Shruti Says

Bhaj Govindam In the first 4 verses, Guru Shankaracharya urged everyone to turn towards God. Sadly, the ones who are on the path also get entangled in mundane details and forget to revere the Lord. (Verse 1) Others are so immersed in Wealth (Verse 2) and Lust (verse 3) - Kanchan and Kamini that the thought of God is a distant dream. A dream that has no space in his make belief immortal world, where death knocks only at the door of others (verse 4).The above imposters are dangerous, but ‘affection’, is one that deludes the most. It gradually, empties and robs us in front of our own eyes, without our knowing and by the time we awaken, it is too late.Verse 5यावद्वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः स्तावन्निज परिवारो रक्तः |पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे |Yāvadvittopārjana saktaḥ stāvannija parivāro raktaḥ,paścājjīvati jarjara dehe vārtāṁ ko’pi na pṛcchati gehe. The fifth verse said to me - Sruti says 🌷Keep this in your mind, this is true for all and is inevitable;One gets the affection/respect of the family/friends only till one is of utility to them. But, with age and/or time as the utility diminishes, the affections also dwindles and the same family has no time to speak a word to the same individual. ———————I have consciously used the word ‘Affection’ and not ‘Attachment’. Attachment is many a times mistaken for love, for instance when a mother is attached to the child, she feels she loves the child. However, the truth is, had the child not been her own born, she would probably not have even looked at him with the same feeling;I am attached to my mother, because she is my mother.I am attached to my father, because he is my father.I am attached to my sister, because she is my sister.I am attached to my son, because he is my son.So on and so forth, for husband, wife, other bodily relations.The thing that is common in all these is ‘My’. When you are attached to someone, you don’t necessarily have an affectionate approach. Your way of showing your feelings could be curt, but the underlying mine-ness could still be there.However, affection, can be shown without any feelings in our heart, but for the utility or benefit derived from the individual. In other words, where you like that person or not, you would be respectful and show affection, cause you are deriving benefit from him/her.We have time and again heard that true love is hard to find. I would say love is hard to find. What we see around us is attachment to the bodily relation or affection for what we derive from the person.Example: One lady had two children, she is attached to both, as they are both her blood. However, she is affectionate toward the child who get her thing and takes care of her. However, the treatment of the child who does not have a job and is unable to provide is very derogatory. This is not an uncommon example. The higher the benefit or gain, the higher the show of affection and respect. Not only do we confuse, attachment for love, we also mistake affection for love. Example: When a child is a baby, his mother means the world to him, however, as he grows up his attention shifts to friends and later his wife and family. Where, before a moment without the mother was not possible, later we see many of them sitting in old age homes/ or even if at home, they are lonely and desperate for even a word from the family. The opinion which were ones asked, become unwanted rambles of grumpy person.Why, because the affection was not towards the person, but the utility, as the utility diminishes so does the affection. When the person was strong and able out of fear also, he/she was able to demand the show of affection and respect. Note: Had it been love, there would have been no change in ones behaviour. These kind of relations are also prevalent but rare.The foolish man spends his whole life mistaking this affection for love. Totally blinded, he trades the eternal divine love of God, for this momentary fleeting affection, which many a times is just a pretence. Many a time the person who show it also does not know about how real the affection is. So, one might say, yes this reality of the transient nature of all relation and the momentary show of affection and respect is known to all, then how does one get trapped in this dark pit? It is a delusion, it is Maya’s, sweet sugar coated pill, which is very sweet to start with, and bitter when we go deeper. But, the sweetness is so mesmerising that in the spell of the moment, we forget everything.So, again one might ask, if one knows this how should one act in this world? Should one abandon the world and relations? No,‘Na Jaag chodo,Na Hari bhoolo,Karam Kar jindagani mai.Jiyo duniya mai yo jese,Kamal rehta hai pani mai.’If we are in Samsar, we have to fulfil our responsibilities and duties toward all. However, we should stay detached from the world and attached to God at all time. Everyone should be but a reflection of the Lord. When we see God in all

Session on Sunderkand from Ramcharitra Manas written by TulsidasjiSunderkand -  Kishkinda Kand Doha 28 to Doha 30

Geeta chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verse 36

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam Verse 4nalinīdalagatajalamatitaralaṃtadvajjīvitamatiśayacapalam ।viddhi vyādhyabhimānagrastaṃlokaṃ śokahataṃ ca samastam The Fourth verse said to me - Sruti says🌷Our life/chances of this body being alive are as fragile and uncertain as the existence of a trembling drop of water seated on the leaf of a lotus plant.Infested with and in the clutch of destiny, disease of the mind/body and ego, the entire world is in the hands of great agony/sorrow.——————-आए हैं सो जाएँगे, राज- रंक फकीर ।एक सिंहासन चढ़ी चले, एक बँधे जात जंजीर ॥(Kabirdasji) Aaye hain so jayenge,raja rank phakirEk sinhasan chadhi chale, ek bandhe jat janjeerThis one truth if internalised, is capable of breaking the hold of maya, freeing us from delusion and connecting us to the higher eternal truth. This is the only constant in our life, that one day we all have to leave this world and go. No one will live here for eternity. Our existence is as fragile and temporary as a drop of water on the leaves of the lotus, a slight wind, a light tremor or even the rays of the sun can dissolve its existence.This one truth we negate through out our lives and live as if there will never be an end. The reality is far different, not only, will we have to leave, but the time of our departure though unknown to us, is predetermined.We all have a fixed number of breaths, time ones gone never comes back, yet the biggest lie that we tell ourselves is that, we have unlimited time at our disposal. A self created illusion which we securely cocoon ourselves in. Maya-delusion also does her best to keep us from awakening to the transient nature of reality. The reality is that everything in life is a passing cloud and nothing really matters in the end.Maya spins a web around the unsuspecting victims. First the victim gets stuck in the sticky webs (Samsar) and then in order to get free (of agony and to get momentary joy), the victim struggle and moves viciously (to fulfil ones desires), only to get more deeply caught (in the cycle of mundane existence). Just like, quick sand’s downward pull increases when one struggle to get free, the more one tries to get joy, the more one tries to fulfil ones desire, the more the thirst grows and the more one gets agonised. Mrigh-Trishna - the poor deer keeps chasing the mirage to quench its thirst or chases the smell of Kasturi (Joy) outside, not knowing that it lies within(Anand)To strengthen her hold on us, Maya makes us feel that we are fully the masters of our own lives, and makes us firmly believe that this unreal, temporary world, is real and eternal. On the contrary, sadly the reigns are always in her hand - the three reigns that she hold are;Destiny Disease(Body and Mind)EgoDestinyLife is but a dream, let the vision cease. But, if you can’t, fill your hours with selfless love and service free. (Vivekanadaji)If we were to be told that there is no reason to what happens to us and no answers to our questions of why. Just like in our dreams characters and situations arise and subside when we awake. We too are, but, the actors in Gods dreams. Dreams have no reasons - does that not leave little room for justification, clarification and analysis.But, explanation we seek, as we cannot equate our selves to nothing. Our Ego won’t allow that, would it?So, the whole concept of Karma comes into play,. I will just keep it simple and say that there are various types of Karma’s - Sanchit karma, Agami Karma and Prarabdha. Prarabdha, simply explained is, as we sow so shall we reap, every action has an equal and opposite reaction (carried forward birth after birth). This very trap called Karma, we fill our existence analysing, when good happens we say we deserve it and when bad enfolds, we question, what did I do to deserve it.  However, the wise, drops karma, by dropping the ‘Karta and Bhokta bhav’, I am neither the doers nor the one who reaps the fruits, he says. When, it is destiny(Lord) that is at play - what has to happen will happen, the way it is supposed to happen;सुनहु भरत भावी प्रबल बिलखि कहेउ मुनिनाथ।हानि लाभु जीवनु मरनु जसु अपजसु बिधि हाथ॥(Ramcharitra Manas)Suno Bharat Bhavi Prabal Bilakh kahe muni nath,Hani labh jivan maran,yash apyash sb vidhi hath.But, not many can accept it, and just be. This absence of compete acceptance and surrender, is the cause of extreme grief in the world. Note: Dropping Karta and Bhokta Bhav does not make one complacent - the tremendous energies of the universe operate through this person. Disease (Body and Mind)I always wonder, which is more painful, the bodily pain, pain caused by others or the mental trauma we inflict on ourselves. In the beginning of Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran, it is said that there are three types of Taap/Agony - Adhyatmika (origin in our own body and mind), Adhibhautika (inflicted by other creatures) and Adhidaivika (having its source in natural calamities).Most or rather all our agonies/sorrows are just A

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 34 and 35

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam Scenario:It is very essential to remember who this is being addressed to. Shankracharyaji is addressing the seekers/Sadhak, who are on the path of Self-Realisation/God-Realisation. (I chose to believe we all are journeying towards the self.)As we all know Sanatan Dharma says that Human Birth is very precious and it can help us cross the ocean of mundane existence, free us from the cycle of birth and death. To be able to make this leap, the Vedas say - Manur Bhav - Manusya tu Manusya Banja. Simply put, ‘it is a journey between Human being and being Human’.The words used in Bhaj Govindam are not sugar quoted and again they mean exactly what they say, hard hitting as they might be, it is best to take them the way they are intended by the Great Guru.Verse 3naariistanabhara naabhiideshamdrishhtvaa maagaamohaaveshametanmaamsaavasaadi vikaarammanasi vichintaya vaaram vaaramThe third verse said to me - Sruti says🌷Oh fool, stop lusting over her body, this is the cause of all delusion-Maya.Beyond the covering of a thin layer of skin, it is nothing but flesh and filth.—————Just like Love and Attachment are not interchangeable. So too, Lust and Love are not the same. Attachment and lust are selfish, meant to satisfy sensual desires, where as Love is divine, pure and selfless, it just is.At a superficial level, it is telling us that one should not be compulsively attracted to the opposite gender. Shristi has been created and it needs to be sustained. Agreed, but an act of procreation has been made recreational, which is being condemned here.Sadhak, even if he is a Grihasth has to be vary of being swayed to the pleasure of the sense and be in discipline and decorum. Two people come together in life not for Bhog, but for yog. Most of our greatest Sages have been Grihastas. It was never felt that path of salvation was unattainable by a Grihasta. At a deeper level, it is indicating that one should change ones vision and see everyone as the divine and not as a body. Deha-buddhi is that which causes, such misplaced emotions. When we see each other as the supreme energy, deep respect is born.However, it is easier said than done. It is true that the strongest weapon of maya are Kancan and Kamini - Wealth(verse2) and Lust(verse 3). To get over the desire for both is a herculean task. In the next verse, the solution to overcome the pull is also given. Darkness can be overcome by light. So too, true knowledge of this perishable body, a piece of flesh and filth, which is not kept a minute after the underly energy departs, is not worth lusting for.Our shastras never emphasis on suppression, they emphasis on reasoning and sublimation.Suppression - Fighting the negative head on. Sublimation - Focusing on the truth and divine, letting the vice thin automatically. To explain further in Swami Shivandji's words :"Suppression of urge is not eradication. You can never be free of that which is suppressed. The suppressed desire will attack you again and again and will produce irritability and restlessness of mind. It will again manifest with redoubled force when a suitable opportunity arises, when the will becomes weak.The mind should be rendered pure by meditation, Japa, Kirtan and prayer. If the mind is filled with sublime divine thoughts by meditation, Japa, prayer and study of holy scriptures, the desire will be devitalised or de-energised by the withdrawal of the mind. The mind also will be thinned."To conclude would put forth a quote by Viveknandaji and a clipping by Kirit Bhaiji, which echo what Shankrachaya ji is saying;“The same Law is applied to the married or the single. If one wastes the most potent force (Ojas Shakti) of one’s being, one can not become spiritual." Hari Om🙏

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 34 and 35

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam Verse 2 Mudha jahihi dhanagama trshnaKuru sadhbuddhim manasivi trshnam IYallabhase nijakarmopattamVittam tena vinodaya chittam IThe second verse said to me - Sruti says🌷Oh fool, move beyond the flood of desire for wealth and become desire-less.Rejoice in whatever comes your way (Good or Bad) as the fruit of Karma.——————Would like to work backward on this verse. Will start from the second sentence and move to the first. In Ramcharitra Manas, it is written;Sunahu bharat bhavi prabal bilakhi kaheu muninath,hani labhu jivanu maranu jasu apajasu bidhi hath IWith a heavy heart, Muni tell Bharat, that the power of destiny is immense.Lose, gain, life, death, fame and defame are all in the hands of destiny. 2) Honi hokar rehti taale nahin talti..Whatever has to happen will happen, no one can avoid or stop it.3) Awaken, life is but a dream, let the vision cease.If you can’t, devote your life to selfless love and service free.Here, even the concept of destiny or the divine will have been refuted. To say, it is all a dream.———————1 and 2 talk about the Karma Philosophy: We have taken multiple births, in various lokas and donned various bodies, appearing in various species. In every birth, where we consider ourselves as the ‘Doers- Karta and Bhokta’, there are consequences. Based on that, we get our next birth, and all that surrounds us in terms of people, things, situations etc. To put it simply, what we get is the cumulative sub total of our Karma. This karma philosophy is also very complicated. With each Marg having its own explanation, which we are not getting into here.To put it simply, ‘As we sow so shall we reap’.So, Shankrachayaji, says with joy and glee embrace all that comes your way. You are getting what you deserve nothing less and nothing more. It is all as per your doing-karma. So, why complain when we have less and why rejoice when we have more. If we take what he is indicating a little further, we will understand that he is saying, that you are not the Doer, when you consider yourself the doer, that is when, Karma comes in play. The one who is desperate to find a reason for what is happening to him/her, is in a state of ‘Ego - I am’, hence, for my existence and happening in my life there is a reason.Therefore, the 3 rd point says that all is nothing but a dream. Think - How much control do we have on our dream. We are a part of God’s dream. The one who has understood, that I am not, there is no reason, there is no Karma, it just is. Is able to be in a state of Anand no matter what. For, he does not run after reasons and justifications. He accepts all as the divine play, a divine Leela. When life becomes a directed play, the character does not lament or rejoice. That which is not real, does not upheaval ones emotions.‘Upar wala paasa faike neeche chalte daav,Kabhi dhup tau kabhi chav.’Lord roles the dice and accordingly the moves happen,sometimes there is sunshine, sometimes shade.’There is no reason, move beyond Karma and be in glee. The world will see you as eccentric, but, you enjoy the show.This understanding, helps one become desire-less, dispassionate, a Vairagi. Hence, he says, when this Saad Buddhi, the truth, the right knowledge, the realisation dawns, all desires take leave. For, it is only a Fool, who unaware of this play, desires for wealth. The fool, chases wealth and spends all his life amassing it and later protecting it.The awakened, knows, that wealth is also part of the whole drama, if the script demands for it to come, it will, if it meant to stay it will, if it is meant go it will. What has to happen will happen.Just be.Hari Om 🙏

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 33

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

BhajGovindam🙏Scenario:There are two scenarios that need to be kept in mind while analysing and internalising the verses.This was said to the Scholar, Pandit who was memorising the Sanskrit grammar rules.Later, the flow of emotion was so strong that, it flowed like a gush to his students, who continued the compositions. Verse 1Bhajagovindaṁ bhajagovindaṁ govindaṁ bhajamūḍhamate | samprāpte sannihite kāle nahi nahi rakśati ḍukṛñkaraṇe |The first verse said to me - Sruti Says,🌷The three words that really stir my heart are;Moodh: Fool Bhaj: ReverGovind: God Oh Fool have reverence for the God who is the controller of all and dissolve in him. ‘Have love for God, have love for God,Just love the Lord, Oh Fool.At the time of your death,These Sanskrit grammar rules will not help.’The evident plight of Guru Shankaracharya, when he looked at the learned scholars, Sadhu, saints, sages, tapasvis, yogis etc is expressed in this verse. All of them apt, accurate and proficient at what they were chanting and practicing, but missed out on very essence, devotion to God. So, shallow was their pursuit and so, ruthlessly rigid their path, that nothing, but mundane futility was conveyed by the tedious torturous exercise. They failed to experience the divine themselves, and repelled other from him.Little did they understood that only what comes from the heart goes to the heart. The lord is a romantic experience, seldom visible in words. Till one experiences, internalises and surrenders completely, no matter how articulate the words of the scholar, they will be mere hollow disturbing noises.Very often, we see such people flood the shores of spirituality, Sanatan Dharm, emptying it of the very essence which is devotion. Their empty endeavours make what should have been a divine inner experience, a race of outer perfection. In their attempt to repeat superficially the scriptures verbatim, they forget, the scriptures are, but, a result of the divine awakening.Sankaracharyaji is telling us that while reading these sacred expression of divine bliss, don’t get stuck on the words, one should take an effortless dip in the ocean of love, where through these words, the rendezvous of the author with God can be felt.Time and again, the same message has been echoed to deaf ear of our so called Scholar - The self proclaimed custodians of Sanatan Dharm.Am enclosing few more expression of the same message that was conveyed by Guru Shankaracharya; As Kabir Baba’s bleeding heart also said, “Potha pad pad jaag muah pandit bhaya na koi, Dhai aakhar prem ke pade so pandit hoye”The Bhajan Yam Niyam sayam (Attached), andVerse from Ram Charitramas in uttarakhand (attached)Immerse and experience the oneness, for after that, there is no death.Hari Om 🙏

Session on Sunderkand from Ramcharitra Manas written by Tulsidasji

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 31 and 32

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam - IntroductionWhat it said to me..🙏The main points that caught my attentions are as follows;Situation - Non-harmony within in our DharmaBases of his belief - Non dual Brahman He was self appointed - The calling was from withinPurpose of the verses - Moha Mudgara (Hammer), to awaken, by removing delusionDirected to - The pandit/learned caught up in mundane details, ignoring the deeper meaningWill elaborate below;To begin with, when was reading the introduction, it somehow was a narration of the the current situation. As they say ‘History repeats itself’.There is complete non-harmony and the fundamental basis of the Sanatan Dharma have become a subject of debate. We have forgotten that we belong to the Sanatan Dharma, which is a way of life, and have become confused Hindus, who don’t even know what Hindu religion means, or are oblivious to the fact that, there is nothing like Hinduism.Not only this, there is constant debate between different sects, muth, spiritual organisations, each one fixed on their path being the right and their guru being the best. To the extent that, instead of looking at where the finger is pointing, we are just looking at the finger. We are as divided and confused today, as people were in Shankrachaya ji’s time.Second, his bases of belief is Non-Dual Brahman, one without a second. This, again, is like a never ending discussion between the followers of various margs:Advaita : Non-dualism.Vishishtadvaita : Qualified Non-dualism.Dvaita : Dualism.Dvaitadvaita : Dualistic Non-dualism.Shuddhadvaita : Pure Non-dualism.Achintya Bheda Abheda : Inconceivable one-ness and differenceWe have misunderstood him I feel, and we feel he was a propagator of only Advaita. But, he was a propagator of God. That one without a second. He has written various hymns on Krishna, Devi, ShivShankar, Gangaji, Yamunaji etc. The relation one wants to share with the God, in what form one wants to see God, is a personal inclination and choice. All paths lead to God.Third, just like Sukhdevji, who in the presence of so many learned sages, including his father, Veda Vyasaji, was the one chosen (Being learned is not equal to being connected). In the same way, his calling and purpose was defined from within. He did not need anyone’s approval. He was being guided by the universe.The power of the universe worked thought him, and it is evident by how he was able to achieve what he did in merely 32 years. The magnitude of his work, displays the divine himself at work.Last, but the most important take for me is that, just like all the other Scriptures, he tells us a simple truth. That the objective of all that we do, chant, recite, sing, read, mediate etc is Self-Realisation. All that we do is but a means to the end, Sat-Chit-Anand. Many a seekers get stuck in perfecting the means, and forget why they had taken up the practice in the first place. We lose focus of the Goal, which is Prabhu Prapti and get so immersed in perfecting the practice, that the connection it is supposed to bring is lost.  Had perfection in grammar, pronunciation, rituals etc been the bases, Rathnakar would never have become Valmiki. It does not mean we should not learn properly, but again, what is ‘proper’ should not be a topic of contention. He has hit the hammer on this very way we are approaching spirituality - with extreme rigidity. His direct, non-sugar quoted verses , with no hidden meaning, leaves no space for interpretation, the verses mean exactly what they are saying. They can be elaborate and interpreted in any ways based on our beliefs or conditioning. But, taking them word by word, keeping in mind the situation in which it was narrated, would be the way forward for me.Hari Om 🙏🌷

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 28, 29 and 30

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 28, 29 and 30

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verse 28, 29 and 30

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan GitaVibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Geeta Chapter 1 - Verse 26 and 27 continued

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Ramcharitra Manas - Kiskindha Kand Doha 20 and Chaupai 1 to 4 after Doha number 20

Chapter 1 - Verse 26 and 27

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishadh Yoga Verse 24 and 25

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran

Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran

Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran

Sessions

Sessions

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Sixth and Seventh SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 14 to 17———————————-Sub Stories - Ram Navmi ki Ram RamStory 1: When the Param Atma asked all the Jiva Atmas to depart to earth. No one wanted to leave, they were all worried, they said your maya will engulf us and we will get lost forever in the web of your maya and will never be able to return to you. We will be lost forever, and will never remember you, leave alone come back to you.The Lost smiled and answered, don’t worry, I will keep reminding you of me. The Jiva Atmas wondered how. The Lord said, that i will keep sending problems your way, and when you will be faced with a problem, you will turn to me and remember me. Every time your forget me, I will send a reminder in the forms of problems and hence, I will not let you forget me.Ponder:Every time we are faced with a problem, we turn to God, but the minute our sorrows are taken care of and joy sets in, we forget the Lord again. This cycle keeps repeating itself. We blame the Lord for sending problems our way, not realising it is just a message for us to realise the self and reach the divine.Example:When people die, especially close ones, we have a kind of Vairagya set in, Samshan Vairagya, at that time we question the very meaning of the material life. But, sooner than later, we let go of this awakening and get lost in Maya again.The one who holds on it becomes one with the divine - The likes of Bhagwan Shri Ramana Maharishi, with this very Samshan Vairagya, break the clutches of Maya and merge the ‘Saad Chid Anand Swaroop forever’.Story 2:There was ones a sage, he knocked at the door and the voice from inside asked, who is it.The sage said, ‘I am there, it is me.’The door did not open. The sage went away and felt he must have said something wrong and so intensified his Tapa. After a long duration he went back and knocked, and the voice inside asked, who is it.The sage replied, ‘It is me, I am here.’The door did not open yet again.The sage went back and delved deeper with in and after ages came back and knocked. A voice as always asked, who is it.The sage this time said, ‘It is all you, there is nothing but you, there is no one but you, only you exist only one.’The door opened.Ponder:Till there is Ego, there me and there is you. The day there is no Ego, there is no me and there is no you.Mera mujhe mai kuch nahin jo kuch hai woh tera. Tera tujhe ko saup du to kya jata hai mera.Story 3: Ramji shows his Virat Roop to Ma Kaushalya, and takes permission to be born as her son. Ma Kaushalya request that she forgets this vision. She just wants to know this Divine bliss to be her son a normal child and Ramji obliges. Only after this is Ramji born.Story 4:Ramji one day plays an innocent trick on Ma Kaushalya when he is just a small baby. She puts him to sleep, goes to do her prayers, but sees Ramji sitting in front of the mandir, and when she runs back, she sees him sleeping. This happens again and gain till she get tired and again he shows her his Virat Roop. He tell her my dear mother, it is not easy for anyone to see this form of mine, be blessed and see me. Again Ma Kaushalya refuses and request that she forgets this, till she is in this Human form and only remember Ram as her son. Again the Lord obliges.Ponder: (Story 3 and Story 4)Even Devki and Yashoda - Had the vision of the Virat Swaroop of Lord.The power of a mother is beyond what words can assert. How is it possible that the divine is born and the mother does not know. But, with great power comes great responsibility.Every mother knows, that a divine has taken birth. She sees the divine in her child. A Kaushalya made Ram, RamA Yashoda made Krishna, KrishnaWhat are we making our children?Human birth is rare, are we directing our children towards self realisation or self destruction.Story 5:When Ramji is 5 years old, Shivji wanted to go and see him, so from his 11 Rudras he gave 1 Rudra the form of Hanumanji. Parvatiji was not willing to let Shivji leave her and go. He assure her to be back soon and gives Parvatiji the Divine vision to see all the Leela from Kailash. Shivji becomes a Madari and Hanumaji a monkey and they go to the palace and start doing the show. Ramji and his 3 brothers come to see the show. When Shivji is about to leave Hanumanji, conveys that he had come to stay, by his sad glance, and then follows a beautiful Bal Leela and by a little tear, a little smile and lots of drama, he convinces his mother to let Hanumanji stay. Shivji also does not give in easily and gets the queens to humbly beg for Hanumanji to Stay.Hanumaji is finally left with Ramji and Shivji disappears and goes back to Kailash, leaving behind a part of himself to serve Ramji. Hanumanji stayed in Ayodhya till Rishi Visvamitra takes him to fight Tataka. At time that time Hanumanji goes to serve Sugriv and wait for Ram to come.Ponder:What does the story convey to you?1

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Sixth and Seventh SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 14 to 17———————————-Sub Stories - Ram Navmi ki Ram RamStory 1: When the Param Atma asked all the Jiva Atmas to depart to earth. No one wanted to leave, they were all worried, they said your maya will engulf us and we will get lost forever in the web of your maya and will never be able to return to you. We will be lost forever, and will never remember you, leave alone come back to you.The Lost smiled and answered, don’t worry, I will keep reminding you of me. The Jiva Atmas wondered how. The Lord said, that i will keep sending problems your way, and when you will be faced with a problem, you will turn to me and remember me. Every time your forget me, I will send a reminder in the forms of problems and hence, I will not let you forget me.Ponder:Every time we are faced with a problem, we turn to God, but the minute our sorrows are taken care of and joy sets in, we forget the Lord again. This cycle keeps repeating itself. We blame the Lord for sending problems our way, not realising it is just a message for us to realise the self and reach the divine.Example:When people die, especially close ones, we have a kind of Vairagya set in, Samshan Vairagya, at that time we question the very meaning of the material life. But, sooner than later, we let go of this awakening and get lost in Maya again.The one who holds on it becomes one with the divine - The likes of Bhagwan Shri Ramana Maharishi, with this very Samshan Vairagya, break the clutches of Maya and merge the ‘Saad Chid Anand Swaroop forever’.Story 2:There was ones a sage, he knocked at the door and the voice from inside asked, who is it.The sage said, ‘I am there, it is me.’The door did not open. The sage went away and felt he must have said something wrong and so intensified his Tapa. After a long duration he went back and knocked, and the voice inside asked, who is it.The sage replied, ‘It is me, I am here.’The door did not open yet again.The sage went back and delved deeper with in and after ages came back and knocked. A voice as always asked, who is it.The sage this time said, ‘It is all you, there is nothing but you, there is no one but you, only you exist only one.’The door opened.Ponder:Till there is Ego, there me and there is you. The day there is no Ego, there is no me and there is no you.Mera mujhe mai kuch nahin jo kuch hai woh tera. Tera tujhe ko saup du to kya jata hai mera.Story 3: Ramji shows his Virat Roop to Ma Kaushalya, and takes permission to be born as her son. Ma Kaushalya request that she forgets this vision. She just wants to know this Divine bliss to be her son a normal child and Ramji obliges. Only after this is Ramji born.Story 4:Ramji one day plays an innocent trick on Ma Kaushalya when he is just a small baby. She puts him to sleep, goes to do her prayers, but sees Ramji sitting in front of the mandir, and when she runs back, she sees him sleeping. This happens again and gain till she get tired and again he shows her his Virat Roop. He tell her my dear mother, it is not easy for anyone to see this form of mine, be blessed and see me. Again Ma Kaushalya refuses and request that she forgets this, till she is in this Human form and only remember Ram as her son. Again the Lord obliges.Ponder: (Story 3 and Story 4)Even Devki and Yashoda - Had the vision of the Virat Swaroop of Lord.The power of a mother is beyond what words can assert. How is it possible that the divine is born and the mother does not know. But, with great power comes great responsibility.Every mother knows, that a divine has taken birth. She sees the divine in her child. A Kaushalya made Ram, RamA Yashoda made Krishna, KrishnaWhat are we making our children?Human birth is rare, are we directing our children towards self realisation or self destruction.Story 5:When Ramji is 5 years old, Shivji wanted to go and see him, so from his 11 Rudras he gave 1 Rudra the form of Hanumanji. Parvatiji was not willing to let Shivji leave her and go. He assure her to be back soon and gives Parvatiji the Divine vision to see all the Leela from Kailash. Shivji becomes a Madari and Hanumaji a monkey and they go to the palace and start doing the show. Ramji and his 3 brothers come to see the show. When Shivji is about to leave Hanumanji, conveys that he had come to stay, by his sad glance, and then follows a beautiful Bal Leela and by a little tear, a little smile and lots of drama, he convinces his mother to let Hanumanji stay. Shivji also does not give in easily and gets the queens to humbly beg for Hanumanji to Stay.Hanumaji is finally left with Ramji and Shivji disappears and goes back to Kailash, leaving behind a part of himself to serve Ramji. Hanumanji stayed in Ayodhya till Rishi Visvamitra takes him to fight Tataka. At time that time Hanumanji goes to serve Sugriv and wait for Ram to come.Ponder:What does the story convey to you?1

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Third, Fourth and Fifth SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 9 to 13————————————Krishna ‘Krs’ means absolute existence, and ‘na’ signifies bliss or moksha - Absolute existence and bliss is Krishan ————————————-Vrtasurs appeal to the Lord - May this plea also echo from our heart, with every beat and every breath.O Hari, if re-born, may I be born as a servant of those devotees who have solely taken refuge in your feet. Let my mind ponder and tongue celebrate you excellence, and let my body do your service alone.O God, I crave only for you. I crave for neither the abode of Dhruv, which is placed above the heavens nor even the realms of Brahma nor the rule of the entire globe nor the lordship of the subterranean regions nor the super natural powers attained though yoga nor Liberation.Just like the unfledged birds are eager to see the mother bird, young calves tormented with hunger seek the milk, and a beloved wife, depressed in spirit longs to see her husband. My mind O God is keen to behold you.——————————————Story (Indra, Brihaspati and Vrtasur.. continued)Vishvarupa was very clever he had 3 faces and three mouths. While doing the yagnas he would put oblations not only for the Devtas, but for the Daityas and himself also. Indra found out and without any delay he lopped off the heads of Vishvarupa. He had the sin of killing a Brahmin in his hand, but later the earth, water, trees and women offered to take his sin, in return of a boon. Twasta, the father of Vishvarupa did a yagna and came out a fierce demon, who was indestructible and was created for the end of the Indra and the Devas. The Devas had to go into battle again, however, ones again they were without a Guru, the Daityas again raged a war, and again the Devas had to go into hiding. This time they prayed to Shri Hari, and he guided them to go and ask Sage Dhadhichi for his bone. The Sage who was selfless, gave his bones and Indra made a Vajra out of it. The devas and the Daityas again met in battle the all the demons ran aways in fear and then followed a fierce battle between Vrtasura and Indra. Indra defeated Vrtasura and destroyed him, and his soul went and merged into Shri Hari.Now, again all the Devas rejoiced but, Indra was agonised as yet again he was faced with the sin of killing a Brahmana, that also the one who was born from the holy fire of a Yagna. Indra was horrified and was being chased by this great sin in the form of a Chandal woman. He escaped and hid himself in Manasa Lake, in the fibre of a Lotus stem for a thousand years.In his absence, a king from the Mortal world, known as Nahusa enthroned Amravati. He developed a liking of Saci and wanted her to befriend him, she went to Brihaspati, who had finally come back, to seek advice. He advised her to tell him, that she would meet him only if he came in a palanquin borne by Brahmanas to saci’s palace. Binded by love, he made thé sapta rishies were carrythé palki .Hé was in a hurry to meet sachi. So hé kicked aghastya as hé was short and not fast enough to walk with others saying ' Sarpa Sarpa which means fast in sanskrit. So Aghastya curses him to become Sarpa or a python. (He was eventually redeemed by Yudistra in Dwapara)Indra performed the Ashwamedha Yagna as directed by the Rishis and the huge mass of sin in the form of slaying of Vrtasur disappeared. Indra regained his purity and went back to Amravati to rule and lead the Devas. —————————————Points to PonderMessage of the Story:The stories in our shastras are not mere stories. The message of the Upanishads are simplified and presented so that we can understand the deeper meanings. Not only this, when we read the scriptures every dialogue is packed with immense knowledge. Just like the Date tree is packed in one tiny seed, every word, every line of the Puranas, has the entire Veda securely imbedded. Lets try to decode what the above story is trying to tell us;- Indra = Deva of action - Brihaspati = Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence- Sukracharya = Power and cunning- Devatas = Govern various Karma Indriya and Gyan Indriya - Daityas = Enticing joys of the material world- Vishvarupa = Fickle monkey mind- Dhadichi = Selfless Action with no doership- Vrtrasur = Our deep rooted Vritis, which are an outcome of our Vasnanas (These thought could be good or bad)- 365 days battle - Total focus We always say that there are 4 pursuits of human existence;- Dharma- Artha- Kaam- MokshaOne has to be established in Dharma and then go on with the pursuit of wealth, desire and if the acquisition wealth and fulfilment of desire is governed by Dharma, one will certainly achieve Moksha.Indra is action, if it has the guidance of Brihaspati, who stands for the Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence. The action will be

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Third, Fourth and Fifth SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 9 to 13————————————Krishna ‘Krs’ means absolute existence, and ‘na’ signifies bliss or moksha - Absolute existence and bliss is Krishan ————————————-Vrtasurs appeal to the Lord - May this plea also echo from our heart, with every beat and every breath.O Hari, if re-born, may I be born as a servant of those devotees who have solely taken refuge in your feet. Let my mind ponder and tongue celebrate you excellence, and let my body do your service alone.O God, I crave only for you. I crave for neither the abode of Dhruv, which is placed above the heavens nor even the realms of Brahma nor the rule of the entire globe nor the lordship of the subterranean regions nor the super natural powers attained though yoga nor Liberation.Just like the unfledged birds are eager to see the mother bird, young calves tormented with hunger seek the milk, and a beloved wife, depressed in spirit longs to see her husband. My mind O God is keen to behold you.——————————————Story (Indra, Brihaspati and Vrtasur.. continued)Vishvarupa was very clever he had 3 faces and three mouths. While doing the yagnas he would put oblations not only for the Devtas, but for the Daityas and himself also. Indra found out and without any delay he lopped off the heads of Vishvarupa. He had the sin of killing a Brahmin in his hand, but later the earth, water, trees and women offered to take his sin, in return of a boon. Twasta, the father of Vishvarupa did a yagna and came out a fierce demon, who was indestructible and was created for the end of the Indra and the Devas. The Devas had to go into battle again, however, ones again they were without a Guru, the Daityas again raged a war, and again the Devas had to go into hiding. This time they prayed to Shri Hari, and he guided them to go and ask Sage Dhadhichi for his bone. The Sage who was selfless, gave his bones and Indra made a Vajra out of it. The devas and the Daityas again met in battle the all the demons ran aways in fear and then followed a fierce battle between Vrtasura and Indra. Indra defeated Vrtasura and destroyed him, and his soul went and merged into Shri Hari.Now, again all the Devas rejoiced but, Indra was agonised as yet again he was faced with the sin of killing a Brahmana, that also the one who was born from the holy fire of a Yagna. Indra was horrified and was being chased by this great sin in the form of a Chandal woman. He escaped and hid himself in Manasa Lake, in the fibre of a Lotus stem for a thousand years.In his absence, a king from the Mortal world, known as Nahusa enthroned Amravati. He developed a liking of Saci and wanted her to befriend him, she went to Brihaspati, who had finally come back, to seek advice. He advised her to tell him, that she would meet him only if he came in a palanquin borne by Brahmanas to saci’s palace. Binded by love, he made thé sapta rishies were carrythé palki .Hé was in a hurry to meet sachi. So hé kicked aghastya as hé was short and not fast enough to walk with others saying ' Sarpa Sarpa which means fast in sanskrit. So Aghastya curses him to become Sarpa or a python. (He was eventually redeemed by Yudistra in Dwapara)Indra performed the Ashwamedha Yagna as directed by the Rishis and the huge mass of sin in the form of slaying of Vrtasur disappeared. Indra regained his purity and went back to Amravati to rule and lead the Devas. —————————————Points to PonderMessage of the Story:The stories in our shastras are not mere stories. The message of the Upanishads are simplified and presented so that we can understand the deeper meanings. Not only this, when we read the scriptures every dialogue is packed with immense knowledge. Just like the Date tree is packed in one tiny seed, every word, every line of the Puranas, has the entire Veda securely imbedded. Lets try to decode what the above story is trying to tell us;- Indra = Deva of action - Brihaspati = Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence- Sukracharya = Power and cunning- Devatas = Govern various Karma Indriya and Gyan Indriya - Daityas = Enticing joys of the material world- Vishvarupa = Fickle monkey mind- Dhadichi = Selfless Action with no doership- Vrtrasur = Our deep rooted Vritis, which are an outcome of our Vasnanas (These thought could be good or bad)- 365 days battle - Total focus We always say that there are 4 pursuits of human existence;- Dharma- Artha- Kaam- MokshaOne has to be established in Dharma and then go on with the pursuit of wealth, desire and if the acquisition wealth and fulfilment of desire is governed by Dharma, one will certainly achieve Moksha.Indra is action, if it has the guidance of Brihaspati, who stands for the Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence. The action will be

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Third, Fourth and Fifth SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 9 to 13————————————Krishna ‘Krs’ means absolute existence, and ‘na’ signifies bliss or moksha - Absolute existence and bliss is Krishan ————————————-Vrtasurs appeal to the Lord - May this plea also echo from our heart, with every beat and every breath.O Hari, if re-born, may I be born as a servant of those devotees who have solely taken refuge in your feet. Let my mind ponder and tongue celebrate you excellence, and let my body do your service alone.O God, I crave only for you. I crave for neither the abode of Dhruv, which is placed above the heavens nor even the realms of Brahma nor the rule of the entire globe nor the lordship of the subterranean regions nor the super natural powers attained though yoga nor Liberation.Just like the unfledged birds are eager to see the mother bird, young calves tormented with hunger seek the milk, and a beloved wife, depressed in spirit longs to see her husband. My mind O God is keen to behold you.——————————————Story (Indra, Brihaspati and Vrtasur.. continued)Vishvarupa was very clever he had 3 faces and three mouths. While doing the yagnas he would put oblations not only for the Devtas, but for the Daityas and himself also. Indra found out and without any delay he lopped off the heads of Vishvarupa. He had the sin of killing a Brahmin in his hand, but later the earth, water, trees and women offered to take his sin, in return of a boon. Twasta, the father of Vishvarupa did a yagna and came out a fierce demon, who was indestructible and was created for the end of the Indra and the Devas. The Devas had to go into battle again, however, ones again they were without a Guru, the Daityas again raged a war, and again the Devas had to go into hiding. This time they prayed to Shri Hari, and he guided them to go and ask Sage Dhadhichi for his bone. The Sage who was selfless, gave his bones and Indra made a Vajra out of it. The devas and the Daityas again met in battle the all the demons ran aways in fear and then followed a fierce battle between Vrtasura and Indra. Indra defeated Vrtasura and destroyed him, and his soul went and merged into Shri Hari.Now, again all the Devas rejoiced but, Indra was agonised as yet again he was faced with the sin of killing a Brahmana, that also the one who was born from the holy fire of a Yagna. Indra was horrified and was being chased by this great sin in the form of a Chandal woman. He escaped and hid himself in Manasa Lake, in the fibre of a Lotus stem for a thousand years.In his absence, a king from the Mortal world, known as Nahusa enthroned Amravati. He developed a liking of Saci and wanted her to befriend him, she went to Brihaspati, who had finally come back, to seek advice. He advised her to tell him, that she would meet him only if he came in a palanquin borne by Brahmanas to saci’s palace. Binded by love, he made thé sapta rishies were carrythé palki .Hé was in a hurry to meet sachi. So hé kicked aghastya as hé was short and not fast enough to walk with others saying ' Sarpa Sarpa which means fast in sanskrit. So Aghastya curses him to become Sarpa or a python. (He was eventually redeemed by Yudistra in Dwapara)Indra performed the Ashwamedha Yagna as directed by the Rishis and the huge mass of sin in the form of slaying of Vrtasur disappeared. Indra regained his purity and went back to Amravati to rule and lead the Devas. —————————————Points to PonderMessage of the Story:The stories in our shastras are not mere stories. The message of the Upanishads are simplified and presented so that we can understand the deeper meanings. Not only this, when we read the scriptures every dialogue is packed with immense knowledge. Just like the Date tree is packed in one tiny seed, every word, every line of the Puranas, has the entire Veda securely imbedded. Lets try to decode what the above story is trying to tell us;- Indra = Deva of action - Brihaspati = Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence- Sukracharya = Power and cunning- Devatas = Govern various Karma Indriya and Gyan Indriya - Daityas = Enticing joys of the material world- Vishvarupa = Fickle monkey mind- Dhadichi = Selfless Action with no doership- Vrtrasur = Our deep rooted Vritis, which are an outcome of our Vasnanas (These thought could be good or bad)- 365 days battle - Total focus We always say that there are 4 pursuits of human existence;- Dharma- Artha- Kaam- MokshaOne has to be established in Dharma and then go on with the pursuit of wealth, desire and if the acquisition wealth and fulfilment of desire is governed by Dharma, one will certainly achieve Moksha.Indra is action, if it has the guidance of Brihaspati, who stands for the Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence. The action will be

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-Second SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 7 and 8————————————Story Sukhdevji was detailing the way creation took place, and he went on to mention the sons of Diti and Aditi. Diti’s sons were the devas and Aditi’s sons were the Daityas. The guru of the Devas was Brihaspati and the guru of Daityas was Sukracharya. However, Brihaspati left the devas and so they had to ask Visvarupa - the son of Racana to become their preceptor. Pariksitji, stopped sukhtdevji to explain why would the deva’s guru leave them and they would have to ask their nephew who was part human, part deva and part daitya to become their guru. What action or situation could have caused this kind of an extreme outcome.Sukhdevji, went on to explain that Indra was ones seated in Amravati, surrounded by all the other devas in his court. He was lost in self glory and his ego had taken over. At that very moment, Brihaspati walked in, inspite of seeing him come, neither did he get up to greet him, nor did he even look at him. Brihaspati quitely walked away back to his ashram. He could have cursed or reprimanded Indra, but chose not to and let time teach him his lesson. No soon then his guru left, senses dawned and he repented for what he had done and rushed to apologise. However, sensing that Indra would come, Brihaspati with the power of his Yoga disappeared. Indra and the others Devas tried very hard to find him, but to no avail.In the mean time, the Daityas heard that, the Deva’s were without any guidance and support, so under the command of Sukracharya they attacked the Devas who were defeated and had to go into hiding. They sought guidance from Brahma, and he directed them to make Vishvrupa their priest and perform the Narayan Kavacham yagna. Under the guidance of Vishvarupa, who was requested to accept being their guru inspite of being nephew, they with proper procedure purified the self and invoked god with the help of Narayan Kavacam mantra. All protected they defeated the Daityas and regained control of Amravati.Points to PonderIndra - How it worksIf we look at it from the superficial point of view, we all know that it is easy for success to make way to our head. To lose manners when one is showered with success and power is nothing but obvious. A person who is down to earth and humble inspite of achieving the pinnacles of glory is considered ‘God’ in flesh and blood. So what happened to Indra, was nothing unusual or extraordinary, worldly success is heady and intoxication results in a person overstepping the boundary of dharma, decorum and decency. Indra’s power went to his head and he strayed from the path of righteousness and decorum. When ego takes over there is nowhere but down to go. So, how can one be careful and what needs to be done to keep ego at bay and humility up close.If we look at the deeper meaning of the above story, we will get our answer. - Indra = Indriyas and action (He resides in the hands - refer to the chart attached for more details)- Brihaspati = Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence- Sukracharya = Power and cunningWe always say that there are 4 pursuits of human existence;- Dharma- Artha- Kaam- MokshaOne has to be established in Dharma and then go on with the pursuit of wealth, desire and if the acquisition wealth and fulfilment of desire is governed by Dharma, one will certainly achieve Moksha.Indra is action, if it has the guidance of Brihaspati, who stands for the Vedas, Shastras, wisdom and Prudence. The action will be dharmic and keep ego at bay and humility intact.When this companionship is broken, the Daityas (our lower tendencies) in guidance of Sukracharya - power and cunningness over take our action.Purity EnhancementThe human body is very tamasic, it is composed bones, flesh, and skin, it is totally impure. It can be given a degree of divinity by establishing devas in all limbs and organs. But, before that the body needs to be purified. The mantras which are able to do this are;- 8 word mantras - Om Namo Narayanaya - 12 word mantras - Om Namo Bhagvate Vasudevaya- 6 word mantras - Om Visnave Namah The chanting of these mantra purifies, and makes way for the divine to enter. The same name can be heard by many people, but only in some the divine transformation happen, the rest claim to no change as a result of chanting. Why does this happen?If a vessel is full till the brim with water, no amount of rain water can make it way in it. In the same way if a vessel is upside down, the water will not be able to enter. Only if the vessel is put up right and is emptied will the rain water make way into it and fill it to the brim.Hence, the amount we are able to fill ourselves is only to the extent we have emptied ourselves of our ego. In yoga the instruction are to empty you lungs, and the right amount of air will find its way in while we inhale.We also say Krishna and Mira also says Kris

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Forty-First SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 4 to 6 ———————————Pariksit Requested:The genesis of Gods and demons, human being and Nagas, beast and birds in the very first manvantar, covering 71 revolutions of the 4 yugas, presiding over by Swambhu Manu was described by you. I desire to know the details of it and with what power the supreme Lord evolved the supreme creation. (Book 3 dealt with creation)————————————StoryWhen the 10 Pracetas sons of Pracinabarhi emerged from the Lake, they saw that the entire earth had been invaded by trees and they got very agitated and started destroying them. At that time Soma consoled them saying you are the ruler of all created being and it is not becoming of you to cause harm. Instead they were requested to marry the foster daughter of the tree. To them was born Dakhsa (He is different from the one who was created by Brahma himself in the first Manvantar)Now, Daksha tried to create the world, through his mind, however this world was not sustainable and he was unable to make any tangible creation. Finally, he turned towards the Lord for guidance - he called out and praised the Lord. ‘Hamsauhya’ is the name of the hymn sung by him. Due to intense prayer and total surrender to the Lord, the divine appeared and guided him to give up the effort of mental creation and begin physical procreation. He married Askini (Panchajani, the daughter of Panchajana) and procreated with the union.Daksha and Askini had 10 000 son, and these son were directed towards Narayanasara to do Tapa, to unable them to become cleansed from all impurities. They practiced severe austerities and developed renunciation and self knowledge, however were intent on going back as their father had put the intent to populate the world on them. At that moment Narad Muni saw them and talked to them and told them they were yet not suitable for creation and influenced them to give up worldly desires. This made them drop the resolve of procreation and seek the deeper truth. Daksha got this new and was very disheartened and had 1000 more sons and again instructed them to go to Narayanasara to do Tapa and come back to populate the world. However, this time again Nara Muni, talked to them and told them that to follow the path chalked by their brothers and hence, they also denunciated the world and went to the quest of the self.Daksha, reprimanded Narad muni telling him that he had misguided his sons, they were unable to fulfil their duties and were not ready for the march towards self realisation. Daksha this time cursed Narad Muni and told him that he will not be able to stay in one place for more than a few seconds. Infact he said he will have not Halt as he wonders through the universe. Narad muni could have uttered counter curse, however he accepted the curse saying, ‘Very Well’.Daksha later after being Pacified by Brahamji, had 60 daughters. The Descendants of these daughters filled on all sides the 3 worlds - Heaven, earth and the intermediate regions.———————————-Points to Ponder:This session sees the divine dialogue between Dakha and the Lord Narayan. It also has the riddle of truth thrown by Narad Muni to the 10000 sons of Daksha. Will try to capture the some important points from each. Hamsauhya - Daskha Prayed1. The one who takes the object of senses to be real, is unable to see the truth and the Lord is beyond his cognition.2. This divine Lord lives as a friend within us.3. The one who sees the world as only the visible universe and nothing beyond. Is unable to perceive the divine within.4. God is infinite and unknowable.5. Only a pure mind is able to feel the divine - A pure mind is one where the world of name and form does not exist.6. Pure intellect is one where the Divine self remains and the self which is nothing but he ego disappears.7. The divine is found in the joy of liberations, w hen maya has been totally negated.8. He is also all names and forms9. Words, intellect, senses and mind, can not be his true form10. All that happens is nothing but Brahman11. He is the ultimate cause of all causes12. He is one without a second13. Yoga where they talk of union and Sankya were there is no name an form, are both talking about the same God14. He manifests in the form of pure sattva‘May the Lord grant my wish, who thought dwelling in the body of all men as their formless inner controller, appears diversified in the form of different deities to people, according to their individual tendencies formed in their previous and according to the system of worship followed by them.’‘Just as the air emits the fragrance of various kind when it comes in contact with different odours or appears dusty when the dust is transferred to it.’Lord Talks The Lord describes himself as follows;- Asceticism (contemplation and practice of Yama and Niyama) is my Heart- Worship (muttering of prayer, Nyasa etc)is my Body as it gives a concrete shape

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Fortieth SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 1 to 3 ——————————————A portion of Book 5 (that we skipped for now) sees King Parikshit questioning Shri Shukhdevji Maharaj about the geographical conditions. It is made absolutely clear that all the descriptions given of islands, countries and continents, are not for the purpose of geographical or historic research. They are given to facilitate the ability to see God everywhere, and in all forms. All these descriptions establish that everything - from the inanimate to the animate, from a wisp of grass right up to Prakriti, and from and earth worm to Hiranyagarbha - is nothing but the form of the Lord. Meditating upon the description for the Lord removes the last strand of attachment and aversions.All the apparent difference around us - the difference between man and women, between religious sects, between Indian and Non-Indian, between the vedic and the other philosophies, between the Shaivas and the Shaktas etc. etc. are not real differences. They are hammers which shatter our heart. So, the geographical and astronomical descriptions have the specific pulse of mending our heart and making it whole again. ————————————————Book 6 talks about ‘Poshan - nurturing’. What are we nurturing here, we are nurturing the state of being established in the Self - Our Sat Chid Anand Swaroop. The entire journey is to know the true self ————————————————Story:Ajamil promised that he will mend his ways and never do anything horrible and evil again. He got a second chance to atone for his sins and he was very grateful to God. He left everything and started wondering around and spent a lot of time in the company of pious holy sages. Soon he was also fully purified and did lot of prayer and Tapa and went to Vaikuth Dham.Now, the Yama dooths, that is the messenger of Yama were very confused. They came back and told Yamraj everything that had happened. They requested Yama Raj to clear 2 major doubts. They asked;- Who is the Lord of the universe, who decides who should be taken to hell and who should not be taken to hell?- How do we decide who to take to hell and which hell should we take them to?To which Yamaraj decide to shed some knowledge and help his dear messengers.He answered that, I am not the Lord of the universe, Shri Hari is the only Lord of the universe and he is the one who has all the power. To the second question, he answered saying that the Vedas tell us what is Dharma and what is adharma. They also tell us what what is the atonement, based on what sin is committed. However, every sin becomes null and void if a person takes the name of the Lord. The person who has taken the name of the Lord even once (focused in thought, word and deed) should not be approached by the messengers of Yama. —————————————Points to Ponder:Power of Hari Naam - Naam Ki Mahima -Kaliyug Mai Hari naam Aadhar‘Sat Chit Anand Swaroop ki Stithi mai Rehne ka Poshan hai Hari Naam’We need to know the scriptures well to walk the path of Dharma described by them. We also need to know all our past life sins to atone for them completely. However, these two are very difficult methods.So, an easy solution to this big problem - Take the Hari Naam, which is able to remove all the sins from the very root.The manualAll machines come with manuals, we read the manuals before we operate them. However, this complex machine called ‘human’ is used without any guidance. The scriptures are the ‘Manuals for Humans’. The sooner we ‘Understand’ them, the better the type of life we will lead and better directed our pursuits will be.Bhisma StoryWhy Bhishma Pitamah was suffering this punishment even when he had not committed any sin during past 72 birth lives (Great Bhishma could peep into his past lives through Samadhi). Lord Krishna replied, that he committed a folly in past 73rd life birth when he inflicted injuries to insects by piercing thorns / needles into their bodies. Those thorns have now appeared as bed of arrows for you. Your sinful Karma remained dormant as you were a pious person throughout theses lives but since you have now become a party to Adharma of Duryodhana, the sanchit evil Karma’s of 73rd life has ripened now. So, if a person has done good Karmas in past lives, he/she gets a good life in future births & if he/she has done bad karmas in past lives then that person has to suffer bad fruit of those bad Karmas. So it is generally said that we should do good Karmas only. So Bhishma Pitamah had to suffer the pangs on the bed of arrows in battlefield before attaining final beatitude and redemption to Vaikuntha Loka.Power of the NameThere was ones an atheist who was adamant about never taking the Lord’s Name. He had a friend who loved the name Ram. The friend pleaded with him just to take the name of the Lord once, but he man refused. One day the friend caught him and threatened him to take Ram’s Name. The man def

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Thirty Ninth SessionBhagavata Shastha Skanda (Book Six)Chapter 1 to 2 —————————————————Pariksit Asks:How a man in this world can manage to escape from hell which is full of various horrible tortures?Sukhdevji Replies:If a man does not atone during his very life time and in the proper way, as laid down by the scriptures (Shastras) for the sins committed by him, with his mind, speech and hand, he inevitably and actually goes after death to the infernal regions (Hell) and has to bear severe tortures.Pariksit Asks: A man knows after what he hears and reads, as to what is sinful, he repents and atones, but due to lack of control, commits the sin again. He is stuck in this vicious circle - absolving from the sin and then doing it again. How does he ever get rids of these sins then?“The elephant goes and take a nice bath, just to come and throw dust on its body again.”Sukhdevji Replies:Now, the counteraction of a sinful act, by another act of goodness is not a radical remedy. “Even a number of holy rivers combined can not purify a Jar of wine.”—————————————————StoryThere was a Learned Brahmin named Ajamila, a very pious person and belonged to a very pious family. He had a young devoted wife. He and his family lived an exemplary life. One day he was walking past a jungle when he saw a drunk man indulging sexually with a prostitute. He stood watching and he felt an urge to experience the same sensual bliss. He understood that this was wrong and this was nothing but an attack by his senses and mind. Yet, he was unable to reason himself out of this burning desire.He forced himself home, but the next day, visited the jungle and met this prostitute and soon he got her home. He forgot about his parent and his pious wife. He left them all and started living with her. He would do everything to make her happy and fulfilled her unending demands. To the extent that this learned Brahmin became a thief, a dacoit and later a murder. Such horrendous became his life, that no one would every come near their house.Time went by, he had 10 sons and even at the age of 88 he was not free from the clutches of sensual pleasures. One day when he had gone out to fend for his family, a sage passing by, when he saw a little boy playing. He asked the boy his name, to this his mother answered that they had not named him yet. The sage asked her to call him Narayan.Ajamila was very attached to Narayan, he would not eat, drink or sleep without his beloved son. He would go around calling out for Narayan every minute. Soon the time for his death arrived, as he laid on his bed, he saw some hideous looking creatures come down and they were trying to tear his soul from his body. He shouted out for his son, Narayan come to me, Oh Narayan come to me. The minute the servants of Lord Narayan heard his name and someone calling for him, the immediately descended. When they saw the messengers of Yamaraj, pulling Ajamila’s soul. They stopped them saying they had no right over his soul. Poor Ajamila could see and hear, the dialogue bettween the 4 servants of Narayan and the 4 Servants of Yamaraj, as to who would take his soul. There followed a long dialogue, which started with the servants of Narayan asking, Yama’s servant;- What is the true characteristics of Dharma?- How is the punishment given and to whom?- Are all doers subject to punishment or only some?To which Yama’s messengers answered;- Dharma is that which is enjoined by the Veda and that which is forbidden by the Veda is Adharma. Vedas are Bhagwan Narayan himself.This Ajamila they said, has violated the scripts, acted according to his own will, led a sinful life and lived for a long time in an impure state, he is a sinner, who has done no atonement for his sins to Yama, and he will throw him into the hell which will punish him for his hideous acts.To which Bhagwan Narayan’s messengers answered;This man has done atonement for all his sins, he said the name of Narayan in full, it wipes out the sins even when uttered in parts. He uttered it when he was about to die and there was no chance of another thought, word or action to be done. So after uttering the Lords name he could not commit another sin in thought, word and deed. Not only this, this kind of a perfect timing, of taking the lords name precisely at the time of death is not possible without the Lords will. Moreover, the Lords name, uttered for the Lord or for calling anyone else, uttered with love or hatred or with any emotion, with respect or disrespect, voluntarily or involuntarily, knowingly or unknowingly, destroys all sins instantly. Hence, he is free from all sins he has done so far and hence, can not be taken to Yama, who cannot send him to Hell. Hearing this, the messengers of Yama, let loose the soul of Ajamila and went back to Yama, reported everything that had conspired and asked for help in understanding what had just happened. Ajmila n

Sessions

Sessions

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Thirty Sixth Session Bhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)Chapter 7 to 9—————————————StoryRishabh dev crowned Bharat the King and guided all his sons to support him in ruling the kingdom. When Bharat ruled the kingdom it is said that every citizen was selfless and the entire globe was a safe heaven. His rule was so divine that, the subdivision of Jambudwipa, known as Ajanabha, was renamed Bharat Varsa (Varsa meaning subdivision). Bharat Varsa is the name of our country, which is currently called India or at times Hindustan.During his reign he conduced many Yagnas and offered even the rewards, which was expected by all the sacrifices to the Lord of the Sacrifices. He could see that there was no two, there was only one in the offering, the person offering and that God (various deities including Indra) who was accepting. Such elevated was King Bharat’s state of being.He was married to Pancajani and had 5 sons, each as divine as Bharat himself. King Bharat realised that 10 million years had gone by and now he must have exhausted all the good merits. Not only this, he also saw that all his sons were able and ready to shoulder his responsibility. Hence, he just like all his ancestors tore down the shackles of the material world, and went on to the next Ashram - Vanaprasth Ashrama. King Bharat went near the hermitage of Sage Pulaha, situated at the banks of Gandaki, also knows as the Salagramaksetra, a place where Shri Hari reveals himself in his true devotees desired form even today. He made a small tattered hut for himself and immersed in deep Tapa (austerities) with one pointed focus - The Lord. He was focused and discipled and could think of nothing other than the Lord with every breath.One morning while he was engaged in his daily Tapa, he saw a Doe which had by chance strayed from its herd, drinking water, when a loud roar of the lion scared her into taking a leap from one bank to another, in the course of the leap, its womb gave way and the baby deer feel into the stream of water. The doe reached the other side but died immediately due to fear and fatigue.Bharat immediately jumped to rescue the deer and nursed it back to health. In the process, he developed a strong attachment towards the deer and spend most of his time tending and waiting on the deer. When the deer went into the jungle, Bharat would spend time worried waiting for it to return safely. His entire being was immersed in the thought of the deer, leaving no place for anything else.Soon all his austerities and spiritual practices were forgotten and the Great King Bharat who was able to snap in a minute the ties with his kith and kin, got entangled in attachment with this deer. Time went by and the time for his death arrived, even then all he could think of was this deer standing next to him like a son, shedding tears and worrying about what would happen to the deer after he died, he left his body, without turning his mind towards God.Hence, he was born as a deer in his next birth, and luckily because of his love for the Lord, his precious lives memories did not leave him. He repented and left his mother, the doe and his home in the Kalanjara forest and ones again went to sage Pulastya and Pulaha’s ashram, there keeping away from all, yet listening to the divine Satsang, he waiting for the time to leave this animal body, which was unfit for meditation. He would stand in the water half submerged, this posture knowns as Ardhajala, which is said to have a potential to give a higher birth, if in this posture at the time of death. When the time came, he left the Deer Body and was born in the family of a great Brahmin sage, who was a decedent of sage Angira. This Brahim had 2 wives, from the first he had 9 sons and from the second he had 1 son (Jada Bharat) and a daughter. He still had the memories of his previous births, and determined not get entangled in infatuations and attachment, he depited him self and as a dim wit and a fool. He kept to himself and all the efforts put in by his father to teach him failed, he was even unable or unwilling to learn the ‘Gayatri Mantra’. The brahmin father, however made sure he did all the Samskaras for Jada Bharat up till the Samavartana and soon passed away. His mother too handed over her two children to the first wife and left her body with her husband.His bothers and their family tried to be patient with Jada Bharat but, at last lost all patience and thinking of him as dull and stupid, started mistreating him. Not knowing, that the knowledge of the three veda, which they possessed, is not higher than the knowledge of the self, which Jada Bharat revelled in. He was miss treated, humiliated and shouted at, at times was denied food and at times given left over or rotten food. Inspite of all this, Jada Bharat remained ‘equipoise’ and kept his cover.He was asked to guard the fields and would spend his time there. One day a few people of the bandit tribes

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Thirtieth Fifth Session (Part 1)Bhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)Chapter 5 and 6————————————Story: King Rishabh was actually the foremost and he had 100 sons as divine as him, Bharat being the eldest. Under the love, care and guidance of Jayanti, their mother, they all grew up to be very pious. Rishabh dev treated his Praja and Putra equally and always taught his children in the open where all others could also join. On one such day Rishabdev touring around his kingdom, reached Brahmavarta, there in the gathering of foremost Brahmanas he addressed his sons. Note: We have to understand that a King, who was a Grihasta, who had been not only a perfect Brahmachari and later a divine Grihast, Was addressing his sons, who where to later, rule the kingdom and enter the Grihasta Ashram themselves. So, while reading the teaching we cannot shrug our shoulder and decline the applicability of the teaching on us, saying we are Grihastas and not Sanyasis. After imparting the divine truth of existence, he left everything behind, and went to a place where none recognised him. His body was his soul companion, with only the sky to cover it. He waked around like a dumb, mute and mad man. People abused and insulted him, yet he smiled through all that.He crossed many cities during his wandering years and finally, entered a forest, and sat in one position, not moving and eating what came his way. Soon the forest caught fire and Rishabdev, just put a stone in his mouth and let the universe do his final rites and became one with the divine.————————————Points to Ponder:The points to ponder have been divided into two part:1. The address/teaching imparted to his sons - An important advice for parenting2. The learning from Rishabdev’s Avadhuta - wandering stageThe teachings imparted to his Son’s“These day the parents buy their children gifts, give them the best academic education, and provide them with different kinds of knowledge and training to teach them how to earn a living. Yet never do they tell their children how wealth should be used to support Dharma or how Dharma should be practiced to take them to Moksh.Under such condition, if the children get spoiled and walk unrighteous paths, whose fault is it? Parents have to won their responsibility.” Swami Tejomayananda A teacher is no teacher, a relation is no relation, a father is no father, a mother is no mother, a deity is no deity nor is a husband a husband;- Who is unable to redeem his pupil, relation, son, votary or wife fallen into the whirlpool of transmigration.- Who does not lead the one depending on him or her to God, to become free from all worldly bondage.It is like directing a blind man who is following a wrong track to continue on that path.———————————This human body should not be indulged in the pursuits of sensuous pleasures. These kind of pleasure are enjoyed even by swines, dogs and other animals. It is worth of being devoted to actives through which the mind is purified.Note: An erring soul commits sin only when he endeavours to gratify his senses.Sub Story 1:Ones upon a time, there was a poor wood cutter, and he used to work very hard for a living. One day when he was toiling in the sun, the King reached there and was very thirsty and tired.The woodcutter offered him water and made the king comfortable. The king was very pleased and he sent his minister to the wood cutter and gifted him a forest. This forest was not an ordinary forest, it was a sandal wood forest, so that the poor wood cutter would not have to work so hard and could earn more money.Now, the wood cutter was very happy to receive the gift but did not realise that it was the forest of sandal wood. He, as usual, chopped wood and sold for the same price as before. He wasted his precious gift.Ponder:God has given us the precious birth of Human beings. Let us not waste it like the wood cutter who did not realise the precious gift. Let us live a discipled life, pray to God and be one with the Lord—————————————There are two paths, two roads, two gates - There is not too much of a choice and there is no middle way. We can spend our full life trying to strike a balance - A balance between the spiritual and the material world. But to be honest, there is not such thing as balance. ‘The wise suggest that one has a strong spiritual base and then build a material world on it, according to it.’Gate 1 - Service of the self realised masters/ elevated soulsGate 2 - The company of the lustful/ people full of worldly desiresSub Story 2: There was a man due to his immense good deeds was assigned to heaven. On route to heaven he crossed hell and saw people dancing, eating and having a good time. When he reached heaven, he saw that it quiet and some what desolated.This man went to God and said, I would like to go to hell. God was astonished and asked him why? The man said he felt it was better there. God agreed.The min

Shrimad Bhagavata MahapuranaSynopsis of the Thirtieth Fourth SessionBhagavata Chaturth Skanda (Book Five)Chapter 2 to 4————————————————StoryPriyavrata crowned his son Agnidhra the King and departed to continue his Sadana. Agnidhra when it was time to enter from the Brahmachari Ashram to Grihasta Ashram, decided to undergo intense Tapa at the foot hills of the Mandara Mountain, so that he could get a pious wife and a worthy lineage. Brahmaji got pleased and he send an Apsara named Purvachitti, from his own abode. Agnidhra had 9 sons and after the 9 sons were born, Purvachitti went back to the abode of Brahma where she had come from.When the time came, the eldest of them, Nabhi was crowned the king and Agnidhra went on to the Vanaprast Ashram. When he departed, he had to spend some time at the Loka of the Apsaras. This is because he was attached to Purvacitti and even after she departed he considered her to be his highest desire.Nabhi was a very just ruler and was married to the daughter of the Sumeru Parvat, Meru Devi. Together under the supervision of holy priest and adhering to all the rules, he decided to conduct a sacrifice, and had a divine son, just like Shri Hari. Vishnu, the Lord of Sacrifices himself graced him, and said as there is not anyone like him, he is the only one, he himself will manifest as the Son of Nabhi.Time flew and soon a lovely child with all the divine marks was born. He was named Rsabha, the foremost. Nabhi would adore him and say, this is my child, my child. How maya envelopes even the wise, he forgot that it was the divine that has manifested. When time came just like his ancestors, Nabhi handed over the kingdom to Rsabha and went to seek the self.Rsabha was all satva, unmixed with Rajas and Tamas. His divinity spread, and everyone revelled in bliss. So much so that Indra got upset and decide to test him. He stopped all rain and there was a massive drought. Rsabha Dev understood, that it was all Indra’s doing, and with his blissful smile, made the rain tumble down again and everyone was overjoyed.Indra himself decedent and said he was just testing if Rsabha was truly as divine as all claimed and he offered his daughter, Jayanti’s hand in marriage. Rsabha dev and Jayanti were the personification of Vishu and Laxmi. During their rule the entire bhuloka shone in great contentment.He showed all not only how a Brahmachari should live, but showed them how a Grihasta should lead his life, how he should endeavour to fulfil the Human pursuits and how he should support the other ashrams.He had 100 glorious sons. The eldest of whom was Bharat, after whom Bharat, our country got its name. He would never differentiate between his children and his citizens and all his teachings were made available to all. Points to PonderIn Priyavrata’s lineage was born Rsabhadeva. He was the fifth generation. The consistent effort of the entire family is visible here. Generation after generation, the effort to uplift ones state of being and to move towards divinity was upheld. As the level of purity was persistently increased the self revelled the self and the divine was born.As many sages say, the Lord is willing to come, he is longing to take an avatar, but is there a womb which can carry him.Grihatha ashram is the backbone of all the ashrams, it not only supports and nurtures all the ashrams but also has the capacity to bring in Satyug. Getting a Human birth is rare and that to being in the Grihasta ashram is precious. If only, the Grihastas awaken and the Humans become human.Two most detrimental and derogatory statement that we make are,- We are just Humans..- We are Grihastas not sanyasisNote: Many a times a problem in behaviour or mannerisms is traced back to the ancestors and then it is found that a particular thing, mannerism or pattern in behaviour or interaction within the family is because of so and so reason. Everything is captured by the genes, so to have a pious lineage, how much alertness and commitment must be needed is worth a serious thought.Agnidhra‘You become what you seek, seek wisely.’Agnidhra who was not yet sated with sense delight, constantly thought of that celestial nymph as superior to everything else, and secured through deeds enjoined by the Vedas, residence in the same heaven with her.Hence, All our attachments pull us and we are born according to our desires. Hence, it is essential to have control over our desire and direct all our attachments toward the supreme, if liberation is what we seek.Nabhi and The PriestsPoint 1‘Burn your bridges, and walk forward, without the assurance that when you leap the net will appear.’The lord is difficult to attain even when all the means of propitiating him are fully employed.Point 2‘Don’t try to understand him, just surrender and love him. Worship from a flawless pure heart, attracts him.’Incapable of extolling you, we have been taught by worthy souls only to repeat the word ‘NAMAH’ which means Obeisance to you.Beca