Anuradha Sridharan

We often wonder why certain habits come naturally to us, why we are drawn toward particular environments, or why some tendencies become difficult to change. Vedanta explains these patterns through the concept of vasanas — subtle impressions and tendencies that quietly shape our lives. Far beyond visible actions and conscious choices, vasanas influence our inclinations, our preferences, and even the direction in which our lives move. What Are Vasanas? Vasanas form an important part of the karana sharira , the causal body. They are our impressions, default tendencies, and unmanifest desires that remain within us. The word vasana literally means “fragrance.” This itself offers a beautiful way to understand the concept. Positive vasanas can be thought of as a pleasant aroma, while negative vasanas resemble an unpleasant smell. Just as fragrance spreads and affects the atmosphere around it, vasanas influence our thoughts, actions, and associations. Recognizing Vasanas Through Everyday Exp...

  In the journey of life, we often find ourselves standing at crossroads, wondering what we are truly meant to do. Questions about career, responsibilities, purpose, and fulfilment arise repeatedly. Much of our confusion comes not from lack of options, but from lack of clarity. When our understanding becomes clouded, we become disconnected from our true nature and begin moving away from our own path. Ignorance of our true nature leads to wrong identification — especially the identification that “I am only this body.” This gives rise to attachment and aversion (raga and dvesha), which then create delusion (moha). Under the influence of delusion, the intellect loses clarity and we become confused about what is right and what is not. Such confusion often leads us away from our own dharma and towards paradharma — living according to someone else’s path, expectations, or role. Arjuna’s dilemma in the Bhagavad Gita reflects this disconnect. His emotional attachment to family and teachers...

One of the subtle ways in which attachment operates is that it slowly changes how we see reality. It does not necessarily happen dramatically. It happens quietly, almost invisibly, until our perception itself becomes filtered. We may think we are seeing things clearly, but what we are actually seeing is our own attachment reflected back at us. Imagine a school annual day celebration where a play is being performed on stage. There are many characters involved in the performance — a king, a queen, ministers, sages, and several other participants. Most of the important action and dialogue happen at the center of the stage. Among the participants is a young boy acting as a soldier. His role is very small. He simply stands at the side of the stage holding a sword. Now imagine the boy's mother sitting among the audience with her phone, recording the performance. Where would her camera be focused? Would she record the entire play? Most likely not. Her camera would remain fixed on her son....

According to Vedanta, the source of much of our confusion and suffering begins with ignorance of our true nature. Because of this ignorance, we start identifying with things that are not truly ourselves. A methodology called Drig–Drishya Viveka , meaning the distinction between the observer and the observed, helps unpack this identification. It works through a simple principle: whatever is observed cannot be the observer. The experiencer is always different from the experienced. This understanding can be explored through various levels of identification. The first level is identification with external objects . If we hold a marker and say, "This is my marker," it becomes clear that the marker is something being observed. It exists separately from us. We are the observer and the marker is the observed. Therefore, the marker cannot define us. The same principle applies to every external possession. Whether one uses a simple phone or the latest model, whether one wears particula...

As we celebrate International Yoga Day, the images and videos from events everywhere seem to focus largely on yoga asanas. Yoga has increasingly become associated with complex twists, bends, and balancing acts.  We set challenging targets one after another — Chakrasana, Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, 108 Suryanamaskars and more. But perhaps the most difficult posture of all is Kaya Sthairya — the practice of complete stillness of the body. This is only possible if one can still the mind. In the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Maharshi Patanjali speaks about Asana in only three out of the 195 sutras. The word "Yoga" means "to join" or "to unite" — to unite with the Self, the supreme reality. Due to ignorance of our true nature, we experience a sense of separation. This separatedness is further amplified by our endless desires and strong attachments, that cover the bright light of the Self within. Every effort that helps us return to our true Self and restore this conne...

  Imagine a line representing the minimum threshold required for survival—access to basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, and essential amenities. Slightly away from this level lies a degree of stability: a job, a home, and some financial savings. However, once this stage is reached, many people become absorbed in a cycle of distractions that keeps them occupied at the same level. Endless streams of entertainment, sports tournaments, television series, movies, social media, online shopping, promotional deals, and unproductive debates compete constantly for attention. One sporting event concludes only for another to begin—the Cricket World Cup is followed by the IPL, which is then followed by the Football World Cup, and so on. The result is a state of perpetual engagement that leaves little room for deeper reflection. This continuous stimulation can create a kind of collective stupor, where people are rarely encouraged to pause and contemplate larger possibilities. Ques...

  In every learning journey, the quality of the knowledge received depends not only on the teacher but also on the preparedness of the student. Ancient wisdom traditions repeatedly emphasize that knowledge flows only into a receptive mind. The Bhagavad Gita presents a powerful example through Arjuna. Standing on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, overwhelmed by confusion, grief, and attachment, Arjuna reaches a turning point. He admits, "I do not know what is right," and surrenders to Krishna as a disciple seeking guidance. This humility becomes the doorway to wisdom. A beautiful metaphor given by Swami Aparajitananda (Chinmaya Mission) helps us understand what it means to be a worthy seeker: the metaphor of the receiving vessel. The Receiving Vessel and the Flow of Knowledge Imagine a vessel containing water that is being poured into another vessel. For the transfer to happen successfully, the receiving vessel must possess certain qualities. Every flaw in the vessel represents ...

  Have you ever reacted strongly to something and later wondered, "Why did I respond with such intensity?" Often, the situation itself does not fully explain our reaction. What erupts in a moment may be the accumulated weight of many unresolved experiences, disappointments, and emotions from the past. This distinction between reaction and response is one of the most important lessons in personal growth. A reaction is impulsive. It arises from accumulated emotions, conditioning, and unresolved inner conflicts. A response, on the other hand, emerges from clarity, awareness, and conscious choice. Many of us believe we are reacting only to what is happening in the present. In reality, our reactions are often amplified by past experiences that remain unprocessed. A seemingly small incident can trigger a disproportionately large emotional response because it touches a deeper reservoir of unresolved feelings. Yet there is another challenge. In our effort to avoid reacting, we may ...

  Most of us think of attachment as being emotionally dependent on a person or a possession. But a deeper examination reveals that attachment is far more subtle. It evolves throughout life, changing its form while continuing to shape our thoughts, emotions, and sense of identity. Vedantic teachings suggest that attachment lies at the heart of human suffering. To understand ourselves, we must first understand what we are attached to. Attachment evolves throughout life, becoming increasingly sophisticated as we grow older. Understanding these layers of attachment is essential because they shape our identity, influence our decisions, and often become the source of our emotional struggles. The Four Stages of Attachment Attachment begins almost from birth. 1. Attachment to the Body The earliest attachment is to the body. A baby cries when hungry, uncomfortable, or separated from its mother's embrace. As we grow older, this attachment deepens.  By the teenage years, body-consciousne...

One of the most comforting teachings in the Bhagavad Gita appears in Chapter 6, where Arjuna asks a deeply human question: What happens to a sincere spiritual seeker who loses focus, falls away from the path, or fails to reach the goal? Such a person is referred as  Yoga Bhrashta — literally, the “fallen yogi.” It is a question many seekers silently carry within themselves. What if I begin spiritual practice sincerely but later get distracted by worldly life? What if old habits, desires, emotional struggles, or mental restlessness pull me away? Will all my efforts go to waste? Arjuna voices this fear openly to Krishna. Arjuna compares such a seeker to a rain cloud scattered by strong winds before it can release rain. The cloud had potential, purpose, and promise — yet it disintegrated midway. Similarly, a seeker may begin meditation, scriptural study, self-inquiry, or mind refinement with sincerity, only to later become overwhelmed by desires, negativity, ego, emotional instabilit...

