Khandana Bhava Bandhana Lecture 10 on 23 June 2019

We are discussing the Avatāra Stotram. Here, Avatāra doesn't mean only Sri Rāmakrishna. Any Avatāra, who came in the past and who is going to come in future also.

So can it not change? It cannot change, because, one’s nature, can never be changed. God's nature cannot be changed.

That won't change. Why? Because they come with a power to give. What is the specialty of an Avatāra? A Jīvan-Mukta, you understand, One who has become Free. He also has the same knowledge. What is the difference? The difference is in the power. A Jīvan-Mukta can help hardly anybody, an Avatāra can help a huge number of people.

To contain that power, the person must have that capable vehicle. And that vehicle is called Satva-guna. So He has to come exactly in the same way. Any number of times He comes, He has to come exactly in the same way.

Avatāras do not come at the same time. Each time God comes only by Himself, but He can bring some companions with Him. One, after the other. Not in the same time. What happened last time when they came at the same time? Same thing is going to happen next time also. If Rāma and Krishna come  separately they are very friendly. If they come at the same time… ( Parasurāma was an exception )You see, the Hindu concept of an Avatāra is - in whom so ever the power to do good is more manifest, He is an Avatāra .

So Hitler is not called an Avatāra. Only those, who do some positive, some good to humanity. So, one person is enough. And who knows better than God about politics. If two Avatāras come there will be a quarrel. So, He knows. He will come only one at a time. And it is the Same Being who comes again and again and again, okay.

Last class we were discussing Nirbhaya, Bhaya-Rachita. Nirbhaya gatasaṁśaya. First we discussed Tyāgīśvara he naravara dehapade anurāg.

Only by praying can we get love, devotion, discrimination, dispassion etc, and it should be only God's Grace. Without God's Grace, we cannot get God. From the beginning, in the middle, in the end - Grace, Grace and Grace, nothing but Grace. We have to take it for granted.

Just to illustrate this point, Shankarāchārya, you know, He was a follower of Jñāna-Mārga. Jñāna-Mārga means what? They don't accept Saguna Brahma, Nirguna Brahma they accept.   

So the Divine Mother wanted to teach Him. One day He was walking. She, Divine mother, had taken the form of an old woman and She was lying in the way. It was a narrow way. Only one person can walk. It is not our Hindu custom that if somebody is lying you put your foot and walk over. That is disrespect. So Shankarāchārya said, ‘Mother please move’. She said, ‘I am unable to move. You make me move’. ‘I am unable to move, You make Me move’. And He touched Her to make Her move. He lost all movement. Then he understood it must be the mother only. Then He prayed. गतिस्त्वं गतिस्त्वं त्वमेका भवानि l

All these came out of one experience. Excepting Śaraṇāgati there is no other way.

( 5:52 mins )

So when a Jñāni, that means a Sādhaka, who is practicing Jñāna-Mārga, he says, Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi, what does that mean? He merges his Ahaṁ in Brahman. A Bhakta says from the very beginning that ‘Oh! Lord, I am nothing. You are everything’. Ultimately, whatever it is, we have to remove our egotism. There is no other way.

Śaraṇāgati - that is then only we get certain things - Devotion - When devotion comes what happens? The first thing, the first signs that we are having some devotion, fear goes away.

Now tell me what is the relationship between fear and worry? Can you tell me what is the relationship? Will you worry if you are not afraid of something? Only when you are frightened, somebody might do something to me, or somebody may take away something from me, fear comes. When there is fear and when we are helpless then worry comes. I hope you're able to follow me.

Suppose, you know, a small creature, a small insect comes. It can sting. So are you worried? ‘Is it going to sting me?’ You're not worried because the moment it comes near you can squash it. But if a big elephant comes and there is no way to go anywhere, then what is the first thing… first comes fear. Fear turns into worry.

Sri Rāmakrishna used to give this analogy. There was a Zamindār and there was a very poor fellow. This poor fellow had taken the Zamindār to court. Everybody thought how dare this poor fellow take a Zamindār to the court. But behind this poor fellow, there was an even bigger Zamindār there. Otherwise how dare he do that?

So, as soon as a devotee, he thinks I’m a small fellow. But as soon as he acquires devotion he becomes Fearless. How does he become fearless? Because, ‘Behind me my Mother is there; My Father is there; God is there. Who can do anything to me?’ That is the fearlessness that comes.

So Hanuman Singh story, you know? There was a Darwān, Hanuman Singh, at Dakshineswar. He used to wrestle. And a big wrestler had come. And the people, you know, they know this fellow was like a Rākshasa, Bakāsura, Bhimāsura. ( Have you heard what I said? Bhimasura! He looks like an asura. Whoever marries an asuri, what does he become? You understand? He married whom? Rākshasis also are not going to marry human beings. Human beings are there like a delicious Rasagulla. But the husband, he must be like that only. Excepting, Sūrpanakha was an exceptional case.)

