Volume 6 / Issue 06 June 2018

Love Fatal
Above the clouds we float
In a metal can, most so
oblivious to the fragile nature
of this aluminum can, with
engines and seats to sit in
comfort or discomfort. A few
miles above mother earth
who has a relentless love to
embrace and include all
into her bosom. This ceaseless
love is overwhelming but
Fatal.

Grace & Blessings

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | a

 EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,
Two events are coming up this month that are widely celebrated across the globe:
The World Environment Day 2018 on 5 June and the International Day of Yoga on
21 June, both declared by the United Nations. Over the years, Sadhguru has been
invited to speak at the UN Headquarters and with UN executives on various topics,
including environmental issues and, of course, yoga. Our Lead Article “Yoga – Panacea
for the World?” is excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru at the UN Headquarters on the
occasion of the International Day of Yoga in 2016. Sadhguru explains why yoga in its
deeper dimension has the potential to address some of mankind’s most persistent
problems, from poverty and conflict to human health and environmental concerns.
In “For Planet and People,” Executive Director of the United Nations Environment
Program Erik Solheim and Sadhguru explore what it takes to effectively turn
around environmental degradation. In this context, the UN Executive Director was
particularly interested in how Sadhguru raised the massive public support that the
Rally for Rivers (RfR) received. They also discussed what other countries around the
world could learn from the approach recommended by RfR to revitalize the rivers of
India.
Sadhguru says, “If individual human beings transform themselves, the world will be
transformed.” Why not dedicate a few minutes every day to do a simple thing that
Sadhguru says will take you beyond your karmic structure, or, in other words, leave
you transformed? Our Musings article by Sadhguru offers inspiration and guidance
on how to move “From Stinky Thoughts to Ultimate Freedom.”
Also in this issue: “Stand Up for Democracy” – a fiery appeal by Sadhguru pro
democracy and against corruption, excerpted from Sadhguru Spot; “Draupadi’s
Depression and Arjuna’s Astras” – more stories from Mahabharat, in Sadhguru’s
words; News & Events that, due to space constraint, can only capture the biggest
highlights in Sadhguru’s and Isha’s calendar. Lastly, with the mango season in full
swing, try out our light and refreshing “Thai Green Mango Salad” recipe. Enjoy!

The Editorial Team

Contact the Editorial Team:

Isha Forest Flower, Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, IshanaVihar Post, Coimbatore – 641114
forestflower@ishafoundation.org
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2 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018

CONTENTS

LEAD ARTICLE MAHABHARAT

Yoga – Panacea for the World? 07 Part 43: Draupadi’s Depression and
Arjuna’s Astras 12
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MYSTIC
For Planet and People 4
UN Environ. Exec. Dir. Erik Solheim in Conversation with Sadhguru

LEAD ARTICLE
Yoga – Panacea for the World? 7

MUSINGS
From Stinky Thoughts to Ultimate Freedom 10

MAHABHARAT
Part 43: Draupadi’s Depression and Arjuna’s Astras 12

NEWS & EVENTS

Sadhguru at the HT-MintAsia Leadership Summit 14
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Malaysia 15
Sadhguru at Stanford on Capitalism and Spirituality 15
Sadhguru at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum 15
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Long Beach 16
Sadhguru in Conversation with Ed Begley 16
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Philadelphia 16

SHARING EXPERIENCES
Life with Devi 17
Yantra Owners Share their Experiences
What I miss 18
Poem by Isha Brahmachari

SADHGURU SPOT
Stand Up for Democracy 19

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Isha – Program & Event Highlights 20

ISHA RECIPES
Thai Green Mango Salad 21

ZEN SPEAKS
The Mute and the Parrot 23

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3

For Planet and People IN CONVERSATION
UN Environ. Exec. Dir. Erik Solheim in Conversation with Sadhguru WITH THE MYSTIC

