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  • [English] Why is telling the facts not the same as speaking the truth?

    [English] Why is telling the facts not the same as speaking the truth?
    2026/10/02
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] You might have overlooked this subtle distinction. But failing to recognize it can lead to long-term consequences. The noise of the modern information age has blurred this difference, and unknowingly we fall prey to misinformation.In our daily lives, we often focus on facts. We tend to assume that if a statement correlates with measurable, empirical data, it must be true. However, this is not always the case. Facts and truth have significant differences. One is cold data, while the other is a living entity with far-reaching consequences. Let me give you an example. Imagine a brilliant scientist discovers a specific chemical compound that successfully inhibits a virus in a controlled petri dish. That is a fact verified by scientific methodology.But now imagine the same scientist goes on national television to tell a panicked public that this compound is an instant cure for a complex disease confronting humanity. His discovery may have great potential, but he has yet to confirm it through wide-scale empirical studies.This scientist is using a fact to support a massive lie. He is driven by a hidden desire for personal fame or corporate wealth. His spoken word grossly exaggerates reality; his deed completely bypasses public safety concerns.We often face this terrifying reality on our social media feeds every day. A person can recite absolute unassailable facts and still be guilty of profound malicious dishonesty.So, it is not sufficient to just go by the facts. Cold facts need to be backed with good intention and delivered with utter responsibility. That is when a cold fact becomes a living truth or Satya as ancient Indian philosophers called it.We find the most rigorous definition of Satya in Vyasa's commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Vyasa did not view Satya as a passive fact. He defined Satya through a strict, unyielding law of three-way consistency.Let us listen closely to the core understanding of his view on Satya as proclaimed through this Sanskrit verse:"yathārthe vāṅ-manase; yathā dṛṣṭaṁ yathā'numitaṁ yathā śrutaṁ tathā vāṅ-manase."— Yoga Sutra – Saadhana Paada, Sutra 30 – Vyasa's commentary.Translated simply, this means that "what you say should correspond exactly to what your mind thinks; the reality as it was directly seen, or logically inferred, or heard from a reliable source." That sounds like a standard for consistency, doesn't it?But Vyasa does not stop at mere mechanical consistency.He immediately adds a second ethical filter: "speech must be uttered not to deceive but for the absolute welfare of all living beings."Vyasa moves on to state that "if speech causes unnecessary harm, cruelty, or suffering to creatures, even if it is 100% factually accurate, it is not considered as Satya.It is, in reality, a sinful act." This is a highly sophisticated form of speech called Asatya, which is the Sanskrit word for untruth or falsehood.Asatya leads to deep spiritual degradation.Satya is a living, breathing, structural concept.It demands an absolute, beautiful harmony between three distinct pillars of your existence: your underlying thought, your spoken word, and your physical deed.If any one of these pillars bends, the structure of truth collapses.A well-known narrative in the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata captures this distinction beautifully.Dronacharya was the indomitable commander of the opposing army in the Mahabharata.He was slaughtering the forces of the heroes and was completely unstoppable.The only way to defeat him was to break his spirit, and the only way to do that was to make him believe that his beloved son, Ashwatthama, had been killed in battle.To achieve this, one of the heroes on the defending side slayed a massive war elephant named Ashwatthama.Then they approached the commander with the news.But Dronacharya, knowing the deceptive nature of war, refused to believe anyone except Yudhishtira,—a king renowned across the cosmos for his absolute, unblemished commitment to truth.Dronacharya asked him directly:"Is my son Ashwatthama dead?"Yudhishthira replied with literal, factual words:"Ashwatthama is dead."And then, in a soft whisper, he added:"…the elephant."Factually—Yudhishthira did not speak a single falsehood.An animal named Ashwatthama was indeed dead.The statement correlated perfectly with an event on the battlefield.But according to the definition of Satya, Yudhishtira committed a profound, monumental lie.Why?Because his internal alignment was broken.His thought was driven by a desire to deceive the commander; his word was structured to mislead him; and his deed resulted in an absolute collapse of trust.It caused a father to drop his weapons and meet his violent demise.The three-way consistency was shattered.The fact was accurate, but the intention was not.So, it was not Satya; it was Asatya.It is no coincidence that the epic records that at that exact moment, Yudhishtira's ...
