View source for Bhagavad Gita Ch17 part 08 on 21 November 2021

== Full Transcript(Not Corrected) ==
Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum
Pada Padmetayo Shritva Pranamami Mohor Moho
Om Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsachanuram Ardhanam
Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
Sarvopanishadogavo Dogda Gopalanandana
Partho Vatsah Sudhir Bhokta
Dugdam Geetam Ritam Mahat
Mukam Karoti Vachalam
Pankam Langayate Girim
Yath Kripathamaham Vande Paramanandamadham
We are exploring the 17th chapter Shraddhatre Vibhaga Yoga of the Bhagavad Gita.
Several people had remarked that this is the most practical of all the teachings that we get in many, many scriptures.
Though general teaching is given right from the end of the second chapter,
but here is what you call nitty-gritty, that is the details of that.
So we have seen the Lord said without any doubt,
I will expound four things in life which make up the life.
In fact, when we see anybody's, any human being's life can be divided into four departments.
First his body, then of course his mind, his ideals in life,
and finally how he acts and interacts with the society.
So this is how in that order.
First is Ahara, food.
Primarily we are talking here about physical food,
but we also have talked about what is the, we are going to talk about what is the austerity about these three things,
but primarily we talked about how is Sattvika food, Rajasika food and Tamasika food are very beautifully graphically described.
Then we come across how a person's ideals are there.
A person's ideals are intimately related with any person's belief, faith,
and that is what really guides.
If you come across some people who are worshipping,
elderly people, great people, wise people, spiritual people, ideal people, etc.,
we have to understand that this person has a great desire to lead a higher life.
So worship of all these people only points to the cause that the person has the Sankalpa, the determination.
I would like also to imitate these people and live a high-principled life,
simple living and high ideal living, deep thinking living.
Then we come across life itself is a tremendous austerity,
whether we understand it or not, life can be divided into,
or experiences of life can be divided into two categories, pleasant and unpleasant,
and again they can be classified into further two,
temporarily pleasant, temporarily unpleasant, which we all cognize and find out a way,
but that which shapes our life not only at the present moment but in our future.
Future includes any number of births that we are going to get in future until we attain liberation.
So everything is included in that idealistic life.
So there also everything depends upon what we do,
what is our goal, and what is the best path for reaching our goal,
and who are the inspirers.
That is where this worship of these people will come into these things.
So we have discussed about that also,
how a Sattvika person, how he worships, and when he worships,
he is fully convinced it has to be done.
It is to his detriment, to his great loss, if he doesn't do it,
and he follows a scientifically laid out, detailed way of how to perform worship, etc.,
whether it is external, physical, or vocal, or mental.
Similarly, we have discussed a Sattvika person does it one way,
a Rajasika person, because his mind is restless, he has many unfulfilled desires,
and he wants to be known by everybody, he wants to acquire everything,
he has all these desires running right in his mind,
but he has faith in Gods that they are capable of bestowing,
and that is how his worship would be dictated by his mental condition.
Similarly, a Tamasika person, he is also endowed with a modicum of Shraddha,
and he also has his own idea about life, and how he is going to worship.
These are the points we have discussed in quite details.
So, first about food, that was what the Lord promised, I will tell you,
about food, about worship, Igna, about austerity, and finally about Dana.
That is to say, how one is going to share,
how one is going to reduce the selfishness,
and become more and more selfless.
We are in the third step now, beautiful graphic description,
there are three types of pujas are there,
and this austerity also is so beautifully described here,
and that is what in our last class we have seen.
Fourteenth shloka we will take up, I just briefly introduced.
Let us remember, this particular shloka is telling us about the austerity,
that can be performed by the body, primarily,
though mind is involved, and our speech also is involved,
but primarily this is about external, physical, bodily austerity.
That is why it is so aptly called,
So it consists of eight characteristics,
and probably in the order that the Lord has given.
Sometimes we have to see in Sanskrit verses,
for the sake of confirming to the meter,
so that it can become a particular type of expression.
So one has to juggle with words,
what needs to come in the first, goes to the end,
or in the middle, or what is supposed to come at the end,
comes in the middle, or in the beginning.
In Sanskrit that flexibility is there, except in poetry,
any other language does not usually permit it.
It is highly restricted, but in Sanskrit,
anyway one can put it, and make a wonderful meaning out of it.
That is why Sanskrit is one of the best mediums,
even for computer language, highly flexible, maneuverable.
Okay, so the Lord is describing.
So I said, first of all, it is high ideals.
Second, cleanliness.
Third, it is straightforwardness.
Fourth, control of the completely external sense organs.
And lastly, highest austerity is not to harm any creature,
either physically, or even verbally, or even mentally.
And in that order, I think I see a rational order in that,
but it doesn't really matter, but this is a beautiful way of expression.
So, worship of the gods, worship of the twice born,
worship of teachers, and worship of the wise,
cleanliness, uprightness, straightforwardness,
continence, and non-violence.
These are said to be the austerity of the body.
So why is it called austerity of the body?
Because all these things have to be achieved only with the help of mainly the body.
Let us take up one by one.
First is, of course, gods.
It is taken for granted belief in Hinduism that God has created the world,
is maintaining it, and he is also absorbing it back, recycling it.
So in that process, God is looking after this world.
He is not only creator, Brahma, but he is also Vishnu.
Vishnu means the maintainer, the not only lawmaker,
but law maintainer, the police.
Because law is meaningless without somebody to implement it.
So we are talking about in that particular sense
that if we are alive and happy and healthy and wealthy,
it's all because of the grace of God in the form of through several gods.
It could be Saraswati, it could be Lakshmi, it could be Ganesha, Karthikeya, Shiva, Kali, or Durga, or Parvati.
All these are same God, but they have specific functions.
Like in our personality, a man is a son, he is a grandson, he is a father,
and he is also an officer, he is also a club member, he is also a swimmer,
he is also a member of a managing committee,
and he can have any number of roles, but the person is only one.
But if we want any job to be done in any particular department,
we have to approach the head of that department.
For example, you cannot approach a man who is at home and sleeping for the sake of discussing a file.
You have to go to the office and fetch the file, put it in front of him,
see that whether something can be done about it.
Similarly, if you want some medical treatment, you have to go to the either surgery or hospital,
and there deal with the same person who is now an expert doctor.
But if the same person is a friend or you are playing chess with him,
then you don't discuss medical things there.
So likewise, if we want money, if we want wealth, if we want health,
if we want success, if we want knowledge, wisdom,
all these things have got different departments and department heads.
God in the form of all the heads of these departments.
So he will be particularly dealing with that subject in that department.
That is how we have to understand.
So first thing is we must have faith that God exists.
He is our creator. He is the maintainer.
He knows everything and He can give us whatever we want,
but we have a saying in our language that even mother will not give food unless you request.
As a baby, yes, but once we are grown up, the mother knows.
This person now has that common sense.
When he wants food, he will ask me.
I am ever ready to give, but I want that request to come from that person.
So God knows everything, but according to our needs, we will have to express them in that particular way.
Varanasi is a very interesting place in that way.
So Shiva is the presiding deity and Annapurna is the goddess who is feeding everybody
and several people like to be here, but there is a rule.
There is one particular manifestation of Shiva.
It is called Kalabhairava.
He is supposed to be the police sergeant.
So one has to go to him and pray.
I would like to stay here.
I would like to obtain the visa to stay here.
So there are different renewable visas, permanent visa also.
So even if a person visits Varanasi for three days,
first thing he has to go there, request him, obtain the visa.
Then the stay will be very pleasant and successful.
It is only a belief I am telling, but otherwise it could also be more difficult or even disastrous.
Coming back, Deva Poojanam.
Poojanam means what?
Worship.
This worship we have to understand here.
That is to have faith this God exists.
He listens to my prayers and he is very compassionate.
He or she is going to answer my prayers.
And this is what I require.
And there also we should not ask what is harmful for others and what is impossible for us.
So if somebody says, Oh God, make me a bird so that I can fly freely with this human body.
God says, you wait till the next birth.
I will make you be born as a bird.
Then you can fly freely, enter into traps, hunter's traps or the birds of prey.
