Sunday, December 23, 2007
Story 48 - Story of Raasa leela - 03
Hearing Shuka speaking about the gopis, Parikshit interrupted with a question: Didn’t the gopis see Krishna as a dearly loved lover? And they didn’t see Krishna as Brahman (the ultimate reality of Lord). Then how did they experience Brahmananda (blissful state of Brahman) associated with lack of body-feeling?
Shuka replied thus:
O King! If we are able to see a person as Ishwara along with the notions of lust, anger etc. thereby forgetting everything and gaining oneness with the person, then bliss of Brahman will be experienced. Though the Lord is beyond experiences and nirguna (without any qualities), yet he took various avataaras or forms in order to make the intellect of people focus on Ishwara.
Explanation
Though Ishwara by nature is formless and quality-less yet we can experience him in a particular form. Rather all the forms that we perceive in the world are mere illusions in the reality of Lord. Therefore whatever forms we see are nothing but the Lord alone. It maybe tough for a seeker to contemplate beyond the various forms of the world on an Ishwara who is formless but it is very easy to contemplate on a particular form as Ishwara.
When we have lust and anger towards a particular form in the world, it will lead us to the dual notions of sorrow and happiness (finally to sorrow and suffering alone). But when we are attached or averted to the person considering him as the ultimate reality of Lord thereby totally merging unto him, then it becomes a pooja thereby leading to purification of the mind and finally to realization.
When we consider one form as the ultimate reality of Lord and are merged unto it, this means we are ever focused on the form. We will then be doing all actions as an offering to the form, we will be seeing that form alone everywhere, we will be hearing about the form alone etc. Unless we have tanmayee bhava or being merged into that particular form, we will end up in sorrow only though we may believe in the form of Vishnu or Siva or Devi. Thus more than the form, it is the attitude behind the worship that really matters in the spiritual path for a sadhaka. When we see one form as pervading everywhere and all our attention even if we listen, see duality is focused on that form, then there is no scope of dual notions as we are devoid of like and dislike. Thus focusing our likes and dislikes unto one person assuming him as the ultimate reality of Lord will take us beyond likes and dislikes. Once a person is beyond likes and dislikes, he doesn’t get affected by the activities of the mind and the world. Thus such a person is ever immersed in contemplation of the person as the Lord. Finally thereby such a sadhaka ends up realizing his very nature of Lord – realizing bliss beyond the body-mind-intellect complex.
It is very important to consider the particular form as Ishwara (that Ishwara who alone is the source and substratum of the world). Unless we consider the form as Ishwara, we will not be rid of likes and dislikes.
Thus Bhagavatham here beautifully gives the way out of all likes and dislikes through the easy way of contemplating on a particular form than formless God. There may be people who might debate over form and formless God claiming one to be easier than the other. Such arguments are futile and will only lead the seeker to more troubles. For a person who is able to directly contemplate on the formless God, it is the best possible sadhana. But since majority of us are still associated with the body, hence it is very tough to contemplate on formless God. Thereby the scriptures give us the easy way (easy for people who cannot contemplate on formless God – this shouldn’t be interpreted as easy for everyone) of merging unto a particular form by considering it as the ultimate reality of Lord. It all depends on the seeker and his level as to which is easy for him. Even as we cannot say that Tyagaraja is a better sangeetha vidvaan than Shyaama shastri nor that Muthusamy Dikshitar is better than both Tyagaraja and Shyaama shastri, similarly we cannot claim one path to be better or easier than the other. The ultimate goal through form worship and formless worship is experience of bliss in the essentially formless non-dual Lord. And it is that bliss that gopis attained through worshipping of the form of Krishna as the ultimate reality of Lord whereas Janaka attained it through contemplating on the formless God through the path of knowledge from Yajnavalkya.
Instead of trying to argue over which is better, we should find out that path which is easier and suitable for us. Since majority of us have association with the body (as explained earlier) therefore majority of us will find form worship easier to do.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to worship a particular form remembering it to stand for the ultimate reality of non-dual Lord so that it may lead us to eternal bliss – that which we have been seeking each and every moment of our life.
If a person is able to associate the Lord along with desire, anger etc. then he will attain tanmayee bhava (being merged in the Lord) thereby will be liberated from the ocean of samsaara.
Explanation
The reply that Shuka gives to Parikshit that if we divert our emotions or associate it with the ultimate reality of Lord then it will lead us to moksha or bliss might seem to be doubtful. But if we really analyze this, we will find it to be perfectly true. Today we will try to analyze this aspect through examples in the scriptures as well as through the words of the Lord himself in Gita.
The moment we refer scriptures we will find almost the same number or more of people realizing the ultimate reality of Lord through desire, anger etc. than devotion and knowledge. When the scripture speaks about Uddhava getting liberated through knowledge from Krishna, we also find Kamsa getting liberated through anger diverted towards the Lord. When Mahabharatha speaks about Arjuna being guided by the Lord through the positive notion of Guru and friend, we find Shakuni being guided by the Lord through anger and hatred.
The puranas speak more about asuras and beings having hatred towards the Lord being liberated by the Lord than devotees getting liberated through devotion and knowledge. This only goes on to show that it doesn’t matter as to what attitude we maintain towards the Lord; it only matters whether we are able to always remember the Lord. Remembrance of the Lord at all times whether it is through knowing him to the non-dual reality behind the illusory world or through anger against him is what is required for a person to get liberated from the ocean of samsaara. When a person is always fixed unto the Lord even if it is through anger, he will forget the duality as the non-dual Lord is imposed on all that is seen, heard, thought and felt. When duality is forgotten, there will be no likes and dislikes. When there are no likes and dislikes, there is no scope for happiness and sorrow. Thus such a person will be ever maintaining equanimity in his mind. Since he is contemplating on the blissful Lord, therefore he will be experiencing bliss at all times. It is this blissful state that the gopis enjoyed through contemplation of the Lord as their lover.
If we are able to contemplate on the Lord either through lust or love or anger or desire or devotion or knowledge, then we will very soon merge unto the Lord thereby getting liberated from the dual world. It is not that easy to have devotion towards the ultimate reality of Lord as that requires knowledge about the Lord and thinking about the Lord as the supreme goal to be achieved all the while not getting deluded by the worldly objects. Instead it is very easy to get anger or hatred towards the Lord as the mind is always used to negative emotions than positive emotions. It is easy for us to hate our neighbors than love them! Thus a seeker should find out whether he is able to get attracted to the formless Lord with devotion and knowledge. If he is not, he should assume a particular form and get either attached or averted to it so that it is always affixed in his mind. We can get attached to Krishna because of his beautiful and attractive form if we are a female. Else we could get averted to Krishna because he attracts all women, has so many wives and is ever blissful. Both ways we will end up getting merged unto the Lord. Therefore we should always try to fix our mind unto the Lord associating him with all actions in our life whether they are good or bad.
It is this aspect that the Lord gives in the Gita thus:
Api chet suduracharo bhajathe maam ananyabhaak
Saadhureva sah mantavyah samyak vyavasitho hi sah
Even if a person does the worse action possible yet thinking of me always, he is to be considered a sadhu as he is ever contemplating on me.
Then how does he get liberated from the attachment/aversion?
Kshipram bhavathi dharmaatma shashvat shaanthim nigacchathi
Kaunteya prathijaaneehi na me bhakthah pranashyathi
Soon he will become a righteous man (righteousness or dharma is always contemplating on the Lord) and attain eternal peace. O Arjuna! Know for sure that my devotee never perishes.
In the above sloka a devotee is one who is ever contemplating on the Lord irrespective of whether the contemplation is with the notion of love, devotion, lust, anger or hatred.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord so that we may get liberated from the ocean of samsaara characterized by sorrows and sufferings.
