Patanjali Yoga Sutras Lecture 065

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM SAHANAVATU SAHANAVUBHUNAKTU SAHAVIRYAM KARAVAVAHAI TEJASVINAVADHITAMASTUMAVIDVISHAHAVAHAI OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTIHI HARIHI OM OM YUGENA CHITTASYA PADENA VACHAM MALAM SHARIRASYA JAVAIDHYAKENA YOPAKAROTAM PRAVARAM MUNINAM PATANJALIM PRANJALI RANATHOSME I bow to the eminent sage Patanjali who removed the impurities of the mind through yoga, of speech through grammar and of the body through medicine. We are discussing the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali which is SADHANA PADA. The actual chapter dealing with how to become a Yogi. In our last class we discussed YAMA, NIYAMA, ASANA, PRANAYAMA, PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHAYAHA, ASTAVU, ANGANI. These are the eight limbs that we have here YAMA, NIYAMA etc. Then AHIMSA, SATYA, ASTEYA, BRAHMACHARYA, APARIGRAHAHA, YAMAHA. YAMA and NIYAMA we also discussed are like foundation for the entire spiritual life. Without that foundation it is impossible for us to progress in spiritual life. Whatever be the spirituality, it may be Christianity, it may be Hinduism, it may be Buddhism, it may be Noism at all, it doesn't really matter. But what is important is we must have a particular style of life without which it is impossible to progress in spiritual life. What about worldly life? Worldly life also it is impossible because worldly people also seek only happiness and that happiness will not come unless we live a particular type of life. Simple example to give, if we have to be healthy then we have to observe certain rules of diet and also we have to observe certain rules of exercise and self-control etc. If for health sake itself we are struggling so much, we have to restrain ourselves. What to speak of spirituality? Mental health also. Mentally we can be much more healthy if only we observe certain rules and regulations. So Yama and Niyama that is why they are called the Sarvabhauma Mahavrataha. It is universal guidelines for everybody's happiness irrespective of whether you believe in God or not. Of these first five steps Yamas, Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, Yamaha, non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-receiving. These are called Yamas and in our last class we discussed very briefly, I would recollect what it is. Non-injury is the highest virtue. The whole life is meant only to attain to this state of non-injury. I also told the reason why we should be attempted. The reason is that according to Vedanta we are the supreme reality called Brahman. If we are Brahman there is no second. If there is no second, if we are trying to do harm to anybody, whom are we going to harm? Ourselves. That is why Ahimsa means non-injury in any form is strictly to be practiced. Ahimsa means injury. We should never injure anybody by thought, word or deed. That is the most important thing. The next is, in fact it is said here by this Patanjali and commentators that all the spiritual practices are only to attain to this. If we attain to that state, we have attained to the highest state. Most important thing here is, supposing a person wants to lead a spiritual life and then somehow he injures other persons. Do you think that he had progressed in spiritual life or how do we know a person has progressed in spiritual life? A person who looks upon himself as everybody else and everybody else as his own self, he is the really spiritual person. That is because everything is nothing but God. So if we can attain to that state, nothing else is necessary. Everything else is necessary only to attain to that particular state. It is said that non-injury, attaining to that state is the highest virtue manifested. Do you know when a person takes monastic vows, one of the most important vows is Abhayam Sarvabhuti Phyaha I give fearlessness to every creature on earth. Truth speaking is said to be speech and thought in conformity with what has been seen or inferred or heard on authority. Stealing is the improper appropriation to oneself of others' things under the impulse of desire. Refusal to do it is called non-stealing. Brahmacharya is restraint of the sex organ, the sexual and other senses by a man who frees himself from urgings, whether verbal or mental, to break the vow. Seeing the defects in objects involved in acquiring them and defending them and feeling the loss of them and being attached to them and depriving others of them, one does not accept any things for himself. That is called Aparigraha. Now these five – Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha. These five – Jati, Desha, Kaala, Samaya, Anavachinnaaha, Sarvabhaumaha, Mahavratam. These unbroken by time, place, purpose and caste are universal great vows. This is a most wonderful aphorism. It says these vows, Yamas especially, have to be kept by every person who wants to be happy in this world, whether they are worldly persons or spiritual persons. And these five, they do not exclude any person from observing these things. Time, species, particular conditions, all these must be thrown out. What exactly that