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Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 02 on 19 December 2021

2025-03-05T15:56:01Z

Sundaresan:

== gFull Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
'''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Part 2 online Class 19/12/2021 by Swami Dayatmananda'''

'''Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum padapadme tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur'''

ॐ वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् '''|| '''[[File:Krishna.png|thumb]]'''Vasudeva sutham devam, Kamsa Chanura mardanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam, Krishnam vande jagat gurum'''

''I worship Lord Krishna, who is the spiritual master of the universe, who is the son of Vasudeva, who is the Lord, who killed Kansa and Chanura, and who is the bliss of Devaki.''

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो''',''' दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दन''':|'''

पार्थो वत्स''':''' सुधीर्भोक्ता''',''' दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् '''||'''

'''Sarvopanishado gaavo, dogdha gopala nandanaha |'''

'''parthovatsa: sudheerbhoktaa, dugdham gitamrutam mahat |'''

''All the Upanishads are likened to cows. The milker is Krishna, the son of Gopala. Partha is likened to a calf, while the drinkers are the wise ones. The nectar of Gita is the milk.''

मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।

यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥

'''Mookam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim |'''

'''Yat-krupa tamaham vande paramananda madhavam ||'''

We have entered into the 18th chapter, very aptly called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga.

As we discussed yesterday, this is the essence of all the other chapters, beginning from the 3rd to the 17th.

Why do we think so?

Because the 2nd chapter is called a Sankshyapta Vivarana. In brief, what the Lord is going to teach? What is He going to teach?

O Jiva, O bound soul, you are none other than God. That is how He started.

The soul has no birth, no death, no changes. It is pure consciousness. It is eternal. It is infinite. Ajam, Shaashvatam, Nityam, etc. And then at the end He says, that is the goal. How to manifest this potential divinity which we have forgotten because of Avidya, because of Maya.

So Arjuna asks in a very wonderful way, how do I recognize what is called spiritual progress? Or he didn't put in these words, when I see a realized soul, will I know and how will I know?

Then the Lord gives an elaborate description.

'''''sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣhā samādhi-sthasya keśhava'''''

'''''sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣheta kim āsīta vrajeta kim''''' '''[2.54]'''

'''[what is the disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?]'''

How can a realized soul be recognized? Through these characteristics. What are those characteristics? Why do we need to know?

Because if you come across a great sportsman, how did you happen to have this Olympic gold medal? He will tell you the secrets.

What is the secret :-

* Right from the beginning, first I have to do Sankalpa. I will not rest until I become an Olympic gold medalist.
* Second, I must work hard.
* Third, not merely hard work, but intelligent hard work. Not merely hard, intelligent work, but with concentration, with awareness, correcting the mistakes as I go along.
* And next, that will not do. I have to pray to the Divine Lord. Every success is a mercy, is a grace, is a compassion, is a boon only from God, who is the embodiment of all success.

How do we know?

At the end of this 18th chapter, the very last verse :-

'''यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: |'''

'''तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम || [18.78]'''

'''yatra yogeśhvaraḥ kṛiṣhṇo yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ'''

'''tatra śhrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama'''

[Wherever there is Shree Krishna, the Lord of all Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be unending opulence, victory, prosperity, and righteousness. Of this, I am certain.]

Where there is this ideal and where there is complete self-effort, where there is complete self-surrender, there would be Krishna, there would be success, there would be Siddhi, everything will be there.

So, that is what Bhagawan had taught in the second chapter.

The goal, how many ways are there (ways here means yogas)?

Each yoga, independent of every other yoga, can lead us to the same goal. Ultimately, one has to surrender to God.

So, do not cease to be a yogi.

'''तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| [6.46]'''

'''tasmād yogī bhavārjuna'''

[Therefore, O Arjun, strive to be a yogi]

Why therefore? This is the only way you can be eternally existent, eternally wise, eternally happy person. And that, what has been elaborated very briefly, but very significantly in the second chapter, from verse 11 to verse 72, that is being expounded elaborately, consisting of four pathways. Every pathway consisting, falls into one or the other of these four yogas. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

What are they?

Karma yoga - hard work, dedicated to God.

Next? With complete devotion, called Bhakti Yoga.

Next?
Done intelligently and with complete concentration,
called Raja Yoga.

But done rationally, discriminatingly,
giving up what is obstructive
and doing what is with tremendous amount of Nishtha,
Jnana Nishtha, with discrimination of course,
called Jnana Yoga.
Through any of these four yogas,
and as I mentioned,
they all come together,
but emphasis may be different.
That has been elaborated from the third chapter onwards,
until the 17th chapter.
In the 17th chapter, as I mentioned,
all the four progressive steps,
first of all, security,
then a thirst for higher ideal,
three, tremendous amount of austerity to acquire,
fourth, joyfully sharing it with everybody,
because everybody is aspiring to the same condition.
So, that is expounded.
Now, again the Lord is expounding the same thing
in the 18th chapter,
but with a marvelous question.
As an answer to this marvelous question,
everyone has to give up Maya,
and Maya should be given up in two ways.
First of all, do not wish to do anything
which would be antagonistic,
inimical to spirituality.
Second, do whatever you need to do,
but completely do it with what is called
dedication, surrender,
offering Ishwara Arpana Buddhi,
and whatever happens,
joyfully enjoy it as Ishwara Prasada Buddhi.
And that is what is being expounded here.
So, in our last class,
I have been giving a very elaborate essence,
but the speciality of this chapter is
no yoga, no spiritual effort,
no religion, no activity,
however nicely it is done,
however with great purity it is done.
It's not going to give,
but every activity done sincerely,
discriminatingly, with rationality,
prepares our mind,
makes it a fit vessel to receive
a God's grace,
which comes in the form of knowledge, wisdom.
For that, the ultimate sadhana is,
Oh Lord, I have been able to practice
Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga,
and Nana Yoga.
Whatever I have been able to do
is only because of your grace.
The desire to know my goal,
the effort I put to practice
all these yogas,
and the sincerity, shraddha that I have,
the concentration I have,
the understanding I have,
all these are nothing but manifestations
of your great grace, ripa.
And if we can understand it,
automatically self-surrender comes.
And that has been beautifully put forth here.
Oh Arjuna, I am going to tell you
the greatest secret,
the secret of all secrets.
I told you many times, Bhui Arjuna.
Again. Why?
Because you are my beloved.
Because from the God's point of view,
all of us are beloved.
But, as Ramakrishna says,
if an iron nail is covered with mud,
the magnet wants to attract,
but cannot attract
because of the obstruction.
But you are a person born with
divine qualities, oh Arjuna.
And therefore, I will tell you
how many times?
As many times as necessary
until you come to me.
Then the Lord says,
Let your mind be full of me.
Let all your emotions be directed
only towards me.
That means, let all your joys,
happinesses, satisfactions
be only from me,
thinking of me,
or meeting my devotees,
or studying about me,
listening about me.
Madhyaji, if you have to worship
any aspect of God,
but even if you have to worship
parents, wise people,
teachers, realized souls,
devotees,
but remember, they are all
my manifestations.
Let us remember always,
Ramakrishna's greatest utterance,
Bhagavata bhakta bhagavan.
God, his scripture,
which are his words,
himself in the form of the scripture,
and devotee himself manifesting
as the Jeeva,
these three are inseparable.
So, whenever you worship
either me,
or the scripture,
or a devotee,
you remember,
they are nothing but me.
And if you have to bow down your head,
only bow down to me.
Mam namaskaru,
and satyam te pratijane.
I am truthfully promising you,
if you do all these things,
mam eva eshyasi,
you will attain me only.
Then, ultimately,
this is the charama shloka.
In Sri Vaishnavism,
propagated by Ramanujacharya,
this is considered charama shloka.
That is the essence of every scripture
in this world.
You give up,
dependence,
upon any means,
whether it is teacher,
whether it is scripture,
whether it is worship,
in any form,
take complete refuge in me.
Merge in me.
If you do that,
I will release you
from all bonds,
all manifestations of maya,
because sins come only,
sins are the result of wrong actions.
Wrong actions spring from
wrong understanding.
Wrong understanding springs from
maya avidya.
I will liberate you.
Moksha eshyami.
That is the title of this
18th chapter,
Moksha Sanyasa,
do not worry.
I assure you,
if you take refuge in me,
I am going to make you
completely free.
I am assuring you.
So yesterday,
while discussing the title,
I said there are three meanings.
Moksha means liberation,
we are all bound,
we want instinctively to be free,
so for that we have to give up.
Give up what is
bondage.
Bondage in the form of
misunderstanding, wrong understanding,
partial understanding,
that is called sanyasa.
The meaning of sanyasa is
give up wrong understanding.
Externally,
whether someone is
a monk or a non-dons,
some
ochre cloths or not,
that is immaterial.
There are thousands of
householders, married people,
children, who are
most wonderful monks
in mind,
their behavior, and there are
millions of monks
who are worse than
householders. The lord
doesn't see what is outside,
the lord sees what is
inside.
So give up.
Sanyasa means giving up
whatever is obstructing
our liberation,
that is the first meaning. Second meaning
we discussed,
moksha, liberation,
samadhi, these are other
names, god for god.
God has many names,
moksha is one name,
shanti is another name, etc.
So,
moksha sanyasa means what?
That you completely surrender yourself
to god, and that is the
second meaning. Third meaning is
once you surrender
yourself to god, do not
demand anything, even
give up the idea, I am worshipping
god, I love god, I have devotion
to god, expecting
liberation from him,
that is called business deal.
No, give it up
completely. Like a
kitten, as Ramakrishna puts
it, totally dependent upon
its mother, totally
dependent upon the mother, giving
up everything, wherever she keeps,
I am quite happy, because she knows
what is best. So,
this is the introduction.
Then, I will take
a little bit, quite often,
as I have been doing
it, of Shankaracharya's
this thing. So, the
entire 18th chapter
is begun, with
what purpose? I will
first read Shankarabhashya
a little, and translate it
into very simple English language,
Sarvasya eva
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Asmin Adhyaye
Upasamrutya
Sarvasya Veda Artho Vaktavya
Iti Evam Arthaha
Ayam Adhyayaha
Arabhyate. This chapter,
Ayam Adhyayaha Arabhyate,
this chapter is begun
by the divine lord Krishna,
who is an incarnation
of god. Why? Because
Sarvasya eva Geetha
Shastrasya Arthaha,
the entire essence
summary of the entire
Geetha, Bhagavad
Geetha, consisting of
more than 700 verses
and divided into
18 chapters,
Asmin Adhyaye Upasamrutya
He is summarizing
in the end, any good
author, first he states
what am I going to
tell any good
speaker, any good writer.
What is it I am going to
convey to you. Second,
he conveys it elaborately.
Very briefly he tells
what he is going to convey.
Elaborately he conveys
what he wants to convey to the
best of his ability, both
in a
logical manner, so that
anybody can understand
with a modicum of
intelligence can understand
and in the end every good speaker
or writer must summarize
for the sake of
mnemonics, for the sake of
keeping it in mind.
So here also
Shankaracharya is saying
Asmin Adhyaye Sri Krishna
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Upasamrutya
He has summarized
the entire
idea, teaching of Bhagavad
Geetha and what may that
teaching be Sarvasya Veda Arthaha
Vakthavihar
Remember Sarvo Upanishadho
Gavo Dogdha
Gopalanandana
So what is Bhagavad Geetha
it is the essence of all
the Upanishads. What are
the Upanishads? It is the essence
of all scriptures. Veda
means scripture of
every religion. That was
that is and that will be in future.
With this
idea in mind
This chapter is begun
If anybody
wants even
some doubt, cherishes,
entertains a doubt, what
is the Lord speaking about in all
the other 15 chapters
or 17 chapters
and
if such a doubt comes
and that meaning of all
the
whatever chapters have been
already expounded in
this Bhagavad Geetha
If anybody
studies this particular
chapter, in this chapter
he will be able to
clearly understand it
wishing to ascertain a distinction
between the implication of the two words
Sanyasa and Tyaga
Why Shankara is suddenly introducing
these words because
the whole 17
chapters of the Bhagavad Geetha
are talking about only
it is summarized by
talking about in
two words, sometimes
Krishna uses the words
Tyaga
sometimes he uses the words Sanyasa
and we
who hear those
even after hearing many times
can cherish a doubt
but in that doubt usually
we see monks and nuns
Sanyasins, called Sanyasins
whether it is Christianity
whether it is Sufism
whether it is Buddhist
monks and nuns, whether it is
Hindu monks and nuns
wherever it is
so what is the difference
between Tyaga and
Sanyasa and our
misunderstanding is a person
with a particular lifestyle
who doesn't marry
or gives up marriage
dons a particular yellow cloth
or ochre cloth
or red cloth to indicate
that I have renounced the world
usually such a person
and the lifestyle
he leads is called Sanyasa
whereas Tyaga means
Sarva Karma Phala
Tyagaha, that is to
say give up
do not expect
the results of any
good deeds that you do
anybody does
if we do
that is the normal
meaning of Tyaga
and Arjuna
could not understand, how do we know
that he could not understand
if he had really understood
what is the distinct meaning
of Tyaga and Sanyasa
he would not have put
this question
so in our confusion also
because we are all
like Arjuna's seekers
spiritual aspirants
we also get this
therefore wishing to know
crystal clearly
the distinction between
what is the meaning of Tyaga
what is the meaning of Sanyasa
the very first question
Arjuna asks
and the whole chapter is
so an exposition
of the special meaning
distinct meaning, separate meaning
crystal clear meaning
of these two words Tyaga
and Sanyasa and how
even these two words are
understood by those who are
Tamasika people
Rajasika people
and Sattvika people
that will come, we will see
so Arjuna
asks
so what is the subject matter of the Vedas
that means what is the subject
matter of the Upanishads
what is the subject matter of the
Bhagavad Gita, what is the subject
matter of all the
Puranas and Tantras
what is the subject matter of every
scripture in this world
for that matter
what is the subject matter of any
science in this world
whether it is music, art
whether it is science
after all human life
falls, divides
or moves about
only within these
three areas
either a person is
seeking science or he is
seeking art or he is
seeking religion, that's why
Swami Vivekananda's
teaching has been beautifully
expressed by Sister Nivedita
life is a
manifestation of divinity
either in the form of religion
or in the form of science
or in the form of
art, what are these
three things actually
it is very interesting, that's why
I am going into it, but very
briefly, when a person
has deep longing
for something beyond
this world, such a person
can be called and he is seeking
the truth and that is religion
what is religion?
seeking a truth
which is beyond this limited
purview of this world
what is science? seeking
truth of
the world itself
so that our bodies
our minds, our environment
our objects
instruments, everything can be
a fit instrument
for reaching out to that
inexpressible
longing
to reach that
truth beyond the
limited truth of the world
and what is art?
making every
minute of our life
beautiful
enjoyable, you see
suppose somebody has
to give a teaching
if it is put in the
form of dry
words and becomes
a speech
but if it is put in the form
of a beautiful song
and that is what Bhagavad Gita does
that's why it is called
Gita Song of the Lord
if the same thing
is put in a beautiful
sing song fashion
it is called art
so art is not
something separate from life
but try to
make life
artistic, beautiful
Satyam
Satyam, we are all seeking
truth, but that Satyam
if it can be made
beautiful, it will be much
more enjoyable
that is why Satyam
Shivam, auspicious
Sundaram, beautiful
whole life is nothing
but man's effort
to seek the truth
both in the physical world
and also in the
internal world, in this life, beyond
this life, and then
anything that we seek
truth must always make
us free, truth
is that which makes us free
truth is always
auspicious
always confers blessings
always
releases man
from delusion
Pranthi, Mithya
that is called Shivam
and it can be done
in a most very
pleasurable, emotional
way and that is
called beauty, Sundaram
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, and there
is no other department
which is free from it, so
I was just about to mention
suppose there is a
physicist, he is seeking
what is the
secret of this universe
what is it made up of
and if he seeks enough
then he will, as the
scientists are now finding
as they probe deeper and deeper
there the
truth is getting larger
and larger from
finiteness, it is becoming
more and more leading towards
unity, towards infinity
and that is
inevitably the seeking
of truth, truth seeking
always takes us
first to the truth which is near
to us and then to the
truth which is the final
immediate truth and final
truth and that is what
is called science and what
is art, art is
that which is true
must be beneficial
must be dear, must
be very pleasant
Satyam, Priyam
and Hitham
that is the definition of
every speech, austerity
in speech
so that is the quest
how to make life
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, so to prepare
for this, that
preparation is called yoga
so the whole
scripture, whatever be the
religious following
inclination, every scripture
it has only two purposes
two goals to lead
mankind to
the infinite truth
and to make him understand
you are that truth
I and my father are one
and second
it is the how to
make the person travel
in truth and in beauty
and in joy
Sat, Chit and Ananda
so this is the essence of
all Vedas, that is the essence of
the Upanishads, that is the essence
of the Bhagavad Gita
also and for that
there are two lifestyles
the beginner
and the advanced
the beginner is called Karma
Yogi and the advanced
is called Sanyasa Yogi
but there is something common
between these two
and here these two
words Thyaga and Sanyasa
they are
expounding these
two aspects of the
beginner as well as
the advanced, so
the difference between them
is not much, but I will
forestall by telling
what is the difference between Thyaga
and Sanyasa
both are renunciation
remember we have also
quoted yesterday
Sri Ramakrishna's interpretation of Gita
if you utter
the word Gita fast
enough, then it turns
in the reverse way
Thagi means Thyaga
means renounce, oh man
renounce, what
to renounce, whatever
is not truth
whatever is egotism
whatever is Maya
whatever is attachment
likes and dislikes, Raga Dvesha
then what remains
in other words, Kara
renounce Kara
what remains, Aham
that Aham is Brahma Asmi
Aham Kara
is Jeevo Asmi
and Aham is
Brahma Asmi, that Kara
Isam, Tisam
has to be renounced
so what is the
separation, separate meaning
Thyaga
means, that is the
heart of Yoga
that is renounce
renounce, renounce
renounce everything
anything that attaches itself
to the pure ego as if
as it were not really
find it out and
throw it out and what
remains, remain as yourself
that is the Thyaga
but Sanyasa has two meanings
one meaning is
there are certain
what is called types of activities
so
in the scripture
our Vedas
expound or
place before us, five types
of Karmas, every
action of every human being
are divided into five
Nitya,
Naimittika, Kamya
Nishidha
and Prayaschitta
so Nitya means
daily we have to do certain
things which are beneficial
for our progress
in the physical world
in the mental world
as well as in spiritual world
physically, intellectually
mentally and
morally and spiritually
Naimittika, these
are not to be done everyday
but when the occasion comes
on festival days
on certain events
even saluting
the national flag, reminding
us how much
great
price we have paid
before we obtained this precious
jewel called freedom
freedom in
any form we have to
remember, that's why birthday
why birthday?
because human birth, animals
remember, do not
celebrate birthday, it is
only humans who
can do it, why? because to be
born as a human being is the
greatest grace, blessing,
gift of God, so that's why
we have to remember
not because I am a man or
woman but because
I have been given this precious
human body
so that I can
utilize it for both
Iha and Para Sukha
that is the most important
point for us
this is called Naimittika
so saluting the national
flag, celebrating birthdays
with more spiritual activities
observing festivals
etc
and sometimes worldly events
like marriage and that's why
remember, Hinduism
has got the most
number of what is called sacraments
in life, nearly
100, more than
100 sacraments are there
of them 42 are the most
important, of them
only a few people observe
like marriage
and then when
wife becomes pregnant, when a
child is born, child
is named, child's
first shaving is there, usually
done in a temple
and then first time
child should be given
food, that is called
first
Anna, then
after that he should be sent to a
Gurukula, that is
sacred thread ceremony will be there
after that he returns
these are a few
only we have taken but
the purpose of a sacrament
is to convert
man's life, animal life
into a sacred
divine life
this is occasional, Naimithika
Kamiya, some
people specially require
certain things to make their life
even more fulfilled
like Upendranath Mukhopadhyay wanted
to become rich, Sudama
wanted to become rich, not
to squander the money
but to use it so
that they can have
a decent life
and use that opportunity
to think of God
so Nitya, Naimithika
Kamiya and we have to
exert mightily
to avoid certain things
which are harmful
and meat eating etc
is one of the most harmful
things, some other creature has to suffer
for the sake of
titillation of our tongue
how horrible it is, people do not
realize it, everybody
who wants to know Aham Brahmasmi
he has to imagine
if my throat is
being cut, how much pain
do I get, so
just because they are dumb creatures
people even now think
that they can do whatever they like
so cannibalism is also
used to be practiced
more widespreadly
but now hopefully
it is on the vein
then this is called
Nishiddha Karma, forbidden karma
we have to work very
hard, then there is
what is called many times
out of ignorance, out of
weakness, out of temptation
we do things which we should
never do and
for that we have to counter them
and this is what
is called how to counter them
by doing the counter
actions, for evil actions
the counter actions
should be there, so
this is the
five activities
Nitya, Naimittika,
Kamya, Nishiddha
and Prayaschitta
Prayaschitta
means a mind which is
agitated after doing
must be brought back to the same
condition as it was before doing
that particular action
and for that we have to do some
Prayaschitta Karma
and because we are human beings
we are weak, we do
things sometimes unconsciously
many times consciously
too, so every
activity of every human being
falls into these five categories
and all
these activities have to be done
with one goal
O Lord, I am doing it so that
I can come to you
and I can obtain your grace
this is called Karma Yoga
this is the means whether
we are devotees following the
Pataparaja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga,
Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga
we are only travellers
travel is possible only when we
follow the well-trodden
particular safe
path and
even to progress in that path
God's grace, favourable
conditions are necessary
and that is called complete self-surrender
so the whole
life has got only
two goals in life
to realise that I have to go
to my mother which is God
or father which is God
and God has given
me these wonderful instruments
called body-mind and these
pathways called four yogas
so the whole life
is dominated
by these two
this is what is called
the entire essence of the Vedas
so Thyaga means
complete
non-attachment
that is common for both
Sanyasin as well as
Karma Yogi both
but Sanyasa
it could have two meanings
certain types of activities
which a person doesn't need
at a particular stage of growth
for example
I don't need to eat
some particular things
I do not need these
particular things because
I have enjoyed them enough
I know what they are
I have seen their essence
I don't need
not that I want to give up with struggle
with so much of force
but I do not need
this is what is called
you give up certain activities
and these are common things
what is called for a monk
for a nun
and this also can be practiced
by householders by anybody
this is the first meaning of Sanyasa
second giving up
what is Sanyasa?
giving up certain Kamyakarmas
certain what is called
desires which are
laden which are filled
with many worldly
desires
not necessarily at some
stage of growth
secondly there is a lifestyle
some people
for whatever reason
they like to lead a particular
style of life
some want householders life
and some prefer completely
a monk's or a nun's
life
so Thyaga
is giving up that Ahankara
is called Thyaga
but a particular type of
lifestyle where
certain activities are given up
because I don't
need them
secondly I like
to lead a particular lifestyle
which is called a monk's
or nun's life
this is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
I hope it is quite clear
now with this
knowledge we will
proceed now
before proceeding into the first Arjuna's
question itself
what is the very cause
very root of this particular question
because Arjuna
that means I and you and everybody
who is listening to Gita
has been hearing these words
Thyaga and Sanyasa again and again
and again in the previous
chapters and
Arjuna could not clearly
distinguish or later
on he forgot to distinguish
between what we just
now discussed Thyaga means
mentally
giving up expectations
hopes, the result
and Sanyasa means giving
up certain activities themselves
in the first stage and then
because nobody can give up
activities completely
so long as there is a body
there will be
breathing, eating
defecating, sleeping
all these activities are
impossible so long as the
body is there but certain
Kamya that which is
specially desired by
ignorant people
certain activities can be given up
Kamyakarmas can be given up
but what
is beneficial
for spiritual progress they should
never be given up and
even those activities
which should never be given up like
Yagna, Dana, Tapah etc
which the Lord is going to expound soon
even those activities
as a householder also
as a man of the world also one can do
but some people prefer
a special type of lifestyle
called Sanyasa lifestyle
that is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
but Arjuna could not
understand because the Lord
is going on telling
confusing so called confusing
statements for Arjuna
and Arjuna means here
what there are different types
of people among us some of us
understand quite well by
God's grace some of us
even though at the
time of exposition we seem
to understand and later on
when we hear the opposite word
and immediately we get confused
earlier you said that
now you are saying this is there
not this one I am giving
you certain examples
also so for
example
in answer to Arjuna's
question the Lord is telling
Sanyasa and Karma Yoga
that means Sanyasa and Thyaga
whatever a person obtains
by Thyaga and
the same person in Sanyasa
also they obtain
exactly the same thing
and then many times the Lord also
says about so
Sarva Karma Sanyasa through
knowledge that is give up
many activities
Sarva Karma literally means every
action it is not possible
as I just mentioned so long as the
body is there as eating
drinking, sleeping, walking
and curing certain diseases
or getting some
diseases all these are inevitable
and it is not
possible to give up but
there are some things we can give up
so then again
in the 6th chapter
a person
a formally renounced person
called monk or nun
is not a person
who merely gives up cooking
and who does not do many things
which an ordinary person
is bound to do
but a person
who gives up Karmaphala
the results of activities
not that really
one can give up the results of
actions that is
attachment whether
the result of my activity
gives me pleasure or pain
because I have done it
I inevitably accept
them with the same
emotional state not
getting hesitated not getting
what is called excited
so without
depending upon the results
of actions he who does
he is called sanyasi
he is called yogi, he is called
tyagi, he is called sanyasi
here in this
the lord is even more confusing
so seemingly confusing
that sanyasi
and yogi are exactly
the same thing
so the lord also says
here abandonment of ritualistic
works with promises
of specific reward is
called by the sages as sanyasa
while performance of
all action without an eye
of their fruits
is called tyaga, this is what
we have
just now expounded
so true
abandonment had to be taken to mean
work without attachment to
fruits and without the sense of
ego, actions done
in that spirit is
called karma yoga and karma
yoga not
only doesn't bind us
to this world but it
gradually helps us become
what we really
are, so with
this background we will enter
into the first question, Arjuna
uvaca, Arjuna asks
uvaca means said
but this word said
has to be interpreted in
different senses, that
if somebody is just talking
that is also said
if somebody is giving
a specific reply
in answer, as an
answer to a specific question
is also called said
or somebody is
uttering a question
can it be like this, so
that is also said
uvaca, said only
Sanskrit language is very
flexible, it can yield multiple
meanings, so Arjuna
asks on our behalf
or the doubting
Thomas's within us is
called Arjuna
Arjuna asked, oh lord
I desire to know the true nature of sanyasa
as well as tyaga
as distinguished from each other
oh mighty Hrishikesha
oh slayer of Kesi
so here Kesi
Nishudana, Nishuda means destroyer
Kesi was a
Rakshasa, a demon
a wicked person, an evil person
whom the lord in his incarnation
as Krishna
had demolished, has destroyed
thereafter he got the
title Kesi Nishudana
so what is
Arjuna asking, Mahabahu
Hrishikesha
Kesi Nishudana, three
epithets of Krishna
Mahabahu, that means
great armored one, that means
what, that means your mind
is great, your power is
great, so you alone can answer
my question
Hrishikesha, means one
whose senses
Hrishika means sense organs
Isha means lord
one whose sense organs
are completely under
his own control
he is called Ishwara, he is called
Hrishikesha and he is the
destroyer of the demon
called Kesi, I want to know
Sanyasasya cha tyagasya
Prithak veditum
Ichchami, Ichchami, I desire
what, Veditum, to know
know what, how
Prithak, separately
I am getting confused
somewhere you use Tyaga
somewhere you use
Sanyasa, sometimes you use
in different senses and saying
that Tyaga is better
than Sanyasa, Sanyasa
sometimes is ultimate goal
as he said
Gnanagni sarvakarmani
bhasmasat kuruteyatha
just as a mighty
fire destroys
all dry wood, so
knowledge finally destroys
all activities, here Sanyasa
is like
it is Gnanam, destroys
everything, but somewhere
you say that in the
6th chapter also, for those
who are aspiring, for them
Karma Yoga is more
helpful and for those
who have attained to certain
progress in spiritual
progress, abandonment
of certain types of
activities, not every activities
certain types of activities
is most
useful
when a person has attained
certain activities will
hamper rather than help him
so it is better to
separate himself
stay alone and pursue
one pointedly his
spiritual practices
that is what he said
sometimes separately we are mentioning
sometimes as opposite to each other
sometimes one is better than the other
and sometimes both are
exactly the same, these
words under different
contexts seem to confuse
me, now we are
coming to an end of your
teaching, I may not have this
opportunity because once
this teaching is over
I have already decided, surrendered
myself, whatever you
wish to command me, remember
I will do whatever you
command me and the Lord commanded
as a Karma Yoga
you take part in
this righteous war
because you are a Kshatriya
you are a warrior, you are a soldier
that is your duty, not otherwise
so how
separately, what is the
difference, what is the shades of
difference, why are you saying
again and again
crystal clearly I want to know
about what
means the truth
about what
what is
and what is
with this
so many meanings we have derived
in my introduction, you please
go ahead, now Arjuna wants
to know what if any
distinction Krishna is making between
sannyasa and tyaga, this
is the foundation of
Arjuna's question, so
when Lord Krishna says
he is speaking of one who giving
up his attachment to all
the results of actions, is
happy with himself and not dependent
upon anything else
here tyaga means renunciation of
the results of
actions, but in your
when Krishna talked about this
who has given up all ownership
I am not the owner of
even this body, of even this mind
the word tyaga is used
in the sense of
sannyasa, giving up all
activities, so
these words are simply
clogging up my
mind, making me confused
so many
verses are there which could
lead to this kind of
confusion, so both sannyasa
and tyaga, it
what do they exactly mean
so that is what
is being expounded
and in answer to this
the entire
in a way of speaking, the rest
of the entire 18
chapter is given to the
exposition as an answer
to Arjuna's question
why? because only
as I mentioned earlier
I am mentioning again, so that
if you are confused earlier by my
words, you must know crystal
clearly, life
has only two purposes
one to
know who I am and to strive
to be what I am and the second
what is the means
best means suitable
for each individual
which is called
a particular yoga, particular
religion, so I want to
know about both these things
every scripture must tell only
these three things
which earlier I had mentioned
every scripture must
teach three things, what is
the truth, what is
the goal and what is the means
Swami Vivekananda
in his introduction
very beginning of
Raja Yoga, he puts these things
which is Ramanuja's formulation
of Tattva
and Hita
Purushartha and Hita
Tattva, Purushartha and Hita
Tattva means what is the truth
Purushartha means what is the goal of life
Hita means what is the way
to reach that goal, to attain that
goal, what is Tattva
each soul is potentially divine
you are the child of immortality
you are Brahman
this is the Tattva, truth
so what should be the goal of life
the goal is to manifest
this true
nature of yours that is
by manifest your
divinity by
whatever means you can get
by controlling
nature external and internal
this is the Purushartha
only goal of life
person knows it or not
is travelling towards that goal
then what is the way
one must have clear idea about
the pathway
so he says
what is called do this
hence manifest this divinity
within, know that you are
God, you are the child
of, you are immortal
how? do this
either by work or worship
or psychic control
or philosophy
that means what? Karma Yoga
Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and
Gnana Yoga and be
F R E E
capital letters, be free
that means be yourself
so Tattva, Purushartha and
Hitha and that is what
here also Tyaga and
Sanyasa, Tyaga means
what is the goal of
life and what is
the way, beginning way
and end way to reach
that one, every scripture must
teach the truth about ourselves
and how to reach
that truth and for that
these two only
first Tyaga
ultimately Sanyasa
most important thing is
Tyaga and nothing else
so the Bhagawan's answer starts
in the second verse
the Lord replied
a renunciation of works
induced by desire
is understood by the sages
to be what is known as Sanyasa
or Arjuna while the
surrender, giving up of the
fruits of all works whatever
you do is called Tyaga
by the crystal
clear answer He has given
which we will talk about
in our next class
next Saturday
May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother
and Swami Vikananda
bless us all with
Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna
[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]

Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 02 on 19 December 2021

2025-02-22T17:25:10Z

Sundaresan:

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
'''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Part 2 online Class 19/12/2021 by Swami Dayatmananda'''

'''Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum padapadme tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur'''

ॐ वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् '''|| '''[[File:Krishna.png|thumb]]'''Vasudeva sutham devam, Kamsa Chanura mardanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam, Krishnam vande jagat gurum'''

''I worship Lord Krishna, who is the spiritual master of the universe, who is the son of Vasudeva, who is the Lord, who killed Kansa and Chanura, and who is the bliss of Devaki.''

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो''',''' दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दन''':|'''

पार्थो वत्स''':''' सुधीर्भोक्ता''',''' दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् '''||'''

'''Sarvopanishado gaavo, dogdha gopala nandanaha |'''

'''parthovatsa: sudheerbhoktaa, dugdham gitamrutam mahat |'''

''All the Upanishads are likened to cows. The milker is Krishna, the son of Gopala. Partha is likened to a calf, while the drinkers are the wise ones. The nectar of Gita is the milk.''

मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।

यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥

'''Mookam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim |'''

'''Yat-krupa tamaham vande paramananda madhavam ||'''

We have entered into the 18th chapter, very aptly called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga.

As we discussed yesterday, this is the essence of all the other chapters, beginning from the 3rd to the 17th.

Why do we think so?

Because the 2nd chapter is called a Sankshyapta Vivarana. In brief, what the Lord is going to teach? What is He going to teach?

O Jiva, O bound soul, you are none other than God. That is how He started.

The soul has no birth, no death, no changes. It is pure consciousness. It is eternal. It is infinite. Ajam, Shaashvatam, Nityam, etc. And then at the end He says, that is the goal. How to manifest this potential divinity which we have forgotten because of Avidya, because of Maya.

So Arjuna asks in a very wonderful way, how do I recognize what is called spiritual progress? Or he didn't put in these words, when I see a realized soul, will I know and how will I know?

Then the Lord gives an elaborate description.

'''''sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣhā samādhi-sthasya keśhava'''''

'''''sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣheta kim āsīta vrajeta kim''''' '''[2.54]'''

'''[what is the disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?]'''

How can a realized soul be recognized? Through these characteristics. What are those characteristics? Why do we need to know?

Because if you come across a great sportsman, how did you happen to have this Olympic gold medal? He will tell you the secrets.

What is the secret :-

* Right from the beginning, first I have to do Sankalpa. I will not rest until I become an Olympic gold medalist.
* Second, I must work hard.
* Third, not merely hard work, but intelligent hard work. Not merely hard, intelligent work, but with concentration, with awareness, correcting the mistakes as I go along.
* And next, that will not do. I have to pray to the Divine Lord. Every success is a mercy, is a grace, is a compassion, is a boon only from God, who is the embodiment of all success.

How do we know?

At the end of this 18th chapter, the very last verse :-

'''यत्र योगेश्वर: कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धर: |'''

'''तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम || [18.78]'''

'''yatra yogeśhvaraḥ kṛiṣhṇo yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ'''

'''tatra śhrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama'''

[Wherever there is Shree Krishna, the Lord of all Yoga, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be unending opulence, victory, prosperity, and righteousness. Of this, I am certain.]

Where there is this ideal and where there is complete self-effort, where there is complete self-surrender, there would be Krishna, there would be success, there would be Siddhi, everything will be there.

So, that is what Bhagawan had taught in the second chapter.

The goal, how many ways are there (ways here means yogas)?

Each yoga, independent of every other yoga, can lead us to the same goal. Ultimately, one has to surrender to God.

So, do not cease to be a yogi.

'''तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| [6.46]'''

'''tasmād yogī bhavārjuna'''

[Therefore, O Arjun, strive to be a yogi]

Why therefore? This is the only way you can be eternally existent, eternally wise, eternally happy person. And that, what has been elaborated very briefly, but very significantly in the second chapter, from verse 11 to verse 72, that is being expounded elaborately, consisting of four pathways. Every pathway consisting, falls into one or the other of these four yogas. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

What are they?

