Bhaja Govindam - Post 20

Verse 19

योगरतो वा भोगरतो वा सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गविहीनः ।

यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव ॥ १९॥

yogarato vā bhogaratovā

sangarato vā sangavihīnaḥ,

yasya brahmaṇi ramate cittaṁ

nandati nandati nandatyeva

(One may revel in yoga or pleasures; in the company of people or bereft of company. Only the one whose mind steadily delights in Brahman revels; indeed he alone is truly happy.)

In the previous verses, Sankara deals with dispassion and desire and traces to their origin.

Now in this verse we do the same for Happiness, and trace where it comes from. 

It is a common belief that object fetch us happiness.

In a session, author deals with this.

A south Indian coffee which brings immense satisfaction to a South Indian, is not touched by a pathan based in Afghan who finds satisfaction only in tea.

Similarly, a south Indian lady may love to wear a south Indian silk saree whereas a lady based in Banaras may not even touch a Kancheepuram silk saree, she may go in for only attractive Banaras silk saree.

Also, for a same human being, as he moves from childhood to youth and from youth and manhood etc., the objects which give him satisfaction keep varying. Obviously, those games which gave him great joy while he was a child, may not attract him when he reaches his adolescent age. 

In his youth, he may get attracted to some female and his life’s purpose would then be to attain that girl as his partner. He feels his life will get fulfilled only when he gets that girl as his partner in life.

So, one thing is clear.

No object in this world has propensity to give high level of happiness to all human beings in all times, in all situations!!

Happiness is in Self Alone!!! 

Taittriya Upanishad deals with various levels of Ananda / Bliss. 

For simplicity sake, let us prefix each level of ananda explained in this Upanishads as a level.

Level 1 - Suppose there is a young man — a noble young man — versed, the best of rulers, firm in body and strong and possesses the whole world, full of wealth, is his: that is one measure of human bliss. 

Level 2 - This human bliss, multiplied on hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the human gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires. 

Level 3 – This bliss of the human gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the celestial gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 4 - This bliss of the celestial gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the Manes, who dwell in the long — enduring world, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 5 - This bliss of the Manes who dwell in the long — enduring world, multiplied on hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the gods born in the Ajana heaven, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 6 - The bliss of the Gods born in the Ajana heaven, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the sacrificial gods who have attained to divinity by means of sacrifices, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 7 - The bliss of the sacrificial gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the gods, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 8 - The bliss of the gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Indra, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 9 - The bliss of Indra, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Brihaspati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 10 - The bliss of Brihaspati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Prajapati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

Level 11 - The bliss of Prajapati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of Brahma, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

ULTIMATE LEVEL OF HAPPINESS -BRAHMANANDA

He who is here in man and he who is in yonder sun — both are one. He who knows this, after dying to this world, attains the self which consists of food, attains the self which consist of the vital breath, attains the self which consists of the mind, attains the self which consists of intellect, attains the self which consists of bliss. 

While all other happiness are  at mental level, once a spiritual aspirant, after years or may be several births of Sadhana, realizes SELF / Brahmananda, he crosses the stage where he is able to exist separate from Bliss / Happiness and is able to experience Bliss with his mind.

Such a man is free, but not whimsical. He enjoys without attachment. 

Such a Jivanmukhta, though without any possession and yet is ever content, though he may be engaged in lot of activities, yet he remains inactive (from within), though in Bhoga sometimes but he is  still untouched by it.

While sankara said, 

“Nandati Nandati Nandaty Eva”

(He alone truly enjoys, without any doubt)

The author prostrates to Sankara and dares to change the expression and says:

 He does not enjoy true happiness, HE IS JOY.

As long as one says, I enjoy this, I enjoy that, to that extent, He is different from the thing he is enjoying or the experience he is getting out of the object of enjoyment. This is so because no object can give eternal enjoyment, which has been dealt clearly in the beginning of this post. 

But here is the vairaagi or the Jivanmukhta who does not enjoy bliss but exists as the very source of Bliss.

He sings,

Chidananda Roopah Shivoham Shivoham

[The embodiment of consciousness absolute, Bliss absolute, the benign one am I, I am Shiva (the ever auspicious)]

Love.

Bhaja Govindam - Post 19

Verse 18

सुरमंदिरतरुमूलनिवासः शय्या भूतलमजिनं वासः । सर्वपरिग्रहभोगत्यागः कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः ॥ १८॥

sura mandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ

śayyā bhūtala majinaṁ vāsaḥ,

sarva parigraha bhoga tyāgaḥ

kasya sukhaṁ na karoti virāgaḥ

Live in a temple or under a tree, wear the deer-skin for the dress, and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Renounce all your possessions and enjoyments. Blessed with such dispassion, could anyone fail to be happy?

We have a description of the true Vairagi or man of dispassion. The simplicity of this person is quite clear. 

Indian culture supports religious practices like no other country in the world. We can benefit from that if we are sincere seekers. If we are not sincere, we become a burden to that hospitality. 

The life of utter simplicity is described here, not extremism or moderation. This is how great saints like Swami Sivananda lived after renouncing lucrative careers and choosing to voluntarily live the simple life described here. 

Swami Sivananda left his practice as a professional Doctor in Malaysia, came to Hrishikesh, slept in a charity home. He had already attained Self-Realization by then and yet, got formal Diksha from another monk staying there in that home.

Author cannot help quoting couple of verses from Jivanmukhtananda Lahari, written by none other than Sri Sankara, to bring about the state of such a realized vairagi.

Vane vrukshán-pashyan-dala phalabharánnamra sushikhán

ghanaccháyácchannán bahula kala küjad dvija ganán

Bhajañghasre rátrávavanitalatal paika shayano

munir na vyámoham bhajati gurudèkshákshatatamáh

During daytime he may take a leisurely walk in lonely forests gazing delightfully at the numerous trees standing covered by thick shades, with their branches bent low due to the weight of leaves and fruits, with flocks of birds perching on their top cooing and wailing variously in chorus their unsullied songs and tunes, adding greatly to the charm and glory of pristine wilderness. At night he may lie fast asleep on the strong bed of the un-decked surface of Mother Earth, the one common gift of Nature to mankind. Whatever be thus the resort of the illumined ascetic, whose ignorance has been liquidated by the graceful initiation of the Teacher, his mind will not be duped or agitated. 

Kadácit prásáde kvacidapi ca saudheshu dhaninám

kadá kále kvacidapi ca küleshu saritám

Kuûère dántánám munijanavaránámapi vasan

munir ca vyámoham bhajati gurudèkshákshata tamáh(3)

Sometimes he may stay in the imposing palaces of prominent kings, sometimes in the luxurious houses of the affluent people, sometimes on the slopes of mountains full of rocks, at times on the sandy banks of rivers and lakes, sometimes in the simple hermitages of great saints and Knowers; though living variously thus in a wide range of abodes, his mind rid of ignorance by the benign tuition of the Teacher and seated in its own natural stability and contentment, will not court further delusion and misery. 

This is how the true Vairagi lives. He brings his mind under control, with practical and sensible dispassion. 

And by doing so, he succeeds in attaining lasting happiness which is the result of true dispassion.

How Sankara says that a man of dispassion attains lasting happiness?

It is so because his happiness does not depend upon external environment, on getting something or on losing something.

He has come to terms with eternal joy of the SELF within. After that, the external conditions cannot affect that joy which is the very source - THE SELF / ATMAN.

Love.

Bhaja Govindam - Post 18

Verse 17

कुरुते गङ्गासागरगमनं व्रतपरिपालनमथवा दानम् ।

ज्ञानविहीनः सर्वमतेन मुक्तिं न भजति जन्मशतेन ॥ १७॥

kurute gaṅgāsāgaragamanaṁ vrataparipālanamathavā dānam,

jñānavihinaḥ sarvamatena

muktiṁ na bhajati janmaśatena.

(One may go on pilgrimage, observe vows, and give away wealth in charity. Yet, devoid of the knowledge of the Self, nothing can give freedom even in hundred lifetimes.)

After describing about the austerities and self denial in the previous verses, Sankara describes the proverbial ‘good' person in this verse. A person may go for pilgrimages to the banks of the Ganga, maintain vows and engage in charitable activities. 

There is no doubt that what they are doing is good in itself. There is nothing wrong or harmful in what is being described here. Indeed, the scriptures themselves have suggested these methods for people at certain stages of their spiritual life.

The truth that desires have to be rooted out in the mind is escaped even in this method. It is conveniently bypassed by focusing on all the external purificatory means given in the Shastras. All the pilgrimages, all the vows, all the charity will not avail if one does not educate the mind to give up its habit of seeking pleasure in outer objects and shall not  bestow mukhti, liberation  even in a hundred years if he or she is jnana viheena, does not have knowledge of the Self.

Truth or Jnana 

Sankara says, “jnaana vihheenah sarvam - atena” i.e., “All authorities are equivocal that without the experience of Truth”.

What is this TRUTH or JNANA which is referred in this verse or any vedantic treatise?

Swami says, 

“….When gold is melted in the crucible, it shines with a strange yellow glory. Where did that light emanate from? From the gold or the fire? What happened was only the removal of the dross by the fire; the effulgence belonged to the gold itself; it is its very nature. 

The fire is only an instrument for the removal of the dross. Nothing has been added to the gold by the fire in the crucible! 

If fire could give the splendor, then why doesn’t a stick or blade or pebble placed in the fire become as shining as gold? One has to conclude that the splendor came not through fire but out of its own inner nature.”

(Extract from Jnana Vahini)

Taking the fire and the gold example given by Swami, The fire is the spiritual sadhana or the Enquiry into “Who am I” in the path of wisdom and once, through the sadhana, all our impurities, our ignorance (about the fact that we actually are the Gold, The very Atman) is removed, then we exist as the TRUTH, the SELF or the ATMAN or DIVINE, which we ever have been. 

Swami clearly says, “If fire could give the splendor, then why doesn’t a stick or blade or pebble placed in the fire become as shining as gold? One has to conclude that the splendor came not through fire but out of its own inner nature”. This inner nature of each human being born in this creation is THE DIVNITY WITHIN.

The mukti that this verse speaks of is liberation from the clutches of EGO. The only way out of our constricted existence is to exhaust our desires. When we engage in charitable activities, go on pilgrimages and maintain vows as an end in themselves rather than a means to an end, we are unable to exhaust our EGO (and desires born out of our Ego). 

These practices are excellent to develop discipline and take one further on the spiritual path when performed with the right attitude. But this verse is only cautioning us against getting lost in activities such as these. 

Spiritual practices are meant to take us towards our goal of Self-Realization, the state of desireless-ness. If we follow these practices without this focus we grow to a limited extent beyond which we cannot progress on the spiritual path.

The most common criticism raised against Vedanta is that it talks only about esoteric things like Self-Realization while the rest of the world dies of poverty and hunger. Such views are misplaced. Vedanta encourages us to do charity, to expand our circle of concern and reach out to others. 

However, if these activities are performed without dedicating them to a spiritual goal to reduce our burden of desires, we get caught in a loop of desire. 

We hear of so many persons saying, “for me, spirituality means, BE GOOD, DO GOOD. Engage in charity and service to others”.

And thanks to Google, they can also pick up a line of Sai in the context of Seva where he says, “Leave all meditation if you can and rush to serve others, Manava Seva is Madhava Seva”.

As the author has repeated 1000 times in all his writings, if SAI’s instructions have to be understood, then we must read and  take in all His instructions, all His vahinis WHOLLY and not in parts, surfing google, taking only those lines which appeals to our approach, our way of looking at spirituality. 

This way, having a limited understanding of spiritually, we remain as far away from our goal as the persons described in the two previous verses. Examine the situation closely. Our goal is to reduce the number of desires. If we lose sight of our goal, we get lost in these ‘good' activities and create desires to engage in ‘good' activities.

On the other hand, if we remain focused on our goal and understand that these spiritual practices are a means to an end, we do not pick up more desires. The pilgrimages, charity and vows become an offering at the altar of our goal of Self-Realization.

Love.