They will be preying upon you.
So all those both cons and pros have to be thought about it.
So Deva Poojanam is the first thing because God is the only reality.
Every other reality borrows its reality from God.
Then Dvijas. Hinduism says there are twice born.
Dvija means twice.
Ja means born.
Dvija means twice born at a particular age.
Any male child born in a Brahmin family is invested with a sacred thread.
And thereafter he is supposed to transform his life into a self-controlled spiritual life.
That is the symbolism what in Christianity we call baptism, true baptism.
That is highly aware that God is existing.
He is watching me.
I must lead a life according to his commandments.
Do's and don'ts.
And that life starts when a child is sufficiently grown up and that person's rationality increases.
Now he is in a position to understand not only what he will gain
if he leads the life according to the injunctions of the scriptures
and performing what should be and refraining from what should not be.
Then not only he is aware of what he is going to get, what profits he is going to get
but he will be also aware what he is going to lose if he doesn't follow those injunctions.
See the trouble with most people is we know what we are going to get
but we are completely thoroughly ignorant of what we are going to lose
if I tell a lie, if I harm another person.
So every action has its own appropriate phala, we call it karma phala, reaction.
But we do not think that if I cheat somebody I can gain something.
But what that person is going to lose in course of time that he doesn't want even to think.
That is called stupidity, foolishness, ignorance.
So dvijas are those type of people who understand rationally why they should lead a life
and take a vow in front of God from today I am going to lead a very spiritual self-controlled life
because spirituality and self-control they always go together.
So this is what we will have to understand by worship of the dvijas
means not bowing down merely that also has to be done
but above all to observe what they are doing.
Taittiriya Upanishad tells us
wherever you are living open your eyes look all around you
see how the wise people are behaving
observe their actions, reactions and you imitate them
thereby you will also become wise person.
Slowly you will be transformed from the otherwise-ness to wiseness.
Otherwise you will remain otherwise only for a long time to come.
This is the substance of worship of the dvijas, twice born.
But everybody is not a Brahmin but there are very wise people.
Nowadays they call it computer guru, financial guru, stock market guru,
pickpocket guru and political guru.
So many varieties of gurus are there.
So here also Guru Poojana.
There are several types of teachers are there.
Guru means a teacher.
Practically everything in this world can teach us.
That is how Bhagavatam tells us a story of Avadhuta.
A king once met him and immediately understood
this is the most enlightened person.
So he put a question to him after bowing down
that who are your gurus and how did you happen to acquire this wisdom?
And then the sage addressed him, answered him
Oh king, that no human being had ever taught me
but I started observing the whole of nature in the form of 24 experiences.
24 gurus I had.
A tree had taught me.
An illiterate woman had taught me.
A kite had taught me.
The earth had taught me.
So wherever I look, I see the greatest wisdom.
Even in a drop of water we can see.
Sri Ramakrishna had given this beautiful example.
If you observe, supposing there is some rain,
a drop of water had fallen onto a hallow leaf
but it will dry up.
It will become evaporated very soon.
So if you put a little bit of water in a small pot
and after just a few hours or few days,
it will become totally evaporates.
But if you immerse the same thing in an ocean
then it will never ever become dry or lacks water.
Then he concludes,
if a man lives all by himself,
then he will encounter all sorts of miseries.
He will become dry.
Dry means he will not be a happy person.
But if the same person is surrounded by God,
he surrenders himself to God
and like this pot full of water put in a river or in an ocean,
he will ever be sustained
and forever he will be keeping his water.
That means a person who wants to be happy,
he must surrender himself to God.
So the whole nature had taught me
and this is a beautiful story.
We get the story of Avadhuta who had 24 gurus.
Anything can teach us.
And that's what we need to do here.
That gurus, anybody, even a child can teach us how to be innocent.
Sri Ramakrishna was telling,
I use it to, at one point of my sadhana,
I use it to mix with small boys and girls
and play with them.
What is the idea?
Because a child has no attachment to anything.
He can get angry.
She can get, a girl can get angry.
But how long?
Just for a few seconds or minutes.
But immediately their attention is taken away
and immediately they become friends with those very people
with whom they had quarrel.
I have witnessed it in so many times,
especially in festival times.
That is something most marvelous thing.
So if we open our eyes,
we can get a sermon as one of the British poets says,
in a brook.
And we can see the reflection of God on a dew drop.
So we can learn.
But usually teachers are of three types.
That is why,
Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava.
Our first two teachers, real teachers,
are our mother, in that order,
and our father.
These are their teachers.
They teach us this way.
You get up at this time,
you brush your teeth,
and you do this prayer.
Afterwards, you offer something to God
and then you take it as prasadam.
Without prayer,
your life will be totally worthless.
That is how the parents are supposed to teach.
Then you see,
the second type of guru is,
he can be a medical guru,
a pickpocket guru,
a computer guru,
any type of person who helps us get some job,
maintain and be free.
There are many,
but there is one real teacher
and he is called the spiritual teacher,
especially from whom we get initiation, etc.
So these are all the teachers,
Dhrija, Guru, Prajna.
First, worship of the gods,
of God in his different manifestations.
Then, twice born,
there are some people,
elderly people,
good type of people only.
So worship them means what?
You observe what they are doing,
try to incorporate the same type of lifestyle
into your own lifestyle.
Then, gurus.
As I mentioned,
anybody can be a guru,
even a tree can be a guru.
So, mother, father, parents,
then our school teachers,
our nursery teachers,
school teachers,
college teachers,
and so many we can learn,
whole life is meant for learning.
But real teacher is,
when we want to progress in spiritual life,
we need to obtain,
and by God's grace,
the teacher will come when we really want,
and he will give us,
show us the way.
A mantra is nothing but a way,
how we can get out of this narrowness,
limitation,
and expand ourselves.
And finally identify ourselves
with our own true nature,
what is the Brahmanhood.
That is the spiritual teacher.
That is why the spiritual teacher
is so highly praised in everything.
Then, prajna.
Prajna means wise people.
Now there is a difference between
wise people and
what you call people with information.
Chidam Krishna used to say,
we all know that,
these pandits,
they are like vultures.
They have so much of dry knowledge.
But like kites,
like vultures,
their sight is fixed only,
on the charnel pit,
trotting carcasses.
That means,
on worldly enjoyments,
worldly wealth,
worldly pleasures.
And they are not,
they do not deserve.
That's why the whole Bhagavad Gita
starts with that particular verse.
Oh Arjuna, you are grieving
for people for whom
you should not grieve.
Because you are an ignorant person.
And yet,
you are talking like a great pandit.
But who is a great pandit?
The great pandit is one,
man of,
wise man is one,
who neither grieves for the living,
nor for the dead.
Why?
Because both the living,
as well as the dead,
both are mithya.
Both are temporary phenomena.
That which is permanent,
eternal,
infinite,
that is God.
And those who know,
that there is no division,
that is what we call prajnaha.
Wise person.
And we can learn from many, many people.
When we see such persons,
with unbiased mind,
approach them with a reverential attitude,
and you respect them,
if not physically,
at least mentally.
And offer them
whatever service you can do.
This is called puja.
Puja doesn't mean,
you go to a spiritual teacher at 12 o'clock,
you bow down to him 3 times,
and then expect him
to invite you for the lunch,
and then eat nicely,
Gurudev has blessed me,
and then return back.
That is the worst type of disciple
any teacher doesn't wish to possess.
But on the contrary,
what does my teacher lack?
I am receiving from him
something much higher,
much valuable.
But what is it that physically,
does he require some cloth,
does he require some books,
does he require some money,
does he require any type of help,
or does he require a little bit of messaging?
Whatever it is,
that service we have to offer,
and that is called worship.
Not simply bowing down,
and thinking that we are great devotees.
That we'll not do.
This is called puja.
So, 4 people we have to worship,
the gods,
and the twice born,
and any other guru, teacher,
or from whom we can learn.
Sri Ramakrishna used to say,
as long as I live,
so long do I learn.
Then, there are many wise people,
and there also,
these wise people may not be wise in every respect,
but they may be wise
in one or two departments.
And you learn from them,
that for example,
there may be a wonderful cook,
and the person may be crooked,
person may be worldly,
don't worry about those things.
These are things,
you want to serve your own family,
and you learn from them,
there is nothing wrong,
from this person,
man or woman,
how to cook properly,
and be thankful to it.
Respect them.
God is manifesting in that particular form,
of better knowledge of cooking.
So, and then, as I said,
Poojanam means,
not merely worshipping,
but serving them as much as one can,
according to one's capacity,
that is called true worship.
This is the first thing.
Then what happens?
Our mind becomes pure,
it acquires wisdom,
it acquires discipline,
and it acquires the rationality,
and it acquires, for example,
Socrates used to teach young men,
how to deepen their own thoughts,
in the form of questions and answers.
This is called Socratic method.
And even today,
many schools adopt this method,
to elicit from the students themselves,
what is there deep within them,
and that would be the best type of learning.
So this is called Poojanam.
Then naturally, we understand,
externally,
is Sharira Tapas,
austerity of the body,
cleanliness,
that is the next spiritual quality,
we have to acquire,
and it requires tremendous amount of effort,
and that is why it is called Tapaha.
Tapah means austerity,
because it is very easy to neglect things,
but it takes every minute,
we have to be alert,
that something is impure,
unclean, etc.
So mainly we are talking about,
the cleanliness of the body,
Saucham,
and that is,
keep the body clean,
keep the surroundings clean,
and then,
that is a very great discipline,
that's why there is a saying in English,
that cleanliness is next to godliness.
Then the next quality is,
Arjavam,
straightforwardness.
If we have been doing all these things,
fulfilling,
our mind immediately points out,
do you have some other thought,
but you are expressing,
and trying to beguile the other person,
that means you are hypocrite,
the mind points out,
and that is called Arjavam,
means straightforwardness.
Ramakrishna,
holy mother,
Swamiji,
they were like children,
that's why people were attracted to them,
they have nothing to hide,
whatever thought is there inside,
and their thoughts are not like our thoughts,
they are only of purity,
of spirituality,
of bhakti,
devotion,
knowledge,
viveka,
viragya,
so those people,
they have got this tremendous purity,
and that's why,
they are not afraid to express them,
we try to hide them,
because we have got what we call,
motivations are there,
hidden motivations are there,
we call them in Bengali language,
that's why we cannot afford,
to become straightforward,
so this is called Arjavam,
means straightforwardness,
that is to say,
when we come across people,
in contact with people,
we have to interact with those people,
so whether those people,
are good people or bad people,
is not our concern,
our concern is,
I don't want to be like them,
I will deal with a clean heart,
clean mind,
this is called Arjavam,
then Brahmacharya,
Brahmacharya means,
it has several meanings,
one meaning of Brahmacharya is,
that refrain from unnecessary,
immoral sexual relationships,
that is a very beautiful meaning,
even a husband and wife,
do not have the license,
to behave as they like,
and enjoy each other,
without restraint,
because that is not the purpose,
of the scriptures,
they have to observe,
lot of rules, regulations,
and such people who observe,
they are also called,
those who are observing Brahmacharya,
that's why Bhagavan Krishna,
was called Naishtika Brahmachari,
whole life,
even though he was married,
to so many wives,
he had so many children,
etc.,
so Brahmacharya here,
in this context,
not even mental,
not even vocal,
but purely keeping the body,
pure,
keeping all the,
10 sense organs,
the eyes should not see,
what is wrong,
what is bad,
the nose cannot smell,
the ear cannot hear,
and the tongue cannot taste,
and the body cannot,
sparsha shukha,
it is called,
so the hands should not grab,
what should not be,
the legs could not go to a place,
where these things are forbidden,
etc.,
this trying to gain,
gradual control,
over the 10 sense organs,
comes under Brahmacharya,
but the real meaning of Brahmacharya,
