The Daily Sāttvik podcast shares wisdom and quotes from Indian sages and philosophers like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, and J. Krishnamurti, or from scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita. These timeless nuggets of wisdom are followed by a short, thoughtful, practical meditation on how you can apply the principles to your daily life for developing resilience and character, turning into a lifelong learner, finding happiness, and becoming a better version of yourself.
Sattva isn’t just about wearing light clothes and eating green vegetables and fruits. It’s about remaining focused, calm, and dignified in everything you do.
The lessons in these videos are an attempt to help you embark on a voyage of self-improvement to become a sāttvik. The wise will be your shepherds, and they will eventually turn you from a sheep into a lion.
True. In these modern times, many people believe being busy means being more productive. Neuroscientists have said a human brain isn't wired to multitask. But most jobs in the private / corporate sector celebrate multitasking, which actually makes us less focused and more stressful. The recent incident where a young lady CA in Pune employed with a reputed audit/accounting firm died from extreme stress at the workplace, is a case in point. We could avoid burnouts and stress by prioritizing our tasks by urgency & importance (and delegate when necessary / possible). Would recommend Cal Newport's book "Deep Work" for focusing on our top priorities in a highly distracting world.
Very true so much is being done by us which is selfish and get sucked in it. Desires are seeds, soon become never-ending weeds... Conscious actions, love and giving happiness give us peace . On a tangent it will save a lot of youngsters suffering Heart attack, even with all biological parameters clean. Let us try to make the other person win....Not Always, but yes Sometimes. I may lose yet I will win happiness . No stress Thx Vishal
So true, parallels in Bhagwad Gita first step is my antahkaran shuddhi ( excel first) then the Guru finds me. (Mentor finds me).I am not knowledgeable enough to find a Guru myself . Failure itself is success if I keep on trying. Thx Vishal
What sets the Noble beings apart is their ability to draw lessons from every natural phenomenon unfolding every nanosecond around us...which we usually assume irrelevant or useless. As you said, even a boiling milk or a falling raindrop can teach some of the most valuable lessons of our lives that even the most intelligent people in the world can't teach. One who discovers and understands this truth becomes a "Yogi". Ultimately, everything boils down to "the mind" capable of finding a coruscating gem hidden within a rugged rock... This reminds me the great words of Swamiji, when he was addressing International Parliament of Religion (1893) in Chicago,that Vedas(a Supreme knowledge) existed even before it was found by Rishis just like the Gravity existed before it was discovered by Newton. Hence, I think Vedas are not books of slogas or manuscripts as people often misunderstand. The real Veda is the supreme knowledge that resides in each and every objects we see,hear,smell,taste touch and feel. ThereforeA real Yogi has the ability to discover that divine knowledge hidden inside all the living and non-living things surrounding him/her. That is what we variously call Vedas, Bible, Quran or any sacred book or knowledge we worship and follow with some additions and omissions and using different names. The God speaks and manifests herself or himself through the nature. Through nature, we can communicate with the Supreme Reality, "Brahman" Nothing is irrelevant in this enormous universe. Everything is the manifestation of Brahman and a gangotri of supreme knowledge...This also shows that nothing is inferior or superior to the other. Therefore any artificial difference we human beings created out of our sheer ignorance in the name of religion,race,caste and so on can't be said or understood to be divine. The Vedanta therefore says all are equal, and the heirs of the Supreme being. When the humanity understands this the world will become a wonderful paradise. Is it right brother?😅
I haven’t studied the Vedas, though I intend to (the original Sanskrit verses). Yes, from what I’ve read, the Vedas predate our Gods like Ram and Krishna. It’s also that a lot of recent discoveries in science were actually mentioned in the Vedas millennia ago. But when it comes to their teaching, my knowledge is pretty shallow 😊
I am not Vedic scholar too😂 My understanding of Vedas came from the fabulous speech of Swami Vivekananda in Chicago,where he explained in detail what Vedas are and how they help one to come out of Maya to attain Moksha. As I had a Brahmin friend in my childhood, when we were living in a rent house ,owned by an orthodox Tamil Brahmin family in Tirunelveli ,TamilNadu. I asked him to teach some Vedic slokas .He taught me Narayanan Sukta,Vishnu sukta, Agni Sukta and Purusha Sukta from RigVeda and Mantra pushpam from Yajur Veda. During every festival time, I would chant those Vedic mantras during puja at my home. But if u ask me the meaning, I don't know.😂 Even the guy who taught me this could not also give the meaning as was only taught to memorize it in padashala. But, I'm more interested in Upanishads ,which we call Vedanta. They give fascinating philosophical explanation to Vedas. I'm also interested in the ancient Indian philosophies, like sakhya, vaishesika , nyaya etc. I know only some basic things about them which I learned through my history book I want to learn more after getting into Service❤
@@subramaniabharathi.m.s1721 that's a wonderful thought. I would recommend starting with reading the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. 9 volumes of simple yet powerful lessons. You can read what appeals to you and skip what doesn't, then come back to them at a later date.
True. The emptiness we experience in life is like the awkward silence during conversations, which we eagerly fill by talking constantly - just to avoid the silence. I guess emptiness stems from lack of a higher purpose in life, which would keep one motivated and engaged in meaningful activities. So yes, a higher purpose in life (not chasing material comforts) is necessary to lead a meaningful and fulfilling life, which prevents the emptiness mentioned in this clip. As Viktor Frankl said in his popular book "Man's search for meaning" if one has a higher purpose, any pain can be endured. He had one, so he didn't feel any emptiness or listlessness during his torturous stay at the Nazi camps.
Fine words to start the day with. From early childhood we are conditioned by those around us to conform to societal norms, and our formal education system makes it worse by rewarding rote-learning over critical thinking and questioning. I remember my teachers in school chiding me for asking questions, which is a sign of bad teaching practice. As we grow older we have to embrace the cycle of learning and unlearning following self-introspection about our beliefs and information acquired over time. Self-reflection helps avoid being dogmatic or fanatical. People who have achieved greatness were those who thought differently and were not blind conformists. Hence, we should make time for self-reflection daily by meditating preferably before bedtime. It also helps calm the mind. Journaling is an excellent way to self-reflect and self-improve. By evolving into better human beings we can inspire others to change too. This is more desirable and sustainable than forcing others to change thru coercion or compulsion. End of rant :)
Amazing brother. When it comes to climate action, many of us often nurture a thought that it is the duty of the government or we used to escape from our individual responsibility by saying one individual's actions are not sufficient to change this enormous world if others continue to do the same. But Mahatma Gandhiji says, be the change u want to see in the world. Those words are very real, if everybody realizes what they owe to the society and humanity at large and discharges their duty dedicatedly, the cumulative impact will be far more substantial than what one can imagine. One must start everything from within ,rather than searching for solutions outside. I remember in one of ur videos, you quoted Swamiji's words that all wisdoms are inside us, all one needs to do is to discover it. We can protect our beloved Mother Earth from the imminent disaster looming large in front of eyes in the form of climate change and various other calamities arising from them, once we realize this truth that individual actions are not "useless"...it reminds me of one of the beautiful poems of Mahakavi Sibramanya Bharathi , written in Tamil,where he said i saw a little spark, i put that near a shrub in the forest, the whole forest burned to ashes...let us be the little spark that illuminates ,if not sets ablaze, the whole world.
@@subramaniabharathi.m.s1721 that’s a great point. All we need to do is become more conscious. Think as little as needed, speak as little as needed, do as little as needed, and consume as little as needed. When we do, we will automatically start living in harmony with nature.
Congratulations brother as our channel's number of subscribers is nearing 1000...And I could also see while reading the comments of our subscribers, unlike other channels where in the comment box , people would indulge in inconsequential talks, frivolous ideological , political and communal squabbles..many of our channel's subscribers are people with pure heart, aspiring to acquire more wisdom , do something very big, determined to live a principled, disciplined and meaningful life. Their comments are very brilliant and wise..and the way you interact with them is also very fantastic...your channel now connects the people who are different from the others, not very much interested in the ostentations of the modern (western) lifestyle...but seeking knowledge and wisdom.. and keen to explore more about what our civilization teaches us.. ... Keep doing this service brother ❤ Hai Hind
Jai Hind brother. Your comments and encouragement have played a big role in keeping me going even when nothing was happening. 1000 or 10000 or 1 million are nice numbers. But our work (of people like you and me) transcends tangible metrics.
Humans are social beings, so emotions play a key part of our relationships. Hence, it's important to learn to manage our emotions, as emotions in themselves aren't good or bad. It's how they are expressed that makes the consequences good or bad for the person. Controlling emotions may lead to bottling them up and one fine day they blow up, which can cause more harm. It's a pity our schools and colleges don't teach about emotional intelligence, which is key to one's success in life. Studies show that people are genetically predisposed to being highly emotional (also tend to be highly empathetic) or emotionally sterile. But unlike classic intelligence (usually measured by academic excellence) emotional intelligence can be honed and enhanced with practice.
