ViBha Class Notes – April 16, 2023

In Kerala and many other cultures in India, people celebrated the New Year recently. In Kerala, they call it Vishu. Vishu is another word for Vishnu, and Vishnu comes from the root Vish – to enter, like Vishvam is that place where Vishnu has entered. Vivekji shared that a New Year is only New if we feel New, if we feel happier, if we feel more nourished.

Bhagavan Krshna will tell Rshi Uddhava soon that after He is gone, what will nourish us is Dharma. When we die, what will carry us or our momentum will be Dharma. But while we are alive, what nourishes us or carries us is Sadhu. It is those who study and share Infinite Nature, Infinite Joy that nourish us. Bhagavan Krshna will only speak to Rshi Uddhava for a couple of more chapters and Bhagavan will then dissolve His name, His form. This is our 151st class of Vedanta in Bhagavata, and Vivekji is challenging us to see if we are feeling nourished by Sadhus like Rshi Shuka, Rshi Vyaasa, Swami Tapasyananda, Pujya Swami Tejomayananda. We should feel that we are coming closer to Infinite Joy. 

Skanda 11:26 – Bhagavan Krshna is pointing out to Rshi Uddhava that he should depend on Divinity or else he would be disappointed. By depending on articles, we get addicted, by depending on beings, we get attached, by depending on circumstances, we become apathetic. Addiction, attachment and apathy only make us feel disappointed. And Bhagavan has given examples like Pingala who is attached to beings. This is a woman attached to a man, and Raja Pururavas is attached to a being who is a woman. There is no sense of genderism in Sanatana Dharma. Any combination of man or woman has vices. There are vices in us and that is an expression of dependence. So how do we come out of these vices? By changing our dependence. 

What Raja Pururavas shares with himself is known as Aila Gita. Why Aila? As Aila is the son of Ila. In this Gita, he shares that he has no right to blame anyone for his attachment. That is a powerful thought. Many of us have families, and we feel that in a family, it is natural to be attached. So we almost make our attachment an excuse. We are almost blaming our attachment on family or context, but anyone who is reflective, will not use that as an excuse, will not blame.

Raja Pururavas is very reflective that he caused the attachment and that he has to un-cause the attachment, and he does through his reflection. He comes to understand and appreciate that all relationships are changing. If we can count how many people have come and gone from our lives, it would be countless. So many have passed away in our own community itself, and no one can change that. To depend on Divinity.

In Section 11 or Skanda 11,1 there are 31 chapters. We are in the final 5 chapters with our Bhagavan. Now we move on to Chapter 27 which is very much about Krya Yoga. When we come across Krya yoga, we think of “Autobiography of a Yogi’ or we think of “Art of Living” and that there are many techniques relating to Krya Yoga. What this book and organization share is that those are different forms of Pranayama. The Krya Yoga that Bhagavan Krshna is referring to is Puja. Another word for this is Yajna or a micro ritual. Vivekji would like us to listen to this carefully. We tend to externalize sustainability in an environmental way, which we should, but there is also sustainability of culture and religion between generations. We all need to invest more in this sustainability. 

Skanda 11:27:15 – Bhagavan Krshna is teaching Rshi Uddhava and us that the best materials should be used to worship HIM in an icon. Put simply, those who have a desire from Bhagavan, have to offer the best materials to Bhagavan. Now He compares that to those who do not have a desire from Bhagavan, but for Bhagavan, such a Bhakta can worship with any materials that are easy, that which is simple. 

If we have a desire from Bhagavan, then our Puja has to be strict and complex. But if we have a desire for Bhagavan, it doesn’t have to be strict as it is based on our Bhakti. It does not have to be complex as it is based on our attitude. 

Why is the word Krya used for Puja here? For example, on a typical Friday night, what do we do? We go to a restaurant, have friends over, we watch things, we eat things, so we are using our senses, but they are going outward. We are becoming more extrovert or dependent. When we practice Puja, we are still using our senses – we are still seeing, we are still eating, but it is not external, but internal. It is not dependent, but independent. This is why it is called Krya Yoga. It provides a field for the senses. That is the practicality of Puja. 

