Sri Suktam Lecture 13 on 04 April 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

OM SRI LAKSHMI PRASADA SIDDHYARTHE JAPE HOMEVA VINAYOGAHA We have been studying the Sri Suktam. In our last class, we have discussed about Rig No. 18. As I said, the real Rigs are there only 15 and 16 onwards. Nearly sometimes 13, sometimes counted as 14 numbers, sometimes even 15 numbers. These are called just Eulogy or what is called Phalashruti. What benefits do we get? Because every human being is a selfish person. Without desiring something, without expecting something, a person will not do. Of everything, there is only one thing universally desired by all. I want to be as happy as possible, as long as possible, without the least bit of negativity or unhappiness. And according to Hinduism, the same Brahman becomes Sakara, Saguna, Savisesha Brahman. And that Brahman, as if he divides himself into many forms depending upon the actions. If he has to become a doctor, they are called Ashwini Kumaras. If they are to grant us rains, if God has to grant us rains, without which our life on earth becomes nil. Without the sun, without the moon, without the rains, without the wind, etc. Or without the Panchabhotas. These are all manifestations. Ekam, that is Brahman. Sat, only Brahman in different forms. But people, according to their Samskaras, some people want to be rich. Some people want wisdom or scholars. Some people love to have knowledge. Some people want to be famous. Some people want to be powerful. Some people want to become victorious in everything. So we only want every positive benefit and everybody hates the negativity. So the divine, that one Brahma, Saguna Brahma, is imagined to be Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Kartikeya, whatever name. And of recent times, there was no such phenomena. There is one Santoshima. Somebody had brought out a film called Santoshima. Thereafter, innumerable temples have sprung up. Innumerable rites have been invented. All that our priests need to do is change the name of the deity. So instead of saying Mahalakshmi Namaha, so Jai Santoshima. So Hindus are notorious for creating Gods and Goddesses. And every Avatara becomes also a Devata after passing. Even sometimes when they are alive themselves. So for example, Krishna Paramatma became a Devata to all the Gopas, Gopis, etc. How do we know? Bhagavatam tells us. So Krishna, as a young boy, advised the elders, breaking a long tradition that Indra should not be worshipped. It is the Govardhana Parvatha which is giving us, feeding us. So let us worship Govardhana. This is also called Bhumi Puja. That is also called, at the end of the Deepavali, Vishwakarma Puja we call it. All the instruments, all the animals. So they are all worshipped. So God only, imagined as being a cow, being an elephant, being a horse. So in those forms, God is worshipped. What is the idea? Is it mere superstition? Yes, it begins with superstition. But it ends with the highest realization, Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma. So as we evolve, our concept of God also goes on evolving. So this introduction is meant for one purpose only. And that purpose is, whether you consider you worship Lakshmi Devi, Saraswati Devi, Parvati Devi, Kali Devi or anybody. But they are representations of Parabrahma, the highest reality, so far as that particular individual is concerned. Only in that way, every manifestation of God or Goddess is none other than the supreme reality. And this is amply proved by Sri Ramakrishna. He never condemned anything, including worship of the stone. Because he understands. In fact, there is a beautiful story. Swami Vivekananda was dead against what is called idol worship. A person who worships idols, they are called idolaters. And you know some religions, without exception, except in Hinduism, practically every religion, they don't like to worship any other form. Even in Sikhism, they worship the book only. There is no special form of God. The Guru Granth Sahib itself becomes. If we understand this philosophy, then what it means is that our imagination is the limit. But the imagination may be very small at the beginning. It should not stop with that. Otherwise, it becomes fanatical. But we have to go on. So, after having English education, so many, even the most intelligent people started cherishing. Hinduism is full of idol worship. So Brahma Samaj rose against it. And while Swami Vivekananda was wandering, he once entered into the kingdom in Rajasthan. And then the king, who was very fond of hunting, so he taunted Swamiji. So you worship. And then Swamiji equally taunted him with more painful words. You are supposed to be a king. You are not looking after your kingdom. And you are so selfish. He did not use that word. That you go on spending your days carousing, hunting, drinking, night parties, etc. It was Swamiji. In those days, these kings had the power either to keep life or take away life. Swamiji must have been extraordinarily audacious enough to utter in front of everybody. Then the king also understood something noble is being told me. Then he said, is it not our duty to consider that idol worship is bad? We should teach people. And M got scolded by Sri Ramakrishna for the same reason. Then Sri Ramakrishna asked M, what type of wife you have? And he replied, she is a good person, but I am afraid she is unwise. You should stop using illiterate. What is the difference? An illiterate person may not be able to read books or write books, of course. But it doesn't mean that person is unwise. And Sri Ramakrishna's thunder had come down upon the poor head of this teacher. He was supposed to be a good teacher. And you are a Jnani. And he was stunned. Then on that occasion only, Ramakrishna also teaches. The same question. Should not people be told they should not worship? And this is one habit of your Calcutta people. Nobody is there to teach you. And you want to teach, become Jagatgurus. And then he explained this paradoxical truth. God is with form, without form. He is with name, without name. He can be thought, but he is beyond all thought, etc. This paradoxical statement is nothing but an Upanishadic statement. So Swami Vivekananda taught him through a very strong lesson. We know this. I don't want to go on and on. There was a photo hanging. Spit on it, Swamiji said. Everybody was stunned. Then Swamiji explained. This is not your grandfather. This is only a piece of paper. Upon it, something is written. And then, your grandfather. You have reverence. Similarly, a person never worships a stone, a piece of wood. He simply looks at it. So it reminds him of his grandfather, grandmother or any great person. Same thing we can extend. It reminds us of God. That's all. So everything has a symbolism. But people are not foolish enough. They take aids. And this is also called Upasana Paddhati. We take Saligrama, Shiva Linga. And then it reminds us of the infinitude. They are all pointers, signposts. So, just I am giving you the introduction. Lakshmi or Parvati or Saraswati should not be considered as some individual personalities. It is the same Divine Mother manifesting. And if it is philosophically taught, that it is only God who is manifesting. That is the essence of the 10th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita called Vibhuti Yoga. But most people may not understand Bhagavad Gita. But they do understand that this God is capable of helping me. It is that idea that there is a superior power. And the person is very well aware of that superior presence. And it is the reminder of that presence which will gradually help the person move forward. So Sri Suktam has been commented by people like Shayan Acharya and many other Acharyas also. So they take it as the Divine Mother. In Sri Ramakrishna's words, Lakshmi is the Divine Mother. And for the purpose of understanding, I have already given the example. It is the one Divine Mother. How many Divine Mothers are there? Only one. How many Gods can be there? One God. No God but God, as the Muslim devotee will say. That means every other God is only a manifestation of that one God. That is, our idea of God is a manifestation of that one single God. So we have been studying this Bhashya in that light. Mahalakshmi is the Divine Mother. And it is not only that she gives wealth, prosperity or money simply in words. But she can give knowledge. And many of our Puranas unfortunately create a quarrel between Saraswati and Mahalakshmi. And Mahalakshmi has got an elder sister. She is called Alakshmi. That is just Alakshmi. So I don't want to be poor. I don't want to be what is called Alokhi. There is a beautiful saying in Bengali language. That is Lukhi Chadha. A person who doesn't have this Lakshmi's grace, God's grace and God are one and the same. Annapurna and Annam is the same. Ganga Devi and Ganga water is the same. Bhumatha and Bhumi is the same. Sun and sunlight are the same. There is nothing else excepting only that God everywhere. He is called Vishnu. So we have completed. What does a person gain? He will gain everything. What do I mean? A devotee of Mahalakshmi gains everything. It is not only that the prayer is there. Give me money. Give me wealth. Give me prosperity. Give me long life. Give me cows. Give me elephants, etc. And people are not that foolish. But suppose Divine Mother says, You want an elephant? I will give you a hundred elephants. How is He going to maintain? Once a king got very angry with a poor man and said, I am going to give you a huge elephant. Look after this elephant for me. But consider it is my elephant. What is the purpose? That poor fellow will die feeding that elephant. And the benefit will come to the king. So we should not ask what we cannot really maintain. That is a very important concept which is called trusteeship. If God gives us money, then use it to serve God in the form of those who do not have money. If God gives me knowledge, I must distribute it to other people. If God gives me power, I should put it in the service of so many other people. So whatever God gives me, I should give. And Holy Mother expressed it. For us, Holy Mother is Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopini. Holy Mother expressed it. Those who have something to give, let them distribute. And those who do not have anything to give, Jaipur. That means you pray for the welfare of other people. I am unable to help because I do not have. But nobody is poor in the case of praying, etc. Every one of us can pray. Coming back now, in our last class, 18th Shloka. I call it Shloka because earlier they were called Rigs. These are not to be found in the Rig Veda. They are later on additions. So what did we discuss? 18th Shloka goes like this. O Mother Lakshmi, You are like this. Padmanane Padmavuru Padmakshi Padmasambhave Tvam aam bhajasya padmakshi Ena saukhyam labham yam May I obtain unparalleled happiness. It doesn't matter. I may be poor, but I can be very happy. Shri Ram Krishna and especially his father, he had practically nothing. Whatever he had, he had to lose. But he had so much of joy by repeating God's name, by worshipping God. I told you so many stories about him, but they are worth recollecting. This Shri Ram, in his house, Rama is worshipped and also Mother Sheetala Devi. Hindu household normally contains there will be Shiva, there will be Vishnu, there will be Divine Mother Lakshmi or Sheetala Devi, Kali, etc. So when this Shri Ram used to go out for collecting flowers, he used to see sometimes a small girl, unmarried girl, and he could never recognize her because she never belonged to that village. He used to wonder and ask. She used to come just exactly when he was collecting flowers and hold down a particular branch which contained some flowers so that it will facilitate Shri Ram in collecting those flowers. And he used to ask, Who are you, my child? And she used to reply, I am Sheetala Devi whom you are worshipping. And how God begged Shri Ram to be accepted, to be worshipped by him specially. So his worshipper of Rama came to him and Vishnu himself came to him, etc. We believe firmly, Holy Mother is also a Divine Mother and she can grant. And she herself also had expressed this idea. Liberation, Mukti is in my hand. Very interesting incident if you think really about it. Once a devotee found her very busily engaged in normal activities like dressing vegetables, cooking, serving, and talking. She never talked high Advaita philosophy. But from her mouth came the highest philosophy but in simple words. So one devotee who had that faith that this is supposed to be the Mother of the whole universe. Mother, why do I find you like this? And then she also replied in the same way, My son, what can I do? I am Mahamaya. She did not say, I am under the sway of Maya. She said, I am Mahamaya. And then she became serious and said, Mukti is in my palm. To whomsoever, whenever I want to give, I am capable of giving. So in Lalita Sahasranama also we get that beautiful idea. This Divine Mother is the Empress of this Mithya Jagadathishthatri, Muktida Muktirupini. She is Muktirupini. She is capable of granting liberation. And she is what is called the Empress of this Mithya world according to Advaita. So Divine Mother, that is the idea. She is Lakshmi. She is Saraswati. What about Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara? Yes, she is Brahma. She is Vishnu. She is Maheshwara. So these are all eulogies for the sake of a child. You know, for a child, every mother is the most beautiful woman in the world. And this is expressed in this 18th also. Padmanane. Anana means her face is like a lotus. What does it mean? If you draw a lotus flower and my mother's face is like this, it will be horrendous thing. What it means is when we experience with a good mood, when we are in good mood, a beautiful lotus flower with so many petals, especially there are white and there are also pink. We are talking about pink lotus. And it will be delighting our heart. The moment a baby beholds, no baby ever thinks my mother is ugly. For that person, the mother is the most beautiful person. So Padmanana. Padma Uru. Uru means actually thighs. So why are they describing the divine mother's thighs? Because every child, where do you think the mother takes up the child? On her thighs only. And she takes up in her arms. But many times the child is lying in the lap of the divine mother. So, so soft, so pure. Padmakshi or Aishar like lotus. As I told you, according to Hindu concept, a lotus is the most marvelous flower. That is why it is the national flower. And Padmasambhava. She is born of a lotus. Brahma is called. So he is also Padmasambhava. Because from Vishnu's navel comes out this Padma. And Brahma is seen there. This is a concept. Don't degrade coming to the raw description, physical description. Padmasambhava. So Mother Lakshmi, according to popular mythological explanation had come out of the Ksherasagara, the milk ocean. Padmasambhava. And when she came out, she was sitting on a lotus. Mother, be pleased with me. And bestow your grace upon me. And again Padmakshi. If you can bestow your grace, I will be the happiest person on earth. So not because she gives wealth. Because happiness is her nature. She gives happiness. And this is what we don't want really anything. We want the happiness that we think can be obtained from that object. So be gracious. And then she will give everything. And then the person has to hymn. Do stotram. So several of our hymns. The most famous is for Shiva. Namakam and Chamakam. So everywhere. You give me this, give me that, nothing is left out. In case God forgets and doesn't give me. So the devotee has to say everything. Why don't you say that let me become one with you. Because the person who is capable of giving is having everything. So the Divine Mother is everything. And she can give everything. So Ashwadayi. You are capable of giving horses. Godayi. You are also capable of giving cows. Dhanadayi. You are of course capable of giving wealth. And who are you? Mahadhane. This is addressing. So you are the embodiment of all wealth. Out of your grace. Joshata means when you are pleased. So when a scholar is pleased with the student, like Yamadharma Raja is highly pleased, he will give what he has. And what has he? In this case of Kata Upanishad, he had the Brahma Jnanam. So he gave that Brahma Jnanam. He had also Svarga Jnanam. He gave the Svarga Jnanam. He also gave the Prithi Jnanam. What makes a person very happy to the lowest evolved person, that is all happiness that can be obtained from this earthly experience. That was the first boon. And for those who are evolved, then the second boon, after death, they will go because they have done the Yajnas, Yagas, etc. And then he will reach the highest. What is the highest? Hiranyamaya Loka, Brahma Loka. And that is the Kamasya Aptim Jagatah Pratishtha. So we have seen in the Kata Upanishad, Kamasya Aptim. That is what is called Brahma Loka. There is nothing which is lacking. It is the highest happiness obtainable in the dualistic world. And this he is also called Hiranyagarbha. So by the worship, contemplation of Hiranyagarbha, that is called Nachiketa Agni. In the name of Nachiketa, hence onward, this Agni, this particular ritual will be known by your name. Previously it was Svarga Agni. Now Nachiketa Agni. That was the second boon. But once a person experiences this, until a person reaches infinity, no person will be really happy. It is a gradual evolution. Once a person experiences Brahma Loka, he understands this is also not adequate. So I want that from where there would be no return. That is why Nachiketa's questions are very very pointed questions. That which is beyond Dharma and Adharma. You teach me about that. Dharma means any type of activity. Adharma also is an activity. So through activity one cannot obtain that eternal result. Temporary result will only be the result of, because the activity is temporary, result of the activity is also temporary. So Dhanamye Yushatam Devi, because you are Mahadhane. Sarvakamamscha Dehime. I am an ignorant person. I may not know what other things I require. But you are my mother. Look after me and even if I don't know, you give me whatever is necessary. Sarvakamamscha. It is not that I know about every object in this world. I may in future come across some object about which I never knew before. Naturally, if there is a favorable object, I also would like to have that object. Sarvakamamscha Dehime. So, O Lakshmi Devi, Divine Mother, you are the chief of wealth. You give me horses. Bestow upon me horses, cows and wealth. Please give me that wealth that satiates all my desires. So make me such that there will be no desire left out. Then what happens? Such a person, he becomes a wise person. Then he sees. What does he see? I don't need anything. O Namadaha, O Namida. I am that infinite. This is also infinite. I thought this is finite. But now I see only infinity is there. Once I understand the concept of infinity, there cannot be a concept of finiteness. Impossible. So that is why even that Shanti Mantra, Purnamadaha, Purnamidam is a very meaningful one. If we can translate it in a slightly understandable language, that is infinite. Once we say that is infinite, we cannot say this is infinite. That and this really indicates there is an object there which is limited. Here is another object which is also limited. So two limited objects can never make an infinity. Two finite things or infinite number of finite things cannot make something infinite. Infinite means there is nothing else besides it. That is the meaning of even Purusha. So, grant me all. And in the same way, other things are also going. So, uttara pautra dhanam dhanyam hasti asvaadi gaveratham prajanam bhavasi mata ayushmantam karotume. This is the 20th shloka. That is 5th shloka excluding those 15 or 16 rigs. Uttara pautra dhanam dhanyam. That means I want undiminishing lineage. Let there be no death. So, let me have children. Let my children have children. Let my grandchildren have children. It is not that only with grandchildren my desires come to an end. So, grant me children. What type of children? Not wicked people. Not rakshasas. Not asuras. But who will be a yogya bhakta of you. Just as I am pleased I please you and you are pleased with me. Let my children also follow the same path. I am following the path of my ancestors. Let my children also follow. What is the result? That my ancestors were happy. I am also happy. And let my children also be happy. Let there be nobody who is not happy. That is the idea. So, if there are children, then there must be dhanam. That is money, wealth. And dhanam doesn't mean that only what we consider nowadays is money. In the past, only if somebody has got a lot of cows, etc., that is called godhana. And from there, they get everything that they know. With that, they use it to worship God. Very, very highly significant words. So, if a person has got godhana, what is he going to do? He worships the cows. And then what does he do? With that godhana, God has given me. Let me also give it to people, share it with people. I am just a trustee. So, I worship God and I entertain guests. I also serve poor people, deserving people. So, God has given me ample. Sri Ramakrishna used to express it very beautifully. Somebody once asked him that how this unending wisdom is just flowing from your mouth. And he gave a beautiful example from his village example. So, there used to be sellers of grain. And there is a huge heap. And people come. I want one kilo. I want two kilos. Either a heap or a big gunny bag. And then he will pour it out. He will measure it out. He will give. When it is going to come to an end, he will be having some servants, assistants who will bring another bag and pour it down. So, like that, when I require, whatever I require to tell people, Divine Mother supplies to me. That is the idea. If I keep, that means if I don't, do not share it with others, I also will not understand. Others also much less understand. Whatever He gives, whatever I have, I must share it. If you have something, you share it with me. This is the concept of give and take. And this is what Swami Vivekananda pointed out to Indians. You are in this big well. You have become a frog in a well. Why did you come to this condition? Because God has bestowed upon you the greatest spiritual knowledge and you have shut it down. You are not only not giving to anybody else, outsiders, you are not giving even to your own country people. And if you do not give, then you cannot receive also. So, give and receive. This is the law of life. So, we will give what we have. We receive what we do not have. This is the only way. There must be a perfect harmony between the East and the West. And this concept is not being understood or followed even today by people. So much of selfishness has come. So, O Mother, Dhanam, Dhanyam. Dhanyam means food materials. Hasti, that is elephants. This is a repetition of course. Ashwa, that means horses. And Gavaha, that is cows and ratham, chariots. These are supposed to be the wealth of the wealthiest persons. The wealthier the person, he will have all these things. It shows that he is a very wealthy person. But who are you, O Mother? Prajanam Mata Bhavasi. You are not an individual Mother. Prajanam means the entire universe, everybody. Prajanam doesn't mean only human beings, even anything, whether living, non-living. The mountains came from you. All living creatures have come from you. The living, the non-living, the moving, the non-moving, everything has come out from you only. And then, Mother, I want to be worshipping you. I want to. That is why in the Shanti Mantra also, many times, as long as you grant me life, So, So long as, O Gods, you have granted me life on this earth, so long, till the last breath, let me worship you, adore you, pray to you, meditate upon you lovingly. So, you are the Mother of the entire universe. So grant me also a long life, a healthy life, and a life of wisdom. And without God's grace, it is impossible. There was a beautiful incident. Once, Jairambati is going through a period of drought for nearly three years. People were dying, animals were dying, and they could not do any cultivation. This is one of the misfortunes of India. India is blessed with so many rivers, and we are quarreling with each other. And if some enlightened person wants to share these waters, whether it is Brahmaputra or Ganga, to other states, then they start quarreling with each other. What a miserable country people we have become, that our hearts have shrunk so much. We are worse than lepers. Instead of looking upon the whole country as the blessing of God, we are blessed. If only we take the modern scientific knowledge and try to connect, then people need not suffer for the lack of water or for cultivating crops, etc. We can do a lot of things. But except doing what is called some mischief, quarreling with each other, and that is why every time a foreigner comes and then kicks us and then lays us down. They rob all our wealth and then they go away. And yet we have not woken up. We have not learnt our lesson at all. So, Mother, You grant me everything so that I may worship You. What is true worship? Lovingly adoring You and sharing and caring with everybody whatever