ViBha Class Notes: September 11, 2022

A seeker once shared a picture of a tree and asked Vivekji what he saw. Vivekji described the different trees with different branches and different leaves. Then the seeker shared that what we probably didn’t know was that all these trees share the same root system. At the foundational level, there is only one root system. At the functional level, they are expressed as all these different trees, branches and leaves. This shows the difference in experiences based on perspective.

What we are engaged in is known as Vedanta and Vedanta is an insight, not a perspective. Perspectives tend to sights; we see the leaves or we see the root system. Perspectives tend to sound; that is kind, that is mean. Vedanta is about insight, also called vision. It is training in vision. It is training in being a visionary. How is this training manifesting? The name of this course is Vedanta in Bhagavata. We are training ourselves by hearing Bhagavata. This is the katha or narration aspect. The typical person’s perspective is that they hear this for hours and hours. The more evolved trainee doesn’t just hear this, but they listen to this. And this listening is that they are trying to take Bhagavata and trying to make this their own vision, and in Vedanta we know how important shravana is.

Vivekji shared that when he enters the mandir, he puts vibhooti on his ears and in our culture, we put vibhooti where we want more focus. The majority of what we have learned in our lives has come through listening. So when Vivekji is teaching us Bhagavata, what he is really doing is, he is listening to it first, and then speaking about it. And we are hearing the Bhagavata, and listening to the vedanta.

Today, we complete our 125th hour of Vedanta in Bhagavata and for the advanced trainee, we should be following Vedanta in Bhagavata. What does this following look like? Sadhana, that we are engaged in practices from listening to the happenings in Bhagavata that are making our mind more balanced, more focused and more reflective.

In reference to the language, when we watch a foreign movie where we don’t understand the language, we still continue to watch the movie. When we go to a foreign country and we don’t know what the food is made of, but if we are vegetarian, and the food is vegetarian we still eat it, right? With things that are pleasurable or enjoyable, we are consistent in our behavior. But with things that are profound, that are development oriented, we tend to complain or annotate on why we can’t engage in those practices. Sadhana is us practicing making our mind more balanced, more focused, and more pure.

What we get to experience together is a matter of Grace. It is our privilege to be able to experience Bhagavata. The etymology of this word is –

• Ta mean that which helps us to cross or a boat (living busily or spinning is known as samsara in our culture, like a body of water we cannot cross)
• Va means the best boat
• Ga means to go
• Bha means light or Joy

Bhagavata is the best boat to go to Joy. And where is Joy? Everywhere, but we don’t feel this so we need to jump into this boat.

Bhagavata also means belonging to Bhagavan. So Bhagavata is not just the scripture, but also the one who is engaged in Sadhana. The one who is following Bhagavata, don’t we also feel more and more that we belong to Bhagavan? So we are Bhagavata. So both Vedanta and Bhagavata have the same message, that we are not just an individual, but that we are Infinite. The message of both Gita and the Upanishad is Tat Tvam Asi as well — Infinity we are, Joy we are.

In Shrimad Bhagavata, there are twelve sections. Each section has a specific trajectory. These are to be understood and followed sequentially, leading us to the tenth section which is known as the heart of Bhagavata. Here, the main katha or Vedanta is on Bhagavan Krshna. This entire section has details on Bhagavan Krshna’s birth, His day, and now sadly we are in the section of Bhagavan Krshna’s death, but what that really means is Bhagavan Krshna’s return. This section has details about this, so that we lose track of individuality by holding on to the details of Divinity. For those who love what they do, whatever we love, we forget about all else. So the tenth section of Bhagavata is to love Bhagavan Krshna. So technically, this section is called Aashraya, which means to surrender. Surrender individuality by holding on to Divinity.

