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.

Discourse on Narada Bhakti Sutras: Verses 63-66

Introduction and Opening Remarks

This is not so strong, but yes, slowly. Oh, I forgot to bring the book. Do you have it? I have the Kannada book. Kannada will do.

Whatever will do, Swami Harshananda. We only need the Mūla. All the sutras are there on the last page, Swami. I have it on the Kindle, if you want. No, no, this is there. This is more than sufficient.

Okay, we are on verse 63, briefly.

Verse 63: What Should Not Be Heard

Strī-dhana-nāstika-vairi-caritram na śravanīyam

Whatever harms our spiritual life should never be heard by us. So:

Strī (Opposite Sex)

Strī means the opposite sex. Then dhana.

Dhana (Wealth)

Whenever you find somebody who has become suddenly rich, you read that story. The lightning desire comes: "Why could not I have become also like that?" It comes.

Nāstika (Atheists)

Then nāstika. Those who don't believe in God—and some of them are not illiterate people, but highly literate scientists—they go on telling how God is not necessary.

Story: Scientists and the Creation of Life

I think I told you one story, whether you remember or not. Some scientists found out how to create life out of dust. You know that is how life started? What they call inorganic matter has become organic matter. What is organic matter? Seemingly lifeless dust, etc. From that, in the course of evolution, life has emerged. Slowly: amoeba, one cell, two cells, multiple cells, insects, etc., etc. Now it has become a big business.

This is how evolution has come. Finally, scientists cracked the DNA of prāṇa, and then they thought, "Now God is redundant." So, Professor Emeritus, retired, honorable—they sought an interview with God.

God asked, "What brings you here?"

"Oh, thank you very much for all that you have done. You created life and evolution. Now we also could create life, so you could honorably retire."

God said, "Show me." Then they scooped some dust to show Him how to create prāṇa. He said, "No, no, no, no, no—not my dust. Bring your own dust."

Philosophical Analysis: Life and Consciousness

Whatever they created—so one important point here is: did life come from somewhere else, or was it there in the so-called inorganic inherent potential? So there is a scientific law: whatever you put in the machines, that alone is manifest.

Anything—if you don't put certain masala, it will not be there in the food. Suddenly, during the time of frying and boiling, it doesn't come. So you must put it at the proper time.

So if life was not inherent in the so-called inorganic matter, there is no question of it coming out even in eternity. But first they ignored it. Now they are accepting it. Because it's unscientific to say something which was not there suddenly will come.

They have not gone one step forward. What is that? Consciousness.

If consciousness was not inherent—for example, this carpet: Is consciousness there in the carpet or not? Now it is not there, but it will be there. According to Vedānta, there is only one reality. What is it? God, Brahman. What is the nature of Brahman? Saccidānanda. So that cit must be there. Ānanda is there. Because you find—sitting here and sitting here—instantaneously you will find the difference. So ānanda is there, existence is there.

Then wherever there is existence, the other two also must be there. In fact, the whole idea of evolution—now that they are accepting—life was already inherent in it. Inorganic matter, organic—that is called evolution.

So wherever there is life, there is consciousness. Can you understand that point? If you say there is life but there is no consciousness, then you will be wrong. If you are having life, then you will have that. All the feelings will be there, sensations will be there, you will be aware in fact.

What is the first awareness? "Don't squeeze me out." Anything—you kick and you cut a rock, this carpet—nothing happens. But even the slightest living creature, even a mosquito: why do you think it runs away from your hand? Because it says in its language, "Do not kill me, I want to live." That is the nature of prāṇa. Only now scientists have come from prāṇa to consciousness.

Gender Distinctions and Attraction

Anyway, coming back to our subject, what is it? First of all, strī. Strī means not woman, though it is written by a man—we use that word, strī. But if a woman had written, in the Bible there is a version, you know: Gospel according to a woman.

Is God male or female? You can't say He is male or female. He is male, He is female, He is also inert. Only prāṇis, those who have life, you can say whether it is male or female. But anything where prāṇa is not manifest, you cannot say whether male or female. You can't say whether it is a male carpet or a female carpet.

How to know? Male or female? Woman or man? You can sit here if you wish, otherwise your back will be suffering. So you see, man is great or woman is great? Woman is great. Yes, woman is great. Why? Because five letters: W-O-M-A-N. Female or male? Male is within female. Naturally, female is great.

So, without prāṇa, the gender distinction will never come. So each are attracted by the other, as if two parts have to come and meet harmoniously. Then only reproduction is possible. Now, of course, scientific methods are there, what is called replication, by one cell, etc.

That was there in our Purāṇas: Raktabīja. Just one drop of blood and a similar person will come out. Many plants—just they take a few cells, if you want the exact replica: bananas, mangoes, etc.—some name is there: cloning. In England they have done cloning. The one sheep, they named it Dolly. It died soon afterwards, did not survive. But there are attempts to do it. But usually it is the male and female.

The idea is, whatever deviates us from our path is to be strictly avoided.

The Power of Money

Strī, dhana. Of all these things, even more powerful than strī is dhana, money. Why? Everybody desires. Male desires female, female desires male, but everybody—a child also—pocket money. Like that. Money, money, money. Even if a fellow is about to die and is groaning with pain, tell him, "You won a lottery ticket." His face will light up as though he had a vision of God. And another five minutes he is about to die. Such is the mesmerization.

That's why Swamiji remarked, "America, one of the worst countries in the world: sex and dollar—these are the twin goddesses you are worshipping." And it has become even more today: dhana.

Nāstika People

Then, nāstika. Nāstika people are some of the worst people. What is the worst? If you believe in God, you try to see God. If you don't believe in God, you keep your philosophy to yourself. You are free to believe in whatever you like. But they go on criticizing all the believers that you are irrational people. "How can God exist? The first thing is, if God exists, why is there so much of partiality? Second, why is there so much of misery? So many wars. So much suffering. If you study history, if you have any faith in God, faith in God will totally disappear."

Vairi (Enemies)

Nāstika. Then, vairi. Vairi means śatru. So if you hear, you are śatru. Śatru means what? There are two types of people. For example, Jesus Christ had many enemies. He doesn't feel anybody is the enemy. Others feel he is the enemy and he had to be given up. That is why they—lost, before giving up his breath—"Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do." What a wonderful prayer.

