Try to Discipline Yourself with Yoga: It would be better that we connect ourselves with some yoga. Yoga means, as per our own understanding, we move from anguish to Prasad or blessing and live to make ourselves happy. We live with Bhakti, devotion, and become Bhakta-yogi, or Shant-yogi, i.e., the peaceful yogi, or karma-yogi, i.e. Devoted to desire-less action, or Gyan-yogi, i.e., committed to knowledge, subtle, divine knowledge. You may adopt anyone of these and live quietly, peacefully, in adjustment and harmony with all others. You do not cause any problem or trouble to anyone.

Occasionally, you come across a person who does not offend anyone, even by mistake. He easily mixes up with others. He knows how to mix up, meet and fuse, and be one with all, like water mixing with water. But there are some who never adjust with others or fuse into others like irreconcilable stands of opinion or shades of colour. What then we are required to do is that we become simple, genuine, and natural. Remember one thing: Lord Krishna was a unique person in Himself. We have Tapasvis or devoted persons of different sorts. These are those who pursue Tapa of voice; others pursue Tapa of body, and yet others pursue Tapa of heart. Gods, Brahmins, gurus, and learned persons – they are all worthy of worship. One should honour them and pay respect by bowing at their revered feet. One should go on performing actions in the line of one’s duty. This and the service of others is acknowledged by Lord Krishna as the tapa of body – Anudveg karam vakyam satyam priyahitam cha yat udvegkari.

Be a Tapasvi: One should not utter harsh, provocations or inciting words. One should always speak sweet, polite, civilized and useful [to others] words. This is the Tapa of voice. In other words, you are a Tapasvi. Be a Tapasvi of body also. Later on be a Tapasvi of heart and mind also. How will you be a Tapasvi of heart? They say that you should be polite, gentle, and cheerful. Inculcate the habit of smiling, being cheerful and happy all the time. Develop the habits of doing good to others. Do not be like fire, angry all the time. ‘Jwala-prasad’ is a very good word for such people. It means flame, lamp. Our hearts should be full of light. But there are others who are burning inside all the time.

manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam ātma-vinigrahaḥ.
bhāva-sanśhuddhir ity etat tapo mānasam uchyate.

Be peaceful, and always keep yourself under control. You should have pure emotions, kind and sweet feelings. These Tapas are mental Tapas. Lord Krishna asked for this Tapasya. The words of Lord Krishna are wonderful. He  understood the spirit of His times and came out with revolutionary ideas. At that time yogis were generally  recognized by their outer appearance. They lived in jungles, sat on deer-skin. Well, there are ways and methods. In Karma-kand, asanas [seats] are prescribed. What should be the colour of your seat, when you sit down? How do you touch or place your hand as you sit or rise? Do you touch your forehead or not? Whom do you remember as you touch your forehead? Which rosary do you use? In which direction do you keep your face as you sit for prayers and worship? All kinds of methods are in use. But brushing aside all this clutter, Lord Krishna said one thing, “A Yogi is the one who is connected with God, connected with his supreme aim; one, who is connected with and balanced in his duty.”

Who are the Yogis: All of these persons are yogis. yujjeet satatam atmanam rahasi sthitih: In other words a yogi is the one who has connected his mind with God on a permanent basis. He should sit at a secluded place. Peace and silence are essential requirements of being one in love with the Supreme Reality, of enabling oneself to hear His voice. Hear Him in silence, peace, when you are lonely and secluded. By being lonely means that you have separated yourself from the outside world. Among Pundits [or Brahmins] there were some great souls also. When the son of Shivaji was asked to leave Maharashtra, he was stopped on his way by the soldiers of Aurangzeb. They asked, “This boy is the son of Shivaji and are you taking him out of Maharashtra?” The pundit denied. The soldier observed, “It seems you all belong to one family. Fine, eat the food which is left over by another member of your family. Will you eat? The pundits ate. Shivaji honoured the pundits, saying: you have taught us how to love our motherland. Hindu society in general is called a tolerant society. But as individuals we are not tolerant. We are not one and united in matters of religion. This is our misfortune. We should know and take inspiration from unity which is the source of strength.