Narada Bhakti Sutras Lecture 30 Su.44 on 30-March-2019
Opening Invocation
ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :
Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.
Discourse on Narada Bhakti Sutra 44: The Path from Desire to Destruction and Liberation
Opening Invocation
Om Jānanīṃ Śāradāṃ Devīṃ Rāmakṛṣṇaṃ Jagadgurum
Pāda Padme Tayoḥ Śṛtvā Praṇamāmi Muhuḥ Muhuḥ
Review of the 44th Sutra: The Destructive Chain
In our last class, we were discussing the 44th sutra. What is it? Kāma, Krodha, Mohana. Smṛti Bhraṃśa then leading ultimately to Buddhi Nāśa.
These are the steps leading to complete ruin of life: Kāma (Desire). In general, Kāma means any desire—any desire that arises from the five sense organs.
The Five Sense Organs and Their Slavery
There are five sense organs. I want to see, I want to hear, I want to smell, I want to taste, I want to touch. We are all slaves to this. The whole world is nothing but the five sense organs. This is Kāma.
The Most Powerful Sense Organ: Sparśa
In particular, there is one sense organ which is the most powerful. This is called Sparśa. What we call in the English language "sex" belongs to this Sparśa. Why is it so powerful? There are two reasons.
First Reason: The Selfish Gene
One reason is that nature has inbuilt genes for propagation of the genes. Many years back, a great scientist had written a beautiful book when I was here almost 50 years back. The title of the book is The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins.
We are all nothing but genes. What does this gene want? It wants to become immortal. The only way it can become immortal is by propagating. So that is why male and female come together. This pollen in the flower—everything is propagating.
We are all slaves. So the selfish gene tells us that you go and mate. And I say, "What do I get out of it?" "You get out of it, I'll give you pleasure." "Oh, I see. Then okay." Payment, you know.
This is how this particular instinct is very, very strong because there are chemicals produced.
Second Reason: The Nature of Pleasure
The second reason why it is so powerful: If we analyze the nature of pleasure or happiness, there is a law. The more we get absorbed in the experience and the more we forget time and space, the more intense is the pleasure we get. So no pleasure is equal to this union of man and woman. And it's a creative act. And that is why practically everybody is a slave to this instinct.
The Psychology of Desire and Anger
So what was the discussion? There are five sense organs. Of these, all the others are slaves. All the four are slaves to this one sense organ, which is called Sparśa (touch).
From Kāma to Krodha
When desire is thwarted, frustrated, it turns into anger. So if you find somebody angry—and sometimes perpetually angry—you don't see any reason. But it is there. We say "the anger is here"—big nose, you know. Big nose means a lot of anger nose.
So the person—why is it? There are lots of frustrations within that person, and that person is unable to control it because every desire should not be fulfilled. Some reasonable desires should be fulfilled. So when we are unable to fulfill, but this desire is boiling within, then it results in anger invariably. So simply, that is the psychology.
When Anger Cannot Be Expressed
If anger, you cannot show—so what happens if you are very angry with your boss? You can't show it because your whole life depends upon that. Psychologists, you know what they say? "Come home, take a big pillow. Write your boss's name on it and take a stick and bash it." Or suppose some unfortunate wife can't take it out on her husband. So you take one dartboard, write his name, and throw darts.
Throw darts. And then he will be shouting, "What are you doing?" And truthfully you reply, "I am missing you very much." You understand? So, Kāma turns into Krodha.
From Krodha to Lobha
Krodha turns into Lobha (greed). What is the psychology? Why is it Lobha? Because I cannot fulfill my desires. In old age especially, Lobha comes. Why? The fellow cannot—he wants to fulfill it. It's not possible. So he becomes greedy.
A kind of, "Yes, I have got this one, I have got this one." It's very strange. Human beings suffer from two mental diseases in this Kali Yuga, 21st century. It is called self-alienation—one. Second, it is called loneliness.
