|| Shree Hari ||

Manas Mein Naam Vandana

मानसमें नाम-वन्दना

continued.....

The Name and the Named have been addressed previously,  in which the Name was revealed to be greater.   Now let us address the Named,  that how many different types of the Named there are.   He says ‒

अगुन सगुन दुइ ब्रह्म सरूपा ।

अकथ अगाध अनादि अनूपा ॥

                        (मानस, बालकाण्ड, दोहा २३ । १)

Aguna saguna dui brahma saroopaa ।

akatha agaadha anaadi anoopaa ॥

(Manas, Baalkand,  Doha 23/1)

There are two aspects of God -  the one qualified and the other unqualified.   Both these aspects are unspeakable, unfathomable,  without beginning and without parallel.  

Paramatma (Supreme Being,  God) is one,  but his aspects are two -  one is “aguna” i.e. without any qualities and attributes and the second is “saguna”  with qualities and attributes.  What is the meaning of two aspects (swaroops) ? That which is seen devoid of qualities and attributes is called “aguna”.  That which is seen with qualities and attributes is called “saguna”.  These two are the qualifiers of that Parmatma.   Now he says ‒‘अकथ अगाध अनादि अनूपा’  ‘they are are unspeakable, unfathomable,  without beginning and unparalleled.’  Previously too, the Name and the Named were called “akath”  i.e. unspeakable.   Now here both the aspects -  the one with attributes and one without attributes have been called “akath” -  unspeakable,  i.e. cannot be articulated.   Through speech,  it cannot be described.   Even the speech becomes frustrated and speechless.  ‘अगाध’ (Unfathomable) ‒‘गाध’  (Gaadh)  The very bottom of the ocean of Divine Name.  It is so deep that even the very bottom of it is not known, it cannot be fathomed.   These two have been existent for how long?  Where are they from?  To that he says ‘अनादि’ (Without a Beginning) ‒ It has been there from time immemorial and will remain forever.  That which cannot be measured by time.   It is not that it has been so for so many years,  for numerous periods.  And for “Anupa”  ‘अनूपा’ (Unmatchable, unparalleled) ‒ there is no simile.  What simile can be given for this !  By giving a simile, it cannot be compared with anything ।

The Divine Name is Better than the Attributeless Brahma

मोरे    मत    बड़   नामु   दुइ   तें ।

किए जेहिं जुग निज बस निज बूतें ॥

                         (मानस, बालकाण्ड, दोहा २३ । २)

More mat baRa naamu duhu tein ।

kie jeht juga nija basa nija bootein  ॥

(Manas, Baalkand, Doha 23 / 2)

To my mind, greater than both is the Divine Name, that has established Its rule over both by Its might.  

(Manas, Baalkand, Doha 23 / 2)

First by saying that who is greater and who is smaller is a offense.  When the opportunity presented itself to talk about great and small, then he clearly expressed his opinion,  that according to me,  the Divine Name is greater than both.    Moving along further, in the epilogue too, he says the same thing ‒‘ब्रह्म राम तें नाम बढ़’ Why so,  Maharaj  ! How is the name greater than both of these ?  Like the Name, if both aspects are also ineffable, unfathomable, beginningless, unmatchable (anupam), then how did this name become even greater than this ? In answer to this,  it is said, that The Lord of the Divine Name,  by His power and influence, took both under his control -  the Attributeless and the One with Attributes.   Let us say that by repeating the Divine Name of the Lord,  one becomes enlightened about the Attributeless One and even the One with Attributes manifests Himself.   Therefore, chanting the Divine Name is greater than both.   

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Manas Mein Naam Vandana’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shree Hari ||

Manas Mein Naam Vandana

मानसमें नाम-वन्दना

continued.....

Talks of love are very divine.   Saints have regarded them as the fifth goal “purushaarth”.   Wealth (arth), righteousness (Dharma),  worldly desires (kaam) and salvation (moksha) - these four are regarded as the the goals “purushaarth”.    Many men desire wealth and money, many desire worldly pleasures,  some desire the fulfillment of their worldly sense enjoyments,  many desire to observe the various religious observances, they do charity and virtuous deeds for these. Many desire liberation and salvation.  And few don’t desire any of these.  They remain absorbed in God. 

