Volume 7 / Issue 01 January 2019

Unknowing
Many layers of the Hills
Green in shades too many
The tantalizing Mist working
its Magic to veil and unveil
many visions that could engage
a Keen mind into visions and
delusions unknown. Off these
Misty slopes have risen the
fabulous and the fearful.
Many manifestations of the
Mind Space. One who attempts
to capture will conjure false
Visions of hidden ghosts
not of these mountains but of Mind.
One who unfolds the
Mind Space to these Misty mountains
shall clear all mist of the Mind
to have crystal clear space
beyond knowing and Unknowing.

Grace & Blessings

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | b

 EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,
The new year fast approaches, and as mention, another batch of who’s who
it’s a time for endings and beginnings, in business came together for Isha’s
this issue brings you an In Conversation 7th annual leadership intensive, Isha
with the Mystic “How Does Life End INSIGHT 2018.
and Death Begin?,” in which Sadhguru
It’s not too early to start planning
goes over the five dimensions of prana
for Mahashivaratri. Sadhguru offers
and explains that the way we leave
a small glimpse of what we might
this world is gradual, in stages, and
expect for the darkest night of the
doesn’t happen all at once. In “The
year. Find out who’ll be performing
Time is Now,” Sadhguru urges us
at Yaksha 2019, scheduled for 1–3
that at no other time in history have
March 2019 at Isha Yoga Center. Gents
our needs for survival been taken
can experience being a limb of Shiva,
care of so well, at no other time have
through the next Shivanga Sadhana,
we been so empowered to explore a
culminating on Mahashivaratri. And
dimension beyond body and mind.
in the next installment of Mahabharat,
Also in this issue: Vivaha, a bhuta the battle climaxes as Karna lives for
shuddhi process for marriages, is being glory. Lastly, if you are feeling cold
made available to the world. People this month, our recipe for “Creamy
of integrity and devotion are being Pumpkin and Mushroom Curry” will
trained to offer this process to bride keep you warm.
and groom, and all who witness it will
The Editorial Team
benefit. As well, Sadhguru has been
busy this month delivering the keynote
at the 2018 Asian Sustainability
Summit and regaling a story-loving
audience at the Storytellers Festivals
in conversation with Mohit Chauhan
in Kathakar. Isha Yoga Center
welcomed the Indian Army for a
Hatha Yoga Training Program. Not to

Contact the Editorial Team:

Isha Forest Flower, Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, Ishana Vihar Post, Coimbatore – 641114
forestflower@ishafoundation.org
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consequences in the event of such claims not being honored by the advertisers.

2 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

CONTENTS

LEAD ARTICLE MAHABHARAT

The Time Is Now 07 Part 50: The Climax of the Battle 11

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MYSTIC
How Does Life End and Death Begin? 4

LEAD ARTICLE
The Time Is Now 7

MUSINGS
Vivaha: The Bhuta Shuddhi of Marriage 10

MAHABHARAT
Part 50: The Climax of the Battle 11

NEWS & EVENTS

Isha Reaches Out to Cyclone Gaja Victims 13
Sadhguru at the Sustainability Summit Asia 2018 13
Sadhguru at the Kathakar International Storytellers Festival 14
Isha INSIGHT 2018 – Leadership Intensive 14
Empowering the Indian Army with Hatha Yoga 15
Sadhguru at the Annual Conference of Indian Orthopaedic Association 15

SHARING EXPERIENCES
Letting Go – Poem by Isha Volunteer 16

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Shivanga Sadhana (Ladies) 16
Mahashivaratri and Yaksha 2019 17
Shivanga Sadhana (Gents) 19
Isha – Program & Event Highlights 20

ISHA RECIPES
Creamy Pumpkin & Mushroom Curry 21

ZEN SPEAKS
The Faster the Slower 23

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3

How Does Life End and IN CONVERSATION
Death Begin? WITH THE MYSTIC

Though it invariably happens to everyone, death remains a mystery. Here, Sadhguru explains what actually
happens upon leaving the body. Excerpted from a conversation between leading orthopaedic surgeon
Dr. Rajasekaran and Sadhguru at the Annual Meet of the Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOACON) on
29 November 2018 in Coimbatore.
Dr. Rajasekaran: Sadhguru, you spoke about life, Dr. Rajasekaran: Because we were told about the
and that brings a big question that doctors have birthday of gods, but nobody is telling us where
about life. Now they say, we have one trillion cells our life is.
in our body, and each of these cells is living by Sadhguru: I’m asking all of you – are you really life?
itself. And when you say a patient is no more, it’s
just that the brain dies after two or three minutes, Participants: Yes. Yes. Yes.
but a large part of his body is still alive. His skin, his
Putting Things in Perspective
muscles, his bones live for many hours. So what dies
when we die? That brings the question what leaves Sadhguru: No, most people are just a bundle of
us... Where is this life in our body? Is it in our brain, thoughts, emotions, ideas, opinions, belief systems,
our heart? And what is this life you’re talking about? and prejudices. They’re not life – their thought and
Is it in the spine? Where does it reside? emotion has overtaken their life process. The most
dominant thing that’s happening in their life is their
Sadhguru: There’re so many living people – you
own thought and emotion, not life process. What
can ask them, where are they. I think the religious
this means is, your own silly little creation in your
beliefs have screwed up human mind so badly
head has become larger than the Creator’s creation.
that people cannot even know what is happening
That’s a stupid way to live. See, today morning, the
within themselves. They know the geography of
sun came up on time. And the planet is spinning on
heaven, where God is sitting, how many children he
time. And out of these hundred billion galaxies, not
has, when his birthday is – everything they know.
a single accident – everything is going perfect in
How come they don’t know where their life is?
this cosmos today. Isn’t that great?
Isn’t it ridiculous?

4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

But one nasty little thought is crawling in your
head, and it’s a bad day. This is because you have
lost perspective as to who you are in this universe.
This solar system in which we are, if it evaporates
tomorrow morning, nobody will even notice it in this
cosmos – it’s that small; just a speck. In this speck of
a solar system, Planet Earth is a micro speck. In that
micro speck, Coimbatore city is a super micro speck.
In that, you are a big man. This is a serious problem.
How come we know so many things but we
don’t know what the nature of our life is?
When we have completely lost perspective as to
who we are, what we are, how do you think you will
grasp anything? Getting perspective on our life is
very, very important. How come we know so many
things but we don’t know what the nature of our
life is? Now, you asked why if somebody is dead, still
some of the cells are active. Why this is so – what
we’re calling “life,” physically, is a mechanism on
many different levels. There is hardware, and there
is software. The core of hardware is the bones. The
software is equally important.
Otherwise, how does a cell know that it is a human
cell – that it is not a pig cell, a tree cell, or something
else? It knows because there is an entire software.
There is memory – evolutionary memory, genetic
memory, karmic memory. There are varieties of
memories imposed on every cell in the system, so
that it never gets confused. If you eat dog food for
three days, you will not become a dog, because the
memory is entrenched in your system. The software
package is actually much bigger than the hardware.
And it is energized by what we are considering
as life force.
Five Dimensions of Prana
In yoga, we call this prana. It manifests itself in
five basic dimensions. These are called prana vayu,
samana vayu, apana vayu, udana vayu and vyana vayu.
They have different functions. Prana vayu is related
to breath, respiratory action, and thought process.
If the prana vayu depletes, your respiratory action
will go away. Immediately, they’ll try to pump your
chest; if the breath doesn’t come back, the doctor
will say you’re dead. Respiration and pulmonary
action are very directly connected – once respiration
stops, the pulmonary process will naturally
come to an end.
So prana vayu is gone. If samana vayu starts
receding, which is in charge of generating heat
January 2019
Prana vayu is related to breath, respiratory
action, and thought process.
in the system, the body starts getting cold, and it
also starts becoming stiff. Once apana vayu starts
receding in a major way, then the sensory aspect
starts receding. We must understand this – you may
check somebody’s breath and declare them dead,
but they can still feel sensations. There have been
any number of cases where people got terrified
because a dead body moved a little bit, because
the sensory activity is still on. Still, life is not fully
convinced that it is finished – it is still making an
effort of its own.
Udana Vayu – the Buoyancy Factor
When udana vayu goes away, then the buoyancy is
gone. When I say buoyancy… You may weigh seventy
or eighty or maybe fifty kilograms – whatever is
your weight; let’s say you’re very happy and alive
right now – you don’t feel those fifty kilograms on
you. If you stand on the scale, it is there. But when
you walk, it is not there, simply because the udana
creates a buoyancy – it makes you less available
to gravity. There are yogic practices to activate it.
There are whole schools of udana in China. You
might have seen those movies like Crouching Tiger –
these are udana schools, where they have mastery
over udana and can float around a little bit. Well,
a little exaggerated in the movies, but the body
becomes lighter, more buoyant.
For a martial arts fighter, to be buoyant is important.
There have been many cases where certain
ballet dancers and martial arts experts have done
something, leaping up to heights, which physicists
believe is simply impossible. They’ve gone beyond
that level simply by creating more buoyancy. So
udana is in charge of buoyancy. Once udana starts
receding, suddenly, the body becomes heavy.
The weight does not increase, but you can feel
the weight much more, simply because udana is
receding. People who work in hospitals may know
there’s a big difference in carrying a live person and
a dead person – simply because once udana is gone,
there is no buoyancy.
Vyana Vayu – The Last to Leave
The fifth dimension is called vyana vayu – it is
preservative in nature. If vyana recedes, even when
you’re alive, the body will begin to rot. There are
certain types of snake venoms which can do this.
If they bite you, you will not die, but literally, parts
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 5
of the body will start falling apart, simply because in a way, all that has happened is he has lost his
vyana will recede. So, once vyana recedes, the body. All his life, he lived thinking he is a body, never
rotting process will begin. realizing the physical mass that he carries is just an
accumulation from this planet. When he suddenly
There are systems in yoga where we want all the
slips out of the body, he tends to hover around
five vayus to go reasonably together, within one-
the body, because he has lost his discriminatory
and-a-half hours. In normal death, depending upon
intelligence. Once he leaves the body, the
the age of a person, how vibrant a particular body
discriminatory intellect is gone, so he tends to hover
is, vyana may take up to fourteen days to leave. This
around that body.
is the reason why in this culture, you have rituals
running up to fourteen days – because they feel the That is why in this culture, we said the moment
vyana may still be there. When you bury a person, we are sure that somebody is dead, you must
the vyana may still be hovering there. immediately cremate them. It’s good for the dead,
so they know the game is up, and it’s also good for
That is the reason why in this culture, that was
the living. If somebody very dear to you just died
the rule – if somebody dies, within an hour-and-
and their body is there in front of you, you keep on
a-half, you must cremate them. But then mistakes
hallucinating, “Maybe they’re just sleeping. Maybe
happened – when they were still alive, somebody
they will sit up. Maybe some miracle will happen.”
put them on the funeral pyre. So they stretched it to
This will go on unnecessarily. You will see people
four hours – within four hours, you must cremate
are crying and big emotional drama is happening.
the body. But today, there are all kinds of issues, so
But the moment you cremate the body, everyone
people are waiting for one, two, or three days. The
becomes silent, because now everyone knows the
daughter is in America and she has to come, so they
game is up. It’s good for the living and for the dead.
are waiting – things like that.
So about life leaving the system, life is so entrenched
The Rationale of Quick Cremation in the system, it will not go away just like that. In
We must understand this – you don’t diagnose stages, it came in; in stages, it will go away.
people as dead, you declare them dead – there is a
difference. So when you declare them dead, for you,
they’re dead. As far as that person is concerned,
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6 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

The Time Is Now
LEAD ARTICLE

What is yoga (and what it is not), why yoga, and why now, are some of the questions Sadhguru explores in this
article. “In a way, this is a belly-up generation,” may sound like a crushing statement about our times, but this
also brings a paradigm shift. There is a historic possibility that, however, comes with an expiry date. Read on to
find out more.