Why Scriptural Wisdom Matters More Than Ever Today? We live in a time of constant noise, emotional overwhelm, comparison, and confusion. Technology has advanced rapidly, but clarity of mind has not necessarily kept pace. In such a world, ancient scriptural wisdom is no longer just a spiritual luxury — it is becoming a psychological necessity. There is a strong need to cultivate a foundation of scriptural knowledge to navigate modern life with balance, maturity, and perspective. We can notice several everyday experiences to understand this need, specifically in the context of identification with body: anxiety around aging, social-media-driven body image pressure, and people desperately trying to appear younger. What connected all these situations was one common thread: identification with temporary external conditions. Without deeper understanding, life’s inevitable changes — delays, uncertainty, aging, criticism, appearance, success, failure — begin to dominate the mind. We react impul...

  We live in a world designed to provoke reactions. Notifications, outrage-driven headlines, endless debates, and social media “rage bait” constantly pull our attention outward. In such an environment, one of the greatest skills we can cultivate is the ability to pause before reacting. I came across this beautiful quote -  “Peace is not something the world gives you. It is something you protect.” This simple idea lies at the heart of inner growth. The Three Transactions of Life Life constantly moves through three stages: receipt, reaction, and response . Something happens, the mind reacts internally, and eventually we respond externally. Much of our frustration, guilt, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion can be traced back to this cycle. Today, we are conditioned to react instantly — to every opinion, controversy, and provocation. But not every argument deserves our participation, and not every insult deserves our energy. Constant reaction slowly erodes inner peace. In fact, cho...

  Every day, countless events unfold around us. We see, hear, experience, react, and respond — often without even realizing the inner process behind it. According to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, understanding this process is the first step toward mastering the mind. Let's understand the  three transactions of life : receipt, reaction, and response . 1. Receipt: What We Take In Our five sense organs constantly pull information from the external world. Sounds, sights, conversations, social media, praise, criticism — everything enters through these gateways. The challenge is that the senses can easily drag the mind outward. Modern life makes this even more intense. We are surrounded by endless stimulation, making it difficult to remain centered. Awareness begins with observing what we are consuming — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. 2. Reaction: The Invisible Inner Process The most important stage is reaction. An event happens outside, but the real disturban...

Modern life gives us endless distractions, but very little understanding of the mind itself. The Bhagavad Gita approaches this differently. Before trying to control the mind, Bhagavan Krishna first teaches us to understand its nature. Krishna’s instruction in Chapter 6: “ Lift yourself by yourself, and do not drag yourself down .” This single line contains an entire roadmap for inner growth. The mind follows the “law of gravity.” Left unchecked, it naturally drifts toward distraction, laziness, overthinking, emotional reactions, and unhealthy habits. No one needs training to procrastinate or endlessly scroll through social media. The downward pull happens automatically. The challenge, therefore, is not perfection, but consistent effort to pull the mind upward again and again. Sometimes we succeed. Sometimes the mind wins. But spiritual growth lies in repeatedly lifting ourselves back up without giving up. Why the Quality of Mental Inputs Matters The mind is deeply shaped by what it con...

  In a world where attention is constantly under attack, perhaps the greatest superpowers are no longer speed, strength, or intelligence — but self-control, presence, and discernment. Score yourself: 1 point for every “Yes.” Total your score at the end. How many of these modern-day superpowers do you possess? Can you climb 3 flights of stairs without gasping for breath? Can you sit on the floor and get back up — with or without using your hands? Can you disconnect from work, entertainment, and gadgets by 10 PM and go to sleep? Do you pick up your phone consciously, instead of reflexively every few minutes? Can you read a book uninterrupted for at least 30 minutes? Can you watch a podcast or long-form video without simultaneously scrolling, texting, or multitasking? Can you read a full-length article without asking AI for a summary? Can you stand in a queue and simply be bored… without reaching for your phone? Can you distinguish truth from noise, fake news, and manufactured narrati...