Bhagavan shares that Puja can be practiced by all Varnas. It can be practiced by anyone. Varna is the color of our inner world. If one is an angry person, one can practice Puja. If we are a quiet person, we can practice Puja. So, all Varnas (our inner world) and all Ashramas (position or our outer world) can practice Puja. So Bhagavan says we can practice irrespective of our inner and outer worlds. He further shares that Puja can be facilitated in a Vedic or Tantric way or any sort of combination. Practically, we can practice Puja in whatever way we like. We can practice Puja in Sanskrtam, in English or in any combination we like. 

Now, where should we practice this puja? – Dvija is one who is twice born – one who has found their purpose in life, they can offer their worship or puja – 

1. Standile – that which is drawn on the ground
2. Agnau – in fire
3. Surya – in the sun
4. Aapsu – in water
5. Hrdi – in our heart

So we can practice puja on the ground, in fire, in the sun, in water, and in our heart.

What is the real implication of this? We can do puja ANYWHERE! When we were younger, some of us were taught that only some of us could practice puja, and only at a certain place, or if we are like this, we cannot do puja. That is why Vivekji is sharing the verses that Bhagavan Krshna shared with Rshi Uddhava. 

Bhagavan also shares that before we engage in puja, He says specifically that it should be done after cleaning the teeth, and that when we are bathing, we should chant Mantras. Most of us daydream or listen to the news while bathing, and that’s why we waste water. So it is a lovely thought to chant Om Namah Shivaya or Om Namo Narayanaya as we are using soap or applying shampoo. We will feel so much purer then. Just like before facilitating a Vivaha, Vivekji does his own Nyaasa with his hand saying Om Om and touching different parts of his body. This is like bathing before the actual Vivaha. And how is this done? Through Mantras. 

Bhagavan now shares how icons can express – the where is locked in, so now what should this puja be offered to or what it should look like –

1. Shaili – icon made of stone
2. Daarumai – icon made of wood
3. Lowhi – icon made of metal
4. Lepya – icon made of clay (Before Bhagavan Rama went to Lanka, He made a Shiva Linga made of clay)
5. Lekhya – icon that is a writing or painting
6. Saikati – icon made of sand
7. Manomai – icon the way we imagine in our mind
8. Manimai – icon made out of jewels. 

These are the eight ways that icons can express. These icons can be so universal. How many have access to clay? Our houses are on clay. How many have access to wood? All of us. How many of us have access to our own minds? That is much harder. How inclusive Bhagavan is! He further shares that these icons can be Achala or Chala. Achala is not moving, so Achala Murthis never move. Chala means moving. When Vivekji conducts local Vivahas, he brings the Chala murthis with him. They are like Bhagavan’s ambassadors. 

Bhagavan ends this section by saying – Shraddhaya preshtam vaari – meaning if we even offer Him water with Faith, that is the Best. So really, what is to be offered to Bhagavan? Not the water, but our Faith. We can all practice Krya yoga for Puja. We see the Sun. We have access to our own minds. We can nurture Faith. 

Skanda 11:27:48 – Bhagavan continues talking to Rshi Uddhava and shares that – Wherever our Faith develops, then that becomes our icon. We should develop our Faith feeling the Divinity in every being and in ourselves as Bhagavan shares that He is the Divinity or Presence in every being. 

The trajectory of where puja should start and where puja should end has been shared several times by Vivekji. Puja should start where we feel Divinity in a Murthi. Deeper than that is feeling Divinity in our Madhyama (our own Center, our Atma), finally in Manava (all humans, animals, plants and stones).

More highlights – Bhagavan shares with Rshi Uddhava additional details on how to practice Krya Yoga. 

• He says that we should not just worship Bhagavan Krshna, but all around HIM, that is His Sudarshana Chakra, His vehicle Garuda and, to worship Him with all the materials we have access to. So all surrounding Bhagavan with all materials should be worshiped. 
• Then He adds that near the completion of a puja, with our eyes closed, we should see that the Naivedya that we have just offered, that Bhagavan has eaten this. Now when we offer, we feel when we can eat this. We never see Bhagavan eating this, but we should actually see in our mind that Bhagavan has eaten this, and then we should offer Bhagavan water to wash His mouth, then we should offer a betel leaf. 

