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Opening and closing prayer-chants 4
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Prayer-chant unto the guruparamparāLecture1.1
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Prayer-chant unto Bhagavān KṛṣṇaLecture1.2
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1 a Sankalpa for the Gita Amrtam courseLecture1.3
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Prayer-chant for the well being and prosperity of the worldLecture1.4
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Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam 6
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1 b Freedom from seekingLecture2.1
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1 c Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam verse 1Lecture2.2
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1 d Q &ALecture2.3
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2 a Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam (verses 2 – 4)Lecture2.4
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2 b Bhagavad Gita Dhyaanam (verses 5 – 9)Lecture2.5
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2 c The context of the Gita – a glimpse of the MahabharataLecture2.6
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1 9
Chanting only of Chapter 1 by Pujya Swami Dayananda ji
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Bhagavad Gita Ch 1Lecture3.1
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3 a The opening of the Gita 1.1-1.9Lecture3.2
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3 b The armies on both sides 1.10-1.20Lecture3.3
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3 c How to study and do sadhana of VedantaLecture3.4
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3 d Q & ALecture3.5
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4 a The situation of Arjuna 1.21-1.35Lecture3.6
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4 b Arjuna’s conflict and sorrow 1.36-47Lecture3.7
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4 Gita Q & ALecture3.8
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How to use the Slack communityLecture3.9
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Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 2 - Saankhya Yoga 46
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Bhagavad Gita Ch 2 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture4.1
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5 a Arjuna’s topical problem 2.1-2.7Lecture4.2
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5 b Arjuna’s transformation from friend to shishya and request for shreyas (moksha)Lecture4.3
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5c Q & ALecture4.4
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Overview of the ShaastraLecture4.5
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6 a Arjuna qualified with viveka and vairagyaLecture4.6
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6 Q and ALecture4.7
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7 a The teaching begins 2.11-2.13Lecture4.8
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8 a Guided meditation (Attitude to sukha and dukha) 2.14Lecture4.9
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8 b Who is fit for liberation 2.14-15Lecture4.10
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8 c Satyam (and mithya) 2.16Lecture4.11
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9 a Guided meditation (Panchamahabhutas and connectedness)Lecture4.12
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9 b Sat – all pervasive and indestructible 2.17-18Lecture4.13
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9 c Q & ALecture4.14
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10 a The one who knows the Atma to be neither the karta (doer) nor the bhokta (experiencer) 2.19-20Lecture4.15
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10 b Nature of the Atma 2.21-23Lecture4.16
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10 c Q & A (2.19-23)Lecture4.17
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11 a Neither Atma can be grieved for nor Anatma which is ever changing 2.25-29Lecture4.18
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11 b Q & A and a delightful enactment of the Atma and the two bodies (sthula and sukshma sharira)Lecture4.19
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12 a Atma is no cause for grief 2.30Lecture4.20
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12 b Arjuna ‘s svadharma as a kshatriya (and our svadharma) 2.31-39Lecture4.21
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12 c Q & A (Expecting moksha from being a perfect parent, Career choice, Dharma conflict etc)Lecture4.22
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13 a Introduction to Karma Yoga and clarity on self knowledge being the solution 2.39-43Lecture4.23
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13 b Q & A (Is samadhi experience enough? , If moksha is not my only goal 2.39-43 )Lecture4.24
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14 a Glimpse of being a master (Atmavaan) 2.45-46Lecture4.25
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14 b Choice in Karma but not in result (Famous verses) 2.47-48Lecture4.26
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15 a Karma Yoga – attitude to action and its results 2.48-50Lecture4.27
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15 b Group Discussion and insights – The classification of the day into the four pursuits – Dharma/Artha/Kaama/,MokshaLecture4.28
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16 a Group discussion and insights – What happens when one is money/partner/work/children obsessed?Lecture4.29
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16 b How can one have it all – money/partner/work/children? By Being Dharma centredLecture4.30
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16 c Freedom from bondage of karma 2.51 and Q & ALecture4.31
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17 a Karma Yoga in relationshipsLecture4.32
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17 b How Karma Yoga helps in self knowledge, Vairagya towards alternatives and Arjuna’s question about a wise personLecture4.33
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17 c Q & A (Managing employees, Distractedness, Clash of roles, Dealing with a dominating personLecture4.34
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18 a Signs of a wise person and Mastery 2.56Lecture4.35
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18 b Mastery of the mind and senses 2.57-58 (incl Q and A)Lecture4.36
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18 c How do you feel loved? (Podcast episode link) – Supplementary listeningLecture4.37
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19 a Mastery of the mind and senses 2.59-61Lecture4.38
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19 b Understanding the framework of anger(Dwelling on sense object-Attachment-Anger-Loss of memory of learning-Destruction of person)Lecture4.39
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19 c Discussion on Kaushalam and Samatvam (Duty, Road rage, Resolving misunderstanding)Lecture4.40
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20 a Self mastery and tranquility 2.64-66Lecture4.41
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20 b The vision of a wise person and the sadhana of self mastery (audio has some disturbances)Lecture4.42
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20 c Q & A (Roles etc) (audio has some disturbances)Lecture4.43
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Questions for reflection and making notes on Chapter 2 0 questionQuiz4.1
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21 a The connection of self mastery and inner dialogue with the younger you (incl. guided meditation)Lecture4.44
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Wrap up on Chapter 2 – Kaushalam, Clear understanding of why Vedanta is a solution, Managing a strong desire for marriage, Expectations from our childrenLecture4.45
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture5.1
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22 Arjuna ‘s doubt, ‘If knowledge is better than action why prompt me to do karma?’ 2 Lifestyles 3.1-5Lecture5.2
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23 a Quiet appearance but false front & Why karma yoga is better than karma 3.6-7Lecture5.3
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23 b Why karma is superior to inaction & Karma transformed into yajna 3.8-9Lecture5.4
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23 c Q & A (How much work is too much, Objectivity wrt pursuits )Lecture5.5
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24 a Karma as Yajna and recognition of Devatas 3.10-11Lecture5.6
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24 b Karma as pervaded by Veda 3.12-15Lecture5.7
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25 a Contribution to the cosmic wheel and the contentment of a wise person 3.16-18Lecture5.8
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25 b Why perform karma, Janaka, the wise king and role models 3.19-21Lecture5.9
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25 c Gita Q & A (Japa, Time for Vedanta, Delegation etc)Lecture5.10
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26 a Gita 3.22-25 No karma to be done by Bhagavan but still karma is doneLecture5.11
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26 b Gita 3.26-28 Karma impelled by Prakrti’s gunasLecture5.12
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26 c Q and A (Dharma, Rebirth)Lecture5.13
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27 a How can the wise person engage with those who are deluded by prakriti and its gunas and How to fight ?Lecture5.14
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27 b The role of shraddha in learning and how prakriti affects a wise personLecture5.15
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27 c Don’t some under the spell of ragas and dveshasLecture5.16
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27 d Discussion – Handling Differences, Managing ragas and dveshasLecture5.17
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28 a Svadharma is better than paradharma and the problem of (binding) desireLecture5.18
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28 b Knowledge (as though) clouded by binding desire and Atma untouched by it allLecture5.19
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28 c Guided meditation (Saakshi)Lecture5.20
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28 d Discussion (Processing a situation, The 4 aspects of a mind etc )Lecture5.21
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29 Ch 3 Discussion after small groups discussionLecture5.22
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 Jnana-Karmasannyasa Yoga 30
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture6.1
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30 a Greatness of the parampara 4.1-3Lecture6.2
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30 b The Why and What of an Avataara 4.4-8Lecture6.3
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30 c Gita 4.1-8 (Can a non sannyasi get jnanam and Can giving up desires lead to jnanam)Lecture6.4
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31 Discussion on the value of Dharma by looking at AdharmaLecture6.5
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32 a Reality of an Avataara and Levels of reality 4.9Lecture6.6
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32 b Taking refuge in Bhagavan and his blessings 4.10-12Lecture6.7
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32 c Gita 4.9-12 (Q and A) (Bindi, Dharma and religiosity etc)Lecture6.8
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33 a The Four fold Varna system 4.13Lecture6.9
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33 b Bhagavan Krishna as Karta and AkartaLecture6.10
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33 c Gita 4.13-15 (Q & A Vrata etc )Lecture6.11
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34 a Gita 4.16-17 What is karma and akarma?Lecture6.12
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34 b 4.18 The vision of a wise person about karma and akarmaLecture6.13
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34 c Gita 4.16-18 (Q & A – Work role, Healing karma etc)Lecture6.14
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35 a Atma as akarta and abhogta (non-doer and non experiencer) 4.18-19Lecture6.15
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35 b Aspects of Jnanam and lifestyle of grahastha and sannyasi 4.20-21Lecture6.16
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35 c Gita 4.18-21 Q & A (Clarifications of Akarta, Vedanta as a perspective, Being assertive)Lecture6.17
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36 Gita 4.22-25 Attitude of a wise person wrt gain/loss and life as yajnaLecture6.18
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37 a Gita 4.26-27 Self mastery of senses as yajna and Chariot imageryLecture6.19
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37 b Gita 4.28 Yajnas – Dravya, Yoga, Svadhyaaya etcLecture6.20
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37 c Gita 4.26-28 (Q & A – Social media response, You are bigger than your pain etc)Lecture6.21
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38 a Gita 4.29-30Lecture6.22
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38 b Gita 4.31-33Lecture6.23
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38 c Gita 4.29 – 33 (Q & A Soham, Misinterpreting the verse)Lecture6.24
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39 a Gita 4.34 How to relate to a teacher for knowledgeLecture6.25
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39 b Gita 4.35-38 The result of knowledge and What if one is a paapi?Lecture6.26
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39 c Gita 4.34-38 (Q and A – Making amends etc )Lecture6.27
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40 a Gita 4.39Lecture6.28
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40 b Gita 4.39 contd.Lecture6.29
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40 c Gita 4.40-4.42 (plus Q and A)Lecture6.30
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Sannyasa Yoga 20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 chantingLecture7.1
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41 a Gita 5.1-3 Sannyasa or Karma Yoga – Which is better? aLecture7.2
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41 b Gita 5.4 Are Sannyasa and Karma Yoga same?Lecture7.3
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41 c Assignment on Identifying Life prioritiesLecture7.4
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42 Discussion on Life prioritiesLecture7.5
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43 a The goal of Sannyasa and Karma Yoga as a lifestyle is oneLecture7.6
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43 b Vision of a wise person despite performing actionsLecture7.7
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43 c Gita 5.5-9 Reflections and discussionLecture7.8
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44 a Gita 5.10 The wise one who is not affectedLecture7.9
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44 b Gita 5.11-12 How do karma yogis perform karmaLecture7.10
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44 c Gita 5.13-14 Where does the wise being live and how?Lecture7.11
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45 a Gita 5.15-16 Atma is not affected by punya/paapaLecture7.12
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45 b Gita 5.17 Levels of commitmentLecture7.13
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45 c Gita 5.18 How does the wise person look upon a Brahmana, a cow etc Q & ALecture7.14
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46 a Gita 5.19-20 Freedom from the cycle of birth and death and extremes of emotionLecture7.15
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46 b Gita 5.21-23 The gain of happiness that does not change and the transitory nature of experiential happinessLecture7.16
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46 c Gita 5.19-23 Q & ALecture7.17
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47 a Gita 5.24-25 Videha mukti and the sukha of a wise personLecture7.18
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47 b Gita 5.27-29 Introduction to Dhyaanam and AikyamLecture7.19
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47 c Gita 5.24-29 Q & A (Imp of Asana, Desire fulfilment,Lecture7.20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Dhyaana Yoga 15
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 chantingLecture8.1
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48 Gita 6.1-3 Who is a Sannyasi and a yogi?Lecture8.2
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49 Gita 6.4 Yogi has freedom from dependenceLecture8.3
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49 b Gita 6.5-6 Being a friend to oneselfLecture8.4
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50 a Gita 6.7 Being a jitatma and free from oppositesLecture8.5
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50 b Gita 6.8-9 A yogi ‘s attitude towards objects and peopleLecture8.6
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51 a Gita 6.10 The preparation of Karma Yoga for a meditatorLecture8.7
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51 b Gita 6.11-14 Initial preparatory steps (place, asana etc)Lecture8.8
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52 Gita 6.15 Who is an accomplished personLecture8.9
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53 Gita 6.19-20 The mind of a yogiLecture8.10
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54 Gita 6.21-23 Reveling in oneself and Dissociation from the association with sorrow (3rd definition of Karma Yoga)Lecture8.11
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55 Gita 6.24 – 28 Dissociation from the association with sorrow and benefits of DhyaanamLecture8.12
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56 Gita 6.29 – 30 The vision of oneness/samenessLecture8.13
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57 Gita 6.31-34 The wise person and Arjuna’s question about not seeing the visionLecture8.14
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58 Gita 6.36 – 47 What happens to one who did not complete his Vedanta journey and praise of a yogi?Lecture8.15
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Jnana-Vijnana Yoga 16
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture9.1
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59 Gita 7.1-7.6 Introduction to Indirect and Immediate knowledgeLecture9.2
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59b Gita 7.4 – 7.6 Nature of IshvaraLecture9.3
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60a Gita 7.7 – 7.9 Manifestations of IshvaraLecture9.4
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60b Gita 7.10-11 Manifestations of Ishvara contd.Lecture9.5
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60c Gita 7.7-11 Q and ALecture9.6
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61a Gita 7.12-14 Mayashakti and crossing over MayaLecture9.7
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61b Gita 7.15-17 Four Types of devoteesLecture9.8
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61c Gita 7.12-17 Q and ALecture9.9
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62 Gita 7.16 Four kinds of devotees and their world viewLecture9.10
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62b Gita 7.18-20 Which among the devotees is one with IshvaraLecture9.11
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62c Gita 7.18-20 Q and A (Why more don’t take to Vedanta, Readiness, Journey of a Jijnasu etc)Lecture9.12
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63a Gita 7.21-22 How Bhagavan makes the shraddha strongerLecture9.13
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63b Gita 7.23-25 Why and what do people not know about Bhagavan?Lecture9.14
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63c Gita 7.21-25 Q and A (How shraddha for rituals grows)Lecture9.15
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64 Gita 7.26-30 How do devotees seek Bhagavan?Lecture9.16
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Akshara Brahman Yoga 17
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 8 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture10.1
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65 a Summary of first seven chaptersLecture10.2
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65 b Gita 8.1-5 Arjuna’s question about Brahman and what happens when a person diesLecture10.3
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65 c Gita 8.1-5 Q and ALecture10.4
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66 a Gita 8.5-8.6 Whom to remember before dying ?Lecture10.5
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66b Gita 8.7-9 How to remember Bhagavan?Lecture10.6
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66c Gita 8.5-9 Q and A Grieving and HealingLecture10.7
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67 a Gita 8.10-13 How to give up the body (for a yogi and jnani)?Lecture10.8
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67b Gita 8.14-15 How to reach Bhagavan and what happens after that?Lecture10.9
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67c Gita 8.10 – 15 Q and ALecture10.10
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68 a Gita 8.16-18 The lifespan of Brahmaji and the nature of the lokasLecture10.11
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68 b Gita 8.19-21 The play of manifest and unmanifestLecture10.12
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68 c Gita 8.16-21 Q and ALecture10.13
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69 a Gita 8.22-24 Who is the limitless purusha and where do meditators of Brahmaloka go?Lecture10.14
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69 b Gita 8.25-28 Where do karmis, mere ritualists go after death and who finally reaches Brahman?Lecture10.15
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69 c Gita 8.22-27 Q and ALecture10.16
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70 a Gita Ch 8 Q and A (post death rituals)Lecture10.17
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga 20
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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 Chanting by Pujya Swami DayanandaLecture11.1
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70 b Gita 9.1-2 What is the King of Knowledge and the King of Secrets and why?Lecture11.2
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71 a Gita 9.3 What is required for the knowledge and what happens to those who don’t seek it?Lecture11.3
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71 b Gita 9.4-5 Satyam (and Mithya)Lecture11.4
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71 c Gita 9.3-5 Gita (Q and A)Lecture11.5
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72 a Gita 9.6-8 Nature of Ishvara (and Maya shakti)Lecture11.6
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72 b Gita Despite manifesting Ishvara is unchangingLecture11.7
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72 c Gita 9.6-10 (Q and A)Lecture11.8
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73 a Gita 9.11-12 What happens to the ones who do not recognise Bhagavan as the lord of all beings?Lecture11.9
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73 b Gita 9.13-14 Qualities of the ones who seek Bhagavan ?Lecture11.10
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73 c Gita 9.11-14 Q and ALecture11.11
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74 a Gita 9.15-17 How to worship Bhagavan with jnana-yajna?Lecture11.12
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74 b Gita 9.18-21 How Bhagavan is one and distinct & What happens to people who go to svarga ?Lecture11.13
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74 c Gita 9.15 – 21 (Q and A – People who don’t have viveka, what to do when a person is bitter etc)Lecture11.14
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75 a Gita 9.22 How does Bhagavan support the jnani/mumukshu?Lecture11.15
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75 b Gita 9.23-26 Devotees who are committed to different ends and not Bhagavan; Bhagavan ‘s acceptance of the smallest offeringLecture11.16
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75 c Gita 9.22-26 Q and A (Bhagavan-Sakshi/experiencer)Lecture11.17
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76 a Gita 9.27-28 Which actions to offer to Bhagavan and the resulting maturity from this attitudeLecture11.18
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76 b Gita 9.29-32 ‘I am the same in all’ and different groups of people can still gain BhagavanLecture11.19
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76 c Gita 9.33-34 and Q and A The level of commitment in seeking BhagavanLecture11.20
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1 Comment
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् |
य: प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: || 5||
anta-kāle cha mām eva smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra sanśhayaḥ
यं यं वापि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् |
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावित: || 6||
yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajatyante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
Arjuna had a few questions, which Bhagavan Krishna responded to in very short snap answers. What is Brahman? Oh, Brahman is limitless, so as short (an answer) as that. And who is the Jeeva? What is centered on the Jeeva? Oh, that is also a manifestation that is Brahman, that happens to be called the Jeeva, and so on.
And in response to the last question, that at the time of death, how are you known by those who have a mastered mind? So, Bhagavan spends a little time on this question. And he says in verse number five, that the one who leaves, dies away, remembering me gains me. मत् भावं याति, प्राप्नोति etc. So, it almost sounds narcissistic, like so full of himself, you know, like you please, you better remember me, okay?
When you die, it’s like you tell people, I hope you won’t forget me when you go away. Please remember me and so on. Here Bhagavan also seems to be like us. Oh, please don’t forget me. Even our attempts to leave a legacy that I would like to do something that is lasting, or which has a lasting impact. Of course, most of us do this through our children, but you say oh, no, I will create something or I will make a change.
So, the change is important. But we would like to be remembered- The fact that we were around on this earth, little bit mattered. And the reality check is how we remember our grandparents and great grandparents. Right? So, it’s not like you’re remembering them on a daily basis. Yeah, occasionally, sometimes, maybe. And great great grandparents so I don’t even know if we know their names. You know, our situation is also going to be like that.
After some time, means after a few generations all that you have thought you have contributed and paid so much attention to in your lifetime, will it be valued in the same way? We don’t know. Chances are, it may not be, okay. Will your photograph be around in the house? You know, that’s an indication, right? Like how people have their family photos at home, or they have even at their workplace, it’s very inspiring. Everybody has a personalized workspace. For some people, they have some motivational quote, may also have photographs– family or whoever, loved one, then two, three generations down the line, will people have your photograph representing you? We don’t know. We don’t know if it will go with the decor you know, who keeps photographs of their great great grandparents in the house? Yeah, so it has to look aesthetic, right? Anyway, reality check. Maybe it’s if it’s nicely painted, maybe some background or something that might look a little nice.
The person gains my nature and how to remember… Bhagwan has already said how he is to be remembered. Not as a limited person. Because he said- I’m the limitless, he has already said that para prakriti, apara prakriti previous chapter. And all that you see, all that is experienced all that is manifest. All names, all forms, That is Bhagawan. The limitless, that doesn’t have a form that is also Bhagavan’s swarupa, nature.
So, when he says remembering me alone, it is exactly like the vision we have when we say touchwood. So suppose somebody says I hope you get $1 million. And you say yeah, I hope so, touch wood. And you look somewhere around you. And some sofa, tables you have seen made of wood you will touch. Now the forms are very different. Right? But you transcend the form. You don’t break down the form, you don’t have to break down the sofa and the chairs to reach out to the wood. You see the different forms of wood—sofa, chair, something maybe some wooden table, and in that instant you say touch wood, you’re not saying touch chair or touch sofa, no touch wood.
So you can see different forms and still recognize that there is only one adhishthanam, wood for all the forms. So, (at the time of death), you see the different forms, you see your grieving people, that is if you are not in a coma or something, and you know your time is up you’re going, all these forms, they are all Ishwara. When he says ‘मत् भावं याति माम् एव स्मरन्’, remembering me alone. All the forms that I have experienced my entire life, everything is Ishwara, I am Ishwara. Remembering me, means what? This is what is remembering me, recognizing, either I recognize all manifestations as Ishwara, maybe I’ve not made that final leap. Or, having recognized all manifestations, all names and forms as Ishwara, the swarupa is also me, I am that Ishwara. So, in line with the shaastra teaching that you are that whom you seek, you are that infallible, you are Ishwara, the dying person, the jeeva gains my nature.
Gains my nature, means what? We use these words in the shaastra- gains, reaches, it’s like the river reaching the ocean, right? So water meets water, that’s all (it means) okay. The individuality of the form of the river, or the stream or whatever form is there, rivulet, that form is given up but water meets water, all along it was only one water anyway. So that is what is being referred to here.
And when it comes to reaching Bhagavan there are different standpoints, people have different things to say depending on certain philosophies. Some people talk about reaching Bhagavan as in what they refer to as ‘saayujya’.
This is a little trivia on the term ‘saayujya’- e.g. sometimes in an astrological reading it may emerge that the place that you are staying in, somebody committed suicide or a person met an unexpected sudden death, as a result of which the jeeva has not been able to move forward in the journey, because our raaga/dvesha hold us down. What will my people do without me, or I had so many things to be done, they’re all unfinished, etc etc. So that’s why we do all this shraaddh karma. Now, even after doing the shraaddh karma, it is possible that some beings they don’t move ahead, they are stuck, they need more help. So, for them, we generally do a special homa, tila homa and sesame seeds and few other things are offered. And there is a process by which we invoke that being in a silver pratima, like a silver piece of that person, and make some offerings to that being. And then the next morning we’ll do some other puja and that is called ‘saayuja puja’. Saayujya is this meeting, and it is looked upon as getting ‘moksha’, but it is really the Jeeva is moving onward on the journey, and is receiving through the karma of doing the yajna(the ritual), lots of Punya. So the jeeva can go to any of the lokas, and so on depending on the karma that is standing in the account.
So this word saayujya reminded Swaminiji about the above meaning, and though it is not directly related to the Gita, it gives us additional knowledge about the understanding of this word. So saayujya is looked upon as going to different lokas. Loka meaning it’s a plane of experience- we have 7 up, 7 down. So the more punya that you perform, and too much punya fructifies, then you will go to one of the 7-up, and you won’t be reborn on earth at least for the next lifetime.
Now, from an Advaita standpoint when you look at saayujya. You know people say oh, you will be one, you will reach- whether it’s the pearly gates of heaven, or it is the golden gilded gates of swarga, whatever it is. Now just like we have a form, ‘dream body’ we have, okay. Pun not intended, dream body means whatever tiny form that we have in our dream of ourselves. So you imagine like that, some subtle form will reach swarga. And then Bhagwan is there, all devatas are there, if you have Ishta-devata you will veer towards that form. Then what does that saayujya look like?
Because to meet someone, to be close to someone, there has to be two, right? And so, given the form that we have, and that Bhagavan is limitless, or let’s just say really vast, then it’s like a bacteria meeting a giant. Saayujya, bacteria is meeting a giant. Then Pujya Swamiji would joke it’s like flagyl- consumed and it’s out of the system, like a laxative. So imagine, like bacteria if you hold on to your individuality and say oh, I’m going to meet Bhagavan. Imagine what will that meeting look like? Bacteria meeting like this huge giant, forget limitless, huge giant and so in that meeting what’s gonna happen? Okay, let’s say you become one with Bhagavan, let’s say He consumes you. Are you still there to enjoy that? Oh now I am one with Bhagwan. Or to meet Bhagavan, you have to drop your individuality, right? Because what are we calling as an individual, something who is distinct from Bhagavan?
But hello, on what basis are you claiming your individuality, the body that you have is given to you, all the processes in the way in which your body functions- respiration, circulation, evacuation, assimilation, digestion, etc etc., you have not created. There is an intelligence that pervades this entire order. The way the mind thinks, reasons, analyzes, synthesizes, feels, doesn’t feel, becomes numb, feels distant, feels close, all this…. capacity to feel given to you, then hello, what do you think is really yours? Why are you being a thief (3rd chapter स्थेन:). Thief means what? You claim something that is not yours, right? This is mine. Hey, this entire body-mind is given to you.
Then what is this individuality we are talking about? Oh, you know I just feel like that. Exactly. That also is given to you, the capacity to feel like an individual, given. So now this individual meeting with Bhagavan is actually a very logical impossibility. It’s like the river or the rivulet meeting the ocean. Okay, now once the rivulet is one with the ocean, does a rivulet still have an individuality of its own? Because it’s all dispersed now, there is no more form left. And form, you know even thought is a form. So, imagine your mind is dispersed all over, how are you going to think, oh I am one with Bhagavan, oh, finally I am one with Bhagavan. How long are you going to think like this? Not possible.
Yes you can go to the court, and yes you can enjoy swarga, a place where there is lots of pleasure and fun and so on. But your antahkarana is still with you. Antahkarana(your mind), remember your mind travels.Your sukshma sharira, and kaarana sharira(causal body) which is the reason for your subtle and gross body, that is there. There is still avidyaa, there is still ignorance. Although being the atma, because of ignorance, therefore one thinks one is limited and so on and so forth.
So, then you will say Oh ‘saameepya’. Then, saameepya is mentioned as one of the goals in some philosophies. Okay, so let’s say you are close to Bhagwan. And of course you’re not the only one (there who wants to be close to Bhagwan). Now, what will you do? You will sit on Bhagavan’s head? Like imagine what that will be like – like Liliput in Gulliver’s Travels. So, there’s this huge giant-like creature and all the other minions they’re all running around, imagine Bhagavan will be something like that- big. And saameepya- no, no, I will go as close as I can. Still bacteria going close to a giant, okay. Now how close is close enough? Oh I will sit on his lap. But vast lap is there. I will sit on his head, that also is really big. What shall we do? What will need to happen for me to feel like all this punya that I did in my life it has served me well. Because that antahkarana, see that’s why we pay so much attention to one’s self mastery, because the only thing you will carry from this life is really sukshma sharira.
So the only thing that you will carry is the antahkarana, or the mind. And if one has had an insecure mind, which is really our universal plight, you think sitting on Bhagavan’s lap or head, and all is going to help? You are always going to look over your shoulder, whatever form you are in. That one got special treatment. Or why I am not getting? Like how we used to project on Pujya Swamiji- today Pujya Swamiji did not look at me while teaching, I think he’s upset with me. Okay, projection. May have been true also in some instances, but very, very rare. Or he only looks at that one.
So, one goes to svarga with whatever maturity one has. Of course you will enjoy your time there, but the problem of having a form is the feeling limited by the form. And the connection or the sense of distance that you experience, will always be there.
Suppose you get to know, through the grapevine, that somebody– when the person was on earth had done a lot of sadhana and then let’s say Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapati had gone and appeared, and you say, Oh, you’re so lucky, and you know how you exchange notes- oh what were you doing, what sadhana did you do etcetera.
So it’s very likely that the sense of comparison that we have here(on earth) because of which we continue to feel miserable, it will continue in Swarga. Why? Same mind is going with us. Memory will not be there of the previous form, but some raga/dvesha, the ways in which we think about ourselves, some stuff will be there. So this Saayujya (being one with Bhagavan), and Saameepya (being close to Bhagavan), are not very attractive options and also not quite logical.
Then how can you be closest to Bhagavan? By knowing that there is no difference between you and Bhagavan. See, from the standpoint of a form there will always be difference. But that difference does not make a difference to you, because swarupa/nature is the same. So reaching Swarga is just like going on another vacation. Pujya Swamiji would say any description of svarga is a tourist promotion brochure. What an extreme phrase to use. So, any brochure will talk about the wonders of the place, the sights and sounds, what you get to experience there. So, descriptions or svarga will also have the same thing and then you will decide that it all sounds attractive, I think I want to go here. So, if you do want to go there and then of course there are different kinds of karma that you can do to go there. And for a lot of people, religious people included, will want to go to another place. So new, new experience, right, because bhokta/experiencer is a very, very strong identity. It’s not even questioned, of course we want to have a good time. What do you mean? Same place you want to go again? No, no, no. No, oh, you went to Bhutan? What about Nepal? No, no, it’s similar. I want to go to a totally new place. So the experiencer identity is very strong.
That experiencer wants to go to svarga also. And this is what we had seen last time, that whatever is your thought landscape, the kinds of things that you have been thinking about for most of your life, it’s likely that at the time of death also you will think of the same. If you have lived your life as a karma yogi, then center stage for you is Bhagavan. If you know the truth, of course it is you, you and Bhagavan same. So, what he says is, whatever you have thought of at the time of death, you reach that. If you have thought of going to Swarga then you will probably reach there. And then as Swaminiji jokingly said last time, you say “oh this lifetime was very tough. I just want to laze around in a pool all day”, you will be born as a hippopotamus! Or you say, I have just been always running around. I just want to be stationary. You may be born as a tree. Now this is not meant to scare you, that will you please watch out what you’re thinking and all that. Don’t do this thought audit. Swaminiji is not saying that. Swaminiji is just pointing out that when we are vulnerable, then we will think about the kind of things we have been thinking of most of the time. Suddenly, the thought of Bhagavan is not going to come.
What have you been thinking? So if you are living a life, a life alive to the presence of Bhagavan in terms of you seeing yourself as a devotee, either a jignyasu, or jnani, and little bit of ārtaḥ and artha-arthī thrown in from time to time depending on emergencies in life. So, you recognize all manifestations as Bhagavan, then either he will give you a lifetime शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे (6.41)- You will be born in a cultured family that is devoted to dharma. You can pick up the thread from where you left off. Or you may be born in a family of yogis, so no worries at all.
And for a mumukshu or rather a jignyasu, swarga does not hold much enticement because it’s another place to go to. And that’s why Swaminiji says you have to be bhogi before you become a yogi. This is important, okay. People will think oh, you know, you don’t look here, don’t look there. For instance, Swaminarayan monks are there, and in their tradition if there are female acharyas they are told, you please avoid them. They just sit in one corner or sit somewhere else. The men should not see you. Or cordoning off, and all that is done.
So how do we approach things in Vedanta? You live a life of freedom. It is better if you are a bhogi/experiencer, because you have to be there, and having done that, then you are able to see the limitations of bhoga. You know that’s why Swaminiji never encourages people less than 25 years old to come to Vedanta. Did you see enough of life to see the limitations of life? Because then what happens is people will pick up terminology, they will pick up (words like) vairagya, and then they will feel guilty. They will say oh, but I’m really enjoying whatever I’m enjoying, oh but I’m not supposed to enjoy it. Swaminiji didn’t say that at all. It requires an extraordinary maturity to enjoy something, and to see its limitations, and not have dvesha, an aversion to it. You just simply outgrow it. That’s all. That is proper vairagya. Otherwise, it’s short circuited. Then you will hear all kinds of stories. Oh, this one showed great vairagya, then seemingly had a fall from grace. So it is that the person did not have enough maturity, that’s all.
So, (after being a bhogi), then you can be a good yogi also. Then, discipline and all you value. Discipline because you’ve seen what excesses can do to you. Right? So natural inclination is there towards discipline. If without allowing yourself to experience —discipline, discipline, discipline, discipline, and then a lot of rigidity, then you are going to struggle both with discipline and if you enjoy something, then you will struggle with guilt. So, neither here nor there. Then some say संशयात्मा विनश्यति (4.40). विनाश (destruction), you don’t want any of that.
So now, this remembering, whatever has been alive for you. The person, that then that dying person reaches that. Then what is to be done ?