[Advaita-l] Indica event: Why meditation is difficult - from Arjuna to the modern world.

[Sundar Rajan]

Namaskar,

Indica Team has uploaded the session video to YouTube:
https://youtu.be/WGTG0GWF2rs?si=5t6n53BOjx47-Hkh

Slide Deck from the talk can be downloaded here: https://shorturl.at/Ijv2n

## *Video Summary*
The session explores why meditation is inherently difficult by comparing
the ancient warrior *Arjuna* with modern historian *Yuval Noah Harari*. He
explains that meditation is a battle against our biological design, which
is naturally oriented outward.

## *Video Chapters*
* *00:00:30* Introduction & Opening Prayer
* *00:08:49* Arjuna vs. Harari: The Achievement Paradox
* *00:10:45* Arjuna’s Struggle: Mind like the Wind
* *00:15:43* Modern Case Study: Yuval Noah Harari at Oxford
* *00:23:32* Biological Design: The Katha Upanishad Perspective
* *00:33:03* Concentration vs. Meditation (Pratyahara)
* *00:42:15* The Remedy: Ascribing Value (The Rupee Analogy)
* *00:51:02* Hacking the "Ladder of Fall": Positive Attachment
* *00:55:48* Q&A: Time Boxing & Practical Advice
* *01:02:14* Q1: Does Meditation Equate to Vedanta?
* *01:02:21* Q2: Stages of Dharana, Dhyana, & Samadhi

## *Final Q&A Insights*
### *[01:02:14] | Q1: Does meditation equate to Vedanta?*
Rajan clarifies this is specifically *Vedantic meditation. Unlike secular
"mindfulness," it is rooted in the *Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, aimed at
realizing the inherent divinity within.

### *[01:02:21] | Q2: Stages of Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi?*
These represent the transition to "Inner Yoga" where external supports are
dropped:
* *[01:03:35] The Training Wheels:* Early stages (Asana/Pranayama) use
props or mantras.
* *[01:03:55] Losing the Props:* To reach Dhyana, you must drop the
"training wheels." You can't be in deep meditation while still clinging to
an active prop.
* *[01:05:06] Samyama:* The integration of concentration, meditation, and
absorption into a "self-driving mode."

Time Boxing & The 11th Minute
Timestamp: [01:00:58]
Q: How does the "11th minute" promise help?
A: By promising the mind you will address worries in the 11th minute, you
lower the anxiety of "doing nothing" and gain cooperation for the first 10
minutes.

Regards,
Sundar Rajan

On Sat, Jan 3, 2026 at 9:27 AM Sundar Rajan <godzillaborland at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thank you Subbu-ji for posting the link to my Indica Advaita Academy talk
> tomorrow morning at 8 AM.
>
> Here is a little intro:
> https://youtube.com/shorts/nvDiST_Jc3w?feature=share
>
> Thanks,
> Sundar Rajan
>
> On Sat, Jan 3, 2026 at 5:41 AM V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
>>
>> https://indica.events/event/why-meditation-is-difficult-from-arjuna-to-the-modern-mind/
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