How could he pray? Because he knows that they are not my enemies, they are my own self. Ātmā. When a person has that kind of vision, this understanding comes. What is that understanding? There is nothing else except God.

Who is an enemy and who is a friend? There is no such distinction. If you say, "This is my friend," you definitely have somebody who is your enemy. So you don't say, "I don't have any inimical feeling," but "These are my special friends." Such a thing doesn't exist. How? Why? Because if you think this is wrong, you must have an idea of what is good. So if you think this is happiness, there must be an idea of what is unhappiness.

When to Avoid These Topics

So, one should not read about, even hear about it. When? When we are in the initial stages. Ramakrishna used to say, "When the plant is small, you have to fence it around. But when it has grown strong, then you have to remove the fence. If you don't, then the plant will be harmed, because you are hampering its growth by your very method of protecting it."

Advaita Vedānta's Non-Antagonistic Position

So one should not have any opinionated thinking. That is why in the Gauḍapāda Māṇḍūkya Kārikā, he says, "Tairāyam na virudhyate"—Advaita Vedānta doesn't have any enemies. Because Advaita Vedānta knows everybody is an Advaitin. But Dvaitin doesn't know. They go on abusing. Like that, book after book have come, condemning the opposite party.

But Advaita says, "We have no quarrel with anybody, because this is the truth." If anybody has got the truth, then Gauḍapāda specially brings one idea: there would be no rāga and dveṣa in the hearts of people who know the truth. Why? Because they know it is the truth. And here we are talking about not ordinary truth, talking about God's truth. What is God? If everybody is God, who is going to hate whom? That is not possible.

But Dvaitins think that all Advaitins will go to a special hell. Ordinary people who are not Advaitins, they may believe in God, they may not believe in God. But Advaitins, they hate.

Hare Krishna movement hates Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Do you know that? Otherwise, they are doing excellent work. They take our Krishna's name. In fact, I have to admire them. How many millions of people they have influenced in practically every country—even Muslims in Africa are doing bhajans: "Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma."

Whereas Ramakrishna Mission, if you get any day fifty audience, you are in seventh heaven. That too, they are a floating population. I don't know. There is something we are not able to give to them. But there is a way. You start your rituals, tomorrow people will come—hundreds, thousands will come. We are Dvaitins, not Advaitins.

See, I have seen that one. Here, how many people come weekend? Weekend? Everybody becomes weakend only. You know, from Monday, weakness starts. That's why it is called weekday. Tuesday, still more. But by that time, Saturday comes. Weekend. Two days it requires.

So why are people not coming? Whereas Hare Krishna Movement, thousands—you know that Krishna's birthday. Let us celebrate Holy Mother's birthday, Thakur's birthday, and at least thousand people will be there. Why? Because all Hindus are what? Bhajan and Bhojan. This is the one.

Conclusion on Verse 63

So, we have completed. No question about it. But always, no. There will come a time when your faith becomes so firm, then you do whatever. Like Śrī Ramakrishna says, when the tree becomes very big, then even if an elephant is tied, it cannot do any harm to the tree, unless it happens to fall like this. You have seen that big, huge—how big? Fortunately, all the children were inside, or nobody was there. If it had fallen upon even one person, that huge, newly constructed wall is completely fallen down.

Then, for the people, all these instructions are for people who are trying to develop bhakti.

Verse 64: Abandoning Ego and Arrogance

Abhimāna-dambhādikam tyajyam

Then he says, "Abhimāna, dambha, etc., should be abandoned." Abhimāna means egotism. Egoism, egotism. Dambha means arrogance.

Story: The Thief and Dambha

Śrī Ramakrishna gives an example. One day, one poor thief entered into somebody's house and stole ten rupees. First of all, they caught him. Secondly, they beat him. Thirdly, they took him to the police and handed him over. "What is this? How dare you attempt to steal from my house?" Ten rupee loss was nothing. But that dambha, abhimāna: "My—I am such a great man."

It is like that. But now things are becoming ulta (upside-down). Police are afraid of people. Teachers are afraid of guṇḍas. Guṇḍaism is going on everywhere.

Understanding Abhimāna

So, abhimāna. What is abhimāna? "I am this body, this mind. I am the owner." Toṭāpuri had this abhimāna. "This is my body. This is my mind. I have done sādhana. I have controlled the body and senses. I have progressed in spiritual life. Now this body is putting an obstruction to my meditation. I will give it up."

Who the hell are you to give up? Because, you see, nobody can say, "You are living in a rented room. I am going to sell it off." Usually, if it is their own house, they are very careful to put even a calendar. But if it is a rented house, everywhere—dāda, dāda. And they don't want to leave it.

Abhimāna as the Obstruction

Abhimāna. This abhimāna is "I." What is the obstruction between jīvātmā and paramātmā? Only one: abhimāna. What is abhimāna? Egoism.

So Śrī Ramakrishna was asked by somebody, "Sir, when do I realize God?" What was his funny reply? "When you die, you will realize, you will see God."

"If I die, then who is going to see God?"

It took him some time for him to understand that it is your "I" which is standing in front of you, unable to see God.

The Golden Cover

And he illustrates it. He has got a small towel, puts it there, and says, "Look, I am so near to you, and you can't see my face." So that is called:

Hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham

The worshipper of Sūrya Deva—Sūrya means Brahman here. He came to see the Lord. Then he said, "I can't see who you are. Your face is covered by a shining golden disc." What is that shining golden disc? Gold means everybody is attracted. All the attractive things in the world is called the golden cover. Who can remove it? Only the Divine Mother can remove it.

So he prayed, "I am devoted to you, and you are to take. It is my right that you reveal yourself to me, because the whole life I have spent only thinking about you."

And immediately he says, then he looks at it: "What? I thought it is you. No, it is not you. It's me. I thought you were different. I was different. Now the moment you remove this one, I see that you are I, and I am you. There is absolutely no difference between you and me."

Story: The Painter and Krishna

There was a funny story, I think I narrate it all the time. So Śrī Krishna was the king of Mathura. There was a painter, a budding painter, a filmmaker, a budding filmmaker, and he wanted to paint Bhagavān Krishna. So he obtained his permission. Krishna always smiling: "Yes, yes, go ahead."

