PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT AND KARMA GURU PRAN'A'MA SADGURUM' TVAM' NAMA'MI THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SA'DHANA' NITYAM' SHUDDHAM' EVERYBODY OBEYS HIM PSYCHIC DEVELOPMENT AND KARMA official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in square brackets [ ] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version. `Annam' Brahmeti.' It has been said, 'Janmana' ja'yate shu'drah sam'ska'ra't dvija uccyate, Vedapa't'he bhavet viprah Brahma ja'na'ti Bra'hmanah. Everybody is a shu'dra by birth. Shu'dras are primarily engaged in physical existence. For them, food is Brahma. As human beings evolve to higher status, they do not only treat food as a Brahmic manifestation, but also perceive Brahma in other forms. So Brahma comes to the human being first in the form of food or grains. This is the meaning of `Janmana' ja'yate shu'drah'. Later, the human mind realizes that physical food alone won't satisfy its hunger. Then what happens? `Sam'ska'ra't dvija uccyate' - the desire for spirituality awakens in a person. In ancient times this was known as Vaedikii diiks'a'. Vaedikii Diiks'a' increases the supramundane and spiritual hunger. When supramundane and spiritual hunger arises in human beings, what do they do? They go out in search of ways to satisfy that hunger. In this condition they are called `dvija' which means `second birth'. In their first birth they only knew the hunger of physical food, but in their second birth, they come to know another hunger as a result of the grace of Parama'tma'. This new hunger won't be satisfied by mere physical food. `Veda pa't'he bhavet viprah.' What should we say of intellectual hunger? Those who are engaged in the study of Dharma Shastras and other worthy books to satisfy their hunger are called intellectuals, vipras. When, by the Grace of Parama'tma', they receive Ta'ntrikii diiks'a' and realize God, they are called bra'hmana. `Brahma ja'na'ti bra'hmana.' In the first phase man realizes Brahma as physical [sustenance], i.e., `Annam' Brahmeti'. In the next phase he regards Brahma as Karma, i.e., `Karma brahmeti karma bahu kurviita.' What is karma? Karma implies the change of place of an object. And what is place? Place is one of the three rudimental relative factors - time, place and person. Where there is karma, there are temporal, spatial and personal factors. Parama Purus'a creates something in His Mind, or withdraws it, at His will. In creation there is movement. Wherever there is movement, there is karma. And wherever there is karma, there are the three bondages of the temporal, spatial and personal relative factors. `Karma Brahmeti karma bahu kurviita.' We see that whatever action is done for the service of humanity or for spiritual progress involves change. And suppose that, at one time, your `I'-ness was like an animal. Later it is like a human being - and so progressively will one day become like a devata''s, a divine being's, and will finally merge in Parama'tma'. In this process also there is movement, there is `Karma bahu kurviita.' What will wise people do then? They will keep themselves engaged in actions. For one's own progress and for the progress of others it is imperative to act. Now, suppose someone is doing an action but does not have a proper goal. It is quite possible that the movement in this case is towards destruction. If someone is stealing or robbing, is this not Karma? So to do proper karma one must have a proper target, a proper path. `Karma brahmeti karma bahu kurviita.' So through karma one may either progress or move backwards. The cult of karma is not without its dangers. The proper goal is indispensable for actions to be fruitful. Then the person thinks, `Satya jina'nam anantam' Brahma.' What is satya? That which does not undergo any metamorphosis is satya. And what is jina'nam? The knowledge of that limitlessness, that satya, that Brahma, is the true knowledge, the true jina'nam. He is satya - the limitless Brahma. By this a man comes close to Him. But he realizes that this is not all. So, `Aham' Brahma'smi so'ham'. Coming close to Him is not enough. You will have to merge your unit `I' in Him. You will have to transform your idea of `I am Brahma' into Self-realization through the process of dhya'na. In order to establish oneself in dhya'na, one will have to do a'sanas, pratya'ha'ra, pra'n'a'ya'ma and dha'ran'a'. The culminating point of dhya'na is sama'dhi. What is sama'dhi? To establish oneself in the stance `I am Brahma' is sama'dhi. 8 October 1978 morning, Patna GURU PRAN'A'MA official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. I think all of you are well acquainted with one shloka. It is a shloka for Guru Pran'a'ma, but its import was never explained. It is; Nitya'nandam' paramasukhadam' Kevalam' jina'namu'rttim, Vishva'tiitam' gaganasadrsham' Tattvamasya'dilaks'yam. Let me explain line by line. `Nitya'nandam'. What is nitya'nandam? Parama Purus'a is nitya'nandam. Jiivas enjoy nitya'nandam and vis'ya'nandam. When one acquires something worldly, something mundane, one feels a sort of happiness which is known as `vis'ya'nandam', and when, by dint of one's spiritual practices and the grace of the Supreme, one enjoys spiritual happiness, it is known as `nitya'nandam'. But for what reason is Parama Purus'a creating the world? Why is He doing so much for created beings? Certainly for a'nandam. And He Himself is also a'nandam. So His a'nandam is created within, merged within, enjoyed within. For Parama Purus'a there are two kinds of a'nandam: nitya'nandam and liila'nandam. What is nitya'nandam? Nitya'nandam is His self-satisfaction. The bliss that He enjoys from Himself is nitya'nandam. He was in nitya'nandam, He is in Nitya'nandam, and He will be in nitya'nandam. When there was no world, at that time also there was nitya'nandam. And when, in theory, there will be no creation, He will still be in nitya'nandam. And what is liila'nandam? When Sagun'a - Attributional Consciousness or Attributed Consciousness - was created, He wanted liila'nandam. He wanted to enjoy liila'nandam. And what is liila'nandam? He creates so many things, so many animate and inanimate objects, so many sons and daughters. And while playing with His sons and daughters, He gets a sort of pleasure. That pleasure is His liila'nandam. And spiritual aspirants who are intelligent know this fact. They know that everything in this world is His liila'nandam. He is playing for liila'nandam, so there should not be any worries and anxieties in this world - all things are different phases of His liila'nandam. In this sloka the first word is `nitya'nandam'. `O Lord, who art always in nitya'nandam.' `Nitya' means `of permanent nature'. Therefore, a'nandam which is of permanent nature is nitya'nandam. The next word is `paramasukhadam'. The happiness that a created being enjoys from mundane objects is called `sukham', and all this sukham comes from that Nitya'nandam Entity, so He is Paramasukhadam for the Jiivas. Here the word is not `sukhadam', the word is `paramasukhadam', that is, sukha of the maximum degree, sukha to the zenith of its efficiency. `Kevalam' jinanamurttim'. What is the meaning of `kevalam'? `Kevalam' means `the only entity', the `non-dualistic entity'. That is, in His realm, in His jurisdiction, there is no second, external entity. There is no scope for any Satan to be there, that is, there is no Satan. He is everything. He plays with His vidya'ma'ya' and avidya'ma'ya'. That is kevalam. Kevalam means `the only entity', `the only existence'. And when one becomes one with Him, one is said to be ensconced in 'kaevalya'. Kaevalya means 'nirvikalpa sama'dhi'. That is when one acquires kevala-hood, that is kaevalya. You should remember that the conception of Satan is against the non-dualistic philosophy. If we recognize a Satan, we are indirectly recognizing two Parama Purus'as - one a good Parama Purus'a and the other a very bad Parama Purus'a - which is absurd. So there is no Satan. There are only the misdeeds done by avidya'ma'ya'. And that Satan, as avidya'ma'ya', is part of ma'ya', the left hand of ma'ya'. That's why Lord Krs'n'a said, 'Daevii hyes'a' gun'amayii mama ma'ya' du'ratyaya', Ma'meva ye prapadyante ma'ya'meta'm' tarantite. `This divine force, ma'ya', is my ma'ya', is my power - `Shaktih sa' Shivasya shaktih.' And those who have taken My shelter will easily surmount this ma'ya'.' Without divine help or divine aid, this ma'ya' remains insurmountable. So in order to cross this ma'ya', one will have to take the shelter of Krs'n'a, that is, Parama Purus'a. `Kevalam' jina'namu'rttim.' `Jina'namu'rttim' means `Cognitive Faculty personified', 'personified Cognition'. Vishva'tiitam' gaganasadrsham' Tattvamasya'dilaks'yam. `Tattvamasi' + `adi' + `laksyam'. `Vishva'tiitam'. What's the meaning of `vishva'tiitam'? When, as the objective counterpart of the Supreme Consciousness, something concrete is created, something under the strict supervision and bondage and fetters of the static principle, then that created being is called `vishva'. So vishva is His objective counterpart. And because vishva is His counterpart, He is above the jurisdiction of vishva - He is vishva'tiitam. And just as there cannot be any spatial demarcation in the sky, so there cannot be any spatial demarcation within the Macrocosm. That's why it has been said, `Gaganasadrsham.' `Tattvamasi'. Now, when a spiritual aspirant contacts Parama Purus'a and asks Him, `Who am I, who am I? - when this eternal question is placed before Him, His reply is, `Tattvamasi', `Thou art That,' that is, `Thou art the Supreme Entity.' As I have said so many times, human sadhana is a movement from electronic imperfection to nuclear perfection. The nuclear perfection is That, and this electronic imperfection is you. You are That. The stage of `are' is your spiritual practice. Your are That, you - That - are. This `are' is the gap to be bridged by sa'dhana'. So you are That. The Guru's words, the Guru's secret instruction, or gospel, or text, or sermon, is, `O my little boy, O my little girl, thou art That.' `Tattvamasya'dilaks'yam'. Now the entity who always reminds you, `O my little boy, O my little girl, thou art That,' is the Guru. I think you understand. 10 October 1978, Patna SADGURUM' TVAM' NAMA'MI official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Words in square brackets [ ] are corrections that did not appear in the printed version. Today the remaining portion of yesterday's discourse will be completed. Ekam' nityam' vimalamacalam' sarvadhiisa'ks'iibhu'tam Bha'va'tiitam' trigun'arahitam' Sadgurum' tvam' nama'mi. `Ekam' nityam.' Regarding any supra-psychic entity, any Cosmic entity, either attributional or non-attributional, we cannot say whether it is one or more than one, because that entity is beyond the scope of any sort of demonstration. We cannot say this or that regarding any Cosmic entity, so it is futile to say `one', `two', `three' or `four'. But when one wants to ensconce oneself in Him, one is to get one's mind pointed, one's mind pinnacled. And that's why, when there should be one-pointedness, the only numeral, adjective or article that can be used for Him is `One'. And so in this sloka it has been said, `Ekam' nityam.' It is a singular Entity. `Ekam' does not mean `singular Entity'; `ekam' means that when one is to come in contact with Him, one's mind is to be brought to a point. `Nityam'. In this universe, within the universe and without the universe, wherever there is any flow (and actually, everywhere there is flow), and when that flow concerns Macrocosm or microcosm, it is something expressed. And when it does not concern any microcosm or Macrocosm, in that case it is not expressed, but the flow is still there. When the flow is there but the flow doesn't come within the periphery of microcosm or Macrocosm, that entity is called `nityam'. So not only Saguna' Brahma, or Ta'raka Brahma, but also Nirgun'a, is nityam. In common language we may use the word `non-metamorphic' for `nityam'; that is, `nityam' means 'that which undergoes no change'. Anything undergoing no change is `nityam' - it was, it is , and it will be. And `anityam' means undergoing change according to changes in time, space and person. The Supreme Entity who teaches the world the secrets of spirituality is One and nityam. `Vimalamacalam'. `Acalam' means `strong', `erect', `mountain-like'. `Vimalam' means `spotless'. So a lofty, mountain-like, spotless personality is vimalama'calam. The comparison is with `acalam', because [just as in this world of relativity it appears that the mountains do not move, similarly the cardinal spiritual principles do not move.] And the entity representing those cardinal spiritual principles is treated as if it were a mountain, not moved, not moving, not shaking, not deviating from its principles. `Sarvadhiisa'ks'iibhu'tam'. Now in the phase of Pratisaincara, the introversive phase, what happens? Crude entities get powdered down, and thus from matter we get citta, from citta we get aham'ka'ra, and from aham'ka'ra we get mahattattva. And that is the full development of mind, the complete development of mind, or microcosm. Now, even in so-called crude matter there is mind in sleeping form, there is mind in dormant form, and because of its being in dormant form, we do not recognize it because we do not feel its existence. That does not mean that mind is not there - certainly it is there - but we fail to recognize it. The imperfection is in us, not in these forms of matter. So wherever there is mind, in developed form or undeveloped form, the reflection of Pratyaga'tma' is certainly there. And that reflection is the jiiva'tma'. Now, where the jiiva'tma' has not developed, or has not taken its proper form, what happens? Pratyaga'tma' directly performs the functions of the jiiva'tma'. And where the jiiva'tma' has developed to some extent, the functions of the jiiva'tma' are performed directly by the jiiva'tma' and indirectly by Pratyaga'tma'. And this is the case with human beings also. In human beings the jiiva'tma' is far more developed that in any other creature, because the mind if far more developed than in any other creature. That is why human beings are called `manu'sya' or `ma'nava'. `Mana' + `u' + `sna' = `ma'nava', the entity where mind dominates, and not matter. `Sarvadhiisa'ks'iibhu'tam'. He is the Witnessing Entity of all minds, developed, undeveloped or underdeveloped. And whatever any mind does, crude or subtle, developed, underdeveloped or undeveloped, He knows it. He is the Witnessing Entity. So whether something be crude, inanimate, undeveloped (like trees, bushes, herbs, plants), underdeveloped (like a cow, a monkey or a dog), or developed (like a human being), whatever its mind does is known to Him. Nobody can do anything secretly; and nothing done by anybody remains coverted or secret. He is sarvadhiisa'ks'iibhu'tam, and because He is sarvadhiisa'ks'iibhu'tam, people have one advantage and one disadvantage. The disadvantage is that you cannot do anything secretly - whatever you do or think is known to Him. Nothing remains secret. This is a disadvantage because He knows whatever you do and whatever you think. And what is the advantage? As He sees everything, He is always with you. You are never alone. This is the advantage. Now, `bha'va'tiitam'. Shuddhasattvavishes'a'd va' premasu'rya'm'shusa'myabhak, Rucibhishcittama'srn'ya krdasao bha'va uccyate. Bha'va has something to do with two entities - one, the sentimental flow of the microcosm, and the other, the perennial flow of spirituality. (In English you should not say `spiritualism' for `adhya'tmikata''. You should say `spirituality' because `spiritualism' means something to do with ghosts, etc. - `pretatattva'. The correct term is `spirituality'.) The parallelism between the sentimental flow of the microcosm and the perennial flow of spirituality is what is called `bha'va'. Shuddhasattvavishes'a'd va' premasu'rya'm'shusa'myabha'k Rucibhishcittama'srn'ya krdasao bha'va uccyate. `Bha'va'tiitam'. Beyond the arena of bha'va is his position. He Himself is above the position of bha'va. That is why here it has been said, `bha'va'tiitam'. Bha'va can come up to Him and knock at the door, but cannot enter the palace, that's the thing. Just knock at the door, but cannot go within. `Bha'va'tiitam' trigun'arahitam.' You know that in the triangle of forces, where equipoise is maintained before creation, there is no manifestation. As long as the equipoise is maintained, as long as the equilibrium is maintained among the three binding principles - sentient, mutative and static - there cannot be any manifestation. The Noumenal Cause remains as it is. But when that equipoise is lost, the flow of ma'ya' comes out of one of the vertices, and creation starts. So Paramashiva, the Sadguru and Ta'raka Brahma are beyond the scope of the gun'atrikon'a, that is, the triangle of forces. In their cases the gun'atrikon'a maintains its equipoise and equilibrium. Hence He is trigun'arahitam. 'Prabhumiishamaniisamashes'agun'am Gun'ahiinamaheshagan'a'bharan'am.' `O Lord, Thou are the controller of everything, but there is nobody to control You. Your gun'as are beyond the scope of counting. Nobody can count how many gun'as there are.' I told you that once many disciples of the Lord assembled at a particular place and requested Kavi Padmadanta to write a poem on the gun'as of the Lord, to say what the Lord is like. `Please compose a poem,' they asked. Kavi Padmadanta said; 'Asitagirisamam' sya't kajjalam' sindhupa'tre Surataruvarasha'kha lekhanii patramurbii, Likhati yadi grhiitva' sa'rada' sarvaka'lam' Tatha'pi tava gun'a'n'a'miishapa'ram' na ya'ti. Kavi said (by the way, `kavi' doesn't mean `poet'; in Sam'skrta, `kavi' means `satyadras't'a', `seer of truth'); `To write about His gun'as in a proper style, what are the minimum requirements? You know the ink tablet you get in the market? If that ink tablet is just like the mighty Himalayas - so big - and so many oceans become the inkpot, and if a branch of the heavenly Pa'rijata tree is used as a pen, and if this vast lithosphere, that is, the earth, is used as paper, and the Goddess of Learning, Sarasvatii, writes and writes for an infinite period, even then the gun'as of the Lord cannot be written. `Gun'ahiinamaheshagan'a'bharan'am.' Now you see, each and every devii and devata' has so many ornaments: ear-rings, necklaces, cur'is, crowns. But our Lord, Parama Purus'a, has only one ornament: His disciples. `Bha'va'tiitam' trigun'arahitam' Sadgurum' tvam'nama'mai.' What is the Sadguru? `Guru', you know, means `dispeller of darkness'. `Gu' means `darkness' and `ru' means `dispeller'. The man who taught `alif, be, pe, te', or `a, a', ka, kha'* was also a guru. The man who taught you how to fight was also a guru. The man who taught you how to cook was also a guru. So many gurus. The man who initiates you in Vaedikii diiks'a' was also a guru. * Arabic and Samskrta versions of 'a, b, c, d' Vaedikii diiks'a' means this: In ancient India there were two types of diiks'a'. First a boy used to get Vaedikii diiks'a'. Vaedikii diiks'a' is to request God, request the Lord, to show one the right path. And after a long time, when the Lord is satisfied, He arranges for Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'. A'nanda Ma'rga diiks'a' is Ta'ntrikii diiks'a'. Now those who initiate in Vaedika'ca'ra - Vaedikii diiks'a' - are also gurus. So what is the Sadguru? The word `sat' means `that which undergoes no change'. In modern Sam'skrta, `sat' means `good' and `asat' means `bad', but in Vaedika Sam'skrta, `sat' means `that which undergoes no change'. Na'sada'siinno sada'siittada'niim' na'siidrajo no vyoma' paro yat Kima'variivah kuha kasya sharmannambhah kima'siidagahanam' gabhiiram. `Sat'. Now, the entity by whose grace one comes into contact with sat (sat, the non-changeable entity, the non-changeable stance, the non-changeable nuclear entity around which so many electrons move) - that entity, or rather, that framework through which Parama Purus'a is working or Ta'raka Brahma is functioning, is the Sadguru, `Sadgurum' tvam' nama'mi' - `I do my namah before you, at your altar.' 11 October 1978, Patna THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SA'DHANA' official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Pa'rvatii asked Shiva, 'What is the minimum requirement in order to become a sa'dhaka?' Shiva replied, `Sukrataer ma'navo bhu'tva' jina'nii cenmoks'ama'pnuya't.' When living beings attain a human form as a result of their actions, then they become competent to do sa'dhana'. The next question posed by Pa'rvatii was, `What qualifications such as age, academic qualifications, character, etc., should a human being have in order to do sa'dhana'?' Regarding age, it might be appropriate to say that there are basically four stages in human life. In the first stage, the primary duty of the human being is to receive knowledge and do dharma sa'dhana'. In the second stage, one must fulfil worldly duties and perform dharma sa'dhana'. In the third stage, one must see to any remaining family responsibilities and perform dharma sa'dhana'. Finally, in the fourth stage, when the human body has become incapable of performing worldly duties, one must do dharma sa'dhana' alone. So there are no barriers of age as far as the requirements for sa'dhaka are concerned. There is an old story about this. Once a child named Dhruva started doing sa'dhana' and singing bhajanas at the early age of five. This scared the eminent rs'is and munis. They thought that this young boy would surpass them in spiritual excellence. So, as devotees, they all implored Na'ra'yan'a to save them from being defeated and humiliated. Na'ra'yan'a sent Na'rada to resolve the issue. Na'rada means 'one who spreads devotion'. So Na'rada came to the boy Dhruva and tried to allure him with toys, sweets, a kingdom, and things of that sort. He inquired why the boy was so enthusiastic about sa'dhana' and bhajanas at such an early age, especially when he had a whole lifetime at his disposal for spiritual pursuits. Dhruva replied, "Kaoma'ra a'caret pra'jinah dharma'n bha'gavata'niha, Durlabham' ma'nus'am' janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam." `O Na'rada! You are a sage, you know much more than I do. Yet I wish to mention, in order to clarify things, that we get a human form after numerous animal lives.' `Sukrtaer ma'navo bhu'tva'.' This human life is attained through the medium of lots of clash and cohesion. Of all creatures' existence, this human existence is the most rare. But even rarer is the human body that has been perfected through sa'dhana'. Shravan'a'ya'pi bahubhiryo na labhyah Shrn'vanto'pi bahabo yam' na viduh, A'shcarya vakta' kushalo'sya labdha' A'shcarya jina'ta kushala'nushis't'ah. Even after getting human life, only a few get the opportunity to listen to dharmika discourses. Among those, only a few develop the desire to practise dharma sa'dhana'. And even among these, only a few actually grasp the spirit of Sa'dhana'. Those rare ones who understand, perform sa'dhana', and reach the goal are truly blessed. In the effort to perfect oneself, even if one faces obstacles and hindrances from one's elders and near ones, one must ignore them. This is not a sin, not a crime. Dhruva further said, `Na'rada, who knows what will happen tomorrow? You have become old and you got the opportunity to do sa'dhana' and sing bhajanas at this age. But in my life, the sun may or may not rise tomorrow. Suppose I die tonight? So how can I wait till old age? ' Then Na'rada went away silently. `Dharma'n Bha'gavata'niha,' said Dhruva. All men should try to become established in Bha'gavata Dharma in childhood. Then one is likely to have a lot more time at one's disposal. What is Bha'gavata Dharma and what are the qualifications for it? The one qualification is prapatti, that is, `I have surrendered everything unto Bhagava'na. Whatever He wants I will do.' Those who get established in this feeling at an early age are true human beings. What is Bha'gavata Dharma? It is vista'ra (psychic expansion), rasa (flow) and seva' (service). Bha'gavata Dharma differentiates humans from animals. There are some attributes which exist in trees, animals and humans alike, and there are other attributes which exist in animals and humans only. Furthermore, there are certain attributes which are unique to human beings. Some people say, `The human being is a rational animal. I refute this statement. In my opinion, the human being is not an animal. The human is a rational being. Human existence is an ideological flow. Therefore, the human being is not an animal. Just as plants and animals are both living things but are not alike, similarly, animals and humans are both living beings but are not alike. Animals move but plants do not. Animals cry but plants do not. What, then, differentiates humans from animals? Vista'ra, rasa and seva'. These are the three essentialities of Bha'gavata Dharma, and it is Bha'gavata Dharma that differentiates human beings from other creatures. Everybody wants expansion. The desire for expansion is the innate characteristic, the dharma, of human beings. No one desires to remain ks'udra - a tiny thing. All wish to expand their psychic arena. In order to quench this thirst for vista'ra, one must do sa'dhana' regularly. In this way a day is sure to come when one's mind will become one with the Cosmic Mind. The second factor is rasa, and third is seva'. Since time immemorial there has been a never-ending flow of Cosmic cognition. Human beings want their desires to coincide with His will. When one is able to achieve this, the life of the unit becomes successful and complete. This is rasa. Human life is blessed. In the Sha'stras such people are called `a'ptaka'ma'. This desire to become one with Parama Purus'a exists only in human beings, not in other living beings; neither in animals nor in plants and trees. The third essential factor of Bha'gavata Dharma is seva'. Only humans are aware of their own identity. Plants, animals and material objects are not aware. A rupee does not know that it is a rupee. A mango tree does not know that it is a mango tree. A jackal does not know that it is a jackal. But humans know that they are human. Human beings also know that Parama Purus'a is their source of impetus, is their Father, and that they are all His children. As His children, they have a brotherly relationship with all other jiivas, or unit beings. Due to this knowledge of brotherhood, the human is superior to all other beings. Parents are greatly pleased when they find that their children have been loved and helped by someone. Similarly, Parama Purus'a will be pleased when you serve His creation - not only human beings, but also plants, animals, and the rest of creation. That is, bhu'ta yajina, pitr yajina and nr yajina are to be performed. Those who have this feeling are in the real sense of the term human beings. Just having the body of a human does not make a person a real human being, a rational being. Those in whom this feeling has arisen will be called followers of Bha'gavata Dharma. They are doing the sa'dhana' of Bha'gavata Dharma. So, 'Kaoma'ra a'caret pra'jinah dharma'n Bha'gavata'niha, Durlabham' ma'nus'am' janma tadapyadhruvamarthadam.' At the earliest age possible a wise person will start following Bha'gavata Dharma, will start Bha'gavata Dharma Sa'dhana'. To follow Bha'gavata Dharma, the only requisite qualification is total self-surrender. After Dhruva made his reply, what happened? Na'ra'yan'a appeared and asked the boy to get up, telling him he was very young, and asking what the necessity was of doing sa'dhana' at such an early age. Then Dhruva said, `The sa'dhana' was for You, and You have come. So now I will get up.' You must remember the fact that, to realize Him, age, sex, academic qualifications and such things are not relevant. Great scholars, senior people and maha'mahopa'dhya'ya pan'd'itas may lag behind, while an illiterate person races ahead and fulfills his or her purpose. You should not have any inferiority complex in your mind regarding age, sex, education, etc. You are His children. It is your birthright to reach Him, irrespective of your status, academic qualification, or age. Make proper utilization of this right. 13 October 1978, Patna NITYAM' SHUDDHAM' official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. There is a shloka of Tantra, "Nityam shuddham' nira'bha'sam' nira'ka'ram' nirainjanam Nityabodham' cida'nandam' Gururbrahma nama'myaham." Nityam means `unchangeable', that which is permanent, which does not undergo any change. That which is nitya is also known as deva. Deva is the expression of Parama'tman which is `Sarvadyotana'tmakah akhan'd'a cidaekarasah', that is which vibrates everything, living or non-living, in the entire creation. (Akhan'd'a means `that which cannot be divided into pieces'. Cidaekarasah means one who is cognition personified and who has the same flow from ana'di to ananta.) This is the meaning of nityam. `Shuddham'. An object as it should be, in a condition or form as it should be, and remaining in that form or condition is called shuddha. This word Shuddha is a relative word. Suppose pure ghee is prepared with all the necessary precautions. But will that pure ghee remain pure after ten years? No. So one cannot call that ghee pure, because it does not remains as it was. Even if there is no adulteration, it does not remain as pure as it was when originally prepared. It undergoes changes due to changes in time. So we can say that no object of this physical world can be called shuddha, or pure. Parama'tman does not undergo any change and cannot be touched by impurity, so He alone can be called pure, or shuddha. He is pure for all time, and nothing else can be like that. `Nira'bha'sam'. A'bha'sa has two meanings. One meaning is that, due to reflection, or refraction, something appears to be bent or misshapen. So, according to this interpretation, nira'bha'sa will mean `that which does not undergo any reflection or refraction. The second meaning is that which does not have any a'bha'sa, any semblance, in other things or in other objects; that which cannot be conceptualized. This second meaning becomes more pertinent. As Parama Purus'a has the characteristic of reflection, His reflections on unit beings are the unit selves, or jiiva'tma's. There may not appear to be reflection, but reflection is there. Still another meaning is that one may have some kind of idea of Him, even a very faint or minute semblance of Him, yet no one can claim himself to be another, or smaller, or duplicate, Parama Purus'a. So the word nira'bha'sam has been used here in this sense also. `Nira'ka'ram'. An object is created by the effect of the three gun'as, sentient, mutative and static. What we see or feel, that which is perceivable, is known as matter, dravya. `Tava dravyam' Jagatguro Tubhyameva samarpaye.' Suppose we talk of the Himalayas. Though they are very vast, they have a limit. In other words, that which comes under the bondage of limitation has a shape or size. It is dravya, or matter. Dravya is that which has taken form. But the entity which is under no bondage of limitation, either of time, person or space, cannot be under any bondage of shape or size, so He is called nira'ka'ram. `Nirainjanam'. Ainjana means black spot. So that entity which is spotless, or which has no black spots, is Nirainjana. `Nityabodham'. Bodha means experience supported by the intellect. Suppose you saw something wonderful - that was an experience for you. However, no idea of yours is connected to that experience which you had. So this is not bodha, or knowing. For example, someone sees a rainbow. That is a case of perception. The person, however, has no concept about the seven colours - therefore it is not a case of bodha. If a technician sees a machine, he can have bodha of the machine, but a layman who is not an engineer cannot form any mental conception of the machine. Budh + ghain = Bodha. The entity who knows fully about each and every object, each and every mind, each and every jiiva'tma', about everything in this creation, is Nityabodham. Nothing can be done which is secret from Him. `Cida'nandam'. Parama Purus'a is chiefly known as Satyam or Aparin'a'mii - unchangeable or undergoing no metamorphosis. Cit means cognition - Shiva is known as Citi Shakti and the other Shakti is known as the Creative Principle. So Cida'nanda is also the Cognitive Faculty or He who is always in bliss. He need not go anywhere in search of happiness from some other source. His existence is bliss. A'nanda is cognitive bliss. This is the quality of Parama Purus'a, that He has created the jiivas, and it is a sort of conspiracy or drama of His to keep the jiivas in bondage. A playwright gives a particular role to a particular person. In such a way this Great Director of the Great Drama has involved everyone in his or her own way. In doing so He finds happiness, so that is what He does. He also does this to make things more interesting. Actually, Parama Purus'a never means any harm by involving someone in a particular role. Say He has involved everyone in one or other role, and has picked a special role for Himself. In the drama He withdraws the bondage from a particular jiiva'tma' and liberates him or her. To place one in bondage and again release him or her is His liila'. And He is absorbed in this liila'. So no one should feel disconcerted about anything. All should know that He is concerned about their welfare. Just as parents are concerned for their child, so is He even more concerned for each of His children. Therefore, do not be afraid or perplexed under any circumstances. I have told you that you are never alone in this world - the Entity that guides the stars guides you also. 15 October 1978, Patna EVERYBODY OBEYS HIM official source: A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3 cross-references: none this version: is the printed A'nanda Vacana'mrtam Part 3, 2nd edition, version (spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition. Daevii hyes'a' gun'a'mayii Mama Ma'ya' du'ratyaya', Ma'meva ye prapadyante Ma'ya'meta'm' taranti te. The Lord says, `This Divine Ma'ya' of Mine is very powerful, so it is not possible for any living being to surmount it. But `Ma'meva ye prapadyante Ma'ya'meta'm' taranti te' - `those who take shelter in Me can easily surmount this Ma'ya' with My help.' So there it is clear that Ma'ya' is His - `Shaktih Sa' Shivasya Shaktih.' In Ma'ya' you know there are two things, Vidya'ma'ya' and Avidya'ma'ya', the centripetal force and the centrifugal force, one helping aspirants in their movement towards the Nucleus and the other driving them away from the Nucleus, increasing the radius from Him. And there are certain functions, certain actional expressions of Avidya'ma'ya' as well as Vidya'ma'ya'. When there are two Ma'ya's, it is not at all logical even to think that only Vidya'ma'ya' will function: Avidya'ma'ya' will also do something. That is why there are opposite, rather, sometimes contradictory expressions in Parama Purus'a. Why these cyclones, why these earthquakes, why these floods? They are all expressions of Avidya'ma'ya'. But because the balance is maintained the expressions of Vidya'ma'ya' in the universe are in a position to maintain their equipoise. In the Vedas it has been said regarding this nature of Parama Purus'a, regarding the fact that He functions through both Vidya' and Avidya', that sometimes His actions are beneficial, and sometimes His actions appear to be non-beneficial; that is, prima facie they are not beneficial, but actually they are also beneficial, because Avidya'ma'ya' is also His. When He punishes, this punishment, this action of punishing, is done with the help of Avidya'. But what is the intention? The intention is good. In the Vedas it has been said, `Anejadekam' manaso javiiyo.' Anejat, not ejat - not moving, that is, fixed. Why is He fixed, why is He stationary? Because He is above the periphery of time, space and person. There is neither any time, nor any space, nor any person. So can there be any movement, can there be any speed, not to speak of velocity? There cannot be. So He is anejat, meaning non-moving. (In Sam'skrta the root verb ejat means to move. Sama'nam ejati ityarthe sama'jah, that is, a group of people moving together is Sama'jah.) `Ekam' The very word ekam is self-contradictory because regarding the Supreme Entity you cannot use any numeral. Whatever you think comes within the arena of your mind, of mental creation. So how can you bind Him with something that is of your mental creation? You cannot. But even so we must say that he is Ekam, that He is Singular Entity. What is the reason? The reason is that only when the mind of a sa'dhaka becomes one-pointed can he realize Him. So if any numeral is to be used for Him, that numeral should be ekam, not two or three. It has further been said, `Manaso javiiyo'; that is, `faster than the mind.' The mind moves very fast, and He moves faster than the mind. Just now it was said He was anejat, not moving; here it has been said that His movement is very fast. How is this possible? Manaso javiiyo - it defeats the mind. As far as movement is concerned, it wins the championship. How? Unit minds, or microcosms, have certain movements, and those movements are faster than any worldly, quinquelemental movement. It takes some time for a person to travel to the moon from this earth, but for the mind it will take no time. The mind is faster than any quinquelemental movement. Movement of the mind means movement of the microcosm. And, as the microcosm is a microscopic fraction of the Macrocosm, the Macrocosm is faster than all microcosms. And as the Macrocosm is a transformed form, a cruder form of Cosmic Cognition, certainly Cosmic Cognition is faster than the Macrocosm. That's why it has been said, `Manaso javiiyo.' `Naenaddeva' a'pnuvan pu'rvamars'at.' Deva means expressions. And here deva means the indriyas, the sensory and motor organs. The sensory and motor organs are less speedy than the mind, so your organs cannot catch Him. If there is, say, a mile race among so many persons - say your ten indriyas and Mr. X, Y, Z, A, B, C, all having the ten indriyas - and the Macrocosm and the microcosm - who will be the champion? Certainly the Macrocosm, the Cosmic Mind, will be the champion. So how can you catch Him with the help of your indriyas, with the help of your eyes and ears? Some people say, `I want to see Him.' How can your eyes see Him or catch Him when they have less speed than His? So `Naenaddeva' a'pnuvan pu'rvamars'at' - no indriya, no sensory organ or motor organ can catch Him. When there is a race, He surpasses everything. So how can you catch Him with the help of your logic, your philosophy, your science, and so many things? You cannot. It is a futile idea, it is a foolish idea, to try to catch Him with the help of any of your binding ties, with the help of any of your binding tethers, with the help of any of your mental creations. `Taddha'vato' nya'natyeti tis't'hat tasminna'po ma'tarishva' dadha'ti.' Everybody obeys Him. Everybody will have to do according to His desires, according to His laws, according to the laws created by him for the welfare of the entire creation. And that is why air, water, light and so many entities are doing their prescribed duties, and will have to do their prescribed duties. There is no alternative. 16 October 1978, Patna