Khandana Bhava Bandhana Lecture 01 on 21 April 2019
From today, we are going to discuss about the meaning of "Khandana Bhava Bandhana" (खण्डन भव बन्धन ). We will start with this - that why it started; How it started; And, how it became complete, later on.
First, when the direct disciples, of Sri Rāmakrishna, were wandering in North India, they used to invariably stay in some place where monasteries were there. Every monastery in North India, in the evening, they have Āratrikam.
And monasteries or monastics are of two types. Shankarāchārya's Daśanāmi and Non-Daśanāmi. Non-Daśanāmi means those who are following the path of bhakti (devotion). There they sing inevitably Bhajans, kīrtana etc..
But in the Daśanāmi Sampradāya, inevitably there would be one Śivā Śivālaya. Because, Śivā is supposed to be the Yogeshwara. And there every evening, most usually, two things are sung before meditation. One is this Śivā Mahimna Stotram. Everyday they sing it. Śivā Mahimna Stotram. It starts like that.
mahimnaḥ pāraṁ tē paramaviduṣō yadyasadr̥śī
महिम्न: पारं ते परमविदुषो यद्यसदृशी
It starts like that. At the end of it "Bom Bom Hara Hara Mahādeva" goes on repeating.
So when Swāmi Vivekānanda started Rāmakrishna Math, then He wanted something like that to be introduced. Why? There are certain things - any organisation must have a structure. This structure must have something that everybody should follow. Otherwise it won't be an organization.
What time they get up, what time they go to the temple, what time they do Pooja. Invariably in most of the monasteries, either Śivā Pūjā or they do the Pūjā of Dakshinamūrthy, in Daśanāmi Sampradāya. Otherwise Rāma, Rāma Bhaktās, they are called Rāmāyat. Sri Rāmakrishna had come across Rāmāyat pandit. He had a big book, and on every page was written only Rāma. Like that there are followers of Krishna. So many Vaishnava Sādhus are there. Similarly Shākta Sādhus are there. Bhairavi Brāhmani was one of them. Like that.
We are talking about Daśanāmi Sampradāya.
So Swāmiji, when He started this one, He wanted to have some structure. Otherwise, it becomes a Chaos. They have to come for breakfast, lunch or evening tea, supper at a particular time. Otherwise, it won't be an organization. So also, part of it is morning meditation and evening meditation.
Before evening meditation the mind has to be made a little bit prepared. Calm and quiet. For that Swāmiji wanted something. So what I heard was खण्डन_भव_बन्धन निरञ्जन नररूपधर निर्गुण गुणमय ( Khandana Bhava Bandhana Niranjana Nara-rūpa-Dhara ) नमो नमो प्रभु ( Namo Namo Prabhu ), from that onwards. In between nothing. Composed by Swāmi Vivekānanda. This must have gone on for some time. Somebody said that why don't you fill up some more of this.
Then spontaneously, the Inspiration had come, then He completed it. This is it. It is not that from the very beginning the whole hymn has been sung. It has been done in several stages. So this is how Khandana Bhava Bandhana has come.
Now this Khandana Bhava Bandhana, is not a Sri Rāmakrishna stotram. It is not called Rāmakrishna’s stotram. It is called Avatāra stotram. It describes the birth, the purpose and the characteristics of an Avatāra. Now. How do we know it is not Rāmakrishna stotram? There is not one single mention about Sri Rāmakrishna in this first hymn. You know, we have an order
- Khandana…
- Om Hrīm Ritam…
- Sarva Mangala … and then
- Prakritim Paramam
Prakritim Paramam & Sarva Mangala they belong to Holy Mother.
And Khandana and Om Hrīm Ritam…they belong to Sri Rāmakrishna. So this Om Hrīm Ritam is called Rāmakrishna stotram. In fact, it was based upon from Swāmi Vivekānanda’s Vision of Sri Rāmakrishna as Dvādasakshari Mahāmantra -12.
Om Namo Bhagavate Rāmakṛṣṇāya - you know that if you take the first letters, Om Hrīm Ritam, naktaṁ divaṁ, Na, mohaṅ-kaṣaṁ. Om Na Mo - There are four stanzas. Every stanza has got four lines. If you take the first letter of the first three lines -
Om Na Mo - from first stanza,
Bha Ga Va - from second stanza.
Te Rā Ma - third stanza.
Kṛ Ṣṇā Ya - yasmādaham aśaraṇo jagad-eka-gamya - So this is the fourth.
If you repeat it, whether you know it or not, you are repeating “Om Namo Bhagavate Rāmakṛṣṇāya”.
