Sri Swami Sivananda is one of the great teachers from India. His writings on the Bhagavad Gita are offered online without restrictions. Here are some of my favorite excerpts.
MITAHARA
Heavy food leads to Tamasic state and induces sleep only. There is a general misapprehension that a large quantity of food is necessary for health and strength. Much depends upon the power of assimilation and absorption. Generally, in the vast majority of cases, most of the food passes away undigested along with feces. Take half stomachful of wholesome food. Fill a quarter with pure water. Leave the rest free. This is Mitahara. Mitahara plays a vital part in keeping up perfect health. Almost all diseases are due to irregularity of meals, overeating and unwholesome food. Eating all things at all times like a monkey is highly dangerous. Such a man can become a sick man easily; but he can never become a Yogi. Hear the emphatic declaration of Lord Krishna (in the Bhagavad Gita): “Success in Yoga is not for him who eats too much or too little; nor for him who sleeps too much or too little.” (Gita VI-16). Again in the Sloka 18 of the same chapter, Lord Krishna says: “To him who is temperate in eating and in sleep and wakefulness, Yoga becomes a destroyer of misery.” There are those who believe silence is the only way to evolve. Sivananda: “Lay bare to your Guru the secrets of your heart and the more you do so, the greater the sympathy and help you get from your Guru. This sympathy means accession of strength to you in the struggle against sin and temptation.” Gita-IV-34: “Learn thou this by discipleship, by investigation and by service. The wise, the seers of the Essence of things will instruct thee in wisdom.” If you read the Bhagavad Gita with concentration several times, you can get new ideas each time. Through concentration you will get insight. Subtle esoteric meanings will flash out in the field of mental consciousness. You will understand the inner depth of philosophical significance. “Never doth any who worketh righteousness, O beloved, tread the path of woe.” (Bhagavad-Gita, vi. 40)KARMA YOGA
“Karma Yoga is selfless service unto humanity. The important point is to serve humanity without any attachment or egoism. The central teaching of the Gita is non-attachment to work. Lord Krishna says: 'Work incessantly. Your duty is to work but not expect the fruits thereof.' ”
YAMA
“Yama is the very foundation of Yoga, without which the superstructure of Yoga cannot be built. Yama is the practice of Ahimsa (abstinence from injury and killing), Satyam (truthfulness), Asteya (abstinence from theft or falsehood), Brahmacharya (continence) and Aparigraha (abstinence from avariciousness or greed). Patanjali mentions these 5 chief items for practice in Yama. In every religion you will find this to be the foremost. Great emphasis is given in every chapter of the Gita on the practice of Yama.” “There are secretions from endocrine glands which are ductless: thyroid, thymus, parotid, pineal, suprarenal, etc. These secretions are directly absorbed into blood. They play a vital part in constituting the temperament of every individual. The temperament of a man can be greatly modified by environments, education and experience. It can hardly be changed in toto. That is the reason why the Gita says: “Sadrisham cheshtate svasya prakriter jnanavanapi: Even the man of knowledge behaves in conformity with his own nature.” (Chap. 111-33) “A real Yogi or a practical Vedantin is one who can keep perfect calmness of mind while performing intense activities amidst the bustle of a city. This is the central teaching of the Gita. Lord Krishna: 'Remember me at all times and fight.' Arjuna became a practical Vedantin eventually.” Source: Easy Steps to Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda, First Ed. 1939; 8th Ed. 1999, Web Ed. 2000. (http://www.SivanandaDlshq.org). This Web reprint is for free distribution. © The Divine Life Trust Society ISBN 81-7052-098-3, Published By The Divine Life Society, PO Shivanandanagar-249 192, Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, Himalayas, India. The Gita states that the Personal Self is made up of the following principles:- self-awareness, consciousness of self
- intellectual understanding
- unseen vital force (prana)
- sense centers (chakras)
- sense organs (physical 5 senses)
- Love and Hatred
- Pleasure and Pain
- Sensibility
- Firmness