View source for Bhagavad Gita Ch14 part 07 on 05 June 2021

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
Om Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsa Chanuram Ardhanam
Devaki Paramanandam Krishnamande Jagadgurum
Sarvopanishadokaho Dogdha Gopalanandana
Partho Vatsa Sudhir Bhokta Dugdham Geetha Amritam Mahat
Mukham Karuthi Vachalam Pangum Langayate Girim
Yath Kripa Tamaham Vande Paramananda Madhavam
We will be continuing the 14th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita,
Gunatraya Vibhaga Yoga.
The entire summary of this chapter is
a whole universe in which we are all parts,
entire cosmos is a mixture of Prakruti and a bit of Consciousness
and this Prakruti is nothing but three Gunas.
Therefore everything in this universe is nothing but consisting of
three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.
So everything in this world is manifesting either one or the other,
or the Gunas.
One of the important points we need to note down here is
that no Guna works all by itself.
It's a mixture.
In fact Prakruti is one.
Depending upon, we have to understand
whether Raja Guna is prominent, dominant,
Sattva Guna is dominant,
or Tamo Guna is dominant.
Naturally the question that comes is
why should we bother about it at all?
Because we all want to be healthy,
we all want to be enjoying happiness,
we all want to be having knowledge,
awareness that we are all happy.
Sat, Chit and Ananda.
Sat, Chit, Ananda.
We all want.
So how do we get?
The more the higher the Guna,
the more is the higher Guna,
whatever it is,
that increases our chance of health,
happiness as well as knowledge.
So the journey is to go from the lower Guna to the higher Guna.
From a lower state of Consciousness
to a higher state of Consciousness.
That is why Swami Vivekananda extraordinarily well,
he defined what is life.
It is a journey from truth to truth.
It is not a journey from untruth to truth,
but from a lower truth to a higher truth.
What does he mean?
It is a journey from lower state of Consciousness
to a higher state of Consciousness.
It means from a lower Guna to a higher Guna.
So when we reach the highest Guna
and suppose there is 100% Sattva Guna,
can it be the end of the goal of our life?
No, not really.
Because even Sattva Guna binds.
Binds means it limits.
One of the things that we have to understand
that whenever we hear bondage means limitation.
We are hungry, it's a bondage.
We eat food in that respect.
In the respect of lack of food that bondage is removed.
We are tired and we take rest.
Only in that respect that bondage is removed.
But the body is there and more subtle than that is the mind
and the mind has got two divisions
which is called subtle body and causal body.
We have to transcend all the three bodies.
Why? Why should we do it?
Because all the three bodies are limitation.
When we get rid of the gross limitation,
we rise above the body.
When we get rid of the subtle limitation,
we rise above the subtle body.
And when we get rid of the causal limitation,
we rise beyond the third limitation.
To go beyond all limitation.
Limitation in other words is called bondage.
To go beyond all bondage.
That is the goal of life
and to be free.
Not for a short time but for all time.
Infinite eternal freedom.
And that is called God.
That's called Brahman.
And that is the greatest joy.
That's our nature.
And until we know who we are,
that each one of us,
I am Brahman,
life is aiding us.
Prakruti is aiding us,
helping us,
pulling us helplessly
up and up and up.
So even the most cruel person,
tamo guna person,
is also necessary.
The point I wanted you to remember is
that the Prakruti is always manifesting
in the form of three gunas.
But only one guna may be dominant.
And dependent upon which guna is dominant,
our happiness,
our knowledge,
and our alertness,
our concentration,
our health,
everything depends upon that.
So this is what we need to understand.
First point.
All three gunas will be there
but in the right proportions.
All three gunas are the best things.
Next point we have to remember is
that inevitably life is pulling us.
There is no negativity here.
So supposing there are Rakshasas
and they are tormenting people,
torturing people,
killing people mercilessly,
exterminating.
So many times it happened.
It's happening now
in a smaller or bigger measure.
For example,
the recent war.
It doesn't matter whether one person dies
or a billion persons die.
The point is
it is a torment.
It is a torture.
No creature wants it.
Now in that person or persons
in whom tamo guna is most dominant,
such a person,
he will be doing all these things.
The question now comes
why did God create
these kind of abominable people,
what is called living asuras, demons?
The simple answer,
Hinduism gives it
and we have to trust our Vedas.