As World Environment Day falls on the fifth of this month, here is an excerpt from a conversation
between Sadhguru and the Executive Director of the UN Environment program, Erik Solheim. Both
met at the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) 2017 in Bonn, Germany. The GLF is the world’s largest
gathering on sustainable land use. Sadhguru presented key aspects to make environmental
restoration in India materially beneficial for farmers and concerned communities. Erik Solheim
wholeheartedly agreed and even called Sadhguru “an incarnation of the sustainable development
goals.” Read on to find out more.
No Politics, Just Responsibility
Erik Solheim: What confuses me a little bit – you People recognized that I don’t belong
speak like a politician but you look like an Indian to any group or party or segregation –
holy man. How do you combine these two?
that’s why the entire India responded
Sadhguru: I think I’m just speaking like a responsible the way it did.
human being, not as a politician or a holy man
or an unholy man. The problem is that people
have taken identities like this – someone is an Trust Moves
environmentalist, someone is a politician, someone Erik Solheim: When we discussed before, you made
is a spiritual person. I feel what we need is inclusive a point which is very, very close to my heart for sure,
human beings, that every one of us will do whatever and that is that environmentalists need to get out
is within our capability. Whatever is possible, we of politics and into the mainstream to mobilize not
will do for the wellbeing of all life around us. That’s in the thousands but in the millions and in the tens
just what I’m doing, and that’s what I’ve inspired of millions. How did you manage that?
people to do. People recognized that I don’t belong Sadhguru: At least in India, an environmentalist
to any group or party or segregation – that’s why means someone who protests against something.
the entire India responded the way it did. They’re always against someone or something. An
4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018
environmentalist must be the most inclusive person
possible, but they are always exclusive. Sometimes
I wonder if it’s their livelihood to protest, because
they don’t come to any solutions. They only know
how to point out problems and make bigger
problems out of them. Without engaging the
governments of the day, you are not going to come
to any solution – you are only going to talk about
the problem. Above all, in a country like India, where
the population pressure on the land is so heavy, if
you do not talk about people’s wellbeing, you can as
well forget about environmental movements of any
kind. People are fighting for their survival. You can’t
just tell them to go save the planet – it’s not going
to work. It’s very important that an environmental
movement is presented in such a way that people
understand that by engaging in it, they will benefit
in some way. This is the fundamental difference
that I try to bring about.
Without engaging the governments of
the day, you are not going to come to
any solution – you are only going to talk
about the problem.
When I gave the policy document to the Prime
Minister, I insisted that it should not go to the
environment ministry where it would have become
one more file of great things that never happened.
Fortunately, it went to the economic advisor and to
the planning commission, NITI Aayog. NITI Aayog
has been appointed as the nodal agency to handle
this policy, which is an extremely positive step. This
means there’s going to be action on the ground.
Because of this, six states have signed MoUs1 with
us to plant a total of 850 million trees along the
riversides2.
1   Memorandum of Understanding (agreement)
2   As of December 2017
June 2018
Integrating Environment and
Development
Erik Solheim: Historically in India, the discussion
about development and environment has been
framed as a contradiction: “Do you want to develop
or do you want to take care of the environment?”
Prime Minister Modi has embraced a completely
different vision for India, where you integrate
environment and development into the future. But
how did you bring that across to the masses to get
their support?
Sadhguru: When we drove the rally across the
country, we spoke only about a minimum of one
kilometer tree planting on the riverside. The policy
recommendation includes various other aspects,
but for the mass movement, we focused on a one-
point agenda, so that people understand it easily.
One aspect of this is – the major Indian rivers run for
approximately 20,000 kilometers, which means on
both sides it’s 40,000 square kilometers of land. Out
of this, twenty-five percent fortunately happens to
be in the government hands. Except what they ear-
mark for development plans for the next fifty years,
all government land should be forested. In principal,
they’ve agreed. In practice, it has to come forth.
There are many challenges on the ground, but it has
to be handled.
How Trees Benefit People
Seventy-five percent of the land around the rivers
is farmland. In this, about six to seven percent is
delta land, which are rice bowls – we can leave it
as it is. We want to convert the remaining sixty-
five to sixty-eight percent of land from crop-based
agriculture to tree-based agriculture. India is
importing over three billion dollars’ worth of timber
from elsewhere. Seventy-five percent of the land
is owned by private owners. If they grow trees,
they should benefit from the cycles of plantations.
Ultimately, using more wood, rather than metal
and plastic, is ecologically more sensible, because
we can grow it back. We can’t grow back iron ore,
oil, or anything. Only if we grow trees large-scale
and it is economically beneficial for the farmer,
will it be successful.
Another aspect is, historically, India used to have
a very high level of fruit in its day-to-day diet.
But today, only four percent of the Indian diet is
fruit. This four percent is largely consumed by the
urban elite. Many rural children have not eaten
a fruit in thirty days’ time. We are trying to bring
fruit back into the Indian diet. We are going to
start a campaign once this horticulture movement
takes off. Now our focus is setting up large-scale
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 5
demonstrations, how shifting from crop-based has less than ten percent green cover. Over 300,000
agriculture to tree-based agriculture can be very square kilometers of forest land has less than forty
beneficial to the farmer. It can enhance his income percent green cover.
three to eight times. A group of Vietnamese experts
We are seeing how to put the green cover back in
who came and worked with us for some time said
that land. This can easily be done because the land
their farmers’ income has gone up twenty times
is under government control, but people are using it
over, after shifting from rice cultivation to fruit
for grazing and other things. We are trying to bring
cultivation.
a policy change where local people from adjoining
One more thing is farmers have been going for villages do the planting in the forest. They cannot
very water-thirsty crops like rice and wheat, mainly cut down trees, but they can take forest produce.
because these are crops that have a minimum If you allow this economic advantage, they will
support price. Now in the policy we are trying to participate. Otherwise, if you try to just protect
change this that fruit should have a minimum thousands of square kilometers of land, it’s never
support price, and there must be cold-chains and going to happen. There is corruption in the forest
value addition industry coming up. This is why we department; people will somehow access it and do
are going for large-scale modules of fifty kilometer all kinds of negative things.
stretches minimum in five different states. There,
It is important that the people of the villages
riparian lands are made into horticultural lands,
adjacent to the rejuvenated forest have access to
with all the needed support system, so that it
it and a responsibility towards it. This has to be
becomes an economic success. Once it becomes an
established, otherwise we will not succeed. We
economic success, there is no stopping it.
have been talking about it for five decades now and
nothing happened. I don’t know how much longer
we want to wait. I’m not willing to wait. I want to
make sure that something begins to happen on the
ground. This can only happen if we show people
that it’s advantageous to them to protect the forest.
Erik Solheim: To me, you are an incarnation of the
sustainable development goals, because while there
are seventeen of them, they all attend to these two:
people and planet – to uplift the people and protect
the planet, and that’s your mission. So, thank you
RfR training so much.
Bringing Back the Trees Globally Sadhguru: Thank you very much. This is the river
revitalization policy document presented to the
Erik Solheim: You inspired millions of people in
Indian government; we are giving a copy to you.
India to act on the environment, on tree planting,
how you merged environment and wellbeing,
so that you can appeal to a lot of people. Here
is an audience of people from all corners of the
world, from Mexico to Indonesia, from Vietnam to
Germany. If they go out in their communities, their
societies and want to mobilize people, what’s the
lesson to learn from India?
Sadhguru: In nations in South America and
maybe Africa where there is enormous land, we
could approach it differently. Wherever there is
population pressure, what we are doing in India is
a very sensible approach. Where there is not much
population pressure on the land, we can go about
UN Executive Director for Environment receives
it in a more purist way. What I’m doing is not to
the Draft Policy Recommendation
my liking, but I know if I talk pure ecology, no one
is going to walk with me. It’s very important that Erik Solheim: Oh, thank you so much.
people benefit – only then will they walk with us. Sadhguru: We look forward to making this happen.
Right now, over 41,000 acres of forest land in India

6 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018

 LEAD ARTICLE

Yoga – Panacea for the World?