These details are indicating how we can surrender. Every thought and action of ours should be completely offered or surrendered to Bhagavan, and then whatever remains or the remnants are for us. 

Final thoughts – When we engage in a Puja into the Fire, we say Svaha. Svaha means to You, followed by Idam Na Mama – this is not mine. This is dedicated to You and this is not mine. Which is why earlier in Bhagavata, Rishi Shukra shares with Raja Bali that the three things that we can offer to the world are resources, time and effort and that we should offer 20% of our resources to Dharma. Now, a lot of time has passed since then and from being Suhrt, we have become kanjus or miserly. So the 20% has been diluted to 10%. Now, Vivekji shares that we should give 10% of our age. Based on our age, 10% of our gross income should be surrendered to Dharma (If we are 40 years old, then 4% of our gross income).

Summarizing this chapter – Bhagavan Krshna is sharing that our relationship with Bhagavan cannot just be online, but has to be offline too. We cannot just have a relationship with Bhagavan in our Puja room, in our Mandir. This has to come offline. Vivekji feels, through his travels and experiences in different communities and chapters, that we have forgotten this. We have come to feel that the only place to feel Bhagavan is in our room or Mandir. The lack of passion has led to the lack of understanding of Sanatana Dharma, which is why so many schools are barring casteism. School Boards and Universities are outlining casteism and saying that the source of casteism is Hinduism. There is no Hinduism, only Sanatana Dharma. When we are not passionate about understanding this, then all of this misinformation and mis-implementation happens. So many cultural and religious organizations have nurtured so much politics in the name of Hinduism. There are religious Boards that have changed and lawsuits amongst groups because a few people have mis-interpreted this. As a result, this is being mis-implemented, and all of us have to suffer because of this.

Now from a section of the first discourse that Swami Chinmayananda ever shared. This discourse is called ‘Let us be Hindus’ –

My proposal is that the wise thing would be for us to try and bring about a renaissance of Hinduism, so that under its greatness proved through many centuries, we may come to grow into the very heights of culture and civilization that was ours in the historical past. No doubt, in India, Hinduism has come to mean nothing more than a bundle of sacred superstitions, for a certain way of dressing, cooking, eating, talking and so on. Our Gods have fallen to the mortal level of administration officers at whose altars the faithful Hindu might pray in order to get special permits of the things he desires – that is, if he pays the required fee to the priest. This degradation is not the product of any accidental and sudden historical upheaval. For the past 200 years, Hinduism has remained an unwanted orphan, without any patronage of the state and little encouragement of the rich. Once upon a time, the learned philosophers were rightly the advisers of the State. But then the quality of the adviser class, the Brahmanas, and the ruler class, the Kshatriyas, deteriorated. By slowly putrefying themselves in the leprous warmth of luxury and power, they have taken us to this regrettable stage in which we find ourselves now. 

The general cry of the educated class is really against this un-religion. However, it is only the thoughtless uninformed leaders who call this Hinduism.

In this chapter, Bhagavan is sharing how our relationship with HIM and our offering to HIM is based on Faith, is all-inclusive. It is some Brahmanas and some Kshatriyas who mis-interpreted what Bhagavan has shared, mis-implemented this, and that is why we are in the position we are in right now. So what we are doing together is God’s work – to interpret His teachings, to implement His teachings in a faithful inclusive way. 

Please think a lot about this.

Discussion: 

How can Hindu cultural and religious organizations serve better within themselves and with others? How to collaborate?

RAW from last week: To think about what to ask Bhagavan before he goes. 

Vivekji’s observation is that he would ask Bhagavan to take him with HIM. What is really lovely about this is that Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has shared that that was what Rshi Uddhava’s prayer was too. The only way Bhagavan will take Rshi Uddhava, you and me with HIM is when we know Bhagavan and only Him, and we can only know Him through our Guru. Our Guru is like that ticket collector. If we don’t go through him, we can’t go to Bhagavan.

RAW:  All the icons or Pratimas that we have in our living space, refresh all of them. Wipe them, clean them, put lights there. If we do not have a relationship with them, then remove them. Refresh all our Icons. 

Trees are Mahabhaga. Bhagavan loves trees. Before Bhagavan goes, let us plant trees for Him and document this on our website.