Amrita Bindu Upanishad Lecture 08 on 28 January 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

We are studying the Amrita Bindu Upanishad. We have come to the fourth and fifth mantras. So a Rishi wants to tell us that how long should we meditate, what is meditation, how to make the mind pure. Because very clearly the Rishi tells us a purified mind is none other than the Atman. That's exactly what Sri Ramakrishna is telling. And until we purify our heart, our sadhana has to continue. And that is being explained in this fourth mantra, Nirastha Vishaya Sangam. What is the first, very first step in making the mind pure. So Vishaya means object with which we come into contact. Sangam means terrible attachment, bondage. And bondage can be what we like, what we also dislike. What do these likes and dislikes really do? Whenever we say I like, I want it again. That is the meaning in the bracket. When I say I do not like, I do not ever wish to come into contact with this thing. Even simpler language also we use. Whenever we say that car is very beautiful or that person is very beautiful, it means I would like to enjoy that object, that car, that house, that area or anything, that person. We do not express it. Only a person who has realized the Atman, like Sri Ramakrishna, he can tell that is beautiful. Means it is really, really beautiful. When Swami Vivekananda says that person is a very beautiful person, there is no motivation behind it. How come? Because for a realized soul, there is nothing called the other. Whenever he says that is a beautiful object, he says that is my own manifestation and I am beautiful. And when he says that is not beautiful, that is also my own manifestation and I am not very beautiful. Whatever we experience as we compare it with our dream is none other than our own manifestations. So in this fourth mantra, the Rishi is telling that first of all, our contact with objects should be as less as possible. And that is called Bhautika or Bahya Tapasya, austerity. What is Tapasya? People, for example, on Ekadashi day, I do not want to eat food. So they do not even cook. But they wait until the Vrata or Ekadashi is over. And even then, they are supposed to enjoy only the Prasada, not anything else. So first, Tattu, Vishaya Tyagat, Sangat Tyagat. First comes Vishaya, the object itself. There is a beautiful saying, out of sight, out of mind. Anything out of sight, we are most likely not even to remember it. It doesn't mean the memory is gone. It only means other things have thrown it down, pushed it down. Because whatever is happening at the present assumes more importance than what happened in the past. This beautiful fact has been given by Bhagavan Krishna Himself. He says that when a person is away from the objects, then what happens is that as if he doesn't have any attachment to those objects. But the moment that object comes into view, full force, all that temptations, likes or dislikes, they come with 150% force, power. So even if a person has not seen something for 50 years, as if the Vishaya is completely destroyed, no. It is there, awaiting, like a lotus seed that is awaiting. For nearly 2000 years old, our archaeologists had found out the seeds of lotus in that Mahanjata or Harappa ruins. And they became curious and then they put it in the soil and started watering it. And within a few months, it started to sprout, the power of the seed. So in the form of the seeds, that is why it is called Bija. That is why our third state is called Karana Avastha. Chagrad Avastha, Swapna Avastha, Karana. Karana means Bija. And even in our mantras, we have this Bija mantra. That is our Sthadevatha in the subtlest form, Bija. And one Bija differs from the other Bijas. That is why the very first duty is to reduce as much contact with the objects as possible. Especially those objects which are likely to provoke both likes and dislikes. But what about the memories? So we are keeping away from the contact with the external objects. But their memories, because we have been enjoying them, coming into contact, and desiring them. So towards them, we have to practice Asanga. This is what Sri Ramakrishna meant, to live like a maid servant. So every event that happens, it has nothing to do with me. Even if the house owner gives first class room, air-conditioned room, first class food, that is prepared in the house to the maid servant, she enjoys it, but she is completely aware. This is only so long as the Master is pleased. So any second, he can cut it off, he can throw me, push me down into the lowest level to eat with other lowly people, etc. Or if he throws me out, Sri Ramakrishna puts it so beautifully, even a servant cannot take his own wooden box. He has to smuggle it by requesting somebody else, please bring it out. Otherwise, the owner man may like to examine it, whether you are hiding, you have stolen something, etc. So we have to go on practicing it. And this is called Niruddham, that is controlling the mind. And what happens when the mind becomes bereft of all attachments? Then slowly it gains a very special power. And as we or the Sadhaka strives to remove and succeeds in removing