So people like Swāmiji, they're called Rishis. They don't compose sitting like a poet like Rabindranath Tagore, looking at the half moon. He won't write. Inspiration comes. That is why it is called आर्ष प्रयोग् (Ārsha Prayoga)
That is why when Swāmiji completed “Om Hrīm Ritam” he called Sarat Chandra Chakravarthy, and said ‘You, Correct this’. He was a scholar of Sanskrit. And there were a few problems, and it is not very elegant, I have to say. But he said this is Rishi Prayogam as it came from the mouth of a Rishi & so it cannot be corrected.
That is it.. that is going on. For us this problem doesn't arise. Whether it is Rishi prayoga or any prayoga, we don't know the beauty of this Sanskrit language.
But, full of meaning. At the end of every fourth line get tasmāt tvameva śaraṇaṁ mama dīna-bandho ( तस्मात्त्वमेव शरणं मम दीनबन्धो )
Coming back to Khaṇḍana, So it is called Avatāra stotra. What is the proof? The second line starts like this :
निरञ्जन नररूपधर ( Nirañjana Nararūpadhara )
So that highest reality, which is stainless. Stainless because partless; partless means Akanda; akanda means infinite :infinite means eternal.
We will Slowly discuss about it. In this seventh line
“Jrumbita yuga ishvara Jaggedeeshwara Yoga Sahai”.
So who is “Avathara”? But we are not talking about Ramakrishna. An avatara is one, Jagadishvara. He is the Lord of this entire universe, but such a Ishvara, takes birth as a human being “Nara Roopa Dhara”. For what purpose? Yoga sahay To aid people whichever path They are following. Here “Yoga. Sahaya” means “Dharma Sahaya”. Dharma Sahaya means any religion. Every religion has got sincere people. So these are the second line and seventh line is where we know this is “Avathara”. And no one can understand an “Avathara” .
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन।।ch4. verse9।।
(janma—birth; karma—activities; cha—and; me—of mine; divyam—divine; evam—thus; yaḥ—who; vetti—know; tattvataḥ—in truth; tyaktvā—having abandoned; deham—the body; punaḥ—again; janma—birth; na—never; eti—takes; mām—to me; eti—comes; saḥ—he; arjuna—Arjun)
So Arjuna if anyone my genma is secret. Mysterious. is a mystery. And my activities are also mystery. For example, you know Krishna was stealing. It is mysterious. He won't come and steal your butter. He will only steal from devotees. First of all, you know, why? Because, devotees are the most foolish people on earth. House holders are, very clever people !!(Laughs). If anybody wants to steal then he'd be caught easily. God, who knows, this better than God.
He will only steal From his greatest devotees, so that they remember him again and meditate upon him. His act ,of stealing, through the butter. He steals the very hearts of the devotees. Remember this. It is not the butter. Along with the butter, he will convert your heart into a butter and then takes it away. Then what remains when you remove butter from milk? Butter milk.
But peculiar word and never heard this never found out the meaning buttermilk. In Butter Milk there is no butter. There is no milk. (Laughs).Have you thought about it? It is not milk. There is no butter. What remains is called ButterMilk . God Alone knows. Okay.
So this is the secret. Janma and Karma. one who understands it. understanding is of two types; intellectual another is Faith. Understanding through Faith is.. “Oh Lord. I don't understand you, but I Know Who You Are. And for everybody that is the only way. You can't understand something and not be changed. You have to change yourself. When you come to know this is God, you can't but Change. Any true knowledge, produces instantaneous reaction & believe in between some secrets of knowledge. Any true knowledge must bring instantaneous reaction “change”. Suppose, you know, there is a - some lump you you put there on the blanket. You don't know What it is. You think it is blank. Suddenly, you remove the blanket and a huge bear is hiding behind that. It will come to strike you. The moment you see the “Bear”, Will there be a change in you or not? There have to be a change. So knowledge is always blind. That is why you study any number of scriptures. If it doesn't bring a change, it is not knowledge is nearly useless information. That's all.
So this is called “Avathara Stothram”. from it up put whatever has been written about it. It applies to every Avathara. And as I mentioned this is supposed to be sung just before meditation. We are supposed to sit for meditation after this is sung. How does it help? Because, this is set, in such a way. This is called chowtal 4-16 maatras. Chowtal has got 16 maatras. That is why those who are giving that gong in our Temple
“khaṇḍana bhava band¬hana jaga van¬dana vandi tomāy |”
This can be sung also in tri taal.
