Sunandaji's discourses on Bhagwad Gita from Nov 30

PUNE: Human beings, of all the creatures in the world, are endowed with a faculty called intellect (buddhi). It is what equips you to think, reason, judge and analyse. The human mind/manas, on the other hand, is the sum total of all one's feelings, impulses, desires and wishes. The mind is like a child, which has to be directed and guided by the adult, which is the intellect.
"However, that does not happen: the mind has its way, and is the reason for us to act on impulse -- with far from positive consequences," says Sunandaji, noted Vedanta teacher and the daughter-disciple of Swami Parthasarthy, founder of the Vedanta Cultural Foundation.
Sunandaji's discourses on chapter 17 of the Bhagwad Gita will take place at the Nehru memorial hall, Pune Camp, between 6:30 pm and 7:45 pm, from November 30 to December 3. The essence of the lecture series pertains to consistency of purpose.
According to Sunandaji, the Vedanta is a science, as opposed to being a belief. "A belief is a matter of opinion; opinions may differ, however, facts remain the same. Just as a science develops on facts, so does Vedanta. How do you know it is a fact? Find out for yourself, and you will know. It is the only body of knowledge of its kind pertaining to the human personality; Vedanta is a subject that equips you to take on the challenges of life -- the ups and downs -- in much the same manner that a sportsman's training routine prepares him for the rough and tumble of the sports field."
"For a boat to sail in the sea, it has to have both -- an appropriate sail post and a deep keel. It is not enough for the sail post to be high; the keel has to be strong enough to sustain. Economic prosperity and political democracy are achievements which take care of the standard of living. But if we don't develop a set of basic values within us, this boat will capsize. If each one of us restricts himself/herself to "I, me, myself and my family" what will happen to the greater good? I quote my Guru and father here: "Let the family be the centre, not the boundary of your concern."
It has been noticed that increasingly younger people are turning to spirituality. Why is this so -- and is it desirable? "Perhaps because they see that external success takes care of only one aspect of life; not the rest. Wherever there is external success, people by their own admission, have lost something vital. And that something is called peace of mind. And it is a sound logic actually: you acquire the techniques of living in the initial stages of life, not the last. For what sense does it make to first live, and then learn to live life? I'd like to explain this with an anecdote: There was once this archer who was being felicitated for having achieved 80 per cent perfection in his technique. On the way to the venue, he noticed a series of concentric targets: All of them, without exception, had an arrow in the bulls-eye. Deeply impressed, he asked to meet the archer who had achieved this perfect score. "How do you do this?" the archer asked the fellow when they came face to face. "Will you teach me?"
"Sure", said the other. "The crucial difference between you and me is that you draw the target and then shoot; I shoot and then draw the target." "Thus, if you wish to know how to get the best out of yourself, start when young. It will give you time to practise and develop," she said.