Indriya Nigrahah As A Jnana Sadhana

Indriya-nigrahaḥ is the mastery over the functioning of one’s sense organs. What drives a person’s indriyas are the compelling desires for worldly pleasures. When the indriyas function under the influence of instinctive thoughts, conditioned by fancies or cravings, the inner self—the sanctioning authority—has no real control over them.

True nigraha is the mastery of the buddhi (intellect) over the ways of the indriyas. It is when a person consciously and deliberately exercises choice over the functioning of the sense organs, guided by a well-formed value structure.

Yet, even such disciplined control is not the ultimate solution. Only Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) can truly liberate one from the hold of cravings for sense pleasures that shape and condition one’s patterns of thinking.

Thus, Indriya-nigrahaḥ becomes an essential preparatory step in the pursuit of Self-knowledge.

Acharyaa Revathi will shed light on different aspects of Indriya Nigraha.

Speakers

Acharyaa Revathi

Vedanta Teacher

Acharyaa Revathy has been an ardent student of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati since a very young age. Starting with youth classes in the 1970s and later Bhagavad Geeta and upanishad classes in Mumbai with Swami Shudhdha bodhananda, she continued vedanta study with Swami Paramarthananada in Chennai and later with Swami Satswaroopananda in Pune. Took up full time vedanta study with Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Swami Sadatmananda and Swami Shankarananda at Arshavidya Gurukulam annaikatti in 2014 and continued with full time Vedanta study with Swamini Brahmaprakashananda Saraswathi at Arsha Vijnaana Gurukulam in Nagpur from 2018 to 2020. After completing the course, continues advanced Vedanta studies with swamini Brahmaprakashananda Saraswathi. Currently teaches Vedanta and Sanskrit online being based in Pune.