means Brahmani,
Charati,
it is Brahmachari,
one who constantly thinks about God,
and thinking about God is possible,
only when this possibility is there,
the mind becomes pure,
and the sense organs are under control,
I am not talking about 100% control,
but gradually,
Brahmacharya,
if a person has been following,
all these things,
something marvelous happens,
and that is called Ahimsa,
such a person,
gradually,
starts seeing God,
in everything,
so such a person's mind,
does not say,
that God is,
more manifest in myself,
in my family,
in my friends,
but less manifest,
in my enemies,
etc.,
so sometimes,
we can mistake the other people also,
God is equally manifest,
in everybody,
good or evil,
in fact Vedanta tells us,
that nothing else exists excepting God,
this is called Ahimsa,
Ahimsa means injury,
Ahimsa means non-injury,
so worship of the Gods,
of the twice born,
of teachers,
and of the wise,
cleanliness,
uprightness,
continence,
and non-violence,
these are said to be the,
austerity of the body,
so these eight things,
why is it called austerity,
because these qualities,
cannot be obtained,
unless we put forth,
tremendous effort,
no spiritual,
even worldly quality,
cannot be obtained,
even if a person wants to,
become a doctor,
an engineer,
or a teacher,
he has to work,
from the very birth,
almost from his second year,
third year,
through the nursery school,
then Montgomery,
then he will go to this,
middle school,
high school,
college,
university,
PhD,
and all those things,
so it takes time,
but slowly we have to acquire,
when a person strives,
is level best,
and here level best,
also doesn't mean,
person is working 100%,
because part of the problem is,
if we are not convinced 100%,
our effort also will be only,
proportionate to the percentage,
of faith that we have,
so it may be 1%,
it may be 2%,
10%,
20%,
that's what makes the difference,
between one human being,
and the other human being,
so these are the 8 characteristics,
worship of the Gods,
of the twice born,
of teachers,
and of the wise,
cleanliness,
uprightness,
continence,
non-violence,
these are said to be the,
austerity of the body,
so that is what,
beautifully we discussed,
and here,
Shankaracharya has something to say,
whenever we try,
lot of Purva Janma Sanskaras,
might come,
prop up,
and create obstacles,
so we have to be,
very careful about it,
we will discuss about it,
in our next shloka,
we move on to the 15th,
this is called,
in brief,
how can we practice,
austerity,
of our speech,
austerity of the speech,
because human beings,
even so many animals,
are social animals,
and they will have to practice,
this communication,
whether it is about food,
about dangers etc.,
so here it goes,
words that do not give offense,
and words that are truthful,
words that are pleasant,
and words that are beneficial,
we have to substitute speech,
for the words,
speech should not,
make the other person,
depressed or agitated,
it should be truth,
it should be pleasant,
and it should be beneficial,
four qualities are there,
then only,
this austerity is there,
how much meaning,
is embedded,
in this simple verse,
but to achieve that goal,
to reach that goal,
certain things are supportive,
austerities,
we have to practice,
Swadhyaya Abhyasanam Jaiva,
so Swadhyaya Abhyasanam,
that is to say,
the person has to practice them,
study scriptures,
studying means,
not only studying,
but hearing about them,
thinking about what one has heard,
and then praying to God,
trying to understand,
what it really means,
so that our life can be transformed,
so these are said to be,
the austerity of speech,
so every human being's life,
can be divided into three departments,
what he does with his physical body,
of course mind is involved,
but the speech through which he communicates,
he also is communicated,
it is a two-way doors,
and at the same time,
it is also mental,
we will come to that mental austerity later on,
here we are talking about,
the austerity of speech,
so what does it contain,
first of all,
words that do not agitate,
they must be truthful,
they must be very pleasing,
and they must do much benefit,
bring about much benefit,
to the person with whom we are talking about,
and they must also do exactly the same thing,
to ourselves also,
so here,
five things are told here,
so first thing is,
Anudvega Karam,
it may be some speech,
some words,
we are conveying something,
it may be truthful,
it may be also pleasing,
and it may be also beneficial to the person,
but the way we convey that one,
can be very beneficial,
so supposing,
I am just making it up just now,
so you find somebody,
had passed brilliantly,
so you go to him and say,
you stupid fellow,
you have somehow passed the examination,
so he has passed,
you are conveying the news,
and he should be pleased,
but these introductory letters,
that you have used,
stupid fellow,
it definitely depresses a person,
it agitates the mind,
the thoughts,
that is why it is called,
Anudvega Karam Vakyam,
but it must be most important,
Sathyam,
truthful,
and it must be,
Priyam means,
that which is pleasing to the person,
never hurt a person,
even by words,
so non-hurtful,
non-agitating,
truthful,
but at the same time,
that which is very beneficial to that person,
and in order to develop,
those four qualities of the speech,
one has to be constantly devoted to God,
and devoted to the scriptures,
studying the scriptures,
and above all,
having faith,
that my Guru taught me these things,
and they are absolute truth,
so if these five characteristics are present,
and we have to strive,
to develop them,
that is why it is called an austerity,
and these five characteristics were present,
it is called the greatest austerity,
belonging to the speech,
now Shankara comes to our aid,
but before that I just remembered,
that Tulasidas,
he had told us something very wonderful,
says,
if anyone sticks to truth,
and speaks truth,
and looks upon another man's wife,
as one's own mother,
any woman other than one's own wife,
as one's own mother,
and if such a person,
doesn't attain God realization,
then Tulasi is a liar,
that means Tulasidas is not a liar,
these are two things,
look upon other woman as mother,
one's own mother,
and speak always the truth,
and this is what Ramakrishna says,
that this Kali Yuga,
so speaking truth is the greatest austerity,
greatest tapasya in life,
so if we learn slowly,
it will take time,
to speak truth,
slowly speaking of the truth,
makes us seekers of truth,
truth speaking,
makes us truth seeking,
and in that order,
so what is the truth here,
those four qualities must be there,
they must not hesitate another person,
that means we must learn,
how to address them very nicely,
then whatever we say,
must convey to that person,
truth in some way or the other,
and it should be pleasing also,
there is a way,
how we can also please,
even if it is not very welcome news,
to that particular person,
but a thing that which does the greatest benefit,
what is the benefit,
that the person will be slowly going towards God,
progressing in spiritual life,
and he understands I am divine,
so a speech should contain those four characteristics,
and constant study of Guru's teaching,
so suppose somebody is there,
he is not a learned person,
and he has heard the words of the scriptures,
from another person who knows how to study,
he understood also,
he is leading his own life,
that is most important,
such a person is called a Guru,
and if he can do it,
and that is Swadhyaya,
then he will also perform this kind of Tapasya,
which ultimately helps him to realize God,
now Shankaracharya says,
why do we talk at all,
talking is always as only one end in view,
that is you want to convey something to somebody,
and that somebody when he speaks,
he wants to convey that one either to us,
or to somebody else,
so this is what Shankaracharya is telling,
Parapratyaya Artham Prayuktasya Vakyasya,
says a sentence,
a speech is used for creating a cognition,
for creating an understanding in another person,
if that speech is to be an austerity,
it must fulfill four characteristics,
what are they?
First thing is it must be Anudvega Karma,
should not agitate the mind,
second it should be truthful,
third it must be pleasing,
fourth it must be highly beneficial,
so Anudvega Karatvam, Satyatvam, Priyatvam, Hitatvam,
when our speech, anybody's speech,
contains these four characteristics,
it fulfills the conditions of austerity,
and that will be great benefit,
what is an austerity?
