SALUTATIONS TO THE GREAT KNOWER BHAARATI
He had studied all
that could be studied!
He had known all
that could be known!
He had experienced
all that could be experienced!
His thirst for
knowledge is unparalleled!
His courage is
unparalleled!
His love is
unparalleled!
His poetry is
unparalleled!
There can be only
one Shiva; one Naaraayana; and only one Bharati!
Salutation the
greatest knower of Self!
Bhaarati
(Subrahmanya Bharatiyaar) was a JeevanMukta. He always remained in the state of
‘Self’. He made no compromises with the fools around him. He did what he
thought was right and boldly worded what he thought was truth.
It is a pity that
nobody could catch the realized side of his nature.
He was a BrahmaJnaani!
He adored ParaaShakti – not the wife of Shiva residing at the Kailaasa Mountain
For the outside
world, he showed what the realized man’s state of mind would be, by loving
every being as his own Self.
He could hug a
donkey; hug a pariah (low-caste) hug a tree; hug his wife; hug his friends; all
as his Self only!
He saw no
differences; no differentiations. He was ‘That’ always!
In the given text
which forms the ‘introductory article’ on the essence of Geetaa, he analyzes
the true essence of Geetaa and also the downward fall of Vedic religion!
OM OM OM
[LECTURE ON GEETAA]
ESSENCE OF BHAGAVAD-GITA
{STHITA-PRAJNA}
‘He who has attained the
stability of intellect
renounces both the good
action and bad action.
Therefore take shelter in
Yoga.
Yoga is dexterity in action.’
(Geetaa-IIChapter/50th verse)
This is the basic
essence of the entire Geetaa taught by Bhagavaan (Krishna )!
‘Stability of
intellect’ means to keep the intellect completely free of dirt. ‘Intellect with clarity’ alone is referred to
as ‘intellect’ in the above verse. To keep the intellect pure and taintless
means to lead the intellect to its natural state and remain without the
thoughts of distress and also those evil thoughts which support such (distress)
thoughts.
‘You will not attain the kingdom of God
Jesus Christ spoke
like this expressing the very same idea.
‘To become like children’ should not be understood to mean –
‘forget all your
experiences of the world; lose all that you have learnt; drink mother’s milk
like babies; start prattling like a child.’
It means- ‘keep
the heart taintless and pure like the heart of the children’.
Unless the heart
(mind) becomes clean, the intellect will not get clarity. Till the heart
attains the state of complete purity, though the intellect may intermittently
get clarity of vision, it will fall into confused states again and again.
If the heart is
purified, intellect will attain clarity.
Lord speaks-“Be stabilized in that pure intellect
Arjuna!”
When you do any
action in that state, it will be good only. Even if you do not do any action,
even then it is good only. Forget the difference between good action and bad
action, do whatever you want to do. Because whatever you do will be for the
good only!
Your intellect has
attained clarity, is it not so? When you are in the pure state of the
intellect, you cannot do any wrong action. So without worrying about the good
or bad of the actions, you can do whatever you feel like doing.
Then-
without
understanding the true meaning of the words, renouncing both the good action
and bad action, that is renouncing all actions, if one thinks that the lord
advises “Arjuna! You keep sleeping always”, then it is nothing but sheer
idiocy.
Because, Lord
again speaks in the Third chapter-
“No one can remain without
action even for a second.
All the beings are bound to
action because of their natural qualities,
without any control.”
Therefore man has
to perform actions for sure.
Even KumbhaKarna
(Raavana’s brother) cannot remain sleeping at all times. Even he will keep
awake for six months.
However, when you
perform actions, do not do actions like the ordinary ignorant people of the
world, staying always anxious and distressed by the hardships and losses met
with.
Shree Bhagavaan
says-
“Arjuna! You have the right
to do only action;
you never have the right over
the fruits of the actions.”
Therefore Lord
says:
He alone is a true man of renunciation,
a Yogi,
who does his regular duties
without attachment to the results.
Do not lose the
clarity of the intellect.
Later, be doing
actions without rest. Whatever you do, it will turn out to be good. Even if you
do not do any action your mind naturally will be doing good to the others
continuously.
Action is not just
the action done by the body.
Even the action
done by the mind is also action.
Is not mental
recitation, a work? Is not reading, a work? Is not thinking, a work?
All the scriptures,
poems, dramas, laws, Vedas, Puraanas, poetic literature, (Kaavyas) – are not
all these some kind of work? Are they not the actions of the mind rather than
of the body?
Do not disturb the
clarity of the intellect.
Later Shree
Krishna says-
“Take shelter in Yoga;
because Yoga is dexterity in action.”
To make oneself
capable of doing the action alone is known as Yoga.
Yoga means
equanimity (Samatva).
“SAMATVAM YOGA
UCHYATE”
That means, it is
a practice, where when you observe an object, you must fully concentrate on it
with single mindedness, without any restlessness or boredom or fear.
When you are in
contact of an object, your mind must take the shape of the object. Then only
you can understand that object fully.
“YOGASTHAH KURU
KARMAANI” – says the Lord.
It means-
Be established in
the Yoga and perform actions.
A Yogi can broaden
his intellect like that of a God. Because, as he gets habituated to observe
everything minutely- whatever he sees, he can understand it clearly.
Therefore his
intellect shines forth divine and expansive. There is no limit to his
understanding.
Therefore, he sees
God (Brahman/Self) everywhere.
2
Geetaa was
composed only for explaining the truths of Vedas.
PurushaSookta of
RigVeda (hymn dedicated to the Purusha, the Supreme Cosmic Consciousness) says-
“All this is the Supreme
Brahman.
All that has happened and all
that is going to happen-
everything is Brahman.”
(Bharati uses the
word ‘KADAVUL’ in Tamil here. The Tamil term actually means ‘that which
transcends everything’. So the word ‘KADAVUL’ is translated as Brahman of
Upanishads than as a new colloquial term ‘God’.
(For him God means
Kadavul; means Brahman; means Self.
Though he has
written many poems on deities like Krishna ,
Shiva and others, his general works refer to Brahman of the Upanishads only.)
Based on this
statement alone, Lord says in Geetaa -
“He who sees Self in all the
objects and all the objects in the Self,
he alone is a man of true
vision.”
