Narada Bhakti Sutras Lecture 24 Su.35-37 on 12-March-2019
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 Joy of Acharyas and Their Singing
Tasyāḥ sādhanāni gāyanti ācāryāḥ [Su.35]
Acharyas are singing the glories, singing because singing is always an activity of joy and happiness. If it is prose, that means the man may not be so happy, but if it is joy, dancing and singing come automatically and naturally. So, there are so many Acharyas.
Why so many? Because so many people adopted so many methodologies and they attained God. So, earlier also we have seen, some people delight in doing puja, some people delight in listening to the stories of Bhagavan, and some people want to offer everything to God. They want to offer everything to God.
The Suffering of Forgetfulness and the Joy of Remembrance
nāradas tu tad-arpitākhilācāratā tad-vismaraṇe parama-vyākulateti [Su.19]
One second's forgetfulness of God produces the greatest amount of suffering—unbearable suffering. That means it is an encouragement that you do this one, like that. But can we understand how much happiness a real devotee is getting? Sri Ramakrishna, just by listening to the name of God, used to go into Samadhi.
Samadhi means intense, indescribable happiness is called Samadhi. He forgets everything. So, he used to talk about Krishna.
The Story of Prahlada and Krishna's Name
One day Sri Ramakrishna was talking about Sri Krishna. The story came from Prahlada. So, Prahlada could not utter the word Krishna—"Ka"—like that. Immediately he went into Samadhi. Well, Sri Ramakrishna also belonged to that category. He need not utter the whole word.
Ramana Maharshi and the Mother's Prasada
Everything is associated with God. Even Ramana Maharshi, one day somebody brought some Mother's prasada. Some devotee came and said, "Bhagwan, I have brought prasada from Mother."
Immediately the tears flow down automatically. He could not control his emotion. He looked at somebody else and said, "See, Mother has come."
Prasada means not something belonging to Mother. Mother herself has come. Annapurna means any Anna is Annapurna.
The Sanctity of Prasada
That is why it is a vrata.
Annam na nindyāt tad vratam [Ta. Upa. Ch3 Verse 7]
Food should not be—anything that is eatable should not be criticized. And especially after Brahmarpanam. Because Brahmarpanam means you have offered it to God. It has become God. That is why it is called prasada.
Just imagine, Naga Mahashaya - even if a leaf touches prasada, he will eat the leaf also. But you have to think a little more. Suppose he has been given Prasad.
The Example of Poisoned Prasada
Suppose somebody has put hydrochloric acid in that food, unknowingly, and offered it to God. It has been brought out. Now it is given to him as Prasad.
What do you think he will do? He will eat. That is what Meerabai had done. Her husband or her husband's brother, they sent...
Viṣ kaa pyaalaa raaṇaa jee ne bhejaa, peevat meeraa haansee re [Meerabai bhajan: Pag Ghungaroo Bandh]
He smiled. "My God, what is the problem? First of all, nothing happens without the will of God. If my Lord wants this body to go, I will do anything for His pleasure." That is the idea.
Because if He wants to kill me, why does He want to kill me? He must be getting some happiness out of it. If He wants to keep me, He must be getting some happiness out of this. Do you understand what I am talking? No.
True Devotion Defined
Suppose the devotee is suffering, and he says, "Oh Krishna, how long would you want me to suffer?" And Shri Krishna says, "No, no, you go on suffering. I am very happy with that." You understand now what I am telling? So for His pleasure, I will do anything.
It doesn't matter how much I am suffering. If He is happy, I am happy. That is the real true devotion.
The Nature of Bhagavad Gita
That is called gāyanti ācāryāḥ. That is why it is called Gita. Why it is called Bhagavad Gita? Because whatever comes out of God, only from Ananda's mouth, whatever comes will be only Ananda.
That is why Bhagavan is of the nature of Ananda, bliss. So whatever comes out of His mouth will be only blissful. So that is the 34th Sutra.
The 35th Sutra: Three Types of Attachment
Tat tu viṣayāt tyāgāt saṅgāt tyāgāt [Su. 35]
Tatt means that Parama Bhakti. Vishaya Tyagat, Sanga Tyagat. So two words, and one after the other. You can't change them.
According to Ramanujacharya, he has given a beautiful analysis of attachment.
He has said three types of attachment:
- First type of attachment is to the Karmapala
- Second attachment is to the Karma
- Third type of attachment is to Ahamkara
And the grossest is Karmapala. Still subtler is Karma. And the highest, deepest attachment is to Ahamkara. That is the last one. That is why it is called Sharanagati.
The Story of Rabiya - Ultimate Surrender
Sharanagati has nothing to do with anything external. That I will not be there. It is you. Not I, it is you. There was a great Sufi saint called Rabiya. Some of her sayings are extraordinary.
So, on one occasion she told like this. She prayed, "O Lord, if I am loving you in hope that you will make me go to heaven, then burn heaven, exclude me from heaven. If I am praying you so that you will save me from hell, then you push me into hell.
But if I love you just for your sake, then do not keep me away from you." You understand what she said? "I am not worshipping you to get something out of you. I just want to love you."
So that's why she said, "You want to put me in hell, I am very happy. But don't stop me loving you. So, do you want me to be away from heaven? Don't give me heaven. Put me in hell. I am quite happy."
