Swamiji TV

Other links



Podcast details

Intellect

A spiritual discourse on the mind, happiness, and mental modifications (vṛttis).

"Whether you are happy or unhappy depends on you alone. Mano mātra jagata—the world is made of the mind."

"Any kind of thought or thinking that is against our spiritual path... those vṛttis will one day cause us trouble."

A speaker explains that personal happiness is determined by one's own mind and the quality of one's thoughts. Drawing on Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras, they describe how afflicted (kliṣṭa) vṛttis lead to suffering, while non-afflicted (akliṣṭa) ones support spiritual growth. The talk emphasizes the responsible use of human intellect and discernment (Viveka) to navigate sensory impressions and actions, concluding that individuals are solely responsible for their state of mind.

Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar

Whether you are happy or unhappy depends on you alone. Mano mātra jagata—the world is made of the mind. How you think is how you will feel. God has given humans a beautiful intellect, and this intellect is meant for our happiness. We should not abuse our intellect; we should only use it. If we abuse our intellect, it means we will behave unnaturally, going beyond human morals and ethical principles. Then, of course, there will be problems. Maharṣi Patañjali spoke extensively about vṛttis in his Yoga Sūtras. I believe the first and best psychologist, the father of psychology, is Maharṣi Patañjali. Patañjali spoke of kliṣṭa and akliṣṭa vṛttis. Kliṣṭa vṛttis are those which cause kliṣās—problems. Any kind of thought or thinking that is against our spiritual path, against the law, against ethics, against your spiritual sādhanā, or against the well-being of the whole world—those vṛttis will one day cause us trouble. Paramahaṁsa Yogānanda said that any vṛtti, meaning any thought that goes out from human consciousness, mind, or brain, will sooner or later return to the person, whether in this world or in the astral world. Therefore, humans have been given a beautiful and powerful tool: the intellect. God Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that before performing karma, you should know the form of the karma. It means you should not just act; you should know what you are doing. Then your Viveka (discernment) will tell you what kind of fruits your actions will bear. And then your very fine Viveka will tell you what not to do. There are four Karmendriyas (organs of action) and four Jñānendriyas (organs of perception). Through these jñāna-indriyas, whatever we receive from the outer world creates vṛttis. Śabda (sound), rūpa (form), rasa (taste), gandha (smell), and sparśa (touch)—these are the five indriyas. When you receive impressions from the external world, God gave you the intellect to use. Animals cannot use intellect in this way; they know by nature, and they do not act against it. Those animals God made vegetarian do not eat meat. In that sense, they are more clever than humans. But we humans abuse our intellect, and that is why troubles come. First come the vṛttis, then come the feelings. Then we act physically, and then it is too late. Whether you act physically or mentally, those kliṣṭa vṛttis will create kleśas (afflictions). Akliṣṭa vṛttis, on the other hand, are those which support us to protect and develop ourselves. Therefore, if you are happy or unhappy, that depends on you. There is no one to blame—neither God, nor your parents, nor your friends, nor your master. It is only and only you, and how you think. It is nice to see you, and we will have a nice weekend together. Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

Email Notifications

You are welcome to subscribe to the Swamiji.tv Live Webcast announcements.

Contact Us

If you have any comments or technical problems with swamiji.tv website, please send us an email.

Download App

YouTube Channel