Mandukya Karika Lecture 113 on 26-July-2023

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

In our last class, we have been studying 39th Karika of the Advaita Prakaranam in the Mandukya Upanishad. This is purely the explanations of Gaudapada, 2nd, 3rd and 4th chapters. And Gaudapada introduces two fancy words – Asparsha Yoga and Ajaati Vada. Ajaati Vada means birth, nothing to do with Brahmana or Kshatriya. Brahman, the Supreme Reality, has never taken birth, cannot take birth, because taking birth means becoming changeful. Changefulness is always brought about by a second factor. When there is no second factor, change can never take place. So Ajaati Vada, Brahman is never born, that means the world is never born, never created. Brahman, apparently, seemingly, called Mithya, is appearing like the snake appears in the rope. If anybody says this snake is visible, since it is there, it must have been born, it must have parents, and who are the parents? It must be the rope only, Adhishtana. But that is a wrong understanding, because we are seeing the snake, there is no birth of a snake, and there would be no death of a snake, because true birth is always followed by true death. Then what is this birth business? It is a notion in our minds, just like our dreams. As long as we dream, there is everything, as if it is born, everything has its origin, cause, parents. If living, parents, non-living, a cause. But Ajaati Vada, what is the second one? So if Brahman is seemingly in this world, how can he experience Sukha, Dukha? Because we are all claiming, sometimes I am happy, sometimes I am not happy, but that is also not correct. It is also a thought, a notion, an imagination. Why? Because it is not a fact. What we think a fact, is also not a fact. We peculiarly think there are two types of things. We know what is a fact, there is a tree, I am seeing it, it is a fact, even if I close my eyes, the tree will still be there. But I am sitting and I am imagining, I am flying in the sky, that is pure imagination, it is not a fact. So we divide what Advaitins call Mithya into factual Mithya and imaginary Mithya. Anyway, Brahman cannot be touched. Just if we discern that sentence, there must be at least a minimum of two things to come into contact. Otherwise, the usage of the word, I came into contact with myself, is a meaningless word. Sparsha means contact. Contact means two separate objects. Since there are no two separate objects, there cannot be any union between them, any experience by them. That is why it is called Asparsha Yoga. What is this Asparsha Yoga? We are all in this seemingly Mithya world, and we think we are suffering, we think we are enjoying, we think we are born, we think we are going to die, but a time will come when we are prepared to suffer, prepared to be born, provided there is hope that my happiness is at least equivalent to suffering, if not more. But if it is intolerable, I don't want to be born. That is actually when the Viragya comes. Viragya doesn't come after eating Rasagullas. It will only come after suffering a lot. I don't want it. So I thought marrying gives me happiness. And then after a lot of first-time problems in the marriage, Kurukshetra war, then we think it is either my fault or the other person's fault. It is a wrong choice. Then second time marriage, wrong choice. Third time marriage, wrong choice. Fourth time marriage. Then the person will realize there is no wrong choice. The choicer who is me, I am deluded. Then he stops. That is called Vanaprasthashrama. This is how man progresses. He learns everything. Everything is within me. Nothing is outside. And when I know who I am, there will be no second thing. And that is called Asparsha Yoga. The practice of Yoga whereby I become Ekameva Dhrityam. There would be no second. And so if there is no second, there cannot be any contact. Since there would be no contact, Gaudapada chooses to call it Asparsha Yoga. Same thing, Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Same thing, Self-Realization. Same thing, Nirvana. Same thing, reaching the Kingdom of Heaven. Different names, but the meanings are exactly the same. So, Asparsha Yoga Vainama, Durdarsha Sarvayogi Vihi, Yogino Vibhyatihi Asmath, Abhaye Bhayadarshanah. This is a marvelous Karika. People are afraid. I am afraid. You are frightened. Everybody is frightened. Why are they frightened? Because I think my individuality is something absolutely real. If I do not exist, nothing can exist. So, by all means, I try to cling to my individuality. Swami Vivekananda used to make fun. You have not yet become individual. You are in fact a split personality. The very word individual means indivisible. But