Narada Bhakti Sutras Lecture 06 Su.1-4 on 22-December-2018

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :

Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.

The Significance of Narada

The very word Narada means "Naram Dadhati" - Naram means knowledge. Sanskrit has got so many connotations. He who gives, distributes knowledge is called Narada. So the very word is very significant.

Shri Ramakrishna had advised that for most people, the best path for progress in spiritual life is following the Bhakti Marga as advocated by Narada. There is a beautiful book called Narada Bhakti Sutras, and that's what we are studying.

The First Sutra: Introduction to Bhakti

In the first verse it says, "I am going to expound what is devotion and why it is necessary and what is the benefit." So three things are necessary:

1. What is it we are discussing and what is its nature?
2. If I don't get it, what is the loss we have?
3. We have to understand that it is a noble subject - not only noble, it is the most important subject in life, and the benefits are enormous.

The Second Sutra: Definition of Bhakti

Then the second sutra defines what is Bhakti:

"Sadhu Asmin Parama Prema Rupa"

So all the devotion I am capable of mastering is Parama, and towards the highest object in the world - that is God. So Parama means God. If I love with the greatest intensity and direct it to God who is right here, Asmin - the God who is right here, not somewhere there - it is supreme love. That is defined as Bhakti, devotion.

The Nature of Bhakti: Amrita Swarupa

Then what do I get if I have this one? It says, first of all, "Amruta Swaroopa Acha" - it is of the nature of immortality. So it confers upon us immortality. It's a beautiful word, Amruta.

The Story of Churning the Milk Ocean

In the Bhagavatam there is a beautiful story that is called churning of the milk ocean. These stories - there is no other milk ocean. Our mind is the milk ocean. Life is a place where we live: Dharma Kshetre, Guru Kshetre.

So we are here to churn this world, and what will come out? Amruta will come out. At the end, in the beginning, halahala poison will come out. So we have to counter.

Beautiful symbolism is involved. So when the Devatas and Rakshasas combine together, what does that mean? That means all the thoughts that we have - good and evil - both must be combined, because if the mind is divided, they will be fighting with each other. So this is called integration of the personality by Swami Yudhisthira Ramji Maharaj.

The Importance of Purification Before Concentration

I don't know whether you have read that beautiful book, "Meditation and Spiritual Life." He devotes - it is a most classic book on mysticism or spirituality. So what are the preliminary steps before we plunge into meditation? I will give you one small example.

Do not develop concentration unless you become somewhat pure. Do not develop concentration because we are all teaching: "Develop concentration."

Yudhisthira Ramji Maharaj used to say do not develop, because he used to give the example of Hitler. Tremendous power of concentration. But what happened? He was not pure. That concentration became tremendous power, and that power ultimately brought destruction to the whole world. The more power, the more it can be used. It can hurt, it can help - both ways.

So that is why I say some amount of purification should be done before we attempt at concentration. If a person is suffering from kama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha, matsarya, the power of concentration will only increase those qualities. That is why Ramanasura Hiranyakashipu developed these powers of concentration.

They did tapasya. Ramanasura went for tapasya. As a result, he got tremendous power of concentration. But he did not get purification, and therefore he was kidnapping all the women, wherever he could get, without consideration whether they want him, their husbands are there - all those things.

Understanding Amrita Swarupa

So what does this bhakti do really? It makes amritaswarupa.

So this also we have to understand. You don't need an ocean of amruta. One drop of amruta, for that time being, you should be happy.

Meaning what? Meaning, today you go to the shrine, for half an hour you sit in japa - that is one drop of amruta. When you come out, you should show in your face that you are very happy. Otherwise it is halahala poison.

Before going for meditation you are a happy person. After meditation you come out very unhappy person. What are you doing there? Upon whom are you meditating? People don't understand.

Meditation means it must give that result. Every action gives that result. You take a switch, pull it down, it gives one result. Pull it up, it gives the opposite result. So you think of God for five minutes clearly, then it must give the effect. But you are pretending, "I am pulling the switch up and down without touching it." Then what happens? Nothing happens.

So by the effect we know what are the causes. Where does this poison come? What is poison? Intense dislike.

The Four Obstructions to Spiritual Progress

So in this context, Gaudapada also tells there are four obstructions for progress in spiritual life:

1. Laya (Sleep)

The first is called laya. Laya means the moment a person tries to calm his mind, it goes into sleep. Because the only time when we go into sleep is when we are calm. You know, you lie down, you relax, listen to some music, the mind becomes very calm and quiet, and then the habit will take over and sleep will come.

The day you are not calm and quiet, then sleep will not come. Your sleep is broken. So the nervous system doesn't understand your japa dhyana. You are sitting and trying to make your mind calm, immediately it goes. You are trying to listen to some Swami's talks with concentration and devotion - that also is creating problem. Do you understand now? Most people go to sleep. That is the first obstruction.

2. Vikshepa (Mental Restlessness)

Somehow, if you can overcome it, then the second thing that comes is vikshepa. You are not asleep, but your mind is terribly running here and there and here and there. This is called vikshepa. Like a bag of mustard seeds, if you throw them, how difficult it is to gather them back, especially in dust. To bring this mind, it is so difficult. So vikshepa - that is the second obstruction.

3. Kashaya (Bitterness)

Then somehow if you can do it, third obstruction is called kashaya. Kashaya means bitter. "Why am I wasting my time in this useless activity? My friend is enjoying first-class cricket, first-class dance, first-class music, or he has gone out with his friends to some nice hotel. They are enjoying it. And I am like a stupid fellow, neither there nor here. I am losing everything." This is the thought that arises. This is called kashaya.

Bitter feeling will be there. All arising from our own samskaras. Previously they were there. But what we are doing is, previously you are following your mind. "Hey, go and dance." "Alright, I will go and dance." Like that you are obeying it.

What is meditation? Whatever mind says, "I don't want to listen to you." You are rebelling against the mind. And that is why it follows: "I know how to make you a slave. I have used this weapon for so long." This kashaya will come. This is the third obstruction.

4. Rasaswadana (Spiritual Pleasure)

Then if at all you succeed in overcoming this laya, kshepa, kashaya, fourth obstruction comes. Prasaswadana. It will give you so much of happiness. Beware. That is the greatest obstruction in final truth.

You know, Shri Ramakrishna used to say, rats want to eat rice grain. And then this fellow, merchant, he will fry some nice fried rice and beautiful aroma. And he is eating. These rats come. Like that they go and eat. They totally forgot about the main objective and only satisfied with a little bit of fried. They never touch because it is so tempting. That is our problem. Anything in the five sense organs, it is like fried rice for the rat. So, rasaswadana.

So, generally people don't consider happiness as an obstacle. This is the greatest obstacle. You know why? Because when you are experiencing happiness, there is no struggle. Struggle will be there at other times.

So, if we can overcome all the four, such a person will reach the destination.

The Uniqueness of Bhakti Marga

So, Narada is defining amritaswarupa. What is the nature of this bhakti? Amritaswarupa.

Somebody commented beautifully that every yoga marga has an end:

• This karma marga - you become nishkama. Karma leads you to nishkama. Action leads you to inaction.
• And if you have got jnana marga, you merge yourself in Brahma.
• And if you take yoga marga, the jivatma merges in the Paramatma. Yoga chitta vritti nirodhava.

But bhakti marga - the bhakta becomes like a huge insatiable cavern. So, "I get so much of bhakti. Only this much of bhakti. I want a little more." "Okay, you get a little more." "Then you want a little more." And the devotee doesn't want it to come to an end.

So, what is amruta? There is no mriti. Mriti means death. For bhakti, there is no mriti. There is no death. There is no end. That is why Narada himself defines here.

This is the only yoga where you don't want to get rid of it. You want more of it. In that sense, it is amritaswarupa.

The Eternal Nature of Divine Love

Amruta means it will not only continue, it will also make the devotee amruta. Understand? So, this bhakti marga will make us only wanting bhakti and nothing else. And it will make us happy. Our happiness goes on increasing. The more happiness increases, the more we want. There is no end.

So, it will give us liberation. If you are happy, that is all we want. So, where is the problem in samsara? Samsara is a very happy place. That is not a problem. The problem becomes, you know, samsara. Those who are in the samsara, they are called samsaris.

So, they are some... So, they want to be in samsara and do not want to become sorry. It is a contradiction in terms. That is not going to happen.

