Post Aarathi Talk 35 on 13th June 2018

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

take place, fist-bitings take place. So this is what we are experiencing all the time. First we think we will chastise somebody and we speak angrily. Usually what happens is the other person repays with compound interest. Now we forget how we have started it and it becomes real. This is the principle. Now what William James discovered is that usually actions are the outcome of feelings. Usually. Now why not recreate these feelings through actions? It is like two ends of a stick. And that is where Bharatanatyam comes in. Come Srisadri. You came alone or with Preeti? No, no, Preeti had to go to the office, she could not talk. So this is the most wonderful thing discovered. So all these feelings that Mother Yashoda is trying to feed, casual, request and sometimes chastise, all those things. So if we really feel that one, then conversely it produces the feelings. This is the whole purpose of Bharatanatyam. Now you understand what is the importance of mudra. So Narayana Guru was there. Swamiji met him and he asked him, OK, Jainite. So then he asked, what is the meaning of this? You know what is the meaning? This is called Jnanamudra, Chin Mudra. But you know what is the symbolism? Two things he said. First, there are some narrow connections. When this and this come together, the circuit becomes complete. This no medical science can ever tell us. No medical science. This is from the physiological point of view. They are not talking about spiritual point of view. But there is another sense, spiritual point of view. So this represents Paramatma. This represents Jivatma. Because the nearest reflection of Paramatma is Jivatma. So Sthula Sarira, Sukshma Sarira, Karana Sarira. Now through yogic practice. Open it, Ashu. Through yogic practice, what is meditation? Jiva wants to unite. This is Jiva-Eshwara Ikea. Jivatma-Paramatma Ikea. Sthula-Sukshma Sarira becomes separated. That means a person has become perfect, realized soul. This was what Narayan Guru had explained. So this is a mudra, Chin Mudra. Then one day, a very great Ayurvedic Pandit had seen the photograph of Sri Ramakrishna. You know always Sri Ramakrishna's this. It is a very special mudra of which we have no clue. But he pointed out, when a person's health is perfect, then this mudra comes in automatically. Deepankar, I had kept a book here. Have you seen the bungalow book on the table? Take those books with you when you go. Maharaj, are they all for him? Did you keep the books all for him? Yes. Okay, then I have taken one. What is that? Bhajan Anjali? No, I have taken that Ramakrishna's pocket book. It's okay. Are you sure? Absolutely. I just saw, so you can take it. No problem at all. How are you all? How long did it take today? It took three and a half hours. It took three and a half hours? Yes, three and a half hours. And you have reached now? No, we have come earlier. It took one hour and fifty minutes. It took two hours? Yes, two hours. It took two hours. See, you have to congratulate me for putting it at the exact right place. I used to play what we call top. Something extraordinary I discovered when I was a boy. All other boys used to make holes in my top. That is how I became holy. Because they were better at doing it. Then I decided I must practice it. So then what I did, I put one small green leaf on the floor and go on staring at it. And within a short time I could put the top exactly at the centre of the leaf. You know, later on when I came here, in America they play this, what ball is that? You know one ball they throw? Baseball. Like cricket. They don't like cricket. This cricket is purely an English game. What is cricket? Do you know what is a cricket game? What Bernard Shaw said? Eleven pools are playing, eleven thousand pools are watching. Yeah, so Americans always like action games. So there is a very famous baseball player and he was interviewed. Then he was asked, what is your secret? He says, I practice visualisation and usually that ball is this size. But I see it this much. That means there is no way he is going to miss it. So suppose you have got a small bat and ball is this much. Unless there is something too much wrong with you, there is no way you are going to miss it. But the ball is only this much. But his visualisation, this technique is being used now in every field of life. Especially psychology. So now 3D reality is making it much more easier. You know people suffer from all sorts of phobias. One of the phobias is Swami phobia. Now the word Swami has double meaning. Swami means sanyasi. Swami also means husband. Yeah. So what is this? You know this flight simulator? This technique is called simulation. Simulation. So what is this simulation? It is very costly. New aeroplanes are coming. They are so costly. Now they started one service from where? I think from London to Sydney or somewhere. From Singapore to London to Perth. You know previously you have to change a lot of planes. 16 hours or 17 hours training. That means the aeroplane has become very light, very powerful. So these are very sophisticated. Even new pilots require a lot of training. And if they give the actual plane training, they may squash the aeroplane. So they have created this simulator. They are called flight simulators. So the whole thing is exactly like that. They go on through this practice and this machine can create varieties, situations, emergency situations. Only one wing failed, one engine failed, etc. So as a result the plane can crash. But now again and again and again training. More or less it becomes an automated action like your driving. Suddenly something comes. Then what happens in the brain? There are three parts of the brain is there. I forgot the names. When you have to do some action, it will go directly to the action center. But that doesn't work in emergencies. By that time you think what to do, what not to do. The accident happens. So your brain, what happens? This is called automatic action. Suppose a fly bites you, mosquito bites you. So do you think or your hand automatically goes? So there is another center which first takes action and then informs. This is what the simulator exactly does it. So what is meditation now? Meditation is nothing other than simulation. Now can you connect what is the relationship between simulation and meditation? Let me first give an example. Gopala's mother, Gopalerma, she started having visions of Bhagavan Krishna. You know Bala Gopal? And suddenly he appeared. And Ma, he started pulling the hair. I want butter. Early in the morning. I am a child, I am a poor woman, where from can I get butter? No, no, you give me something to eat. Some coconut ladoo or something she gives. And then mother and son, they go out for gathering firewood. Then they prepare the food. This Leela was going on from early morning 3 o'clock. Why did she have this particular kind of visions, Leela? She was meditating on Bala Gopal. Exactly the same Leelas. He had been meditating on these things for 33 years. That is why Bhagavatam, the Dashamaskanda, the first part, is full of these Leelas. Why do you think Krishna stole butter? Do you mean to say that he was in need of butter? His own mother was preparing so much of butter. Then why was he unnecessarily going and stealing? And will he steal from everybody's house? No, he will steal only from his devotees. After that, they will fondly meditate upon that scene again and again and again. So this is the secret of simulation. Now we can apply it to meditation. And because we do not apply it, our progress is very constricted. So what is this stimulation? How do we do it? Usually what we understand by meditation is that we imagine our Ishta Devata, and he is alive, he is smiling, and he is looking at us. We want to visualise him as much as possible without any break. And a time will come when we can see him as clearly as we see him in a photograph. So this is what happens. This is what we call meditation. But what is our problem? In meditation time we are all Brahma Jnanis. If we really meditate, the mind becomes calm, serene. It knows how to act, how to react. But the moment we come out of the meditation room, and some slight disturbing event, we are off balance. Why does that happen? After all it should continue, isn't it? So one reason given is, we have not given a free suggestion. Before meditation, before puja, we always do one particular act. This most people do not understand, do not explain. This is called Sankalpa. Sankalpa means reinforcing our intention. Oh Lord, I am going to do your worship. What purpose? There are two purposes. Selfish purpose and unselfish purpose. So Sanskrit language also uses, if somebody is doing for selfish purpose. So the word Karishyami, Karishye. Karishye is called Atmanipada. Karishyami is called Atmanipada. Karishye is called Parasmayipada. If I am doing Atmani means for one's own sake, that is called Atmanipada. Then you have to change. The result should not go to anybody. It should come only to me. Karishye. Beautiful Sanskrit, you know. But if we are doing for the welfare of everybody, Karishyami. This is Sankalpa. What is it? Bhakti, Jnana, Viveka, Vairagya, Shanti, Udayaya. For the manifestation of Bhakti, Jnana, Viveka, Vairagya and Peace. This is the result. Oh Lord, I want from you. This is the intention. Otherwise you can say, Dhana, Dhania, Putra, Pautra, Laapreti Artham, Homam, Pujam, Karishyami. So Homkarashami, we put in a small glass. And we have to sit in a particular posture. It is called Virasana. So we have to put like this, kneel down like that. And then, Vishnu, Rom, Tatsa, Tidya. In this month, in this fortnight, on this Tithi, for the grace of Ramakrishna or Kali, I am doing this Homam. Then you have to specify what is the purpose. Now before meditation, we have to specify what is the purpose I am meditating. So our purpose is twofold. One is to progress in spiritual life. The other is how to harmonize my conduct. Otherwise we are split personalities. What is split personality? Meditation time, I am a saint. Outside meditation, I am the old... Whatever word you say. How to bring about? Because the inner and outer harmony is not there. That is called split personality. And most so-called spiritual people, they have got a split personality. They are not even aware that one intention is going east, another intention is going to the back side. That's why Yudhishthira always used to say, find out your center of consciousness. Now what is the meaning of center of consciousness? We have to be very clear about it. Center of consciousness. You