Quotes from Devdutt Pattanaik

Surrender unconditionally, even in the absence of evidence, to the truth of the cosmos.

Stay true to the idea of dharma. Be the best you can be, in the worst of circumstances, even when no one is watching

Mighty brawn is no match for a nimble brain. Let

Do not surrender to a situation that nurtures the ego.

From imagination comes our vision of the world, our vision of our future, and most importantly our vision of ourselves, who we are and what we want to be.

All will be well if we repent of our sins, accept God's love and demonstrate it by following His law. This

Our behaviour towards others is based on what we see and how we process our observation. But not all things can be seen. Jati can be seen but not varna.

Attainment of desirable states brings joy, failure to do so becomes sorrow.

Prakriti is nature. Brahmanda is culture. Prakriti creates man. Man creates Brahmanda. Prakriti is objective reality. Brahmanda is subjective reality. Atma witnesses Prakriti, aham constructs Brahmanda.

The purpose of life is to grow—materially, intellectually and emotionally. Unfortunately, the Kauravas focus only on material growth. By embracing Krishna, the Pandavas are offered intellectual and emotional growth, besides material growth, that has the power to help them break their own self-imposed limitations.

Treta yuga, when the bull of dharma stands on three legs. Krishna's story takes place in a later, third quarter of the world, the Dvapara yuga, when the bull of dharma stands on two legs.

The Gita does not speak of changing the world. It speaks of appreciating the world that is always changing. Belief in one life makes us want to change the world, control it or resign to the way things are. Belief in rebirth enables us to appreciate all three possibilities, without clinging to any.

Wisdom thus is always work in progress.

Ram became revered because he functioned on the basis of the principle that life was not just about pleasure and hoarding things: it was about finding meaning and purpose.

WHILE RAM IS CALLED MARYADA Purushottam, he who upholds rules of society at any cost, Krishna is called Leela Purushottam, he who enjoys the game of life.

Violence Without violence, there is no nourishment. Unless the mineral is consumed, the plant cannot grow. Unless the plant is consumed, the animal cannot grow. Physical growth demands the consumption of another. Only mental growth is possible without consuming another; but it is a choice humans rarely make.

God does not hate you, Draupadi. But you are responsible for rejecting Karna on the grounds of caste. A great warrior, he would never have gambled you in a game of dice. You chose a priest instead, who turned out to be a prince, who shared you with his four brothers, but who could not protect you. And so here you are—helpless, humiliated, and alone, in a situation that you inadvertently helped create. Take responsibility for it.

When you first give something in order to get something, you are a generous yajaman. If you demand something before you give something, you are a devata. As children you can be devatas, but to grow up means to be a yajaman. When you are able to give without expecting anything in return, you are the greatest yajaman.

man the master of his own destiny and the creator of his own desires,

Don't indulge your senses with bhoga, yoke your emotions with yoga.

At that moment, the king realized how different man was from animal. Animals spent their entire lives focused on survival. Humans could look beyond survival, seek meaning in life, harm others to save themselves, help others by sacrificing themselves. Humanity was blessed with a faculty that enabled it to empathize and exploit. It was this unique faculty that allowed humans to forsake the jungle and establish civilization.

Rebirth takes away the sense of urgency and the quest for perfection that are the hallmarks of Western thought. The Gita does not speak of changing the world. It speaks of appreciating the world that is always changing.

The wise want nothing but accept whatever comes their way, letting it pass when it is time to part ways. Ram is

Vyasa thus shows how confrontation and conflict does not necessarily happen when one is right and the other is wrong; it can happen simply because two people follow different value systems.