So, amrutaswarupacha - that is, it doesn't come to an end. Why does it not come to an end? So, first we talked about the nature, but the reason why it doesn't come, because what is devotion? It is the relationship - loving relationship between the jiva who is immortal and God who is also immortal.

So, when there are two immortals meet, where is the death? Whereas in this world, it is just the opposite.

Suppose there are two lovers. So, this fellow who loves also perishes and that fellow who is loved also perishes. And also there is another swarasya here. This person says, "I love you all the time." He is having eight hours deep sleep. Is he loving? Totally he doesn't love. There is no chance. Totally the whole world is forgotten.

Whereas in this bhakta, he is ever awake. That is why Narada, later on he said, "तद विस्मरने परमव्याकुलता इति" - If anybody, if a real devotee, for any reason forgets God for a moment, he regrets it bitterly: "Why did I lose?"

The Story of the Devoted Crow

And Shri Ramakrishna has a beautiful illustration for this. Rama and Lakshmana were moving. Ramajaritmanas, I think this illustration is given. So they went to a lake and they want to drink water. Then they noticed there was a crow which was also dying of thirst and it wants to drink water. So it goes there but doesn't drink. It wants to drink, it doesn't drink.

Lakshmana was surprised. "Why is it, brother, that it is dying of thirst? It wants to drink, water is there, but it is..."

Then Rama smiled and explained, "It is a Rama Bhakta. So if I drink, if I pay attention to drinking water, I will forget Rama now. I don't want to forget Rama. If I have to die, let me die. The body wants to drink, but the mind is not allowing it to drink."

What a wonderful thing it is. "Tad vishmarane paramavyapulata" it says.

The Immortality of Bhakti

So amrutarupacha - bhakti is of the nature of amrutam. It will never die. Once bhakti comes, it will never die.

I told them last time, the illustration is Prahlada. Prahlada was a Bhakta. Hiranyakashipu was also a greater Bhakta. But he forbade, "Don't be devoted to Narayana." But he was a Bhakta.

So Prahlada cannot listen - not doesn't listen. You understand the difference between? He says, "How can I not remember God? Whatever I am, it is all because of God only. I do not exist if God doesn't exist. So I have to depend upon God."

This is called adhishtana. God is the adhishtana, ashraya, you remove. If we remove this earth from underneath us, what would be our existence? Remove the existence from any object. What happens to that object? It won't be there. Removing existence means non-existence. That's all.

So God is the ground of all beings. That is what he said. He is in the form of existence. It is a philosophical idea. We don't need to go into it now.

But what it is, "I want to listen to you, but there is something which has possessed me, which will not allow me to listen to you. What can I do?"

The point is, Hiranyakashipu gets angry and says, "I want to kill." He could not kill Prahlada, you know that. Why? Because bhakti, once it comes, amrutarupa, it cannot be killed. You cannot kill.

What is Prahlada here? Not a body. He is an embodiment of bhakti. How can Hiranyakashipu or anybody, even God cannot kill Prahlada? Means bhakti.

So that is the understanding, meaning we have to derive from these mythological stories. Bhakta cannot be killed. Knowledge cannot be killed.

The Relationship Between Bhakti and Jnana

So amrutarupa, it not only confirms amrutatva. What is amrutatva? We are talking about real bhakti. What is the real bhakti towards God?

When a person has real bhakti towards God, before having bhakti there is a condition. You can't have bhakti - means devotion, means love - unless you have knowledge. You can't have devotion towards nebulous.

Suppose somebody comes to you, "I love such and such a thing too much." "What is that such and such?" "I don't know." "Where is it?" "I don't know." "What is its name?" "I don't know." "How does it look?" "I don't know."

If anybody gives such an answer, you will have to consider him as a fit person for mental asylum. You understand?

If either you want to hate or you want to love, you must have that knowledge. So bhakti means that paramagnana, parabhakti, parajnana is one and the same. This is the first point.

Second point is, our knowledge - the percentage of knowledge, our bhakti, is proportionate to the knowledge that we have. If you know about God one percent, your love towards that object will be one percent. If you know ten percent, it will be ten percent. This is the second point we have to know.

Third point, more important point, we can have knowledge of so many things in this world, but we are always running after something which we can love. This is the most important point.

Our Nature as Love

So we want to love. Why? Because we are of the nature of love. In reality, what are we? Atman. Atman means what? Love. We love our Atman. When we love our Atman, when we love God, whom are we really loving? Ourselves only.

Who doesn't love oneself? That is the meaning of amrita. Only thing is, the body, the mind comes on the way, and then we try to love them. But they are unloveable. This is the point we have to understand. The body and mind are really unloveable. Why? They are constantly changing.

Examples of Temporary Love

I'll give some funny examples. Suppose a young man goes and says to a young woman, "I love you." He asks, "Do you love me?" "Yes, I love you."

"How much do you love me?" "This much." "For how much time?" "This much time."

What would be the reaction? This is one example.

Another example is, this man goes and asks her, at 5 o'clock, "Do you love me?" She says, "Yes." "How much do you love me?" "100%."

At 5:01, he asks, "Do you love me?" He says, "No, I don't love you."

So one minute, he says, "I love you." Next minute, she says, "I don't love you. I hate you." How long do you think he'll be put up?

So what is the knowledge this person wants to seek from her? That you love me.

Another point also you can add. This is how our thinking, meditation should be there.

Suppose he goes and asks her, "Do you love me?" "Yes, yes." "And how long will you love me?" "All the time."

So, after one minute, another man comes and asks the same, "Do you love me?" "Yes, yes, I love you." "How much time?" "All the time."

Whoever comes, that lady is telling, "I love you." What would be the condition of everybody who hears about it?

The Nature of True Love

So, what is the nature? That we don't want to be loved, not loving, or be loved by many, many objects. We want to be loved only by one object, continuously. That is all there. Exclusive. Exclusive. That is called be selfish.

So, now you understand what is Amrita Upachara.

So, one meaning is it confirms Amrita. There are other characteristics which we will come to very shortly. But the most important understanding about Amrita is you can't help because it's your nature.

So, we want to love, we want to be loved. A Vedanta gives a beautiful example. A man is in the room and he has got a thousand mirrors. All the thousand mirrors reflect whom? Only oneself.

So, for the real Jnani, the whole world is like a billion, billion mirrors.

So, if this love is so thirsty, so insatiable, that is why, I will tell you something soon, that is why we won't be satisfied by one person's loving, our loving one person.

So, "I love this person. I want also to love the other person. I want to love the other person. I want to love the whole world I want to love." Why? Because every object is nothing but a mirror reflecting me only. I know this unconsciously. Consciously I don't know. Right. Which is why we are seeking all the time.

Understanding Hatred

So, then comes, "But you hate somebody."

"Yes, I hate somebody."

"Why do I hate? Because that person is not allowing me to love him. He is obstructing my love. So, I get angry. I want to love you, but you are not allowing me through your words, through your behaviour, through your reactions, you are not allowing me."

Otherwise, this love is insatiable. This is the truth.

The Restless Mind and Its True Desire

Now I will tell you something. Swami Ashokanandji, one of the deepest thinkers I know, he passed away long back. Ashokanandji, have you heard about him? Three books are there by him. All his talks, he did not sit and write much.

One book, he was editor of Prabhudh Bharta, he used to write editorials. Such a deep thinker, very few are there in our order. He was one of them. So, you better get his books. "His soul's journey to its destination." I haven't. So, you go and read it. I have started it. I forgot the name of the author. I haven't. Beautiful.

Then one of the articles is, "Why is the mind so restless?" This is the answer. I sent one just 2-3 days back, 3-4 days back. "Why is the mind so restless?"

It is restless because usually we say, "The mind is not... I want this one. Okay. Once I get it, will I be happy? Only for a moment. Because that is enough. I want it."

So, why is the mind really... Ashok Gandhi gives the answer. Because it wants everything. Because it knows I am infinite. Infinite will not be satisfied with anything finite. It wants everything. That is the real reason.

And the mind will not stop being restless until it attains God-realisation and then it says, "I am at rest. I have everything. I am everything. Everything." That is the real reason.

So, this is the important point is, we are immortal. What is our devotion? A means of knowing that we are immortal. That is called devotion. This is a Sadhana Marga.

Amrutarupa. Because we are also Amrutarupa. That is why that prayer, "Asato Ma Sadgamaya, Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya, Mrutyor Ma Amrutamgamaya."

Here Mrutyu means not death. Here Mrutyu means dukkha. Suffering. Limitation.