heard me saying it many times. What does center of consciousness mean? Each one of us... Let me give a slight background. According to Tantra and certain type of yogic practice, human body has got seven centers. It is a psychic body. It has nothing to do. You cut open with a knife, no surgeon is ever going to find out. And there are seven centers of what we call chakras. They call it chakras. If they don't understand, he has fallen into a chakra. That's the very chakra. He has fallen into a chakra. It means he has entered into delusion. Do you know Hindi? Did you understand what I said? He has fallen into a chakra. It means he has a wrong understanding. That is what they think. It is fixed. There is something in there. But a chakra represents a state of consciousness. A state of consciousness is where all our personality is going round and round and round. So let us take the three chakras, lowest chakras. Muladhara, Swadeshdana and Manipura. Muladhara means very basic. The nearest to the organ of evacuation. That means he is completely worried about his stomach. Because input and output. That is all he is worried about. All animals, their chakra is completely eliminated here. Muladhara. Then the next is Swadeshdana. Where is the Swadeshdana? It is a little bit higher. Opposite to the organ of reproduction. That means where is the centre of consciousness? You know ordinary man-woman, male-female relationship. See there is a difference here. An ordinary animal, it is not much worried about the reproduction point. It is worried about only food and survival. Because this reproduction comes only when the time comes, then only it will come, not otherwise. Whereas monkeys, chimpanzees, human beings, they are outside. So this is the... Then what is the next one? Manipura. So Manipura, when a person attains to that centre of consciousness, he interacts with the society and expands his means of enjoyment. So it is not only eating and mating, but other things are also there. This is what is called āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca samānametaḥ paśubhi narāṇaḥ Human beings and animals, they have certain common characteristics. This is a bodily oriented consciousness. Spiritual life starts, just let me add something, even great scientists, where is their centre located? For most of them. Manipura. Because spiritual life starts with ānānta-citta. When our kundalini rises to the heart centre, then everything seems to be shining. Every object seems to be shining. There was a beautiful incident. M, the compiler of Sri Ramakrishna's talks, he went to Kamarpukur, the birthplace of Sri Ramakrishna, when Sri Ramakrishna was alive, with the permission of Sri Ramakrishna. He had a unique experience. He saw even the very dust of Kamarpukur shining like gold. And every person, every animal in that village appeared to be like that. When Sri Ramakrishna visited Kashi, he had that golden Kashi, he said. For a few days he could not answer calls of nature. So what is this golden? Sattva-guna-sampanna. So these holy places, they have two aspects, secular aspect and spiritual aspect. You go to Tirupati Venkateshwara, if he is a devotee, he will see the sattvika aspect of it. If he is an ordinary person, he will have some emotion, but he will not see the other one. So this happens when the kundalini rises to the anahata. Another point these yogis tell us, that the normal expression of kundalini is only in between the three lower chakras. So there are three pathways are there. Two pathways lead until Muladhara, Swadhishtana and Manipura. They are called Ida and Pingala. But there is a special pathway called Sushumna and that is connected directly. So it is like that, Sushumna is closed. Kundalini means what? Coiled up energy. All our many many lives, past samskaras are zipped, compressed and laid there. That is why it is called Muladhara. And mostly we led animal life for most of the births. And that is why we have got this food, and fear, and sleep, and reproduction. These become the major activities, including nowadays also human beings. Very rarely people think of spirituality. But if somebody practices japa, dhyana, etc., now the Ida and Pingala, they will be closed. So the Kundalini Shakti has no other road except in the Sushumna. And that is when straight the first it will go to Anahata Chakra. And that is when everything seems to be something else, shines. What does the shining mean? We see the existential chit, ananda aspect of everything. Now we don't see. Do we see the chit aspect, sat aspect, chit aspect, ananda aspect, even in a living body? We don't see. What we are seeing is a pale reflection. But when the heart chakra is reached, the whole universe appears to be double. One is spiritual, another is its outward expression. And the importance is on the spiritual. And the sadhaka feels tremendous joy. This is according to tantric description of the centres rising. Is that Anahata Dvani? Is that what you hear when the Kundalini reaches? When the Kundalini reaches. But that is a different philosophy. There is another philosophy. It is called Sphotavada. Sphota means unsounded sound. Sphota means, literal meaning of sphota is explosion. And it is very interesting. When the first big bang appeared, it just exploded. And that sound of first explosion is still vibrating, and they say in some centres. Even on the TV also they have shown a little bit. But for us it looks like wind blowing. Like that. But this Anahata Dvani, the same yogis, what we perceive visually, their emphasis is on the sound. It is also called Shabda Brahma. Sri Ramakrishna also experienced it. And there was one Swami, I don't know whether you have seen, Shantanandaji. You might have seen, because he, I don't know, perhaps Sunithi's father must have seen very much. Holy Mother's disciple. Let me just briefly tell about him. I had the privilege of seeing him continuously for two years, when we were in the training centre, 1966 to 1968. When was your first visit to Vrindavan? 1983. Anyway. So this Swami used to sit. Constantly he was suffering from hiccups. So what happened, when he was a young man, he went and did a lot of Tapasya. After doing Tapasya, he started continuously to hear this Anahata Dvani. And he could not do anything. So he came and told Swami Brahmanandaji. Brahmanandaji immediately told him, you don't need to do anything. Just you stay in an ashrama, focus on that Anahata Dvani. And he was hearing it continuously until he was passing away. But fate, hiccups, you know, hiccups, he can't sleep. But his face is an embodiment of peace. Because we see such people, the faith is reinforced that spiritual life is absolutely real. Otherwise it is theoretical. Now, let me continue. M visited Kamapukur. Everything, the animals, the plants, the very dust, the people of Kamapukur appeared in a golden light. Naturally, he was in an ecstatic type of state. Few days he stayed there, I don't remember, maybe three days. And then he came and met Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna asked him, what was your experience? And he told, this was me. And he got so much joy. He asked Thakur, I am thinking of going again. Sri Ramakrishna said, no. You will not go a second time. Why? Because if he goes a second time, what was his expectation? I will have the same experience. Then he realised, Sri Ramakrishna had bestowed a special grace because of which he was able to experience that way. So this is true, not only of Kamapukur. It is especially true of Kamapukur. But everything in this world is nothing but Brahman. That is why a Brahmagnani, he doesn't see what we see. And to describe the contrast between how an enlightened person sees and how we see, Bhagavad Gita, we also read, यानिशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमि एस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सानिषा पर्षतो मुने What is night for a worldly person is a day. That means what a worldly person can never see, a yogi sees only that. And what a yogi sees is complete darkness for a worldly person. Because we see only the outer aspect of it. But we don't see the chitta and ananda aspect of anything. So, M realized that if I go second time, I will have only ordinary experience, not extraordinary experience. But as the kundalini starts rising, then the next is called Vishuddhasana, Vishuddha. This is the center. Then he will have even deeper spiritual experience of this, exactly the same thing. Because every single thing in this world is none other than divine, divinity. This is specially emphasized in tantra. I will come back to it shortly. Then the next chakra that goes is called Ajna chakra. It is located in the forehead. Sri Ramkrishna vividly describes this Ajna chakra. When a person reaches Ajna chakra, he has uninterrupted vision of the divine. But as if there is a light scene with the covering of glass. Outside glass, very clean, you can see the light very clearly. But the moment you want to touch it, this glass interferes. And then the last experience is Sahasrara, where the glass is broken. Now through this description, what Totapuri did was, Sri Ramkrishna was beholding the divine mother. From the Ajna chakra. As clearly as one sees a light through the covering of a glass. But he cannot become one. That is what is called Brahmakara vritti. That is why it is called vritti. Vritti because it is an experience. So what experience? I am separate, you are separate, but I am able to see you. But the last experience, that is called, the vritti destroys. And there are no two, there is only one. This is called Brahma with Brahmaiva bhavati. These marvelous truths our scriptures are telling again and again. But until our intellect is purified, we are not able to understand it. Now, there are many methods of realization. But one method of realization is this tantric method. Before going there, I want to talk about something else. Sri Ramkrishna said one thing. When the Kundalini reaches this Ajna chakra, then at best it can come down only to Anahata. Below, it will not come. But when a person has attained Anahata chakra, it can come down. This is the reason. There are many good sadhakas in India. They really do sadhana and they do attain some kind of realization. And then this Mahamaya comes in the form of Kama, Kanchana, etc. And they fall down, headlong fall down. The reason is they have not gone beyond that. But we should not think they are just like ordinary persons. They are extraordinary persons. But once they fall down, they are no more extraordinary persons. But for some time, they did some sadhana. Now the question comes, what happens to all the sadhana these people had already done? Will it be completely washed out or will it be there? It will be there. As soon as this desire is fulfilled, like Vishwamitra, what happened to him? As soon as that desire is fulfilled, he was... Now here is something very interesting. If that experience happens to an ordinary person, he will never become awakened. Because he was Vishwamitra, he did so much of sadhana, spiritual practice, he realized, I had this problem, I was not aware of it, now I have fulfilled it, no more. After that, that particular problem never appeared. But there was another problem. So what was the problem? Krodha. What was Krodha? Avimana. So he did thousand years tapasya, again, second time. Again Indra ascent. This time, he did not fall like the first time. But he fell in a different way. He said, how dare these people come and disturb me? Instead of finding out the fault in himself, he is finding fault. This is what we also do. You are the cause of my anger. We do not realize, if we do not have any desire, we won't be feeling any anger at all. So he fell second time. But he was a sadhaka. Then he realized quickly. Third time, same thing happened. Same. Now he said, smile, go on dancing and sing. I will enjoy it. No vikara in the mind. No karma and no Krodha. The moment he did, Brahma had no option but to come and say, you have become a Rajarshi. Not Brahmarshi. Brahmarshi is, he has to go long, long. So this has got something to do with our kundalini also. Now, Sri Ramakrishna experienced all these things. And then this is his graphic description. Sri Ramakrishna's experience have far surpassed all scriptural, these things. He said, Ved Vedanta chadiye gichi. Very weird experience. These tantric practices, previously, most of them were secret. That is why they got also bad name. So in tantric practices, there are two types. One is called Vamachara. Another is called Dakshinachara. Dakshinachara is absolutely, what is called moral, legal, and there is nothing secret there. This is right-handed path. Now the word right has two meanings. Right side, right hand. Or it also means the right practice. Left-handed practice. It's secret. So what is this Vamachara? Vama means left. Vama and Dakshina. That's why Dakshinamurthy, you know. Dakshina means Daksha is one meaning. He was so skillful, he can destroy the ignorance of his disciples. The second meaning is Dakshinamurthy. He is facing South. Because South is ruled by Yamadharma Raja. So here is Dakshinamurthy. What can you do to me? Because I am Lord Shiva. You know when Yamadharma Raja came to catch hold of, I think Upamanyu. No, Markandeya. So what did Markandeya do? When Murthyu came, simply he ran and embraced Shiva Linga. And Yamadharma Raja said, what this fellow is doing? And simply Shiva kicked him so that he went outside his loka. Then Yamadharma Raja called, our Puranathas. You know, a little mashaala it adds. So you see, from now onwards, do not go to any Shiva temple. Do not approach any Shiva temple. And do not approach anybody who is in the Shiva temple. And do not approach anybody who is a Shiva bhakta. The rest is OK. That is why Shiva got the name, title, Mrityunjaya. That's why Mahamrutyunjaya mantra. Most powerful mantra. Let me talk a little bit because many people who are sick, they are advised to... Mrityunjaya mantra. But will it work? Yes, it works. But you should not think, if karmaphala is otherwise, it will work. So if karmaphala is less and God's grace is more, and we turn to it bhakti, to Lord Shiva, Murthyu also can be a bhakta. And incidentally, when Swami Vivekananda visited a mannath, he got a boon. Swami Vivekananda came and said that, I decide when to die. Lord Shiva has given me that boon. So this is how the tantras describe. Weird type of practices for us. But for those practitioners, they are the best means of seeing God everywhere. For example, three examples are given. A person is supposed to eat rotten human flesh. A person is supposed to cook fish cooked in a human skull. And many advanced tantric sadhakas have to practice this sadhana, where this is called Trimundi Asana. Mundi means skull. Three types of skulls. Human being is one. Human skull. And then either a jackal or some other animal. Like that, one human skull and four other skulls. In India it is very easy. In this country, not possible. There it is, just go on waiting on the Ganga, you can get. Supposing, you know, seven o'clock some tantric sadhaka is roaming near Biral Mount. Whom would they have got? On 8th June. 8th June, early morning, seven o'clock, some tantric sadhaka wanting some human body. So many bodies will be moving there. This is the second time something is happening. Last year, I think last year or two years back, Damodar Anandaji. You know that? Another Swami who was in Fiji. He just entered. He decided to give up his body. He told people also earlier, I decided to give up, but when he did not say. At midnight he could hardly walk. Of course, it might have taken him one hour to crawl there. Just left his clothes and then swam. His body was also found. So, three skulls or five skulls. If it is three skulls, it is called Trimundi. If it is five skulls, it is called Panchamundi. And they are very powerful. If anybody else sits upon them, their body will be burnt to ashes. How do we know? Because one day, Hriday sat on one of these asanas. Hriday is the nephew of Sri Ramakrishna. And then at midnight, he wanted to imitate Sri Ramakrishna. You know what happened? Sri Ramakrishna was in his room. And suddenly Sri Ramakrishna felt some feeling, I must go to Panchavati. So he quickly went. And then he heard these terrible cries of Hriday, Mama, Uncle, I am being burnt. Quickly Sri Ramakrishna went, put his hands, cooled down and said, Hriday, why do you do all those things? I told you. You just serve this. You will get everything. But you know, anyway, Smasana Vairagya, his wife died. So he wanted to serve. But soon after that, again you know, Smasana Vairagya will be ending where? Smasana Vairagya ends where? In Smasana Vairagya. And then he married a second time also. But the power of that, it can burn. And after Sri Ramakrishna completed these sadhanas, then he himself got these skulls dug up and ceremonially disposed them off. If had they been there, anybody by mistake, they would have been burnt. So many things, they could go mad. So these secrets are there. They will not come out. But this Dakshinachara, tantric practices, have to go through three steps. The lowest step is meant for Tamasic people and it is called Pashu. Pashubhava. Pashu means an animal doesn't understand reason. They have to take a stick and say, you go this way, you go that way. Do this, do not do this. If the person advances, then it is called Veera. Veerabhava, heroic. It is then the very objects which are likely to tempt us and pull us down, those very objects the hero must face. And heroically he must resist. If he could, then he will rise to the highest self. What is that? Divya. So Pashu, Veera and Divya. Now what happened? One night, Bhairavi Brahmani, who was the guru of Sri Ramakrishna, brought a most beautiful woman and asked her to be completely naked. Asked Sri Ramakrishna to sit in her lap and do japa. Just imagine. Just imagine. What can an ordinary man do? The very thought of it distracts the mind. And here is a person asking Sri Ramakrishna, Oh mother, what are you asking me to do? Can this child really do this? Then some spirit possessed him. And he went and sat. He was hardly conscious. He said, hardly had I turned one mala. He said, I felt completely unconscious. Several hours passed. When he came back to consciousness, Bhairavi Brahmani said, Oh my child, very few people I have seen who could really pass this test. Thereafter, she said, you don't need to do anything more. And openly he worshipped one Bhairavi, offered one rupee as pranama, and with that the tantric practices have come. Soon after that he dug up the three skulls and five skulls and then did not allow anybody so that by mistake also one should not sit there. Now, what is the point of eating rotten human flesh? What is the point of cooking food in the human skull? These are what is called abhorrent things for us. Not understanding, at one time, these were the very things we are doing. When our ancestors, they used to... I don't know how many of you are aware of it, human history. History of man. When we were in the nomadic civilization, we did not master nature. Then hunting was the only way. Where food was there, people would go. And where a dead animal is there, how do we know a dead animal? Smell comes. Now, observe what I am going to tell you. If you have seen our ancestors, their nostrils are very wide. Now, nostrils are very wide and that has a significance. You can sit here. So, what for those wide nostrils were needed? So that we had a very special sense of smell. That decomposition is an invitation that food is available here. And our stomachs were capable of digesting in those days. Not now. Now what happened, man mastered fire. And he also mastered cooking. He mastered domesticated animals. He mastered agriculture. And he lost that power of smell along with the power of digestion. Now, we cannot eat mostly other than cooked food. And decomposed food now is poison for us. So, it is acting for our welfare. At that time also for our welfare. Now also for our welfare. Now, what is the point? The point is food is food. If whatever we can... For a crocodile, what is the decomposition? And crocodile has got a very special characteristic. It never suffers from cancer. Scientist, artist. It doesn't really have teeth. That is why it cannot tear it. That is why what it does, it catches hold of some animal. And it whirls round and round until it breaks. Then it swallows whole. Most animals swallow only. The teeth are meant not for chewing. The teeth are meant for holding it and then killing. And then trying to make what is called sizable bites. And then swallowing it. Their stomachs produce enough nitric acid. So that they are able to digest. Anyway, what is the point I am making? Every type of food is sacred. To make this point, Tantra specially says that you consider it as Divine Mother, Annapurna. This is the concept of Annapurna. Annam is Annapurna. Not that image. Annapurna manifests in the form of Annam. This is the simple truth. But because we think that only image it is there, especially in Kashi or wherever a Shiva temple is there. That is what we think. So to make us to be conscious that everything is Brahman, these practices, you should not abhor anything. That is why Taittiriya Upanishad says, Annam na nindiyat tat puratam. It is a vow. Every spiritual aspirant should say, Annam should not be blamed, criticized, touched with foot, etc., etc. Of course, if it is decomposed, you don't need to eat it. But you give it to... Birds can eat, or worms can eat, some other animals. For them, if they do Brahma Arpana, that is the food for them. So that is the idea. Tantra wants to make everything divinized. A plant is Divine. Every man is Shiva. Every woman is Shakti. This realization, that is the special focal point of every tantric practice. So I raised this because so much of misunderstanding is there about these chakras. Chakra is a state of consciousness. Now you understand what Itishan Maharaj is telling. Find out your center of consciousness. Now you analyze. Am I worried about food? Am I worried about reproduction? Am I worried about name and fame, money, etc.? If we are, we are worldly people. But the moment we have enough of this, not that we give up money, etc., but we don't pay so much of importance to it, then only spiritual vision opens. Until that time, forget about it. So all our japa, dhyana, worship, stotrams, pilgrimage, satsanga is meant for what? To make us aware that there is a body, we have to take care of it, but beyond certain limit. So there also our scriptures are very considerate. What they tell us? That okay, when you are young, naturally sense organs will be very powerful. Enjoy it. But as dictated by the limitations of the scriptures. But once a person reaches a particular age, which is called anaprasthashana, and if there is no need to work for worldly purposes, if anybody is working, he is not a true Hindu. Very clear. If we have to claim ourselves, if you say I am a Hindu, are you following what the Hindu scriptures are telling? A fellow who is 80 years old, he marries or remarries. Is he a Hindu? A fellow 70 years old, he says I can work for another 10 years. Is he a Hindu? If supposing he is a poor man, there is no option. That is a different issue. Rarely such a condition updates. Very few. What about this Kulin Brahmins who used to marry so many women, child, in the beginning of age? That was a bad practice. That was, they were Hindu? They were not really Hindus. They were misusing Hinduism. And these Brahmins, they have written so many things. Whoever has said that we have to mistreat a certain class of people, it is this, what is called, vested interests. And that is why we are paying the price today, in the form of Muslims, in the form of Christians, they hate Hindus. That is what Swamiji said, a time will come, you will pay a heavy price for that. And we are paying it. Right now, we have to blame. And even now, have we become awakened really? This is just why we are introducing this subject. Now, yesterday we were discussing, what is the definition of Brahma? Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma. The first point we need to note down is, the three words should not be separated. They should not be understood as separate words. They should be understood as related to each other. Whatever is Satyam, that means whatever doesn't change, that alone is the Satyam. There is a definition also, Trikala Abadhitam Satyam. What doesn't change in the past, present and future, that means it is timeless. That alone is truth. Anything that changes, then what is its status? Is it a truth? It is not a truth. It is not untruth. It is based upon truth. Misunderstood truth, called Mithya, is a special word, because there is nothing called untruth. Non-existence doesn't exist. But it is a concept. Why do we use non-existence? Because human mind, unfortunately, is constituted. It cannot think in a single absolute. Like, you know, darkness. How do you know darkness? There is no light. Suppose there is no light, then we cannot understand darkness. If there is no man, there would be no human. Even if they are there, they wouldn't be able to understand. Imaginary scenario, all the men are killed. But before they died, they produced a lot of children, girls. All girls. Imagine, all girls. And they are growing up. Will they know that they are girls? Because there will be no boys. They will never know. There is a funny story. There was a small girl, three years old. And she was taken by the school for a holiday. And in the evening, the bus returned to their homes. So the girl came home, ran into the arms of her mother. Mother asked, darling, did you enjoy the holiday? Yes. What did you do? We went to the sea. And did you swim? Yes, we all swam. Were there boys? Mother was asking. Were there boys? She said, how do I know? Because they were not having dress. Do you get it? How is a girl told she is a boy? By the dress. Boys dress in one way, and girls... Now they are undressed. Now how to know who is a girl and who is a boy? That is innocent. We are taught like that. So many things we are taught like that. And this is also something very interesting. There are certain tribes where they hardly wear any cloth. Were they aware of each other? Not like that. Not like as we do. Because we have been taught specially to dress, we are very curious to know what is under the dress. Like that there was one... now it is called Penguin Island. Have you ever heard? Penguin Island. So what happened? Once some merchant ship was shipwrecked. All the cloths, everything was like on the shore of Devon. You know once it happened. And people were carrying away, including the tissue paper and all those things, whatever they could they were taking. So all these cloths, bales of cloths, and then all the male and female penguins ran, and then they were all trying on each other. The male and female penguins were living together, and they hardly looked at each other. The moment they put on the dress, they went on pulling each other to find out what it is. This is the essence of Penguin Island. The dress has brought a lot of change in us. Anyway. What was I talking about? Satyam. What is Satyam? We only have two experiences. Either changeless something or changeful something. Now that changeful something cannot come out of non-existence. Non-existence can neither be changeless nor changeful. It is impossible because nothing is there. So whatever is changeful, it must be truth only. Now the question that comes, the most important Vedantic question, is there change in the object or are we perceiving change in the object? We perceive the change in the object. Both? No. No, no. Both what? If the table is lost its form, I am not perceiving it. I am not talking that. Am I perceiving this wood as table because the wood has become table or because I am perceiving it in that particular form? That's right. It is purely subjective perception. So I will give you two examples. Sri Ramakrishna gives this example. Thank you. Good night. Shiva. So tomorrow also we will have same routine. Absolutely following. Absolutely following. What do you mean by absolutely following? This is the only fine thing in the whole world. All right. Sri Ramakrishna gives this example. We never perceive, all of us do not perceive an object exactly in the same way. Each one of us perceives some slight difference is there. Therefore we are living not in a common world. We are living in our own peculiar world. A child's perception of the world is different. A man's perception of the world is different. A woman's perception of the world is different. An old man's perception of the world is different. A very interesting experiment has been done. Young men and women, adolescent boys and girls, young men and women, old men and women, taken on a bus London trip. Whole day they were shown various sights. And at the end of the trip they were asked questions. What are the things that you have seen you remember? The young adolescent children remembered all the sports shops. The young men and women, young men remembered sports shops and the young women remembered dress shops. The old men and women remembered all the pharmaceutical shops. Everybody has got his own special interest. That proves one point. Ramakrishna gives a graphic example. A young woman is walking in the street. A small boy sees her, runs and says, Mama, hugs. A young man goes and says, Darling, her husband. An old man goes there and says, My daughter, how are you? Another young man looks at her and says, Very beautiful young woman. Same object but four different results. Now I am tempted to add another perception. A hungry tiger looks at her. What would she be seeing? Food. Now this is the one example. Now I will give you a better example. Here is an object. Don't say it is a table. A woodworm is asked, what is it? What does it say? Food. A human being is asked, what is it? He will say it is a table. A physicist with a powerful microscope, he is looking at it. What does he say? Energy. Matter or energy. You ask Ramakrishna, what is it? Mama. Now, rephrase that question. Is that object changing its Nama Rupa every time? Or is it all dependent upon our perception? So, in Sanskrit we coined two words, Ishwara Srishti and Jiva Srishti. Because even for our perception there must be something. And that is called Ishwara Srishti. So there is something. Don't say there is nothing. That is a Buddhistic view. That is why it is called Idealism. Idealism means everything springs from our idea. The analogy is a dream. In a dream there is no real physical object. You produce it. But our counterpoint is, how did the mind create? Imagine that. Because it has really perceived in the waking state, stored in memory, and reproducing it in different combinations. So, the first is Ishwara Srishti. And each one of us, depending upon our mood, perceives the same object in different ways. This is called Jiva Srishti. Our experience in the world is a very fine combination of both Ishwara Srishti and Jiva Srishti. Now what is the problem? If we can eliminate Jiva Srishti and are able to see only Ishwara Srishti, that will be Satyam. What is Mithya? Jiva Srishti is Mithya. So, all that it means is, remove Nama and Rupa, our perception. Nama and Rupa means what? That our sensory information you remove. There is something. And that is changeless. And that is Brahma. This is the first definition of Brahma, Satyam. Then the next word is Gnanam. So yesterday, I just introduced a little bit. It is a very deep subject. When we say Gnanam, I have knowledge of the table. I know you, Swamiji. I have some knowledge about you. This is what we all say. This knowledge is not Brahman. Because this is the knowledge of manifestation. This is not the knowledge of what is me. It is the manifestation. Usually, this is the knowledge we have. And this knowledge has got four parts. This knowledge is the outcome of three parts, called Triputi. In Sanskrit, we call it Triputi. It means trade, instruments. So, the perceiver should be there. The perceived should be there. And there must be something to connect. So what happens? Suppose it is pure dark. I am there, you are there. And I cannot see you. Therefore, I cannot have any perception. But as soon as light comes, what happens? The light of my sense organ, what does light do? It reveals. How does it reveal? The light doesn't reveal the object. We have to be very careful about it. Light cannot reveal any object. There must be somebody who reveals that it is light. And through that light, supposing a person is blind, there is light, there is an object. What can he see? He cannot see. He must have, even if there is light, and the person, and the object, he must have that particular sense organ to experience that object. Now you understand? So how many things are there? Light itself cannot reveal things. But light is a medium through which we can perceive things. Now light doesn't mean only this light. Shabda is another light. Smell is another light. Taste is another light. Touch is another light. Touch has got only four manifestations. Soft, hard, and hot, and cold. That's all. Eyes have only one manifestation. You know what it is? Color. Only color. Because you say, I see this shape. Sparsha can, I can just say, oh it is round, it is square. I can understand that through touch. There is a beautiful rose. And I can say, yes, there is a rose. So light doesn't mean only this light which reveals the colors. Light means anything that helps us to acquire knowledge. Now light itself is not enough. Suppose there is a beautiful fragrant smell. Fragrance is there, but my nose is blocked. Then I can't, yeah, I can't even talk. You know we are talking today. Yeah, like that. Very limitation. With open mouth, a snoring man cannot pronounce Ram-Nam. Rama, Nama. Let him do. For Makara, the lips need to be closed. That's why Akara, Pukara and Makara. A snoring man cannot pronounce Om. Oh, it's okay. Okay, so to get knowledge, we need three things. Knowledge, what we call knowledge, is the resultant of these three combinations. They are called Triputi. What is the Triputi? The perceiver, subject. The perceived, the object. And that which connects both of them, which is called the instrument of knowledge. So light also is an instrument. My sense organ also is an instrument. So both these combined, there is a table. For example, there is a table. So me, table and something is connected, three, then is equivalent to table knowledge. It is a table. That is the knowledge we have got. Usually when we say knowledge, that's what we mean by knowledge. Now Brahman, in Brahman there is no Triputi. There is no perceived. There is no perceiver. Much less there is any relationship. Why? Because it is one, Anantam. That is why the word has to, Satyam is to be connected with Anantam. Because pure existence is infinite. Can you understand that point, Gayatri? See, I say this table exists. But this existence is limited. It is here and it is not there. And it is constrained only within that perimeter space. So even though I am saying this existence is limited existence, that is why it changes. Anything is limited by time and space, it changes. That is why another name for change is time. It's a beautiful scientific concept. I am not even talking about philosophy. So supposing, how do you know what is time? How do you know what is time? Suppose you have seen somebody like this. And after 20 years, I am using human language, after 20 years you see that person. Then the person is very tall. Previously you were looking like that. Now you are looking like this. Oh, how many years have passed since I saw you. Now how did you exclaim? Because you have perceived the change from here to here. So a plant is like that and after one month it has become. So time is perceived by the measurement of change. Any change. Any change, not only growth. You are here and after a second you are here. So this is also change. Any change is measured in terms of time and space equally. Now Brahman is not limited by time and space and therefore it is Anantam. Therefore existence is also Anantam. Therefore you can't say Brahman is. You can only say Brahman. That's all. Infinity cannot be. Even the word infinity is only for the sake of communication. Infinity has no name, much less any form. It cannot change because to change space is needed. Can you understand? So this plant, this much space and it becomes this. So it requires this much space. Suppose there is no space, it won't grow. We are all experiencing it. This change is measured in terms of time plus space. This relationship between time and space is the greatest discovery of Einstein. Previously time is time, space is space. Understand. But now he made it clear time can function only in space. If there is no space then nothing can change. You see the point? Time and space are interrelated. Two sides of the same coin. They are not two things. You have to be very careful. They are not two things. They are two ways of understanding the same thing. I can only give some examples. An accident happens and somebody comes and reports such an accident happened. He simply says a terrible accident happened. Three people died. What would be your question? You can put three questions. Where did it happen? When did it happen? How did it happen? Time, space, position. Desha, kala and nimitta. Now what are we talking about? These three are not separate things. These three are three different ways of the mind looking at it. From the time point of view, from space point of view and from the causal point of view. There are many dimensions. But we are restricted only to three dimensions at this moment. But scientists have discovered first they said four, then they said eleven, now they said infinite dimensions. But what they mean by infinite dimensions, we can never understand. Anyway, this is enough for us. Even three dimensions are too many for us. We don't need so much of things. Now coming back, this satyam means existence. Why is it satyam? Because it's pure existence. If it is manifested existence, it is not satyam. It is mithya. It is not asatyam. It is mithya. Same satyam with certain names and forms is called mithya. That is why it must be connected with anantam. Existence is infinite. If it is finite, it definitely falls under that. The next definition of Brahman is jnanam. I explained. Our usual, what do we mean by jnanam? Subject, object, the instrumentality and what results is what we call jnanam. Again, we are dealing with this limitation. Subject is different, object is different and this relationship is also different. It is also changing. It may be there, it may not be there. And whatever is changing cannot be called anantam. Therefore, what is knowledge? A thing as it is, is knowledge. Not perceived by somebody, not experienced by somebody, but exactly it is. And existence and knowledge do not differ. Or better word is consciousness. Now I will connect these two because this is the most intriguing, difficult but very enlightening subject. What we perceive outside is existence. How we perceive inside is consciousness. Do you get the idea? See, there is a table. That is existence. But unless I perceive it, it doesn't exist so far as I am concerned. Even if the whole world says there is a table and I don't see the table, so far as I am concerned, I am not convinced that there is any table. I am convinced. There is something seriously wrong with everybody. So, now what is the point I am trying to tell you? This very existence is perceived through consciousness and then it becomes existence. That process of perceiving is called Jnana. This is how this existence, Sat and Chit are related. Because if there is no Chit, there will be no Sat. Therefore, this knowledge... Now why did I point out the fourth resultant factor is knowledge to eliminate limitedness. Samta. It is Ananta. That's why, what was the first thing I said? These three words should not be understood separately. Because we are always understanding it separately. I see the table. It is Sat. It is Chit. But that is not what is Brahman. Because anything limited cannot be Brahman. So, therefore, whether I see it, seeing means my consciousness is also limited. My knowledge is also limited. If I know the table, but I may not know the chair, I may know you, I may not know the other person. But if we are talking about general existence, and if I have that consciousness, I know the entire Ananta Srishti. Anantam Ayanam. That's why we say Ananta Shayanam. The Lord Narayana is Ananta Shayanam. Ayangar. Ananta Shayanam Ayangar is there. Ayangar cannot be Ananta Shayanam. Only God can be Ananta Shayanam. Anyway, we can also make fun, you know, the first manufacturing of spring cot, spring mattress. Lord Narayana himself invented first spring mattress, you know. And water bed also. Now, what are we talking about? Sathyam is related to Ananta. Sathyam is related to, only through Ananta you relate to Gnanam. Gnanam is related to Sathyam only through Anantam. Now, what is Anantam? That which cannot be limited is called Anantam. That which cannot be limited is Anantam. Now, again Anantam has to be connected with Sathyam. Anantam has to be related to Gnanam also. So, what is the conclusion we have come to? That Brahman is infinite existence, infinite knowledge, and infinite Anandam. Sat, Chit, Anandam. So, the last question is, Puranas say Brahman is Sat, Chit, Anandam. Upanishads do not say Sat, Chit, Anandam. You don't get Sat, Chit, Anandam in the Upanishads. You will get it only in Puranas. Now, that Anantam is many times misunderstood. If it has to be understood, otherwise you say, I see a tiger, I have got Sathyam, I see the Gnanam, it is a tiger, does it give me Anantam? If you ask the tiger, it will say definite, sure. But if you are asked, any victim is asked, he doesn't say it is Anantam. Now, if you apply Anantam, then we understand it, because in Anantam, there is neither tiger nor victim. Therefore, it is nothing but pure bliss. Above all, Sukha and Dukha. And that is what Harimaras told to Thakur. And in the last, today, Ramakrishna was suffering from throat cancer. And it was excruciating pain. And one day, Ramakrishna met Swami Turiyananda, Harimara. At that time, he was not a monk, Hari. Then he told, see, how much I am suffering. I said, how much I am suffering? Then Harimara said, no sir, I see you swimming in the ocean of bliss. Immediately, Sri Ramakrishna laughed and said, this rascal found me out. It is difficult for us, because we are judging Sri Ramakrishna from what point? From our point of view. So, did he really suffer, or was he pretending suffering? What would be the answer? His body was suffering, but his mind wasn't. He was very observant. You made a very fine distinction. If the body is suffering, then who understands the body is suffering? The mind is not attached to the body, in his case. No. You see, the right answer, that is not the right answer. The right answer is, from whose point we are asking the question. If the question is asked from our viewpoint, he is definitely suffering. But if he is asked the question from the viewpoint of Jivan Mukta, then he is not suffering. That is why I always give this analogy. A psychiatrist gets a mental patient. Mental patient. You ask that patient, what is the problem with you? I am Napoleon, or I am a dog. He says, I am a dog. One man went to the psychiatrist. He was asked, what is the problem with you? He said, Doctor, I am a dog. Somebody took him. He did not go. Then doctor asked him, since how long have you been thinking, feeling that you are a dog? He said, what do you mean by how long? Ever since I was a puppy. Yeah. So, now what is the psychiatrist's point of view? He knows this person is not a dog. He is a perfectly normal human being, like any one of us. But from the patient's point of view, he is really having a problem. That is why he could help him. Now, this state is what Leela Prasanga describes. Bhava Mukhe Thako. Remain in Bhava Mukha. Both views. Nitya and only he said Nitya and Leela. What is Leela now? Nitya means no change. Leela means that which we experience. What is the correlation? They are one and the same. Now, he knows they are one and the same. We do not know. That is one and the same. Okay, and in the Palataka, we do not know it is one and the same. Only he knows that it is one and the same. That is where Sri Ramakrishna can help us. How to now progress in meditation? I will come back to that. Because this is the definition of Brahma. Why did I discuss so long? Because this is the definition of our Ishta Devata. Whether you call him Ganeshwara, Narayana, Shiva, Krishna, Devi, this is our idea. We already have that idea. What is the idea? Where is God? He is everywhere. And does he become old? He was never born, so he will never die. Therefore, there is no change. And that being who is beyond time, and who is everywhere means beyond space, he is Ananta. And he must be fitting only. Only we are talking Satyam Jnanam Ananta. Then why are we imagining? That imagination is for our focusing purpose. That is not his nature. The moment we approach near... Ramakrishna gives several examples. Why does the sky appear blue? Ocean or water? Ocean also. But you go near and take the water? Because anything at a long distance appears to be blue. That is why Krishna's body is blue, why Rama's body is blue, why Ma Kali's colour is blue? How do you know? You see, Shama Ma Kiyama Kalori. Shama means what? No, no, Shama means blue. Shama, Shama Shama. If it is Krishna, Shama. If it is Mother Kali, it is Shama Shama. Shama Shama. What is the name of that song? Baul song? Shama Shama or Baul song. Like that there is a Baul song. So it is for the facility of our meditation because we cannot think of God as long as we think we are body. This is a very wonderful thing. Just touch upon it. So we cannot think of God except in human terms, but not even completely in human terms. Only if we are Indians, we think of God only as Indian in human terms. You know, for example, Rama, what would be his face like? African? He is also black, isn't it? African or Asian, you know, Japanese. Krishna, American, Texas man. Cowboy, like that. Nobody would want to meditate upon. But if a Texan person imagines Krishna as a cowboy, what do you think he would be having? Yeah, all those things. I would have taught one or two lessons to Indian Krishna. Because when you are grazing the cows, then what is this running after them? Like me, acquire a horse. It would have been very easy for you. Like that. See, if you are a South Indian, what would be Sita's face? Ravi Varma's painting of Sita Rama. Typical Tamilian or Keralian Sita. You don't need to imagine. If you are imagining, there is something wrong with the painting. It is crystal clear. If it is a North Indian painting, it will be like North Indian. See, how much we are entrenched with this identity. So to make, to help us, we create a human being. But Hinduism doesn't want to stop there. So what about a horse head? What about a pig's head? What about a fish head? What about your Macha Avatara, Korma Avatara, Reshi Mahavatara, all those Paraha Avatara? What about those Avataras? So these are also there to break our human, what is called, normal tendency. And then ultimately, from Sakara to Nirakara. From Saguna to Nirguna. We have to go through that process. That is why the most telling incident, Swamiji was challenged by, I think, Maharaja of Jaipur or somewhere, Rajputana. Ketri, Ketri. No, no, Ketri Maharaja never did that. I think Jaipur. Maharaja. Very interesting. Swami Vivekananda was wandering after Sri Ramakrishna's passing away. He happened to be in Rajputana. And I think it was Jaipur. And the king was addicted for hunting. And drinking and dancing and all those things. But they had the power of life and death. They could kill anybody. Without any judgement. So somebody told him and he invited Swamiji. Swamiji went only on the invitation of the king. He did not go simply like that. Then seeing him, this Raja, asked respectfully. He asked, Swamiji, why have you become a monk? Why do you wander like this? You know what Swamiji replied? You are a king. You are supposed to look after the welfare of all your prajas. Instead of that, every day you are running for hunting. Why do you do that? Anybody else, you would have cut off the head to challenge like that. Because it is a challenge, you know, in public, insulting. You are neglecting your duties and doing what you are not supposed to do. But he became thoughtful and said, I suppose, I get a lot of joy in it. Swamiji said, for the very same reason, I also have become a monk. The next question, why do we allow these people to worship images? Because Hinduism is full of image worship. Anyway, I have to tell you something interesting. Once a foreigner approached Ramana Maharshi. He said, Bhagawan, you are a very enlightened person. You should preach people that they should not worship images. Maharshi looked at him for some time and said, You show me one man who doesn't worship images. From morning till evening, whom are we worshipping? This is the image we are worshipping. This is worse than any other. At least a stone will remain for 500 years in the same way. This will be decaying every few minutes. And mood changes. And you know who is a muda? A moody person is called muda. Anyway, muda means an idiot. So, Swamiji, you know what he replied? In that court, on the walls, there were several paintings of the Raja's ancestors. He called the minister and said, whose painting is that? Raja's father. Bring it. And he brought it, wondering, what is this Swami going to do? What was it in answer to why images are being worshipped? They are ignorant people. This was the result of English education, who preached that Hindus are idolaters, image worshippers. And many Muslims also think exactly the same way. As soon as the painting is brought, Swamiji told the minister, spit on it. I say, spit on it. The whole court was immersed. And who dares to spit on the painting of the father of this Raja? Immediately his head will be cut off. Two, three times Swamiji said, I say spit upon it. Of course, nobody would do it. Then Swamiji turned to the Raja. Look, Raja, after all, what is this? A piece of paper and some scribbling on it. Nobody would dare. Why? Because this reminds them of the greatness of your father. Of course, whether his father was great or not, something has to be told. So then immediately this telling example, the Raja understood. Because an image, no human being is such a foolish fellow. He will bow down in front of a piece of stone or a piece of wood. But it reminds us of our ideal. This is the reason why, you know, every political party has a Janda. There will be something like that, you know, either a half moon or a sickle and a hammer and all those things. National flag. So what is that saluting national flag? What are we doing really? We are not saluting the piece of cloth. We are saluting, we are showing our respect. That represents the entire nation. So we cannot live without these symbols. We always require these symbols. We are all idolaters. From morning till evening, what are we doing? Worshipping only early morning, ceremoniously we offer to ourselves bed coffee. Various types of bed coffee. We test this God, how he can be best pleasing. And then every cooking, all that, masalas and other things, what is this? For to please which God? Atmarama. We are pleasing ourselves. So without image worship we cannot go. Now how to meditate? I mentioned one point, very important point. Simulation has to be done. So if we want to progress in spiritual life, we have to bring harmony between the inner and the outer. When we are meditating, we are bringing harmony inside. But the moment we come out of meditation, our entire personality completely changes. We are the same angry person. That is why so many people say, if you are a religious person, why are you behaving like this? I don't see any correlation between your devotion to God and your normal behavior. You are perhaps sometimes worse than. You know some of the religious leaders, they are the greatest mass murderers in the world. Mass murderers. Either they do it directly like popes, what is that? Crusades. Mercilessly kill old people, women, children, and of course the Muslims also repaid with compound interest. Same thing they do it. You see now, you are talking about God and this is what you are doing, then how can we have faith in God? You are talking about God, you are preaching about God, you are praying to God, you have these wonderful cathedrals, temples, mosques, and then your normal behavior shows everything that the worst of humanity can have. That's why people have lost faith in religion. One of the reasons is religious people. Each one of us. Same thing applies to you also. You try to tell your children and then they don't see any change in you. You are the same angry person, angry person, greedy person, greedy person, you know, in two faces, very gentleman, maybe ten faces also. But if you are peaceful, you are happy, and you tackle situations very nicely, see immediately they will say, how is mom and dad able to behave like this? There must be some reason. That is why I mentioned four characteristics of an enlightened soul. What are they? Always happy. Equanimity. He loves everybody. He sacrifices including his life for the welfare of anybody. And lastly, Samadarshan. He doesn't see any difference between a worm and then Jesus Christ. That is the condition of Sriram, Krishna, Holy Mother, Swamiji. Every enlightened soul is only like that. Now, this is the state we want to attain. Therefore, we have to simulate. Very briefly, I will tell you what is the simulation. Because usually meditation means we only think of the personality of God. So, first of all, I will tell you there are four steps to successful meditation. The first step is called Nama Dhyana. Focus on the name. And we are not able to focus, you know, when we say that Om Namo Narayanaya. We don't really focus on it. We have to focus on every part, Om Namo Narayanaya. Very briefly, I will tell you our mantras. It has four parts. So, let us say, Om Narayanaya Namaha. Om Namo, this Namaha comes in the end in our mantras. Our mantras also contain a Bija mantra. For example, Om Hreem Ramakrishnaaya Namaha. It is like three steps reaching the roof. What is the roof? Om. Om represents Parabrahma. There are three steps. What is the last step? We are in Namaha. What is the meaning of Namaha? No, no. Na Mama. Sanskrit word. Mama, Na Mama. There is nothing called mine and there is nothing called I. If I reject everything that is mine, then there would be no I. See, what we say, usually we say my house, my car, my bank balance. But that is very remote mine. What is the nearest mine? Body and mind. So, is this my body? No, not my body. Is this my mind? No, it is not my mind. If we both eliminate, what happens to that I? It exists, but it is not limited. Because if you remove your body-mind, if I remove my body-mind, what is the difference between your I and my I? There would be no difference. The difference comes only because of the Desha, Kala, Vastu, Parichcheda. So, this is the first, O Lord, nothing belongs to me, everything belongs to you. And yet we are aware of the body-mind. We have not transcended body-mind. Then if it doesn't belong to me, it must belong to somebody, it is there. You can't say it is not there. Then it belongs to God, but not God in general, God in particular, which is called our chosen deity. If it is Narayana, this belongs to Narayana. If it is Ramakrishna, it belongs to Ramakrishna. Now, the idea of Ramakrishna, for example, that we have, is also limited. It has a form, it has a name, but not in the sense we have a form and name. I told you, Ramakrishna is in the shrine, Ramakrishna is here, Ramakrishna is in India, Ramakrishna is in Mars also. If you ever go there, you will find him there. I saw one cartoon. These Americans, after spending billions and billions, reached Mars. As soon as they landed, this Kerala fellow with tea, coffee, idli, like that. So, Ramakrishna also has a name and form, but it is a divine name and sukshma sharira, not gross body. And it is what is called divya sharira. Divya means divine. Divine because it is not limited by time and space. That is why it is called divya. It is only for the sake of our facility of meditation it is created. Really, they don't have forms. Otherwise, you just imagine. Supposing this Vaishnava bhakta, Narayana bhakta, goes to Vaikuntha, and because of that, he will get sarupya. You understand sarupya? It is the same form. And what is the form? Heavy, this crown, and kundala. And then this gada, chakra, padma. How long can you bear that? Just imagine. Even in Tirumala, after half an hour, he has to go there and then remove it, and then fan himself, and have a cup of coffee, and all those things. And then how long you are going like that? Heavy, that dress. And then imagine that you also get a garuda. Imagine yourself on the garuda. And then with this, this gada will be pulling this side, chakra pulling that side, and your whole energy is gone only in balance, and then you see down far below there is this jetting Himalayas. Do you follow what I am telling? What is meant is, this is for the facility of meditation, it is created. And all the aidas, according to old war philosophy, they are all old wars. Gada old war, chakra old war, have you not heard? They are greatest devotees of God, because they are the people who have to bless us. They are the people who have to protect us. So, the first step in meditation is, what do we call it? Nama Dhyana. Nama Dhyana. Let us become perfect. What is it? This Nama must remind us the Rupa. Otherwise, there is no correlation like that. So, the next higher step is Rupa Dhyana. You should be able to see Sri Ramakrishna as clearly, and not as a picture, but alive. When Sri Ramakrishna touched Ramlal Dada on 1st January 1886, previously when I saw it as a lifeless figure, the moment Thakur touched me, Thakur, the Ishta Devata came out alive. So, this Ishta Devata also has a finer form, unmanifested form, that is called Bija. Bija means seed. Just as a seed contains the entire future tree, and yet even if you look with a very fine microscope, you don't see any of it, but that is one which manifests. So, the unmanifested form of every chosen deity has got an unmanifested form, which is known in Tantric language as Bija Mantra. But even that unmanifested form is a form. It is a limitation. So, the next idea is this form must become formless, which is Omkara. This is now the final stage, but three steps. What is the first step? Nothing is. What is the second step? Everything belongs to. That is the meaning. I have no right, because this body belongs to Ramakrishna, this mind belongs to Ramakrishna. Therefore, this Ramakrishna, whatever he wants to do, he can do with me. Whatever Divine Mother wants with this body, it is her body. I have no right to say anything. That is what Thakur's reply. Now you see what happens. But this Ishtariyatha's form is also our mental imagination. Upakalpana. But its unmanifested form is also in the realm of reality. But the final one, where there is no difference between Bhagavan and Bhakta, the Sadhaka and the Sadhya. Sadhya means? One is worshipped. Not only that. I am one Sadhaka, you are another Sadhaka. Even this difference also will be merged, that point of similarity. That is represented by Om. Why it is represented? We also discussed. Very briefly I will tell you. This Om has got three syllables. A, U and M. Every object in this world has a name. Now it is a wonderful psychology. Keep it in mind. You cannot have an object without a name. You can't have a name without a corresponding object. Give me one example. The moment you utter a word, the corresponding form of that. You cannot say formless. Even formlessness has a form. For example, Akash. Vast. Blue. All this is nothing but what? Form. Vast. Vast means what? Big. Really vast we don't know. Ananta we don't know. Vast means compared to this it is vast. So Nama and Rupa go always together. Even if it is the subtlest also, it is a manifestation. That means it is limited by time and space. So time and space is called Banda, bondage. Our goal is to go beyond all bondage, which is beyond time and causation. And for that we cannot do it. We cannot progress without the grace of God. God has to pull us. Devotion has to come and then merge us. This is the bhakta's way of looking at meditation. So the second, first is Nama Dhyana. Dhyana means you become absorbed. Second is Rupa Dhyana. And automatically it comes. And the third is called Guna Dhyana. That is most important. What is Guna Dhyana? God is having infinite auspicious qualities. Asesha, Kalyana, Guna, Sagara. This is how Ramayujacharya praises Narayana. Asesha, Kalyana, Guna. Kalyana means what? That which conduces to auspiciousness. Now here we have to say not only positive qualities. I discussed it elaborately. No quality is either positive or negative depending upon for what purpose we use it. You understand? For example, if you have got Sattva Guna during sleeping time, your sleep will not be good. You may be thinking of Thakur, but you will not have good sleep. Which quality is necessary? Tamo Guna, not Rajo Guna. Otherwise restlessness will come. And when you have to do some activity, Tamo Guna should not come. And when you are meditating, these Gunas should not come. Every Guna has its rightful place at the rightful time for a rightful job. And similarly, Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, they are considered as six passions. Now we use a word, Vairagya, dispassion. What is the word? Dispassion. Can you have dispassion without having any passion? Is it possible? Otherwise you become a lump of cloud. So what is dispassion? That you direct the same passion towards... If you don't love anything in this world, you are never going to love God. Because it is the same mind, whether it is in the shrine room or toilet, it is the same torchlight. If it is a three watt bulb, equally it will only give that much light. Because you go to the shrine room, it shines a three hundred watt bulb. It is not going to happen. So, even these passions, if they are directed, they will bring us quickly to God. All the stories of Hiranyakashipur, Avanasura, Kamsa, Shishupala, Tantvatra is a bright example. These kinds of examples you will not get in any other religion. Anybody who has a kama krodha, they are supposed to be deadliest worldly people. Not at all devotees of God. The only condition, any guna must be directed towards only God. So, Ananta, Kalyana, Guna, Sagara. But then, what do you mean by Ananta guna? He has got so many qualities. Which quality are you going to meditate on? You have to choose. Because he is your Ishta Devata. How to choose? Find out that quality within you, which you want to get rid of. Suppose, get rid of. In you. Suppose, you don't feel loving anybody. You should meditate upon God as what? An embodiment of loving everybody. Now, that is how thinking of positive way, this negative quality is removed. Suppose somebody is a very angry person, short-tempered person. He wants to get rid of it. What is the quality? Shanta. Shantakaram, Bhujagashayinam, Padmanabham, Suresham. All these things are there. Dhyanavastu. Suppose a person is very restless. So, he should be Nirvikalpam. Nirvikalpa. Like Buddha, like Lord Shiva. All those things. So, we have to choose a quality, which would help us to get rid of our defect. Then that meditation will be very successful. And there is no way to bypass these things. Because an angry person sees God as what? Angry person. A Bhoota sees God as what? A Bhoota. We see God exactly in our own image. God made us in His image and we make God in our own image. Yeah. That's why, you know, this Anjaneya. He is not considered as a monkey. He is Gnaninam, Graganyam, Sakala, Muna, Nidhanam, Vanaranaam, Adheesham. What a beautiful stotram Tulasidas had composed. Now, what is the point? The third step is only when we acquire some proficiency in the Nama Dhyana, Rupa Dhyana, then only we can proceed. Why? Why? Because if we don't have that concentration in Nama, in Rupa, you can't also concentrate on the Kuna. And if we can't concentrate, no, a restless mind wants to get rid of restlessness and it cannot meditate on the restfulness of God, then what would be the result? Even more restlessness. This is why Kuna Dhyana is the third step. Then only a person is given the fourth step which is called Swaroopa Dhyana. What is Swaroopa Dhyana? Sat, Chit and Nama. So, in that order. First you meditate God as existence. Then what happens? All doubts about God will disappear. Now, what is our problem? Does God exist? Does God not exist? Sometimes He exists. When does He exist? Whenever He seems to answer my prayer, He exists. When He doesn't, He seems to have disappeared. No, disappeared means He is still existing. Non-existent. But this is according to our mood. No, God always exists. Does God answer all prayers? Yes, He answers all prayers. Most of the time the answer is no. No, because we don't deserve it. Not only that, it may be harmful to us. A young man unable to drive properly wants a Ferrari car. It is dangerous not only for him, but it is dangerous for other people also. So, Swaroopa Dhyana means first meditate upon Sat, then meditate upon Chit, and finally meditate upon Ananda Swaroopa. This is how our Shastras, what is called, elaborated the process of progressing in Sadhana. And that is in simple words, go on doing Japa. What is Japa now? Nama Dhyana. Meditate. He has got very tremendous power. And as I said, if you really think about Nama, the other end who is tied? God. That is Roopa. That is what Thakur says. If you catch hold of one end of Nama, at the other end who is there? Namini. Nama and Namini are two sides of the same thread. So, you remember Namini, Nama will come. And you remember Nama, Namini has to come. They cannot be separated. That is why every object in this world we call in Indian language, Pada Artha. Pada means what? Nama. Pada means name. Artha means the idea. You simply close your eyes and say, table. Can you say table without imagining a table? It is not possible. You cannot separate them. Nama, Roopa, mentally, psychologically you can separate. In actuality you cannot separate. That is why if you become proficient in Nama Dhyana, the next logical step is Roopa Dhyana. Roopa Dhyana automatically leads to Guna Dhyana. But I am not saying you must first become 100% perfect. But it says a little bit perfect. Then Roopa Dhyana becomes better. Then Guna Dhyana becomes better. Then we understand Sattva also as better. This is how... When you say one step to next step, how do you know that you are qualified from one step to another step? Automatically it will come. You see, there are certain things. Supposing the sun rises. How do you know the sun rises? Do you need to ask? The sun itself, you yourself will know. That light is there. Light is there means the sun is there or the moon is there. This is called Svasambhedya. Certain things we don't need to ask. How is my hairstyle? Then you need to ask. Especially if you don't have any mirror. Yeah. Mirror. If the moment you know you are happy, do you need to ask somebody, Achha, am I happy or unhappy? Only you know. Are you hungry? Am I hungry or not? You don't need to ask. Your very experience will tell you. This is called Svasambhedya. As I told you in Andhra cartoon, a man, 60 years old, he has got only two hairs. He went to a barber shop and the barber was behind, you know, trying to suppress his laughter, which hairstyle do you want? Such imaginative, you know. So automatically it will come. But even though I said them separately, in reality they are not four separate things. The moment you see, the Lord is pleased with me. Will he ever get angry with me? God cannot get angry with me. Because if he gets angry, is he God? He cannot. But sometimes we imagine, he is not fulfilling my prayers, he must be angry with me, etc. Now, very briefly I want to tell you, this is called simulation. What is the simulation? Very, very useful for us. Before you meditate, you divide meditation into two parts. One part is to think about God. The other part, I will come to that. The first part would be, I want to meditate upon God. But my mind is not quiet. Why is it not quiet? Because of my behaviour. What type of behaviour I need in order to become a good meditator. Simple example. Say, two days back, somebody scolded or uttered a harsh word towards me. And immediately I reacted. Either I shouted back, or I suppressed, but I am very angry. Now, who is the sufferer? I am the sufferer. With this kind of mind, is it possible to meditate upon God? Now, what should be done? Because this is where transformation of character is what is wanted. So, the first part is simulation. This is where simulation comes. You imagine, vividly, what happened. How you reacted. That is the first. Second time, you recollect it. And this time, how you thought the ideal way of reaction. Or the other way of thinking is, how would have Sri Ramakrishna reacted in this situation? Whichever way, this is the ideal reaction. Now, you imagine it. This is called simulation. He is shouting at me. I am smiling at him. And he is getting angrier. And I am very calm and quiet. Very nicely. What I have got to say, I will say. But very nicely, calm and quiet. Practice it. Next time, and that will repeat in different ways, what you have simulated and practiced many times, it will come to your mind. If it doesn't come at the first instance, it will remind you soon after, I should have reacted this way. And then, after that, it becomes slowly, slowly. This is how sthita, prajna, lakshana are meant for simulation. If sukha comes, what will I do? If dukkha comes, what will I do? And if death comes, what will I do? We have to imagine. Otherwise, we are fools. If my wife dies, what can I do? If my husband dies, what can I do? If my father, mother die? Or if my children die? We are not talking about unrealistic things. We are talking about real things that are happening every single day, all over the world. Is it not a fact? We don't want to anticipate them, but we want to be ready for them. This is called knowing the world as it is, not thinking of it as we would like to think. Now we are thinking everybody will suffer, but I will not suffer. So, this is called simulation in meditation. Now, with this type of mind, what happens if you simulate? That very simulation also has two effects. First effect is that previously growing anger or hatred becomes subsided. Second, now our mind becomes very calm. With this calm mind, now imagine our Ishta Devata, and you see what happens. Then bhakti will grow. Why? Because until now all the facts of life, which is birth, growth, old age, disease, death, is taken for granted. We know they are facts, but we are not reacting as though they are facts. That reaction will come slowly. Then mind becomes very, what is called, insecure. Then what is the security? Only God alone is the security. This is how, as far as I know, Thakur had practiced meditation, and Holy Mother, Swamiji, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, especially Buddha, and all these, Buddha meditated upon all this. Upon old age, disease, death, but there is also a state beyond. This is how we progress in ritual life. For Jnanis, what we talked about, Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma, this is the most beautiful way we have to understand really. Otherwise, they will tell you, you sit, put a picture, decorate it, and meditate upon it. But we are not connecting our day-to-day life with that. That is our problem. God is separate, our normal day-to-day life is separate. I am quite used to a practice of rituals on certain days. I want to meditate as well, as you were saying. You do all your rituals. Now you do it with meaningfulness. I will very briefly tell you. All rituals fall into four steps. The first step is Shuddhi. You do Acha Manam. Acha Manam is meant for what? For making the body and mind pure. Then you purify everything by Prakshana. That is also Shuddhi. Because you can't offer to God what is impure. That is the first step. What is the second step? People don't know. We do Nyasa. What is Nyasa? Transferring our ownership to God. These hands are Thakurs. These hands are Narayanas. These feet are Narayanas. That is why, Sahasrasirsha Purusha. My head belongs to whom? To Narayana. Sahasrasirsha means what? Every head is Narayana's head. Sahasraksha. Every eye is Narayana's eye. Otherwise, Narayana is a person who has got a thousand heads. One head itself we are unable to manage when we catch cold. How is he going to manage? Even four hands are not enough. You understand? The second part is called Nyasa. From which the word Sanyasa comes. Completely feeling I do not exist, only you exist. Sharanagati. Nyasa is Sharanagati. You follow? Say for example, Karanyasa. Karanyasa. Only you substitute your Ishtadevata's name with this. So these hands are belonging to you. The heart is belonging. The head is belonging. The shoulders are belonging. The eyes are belonging. This is called Nyasa. All rituals fall under these four categories. Then Manasika Puja. Perhaps I can talk tomorrow. I think we talked a little bit. Maybe tomorrow. That is Manasika Puja, you offer exactly the same things, but with a spiritual meaning, not ordinary meaning. So this is called Manasika Puja. And what we do usually, mean Puja, is the fourth part, which is Bahya Puja, offering flowers, etc. And that too, like the South Indian tradition. You know, South India, Ganesha is made with jaggery. One day, the person doesn't have any offering. So he pinches a little bit. Offer it to God. This is called Ganga Jale, Ganga Puja. Because when you do other pujas, you will have to use Ganga water. When you do Ganga Puja, what will you do? Take from him. Is it a question? Maharaj is asking? Oh, we will go and meet him. Okay, thank you very much. See you tomorrow.