Shuka replied thus:
O King! If we are able to see a person as Ishwara along with the notions of lust, anger etc. thereby forgetting everything and gaining oneness with the person, then bliss of Brahman will be experienced. Though the Lord is beyond experiences and nirguna (without any qualities), yet he took various avataaras or forms in order to make the intellect of people focus on Ishwara.
Explanation
Though Ishwara by nature is formless and quality-less yet we can experience him in a particular form. Rather all the forms that we perceive in the world are mere illusions in the reality of Lord. Therefore whatever forms we see are nothing but the Lord alone. It maybe tough for a seeker to contemplate beyond the various forms of the world on an Ishwara who is formless but it is very easy to contemplate on a particular form as Ishwara.
When we have lust and anger towards a particular form in the world, it will lead us to the dual notions of sorrow and happiness (finally to sorrow and suffering alone). But when we are attached or averted to the person considering him as the ultimate reality of Lord thereby totally merging unto him, then it becomes a pooja thereby leading to purification of the mind and finally to realization.
When we consider one form as the ultimate reality of Lord and are merged unto it, this means we are ever focused on the form. We will then be doing all actions as an offering to the form, we will be seeing that form alone everywhere, we will be hearing about the form alone etc. Unless we have tanmayee bhava or being merged into that particular form, we will end up in sorrow only though we may believe in the form of Vishnu or Siva or Devi. Thus more than the form, it is the attitude behind the worship that really matters in the spiritual path for a sadhaka. When we see one form as pervading everywhere and all our attention even if we listen, see duality is focused on that form, then there is no scope of dual notions as we are devoid of like and dislike. Thus focusing our likes and dislikes unto one person assuming him as the ultimate reality of Lord will take us beyond likes and dislikes. Once a person is beyond likes and dislikes, he doesn’t get affected by the activities of the mind and the world. Thus such a person is ever immersed in contemplation of the person as the Lord. Finally thereby such a sadhaka ends up realizing his very nature of Lord – realizing bliss beyond the body-mind-intellect complex.
It is very important to consider the particular form as Ishwara (that Ishwara who alone is the source and substratum of the world). Unless we consider the form as Ishwara, we will not be rid of likes and dislikes.
Thus Bhagavatham here beautifully gives the way out of all likes and dislikes through the easy way of contemplating on a particular form than formless God. There may be people who might debate over form and formless God claiming one to be easier than the other. Such arguments are futile and will only lead the seeker to more troubles. For a person who is able to directly contemplate on the formless God, it is the best possible sadhana. But since majority of us are still associated with the body, hence it is very tough to contemplate on formless God. Thereby the scriptures give us the easy way (easy for people who cannot contemplate on formless God – this shouldn’t be interpreted as easy for everyone) of merging unto a particular form by considering it as the ultimate reality of Lord. It all depends on the seeker and his level as to which is easy for him. Even as we cannot say that Tyagaraja is a better sangeetha vidvaan than Shyaama shastri nor that Muthusamy Dikshitar is better than both Tyagaraja and Shyaama shastri, similarly we cannot claim one path to be better or easier than the other. The ultimate goal through form worship and formless worship is experience of bliss in the essentially formless non-dual Lord. And it is that bliss that gopis attained through worshipping of the form of Krishna as the ultimate reality of Lord whereas Janaka attained it through contemplating on the formless God through the path of knowledge from Yajnavalkya.
Instead of trying to argue over which is better, we should find out that path which is easier and suitable for us. Since majority of us have association with the body (as explained earlier) therefore majority of us will find form worship easier to do.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to worship a particular form remembering it to stand for the ultimate reality of non-dual Lord so that it may lead us to eternal bliss – that which we have been seeking each and every moment of our life.
If a person is able to associate the Lord along with desire, anger etc. then he will attain tanmayee bhava (being merged in the Lord) thereby will be liberated from the ocean of samsaara.
Explanation
The reply that Shuka gives to Parikshit that if we divert our emotions or associate it with the ultimate reality of Lord then it will lead us to moksha or bliss might seem to be doubtful. But if we really analyze this, we will find it to be perfectly true. Today we will try to analyze this aspect through examples in the scriptures as well as through the words of the Lord himself in Gita.
The moment we refer scriptures we will find almost the same number or more of people realizing the ultimate reality of Lord through desire, anger etc. than devotion and knowledge. When the scripture speaks about Uddhava getting liberated through knowledge from Krishna, we also find Kamsa getting liberated through anger diverted towards the Lord. When Mahabharatha speaks about Arjuna being guided by the Lord through the positive notion of Guru and friend, we find Shakuni being guided by the Lord through anger and hatred.
The puranas speak more about asuras and beings having hatred towards the Lord being liberated by the Lord than devotees getting liberated through devotion and knowledge. This only goes on to show that it doesn’t matter as to what attitude we maintain towards the Lord; it only matters whether we are able to always remember the Lord. Remembrance of the Lord at all times whether it is through knowing him to the non-dual reality behind the illusory world or through anger against him is what is required for a person to get liberated from the ocean of samsaara. When a person is always fixed unto the Lord even if it is through anger, he will forget the duality as the non-dual Lord is imposed on all that is seen, heard, thought and felt. When duality is forgotten, there will be no likes and dislikes. When there are no likes and dislikes, there is no scope for happiness and sorrow. Thus such a person will be ever maintaining equanimity in his mind. Since he is contemplating on the blissful Lord, therefore he will be experiencing bliss at all times. It is this blissful state that the gopis enjoyed through contemplation of the Lord as their lover.
If we are able to contemplate on the Lord either through lust or love or anger or desire or devotion or knowledge, then we will very soon merge unto the Lord thereby getting liberated from the dual world. It is not that easy to have devotion towards the ultimate reality of Lord as that requires knowledge about the Lord and thinking about the Lord as the supreme goal to be achieved all the while not getting deluded by the worldly objects. Instead it is very easy to get anger or hatred towards the Lord as the mind is always used to negative emotions than positive emotions. It is easy for us to hate our neighbors than love them! Thus a seeker should find out whether he is able to get attracted to the formless Lord with devotion and knowledge. If he is not, he should assume a particular form and get either attached or averted to it so that it is always affixed in his mind. We can get attached to Krishna because of his beautiful and attractive form if we are a female. Else we could get averted to Krishna because he attracts all women, has so many wives and is ever blissful. Both ways we will end up getting merged unto the Lord. Therefore we should always try to fix our mind unto the Lord associating him with all actions in our life whether they are good or bad.
It is this aspect that the Lord gives in the Gita thus:
Api chet suduracharo bhajathe maam ananyabhaak
Saadhureva sah mantavyah samyak vyavasitho hi sah
Even if a person does the worse action possible yet thinking of me always, he is to be considered a sadhu as he is ever contemplating on me.
Then how does he get liberated from the attachment/aversion?
Kshipram bhavathi dharmaatma shashvat shaanthim nigacchathi
Kaunteya prathijaaneehi na me bhakthah pranashyathi
Soon he will become a righteous man (righteousness or dharma is always contemplating on the Lord) and attain eternal peace. O Arjuna! Know for sure that my devotee never perishes.
In the above sloka a devotee is one who is ever contemplating on the Lord irrespective of whether the contemplation is with the notion of love, devotion, lust, anger or hatred.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the ultimate reality of Lord so that we may get liberated from the ocean of samsaara characterized by sorrows and sufferings.