“khaṇḍana bhava band¬hana jaga van¬dana vandi tomāy |”
In fact, nomo Nomo. Prabu is sung like that. But if you sing that way, mind will not be peaceful. Only if you sing for 20 minutes nearly, you go on singing this one, it has its inevitable effect upon us.
Swamiji was a musician. First class musician. That is why he knew that the purpose of music is to quieten the mind. Restless mind must become restful. That is why he had composed this one.
So, the all the secrets of the avatara he has made. Now this “avatara tathva” is the most wonderful fourth principle / third principle of Hinduism. They What is called Incarnation –ishTa devatha siddhanta - which includes avatara tathva Hindus are the only religious people on Earth who believe that God incarnates as a human being. How many times? As many times, as necessary?
But then what brings an Incarnation? What brings God down? When people forget who they are, and when we forget who we are, we also forget what we are supposed to do. So, at that time, to help Humanity, God incarnates as a human being. This has been stated, so beautifully in the fourth chapter of the bhagavad-gita.
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया॥६॥
(Ajo'pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro'pi san|
Prakṛtiṁ svāmadhiṣṭhāya saṁbhavāmyātmamāyayā)|ch 4 verse|6||
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम्॥७॥
Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata|
Abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham||ch 4 verse7||
When ? For What purpose?
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे॥८॥
Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām|
Dharmasaṁsthāpanārthāya saṁbhavāmi yuge yuge||ch 4 verse8||
That we have to bring it here.
What is it? God incarnates. For what purpose? Dharma Sthapana. What is dharma sthapana? What is the Dharma? Sthapana means establishment? What is dharma? The meaning of Dharma is two fold. if you understand that you have correctly you understand. What is the Dharma the primary meaning of Dharma is our true nature? We have forgotten. So we think we are not divine. That's what Swamiji has put it, each soul is potentially divine.
But we have forgotten and we don't forgotten even if someone tells also, we don't accept it. Am I Divine? We don't accept it. I'm a human being. So human beings also, I'm a man. I'm a woman. And in that also, I am young. I am old like that. We make forgive old man is trying to behave like a young man. They ridicule him. They call him, you know old man, don't forget you are old. But in America euphemistic Society. They don't say old man, it's offensive. This is Sir, You're a senior citizen.
When you enter into a Train, even if it is full, somebody the walk you will get up and please take your seat. What is it telling you? You are a very old useless fellow, take your seat before you fall on Some body and you will injure somebody. This is the meaning. Very euphemistic Society. A Woodcutter is called tree-sugeon. A 70 years old woman is called girl. In the Aeroplane, I don't know whether you noticed it. so “ladies and gentlemen boys and girls”. I was tempted to ask whom we had what “Age” / time people become ladies and gentlemen until that time they are boys and girls.(thundering Laughter)
It is called Euphemistic Society. What is euphemistic Society? We cover truth with a glittering gold plate. This is called his Euphemistic Society.
So what is Dharma primary meaning? I am Divine. I am not the body mind. That is My svabhava or svarupa. But we have forgotten. When a large segment of humanity forgets it, then God incarnates to establish and say, you are not a human being, you are Divine being and you must reclaim. You must know that you are a Divine being. So first meaning of Dharma is to remind us of who we really are. The second meaning of Dharma is whatever helps us to manifest to that Divinity, that is the secondary meaning.
That means Karma Yoga, bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Ghnana yoga or any Christianity, Hinduism, Islam or whatever it is. Understand? So the rest is to make this instrument. Third Meaning of Dharma is to make this instrument and there are only two instruments. What are those instruments? Body and mind.
So, If you are child, you have To eat children's food. You are a young man Young Person's food. If you are old men, old person's food. And if you are a sick person, sick persons food because that is the food with which can make the body maximum Optimal Health. Similarly the mind also should be given that healthiness?
These two in Hinduism are divided or specially named “Varna ashrama dharma”. Ashrama dharma means according to the stage of the body, you know, young age, youth or house holdership. This is according to age Dhrama. Varna Dhrma means mental. According to the qualifications that we have primarily whether we are endowed with Sathva Guna, Rajo Guna or Thamo Guna.
So one of the purposes of incarnation is to establish or re-establish Varna Ashrama Dharma. So we have forgotten. For example, we have forgotten. We only know two ashramas now. What are the ashramas? Brahmacharya ashramas, a student's life and Grahastah ashramas - you know most people have forgotten what is called wanna presta ashrama. What is wanna presta ashrama? when you reach a certain stage, then you have you have no right to behave like a young man. You have to voluntarily control yourself and do appropriate things like what?
Study and acquire higher knowledge. Think about God, think about your own self. If you don't believe in God; think deeply and become morally, at least. spirituality requires God. Morality requires only Society. Do You follow? Try to follow what I am trying to tell you and if you have any problem ask me a question. Suppose there is some some people who don't believe in God. Then it is useless to tell them about God, but you can tell them about morality. Why because no man is an island. We all have to live, for example, we all have to live here.
Yeah, otherwise, you know you are too if you are sitting here you can't cut somebody can't come and help you get up you sit there. I want to sit here. Have you seen anybody doing it? This is part of morality. So if we are not moral, even Society will not function properly. This is what in modern psychology the rules of the game called life. Dharma - shastra is more concerned with how to live in this Society, how to train our body mind to make the fit instruments without spirituality is beyond morality.
But spirituality one can be moral without being spiritual; but one cannot be spiritual without being moral. This is the simple truth.
So three meanings we have given to the Dharma. What is it? First meaning, who is what is your real nature? And if that is if you know, what is your real nature? That alone can be your goal of life. We are in fact indirectly trying to reclaim our true nature. I told you many times as is. What do you want? I have got three desires. I don't want to die. I don't want to be ignorant, and I don't want to be unhappy. Understand? What is it telling is I want to become God. Indirectly that is all.
So first meaning is of Dhrama is what is my true nature. So how then second is what can help me to manifest and finally become. Third is then the instruments through which we can travel even. The Chariot has to be prepared. What is the Chariot body and mind?
This is the purpose of all Dharma sastras and Avataras. understand that one. So for that purpose, when people forget these three, then God incarnates. Then he re-establishes Dharma . What is the re-establishment? The word “re” is very important word. It was there. it was done before; but somehow it has become Telugulonte “Marugu padinthi” or () but in the end it has been hidden. Now remove all the dirt and dust, bring it out, polish it and put it in front of everybody.
That is the purpose. Before we proceed further, that we use one word suppose. We don't want to follow Dharma. We follow Adharma. What is it? What is wrong with it? What is wrong with it? Adharma is equivalent to suffering. and nobody instinctively also doesn't want to suffer. So that which makes us suffer limits us. That is called “bandana”.
God comes to break every type of bandana. What is what three meanings of Dharma we have given. So whatever is obstructive for the health of the body and mind he will break. Whatever is the bondage for the what is called the yogas obstacles to yoga. That is why yoga sahai, he will help us and finally he will also by his own Grace,He will also help us by making us know there is no difference between you and Me. Keep always this in mind.
Then it is easy to Understand. The very first line starts.
“Kandana Bawa. Bandhana…”
Bandhana means bondage.
So how many types of bondages are there? Bodily bondages are there; mental bondages are there; spiritual bondages are there. So a person has to be lifted up for example. If God wants to make a person spiritual and here is it, baby? Do you think he will give Gita Upadesa there? Does God give Gita Upadesa to the Child? What does he do? He will provide him what is called healthy food. PushTikara Katya. Nutritious food and encourages the child to go and play. Until he is in a fit condition to enter into the school. once he enters into this school for the other two more ways. God helps them. one is provides good education, both secular and spiritual in the form of good teachers.
And then to make the knowledge enter into the person, the child all the school children also for children College children also must be given another important help. It is called discipline. So two things for a child no discipline. just eat and go and play grow about three years or so or in Hinduism about five six years. Send to the Gurukula . What is the purpose of sending the any child to gurukula? Ah Two things, the first to learn character. Form your character and that cannot be learnt by through school lessons. It can be only learnt when you see a person we will learn it from that person. If you don't see a truthful person, you are never ever going to become truthful. Interestingly, Sri Ramakrishna is ideal in my father.
Suppose his father was not truthful person. Do you think the Ramakrishna would have been what he is now? We don't know. Very very unlikely, for most of us. incarnation of maybe You are relevant.
But Prehlada's father. Was he on truthful person? When did you find that he told any untruth? He was very truthful person. Girish Chandra Gosh, he might have been drinking, emerged when visiting questionable places, but in his life, he had never ever spoken one untruth.
In my past two classes, I have explained one thing very clearly if somebody wants to be truthful all by itself. You can't be truthful.
If you want to be truthful the one quality has to Aid truthfulness, you know what it is? Courage. If you don't have courage if we have courage, we are all truthful people. We are not truthful because of only one thing, we are not courageous. Somebody will take revenge. We may lose our jobs or partner may go away.
You don't know what Bliss you will get if your partner goes away. That is a different issue. How free you feel that's a different issue. Anyway, what I am telling is courageous decision. To Have Courage, It requires another quality. You know, what is that quality? Faith. Faith, that there is a God. I am following his Commandments and ultimately, he is going to come and save me.
Very very interesting. Well 13 years the Pandavas were out there. Why were they close? They wanted to follow truthfulness. what gives them that courage faith that satyameva. Jayate truthfulness alone Will Triumph In the end. Okay any number of these things?
Yeah, the other day was talking to somebody who is only truthful people are remembered. immediately. One of our devotees said Swamiji, but Kouravas are also remembered. Along with pandavas the moment you talk about pandavas Kouravas were also remembered. sir. And I remember I couldn't counter it.
What is the point ultimately there is a Justice. our problem is we want Justice to be right now in front of our eyes. somebody insulted us. He must burn right now in front of our eyes. That's not going to happen, but it will happen. But how do you know that? He did something wrong to you? How did you know that you did not do something wrong and you are enjoying now the consequences of all that. it's like they say marry in haste and repent in leisure.
Marriage day is you are happy. rest of the until Repent in Leisure. You have got 24 hours to so why did I become like that? What what made me foolish so foolish. Anyway, I'm just joking. Good things happen. So you truthfulness must be followed by courage. Courage must be followed by faith and faith will not come until you practice, what has been prescribed for you in the scriptures.
That is why another name for faith -Nachiketa where from he got that all that faith ? Because he was practicing. Isha Vasya Upanishad. practicing your way Ave I have a right Satya DharmaAaya drushtaye. I have been practicing truthfulness and Dharma my whole life. So I have got a moral right that I am your child. like and demand it. Until a person follows these practices not really will come what is we start with what is called blind faith and that blind faith.becomes a real faith. so don't think the to without from no faith you will enter into faith that is not going to happen. without understanding, what ever you believe in it it is called superstition.
But you start with it. And if you go on persisting in it one day will come is so I am quoting this because that Sri Ramakrishna’s life is in every way very helpful to us.
Coming back to our subject and God incarnates. Avatara Stothra for what purpose three purposes. I told for reminding us who we are and for showing us what is the way, to attain that our true nature to realize we are so and so
I'm letting it alone. I said to prepare the body and mind now you see “kondañña Bawa. Bandana bhandara. bandhan means bondage. What is bondage? Whatever keeps us away from God is bondage. And many things can keep us away from God. because our we are always tending to think only about spiritual bondage, not moral bondage, not physical bondage. That is what I am going to discuss now.
So what is it? Here is a poor person. So what did Swami Vivekananda say what is religion? Religion is not for Empty stomachs. So if you want to teach them religion, so you give religion to them not in the form of “Upadesam” , but in the form of nutritious food. That's why Swami Vivekananda said, forget your Gods and Goddesses for the next 50 years. Produce more food. you eat, you become strong. You feed others. Let the whole nation Nation become strong. then he said after that give them education. What is the education that which forms the character? So what are we trying to discuss “bandhana” means bondage. What is a bondage? anything that stands between us and God or our true nature is called a bondage and bondages are of various types. I said to him unless they fall into three categories of body, mind and spiritual. So countries like South America, Bangladesh, Pakisthan? There are so many poor people.
Don't think of Pakistan, only this terrorists attacking India. Millions of people are there. They are the same everywhere, in Sri Lanka, in India in Bangladesh in Pakistan. So many people this would they did they don't care in Burma and so many other, Syria everywhere they are even in America poor people are there. Are there poor people are there, but they don't allow this news to circulate.
So what what does Swami Vivekananda say, Ramakrishna God has come down for the purpose of if they are poor people remove their poverty, if they are sick people remove their sickness, help them; if they are unhealthy remove their unhealthy. if they are uneducated remove their illiteracy; if they are oppressed by Wicked people, remove their oppression.
Any sort of Bondage, God has come down to help them remove it. Keep it in mind. Don't confine it. I am a spiritual aspirant. He comes only for me.
Next point is God comes for, not India. He might be born in India, but he is meant for the whole world. He doesn't consider Indians my children if at all a consider this, that is the last place. The way the Indians behave SriramaKrishna said I have my white children also very sincerely thinking about me. So kondañña Bava. So whatever is a bondage is ignorance. bondage comes because of what ignorance. Ignorance of body condition brings about
Ill health. ignorance of Agriculture brings about poverty. ignorance of the power which is within themselves brings about oppression, political Etc oppression. like that. You give me the name of one bondage. What is the root cause- Ignorance or ultimately he wants to remove Ignorance . But Ignorances are of different varieties. Ignorance of ignorance of different stages of life. does the youth to know what is ignorance? I'm a young man. I must lead my life in a particular way. For that a blueprint is given in the Taitriya Upanishad, first chapter, 11th section.
“Sathyam vadha, Dhramam Chara swadyanaa pramadahaha”
How many youths are aware of that? That's it. There's an ignorance. So we have to give that knowledge it to them, blueprint. For who's good for God's good or for our good. if somebody teaches you good health for who is going to enjoy? we are going to this is the important point where to learn. So God comes for breaking a bondage, in any form of physical, mental, spiritual.
And he comes to help everybody. Not only human beings, even other beings also. Kandana, Bava. Bandana Jaga banDonna” the whole universe salutes God .Avatara. Why does how does the universe sail you. we may not sail. simple examples? I am giving - mother prepares nice baby food and feeds the baby .The baby, It is hungry it eats that food and its face is blooming with joy.
What is it? What is that to blooming Joy on the face of the baby the greatest to Thanksgiving to the mother? If the baby is not happy, even if Mother feeds hundred times, she won't be happy. My child is very happy. That is the thanks. We have to give. the whole universe is created, is sustained, and ultimately we return to God. Is it not a fact that
yato va imani bhutani jayante .
yena jatani jivanti .
yatprayantyabhisa.nvishanti .
tadvijij~nasasva .
tad.h brahmeti .
sa tapo.atapyata .
sa tapastaptva .. 1..
Taitriya Upanishad.
Is tellig the whole universe is created. He who creates us, He also sustains us that is why Savita as we say potion. It is potion. He who sustains us, but why should he sustain us? because he created us. How do we know that is called to Surya? Surya is the creator. Potion is the sustainer. Ah whole day he is going round the world for whose sake? for his Sake or for our sake?. for our sake.
So, how does In simple words Hinduism is great in explaining these things. Say He manifested himself into five bhutas: Akasha. Vayuh, Agni Jala and Prithvi. We are all such. Our body is made up of what? and it is sustained by what? Do you understand? It is sustained by this pancha bhuthas. So there is a Earth element. There is a water element. There is a fire element. There is a air element. There is a space element. Our body is nothing else, but pancha bhuthas. He assumes Cosmic pancha boothas to sustain us . How ? Food comes from where? boomi so through that for do the boomi element in the
Form of the food is sustaining the boomi which is within each one of us. He gives us water through rain Etc. We what is the river? Water. pure water. so it is meant for whom for all beings. So that water goes And it sustains the plants the plants, produce energy, and we eat the plants. We also drink the water whenever you are thirsty what do you do?
Then there is fire inside. He maintains the fire inside and otherwise sub thanda ho jayega. So if you are feeling cold go outside, if you are feeling too much heat, then come inside the room a what is called homeostasis. Correct amount of temperature should be there through that He is sustaining pranaa.
Air
We require oxygen every moment. He is sustaining us. By blowing air is Fanning US 24 hours. He is our greatest to fan. Biggest fan of whole word is he's a fan of the whole world because it is his own creation.
And space if there were to be no space. You would not have come I would not have been able to sit. I would not have been able to move. So he has created space for us to move freely on Earth, in the water and in the air wherever you want, with some limitations,
So He is the sustaining of the whole universe, through these five elements. That is what “jagga vandana” whole world's salutes him because the person because of whom we are able to exist. If we don't show our gratefulness then so that feeling, that there is a God to sustain us. Only scientist call it nature. With out nature we will We wont be there.if we are there without nature it is very unnatural.
So “jagga vandana vandito mai
I salute you because O Lord, whatever I am today is because of you. Whatever knowledge I have is because of you because you are the knowledge if I if I exist because of sath. if I have knowledge because of Chith. if I am happy because of Anandam. My very existence depends upon you. Naturally, I have to be grateful.
Niranjana
But who is he? I am saluting him. Who am I saluting? Niranjana!!! Anjana means stain. . He cannot be stain. In fact, nothing in this world can be stained. It is a very strange thing. I will give you only a hint. Suppose there is Water. Water, without any admixture. What do you call it? Pure water. pure water because just water anything you say just that is pure. The moment you add salt. What does it becomes? salt water. if you add sugar what happens if you add dirt what happens? Dirty water. Now tell me you will take salt or sugar and mix with it has this salt or sugar become one with water. Can it become? No.Think of it. Can water becomes can salt and water become one. It can never become one. That's why, you don't call it water. What do you call it? Salt water. If it is one, Why do you call by two names?
See if you're calling by two names. You know what it means. It means you have the capacity to remove them. Separate them . So what am I trying to tell you in? This world? Every other element is absolutely pure. it cannot be made impure by anything. in this sense. It cannot become - two things cannot become one. it ever remains separate. Okay, if you drink dirty water you get some problem, health problem. So tell me did water create problem or did the dirt create problem.
So if you drink too much sugar water did water create problem or did Sugar create problems. If you eat sweet mango did mango did create the problem or the sweetness in the mango . yeah, you have to understand clearly because if you eat our Andhra AvAkaya, it will never create any diabetes in you.
Because, there is no sweetness there. it is only some sourness. It might create acidity problem. That's a different issue but to it. Yeah, Kara problem should be there Ahankara problem might be there, but you will not have diabetic problem. So what am I trying to tell you – pure- anything pure cannot create any problem. Everything will remain separate in this world. You cannot two things. You cannot bring and make it one. However close they are they may be indistinguishable, but they will never become one. Water can become one with water. Salt can become, one with salt. Sugar can become one with sugar. So what am I trying to tell you, God can never be stained. That's why he is called Niranjana. So why he can't be stained. The reason is given but the infinity cannot be stained .Stain can is a separate when there are two objects stainless steel and Stain. Iron. And stain. when both come together iron becomes stained. That is what you call rust.
When God is only one, what element is there in this world to make that to Brahman stain. That's why he is Niranjana. Niranjana also means part less because you God can only be infinity. infinity and Eternity they go together.
So in there should there can be no change. There can be no change. Remember that word their God is changeless.
We will come to that the understanding is in God's Own nature. He is infinite but he has created this world as it were from advaidic point of view. Then change will come. One will affect the other. (QA)
No. Don't don't mix it two things. World is not pure. God is pure. that's why we say athma, body, mind. When these three seemingly become one you call it jivatma, but have they really become. Had the Atman become body and mind. It has never become body-mind. It will never become body mind. So our business is, it is only a cognitive problem. So there is something you have to understand, what is, cognitive problem. What is the real problem?
A person is X
But suddenly he comes to you, you know him as x Ramu. For example, you know him he comes to you and you know Ramu I am happy to see you. Hey whom are you talking about Ramu? I am not wrong. I am Rajiv Gandhi- who is that fellow Rahul Gandhi and Rahul?
Immediately you shut your mouth and say there is something gone wrong with this fellow. because he is Ramu . Now he's claiming. He is somebody else now. What is the point? I am trying to tell you. Did he become Rahul Gandhi? No, but in his mind, he thinks he is only Rahul Gandhi.. This is not a factual problem. This is a cognitive problem in his understanding the problem aspect.
So when we are talking about God, we should never mix it with the world. World is changeable. That's why it is called jaggath. jaggath means what always changing But God will never change. That's why God is not the world. God has never become the world. God has never created The World. God appears to be the world. Of course. I am talking from advaithic point of origin.
No if it is pure mind it, is it never suffers from cognitive problem. It is only avidyya Mind, ignorant mind, which suffers from this cognitive problem.
In Advaita vedanta something doesn't become something else. If something becomes something else, it is a factual problem. If the rope becomes a snake. Two things must happen. First of all, rope must be destroyed. If rope becomes a snake, what was the Rope before has now become a snake. But we don't think like that. Rope has never- become, it appears to be a snake. It is a cognitive problem. Cognitive means they rope has no such Illusions. I have become a snake.
We have the problem. Where is the problem? Within us. This is called cognitive problem. In fact rope will never have any problem because it has no cognition at all. We are under the problem the body …never knows “I’m a body”. because the body no, I am the body. only, you know, this is a body. In mind also never suffers from any problem.
I'm trying to tell you something which you might be surprised. The mind doesn't know it is a mind. who knows it is a mind. You know, it is a mind. So when you get mix it up with the mind, the mind seems to come to life. And then it has a cognitive problem. Soul - by itself has no problem. Mind- by itself has no problem, but when soul and mind mixed together, there is a cognitive problem. From advaitha Vedanta Mind you. Dvaitha Vedanta actually God has become -so I wish today just like will introduce you to these two concepts. when about creation. There are two schools of let advaitha philosophy and dvaitha philosophy. Dvaitha, Visishtadvaitha all fall- anything other than advvaitha is dvaitha. Christianity, Islam everything is dvaitha only. According to the dvaitha, creation is real. so it is called parinama vada. God has actually become the world. the milk has actually become the Curds. According to advaitha, something appears to have become something else without becoming this is called a vivartha Vada. parinamavada and vivartha Vada . Rope, snake is the example. the Rope appears to have become the snake, but it has never become snake. So the problem comes, when milk becomes Curds.
Does milk remain as milk any longer. Gone. milk is the you can't call it milk. You can only call it curds. So if God becomes the world is lost. His godliness is become world. How does the dvaitas counter this argument is as Nama is God so he can also change he can also rename. This is his special power. Is the time pass arguments. we don't understand it. Advaita vedanta says it is the vivartha Vada .God appears to have become. God appears to have become- without becoming. This is scientific. What is scientific that you know, if you make some materials out of iron, what would be the materials?
Only iron. so has iron become something else. Has gold gold become something else.
My point is there are no two objects called gold and bangle. There is only one object gold. Gold in this shape. You call it necklace gold in that shape. You call banglen gold in the trip. You can know something and gold in other ship is called Bangles or rings, whatever you call it. There is no second substance.
That is called vivartha Vada .Now appearance. Second point from scientific point of view. You can make, out of gold only golden objects. You can’t make iron objects out of gold. Human beings can give birth to only to human beings. Dogs can give birth only to Dogs. So if God's nature is divine, even if he
becomes the world. What what can he become? Ah, so understand properly when milk becomes Curds its entire Nature has changed. Whereas, if God becomes really the world, you can't change it because God can only manifest as God, as Stone can only manifest as stone; gold can only manifest as Gold. so this is science and I am not talking about spirituality.
That is a correct view according to Advaitha Vedanta, scientific? What is unscientific is God is all knowledge. Were from ignorance has come from ?
They can't answer. They say, ask a proper question. I will give you proper answer. it is illogical. the infinite cannot become finite. and the Niranjana cannot be come anjana. so ask Logical view in other words, what we call is the psychology has no solution. Vedanta has No problem. You are you are so high you are talking from the psychological point of view. I am talking from vedantic view. We are not meeting any where. we're running in a parallel line.
But the point is now we are in bondage. We want to get out of bondage. Therefore God comes down and guides first to he will develop the body-mind second. He gives correct education knowledge. Third. He removes all obstacles in the form of ill-health and whatever oppression etc, etc. And he will make us manifest Divinity in various capabilities. In Miss music or science or whatever it is, and make us use that knowledge, Slowly to progress in our spiritual life. That is why
khaṇḍana bhava band¬hana jaga van¬dana vandi tomāy |
nirañ¬jana nara-rūpa-dhara nir¬guṇa guṇa¬may ||
We have to be very careful what it means. Nirguna doesn't mean quality less nirguna means the one, who has infinite number of qualities, but not manifest. Manifest. So you say God is nirakara. Form nirakara means what does formless means - formless doesn't mean he doesn't have Forms. Formless means that he has infinite number of forms not manifested. With this I will close my class. So you take a piece of stone.
Is it sakara or nirakara?
Is this still isn't nirakara infinite number of images are there? So a sculptor can make a rat, he can make a cat, can make a house, can make Krishna can make a cow. He can make anything as his imagination flies in, isn't it? All those forms unless they are there, He cannot bring the out that which is not inside. He can't bring out. You understand that. that means they are already there. So what are the sculptor do? he doesn't create new?
What does he do? He removes the obstacle between that form and that which is hiding. so Krishna Ramove non Krishna. What remains is Krishna. Rama remove non Rama; dog remove non dog. What what appears is dog, but out of dog. Also, you can create again, Krishna. Is it over there is this much Stone by the time the dog is made it will be this much. So now another quarter because the dog is not good. So I will make it into Krishna and somebody says krshna is not good. I will make him Rama. This is Devi. I don't like Davi and make him Venkateswara. They think with even greater. Shuara is what? Then somebody came and then did a little bit of you know cosmetic surgery and now “She” has become He. she has become he. All that he removed was that “S” was there you removed that “S”, She has become now He.
What I am trying to tell you is, Nirguna means infinite qualities are there? But all none when you are sleeping you are nirkuna or saguna. . what you see here is ramakrishna sleeping here is Ravna a sleeping. ramakrishna Ravaneawsara. Both are sleeping. Are they Nirguna or Sagunas . Nirgunas. only when they get up then with this is one quality is another quality. So one is good. This beautiful words of saguna nirguna. We will discuss in our next class.
Om
Jananim Saradam devim Ramakrishnam jagadgurum
Padapadme tayoh shritva pranamami muhurmuhuh. #01:06:46-7#
जननीम सरददाम देवीम रामकृष्णं जगत गुरुम
पाधा पद्मे तयोः श्रित्वा प्रणमामि मुहर मुहुहु
End of Transcript