Srimate Ramanujaya Namaha.
Namaskaram to all swamis,
Adiyen already heard from several upanyasams that to improve sathva gunam, we have to meditate on Perumal’s beautiful thirumeni, eat a sattvic diet, etc.
Adiyen request the members to kindly share all other methods to improve Sattva gunam, both internally and externally…
adiyen dasan.
Srimate Raamanujaya namaha,
Regulated schedule- sleeping, nitya anushtanam, working etc.( time and duration)
Regular hearing of scriptures
Regular reading of scriptures
Naama sankeerthanam or paarayanams
Saatvik food
Good association
Minimal browsing
Choosing a job according to one’s nature and capacity.
Adiyen
Sharvanan swamy namaskaram.
Thank you very much for giving adiyen this opportunity to compile the following based on Bhagavad Gita. It is helping me immensely.
If there are any errors and mistakes I request the members to kindly let me know. Thank you. adiyen dasan.
Sattvic aspirant
14.6-9:
Satvagunam enables one to apply proper discrimination and thereby follow the of sastram knowledge. We act based on what is good for our eternal life and not just what seems to be good in the immediate situation. In this sense it is illuminating and frees one from sin. In satvagunam, seeking knowledge gives one a sense of happiness
(in contrast, rajogunam makes one chase what seems to be good for immediate situation, motivated by desire for worldly things such as wealth, fame etc. In rajogunam, seeking recognition gives one sense of happiness. In tamogunam, one is completely lost in illusion; simply dreaming big things and not doing actually doing anything or doing damaging things gives a sense of happiness.)
14.11
In satvagunam, all 9 openings of the body are properly regulated in their respective function and are used properly for the actual purpose these devices are gifted.
14.9
A person quiet well matured in satva gunam can clearly see it ultimately it is the trigunams that are carrying our puppet show of the beings, and Perumal is completely free from the effect of trigunams.
14.22-25
A person in satva gunam practices EQUANIMITY in all walks of life. (I have shamelessly compressed all the beautiful qualities into just one word. Please take time to read these verses and practice each individual quality Perumal lists here. It is to very good to hear acharyas’ explanation on this section).
14.26
To be able to go beyond the effect of trigunams, one must practice avvyabhicarini bhakthi towards Lord Krishna.
17.4
Those in satvagunam or proactively cultivating satvagunam will worship God in the form prescribed by acharyas and sastram. (those in rajogunam or tamogunam worship the unworshippable. (Eg. There are some groups which do not worship god, but unfailingly ‘worship’ their ideological leader)
17.5 – 6
Those in satvagunam perform tapasya or vratam only as prescribed in sastram, for the purpose mentioned in sastram. They do not do this for show off or follow any such tapasya for non-sastram purposes.
17.7-8
Satvic aspirants eat sattvic food.
17.11-13
When performing sacrifices (yajnam), sattvic aspirants strictly follow the prescriptions of sastram as a matter of duty; they do not so for any personal gain or reward. Prasadam must be distributed as a part of the yajnam. The mantras must be recited properly. Yajnam must be carried out with sincerity and faith.The presiding person for the yajnam must be offered dakhina duly.
17.14-17
Sattvic tapasya includes duly worshipping the worshippable, cleanliness, celibacy, ahimsa, speaking truth, in a pleasing , non-offensive manner such that it is beneficial for the hearer and others, not unnecessarily disturbing their mind, in studying/reciting scriptures/ slokams / songs, practicing satisfaction of heart in all circumstances (without hankering or complain), living a simple life, being a deep person in one’s thoughts and speech (not doing anything frivolously ‘just for fun’ ‘just for the heck of it’.) All this is practiced out of faith in sastram and not expecting immediate apparent gains or showoff is satvam.
17.20
Sattvic way of giving daanam (charity) is giving out of sense of duty and not for show off, not expecting some return benefit. It must be given to proper person at proper time place and circumstances, and must be offered with due respect. Must not be given out of social compulsion. Must be done with the clear understanding that the qualified person who is accepting the danam is actually doing us a favor (by giving us an opportunity to follow sastram prescriptions and thus do our duty properly), and we are not doing them any favor by giving them the charity.
17.23
All the above must be carried out with proper remembrance of Perumal.
18.9
A sattvic aspirant does not whimsically relinquish his duties. He executes his duties sincerely without the contamination of the three attitudes: i) I am the doer ii) the result belongs to me iii) I will enjoy the results. He is clear that he is just an instrument in Perumals hands, the word and the result belongs to Perumal. He duly executes his prescribed without personal likes or dislikes.
18.20
A sattvic aspirant practices seeing everyone as a soul who is part of Perumal. Clearly understands no one is free from or independent of Perumal. (this is particularly useful when we have Smisunderstanding with others; we can practice seeing “what is the message Perumal is giving me through this event / person”, rather than thinking “this person is hurting me”.
18.23-26
Sattvic aspirants are regulated in their work. They don’t over-do something because they like it so much or procrastinate something because they don’t like. Whatever needs to be done is done in a regulated manner, without likes and dislikes, or the desire for the results/ gains or recognition that comes thereof. Actions are within sastric prescriptions.
18.30
When faced with the classical question “to do or not to do”, a sattvic practitioner applies proper discrimination based on sastram. He clearly knows what is to be feared and what is not to be feared (eg. when we are in a social gathering, should I fear eating not-prescribed food or should I fear facing the odd questions from others?); he clearly knows what leads to ultimate freedom and what leads to deeper bondage.
18.33
A sattvic aspirant practices strong determination in controlling his mind and senses, and do not let them wander; even if they wander he immediately brings them back to control (as prescribed in sastram) with firm determination. The determination is not weakened by temptations or fears.
18.37-38
In pursuing happiness, a sattvic aspirant looks for ‘what will lead to eternal happiness’ and not go for short term apparent happiness. Usually, sattvic happiness initially seems to be bitter but eventually turns out to be lasting sweetness. It is not pushed by the demands of the senses.
Some corrections (errata) and comments.
14.19
Please read “carrying our” as “carrying out”
14.22-25
‘practising these qualities’ does not mean practicing the external symptoms of such qualities. It actually means, to practise vivekam founded on sat-knowledge. Instead of sat-knowledge, if we apply vivekam based on what is good for the temporary situations, that is rajogunam, a nd we will manifest rajogunam qualities. If we do not apply any vivekam conduct ourselves against sat-knowledge in a destructive or lazy manner, that manifests tamogunam qualities.
The above explanation is conveyed through 14.26. By avvyabhicarini bhakthi to Lord Krishna, we evaluate based on what is good for Him and our relationship with Him. This proper vivekam is the right way to gain the qualities of equanimity listed in the verses 22-25.
17.11-13
Please read dakhina as dakshina
18.9
Please read “Perumals hands, the word and the result belongs to Perumal” as “Perumal’s hands, the work and the result belongs to Perumal”
18.20
Please read “Smisunderstanding” as “some misunderstanding”
Namaskaaram Kambandasan swami,
This was so beautiful to read. Thanks for the elaborate reply, swami. Adiyen will read this again and again so that adiyen can understand even more.
adiyen dasan.
Yes Shravanan of Swami’s Upanyasams
Kambandasan Swamy’s answers are like Suthrams (encoded & cryptic).
We need one more referential Bhashyam to understand it 🙂
Dasanudasan