Impact over Profit
As human beings, we can do so many different
activities. But whatever the nature of our activity,
in today’s world, even hard-nosed businessmen
are talking about impact, not profit. “Impact” is a
crude way of saying, “We want to touch someone’s
life.” Whether business people are talking about
impact, or you are forming a personal relationship
with someone, essentially, somewhere, you want to
break the boundaries with someone for some time.
To be a yogi means to be determined to obliterate
the boundaries of your individuality.
In some way, you want to erase the lines that
separate you from the rest of the universe. Yoga
means to approach it in a scientific way. You do not
have to do any great amount of activity; you do not
have to indulge in sexuality; you do not have to get
entangled in anything. If you consciously erase your
boundaries, simply sitting here, you can experience
a trillion times more than with any activity, and
it is just fantastic. Yoga means to obliterate your
boundaries.
Desperate Attempts
All the human nonsense that you see on the planet
is only because of concretized boundaries. They
have just concretized their boundaries so rigidly
that if two people meet, they will clash. Yoga does
not mean twisting and turning; it is not a weight
loss program or stress relief program. It means
you understood the stupidity of “me versus the

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 7

universe.” It is absolutely idiotic to be in competition
with that which is the source of your life. When you
realize that, you are moving towards yoga.
It does not matter how you do it. You can call it
impact, you can call it service, you can call it whatever
you want. Essentially, when you realize this me vs.
the rest of the universe is a stupid competition to get
into, you start relaxing your boundaries – this is
yoga. That means approaching it in a fail-safe way.
When two people fall in love or get married, they
think they are in yoga, they broke their boundaries,
but after some time, you will see it is not fail-safe.
Because you broke the boundaries for a period of
time, revenge will come. Not necessarily do two
people have to turn against each other after some
time. Maybe comfort will happen. In rare moments,
they might have erased boundaries. The rest of the
time, it is a mutual benefit scheme. Whatever form
it is, yoga essentially means this: the first thing is
you are interested in erasing your own boundaries.
And if you know the joy of what it means, then you
want it to happen all around you.
The Irony of Life
The fundamental irony of life is – the very
instruments of life turn against us. Without this
body, we do not know how to live here. Without
this mind, we do not know how to live here. Body
and mind are the two most basic instruments of
life, but it is these two which have turned against
people. You can call it suffering, misery, disease,
or any number of names. Essentially, two basic
instruments of life have turned against you.
Keeping these two things for you, not against you, is
our most basic responsibility. If body and mind turn
against us, human potential will not be realized. Let
us say you have a headache; nothing big, no cancer –
just a headache will ruin your life. Or let us say your
nostrils are stuffed all the time – nothing big, just
a cold. First you will say, “What’s the big deal?” But
suppose it lasts for a few years, you will see, life is
lost. Not because of cancer, not because your heart
broke, just a cold – life is lost. If this body, if this
mind turns against you, then you cannot explore
the full depth and dimension of what it means to
be human.
Making Everything Work for You
Some people have this issue – the very universe
is against them, simply because of the way they
exist. When you have that kind of opposition, you
cannot live. Yoga means to keep everything – body,
mind, existence – working with us; or better, we
are working with it. Now, if something happens, it
8 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
is wonderful; if nothing happens, it is too fantastic.
Something important to do today – wonderful!
Nothing to do – fantastic! But for most people,
if something happens, it is a problem; if nothing
happens, it is a super problem.
Yoga means you become a part of everything. You
still have an individual existence, but with open,
porous boundaries. Because of this, in some way,
we have become everything, and we are okay with
anything. If you really open up your boundaries,
and existence and its source are working with you,
what needs to happen will happen. This is what
yoga means – to be in tune with everything, simply
because you loosened your boundaries. You make
the boundaries porous, so that life seeps in, so you
are not a prisoner in your own body and your mind.
Prisoner of Your Own Making
Most people are prisoners of their own body and
mind. Instead of your body and mind being platforms
upon which life is housed, they become the prison
walls for the life within. You always have to keep it
up, to feel like it is worth living; and not just you,
you expect a few other people to cooperate. Yogis
just stayed alone, not because they did not care, but
simply because they were just fine by themselves. If
the society of the times had shown the right kind of
interest, they probably would have stepped in. We
are at a time in history where…
For example, in my father’s generation – whatever
personal things were happening in their lives, they
never spoke about it to anyone; they just managed
it within themselves, and carried on with their
life. Then my generation came. When I was in
university, I just sat outside in the garden. Every
day, someone came and told their whole life story
to me. Not an interesting life, but they want to tell.
All stupid stuff – how they suffered their parents,
their education, their poverty, their girlfriend or
boyfriend – endlessly. At that time, I just heard all
these things – everyone had a problem. It looked
like I was some kind of a freak – I did not have any
problem.
The Belly-Up Generation
My father’s generation used to write journals. Even
in my generation, a lot of people wrote journals,
about all aspects of their life, and they didn’t want
anyone to see it. If anyone ever opened as much as
a cover page, they would be terribly upset. “Without
me knowing, you opened my journal” – it was like a
crime. But today’s generation puts every aspect of
their life on Facebook, and they will be terribly upset
if no one sees it. Like, “I’m eating my breakfast,” –
January 2019
picture! “I’m licking my ice cream” – picture. Just
anything and everything…
In a way, this is a belly-up generation. When
a generation is belly-up like this, it is time for
transformation – the best time. There are various
things that I cannot articulate right now. If we
really have to transform human beings on this
planet, they are available to you in a big way only
for another fifteen to maximum thirty years. After
that, it will be very hard to touch them. Of course,
there will always be people who are willing and
others who are not willing, but generally, the larger
population will be super-willing for these fifteen
to thirty years. Beyond that, it will be difficult, for a
variety of reasons.
A Possibility for a Limited Time Only
So, we are here at an appropriate time. If we do the
right things, we can touch a maximum number of
people. But if time passes, if this generation passes,
and once they are off Facebook and everything, it will
be difficult. Above all, if we do not strongly enough
impart yoga in the world, in another twenty-five to
thirty years, more than ninety percent of the world’s
population will be on some kind of chemical. Once
they are on chemicals, you cannot talk to them. The
world is rapidly getting there. If you do not show
them another way to take away the boundary
simply sitting here, they will get there in a way that
is not for keeps. It is only for a few minutes or a few
hours – afterwards, it will get them.
When a generation is belly-up like this, it is
time for transformation – the best time.
This is just the right time, and it is our time on the
planet. If we are committed and determined, we
can make this the best time ever in the history of
humanity, because we are empowered like never
before. Survival is taken care of like never before
– for the human beings, at least; not for the other
creatures, unfortunately. Never before did human
beings have so much comfort and convenience.
If we do not do the right things now, later, it will
be too late; because later, situations will be very
different. It is being estimated that with the rise
of Artificial Intelligence, probably in seventy years’
time, anywhere between forty to fifty percent of
the population may commit suicide. Simply because
if there is nothing to do, they will see no worth in
their life.
January 2019
Yoga: Transformative Catalyst
It is very much possible that we will go that way.
So imparting yoga is not just another chore that
you do in the world – it is a very significant activity.
Everyone may not understand this right now. But if
we all do the right thing, with enough intensity, in
another five to seven years’ time, you will see how
important yoga will become in the world. Already
the demand has become significantly more today
than it was five years ago. The only thing is, when
something is in so much demand, all of a sudden, all
kinds of spurious stuff will come up, because there
is a market. If there is no quality product, people
make up and do all kinds of things.
The classical system of yoga is unique… Maybe it is
not as entertaining as doing Zumba or something
else, but if people give themselves to the yogic
process, it will do things that they have not
imagined possible. Yoga is a phenomenal process –
it can change the composition of who you are.
When I started practicing simple aspects of yoga at
the age of twelve, it changed everything about me,
physiologically. It just depends on the intensity with
which you go at it.
Imparting Yoga: The Who and How
The science of yoga is always there, but who carries
it and how makes a world of difference. When you
are teaching or giving any instruction, when there
are people in front of you, you must sit there like a
mother to the world, always. No matter who they
are – once you sit there to teach, it is all the same.
When you are imparting yoga, you must sit like a
mother to the world. If you do this one thing, I will
do the rest for you.
Apart from imparting yoga in an instructional way,
there are other ways of imparting it. In the sense, if
you have been at Dhyanalinga – there, a yogi sits;
he has everything that is worth knowing about
yoga. He cannot speak, but that does not mean
he is any less effective. I have all the energy I need
to do whatever I want, but sometimes the body is
lacking. Especially young people, if you are willing to
stand up and do something beyond yourself, these
possibilities are there. Those of you who wish to go
in that direction, you must express your intention.
We will see what to do.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 9
Vivaha: The Bhuta Shuddhi
of Marriage
MUSINGS