So they arranged a wrestling match. From the day it was fixed, that fellow went on eating everyday eggs, chicken, Ghee, all that pushtikara āhāra. What was Hanuman Singh doing? He was eating only once a day, day by day will be coming thinner. But he used to come in the morning, make pranām to Thākur. He used to come in the evening make pranām. And Thākur blessed him, ‘You are going to win, don't worry’. Don't worry.

( 10:26 mins )

Did I tell you about ‘Don't worry Clinic’? Even if you heard you not remember it is. There was a Doctor who named his surgery ‘Don't worry Clinic’. So somebody was puzzled, intrigued. What do you mean by don't worry Clinic? He said look here, ‘Suppose you are sick, and you come to my surgery. Only two things can happen. Either you get well or you don't get well. If get well nothing to worry. If you don't get well only two things can happen. What is it? You would die, it means either you go to heaven or you go to hell. If you go to Heaven what is there to worry. But supposing you go to hell, you meet all your old friends there, so nothing to worry. Friends, are there. Without friends It is suffering. With  friends it is majā hi majaa hai.

So a devotee as soon as he…. A child, Sri Rāmakrishna used to say - so long as the mother is not there, he is terribly frightened, worried. The moment the mother is, it is for the mother to worry about it. So that strength he will get, ‘My mother Is there, what is there for me to worry about?’ Is it not a fact?

Prahlāda, as an example. Best example. Was he worried? ‘My father is going to torture me, kill me, and all those things.’ ‘Do whatever you like. I have nothing to worry. It is my Father's, my Mother's worry.

And incidentally was Prahlāda  looking upon Vishnu as mother or father? From our Viewpoint, it is both Mother and Father. From a spiritual point, there is no mother or father. It is a protective power. What is that power? I am the child of God. And what is God? Soul, Ātman.

So, if God is Ātman and I am the child of Ātman who am I? I am Ātman. Ātman doesn't have a body mind. So there is nothing to lose, nothing to gain.

So Heya & Upādeya - both are not here. Heya - means something to be discarded and Upādeya - means something to be obtained. Both will not be there.

So what is our problem? Either we fear losing something or not getting something which we want. That fearlessness -Nirbhaya. That is why when Yājnavalkya instructed Janaka, and Janaka understood, realised, then certificate was given by the Guru. ‘Abhayam vai, Janaka, prapto'si’ - ‘Janaka, you have attained fearlessness’. Because to fear there must be a second object. In Infinity where is the second object?

So gatasaṁśaya - there will be no doubt. When a person has direct experience of Truth there cannot be any other type of knowledge. Knowledge obtained by from the scriptures, even from the Guru. You may have faith, but faith must be translated into fact.

That means what? Fact  can be only through Experience. Direct experience. Pratyakṣa. it is called Pratyakṣa. It is called aparokṣa. It is called Parāvidya.

What is Parāvidya? I become knowledge. Aparāvidya. I have knowledge.

So if we know all the scriptures, is it Parāvidya or Aparāvidya? Aparāvidya. Lower knowledge. ‘I have’.

That's why you know the fun? Muṇḍakopaniṣad - So the disciple approaches the Guru, then he says, ‘Teach me the highest knowledge’. What is that? By knowing which every knowledge can be obtained.

( 15:07 mins )

‘Knowing which’ - so Suppose there are a million ornaments made out of gold. You don't need to know if this is a ring, this is a necklace, this is a bangle. You don't need to do that to obtain knowledge. You get the knowledge of gold, then you get the knowledge of everything.

Because everything is nothing but an ornament, always remember, made of nothing but pure gold. There is no object called ornament. There is only one object. What is the object? Only gold.

Then what is the ornament? Gold in a particular shape and name and utility. This Nāma, Rūpa and Prayojana is called ornament. Ornament is not a special object. Somehow we are under that delusion. If it were an object, the Goldsmith can take your gold, he can give you the ornament - because two objects. So if he takes the gold he is taking with him the ornament also. If he takes the ornament, he is taking away the gold also.

So again, and again we will emphasise, there is no World Only God. What is the world then? God with a name and forms is called the world. And world without name and forms is called God.

Many times we will repeat it, because we know it but it doesn't go inside.

Gatasaṁśaya -  there will be no doubt.

God is the world.  God with name and form is world. Like a bangle is a name, a particular shape of material, called gold. And because of a particular utility it is called a bangle.

From the practical point of view, what we are discussing, is the truth in a theoretical form. It is the truth, but it is in a theoretical form. What is a theoretical form? I have not realized it.

So what is a Sādhana? I will give an example, Swāmiji said, ‘What is karma yogā? Serving man looking upon him as God. Śiva Jñāne Jīva Sevā.’ Is it clear?

What are we looking at? Anything? Jīva! Jīva doesn't mean only man. Jīva means any living creature, any non living creature also is Jīva only. So can you serve a non-living creature? Yes! When you try to keep the environment right, you're serving whom? God. Śiva

It is a very funny thing. Supposing you are saving a river from pollution. Looking upon the river as what? Gangā nadi, Yamunā or Brahmaputra, etc, etc, or a mountain or a forest? Whom are you really serving? Are you serving God or are you serving yourself? If you save a forest who is saved? You are saved. If you make a river pure, who is saved? You are saved. Whatever you do, actually doesn't make anything any difference to God. It makes a difference only to us. You understand now? So Sādhana is to look up on every single thing in this world with the eyes ‘This is divine’. The chair is divine, the AC is divine, etc.

( 20:03 mins )

So gatasaṁśaya – nirbhaya gatasaṁśaya. Then dṛṛhaniścaya

Lajjā in English language it translated as modesty or shamefulness. When we have to do something… in what context Thākur was giving this Upadesam to the devotee? He says that by taking God's name, you will progress in spiritual life. But inside you are getting the feeling that what do they other people think about me if I take God's name? They think this is a superstitious fool. He is not a practical person. Even us.

Suppose you are asked to dance here. Will you do it? You don't do it, but you enjoy other people dancing. In the name of God, you know In Belur Math and in other places. South India I have not seen, but Belur Math on Thākur ’s Birthday & other occasions, all 200 Sādhus, they go early morning around the temple – এসেছে নূতন মানুষ দেখবি যদি আয় চলে ( Aseche Nuton Mānush Dekhbi Jodi Aaye Chole ) all rhythmic they are dancing like this. Chaitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced it.

Children also do that in Joyfulness, but when we become old, ‘Should we dance? What will the other fellow think about me?’ This is called Lajjā.

But we are Shameless with regard to many other things. This shamelessness is a great quality I tell you even from the worldly point of view. Suppose you're invited for a feast. And such nice dishes are there. One serving, Okay Normal. Second serving a little less Normal, but okay, but you still feel I must have more. Then  the host is asking ‘Shall I give some more?’ What do you say? ‘No, no, no no, no’. The Plate is here. He is saying no no no like that.

If it is a person known to you, don't hesitate, eat shamelessly Thākur’s teaching. After all he is offering and so what if suppose he thinks you're ignorant. Okay, let him think he will lose. You will not lose anything. So eat shamelessly, meditate shamelessly, serve shamelessly All this Lajjā, Bhaya. Don’t fear about what do the other people think about me.

So Modesty is necessary. But what type of modesty? Under what circumstances? soWhen you are doing something wrong, modesty certainly is a big break, being a devotee of Sri Rāmakrishna, can I do this wrong thing?

Is Lajjā a form of fear or hatred? No, there is you see, if you have read, studied Holy Mother’s teachings, modesty is the greatest ornament of every woman. Lajjā mahad bhūshanam. This is the greatest ornament for woman. So what is it really saying? It has nothing to do with fear of anything. They want to shamelessly exhibit their body, that is called immodesty. There modesty is necessary.

Here in this case, your modesty is preventing you showing your devotional emotions. You want to sing. That is there in the Gospel. ‘M’ was an elderly person. Sri Rāmakrishna was asking, ‘Join in the singing’, but what do the others think about me? But even if you don't sing, they already think about you, there is nothing to lose. Already they are thinking many bad things about you.

( 25:22 mins )

Now you understand modesty could be both positive and negative. When shameful things, unrightful things are to be done, being modest means don't do it. And when good things have to be done, then break your so called modesty. In fact modesty is a kind of fear. Modesty is a kind of fear. What do the other people think about me. No! In good things you must break that modesty. That is what Sri Rāmakrishna meant.

If anything is preventing you from going nearer to God, in the name of society, good name, etc, etc, then you break them. I can give one more example. Suppose there is a big, very respectable man. Big, rich man, and a very powerful man. And some normal people, they are taking God's name, dancing. Would that man dare to come and dance with them? But if he is a devotee, he should not think ‘I'm a big man, and a rich man, what do people think about me? Will they take advantage of me?’ This is another fear, ‘If I mix with others, will they take undue advantage of me?’ No!

You have to be intelligent and the same time you express your devotion. Otherwise, this immodesty itself becomes a great obstruction. Your mind says go & jump. But your outward circumstances say don't do it. So actually you are harming yourself.

So both meanings are there - for everything. Fear for the bad thing is very good. To do some shameful thing I fear, ‘What do people think about me?’ Is it good or bad? It is good because that will prevent you from doing something bad.

What I'm trying to tell you is fear is a very general concept, but fear in what sense are we talking? We are not fearing doing bad things. You see, when nobody knows we can do many things, isn't it? If I want to kill somebody, I don't kill. Why? Because fear of Police, fear of public opinion. But if you get that fellow somewhere in the secret, where you shoot him down, will you fear? You'll be glad isn't it?

In Ireland, Ireland is a country where Protestants and Catholics always fight with each other. So when any one of them gets the other one in darkness they will be very happy. One day a man was walking after seven o'clock. Suddenly he felt the butt  of a gun, ‘Are you a Catholic or a Protestant?’ So the other fellow also doesn’t know. So this fellow thought, ‘If I say Catholic and he is a Protestant he will kill me. If I tell him I am a protestant, maybe he's a Catholic and he will kill me’. He simply said, you know what he said. ‘I am a Jew’. The fellow  there, he jumped up and down and said ‘Boy, Oh boy, Am I the luckiest Arab in the whole world?’ Bec Arabs want to kill Jews.

