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.

Spiritual Discourse on Divine Knowledge and Surrender

The Nature of Divine Knowledge

Even within us, whatever knowledge we have, who has given that knowledge, is a manifestation of the Divine Self. Our existence is a manifestation of the Divine Existence. Our knowledge is a manifestation of the Divine Knowledge. And our Ānanda is a manifestation of the Divine Ānanda. Whatever exists is only One: Sat, Chit and Ānanda. This is the truth.

So, if anybody thinks unnecessarily that "I have knowledge" and cuts himself off from God, he will be like a small pool. So long as it is connected with the river, it will be full of water. The moment it is cut off, within a few days it becomes completely dry.

So, that is an important thing for us. We don't know that "I am alive because of God." This was the greatest lesson Totāpurī had learned.

The Story of Totāpurī

Totāpurī was a jīva, just like one of us. When he renounced the world, we don't know his origins. His parents must have been from Punjab.

In Punjab, the sādhu tradition is very strong. Wherever there are people who respect sādhus and who serve sādhus, feed sādhus, their sādhus will be very happy. They don't stay in South India because South Indians don't look after the sādhus. So they think that sādhus live on their own. Every sādhu is a pavahārī.

That is why there are very few sādhus. If you go to North India—Rishikesh, Uttarkashi and Haridwar—hundreds of ascetics. I am not telling you which one is a great sādhu, but at least the tradition is there. Why? Because they are nourished. They won't starve and die; they will get some food.

So, this Totāpurī, we don't know whether he voluntarily became a monk or his parents might have offered him to some guru. Whatever it is, he was a guru. His guru was Śaṅkarācārya Saṅkarānanda, Darśanānandī Saṅkarānanda. That is how we are all Darśanānandī Saṅkarānanda Puri.

Totāpurī's Journey to Dakṣiṇeśwar

So, he went on becoming a sādhu until he could merge his mind in God. When he reached that stage, by Divine Mother's will, he was ordained to come to Dakṣiṇeśwar. Even then he did not know that he did not come by his own will. He thought that he had come—"I decided to come."

That is why when he saw Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, he recognized: "Here is a great soul. Here is a man fit to be a sannyāsī." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was not thinking what to do after this. He left everything and went.

So, Totāpurī said, "You are fit for sannyāsa. I am staying here for three days. Will you take sannyāsa from me or not?"

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "I don't know anything about sannyāsa. My Mother knows."

So, Totāpurī did not know that Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa had two mothers. One is who gave birth—biological mother. Another is Divine Mother, who means God is called Mother.

"So, you go and ask." At Totāpurī's words, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa went to the temple. Totāpurī saw and smiled in derision. He started smirking. "Good man, but he suffers a little bit of delusion. All these temples, all these..."

The Lesson of Totāpurī

He did not understand that he is nothing. It is the Divine Mother's existence. It is the Divine Mother's knowledge. It is the Divine Mother's Ānanda. And that because of Her grace, it was more manifest in him than in others. So, he said, "By that time, I will finish with him. I will help him get rid of his delusion." Now, who was the deluded? Only we know later on.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa went and asked, "So, this man comes here. He is telling me that, 'Would you like to take sannyāsa?' What should I do, Mother?"

We know Mother's answer. She said, "It is for this purpose only I have brought him." If this man did not know that he did not come—his ear was caught by the Divine Mother and She pulled him.

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "Mother gave me permission, give sannyāsa." So, within three days, he was initiated with all the traditional rites, everything.

The Mahāvākya Teaching

Then he told him the mahāvākya. "Aham brahmāsmi" is our mahāvākya. So, there are four mahāvākyas:

Prajñānam brahma
Tat tvam asi
Aham brahmāsmi
Ayam ātmā brahma

Each belongs to one Veda. There are so many mahāvākyas, but we have chosen one tradition. And we belong to this sampradāya. And there is the mahāvākya. "Aham brahmāsmi" is your mantra.

So, Totāpurī told, "This is the way you have to meditate."

We know this story. "I can't remove my idea of Divine Mother." Divine Mother means, according to Totāpurī, bhakti. "So, you have to remove your Divine Mother."

"You can't do that. All other thoughts, I can remove. Not my Divine Mother."

Then, Totāpurī brought one broken piece of glass. And then, he pressed it between the eyebrows. And then, suddenly, Rāmakṛṣṇa was able to concentrate. Then, the Divine Mother's thought came. He cut it mentally. That means, it became thoughtless.

When there is no thought, there will be no mind. When there is no mind, who is to say, "This is me and this is you"? This is called jīva-brahma aikya. And he merged in samādhi.

Totāpurī's Realization

So, Totāpurī could not believe his eyes. "Forty years I studied and attained to this. And this man, just I told him, and immediately he went into samādhi."

Because there are certain characteristics—whether a man has become romantic, whether a man has become unconscious, sleeping, deep sleep, or really entered into samādhi. There are certain characteristics. We don't understand those characteristics.

Thākur was an expert in looking at a person. He could tell what his saṃskāras are. Like a chemist can analyze, or a geneticist can completely analyze our genes.