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  • [English] The Mystery of 'Da': A Lesson for Life Hidden in the Sound of Thunder!

    [English] The Mystery of 'Da': A Lesson for Life Hidden in the Sound of Thunder!
    2026/08/28
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] Did you hear that sound?Yes, you guessed it right. It is the sound of thunder roaring across the sky. But that thunder is not merely making a sound; it is saying something!You may think that I am saying something foolish or strange. But certainly not. If we pay close attention to what the 'Brihadaranyaka Upanishad', one of the ancient scriptures of India, says, we can understand that a profound message lies hidden behind that sound of nature.So, what does that Upanishad tell us? It begins with a beautiful little story. Although this story may sound quite humorous, its deeper meaning is extremely profound and makes everyone think.According to the story, once, three beings went to God in search of knowledge and guidance. One of the three was a human being, another was a divine being, and the third was a demon. These three beings, each with a different nature, prayed to God to guide them.First, the human being stood before God and said,"Lord, what should I follow in my life? Give me a teaching."In response, God uttered just a single syllable:Then God looked at him and asked:"Did you understand what I told you?"To tell the truth, the human being could not immediately grasp the complete meaning of that one syllable. Nevertheless, with his pride and self-confidence, he said:"Yes, Lord, I certainly understood. You are telling me that I should follow a principle that begins with the syllable 'Da'. Here, 'Da' means 'Daana', or charity. Giving to others what we have. So, you are teaching me that I should practise charity and generosity in my life, aren't you?"God smiled and said:"Yes, you have understood it correctly."There is something we should notice here. Human beings are naturally very miserly. There is no end to their greed. No matter how much they acquire, they keep accumulating wealth, believing that it is never enough. They are never readily willing to share the wealth they possess with others or to give generously to those in need. Based on this weakness in human nature, the human being understood God's teaching as an instruction to practise generosity and give freely.Next, the divine being came to God and said,"Lord, give me a teaching that will light the way for my life."God gave the divine being the same syllable:Once again, God asked:"Did you understand its meaning?"The divine being too did not immediately understand its true meaning. Nevertheless, with confidence, it said:"Yes, Lord, I understood. You are telling me to follow the syllable 'Da'. Here, 'Da' means 'Dama'. Dama means control of the senses, that is, keeping our desires under control. So, you are telling me that I should exercise control over the pleasures of my senses."God smiled and said:"Yes, you have understood it correctly".Because divine beings are always immersed in a life of pleasures and luxuries. They have no control over the desires of their senses. Therefore, they understood God's single-syllable teaching, 'Da', as a warning directed at their undisciplined nature. They accepted it as advice to keep the mind under control and lead a disciplined life.Finally, the demon went to God and prayed:"Lord, give me a teaching too."God gave him the same syllable:Once again, God asked:"Did you understand what I told you?"The demon too had not understood it completely. Nevertheless, he confidently said:"Yes, Lord, I understood. You are telling me that I should follow the rule of 'Da'. Here, 'Da' means 'Daya', that is, showing compassion. So, you are telling me that I should not be cruel towards others, but should treat them with compassion."God smiled and said:"Yes, you have understood it correctly."As we all know, demons are naturally very cruel and violent. They have no kindness or compassion, and they can behave extremely ruthlessly towards others. That is why they understood God's teaching as a restraint placed upon their cruelty towards others. They regarded it as a message to abandon anger and live with greater tolerance and love.The Upanishad concludes this humorous story in this manner. — This is also the very message that the thunder roaring in the sky continues to remind us of even today. Yes, when the clouds thunder, they make the sound 'Da, Da, Da' — meaning 'Daya, Dama, Daana' — the path of compassion, control of the senses, and charity.This is exactly what the verse from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says:"Tat etat eva, eshaa daivee vaak anuvada-ti stanayitnuh – da da da iti – daamyata datta dayadhvam iti"– Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.2.3.Now, think for a moment about the situation we human beings find ourselves in today. Along with our own human qualities, we also have within us the pleasure-seeking qualities of the divine beings and the cruel qualities of the demons. Therefore, these three teachings given by God then are extremely relevant to the entire human race even today.It is not enough for us merely to survive; we must be compassionate and ...