when will you attain to that state? When you know that Ekameva Advaitiyam. Then only we know. And we know means what? There is no mind. I am just, I will be, I am Brahma. That's all. It is not an ordinary type of experience. Just be one with it. It is difficult even to express. What is that experience which can never be expressed, described? So, this is called Asparsha Yoga Vainama. And that Yoga through which we attain to that state called Oneness, Infinity. That is called Asparsha Yoga. And that is the goal by whatever path we are travelling. That is what Sri Ramakrishna says, Jato Moth Tato Poth. But the understanding of a devotee is so beautifully expressed. And that understanding of the devotee is termed as fear by Gaudapada. I don't want to become sugar. Because if I become sugar, who is going to enjoy the sugar? And why that doubt comes? Because we think that we will be like stones. I become one with Brahman. Mind is not there. All our concepts, how we can enjoy or suffer, experience problems, difficulties, is only through the mind, through the thought. When there is no mind, we don't experience. Every day we go into deep sleep state, a state beyond the mind. And we neither experience happiness nor experience unhappiness. And this is what we magnify and say when we enter into Nirvikalpa Samadhi, we don't experience either happiness or unhappiness. But we will be like pure, cold, cold stones. And that brings terrible fear. At least, if I can go to God, to Vaikuntha, from morning one type of breakfast, noon, different types of foods, the greatest example is Tirupati. And at night, different types of foods. From morning till evening, Mother Lakshmi is busy in cooking and feeding everybody. And that is why I want to go there and only going on looking at the face of Narayana. He is smiling, I am also smiling. And he is enjoying, I am also enjoying. I don't want to become sugar. The Advaitins becoming sugar is completely abominable, abhorrent concept by itself. This is the idea of ignorant people, pure ignorance. I don't enjoy pure ignorance. I become the very nature of happiness. That means indivisible, unbreakable happiness will be there. But it is not possible for us to express it in any way because we have never experienced it. The nearest is deep sleep, Sushupti. But Sushupti, the problem I told you, we neither experience happiness nor experience unhappiness. That is why Durdarsha Sarve Yogi Vihi. They cannot even imagine, envision that such a high state. Not only that, somebody says you don't need to do anything, I will give you that one Yoginah Vibhyati Asmath. And Udupada laughs and says Abhaye Bhaya Darshanah. That state which is the very embodiment of fearlessness and that becomes the greatest source of fear, thinking that I will just die. Some examples also I will give you. This is to say that when our mind is incapable of understanding the scriptural words, why fear so much? But that is not going to harm us much. At least let us aim for Vaikuntha, if not for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. And I can tell you, once you reach there, then you understand that you never want to be away from Bhagawan. Even one millimetre away or separation, one cannot tolerate. And that is why, Kshanamapi Yugayate, one millisecond of separation from God appears as if a whole Yuga had passed. So it is impossible to imagine it. But a very important point is, do not compare Sushupti state. The only lesson we have to learn from Sushupti is, we get so much of peace of mind even when there is complete absence of object. So that means there is a state of mind where we can be extremely peaceful even when there is complete absence of any outside object. That is a great lesson for us to learn. So this Yoga, which is called untouched touch with anything, which is not in touch with anything. Why? Because there is no second to come into contact with. It is hard to be attained by all Yogis. It is very hard. It is not impossible, but it is very hard. What is the first obstacle? Our concept that I don't want that state. I struggle. The Yogis are afraid of it. That means spiritual aspirants are afraid of it. They see fear in which there is really only fearlessness. So this is what Padacharya says. Absolutely it is a desirable state, but I know most people don't want this complete oneness with Brahman. So Ramakrishna had given a beautiful example. He said Yoga is impossible for a person. He gave the beautiful simile. That's why Ramakrishna is the grand master, even surpassing Kalidasa in supplying similes. He said even if one fiber of a thread is out, it is hard to thread the needle. How many times we have experienced, one small bit is sticking