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 Sutra: The Devotee's Path

Introduction: The Four Preoccupations of Ordinary Life

One of the important points we discussed in the 73rd sutra is that a devotee should never talk of certain things. Narada gave four examples here, but there are others as well.

What are they? Sukha, Duḥkha, Icchā, and Lābha.

Sukha means: "How can I be happy?" What is our quest 24 hours a day? How can I be happy? And how can I reduce my pain, suffering, and unhappiness? In this pursuit, most of the time, if anybody is talking about looking for a job, what does that mean ultimately? That job will give them more power, more money, and as a result of that, it is likely to give them security.

One very important point here is security. Nothing in this world can give us security, and least of all money. The more money we have, the more insecure we feel.

The Story of the Lottery Winner

One fellow in the UK won the lottery. You know how much? 23 million pounds! And for one and a half months, he was absent, absconding. Then—I think it was a woman's problem—she was asked, "You should be celebrating!" He said, "I am terribly frightened of these relatives." That is why they say, "Kṣetra śeṣa and ādmiyā śeṣa"—enemies and relatives both should be finished. You know why? Because wherever there is a will, there is a relative.

The Four Obstacles According to Gauḍapāda

So, sukha and duḥkha—how to avoid duḥkha? These are the questions. Icchā—I have these desires. Some have been fulfilled, some are not fulfilled. Then, lābha—therefore, it is okay. Whatever I have is okay. What more can I do?

Here is a very interesting point. Swami Ashokananda—have you heard about him? He was in San Francisco. No, no, no, no. Ashokananda—he never came here. He was in San Francisco.

In one of his lectures, I don't remember exactly, he asked: "Why is the mind so restless?" Always the mind is restless. So, we have been told the mind is restless because of desires. If there is no desire, it will go to sleep.

So first, it is restless because of what? Desires. It is said, according to Gauḍapāda, four obstacles are there: Laya, Vikṣepa, Kaṣāya, and Ānanda.

Understanding Laya (Sleep/Dullness)

Laya means: a person who is a beginner, if he sits for meditation, can go to sleep. What does that mean? Do you know what it means? "Oh, Ramakrishna, I am terribly bored of you. Far better to sleep than think about you."

A very interesting topic had come, you know. One devotee came to one Swami and asked this: "How wonderful it would be if we were always in the presence of, say, Ramakrishna!" Ramakrishna means what? 24 hours you will be there, wherever you look, only his face will be staring at you. That is one of the defects of God. Suppose he gets angry with me and says, "I don't want to see your face." Let him try. He can't help it!

So, the Swami said, "Sit down. How much time do you meditate?" He said, "Okay, half an hour." "What happens after half an hour?" "I can't do it." Do you know what it means? You get very bored. If you are interested, I can get you to stare at Ramakrishna's picture for five days. Fellows like that go on staring at Ramakrishna's form.

The Symbolism of Lakshmi's Vehicle

And by the way, the owl is the vāhana of Lakshmi. Why? Did I tell you? The owl, first of all, has big eyes. It can see even at night, can see very clearly. So, a person who sleeps at night is not going to become wealthy. Yes. Whether it is research work or business, they have to be very alert. Only such a fellow will please Lakshmi. Lakshmi means money.

The Story of Samudra Manthana

Very interesting. When Samudra Manthana was going on, all the ṛṣis, rākṣasas, and so many people were waiting. What was the first thing that came out? Hālāhala poison. So, Vishnu said, "Go and give it to Shiva."

So, they went and gave it to Shiva. He said, "Yes, for the sake of the world, I will drink it." So, he drank. But the whole world is in his stomach. If he drinks, the whole world will die. If he doesn't drink also, it will die. So, what is the way? He kept it sitting here. That's why he has got a new title. The whole kaṇṭha has become blue—Nīlakaṇṭha. So, he saved the world.

So, then beautiful horses, ornaments, money—you name it. You know, colored TV, everything is coming out. You know, 4K, 10K TV. You understand 10K? K means 1000 pixels. 4K is available now. Now, 8K, 12K, they are aiming for it. I am sure they will get it.

So, everything was there. All the ṛṣis, munis, everybody was rushing to get it. Then at last, what came? Lakshmi.

Why Lakshmi Chose Vishnu

Lakshmi had come. Then seeing her stunning beauty, everybody was rushing: "I want Lakshmi!" She did not cast a glance at anybody. Straight she went and occupied the Śrīvatsa-lāñchana, occupying Vishnu.

A question came: Why did she want Vishnu? Because Lakshmi—you know what is Lakshmi? Lakshmi is not money. Many people mistake Lakshmi for money. Lakshmi means prosperity. In her aṃśa, there is Lakṣmī Aṃśa. Like that, many people, you know, when a bride enters into the father and mother-in-law's house, then if she is having that Lakṣmī Aṃśa, the wealth will increase.

When Rani Rasmani entered into the house of her husband, immediately the wealth started increasing. That is usually associated with money. Saraswati is associated with knowledge. But now, Lakshmi means happiness. So many famous people, celebrities—they commit suicide or they take drugs. Their life is the most horrendous life in this world.

You should never hear: "Strī, dhana, nāstika, caritra—na śravaṇīya." This is how the Bhakti Sutra has given that. Because that idea will come: "Oh, he is very wealthy. I can also be. I want to be wealthy." Like that it comes.

Why did she choose Vishnu? Because what is the meaning of Vishnu? Vishnu—one meaning of Vishnu is vyāpakatva. He is all-pervading. That means he has become all-pervading. So if he gets money, where will it go? To the entire world. To the entire world. Everybody will get it.

Like, if a mother gets nice fruits, where will it go? To the entire family. First will be children, even at the cost of her own suffering. That is Vishnu.

The second reason is: Who is Vishnu? Viśva. This whole world is none other than Vishnu. How do you know? Viṣṇu Sahasranāma. That is the first nāma of Vishnu: "Viśvam Viṣṇuḥ Vaṣaṭkāro bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuḥ, bhūta-kṛd bhūta-bhṛd bhāvo bhūtātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ." Viśvam—how much philosophy is contained in all these things, we have absolutely no idea at all, unless you hear from somebody.

Creation According to Vedanta

So creation, according to Vedanta, is not creating something new. Because creation means the cause and the effect remain separate. Like a mother gives birth to a baby—the mother is a separate object, the baby is separate. But when a goldsmith creates an ornament out of gold, the gold and the ornament are not two separate substances. Gold only in one particular form is called a lump. In another form, it could be a nose ring, ear ring, necklace, śaṅkhana, bangle, or ring. It can be nūpura. You know what is nūpura?

Actually, they say you should never put nūpura on the neck, golden nūpura—only silver nūpura. Why? Insulting the Lakshmi. That is why gold is considered a sāttvika metal. Silver is considered a rājasika metal. Iron is considered a tāmasika metal. And that's why they call it Kali-yuga—this Kali-yuga, the dark age, the age of darkness.

So everything, every object in this world has got these three guṇas.

Lakshmi Aṃśa: The Story of Rani Rasmani

Anyway, what is the point we are talking about here? That some people have got Lakṣmī Śakti. As soon as Rani Rasmani came, the wealth increased. But what did they do? The husband and wife both were so charitable. We know very little about Rani Rasmani's life. So charitable. She did so many things. She was extraordinarily brave.

The Four Activities: Sukha, Duḥkha, Icchā, and Lābha

Anyway, so four activities occupy every ordinary human being. What are those four activities? Sukha, duḥkha, icchā, and lābha.

Why this lābha is mentioned separately? That's because sometimes people can get profit, but they are unable to enjoy it. Sukha and duḥkha, one has to experience. You can't accumulate it. I'll take some 1 kg of sukha and put it in the refrigerator. That's what we are all doing, you know. 1 kg of rasagullā, you put it in the refrigerator. What are you putting? Duḥkha. Duḥkha—I could not take it all.

Āśā and Pratīkṣā: Hope and Expectation

Sukha, duḥkha, icchā—fulfilled desires, unfulfilled desires. Expectations and hopes. Very interesting one. Kaṭhopaniṣad uses that: āśā, pratīkṣā. What is the difference between āśā and pratīkṣā? Hope and expectations.

What is hope? Pratīkṣā means something you have already done and the result you are expecting. A student writes the examinations. He is expecting a result. If he has studied well, he has got confidence. He says, "I'm expecting to pass in a nice way." If it is not done properly, he knows himself, but he wants to escape from the father's wrath at least until the results come out.

So, what is āśā? Without doing anything, we expect. One of the things is buying a lottery ticket. There are some people, you know, one fellow went on praying to God, "O Lord, let me win the lottery ticket." Every day he would pray, "Let me win the lottery ticket." One day he heard a voice, "Arre baba, at least buy a lottery ticket!" Without buying a lottery ticket, he wants the Lord to make him win. So, this is without doing anything—he's expecting something.

The Story of Naciketas and Yama

A person who doesn't do atithi sevā—Yama Dharma Maharaja's wives were telling to Yama Dharma Maharaja, "He was hungry. A brāhmaṇa guest is coming and sitting there. Three days Naciketas has been waiting. So, you go and pacify him. Otherwise, both your āśā and pratīkṣā will disappear."

And really it happened in Mahapurush Maharaj's life. Mahapurush Maharaj was the president. And one day—everybody has finished eating. In those days, Belur Math's budget was very high. Income was very less. So, they had to do a lot of tyāga-śakti. If somebody comes late—Mukhadesha Maharaj was telling—if he is late five minutes for breakfast, somebody else will eat up his breakfast. That was the condition.

So, Mahapurush Maharaj's life slightly improved. They had their lunch. He went upstairs. Meanwhile, just as they finished the food, everything was polished off. One old brāhmaṇa had come and said, "For the last three days, I haven't eaten food. You give me a little bit of food." And one sādhu said, "We are so sorry. Just now we have eaten. Had you come 10 minutes earlier, we would have shared our food with you. We have finished the whole lot. So, we are very sorry. We don't have anything." Really, there was nothing ready-made.

Then, you know, how much he felt disappointed. "In a monastery, I couldn't get some food." So, he was—what you call—with a morose face he was going. Mahapurush Maharaj saw this man going from the upstairs window. So, he called the brahmacārī and said, "What is the matter with you?" Then the brahmacārī said, "He asked for food. But unfortunately, we have all finished. He is gone."

Immediately, Mahapurush Maharaj said, "Why did you not go to the shrine, take some fruits and give it to him? Some banana and other things will be there." If you would have given him—by that time the man has disappeared. Mahapurush Maharaj doesn't bother. He cut off his attention. "Some disaster is waiting to take place. Because an old brāhmaṇa is sent out without fulfilling his need for food."

After a few days, the gośālā caught fire and was gutted. Read these kinds of incidents and examples. Incidents, examples. Then points will be very clear.

The Devotee's Attitude: Beyond the Four Preoccupations

So, we are discussing how Narada is advising: "Never think, because you are a devotee, all that you need to think about is everything except Narada." Like a baby—a baby doesn't know, "I want this, I want that." Whatever mother gives, when she gives, he will take. He only knows how to cry when he is hungry.

So, this is how much time he saves. All the waking time, even in dreams. What are we talking? In dreams—sukha, duḥkha, icchā, and lābha. Only four things.

The Cartoon Story: Even in Delirium

So, I once saw a cartoon. I think I mentioned it to you, but I will mention again. So, there was an American. He was crossing a desert by vehicle. He was crossing. It's a cartoon. Then the jeep got spoiled. And there was no food, no water. He was reduced to a skeletal state. Then he lost consciousness. Delirium had settled. And he was crawling with his tongue hanging like that. He was crawling.

Suddenly, visions of cold drink shops—he was seeing visions. One cold drink shop. Delirium. So, he was crawling slowly. Eyes were big like that. You know, like stars—twinkle, twinkle, twinkle star like that. And when he went near the door, he saw: "Cold drink 25¢." Cross. "Cold, same cold drink, 15¢."

Fifteen cents—reduced. He is crawling towards the 15¢, even in his delirium. He was thinking, you know, in the desert, what do you think he is thinking? He saw a cold drink shop, and he saw, "This is 25¢—too much. 15¢—wonderful! Sale! On sale!"

Even in a deadly state, what are we thinking? What is our deadly state in dreams? What do you think in the dream also? What you do in the waking state, you do exactly the same thing in the dream. Understand?

The Practice of Letting Go

So when a devotee—he must start practicing, "I don't want this, I don't want this." "Don't want" means not that it is not needed. I don't want to think. I give it to God, and He will bring whatever is necessary. "Yoga-kṣema vahāmyaham"—what is necessary He will bring, and He will protect what He brings, so that nobody can take it away.

Then so much time is saved. So that is what he is saying: "iti kāle"—when you give up all these vain, useless thoughts, so much of time. Then, kāle pratīkṣā maṇi—he is waiting for you. What is this man going to do with all this time?

The Parable of the Kingdom of Heaven

So it says, "śanathāmapi kṣaṇam na nīyeta"—even half a second, what is a kṣaṇa? Blink your eye. That is one kṣaṇa. By that time your eyelid comes down half—that is half kṣaṇa—should not be wasted.

Why? There is something very—a parable is given. And it is said the kingdom of heaven is always locked. So the Christian devotees, they go there, they are waiting: "When will the door be opened?" Nobody knows. And when it opens, it remains open only for one second. At that time if they don't enter into it, we don't know how much time they have to wait.

So what does this saying really mean, if you really think about it? It is so wonderful. What is it? Consciousness should never become unconscious. Consciousness should never become unconscious.

Two Ways Unconsciousness Comes

This unconsciousness comes in two ways. First is sleep—deep sleep. In deep sleep you are not conscious at all. And secondly, when thought on God changes. So when thoughts on God change, what thoughts does the mind take? Because other than God, what is there? Only worldly thoughts. One kṣaṇa you forget God, the whole thing will go down.

That is why: "Anta-kāle ca mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram"—Bhagavan Krishna says, "Whatever a man thinks just before the departure of the body, that moment determines his future." But you can't think, "I will—I know when I am going to die. I will fully enjoy worldly things, and when the last moment comes, I will only think about God." It is not going to happen.

Examples from Sri Ramakrishna's Life

That is why we have got three examples in Sri Ramakrishna's life of very intelligent fellows. First was Rāśā, second was Lāṭu of Chandernagore, third was Kalipada Ghosh, fourth was a gardener at Dakshineswar. So all the four people got a boon from Sri Ramakrishna. What did they ask? "Last moment you come. It is your responsibility to come and take me. I may remember you, may not remember you."

That is what Mukunda Mālā—Kulasekhara Alvar is telling so beautifully, you know. "Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam, adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja-haṃsaḥ. Prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye kapha-vāta-pittaiḥ, kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutaste."

Have you heard about it? Krishna—Purusottama sings it nicely. "Krishna, hey Krishna," he says, "tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam"—"Your lotus feet are like a cage. Let the rāja-haṃsa, which is my mind—" Why is it rāja-haṃsa? What is the nature of a rāja-haṃsa? It separates milk from water. So here what it means is, it separates world from God. That is why it is rāja-haṃsa.

"Adyaiva me viśatu"—let it enter into your lotus right now. Why? "Prāṇa-prayāṇa-samaye"—when the time comes for these prāṇas to depart, when they constrict, "smaraṇaṁ kutaste"—where does the mind go? As we become old, the mind will be focused upon the body. The body becomes a burden to take even one step. If you have got a headache, what do you think will be the focus constantly? At that time—headache for yourself, headache for others.

Yama and Niyama: The Foundation

So then certain qualities—this introduction is yama and niyama. What is yama? Ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, aparigraha. What is niyama? These are the 10 commandments of Hinduism. These 10 are called the 10 commandments of Hinduism, and they are sārvabhaumika—it is not confined to Hindus, it is confined to every human being. Whether Christian or anyone else, you can't go and kill, because "I am not a Hindu" is not an excuse.

All the cows when they kill—have you ever seen a cow which is about to be killed? They pull the head like that so that they give halāl—just to cut a little, the blood will flow. That blood, it seems God likes very much. If you don't do it—Hindus, they say they are very merciful in that. With one stroke the head has to be separated. But here slowly they cut like that.

Anyway, so when these cows will be crying, "Next birth you will become a cow and I will be this." And the next birth you will become this, he will become the man. Every alternate birth he will become the cow, and the cow becomes this.

The Story of Fishing

Fish—Thakur once is telling, how cruel it is to put this, you know, bait, and poke and we are cheating it. Thakur told, "This is called cheating the poor fish. It thinks there is something nice, a little food." How will you feel if somebody puts poison in a chocolate and gives it to your child? It is like that. In the lābha it is also hoping, "I will get some food." So it comes and then what a torture it is. Sometimes maybe half an hour, maybe 45 minutes, there will be suffering. Especially some type of fish—they are called catfish. Catfish live a long time. They can live on land. Huge catfish.

Explaining the Yamas

Anyway, what is the point here? Ahiṃsā, satya, asteya means non-stealing, brahmacarya—not thinking of worldly things, aparigraha—should not expect things. If somebody gives a gift, non-receiving of a gift. If somebody gives a gift, then you have to give at least the equivalent in some form. If you can't give it back, a poor man can't give that. So what should you do? "Jā saṁthe, māpo; jā nāi, jepo."

If a person has got wealth or things, māpo means what, you know? Just to close your eyes and give. Like Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was employed by his father in a shop. So some people will come and say, "You give me 15 measures of rice." Fifteen measures—he was counting, you know what is the first count? They never say first, second, third. One, two, ten—daś, ekādaśa, dvādaśa, trayodaśa.

Immediately he remembered everything belongs to Guru Nanak. "Nānā do, terā"—"Nānā give, thirteen." He went on giving, "terā, terā," and father gave him one big beating!

St. Francis did the same thing. From upstairs, he had just thrown all the silk, textiles, etc., because his father imprisoned him. Immediately from there he started throwing things. So his father had taken him to one bishop: "My son, he has wasted all my profit," like that.

At that time the bishop was eating. Only about 100 dishes were there! Then, that fat fellow thought, "How dare this fellow interrupt our divine service?" After that—eating is his divine service—after that he got very angry. "What is this thing, you know? All the people—everything belongs to God."

So if we can't give, what should we do? Praying. But then "jepo"—somehow we have to give back. If not in this life, let it be in another. That is called aparigraha. "Can't give" means you don't have the means to do it. There are two kinds of "can't give": "I can't give you," and "I won't give you." That is a different issue. But it will come.

The Story of the Miser on the Train

That's why in Sanskrit there is a beautiful verse: If there is a miser like that, either the king will take away, or thieves will take away, or his unruly children will waste it. Unruly children, you know—they don't think, "Our father has worked very hard. Why should we work?"

Oh, nice story. Two people, right, were waiting. Yama Dharma Maharaj had a reception, because these karmas have to be examined, you know. So they got introduced. "Who are you? Who are you?" So one man asked, "Who are you?" "Oh, I am a school teacher." "How was the work?" "Oh, horrendous. The day was very small, and I have so many children there, and I can't feed them, I can't clothe them. Oh, miserable life."

That fellow asked him, "What about you?" "Oh, I was a contractor. I earned crores and crores of rupees," like that.

Meanwhile a call came for the brāhmaṇa—that school teacher. And Yama Dharma Maharaj examined his karma, and said, "You have done very well. So I'm giving—oh, what do you want in your next birth?" Then: "Make me a contractor, because I can earn a lot of money." Then he came out very happily.

And then the next call was for this other man. So he went inside. He examined his karma—honest contractor. So he did a lot of good. "So what do you want in your next birth? What did that teacher ask you?" "He wanted to become a contractor." "Make me his son. Make me his son." So he said, "Okay."

Then he came out. They said, "What happened?" This man asked him, "What did you want?" "I wanted to become a contractor." "And what did you want?" he asked the contractor. "I wanted to become your son." "Why?" "Because I didn't tell you—I worked hard and earned money." So it will take another birth for this teacher to understand how to become the son of another contractor.

The Proper Use of Wealth

So if money is not well spent, properly spent—that's why Hindu dharma-śāstra says one's income has to be divided into four: one for expenses, one for saving, one fourth for taxes, one fourth for dharma. Anyway, according to their capacity, they have to do this.

The Niyamas

Then what is niyama? Śauca—inner and external as well as internal purity. Then santoṣa—whatever is your condition, be content with it. And that is "santoṣa anuttama sukha lābhaḥ"—Patañjali Yoga Sūtra. Santoṣa—if anybody could cultivate the quality called santoṣa, there is no greater profit. "Anuttama sukha lābhaḥ"—there is no profit equivalent, whether you have money or not.

That is why I cited so many examples. Shuddha—he had very ordinary food. What food he was having! But devotees were filled with śānti, because it is such a loving contribution.

Then afterwards also you can see santoṣa. Then tapas—what is tapas? Some voluntary suffering. If it is not suffering, it is not tapas. Then svādhyāya—what is svādhyāya? Study of scriptures, study of one's own self. You have to study: "I am studying scriptures. What am I doing actually?"

Then what is the last one? Īśvara-praṇidhāna—complete śaraṇāgati to Īśvara. Because without his grace, all these qualities cannot be acquired, only by his grace.

The Story of Totapuri

The greatest example is Totapuri. He progressed in spiritual life so fast he didn't understand the Divine Mother was sweeping away his path, removing all dust and obstacles. What are the obstacles? Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha. So he was thinking, "I could do it by myself." And in the end, he did not acknowledge her—ungratefulness. So immediately—broken stomach. All problems start with the stomach.

And there is a saying: One who suffers from stomach ache, he becomes an advaitin. Because he can't enjoy. He can't see other people enjoy. That is why he becomes a śuṣka-vedāntin—dry vedānta. This is—many people are like that. Those who can't enjoy, they become vedāntin. Those who can enjoy, they become bhakta. Because they want to enjoy even more. How do they enjoy? Whatever is enjoyable, offer it to God, and your enjoyment will be enhanced.

Building Character Through Yama and Niyama

So ahiṃsā, satya, dayā means compassion, āstikyā means what? Never lose faith in the existence of God. Many adverse circumstances will come to test whether I am a real āstika, or what is called anukūla āstika. You know what is anukūla āstika? Everything is convenient, everything is favorable—"Oh, God exists!" The moment difficulty or frustration comes—where is God?

So these are the cāritrāṇi. Cāritrāṇi means characteristics. That which brings up the character is called cāritrāṇi. What? Paripadanya—assiduously build up.

Total Dedication to God

Then "sarvadā sarva-bhāvena niścintai bhagavān eva bhajanīyaḥ." Sarvadā—all the time. You can't say spirituality is for half an hour in the morning, half an hour in the evening. "Rest of the time, my time." No. Always. Because we don't know what time death will come.

Sarva-bhāvena—bhāva here means whatever be the mood. You are filled with joy? Think of God as embodiment of joy. You are unhappy? Then think, "My unhappiness is because I could not see God." You are angry? "I am angry because some things are obstructing me from thinking of God."

So you are jealous? Be jealous of Swamis! Be jealous of Swamis! I remember Shantanu, when I was here, he used to sit in that fine wall outside the veranda. One day he made a remark: "I wish I were in your shoes." Who prevented you?

The Irresponsible Life of a Swami

So we all think, "We are not Swamis. What is a Swami's life? Irresponsible life. No wife, no children, nothing. Completely irresponsible." And if somebody says, "You are responsible," "Not responsible! Who is responsible? Krishna is responsible!"

There was one fellow—he applied for a job. So they asked him two questions. The interviewer was asking him, "What job would you like in our company?" He said, "I want to become a vice president." "Vice president?" The interviewer, smiling, was asking, "But you know we are already well versed?" He said, "I am not sentimental."

Then the second question they asked him, "Are you responsible?" He says, "Before applying to your company, I worked in many companies. Everywhere something goes wrong,all of them say, 'You are responsible.' I am very responsible!"

So very important for us—whatever the situation in life, who should take responsibility? Swamiji says, "If from my mouth anything good has come, the credit goes to Sri Ramakrishna. Anything that is not true, that is not right—if I said it—the responsibility is mine." That is what śaraṇam always says.

Sarva-bhāvena: Approaching God in Every Way

So sarva-bhāvena—whatever be the mood. In every way. Sometimes you do—sarva-bhāvena has another meaning. Sometimes you sit and meditate, sometimes japa, sometimes kīrtan, sometimes study, and when you talk, talk only about God. So talk about God. When you are doing things, you say whatever you do, you relate it to God. This is called Karma Yoga. Whatever karma is related to God.

And the Bhagavad Gītā outlines: You are breathing in, you are breathing out, you are blinking your eyes. Whatever you are doing: "Brahmaṇy ādhāya karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā karoti yaḥ"—offer everything to Brahman.

"Brahmaṇy ādhāya" means God, and it is really true. Why is it true? So, if you have to do some activity, activity needs instruments. First of all, body is needed, then prāṇa is needed, then mind is needed. So all these things—who has given them? To whom do they belong? God. Prakṛti itself is God, Īśvara.

So what is it you have? Who are you—who in brackets are you? You are nothing. Absolutely nothing. That's what Sri Ramakrishna says: You peel the onion, ultimately what do you get? Nothing is there. There are all pañca-kośas—five kośas. How generous—the onion contains only pañca-kośas. How many layers are there? Only five. There are many more kośas, but all of them could be reduced to five: anna, prāṇa, manas, vijñāna, ānanda. That which is beyond them is called Ātman.

Niścintai: Freedom from Worry

So niścintai—sarvadā always, sarva-bhāvena in every way, niścintai—cintā means what? Be free from thoughts, worries. Thoughts should be there, otherwise you can't think about God. So always do not worry about—do not regret about the past, do not worry about the future. These are the two things which trouble us all the time.

That's why I call this—after 16, people are likely to get what? Romantic pains. Not only romantic—romantic also. You know what is romantic? A woman will be looking back: "Had I only married somebody else, life perhaps would have been wonderful. Why was I tied to this person like that?" You know?

Some woman was asking, "Would you like to have the same husband again?" All of them—100 women—all of them said yes. "Not only for one life, for seven more lives we want the same husband!" The journalist was shocked. "Explain yourself." She said, "After wasting so much time in training him—!"

The Cat's Kitten: Complete Dependence on God

So niścintai. A devotee like mārjāra-nyāya—like the kitten of a cat. It never thinks about anything. The mother has to think.

I gave some example. Only God should be worshipped. Bhajana means what? Bhajana means relating ourselves to God in any way. Bhajana doesn't mean only this singing bhajana. Bhajana-sevayā.

That is why I mentioned amṛtam—second line: "Bhaktir bhāgaś ca bhājanaṁ bhava-bhedakarī." Bhakti means devotion, bhāga means jñāna, then bhāja—what is bhāja here? Not bhajana—bhājana-sevayā. Either Bhakti Yoga, Jñāna Yoga, Karma Yoga—through either of these three, what would they do? Any one of them is capable of taking us to the goal.

"Gacchanti Alam gamanāya tattva"—tattva means truth, gamanāya means to reach. To reach God. Any one of these three. This is a special teaching of Swamiji. Otherwise, jñāna-mārgins do not accept bhakti or karma as that which takes us to God. It will always fail. "These are preliminary things. After that you have to come to Jñāna Yoga."

Swamiji says no. Any yoga, directly, independently, will take us to God.

Swami Vivekananda on Selfless Work

I think today's posting probably I have given that—Swami Sāradānanda answers: "Whether work will give liberation to people?" Anyone have read it? Selfless work. Selfless work—it should be conditional, not any work. Selfless work, independently, purifies the mind. Then immediately the truth flashes in a purified mind.

What is the truth? Brahma āsmi—"I am Brahman." Because we are already that one. We are not getting something new. We are only revealing what is hidden. It is what is called uncovered. Discovery means what? Uncovering.

Who Will Look After You?

One small doubt that can come here is: Who is going to look after you, if you do not think about yourself? Who is going to look after you?

Several examples are there. I have just mentioned two. As devotees of Sri Ramakrishna, you should have read about it. You have read it, but remembering is different. Reading many people do, but remembering—only if you think about it.

Swamiji's Test of Sri Ramakrishna

Swamiji—he wanted to test Sri Ramakrishna. So one day, during his wandering, he went. He saw a village and then there was a forest. He climbed a tree and he said, "Thakur, if you are there, I want to eat hot khicuṛi." Even cold khicuṛi—where from it is going to come is not known. "Hot khicuṛi I want!"

And there was a devotee of Ramachandra who was at that time sleeping. So Ramachandra suddenly pushed him. He said, "Hey, wake up!" So he thought it was a dream. He turned to the other side. Then Ramachandra said, "I am telling you, you get up!"

He got up. Then Ramachandra said, "One of my devotees in such and such a place"—he showed the tree on which Swamiji was sitting in the forest—"quickly prepare hot khicuṛi and go there!"

Fortunately, he did not die, you know why? He didn't have to wait 24 hours for the dough to become ready. Khicuṛi means, you know, even in that testing also, you have to test God carefully. Never pray, "After 100 years, make me young!" In a loud voice!

Anyway, so this man quickly prepared it, and he knew the place. He came. He said, "Swamiji, please come down. Have your food." Swamiji said, "I don't know you. You don't know me." So this man said, "No, this has happened. He is calling you." He said, "No, I have seen you clearly. I have seen this tree. My Iṣṭa-devatā had shown you to me. This is meant only for you." Swamiji said, "Thank you."

Swamiji on the Train

Again, Swamiji, one day he was traveling in a train. It was very hot. Some Marwaris were traveling with him, and they brought, you know—Marwaris bring lots of good material. Now, you know, when you travel long distance—I mean, it is very difficult to do that for 36 hours, 48 hours from here to Kashi, etc., etc. People will sell peanuts. What do they call it? "Time pass." They call it "time pass."

So Swamiji, he was looking at them indifferently. It was noon time and they brought cool water and they spread out everything. Then they did not offer anything, and they said, "You are a wandering monk. Uselessly you are not doing anything. We are earning money." That's why he was smiling.

Then one station came. He got down. The station watchman did not allow him to go sit because it was burning hot. So Swamiji, he did not care. He went and sat under a tree.

Then immediately, one man came with a big quantity of garam-garam paroṭhā, ājgara paroṭhā—like that he came. And he was looking, then he saw Swamiji. He came there with cool water, with various food materials. And these Marwaris also got down there, watching, ashamed.

Swamiji said, "For whom did you do this?" "For you, Swamiji. God appeared to me and asked me to prepare this for you." What can these Marwaris do?

Mahapurush Maharaj and the Bael Fruit

Are there one or two incidents? Plenty! Anyway, I'll tell you one more incident. Mahapurush Maharaj was wandering, and he did not eat the previous day. He didn't get any bhikṣā. You know, they were all very young, less than 30 years old, very strong young men. And where food was not available, he was walking. There were no people at all on the way. He was walking. No village also nearby. He was very, very ravenously hungry.

Then suddenly he heard "thap!" like that—one sound he heard. And he saw one big bael fruit had fallen. Then Swamiji—Mahapurush Maharaj—he went, he looked here and there. Nobody was there. There was a tree and some bird was sitting. A big fruit had fallen, and then it was broken. Otherwise he would have found it difficult even to break it. It was so ripe.

He was telling, "He never tasted food like that. It was like tasting amṛta." Tasting like amṛta! And that completely filled his stomach.

It is also—bael is very good, you know that. Bael—bael seed, you know, not seed—the flesh, it is laxative. So what they do? Plenty of bael fruits are there. When they are ripe, the servants will bring them, take out all the seeds, and then they twist like āmśakas. They dry it and then they store it in a small tin or in a glass case. And those who have constipation problems, they take one spoon of that, put it in a glass of water, they fill it with water and leave it. Next morning, all the pulp will spread throughout the water. Then they drink the water and throw away the remaining part. So after one or two hours, they will have very good motion.

Many, you know, these plants—how many wonderful medicinal properties they have!

God Alone Takes Care of the Devotee

Anyway, it is niścintai. Bhagavān eva bhajanīyaḥ. Why? You don't need to worry. "Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmyaham." Sa kīrtyamānaḥ śīghram eva āvirbhavati anubhāvayati ca bhaktān.

Sa—sa means Bhagavān. Bhaktān means the devotees. What does he do? Kīrtyamānaḥ—he alone has to be meditated upon, sung by devotees, taught by devotees, meditated by devotees. Japa has to be done—only God has to be thought about.

So what happens? Anybody sincerely does it, what happens? Kīrtyamānaḥ śīghram eva—very soon—āvirbhavati—he just comes and appears in front. Anubhāvayati—he gives them divine experience.

What is the divine experience? There is no difference between you and me. This is called final anubhāva. That is called parā-bhakti.

Parā-Bhakti and Para-Jñāna Are One

That's why Swamiji says there is no difference between parā-bhakti and para-jñāna. They are two sides of the same coin—obverse and reverse. Where there is jñāna, there is bhakti. Where there is bhakti, there is jñāna.

And then Swamiji also says so beautifully: Only such a person—because why? Why am I emphasizing it? Why does Swamiji emphasize it? Because Māyāvāda-jñāna has made us develop an inferiority complex. What is the inferiority complex? That bhaktas, they go only to Vaikuṇṭha. They don't get mokṣa.

So many teachers—Dayananda Saraswati is one, and his disciples—some of his disciples go on talking about: "Bhakti is not enough. Jñāna is necessary."

Swamiji says: If you don't have jñāna, you can't be a bhakta. If you have got jñāna, you can't be but a bhakta. Because when you come to know "This is me," who doesn't love himself? You are not loving God actually. You are mistaking God as a target to think of as separate. But our Ātman is none other than God.

The Zen Master's Secret

There was an expert Zen teacher. He was an expert in archery—what is archery? Wherever he discharges the arrow, it will go and strike the lakṣya—the goal, the target.

So one disciple asked him, "Gurudeva, what is the secret of your archery skill?" He smiled and said, "You are my dear disciple. That's why I'm revealing this secret only to you. Between you and me it should not go out. First I discharge the arrow. Wherever it strikes, that's my target!" You will not miss!

That is the secret. Don't fix a target first. Discharge and say, "That's my target!"

So how beautifully all these truths we can see—pratyakṣa-bhāva—in the life of Thakur, Swamiji, Ramana Maharshi, every realized soul. Only when you read their lives will you understand what Narada is talking about.

Conclusion: The Last Three Sutras

So with this, more or less we have come to the end. Only three sutras are remaining. That is: how many forms devotion can take, and all the great teachers are of one opinion with regard to the greatness of Bhakti.

And he says, "This I am not talking. I am not the writer. It is Shiva, Shiva, Shiva—anujñā—it is coming directly from Shiva himself." So whoever believes in it and practices it will attain the highest.

Only three sutras are there remaining.

Closing Prayer