Om Hrim Ritam Lecture 01 on 18 August 2019
Full Transcript
ॐ
जननीम् सारदाम् देविम् रामकृष्णं जगद्गुरुम् ।
पादपद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहरमुहुहु ।।
Oṃ jananīm sāradām devīm rāmakṛṣṇam jagadgurum |
Pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuhu ||
We are discussing the Avatāra Stotram. This is the second hymn composed by Swami Vivekananda. Poetically, metrically, and grammatically, it is perfect, but in terms of beauty, it is not. Swami Vivekananda recognized this and gave it to his disciple Sharat Chandra Chakraborty for improvement. However, Chakraborty refused because it had come directly from Swamiji as a Rishi Stotram. This is known as Ārṣa Prayoga or Rishi Prayoga. There are two points we need to keep in mind. First, why did Swami Vivekananda compose it? Because he had a vision of Sri Ramakrishna in the form of twelve letters.
The second point is this: if you recall, in the previous class we discussed various types of hymns describing the form, qualities, and glory of God, such as Caṇḍī, which praises the Divine Mother. There are also hymns that belong to the impersonal aspect of the Divine such as:
प्रातः स्मरामि हृदि संस्फुरदात्मतत्त्वं सच्चित्सुखं परमहंसगतिं तुरीयम् ।
यत्स्वप्नजागरसुषुप्तिमवैति नित्यं तद्ब्रह्म निष्कलमहं न च भूतसङ्घः ॥१॥
Prātaḥ smarāmi hṛdi saṃsphuradātmatattvaṃ saccitsukhaṃ paramahaṃsagatiṃ turīyam ।
Yatsvapnajāgarasuṣuptimavaiti nityaṃ tadbrahma niṣkalamahaṃ na ca bhūtasaṅghaḥ ॥
and Nirvāṇa Śaṭkam, etc. But this particular hymn gives us a glimpse into our human condition, which is incapable of attaining Bhakti or anything similar. Psychologically, it suggests that the only option for us is to completely surrender ourselves to God.
Swami Vivekananda composed many works including poems, bhajans, and stotras. The first Stotram was Khaṇḍana Bhava Bandhana (which we have already covered). This is the second Stotram. They are sung daily at the Ramakrishna Ashram in this order: Khaṇḍana, Oṃ Hṛim Ritām, Sarva Maṅgala, or Prakṛtim Paramām, etc. (which we will cover later). This talk addresses the second hymn. Why did he compose it? Because he had a vision of Sri Ramakrishna in the form of twelve letters. This is called the Dvādasaākṣari Mantra: Oṃ Namō Bhagavatē Rāmakr̥ṣṇāya. This mantra is reflected in the first letters of every phrase of the hymn. There are four parts to this hymn. The fifth part, which was added later, is Oṃ Sthāpakāya Ca Dharmasya. This was composed extemporaneously at the house of Navagopal Ghosh, but it was added to the hymn at a later time.
If we were to create something like that, we would have to ponder about it deeply and compose carefully. But when great souls compose, they do so spontaneously. A true artist does not make an effort; they become a fit instrument through which the music or poetry expresses itself. That’s why their work endures. If someone else composes, it may last for a few days, but afterward, it may not endure.
The hymn we are going to discuss is a Śaraṇāgati Gadyā, similar to the Śaraṇāgati Gadyā by Ramanuja. Gadyā means prose, so here is Swami Vivekananda's Śaraṇāgati Stotra. How do we know this? Because the phrase “Tasmāt tvam eva Śaraṇam, mama dīna-bandho” is repeated four times. In this hymn, Swami Vivekananda also had to take into account Sri Ramakrishna's divine nature. In this particular hymn, we encounter something even more wonderful than what we find in the Avatāra Stotram. So, we are going to discuss it. Every day, we invariably sing these hymns: first Khaṇḍana and then Oṃ Hṛim Ritām. So how did this world come about? What does it consist of? Where does it come from? Sṛṣṭi Sthiti—the origin and the maintenance. Oṃ is something indescribable: Nirākāra, Nirguṇa, Nirviśeṣa Brahman, Akhaṇḍa Saccidānanda. It is beyond description. Mana Vācana Eka Ādhār—it is the sole support of both mind and speech. But truly speaking, it is beyond both speech and mind. This is represented by Oṃkāra. We will briefly discuss about this Oṃkāra as well. The hymn goes like this:
Oṃ hrīm ṛtam tvamachalo guṇajit guṇedyah
Naktam divam sakaruṇam tava pāda padmam;
Moham kaṣam bahukṛtam na bhaje yatō'ham
Tasmāt tvameva śaraṇam mama dīna bandho
So the first meaning we have to seek is—Tasmāt tvameva śaraṇam: therefore, you are the only refuge. Dīna-bandho—why are you there to bestow your grace? Dīna-bandhu: Who is a dīna? Dīna means helpless. You are the helper of the helpless. So, are we really dīna? Before we can receive something, we have to make ourselves receptive. Any object, such as furniture, a bed, or even constructing a house, requires preparation. For example, if the plot is on hilly land, unless you remove the rubble, stones, etc., level it down, and make it uniform, you cannot proceed. This capacity to receive is called Śaraṇāgati.
