4NCE Whenever we see Dr. Jayadeva, we are reminded of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra: "When one becomes disinterested even in Omniscience One attains perpetual discriminative enlightenment from which ensues the concentration known as Dharmamegha (Virtue Pouring Cloud)". - Yoga Sutra 4.29 He represents a mind free of negativity and totally virtuous. Whoever comes in contact with him will only be blessed. The Master, Dr Jayadeva, was teaching in the Yoga Teachers Training class at The Yoga Institute. After the simple but inspiring talk, as usual he said. IIAnyquestions?" After many questions about spirituality and Yoga, one young student asked, "Doctor Sahab how did you reach such a high state of development?" In his simple self-effacing way he did not say anything. Theyoung enthusiast persisted, 'Please tell us.II He just said, "Adisciplined mind." Here was the definition of Yoga of Patanjali, "roqa Chitta Vritti Nirodha" Restraining the modifications of the mind is Yoga. Naturally the next sutra also followed "Tada Drashtu Svarupe Avasthanam". "So that the spirit is established in its own true nature." Recently, there was a function to observe the 93fd Foundation Day of The Yoga Institute which was founded by Dr. Jayadeva's father, Shri Yogendraji - the Householder Yogi and known as "the Father of Modern Yoga Renaissance". At the end of very "learned" inspiring presentations, the compere requested Dr.Jayadeva." a man of few words" to speak. Dr.Jayadeva just said,"Practise Yoga.II Top: Mother Sita Devi Yogendra, Founder Shri Yogendraji, Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra, Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, Patanjali Jayadeva Yogendra. Bottom: Gauri Patanjali Yogendra, Soha Patanjali Yogendra, Dr. Patanjali Jayadeva Yogendra, Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra, Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra" Ican sum up my philosophy in saying that: Fools learn One scripture especially by their own experience, but the wise man learns from influenced me. It was the the fool's experience. Although this saying is quite Bhagavad Git« which appropriate, itcan make a person very unpopular and describes a life of self- infact Ienjoy tremendous unpopularity! control and self-discipline. Infact, this work insists that a As young children my brother and Iattended a school which was quite a distance person who wishes to from our home. Obedience develop himself must scrupulously avoid all sense - was instilled in us at a very objects. I took this advice early age. We were forbidden, for example, to take food or very seriously, being the sort of person who attempts to learn from other people's experience. So when the drink during the day other than that which we brought chance came for me to join in the finals of mixed from home. That was law. In doubles in badminton,I refused because I did not want anything to do with women. This incident the afternoon hours most of became a joke in the college as that year I won the the children in our class would meander on their way singles and the doubles and could easily have won home, taking advantage of the food and drinks which the mixed doubles as well. were readily available. My brother and I abstained In my spare hours in the evening, Iwould seek out my however, and maintained silence, studied silence. professor carrying under my arm a huge volume of We suffered greatly for this as the other children made the Gltii, which weighed about 20 pounds. It was fun of us. But we maintained our silence and never during these times when all the other students were attempted to justify what we were doing.We did not enjoying themselves that I learned a lot about spiritual capitulate either. wisdom. I read a great deal, especially philosophical and religious works. I remember in my Eventually I graduated with first class honours and a fourth year at high school we were E:::'~--~;---- good chance of getting into the ............... prestigious Indian Civil Service. asked to write about our happiest moment in life. Icarefully wrote down However, I rejected the opportunity, an essay about sitting in meditation since I was more interested in further and thinking about God. The teacher study. At that time, my friends was very surprised because the commented, 'All the good things other students had written of sitting in have been wasted on you; you don't the moonlight with their lovers. Infact, deserve a first class honours!" Later the teacher decided I was mentally on, I completed my Doctorate. My imbalanced, and sent me to the supervisor, who understood me a Principal with my essay. Luckily the little, gave me four hundred very Principal appreciated it and had it difficult chapters of traditional circulated around the school. In scripture for a thesis subject. He these ways I kept up my lonely introduced the topic in the following journey watching many people way: "These chapters have been failing in one way or another.They considered by authorities to be the were making mistakes and suffering ravings of mad people. Get busy and as a result. I was trying to carefully see if you can make sense out of tread a narrow path. them". Ph i losopbY- 0 lili"'-<-- ~~ When one lives in this fashion, he feels himself as the agent of a larger process, He should contribute to his maximum, enjoy and participate and yet not feel troubled by allthe problems that normally haunt every human being, Some of the thoughts which I have developed are a result of the background I have enjoyed, My father founded The Yoga Institute in Bombay, He belongs to a traditional school of Yoga, and he instilled in my brother and me some of ,---------=,,---,......--..-., those qualities which work to influence the selection of one's course in life, I also ~~!I~~.~ Inthese writings, Ifound much that was very touching belonged to an Indian and deeply philosophical, One chapter describes a tradition for all those who are person who was wise and serene, tranquil and interested in higher contented, The ruler of that time, the king, was development, The impressed by this man and asked him:"How is it that Upanishads say: "The face you maintain your poise and tranquillity?" The man of truth has been covered by a thin golden veil, the replied: "Well, I am the python man, The python is a golden veil of materialism, We have to tear it aside to large serpent which does not take food for a period of see the truth behind", This type of learning came very several days, It lies idle, So I follow the philosophy of easily to me in my childhood and consequently my the python, I don't run after my prey, I don't try to have belief in God or a higher process continued to grow, ambitions, cravings, and desires, Ijust accept things as they come and when the opportunity comes I am If I may diverge to a very personal fact in my life, to ready for it. I take my fill and again wait until the right mention that I have had the fortune to marry a person opportunity comes", This was a very strange with a very similar outlook to my own, In fact we were philosophy, but it appealed to me very much, It married only one year ago, Many people were keen occurred to me that the more we desire, the more we that I should have married earlier, but I stood by my create and organize, and the more we get involved, principles, believing that at the right time the right the more we suffer, If one could sit loose to life and person would come along, In fact I got the right learn to accept things as they come, one would not person, So, absolute faith is also something that can only be able to live more fully, but also be able to guide us, contribute to the maximum good of others, Itwas also during this time that I read the Bhagavad Gftii in great detail. An important principle described in this work is that an individual should accept something larger than himself if he wishes to live happily, If one considers himself to be the final arbitrator of the universe, he creates untold suffering both for himself and others, One has to learn to function as best he can within his own capacity, He should contribute his maximum, but he should leave it there, He should not be unhappy if what he plans does not take place, It is possible to cultivate a philosophy of life, and it is when we realize that we have not actually participated not only by experience, by privations and in the drama at all. We go without understanding the deprivations that an individual learns. One can also reason why we came, what we have done and why decide from a very early time as to what form his life we are going back. There are many people who think will take. This has been explained very beautifully by as I do and have the opportunity to reorganize their a great teacher, Ramakrishna. It is the story of a lives to gain a certain amount of satisfaction from their villager who heard that something very exciting was to living. take place in the adjacent village; a drama company I feel also that there are a few people who share the was going to perform. This is a very exciting event in a same outlook as I do; that it is possible to cultivate a villager's life, because these performances only philosophical outlook from very early in life and who occur annually. So the villager decided to get there could educate people in the same way, to bring them early, and so arrived with a mat long before the troupe to the maximum good.