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  • [English] The Ultimate Surprise of Self-Realization.

    [English] The Ultimate Surprise of Self-Realization.
    2026/09/04
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] Today, we are diving deep into the ultimate goal of meditation: self-realization. The ancient texts tell us that when you finally reach ultimate truth, there is a massive surprise waiting for you. But to understand it, we have to solve an ancient riddle from the Ishavasya Upanishad about a dazzling golden lid and a hidden pot. Let's get right into it, and see if you can guess what's inside before the lid gets lifted…What is Self-Realization?When we talk about deep meditation, we often talk about ultimate realization. That is what we aim for. It is what we toil for all along. And finally, when we attain it, there is a surprise!What is that surprise? The surprise is that what we were searching for all along is nothing but ourselves! We were always imagining that we are something else. But when we stand face-to-face with the truth, we realize who we really are.What prevents us from knowing ourselves? There are so many things that blind our vision and prevent us from seeing reality. We need to first clear away everything that blocks our vision. That is when the truth will reveal itself.There is a beautiful imagery that explains this exact idea in one of the Upanishads—namely, the Ishavasya Upanishad.It talks about a golden disk that covers the pot holding the truth. This disk is so bright that the rays emanating from it almost dazzle our vision. Before we can see what is inside the pot, we need to first lift this lid.HiraNmayEna paatrENa satyasya apihitam mukhamtat tvam pooshan apaavrNu satyadharmaaya drShtayE.Who has covered this pot?He is the one who nourishes everyone, the one who governs this entire world. He is the one who has covered the pot with a dazzling golden disk. So, only he can lift the lid.For whom can that lid be opened?Only for the true seeker. Only for the one who has an intense desire to know the truth.It is not going to be an easy task. The dazzling rays almost blind you. You need to wade through those blinding rays. Only then can the lid be lifted.What do you see in the pot when the lid is lifted?Nothing but you yourself—your true identity!But there is an additional surprise!When you look inside the open pot, you find that it was you who actually had kept the pot closed!yat tE roopam kalyaaNatamam tat tE pashyaamiyah asau puruShah sah aham asmi.— Ishavasya Upanishad 15-16.Unless you know the background in which the Upanishad says all this, it is very difficult to understand this puzzle. The Upanishads sometimes speak in riddles.Just recapitulate what it is saying:• It is talking about a truth. And this truth is concealed by a dazzling golden enclosure.• The one who has covered this truth is none other than the one who controls this entire world, who nourishes the entire world. And only he can disclose this truth by withdrawing this enclosure.• And what is that hidden truth? The hidden truth is that what you always thought of as "you", is not really you. You are something most auspicious.• A further startling truth is that it is you who is actually concealing that truth!Probably, that confuses you totally. Doesn't it?Let me give you some background that clears up the mystery.Unlike religious texts, the Upanishads don't talk about a God who created this world. There is no creation at all. Instead, they say:"In the beginning, there was Sath and only Sath and nothing else. This Sath decided to be many."satEva sOmya idam agra aaseet ekam Eva adviteeyakam…tadaikshatah bahu syaam prajaayEya iti….Sath replicated itself as many material elements. These material elements combined with each other and formed physical bodies. Then, Sath replicated itself as infinitely many individual souls and entered these bodies.sa iyam dEvataa aikshata hanta aham imaah tisra dEvataa anEna jeevEna Atmanaa anupravishya naama roopE vyaakaravaaNiNow, the drama starts.Each form of Sath is a combination of a physical body and an individual soul. The physical body imposed a limit on the individual soul through the mind, which is part of the body. This limit was not something imposed by an external agency, but by Sath itself, which resides in the body as the individual soul.It is like an actor playing a role in a drama. The actor is not under any real permanent limit. He limits himself simply by the role he plays and the script of the drama. As long as the actor does not get carried away by his role, he is free.But sometimes, the actor gets so involved that he transgresses the role defined by the script. That is when the trouble starts. He totally forgets who he really is, nor does he know the role he is supposed to be playing.Similarly, we as humans—who are the individual souls residing in a physical body—get carried away by the lures of the body and transgress the limits of the role we are supposed to play. We start identifying with the body, and we dance to the tunes of the mind. And that is when we suffer.Once we free ourselves ...
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  • [English] The Single God Myth - Why Are Our Definitions of Faith Shortsighted?

    [English] The Single God Myth - Why Are Our Definitions of Faith Shortsighted?
    2026/09/11
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] Why do we so readily assume that belief in a single God or otherwise, sets us apart from others? We often come across people who proudly declare their faith in a single God. This hints at a complex history of religious beliefs and the often overlooked similarities between them. Could it be that the idea of monotheism is not as unique as we think?During one of my early morning walks in a remote Indian village, I came across an elderly gentleman. His wrinkled face betrayed his age as he greeted me with a smile and introduced himself as a retired banker.He proudly declared that he belonged to a faith that believed in a single God!This meant he was a Muslim. There was a hint of superiority suggesting he considered himself different from 'others' who believed in many gods. And this others likely meant the Hindus in that locality who worshiped countless deities.But this distinction is a myth. No matter what Hindus do today or why they do it, monotheism was the basic tenet of even the Vedic religion from which current Hinduism emerged. The 'gods' in the Vedas are not really gods but divine beings — gods with a small 'g', as one Swami often puts it. They are not the God.One historian traces the 'origin' of this single-all-powerful God to ancient Mazdaism, which emerged somewhere in central Asia. This religion believed in Ahura Mazda, the creator of the world, and an anti-God named Angra Mainyu, who fought with Ahura Mazda but was ultimately defeated by him.According to this historian, Judaism stemmed from this ancient Mazdaism, with Ahura Mazda taking the name Yahve, and Angra Mainyu becoming Satan. Unlike Angra Mainyu, Satan is not all-powerful; he is merely a problem-creator who misleads humans.This Yahve of Judaism later became Allah in Islam, as the Quran states that Allah is none other than Yahve. And Satan became the cursed angel or jinn called Saytan.In between, there was an offshoot of Judaism: Christianity. Its originator, Jesus, was a Jew, so Christianity also believed in monotheism.However, this historian did not explore beyond Mazdaism.Mazdaism had much in common with the Indian Vedic religion, including many gods, (gods with small 'g'), - ritual practices, caste divisions, and mythology. But what is important to note is that monotheism was an underlying current even in the Vedic religion. The similarity of thoughts between these religions is striking, making it immature and uninformed to categorize humanity into monotheistic and polytheistic faiths.So, saying 'we believe in a single God' does not convey much, and is superfluous. What matters more is how this God is perceived and understood.On one hand, we have the almost formless God of Abrahamic faiths: a God who often remains invisible but has many human-like qualities. In Quran, there is a verse about this God as:"God created you; He nourishes you; and to Him you will return.""Allaahul-lazee khalaqakum sum-ma razaqakum sum-ma yumeetukum sum-ma yuhyeekum; hal min shurakaaa'ikum mai-yaf'alu min zaalikum min shai'; Subhaanahoo wa Ta'aalaa 'ammaa yushrikoon."– Quran, Soorah Ar-Rum 30:40This God speaks, shows emotions, loves, hates, jealously protects His herd, expects total submission, tests, rewards, and punishes — just like any human master would with his subordinates. This is the God of Mazdaism as well as Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.On the other hand, the Vedic religion's God is an abstract concept. This God rarely interacts with humans and does not demand complete surrender from them. He is formless and inconceivable, incapable of being expressed in words. This God is often called Satt or Atma or Brahma—adjectives that try to elaborate some of its aspects rather than a name.This is the God talked about by the Upanishads, the concluding parts of the Vedas. You can call it 'The God of the Upanishads' if you wish; this is not the god talked about in the ritual parts of the Vedas.But from another perspective, this Vedic mantra declares:"Whether it is Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni or even the golden-winged Garutman, all of them are nothing but Satt. The same Satt is referred to variously as Agni, Yama, or Maatarisva by Vipras—the people who perform Vedic rituals.""Indraṁ mitraṁ varuṇam agnim āhur, atho divyaḥ sa suparṇo garutmān;Ekam satt viprā bahudhā vadanti, agniṁ yamaṁ mātariśvānam āhuḥ."—Rigveda 1:164:46Indra, Varuna, Yama, and so on were the deities worshiped through fire rituals. As I mentioned earlier, these deities are divine beings, not the God.But this mantra seems to say just the opposite. It says that all those deities are the same as Satt or the God of the Vedic religion. The same God is talked about variously as many gods by Vipras,—the people who perform Vedic rituals.You may be surprised to know that even the 5000-year-old Vedas give the same definition for God as other religions.The Upanishads say:"...
