Knowing to being

Lao Tzu said, 'He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.' True spiritual growth does not come from gathering information but from deepening self-awareness. Vedas and Upanishads also urge us to move beyond intellectual understanding toward direct, inner experience. They do not ask for blind acceptance but encourage us to question, explore and realise the truth for ourselves.
The Brihadaranyak Upanishad affirms, 'Atma va are drastavyah srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah' - the Self must be seen, heard, reflected upon and meditated upon. This layered approach guides us from outer knowledge to inner realisation. Philosophers and sages have shared their wisdom through their own first-person experiences.
Ramana Maharshi echoed this approach through self-inquiry, gently asking, 'Who am I?' In this context, meditation is not merely silence or stillness but a mirror that helps us see ourselves. The Bhagwad Gita reminds us, 'One must elevate oneself by one's mind, for the mind can be the friend or the enemy of the self.' This inner journey is ours to undertake. No one else can do it for us. Questions arise not from doubt but from insight. What once felt like borrowed knowledge transforms into personal wisdom. At the core of this transformation lies a simple yet profound truth: consciousness is a fundamental source where all wisdom already exists. Through sincere reflection and contemplation, this awareness reveals what has been within.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Time of India

a day ago

• Time of India

Yog: The Art of Attention In A Distracted World

"Yog is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self" – Bhagwad Gita 6.20 On this , as yoga mats unfurl across continents and millions synchronise their breath to a timeless rhythm, let us pause and reflect—not merely on posture or flexibility—but on the inner posture of the mind, the quiet alignment of attention with the divine. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the sixth chapter of the Bhagwad Gita, Krishn elevates the discourse on yog from the external to the internal. He asserts that Karm Yog —performing one's worldly duties without attachment—is nobler than renunciation. But beyond all, the yogi who meditates with unwavering devotion to the Divine is supreme (6.47). This vision of yog is not escapism, but a precise alignment of our attention, energy, and time with spiritual realization. The Age of Scattered Attention Modern life is not short of stimulation, but it is starved of stillness. In an era of infinite scrolling, attention has become our rarest resource. And as the Gita proclaims, 'Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, not degrade yourself; for the mind is both friend and enemy' (6.5). This internal war—between the distracted and the disciplined mind—is where yog truly begins. Focus: The Spiritual Muscle often emphasised the role of disciplined attention as the core of spiritual training . He said, "The difference between an ordinary man and a great man lies in the degree of concentration." Yog is the ancient art of winning that battle. It is the practice of bringing the mind back—again and again—to the Divine, as described in Gita 6.26: 'Whenever the mind wanders... bring it back under control.' The Kundalini, the rising serpent, symbolizes this precise power—of awakening focus, of uncoiling our spiritual energy toward its highest possibility. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Attention as Enlightenment Modern psychology echoes these ancient truths. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in his seminal work, Flow , observes: "The best moments in life occur when a person's body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile." This is Yog: not relaxation, but immersion. Not escape, but engagement with our highest self. The Lamp That Does Not Flicker A mind trained in yog becomes like a flame in a windless place (6.19)—still, unwavering, full of light. It sees gold, dirt, and stone as equal (6.8), and beholds the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self (6.29). This is not poetic fantasy, but a lived transformation, attainable by persistent practice and joyful detachment. From Self-Help to Selflessness Real yog is not about helping ourselves—but transcending the self. The Gita teaches that the yogi lives in the world but is not of it. He works, sleeps, eats, and interacts in balance (6.17), free from the turbulence of likes and dislikes. He becomes a mirror, not a mask—a presence that reflects love, impartiality, and inner bliss. The Way Forward As we honour Yog on this day, let us honor not just its physical elegance, but its spiritual essence. Let us strive not just to stretch our limbs, but to still our minds, not just to master poses, but to master attention. In a world of noise, the yogi is the silence that sings. In the storm of desires, the yogi is the center that holds. And above all, in a civilization distracted by consumption, the yogi is a reminder that being is enough. Shivoham, Shivoham – I am He, I am He. Not the doer, not the doing, but the undying awareness behind all. Happy International Yoga Day. Authored by: Shambo Samrat Samajdar and Shashank R Joshi Why Arjun Was Chosen: The Untold Secret of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4, Verse 3

The Hindu

3 days ago

• The Hindu

The Divine Couple

Parasara Bhattar's Sri Guna Ratna Kosa is a work in praise of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Bhattar lists some qualities that are common to Lord Narayana and to Mahalakshmi, said T.A.K. Srinivasacharya in a discourse. Among these are power, might, effulgence, jnana, wealth etc. In addition to these, both share another feature. They are ever youthful and attractive. The qualities of One are reflected in the other and vice versa, like a mirror showing one's reflection. But the Goddess also has some special qualities. She is kinder in dealing with those who err. She is more forgiving. He is the colour of a rain bearing cloud. She has a golden hue. While He is young, She is even younger. They wear ornaments, which distinguish them, and which look most appropriate when they wear them. However, Bhattar sees the inappropriateness of comparing Her to anything in the world, for Her form is aprakrutha. Bhattar calls upon bhaktas to look at Goddess Ranganayaki of Srirangam. Her very posture indicates Her consideration for us. She also appears to be turning slightly towards Lord Ranganatha, in the manner of a mother pleading for forgiveness for Her children. Bhattar describes Ranganayaki. She is seated on a lotus, with Her right leg hanging down. The left leg is folded. The raised right hand shows abhaya mudra, to indicate that She offers us refuge and is our protector. Bhattar speaks of the glory of Ranganayaki's feet, and here He describes the Goddess who sits always on the Lord's chest. Her feet are placed on the Vedas, he says. Her feet, therefore, have the fragrance of the Vedas. Her feet are tender and fresh like lotus leaves. Her feet crush the garland of forest flowers that adorns His chest. Yet the flowers appear brighter and fresher because of contact with Her feet.

Economic Times

4 days ago

• Economic Times

Knowing to being

Lao Tzu said, 'He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.' True spiritual growth does not come from gathering information but from deepening self-awareness. Vedas and Upanishads also urge us to move beyond intellectual understanding toward direct, inner experience. They do not ask for blind acceptance but encourage us to question, explore and realise the truth for ourselves. The Brihadaranyak Upanishad affirms, 'Atma va are drastavyah srotavyo mantavyo nididhyasitavyah' - the Self must be seen, heard, reflected upon and meditated upon. This layered approach guides us from outer knowledge to inner realisation. Philosophers and sages have shared their wisdom through their own first-person experiences. Ramana Maharshi echoed this approach through self-inquiry, gently asking, 'Who am I?' In this context, meditation is not merely silence or stillness but a mirror that helps us see ourselves. The Bhagwad Gita reminds us, 'One must elevate oneself by one's mind, for the mind can be the friend or the enemy of the self.' This inner journey is ours to undertake. No one else can do it for us. Questions arise not from doubt but from insight. What once felt like borrowed knowledge transforms into personal wisdom. At the core of this transformation lies a simple yet profound truth: consciousness is a fundamental source where all wisdom already exists. Through sincere reflection and contemplation, this awareness reveals what has been within.