The Third Sutra: Signs of Progress in Bhakti

Then, what is the benefit we get? This is the definition. What is bhakti? Supreme love and it is of the nature of immortality. But how do we know that a person is progressing in obtaining the love?

Because if you drink nice coffee, it must have its effect. If you take nutritious food, it must have its immediate effect. When you are thirsty, you drink cool drinks, it must have instantaneous effect. How do we know?

That is where the fourth sutra comes:

"Yal Laptva Puman Siddho Bhavati Amruto Bhavati Tripto Bhavati"

So, three positive characteristics of measuring whether we are having devotion or not.

So, this is in contrast with... So, we also say we love. Wife says, "I love my husband." Husband says, "I love my wife, my children, my friends, my parents," etc., etc. That is also love. But first is it is not Paramaprema.

Impossible. You cannot love, give Paramaprema to any object. It is like pouring hundred litres of milk in a small tumbler. It cannot hold as simple as that.

So, this is the nature of love. It is infinite love, undying love. Who can receive undying love? Only an undying object can receive.

But Swami Puteshan Maharaj is telling, God is not an object. God is the subject who is within one of us. He is trying to come out in the form of Amruta Bhakti. That is our nature.

Another way of saying, like a Jnani saying, "Aham Paramasmi," or Guru comes and says, "Tattvamasmi." Guru comes and says, "You are the greatest devotee available." Which is a fact. "I am a devotee, you are a devotee."

At this moment, deliberately through long habits, we are confining and not extending our nature called love to more than a few objects. First, we love ourselves. In fact, we love only ourselves.

If I love my husband, for whose sake? For myself. If I love my children, because they are my children, my house, my car, my job, my prestige, my, my, my. That's why, mine. Mine. It is a minefield.

So, anything that is limited cannot be Bhakti. That is the first thing. And it cannot be, anything limited cannot be Amrita. It can be only Mrita. Anything that dies can only be Mrita. We are all mortal.

But this is immortal. Who is immortal? Only God. If God is immortal, can I have immortal love for him? Yes, you can have it. Why?

What is the condition? A mortal cannot have relationship with immortal. Only one immortal can have relation with the other immortal. And then, when you understand this point, how can there be two immortals? Two immortals cannot be there. Only, we think there are two, but there are no two.

So, Sri Ramakrishna, our scriptures tell, you are a born bhakta, because that's your nature, to love. And why do you love? Because you are not loving anything else. You are loving what? Yourself. Yourself. Yourself only coming in the garb, dress of Nama Rupa, appearing as though it is different.

The Story of Rajamaharaja with the Tiger Mask

Yes. There was a funny incident, you know. Rajamaharaswamy, Brahmananda, used to be like a child. He often used to stay at Balram Babu's house, and there were a lot of children there. And he becomes like a child. He wants to play with them. But a grown-up child, you know.

So, one day, he entered into this room with a tiger's face, mask, and crawling, like that, he entered. So, then all the children just ran away. One small child could not run away. And then he was crying.

And then Rajamaharas went to him. That fellow was telling, "I know you are Maharaj. I know. But this face... It's still scary. It's scary."

Then Maharaj took him on his lap and removed this. And so, we all indirectly know there is none else accepting us. Indirectly we know. The whole life is to remove that obstruction. To manifest the divinity within us. Divinity can only be one.

So, what is the point we are learning? Loving is our nature. And it is immortal. And it can only love its true Self. Now we are loving our false Self, means limited, body and mind. But a day will come. The samsara will give us that experience. We can only love God. There is nothing else.

The Three Stages of Spiritual Progress

So, having obtained even a little bit, we are not talking about supreme love. We are talking about previously my love was that much. Now my love has become this much. But even that much growth in love, what happens?

1. Siddho Bhavati (Becoming Perfect)

Puman. Puman means sadhaka here. Not man. Sanskrit language, any language you know, when you say man is mortal, he is not talking about male or female. He is talking about every human being. Puman.

Siddho bhavati. This word siddha should not lead us to misunderstand. When we say some siddhas, it means he has some supernatural powers. That is not the meaning we are talking about. Even though he can have supernatural powers.

One day, Atharshen came. He was a deputy magistrate to Sri Ramakrishna. It seems he asked him, "What is your power?" Then Sri Ramakrishna said, "The power is, this deputy magistrate in those days was like a tiger. Everybody was frightened of him. I make them like earthworms and I control them. That is my power."