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  • [English] Audio Book – Let us know Yoga better.

    [English] Audio Book – Let us know Yoga better.
    2026/09/18
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] You are listening to the audiobook, "Let us know Yoga better", published by divine voice publications. This is the first part of the series, "The Complete Science of Yoga". The original English book is, "The ultimate book on Yoga : All that you want to know about Yoga". Authors – Dr. King and Swami Satyapriya.Yoga: Is it merely physical exercise, or is it a science that goes beyond that? In today's fast-paced life, peace of mind is becoming an illusion. But the answer lies within us. This book series introduces a fascinating link between the ancient tradition of yoga and modern neuroscience.How can yoga postures change not only our body, but also the way our brain functions? How can we reduce mental stress through meditation and explore the experience of bliss? This book series, "The Complete Science of Yoga", is an attempt to examine the three-thousand-year-old path of yoga against the touchstone of modern science and explain it in simple terms.This is a comprehensive guide to improving the quality of your life, increasing concentration, and exploring the mysteries of the mind.The major attractions of this series are:• Scientific perspective: An analysis of the relationship between yoga and the brain.• Practical steps: Simple ways to practise meditation and improve concentration.• Historical background: The three-thousand-year journey through which yoga has evolved.There are nine books in this series. They are:Part 1. Let us know Yoga better.: The present book.Part 2. The Science of the Brain That Helps Us Understand Yoga.Part 3. How to Reduce Mental Stress?Part 4. How Do Yoga Postures Improve Health?Part 5. How to Sharpen Concentration?Part 6. How to Meditate?Part 7. What Happens When We Meditate?Part 8. Is There a Mind Beyond Our Brain?Part 9. What Is the Ultimate Goal of Yoga?Come, let us understand yoga correctly.......These days, it is rare to find someone who does not know what yoga is. Almost everyone naturally agrees that yoga is highly beneficial. Many yoga gurus have also written books about yoga. Some of them have become very popular.But if we look a little more closely, most of these books talk only about the particular 'forms of yoga' promoted by those gurus. In addition, most of these books explain yoga from a prescriptive point of view. Yoga is portrayed as a belief system, like a religion or other belief-based practices.For example, when these books talk about postures or breathing exercises, they certainly mention their health benefits. But it is rare for them to logically explain how those practices produce the claimed results. Very little practical evidence is provided in support of their claims.Some gurus overwhelm readers with exaggeration, throwing together numerous ideas and viewpoints that contradict one another, without explaining them. They use terms such as cosmic energy, superconsciousness, transcendental awareness, and so on. But what these terms actually mean is rarely explained or defined.Using modern medical terminology or vague analogies related to theories of quantum physics, these gurus attempt to give a scientific façade to their mysterious theories.This kind of explanation of yoga creates two major problems. The first is that, without clearly understanding the basic mechanisms behind yoga, it is difficult to derive its full benefit. The second is that a system that is not properly understood becomes distorted over time and loses its significance.What we need is a system of yoga with clearly defined and sound principles. A system that can, as far as possible, be tested objectively. A system that produces reliable and predictable results.Does the yoga we see today meet these standards?For most people, yoga means a body-centred practice involving certain postures or breathing exercises. The usual purpose of such people is to maintain physical health and fitness.Health and physical fitness are certainly important. But yoga is not limited to that.Yoga has a wide range of applications, beginning with general improvement of health and extending to stress reduction, increased concentration of the mind, development of mental abilities, the experience of inexplicable bliss, ultimate realization, and finally, the creation of a more peaceful and livable world.But some of these are not the actual goals of yoga. They are merely by-products that naturally arise when yoga is practised sincerely. We will see this later.Yoga has a long history extending over thousands of years. Over time, yoga has undergone many changes and taken on many new forms. What is presented as yoga today is only a condensed version of the vast tradition of yoga.So, what is true yoga?Patanjali, who is widely accepted as the originator of yoga, defines yoga as follows:"Yogah chitta vritti nirodha".Yoga means controlling the activities of the mind.– Yoga Sutra 1.2.That is, yoga is about bringing the mind into a completely peaceful state. ...
