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

Narada Bhakti Sutras - Discourse on Sutra 27 and Beyond

Introduction to Sutra 27

We are going to discuss the Narada Bhakti Sutras. I don't remember when we stopped last time. Twenty-seven.

Twenty-seven, very good. So, this is called, what is the glory of supreme love, Parabhakti, Mahatmyam, Mahatma. Mahatma means greatness.

Mahatmyam means glory. Glory and greatness, very closely aligned. So, there is something very special.

Sri Ramakrishna's Advocacy of Bhakti

That is why even Sri Ramakrishna also advocated Bhakti. Many times we discussed it. Why did he advocate Bhakti? Not only for Hindus, for all the people.

And in fact, other religions do not advocate Gnanamarga. Because Gnanamarga means about God who is impersonal. Nirakara, Nishkriya, Nirguna, Nirvisesha.

So, if you go to Christianity, it is a creator God. If you go to Islam, it is a creator God. It is only in Hinduism that we find this Gnanamarga, Bhakti Marga, Raja Yoga Marga and Karma Yoga Marga.

Three Reasons for Bhakti Yoga According to Sri Ramakrishna

So, why Bhakti Yoga? Sri Ramakrishna gives three reasons. Any reason. I have said three reasons.

First Reason: We Are All Emotional

The first reason is we are all emotional. So, what is called comedy. Every day either we are excited or we are ridiculous.

This is called emotion. Electronic emotions. Electronic emotions.

Oh, like that, you know. That is the one reason. The second reason is for the people who are emotional.

Emotion directed towards God is called devotion. Already we have emotion. This is the greatness of it.

We don't need to pray for Bhakti. You just pray, "Oh Lord, I already have enough Bhakti. Only thing is that Bhakti has two problems."

One is it is divided into millions parts, you know. A little for food, a little for dress, a little for house, a little for husband, a little for children, a little for wife, a little for neighbours, little, little, little, little, little bit also for the country. So, it is divided.

And second, it is all directed towards the world. Now, what do we need to do? So, the beautiful example for that is a sunlight. You know how powerful the sunlight is? If you put a piece of paper here in the sunlight, what happens? Nothing happens.

Put a magnifying glass. Immediately it bursts into flames, and then they have found out now. Like a magnifying glass, very powerful one type of glass.

All the sunlight, it is focused in one. This is like laser beam. And when you put it, even stainless steel, big rods, they just melt.

This is a beautiful illustration. So, the general sunlight is scattered. A leaf reflects it.

A rooftop reflects it. Or we also reflect it. A mosquito reflects it.

Does a mosquito reflect sunlight? Light? I feel it obstructs it. It reflects because if it doesn't reflect, how will you see it? The very act of seeing means light must be... Suppose the light doesn't reflect on it. That is why some physics is very useful to us.

We say this is a red carpet. How do you know it is a red carpet? Red is a colour. Do you know what it means? The sunlight has got seven parts.

So, when all the six parts are absorbed, one part is not absorbed. That particular part is called red carpet. So, if the light doesn't reflect, then we will not see anything.

So, this is the illustration given that we have got attachment. But that attachment is for various things. That is why even if we pray, "O Lord, grant me devotion," He is not going to grant you.

Because we have more than sufficient devotion. But we don't call it devotion. We call it raga, attachment.

"O Lord, whatever attachments I have towards the worldly objects, now let that attachment be towards you." So, three problems I said according to Ramakrishna: we are emotional people. That is why devotion is the most natural thing.

Natural development will be through emotion. Emotion directed towards God is called devotion. That is the first reason.

Second Reason: Most People Are Emotional

The second reason is, most people are emotional. Therefore, for most people, most means, maybe 99.99% of the people are emotional. The moment you tell them you are wonderful, they will be very happy.

The moment you say you are stupid, then they will be very depressed and then very angry also. That means they are not fit for manhood.

Third Reason: Bhakti is Natural

The third reason is, something is very natural, like water.

So, is it natural for it to flow up or flow down? Down. So, bhakti yoga is the most natural thing for all of us to follow. This is the reason.

So, that is what Ramakrishna said. But one of the most important reasons is, we are very terribly body conscious. We are all body conscious.

Body Consciousness Explained

Body conscious means what? There are two types of consciousness. Ramakrishna is aware of body consciousness. We are also aware of body consciousness.

What is the difference? The difference, you see, when Ramakrishna is in Samadhi, if you take a knife and cut his body, he won't feel it. But we feel it. But when anaesthesia is given to us, we won't feel it.

How many mosquitoes can be biting us when we are in deep sleep? That is our samadhi. We don't feel it. Why? Body is there, and consciousness is also somewhat there.

Identity is not there. That is the difference. Ramakrishna has a body, but he is not identified.

He doesn't say, "I am the body." We have a body, and Ramakrishna also has a body. So, in our case, what happens? We never get rid of the idea that I am the body.

How many times do you feel? Do you feel in waking state? Do you feel in dream state? Or do you feel in deep sleep state? Do you feel in deep sleep state? Yes. How? Suppose we are sitting here, a mosquito comes and bites you. Do I feel it? The moment I am absorbed in talking, mosquito bites me, I swat.

In deep sleep, do you swat or not? What are you talking about? You do that. This is called reflexive action, automated action. Say, when mosquito or something, an ant bites you, you don't think, "What is biting me? Is it worth killing? What shall we do?" The moment that insect comes, you swat it first, and then say, "What could it be? Is it a mosquito or is it an ant? Or is it some other insect?" Is it not a fact? This is called reflexive reaction, automated reaction.

Without that, many people, more people will die in accidents. Do you follow what I am saying? You are driving the car, and suddenly, oh like that, they don't give notice. "I am going to run in front of your car, one mile before, so you be aware like that."

Do you feel like that? Suddenly it comes. What will you do? Put on the brakes. Do you think and put on the brakes, or after putting the brakes, you think? Putting the brakes.

That is called automated action. So even in deep sleep, if a mosquito bites first, you are likely to swat it. And you don't wake up, you just do like that, that's why you observe a person who is in deep sleep.

He is doing all sorts of subconscious things. So this is the reason. Shri Ramakrishna has a body.

Why? He doesn't say, "I am the body." He knows, "I am not the body, I am not the mind." This is why the path of devotion is the most natural, easy, and that is why it is greater.

Only in that sense, it is greater than all other paths. It is very natural for us.

Understanding Human Nature and Detachment

So another thing also you understand, a man is a person who is totally detached.

See, we are all human beings. Don't you love your children? You love your children, isn't it? So you don't say, "I am also Parabrahman, my children are also Parabrahman, there is no relationship between me and my children." Do you analyse like that? So if something happens to them, good or bad, don't you feel for that? A parent feels more when the child passes, he is more happy.

When the child fails, who is unhappy? You know, one year I paid so many fees, it has all gone to ashes. Another year I have to pay for the same class. And then prestige.

My neighbour's children, immediately they pass it and they are... What do they think about me whenever I go in the streets? My neighbour looks at me and says, "I know what type of children I produce." Will it affect or not? We are all like that.

Sadhu, Karma, Jnana, Yoga, Adhikata - The Superior Path

Sadhu, Karma, Jnana, Yoga, Adhikata - this path of devotion is superior than the other three paths, then Karma, then Jnana and also Yoga.

Why does he say? Is he comparing and then criticising the other paths? No. In fact, you have to understand something. These four faculties: action, emotion, will and intellect.

You can't take a knife and separate and say, that you stay separately, I will take only this. It is not possible. Because all the others also must help.

How Other Paths Help Devotion

How do they help? You may say, how do they help? Suppose I am a devotee. I must have knowledge. I am worshipping God.

And God is supreme. Therefore, that knowledge should be there. And then when I am worshipping God, I should have concentration.

What is that? Yoga. And when I am trying to worship God, should I not prepare all the things nicely? What is that? Karma.

Supposing a Jnani is there, so he has to eat food.

For that, karma is necessary. And he has to have also devotion. This is my Guru.

This is scripture. And whatever the scripture is telling, is the only truth. What is this called? Bhakti.

Shraddha. Guru, Shastra, Vakyeshu, Sathya Buddhi, Avadharana, Shraddha. Okay.

Then people will be there to give each other. Then what should he do? He should forbear. Some people pray, "You are a wonderful person."

Yes, that is the greatest tapas. Because not to feel ego, that other persons think I am great, is the greatest tapas. If somebody criticises that yogi, then he goes... What is Titiksha? Forbearing all sorts of dukkhas.

What is it called? I will take revenge. Somebody is giving me. When I get the opportunity, I will take revenge.

And sometimes he is stronger. So when can I take revenge? When that fellow is asleep, then I can go and beat him up.

Story of Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi used to say, he used to excel in games.

No other boy could excel him, either in running, jumping, etc. And they could not tolerate. And sometimes they used to be crazy.

He says, "I am so strong, I used to, and very quickly I made them fall down. I can't do anything." But they were very angry.

So they found out a secret. When I am asleep, even if they beat me, I will not move. It is a very peculiar type of sleep.

If somebody beats you, you will wake up. He said, "The Samadhi type. Then they will come and beat me, you know, with the fist and other things."

I am blissfully sleeping. And when I wake up, nothing happens. So sometimes, you know, can't do anything.

But inside, "Why did it happen? Why did it happen? I am a good person. It should not have happened to a good person." Like that.

Not only about our problems. Whoever is related, suppose your daughter is suffering. Some in-law or some in-law.

In-law means in-laws and out-laws are very closely related. So, you are identified with your children. So they are suffering.

So many, I have heard this complaint. "Swamiji, my son is such a good man. But ever since he got married, he is, you know, I cannot... You have to cut it. Like that. He is like that.

Not true. Only wife is like that. What to do now?" It's a fact.

So what to do? What to do? Sometimes the daughter is more clever than the son. Sometimes they are very dominant. The parents suffer.

They understand. They can't interfere. Otherwise it becomes worse.

All sorts of dukkhas are there. Or a bad government comes. We know that they are looting money, putting in their own pocket.

And very little they are doing. So, Chinta vilapa rai. Titikshasa nivartate.

It is defined as titiksha. In this samsara, where will you get swarga? Everybody will be good. Everything will turn out to be nice.

You are not going to get it. So these are the qualities that we have to develop. So what is this titiksha, under which category it forms? Yoga.

So if you want to practise jnana yoga, you require karma, you require bhakti, and you require yoga. So every yoga requires the help of all the other yogas. You cannot even develop without them.

At the same time, one faculty will be dominant. That is why sa is parabhakti, karma, jnana, yoge, bhyopi, adhikatara. It is sreshta.

It is supreme. Not in a comparative sense, because every path is sreshta. But this is the most easiest, natural, and then one more important word.

There are not even... This is a brahmana, this is a kshatriya, this is a healthy person, this is an unhealthy person. Anybody can practise.

Suppose a sick person, old person, lying in the bed, what kind of yoga can he practise? He can't even get up.

What kind of jnana yoga? "Aiyo, Rama," by the time he turns his back, he feels pain for 45 minutes. What type of jnana can he practise? "I am not the body, I am not the mind." So the only way is, "O Lord, I am a very weak person, I am helpless, I am helpless."

Phalarupa - Bhakti is Its Own Result

And then phalarupa. Phalarupa. This sutra, phalarupa.

Bhakti is its own result. Small bhakti, it becomes more bhakti. How does it happen? First we will deal with it.

It is the nature of attachment. And dvesha is also the nature of attachment. Positive attachment is called raga, and negative attachment is called dvesha.

If somebody insults you, you will be thinking of that person more and more. The more you think, phalarupatvat. You are following? The more you hate, it will generate more dvesha.

Pitcha ho jayega, grandson will come, son will come, grandson will come, great-grandson will come, like that. So attachment is also like that. As you go on thinking, either good or bad, that will increase in intensity.

So when a person practises bhakti, what is bhakti? Remembering God with tremendous love is called bhakti. So the more you think about God with devotion, the more it grows. So I am talking from the psychological point of view.

Do you understand? Whatever you think, again and again, if you are thinking positively, that is called raga. If you are thinking negatively, it is called dvesha. And dvesha is also an attachment.

Why is it called an attachment? It is Shri Ramakrishna used to call it even greater attachment than love. Why he used to say? What is attachment? You have to understand. So a chain is put around your waist and you are paddling.

This is called attachment. The stronger the chain, the less chance you have of freeing yourself. You understand now? That means the more we think about an object, the more its bondage will be.

Example of Mother's Attachment

Very interesting. There is a woman. She gives birth.

Until that time, she doesn't know. She has never seen the face of a child. When does she see the face of the child? Only when the child has come out of her womb.

After that, my God, what attachment will be there? It's super glue. And then it goes on going, and going, and going, and going on. So the more we think, the more we are going to get attached.

So phalarupadvata means what? The more we are devoted, the more devotion we have. As it is coming back. Because you are thinking about woman.

About God. Therefore the more we think about God, the more devotional it becomes. This is the psychological law.

The Eight Steps of Destruction from the Bhagavad Gita

That's what is in the second chapter. Dhyayato vishayatan. Can we discuss it? We can discuss it.

Because this comes in the second chapter, sthita-pranayakshana. How does a man cope with destruction? Eight steps. Imagine you are in a place, and there are eight steps to go down.

You know how it is? You have to exercise your imagination. So there is a big valley, and then there is a road, and you sleep. You fall first in the first step, then second step, third step, fourth step, fifth step, sixth step, seventh step, eighth step.

What is the eighth step? Eight steps are there. Until then you are near. Then straight you fall, and then get destroyed.

So in two verses, two shlokas. How? Dhyayato vishayatan, pumsah. Pumsah means for a human being.

Dhyayato vishayatan. Any object. But we can understand it in a spiritual way later on.

A man goes on thinking about either money or woman or whatever it is. Dhyayato vishayatan. So that is the first condition for falling down.

The First Step: Continuous Thinking

What does this mean? You understand Dhyayana? Again and again dwelling on a particular object. That is called Dhyayana. Attachment comes to that object.

That is the second. First step is thinking always. What is your advertisement? Sangah teshu pajayate.

Goes on thinking about that car. Then attachment comes. What is the attachment, you know? "What a nice car, what a nice car, what a nice car."

That is called Sangah. That is the second step. From attachment comes desire.

The Second Step: Attachment (Sangah)

What is the desire? "I want the car. I can't do without that." This is the third step, kama.

The Third Step: Desire (Kama)

And then many times it won't be fulfilled. The desire will not be fulfilled. From desire comes anger.

The Fourth Step: Anger (Krodha)

Always, if you find anybody angry, you have to understand that he had an expectation, it is frustrated, thwarted, and therefore that desire now is manifesting in the form of anger. See, if you are not interested in something, you won't get angry.

Sometimes I have seen people, devotees, they become very angry, you know for what? So nice laddus are being given, prasad.

After puja is over, nice laddus. And then your turn comes, you are near that person. The person who is in front of you, he gets the last laddu.

And you can become very angry and say, "This fellow, but for him, maybe he has come and pushed himself front." So you are tolerating, you are supposed to be devoted. Maybe he is also a very strong fellow, so you can't open your mouth.

And he got the last laddu. And then he goes away. And for you, prasad.

So, if there is desire, if it is frustrated, not fulfilled, it inevitably results in anger. So, how many steps now? Four steps. Continuously, constant, uninterrupted thinking, it produces attachment, attachment produces desire, desire produces, converts itself into anger.

The Fifth Step: Delusion (Sammoha)

Krodhat bhavati sammoha. The moment krodha comes and occupies a person, then delusion comes. Delusion, sammoha.

What is delusion? You know what is delusion? The discrimination between what is right and what is wrong, what can be done, what cannot be done. This is called delusion. It's a wonderful thing that we have to understand.

What a beautiful psychological process. The moment a person's krodha comes, krodha and it overpowers us, it covers our spectacles as it were, so we cannot see what we are seeing. That is called sammoha.

That's what happened to Arjuna. The moment he saw Bhishma on the throne, "Oh, these are my grandfathers," immediately his clear vision has become clouded. So what is sammoha? Absence.

Sammoha means delusion. That is the English translation. What is delusion? The inability to discriminate what is right and what is wrong, that is called... You don't know what you are doing.

You are a small child, grown-up people, how stupid they could be, grown-up people. Some small child, you know, he breaks something. Do you see what you have done? How can a small child... It is for him, it is a plaything.

For the elders, it is a very precious object. Why did you put it in the reach of the small child? Whose fault it is? Who should be slapped? The elder should be slapped, because you know that here is a child, and the child doesn't know what is the value of things. This is the central truth.

So, sammoha, viveka buddhi, will go away.

The Sixth Step: Loss of Memory (Smriti Brahmsha)

Sammohat smriti bhramah. Then delusion comes.

Smriti becomes forgotten. What is smriti? Memory. What is memory? Suppose I am very angry.

Let us say, a young man in the house, he is very angry for whatever reason. And then, what is the result of anger? Sammoha. As soon as sammoha comes, he forgets, "This is my mother, this is my father, this is my guru, and these are small children."

Everything is forgotten. Smriti. Smriti means we are all having smriti.

Suppose you lose smriti, then you know what you will do to me? You will pull me down and say, "Why are you sitting there? Sit like me on the floor. I want to sit." This is what we do.

Smriti. "This is my friend, this is my parents, these are my bosses." So, our action and reaction totally depends upon... I am giving you so many illustrations.

You are at home, and your daughters are also there. They are making a little bit of noise. Then, what do you say? "Hey, shut up!" Like that you will see.

Then, an angry woman comes. You turn towards her and say, "Hey, shut up!" Did you say that? You won't say that. What makes you say this to your children and say, "I am so happy you have come.

Please come inside. Please sit." You talk like that.

You talk to your children in one way, you talk to this person in another way. What is the reason for that? Smriti. Smriti.

"These are my daughters. I can do whatever I like with them. They also don't mind."

But if you talk like that with them, that will be the end of lifelong friendship. So, this is called Smriti Brahma. A disciple can do that.

Story from Vrindavan

I am giving you a living illustration. In Vrindavan, there was a saintly guru. He was a big ashrama.

His four ashrama gurus, they acquired it. At one time, Vrindavan was like a desert. So, he acquired several acres of that.

Now, Vrindavan is, I think, the costliest place in the whole of India. It is dust. Vrindavan is dust.

Now, it has become like gold. Taka, mati, bati, taka, like that. So, one day, this old man was sitting.

He was a saintly soul. He used to meditate. His own disciple, one of them, got a gun.

He must have shot his brains off. And then he must have had some collusion with the police and others. Some crores I will give you like that.

The property was worth several, several crores. And he became the head of the ashrama. And everything is hushed up.

Now, what was it that made him lose this prati? Attachment. In this case, the attachment is for the money. Attachment for guruship.

So long this old man is promising, threatening to die, after that I will become the head of the ashrama. He is not going at all. So, like that, in this Smriti function, Smriti is the most important.

Story of the Secretary's Brother

Okay, another example. These are all living examples. When I was here, I am secretary.

Secretary to the state government. Assistant secretary. Mysore.

He was living here somewhere. He called me. And then he told me, "I am in great difficulty."

He was unmarried. His brother was a doctor who was married. And one day, one night, this husband and wife were sleeping side by side.

And the husband died. Brain haemorrhage. Night, everything is just normal.

By about three o'clock or so, she felt something strange. She found out this person had become cold. Immediately, she started shouting.

And her neighbour, who was a doctor, and he came over and said, "Your husband passed away in sleep, several hours later." She lost all faith in God. She was such an orthodox Brahmin lady.

She was worshipping from the childhood until that point. She brought out all the pictures and threw them away. "What did you do to me? I have worshipped you.

I have not done anything wrong. Why did you create this tragedy for me?" This is called Smriti Brahmsha. What is Smriti Brahmsha? What has God to do with that? Is there any agreement that you will worship me and I will keep your family safe? That's why Jews are suffering from earlier times.

But they believed that they will worship God and God will be protecting them. They are the chosen people. They don't understand.

This world, whether you are a devotee or not devotee, the world will behave according to the world. Sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy. That's it.

Tragedy or suffering doesn't come only to worldly people. It can come to everybody. But without understanding, that understanding and keeping it in mind is called Smriti.

That Smriti is gone.

The Seventh Step: Loss of Discrimination (Buddhi Nashaha)

Smriti bramshad buddhi nashaha. When this Smriti is totally lost, you know what is that result will come? Buddhi Nashaha. Buddhi means what to do at this time.

I have taken a decision to do this thing. That is called Buddhi. In Karnataka, the head of a family is called Buddhi because he is supposed to take decisions for everything and convey it to the servants.

And then sometimes the servants, they address him Buddhi like that. Either way. When they are in front, a little bit distance when he can't hear.

So what is Buddhi? Determining factors. Take a firm decision with all the information available. Where is the information? Smriti is gone.

And Smriti is gone means what? Delusion will come. Delusion means what is right and what is wrong. It is all gone.

How can the Buddhi take a decision? That means he will behave like a Rakshasa. Only like a Rakshasa.

The Eighth Step: Complete Destruction

Buddhi nashat pra nashyati. From 8th to 7th step and then he finds there is no step.

Straight he will follow. This is the nature of 8 steps. Dhyana, Sangha, Kama, Krodha, Sammoha, Smriti, Brahma, then Buddhi Nashaha, then Shruti.

8 steps in a way, in every instance this is the truth. This is not a spiritual truth, this is a psychological truth. But the same thing, use the same thing to progress in spirituality.

Using the Eight Steps for Spiritual Progress

Who does that? Dhyayato vishayatan. Here Vishaya is God. Slowly attachment to God comes.

Through attachment what comes? Kama. Kama means what? "I want only God." And then when that deep desire for God comes, anything that obstructs fulfilment of that desire, we will be angry with that.

"This fellow, I want to meditate upon God, this fellow is creating disturbance to me. This object is creating disturbance to me. Oh, this attachment to this is stopping my progress."

So you will be angry. Exactly in the same way. But now you are climbing.

But is this a positive anger or negative anger? We will come to that. So the same process, use it for a good purpose. Psychological process is the same.

For what purpose you want to use it, that is what makes the difference. So we will discuss about it. So you get very angry with all the things which obstruct your desire, which is? God.

"I want only God." Krodhat bhavati sammohaha. Then you become deluded.

What is the delusion here? That accepting God, everything is worthless. "I don't want anything else. I want only, I am madly in love with God."

This is called madness. Sammohat smriti bhramah. The remembrance of every object excepting God totally disappears.

What remains? Only God. Smriti bhramsha means smruti bhramsha of everything else. "I want only God."

Smriti bramshad buddhi nasha. What is the buddhi nasha here? That "I have become mad. But I don't want anything of this nature.

I only want God." Buddhi. Buddhi nashat pranashyati.

Pranashyati becomes completely marginal. He falls into, here the worldly fellow falls into the world. Here the devotee falls into God.

Same process. That is why satsanga. So go on doing satsanga.

Satsangatve kama kama abhijayate. This sadhu, he knows nothing but God. He also wants to know nothing else but God.

That's why satsangatve nishangatve. Nishangatve nirmohatve. Nirmohatve nishchala tattva.

Nishchala tattve nirmohatve. Beautiful. That's why Shri Ramakrishna's first commandment is cultivate satsanga, holy company.

And then no one let go into solitary place. What is nirjana here? Won't have any attachment to any jana. So it is God only.

Understanding True Help and Support

What is attachment? Attachment means, "Now my husband loves me. My children love me. They are going to help me."

Who can help? They can't even sleep for me. When you are sleepless and ask your husband, your children, "So please sleep for me also. Today I am having rest."

They will get angry with you. "We are not having sufficient sleep and you are coming and demanding more from our part." So ask them to dream for you.

Ask them to digest for you. Ask them to share your worries for you. They can't do anything.

Only little bit, you know, they get, "Okay, I am hungry." "All right, we are bringing food for you." It is small help, but who has to eat? And who has to digest? And after digestion also who has to evacuate? They can't do that for us.

That is called nirjana. It can't be done. Only who can do it? Holy Mother can do it.

You know Holy Mother can eat for us? Holy Mother can eat for us?

Story of Chandranath

One beautiful story. There was one poor man. He was driven away from his own home by his own brother, elder brother.

He had no place to go. He had come to Uttar Pradesh. Immediately mother took him under her shelter.

She named him Chandru, Chandranath. So now she initiated him. And she gave employment to him.

He would stay there, he would eat there, and he would get little money, and mother stayed away. So he got only problem was he loved eating. He can't do without at least four times eating.

He can't do. So one day Holy Mother knew, and she used to specially feed him. "Baba Chandranath, you loved this one, I kept it for you.

Please eat like that." Naturally he would love mother. Naturally we love only people who increase our happiness.

So what happened? It was one day, it was Shivaratri. Fasting. So mother saw him at about 9.30, 10 o'clock.

This ferocious face is what we call like burnt leaf. Immediately mother noticed it and said, "Baba Chandranath, what happened to you?" "Ma, how can I describe all these others? They persuaded me to fast. So I am fasting."

By that, face has become like that at about 9.30, 10 o'clock. Mother said, "Baba Chandranath, you don't need to do it. You go and eat."

"No," he is in dilemma because the Punya passed him. From morning till 9.30, people ask him. He wants to eat, but he is afraid of losing the Punya.

Mother smiled and said, "Baba, I will fast for you. You go and eat." Immediately he went, fell down and he must have eaten a lot that day because all other sadhus were fasting.

So mother can fast for us. Mother can do japam for us. Mother can do tapasya for us, sadhana for us and then she can give the result.

No ordinary person in this world can do it. So always practise discrimination. What is discrimination? "Anything can happen to anyone at any place, at any time, in any way."

Everyday we have to do japam. It can happen to me. Everyday we see that.

Our own devotee, you know that Bengali devotee who gives that arati plate and other things. 20 days back, he was walking here only. No bus, no car, nothing.

One motorcycle came and fell. I forget his name. Everyday he used to come.

Every single day he would come, Bengali. Sometimes he gives arati plate also. That's why for the last three weeks you are not seeing him.

Two, three people do that, you know, arati, arati. They bring it and then... Now one young man is doing. One Bengali man.

I forget his name. So who gets... Then he said, "Thakur protected me because few days back one person was crossing the road, old man. Some bus or car came and he instantaneously died."

Like that. So what are we talking about? This bhakti is the only way for us. And eight-stepful way of destruction.

Eight-stepful way of going also towards God. That is very important. The first step is go on desire.

I don't like advertisement. That's why I do parayana. Sangha has not yet come.

Don't feel sangha has come. This sangha means... It will not go away even if... That is called sangha. Sangha sanjayate... "I only want God.

I don't want anything else." How far are we away from God? Long distance, you know. It looks like infinite distance is there.

So a little bit of devotion to God is there. We have to increase that. So Narada is telling, Parabhakti mahatmyam. Bhakti is its own result.

The more bhakti, the more you think God. The more you think God, the more devotion. That is how it will come.

God's Relationship with Pride and Humility

Ishvarasya abhimana dveshtva, Dainya priyatvakshata. So what happens in karma yoga? Ahamkara comes. In yoga, ahamkara cannot come. And with jnana, ahamkara will come.

In fact, without ahamkara, jnana yogi cannot come. Because he says aham. What is the first thing he says? Aham.

"Brahmasmi." That is what he says. "I am Brahman."

A devotee says, "Tu hi, tu hi." Not me, not I, not I. But "Thou, O Lord." So when ahamkara comes, Ishvarasya abhimana dveshtva. Even God hates a person who has ahamkara.

But really God hates anybody? It is impossible. Do you know why it is impossible? Because in the eyes of God, everybody is himself.

Everybody is himself only. For Holy Mother, everybody is herself only. Can Holy Mother ever hate anybody? It is not possible.

But what does this mean? Even God hates abhimana dveshtva. Abhimana means ahamkara. Dveshtva.

That means our ahamkara keeps God far away from us. Dvesh means what? Far away from us. Bhishma means? Dvesh means far away.

A person will get ahamkara. God doesn't keep away from you. He keeps God away from himself.

And then, Dainya priyatvam. What does God love? Do you know how? "Asmad vamey vishvaranam mama. Veena bandhu."

Not abhimani bandhu. Veena bandhu. A person, "O Lord, I am nothing.

You are everything." Then God will come very near. When Hiranyakashipu broke his own ahamkara, then immediately God came.

And whatever little remnant is there, that also will be destroyed. Then what happened to Hiranyakashipu? Moksha. Moksha means he became one with God.

So this sutra has to be understood. God neither hates nor loves. But what it means is, if we have ahamkara, then we become distant from God.

And if we love God, if we are very humble, then God will come. Humility is like a low ground. The moment rainwater flows, what is the area first it fills? Only the low ground.

This is indirect way of teaching. But if you want to be a devotee, then slowly reduce your ahamkara.

Story of Kabir Das and Ramananda

Very interesting incident was there.

There was a great saint in North India, I think 13th or 14th century, Swami Ramananda. He was the person who had propagated this Bhakti Mahatmya, especially the greatness of God's name. So there was this Kabir Das.

He was supposed to be a Muslim. Actually he was a child found on the waterfront, like Karna. But nobody knows.

He must be a Brahmin child or a great devotee. But because he was brought up by a Muslim couple who were very devoted. A son like Kabir will not be found by ordinary Muslims who want to kill Hindus.

The other day, 40 people have lost, even more they lost. They will get karmapala, they are also suffering. So this Kabir Das approached him and said, "Swami, please initiate me."

And Ramananda had no hesitation in his initiating. But then, if he initiates, that means Kabir Das will become Hindu. Then the Muslim leaders, Nawabs, etc. will harass. For that reason he said, "I cannot initiate you."

Then Kabir Das said, "OK Sir. I know how to get initiation from you." And then Ramananda Swami has a wonderful habit, fixed habit. 3 o'clock he will go to Varanasi, in Kashi.

He will go to take bath. And you have to get down at Ghat. So Kabir Das, early morning, he laid himself down.

Exactly the path he observed, how much area, which area you mistook him for. And then he laid himself down. Ramananda, poor man, old man, could not see.

He put his foot. Guru charanam sprushtva, nirbhara bhaktaha. And then he understood, he must have stepped upon a human.

He said "Rama, Rama." Kabir Das got up and said, "Thank you very much for giving me initiation." What a wonderful story.

Really. Then Ramananda had accepted. He was pleased with his devotion.

And then Kabir Das had to go through a lot of problems, because he was a Muslim. But, what is God? So much of, if even unconsciously the word of God comes, it is like initiation. But that bhakti should be there.

Humility should be there. Guru's feet have fallen on his body. Has he not become pure? And then immediately he gave the mantra, "Rama, Rama."

And then that itself, the bhakti is there, and that is more than enough. So, what is the meaning? We should not misunderstand, God, like an ordinary human being, will have likes and dislikes. But we can keep away from God, when we are very egotistic.

And when we are not egotistic, then automatically God will flow into us. And when the egoism is totally eradicated, then there is no difference between me and God. This is the meaning.

Different Approaches to Obtaining Bhakti

Now, if Parabhakti Mahatmya is over, then what are the sadhanas? How do we get devotion? Prabhata was very humble. So, he is not telling his opinion, he is telling the opinion of other great Acharyas. But all the Acharyas are Bhakti Acharyas.

He says, one of the Acharyas says, "Jnanam eva sadhanam iti eke." Eke means some. How to obtain Bhakti? "Jnanam eva sadhanam."

Through knowledge alone, through the instrumentality of knowledge alone, one can obtain Bhakti. So, that is the... Now, Ramanujacharya, he is one of them. But this was done much before Ramanujacharya.

But even today there are people like Ramanujacharya. So, what does it mean? So, it means, you see, in each human being there are three factors. This is called Jnanashakti, Ichchhashakti, and Kriyashakti.

Shakti is one only, but it encompasses three forms, Jnana, Ichchha, and Kriya, and in that order. In that order. So, if you don't know that there is a sweet called Rasagulla, if you don't know there is a sweet called Chana Jilebi, do you know what Chana Jilebi is? Until that time, you were totally ignorant of it.

Therefore, the question of having devotion to Chana Jilebi doesn't arise at all. The moment she got the Jnana, then she developed the desire that it is wonderfully sweet, and then one has to eat it, obtain it and eat it. So, according to Ramanujacharya, there are two steps which lead to Bhakti.

The first step is called Karma Yoga. What does Karma Yoga do? It prepares our mind to receive knowledge. Then, Jnana Yoga.

What is Jnana Yoga here? Not "Aham Brahmasmi." God is Narayana, Vishnu, and I am a sesha. I am also part of Him.

This world is also part of Him. So, I am not Narayana, but I am one small part of Narayana. This is called Shesha-Sheshi Nyaya.

Sheshi means Narayana. Shesha means small part. You know, we say shesha, somebody will eat Chana Churna, and then you could not eat it.

That is called shesha. So, God is the whole, I am the part. God is infinite, and infinite souls make God infinite.

So, each one of us is one small part. This is Ramanujacharya. The moment, through Karma Yoga, we get this knowledge.

What is the knowledge? Who God is, and who I am. "I belong to my mother. This is my mother."

Like a child, who doesn't know, who is lost. Does a child know who is a mother? You think that the child automatically knows. As soon as the child is born, some other woman takes the child and adopts.

The child, it opens its eyes. What is the first thing the child looks for? Mother. "Mother."

"This is my mother." And then they experimented, one human being. First thing, the chicks, eggs were there, and then eggs were hatched, and then this man is there, and then now the chicks started following the man, "Mama, Mama," like that.

Because that is all they know, their Mama. In the normal process, they see the mother. And then they start following.

And they started following. So, we are all like that. So, Karma Yoga gives Chitta Shuddhi.

Chitta Shuddhi gives the knowledge. Knowledge of what? What God is, what I am, and what is the relationship between me and God. And then Bhakti will come.

"This is my mother, this is my..." That knowledge of relationship is called Bhakti. That's what is Bhakti. Tasyaha means Parabhakti.

Sadhana, how to obtain? Only Jnanam. Without Jnanam, it will not happen.

Alternative Views on Bhakti and Knowledge

Some other people, some other Acharyas. People means who? Acharyas. What they say? If you don't have Bhakti, you will not have Jnanam. If you don't have Jnanam, you will not have Bhakti.

So, when we say Acharyas, what does Acharya mean? Not university professors. They are teaching. They are not real Acharya.

Who is the Acharya here? The person himself is practising it whole life. That is why he is called an Acharya. That's why I said Ramakrishna was behaving like an ordinary devotee.

He used to go to the temple and he gives his chappal there. With humility, he goes and makes ashtanga pranams. Then he takes charanamruta, then he takes a fan, and then goes on fanning.

Then some flowers he will offer, again he will fan. And when coming down, he receives prasada again. Was it necessary for him? Why is he doing it? Whatever, what is called behaviour, a great soul shows to other people.

Other people follow. This is an age of imitation. Especially, you know, children.

And Swami asked him, "Do you read any books?" He said, "Swami, I read many books." "What is the name of the book?" "Stardust." So, this is what he said.

Jnana comes because of what is bhakti here. This book is real shastra. That bhakti will make him ready.

Then he reads with that understanding. He reads that book. The moment he reads that book, then immediately he will get that jnana.

What is the jnana? Everybody is a child of God and they should only have devotion to God, nothing else. This knowledge he gets from the book. The moment he gets that knowledge, naturally he is also going to develop it.

This is what we are doing here. How do you know how to develop bhakti? This is the book. This book is giving knowledge about bhakti.

Then we believe this is an authentic book. That means it is telling the truth only. This is how, without bhakti there would be no shraddha.

Without shraddha, there would be no belief in that knowledge. And without knowledge, there would be no devotion. So devotion helps knowledge.

Knowledge also helps the devotion. Parasparam bhavayantah. "Anyo anyo anyo asho yathvam iti."

Anye. Anye. Other teachers, Acharyas, what they proclaim is, bhakti follows jnanam, and jnanam follows bhakti.

Generally that is true also. Generally that is true. You read the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.

Then you get knowledge. What is the knowledge? God alone is the real object. Everything else is temporary.

This knowledge we get from reading. So that knowledge leads us, "Oh, there is a God, and He is our real Mother and Father, and He alone can protect us, save us and grant whatever boons we want," and then we develop the... That is why Venkateshwara Mahatmyam. Venkateshwara temple is there, and nobody knows about His greatness.

Do you think people will go and bow down to Him? They just go there, and then...

Story of the Two Friends and Kali Temple

Funny story is there to illustrate this. Two people were walking, two friends were walking in a forest. One was an Astika believer, one was a Nastika.

So when they were walking in a narrow path, suddenly they saw an old Kali temple. Old Kali temple. So the Nastika saw it is all very old, it looks nobody had ever entered that one for a long time, and it is grown full of trees, and very dirty, and full of stones, etc.

So he did not believe, like that he spat, and he passed away. But the other one, Astika, said, "Mother Kali! Walking in the forest, who knows what is going to happen." So he bowed down like that.

From the path itself he bowed down. The mother, she stretched her hand, slapped, gave him one slap. This fellow asked, "What for?" She said, "Is this the way to bow down to me? You have to come inside, and then properly bow down.

From a distance you are doing like that." This fellow asked, "Ma, I want to ask you a question." She said, "Yes." "At least I bowed down.

The other fellow, he spat and walked away. You did not do anything to him." Then mother said, "What can I do? He doesn't believe I exist.

Only when you believe, God can do something, isn't it?" So this is the truth, we have to have knowledge of God through scriptures, through satsanga, through ashramas, through guru, and that will slowly reinforce our faith in God, and then faith in God also increases our knowledge of God, and then again that increases our devotion.

Narada's View on Bhakti as Self-Generating

Then 30th verse, "Iti brahma kumaraha." Here Brahma Kumara means Narada. Narada is supposed to be Brahma Kumara.

He was created first. Then, what are the sadhanas for increasing our devotion? Some people say, first you must have knowledge, then you will have bhakti. Then some others say, "You must have devotion, then that will purify your heart.

With this you get more firm knowledge, and knowledge will increase in itself." So bhakti increases knowledge, knowledge increases bhakti, both help each other. That is what, this is the general truth.

You see, you want your very truth. You want to make your muscles very strong. What do you do? You go to the gym.

Then what do you do? You take 100 kg weight. Did you do that? What do you do? You take half a kg weight, and then for few times you do like that. When you do for few times like that, then easily you can lift half a kg.

Then another 10 grams you are able to lift. And then after few days, so you do exercise, you become strong. You become strong, you can lift better things.

So slowly, as you go on practising, your muscles become strong, then you are able to lift. And the moment you lift more, then you are, you know, lift more, your muscles become even strong, more strong. Like that, one day you will be able to lift something.

This is called Paraspara bhavayantah. This helps that, that helps this. In the beginning, you don't have that much.

So start visiting Ashramas, and then do japa, etc. Slowly knowledge will come into you. Then, what is the Narada's definition? That is, he says, you don't need Jnana, you don't need anything else.

If you go on practising Bhakti, Bhakti itself will lead you to more Bhakti. More Bhakti leads to still more Bhakti. Still more Bhakti leads into still more Bhakti.

How does it help? So, one illustration I will give. Imagine there is a room, there is a window, and there is plenty of light outside. But now thing, it is so dirty, now light is coming inside.

One day you decide, "Now I must have more light in my room." What will you do? Take a piece of cloth, in one corner you clean the dirt. The moment you clean one inch of that window, some light starts coming.

What does that light reveal to you? More dirt. With that, you clean a little more. And the more light comes, it reveals more dirt.

The more dirt you clean, more light comes. So Bhakti, go on practising Bhakti. Bhakti itself cleans the heart.

The more you clean the heart, the more Bhakti. And the more Bhakti, you clean a little more, and more Bhakti. One day the whole window is completely clean.

And then I am able to see, "O Lord, You are my mother, You are my father, You are my Guru, You are my everything. Natha tumi sarvasva hama." That is the feeling also.

So, "Svayam phala roopata iti brahma kumaraha."

Three Examples of Innate Nature

"Rajagriha bhojana adhisha patheva drishtantaha." "Atha raja paritoshaha, kshuchchandita, tasmat saiva grakhya mokshudhi."

Now, some examples are being given. What is the example? What is the meaning of these three sutras? That you are already a potential Bhakta. Each soul is potentially... Instead of divine, use this word.

Each soul is potential Bhakta. And it is true. Who is not a Bhakta of oneself? Already we are the greatest Bhaktas.

Who is the greatest Bhakta of ourselves? Me. I am the greatest Bhakta of me. From morning till evening, what am I doing? Nothing but devoting my whole life for my own pleasure, isn't it? I get up early in the morning, what am I doing? For whose sake? For your sake or for my sake? For my own sake.

So, why for my own sake? Because one day you stop cleaning your teeth, then all the fellows will run away. So, I don't want them to run away. That's why I clean my hands, so that I will remain healthy.

Ramana Maharshi's Teaching on Image Worship

That's a beautiful incident. One day a person was sitting in front of Ramana Maharshi. And he was advising Ramana Maharshi that people should be told not to worship images.

Then this Ramana Maharshi smiled and said, "Who is not an image worshipper? Idolater. Who is not an idolater? Image worshipper." Then he explained.

"See, first we get up early in the morning, six o'clock. What is it? Bed coffee, bed coffee. Then afterwards breakfast, idli, chutney, sambar, dosa, etc.

After ten o'clock, again one cup of coffee. Twelve o'clock. Then three o'clock, four o'clock.

Then again in the evening. And nine o'clock. From morning till evening, who is serving whom? We are serving this murti.

This is the greatest idol. We think we are that idol. From morning till evening, who is not worshipping the idol? And ceremoniously, we give abhishek.

What ceremoniously means, all the wonderful French scents, French soaps, and the best soaps, the best scents, the best shampoos, the best... You go to the bathroom, it is full of this only. You go to the puja room, not even one small spray. It is all there for whose sake? For worshipping this?"

So then we dress like we dress our Thakur Maharaj, like that. Then ladies also will make garlands, and nicely put. Then agar-agar. Then kum-kum.

It is a big, big matter. Everything, from morning till evening, who is worshipping whom? I am worshipping my own murti. And this fellow comes and advises, "God should not be worshipped in murtis."

You are the... Until the other God comes, who is the greatest God? I am the greatest God. You understand? That fellow, see, he will shut his mouth afterwards, he never...

So this is what we are doing. And we are talking that we should not worship any idols. It is far better to worship that kind of idols. At least a little bit of less attention to us, and more attention. See?

And graphically describe. You offer the best prasada to God. Why? Why? Because afterwards, who is going to eat? And I want to eat the best thing. Suppose I eat very ordinary sweet, then who is supposed to eat with great regret later on? I don't want.

That's why when I say I am offering with great devotion, I have nothing to do with God. Ultimately, prasada comes only to me, karma phala comes only to me. So what am I talking about?

We are all potential... We are all potential jnanis. We are all potential karmayogis. We are all potential rajayogis. But through proper practice, we bring it out.

That is what he wants to say. Three examples.

First Example: The Lost Prince

So what is this three? Once, one prince, he was lost in a forest.

One day, the king has taken his small child to the forest, and somehow the child was lost. He was found by a forester. And the forester, seeing nobody is there, brings him up.

And then after some time, the raja was sending people to find out, and then after many years, he finds out, the father and mother are looking like, you know, blackish and all that. This fellow is fair and like a prince. "How could this child be your child?" Then they understood by certain signs, that he was actually a prince only.

And then he was taken. And then after some time, he became the king. This is the example.

What is the example for? Even when he was with his father, he was the future king. Even when he was lost and being brought up, he had not lost his kingship, but he did not know. Neither the forester knew, nor the child knew, but he was king only.

So when the knowledge came, somebody came and brought him back here. Did he become newly king? Or just he was a king, it was hidden, now that cover is removed, and all that he was before, now he became what he was. This is what he wants to say, that we are not newly going to become devotees, we are already devotees, but ajnana has come.

This samsara is like a forest, our parents are like foresters. And then they did not know, we also did not know, after some time the Guru comes and says, "You are a devotee of God, what are you doing here?" And then he will give it. So is the Guru giving a new knowledge? He is only removing the ajnana.

And then I come to know, "Yes, there is an eternal relationship between God and me, because I came from God, therefore I belong to God," and so it is called Bhakti. This is the example.

Second Example: The Returning Traveler

So the second example is, one fellow, he was enjoying his house, then one day he had to go on some business, to a distant land.

So for about six months he could not come. And then he came back. And then he started enjoying his home again.

All these six months when he was away, he was only thinking, "Where am I? And I was in that home, how happy I was, how nicely my mother, my wife etc. cooked such nice things. Here we have to eat boiled carrots, boiled cabbage," understand, "boiled, a little bit of salt and pepper, medium rare, and all those things.

How much you torture, no idli, no dosha, no all those things." And then all the time he was thinking. So when he comes home, he just takes off his shoes.

What is the example for? In between, a small obstruction came, but he never got anything new, he was already accustomed to it, this ajnana had come, and so again this ajnana is removed, and he was home, and he just resumes as if he never left the home.

Third Example: Satisfaction from Food

Bhojana adishu. So similarly the example is given, bhojana adishu means, a person gets immense satisfaction by eating, and one day he could not eat, so he was not able to get that satisfaction.

The moment he ate food, again he became completely satisfied. What is this example for? Same example, that the triti, the happiness, the man is getting from this bhojana, etc., is exactly the same, only for a short time, for some reason he was missing it, and again he resumes.

So all these three examples are meant to tell us one point, what is that point? That you are a potential bhakta, you can't help being a potential bhakta, do you know why? If we believe it is the God who created, so if God can create, He can create from whom? From Himself.

Therefore, if we are all received from Him only, then our nature will be only Him. Meanwhile, we developed some attachment to the world, we forgot that we are children of God, and then somebody comes and says, "Shrunvantu vishve amrutasya putra," and then, "Oh, I am Amruta Putra." He has not become newly.

The man came, he said, "You are Amruta Putra," and you became Amruta Putra. You are not an Amruta Putra, but you became an Amruta Putra. Is it like that? You were Amruta Putra, you forgot about it, now this person removed, he did not make you Amruta Putra, he merely removed the ignorance, he removed that wrong memory, and then you became what you already were.

This is Indian concept of moksha. You don't get moksha, you are already moksha, but you did not know about it. The Guru doesn't give you moksha, God doesn't give you moksha, He simply removes the obstacle to moksha.

These three beautiful examples, we will discuss it in a minute. "Na te raja paritosho kshuchchantir va" - neither the king is pleased because he became a king, nor a person eating food newly becomes satisfied. But beautiful, a little bit we will discuss in the next class.

Closing Prayer