Dakshinamurti Stotram Part 01 on 31 December 2020

Full Transcript(Not Corrected)

OM JANANEM SHARADAM DEVEM RAMAKRISHNAM JAGADGURUM PADAPADMETAYO SRIDHVA PRANAMAMI MUHURMU YOM BRAHMANAM VIDADHATI PURVAM YO VAI VEDAM SHCHA PRAHINOTI TASMAI TAMHA DEVAM ATMA BUDDHE PRAKASHAM MUMUKSHU RUVAE SHARANAM AHAM PRAPADYE VISHWAM DARPANA DRISHYAMANA NAGARE TULYAM NIJAN TARGATAM PASHYANATMANI MAYAYA BHAHIRI BODH BHUTAM YATHA NIDRAYA YAH SAKSHAT KURUTE PRABODHA SAMAYE SWAATMANAME VADVAYAM TASMAI SHRI GURUMURTAYE NAMAIDAM SHRI DAKSHINAMURTAYE From today onwards we are starting a new topic and one of the best topics I would say in the whole Advaitic literature. What is the reason? Why we say it is one of the best works? Here we are all devotees, we are all spiritual aspirants and our greatest prop, help, inspiration, guidance, everything is Guru. In this particular topic called Dakshinamurti Stotram, Shri Dakshinamurti Stotram, every verse ends Namaidam Shri Dakshinamurtaye and then earlier Tasmai Shri Gurumurtaye. He who comes in the form of the Guru to uplift the disciples, He is the Guru and this hymn has a very special significance for all the special devotees of Shri Ramakrishna order. Why is it so? Many perhaps haven't noticed this simple fact. When we worship Shri Ramakrishna and or when we address about Shri Ramakrishna with each other to somebody else, we say Jai Shri Guru Maharaj Ji Ki Jai. When devotees of Krishna or Shiva or Devi or Vishnu, when they give Jai, Jai Shri Krishna Paramatmanena Maha, Shri Ramachandra Paramatmanena Mahadese. But in the Ramakrishna order we always say Jai Shri Guru Maharaj Ji Ki Jai. This tribution is followed practically by most of the ashramas. Of course in some places say it is only Shri Ramakrishna or Sharda Devi. In any case for every aspirant whether they are following the path of knowledge or of bhakti, truly speaking even though there are four yogas, by tradition only two yogas are referred to Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Why is it so? What about Karma Yoga and what about Raja Yoga? Both these Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga are mostly as auxiliary, as secondary, as helpers. Of course it is a statement of truth that every yoga, whatever be the yoga, that's why we use the word yoga. Yoga means perfect controlling and directing the mind. This is all called yoga. So yoga is a part of every other yoga. Therefore what we call Patanjali Yoga, Raja Yoga is taken as one of the parts. And what about Karma Yoga? It is also mentioned whether we are following the path of bhakti or jnanam. Karma has special function in advancing one towards a reality, tattvam. What is its purpose? First of all the sadhaka hasn't got rid of the body-mind complex, identity with body as well as mind. Karma is inevitable but this karma is directed for two purposes. At the beginning karma, when we use the word karma always we have to keep in mind it is a scripture oriented karma not just whatever thought comes into our mind. So what is called karma as directed by the scripture? In our case that is the first part of the veda called karmakanda which I prefer to call dharmakanda because here karma is transformed into dharma and adharma is totally eliminated through discrimination, dispassion etc. Its purpose is twofold. To advance the sadhaka towards praise. Praise means higher type of joy, ananda in the form of heavenly world etc. Even Bhagavad Gita supports this view. A person who has not been able to reach the highest goal, he will not go to rack and ruin but he will be reborn in a very prosperous family. Why is it so? Because what is called incompleteness of yoga indicates non-fulfillment of one's cherished desires. Whether a person goes to swarga loka or brahma loka or is reborn in a prosperous family, the purpose of the lord is to fulfill certain desires whose habits, whose intensity is very strong. It can be only removed by experience. So that's why in the process of gradual liberation, brahma mukti, one first goes to brahma loka or called otherwise satya loka and there fulfills his desires. At the same time practice spiritual disciplines in the form of obtaining classes. Brahma himself holds class. By the way, the word brahma means, one meaning is srishti kartha, creator. Another meaning is veda. Veda means knowledge. The essence of all vedas is brahma satyam jivaha brahma eva na paraha. So there the person obtains the knowledge of brahman and will never return. This is called gradual way of attaining liberation. That is why karma is for the sake of purifying a heart chitta shuddhi and punya sampadana. To obtain punya, what is the purpose? Punya fulfills the purpose of removing whatever desires are remanent. Whereas purification of the heart gradually takes one to the state of what is called jijnasa enquiry. That's why there are only two paths really speaking. One is of that of knowledge and one is of that of bhakti. But whatever be the pathways, one thing is unilaterally, universally accepted and that is without the instruction, without