means, I am going to read out a little bit. These practices, non-killing, non-stealing, chastity and non-receiving of gifts are to be practiced by every man, woman and child, by every soul, irrespective of nation, country or position. What exactly that means, the commentators have given. For instance, harmlessness qualified by birth would be that of a fisherman where he does injury to fish alone but to nothing else. A fisherman, he says that this is my profession, I have to catch fish. So I will take a vow, I will not injure any creature excepting fish. Is he going to become a spiritual person? It may be qualified by place. Sometimes, I will not kill anything at a place of pilgrimage. There are people who go to Varanasi or Brindavanasi. Here, I won't eat non-vegetarian food. Everywhere, if it is not a holy place, I am quite happy to eat. But holy places, I am not going to eat. Or I will not kill my enemy in a temple. That means what? I will kill this fellow wherever it is. I heard that Arabs had a very peculiar habit. So you know, there used to be family feuds, tribal feuds. But they have a rule. Even if an enemy comes as a guest, so long as he is a guest, they cannot injure him even if he had killed many of their own tribes. But the moment he steps out of that house, they are free to kill. And there is also a rule I heard. So suppose a guest wanders and then the enemy is chasing. Then he is running towards their homes and then he goes and then enters into one of their homes. They cannot kill him so long as he is there. So they are all waiting and praying. Not only that, they have to feed him nicely. This fellow will be waiting, but they have a decent rule also. So they say, okay, we can't go on feeding, get out of my house. But we will give you two hours time. Within two hours, you try to escape. And after two hours, we will be after you. And then if we catch, we are going to finish you off. This is one curious tradition is there. But anyway it is an appreciable tradition. Among Christians, there is something wonderful is there. However great an enemy is, if he enters into a church and then holds on to the altar, nobody can kill. Even though it had been done, people have violated the rule. But if a person takes refuge in God, altar means what? He is taking refuge in God. Somehow they wait for him. After all, you know, he has to eat. They won't give him food. So after a few days, he will fall asleep. And then his hand slips from the altar. Immediately they are waiting to jump upon him and then finish him off. These conditions should not be there. Non-killing is non-killing. Whatever species, whatever country, whatever place, there is no rules and regulations at all. We are talking about a person who is totally devoted to spiritual life. That is why in my last class, do you remember what I said? In my last class I said, Yamas are mostly to be practiced by monks. Now for householders, I will not do this, I will not do that, then he won't be able to live at all. That is why Shri Krishna had to give such a strong warning to Arjuna and waken him up and shame him and say you have to fight. Otherwise you are committing a sin. And there are other people. I will kill on the 14th day. I won't kill other times. Only on the 14th day. I will not kill a person or something on an auspicious day. Even we are not limited in these ways, it may be qualified by obligation. Sometimes you know obligations come. Somebody has done some good to me. Later on he did tremendous evil to me and he deserves to be killed. But that obligation, you know, life. Once you saved my life, so this time I am going to save your life. This kind of conditions, once this obligation is over, I am going to finish you off. Unconditionally a person has to observe. I also explained why this is so. Why these rules and regulations have to be kept. All these regulations, not only with killing, with speaking truth, with non-stealing, with non-acceptance of gifts and observance of purity, it applies to all these. These are called the universal great vows because they are to be observed only by serious spiritual people. That is why you can't say I will observe them only under these conditions and I will not under other conditions. No, you want to go to God. Why? Does God observe any rules and say? Say accepting under these conditions, under all other conditions I will protect you. Do you think God will impose any conditions, limitations? So a spiritual aspirant wants to become a God by nature. Realizing God means what? He wants to become one with God. That is the idea. These restraints, harmlessness and the others are to be maintained without any restriction as to species such as the species already mentioned or place or time or obligations, all the time and under all circumstances and in regard to all objects, all living beings, without any conscious lapse, unwaveringly. These are then universal and are termed the great vows. That is why they are called universal vows. Universal means until my life departs, I will try to observe these things as much as possible. That is why in my last class also, I had specifically mentioned that this is mostly possible only for a monk. But it doesn't mean those who are living in the world, they can do whatever they like. Somebody told me that it is only meant for monks so I can do whatever I like. No, they have to prepare themselves and observe as much as possible so that they can also slowly progress in life and one day will come when they will be free. They will be monks actually. You know Hindu way of life? After Garhastasrama what comes? Vanaprasthasrama, retired life. What is the highest type of life one can lead? A monk's life. So if one doesn't practice these things in earlier times, how are they going to practice it in later on times? The next five great vows Savucha, Santosha, Tapaha, Swadhyaya, Eshwara, Pranidhanani, Niyamaha Internal and external purification, contentment, mortification, study and worship of God are the Niyamahas. Again these are the five which can be practiced by any person in this world. In fact the more we practice the more beneficial it is for us. Let us discuss this thing a little bit. First is called Savucha. Savucha means purity or cleanliness. External purification is keeping the body pure. A dirty person will never become a yogi. There must be internal purification also. That is obtained by the first two named virtues. Internal purification comes by the practice of Niyamahas to a great extent. But internal purification has also to be taken into consideration. External purification is taking bath, we can use soaps etc. to keep our body clean. Because body is an object of impurities from the beginning to the end. And if we can keep this Savucha, what result will come? Those aphorisms are going to come very soon. It is very very wonderful. But I am just giving you a glimpse, a foretaste of it. If anybody really observes purity, then do you know what happens? One gets tremendous disgust towards one's own body. Because however much we try to keep the body, is it possible to keep it absolutely clean? We are as it were carrying a living laboratory within us. So that gives what Patanjali calls Jagupasa, a terrible disgust towards the body. Now this is not a negative virtue. That means what all the attachment that is going on now towards the body, it will become reduced. Now we want to eat nice things, we want to see nice things, we want to hear nice things, we want to smell nice things, we want to touch nice things. But when once this detachment towards the body comes and then our mind says, then who am I? If I am not the body, then who am I? Then the search starts. What is my real nature? Through the teachings of the scriptures and through the teachings of one's guru, etc. one really gets an idea, conviction that I am other than the body and mind and then the desire to realize that will come in course of time. Then what is the Shoucha and what are the examples that we can give? Purity of thought, purity of speech and purity of deed. We know how Shri Ramakrishna used to observe the Shoucha. So many examples are there. If any impure person touches something, Shri Ramakrishna could not touch. Sometimes he did not know the story of this person at all. But somehow his body itself rejects. How is it possible? Because the body also has got tremendous sense of purity within itself. We discount this body. A simple example, supposing a person eats only healthy foods to such an extent that if by chance any unhealthy food even comes near, instantaneously his whole body reacts. You heard about homeopathy. You know the doctor who discovered that one. He made his body so pure by eating only the most minimum things and the least harmful things that later on he discovered the whole science of homeopathy. What is the science of homeopathy? Every plant, every eatable thing on earth produces its own special effects. So how much a person must be pure enough? You eat for example a bit of rice. What effect it produces? What adverse effects it produces? So he studied all those things and then in the end he said, suppose a person is suffering certain symptoms and those symptoms would be caused by having a particular type of food material. So that food material would be the antidote like venom is an antidote if somebody is bitten by a snake. So he experimented upon himself. Just imagine how much he must have been keeping himself pure to observe the immediate reactions of everything and anything. You know sometimes we are allergic. We have got allergy. But these allergic things are only a few things, extreme things. But here every object has got its own material, its own effect, its own reaction will come. And the person studied and said, if you are having this kind of symptoms, this is the remedy for that because that one produced these symptoms within me when I kept myself pure and had eaten that particular thing. What is our problem? Our problem, all our attachment is only towards the body. Even our mind, thinking of so many things, attachment belongs to what? To mind or to body? Attachment belongs only to the mind, not to the body. The body doesn't know. But what is the mind thinking about? Attachment towards what? Towards the body only. If we consider our body, most dear body, even though there are so many things like things in the mouth, things in the ear, things in the eyes, things in the nose, things in the stomach, everywhere there are bugs and so many other things are there. Do we consider that we are impure? We do not consider. But if we go on keeping up purity, purity through bathing, through proper cleaning and through eating only things which are suitable for us, etc., the mind develops a kind of tremendous detachment. To give an example from Shri Ramakrishna's life, you know, he said some beautiful women appeared to him and he looked at them. What was he seeing? What do we see? We see the outside appearance, how the face looks, hands look, legs look, etc., etc. When he was looking, what was he saying? I saw their entrails and all the filthy things, etc., inside. If we can really see those things, do you think that we will have any attraction towards those things? Not only that, everything is a body. You see, a tree is a body, a plant is a body, a fruit is a body, a vegetable is a body and we are seeing from outside. Shri Ramakrishna's example, Sandesh, a Bengali sweet, that is also a very desirable sweet. For whom? Desirable for whom? But when he had the desire, he ate it with discrimination and then he was telling, Oh mind, what is this? This is also made up of, it is just like mud. There is no difference between this and a tasty sweet. It is constituted of exactly the same material and after that, that desire forever disappeared from his mind. So the first is cleanliness, external cleanliness, then internal cleanliness. This cleanliness is of three types, purity of thought, speech and also deed. Interestingly, I don't know how many of you remember, Shri Ramakrishna and M, they had many, many conversations and one of the conversations is, Shri Ramakrishna told to M, Do you scrap your tongue? Why do you think he was giving that advice? He must have observed something in M. You know, when we come together and then we talk, sometimes very bad smell comes from the mouth of the other persons and the tragedy of it is, many times those people are not aware how much distress they are causing to other people. But still, you know, life carries on that way. So Shri Ramakrishna is giving advice to M, scrap your tongue. That's why Saucha itself is very important, but don't carry it to the other extreme. You know, we call it Puritans, touch me not, you know that beautiful story, how we go to the other extreme. Shankaracharya was one day moving in Varanasi and what happened, Shiva, the Lord wanted to teach him a lesson that even though you are a spiritual person, you are a monk, you are no doubt very sincere, but the distinction between that I am a Brahmin and somebody else is a non-Brahmin has not vanished from your mind. So you know what he did? The Lord appeared in the form of a locust person and he was coming with four dogs and it was a narrow path. Instinctively, the words came from Shankaracharya's mouth. Dhuram apasarare chandala, O locust man, you get out of my way. And of course, it was the Lord, he wanted to teach him for a spiritual person, this idea is a very bad idea. Then Shankaracharya's response, you get out of my place because you are an untouchable. Of course, the Lord immediately said, of whom are you talking that you get out, you are untouchable? If you are talking about the body, your body is no better than my body because it consists of same five elements. But if you are talking about the soul, the self, then also myself is also the same Atman, yourself is also the same Atman. There is no difference at all. The Lord explained to me, what are you talking about? Shankaracharya, the great Pandit, he could not reply. But he had good sense to recognize these kind of words can never come from the mouth of a locust person. Immediately he fell and said, Lord, you must be God, you have come to teach me great lessons. And he did learn, hopefully, but his followers have never learned the lesson. Even now, these Shankaracharyas in their Matas, they would not, from a distance, they will throw prasada towards you. They will never respectfully hand over this prasada, lest your hand might touch their heads. This is called Mahamaya. It is good, that is how the Samsara goes on. Otherwise, if all of them get liberated, then this world will not go on. So, that is about cleanliness, purity, of both the body and also of the mind. Then the next is Santosha. Santosha means contentment. Yudhishthira was asked by Aksha, what is the greatest happiness? Do you know what he says? Santosha, contentment is the greatest happiness. So, what is contentment? Contentment means, I have more than enough, I don't want anything else. Even if somebody wants to give something, I don't want anything else. Now, it is very, very important, especially for householders to practice this one. For monks, of course, for householders. You know, because, just because a person is living a householder's life, just because a person is earning money, it doesn't mean that he has a right to go on acquiring so many things. You know, nowadays, what are the businesses doing? What is an advertisement, first of all? An advertisement is nothing but advertising discontentment. You are not a happy person unless you have this object which we are selling. And the same fellow, next day, suppose you go and buy this object, and next day, new advertisement. That old thing is a very useless thing. We have come up with a new thing. Now, you are an unhappy man if you don't throw away what you bought yesterday and buy the new one. Advertisement is nothing but creating horrible discontent in our hearts all the time. That is why, even though it is not strictly relevant to our talk today, but just I am giving an example. You know, this Apple company, it brings out a phone. It is called iPhone. I think 6 has come now. 6. What is the big deal of difference between iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 and iPhone 6? The difference may be it is slightly thinner and slightly more powerful. But for most of us, what we had even iPhone 3 or iPhone 2, it is more than enough. But people have been queuing in front of these Apple stores one and a half days before, if they could do that much of austerity for God realization. You know, literally they queue up and then go on waiting and then you have to see the moment they get that because they are the first people to enter into the store and get it. Their faces are shining like the knowers of Brahman. For how long? No. Just few days. No. Apple salmon will come after one year or so. But do you think whole year they are swimming in joy? No. That's why always this discontentment will come. So here is the great antidote to this kind of discontentment. What is it? For two reasons also, he says. The first reason is that whatever I have, I am very happy with it. And most of us are in such a position when we cannot say that we are dying of lack of food, lack of other facilities, food, water, and electricity, telephone, transportation. Everything is so beautifully going. It is rarely that we have any problem here. There is no cause or reason for us to be discontent at all. And yet we are not happy people. That's why the moment we acquire something new, our mind gets excited for a few moments and after that we are back to the same condition. So the first thing is we have to say by God's grace I have more than enough. And again I have to add something to this. It doesn't mean that you don't strive to acquire more prosperity or more money or better position etc. Hiram Krishna or Swami Vivekananda said any householder who doesn't aspire to improve his position, he is not a good householder. But there is a limit. What is the limit? First of all, so long as you are within that certain age range, within that range only, you are allowed to strive for improvement. Because if you earn more money, then you can use that money for a spiritual purpose, for a social service purpose, for a good purpose. And it is the duty of the householders to do that. The second reason why we should be thinking about it is there is a certain age range and many times I tell to my devotees like this. Suppose here is a family. They have earned enough money. They have enough pension. What should they do after 60, if they are allowed to retire? In my opinion, they should retire. But they don't retire. Why? Because the one reason is they are greedy for more money. Secondly, they always feel with this amount of income, how are we, retirement income, how are we going to live? This is the first thing. Second thing is what do I do with my time? Because whole life, I have never striven to acquire good habits like reading good books, like japa, meditation, puja, etc. I become restless. And then nowadays the problem, another problem also has come. People are living a longer time and they are much, much more healthy than what they used to be before. You know, if you go to Indian villages, in the olden days I am talking, even by that time they are 45, they already started looking aged, etc. But nowadays, because of good food and so many medical standards have improved, very rarely we have any excuse. And people's longevity has also increased a lot. But that doesn't prevent us from a universal truth. What is that universal truth? Even though the general longevity of human beings has increased, which human being is going to live a long time is never fixed. A man may die of heart attack, he may have an accident, he may die in an aeroplane, he may die, death will come, not according to the age in which we are living, but according to our Purva Janma Karma Phala. Who told that? Patanjali himself has said. Jati, Aayu and Bhoga. We had already discussed, the two past aphorisms. So, second thing is that in this world also, from an economical point of view, I think it is much more healthier if elderly people gracefully retire and let younger people take over, so that more people will have this problem of unemployment, etc., will be solved. Less number of people will have this problem of unemployment, etc. But the most important reason is that it is not the income, it is not anything. My goal is to progress in spiritual life. Therefore, if anybody, unless there is a strong reason why they should continue to work and then earn more money, if they are going on working when they have reached the age of 60, then it doesn't show sincerity in their spiritual life. This is what I have got to say. Of course, people never listen to me. We are talking about the virtue called contentment. What is contentment? I am so happy with what I have got. It is not a grumbling, grudging type of telling to ourselves, Oh, anyway, I will adjust with whatever is there. What shall I do? God has not given me. Not that way. Oh, Lord, You have given me more than enough. It's a beautiful song. Everyone must listen. Oh, Lord, You have given me abundantly more than enough. I do not need all those things. Just give me so that I can surrender myself at Your lotus feet and I can hold on to You. That is the only thing which You haven't given me. Everything else You have given me. So, this is called Santosha. Sri Ramakrishna often used to sing a song. You know what that song is? Apna te apni theko man Jeyo nako karo ghore Oh, mind, do not go anywhere else. Stay at your own home. God has provided you everything you need. How many jewels and diamonds are lying strewn in your own house? You do not even know about it. Ultimately, you know, Sri Ramakrishna used to say, After all, what is a man? Another used to say, What is a man? Three pounds of ash. For this, how many things do we need? In fact, our health will be much better if we have a simplified diet regime rather than trying to eat this and that and so many things. So, this is contentment. The third one is Tapaha. Tapaha means austerity. Some kind of austerity has to be done. Now, what is this austerity business? Very interesting. Does austerity mean that you will have to go to Himalayas and then stay in cold water, running water and freezing water and then go on doing Japam? So, one simple example or instruction given by Patanjali Yogi is to forbear the opposites like heat and cold, like happiness and unhappiness, like good words and evil words. Somebody, someone respects us. Someone doesn't respect us. To go on forbearing with full contented mind is called austerity. And we have plenty of opportunities to become austere in our life, really speaking. So much, every day, every minute, we have got this. Suppose a mosquito comes and bites you, what will you do? What are you supposed to do? You can go on expletives. You can go on telling in your mind, not outside. We have to forbear so much in household. Your boss will tell you something or he may not tell you something. You are expecting something, he doesn't tell you. Or your devotees, they do not come to you. They are going to somewhere else. For Swamis also, so many things. You know, I am telling you, probably other Swamis will never tell you so many things, inner secrets. Everywhere in monasteries, people's idea is, they have developed a romantic idea. Romantic idea is, ashrama is a spiritual place and these people have renounced their homes, hearth and so on. They are always merging in Samadhi. I heard so many people telling, Swamiji, how many hours do you meditate? That's why I tell, what do you mean by how many hours? Now it is up to you to guess how many hours I am meditating. You know, people have got that exotic idea is there. We also have to struggle to keep our mind on these things. Then you know, according to Sri Ramakrishna, every human being inside the mind is troubled by six things. Six ferocious animals are roaming in this world of transmigration. Do you know what are they? Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha and Matsarya. Kama means desire. How many desires we have got? If the desire is not fulfilled, it will turn into anger, frustration. If the desire is not fulfilled, but there is a hope, then it will turn into Lobha. I do not have it now, but I am going to have it later on. Then, delusion. Oh, this is very nice. This person is wonderful. Everybody loves me. This is called Moha. Where did you hear this word Moha? The whole Bhagavad Gita is a teaching in response to what? To the... Moha means delusion. What is the delusion? These are all people belonging to me. They are my friends, my relatives, my closest relatives. They love me. Arjuna looked at the opposite party, who are ready to kill. And later on we get. That's why Mahabharata is such a wonderful story. Arjuna was having this kind of delusion. Now, I wanted to ask Arjuna. If I meet any time, I am going to ask you. When Bhishma had taken a vow, today I shall finish the whole Pandava race. And he was unstoppable. And even Arjuna was quivering in front of him. At that time, did you feel that Moha? Oh, this is my grandfather who loved me. And I love him. Do you think he did that? In fact, he did the opposite. Yudhishthira, you know this story. Yudhishthira went and he had to tell a lie. Ashwatthama died. Elephant. Because even there he wants to be truthful. What type of truth is that? You shouted your son Ashwatthama died. He gave that idea. But to keep up his truthfulness, he said it is an elephant. And which Dronacharya could not hear that one. But to kill Bhishma is not possible. Bhishma will fight everybody excepting only one person. Sikhandi. And that is why Arjuna kept Sikhandi in front of him to protect himself. And it is like keeping a woman in front of him. And then Bhishma will not fight a woman. And then he fell him. Felled him down. So, did you get my point? When Bhishma was unstoppable, ferociously destroying the Pandava armies left and right. At that time, is Arjuna still feeling that delusion? This is my grandfather. He loved me. Do you think? What do you think? What do you think Arjuna's mind was thinking at that time? Only one thought. What is that thought? How to finish Bhishma? At least how to stop him? But he could not stop. Only Shri Krishna gave him, now you put Sikhandi in front of you and then you can fight him. But he won't fight you because his arrows may come and touch Sikhandi. In fact, Bhishma himself had divulged this secret. Unstoppable. What is our point here? If our desire is not fulfilled, we are constantly under the barrage of delusion. What is the delusion? I am a very useful human being and I am going to live a long time. I will live 99 years plus 364th day and at midnight I will have nice dinner and after that I will go to sleep happily. I give up my body at my 100th year. This is called delusion. How do you know? This is the most deluding thing in this world. What is the most wonderful thing in this world? Don't know. Any person can die at any place, in any manner, by anybody, any event. No guarantee is there and yet none of us think death is going to come to me. If I ask myself, do you believe that death is going to come to you immediately after this class is over? If I ask myself, then do you know what the answer would be? No, I don't believe it. I don't believe it. Anyway, I can make fun with you a little bit, you know, because your prarabdha karma is not over. So I am not going to let myself go out so easily. Until your prarabdha is over, I am going to be here as your prarabdha. Really, very few of us will believe this. But it doesn't mean we have to be in despair. It doesn't mean that we have to become frustrated. What it means is, be prepared any moment. This is what Sri Ramakrishna often says, jeep sajo samare. O soul, always be prepared. Death is already waiting for you. Anytime it can fell you and then take you out. Be prepared for it. So we should not have frustration. But it is a fact of life. We have to accept it. So that is what is called getting rid of moha. Mada. Mada means what? If somebody tells you something wrong, if you feel insulted, don't you feel pain? One simple question I am going to ask you. It is so important a question. Maybe 50 years back, I am assuming that you are more than 50 years old. There may be some who are not 50 years old. But anyway, 40 years back, 30 years back, do you remember somebody insulting you? Saying a harsh word to you? And that picture is very vivid in your mind. I would always say, you will never forget that incident. Why? So many events have happened in this life. We have forgotten so many things. But this we do not forget. Why? Because it hurt our ego deeply. That is called mada. Mada means terrible pride, sense of egotism. That egotism has been very badly bruised. Maybe even if somebody had told us for a rightful cause also, justified also, we have the same problem. That is called mada. Then matsarya. What is matsarya? Ability to tolerate the prosperity of other people. Jealousy. Lift up your hands, who is free from jealousy? Very, very few of us. Whether it is householders or monks, we are all to a smaller degree or a greater degree. We are all being slowly destroyed by this demon called jealousy. Otherwise, if anybody is completely free of jealousy, he would be one of the happiest persons all the time. Our scriptures are telling us a barrage of these afflictions are coming one after the other like Arjuna's discharge of arrows in the form of these six. Lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride and jealousy. Are we free from that? So to be able to withstand these barrages and to make progress in spiritual life, whatever helps us, that is called austerity. So when these things are troubling us, what should be our attitude? We should pray with a piteous voice. Oh Lord, you know I am weak. I cannot stand these things. Please give me strength to overcome these things. But before that we have to give another prayer and that prayer is Oh Lord, make me aware when these things really afflict me. How many of us are aware that we are jealous of other people? We are having pride? You know, I want to be frank with you because this is a class about spiritual life. If somebody speaks with you harshly, do you feel bad or do you feel good? Definitely you feel bad. That means there is so much of egotism is there. That is not the point. We are still weak there. The point is are we aware that we have these defects within us? If we are not aware there is a problem with our health, how can any doctor or any physician cure us? What is the first thing? Diagnosis is the first thing. So that is why this Tapah. Then the next thing that comes is Swadhyaya. Swadhyaya means first of all constantly keep company of the scriptures. Let every day quite a good amount of time go for the study of scriptures. For us, what is the study of the scriptures here? We can study the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda's works, Yogas, Bhagavad Gita. You can choose Upanishads or Bible or Koran. Anything that helps us to progress because why should we study? Because our mind is constantly doubting whether there is a God, whether there is a higher life, whether it is possible for me to attain to that higher life. What is it that keeps our faith in God? Some time back I gave you a challenge. You stop studying scriptures for a month and start reading all sorts of trash and examine at the period of one month how much you have gone down in your faith in spiritual life. You think we have not attained to that state of Nachiketa where there is an inborn faith had possessed him. We are sustained constantly by food just as if we do not eat food, we become weak. So also our faith in God becomes weaker if we are not sustained by this food. What is that food? It is called study of the scriptures. Swadhyaya. Swadhyaya also has another meaning. Do you know what is the meaning? Swa-adhyaya. Study of the Self. Swami Brahmananda used to tell every evening, every night before going to bed you spend five minutes. How did I spend my whole day? How much time I remembered God? How much time I am only worried about worldly life? By the way, have you ever worried about God? After all what is meditation? You know my definition of meditation? Worrying about God is called meditation. We are doing meditation on worldly objects. That means we are worrying how this is going to happen, that is going to happen. My definition is worry about God. Have I thought about God? How much time did I remember God? And did I pray to God? What did I pray to God? Going on worrying about God and that we have to think before going to bed. Did I read this? Did I give an excuse not to read this? Did I react to this event? Because if we have faith in God then it is our faith that it is God who is directing our life. In fact that is the truth if you want to know. Shakali Tomarheecha Only thing is we don't believe in it. Oh mother! The whole universe is running at whose command? By the will of the Divine Mother. This is called Swadhyaya. Scriptural study and one's own mind also. Then the last one of this is Ishwara Pranidhana. Total, complete surrender to God. Hiram Krishna used to sing Shakali Tomarheecha Oh mother! Everything is your will. When Madhur Babu gave him so much honour he was not puffed up. Because what did he say? Oh mother! This is your grace. When cancer came then again what did he say? This is also your will. Under all circumstances to give up our own life into the hands of God that is called surrender. In this context I already told in my class also there are six characteristics of self-surrender according to Ramayana. Anukulasya Sankalpaha Pratikulasya Varjanam Rakshisya Tethi Vishwasaha Goptritva Varanam Atma Nikshepaha Karpanya Iti Shadvidha Sharanagati What it means is I will never do anything which displeases the Lord. I will always do whatever I think pleases the Lord. Whatever pleases the Lord that alone I do. Whatever I think displeases God I will never take. Then unassailable faith God alone can save me. Nobody can save. Boss will not save. Swami will not save. King will not save. Government is not going to save. Nobody is going to save. Only God can save. Then I choose him deliberately. This is called spiritual practice. Even though God is there even though everything comes from God but we have to react towards God's grace. That means we must be able recipients of God's grace. That comes in the form I choose God. Who are you to choose God? It is God who chooses you. First God chooses me then I choose God. That means what? I decide to dedicate myself to depend upon God upon nothing else. Atmanikshepaha I place all my responsibilities upon God. Thereafter how do I live? With great humility. Karpanye O Lord that it is possible to lead this kind of life only because of your grace. Without your grace it would never have been possible to live with these six types of constant strivings and it is constant striving. I have to tell you something here. Faith is not something given only once. Faith is like a muscle. God has given us a muscle, isn't it? Thereafter what are you supposed to do? What are you expected to do? Exercise. If you don't exercise what happens? It becomes weak. Faith is like that. Then when can we give up exercising? When we realize God become merged in God then the question of exercising or non-exercising doesn't arise. Until that time we have to go on exercising our will. Until our will totally becomes one with God's will merged in God's will until that time to say that I leave everything to God and I just sit uselessly that is counterproductive. So these are the six. These are called Niyamas and as I mentioned all of us have to try to practice these ten virtues. These are the very foundations of spiritual life. After that only above the foundation is laid down the steps. One by one we go up. This we will discuss in our next class probably end of March.