Sadhguru explains the fundamentals of Vivaha – an ancient form of marriage consecration that he recently
revived. A sacred possibility for those who wish to get married, and an opportunity for Isha meditators to get
trained in offering something beyond themselves.

We are launching Vivaha – a certain form of refinement of elements also brings a certain union.
consecration for marriages. This is a very ancient The separation of each individual form is actually
form, probably not in vogue for quite some time. Its determined by the grossness of the elements in
origin is in the yogic system, where the fundamental every human being.
process is Bhuta Shuddhi, which means having
At times, you feel trapped in the limitations of your
knowledge and mastery over the magic of the
physical boundaries. There are other moments
five elements. The whole system of yoga is
when you feel like you are part of everything else.
focused on that.
This is essentially determined by how the elements
Those who want to transcend take to sanyas and are functioning within you. With just these five,
use the methods of Bhuta Shuddhi to bypass life. what a magnificent mischief has been created in
But for those who have succumbed to the ways the form of the Cosmos and in the form of life.
of life, or have fallen in love with the process of
We are now making it available to the world. We are
life and are not just focused on the ultimate goal,
training people of a certain integrity and devotion
there is another system. The same process of Bhuta
to make this process available to everyone. For
Shuddhi can be used to bring a maximum sense of
those of you who are interested in offering this to
involvement and merger between two people, with
others, you may contact us, particularly if you are a
minimum sense of entanglement.
married couple.
What Bhuta Shuddhi means on one level is
Offering this to the bride, groom, and their families
purification of the five elements. The refinement
can be the most valued and important process in
of the elements will determine what type of life
their lives. The nature of Vivaha is such that the
anyone or anything becomes. In its grossest form,
benefit is not only for the bride and the groom, but
it will be inanimate. As it refines, it becomes many
for everyone who witnesses and engages in it.
things. A human being is supposed to be the highest
level of refinement. If a human being refines further, For more information, please contact:
the possibility of touching divinity is there, and this info@lingabhairavi.org
is what the whole system of yoga is about. This