So siddho bhavati. All the siddhis will come to people. They are inevitable. So what is siddhi? They can perform miracles. Because it is God's power. Sadhana means remove all so called false ahankara and let God's ahankara take over. And what cannot God do? He is Sarva Shaktiman. He can do anything.

So if some word comes out from his mouth, to a poor man, he will become rich. So this is real power. But according to Sri Ramakrishna, what is real siddhi? To awaken other people and give them immortality. That is real, real siddhi.

So the very Kathamruta gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, whenever we read, we sit to read the gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, we have to utter the pranama mantra, namaskara mantra, mangala sloka. What is it? "Who is the greatest giver?" This verse from Gopika Gita is telling us "They are the greatest. Bhuri means plenty. Da means one who gives. Those who spread your name, they are the greatest givers."

Why? If a poor man comes, I will give him some money. It's a small gift. Another man comes, I will give 100 rupees, 1000 rupees to another man, million rupees. These are all perishable. Suppose I give him one philosopher's stone, parashmani, he need not come to me again because he has got that through which he can make other people also very rich.

So if anybody can spread the name of God, what does he have to do? A dead person comes back to life. That is amrita. We are talking here about amrita.

Another Meaning of Siddha

Siddho bhavati becomes siddha. Another meaning of the word siddha. See, you boil water, dirty water and clean water, you boil it. Then what is that water called, of the boiled water called? Siddha. Boiled. Siddha means boiled.

Vegetables are boiled and some things are boiled, food material, rice is boiled, this is called siddha. What is it doing? It is making, first of all, water when it is boiled, it becomes pure.

So when we boil through tapasya, tapasya means boiling actually, all the dross is washed away and it makes us what we are. It doesn't give us anything new. It removes all the external clingings and then we are in our true nature divine. That is what we find. That is called siddha.

So, a person becomes totally siddha. He becomes, Sri Ram Krishna makes fun, when a person becomes a siddha through sadhana, he becomes as soft as a boiled vegetable. That means he cannot have any harshness, hardness or all the worldliness will not be there in him. That means he is the most loving person.

So when you boil some vegetables, they become edible. That means anybody can eat them. That means when a person progresses in spiritual life, anybody can approach him and take help of that person. And invariably people do come and do this.

Other words, siddha means we reach liberation. We become smukta. Freedom from all limitations is called siddhi. What is it called? Swarajya siddhi, Brahma siddhi.

There is a class of literature called siddhi literature. One of them is Brahma siddhi. Obtaining Brahma. Another is Swarajya siddhi. Very interesting. Swarajya means my own kingdom.

The Kingdom of the Self

"I had forgotten that I am a king. And when I have forgotten, it is as though it doesn't exist at all. But somebody will come out of infinite grace and say no, no, this is yours actually, not anybody's. Oh, the whole kingdom is mine. I am the king."

What is the atma samarajya? Then what do I want? I am the lord of the whole world.

How to understand it? So you create, you go to bed and you create a huge dream for five hours and there you know some people are troubling you, some people are praising you, you are punishing somebody, you are rewarding somebody. So when you wake up, then you understand this Swarajya, the whole world belongs to whom? Who created it? Who is the lord of it?

So you are Srishtikarta. When you entered it, you became Srishtikarta. So long as it continued, you are the Stithikarta. And when you decided to withdraw from there, you are the Layakarta. You the Layakarta is the lord of your whole dream world.

Not only dream world, even today our mental world, who created it? This is a very important point to understand. "My mind doesn't listen to me." So who created that not listening samskara? I only have created.

The Solitaire Game Analogy

I myself, you know one fellow, there were two friends. One fellow, one friend entered into the room of the other friend. Found himself playing solitaire game. Solitaire, you understand? Only by oneself. That's why it's called solitaire game.

And this fellow found him cheating himself. Solitaire game. Then he asked, "Don't you catch yourself cheating?" He said, "No, no, I'm so clever, I don't allow myself to be caught." We are doing it all the time.

Yeah. Some enemy is there. Which enemy? There is no enemy. We are only creating the whole lot. But we will not understand it unless we wake up from this dream into our real waker. Then we understand the whole universe was created by whom? Who was Brahma? Me. Who was Vishnu? Me.

