10–12 Curry leaves 1 ½ teaspoons Cumin seeds

10–12 Black peppercorns

6–8 sprigs Fresh coriander leaves

May 2012FOREST FLOWER22

Kailash ManasarovarJuly 24, 26, 28 & 30

Mount Kailash - Walk the Mystical land

Meditate and immerse in the healing waters of Lake Manasarovar

Experience the power of Mount Kailash with the grace of Sadhguru

Enjoy Isha’s hospitality and be cared for by highly experienced team of volunteers and doctors especially trained for high altitude care

Explore Nepal and Tibet through its temples, stupas, colourful markets, local cuisine and culture

Join this once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to the Abode of Shiva

Himalayan Sacred Walks May 23 - June 3 & Sep 30 - Oct 11

(Hardwar, Rishikesh, Guptkashi, Kedarnath, Badrinath,Gangotri & Panch Prayag)

www.sacredwalks.org

[email protected] +91 9488 111 333Tamil Nadu:

+91 9488 111 555Rest of India: [email protected]

Meditate in the

presence of

Sadhguru...

FF May 2012

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Transcript of FF May 2012