indriyāṇi parāṇyāhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ

manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ ||

Meaning: The senses are superior to the gross body, and superior to the senses is the mind. Beyond the mind is the intellect, and even beyond the intellect is the soul.

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |

Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |

Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning: Lead me from unreal to real, from darkness to light and from death to immortality.

vidyāñcāvidyāñca yastadvedobhayaṁ saha |

avidyayā mṛtyuṁ tīrtvā vidyayā'mṛtamaśnute ||

Meaning: One who knows both, the material science as well as the spiritual science, transgresses fear of death by the former, i.e. by proper bodily and mental efforts, and attains salvation by the latter, i.e. by the purity of mind and soul.

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte

tayoranyaḥ pippalaṃ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti

Meaning: Two birds, inseparable companions, perch on the same tree,

one eats the fruit, and the other looks on. The first bird is our

individual self-feeding on the pleasures and pains of this world;

The other is the universal Self, silently witnessing all.

dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate

saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate ||

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ

smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati ||

Meaning: While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and from desire arises anger.

Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.

|| Kshirashritam jalam kshirmev bhavati ||

Surface Meaning: If water is mixed with milk, it even becomes milk.

Actual meaning: One's personality and characteristics depend upon his surroundings and the people he is associated with.