So, every emotion has got a negative side and a positive side. Many of us don't dare to do certain things because of this what is called unnecessary fear. It is all fear. Lajjā is fear.

Ghṛṇa is also fear. Hatred. Terrible  hatred is called Ghṛṇa. agrea. Dveṣa is a milder form. Ghṛṇa, you look down upon that fellow. These are psychological variations.

Since the topic came I’m just taking it. Kamsa feared Sri Krishna  Kamsa feared Krishna. Shishupala, Dantavakra hated Krishna. So that is called Dveṣa. But they did not look down upon Krishna as an inferior person. They know the strength of Krishna. ‘We don't dare to fight with him person-to-person. But from behind, yes we can kill Him’. You understand now?

( 30:24 mins )

Whereas Ghṛṇa means you look down upon that fellow like, you know, Ghṛṇa is more like when an earthworm or a cockroach comes to you. When you see a cockroach, do you fear the cockroach? And do you hate cockroaches? But you have Ghṛṇa towards it.

There was this husband, and one day a Swāmi asked him, ‘I am  pleased with you. What do you want to become in your next birth?’ He said I want to become a cockroach. The Swāmi was shocked, ‘Why?’ ‘Because my wife fears only cockroach, not me.’

You understand now? Ghṛṇa is looking as if it is the most inferior object in this world. Any dirty thing we have Ghṛṇa. Some dung is there, Cow dung or man dung, some such thing. How do we look at it? Ghṛṇa is there.  Dvesha is much higher. What is Dvesha, now you understand? I know my enemy is a very powerful person. I can't look down upon him, but I hate him because he is giving me trouble.

But all the three are variations of what? Fear! All the variations! ‘What do people think?’ That is fear. ‘And I looked down upon some person’.

Lajjā, Ghṛṇa, Bhaya. Sri Rāmakrishna  used to say often, for a devotee, in the matter of taking God's name, meditation, worship, dancing, singing of God's name - ‘Do not cherish Lajjā, Ghṛṇa and Bhaya’.

And we extend it - not Sri Rāmakrishna. You see when you're eating, eat shamelessly. You feel like eating, and ‘what do other people think? They think I'm a glutton’. So when others are not there what are you doing? When other people are not there, food is available, what do you think you do? Glutton only. Now we are afraid to show ourselves in the Public. Public - ‘We want such a modest person. He eats only this much.

There is a fellow called Devaduta. He is seen eating only this much during day time. But every day he was becoming like a Balloon, round and round. How can he become? Divā na bhuṅkte, rātrau bhuṅkte, Day time he is not eating, nighttime firing, that’s what we call it, firing. Okay.

So nirbhaya gatasaṁśaya.

Dṛṛhaniścaya - His will becomes absolutely one-pointed. Why? Because He knows this is the most worthy object in this world. And we also become Dṛṛhaniścaya if we have the right discrimination.

I’m giving you small examples to make the point clear. Suppose, there are two bottles, on one is written ‘virulent poison’. On the other is written Chyavanaprasa or some tonic. So unless you want to die, what would be your strongest will? Which one do you want to take? Do you think, ‘Shall I take this, shall I take the other one’, will you be thinking about it a hundred times? First instinct is, the moment you read poison - out!

That is called Dṛṛhaniścaya. Without the least bit of doubt. One pointedness of the Will is called Dṛṛhaniścaya.

and Sri Rāmakrishna - Nirbhaya.  You see, when people used to fear, even in daytime, to enter into Panchavati jungle for fear of snakes, scorpions and ghosts. Night time ghosts. Day time scorpions and snakes.

( 35:01 mins )

Here in Bangalore only, few days back, one poisonous baby snake bit one small girl. Why? I was very shocked to hear the news. This is the season for snakes to give birth. I did not know earlier. After reading this, while I'm walking, I don't step into the rubble. Because if this is the season, who knows?

So, in one house a snake had given birth to a poisonous baby. And the watchman he tried to shoo it away. That fellow got so angry, this girl was coming down the stairs, it went and bit immediately. They had to admit her in the hospital before she could have…. She could have been killed. Because baby snake doesn't mean only babies will die. Baby snake can kill non babies also. So they got the poison, and gave her anti poison injection.

What I am trying to tell you is Sri Rāmakrishna, absolutely no fear! Whole night He would go and sit under the Panchavati, naked also. Were there mosquitoes or not? Tell me the answer? Were there mosquitoes or not? Were they small or big? And did they become big or not? After Sri Rāmakrishna started practicing meditation there, did they become big or not?

You understand now? He had absolutely no fear. Hriday feared. You know that incident? You read the…

Then gatasaṁśaya - Sri Rāmakrishna had absolutely no doubt whether Divine mother exists or not. He had no doubt. But what did He have? Mother, Can I have your darshan or not?

Then once He makes up his mind. How Sri Rāmakrishna makes up His mind, we are discussing now, with the help of Sri Ramakrishna’s life. Whenever Sri Rāmakrishna was about to undertake a particular type of Sādhana, what is the first thing He will do? He will divide his own mind into 2. One part of the mind to be examined, the other part of the mind to examine.