By Sadhguru

Since the United Nations declared the 21 June as International Day of Yoga (IDY), it has created
a stir around the world. But can it be a solution to humanity’s most pressing issues – help end
poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity? In this excerpt
from a conversation on the occasion of the International Yoga Day at the UN Headquarters in 2016,
Sadhguru gives his definition of yoga and explains how yoga can help achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
The Power to Transform for a long time, which has led to humanity being
divided in the name of religions, castes, creeds, in
When we say “Sustainable Development Goals,”
so many different ways. Now in the last fifty years,
we are addressing human wellbeing as seventeen
we are looking out seriously, and we are ripping the
different issues, including poverty, nourishment,
planet apart. All the environmental degradation is
health, women’s issues, environment, etc. This
effort has been going on in the world for a long in pursuit of human wellbeing. In the last hundred
time. We want to transform the world, but we years, definitely we are the most comfortable
are not aiming at individual human beings. The generation ever. But we cannot say we are really
world is just a word – it is you and me. If there is well. People are not happy and peaceful, because
no transformation in you and me, in the way we we have not addressed our inner nature.
perceive, experience, think, feel, and act, how can When you address human wellbeing in a scientific
you transform the world? Only if we transform way – this is yoga. The word “yoga” literally means
individual human beings on a large scale will there “union.” It is a way of obliterating the boundaries
be true transformation in the world. This is why of your individuality. What this means is – right
yoga becomes significant. now as we sit here, it is distinctly clear that this is
Yoga is a logically correct and scientifically me – that is you. But we are breathing the same
ascertainable way to address the fundamental air; we are a product of the same earth. What you
human longing for health, wellbeing, and fulfillment call as “myself” is just a pop-up on this planet, and
of life. In pursuit of human wellbeing, we have been it will pop out one day. But in this little bit of time,
doing all kinds of things. We have been looking up we have become divided in such a way that we
June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 7
cannot meet. your partner. Whatever you are manufacturing or
selling, whatever the business is – whether you are
Yoga means you obliterate these individual
selling a safety-pin, a computer, or a spacecraft –
boundaries not intellectually, not by belief or by
essentially, it is about human wellbeing. If this
ideology, but as a living experience. If this experience
awareness and consciousness is instilled in every
becomes a living reality for you, that what you think
business person on the planet, then you can find the
of as “myself” is not within the boundaries of your
capitalistic way of living need not mean disparity –
physical nature but goes well beyond that, then
it can mean wellbeing for everyone.
fulfilling these goals that the United Nations has set
for the world becomes much more possible than Yoga as a Universal Experience
the way it is right now. Until then, we are trying
It’s a matter of tremendous importance that June
to push in one way but a whole lot of people are
21st has been declared International Day of Yoga. It
pushing in the opposite direction, because they
was mooted by the Prime Minister, but it was almost
don’t even see it as common goals.
like the world was waiting for it. Never before in the
Inclusive Individuals, Inclusive Business history of the United Nations have 177 countries
agreed upon anything as they agreed upon yoga.
We have chosen an economic model that is all
The world has been waiting for a scientific and a
about “everyone for himself or herself.” There is
logically correct solution for human wellbeing.
no larger commitment to humanity as such in
Unless we provide such a methodology, more and
the market economy. Everyone grabs what they
more people will move towards chemicals, alcohol,
can, according to their own capabilities and skills.
and drugs. In the next thirty to fifty years, There
We have gone for this economic model, because
will be a big movement towards a scientific process
the socialistic, communistic ideas have failed, not
for inner wellbeing. Yoga will become a worldwide
necessarily because they are bad but because
phenomenon.
human beings are not ready for it yet. Poor people
who had nothing wanted to share; the rich never Yoga is not an Indian thing – it originated from
wanted to share, so it became a joke. If the rich there. Because India is one place where for a few
had the consciousness to share, then communism millennia, we had uninterrupted time to look deeply
would have been a great idea. Is this “take-what- and profoundly inwards, at the human mechanism,
you-can” model that we see everywhere the best how it functions, and what its ultimate possibility
way to run the world? No. But right now, that is the is. It took a few millennia to understand the human
situation. mechanism and arrive at yoga. The science of yoga
is not just about health or fitness – it is an ultimate
The only thing that we can truly do is to bring yoga
solution for every aspect of human existence. There
as a living experience. Yoga does not mean twisting
are different types of yogas. Yoga can be taught in
your body, standing on your head, or holding your
different dimensions – as the ultimate possibility of
breath. Yoga means transcending the limitations
of your physical nature. You are beginning to
experience life as a larger possibility, not just this
physical form that you are. Once something beyond The science of yoga is not just about
the physical becomes a living experience, sharing health or fitness – it is an ultimate
and living together will become more common
solution for every aspect of human
everywhere. This does not mean we are going to
start communes. No, we can run businesses in a existence.
more inclusive way; we can create a more inclusive
economic model. And this need not be done by
rising beyond our physical nature and knowing life
government policy; this can be done by private
in its fullest way.
individuals because there are companies which
are almost as large as nations today. There are The word yoga means union. The word yogi means,
companies with budgets that are bigger than that one who has experienced this union. We need
of nations. millions of yogis who have a sense of union with
the rest of the universe. Particularly those who hold
Right now, we are thinking only of immediate profit,
responsible positions in the world must come to this
which is a very short-term kind of approach. If you
experience. Because leadership essentially means
really want to run your company to prosper long-
you have the privilege of touching other people’s
term, continuously, then it is very important that you
lives. Every single thought, emotion, and action of
make your customer and everyone else in society
yours either makes of breaks people’s lives – that is

8 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018

 what leadership means. When you are given such a
privilege, it is very important that you are in a state
of yoga, that you experience life around you as
yourself. If any of us feel the work that we are doing
is important, the first and foremost most thing is,
we must work upon ourselves.
The United Nations has declared 21 June as the
International Day of Yoga. It
​​ is Sadhguru’s vision
to make this day into a major offering of yoga
and a possibility for people of all age groups,
religions, nationalities, an d social backgrounds
to experience meditativeness , expanding
their perception of life fro m individuality to
universality.
For more information and events on and around
the International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2018,
please contact your local coordinator or visit
isha.sadhguru.org/international-yoga-day-2018

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June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 9

 MUSINGS

From Stinky Thoughts to Ultimate Freedom

By Sadhguru

A sheer endless stream of thoughts keeps running through the head, popping up seemingly out of
nowhere. But are they really coming out of nowhere? In this article, Sadhguru digs into the origins
of thoughts, how they reflect your past, and why your thoughts are an indicator of where you
stand in your evolution as an individual. Be warned: a couple of coarse words serve to illustrate the
raw truth of karmic structures. In that context, Sadhguru points out how to roughly self-diagnose
your present karmic status. Once the situation is assessed, it can be addressed: In the second part,
Sadhguru reveals which practice has all it takes to free you from your karmic baggage – if only you
dedicate a few minutes to it every day.
How Your Thoughts Reflect Your Karma want to have a thought about God, you must have
some information about God.
Questioner: Sadhguru, can you tell us a little bit
more about the nature of thoughts? How are they You cannot generate a thought without memory.
being created? What are thoughts essentially? In other words, you cannot generate a thought
without accumulated information from the past. Or
Sadhguru: Now, can you create any kind of thought
yet in other words, thought is the lingering fragrance
without information? If you want to generate a
or stink of the past. If your past was flowery, your
thought, you need some information. If you want
thoughts are the lingering fragrance of the past. If
to have a thought about certain flowers, you must
your past was shitty, your thoughts are the stink of
have some information about the flowers. If you
the past. If your thoughts are flowery or fragrant,
want to have a thought about a fruit, you must
you have a good basis to strive for a fruit. If your
have some information about the fruit. If you want
thoughts are stinky, that means your past has been
to have a thought about a mountain, you must
shitty. Now you have to work on transforming filth
have some information about the mountain. If you
10 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018
into fragrance.
But where there is filth, there is a possibility for
fragrance. If there is enough filth, you create a nice
flower garden out of it. If you have enough manure,
you can grow sweet mangoes out of it. Shitty,
flowery, or fruity – which one are you? The first one
is a possibility. If your life is fragrant, the possibility
is in the process of realization. If your life is not just
fragrant but full of fruit, it means the possibility has
come to fruition. If you get a thousand mangoes in
your mango tree, what do you do? Eat all of them
and get sick? If you eat all the mangoes yourself,
you will again get “shitty.” If you get much fruit in
life, it is time to share. This is the way life is.
Thought tells you where you are. In twenty-four
hours, how much fragrance does your thought
exude? How much stink? And are there any fruits? If
you observe your thoughts, to some extent, you can
get a general feel about the nature of your karmic
structure.
Creating an Ambience for Freedom
Questioner: If our thoughts reflect our karmic
structure, can changing our thought pattern impact
our karmic structure? And how can we become free
from it?
Sadhguru: There is a difference between thought
and thinking. Thoughts are simply floating away,
depending upon the content of your mind. Thinking
means you consciously think about something.
How you think may be strongly influenced by the
content of your mind, but still your intellect has
some discretion to think beyond that if you are
willing. In the Inner Engineering and Isha Yoga
programs, we spend over thirty hours with you to
transmit a twenty-one minute practice1. What we
are doing in this time is helping you to consciously
think beyond your karmic limitations. When you
do a certain kriya or sadhana of any kind and your
thought does not facilitate this, energy may burst
upwards, but your thought may go downwards. If
thought and energy collide, it will create a certain
amount of friction and struggle.
This is what is happening to a lot of people. You sat
in the program and suddenly realized, “Yes! It’s really
me who is doing all this. I always thought it was
someone else who is doing something to me, but it’s
actually me!” That was true for you for the first three
months after the program. It was like a dream –
everything transformed. But slowly, people fall back
into the same old patterns. You again start to blame
1. Refers to Shambhavi Mahamudra, the kriya imparted in
the Inner Engineering program
June 2018
others for what is happening in your life. That
means you are re-establishing your ignorance. Then
there is no ambience for your sadhana to flower. If
you do the practice without setting the necessary
psychological ambience, it will only create health
benefits, no transformation.
This is not because the practice wears out. This is
not because your sadhana has become ineffective.
This is simply because you are not setting the
psychological ambience that is necessary for the
practice to succeed. If you do the kriya without
setting the psychological ambience, the energy
will go up, but your mind will pull it down. That is
why you should give yourself a three-minute crash
course in Inner Engineering every day before you do
your Shambhavi – those of you who have done the
program.
If you do the kriya without setting the
psychological ambience, the energy will
go up, but your mind will pull it down.
This crash course will create the necessary
psychological ambience for you to distance yourself
from your karmic structure. If you do not create
that psychological ambience, the content of the
mind will catch up with you. What we offer you in
the Inner Engineering program is a fool-proof way
to fix that. There will be no room for you to get
stuck to anything. If you fix that every day and do
your practice, transformation will be a continuous
process. As long as you live, the transformation will
go deeper and deeper. Just one practice is enough.
You do not have to keep doing different things. If
you give yourself to this one thing, it will take you
all the way.
To become free from your karmic structure does
not mean to forget about it. Forgetfulness is not
freedom. It is important to know it but not be
stuck with it. Being ignorant of something is not
freedom. Knowing it and being untouched by it is
the important thing. If you set this ambience, it will
take you beyond your karmic structure.
For dates and details about Inner
Engineering and other Isha Yoga programs,
visit ishayoga.org.
If you’ve already done the Inner Engineering
program but you’re not sure if you exactly
remember the crash course, please contact your
Inner Engineering teacher.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 11
 MAHABHARAT
SERIES

PART 43

Mahabharat
Draupadi’s
Depression and
Arjuna’s Astras

What has happened so far: After Yudhishthira lost the famous game of dice, the Pandavas had to
go into exile. They set up camp in the forest; Draupadi received a magic bowl with which she could
serve an endless amount of food, and an increasing number of guests started to visit them.

Draupadi Incites Bhima
The Pandavas saw that they were having too many
guests in their forest dwelling. Once people came
to know that there was food and that the Pandavas
were there, they started to visit them in big
numbers. The place did not even feel like a jungle
anymore – rather like an ill-equipped palace. So
they decided to move further into the jungle. They
moved to another forest called Dvaita Vana, which
was between the rivers of Yamuna and Saraswati;
an extraordinarily beautiful place, totally free from
civilization. Once they moved into this much thicker
forest range, and the little comfort and support of
people coming every day, bringing gifts and things,
was gone, Draupadi went into depression. And
when she went into depression, you better not be
around, because she would make sure everyone
was in a deeper pit than herself.
Draupadi gave hell to Yudhishthira. She taunted him;
she abused him; she harassed him in every possible
way. Whatever she did, Bhima would resonate the
same and add to it. In many ways, Draupadi had
Bhima wrapped around her little finger. Bhima was
different compared to Arjuna. Bhima was a huge
man, also very masculine, but not the hero kind. He
was the hero’s assistant kind. Whenever Draupadi
wanted something done, she knew Yudhishthira
would not do it, and the other brothers would
not do it either without his permission. Unless
12 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
Yudhishthira said so, they would not take a single
step – that was their vow. But Bhima was so fond
of Draupadi that he ignored the instructions and
always did something for her. Many times, this put
all the five or six at great risk. But whenever it was
needed, she acted and it worked out in the end.
So Draupadi and Bhima started working on
Yudhishthira. They were trying to somehow make
him so angry that he would gather an army and ride
towards Hastinapur. Then Yudhishthira said, “No
matter what, even if you leave me, I will not break
my word – I said I will go into exile for twelve years,
and that is what I will do.” That kind of settled it,
and Draupadi worked herself out of depression.
Arjuna Acquires Astras
After about six years of living in the forest exile with
his brothers and Draupadi, Arjuna decided to go
and equip himself for the coming war. Except for
Yudhishthira, who still had trust in the Kauravas,
the Pandavas had no illusions – they knew there
would be war anyway. They knew that when their
exile gets over, Duryodhana would not keep his
word and give back what was rightfully theirs. So
Arjuna said, “I want to go and do sadhana, to acquire
astras.” Astras are weapons that are empowered
with occult powers. Arjuna went and worshipped
Varuna and got the Varunastra. Likewise, he went
to various gods and sages, gathering blessings and
June 2018
astras. But his aim was to get the Pashupatastra
from Shiva himself.
Arjuna went into the Himalayas and sat in
meditation, trying to please Shiva. One day, after
many days of sitting, he was very hungry, and he
heard the grunt of a wild boar. He opened his eyes
and saw the boar, picked up his bow and arrow,
and effortlessly shot it. He got up and went close
to the boar, and to his amazement, there were two
arrows. Who shot the other arrow? A tribal man
came with his wife and said, “Who are you, sitting
here like a sage but carrying a bow and arrow? This
doesn’t make sense. Anyway, I shot this boar first.
Look, it is my arrow which has gone into the heart
of the boar. The boar is mine.” Arjuna said, “How
dare you!” He had these big vanity issues – he was
highborn, a Kshatriya, and he believed to be the
greatest archer.
Arjuna always thought he was better than
everyone else. He was competitive. No one should
be better than him. And in case he saw someone
who was better than him, he somehow tried to
make sure that eventually, he himself was better,
even if it meant removal of a thumb or even a head
for someone else. You know what happened to
Ekalavya1. This was his worst streak – everything
else was absolutely noble in this man. Now he
got into a kind of altercation with this tribal man,
and they decided to duel. The duel ended in a tie.
Then they decided to wrestle. They wrestled and
the tribal man was more than a match for Arjuna
and got him down. Then, not knowing what to
do, Arjuna started to throw at the man whatever
he got hold of. In this effort, he pulled out a
flowering plant and threw it. It hit the man, and he
receded a little.
Arjuna knew that if this man came back again, he
had nothing to defend himself with. Arjuna turned
to the linga that he had been worshipping and
doing his sadhana at. He bowed down to the linga
and said, “Give me strength, Mahadeva. After all,
I’ve been sitting here in anticipation of you. And
who is this wild man from the forest, coming and
putting me to shame.” Arjuna put a flower on the
linga. As he turned back, he saw this same flower
on top of the tribal man’s head. Then Arjuna knew
who he was, fell at his feet, and Shiva returned to
his original form. Pleased with Arjuna, Shiva gave
him the Pashupatastra. The Pashupatastra was the
most powerful weapon in those days. Arjuna knew
that armed with this astra, he could win the war.
Arjuna Stays with His Father Indra
Then Indra, Arjuna’s father, came in a spacecraft
and took Arjuna with him to his abode Amaravati.
Arjuna was very happy to be with his father for the
first time. And his father was very proud of who he
was. They spent time together; they fought battles
together, and Indra asked him to learn dance and
music. Initially, Arjuna thought, “I’m a warrior – why
should I learn dance and music?” Indra told him,
“Someday, it’ll be useful for you. There’s nothing
wrong in learning dance and music and you will
be a better warrior with a song in your heart and a
little dance in your feet.”
The Gandharvas who were with Indra were the best
dancers and musicians. Arjuna got himself a teacher
called Chitrasena and became an accomplished
dancer and singer. There was an apsara, a celestial
being, in Indra’s kingdom whose name was Urvashi.
She was described as the most beautiful feminine
being anywhere in creation. Urvashi was the wife of
king Pururava who, in the lineage, was a forefather
of Arjuna. She saw Arjuna, desired him, and came
to him as a woman. Arjuna bowed down to her
and said, “As beautiful as you are, I see you as my
mother. Because you are Pururava’s wife, I cannot
see you as a woman.” Urvashi said, “These morals
that you are talking about are for the humans. I’m
not a human being, so it doesn’t matter.” But Arjuna
said, “I’m human, so it matters to me, and I bow
down to you as a mother.”
Urvashi felt insulted and cursed Arjuna, “May you
become a eunuch! I’ve come to you as a woman. As
a man, you have refused me, so you shall become a
eunuch.” The macho man got cursed to be a eunuch.
Completely distressed, Arjuna went to Indra. Indra
pleaded with Urvashi, and she reduced the duration
of the curse to one year.
To be continued

1   At their mutual guru Dronacharya’s behest, which was

driven by Arjuna, Ekalavya had to offer his thumb as guru
dakshina, which rendered him incompetent to be an archer.

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 13

Events Highlights
Sadhguru at the HT-MintAsia Leadership Summit
Singapore, 13 Apr: Sadhguru spoke at the
Hindustan Times–Mint Asia Leadership Summit
in front of an illustrious gathering of international
leaders. Sadhguru said, “Success is the sweetest
thing in human life. But unfortunately, if you look
at the faces of successful people on the planet, you
get the idea that success must be a deep suffering.
[…] This is a wrong message to send to the next
generation. […]. It’s very important at every level
Sadhguru and Aamir Khan at the HT-MintAsia
Leadership Summit in Singapore
14 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
NEWS AND EVENTS
of life we are seeking success, because this is the
nature of human existence.” The Summit boasted
a high-profile line-up with speakers of various
fields, including cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar,
Union Minister for Transport and Water Resources
Nitin Gadkari, film actor Aamir Khan, Tata chairman
N. Chandrasekaran, and former UK Prime Minister
Minister Tony Blair.
Sadhguru with Sachin
Tendulkar
June 2018
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 14–15 Apr: For the first time

ever, Sadhguru conducted an Inner Engineering
in Malaysia. The possibility to be initiated by a
realized yogi drew participants from different parts
of South Asia, including many from China. Though
the demand was much higher, due to venue
constraints, registrations had to be closed at 2000
participants. Throughout the program, participants
enthusiastically involved themselves, making their
first steps on the path of inner exploration a joyful,
intense, and effortless process.

Sadhguru at Stanford on Capitalism and Spirituality

Stanford, CA, 19 Apr: The event at Stanford

University was presented as a conversation
between “a capitalist and a yogi” – prominent
financial leader Jonathan Coslet and Sadhguru – on
the topic of “Capitalism and Spirituality.” Jonathan
Coslet is the Chief Investment Officer of TPG Capital
and also serves as a board member of Stanford
Children’s Hospital, the Stanford Medical Advisory
Council, and the Stanford Institute for Economic
Policy Research. Sadhguru tweeted after the talk,
“The problem with #Capitalism is not greed but
stinginess. If you are greedy, you would aspire that
not just you, but everything in the existence should
be well.”

Sadhguru at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum

Washington, D.C., 20 Apr: The US-India Strategic

Partnership Forum hosted a Cultural Program and
Reception with Sadhguru on Capitol Hill. Regarding
the purpose and scope of the partnership, Sadhguru
stated in a tweet, “Bilateral cooperation between
#India and #USA should go beyond strategic and
economic aspects. India can be a great source of
know-how for Inner well-being.”

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 15

Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Long Beach

Long Beach, CA, 21–22 Apr: Inner Engineering with

Sadhguru in Long Beach, Greater Los Angeles was a
phenomenal experience not only for the participants
but apparently also stood out for Sadhguru himself.
In a tweet, he offered the participants these words
of acknowledgment: “#INNERENGINEERING AT
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. A BLESSING TO BE
AMONG INTENSE SEEKERS.” A participant shared
after the event: “Sadhguru, your love for people,
Mother Earth, the planet and the universe is
commendable. Had an amazing weekend under
your guidance at Long Beach. Just want to say
‘Thank you.’”

Sadhguru in Conversation with Ed Begley

California, 25 Apr: Sadhguru and American actor Ed

Begley Jr. met for a conversation on “Sustainability:
Is Consciousness the Key?” Ed Begley is not only a
well-known Hollywood personality but equally
recognized for his commitment to environmental
causes. Sadhguru stated in view of the event
that without raising human consciousness,
without inclusive consciousness, there will be no
sustainability.

Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA, 5–6 May: Participants from all

over the US had gathered at the Greater Philadelphia
venue for an Inner Engineering program with
Sadhguru. YouTuber Evan Carmichael was one
of them. He tweeted after the first day: “Day 1 of
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru complete! Nina
and I are using this weekend for some personal
development time in Philadelphia. We hope
you’re making your weekend count too!” With the
following words, Sadhguru put the purpose of the
program and of life in a nutshell: “Life is about the
profoundness of your experience, not the hugeness
of your accumulation.”

16 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018

 SHARING
EXPERIENCES

Life with Devi

Yantra Owners Share their Experiences

Sadhguru says, “Every human being deserves to live in a consecrated space, a space that helps you
transcend the ways of the world.” In the endeavor to create consecrated spaces in homes and offic-
es, Sadhguru is offering Linga Bhairavi Yantras and Linga Bhairavi Avighna Yantras for individuals
to “take Devi home.” Below, a yantra owner couple, Ashutosh and Sangeeta Khurana, share their
experiences of having Devi Yantras both at home and at their office.
Ashutosh Khurana: We started our own enterprise you won’t really be able to attend to anyone else.
over a decade back – an educational space where The dissatisfaction within you flows into everything
we work with schools and children to develop you do. The most significant realization after Devi
their cognitive thinking skills. The first years – came was this: What am I doing with my life; how
before Devi’s Grace – were quite challenging for us. am I leading it; how am I addressing things – am
We put every penny that we had in creating this I moving towards my inner transformation? I was
venture. I got anxious whether it would succeed working on it earlier also, but with Devi’s Grace, it
or not. But after Devi’s Grace, I’ve come out of became so easy. It just happened.
this anxiety about how things will shape up in the
To me, Devi is a part of me, a part of nature, a part
future. Somewhere, there is this peace of mind that
of the universe, a part of Sadhguru. In fact, I fight
everything will fall into place.
with her, I love her, I adore her, I go and cry to her; I
First, we got the Linga Bhairavi Yantra for our house. even throw tantrums at her. I’ve never behaved this
When Devi came to our house, her impact also way with anyone – no one but Devi. I don’t feel a
began to reflect at the office, through the changes distinction at times, as if she’s flowing through me.
that were happening in my own inner state. Later, From day one when I was initiated into the process,
we also got the Avighna Yantra for our office. Devi every time I put my palms on the yantra, I feel a
has become part of my life. spurt of instant energy flowing through the palms
Sangeeta Khurana: I feel that Devi has changed into the entire body. Thoughts are flowing in front
me. Being a mother, a wife, a daughter-in-law, a of me like a movie, but there is a distance to them.
daughter, a sister, somewhere, you tend to lose The energy takes you to a different state of mind –
yourself. The upbringing I received from my parents – something totally beyond words.
being a woman, you’re supposed to work for She has a way of flowing through each and every
everyone. And in that whole process, you don’t being around. Just being in this space has been
realize that it is most crucial to attend to yourself as amazing for everyone who has visited us. Even
well. Until and unless you are happy within yourself, people who are otherwise not connected with

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 17

Isha or Devi are simply drawn to her. People have
told me things like, “You’ve created a temple right
here. It’s so beautiful.” You don’t need to introduce
her in any way. Just by being here, she can make a
connection with anyone.
Ashutosh Khurana: It’s not that ups and downs
will not happen after Devi comes in. They will still be
there. What Devi brings is a certain state of mind –
an awareness and an ability to detach yourself from
those ups and downs, to handle those situations
better. I would say in our case, the roller coaster
ride of ups and downs has increased exponentially.
I think it’s Devi’s way of expediting the process, to
What I miss
- Poem by Isha Brahmachari
Ah here you are, little plaything.
Haven’t missed you.
You connect me to the world
And yet you deny me the world.
Ah here you are, imagination.
Haven’t missed you.
Various colours you show me,
Ones I cannot draw in real life.
And yet you deny me real life.
Ah here you are, old habits.
I haven’t missed you.
You only change small bits of my day
And yet have the power to slowly
alter the course of my destiny.
18 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
clean a lot of garbage that we had created – physical
garbage, mental garbage, and emotional garbage.
Sangeeta Khurana: Everything has gone on a
fast-forward mode – hardships as well as joys. The
ability to handle all that is such a beautiful thing.
Ashutosh Khurana: Devi has brought in a new
sense of clarity as to what to do and what to pursue.
Earlier, we missed a lot of opportunities. Now, we’re
able to seize the opportunities that are coming to
us every day. I think somewhere Devi develops that
in us – an ability to participate in any and every
activity of life with full joy, with full energy, and still
not get attached to it.
Little pearls they are, compulsions.
All tied together in a string.
You pull one, and the rest follow.
I really haven’t missed them.
What I truly miss is that which 
Encompasses this Universe and me.
I am holding that string of pearl!
Till I give it away I will proudly 
lace it around the shackles I call me...
Only, I’ll miss the Universe and me.
- Swami Ekapada
June 2018
 SADHGURU SPOT
Stand Up for
Democracy
In this excerpt from the Spot, Sadhguru shares his deep concern about alarming levels of corruption
undermining the democratic process in India and many other parts of the world. Here is the abridged
transcript of Sadhguru’s audio message.
In the last one, one-and-a-half years, there are
some very disturbing trends happening around the
world about how the democratic process could be
subverted, and how it is being corrupted, is of deep
concern.
As you know, analytics companies are getting
involved to give insights into how it is all just a
question of arithmetic. No policy, no ideology, no
vision – just a question of handling the demographic
arithmetic of a particular region. In this context, I
think India is taking a low. I see disturbing videos
of making up of fake IDs on a large scale. People
are distributing money in bananas, taking away
the fruit and putting money inside the peel. This
is what criminals, smugglers did to get something
across. If political leadership is getting into this kind
of business…. I know, everybody wants to win the
election – I understand that. Well, there’s a fierce
fight – that is also fine. But this is criminalization of
democratic process itself.
If this becomes widespread, there’ll be no
democracy. We will be bought and sold. It’s very
important that the people of India, please stand up
and make sure that those who indulge in these kinds
of things should not only not win the election –
they must be punished, because this is crime. Well,
across the world people are complaining about the
democratic systems being subverted. In the United
States, a whole lot of people are crying foul. In the
Brexit vote, a lot of people are saying it was unfair,
June 2018
the way it was done. It is very, very important that
common people retain their faith in the democratic
process. If that goes away, we will go back to the
days of bloodletting, once again.
It’s my sincere request to every political party
and the citizens, wherever you are, particularly
right now in India, that you ensure that you don’t
become a part of this corrupting of democratic
process, because if we allow democratic process
to become criminalized absolutely, we are giving
away the greatest privilege that the common
people ever had. Please, every one of you, take this
as your responsibility. Write, express your opinion
and make it clear, if necessary file complaints – do
whatever you have to do.
It doesn’t matter which party, which leader – if they
are indulging in criminalizing democratic process,
we must act, because this is the privilege of the
common people. Heartfelt request to all of you that
democracy is not a spectator’s sport; we need to
participate – not just by voting. If things are being
done wrong, it needs to be recorded, it needs to be
reported, it needs to go to the right authorities, so
that action is taken about this. Let’s not give up our
basic and fundamental and fantastic privilege that
we can choose who rules our states or our nations
across the world. Let’s make this happen. Thank you
very much.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 19
 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Date Program Place Contact

