Patanjali Yoga Sutras Lecture 007

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Sahana Bhavatu, Sahana Ubhunatu, Sahaveeryam Karavavahai, Tejasvi Navadhi Tamastu Mavidvishavahai, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om, may Brahman protect us both, may Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge. May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge. May what we both study reveal the truth. May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other. Om, Peace, Peace, Peace be unto all. Om Yogena Chittasyapadena Vacham Malam Sharirasya Chavaityakena Upakarottam Pravaram Muninam Patanjalim Pranjali Rana Tosmi I bow to the eminent sage Patanjali who removed the impurities of the mind through yoga, of speech through grammar and of the body through medicine. We continue our discussion of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. At the beginning I have already discussed certain things. This Patanjali Yoga Sutra is divided into four chapters. The first chapter is called Samadhipada or a chapter dealing exclusively on Samadhi. And it has got about 59 or so aphorisms, sutras. Now we already discussed to some extent what is yoga. Definition is very important. From another point of view, most of the time we feel we are frustrated, our desires are not fulfilled, we become dissatisfied. That's because we do not define what exactly is that we really wish to attain, what is our desire. First it has to be defined. If we do not have any destination, how do we measure our progress? So you will see that this is the most striking thing in our scriptures. That anybody propounding a scripture is crystal clear in his reasoning, very rational way of development. So the first thing is definition. The second thing is why we want this yoga. The third thing is how do we attain it. And the last thing is what are the obstructions and what is the benefit if we do this. In Vedanta this is called Anubandha Chatustaya. First define, then everything becomes clear. Even if we do not attain something, we have to be very clear. So in this Patanjali is very clear about it what is yoga. Nowadays this word yoga has become very popular. And the definition is Yogaha, Chitta, Vritti, Nirodha. Four words we said. The first word is yoga. What is yoga? Chitta, Vritti, Nirodha. What is Chitta? We discussed very briefly to recollect. Chitta is the modification of Prakriti consisting of three gunas. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Then Vritti means this material called the Chitta which in English language as I said is very inadequate word. But we will take it. We will continue to use it. The mind, the word mind. This mind is a material which takes shape according to any whip of breeze that passes by. The example we have taken is water and wave. Just imagine there is a lake and there is no wind. What happens? There would be no waves at all. So there must be something to disturb them. This analogy is a very apt analogy. There is the lake full of water and there is no breeze. So what is the similar things in our discussion? There is the mind material and there it is like water and at that stage it is not Vritti. It is just Chitta. Just like water. Some object must be there. You know you throw a pebble into the lake. Then only there would be waves. So what is the pebble here? Mind Chitta is there. But the Chitta, some pebble must be thrown into the Chitta. What is that pebble? An object. When a pebble is thrown into a lake, does the pebble assume a different form or does the water assume a different form? It is the water. So when the mind or what is called Chitta, it encounters an object. That Chitta becomes what you call a thought, call it an idea. What is that wave? Water and wave. What is the wave? Because of the pebble, the water has taken a particular form and a particular name. We have got names. If it is a very small, we call it a bubble. If it is slightly bigger, we call it small wave. And if it is a bigger something, then it is called big wave. If it is very big wave, what do you call it? What happens, what is the object which encounters the water is not important. But what reaction takes place in the water, that is important. So what is the object outside, that we do not know. But all that we know is it created a reaction in the mind and that reaction is called, goes by the name of Vritti. Chitta and Vritti. So just as absolutely there is no difference between water and the wave, so also there is absolutely no difference between Chitta and Vritti. When the Chitta or the mind is not disturbed, then what happens? Someone who is standing by the water, just like a lake water, when he looks down, if the water is not at all disturbed, what happens? He could see the bottom, he could see his own reflection. Just like that, when the Chitta or our mind is absolutely undisturbed, then there is someone who is seeing it, watching it, witnessing it. That someone, immediately he looks down and then says, oh this is me. Now let me proceed one step further and then come back. When a pebble is thrown into the water of the lake, which one is the one which reacts? The water. Don't ask what happened to the pebble, it is only an example. We are not concerned about the pebble at all, we are concerned about the water. Water becomes a wave. So what is a wave? Water plus name and form. Similarly, when an object intrudes into the undisturbed mind, then the Chitta also assumes that particular