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  • [English] Meditation – a Science or merely a faith-based practice?

    [English] Meditation – a Science or merely a faith-based practice?
    2026/08/22
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] When I was a little boy, I regularly practiced something without knowing exactly what it was. The final experience that came from that practice drew me toward it, and I continued doing it for a long time.It was only after I grew up and was exposed to many things that I understood that what I had been doing was a form of meditation, and that experience which had drawn me toward it was what is called 'Samadhi'. You can meditate by reading some book or by undergoing meditation training. You may also have several experiences. But, sometimes, you encounter certain questions – "Was this experience inspired by some belief, or was it the natural consequence of a particular practice? Is it possible for someone who has no formal understanding of meditation to have a similar experience? Is the experience of meditation the result of ideas that you have created and imposed upon yourself? Or is it independent of all of these?" and so on.Looking at my childhood experience, it becomes clear that it was independent of any belief or mental background. At that time, I was completely innocent, free from prejudice, and completely ignorant about meditation.Therefore, whatever a person's mental background may be, I feel that this happens naturally to anyone who practices this.What exactly is meditation?Today we see many forms of meditation. But here, I would like to limit myself only to what is described in ancient Indian texts such as the Upanishads, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, or the Buddhist Tipitaka.Meditation is a way of gradually calming the mind and reaching a state of complete tranquility. The state that one enters at the culmination of that tranquility is called 'Samadhi'.The Upanishads, such as the Mandukya Upanishad, describe that final state as follows:"It is a state in which there is neither awareness of external events nor internal mental activity such as thoughts and dreams. That does not mean that it is an unconscious, inert state. There is perception, but that perception is beyond the affairs of the worldly realm. It is the perception of ultimate reality."The Buddhist Tipitakas also describe this as "a process of progressively narrowing mental attention until one reaches a state in which there is neither perception nor non-perception." On the surface, this may seem somewhat contradictory. But they are referring to a state that is beyond the scope of worldly perception, which they call 'lokuttara'. The Tipitakas speak about several milestones encountered on this journey, which are called 'jhaanaas'.Patanjali also speaks about a similar process, in which the mind is focused on an object for a prolonged period of time. Patanjali speaks about four stages that one passes through before reaching the final Samadhi, or the state of complete tranquility. At each of these stages, mental activities gradually decrease and eventually become almost zero.What happens after passing through these stages?The Upanishads speak about a final realization of becoming one with the whole of existence. They say that the diversity we normally perceive is a creation of the mind, and that there is only one unified existence.The Tipitakas avoid speaking about this final state because it is beyond the worldly realm and beyond words. The ultimate goal of the Tipitakas is to emerge from the mental games that give us a mistaken conception of reality.Patanjali too speaks about becoming free from the delusion created by mental activities. This freedom enables one to see things as they really are.All of this fits neatly into one important concept:"The perception of diversity is a creation of the mind, and when the mind becomes completely peaceful, a unified perspective emerges."What does science say about this process of meditation and its final state? Is this entirely a phenomenon of the brain? Through meditation, are you pushing your brain into a stage where it begins to function in a completely different way?Before we arrive at any such conclusion, let us understand exactly what happens at the different stages of meditation.Buddhist meditation practices impose strict rules of conduct even before one begins meditation. This is called the Eightfold Path; Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Concentration, and Right Samadhi. The first six of these rules prepare a person mentally for the journey ahead.The ten components of Patanjali's Yamas and Niyamas correspond, for the most part, to these six rules.In neurological terms, these six rules help reduce the excessive neuronal agitation or the sequence of surges in brain activity that occur in an uncontrolled brain. This is often regarded as the main benefit of meditation, namely stress relief. But this alone is not sufficient to reach the final state of a completely tranquil mind.To reach that stage, one must have the ability to continuously narrow one's attention. The Buddhists ...
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  • [English] Do not Miss This Golden Opportunity!

    [English] Do not Miss This Golden Opportunity!
    2026/08/15
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] In the previous episode, we discussed that the ancient Indians were not completely opposed to the enjoyment of pleasures. What they said was only that pleasures should be enjoyed with restraint. What they prohibited was licentiousness that could harm the individual as well as cause problems for society.So, couldn't a person simply keep taking one birth after another? One could go on experiencing the world and living one's life, and that too in a good, disciplined manner. If that is so, why should one worry about the realization of the ultimate truth and liberation?Yes, at least in theory, this is possible. But does everything really happen that way? Rebirth is a strong belief found in most religions of the East. Today, the major religions of the world, Christianity and Islam, do not accept rebirth. But it is probably true that, in the ancient world, almost all religions widely accepted the idea of rebirth.Who could have greater authority to speak about rebirth than the Lord of Death himself? In an ancient Indian text, the Katha Upanishad, the Lord of Death himself speaks extensively about this subject.Today's talk is based on this Upanishad.The Upanishad says that when you become engrossed in sensual pleasures, there is a possibility that you may fall into an inescapable trap. You may not always be able to protect yourself from it. You may get caught in a whirlpool of uncontrolled enjoyment and completely lose your way.So what if one has lost one's way? There will always be another birth in which one can correct one's mistakes, won't there?Unfortunately, it is not that simple.There is no guarantee that you will be born as a human being again. For example, if you are reborn as an animal, an insect, or a plant, you may not have the intellectual maturity in that birth to correct your mistakes. In such forms, you are driven merely by instincts. Those instincts ensure your survival, but not your further evolution.Can't one be reborn as an even higher form of life?That is possible too. Depending on your accumulated karma, you may be reborn as a being in the realm of the ancestors, as a deity in heaven, or even as a fully evolved being in Brahmaloka.But the Upanishad makes some interesting observations here. It says:If you are born in the realm of the ancestors, you get only a vague glimpse of the ultimate truth. It is like seeing something in a dream. The reason is that these departed beings have such a deep attachment to their previous life that they are unable to free themselves completely.Even if you are born as a deity, your vision of the ultimate truth is like seeing your reflection in water. You get a glimpse of it. But the reflection lacks clarity because of impurities in the water and because of the ripples that may arise in the water. The reason is that deities generally have a greater inclination toward sensual pleasures and lack self-control.Fortunately, if you are born as a fully evolved being in Brahmaloka, you can certainly obtain the clearest vision of the ultimate truth, as clearly as you see light and shadow. But how many people can ever reach that level all at once?Only while existing as a human being can you see the ultimate truth reflected in your own intellect. It is like looking at your own reflection in a mirror.Yathā ādarśe tathā ātmani,Yathā svapne tathā pitṛloke,Yathā apsu pari iva dadṛśe tathā gandharvaloke,Chāyā ātapayoḥ iva Brahmaloke.— Katha Upanishad 2.3.5.You Can Achieve It in This Very Life!Many religions promise you that you will have a better life after you die. But this Upanishad says that it is possible to realize the ultimate truth in this very life!Interestingly, the Upanishad says that there is something which neither the ancestors nor the deities can accomplish, but which you, and you alone, can accomplish while you are born as a human being. Therefore, it advises you not to miss this great opportunity.It says that the ultimate truth can be reflected in your own intellect; you can see it as though you were looking at it in a mirror.When that happens, you do not transform into something new. Instead, you merely move aside the false veil that conceals reality. Once that veil is removed, reality reveals itself on its own.When you stand before a mirror, you see yourself as you really are. There is no easier way to see yourself than that. What you see may not actually be you; but it is the reflection that comes closest to being you.But, have you noticed one thing?If you want to see your own reflection in a mirror, the mirror must be clean, without any stains or dirt. A dirty mirror can show you only a distorted reflection of yourself.Therefore, your first step is to clean the mirror. And you must continue to keep it clean at all times. That is the process of yoga or meditation.You, who have been born as a human being, have now received a great opportunity. Don't miss it. Strive for ...
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  • [English] Beyond Linear Pooling: Building a Healthier Subscription Model

    [English] Beyond Linear Pooling: Building a Healthier Subscription Model
    2026/08/10
    [Preview books] [Borrow books] [Pause] Subscription platforms have transformed the way we consume books, music, audiobooks, and other digital content. For a single monthly fee, subscribers gain access to vast libraries, while creators share a common revenue pool based on how much their work is consumed.The subscription model has been a remarkable success. Yet one important part of it has remained almost unchanged: the mathematics used to divide that common pool. Most platforms still use a simple linear model. Every additional page read or minute-listened, carries exactly the same value, no matter how dominant a creator has already become. At first glance this appears perfectly fair. In reality, it steadily shapes the behaviour of the entire system.When rewards continue to grow indefinitely in direct proportion to volume, a finite revenue pool naturally becomes increasingly concentrated. Content designed for rapid production or maximum engagement gains an ever-growing advantage, while creators producing labour-intensive works find it progressively harder to compete. Readers, in turn, may gradually discover that the diversity which originally attracted them to the platform is becoming narrower.The problem is not the subscription model itself.The problem is assuming that rewards must always grow in a perfectly straight line.That assumption is simply a design choice.A Different Mathematical Approach.Instead of assigning every read exactly the same weight forever, imagine applying a smooth nonlinear curve before calculating each creator's share of the subscription pool.Under this approach, additional readership still increases an author's earnings, but each successive increase contributes slightly less than the previous one. Popular creators continue to earn the most because they still attract the largest audiences. The difference is that extreme dominance no longer expands indefinitely within a fixed revenue pool.The proposal does not increase or decrease the size of the subscription pool. It changes only the way that fixed pool is divided.Nor does it depend on any particular mathematical function. A logarithmic curve is one possible illustration. A power function or many other nonlinear curves could achieve the same objective with different degrees of redistribution. The exact curve can be chosen to suit the goals of the platform.The sharing curve need not be fixed permanently either. If several curves are available, the platform could select an appropriate curve according to the variability of payouts in recent quarters, for example using the standard deviation of the payout distribution. This would allow the system to adapt to changing characteristics of the subscription pool without requiring a history to be maintained for individual authors.The curve could also have a defined knee. Up to that point, the relationship between readership and payout could remain linear, while beyond it the curve could become nonlinear. This would preserve the simplicity and predictability of linear sharing for the normal range while preventing extreme concentrations of consumption from producing disproportionately large payouts.Why does it matter?A nonlinear model changes incentives without changing the subscription business itself.It continues to reward success while allowing a broader range of creators to participate meaningfully in the shared pool. It encourages catalogue diversity without penalizing popularity. It also reduces the economic incentive for extreme concentration because each additional unit of consumption contributes a little less than the one before it.Most importantly, the platform still distributes exactly the same total amount of subscription revenue. Only the proportions change.The Mathematics.The implementation is surprisingly simple.First, transform each creator's total readership using a chosen nonlinear function. Then add those transformed values together to obtain a new adjusted total.Each creator's payout is then calculated as:Author Payout = Total Subscription Pool × (Author's Curved Score ÷ Total Curved Score of All Authors).This normalization step ensures that the entire subscription fund is distributed exactly as before. Only the shares are recalculated.The additional refinements described above need not require major changes to the platform's bookkeeping. The curve selection and the knee can be implemented as mathematical parameters using aggregate pool data; there is no need to maintain an elaborate historical record for every individual author.A Simple Illustration.Suppose a platform has a subscription pool of $1,000 shared among three creators.- Author A: 1,000,000 reads.- Author B: 1,000 reads.- Author C: 100 reads.Under today's linear model, Author A, receives almost the entire pool while the remaining creators receive only a tiny fraction.Now apply a logarithmic curve—not because it is necessarily the best choice, but simply to illustrate the principle.Author...
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