Modern Science and Ethics

This is going to be future science. If you pay, I think around $1,000, they will analyze all your genes and tell you what diseases you have, what diseases you are likely to have, whether you are likely to become mentally sick. That is raising a lot of problems.

So, here is a 20-year-old man. His genetic information is given to his doctor. And his genetic information says that this person might become homicidal. So, if that is the case, whether he is willing to employ such a person—is it ethical?

But science cannot stop it. Scientific knowledge will work. If you don't do it, China will do it. Korea will do it. So, that is the biggest problem. We can control because we are democratic. Who is going to control China?

And then they can find out such techniques whereby they can release some germ, infect and alter the mind's behavior. I am not talking about physical being—mind's behavior. It is unthinkable. It is worse than nuclear bomb.

In history, there are examples where plagues broke out in Europe. Nearly three-fourths of the population—several millions have been wiped off within the span of two or three years. Now, how do we know some of these companies are not developing some deadly virus which they want to use?

But of course, everything has got a problem. So, the virus doesn't know who is its father and mother. If China releases it in India, then from India, next day they will also get it. But they are trying to develop all this. So, what is the problem here? Ethical issues. So many ethical issues. We don't know what is happening.

Totāpurī's Eleven-Month Stay

Anyway, what is the point we are discussing here? This Totāpurī—he thought that by his own efforts, he has attained. It took him eleven months to stay with Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa and then to understand: the body doesn't belong to him, the mind doesn't belong to him, spiritual progress doesn't belong to him.

The Mother is seeing, you know, that computer program. So, one computer you program for this, another computer you program for that. We are all computers. The Divine Mother is the programmer. She is programming: "I will put worldly tendencies in this person. Let him run after these three things." This person, "I will put spiritual tendencies."

The Suicide Attempt

After eleven months, he wanted to commit suicide. He has no right to commit suicide. If you are living in a rented house, you have no right to sell it. You have no right to spoil it. You have to return it exactly as it has been given to you. It is only given for your use, not for misuse.

Totāpurī did not understand that. Such a brahmajñānī—he could not understand. What is the meaning of brahmajñānī? Mahājñānī. But Rāmakṛṣṇa, from the beginning he adopted the method: "Mā, I am in a foolish state. I don't know anything. You are my Mother. I depend upon You."

So, that's why once he made this beautiful statement: "If anybody calls Mahāmāyā as Mother, immediately She feels ashamed. Māyā only comes in the form of temptation. Which mother is going to tempt a child? A mother doesn't want to—She might tempt anybody else, not her children."

So, that's why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "You are my Mother, I am Yours," and he meant it. We also say it, but we are spoiled children. We don't want to listen to what's right. So, You also will be firm with us.

The Understanding of Divine Grace

So, after eleven months we know that he wanted to commit suicide. He had no right to commit suicide because the body doesn't belong to him, the mind also doesn't belong to him. Then he understood by Her grace that this kāma, krodha, etc.—these thoughts in our head—"I conquered all by myself."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's life also is a glaring, glorious example. He was telling, for whatever reason: "Once I thought I conquered lust. Two-three days after, I was moving in the Pañcavāṭī area. And suddenly, such a powerful feeling of lust had taken over." He was telling, "What is this? I have experienced nirvikalpa samādhi. I have realized Mother in every aspect. And this was worse than an ordinary person."

Then he understood. "Three days before, I conquered." So, immediately he said, "Mother, please pardon me. I never thought like that. If this continues, I will cut my throat, and I will see my Mother's face."

The Nature of Passions

So, is it possible for a realized soul to think that "I did everything"? Not possible. Then why does that feeling come? You know, there are so many psychological implications. He was a person who, after twelve years, realized everything—nirvikalpa samādhi also. For such a person to feel that "I don't have kāma bhāva"—why should a person think like that? And then, when the feeling comes, that is the first point.

Second point is, when the feeling intensified, brahmajñānī is no brahmajñānī. Brahmajñānī did not have any control. Then, you know, he passed into what is called... We don't print it. I had seen in that state a ninety-year-old woman—I would have thrown her on the ground. You know, we get to hear about some old woman's rape. So, we wonder how painful it was for her.

See, when that feeling comes, jñānī is no jñānī. He becomes a rākṣasa. He is completely possessed when ego is not there.

Divine Mother's Purpose

The kāma, krodha, lobha—they are feelings created by the Divine Mother. Because Thākur was asking, "Why did the Mother create kāma, krodha, lobha?" If it is not there, who is a saint and who is a worldly person? Only if there is kṣetra Kurukṣetra, then who knows who is Pāṇḍava and who is Kaurava? Without these feelings, who is a saint?

So, this is for both—a worldly person and he also suffers from it. Sādhana—they subdued it and turned it into a friend, spiritual feeling. A demonic feeling is turned into a spiritual feeling. That is what in Bengali you call it kāma, you call it prema. One and the same thing. What is the difference? Object.

If it is a worldly object... Energy is needed either to go down or to go up. What is the difference? Do you want to go up or do you want to go down? You think that going down is very easy. It is not very easy. This is a great lesson I have learned.