form. So this is what happens, this is called Chitta vritti. Now a little bit difficult concept. What is a vritti? We said Chitta assumes a particular form, but in reality, what did we discuss earlier? Chitta belongs to Prakriti. Prakriti is completely non-conscious. If it is non-conscious, how does it know it is happy or unhappy? We do not know. Let me give you another example. Many of us are either happy or unhappy only when we look into a mirror. Either the mirror with the silver coating or the mirror of other person's faces. You know, when you encounter a person, you say good morning, there is a hmm. But if she says hmm, that hmm belongs to whom? To the other person. I take it personal challenge, who is this fellow to say to me, I told so many things, good morning, I took so much time, and he says hmm. So who is disturbed? I am disturbed. So if I, this is a wonderful example. I am different, the person is different. But I am assuming his grumpiness, and then I have started feeling whether he is happy or unhappy, we do not know. But definitely we are unhappy. This is the example. That means what? Consciousness plus name and form is called vritti. Consciousness minus name and form is pure consciousness. Not chitta, pure consciousness. Because the chitta is borrowing and as if reacting. Like a mirror, you know, you smile into the mirror, it appears, a smiling reflection appears. You frown, a frowning reflection appears. But really speaking, the poor mirror does not know, and the reflection less much knows, why it is smiling or in fact it does not exist without you. If you get out, what happens to that figure in the, it does not exist at all. So if consciousness does not exist, then the chitta, chitta vritti, everything becomes smashed. That is why in deep sleep what happens, there is the consciousness is totally cut off as it were. Excepting by a very minute, subtlest form of thread, it is still there. But that is not good enough to identify ourselves with it. So what is a vritti, what is a thought, what is an idea? Consciousness plus name and form. So if chitta is compared to a lake, and consciousness is the person who is standing by the side of the lake, because does the lake know that I am lashing into waves? Does the water in the lake ever know? What, who is it that knows, who is it that is saying, now the water is calm, now the water is wavy? Who is telling that? It is a conscious being who is telling it. In a similar way, the poor chitta doesn't know that either it is calm or it is lashed into waves. So with this analogy, what is the pebble? Any object. And how does the pebble enter into the mind? In the form of a knowledge. Any type of object, the moment you see an object, what comes into you? You see an elephant, what comes into your mind? Does an elephant come into your mind? Or the thought of an elephant comes into your mind? The thought comes, that thought is called knowledge. And that knowledge acts like a pebble. As soon as that knowledge comes, the knowledge produces various appropriate type of reactions. Appropriate, I don't say right or wrong, appropriate. Just to give an example, suppose if you encounter, Hindu encounters Bin Laden's follower. One type of reaction. But if the grandson of a baby, grandson of Bin Laden encounters Bin Laden, then it is a different type of reaction. See, appropriate reaction will come. And every reaction produces appropriate action. And every action produces appropriate, this action and reaction and action. This is called Anadi Karya Karana Parampara. Unbroken circle of cause and effect. This is our life. Anyway, coming back to the subject. Any object that we come, you know, you are just sitting quietly. Another example, I want this idea to be crystal clear in your mind, as it is in my mind. You are sitting, everything is fine. Your mind, I assume, is in a very calm, peaceful state. And suddenly a terrorist jumps. What happens? So every object, this is important, you know, what the mistake we commit always, that's why it's important to understand. It is not the object that disturbs us, either way. Either it makes us happy or it makes us unhappy. It is not the object. Is that point clear? The object has nothing to do with our happiness or unhappiness. But the idea that enters into our mind, the idea, the thought, the knowledge of that object, it is this. I will give another example to make this point very clear. Suppose you love someone and you are walking at night and you are fearful there may be some terrorist or someone. And suddenly you find, what do you find? This man walking, coming straight towards you with a smiling face. And he is the person whom you love very much. And when you look at that person, recognize that person, then will you be happy or unhappy? Now, the twist in the tale is, supposing a terrorist who doesn't like you and the only way he can come near to shoot you is to assume the form of the person whom you love. Do you see now? An object has nothing to do, it depends upon what value we place upon the object. What value? And this value again is learned value. Absolutely. You know Sri Ramakrishna is passing. If you are a devotee, then he is very valuable. And suppose he is a terrorist and Sri Ramakrishna is the leader of the whole Hindu community. This Muslim wants to convert everybody into Islam. And this man Sri Ramakrishna is standing on his way. Then who is the target for the Muslim? Sri Ramakrishna. How is he looking? Supposing Prophet Muhammad dresses himself up like Sri Ramakrishna and is walking. This is not an imaginary example. In fact, this is the truth. What is the truth? Who came as Sri Ramakrishna? Same one. Sri Rama or Sri Krishna or Buddha or Jesus Christ or Prophet Muhammad. In fact, Prophet Muhammad merged into the body of Sri Ramakrishna, if you remember it. When this terrorist Muslim looks at Sri Ramakrishna, but Sri Ramakrishna is nothing but Prophet Muhammad disguised, then whom do you think he will kill? Whom is he going to kill? The point is what would be his reaction? So what is my point? My point is how we interpret things, how we react, it is all learned. Another very common example is if there is a dinner party and if there is South Indian dishes and North Indian dishes, and if a South Indian and if a Bengali go there, which dishes do you think they will pick up? So is there something special in either South Indian or North Indian dishes? It is exactly same food. See, all foods are same. What is that? Protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, accepting that what is there. It is a learned thing. Don't you see that? Our religion is a learned thing. Our choosing our deity which form we worship is also a learned thing. If you are born among those who worship forms, then naturally you will develop forms. Example, you know Vijayakrishna Goswami, what was his natural samskara? To worship God with form. No, no, no, don't say Vaishnava. He is a devotee capable of worshipping God with form. This is very important for us. Don't put a label because labels are learned things. The tendencies are developed as a result of his past habits we have. Supposing Vijayakrishna Goswami is born in a Catholic family, what do you think he will worship? He will worship the same God in the form of Jesus Christ. This is the simple thing. This is called learned. Then what happened? For some reason, for some time, he got associated with Brahmo Samaj. Then what did he learn? He became enamored of what is called formless aspect of God. But his samskaras were pulling, long acquired samskaras were pulling in one way. His short acquired samskaras are pulling him in the opposite direction. Then Sri Ramakrishna understood and said that this is not your right samskara. Go back to your real samskara. That's why he came out. M himself is very interesting. Sri Ramakrishna asks, what type of form you like? And then he found out, I like Nirakarasa. And then he dared to advise Sri Ramakrishna, all those who worship idols, they must be taught properly. Don't you see the drama? And that's what Totapuri said. That's what Swami Vivekananda said. And Sri Ramakrishna simply smiled. Because these are all talking like fools. And then in the end, who became converted? So what is the point we are discussing? Any object has nothing to do either with our happiness or unhappiness. But it creates a disturbance in our mind. And how that mind is disturbed, it depends. Again Sri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful example. When a steamer passes through Ganges water, it produces a lot of commotion, waves. But he says when a small boat passes, the same river, but it doesn't produce commotion. The small and big, what is the purpose of this illustration? This small and big have no absolute value. They have only relative value. How a small doll is very precious for a baby. But the same baby, when it grows up into a youth, then will it have any charm for this doll? It will not have. Anything in this world is an acquired taste, acquired value. This is very important for us to understand. Coming back to our subject now. So what is the pebble? Any object. How does it enter? In the form of knowledge. What is that knowledge in the form of? Only two. Form and name and form. I also have to clarify what do you mean by form. Form means any type of information acquired to all the five sense organs. Not only through the eyes. Sound is one form. Taste is one form. Touch is one form. And smell is another form. All the time we are acquiring information about all these five. And we are acting and reacting through all these informations. So what information comes through the five sense organs plus how it is interpreted by our old samskaras. A combination of these two produces vritti or the modification of the mind. Modification of the mind, chitta. And the modification of the mind, mind as I said is jada. The lake water doesn't know, I am a lake, I am a sea water. You know, interesting. You go and stand beside a pool. You stand beside a lake. You stand beside an ocean. There is a difference you know. Who says this is a pool, this is a lake, this is an ocean. Does the water say or do you say? Yeah, you say that. Interestingly you know, interesting. What is interesting you know, you go and see. This is a useless lake. Who says this is a useless lake? A person who wants to fish but there is no fish. He says it is useless lake. But a person who doesn't like fish, he says this is the best lake in the world. So all our interpretation coming back. What is a vritti? Consciousness plus name and form. And when this vritti is affected in two ways, it is important for us to understand. What are the two ways? One is the raw information that comes when we encounter any object. The second is how that information is manipulated by our past samskaras. Is that clear? So that is called a vritti. Here is chitta and here is vritti. What is the difference between chitta and vritti? There is no difference. When chitta is not disturbed, it is called chitta. When it is disturbed, it assumes name and form and that is like water. Undisturbed is water. Water disturbed is a wave. This is what chitta vritti. Now that is fine. What is the problem? What is the connection with yoga? This person who is standing beside the lake, he is acting and reacting. Like that, the purusha, the pure consciousness which is standing beside this lake called chitta, he is also acting and reacting. Acting and reacting. What is the acting and reacting? How does it take place? Sometimes he says, I am happy. Sometimes he says, I am unhappy. I am young. I am old. I am productive. I am useless. I am a friend. I am an enemy, etc., etc., etc. Important point again. What is the important point? He said an object has nothing to do with our action or reaction, but our interpretation of that object. Always let us keep that in mind. Why is it? Suppose you see a person whom you don't like. In whose mind is the reaction going on? Supposing there is a person whom you hate and he is sleeping, and he doesn't even know you exist. An object is like that. He doesn't even know. A table doesn't know. It is a table. It doesn't know. Someone is looking at me or taking a saw and cutting me. It doesn't know. Only we know. Conscious being knows. So it is we who are getting the action and reaction. What is this action and reaction? First of all, this action and reaction doesn't stop there. If there is an action and reaction, it is fine. Like a cinema going on. The moment we hook ourselves to it and say, who is happy or unhappy? For example, you throw a pebble into the lake. There is a wave. Then, according to the object, it is a small wave or big wave. That's fine. It's a fact. But the person says, oh, look, look. That is a good wave. Look, look. That is a big wave. That is a small wave. That's fine. I like that small wave. I like that big wave. Suppose it's a little bit colorful pebble, adding a little bit color to the illustration. Like that, imagine this is a colored pebble, and it is thrown. And as soon as it touches water, first of all, it produces waves. Secondly, it produces colorful waves. Then suppose there are two, three people. One person says, oh, I don't like red color. Another says, I like green color. I don't like red color, et cetera. Different people are reacting in different ways. So long as there are waves, whether it is colorful or non-colorful, it is fine. There is nothing wrong with it. The moment the person is the lake bothered, whether it is colorful or non-colorful, he doesn't even know. But the moment you identify yourself and say, any person who identifies and says, I like this and I don't like this, he is getting into deep water. So the waves are caused where? In the lake or in the man? It is in the person. So we have to relate these two. So what is Patanjali trying to tell us? This chitta vritti. Chitta vritti means, let us remember, consciousness plus name and form. Why? Because without consciousness, the wave doesn't even know it is a wave. If you are walking by the side of a lake at midnight and it is completely dark, do you see any waves? Like that, let whatever happen. It is only when you attach yourself to that wave and then start either being happy, get excited, either you suffer from blood pressure or suffer from blood pleasure. Suffer from either blood pressure or blood pleasure. Both are suffering. Because if the blood pleasure continues for some time, it develops into blood pressure. Yeah, like cold develops into flu. Flu develops into pneumonia. Pneumonia means that it develops into another state which is called pneumonia. Dead. Okay, the problem. That is why Patanjali uses another word. What is that word? Nirodhaha. What is it? Yogaha, chitta, vritti, nirodhaha. Yoga is suppression or non-reaction. Better word is non-reaction. So why do I use this word? Because traditionally the translation is you suppress all thoughts. So there are two things that can happen. When a person is in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, then there is no object, pure consciousness, therefore no possibility of any reaction. But when a person is in Savikalpa Samadhi or he comes down from Nirvikalpa Samadhi, it is called Jeevan Mukta, living free. Living free means he is a yogi. He is free. Why is he called free? Because even though he is living, even though all the waves are there right around him, he is in the midst of the lake, he doesn't hook himself. But he is not unaware of them. You have to remember. That's why it took such a long time. Because vritti is what? Consciousness plus name and form. If a Jeevan Mukta is not conscious of these facts around him, where is the question of his acting or reacting? It doesn't matter. Worry. So what happens is this yogi, all the vrittis are there. Everything, small wave, big wave, colorful wave, non-colorful wave, tsunami, everything will be there. But what is absent in him? He doesn't identify his I and says, I am this. What does he say? I am witnessing. Like we witness exactly, so the example of drama or cinema is given. Terrible things can happen in the cinema. Terrible things. You know killing, nowadays you know. The only way they can sight people. This has nothing to do with our subject, but it is very interesting for me as a student of history. I want to know what happens. In the past, people always focused upon only