He will ask, ‘O, mind, do you really want to attain this?’ Only without a doubt, immediately, without thinking, if the other part of the mind says, ‘Yes, I don't want anything else excepting this.’ That is the first question.

Second question. ‘Are you ready to pay the payment?’ Whatever is required sacrifice, Sādhana, are you prepared to pay?

What is our case? In both the cases the answer is I will think later. Yes, even if we sometimes say, ‘I want God’, are you prepared?

That is why God business is a Divāla business from the very beginning. You understand? God business, is a foregone conclusion, it is a Divāla business. Divāla business means failed business. Why? For a business to succeed three conditions are necessary.

• The first condition is that there must be the scarcity of material. Because if it is available in plenty everywhere, there would be no demand for it. Scarcity
• Second is there must be really some demand for it.
• Thirdly, It must be priced so that the fellows who want to buy are capable of buying it.

Now what is God's business?

• God is available everywhere at all times.
• Second condition, there are practically no Demanders.
• Third condition is even if some rare fellow says, ‘Ok. I want God’, but the price is so high. Enough is enough. I don't have that much price to pay’.

You understand now? God's business is a Divāla business even before it started.

Okay. Sri Rāmakrishna had all these 3 qualities.  That's why the Swāmiji had written ‘nirbhaya gatasaṁśaya dṛṛhaniścaya’.

( 40:00 mins )

Saṁśaya - without the least bit of Doubt.

What is the doubt? Two points here -

1. This is the best object, therefore, I want only that object.
2. Second I should be… I am capable of obtaining it.

This psychology, most people don't know. I told you many times, I will tell you again. You see all of us are citizens of India. Any one of us can become prime minister. So if I ask you, how many of you would like to become Prime Minister? How many of you would like to become Prime Minister? Practically none. Does it mean that you don't want to become Prime Minister? You are saying, ‘I don't want to become Prime Minister’, does it mean you don't want to become Prime Minister? The  thing is that first of all, even if you compete, you won't get back even the deposit. Is it not a fact? We know it. Secondly even if we somehow get elected, The price is very high, because every gun is targeting only whom – Minister, PM etc. All those fellows. These are facts.

That's why they always go with the bodyguards. They can't simply go like that. And they must have thick skins. If they are frightened, blood pressure goes up. Anytime they see some beard, blood pressure goes up. You know beard is always associated with either sardarji or terrorists. There is always fear, you know, here also, every Hindu fears a musalman. That's why they behave so politely

Your father, you know, we wanted to take our Thākur’s photo in front. There was a debate whether we should go from inside the compound or whether we should go outside the compound, because the mosque is there. Then we decided without making much noise, we will take it from outside. Yes. Your father was the DGP. And then he advised, because there are fanatical fellows, they can raise a huge issue. Every  Hindu is holding his breath because of the fear of Musalman. Only when they enter into the ashram, they heave a sigh of breath. That is what they also know.

Worst fellows in the world are Hindus. I am also included. Hindus are the greatest enemies of Hindus. Hindus are the Worst traitors. This is a fact I am telling. Even today that is the fact. Who is stroking this hatred between Hindus and Muslims? Hindus! And who is supporting the Muslims? Hindus! Your Rahul Gandhi, your Mamata Banerji, all these fellows, What are they doing? For the sake of keeping…. They are all gundas. 200 Muslims came, when polling was going on, to prevent Hindus from voting at all. Openly it is coming. Even Modi could not do anything. You can see the idea. How long it is going to hold I don’t know.

Anyway, these are the characteristics - nirbhaya gatasaṁśaya

niṣkāraṇa-bhakata-śaraṇa - Who is The Refuge of all devotees? Only God.

But if God also becomes a businessman and says, what am I going to get out of your devotion? Yes, I will take You under My wing, but what are you going to pay? If He demands, He is not going to get a single devotee.

So niṣkāraṇa - He gives refuge to the devotees without expecting anything from the devotees. All  that He wants us to do, ‘Oh Lord, You are my Mother. You are my Father. I take refuge in You’. He just wants to hear that.

That's why when Vibishana came with three ministers, four ministers to Rāma. In Rāmāyana, before the war started, Vibishana advised Ravanasura, ‘You are doing wrong things, you give back Sitā & take refuge at His feet. Rāma will not harm you. He will give you shelter, I know Him’. But his brother says, ‘You are a paramashatru, like cancer born in one's body, instead of helping me, supporting me, You're advising me. Get the hell out of here’. And he got out of the hell. So he came to Rāma.  

( 45:19 mins )

Rāma was testing everybody, ‘What should we do? Vibhishana came. Shall I give him shelter?’ Everybody said, practically, ‘He is coming as a spy to find out what is your force etc. Don't trust. He is a Rākshasa. Then He asked Hanuman. Hanuman said, ‘I know Vibhishana. I have seen him when I went  there. He is really a righteous person, and he is your devotee.’ Rāma knew all those things. And He utters, ‘Anybody says, ‘O Rama, I take refuge in you, once, there after he may leave me, But I will not leave him. This is my Vrata.’

I forgot the Sanskrit shloka. It’s a wonderful shloka. And this applies to all the Avatāras, whether it is Krishna, Chaitanya, Rāmakrishna, Jesus, Buddha – Dharmam sharanam gachchāmi, Budhdham sharanam gachchāmi, Rāmakrishnam sharanam gachchāmi, Only once.

He takes our words at face value and He will never ever leave us. So this is what is being – niṣkāraṇa-bhakata-śaraṇa

The second point about it is only He can give us the refuge. Why? God Alone can give us refuge. Nobody else can give refuge. Why? Because they themselves are shelterless.

One fellow is being helplessly carried by the current of a river. Another fellow was thinking, ‘Shall I jump or not into the river?’ The other fellow was looking at him, ‘Hey come with me. I will give you shelter. I will hold you.’ That fellow himself is being  carried away…

Isko Hindi me kuch kahete hain. ‘Kambal nahi chhodti’ You know that? There were two sadhus in Uttar Kāshi.  You know, in Uttar Kāshi winter season is very very cold. They don't have warm clothing. They went out to take a bath. One  older sadhu & one younger sadhu. Suddenly they saw a thick blanket, floating. They thought God has given this blanket.

Elder man said to the younger one, ‘Go quickly and catch hold of it. And bring it to the shore’. So this fellow jumped, went  near, caught hold of the  Kambli . He also started floating along with the Kambli. Then the Elder one, who's running by the side, He says ‘Ai, Kambli ko le aao.’ He says, ‘I’m not able to bring the Kambli here’. ‘All right, you come away’. ‘The Kambli is not allowing me to come away’. It was a black bear. Once he caught hold of this fellow it is not leaving him.

One fellow is helplessly being carried away. He dares to say to the other fellows, ‘You come and take refuge in me.’ Who in this world can save us? All of us, we are all Samsara Sāgara. We ourselves are floating away, who can dare to say that I will give you refugee? Who can give? Only God can give. niṣkāraṇa-bhakata-śaraṇa

tyaji jāti-kula-māna - Sri Rāmakrishna had given up three things. What is it? Jāti, kula, māna - tyaji jāti-kula-māna

What is māna? Sammāna. ‘I am a respectable person’. He belonged to the Kulina Brāhmana caste. So ‘I am a Brāhmana’. What is Jāti? I belong to the Brāhmana Jāti. He has given up. When did He give up? The moment.. first He gave up before Upanayana. If you don't allow me to take Bhikshā from Dhani’s hands, I'm not going to take the sacred thread. That time itself He has given up. ‘Truth  is what I want. Anything else is immaterial’.

Kula means what? In the Brāhmana family there are distinctions. A Brāhmana who is a cook, a Brāhmana who is a pujari.

They look down in Bengal upon pujari Brāhmanas, because he is doing, what is called a lowly, job for the sake of a little bit of banana rice bundling. That is what Thākur had refused. He is not condemning devotional worship.

( 50:32 mins )

Most Pujaris, they do pooja for what? As a profession! And for a Brāhmana it is degrading Brāhmana Kula. Because, Brāhmana, a true Brāhmana has got only two goals. Adhyayana & Adhyāpana. He must study the scriptures, lead the life, and if someone earnestly comes to take knowledge, he must pass on that knowledge. These are the only two.

Anything else, so many cooks are there. There are all Brāhmanas. Most of our Ashrams whom do they employ? Brāhmana Cooks only. Now we are employing everybody, because we are not getting. Yeah, so that is how… They are also looked down upon. Brāhmanas who serve under other people are also looked down.

Who is a Kulina Brāhmana? He is highly respected among Brāhmanas because he leads. So Kshudhiram was a Kulina Brāhmana. And Sri Rāmakrishna was even more than that. He gave up the sacred thread, And He used to go and clean the lavatories of the lavatory cleaners. Whose lavatory? Rasik’s lavatory. Toilet. Now, you can't even call it a lavatory. You call it, you know, some a place where they answer calls of nature. There is nothing like a lavatory.

Indian lavatories are lavatories? If you want to see a true lavatory go to Japan. Japanese lavatory. It costs 20,000 pounds.  You know that? There's a particular name for that. Bidet lavatory. You know that? Yeah, if you want to to enjoy life, you must have one, because the moment you sit – kya aram hai. First class. It warms. And then the temperature of the water is automatically set. You don't need to do anything. Just sit. It will do everything. And it is such a pleasant thing, you don't feel like getting up from them. Even your bed also will not give so much of Sukha. That is Japanese lavatory.

But you know Rasik, they used to dirty the place. Sri Rāmakrishna used to go clean that place with His own hands, and wipe it with His long hair, praying ‘O Mother, Let Me not have pride I'm a Brāhmana. We are all children of the Divine Mother.’ From Divine Mother's point of view, there is no low and high. This is called giving up Kula, Māna. A Brāhmana is respected in society, but He never cared for the societies respect.

One day Sri Rāmakrishna was in His room. Bāburam Mahārāj was sleeping in His room, and one Ramdayal bābu. At night, Sri Rāmakrishna  was jumping up and down. Suddenly they woke up. He was spitting, ‘I spit upon name and fame. I spit upon the respect of people. I spit.’ He started spitting there.