the grace of God and the grace of God comes in the through the medium of a guru. Without the grace of the guru and the grace of the guru and the grace of God are exactly one and the same. It's impossible to progress. It is difficult to overcome the obstacles and it is impossible. That's why in Indian tradition, also in eastern orthodox tradition where we get that beautiful books. Lekaliya is one book and the way of a pilgrim. There we see the guru is most important. Every aspiring spiritual sadhaka must get the assistance of a guru and only through that guru he can progress in spiritual life. This is so beautifully illustrated in the life of the way of the pilgrim who is a sadhaka. In catholic christianity, what they call spiritual director takes the form of the guru and in India, guru takes the first place. There is a funny saying, if guru directs a spiritual aspirant to do something and if the guru says something and God says something else, whom should one obey? Only the guru. So I already mentioned one beautiful incident. There was one disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in Brindavan. He was one of the harshest gurus squeezing the life out of his disciples, so to say, but for their own good and they prayed to Radharani, the presiding deity of Brindavana and she appeared in front of him and said, my son, you mellow your discipline a little, soften a little. You are torturing me, you are torturing your disciples and he looked contemptuously at her and said, you are the daughter of a cowherd. Who, what do you know about disciplining the disciples? Out with you and so this gives the importance of guru bhakti and when we study Sri Ramakrishna's life in the light of his guru bhakti, extraordinary and astounding facts come out. I will only tell you just with regard to Bhairavi Brahmani and Totapuri Maharaj. In this light, he throws a tremendous light upon what is true guru bhakti. First of all, Sri Ramakrishna was absolutely obedient to his gurus, even though he knew both the gurus have got defects. Bhairavi Brahmani had the defect of being jealous. Even she became jealous of Sri Ramakrishna but by his very presence, he had made her recognize her own fault. In this case, like Sri Krishna acting like a clean mirror which he held in front of Arjuna, you say you have taken right decision but why is your face so depressed? Then Arjuna understood that there is a dichotomy between what I say and what I feel. Then he had to complete the sharanam aham prapadye sushyasteham shadhim aham tvam prapannam. Now, coming back to Bhairavi Brahmani, she became in turn not physically but spiritually a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna himself. She recognized her defects in his presence, by his very presence and then she corrected herself. What about Totapuri Maharaj? What was his problem? His problem was when he closed his eyes, he could see Brahman. When he opened his eyes, he saw Mithya. He is in fact counterattacking Advaita Vedanta. He was going contrary to Advaita. Advaita means only one truth. Open your eyes, Brahman. Close your eyes, Brahman. Close his eyes, Brahman. Open his eyes, non-Brahman, non-Brahman, Mithya including the Jaganmata. The most important dosha or defect in him was he did not understand the role of Eshwara in spiritual life. What Vedanta calls Eshwara in tantric language, she is called the divine mother. Sri Ramakrishna used to call Brahman, Brahman and Shakti. Brahman means he is referring to Nirguna Brahman, impersonal aspect of Brahman but the personal aspect of Brahman is called Eshwara and this Eshwara is called Shakti but here Totapuri did not recognize Shakti. Why? Because his body was in the realm of Shakti, his mind was in the realm of Shakti. Whatever feelings are coming in his mind whether they are spiritual or unspiritual, of knowledge or of ignorance, they are all coming only from the divine mother. As Bhagavad Gita clarifies to us in no doubtful terms at all, absolute certain terms. What is the Bhagavad Gita telling? That Gnanam Smriti Apohanam, Mattah Smritir Gnanam Apohanam Cha Mattah. Oh Arjuna, through you the whole world should cognize if they are having worldly feelings, they are arising from me. If they are having spiritual feelings, they are also coming from me. If you are capable of remembering Brahman, remembering God, that is also coming from me. If you are forgetting anything worldly or spiritual, that forgetfulness is also coming from me only. Mattah Smriti Gnanam Apohanam. You may think that forgetfulness is a non-spiritual quality. It is not so. Remembering something right in worldly life or in spiritual life, both are great boons. Otherwise, it is not possible for us to act efficiently with one-pointedness. After all, if you are talking about concentration, it is nothing but this Smriti in the form of a Vritti constantly arising, subsiding, arising, subsiding. That is called meditation. But what about Apohana? Apohana means forgetfulness. It is also a great spiritual quality. You forget in worldliness what should