Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Opening Invocation

ॐ जननीं सारदां देवीं रामकृष्णं जगदगुरुम पादपद्मे तयो: श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहुर्मुहु :

Om Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh.

The Glory of Bhakti: A Discourse on Devotion

The Supremacy of Bhakti

Jesus Christ and all great spiritual teachers advocated only one thing: bhakti, devotion. The glory of bhakti is such that immediate results will come. If you practice meditation or try to practice viveka (discrimination) and vairāgya (dispassion), happiness will come later on.

But here, with bhakti, happiness will come instantaneously. Why? Because this is done with love, prema. Love and joy always go together.

Even though we all know this, I am emphasizing it again and again, because often we don't take notice. Suppose you love a spirit – the moment you hear the name of that spirit, immediately there is a change in your mind. And love also is the greatest antidote to fear.

The Example of Maternal Love

Swamiji used to give the example: one day a woman, a mother, is walking in the street when suddenly a tiger runs toward her. What will she do? She will run. But the next day, the same woman is taking her child and walking. A tiger comes. Now where will she go? She puts herself in front of the child, so that the child can be protected. What happened to all that fear from yesterday? Because she loves her child – let my child live, even if I have to die, it doesn't really matter.

Why Bhakti is Superior to Other Yogas

Bhakti is most supreme, superior to karma yoga, rāja yoga, and jñāna yoga. Why? In other yogas, you have to struggle so much to control the mind. Here, you don't need to control the mind much.

Why is this? Because if you love – why don't we discuss it? – love means synonymous with what? Joy, memory, concentration. All these things come together. If you say, "I love, but I don't get joy," it is not love. Love means happiness.

If you love a book, the moment you get the book, what happens? Here, mind control is very positive. Why? Because you love to take God's name. In the other case, you are trying to get rid of all unwanted thoughts, which is very difficult.

Here you love God, so all that you are asked is: think about what you love. And that is how it starts in joy, increases with sādhana, and you become joyful. That is it.

Phalarūpatva: The Result of Bhakti

So it is superior to all the other yogas. Phalarūpatva – what does phalarūpatva mean? The result of every other yoga is something else.

Karma yoga? Brahma-siddhi. Rāja yoga? Brahma-siddhi. Jñāna yoga? Brahma-siddhi.

What is the result of bhakti yoga? More bhakti. There is also psychology involved. The more you think of something, the more your mind will become engrossed in it.

Your thoughts will grow. Think more of anger – what grows? Anger. Think of hatred – what grows? Hatred.

Think of love – what grows? Love. Love grows. But love is joy.

That is why it is a very natural thing. The other yogas, if I were to compare, are like climbing from a lower step to a higher step. Bhakti yoga is as if you are coming from the top to the bottom.

Very natural. Very, very natural. Because we all know how to love.

We All Have Love

We have got how much love? One hundred percent love. What is the problem? It is distributed in thousands of things. A little bit for this, a little bit for that.

First-class food, a visit – wonderful, wonderful. Only this much. What is remaining? A little bit of Andhra Avakāya would have made it one hundred percent.

Something or other is lacking. Whereas with bhakti, that's all. I am talking about how we all have love.

What is the problem? It is divided. So what should be done now? Collect it. And then direct it toward God.

That is what is called phalarūpatva. The more love, the more joy. And that is why, pratikṣaṇam vardhamānam – Nārada says later on – every moment it increases, the flame increases.

The Difference Between Worldly Objects and God

Here is something very interesting. Any worldly object and God – what is the difference between these two? Any worldly object, the nearer we go to a worldly object, the attraction becomes less and less and less. Whereas with God, the more we go toward God, our attraction becomes more like a huge magnet.

He will draw us. Everything else disgusts. This is the law.

The Example of Coffee

So how is it? You are very hungry and thirsty, and you go to some friend's house, your nearest house, and your friend gives you a beautiful cup of coffee. Very nice. How much pleasure you get out of it? Tremendous pleasure.

He offers a second cup. This time how much pleasure will come? Then he offers a third cup. Now it has come down to rock bottom.

If he suggests one more cup, you feel like giving a slap. "Do you think I am a rākṣasa?" This is the nature. There is a limit.

How much we can really... It becomes opposite. It disgusts us. Anything – any five cents or money – it disgusts us.

