Bhagavad Gita Ch17 part 02 on 31 October 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamami Mohor Moho Om Vasude Vasudham Devam Kamsa Chanuram Arthanam Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sarvopanishadogavo Dogdha Gopalanandana Partho Vatsa Sudhirubhokta Dogdham Geetha Mritam Mahat Mokam Karoti Vachalam Pangum Langhayate Girim Yat Kripatamaham Vande Paramanandam Adhavam We have started studying the 17th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita It is called Shraddha Treya Vibhaga Yoga and it has got 27 verses Yesterday I was giving some introduction The chapter starts with Arjuna's question There are people who have no, either no access to the scripture or do not have the intelligence or they might even not have opportunity to hear about the scripture but endowed with some amount of Shraddha I would not say 100% but some amount of Shraddha They worship Gods and other beings They do worship but their worship depends upon They might worship first of all with selfishness or without selfishness Second, they may worship what is called demonical deities Pretas, Bhutas, Rakshasas etc Second, they may worship but what you call some higher beings with the sole desire of acquiring some powers for the fulfillment of their desires like as we get in our mythologies like Ravanasura, Narakasura, Bhasmasura etc Plenty of them are there But there are people who worship only God and for the sake of only spiritual life So Arjuna's question based upon the last verse in the 16th chapter that these people they either disregard the scripture or have no access to the scripture but they might in some cases are fortunate enough to get some elderly people, respectful people, spiritual teachers whom they observe and they blindly follow but they are all endowed with faith So Arjuna's question is You O Lord have emphasized that scripture is very important and I mentioned by scripture we have to understand not only study of books like Bhagavad Gita etc and scriptures means the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, the great master and the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, lives of great saints all these fall under scriptures even if our orthodox people may not accept them So by listening to them, by having faith they also worship people but some people may not have that opportunity but they are endowed with Shraddha What type of Shraddha they have, to what category they belong What type of Shraddha is that? That was the Arjuna's question and with that question the 17th chapter has started Yesterday we discussed some of the very relevant quotations from Sri Ramakrishna's gospel and among them the most important is Shraddha is nothing but manifestation of God in the form of intuitive understanding even if some people do not have scriptural knowledge but they alight upon the right understanding because they are endowed with Shraddha they pray to God etc but even though these people are endowed Sri Ramakrishna divides these people with Shraddha like Bhagavan Krishna into three categories Sattvika people endowed with Sattva Guna Rajasika people endowed with Rajoguna Tamasika people endowed with Tamoguna and even this Sattva, Rajas and Tamas everybody doesn't have the same quantity so different degrees are there some have a little face Shraddha some have much more some have almost as if to say so that is one side another side, even though they have got Shraddha so depending upon what type of Samskaras they have brought with them from the previous births maybe some people have unfulfilled desires it is no doubt that they worship God or Gods etc but they have faith faith because the scriptures tell that all these beings exist what is called life after death exists there are what is called ghosts and devils and disembodied spirits they are there and there are higher manifestations of God much more than this like Indra, Varuna and deities like that yes, they also can be worshipped then there are direct manifestations of God with Sakara and Saguna like Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Kali, Parvati Ganesha and Kartikeya, Surya etc so different types of desires, Samskaras different degrees of Shraddha but they possess Shraddha that was the question Shri Ramakrishna says that everybody who is possessed of Shraddha he is going to progress in spiritual life it might take time even Tamasic people first they behave in one way but their very Shraddha will purify them it might take some time but will guide them and unerringly point out the path to them and they will progress other people also will progress in fact nobody is ever going to be let off anybody who has got Shraddha he is going to progress so here is a very important point we have to understand that once a person turns to God then that person by God's grace whatever may be his motive maybe he is not doing things in the proper way as prescribed by the scriptures but his very Shraddha which is nothing but grace of God what is Shraddha? grace of God what is grace of God? right knowledge so that very thing will save them so even if a person worships God with indifferent motive that means selfish motive I want money I want long life freedom from disease destruction of enemies or fulfillment of some other desires but once that is over they become they find themselves better people so these are the important points and Shri Ram Krishna advised us that even Tamasika Bhakti Bhaktas are also can be divided into three categories it is very very important and interesting point that a Tamasika Bhakta has tremendous will power I have taken the name of