You know, going down a slope—for a few minutes, going down. But to control, you know, it is killing. Then, going up, like that, it is also difficult. But to go down for two miles, because going down, you can't control. You have to control it. Otherwise, you will fall down.

So, Mother created all these feelings for positive purpose or negative purpose. We have to understand. It is the kāma which propagates sṛṣṭi. If everybody is Paramahaṃsa Rāmakṛṣṇa, there will be no creation ever. Can you understand? Everybody is like Holy Mother and Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa. Do you want to be like ordinary husband and wife? No. Both of them said no. If every couple is like that, there will be no creation at all. There will be no creation. So, creation is necessary. This sṛṣṭi, sthiti, laya will go on and on.

The Teaching of Non-Doership

So, Totāpurī did not understand: Nothing belongs to me. This is what we have been talking about. Prakṛti does by itself:

Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

Ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate

"I am doing it." He says, "Who is doing it? Where from did you come? You don't exist at all. You have no existence at all." A reflection has no existence. That is a very interesting point. We won't go into it.

And yet, it is the reflection which is the cause of our sādhana, our bondage. Cidābhāsa—we call it cidābhāsa. Because Ātman never falls into bondage. It is only cidābhāsa. Mind also doesn't fall into bondage because mind is inert, like a lump of clay. You ask the carpet, "Are you in bondage? Do you understand you are in bondage?" What will it do? Doesn't even know you are talking to it.

Complete Surrender

So, Thākur had completely surrendered himself from the very beginning. Therefore, the Divine Mother acted like a mother—Vidyāmāyā. And whatever was necessary for his spiritual progress...

So, yoga-kṣemaṃ vahāmy aham—He who gives up yoga and kṣema, we will discuss it. So, for such a person, "I need not look after myself. Whatever is necessary for my progress, I need it." That is called yoga. Not the other yoga. Kṣema means whatever I have acquired must be protected.

But here it says, give it up. Then, who is going to bring it? Divine Mother. A baby in our hands—"Am I going to get tomorrow breakfast?" Mother will arrange everything. But we have to be like that—children. There are children, and there are spoiled children.

Understanding Through Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's Life

So, this wonderful story says Thākur's life is a complete illustration of Bhagavad Gītā. If we understand it properly, we will understand Thākur better. We will understand Gītā also better. If we don't understand it, neither Gītā is understood, nor Thākur is understood.

Anyway, so that—nothing belongs to us. It is a fact. When we die, this body goes to five elements. The mind also goes into its five elements. Mind also is made up of what? Five elements. So, they are called sūkṣma pañcabhūtas, not sthūla pañcabhūtas.

So, whatever is a combination, they will go into the aggregate distance. So, Totāpurī took eleven months to realize it, and he had to suffer. Svāmī Vivekānanda had to suffer. And if he had both of them, they understood. So, what is the understanding? Śaraṇāgati, śaraṇāgati, śaraṇāgati. Once they did that, their realization was fully backed up.

Crossing the Divine Māyā

The question is being discussed by us, to a question by Nārada: Who crosses this divine Māyā? Twice, Who crosses this Māyā? Who crosses this Māyā? Then he is giving the explanations. That's what we have seen.

So, so many things we have seen. So, the last one, what was that one? The forty-ninth:

Yo vivikta-sthānaṃ sevate

He who loves solitary places, a place where there is no chance for worldly desires to crop up in the mind. Worldly desires—because if there are worldly objects, worldly desires, there is attachment. Out of sight, out of mind. So, if we see, it will remain that. And if we don't see, after some time slowly...

That's why you know how much we love our child. A mother loves her child. How long do you think she will remember him? Out of sight.

The Story of Changing Affections

So, slowly, slowly, slowly, it may take six months, it may take one year. Svāmī Premeśānanda, one of the greatest direct disciples, so he has noted that too. He was also a kind of poet. Beautiful poems he has written. You know that Arūpa śayane līlā—all these marvelous bhajans he has written.

So, he is writing in Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Līlā: Here is a mother. She had only one son. And she is pouring her love only upon that child. From morning to night, time passed. Without the child, she will simply die. Suddenly, the child dies. Who can imagine that mother's grief? So, she is grieving.

But you know, after six months, slowly, out of sight, out of mind, slowly it becomes less and less and less. And then, she becomes pregnant again. She gives birth to another child. Now, the first child is totally forgotten. All the affection now turns to the second child.

Now, Premeśānandajī is putting this twist: That first child was reborn in the neighboring house. Yes. Neighboring house. Now, you know, these children, they come and play and all that. So, one day, the mother was preparing some nice sweets for her children. A neighboring child got the smell. Their power of smell is very great. So, he understood. Immediately, he comes running.

Now, what is the mother doing? She is trying her very best to throw that fellow out so that the sweets will be left only to her present child. Not knowing, it was her first child who is trying to come.

So, what a revelation! Our neighbors or whatever it is, we don't know who they are. In our past life, they may be very close people. It could be mother, father, daughter, son. We don't know about pūrva janma. Dress changed and nobody can recognize. Their dress changed, nobody can recognize. They also can't recognize and we also can't recognize.

Ramana Maharshi's Story

So, like that. That's why I told you Ramaṇa Maharṣi's story. Two mothers in a village. Both of them were very good friends. Both of them got married. Both of them gave birth to their children. One son each in the hospital. So, after few days, they were discharged. They came with their children. And after that, quarrel developed. Neighbors.

You don't quarrel with long-distance people. Neighbors are only the object of quarrel. Then, twenty years passed. This lady cannot look upon the other lady and whatever belongs to that lady, including her son also.

After twenty years, these two ladies received news: There was a great mistake. Your son belongs to the neighbor. Neighbor's son belongs to you. Now, what to do? That is the truth. So, now again, they have become close friends. Now, they are loving each other. Because we have twenty years' attachment. Now, they can't simply say, "You are not my son." So, there also, that made the difference. Both of them became friends.

So, like that. If only we knew we are each other so close—we are the same. Our mother and father is the same Father and Mother. Then, we will not quarrel with anyone. But, unfortunately, the Mother doesn't give us that knowledge. Right? Parama kṣetra. That's why we say, a fellow who is 5,000 miles away, we can love. But a person who is next door, impossible to love. Whatever reasons.

The Meaning of Vivikta-sthāna

Okay. So, here. Vivikta-sthāna means, we discussed. What is it? That place which is likely to make us remember God. That is called vivikta-sthāna. That place where our near and dear ones become very, very troublesome. That is vivikta-sthāna. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa used the word nirjana-sthāna.

Nirjana. Jana means people. I can't depend upon anybody. Mother, father, what can they do when I am going to die? Who can save me? Only God can save me. Nobody can save me. So, that is called vivikta-sthāna. But, the real meaning is that place which will remind us of God.

So, it could be śmaśāna. Even you send one nāstika at midnight to śmaśāna—he must be an āstika for some time. Fearful.

Tantric Practices

That is why tāntrikas do śavāsādhanā. Do you know about śavāsādhanā? You know śavāsādhanā? In Paramahaṃsa's discussion. Śava means corpse. Tāntrikas, they go and then find out... Previously, you know, people—poor people can be thrown in this śmaśāna. The animals eat and all that.

So, they have to go and sit on one. Then, suddenly, the śava opens the mouth: "Food, I am hungry. Otherwise, I will eat you up." Then, they will chant some mantra—pūta mantra—all of them. And then, when it opens, you do some mantras and put food. From time to time, this is called śavāsādhanā.

This body is śava. Early morning, opens its mouth: "Come on. Bed coffee, bed coffee." Then, "Breakfast, breakfast." Then, "Lunch, lunch." Then, "Snacks, snacks." So, like that, whole day, this śava is demanding. But, we have to do śavāsādhanā because this is the only instrument.

You want to go to Devālaya. You want to do japa. You want to meet sādhu. This is the only instrument. Mind may be having many desires. Physically, there must be śava. So, like that, you know, a fellow loves Christmas. He says this word "love," you know. Very wonderful word. Young man meets a young woman: "I love you." This young man meets a chicken and says, "I love you." What does it mean, "I love you"? I cannot bear any separation between you and me.

Love means unity. So, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa is the greatest example for this. We are all coming from God. We don't know who we are. If we only knew that we are all... Divine Mother says it. That's why mantra will come. After that, everybody becomes guru-bhāi, guru-bahinī. Mother takes dīkṣā. She becomes guru-bahinī. Child takes mantra. He becomes guru-bhāi. Like that, that idea has to come.

Renouncing Worldly Attachments

So, this is what he is telling. That attitude, if it can come into us. This body is meant for our progress in spiritual life. Dharma and yoga both.

Loka-bandhanaṃ unmūlayati

Unmūla means uproot. What is it? Loka-bandhanam. Any type of worldly attachment. Attachment means what? Something belongs to me. Detachment means what? Everything belongs to God—I'm a trustee.

That's what Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa told to a rich devotee: "Don't think it is your richness. Mother has given it to you as a trustee on behalf of some other beings." We should develop that attitude. Nothing belongs to me. Everything belongs to You.

So, loka-bandhanam you have to uproot. Slowly, slowly. I will just cut a little bit. By next morning, new leaves will be coming. It is not going to help.

Going Beyond the Three Guṇas

Yo nistraiguṇyo bhavati

We should go beyond the effects of three guṇas. But you cannot give up three guṇas because body is made up of three guṇas. Mind also is made up of three guṇas. So, the body... According to which guṇa is more strong, that is why these guṇas, according to karma, manifest in the form of certain diseases.

See, for example, here is a person who has got thyroid—low thyroid. He has no enthusiasm. He can't get up from bed. Other people say, "Hey, you are a lazy fellow." Previously, they used to call such a person a terribly lazy fellow. He is not lazy. He wants to get up. His body is not allowing him to get up.

Like when you have fever. You want to do so many things. You are anxious to do so many things. But you can't do because the fever is not allowing you.

Another type of disease—he is hyperthyroid. Every time when he is sitting like that, he has to get up and do this, do that, do that. You can see people like this. So, why? That is the effect of rajoguna. Previously, in previous life, if that fellow had developed this rajoguna, it becomes hyperthyroid. This is the relationship between previous karma and present body.

Then there is sattva-guṇa. A person who has got sattva-guṇa, he talks very calmly. He talks only good things, spiritual things. And he never criticizes anybody. And he never finds fault with anybody. Even if other people find fault with him, he will say, "Yes, yes, you are right." So, this is sattva-guṇa.

So, the body also is made... Some people's bodies, you observe the bodies of people. Same family. You will see some people always jumping up and down. Some people always lying down. Some people just, you know, very active and all those things.

So, all sorts of things you will find. Why? Because of guṇas. So, guṇas control karma. Karma gives karma-phala. Karma-phala manifests in the form of our body formation. That is why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa could tell: "This person will progress in spiritual life. This person will not progress in spiritual life."

The Story of Three Robbers

So, we have to go beyond the three guṇas. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa illustrated this through the story of three robbers. Remember? Sattva-guṇa is also a robber. How can it be a robber? A robber because it will give you so much happiness. But that very happiness will not allow you to move forward. "It is very nice. But there is something very, very even much better, a little bit distant." "No, no, no. Here you are very happy. Why do you want to go there?" So, that is right.

According to Gauḍapāda, there are four obstructions to realization. First, laya. Laya means sleep. Any spiritual subject, he goes to sleep. Any spiritual reading, he goes to sleep. But you talk about worldly something, he comes alive. So, this is called laya. He is not really a tamasic fellow. He is tamasic only with regard to spiritual matters.

The first is laya. Second is called vikṣepa. Mind is not sleeping, but the mind is running here and there.

Somehow, if he overcomes it, then it is called kaṣāya. "Hey, what is this? People talk nonsense about God. Has anybody seen God? And if there had been a God, why is the world in this condition?" Like that, doubts will be raised. This is called kaṣāya. Kaṣāya means bitter doubt.

Somehow, if a person overcomes this laya, vikṣepa and kaṣāya, then great ānanda comes. According to Gauḍapāda, that is the strongest obstacle. Because you get this much of happiness not knowing there is so much more happiness. If you give this up and go forward, you will get so much more happiness. But this happiness, you know the nature of happiness will not allow us. "I am getting so much happiness. Why should I go forward?"

But a sannyāsī has to give up even dharma. A spiritual aspirant has to give up dharma.

Yoga-kṣema Tyāga

Then yoga-kṣema tyāga—completely you should give up. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's life is a graphic example of this. What is yoga? One meaning of yoga is that you think of God and become united with God. This is called yoga. But here, that is not the meaning.

Here, yoga means whatever is necessary for spiritual progress, we have to acquire. It could be a book, it could be satsaṅga, it could be favorable environment—all these things. And then we acquire it somehow by God's grace. But they have to be protected. If we don't protect them, then they will go away again. We have to struggle for that. So for that, yoga-kṣema is very important. That is self-help.

But an advanced sādhaka should give up self-help. "O Lord, I depend upon You completely. Let Thy will be done."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa: "I want to come to You, Mother. This is my wish. Now You do what You wish." Everything has come. Gurus have come. Guidance has come. Books have come.

The Pañcavaṭī Example

Even one day he expressed, "I want to sit in solitude where nobody can see me sitting." He told this to the gardener. Next morning, a rope, bamboo poles and one sickle also—everything has come. So the gardener came joyfully. "All implements you wanted for the fence have come."

He made one fence and then planted creepers. Within three to four months, like forest they have grown, seven to eight feet. Anybody who enters into it and sits there—from outside, nobody can see there is a man.

So this also had some unexpected consequences. This Pañcavaṭī area, there were some bushes like that. One day, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa totally disappeared. People saw him going towards Pañcavaṭī. After that he was not there. They searched here and there and everywhere. They thought he had fallen into the Ganges. Like that, they were apprehensive. They were very sad, searching. "Where could he go?" He was there only.

But what happened? He fell into ecstasy, fell down somewhere where he couldn't be seen. So one man, he was grazing cows. One cow strayed to where Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was. So this fellow could see the cow. He went there. There he found Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa lying. Immediately he came and said, "One man is lying here." They all rushed and he was none other than Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa.

So good things, bad things, both happened. Suppose in a solitary place, completely covered, nobody could see and you have fallen into a coma. How are you going to get rescued? You are freed from disturbances because nobody could see you. But when this danger comes, then also you are not able to get protection. We have to take that risk. Leave everything totally upon the Divine. She brought everything.

That is yoga-kṣemaṃ vahāmy aham—don't think that you can do it. Only if God wills, it will come. Not otherwise.

Crossing Māyā

Such a person, māyāṃ tarati—he crosses over the māyā.

Karma-phala-tyāgī—he who gives up... If you have a right to do your duties sincerely, three conditions I said: with devotion, with concentration and with intelligence. Devotion doesn't mean without intelligence. Many devotees are not intelligent because if they are intelligent, their devotion will improve over time. But they don't have intelligence. What they knew fifty years back, the same way they are even after fifty years. You understand what I am telling?

So, devotion is there and concentration is also there. But intelligence is needed. That's why they prepare half-cooked meals and they don't even know how much sugar or jaggery they have to put in the dish. Not only that, they add too much jaggery to the dish, so much sweetness, everything loses its proportion.

Well-prepared anything—everything is proportionate. So much salt will be there, so much spice will be there. That is why McDonald's is scientific. You know the taste—hundreds of experiments, everything, all over the world. You cannot prepare in your own way. You have to follow this. And that's why the taste will be exactly the same wherever you go. That is called scientific intelligence.

So, three things: bhakti is necessary, concentration is necessary, intelligence is also necessary. Then you cannot but improve. This is one thing.

Giving Up the Results of Action

So, if karma is performed, you have the right to do actions. But somebody praises, somebody doesn't like it—and all those things—no, not yours, you give it up. "O Lord, I offer it."

Once you offer it to somebody... The other day it happened, you know, when I was in Chandigarh. One man came and gave me 100 rupees. Then after a few minutes, Swami came. So, I said, "Give it to Swami." "Swamiji, I gave it to you." He said, "Yes, you gave it to me. Now you have no right to say what I will do. I can do whatever I like. It is now mine, not yours." "No, no, no, no, I will give to Swami separately." "No," he said, "that's not right. I will do whatever I know what I will do."

Some devotees are there like that. Once you give, that belongs to the other person. So, karma-phala if you give, then it belongs to God. But we say, "I gave karma-phala, what are You doing?" Like a small child with chocolates. If I give chocolates to the child, that child gives it to the parents—it is not giving up karma-phala. That's not the idea.

Karma-phala-tyāga

So, yes, karma and karma-phala. The other day we discussed karma and karma-phala-tyāga. We should not be attached even to karma. "I like this job. I don't like that job." No, whatever you need to do, you have to do. That is called naiṣkarmya.

What is the result? Phala means what? Whether profit comes, loss comes. Happiness comes, unhappiness comes. Whether praise or blame. Whether friend or enemy. The mind will not get disturbed.

Why does it get disturbed? Because "I have offered it—karma to the Lord. I belong to the Lord. Let Him do what He likes. If there is any person inimical, that is His business. Because I belong to Him. It is for Him to protect His things. I belong to Him." That is called complete śaraṇāgati.

Such a person crosses the māyā.

Renouncing the Vedas

He renounces Vedas. What does Vedas mean here? Rituals. You know, some people they are so attached to the rituals. Only yesterday I had a talk. "Swamiji, you know this Sundarakāṇḍa pārāyaṇa is going on. I am exhausted."

"Who told you to get exhausted? Sundarakāṇḍa pārāyaṇa you reduce a little bit. Read one page everyday and rest of the time you take nutritious food and you take rest. But you are torturing your body. Until this two hours pārāyaṇa is over I will not touch any food"—and this enervating heat. All these things combine and you are not a small girl now. You are sixty years old. The body has its own dharma. You have no right actually.

What do you think she will do? She will make praṇāma—everything she will do excepting listening. How many times I told you? "You did it for so many years. Now it is done. You move forward. What is it? Mantra. Increase your japa. Increase your meditation. Sit."

Age-Appropriate Practice

And sometimes people want to sit on the floor. They think sitting on a sofa, puṇya will become less. Japa-phala will become less. You know some people have that sentiment. "Only if they sit down..."

Okay, when we are young, when body is okay, you do it. But when age has come, the bones have become brittle and they don't—not that they don't work but they can't. At that time we have to adjust.

After all, the body served us for so many years, excepting for giving troubles. What wages we have given to the body? You know what are the wages of the body? Wages means: "Okay, you are tired, take rest. And now you are aged, now reduce your activities."

And now it is complaining. Morning to evening you are overloading. "Okay, you served me long time. Now I will slowly reduce your loading." That means eat less food so that digestion will not come down.

So one lady, she became very fat. She went to a doctor. Doctor said, "If you live like this, you will die." So she got scared. "Doctor, what shall I do?" "I am prescribing diet food for you. If you don't follow this diet, you will die in two months. So for one month you try this diet. Come and see me after one month."

And after one month the lady went. Now she had doubled in size. Doctor said, "Are you not taking diet food?" "Doctor, what difficulty you landed me in. Along with normal portion I have to have diet food also."

So as we age, we have to practice according to the body's capacity. Respect the body. It served us well. It is God's given gift. We cannot misuse the body. But most people they don't listen.

Every age has got its own dharma. That is important.

Beyond Rituals

So Vedas here means the rituals. When they are blessed, do more japa. Mentally you do japa. Meditate, pray and you don't need to follow external activities. Why do you want so many external activities? You know, cooking. Nowadays you don't need to cook the whole day. You cook only once a day.

Because refrigerator was not there in the past, so you had no option. Food becomes spoiled. But now refrigerator is there. So you cook once, put it there—or sometimes you cook for ten to fifteen dishes and every day you take it out, heat it and then eat it. Simple food.

For three days, two days, three days you don't need to cook. That is a stupid understanding—"Now this is stale food." It's not stale food. Stale food is only when there is no refrigerator. In refrigerator, it is fresh. And most of the food we buy also is refrigerated food, not fresh food.

That is okay, but at home it is fresh. See the convenience is there. It is not that one day every day cook fresh and use it for that day. Next day you cook something else. That reduces how much time? Pollution is less and then the consumption also will be less.

You know, Rāmakṛṣṇa used to say night food should be liquid—like rice gruel or something like drinking water. Otherwise whole night you will be snoring because there is so much heavy food. And now doctors are also telling—too much of carbohydrates is not very good. It is very unfortunate.

Simplified Practice

So Vedas means here external practice. That is what Rāmakṛṣṇa says. "First stage you have to do sandhyā, ācamana and Gāyatrī. That means if somebody has done sandhyā external practice for many years then he is devoted to Gāyatrī. Gāyatrī comes first. So Gāyatrī mantra and even that long mantra—after sometime you don't need. Gāyatrī becomes just Oṃ.

The moment a person says Oṃ, the whole of God will be in his mind. Like Rāmakṛṣṇa used to go into samādhi by just uttering the Oṃ. He would go into samādhi. It should be the result if we have really done.

So slowly, think of God more and these rituals become less and less. If all these conditions have been fulfilled, what happens?

Unbroken Love for God

So the first result is avicchinnā—avicchinna means unbroken. If you pour oil from one vessel to the other, it will be one unbroken stream. Anurāga means what? Prema. It is called anurāga. This word is very interesting. Anu means after. Rāga means deep attachment.

So when does attachment to God come? Only after long sādhana of all these things when our understanding ultimately becomes "Only I belong to God. God belongs to me." When that knowledge comes—"This is my real mother, real father"—Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa illustrates it through the parable of the homa bird.

It is not a real bird. There is a mythical homa bird. It seems it lives in the sky very, very, very high and then it lays eggs and it is not living in a nest. Always it is moving. So the eggs fall. Several days they are falling and then suddenly they hatch out and then the chick starts falling.

Suddenly it realizes, "If I fall like that, I will dash against the ground and then I will die," and it grows wings immediately and it goes back to its natural home in the sky.

The result of all this spiritual practice is that "God alone is my mother, my father and I should not be here on earth." Simply the mind goes up to God. That is why it's beautiful.

Only when we have some knowledge about God, then the result of that knowledge is anurāga. Anu means after knowledge, then rāga comes. This is the truth.

You don't know somebody, then you can't love that person. You can't hate also. But after knowing the person and then "Oh, this person is a very good person," so then rāga or hatred will come. "This person is not good"—but without knowing...

That's why you know, first time when we meet, we are all great friends. When we start living together, then we say, "Oh, I never knew you would turn out to be like that." Of course he will also reply the same compliments.

Becoming a Bridge for Others

Then what happens? Very beautiful. What was the question? He who develops, practices all the spiritual qualities—that person he alone will cross the māyā by the grace of God. Not only he crosses himself—it's lokānugrahāya—he becomes a great bridge for others to cross.

That's why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa first he did sādhana. He realizes God. Now he has become a bridge for all of us. So this is the most wonderful thing we have to understand. It's so beautiful this Nārada Bhakti Sūtra.

That's why Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa says, "If you have not obtained authority from God, then your preaching will not affect people." Why? Because you don't know what you are talking about. A person who knows God—who knows God can only be a person who has seen God. After seeing, he knows God exists and He is of this nature. And then whatever he speaks has authority. And then people will listen. Otherwise this is just nice entertainment. There won't be much effect.

But we should not take that in the extreme meaning. Some souls, when they are ready, even if somebody is casually talking, that will affect them.

The Story of Guidance

So there is a beautiful story. We will stop here. All these qualities he has to develop. Such a person alone crosses this māyā. That person alone crosses this saṃsāra. Not only that, after that he becomes a boat—like a mountaineer guide. First he will go and then he has complete knowledge where there are problems, where there is easy method, shortcuts. And then he will also take other people and guide them.

Every realized soul is a boat. But as I said, without practicing we are not realized souls. But we are struggling.

So one thing we have to understand. Suppose you come to me for spiritual guidance—I can't tell you about God because I have not seen God. But I know one foot ahead. So I can tell you one foot ahead—so you are one foot behind. You don't know what is there. Whatever I know I can tell you.

So suppose you also come to the same stage. Then God will send somebody who knows another few feet. All that you need to know is only one foot. You don't need to know all the way about it. And it won't remain in the brain also. If you can remember one foot, then put one foot forward.

The Lantern Story

So there is a beautiful story. A man was going from one village to another village at night. Pitch dark—completely dark. He had a hurricane lantern. Carefully he was going. Suddenly the thought came: "This hurricane lantern can show me light only for three feet. The village is three miles. How am I going to walk?"