And to make a little bit fun, you know who is going to clean it next morning? Only Holy Mother has to clean that one. So you can do whatever you like, and who is moving in that room. After spitting was He taking care not to step on it. Never, never do such a thing.

Anyway, these people understood. What is it? My God, this man, He is teaching us a lesson that we should never give… we are all human. You know, if people don't give us a good seat, when we are invited, then we take offence. I know, through my experience.

There were two fast friends, women, both musicians, good singers. So one day I went there. Whenever there is a function they sing together. This time I saw the other lady had not come. Then, ‘What happened?’ I asked at the end of it, ‘I don't see your friend. What happened?’

‘Oh Swāmiji, she became very angry. She has stopped coming to me. She has stopped talking to me.’ I said, ‘What happened?’ ‘Last time when I had invited you, I was very busy arranging for Pooja. That lady came, I did not greet her. She took offence. She stayed for a short time and then making some excuse she went away. After that no telephone call, No talk, no greeting. Nothing.’ They used to come to the Āshrama, but don't greet each other. Devotees. Both are devotees.

( 55:44 mins )

So, don't think we are very big, you know, if somebody looks down at us or something, we take offence. We take offence at everything. A person looks, take offence. He does not look, take offence.  He smiles, take offence. Does not smile, take offence. He speaks to you, take offence. He doesn't speak to you, take offence. We are waiting for that opportunity to take an offence. How much Ahamkāra is there. all related to Ahamkāra.

Sri Rāmakrishna has completely given up Ahamkāra. Sri Rāmakrishna’s gospel. One day Keshav Chandra Sen came. This talk has come. Everybody was praising Keshav. Keshav wanted to tease Sri Rāmakrishna to find out. So they were all praising him. Then ‘Who is he?’, Keshav Chandra Sen is asking the fellows, ‘Who is He?’, pointing to Sri Rāmakrishna, ‘Who is He?’ Immediately, before anyone could reply, ‘I am nothing the dust, of the dust, of the dust of your feet’.

Sri Rāmakrishna knew who was Keshav. And Keshav Chandra Sen knew better than anybody who Sri Rāmakrishna was. That's why Girish Chandra Ghosh used to say ‘This time Sri Rāmakrishna conquered the world through humility’. He taught them how to make salutation to Sādhus, otherwise they were casual about it. - Tyaji jāti-kula-māna

Before I conclude, In Mundakopanishad, there is a beautiful saying. When   a man realizes God, what happens to him.

भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः ।

क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे ॥ ८ ॥

bhidyate hṛdayagranthiśchidyante sarvasaṃśayāḥ |

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi tasmindṛṣṭe parāvare

When a person had Ātma-Sakshātkāra - Then what happens? bhidyate hṛdayagranthi - bhidyate hṛdayagranthi means what? All the knots of ignorance are completely cut asunder. They can never in Future come back to him. 

chidyante sarvasaṃśayāḥ - all doubts will vanish forever. Why? Prathyaksha Dharsana!

kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi - all his Karmas… How many karmas? Karma means karma-phala. How many karma-phalas? Sanchitha, Prarbdha & Agāmi. Everything will be totally like jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasma-sāt kurute tathā ( ज्ञानाग्नि: सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा )

In Bhagvad Gitā He is telling, the fire of knowledge, how it burns all the Karma phalas. Sukha, dhukka everything is burnt that would be the result. That means he knows I am the Ātman.

I am the Ātman means I am not the body and mind, therefore…. All doubts belong to whom? To the mind. All fears belong to whom? Mind. All knots belong to whom? Mind. All Karma's belong to whom? Body. Karma means karma-phala, it belongs to the body. So when body mind is not there what karma-phala will be there?

I am the Ātman. So that is the result it gives.

सम्पद तव श्रीपद भव-गोष्पद-वारि यथाय ( sampada tava śrīpada bhava-goṣpada-vāri yathāy )

What a beautiful line. sampada tava - your wealth. Tava means your - wealth. Bhāva sampada - The wealth of the world. What is the comparison? Goshpada vāri yathāy - yathāy means just like goṣpada and vāri.

Goshpada means what -  the place where a cow puts its foot. Supposing it depresses, and then the rain comes, how much water is accumulated in that? Only very little. What is the water in the ocean? What is the comparison between this small puddle of water and that ocean of water? So like that. Bhava sampada - bhava means samsara, worldly wealth, and Your wealth, What is the comparison? Absolutely, no comparison.

( 1:00:27 mins )

Therefore whoever gets your Sampada, they don't even look that it is something valuable. Is it something valuable? It is not only not valuable, it is counter valuable. Because it always brings what? Dukha! So what is the Sukha, Dukha ratio? Worldly Sukha, Dukha ratio, What is it? 50:50. 50:50, like a horse and a rabbit. You understand the story? A horse and a rabbit? 

