My dear friends,

As the new moon graces our skies, it brings with it a quiet yet powerful invitation—a chance to begin again. In its darkness lies potential, and in its stillness, a sacred space to breathe, reflect, and heal. This is your moment to step into a new chapter of inner transformation.

Healing is rarely easy. It can feel messy, uncertain, and overwhelming at times. But the more we commit to healing ourselves, the more we naturally become vessels of healing for others. Our growth becomes inspiration, our resilience a reflection of what’s possible. We start to shine not because we’re flawless, but because we’ve faced our pain and chosen to rise anyway.

This journey will test you. There will be moments when doubt creeps in, when old wounds resurface, when progress feels invisible. That’s when faith becomes essential. Not the loud kind that demands proof, but the quiet confidence that reminds you—you are not lost. You are becoming.

Let this new moon be your anchor. Light a candle. Set an intention. Speak gently to your inner wounds. Trust that every step, even the trembling ones, is part of the path.

And know this: if I can guide you at all, it is not because I stand above you, but because I have fallen deeper, hurt harder, and still found my way back to the light. I walk with you, not in front of you.

This is your time. Embrace it with faith over fear.

With all my heart,

Dr Kausthub Desikachar, MSc, MMS, PhD

The Viniyoga Tradition

28 April 2025. New Moon

Luminary | Śrī Yājñavalkya

When we think of an “ancient sage,” the image that often comes to mind is someone quietly mumbling metaphors beneath a tree. But Śrī Yājñavalkya breaks that mould entirely. He was the kind of thinker who walked into royal courts and challenged the brightest minds with piercing questions like, “You can’t take any of this with you—so who are you, really?”

Śrī Yājñavalkya is a central figure in the Vedic literature, having Śrī Sūrya (the Sun God) himself as his Ācārya. He is attributed to be the main source of the Śukla-yajur-veda. And his opus magnum work is the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, where his dialogues are anything but abstract. In one conversation with his wife Śrī Maitreyī, he calmly states that all love, in its truest form, stems from the Self—not from others, not from our roles, achievements, or even our routines, but from that still, unchanging center within.

And remarkably, his insights feel just as relevant now. In an age of labels, endless hustle, and constant digital distraction, Yājñavalkya’s words land like a quiet truth we’ve almost forgotten:

“Stop searching out there. You’re not missing anything. You already are what you’re looking for.”

His wisdom reminds us that spiritual clarity isn’t about adding more—it’s about subtracting the noise. It’s about the courage to sit still, to turn inward, and to ask the timeless question: Who am I when everything else falls silent?

Beyond his contributions to the Upaniṣads, Śrī Yājñavalkya is also the revered author of the Yoga-yājñavalkya-saṁhitā. This profound text predates even the more widely known Yoga Sūtras of Śrī Patañjali. In it, he engages in a rich dialogue with his younger wife, Śrī Gārgī, exploring the eight limbs of yoga (Aṣṭāṅga-yoga) with depth and clarity.

This scripture places a strong emphasis on internal disciplines—Prāṇāyāma, meditation, and the subtle energetic systems of the body, such as the Nāḍī-s and Kuṇḍalinī. It beautifully weaves practical yogic techniques with the contemplative heart of Vedānta, offering a vision of yoga that reaches far beyond the physical.

To this day, the Yoga-yājñavalkya-saṁhitā remains a cornerstone for those seeking a holistic, spiritually rooted path. It offers a map not just for practice, but for transformation.

So perhaps now is the time to pause, to reflect, and to honour this great sage. His voice, echoing across millennia, continues to offer us something rare: the invitation to return to what’s essential, to what’s real, and to what’s already within.

Divya-deśa | Varanasi

One of the oldest living cities on Earth, Varanasi rises along the banks of the Ganges with a kind of intensity that is impossible to ignore. From the moment you arrive, it feels as though the outer noise, bells ringing, prayers being chanted, and people moving in all directions, is somehow echoing something inside. The city is a dance of opposites: chaos and calm, life and death, devotion and doubt, all held together in one breath.