Understanding Loneliness
What is loneliness? The inability to be with ourselves. So Erich Fromm, a very perceptive socio-psychologist, he has defined it—loneliness. He said, "What is loneliness?" We are going to discuss about it.
What is loneliness? The ability to be very happy without dependence upon—no human beings, no books, no music, no movies, nothing. Just like we sit. And that's what sādhus are trying to do. "I am thinking about God. That's all. I don't need anything else." That is called Saṃnyāsa.
That is what Nārada is telling.
From Krodha to Moha
Kāma turns into Krodha. Krodha turns into Moha.
When a person is angry, he doesn't know what to do. He will be overcome—although a thick covering is there. He cannot recognize who is a good person, bad person, one's own parents, children.
Sometimes parents, especially fathers, beat the child to death. How can one's own father beat or rape? In the West, it is a very common thing. That's why if there is any case reported to the police—there is a rape case here—the first suspects will be parents, or his uncles, anybody who is near, or the elder brother. Like that. This is a terrible disease that is going on.
In India, it is less. But now after seeing all those things, it might increase. Divorce at least is increasing very much. After seeing all the cinemas, the people are imitating it. How much cinemas are influencing us!
Definition of Moha
Anyway, so Moha. What is Moha? The inability to think clearly and to act according to rational decisions is called Moha.
Smṛti Bhraṃśa: Loss of Memory
And when Moha comes, that word Arjuna has come—Smṛti Bhraṃśa—memory goes away. Memory is the most important part of our life. So if you lose your memory, you won't even know where your home is.
Sometimes, you know, old people—they go out for a walk, and especially in colonies, all houses look exactly alike. They just enter into somebody's home. Of course, the people also understand. So gently they guide that person to their own homes.
The Special Meaning of Smṛti
So Smṛti Bhraṃśa. But here, what is Smṛti Bhraṃśa? The word Smṛti has got a very special meaning. What is Smṛti? Whatever we are, that is called Smṛti. "I am a man, I am a woman, I am so-and-so, I am the wife, I am the parent, and I am a Hindu, I am a devotee of God." That Smṛti goes—your devotion will disappear.
That is why in deep sleep, there is no Smṛti. That is why you don't think about God. That is the one time God gets rest. Somebody asked, "Why did God create Nidrā (sleep)?" He says, "Just for me, to get some rest from these troublesome devotees. Twenty-four hours, going on, going, going, going like that, you know, and he is everywhere. So he can't escape. He has to listen. But this is one time when he is so free from all those things." You know that story? Funny story.
A Humorous Illustration
In this flat, two neighbors were living. One person was a devotee of Rādhā, one lady. Twenty-four hours practically, "Rādhā, Rādhā, Rādhā." Her name also is Rādhā. So "Rādhā, Rādhā, Rādhā Rādhī."
The neighbor came and said, "If you want to take Rādhā's name, I have no problem, but take it mentally. Don't shout, because your voice—some people have built-in microphones in their voice. So it is troubling me, disturbing me."
And this lady shouted, "What is that to you? I am doing in my own room. I have got every right to do it." Like some people turn on the TV, disturbing the whole—some people turn on the TV in the house itself, where some people are totally disturbed. There is nothing you can do. If you tell, they will turn it up even more to annoy you.
So this neighbor came and told—she did not listen. So that neighbor started to... thought, "I must teach this lady a lesson."
So one day, that lady—she was also a lady—came and then, "Rādhā, Rādhā, Rādhā," like that. So this lady, she opened, "Why are you disturbing me like that?"
Then this neighbor told, "See, I only took your name five, six times, and you got so annoyed, and you are taking Rādhā's name so many times—how much she must be disturbed!"
Buddhi Nāśa: The Final Destruction
So, this Buddhi Nāśa, Smṛti Bhraṃśa—Buddhi Nāśāḥ. What is Buddhi Nāśa? The right understanding will go away.
