Adjusting the sails of Bhakti

    Bhakti is a special relationship between the individual Jivatman and the Supreme Paramatman. Navavidha Bhakti provided an insight into the different flavors of Bhakti. But modern day Bhakti is reduced to a transactional business. In many extreme cases, when one pleads for the life of a beloved, without understanding Karma of that Jiva, an undesired results leads to these pseudo Bhaktas to even atheism. We studied this trend in greater detail in Bhakti – Now and then. Such Hindus seem to be walking with a book of excuses.

    While we are not trying to fix these fakes, a genuine Bhakta will have to fix some of the roadblocks. This is a wondrous story from Srimad Bhagavatam, found in Canto 10, Chapter 23. Vyasa Maharishi has documented this history to make us ponder deeply on how we can adjust the sails of our Bhakti boat which can help us cross the Samsara.

Moksha for Brahmana wives and their husbands:

 The Gopa boys depended on everything from food to entertainment and protection from Sri Krishna and Balarama. Once, overwhelmed by hunger, they appealed to them to provide them with some nourishment. Being aware of some Bhakta Brahmana women nearby, he realized their husbands were performing Angirasa satram, with an intention to ascend to swarga. Krishna suggested that the Gopa boys go and declare that they have been sent by Sri Krishna and Balarama and seek some food.

    The Gopa boys having fallen to the feet of the Brahmanas out of respect, wished for their prosperity and happiness. They informed that Krishna and Balarama were nearby and desired to obtain some food to quell their hunger. The word used to refer the Brahmanas is knowers of Dharma (धर्मवित्तमा: dharma-vittamāḥ). There is a stipulated time between the initiation and sacrificial rites of Sautramani, when food cannot be taken. Since it is past the time, there are no constraints in sharing the food.

Wrong Attitude: Despite the request of Sri Krishna they paid no attention. Worse yet they were entangled in their ritualistic outlook mired in desires (क्षुद्राशा भूरिकर्माणो kṣudrāśā bhūri-karmāṇo SB 10-23-9).

    Due to their perverse intelligence and by wrongly identifying the body as their self, they were unable to perceive Sri Krishna in reality was Parabrahmam (तं ब्रह्म परमं साक्षाद् भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् । मनुष्यद‍ृष्ट्या दुष्प्रज्ञा मर्त्यात्मानो न मेनिरे ॥ taṁ brahma paramaṁ sākṣād bhagavantam adhokṣajam manuṣya-dṛṣṭyā duṣprajñā martyātmāno na menire SB 10-23-11).

    Bhagawan alone manifests as the different aspects of the Yagna – the time, place, sacrificial offerings, mantras, prescribed rituals, sacrifice officiating priests, sacrificial fires, devatas, yajman of the sacrifice and the phala. (देश: काल: पृथग्द्रव्यं मन्त्रतन्त्रर्त्विजोऽग्नय: देवता यजमानश्च क्रतुर्धर्मश्च यन्मय: ॥ deśaḥ kālaḥ pṛthag dravyaṁ mantra-tantrartvijo  ’gnayaḥ devatā yajamānaś ca kratur dharmaś ca yan-mayaḥ SB 10-23-10). In short, the entire elaborate exercise of the Yagna was to get a visualization of the Parabrahman. Yet due to the wrong understanding of the self as the body, not only all the efforts went futile, but also generated a perverted stance that didn’t help the Brahmanas.

Krishna’s advice: As the Gopa boys reported the cold treatment given by the Brahmanas, Krishna redirected them to approach the Brahmanas wives, who were not only affectionate but also locked on to Krishna with their intelligence. The Gopas found a very enthusiastic response. The women carried four types of food and rushed to Krishna as a river merges into the ocean. Krishna was as pleased to see his Bhaktas as they were to see HIM. Their state of mind is captured by Vyasa as akin to the Rishis who give up their false ego on the threshold of entering their real Atmic state.

    Krishna observed that their mind is above all desires (त्यक्तसर्वाशा: tyakta-sarva-āśāḥ). He commends them on rising above their bonds to visit Krishna and Balarama. For Bhaktas, Atma is dearer than any other object (भक्तिमात्मप्रिये bhaktim ātma-priye). It is only by the contact and association with the Atman that one’s Prana, mind, relatives, body, wife, children, wealth etc become dearer (प्राणबुद्धिमन:स्वात्मदारापत्यधनादय: । यत्सम्पर्कात्प्रिया आसंस्तत: को न्वपर: प्रिय: ॥ prāṇa-buddhi-manaḥ-svātma dārāpatya-dhanādayaḥ yat-samparkāt priyā āsaṁs tataḥ ko nv aparaḥ priyaḥ SB 10-23-27). He proceeded to instruct the women to return to the Yagna as their husbands need their attention to complete the rituals.

    The women exclaimed that they have given up all their relations to surrender at the lotus feet of Bhagawan and they cannot settle for anything less than HIS lotus feet. Besides giving up all the connections to the material world, such as husbands, sons, fathers, their very act of severance will make them unfit to return back. Krishna consoled that no one will ever look at them will any malice or ill will by HIS grace. He instructed the women to stay mentally locked on to HIM for spiritual growth and physical proximity is not a factor. To remain fixated upon HIM, he recommended sravana, darshana, dhyana, bhava and kirtana.

    The women returned to perform their duties and there was no negative reception as blessed by Krishna. One of the women who was unable to participate in the rendezvous with Krishna, due to her husband’s extreme measures, heard of the great experience and abandoned her body, having merged with Krishna with her mind. Meanwhile Krishna and the Gopas enjoyed the scrumptious delicacies that were offered to them.

Brahmanas get their understanding corrected: Seeing the wondrous experience of their wives, the Brahmanas became pensive and repentant. Contemplating on the vanity of their noble birth, being initiated into rituals, learning, austerities, they understood their lack of Bhakti towards Bhagawan. They admired at the short cut the women have taken to rise above the bonds of materialism through pure devotion. They were able to rise above the limitations of not having Upanayana, training as Brahmachari or having a Guru. They don’t have the backing of Tapas, saucam or atma mimamsa, yet they have approached the highest truth through Krishna only by Bhakti.

    They realized that they completely misread the Gopas message, as it was to help them rise above their minds buried in the materialistic world. It makes no other sense for the bestower of Moksha and the Lord of all to seek alms. The very abode of Sri, prosperity, taking to alms is an act of extreme kindness towards them, as they reflected properly. They now realized that both their subject and objects of attention were pervaded by Vishnu who has taken the form of Sri Krishna.

    They offered mental obeisance to this Supreme Personality, the ones they were lucky enough to realize thanks to their wives. Though bound by HIS Maya, unable to realize his nature and caught in rituals, they were confident in HIS grace and blessings and were sure they will be pardoned for their oversight. Yet the realized Brahmanas did not go and meet Krishna, owing to the fear of Kamsa.

Adjusting the sails of Bhakti:

    An assumption will have to be made that one is practicing nishkamya bhakti. There is a constant sadhana towards Atma vichara. Despite the strong Bhava connecting the Bhakta with Bhagawan, there are a few obstacles that a Bhakta may have to circumvent.

Need for proximity and assurance: This is especially true for those in very unconducive environments. For instance a Hindu Bhakta in Pakistan or Afghanistan will need a stronger foundation of Bhakti when compared to one residing in Varanasi or Mathura. Though the mind may be very evolved and constantly meditating upon Bhagawan, the stress coming from the non-cooperative environment can shake the very basis. This is what happened to the Brahmana wives, who were very evolved spiritually, yet under the pressure of their ritualistic husbands, who didn’t grasp the essence of their own sadhana.

     So when they mustered all their courage, based on their love and devotion for Sri Krishna, they pleaded HIM not to allow their return. They could experience the ecstasy of Bhakti in the presence of Krishna alone to the fullest extent. But Krishna wanted them to overcome this obstacle.

    Krishna advised, physical contact or proximity is not needed for spiritual growth and fulfillment of spiritual love. He recommended the Brahmana wives to keep their mind fixated upon HIM always and in a short while, they will make rapid progress to permanently merge into HIM. (न प्रीतयेऽनुरागाय ह्यङ्गसङ्गो नृणामिह । तन्मनो मयि युञ्जाना अचिरान्मामवाप्स्यथ ॥ na prītaye ’nurāgāya hy aṅga-saṅgo nṛṇām iha tan mano mayi yuñjānā acirān mām avāpsyatha SB 10-23-32)

    This sloka is not found in all Srimad Bhagavatam recensions, but reiterates the above point with a lot more depth. Sri Krishna recommended the importance of Sravana (listening), darshan (by visualizing using a murti), dhyana (meditation) upon HIM, bhava (special relationship with Bhagawan) and kirtana (singing the name, qualities and connection with Bhagawan). He reminded that physical proximity is not necessary and urged them to return back. (श्रवणाद्दर्शनाद्ध्यानान्मयि भावोऽनुकीर्तनात् । न तथा सन्निकर्षेण प्रतियात ततो गृहान् ॥ śravaṇād darśanād dhyānān mayi bhāvo ’nukīrtanāt na tathā sannikarṣeṇa pratiyāta tato gṛhān SB 10-23-33)

    A common excuse given by many is that it would have been useful if their birth was with one of the Avataras. Krishna’s message removes this silly hallucination of ours. We need to incorporate exactly what Krishna advised these women for Vyasa gives the same prescription for Kali Yuga, much later in the text.

Introspection on Ahamkara: The Brahmanas developed special ahamkara owing to their special conditions and failed to introspect. Ahamkara is the arrogating principle that projects the sense of I-ness. The real Self is the Atman, but the false self is the Ahamkara tattva that reprojects something else as the self. It may be body, mind, intellect, wealth, relationship or anything but the real Self. In spirituality, one must transcend above this lower self through various Sadhana to realize the true nature of one Self.

 

    The Brahmanas were proud of their birth, ritualistic passage, rituals, learning and skill in shastras. All these achievements were mere projections of their ahamkara. Despite all the favorable conditions and practice, they were much farther than they wrongly assumed. The Brahmana women didn’t have any of their positives, yet through simple Bhakti, they were not only approaching Bhagawan but were also immensely blessed and personally coached by Sri Krishna. Only when they began to evaluate their practices against the backdrop of Bhagawan their emptiness emerged. They exclaimed, ‘vain is our high birth with eligibility for the threefold sacraments; vain is our learning, austerities, vast knowledge of the shastras and skill for rituals’. For with all these we do not have devotion to Bhagawan. (धिग् जन्म नस्त्रिवृद् यत् तद् धिग्‌व्रतं धिग्‌‌बहुज्ञताम् । धिक्कुलं धिक् क्रियादाक्ष्यं विमुखा ये त्वधोक्षजे ॥ dhig janma nas tri-vṛd yat tad dhig vrataṁ dhig bahu-jñatām dhik kulaṁ dhik kriyā-dākṣyaṁ vimukhā ye tv adhokṣaje SB 10-23-40)

    This introspection and course correction is crucial even in Bhakti. Imagine that ahamkara can hijack this agenda even at the last step by making one proud as being the best bhakta. Humility is a good friend for every bhakta.

    Bhakti is the way that works the best in Kali Yuga. Yet without these course corrections, we are mired in this samsara sagara. There are numerous stories in Srimad Bhagavatam that inspire every Bhakta. But this one is very special, as it features two ends of a spectrum, yet they need their own course correction. The grace of the Shastras is to offer these and much more insight to every earnest Bhakta. It constantly reminds every sadaka to remain alert as the spiritual journey is fraught with potential pitfalls. At the same time, Bhagawan’s unlimited unrestrained grace is upon each one of us that we need not ever feel being lonely in this journey. Jai Shri Krishna!

ॐ तत् सत

Lessons from Yayati - Renunciation

    Yayati has been providing wonderful insights into ourselves in Lessons from Yayati – Prelude and Lessons from Yayati- Endless desire. Casting aside the recent illogical sickular assertions to brush aside these historical incidents as myths, we profit immensely by developing little shraddha in our itihasapuranas. We immediately realize that itihasapuranas have relevance in our daily lives.

    As we noted elements of this incident is found in the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavatam. We will blend them here to return to our focused research.

Storytime:

    We recall that Yayati was cursed with progeria, premature aging due to his affair with Sarmishta. Only his youngest son, Puru, was able to think along the lines of Dharma and offered to swap his youth for his father’s old age. Yayati having gotten a second chance, pushed his youthful vigor to its limits. He enjoyed pleasures to his heart’s content. His rule was steeped in dharma. Devayani brought extreme intense joy to Yayati though all her endowments of mind, word and body.

    While Yayati was immersed in a pleasure fest, he was performing many yagas and yajnas with plentiful dakshinas. He also tried to infuse the thoughts of Hari. Whenever he worshiped Narayana, he kept it untainted with thoughts of Kama and Artha. For a thousand years, he pursued the satisfaction of every whim and fancy, every desire in the hopes of dousing the raging fire of the manas and the five indriyas. Yet he remained farthest from satiety.

Parable of the Goats:

    Immersed in sensual pleasures, the uxorious Yayati suddenly realized his spiritual fall. As the strengthening viveka produced lasting vairagya, he created a parable to transfer his wisdom to Devayani. He informed her that the story mirrored his life. Due to the past karmas, a he-goat, roaming in the forest, chanced upon a she-goat trapped in a well. The sex intoxicated he-goat began to create a passage by ramming its head against the side of the well. The beautiful she-goat now desired to mate with its hero and rescuer. But the lust driven he-goat, not content with this she-goat, went after many mates. It forgot its real nature (आत्मानं नावबुध्यत ātmānaṁ nāvabudhyata SB 9-19-6).

 

     The she-goat got frustrated by the lack of loyalty returned to its former caretaker. Unable to persuade its mate, the he-goat instead found the angry brahmana, who cuts its testicles, which he later restored through yoga. The he-goat continued to happily enjoy more pleasures by taking the she-goat, yet there was no satisfaction.

Renunciation:

    Yayati highlighted that he was reduced to a pitiable state for ignoring his real nature and wrapping himself with infatuated love. Out of his concern for her, he shares the wisdom soaked in viveka and vairagya.

• A person’s lust/greed will never be satisfied even by owning the entire world, including all the food grains – rice, barley; gold, livestock and all the women (यत् पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशव: स्त्रिय: । न दुह्यन्ति मन:प्रीतिं पुंस: कामहतस्य ते ॥ yat pṛthivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ hiraṇyaṁ paśavaḥ striyaḥ na duhyanti manaḥ-prītiṁ puṁsaḥ kāma-hatasya te SB 9-19-13). 

   

• Contrary to the common understanding, desires are never satiated by obtaining the objects of desire. Just like adding butter to a fire only makes it stronger. Desire fans its flame though its modifications of pleasure, pain, anger, greed, jealousy, delusion, yet lust thrives stronger (न जातु काम: कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति । हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ॥ na jātu kāmaḥ kāmānām upabhogena śāṁyati haviṣā kṛṣṇa-vartmeva bhūya evābhivardhate SB 9-19-14).

   

• When anyone is centered on treating everyone with equanimity, seeking the welfare of everyone, then he finds happiness in all directions. (यदा न कुरुते भावं सर्वभूतेष्वमङ्गलम् । समद‍ृष्टेस्तदा पुंस: सर्वा: सुखमया दिश: ॥ yadā na kurute bhāvaṁ sarva-bhūteṣv amaṅgalam sama-dṛṣṭes tadā puṁsaḥ sarvāḥ sukhamayā diśaḥ SB 9-19-15). This is possible only by raising above raaga-dvesha (likes and dislikes) and by developing an attitude of Sarva Bhuta hita – welfare and prosperity of all beings.

• Hankering of sensory enjoyments doesn’t decay with age. Getting attached to such desires makes them extremely difficult to give up. Anyone seeking happiness must give up the thirst from which wells the desire. (या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्जीर्यतो या न जीर्यते । तां तृष्णां दु:खनिवहां शर्मकामो द्रुतं त्यजेत् ॥ yā dustyajā durmatibhir jīryato yā na jīryate tāṁ tṛṣṇāṁ duḥkha-nivahāṁ śarma-kāmo drutaṁ tyajet SB9-19-16). It is akin to quicksand, the more we struggle, the deeper we get entangled. The more we desire and pine for pleasures, the more we get entrapped.

   

    As recalled even after a thousand years, the urge to seek out pleasure did not get satiated and only has grown stronger. Yayati decided to abandon his grihastha roots attachments and renounce everything. Instead he decided to focus his entire attention only on the Supreme SELF. Realizing the ephemeral nature of the pleasures, objects of senses, one must stop pining for them or enjoy them under the fallacy that the objects provide lasting pleasure. The entangling nature of samsara, the binding nature of any karma and karmaphala is always remembered and understood by the learned man. Such a person has studied the real nature of their SELF and is truly enlightened. (द‍ृष्टं श्रुतमसद्बुद्ध्वा नानुध्यायेन्न सन्दिशेत् । संसृतिं चात्मनाशं च तत्र विद्वान् स आत्मद‍ृक् ॥ dṛṣṭaṁ śrutam asad buddhvā nānudhyāyen na sandiśet saṁsṛtiṁ cātma-nāśaṁ ca tatra vidvān sa ātma-dṛk SB 9-19-20)

 

    Yayati now gave up his kingdom and youth to Puru, having sent the other children to the different directions of his kingdom’s borders. Upon being questioned by scholars, as noted earlier, he laid his irrefutable arguments. He immediately gave up all his sensory attachments that were bogging his realizing his real nature. He became absorbed in the Supreme Self, Vasudeva. Devayani realized that the amusing story was a parable of their life, imparted to elevate her thinking. She realized that her relationship with her husband, children, relatives and friends were tethered to this bodily existence and temporary at best. She too, absorbed her mind on Vasudeva and obtained liberation.

Metaphorical connection:

    Old age represents death. Yayati gets old and later younger. This signifies the rebirth. Even when we are reborn, our vasanas stay strong and fresh. Even if there is no vasana pressure, there is a constant input and attraction from the sense objects, which keep exerting a strong pull on the senses. As the mind is already following the senses, it continuously remains trapped in these constant attractions. But as Vasanas add the strong push towards these objects of desire, the Jiva is unable to extricate from this undying thirst to enjoy the objects of pleasure.

    Yayati though immersed in the world of desirable objects, was equally connected to Dharma. This Dharma forced him to have limited Satsangha. This kept sowing seeds of Viveka and Vairagya. Though it took forever to germinate, they slowly but surely began to take root in time. The subtle effect had an internal Guna transformation, though he was still busy enjoying the pleasures of life.

    The same is true in our lives. We may be buried in samsara, yet if we remain committed to Dharma at all times, it will slowly lead us to Satsangha.

Practical Applications:

• Develop a strong ruchi for dharma. This will not only keep us on track but also help us protect the good vasanas.

• Pursuit of pleasures is a futile endeavor as it never brings satiation. The same is true with avoidance of pain. Instead if one pursues the path of contentment, it leads to peace and eventually liberation.

• Desire is an unquenchable fire. The very fact one attempts even in thought strengthens the vasanas. The desire when attained seems to give a temporary feeling of pleasure, but leaves a strong pining for more leading to greed, jealousy, delusion and lust. If it not attained, it leads to grief, depression and anger. In both cases the vasanas grow stronger. Add on to this the time waiting for Karmaphala more vasanas and thirst for the object grows stronger, which only adds more fuel to this inferno.

• A fire grows continuously when there is fuel, oxygen (oxidizing agent) and a source of heat. Desire does all three by itself. It thus keeps the inferno of an inextinguishable thirst raging, besides ensuring the option to flare up more by strengthening the vasanas.

• Desire may be a legitimate object, yet the attachment to the object desired, adds more complexity to this mental modification. This constant hankering for objects keeps us away from the quest of realizing our true SELF.

• Satsangha and adherence to dharma are sure ways to slowly effect a guna transformation. As the mind gets more Saatvic it tends to give clarity in thinking. This slowly leads to a stronger buddhi, which starts to develop viveka and vairagya. Discretion and Discipline, namely, guide the person to steer clear from the temptations of the sense objects and the tendency of the senses to constantly seek their association.

 

   Yayati provides a wonderful insight into the complete life cycle of every Jiva. His choices offer us a laboratory of experiences which we are currently undergoing and its future trajectory. He also provides us with an escape mechanism from this rut. Dharma and Satsangha are definitely sure shot antidotes to the overwhelming powers of desire and vasanas. This can be definitely sped up by controlling the senses and not giving a free access for the desires to drive the mind. The combination of satsangha (association with Sat) and a deliberate dissociation from desires/vasanas provide a definite and time tested shortcut to realizing our true SELF. May Yayati’s story continue to inspire and guide us to the lotus feet of Bhagawan.

ॐ तत् सत