  

अद्वैतवीथी पथिकैरूपास्याः स्वाराज्यसिंहासनलब्धदीक्षाः ।

शठेन   केनापि   वयं   हठेन    दासीकृता   गोपवधूविटेन ॥

In the ‘Bhaktirasaayan” holy text,  a very great teacher of Vedanta-Advait principles,  Shri Madhusudanaacharyaji says that he is the worshiped of those who walk the path of Advait, surely we are not anyone ordinary.   We are perfected and fulfilled even in “Swaanand” and “Brahmanand”,  then too we were drawn towards Bhagwan.   He regarded this Divine Love as the fifth  goal of life.   Talks of the loving devotees of the Lord is most extra-ordinary.   

Philosophers have given a lot of thought to this;   but they have given less  thought to Love.  In some Vaishnav scriptures there is description of Love.   But the name of “darshan” (beholding the Lord)  is true experiential knowledge (anubhav).  A philosophical thing is generally experiential knowledge.   The Loving devotees,  do not even desire any experiential knowledge (anubhav).   They simply love the Lord.   Let the Lord only appear sweet.   Therefore,  day and night, they remain absorbed and blissful in that only.  They do not even care about liberation.    Only he who is bound, cares about liberation.   Their bondage is not someone else.  Their bondage is only the One Bhagwan (God).   In amusement,  a saints says -

अब तो भोग मोक्षकी इच्छा व्याकुल कभी न करती है ।

मुखड़ा ही नित नव बन्धन है  मुक्ति चरणसे झरती है ॥

Ab toh bhog moksh ki iccha vyaakul kabhi na karti hai ।

mukhdaa hi nit nav bandhan hai, mukti charan se jharati hai ॥

      They are neither tormented by worldly desires,  nor by liberation.   They are only bound by the Lord’s divine form (swaroop).  That daily new bondage appears dear to them.  ‘दिने दिने नवं नवं नमामि नन्दसम्भवम् ।’  ‘Dine Dine navam navam,  namaami nandasambhavam.’  There is constant joy, quietitude, in self, but in love, there is every moment, ever-increasing love ‘प्रतिक्षणं वर्धमानम्’.  The bliss continues to increase every moment.  Those who beholds God say  ‒

‘आज अनूप बनी युगल छबि, आज अपूय बनी’ Today the divine couple’s portrait is very beautifully decorated.   There is such ever increasing joy of love.  The waves of love are dancing,   and they are known only by those lovers.  Those who know their “self”  (swaroop),  those “jnaani”  that are liberated,  do not know the uniqueness of that love.   They continue to experience equanimity,  quietude, uninterrupted bliss at all times in their own self (swaroop).  

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Manas Mein Naam Vandana’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shree Hari ||

Manas Mein Naam Vandana

मानसमें नाम-वन्दना

continued.....from Jan 23, 2015 

Taking refuge is easy.  When misfortune comes our way, and we have no solution,  then we take refuge in Bhagwan.   At that time,  the extent to which we become dependent on Bhagwan, to that extent our work takes place quickly.  In this, there is no need for method or process.  When a child calls out to his Mother,  does he ask about any method or process ?  Does he ask about an auspicious moment (मुहूर्त),  that at such-and-such time I will begin crying.   Whether it will be accomplished or not, or will he commit a certain amount of time that I will cry for half hour or ten minutes.  Rather he continues to cry until the mother comes.    There is a doubt about this (worldly) mother arriving or coming.  The mother bestowed in this life could have died,  or gone somewhere far, then how will she come ?  But Thakurji is ‘सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके’ listens everywhere.  Therefore “He Naath !  He Naath !  I have taken refuge in you.”   ‒ in this way,  take refuge in Bhagwan,  become dependent on Him.   If there is any obstacle in this,  then it is pride of one’s own intellect,  or one’s varna,  one’s stage in life (ashram),  one’s ability and education etc.  There remains a dependence on these things from within - thinking that I can do this kind of work.    As long as he believes this strength,  this intellect, abilities etc. to be his own, till then, true refuge cannot take place.   Therefore, being free of pride of these, whether one takes refuge and whenever he does so,  at that very moment,  he will successfully cross over this worldly life.  

In the context of reverence for the Divine Name,  the topic being discussed is the glory of the Divine Name.   In this four types of devotees are being described.   Now Goswamiji Maharaj,  talks about the “Premi bhakt”  the Devotee to whom the Divine Name is dear  ‒

Lover of the Divine Name (Naam Premi Bhakt)

सकल कामना हीन  जे  राम भगति रस लीन ।

नाम सुप्रेम पियूष ह्रद तिन्हहुँ किए मन मीन ॥

(मानस, बालकाण्ड, दोहा २२)

Sakal kaamana heen je Ram bhagati ras leen

Naam suprem piyush hred tinhhum kiye man meen

(Manas, Baalkand, Doha 22)  

Even those who are free from all desires and absorbed in the joy of devotion to Shri Rama have thrown their heart as fish into the nectarine lake of supreme affection for the Name.  

They remain absorbed day and night in the relish of devotion to the Lord.   They have no desire whatsoever.  Why do they not have desires ? There is a very large ocean of nectar in the form of the Divine Name.   They have made their minds like that fish in the ocean of the Divine Name, and at all times they remain immersed in the divine love of the Lord.   The loving devotees,  whether they know the truth about God (Paramatma) or not,  then too,  they become naturally attracted towards the Lord.   There remains no wishes in their mind.  Neither to know the “tattva” (essence,  truth), nor to get rid of their suffering, nor desire for material things etc.    There is no lust or longing for anything whatsoever.   They are simply immersed day and night, in only God.   Besides this, they have no other thought.   There is nothing remaining for them to do, nor to acquire.   Naturally they have love for the Lord (Bhagwan).   

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Manas Mein Naam Vandana’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shree Hari ||

Experiencing Immortality

अमरताका अनुभव

continued..... 

When gross, subtle and causal body and their work activities, thoughts and stability has no relationship with us then whether there is association or separation with them, what difference does it make in us ? Same experience is felt by the one who is beyond worldly qualities ‒

प्रकाश  च  प्रवृत्तिं  च  मोहमेव  च  पाण्डव ।

न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति ॥

                                              (गीता १४ । २२)

‘O Pandav! He does not hate illumination, activity and delusion when abundantly present, nor does he long for them, when absent. (Gita 14/22)

Association-separation are relative, but Tatva is absolute. There is neither association (union), nor separation in Tatva, rather its ‘constant-union’ ‒‘तं विद्याद् दुःखसयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्’(गीता ६ । २३) This disconnection from contact with the worst of worst pain.  This should be known by the name Yoga. (Gita 6/23)  

Till when our relationship is with things, activities, thoughts, stability, till then there is dependence; because things, activities etc. are ‘par’ (others) not ‘swa’ (own). By breaking relationship with them, we become independent (liberated). In reality our nature (self, existence) is free from independence-dependence; because independence-dependence are relative, but our "self" is absolute.

Bhagwan has said‒

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।

                                               (गीता २ । १६)

‘The unreal has no existence; the real never ceases to be.’  (Gita 2/16).

Body, thing, activity, phase etc. are unreal; hence there existence is not there i.e. they are continuously absent. Soul (self) is real, hence its absence is not there i.e. it is continuously present (existent). By not assuming our relationship with unreal, absent-form unreal becomes absent (non-existent) and real-form real remains as-it-is (existent) and it is experienced.

In knowledge route there is separation from unreal and there is experience of the axiomatic situation of our nature (only blissful existence). Then there is automatic attraction towards that Parmatma, our nature is part of which, this is called as love. Everyone likes his own form, then its part of which, that Parmatma will be how much loving‒there is no limit to this!

Narayan !    Narayan!!    Narayan!!!

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Amarta ki Aur’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shree Hari ||

Experiencing Immortality

अमरताका अनुभव

continued..... 

Question ‒ I am not body‒ this is ok, but body is mine and for me only ?

Answer ‒We assume three types of relationship with body ‒(1) I am body, (2) body is mine and (3) body is for me. All these three relationships are fake, they are not real. In reality body is not ‘me’, not ‘mine’ and not ‘for me’. Reason being that if body was ‘me’ then on changes in the body, I would have also changed and on the death of body I would have also become absent. But this is everyone’s experience that the way the body was earlier, it’s not like that now, but I am the same. Body has changed, but I have not changed. Had body been ‘mine’ then I would have had full control on it i.e. I would have kept the body the way I would have liked it, would have made it beautiful, would have changed its color, wouldn’t have allowed it to change, wouldn’t have allowed it to fall sick, wouldn’t have let it become weak, wouldn’t have let it grow old and at the very least wouldn’t have let it die. But this is everyone’s experience that we have no authority on the body and despite of trying very hard, it falls sick, it becomes weak, it grows old and it even dies. Had body been ‘for me’ then we would have felt satisfied on getting it, we wouldn’t have any desires left to get anything else and we would have never been separated from the body, it would have always remained with me. But this is everyone’s experience that we don’t feel even slightly satisfied on getting body, our desires don’t end, we don’t feel complete and body also doesn’t remain forever, rather it gets separated from us.

Just like we have no relationship with all three bodies - gross, subtle and causal ‒ the same way ‘activity’ happening through gross body, ‘thinking’ happening through subtle body and ‘stability’ (Samadhi) happening through reason body has no relationship with us. Reason being that every activity has a beginning and an end. No thought remains forever, rather it comes and goes. Restlessness after stability, falldown after samadhi happens. What it means is that neither activity always remains, nor thoughts always remain and nor stability always remain. We all experience coming-going of all these three, but no one experience the change in oneself. Our nature of existence always remains. Neither things remain with us nor activity, nor thoughts, nor stability. We remain alone only. Hence we should make our nature to live alone (without things, activities, thoughts and stability)

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Amarta ki Aur’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

|| Shree Hari ||

Experiencing Immortality

अमरताका अनुभव

continued..... 

Question ‒ If lion comes in front of you now, then fear will be felt ?

Answer ‒ If there is death of some dear one, if wealth goes away, then human being is in grief. Same way there is tension that what will happen if wife dies ? What will happen if son dies ? This grief-sorrow-tension are also only due to not valuing one’s vivek (power of discrimination). There will be changes in the world, it is necessary for circumstances to change. If circumstances will not change then how will world work ? How will human being become adult from child? How will foolish become intelligent? How will patient become healthy? How will seed become tree? Without change, world will become like a static photo!  In reality, the one who can die (changeable), only dies, the one who can remain, never dies. This experience is evident to everyone that on death, body is lying in front of us, but the owner of body (embodied soul, jeevaatma) leaves. If this experience is valued then there cannot be sorrow-tension. On the death of Bali, Bhagwan Ram points Tara to this experience only ‒

तारा बिकल देखि रधुराया । दीन्ह ध्यान हरि लीन्ही माया ॥

छिति जल पावक गगन समीरा । पंच रचित अति अधम सरीरा ॥

प्रगट सो तनु तव आगे सोवा । जीव नित्य केहि लगि तुम्ह रोवा ॥

उपजा ज्ञान चरन तब लागी । लीन्हेसि परम भगति बर माँगी ॥

                               (मानस, किष्किन्धा॰ ११ । २-३)

taaraa bikala dekhi raghuraayaa, dinha gyaana hari leenhi maayaa

chiti jala paavaka gagana sameeraa, pamcha rachita ati adhama sareeraa

pragata so tanu tava aage sovaa, jeeva nitya kehi lagi tumha rovaa

upajaa gyaana charana taba laagi, linhesi parama bhagati bara maagi

      (Manas, Kishkind॰ 11 । 2-3)

When Lord of Raghus saw Tara's distress, He imparted to her wisdom and dispelled her delusion. "made up of five elements, i.e. earth, water, fire, ether, and air, this body is extremely vile. The mortal frame lies, buried in eternal sleep before your eyes, while the soul is everlasting. For whom, then, do you lament?" The light of wisdom dawned on her and now she embraced His feet and asked of Him the boon of supreme Devotion.

(Manas, Kishkind॰ 11 । 2-3)

Question ‒ What is the main reason in not valuing "vivek" (power of discrimination)?

Answer ‒ Main reason is ‒ Attachment to contact born pleasures. We want to enjoy the pleasures of union, because of this we don’t value our “vivek”, i.e. knowledge doesn’t stay inside. What it means is that the more there is attachment to worldly pleasures, the more intelligence becomes blunt, because of which the essence of Satsang is not understood even by reading-listening. It has come in Gita that a person attached to worldly pleasures and accumulation (of worldly things) cannot even decide upon getting to Parmatma. [1] Attachment to worldly pleasures covers their knowledge.[2]  Hence till when there is even little attachment to things, human beings, activities, thinking, stability (samadhi), till then knowledge has only been learnt ‒‘रागो लिङ्गमबोधस्य’ ।

|| Shree Hari ||

Experiencing Immortality

अमरताका अनुभव

continued..... 

Question ‒ If lion comes in front of you now, then fear will be felt ?

Answer ‒ Fear will be felt because  ‘I am different from the body’‒ this thing has been learnt by hearing, it has not been understood.   This is the difference between a thing that has been learnt and that which is understood.  During other times, a parrot keeps saying RadheKrishn-GopiKrishn, but when a cat catches, then it says “tein-tein,” while time is now to do RadheKrishn-GopiKrishn! But learnt knowledge doesn’t come handy at the right time.  

Lion comes so there is nothing wrong in trying to save oneself from it, but becoming fearful is wrong. Reason being that the one who is to die is dying and the one who is to live is living, then fear for what reason ? Lion will kill the one who can be killed, how will he kill the one who is immortal ? Lion will eat so its hunger will be satisfied, what difference will it create in us ?  How long can one who is bound to die, be saved ? He will surely die. Hence he should neither desire to live, nor should he fear death.

There is one subtle thing. The amount of fear that is felt before doing Satsang, same amount of fear is not felt after doing Satsang. There is lot of difference caused to thought process and bad habits (thoughts, emotions) automatically get destroyed. But this will happen when, we will respect the things of Satsang, we will value them, we will realize them.  By giving value to things of Satsang, these three things are necessarily experienced by devotee-

1.   Earlier the force with which Lust-anger etc. bad habits (thoughts, emotions) use to come, they do not come with that force now

2.         Earlier the duration they use to stay for, they don’t stay for that long now

3.      Earlier the quickness with which they use to come, they don’t come that quickly now.

‒ By looking at these things, devotee’s enthusiasm should increase that the bad habits (thoughts, emotions) that decrease, they definitely get destroyed also. In business there is both profit and loss, but in Satsang there is only and only benefit, there is no loss at all. Like a child being in mother’s lap (care) automatically grows, he doesn’t need to put in efforts for growing. Same way by being in Satsang, a human being automatically develops. If quest to know (to realize Bhagwan) is very strong and even little bad habit (thoughts, emotions) are intolerable then immediately there is attainment.

“Vivek”  (power of discrimination) awakens through Satsang. By the amount devotee gives value to “vivek”, by same amount lust-anger etc. bad habits (thoughts, emotions) decrease. By always giving value to “vivek”, that “vivek”  only turns into divine-knowledge (tattva gyaan), then due to absence of any other power, there is no question of any bad habit (thoughts, emotions) remaining. Whats it means is that on attaining divine knowledge (tattva gyaan), there is acute absence of mental agitation.

to be continued.......

‒ From the book in Hindi ‘Amarta ki Aur’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji