Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna Lecture 124 on 05-November-2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

So we have completed the chapter on visit to Vidyasagar. Shri Ramakrishna had taken leave of Vidyasagar. He prayed for the welfare of the entire family. And when he came out, a striking incident had taken place. There was a devotee and he was fully dressed like a Sikh with a turban. And Shri Ramakrishna recognized him. Balaram, what are you doing? Oh, I have been waiting for a long time. Why did you not come in? I did not want to disturb you. Balaram Vasu was one of the most fortunate of the devotees. He was given the role of one of the being suppliers of Shri Ramakrishna. And Shri Ramakrishna had visited his house more than hundred times. Shri Ramakrishna wanted to be nearer to devotees. Dakshineshwar, in those days, was very far away from Calcutta. But if Shri Ramakrishna can visit Calcutta, then many of the known devotees were in and around. That Bosepara lane, Girish Chandra Ghosh next house, and many other devotees were there. And Lotu Maharaj acted as a messenger. Shri Ramakrishna had come. And all the devotees who ever could, they would gather around that place. So, that Balaram's house came to be known as the drawing room, Bhaitakkhana of Shri Ramakrishna. But look at his humility. I did not want to disturb. However much we do not wish to disturb others. But when we are entering, when some meeting or something is going on, everybody's attention is drawn. So, he did not want that to happen. And then Shri Ramakrishna came back to Dakshineshwar. And now we are entering into the next chapter, one of the most important chapters, Advice to Householders. Now, why did I say that it is a very important chapter? Because we are all householders. What? Even sannyasins are householders. Once some householder asked, we are householders, rich people. Then I told him, who is a bigger householder? Who is a householder? One who has a house is a householder. And compare your house to our house. Whose house is bigger? Whoever has got a bigger head, they will have a bigger headache. So, I am not merely joking, I am also telling. Whoever thinks that I am the body, he is a householder, and he has to behave like a householder. Whoever knows I have a body, I am the body, and I have a body. Enormous difference will be there. Vast difference is there between these two. One of Shri Ramakrishna's advice to all his devotees is, live in this world like a maid servant lives, where she is working, and perhaps she is from a village, she can't go back. She was given a room, and she eats, sleeps, works, but she knows in her heart of hearts that this is not my house, even though this is our house. And that is a very important teaching of Shri Ramakrishna. So, what am I trying to convey to you? Be it a sanyasi, outwardly a sanyasi, outwardly a householder, inwardly a monk. That is why every devotee of Shri Ramakrishna must cultivate that view. My parents are Ramakrishna and Sharada Devi. Who are they? They are sanyasi and sanyasini. And I am a child. We are all children. And what could be the status of the children of sanyasi? Means what? Not in the physical sense, but in a mental sense. If we have not accepted Shri Ramakrishna and Holy Mother as our real father and mother, once it so happened, I was travelling in a western country and I always keep a small photograph of Shri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swamiji. So the immigration officer saw it and then he asked, Are they your father and mother? Yes, yes, yes. Are they alive? No, no, they are not alive. But I revere them. That's why I carry. Oh, he was very happy. But some other swami, he was also doing the same thing. Immigration officer said, Let me look at this photograph. There is something unique about it. I cannot describe what it is. But perhaps he was reminded just like many devotees when they met Holy Mother, they were very much reminded of their own mother. I don't know how this happens, but many people felt, especially those who have lost their mother, they felt Holy Mother is the mother. But the important point is not to say we are the children of Shri Ramakrishna, we have been initiated. No, we are children of Shri Ramakrishna. Means what? A rich man's children will be rich. Similarly, Shri Ramakrishna is very, very rich in spiritual heritage. So we should claim our heritage also in the same way. What is the way? That to live like a maid servant, to follow the five commandments of Shri Ramakrishna. That is very important for all of us if we want our own good to happen. So August 13, 1882, this advice is for everybody. Incidentally, how many real sannyasins are really there in this world? As I just now mentioned, whoever thinks, I am the body, he is a householder because the biggest attachment is to the body. Even husband, wife, children, friends, country, even Guru are given up for catering to the weaknesses of the body. Unconsciously, how much we are all attached to our own body. Any advice given which will bring comfort to the body that we are eager to jump and swallow but anything that smacks that you are not the body is not desirable by us at all. So this conversation started on August 13, 1882. A master was conversing with Kedar and some other devotees in his room in the temple garden. I think I have already introduced Kedar was a government official and he had spent several years at Dhaka in East Bengal. At that time, East Bengal was not a separate country but part of the Bengal. Later on, the British people, they did the mischief of separating, making it two states. In fact, Pakistan and Bangladesh, they were all under the control of Pakistan only at that time until one gentleman called Mujibur Rahman had fought against the Pakistani army and then made it an independent country, the present Bangladesh. So people used to go like from one state to another state and even Nag Mahasaya belonged to that place only. His village was called Devobhog and it was very near to Dhaka. So many devotees used to travel from Bangladesh to here, from here to Bangladesh, etc. This Kedar was formerly a Brahmo member and he was a government official and in that capacity he spent many years in Dhaka and Vijayakrishna Goswami also happened to be working in that place. These two had become very close friends and the two would spend a great part of their time together talking about Sri Ramakrishna and his spiritual experiences. That is what real devotees should do. Never bring up the subject of world or worldly affairs. Casually one can of course inquire about one's health but beyond that it is only worldly conversation. That should never happen. So this is an ideal even though they are far away from Calcutta. But these two always the center of their conversation was Sri Ramakrishna. It was 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Kedar was very happy that day. This did not happen in Dhaka. It happened at Dakshineswar. Several years later this Kedar was transferred to Calcutta and then he became a close devotee of Sri Ramakrishna and he used to visit frequently and he was a bhakta and he arranged a religious festival for Sri Ramakrishna. Even when he was at Dhaka this Kedar Nath he was longing for God realization and he was praying doing his spiritual practice but he was not able to make headway in spiritual progress. So he became very down hearted and then he decided to commit suicide. So he went to a hill with the idea of jumping from there and ending his life. And just when he was about to do that from nowhere a small crippled boy appeared there and then he said what you are desiring very soon you will realize that do not do this kind of things. And Kedar was shocked. How did this boy come to know? Where from he had come? But next second he saw he disappeared which reminds me of Sourdas' own life. Sourdas was a great devotee of Bhagavan Krishna. It is said he was born blind and his greatest wish was to go and spend rest of his life in Vrindavan the Leela Kshetra of Bhagavan Krishna. So he was blind, he was asking people and he was slowly traveling and he came to a mountain area where with the help of his stick one step forward he would have fallen down the hill into a valley. But he understood and then he started to pray, Krishna I want to come to you. Suddenly he heard a shepherd voice or cowherd boy whatever you call Hey Tata old fellow, blind fellow you are really stupid fellow. With this blindness in these mountain regions what are you doing here? You will die. Sourdas was on one side he never got offended. He said Baba, my sole desire is to go to Vrindavan. Oh Vrindavan, you blind fellow how dare you think you will reach Vrindavan with this blindness. He made some fun. Then Sourdas requested him, please put me on the right way so that I can travel. And then Krishna took his hand in his little hands and the next second Sourdas realized this is none other than Krishna. And then as soon as this realization came, Krishna snatched his hands away and disappeared. Of course he put him turned him in the direction and hardly Sourdas had taken a few steps. He heard some people talking and then he went there and said so please show me the way to Vrindavan. I want to reach Vrindavan. They said Swami you are in Vrindavan. This is Vrindavan. Then Sourdas understood the grace of Bhagavan Krishna. So whenever anybody is in earnest, God will give guidance. But the condition is are you in earnest? Have you got proper guidance? And sincere people will always get proper guidance because Bhagavan himself comes in the form of a Guru. So this Kedar, he was very Sri Ram Krishna felt very much compassionate and gracious to Kedar Nath. So Kedar was very happy. He visited Dakshineswar at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and he arranged a religious festival for Sri Ram Krishna. Sri Ram Krishna introduced just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Sankirtana. Some good singer will be there and there is a special type of literature that is called Vaishnava Padavali. What we now call Vaishnava Kirtanas. Bhajans are one type. Kirtanas are another type. These Kirtanas again they can belong to Mother Kali which is called Kali Kirtan and this is called Vaishnava Kirtan. So he arranged a singer and you know at any given time singers are not lacking. Very very marvelous singers and Sri Ram Krishna used to attract a large number of singers. But the singer especially Ramchandra Dutta had become a kind of manager who used to keep in contact with the singers etc. So the singer had been hired by Ram and the whole day passed in joy and Sri Ram Krishna enters into Samadhi. Moho Moho again and again and then the Master started explaining to the devotees the secret of communion with God. Throughout the Gospel of Sri Ram Krishna we do not get anything except talks on spiritual life. There was an incident when M by that time he was 27 or 28 years old and Narendra in his very youth they had a talk with Sri Ram Krishna and Dakshinis were in his room and then Sri Ram Krishna had just gone out for probably answering calls of nature etc. And by that time he came, these two devotees and they were talking outside Sri Ram Krishna's room and Sri Ram Krishna overheard, be careful whatever you are talking big brother is watching so he will be overhearing you. So he was not pleased with what they were talking of course the talk was nowadays school boys they have learnt how to smoke My God! If Sri Ram Krishna was in these days I don't know what he would have done. And then sometimes they also they tell lies, they do all those things. This was the talk. Sri Ram Krishna did not like because he used to say this is after eating a first class dinner if somebody is served bitter gold curry it is like they are talking about worldly things. He never encouraged people and he never himself talked about worldly things excepting by way of illustration. So Sri Ram Krishna is explaining to the devotees of all the paths. Sri Ram Krishna's teaching was every path is capable of taking one to God. Every religion, every path, every effort about which we will talk very soon is capable of taking one to God provided one is having Shraddha and then Vyakulata. These two qualifications, characteristics qualities should be there. Whatever spiritual qualities are supposed to be required for an earnest student of Upanishads, let God grant them to me so may they repose in me may they repose in me. So here Sri Ram Krishna is doing exactly the same thing. So Sri Ram Krishna is talking with the realization of Satchitananda one goes into Samadhi then what happens? Duties drop away. Suppose I have been talking about the Ustad and he arrives. What need is there of talking about him then? How long does the bee buzz around? So every time Sri Ram Krishna's teaching is followed by an analogy or a simile. Supposing some people gathered to hear the music of a Ustad. Ustad means a maestro. So long as the Ustad is not there then people will talk. Somebody has gone to watch a drama and the curtain is closed and people are going on passing their time talking all worldly rubbish that is what they call shop talk. Suddenly the curtain is raised and immediately Narada enters singing the glories of Bhagavan Krishna and the whole attention of the audience is now solely focused on that scene. So how long does the bee buzz around? Until it starts sipping the honey. Every word that emanates from the mouth of Sri Ram Krishna conveys a deep meaning. So when we are happy then everything else stops. Just as when we enter into Sushupti, what do we do? Sipping honey. That means what? No more buzzing around. Waking state, dream state are buzzing around. But Sushupti state like a bee finds nectar and it closes its eyes and then goes on drinking the nectar. So how long does this bee buzz around? So long as it is not sitting on a flower but as soon as it sits on a flower starts enjoying the nectar. So Sri Ram Krishna continues, but it will not do for the sadhaka to renounce duties. He should perform his duties such as worship, japa, meditation, prayer and pilgrimage. These are parts of spiritual practice. What was Sri Ram Krishna talking about? But when one realizes God and that state is called Samadhi. And then what happens? The highest desire is fulfilled. There are no more desires left out. Therefore, where there is no desire, there will be no activity. All karmas will fall away. That is the main thrust of Shankaracharya's talking, teaching that karma cannot take one to God. Of course, praying, doing japam and studying scriptures and singing bhajan, going on pilgrimage, they are not considered mere activities. They are considered spiritual activities. But with the realization of God, once desires are fulfilled, such a person is called Poornakamaha or Akamaha. Poornakamaha means he became one with Brahman. So he will not have any more desires because he will have continuous, unbroken, infinite bliss. So long as one doesn't reach, the state will be like a bee. Why did Ramakrishna give the analogy of the bee? Because a bee collects only nectar, honey. It doesn't sit anywhere. Whereas a fly, Ramakrishna often used to give this illustration, it can sit on a flower also, but most often it will sit on even what is called a sore that has become brought in there. But do not become like a fly, become like a bee. This honey bee has been used for many, many similes, beautiful similes. When the time comes, we will see that. So if you see someone engaged in reasoning, even after he has realized God, you may like him to a bee which also possess a little, even while shipping honey from a flower. So does that mean that a God-realized soul will not use reason? Yes, he will definitely use reason, but this reasoning is not for one's own attainment. Already the person has reached, it is to convince. That is why three methodologies are used by a teacher, by a qualified teacher to convince the disciple. They are called in Vedanta, Shruti, Yukti and Anubhava. Shruti means the authoritative teachings of the scriptures. Shruti. Yukti means how to convey them to the person in a language understandable by that person. There are some people, they are endowed with Shraddha. As soon as the teacher tells, immediately he grasps it. But there are some people who require a lot of teaching. There is a book by Shankaracharya. It is called Upadesa Sahasri. And it is full of this kind of Tarka only. The teacher asks, who are you? Oh, I am a student. Though I have faith, I have studied the scriptures, but I want to be convinced. A lot of logic is used. But this logic is not meant to establish the existence of God or to convert the person. Reasoning or logic had never ever brought about any change in anybody. Only after the change has taken place, logic is very important. That is a process of discrimination so that we will not fall into the old traps of our old Samskaras. So, Shri Ramakrishna is using a simile and then the bee goes on buzzing and the mosquito goes on singing. How long? When it finds a beautiful vein, then it starts sucking the blood. Have you noticed it singing? You will never notice it. Only that is the right time. It closes its eyes. It is absorbed in Samadhi of drinking the nectar. For it, your blood, my blood is the nectar and that is the right time to come and give it Moksha. Other times, it is not amenable for such easy catching. Unless of course you know, you have got the bat with an electric shock. So, Shri Ramakrishna used a little logic but Swami Vivekananda he used heavily this logic. Whether it is Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, especially to the western audience. Why is it? Because this is an age of reason. All the history is divided into so many categories. So, build your end. The age of superstition, the age of faith, the age of reason. So, this is an age of reason. Even your AI works only on reason. And reason never made a person a better person. Only when a person became better then reason will help him. That is why Shravanam is the first step. After that only reasoning comes. That is called Mananam. And the purpose of the reason is to make the person remove all the doubts. Once doubts are removed then plunge into Sadhana which is called Nidhidhyasana. So, the Master is telling you may like a person who has reached the goal but for the sake of the disciples he may be talking which also buzzes a little even while sipping honey from a flower. That means what? Sometimes the bee out of joy it may be making noises Aha, Oho, marvelous, never tasted, etc. The Master was highly pleased with the Ustad's music. We have to understand if the Ustad had simply sung some bhajans Shri Ramakrishna will never ever certify that person. He will say he is a very good singer but he will not be pleased. Many times it is seen Shri Ramakrishna he praises people your bhajan is very good. Why? Because mere intellectual type of music is not going to please unless there is a bhava. The very first thing we have to notice in anybody especially in ourselves is bhava. Bhava means devotion. Often times bhava is translated as emotion. We all feel emotion especially nowadays you know starts very fast pace and then it reaches a crescendo and then we all feel Oh wonderful, marvelous. No, that is called emotion that is not bhava. Bhava means to be completely absorbed in the meaning of the bhajan and that is why it is called bhajanananda not sangeetananda. What is the difference? Bhajanananda is to enjoy the real devotion that arises. Sangeetananda is what raga, how rhythmic it is, how accompaniments are there, how wonderfully the person had rendered either vocal or instrumental that falls only under kalananda not bhajanananda or dharmananda. So Sri Ramakrishna was pleased means really he felt the Ustad also has some devotion and especially when such people come into contact with Sri Ramakrishna some unconscious phenomena takes place. There will be a change that little bhakti in that singer or musician it becomes very much enhanced by the very presence of Sri Ramakrishna. So Sri Ramakrishna said to the musician something wonderful about which Bhagavan Krishna also says in the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita called Vibhuti Yoga. Sri Ramakrishna is repeating there is a special manifestation of God's power in a man who has many outstanding gifts such as proficiency in music. Sri Ramakrishna used to praise highly Narendra can sing, can play and he can dive deep into meditation etc. Incidentally there is a beautiful song that is Doop Doop Doop Roop Shagare Amarman Tala Tal Patal Tuble Pave Re Prem Ratna Dhan So it is a beautiful song dive deep, dive deep, dive deep O mind to the very bottom of the ocean of God and there you will get the invaluable jewel of Prema Prema means real devotion and then the Vaishnava saints in the South India, 12 of them they are called Alvars Alu means depth so one who has gone to the very depth, bottom most of devotion he is called an Alvar of them, one of them is a most marvellous devotee called Andal Her father himself was one of the Alvars there then there was one great king, he was called Kulasekar Alvar he has written a beautiful hymn in pure Sanskrit, wonderful Sanskrit called Mukunda Mala there only quite a number of times I have quoted Krishna A devotee that is Kulasekar Alvar being a devotee, he is telling Hey Krishna, let the bee of my mind, notice earlier also we talked about the bee and the bee wants to sit only on a beautiful flower full of nectar and what better flower is there than the Pada Padma of Bhagavan Krishna so that's why Padma, a lotus is represented practically every god and goddess will be sitting, depicted as sitting on a lotus flower May the Rajahamsa, may my mind my mind is not a ordinary wicked worldly low type of mind it is a Rajahamsa, it is the king, emperor of all the strands the heart is compared to a strand, Rajahamsa and that Rajahamsa may it enter, why is it Rajahamsa, because Rajahamsa knows how to split the milk, milk the watery portion and the really milk portion it is said the beak of the swan has got a particular type of acid as soon as it touches the milk, immediately it becomes Chana and then it only enjoys the solidified part, not the water part so may the Rajahamsa of my heart enter into the lotus cage of the lotus feet of your your lotus feet cage of your lotus feet when, Adhyayiva, just now let it enter right now Adhyayiva Vishatume Manasa Rajahamsaha Tvadiya Pada Panka Pankajastam why now why not postpone it for that, Kulasekaralwar himself completes the shlokam and says Prana Prayana Samaye when the time to depart we don't know when it comes under what circumstances it comes many times, it doesn't even inform that we are going to die we just say ah like that and pass away at that time even if I am bit conscious what I am supposed to do Prana Prayana Samaye Kafa Vata Pithai my throat is throttled I got Kafa, Vata and Pitha these are called three unhealthy conditions I am not able to remember even if I remember the sound doesn't come out of my mouth because it is throttled by Kafa, Vata, Pitha according to Ayurvedic physicians these three are the greatest obstructions and these will have full sway just before death Kafa, Vata, Pithai Kantha Avarodhana Vidhau when my throat is completely choked as it were Smaranam Kotaste how can I remember you at that time remembrance also not possible let alone sound because when somebody has got terrible headache, he will forget everything excepting the head, the only good news is if you have headache, it proves that there is a head, that's all so the musician is asking, Sir, what is the way to realize God see, musicians, they will collect their fee and he could have gone but in the presence of Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Ramakrishna must have bestowed his grace and he must have bestowed because this person is a competent utensil to receive his grace because even if somebody wants to give it is not possible to receive it, what is the way to realize God and Sri Ramakrishna has of repeated teaching, Bhakti is the one essential thing and then Sri Ramakrishna explains to be sure, God exists in all beings who then is a devotee, he whose mind dwells on God what does it mean, not intentionally trying to remember God but what it means is God alone is real, Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya such a person alone is a devotee but this is not possible Sri Ramakrishna continues as long as one has egotism and vanity and immediately Sri Ramakrishna simile the water of God's grace cannot collect on the high mound of egotism, it runs down and so what should one do, Sri Ramakrishna gives the teaching, I am a mere machine, this is a beautiful song, again this teaching is based upon a very marvelous song so I am the machine you are the mechanic, I am the chariot, you are the charioteer, I am the house and you are the house runner, so this where there is egotism, what is egotism, not identifying with our true nature but this is called Ahamkara in Sanskrit Aham is pure existence, what comes after Aham, ego plus whatever comes I am is pure pure egotism, ego not egotism, sorry, ego I am the body, the mind, rich poor, happy, unhappy respectable not respectable, Brahmana Shudra, all these things are called Ahamkara so don't think even a lowest person his Ahamkara is, oh I am only a lowest person, my Ahamkara is very small, you know that Brahmana in front of my house he is the highest wise person, learned person so his Ahamkara is too big, no everybody's Ahamkara is 100%, Ram Krishna often used to illustrate this so there was a frog somehow a rupee coin fell into its hole and then one day it became very proud I am the owner of a rupee coin and one day an elephant was passing by poor elephant did not know that there is a hole in that hole there is a frog and that frog has obtained one rupee it is the owner of one rupee but the egotism of the frog is, it came out then he said, hey you how dare you pass over my head, you should have gone from the side don't you know who I am many such illustrations are there by the observant Ram Krishna so what is the inimical thing to God or spiritual progress, egotism ego is not bad I am the servant of God I am the friend of God I am the child of God I am the beloved of God they are all very good, these are called Panchabhavas, Shanta Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya and Mathura but this egotism that I am the body, I am the mind I am young, I am beautiful I am very attractive, etc how much egotism is there, God alone knows so what happens, God's grace is like water when it rains on the high top of the mountain even though the water falls the top cannot retain the water it runs down and where there is a small dirt and there the water collects so it runs down so we should remember I am the mere machine, that is what Ramakrishna's teachings now Ramakrishna always used to tell something very important for us in as many faiths so many paths Jato Moth Tato Poth Moth means we have to understand specially that word Mata so Mata means opinion that is the straight forward translation we are talking about opinions because so many people I have seen translating as many opinions so many paths no it is not the opinion, mere opinion but a person truly believes this is the only way and many non-Hindu religions are all missionary religions they wholeheartedly believe that nobody is going to reach God excepting through their own religion all the other people are not even religious they are called kafirs Ramakrishna's teaching is completely against that as many paths as many faiths, so many paths faith is the world faith means it could be any religion it could be any yoga, it could be any work we have to remember how many people have received the grace of Ramakrishna the prashik another gardener how many people other many many fallen women so called fallen women some of them had become even sanyasinis whom Sri Ramakrishna had brought to the feet of Sri Ramakrishna and all of them touched the feet of Sri Ramakrishna and then by his grace he said, he addressed them you are all my anandamayi mass reflections representatives and then his blessings will not go in vain because these people are endowed with tremendous amount of true bhakti and they must be weeping why God has made us be born in this low state like that anyway, so a person must be shraddhaadu then any path will take him down but of all the paths bhakti is the most suitable don't say some people I also use that word bhakti is the easy path there is no easy path to God every path is difficult but bhakti among them is a natural path suitable to most of us why is it so? because we are all highly emotional immediately you go into a kind of lower samadhi what is it? that is nothing but pure emotion so for emotional people that is what is called passion so if there is passion then only there will be compassion there will be dispassion if we don't have any passion then we will not have neither compassion nor dispassion so Ram Krishna is telling that bhakti marga is more suitable to this Kali Yuga because Kali Yuga means people are horribly attached to the body and for this purpose we get the teachings of what is called pralada but Ram Krishna often used to say Narada's teaching of bhakti is most marvelous we will talk about it later on now pralada story we know he was sent to a teacher and they were explicitly commanded to teach bhakti to Hiranyakashipu but then pralada was a born bhakta and he was born bhakta means what? he was endowed with the highest acute what is called buddhi dhi, medha and therefore he understood that this person is full of egotism is only Narayana to whom he is the paradevata he has to be pleased and we have to attain to him that is the only goal of life how to attain? so he taught to his fellow students he spoiled he was a ringleader as we say nowadays he rebelled against all this regime and it is to rebel against teacher is to rebel against his father actually so he was a ringleader and not only he did not follow the teachers he spoiled everybody's mind and they will not listen to the teachers because when we are getting so much of happiness from somebody we are not going to get that happiness from those fellows who do not have that happiness, who cannot give that happiness who can give happiness? only a person who is of happy nature then in the Srimad Bhagavatam 7th what is called section or chapter in Bhagavatam it is called Skanda in Taittiriya it is called Valli and in Chandogya it is also a chapter here it is called Skanda and there are 12 Skandas are there in the Bhagavatam the story of Prahlada comes in the 7th Skanda, 5th section slokas 23-24 Sri Prahlada Vacha Prahlada's teaching to his fellow friends because the teachers will not take his Upadesham Shravanam Ketanam Vishnoho Smaranam Pada Sevanam Archanam Vandanam Dasyam Sakhyam Atmanivedanam Iti Umsarpita Vishtau Vischet Navalakshana Kriyeta Bhagavat Tanmanye Adhitam Uttamam Shravanam Ketanam Smaranam Pada Sevanam Archanam Vandanam Dasyam Sakhyam Atmanivedanam so one can reach God either by any one of these this is one meaning another meaning is we can also understand them as a gradiated steps leading to God so first of all how do you know that God is existing? Shravanam you must have heard from somebody so Shravanam even for the Advaita follower first step is Shravanam you are not the body mind you are Atman Tattvamasi etc Shravanam and then Ketanam so you go on repeating it any number of times is called Vyasa and then what happens that idea slowly becomes embedded in the depths of our consciousness then Sparanam and whatever is in the depths of our consciousness that comes out as butter comes out of the buttermilk or milk that has been put so Smaranam Smriti comes then Pada Sevanam and one has to learn first and then only you can learn how to worship God that is you render physical service to all these people then Archanam then true devotion will come that is Archana means Pooja worship them that means what? regard them, regard God ultimately as the highest object of one's not only goal, one's worship that is what Sri Ramakrishna says that Sandhya should lead one to Gayatri and Gayatri should lead one to Omkara Sandhya merges in Gayatri Gayatri merges in Omkara so the idea now here is that slowly the gross becomes subtle, subtle becomes subtler subtler merges finally in the final cause this is the essence so Archanam, that is physically and then Vahya Pooja Manasika Pooja, Mental Pooja and then what happens Vandanam, wherever you see Vidya, Vinaya, Sampanne, Brahmane Gavi Hastini, Shunicheva Shubhakhecha Pandithaha Samadarshanah Vandanam, I see God everywhere, Samadarshanah that is called Vandanam that is why when two devotees two sanyasins meet Namo Narayanaya, then when this is happened Dasyam, everywhere I see God, I want to worship God, I am a servant of God, when I see God everywhere remember, I hope the story of Namadeva who carried Ganges water from Varanasi to Rameshwaram and just at the entrance of the temple he saw a donkey dying of thirst and then immediately he ran there, lovingly took its head in his lap and all that water he was carrying so many hundred thousands of miles he poured slowly his fellow pilgrims ridiculed him but he said no I see Shiva here, Rameshwara here in this form I am not doing abhishekam to anybody else, to a donkey if you think I am watering the donkey you are all donkeys I am worshipping Lord Shiva himself that is called Dasyam about which we will of course expound a little bit because that is our job here in the Katamruta class, not simply reading what Sri Ram Krishna or what M had recorded but to enjoy the depths of this meaning and then here also we see in Vaishnava Sampradaya first Deha Budhyatu Dasoham then Jeeva Budhyatu Damshakaha, Atma Budhyatvame Vaham, so I am a servant you are my master there is a lot of distance I am small, you are big that is the attitude of a devotee called Dasyam then next is Sakhyam, he becomes a friend just as a friend is always concerned about the welfare of whom he loves so that one and we have to understand that finally what is called Vatsalya Bhakti, I am the child of God, not only that God is also my child this is slow progress, it is not mentioned here but then finally comes Mathura Bhakti what is Mathura Bhakti a complete union of the devotee with the deity of the lover with the beloved and when they meet, nothing else remains that is called Atma Nivedanam complete self surrender removing every sense of duality and today's class I will just give recount which I had done in the past also with a small Sufi story so there was a lover he had a beloved and the beloved was in a small cottage so one day this man went there to meet his beloved and he found the door was closed, he knocked from inside came a question who are you and he replied I am so and so and the door did not open, again he knocked, same question came who are you, this time also he said I am so and so second time also the door did not open, third time he knocked, same question had come and this time the answer is I am the my beloved and then he found there was no door, that means what the moment we come to know Aham Brahma where is not Brahman there is no Vaikuntha, there is no Brahma Loka, there is no Loka at all, there is no obstruction at all there is no limitation at all and this is how one way of looking at it is we can take any one of these modes and progress, another way is that step by step, first step, second step, finally ninth step and this is a marvelous topic, so one can reach God either by one of these or we can also understand them as a graduated steps leading to God, we will talk about this subject in our next class, Om Jananim Sharadaam Deivim Ramakrishnam Jagat Gurum Pada Padme Dayo Saritva Pranamami Mohur Mohur May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vaikuntha bless us all with Bhakti Jai Ramakrishna