Narada Bhakti Sutras Lecture 17 Su.25-26 on 25-January-2019
Full Transcript (Not Corrected)
Opening Invocation
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्
पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum
pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu
The Nature of Devotion
What is the greatness of devotion? Supreme devotion. Of course, we are talking about supreme devotion.
Devotion (Bhakti) is also divided into two categories:
- Gauna and Para - Vaidhi and Gauna are two names for the lower devotion, preparatory devotion, as Swamiji had titled it.
- Para Bhakti - Supreme devotion, higher devotion.
The Superiority of Para Bhakti
What is the greatness of Para Bhakti? We have discussed two points. The 25th Sutra states: Sa Tu Karma Jnana Yoge Bhave Adhika Tara.
Sa means Bhakti, devotion. Adhika Tara is greater, very much greater. Not only Adhika, but Adhika Tara.
So what is it greater than? Karma, Jnana, and Yoga:
Karma Yoga
Karma means Karma Yoga leads to Naishkarmya Siddhi.
Jnana Yoga
Jnana Yoga leads to oneness with God. But how can one have devotion? Devotion always means that I am small, you are big. So that distinction must be there. That is why this Dasya Bhava, Sakhya Bhava, Vatsalya Bhava, and Madhura Bhava are there.
Raja Yoga
Yoga means meditation. What does a Yogi want to achieve? Tada Drashtu Swaroop Ke Avasthane. He wants to completely suppress all mental faculties and then remain with the knowledge: "I am the Purusha, I am pure consciousness."
Where is the Bhakti here? There is no Bhakti. In Yoga there is no Bhakti. In Jnana it is said there is no Bhakti. In Karma also there is no Bhakti because they want Mukti.
The Devotee's Perspective
Whereas a devotee says, "I don't want Mukti." Mukti means what? You become one with God. Then whom are you going to worship? No, I want Bhakti. Even though I know I and you are one and the same, I don't want to always feel I am one with you. I want to keep a distinction.
But only the distinction in this particular stage - that the whole world disappears. Who remains? God and me. Only these two.
This duality will be there. That duality is different from our duality. Our duality is that God also is one among objects.
The Bucket List Analogy
Have you heard about Bucket List? There is a film called Bucket List. What is bucket? "Kicking the bucket" in English language means dying. When people wanted to commit suicide, they would take a bucket and go and tie the rope, hang themselves, and then kick the bucket so that they would die.
This is called "kicking the bucket." So Bucket List means if doctors confirm you are not going to live for a long time, then what are your... If God gives a chance, what would be your wishes you want to get fulfilled? This is called Bucket List.
So all of us have got God in our Bucket List.
Three Types of Devotees
The Lowest Fellow: They have got 5,000 desires and God is that 5,000th desire. Everything else comes in priority - first, second, third, fourth. This is the lowest type of devotee.
Higher Than That: He also has got 5,000 desires, but God will be the first and the other ones follow. Like Hazra, you know, the person who used to stay with Sri Ramakrishna. But Hazra used to say that God is great, so He can also give Mukti, He can also give Bhukti, He has money, He can also give money. Why not? After all, He is the Lord of the world and Lakshmi is His partner.
The Highest Person: There is only one wish in his bucket list. What is it? Only God. He is called Supreme Devotee, Para Bhakti.
So to enjoy Bhakti, a bit of Dwaitam is necessary to enjoy Bhakti. That is why this Bhakti: Sa, Bhakti, Tu, Karma, Gnana, Yoge, Bhyobi, Adhikatarama.
The Fruit of Devotion (26th Sutra - Phalar Upatva)
There is also another beautiful meaning to that in the next Sutra, 26th Sutra: Phalar Upatva.
Narada - Narada is the author - O Narada, why do you say it is supreme? Then he gives another: Phalar Upatva. See, what is the result of Bhakti Marga? Bhakti.
A genuine Bhakta doesn't say, "I want Bhukti. I want Bhakti." You don't understand what is Bhakti? Bhukti means worldly enjoyment. Mukti means spiritual emancipation.
So a person... there are devotees who say, "It is a very painful affair. You give me Mukti. Once for all, I will be free from all these things." Most of us, that is what we want.
And God also wants us only to give Mukti. You know why? Because, suppose He gives us Bhakti, Bhakti means we have devotion towards God. Upon whom do we think we depend? Upon God. Then what do we think God's duty? Twenty-four hours He has to be after us.
The Story of Tyagaraja
There is a beautiful incident in the life of Tyagaraja. Tyagaraja was one of the greatest singer saints. So what happened - he would not sing for anybody. He would sing for Guru, he would sing for God, but he would not sing for anybody else.
So once what happened, he went and sang for devotees. But there was a great person, a rich person, who wanted to honor him, but Tyagaraja would not accept. He would go out for Bhiksha, depending totally upon God.
So one day, this rich person, what he did - he was sending off Tyagaraja in a Palki. Unbeknown to him, some precious gold or diamonds or something, he put it where Tyagaraja... you know, poor man, that carpet was there in the Palki. And then he was an old man, the Palki bearers were going, and he did not know he was going on meditating, singing, and that was his life. A little bit dozing also in the night - old man, you see, like that.
But some thieves came to know that there are a lot of valuable things. They were following this Palki. And the whole night they were following. But they could not approach.
Then early morning they became converted. And then as soon as it was morning, they came and fell flat, and said, "Bhagawan, give us excuse. We have committed great crime."
He said, "What crime did you commit? I don't see any crime you have committed."
They said, "We wanted to rob you."
Tyagaraja said, "What did you want to rob from me? There is nothing valuable here."
They said, "No, where you are sitting, below, there are some valuable things there. We know that."
"Oh," he did not know.
"So, why did you not rob?"
They said, "Who can we rob? There were two ferocious princes, one in the front, one in the back, on big horses with drawn swords. The whole night they were giving pahara. Many times we thought they will go here and there, at least for number one or number two, if not number two, at least number one for a few minutes. No, the whole night they were... We could not even come anywhere near them."
Then Tyagaraja understood, "How fortunate you are! I have been longing, I have been singing, I have been doing japa, and you just wanted to rob me and they appeared. What a divine injustice!"
So, who were they? Rama and Lakshmana. They were there.
So, if God gives bhakti to us, this would be His condition. He has to go behind us: "Where is my child going to eat? How is he going to sleep? Who is going to harm him?" And He has to go and protect him. That's why Mukti - no problem, out.
Beautiful Bengali song: "I am not concerned in granting liberation, but I am very cautious in giving bhakti, because bhakta means he depends totally upon me, he forgets everything, and who is to look after?"
The Path of Knowledge and Its Relationship to Devotion
So, one of the explanations given is: suppose you become nishkama karmi, what happens? Your mind becomes pure. Then you will obtain - when the mind becomes pure, the mind becomes like a very, very clean mirror. And what is the function of the mirror? Reflection. Whatever is in front of it, it will reflect.
Now, when our mind becomes pure, what is in front of it? God. Pure consciousness. This is called chit-abhasa, reflection of God only.
When there are no thoughts, we discussed, you know, vritti (thought) will have two components: idea of an object, and this reflection of consciousness. When these two mix together, that is called vritti, thought.
Suppose you are not conscious, will there be a thought? Can you unconsciously think? It's impossible. Thinking is always done with only consciousness. With consciousness only you will have to think.
So, when the mind becomes free from the idea of an object, what remains? That means you are separating from the vritti, the idea of any object. Then what remains? Only pure reflection of the consciousness. That is God. Then that is the knowledge. That is yoga.
But then we can interpret it. That person realizes everything is God. The moment he realizes everything is God, he becomes a great devotee. So, karma yogi becomes a great devotee. Jnana yogi also becomes a great devotee. Raja yogi also becomes a great devotee.
And then what is that ultimate thing? So, why not start with bhakti and increase your bhakti? Instead of going through this roundabout way... Where is your nose? Somebody was asking, "Where is your nose?" Instead of showing here, he is showing, "That is my nose."
So, according to Narada, following other pathways is like going the roundabout way instead of a straight path.
Ramanuja's Three Steps of Spiritual Progress
Now, according to Ramanujacharya, spiritual progress takes place in three steps. The first is karma yoga, both for Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya. The first step is only karma yoga.
What does karma yoga do? Chitta Shuddhi. And as soon as the mind becomes pure, what happens according to Ramanujacharya? That correct knowledge about God dawns on him. Most of the time it is like that, you know. For us also it is like that.
Chitta Shuddhi becomes, you know... Suppose, just an ordinary illustration. Suppose you eat some nice sweet, very tasty and you like it, you eat more. And then you suffer from stomach problem, sweet problem, you know. Better problems are there, sweet problems are also there. So, you suffer from sweet problem or sweetheart's problem.
All sweethearts are only sweet from a distance. When you come near, then the real nature will come out. Sweetness is only external appearance. Inside, waiting, you know, a thousand-hooded cobra. Psychologically, it is true.
So, as soon as the mind becomes pure, all the dross is removed. Then what remains? "Oh, then this is God." Then if this is God, what am I? "I am also pure consciousness. God also is pure consciousness." Then what is the difference between me and God? "God is infinite, I am finite. God is huge and I am small." This is what Dvaita philosophy is.
This knowledge - Karma Yoga leads to knowledge of who God is and who I am. And that leads to... Karma leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to bhakti. Because if you don't know something, then how will you have any relationship with that? Is it not so in our day-to-day life? Somebody shows you something, you don't know anything about that. So what type of relationship will you have? Can I want it? Can I not want it? Nothing will happen. Once you know this is a very valuable thing, then immediately attachment comes to it.
Holy Mother's Illustration
Holy Mother, in her own sweet, inimitable way, gives a beautiful example.
So, there is a village, there is a tank. In India, many villages have tanks. That is their water storage. And there will be a Ghat, you know, some stone steps. Every day these fellows are walking up and down, they are bringing water. They also wash, you know, they use that stone, they put it in the... make like Dhobis.
Like that, long time passed. Then one day, a diamond merchant happened to come. And he went to this. His eyes popped out. Because that stone is nothing but pure diamond.
So this is the illustration Holy Mother used to say - that whether you see yourself in your own nature, or when you come... especially she was telling, "I am from the village. How did the villagers consider Holy Mother? 'Our Sharada,' not S-A-R-I. You know Sharada? Shari, Sharada. 'Our Sharada. Her husband is mad.'"
Funny things also happen, you know. Later on Holy Mother was recognized. Many powerful people, doctors, lawyers, and higher officers, they used to come to Jayrambati. And whenever they come, they bring, you know, lots of goodies, fruits, sweets, and all those things. One day a village woman... Mother usually distributes.
So one day this woman came, and she was telling, you know, "There was a talk at one time of my getting married to Sri Ramakrishna. Had I married, today all these things would have been mine."
What stupidity! Then Holy Mother immediately said, "Even now what is there? It's all yours, as much as you want."
Do you think that an incarnation of God is going to marry, what is called, a cow grazer? Do you think it is happening? It doesn't happen even to us. You don't just go and get married. It is all destiny.
Whether a person gets married or not married, if a person becomes a bachelor or a sannyasi, and what type of partners we get, all depends upon our karma phala. Then why all these efforts? Efforts are because we don't know what is going to happen. We don't know what is going to happen, and we cannot keep quiet also.
That is what the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is going on. It says: नहीं कश्चित क्षणमपि जातु तिष्टति अकर्मक्रुत।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।
Forced by the nature of the prakriti - sattva, rajas, and tamas - a person is forced to do something, because it is called Shakti. Shakti means what? Energy. Energy means what? Activity. Energy means activity. If there is no activity, do you call that fellow an energetic fellow? No energy at all.
The Relationship Between Knowledge and Devotion
So, according to Ramanuja, Chitta Shuddhi, obtained by Karma Yoga... Karma Yoga leads to what? What is Jnana Yoga? True knowledge about what God is, what I am, immediately the relationship will come. And that is called Bhakti. When a child recognizes, "This is my mother," that is called Bhakti.
And Narada also gives, very soon he will give that example. You know, like a prince. So, in his childhood, a prince has been kidnapped or lost. He was growing up with some poor people or beggars. And then, even when he knows that "I am a beggar," is he a prince or a beggar? He is a prince only. What is the problem? He doesn't know it, and nobody else also knows about it.
And when he grew up, there were certain signs. And then when one old man, who knew the whole story, he was passing by, suddenly he looked, and said, "This is our lost prince." Then you see, he went and told, "Hey, you are a prince of this Rajya."
He doesn't believe, because he thought, you know, "From birth I am here only."
"No, not from birth. At birth you were born only in the royal family. But you don't have that memory."
So like that, the moment he gets knowledge, that moment he recognizes the relationship. What is the relationship? "These are not my parents. Those are my parents. So I will have to claim my privilege as a prince." And this is what exactly happens in spiritual life.
Is it that you are not a prince? You are not the child of immortality? And somebody comes and tells, "You will be devoted to me, and I will make you immortal." That is it. You understand that?
Swami Vivekananda's Message
See, a great Rishi uttered these words in our Upanishads. These are there in our Vedas. And this Rishi again came in the 19th century, went to America, and again he gave the same clarion call: "Hey, you are not an ordinary man and woman. You are the children of immortality."
There are lots of philosophies behind, but I will not talk about them. What is important for us? How many... He is awakening the national soul, the world soul. Dharmachakra Pravartana. That means that was the machine, and the result is percolating throughout the world today. India also.
Very interesting. We were so slavish that if Swami Vivekananda uttered the same thing here, we would not recognize. It must come from foreign. Once you know... After Swami Vivekananda... "Oh, we are great!" Because this is Swami Vivekananda. He conquered.
Some stupid fellows asked, "How many disciples have you made? [In brackets: how much pranam have they given?]" He said, "Very few people." He is a God in the form of creating spiritual awakening. But the result of that deeksha - it is mantra deeksha - the result will be felt over 1,000 years.
Not that immediately they realize it, but that poison, that infection, has been injected into them. This infection, no medicine can cure it. It will cure all diseases. What is the biggest disease? Two diseases: body and mind. These are the biggest diseases.
So this is the truth about it. So that is what Narada is also telling. The moment the jiva comes to know, "You are not a jiva." Jiva means "I am a man, I am a dog," etc. "I am a mosquito." You ask mosquito, "Who are you?" What do you think it will tell? "I am a mosquito."
There will be also a big mosquito: "I am the leader of these mosquitoes." And a female Miss Universe mosquito also will be there. And they will have waking state, dream state, and also dreamless sleep. Every living creature has to go. It is only a human being who can analyze the whole thing and really think about it.
Even in our case also, that clarion call applies. Because our mind is not pure, we think we are so-and-so.
The Process of Purification Through Karma Yoga
So, Karma Yoga... If you are really practicing Karma Yoga, you practice this much Karma Yoga, this much your mind will be pure.
Once somebody gave a beautiful analogy and it stuck in my mind. I went to address some Yoga gathering. So he said, "What does this Yoga do? Imagine there is a window full of soot and black, full black. What do you need to do? Light is there outside, but nothing is coming inside. One day he decided, 'I want to clean up. I want light.' So what did he do? He took one wet cloth. He went. One small corner he cleaned, and he could see. Then immediately light started coming. What did that light reveal? More dirt.
That small place, one corner, revealed immediately there is more dirt surrounding it. Previously he could not see it. Now he could see it. So again he started cleaning a little more. The moment he cleaned a little more, now more light. What did more light reveal? Still more dirt. More dirt. Then you clean that. Then more light will come."
This is the Anyonyasaya. First, only you go blindly. Then your mind will be a little bit pure. The moment your mind becomes this much pure, then you will say, "Oh my God, how much impurities I am cherishing in my mind!" You won't be able to recognize that much impurity unless a little bit of light is coming. And that is the first. Then you clean more. Because you can't help. When you see that, you can't help. You clean it more. Clean it more. The more we clean, the more we discover.
Like that we go on getting more light, able to see better. So this is called by Ramanujacharya, Atma Avalokana. Atma Avalokana.
What does Atma mean? Not Atmaswaroop. Atma means mind. Avalokana - what is happening in the mind. This is what one day we discussed here. "Am I a devotee or not?" If you are doing Japa-dhyana, then a light will come. "Oh, I am having Kama, I am having Krodha, I am having Lobha, Matsarya. I am having all these problems. And all the things are manifestations of these six. All the defects."
Slowly as we do Karma Yoga, we start cleaning them. Then we discover more light. That's what Holy Mother is telling: "Stop finding fault with others. If you don't stop finding fault with others, you will not find what faults are there within you."
And I also discussed one day, that if I don't have any fault, I can't know that fault exists in the other person. So like that slowly we will go on cleaning. If this transformation is not happening - just I am going on taking God's name for a particular period... Sometimes we increase the Japa meditation, increase the Puja, increase the Satsanga, increase everything, but tightly holding on to certain worldly Samskaras - then it's not going to really help at all.
The Fruit of Practice (Phalar Upatva)
So coming back, Phalar Upatva. Karma Yoga gives Chitta Shuddhi, and then Jnana Yoga also gives you Chitta Shuddhi, Raja Yoga also gives you Chitta Shuddhi, and then the more Chitta Shuddhi...
It doesn't happen that completely it is dark and suddenly completely light - a little bit light. How do you know? If you have ever traveled in a long tunnel by train, it enters into deep darkness. You know tunnels are there? Sometimes five, six miles tunnels are there. So you enter into them, pitch dark. Then after some five, six minutes, then very faint light, you start seeing each other very faintly. Then you will see the walls of that tunnel slowly. You must have seen that part. Slowly as you are traveling, then more and more and more light will come.
Like that, when we do any of these yogas, then slowly the mind must become... This is the first step. So the moment your impurity is cleaned, immediately the mind becomes pure to that extent. That is called Atma Avalokana. With the help of that Atma Avalokana, we are able to see.
The real Atma Avalokana will come later on, because what is that Atma? What is that light? That light itself is a manifestation of pure consciousness. But now, with that help, we can only function in cleaning the things.
The Devotee's Humble Approach
But Bhakti - from the very beginning the devotee says, "Oh Lord, I am a humble person. I am full of impurities. You know that I don't have any guna. Ma guna hina." "I am full of no good quality." But guna hina means I don't have any quality. No, no, no. I don't have any good qualities. I am full of bad qualities only. So you will have to purify me."
He starts very humble. That means, what is that bad quality? The worst bad quality. The mother of all bad qualities. What is it? Jealousy. Ahamkara. That is why avidya, asmita, raga, dvesha, abhinivesha.
Avidya - Ignorance. Ignorance manifests in the form of what? Instead of saying that "I am a human being..." Suppose somebody suddenly comes, one of your women devotees, someone says, "Sandhya, do you know who I am? I am Prime Minister Indira Gandhi." What would be your labeling of that person? "Oh, is it so?" You are smiling. But if you say, judgment is already possible. Next time I have to avoid this lady because she will only talk, "I am Indira Gandhi. I am Indira Gandhi." That is the yapasiddha. Then she will be talking about like that. So she will bore you and all those things.