The eleventh section or skanda is about Mukti, from Aashraya to Mukti. If we surrender, then our experience will be freedom, freedom from anger, annoyance, fear, projection and so on. And that is why the eleventh section is called the head of Shrimad Bhagavata. Now those who only tune into the katha (narration), feel this section is called Mukti because Bhagavan Krshna dies, so they think that Bhagavan Krshna became liberated. Bhagavan Krshna — Na bandah na muktih. Bhagavan Krshna was never bound, so He never went through liberation. He is known as Mayapati, the one who is controlling maya, and not the one who is controlled by Maya.

Let us try not to experience Bhagavata in a literal way. This section is not about His Mukti, but about our Mukti — for us to be free. The context is that in the tenth section we focused on Bhagavan Krshna’s life — His birth and how His day flowed, all of His marriages. If we think of all the greatest personalities in history, in our modern times, one’s life does not go on forever. Even Bhagavan Krshna returns. All the great personalities in history, what they left behind for their followers through their life, is their teachings. The tenth section is about Bhagavan Krshna’s life and the eleventh section is about His teachings because His life, as we know, returns.

The tenth section is about Bhakti. It is about love towards a specific name and form and is called Saguna Bhakti. The eleventh section is about Bhakti as well, but Nirguna Bhakti, without Bhagavan Krshna’s name and form. We have to know though that Vedanta can be felt only through a vedantic Guru as the Guru provides a systematic study that transforms one. Shrimad Bhagavata layered with Vedanta becomes systematic.

In the eleventh section, Chapter 1 is very sad as Bhagavan Krshna’s family acts in a careless way and in this carelessness, what is going to happen is that they are all going to die or be destroyed. How it relates to us is that if we are careless, there can be fatal consequences. The more universal meaning is that when we are careless, the opportunity to be happy is destroyed. Those who live instinctively, and not intentionally, fight more, have more stress.

One more implication from the first Chapter is that our families are relative. Do not give them more importance, nor less importance. For the majority of people, family is their only purpose, and they are proud of that. The purpose of our life is not family as we will experience attachment, fear, annoyance and anger. Doesn’t that describe us? When Bhagavan Krshna’s family is thriving, He smiles, and when they are not thriving, He still smiles.

Chapters 2–5 begin with Shri Vasudeva, Bhagavan Krshna’s father, asking Rshi Narada how he can know his son Krshna as Bhagavan as he doesn’t feel the same joy and wants to. Rshi Narada says that this question was asked back in the day by Raja Nimi, and Raja Nimi asks the Nava Yogis, the children of Bhagavan Rshaba (the first Jain). They answer Raja Nimi on how we can know, we can feel Bhagavan. We explored these nine questions and nine answers quite elaborately, so we should be all following this. The last question asked is — How is Bhagavan adored in different time periods? What nama and rupa are used in different yugas?

The Nava yogis answer this by saying that in different yugas or time periods, different names and forms are used. What we should remember is that irrespective of the mood we are in, we should remember Bhagavan, in all namas and all rupas. Then the Nava Yogis vanish. Bhagavan’s Grace brought them there. Bhagavan’s Grace moved them.

Raja Nimi followed what he listened to and became Mukta or Independently Joyous.

Then Chapter 5 concludes — Rshi Shuka said, “Hearing all this, the high souled Vasudeva and his fortunate wife Devaki were thrilled with wonder and they overcame the ignorance of their heart.” Recall that Shri Vasudeva wanted to know Bhagavan Krshna as Bhagavan, and now he knows. “If a human hears this extremely holy narrative with one pointed mind, his ignorance will be dispelled here itself and he will attain to the realization of the Supreme Spirit. One will forget that they are an individuality because they are intensely remembering that they are Divinity.

Discussion: What is holding you back from practicing or following Bhakti?

Vivekji’s thoughts: It is our mis-directed feeling that there is significant utility in pleasure, possession and position and that there is little utility in Bhakti. We have to realize that all the pleasure, possession and position are going to be erased, but Peace is Akshara or unerasable. So that is our greatest investment.