The Example of Food

And the normal experience – I am telling because even though we all know it, we don't take notice. First-class food. You are hungry.

You sit. First muddhe (morsel). Very tasty.

Second muddhe. Is that as tasty? Immediately the percentage comes down. After some time, mechanically you are eating.

Taste-wise, for the sake of hunger you are taking it, like ice cream or chewing gum. Have you ever eaten chewing gum? First, the moment it enters, you are in heaven. After that, you are only chewing.

What are you chewing? Your own gum.

Love Brings Humility

And then Nārada says: the more love we have, ahaṅkāra will not be there in love. Love and ahaṅkāra do not go together.

So you love your child, and your child is doing all sorts of mischief. Let anybody else do mischief – you will get angry. But you can't get angry with your child.

So you become humble. Humility will come.

Abhimāna will come – "I-ness" will come, "my-ness" will come. That is called humility. The more devotion we have, the more humble we become. You know why? "I have been able to get so much of bhakti to God, not because of my merit, but by the sheer grace of God."

That brings dainyatva (humility).

Comparison with Jñāna Yoga

Whereas in jñāna yoga, what does "aham brahmāsmi" mean? If God comes, then there is no difference between you and me. And in fact, I am superior to you.

You know why? Like Ramakrishna's story. You know that Ramakrishna was very close to Śrī Rāmakrishna. So one day, Rāmakrishna got very angry.

"I don't want to see your face." That means, "Don't come here." So the next day he came with a pot, covering his face – only his eyes showing and a little breathing space.

That's all. So Rāmakrishna saw him and said, "Why did you come here? What did I tell you? I don't want to see your face."

"Now you are not seeing my face, but I would like to see your face."

So if God doesn't want to see my face, then can He do that? Can God stop seeing my face? Because He is everywhere. Even if I turn, He is on the other side. Every side He is there.

He can't help seeing me. But I can stop seeing Him. The moment I think of something else, God has completely disappeared.

I have that power. Who is superior now?

A Deep Psychological Law

A deep psychological law I am telling. The thought of God is a thought.

Who is the master? I am the master. I choose to think of you, then so you exist. But if I think something else, that very moment the second thought comes.

What happens to God? Completely non-existent. That is why, Brahmākāra-vṛtti – the last vṛtti – Ramakrishna was told by Totāpuri: "Burn it. Make it disappear."

Then what happens? There is no vṛtti. Brahmākāra-vṛtti – that vṛtti is gone. Only one thing remains: Brahman.

Call it "I," call it Brahman. It doesn't matter. I am Brahman.

That is for our sake. Who is going to say, when you are in deep sleep, "I am in deep sleep"? What are you doing? "I am in deep sleep."

Can you say that? Because when you are in deep sleep, you have become one with deep sleep. You understand now?

Īśvarasya Api Abhimāna-dveṣitva

That's what he is telling: Īśvarasya api abhimāna-dveṣitva.

If anybody has ego, abhimāna means "I am this. I am not you. I am somebody else."

That is called abhimāna. Where there is abhimāna, God will not be there. Where "I" is there, there is no God.

Dainya-priyatva: God Loves Humility

And then he says: dainya-priyatva. God loves what? Humility. What is really, what is the definition of humility? To see God in everything is called being humble.

The Psychology of Humility

How will you become humble? Psychology. How will you become humble? Suppose you are born in a village. Nobody has two eyes.

You are the only one with one eye. Who is the supreme-most? The one with one eye. Suppose suddenly one child is born with both eyes.

This fellow will feel then – dainyatva will come. Humility will come. Because you only have one eye.

This baby has got now two eyes. "I have only this bank balance. You have got much more bank balance."

So what am I talking about? Humility is not how we show it artificially. It is to feel the other person has something much better than what I have. So that is called seeing God.

"This person is more strong than me, more wealthy than me, more truthful than me, having more devotion than me." These are all characteristics of God manifesting more. That is why: dhana, yaśas, kīrti, vairāgya, aiśvarya, bala.

These six qualities – whoever has got them, he is called Bhagavān. Bhaga means six lakṣaṇas: viveka, vairāgya, aiśvarya, kīrti, yaśas, śrī.

These qualities in full measure. So in anybody – "this person is more beautiful than me, more intelligent than me, and in some way better than me" – then automatically you don't need to say it.