God how can I be any sinner anymore even such person he is with that very Tamasika Shraddha very soon is going to take to higher spiritual ideals and progress that was what in the Bhagavad Gita itself we have seen earlier if a person turns towards God even before that he had been one of the worst of the worst sinners even among sinners he is the worst but very soon he will turn towards me he has resolved rightly he is going to attain it might take a little bit of time but he is going he is like a patient who after long suffering understands that he is transgressing the rules of health and then determines firmly I want to become better person even though it is a terrible struggle he follows those rules regulations and in course of time he even likes these rules and regulations and slowly he will regain his health, a spiritual health exactly is recovered in the same way these are the important points that we have been discussing so now we will come back again to Shri Ram Krishna because that is what we are taking before that let us briefly recollect what we discussed Shraddha is God's grace and inevitably will always lead man to him Shraddha can manifest in three ways in a Sattvic way Rajasic way and Tamasic way and we have seen that Shri Ram Krishna saying that all these people will be slowly helped by God and they will progress I have given some quotations now I will resume where I have left off there was a tantric devotee and so what are we talking about any action performed whether it is with faith, without faith whether it is Sattvic or Rajasic or Tamasic there is the inexorable law of karma we have to get the result of what we have done the law of cause and effect is inexorable nobody can transcend it nobody can dismiss it so this is called Karma Siddhanta a tantric devotee is putting a question is a Paramahamsa aware of virtue and vice Punya and Papa this is a question even some Jivan Mukthas may be seen to be doing something which is reprehensible which is full of Papa for example Krishna had to kill Shishupala, Tantavakra so many people he had finished Narakasura etc so along with that whoever helped those people Shri Krishna had finished them off also so many people unable to understand divine nature they will impute what this person is doing even today there are some people they are called human rights people so a victim a sinner who had transgressed even common laws and given immense pain for lifelong like robbing killing, raping etc. such people have to be looked upon compassionately looking upon compassionately is one matter but giving them opportunity to recommit those very same things after putting them in jail or something it is a different matter these human rights people they are obsessed people sometimes they are right but many times they are completely wrong everywhere in democratic countries these people they are a bugbear a terrible virus in democratic societies of course there should be people to see that even democratic governments should not transgress certain line of behavior that is fine it is good but these people often support people who are the most dangerous criminals etc. in society nowadays these kind of things are happening hampering the lives of millions of innocent people in every country and if the government itself becomes a violators of this dharma you can understand how unfortunate these people who are governed by them are going to suffer the law of karma is inevitable here is a person he has realized God he knows that he is the Atman and he knows everybody is Brahman but he still there is a body, there is a mind he is alive, who says he is alive? we say he is alive he doesn't say I am either alive or dead, simply because life and death these terms apply only to the body and not to the soul Atman so this Tantrika devotee is putting this question is a Paramahamsa, means a Jivanmukta, living free, aware of virtue and vice, punya and papa master do you know the significance of virtue and vice? a Paramahamsa sees that it is God who gives us evil tendencies as well as good tendencies sometimes we neglect to emphasize certain words teachings of Sri Ramakrishna not understanding them properly here is one of the most significant teachings of Sri Ramakrishna do you know what papa and punya are? especially how are they looked upon by a living free, Jivanmukta, Paramahamsa a Paramahamsa is one who sees God in everything and then who is telling it is God who gives us evil tendencies as well as good tendencies that is very hard for us to swallow, why should God create this world and if he created, ok but why should he create these living, what is called manifestations of demonic qualities well it is difficult for us to understand Vedanta has an answer that is very difficult to understand by people, what is the answer? the answer is that if something is real, then the questioning comes, for example somebody says that there is a snake and then another person, don't worry I am bringing light you will know what it is he brings light, immediately the person thinks oh I am mistaken, I thought it was a snake and my heart is about to stop now having understood that there was no snake and only the innocent rope is there will this person put foolish questions that where from did this snake come and now that light is brought where has it gone if anybody continues this kind of questioning we have to understand that his snake has not gone, he has become mad because there was never any existence of snake earlier, so about non-existence when did it come into existence and where did it now disappear maybe it will appear after 5 minutes on my bed underneath my quilt winter season you see and this kind of questions are meaningless questions, therefore there can be no answer as well but that is called paramarthika view true spiritual vision, but we are not in that condition, that is why Ramakrishna says you have asked a specific question how does a paramahamsa view this world and how do we view, as against our view, what does the paramahamsa, how does he view and the way we view determines the way we react towards things so a paramahamsa sees that it is God who gives us evil tendencies as well as good tendencies and that is where a great problem lies that God should have created only good people everybody should be good people and he should never have created evil, evil means suffering, evil means inconvenience, evil means discomfort, especially when I am inconvenienced when I am in distress, discomfort then people will ask this question that why is God making, when I am happy rarely do I put such a question so paramahamsa says the whole creation is nothing but good and evil and existence and non-existence manifestation and non-manifestation so good people good tendencies make a person good evil tendencies make a person evil but both these persons, good and evil persons that means with good and evil tendencies, they are created by God, that's what Ramakrishna says, then he continues, haven't you noticed that there are both sweet and bitter fruits, some trees give sweet fruit and some bitter or sour, God has made the mango tree which yields sweet fruit and also the hog plum which yields sour fruit, the paramahamsa realizes that all these good and bad are only the glories of God's Maya but these are very deep thoughts it is underlined, highlight, these are very deep thoughts, one realizing this that it is all God's glory such a person very difficult to understand very deep thought is necessary a person, ordinary person, the shallow thoughts shallow power of thinking cannot understand, one realizing that everything is created by God and if everything is created by good God, then they must all be very good, realize this, cannot keep an organization together or anything like that, then tantric devotee continues, but the law of karma exists, doesn't it, master see, this tantric did not understand what Ramakrishna was telling for a paramahamsa the law of karma doesn't exist why, because a paramahamsa doesn't exist what am I talking about a paramahamsa just like we say me, Swami another person says I am Rama another says I am Krishna in that sense of that I exist a paramahamsa doesn't exist, simply there is only God inside and He is manifesting in that particular body mind which previously had an individuality but now it is completely submerged in the ocean of God so who is acting there, God and God doesn't think I am so and so God, if God thinks I am so and so He is not God, He is a Jeevatma but He knows that's why a paramahamsa He enjoys everything somebody beats him so he says it is God who is beating me and Sri Ramakrishna's life is a beautiful incident he quotes there was a heroic soldier and he was a great Rama bhakta and once from his own army a Muslim came and stabbed him then he was dying some people noticed it and they begged please name that person and we will finish him off and this dying Rama bhakta said it is you see, it is Rama only who stabbed me so if somebody feeds me sweet things that is only Rama, somebody gives me bitter things is also Rama, somebody makes me happy, he is Rama somebody makes me unhappy, he is also Rama and Sri Ramakrishna like Kalidasa is full of similes so he has given a beautiful parable, once a sadhu he went out for begging he saw a rich man beating a poor man then he went to interfere and the rich man's wrath turned against the sadhu for interfering and he beat him until the sadhu holy man became unconscious and then the brothers his brothers gurubhais came to know about it they came and took him to the monastery and slowly they were sprinkling some cold water and fanning him and signs of his regaining normal consciousness was visible, they wanted to find out how much he became normal, so somebody started pouring a little bit of milk into his mouth and then somebody asked, do you recognize who is pouring the milk, he said yes, the same person the same being who has bet me there is now pouring milk into me that means he is seeing god everywhere, so that beating person, not a rich person, not an arrogant person but only god, here also a blind person is pouring milk and that is also god only and nothing else, these are very lofty ideals and spiritual progress consists in thinking first of all when we are happy or unhappy, it is god who is creating, who is giving and then always happiness comes through somebody, through an object, similarly unhappiness then we have to understand so these are mere instruments, a person is making me unhappy, he is a mere instrument and a person is making me happy, he is a mere instrument how does this gel? because we accept the law of karma what does the law of karma say? if I deserve happiness it is going to come but it is going to come through somebody, some instrument, some object, similarly suffering also and therefore whatever comes it is all taken as only the grace of god, that's why holy mother rarely remarked once somebody, some devotee complained that why is the divine mother making Shri Ram Krishna suffer so much, especially this very painful throat cancer and holy mother rarely remarked that we have not come to eat only rasagullas meaning that we have to behave when we have taken up the human body and mind instruments we have to experience everything like any other human being and if we study the lives of great saints, we will not see any difference, any exception to this rule so this tantric still asking but there is a law of karma isn't it, that means Ram Krishna about to answer it is true, law of karma exists for a person who thinks that I am the doer but for a person who thinks I am not the doer, god is the doer, a law of karma doesn't exist then another question that comes very naturally if we think a little bit what is that question ok, now I know god is doing everything but in my ignorance in the past I have done so many things so what about that and then the scripture itself answers when a man knows I am not the body mind, then he will be free from three types of karma phala we know karma phala manifests in three ways sanchita, prarabdha and agami sanchita means so much is accumulated only a bit of it is starting to fructify now and in this life also while we are experiencing our past life's prarabdha karma through this particular body mind, we are still accumulating through our karma's future results so sanchita karma also there is so much left out without getting fructified and we are also adding to it in our present life both these things put together is called agami or that which is to be experienced in the future and this karma phala as I mentioned yesterday and many times has to be experienced through three ways three ways in which species we are going to born how long are we going to retain this particular body complex and then what is the how much happiness how much unhappiness is to our lot these three are inevitable if it is a fact, fact doesn't respect a person who believes or who doesn't believe, there are so many religions who do not believe in neither past birth nor future birth, it doesn't matter, if it is law of gravity whether a person knows or ignorant, it works fire burns, whether a person knows, whether it burns or not so the law of karma is inevitable, what was how do we understand Shri Ramakrishna's answer, so long as we are ignorant, law of karma is inevitable, but once we know that I am the Atman I am not the body mind I have nothing to do with the body mind then what happens to the body mind, that is body mind's business, I have nothing to do with it even in our common day to day, you can see whatever I have done in the past only I experience and what you have done in your past, I am not going to experience, neither are you going to experience what I have done or what anybody else has done including your parents, your husband, your wife, your children, your friends, your enemies everything is absolutely individual, we create our own world, we are Brahmas creators of our own life, that's a marvelous subject I will not go into it but this is what we have to understand so what was Ramakrishna how was he answering to the Tantrics, the law of karma exists, doesn't it Master, that is also true good produces good and bad produces bad don't you get the hot taste if you eat chillies, that is from the vyavaharika point of view, from the ignorant persons point of view the law of karma very much exists, but the moment he gets out of that mental set up, when he knows I am not the body mind then these things do not apply then what applies but these are all God's leela, his play so these two things we have to accept, first what he said, that if you eat chillies, your tongue will get burnt, that is from the vyavaharika, phenomenal, transactional point of view but if you go beyond it, beyond the body mind complex, the moment you go beyond that, then it is leela leela means what in the drama, you see both good and evil, but you know you are enjoying, even the villain, he is beating the hero at first and afterwards the hero will take it with compound interest on the villain, these are called comedies so happy ending but there are also tragic endings also there, but then both hero and heroine and the villain they are sitting there for preview and they are talking, hey that part how beautifully you acted but this part you didn't act properly and the other persons also will be judging and said, you could have done better in that the whole thing is nothing but it's not reality it is only a leela leela means mere appearance highly enjoyable but at the same time not true, with this background, let us enter into this 17th chapter proper, so the question started of Arjuna only one question Arjuna asks the entire 26 verses are answer to this Arjuna's question and in this 17th chapter two important topics are discussed if we keep that at the background we can enjoy this thing what is it, that first of all how do we know what type of shraddha a person has got is there any way, for example you see a man and he is not talking, he is silent you don't know what he thinks you don't know he is good person or bad person so how long will he remain unknown because sooner or later he is going to react, you see him and then you understand you judge him by the actions that he do he will do, actions and reactions you will judge him whether he is a good man or normal person or abnormal person so that is how by behavior alone is the measuring stick, there is no other way, that is why there are many people who advertise self-realized soul they give certificate themselves and many people are deceived that's why Sri Ramakrishna tells such a sage advice to his disciples test a sadhu by day and by night, see what he is doing, if any sadhu had lived his whole life, then he can say he is a very good sadhu but even towards the end, a person may fall into the trap of Mahamaya and then we say not that he was a bad person but he was unable to cope with the wrong samskara that was hiding and that comes to our aid, for example Vishwamitra did 1000 years tapasya and at the end of it he fell like a pack of cards for a mere woman but do we condemn him on that account that would be most terrible thing anybody can do yes, he has done it but he has this weakness hiding and when the first opportunity came like a weed that sprouts and puts forth shoots and flowers and fruits as soon as a few drops of rain falls upon it this opportunity came fell down and he experienced and he understood and he has never again fell into the trap second time he became angry and through that anger he cursed them and he lost all his power, he understood even cursing is also an enemy of mine karma first, krodha later on, third time he continued his sadhana and again people came and then this woman came and this time he said I will neither be a born slave to you nor would I lose my emotional balance but I have decided to enjoy it and at the end he said you have done very well, you are the most beautiful singers and dancers, he gave that certificate and then they could not do anything, Brahma could not do anything so he had to come and say now you have become a Rajarshi so a sincere person so he will never go to hell, he will temporarily he might have a slip down but sooner or later Bhagawan himself will pull him up, in fact his downfall is due to the grace of God only that's why Holy Mother's teaching misery is a gift of God do not misunderstand so Arjuna is putting this very rational question O Krishna in the last chapter, 16th chapter at the end he says that scripture is the only reliable guide, what to do what not to do but I see so many people either they have not studied scripture or they have there are scriptures not available to them or they are available but he doesn't have the intelligence to understand them but I see people they worship by hearing about Gauls Gods and God in various forms and many people are worshipping especially in the past, most people who are believers now what type of Shraddha do they have because Shraddha means deep faith what is it? Shastra Guru Vakyeshu Satya Buddhi Avadharana what the scriptures in the words of the scriptures in the teachings of the Guru, teacher whoever has got unwavering faith and that is called Shraddha if a person doesn't have it that is called Shraddha so Arjuna put this beautiful question on our behalf because Arjuna is only our representative so Arjuna asked when men sacrifice to the Gods worship them with faith but do not follow the injunctions of the scriptures or even the teachings of the elderly people sadhus, holy people etc so do you consider that they have devotion and if so what is the nature of their devotion, is it Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic, this was on our behalf, why? because by observing our own actions and also others actions, we can understand, here is a Tamasic person, though I do not wish him to be my guide here is a Rajasic person quite ok but he is also not fit to be my role model but here is a Sattvic person he is very very important for me to imitate, to follow the footsteps there is a beautiful incident in the life of Sri Ramakrishna even after all his spiritual practices were over everyday Sri Ramakrishna did so many things which ordinary people are supposed to do at dawn and dusk, he will be clapping his hands and taking Gods name for a long time, he will be singing lot of bhakti songs he will be also doing some stotras because his memory was phenomenal and then he will go into the temple how does he go? there was no need for such persons to go to temple because only those who cannot see God accepting in a temple they need to go to the temple but a Brahmajna is one who can see God everywhere, Brahman everywhere but then to set an example so he used to go and devotees used to follow and what was he doing? he will go to the holy mother's, divine mother's, Kali mother's temple from his room he will leave the chappal on the ground and he will touch with his hand the first step and slowly climb stand in front and then when prasada or tirtha the water used in the worship is given with the greatest reverence, he will be drinking that one and then he will do sometimes pradakshina also, now once M was remarking, who recorded the whole thing, that he went there and then the doubt came even now Sairam Krishna goes to these temples even now he is following idol, this is called idol worship, so idolater so he is worshipping gods in the form of these images etc and then suddenly Thakur's grace fell upon him, he said what a stupid fellow I am a person like Sairam Krishna who is talking to God all the time, we see it so many times is deeply absorbed in God, if he is doing these things, who am I to criticize him and then M's whole life has changed, similarly Narendra, he said I don't believe in all these gods and goddesses Sairam Krishna rarely remarked, this word Rai is a very important word, he said that fellow he did not use these words a day will come when you will weep for the grace and vision of these very gods whom you are denying now in your stupid ignorance and such a time has come and there are so many incidents and when the appropriate occasion comes I will talk about them so Sairam Krishna is to go to set up an example and then he said something very little bit obscene, he said if I discharge water standing then you fellows will discharge going round and round and round that means, what he means is that I do all these things, not because they are necessary for me but to set an example and Swami Vekananda learnt one of these greatest lessons from one of the greatest Yogis he met, this Yogi was called Pavahari Baba he was supposed to be a Yoga Siddha, a Brahmanish Brahma, Brahmagna in way of Brahman and he never used to show himself to Swamiji, only on rare occasions he was able to probably not, I am not sure, but he used to hear his voice and Swamiji used to say, the sweetest voice I ever heard in my life is this Pavahari Baba's so if somebody wants sweet voice he must practice Yoga of course for me it is too late now I am too old to get a sweet voice, I wish I have but I cannot have it, but young people can always try this Yoga, Pranayama it is very very useful Pranayama and food control and certain exercises they can definitely improve their sweetness of their voice, very very true and Swamiji used to say a real Yogi will never have a cracky or tingling voice, it will be always very sweet, anyway one day Swamiji saw that in a small what is called swing the images of Radha and Krishna were being put and the Yogi Pavahari Baba was swinging them with the greatest Bhakti Swamiji was surprised and then he passed a remark, even now you do all these things and then Swamiji was later recollecting, said I have learned the greatest lesson of my life, Pavahari Baba replied, why do you think whatever I do is for my benefit that's all, rest we can guess, that means what that whatever I do is not necessary that it is going to be helpful only to me, but it may be for other people, there are so many people who are what is called Idol Worshippers for them it is wonderful and if you still remember what I said once somebody criticized these Idol Worshippers to Ramana Maharshi and he turned tables upon that fellow and said who is not an Idol Worshipper show me one everybody is worshipping the greatest Idol, his own body from early morning starting with bed coffee breakfast and then afterwards in between some tiffin and lunch again tiffin and coffee and tea and again after coming back some tiffin again before dinner another cup of tea or coffee and then finally have this dinner and before going to bed again another cup of milk or whatever it is whole day this Deha Seva service to the worship of the body is going on show me one person and how true it is what Ramana Maharshi really means is that only a knower of Brahman he doesn't have the feeling I am the body and everybody else is a body worshipper, that's all but it may be less may be more according to the development of the Sattva Guna, so Arjuna is asking that we see so many people and we see different activities now Krishna tell me what is their Shraddha they are all endowed with Shraddha, this is a very important point we should keep in this question Sarvete Shraddha Anvithaha, they are all endowed with Shraddha, but they do various activities Tesha of this Nishtha Tuka Krishna, Nishtha means what, they are 100% convinced each one of them that what I am doing is God's will and I am only following God's will so do they belong to Sattva category, Rajoguna category or Tamoguna category, this is the English translation Arjuna asked, when men sacrifice to the Gods with faith but discard the injunctions of the scriptures, what is the nature of their devotion, O Krishna is it Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic Yehe means people Shastra Vidhim Utsarujiya giving up the injunctions of the scriptures but Shraddhaya Anvithaha Shraddhaya Anvithaha endowed with sufficient amount of Shraddha, Yajante they turn towards the Gods they worship the Gods, they sacrifice to the Gods, they make hymns to the Gods, they go on pilgrimage, they visit the temples so many things they do but they do they do not follow the scriptural injunctions but how do we understand are they really helpful what type of persons these are Sattvic or Rajasic or Tamasic so now scriptures what are the scriptures these contain the wisdom won by the collective experience of a race its culture, religion science and progressive discovery of the best rules of life, you know there was a French man he has written a book golden rules for life or there are other books the rules of the game we are not talking about any game we are talking about life itself will be a game a beautiful circus a beautiful leela provided we have to follow rules, what is the rule simple, do certain things avoid certain things either through common sense or by learning it from the scriptures simple example do not do any injury to other people in any form do not even think injurious thoughts, do not speak hurtful words do not do anything that harms other people because if somebody does it to us, we do not like it, therefore through that anybody can understand, even an illiterate person that what I do is I should not hurt either mentally or physically or verbally now the question comes, I can think mentally but I will not do it either vocally verbally or physically, but the inevitable law is whatever a man goes on thinking unconsciously it will escape this is called slip of the tongue many times, many psychologists find out, oh it is a slip of the tongue, I did not mean it no, no, you meant it because it is there in your stomach this is simmering for a long time, a time has come and so you are able to it came out automatically so this is the psychological truth don't think bad things if because of the influence of past karmas past impressions, certain things, certain thoughts start rising again and again be aware of them and slowly start controlling them, transforming them into beneficial thoughts and in course of time one also progresses in life, so these are the golden rules of life are there and that is where, where do we get them, in the scriptures a scripture is a manual for operating this machine called body and mind in this world getting this opportunity opposite to the injunctions of the scriptures is the impulses of personal desire, which according to the character of the individual may give rise to beneficial or harmful results then, discarding the injunctions what does it mean? the text refers to those who abandon the scriptural injunctions either out of laziness or because of the difficulty inherent in strictly complying with them and worship the gods with faith created by their observance of the conduct of the leaders of society, we can be influenced, we know what to do, but I don't feel like doing it, why? could be because of laziness, because I see other person is transgressing every rule that is possible and yet he is prospering, that means my mind wrongly rationalizes and says I can lead an evil life unlike the other person very happy, so these are the things, either we, out of laziness or because of the difficulty inherent in complying with them but worship the gods with faith created by their observance of the conduct of the leaders of society you see, Bible is a great example for us every Rabbi is a priest Jewish priest is called a Rabbi and these Rabbis Jesus Christ they put long faces and they do observe fasts on certain days as if that is implied a terrible suffering as if the whole world has to take notice of them etc etc, so there are people who are either influenced by these kind of wrong ideals or laziness or they are not lazy but they may be difficult, there may be 150 reasons why a person justifies why he is not following the scriptural injunctions but they have nishta, nishta means they have devotion, some amount of devotion, nobody says 100% devotion but some amount of faith some amount of devotion some amount of faith in an ideal and they do worship but in various ways, especially in three ways, so that was the question of Arjuna, so what is the implication of this question because if these people or we can see different degrees of faith manifesting different types of activities not always good they may be downright evil or a mixture of good and evil or many many good things only so what will be the fate because the law of karma implies that we inevitably inexorably we realize what we do, that is important for this question of and the rest is explanation by Bhagavan Krishna so second shloka, Sri Bhagavan Vachan, the Lord said trividha bhavate shraddha dehinam sasvabhavaja sattviki rajasi chaiva tamasi cha iti tam sunam, the Lord said the faith of men, born of their individual natures is of three kinds it is characterized by either sattva or rajas or tamas here now concerning it, I am going to expound it, Sri Bhagavan Vachan, Bhagavan replied Arjuna, Arjuna Vachan means Arjuna put a question Bhagavan Vachan means Bhagavan replied we have to infer it trividha bhavate shraddha dehinam dehinam means one who thinks I am the body, I am the mind complex and but they are all endowed with shraddha so this shraddha is not exactly the same in everybody it is not common this shraddha of these embodied beings trividha bhavati is of three types sasvabhavaja means how do you know they are three types? because how did they get three types? because all are not born for the first time they have been born millions or billions of times, churasi lakh janam and they have not done exactly the same type of things so svabhavaja now what they are doing is their svabhava their nature but this is not their real nature this is the nature of what we call their samskaras, the repeated actions produce certain tendencies to repeat them because that becomes easier, it becomes a habit habit is something even without thinking we can do it so much we are habituated so svabhavaja, according to that there are three types sattviki, it can be sattva endowed shraddha, rajo guna endowed shraddha or tamasi, tamo guna dominated shraddha, it may be dominated, this shraddha may be dominated either by sattva guna rajo guna or tamo guna I am going to expound this tamasuna so now the question naturally that comes is how are we going to know, simple, I already answered that point, observe the behavior, observe your behavior as much as possible as objectively not being influenced, whatever I do is best, whatever if the others do the same thing it is worst, there is a saying you know, if somebody is very limited in their sharing, he is called miser, but if I do exactly the same thing I am being wiser, saving for the future, circumspect so that is how we justify ourselves and so we are all born with these different bodies different limbs, different strengths, different desires different strengths of desires, different capacities, different potentialities and this life is a wonderful field, kshetra, for us to manifest our divinity there, so no man can act against his nature every man acts according to his nature and but it doesn't mean, it is unchangeable through slow practice, habit of the opposite nature one can change it, one can transform a worldly nature into a spiritual nature only with the help of insight gained either through the study of the scriptures or by the teachings of a loving teacher, wise teacher but in any case we must have a firm determination, so the lord is going to expound it which we will see in our next class May Ramakrishna holy mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti, Jai Ramakrishna Jai Ramakrishna