The Prayer for Eternal Love
That is what Kurukshetra also did. So, if my bad karma, purva-jama karma-phala, makes me deserve to become an insect, you give me the life of an insect. But the only prayer of mine is that let me never forget you, let me not stop loving you, even as an insect.
"No, no, you don't give me moksha. You make me born in any life, for any length of time. If you want eternally, let me be an insect, but let me not lose love of You."
The Psychology of Attachment
Now, psychologically, it is wonderful because suppose an insect forgets itself in loving God, will it be an insect? A person is in prison, and this person is always in samadhi. Where is he? He is here. Suppose somebody is in palace, he is always thinking only wrong things, then he will be in hell. He is always unhappy, like that.
So, our mind is important.
The Nature of Bhakti
So, how do we attain to that? What is bhakti? Already it is said that intense attachment to God is called bhakti. That is Prahlad's prayer. We discussed it earlier. What is it? We don't need to pray for bhakti. Bhakti means what? Attachment.
We already have attachment, but to the wrong things. Excepting God, we have attachment to everything else. Yes, a little bit of attachment also, we have got to our old pillow.
The Psychology of Familiar Things
Did you understand what I said? I am talking about psychology. When I use such words, you have to understand there is a meaning behind it. Say, supposing you go to some new place, maybe friend, maybe hotel, anywhere, and they will give you fresh linen, fresh bedsheet and fresh pillow cover, everything.
Some people can't sleep. They require the old smells. But as soon as they come back, one month old pillow, bedsheet, there is our smell there. We feel at home. I am safe. So, this is the psychology.
The babies, they can recognize mother's smell. So, if a mother is away for some reason, and baby is becoming very restless, all that they need... In Russia, they discovered this. So, they bring some old cloths worn by the mother, and they bundle the baby.
Immediately, it starts smelling. So, let anybody take the baby, it doesn't matter. Immediately, she calls her sister.
This is the power of association. How much we are slaves to all those things.
Understanding True Bhakti
So, what is bhakti? Intense attachment only to one thing, and that is called God. But we have attachment. What is the problem? It is not for one thing. It is so many things.
So, how many instruments we have? Body and mind. So, bodily comfort. We want to see good things.
The Relativity of Good Things
Good things means... Here also, you have to understand what is a good thing. That which gives us happiness is a good thing. Suppose a fellow loves dry fish, and he is not getting dry fish for several days, and suddenly one day he is going, and then he gets the fragrance.
You understand? He goes near, and a huge amount of fish is being dried there. The moment he smells, he is in heaven. The moment he beholds, he is in heaven.
So, what is the good side here now? This is a practical thing I am telling you. We are all slaves to it. So, you go to North India, they are all giving North Indian food. Suddenly, one day they will take you to a restaurant where there is both North Indian food and also South Indian food. What will you do? Straight beeline to the South Indian food, isn't it? And that can be distinguished by smell. Only by smell.
So, everybody chooses. We are all smelly people. This is the truth. Big truth is there. I am not going to go into it. The whole cosmetic industry, especially fragrance, has something to do with chemicals, produced by both men and women.
The Potential for Bhakti
Okay. So, all the attachment is already there. Each soul is a potential bhakta, a potential jnani, a potential karmi, a potential yogi.
But what is the problem? Most of us, this potential bhakti is diverted to various objects. So, what is the way? Now, we have to get rid of that attachment. Otherwise, it won't be available for me.
And then direct it towards God. But it is not easy to... This attachment is very subtle. But the object to which attachment goes, that is gross.
The Practice of Gradual Detachment
So, if we can avoid it slowly... That is why they say, Ekadashi, you do upavasa. And when people go on pilgrimage, and they also... There is a rule. You have to give up to what you are attached to, very deeply.
Anyway, what is the point? It is easier to give up external things slowly, and then when we are capable of, yes, I can live without that, then tackle with the attachment.
Attachment is subtler, but giving up the external object is much easier. So, that is Vishaya Tyaga, then Sanga Tyaga.
Ramanuja's Three-Step Analysis
So, I was mentioning Ramanuja's Karma Yoga, consists of giving up attachment. You do your duties with the best of your intelligence, energy, efficiency, and then you are safe. So, this is the first thing that you need to do. That is called Karma pala sangat tyaga.
Then comes the next one. I will give illustration also. The actions themselves, we are attached to actions themselves, and then comes, finally, Ahamkara tyaga.
That is the final, three steps:
- Lowest step is to give up the Karmapala sangat
- A little higher step is Karma Sangat
- Ahamkara Sangat
We have to give up these three.
Illustration of the Three Attachments
So, supposing there is an ashrama like this, and there is one swami. He is asked to look after, say, a garden, and he is very efficient.
If he is really a Karma Yogi, that would be really efficient, not for duty's sake. Really he takes interest, and he studies, and then he gets everything, grows the garden beautifully well, and then he gets attached. If anybody, including the head of the center, wants to pluck, "No, no, no, don't pluck."
Like that he can tell. He doesn't want to. You admire from a distance. Admire what? Beauty. No, no. The person who made the beauty. This swami is wonderful, wonderful. The moment you see a flower, this swami is wonderful. The moment you see the fruit, wonderful. You see a vegetable, wonderful. Like that, you have to see.