They are cruel
only to exhaust our past bad karma
to the extent of our bad karma,
the result of the bad karma
comes through the medium
or instrumentality of these people.
Just I wanted to mention it.
In our last class,
we have been dealing with the 8th shloka
and the 8th shloka
tells something very interesting.
What does it say?
In the 6th shloka,
we have seen the characteristics of the sattva.
In the 7th shloka,
we have seen the characteristics of the prajoguna
and in this 8th.
So,
And no further,
that tamas is born of ignorance
and that it deludes all embodied creatures.
It binds.
Tamas binds fast,
O Bharata,
by inadvertence,
indolence and sleep.
So, what is the origin,
cause of tamoguna?
It is born of ignorance
and what does it do?
It reinforces ignorance.
It is born of ignorance.
It reinforces ignorance.
Again,
the ignorance becomes thicker,
deeper,
but it creates,
what is the effect?
It gives us three effects.
Such a beautiful psychological analysis
by Bhagawan himself
is very helpful for all of us.
When we see these three things within us,
and we can easily find out
if we carefully
and in a witnessing manner
analyze, examine
and witness our actions for a few days,
we will come to know
which guna is dominant in us.
Pramada.
Pramada means negligence,
dangerous while driving
or while doing anything.
So, so much will be done
and accidents can happen.
A wrong decision can be taken.
Many things will happen at all.
So, here is one example I am giving.
A man and a woman meet
just for a second
and they fall in love
and then they decide to get married
without examining the background,
without doing anything
or analyzing, thinking,
giving time
and meeting each other
for some time
and trying to find out
whether they are compatible or not
to go on plunging
like a blind bull in a china shop
that they say
that can create lot of problems.
Of course, there are cases,
extremely rare cases
where the marriage
turns out to be
a very happy marriage
and that also happens
by God's will, of course.
Everything happens by God's will only
but we have been given that faculty
to examine, to discriminate
and then to control our life
and whole life is nothing but
a gradual control over ourselves
so that we can separate
ourselves from the three gunas
Prakruti, body and mind
and the world
and recognize who we are
and remain as we are.
Hey Bharata, Oh Arjuna
This word Bharata
is interpreted in a spiritual way.
Bha like Bhaskara
Bha means light.
Prataha, one who is devoted
one who loves light.
It means always remember
knowledge. What does light do?
It gives us knowledge of things
and what does darkness do?
Just the opposite.
It will not give us.
Even if a dangerous snake
has unfurled its hood
and is about to bite
we do not know.
I just came across a real incident
It was published in Radar's Digest
I think.
There was a householder
who had a small baby
and the baby was left in the garden
the mother was doing something
and then suddenly she looked out of the window
and she saw that
a cobra had unfurled
its hood and is
there in front of the child
and the child
not knowing what it is
curious and it was also fearless
it was trying to play with
the cobra. The mother
was horrified, called the emergency
of course within a few minutes
by God's grace
they came and shot the cobra
and rescued. We are all like
that. The mother is there
and we are playing and we
are very happy not knowing
and this ignorance
is caused by Tamoguna.
So Agnana Jam
born of Agnana.
Agnana means lack of discrimination
lack of right knowledge
in fact it is full of
wrong knowledge of understanding
and then what it does
Oh Bharata Vidhi
what does it do?
Tamahuto Sarva Dehinam
Mohanam. So it
creates delusion. What is
delusion? Remember Arjuna
Vishada Yoga. So is
Arjuna was deluded
the delusion causes
so much of suffering
so the grief of Arjuna
that every time
grief comes only
because of ignorance and that
is called this ignorance
what does it do? It
deludes people.
So Mohanam. What does
Mohanam means? Right is
understood as wrong. Wrong
is understood as right. Dharma
is Adharma. Adharma
is Dharma and
everything that we do our whole life
depends upon what we
do. Then this is one. First
it is increases
ignorance. Second it
creates delusion
we run after things we should
not run after. Then Alasya
procrastination
tomorrow I can do, next day
I can do. Postpone it
as long as possible
through these three it
binds. So two things are
made clear in this eighth shloka
that what is the origin
of the Movana and
how does it manifest so that
when we examine ourselves
we can correct ourselves
and only we can correct
ourselves we cannot do
that to anybody else.
Now we will
proceed to the ninth shloka
Sattva
binds one to happiness
and rages to action
O Bharata whereas
Tamas veils knowledge
and binds one to
inadvertence. This
is how this three gunas
is summarizing it.
We have gone through already
in certain detail.
Here he is summing up
what do all these three do
in one verse. So if you
do not remember the earlier verses
this gives in brief
in summary what he wants
to tell. Why is he going on telling
the same thing again and again
because it is said that in scriptures
this repetition
is because of Lord's compassion.
How long should a mother
go on telling to the child
don't touch that, don't touch that
until the child
understands that there is something
danger here. If I touch
I will have to suffer
until that time. Mother will
go on cautioning
any number of times. Very
interesting incident is
coming to my mind. Sri Ram Krishna
he never hid
anything. Whenever he comes
he tells everything
that needs to be told
he will be telling.
Then one day Hriday, he got angry
said mama why do you
go on telling everything at the same time
of course the conversation
went in a slightly
very brief manner. I am expanding
it adding a little bit of masala
spice. What does Hriday mean?
Sri Ram Krishna asking
so Hriday what shall I do?
Mama give it
little by little. And why?
Why? Because mama
if you give everything
in one go they are not
going to visit you. I remember
a funny story. There was a doctor
and he worked very hard
he built a house and
he built one what is
called surgery and
when he became a little bit old
and he had a son
who also became a doctor and then
he handed over the keys
to his son and said my son
I worked very hard now I
want to enjoy my life and as
I am enjoying now here in Varanasi
you
go and look after the surgery
so the son went came back
in the evening gleefully
he announced to his
father, dad you know that
old lady and you have
been treating her for the last 50
years. I cured her.
The father put his hand to his
head and struck and said my
son what have you done?
It's all because of her
that I could
make you educated in this
paying heavy college
fees. I constructed my house
I constructed my surgery
all the wealth that I accumulated
is only because of her
and you finished
in one go the source
of all income. This is the idea
that Hriday has got
the more number of times
a person comes to say Ram Krishna
he can give little by little
and after understanding
it he will come for some more
so squeeze that devotee
as long as
possible. That was his selfish
idea. Ram Krishna
he got very angry and said
these are my words and I
am giving it to them and I
will do whatever I like. I can
give little, I can give more
and in that context only I think
he added if I like
I will dance naked
among a thousand girls
what is that to you rascal
of course Hriday could not do
anything. In fact he became very
angry. He became very
inimical to say Ram Krishna
he insulted in and out
many times Ram Krishna
and so much torment he
had given to say Ram Krishna
this Ram Krishna was a
incarnation of God remember
he said unable to bear
the torment of Hriday
I felt like committing suicide
by jumping into the Ganga
but of course he did not do it
but this very Hriday
had served Ram Krishna
for 14 years when
Ram Krishna was completely helpless
as a child during his
tremendous spiritual sadhana
he forgot the whole world
Ram Krishna never takes it
amiss whatever he says but the
point is any number of
repetitions by this
scripture is forever good
so Bhagwan Krishna is telling
Hey Bharata, Oh Arjuna
any number of times I will repeat
until you understand, until
you are inspired, until
you will not give up progressing
in life. Sattvam
Sukheya Sanjayate
earlier of course we discussed the
Sattva guna when it is dominant
then it creates tremendous
happiness. We have to understand
whenever we are happy even the
most tamasic person
when he is very happy that
as long as his happiness
lasts that is the
result of Sattva guna
some way Sattva guna came to
him and that created
that happiness maybe
it is a different type of happiness
but nevertheless it is
a Sattva guna mixed with other
gunas. Ok. Sukheya
Sanjayate and when
Rajya guna increases tremendous
amount of running of mind
becomes restless and it wants
to do lot of activities
multitasking
it wants to run
here and there like a
monkey which is drunk
which is stung by
a scorpion and which is
possessed by a demon
as Swami Vivekananda
describes to us this is what
happens when Rajya guna
is on the increase. Uthaha
Now Tamahato
Gnanam Avaruthiya
So what does tamas do? Gnanam
or it completely covers
right knowledge. Pramade
Sanjayate. It
produces wrong knowledge
and it is the wrong knowledge
that makes a person behave
in the wrong way. Always remember
our actions spring
from our desires. Our
desires spring from our
understanding and our understanding
is heavily
colored, influenced by the
gunas. Therefore
it is in our only
profit that we have
to increase sattva guna so
that we ourselves can test
analyze ourselves
we can become Sakshi's witnesses
to ourselves. That
is why it will increase our happiness
it will also reduce
our delusion. It will
also take us
slowly to our real nature
which is called brahman.
This is how the lord
is explaining sattva
binds one to happiness
and register action. Oh Bharata
whereas tamas
rails knowledge and binds
one to inadvertence.
Through the influence of sattva
man feels happy in spite of the
presence of grief and suffering. This is
a very important point. So do you
mean to say sattvika person
always he will be very happy
will there not be circumstances
where he will be sick
or he will be tormented
tortured put to trouble
by wicked people
either by life or by
prarabdha or by accident
by whatever means
even the incarnations of god
look at the life of Christ
he was being crucified
what did he do
did he lose his presence of mind
did he curse his people
he turned towards
god and said father
forgive them for they know not
what they do. Why? Because
right knowledge has come to him
Why? Because sattva guna
is most prevalent to
in his mind. Remember
if a person is in samadhi
the question of any guna influencing
doesn't arise. But so long as
the person is not in samadhi
when there is so much of sattva guna
it produces
tranquility, serenity
equanimity
love for everybody
because he knows if someone is doing
something wrong and it is
hurting either himself or others
he will not hate the other person
he will understand it
because he is helpless
he is possessed by a demon
called either prajna guna
or sattva guna. You also
come across, we also come across
even here also
the leg will be shaking all the
time or the hand will
be shaking or we will be
biting our nails or we
will be twirling our moustaches
or we are scratching our backs
or we are scratching our
heads. So many things happen
or most of the time
all unconsciously
even though we are listening to
lectures, reading a book etc
observe a person
on the contrary observe a small
baby completely
merged in playing
100% of his personality
is merged in that
though for a short time
we have a lot of lessons to learn
from babies. Concentration
complete absorption
complete authenticity
a baby doesn't smile and say
I am happy to see you even when
we feel like taking a shotgun
and blasting the other
person to smithereens
he wants to laugh because
he is happy he will laugh
he is unhappy
he cries. That complete
lack of hypocrisy
division
in the personality and showing
one thing outside feeling
that is what is called child's
nature not childishness
but the pure nature
of the child. We have
to imitate. A sattvika
person not that
life will be different. The cold will
be cold, heat will be heat
everything will be everything
but he will not be
suffering. So look at the life of Krishna
he knew the time has come
very serenely he
went to Gandhari and
incited her to curse
him so that all the
devatas born with him
become arrogant and nobody
can conquer them only her
curse can destroy them and he
was very happy because he accomplished
what he wanted to accomplish. Look at
the life of Rama extremely
serene absolutely
serene quiet
look at Ramakrishna
when he was suffering from
the throat cancer intolerable
pain was
wracking his very body
was hardly able to move from side
to side and then
one day he was telling
you know this is all mother's
she has given me good things
I have enjoyed it. Now she is
giving this to this body
that is her will
whatever happens
I have offered this mind to her
long back. This is
called sattva guna
in its prime
manifestation where
circumstances will be the same
to all but at the same time
this man's mind will be
completely unruffled
look at Ramana Maharshi
in his old age he developed
carbuncle on his left hand
left shoulder hand
upper hand upper side of the hand
and doctors decided it's cancerous
it has to be
operated and removed and he
said okay if that is your decision
carry up I have nothing to do
with it. Then the doctors want to
administer anesthesia
he said no you go ahead and do
what you need to do I will do
what I can do and they were
shocked because it was so painful
I have narrated this incident
many times we have to narrate
meditate upon these incidents
for what purpose
when we are also in such
a condition of suffering
these things will give us what is called
solace it will give us
courage to be
that is the most wonderful word
phraseology courage to be
it doesn't mean that I
forget myself like a fool
and rushing and trying to do something
like a heroic act
no I know the consequences
and with calm and
quiet mind I decide to do it
and then I move forward
and I do those things
that is a very important thing that
under any circumstance
a Sattvika mind
will be like that so the doctors
went on operating
and within half an hour they cut off
that portion bandaged it
what was Ramana Maharshi was
he feeling he said he was looking on
as if somebody else's body
was being operated upon
such was his tremendous
control what is the control
I am Atman I am Brahman
I am not the body
this has become such a natural thing
is to call it
Sahaja Samadhi
Samadhi is not forgetting the world
it is so natural just as
we are also having
curiously all of us have
got this Sahaja Samadhi
with regard to most of the people
and events what am I talking about
see we see so many people
suppose somebody comes to you and you see
that person is suffering terribly
do you feel that I am
suffering no so far as that
person is concerned or the whole world
is concerned you are completely
free and I will go a little further
there is loving couple
husband and wife perhaps husband
is being wracked by pain
but the wife sympathy
is there but identity
is not there so we are all
Jeevan Muktas how we feel
with regard to others
if we can bring that feeling
even towards our own selves
that is called spiritual
serenity that is called
Sattva Guna
in its highest manifestation
and that is what being
said here and then
the man that is possessed by
Rajoguna this is a very important word
until certain point of
our struggle in Sadhana
so we will be possessed
by Tamoguna
we have to consciously with full
awareness separate our
Tamoguna and then go to the
higher Tamoguna
and then we attain to the lower
Rajoguna and then go to
higher Rajoguna and then go to
lower Sattva Guna and then
go to higher Sattva Guna
please do not forget these
three things every Guna
has got a higher nature
while sleeping Tamoguna
is excellent sleeping
relaxing etc. I will give an
example Napoleon and Mahatma
Gandhi were well known
figures what is their greatness
when they want to sleep within a
second millisecond they
fall asleep not only that when they
decide to get up after 10
minutes I want to get up
exactly after 10 minutes the person
gets up extremely
refreshed this is called
higher Tamoguna tremendous
mind control that
you do not dictate to me
but you are under my control
when I want to sleep
come and make me completely relaxed
Napoleon used to sleep
on the horse and go to
sleep a little bit
even amidst a battle
British people
blasting away and
guns and all those things
this man will go to a little
bit safe place and then stand
on the horse and then
go to sleep exactly after 10 minutes
completely refreshed he will
wake up Mahatma Gandhi
heard or I read he
was going to meet the Viceroy
and he asked how much
time will it take for us to reach
15 minutes immediately
he went to sleep exactly
as the car was entering into the
compound of the Viceroy he got
up what a blessed quality
that when we want to be awake
it will not go to sleep
when we want to sleep immediately
it goes this tremendous
control over these
Gunas that is called Yoga
Yogaha Chitta Vritti
Nirodaha what does it mean
absolute control over the
thoughts and what are the
thoughts what is the origin of the thoughts
Gunas therefore
what is Yoga complete absolute
control over the Gunas
that is what every
Chiman Mukta says I want to sleep
he will sleep I want to be awake
he will be awake I want to
do something he will be doing
he will not fall asleep I want to
now meditate
he will be meditating and this was
what Swami Vivekananda used to say
a Karma Yogi
who is a Karma Yogi one instance
in the midst of
a roaring market place
he wants to sit
there and plunge into
Samadhi this noise
all around will not disturb him
at the moment he decides
I have got work within
one millisecond from
a deep meditative state
he will plunge into the highest
activity and he
after the activity is over
or even in the midst of the activity
he has the control
again if he gets five minutes
he will just sit there
and he will sleep that is why
Arjuna is called Gudakesha
that is why Lakshmana was called
one who has conquered
the sleep it is said
for twelve years he did not have
a wink of sleep, daytime
working for the sake of Rama
and Sita, night time
guarding them from wild
animals and wicked people
Rakshasas etc.
by the way Rakshasas means
not the Chandamama Rakshasas
people who
with intention
wants to torture
kill, rob
in the most horrific manner
without feeling any empathy
at all, dead inside
there is no feeling at all
such kind of people
what is called Rakshasas
and there are many human beings
and they look very beautiful
and they smile and when they smile
also Prasannopi
Bhayankaraha
even their very smile
produces such a thundering
trepidation in the onlookers
what is going to happen
now, whether it is Hitler
or there are so many living
examples also, I do not want
to specifically name them
Rajasika person
helplessly is bound, what happens
to a spiritual person
consciously he controls
Tamas, consciously
he controls Rajas, consciously
he controls Sattva
and when he wants
he goes beyond Sattva Guna
that is called entering into Samadhi
whether in Samadhi
or outside Samadhi
he has got that complete control
over his both body and mind
that means over the
whole world, an example
is given, Ramakrishna gives
example of a great
Rama Bhakta, he was a soldier
and he was fighting with some
Muslims and one day
one of the Muslims
who was in his own side
he came and stabbed
that happens many times
and then he was on the point of death
and his fellow soldiers soon came and found out
and they were enraged
they asked him, name the person
we will tear him to pieces
he said, I am Rama who is
protecting me, has now killed me
with that he breathed his last
this is called
complete control over
all the three Gunas, what is Samadhi
to go beyond
all these three Gunas
through the influence of Tamas
man is deprived of the power of
discrimination and neglects
his imperative duties
and the next tenth
verse, the most marvellous
verse, what happens
at any given time, there are three Gunas
Sattva, Rajas and Tamas
at the same time, all of them
do not dominate
one dominates and then
it suppresses or it becomes
master of the other two
so that is being told here
when Sattva is prevalent
it controls Rajas and Tamas
when Rajas is prevalent
it controls Sattva and Tamas
when Tamas is prevalent
dominant, it controls
both Sattva and Rajas
why is he telling
because this is what
is our ideal, Bhagwan Krishna
is showing us
our ideal, what is the
ideal, let all the three
Gunas be there, again and again
I am emphasizing, Gunas are
not bad, in their respective
places, they are very good
but we should not allow
the lower side of any
Guna, that is called bondage
the higher side of every
Guna is most
conducive to health
happiness, knowledge
everything that is good in this world
so how do the Gunas function
in any given individual
this is being discussed in the
10th Shloka
Sattva asserts itself by
prevailing over Rajas and Tamas
O Bharata, Rajas
asserts itself by prevailing
over Sattva and Tamas
and Tamas asserts itself
by prevailing over
Sattva and Rajas
so one becomes dominant
and at that time the other two
becomes subservient
what does it do
when
when Sattva Guna becomes dominant
Bhavati, what does it do
it suppresses
dominates
has mastery over
Rajoguna and Tamoguna
Sattva Guna becomes dominant
O Arjuna
similarly Rajoguna
so Rajoguna, what does it do
Sattva Guna and Tamoguna
are suppressed
made subservient
and it dominates
but when Tamoguna dominates
it becomes dominant by
suppressing Sattva
and Raja
this is what being told
when one of the Gunas prevails over
the other two, it produces
its own effect
we have seen earlier, I hope you remember
when Sattva is dominant
then what happens, two things happen
knowledge increases
the whole body becomes alert
the sense organ becomes absolutely
alert
one pointed and doesn't tolerate
any distraction
and because the mind is quiet
it grasps, understands
things rightly, quickly
and remembers it forever
that is what happens
when Sattva Guna prevails
when Rajoguna prevails, what happens
insatiable
greed, everything
that comes across him
I want this
what is called Lobha
insatiable greed
manifests in two ways, first of all
whatever the person has
he doesn't want to
let it go, he doesn't want to
give it to others, share it
with others and enjoy with others
he wants it, but at least
is he going to enjoy himself
no sir, neither he enjoys
nor he allows others
to enjoy, this is
one part of the Rajoguna
Lobhi, Lobhatva
greed, what is the other side
whenever he sees anything outside
I want that and how much you want it
insatiable, I want
to possess, in the present day India
so many people
numberless people are
depositing money, crores and
crores and crores in
foreign banks where they
will not be caught and their secret
will be there, what is happening
now, sometimes they forget
the password and
many times they cannot enjoy at all
neither their family people
enjoy nor he enjoys
this person has so much
money, such a huge
home, such a building
he goes on buying here and there and
everywhere, why doesn't that buddhi
that wisdom
dawn onto him, I have sufficient
God has given me
not only for this life, for
another 7000
reincarnations he has given
me, why can't I distribute
it and make others enjoy
not only that, I have got faith
in God, I have got faith in the
scriptures, so everything that
I give away is a worship
of God and God is not