So Smṛti Bhraṃśa inevitably, invariably leads to Buddhi Nāśa. Buddhi Nāśāt Praṇaśyati—disturbance comes.
So we are all subject to these kāmas, and not one kāma.
The Five Animals and Their Sense Slavery
Śaṅkarācārya, in his Viveka Cūḍāmaṇi, is telling there are five animals—each animal is a slave to one particular sense organ.
Say, for example, this fish. What is it? A slave of—let's say you take in a bait. If you want to catch fish, take a small earthworm or a small fish, and then immediately it will come.
The Elephant Example
So here in Karnataka, they catch hold of these elephants. What is the—they take one well-trained female elephant, and then seeing the female elephant, all the male elephants run.
On the way, you know that? On the way, they dig a huge pit and cover it with green grass, very thin. And this female, it is trained—don't step into it. So the female is running away; it is all trained.
The males, you know, they are not seeing anything. They are seeing only the female. And they straight run into the pit and fall into it.
So they cannot come out. Then they go on starving it for ten days. You know, for an elephant—any animal—ten days starving is almost death. But it won't die. Thirst, and then it is panicking.
So in that state, one fellow will come, and then he shows sympathy. He slowly tries to hand over food and then give a little water. Like that, this elephant somehow associates this person, not knowing that that was the person who dug the pit. Poor animal, you know—human beings can cheat like that.
And slowly, he will go on. When it becomes a little bit tame, then it is slowly brought up, and then in between, they chain it. And in between, two trained elephants. So the female trains. The female trains the male elephant. After some time, then it is made to carry huge loads.
Personal Experience with Elephants
So when I was visiting, I was in Cherrapunji. And once we went on a tour to Nepal, Arunachal Pradesh. There, I wanted to see how this elephant is put to work. The owner of the elephant—he works only for about one or two hours. The rest of the time, he has to live.
So there are some trees. So they take machines and cut it. But the root they have to remove. So they dig a little and put one chain. And they bring this elephant. And they tie it. Within five minutes, the whole—this one—just uproots. So much is the strength of the elephant.
Then they go to the next. Like that, hardly one hour, one and a half hours, then they are let out. "You go into the forest," otherwise, it won't be able to bear it.
And then they make the tea boxes—boxes where tea is packed up. There is a special tree. You won't believe it. Huge trunks. And then they cut it. And then they put it round. You know how you roll the carpet? That trunk is like this carpet.
So that machine is there. It goes on moving. And this—like this much thin—it peels off. Layer after layer after layer, huge this one. Then they cut it and then pass it through very hot this thing to dry it up, and then automatically. It's a huge effect.
Other Examples of Sense Slavery
Anyway, what I am trying to tell you—each species is a slave for one particular thing.
Then this Bhramara (bee). Bhramara, you know, when it sees moth, when it sees—this is called sight—light. When it sees the light, simply jumps into it and gets destroyed.
So some, they say this Hariṇ (deer). Deer. That's why anybody calls you "deer," be careful—it's a trap.
So this deer—it's said, I don't know what it is—so they play some... it is a slave to the ear. That is what I am warning you: if anybody calls you "deer," it looks as though Kṛṣṇa's Veṇugāna (flute song) is coming out. Nonsense, it is all trap—big trap.
So like that, every animal is slave to one particular sense organ, and it courts death by that. What to speak of human beings, in whom all the five sense organs are in full power. We want to see, we want to hear, we want to smell, we want to taste, we want to touch.
The Warning Against Desires
So these are the enemies in the acquisition of divine love. That's what Nārada is warning. If we give in, Buddhi Nāśa Sarva Nāśa Kāraṇatva—Nāśa Kāraṇatva—it will ruin us.
What does ruin mean? Not death. Sometimes death also will come. But what it means is we are wasting our life. Instead of going to God, we are just stuck on the way and suffering.
Three rings: engagement ring, wedding ring, suffering. Okay, so we have to be careful.