And some 10-15 sittings, and he painted it. One day he announced, "It is complete." So lots of people came, because they did not know the painter. Some came to see the fun, some came to see the painting. Like that, thousands of people, hundreds of people came, and Śrī Krishna was also present.

So with fanfare, Śrī Krishna was asked to cut the ribbon, remove it. My God, there was no resemblance at all, because Śrī Krishna changed his form. So these fellows—matā ghoricche—their heads started reeling: "What is this? I took so much time. Maybe I have committed some mistake."

So second time he took permission. Krishna smiling, everything smiling—cuts your throat also. So māyā-manaṁ ukāmbhujam—even in the battlefield also, always smiling. Why? Because there is no reality there. It is all make-believe. Kill as much as you want. "I can kill you"—that is also not reality. "You can kill me"—that is also not reality.

So second time also, exactly same thing happened. And then people started coming more and more to enjoy the fun. Third time also same thing happened. This painter was in despair. He came to the president of the Ramakrishna altar. "Sir, please help me. What is this? This man, every time I take so much trouble to paint, and when you open, totally different."

Then someone said, "Do like this." Remember this story? No. So for the time, he did not paint at all. He announced. This time lakhs of people came to enjoy the fun. So Śrī Krishna also smiling went there. So he cut the ribbon and opened. It was exactly Śrī Krishna's face.

What was there? Mirror.

Now you change your face as many times as you want.

The Mind as Mirror

So what is that mirror? Our mind. When we do sādhana, all the mind will be completely polished and cleaned of every single thought. It becomes just a mirror. So when you look at the mirror, you will get exactly the face you are having.

Similarly, what is that? We don't know we are God. So when is the mirror polished like that? There are five layers of dust. These five layers are called what? Pañca-kośa: Annamaya-kośa, Prāṇamaya-kośa, Manomaya-kośa, Vijñānamaya-kośa, Ānandamaya-kośa. And if we remove, by God's grace, what remains? Pure Self.

Put the mirror. What is reflected? Pure mirror. So every single object becomes a mirror. Understand now? You are a mirror. If Śrī Ramakrishna looks at you, he doesn't see what I am seeing. He sees what you really are. He pierces beyond the Pañca-kośas and sees only what you really are.

Ya eṣo 'sāv—He who is within you. So 'ham asmi—That I am. That realization. But it came only by the grace of the Divine Mother. That's what happened to Thakur.

He had got only one thought in the mind: "My Divine Mother." So Toṭāpuri came and said, "You have to remove every thought because thought is what obstructs us from merging in God." He said, "I could not do it." You know the story. And he brought one broken piece of glass and pressed it here and said, "Concentrate now."

This time, when the Mother's thought came, Śrī Ramakrishna said, "I took the sword of viveka—discrimination—and cut it off completely." Then there is no division. It is like, you know how? There is a pool of water and there is a rope, as if the water was separated—this side and that side. That is what we are all doing. "My house and your house." What is the difference? The wall. Remove the wall—which is your house, which is my house? It all just becomes one single earth. That's all.

And now they are doing space also. They divided space. "Pakistani F-16 should not come over there." Space of this one. And Indians also, they will shoot them down. This is all human beings, you know. All space madcaps.

Removing "I" and "Mine"

So, this is the first thing to be removed. And all our sādhana is what? For getting rid of this "I." Then, "I" will not go easily. First, "mine" has to go. "Mine" means my house, my wealth, etc., etc., etc., etc.

That is why M, towards the last, he became quite wealthy by selling only that Bengali edition of the Gospel: Kathāmṛta. Five parts. 75 rupees. 15 rupees each. He constructed a huge building and named it Kathāmṛta Bhavan.

Now he has two grandsons. Both of them are unmarried. Totally dedicated for spreading Thakur's message of Kathāmṛta. And they have returned it to Belur Math. Belur Math, I think, either taken or sold. They have taken? Okay. Did you visit that one? Yeah. Swamiji's house, did you visit? They reconstructed? It's become a museum now. Yes. Many cultural activities will take place there.

So, that house has come now. So, there is a verse, you know, before reading Gospel, before starting reading: Tava kathāmṛta. That's why he named it Kathāmṛta: Śrī Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Kathāmṛta. His house also, he named it as Kathāmṛta Bhavan. He had become quite rich. But he could have lived very, very—so, I think I narrated this to them.

M's Practice of Humility

M, he was well trained by Thakur. So, now and then, at midnight, in winter season, he'll get up, throw off his warm cloths, walk out of the house. There was a bazaar, road, and beggars used to sleep there. So he would go and sleep with them. Devotees always used to be with him. They noticed it. And then they asked him, "Sir, why do you do like that?" He was an old man also.

Then he said, "It's all Thakur's grace I got this. I should never feel this is mine. To develop or strengthen that idea—but for the grace of God, I could have been one of these. Just to nourish that idea, this has come." What a wonderful idea this is.

Recent Example of Arrogance

So, abhimāna-dambha. Dambha means, if somebody says, "Okay, this is all mine," that is okay. But it becomes arrogance. A rich person becomes very arrogant. Recently some case was there. One police had stopped one rich girl somewhere—Delhi or somewhere, Jalandhar or somewhere. She got down, went and slapped the police cheek and said, "Do you know who I am? I'm the daughter of your boss." That fellow said, "I'm simply sorry, madam." Like that he went. What can he do? Otherwise his job is—

This police also have got this one. Here there was in Karnataka, one lady was there, police officer, very honest, like your Kiran. How many remote places they have transferred her, just because she was telling the truth, went to arrest some rich people, because they were all under his control. One of the most corrupt countries is India. And also corrupt and adulterated. Adulterated.

Humorous Story: The Constipated Man

There was a fellow who was suffering from 25 years from severe constipation. He can't digest whatever he eats. So he doesn't have appetite, he can't eat. He wants to eat, he can't eat. So he decided, "Enough is enough. I'm going to end my life." He went and bought this—what is that? Phenyl or something like that? Insect killer and all those things. And the whole tin, he drank and lay down.

After three hours, because he had such a wonderful purging—in his whole life he never had that kind of purging. Because that was adulterated. Then for the first time in 25 years, he was ravenously hungry. Then he went to a first-class hotel and ordered first-class food, paid 75 rupees, ate it wholeheartedly, happily came back, laid down and died. Because that was also—it worked. He wanted to die, it worked in any case.

So much of corruption. Hopefully, by Thakur's blessing, people are also leading a good life.

The Core of Sādhana

The whole sādhana is only to give up these two: "I" and "mine." First, "mine." Last to be tackled is "I." Because that "I" will not go so easily.

Verse 65: Dedicating All Actions to God

Tadarpitākhilācāratvaṁ san kāma-krodhābhimānādikaṁ tasminn eva karaṇīyam

Then, what should be done? A most beautiful sutra is coming.

Tad-arpita—Tat means God. Arpita—everything is to be dedicated to only God. Akhilācāratā—whatever good works your devotee is doing, everything he should offer it to God.

And that is what I said: pūjā. Once I spoke about pūjā, I'll briefly speak about it now. So these are all good things: sādhana, japa, meditation, tīrtha-yātrā, and then pārāyaṇa, śāstra-pārāyaṇa, and saṅkīrtana.

The Meaning of Offering

Whatever we are able to do, how are we able to do it? Because He gave us the desire, He gave us the intelligence, He gave us these materials, He gave us the opportunity, so we will have to offer what He gave us. Offer means not offering, because you have nothing to offer. So offering means letting God know: "I am very grateful to you because you have given me these things." This upacārika we call it. It is only symbolic.

What is symbolic? "I give it." That is what we call in Bengali: Gaṅgā-jala, Gaṅgā-jale, Gaṅgā-pūjā. Gaṅgā-jale, Gaṅgā—you understand? So you want to worship any God, Goddess—Ganges water is very sacred, so you take a little, sprinkle yourself, sprinkle on all materials, and you make sure it is all pure.

Suppose you want to worship Mother Ganga, what will you do? Take a little water from her, and then give it back to her.

So everything that is given to us, including our body, mind and the world, everything belongs to God. It is the gratefulness—God doesn't want, because He is Paripūrṇa. Where is He going to keep it?

Story: The Rich Arab and Harrods

One rich Arab bought a shop in London: Harrods. Huge shop. Where is he going to put it? So he put it there itself. And everybody who was working before, also working now also. Only thing is now it belongs to him. He shopped in Harrods. It is supposed to be very quality. They only sell quality goods, and they only sell at a very high cost. Only rich people can go.

Once I also went. Not for buying, just to see what are all the things. So a great philosopher used to go to Harrods shop—I said, just substitute it. Some supermarket he used to go every day, from morning till evening, because every compartment, so many, so much. Like Walmart, you know, it is like a whole—how much you can see?

So somebody asked, "Sir, you never buy anything. Why do you go on looking at all those things?" He is telling, "I am trying to find out how many things I could be without." Beautiful.

The Infinity of God

So, we don't need most of the things. So, but curiosity—what is Harrods shop? Now I can say that I also seen Harrods shop like that.

So, if you give to God also, where is He going to keep it? He is infinite. Where is He going to keep? He is not infinite plus infinite—not going to make any difference. Infinite minus infinite is what? Infinite. That is why zero is the greatest symbol of infinity. Zero. That is why—what is India's contribution to the world science? Zero. But how much—without zero, the modern science would never have developed.

Dedicating Daily Activities

So, Narada is telling to us: whatever we do, we have still abhimāna—offer it to God. How? "O Lord, you have given, and I am offering to you what you have given."

Ācāra means every devotional activity, including day-to-day, normal, natural activities. Everything—you are breathing. That is what Bhagavad Gītā in two ślokas says, you know. You are seeing. Who is seeing? God only is seeing, in the form of Jīvātmā. But I am thinking I am seeing. Who is taking breath? God only. But I think I am taking it.

So, everything that you do, from morning to again morning, think that it is God who is doing it. This is God. He can dedicate everything to you.

Negative Qualities: The Six Enemies

But human being is still imperfect. He has got negative things also. What are the negative things? Six. What are they? Mother, and they are not six. They are one, changing their shape according to the situation.

Kāma (Desire)—Kāma means desire. When desire is frustrated, it becomes Krodha (anger). And when krodha cannot be expressed, it becomes Lobha (greed).

So, if I cannot fulfill my desire—at least if I have—suppose an old man, everything through tubes only, he cannot eat anything, he can't digest anything, he can't enjoy anything. But the moment you tell that this fellow has won a lottery ticket, immediately he may have a cardiac attack also. You know that?

Story: The Lottery Winner and Heart Attack

There was an American old man who was always playing lottery. For 35 years he played lottery, but nothing. So then, you know, he became a little old. You know the story? So, then he had this heart attack, severe heart attack. Immediately they took him to the cardiac hospital. There was an excellent cardiac doctor and he went on treating him.

So, when he was slowly recovering, the news came that he won one million dollars. Now, his children had this problem. How to convey this to him? Because if he won one million dollars, already he had won, he can have a second heart attack and this time he will not recover.

So they approached the cardiac doctor: "You please slowly convey the message to him." So he said, "Don't worry, I will do that."

Next day morning, the cardiac doctor went and said, "Bill, how are we doing? America, everything—how are we? How are we doing?"

He said, "Doctor, thank you very much. All because of your beautiful hand. I am recovering." Like that, this, that, and going on talking.

In between: "Supposing, supposing, I heard that you are playing lottery. Supposing you win one million dollars, what will you do?"

By that time, that fellow's mind has lifted up, you know. He said, "What is there? You saved my life. I will give you 50% of it."

As soon as the doctor heard, he had a heart attack.

The Six Enemies Explained

So, it becomes Lobha (greed)—gathering things. "Oh, he will get. These all belong to me." But the idea of security comes from this: lobha.

Then, if lobha turns into Moha (delusion)—what is moha? Nobody should touch it. Only it will be under my control. Even my children, my wife, they have nothing to do with that.

Example of Moha

I am getting examples of this. Just a few days back, one doctor came to see me, a Telugu person. Telugu people are called "half-cracks." Do you know that? Yeah, the whole country calls Telugu people half-cracked. Either tremendous geniuses or cracks. Sathya Sai Baba was from Andhra Pradesh. Jiddu Krishnamurti—J. Krishnamurti, have you heard? Jiddu. You know what is Jiddu? Like oily. Like, you know, jackfruit. If you cut it like that, your hands will not want to separate. All these things.

So, half-crazy fellows—somehow they have that idea about it. Many people told me also. I told them, "You are completely wrong. I am not half-crazy. I am full-crazy. You don't know the truth."

So, what was I talking about? This moha. Moha means this doctor. He has very costly land in Hyderabad. So, "Swamiji, you bless me. I am thinking of selling half of it and having some—you will get several crores by that."

Then I said, "Why don't you consult your wife and children?"

"Don't ask me like that. I don't want to let them know. It's my own private business."

You see, he is having some problem with them. He doesn't want to. But still, you know, he has to live with them, he has to do all those things, and all this—abhimāna. Moha comes. That is what Arjuna started suffering. Moha. "These are my people. These are not dogs. These are God's people. These are dogs' people"—Duryodhana and others like that. That is where confusion came. Moha.

Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha. Then, Mada (arrogance)—"Am I a smaller person? I have got so much of property. What have you got about you?" Mada. Arrogance will come.

Then ultimately, Mātsarya (jealousy)—You know what is mātsarya? Jealousy. The moment he hears, the other person has got something more.

Transforming Negative Emotions

So, every human being, we have got that, everything. So, what to do with them? Okay, good activities, you are dedicating to God. What will you do? Do the same thing. Dedicate them also to God. If we dedicate them to God, then they will not become negative force. They will all become positive force.

What is the positive force? Kāmāt gopīḥ. Bhayāt Kaṁsaḥ. Dveṣāt Śiśupālādayaḥ.

Bhāgavatam is telling: Gopikās, at first, they did not understand who was Krishna. But when they came near him, immediately their pūrva-janma-saṁskāra came. Ṛṣis. So, they understood, "This is Paramātmā, we are Jīvātmās. It is eternal relationship."

One of Swamiji's definitions of religion—such beautiful definitions of religion is: the manifestation of divinity already. That is one well-known popular definition. But there is even a wonderful definition: Religion is the eternal relationship between the eternal God and eternal soul.

If God is eternal, the soul also will be eternal. It is an eternal relationship from our point of view. From the Pāramārthika view, there is no eternal, because there are no two. Relationship always requires two objects. What is the relationship between gold and ornament? If there is any relationship, the goldsmith will take away the gold and give you the ornament. Both are happy. So, they are not two separate things.

But to enjoy the sweetness of devotion—because why God creates devotees? He also wants to enjoy the līlā. Ramakrishna used to poke a little fun to God also. "If there were no devotee, who will recognize you as God? Ordinary people don't believe in you."

Story: The Āstika and Nāstika at the Kālī Temple

There were two Bengali fellows travelling from one village to another village. On the way, there was a jungle. It was a small jungle. They had to cross it. One day, they were crossing it. Suddenly, they perceived in the middle somewhere one dilapidated Kālī temple. A small image of Mother Kālī is there.

These two fellows—one is an āstika, another is a nāstika. One is a true believer, another is totally non-believer. So, this nāstika saw, like that he spat in front of the Mother and went. The āstika—he saw, he went, it was full of stones and dust, he folded his hands, like that he did.

The moment he did, that Mother stretched her hand, gave him one big slap. "Is that the way to make pranāms to me?"

This fellow said, "Pardon me, Mother, because of all these obstructions, I did not do. But you know that fellow, he spat at you and went away. You didn't do anything to him."

He said, "What can I do? He doesn't believe I exist. All problems come only to believers."

Because you believe, God will take good advantage. It is a joke. Everybody gets troubles also. Nāstikas also will get trouble.

Examples of Transformation

So, turn all of them towards God. This prime example: the gopīs attained God because they had kāma, but they directed it towards God. And this Kaṁsa had bhaya (fear), and he directed it towards God. Why do you think he heard that divine voice, that "the eighth child of your sister is going to be your destroyer"? Why do you think that came? Because Kaṁsa had to be liberated.

But then what about Devakī and Vasudeva? They were kept in prison? Yes, because their prārabdha-karma had to be exhausted. For everything there is a reason.

Then Śiśupāla and Dantavakra hated Krishna. They were not hating other people. They were hating only Krishna. Therefore, he had to release them. So, they all attained mukti by the grace of God, even though they were cherishing only negative passions towards God.

That is what Narada wants to say: Tad-arpita, tad means Bhagavat, arpita, akhila, ācāraḥ, san. Whatever we do, they have to be dedicated to God. What is the dedication? "O Lord, it is possible, all these things are possible only because of your grace."

Śaraṇāgati: The Six Characteristics

In Śaraṇāgati-gadyā, that is the last characteristic to be obtained by a person who wants to dedicate himself to God. What are those six characteristics? What are the six characteristics?

I will do only things which please the Lord.
I will never do anything that displeases the Lord.
And only God can save me.
And so, I choose God.
And I transfer all my responsibilities to God—means all worries.

Here is a beautiful law. If you say, "I transfer all my responsibilities to you" and still worry—have you really offered? Because who should worry? Yes, you sell your car to somebody. After that, let it be cut into thousand pieces by anybody. Before that, one small scratch, your heart will be scratched. That is called abhimāna. And "I" and "mine," dambhādikam, will be there.

So, these are the things we have to—then what is the last one?

Kārpaṇya (humility)—Kārpaṇya means what? Difficulty. Kārpaṇya, difficulty. No, the humblest feeling that all the five conditions I have been able to fulfill only because of your grace. This is called kārpaṇya. Humility. Kārpaṇya means humility. Utter humility. "I never could have been able to do all those things."

Śrī Ramakrishna's Kārpaṇya Bhāva

Śrī Ramakrishna, from the very beginning, kārpaṇya-bhāva. "Oh, Mother, can I do this? Impossible. Only by your grace." And Mother had given him the strength, especially while he was practicing Tāntrika practices, etc. So beautiful. Everything, complete dedication.

That's what he used to call Marjara-kiśora-nyāya—the cat and the kitten attitude. Not the Markaṭa-kiśora-nyāya—the young monkey clings to the mother, but the young kitten is taken care of by its mother. It simply relaxes.

David Attenborough's Tiger Story

David Attenborough, once he showed how this happens. One tiger, it has given cubs. And it was in a small cave. That cave was in danger of getting flooded. The mother perceived, "My offspring can be drowned." So it has got two, three. A little bit grown up, and a small one. Still milk-drinking stage.

So the smallest—first the biggest it took, and some higher area it shifted. And then, how it was shifting, because this fellow is quite grown up, this much. Like that, you know, first it will—then it will be like a balloon, as it was on drinking mother's milk. Just like pumping, day by day you could see it.

So the mother—like that, four or five times, it opened, and then called. That fellow simply limped, like that. So it left it there, and was coming to fetch the second one. That fellow was following. Like that, the mother was trying to pull it. No, it will follow it. Then the mother came back, this small one—not one little bit hurt. It could crush a buffalo's neck like that. But no. That is how a devotee is protected by God. Prahlāda is the greatest story.

Summary of Verse 65

So, tad-arpita-akhila-ācāraḥ san, kāma-krodha-abhimāna-ādikaṁ. Kāma, if you want to have desire, direct it towards God. If you have got krodha, direct it towards God. If you have got abhimāna—

Rādhā was very angry. Why? That Śrī Krishna went off to Lalitā. Then the companions were asking, "Rādhā, you love Krishna, isn't it? Then, why are you—" So, what is that word? "Why are you so hurt about this? Why are you hurt?"

Then she said, "I am not hurt because Krishna went to Lalitā. I am hurt, piqued." "Why are you piqued?" Not P-E-E-K. Not P-E-E-K. P-I-Q-U-E-D. Piqued.

Then, she was replying, "What does Lalitā know how to give happiness to Krishna? I am worried about Krishna's happiness."

Another time, it comes in the Gospel. Another time, Rādhā's—pride was hurt. Somebody asked, "Why are you so much hurt?" She says, "Do I have my own pride? The pride I have was again given by Krishna only."

This example of gopīs, they are the highest devotees. They are called Ekāntināḥ, especially by Bhāgavatam as well as the Nārada Bhakti Sūtra. We are going to come there.

So, kāma, krodha, abhimāna, ādikaṁ, tasminn eva, karaṇīyam—means direct. What Śrī Ramakrishna used to call, moḍh phiriyetāvā—turn the direction and relate them to God. And if you have—you increase your kāma, but direct it towards God. Increase your krodha, direct it towards God. Increase your abhimāna, egotism. "I am there because I am a child of God."

Nachiketa's Example from Kaṭhopaniṣad

This we get in the Kaṭhopaniṣad, when his father told him, upon three times questioning, "To whom are you giving me away?" He says, "I give you away to death." Then Nachiketa started thinking, "Why did my father tell me, what is the prayojana Yamarāja will accomplish through me? I am not frightened to go there." It is a symbolic story.

Then he says, "Bahūnāmemi prathamaḥ—I am the best among the first class, first among the disciples of my Guru. Bahūnāmemi madhyamaḥ—maybe among some people I am middle, but kadācidapi na adhaḥ—I was never inferior to anybody."

That pride or what is called that self-esteem: "I belong to God. Am I any less? Who is the fellow who is going to—I am the child of Divine Mother." That special feeling is called abhimāna, to be directed towards God.

Bhadrachala Rāmadāsa Story

So if you want to get hurt, get hurt, get angry with God. Be angry with God. That is what Bhadrachala Rāmadāsa does. You know, "Apply, apply, no reply." So he took all the taxes with Ayadildār and constructed the Bhadrachala, Rāma's temple, very famous temple. Anyway, don't worry. Then the Nawab imprisoned him, caught hold of him and imprisoned him.

And he said, "Rāma, I have not taken a single penny. It is all for your sake." But every day these fellows will come and then whip him.

One day he got very angry. So, "Hey Rāma," he said, "Hey Rāma, you fellow, what do you think you have got? Your old King Daśaratha had nothing. After you married, my mother Sītā's father had given all the ornaments you are wearing. Otherwise you were simply an old pauper. You had nothing to do. And today you have forgotten yourself, your status, and making me like that."

Then the reply came. What is the reply? The Nawab was sleeping. At midnight he appeared and he gave money and said, "You know that your servant darśīdār, this is the money. He has not stolen." Like that he escaped.

So the Nawab started at midnight in his—

Ah, in England, one day a fellow climbed the window of a queen and was sitting on her bed. And then she could not do anything because he was a madcap. Semi-madcap. Not a dangerous fellow. But she doesn't know. Very calmly, she went on talking, talking, talking, so that others will hear. And there will always be a guard, you know, somebody heard. And her doors are always open. So, "What is this? The queen is talking with whom at midnight?" They came in force and then caught hold of this fellow and then I think probably they put him in jail for two, three days. Because he was a harmless fellow. There was no weapon or anything. He had a curiosity, something like that. How he could get there, God alone knows.

Anyway, this Rāma appeared and then said, "Receipt." So the Nawab was genuinely transformed. Then he gave the receipt and then he comes and drops that receipt in the cellar and thus the next day they released him. So the Nawab apologized, "I thought he had stolen the money. But tell me, who was that man whom you sent?"

He said, "What is the story? Please tell the story." Then the Nawab told this story. "How could he enter into the Nawab's room at midnight with all this money without anyone being aware of it?"

Because as Rāma, he mesmerized everybody. As Krishna, he mesmerized all the Kaṁsas, the doorkeepers and all the locks got unlocked. Then he went there. It was terribly rainy. Ādiśeṣa himself came to protect him and Vasudeva had to cross that. "Why could you not stop that rain? Why could you not create this? Why could you not jump like that? Your sister could jump." You know, Yaśodā's daughter, Mahāmāyā, he wanted to smash her when he came to know and she simply jumped. Because he only brought her here. Then she understood, "I have been put deliberately, that fellow is safe, I am unsafe." Then she gave all the address, all the address, email address, telephone number, everything she gave. "Gokula in the house of Nanda is growing up like that." She flew to Vindhyachala and now she is established in—brother and sister.