So with that thought he sat down. Another person was also going with another hurricane lantern. He said, "Why are you sitting here?" He said, "How can I cross? This gives light only for three feet and the village is three miles."

This other fellow said, "Foolish fellow. You just walk three feet where the light will show. When you reach there, that hurricane lantern will show you another three feet. In no time you will reach the village."

So our problem is we want to reach with one jump like Hanumān. Hanumān can jump, but we cannot jump. So we need guidance only for the next one foot. And if we can reach that one foot, then God Himself will send somebody to show another foot, another foot. We will never lack light to move forward. But we have to be walking only.

The Story of the Two Paths

For that also Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa told a story. One man wanted to go to some other village. So he came to a place where the road forked. One road like this going, one road going that way. Sometimes in cities also you get. This road also goes to the same destination. This road also goes to the same destination.

Now you are told to follow the main road. Now which main road? Go this way or go that way? Stupid signboards, you know. They should tell "this goes to the south, this goes to the north" like that. So you have to know. Otherwise sometimes four ways also lead to the same destination. Our Indians, they confuse you.

The Power of Readiness

So this is a beautiful story. Even an ordinary person sometimes utters ordinary words, but when the aspirant is ready, those very words he will interpret in a spiritual way that will change his whole life.

The Story of Lāla Babu

So in Bengal, there was one person called Lāla Babu. He was a zamindār. Very great bhakta. He wanted to take sannyāsa. He could not take sannyāsa. Sixty years old. So one day in the afternoon about four o'clock he was returning from his office to his home. He had to pass through the outskirts of a village. There was a pond. There was a washerwoman and she was supposed to wash the clothes.

But for some reason that day she did not even start washing the clothes. She had an eight-year-old daughter. So the daughter was asking: "Bābā, belā anek poeche, bhāṣaṇa kobe dhube?" Bhāṣaṇa means in Bengali, clothes. "When are you going to clean the clothes? Belā anek poeche"—anek samaya—"so much time has passed. It is about to become sunset. When are you going to complete your job?" That was what she meant.

But this person was ready. Bhāṣaṇa means pūrva-janma saṃskāras. "Anek belā poeche"—you are already sixty years old. "When are you going to get rid of all your saṃskāras and move towards God?" That is how he interpreted.

His servant was there. "Take this horse, take my rich clothes, go home, tell them that I want to take sannyāsa. I am going to Vṛndāvana." With that he went to Vṛndāvana. He found out a great guru and he got initiated and then he told, "I want to take sannyāsa."

Guru said, "Wait for sannyāsa. You are not ready for sannyāsa. When the time comes, then I will give you sannyāsa." Now he was living on dīkṣā. So he thought, "What am I going to do the whole day? Let me do some work." He started a shop and because he was a zamindār, such an expert—slowly within no time his business thrived. Big business.

The Test of Ego

Now in that Vṛndāvana there was another rich man who was known for his charities. Previously that man's name everybody knew—he was a very compassionate person, charitable person. Now this Lāla Babu has come. Now there is no family. So whatever profit comes, excepting for his food, everything was donated.

In no time this person's name and fame drowned the other person's name and fame. "Lāla Babu, Lāla Babu, Lāla Babu"—everywhere Lāla Babu. The other person felt very bad. "Until this person came, everybody knew my name. Now nobody knows my name."

So then one day suddenly he was sitting and then the thought came: "Hey fellow, what are you doing? You came here, you got such a great guru and you asked for sannyāsa. Is this the preparation for sannyāsa?" That day awakening came.

He sold everything, distributed the money. Previously he was earning and donating. From next day he started begging. So he understood, "I have hurt that man." So he went first to his house and said, "Give me alms."

The son of that rich man looked at him, ran inside and said, "Bābā, Bābā, do you know who is standing for alms outside? That Lāla Babu because of whose name your name has become overshadowed." That man came out. Tears were running from his eyes because "See this great name and fame and he is standing there asking for alms. You are greater than me. I am only a beggar." So he apologized to him and gave alms.

Then after that Lāla Babu went to his guru and said, "Am I ready now for sannyāsa?" Guru said, "Yes. Now you are ready." Then he commanded him: "You have ability to serve the society. Go back to Kolkata and start āśramas and start schools and help poor people."

So he started several schools called... This is Lāla Babu. So many things he did. Wonderful story.

The Conclusion

So what is the story about? A man was passing. Some girl addressing her father: "Bābā, when are you going to clean your clothes?" And he understood it as: "You are already so aged. When are you going to clean your saṃskāras?"

So you see he is understanding it in his own way. The word was "kobe bhāṣaṇa dhube"—when are you going to wash your clothes? But he understood "kobe bhāṣaṇa ḍhube"—when are you going to burn your saṃskāras? There is a kind of stove that produces tremendous heat. You boil water, put that inside, it becomes like soap, then put all the clothes and then wash—that is called burning wash. So that was the word he understood. "When am I going to burn all my saṣkāras?"

So when we are ready, even ordinary words will transform our lives. But until we are ready, we have to pray to God to make us ready.

Closing Prayer