be forgotten. Otherwise, you will suffer from worry, sleeplessness, etc., etc. This is the greatest gift God has bestowed upon everybody. When we sleep, everything becomes subsumed, merged. There is no temporary Dwaita there until we wake up and that is called Anandamaya Kosha. If we do not have good sleep, our Dharma and Mukti, everything will be washed away. In fact, that is what happened to Totapuri Maharaj. He forgot that his very personality is part of the Ishwara's personality which belonged to, which Ramakrishna used to call Shakti, divine mother, my mother. So, when he opened his eyes, he could not recognize. What does it imply? It means, Totapuri Maharaj was thinking that this body is mine, this mind is mine. I conquered this mind and I can do whatever I like with this body, mind. I can drown this body. I can also progress without any obstruction like that. And then we know what happened. He went to commit suicide. Then mother did not allow him even to die. Then he came to his senses and said, I have no right even to commit suicide because the body doesn't belong to me. The mind also doesn't belong to me. When he recognized, then he accepted Ishwara. As soon as he accepted Ishwara, everything became clear. So, what are we driving at all this time? What was I trying to tell you? That when a person realizes God, he sees him inside as well as outside. Inside means when he closes his eyes. Outside means when he opens his eyes. So, when he says, he should not say inside there is God, outside there is something else. That is contrary to Advaita Vedanta, even contrary to Dvaita. Why? What does Dvaita say? Dvaita, you remember, doesn't pose duality. Dvaita doesn't mean duality. Dvaita means that God in the form of Narayana or Shiva or Devi, she is only manifesting in every form whether it is physical or mental. This beautiful idea that whatever we are inside is nothing but Ishwara. Please do not forget when I am saying Ishwara, you have to substitute it with what Sri Ramakrishna calls Shakti or my Divine Mother. If you take this Devi Mahatmyam, then you see, Ya Devi, Sarovu, Teshu, Chaitana, Daya, Shanti, Brahanti, Vidya, Mathru, every possible idea, both positive and negative, they are all manifestations of the Divine Mother. So, this is what we have to understand. Shakti is what Vedanta calls Ishwara and this Ishwara when appears before us, manifests before us in the form of spiritual guidance, He is called a Guru. Nowadays, even internet has acquired this word Guru, computer Guru, big pocket Guru. In every field, there are teachers who know their subject thoroughly. If we go to them, it is very easy for us. Now coming back to our subject, this particular Stotram which we are going to discuss and it is one of my most favorite Stotrams and so much of meaning I get, I do not know how far I will be able to express it in words. This is both a salutation, a Stotram and I will come to that very shortly. What is a Stotram? Both to the Guru and through the Guru, that aspect of Ishwara which is here to awaken us and that is why even if you are not treading the path of what is called Gnanam, as a Bhakta, nobody can again say that I don't need the help of a Guru. In Bengali, there are two words which are very near, Guru and Garu. Many Sadhakas not accepting a Guru, they have become Gurus, animals rather than spiritual people. I will not mention but one of the most famous and thousands of, I would say hundreds of thousands of followers are there. He was considered as one of the greatest philosophers of New India, the present India. He categorically rejected the idea of a Guru. As a result, he fell into the greatest trap and then so many mistakes he has committed and that is why Shri Ramakrishna says, without Guru, a person cannot progress. But remember, Guru is not a mere human being, a human instrument through which the grace of God flows and in accordance with the need both in terms of development as well as time and place that is called Guru. Ramayana is in fact a story of Hanuman. Ramayana is in fact a story of a Guru because in South Indian version of the Ramayana, Hanuman is considered as a Mukhya Prana. If at all it interests you and it does me, Swami Vekananda was considered to be Hanuman in his own words. Once he wrote a letter to Holy Mother, in my past birth, I was forced to jump and clear the sea. In this incarnation, I am travelling on a ship created by these Ramanasuras themselves while he was going to America. So this particular Stotram or Dakshinamurthy Stotram is the most wonderful Stotram. Earlier to this, we have discussed Sadhana Panchakam, then Manisha Panchakam and Prathasmarana Stotram etc. They are all wonderful Stotras but here is the very nugget of this Stotram. Many people showed a great interest in that. Of course, I am also waiting for their suggestion. I thought it will be appropriate. Now, this is called Dakshinamurthy Stotram. Before we go any further, we have to understand what is the meaning of a Stotram. Remember, in Sanskrit language, every word conveys several meanings. Very often, every word contains a beautiful definition of what it wants to explain. So what is a Stotram? A collection of verses, shlokas of glorification. The word Stotram is derived from the root Stu. Stu dhatu. Dhatu means the root. So what does it mean? This work is anything that is there to praise somebody is called a Stotram. We have got Bhavani Stotram, Sri Ramakrishna Stotram. We have got in fact a huge collection of Stotrams including Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, Lalitha Sahasranama, Kalika Sahasranama, Shiva Sahasranama etc. So praise is given to both God as well as his glory. What does this Stotram really mean? Another factor we always take into consideration is a Stotram not only can be chanted, it can be very often sung. You show me a Stotram which cannot be sung. That's why just now you heard before the beginning of this class, a beautiful singing. I do not know who that lady was. Such a melodious voice she was singing. I was remarking to one of my brothers here. Very beautiful melodious voice. So every Stotram can be sung. As an example, we have got Sri Ramakrishna Stotrams and Omkara, beginning with Omkara Vediam etc. and so many other Stotrams are there composed some by Swami Abhedanandaji and some by other people and the famous Stotram Prakrutim Paramam etc. that is also composed by Swami Abhedanandaji Maharaj. So there are number of Stotrams are there and now Shankaracharya, even though he was one of the Acharyas, practically every Acharya had composed many Stotrams including Vivekananda Acharya. Remember we will not say Swami Vivekananda. We should actually tell him he is an Acharya, not only mere Acharya, he is a Jagadacharya, Jagadguru. Even though we appropriate that meaning to say Ramakrishna, Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pranamami Muhur Muhur. But this Acharya, often many people refer to Swami Vivekananda and he composed some Stotras. So let us delve deep into the meaning of it. What is the description or definition of a Stotram? Namaskaraha Tasya Asishaha Siddhantokti Parakramaha Vibhuti Prathanacha Iti Shanvidham Stotralakshanam. A hymn, Stotra means in English language, a hymn must contain six Lakshanas. If it is a complete and a most meaningful comprehensive Stotram, it must contain at least some of these characteristics but some Stotrams contain all these six characteristics. This is called a complete Stotram. What are the Lakshanas? First of all Namaskaraha. So we always say Ramakrishnam Namame Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum. Either Namame or Pranamami. Jananem Sharadam Devem Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padve Tayo Sritva Pranamami Muhur Muhur So Namaskara means salutation. Earlier we have discussed the word Namaskaram. Karam means an action. The act of salutation is called Namaskaram. What is the meaning of Namaha? With regard to our mantra, I told earlier days people used to do lot of Yagnas and Yagas. During that time, say as a simple example Om Ayam Sri Ramakrishnaya Swaha. So the priest who is performing this, we call it Homa. Earlier it is called Yagna or Yaga. This particular offering is meant for a particular Devata. When offering is offered to a Devata, celestial being, we have to use the ending Swaha. When the same offering is given to our ancestors, we have to use the word Swadha. So different words are used. As soon as, usually it is clarified butter, there would be a vessel full of clarified butter and by the side there would be an empty cup. So this person who is performing this Yagna, Purohita, he will take with a small spoon, one spoon full of this clarified butter and clearly saying or addressing the Agni Devata, O Agni, this particular offering you must carry and convey and deposit it to a particular Devata. Indraya Swaha for example, it should go to Indra. Somaya Swaha, it must go to Soma. Ramakrishnaya Swaha, it must go to Ramakrishna. After pouring that offering, oblation into the fire. By the way, the fire is not what scientists call the fire which gives only heat and burning but it is as a Devata, Agni Devata. Very, very interesting. I will not go into that philosophy of Homa. Lighting of the fire, we have to name that fire. If it is Ramakrishna, Agnetvam, Sri Ramakrishna, Nama, Asi. From now onwards, you are Sri Ramakrishna and when we are pouring the Ramakrishna Swaha in the form of fire, he is accepting the whole thing. Therefore, we say Sri Ramakrishna, he is not conveying it to somebody. He is directly receiving it here. Whereas in other cases, Agni Devata is like a postman carrying it to different deities. He will carry it and then he will bring what they have to give back to the, like Dasaratha was performing Putrakameshti Yagna. He brought this Havihi, some kind of payasa and gave it. You give it to your wives and they will be with children. After offering the Purohita, remember he is not performing it for himself. Somebody has sponsored the whole lot. He is bearing the expenses of the entire Yagna. So, the result should