The Story of Sureshanand Swami
Or Sureshanand Swami, what a marvelous gardener he was. From Kanyakumari, Kanyakumari, Kanyakumari, exotic fruits and flowers he can bring and do it. He has that interest.
So, that is the first thing. If he is a little bit advanced, say, "This is Thakur's. It doesn't belong to me. I am only just a caretaker, that's all."
So then, he will not fail. But he loves gardening work. Suppose he is told, "Go and sit in the yard."
"So many years I have been doing this gardening work and I am familiar with it. I have seen it so many times." People get attached to particular actions.
The Pujari's Story
So, one person was there, Swami. He was given puja work. After that he rebelled. "What is this puja? Every day I have to get up at three o'clock, take bath, whether winter season or summer season is okay, but winter season it is difficult."
So, he finally gave notice to the head of the center. "Either you give me some other work, or I will not stay here."
And then the head was not willing. So, he applied for a transfer, with the condition, he will not do puja. So, one center, Swami assured him, "Okay, we will give you some other work, not puja. You come."
So, happily this man wound up all his things and went there. And just two or three days before, that local pujari became sick.
Then the head said, "Bhai, I know I promised you not to give puja, but the pujari is sick. But for a few days, you do this puja. As soon as he recovers, he goes."
So, then he could not say No, because Thakur will get angry, it's Thakur's puja. So, he agreed, very nearly. And then after three days, the pujari did not get well.
So, he said, "I need some break." And then he said, "Fifteen days leave I will take, I will go and recover and come back." He never came back.
Now, the man said, "What can I do?" And the man said, "What can I do? I prayed to Thakur. And then, I was promised, I will not be given this work." This is called karma.
We are all victims to this karma. Sometimes we like, sometimes we don't like.
Personal Preference for Library Work
So, what am I talking about? Attachment, there is no attachment for the karma phala, but there is attachment for the type of work.
Some people like library work. I used to like library work immensely, because it gives me opportunity to go through all these various books and all that you see there. And if somebody asks, give advice, "What books do you recommend for this subject, and this subject," I can tell these people.
So, that is the attachment to work. But a spiritual person should not have attachment. One minute, "OK, you do puja." Second minute, "You go and work in the garden." Third minute, "You go and work in the office." Fourth, "You go and give a lecture." And fifth, "You come and sit in meditation." We should be ready.
This is the ideal type of person dreamed by Swami Vivekananda. That's why he specifically mentioned, this is the ideal of Karma Yoga, this type of person.
Attachment to Places and People
OK, this is somehow, a person doesn't have attachment to the fruits, a person doesn't have attachment to the work itself, and then we also get attached to the place, to the person. "I was so happy here, because Bangalore devotees, you know, such loving devotees," then I said, "That is not good. I have not come here for the loving attachment of devotees. I want God, not the devotees." So, it's one of the reasons why I accepted a change.
Anyway, wherever I go, fate will be there. Yeah, some people will gather. That is the... Devotees only. Devotees only. I will not care for non-devotees. Only, I said, the exception is, if the devotees are bad cooks, and non-devotees are good cooks, I prefer that one, because I don't want to suffer.
The Ultimate Attachment - Ego
OK. So, the ultimate attachment is to our egotism, ahankara. "I, I". "I am a devotee of God."
This is the biggest ahankara. And that is why Narada comes there, invariably he will put a person, an ahankari, even good devotees, Narada himself, Narada himself.
The Trap of Spiritual Pride
Anyway, first let me finish this one. So, he becomes, what is the last bondage? "That I, I am a great devotee. I am doing japa so many times, seniority question comes, when did you get initiation? Ah, three years back, oh, very nice, very nice." Indirectly meaning, "I got initiation 25 years ago."
"Who must be more spiritual? I must be more spiritual, because since 25 years I have been doing, paying the premium, for the Interloka Insurance Company."
So, these are the delusions, pitfalls, maya we fall into. We should be very careful.
Testing True Devotion
"Am I a devotee of God?" I gave him one day a talk. Then, "How do I take other people's criticism? How do I take the ups and downs that are normal in life? Somebody dies suddenly."
The thing is, how do we take, if we are true devotees of God, how do we take such a thing? If somebody supplies rasagullas, how do we take it? That is also important. Will you forget God while eating rasagulla? Will you forget God? Will you remember God?
So, anything absent, more importantly, doubts. Tragedy can happen. A young girl, just married, and her husband died. This is a daily happening. A young husband, just married a few days back, and his wife died.
And one marriage party was going on in Kabul, Americans were born there, and there were some 40-50 people who died there, and this bride and bridegroom died, or only the bridegroom died. Take the fate of this, if it is a Hindu girl, in those days. Now, of course, they can remarry, and all those things.
I am telling all these tragedies. How does a devotee take it? How should he take it? He or she, who should he take?
The Test of Non-Criticism
So, does the devotee waste his time criticizing other people? If I am criticizing other people, then I am not a devotee of God. Far from it. I am disobeying Holy Mother's command.
So, this is how analysis should be done, on a day-to-day basis, hour-to-hour basis, minute-to-minute basis. Sometimes we may not do it externally, but in the mind, we look down.
Our mind should be thoroughly cleansed in every way of life. So, that is more important.
The Process of Detachment
So, this is what we analyzed here. Tattva, Vishayat Yaga, Sangat Yaga. The ultimate test is Sangat Yaga. Vishayat Yaga, anybody can do it. In fact, sometimes health will do it.
Here is a person, very fond of sweets. And one day, the doctor himself tells, "That you give up sweets." Then the person has no option of giving up sweets.
So, Vishayat Yaga is done. That is why Sangat Yaga is done. If God, if tomorrow, suddenly Swami Dayatmananda discovers, sugar-free, completely sugar-free sweets, whom do you think he worships? God or me?
Yes, we are all people like that. So, Sangat Yaga is very difficult.
The Psychology of Desire - Bhagavad Gita's Teaching
That is why in the Bhagavad Gita, there is a deep psychology. Even if a person is away from enjoyable objects for many days, then the memory of that object will not be there.
But the memory of the rasa, "It was such a wonderful..." that will he cannot forget. The moment that object comes, even after 50 years, immediately the mind will, that old memories will wake up, he will go and swallow it and do these things.
The Seed Analogy
Sri Ramakrishna used to say, to illustrate this one, sometimes some buildings will be dilapidated, especially in the villages and other places, dilapidated. 40 years, 50 years, even 100 years, something like that.
So some seeds have fallen there. They are lying for 100 years, but somehow that pillar falls and the seed touches the ground and then rain comes, immediately it sprouts.
The Harappa Discovery
You know what happened? Harappa-Majumdara discovery, you know that? These anthropologists, they have discovered a huge new civilization in Punjab. Now it is in Pakistan. It is called Harappa and Mahamjadara.
So while they were digging, they found a huge city, well laid out city, with all sewage canals, sewage bathrooms and everything. So they discovered some lotus seeds. That means they were growing lotuses.
So now it is almost 4,000 years. So they wanted to find out whether these seeds are dead. So the moment they put it, within 6 months, that means the seeds, so long as the seeds are there, it will come up.
The slightest opportunity, it will come like that. So that is where Rasavarjam, that rasa means that ananda, experience. "It was wonderful, that was marvelous," that memory will not go.
The Story of Vishwamitra
And then when the opportunity comes, first opportunity comes, like that Vishwamitra. He had fallen. Why he had not fallen earlier? Because nobody disturbed him.
For 1,000 years nobody disturbed him. Then Indra wanted to show him, "My child, this is not the way to do tapasya. You are closing your eyes to all the poison that you are storing within yourself."
This is how you have to interpret. Otherwise Indra is not an enemy of human beings. Especially, he said, "Indra is frightened of his throne."
Like now Modi is frightened of his throne. So all the opposite parties, bhai-bhai, they have become bhai-bhai.
The Purpose of Temptation
So, Vishwamitra wanted moksha. But, inside he has not conquered the attachment to the world, woman. Especially, kamabhava. So Indra, he wanted to point out, like a mirror, "You look at your face, there are so many spots out there. You think you are spotless."
So he sent some woman. And then as soon as the woman came, danced, immediately fell.
Why did he fall? I told you this story so many times. A child would not have fallen. A child would not fall.
The Child's Different Interest
Because a child would fall for something else. We say, you know, besides Vishwamitra, just imagine, a child is also sitting there. The child is also watching with big eyes.
He is looking at every woman. "Where is that chocolate packet?" That is the interest. "Where is this lady hiding the chocolate packet? Dancing is okay. Singing is tolerable. But what I want, where is she keeping?"
Suppose no chocolate comes at the end of the dance. "What a useless woman you are."
He will judge the person only by what he is interested in. So everybody will be interested.
A Humorous Story About Chandramani Devi
Anyway, funny story. I can't resist telling it to you. Chandramani Devi, she had this Ram Kumar. And Ram Kumar went for a puja.
On a Lakshmi Puja day. After Durga Puja, immediately Lakshmi Puja comes. It is called Kaujagar Lakshmi Puja, Poornima.
So then he went to a next village and he was not coming. Already the moon is shining like that. Chandramani Devi was going out, watching and coming out, watching and coming out.
You know, he has to come through that pathway only. A few times she went out. Every time she was disappointed.
Then she again went and she saw the most beautiful woman. She was coming nearby. So, what was her quest? She wants to know what happened to her son.
The Distraction of Beauty
So the moment she saw, this lady was wearing beautiful ornaments. See, this is the psychology. Then there were two ornaments like this. They were called Kundala. Karna Kundala. Karna had that Kundala.
Karna Kundala. Indra came and then cut off his hair and gave. So this Chandramani Devi, "My child, what are those two?" So that lady explained, "This is called Kundala," like that.
And then only she remembered that she was looking not for Karna Kundala, but for Ram Kumar. And then she asked, "Where is my son?"
Common sense, who is this lady? Where from she is coming? Whether she is coming from this village, from the next village, from the other village. Where is she coming from? And she is asking, what is the connection, relationship between this lady and her son?
So that lady also replied, "I am coming from the same house. Pooja got a little bit delayed. Very soon you will meet. He is starting. I came before."
The Realization
Then only the thought process came. "This is full moonlit night. And this young lady, in those days young ladies would not be with full ornaments. It is an open invitation for anybody. Even female robbers also. It is an open invitation."