Your very acknowledgement that "this person has more" is an acknowledgement that "I am inferior to this person." That is called dainyatva, humility.

Seeing God in Others

So we gain humility not by seeing external, worldly things, but by seeing that it is God who has given these things.

Like my elder brother, my parents – they are superior. Vayo-vṛddhaḥ, guṇa-vṛddhaḥ, vidyā-vṛddhaḥ, viśeṣa-vidyā-vṛddhaḥ. Understand? Vṛddhaḥ means those who are having more.

Vayo-vṛddhaḥ means more aged – they have more experience. You have to respect them.

Whether they want to be called old or not, they have to become old. That is impossible. So when they are traveling, nobody gives up their seat.

"Be happy – that means you are not old." The moment you are old, some two or three fellows jump up: "Sir!" If they call you "Sir," then they are reminding you, "You are an old fellow. Keep your place. Don't pretend you are a young fellow."

No? Suppose you are going – "Madam, please take your seat. Be careful!" – what do they mean? Otherwise, this woman, this girl... Nowadays women also, girls, boys – they want to feel that they are very young.

That's why they are suffering. More than forty percent of them are mentally sick. Yes? Government statistics.

That is coming into India also. They don't want this. Body worship, you know.

Body is going to be old. At least so – that is called vayo-vṛddhaḥ. They have experience. Then guṇa-vṛddhaḥ – some people have wonderful qualities.

Kīrti-vṛddhaḥ, īśvara-vṛddhaḥ – some people's name and fame won't come like that by giving a huge cheque donation. It will not come. It will come only if somebody has done something really worthy.

So like that, vidyā-vṛddhaḥ – some people's knowledge is tremendous. Like this, everybody has something. If they have got it, how did it come? By God's grace. So we see God there.

That alone brings humility. So we have to be humble because most people are much better than us in every respect.

The Means to Attain Bhakti

So what are the means? Some people say knowledge is necessary to attain bhakti.

Some people will say both devotion – bhakti and knowledge – alone will contribute to the growth of bhakti. But Nārada doesn't agree with that. What does he say? You don't need to do anything.

Just have bhakti. And bhakti itself will increase your bhakti. But you have to listen to it.

The Importance of Listening

Listening is one of the greatest secrets. So if you love, then you listen.

Who is telling? Erich Fromm is telling. Erich Fromm was a great social psychologist. He has written a book, The Art of Loving.

His writing is a model of how to write books – so crystal clear in language. Dr. Radhakrishnan, Bertrand Russell, then Christopher Isherwood, Swami Vivekananda, Herbert Spencer. These are the people.

If you want to be a good writer, study them. It is not what is called weaving huge words which nobody understands.

On Musical Clarity

Anyway, sometimes I criticize Tyāgarāja also. Tyāgarāja's songs now – Andhra people are very proud. I ask them, "You give me one kīrtana and explain to me every word." They don't know.

Because there is one thing – Annamācārya is verse. Only here and there I can understand a few words. Come to our Purandara Dāsa.

Practically every word you can understand. Tyāgarāja's song kīrtana, if you want to sing, you have to... It's like, you know, equidistanced slices, boxes. So you have to cut, do an operation, a cutting operation.

Take that sentence, word, put it in the next box to make it, you know, śruti and laya and all those things. Otherwise it will not fall. Sometimes these stupid musicians sing...

See, they are singers, they are musicians, they know everything. But you can't understand one single letter of what they are singing. Like that, in between, they add some... Try to understand.

So one of the marks of greatness in a good musician is what is called clarity of language. Every syllable you should be able to listen and understand. This is like, you know, mud and mudfish – you can't distinguish.

Like that – what is saṅgīta and what are the lyrics – you can't understand in some people. So you will be like mudfish only – nothing goes inside, nothing is attached to it. You are like that – only that fellow sings and it goes inside.

The Story of the Appreciative Listener

One South Indian was giving a concert, and many people came one by one, then they all left. Only one fellow was sitting. So that fellow was very happy: "At least one person is appreciating."

So at the end of it, he thanked him and said, "Oh, I am so happy! At least one, you have appreciated my music." Then the fellow said, "You sang wonderfully, sir. I really enjoyed. My only regret is you should have been singing 'Mohanam.'"

That fellow was singing only "Mohanam"! What type of fellow – what did he understand about music?

Great souls: Madras Mahā Rāmdas, some singers like M.S. Subbulakshmi – every syllable crystal clear. Puruṣottamānji had that quality – every syllable you can understand.

No swallowing – that nonsense comes there. And Balamuralikrishna, some of these greats, even M.S. Sheela is there. You know M.S. Sheela? I love her singing, because she is a very fat woman, but very, very crystal clear.

Most of the singers, you know – "na na na na na na" – like that it will go on.

Just Practice Bhakti

So anyway, what are we talking about? That according to Nārada, you don't need jñāna, you don't need karma, you don't need yoga – just practice bhakti. What does bhakti say? "O Lord, I am a mūrkha (fool). I don't have any knowledge. You please grant me whatever."

This was Śrī Ramakrishna. "Mā, I do not know. I am a fool. I don't know anything. You take my hand and make me do what you want me to do."

And as a result, Mother showed him everything. One day Śrī Ramakrishna was telling: he prayed, "O Mother, reveal to me what is there in the Vedas, Tantras, Purāṇas." He said, "Mother, reveal it to me."

After that, he said, "I got these books, made a garland, wore it round my neck, danced a little, threw them in the Gaṅgā. Where is the need for scriptures? After you understand, where is the need for keeping the scriptures?"

The Purpose of Scriptures

What do the scriptures do? They are like letters. Somebody writes you a letter: "When you are coming, please bring this thing." When you are alone with him...

You know the story of the taco? One man went to a town – he used to live in a village – for some work, for a few days. Then he received a letter, and he kept it. And in the evening, he came and misplaced it.

Furiously he was searching. And after several hours of searching, somehow he got it. It was there only in front of him, but he was searching with ignorance.

Then what was written? "When you return to the village, bring a little rice, a little lentils, and some fruits, one piece of cloth" – like that, some information. Once he knew what to do, he just tore that letter to pieces and threw it in the dustbin.

Every scripture – what does it do? It tells us what to do, what not to do.

Once you know that, this scripture is totally useless. You understand now? That is what is called usefulness. But scripture is necessary to know.

Once you know, don't cling to the scripture, because that is called śāstrātman – you can cling to the scripture and let go of God. That is it.

The Power of Faith

What is it telling? So that is the way. Therefore, you just follow the path of bhakti. Pray earnestly: "O Mother, I don't know anything. Please teach me." She herself will teach you. Really do pray.

She herself will teach you. But we must have that faith. We should not have the faith of a brāhmaṇa.

Śrī Ramakrishna's parables illustrate every one of these teachings. For each teaching, there are more than two or three parables. We must have that tremendous faith in God that He listens to our prayer, if it is sincere prayer.

The Story of the Brāhmaṇa and the Maidservant

So there was a brāhmaṇa and there was a maidservant who used to supply him with milk. But she was living in another village. So one day she comes on time, one day she comes late.

So one day the brāhmaṇa asked him, "Why do you not come many days on the right time?" She said, "Sir, you know I have to cross a river. But the boatman – sometimes available, sometimes he comes late. Depending upon when he comes, then I have to cross the boat.

That's why I get late. I can't guarantee." Then he was a little bit learned, slightly learned brāhmaṇa, you know.

So he said, "But taking God's name, you can cross the ocean of saṁsāra. You can't cross this small river without a boat?" She had faith.

So next day onwards, regular time – the milk she supplied. He was surprised. "How come nowadays you are coming?" She said, "Thank you very much, sir.

You only showed me the way. And it is very economical also, because I don't need any boat also." "How do you come?" "I take God's name and I walk over the water."

"What? You walk over the water? Show me." "So I come. Please come.

I will show you." Took him there. "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa" – like that.

She started walking. This fellow thought he will also experiment. "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa."

He also stepped in, but held up his dhoti lest it should become wet. Then she looked back.

"Sir, that will not do. That way you take God's name, at the same time lift your cloth. That is not going to work.

Because that means you don't have faith. 'I am going to sink.' Do you understand? For her, 'I am just walking like that. God's name.'

But you only advised me, but you don't have faith in God's name. 'Suppose it doesn't work, suppose I sink, my cloth will get wet. Then again I have to wash it and then dry it and then put it on.

So better to be on the safe side.'" That is not going to do it. Complete faith.

How many stories are there? Complete faith.