That which takes us to God,
that is an austerity,
so that is how we have to understand,
Ramakrishna used to say,
truthfulness is the greatest tapasya in this world,
but it must be accompanied by this,
yes you can't go to another person and go on talking,
this is the truth,
you are a rogue number one,
you are not going to be cured,
you are going to lose your job,
there are ways by which they can be conveyed,
with love, with sympathy,
so that the person will be encouraged,
to think deeply,
and to do something else,
that is very very important,
and Shankaracharya also gives an example,
Shanto bhava vatsa,
so a guru is telling to a disciple,
he says,
my child,
that is vatsa,
means my child,
do not become hesitated,
be full of peace,
be calm,
my boy,
may you be at peace,
follow the daily study of your Vedas,
and do Karma Yoga,
then what is the benefit,
you will get Moksha,
or freedom,
how beautifully it is said,
that it is a Swadhyaya,
discipline,
so even for doing austerity of speech,
one has to be devoted to Swadhyaya,
that is study of the teachings of our scriptures,
it may be like,
one can study like Swami Vivekananda,
or can be like Sri Ramakrishna,
teaching to his householder disciples,
to Latu Maharaj,
etc.,
it can be that,
or at the same time,
the word Swadhyaya,
is another meaning,
Swadhyaya,
that is study,
constantly study,
am I speaking the truth,
am I hesitating the other person,
is it beneficial for the person,
and especially,
is it the truth,
or am I deceiving that person,
if it is not truthful,
it is called deception,
every second,
whenever we open our mouth,
if we go on thinking,
whether I am fulfilling these four conditions,
and let me tell you,
that will bring so much of peace in this world,
here everybody is trying to,
appear as though they are speaking the truth,
appear as though this is the greatest benefit to all of you,
especially the politicians,
etc.,
everybody is trying to deceive everybody else,
and what is the result,
mental illnesses are increasing,
physical illnesses are also increasing,
because we are not studying the scriptures,
we are not praying to God,
we are not controlling our sense organs,
we are not thinking rationally,
we are not thinking what is beneficial for us,
and the result,
look at the result,
let us look at our own selves,
finally,
this swadhyaya means,
the mantra given by one's own guru,
our own guru has given us this mantra,
beautiful mantra,
and it is called mantra,
what is the meaning of mantra,
it is an etymological meaning,
what is the meaning,
as one goes on contemplating,
this particular teaching of the guru,
it saves him,
and it finally brings him to the feet of God,
and it finally bestows upon him,
what is called liberation or moksha,
that is why constant prayer,
let us listen,
let us see what is auspicious,
and let us also talk only what is auspicious,
let our whole life be spent,
only in the worship of Gods, etc.,
about which we discussed in the earlier verse,
see,
the very beginning of certain Upanishads,
Oh Gods,
may we hear auspicious words with our ears,
may we see auspicious things with our eyes,
worshipping the Gods with steady limbs,
may we enjoy a life that is beneficial to all,
so swadhyaya also means,
that praying to God,
keeping an observant,
very sharp observant eye,
on whatever we are doing physically,
and whatever we are doing through our speech,
so that it is close to the truth,
and beneficial to everybody,
that which doesn't injure but benefit everybody,
and that is the greatest austerity,
and if we perform that what happens,
that we go beyond this world,
and it is going to bestow upon us,
the highest thing which is self-knowledge,
then we come to the,
what is called mental tapas,
16th verse,
First, serenity of the mind,
gentleness, silence, self-control,
and purity of the heart,
these constitute the austerity of the mind,
so this is very important for us to understand,
so manaha prasadaha,
first,
all these five characteristics,
if we can strive to fulfill,
and it is the greatest tapasya,
this is called austerity of the heart,
this is called austerity of the mind,
austerity of the inner organ,
and all these three,
they help each other,
if the mind is not performing austerity,
speech will not be austere,
that is to say,
all speech springs only from our thoughts,
and thoughts spring generally,
from what we do in the physical world,
the impressions,
the experiences,
they are stored in the depths of our heart,
that is how it goes,
so these five characteristics are there,
what are they?
Serenity of the mind,
manaha prasadaha,
then saumyatva,
that is to say gentleness,
then maunam,
maunam means what?
we will come to the meaning,
generally it is translated as silence,
atma vinigraha,
that is mind control,
self-control means mind control,
and bhava samshuddhe,
purity of the heart,
if we fulfill these five conditions,
it is called greatest austerity,
again as I mentioned,
what is austerity?
that quality which can be acquired
only through the greatest continuous
and unremitting effort,
that alone is called austerity,
and this austerity has to be performed
until we realize God,
there is no other way,
this verse requires further elaboration,
which we will do in our next class,
next week.
om vasudeva sutam devam
kamsachanuramarthanam
devaki paramanandam
krishnam vande jagadgurum
May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother,
and Swami Vivekananda
bless us all with bhakti.
Jai Ramakrishna

[[Category:Bhagavad Gita]]