You understand what I am talking about? Suppose a robber is coming. And that holy mother has confronted one robber. His wife also was there. So imagine, she is the Mrs. Robber.
And then she sees this kind of lady. Suppose the husband says, "Poor thing, she must be in some distress. She is going away." This lady will take a knife. "Just now go cut off all those ornaments. Otherwise I will cut your head off."
You understand now? Each one is interested in her own vision.
The Lesson of Vishwamitra's Fall
So, Mishra Mitra understood. He had fallen by that time. Why did he fall? Because he did not know that such a desire was there hiding and waiting like a seed, dry seed waiting for a drop of rain.
The moment the lady appeared, the desire had come up. But then he was a great soul. He did tapasya for long. Immediately he understood, "I should not have fallen." Then again he went back. And then another thousand years.
And then again the same ladies came. Why the same ladies? Because no new stock is there. He has got the same Rambha, Urvashi, Tilottama, like that.
The Second Test - Pride
So this time he did not fall for desire. This time Ahamkara was hurt. "What? You came again to tempt me? How dare you do it?" He became very angry.
And because of his anger and tapasya, those ladies, they became bhasma. And then tapasya is gone. Then again he has to do it.
The Third Test - True Detachment
Third time they came. Third time. Because they won't die, you know. Yes. Then this time he smiled, "You go on dancing, you go on singing. I will enjoy it. But I am not affected by it."
Then Brahmadeva had no option.
The Story of Nara and Narayana
So why I am telling same stock? So this is the tricks Indra was supposed to play. The same trick. Russians want to rest American secrets. They will do all this.
Rambha, Purva, Shruti, Tilottama, they will send to all these presidents. What is his name? Trump. No, no.
That old times, that man. Trump? Who will go to Trump? After seeing his face, even Rakshaji is observing Rakshaji. He must be handsome.
You know the other president, Nixon? Not Nixon. Earlier. Obama. No, no, no. That fellow who... Clinton. Clinton. Clinton.
So they will send some... Maybe these Russians have sent. Who knows? Then he will blurt out the secrets. "We are developing this weapon. We are planning like this."
He might tell. Technique is same. Not changing. Kama or Kanchana. Only these two. Indra also had to use the same thing.
The Divine Response
So Nara and Narayana were doing Tapasya in Padri Narayana. That's why it's called Padri Narayana. And then this Indra, he did not understand. They are Gods. Incarnations. So they sent.
So they came and danced. And sang. And Narayana, Nara and Narayana. So Narayana, they were watching with great delight, growing delight. So the ladies thought, "We are successful. They will fall."
Like that. At the end of the dance, they have to stop. They also get tired.
Then Narayana called one of them, leaders and said, "So like this it is." And million times more beautiful, latest fashionable stock came out of it. "With my compliments. Take her to Indra."
Who is that? Urvasi. Uru. Uru means Toda. So she is born out of the Uru. So she was called Urvasi.
So now he has got one more stock. So next time, and somebody there. Like that.
The Spiritual Law of Desire
So all this God's grace comes in the form of temptations. If there is a desire, then we will fall. If there is no desire, we won't fall.
So it is to make us know what is our problem. The problem is not out there. So this is the great spiritual law.
If there is no desire here, no object is attractive for us. This is the simple truth.
The Food Analogy
And how to understand it? Many illustrations are given. One simple illustration. When you are hungry at 12:30, you go and eat food up to here. After that, there is no desire for food for some hours.
So after that, at night you will feel again hungry. But immediately after that, even if somebody offers the same food, you don't feel like eating because the desire is not there.
But for a great soul, this desire is absent forever because he has plucked it out.
Understanding the Nature of Desire
Now how to understand that? Every desire is a desire not for the object. This is important for you to understand. It is not a desire for any object.
It is a desire for the pleasure that one gets from the object. If the object doesn't give pleasure, then there will be no attachment. So that is why many marriages fail because the person thinks that we can be very happy here.
But after some time, there is some incompatibility, some problem will be there, and then they won't get... not only they won't get happiness, they are getting more unhappiness. Then they think whether we should live separately, divorce, and all these things are happening. In Hindu society also it is happening now.
Previously it was a shame for the family, especially for the girl's family.
The Path to True Devotion
Anyway, coming back to our subject, if somebody wants to be a devotee, it is impossible to become a bhakta without giving up sangha. We saw in Narada history, Vishayat Yaga, first you give up the objects, easier.
Then you give up the attachment. But then you come back again to the... if there are objects, if there is no attachment, so long as they are there, if they are there, okay. If they are not there, okay, it doesn't bother me.
The Example of Great Souls
Like, you know, great souls, like say Rampalji, somebody brings nice sweet, it's okay, offer it to mother and eat it as prasad. Suppose sweet is not available, that is okay. Anything that sustains the body, absolutely fine.
So this is what we have to understand, that divine love can be obtained only first by keeping away from the objects of attachment.
Defining What Constitutes an Object
So what is an object here? How do you understand what is an object? That which distances us from God is an object. But if the object is there, but it is not an obstruction, so there is...
This is illustrated by one of our Swamis. See, here is a young woman, very beautiful woman. She will be an object of temptation for any man. But she has got a baby, say two years, three years old baby.