It is Swāmi Yatiswarananda Mahārāj’s famous story. What is our devotion to God and the world 50:50. What is 50:50? During Second World War, meat was very rare. The food was rare. Ration. Rabbit meat was even rarer. So one restaurant’s advertisement read ‘Rabbit Meat Served Here’. One fellow, had not eaten for many years, many months. So he went and ordered a plate, a big plate was given. How much meat rabbit will give, if you take out all the fur? Big plate! He was eating, and eating, and eating. He knows what rabbit meat tasted like. He never got any taste. Then he called the cook. ‘Is there really rabbit meat?’He said ‘Yes’. ‘Then why am I not getting any taste?’ ‘Sir, you know rabbits are very scarce. So we have to mix with horsemeat.’ He asked, ‘What is the proportion?’ Cook said ‘50:50’. ‘What do you mean by 50:50?’ ‘One horse and one Rabbit.’

So what is the worldly happiness and unhappiness proportion? 50:50? Dukkha is like the horse. Sukha is like the rabbit. But in Bhagavān’s happiness there is not a trace of Dukha. That is why it is called Ānanda. It is not called Sukha. Sukha, Santosha, Tushti, these are all worldly degrees. But in God's Bliss, there is no degree. It is hundred percent, only hundred percent. Because it doesn't have any opposite. So that is what sampada tava śrīpada bhava-goṣpada-vāri yathāy

Tava śrīpada - tava sampada is śrīpada - So what is God's wealth? What is God called in Sanskrit language? Bhagavān. Who is Bhagavān? He  who has got Bhaga is called Bhagavān. What is Bahga? Bhaga  consists of six characteristics – Vairāgya, Śri, Aiśvarya, Vīrya, Jñāna, and Bala, in infinite qualities that is called Bhaga; and He who possesses these is called Bhagavān.

This is the real sampada. On the first January 1886, when there were many direct disciple serving Sri Rāmakrishna, none of them came there. All householders were there. Then later on they were asked, ‘Sri Ramakrishna was bestowing His Grace, Why did you not come to receive it?’ ‘What are you talking about? Everyday He is giving us. This is not a one-day phenomena.’ This is not a one-day phenomena. Everyday He used to bestow His grace upon some people, but that day it broke the Boundary, He was blessing whoever was coming, even then 2 fellows did not receive it that day. Two fellows. Unfortunate people on that day, later on they received it.

Now, why did they not come? They said something very important. Sharat Mahārāj - He said ‘He's like our father. Whatever wealth I have.. like father's wealth after his death goes to whom? To the children.’ My wealth will go to my children. So what is my wealth? Sri Ramakrishna’s wealth - Viveka, Vairāgya, Bhakti, and Jñāna.

( 1:05:18 mins )

So I will conclude this talk just commenting upon it. Viveka, Vairāgya, Jñāna, Bhakti, this is your sampada.

And here is Bill Gates, billions of dollars, billions of pounds,. So you ask, What sampada? You are very rich, what will you do with your wealth? Will you eat? What will you do if you have money? You will get certain things, which you think will give you happiness.

So ultimately what is the Sampada? Only happiness!

But this worldly happiness has got three problems. How many? What are the three?

1. First of all it is limited. You know if you are eating a sweet you also want to see nice things. Suppose the fellow who is serving you the Rasagulla is a ferocious fellow, your tongue is enjoying the Rasagulla but your eyes are fearing that fellow, isn't it? So his words are like karkasha, Hidimba’s or Tataka’s words, like that. So it is limited first.
2. Secondly it always brings its opposite. If you are enjoying a sweet, ‘Oh, for now it is okay, but when can I have it again? Opposite, Dukha. Before eating the sweet, you have to work 24 hours. After eating also you have to work to digest it.  It is in between a little bit of tickling of the tongue. Momentary  happiness.
3. Every Sukha in this world brings Bandhana. What is Bandhana? I want it again and again and again. Understand  it.

Three doshas are there. Whereas Ānanda

• is bereft of all the three,

• It is full,
• It is infinite,
• It doesn't bind you,
• It is not partial,
• and you become free. It will make you free. This worldly happiness will bind you more, but  Bhagavān’s happiness will release you. It gives Mukti. Once you have that happiness you say I don't want anything else. I want only you.  Pratikshana vardhamanam . 

So, sampada tava śrīpada bhava-goṣpada-vāri yathāy

Then the next sentence goes..

premārpaṇa samadaraśana jagajana-duḥkha jāy || ( प्रेमार्पण समदरशन जगजन-दुःख जाय॥ )

If we understand, what is an Avatāra… What is an Avatāra? premārpaṇa – He is an embodiment of Prema. Prema comes out of knowledge.

Because of prema samadaraśana. What is samadaraśana? Equality. Not equanimity. Equality. Equal sightedness. What is equanimity? To keep the mind completely calm & quiet. Equal vision means, there is no distinction -Low caste-high Caste, educated-illiterate, Rich-poor, learned-ignorant, etc, we will never make such difference.

Like a mother, who has 5, 6 children. She loves every one completely equally, even though she may give different treatment to suit the child’s capacity. But her love is completely equal.

If anybody understands it, that person becomes free from all bondage.  jagajana-duḥkha jāy.

We will discuss about it in the next class.

( 1:09:34 mins)