You follow what I'm saying? In your dream, somebody comes and gives you a slap. In your dream. And then you are, "I want to kill you." Then you wake up. Who gave the slap? Yourself. This is the fact. In life.

But now when we come out, this waking state we think, "No, no, this is not dream, this is reality. And there are people who like me, friends, there are people who are my enemies." There is no enemy. This is also a huge dream.

Why is it called a dream? Similarity is there. That also comes to an end. This also comes to an end. When does it come to an end? When you realise. No. When you go to dream, the whole waking state... Every day it comes to an end.

Got it? Then another world comes up. There are some people who are upset that they woke up because they could not give a slap. Probably also sometimes you are enjoying the dream so much that you are so sad that it got over.

Yes. That is because your comparing in the waking state is not so pleasant as the dream state.

You see, "Maharajji, the dreams come true sometimes. The dreams also reflect many intuitive things sometimes."

Yes. We are not talking about... People come in dreams and tell you things. Let me make it clear. The mind has four different states. What we call dream state.

The Four Types of Dreams

There could be, to put it very grossly, there are four types of dreams:

1. Ordinary Dreams: One is very ordinary. Just as you are driving here, you are driving there, you see this car, this is just a reproduction of what happens in our day-to-day life.

2. Past Life Dreams: The second dream is Purva Janma Sanskaras. You see, we had Purva Janmas and in the Purva Janmas we had our parents. Though we don't recollect them now, we don't recollect them now, but that was a whole lifetime's experience stored there.

It is not a one second's experience. Whole lifetime, in our previous birth, it is there. So somebody, Swami was explaining this. And that person said, "But we don't remember anything of Purva Janma." Swami said, "What to speak of Purva Janma? My last week's lecture also you don't remember. What to speak of Purva Janma Smriti?"

But it is forgetfulness, not absence of that. We don't have the key. In computer, it's useful. You put so many files and what you put five years back, you don't remember now, the file name.

So there are things which can bring. You don't need to remember full file name. Suppose you have correspondence with me, simply put D-A-Y-A. All the files with that name, few letters, it will come out. Then suddenly you find out, "Oh like that." Then arrange it date-wise, five years back.

You go five years back and then you see that your file is there. Every experience we have will remain in the form of samskara and impression. Vasana, we call it Vasana and Samskara and Karmashaya, it will be there. Only we don't have.

So in dreams, sometimes, suddenly you see somebody, a place, a person, some event. So you think, "I never met this person in life. Complete stranger." Maybe it is from, maybe in childhood you have seen or maybe from past life also, it is possible. This is the second type of dream.

3. Prophetic Dreams: Third type of dream is foretelling the future events. Something that is going to happen. But you don't know whether it is your imagination or it is real. When it happens, "I had this dream." So that is the third type of dream.

4. Divine Dreams: Fourth type of dream is gods and goddesses can come, you can have darshana, your doubts can be cleared and some things they point out also.

So many things will be there and I am sure every one of us, every devotee will have some experience. Divine grace. But that's why Raja Maharaj used to say when you have such a wonderful dream, a kind of vision, you go and meet. First don't tell about it to anybody and second you meditate upon it so that it is a very great help for us.

So what I am trying to tell, only the first type of dream is what we normally talk dream. The other three are states of mind. Not dream exactly. It is a state of subtle state of mind. Intuition for example. It has nothing to do with gross experience. It is something which comes to you and all great scientific discoveries are intuitions only.

So this Siddha, Siddha Bhavati means he becomes completely liberated from all limitations. The moment that he attains to this Parabhakti, we are talking about Parabhakti. Later on he tells about how to attain slowly, gradually, step by step to that Parabhakti. He is describing now what is true Parabhakti, supreme devotion.

So the person becomes totally completely perfect. Siddha, another translation is perfect. Becomes perfect. Perfect means all the qualities of saints will be manifest. His mind will be completely under his control and then it is all the same thing is explained.

2. Amruto Bhavati (Becoming Immortal)

Amruta Bhavati becomes liberated.

3. Tripto Bhavati (Becoming Satisfied)

Then Tripto Bhavati becomes completely satiated. Tripta. So we also get Tripta but it is temporary. You are hungry, you eat food, you become Tripta. You have need of talking with somebody, you talk with that somebody, you become Tripta. But the desire will arise again.

