LECTURES ON YOGA AND VEDANTA

Lecture VIII: `Practical Vedanta', now resumes.
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Vedanta or knowledge of Self is not the sole property of Sannyasins or recluses who live in forests or caves of the Himalayas. Study the Upanishads and you will find that many Kshatriya kings, who were very busy in their daily affairs of life, were in possession of Brahma-Jnana. They even gave instructions to Brahmin priests.

Svetaketu Aruneya (grandson of Aruna), repaired to the assembly of the Panchalas. Pravahana Jabali (the king of Panchala, a Kshatriya) asked him: "Boy, has your father instructed you?" "Yes, Sir," he replied. "Do you know to what place men go from here?" "No, Sir," he replied. "Do you know how they return again?" "No, Sir," he replied. "Do you know where the path of the Devas and the path of the fathers diverge?" "No, Sir," he replied. "Do you know why that world (that of fathers) never becomes full?" "No, Sir," he replied. "Then why did you say that you had been instructed? How could anybody who did not know these things say that he had been taught?" Then the boy, troubled in mind, came to his father's place and said: "Sir, though you had not taught me, you said you had instructed me. That fellow of a Rajanya (king, Kshatriya clan) asked me five questions and I could not answer even one of them." The father said, "If I had known these, why should not I have told them to you?"

The Gautama (the father of Svetaketu) went to the king's place and when he reached the place, the king offered him proper respect. In the morning, he went to the king in his assembly. The king said to him: "O revered Gautama, ask a boon of such things as belong to the world of men." He replied, "Let such things as men possess remain with you. Repeat the same `speech' which you addressed to my boy." The king was perplexed. He commanded: "Stay here for some time." Then he said, "As to what you have asked me, Gautama, this knowledge did not go to any Brahmana before this; and therefore, this teaching belonged, among all the people, to the Kshatriya alone."

Sukadeva had to go to Raja Janaka to get confirmation of his knowledge and realisation. He was tested by Janaka in the Durbar.

Raja Janaka arranged for music and dancing, all around his palace, to distract the attention of Sukadeva. There were various kinds of shows and entertainments. Sukadeva was asked to carry in his hand a cup of milk that was filled to the very brim, round the palace and to make three such rounds without allowing even a drop to overflow and fall on the ground. Sukadeva did it successfully as he had one-pointedness of mind (Ekagrata). Nothing could distract his mind.

An Englishman, a district collector, saw a sick patient on the roadside in a dying condition. He was a very sympathetic man. He carried the patient to the neighbouring hospital on his own shoulders. Look at his feeling of oneness. He is a practical Vedantin, whether he knows Upanishads or not.

The sun, the flowers, the Ganges, the sandal, the fruit-bearing trees, the cows—all teach practical Vedanta to the world. They live for serving humanity in a disinterested spirit. The sun radiates its light alike over a cottage of a peasant and a place of a Maharaja. The flowers waft their sweet fragrance to all, without expecting any return. The cool refreshing water of the Ganges is drunk by all. The sandal tree wafts its aroma even to the man who cuts it with an axe. All fruit-bearing trees behave in the same manner. They please the gardener who nourishes them as well as the man who cuts them. The cows live to nourish babies, children, invalids and convalescents. Imagine for a moment that the world is devoid of cows for six months or the race of the cows has become extinct. How miserable and weak you will become! The world will abound with anaemic patients. O selfish ignorant man! Learn lessons from these practical Vedantins and become wise.

If a Yogi or a Sannyasi who is able to keep up serenity of mind while living in a cave in the forest complains of disturbance of mind when he lives in the bustle of a city, he has no control of mind. He has no inner spiritual strength. He is not a practical Vedantin. He has no Self-realisation. He has not attained the goal of life. He is still within the domain of Maya. A real Yogi or a practical Vedantin is one who can keep perfect calmness of mind while performing intense activities amidst the bustle of a city. This is the central teaching of the Gita. Lord Krishna says, "Remember me at all times and fight." Lord Krishna imparted his instructions to Arjuna in the battle-field. Though Arjuna was despondent in the beginning, he gained spiritual strength and fought in the battlefield with perfect tranquillity of mind. He became a practical Vedantin eventually.