go to him. Then there would be a few drops even after offering into the fire. Those, that ladle with those remaining drops should not be again dipped into the main vessel. He should pour it, those two few drops into the empty cup saying Namaha, means Na Mama. The result of this, I am only a via medium. I get my Dakshina. But the result, if any is there, it must go to the person who is sponsoring it, called here Ijamana or Karta. So, Namaha means in our mantra, nothing belongs to me. There are things and I am saying it doesn't belong to me. But it must belong to somebody. Who is that? That is our Ishta Devata. If Ramakrishna is our Ishta Devata, then it belongs to Ramakrishna. Here also, Namahidam Sri Dakshinamurthaye. Namaskara means Oh God or Oh Mother, whatever I am doing here is to obtain your grace. Nothing belongs to me. Everything belongs to you out of your boundless grace. You grant me what my heart is longing for. This is called Namaskara. In ordinary terms, it is called salutations. It should be understood everything is the grace of God. That's why we say Ramakrishnayana Maha, Sri Ganeshayana Maha, Om Namo Narayanaya, etc. Second, Tasya Ashishaha. Ashisha means Asirvada, blessing. Every Stotra requires the blessing of God to the devotees. Not only that, sometimes funnily we also give this Ashisha to God himself. For example, in Venkateshwara Suprabhata, before you say that Oh Lord, good morning to you. It is a well-wishing on the part of the devotee to God. Very funny Stotra. I will not go into it. I am just deriving a little bit of fun. Oh Lord, the whole world has got up and all the birds are making lot of sweet sounds. All our devotees after having taken up bath, etc., they are putting on clean cloths. They all gathered here to have your darshana. Unfortunately, you fellow, you have not even got up from your head. Uttishthata Jagrata. Please get up from your sleep. But the second meaning of a Stotra is Ashishaha. Whose Ashish? Dasya. Dasya means to whom we are addressing this hymn. That deity is blessings. This is what Sri Ramakrishna every day in his own inimitable way at dawn and at dusk, he will go on clapping his hands. Gaya, Ganga, Gayatri, Geeta, Bhagavata, Bhakta, Bhagavan, Govinda, Hey Mama, Prana, Mama Jeevana, Govinda. Goes on ecstatically chanting. That is called Prathasmurana Stotram. Blessing that is to be received by every sadhaka by offering namaskara to him. Worshipping that particular form of the Lord is mentioned in a complete Stotram. Like Guru Stotram, the example Bhukthi Mukthi Prathatha Chaya. This is one example. When we are doing Guru Stotra, Agnanati Mirandasya, Nananjana Shalakaya, Yaksurunmeelitam Yena, Asmai Sri Gurumuthaye Namaha. So here also, who is he? What is the blessing we want? Bhukthi Mukthi Prathatha. Bhukthi, worldly happiness and Mukthi, spiritual emancipation. Both are available by you. So also Aneka Janmasamprapta Karmabandha Vidahine. Aneka Janmasamprapta Karmabandha Vidahine. Since countless births we are getting this Karmabandhana and only a Guru, a powerful person, a what is called blazing torch can burn away all the Karma phalas. That is why we say this one. Aneka Janmasamprapta Karmabandha Vidahine. He just reduces them to ashes. When a Guru blesses a disciple, more things can happen. Once a person asked Swami, Brahmanandaji, what does a Guru do? And then he said, what cannot a Guru do? Can a Guru give happiness in this world? Says you foolish boy, a Guru can give Brahma Loka. Guru can cut all your bonds at one glance. He need not to do anything and this is what we are every day praising Shri Ramakrishna. What are we saying? Gnana Anjana Vimalanayana Vikshane Moha Jaya. Oh Ramakrishna, look at me with those eyes of knowledge. Then when you look with the eyes of knowledge, you will realize I am not somebody else. I am your own child and then like a loving mother you will cut all bonds. Cannot restrain recollecting one. There was one devotee of Shri Ramakrishna and I think his name is Bhadraksha, something like that. Anyway he became a drunkard and towards the end he fell very severely sick and he was admitted in the hospital and then one Brahmachari was assigned to serve him and the doctor tried to treat him but unfortunately the disease progressed so far and he became one of the greatest. His all Purva Janma Smriti has come. As Arjuna says, Smriti Nasto Mohaha Smriti Labdha. So this person's memory of what he did when he was with Shri Ramakrishna, how much grace Shri Ramakrishna had bestowed upon him, everything has come flooding, he gave up his drinking and then he wanted to hear only about Ramakrishna and nothing more. So this Brahmachari who was sent by Holy Mother used to read Shri Ramakrishna Kathamruta. That's all. I want to hear about Shri Ramakrishna and nothing else. After a few days then that person died. Then the Brahmachari came and reported everything. Then Holy Mother had made a great remarkable statement. She said he is a child of Shri Ramakrishna. Like a small child he was playing in the dirt and then I have taken him up. It's a Divine Mother has taken him up, washed completely all his dirt and attracted, placed him in her own lap, meaning her own self. After all, why not? He is a disciple, he is a devotee, Shri Ramakrishna loved him. Whomsoever Shri Ramakrishna loves, he is definitely going to progress and then become completely liberated. Funnily you can use this way. The nearer you go to fire, the more the fire loves you and the fire loves you so much it will pull you into itself, keeps you on its lap. What will you become? Nothing but fire. That means all this Karma Bandhana will go. So what are we talking about? We are talking about the greatness of this Guru. That is the second one we are talking about. Aashishah means blessings, aashishah means bones, aashishah means that which God can do to us, that this Guru can do to us. Bhukti mukti pradadha. This is the second characteristic. What is the third characteristic? Siddhanta upti. Siddhanta means some great philosophical truth. For example, for those who are treading the path of Advaita, Brahma Sathyam and then what is the other Sathyam? You are none other than Brahman. A Brahman alone is the truth. There is no world, there is no you, me or he. Everything is only one Akhandam, Advaitam, Nityam, Sathyam, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Swaroopa. This is called Siddhanta. There are hymns that are composed by Ramanujacharya, Yamanacharya. By the way, there is one stotra by Yamanacharya. It is one of my most favourite stotras. It is called Stotra Ratna, a jewel among the stotras. They are also invoking the blessings of Lord Vishnu, Lord Narayana. So what is it? They have got the Siddhanta. What is the Siddhanta? We are not one with you. We don't want to be one with you. Just as Sri Ramakrishna used to say, we want to enjoy sugar but we do not wish to become sugar. This is the philosophy of Isishta, Advaita or Ramanuja. But then what they do not understand is that you want to enjoy God but God also wants to enjoy you and when God wants to enjoy you, He doesn't want to be away from you even for a billy second. So what does He do? He makes you completely Himself. This is the Advaita Tattva. This is called Siddhanta Ukti. Ukti means a great statement. Siddhanta means philosophical truth. In this stotra, in any stotra, some philosophical statement which is their sincere faith is mentioned, is explicitly expressed. So the composer of any stotra should mention the established doctrine. I will give some examples. In the Lalita Sahasranama, there is this beautiful Siddhanta is there. Remember Lalita Sahasranama Stotram. It also falls into this category fulfilling all these six characteristics. So here is a beautiful expression. Who is this Lalita? Muktida. Muktida means one who can give liberation. Mukti. Who can give liberation? Only a person who is Mukti, only she could or he or she could give liberation. Of course when we are saying he or she, these are meaningless words with regard to God. God can be, God is addressed as he, as she, as it. So every way, so that nobody will be thinking we are deprived of it. Everybody's mind is completely fulfilled. If you want money, who can give you money? Only a rich man. Who is a rich man? Who has money and he can give you. Who can give you Mukti? Another person who is in bondage can never give you Mukti, liberation. So this divine mother, she is called Ishwara in Vedanta. Ishwara is considered as Mayadhisha, the lord of the Maya. Therefore he can do anything. But remember one thing, even though we are what is called half digested Advaita, the divine mother, according to Sri Ramakrishna and what the devotees of Sri Ramakrishna understand, manifests to every human being as avidya maya or vidya maya. Unfortunately they bring very undesirable understanding. This I would like to prevent. That's why what I call is prayas and shreyas. Avidya means prayas. What is prayas? Preparation for liberation is called prayas. It is more or less what we can say is there is a disabled person. He cannot climb straight away. Either he has to take a lift or he has to go. There is a drawbridge, round and round and round, and slowly he will be taken there. Prayas is that preparation and everybody has to come to that state where he can assault that Muktidwara directly. Bhaktas prefer to go through the Sharanagati. Jnanis, they say I am Brahman. Both take us to the same goal. What Vedanta calls Ishwara is what is called both in Tantras as well as by the Ramakrishna order as our holy mother Sharda Devi or she is called Shakti. This Lalitha is none other than our holy mother and that's why many lady devotees sit in front of the Ramakrishna temple and every Friday in South India and Saturday or Tuesday in Bengal they go on chanting this Lalitha Sahasranama. Some of these epithets are so meaningful. One of them is Nithya Jagat Adhishtatri. She is the empress of this what is called seemingly unreal dualistic world. Adhishtatri that means if she is the mistress then whether to give Mukti or not is in her hands. How does she give? Remember for a divine mother she is the Srishti Stithi Vinashanam Shakti Bhuteshanatani. She is the creatrix. When she is the creatrix in her eyes there is nobody who is not her child. Hitler, yes. Saddam Hussein, yes. Osama Bin Laden, yes. So many people I don't want to mention. Everybody is her child only. But why she has created this one? Deviating a little bit but certain ideas have to be clarified. Why did God create or divine mother create these troublesome people? Shri Ramakrishna gives a beautiful answer. There is a jamindar and he employed one I think Golak or somebody Golak Babu or somebody like that and this fellow's name itself creates tremendous fear in everybody's. When this Golak fellow visits any place the villagers are trembling in their, they are shaking in their shoes. Why? Because if somebody is very soft they will take advantage of and they will never behave properly. If this fellow goes they know we will get slapped and then we may be even killed. That's why they will do. These people are necessary. These are called troubleshooters. What am I talking about? In this world we are thing. We think they are all evil people and we are all very good people. We have never done any papam in our lives. So therefore we are pure gems. The divine mother is waiting for us with open eyes. When is my child coming to me? We have done lot of this papam where this what is called sin. For that we have to pay the price in the form of correcting our behavior and therefore the divine mother has created these people and according to Karma Siddhanta. Remember you cannot simply refute what I am saying by saying this kind of statements will not pass water in this world. What if I believe in Karma Siddhanta? Nobody can give me unhappiness as well as nobody can give me happiness also. If at all I am happy or unhappy and if it is coming through somebody then that somebody is an instrument as a reward or as a what is called effect of my own Purva Janma Karma phala Sukruta or Dushkruta. Then what is the role of the divine mother? First of all she wants to distribute the results. So all these people when they created trouble it is only as a Karma phala of these people. I know it is very hard statement to swallow but I wholeheartedly believe it and in any case you have no choice. Just as a corollary this what is called corona virus is the will of the divine mother if you believe in the Karma Siddhanta. Otherwise also you can get injections. There is no problem about it. This vaccine also is the will of the divine mother. It works in some people, doesn't work in some people. If you think you have escaped some fate by getting these injections, one lady she went into a beauty parlor and made herself very beautiful thinking that she is going to attract everyone's attention and then she was very smug and happy after paying thousands of dollars walked out of the beauty parlor and promptly run over by a truck. What are you going to do with all that beauty? So we don't know what happens in it. Anyway, Mithya Jagat Adhishtatri. This word Mithya has created a lot of misnomers. I want to clear it. A devotee doesn't say Mithya. Who says Mithya? Only those who tread the path of Jnana they say it is Mithya. But for devotees this is called Leela, Brahma Leela, Narayana Leela and that is what Sri Ramakrishna said, that is what Swami Vivekananda said, that is what holy mother also has said and incidentally every time God comes, we can choose to be co-players with Sri Ramakrishna's Leela. How? You participate in his Leela. Whatever comes, simply say, O Lord, this is your will. I joyfully follow it. You are torturing me, that is also a play. You are giving me happiness, that is also your play. What are we talking about here? We are talking about the divine mother Jagat Adhishtatri. She is the mistress, she is the empress of this whole entire universe and Muktida. She is the bestower of Mukti and why? Because she is Mukti Roopini. She herself is the Mukti. That means what? You come and become one with me. In Guru Stotra it says, Tattva Jnana Param Nasti. There is nothing superior to self-knowledge. Chinmayam Yaapiyat Sarvam Trilokyam Sacharacharam. Only one consciousness is pervading everything by self-knowledge, Atma Jnana. All the karmas are destroyed. That is also mentioned as a Siddhanta, as a statement of philosophy. That is the third Siddhanta, Mukti. Then we come to Parakrama, some Stotras. They praise the valor, the tremendous greatness. It is also called Vibhuti, valor of the Devata or the God or Goddess who is glorified. That should be mentioned. For example, again in Hrithasasanaama, Chandamundasura Nishudhini. She is the destroyer of Chanda as well as Munda. In Guru Stotra, what is the valor? What is the tremendous power of the Guru? Shoshanam Bhavasindoscha. This entire universe is compared to an ocean of bandhana. And what does the Guru do? With one glance, He will dry up the whole Samsara Sagara. So you can just walk out like that. There is a beautiful story illustrating this. Do not worry. I have not forgotten this Stotram. We will come to that. These are all very interesting facts. In the Puranas, there is a beautiful story. What is the relationship between self-effort and the grace of God? There was a pair of pigeons. They have built a nest on a tree near the seashore. One day, a huge wave came, inundated the whole place and this pair of the birds, father and mother laid a small egg and the wave came, took away the entire egg. And then in the evening, the parents came with some food because they wanted to hatch this egg. They saw their beloved child has disappeared. Their nest also has disappeared. Only the tree was remaining like that. Then they understood this Samudra. Remember, according to Hinduism, Samudra is a Devata. Samudra Devata. How do we know, sir? Because when Rama prayed to this Varuna that when he wanted to cross and then go, please give the way. And Samudra did not heed. Immediately Rama took out his bow and arrow. Immediately, you know. So, Devatas are also like that. In Telugu, there is a saying like that. If I can catch your hair, I will pull it. If I am not capable, I will fall at your feet. There is no in between. So, immediately the Samudra came, said, oh Rama, you are Narayana himself. What can I do for you? And then Rama said, did not say, okay, I am requesting you. You make the way. We want to build a bridge. You help. Okay, okay. Whatever stones you are throwing, I will see that they don't sink. That is my power, etc. This pair of birds, they understood. The Samudra, the sea had taken away their beloved egg. Then they determined until we get the egg back, we will not stop. From early morning, they will go, dip their wings, come to the shore and then flutter their wings, whatever few drops. This was going on without eating and few days. And then Narada saw and then he understood. Immediately, he remembered Garuda. Hey, you are supposed to be king of the birds. Your citizens are suffering here. Then Garuda came. He was pleased. Then just once he fluttered his wings, the whole sea had started becoming dry. These parents saw the nest along with the egg laying there and they brought it back specially there. The whole ocean of Samsara can be dried up by one glance of the Guru. Fifth characteristic is called Vibhuti, glorification. What is the glorification? Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu and that we know. There is no one superior to Guru. He is Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara and he can give Mukti by just one glance. He can dry the whole Karmapala, etc. This is the glory. Why is glory necessary? Because if God is maybe wonderful, but if he doesn't have the power, then your purpose cannot be solved. You want money, you go to a poor fellow who doesn't have any money and what can he do? He may be a good person. When we are praising, hymning a Devata, he must have that Vibhuti also. Then sixth, last and not the least, Prarthana. Just pray and there are two divisions of prayer. What we call direct prayer or prayer by implication. What is the direct prayer? One example will be Annapurna. In Annapurna Sutra, Bhiksham Deheecha Parvathi. So, Gnana Vairagya Siddhyartham Bhiksham Deheecha Parvathi. Oh mother Annapurna, you are very compassionate. Give me alms mother. What alms? I don't want ordinary rice and lentils. Vidya, give me knowledge. Buddhi, give me right understanding. Dehi me Devi. Gnana Vairagya Siddhyartham Bhiksham Deheecha Parvathi. This is directly praying. Shri Suktam, you know mother, Shri Lakshmi, I am praising you. You give me plenty of money, plenty of gold, this and that. But indirectly also by implication, it is there. You are a very compassionate one. What is the prayer here? By saying you are very compassionate one, I am simply not saying. If you are really compassionate one and I know you are, you will give me what I desire. You will fulfill my desire. This is what we pray to Shri Ramakrishna. Oh Lord, you are very compassionate. What are you telling? If you don't give, you are not compassionate and your Olympic title that you are the savior of the world for this year will go away from me at least. It is kind of blackmailing by the devotee and you are supposed to be Karunamuthu. In Stotra Ratna, we get this beautiful one. I will refer to it. What am I going to do? To conclude, the Stotram is a stuti to praise, to make a hymn to a great Devata and it must have these six qualities where by implication or directly, Oh Lord, please be compassionate and bestow your grace in the form of destroying all agnana so that I can reclaim my true nature. And Dakshinamuthu Stotram is the most marvelous Stotram which can do exactly that. What is? Dakshina means Samarthaha. Guru or Shiva is capable of destroying anybody's agnana by just reciting this Dakshinamuthu Stotram with Bhakti, with Shraddha. These beautiful ideas we will discuss in our next class. Om Jananim Sharadam Devim Ramakrishnam Jagadgurum Pada Padme Tayo Shritva Pranamami Mohur Mohur. May Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti.