Chinmaya Mission - Gita, Upanishads and Ancient Knowledge

What is the result of gaining knowledge of the Self? That person experiences abiding, everlasting bliss. Regularly, we get what we want and we experience some short term peace. Yet the peace and blis…

How to explain the nature of this Atmatattva (essential nature of the Self)? Swami Tejomayananda gives a number of vivid examples to remind us that this Atman is everywhere. It is not energy, it is c…

Nachiketa wanted to hear more. What happens after death? The body becomes one with the elements yet what happens to the jiva? With self effort, we can impact this jiva’s journey. Kathopanishad points…

How do we know that the Self is separate from the body? Kathopanishad clarifies that man does not live purely because he breathes. Instead, Swami Tejomayananda elaborates on what causes bodies to fun…

Why do I continue to feel bound if this Atman (the Self) is liberated? Even though the Atman is free, since I do not know it, I feel I am bound. However a precious thing you may have, the joy is only…

Kathopanishad shares that the same consciousness that is there today will be there tomorrow. This consciousness does not change and is one and the same everywhere. Yet, we are unable to see this onen…

There is an actor in a play. The actor knows he is playing a role. If he starts to identify fully with the role he is playing, he will lose sight of who he really is. Similarly, Swami Tejomayananda r…

Kathopanishad shares that there are two types of people; one is action oriented and one is knowledge oriented. For example, in the spiritual field, there are those who are interested in rituals and t…

Swami Tejomayananda reminds us of one of the most powerful outcomes of understanding this Truth; we become fearless. As long as one identifies with the body, mind and intellect, one remains in fear o…

Can an inert object know another inert object? Can the body, senses or mind know themselves? Kathopanishad sheds light on the true Knower. The Chaitanya which is unborn and imperishable, that alone i…

What are the obstacles to gaining this knowledge? Through our senses, we see only the outside world and not our true selves. Our mind continues to become more and more extroverted. Yet, one can overc…

In this talk Swami Tejomayananda reflects back on what Nachiketa has learnt from Lord Death to date. Through listening, reflection and meditation on this knowledge, the one who realises that Brahman …

Swami Tejomayananda reiterates the urgency of this quest, reminding us not to waste our time. Every moment is an opportunity to turn towards Self knowledge. This knowledge will take us beyond pairs o…

How often should we meditate? Twenty four hours a day! How do we achieve this practice of constant meditation? This talk expounds on practical meditation; how do we do this? How do we withdraw our at…

Although the Upanishads, logic and the Guru all say you are the Self, we can't accept this. And although no one tells us we are the body we readily accept we are the body. This is the power of Maya! …

How do we move from the subtle to the subtlest? Our physical body first appears in subtle form but before that it exists in unmanifest form, just like a tree is in unmanifest form in a seed, and butt…

Swami Tejomayananda dives into the Kathopanishad as it highlights That which is higher, subtler, more pervasive and most intimate. Subtlety is measured by the greater pervasiveness of one factor over…

The human body is the gateway to liberation making it our greatest asset. We unfortunately turn it into our greatest liability! Identifying with the body, mind, senses and intellect, we mistake our t…

Kathopanishad uses the metaphor of the chariot to explain our relationship with the True Self. For this inner journey, our chariot is the body, in which the in-dwelling 'jiva' is the master, intellec…

Shadow has no independent existence of its own. It exists only with reference to the light. Using this analogy, Kathopanishad elaborates how the jiva (the false ‘I’ ego) is the shadow and Paramata (t…