Wisdom, Meditation, Bliss Moscow – Russian

3 Jun 2018 russia@ishafoundation.org
with Sadhguru Federation

Isha Yoga Center,

83000 84888 / 94890 45040
8–10 Jun 2018 Human is NOT a Resource Velliangiri Foothills,
leadership@ishainsight.org
Coimbatore – India

Isha Life Health Solutions

Joint and Musculoskeletal 044-28885333 / 83000 45333
12 Jun 2018 (opp. Spencer Plaza),
Disorders Treatment programs@ishalife.org
Chennai – India

Isha Rejuvenation,
0422-2515464
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13–17 Jun 2018 isharejuvenation@
Program Velliangiri Foothills,
ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India

Holistic Health Care Isha Life Health Solutions

044-28885333 / 83000 45333
16–17 Jun 2018 for Children (opp. Spencer Plaza),
programs@ishalife.org
(including ADHD/Autism) Chennai – India

Isha Life Health Solutions

044-28885333 / 83000 45333
17 Jun 2018 Holistic Cancer Clinic (opp. Spencer Plaza),
programs@ishalife.org
Chennai – India

Live in a Consecrated Isha Yoga Center,

94890 45136
27 Jun 2018 Space – Yantra Ceremony Velliangiri Foothills,
yantra@lingabhairavi.org
with Sadhguru Coimbatore – India

Ishanga 7% – ‘Nanmai Isha Yoga Center,

94425 04655 / 94878 95891
27 Jul 2018 Uruvam’ Ceremony with Velliangiri Foothills,
7percent@ishafoundation.org
Sadhguru Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center, 83000 83111

Guru Purnima Satsang
27 Jul 2018 Velliangiri Foothills, iycprograms@
with Sadhguru
Coimbatore – India ishafoundation.org

Isha Yoga Center, 83000 83111

28 – 29 Jul
In the Lap of the Master Velliangiri Foothills, iycprograms@
2018
Coimbatore – India ishafoundation.org

Kailash-Manasarovar 8144 123 123

11–31 Aug 2018 Nepal/Tibet (China)
Sacred Walks info@sacredwalks.org

Isha Yoga Center,

22–25 Nov INSIGHT: The DNA of 83000 84888
Velliangiri Foothills,
2018 Success with Sadhguru leadership@ishainsight.org
Coimbatore – India

Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit
www.ishayoga.org/Schedule/Yoga-Programs

20 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER June 2018

 ISHA RECIPE Thai Green Mango Salad

INGREDIENTS

Salad Dressing
1 large unripe mango Juice of 1 lemon
1 large red capsicum
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 medium carrots
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 small cucumber
1 tsp. honey
1 red chili, diced finely (optional)
1 handful of roasted groundnuts, chopped Ground pepper to taste

Fresh coriander and/or mint leaves Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Cut the mango, pepper, carrot, and cucumber
into thin strips (or use julienne peeler).
2. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a
small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all salad
ingredients apart from the groundnuts.
4. Mix the dressing in, adjust seasoning as desired.
Serve sprinkled with groundnuts and a few
leaves of mint and/or coriander.

June 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 21

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 ZEN SPEAKS

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Published by: B. RAJESH CHANDER on behalf of ISHA FOUNDATION

Published from 117/50, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004, TAMILNADU

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Registered with Patrika Channel Egmore RMS under Registration No. TN/CH(C)/492/17–19. Published on 2nd of every month – June 2018

An agile life gathers

more than all the somethings

Nothing. The Nothing is worth

24
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ISHA FOREST
FORESTFLOWER
FLOWER June
June 2018
2018