So what are we? If anybody asks, we have to think of each other. "I am Swami Dayatmananda." "I am Shukla." What are we talking about? This is not... I am not Swami Dayatmananda. You are not Shukla. You are not Anusha. You are... Who are you? Amritasya Putra. You are the children of immortality.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" That is what Sri Ramakrishna had come to tell us. So how does he tell us? "Be a bhakta." Bhakta means what? "I am a servant of God." Now whom do you think God is going to employ? Non-God? God will employ only another person who is pure, is it not? Bhakta, another bhakta. "Or I am a servant. Or I am a friend. Or I am the parent. Or I am the child. Or I am the lover or beloved."
These are the Shanta, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya, and Madhura. And he says... So Narada is telling, Phala - what is the Phala? Little bhakti gives more bhakti. And more bhakti gives... a little more bhakti gives a little more bhakti. A little more bhakti gives still a little... The more bhakti we have, the more knowledge we have.
Knowledge Through Devotion
From bhakti comes Jnana. What is the Jnana? "I am a child of God." Naturally a child will claim only his birthright. "This is my true parent." And that would be the relationship. The more a child recognizes, "This is my father or mother," the more will be his love towards... And then he says, "I am your child, you have to do this for me."
He doesn't reason. Naturally it comes. For a child he doesn't think, you know, "You gave me birth, so I have a right over you." The child doesn't think, "I know that you are my mother." But beautifully Ramakrishna says, you know, the mother is trying to discipline the child. Mother's beating is a very different message.
And the child is clinging to the mother, doesn't cling to the father, only to the mother. Because if father beats, it's a different affair. Mother beats is a different affair. So the more the mother is trying to punish, the more the child is crying, but at the same time clinging to the mother only. Mother also knows. Do you think that the mother really beats the child? Only a little bit, to discipline for the good of the child.
The Enemy of the Seeker
So what is the ultimate enemy of human being or any sadhaka? Ahamkara. That's why he says, the more bhakti we have, the less abhimana we have. What is abhimana? Identification. Abhimana means what? Identification. "I am human being." Then the abhimana changes.
Suppose there is a big officer. "I am a big officer. I am a magistrate. I am a scientist. I am a doctor. I am a lawyer." And like that abhimana will come. "I am a beautiful person. I am the husband, don't you know I am the husband?" Like that abhimana will come.
Even a mother has an abhimana. "I am a mother. So I have a right. I have a child. I am the child. So I have a right."
Ishwarasyapi... God hates any kind of ahamkara. What is ahamkara? That you claim you are not belonging to me. That is called ahamkara. You are different from me. That is called ahamkara. You belong to me. That is called aham. That is the difference between aham and ahamkara.
Abhimana dveshitvata. God hates what is called egotistic person. God cannot stand an egotistic person. Beautiful. Not that God hates. God is not a person. He can't hate. What it means is by this abhimana, he keeps God completely away. Even though God is there, he can't avail of God. That is the meaning of it. Don't attribute that God is sitting there. "Whether you accept me or not, I will give you nice blows." It is our own what is called ignorance that gives us blows.
Dainya priyatvata. God loves humbleness. Humility. What is humility? To see greatness in other people. Otherwise how will you be humble? "I also got knowledge. You also got knowledge. We are studying in the same class and I am more intelligent than you." Is it humility? If you find somebody, "Oh, this person, he knows, he understands better than you."
And he is able to... How do we know? With examinations we can tell who is better. So, then we have grudging respect for that person. But outside we don't want... Knowledge is there, but we don't want to acknowledge it because of our asuya, that jealousy and other things.
But everybody can recognize. Suppose somebody is more beautiful, then we are helpless. If somebody is more beautiful, we are helpless. But we have a choice whether you want to suffer from asuya or not.
The Balance of Spiritual Progress
So, if a person is doing japa dhyana, what should we do? These are the two things. We should become more humble and we should also reduce... And they go together. When this reduces, this increases. Like tulabhara, you know, if this goes up, this goes down. If this goes down, this goes up. It is like that.
Sri Ramakrishna had expressed it beautifully that when a person progresses towards the east, the more he moves, the west automatically recedes.
And Mahapurush Maharaj also told something very interesting. We will discuss it.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्
पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum
pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu