Seven mornings after the film

One line a day

Open a day to read its line. The original is in Sanskrit; switch to IAST if you read Roman script more easily.

1. Day 1The morning after the newsValmiki 2.22

   Lakshman is ready to fight over the exile. Ram asks him to put the anger down and help pack for the forest.

   निगृह्य रोषं शोकं च धैर्यमाश्रित्य केवलम्

   Hold back your anger and your grief, and lean on steadiness alone.

   Today Today, notice one flash of anger and let it pass before you answer.

2. Day 2What Ram told BharataValmiki 2.105

   At Chitrakoot, Bharata begs Ram to come home. Ram answers with this line about everything that comes together and parts.

   सर्वे क्षयान्ता निचयाः पतनान्ताः समुच्छ्रयाः।संयोगा विप्रयोगान्ता मरणान्तं च जीवितम्॥

   Whatever is gathered runs out, whatever rises falls, whatever comes together parts, and every life ends in death.

   Today Call someone you have drifted from. People part; reach out while you can.

3. Day 3When the worst has happenedValmiki 3.66

   Sita is gone and Ram is ready to burn the world down. His younger brother steadies him with this.

   आश्वसिहि नरश्रेष्ठ प्राणिनः कस्य नापदः।संस्पृशन्त्यग्निवद् राजन् क्षणेन व्यपयान्ति च॥

   Take heart, best of men. Trouble comes to every living being. It catches like fire, and in a moment it passes.

   Today Name the trouble you are in. Then remember one hard time you came through.

4. Day 4Before Part 2Valmiki 5.12

   Part 2 brings Hanuman to Lanka. He searches the whole city, finds nothing, nearly gives up, and then says this to himself.

   अनिर्वेदः श्रियो मूलमनिर्वेदः परं सुखम्।भूयस्तत्र विचेष्यामि न यत्र विचयः कृतः॥

   Not losing heart is the root of good fortune and the highest happiness. I will search again where I have not yet searched.

   Today Go back to one thing you gave up on this year and give it one more hour.

   From tomorrow the plan hands over to the Bhagavad Gita: three verses where Krishna tells Arjuna what these four lines have been saying.

5. Day 5It came, and it will goBhagavad Gita 2.14

   Days 2 and 3 said that trouble comes and passes. Krishna tells Arjuna the same about heat and cold, pleasure and pain: they come and go, so bear them.

   मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥

   Heat and cold, pleasure and pain come and go through the senses. They don't last. Bear them patiently.

   Today When something stings today, tell yourself: this came, and it will go.

   Read Bhagavad Gita 2.14 with word meanings

6. Day 6Lift yourselfBhagavad Gita 6.5

   Hanuman talked himself out of despair. Krishna says your own mind can be your friend or your enemy, so lift yourself up by yourself.

   उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥

   Lift yourself by your own effort, and never pull yourself down. You are your own friend, and your own enemy.

   Today Write down one thing you will do for yourself today, then do it.

   Read Bhagavad Gita 6.5 with word meanings

7. Day 7Your partBhagavad Gita 2.47

   Jatayu fought knowing he could lose. Krishna tells Arjuna that the work is his and the result never was.

   कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

   Your right is to the work, never its fruits. Don't make the fruit your motive, or cling to inaction.

   Today Pick the task you have avoided because of how it might turn out, and do your part today.

   Read Bhagavad Gita 2.47 with word meanings

Why the Gita on day 5

Ram, Lakshman and Hanuman show what steadiness looks like in a crisis. The Bhagavad Gita puts the same thing into teaching: what comes and goes, how to lift yourself, and how to do your part without gripping the result. Day 4 hands over to Krishna so the week ends with lines you can keep going back to.