You are Brahman.
All that you do are the actions of Brahman. All the bindings that you attach on
yourself one over the other, is also the work of Brahman. You getting liberated
also - is the work of Brahman.
If one asks –
‘Then why should I try hard to remove these bindings?
When everything is the work of Brahman, why should I try to attain liberation?
‘ –
then we ask him- ‘What do you mean by liberation?’
The state where
all sufferings and all pains become nil, is liberation.
If you desire to
attain such a state, then try for it. Or else, keep rolling in the sufferings
without a break! Who stops you?
But whatever
action you do, know that it is the work of Brahman. Scriptures say that such an
attitude will be conducive to your own welfare.
“SARVAM
VISHNUMAYAM JAGAT” (Everything is the form of Vishnu)
(Vishnu means –
All-pervading Supreme)
– this is the
conclusion of the ancient wisdom.
Everything is
Brahman. All appearances, all forms, all
shapes, all scenes, all patterns, all conditions, all lives, all objects, all
powers, - all are in essence the Supreme Lord (Eesan). (Therefore all things
are equal.)
‘ISHAAVAASYAM IDAM
SARVAM YATKINCHA JAGATYAAM JAGAT’ – says the Ishaavaasyopanishat.
That means-
‘Whatever happens
in the world is the Supreme Brahman alone.’
Shree Krishna
emphasizes this truth alone in the BhagavadGeetaa as-
‘Know that
the Brahman who pervades the
entire created world is imperishable.’
Therefore, when
everything is Brahman, when everything is the act of Brahman in this world, is
it not foolish to worry and fear?
‘Everything is the
work of the Lord’ – if this statement is true, then why should I worry?
After writing on
my forehead willingly that the things have to be like this, has the Lord
Supreme died off?
(Tamil-
‘ITTAMUDAN EN
TALAIYIL INNAPADI YENREZHADIVITTA SIVAN SETTHU VITTAANO?’)
All the stars
rotate by the power of the Supreme. The three worlds dance on his wheel.
You are He. Your
mind is He. All your thoughts are He.
‘SARVAM
VISHNUMAYAM JAGAT’ – therefore, hey man, why are you carrying the
responsibility on yourself? Drop all the responsibilities plop on the floor and
happily do the work you are capable of.
What matters to
you what happens anywhere? Did you create this world?
When you think of
the term ‘world’, do not take into account the entire world apart from
you. Did you create this (so-called)
world- where you are already inside it (as a tiny Jeeva); which was created,
maintained, destroyed even before you were born; and which stays as your very
causal source?
Are you taking
care of it? Do the stars rotate with your permission?
Did you get born
by your own will?
Why do you want to
take responsibility for anything?
Lord says-
‘Those who have purified
themselves through the penance of knowledge, taking shelter in me, remaining in
me,
and getting rid of greed,
fear, and anger,
have attained my nature.’
(Geetaa- 4th chapter- 10th verse)
In this verse,
Lord points out the method by which one can attain liberation while living in
this mortal world.
“Take resort to the path of
knowledge.
Make it your way of penance.
Discard desires.
Take shelter in me and always
be absorbed in me.
You will attain my nature.”
– says the Lord.
When one performs his duties
without attachment,
offering all his actions to
the Supreme Lord,
then the sins do not taint
him,
like the water-drop on the
lotus leaf.
(Geetaa- 5th chapter- 10th verse)
Hey you human lot!
Is this not good news for you?
Hey humans! You
are lost in this world, not able to prevent yourself from committing sins! God
has shown you a good path for you in this verse.
If you remember
God, and maintain the clarity in the mind that everything is his work alone;
and all the actions are done for his sake only; then no sin will attach itself
to you.
Like the
water-drop slipping away from the leaf and rolling over, the sin will not have
the strength to attach itself to your mind, and will roll away from you.
4
“A man does not do any action
by himself.
God has not made him capable
of any action.
He does not acquire the
result of the action also.
All things happen by their
own nature.”
(Geetaa- 5th chapter- 14th
verse)
Therefore, a man
need not have any envy or anxiety when performing his work. He need not oppose other beings thinking that
they are obstacles to his actions.
“The wise look equally
upon
a well versed humble Brahmin,
a cow, an elephant,
a dog and the Chaandaala (low caste) who eats
that dog.”
(Geetaa- 5th chapter- 18th
verse)
- says the Lord.
Therefore, Lord
Krishna says that the main characteristic of a knower is –
not to see
differences of caste and differences of intelligence in men; not only that but
also not to see differences between all the living beings.
Is not everything
pervaded by God? Is not Vishnu pervading all beings?
‘SARVAMIDAM
BRAHMA’
Snake is
Naaraayana. Fox is Naaraayana. Brahmin also is the form of God; the low caste
man also is the form of God.
When this is the
case, if one creature thinks of another creature as lowly, it is the sign of
ignorance. Those who have such ideas of higher and lower states, will never get
freed of their sufferings.
Where one sees
differences, there and all fear will be there; danger will be there; death will
be there.
To be free of all
ideas of differences alone is Knowledge. That alone is the path leading towards
liberation.
5
Many of you think
that Bhagavad-Gita is a DharmaShaastra- a scripture teaching ethics. That
means, many are of the opinion that its main purpose is to encourage man to do
his work properly. That is not the right opinion. It is mainly a scripture
teaching about liberation.
The first purpose
of this sacred text is to teach a man to get out of all the sufferings;
because, work is inevitable. When this is so, many scholars thought that doing
work is against the path of liberation. To enlighten them only, Lord Krishna in
his Geetaa, especially in the third chapter, and also in a general way in all
other chapters, again and again, again and again instructs- ‘Do work; Do work; Do not stop working; Do
work; Do work’. Because of this many
decided that it was a work-philosophy.
Here the
instruction to do work is not the main teaching; in what state, in what way it
should be done has been explained by the Lord; that alone is very very
important.
Do work without attachment; without attachment,
without attachment, without attachment, without attachment- this is the main teaching.
You have to do
work anyhow. Whether you like it or not, nature will force you to work; is it
not so? Therefore, the purpose of Geetaa is not to repeat it again and again.
Do not get caught
in the nets of work; do not get stuck in them; do not get bound by them; do not
be chained- this is the main teaching.
Remove all the
attachments and do not give way to tiredness of the mind, worry, anxiety and
fear, and more than all of them, never give way to the worst of them all-
‘doubt’.
SAMSHAYAATMAA
VINASHYATI (Sanskrit) –
(AIYAMURRION
AZHIVAAN -Tamil) - So says Lord Krishna.
“The doors of hell which
destroy the Self are three in number-
desire, anger and greed. Therefore discard all
these three”
And with these,
the worry and fear also should be completely got rid of.
This particular
topic is discussed in Bhagavad-Gita in almost hundred verses. The only way to
do it is belief in God. Unless one places God in the pedestal of the heart
fully, worry and fear will keep on gnawing the mind. Anger and desire will keep
on burning it. Because of that, a man will surely be ruined.
6
We must have faith
in our mind as advocated by Nammaazhvaar (a devotee of Naaraayana)-
‘Shine shine shine!
The heavy curse on the soul-life
is gone;
the torturing hell and the
terrifying Yama
have no more connection with
us;
if you have his vision, all
the evils will cease.’
For this, devotion
alone is the Saadhana (practicing method).
Devotion means-
the faith that ‘God will not forsake us.’
‘Not to the world, but to you
I am telling this hey mind,
wishing your welfare-
it is not a lie;
if you say that God who gives
us everything will protect us also-
then the suffering will cease.’
Shri Bhagavaan
Krishna speaks about this from his lotus mouth like this-
‘Listen!
I will now finally tell you
the most secretive knowledge of all once again. Because you are dear to me, I
relate this to you.’
(Geetaa- 18th chapter- 64th
verse)
‘Give off your mind to me.
Be my devotee. Worship me.
Offer salutation to me.
You will attain me only.
This is true. I give you my
promise.
You are dear to me.’
(Geetaa- 18th chapter- 65th
verse)
‘Renounce all the duties and
take shelter in me.
I will redeem you from all
the sins. Do not grieve!’
(Geetaa- 18th chapter- 66th
verse)
Shree Raamaanuja (founder of Vishishtaadvaita) taught-
‘A person who has fallen into
the river, lifts both his hands up and cries for help; so also, every one
caught in the flood of Samsaara (worldly existence), should lift both his hands
(that means without feeling responsible anything, renouncing all the
responsibilities) and take shelter in God.’
Even in the story of Prahlaada, and in the
story of Draupadi’s plight in the courtroom of Dhrtaraashtra, the same truth has
been stated. She removed the left hand that held her saree end in her waist and
lifted both her hands up above the head and prayed; then only Lord Krishna
protected her honour and gave her continued flow of sarees covering her body,
which made Duhshaasana fall down exhausted.
This alone has been expressed beautifully
by Pillai Perumaal Iyengaar in his poem “Meythhavala…” (Tamil)
The meaning of the poem is-
‘He who holds the white conch
namely the Truth,
removed the fear of
Paanchaali (Draupadi)
when she removed her hand
from her ‘mekhalaa’ (waist- girdle)
and lifted them above her
head-
stays as Tirumaal (deity
Naaraayana)
in the Tirivenkada Malai
(Tirupati hill temple; south India
Naavukkrasar (Devotee of Shiva) says- “Sorrunai…” (Tamil)
‘Even if you tie me to a
stone pillar and drown me inside the sea, I have only this Mantra to believe as
my support – ‘Namacchivaaya’ (Namah Shivaaya) and no other.
Now,‘Since it is necessary to believe that happiness and suffering are
to be viewed as equal, then why should we believe in God? For what purpose
should we expect God to remove our fear, and protect us? Whether we meet with
harm or good, whether we live or die, - everything is the work of God; so we
should look at everything with equanimity’- when Bhagavad-Gita says this, why
do we need the support of God?
If some one ties us to a stone pillar and throw us into the ocean, then
is it not right to think that it is also the work of God, and die off by
sinking? Why should we shout – ‘Namacchivaaya’‘Namacchivaaya’
(Namah Shivaaya) and try to save ourselves? This objection is wrong. Why it
so, I will tell you.
When we trust in God remaining free of anxieties and look equally at
the good and bad results rising from the actions of the previous lives, then
God will make us undergo some tests. If we do not break down by those tests and
do not lose faith in God, then, the Lord himself will come and reside in us.
Later we never face any suffering. Difficulties will not touch us. Death will
not approach us. All the apprehensions, worries, sorrows, will drop off from us
by themselves. We will get the life of Gods on this earth itself and experience
eternal bliss.
And also, when it is said that a knower should look upon everything as
equal, it does not mean that he should forget all the rules that belong to the
human life and become insane.
The actions of killing a child and worshipping Shiva are both equal in
the eyes of God. He exists as the form of all movements and actions. Even then,
Lord Krishna does not deny the fact that according to the rules of the human
world, child-murder is a sin and worshipping Shiva is meritorious.
Man wants to be free of all sufferings and experience un-diminishing
bliss. Geetaa shows the path towards that goal.
We must bear with the sufferings and losses with a courageous mind and
devotion to God. But, we should not cause suffering or loss to another person
wilfully. We must be always doing good to the world. We should protect the
other person’s life like our own life. Lord says in the Geetaa, that we should
be doing only meritorious actions for guiding the others in the correct path,
even though we might not want anything for ourselves and are always in the
eternal bliss state.
And also, when sufferings come to us without our control, we must bear
them patiently; this is the real meaning of the instruction that we must bear
the good and bad equally. It does not mean that that a man loses his thinking
power completely like a clay-headed person, such that he does not know the
difference between the pleasure obtained by a beloved girl and the suffering
arising from tuberculosis. Because, when one has an ordinary intellect, it is
not possible that he does not know the difference between the bliss of love and
the pain of tuberculosis.
It is an incorrect thinking to say that just because he has attained
Self-knowledge, he will lose his ordinary intelligence.
When TB occurs, the ordinary man will break down in the mind; will
think of himself as weak and the disease as strong; will lose all hope; and day
by day he will let the disease consume him slowly; will parade holding a title
that he is a TB patient; suffer and die; a Knower of the Self will not do so.
If by the results of past Karmas, a Jnaani (knower) gets such a disease, he
will take shelter at the feet of God and will burn it off with the fire of
knowledge.
‘JNAANAAGNISSARVAKARMAANI BHASMASAAT KURUTE’ (Sanskrit)
(The fire of knowledge will burn off all actions into ashes.)
One should have extreme trust in God. God is all around us as the
world. He is shining as us also. He will not harm us from outside or inside.
Why? because we have surrendered to him from all sides.
‘AVANANRI YORANUVUMASAIYAADU’ (Tamil)
Not an atom will move without him. He will not harm us. He is not a
person to harm us. Why? - because we
have complete trust in him.
‘KADAVULAI NAMBINOR KAIVIDAPPADAAR’ (Tamil)
‘Those who trust in God will not be forsaken’ – This is devotion.
What is the nature of that God? He exists himself as all intelligence,
all movements, all objects, and all forms.
What should those who trust in him do? Not to worry about anything; not
have fear and apprehension about anything.
SAMSHAYAATMAA VINASHYATI (Sanskrit)
He who doubts ends up in ruin.
7
“O Kunti’s son!
The experiences got through
senses like cold, heat, happiness, sorrow, are momentary and not permanent.
Bear with them, O Bhaarata!”
(Geetaa- 2nd chapter- 14th verse)
‘Hey best of all men!
He who is not affected by
them,
and who sees both happiness
and sorrow equally,
he alone qualifies for immortality.’
(Geetaa- 2nd chapter- 15th verse)
This is the
paramount teaching of Geetaa.
Not to die!
Without dying in the earth and live like Maarkandeya; this is the essence of
Geetaa.
Immortality; this
is the secret of Vedas.
Vedas are revered
so much because they show this path.
It should be
understood that -All those JeevanMuktas (liberated while living on earth) who
have died, are not ever in the state of death after they attain JeevanMukti.
Those who live in the earth as Gods as eternal beings, are alone known as
JeevanMuktas. Lord teaches through the above mentioned two verses that it is
possible to attain such a state in this world. He shows the method also that is
to be practiced.
Cold-heat,
joy-sorrow- these experiences are common by nature; they are not permanent by
God’s grace; they are impermanent; they appear and disappear.
Therefore, is it not the greatest foolishness to melt off in joy or die
heart-broken when they are perceived? Therefore, one should understand this,
and not give way to distress. He, who has learnt to not get affected by these,
deserves immortality. This is the advice of Shree Krishna. This is the essence
of his teaching. This is the purpose of Bhagavad-Gita. Therefore Bhagavad-Gita
is the ‘Immortality scripture’ (AmrtaShaastra)
8
‘AMRTA SHAASTRAM’ – Bhagavad-Gita is a scripture which teaches the path
to be deathlessness; but some people make it out be a text teaching ‘killing’.
Many speak of this text as having the purpose of encouraging ‘killing’, as Lord
Krishna taught these eighteen chapters only for making Arjuna kill Duryodhana
and others. All the Vedanta topics, all the talk about Saatvic character, all
the paths of removing suffering, the teaching about attaining immortality –
those fools think that then why are these topics there in a text which
encourages ‘killing?
Duryodhana and others are desire, anger etc; Arjuna is Jeevaatmaa
(Individual Self); Shree Krishna is Paramaatmaa (supreme Self).
Bhagavad-Gita cannot be understood by those who do not know this
secret. The main purpose of this text is that it should be studied by the
warrior class and understood. And as a general intention, Bhagavad-Gita was
composed to enlighten the earth beings about the paths of liberation. There is
no doubt about it.
Even then, this text belongs mainly to the Kshatriya kings. It was
mainly circulated among them only. Just like the Vedas commonly belong to all
but are mainly studied by the Brahmins, so also the Puranas are composed for
Kshatriyas (warrior class).
The Geetaa was told by a king (of Dwaaraka); and only a king (of
Hastinaapura) heard it.
Therefore, this text begins with the wonderful dramatic description of
the scene of the battle-field; so that the Kshatriyas would enjoy it; this is
the proof that this text is foremost among all knowledge scriptures and also on
top of all poetic literatures.
Some may place an objection- ‘not only in the introductory chapter, but
throughout the text, intermittently, is not the repetition of the sentence –
TASMAAT YUDHYASVA BHAARATA (Therefore Bhaarata! Battle the enemies) going on
always?’
That is why I already explained the main secret hidden in the
Geetaa-secret! I will again say it now.
Duryodhana and others- are the wicked thoughts of desire, anger,
laziness, foolishness, forgetfulness, distress, doubt etc. Arjuna is
Jeevaatmaa. Shree Krishna is Paramaatmaa.
9
How do you know of this
secret? – You are asking
me! I will tell you.
Arjuna addresses Krishna and says-
‘You are Vaayu!
You are Yama! You are Fire! You are Moon!
You are Varuna! You are
father! You are the grandfather of all!’
(Geetaa 11th Chapter/39th verse)
‘Hey Arjuna of mighty
shoulders!
Listen to my supreme words.
You are very dear to me; so
am telling you this for your own welfare.
(Geetaa 10th Chapter/ 1st verse)
‘I am the Supreme God of all.
I am birth-less. I am
beginning-less.
He among all men who knows me
in my higher form
will be freed of all
delusions.
He will be freed of all
sins.’
(Geetaa 10th Chapter/ 3rd verse)
Therefore, it is
insisted in the Geetaa that both the teacher and the listener are the same
Krishna Paramaatmaa. (Krishna the Supreme
Self)
The moment you
mention Krishna Paramaatmaa, any one who is talented in reading scriptures and
literature, will guess that Arjuna is Jeevaatmaa and Duryodhana and others are
desire, anger etc.
There is one
dramatic composition named ‘PrabodhaChandrikaa’.
There a king named
Viveka will fight with the Lokaayatas (a cult which proposes materialism) and
won over them.
A child who does
not know the Vedanta scriptures sees it; that is, just randomly opens the
middle part and sees what is written and asks, in which year was the war fought
and how many died on both sides; so also many understand Geetaa only on the
surface level as fighting Duryodhana and others.
Hindus consider
three texts as the foremost scriptures of authority –Upanishat, Bhagavad-Gita
and Vedanta Sootram (BrahmaSootra); and these fools forget that Geetaa occupies
the second place here.
Shankara,
Ramanujacharya and Madhva, the three founders of the three main philosophies of
India
If Shanakaracharya
has to write his treatise for a book which encourages ‘killing’ then what an
amusing thing it would be! These fools don’t understand this and are not
capable of laughing at themselves!
How far is
‘killing’! How far is BhagavatPaada Shanakaracharya!
And also- as we
mentioned before, there is no doubt that those who call Bhagavad-Gita a text
promoting ‘killing’, must have read only the preface and not gone inside the
complete text.
The main purport
of Bhagavad-Gita is to show the path to attain the kingdom of liberation in
this mortal world itself, by taking shelter in the Supreme Lord and stay sunk
in the unparalleled bliss.
Therefore –
‘This’ is a
Karma-Shaastra!
‘This’ is a
Bhakti-Shaastra!
‘This’ is a
Yoga-Shaastra!
‘This’ is a
Jnaana-Shaastra!
‘This’ is a
Moksha-Shaastra!
‘This’ is an
Amaratva Shaastra!
10
For a person who
wants to attain liberation, there is the main enemy- only one enemy – his own
mind.
Lord says-
‘He who conquers himself is a
friend of himself.
He who does not control
himself is his own enemy.
In this manner, one is one’s
own enemy; and one’s own friend.’
There is no
greater friend than oneself; there is no greater enemy than oneself. When one
becomes a friend of oneself, the entire world becomes his friend. On the other
hand, if a person does not control himself and stands as an enemy of himself,
the entire world becomes the enemy.
The enmity inside
is the real enmity. The outside enmity is not enmity at all. The enmity inside
alone appears as the enmity outside. If one gets rid of the inner enmity, the
outside enmity will drop off by itself.
All that is
outside should be revered as God. The only thing that needs to be destroyed is
the ignorance, i.e. the idea of separateness - which is the enemy of the Self.
Getting rid of the
idea of separateness, when one understands that all that happens around us is
the work of God and all the forms that get perceived are the forms of the
Supreme Lord, the fear gets destroyed.
‘Answer you little boy! Where
is that God named Hari? Tell me’
When Hiranya roared and
questioned him, the good son said-
‘He is in the pillar;
Naaraayana is in the straw-piece also.”
There is no place, where the
great God is not there.
There is no object where the
Great Shakti is not there.
There is no suffering; there
is no suffering; there is no suffering!
When everything is God, can there
be any suffering?’
‘Is it not foolish
to say that one’s own mind is one’s enemy? If everything is God, is not my mind
also God? Why should we think of it as an enemy?’ If you ask like this-
(I say) when you
conquer the mind and do good to yourself, the mind becomes divine and is to be
praised. Otherwise it is the enemy.
If everything is
God, will not the mind be God even when doing evil things? ‘Whatever anything will do, that thing is God; its work is God’s
work’ this rule will nit change; is it not so’ – (if you say like this)
(I say then,)
Yes, this
statement is true! But the world-experience is our unobjectionable guide book.
According to world-experience, mind does harm to us; it is possible to conquer
the mind and make it do good things for us.
To make it
possible only, countless scriptures and Vedas have been made.
We have seen
directly in front of our eyes that the mind harms others and crores and crores
of living beings die because of that. We cannot completely deny this fact.
It is a direct
experience that the mind by its very nature and by the contact of the wicked,
harms the Self. It is possible that it can be made as a beneficial thing
through good company and proper practice; this is the very common experience of
Yogis.
Everything is the
work of God; it is very true. Even so, the humans have suffering. Everything is
the form of God; this is also true. Even then, we have the direct experience of
all Jeevas suffering.
That means-
For God,
everything is the same. Nothing matters to God if crores of living things are
alive or crores of living things die!
So many cosmic
eggs shatter to pieces. Volcanoes burst and countries get destroyed.
Sun discs dash
against each other and turn into dust. And again all these appear freshly once
more. Crores and crores of things –
Crore? One Crore?
Crore Crore?
Crore Crore Crore
Crore Crore Crore Crore Crore Crore Crore Crore?
No!
ANANTA - endless;
beyond the numbering levels!
Things beyond
numbers appear every second. Things beyond numbers disappear every second.
All this is the
same for God! His nature is movement.
His body namely
the ‘world’ keeps moving continuously, is the Nature.
He does not move.
He does not perish.
God is everywhere;
is always there; is everything.
Even then, we see
that individual lives experience joy and distress. It is true that the Jeevas
get into suffering only because of the ignorance; it is true also that they in
their true nature do not have any difficulty or suffering.
Even then, is not
ignorance also a harmful thing? We have to get rid of it; is it not so?
To control the
mind, to conquer the mind, - all these mean that the ignorance alone has to be
got rid of; and nothing else.
11
‘Ignorance is also
of the nature of God! Why should we get rid of it’ –
if you ask like
this-
(I say) If you
truly understand that ‘Everything is God;
Knowledge is God. Ignorance is God’ - then you have attained the Supreme
Knowledge!
You have lost your
ignorance.
Ignorance and its
result namely suffering - are God in essence! It is true!
Yet, later you got
rid of them and you attained Knowledge and bliss; that is also the work of God!
Do not forget that! Do not worry that the ignorance has gone !
12
How to worship
God?
Shree Krishna
says-
I am the father of all.
Everything moves because of me.
The wise who know this
worship me as such.’
The people, who
hurt any creature, will not be true devotees. The people who hate any living
being will not be the true servants of God. The people who get disgusted by any
living being are not considered as the true lovers of God. Those who eat meat
are not the true servants of God.
‘AHIMSAA PARAMO
DHARMAH’
‘Not hurting any
being is the true religion.’
This is the main
code of Hindu Dharma.
If one does not
follow the discipline of ‘not-killing’, he will not reach the immortal state
even if he has devotion. God will not forgive him who kills another living
being. Nature will take away life for life.
We must follow the
rules of Nature. No harm will arise because of that. Therefore ordinary
understanding is the Supreme knowledge.
English call this
as ‘common sense’.
The understanding
which is pure, taintless, undisturbed, fearless, and faultless – this ordinary
understanding alone is the knowledge of the Supreme.
To remain in this
ordinary knowledge and live in the world is the simplest method of all.
Ordinary language means it belongs to all-
this is true. But all hesitate to live their life with this common
understanding. Desires and angers stop the Jeevas from living with the common
knowledge. The main essence of common knowledge is-
If others should
love us, we must love others. Affection bets affection. Love alone begets love.
The Jeevas start
thinking that the others should love them more than they love others. This
should be changed. This brings about death.
We must love other
living beings. Life grows because of that. That means our Jeeva-power will
increase more and more.
Expecting others
to love us, and at the same time hurting others by mind and action- that is ,
if we hate others, develop enmity, and keep cursing others – we will perish for
sure.
14
Some people think
that Bhagavad-Gita is a text promoting Sannyaasa (renunciation). That is, they
think that it is a text composed for the mendicant who renounces his wife and
children, shaves off the hair on his head and wanders in the street.
There is no other
mistake more surprising than this.
He who listened to
the Geetaa also was not a Sannyaasin; the one who spoke Geetaa also was not a
Sannyaasin. Both were rulers of kingdoms. They were living with their families.
‘Aha! How can you
say like this? You just now said that Arjuna was a Jeevaatmaa, and Krishna was a Paramaatmaa! And now you are saying that
they were kings on this earth! How is it right’ if you say so-
then it is
alright; let us drop this type of argument.
Both Paramaatmaa
and the Jeevaatmaa have pushed into these world affairs.
The famed poet of Bengal , Shreemaan Ravindranaath Tagore addresses God and
sings –
‘Hey Master! You yourself are caught in this net of
Samsaara! What foolishness is this that I want to get out of it?’
The affairs of the
world are the affairs of God. All the work is the work of the Lord. You already
know that the wise have said- ‘Not even
an atom moves without him’.
In Geetaa,
Bhagavaan says-
“Arjuna! There is no work
that is there that has to be done by me.
There is nothing that has to
be gained or not gained.
Even then, I keep working.’
Because God says-
‘If I do not do work and keep
quiet,
then all the beings in the
world will follow my example.
That will cause the
destruction of the world and
I will become the cause of
that destruction.
In order to prevent that, I
keep on working.’
God is
continuously performing work. Can a lazy God do all this work? God is the best of Karma Yogis. He has
ordained continuous work for the Jeevaatmaa also.
He has ordained a
world; ordained the family; ordained wife and children; ordained relatives and
outsiders.
If a man renounces
the society of people in the city and goes off to the forest, he will not be
freed of living beings around him. Countless animals, birds, trees, plants, and
creepers- all these living things will stay surrounding him. A person who
thinks that living with animals all around him is easier than living with all
the humans and less worrisome, he is thinking wrongly.
May be men number
to crores and crores; they may be fools also; yet living with them is more
beneficial to a man than living with tigers, bears, wolves and foxes.
However, wise men
of the yore have stated that living in a tiger-filled forest than living in a
country ruled by a cruel king is good; it is quite true that there might be men
who make city-life more unbearable than a forest populated by tigers. But this
should not be taken as a common rule. It is an exceptional case of the
established common rule.
There is no need
of extending the story (topic).
By just renouncing
wife and children, a man will not become qualified for liberation. This is the
main instruction of the Lord in his Geetaa.
He who renounces
wife, children, relatives, his people, and citizens and walks away renounces
the natural commands of God. The man who renounces the society of men and goes
off is doing so because he has no strength. He who renounces the family is
trying to renounce God.
Saint Taayumaanavar
sings that Saint Pattinattaar is the best of all those who have renounced. What
does that Pattinattaar say?
A crore times better is a man who renounces than a
virtuous man; hundred crore times better than him is the one who mentally
renounces..!’
He says that
‘mental renunciation’ is hundred crore times better than the
‘family-renunciation’.
Pattinattaar is a
recluse; so he says like that.
I say that the
only renunciation to be done is the ‘mental renunciation’ and the
‘family-renunciation’ is a great sin!
What is sin? What
is merit?
That which hurts
oneself and others is sin; that which makes oneself and others happy is a
meritorious act.
There is nothing
more painful to oneself than the renunciation of a family and home.
‘If a wife is at home, there is nothing that is not
there’
‘Loving a wife who
has good character, and living in the world without swerving from the ordained
rules of Dharma’, is equal to a life in heaven.
House alone is the
best abode for a man; not the mountain. He who cannot see God in his house
cannot see God in a cave on top of the hill.
Where is God?
He is everywhere!
Is he only on top
of the hill?
He is at home
also!
Taayumaanavar
sings-
‘When Shuka, your own form
called you, Hey Brahman,
you asked from everywhere
‘What? What?’
Sage Shuka who
wanted to see God in person, ran along the forest paths crying –‘God! God!’
Then all the
objects that were there- hill, pool, cloud, river, stream, tree, plant,
creeper, leaf, flower, bird, animal- all the objects there asked with concern –
‘What? What?’
God is everywhere.
‘SARVAMIDAM
BRAHMA’ (All this is Brahman)
The above
mentioned story explains this truth of Vedas.
When this is so,
is it better to live at home, help relatives and others, experiencing all the
joys of the human world, continuously worshipping God, freeing oneself from the
human suffering, and live as Jeevan-Muktas? Or is it better to go to the forest
and search for God by torturing the body, drying it up, and dying attacked by
wild animals like tiger and snakes?
To see god, if one
lives in forests and dark caves, it is like searching inside one’s hand-box to
search for the Sun!
There is nothing
better than the Dharma followed by a householder.
Saint
Taayumaanavar though he followed the highest form of renunciation, says in a
verse that both renunciation and householder’s life lead equally towards
renunciation. He does not speak of any one of them as better than the other.
‘Mattha mada kari mugir….’ (Tamil)
“What if-
like the array of clouds,
intoxicated elephants crowd
the gates of the palace;
mansion roofs rise high as if
trying to catch the moon;
on the moon-stone benches
constructed for sporting in the moon light;
in the midst of sweet songs,
sweet Tamil speeches and dances;
enjoying the sweet company of
the pretty girls flashing pearly smiles murmuring pearl-like words;
kissing them again and again
and lost in the intoxication of love?
On the other hand, what if-
controlling the Praanas
through yoga,
live in a hole on top of
forest hill
where tiger, lion, bear and
all wild animals live in hollows?
(We will tell you the truth)
which is as clear as the amla
(gooseberry) fruit in the palm!
‘Those who attain the
quiescent unperturbed state of the mind
will attain the Supreme’
Is not this the path taken by
Janaka and others?
Hey Sacchidaananda Shiva!
(Hey the auspicious state of
existence, knowledge and bliss!)
You are the unbroken
principle fully pervading all!”
In this manner,
like other recluses who hold renunciation as the best method; and not stating
that the family-life is the cause for the bondage; and renunciation only leads
to the liberation state- Taayumaanavar suggests that both equally lead towards
the liberation!
This is quite
consoling to us.
Some modern
recluses say that-
‘all the pleasures experienced in the world end up
only in pains; and the family life is nothing but another name for suffering’ and with the mistaken idea that –‘if one renounces the house, wife and
children, he renounces the world-life fully’; and wander from place to
place; live in solitude without house, shade, relations, support, people and
survive by begging on streets.
The plight of
these recluses is very pathetic!
Sometimes in this
group, we find some great men who are highly educated; highly devoted to God;
and having immense compassion for other beings. And most of them have a sincere
longing for liberation also. Even then, it cannot be stated that even the
greatest of these have experienced a full life reserved for mankind in this
world.
At the Vedic
times, this path of renunciation was not advocated for Hindus. Swami
Vivekananda says that, in the Vedic times, renunciation was within oneself.
Vedic Sages like Vasishta, VaamaDeva and others were all married and lived
happily with their wife and children. In order to control the senses, those
Sages of yore might have lived as celibates and performed various types of
fierce penance for a long time.
But, after
performing penance for some particular time, they usually entered the
house-holder’s life. The stories and histories of the Vedic Sages mentioned in
MahaBhaarata and other Puraanas prove the fact that these Vedic Sages had no
idea of such renunciation at all!
Moreover Swami
Vivekananda had studied only the Upanishads which were the additional portions
of Vedas at the end. These Upanishads are also known as Vedanta; that is they
are the concluding portions of Vedas. They were not made by Vedic Sages. Later
they were added up. Samhitas which contain Mantras (mystical chants) alone are
the true Vedas. They alone form the roots of Hinduism. They alone present the
views of Vasishta and VaamaDeva.
Upanishads are not
against the Mantras; they are the conclusions arrived at by the scriptures.
They are the crest jewels of scriptures. But, pure Vedas are the Mantras or the
section called Samhitas.
These Mantras are
written in very very old Sanskrit language. Upanishads are written in the
later-Sanskrit dialect. That means- the Sanskrit of the Vedas is like the Tamil
belonging to the age before the ‘Madurai Tamil Assembly’ was formed; and the
language of the Upanishads is like the Tamil of the later times.
When this is the
case, some of the later Achaaryas – authorised teachers of spiritual wisdom-
referred to Vedas as Karma Kaanda (section containing the rules and regulations
of rites) and lower in category; and the Upanishads belonged to the Jnaana
Kaanda (Knowledge Section) and so higher in category than Vedas.
There are many
reasons why the teachers of the later age thought like this. I will mention
some of them.
First reason is-
as the Vedic language had become very ancient, it was difficult to detect their
true meaning. One had to study the Vedic dictionary named ‘Niruktam’
(etymological interpretation and explanation) and the explanations given for
Vedic hymns in ‘Braahmanas’ (Prose commentaries attached to Vedas) first; and
then only could understand the Vedic hymns. Veda is a huge text. Very few do
research in that field.
The treatise of
Vidyaaranya Shankaracharya named Saayana’s Bhaashya’ (commentary) alone stays
as the light revealing the meanings of Vedas and it is based on the Braahmana
portions and Nirukta.
But, in these
‘Braahmanas’, there are only imagined stories and imagined meanings. In the
Nirukta on the other hand, mostly correct meanings have been given for Vedic
words. But, in many places, the
root-meanings of the words are vague and the meaning seems to be wrong.
Now many scholars
are working hard in Europe and India
But, though it
appears on the surface that the explanation given by Saayanaachaarya for some
words are not correct, yet when general meaning is required, SaayanaBhaashya
alone is accepted nowadays by the Hindu Vedic adherers as it is not opposed to
the detailed explanations and is clear and more truthful.
If SaayanaBhaashya
was not there, Vedas would have not benefited the Hindus at all. At the correct
time, Saayana wrote the Bhaashya for Vedas. Even then, Saayanaachaarya also had
decided that Vedas are the texts explaining the Karma portion, like his Guru.
Because of this, though the Achaaryas could not deny the fact that Vedas form
the basic roots of Hindu religion, they had the mistaken notion that it had
nothing to do with the Knowledge path; because- as these people decided that
the Vedas are texts promoting ‘Karma’- they explained ‘Karma’ as performance of
Sacrifices. That is, they thought that Vedas are texts useful for only the
performance of Sacrifices; and understanding the word ‘Karma’ to mean
Sacrifice, they called Vedas as Karma Kaanda.
These types of
Sacrificial rites mostly involve killing of animals like horse, or goat etc.
So the fake
Brahmins who promoted such killings and said that such things will lead to
liberation, were accused; Buddha Bhagavaan and the kings who were his followers
established that such killings would lead a man to hell and thus pushed the
performance of sacrifices to a lower level.
At that time,
Shankaraachaarya descended down to re-establish the Hindu religion. He liked
many of the ideas stated in Buddhist philosophy and made them as some basic
doctrines of his Vedanta.
Shree Shankaraachaarya
was the founder of six philosophical systems of India and he ‘revived’ the
wonderful tree of Hinduism with its roots as Vedanta and six branches of
Shaivism, Vaishnavism and others – by his extraordinary knowledge and learning;
and endowed it with never-declining strength and left. He took some of the
branches of the tree of Buddhism, which he had cut off and added them to the
tree of Hindu Dharma as manure.
Those who opposed
Shankara’s philosophy even named him as ‘Pracchanna Bouddha’ (concealed Buddhist)
as he had taken many ideas presented by Buddhism for supporting Hindu Dharma.
Even so, many
Hindus considered him as a descent of Shiva himself, because of his great
contribution to Hinduism.
Buddha’s religion
was the one which introduced the path of recluse-life into the world. Before that there were a few recluses here
and there; or they all lived together in a group.
Bouddha Religion
paved a way for making monasteries more generous and strong. It converted India
In the country of
Bhaarata, Buddha’s religion deeply rooted two doctrines as the main duties to
be followed by all – compassion to all living beings and equality for all. But,
Buddha’s religion has the fault of trying to destroy the human civilization by
giving a high place for recluses who renounced ‘the wife who is the light of
the world’, and it placed the rest of the world below them; and made the path
of knowledge as spending the whole life blabbering that the world is unreal and
filled with suffering alone. Fortunately, India
Later on, in those
states like Burma
Later, Roman
Catholics also established strong monasteries imitating the Buddhist way; but
there also the Guru’s power grew excessive and was endangering human
civilization. The European countries opposed them and conquered them through
many revolutions, riots and battles. From then onwards the high position and
power of those monastery-heads has lessened day by day. Let this be aside.
A few months back,
at Kaaraikudi (a place in South India ), one
friend of mine argued with me that Hindu religion did not win over Buddhism;
but Buddhism has won over Hinduism.
It is written in
history and also we directly see that Buddhism has perished and Hindu religion
is now in a victorious position; yet the friend was saying this raw untruth and
proving the day as night.
Why I mention this
is, ‘what he said was not fully an untruth. There is a little truth in what he
said; because- Hindu religion which overthrew Buddhism absorbed many doctrines
of Buddhism fully and some doctrines were taken in with some slight change.’
Therefore,
Buddhism did not vanish and got buried off under the ground of this land. Many
of its doctrines have mixed up with the doctrines of Hinduism and are still in
vogue here.
This alone was
mentioned by that Kaaraikudi friend in an exaggerated manner in the guise of a
lie.
The rebirth idea;
not eating meat; –both these are considered as the main doctrines which have
entered Hinduism. But there is no strong proof to prove that these doctrines
entered Hinduism from Buddhism alone.
The doctrine of
rebirth was already there in the ancient Puranas. But Buddhism insisted on that
principle even crossing the limits over thus becoming the laughing stock in
front of the wise. In the later Hinduism, that doctrine has been too much in
excess and; staying meaningless, now has become one of the faults of Hinduism.
The situation is
such that-
even if a person
gets an ordinary headache, then, without analyzing whether it was caused by the
previous day’s meal consumed without hunger, or is it because of keeping awake
at night for long; or is it because of bathing in very cold or impure water,
the ordinary Hindus decide it off as a result of the actions in the past life.
The world trade situation and the selling of products could be changed
by human technology; and when such changes happen- the problems, humiliations,
hungers and deaths which happen because of some one having excessive wealth and
some others having very less wealth- will be completely eradicated - there is no chance that this fact is known
to many of the modern Hindus! Even if explained by others, it will not be easy
for them to understand. Because- when the huge differences in economic status
and also the comparative values and partialities were seen, when there was no
solution for these things, then the topic of the actions of the past life are
taken into account.
Short span of life, longer span of life, freedom from illnesses,
beauty, ugliness, singing ability, ignorance, literacy, illiteracy – all these
differences were said to be caused by the actions of the past birth; yet the
differences in wealth alone caused a burning in the heart and a lack of faith,
making them search for causes for the sufferings of this birth in the past
births and trying to find some antidote – and thus brought about a new
profession into vogue.
Therefore, we need not feel grateful to Buddhism for ascertaining the
doctrine of rebirth in our country.
Of all the benefits we got from Buddhism, there is only one that
deserves credit. Buddhism re-established the system of statue-worship. It was
not newly invented. It just spread out the system which was already there and
made it firmly take hold in the land.
What statues the Buddhist made for humans, our people adapted the same
technique to make the statues of Gods through the expanded power of knowledge
and clarity of imagination. To worship Gods in statue-forms is said to be one
of the great paths towards liberation; but one should salute them with true
devotion.Now, the greatest harm caused by Buddhism is raising the ‘Maayaa-Vaada
(debate on Maayaa) in the intermittent ages.
In the Upanishads and Vedas, the term ‘Maayaa’ refers to ParaaShakti –
(the manifest power of Brahman). In the later ages, there arose a theory which
described Maayaa as a ‘lie’. Because of that, a new theory came into vogue
saying -‘This world is unreal. Gods are unreal. Sun and stars are unreal. Five
elements are unreal. Five senses are unreal. Mind is unreal. Consciousness
alone is real. Therefore all the works belonging to the world deserve to be
burnt off. All the pleasures have to be renounced.’
A philosophy arose saying -‘All the pleasures of this world are
impermanent. Pain alone is permanent. It is foolishness to seek any happiness
in this world. Therefore it is a waste to do any sort of work’
But all these adherents of such a theory act only (pretend) as if they
have renounced everything; actually they do not do so.
It is not possible for the Jeevas in this world to renounce all
pleasures; but it is possible to renounce all duties and wander like lazy
idiots. It is very easy too. I am of the opinion that many take to this
Sannyaas, because they consider laziness as a great pleasure!
These people have renounced only their duties; they did not renounce
pleasures. Have they renounced the
pleasure of food? If you argue that if food is not consumed, life cannot
survive, then you must do work to protect your life. These people did not
renounce the pleasure of clothes; did not renounce the pleasure of bathing; did
not renounce the pleasure of sleep; did not renounce the pleasure of learning;
did not renounce the pleasure of fame; did not renounce the pleasure of living;
did not renounce the pleasure of talking. The prominent chiefs of these
monasteries did not renounce the pleasure of money also.
Bhagavad-Gita was composed only for destroying their fake Vedanta.
“The entire world is of the
nature of Brahman (God)’ –
this true Vedanta alone is the basic tenet of Geetaa.
Maayaa is not unreal. Unreal cannot arise. If you say that ‘change’ is
there, changing is the nature of Maayaa.
Maayaa is not unreal. It is the auspicious body of God. Evil is there
to get conquered and destroyed. Good is there to do and attain.
Through complete surrender, through deep unchanging devotion, you will
attain Yoga (union with the Supreme).
Look upon all the beings as equal. You will attain bliss by following
the vow of Truth. You will attain the state of the Supreme through the purity
of family life.
Geetaa teaches this great truth alone!
OM OM OM
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