10 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019


The first half of the Kurukshetra war passes with Arjuna avoiding to go all out and kill his opponents
indiscriminately. Krishna becomes impatient.
Krishna Issues an Ultimatum
On the ninth day, Krishna says to Arjuna, “This is it –
if you are not going to fight, I am going to fight.”
Earlier, he gave the Kauravas his word that he will
not fight. If he fights now, forever he will be seen
as a man who did not keep his word. Still, Krishna
says, “It does not matter what people think of
me. Anyway, they already think I am a Ranchor, a
coward, a thief, all kinds of things. Let them think
one more thing.” He takes his Sudarshana Chakra
and says, “I will finish the war today.” Then Arjuna
says, “Don’t do this. Your name will be tainted
forever. I will fight.”
As days passed, towards the eleventh or twelfth day,
the armies became almost equal in number, because
on the Kaurava side, the losses were much bigger.
By the sixteenth day, the Pandava army seemed to
be larger than the Kaurava army. But then, certain
people went berserk, and they decimated both
the armies quite drastically. Duryodhana became
desperate. Karna took charge of the Kaurava army.
Karna knows they are going to lose the overall
battle. But for him, the only thing that really matters
is to have the glory of ending a man’s life who is
believed to be the greatest kshatriya ever – Arjuna.
Karna – All for Glory
Karna lives for glory, and he is willing to die for it.
He only wants to kill Arjuna. He does not mind if he
loses the battle; he knows Krishna will not let the
Kauravas win. He knows that if the worst comes to
the worst, Krishna will enter the battle himself and
see that it is won by the Pandavas. By now, Karna
knows that the Pandavas are his own brothers.
Still, he wants glory. So one by one, he attacks the
January 2019
MAHABHARAT
SERIES
PART 50
Mahabharat
The Climax of
the Battle
Pandava brothers. He defeats Yudhishthira, disarms
him, and comes close to him.
When Yudhishthira stands in front of Karna
unarmed, terrified, and ready to die, Karna pokes
him on the chest with the tip of his bow and says,
“I don’t think men like you should be fighting on a
battlefield when I am here. It is best you go back
to your wife. But maybe you can’t go back to your
wife; maybe it is another brother’s time,” he taunts
Yudhishthira. Then Karna defeats Bhima and taunts
him, too. He says, “With all this muscle, what are
you going to do? Like a bull, you have grown. If I
want, I will take off your head. But what is the use of
taking off the head of a child? Go.” To Nakula and
Sahadeva, he does the same thing, because he
promised that he will not kill them. He keeps
his promise, but he wants to have the glory of
defeating them.
Karna’s and Indra’s Barter
When Indra came and asked him for his kavacha or
armor, Karna gave it to him – in spite of the sun-
god’s warning not to do that. At that time, Indra
was pleased with Karna’s sense of sacrifice. Because
he promised it, even though he knew that it would
be sure death if he removed his kavacha, Karna gave
it away. At that time, Karna asked, “Give me your
Shakti astra for the kavacha and kundala, so men
will say, “Indra gave Karna his own ayudha in return
for what he took from him. The Shakti will not save
my life – that is doomed anyway. But I feel strange
love for you, and I want to protect your reputation.
“Knowing fully well I am going into the battle;
you are asking for my armor. This is the most
dastardly thing. As the king of gods, you will lose
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 11
your reputation. At least give me your Shakti astra
so that people in the future will feel that Indra did
some exchange. It will save your reputation.” The
man is always strutting with a certain glory about
himself. Then Indra says to Karna, “Win or lose
the war – it’s a small matter. Today you have won
immortal fame with the arms you gave me. I name
you Vaikarthana for cutting your kavacha from your
flesh. And men will say ever after that the greatest
of all givers of arms was not Indra but Karna. As
long as the world lives, Karna, your fame shall live
in it,” and that is all Karna wanted. Both of them got
what they wanted.
Ghatotkacha’s Occult Powers
Now the battle is on. Karna is without the kavacha,
but he got the Shakti astra. With this one astra, he
can kill Arjuna; he is saving it for Arjuna. He will
end Arjuna, and then he will be quite powerless
without the astra, and he will be killed by someone.
Ghatotkacha, Bhima’s son, is let loose. The nighttime
rule was broken and fighting started at night. When
they were fighting in the day, Ghatotkacha was
just one more warrior. But in the night, his occult
powers come to full flowering, and he is creating
havoc. Ghatotkacha’s occult powers are such that
the Kaurava army does not even know which way
to turn and fight, which direction to face, because
illusory armies are all over the place, even in the sky.
It is a free run for the Pandavas; the situation turns
into indiscriminate slaughter. Duryodhana looks at
this and says, “This night, the Kaurava army will end.”
He tells Karna, “Use the Shakti; kill this giant.” Karna
hesitates because he is saving the Shakti astra for
Arjuna. If he uses it up, his dream of killing Arjuna
will be over. He hesitates. Suddenly, Duryodhana
looks at him suspiciously and says, “What is the
matter?” He always lives in this fear that, maybe,
someone’s loyalty has shifted.
Karna Kills Ghatotkacha
He questions Karna’s loyalty. Karna says, “I have not
come here to win the war; I have not come here to