The Cartoon Story

Anyway, one of our Swamis made a cartoon. One fellow acquired the power to walk on the ocean, water.

So he thought, "I will take a trip to America. What is there? I just walk." So he started walking.

He walked one or two miles happily. "All these fellows, how much money they are paying!

I am walking free." Suddenly all the sharks surrounded him. "Oops! I did not know about the sharks.

Now where is he going to go?" Walking is okay, but who is going to save him from the sharks?

Tasmāt Saiva Grāhyā Mumukṣubhiḥ

So, tasmāt saiva grāhyā mumukṣubhiḥ. Mumukṣubhiḥ means by the seekers of liberation, mokṣa.

Mokṣa – moktum icchā mumukṣu. Mumukṣu is – what should the person do? Saiva, sa eva grāhyā. That alone must be followed.

What? Bhakti-mārga. You don't need anything. Have bhakti.

Pray sincerely. That itself will take you to the goal.

Bhakti-sādhanāni: The Means to Attain Bhakti

Then, bhakti-sādhanāni.

Okay, this is all fine. So how to attain bhakti? There are certain well-defined, scripture-taught ways how to attain bhakti. Simply saying "I will attain bhakti" will not do.

What is the reason for that? I will give a small introduction about this. See, our inside and outside must become harmonious.

The Problem of Dichotomy

So inside we are what I call great donors. We can donate millions of pounds. Outside, one paisa also we will not give. Whenever you hear some great drought has come, flood has come, etc., what do you do? So you become totally – what do you do? So much of compassion, so much of karuṇā.

And dichotomy. Dichotomy means division. We are all suffering from it.

When we are meditating, we are saints, sādhus. The moment we come out, we have fallen into the influence of the world. We are miserly.

That's why we say, you know, one devotee used to come – family used to come, millionaires, multi-millionaires. Whenever they come to see me, they bring peanuts. Because they know that – "Come, there are peanuts."

So somebody asks, "What is their contribution?" I say, "Peanuts."

The Need for Internal and External Harmony

So if we are inside devotees, outside also we should exhibit the characteristics of a devotee – spiritual characteristics. What is it? What are the characteristics? Outside we don't see man or woman.

We see God. So if God has come to beg you, what would you do? Do you feel like giving or not? Most people don't give. "If God comes, you know – 'Hey, you are God.

Why do you need all this?'"

The Jewish Millionaire's Condition

There was a Jewish fellow, big, very rich man. He wanted to make a little bit of fun. Outside he put a huge board: "Whosoever is in need of this house, he will be donated this house.

First come, first serve. The condition is they should not have any needs. They should not have any needs."

So many people, greedy fellows – a huge palace he owned, you know. So they go: "Can I take this house?" "You can take, but what is the condition?" "So do you have a big house or not?" "Yes, I have got a big house."

"Then what for do you want this house?" Understand – a clever fellow. "You must not have any needs, then only you will be given." But if you don't have any needs, he will ask you, "What do you want?" He will not give to poor people.

The Funeral Story

They have their own customs. Somebody dies – on the casket they have to give some money. One fellow put five rupees, another fellow put... Three friends went there to attend this funeral.

One fellow put five rupees in the casket, another fellow put hundred rupees, another fellow – he took out his cheque book, ten lakhs of rupees, put it in the casket. "What is he going to do? Dead fellow, what is he going to do? Where is he going?" And this fellow is telling, "What miserly fellows you are! Five rupees for our dear friend! See, he deserves ten lakhs of rupees."

Devotion Must Express in Action

What are we talking about? If there is devotion within, it must express in concrete action outside. Otherwise it is not devotion. That is why, if a saint is living in a cave – maybe fifty years, maybe seventy years – and then he thinks to himself, "Oh, I can meditate and I see God."

How do we know that that person has really got so much of bhakti to God? How do we know? Because this could be mere imagination. That is why, if the person is sincere, inevitably that person will be thrown out into the society. Because society is the test stone to find out whether it is genuine devotion, dispassion, discrimination and other qualities, or it is only imagination.

We can all imagine. You know, "I am so great, I will donate this and that" – like that.

The Story of the King and the Dance Performance

So there is a beautiful story. I think I told you, but I will tell you again. In Delhi there was a king, some three, four centuries back. There was a king.

He had a son, he had a daughter, and he was about seventy years old. And one day he arranged a nautch girls' dance – very beautiful nautch girls' dance.

It will be running from eight o'clock to four o'clock at night. And the person who accompanies – she both sings and then also dances.

But the tablā-wālā was her own husband. What is the condition? He won't promise, "I'll give anything." "You dance.

And according to the skillfulness, merit of your dance, whatever people feel like giving, spontaneously they should be moved by your dance and singing and give it." That is real talent. Otherwise, you fix something – it is not a talent at all.

The Performance Begins

So eight o'clock, about to start, suddenly they saw a ninety-years-old sannyāsī with a new Kashmiri shawl entering the dance hall. Anyone remembers? Okay. So he entered.

Because he was an old man and a sannyāsī, and it was winter, you know – so somebody saw him and gave him... They gave him a front seat, reserved seat. Then very soon the king came, his son came, his daughter came, and the sannyāsī – they were sitting in the front. Dance started.

Nine o'clock, ten, eleven, twelve, one, two o'clock – dancing. Nobody threw onto the stage anything. So the lady, she was getting a bit tired also. Nobody giving her any encouragement.

So she was singing, "O my beloved husband, already I have played for you. I sang and danced for six hours. Nobody today has appreciated my singing or dancing, because if they had appreciated, they would have thrown some money, etc. Nobody had done that – neither the king, nor son, princess, anybody.

I think without wasting – today is not our fortunate day. Today let us stop. At least we can go and sleep."

So by singing, dancing, she conveyed that message to her husband. And the husband also could sing and play. He was also playing and singing.

"O my beloved wife, anyway we have spent six hours. Who knows when God's grace may descend? Maybe it can come even in the last moment. So only another two hours – have patience.

Let us sing and dance and play. Who knows what is going to happen?" In such a way he sang and conveyed the message.

The Unexpected Response

Only the front row could understand it. Immediately the princess got up, took off her necklace, threw it onto the stage. The son, the prince, got up. He took off his valuables, jewels – you know they used to wear...

Now the fashion is coming back. One ear, this one – all those things are coming back. And through it he was walking out.

Then the sannyāsī got up. He had that costly shawl on. He threw it on the stage. He was walking out.

Then the king himself threw out some costly thing. He was walking out, but he called his minister and said, "Call my daughter, my son, the sannyāsī. I want to speak with them." So they met in a side private room.

The Revelations

Then the king asked, "So long, so many hours we have been watching. None of us moved, none of us gave anything. But the moment the husband replied to the wife like that, all of us got up.

So I want to know what is the reason." Then first, "Princess, my daughter, why did you get up?" She said, "Father, you have fixed my marriage with a person whom I don't like. I told you, 'I don't love him. I love somebody else.'

But you have fixed it because of political convenience. So I decided that today I will watch this dance, tomorrow I will eat poison and I will commit suicide. You have also fixed my wedding day. After hearing this, I thought, 'Who knows? God's grace may change everything.

I will wait until the previous day to get married. If nothing changes, that day I will take poison and die.'" Then he asked the son.

Then the son said, "Father, I am already fifty years old and you are still occupying the throne. So patiently I waited all these years that you will voluntarily retire. So I decided, 'Tomorrow if you don't give up the throne and make me the king, I am going to cut off your head and then occupy the throne.'

After hearing this I said, 'Who knows? My father is old. He may die also in one or two years. So why not wait? Why get this sin?' So I decided to wait a little more time. That is why I gave something and I thought of it."

Then they asked the sannyāsī, "What happened to you?" He said, "Look here, when I was fifteen years old, I renounced home. I went to the Himalayas.

Now I am ninety. I did my sādhana. I have not received even a glimpse of God's grace. So I decided, 'Why waste my time? I will go to the city, whatever little bit I can enjoy, I will enjoy the rest of my life.' So as soon as I came to Delhi, somebody saw me – an old man shivering – so he donated one shawl.

But after hearing this message of the husband, he said, 'Anyway I have spent seventy-five years in tapasyā. And who knows? God's grace might come in the last moment. Why give up, waste seventy-five years?' So I gave back the shawl. I am going back to my tapasyā place."

Then they asked the king, "Why did you get up?" He said, "For a long time I have been thinking of giving up the throne, going to a solitary place and calling on you, but I did not get enough courage.

So after hearing that husband's message,

I thought, 'There is no point in postponing. Anyway I am old. I might encounter some difficulties, but tomorrow I will make my son the king and I will go there.'"

The Message of the Story

This story is very prevalent among the sādhus in North India. What is the message? Do not give up hope, because God's grace may come at the very last moment. Who knows? Do not give up hope.

Whatever be your ambition, do the right thing – God's grace will come. So this is a great thing: never become despondent, always hopeful, because God knows everything. Not that He is ignorant and you have to remind Him. He is ready to give. The truth is we are not ready to receive. That is the truth about it.

Anyway, svayaṁ phalarūpate brahma-kumāraḥ, tasmāt saiva grāhyā mumukṣubhiḥ. Tasya sādhanāni gāyanti ācāryāḥ – different ācāryas have advocated. That is what Ramakrishna is going to teach: yato mat, tato path – "As many people, so many opinions, so many paths." Every opinion is a path.

But certain things, whatever path we are following, certain things we must do if you want to progress.

The Prerequisites for Spiritual Progress

I'll just give one small example. There is a motorway – it's four lanes. Four different cars can travel at the same time, side by side. But the condition is the same: you have to start the engine and make the car go. If anybody doesn't go, sticks to that place, he is not going to progress.

So, tattva, viṣaya-tyāga, saṅga-tyāga – you have to give up certain objects which are creating obstacles in our path. You have to identify them.

Viṣaya-tyāga: Giving Up Objects

So it's very deep, you know. Supposing a neighbor – you don't like a neighbor. That "I don't like" is a great obstacle, because whenever you sit for meditation, who comes? He will come. You know why? Because that fellow, you say, "Why do you come at this time?" "Baba, I have been trying from morning, but you are busy always with other things. This is the only time you are sitting empty-minded, so I thought this is a wonderful opportunity to come into your mind." You understand?

All undesirable thoughts – their only reply is, "This is the time when you are not engaged, so we come here." Understand? So that is our condition. This is called viṣaya-tyāga.

Saṅga-tyāga: Giving Up Attachment

Then, even if the viṣaya object is not there, the attachment to that object is still in the mind.

Fifty years a sādhu did not see the face of a woman. I told that story. Fifty years, one sādhu had taken a vow when he was young: "I will not see the face of a woman."

He was living in a solitary kuṭiyā. Fifty years he never went out of his kuṭiyā. His disciples used to bring food. He used to eat there.

One evening he was sitting there. Suddenly he ran to the door and peeped out to see who was walking. What happened? He heard the sound of anklets moving. Anklets.

He knows very well who puts on anklets. Only a woman puts on anklets. He knows it.

Because he was born – all women put that one. No man will put it, excepting babies. A woman will put it. A baby will not come into the wooded area.

So one village woman, she came to gather some firewood and she was returning. And her anklets made sound. His unconscious knew it.

Fifty years he had not seen the face of a woman. And he saw the receding backside of the woman. So such is the trick played by the saṁskāra.

That is called saṅga. So he has not seen the face of a woman – that is viṣaya.

But the attachment – does he not know what a woman looks like? Why does he want to see? But such is the...

The Example from the Bhagavad Gītā

Rasavarjaṁ raso'pyasya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate – "The sense objects turn away from the abstinent person, but the taste remains. Even the taste turns away when the Supreme is seen."

Fifty years you have not seen idli and sambar. After fifty years, one day suddenly you see it. And you forget the whole lot – rasagulla, rasagolla, everything – and make a deal into the idli sambar.

That means what? Fifty years, many years, you have not even thought about idli sambar. But the moment you saw it, you made a deal. What does that mean? Rasavarjam.

That attachment has not left the person's mind. So deep. These attachments come from life after life.

Ramakrishna's Illustration

Ramakrishna used to give an illustration, funny illustration. There was a prince. Every day he wants to play with his playmates.

What was the play? He would make one fellow bend. He would take some old cloth and beat it on the back of that fellow who was bending. What is the reason? In a past birth he was a washerman.

But the saṁskāra of washing cloth, beating the cloth, has not gone. So he gets the greatest delight only in that. This is all of us.

If you examine your heart, you will see why we like certain things – because of past saṁskāra. Not only this life's saṁskāra, not only past life's saṁskāra – janma-janmāntara saṁskāras are there.

But only by the Īśvara-sākṣātkāra, the direct realization of God, all this will vanish. Because every saṅga has only to bring such joy. If you are not happy, you won't have any attachment.

Only if it brings happiness, you are attached to it. So idli, sambar bring so much of... "All these days what were you doing? Not available? Okay. Today? Available."

Excellent. So that is what we are talking about. That attachment is inside.

Viṣaya is outside. Object is outside. So the object's influence is very less.

But the inside – that is what makes janma-janmāntara, to be born. So first thing is give it up. Give up objects...

Observing Your Unconscious

So you have to know your unconscious, have to tap into your unconscious. Just be a little bit observant. You will know which things you like, which things you don't like, which books you like, which books you don't like. And how do you know? Because if you start reading however wonderful a book which you don't like, in five minutes you will be in samādhi.

That is a clear indication that it is not... But you read a very exciting detective novel – page turn. Your mom is calling, "Come, food, food!" "What food? Wait, wait. This is so interesting.

What happened? My heroine is just being eaten by the rat there. I want to find out what happened to her." Like that, like that, it's called page turn.

The other one is also page turn. Your mind is somewhere, pages are coming. This one, your mind also is there, pages also.

You don't have time. You want to turn them even faster. So with regard to everything, we have got this attachment, non-attachment. Very easy to find out.

The Practice of "So What?"

But you have to pay attention to it. And deliberately you have to say so. So what do you have to say? Previously, "Oh!" Now what do you say? "So what?" Previously, "What?" Now, "So what?" That is all the difference.

That just add S-O. You will progress in life. Many – understand? "Million pounds I got in lottery ticket!" "What?" – if at all you are still there.

But a sādhu, what does he say? "So what?" That's all. Easy to say. Very difficult to practice.

Stories of Attachment

Yes, yes. One fellow, householder – he was a poor fellow. He worked very hard.

He earned money. He built a very nice house. In the olden times, you know – beams, huge beams. He was dying. Our family people, you know, they keep the about-to-die fellow on the floor.

Otherwise the mattress will be spoilt. The cot will be spoilt. Put them there.

And then he was looking. "Oh my God! How can I leave these beams? I have to leave everything.

With my own hands I earned these beams. And now I have to leave everything." Yes. Attachment. Even for a cat, for a rat, for a match – for anything is there.

Mahāmāyā comes like that, you know?

The Two Beggars

Two beggars used to live under two trees. One day they felt like playing cards.

Something they have to bet, you know. They only had kaupinam on. One fellow – they bet the kaupina, you know.

And one fellow gradually has lost. He started, you know, shouting, "Oh my God! All my wealth in the world has disappeared!" Kaupina-ka-vastre.

Remember the story? Kaupina-ka-vastre. Yes. Sri Ramakrishna's story.

The Story of the Disciple and the Cat

There was one disciple, and he was getting disturbed. So the sādhu told him, the guru told him, "Go into solitude, where no persons are there.

Your meditation will be better." He went there. He had a couple of kaupinam.

One he puts on. Another one he washes and puts it for drying. So one day morning he got up and said, "These rats came and nibbled that kaupina."

Cloth had become holey – holey kaupina. And then he went to the villagers. "Please give me some new cloth." They gave some new cloth. Again, next – by that time the rat has become habituated. So next, kaupina naśa. Third, kaupina naśa.

Then he went again. Then the villagers got disgusted. "Every day we can't supply.

What we will do? We will give you one cat." Cat. Cat.

So the cat was there. They gave a cat. The moment the rats saw the cat, they ran away.

But cat has to be fed. Now he started begging for milk also – cow's milk.

After few days, they said, "Who is going to give milk? We will give you one cow, and it will give you milk." So after few days, he was begging grass. Then they said, "We will give you a small plot of land.

You grow your own grass." And then slowly, this land increased. Grass increased.

And rice also increased. He needed some servants. And to look after the servants, wife was needed.

And after five years, the guru came to see how the disciple was doing. First it was a huge compound. He could not understand.

Somebody told him, "Your disciple is there." Then he entered. Then he could recognize his disciple.

The disciple recognized his guru. So he went, ran, and fell at his feet. "Gurudeva!" Guru said, "Why this?" Then he narrated, "Kaupina was there." What a beautiful story. For the sake of one kaupina, he came back to saṁsāra.

Closing Prayer