Story: Brother and Sister Going to Heaven

One brother and sister were studying in the same classroom. One day the Christian teacher asked, "Hey John, do you want to go to heaven?" He looked at her sister, "Is she also going to heaven?" This is the type of fellows.

Conclusion of Verse 65

So, good action, wrong action, everything, good emotion, what is called negative emotion, relate it with God. That is what Thakur said. We are all people like that. None of us can claim we don't have these passions. So we have to relate them with God. Then you will see, these very passions, instead of pulling us back, they will also act as a pushing agent.

So the positive emotions pull us towards God. Negative emotions push us towards God. This is one of the most wonderful sādhana hints he has given.

Verse 66: Developing Loving Devotion

Premā eva karaṇīyam

Then the 66: You should develop loving devotion to God. You should only develop loving devotion to God. So this premā karaṇīyam is repeated twice. It has to be done.

The Three Types of Devotion (Tribhaṅga)

How to develop that? He gives this, pūrvakam means that which should be done prior, beforehand, before you proceed. What is it? Tribhaṅga. What is the tribhaṅga? He has given earlier in 56. What is that?

So a person has to go—and what is the other one? As well as—so from a devotional point of view, we discuss the special meaning we give. What is the ārta?

In normal terms, ārta means one who is in distress. But in devotional literature, ārta means "I am unable to see God. I can't stand." This is the greatest ārtatā. Ārti means distress. "I am distressed because I am unable to see God." That is ārta.

Arthārthī—"I want all the spiritual qualities." That is from the spiritual point of view. So what is the jijñāsu? "I want only to know about God and nothing else."

The Hierarchy of Devotion

Then he says in the next two: The earlier one is superior, greater in value than the later one. What is the later one? Better than Tāmasika Bhakti is Rājasika Bhakti. Better than Rājasika Bhakti is Sāttvika Bhakti. Better than Jijñāsu is Arthārthī.

What does jijñāsu mean? "I want to know about God. I want to know how to reach God. What are the things to be done? What are the things to be avoided?" Better than that is arthārthī. "Oh Lord, please grant me all the great qualities. All the great qualities which will make me fit to receive your grace." Spiritual qualities. That is much better.

First is only intellectual enquiry. Second is remove all the other things and run after only qualifications. But the first one: "Oh Lord, I have done my best. Why are you withholding yourself from me?"

Rābi'a's Prayer

There was a great Sufi saint, woman saint called Rābi'a, and she used to pray: "Oh Lord, if I love you with the hope of entering into heaven, then exclude me from heaven. If I am loving you because of my fear of entering into hell, then constantly put me in hell. But if I am loving you for your own sake, then do not keep any distance from you. Do not keep me away from you."

That is what is called ārta. So this is called here tribhaṅga. Tribhaṅga means three manifestations of devotion. One is worse, one is better, one is the best. Good, better, best.

Beyond the Three Types: Nitya Prema

So tribhaṅga-pūrvakam, when a person crosses Sāttvika Bhakti, Rājasika Bhakti and Tāmasika Bhakti, he goes beyond ārta stage, arthārthī stage and jijñāsā stage. Then he is established in prema.

What is the nature of that prema? Nitya—prema is eternal. Once it comes, it will never go again. Then nitya-dāsya. What is the prema? Prema is knowledge that "This is my most nearest and beloved. Most beloved and most nearest." That is God. Nobody else is nearer than to our own Self.

Nearer than the nearest. Further than the furthest. Where does it come? Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad. We get this idea. He is very far. Very near means you are only. And he is inside. He is also outside. He moves, he also doesn't move.

Paradoxically, you call it paradoxical language. What is the language? These two things you never see in this world at the same time. But then what is the meaning of this one? That is for a person who is ignorant, God is very far away. But for a person who knows, God is very near. For a person who knows, God is both inside and outside. For a person who doesn't know, God is only outside. Even sometimes some people are there, "He is inside also." So inside, that is why he doesn't come out. Inside. "Apply, apply." You have to think, he is inside also, he is outside also.

Story: Rādhā the Painter

They say Rādhā was a great painter. She always paints only Śrī Krishna. So one day, she painted Śrī Krishna, beautiful picture of Bhagavān Krishna. With piñcha, murali and all those things. As soon as the painting was over, simply jumped out of the painting and ran away. Rādhā became very angry. "And next painting you will see how you will run away." She painted without legs. Now, you try.

Sūrdās Story

Same thing happened to Sūrdās also. When I told you this story, he wanted to go to Vṛndāvana. He was born blind. So he was stuck in mountains. With the help of a lāṭhī, he put lāṭhī, then it was going down. So he had reached a place where he doesn't know where to go.

And one boy, you know that story? One boy came, it was a grazing nearby, cows or sheep. "Hey, blind fellow, what business have you got to be in the mountains?"

"Bābā, I want to go to Vṛndāvana."

"Where is Vṛndāvana? Where is, blind fellow? These are all mountainous areas, don't you know? You can lose your life." Like that he abused him, right and left. "Alright, you hold my hand." And then he pulled him a little bit, feet and said, "You go this way and you will reach Vṛndāvana."

So by that time, few minutes touch, then Sūrdās realized it was only none other than Krishna himself. Immediately he wanted to catch him. Then he snatched his hands and ran away.

Then it is said he composed a song, at least in the cinema it is composed. Yeah, what is that song? I am forgetting a lot of things, you know. Have you heard it, Renuka? You go and hear it in the YouTube.

Nayana hīnako rāha dikhā Prabhu paga paga ṭhokar—"Every footstep. I don't know how is the path. I am tumbling, stumbling and I am falling down. So you have to hold. Rāha dikhā, show me the path. Tumhārī nagariyā ke kaṭhina ḍagariyā*—how difficult is the pathway to reach your house? Then you catch my hand and take me there."

It is supposed to be beautiful. You also can hear it. Nayana hīnako rāha dikhā Prabhu. That Saigal had sung first. Then Lata Mangeshkar imitated. Then of course, you know, Swami Dayatmananda also. Was there that song? In the aṅśi's online? That song? Is there? I will check soon, I am not sure. Nayana hīnako rāha dikhā Prabhu. That is one of my most favourite songs.

Nitya and Dāsya

Anyway, so this is the condition. Nitya, eternally. What happens? Dāsya. So what is nitya? Prema is nitya. Prema is knowledge. What is dāsya? Expression of love is called dāsya.

If you love somebody and you don't do something, you don't express it. When you express, it is only serving. A mother loves her children. How does she express her love? Your mummy says, "I love you, I love you, I love you." But no cooking? No nothing? No hugging? No, I don't know, mugging maybe?

So all these things, how do we know somebody is loving us actually? Only by the service they render. Why is it called service? Because they don't expect anything. Otherwise it is not service. It is wages.

Five Types of Bhakti

So nitya-dāsya. Dāsya Bhakti is one of them. That nitya-kāntā, a loving wife, loves her husband not for anything else but for the sake of pure love. A loving servant ever loves the master, not because he is expecting something. To the extent that if God says, "Do you want to love me?" "Yes." "But don't expect me, I will give you protection, I will give you mukti, I will give you any of these things." Devotee says, "I don't care. Whether you want to give, you don't want to give, I don't care. But I know I love you, and if I don't express it, you know what happens?"

Like gas. Nitya gas. Don't take it in the wrong sense. If somebody says, "I love you," it could be pure. So it is like, you know, our stomach is bloating with this love. It had to be expressed. There is no way.

Analogy: The Cow and Calf

Every animal expresses. Observe a cow. The moment the calf is born, what do you think it does? Go on licking it, go on licking it all over again and again. And the calf, joyfully, it is suckling the milk.

Once in Śāradāpujā, I noted this one. As I read in the Vedas, God is running after His children, devotee or not devotee. God doesn't care. Because we are all children. You know, small babies, they don't know what is love. They totally depend upon the mother. Do you think, whom does the mother love? A baby or a grown-up person? Baby. Because she loves both, but she does more service to the baby.

So it is written in the Vedas, like a cow who had given birth to a calf, the moment it cries a little bit, the mother, with uplifted tail, it runs. I read about it. In Śāradāpujā, we had this dairy farm. So many, about 20-30 cows were there. So once a cow has given birth, and the next morning, all the cows were taken to graze in the hills. And this fellow, he must have got hungry at about 9:30, 10 o'clock. Because we feed it early in the morning, before 7 o'clock, they themselves go. By evening, they will come back.

About 9:30, 10 o'clock, I just went to the gośālā, and I liked that very much. And then the calf was moving, like that, very small, just one day old. I was thinking, it must be hungry. You know what I saw? That cow mother, from a distance I saw, running madly towards the gośālā, with lifted tail, because it heard, "My child is hungry," and the moment it came, the calf joyfully was taking the milk.

God loves. If God exists, He loves us. Because we are none other than His own Self.

The Five Bhāvas

So, here are two examples of nitya-dāsya, but nitya-śānta, nitya-dāsya, nitya-sākhya, nitya-mātṛ-bhāva, and nitya-kāntā-bhāva, madhura-bhāva. Madhura means sweet, loving relationship that exists between a husband and wife, called kāntā-bhāva.

So, this Narada must be South Indian. Because if it was North India, we would have given Rādhā-Krishna as an example, not Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, not Rukmiṇī-Krishna. This is kāntā-bhāva.

Parakīyā Bhāva

Another bhāva was developed in West Bengal, it is called parakīyā-bhāva. Parakīyā means a man falls in love with the wife of another man. It is not to make this immoral. It is the strong attraction. Both can be exposed. The other fellow can come and kill this fellow, but they cannot resist that strength. That is what is represented by Rādhā and Krishna. This is such a wonderful, beautiful idea.

Summary of Verse 66

So, what is he telling? Tribhaṅga-pūrvakam. One must go beyond the tribhaṅga. What is the tribhaṅga? Sāttvika, Rājasika, Tāmasika, ārta, arthārthī, and jijñāsā feelings. That is the first condition. Then love becomes nitya. Because sattva is also a binding factor. If sattva-guṇa becomes less, the love also becomes less. So, one has to go. Then only that prema becomes established as unbroken, nitya.

Then it expresses itself, either as dāsya-bhakti or kāntā-bhakti. So, bhajana-ātmakam. Bhajana means, one meaning is meditate. Another meaning is serve. Bhaja sevāyām. The meaning, Amarakośa term. Bhaja means sevā.

So, bhakti, bhāgaśca, bhajanam, second verse of the Amṛta-bindu. He says bhakti, one can have bhakti. Then bhāga, what is bhāga here? Jñānam, Bhakti Mārga, Jñāna Mārga. Then bhajana, what is bhajana? Sevā, Karma Yoga. All the three should be their expressions.

Bhava-vedakari. Any of these parts will destroy the bondage of saṁsāra. So, kaṭhinti alaṁ gamanaāya tattvam. To reach the goal, to realize God, any of these three are completely sufficient, more than sufficient.

Varatrochru dhopya. I go on talking about it. Nāme bhāti kiñcit. There is no response from the heart, it is only from the intellect. That is what he is telling.

Nitya-kāntā, nitya-dāsya-bhajana-ātmakaṁ, premā eva karaṇīyam. There afterwards, what is the business? Prema. Premā eva karaṇīyam. So, premā eva karaṇīyam, that is, you go on, you don't need to develop prema, just go on loving, that's all. You have already developed. It has become nitya. It cannot be broken now. There is no more growth. It has become infinite.

So, you worship, so long as body is there, mind is there, separation is there, go on expressing your love towards God. Śrī Ramakrishna is the prime example of that. 24 hours, what was he thinking? Only about expressing his love. And later on, that expression of Divine Mother, changed the channels. Where did it come now? Towards man. "I love man. I fell in love with man."

That is what Śrī Ramakrishna told. First, if you fall in love with man, then you are done for. First, fall in love with God. Afterwards, you fall in love with anything. It will only appear as God. Beautiful ideas.

Characteristics of the Realized

Then, he is talking about who are these, what are the characteristics of this great realized. So, realized means here, those who have attained to that, what is called mahābhāva. In Bhakti literature, it is called mahābhāva. We will talk about it.

Closing Prayer