The sacred ghats, especially at sunrise, become spaces of both ritual and reflection. Here, people gather to bathe in the river, offer flowers, chant mantras, or simply sit in silence. At sunset, the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat transforms the riverside into a ceremony of fire and movement, majestic yet humble, ancient yet timeless.

But Varanasi isn’t polished. It doesn’t try to be perfect. It confronts you. The alleys are narrow and tangled, full of noise, sacred cows, faded shrines, the scent of marigolds and burning wood. It can be overwhelming especially for those of us used to seeking peace in silence and order. But here, peace comes through surrender. Through letting go of what we expect the spiritual path to look like.

The spiritual pull of Varanasi is deep. At the heart of the city is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Legend says that to die here is to be freed from the cycle of rebirth—moksha. But even for those of us not planning our liberation anytime soon, there’s something powerful in simply being here. In Sarnath, just a short ride away, you can visit the peaceful place where the Buddha gave his first sermon a quieter, gentler spiritual vibration that balances the intensity of Varanasi.

So, what does Varanasi teach us? That spirituality isn’t always serene. Sometimes it’s loud, messy, overwhelming and yet, profoundly transformative. It teaches us to let go of what we think the “spiritual path” should look like. It teaches us to sit with life and death, devotion and doubt, stillness and movement all at once.

If you're someone seeking clarity, grounding, or just a nudge from the universe, Varanasi doesn’t whisper, it sings. Loudly! And if you’re willing to listen (and maybe get a little lost along the way ;)), it just might show you something about yourself you didn’t expect.

Deva | Śrī Gaņeśa 

Śrī Gaņeśa, the elephant-headed deity known for his big heart, wise eyes, and unmistakable fondness for sweets, is one of the most cherished and iconic figures in Hindu tradition. Known as the remover of obstacles and the guardian of new beginnings, he’s often the first deity invoked at the start of any journey, whether it’s a spiritual practice, a significant life change, or just trying to make it through Monday!

But Gaņeśa is more than a good-luck charm or a symbol to place at your front door. His story speaks deeply to the themes of resilience, adaptability, and inner wisdom. Born from a moment of divine creativity, Gaņeśa loses his original head in a clash with Śrī Śiva, only to be given the head of an elephant and with it, a new identity, a new perspective, and a bigger purpose. Transformation, anyone?

His large ears remind us to listen more, his small eyes to focus, his round belly to digest life’s ups and downs (spiritual and otherwise), and his broken tusk? A symbol that perfection isn’t the point, purpose is.

In the practice of yoga and in life, Gaņeśa invites us to pause, center ourselves, and gently ask: what’s in the way, and how can I move through it with grace? Whether the obstacle is on your mat or in your mind, Gaņeśa’s presence reminds us that wisdom and lightness can coexist and that beginnings, no matter how bumpy, are always sacred.

While you connect with Śrī Gaņeśa, listen to this chant dedicated to him, titled Śrī Mahāgaṇeśa-pañcaratna-stotram. This was composed by Śrī Ādiśaṅkarācārya, and is here rendered by Dr Kausthub Desikachar.

Mantra | Śrī Dhanvantari Mantra

Śrī Dhanvantari, an incarnation of Śrī Viṣṇu, is the god of medicine and healing. He is also considered the God of Āyurveda and is believed to have emerged from the churning of the ocean with a pot of the nectar of immortality in his hand. It is a common practice in the Vedic tradition for devotees to offer prayers to him for improving their own health and that of their dear ones.

There are many mantras to honour Śrī Dhanvatari. This chant, titled Śrī Dhanvantari-mantra, is an offering to him and is used to improve overall health and remove illnesses from the body, mind, and spirit.

Listen to this chant six times each, at sunrise and sunset time.

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