O Nectar's sons! Behold the one homogenous Self in all. Mentally repeat the formula or Mantra `OM Ek Sat-Chit-Ananda Atma' whenever you perceive any form. Negate the illusory name and form and try to be one with the underlying immortal essence. Serve all with Atma Bhava. Melt all illusory differences. Annihilate separateness. Destroy all unreasonable dislikes or prejudices. Mix with all. Include all. Embrace all. Share what you have, physical, mental, moral and spiritual, with all. Never remain idle even for a moment. Lead a life of intense activity, but in the midst of it, keep always a calm mind and thus become a practical Vedantin. Glory to such practical Vedantins. May they radiate joy, peace and love everywhere! May they move about as torch-bearers of Truth, Divine Light and Divine Splendour! May they demonstrate a life of practical Vedanta by their very exemplary living!

LECTURE IX – VEDANTA IS LIVING EXPERIENCE

Vedanta is today a much abused term. All sorts of vanity, hypocrisy and self-conceit have been masquerading in its name. It has become the fashion of the day to pass for a Vedantin as it is then convenient to give up all sorts of responsibilities, rituals and restrictions of the Varnashrama Dharma and enables one to lead a happy-go-lucky life to ease, lethargy and inertia. The Punjab is full of dry, lip-Vedantins. Punjabi women have also taken to Vedanta and they take great pride in calling themselves Vedantins, whether or not they understand the philosophy, whether or not they do any practice. All retired officers who have not done any selfless service or any Sadhana or worship or charity take to Vedanta as a sort of fancy.

Thus Vedanta has become a very comfortable philosophy, because one can do whatever he chooses and eat whatever he likes. Licentiousness is mistaken for a life of expansion. If a man can eat anything in any hotel in any part of the world, if he can move socially with any man or woman, that does not mean, he is a Vedantin. There is much tall talk of Vedanta now-a-days. There is idle Vedantic gossiping. But there is no practical Vedanta. Nobody wants to do any real solid Vedantic Sadhana. Man feels ashamed to call himself a Bhakta, but he takes great pride in calling himself a Yogi or a Vedantin, because he foolishly imagines he will respected by the public. Many ignorant Vedantins have mistaken the body for Brahman and hence there is corruption amongst the so-called loose Vedantins. This is not only lamentable but also highly deplorable.

Wholesale preaching of Vedanta to the Masses is not advisable. It will result in chaos, bewilderment and stagnation. Grasping of Vedantic principles and a right understanding of the philosophy and Sadhana are very difficult. Vedanta is for a select few who are equipped with the four means of salvation or Sadhana Chatushtaya and who have removed the impurities of their minds and mental oscillation through constant practice of Nishkama Karma Yoga and Upasana. The path of Vedanta is not so easy as it is generally supposed to be. It is a sharp, razor-edge path. Therefore, those who preach Vedanta to the masses do more harm than any good. They are misleading the people.

It is very very easy to say, "Soham—I am He", "Sivoham—I am Siva", "Aham Brahma Asmi—I am Brahman"—like a parrot, but to live in the very spirit of Vedanta, to feel the oneness or unity of consciousness, to become `That' in reality and to radiate the Brahmic Bliss, Joy and Peace is an extremely difficult affair. While repeating `Soham', if his mind is easily upset when another utters a single harsh word, and if he begins to fight with that man vehemently, there is no use at all in that repetition. It is mere hypocrisy. He will not be able to influence others. People will take him for a cheat.

Vedanta is not merely a concept or a dogma. It is neither a theory nor a dry philosophy for contention and argumentation. It is the actual life of perennial joy in Brahman or Truth. A single practical Vedantin like Sankara could move the whole world. A practical Vedantin will outweigh a thousand and one Sandows when weighed in a balance. A practical Vedantin possesses tremendous inner spiritual strength. The whole world rejoices at the sight of a real practical Vedantin. Practical Vedanta is a living experience, the melting of the individual self in the ocean of consciousness or the Supreme Self. The experiencer exclaims with inexpressible joy, All indeed is Brahman. All differences, distinctions, qualities have vanished. I see Brahman and Oneness everywhere. I am Brahman.

LECTURE X – VEDANTIC CULTURE

The Being who is described in the Upanishads is Brahman or Atman or the Self or Absolute. He is the fountain-head of all scriptural knowledge. He is the source or womb for everything. He is existence absolute, knowledge absolute and bliss absolute. He is indivisible, all-pervading, self-contained, eternal and immortal. He is beyond time, space and causation. He is beginningless and endless. He is the indweller in all beings. He is the witness of the activities of all minds.