rule; I have not come here to get a kingdom. I have
come here to die for you. I am not doing anything
less than what I should do. If you insist, I will use
the Shakti,” and he uses the Shakti to bring down
Ghatotkacha. Suddenly, all the occult powers are
gone, and it is a normal battle once again.
Once Krishna comes to know Karna used up the
Shakti, he tells Arjuna, “Tomorrow morning, you
must get Karna. That’s it. He is finished.” So next
day morning, they get Karna in a way that is not
usually approved. But by then, nothing is approved
or disapproved. Everyone is doing whatever they
12 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
want. Karna is carrying the bondage of curses in
his life. Parashurama had cursed him, “When you
really need it, you will forget the mantras.” And the
brahmin whose cow was killed had cursed him,
“When you are fighting a battle, in a moment of life
or death, your chariot wheels will sink. And when
you are helpless and unprotected as my cow was
when you killed it, just like that, you will die.”
Arjuna Defeats Karna
So Karna is fighting Arjuna; a lot of drama happens.
Then Karna’s wheel goes down. He comes down
from the chariot and tries to get the wheel out.
According to normal battle rules, in a situation like
that, the opponents do not shoot at him; they wait
for him to get back on the chariot. Karna says, “I
am sure you are kshatriya enough not to shoot at
me when I am down.” Of course, Arjuna also thinks
he is warrior enough to not shoot, and he waits.
Krishna asks, “What are you waiting for?” “No, let
him release his chariot wheel.” Krishna’s patience is
running out. He says, “Kill him.” Arjuna protests, “But
he is unarmed.” “It does not matter – kill him.” Karna
is trying to get his chariot wheel out. Krishna says,
“Break the chariot.” So Arjuna breaks the chariot.
Then Karna knows that they are going to fight even
when he is down. So he picks up his bow. Krishna
says, “Break his bow.” Arjuna breaks it. Krishna says,
“When he is standing totally unarmed, just take off
his head.” Arjuna takes off his head. So Karna goes
down. A great man and a great tragedy and a great
mistake, all his life. Not evil, just a big mistake he is.
With him gone, Duryodhana loses heart. Karna was
always his assurance.
The Last Battle
Duryodhana makes Shalya the commander.
Shalya fights bravely, but Yudhishthira kills him on
that day. Once that is done, the Pandava army is
on a rampage, and the Kauravas are completely
decimated. In the process, Pandava soldiers also die
in big numbers. Ashwatthama eliminates a large
part of the Pandava army. Eighteen days of war are
over. The five Pandavas are alive, Drishtadhyumna
is alive, the Pandava children are alive. Otherwise,
everyone who is significant is dead.
All the Kauravas are dead except Duryodhana.
Ashwatthama and Kripacharya are alive; most of
the foot soldiers are either dead, or they left the
battlefield. Seeing this indiscriminate, non-stop
killing, seeing themselves killing indiscriminately,
many of them lost heart or lost their mind –
whichever way, they ran away.
To be continued.
January 2019
Isha Reaches Out to
Cyclone Gaja Victims
Sadhguru at the Sustainability
Summit Asia 2018
Kuala Lumpur, 15 Nov 2018: Sadhguru was invited
to give a keynote address at the Sustainability
Summit Asia 2018, organized by The Economist
magazine on 15 November 2018 in Kuala Lumpur.
He emphasized on nurturing a syncretic approach
to ecology and business, proposing a marriage
between the two. Once we understand that
“ecology is the basis of our existence,” laying
January 2019
NEWS AND EVENTS
Tamil Nadu, Nov 2018: After Cyclone Gaja hit
Nagapattinam and surrounding districts of Tamil
Nadu, Isha Foundation was one of the first non-
profit organizations to reach the afflicted regions.
Equipped with three Mobile Health Clinics (MHC),
Isha Outreach teams provided primary care and
medicines, and were later joined by some of the
villagers, who volunteered to support the relief
operations. The MHCs reached out to more than
four thousand people, and apart from offering
acute medical care, took prompt action towards
preventing an epidemic outbreak.
policies towards this end will become a reality. The
Earth being at the cusp of an ecological upheaval,
Sadhguru urged governments and corporates
to collaborate in making environment-centric
policies which are economically viable. Sadhguru
pointed out a needed shift in our mind-set towards
recognizing every life form as “life,” in order for us to
take crucial steps for a sustainable future.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 13
Sadhguru at the Kathakar International
Storytellers Festival
Delhi, 16 November 2018: Storytelling has
been a very old tradition in India, thriving in
different parts of the country and expressed
through various mediums. It was a way to
preserve the history and culture of local
communities, tribes, and dynasties over the
generations. In a fascinating conversation
with Mohit Chauhan at the Kathakar –
International Storytellers Festival, Sadhguru
explained how storytelling in this country
meant to stir up the humanity in the
listener, rather than instilling rigid morality.
The story would have a quality of magic, household used to be pushed to fill in the gaps, using
allowing one to go beyond the logical mind. Talking their own imagination. Stories are about capturing
about the suspension of time in his grandmother’s one’s attention to such an extent that one is able to
stories which refused to end, the children in the unearth the implied and more, Sadhguru said.