For the baby, the baby loves the mother, but she is not an object of temptation. So there is tremendous love, at the same time, this kind of attachment is not there, pain is not there. You understand?
So the object is not a problem, attachment is a problem.
The Example of Sri Krishna
So let there be hundreds of such objects. The greatest example for this is Sri Krishna. He had 16,000 wives, but he is called a naishtika brahmachari, unbroken brahmachari.
Why? Because his mind is always on God. And what is the problem? If an object turns our attention from God to ordinary worldly things, makes us forget God, that is a problem. But here, let there be a billion objects, but he will not be distracted.
On the other hand, he will only see more, they remind him more of God only. That is the nature of a devotee. For a devotee, every object reminds him of God only.
Divine Association in Everything
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Experience
Like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he was one day walking in a village, somebody told, "This is the clay from which coal is laid." One, like that. Immediately he went into samadhi.
He remembered, coal is used in singing God's name. God's name means Krishna's name. Krishna's name, immediately Krishna. Krishna's name means Krishna. Finished.
Kadamba, tree. Here is a tree, yellow flower. So Radha, the moment she sees that yellow, she will remember, Peetha, Usheya Vastram, like that. See, Shri Krishna wears yellow cloth.
Immediately, she is reminded, not of the tree, but of Krishna's colour. Goes into samadhi.
Sri Ramakrishna's Divine Vision
See Ramakrishna, one day he was describing to his disciples, he was walking, and he saw, there was a small beddi, pure yellow colour.
"So this is the colour of Radha, Radha's body." And then, because Radha reminded him of Krishna, and he went into samadhi. And he started shedding tears.
"Oh Krishna, where are you?" He forgot, he was describing Krishna to his darshana, Krishna to disciples. He forgot the whole word. "Oh Krishna, where are you? Why don't I see you?"
This is called association.
Uninterrupted Divine Practice
So, then, after sangha, becomes less. Avyavruta bhajanat, bhajanat means singing the divine name. Of God.
Avyavruta means uninterrupted. Like the oil being poured from one vessel to the other vessel. That is where we had discussed elaborately nama paratha.
The Nine Ways of Prahlada
We discussed also yesterday, day before yesterday, Prahlada had taught nine ways:
- Shravanam
- Kirtanam
- Vishnu
- Smaranam
- Padashevanam
- Archanam
- Vandanam
- Dasyam
- Sakhyam
- Atmanivedanam
Nine steps. All these steps, one step, leading to higher step, ultimately ending in complete surrender to God. Avyavruta bhajanat. Complete this singing of God's name.
But it is not easy.
The Conditions for Effective Divine Name
And also we discussed how God's name should be sung. Anybody simply, "I feel like singing." It is not effective. You can sing, but it won't be effective.
For bhajan, for God's name to become effective, these three conditions should be fulfilled according to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Chaitanya's Three Conditions
What is that?
- Trinadapi sunichena - humbler than a blade of grass
- Paroriva sahishnuna - whatever difficulties come, like a tree completely unshaken
- Amanina, manadena - You give respect to everybody, but don't accept any respect. Don't expect any respect from other people.
Because if you expect, and if it doesn't come, both ways it is dangerous. You expect it comes, and like football, it goes away. And you expect it doesn't come. Then you become deflated like football.
The Football Analogy
So there are two conditions. It is just normal football, not inflated. And another, inflated football.
So if it is inflated, then ego becomes inflated. And if it doesn't come, the inflated football, one thorn enters into it, and then it becomes deflated. Both ways it is dangerous.
Our problem is ego. We want to be praised. Yes.
So this is the problem we should thoroughly avoid. That is what he said. Abhyavruta bhajanam.
Avoiding Nama Aparadha
Then we also have discussed nama aparadha. I hope you remember. So many crimes, sins committed when taking.
The Major Offenses
What is it?
- A mantra should never be looked down as a useless name. It is the most powerful name.
- Then guru ninda. We got initiation from our guru. We should not tolerate anybody criticizing our guru. Either you give them a good blow, or you shut their mouths, or run away from the place if you can't do these things.
- Then never disregard, dishonor other people's beliefs. So they are worshipping the same god in different names.
Because Vaishnavas criticize Shiva, Shiva's criticize Vishnu. Like that it is going on in India. It is a wonderful encyclopedia. Super, super market. Religions.
Religious Tolerance
So like that. Then Christians hate Muslims. Christians, they call all other religions, they are called nastikas, non-believers. How can Hindu be a non-believer? He is believing not in one god, in so many gods he believes.
So don't disrespect, because you are disrespecting whom? God only. Same god is giving them same instructions in their language. Same god is appearing to them in that particular acceptable manner.
Cultural Conditioning
Suppose suddenly Maa Kali appears like a South African woman. You will not feel like worshipping her, is it? Or Krishna appears like a Texas cowboy. Do you feel like falling at his feet?
He has to appear, you know, he should be there, there will be nice... Venunatha should be there, that yellow-wearing Pithambara should be there, and he should look more like a woman, like a man.
I saw this big, huge, that what is Tamil Nadu, that pilot, Abhinandan Narada. Anybody? Suppose Shri Krishna appears like that to you, will you feel like bowing down to him?