An example is Girish Chandra Ghosh. Sri Ramakrishna asked him, “Can you repeat my name in the morning and evening?” He said no, as you already know. Then Sri Ramakrishna asked him, “Well, at least can you repeat the name once in the morning?” Girish said no because he didn’t know what time of day it was, whether it was morning or evening. Sri Ramakrishna gave him a third chance and asked, “At least before taking food, can you remember my name?” Girish Chandra Ghosh folded his hands and said, “I have eaten food many times without even being aware that I am eating it.” It is like children who, while drinking milk, are not aware of it. Later, they might complain, “Yesterday you did not feed me, and I do not remember you feeding me.” If they were not fed, how will they have the energy to complain? So Sri Ramakrishna said to Girish Ghosh, “Give me your power of attorney.” Only when Sri Ramakrishna gave him the power to grant Him his power of attorney did Girish say “yes.” That was the extent of his remaining energy to say “yes,” and thus Sri Ramakrishna accepted full responsibility for him.
So this is Śaraṇāgati—which means complete surrender. This is the hardest thing in the world. How do we know? Because, if it is true Śaraṇāgati, it must fulfill six conditions. Do you know what those six conditions are? This is part of Ramanujacharya’s Bhakti Mārga. He was an expert in it and gives us the hint: “Shadvidha Śaraṇāgati”—shat means six. So, Śaraṇāgati is possible only when we fulfil these six conditions. Otherwise, it is not true Śaraṇāgati. What are they?
Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ pratikūlasya varjanam
Rakṣisyasi iti viśvāsaḥ goptrtva varanam tathā
Ātmanikṣepa kārpaṇye iti śadvidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ
First, “Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ pratikūlasya varjanam”—these two go together. There is a beautiful Kannada devotional song by Purandaradasa: “yena gu āne Raṅga ninagu āne, yana gu ninagu ibbarigu ninna bhaktara āne.” What does āne mean? It signifies a responsibility or a contract. It is a contract between God and me with all the devotees as witnesses. So what is this contract? If I do not cultivate satsaṅga (holy company), then I am guilty. Having cultivated satsaṅga, if you do not prevent me from duḥsaṅga (unholy company), then you are responsible for that. This song goes on like that. It is one of the most wonderful bhajans. If you understand the meaning, it is marvellous. Thus, the spiritual journey is a contract between me and God; it is not a one-sided affair.
So Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ—saṅkalpaḥ means a firm determination. This word saṅkalpaḥ is a very strong word. That’s why, before doing Pūjā (ritualistic worship), we have to make a saṅkalpaḥ mentally. For an elaborate Pūjā, there is a special formula: you take a little bit of rice, durvā, etc., and sit to say, “On this particular day, Sri Ramakrishna Pūjakamanaya”—why? For the purpose of Bhakti, Jñāna, Viveka, and Vairāgya—I perform this Pūjā or “kariṣye” or “kariṣyāmi.” This saṅkalpaḥ is very important.
When we take Brahmacharya Dīkṣā, we make a saṅkalpaḥ. When we take Mantra Dīkṣā, we make a saṅkalpaḥ. I said “we” make the saṅkalpaḥ, not “I” make the saṅkalpaḥ. Who is “we”? It means both Guru and Śiṣya. The Śiṣya says, “Until I reach the goal, you will have to hold my hand and guide me.” The Guru’s saṅkalpaḥ is, “Until you reach the goal, I will not let go of your hand.” So it is not a one-sided affair. The Guru will give Mantra Dīkṣā and then will not just disappear. What happens if the Guru dies? The Guru can never die. What dies is not the Guru, but the body. The real Guru is God. In fact, the real Guru means knowledge. It is an abstract idea. I have discussed these ideas earlier, but few people keep notes. That’s why I have to repeat them again and again.
Whenever we look at any object, we are not actually seeing the object itself. We are seeing the knowledge we have about that object. So when we look at Sri Ramakrishna, we have some knowledge, whether we call Him an Incarnation or God. It is this knowledge that produces our reactions and actions. Therefore, Guru means knowledge. The saṅkalpaḥ has to be done before any good activity is undertaken.
So, Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ—these are clipped words in the form of mnemonics. What it really means is that the devotee has already read about what God wants them to do. How do we know what God wants us to do? Through scriptures. Many devotees (and I have to say some are quite ignorant) ask, “How do I know what Sri Ramakrishna wants me to do?” It is very clear. Read the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. But do you just read and leave it at that? No. You read it, understand it, and put it into practice. That is what He is asking you to do. It is very interesting. You read the Gospel and then go to Sri Ramakrishna and ask, “Now bestow your grace.” The question is, will He be able to bestow it? He wants to do so, but will you be able to receive it?
So, why do we do all these things? Not to get the grace, because the grace doesn't start at a particular time; it is constantly flowing. But to use that grace, we have to be ready. For that, all these practices are necessary. The concept of Kṣetrikavat (just as a farmer prepares the field for a good harvest by removing weeds, ploughing, and watering, similarly, an individual prepares the mind or spirit for spiritual growth through discipline, study, and practice) is a peculiar Vedāntic concept of Sādhana. What is it? Our Sādhana is not to obtain anything because we are already what we are seeking. But there is an obstacle, a barrier, a covering. Sādhana means to remove that covering. That is what Sri Ramakrishna helps us do. How? He tells us to do this, do this, and do this, and not to do this, not to do this, not to do this. If we follow His instructions, then His grace will follow, and we will be able to experience His grace.
So, Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ means, “O Lord, you have told me what to do and what not to do. Therefore, I am taking a vow that I will do only what pleases you.” Anukūlasya means whatever brings your favor. Whatever makes you favorable towards me, I am taking a vow to do only that. Pratikūlasya varjanam—whatever displeases you, I am taking a vow that I will never even think about it, let alone do it. These are the first two steps, similar to Yama and Niyama. Anukūlasya saṅkalpaḥ and Pratikūlasya varjanam—and if we do that, what would be the automatic result?
Rakṣisyasi iti viśvāsaḥ—a firm śraddhā possesses us, meaning that except for God, there is nobody who can save us. Here, I am using God in a personal sense. What should be done, actually? If there is darkness, what is the only thing that can remove it? Light. If there is ignorance, what is it that can truly remove it? Knowledge. So here, God represents knowledge. Rakṣisyasi iti means that only God can save us. Nobody else can save us. That firm faith will come only when our heart is purified. That is why śraddhā doesn’t come at the beginning. What comes initially is belief, but śraddhā is a gift of God. I have to say that one of the greatest contributions of Christian religions is this concept. Faith is not a human possession; it is God’s gift. I hope you remember that one devotee went to Raja Maharaj and said, “If only I had faith, my meditation would be much easier.” Raja Maharaj replied, “What are you talking about? Faith is the last word just before God realization. He bestows faith upon the disciple just before God realization. Once a person has faith, what follows is God, just as dawn is followed by sunrise.” But without faith, how are we going to even accomplish? That is called belief.
This is the difference between belief and faith. So when we do the things God wants us to do, and completely refrain from what He doesn’t want us to do, it is Vidhi and Niṣedha. Do you understand now? Anukūlasya means Vidhi. Pratikūlasya means Niṣedha—this is Śāstra. Which is our Śāstra? The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. If we follow it, our heart develops that firm faith that nobody else can save us except God. That is what Bhagavān Krishna also says in the Bhagavad-Gita:
Daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā |
Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām taranti te ||
Bhagavad Gita 7-14
This ignorance belongs to whom? To me (God). Duratyayā means it is impossible to cross for anybody. But is there no way out? Yes, there is. “Mām eva ye prapadyante”—those who adore Me and take refuge in Me—“māyām etām taranti te”—they alone cross this Māyā because it is God's Māyā. Is God's Māyā good or bad? It must be good. Because if His Māyā were bad, that would imply He is also bad. People don’t understand this. Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings are profound commentaries on the Vedas and the Upaniṣads. He provides examples. That’s why you must read every day with attention. There, he says Māyā is like the covering of a fruit. You are not going to eat the covering. You are not going to eat the seed. You only eat the pulp. When you remove all the skin, what will you get? Rot. If a fruit is on the tree and you cut off the covering, will the fruit grow? It will just rot. So what is the purpose of that covering? To protect the fruit from all sorts of birds, insects, and other things, so that it will grow nicely and eventually it is discarded. Sri Ramakrishna gives other very meaningful analogies. When there is an injury, a scab forms. This scab is not desirable, but it is essential. If there is no scab or if you remove the scab, what happens? Your injury never heals. The very purpose of the scab is to help you by quickly healing the wound. He says that fools who forcibly remove the scab will find their wound never heals.
So what are we talking about? Avidyā Māyā is that which is developing Vidyā Māyā. Vidyā Māyā is like the pulp. Of course, Avidyā Māyā is very much necessary. Just like the seed of Bhakti and the seed of Jñāna are covered by this. What is Avidyā here? Do you know what Avidyā means? See, we don't study these things, which is why we have a lot of problems. According to Śankaracharya’s interpretation, Avidyā means ignorance. But what is ignorance? Is it simply not knowing anything? That’s not Avidyā. Avidyā means adherence to certain rituals, certain routines, like Pūjā, Tīrtha yātrā, etc. This is what Śankaracharya calls Avidyā. So without these rituals and other practices, where are you? How are you going to develop at all? If you prostrate a hundred times, you might remember God at least once. At least by the hundredth time, after losing all energy from the first ninety-nine, you might tumble down, get injured, and say “Oh God!” and remember Him at that moment at least.
So the purpose of Avidyā Māyā is to prepare us for Vidyā Māyā. With this beautiful idea, Sri Ramakrishna has, with one stroke, removed hundreds of years of misconceptions propagated by Śankaracharya’s followers who claimed that this whole world is Avidyā. Sri Ramakrishna says it is not Avidyā; it is nothing but the Divine Mother. So why did God create this Prapancha (world)? For His enjoyment or for our development? These are the revolutionary ideas that Sri Ramakrishna introduced.
Bhagavān Krishna never condemned. I could give a lengthy talk on that subject, but I'll just give you a hint. Sannyāsa-āśrama means a life completely dedicated to spiritual pursuits. When does Sannyāsa-āśrama come? You might say Sannyāsa is the highest āśrama. Does that mean you can bypass the other āśramas? Can you just discard Brahmacharya-āśrama, Gṛhastha-āśrama, and Vānaprastha-āśrama? Instantly, a baby wants to become a Sannyāsi. Because a Sannyāsi is also digambara (naked), and a baby is also digambara. Acquire Sannyāsa immediately or become a natural Sannyāsi. A Sannyāsi may not have any hair, and a baby also doesn’t have any hair. Is this what is meant? So, Brahmacharya-āśrama and Gṛhastha-āśrama are very much required and are steps leading to the proper and right development of the mind, making it capable of embracing Sannyāsa-āśrama. That is why it is called āśrama.
Every stage of life is an Āśrama. So, we have some faith in God. What does that mean? That He will save us; He can save us. But we also believe that other things can save us. Anacin (a pain killer pill) can save us; a homeopathic doctor, if not an allopathic doctor, or an ayurvedic doctor will definitely save us. Even swamis suffer from these misconceptions. One of our swamis here is suffering from a lot of problems. There is a very effective allopathic remedy, but he refuses to even think about it, let alone apply it. He insists on only using ayurvedic treatments. His leg has become black. He says, "I have faith only in ayurvedic medicine." What should be his rationality? "I don't care. Naturopathy cannot help, allopathy cannot help, homeopathy cannot help. No pathy can help this body. Only Śrīpati can help." So, what is practical Vedanta? It means I will take whatever helps. I will not have any prejudice against anything. That should be the practical Vedanta. Only when we go through Anukūlasya—doing whatever pleases the Lord and never doing what displeases the Lord—can we find clarity. In this light, you can analyse whether you should attend classes, talk to people, or cook something. You will gain a lot of insight.
Rakṣisyasi iti Viśvāsaḥ - tremendous faith will come, that God alone can save us. Only then will the fourth step come. What is this fourth step? Goptṛtva varaṇam. It means choosing God as my only protector. This is called goptṛtva varaṇam. Until that time, I will have many pathies. My dependence will be on so many pathies. But ultimately, it is only God who can save. I'll give you a small hint. These ideas are so wonderful! Somebody has a disease. There are different systems: allopathy, homeopathy, naturopathy, etc. Now, what is it that cures? Which pathy cures? No pathy cures. Why? Because Hindus have a system of belief. You know what that belief is? Unless the Prārabdha Karma is over, no pathy will help.
There is a story I heard recently. A very rich man had a disease. He went through all types of chikitsā (treatments), including homeopathy, allopathy, ayurvedic, unani, acupuncture, and so on. He spent almost all of his money on these treatments. Nobody could cure him of his disease. Suddenly, after two years, he heard about a village quack who was famous for curing this type of disease. He heard about it only after two years. So he went there. He took the medicine and was cured that day itself. Completely cured! The next morning, he returned and was joyfully walking through his village. All the doctors were there on both sides of the chambers, and he was cursing them, saying, "What did these stupid fellows do? A simple village quack cured me. These fellows could not cure me." All the medics started laughing and said, "You stupid fellow, you see, until yesterday your Prārabdha Karma was there. It was over only yesterday, and if you had consulted any one of us yesterday, you would have been cured." So this Prārabdha Karma is a primary factor. Now, Prārabdha Karma can be removed only by whom? By the one and only, and that is God.
That is why it is said rakṣisyati iti viśvāsaḥ. Then, whatever our faith is, this is the psychology: whatever we believe in our heart of hearts to be real—whether it is real or not is not the point—we will follow that. That is our way. Goptṛtva varaṇam means we wholeheartedly choose that only God and nobody else can save us. So we take refuge in God. Then, after choosing God, what is the next step? Ātmanikṣepaḥ. I transfer all my burdens to Him and say, "You are the one who can carry me; I am transferring all my burdens to You." That is the fifth step. What is the last step? Kārpaṇya—that means ever since that time, he lives a life of great humility. What is this humility? It means all these five steps are possible only because of His grace. The last step is kārpaṇya—humility, but all the five steps before that were possible because of what? Because of God's grace. Not due to my greatness but because of God's grace. Therefore, O Lord, without your grace, I would not have been able to do all those five things. To live with that humility, that everything is because of Him only, is the sixth and last step in Śaraṇāgati.
When a person fulfills all these six steps, that is called Śaraṇāgati—Shadvidha Śaraṇāgati. Simply going there in the morning and saying, "I surrender myself to you," and then forgetting that you surrendered, only to say it again in the evening, is not true surrender. Where did you get yourself back to surrender again? In the morning, you gave yourself to Him. Where did you get yourself back to give again to God? This means you immediately took it back after you surrendered in the morning. Do you follow what I'm saying? In the morning, you said, "I offer myself to you." Once you offer yourself, you are no more. But in the evening, you are saying again, "I offer myself to you." Where did you get yourself back? This means you forgot about it, took yourself back, and then you are offering the same old stuff to Him again. For example, if someone prepares a first-class dosa for you in the morning and in the evening offers you the same dosa, keeping some aside especially for you because you liked it very much and appreciated it very much, storing it not even in the refrigerator but outside, and then the next morning offers it to you again—how will you feel? You feel like running away, if not slapping the fellow, don't you? So, what do you think God will feel? "This fellow offered himself to me yesterday morning, and again yesterday evening he offered the same thing. Today morning, he is offering the same old stuff. Every day, he is going to offer me the same old stuff." And God is unchangeable, but we are all changeable; that means day by day we rot. So these are the six steps to be followed.
And that is why in the Bhagavad-Gita we need to notice one particular thing. When did the word “Śaraṇāgati” appear in the Bhagavad-Gita? Where did it come? It only came at the end. That is the last one: “Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.” But Arjuna wanted to surrender and he said, "I surrender myself to you," at the very beginning. Then only the teaching came: “śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam” (prapannam means to take refuge in God). But to prepare Arjuna, he had to go through almost 699 shlokas. Only then, at the very end, God is telling him, “Now you give up dependencies upon everything and take refuge in Me alone.”
So, the second hymn composed by Swami Vivekananda - the main summary, the essence of the hymn is "Tasmāt" – therefore. Therefore, I take refuge in you, O friend of the lowly, mama dīna bandho. What is Tasmāt? The first line in the hymn goes “Oṃ hrīm ṛtam” and in that order, what is the highest reality? Oṃ - Oṃ means Brahman. Brahman is beyond the body-mind complex. Whatever we comprehend of Brahman through the body and mind is not Brahman, but it is grossified Brahman. So what is that grossified Brahman? It is called Shakti. That Shakti is represented here by hrīm.
That is why all our mantras have a Bija Mantra. What is the Bija Mantra? It is hrīm. Sri Ramakrishna is Parabrahman and the Holy Mother is the Shakti. Oṃ hrīm. Hrīm means Shakti. The whole world is Shakti. Why is the world called Shakti? The world means energy; the world means movement. And Shakti means movement, and that movement is called the world. What is that movement? It goes in cycles. What is that cycle? Sṛṣṭi (creation), Sthiti (preservation), and Laya (destruction).
Sṛṣṭi sthiti vināśanaṁ śakti bhūte sanātani
Guṇāśraye guṇamayi nārāyaṇi namostute
That is why this is a wonderful idea. There are no male gods in Hinduism according to Vedanta. Is Narayana male or female? Who is Brahma’s wife? Saraswati. Who is Vishnu's wife? Lakshmi. Who is Shiva’s wife? Kali. So why the wife? Wife means putting into practice. Husband means knowledge. This is the Krama (order). You cannot do anything unless you have an idea of what you want to do already. So you are sitting here now. Before sitting, what knowledge did you have? “I have to sit. I can't go on standing.” Before doing any action, there must be something called chodanam, something that prompts you to do that action. That action is called knowledge. So Brahma is the knowledge and Saraswati is the Shakti. Vishnu is the knowledge and Lakshmi is the Shakti. But actually Brahma means he is neither male or female. Brahma represents knowledge plus action. Knowledge plus action is Vishnu. Knowledge plus action is Shiva.
In Soundarya Lahari, the very first verse is: Śivaḥ śaktyā yukto yadi bhavati śaktaḥ prabhavitum Na cedevam devo na khalu kuśalaḥ spanditum api ||This verse conveys that without the association of Shakti (divine power) with Śiva, Brahma, or Vishnu, they would not be able to accomplish their respective functions. If Shakti is not associated with them, they cannot perform their tasks. So what are their roles? Brahma’s role is Sṛṣṭi (creation), Vishnu’s role is Sthiti (preservation), and Shiva’s role is Laya (destruction). These roles are actions, and to perform these actions, they need Shakti. Why Saraswati? For creation, knowledge is required, and that knowledge is represented by Saraswati. For maintenance, money is needed, which is why we need Lakshmi. For destruction, the sword is needed, which is symbolized by Maa Kali. Thus, there is no male principle without the female. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Brahma is referred to as Yoni:
Tasmin garbhaṁ dadāmy aham
This means that the knowledge of the Purusha plants the seed for the creation of the world.
If I continue, many connections come to mind. In the Caṇḍī, you find that Vishnu was sleeping. Why was he sleeping? Because his Shakti was sleeping. Brahma’s Vishnu is the Shakti, and two Rākṣasas came to kill him. He was helpless and had to pray to the Divine Mother: Yā devī sarva bhūteṣu nidrā rūpeṇa saṁsthitā. So the Mother was pleased, and She, who put Vishnu to sleep, alone had the power to awaken him. As soon as Brahma extolled the Mother with the words: “tvaṁ svāhā tvaṁ svadhā tvaṁ vaṣaṭkāra svarātmikā”. The Divine Mother was pleased and withdrew Herself from Vishnu in the form of nidrā (sleep). Immediately, Vishnu awoke, assessed the situation, and fought with the Rākṣasas Madhu and Kaitaba, defeating them.
So what is the subject we are discussing? The whole universe is nothing but the play of Shakti, and this Shakti is represented by Hrīm. Oṃ Hrīm. Oṃ is the vākya (sound) that transcends the mind, and Hrīm is the essence of that sound. Here, vācana refers to all the senses, including both jñānendriyas (organs of knowledge) and karmendriyas (organs of action). Eka ādhār refers to the ultimate support or foundation, which is Brahman.
Answering a question from the audience:
Yes, Jagat means this world. This world has a counterpart in the sense organs, which include five jñānendriyas and five karmendriyas. Without these organs, the world would not exist as we perceive it. If the eyes cannot see, the world becomes incomplete, only 4/5 of what it should be. If one cannot hear, it becomes 3/5. If all the five knowledge organs disappear, there would be no world at all. First, the knowledge organs provide information, and then the karmendriyas act based on that knowledge. For example, if you see a tiger, you gain the knowledge of its presence and consequently avoid going near it.
Once in the London Zoo, a man jumped into the lion’s enclosure. When the lion charged at him, he somehow managed to escape. But as the lion came for him again, the visitors raised an alarm, and the guard arrived and shot at the lion, causing it to run away. The man who had jumped in had lost his mind, but it was indeed a real incident reported in Readers Digest. Did I tell you about another incident? There was a family that somehow acquired a tiger cub that was only a few days old. They adopted it, and it grew up with them, becoming quite affectionate. The tiger slept like a baby, and the grandfather of the family was particularly fond of it. The tiger and the grandfather would often sleep on the same bed. As the tiger grew, it became fully grown within six months, and they had to give it to the zoo. The old man missed his pet terribly, feeling as if he had lost a grandson. Six months later, the family visited the zoo to see the tiger. The zookeeper advised them to use a jeep with bars for protection and not to get out of the vehicle, promising to follow them in a separate car. When they arrived, the grandfather saw the tiger lying under a tree and couldn't resist. He opened the jeep door, ran to the tiger, and embraced it. The zookeeper, who arrived shortly after, was horrified. After the grandfather had patted and stroked the tiger, the zookeeper revealed that the tiger he had just embraced was not his pet. In fact, it was a wild tiger! The story ended with much laughter.
Anyway, what are we talking about? The whole world is nothing but waves and waves of energy playing. That is why we use the analogy of the ocean. On the surface of the ocean, there are tremendous waves, bubbles, and wavelets. Even a tsunami is just a large wave. But at the bottom of the ocean, it is absolutely calm and quiet. This ocean water is compared to Brahman. All these wavelets—hence the term laharī—represent the different manifestations of energy. That's why many compositions are named Soundaryā Laharī, Ānanda Laharī, Śivananda Laharī, and so on. Laharī means waves, and waves can only exist when there is energy. This energy is represented by Hrīm. The sum total of all energy in the cosmos—whether it’s the sun, billions of stars, or everything else—is symbolized by one mantra, the Bīja Mantra, which is Hrīm.
Okay, is there any reason or rhyme for this Shakti or the play of this Shakti? This is where the concept of Ṛtam comes in. This is one of the most profound discoveries of our Vedic Rishis. What is Ṛtam? Everything has a deep meaning. Ṛtam means harmony, and the English word "rhythm" is derived from it. Everything moves in a systematic cycle. For instance, a seed becomes a tree, it stays for some time, produces more seeds, and then it dies. The cycle continues as new seeds grow into seedlings and trees. The sun rises and sets; man is born, grows, ages, dies, and is born again. This constant evolution of the cycle in Sanskrit is wonderfully termed the Brahma Chakra.
The whole world is referred to as the Brahma Chakra. It is not Nirguṇa Brahman, which does not involve a Chakra. However, the glory of the universe is beyond our comprehension. This is why, when Sri Ramakrishna had his first vision, he experienced overwhelming waves of consciousness from all directions. He tried to remain conscious, but these waves engulfed him and rendered him completely unconscious. This phenomenon is known as the play of energy or Shakti-pāta, represented by Hrīm. Sri Ramakrishna is the Nirguṇa Brahman, but when we perceive him through the limited prisms of our minds, he is seen as Shakti. Nevertheless, this Shakti is not chaotic; it is a completely controlled and rhythmic Shakti known as Ṛtam.
To understand what Ṛtam is, consider two aspects: Cosmic Order: Ṛtam represents the cosmic order that governs the universe and Moral Order: It also signifies the moral order. Our Karma Siddhānta (doctrine of Karma) is derived from this concept of Ṛtam. It operates as a moral framework: if someone deviates from this morality, they will face suffering as a consequence. Conversely, if someone behaves in accordance with this moral order, they will be rewarded with what is called Svarga Loka (heaven), based on their Pūnya (merits) and Pāpa (sins).
Question from the audience: Are the rewards dispensed instantaneously, or is there a time frame for the dispensation of the fruits of our actions?
Answer: Some rewards or consequences are immediate. For instance, if you put your hand in boiling water, you will experience the outcome or Karma-Phala instantly. Once, one of our Swamis was giving a talk and compared Brahman to electricity. During the talk, someone asked, “How do we know there is electricity?” The response was, “There is a socket, and I can put my finger in it to see if electricity exists.” The Swami replied, “You will not know, but we will know!”. If you put your hand in the socket, you might not understand the nature of electricity, but we will definitely know if there is electricity or not.
So the whole world is a play. From birth to death, from morning till evening, it is a play of energy. Every human being goes through three stages: Jāgrat avasthā (waking), Svapna avasthā (dream), and Suṣupti avasthā (deep sleep). All these avasthās are manifestations of energy. There is full awareness in Suṣupti (deep sleep) as well. There is no time when there is no energy. Even for a dead person, although the body is no longer active in the usual sense, the cells continue to decompose and function. In this world, there is nothing called dead. Matter is not dead. It is merely a different form of energy. If energy is not manifested, it does not mean it is dead. Matter in manifestation is called energy, and energy in manifestation is called matter. This is actually a matter of manifestation versus non-manifestation, not of existence versus non-existence or life versus death.
For example, consider an inanimate object like this table. It may appear static and lifeless to us, but under an electron microscope, you would see billions of atoms, which are pure energy moving at incredible speeds. What appears to be a dead thing is, in reality, full of dynamic energy. Nothing is truly static; everything is dynamic, even though we might not be able to see it. This concept aligns with the idea in Karmaṇye Karma paśye, which refers to understanding the nature of action and energy in this dynamic world.
So, Oṃ Hrīm ṛtam—the concept of Ṛtam is like a mother, giving birth to two concepts: Satya and Dharma. What are we discussing? First, we talked about Oṃ. Second, we discussed Hrīm. Third, we explored the concept of Ṛtam. Fourth, we are examining how the concept of Ṛtam manifests into Satya and Dharma. What is Satya? It refers to knowledge, specifically the ability to discern what is true from what is not true. What is Dharma? It is the path of moving towards that truth. Thus, Satya represents the understanding of truth, while Dharma represents moving towards that truth.
That is why, in Vedanta, Dharma is the very root of our happiness and unhappiness. If we move towards truth, it results in Pūnya. Dharma gives birth to Pūnya, which manifests in the form of enjoyment, or Sukha. Moving away from light leads us into darkness, and what is the result of this darkness? It is Adharma. Adharma leads to Pāpa, and Pāpa leads to Dukkha (suffering). I hope you remember the concepts I have explained. What does Pūnya do? What is Pūnya? The ability to derive happiness from any situation is called Pūnya. What is Pāpa? It is the ability to make everything unhappy. That is called Pāpa.
So, it is this ability we are discussing. We are not talking about circumstances, but rather about how one reacts to any circumstance. A saint, even if given only a piece of dry bread, can squeeze the highest happiness from it. For example, St. Francis of Assisi was often given old or stale bread, but he would gratefully accept it, saying, "This is the bread of Jesus. This is the flesh of Jesus." Similarly, Nāgamahāshay would receive stale bread and see it as Prasāda (consecrated food). He would be very happy because he does not view it as simply good or bad bread, but as bread offered to God, and thus, it is God. In fact, let me share an idea that might take some time to fully grasp but is worth understanding. Consider something that is rotten and decomposing. To us, it might seem unsuitable or inappropriate as food. Yet, the same decomposing matter is perfectly suitable for a bug or insect. For instance, the dung beetle’s food is dung. Imagine if the dung beetle is a devotee (bhakta). Would it not chant "Brahmārpaṇam" and offer the dung to God? After reciting "Brahmārpaṇam" and offering it to God, what does the dung become? It becomes Brahman!
Today, I am going to discuss the concept that everything is Brahman. It all depends on our perspective. Externally, there is nothing inherently good or bad; everything is pure Brahman. Our perception depends on the capacity of our mind. To illustrate this, consider the following example: When Sri Ramakrishna was practicing Tāntrika Sādhana, Bhairavi Brahmani brought him rotten fish, cooked in a skull, and asked him to eat it. Initially, he was repulsed and said, “How can I eat this? It is rotten, and it was cooked in a skull—presumably a human skull.” Does it matter if it’s a dog’s skull or a human skull? See how our biases influence us. Despite his initial reaction, he went into an ecstatic state and ate it. Bhairavi Brahmani ate it first, and then he did as well. On another occasion, she brought rotten human flesh and asked him to eat it. He said he could not do that. However, he soon went into Bhāva (divine trance), and the spirit of Caṇḍīka possessed him. In that state, he perceived everything as Brahman and had no problem consuming it.
Similarly, Mirabai’s brother-in-law sent her poison openly, saying, “I am sending you poison. Drink it and die.” Mirabai replied, “I will drink it, but I offer everything to Krishna.” ”peevathu meera hasire visha pyala rana ne bheja” peevathu meera hasire - She drank the poison with joy, and nothing happened to her. Why? Because she offered it to Krishna, who is immune to poison. Poothana and Kaaliya attempted to harm Krishna with poison, but Krishna, being the very source of all things, including poison, was unaffected. He is the creator of everything, including those who misuse these elements. He is merely lending these things to others. Who created Kaaliya? Who created Poothana?
The concept of Ṛtam is one of the greatest discoveries. It gave rise to the concepts of Satya (truth) and Dharma (righteousness). The concept of Dharma further led to the development of the profound concept known as Karma Siddhānta (the doctrine of Karma). The essence of Dharma is dependent on Karma because if one does nothing, one is neither Dhārmic nor – Adhārmic. Inaction results in neither good nor bad outcomes. When a person engages in good actions, they are aligned with Dharma, and the results of such actions will follow accordingly.
Unfortunately, in contemporary times, many Hindus have misunderstood or forgotten this concept. There is a tendency to view Karma Siddhānta negatively, attributing all suffering to past actions: "Why am I suffering? It’s because of my Karma." Similarly, people attribute others' successes to Karma: "Why did Trump become the President of America? It’s my bad Karma." "Why did Modi become Prime Minister? It’s my good Karma." This deterministic view oversimplifies the concept of Karma. The truth is that every action, including attending my class or teaching it, is influenced by Karma. We are all engaged in a continuous exchange of Karma, impacting and being impacted by each other’s actions and thus exhausting each other’s Karma.
In a way, Dharma has become somewhat degenerated into mere Karma Siddhānta. This is why Bhagavān Krishna emphasized that mere action is meaningless unless it is aligned with Dharma. Only Dharma Karma leads to higher realms of existence. However, even beyond Dharma Karma is the concept of Niṣkāma Karma (selfless action), which has been introduced here. Swami Vivekananda condensed this understanding into a profound insight. At the root of all these concepts is Oṃ. And who is Oṃ? It is Śri Ramakrishna. This hymn is especially addressed to Śri Ramakrishna—it is his hymn. The first hymn speaks of the Avatāra (divine descent), and this one is dedicated specifically to Śri Ramakrishna.
Oṃ Hrīm Ṛtam summarizes both Saguṇa (personal) and Nirguṇa (impersonal) aspects of God. What is Swami Vivekananda expressing? He is highlighting the relationship between the world and God. God is represented by Oṃ, and the same God manifests in this world as Hrīm. How does this manifestation occur? Hrīm is divided into Satya and Dharma, and this Dharma further divides into good Karma and bad Karma.
What a beautiful concept Oṃ Hrīm Ṛtam is! All these aspects are addressed to Sri Ramakrishna. O Lord Ramakrishna, Tvam achalaha — you are the immovable, infinite, and unchanging. Being immovable means being unchanging. You are the eternal truth. We cannot depend on something or someone that is constantly changing or disappearing. Such a person makes promises and then evades them, leading to instability. But Sri Ramakrishna is the foundation, what Paul Tillich refers to as “the ground of being.” For a building to stand, it must have a ground. Without a foundation, one only builds castles in the air. Thus, Brahman is the foundation, the very base of the universe. As it is said, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhitam — pratiṣṭhita means the very foundation of the entire universe.
“Guṇajit, guṇedyāḥ” — This same idea is reflected in the verse “śarva māṅgala māṅgalye” with “Guṇāśraye guṇamayī”. You are the embodiment of the guṇas, and you are also the very manifestation of all the guṇas. This means that you are both the essence and the expression of the guṇas. What are these guṇas we are referring to? The three guṇas are:
- Sattva: Represents purity, knowledge, and harmony.
- Rajas: Symbolizes activity, desire, and restlessness.
- Tamas: Denotes inertia, ignorance, and darkness.
You are the very essence of these guṇas, as well as their manifestation.
In today’s class, I will give you a brief description and we will stop there. The entire universe is fundamentally composed of the guṇas. My body is made up of these three guṇas. My mind is also constituted of the three guṇas. The entire cosmos, including the Pañcabhūtas (five great elements), is comprised of these three guṇas. This concept is beautifully expressed in the verse “Sṛṣṭi sthiti vināśanam śakti bhūte, sanātani, Guṇāśraye, guṇamayī, nārāyaṇi namostute”. Here, śakti bhūte corresponds to Hrīm, and sanātani corresponds to Oṃ.
But what is She doing with that Śakti? Śakti represents Sṛṣṭi (creation), and all activities can be categorized into three types: creation, maintenance, and destruction. Apply this concept to any activity. For example, a potter creates a pot, which is then used and eventually broken. The potter recycles the materials, and this recycling represents the process of death and rebirth. What a marvellous idea we are discussing here! All activities can be divided into these three types: creation, maintenance, and recycling. This is referred to as the Brahma Chakra, encompassing Sṛṣṭi (creation), Sthiti (maintenance), and Laya (destruction). There is nothing else in this world. The same idea is reflected in the terms Guṇajit and Guṇedyāḥ. Guṇajit means "you are the master of the guṇas; you have conquered the guṇas." If you conquer something, you become its master. Thus, the Lord is the master of the guṇas and simultaneously, before creation existed, the guṇas were in Him. This means He embodies the guṇas and manifests as them. What is creation? It is the manifestation of the guṇas. This is why the entire universe is nothing but the triguṇas. I will end this class here as I mentioned.
Everything in this world consists of the three guṇas. The chair has three guṇas, the table has three guṇas. This room has three guṇas, and both living and non-living things are made up of the three guṇas. You might ask about marble stones—where are the guṇas in them? For example, a beautiful Italian marble represents the Sattva guṇa. A polished granite stone from Andhra or Karnataka, with a fine finish, also represents the Sattva guṇa. If the stone is unpolished, cracked, and not very pleasing but still functional, it represents the Rajo guṇa. On the other hand, if the stone has ragged edges and is home to ants, mosquitoes, and scorpions, it represents the Tamo guṇa. This concept applies universally—whether it's food, worship, utensils, or houses. Some places immediately give you a sense of pleasure or contentment, while others might not. This reflects how the guṇas influence our perception and experience.
I hope Sri Ramakrishna will not be displeased with this observation. Some images of Sri Ramakrishna might evoke a sense of Tamo guṇa. When you see such images, you might wonder, "Could Sri Ramakrishna really appear this way?" These images might not inspire reverence or joy. On the other hand, some images are more neutral, which can be described as representing the Rajo guṇa. These images might prompt a sense of obligation or duty, and you might bow down to them, but your inner feelings may not align with true devotion or joy. Then there are images of Sri Ramakrishna that appear to be imbued with a sense of life and divinity. These images evoke a deep sense of pleasure and reverence, representing the Sattva guṇa. Such images resonate with a feeling of living presence and elevate your spiritual experience. The manifestation of that image is called Sattva Guṇa.
Consider anything—whether it’s a dress, ornaments, or any object. It is a manifestation of the three guṇas. However, there is a deeper point to understand: While we talk about three guṇas, in reality, there is only one guṇa. To illustrate, think of a dimmer switch. When you turn the knob to the lowest setting, the light is dim or dark, which represents Tamo guṇa. As you increase the light, Rajo guṇa becomes more prominent, and at the highest setting, where the light is bright and clear, Sattva guṇa is dominant. What you observe is that where one guṇa is predominant, the others recede into the background. You cannot physically separate Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas; they are not distinct entities but rather different manifestations of the same fundamental guṇa. In reality there is only one guṇa but depending on its manifestation and its effect upon us, it is called by a particular name - Sattva, Rajas or Tamas.
I'll give you an example. Imagine a rich man who is asked for a donation towards a charity. If he donates just one paisa, he is called miserly, exhibiting Tamo guṇa. If he donates 1,000 rupees, it reflects Rajo guṇa, showing more generosity. If he donates one million or one crore rupees, he is considered Sattva guṇa sampannaḥ, possessing the highest virtue. The number of garlands he receives also depends on his donation. The fellow who only gives one paisa—what type of response will he get? Will he be garlanded at all? This is the effect of Tamo guṇa. Do you see what I'm saying? Although I am putting it in a jocular way, the whole universe is nothing but the action and reaction of these three guṇas. If you remove these guṇas, there will be no universe at all. There will be no world at all. This is what we are referring to here regarding “Guṇajit.” He is the master of the guṇas. What does this mean? What is another name for guṇas? It is called Māyā. How do we know? Because it is stated in the Bhagavad Gita:
Daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā |
Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām taranti te ||
Bhagavad Gita 7-14
What does Māyā consist of? Three guṇas. What does Jagat (the world) consist of? Three guṇas. My body is made up of what? Three guṇas. There is nothing else except this. This is the most wonderful thing we have to understand here.
So, we will talk about this concept a little further in our next class. What is the second hymn saying? "Oh Sri Ramakrishna, you are Oṃ. You are beyond the body-mind complex; you are beyond thoughts, mind, and speech. You are Hrīm manifested here. This Hrīm is unmanifested power. Then that Hrīm manifests as what? As Ṛtam. When that principle is further grossified, this Ṛtam degenerates into Satya and Dharma. This concept of Dharma brings into effect what? Karma-Siddhānta. The whole universe is run only by Karma-Siddhānta. Everything consists of three guṇas. Māyā is of three guṇas, the world is nothing but three guṇas, our body is of three guṇas, and our bhakti is also of three guṇas: Tāmasika Bhakti, Rājasika Bhakti, and Sāttvika Bhakti. This is the most wonderful truth.
Oṃ jananīm sāradām devīm rāmakṛṣṇam jagadgurum |
Pādapadme tayoḥ śritvā praṇamāmi muhurmuhuhu ||