Karma yoga - hard work, dedicated to God. What is it? With complete devotion, called Bhakti Yoga. What is it?
Done intelligently and with complete concentration,
called Raja Yoga.
But done rationally, discriminatingly,
giving up what is obstructive
and doing what is with tremendous amount of Nishtha,
Jnana Nishtha, with discrimination of course,
called Jnana Yoga.
Through any of these four yogas,
and as I mentioned,
they all come together,
but emphasis may be different.
That has been elaborated from the third chapter onwards,
until the 17th chapter.
In the 17th chapter, as I mentioned,
all the four progressive steps,
first of all, security,
then a thirst for higher ideal,
three, tremendous amount of austerity to acquire,
fourth, joyfully sharing it with everybody,
because everybody is aspiring to the same condition.
So, that is expounded.
Now, again the Lord is expounding the same thing
in the 18th chapter,
but with a marvelous question.
As an answer to this marvelous question,
everyone has to give up Maya,
and Maya should be given up in two ways.
First of all, do not wish to do anything
which would be antagonistic,
inimical to spirituality.
Second, do whatever you need to do,
but completely do it with what is called
dedication, surrender,
offering Ishwara Arpana Buddhi,
and whatever happens,
joyfully enjoy it as Ishwara Prasada Buddhi.
And that is what is being expounded here.
So, in our last class,
I have been giving a very elaborate essence,
but the speciality of this chapter is
no yoga, no spiritual effort,
no religion, no activity,
however nicely it is done,
however with great purity it is done.
It's not going to give,
but every activity done sincerely,
discriminatingly, with rationality,
prepares our mind,
makes it a fit vessel to receive
a God's grace,
which comes in the form of knowledge, wisdom.
For that, the ultimate sadhana is,
Oh Lord, I have been able to practice
Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga,
and Nana Yoga.
Whatever I have been able to do
is only because of your grace.
The desire to know my goal,
the effort I put to practice
all these yogas,
and the sincerity, shraddha that I have,
the concentration I have,
the understanding I have,
all these are nothing but manifestations
of your great grace, ripa.
And if we can understand it,
automatically self-surrender comes.
And that has been beautifully put forth here.
Oh Arjuna, I am going to tell you
the greatest secret,
the secret of all secrets.
I told you many times, Bhui Arjuna.
Again. Why?
Because you are my beloved.
Because from the God's point of view,
all of us are beloved.
But, as Ramakrishna says,
if an iron nail is covered with mud,
the magnet wants to attract,
but cannot attract
because of the obstruction.
But you are a person born with
divine qualities, oh Arjuna.
And therefore, I will tell you
how many times?
As many times as necessary
until you come to me.
Then the Lord says,
Let your mind be full of me.
Let all your emotions be directed
only towards me.
That means, let all your joys,
happinesses, satisfactions
be only from me,
thinking of me,
or meeting my devotees,
or studying about me,
listening about me.
Madhyaji, if you have to worship
any aspect of God,
but even if you have to worship
parents, wise people,
teachers, realized souls,
devotees,
but remember, they are all
my manifestations.
Let us remember always,
Ramakrishna's greatest utterance,
Bhagavata bhakta bhagavan.
God, his scripture,
which are his words,
himself in the form of the scripture,
and devotee himself manifesting
as the Jeeva,
these three are inseparable.
So, whenever you worship
either me,
or the scripture,
or a devotee,
you remember,
they are nothing but me.
And if you have to bow down your head,
only bow down to me.
Mam namaskaru,
and satyam te pratijane.
I am truthfully promising you,
if you do all these things,
mam eva eshyasi,
you will attain me only.
Then, ultimately,
this is the charama shloka.
In Sri Vaishnavism,
propagated by Ramanujacharya,
this is considered charama shloka.
That is the essence of every scripture
in this world.
You give up,
dependence,
upon any means,
whether it is teacher,
whether it is scripture,
whether it is worship,
in any form,
take complete refuge in me.
Merge in me.
If you do that,
I will release you
from all bonds,
all manifestations of maya,
because sins come only,
sins are the result of wrong actions.
Wrong actions spring from
wrong understanding.
Wrong understanding springs from
maya avidya.
I will liberate you.
Moksha eshyami.
That is the title of this
18th chapter,
Moksha Sanyasa,
do not worry.
I assure you,
if you take refuge in me,
I am going to make you
completely free.
I am assuring you.
So yesterday,
while discussing the title,
I said there are three meanings.
Moksha means liberation,
we are all bound,
we want instinctively to be free,
so for that we have to give up.
Give up what is
bondage.
Bondage in the form of
misunderstanding, wrong understanding,
partial understanding,
that is called sanyasa.
The meaning of sanyasa is
give up wrong understanding.
Externally,
whether someone is
a monk or a non-dons,
some
ochre cloths or not,
that is immaterial.
There are thousands of
householders, married people,
children, who are
most wonderful monks
in mind,
their behavior, and there are
millions of monks
who are worse than
householders. The lord
doesn't see what is outside,
the lord sees what is
inside.
So give up.
Sanyasa means giving up
whatever is obstructing
our liberation,
that is the first meaning. Second meaning
we discussed,
moksha, liberation,
samadhi, these are other
names, god for god.
God has many names,
moksha is one name,
shanti is another name, etc.
So,
moksha sanyasa means what?
That you completely surrender yourself
to god, and that is the
second meaning. Third meaning is
once you surrender
yourself to god, do not
demand anything, even
give up the idea, I am worshipping
god, I love god, I have devotion
to god, expecting
liberation from him,
that is called business deal.
No, give it up
completely. Like a
kitten, as Ramakrishna puts
it, totally dependent upon
its mother, totally
dependent upon the mother, giving
up everything, wherever she keeps,
I am quite happy, because she knows
what is best. So,
this is the introduction.
Then, I will take
a little bit, quite often,
as I have been doing
it, of Shankaracharya's
this thing. So, the
entire 18th chapter
is begun, with
what purpose? I will
first read Shankarabhashya
a little, and translate it
into very simple English language,
Sarvasya eva
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Asmin Adhyaye
Upasamrutya
Sarvasya Veda Artho Vaktavya
Iti Evam Arthaha
Ayam Adhyayaha
Arabhyate. This chapter,
Ayam Adhyayaha Arabhyate,
this chapter is begun
by the divine lord Krishna,
who is an incarnation
of god. Why? Because
Sarvasya eva Geetha
Shastrasya Arthaha,
the entire essence
summary of the entire
Geetha, Bhagavad
Geetha, consisting of
more than 700 verses
and divided into
18 chapters,
Asmin Adhyaye Upasamrutya
He is summarizing
in the end, any good
author, first he states
what am I going to
tell any good
speaker, any good writer.
What is it I am going to
convey to you. Second,
he conveys it elaborately.
Very briefly he tells
what he is going to convey.
Elaborately he conveys
what he wants to convey to the
best of his ability, both
in a
logical manner, so that
anybody can understand
with a modicum of
intelligence can understand
and in the end every good speaker
or writer must summarize
for the sake of
mnemonics, for the sake of
keeping it in mind.
So here also
Shankaracharya is saying
Asmin Adhyaye Sri Krishna
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Upasamrutya
He has summarized
the entire
idea, teaching of Bhagavad
Geetha and what may that
teaching be Sarvasya Veda Arthaha
Vakthavihar
Remember Sarvo Upanishadho
Gavo Dogdha
Gopalanandana
So what is Bhagavad Geetha
it is the essence of all
the Upanishads. What are
the Upanishads? It is the essence
of all scriptures. Veda
means scripture of
every religion. That was
that is and that will be in future.
With this
idea in mind
This chapter is begun
If anybody
wants even
some doubt, cherishes,
entertains a doubt, what
is the Lord speaking about in all
the other 15 chapters
or 17 chapters
and
if such a doubt comes
and that meaning of all
the
whatever chapters have been
already expounded in
this Bhagavad Geetha
If anybody
studies this particular
chapter, in this chapter
he will be able to
clearly understand it
wishing to ascertain a distinction
between the implication of the two words
Sanyasa and Tyaga
Why Shankara is suddenly introducing
these words because
the whole 17
chapters of the Bhagavad Geetha
are talking about only
it is summarized by
talking about in
two words, sometimes
Krishna uses the words
Tyaga
sometimes he uses the words Sanyasa
and we
who hear those
even after hearing many times
can cherish a doubt
but in that doubt usually
we see monks and nuns
Sanyasins, called Sanyasins
whether it is Christianity
whether it is Sufism
whether it is Buddhist
monks and nuns, whether it is
Hindu monks and nuns
wherever it is
so what is the difference
between Tyaga and
Sanyasa and our
misunderstanding is a person
with a particular lifestyle
who doesn't marry
or gives up marriage
dons a particular yellow cloth
or ochre cloth
or red cloth to indicate
that I have renounced the world
usually such a person
and the lifestyle
he leads is called Sanyasa
whereas Tyaga means
Sarva Karma Phala
Tyagaha, that is to
say give up
do not expect
the results of any
good deeds that you do
anybody does
if we do
that is the normal
meaning of Tyaga
and Arjuna
could not understand, how do we know
that he could not understand
if he had really understood
what is the distinct meaning
of Tyaga and Sanyasa
he would not have put
this question
so in our confusion also
because we are all
like Arjuna's seekers
spiritual aspirants
we also get this
therefore wishing to know
crystal clearly
the distinction between
what is the meaning of Tyaga
what is the meaning of Sanyasa
the very first question
Arjuna asks
and the whole chapter is
so an exposition
of the special meaning
distinct meaning, separate meaning
crystal clear meaning
of these two words Tyaga
and Sanyasa and how
even these two words are
understood by those who are
Tamasika people
Rajasika people
and Sattvika people
that will come, we will see
so Arjuna
asks
so what is the subject matter of the Vedas
that means what is the subject
matter of the Upanishads
what is the subject matter of the
Bhagavad Gita, what is the subject
matter of all the
Puranas and Tantras
what is the subject matter of every
scripture in this world
for that matter
what is the subject matter of any
science in this world
whether it is music, art
whether it is science
after all human life
falls, divides
or moves about
only within these
three areas
either a person is
seeking science or he is
seeking art or he is
seeking religion, that's why
Swami Vivekananda's
teaching has been beautifully
expressed by Sister Nivedita
life is a
manifestation of divinity
either in the form of religion
or in the form of science
or in the form of
art, what are these
three things actually
it is very interesting, that's why
I am going into it, but very
briefly, when a person
has deep longing
for something beyond
this world, such a person
can be called and he is seeking
the truth and that is religion
what is religion?
seeking a truth
which is beyond this limited
purview of this world
what is science? seeking
truth of
the world itself
so that our bodies
our minds, our environment
our objects
instruments, everything can be
a fit instrument
for reaching out to that
inexpressible
longing
to reach that
truth beyond the
limited truth of the world
and what is art?
making every
minute of our life
beautiful
enjoyable, you see
suppose somebody has
to give a teaching
if it is put in the
form of dry
words and becomes
a speech
but if it is put in the form
of a beautiful song
and that is what Bhagavad Gita does
that's why it is called
Gita Song of the Lord
if the same thing
is put in a beautiful
sing song fashion
it is called art
so art is not
something separate from life
but try to
make life
artistic, beautiful
Satyam
Satyam, we are all seeking
truth, but that Satyam
if it can be made
beautiful, it will be much
more enjoyable
that is why Satyam
Shivam, auspicious
Sundaram, beautiful
whole life is nothing
but man's effort
to seek the truth
both in the physical world
and also in the
internal world, in this life, beyond
this life, and then
anything that we seek
truth must always make
us free, truth
is that which makes us free
truth is always
auspicious
always confers blessings
always
releases man
from delusion
Pranthi, Mithya
that is called Shivam
and it can be done
in a most very
pleasurable, emotional
way and that is
called beauty, Sundaram
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, and there
is no other department
which is free from it, so
I was just about to mention
suppose there is a
physicist, he is seeking
what is the
secret of this universe
what is it made up of
and if he seeks enough
then he will, as the
scientists are now finding
as they probe deeper and deeper
there the
truth is getting larger
and larger from
finiteness, it is becoming
more and more leading towards
unity, towards infinity
and that is
inevitably the seeking
of truth, truth seeking
always takes us
first to the truth which is near
to us and then to the
truth which is the final
immediate truth and final
truth and that is what
is called science and what
is art, art is
that which is true
must be beneficial
must be dear, must
be very pleasant
Satyam, Priyam
and Hitham
that is the definition of
every speech, austerity
in speech
so that is the quest
how to make life
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, so to prepare
for this, that
preparation is called yoga
so the whole
scripture, whatever be the
religious following
inclination, every scripture
it has only two purposes
two goals to lead
mankind to
the infinite truth
and to make him understand
you are that truth
I and my father are one
and second
it is the how to
make the person travel
in truth and in beauty
and in joy
Sat, Chit and Ananda
so this is the essence of
all Vedas, that is the essence of
the Upanishads, that is the essence
of the Bhagavad Gita
also and for that
there are two lifestyles
the beginner
and the advanced
the beginner is called Karma
Yogi and the advanced
is called Sanyasa Yogi
but there is something common
between these two
and here these two
words Thyaga and Sanyasa
they are
expounding these
two aspects of the
beginner as well as
the advanced, so
the difference between them
is not much, but I will
forestall by telling
what is the difference between Thyaga
and Sanyasa
both are renunciation
remember we have also
quoted yesterday
Sri Ramakrishna's interpretation of Gita
if you utter
the word Gita fast
enough, then it turns
in the reverse way
Thagi means Thyaga
means renounce, oh man
renounce, what
to renounce, whatever
is not truth
whatever is egotism
whatever is Maya
whatever is attachment
likes and dislikes, Raga Dvesha
then what remains
in other words, Kara
renounce Kara
what remains, Aham
that Aham is Brahma Asmi
Aham Kara
is Jeevo Asmi
and Aham is
Brahma Asmi, that Kara
Isam, Tisam
has to be renounced
so what is the
separation, separate meaning
Thyaga
means, that is the
heart of Yoga
that is renounce
renounce, renounce
renounce everything
anything that attaches itself
to the pure ego as if
as it were not really
find it out and
throw it out and what
remains, remain as yourself
that is the Thyaga
but Sanyasa has two meanings
one meaning is
there are certain
what is called types of activities
so
in the scripture
our Vedas
expound or
place before us, five types
of Karmas, every
action of every human being
are divided into five
Nitya,
Naimittika, Kamya
Nishidha
and Prayaschitta
so Nitya means
daily we have to do certain
things which are beneficial
for our progress
in the physical world
in the mental world
as well as in spiritual world
physically, intellectually
mentally and
morally and spiritually
Naimittika, these
are not to be done everyday
but when the occasion comes
on festival days
on certain events
even saluting
the national flag, reminding
us how much
great
price we have paid
before we obtained this precious
jewel called freedom
freedom in
any form we have to
remember, that's why birthday
why birthday?
because human birth, animals
remember, do not
celebrate birthday, it is
only humans who
can do it, why? because to be
born as a human being is the
greatest grace, blessing,
gift of God, so that's why
we have to remember
not because I am a man or
woman but because
I have been given this precious
human body
so that I can
utilize it for both
Iha and Para Sukha
that is the most important
point for us
this is called Naimittika
so saluting the national
flag, celebrating birthdays
with more spiritual activities
observing festivals
etc
and sometimes worldly events
like marriage and that's why
remember, Hinduism
has got the most
number of what is called sacraments
in life, nearly
100, more than
100 sacraments are there
of them 42 are the most
important, of them
only a few people observe
like marriage
and then when
wife becomes pregnant, when a
child is born, child
is named, child's
first shaving is there, usually
done in a temple
and then first time
child should be given
food, that is called
first
Anna, then
after that he should be sent to a
Gurukula, that is
sacred thread ceremony will be there
after that he returns
these are a few
only we have taken but
the purpose of a sacrament
is to convert
man's life, animal life
into a sacred
divine life
this is occasional, Naimithika
Kamiya, some
people specially require
certain things to make their life
even more fulfilled
like Upendranath Mukhopadhyay wanted
to become rich, Sudama
wanted to become rich, not
to squander the money
but to use it so
that they can have
a decent life
and use that opportunity
to think of God
so Nitya, Naimithika
Kamiya and we have to
exert mightily
to avoid certain things
which are harmful
and meat eating etc
is one of the most harmful
things, some other creature has to suffer
for the sake of
titillation of our tongue
how horrible it is, people do not
realize it, everybody
who wants to know Aham Brahmasmi
he has to imagine
if my throat is
being cut, how much pain
do I get, so
just because they are dumb creatures
people even now think
that they can do whatever they like
so cannibalism is also
used to be practiced
more widespreadly
but now hopefully
it is on the vein
then this is called
Nishiddha Karma, forbidden karma
we have to work very
hard, then there is
what is called many times
out of ignorance, out of
weakness, out of temptation
we do things which we should
never do and
for that we have to counter them
and this is what
is called how to counter them
by doing the counter
actions, for evil actions
the counter actions
should be there, so
this is the
five activities
Nitya, Naimittika,
Kamya, Nishiddha
and Prayaschitta
Prayaschitta
means a mind which is
agitated after doing
must be brought back to the same
condition as it was before doing
that particular action
and for that we have to do some
Prayaschitta Karma
and because we are human beings
we are weak, we do
things sometimes unconsciously
many times consciously
too, so every
activity of every human being
falls into these five categories
and all
these activities have to be done
with one goal
O Lord, I am doing it so that
I can come to you
and I can obtain your grace
this is called Karma Yoga
this is the means whether
we are devotees following the
Pataparaja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga,
Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga
we are only travellers
travel is possible only when we
follow the well-trodden
particular safe
path and
even to progress in that path
God's grace, favourable
conditions are necessary
and that is called complete self-surrender
so the whole
life has got only
two goals in life
to realise that I have to go
to my mother which is God
or father which is God
and God has given
me these wonderful instruments
called body-mind and these
pathways called four yogas
so the whole life
is dominated
by these two
this is what is called
the entire essence of the Vedas
so Thyaga means
complete
non-attachment
that is common for both
Sanyasin as well as
Karma Yogi both
but Sanyasa
it could have two meanings
certain types of activities
which a person doesn't need
at a particular stage of growth
for example
I don't need to eat
some particular things
I do not need these
particular things because
I have enjoyed them enough
I know what they are
I have seen their essence
I don't need
not that I want to give up with struggle
with so much of force
but I do not need
this is what is called
you give up certain activities
and these are common things
what is called for a monk
for a nun
and this also can be practiced
by householders by anybody
this is the first meaning of Sanyasa
second giving up
what is Sanyasa?
giving up certain Kamyakarmas
certain what is called
desires which are
laden which are filled
with many worldly
desires
not necessarily at some
stage of growth
secondly there is a lifestyle
some people
for whatever reason
they like to lead a particular
style of life
some want householders life
and some prefer completely
a monk's or a nun's
life
so Thyaga
is giving up that Ahankara
is called Thyaga
but a particular type of
lifestyle where
certain activities are given up
because I don't
need them
secondly I like
to lead a particular lifestyle
which is called a monk's
or nun's life
this is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
I hope it is quite clear
now with this
knowledge we will
proceed now
before proceeding into the first Arjuna's
question itself
what is the very cause
very root of this particular question
because Arjuna
that means I and you and everybody
who is listening to Gita
has been hearing these words
Thyaga and Sanyasa again and again
and again in the previous
chapters and
Arjuna could not clearly
distinguish or later
on he forgot to distinguish
between what we just
now discussed Thyaga means
mentally
giving up expectations
hopes, the result
and Sanyasa means giving
up certain activities themselves
in the first stage and then
because nobody can give up
activities completely
so long as there is a body
there will be
breathing, eating
defecating, sleeping
all these activities are
impossible so long as the
body is there but certain
Kamya that which is
specially desired by
ignorant people
certain activities can be given up
Kamyakarmas can be given up
but what
is beneficial
for spiritual progress they should
never be given up and
even those activities
which should never be given up like
Yagna, Dana, Tapah etc
which the Lord is going to expound soon
even those activities
as a householder also
as a man of the world also one can do
but some people prefer
a special type of lifestyle
called Sanyasa lifestyle
that is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
but Arjuna could not
understand because the Lord
is going on telling
confusing so called confusing
statements for Arjuna
and Arjuna means here
what there are different types
of people among us some of us
understand quite well by
God's grace some of us
even though at the
time of exposition we seem
to understand and later on
when we hear the opposite word
and immediately we get confused
earlier you said that
now you are saying this is there
not this one I am giving
you certain examples
also so for
example
in answer to Arjuna's
question the Lord is telling
Sanyasa and Karma Yoga
that means Sanyasa and Thyaga
whatever a person obtains
by Thyaga and
the same person in Sanyasa
also they obtain
exactly the same thing
and then many times the Lord also
says about so
Sarva Karma Sanyasa through
knowledge that is give up
many activities
Sarva Karma literally means every
action it is not possible
as I just mentioned so long as the
body is there as eating
drinking, sleeping, walking
and curing certain diseases
or getting some
diseases all these are inevitable
and it is not
possible to give up but
there are some things we can give up
so then again
in the 6th chapter
a person
a formally renounced person
called monk or nun
is not a person
who merely gives up cooking
and who does not do many things
which an ordinary person
is bound to do
but a person
who gives up Karmaphala
the results of activities
not that really
one can give up the results of
actions that is
attachment whether
the result of my activity
gives me pleasure or pain
because I have done it
I inevitably accept
them with the same
emotional state not
getting hesitated not getting
what is called excited
so without
depending upon the results
of actions he who does
he is called sanyasi
he is called yogi, he is called
tyagi, he is called sanyasi
here in this
the lord is even more confusing
so seemingly confusing
that sanyasi
and yogi are exactly
the same thing
so the lord also says
here abandonment of ritualistic
works with promises
of specific reward is
called by the sages as sanyasa
while performance of
all action without an eye
of their fruits
is called tyaga, this is what
we have
just now expounded
so true
abandonment had to be taken to mean
work without attachment to
fruits and without the sense of
ego, actions done
in that spirit is
called karma yoga and karma
yoga not
only doesn't bind us
to this world but it
gradually helps us become
what we really
are, so with
this background we will enter
into the first question, Arjuna
uvaca, Arjuna asks
uvaca means said
but this word said
has to be interpreted in
different senses, that
if somebody is just talking
that is also said
if somebody is giving
a specific reply
in answer, as an
answer to a specific question
is also called said
or somebody is
uttering a question
can it be like this, so
that is also said
uvaca, said only
Sanskrit language is very
flexible, it can yield multiple
meanings, so Arjuna
asks on our behalf
or the doubting
Thomas's within us is
called Arjuna
Arjuna asked, oh lord
I desire to know the true nature of sanyasa
as well as tyaga
as distinguished from each other
oh mighty Hrishikesha
oh slayer of Kesi
so here Kesi
Nishudana, Nishuda means destroyer
Kesi was a
Rakshasa, a demon
a wicked person, an evil person
whom the lord in his incarnation
as Krishna
had demolished, has destroyed
thereafter he got the
title Kesi Nishudana
so what is
Arjuna asking, Mahabahu
Hrishikesha
Kesi Nishudana, three
epithets of Krishna
Mahabahu, that means
great armored one, that means
what, that means your mind
is great, your power is
great, so you alone can answer
my question
Hrishikesha, means one
whose senses
Hrishika means sense organs
Isha means lord
one whose sense organs
are completely under
his own control
he is called Ishwara, he is called
Hrishikesha and he is the
destroyer of the demon
called Kesi, I want to know
Sanyasasya cha tyagasya
Prithak veditum
Ichchami, Ichchami, I desire
what, Veditum, to know
know what, how
Prithak, separately
I am getting confused
somewhere you use Tyaga
somewhere you use
Sanyasa, sometimes you use
in different senses and saying
that Tyaga is better
than Sanyasa, Sanyasa
sometimes is ultimate goal
as he said
Gnanagni sarvakarmani
bhasmasat kuruteyatha
just as a mighty
fire destroys
all dry wood, so
knowledge finally destroys
all activities, here Sanyasa
is like
it is Gnanam, destroys
everything, but somewhere
you say that in the
6th chapter also, for those
who are aspiring, for them
Karma Yoga is more
helpful and for those
who have attained to certain
progress in spiritual
progress, abandonment
of certain types of
activities, not every activities
certain types of activities
is most
useful
when a person has attained
certain activities will
hamper rather than help him
so it is better to
separate himself
stay alone and pursue
one pointedly his
spiritual practices
that is what he said
sometimes separately we are mentioning
sometimes as opposite to each other
sometimes one is better than the other
and sometimes both are
exactly the same, these
words under different
contexts seem to confuse
me, now we are
coming to an end of your
teaching, I may not have this
opportunity because once
this teaching is over
I have already decided, surrendered
myself, whatever you
wish to command me, remember
I will do whatever you
command me and the Lord commanded
as a Karma Yoga
you take part in
this righteous war
because you are a Kshatriya
you are a warrior, you are a soldier
that is your duty, not otherwise
so how
separately, what is the
difference, what is the shades of
difference, why are you saying
again and again
crystal clearly I want to know
about what
means the truth
about what
what is
and what is
with this
so many meanings we have derived
in my introduction, you please
go ahead, now Arjuna wants
to know what if any
distinction Krishna is making between
sannyasa and tyaga, this
is the foundation of
Arjuna's question, so
when Lord Krishna says
he is speaking of one who giving
up his attachment to all
the results of actions, is
happy with himself and not dependent
upon anything else
here tyaga means renunciation of
the results of
actions, but in your
when Krishna talked about this
who has given up all ownership
I am not the owner of
even this body, of even this mind
the word tyaga is used
in the sense of
sannyasa, giving up all
activities, so
these words are simply
clogging up my
mind, making me confused
so many
verses are there which could
lead to this kind of
confusion, so both sannyasa
and tyaga, it
what do they exactly mean
so that is what
is being expounded
and in answer to this
the entire
in a way of speaking, the rest
of the entire 18
chapter is given to the
exposition as an answer
to Arjuna's question
why? because only
as I mentioned earlier
I am mentioning again, so that
if you are confused earlier by my
words, you must know crystal
clearly, life
has only two purposes
one to
know who I am and to strive
to be what I am and the second
what is the means
best means suitable
for each individual
which is called
a particular yoga, particular
religion, so I want to
know about both these things
every scripture must tell only
these three things
which earlier I had mentioned
every scripture must
teach three things, what is
the truth, what is
the goal and what is the means
Swami Vivekananda
in his introduction
very beginning of
Raja Yoga, he puts these things
which is Ramanuja's formulation
of Tattva
and Hita
Purushartha and Hita
Tattva, Purushartha and Hita
Tattva means what is the truth
Purushartha means what is the goal of life
Hita means what is the way
to reach that goal, to attain that
goal, what is Tattva
each soul is potentially divine
you are the child of immortality
you are Brahman
this is the Tattva, truth
so what should be the goal of life
the goal is to manifest
this true
nature of yours that is
by manifest your
divinity by
whatever means you can get
by controlling
nature external and internal
this is the Purushartha
only goal of life
person knows it or not
is travelling towards that goal
then what is the way
one must have clear idea about
the pathway
so he says
what is called do this
hence manifest this divinity
within, know that you are
God, you are the child
of, you are immortal
how? do this
either by work or worship
or psychic control
or philosophy
that means what? Karma Yoga
Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and
Gnana Yoga and be
F R E E
capital letters, be free
that means be yourself
so Tattva, Purushartha and
Hitha and that is what
here also Tyaga and
Sanyasa, Tyaga means
what is the goal of
life and what is
the way, beginning way
and end way to reach
that one, every scripture must
teach the truth about ourselves
and how to reach
that truth and for that
these two only
first Tyaga
ultimately Sanyasa
most important thing is
Tyaga and nothing else
so the Bhagawan's answer starts
in the second verse
the Lord replied
a renunciation of works
induced by desire
is understood by the sages
to be what is known as Sanyasa
or Arjuna while the
surrender, giving up of the
fruits of all works whatever
you do is called Tyaga
by the crystal
clear answer He has given
which we will talk about
in our next class
next Saturday
May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother
and Swami Vikananda
bless us all with
Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna
[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]

Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 02 on 19 December 2021

2025-02-22T17:15:15Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
'''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 Part 2 online Class 19/12/2021 by Swami Dayatmananda'''

'''Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum padapadme tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur'''

ॐ वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् '''|| '''[[File:Krishna.png|thumb]]'''Vasudeva sutham devam, Kamsa Chanura mardanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam, Krishnam vande jagat gurum'''

''I worship Lord Krishna, who is the spiritual master of the universe, who is the son of Vasudeva, who is the Lord, who killed Kansa and Chanura, and who is the bliss of Devaki.''

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो''',''' दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दन''':|'''

पार्थो वत्स''':''' सुधीर्भोक्ता''',''' दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् '''||'''

'''Sarvopanishado gaavo, dogdha gopala nandanaha |'''

'''parthovatsa: sudheerbhoktaa, dugdham gitamrutam mahat |'''

''All the Upanishads are likened to cows. The milker is Krishna, the son of Gopala. Partha is likened to a calf, while the drinkers are the wise ones. The nectar of Gita is the milk.''

मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।

यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥

'''Mookam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim |'''

'''Yat-krupa tamaham vande paramananda madhavam ||'''

We have entered into the 18th chapter, very aptly called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga.

As we discussed yesterday, this is the essence of all the other chapters, beginning from the 3rd to the 17th.

Why do we think so?

Because the 2nd chapter is called a Sankshyapta Vivarana. In brief, what the Lord is going to teach? What is He going to teach?

O Jiva, O bound soul, you are none other than God. That is how He started.

The soul has no birth, no death, no changes. It is pure consciousness. It is eternal. It is infinite. Ajam, Shaashvatam, Nityam, etc. And then at the end He says, that is the goal. How to manifest this potential divinity which we have forgotten because of Avidya, because of Maya.

So Arjuna asks in a very wonderful way, how do I recognize what is called spiritual progress? Or he didn't put in these words, when I see a realized soul, will I know and how will I know?

Then the Lord gives an elaborate description.

'''''sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣhā samādhi-sthasya keśhava'''''

'''''sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣheta kim āsīta vrajeta kim''''' '''[2.54]'''

'''[what is the disposition of one who is situated in divine consciousness? How does an enlightened person talk? How does he sit? How does he walk?]'''

How can a realized soul be recognized? Through these characteristics. What are those characteristics? Why do we need to know?

Because if you come across a great sportsman, how did you happen to have this Olympic gold medal? He will tell you the secrets.

What is the secret :-

* Right from the beginning, first I have to do Sankalpa. I will not rest until I become an Olympic gold medalist.
* Second, I must work hard.
* Third, not merely hard work, but intelligent hard work. Not merely hard, intelligent work, but with concentration, with awareness, correcting the mistakes as I go along.
* And next, that will not do. I have to pray to the Divine Lord. Every success is a mercy, is a grace, is a compassion, is a boon only from God, who is the embodiment of all success.

How do we know?

At the end of this 18th chapter, the very last, where there is this ideal and where there is complete self-effort, where there is complete self-surrender, there would be Krishna, there would be success, there would be Siddhi, everything will be there.

So, that is what Bhagawan had taught in the second chapter.

The goal, how many ways are there? Ways here means yogas. And each yoga, independent of every other yoga, can lead us to the same goal. And ultimately, one has to surrender to God. So, do not cease to be yogi. Why therefore? This is the only way you can be eternally existent, eternally wise, eternally happy person. And that, what has been elaborated very briefly, but very significantly in the second chapter, from verse 11 to verse 72, that is being expounded elaborately, consisting of four pathways. Every pathway consisting, falls into one or the other of these four yogas. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. What are they? Hard work, dedicated to God. What is it? With complete devotion, called Bhakti Yoga. What is it?
Done intelligently and with complete concentration,
called Raja Yoga.
But done rationally, discriminatingly,
giving up what is obstructive
and doing what is with tremendous amount of Nishtha,
Jnana Nishtha, with discrimination of course,
called Jnana Yoga.
Through any of these four yogas,
and as I mentioned,
they all come together,
but emphasis may be different.
That has been elaborated from the third chapter onwards,
until the 17th chapter.
In the 17th chapter, as I mentioned,
all the four progressive steps,
first of all, security,
then a thirst for higher ideal,
three, tremendous amount of austerity to acquire,
fourth, joyfully sharing it with everybody,
because everybody is aspiring to the same condition.
So, that is expounded.
Now, again the Lord is expounding the same thing
in the 18th chapter,
but with a marvelous question.
As an answer to this marvelous question,
everyone has to give up Maya,
and Maya should be given up in two ways.
First of all, do not wish to do anything
which would be antagonistic,
inimical to spirituality.
Second, do whatever you need to do,
but completely do it with what is called
dedication, surrender,
offering Ishwara Arpana Buddhi,
and whatever happens,
joyfully enjoy it as Ishwara Prasada Buddhi.
And that is what is being expounded here.
So, in our last class,
I have been giving a very elaborate essence,
but the speciality of this chapter is
no yoga, no spiritual effort,
no religion, no activity,
however nicely it is done,
however with great purity it is done.
It's not going to give,
but every activity done sincerely,
discriminatingly, with rationality,
prepares our mind,
makes it a fit vessel to receive
a God's grace,
which comes in the form of knowledge, wisdom.
For that, the ultimate sadhana is,
Oh Lord, I have been able to practice
Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga,
and Nana Yoga.
Whatever I have been able to do
is only because of your grace.
The desire to know my goal,
the effort I put to practice
all these yogas,
and the sincerity, shraddha that I have,
the concentration I have,
the understanding I have,
all these are nothing but manifestations
of your great grace, ripa.
And if we can understand it,
automatically self-surrender comes.
And that has been beautifully put forth here.
Oh Arjuna, I am going to tell you
the greatest secret,
the secret of all secrets.
I told you many times, Bhui Arjuna.
Again. Why?
Because you are my beloved.
Because from the God's point of view,
all of us are beloved.
But, as Ramakrishna says,
if an iron nail is covered with mud,
the magnet wants to attract,
but cannot attract
because of the obstruction.
But you are a person born with
divine qualities, oh Arjuna.
And therefore, I will tell you
how many times?
As many times as necessary
until you come to me.
Then the Lord says,
Let your mind be full of me.
Let all your emotions be directed
only towards me.
That means, let all your joys,
happinesses, satisfactions
be only from me,
thinking of me,
or meeting my devotees,
or studying about me,
listening about me.
Madhyaji, if you have to worship
any aspect of God,
but even if you have to worship
parents, wise people,
teachers, realized souls,
devotees,
but remember, they are all
my manifestations.
Let us remember always,
Ramakrishna's greatest utterance,
Bhagavata bhakta bhagavan.
God, his scripture,
which are his words,
himself in the form of the scripture,
and devotee himself manifesting
as the Jeeva,
these three are inseparable.
So, whenever you worship
either me,
or the scripture,
or a devotee,
you remember,
they are nothing but me.
And if you have to bow down your head,
only bow down to me.
Mam namaskaru,
and satyam te pratijane.
I am truthfully promising you,
if you do all these things,
mam eva eshyasi,
you will attain me only.
Then, ultimately,
this is the charama shloka.
In Sri Vaishnavism,
propagated by Ramanujacharya,
this is considered charama shloka.
That is the essence of every scripture
in this world.
You give up,
dependence,
upon any means,
whether it is teacher,
whether it is scripture,
whether it is worship,
in any form,
take complete refuge in me.
Merge in me.
If you do that,
I will release you
from all bonds,
all manifestations of maya,
because sins come only,
sins are the result of wrong actions.
Wrong actions spring from
wrong understanding.
Wrong understanding springs from
maya avidya.
I will liberate you.
Moksha eshyami.
That is the title of this
18th chapter,
Moksha Sanyasa,
do not worry.
I assure you,
if you take refuge in me,
I am going to make you
completely free.
I am assuring you.
So yesterday,
while discussing the title,
I said there are three meanings.
Moksha means liberation,
we are all bound,
we want instinctively to be free,
so for that we have to give up.
Give up what is
bondage.
Bondage in the form of
misunderstanding, wrong understanding,
partial understanding,
that is called sanyasa.
The meaning of sanyasa is
give up wrong understanding.
Externally,
whether someone is
a monk or a non-dons,
some
ochre cloths or not,
that is immaterial.
There are thousands of
householders, married people,
children, who are
most wonderful monks
in mind,
their behavior, and there are
millions of monks
who are worse than
householders. The lord
doesn't see what is outside,
the lord sees what is
inside.
So give up.
Sanyasa means giving up
whatever is obstructing
our liberation,
that is the first meaning. Second meaning
we discussed,
moksha, liberation,
samadhi, these are other
names, god for god.
God has many names,
moksha is one name,
shanti is another name, etc.
So,
moksha sanyasa means what?
That you completely surrender yourself
to god, and that is the
second meaning. Third meaning is
once you surrender
yourself to god, do not
demand anything, even
give up the idea, I am worshipping
god, I love god, I have devotion
to god, expecting
liberation from him,
that is called business deal.
No, give it up
completely. Like a
kitten, as Ramakrishna puts
it, totally dependent upon
its mother, totally
dependent upon the mother, giving
up everything, wherever she keeps,
I am quite happy, because she knows
what is best. So,
this is the introduction.
Then, I will take
a little bit, quite often,
as I have been doing
it, of Shankaracharya's
this thing. So, the
entire 18th chapter
is begun, with
what purpose? I will
first read Shankarabhashya
a little, and translate it
into very simple English language,
Sarvasya eva
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Asmin Adhyaye
Upasamrutya
Sarvasya Veda Artho Vaktavya
Iti Evam Arthaha
Ayam Adhyayaha
Arabhyate. This chapter,
Ayam Adhyayaha Arabhyate,
this chapter is begun
by the divine lord Krishna,
who is an incarnation
of god. Why? Because
Sarvasya eva Geetha
Shastrasya Arthaha,
the entire essence
summary of the entire
Geetha, Bhagavad
Geetha, consisting of
more than 700 verses
and divided into
18 chapters,
Asmin Adhyaye Upasamrutya
He is summarizing
in the end, any good
author, first he states
what am I going to
tell any good
speaker, any good writer.
What is it I am going to
convey to you. Second,
he conveys it elaborately.
Very briefly he tells
what he is going to convey.
Elaborately he conveys
what he wants to convey to the
best of his ability, both
in a
logical manner, so that
anybody can understand
with a modicum of
intelligence can understand
and in the end every good speaker
or writer must summarize
for the sake of
mnemonics, for the sake of
keeping it in mind.
So here also
Shankaracharya is saying
Asmin Adhyaye Sri Krishna
Geetha Shastrasya Arthaha
Upasamrutya
He has summarized
the entire
idea, teaching of Bhagavad
Geetha and what may that
teaching be Sarvasya Veda Arthaha
Vakthavihar
Remember Sarvo Upanishadho
Gavo Dogdha
Gopalanandana
So what is Bhagavad Geetha
it is the essence of all
the Upanishads. What are
the Upanishads? It is the essence
of all scriptures. Veda
means scripture of
every religion. That was
that is and that will be in future.
With this
idea in mind
This chapter is begun
If anybody
wants even
some doubt, cherishes,
entertains a doubt, what
is the Lord speaking about in all
the other 15 chapters
or 17 chapters
and
if such a doubt comes
and that meaning of all
the
whatever chapters have been
already expounded in
this Bhagavad Geetha
If anybody
studies this particular
chapter, in this chapter
he will be able to
clearly understand it
wishing to ascertain a distinction
between the implication of the two words
Sanyasa and Tyaga
Why Shankara is suddenly introducing
these words because
the whole 17
chapters of the Bhagavad Geetha
are talking about only
it is summarized by
talking about in
two words, sometimes
Krishna uses the words
Tyaga
sometimes he uses the words Sanyasa
and we
who hear those
even after hearing many times
can cherish a doubt
but in that doubt usually
we see monks and nuns
Sanyasins, called Sanyasins
whether it is Christianity
whether it is Sufism
whether it is Buddhist
monks and nuns, whether it is
Hindu monks and nuns
wherever it is
so what is the difference
between Tyaga and
Sanyasa and our
misunderstanding is a person
with a particular lifestyle
who doesn't marry
or gives up marriage
dons a particular yellow cloth
or ochre cloth
or red cloth to indicate
that I have renounced the world
usually such a person
and the lifestyle
he leads is called Sanyasa
whereas Tyaga means
Sarva Karma Phala
Tyagaha, that is to
say give up
do not expect
the results of any
good deeds that you do
anybody does
if we do
that is the normal
meaning of Tyaga
and Arjuna
could not understand, how do we know
that he could not understand
if he had really understood
what is the distinct meaning
of Tyaga and Sanyasa
he would not have put
this question
so in our confusion also
because we are all
like Arjuna's seekers
spiritual aspirants
we also get this
therefore wishing to know
crystal clearly
the distinction between
what is the meaning of Tyaga
what is the meaning of Sanyasa
the very first question
Arjuna asks
and the whole chapter is
so an exposition
of the special meaning
distinct meaning, separate meaning
crystal clear meaning
of these two words Tyaga
and Sanyasa and how
even these two words are
understood by those who are
Tamasika people
Rajasika people
and Sattvika people
that will come, we will see
so Arjuna
asks
so what is the subject matter of the Vedas
that means what is the subject
matter of the Upanishads
what is the subject matter of the
Bhagavad Gita, what is the subject
matter of all the
Puranas and Tantras
what is the subject matter of every
scripture in this world
for that matter
what is the subject matter of any
science in this world
whether it is music, art
whether it is science
after all human life
falls, divides
or moves about
only within these
three areas
either a person is
seeking science or he is
seeking art or he is
seeking religion, that's why
Swami Vivekananda's
teaching has been beautifully
expressed by Sister Nivedita
life is a
manifestation of divinity
either in the form of religion
or in the form of science
or in the form of
art, what are these
three things actually
it is very interesting, that's why
I am going into it, but very
briefly, when a person
has deep longing
for something beyond
this world, such a person
can be called and he is seeking
the truth and that is religion
what is religion?
seeking a truth
which is beyond this limited
purview of this world
what is science? seeking
truth of
the world itself
so that our bodies
our minds, our environment
our objects
instruments, everything can be
a fit instrument
for reaching out to that
inexpressible
longing
to reach that
truth beyond the
limited truth of the world
and what is art?
making every
minute of our life
beautiful
enjoyable, you see
suppose somebody has
to give a teaching
if it is put in the
form of dry
words and becomes
a speech
but if it is put in the form
of a beautiful song
and that is what Bhagavad Gita does
that's why it is called
Gita Song of the Lord
if the same thing
is put in a beautiful
sing song fashion
it is called art
so art is not
something separate from life
but try to
make life
artistic, beautiful
Satyam
Satyam, we are all seeking
truth, but that Satyam
if it can be made
beautiful, it will be much
more enjoyable
that is why Satyam
Shivam, auspicious
Sundaram, beautiful
whole life is nothing
but man's effort
to seek the truth
both in the physical world
and also in the
internal world, in this life, beyond
this life, and then
anything that we seek
truth must always make
us free, truth
is that which makes us free
truth is always
auspicious
always confers blessings
always
releases man
from delusion
Pranthi, Mithya
that is called Shivam
and it can be done
in a most very
pleasurable, emotional
way and that is
called beauty, Sundaram
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, and there
is no other department
which is free from it, so
I was just about to mention
suppose there is a
physicist, he is seeking
what is the
secret of this universe
what is it made up of
and if he seeks enough
then he will, as the
scientists are now finding
as they probe deeper and deeper
there the
truth is getting larger
and larger from
finiteness, it is becoming
more and more leading towards
unity, towards infinity
and that is
inevitably the seeking
of truth, truth seeking
always takes us
first to the truth which is near
to us and then to the
truth which is the final
immediate truth and final
truth and that is what
is called science and what
is art, art is
that which is true
must be beneficial
must be dear, must
be very pleasant
Satyam, Priyam
and Hitham
that is the definition of
every speech, austerity
in speech
so that is the quest
how to make life
Satyam, Shivam
Sundaram, so to prepare
for this, that
preparation is called yoga
so the whole
scripture, whatever be the
religious following
inclination, every scripture
it has only two purposes
two goals to lead
mankind to
the infinite truth
and to make him understand
you are that truth
I and my father are one
and second
it is the how to
make the person travel
in truth and in beauty
and in joy
Sat, Chit and Ananda
so this is the essence of
all Vedas, that is the essence of
the Upanishads, that is the essence
of the Bhagavad Gita
also and for that
there are two lifestyles
the beginner
and the advanced
the beginner is called Karma
Yogi and the advanced
is called Sanyasa Yogi
but there is something common
between these two
and here these two
words Thyaga and Sanyasa
they are
expounding these
two aspects of the
beginner as well as
the advanced, so
the difference between them
is not much, but I will
forestall by telling
what is the difference between Thyaga
and Sanyasa
both are renunciation
remember we have also
quoted yesterday
Sri Ramakrishna's interpretation of Gita
if you utter
the word Gita fast
enough, then it turns
in the reverse way
Thagi means Thyaga
means renounce, oh man
renounce, what
to renounce, whatever
is not truth
whatever is egotism
whatever is Maya
whatever is attachment
likes and dislikes, Raga Dvesha
then what remains
in other words, Kara
renounce Kara
what remains, Aham
that Aham is Brahma Asmi
Aham Kara
is Jeevo Asmi
and Aham is
Brahma Asmi, that Kara
Isam, Tisam
has to be renounced
so what is the
separation, separate meaning
Thyaga
means, that is the
heart of Yoga
that is renounce
renounce, renounce
renounce everything
anything that attaches itself
to the pure ego as if
as it were not really
find it out and
throw it out and what
remains, remain as yourself
that is the Thyaga
but Sanyasa has two meanings
one meaning is
there are certain
what is called types of activities
so
in the scripture
our Vedas
expound or
place before us, five types
of Karmas, every
action of every human being
are divided into five
Nitya,
Naimittika, Kamya
Nishidha
and Prayaschitta
so Nitya means
daily we have to do certain
things which are beneficial
for our progress
in the physical world
in the mental world
as well as in spiritual world
physically, intellectually
mentally and
morally and spiritually
Naimittika, these
are not to be done everyday
but when the occasion comes
on festival days
on certain events
even saluting
the national flag, reminding
us how much
great
price we have paid
before we obtained this precious
jewel called freedom
freedom in
any form we have to
remember, that's why birthday
why birthday?
because human birth, animals
remember, do not
celebrate birthday, it is
only humans who
can do it, why? because to be
born as a human being is the
greatest grace, blessing,
gift of God, so that's why
we have to remember
not because I am a man or
woman but because
I have been given this precious
human body
so that I can
utilize it for both
Iha and Para Sukha
that is the most important
point for us
this is called Naimittika
so saluting the national
flag, celebrating birthdays
with more spiritual activities
observing festivals
etc
and sometimes worldly events
like marriage and that's why
remember, Hinduism
has got the most
number of what is called sacraments
in life, nearly
100, more than
100 sacraments are there
of them 42 are the most
important, of them
only a few people observe
like marriage
and then when
wife becomes pregnant, when a
child is born, child
is named, child's
first shaving is there, usually
done in a temple
and then first time
child should be given
food, that is called
first
Anna, then
after that he should be sent to a
Gurukula, that is
sacred thread ceremony will be there
after that he returns
these are a few
only we have taken but
the purpose of a sacrament
is to convert
man's life, animal life
into a sacred
divine life
this is occasional, Naimithika
Kamiya, some
people specially require
certain things to make their life
even more fulfilled
like Upendranath Mukhopadhyay wanted
to become rich, Sudama
wanted to become rich, not
to squander the money
but to use it so
that they can have
a decent life
and use that opportunity
to think of God
so Nitya, Naimithika
Kamiya and we have to
exert mightily
to avoid certain things
which are harmful
and meat eating etc
is one of the most harmful
things, some other creature has to suffer
for the sake of
titillation of our tongue
how horrible it is, people do not
realize it, everybody
who wants to know Aham Brahmasmi
he has to imagine
if my throat is
being cut, how much pain
do I get, so
just because they are dumb creatures
people even now think
that they can do whatever they like
so cannibalism is also
used to be practiced
more widespreadly
but now hopefully
it is on the vein
then this is called
Nishiddha Karma, forbidden karma
we have to work very
hard, then there is
what is called many times
out of ignorance, out of
weakness, out of temptation
we do things which we should
never do and
for that we have to counter them
and this is what
is called how to counter them
by doing the counter
actions, for evil actions
the counter actions
should be there, so
this is the
five activities
Nitya, Naimittika,
Kamya, Nishiddha
and Prayaschitta
Prayaschitta
means a mind which is
agitated after doing
must be brought back to the same
condition as it was before doing
that particular action
and for that we have to do some
Prayaschitta Karma
and because we are human beings
we are weak, we do
things sometimes unconsciously
many times consciously
too, so every
activity of every human being
falls into these five categories
and all
these activities have to be done
with one goal
O Lord, I am doing it so that
I can come to you
and I can obtain your grace
this is called Karma Yoga
this is the means whether
we are devotees following the
Pataparaja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga,
Karma Yoga, Gnana Yoga
we are only travellers
travel is possible only when we
follow the well-trodden
particular safe
path and
even to progress in that path
God's grace, favourable
conditions are necessary
and that is called complete self-surrender
so the whole
life has got only
two goals in life
to realise that I have to go
to my mother which is God
or father which is God
and God has given
me these wonderful instruments
called body-mind and these
pathways called four yogas
so the whole life
is dominated
by these two
this is what is called
the entire essence of the Vedas
so Thyaga means
complete
non-attachment
that is common for both
Sanyasin as well as
Karma Yogi both
but Sanyasa
it could have two meanings
certain types of activities
which a person doesn't need
at a particular stage of growth
for example
I don't need to eat
some particular things
I do not need these
particular things because
I have enjoyed them enough
I know what they are
I have seen their essence
I don't need
not that I want to give up with struggle
with so much of force
but I do not need
this is what is called
you give up certain activities
and these are common things
what is called for a monk
for a nun
and this also can be practiced
by householders by anybody
this is the first meaning of Sanyasa
second giving up
what is Sanyasa?
giving up certain Kamyakarmas
certain what is called
desires which are
laden which are filled
with many worldly
desires
not necessarily at some
stage of growth
secondly there is a lifestyle
some people
for whatever reason
they like to lead a particular
style of life
some want householders life
and some prefer completely
a monk's or a nun's
life
so Thyaga
is giving up that Ahankara
is called Thyaga
but a particular type of
lifestyle where
certain activities are given up
because I don't
need them
secondly I like
to lead a particular lifestyle
which is called a monk's
or nun's life
this is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
I hope it is quite clear
now with this
knowledge we will
proceed now
before proceeding into the first Arjuna's
question itself
what is the very cause
very root of this particular question
because Arjuna
that means I and you and everybody
who is listening to Gita
has been hearing these words
Thyaga and Sanyasa again and again
and again in the previous
chapters and
Arjuna could not clearly
distinguish or later
on he forgot to distinguish
between what we just
now discussed Thyaga means
mentally
giving up expectations
hopes, the result
and Sanyasa means giving
up certain activities themselves
in the first stage and then
because nobody can give up
activities completely
so long as there is a body
there will be
breathing, eating
defecating, sleeping
all these activities are
impossible so long as the
body is there but certain
Kamya that which is
specially desired by
ignorant people
certain activities can be given up
Kamyakarmas can be given up
but what
is beneficial
for spiritual progress they should
never be given up and
even those activities
which should never be given up like
Yagna, Dana, Tapah etc
which the Lord is going to expound soon
even those activities
as a householder also
as a man of the world also one can do
but some people prefer
a special type of lifestyle
called Sanyasa lifestyle
that is the main difference
between Thyaga and Sanyasa
but Arjuna could not
understand because the Lord
is going on telling
confusing so called confusing
statements for Arjuna
and Arjuna means here
what there are different types
of people among us some of us
understand quite well by
God's grace some of us
even though at the
time of exposition we seem
to understand and later on
when we hear the opposite word
and immediately we get confused
earlier you said that
now you are saying this is there
not this one I am giving
you certain examples
also so for
example
in answer to Arjuna's
question the Lord is telling
Sanyasa and Karma Yoga
that means Sanyasa and Thyaga
whatever a person obtains
by Thyaga and
the same person in Sanyasa
also they obtain
exactly the same thing
and then many times the Lord also
says about so
Sarva Karma Sanyasa through
knowledge that is give up
many activities
Sarva Karma literally means every
action it is not possible
as I just mentioned so long as the
body is there as eating
drinking, sleeping, walking
and curing certain diseases
or getting some
diseases all these are inevitable
and it is not
possible to give up but
there are some things we can give up
so then again
in the 6th chapter
a person
a formally renounced person
called monk or nun
is not a person
who merely gives up cooking
and who does not do many things
which an ordinary person
is bound to do
but a person
who gives up Karmaphala
the results of activities
not that really
one can give up the results of
actions that is
attachment whether
the result of my activity
gives me pleasure or pain
because I have done it
I inevitably accept
them with the same
emotional state not
getting hesitated not getting
what is called excited
so without
depending upon the results
of actions he who does
he is called sanyasi
he is called yogi, he is called
tyagi, he is called sanyasi
here in this
the lord is even more confusing
so seemingly confusing
that sanyasi
and yogi are exactly
the same thing
so the lord also says
here abandonment of ritualistic
works with promises
of specific reward is
called by the sages as sanyasa
while performance of
all action without an eye
of their fruits
is called tyaga, this is what
we have
just now expounded
so true
abandonment had to be taken to mean
work without attachment to
fruits and without the sense of
ego, actions done
in that spirit is
called karma yoga and karma
yoga not
only doesn't bind us
to this world but it
gradually helps us become
what we really
are, so with
this background we will enter
into the first question, Arjuna
uvaca, Arjuna asks
uvaca means said
but this word said
has to be interpreted in
different senses, that
if somebody is just talking
that is also said
if somebody is giving
a specific reply
in answer, as an
answer to a specific question
is also called said
or somebody is
uttering a question
can it be like this, so
that is also said
uvaca, said only
Sanskrit language is very
flexible, it can yield multiple
meanings, so Arjuna
asks on our behalf
or the doubting
Thomas's within us is
called Arjuna
Arjuna asked, oh lord
I desire to know the true nature of sanyasa
as well as tyaga
as distinguished from each other
oh mighty Hrishikesha
oh slayer of Kesi
so here Kesi
Nishudana, Nishuda means destroyer
Kesi was a
Rakshasa, a demon
a wicked person, an evil person
whom the lord in his incarnation
as Krishna
had demolished, has destroyed
thereafter he got the
title Kesi Nishudana
so what is
Arjuna asking, Mahabahu
Hrishikesha
Kesi Nishudana, three
epithets of Krishna
Mahabahu, that means
great armored one, that means
what, that means your mind
is great, your power is
great, so you alone can answer
my question
Hrishikesha, means one
whose senses
Hrishika means sense organs
Isha means lord
one whose sense organs
are completely under
his own control
he is called Ishwara, he is called
Hrishikesha and he is the
destroyer of the demon
called Kesi, I want to know
Sanyasasya cha tyagasya
Prithak veditum
Ichchami, Ichchami, I desire
what, Veditum, to know
know what, how
Prithak, separately
I am getting confused
somewhere you use Tyaga
somewhere you use
Sanyasa, sometimes you use
in different senses and saying
that Tyaga is better
than Sanyasa, Sanyasa
sometimes is ultimate goal
as he said
Gnanagni sarvakarmani
bhasmasat kuruteyatha
just as a mighty
fire destroys
all dry wood, so
knowledge finally destroys
all activities, here Sanyasa
is like
it is Gnanam, destroys
everything, but somewhere
you say that in the
6th chapter also, for those
who are aspiring, for them
Karma Yoga is more
helpful and for those
who have attained to certain
progress in spiritual
progress, abandonment
of certain types of
activities, not every activities
certain types of activities
is most
useful
when a person has attained
certain activities will
hamper rather than help him
so it is better to
separate himself
stay alone and pursue
one pointedly his
spiritual practices
that is what he said
sometimes separately we are mentioning
sometimes as opposite to each other
sometimes one is better than the other
and sometimes both are
exactly the same, these
words under different
contexts seem to confuse
me, now we are
coming to an end of your
teaching, I may not have this
opportunity because once
this teaching is over
I have already decided, surrendered
myself, whatever you
wish to command me, remember
I will do whatever you
command me and the Lord commanded
as a Karma Yoga
you take part in
this righteous war
because you are a Kshatriya
you are a warrior, you are a soldier
that is your duty, not otherwise
so how
separately, what is the
difference, what is the shades of
difference, why are you saying
again and again
crystal clearly I want to know
about what
means the truth
about what
what is
and what is
with this
so many meanings we have derived
in my introduction, you please
go ahead, now Arjuna wants
to know what if any
distinction Krishna is making between
sannyasa and tyaga, this
is the foundation of
Arjuna's question, so
when Lord Krishna says
he is speaking of one who giving
up his attachment to all
the results of actions, is
happy with himself and not dependent
upon anything else
here tyaga means renunciation of
the results of
actions, but in your
when Krishna talked about this
who has given up all ownership
I am not the owner of
even this body, of even this mind
the word tyaga is used
in the sense of
sannyasa, giving up all
activities, so
these words are simply
clogging up my
mind, making me confused
so many
verses are there which could
lead to this kind of
confusion, so both sannyasa
and tyaga, it
what do they exactly mean
so that is what
is being expounded
and in answer to this
the entire
in a way of speaking, the rest
of the entire 18
chapter is given to the
exposition as an answer
to Arjuna's question
why? because only
as I mentioned earlier
I am mentioning again, so that
if you are confused earlier by my
words, you must know crystal
clearly, life
has only two purposes
one to
know who I am and to strive
to be what I am and the second
what is the means
best means suitable
for each individual
which is called
a particular yoga, particular
religion, so I want to
know about both these things
every scripture must tell only
these three things
which earlier I had mentioned
every scripture must
teach three things, what is
the truth, what is
the goal and what is the means
Swami Vivekananda
in his introduction
very beginning of
Raja Yoga, he puts these things
which is Ramanuja's formulation
of Tattva
and Hita
Purushartha and Hita
Tattva, Purushartha and Hita
Tattva means what is the truth
Purushartha means what is the goal of life
Hita means what is the way
to reach that goal, to attain that
goal, what is Tattva
each soul is potentially divine
you are the child of immortality
you are Brahman
this is the Tattva, truth
so what should be the goal of life
the goal is to manifest
this true
nature of yours that is
by manifest your
divinity by
whatever means you can get
by controlling
nature external and internal
this is the Purushartha
only goal of life
person knows it or not
is travelling towards that goal
then what is the way
one must have clear idea about
the pathway
so he says
what is called do this
hence manifest this divinity
within, know that you are
God, you are the child
of, you are immortal
how? do this
either by work or worship
or psychic control
or philosophy
that means what? Karma Yoga
Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and
Gnana Yoga and be
F R E E
capital letters, be free
that means be yourself
so Tattva, Purushartha and
Hitha and that is what
here also Tyaga and
Sanyasa, Tyaga means
what is the goal of
life and what is
the way, beginning way
and end way to reach
that one, every scripture must
teach the truth about ourselves
and how to reach
that truth and for that
these two only
first Tyaga
ultimately Sanyasa
most important thing is
Tyaga and nothing else
so the Bhagawan's answer starts
in the second verse
the Lord replied
a renunciation of works
induced by desire
is understood by the sages
to be what is known as Sanyasa
or Arjuna while the
surrender, giving up of the
fruits of all works whatever
you do is called Tyaga
by the crystal
clear answer He has given
which we will talk about
in our next class
next Saturday
May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother
and Swami Vikananda
bless us all with
Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna
[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]

Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 01 on 18 December 2021

2024-11-13T18:08:19Z

Sundaresan:

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
'''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 online Class 18/12/2021 by Swami Dayatmananda'''

Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum padapadme tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur

ॐ वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् '''|| '''
[[File:Krishna.png|thumb]]
'''Vasudeva sutham devam, Kamsa Chanura mardanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam, Krishnam vande jagat gurum'''

''I worship Lord Krishna, who is the spiritual master of the universe, who is the son of Vasudeva, who is the Lord, who killed Kansa and Chanura, and who is the bliss of Devaki.''

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो''',''' दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दन''':|'''

पार्थो वत्स''':''' सुधीर्भोक्ता''',''' दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् '''||'''

'''Sarvopanishado gaavo, dogdha gopala nandanaha|'''

'''parthovatsa: sudheerbhoktaa, dugdham gitamrutam mahat |'''

''All the Upanishads are likened to cows. The milker is Krishna, the son of Gopala. Partha is likened to a calf, while the drinkers are the wise ones. The nectar of Gita is the milk.''

मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।

यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥

'''Mookam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim |'''

'''Yat-krupa tamaham vande paramananda madhavam ||'''

By the grace of the Lord, we have been successfully studying the Bhagavad Gita. By His grace, we have completed 17 chapters. And today, we are entering into the 18th and the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

Now, this chapter is also one of the longest chapters. This chapter is considered by many to be the very essence of all the previous chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. I will very briefly mention something very interesting and very important. Bhagavad Gita has got 18 chapters. But the first chapter is considered as the foundation.

'''''Vishada''''' means bondage. A soul deeply bound, but awakened to the fact that it is bound and restless, wanting to get out of that bondage. Yet it is unable to understand the nature of the bondage and how it came to be, and how it can be destroyed, how it can fly back. In the words of Sri Ramakrishna, like the chicks of the Homa bird trying to fly back to its mother. If they do not fly back, they will be smashed.

Understanding that but finding no other way, Arjuna takes refuge in the Divine Lord. And so, the Bhagavad Gita actually starts in the second chapter, 11th shloka. The 18th chapter has got 78 verses, it is the longest, the next longest is the second chapter, which has got 72 verses. And in that He gives the very essence of the Bhagavad Gita.

So, second chapter beginning from the 11th verse to the end, 72nd, is the essence of what He is going to tell Arjuna. From the 3rd chapter until, I would say, the 13th chapter, all the four yogas are covered, four pathways which expound the nature of reality and what is its relationship with each one of us, with each Jiva, which is nothing but '''''Jivo Brahmaiva Naparaha'''''.

But he is caught in the middle, in the mesh of the samsara, which is called '''''Jagatmithyatvam''''' or '''''Maya'''''. And the four pathways, called the four yogas, how through each one of us, independent of each other, though they can never be separated from each other, but emphasizing one more than the other, can reach the goal, can know that '''''Aham Brahmasmi''''', I am none other than Brahman.

And that has been expounded from the 3rd to the 17th chapters. And again, in the last chapter, the Lord is not saying anything new. He is only summing up the essence of what He has said in all the previous verses.

But there is an extraordinarily great pointer towards the end of this 18th chapter. He says, ‘Oh man, you can practice Karma Yoga, you can practice Bhakti Yoga, you can practice Raja Yoga, you can practice Jnana Yoga. No yoga is superior to any other yoga. Every yoga contains all the other yogas, but depending upon which particular yoga we emphasize, we call that aspirant either a Bhakta or a Karma Yogi or a Raja Yogi or a Jnana Yogi’.

This special point, the Lord clearly points out to each one of us.

So the question is, can someone reach God either through Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga or Jnana Yoga? No. And in the end, he also says, every yoga, he renamed it as Dharma. And he says :-

'''सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |'''

'''अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: || 18.66||'''

''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja''

''ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣhayiṣhyāmi mā śhuchaḥ''

['''Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear]'''

What does it mean?

It means all yogas, their job, the essence is to prepare each one of us to receive the ever flowing grace of God. In other words, without completely surrendering ourselves to God, nothing can be achieved. God's grace comes in the form of our ability to surrender ourselves, to understand what is surrender and to try our level most to surrender ourselves.

And through His Grace, the understanding comes, the effort comes, the progress comes. Finally, the culmination also comes, which is called Moksha. And that is why this chapter is considered the most wonderful chapter. And it is also by some, aptly titled as '''''Sharanagati Yoga'''''. The chapter entitled as the chapter of complete self-surrender to the Lord.

Some people may not accept this concept of self-surrender and say it belongs to the devotional path. They say their path is to become one with the divine, claiming '''''Aham Brahmasmi'''''. But even to say '''''Aham Brahmasmi''''', this I, which is common to all bound souls, so long as there is I, it leads to bondage. So to get the complete destruction of the I?

''Here destruction means it doesn't become non-existent, but it expands until it becomes one with God.''

This becoming one with God is called '''''Saranagati''''' or complete self-surrender.

Like a huge river flowing through various places, starting as small droplets, trickling, becoming a stream, becoming a small rivulet, then a river and ultimately wending its way, doing lot of good on the way to billions of people. Ultimately, its mission accomplished, it joins the ocean, its mother from where it has risen by the compassionate Lord in the form of the sun. And again, out of compassion, this same river becomes steam and is carried away by wind to high places. And again, there it descends in the form of water called rain and again it starts its journey.

Thus it is the ocean, the grace of the Lord that starts creation, that maintains creation and that absolves creation by drawing it into its own self. This divine Leela is going on.

So this last chapter is also called '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. It is a most marvellous chapter, the very essence and whether it is Ramanuja, Madhva or Shankaracharya, even for that matter, everybody considers this chapter as the very culmination.

Even if someone has not read the other chapters, if he reads this chapter, if he understands it at least somewhat, then he will become blessed. He understands, O man, abandon yourself, surrender yourself to God and that is the very essence of Gita.

There have been, as I mentioned earlier, thousands and thousands of commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita.

Sri Ramakrishna's some words which we can consider, include in those commentaries is also one of them and it is one of the shortest and best commentary on the whole Bhagavad Gita. Sri Ramakrishna takes the word Gita and says by repeating it fast for some time, for some number of times, Gita reverses itself. Gita, Gita, Gita, tagi, tagi, tagi. Thagi or Thyaga, means surrender.

Surrender first the fruits of every action that is done and in an advanced stage, surrender not only fruits of actions but even some actions completely.

What are those actions? Desire-ridden actions, '''''Kamya Karmas'''''. As we understand, the scripture advocates regulatory daily activities which one should never abandon called '''''Nithya Karmas'''''. Then '''''Naimittika Karmas'''''. Occasionally on such holy days, Christmas, Deepavali or first year day, special attention should be paid is called '''''Naimittika''''', occasional.

Every day Nithya means get up, pray to the Lord, do Sandhya Vandana, do Japa, do meditation, study the scriptures, remind yourself what to do, what not to do, especially today how I should live my life, etc, '''''Nithya Karmas'''''.

Occasionally holy days, special occasions we have to do special type of Karmas. Not doing them we incur sin. Third type of Karma is called '''''Kamya Karmas'''''. Everybody has special needs. A person doesn't have a job, he requires it not because he is not wealthy, he has to live. There is nothing wrong in desiring such a prayer, offer prayer to the Lord, please provide me a means of livelihood. Not greediness.

That is why the Lord clearly indicated earlier, I am desire which is not against Dharma. Anything that we desire unnecessarily is called Adharma. So let us pray for that. Suppose there is a householder, he doesn't have children and both the husband and wife long for a child. Nothing wrong with it. But pray to God and through His Grace try to obtain, not by hook or crook. Since the topic has come, could we use modern scientific methods? Yes, because that is what God has given. Try them. If they don't work, ultimately pray to God. Somebody wants something else.

So these desire-based activities are classified into two ways. Those who are in distress are called '''''Arthas''''' and those who are not in distress, they have been saved by God. But they have some unfulfilled desires but legitimate desires. I would say a little extra more than even legitimate desire. Okay, one sweet is fine. One cake is fine. But I want to enjoy another two, three sweets. Fine. But not forgetting it is all possible only by God's grace and it should be eaten after offering to Him and it should be eaten keeping one's health and other people's necessity in mind. This is called '''''Artharthi'''''Bhakta.

'''''Artha''''' means those who are in distress. '''''Artharthi''''' means those who are still ignorant and have unfulfilled desires. By the way, prayer comes naturally, automatically. You cannot have artificial prayer. I read in the Gospel, I should not pray for worldly desires but at the same time my heart, my whole 99% of the unconscious mind is longing for the fulfillment of such a desire. No, that is hypocrisy.

Pray to God but pray like this, Oh Lord, I have this desire. Kindly do what you think is best. Leave it to God. That is a person must have that faith. My mother knows more than I know. She knows what is best for me. Let her take the decision but I will cry like a baby. So it is not possible to abandon these three types of daily prescribed activities, occasionally prescribed activities and especially praying for unfulfilled desires provided they are not greedy and they do not fall under adharma, unrighteous desires like harming others, depriving others, stealing from others, etc.

But when a person's mind, his heart is somewhat satisfied, he enters into the third stage and that is the first class desire which is called '''''Jignasa''''', I want to attain to God because I have tasted the world. I know its worthlessness. I no longer long after it. It is okay for maintaining life. I have to eat, I have to drink, I have to work. It is fine and unasked for if certain things come, enjoy them after offering to God within limits of health, both physical and mental, fine. But if they don't come, I don't care. But my mind is longing, thirsting for finding out the ultimate truth. I want to go back to my origin, my mother, my father and that is called Jignasa - inquiry.

Slowly, that is how a devotee inevitably and all by the Grace of God progresses. He is guided by intuition, by the Grace of God and he soon overcomes. I am not saying this. The Lord himself has said that a person who turns his face towards God is soon taken under the umbrella protection of God and very soon he becomes a Dharmatma.

That means he will do what is right. That means he will long for liberation, Moksha, which is the special subject matter of this particular 18th chapter, the very name '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. So ultimately he becomes a completely mature devotee called a '''''Jnani Yogi'''''.

Jnana means he knows now I am Brahman, I am God, I was never separated. I thought I was separated. That was a delusion in my mind that produced a lot of '''''Vishada''''', suffering. But now through His Grace I was able to struggle. Through His Grace I was able to progress. Through His Grace I was able to understand that I am none other than God because the infinity can never tolerate finiteness. If there is anything, it will simply swallow it up.

That is the nature of God. God will never keep us away from him as his servant, as his friend, as his soulmate. No! He will always say, I cannot tolerate separation from you because my love for you is infinite. I would not like to be separated. I would not like to suffer from the separation of anybody even for a millisecond.

Of course this is human understanding. There is no bondage, there is no liberation from the view of God, from the '''''Paramarthika''''' view. So, ultimately it is God only, His Grace only, which will unite himself to himself all this time playing in the form of the world, in the form of all of us called '''''Jivatmas'''''.

So this is the final chapter having 78 shlokas. The very name of this chapter is called '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. I will soon come to that point. Why is this important? Let us analyze a little bit.

Moksha means liberation. Liberation automatically means freedom. The moment a person says that I want freedom, freedom means I am not free, I am bound. If that idea were not to be there, then the question of desiring liberation doesn't arise at all. So liberation from the sorrows and delusions of early life, in the reverse order.

First comes delusion, wrong understanding, leading to wrong decisions, then wrong activities, then wrong results, which ultimately end in sorrows. So liberation from the wheel of birth and death. Such liberation can be attained only by renunciation, '''''Tyaga'''''. This is a very important point. That's why I am taking so much time. '''''Tyaga''''' means, as Sri Ramakrishna says, Tyaga, Gita, Thagi, means man -renounce!

Renounce what?

The whole bondage, the whole suffering, the whole worldly life, the entire world depends upon only one factor. What is that factor? “I” - give up your egotism because you can't give up ego. It's a very important point to understand. We sometimes, people who do not understand English language, they use the phrase : give up your ego.

Ego cannot be given because ego is existence. But to think I am only this, is to forget our true nature. That is called “ism”.

Ramana Maharshi had a very funny way of putting it. Aham is Brahma. But ahamkara in South Indian languages, kara means the hotness of chilly. So the moment I am the body, I am the mind comes, then that kara is added. And that kara naturally burns. Burning means suffering. So it is the whole sadhana, spiritual practice is to give up this kara and remain what remains, what cannot be destroyed, what cannot be changed, what cannot be made big or small because Aham is infinite.

That is why Ramana Maharshi says all problems are solved whenever anybody goes to him with any problem or question. He used to say, “find out who you are”. Because the moment we find out who we are, we understand we are none other than Brahman.

And for that, there are various paths out there. As many religions, so many paths. Sri Ramakrishna went one step further and said, “infinite paths to infinite God”. Whatever opinion an individual cherishes, this is my idea of God. This is my idea of attaining to God. Sincerely if he believes, he will attain through that path to God. There is no one particular path.

Not only that, the same person doesn't cherish the same idea all the time. Every few passages of time, the person's understanding improves, develops, so he changes his opinion. Sri Ramakrishna's literal translation is as many opinions, so many paths. '''''Joto moth, toto path'''''.

So supposing somebody, according to others, thinks that this is a wrong path. Here is a secret. We are judging some persons that that person is going in the wrong path. Nobody in this world wants something false, something untrue, some delusory thing. Everybody wants truth. Everybody wants only what is existence, existent. Everybody wants what is real. Nobody wants what is unreal.

But sometimes we may mistake the reality which is called unreal, untrue, '''''mithya''''', but in such a person's mind, what he thinks is not '''''mithya'''''. If he knows it is '''''mithya''''', he will not want it. But he thinks this is real. We are all, all of us are after reality only. Maybe we are mistaken. But if we have shraddha, help will come, let me quote Sri Ramakrishna :-

“Once a man from Calcutta, he wanted to visit Lord Jagannath at Puri, which is in the southern direction. But out of mistake, he started walking towards the north and on the way, he started asking, I want to visit Jagannath Puri, am I walking in the right direction? And somebody took pity upon him and said, my man, this is not the way. You are going further away from Puri. You travel towards the south, you will reach Puri.”

So that somebody is called Guru, but provided the person is sincere, then only the guidance will come. This is an inviolable law. If we are sincere, guidance will come, right guidance suitable for our purpose. So many stories are there. If occasion comes, I will tell you. But now, this much is sufficient.

So, if a person is possessed of Shraddha, even if he is mistaken, very soon, the Divine Lord comes and corrects him in the form of Guru and anybody who gives right guidance is a Guru and ultimately, the Lord will attract him towards himself.

He is watching all of us 24 hours a day, life after life. He will not close his eyes even a single second and that is why Divine Mother's title is '''''Meenakshi'''''. '''''Akshi''''' means eye. '''''Meena''''' means fish. The eyes of a fish do not have any eyelids. So, why is this title given to the Divine Mother? Because she is the Mother of the Universe. There are billions and uncountable billions of creatures, not only human beings. It is human egotism, human delusion that thinks, She is the Mother of only human beings. She is the Mother of even the inert matter. She has to keep eye on each one of her children so she cannot afford to close her eyes for a single second.

The Divine Lord is watching us and He will take us in the right direction. So, our goal is to develop this '''''Shraddha''''' and if we develop this '''''Shraddha''''', slowly we travel in the right direction.

And what is the right direction?

We have seen, first of all, in the 14th chapter, the Divine Lord has revealed to us the secret of this entire what we call, finite world, '''''Jagat'''''. It is born out of three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and it is manifesting in the form of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. So each one of us start our journey from the Tamoguna, what we call food.

Tamoguna, Ideal. Tamoguna, Austerity. Tamoguna, Dana, Charity, Philanthropy, Caring and Sharing.

But if we have '''''Shraddha''''', that is the most important point. A person is full of Tamoguna. There is no equivalent English word for these three qualities. That's why I am forced to use the Sanskrit words.

· Tamas means darkness.

· Rajas means twilight.

· Sattva means full light.

Perhaps this will help. So Tamoguna is not full darkness, semi-darkness. Because in full darkness nothing is possible.

So slowly man is travelling from semi-light to twilight, where the light is much more and full light in the form of knowledge. Light means knowledge. So the Divine Mother is guiding, provided a person is having Shraddha.

So in the 14th chapter, the nature and the result of Gunas is described - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

And in the 15th chapter (V.1), the Lord has very clearly pointed out we are all coming from God :-

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 15.1||

'''ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam'''

'''chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit'''

'''[The Supreme Divine Personality said: They speak of an eternal''' '''aśhvatth''' '''tree with its roots above and branches below. Its leaves are the Vedic hymns, and one who knows the secret of this tree is the knower of the Vedas.]'''

The whole Jagat world including you, me and everything is all originating from the root which is God. And how to go back to Him, that is the essence of the 15th chapter. That is how we transcend both Kshara and Akshara. And then in the 6th chapter, a practical way. We have to acquire certain qualities. There are two types of qualities :-

· '''''Daivi sampad''''' [pure Sattvika qualities] and,

· '''''Asuri sampad''''' [pure Tamasic qualities]

By expounding them, the Divine Lord is clearly making us understand that these are the qualities each one of us have to aim for, to perfect for. Nobody is born perfect. We are all having a little good quality and very bad qualities too, but no need to despair. Slowly by understanding and providing we have that word Shraddha, that quality called Shraddha, (Shraddha is God), then slowly, the person travels from Tamoguna to Rajoguna to Satvaguna.

Now, where do we apply these three Gunas? That is being beautifully described in the 16th chapter - the goal is to acquire Divine qualities. What is a Divine quality? That quality which aids us, helps us to manifest our true Divine potential is called Divine quality.

There are many qualities. As I mentioned all these qualities come both in tandem. There cannot be any isolated development of one particular quality, good or evil. So, by understanding which are the demonic qualities, we can avoid them slowly, albeit surely. Similarly, Divine qualities slowly 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01%, 0.1%, 1%, 1.1%, that is how progress takes place.

But slowly as we grow, as we develop these qualities our '''''Antahkarana''''', Chitta, our heart, mind becomes purified. The more it gets purified, the more understanding comes and that is how we progress from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva Guna and this is inevitable. There is no way to what is called ‘jump the queue’ from Tamo Guna to Sattva Guna. No.

So the travel must be from Tamo Guna to Sattva Guna and when we develop sufficient amount of Sattva Guna, that Sattva Guna acts for us as a ship which carries the rocket and it will take us to some distance, height and then the '''''Atma''''' becomes completely free, it is thrown from that stage to travel independently to give the modern analog – we hit the so called “escape velocity”.

The Sattva Guna having aided the development of the '''''Jivatma''''' to a certain extent, it will give one final push and helps us to separate which is called Yoga. Yoga means Viyoga, separation, detachment and then it goes back again, reusable like a loving mother, takes up other souls who are travelling from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva.

For each one of us, She assumes a different form, a particular form, an individual form, a private tutor form and carries on. As soon as the person has developed sufficient Sattva, that Divine Mother in the form of Sattva Guna pushes us into the orbit of God and goes back to earth to aid other souls.

This is the beautiful conclusion in the Sankhya Karika, one of the most brilliant schools of Indian philosophy - the result of which has matured into Yoga philosophy later on.

So the journey is from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva. But in what particular departments this Tamas, Rajas and Sattva have to be employed as a practical means of developing into spiritual progress, has been beautifully dealt with in the 17th chapter.

With that most practical teaching in the 17th chapter, it is very aptly named as '''''Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga''''' [Yog through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith].

There are four stages of development in every personality.

1. Stability achieved through food both physical as well as mental.

So by giving us that discriminatory knowledge, we can see :-

o this is dampening food,

o this is food which makes a person becomes deluded,

o becomes restless and not caring for higher ideals and,

o this is the food which helps a person slowly to gain control to purify the heart.

This is what is called foundation, stability, okay, I am stable. This is horizontal expansion. What next? Now you must take off.

2. Vertical expansion is necessary.

For that, I have to formulate crystal clearly certain ideals in life represented by various great people representing such various ideals. Broadly these can be classified into what we call four characteristics :-

o one person is a karma yogi,

o another person is more of a bhakta devotee

o another person is more of a meditative type and,

o another person is full of true discrimination and knowledge.

But, as I mentioned, no yoga can be separated from any other yoga.

They are what is called conjoined, not twins I don't know what they call it four babies joined together! They all four have to work together, but one particular one in some personality, in one particular life, maybe dominates the other three; but without the help of the other three, one particular pathway cannot be achieved.

It is, as I sometimes compare inadequately, like a four lane motorway. All of them equally take us to our goal, our destination. But, depending upon what type of vehicle we drive, we may take the slow lane and change to a little faster lane, as we know we change sometimes between these lanes. That is very important for us to understand.

So for that purpose, we have to worship, we have to adore, we have to idolize, we have to become fans of Gods, of Brahmanas. A Brahmana here in the sense of an idealistic person, what Socrates called philosophers; not these professional philosophers but real philosophers.

Then teachers. Anybody can teach, he is a teacher and Pragnas, there are many wise people because life has got many many departments so we can learn certain things from many different people so these are :-

''deva''—the Supreme Lord;

''dwija''—the Brahmins;

''guru''—the spiritual master;

''prājña''—the elders;

''pūjanam''— we worship

What this indicates is - I want to progress by progressing in certain ideals and these are the people who represent those ideals. By worshipping them, by adoring them, by remembering them, by keeping their pictures etc, by constantly interacting with them intellectually, I slowly understand the ideals and develop faith in them. I try to practice them and progress slowly from birth to birth.

This is the second step, to get to a higher personality.

3. Undertaking Tapasya : hard work on our Ideals in the right way

For a still higher personality, we have to understand for achieving anything, sooner or later, we have to work hard! There is no easy way out! Everyone of us has to pay the price - somebody has said inspiration is only 1%, the rest of the 99% is perspiration - meaning hard work!

This hard work, also along with Shraddha, has to be done in the right way and that is called Tapasya, Austerity.

What is Austerity? It is voluntarily, intelligently, skillfully undertaking hardship.

It is not just for hardship’s sake but for the sake of progressing and developing these respective higher ideals which we have determined for ourselves in our second step.

This is called Tapasya – our third step.

4. Dana – sharing our experiences

Having achieved something in our third step, we then move onto Dana.

What is Dana?

It is not charity, it is not philanthropy, it is not giving away, it is not losing something. Just as we have taken the help of great people for progress in life, because they shared their experiences, their wisdom, their energy, so also a time will come when we have to share what we have achieved with those who have not reached that state.

That is called Dana.

If we can do this successfully, the highest Dhani, the highest giver is God himself. That is why it is said, when we read especially, the Gospel of Ramakrishna in Bengali, those who share this wisdom of Ramakrishna with others, those who spread the glory of the divine name in the world, they are the greatest givers.

Why? Because the people who receive them are receiving the greatest Dana!

But we must understand that this Dana, it is not really charity! Suppose somebody donates money, then it is not donation, it is not losing something, it is not lessening, it is increasing because there is the law of Karmaphala. It will come back a thousand fold! If it is given to other people, it will come back a thousand fold, not only in this life but in life after life after life! So it is a divine investment!

The other definition we can argue that it is not Dana - we have borrowed something from somebody, and after some time, we are simply returning what we have already received. Nobody calls you a great charitable person but an honest person. You are giving back what you received without cheating that person.

We are already debtors to :-

· '''''Guru Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all our teachers)

· '''''Deva Yagna''''' (Gratitude to God)

· '''''Pitra Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all our ancestors)

· '''''Manushya Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all fellow humans)

· '''''Bhuta Yagna''''' ( Gratitude to all other living and non-living entities)

So whether you consider charity as an investment or you consider it simply getting rid of the debt that we have already taken, like paying off a credit card bill; in either way, if it is done properly as a Karma Yoga, with the idea of pleasing the Lord, then it comes back many, many fold.

We are taking the wise teachings from wise people and spreading these teachings as a wise investment on our part – not for our selfish reasons but for the purification of our hearts. It is not to give us any extra results.

The highest, the eternal, infinite investment is : surrender yourself to God and that is what every great soul has said.

Holy Mother said :-

''Take refuge my children in the Divine Mother,''

''I am your Mother when you take refuge in me!''

''I will look after you, so you are my child''

''Each soul is potentially divine - you are my divine child!''

''Never forget that and behave like my child”.''

So this is the idea about Dhanam.

Now, because you are my own dearest friends, let me explain Dhanam in a humorous way! Suppose you encounter God and say :-

o “Oh Lord, you have put me through infinite trouble by creating this maya.

o Now I am giving back your maya with compound interest!

o You take back your maya!

o And I’ll claim my inheritance which you have postponed giving me by deluding me that I am still a small child and lacking understanding.

o Now I have woken up and you take back with compound interest everything that you have given, let me reclaim what I seem to have lost!”

I have not really lost anything, I am only playing on the lap of the Divine Mother.

So these four steps in each aspirant, who is :-

Þ endowed with shraddha, physical and mental health which is represented by food,

Þ vertical growth in the form of high ideals, by worshipping great souls who represent those ideals, and

Þ working hard, intelligently and with alertness which is called austerity or Tapasya, and

Þ finally giving back to God what belongs to God; giving back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar; giving back to the world what belongs to the world : Dana.
[[File:Surrender.jpg|thumb]]
Thereby I understand what I am.

Dana means : I offer my entire ego into the lotus feet of the Lord.

I will never want to be separated from the Divine Lord.

That brings on Moksha!

So this 18th chapter it is called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga. This is a most marvelous thing that we have to understand - we have to develop '''''jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ''''' '''ज्ञानचक्षुष:''' the eye of wisdom, of knowledge.

We need to put on the cellarium of discrimination :-

'''''jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ''''' [right knowledge]

right desires & thoughts

right activities

we become liberated (Moksha)

That is the first interpretation of Moksha and Sanyasa. It is a very beautiful combination of two words, Moksha means liberation, Sanyasa means giving up and when we give up what doesn't belong to us and remain as we are, that is called liberation.

The second interpretation, as Ramana Maharshi used to say is that Moksha, Mukti, Nirvana (Liberation), Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Maunam, Shanti (Peace) - these are all synonymous words. So another name for Brahman is Moksha.

Hence Sanyasa means renunciation of all acts along with their fruits to the Divine Lord. Thus, Moksha Sanyasa means the surrendering of all karmas and karma phala, actions and their results to the Supreme Lord. Moksha means God, Sanyasa means giving up our entire life, surrendering our life to the Divine Lord is the second interpretation.

The third interpretation uses Mokshasya, the sixth case is used.

Mokshasya Sanyasaha means giving up the conscious desire for Moksha. Now that may bring about some laughter! How many people are not even thinking I want Moksha, are they equivalent to those people who have given up the desire for Moksha?

No! No! No!

That is not giving up the desire for Moksha! If you don't know you have wealth and you are not thinking of giving it up, then that cannot be called giving up wealth! You have to be aware '''''and then''''' if you decide to give it up, that alone is called Sanyasa, otherwise ignorance is not Sanyasa.

Here is a person, who through scriptures or wise people, comes to know that the goal of life is Moksha or liberation. After he grows up in spiritual life, he becomes a mature person and then he understands Moksha.

“Why do I want Moksha? I don't want Moksha! I just want to be divine! I just want to be a devotee.”

So the final giving up or surrender, which is called very interestingly in the Vedantic language, '''''Brahma Akara Vritti''''' [thoughts that have the shape of Brahman]. That thought that, “I am Brahman”, that should be completely nullified, destroyed, cut off. The desire for Moksha has to be given up.

Naturally the question arises, for so many lives I have strived for Moksha, and in the end you want me to give up this idea of liberation!

That is not the intention of the scriptures – they say God will give you that understanding that you are ever free, not that you have to have Moksha.

Sri Ramakrishna’s 5 Commandments

is the essence of

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

is the essence of

Bhagavad Gita

is the essence of

Upanishads

is the essence of

Vedas

So, after thinking Moksha is the highest ideal, a time will come when we understand that I don't need to strive for Moksha because I am already Moksha!

'''अहं ब्रह्मास्मि''' [Aham Brahmasmi]

means Aham Moksho Asmi - I am Moksha all the time! So when I am already that, the question of renunciation doesn't arise for two reasons :-

'''1. I don't need to desire it, nobody desires oneself.'''

This is the greatest fact! Everybody desires what one is not, what one does not have. If I have it, I don't desire it! If at all there is a desire, I want to enjoy what I have, without trying to accumulate, that is the first interpretation.

'''2. I don't need Moksha - I am ever liberated, I am never in bondage.'''

You cannot do this at the beginning, we have to do it only when we grow sufficiently and understand this scripture is not teaching us to desire liberation; this scripture is saying, ‘you be liberated from bondage, maya’. When we reach a certain stage, the desire for Moksha will disappear.

When the light comes, nobody says I don't want this darkness. When does the light come? When does the darkness disappear? Only when the light comes!

It is like being with the sun - where is the night for the sun? Where is the darkness for the sun? We understand these ideas.

So who is it that seeks Moksha? He who thinks I am a bound soul. The man who thinks I am bound seeks liberation. But having understood the Lord's magnificent message of freedom and perfection through the 17 chapters (I would say 15 chapters, from 3rd to 17th), then who can remain still a bound soul?

So that person understands as has been beautifully put in the 2nd chapter :

'''अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो'''

'''न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 20||'''

''ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo''

''na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre''

- I am unborn,

- I am eternal,

- I am infinite and,

- I am timeless beyond time.

Thus knowing the birthless, the deathless, the ever free, the ever blissful, omniscient, omnipotent, ever glorious Atman, where is bondage? Where is the bound soul? Where is the Jiva who is seeking liberation?

It is all fiction! When the truth is known, the Jiva understands that his bondage was a myth, that he was never bound, that freedom and perfection are his true self, and that is the state when the idea of liberation is gone.

He has discovered that he was not bound at all at any time, the idea of seeking for liberation falls off because he knows I am ever free!

'''Vasudeva sutham devam kamsa Chanoora mardhanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam Krishnam vande Jagat Gurum.'''

वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् ।

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥

'''May Shri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti and right knowledge we will meet hopefully tomorrow night.'''

'''Jai Ramakrishna.'''
[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]

File:Surrender.jpg

2024-11-13T18:07:34Z

Sundaresan:

File:Krishna.png

2024-11-13T18:00:18Z

Sundaresan:

beg

Bhagavad Gita Ch18 part 01 on 18 December 2021

2024-11-13T14:16:57Z

Sundaresan: writeup

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
'''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 online Class 05/04/2020 by Swami Dayatmanada (Lecture delivered online from Bangalore, India)'''

'''Subject: Verses 17- 21'''

Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum padapadme tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur

ॐ वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम्

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वंदे जगद्गुरुम् '''|| '''

'''Vasudeva sutham devam, Kamsa Chanura mardanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam, Krishnam vande jagat gurum'''

''I worship Lord Krishna, who is the spiritual master of the universe, who is the son of Vasudeva, who is the Lord, who killed Kansa and Chanura, and who is the bliss of Devaki.''

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो''',''' दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दन''':|'''

पार्थो वत्स''':''' सुधीर्भोक्ता''',''' दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् '''||'''

'''Sarvopanishado gaavo, dogdha gopala nandanaha|'''

'''parthovatsa: sudheerbhoktaa, dugdham gitamrutam mahat |'''

''All the Upanishads are likened to cows. The milker is Krishna, the son of Gopala. Partha is likened to a calf, while the drinkers are the wise ones. The nectar of Gita is the milk.''

मूकं करोति वाचालं पङ्गुं लङ्घयते गिरिं ।

यत्कृपा तमहं वन्दे परमानन्द माधवम् ॥

'''Mookam karoti vachalam pangum langhayate girim |'''

'''Yat-krupa tamaham vande paramananda madhavam ||'''

By the grace of the Lord, we have been successfully studying the Bhagavad Gita. By His grace, we have completed 17 chapters. And today, we are entering into the 18th and the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.

Now, this chapter is also one of the longest chapters. This chapter is considered by many to be the very essence of all the previous chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. I will very briefly mention something very interesting and very important. Bhagavad Gita has got 18 chapters. But the first chapter is considered as the foundation.

'''''Vishada''''' means bondage. A soul deeply bound, but awakened to the fact that it is bound and restless, wanting to get out of that bondage. Yet it is unable to understand the nature of the bondage and how it came to be, and how it can be destroyed, how it can fly back. In the words of Sri Ramakrishna, like the chicks of the Homa bird trying to fly back to its mother. If they do not fly back, they will be smashed.

Understanding that but finding no other way, Arjuna takes refuge in the Divine Lord. And so, the Bhagavad Gita actually starts in the second chapter, 11th shloka. The 18th chapter has got 78 verses, it is the longest, the next longest is the second chapter, which has got 72 verses. And in that He gives the very essence of the Bhagavad Gita.

So, second chapter beginning from the 11th verse to the end, 72nd, is the essence of what He is going to tell Arjuna. From the 3rd chapter until, I would say, the 13th chapter, all the four yogas are covered, four pathways which expound the nature of reality and what is its relationship with each one of us, with each Jiva, which is nothing but '''''Jivo Brahmaiva Naparaha'''''.

But he is caught in the middle, in the mesh of the samsara, which is called '''''Jagatmithyatvam''''' or '''''Maya'''''. And the four pathways, called the four yogas, how through each one of us, independent of each other, though they can never be separated from each other, but emphasizing one more than the other, can reach the goal, can know that '''''Aham Brahmasmi''''', I am none other than Brahman.

And that has been expounded from the 3rd to the 17th chapters. And again, in the last chapter, the Lord is not saying anything new. He is only summing up the essence of what He has said in all the previous verses.

But there is an extraordinarily great pointer towards the end of this 18th chapter. He says, ‘Oh man, you can practice Karma Yoga, you can practice Bhakti Yoga, you can practice Raja Yoga, you can practice Jnana Yoga. No yoga is superior to any other yoga. Every yoga contains all the other yogas, but depending upon which particular yoga we emphasize, we call that aspirant either a Bhakta or a Karma Yogi or a Raja Yogi or a Jnana Yogi’.

This special point, the Lord clearly points out to each one of us.

So the question is, can someone reach God either through Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga or Jnana Yoga? No. And in the end, he also says, every yoga, he renamed it as Dharma. And he says :-

'''सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |'''

'''अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: || 18.66||'''

''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja''

''ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣhayiṣhyāmi mā śhuchaḥ''

['''Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear]'''

What does it mean?

It means all yogas, their job, the essence is to prepare each one of us to receive the ever flowing grace of God. In other words, without completely surrendering ourselves to God, nothing can be achieved. God's grace comes in the form of our ability to surrender ourselves, to understand what is surrender and to try our level most to surrender ourselves.

And through His Grace, the understanding comes, the effort comes, the progress comes. Finally, the culmination also comes, which is called Moksha. And that is why this chapter is considered the most wonderful chapter. And it is also by some, aptly titled as '''''Sharanagati Yoga'''''. The chapter entitled as the chapter of complete self-surrender to the Lord.

Some people may not accept this concept of self-surrender and say it belongs to the devotional path. They say their path is to become one with the divine, claiming '''''Aham Brahmasmi'''''. But even to say '''''Aham Brahmasmi''''', this I, which is common to all bound souls, so long as there is I, it leads to bondage. So to get the complete destruction of the I?

''Here destruction means it doesn't become non-existent, but it expands until it becomes one with God.''

This becoming one with God is called '''''Saranagati''''' or complete self-surrender.

Like a huge river flowing through various places, starting as small droplets, trickling, becoming a stream, becoming a small rivulet, then a river and ultimately wending its way, doing lot of good on the way to billions of people. Ultimately, its mission accomplished, it joins the ocean, its mother from where it has risen by the compassionate Lord in the form of the sun. And again, out of compassion, this same river becomes steam and is carried away by wind to high places. And again, there it descends in the form of water called rain and again it starts its journey.

Thus it is the ocean, the grace of the Lord that starts creation, that maintains creation and that absolves creation by drawing it into its own self. This divine Leela is going on.

So this last chapter is also called '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. It is a most marvellous chapter, the very essence and whether it is Ramanuja, Madhva or Shankaracharya, even for that matter, everybody considers this chapter as the very culmination.

Even if someone has not read the other chapters, if he reads this chapter, if he understands it at least somewhat, then he will become blessed. He understands, O man, abandon yourself, surrender yourself to God and that is the very essence of Gita.

There have been, as I mentioned earlier, thousands and thousands of commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita.

Sri Ramakrishna's some words which we can consider, include in those commentaries is also one of them and it is one of the shortest and best commentary on the whole Bhagavad Gita. Sri Ramakrishna takes the word Gita and says by repeating it fast for some time, for some number of times, Gita reverses itself. Gita, Gita, Gita, tagi, tagi, tagi. Thagi or Thyaga, means surrender.

Surrender first the fruits of every action that is done and in an advanced stage, surrender not only fruits of actions but even some actions completely.

What are those actions? Desire-ridden actions, '''''Kamya Karmas'''''. As we understand, the scripture advocates regulatory daily activities which one should never abandon called '''''Nithya Karmas'''''. Then '''''Naimittika Karmas'''''. Occasionally on such holy days, Christmas, Deepavali or first year day, special attention should be paid is called '''''Naimittika''''', occasional.

Every day Nithya means get up, pray to the Lord, do Sandhya Vandana, do Japa, do meditation, study the scriptures, remind yourself what to do, what not to do, especially today how I should live my life, etc, '''''Nithya Karmas'''''.

Occasionally holy days, special occasions we have to do special type of Karmas. Not doing them we incur sin. Third type of Karma is called '''''Kamya Karmas'''''. Everybody has special needs. A person doesn't have a job, he requires it not because he is not wealthy, he has to live. There is nothing wrong in desiring such a prayer, offer prayer to the Lord, please provide me a means of livelihood. Not greediness.

That is why the Lord clearly indicated earlier, I am desire which is not against Dharma. Anything that we desire unnecessarily is called Adharma. So let us pray for that. Suppose there is a householder, he doesn't have children and both the husband and wife long for a child. Nothing wrong with it. But pray to God and through His Grace try to obtain, not by hook or crook. Since the topic has come, could we use modern scientific methods? Yes, because that is what God has given. Try them. If they don't work, ultimately pray to God. Somebody wants something else.

So these desire-based activities are classified into two ways. Those who are in distress are called '''''Arthas''''' and those who are not in distress, they have been saved by God. But they have some unfulfilled desires but legitimate desires. I would say a little extra more than even legitimate desire. Okay, one sweet is fine. One cake is fine. But I want to enjoy another two, three sweets. Fine. But not forgetting it is all possible only by God's grace and it should be eaten after offering to Him and it should be eaten keeping one's health and other people's necessity in mind. This is called '''''Artharthi'''''Bhakta.

'''''Artha''''' means those who are in distress. '''''Artharthi''''' means those who are still ignorant and have unfulfilled desires. By the way, prayer comes naturally, automatically. You cannot have artificial prayer. I read in the Gospel, I should not pray for worldly desires but at the same time my heart, my whole 99% of the unconscious mind is longing for the fulfillment of such a desire. No, that is hypocrisy.

Pray to God but pray like this, Oh Lord, I have this desire. Kindly do what you think is best. Leave it to God. That is a person must have that faith. My mother knows more than I know. She knows what is best for me. Let her take the decision but I will cry like a baby. So it is not possible to abandon these three types of daily prescribed activities, occasionally prescribed activities and especially praying for unfulfilled desires provided they are not greedy and they do not fall under adharma, unrighteous desires like harming others, depriving others, stealing from others, etc.

But when a person's mind, his heart is somewhat satisfied, he enters into the third stage and that is the first class desire which is called '''''Jignasa''''', I want to attain to God because I have tasted the world. I know its worthlessness. I no longer long after it. It is okay for maintaining life. I have to eat, I have to drink, I have to work. It is fine and unasked for if certain things come, enjoy them after offering to God within limits of health, both physical and mental, fine. But if they don't come, I don't care. But my mind is longing, thirsting for finding out the ultimate truth. I want to go back to my origin, my mother, my father and that is called Jignasa - inquiry.

Slowly, that is how a devotee inevitably and all by the Grace of God progresses. He is guided by intuition, by the Grace of God and he soon overcomes. I am not saying this. The Lord himself has said that a person who turns his face towards God is soon taken under the umbrella protection of God and very soon he becomes a Dharmatma.

That means he will do what is right. That means he will long for liberation, Moksha, which is the special subject matter of this particular 18th chapter, the very name '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. So ultimately he becomes a completely mature devotee called a '''''Jnani Yogi'''''.

Jnana means he knows now I am Brahman, I am God, I was never separated. I thought I was separated. That was a delusion in my mind that produced a lot of '''''Vishada''''', suffering. But now through His Grace I was able to struggle. Through His Grace I was able to progress. Through His Grace I was able to understand that I am none other than God because the infinity can never tolerate finiteness. If there is anything, it will simply swallow it up.

That is the nature of God. God will never keep us away from him as his servant, as his friend, as his soulmate. No! He will always say, I cannot tolerate separation from you because my love for you is infinite. I would not like to be separated. I would not like to suffer from the separation of anybody even for a millisecond.

Of course this is human understanding. There is no bondage, there is no liberation from the view of God, from the '''''Paramarthika''''' view. So, ultimately it is God only, His Grace only, which will unite himself to himself all this time playing in the form of the world, in the form of all of us called '''''Jivatmas'''''.

So this is the final chapter having 78 shlokas. The very name of this chapter is called '''''Moksha Sanyasa Yoga'''''. I will soon come to that point. Why is this important? Let us analyze a little bit.

Moksha means liberation. Liberation automatically means freedom. The moment a person says that I want freedom, freedom means I am not free, I am bound. If that idea were not to be there, then the question of desiring liberation doesn't arise at all. So liberation from the sorrows and delusions of early life, in the reverse order.

First comes delusion, wrong understanding, leading to wrong decisions, then wrong activities, then wrong results, which ultimately end in sorrows. So liberation from the wheel of birth and death. Such liberation can be attained only by renunciation, '''''Tyaga'''''. This is a very important point. That's why I am taking so much time. '''''Tyaga''''' means, as Sri Ramakrishna says, Tyaga, Gita, Thagi, means man -renounce!

Renounce what?

The whole bondage, the whole suffering, the whole worldly life, the entire world depends upon only one factor. What is that factor? “I” - give up your egotism because you can't give up ego. It's a very important point to understand. We sometimes, people who do not understand English language, they use the phrase : give up your ego.

Ego cannot be given because ego is existence. But to think I am only this, is to forget our true nature. That is called “ism”.

Ramana Maharshi had a very funny way of putting it. Aham is Brahma. But ahamkara in South Indian languages, kara means the hotness of chilly. So the moment I am the body, I am the mind comes, then that kara is added. And that kara naturally burns. Burning means suffering. So it is the whole sadhana, spiritual practice is to give up this kara and remain what remains, what cannot be destroyed, what cannot be changed, what cannot be made big or small because Aham is infinite.

That is why Ramana Maharshi says all problems are solved whenever anybody goes to him with any problem or question. He used to say, “find out who you are”. Because the moment we find out who we are, we understand we are none other than Brahman.

And for that, there are various paths out there. As many religions, so many paths. Sri Ramakrishna went one step further and said, “infinite paths to infinite God”. Whatever opinion an individual cherishes, this is my idea of God. This is my idea of attaining to God. Sincerely if he believes, he will attain through that path to God. There is no one particular path.

Not only that, the same person doesn't cherish the same idea all the time. Every few passages of time, the person's understanding improves, develops, so he changes his opinion. Sri Ramakrishna's literal translation is as many opinions, so many paths. '''''Joto moth, toto path'''''.

So supposing somebody, according to others, thinks that this is a wrong path. Here is a secret. We are judging some persons that that person is going in the wrong path. Nobody in this world wants something false, something untrue, some delusory thing. Everybody wants truth. Everybody wants only what is existence, existent. Everybody wants what is real. Nobody wants what is unreal.

But sometimes we may mistake the reality which is called unreal, untrue, '''''mithya''''', but in such a person's mind, what he thinks is not '''''mithya'''''. If he knows it is '''''mithya''''', he will not want it. But he thinks this is real. We are all, all of us are after reality only. Maybe we are mistaken. But if we have shraddha, help will come, let me quote Sri Ramakrishna :-

“Once a man from Calcutta, he wanted to visit Lord Jagannath at Puri, which is in the southern direction. But out of mistake, he started walking towards the north and on the way, he started asking, I want to visit Jagannath Puri, am I walking in the right direction? And somebody took pity upon him and said, my man, this is not the way. You are going further away from Puri. You travel towards the south, you will reach Puri.”

So that somebody is called Guru, but provided the person is sincere, then only the guidance will come. This is an inviolable law. If we are sincere, guidance will come, right guidance suitable for our purpose. So many stories are there. If occasion comes, I will tell you. But now, this much is sufficient.

So, if a person is possessed of Shraddha, even if he is mistaken, very soon, the Divine Lord comes and corrects him in the form of Guru and anybody who gives right guidance is a Guru and ultimately, the Lord will attract him towards himself.

He is watching all of us 24 hours a day, life after life. He will not close his eyes even a single second and that is why Divine Mother's title is '''''Meenakshi'''''. '''''Akshi''''' means eye. '''''Meena''''' means fish. The eyes of a fish do not have any eyelids. So, why is this title given to the Divine Mother? Because she is the Mother of the Universe. There are billions and uncountable billions of creatures, not only human beings. It is human egotism, human delusion that thinks, She is the Mother of only human beings. She is the Mother of even the inert matter. She has to keep eye on each one of her children so she cannot afford to close her eyes for a single second.

The Divine Lord is watching us and He will take us in the right direction. So, our goal is to develop this '''''Shraddha''''' and if we develop this '''''Shraddha''''', slowly we travel in the right direction.

And what is the right direction?

We have seen, first of all, in the 14th chapter, the Divine Lord has revealed to us the secret of this entire what we call, finite world, '''''Jagat'''''. It is born out of three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and it is manifesting in the form of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. So each one of us start our journey from the Tamoguna, what we call food.

Tamoguna, Ideal. Tamoguna, Austerity. Tamoguna, Dana, Charity, Philanthropy, Caring and Sharing.

But if we have '''''Shraddha''''', that is the most important point. A person is full of Tamoguna. There is no equivalent English word for these three qualities. That's why I am forced to use the Sanskrit words.

· Tamas means darkness.

· Rajas means twilight.

· Sattva means full light.

Perhaps this will help. So Tamoguna is not full darkness, semi-darkness. Because in full darkness nothing is possible.

So slowly man is travelling from semi-light to twilight, where the light is much more and full light in the form of knowledge. Light means knowledge. So the Divine Mother is guiding, provided a person is having Shraddha.

So in the 14th chapter, the nature and the result of Gunas is described - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

And in the 15th chapter (V.1), the Lord has very clearly pointed out we are all coming from God :-

ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् || 15.1||

'''ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam'''

'''chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit'''

'''[The Supreme Divine Personality said: They speak of an eternal''' '''aśhvatth''' '''tree with its roots above and branches below. Its leaves are the Vedic hymns, and one who knows the secret of this tree is the knower of the Vedas.]'''

The whole Jagat world including you, me and everything is all originating from the root which is God. And how to go back to Him, that is the essence of the 15th chapter. That is how we transcend both Kshara and Akshara. And then in the 6th chapter, a practical way. We have to acquire certain qualities. There are two types of qualities :-

· '''''Daivi sampad''''' [pure Sattvika qualities] and,

· '''''Asuri sampad''''' [pure Tamasic qualities]

By expounding them, the Divine Lord is clearly making us understand that these are the qualities each one of us have to aim for, to perfect for. Nobody is born perfect. We are all having a little good quality and very bad qualities too, but no need to despair. Slowly by understanding and providing we have that word Shraddha, that quality called Shraddha, (Shraddha is God), then slowly, the person travels from Tamoguna to Rajoguna to Satvaguna.

Now, where do we apply these three Gunas? That is being beautifully described in the 16th chapter - the goal is to acquire Divine qualities. What is a Divine quality? That quality which aids us, helps us to manifest our true Divine potential is called Divine quality.

There are many qualities. As I mentioned all these qualities come both in tandem. There cannot be any isolated development of one particular quality, good or evil. So, by understanding which are the demonic qualities, we can avoid them slowly, albeit surely. Similarly, Divine qualities slowly 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01%, 0.1%, 1%, 1.1%, that is how progress takes place.

But slowly as we grow, as we develop these qualities our '''''Antahkarana''''', Chitta, our heart, mind becomes purified. The more it gets purified, the more understanding comes and that is how we progress from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva Guna and this is inevitable. There is no way to what is called ‘jump the queue’ from Tamo Guna to Sattva Guna. No.

So the travel must be from Tamo Guna to Sattva Guna and when we develop sufficient amount of Sattva Guna, that Sattva Guna acts for us as a ship which carries the rocket and it will take us to some distance, height and then the '''''Atma''''' becomes completely free, it is thrown from that stage to travel independently to give the modern analog – we hit the so called “escape velocity”.

The Sattva Guna having aided the development of the '''''Jivatma''''' to a certain extent, it will give one final push and helps us to separate which is called Yoga. Yoga means Viyoga, separation, detachment and then it goes back again, reusable like a loving mother, takes up other souls who are travelling from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva.

For each one of us, She assumes a different form, a particular form, an individual form, a private tutor form and carries on. As soon as the person has developed sufficient Sattva, that Divine Mother in the form of Sattva Guna pushes us into the orbit of God and goes back to earth to aid other souls.

This is the beautiful conclusion in the Sankhya Karika, one of the most brilliant schools of Indian philosophy - the result of which has matured into Yoga philosophy later on.

So the journey is from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva. But in what particular departments this Tamas, Rajas and Sattva have to be employed as a practical means of developing into spiritual progress, has been beautifully dealt with in the 17th chapter.

With that most practical teaching in the 17th chapter, it is very aptly named as '''''Shraddha Traya Vibhaga Yoga''''' [Yog through Discerning the Three Divisions of Faith].

There are four stages of development in every personality.

1. Stability achieved through food both physical as well as mental.

So by giving us that discriminatory knowledge, we can see :-

o this is dampening food,

o this is food which makes a person becomes deluded,

o becomes restless and not caring for higher ideals and,

o this is the food which helps a person slowly to gain control to purify the heart.

This is what is called foundation, stability, okay, I am stable. This is horizontal expansion. What next? Now you must take off.

2. Vertical expansion is necessary.

For that, I have to formulate crystal clearly certain ideals in life represented by various great people representing such various ideals. Broadly these can be classified into what we call four characteristics :-

o one person is a karma yogi,

o another person is more of a bhakta devotee

o another person is more of a meditative type and,

o another person is full of true discrimination and knowledge.

But, as I mentioned, no yoga can be separated from any other yoga.

They are what is called conjoined, not twins I don't know what they call it four babies joined together! They all four have to work together, but one particular one in some personality, in one particular life, maybe dominates the other three; but without the help of the other three, one particular pathway cannot be achieved.

It is, as I sometimes compare inadequately, like a four lane motorway. All of them equally take us to our goal, our destination. But, depending upon what type of vehicle we drive, we may take the slow lane and change to a little faster lane, as we know we change sometimes between these lanes. That is very important for us to understand.

So for that purpose, we have to worship, we have to adore, we have to idolize, we have to become fans of Gods, of Brahmanas. A Brahmana here in the sense of an idealistic person, what Socrates called philosophers; not these professional philosophers but real philosophers.

Then teachers. Anybody can teach, he is a teacher and Pragnas, there are many wise people because life has got many many departments so we can learn certain things from many different people so these are :-

''deva''—the Supreme Lord;

''dwija''—the Brahmins;

''guru''—the spiritual master;

''prājña''—the elders;

''pūjanam''— we worship

What this indicates is - I want to progress by progressing in certain ideals and these are the people who represent those ideals. By worshipping them, by adoring them, by remembering them, by keeping their pictures etc, by constantly interacting with them intellectually, I slowly understand the ideals and develop faith in them. I try to practice them and progress slowly from birth to birth.

This is the second step, to get to a higher personality.

3. Undertaking Tapasya : hard work on our Ideals in the right way

For a still higher personality, we have to understand for achieving anything, sooner or later, we have to work hard! There is no easy way out! Everyone of us has to pay the price - somebody has said inspiration is only 1%, the rest of the 99% is perspiration - meaning hard work!

This hard work, also along with Shraddha, has to be done in the right way and that is called Tapasya, Austerity.

What is Austerity? It is voluntarily, intelligently, skillfully undertaking hardship.

It is not just for hardship’s sake but for the sake of progressing and developing these respective higher ideals which we have determined for ourselves in our second step.

This is called Tapasya – our third step.

4. Dana – sharing our experiences

Having achieved something in our third step, we then move onto Dana.

What is Dana?

It is not charity, it is not philanthropy, it is not giving away, it is not losing something. Just as we have taken the help of great people for progress in life, because they shared their experiences, their wisdom, their energy, so also a time will come when we have to share what we have achieved with those who have not reached that state.

That is called Dana.

If we can do this successfully, the highest Dhani, the highest giver is God himself. That is why it is said, when we read especially, the Gospel of Ramakrishna in Bengali, those who share this wisdom of Ramakrishna with others, those who spread the glory of the divine name in the world, they are the greatest givers.

Why? Because the people who receive them are receiving the greatest Dana!

But we must understand that this Dana, it is not really charity! Suppose somebody donates money, then it is not donation, it is not losing something, it is not lessening, it is increasing because there is the law of Karmaphala. It will come back a thousand fold! If it is given to other people, it will come back a thousand fold, not only in this life but in life after life after life! So it is a divine investment!

The other definition we can argue that it is not Dana - we have borrowed something from somebody, and after some time, we are simply returning what we have already received. Nobody calls you a great charitable person but an honest person. You are giving back what you received without cheating that person.

We are already debtors to :-

· '''''Guru Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all our teachers)

· '''''Deva Yagna''''' (Gratitude to God)

· '''''Pitra Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all our ancestors)

· '''''Manushya Yagna''''' (Gratitude to all fellow humans)

· '''''Bhuta Yagna''''' ( Gratitude to all other living and non-living entities)

So whether you consider charity as an investment or you consider it simply getting rid of the debt that we have already taken, like paying off a credit card bill; in either way, if it is done properly as a Karma Yoga, with the idea of pleasing the Lord, then it comes back many, many fold.

We are taking the wise teachings from wise people and spreading these teachings as a wise investment on our part – not for our selfish reasons but for the purification of our hearts. It is not to give us any extra results.

The highest, the eternal, infinite investment is : surrender yourself to God and that is what every great soul has said.

Holy Mother said :-

''Take refuge my children in the Divine Mother,''

''I am your Mother when you take refuge in me!''

''I will look after you, so you are my child''

''Each soul is potentially divine - you are my divine child!''

''Never forget that and behave like my child”.''

So this is the idea about Dhanam.

Now, because you are my own dearest friends, let me explain Dhanam in a humorous way! Suppose you encounter God and say :-

o “Oh Lord, you have put me through infinite trouble by creating this maya.

o Now I am giving back your maya with compound interest!

o You take back your maya!

o And I’ll claim my inheritance which you have postponed giving me by deluding me that I am still a small child and lacking understanding.

o Now I have woken up and you take back with compound interest everything that you have given, let me reclaim what I seem to have lost!”

I have not really lost anything, I am only playing on the lap of the Divine Mother.

So these four steps in each aspirant, who is :-

Þ endowed with shraddha, physical and mental health which is represented by food,

Þ vertical growth in the form of high ideals, by worshipping great souls who represent those ideals, and

Þ working hard, intelligently and with alertness which is called austerity or Tapasya, and

Þ finally giving back to God what belongs to God; giving back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar; giving back to the world what belongs to the world : Dana.

Thereby I understand what I am.

Dana means : I offer my entire ego into the lotus feet of the Lord.

I will never want to be separated from the Divine Lord.

That brings on Moksha!

So this 18th chapter it is called Moksha Sanyasa Yoga. This is a most marvelous thing that we have to understand - we have to develop '''''jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ''''' '''ज्ञानचक्षुष:''' the eye of wisdom, of knowledge.

We need to put on the cellarium of discrimination :-

'''''jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ''''' [right knowledge]

right desires & thoughts

right activities

we become liberated (Moksha)

That is the first interpretation of Moksha and Sanyasa. It is a very beautiful combination of two words, Moksha means liberation, Sanyasa means giving up and when we give up what doesn't belong to us and remain as we are, that is called liberation.

The second interpretation, as Ramana Maharshi used to say is that Moksha, Mukti, Nirvana (Liberation), Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Maunam, Shanti (Peace) - these are all synonymous words. So another name for Brahman is Moksha.

Hence Sanyasa means renunciation of all acts along with their fruits to the Divine Lord. Thus, Moksha Sanyasa means the surrendering of all karmas and karma phala, actions and their results to the Supreme Lord. Moksha means God, Sanyasa means giving up our entire life, surrendering our life to the Divine Lord is the second interpretation.

The third interpretation uses Mokshasya, the sixth case is used.

Mokshasya Sanyasaha means giving up the conscious desire for Moksha. Now that may bring about some laughter! How many people are not even thinking I want Moksha, are they equivalent to those people who have given up the desire for Moksha?

No! No! No!

That is not giving up the desire for Moksha! If you don't know you have wealth and you are not thinking of giving it up, then that cannot be called giving up wealth! You have to be aware '''''and then''''' if you decide to give it up, that alone is called Sanyasa, otherwise ignorance is not Sanyasa.

Here is a person, who through scriptures or wise people, comes to know that the goal of life is Moksha or liberation. After he grows up in spiritual life, he becomes a mature person and then he understands Moksha.

“Why do I want Moksha? I don't want Moksha! I just want to be divine! I just want to be a devotee.”

So the final giving up or surrender, which is called very interestingly in the Vedantic language, '''''Brahma Akara Vritti''''' [thoughts that have the shape of Brahman]. That thought that, “I am Brahman”, that should be completely nullified, destroyed, cut off. The desire for Moksha has to be given up.

Naturally the question arises, for so many lives I have strived for Moksha, and in the end you want me to give up this idea of liberation!

That is not the intention of the scriptures – they say God will give you that understanding that you are ever free, not that you have to have Moksha.

Sri Ramakrishna’s 5 Commandments

is the essence of

Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna

is the essence of

Bhagavad Gita

is the essence of

Upanishads

is the essence of

Vedas

So, after thinking Moksha is the highest ideal, a time will come when we understand that I don't need to strive for Moksha because I am already Moksha!

'''अहं ब्रह्मास्मि''' [Aham Brahmasmi]

means Aham Moksho Asmi - I am Moksha all the time! So when I am already that, the question of renunciation doesn't arise for two reasons :-

'''1. I don't need to desire it, nobody desires oneself.'''

This is the greatest fact! Everybody desires what one is not, what one does not have. If I have it, I don't desire it! If at all there is a desire, I want to enjoy what I have, without trying to accumulate, that is the first interpretation.

'''2. I don't need Moksha - I am ever liberated, I am never in bondage.'''

You cannot do this at the beginning, we have to do it only when we grow sufficiently and understand this scripture is not teaching us to desire liberation; this scripture is saying, ‘you be liberated from bondage, maya’. When we reach a certain stage, the desire for Moksha will disappear.

When the light comes, nobody says I don't want this darkness. When does the light come? When does the darkness disappear? Only when the light comes!

It is like being with the sun - where is the night for the sun? Where is the darkness for the sun? We understand these ideas.

So who is it that seeks Moksha? He who thinks I am a bound soul. The man who thinks I am bound seeks liberation. But having understood the Lord's magnificent message of freedom and perfection through the 17 chapters (I would say 15 chapters, from 3rd to 17th), then who can remain still a bound soul?

So that person understands as has been beautifully put in the 2nd chapter :

'''अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो'''

'''न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 20||'''

''ajo nityaḥ śhāśhvato ’yaṁ purāṇo''

''na hanyate hanyamāne śharīre''

- I am unborn,

- I am eternal,

- I am infinite and,

- I am timeless beyond time.

Thus knowing the birthless, the deathless, the ever free, the ever blissful, omniscient, omnipotent, ever glorious Atman, where is bondage? Where is the bound soul? Where is the Jiva who is seeking liberation?

It is all fiction! When the truth is known, the Jiva understands that his bondage was a myth, that he was never bound, that freedom and perfection are his true self, and that is the state when the idea of liberation is gone.

He has discovered that he was not bound at all at any time, the idea of seeking for liberation falls off because he knows I am ever free!

'''Vasudeva sutham devam kamsa Chanoora mardhanam,'''

'''Devaki paramanandam Krishnam vande Jagat Gurum.'''

वसुदेवसुतं देवं कंसचाणूरमर्दनम् ।

देवकीपरमानन्दं कृष्णं वन्दे जगद्गुरुम् ॥

'''May Shri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with bhakti and right knowledge we will meet hopefully tomorrow night.'''

'''Jai Ramakrishna.'''
[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T16:03:43Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.</big>

<big>'''Deva & Rishi Rina'''.</big>

<big>So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Deva Rina.</big>

<big>'''Pitru Rina'''</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.'''
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.'''
'''Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big> <big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
'''wherever our ancestors are,'''
'''either in this loka or any other loka,'''
'''our prayer is like this,'''
'''God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.</big><big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question.</big>

<big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,
I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question!</big>

<big>So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eight japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru Rina (ancestral debts).
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.</big>

<big>Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.</big>

<big>'''That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,'''
'''means Nara Rina.'''
'''This is the fourth Rina.'''</big>

<big>'''Then the last is Bhuta Rina.'''</big>

<big>Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giiving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help -
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?</big>

<big>We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.</big>

<big>Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Deva, Pitru, Nri and Bhuta.</big>

[[File:Image.png|left|frameless|700x700px]]

<big>Five Yagnass.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us!
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.</big>

<big>So, tell me.
did I answer all your questions?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Not quite.
I had some questions still. In yiur Guru Purnima lecture, uou said the scriptures revealed to us three things :-</big>

* <big>Tattva, what is the real truth.</big>
* <big>Purushartha, why should we have the truth experience.</big>
* <big>When you said hitha, what did you mean?"</big>

<big>Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is true.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.</big>

<big>'''If you examine this way,'''
'''you will not get anything excepting God,'''
'''or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.'''
'''That alone is called Tattva.'''</big>

<big>If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that? So, we are all seeking truth only.
If you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person? So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.</big>

<big>'''So, if God is truth,'''
'''what should be the only desirable object?'''
'''Only God.'''
'''Nothing else.'''
'''That is called Purushartha.'''</big>

<big>Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.</big>

<big>'''But there must be a way to reach our goal?'''
'''And that is called Hita.'''
'''Hita means the way, the path, the means,'''
'''by which we reach God.'''</big>

<big>That is called Desiti.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our five sense organs,
that is called a scripture.</big>

<big>Devotee : " And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized soul?"</big>

<big>You have no choice!
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?</big>

<big>That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think are necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Can I test the logical question?
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Sri Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean She is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?"</big>

<big>Yes, they go together.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't."</big>

<big>No, that's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.</big>

<big>Devotee : "The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yes.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yes.
And then you said that there is Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that?"</big>

<big>Yes, there is an explanation. So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.</big>

<big>You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.</big>

<big>But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and Upanishad."</big>

<big>Okay, let me put it this way :-</big>

* <big>Mantra tells us what is life, what is the goal of life.</big>
* <big>Brahmana explains how to put these theories into practice, which practically is a householder's life.</big>
* <big>Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind from the world and focus more and more gradually on God.</big>
* <big>And Sanyasa means total focus upon God. That is how the Vedas lead from the world to God. It is an evolution. Okay. Thank you.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T15:55:12Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.</big>

<big>'''Deva Rina'''.</big>

<big>So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Deva Rina.</big>

<big>'''Pitru Rina'''</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.'''
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.'''
'''Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big> <big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
'''wherever our ancestors are,'''
'''either in this loka or any other loka,'''
'''our prayer is like this,'''
'''God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.</big><big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question.</big>

<big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,
I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question!</big>

<big>So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eight japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru Rina (ancestral debts).
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.</big>

<big>Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.</big>

<big>'''That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,'''
'''means Nara Rina.'''
'''This is the fourth Rina.'''</big>

<big>'''Then the last is Bhuta Rina.'''</big>

<big>Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giiving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help -
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?</big>

<big>We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.</big>

<big>Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Deva, Pitru, Nri and Bhuta.</big>

[[File:Image.png|left|frameless|700x700px]]

<big>Five Yagnass.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us!
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.</big>

<big>So, tell me.
did I answer all your questions?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Not quite.
I had some questions still. In yiur Guru Purnima lecture, uou said the scriptures revealed to us three things :-</big>

* <big>Tattva, what is the real truth.</big>
* <big>Purushartha, why should we have the truth experience.</big>
* <big>When you said hitha, what did you mean?"</big>

<big>Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is true.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.</big>

<big>'''If you examine this way,'''
'''you will not get anything excepting God,'''
'''or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.'''
'''That alone is called Tattva.'''</big>

<big>If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that? So, we are all seeking truth only.
If you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person? So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.</big>

<big>'''So, if God is truth,'''
'''what should be the only desirable object?'''
'''Only God.'''
'''Nothing else.'''
'''That is called Purushartha.'''</big>

<big>Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.</big>

<big>'''But there must be a way to reach our goal?'''
'''And that is called Hita.'''
'''Hita means the way, the path, the means,'''
'''by which we reach God.'''</big>

<big>That is called Desiti.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our five sense organs,
that is called a scripture.</big>

<big>Devotee : " And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized soul?"</big>

<big>You have no choice!
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?</big>

<big>That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think are necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Can I test the logical question?
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Sri Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean She is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?"</big>

<big>Yes, they go together.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't."</big>

<big>No, that's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.</big>

<big>Devotee : "The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yes.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yes.
And then you said that there is Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that?"</big>

<big>Yes, there is an explanation. So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.</big>

<big>You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.</big>

<big>But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and Upanishad."</big>

<big>Okay, let me put it this way :-</big>

* <big>Mantra tells us what is life, what is the goal of life.</big>
* <big>Brahmana explains how to put these theories into practice, which practically is a householder's life.</big>
* <big>Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind from the world and focus more and more gradually on God.</big>
* <big>And Sanyasa means total focus upon God. That is how the Vedas lead from the world to God. It is an evolution. Okay. Thank you.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T15:47:13Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.</big>

<big>'''Deva Rina'''.</big>

<big>So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Deva Rina.</big>

<big>'''Pitru Rina'''</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.'''
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.'''
'''Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big> <big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
'''wherever our ancestors are,'''
'''either in this loka or any other loka,'''
'''our prayer is like this,'''
'''God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.</big><big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question.</big>

<big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,
I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question!</big>

<big>So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eight japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru Rina (ancestral debts).
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.</big>

<big>Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.</big>

<big>'''That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,'''
'''means Nara Rina.'''
'''This is the fourth Rina.'''</big>

<big>'''Then the last is Bhuta Rina.'''</big>

<big>Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giiving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help -
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?</big>

<big>We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.</big>

<big>Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Deva, Pitru, Nri and Bhuta.</big>

[[File:Image.png|left|frameless|700x700px]]

<big>Five Yagnass.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us!
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.</big>

<big>So, tell me.
did I answer all your questions?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Not quite.
I had some questions still. In yiur Guru Purnima lecture, uou said the scriptures revealed to us three things :-</big>

* <big>Tattva, what is the real truth.</big>
* <big>Purushartha, why should we have the truth experience.</big>
* <big>When you said hitha, what did you mean?"</big>

<big>Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is true.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.</big>

<big>'''If you examine this way,'''
'''you will not get anything excepting God,'''
'''or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.'''
'''That alone is called Tattva.'''</big>

<big>If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that? So, we are all seeking truth only.
If you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person? So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.</big>

<big>'''So, if God is truth,'''
'''what should be the only desirable object?'''
'''Only God.'''
'''Nothing else.'''
'''That is called Purushartha.'''</big>

<big>Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.</big>

<big>'''But there must be a way to reach our goal?'''
'''And that is called Hita.'''
'''Hita means the way, the path, the means,'''
'''by which we reach God.'''</big>

<big>That is called Desiti.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our five sense organs,
that is called a scripture.</big>

<big>Devotee : " And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized soul?"</big>

<big>You have no choice!
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?</big>

<big>That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think are necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Can I test the logical question?
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Sri Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean She is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?"</big>

<big>Yes, they go together.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't."</big>

<big>No, that's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.</big>

<big>Devotee : "The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yes.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yes.
And then you said that there is Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that?"</big>

<big>Yes, there is an explanation. So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T15:36:03Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.</big>

<big>'''Deva Rina'''.</big>

<big>So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Deva Rina.</big>

<big>'''Pitru Rina'''</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.'''
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.'''
'''Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big> <big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
'''wherever our ancestors are,'''
'''either in this loka or any other loka,'''
'''our prayer is like this,'''
'''God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.</big><big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question.</big>

<big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,
I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question!</big>

<big>So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eight japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru Rina (ancestral debts).
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.</big>

<big>Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.</big>

<big>'''That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,'''
'''means Nara Rina.'''
'''This is the fourth Rina.'''</big>

<big>'''Then the last is Bhuta Rina.'''</big>

<big>Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giiving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help -
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?</big>

<big>We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.</big>

<big>Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Deva, Pitru, Nri and Bhuta.</big>

[[File:Image.png|left|frameless|700x700px]]

<big>Five Yagnass.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us!
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.</big>

<big>So, tell me.
did I answer all your questions?</big>

<big>Devotee : " Not quite.
I had some questions still. In yiur Guru Purnima lecture, uou said the scriptures revealed to us three things :-</big>

* <big>Tattva, what is the real truth.</big>
* <big>Purushartha, why should we have the truth experience.</big>
* <big>When you said hitha, what did you mean?"</big>

<big>Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is true.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.</big>

<big>'''If you examine this way,'''
'''you will not get anything excepting God,'''
'''or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.'''
'''That alone is called Tattva.'''</big>

<big>If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that? So, we are all seeking truth only.
If you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person? So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.</big>

<big>'''So, if God is truth,'''
'''what should be the only desirable object?'''
'''Only God.'''
'''Nothing else.'''
'''That is called Purushartha.'''</big>

<big>Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.</big>

<big>'''But there must be a way to reach our goal?'''
'''And that is called Hita.'''
'''Hita means the way, the path, the means,'''
'''by which we reach God.'''</big>

<big>That is called Desiti.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our five sense organs,
that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T15:05:35Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.</big>

<big>'''Deva Rina'''.</big>

<big>So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Deva Rina.</big>

<big>'''Pitru Rina'''</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.'''
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.'''
'''Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big> <big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
sRamana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
'''wherever our ancestors are,'''
'''either in this loka or any other loka,'''
'''our prayer is like this,'''
'''God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.</big>

<big>'''Joke''' : One small boy went to his dad and said,
I have recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy? Good question.</big>

<big>So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eight japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru Rina (ancestral debts).
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.</big>

<big>Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.</big>

<big>'''That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,'''
'''means Nara Rina.'''
'''This is the fourth Rina.'''</big>

[[File:Image.png|left|frameless|700x700px]]

<big>'''Then the last is Bhuta Rina.'''</big>

<big>Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giiving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

File:Image.png

2023-12-27T11:28:44Z

Sundaresan:

pancha yang's

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T11:07:17Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
sRamana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.</big>

<big>This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars?
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.</big>

<big>'''Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like this,
God is a post office.'''</big>

<big>We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T11:04:01Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.</big>

<big>Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you a medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in rasam of Brahman and rasam or Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?</big>

<big>So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sukshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sukshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sukshma Sarira,
in the form of samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?</big>

<big>'''When you say this is father and mother,'''
'''the body is gone long back.'''
'''But the personality is not gone. That personality goes away only when they get mukti.'''</big>

<big>So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-27T10:55:08Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, does it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.</big>

<big>Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only of the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
By mistake, she swapped the heads! Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken!!
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.</big>

<big>'''We always react to the personality.'''</big>

<big>Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:43:59Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.</big>

<big>Devotee : "So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sharira?"</big>

<big>Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?</big>

<big>Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?</big>

<big>Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.</big>

<big>There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said, "you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you."
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken!</big>

<big>Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
'''We always react to the personality.'''
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into this deeply, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:36:02Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
'''Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
'''We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:35:14Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.</big>

<big>'''Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.</big>

<big>'''That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, they said no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Sringeri Shankaracharyas happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.</big>

<big>But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?</big>

<big>Devotee : "My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?"</big>

<big>No, no, no! We are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Is that what we are doing shraddha for? To identify them by their name."</big>

<big>Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?</big>

<big>Devotee : "We just say the name."</big>

<big>Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?</big>

<big>"No."</big>

<big>You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.</big>

<big>'''We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.'''</big>

<big>Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:28:03Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
'''Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
'''And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:27:32Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare, but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not a disservice to mother and father.</big>

<big>'''It is not disobedience.'''
'''It is common sense.'''</big>

<big>They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:26:06Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.</big>

<big>So supposing your parents are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.</big>

<big>'''You don't need to obey.'''</big>

<big>You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:24:13Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
'''But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.
Supposing they are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.
You don't need to obey.
You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:23:08Z

Sundaresan:

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>'''We have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.
Supposing they are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.
You don't need to obey.
You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T16:21:23Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== <big>Full Transcript(Not Corrected)</big> ==

<big> Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.</big>

<big>Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"</big>

<big>All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."</big>

<big>Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."</big>

<big>That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.</big>

<big>So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing himself, after the call of nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a Goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then He said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still an old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad.</big>

<big>Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found it through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing this river. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So at this Triveni, he was living there.</big>

<big>One day he said, (by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life), "I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three pleats.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three pleats.
So a goddess with three pleats flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the Divine Mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true."</big>

<big>So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get that knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna exists. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth.</big>

<big>There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, sunshine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.</big>

<big>So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is Your Grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarana.</big>

<big>We are indebted to our ancestors, your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.</big>

<big>Devotee : "How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?"</big>

<big>By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.</big>

<big>Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.</big>

<big>It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is still there.</big>

<big>So my method is this :-</big>

<big>W'''e have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.'''</big>

<big>Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?</big>

<big>Devotee : "That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time."</big>

<big>'''You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.'''</big>

<big>There is also another way.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not Gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.
Supposing they are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.
You don't need to obey.
You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.</big>

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T15:58:10Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==

Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers. So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 Gods and Goddesses, etc.

Devotee : "Maharaj, You said if you believe in the Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?"

Swamiji : "All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...Sarams of Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sacchidananda - Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantam, Brahman."

Devotee : "But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God."

Swamiji : "That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many Gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why He proved that all these Gods and Goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.
So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing his... after calls nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because we cannot... whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then he said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad. Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So this Triveni, he was living there. One day he said,
by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life.
I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three plates.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three plates.
So a goddess with three plates flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the divine mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true.
So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get the knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth. There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, shine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.
So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is your grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarina.
We are indebted to our ancestors.
Because your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.
How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?
By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.
Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.
It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is.
So my method is, we have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.
Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?
That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time.
You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.
There is another way also.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.
Supposing they are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.
You don't need to obey.
You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]

Post Aarathi Talk 12 on 30th Sept 2017

2023-12-26T15:38:39Z

Sundaresan: /* Full Transcript(Not Corrected) */

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
Then we have to believe that Brahman is totally useless for us because he doesn't have eyes, he doesn't have ears, so he can't hear our prayers.
So, the same Brahman is manifesting in the form of 333 gods and goddesses, etc.
Maharaj, you said if you believe in Vedas, you have to believe in God. Where does that connection come from? Why?
All the Vedas are teaching what? For example, Upanishads are part of the...
Sarams of Vedas.
Sarams of the Vedas. And what did the Upanishads say? There is only one reality called Sathyam, Gnanam, Anantam, Brahman.
But I am trying, in my mind I am thinking that is separate from how we think of God.
That the first part of the Vedas is all about in the form of Indra, Agni, Varuna, Chandra, etc.
So many gods to whom the fire worship, through fire we offer so many oblations, they are all there.
The Rishis have found them through their visions in meditation.
So how do we know? That is why Sri Ramakrishna had come.
That is why he proved that all these gods and goddesses really do exist.
Ganga, I will give one instance because there is no end to these examples.
You know Ganga. What is Ganga? Water. It is a river.
So once, one of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, he did something impure.
You know, washing his... after calls nature in the Ganges.
Then Sri Ramakrishna told him, my boy, this is a goddess.
You have to use the water, but you have to be aware of that.
So don't pollute the river. Bring it outside. Use it.
And that is okay because we cannot... whatever we do, we have to do it.
Then he said, I am a modern educated person.
This man is still old, brahmin, uneducated. He is still clinging to his visions.
And this person became a monk. His name was Swami Vijnanananda.
He started living at Allahabad. Another name for Allahabad is called Triveni.
Triveni means the confluence of three rivers.
So Ganga, Yamuna, which are visible on the surface.
Saraswati, which is there underneath. Now they found through satellite.
Huge body of purest water, which we had to believe earlier.
Now satellite image is showing. So many things it is showing.
Dwarka it has shown. And Ramsetu it has shown.
There is a broken bridge there, etc.
So this Triveni, he was living there. One day he said,
by that time he was very advanced in spiritual life.
I went to take bath. Suddenly I had a vision of a divine lady with three plates.
You know women in South India, especially jada we call it, three plates.
So a goddess with three plates flowing in that water.
Then he understood. Oh, Sri Ramakrishna told, this is the divine mother.
I did not believe it, but it is true.
So because we don't have that vision, we think that these are all puranic stories.
Nothing could be further from ignorance.
This is the greatest ignorance. Whatever Veda says is 150% truth.
We have to believe that.
If you don't believe it, how are you going to get the knowledge?
Because what is Veda, it is the expression of somebody's experience.
That's all. So Mother Kali exists, Krishna. Where is Krishna's name in Veda? It is not there.
But Krishna is the manifestation of Vishnu.
And how many blessed people had the vision of Bhagavan Krishna?
So this is the truth. There are gods and goddesses.
What do these gods and goddesses do?
They are in charge of certain departments, like Minister of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Home Minister, etc.
So they are giving us rain, shine, etc.
Otherwise our food will not be coming in the proper way.
So whatever we are getting in the world, all coming from the earth.
Your cloth, your car, every part of your car is coming from where?
Earth.
From earth. It is nothing but product of the earth.
So this goddess, Sita was born to whom?
Mother Earth.
So there are people who had visions of Mother Earth.
So these are not Puranic cock and bull stories.
This is the fact. But because we don't believe, we don't worship them.
Because we don't worship them, naturally we don't have proof of their visions, etc.
So we are indebted to gods for our very happy life here.
Therefore, by worshipping them, by offering them, whatever they gave us, they don't want anything new.
And we have nothing new. Whatever they give us, before you enjoy, take it to them.
Say, it is your grace, please bless us.
And they will bless the food, make it pure.
And by eating that food, we become more pure.
This is how we get rid of the debt to the gods and goddesses.
This is called Devarina.
We are indebted to our ancestors.
Because your great-great-great-grandfather, etc.
We are nothing but their genes and their brain.
There are so many other things.
So this is all coming from whom?
From our ancestors.
Even if you forget, your mother and father were looked after so well by their parents.
And their parents were looked after by their parents.
And we are looked after by our parents.
How are we going to get rid of our debt to our mother and to our father?
And through them, to the others?
There are certain prayers, rituals, indicated in the scriptures to get rid of their debt.
What is called Shraddha and Tarpana, etc.
That is how we get rid of our debt to the pitrus.
How do we get rid of our debt while they are living?
By serving them.
So this serving is of two types.
If it is possible, physically you go and serve them.
Supposing you are here, your parents are somewhere.
It is not physically possible, but you inquire about them now and then.
Lovingly speak with them. Instruments are there.
We are wasting so much time in so many other ways.
Once in a few days, Ma, how are you? Baba, how are you? Do you need anything?
With love. That is all they want, most people.
But supposing they need some money, send them.
Suppose they need some certain things, arrange for them.
You know, if nobody is there at home, some servants, somebody to look after them.
Whatever way, within your means, to serve them while they are living.
But don't forget, just because they are dead, our debt to them is.
So my method is, we have got our mantras.
Whether it is Venkateshwara Mantra, Krishna Mantra or Shiva Mantra, whatever it is.
Do 108 times japa and offer it at the feet of our Ishta Devata.
Say, O Lord, wherever they are, please bless them.
Let Mangala happen to them, whether they are alive or in other bodies.
Because our philosophy is, until they attain liberation, they take various births.
In various lokas. We don't know where they are.
They could be even our neighbours. Who knows?
That's where I have a confusion, Guruji. I'll ask you separately some other time.
You just do your mantra. If they are physically alive, do what you can to make them happy, comfortable, etc.
But if they are not there on this earth, even if they are there, do 108 japa minimum.
And offer it on their behalf to God.
That japa phala must go to father and mother.
There is another way also.
Our Vedas prescribe, Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava, etc.
So, if we have to do that, suppose they are also ignorant people.
They are not saints, they are not gods, most of the time.
Why saints? Because saints don't get married.
A woman says, I will marry a saint, and a saint says, I will not marry.
How is it going to get fulfilled?
So, you have to marry only a non-saint.
And he also marries only a non-saint.
If you are a saint, why do you want to get married?
So, you have to put up with each other.
Supposing they are ignorant people, so they don't know many things.
Sometimes they tell irrational things.
That is their belief.
You don't need to obey.
You make them happy, look after their welfare,
but that doesn't mean every single thing they tell you, you are going to do it.
That is irrational.
Whatever is rational of what they say, then you obey them.
Now you understand?
But that is not disservice to mother and father.
It is not disobedience.
It is common sense.
They tell so many things because they are brought up by their parents.
And that is their understanding.
This is our understanding.
For example, Kanchi Shankaracharya always used to go on an elephant.
Somebody advised him,
it is far cheaper, easier, more convenient to travel in a car than to travel on an elephant.
But you know, no, a Swami should not enter into a car.
Recently, one of the Shringeri Shankaracharya happened to come to our ashram.
He would not step into the room where there is carpet.
So for his sake, the entire carpet has to be hanked out,
the whole thing has to be cleaned with cow dung,
and then only he consents.
He will bring his own cook, he will bring his own bedding.
So that bedding will have divine sweat, not human sweat.
Just see.
But you know, that is their superstition.
We invited them.
So we had no option but to take out the carpet and then all those things.
But we don't need to follow that.
You follow now?
My confusion was, when our ancestors are not on earth,
I mean, they are in other bodies,
then what is the point of doing that shraddha
when that name is associated only to the physical body,
because the soul doesn't have any body.
So how do you then attach it?
No, we are not offering to the physical body.
Physical body, something can be offered only so long as they are alive.
It is their personality, it is called sukshma sharira.
Is that what we are doing shraddha for?
To identify them by their name.
Yes.
You know, even now I can tell you something very interesting,
because we are not such thinkers.
That is why this is happening.
So, when somebody asks you, who are you,
what would you say?
I am...
What do you say?
Who are you?
We just say the name.
Okay, but what do you mean by that name?
What do you mean by that name?
Gayatri.
You say Gayatri.
What do you mean by that name?
Do you mean the body?
No.
You don't mean because when you were this much, that was also Gayatri.
And this much, that was also Gayatri.
Now also Gayatri.
After 20 years also it will be Gayatri only.
So certainly it is only to identify the personality,
we use this one.
As we identify a doctor, how do we identify?
By the stethoscope.
How do we identify a lawyer?
There is a particular dress.
You know, uniform, you call it.
So, whenever we mean so and so,
in fact, we never mean the body.
We don't react with the body.
We react with the qualities of which that Sukshma Sarira is constituted of.
Is it not?
Suppose somebody asks,
who is this?
You say, this is Krishna.
What do you mean by Krishna?
You are not talking of physically, of course, you know, how to identify Krishna.
But mentally you say, this person has got these gunas, qualities.
He is a doctor. He is an IT engineer.
He is a good man.
He is a very short-tempered man, etc., etc.
You have an idea about everybody.
So then, is soul different from Sukshma Sarira?
Absolutely.
Sukshma Sarira is changing.
That which doesn't change is the soul.
But that soul we don't know because we are not dealing with the soul.
Gayatri is not a soul.
Soul doesn't require any tarpana or anything.
It is the Sukshma Sarira which requires tarpana.
So therefore, our prayers go not to the physical body.
Otherwise, I would be the greatest Annadaata in the world.
When any beggar comes,
mentally I am offering you hundreds of dishes
for all the starving people in the world.
Does that satisfy them?
The Sukshma Sarira doesn't want physical food, isn't it?
The fellow is about to die because of starvation
and you say that I am offering mentally huge quantities of food.
Do you follow what I am saying?
Whenever we are thinking of any person
or any object in this world,
we are not thinking only the physical appearance.
That forms the least bit of our idea about the physical object.
It is our total idea,
this table, beautiful table, strong table,
and desirable table.
Does that belong to the shape and size or your idea about it?
So you say my husband.
What do you mean by husband?
Whenever you say my husband, you don't mean this physical body.
That's why I told you Bhattivikramaditya's story.
One lady was living with her husband and brother.
One day they quarreled and cut off each other's head.
You remember?
So that lady got back both of them.
Mother Kali appeared and said,
you put the heads on their bodies.
Now who is the husband?
You get the idea now?
Whenever you think of any human being or anything,
the physical body is only an identifier, a tag.
This is so and so.
But really you react not to the physical body.
You never react to the physical body.
Because the physical body is a dead mass of molecules.
It is the personality with which we fall in love.
Is it a nice person? Is it a loving person?
Is it a kind person? Is it a caring person?
Is it a sharing person? Is it not?
Whatever, whether you are right or wrong,
is a different issue.
There was a fellow whom Bernard Shaw used to admire very much.
And one friend of Bernard Shaw came and said,
you know, Shaw, you are always admiring that fellow,
but that fellow is always criticising you.
Then he said, perhaps both of us are mistaken.
His idea about him is also mistaken as my idea about him is also mistaken.
Anyway, the point is,
it is very important, we never react to the physical body.
We always react to the personality.
Whenever any person says, I love you, about the other person,
it is a mistake to think, oh, you look like this,
and that's why I love you so much.
We think, seeing that, say a man, a young man,
seeing that lady's body, he has fallen in love.
There can be no greater mistake than this.
There is something in that girl's personality which is attracting him,
which gives him joy.
If I go into deep, I will not go today,
you will be upset really,
because no happiness comes from the body part of it.
It is the mind which assumes happiness.
Can you understand? I will give you an idea.
Supposing you are hungry, there is some food in front of you,
you think that physical food is giving you happiness.
No, your valuation of that food is what gives you happiness.
How do you understand this statement?
Supposing you like Idli Sambar,
that person will give you medium-rare something.
That is also food.
You understand medium-rare? That is also food.
Will it give you happiness?
But if it is stale Idli,
soaked in Rasam of Brahman and Rasam of Sambar,
with ghee and all those things, prepared very nicely,
which is giving you happiness?
Your idea of the value of it,
but if you give this to somebody who is not accustomed,
he will just throw it away.
Even sometimes dogs also will throw it away.
Do you see what I am talking now?
So whenever we see, especially human beings,
the body is only a tag to identify this is so and so.
But that Sokshma Sarira is the personality.
It is that personality which either attracts us or does not attract us.
We value that one. Gunas.
Do you understand now?
Now what is the point here?
This Sokshma Sarira will go on evolving through experience.
So it is using this physical body,
and in this physical body our past karma is first exhausted.
Certain lessons are learned,
which go inside the mind, Sokshma Sarira,
in the form of Samskaras.
Then when the time comes, this instrument is discarded,
and we get another new body.
Just like changing your trains until you reach your destination.
Now you see the point what we are talking about?
When you say this is father and mother,
the body is gone long back.
But the personality is not gone.
That personality goes away only when they get mukti.
So they are there in another body.
So how does your prayer reach them?
That is the next question.
Ramana Maharshi gave a beautiful example.
I always take his example most of the time.
This question was put,
how does our prayer help somebody else,
who is somewhere else or dead?
And he gave the answer.
Supposing there is a villager,
and he worked hard,
and he sent his son for higher education.
Then the son passes brilliantly,
and goes to America and settles down.
Now he wants to help his dad.
So what does he do?
In the olden days, he goes to the post office,
pays 100 dollars,
afterwards he comes back with a receipt.
Now after some days,
a postman comes into this village,
takes a signature,
and pays dollars.
What does he pay?
Local currency.
Ramana Maharshi used to say,
now tell me what happened to his dollars?
It got converted into local currency.
Exactly the same way,
wherever our ancestors are,
either in this loka or any other loka,
our prayer is like,
God is a post office.
We deposit it there,
and he makes sure that it reaches the person appropriately.
This is how somebody has to pray for us,
and we pray for them.
Not only that,
maybe somebody who was your child in the past lives,
and born now,
and thinks, I have to pray for my ancestors,
because we are all ancestors.
Many births.
One small boy went to his dad and said,
he recently read all about mummies from Egypt.
He said, Dad, where from you got mummy?
Good question.
So this is how our prayers help.
If they are alive,
either parents or grandparents,
do your best to make their life easier in this,
so long as they are alive.
As I mentioned again,
they are still Agnanis, like us.
So you don't need to take everything they say,
because I love my dad, my mum.
You don't need to listen.
What is reasonable, what is helpful,
what is beneficial, you take.
Rest, just ignore.
Do not insult them.
Sometimes you can speak also a bit angrily.
Nothing wrong.
If you are lovingly speaking, angrily.
Lovingly, angrily.
Or if you want, you can change the English language.
Angrily, lovingly, you can do it.
It doesn't matter.
But you pray every day,
one hundred and eighty japam,
pray to offer it at the feet of God,
and say, Lord, let this result go
to my parents or ancestors, wherever they are.
This is the way of getting rid of Pitru, Rina.
Pitru means mother, father, ancestors, everybody.
Then, our life on this earth is impossible.
Millions of beings are working all over the world.
It could be in India, China, Japan,
to make different things.
So, we have to do some help to them.
Say, for example, supporting poor people
through charities or whatever it is.
Praying for them, etc.
We are really indebted.
Because if a pilot is piloting your plane,
he is a human being.
Just because you bought a ticket,
doesn't mean that he is paying with his prana.
Therefore, you have to get rid of his debt,
not through him,
but any human being who needs your help,
according to your means.
That is how we get rid of the Nri Rina,
means Nara Rina.
This is the fourth Rina.
Then the last is Bhuta Rina.
Bhuta means anything other than human beings,
living or non-living.
Rivers, mountains, trees, plants,
you know, fruits, flowers,
and we are getting milk from cows.
We don't know which cow is giving us,
which buffalo is giving us,
which goat is giving us,
but they are giving their lives for our sake.
So, we have to help in the form of,
either, you know,
there are so many societies which look after old cows,
old animals, or show love for the birds, etc.
Birds, insects, they are fertilizing our plants, etc.
Otherwise, how do we get fruits and flowers?
We are indebted to everything in this world.
So, if we lead this getting rid of it,
and directing everything,
Oh Lord, let me live,
because Vedas were given by God.
So, if we do our best,
then we progress spiritually.
The more we progress spiritually,
the more everybody gets the benefit.
So, this is how the thing works.
So, that is the idea of Vedas according to Hinduism.
Every living being is indebted to five beings.
Rishi, Pitru, Deva, Pitru, Nr and Bhuta.
Five Eknas.
And anybody who doesn't do these things,
that person is a sinner.
Because whoever doesn't follow the Veda is a sinner.
Astika means one who follows,
not merely having faith.
So, I have faith in God, but I don't take His name.
I have faith in scripture that I don't follow.
That is not us.
True belief is that I do some effort to follow
and transform our life according to my belief.
Otherwise, it is theory.
It doesn't help.
That is the truth.
Maharaj, we have to go.
Come back tomorrow.
Come. Morning.
Pooja is only in the morning.
Don't forget.
Between 10 and 1 o'clock.
Pushpanjali will be there tomorrow morning also.
Come on. Enjoy the prasad.
Thank you, Guruji.
So, Sri Hari, tell me.
How things are going on well?
Yes.
Did I answer all your questions?
Not quite.
I had some questions still.
You were right.
You said you write these things up.
I was quite confident.
One lecture, that Guru Poornima lecture,
I am still not finished.
So, questions I had,
because I was trying to follow what you were saying.
You said the scriptures revealed to us three things.
Tattva, what is the real truth.
Purushartha, I think,
why should we have the truth experience.
When you said hitha, what did you explain?
Okay.
Tattva means what is the truth.
And what is the truth?
That which alone is real is truth.
By definition, anything that is not real is not a truth.
There is a beautiful Sanskrit word,
Trikala abadhitam satyam.
That which always is in the past, in the present.
If you examine this way,
you will not get anything excepting God,
or whatever, pure consciousness, soul, Atman.
That alone is called Tattva.
If that is the truth,
we are all seeking only truth.
Nobody is seeking false.
Can you understand that?
Suppose you go to...
I think it is time for you to go and have something.
Sunithi?
Yes.
Surekha?
I think you have to go.
So, if we are all seeking truth only,
how if you say to somebody,
I love you,
but somebody says, I love you,
but my love is a false love.
Will you run after that person?
So, if somebody says,
is this a real good,
or is it a false good?
Will you run after a false Rolls Royce car,
or a false Rolex?
Always we want the genuine article, isn't it?
Whether it is emotion or object.
So, if God is truth,
what should be the only desirable object?
Only God.
Nothing else.
That is called Purushartha.
Purushartha means that which is the real goal of every Purusha.
Purusha means not male.
Purusha means human being.
Why human being?
Because only a human being can think and say,
I want God.
No animal, as far as we know,
is capable of doing that.
Okay.
Now, we know what is truth,
we know what is desirable,
and which is our goal.
But there must be a way to reach that, isn't it?
And that is called Hita.
Hita means the way, the path, the means,
by which we reach God.
That is called Desiti.
Okay.
Yeah.
Okay.
And that's what the scriptures reveal to us.
Only scriptures.
Because you don't see God.
If you see God,
then the scriptures are totally unnecessary.
The scriptures don't need to tell what we can know.
If the scripture tells,
you know, that is the moon.
It is useless.
Because I can see with my own eyes.
I don't need scripture to tell it.
So, what we cannot understand
through our eyes and senses,
and that is called a scripture.
And we should believe the scriptures
because that's the expression of the experience
of a God-realized...
You have no choice.
You can choose
either to believe or not to believe.
That choice you have.
But you don't have a choice
to say they are true or untrue.
Because to say true or untrue,
they must be experienceable things, isn't it?
These are not in your experience.
Therefore, you have no choice
to say they are all false.
But you can say,
I believe in the scripture
or I don't believe in the scripture.
Fine.
Then, naturally, the question comes,
why should I believe?
That is where saints come into play.
Because here is a saint.
He doesn't have many things
which we think is necessary for happiness,
but the person is supremely happy.
That shows, if he is happy,
there must be something which made him happy.
This is the logic.
But really, logic doesn't work.
With too much logic,
faith gets affected.
Therefore, faith and logic,
they are opposite to each other.
If you logic too much, you know,
you lose faith.
If you have faith,
automatically, you don't say...
Let anybody say anything,
logically, scientifically.
He says, okay, thank you.
It looks very nice, but...
Yes, keep doing it. Sit in your place.
That is the idea.
Can I test the logical question?
Yes.
Again, you said somewhere that
if you go to Varanasi and pass away,
it is said you will get Moksha.
Yes.
But then I think you also described
that actually Ramakrishna...
Ramakrishna had a vision there.
He said that Shiva utters the Taraka mantra,
but it is no use unless the Divine Mother
cuts the bondage.
Does that mean she is guaranteed
to cut the bondage in Varanasi?
Yes, they go together.
So that logic works.
They go together.
So Shiva tells you you are free,
and the Divine Mother doesn't cut the bonds.
They are not like husband and wife.
Shiva is the idea,
and Divine Mother is the practice.
Okay.
Our idea is we are judging them
like we judge two human beings,
but they are not like that.
Shiva in one form gives the idea,
in another form removes all the doubts.
Cutting bonds means what?
Removing the doubts.
And what does Shiva say?
That you are God.
You are me.
And whatever doubts we have,
that he destroys in the form of the Divine Mother.
And therefore you know that I am Shiva,
and that is called Mukti, liberation.
So this point,
and again this is my logical mind,
this point about there is this small place
called Varanasi which is...
So it's not that you can go sit there and say,
wait, I am going to get Moksha.
If you are not going to get Moksha in this life,
even if you try to pass away there, you won't.
No, that's not the logic.
That's not the logic.
This is what the great saint said.
I have faith in it,
so I must make an effort to go and live there.
And I can tell you,
anybody who believes in this 100%,
he will go and live there.
Anybody who says, yes, yes, I believe,
but doesn't make any effort,
that means his belief is not really belief.
Because if you know,
if I go to that place, I will become a billionaire.
And you say, I know that, but I will not go.
What does that mean?
You don't believe.
Because this is the most precious thing in the whole life.
Liberation is the most precious thing.
The last two questions.
You described there are two parts of Karma Yoga,
and then the first one is, I think,
you call it Sakama Karma Yoga.
Yeah.
Where you don't want spiritual light,
but you want worldly desires.
Yeah.
And you talked about how do they move forward.
Yeah.
And then you said that the Vedanta didn't,
couldn't find anything on,
is it Nishkama Karma Yoga?
There was no explanation of that.
Yes, there is an explanation.
Sorry, in my recording I couldn't pick it up.
Yeah.
So, Karma Yoga means associating our actions with God.
Yoga means association here.
Relating every one of our actions with God
is called Karma Yoga.
If you don't relate with God,
it is just Karma, not Karma Yoga.
So, two types of Karma Yoga.
What is it?
First is called Sakama.
It means a person has both desires.
He wants God also.
He wants worldly enjoyment also.
So, he is in that state of mind.
There is no point in becoming a hypocrite
and say, I only want God.
Therefore, he does certain things.
The scripture prescribes certain things.
If you do these things,
you will get your worldly desires fulfilled.
But he also wants God.
So, what happens?
Karma Yoga, the desire is fulfilled.
But that desire doesn't drag him down.
It pushes him towards God
because it is Karma Yoga.
So, they are still moving forward.
Karma pushes us towards the world.
You know, if you eat Rasagulla,
then it pushes you towards the world.
I want again Rasagulla.
But if you offer that Rasagulla to God
and eat it as Prasadam,
this idea of God slowly takes over
and in the course of time,
this desire for this object called Rasagulla disappears.
You get more joy only in God.
The idea is our mind runs to where we get more joy.
So, if you are getting more joy in God,
why do you want all these things?
That is the idea.
So, Nishkama means
I do so many things associated with God,
but I don't want any worldly result.
I want only God.
That is called Nishkama,
means desiring only God and nothing else.
But you still lead your normal life.
Let's say I look after my family.
I do office work,
but my goal is only to reach God.
This is called Nishkama Karma Yoga.
That is the difference.
Anything else?
Sorry, last one.
You said the Vedas were split into four parts.
Mantra,
Brahmana,
Aranyaka,
and the last two, Aranyaka
and Upanishad.
They didn't have explanations.
You said the first one, Mantra,
you just do chant.
Okay, let me put it this way.
Mantra tells us what is life,
what is the goal of life.
Brahmana explains
how to put these theories into practice,
which practically is a householder's life.
Aranyaka helps us to slowly withdraw our mind
from the world
and focus more and more gradually on God.
And Sanyasa means
total focus upon God.
That is how the Vedas lead
from the world to God.
It is an evolution.
Okay.
Thank you.
Anything else?
I wanted to talk about something personal.
Do you want to sit alone?
How many times can I sit?
No, no, you can't wait.
Speak in Bengali.
Nobody understands Bengali.
So I'm going to speak in Bengali.
Okay.
When I came to India in July,
I told my mother,
I'm going to speak in Bengali.

[[Category:Post Aarathi Talks]]