Bhagavad Gita Ch17 part 01 on 30 October 2021

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

Om Jananem Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamami Mohurmoham Om Vasudevasutam Devam Kamsachanuram Ardhanam Devaki Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum Sarvopanishadokavo Dugdha Gopalanandana Partho Vatsa Sudhirbhokta Dugdham Geetha Mritam Mahat Mokam Karoti Vachalam Pangum Langayate Girim Yat Kripatamam Vande Paramananda Madhavam By the grace of God, we have completed the 16th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Today we are entering into the 17th chapter. This is called Shraddhatriya Vibhaga Yoga. The chapter entitled as Vibhaga, division of Shraddha, of absolute faith, Triya, into three parts. Three types, three classes. What are the three classes? According to Satvaguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna. When we look at the life of Sri Ramakrishna or at any sage or saint, the one thing that we notice is, all of them are completely adorned, embodiment of Shraddha. Now, what is Shraddha? Naturally, the question comes, we have discussed it in so many other classes also. Shankaracharya, in his famous book, Vivekachudamani, believed in its Shraddha. Shastrasya Guru Vakyeshu Sathya Buddhi Avadharana that the words of the scriptures and the words of one's own teacher, Guru. Whatever we hear from our teacher, whatever the scripture tells us, that it is absolutely nothing but the truth. That unwavering, unshakable faith, that is called Shraddha. Shastrasya Guru Vakyeshu Sathya Buddhi Avadharana Sathya, absolutely, there can be no doubt about it. I also mentioned why, the reason, because the scripture tells us, the truth about this world, truth about God. Every scripture tells us about two things. One thing about which we do not know, another thing which we think we know too well. About God, about other world, about life after death, we know nothing. Scripture tells us categorically, there is God, life is eternal, there is nothing called death. Birth and death are manifestation and non-manifestation and according to one's own actions, the results of our actions, they take us to our future condition of both the body, mind, society. And in fact, Patanjali Rishi tells us categorically, in which species a human being is going to be born. Why do I say human being? Animals do not have Karmaphala. One human being, a human being can be reborn as an animal to exhaust the Karmaphala. But an animal by itself cannot produce any Karmaphala. This is a point we have to keep in mind. For example, there was a holy sage called Bharata. He became deeply attached with a baby deer and then thinking of the deer, that was the last thought with which he gave up the body. So he was to be reborn as a deer. But he never, do not seem to have practiced any Karma. He had to complete his Tapasya, his spiritual progress only after being reborn as a human being. But he pretended to be an idiot. So Jada Bharata. Jada means as if he has no intelligence at all. Foolish person, like that. But extremely innocent person. But fully knowledgeable within. So a person can be born in any species, Jati. How long that person is going to live, Ayu, is fixed. Not by God, not by fate, not by stars, but by our own Purva Janma Karma. And how much quantum of both happiness and unhappiness we have to go through, is also fixed by our past Karmas. In Sanskrit, these terms are called Jati, Ayu and Bhoga. So when we examine the life of any great saint, we definitely can open our eyes, say their embodiments of Shraddha, absolute faith. Faith in the scriptures, faith in the words of the Guru. But not equally so. This is a very important point we have to understand. Why? Because scriptures tell us only truths, no doubt about it. But how to apply those truths, how to use them according to our condition, our understanding, our capacity, our necessity, etc. is to come from the instructions of the Guru. So this is what, that's why a Guru speaks nothing but scriptures, but he simply doesn't go on vomiting or chanting or just telling what the scripture has said. But to different people, understanding their different conditions, he will do like that. There is a beautiful story worth recalling. A villager once approached, a very sincere villager approached a wise teacher and asked him to give him instructions so that he can see God. So the sage at first described about God, said go and meditate about Parabrahman, Supreme Brahman. After few minutes, the disciple came and said, it is impossible for me, I do not understand your words at all. Then the teacher became wise and he asked, so what is it that you love most? And he said, I have a buffalo, I have been bringing it up, looking after it from its birth and I am in great love with this buffalo. Alright, God is like that buffalo, now go and meditate upon this buffalo, but not as buffalo, but as the embodiment of God. And then he went, entered into a hut where the doorway is very, very small, very low, but inside it is quite spacious. After a long time, the guru didn't find the disciple. He went there and he called him out, hey come out. And the reply came from within, Guruji, I cannot obey you because I am unable to come out. Why is it so, asked the surprised teacher. And the reply was, my horns have grown so big that I cannot come out. This is one of the most meaningful parable we have to keep in mind. That is why according to Hinduism, Ishta Devata Siddhanta, so you love an elephant, think of elephant as God, Ganesha. You love a snake, then think of God as a big snake, Nagaraja. You love Krishna, love Rama, love Buddha, love Jesus. In whatever way, the wise teacher has to understand with qualities, without qualities, what quality as a beloved, as a friend, as a teacher, as a companion, as our own mother or father, as our own child, or as our own beloved. So many wonderful teachings are there, but the teacher doesn't give every teaching to every student. But the one condition, which whether he is a beginner or advanced spiritual student, has to fulfil is, he must be endowed with full Shraddha. My teacher told me and it has to happen. And the grandest illustration of this truth is, we find in the life of a great woman devotee called Shabari. That's why it is called Shabari Pratiksha. This girl Shabari, she was the daughter of a maid servant. And the maid servant was serving so many holy men, sages, rishis. And it so happened, she was bitten by a snake and died. And the small girl was left out. And the sages also felt a desire to move out of that place. But what to do with this child? So one of them initiated her into Rama mantra and told her, Shabari, don't go out anywhere. Whatever you require will be available here only. And you don't go anywhere. Rama himself will come in search of you. One year passed, 10 years passed, 50 years passed, 90 years passed, almost 100th year. Rama came with Lakshmana in search of Sita, obviously, and this old lady in her overwhelming devotion, wanted to feed Rama. Her eyesight was not good. She used to collect every single day. She used to go out, collect some fruits available nearby, and whole day wait for the arrival of Rama. Why? Because the Guru told her, Rama will come. But he did not say when Rama was going to come. So she never lost faith. He may come 50 years later. Why should I waste my time? Let me enjoy the world. And when the 50 years pass, then I will turn my attention to Rama. No, he might come even today. Because Guru did not say when. But he will come, that unshakable faith she had. Every spiritual person must be endowed with that Shraddha. That is the foundation. That's why in this Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Krishna tells us a most wonderful truth. What is a man? A man is nothing but the amount of faith he possesses. According to his faith, he can be a 3rd class person, a 2nd class person, a 1st class person, a Sattvika person, a Rajasika person, a Tamasika person. So what is the difference? No difference. The first thing is Shraddha. That is why Shraddha is included in the Sadhana Chaturstaya Sampatthi, the fourfold treasury of spiritual fitness. Viveka, Vairagya, Shamadhi Shat Guna and Umokshatva. Discrimination. That is the awakening. Dispassion. Exercise of willpower in renouncing what we understand as unfavorable, unsuitable, counterproductive. Then control over the body, control over the mind, keeping the mind equanimous, possessed full of faith. All those qualities, six qualities and intense yearning for God-realization. Now, that is what the Lord is going to tell us here. But important point is, in our last class we discussed this point. Bhagavan Krishna, towards the end of the 16th chapter, categorically He says, a man may be possessed of faith, but he should always follow the teachings of the scriptures, Shastra Pramanam. Scripture alone can tell us what is good, what is not, what is right, what is not, what helps us advance in spiritual life and what doesn't. And anybody who disregards the scriptures, he will have to pay a heavy price. He may be even going back instead of coming up. Of course, as I said many times, Vedanta never says, a man goes to eternal damnation. That's not possible. So now, we have to understand, by scripture, what do we mean by scripture? Every religion is founded on a scripture. And curiously, Buddhism, founded by Lord Buddha, that also has got foundational scriptures, called the Three Pitakas, teachings of the discourses of the Bhagavan Buddha. Now the point is, many people classify Buddha as an atheist, but Ramakrishna had given a most beautiful definition. Who is a Buddha? He who has become awakened to his own real nature. That means who realized, I am Brahman. He is a Buddha, an awakened person, an enlightened person. Tathagata, one who arrived at the highest truth. Tathagataha. He is called Buddha. And everybody else is a Buddhu. We are all Buddhus. But hopefully, by following the scriptures, we can advance. But as I said, scripture doesn't mean a person must be literate. He must take up some scriptures, along with commentaries, accompanying notes, and special points mentioned, etc. No. That is okay for people who can do that. But that is not really meant. Two points to consider. A professor of philosophy who has absolutely every mastery over the scripture, but has no desire to progress in spiritual life. That means his character is absolutely worldly. Such a person is called an asuri, asura, demon, demonic qualities, purely worldly persons. Such a person is not meant a person who knows the scripture. Whether a person studies the scriptures, or a person hears it from other people, or a person who observes the elders, people who are sincere, nearby, and this person, by watching what they do, imitate those people, all these fall under the category of scripture. So, I want to give a brief introduction. So, Bhagawan Krishna said that scripture is the pramana. Pramana means that which takes us a right means to take us to the right goal, which we ourselves have fixed in the beginning. That is called pramana, and that is scripture, and it alone can tell us vidhi and nishedha, what is right, what is wrong, what should be done, what should be avoided, etc. Hearing this one, the 17th chapter, Arjuna has a doubt. So, he says, Bhagawan, I have this doubt. Supposing there is a person, he is endowed with some shraddha, but he doesn't observe scriptural teachings, then what is going to happen to him, or how are you going to classify him? Are you going to tell him that he is a sattvika person, rajasika person, or tamasika person? Very legitimate question, but we have to understand what Arjuna, the wise student, really is asking. What is it? Here is a person, maybe he is ignorant, that means illiterate, maybe he never came across a person, even to here, maybe it could be that he has not even come into contact with a person to observe their great behavior, and then even to imitate. Yes, it is possible. Then what happens? That is where Shri Ramakrishna comes to our aid. I want to highlight two points from Shri Ramakrishna's life. First of all, even a glimpse at his photograph, just look at him. He is an embodiment of faith. Look at a baby. He is an embodiment of faith. Ramakrishna's face, absolutely guileless. There is nothing called that is, I doubt this person. And there are so many instances in his life. Whatever a person says, he believes it. He takes it for granted. Why should anybody tell a lie to me? Of course, everybody cannot tell a lie. Some people may mistakenly what they consider to be the right thing, may tell that it is right thing. That is a different issue altogether. A child will never doubt its mother. So also, a sincere student will never doubt. Ramakrishna never doubted anybody until that person is proved to be wrong. Okay, there was a funny incident. Ramakrishna had tremendous faith in Narendra. And Narendra knowingly, consciously, he never told any lie in his life. Ramakrishna often used to talk about a bird. It is called chataka bird. And this chataka bird never drinks any water. It is said in popular saying, even though there are 7 oceans and so many rivers, so many pools, so many tanks, this chataka bird never touches any of them. Only when the water starts falling from the sky in the form of rain, only mid sky it drinks. This was what he believed. That's what many descriptions are there in the scripture. That's what Narendra believed, Ramakrishna believed and he used to often give this illustration. One day Narendra was listening. He said, Sir, you are mistaken. In the beginning Narendra used to argue. He rarely accepted what Ramakrishna had said. So I have seen chataka bird drinking the dirty water, cold water after the rainy season. And Ramakrishna of course, he did not believe it. And one day it was raining and Narendra saw a small bird and it was drinking some water that gathered in the ground as a pool, small pool. And then he said, Sir, Sir, that is the chataka bird. Look at it. And Ramakrishna looked at it, laughed and said, you foolish boy, I almost lost faith in myself because I had so much faith in you. All along I believed chataka bird would never drink any water. But Narendra would never tell a lie. So I must be mistaken. And if I can be mistaken in one thing, I may be mistaken in everything, many things. That means all my visions, everything stand as doubtful. So then Ramakrishna, you fellow, I will never again take your words for truth. That is some other bird. It is not chataka bird. That was a funny incident. I just remembered now. Ramakrishna was an embodiment of Shraddha. That is the first point we have to understand. Second is any person who is endowed with real Shraddha, and Shraddha is nothing but manifestation of God. Shraddha is also called Buddhi. That is Sattvika Buddhi. Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat. When God wants to uplift a person, first he will endow him with Shraddha, and through that Shraddha, he will come across the right truth, he will be endowed with that truth, and he will follow that truth, he will live that truth, and one day he will be realizing that truth. So, when any person is endowed with Shraddha, he need not go anywhere. How do we know? Because Sri Ramakrishna's life is a great illustration of this truth. What is it? Sri Ramakrishna had practiced spiritual disciplines twice. First, without the aid of any teacher, any scripture, excepting burning faith in the Divine Mother. And he had practiced it for quite some time. And Shraddha Nandaji is a biographer of the great master, Sri Ramakrishna, the great master, Leela Prasanga in Bengali. He mentions it. Why did the Divine Mother make him practice without any guru? It is to prove to the world, there is no need for literary education, academic education, there is no need for even a teacher. But if a person has tremendous faith in God, God Himself manifests in His word as an intuition and He will guide him. And Sri Ramakrishna was guided by the Divine Mother as an intuitive power. So, these are the two points you have to understand. One is that one should be endowed with faith. Without that, spiritual progress is not possible. Second is that even if that person doesn't have a book, a person, an example in front of him, but if he is endowed with Shraddha, God Himself will tell him inside his heart, do this and do not do that. Sri Ramakrishna's life amply proves that point. So, Arjuna's question was, here is a person and perhaps he is innocent of scriptures, he doesn't have any Guru and he does, he wants to obtain God, attain God, he will do puja, worship, he will go on pilgrimage. So, what type of Shraddha he is having, how do you classify it? As 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class, Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika. And Krishna answers that such a person, he may be any type of person, but if he is endowed with Shraddha, depending upon what he does, we can infer from outside by analysing his actions, whether he is endowed with Tamasika Shraddha, Rajasika Shraddha or Sattvika Shraddha. And this whole 17th chapter consists of 27 shlokas, verses, his delineation, a beautiful explanation, a very practical guide and it is like a wonderful mirror. You know, to compare a scripture and many times scripture itself, scriptures themselves, compare scriptures as a Darpana, that is called Shastra Darpana, Darpana means a mirror, but it is not justified to call a scripture a mirror. Why? Because an ordinary mirror just reflects whatever is in front, but this mirror is a very special type of mirror. It doesn't reflect what is in front, it reflects what is inside each one of us. There is a funny story, Mahabharata, it is a side story, we will not get it in the Vyasa Mahabharata, but in local Mahabharatas we get. So once it so happened that this Kauravas, Duryodhana, Dushyasana including Shekuni, they all gather at Dwaraka on some occasion and suddenly the question comes whether a person is telling truth or not and then Shekuni, who is the manipulator of these Kauravas, he assures Duryodhana and others, don't worry I know how to speak to Krishna, everybody will be convinced that Pandavas are only at fault, not Kauravas, in fact Kauravas are very very generous in so many matters, etc. Then you see Krishna possessed a special type of stool, it is a kind of small, very small four-legged stool on which if anybody stands, he has to tell only the truth because that is the power of that particular seat. So this question came at some point of the time and then Sri Krishna beguiled Shekuni, says mama, uncle, I know, we want to know what happened exactly because Krishna was not present when Yudhishthira and these Kauravas, they were gambling. So he says so many rumours are going on, I want to know the truth. Yes, yes Krishna, I will tell you all the truth. Intending in his mind, he will blame the Pandavas but never tell the truth. Then Krishna smilingly says, you please sit on this special seat because we want to honour, we want to hear from you. But the power of that, like the Bhojrajya Simhasana or Vikramaditya Simhasana upon which Bhojrajya stood and then a poor Brahmin stood and he became extremely generous by the power. And by the way, before I continue this story, I have to tell there are places which are so powerful. There are places where great souls had performed tremendous amount of austerities and if anybody happens to be there, that person even may be burnt alive. Such a thing we find in the life of Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna had a nephew called Hriday and he was a married person and his wife died and that brought him what we call crematorium dispassion, Smashana Vairagya. So he intensified his spiritual practices and he wanted to imitate Ramakrishna at night without informing Ramakrishna. He went into the Panchavati jungle and he knew that Ramakrishna used to practice tantric disciplines under two special seats where the skulls of some animals, 3 skulls including a man and 2 animals or 5 skulls including a man's skull plus 4 other animals used to be buried with some mantras etc. They become very powerful places. Even by mistake somebody should not do anything there. So Hriday somehow he thought he will progress very fast. So he stood there and then immediately his whole body started to burn and he knew that the only person who can save him was his uncle Hriday. So he started shouting. Panchavati was a distance away. Normally people cannot hear. Hriday was in his room and then he was lying down. Suddenly he felt an urge to run to Panchavati. Some unknown something made him run and when he was approaching, he heard Hriday piteously crying, Mama, I am burning. Please save me and immediately Sri Ramakrishna went, caught hold of Hriday's hand, brought him out of that small area and started passing his hands and then immediately all the burning sensation came to an end and then he told Hriday, I told you so many times, you don't need to do anything. Just to look after this. This means his body and by that mother will give you everything. This is your greatest tapasya. So this is what is most wonderful. We have to understand there are places which are very powerful and those powerful places, that power has been created by the intense austerity of great souls and that is what we get in so many holy places called places of pilgrimage. For example, in France, there is an area called Lourdes where a small girl had visions of Mother Mary and so many people believe there is a pool of water. When they go there, quite a number of them will get totally cured of it. This is not cock and bull story. This is absolute truth. Only because we are not endowed, we think old time people used to believe this is scientific age. We are all rational people and we don't need to believe, etc. So, Krishna is answering this question. Even if a person is ignorant in the sense of academic education or not able to come into contact with an enlightened teacher and get instructions but if he is endowed with sufficient amount of desire to O Lord, I want to come to you and Lord will find out a way through intuition to enlighten him, to tell him what is right, what is not right, etc. There was a funny story. I came to know this was actually happened. A man was very fond of eating chickens. Practically every day, he should have fried Kentucky fried chicken. Sorry, not Kentucky but some form of chicken. So, one day, he bought a chicken and he was trying to dress it and accidentally a knife went and pricked him. Not a deep wound but sufficient to cause him to cry out in pain and then the person became awakened. He said My God, if a little bit of this knife touched my skin and I am getting, how much these chickens whose throat I have been slitting every day practically must be suffering. From that day he could not bear to touch any chicken. Anyway, day of enlightenment must come. Intuitively, some people will get but everybody will progress. This is an important point we have to understand. Even if a person is endowed with Tamasika Bhakti, the person will be progressing in spiritual life because the Shraddha or deep faith in God that is nothing but grace of God and once a grace of God comes maybe, it may be a small ray because the person doesn't allow it to percolate but that will start burning like a spark of fire and slowly, slowly person will be made into a Rajasika person then a Sattvika person then a Parama Sattvika or Shuddha Sattvika person. So that is how the person will be able to progress. All that we need to pray is, O Lord please enlighten me. Of course, if a person has some learning, he studies the scriptures but with faith, not as a pundit but with faith and then with prayer, O Lord please enlighten me. This is a point brother in the imitation of Christ Tamasika puts it, do not look for scholarship in the scriptures, look for truth and if you look for truth the truth will shine and it will guide you. So here he says that if the faith transforms into an inner intuition and natural receptivity of the mind to truth, to ideals which ultimately brings man to God and then as I mentioned every man what is the difference between one person and another person that the amount of faith a person has. That is the difference between one person and another person including thieves. Swami, Yathishthira Randamanaji used to tell something very interesting. There is spirituality even among robbers. How come a Zen Buddhist he says, here is a Sattvika robber. Sattvika robber is there. Yes, you may be surprised how can a robber be a Sattvika robber? Well, my friends if some rich people are not sharing their robbing like Robinson Crusoe etc. the only way to make them Sattvik is to rob them but to share with others, poor people etc. That's why even today these kind of stories like Robinson Crusoe have become such an idealistic things in the world. Yes, robbing also if it is with good intention spiritual intention it is possible. So, if a man his motivation is good he starts with a small amount of faith in fact, this is the truth. We all start with a spark of faith which is overwhelmed with so much of other faith. What am I talking about? When a person says, I don't believe there is no non-believer in this world. There are only two types of believers in this world. I have faith in God and I have faith in the world. But the world will give him some nice blows sometime or other then he becomes awakened. That is the grace of God. It comes in the form of misery and it gives so many troubles then the man becomes slowly, slowly awakened. God is awakening everybody including these worldly people also in the form of suffering and that's why suffering is a great enlightener. So, what happens? This spark of faith slowly enters and like fire it has the power to burn all worldly tendencies are nothing but this. So, there is nothing called non-believer either a person believes in the higher ideal or in the lower ideal either in God or in the world. But sooner or later everybody wants God only. Everybody has faith in God but not in the way we usually understand. If you ask a believer do you believe in God? He says yes. If you ask a worldly person, do you believe in God? He may say most often, mostly what people say you know yes I believe in God but they want God to cater to their service, to selfishness but not to realize God. But then the same worldly person, if you ask that person, do you want to be immortal? Do you want to be wise person? Do you want to be a happy person? And not for one day, one hour but not one year, not 100 years but forever. He says yes, there is no categorically no answer, only yes answer. What is he telling? So who is immortal? Who is all knowing? Who is all bliss? Only God. Even a worldly person his goal is only God but mistakenly he is searching in wrong ways. That's all we have to understand. So what are we talking about? That there is no non-believer etc. But the law of action Karma Siddhanta everybody knows. What we harvest is what we had sown. You sow seeds of good and you will enjoy. Sow seeds of evil and you will suffer. But sooner or later the suffering brings man to his senses, guides it right, turns him towards God and then he will be coming back. So as I mentioned, this whole 17th chapter divides certain actions of human being into whether it is Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika. I come to that. And Ramakrishna's teachings completely reflect most of the teachings of the 17th chapter. So this entire 17th chapter has got 27 verses and it is a description of 3 types of Shraddha. Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika. And how to find to what class, that means whether we are Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika do we, the spiritual aspirants, belong? The answer is by our actions. So Krishna, graphic details, most mellifluous Sanskrit language, of course written by Vedavyasa, he discusses it. These how many types? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 categories. What are they? 3 types of puja, worship. 3 types of tapasya or austerity. 3 types of food, that means Sattvika food, Rajasika food, Tamasika food. 3 types of yajna or sacrifices. Sattvika, Rajasika or Tamasika. 3 modes of tapasya, austerities. What is it? Is it mental austerity, vocal austerity and external physical austerity, bodily austerity. Then 3 types of austerities as per the, whether it is Sattvika austerity, Rajasika austerity or Tamasika austerity and 3 types of dana or charity. Whether it is Sattvika charity, Rajasika charity or Tamasika. So what do we get? We get through these descriptions if we observe ourselves carefully, objectively and in a detached manner, we can soon find out or if we are fortunate to get a teacher, he will point it out to us and say this is where you have to improve, turn your Tamasika Shraddha into Rajasika Shraddha. How? By changing the mode, expectation, the motivation of every activity falling under these 7 categories. Then the last, from the verses 23, 28, 6 verses, Lord discusses the sacredness, the Mahatmya, the glory of 3 words, Om, Tat and Sat. This is 27 verses of the Bhagavad Gita. Om, Tat, Sat are the holy syllables indicating the sacrificial mentality. Whatever man does as an offering unto God with the utterance of these syllables promotes his spiritual evolution, not only spiritual evolution, even world evolution. All sacrificial rites, all austerities practiced, all charities done are of no spiritual value if they are not supported by Shraddha. That is the underpinning truth. Shraddha, Shraddha, Shraddha. So, how do we know what Guna is dominant within us? By observing our actions we know. If it is Tamoguna, transcend it slowly, but surely. If it is Rajoguna, transcend it surely. If it is Satvaguna, transcend that also, as we discussed beautifully in the 14th chapter of this Guna, Trai, Vibhaga Yoga, 3 types of Gunas in great detail we discussed. If you want to understand what is the effect of Guna, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, you have to refer to that. Otherwise, it is just to hear through one ear and forget through the other ear. As I mentioned out, every man, this is the difference. Here is a 1st class student, here is a 2nd class student, here is a 3rd class student. This is an example. Who is a 1st class student is endowed with 1st class Shraddha. So, he puts his mind, his time, his energy, his concentration, his interest, his love, everything. Similarly, a 2nd class Rajasika person. Similarly, Tamasika person. Similarly, here is a person, you give him same work. 3 types of people doing the same work. 3 different results will come. A 3rd class person's work is 3rd class, 2nd class person's work is 2nd class, 1st class person's is 1st class. So, that is faith is the root of all. Ramakrishna says in a beautiful song, as is a man's meditation, so is his feeling of love. The more we meditate, the more love we grow. As is a man's feeling of love, so is his gain. And proportionate to the love we have, the result also will be great or small, greater or smaller. But, faith is the root of all. That is why there is a beautiful Suktam in the Vedas. And I recommend it to everybody. Do you want to increase your Shraddha? Then you every day pray to God, chanting this. The very name is called Shraddha Sukta. Wonderful word. Now, after hearing all this, a small doubt comes. Is it possible that here is a Tamasic person and he can be endowed with Shraddha? Of course, it is called Tamasic Shraddha. Is it possible? Now, we are talking about two types of Unas or manifestation. When these three qualities manifest in a worldly person, that is a different issue and that was what beautifully discussed in the last chapter. Here are the divine qualities and here are the demonic qualities. But here we are talking about this Shraddha. It is a chapter completely dedicated to Shraddha. There he says that we are talking about three types of people endowed with Shraddha but it may be Tamasic, Rajasic or Satvic Shraddha. So, the answer is yes, a person may be Tamasic but he is not Tamasic, worldly person. Who is a worldly person? He doesn't have Shraddha. What does it mean? Shraddha means faith. So, don't use the word faith. I have faith in the world. It technically is a wrong usage of the word Shraddha. I have belief in worldly world, in the reality of the world, the truth of the world, the enjoyment of the world. That is opposite to Shraddha. The moment we use Shraddha, we only talk about God, we talk about spiritual life. So, here is something which I want to share before we enter into the real 17th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. Ramakrishna utters these are called from a little bit of the Gospel of Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna says three classes of devotees. These worldly people are endowed with Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. So also is Bhakti characterized by the three Gunas. Ramakrishna's words are very deep. So, just now I mentioned there are worldly people they are also endowed with Sattva, Rajas and Tamas but their Bhakti, their Shraddha, that is not Shraddha because Shraddha means faith in that which is truth, that which is enduring, that which is permanent and Shraddha is completely with God, that which is eternal, that which never changes. That is the crucial difference. Ramakrishna continues, do you know what a worldly person endowed with Sattva is like? Perhaps his house is in a dilapidated condition. Sattvika devotee, remember his house is dilapidated condition he doesn't care to repair it. The worship hall may be strewn with pigeon droppings and the courtyard covered with moss but he pays no attention to these things. The furniture of the house may be old, he doesn't think of polishing it and making it look neat. He doesn't care for dress at all. Anything is good enough for him. We have to carefully observe here. Tamasika person exhibits exactly the same characteristics. What is the difference? This person is totally engaged in thinking of God, he doesn't have time to show himself off that is why for lack of time and energy he neglects these things. Whereas a Tamasika person, he sleeps he wastes his time and that's why he doesn't have time. Both do not have time but for entirely two different opposite clashing reasons. So Shri Ram Krishna continues but the man himself is very gentle quiet, kind and humble. He doesn't injure anybody. On the other hand the Tamasika person very sharp, harsh, very loud very selfish and very arrogant as we have seen in the last chapter. Again among the world there are people with the traits of Rajas. Such a man has a watch and a chain and two or three rings on his fingers the furniture of his house is all spick and span, on the walls hang portraits of the queen the prince of Wales and other prominent people. You have to remember Ram Krishna's time India was under the governance of the British people. So Shri Ram Krishna was referring these Rajasic people, they obtain the portraits of the queen, the king, the prince etc. His wardrobe is filled with large assortment of cloths, even the servants have their livery and all that. The traits of a worldly man endowed with Tamas are sleep, lust, anger, egotism and the like as discussed in the demonic qualities. Ram Krishna continues. So three kinds of Bhakti are there. Similarly, says Shri Ram Krishna, Bhakti, devotion as its Sattva. A devotee who possesses it meditates on God in absolute secret, perhaps inside his mosquito net. Others think he is asleep. Since he is late in getting up, they think perhaps he has not slept well during the night. His love for the body goes only as far as appeasing his hunger and that only by means of rice and simple grains. There is no elaborate arrangement about his meals, no luxury in cloths, no display of furniture. Besides, such a devotee never flatters anybody for money but an aspirant possessed of Rajasic Bhakti puts a big mark on his tilak on his forehead and a necklace of holy Rudraksha beads interspersed with gold ones around his neck. At worship, he wears a silk cloth. A man endowed with Tamasic Bhakti has burning faith. Tamasic Bhakti now. Such a devotee literally extorts boons from God even as a highway robber falls upon a man and plunders his money. Bind, beat, kill, that is his way, the way of the dacoits. I hope you have taken note of it. What is it? We are not talking about the person, you know, we are not talking about worldly Tamasic, Rajasic or Sattvic Bhakti. These are spiritual people. Please keep this one. So, Kensai Ramakrishna continues. Utilizing Tamas for spiritual welfare. How? Saying this, a master began to sing in a voice, sweet with rapturous love. His eyes turned upward. Why should I go to Ganga or Gaya? To Kashi, Kanchi or Prabhas? So long as I can breathe my last with Kali's name upon my lips. What need of rituals as a man? What need of devotions anymore? If he repeats the mother's name at the three holy hours. Charity, vows and giving of gifts do not appeal to mother's mind. The blissful mother's lotus feet are his whole prayer and sacrifice. Then Sri Ramakrishna continues, who could ever have conceived the power a divine mother's name possesses? Shiva himself, the God of Gods, sings her praise with his five mouths. Panchamukhe Jaya Gun Gaya. Then Sri Ramakrishna says, one must have the firm attitude of a Tamasic person. What? I have chanted the mother's name. How can I be a sinner anymore? I am her child. I yield to her powers and glories. If you can give a spiritual turn to your Tamas, you can realize God with itself. Force your demands on God. He is by no means a stranger to you. He is indeed your very own. Indeed he is yourself. Then Sri Ramakrishna, as an illustrator, you know Sri Ramakrishna was a vast master in giving similes and illustrations. So he gives the illustration of three physicians. First class, second class and third class physicians. Third class physician diagnoses the disease, prescribes the medications and goes away. My good man, take these medicines, you'll be okay. Rajasika person doesn't stop there. Every now and then he comes and asks, my good man, are you taking? See, you will enjoy Rishagullas, Rajabhogas, Payas, sweet things, sweet cakes. So better you do that. But a first class physician finding that his patient is not taking, he throws him. Very easy, you know. Already that fellow has become weak or lying down on bed. Sits on his chest and catches, presses his throat and opens his mouth like people do the mouths of animals, cows, etc. and pours the medicine, clamps sorry, I am adding these things. This is not what Sri Ramakrishna said. So clamps the mouth of that patient and slaps him until the patient has no option but to swallow all that medicine. Somehow the medicine has gone down. So Sri Ramakrishna is explaining this one. Now I will tell you the essence. Sri Ramakrishna is telling, Sattva begets Bhakti. Even Bhakti has three aspects. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The Sattva of Bhakti is pure Sattva. When a devotee acquires it, he doesn't direct his mind to anything but God. He pays only as much attention to his body as is absolutely necessary for his protection. But a Paramahamsa is beyond the three Gunas. Though they exist in him, yet they are practically non-existent. Like a child, he is not under the control of any of the Gunas. There was a Tantric devotee is a Paramahamsa aware of virtue and vice master. Do you know the significance of virtue and vice? A Paramahamsa sees that it is God who gives us evil tendencies as well as good tendencies. Haven't you noticed that there are both sweet and bitter fruits? Some trees give sweet fruit and some bitter and sour. God has made the mango tree which yields sweet fruit as well as hog plum which yields sour fruit. There are a few more quotations are there. We will continue it. Why am I continuing? But these are the essence of 17th chapter. It is very easy to understand Sri Ramakrishna's teachings. If we can somehow digest Sri Ramakrishna's words then the 17th chapter as we say it is like drinking water. That means very easy to understand. We will continue tomorrow night. Om Vasudeva Sutam Devam Kamsa Janura Marthanam. Devake Paramanandam Krishnam Vande Jagadguru. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.