The Atman or the Self is all-pervading. He is beyond birth and death. He is undecaying, self-luminous, eternal, pure and self-existent. He is all-full, imperishable and infinite. He is the silent witness of the three states, viz., waking, dreaming and deep-sleep. He is beyond caste, creed or colour. Sin cannot touch Him because He is ever pure. Pain, sorrow and delusion cannot affect Him, because He is all-joy. Hunger, worries and tribulations cannot torment Him, because He is all-bliss. Lust cannot reach Him, because He is sexless. Wrath cannot approach Him, because He is mindless. Restlessness cannot agitate Him, because He is all-peace. Time cannot devour Him, because He is eternity.

What on earth can cause fear in you when you have realised your identity with such an Atman? What on earth can generate hatred, delusion, difference and sorrow in you when you behold the one in all and all in one? What on earth can cause agitation in you when you have transcended the mind and when you rest peacefully in your own Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa, that magnanimous ocean of bliss and stupendous silence?

The questions: "Who am I? What is this Samsara? Whence have I come? Whither will I go? What is the goal of life? What is Brahman or Atman? What is the relation between the individual soul and the supreme soul? How to attain the goal? Can I become immortal? Can I enjoy eternal bliss?"—will surely arise in the mind of every human being at one stage of his life or another.

He who seriously thinks over these questions and attempts in right earnest to reach the goal in a wise man but he who does not care to ponder over these vital questions, who leads a sensual life and who does not endeavour to attain the final beatitude of life, is a fool or a thoughtless person. He lives in vain. He is a burden on this earth. He is a slayer of his own Self. His life is indeed very pitiable.

He alone who is devoted to his parents, who has a calm mind, who has controlled all his senses, who has a one-pointed mind, who is equipped with four means, who is endowed with Sattvic qualities, who has purified his mind by constant selfless service, who has removed the tossing of the mind by Upasana or worship, Japa and Kirtan and, last but not least, who sits at the feet of a preceptor, who is enlightened and well-versed in scriptural knowledge, is able to grasp the Truth or the one Eternal Principle.

Worldly enjoyments are fleeting like the flashes of lightning. Human life is ephemeral like the bubble. The vigour of youth is short-lived. All these are illusory in this world. All worldly things are generative of pain only. There is not even an iota of bliss in this world. The wealth which you covet is only ephemeral. The longing for wife and wealth does but enchain you. One thing which is sweet and pleasant to you at one moment produces the very reverse of that sensation in another moment. Who has not experienced this in this world? Hence it behoves a wise man to concentrate his mind on the Atman or the Self and attain the supreme seat of Eternal Bliss and Supreme Quiescence.

Do not be afraid of difficulties and failures in the spiritual path. Failures are stepping stones to success. Difficulties will make you stronger and powerful. Difficulties will develop your will-power. Overcome the difficulties one by one. Use your intelligence, sagacity, discrimination and common-sense. Be bold. Stand adamant. Be cheerful. Dismiss fear and anxiety. March boldly in the spiritual path. Do not look backwards. Draw courage, strength and power from within. Tap the source. Go direct. Refresh yourself. Renovate yourself. Then march cautiously. Thou art invincible. Nothing is the three worlds can hurt you. Rest assured. Remain serene always. Smile and rejoice in the Atman.

Do not confine yourself to names and forms. Rise above them and realise the Truth. Just as bubbles, foam and waves come from the ocean, exist in the ocean and dissolve in the ocean itself eventually so also these illusory names and forms have come out of Brahman or the Absolute or the Ocean of Bliss and Knowledge, exist in Brahman and ultimately dissolve in Brahman. This world is nothing but Brahman. Behold the one Self in all forms. See the One in all and all in one.

You can dispel pain, sorrow, ignorance, fear, worry and anxiety only when you realise Brahman or the Self. This is the emphatic declaration of Vedanta. There is no other way to attain complete freedom from ignorance, fear, sorrow and pain. Verily it is true indeed! For how can you be subject to fear when you have realised the Self, when you have come to know that you are in essence identical with the non-dual Brahman and that there is no other seer but you, no other hearer but you, no other knower but you, no other thinker but you? Who is to be afraid of whom, when one feels oneness everywhere? Who is to hurt whom, when all dualities have totally vanished?

The music of the soul is within you. The kingdom of God is within you. The domain of peace is within you. The Light of lights is within you. Knowledge is within you. The three worlds are within you. The source of power, joy, bliss and life is within you. Heaven and hell are within you. The magazine of wisdom is within you. The fountain-head of beauty is within you. The ocean of bliss and peace is within you. Turn the gaze from sensual objects and look within. Collect the dissipated rays of the mind and meditate on the Self seriously. Hold communion with that supreme principle devoid of mental fancies and modifications. Merge yourself in the Light of lights within. Plunge yourself in the ocean of bliss. The great bondage of the mind will cease now. All doubts will vanish and all Karmas will perish. You are a Jivanmukta or liberated sage now. Move about fearlessly now. Roam about happily, my child, wherever you like.

You experience disharmony and discord when Rajas and Tamas prevail in the mind. Annihilate Tamas by increasing Rajas and destroy Rajas by increasing Sattva. There will be harmony and concord when Sattva prevails in the mind. Go beyond Sattva and hear the celestial music of the soul music that you never heard of before. It is the music of the meeting of soul with soul. It is the wonderful music that transcends all Ragas and Raginis. It is the unstruck music of the Infinite, that celestial melody which thrills the hearts of the meditator, that celestial melody which helps the aspirants to merge himself in Brahman. It is the music of OM or Pranava Dhvani. It is transcendental Anahata sound. It is the divine music of Krishna's flute. It is silence itself. Drown yourself in the bliss of the inner music of the soul. Its melody and sweetness are beyond description. You should experience it yourself.

You are the real master or governor of the whole world. You are bound to none. Feel the majesty of your Self. Whatever your circumstances and environment may be, keep peaceful and happy. Abandon all anxiety, fear and worry. Rest in your centre. Be self-poised, self-pleased and self-contained. Sing OM, chant OM and meditate on OM. Realise the Self. Know the Self and be free. Now the whole world will be a heaven or a paradise to you. You are the Lord of lords, the God of all gods, the Emperor of emperors. You are in possession of inexhaustible spiritual wealth. Sum-total of the pleasures of the whole world is a mere drop when compared to the bliss you enjoy now. You are the ocean of bliss now. What a magnanimous sate! Even the thousand-tongued Adisesha cannot describe it.

LECTURE XI – GARLAND OF VEDANTA

A Vedantin says, "Nothing is mine and everything is mine." As the world is a mere appearance he is quite right in saying, "nothing is mine." As he has realised the Self, as the world has no independent existence apart from Brahman or the Self, he says, "everything is mine." He has controlled the organ of smell and Prithivi Tattva and so all objects of smell and sense belong to him. He has controlled the palate or tongue and the Apas Tattva and so all objects of taste, fruits and other dainties belong to him. He has controlled the organ of sight or eye and Agni-Tattva and so all objects of sight and beauties and gardens belong to him. He has controlled the organ of touch and Vayu Tattva and so all objects of touch belong to him. He has controlled the organ of hearting and the Akasa Tattva and so all the sounds and music belong to him.

Identification with the body (Deha Adhyasa) brings pain. When one attains knowledge of the Self, he will experience no pain although there is some disease in the body. He is above body consciousness. A highly developed Hatha Yogi only, who has control over the atoms and Kaya Siddhi, can keep his body without ailment. Rise above body and always identify yourself with the painless, diseaseless Atman. You will be free from pain. When you are in deep-sleep there is no pain even if you are suffering from any disease. When you are under chloroform there is no pain even if the leg is amputated. It is the linking of the mind with the body that causes pain. If the mind is taken away from the body consciously and fixed on all-blissful Self through constant meditation, you will have no pain even if the body is subject to any kind of ailments. This is Jnana Yoga Sadhana. Prarabdha has to be worked out. Therefore the body will be subject to diseases. The Jivanmukta will not experience any pain. The on-lookers may wrongly imagine that the sage is also suffering. It is a serious mistake. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa had cancer in the throat. Buddha had chronic dysentery. Sankara had piles. But they experienced no pain. When doctors asked Ramakrishna Paramahamsa: "Why do you suffer like this? Can you not undergo the operation?" He replied, "I have given my mind to Mother Kali. How can I think of my body? How can I bring my mind back to the cage of flesh? I am always in bliss."

If you are deluded by a mirage for some time, you will not be affected by it again when you come to know that it is a mirage only but not water. Even so, the world will appear for a Jivanmukta but he knows that it is unreal. He will not be attracted a bit by the objects. It is no more the world of sorrow for him. He knows fully well that it is mere appearance owing to the play of Maya.

The will of a Jivanmukta becomes one with the cosmic will. He experiences the bliss of cosmic consciousness. He feels that all ears are his ears, all eyes are his eyes, all mouths are his mouths, all tongues are his tongues, all hands are his hands, all legs are his legs, all minds are his minds. This will be a magnanimous experience indeed. Words will fail to describe adequately the grandeur of this experience. Realise this experience and be free.

O man! In essence thou art the blessed divinity. Thou art the immoral blissful Self. Why are you attracted towards the physical beauty, the beauty of landscapes and flowers when you are yourself the Beauty of beauties, the fountain-source of all beauties? Why do you admire the sun, moon, stars and lightning—when you are yourself the Sun of suns, the Light of lights? Why do you say `I am 40 years of age', `I am at death's door', `Time has passed away'—when you are yourself the Eternity? Why do you say `I am fat', `I am 5 feet and 6 inches'—when you are the Infinite? Why do you say `I have no money', `I am very poor', `I am penniless'—when you are the Emperor of the Three Worlds, the Source of all wealth? Why do you say `I am helpless', I am your most obedient servant'—when you are the Director and Governor of the whole world? Why do you say `I am miserable', I am restless'—when you are the Embodiment of Bliss and peace? Why are you afraid of death or Lord Yama—when you are Existence Absolute? Why do you say `I am unwell', `I am suffering from a chronic disease'—when you are all-health? Why do you say `I am ignorant', `I know nothing'—when you are Knowledge Absolute? Realise the mysterious Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman through purification, concentration, meditation and identification. Rejoice in this wonderful Self and be free! Tat Tvam Asi, Thou art That, O dear Satyakama bold.

LECTURE XII – ATMA-SVARAJYA

The Infinite is Bliss. The infinite is Brahman or Atman or the Supreme Self. The Infinite is the Absolute. The Infinite is Bhuma or the unconditioned that is beyond time, space and causation. The Infinite is Immortality. Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else, there is Infinity. The Infinite abides in its own greatness. The Infinite is Supreme Peace. The Infinite is fearlessness. The Infinite is Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute and Bliss Absolute. The Infinite is all-full and indivisible. The Infinite is self-existent, self-contained and self-luminous. The Infinite alone is real. The Infinite alone exists in the three periods of time. You must search, understand and realise the Infinite.

The `oversoul' of the Western philosophers is the Brahman of the Upanishads or Atman of the Vedantins. The Supreme Soul or Paramatma which is the support for the individual is the `Oversoul'. The `oversoul' is the `Substance' of Spinoza or the `Thing-in-Itself' of Kant. The essence of Vedanta has slowly infiltrated into the minds of Western philosophers and they have accepted now the existence of one eternal principle or the immortal soul which is distinct from the body and mind.

Brahman is the Soul or Atman of man. He is the Soul of the Universe. Brahman alone is Infinite. There cannot be two infinities. If there are two infinities. These will be fighting among the infinities themselves. One infinite will be creating something, another infinite will be destroying it. There can be only one infinite. This Atman is the one Infinite Brahman. Everything else is its manifestation or expression.

Vedanta holds the first place amongst all systems of philosophies. It is a system of philosophy in which human speculation has reached its very pinnacle or acme. It is indeed a unique system of thought, which demands a subtle, sharp intellect to grasp its fundamental principles. It is unique in the boldness of its conclusions. It is absolutely free from all shades of dogmatism or pet doctrines.

Vedanta is very practical. It does not preach an impossible ideal. Vamadeva, Jada Bharata, Sankara and many others realised the Truth of Vedanta. You can also realise it if you will. What is wanted is regular and constant practice. You must have perfect faith in the utterance of the Srutis and in the words of the Guru. You must have perfect faith in yourself first.

Vedanta wants you to give up Moha for the physical body, wife, children and property. Vedanta wants you to abandon all worldly desires, cravings and longings. Vedanta wants you to eradicate the desire for power, name and fame. Vedanta wants you to break all ties and connections with the world mentally. Vedanta wants you to cut off ruthlessly all worldly attachments by the sword of discrimination.

Some ignorant people say that Vedanta preaches immortality, hatred and pessimism. This is a very sad mistake. Vedanta does not preach either immortality or even indifference to morality. The realisation of Brahman is not possible for the immoral. An aspirant who has ethical perfection and who is endowed with the four means can become a student of Vedanta. How can you expect an aspirant who possesses discrimination, dispassion, serenity, self-restraint, forbearance, endurance, faith, one-pointed mind and a burning desire for liberation to lead an immoral life? It is a quite absurd. Vedanta wants you to destroy Moha or selfish love and passion for the body and to develop pure, disinterested, cosmic love or the magnanimous divine Prem. It never preaches pessimism but it preaches the pinnacle of optimism. It preaches: Give up this little illusory pleasure. You will get eternal and infinite bliss. Kill this little `I'. You will become one with the Infinite. You will become immortal. Give up this illusory world.

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Lecture XII, `Atma-Svarajya', will continue .