Class started with the recap of the previous session -
• Discussions on Para and Apara prakriti
Para - formless, undefined, exists in everything
Apara - anything that is definable
• Discussion on Brahman
What is Brahman? It is undefinable. It is the life in us. Rashmi ji explained her thoughts.
• Ashaji mentioned that life is defined by the number of breaths. There is a fixed number of breaths that are assigned to everyone.
This week's session started with Jodi ji chanting verses 17, 18 and 19
Explanations of the verses -
• Verse 17 - Of them the wise, ever steadfast and devoted to the One, excels, for, I am exceedingly dear to the wise and he is dear to Me.
• Verse 18 - Noble indeed are all these; but the wise man, I deem as My very self; for steadfast in mind he is established in Me alone as the Supreme God.
• Verse 19 - At the end of many births the wise man comes to Me, realizing that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul (Mahatma) is very hard to find.
Sai ji explained - how we are here after many births and in each birth have incrementally gained spiritual knowledge. Thus, our time to be a Gnyani may have been reduced.
Mani ji told a story from the Chandogya upanishad - Narada muni is thinking that after attaining so much knowledge, he still is not at peace and doesn't feel complete. To find why that is so, he approaches the Sanat Kumaras (sons of Brahma) and asks them to help him. They ask him to chant all that he knows. After chanting a whole lot of mantras, Narada muni realizes that he can chant everything, but he does not know the BRAHMAN behind the mantras. His understanding and experience are falling short.
• This story tells us the importance of Shravanam, Mananam and Nididhyāsana.
• Our sense organs bring impermanent things to our notice. What they are not able to bring us is the permanent.
Example - Magnet (sensory pleasures) and Iron (our mind). If iron is tied to a piece of wood, the wood does not get attracted to the magnet. Similarly, we have to be the wood that stays with the iron (mind), but does not get attracted to the magnet (sensory pleasures).
Always think of the Lord and you will be living through this samsara, with its attractions, without getting sucked in, but staying aloof and happy.
Chapter 7 - verses 17, 18, 19.....
Theme -
• example of the story of Dhruva, a 6 year old boy. Dhruva was meditating when the Lord appeared before him. Dhruva said. If you are the Lord, please go back inside me because that's where you all are...in me!
• Evildoers - Rajasic and Tamasic
Anyone who is not thinking of God and seeking the Brahman (Ultimate Truth), is termed as an "evildoer" here.
• Virtuous - Satvic (also called jignasu)
• Jnani - Best among Satvic
• There are 4 stages of Mukti-
1. Salokyam = being back into this world (introvert)
2. Samipyam = sattavika; when you focus your energy and thought to the Higher and increase your saarvik content
3. Sarupyam = see divinity - when we start seeing this Higher energy in everything - Eka Bhakti
4. Sayujyam = merger - complete ONEness with the Brahman (not necessarily dead). Moksha..now here, in this life
Sai ji talked about the river Ganga and it's force. If one falls in it. One is pulled by the mighty river in the direction it wants. If one sits on the rocks on the banks, one can dip one's feet in the water. If one hold the ropes/chains, one can take a Ganga snan. Think that you can take the support of the chains (Brahman) and enjoy the water (Samsara).
• Example of 2 sages regarding multiple lives - Narada muni is traveling in the Himalayas and sees two sages meditating under a tree. The first sage asks Narada muni how many of his lives are remaining in before he attains Moksha. The second sage asks the same. Although Narada muni knows that the first sage is in his last life and the second sage has many lives remaining, he mischievously tells the first sage that he has as many lives as the leaves on the tree. The sage says that he needs to then work harder on his practice and starts meditating. Narada muni tells the second sage that this is his last life and the sage packs up everything and starts to leave thinking that he will finish his work in the city.
• Self love - Sai ji said that Bhakti alone is not enough to get you Moksha. The Gopis could get the saguna Krishna. To get nirguna Krishna, you need to get gnyanam. Mirabai had intense love for Krishna and wanted to see him. If someone had said "Aham Brahmasmi", she would have known that Krishna was within herself.
A poet wants to see Krishna. When he sees him, he wants to embrace hi, but Krishna playfully runs away. God is in us, if we run after God, it is futile. Gnyanam will enlighten you to the inner God.
The Tanpura plays sa pa sa. The singer sings all the suras, but his attention is always on the Tanpura and comes back to the sa of the Tanpura.
If you divide the world into 3 things -
1. Me
2. My goals
3. Means to achieve those goals
Which of these 3 things will you love the most?
In the story of Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi, Yajnavalkya explains that a husband does not love his wife for her own sake, nor does a wife love her husband for his own sake; rather, they love each other for the sake of the Self (Atman) that dwells within them. "None loves the wife for the sake of the wife; but it is because one loves the Self that one loves the wife".
If I identify as the God, I love the God in me and God loves the Gnyani. Therefore automatically God loves me.
• Fire example - merging with the Brahman
Wood is used to light the fire. Initially, the wood is separate from the fire. Eventually, it becomes a part of the fire. The final stage, it becomes the fire. Sayujyam, is similar, We need to become one with the Brahman.
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