I have. That is called real worship. And Swami Vivekananda brings out this concept which is great in his own place in the Karma Yoga. A beautiful story from the Mahabharata how a king and a minister and a sannyasin, they all found themselves in a forest under a tree and the two birds with some children, young birds, they all sacrificed themselves because these guests have come. And they all attained to Svargaloka because of that. So, if we do not share whatever is given, that also will be stopped. Now, moving on to the 21st. I think we know the trend now what is happening. So, two interpretations are given here that you are manifesting in the form of Agni, Vayu, Surya, Vasudeva, Indra, Brihaspati, Varuna and Ashwina. Ashwini Kumars. And they are all granting us sustenance in different forms. For example, without Agni, it is not possible to digest our food. Without Vayu, Prana Vayu, impossible to live. Without Surya, life itself is impossible. So, there are what is called Adhishthatru Devatas for every department. But who are they? They have been given these positions only by you. So, I am praying to you and you manifest to me in the form of Agni, Vayu, Surya, Vasudeva, Indra, Brihaspati, Varuna and Ashwini Kumars. What does it mean? Brihaspati means knowledge, Indra means strength, Varuna means all my fields, etc. must get good amount of rain in the right season. Ashwini Kumars represent the highest health that is possible. And Surya, Surya Deva, he is capable of giving anything. In fact, any God is capable of giving everything. But we consider Surya Deva as the very life, cause of life. So, Vasudeva, then Agni Deva, Vayu Deva, Panchabhutas. So, without them, life is impossible. So, one meaning is, one interpretation is that you are making them what they are. You are giving them Agni, the power of heat, the power of burning. You are giving to Vayu, the power of moving. You are giving to Surya, the power of giving life. Your worship, you are manifesting in the form of Vasudeva, that is those who grant wealth to other people. And in the form of energy, you are manifesting as Indra. Indra is supposed to be Yadishtha through Devata of hands, actually. That is one, but strength in the other. And Brihaspati is the God of wisdom. Varuna is the God of wealth again. Ashwini Kumaras, as I said, is the twin Gods of health. Why twin Gods? Both physical as well as mental health. So one interpretation is, Oh Mother, you are manifesting in these forms. You grant me in their form. So first meaning is you are only manifesting as all these Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopini. And the second is that you can grant me directly, but you can also grant through them because what they are granting to me is only what you have granted to them. This is the gist of the 21st shloka. First I will read the English. It is a little bit difficult shloka. So here, Vainatheya is called Garuda. Another name for Garuda is Vainatheya. Oh Garuda, please drink this omarasa. That is to say, previously when they used to do Yagnas Yagas, there is supposed to be a creeper, which even today they have not found out definitely that this is called Somalatha. And it used to give a kind of juice and that has to be collected on a particular time of the day or night as indicated in the Vedas. And the juice has to be prepared that has to be offered to all Gods and Goddesses and that has to be drunk as Prasadam. In other words, this is a very happiness giving creeper. That is its meaning. Some people make it as a wine which intoxicates us. But no. How do we know? Because Ram Krishna had crystal clearly explained it. I do not drink an ordinary wine. I drink the drink of the Divine Mother's name and I am intoxicated. Intoxication means forget all troubles. Rise above all troubles and become what we call a very happy person. So the meaning of the Saumam is that which is capable of elevating our mind to the highest bliss that is possible. And our ancestors, Rishis, etc. used to do this Yajna. And always Yajna might be performed by Kings or Masters. But they cannot directly do it. They will have to appoint what we call Ritwiks. Since the Vedas are four, every Veda has got its own Ritwik. And the person who is in charge of the Atharvana Veda is called Brahma. So the other three Ritwiks, they will be doing the actual thing. But this Brahma is supposed to be all-knowing. He is the supervisor. That means he is a master of all the three Vedas. So this is the meaning of this. One meaning, you have empowered these Gods and Goddesses. You are only manifesting in their power. So you bestow your grace through the instrumentality of these Gods and Goddesses. That is one interpretation. Other interpretation is Oh Mother, you are granting so much of happiness to all these Gods and Goddesses. That means you are what is called Jaganmata. You are the Divine Mother. You are the Mother of all these Gods who are capable of granting so much of happiness to lower creatures like us. Either way, you directly grant us or you who is capable of granting all these Gods and Goddesses, through them you grant. But you grant us that happiness. So, Mahyam Tadatu Svaminaha. All these people who have been given this what is called special happiness. Who are they? They are Garuda. So you please drink the Somarasa. Ritra. There was a Rakshasa called Ritra. He was annihilated by Indra. So Somam Pivatu Ritra. Let Indra drink this Somarasa. Somam Dhanasya Svaminaha. Soma is another name for Chandra. Chandra also is so pleasant. By looking at Chandra we become so happy. So what to speak of those who have endowed him with this Somarasa. So let all these Gods and Goddesses who have been made so much of happy by granting them. You are that mother. So let them grant me. Or you grant directly Svaminaha. All these people who have been given this Somarasa because of which they have become powerful. They have become very happy. So let them also share that happiness. That means let all Gods and Goddesses be pleased to grant me everything. But here comes a beautiful 23rd Shloka that says when we are discussing the above Shlokas, especially the Palashruti, we can have the idea that this person is extremely selfish. He is only asking, give me this, give me that, give me the other thing. In case I forget, you remind me what to ask, etc. But here is something so beautiful. Anybody who repeats, who chants, who meditates upon this Sri Devi or repeats Sri Suktam, what happens? He becomes completely a fulfilled person. He becomes one of the greatest devotees. He becomes a most spiritual person. How do we know? Asubha Matihi Bhavanti Krita Panniyanam Bhaktanam Sri Suktam Japet Sada Sada Sri Suktam Japet So always you chant this Sri Suktam with real devotion. Then you become a Bhakta, Bhakta of the Divine Mother. And if you become a Divine Mother, anybody becomes a devotee of Divine Mother, what do they gain? Krita Panniyanam They acquire what is called infinite amount of Puniyam. Bhavanti Krita Panniyanam Only when they perform all virtuous deeds, Dharmic deeds, do they become really what is called devotees of God. This idea is echoed in the Vivek Chudamani itself. So when Mother is gracious, a mother wants the highest to the child. My child only knows about this village jaggery. He doesn't know anything about Calcutta's Rasagulla. So when I get Rasagulla, I will never give it to him. No. A mother says I know what is Rasagulla. I am preserving it for my child when he comes back from the school and I want to lovingly take my child into my lap and feed him and his joy will be my joy. So this should be the attitude of all the devotees of the Divine. So they become Krita Panniyanam. Only then they become real devotees and they start just like a kitten, always depends upon its mother. That person also depends upon only the Divine Mother. So, the negative qualities, only a few are mentioned. So he will not have any karma because the Divine Mother had fulfilled. And when there is no karma, there will be no anger. Matsarayam means jealousy. That person had more than what I have. That jealousy, that intolerance will not be there, should not be there. If it is there, they are not children of the Divine Mother. Na lobhaha. There is nothing that they are lacking. So that lobha, I want to accumulate this one. No. Whatever Mother gives, I will share it with everybody. And in fact, a summation of all these Taivi Sampath, Such a devotee will never cherish what is called an inauspicious thought and what is called a thought of harm towards anybody. That means he becomes a saint. This is the 24th shloka. So Divine Mother, your abode is lotus. You hold a lotus in your hands. You are adorned with pure white attire, dress. You are wearing a garland that is extremely fragrant. You look beautiful with this. O Bhagavati, consort of Vishnu. She is called Hari Vallabha. That is even in Kanakadhara Satsang, What a beautiful description. That by embracing Lord Vishnu that Divine Mother's every hair is standing on end and Vishnu's hair also is standing on end because He is holding the Divine Mother in His embrace. You and the Divine Lord Vishnu are not separated at all. You are the Pita. So you look beautiful with all these attire, lotus flower, fragrant garland, etc. O Bhagavati, Bhagavan's consort is called Bhagavati, consort of Vishnu. Vishnu, Hari Vallabha. You fulfil my desires all my desires fully. You are the protector of all the three worlds. Please bless me. Please bless me so that I can be devoted. I am your devotee. I want to eternally join with you and be with you. That is the greatest blessing anybody can give. This idea that the Divine Mother and the Lord, Divine Lord are never separate is beautifully expressed in this. I worship the consort of Vishnu who also presides over the whole world. The one who is dear to Madhava, that is Vishnu. One who is dearly and eternally loved by Vishnu. I prostrate before you, O Devi. And then it ends with Gayatri. It is called Lakshmi Gayatri. And this is the crux of the matter. And these few shlokas we will discuss in our next class. Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.