But this Tripta, after that you don't want anything else. Because all the worldly desires have been completely satisfied. This is called Tripta Bhavati.

Summary of Today's Discussion

Okay. We will stop here. We will discuss further in our next, tomorrow or whenever we do it.

So what is the essence of what we talked for today? What is the nature, definition of true devotion? And how do we know whether we are really progressing?

If we are progressing, one inch we have progressed, one inch we become Siddhas. That means to that extent our other attachments, other desires become powerless, weak. To that extent as though we have drunk that self-confidence "I am immortal, I am divine, I am not ordinary creature with body, mind." That idea will slowly go.

How this idea goes? Madhusudana Saraswati, he sums up the three steps commenting on the Bhagavad Gita.

The Three Steps of Spiritual Progress According to Madhusudana Saraswati

Step 1: "I Belong to God"

The first step is, he says, a devotee says, "I belong to God." When this idea becomes completely strong, then we have attained the first step of spiritual progress. I belong to God.

Now, we think I belong to parents, I belong to this company, I belong to somebody, something like that. "I am a Hindu, I belong to India, I belong to Hinduism." All these limiting adjuncts are there. But "I belong to God."

That means, if I belong to God, if some object belongs to you, whose responsibility it is to look after? So, if I belong to God, whose responsibility is that?

Every child has got this idea, though he can't express it, that "I belong to..." And the parents also, especially mother, always her eyes are upon her child, wherever it goes. Sometimes she pretends to be angry also, sometimes she gets angry also, all because of what? "This is my child, I don't want anything to happen to my child." So, that is first step.

When a person feels 100%, without doubt, and not now and then, continuously, "I belong to God," he has progressed to the first step.

Step 2: "God Belongs to Me"

Second step is, "God belongs to me."

You see, psychologists, child psychologists, you know what they say? The child has no separate individuality. For 2-3 years, the child always feels that "I am part of the mother." We have forgotten that one. But the child, totally, if mother's presence is there, he doesn't feel that "I am somebody."

That is why he feels restless when there is separation from mother. The moment that time comes when "I am somebody," then sometimes he gets annoyed also with mother. "I want to clean, you are obstructing me," and like that, feeling will come. "This is me, and this is you. Sometimes you are welcome, but sometimes you are not welcome." This is the idea that comes.

So, God, first, "I belong to God." Second step is, "God belongs to me."

Step 3: "We Belong to Each Other"

The last step is, "We belong to each other." That means there is no difference between you and me. This is Madhusudana Saraswati's summarization of the Bhagavad Gita.

That is what the Lord also confirms, "Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya" means there is no difference between you and me. You belong to me, I belong to you, we belong to each other. That is the meaning of Sharanagati. Means the distinction between "this is me" and "this is you," when it is removed, that is called Sharanagati. That is called complete self-surrender.

So that is what we are all aiming at. This is the most beautiful idea we have to be aware of it.

The Fourth Sutra: The Results of Bhakti

So, "Yath Ladhva," having obtained, "Yath" means "Yath Bhaktim Ladhva" obtaining which bhakti? "Puman" is "Adhaka Siddho Bhavati" perfect, becomes perfect. And "Amruto Bhavati" he becomes Mukta. And "Tripto Bhavati," he becomes perfectly satisfied.

That means what? There is no more desiring. If anybody says, "I am okay but I want something else," he is not Tripta. He is Atripta.

That is what in the beginning we have to cultivate this quality called contentment. That is why Patanjali Rishi defining Nihama what he says, the second quality is Santosha. Santosha means what?

"If I get a little bit of food, it is okay. Whether there is spice, there is no spice, it doesn't really matter. But all the body needs some food, whatever happens if you get a Rasagulla, be content. If you get only some Jaggery, if you get some Karela, also be satisfied." That quality we have to develop.

Conclusion

So beautiful, you know, the more you dwell upon these Sutras, this one book is more than sufficient according to Sri Ram Krishna. That is all we know.

So, it also gives us practical hints. What is the hint now? That you must try to depend upon God. You must be content with God. Whatever the contentment means, not that He will give you and what you want, then you will be content, not that. Whatever He gives, be content with that. That is the idea.

Closing Prayer

ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्

पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु

Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum

pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu