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Bhagavaan Sri Krishna’s dialogue with His loving devotee, Uddhava. (Srimad Bhaagavatam - 11th Skanda)

Uddhava: “How many kinds of ‘Yamas’ are there?”

Sri Krishna: “Ahimsa, Satya, not coveting others’ things, detachment, modesty (one should abstain from performing non-righteous deeds, self-praise, doing a work pompously in others’ presence. While committing misdeeds to question oneself, ‘should I perform such a wicked deed?’, not to praise one-self and not to feel proud when others praise but in all humility feel it is all the work of God, not to boast about, not to pride yourself in others’ presence but to be interested only in involving in one’s own work are all the characteristics of ‘modesty’), to be without a Will of your own (to feel that everything moves as per one’s karma and not to want things to move in a particular fashion), faith in Dharma, celibacy, silence, steadfastness, forbearance, fearlessness (combined with humility) are the twelve yamams.”

Uddhava: “How many kinds of ‘Niyamas’ are there?”

Sri Krishna: “Cleanliness, Japa, Tapas, Homa, ‘Shraddha’ (strong desire/aspiration), hospitality (to perform puja, etc., to the visiting Lord’s bhaktas), worshipping ME, visiting holy places and bathing in holy rivers, to help others, contentment, serving the Guru are the various ‘Niyamas’.”

Uddhava: “What is ‘shama’?”

Sri Krishna: “To fix your mind on ME is shama!”

Uddhava: “What is ‘dama’?”

Sri Krishna: “ ‘Dama’ is victory over the senses.”

Uddava: “What is ‘titiksha’ (forbearance)?”

Sri Krishna: “Tolerance of sorrow born of ‘prarabda’ (fate) is ‘titiksha’.”

Uddhava: “What is ‘druti’(courage)?”

Sri Krishna: “Triumph over ‘tongue’ and lust is ‘druti’.”

Uddhava: “What is ‘daana’?”

Sri Krishna: “To relinquish the attitude of harassing living beings is ‘daana’.” (mere offering of wealth alone is not ‘daana’-charity)

To be continued………

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