two things. Romance, comedy and tragedy. Most of the dramas are only comedies. There will be a villain, there will be, it is a fight. Who gets the heroine, etc., etc. And this three hours, four hours, you know songs will be going on, and classical songs also will be going on, based on Malkosh and Bhimpalashi and all those. Nowadays, have you noticed, more and more are violent. If there is no killing, previously all romance, oh the audience will be excited when the hero ultimately gets united. What did I say? The audience gets, did I say that the hero gets excited? All that excitement was over long back. The audience gets excited. Afterwards they don't show what happens. It becomes ordinary, non-exciting, day-to-day routine life. That is called marriage. Before marriage it is exciting. After marriage it is exciting, exiting. So, nowadays you see, more and more, and the dosage has to be increased. All these machines and other things. And then it is also, someone has remarked today morning, when we look at drama, we feel like laughing and crying and weeping. Why? Because we know on one side, that it is nothing but play acting. Why does it bring the emotions within us? Because, not because they are real, but they remind us of the reality we are experiencing. As an example, a young man wants to get married to a young woman. But the young woman is married to someone else. These things happen. But the young man still is longing for that lady. So, when this thing happens on the cinema, then he recollects, so this is what happens. He forgets that it is only a fictional thing, but that reminds him of the reality here. But he also forgets, very soon the other fellow hero, he goes off with somebody else. But this fellow is still moaning. After paying also he is still moaning. Because any drama, any cinema, brings us to the reality. What is the purpose of the drama or cinema? That is the important point first. From one point of view it is entertainment. From the other point of view, it is the creative urge of every human being to produce this, what is called, art. It is a form of Rasa. Why is it necessary? Do you know what is the answer? According to our Hindu scripture of aesthetics. Do you know what is it? It is how to cope with life. If we can learn from the drama or cinema, what is it we have to learn? That life is nothing but a big drama or cinema. That is yogic state. So when Sri Ramakrishna looks at this, for us what is happening is a reality, stark reality. But what is happening for him is, it is called in Sanskrit language, they use a beautiful word, Leela. The whole universe is a stage, like our dream. Your whole mind is a stage when you are dreaming. Who created that stage? You created. Who is the writer of the drama? You are the writer. Who are the actors in the drama? You are the actors. Who is the witness in the drama? Who is getting the reaction of the drama? So when you get up, what happens? When you get up from sleep, what happens to you? Memory. I have had this kind of dream. But now, you feel very happy. You know why? Somebody is beating you black and blue in the dream. Who is beating? You only are beating yourself. But when you wake up, you are very happy. But I am not beating myself. What is the point? The point is that when you woke up, the whole dream is your own action and reaction. Therefore you don't feel disturbed when you wake up. Right? In the same way, when we come out of seeing a drama or a cinema, what should be our reaction? That the whole real life also is exactly like that. That is called aesthetics. It must provoke reality. If it is something imaginary, it is not aesthetics. It must remind us of our reality of life. At the same time, what is our relationship with this so-called reality? There is only one reality. What is that reality? It's me. I am the only reality. How do I know? When I want to give reality, I give reality. When I close my eyes, do you follow what I am trying to tell you? When you look at me, I am real only because you are looking at me. My words are producing some reaction in you. How long? So long as you do not enter into Chittavaruthi Nirodha state. You determine how much reality you give to me. Do you get the point? You are the only reality. It's called I am the only reality. I lend the reality. This is the fact. When I see a cinema, who is reacting? I am reacting. And therefore, what is the purpose of the aesthetics? First point is that aesthetics should be as close to our reality as possible. Second, it must produce what is called simulation of those feelings. And third and most important is, I am not related to these realities at all. I enjoy the reactions without getting related to the so-called reality. Do you see the point? When you enjoy the drama, tragedy or comedy or killing or whatever it is, at the same time, I enjoy. And at the same time, I feel attached. In the same way, if we can do the same thing, in the day-to-day actual world, that person becomes a yogi. That is called Nirodha. Now you understand? The word Nirodha has two meanings. The first meaning is that you get into such a state where you are not aware of any object. You are the only one. You are not even a subject. Because the subject exists only when an object exists. If there is no student, who is a teacher? If there is no patient, who is a doctor? But there is a state beyond subject and object. That is a duality. Dwaitam. But we have to go to the state of Advaitam, where you don't say, I am a subject. You don't say, I am a witness. You don't say anything. To whom are you going to tell? So that is the state, one meaning of the word Nirodha. What is the other word? Even when I come down, just as we observe a drama and enjoy the acting, the merits of the acting, the demerits of the acting, but we enjoy, but we are not moved at all. That is the second meaning of the word Nirodha. When we are in Samadhi, then we become one with Absolute, called Shri Ramakrishna's words, Nitya. When we come out of that state, the mind starts functioning. It functions every way, normally, every way, and yet its reaction is, I am witnessing a drama. Do you see the difference? We are also witnessing the same thing. Ramakrishna is also witnessing exactly the same thing, but two different reactions. One is Absolute. He enjoys it. How many times he wants to come and kill. This is happening every day. I am not giving an imaginary example. I am not asking you to imagine. This is another point. When someone is cutting my throat, do I feel that that person is cutting my individual throat, or he is cutting the whole world's throat? Don't you see? If I die, the whole world dies with me. I am the world. If my throat is cut, the whole world is dead. That is the reaction we get, isn't it? When I am happy, the whole world is happy or unhappy? Happy. When I am unhappy, the whole world is happy or unhappy? So this is the point. This is why Vedanta has coined certain words to convey this marvelous truth that this whole universe, what is called waking state, dream state, every state, is nothing but a Rangasthala. That is why God himself is called Ranganatha. And the whole universe, Jagat, is Rangasthala. This is the truth. A yogi, we are talking about yoga, a yogi, for him, everything that happens, he witnesses. Everything he witnesses. But it doesn't affect as it affects us, ignorant people. From the reality point of view, nothing happens. From that point of view also, both the lake example and the dream example or the cinema example are appropriate. What is it? In the dream, you are being beaten. What is the reality? Nothing is happening to you or to anybody. Not only you. In your dream, if you see somebody else is beating, is being beaten by somebody. Is it true when you wake up? In the drama, it happens. Is it true? And that is from the reality point of view, nothing happens. But to understand this, we have to imagine another state which is called Chaturtha or Turiya. Have you heard about the word Turiya? Jagrat, Swapna, Sushukti and Turiya. Turiya is that state which is called the fourth state non-technically. It is not the fourth state. It is the only state. But that state is witnessed in three different forms. When we don't witness any form, that is called Turiya. When we witness that, like water is water, 24 hours a day, isn't it? But when it is a small wave, it is called a small wave. When it takes a bigger form, you call it a bigger wave. When it doesn't take any form, you call it water. So bigger wave, small wave and water. All through, what is the reality? Only water. So one wave dashes against another wave. Is it a big deal? Do you feel, mummy, mummy, there, look, the big wave is smashing the small wave. How sad! Do you feel? Exactly in the same way, whatever is happening, life and death, janma and mruti, is nothing but like two waves clashing against each other. That is the truth. But for us now, that is not the truth. Why? That's where the fourth, we are entering into the next aphorism. It's very important. So first, Yogaha chitta vritti merodaha. Yoga is that state where nothing disturbs us. We have the knowledge that we are that non-changing eternal. You know the very word eternal. What is the meaning of eternal? Changeless. Eternal means changeless. And everything else is changing. But when you identify yourself with eternity, are there two things called, one is eternal and one is non-eternal? Are there two things called, one is real and another is unreal? This is another important point for us. At the same time, can there be reality and unreality? Can something be real, both real and unreal, at the same time? Can you be in a waking state and dream state at the same time? Can you be and can you not be at the same time? So when we are talking these words, we get mixed up a lot. There are no two things called reality and unreality. Reality perceived in a different way is called unreality. Unreality perceived correctly is called reality. This is the simple truth. So a yogi, he remains the same. His mind, it enjoys everything. It is wrong to think that he doesn't know anything. There is a state when he doesn't identify with his body and mind. At that state, he doesn't know anything because there is no reality. But, when he comes out of that state, when he gets hooked up with his body and mind, then he experiences everything like any one of us. So, when Shri Ramakrishna was in samadhi, real samadhi, we are not talking about bhava samadhi, real samadhi, then he was not aware there is a world. But when he is to come out of that state, then does his beard grow or not? Does Shri Ramakrishna's body grow beard or not? So if the beard grows, does he need a barber or not? And when a barber is called, does he nick or not? And when a barber nicks, does he say ah or no? Everything he experiences. What is the difference between our experiencing and his experiencing? His experience is, this is the way the world acts. We don't need, we can't stop it. Whereas, what we want to do, we want to stop it. We want to stop pain. You can't stop pain. Why? Because, what is pain? A little less of pleasure is called pain. A little more of, a little less of pain is called pleasure. If you want to kill pleasure, then you have to kill, if you want to kill a shadow. Interesting question, you know. A shadow is following you. Wherever you go, a shadow follows and you get tired of it. You want to kill it. What is the way to kill the shadow? Exactly, if you want to get rid of either happiness or unhappiness, the only way is to go beyond both. And that is what is called witnessing state and witness. That is called, the whole world becomes a Rangasthala, a huge stage. And, the Yogi becomes, so what is the analogy here? In the dream, the whole dream world is created by whom? Who is the creator? Who is the writer? Who is the editor? Who is the actor? Who is the director? Who is the witness? Who is the awarder? All is you only. In the same way, that is what Yogis like Sri Ramakrishna, Ramana Maharshi, they feel. That is why everything is of enjoyment for them. The whole drama is enjoyable for us. We don't see the event value, the events and give award. When you witness a drama, how do you award? How do you judge this drama or cinema is good or bad? Do you judge by the events that take place in the drama or cinema? Or, do you judge by the way the actors and actresses act? How wonderfully, suppose a villain acted well, to whom does the reward go? To the villain. The hero is useless. You see, that is how everybody enjoys in this world. Look at now, one example I will give you. Genghis Khan was supposed to kill 100,000 people. Vidyasagar came to know about it. Sri Ramakrishna also came to know about it. How many reactions? Two reactions. One reaction, Vidyasagar, he lost faith in God. Whereas, Sri Ramakrishna, faith in God increased. Sharda Nanda writing, his biography has to be studied like a Ph.D. student. Like a Ph.D. student until your head becomes permanently head damaged. Ph.D. means Permanent Head Damaged. You have to study the biography. What does he say? Kshudiram, his father, who was quite well off, he lost all his property. He had to leave his village, Dere, and then come to Kamarpukur practically with the dress he had on his body. He had come. Swami Sharda Nanda is commenting on that event. He says, if it happens to an ordinary person, what would be his reaction? He would be cursing God. He would be losing faith in God. I only worshipped God. I had faith in God. Now, he lost his faith in God. What happened in the case of Kshudiram? It is Rama who gave me. It is Rama who has taken it away. Whatever Rama wills, that is what is going to happen. He was quite happy. Not one little symptom of bad, wrong, negative reaction in his mind. Swami Sharda Nanda, go and read now. And that is why God had chosen to be born in a sthita prajna family. There are many things. I am only illustrating that fact. So, a yogi. Now, why should we become yogis? That is where the problem comes. The next aphorism, mind is devoid of pichitta vrittis or mental modifications or when a person is totally detached and witnesses them like a witness, akshi, then that person he knows, I am the purusha. I am the pure conscious. There is no problem. That is the goal. What happens at other times? What is the other time? Means what? When we are identified with any small wave we identify ourselves. And what is small and what is big? Do you know what is small and big? There is no such absolute thing. It is all relative only. For a baby, a breaking of a small doll is enough to send him into paroxysms. Yeah, but for a Janaka Maharaja, if his whole kingdom is taken away, he will be too much relieved. There is a beautiful story. There was a Sufi saint who gave him a beautiful, very valuable diamond. So he could not say no. He took the diamond. He was going. And some thief came to know about it. When he was going, he snatched it from the saint and he was about to run away. The saint said, no, no, wait a little. I want to give it to you. My mind is disturbed. What am I going to do with it? And where am I going to keep it? To whom am I going to give it? Instead of thinking of Allah, my mind is thinking, now you have relieved me, you are God, God came in your form, and thank you for relieving all of me. I will keep it for the next three days. See, this is the difference between a yogi and a saint. We will conclude with this very brief meaning of I am in a state of bliss. But what happens to the people when they are not in that state? That is called the other state. What is the other state? See, when people are talking about heaven, they also talk about the other place. What is the other place? So, like that, when a single one of the waves that the mind assumes, then to that extent he is affected. We are all affected, small way, big way. If someone gives you one penny, you will be affected, I tell you. Suppose, you know, a beggar comes to you and says, I like you, here is your money. Are you happy or unhappy? He says, this robe, he has got billions and he is giving me only and he says, I am his closest friend, it would have been better if he had not given me anything. Me, the moment I am a man, I am a woman, I am young, I am old, I am a doctor, I am a non-doctor, even not being something also makes us very unhappy. 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