The Subtle Nature of Desires
So how do we see them? How do we become careful? A very wicked person—huge person—is coming in front of us. We can see it, and we can run away. But these don't come like that.
How do they come? Like small wavelet, like bubble. Who will notice this bubble? That's why it says, Taraṅgāyitā api ime, Saṅgāt samudrayante.
Taraṅgāyitā—Taraṅga means waves on the ocean, on the river, you know. A small wave. "Oh, this is a small wave."
But then it brings its neighbors. Then it becomes—one wave becomes two waves. Two waves become four waves. Four waves become six waves. So small desire, like a small seedling—but given, neglecting to uproot them, very soon they become such huge trees, difficult to uproot them.
The Gradual Growth of Desires
So Taraṅgāyitā api ime. Ime means "these." These means what? Kāma, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Mātsarya. In the beginning, there will be only one small. It looks as though, but you give way to them, you fulfill them, they become Raktabījas.
That is the meaning of Raktabīja. You know the story of Raktabīja? In the Durgā Saptaśatī, Caṇḍī, there is a story. That story—in the last, third story—Śumbha Niśumbha story.
So there was one Asura, demon, called Raktabīja. So Divine Mother and all forces—this fellow comes and they were beating him. As they were injuring him, blood was dropping, and one drop of blood—his blood—touches the earth. Another Asura, equivalent to him in force, is coming up.
The Inner Meaning of Raktabīja
What does it mean? These are all what you call—inner meaning is there. So what does it mean? You fulfill one desire—now it will become one impression more, second impression, third impression, fourth impression.
That is why they say, even a small ant—very hard rock—if they start moving, in course of time, a distinct pathway is made. Like that, this is called Saṃskāra.
So that Saṃskāra, once it becomes a Saṃskāra, it becomes very hard to uproot it. That is it.
The Tsunami of Desires
So ime Kāma Krodha dayaḥ, Taraṅga itaḥ—they start with small, small bubbles, small waves. Then after that they become tsunami.
Tsunami, and then they will destroy. So the moment you fulfill them, they become like a huge tsunami. Samudra means an ocean.
If you analyze, what is an ocean? It is small, small, small, small waves put together—it is called a Samudra, and nothing else. So it becomes most dangerous.
The Spiritual Warning
What does it mean? Nārada is warning us. Beware. As soon as some comes, be aware. So why should we be aware? Because this is not a warning for worldly people. This is a warning for would-be devotees of God.
Because devotees of God don't fall from the sky. For worldly people only—some great Puṇya in the past life—they have a desire: "I want to go to God." But all the old Saṃskāras are there. They will be coming up.
So Saṅgāt—they become Saṅga. What Saṅga? This fellow becomes Saṅga to that fellow. That fellow becomes Saṅga to the other fellow. What does that mean? If two bubbles join together, it becomes a bigger bubble. If hundred bubbles, it becomes even stronger.
The Multiplicity of Desires
Then Kāma, Krodha. So Kāma—how many Kāmas are there? Kāma means desire. How many desires? Millions, billions of desires are there.
So for a simple example, the tongue wants to eat sweets. One example only. So there is Khaṭṭā (sour), there is also Mīṭhā (sweet). Mīṭhā, you understand? It's sweet.
How many sweets are there? You go to any sweetmeat shop, you will see hundreds of varieties of sweets. So you fulfill—how many you can take? Only one. Even while eating, you have got regret. "Maybe I should have ordered the other one."
Why did I say sweetmeat? Why meat? I don't know, actually. Wait, wait. It is meat. Maybe some history is there behind it.
The Marriage Restaurant Analogy
So marriage is like eating in a restaurant, it is said. Marriage is like eating in a restaurant. What does it mean?
So one fellow went. There was a table. So he sat down. He ordered some food and he was supplied. Happily he was eating. After five minutes, some fellow comes and sits. He orders something different. That fellow is happily eating.
So this fellow is thinking, "What food I have got. I should have ordered that." And that fellow also must be thinking, "What food I have been. I should have ordered that."
So this is, that is... You understand now?
The Tsunami Phenomenon
So, like tsunami. And then you know what the tsunami says? The comparison between tsunami and this is so close.
When the tsunami came near Rāmeśvaram, first a little water will come and then it recedes. This whole ocean water is emptied, as it were. So they found out several old submerged temples there. Something very, very strange. Submerged temples were there. So they could look.
But the moment they were enjoying, "Oh, this was what we read in the books. Now we see all those things." All over the world, all over this—near the seacoast—so many things have become submerged.
Our Dvārakā—as soon as Kṛṣṇa was dead, immediately they say the whole sea came and then occupied.
Global Warming and Rising Sea Levels
This is a phenomenon which the scientists are predicting now. You know why? Because of the global warming, the Arctic area—huge chunks of this, which never happened before—this hardened ice, sometimes miles together, it's just breaking.
Have you ever seen that? On the TV you can see, YouTube you can see—it is a frightening sight. They have filmed it, some people from a distance. Huge chunks means—like your whole this area—that is just cracking, with a huge roar it falls into the water.
Then it starts floating. Like that, people also deliberately they are breaking it. Those who don't have water, with ships they are towing it. So to Middle East and Arab countries and this thing. Little water will be melting away. But most of it is—then they put it underneath and then convert it into pure water and then supply it to people.
But miles after miles of that is melting because of global warming. So what happens? All this at the sea levels, they are rising. So they may rise 5 inches, 10 inches. When they rise 5 inches, 10 inches, millions of miles of land will be submerged in it.
And like that it happened in the past. So they are expecting it is going to happen in this way. So many things have become submerged. But when tsunami and other things come, they become exposed.
The Practice of Observation
So what is the lesson? The lesson can be observed. "Oh, this desire is coming. Oh, anger is coming." If you observe, you can easily find out. That's not difficult to find out.
That is what these Vipassanā teachers—they highlight it and tell: observe, observe, observe. Observe how you are sitting. Observe how you are breathing. Observe where you are feeling pain. Observe how different parts of the body are feeling.
And then observe your breath. Then finally observe your thoughts. The ultimate goal is to become an observer, not observed.
The Fundamental Teaching of Vedanta
If you can do that, then what happens? I am the observer; everything else is the observed. So when you are experiencing something, you are not what you experience. We discussed this point in our past classes.
Whatever we experience is not me. Whatever I experience is not me. For example, you are experiencing the sofa. Are you the sofa? No. You are experiencing the carpet. Are you the carpet? No.
You are experiencing your dress. Are you your dress? So are you experiencing your body? Yes. Therefore you are not the body.
Are you experiencing your mind? Yes. You observe your mind. "Oh, this thought—there is a happy thought. There is an unhappy thought." Therefore, this is the fundamental teaching of Vedanta: What you observe, you are not that. It is completely, totally different from you.
This is a fact. We are not talking about some mystical experience. We are talking about what we are observing. So you understand this point? Whatever you are seeing—you are seeing a tree. Are you the tree? Otherwise danger is there, you know.
Suppose you say, "Whatever I observe is me," and you are looking at a donkey. What happens? Okay, you understand?
The Ocean of Saṃsāra
Beginning comes like a small, weak, smallest bubble, a wave. But in course of time, they become like huge oceans. You cannot cross the ocean. In Hindu mythology, Saṃsāra is compared to an ocean.
Bhavasāgarataraṇakāraṇāhe, Ravinandanabandhanakhandanāhe. Like that.
Who Can Cross This Ocean?
So if it is so difficult, Nārada is asking the question: Kas tarathi mayāṃ, Kas tarathi mayāṃ.
Twice he is asking. Kas tarathi mayāṃ—in the next few sūtras, is telling who can cross the ocean. Bhavasāgara. It is really Bhavasāgara only.
Can anybody swim across the ocean? Yes. There is in the UK, between UK and France, there is a strip of a few miles—it is called the English Channel. There is regular competition—who swims. They start from England and reach France. And they start from France and reach England.
Now they built one railway underneath the sea. Huge tunnel. And within 15 minutes or so, you are on the other side. You heard about it?
So they are doing like that. Anyway, Kas tarathi kas tarathi kas tarathi mayāṃ.
So this Māyā is compared to Samudra. Who can really cross this ocean called Māyā? Twice. Why? To emphasize the difficulty of crossing. Who is capable of crossing?
The Answer: Those Who Can Cross
Then he gives. Are there anybody capable of crossing? Yes. Many. Many have crossed. Many have crossed. So you can also cross. But certain conditions have to be fulfilled.
What is it?
yaḥ saṅgaṃ tyajati yo mahānubhāvaṃ sevate
Yo—it is not there, but we have to supply—nirmamo bhavati
So it is going on. How many sūtras are there? So one, two, three, four, five sūtras. He is telling. He answers to who is going to cross, who is going to cross, who is going to cross.
First Condition: Renouncing Attachment
So what is it? yaḥ saṅgaṃ tyajati
What is the first condition? He who renounces attachment. Attachment means what? Is attachment bad? Attachment is not bad. Attachment is always good. But attachment to the world is bad. Attachment to God is very good.
Saṅgaṃ—attachment means Saṅgaṃ. Dussaṅgaṃ is bad. Satsaṅgaṃ is very good.
The psychology is the same. Why? We discussed it earlier. What is it? Saṅgāt saṃjāyate kāmaḥ
So desire will come depending upon your association. If you associate with bad people, bad desires will come. If you associate with good people, good desires will come.
Second Condition: Serving Great Souls
So, yaḥ saṅgaṃ tyajati yaḥ mahānubhāvaṃ sevate
He who serves a great soul. Mahānubhāvaṃ—Mahātmā. Sādhus. And devotees.
Sevate—they should serve. Sevā means what? What is the meaning of sevā? The English word "serve" usually brings the understanding. You serve food. Serve coffee. And that is what most of the people do.
They come here and then they prepare dosa. She is famous for that. Every now and then she comes and then makes nice dosa and other things. And then serve the sādhus.
So that is one type of service, but not real service. What is the real service? The person who imitates by observing the Mahānubhāva—that is the real service.
True Service: Imitation of the Great
Imitation of Christ. Imitation of Buddha. Imitation of Kṛṣṇa. Imitation of Rāmakṛṣṇa. What is imitation? Follow the footsteps of this great soul. That is called true sevā.
That is the Bhaja sevayā. There is a word in Amarakośa: Bhaja sevayā.
Bhaja means bhajana. So what is bhajana? Sing some devotional song. That is not the meaning. Bhaja sevayā. So if you serve one—here is your guru and he is dying of thirst and you are singing, "So there is no one greater than my guru."
Story of Nārāyaṇa Guru
I told you the story of Nārāyaṇa Guru. Do you remember? Nārāyaṇa Guru. These are the Indian devotees. Everywhere like that.
There was a great realized soul in Kerala. His name was Nārāyaṇa Guru. Swami Vivekānanda once met him also. So he became very popular. Hundreds, thousands of devotees, disciples, initiated disciples.
One fine day they decided to celebrate the birthday of Nārāyaṇa Guru. He went on shouting, "I am not born. You want to celebrate my birthday?" They would not listen. Devotees, disciples—no one listened to the guru. He has to listen to them.
So they said, "No, no, for our satisfaction." So he said, "Okay," he could not say no. Then what is the condition? There will be a big paṇḍal and they will decorate nicely. He will go and sit there, and then for five, six hours they will garland, and how much the old man has to bear, God alone knows.
And some of the garlands will have some thorns also. Some of them will have some insects also. These are all garland makers. This one, these are all garland makers.
The Story of Āṇḍāḷ's Father
Anyway, like they are trying to imitate Āṇḍāḷ. Āṇḍāḷ's father—he never made any garland. He was only wearing the garlands made by her father and make it viciṣṭa (special), and then that poor man used to go and then offer. God was not complaining.
So one day he came early, found out his daughter was wearing, and he became very sad. So he prepared a fresh garland and offered. That night God appeared: "I don't like this garland. I want the garland worn by your daughter."
So this is the result of abhyāsa (practice).
Nārāyaṇa Guru's Dilemma Continues
So this Nārāyaṇa Guru—every year, year by year this pomp has increased. He became eighty years old. So he put his foot down and said, "I can't sit that much longer." And they said, "Don't worry."
So they took a huge photograph of their Guru, put it in the middle. From early morning, five o'clock, until two o'clock offering is going on. Heapfuls of different varieties of food is being "samarpayāmi, tambolam samarpayāmi, dhūpam samarpayāmi, dīpam samarpayāmi"—went on and on.
They completely forgot the Guru. He was very hungry. So he takes a stick, slowly walks like that, says, "I am very hungry." They were offering heaps for the photograph.
So this is how Indian devotees act.
True Service: Imitation
So what is sevā? Serving. Sevā means to imitate. You serve also. Guru also requires a little bit of food sometimes, a little bit service is needed, but mostly it is imitation of Christ.
In the Footsteps of Jesus—a book had come, very beautiful book. It's available probably free on the internet.
In one village, a Christian priest decided on Christmas Eve: "See what if for one year, whatever we are doing, if Jesus is now today standing in my place, what would he do? Dealing with customers, doing that."
So he asked volunteers, "Why don't you experiment for one year?" And several people agreed. So they lived for one year. Any action: "What would Jesus do in my place?"
You sit for eating. "What would Jesus do?" Nice food. "What would Jesus do? Will he be greedy?" He will just eat what is necessary. So dealing with customers. And then "How much profit I want to get? What would Jesus do?"
The Story of Guru Nānak
Like "What would Guru Nānak do?" Guru Nānak—you heard his name? Guru Nānak, he was born in a merchant's family. His father had a shop. So he was training Guru Nānak.
So Guru Nānak was sitting there and serving the customers. So one customer came. Father was sitting by the side. And then he has to measure out: "Give me 5 measures of oil, 5 measures, 10 measures of rice, and 20 measures of wheat." Like that, godī (measurement
The Story of Guru Nānak (continued)
So when somebody came, ordered, so they say, you know, something like "Eka" (one). First is called "Eka." Second, then second. Then he started going, "Terā, Terā, Terā."
"Terā" means what? "Yours." He forgot this "Terā." He became that "Terā."
Father was getting wild. "What is this fellow? You have to give for this money only this much. And you are going on giving like that." Kicked him out. Because he will be—the shop will be empty.
But you know, he was possessed by the idea, "Terā"—whatever I see, "Terā." Whatever I smell, "Terā." Whoever I see, "Terā." The whole universe is "Terā."
You understand? What a lofty idea.
The Saints' Approach
So, the saints are made like that. So, whatever I do, I want to see: "If Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is here, what will he do? If Swami Vivekānanda is here, what will he do? If Holy Mother is there, what will she do in my place?"
This is called imitation. That is called bhajana—true bhajana.
The Third Condition: Becoming Nirmama
So, what are we talking about? He who really serves a Mahānubhāva. If it is happening, he becomes Nirmama.
Mama means what? "Mine." So, "This house doesn't belong to me. This property doesn't belong to me. This body"—we say, "My body is my body. This is my mind." This also belongs to only God.
So, if properly:
- Saṅgaṃ tyajati (first step)
- Mahānubhāvaṃ sevate (second step)
- Nirmamo bhavati (third step)
The Result: Crossing Māyā
Saḥ māyāṃ tarati
Such a person crosses the Māyā. So, like that it goes on and on. We will discuss it in our future classes.
Closing Prayer
ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :
Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.