Story 48 - Story of Raasa leela - 02
Especially the gopikas made their life KrishnaMaya (always filled with Krishna). Starting from the moment they get and till the time they go to bed, they would always be thinking and contemplating on Krishna. If the gopikas got attracted towards the childish plays of the Lord and amazed at the miraculous deeds of the just-seven-year old child thereby becoming immersed in the Lord (tanmayee bhavam – being immersed in the Lord), then it is but natural alone.
Explanation
Narada says in the last chapter of Bhakthi Sutras about a real devotee being ever established in the Lord (tanmayaah). It is this being “immersed” or “always established” in the Lord that gopikas achieved.
Being established in the Lord means always contemplating on the Lord; always remembering the Lord; always remembering that the Lord alone is real and everything else is but an illusion in the Lord.
Bhagavatham is here giving the reason as to why the gopikas got so easily established in the reality of Lord – the reason is that it is very natural to be established in the Lord. It is beyond doubt that each one of us are always established in the Lord either knowingly or unknowingly. Majority of us don’t know that the “I” or indwelling Self (essence of Consciousness) in each one is the ultimate reality of Lord. Though ignorant of our very nature of Lord, we still are attached to “I”. It is therefore that Yajnavalkya mentions to his wife Maitreyi that “the husband is loved for the sake of the Self and not for the sake of the husband”. The dearest thing for a person in the entire world is his own very Self. We will risk anything and everything in the world to protect ourselves. Rama Teertha (the early 20th century saint) recollects one of his experiences while in Himalayas. It was high-tide and therefore water was rising. He saw a mother monkey with few of its kids. The mother and the kids got up a tree to avoid being washed away by water. But the water kept on rising. The monkeys got to the top-most branch of the tree. Still the water was rising. To Rama Teertha’s surprise, the mother kept one of her child on the top of the branch and stood on the child so that she will not get washed away. The water was still rising and the mother kept on increasing the number of children beneath her legs.
This clearly illustrates the truth that everybody (inclusive of mothers) love themselves more than anybody else. We don’t need stories and dogmas to understand this. We would have faced this ourselves – we just need to take the newspaper to read out the various stories of children killing their parents for money, lovers killing their love for the sake of money-power-fame etc, brothers killing each other etc.
Thus Bhagavatham through this passage while mentioning that gopis love towards Krishna was just natural is pointing out the deep truth that we all are attached deeply to the Self in us.
There is another beautiful truth that is implied through this passage. We all are seeking eternal bliss in one or the other form. Bliss is the very nature of the ultimate reality of Lord which is none other than Krishna in this particular story. Thus the love and attachment towards Krishna is but natural. At many times we get deluded by external objects thinking that they will give us bliss but once the grace of the Lord falls on us when we surrender to him, we will be attached to the reality of Lord which alone can give us eternal bliss. Since gopis here denote complete and total surrender through love towards the Lord, therefore their attraction towards the Lord of the nature of bliss is but natural.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to be naturally attracted towards the ultimate reality of Lord with the knowledge that everything is but an illusion in the Lord.
A night filled with light from full-moon. Standing in a secluded area in Vrindavan, Krishna started playing beautiful tunes in his flute. Listening to the sound of the flute played by Krishna, the mind of the gopikas became disturbed by love. Forgetting everything they ran to Krishna. Those who were milking the cow stopped it and ran. Those who had kept milk on the stove hurried to Krishna keeping it as such on the stove. Those who were dressing up, those who were feeding milk to their small children, those who were looking after their husbands, those who were eating food – none the least to say that whoever was doing whatever work, they stopped the work in middle and ran towards Krishna. Fathers and husbands tried to stop them but the gopikas whose Self had so much attached itself to Krishna didn’t mind or notice it. Those few who were unable to go to Krishna closed their eyes and sat for meditation in their house itself listening to the beautiful tune played by Krishna (with their eyes filled with tears). Even though their mind had love and lust, still they contemplated on Krishna as the ultimate reality of Lord thereby rejoicing after forgetting their own body.
Explanation
We find in beautiful and clear words as to how the gopis were ever established in the Lord. Leaving all their activities and passions in the world, they ran towards the Lord when Krishna started playing the flute.
There was a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (named Brahmananda if my memory doesn’t fail me) who was the most devoted and innocent in the group. Once there was a drama enacted in the ashram about Radha and Krishna. After the drama was over, the actors (small kids) were taken to pay their obeisance with Swami Brahmananda. Swamiji came out of his room. He saw the child in Krishna’s form. Crying out “Krishna” loudly the swami ran a few feet and fell on the floor unconscious. The Swami was in a state of intoxication for a few days after that. The very form of Krishna was enough to take the Swami to the state of bliss wherein he lost all contact with the external world.
During the initial days at Amritapuri (Mata Amritanandamayi’s ashram), there was just a kalari (a temple spot) where AMMA and her few disciples used to stay. Each time AMMA along with her disciples would start chanting Lalitha Sahasranama Namavali and never would they be able to finish it completely. After a few names, AMMA would enter into a state of trance and the chanting would be temporarily halted. This would go on and on. It would take them hours to even reach half or more of the chanting.
That is the state of intoxication of devotees. We may claim ourselves to be real devotees of the Lord as we may visit the temple daily, sing his name, speak about him at all times etc. But nonetheless we cannot claim ourselves to be real devotees until we are ever immersed in the reality of Lord. Though temporarily such real devotees would be doing activities in the world, any activity related to the Lord is enough to take them to the state of trance thereby halting all worldly activities.
We shouldn’t misunderstand this interpretation of real devotion as well. Some might think that since they shed few tears when hearing Bhagavatham, they are real devotees. Though these symptoms of intoxicated state and trance denote real devotion yet it doesn’t necessarily imply real devotion nor does the absence of it imply lack of real devotion. There have been jeevan mukthas like Balakrishnan Nair, Paramaartha etc. who don’t show any of these symptoms of intoxication yet are real devotees of the ultimate reality of Lord. They are jnaanis who may not even enter the state of intoxication as they are ever immersed in the Lord even intellectually and emotionally. Thus for these jnaanis, their emotional activities are controlled by the intellectual conviction that the Lord alone exists there. Wherever intellect is more dominant, there cannot be any emotional outburst or intoxication. But for devotees emotion or the heart is more active than the intellect. The one and only thing that their intellect knows is that “the Lord alone exists here” – they might not even know any of the Upanishads but are aware of the subject-matter of the Upanishads which is the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus when these devotees are working in the world, they do activities as an offering to the Lord – thus externally maintaining a difference between the Lord and themselves. But internally they are ever immersed in the Lord. Also any small activity related to the Lord is enough to drive them to be immersed in the Lord externally as well. This externally immersing in the Lord may or may not be present for jnaanis whereas for real devotees it always exists.
Bhagavatham through this beautiful exposition is thereby telling each one of us to be real devotees so that we may ever rejoice in the Lord and the very mention of the Lord is enough to give us external Samadhi.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to be naturally attracted towards the ultimate reality of Lord with the knowledge that everything is but an illusion in the Lord.
Explanation
Narada says in the last chapter of Bhakthi Sutras about a real devotee being ever established in the Lord (tanmayaah). It is this being “immersed” or “always established” in the Lord that gopikas achieved.
Being established in the Lord means always contemplating on the Lord; always remembering the Lord; always remembering that the Lord alone is real and everything else is but an illusion in the Lord.
Bhagavatham is here giving the reason as to why the gopikas got so easily established in the reality of Lord – the reason is that it is very natural to be established in the Lord. It is beyond doubt that each one of us are always established in the Lord either knowingly or unknowingly. Majority of us don’t know that the “I” or indwelling Self (essence of Consciousness) in each one is the ultimate reality of Lord. Though ignorant of our very nature of Lord, we still are attached to “I”. It is therefore that Yajnavalkya mentions to his wife Maitreyi that “the husband is loved for the sake of the Self and not for the sake of the husband”. The dearest thing for a person in the entire world is his own very Self. We will risk anything and everything in the world to protect ourselves. Rama Teertha (the early 20th century saint) recollects one of his experiences while in Himalayas. It was high-tide and therefore water was rising. He saw a mother monkey with few of its kids. The mother and the kids got up a tree to avoid being washed away by water. But the water kept on rising. The monkeys got to the top-most branch of the tree. Still the water was rising. To Rama Teertha’s surprise, the mother kept one of her child on the top of the branch and stood on the child so that she will not get washed away. The water was still rising and the mother kept on increasing the number of children beneath her legs.
This clearly illustrates the truth that everybody (inclusive of mothers) love themselves more than anybody else. We don’t need stories and dogmas to understand this. We would have faced this ourselves – we just need to take the newspaper to read out the various stories of children killing their parents for money, lovers killing their love for the sake of money-power-fame etc, brothers killing each other etc.
Thus Bhagavatham through this passage while mentioning that gopis love towards Krishna was just natural is pointing out the deep truth that we all are attached deeply to the Self in us.
There is another beautiful truth that is implied through this passage. We all are seeking eternal bliss in one or the other form. Bliss is the very nature of the ultimate reality of Lord which is none other than Krishna in this particular story. Thus the love and attachment towards Krishna is but natural. At many times we get deluded by external objects thinking that they will give us bliss but once the grace of the Lord falls on us when we surrender to him, we will be attached to the reality of Lord which alone can give us eternal bliss. Since gopis here denote complete and total surrender through love towards the Lord, therefore their attraction towards the Lord of the nature of bliss is but natural.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to be naturally attracted towards the ultimate reality of Lord with the knowledge that everything is but an illusion in the Lord.
A night filled with light from full-moon. Standing in a secluded area in Vrindavan, Krishna started playing beautiful tunes in his flute. Listening to the sound of the flute played by Krishna, the mind of the gopikas became disturbed by love. Forgetting everything they ran to Krishna. Those who were milking the cow stopped it and ran. Those who had kept milk on the stove hurried to Krishna keeping it as such on the stove. Those who were dressing up, those who were feeding milk to their small children, those who were looking after their husbands, those who were eating food – none the least to say that whoever was doing whatever work, they stopped the work in middle and ran towards Krishna. Fathers and husbands tried to stop them but the gopikas whose Self had so much attached itself to Krishna didn’t mind or notice it. Those few who were unable to go to Krishna closed their eyes and sat for meditation in their house itself listening to the beautiful tune played by Krishna (with their eyes filled with tears). Even though their mind had love and lust, still they contemplated on Krishna as the ultimate reality of Lord thereby rejoicing after forgetting their own body.
Explanation
We find in beautiful and clear words as to how the gopis were ever established in the Lord. Leaving all their activities and passions in the world, they ran towards the Lord when Krishna started playing the flute.
There was a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (named Brahmananda if my memory doesn’t fail me) who was the most devoted and innocent in the group. Once there was a drama enacted in the ashram about Radha and Krishna. After the drama was over, the actors (small kids) were taken to pay their obeisance with Swami Brahmananda. Swamiji came out of his room. He saw the child in Krishna’s form. Crying out “Krishna” loudly the swami ran a few feet and fell on the floor unconscious. The Swami was in a state of intoxication for a few days after that. The very form of Krishna was enough to take the Swami to the state of bliss wherein he lost all contact with the external world.
During the initial days at Amritapuri (Mata Amritanandamayi’s ashram), there was just a kalari (a temple spot) where AMMA and her few disciples used to stay. Each time AMMA along with her disciples would start chanting Lalitha Sahasranama Namavali and never would they be able to finish it completely. After a few names, AMMA would enter into a state of trance and the chanting would be temporarily halted. This would go on and on. It would take them hours to even reach half or more of the chanting.
That is the state of intoxication of devotees. We may claim ourselves to be real devotees of the Lord as we may visit the temple daily, sing his name, speak about him at all times etc. But nonetheless we cannot claim ourselves to be real devotees until we are ever immersed in the reality of Lord. Though temporarily such real devotees would be doing activities in the world, any activity related to the Lord is enough to take them to the state of trance thereby halting all worldly activities.
We shouldn’t misunderstand this interpretation of real devotion as well. Some might think that since they shed few tears when hearing Bhagavatham, they are real devotees. Though these symptoms of intoxicated state and trance denote real devotion yet it doesn’t necessarily imply real devotion nor does the absence of it imply lack of real devotion. There have been jeevan mukthas like Balakrishnan Nair, Paramaartha etc. who don’t show any of these symptoms of intoxication yet are real devotees of the ultimate reality of Lord. They are jnaanis who may not even enter the state of intoxication as they are ever immersed in the Lord even intellectually and emotionally. Thus for these jnaanis, their emotional activities are controlled by the intellectual conviction that the Lord alone exists there. Wherever intellect is more dominant, there cannot be any emotional outburst or intoxication. But for devotees emotion or the heart is more active than the intellect. The one and only thing that their intellect knows is that “the Lord alone exists here” – they might not even know any of the Upanishads but are aware of the subject-matter of the Upanishads which is the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus when these devotees are working in the world, they do activities as an offering to the Lord – thus externally maintaining a difference between the Lord and themselves. But internally they are ever immersed in the Lord. Also any small activity related to the Lord is enough to drive them to be immersed in the Lord externally as well. This externally immersing in the Lord may or may not be present for jnaanis whereas for real devotees it always exists.
Bhagavatham through this beautiful exposition is thereby telling each one of us to be real devotees so that we may ever rejoice in the Lord and the very mention of the Lord is enough to give us external Samadhi.
We will continue with the story in the next day.
Let us all try to be naturally attracted towards the ultimate reality of Lord with the knowledge that everything is but an illusion in the Lord.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Story 48 - Story of Raasa leela- 01
Remembering that each and every story of Bhagavatham has for its main import the ultimate reality of Lord and realization of our very nature of Lord, we will enter into the next story of Bhagavatham.
The next important aspect of Sri Krishna’s life is the Raasa leela which is loosely translated as the divine play of Krishna with the gopis of Vrindavan.
Rasa or essence is one of the words used to denote the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord in the scriptures. Thus Raasa leela would interpret as the leela of the Lord or the leela of the Lord in order to make us realize the truth of Lord. The entire world that we see is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. There is no purpose for the world from the perspective of a jnaani. From the perspective of an ajnaani (ignorant person), the only purpose that we can attribute to the world is that the entire world is a play of the Lord to make us realize the Lord, to take us from the illusory world to the reality of Lord and to take give us bliss out of the experiences of the world by considering them as essentially the Lord alone. From this perspective, Krishna’s leela can be considered as the play of the Lord or Brahman; Vrindavan is the world that we perceive; the cows and calves of Vrindavan are our sense organs; gopis and gopas are the various modifications or thoughts of our mind. Even as we initially tend to forget the ultimate reality of Lord, the gopis didn’t know that their playmate was none other than the Lord. But gradually due to the Lord’s divine play and grace, the gopis came to know that Krishna is none other than the Lord. Similarly gradually due to the Lord’s grace, we will also come to know that the entire world is but an illusory play of the Lord. By learning this divine play of the Lord, we will be able to apprehend the world in its true nature thereby not getting sorrow out of the world but being ever blissful irrespective of external surroundings and environment in the world. This is the real aim of learning raasa leela unlike what most of the devotees think; most of the devotees think that playing, dancing around, singing the names of the Lord etc. is the purpose of learning about the raasa leela of the Lord. This is completely wrong. The real purpose of learning about the raasa leela is to be ever blissful with the knowledge that the Lord alone is present here, one without a second.
We may argue that gopis were highly devoted yet didn’t have any knowledge at all. This is also wrong. The very first sloka of gopi gitam (song sung by the gopis about the Lord) has the gopis praising the Lord as “na khalu gopika nandano bhavaan; akhila dehinaam antharaatma drik” or “you are not the son of nanda gopal but you are the indwelling Self of all beings”.
Narada also points out gopis as the ultimate authority of devotion and anticipating this doubt that gopis didn’t have knowledge says “tatraapi na maahatmya jnaana vismrithi apavaadah; anyathaa jaaraanaam iva” or “there also (in gopis) we cannot doubt that gopis didn’t know the Mahatmya of the Lord (maahaatmya means divine nature of the Lord as the substratum of the illusory world); because that would lead to love being false like the case of a cheating wife”.
Thus real raasa leela is when we are aware that the entire world is but an illusory play of the Lord (lokavat tu tat leela kaivalyam – the world is but a divine play of the Lord – thus says Brahma Sutra as well). When we consider it that way, we will be always fixed on the ultimate reality of Lord rather than on the illusory world. Thereby we will be unaffected by the sorrow and sufferings of the world thus leading a life full of bliss, peace, contentment and satisfaction. It is this bliss that we all are seeking each and every moment of our life. It is only due to knowledge of the very nature of the Lord and abiding in that knowledge that we will consider this world as a divine illusory play thereby being ever blissful.
We will start this story in the next day remembering that we all have to take part in the raasa leela by knowing the very nature of the Lord and being ever blissful irrespective of what we are doing in the world.
Day by day the belief of gopis that Krishna was none other than Ishwara (or Brahman) increased. With the protection of them through lifting of govardhana mountain, the belief got strengthened like the foundation of a house. Remembering Krishna’s deeds each and every moment, the gopis turned their daily activities into Krishna Puja.
Explanation
Bhagavatham here beautifully tells us in brief as to what we should do in our life in order to realize the ultimate reality of Lord. There are many fools who will claim that taking sanyaasa alone will make us realized or that marrying and begetting children alone will make us realized or singing the names of Lord through daily listening of Bhagavatham alone will give us bliss. All of these are completely wrong. Realization has nothing whatsoever with the external activity that we are doing. Realization can be achieved only through always fixing our mind unto the ultimate reality of Lord.
The scriptures speak about the Brahma Yajna wherein everything that has an effect or part in action is considered as the ultimate reality of Brahman (or Lord). The Lord summarizes this in the 4th chapter of Gita thus:
Brahma arpanam brahma havih brahma agnau brahmanaa hutam
Brahmaiva tena ganthavyam brahma karma samaadhinah
If the experience of the world is considered as a yajna to be performed, Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the ghee poured into the homa; Brahman is the fire in the homa kunda; Brahman is the one doing the yajna; Brahman alone is the goal to be achieved through the yajna; this yajna is done with the thought and conviction that everything is Brahman.
It is this same concept that the Lord again repeats in the 9th chapter thus:
Yat karoshi yad ashnaasi yad juhoshi dadaasi yat
Yat tapasyasi kaunteya tad kurushva mad arpanam
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer to homa kunda, whatever you give and whatever austerities you do offer it all unto me.
We generally think that for us to do spiritual activities, we need to be wearing the sacred bhasma, go to temples, do sandhya vandanam, chant various sahasranamas-rudras etc. But these don’t make us real spiritual sadhakas nor devotees of the Lord. Gopis didn’t know the basics of the scriptures yet they became well versed in the truth of the scriptures and were able to ever abide in the Lord. On the other hand we find many Sanskrit scholars well versed in the scriptures yet a slave to various emotions thereby indulging in mere intellectual pride. Any action when done with the right attitude is a spiritual activity. Any activity even though it might be sandhya vandhanam or the highest of learning scriptures is not a spiritual activity without the right attitude.
What is the right attitude?
The Lord has beautiful explained it in the above two slokas and Bhagavatham is just giving it in simple terms using the gopis as an example. Ramana Maharshi gives this in very simple Sanskrit verse thus in his Upadesa Saram:
Ishwara arpitham na icchayaa kritham
Chitta shodakam mukthi sadhakam
Work done as an offering to the Lord and without any craving for the desires of the fruit helps in purification of the mind thereby in realization.
It is this selfless attitude while doing actions that the gopis did after being convinced about the God-hood of Krishna. They performed all actions (all worldly actions) but with remembrance of the Lord. The very thought of Lord when associated with an action turns the action into a pooja which in turn purifies our mind and leads us to realization. Therefore the only thing that we need to do in order to be real sadhakas is remembrance of the Lord while doing all actions. We don’t need to do specific actions like japa, dhyaana etc. but just have to remember the Lord (all-pervasive and non-dual Consciousness) while doing the actions. It is for those who are unable to remember the Lord while doing worldly activities that the various activities like japa, dhyana etc. have been prescribed. Once such people become capable of remembering the Lord even while doing normal activities, then they can give up those activities of japa, dhyaana etc. But those very people get attached to the action of sandhya vandana, japa, dhyana etc. instead of concentrating on the Lord. They remember everything about the action (even that they have to do it before partaking food – they cannot live without doing the actionJ) except the Lord. The one thing that is to be remembered is forgotten and thereby the action becomes binding like any other worldly action. Thus when such people end their life, they criticize Ishwara for not letting them do sandhya vandhanam. If they really knew the import of such activities, they would be happily remembering the Lord during their end instead of brooding over sandhya vandhanam and cultivating hatred against the Lord.
Thus we all have to be real devotees of the Lord by understanding that the activities of japa, dhyana etc. are only for a person to become capable of remembering the Lord even while doing worldly activites.
Oh, then isn’t doing adharmic activities bad?
JNo. Any activity when done with remembrance of the Lord and as an offering to the Lord is a DHARMIC activity.
JNo, the above is not my words. It is the words of the Lord himself in the 9th and 4th sloka.
Api chet suduraachaaro bhajathe maam ananyabhaak
Sadhureva sa mantavyah samyak vyavasitho hi sah
If a person is doing the worst possible action yet remembering me, then he is to be considered as SADHU as his mind is fixed unto me.
He may be a SADHU but will he realize?
Kshipram bhavathi dharmaatma shashvat shaanthim nigacchathi
Kaunteya prathijaaneehi na me bhakthah pranashyathi
Soon he will become a fully spiritual person thereby attaining eternal peace. O Arjuna! Know for sure that my devotee never ever perishes.
These are not mere words of the Lord but the eternal truth which has stood all times and will still stand testimony to the various sadhakas of the world.
Just because it is enough to remember the Lord while doing any actions doesn’t mean that we can get rid of the various activities of japa, dhyana etc. It depends from one seeker to another. Some might need those activities in order to purify their minds and others might not. We just need to do those activities remembering that emphasis is not on the activity as such but on remembrance of the Lord. If this is so, then we will not end up being attached to the activity rather than getting attached to the Lord.
Remembering the gopis, let us all try to perform the brahma yajna for the next week – doing normal activities yet trying to remember the ultimate reality of Lord and offering all activities unto him.
The next important aspect of Sri Krishna’s life is the Raasa leela which is loosely translated as the divine play of Krishna with the gopis of Vrindavan.
Rasa or essence is one of the words used to denote the ultimate reality of Brahman or Lord in the scriptures. Thus Raasa leela would interpret as the leela of the Lord or the leela of the Lord in order to make us realize the truth of Lord. The entire world that we see is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. There is no purpose for the world from the perspective of a jnaani. From the perspective of an ajnaani (ignorant person), the only purpose that we can attribute to the world is that the entire world is a play of the Lord to make us realize the Lord, to take us from the illusory world to the reality of Lord and to take give us bliss out of the experiences of the world by considering them as essentially the Lord alone. From this perspective, Krishna’s leela can be considered as the play of the Lord or Brahman; Vrindavan is the world that we perceive; the cows and calves of Vrindavan are our sense organs; gopis and gopas are the various modifications or thoughts of our mind. Even as we initially tend to forget the ultimate reality of Lord, the gopis didn’t know that their playmate was none other than the Lord. But gradually due to the Lord’s divine play and grace, the gopis came to know that Krishna is none other than the Lord. Similarly gradually due to the Lord’s grace, we will also come to know that the entire world is but an illusory play of the Lord. By learning this divine play of the Lord, we will be able to apprehend the world in its true nature thereby not getting sorrow out of the world but being ever blissful irrespective of external surroundings and environment in the world. This is the real aim of learning raasa leela unlike what most of the devotees think; most of the devotees think that playing, dancing around, singing the names of the Lord etc. is the purpose of learning about the raasa leela of the Lord. This is completely wrong. The real purpose of learning about the raasa leela is to be ever blissful with the knowledge that the Lord alone is present here, one without a second.
We may argue that gopis were highly devoted yet didn’t have any knowledge at all. This is also wrong. The very first sloka of gopi gitam (song sung by the gopis about the Lord) has the gopis praising the Lord as “na khalu gopika nandano bhavaan; akhila dehinaam antharaatma drik” or “you are not the son of nanda gopal but you are the indwelling Self of all beings”.
Narada also points out gopis as the ultimate authority of devotion and anticipating this doubt that gopis didn’t have knowledge says “tatraapi na maahatmya jnaana vismrithi apavaadah; anyathaa jaaraanaam iva” or “there also (in gopis) we cannot doubt that gopis didn’t know the Mahatmya of the Lord (maahaatmya means divine nature of the Lord as the substratum of the illusory world); because that would lead to love being false like the case of a cheating wife”.
Thus real raasa leela is when we are aware that the entire world is but an illusory play of the Lord (lokavat tu tat leela kaivalyam – the world is but a divine play of the Lord – thus says Brahma Sutra as well). When we consider it that way, we will be always fixed on the ultimate reality of Lord rather than on the illusory world. Thereby we will be unaffected by the sorrow and sufferings of the world thus leading a life full of bliss, peace, contentment and satisfaction. It is this bliss that we all are seeking each and every moment of our life. It is only due to knowledge of the very nature of the Lord and abiding in that knowledge that we will consider this world as a divine illusory play thereby being ever blissful.
We will start this story in the next day remembering that we all have to take part in the raasa leela by knowing the very nature of the Lord and being ever blissful irrespective of what we are doing in the world.
Day by day the belief of gopis that Krishna was none other than Ishwara (or Brahman) increased. With the protection of them through lifting of govardhana mountain, the belief got strengthened like the foundation of a house. Remembering Krishna’s deeds each and every moment, the gopis turned their daily activities into Krishna Puja.
Explanation
Bhagavatham here beautifully tells us in brief as to what we should do in our life in order to realize the ultimate reality of Lord. There are many fools who will claim that taking sanyaasa alone will make us realized or that marrying and begetting children alone will make us realized or singing the names of Lord through daily listening of Bhagavatham alone will give us bliss. All of these are completely wrong. Realization has nothing whatsoever with the external activity that we are doing. Realization can be achieved only through always fixing our mind unto the ultimate reality of Lord.
The scriptures speak about the Brahma Yajna wherein everything that has an effect or part in action is considered as the ultimate reality of Brahman (or Lord). The Lord summarizes this in the 4th chapter of Gita thus:
Brahma arpanam brahma havih brahma agnau brahmanaa hutam
Brahmaiva tena ganthavyam brahma karma samaadhinah
If the experience of the world is considered as a yajna to be performed, Brahman is the oblation; Brahman is the ghee poured into the homa; Brahman is the fire in the homa kunda; Brahman is the one doing the yajna; Brahman alone is the goal to be achieved through the yajna; this yajna is done with the thought and conviction that everything is Brahman.
It is this same concept that the Lord again repeats in the 9th chapter thus:
Yat karoshi yad ashnaasi yad juhoshi dadaasi yat
Yat tapasyasi kaunteya tad kurushva mad arpanam
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer to homa kunda, whatever you give and whatever austerities you do offer it all unto me.
We generally think that for us to do spiritual activities, we need to be wearing the sacred bhasma, go to temples, do sandhya vandanam, chant various sahasranamas-rudras etc. But these don’t make us real spiritual sadhakas nor devotees of the Lord. Gopis didn’t know the basics of the scriptures yet they became well versed in the truth of the scriptures and were able to ever abide in the Lord. On the other hand we find many Sanskrit scholars well versed in the scriptures yet a slave to various emotions thereby indulging in mere intellectual pride. Any action when done with the right attitude is a spiritual activity. Any activity even though it might be sandhya vandhanam or the highest of learning scriptures is not a spiritual activity without the right attitude.
What is the right attitude?
The Lord has beautiful explained it in the above two slokas and Bhagavatham is just giving it in simple terms using the gopis as an example. Ramana Maharshi gives this in very simple Sanskrit verse thus in his Upadesa Saram:
Ishwara arpitham na icchayaa kritham
Chitta shodakam mukthi sadhakam
Work done as an offering to the Lord and without any craving for the desires of the fruit helps in purification of the mind thereby in realization.
It is this selfless attitude while doing actions that the gopis did after being convinced about the God-hood of Krishna. They performed all actions (all worldly actions) but with remembrance of the Lord. The very thought of Lord when associated with an action turns the action into a pooja which in turn purifies our mind and leads us to realization. Therefore the only thing that we need to do in order to be real sadhakas is remembrance of the Lord while doing all actions. We don’t need to do specific actions like japa, dhyaana etc. but just have to remember the Lord (all-pervasive and non-dual Consciousness) while doing the actions. It is for those who are unable to remember the Lord while doing worldly activities that the various activities like japa, dhyana etc. have been prescribed. Once such people become capable of remembering the Lord even while doing normal activities, then they can give up those activities of japa, dhyaana etc. But those very people get attached to the action of sandhya vandana, japa, dhyana etc. instead of concentrating on the Lord. They remember everything about the action (even that they have to do it before partaking food – they cannot live without doing the actionJ) except the Lord. The one thing that is to be remembered is forgotten and thereby the action becomes binding like any other worldly action. Thus when such people end their life, they criticize Ishwara for not letting them do sandhya vandhanam. If they really knew the import of such activities, they would be happily remembering the Lord during their end instead of brooding over sandhya vandhanam and cultivating hatred against the Lord.
Thus we all have to be real devotees of the Lord by understanding that the activities of japa, dhyana etc. are only for a person to become capable of remembering the Lord even while doing worldly activites.
Oh, then isn’t doing adharmic activities bad?
JNo. Any activity when done with remembrance of the Lord and as an offering to the Lord is a DHARMIC activity.
JNo, the above is not my words. It is the words of the Lord himself in the 9th and 4th sloka.
Api chet suduraachaaro bhajathe maam ananyabhaak
Sadhureva sa mantavyah samyak vyavasitho hi sah
If a person is doing the worst possible action yet remembering me, then he is to be considered as SADHU as his mind is fixed unto me.
He may be a SADHU but will he realize?
Kshipram bhavathi dharmaatma shashvat shaanthim nigacchathi
Kaunteya prathijaaneehi na me bhakthah pranashyathi
Soon he will become a fully spiritual person thereby attaining eternal peace. O Arjuna! Know for sure that my devotee never ever perishes.
These are not mere words of the Lord but the eternal truth which has stood all times and will still stand testimony to the various sadhakas of the world.
Just because it is enough to remember the Lord while doing any actions doesn’t mean that we can get rid of the various activities of japa, dhyana etc. It depends from one seeker to another. Some might need those activities in order to purify their minds and others might not. We just need to do those activities remembering that emphasis is not on the activity as such but on remembrance of the Lord. If this is so, then we will not end up being attached to the activity rather than getting attached to the Lord.
Remembering the gopis, let us all try to perform the brahma yajna for the next week – doing normal activities yet trying to remember the ultimate reality of Lord and offering all activities unto him.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Story 47 – Story of Destroying Indra’s pride – 16
We learnt in this story of destroying Indra’s pride a lot of matters related to the ultimate reality of Lord and as to how a seeker can realize the Lord.
This story along with the story of humiliating Brahma points out that any person who is egoistic and thinks himself to be great will be punished severely by the Lord. But if the seeker is a devotee of the Lord (knowing that the Lord alone exists here) yet somehow forgot the Lord, then the Lord will ensure that the seeker is punished and brought back to the spiritual path. This means that the moment a seeker becomes a devotee of the Lord it is the Lord’s responsibility to take care of the devotee even as it is the responsibility of the parents to take care of their children. The Lord himself makes clear of this in many places of Gita as well as through the various puranic stories. We may say that puranic stories are mere stories and they aren’t real; then we do have examples of how various saints in the world have been protected by the Lord. Here Indra denotes all seekers who are devotees of the Lord yet haven’t realized the Lord thereby at times succumbing to worldly desires and passions.
But then how do we know who is a devotee and not a devotee?
The Lord defines a devotee as one who is ever established in contemplation of the Lord and considers the Lord as the ultimate goal of life. Various activities of japa, dhyaana, going to temple etc. are only ways to gain this devotion. These activities in themselves don’t denote devotion. We find many people in the world who after worshipping the Lord for years complain about the Lord when they grow old as the Lord doesn’t protect them during old age (as they are unable to chant, meditate etc.). Those are ignorant people who are far away from devotion. The various activities of going to temple, bhajans etc. are only easy ways to always remember the Lord. If those don’t lead us to constant contemplation of the Lord, then they are as useless and dangerous as worldly activities. A real devotee instead will not complain at the end of his life – even if he doesn’t have any money or isn’t healthy, he will still be blissful with contemplation of the Lord. It doesn’t need special effort to remember the Lord at all times – the mind is always active even though our physical condition might be bad. Hence it is always possible to contemplate on the Lord irrespective of external situations, surroundings and conditions.
Such a real devotee might due to vasanas (latent tendencies) forget the Lord at times; but unlike the worldly person who suffers from his vasanas the devotee will not suffer as the Lord will ensure that the devotee again remembers the Lord.
If the Lord can control activities in the world, then isn’t he a sadist as many people in the world are suffering?
Though we say that the Lord will always save a devotee, we shouldn’t take it literally. If we take it literally then we may end up in confusions. Even Krishna was not able to save the Pandavas and the millions of people who died in the Mahabharatha war. This only goes on to show that what is really meant by the Lord saving a devotee is that the devotee will be unaffected by the activities of the world as he knows that the Lord alone is real and everything else is only an illusion in the Lord. It is this state of witnesshood or bliss that is meant by the Lord saving and protecting the devotee. The Lord’s very nature is that of bliss. Hence when it is said that the Lord is protecting the devotee, it means that the Lord is imparting bliss to the devotee which means that the devotee is ever blissful. Thus we find many Mahatmas like AMMA, Swami Vivekananda etc. suffering in the world yet being unaffected by the suffering as they are real devotees of the Lord.
Thus the Lord will not become a sadist because of controlling the activities in the world as he never controls the world – the world is but an illusion in the Lord, devotion towards the Lord will only make a devotee be unaffected about the activities in the world.
If this is the case, then how come the Lord saved Indra by appearing himself?
This only means that when a devotee forgets the Lord then the Lord will make the devotee realize his mistake by giving him blows – blows and sufferings need not be by the physical presence of the Lord (as the Lord is present everywhere and is the substratum between all objects of the world) but can happen to a person in many ways. The eternal law of karma is that which controls activities and fruits in the world. If a devotee forgets the Lord then he will suffer for the same – such suffering will not be greater than the suffering of a worldly person but since the devotee is in a state of bliss, any small suffering would seem as if very big. Hence a small suffering for the devotee will make him realize his mistakes thereby always contemplating on the Lord to realize his very nature of Lord.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the Lord thereby being devotees of the Lord so that we may be always protected by the Lord when we deviate from the spiritual path so that we may very soon realize the Lord and be ever blissful.
The ultimate reality, an analysis
We have finished one story of Srimad Bhagavatham. Before starting the next story, let us try to bring our focus back on to the ultimate reality of Brahman (or Lord). It may be questioned as to why are we again and again speaking about Brahman or Lord; it may also be questioned as to why is it that we are always trying to focus on Brahman instead of the miraculous creation of the Lord; it may also be questioned as to why are we always focusing on the illusory nature of the world. Though it can be answered that we are always focusing on Brahman being the only reality and the world being an illusion in order for us to be able to achieve the ultimate goal of eternal bliss or moksha, it still doesn’t answer as to why we are again and again repeating the same thing.
Brahma Sutra beautifully summarizes this through the sutra “aavrittih asakrit upadeshaat” – repetition again and again due to being the way of instruction in the scriptures. What this sutra beautifully points out is that even as we learn the mathematical formulae as well as the mathematical tables by constant repetition of them, in order for us to not get deluded into the perceived world and focus on the non-perceivable Brahman we have to keep on repeating the same thing in our mind again. It is for this reason that the Guru of Uddalaka instructs his son Svetakethu on the Mahavaky TAT TVAM ASI 9 times in the Chandogya Upanishad.
Brahman or the ultimate reality of Lord is beyond perception; the Lord is beyond perception because he is the reality and the cause of the entire world as well as the sense organs used to perceive the world. Even as the eyes can see objects of the world but not itself, the ultimate reality of Lord (who is the indwelling Self in each one of us) can perceive the entire world but cannot be perceived by the sense organs. The only to realize the ultimate reality of Lord is through the scriptural way of sravana, manana and nidhidhyaasana (listening, reflection and contemplation). In order for a sadhaka to not get distracted into the illusory world, it is necessary to always focus on the illusory nature of the world. The moment we get deluded into the illusory world we will end up in sorrow alone; anything which is temporary is an illusion and can lead us to sorrow and sorrow alone. The water seen in desert is temporary and hence will lead us only to sorrow as we will be expecting water & running towards it but end up with no water at all. Similarly the world is constantly changing and hence is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord; thereby the world can give us only sorrow until we apprehend its illusory nature and always remember that it is an illusion. Any illusion is in fact the substratum in which it is perceived; even as the water seen in desert is nothing but desert alone, similarly the world that is perceived is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus if we have to get bliss out of the world, we need to see it as the ultimate reality of Lord along with the knowledge that the world consisting of various names and forms is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. Thus always remembering the Lord alone can lead us to eternal bliss as such a person will be ever immersed in the ultimate reality of Lord and be devoid of any likes-dislikes arising out of considering duality as real.
In order for a sadhaka to always remember the Lord rather than the illusory happenings in the world, we need to always focus on the Lord rather than on the various miracles done by the Lord and his avataras in the world. It is for this reason that though we are learning different stories in Srimad Bhagavatham, we are always focusing ourselves on the ultimate reality of Lord. This alone will serve the real purpose of learning Bhagavatham which is getting eternal bliss.
Remembering the ultimate reality of Lord as the non-dual reality behind the illusory dual world, we will start with the next story of Srimad Bhagavatham from the next day.
This story along with the story of humiliating Brahma points out that any person who is egoistic and thinks himself to be great will be punished severely by the Lord. But if the seeker is a devotee of the Lord (knowing that the Lord alone exists here) yet somehow forgot the Lord, then the Lord will ensure that the seeker is punished and brought back to the spiritual path. This means that the moment a seeker becomes a devotee of the Lord it is the Lord’s responsibility to take care of the devotee even as it is the responsibility of the parents to take care of their children. The Lord himself makes clear of this in many places of Gita as well as through the various puranic stories. We may say that puranic stories are mere stories and they aren’t real; then we do have examples of how various saints in the world have been protected by the Lord. Here Indra denotes all seekers who are devotees of the Lord yet haven’t realized the Lord thereby at times succumbing to worldly desires and passions.
But then how do we know who is a devotee and not a devotee?
The Lord defines a devotee as one who is ever established in contemplation of the Lord and considers the Lord as the ultimate goal of life. Various activities of japa, dhyaana, going to temple etc. are only ways to gain this devotion. These activities in themselves don’t denote devotion. We find many people in the world who after worshipping the Lord for years complain about the Lord when they grow old as the Lord doesn’t protect them during old age (as they are unable to chant, meditate etc.). Those are ignorant people who are far away from devotion. The various activities of going to temple, bhajans etc. are only easy ways to always remember the Lord. If those don’t lead us to constant contemplation of the Lord, then they are as useless and dangerous as worldly activities. A real devotee instead will not complain at the end of his life – even if he doesn’t have any money or isn’t healthy, he will still be blissful with contemplation of the Lord. It doesn’t need special effort to remember the Lord at all times – the mind is always active even though our physical condition might be bad. Hence it is always possible to contemplate on the Lord irrespective of external situations, surroundings and conditions.
Such a real devotee might due to vasanas (latent tendencies) forget the Lord at times; but unlike the worldly person who suffers from his vasanas the devotee will not suffer as the Lord will ensure that the devotee again remembers the Lord.
If the Lord can control activities in the world, then isn’t he a sadist as many people in the world are suffering?
Though we say that the Lord will always save a devotee, we shouldn’t take it literally. If we take it literally then we may end up in confusions. Even Krishna was not able to save the Pandavas and the millions of people who died in the Mahabharatha war. This only goes on to show that what is really meant by the Lord saving a devotee is that the devotee will be unaffected by the activities of the world as he knows that the Lord alone is real and everything else is only an illusion in the Lord. It is this state of witnesshood or bliss that is meant by the Lord saving and protecting the devotee. The Lord’s very nature is that of bliss. Hence when it is said that the Lord is protecting the devotee, it means that the Lord is imparting bliss to the devotee which means that the devotee is ever blissful. Thus we find many Mahatmas like AMMA, Swami Vivekananda etc. suffering in the world yet being unaffected by the suffering as they are real devotees of the Lord.
Thus the Lord will not become a sadist because of controlling the activities in the world as he never controls the world – the world is but an illusion in the Lord, devotion towards the Lord will only make a devotee be unaffected about the activities in the world.
If this is the case, then how come the Lord saved Indra by appearing himself?
This only means that when a devotee forgets the Lord then the Lord will make the devotee realize his mistake by giving him blows – blows and sufferings need not be by the physical presence of the Lord (as the Lord is present everywhere and is the substratum between all objects of the world) but can happen to a person in many ways. The eternal law of karma is that which controls activities and fruits in the world. If a devotee forgets the Lord then he will suffer for the same – such suffering will not be greater than the suffering of a worldly person but since the devotee is in a state of bliss, any small suffering would seem as if very big. Hence a small suffering for the devotee will make him realize his mistakes thereby always contemplating on the Lord to realize his very nature of Lord.
Let us all try to always contemplate on the Lord thereby being devotees of the Lord so that we may be always protected by the Lord when we deviate from the spiritual path so that we may very soon realize the Lord and be ever blissful.
The ultimate reality, an analysis
We have finished one story of Srimad Bhagavatham. Before starting the next story, let us try to bring our focus back on to the ultimate reality of Brahman (or Lord). It may be questioned as to why are we again and again speaking about Brahman or Lord; it may also be questioned as to why is it that we are always trying to focus on Brahman instead of the miraculous creation of the Lord; it may also be questioned as to why are we always focusing on the illusory nature of the world. Though it can be answered that we are always focusing on Brahman being the only reality and the world being an illusion in order for us to be able to achieve the ultimate goal of eternal bliss or moksha, it still doesn’t answer as to why we are again and again repeating the same thing.
Brahma Sutra beautifully summarizes this through the sutra “aavrittih asakrit upadeshaat” – repetition again and again due to being the way of instruction in the scriptures. What this sutra beautifully points out is that even as we learn the mathematical formulae as well as the mathematical tables by constant repetition of them, in order for us to not get deluded into the perceived world and focus on the non-perceivable Brahman we have to keep on repeating the same thing in our mind again. It is for this reason that the Guru of Uddalaka instructs his son Svetakethu on the Mahavaky TAT TVAM ASI 9 times in the Chandogya Upanishad.
Brahman or the ultimate reality of Lord is beyond perception; the Lord is beyond perception because he is the reality and the cause of the entire world as well as the sense organs used to perceive the world. Even as the eyes can see objects of the world but not itself, the ultimate reality of Lord (who is the indwelling Self in each one of us) can perceive the entire world but cannot be perceived by the sense organs. The only to realize the ultimate reality of Lord is through the scriptural way of sravana, manana and nidhidhyaasana (listening, reflection and contemplation). In order for a sadhaka to not get distracted into the illusory world, it is necessary to always focus on the illusory nature of the world. The moment we get deluded into the illusory world we will end up in sorrow alone; anything which is temporary is an illusion and can lead us to sorrow and sorrow alone. The water seen in desert is temporary and hence will lead us only to sorrow as we will be expecting water & running towards it but end up with no water at all. Similarly the world is constantly changing and hence is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord; thereby the world can give us only sorrow until we apprehend its illusory nature and always remember that it is an illusion. Any illusion is in fact the substratum in which it is perceived; even as the water seen in desert is nothing but desert alone, similarly the world that is perceived is only an illusion in the ultimate reality of Lord. Thus if we have to get bliss out of the world, we need to see it as the ultimate reality of Lord along with the knowledge that the world consisting of various names and forms is only an illusion in the reality of Lord. Thus always remembering the Lord alone can lead us to eternal bliss as such a person will be ever immersed in the ultimate reality of Lord and be devoid of any likes-dislikes arising out of considering duality as real.
In order for a sadhaka to always remember the Lord rather than the illusory happenings in the world, we need to always focus on the Lord rather than on the various miracles done by the Lord and his avataras in the world. It is for this reason that though we are learning different stories in Srimad Bhagavatham, we are always focusing ourselves on the ultimate reality of Lord. This alone will serve the real purpose of learning Bhagavatham which is getting eternal bliss.
Remembering the ultimate reality of Lord as the non-dual reality behind the illusory dual world, we will start with the next story of Srimad Bhagavatham from the next day.