So we are all culturally, geographically, language-wise bound. We don't want to hear the name of God in other languages like that. This is superstition, okay?
You call upon God in your own way. Let them also call upon God in their own way. So all these are called Nama Parathas.
The Effect of Prejudices
That means if you have those kind of prejudices, then with that, on one side you are like that, on the other side you are taking God's name, it won't be effective.
Not that completely effective, it will be effective, but the effect will be very, very like petrol mixed with a lot of milk. You know, you are trying to start the car, gada gada noise it will make, and it stops, and afterwards you will have to push it, and then finally it starts like that. We are like that, it will be effective.
The Remedy for Offenses
So if somebody committed these crimes, what is the remedy? That is where Vaishnava scriptures give the remedy. The remedy is name itself.
You pray to the name, "I have committed a lot of sins, O name, please help me get rid of this sin."
So the power of Nama itself will wash away. What does it mean? It means sincerely you take God's name, it will slowly make you understand, "I should not do this, I should not do that, I should not do that," and when you all give up, then like a car which is freed from all chains, like that it will go forward. That is right.
The Manifestation of Divine Name in the World
In this world also, one thing is, even in this world, we see the name of God being manifest in so many different ways.
So one way is, you come here to the temple, every day you are hearing beautiful bhajans. What we are doing is one of the most marvelous exercises, this khandana, etc.
The Nature of Temple Worship
By the time you complete, your mind should become absolutely quiet. It is not exciting like bhajan. Steadily, khandana bhava, like that it goes steadily like that.
This is non-emotional kirtana. And at the same time, all the glories of God are there, avatara, that is why it is called avatara stotra.
First stotra is avatara stotra, second stotra is avatara stotra, third stotra is holy mother's stotra, fourth is also holy mother's stotra only.
So that is why it is not exciting. Afterwards, we are waiting, we are with that first half, and afterwards I come again. But bhajans, you know, some of the bhajans are so meaningful, so wonderful, but everything depends upon the singer.
Types of Singers
There are two types of singers, one is called singer, another is called singer. See, every song has to be sung in a particular way, that's why there are specialists.
The Six Qualities of Perfect Bhajan
So there should be six conditions. For any bhajan to be complete, there must be, how many qualities? Six. So you know what those qualities are?
The Higher Qualities
- Bhava - you should sing with, and bhava should come, that means remember God only, emotion
- Sahitya - the sahitya must be appropriate
- Raga - Appropriate bhava will come out only with appropriate raga
Joyful song should be sung joyfully, sad song should be sung in... there are certain ragas, for example, bhairavi raga, malakosha raga, so like that there are ragas out there. And multani raga, shivaranjani raga, like that there are some ragas which express more sadness.
Then there are ragas which express dance, bhim palashi is one such. So that is a raga to be sung in the daytime. So these are the three upper level qualifications.
The Lower Qualities
Lower level qualifications:
- Shruti - Shruti means, this voice should be, I am talking about singing, this voice should be, it should not be scratchy, it should not be half stopping, like that, it should continuously flow without breaking, it will create a hypnotic effect.
So I will give you a hint, so that you will understand what is real music later on.
- Laya - Laya means rhythm, there should be a rhythm. Then this rhythm should be appropriate for each particular song
- Thala - which is called thala
Recognizing Great Singers
Thala, laya, then shruti. You get any great singer, what is the way to know he or she is a great singer? Observe the voice, it won't be a broken voice. Continuously it flows, whether it goes up or down, there is no breakage there.
That is the beauty, if you notice it, of course we notice it because when there is no break, then your mind is completely absorbed, you won't be disturbed.
The Road Analogy
The nearest analogy I can give, suppose there is a road, hundred miles, like that, then the car is going at a particular speed, very soon even the driver may fall asleep also, because there is nothing to break the rhythm. The car produces a kind of rhythm, like a train, you know, and that produces in some people a very beautiful rhythmic thing.
So a car is going like that, but supposing it is a road, you have to turn this way, suddenly there is a bump, that is why the Karnataka government, Indian government, they put so many bumps, and really it is a nuisance, but it prevents a lot of accidents.
There is no way you can fall asleep, every few seconds, minutes, when there is some bump, a sudden thump like that, even if you are asleep, you will wake up. But in the western countries it is like that, they make roads very smooth, even 60, 70, 80 miles, nothing like that.
Modern Safety Measures
So they create a lot of accidents. So they created these barriers, you know, in between lanes, the moment the wheel touches it, gada gada gada gada gada, like that sound comes. If that doesn't wake you up, then you install a new application here.
There is a camera in front of the driver, if it notices the heights are like that, for longer than one second, immediately it will give a shock. You know, it is necessary, it is coming.
Summary of the Six Qualities
So sixth, what are they? Bhava, most important, Sahitya, Raga, then Shruti, Laya and Tala.
Where these six are perfect, then music is perfect. Otherwise, one defect in something and it will not be there.
Converting Daily Life into Bhajan
Anyway, what we are talking about, even in the world, wherever it is, whatever you are doing, you can convert into bhajan.
So you are cooking, put on some nice bhajan, and then you enjoy that one in the background. Or you make effort to come to the temples. If you can't go to the temples, you can do it at home.
You can do it. Or you repeat unbrokenly God's name. There are many people who do that.
Combining Worldly Duties with Devotion
So, Lokepi means whatever a person is, what is called his duties in the world. Let the duties go on. Let bhajan also go on.
And whenever you get an opportunity, exclusively you do the bhajan. And that is how Bhagawan's grace will come in the form of more bhakti. More bhakti means more attachment.
More attachment to God means less attachment to everything else. Or I will put it this way, more attachment to God means whatever we encounter, also reminds us of God.
Transforming Actions into Worship
What am I doing? I am cooking. Why am I cooking? For offering to God. So what am I doing? Cleaning the house. Why am I cleaning? So that God can be here.
So whatever actions, "Yad yat karma karo me tattva dakhilam shambho tava aradanam." This is the goal.
So world is not an obstruction. World is also... In fact, it can use us.
Finding Blessing in Difficulties
So suppose the husband is scolding the wife. What a great blessing. Then the attachment will become less. It helps. Already there is a detachment, but this helps a little more.
Then next birth, "I don't want any husband. If I want a husband, I only want God as my husband."
The Story of Mirabai
Mirabai was asking. You know that Mirabai story? How she came to Govinda? She was married to someone.
No, no. When she was 7-8 years old girl, one day she was playing and there was a music procession going on in the street. So she was a princess.
So she asked, "Mom, what is that noise?" Mother said, "Somebody is getting... One girl is getting married and this is a bridegroom is being taken there."
The Divine Marriage
So she asked, "Where is that bridegroom?" "He is sitting there." She says, "Where is my bridegroom?"
Then mother... Some sadhu has given one Krishna's image. So the mother says, "That is your husband. He is here only." Just to console her.
But she took it 100% seriousness. "This is Mereto Giridhara Gopala Dosarana Koli." Purva janma samskara should be there.
Mirabai as Radha Reincarnated
So this is how that Mirabai... She is Radha Devi reincarnated. Andal Radha Devi reincarnated. Sharada Devi, Radha Devi reincarnated.
If Sri Ram Krishna is Sri Krishna, who could be Holy Mother? Who else could be Holy Mother? Only Radha Devi.
What does that mean? Who is Radha Devi? Whose mind, 24 hours, is only on Krishna. She is Radha.
Means the greatest devotee. That is the meaning of Radha. Not a woman. The question of man or woman doesn't arise. Whoever's mind is completely thinking of only God, dedicated to God, that is a Gopi.
Mirabai's Visit to Vrindavan
Once Mirabai went to Vrindavan. There was a great disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu called, I think, Jiva Goswami. I might be mistaken. Rupa Goswami, somebody like that.
He was known to be a great devotee. Mirabai, naturally, she wanted to have darshan of this devotee. So she went there.
Ashrama gate, the disciples were there. So she asked, "What for did you come?" Then she said, "I want to have darshan of this Mahatmaji."
Then they said, "Our Guru doesn't see the face of any woman."
The Profound Response
So Mirabai understood. Immediately she explained, "I thought in Vrindavan only one Purusha is there. Where from the second man has come?"
Very meaningful words. These stupid disciples, of course, they did not understand what she said. Immediately they went and they said, "One lady comes and she wanted to see you. We replied like that. Then she said, 'Where from the second man has come?' We couldn't understand."
He understood. Immediately he ran outside, fell at her feet and said, "You awakened in my Guru."
The Truth About Vrindavan
Because Shri Krishna is the only Purusha in Vrindavan. And everybody is there. Not in the man-woman. Think of it. God and devotee. Every devotee is everybody, man, woman, devotee.
And it is God. That is all. That is Vrindavan.
How wonderful you know. Who taught her? She was supposed to be a literate person. Who taught her? Divine knowledge comes by divine grace only. And she got that.
For her everything is Krishna.
Mirabai's Attitude Toward Poison
So her husband or somebody sent her. No hiding. "Simply you drink this." And then she offered it to Krishna.
Whatever she does, she will offer it. Now if she offers the Purusha to me, who will be the Purusha? So only that devotee was sitting next to you. He wanted taste.
So that's why I always tell the devotees, "First you taste it. If you survive, then come to me. Don't make me a guinea pig."
So everything she offered to Bhagavan. What can this Kali do? Kali could not do anything to Krishna. What can this poison do to him?
"I smiled because if Rama is saving me, who can kill me? If Rama decided to kill me, who can save me?" That was her complete faith.
The Transformation of Poison
So anyway, nothing happened. Then one day he sent a cobra. And it was not secret. You have to accept it. She said, "Everything comes from God only. Not Rama has sent it. God has sent it."
So when she opened the basket, it was a beautiful garland. And then he put it round Krishna and started dancing.
The Universal Truth About Life and Death
This is the truth. Nobody can kill until the time comes. And nobody can kill once the time comes.
This is the truth. Even if you are devotee or no devotee, this is a fact of life.
So we will have it next Tuesday.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीम् शरदाम् देविम् रामक्रिष्णम् जगत् गुर्म्
पादपद्मे तयोः स्रित्वाः प्रणमामि मुहुरुमु
Oṁ jananīṁ śaraḍhāṁ deveṁ rāmakriṣṇam jagad-gurum
pādapadmetayosritvā pranamāmi-muhurumuhu