going to take it away but he
will deposit like a child
when he gets something
he will give it to mother
what does the mother do, is she going to
eat the chocolates and other things
no, she keeps it safely
and when the child needs it
gives it accordingly, so this is
an investment for
future happiness
what is it that man carries
how much land does a man
need, I hope you remember
I narrated that beautiful
story of Tolstoy
there was a man, very greedy
and he went to
a land where
he was given to understand
that as much land as you can measure
from sunrise to sunset
all that you can own
and that land is most fertile
land and it is given completely
free because there were only very
few old people, most
marvelous story, I wish
all of you go to it
and read it and
extract the meaning of
it, when all of us die
what is it we carry
nothing, this man
in his greed, he took more than
he could what they say bite
and just towards sunset
he was in a hurry to reach because
if he cannot reach the tree
where he started from
then he forfeits whatever he measured
so he hurried, he
ran and
so tired, he fell down
dead as soon as he
came near the people
who granted him that privilege and then
how much land, six by
two by two, that is all
a man realizing
when we go, what do we
carry, do we carry anything, yes
we carry dharma
and adharma, except in the
store, nothing happens, sharing
with others what we don't
need, that is called dharma
and this
triple greediness, keeping everything
that is called adharma
and in this life, neither
he enjoys because always
there will be anxiety
worry from king
from the government, from thieves
from family members
from everything, what are we
talking about, we have to slowly
make the
rajoguna dominant and
that is how we suppress
the tamoguna and after
that we should not stop our journey
go forward and
suppress, suppress
means what, they are not our enemies
this is the point, so many
times I told you and so
many times I am going to repeat
no guna is an
enemy, why, it belongs
to our divine mother and
anything that belongs to divine mother
to god, to brahman cannot
be bad thing at all
god wants us, divine mother
wants us to use every
guna in the most
appropriate manner as
we do many things
you don't bring a huge
iron rod
to sew a silken cloth
similarly you don't take
a small needle to
do operation in a big
person, everything requires
its appropriate instrument
so all the gunas are
appropriate instruments, prakruti
is an instrument so that
it is like pole vaulting as one of
our swamis so beautifully put it
all the three gunas are like
the wonderful pole
what is it, it is quite
flexible, it is
quite strong, it is
quite helpful
for us to carry
light, very flexible
very strong, it helps
us to run and then run
towards that pole and then
you rise into the space
6 feet or 10 feet
or whatever and then what do you do
with the help of the pole
we rise but we will have to
give it up, cross over it
what is that pole, that pole
is called prakruti, the pole
is called three gunas
which is nothing but prakruti, crossing
over it but with the help of the
three gunas only, so
they are very helpful, every guna
is very helpful, that's an important
point to attune, but they have
to be kept in their proper
proportions, sattva guna
will be the king, rajo guna will be
the assistant minister
and tamo guna will be
the commander in chief, everything
has to work properly
what should we do, we should
try to rise, develop
progress by
controlling and using it
in its proper way, tamo guna
rajo guna and even sattva
guna also we have to
do it, now how do
we develop the good
side of the gunas and what can
help us, bhagavatam
such a marvellous scripture
in the eleventh skandha
thirteenth section, fourth
shloka, eleventh
thirteen, four, here is a
verse which is most marvellous
that I found
so there are ten elements
if we can recognise them
take the help of them in their
right way then they
help us to progress
in life by
developing these
qualities, sattva, rajas
and tamas and these ten
and everyday in our life
we are going to encounter
from birth to
death, from waking time
to the sleeping time, again
from the waking time, these are
the ten things, very briefly
I will be doing it
what is the first thing, shastra
scripture, what is the second thing
water, what is the third thing
people, what is the fourth thing
places, what is the
fifth thing, time, what is the
sixth thing, actions
what is the seventh thing, lives
what is the eighth thing, dhyanam,
meditation, what is the ninth thing
mantra, what is the tenth thing
samskara, these are what
samskaro dashayate
unahetavaha, and what
does the scripture wants to tell us
with this, I am going to tell you
that one, shastram, so
scripture, scripture also
tells three things, so there are three
types of scriptures are there
what is it, that scripture
which tells us, which
helps us, aids us
to get the highest knowledge
to get to the truth and
what describes, what
is God and how to go to
God and how we can be
blessed and how we can be
happy, healthy, etc
these are called sattvika shastras
the second
part of the Vedas
what is called
jnanakanda or what I call
prefer to call brahmakanda
and those scriptures which
only talk about
how to be happy in this world
how to increase
our knowledge, etc
and what is called astrology
what is called scientific knowledge
what is called how to discover
diamonds and gold
and where is it there
and what is going to happen in future
and how to do puja
how many types of pujas
how wonderfully pujas have to be done
how many things we have to offer
in the puja, all these
called rajasika scriptures
and there are scriptures
what we call pornographic
books, pornographic
films, etc, people who talk
about, we will talk about it later on
and those stories
novels, etc
which destroy our mind, etc
and which make us
come, remove
influence our faith
in God and then remove
whatever little faith we are having
what is called nastika
atheistic books
there are so many books are there
atheistic books and that which
increases our emotions, etc
and that includes
newspaper also, what we
read in the newspaper, etc
these are called tamasika granthas
and about water, there are
very sacred waters, fit to be
offered, Ganga, Yamuna,
Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada
Sindhu, Kaveri, so every
river for an Indian
Devata, Brahma Kumara
Brahma
that is himself
flowing there in the form
of a nadi
so these are
what is called
sattvika waters and that which
increases fragrances
that which increases
our attractiveness to the opposite sex
and that which some
people, even devotees I have seen
so thickly they put it
when they enter
even half a mile, the whole
place is permeated with
unbreathable, these kind
of things, you see
even incense stick also when we
light it up, it helps us
to actually
increase our love for
God, etc, but
certain kinds of fragrances
certain kinds of smells, I will
give you little detail, the same
potato, but if you put
it what is called meat
masala and that very
smell, fragrance that
comes out of it, it is just
makes our mouths water
and then sweets also
are there like that, these are called
rajasika, this thing
beautifully this is described
towards the end of the Bhagavad Gita
what type of sattvika food, rajasika
food, tamasika food, etc
here we are talking about
sattvika waters and
rajasika waters and
there are some kind of
waters, so
especially drinks
that intoxicating drinks, etc
these are called
tamasika waters, then among people
we know Shri Ramakrishna has
described sattvika people
rajasika people and
devotees of God
saints, sages, reading about
them and that is also satsanga
that is sattvika people
then there are people
business people always
talking about money and
they don't know anything excepting
all these things, these are great
people and in the world
they also do very great things
actually, but
these are, they increase our
prajabhuna, what is called
tremendous attachment to
many many activities
when we read their books, when we
come into contact with them, when we talk
with them, etc, then there are people
so they talk one thing, they
always go on doing whatever
is suitable for their personal name
fame, politicians
and people who are
acting in the cinemas, etc
and those who do
rowdies, boondas and
those who kill people, those
who cheat people
and in what is called
they are supposed to be most
powerful people
every country has got
these kind of people and they are
on the increase, always they
want to take away what belongs
to other people, whether it is
money, land, places
countries, their women
their families, these are
called, as we all
already know about it, is
tamasika people, then
there are places, there are holy
places, there are temples
there are ashramas
and there are places which
produce serenity of the mind
by just visiting these things
these are sattvika places
then there are places, the cinema
halls and then business
places, market people
and what
is called money exchange
stock market places
etc, these are
what is called rajasika people
simply they increase our
attachment, then there are places
where they serve
drinks, drugs, etc
and gambling
and there are so many specialist places
in America
and everywhere also are there
in red light districts
clubs etc
these are called tamasika
places, then there is time
early in the morning and when there
is eclipses and
dawn, dusk, midnight
early morning
etc, this is a beautiful time
then there is time when
the rise of the sun or
prajna guna will also increase
then there is a time, according
to Indian calculation
night is called nishachara
where the rakshasas, asuras
bhogis, the people
who want to enjoy, parricide
night, these are the places
which are very
increase our
tamo guna, then there are karmas
then there are janmas
then there is meditation
then as we have seen
there are mantras
and there are samskaras
these are most marvelous interesting
subject, if we can
understand these
particular shloka in the Bhagavatam
and then
every time you use
your discrimination, is this right
time, is it the right person
is it the right place, is it
the right water, is it the right
mantra, is it the right scripture
everything if we do
and this will be extremely
helpful for us in the
highest degree, we will
elaborate these things
tomorrow
May Ramakrishna
Holy Mother and
Swami Vivekananda bless us all
we will meet again
tomorrow night at this
time. Jai Ramakrishna