Isha INSIGHT 2018 – Leadership Intensive

Isha Yoga Center, 22–25 Nov 2018: Sadhguru
opened the 7th edition of Isha INSIGHT 2018 with
the three I’s: Integrity – to commit to something
bigger than ourselves; Inspiration – to burn with
intensity; and Insight – the ability to see a little
further than those one leads, as being essential
drivers for any leadership position. Amitabh Kant,
CEO of the NITI Aayog, shared the story of turning
Kerala into high-value tourism by bringing back
traditional Kerala culture, Ayurveda, and art forms.
The key behind this move was to think big and step
into unchartered terrain.
For Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola Cabs, listening
to the consumer turned the initial idea of a website
for booking cars into a larger vision of mobility
for all. Among other ingenious stories were those
of Deepak Garg, CEO of Rivigo, and a former
McKinsey consultant. Deepak turned to creating
a relay trucking model wherein trucks have a
shorter transit time and a relay of drivers handle
a single truck, allowing them to come home on
the same day. Deepak spoke of finding a sweet
spot in every business by creating solutions and
serving a larger purpose. All stories of success had
one thing in common: genius ideas supported by
systematic execution.

14 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

Empowering the Indian Army with Hatha Yoga

Isha Yoga Center, Nov 2018: In the first of its

kind initiative, the Isha Yoga Center held a 14-day
Hatha Yoga Training Program for army personnel.
They were trained in the ancient and powerful
practices of Upa-yoga, Angamardana and Surya
Kriya, while being initiated into AUM chanting and
Isha Kriya. Many of them were trained to offer
the practices to other Indian Army personnel. In
response to a question by one of the army soldiers
during a Darshan, Sadhguru mentioned that some
of the greatest warriors of ancient India were sages,
including some of the 63 Nayanmars or sages of
southern India, who were also great devotees of
Shiva. The army contingent at Isha comprised 63
soldiers, making Sadhguru half-jokingly wonder
about the possibility of turning our soldiers into
warrior sages of yore.

Sadhguru at the Annual Conference

of Indian Orthopaedic Association

Coimbatore, 29 Nov 2018: What is life; how
do we accumulate grace; what do we mean by
death or the dead, were some of the mysteries
Sadhguru uncovered in a conversation with leading
orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Rajasekaran at the
IOACON, a gathering of five thousand orthopedic
doctors. Sadhguru delved into the nuances of the
pancha vayus and how they behave in the body
when we live and die, complementing the medical
definition of death from the perspective of the yogic
sciences. Dwelling on how grace obliterates borders
between “what is me” and “what is the universe,”
Sadhguru reiterated the insignificance of a human
being in the context of the larger existence. The
realization of this truth opens us to the bounty of
life and grace.

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 15

 SHARING
Letting Go - Poem by Isha volunteer
EXPERIENCE

To give it your all when you don’t really care,

To not really care when you’ve given it your all.

To know, when you don’t care, giving it your all is

the only way, a consequence.

To see, only when you don’t care, do you really

care, completely.

Then cast aside all that you cared for and knew,
know nothing except the helplessness and
vulnerability of your condition.

Let go your fears, which feed your desire for

control, stand exposed.

Then you will feel…

The pure embrace and overwhelming gratefulness

that is life.

- Vikram, Isha volunteer, Isha Yoga Center

16 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

A Night with the Divine

In the Presence of

March 4
6 PM - 6 AM, Isha Yoga Center

“Mahashivaratri is an opportunity to allow the natural forces to prompt you towards your Ultimate Nature.
May this night become an exuberant awakening for you.” – Sadhguru

An exuberant nightlong festival, Mahashivaratri is Adiyogi Pradakshina

being celebrated for the 25th consecutive year at
the Isha Yoga Center.
The nightlong festival features:
– Midnight Meditation with Sadhguru
– Musical Performances by eminent artists
– Maha Annadanam
Grace of the Adi Guru
Devotees who are at the Isha Yoga Center on
Mahashivaratri can receive a Rudraksh Prasadam
and Sarpa Sutra.
Rudraksh Prasadam
This bead is one of one lakh and eight such rudraksh
beads that have adorned Adiyogi over the last year.
Sarpa Sutra
Made of copper, the Sarpa Sutra should be worn
on the left ring finger and is supportive for stability
and wellbeing.
Pradakshina is the process of circumambulating
a powerful energy source to imbibe its energy.
Through Adiyogi Pradakshina one can become
receptive to the Grace of Adiyogi, which can fuel
one’s striving towards ultimate liberation.
Adiyogi Annadanam 
On Mahashivaratri, devotees will have the
opportunity to offer raw rice to Adiyogi. These
offerings will be made use of as part of the Maha
Annadanam.
Spectacular Celebrations
This year, various festive presentations drawing on
the rich cultural heritage of India will be featured
during Mahashivaratri. These include a cattle fair, a
turban tying stall, displays of folk music and dance,
exhibitions of regional cuisine, a folk arts and crafts
bazaar, and more.
For seating passes, please contact:
info@mahashivrathri.org | 83000 83111
Live Webstream: isha.sadhguru.org/MSR

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 17

 Mahashivaratri Sadhana
The Mahashivaratri Sadhana is a preparation
for Mahashivaratri – a night of tremendous
possibilities. Anyone eight years of age and above Classical Yoga Workshop during
can do the sadhana. The sadhana can be of varying Mahashivaratri
duration. You can do the sadhana for 40, 21, 14, 7
or 3 consecutive days leading up to Mahashivaratri, A 5-day residential program at Isha Yoga Center
4 March 2019. It includes chants, Shiva Namaskar, 1–5 March 2019
and the observance of certain guidelines. The
culmination is on Mahashivaratri – optionally at the The Classical Yoga Workshop provides an
Isha Yoga Center or at home.  opportunity to participate in a special yoga program
and to stay in the consecrated environs of the Isha
For more details, guidelines, and to learn Shiva Yoga center during Mahashivaratri.
Namaskar as well as the chants, please visit the
For more information: 84484 47707
website: isha.sadhguru.org/MSR

Yaksha 2019
1–3 March 2019, Isha Yoga Center
Yaksha is a three-day festival preceding
Mahashivaratri, featuring some of the
most exuberant and renowned talent of
music and dance.
This year’s concerts:
Kalapini Komkali – Hindustani vocal
Ranjani & Gayatri – Carnatic vocal
Nadi – Dance drama by Leela Samson 
Come experience the finest expressions
of India’s unparalleled cultural heritage.
Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills,
Ishana Vihar Post, Coimbatore
83000 83111 | isha.sadhguru.org