the objects or the attachment to the objects, then like a mirror which is being cleaned, it starts reflecting. Reflecting whom? There is somebody who is the owner of the mind, who is standing in front of that mind. And now we are able to see many other objects, not our own selves. And even when we perceive ourselves, a very distorted vision. But as soon as it is being cleaned, to the extent it is cleaned, our real nature started to reflect uncontaminated. And then that mind looks into our true nature. That is what Patanjali Yogi really means. What happens when the mind becomes pure? Chitta vruthi nirodha is called yoga. Tadha, when that state is attained, drashtu svarupe avasthanam. That abidance in one's own true nature. Drashtu means I am the seer. That is called Hridaya. The mind enters into that Hridi. Until that time, we have to go on practicing. And that is clearly mentioned in the next half of the line in this fourth mantra. Yada, when the mind becomes pure and automatically it enters into the heart. Aayaati atmanah bhavam. When the mind starts reflecting the Atman. And that is called the state of entering into the heart. Heart means complete reflection of the Atman, our own true nature. That is what Sri Ramakrishna had meant. That a zamindar can be at any place in his zamindari. But most of the time, he is to be found in the visitor's room. So the heart is compared to the visitor's room. And there we see the zamindar. Here zamindar means our own true nature called Atma, Paramatma, Ishta Devata. Whatever name we would like to call it, it's okay. And then what happens? It is not merely beholding Tadha as soon as we see the Paramatma. What happens? Tad Paramam Padam. We have to supply the word Yaati in brackets. So the Atman rushes like, as they say, when a moth beholds a burning light, lamp, fire. Immediately it becomes one and gets reduced to ashes. That's what happens. Tadha Tad Paramam Padam. So entering into the heart is equivalent to Mukti. Entering into the heart is called Atma Sakshatkara, Eshwara Sakshatkara, Bhagwat Sakshatkara. Whatever name, so many names are there. Paradise or the Kingdom of Heaven. Indians should not be mistranslating the word Kingdom, Kingdom of Heaven. That Heaven is not Svargaloka, Indra's place or Prajapati's place. It is Bhagawan's place. And how long should one practice it? This is a natural question. Or we ask, how long will it take until we reach that place? When are we going to reach that state? It depends upon how we are progressing. So in the initial stages, the progress is very, very slow. And that is being mentioned in the fifth mantra, Tavat Eva Nirodhavyam. One should only do this Nirodha. Nirodha means purifying the heart. What is purification of the heart? Removing all Anatma thoughts, worldly thoughts, secular thoughts. Only keeping thoughts of God, thoughts of the Ishta Devata, thoughts of Krishna, Rama, Jesus, Buddha, Ramakrishna, etc. Only that much time. And Shri Ramakrishna has also something to assure us. He says, the grace of God, the breeze of God's grace is always blowing. Because the grace of God is another name for God. Just as fire, the heat is the name of the fire. Fire and heat, though we use two words, can never be separated. So light and the sun, sunlight, sun and the light cannot be separated. Similarly, God and His grace cannot be separated. Shri Ramakrishna says that God means God is everywhere. God is everywhere. His grace is everywhere. God is knowledge. So His knowledge is everywhere. God is existence. So He is everywhere. God is Ananda. So Ananda is everywhere. That is the most marvellous thing. And to understand this, we have to recollect once more that some, the brother-in-law probably, or even the husband of Mirabai had sent poison because they thought, mistakenly of course, and it is also God's will, that Mirabai was bringing scandals. She is bringing the name of the respect of the house down by mixing with all and sundry and by even dancing, singing publicly like a public woman. We have to understand that even today, now things have changed actually. So the singers and the dancers and the actors and actresses, they have become our, what is called, heroes and heroines. But in the olden days, only that even this M.S. Subbalakshmi, she was born of what is called that caste where they are supposed to be dancing and singing in the temples. So even such people will never be allowed to enter into a respectable home. But what was Mirabai doing? At the beginning, her husband was very kind and he constructed a temple of Bhagavan Krishna thinking that she need not go outside. But she started, she opened it for all Sadhus, for all Bhaktas. Even it is said that Emperor Akbar had heard of the fame of Mirabai and surreptitiously, he also once came in the guise of a monk along with Tansen. And he was enchanted so much that he presented beautiful jewels. Later on, it was found out that they came to know it was Akbar and a Muslim entering into the Janana of such a great kings, these Rajputana kings. They were like that, like no less than Muslims. So they got so offended and then he sent poison, It is better that if you die, then our prestige will be back. And what did she do? That is an important point for us. For Meera, everybody is Krishna. So without offering to Krishna, she will never get anything. But we have to understand the life of the events in the life of Mirabai in the light of these Upanishads. So what does the Upanishad say? That everywhere, the Atman is present. So what was her husband? He was also Atman. But whether it is a brother-in-law, he was also Atman. What was the poison? That is also Atman. So what can poison do? That is why we have to understand that Krishna dancing on the hoods of Kaliya and Kaliya's fumes, what is called virulent poison, He was just vomiting and the fumes have surrounded Bhagawan Krishna. And then they could not, of course, do anything. Why? Because who was that poison? Bhagawan only poison. Bhagawan became Amruta. Bhagawan became poison. Everything is Bhagawan only. So what can poison do? What can one's own self do? One's own self. That is the idea. Of course, being a bhakta, she said, Krishna, this is your prasadam and I am drinking it. And then how was she drinking it? Laughingly. She was smiling. Smiling because whatever comes out of Krishna's prasadam is nothing but Amruta. So that is what has happened. So we have to, until we reach that state where we do not consider ourselves as body, mind and Karana Sharira also. Now what happens? A miracle happens. The moment I know I am not the body, I cannot identify anybody else with the body. The moment I come to know I am the mind, I cannot identify anybody else with their mind. For a yogi, there is no something called Sukha or Dukha. Because he sees everybody's Sukha as his own, everybody's Dukha as one. It is a profound verse. What does it mean? So does a Jeevan Mukta suffer from Dukha? So he may not be suffering, but when he identifies himself with other people's Dukha, is he suffering? No. At that elevated state of mind, Dukha becomes nothing but the prasadam of Bhagawan Himself. Therefore, everything is transmuted as it were into gold. Gold means here only Ananda. So the fifth mantra is telling, so how long should we do? So until the mind becomes purified and automatically it reflects one's own true self. And that is called entering into the heart. And that is called Gnanam. That is called Dhyanam. And rest is only an elaborate description for people who have not yet reached that state. That is what Sri Ramakrishna meant. That God is everywhere. His grace is eternal as God is eternal. Then what Sri Ramakrishna says, unfurl your sails. What does this unfurling sails mean really? That means your effort should be only to practice Sharanagati, self-surrender. And once you start practicing self-surrender, then what happens? The breeze itself carries the boat to the right destination. Nothing else needs to be done. In fact, if we really understand, the whole Jagat Srishti Stithi Laya is nothing but Leela. So in that Leela, we feel as if we are separate from God. And then we realize separation from God is called separation from what is called Sat, Chit and Ananda. So we long, we pant. We cannot live without God even for a single second. And that longing comes. So God has created this separation. God has created this intense yearning to come back. And God alone as if He is teaching us in the form of the scriptures how to attain Him. And God Himself comes in the form of the Guru by holding our hands. He will reveal Himself. Swami Brahmanandaji said, as an answer to the question put by one of His devotees or disciples, He said, can Guru give liberation? He said, what are you talking about? Guru can give liberation this very second. How can He give? Because Guru is none other than Satchitananda Himself. So what happens at the end? The Guru slowly leads the disciple to God. And then He says, behold, there is your Ishta Devata. And what happens to the Guru then? He simply merges into Ishta Devata. Because all this time whom we are considering as Guru, a separate from God, separate from one's own Self, is none other than Satchitananda only. And then a Sadhaka, the Guru, everything becomes one. And in another way, this is what Sri Ramakrishna said, through the incident of a Bhagavata Pandit reciting Bhagavatam at Radha Krishna temple, suddenly Sri Ramakrishna saw a ray of light coming from the lotus feet of Bhagavan Krishna and touching the Bhagavatam, touching Sri Ramakrishna's own heart and going back. Since that time, Sri Ramakrishna coined a very beautiful recitable mantra, Bhagavata Bhakta Bhagavan. There is absolutely no difference between these three. Now what are we talking about? Our efforts to control the mind is also possible only because of the knowledge God has given, because of the energy God has given, because of the favourable circumstances God has given, because of this human birth God has given. So, Tava Deva Erodhaviyam. How long should we practice Sadhana? How long the mind should be controlled until it becomes sufficiently pure? Then what happens? When it becomes sufficiently pure, like a self-starter in the car, the sufficiently purified heart takes over and it itself helplessly will take us across. This is what is called Shraddha Avivesha. That intense faith had possessed one. And our effort should be until Bhagavan's grace in the form of Buddhi or in the form of intense faith possesses us. This is called Sharanagati in other words. Until the mind completely becomes one with the Hridi, Hridaya. Now, what is the difference between mind and Hridaya? Mind's most important function is to think various things. And what is Hridaya? To feel that I am the thinker. The subjective part of the thinking process belongs to the Hridaya. And the thinking part, the objective part belongs to the mind. So when the object and the subject are completely unified, that something, a miracle happens. Then the person realises first I am neither the subject nor the object. But I am the pure Atman beyond both the what is called subject and object. Karta, Karma, Kriya. And that is called Jnana. That is why in Vedanta two types of Jnanas are posited. One Jnana is that here is a subject. He wants to know something. He employs the mind. So there is what is called a seeker, knower. And there is an instrument called mind. And there are other instruments like the eyes, ears, etc. And there are objects. All these are completely separate. But this is called Jnanam. I did not know about China earlier. Now I know about China. Like that what was unknown has become known by me now. This is what is called Paroksha Jnanam or Maya Jnanam, Anatma Jnanam. And what is Atma Jnanam? I have nothing to do. I am. That is called Atma Jnanam. The heart represents I am. The mind represents what is called Paroksha Jnanam. The heart represents a Paroksha Jnanam. This is the difference between the mind and the heart. And once the mind at a subject-object division, that is called Dwaitam, is dissolved. That is called entering into the heart. Once the mind and the heart become one, then one has the knowledge Aham Brahmasmi. I am Atman. Nothing but the Atman. Not only that. Everything else is the nothing but Atman. And then Upanishad, the Rishi himself is concluding, Etat Jnanam, this realization is the true knowledge. And Dhyanancha, and this is what the attainable goal, Dhyana means the process by which this knowledge is arrived at. And Sesaha, all the descriptions that come in thousands and thousands of tomes, books, Nyayascha Vistarah, that is a detailed description to be explained through Yukti, Shruti, Yukti, and Anubhava. This is what scripture is telling. And there are commentators upon it, Bhashyakaras, Dikakaras, and Hrithikaras, etc. And ultimately, it is all nothing but explaining that simple truth, Aham Brahmasmi. So with this, both the fourth and fifth mantras are over. So what did we learn? That one important factor is we are none other than Brahman. There is nothing else excepting Brahman. So one of the points we have to remember here is that my mind is restless. Why is the mind restless? Is it restless for what? Because mind is seeking rest. It is restless simply because it is not restful. It simply is yearning. I want to be restful. And like the Kasturi Mruga, the witch is searching for the fragrance that is emitting from its own navel, Kasturi Mruga. Here also, the mind is searching for its own Self because the mind is none other than Atman. In the Upanishads, we get so many times the expression, mind and Atman are one and the same. And just to take one example, Swami Vivekananda was very fond of quoting it. Nayam Atma balahi nena labhyaha. That means Atman is available only for Balavan, one who is strong. Why? Because the very nature of the Atman is strength. And whatever is weak, that is Anatma. Not really. It is only apparently. It is only seemingly. It is only as if because there is nothing, no two things called Atma and Anatma. Atma only because of our distorted, what is called impure mind, Ashuddha mind, Kama Sankalpa mind appears to be weak, full of desires. And bondage. Bondage means weakness actually. But one who realizes the Self says, I am seeking my own Self. There is nothing else. So this is what is beautiful thing. The mind is restless. Why? Because we have made it restless. Who made it restless? Our actions make it restless. We come across some object and then we experience it and then we have some judgment formed. This is beautiful. This is not beautiful. This is pleasant. This is unpleasant. And we go on developing likes and dislikes. And the whole life is nothing but running after what we like and running away from what we dislike. Analyze your life. Each one of you, you will see that is the truth. So the mind is by nature restful. How do we know? How do we know? Because this is called Anubhava. What is Anubhava? When you are in deep sleep, you are the happiest, most peaceful and most happy. How come? Because you have no rest. There the power of restlessness has completely subsided. Though in a way of speaking, we do not know who we are at the time of the deep sleep state. But we are not certainly making the mind restless. The mind becomes absolutely restful. And for how long? Though we should not calculate it from the viewpoint of the deep sleep. But from the waking standpoint, we have to say that there are several hours. It could be anywhere between five to eight hours. Is that all? No. In between two thoughts, we enter into that state. When we are unconscious, we enter into that state. Just like the heart which derives its rest completely in between two heartbeats, it takes rest and it regains its strength. So in the deep sleep state, it is as if we have become our own selves. And that is Advaita state. Temporary though, ignorant though, still that is the understanding. So what does it mean? It means to be restful, to be peaceful, not to have any Dvaitam is our nature of the very mind. Because why do we say mind? Because it is the mind which goes through the waking state, dream state as well as the deep sleep state. But when we can separate ourselves from these three states, that means body, mind, then what happens? That is called Samadhi. So Samadhi is a natural state and the Atman is a natural state. So that is the point. What is the mind? Pure Atman. And why is the mind restless? Because it lost, it forgot its own nature and restlessness is, it is not searching, really speaking, for any object in this world. Why? Because upon analysis it is found no object contains either happiness or unhappiness. Only they either put a curtain when we don't get what we want, as if a curtain is put in between us and our own happiness. And when we get an object, as if that object removes that curtain, we are united with our own true self of Satchitananda and that is what gives happiness. Happiness is our nature. Existence is our nature. Pure knowledge is our nature. This is what the Rishi wants to convey through most of these things. Now when a Sadhaka advances to that state, where he starts getting a glimpse of that Atma Swaroopa, one's own nature, what should he do? So for a person who has advanced to that state, because the scripture or the Guru gives different techniques depending upon the progress of the disciple. Just like for a nursery school baby, one type of teaching. For an elementary school baby, another type of teaching. For a grown-up child, school teaching. For a still grown-up child, college teaching. Then university teaching. Then PhD teaching, etc. So the purpose of Sadhana is to be rid of Sadhana. That is by realizing we don't need to do any Sadhana. The whole accomplishment of Sadhana is to know that there was no need for Sadhana ultimately. That is the truth. And in the sixth mantra, a very beautiful hint is given how that supreme reality has to be meditated upon. A supreme state or Brahman is neither to be thought of as being something external to us and pleasing to us, nor unworthy to be thought of as something unpleasant to the mind, nor is it to be thought of as being an object of either pain or pleasure, but to be thought of as the essence of the ever-manifest, eternal, supreme bliss itself. This is how we have to think of it. Swami Brahmanandaji has given very beautiful hints on how to meditate. The very first thing. Most of us neglect that thing. That is why sometimes our faces are more gastrile-like faces after meditation than before meditation. Especially if you happen to eat some nice sweets and then afterwards enter into a meditative state, you can see the difference between immediately after eating the sweet and after coming out of meditation. What is the difference? So we become what we think of. And what do you think if our face becomes gastrile-like face when we come after meditation? It can clearly indicate what we are thinking of during the entire meditation state. Very, what is called paradoxical letters or words are used here. Naiva chintyam. It should not be thought of. Nacha achintyam. Nor should it be left without thinking. That means you should not think. You should also think. Nachintyam again third. It should not be thought of. Then definitely chintyam eva tap. It should be thought of. These words have to be properly understood. And that is why commentators come to our aid. So what is this? Chintyam means what? To be thought of. Nothing else but to be thought of. We can say it is Bhagawan. We can say it is Ishta Devata. We can say it is Brahman. But what is it? How is it to be done? As we think, so we become. So if we are thinking about Brahman, we attain Brahman. If we are successful in this type of meditation as indicated in this sixth mantra and also many other mantras, then what happens? Brahma Sampadhyate. Sampadhyate means Brahman is realized. Brahman is obtained. Or the proper translation should be that I become Brahman. We become Brahman. Whoever meditates will become Brahman. What is that Brahman? Paksha Patam Nirmuktam. Paksha Patam means what is called differentiation, partiality. And Brahman is Paksha Patam Nirmuktam. Completely divide of Paksha Patam. Why? Paksha Patam means there is discrimination. This is me and this is somebody else. I like this and I don't like this. So this context of partiality. Is Bhagawan partial? Does he make somebody happy? Someone unhappy? Absolutely no. That is why he is not called one who gives. He is called one who arranges according to one's karma phala. Vidhata means Purva Janma Krita Karma Phala Dayi is called Vidhata. So just like manager of a factory or any company, according to the wages will be given according to what we purely work for it. This is why Brahman is absolutely Paksha Patam. And now we have to understand this. How he cannot be having any partiality? Because he doesn't have any parts. Where there are parts, there will be partiality. That is Akhanda. He is Advaita. To be partial, he has to be, there must be some other object. At least one should be there if not many. But Brahman is what is called Ananta. It is infinite. Infinite cannot have any parts. By the way, any number of finite things cannot make something infinite. So Brahman should be thought about as Paksha Patam Nirmuktu. Completely devoid of any partiality. That means he is only one. To be thought of as one without a second. And that is what gives the clue to the first line of the sixth mantra. Naiva Chintya means what? Generally, I will just give you plain English hints. Then we can understand it. Generally, every object produces two types of reactions within us. I like this. I don't like this. Even a mother who is not supposed to have any differentiation between her children. No Paksha Patam. But every mother is to be found a little bit closer to one child. A little bit more liking to that child. Even though she loves other children, but her partiality makes it, this child is closer to me. She always calls me. He always arranges for my comfort. This is my only child. So like that, if you analyze your life, whether it is towards anybody, towards parents, we have got terrible Paksha Patam when we apply to our parents. Generally, whom do we like? We like only our mother. If there is, God forbid, but if there is, what is it called? If God, Yamadharma Raja comes and says that I will give you a choice. I am pleased with you. So I have to take one of your parents. Do you want your father to go or your mother to go? And if Yamadharma Raja asks me that question, unhesitatingly, I will tell, take my father away. Because I still remember, this fellow has beaten me up so many times. My mother, how lovingly she took me into her lap and then consoled me and gave me extra sweets whenever my father bet me extra sweets. So if we analyze our life towards every object, even towards the sweets, I need not elaborate. I'm just giving you some hints. If there are five, six sweets, so first thing we want to, as some people take the most beloved thing towards the end. That is why in Bengali tradition, it is said, Madhurena Samapayet. But South Indian tradition is totally different. So Madhurena Arambayet. So you start when you are hungry, when your stomach is empty, then you start with the sweets, fill it up to whatever extent you are given or possible, and then normal things later on, even if you don't regret about it. So the traditions differ. Even two sweets, there will be a reference. What was Sairam Krishna's preference? Jalebi. If you take Jalebi and Rasagulla, he will definitely say Jalebi is much better. Anyway, what am I trying to tell? We are all slaves to likes and dislikes. So that is what is said in the first half of the line, Naiva Chintiam. So Bhagawan should never be thought, Brahman, Ishta Devata, Atman should never be thought, in Naiva Chintiam, never ever think that He is something who is likeable. Because one goes with the other. If I say I like this and if you say I don't dislike anything, but I like this thing, is an illogical statement. So we have to get out of both likes and dislikes. So the first few words, Naiva Chintiam, do not think of God as something which is likeable. Nacha Achintiam, do not think of God as unlikable. And some commentators have given a little another meaning also. What is that meaning? See, we are all, most of us are believers in God. Believers or astikas are more in number than nastikas. So we pray to God, we are doing puja and we pray for something. Usually we pray for either helping us overcome some obstacles, you destroy this negative thing or grant me something which I don't have, remove what I don't like and get me what I like. This is what is called Sukha Labha and Dukha Nasta, Sukha Prapti, Dukha Nivrutti. Every action falls under these two categories. There is no neutral action at all. So sometimes God fulfills our desire and then we say, Oh wonderful, I like, I love you. That is what we say. And if by any chance, even if it is for our own good, He doesn't fulfill our desires, we think there is something seriously wrong with his brain, I have to wash his brain properly. So Naiva Chintyam, do not think of something as something external and pleasing to the mind. And Na Chintyam, something external and also unpleasant to the mind. Then Na Chintyam, that is one should not think about. First part is, what is it? That the effect of an object that is on our mind. What is the second part? The object itself. We should not think that he is an object because there is a law. Whatever we are experiencing is an object and whatever we are experiencing is not me. This is the first fundamental law of Vedanta. For example, you are experiencing a tree, you know that you are not the tree. And you are experiencing an elephant, you know that you are not the elephant. Apply it to everything, including we are experiencing our body, we should logically say I am not the body. And we should say same thing with regard to the mind, I am not the mind. So he says Na Chintyam. So do not think of anything as an object. Then what does it mean? It means think of everything as one's own self. Chintyam Eva Tat. We have to think of Brahman as what? I am the subject. I am the knower. I am Brahman. I am Paksha Bhattavi Nirmuktam. I am Advaitam. Therefore, I am Sat, I am Chit, I am Ananda. This is the hint that is being given in these so-called confusing types of words. First Chintyam, then Na Chintyam, then Na Chintyam, then Chintyam Eva Tat. Brahman, our Ishta Devata. So as I was telling, Swami Brahmananda used to say, first thing you sit for meditation, you imagine your Ishta Devata as so pleased with us, so what is called happy, my son, I love you. Not because whatever you are, that is not the point. You are good, you are bad, you are rogue, you are a good person, you are having good qualities, you are having bad qualities. No. So because you are not separate from me. God will never say Rakshasas are separate from myself. That is why in the Devi Mahatmyam, there is a beautiful expression that comes. I cannot tell you how much meaning is there. So the Devatas, they are hymning the Divine Mother. Yes, O Mother, by your very Hunkare Naiva, by your very thought, let these Rakshasas be completely destroyed. They could have been destroyed. Where was the need for you personally to come and participate in this terrible war? By the way, Devi Mahatmyam is full of this, what is called horrific type of war. Exactly the same thing that is happening now in front of our eyes in between the two countries that are fighting war now. Now how do you say? So you may take a small Trishula or a pointed something and poke. Suppose somebody pokes at me, do I experience less happiness? Or the other party takes a powerful bomb and then throws it upon me. Then do I experience more pain? Absolutely no. Pain is pain. Whether it is a pinprick or it is a bigger prick, it doesn't really make any difference. Both can kill us. So in those days with all this Divine Mother with her own Khadga, she is killing right and left, her own self. But we say she is the Divine Mother. If she is the Divine Mother, where from the Rakshasas have come? Asuras have come, Mahishasura, then Madhukaitava, Shumbha, Nanishumbha, Raktabija. Where from they have come? They are her own manifestations. So they cannot be killed really because killing them is killing like the Divine Mother. But they have been playing in dirt, not heeding to the advice of the Divine Mother. So their whole bodies and minds have got all this dirt and dust, everything. So she takes lovingly into her lap, washes them and then she does it. Now there is something very interesting to be understood. So can God ever kill anybody? It is impossible. But what does God do? So first point is that He wants to purify or Mother wants to purify us. Any pain that comes, any misery that comes is a gift of God as Holy Mother says. Second point we have to understand very well. When these so-called Asuras are giving so much of trouble to the Devatas, is it because the Devatas did not deserve it but the Asuras unnecessarily came and gave? Or according to our Karma Siddhanta, the Devatas have forgotten how they obtained that position and they are completely mesmerized by the enjoyments. And then they have forgotten the whole thing together. It is according to proper interpretation, it should be that wise. He is Bhagavan, His Divine Mother is Vidhata. So these Rakshasas have given pain and the Devatas had had enough and it is now time. These Rakshasas actually have fulfilled the dictates of the Divine Mother. These people deserve to be suffering and they suffered enough of suffering. Now I will give you Mukti. So the Devatas themselves were telling that Mother you loved these people so much and therefore with your own hands if you kill them, they are definite to reach to become you. And that is what... So when Divine Mother was killing and eating all of them, so there is a saying, you are what you eat. So when the Rakshasas are eaten, what do you think she will become? They all become the Divine Mother. And I will conclude this topic today with what is called... There was a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. He became drunkard and he was hospitalized in the end and he wanted to hear only the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and several days passed. By that time the disease had progressed and one day he died and the news of his death was conveyed to Holy Mother and she said, after all he is a child of the Divine Sri Ramakrishna. He loved him very much. Now he is my child and he has been playing outside in a dirty game and all the dirt has come. Now I have taken him into my own lap. After giving sufficient bath, making him clean, now I have gathered him onto my lap. We will discuss these beautiful things in our next class. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Dev Ramakrishna