@@DailySattvik As I understand CI, it is something one is born with and is finite. Perhaps CI is also interpreted as aptitude or innate talent. One can hone one's CI by acquiring skills to express it better. E.g. a person having an aptitude for solving mathematical problems can hone it with further with advanced academic pursuits, and perhaps become a maths professor. One who doesn't have aptitude for maths simply can't do this. EI is very different and is an acquirable skill, though some are believed to be genetically predisposed to having a higher EI than others. We often see even babies or young kids display this in their interactions with people, both family members and strangers. Yet, those who start off with seemingly low EI can be trained to enhance it with people skills and exposure to wider interactions in diverse conditions. Hence, in recent decades / years, scientists believe that it's EI more than CI which determines one's success in life. Highly talented people with low EI tend to not realize their true potential, while those with moderate CI/talent can exceed their own expectations by leveraging on their EI (networking, socializing with the right people, etc.). I've known scores of people who've changed remarkably over the years after improving upon their social skills but almost none who's excelled in an area where they have had no aptitude. That's just my two bits :)
For once, I am not sure I agree with Mr. Vishal Kataria in this clip, particularly about people who become wealthy. I have far more respect and admiration for Jamsetji Tata who set up the Tata Group over a century ago, than I can ever have for the Adanis or Ambanis, who have accumulated far more wealth at much shorter time-frame. In real life too, I often come across many people who have much more than they deserve, mainly because they employed unethical or illegal means. I believe in what Shri Krishna says to Arjuna in the Bhagwad Gita, i.e. to do our karma as per our dharma, and not seek / lust after the fruits of our karma. We shouldn't get attracted to wealth or opulence (often ill-gotten) but to define a higher purpose in life and pursue it with ethical and fair means, and we shall get what we deserve, as per our efforts. End of rant :)
You raise salient points. But karma's "algorithm" is beyond our current understanding :) Also, we should see life as a journey of the soul, not of the body. Maybe in a previous birth, people did something good. Or maybe the good people exploited others in their previous birth, for which they are paying the price now. The possibilities are endless.
@@DailySattvik There are few who believe in the concept of karma / dharma (even among Hindus & Buddhists) and tend to say n do what's expedient, not what's morally right. Hence, most people lust after name n fame as they believe they deserve it as much as any popular celebrity. That's a wrong and undesirable outlook and is making everyone more n more materialistic, as that's what society at large seems to value, more than righteousness. Perhaps, I have digressed from the topic, but we should inculcate a mindset of ethical conduct to pursue and achieve our goals (because both means and ends need to be morally legitimate) in ourselves and those under our watch. The drastic fall in personal and public morality standards is the root cause of most of our strife around the world.
Fine words. We should seek to critique not criticize. Criticism tends to see things in a negative way, often to pull someone down, while to critique is to assess or analyze words or actions more objectively and dispassionately so one can get a more balanced perspective about what's said or done. I always welcome critiques of my words or actions, but mostly ignore criticisms as they tend to be biased. Self-introspection and revisiting our purpose and progress is necessary to lead a fulfilling life.
True. Haste makes waste, as someone rightly said. As I read somewhere, shortcuts are the quickest way to a place you weren't going. I liked Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" book n concept for it urges people to start asking why we should undertake a task (define purpose first). Helps avoid getting into a rut. As Viktor Frankl said in his popular book "Man's search for meaning" if one's 'why' (higher purpose in life) is powerful enough, it enables one to endure extreme challenges. and discover the 'how' to realize the 'why'. Persistence and consistency will always trump talent. End of rant :)
Good brother. However i have a slight disagreement on the point you made regarding the *inferior hands.* I could not understand what defines an inferior hand so far as our ithikasas are concerned. As a history student, I'm more interested in reading regional versions of Ramayana and unwritten but age old folklores related to it than reading the first version believed to be written by Valmiki. Because, if one listens to regional versions, you can find lots of variation s from the standard Ramayana we know. The stories would be more regional. But that doesn't make them inferior to the standard text since it contains more history than the standard text. Communities often connect their ancestral stories and histories with the great epics to legitimize that their story is true. They are told not through standard art forms like Bharatanatyam or carnatic Sangeetha. Rather through folk art forms as in Tamil nadu, we have Theru kuthu. Since these standard forms were denied to common people, they evolved their versions of epic, passed them on to the next generation in the artform they had, with new sub-stories being added at each stage. They speak of the historical evolution they underwent and the feelings and emotions of common man,telling their stories. Simply because they were not in sankrit and doesn't conform to the standard text,that will not make them inferior or a- historical. The truth is always imperfect and beyond stardardization. For instance, there are several folk lore songs in Tamil Nadu celebrating Ravana. These stories were woven from thr perspective of an illiterate peasant. But a standard text must have undergone various phases of corrections and omissions in order to show the heros bereft of sin and villains beteft of goodness. Therefore i disagree here. But so far as the present is concerned, if we hear a news , we must ensure that we hear from an informed voice, rather than from someone peddling propaganda with acute lack of understanding. Here we can apply this logic to this context. But i don't know whether it's applicable to check veracity of our epics as we're living in a country which has nearly not less than 300 versions of Ramayana. Just because Valmiki gave it literary form, he could not take the ownership of it as the epic itself shows it's not the work of one man but a generations of people preserving the stories and finally compiled and presented with some possible omissions and additions , little bit of exaggerations by a poet , possibly Valmiki or anyone before him. Because this story covers the whole Jumbudwipa(Bharat) , not just Gangetic plains of Northern part of Bharata... it's just an opinion...but overall the message is beautiful brother 🙏😊
You are right in saying that there are various versions to a story, Subramania. People depict in their form of art, which is fantastic... as long as they don't dilute the true essence. It's when we start creating fiction of our own that we start peddling harmful thoughts based on them - "Sita was made to stand inside a Lakshman rekha, but she disobeyed, so it's always a woman's fault." "Ram abandoned his wife so he is a chauvinist." "Draupadi was the reason for the Mahabharata war." This leads to misunderstanding of itihas that unifies our culture, and the result is visible in our current times. Likewise, when some news gets twisted by certain people with vested interest, it leads to things like violence, especially on the weak. You would not go to an inferior hand to prepare for IAS. Likewise, we should not reach out to inferior hands for any form of knowledge. (But someone who depicts a portion of our epics respectfully in their language or form of art is not an inferior hand.) Hope this helped... or maybe not haha. This is a topic that is too vast, too complex, to be sorted on text.
So true. One thumb rule I follow is to never learn about history or epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata from movies or mass-media, which tend to distort facts in the name of 'creative liberty'. We live in a era where everyone wants their name n fame, even if for a few minutes (social media being major culprit). Always good to refer to authentic sources of info, and use one's own judgement on what to / not to believe.
As the reknowned Nigerian novelist once said "until the lions find their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter". We have seen this in modern times, where India's own ancient & modern history was written by Marxist / Leftist historians (some call them distorians, for distorting history) peddling false narratives at the behest of certain vested interests. Likewise, most content on mainstream and social media is falsified to suit powerful vested interests, which is why they are rarely, if ever, unbiased. We individuals should always peruse content carefully and cross-verify from different primary sources to ascertain the real story or 'truth'. Another popular hoax is of the Aryan Invasion / Migration Theory. But then, we live in an era of "post truth". As Gautama Buddha said - "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
Very true. Genius/Talent + opportunity + hard-work = success. Having immense innate talent is of no use if it doesn't get the opportunity to express itself. Here, parents play a crucial role, as it's primarily their responsibility and duty to identify the innate talent in their kid, and then create opportunities to hone that talent. That gives the kid the best chance to lead a successful and fulfilling life. But far too often, parents try to like vicariously through their children by forcing them to do what they (parents) couldn't. It's worse when parents don't even ponder over the fact that their kid may not have the aptitude for achieving what they (parents) want them to achieve. The biggest tragedy in life is to not have realized one's full potential to lead a successful and fulfilling life. Of course, there are many highly self-motivated people who have achieved greatness, like our late President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. But most people are not so self-motivated and need the external push or motivation / encouragement to discover and realize their own potential. End of rant :)
Nice. We are indeed living in an ever-evolving world, with rapid changes in technology affecting our lives in seen and unseen ways. AI is a work in progress, yet threatens to disrupt our lives in unknown ways. So, perhaps the only way to adapt to this changing world is to learn and unlearn constantly.
It is not about purpose, it is about accepting the loneliness and emptiness at full. Rumi said it likewise: when there is pain and sorrow in your heart, stay there, because the wound is the place where the light enters you.
True. You are being conscious rather than sweeping the pain under the carpet, or rather than chasing people and possessions. A purpose is a form of consciousness-not just discovering my passion, but also discovering myself. And self-discovery was what Krishnamurti always advocated.
Very true. There's even a MOOC course on edX on "learning how to learn" taught by some Harvard Univ professor. As Prof Feynman said a good teacher is one who guides his / her pupil HOW to learn, not WHAT to learn. Sadly, our education system is almost entirely based on rote-learning (with teachers telling students WHAT to learn, which portions of syllabus to focus on and which one to omit, as they are unlikely to appear in exams). I've found from my own experience that there's a certain joy in the process of learning itself. The journey is as rewarding as the destination. Gautama Buddha once said not to believe what we read, not even what he says, but to apply our own intellect / wisdom on whether what we hear / read is factually or logically correct. This is pertinent in the case of history books we've learnt from for years, which were written by certain historians (distorians actually, who distorted history) motivated by vested interests. So, how to learn, what to learn, and how to question what we learn (and unlearn) are all important. End of rant :)
Yes, the lesson I learnt is failing is also a part of life's journey. Standing up and moving ahead with new Positivity, Practice, Patience and Perseverance gives the happiness of discovery... as the photographer....his smile was from his heart❤
Beautiful msg brother. Thanks for churning out these gems . Its only when you featured Swamy Vivekananda ji in your recent videos did i remember him again (guilty as charged) . Along with your videos, I again started thinking of his views and ideals which definitely encourages a person to face anything head-on . Have a blessed Vinayaka Chaturthi 😊