out. It is not allowing the thread to go inside that eye of the needle. So that is why Godapada used a sparsha. Even a little bit of sparsha is not there. But all the scriptures praise this highest state, Brahma Sakshatkara. This is the greatest instruction. But we are all going through this sparsha yoga. All our yogic efforts are called sparsha yogins, not as sparsha yogins. And Bhagavad Gita gives us What is it? It is cold wind is blowing, hot wind is blowing, there is happiness, there is unhappiness. We come into contact with a good person, with an evil person. So all these realities. What is the problem? Two problems. One problem is dual. Dual means what? There is also a pleasure-giving object. There is also a pain-giving object. And here also there is a problem. What is the problem? All pleasure-giving objects do not yield pleasure all the time. They themselves will turn into pain-giving objects. That is one. What is the second one? Everything is changing. So you keep nice food for a day, it will become rotten. It gives a decomposing smell. Don't take bath for one day and you will see. If you are longing that nobody should come to me, a very simple remedy is to stop taking bath for 2-3 days. You will see. Politely people will smile at you from a mile and never come within your range. So this is called Matra Sparshastu. Matra means all the sense organs come into contact with all these Sita, Vishna, Sukha, Dukha, Mana, Apamana, Jaya, Apajaya, etc. And they are all not the same. There is no absolute object which will give you absolute result. Everything changes. Every object is changing. Changing means what? Pleasure-giving object changes into pain-giving object and vice-versa, etc. That is why, Turdarsha Sarvaiyo Gibihi. Turdarsha means even to imagine such a marvelous state is there, people cannot imagine. Why can't they imagine? Because they are frightened. Because they think that what I call I will not be there. A drop of water, you wish to put it in the ocean, if it can resist, it will resist you with all its power because I will be losing my drop aspect and becoming the ocean. Then who am I? I am an ocean. Oh, that is separate. As a drop, I am separate. I want to keep this separateness. That is why Yoginaha. Yoga is Asmat Vibhyati. So he gets frightened and there are instances. I will give you plenty of instances. Avaye Vyadarshinaha. In fact, that is a state of complete fearlessness because all fear, according to our scriptures, it comes only from the second. And when there is that one without a second, there is no reason for fear at all because there is nobody to fear at all. We don't fear ourselves. So here are some of the instances. Even Sri Ramakrishna, he struggled not to be one with pure consciousness in his very first vision of the Divine Mother. Sri Ramakrishna describes. He said, There was then an intolerable anguish in my heart because I could not have the vision of my Divine Mother. Just as a man brings a towel forcefully to squeeze out all the water from it, I felt that somebody caught hold of my heart and mind and was squeezing greatly afflicted with this thought that perhaps I will never have Mother's vision. I was dying of despair. Being in agony, I thought that there was no use in living this life. My eyes suddenly fell upon the sword that was there in the Mother's temple. I made up my mind to put an end to my life with it that very moment. Like one mad, I ran and caught hold of it. Suddenly, I had a wonderful vision of the Mother and fell down unconscious. I did not know what happened then in the external world. How that day and also the next day slipped away. But in my heart of hearts there was flowing a current of intense bliss never experienced before and I had the immediate knowledge of the light that was Mother. On another occasion, Sri Ramakrishna described it even more graphically. It was as if houses, doors, temples and all other things vanished altogether. As if there was nothing anywhere. And what I saw was a boundless, infinite, conscious sea of light. However far and in whatever direction I looked, I found a continuous succession of effulgent waves coming forward, raising and storming from all sides with a great speed. Very soon, they fell on me and made me sink to the unknown bottom. I panted, struggled and fell unconscious. So let us understand it. Consciousness wanted to completely envelop him and he struggled against it. I became unconscious. By becoming conscious, I became unconscious. Looks like a paradoxical statement. No. What it means is my individual consciousness had become completely merged in the infinite consciousness. But at first I felt I was dying. What is death? The death of the individual is called death. So I thought I am not going to exist anymore. I did not understand that I was entering into the infinite existence by just becoming one with my Divine Mother. But later on, of course, he understood it. So let us also recollect what happened to Swamiji. On his second visit, perhaps, Sriram Krishna, out of His infinite grace, wanted to give Nirvikalpa Samadhi experience to His beloved Narayan. So He took him aside and casually touched him. And immediately, what was happening? Narendra started feeling unconscious. He felt as if everything around him, the room, the walls, the temple garden were vanishing away. He got scared and cried out, What are you doing to me? I have my parents, brothers and sisters at home. Ramakrishna laughed and moved his foot from his body. He restored Narendra's consciousness and said, Alright, everything will happen in due time. And it is a very important statement. Why was Narendra not able to receive what Sriram Krishna wanted to give? Was he unfit? No. There is another significance. Narendra has to go through all the mental states of a non-believer, of a believer, of a believer in form, of a believer in formlessness, of a Christian, of a Muslim, of different types of Hindus, because only then he can become a world teacher, Jagat Guru. Simply adding one thousand eight, Sri, Sri, Sri, is not going to help anybody. So, later on, Sriram Krishna had bestowed him all these experiences. Then he knows he becomes authentic, how he can be a guide to everybody, including non-believers. And that is why he could not do it. But for our sake, for our class, this is the lesson we have to learn, that he felt he was merging, as if his individuality is going to become non-existent. And that is what he struggled. And Sri Ram Krishna, he brought him back because in his love, he wanted to bestow everything immediately. Then Divine Mother told him he has to learn some lessons, then she will give him. And that is what Sri Ram Krishna did. Just before Sri Ram Krishna passed away, on a Shivaratri night, Sri Ram Krishna, from a distance, gave him that experience of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Now, the third example we get in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajnavalkya, taught Maitreyi. Then he said that when you realize that Atman, all these individual identities will disappear. Then Maitreyi got frightened, saw her vacha, and she said, Maitreyi, he said, Lord Bhagwan Atrayeva Ma Bhagwan Amomuhat, you have confused me. Napretya, that is, when once this individuality is gone, Sangna Na Asthiti, consciousness will not be there. That means, I will not be there. If I am not there, who will be experiencing Aham Brahmasmi? That was the doubt. Saha Yajnavalkya Vacha Nava Are Aham Tvam Moham Brahmi I am not trying to confuse you. And then he says, just as a small drop of water merges with the ocean, it, the individual, becomes the infinite. The finite becomes infinite. You are not going to lose, but you are going to gain everything. And then Maitreyi understood. That is, for all of us, do I become one with God? Then what happens to all my family, friends, to all my eating rasagullas? Everything, what happens? Even to conceive of that highest state becomes extremely difficult. But what are we to make of this statement? It is simply this. Unless we progress very much in spiritual life, even to conceive of the highest state, intellectually, will not be possible. But when we are near the door, then we can see, like a person, to reach the door, he has to work very hard. But once he reaches the door, he finds there is no door. And then he peeps inside. This was beautifully illustrated by Sri Ramakrishna. Once four friends, they started walking. They came about an enclosure from which joyous music was emanating. And they did not know what was going on. So each one promised that I will go and see what is happening and I will come down and tell you. They procured a ladder and the first person went up, looked and then he forgot. Because so much was the joy, he did not have the mind to be compassionate to others. He jumped in. Same thing happened to the second person. Same thing happened to the third person. Now the fourth person went out. Then he saw. He also felt like jumping down, but with great struggle, he controlled himself. Then he said, if I do not tell, how will people know that such a joyous state, place is existing? Let me bring others also. And incidentally Sri Ramakrishna said, that is called the state of an avatar. An avatar always comes for the sake of others. He doesn't want to enjoy only by himself. This is what Gaudapada was trying to convey to us that we are frightened our individuality will vanish instead of understanding that from this limited individuality we will be getting unlimited individuality. And then we have other fears. I will be alone. To whom shall I gossip? So this God, how long should I be with God? That is also a problem. If anybody sits for half an hour for meditation, he feels terrible agony. And if he becomes one with God, for eternity he has to be with God. What a terrible thing it is. Now it is just like these three people. Once we have even a distant glimpse, we feel like jumping into it. So now we will proceed to the 40th Karika. Supposing somebody is not frightened of this ultimate state of Oneness, Infinity, then what happens to him? Or how should he attain that state? This Karika is not difficult for us. We don't require an elaborate explanation. So first I will give the simple English translation. The other Yogis, and there is also something very interesting we have to discuss here. So there are other than Gnana Yogis. There are other Bhaktas, for example. So here Gaudapada makes some statement and Shankaracharya blindly follows him. And so many modern Advaithic teachers even more blindly follow this statement. What is that statement? That Gnana Yoga is the only path. Like all the side roads, country roads, they all bring one to the motorway, national highway, and the Gnana Yoga, Gnana Marga, is the national highway, and all other Bhakti Marga, Gnana Marga, there is Karma Yoga Marga, and also Raja Yoga Marga, these are all small, small side roads, but they are not able to take us to God, only Gnana Marga. This is their contention, and even today I hear so many people vehemently expressing everybody else is going to go to hell, a Bhakta will go to the greatest hell, not knowing Bhaktas have created a special hell for all the Gnanis, Gnana Margis, and specially for Shankaracharya. Anyway, so this particular 40th verse, what is it telling us? If anybody wants, they must become Yogis. And what is Yoga? Yoga is perfect control over the mind. So the other Yogis, who do not follow the method of Gnana Yoga, as described throughout this Mandukya Karikas, depend on the control of their mind for fearlessness, destruction of misery, the knowledge of the Self, and eternal peace. If somebody attains this Asparsha Yoga, that is realizes Aham Brahmasmi state, what do they get? First thing is they become fearless. Second, the destruction, complete cessation of misery, Dukkha Nivrutti, knowledge of the Self. They know forever, for eternity, who they are. That is Aham Brahmasmi. And eternal peace. Akshaya Shantihi. Avyaya Shantihi. Infinite eternal peace will be there. But for that purpose, one has to practice Yoga. And there are crystal clearly those who are following Gnana Marga and other Margas. That is where he wants to tell. The other Yogis, means those who are not following the methodology of Gnana Yoga, as described by Gaudapada throughout all these Prakaranas, Vaithakya Prakarana, Advaita Prakarana, and Alatha Shanti Prakarana, which we will see in future. So, how do these people want to progress? They depend on the control of their mind. But if one's mind is perfectly controlled, then they will attain. But Yoga is not the Chittavruti Nirodha. Complete misunderstanding of Patanjali Rishi, Yoga Chittavruti Nirodha, is not suppression of the mind, is perfect purification of the mind. Then all the vrittis, they are purified of their grossness, avidya, and they are all combined, and they become one vritti, and that vritti is Brahmakara Vritti. And that is what makes us reach that knowledge, that Aham Brahmasmi. People misunderstood this Patanjali Yoga, including Shankaracharya, following their grandfather's footsteps, Gaudapada's footsteps, but it is given to Swami Vekananda through any path, Jatavmahat, Tatavpat. But Swamiji was not a new discoverer. It is there in the Bhagavad Gita. It is very important. Jatavmahat, Tatavpat. Whatever path people are following, provided they fulfil this condition. What is that condition? They want to reach Me. First condition. Second, they must have absolute faith in Me, in My grace. Sarva Dharmaan Parityaja Maam Ekam Sharanam Rajah. Third condition. Do your best. I know your efforts are puny, and they are not going to do, but Gaudapada himself is going to give a beautiful example of this. My effort is puny, but if I am sincere, I am going to reach the goal by the grace of God. He himself, by terrible mistake, gives this story. We will see it in the future, this one. Now, I am emphatically telling, because the followers of Sri Ramakrishna should never fall into this trap. Most of the Advaitins fall. They are incapable of discriminating, distinguishing between Gnana Marga and Gnana. Gnana is God. Another name for Gnana is Bhakti. That's what Swami Vivekananda said. Parajnanam and Parabhakti are exactly one and the same thing. Instead of calling it Parabhakti or Parajnana, call it Bhagwa. Call it Brahma. Then that will solve all the problems. So, the goal is to reach God. But the path, Gnana Marga is suited for some, Bhakti Marga is suited for some, Raja Yoga is suited for some, Karma Yoga is suited for some. There is no question of inadequate paths or other paths are defective and Gnana Yoga is perfect. I don't know how far stupidity can reach because even this Gnana Marga is totally dependent upon the mind only. There is nothing else. You think this way, you call it Gnana Marga. Think that way, call it Bhakti Marga. Think the other way, you call it Yoga Marga. Call it the other way, call it Karma Yoga. But everything is depending upon a capable, well-controlled, well-purified mind. But do these Yogas really take one to the destination? And Sri Ramakrishna emphatically said, Swami Vivekanandaji emphatically said, and I am telling you, no Marga will give you realization. What do they do? They bring us the grace of God. One can realize God only by the grace of God. But God wants to bestow His grace all the time. We are not capable of receiving it. All the spiritual practice is only to receive the grace of God. This is the firm teaching, conclusion of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother, Swami Vivekananda, and especially Mahapurush Maharaj, Swami Sivananda. It doesn't matter. If your mind is capable, follow Gnana Marga. But don't ever say, this is the only path. It is like some religion saying, nobody can go to God unless they follow our path. They are as fanatical as anybody else. Only thing is, they conceive that other paths have value, but not completely like that. With this understanding, what is the meaning? Manasaha Nigraha Ayatam. That is, the mind should be completely controlled. Nigraha Ayatam Manasaha. Once the mind is controlled, then Abhayam Sarvayoginam. With the help of such a mind, every yogi, every spiritual aspirant can attain to that state of fearlessness. That is, they can become one with Brahman. That is called Atma Sakshatkara, Eshwar Sakshatkara, Brahma Sakshatkara. And what happens? Dukkha Kshayaha. All the miseries will fall All the sources of misery are because of the body-mind. When the body-mind is not there, then Dukkha Kshayaha automatically happens. Prabodhascha. And that realization will come. What is the realization? The person will wake up and say, previously he was thinking I was an individual, now I know I am the Divine Lord. And Akshaya Shantihi. Unending peace of mind. Not our peace of mind, Brahmananda is the peace of mind. That is attained by a mind, by everybody, if they follow that with the help of such a mind, which is purified, which is concentrated, and which is directed towards God. So here is Shri Ramakrishna teaching, But Shankaracharya, even he is telling, I want just to bring that to your notice. So those who look upon themselves as of the very nature of Brahman, spontaneously enjoy, as quite natural to them, fearlessness, eternal peace, and everything. They do not depend upon anybody else. Why? Because the Jnani knows that the world, our body and mind, they are not really, there is no second object called world, third object called body, fourth object called mind, they are all nothing but pure Brahman. Brahman with Nama Rupa. And the illustration given is, the snake that we imagine is none other than rope. How do we know? When light is brought up, we realize there is no snake, there is only this just pure, what we call, rope. Nothing else. And earlier I mentioned that one has to unceasingly put forth effort. That is being brought up in this 41 karika. What does it mean? The mind, it is very difficult to control the mind. That is the assumption. The mind can be brought under control only by an unrelenting effort like that which is required to empty an ocean drop by drop with the help of a blade of kusha grass. By this very example, Gaudapada unconsciously, unknowingly, is contradicting his own statement. How come? That is what I want to discuss here. So what is it? Uchcheka means empty. Empty in what? Udadi. Udadi means an ocean. How? How? You take a small blade of grass, dip it in the ocean, bring it to the shore and then you remove that water from it by shaking it and again go and dip it and then come to the shore and shake it. If any yogi can unceasingly work in this way, what happens? Manasah nigrahah tadwar. And the control of the mind can be achieved in that way. Bhaved aparikhedatah. Then he becomes very joyous, etc. as a result of controlling the mind. But indirectly what he is telling is just as it is impossible to drain the ocean with the help of a blade of grass because by that time you travel to the shore and bring back, maybe a terrible tsunami will come and fill up the ocean more than what you have emptied and maybe you yourself may be also carried away by that. This I am adding. He was not adding like that. And then, unfortunately, he gives... What makes him give this example? There is a story. Briefly I will tell you. It comes in the Bhagavatam. It comes in Hitopadesha. Some other people also quoted it. Now, on the banks of the ocean there was a small tree, a dwarf tree. And on that tree, two patridges, very small birds, husband and wife, they built a nest. And they started living as wife and husband. And very soon, the wife laid a leg, an egg, a very small egg. And they went out for eating food, gathering food. Meanwhile, a huge wave came and then the whole nest was swept away into the ocean. And when these poor parents returned, they saw. Then they said, definitely the sea has taken away and we are not going to leave it at it. We will see that we will recover our baby. And then what did they do? They go there and then they dip themselves into the water, come to the shore, shake their wings so that all the water will fall there and again. So they left off eating from morning till evening. They were going on doing this. And so many good neighbors came and gave wonderful advice. It is impossible. Let it go and you start a new life. Again a new egg will come. But the parents said, No. That particular child only we want. We don't want any. Until we recover our child, we are not going to seize that terrible Bhishma Pratigna power of determination. With that, they went on doing it day and night, day and night. And naturally, they were becoming weaker and they were nowhere near even reducing the water, let alone emptying it. And one day, the king of the birds Garuda was passing that way. And he was the king. He was a very efficient king, kind king, benevolent dictator. And he looked down. He was astonished. What are these my two subjects doing? So he asked, What are these two fellows doing? And he was given the information. And immediately he came down and then he said, What are you doing? Do you think you will be able to do it? They said, No. We know that we can't do it. But we are ready to give up our life in the attempt that we are determined. Seeing their determination, Garuda became extremely pleased. He said, All right, I will help you. And he just fluttered his wings once and the Samudra has gone far away. Immediately, these people saw the nest and also the egg there and they brought back. This is the story. Now what is the moral of the story? The moral is that we have to put forth the energy God has bestowed upon each one of us. Little energy, more energy, whatever energy and also the understanding with one pointed mind without giving up any hope with firm determination. We must go on doing what best we can do and that brings down the grace of God and we will be able to reach God. That means realize God not by our efforts. Our efforts are to bring down the grace of God and this is what Bhagavan Krishna wants to convey to us. Sarva Dharmaan Parityajya and give up all efforts. Dharmas. Dharma means always of trying to reach God. What does it mean? It means since Bhagavan told us I will not even try then His grace will not come. You try your best and when you try your best you will have that understanding it is impossible for us. This impossible is possible only by the grace of God and then your self-surrender will be complete only when that knowledge comes and that brings in the grace of God immediately. That is why He says Aham tva sarva-papebhyo mokshaishyami ma shuchaha He gives an assurance I will definitely help you but first you make effort then that very attempt to make effort will bring us the understanding that effort is useless to know effort is useless we have to make complete effort. That is what is meant. And then Ramakrishna also he did the same thing. Now I want to discuss this point in our next class but just I wanted to remind you Bhagavan Buddha he tried for six years he could not get that self-realization or bodhi then he sat down and said today night I am sitting here and I will not get up from this seat until I get what I desire to get. Ihaasane sushyatume sareeram tvagasti maamsam pralayanchayatu aprapya bodhim bahu kalpa durlabham naivaasanatkayam atas chalishyate This is a beautiful verse Swami Vivekananda used to recite to encourage himself and his disciples also which we will discuss in our next class.