18 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER January 2019

Shivanga – Becoming a Limb of Shiva
“If you look up in the sky, the biggest presence out there is a vast emptiness. This nothingness is referred to
as ‘Shiva,’ or ‘that which is not.’ This huge body of ‘that which is not’ has a few limbs – a galaxy, a star, a
solar system, a planet, an atom, or maybe you. All these are limbs of Shiva, because everything has come from
nothing. Without being connected to the nothingness in the Universe, you cannot exist.
You are a limb of Shiva. The Shivanga sadhana is designed to bring this into your awareness.” - Sadhguru

Shivanga is an intense sadhana period designed Expressions from Shivanga

for one to explore higher levels of experience in
body, mind and energy. Open to men, this 42-day
Sadhakas:
vratam begins on a Purnima and culminates on a “Life has changed a lot now; it has improved
Shivaratri at the Dhyanalinga, with an offering to tremendously. I have experientially started seeing that
Shiva is everywhere. In my experience, everything is Shiva,
the Dhyanalinga and a yatra to the peaks of the
only Shiva.”
beautiful Velliangiri Mountains. Devotees have a
Lakshmi Narayanan, Software Architect, Chennai
rare opportunity to make this pilgrimage on the
auspicious night of Mahashivaratri. The sadhana Now, after doing the Shivanga sadhana, when I look at the
will start at the beginning of Uttarayana, a time of sky or the mountain or even a tree, I feel deeply connected
great spiritual significance, when the sun’s run shifts to itk and tears my eyes fills up tears unknowingly.”
to the Northern Hemisphere – a time recognized as Ashishkumar, Isha volunteer, Isha Yoga Center
highly conducive to receive Grace.
Initiation into Shivanga Sadhana
The Velliangiri Mountains are also known as (Gents): 20 Jan 2019
Thenkailayam or South Kailash – a space where
the Adiyogi himself spent some time. Over the (Culmination on Mahashivaratri, 4 Mar 2019)
ages, many siddhas and seers have enshrined their
Location: Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri
energies and Grace in these mountains, which can
be accessed and imbibed even today. Every year, Foothills, Coimbatore & local centers
lakhs of devotees make the pilgrimage to the sacred Contact: 83000 83111; info@shivanga.org
seventh hill of the Velliangiri Mountains, a space of
tremendous power and energy.

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 19

 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Date Program Place Contact

Isha Foundation Delhi 96500 92103

7–27 Jan 2019 Hatha Yoga 21 Days
Center, Delhi – India hatha.delhi@ishafoundation.org

Isha Life Health

12, 16, 19 Jan Obesity Treatment 044-28885333 / 94890 45211
Solutions (opp. Spencer
2019 Program programs@ishalife.org
Plaza), Chennai – India

Isha Yoga Center,

17–20 Jan
Shoonya Intensive Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
2019
Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center,

17–20 Jan Bhava Spandana
Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
2019 (Gents)
Coimbatore – India

Joint and Isha Rejuvenation,

18–24 Jan Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464
Musculoskeletal
2019 Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@ishafoundation.org
Disorders Treatment Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center,

20 Jan 2019
Shivanga Sadhana Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
(culmination
Initiation (Gents) Coimbatore info@shivanga.org
4 Mar 2019)
& local centers – India

Isha Yoga Center,

22–25 Jan Bhava Spandana
Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
2019 (Ladies)
Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center,

27–30 Jan
Shoonya Intensive Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
2019
Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center,

4 Mar 2019 Mahashivaratri Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
Coimbatore – India

Isha Yoga Center,

8–15 Mar
Samyama Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
2019
Coimbatore – India

Inner Engineering
Los Angeles – United +1 931 488 8448
30 Mar 2019 Completion with
States iecsupport@innerengineering.com
Sadhguru

Inner Engineering
Philadelphia – United +1 931 488 8448
27 Apr 2019 Completion with
States iecsupport@innerengineering.com
Sadhguru

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 January 2019

Creamy Pumpkin & Mushroom Curry
ISHA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS METHOD

2 Tbsps. Sesame oil 1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add
2 cups Cubed pumpkin ginger, tomato paste, lime and cook for 3–4
minutes until softened.
2 cups Mushrooms, cut in halves
2. Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom,
1 cup Cashews (soaked overnight or kept in and fenugreek powder and stir until fragrant.
boiled water for 30 minutes)
3. Add the cubed pumpkin and sauté for
3 cups Water or vegetable stock 10 minutes.
2 Tbsps. Ginger
4. Add the water or vegetable stock and cover for
2 Tbsps. Tomato paste another 20 minutes. Let the pumpkin simmer in
Half a lime low heat until soft.
1 tsp. Turmeric powder 5. Add the mushroom and let it cook for 5 minutes.
1 tsp. Coriander powder 6. Add salt and pepper according to your taste.
1 tsp. Cumin powder Keep in mind, if you have added store-bought
stock, there is salt that should be considered
1 tsp. Cardamom powder before you add more to the curry.
2 tsp. Fenugreek powder 7. Blend the cashew to make cashew milk and add
1 tsp. Pepper it to the curry.
2 Tbsps. Salt 8. Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
Fresh coriander leaves 9. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 21

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January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 22

 ZEN SPEAKS

Courtesy Zen Speaks

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

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

Printed by: S. PRAKASH; at FINE DOTS, No.15, Boo Begum 3rd Street,
Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 002, TAMILNADU. Editor: K. SEKAR

January 2019 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 23

 Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. TNENG/2013/53333 WPP license no : TN/PMG (CCR)/WPP–446/2017–2019
Registered with Patrika Channel Egmore RMS under Registration No. TN/CH(C)/492/17–19. Published on 2nd of every month – January 2019

take us across.
It is upon the backs of
those who build these
Many Bridges we cross

Bridges that we walk upon.

create new possibilities that

24
a || ISHA
ISHA FOREST
FORESTFLOWER
FLOWER January
January 2019
2019