ViBha Class Notes – April 30, 2023
We start each class chanting the first 2 verses of Shrimad Bhagavata which consists of 18,000 verses. In summary, the 1st verse shares that the purpose of our life is to contemplate, is to change into Satya, Existence, Truth, Nobility. The 2nd verse shares how we can align what we do to this purpose, and that is to follow Dharma, just like in the Veda. The Veda we know about is more than 100,000 mantras, yet there are only 2 subjects – Dharma, the earlier subject, and Brahma, the later subject. Bhagavata is not different.
Today, we are going to complete one of the largest, most potent Gitas in Shrimad Bhagavata, and that is the Uddhava Gita. Let us listen carefully and feel that we are Rshi Uddhava, as after this last verse of the Uddhava Gita, all the other verses are about Bhagavan Krshna leaving our world in a physical way.
In order to rid devotees of the fear of death and old age, the great Being Krshna, from whom the Veda originated, has herein gathered from the extensive garden of Vedic thought, this concentrated honey of knowledge and realization of the Supreme. Just as He collected the Amrita from the oceans for being distributed amongst the Devas, so has He placed this teaching before all devotees for their benefit. I salute that Supreme Person Krshna, the greatest of All Beings.
Rshi Shuka, meaning the one who is enlightened, is sharing that the entire Veda, the essence of that, the entire churning of the Milky Ocean, the essence of that, is ALL in the Uddhava Gita.
The fact we are hearing or listening to Uddhava Gita is indicative that everyone here feels that there is more to life than what they are doing, than who they are. If we didn’t feel that, we would not be here right now. Now this feeling is nurtured by knowledge or by knowing. If we feel we should be healthier, and we know how to be healthier, we will be healthier. We will know what to eat, what not to eat and so on. Just like Uddhava Gita, and the fulfillment of this is that we will feel infinitely more than we have ever felt in our life. We will feel Bhagavan Krshna. Just like Prince Arjuna, just like Rshi Uddhava, our name will also be in that sequence.
Shrimad Bhagavata is facilitated through a samvada or dialogue. In fact, most of Sanatana Dharma is facilitated by a samvada. The Upanishad is, in The Ramayana where Shri Lakshmana is asking Bhagavan Rama questions. If we think of this technically, the purpose of communication should be to commune, or Yoga or coming to unity. In reference to Sanatana Dharma, there is a teacher who is communing with the Divine, and as the student also wants to commune with the Divine, so that teacher becomes that middle person – to become the communicator for the Divine.
Shrimad Bhagavata begins with six questions. A student like us is asking a teacher these six questions –
- What is the greatest Good?
- What is the purpose of Avatara?
- What is the performance of Avatara?
- What are the passings of Avatara?
- What is the play of Avatara? Specifically tell me about the Leelas of Bhagavan Krshna. This question is answered in the largest section of Bhagavata which is Skanda 10.
- What becomes the home of Dharma? What becomes the home for Bhagavan Krshna? When Bhagavan leaves His name and form, that is when Kaliyuga begins. That is when selfishness spreads in society, and the answer that Bhagavan is sharing right now is – I, the Icon of Dharma, become Bhagavata, live in Bhagavata.
For us, this is our 154th hour of Shrimad Bhagavata. In the next few weeks, we will get to see how Uddhava Gita is completed, how Bhagavan Krshna’s Avatara is completed. So what is the home of Dharma? Bhagavan Himself is sharing that it is right here, and for us, this is being shared with us virtually in English.
These questions are spread out and answered over 12 Sections or Skandas or Cantos. Here is the theme of each of these Cantos –
Skanda 0 – Glorification – prelude, the Mahima of Bhagavata
Skanda 1 – Qualification
Skanda 2 – Application
Skanda 3 – Creation
Skanda 4 – Diversification
Skanda 5 – Position
Skanda 6 – Protection
Skanda 7 – Inclination
Skanda 8 – Intensification
Skanda 9 – Dis-Identification
Skanda 10 – Absorption – to become absorbed in Bhagavan Krshna, like the Gopis
Skanda 11 – Liberation
Skanda 12 – Consumption – all of us, if we are not liberated, we are consumed.
So that is why Vivekji shares – Get liberated and get out or this is being foretold.
In Skanda 11, Chapter 6, the Devas, like Bhagavan Brahma and others, share with Bhagavan Krshna that His reason for being an Avatara is now complete. He has defeated Kamsa, and others, so He should come back. Everyone wants Bhagavan Krshna to be with them. So the Devas are sharing that they miss Him, and they want Him to come back. And Bhagavan is super independent, and so He shares – “If the Gopis want Me, I’ll come. If the Devas want Me, I will come.” The implication is that if we want Him, He Will come!
So Rshi Uddhava senses that Bhagavan Krshna is going, so he rushes to Bhagavan Krshna, and says he wants to come with Him. So in Chapter 7 is where Uddhava Gita begins. We are now in the 29th Chapter, and Bhagavan Krshna’s advice to Rshi Uddhava is that the only way to come with Him is through Oneness or Advaita. Hence, Liberation, Knowledge, as Vivekji shared. Bhagavan teaches him Advaita or Oneness.
To make this more practical, as many of us are caregivers – Vivekji interacts with a lot of high school children, and feels that being a highschooler nowadays is unenviable. Why? He feels that high school students now have more choices than ever. With more choice, comes more comparison, and with comparison comes competition. The more competition there is, the more conflict there is. What is another definition of Kali? It is conflict. We can see Kali is manifesting through more choice. That is why Bhagavan Krshna is sharing less choice. He is teaching Oneness or Advaita.
Referencing caregivers specifically, a dangerous way to give care to those who cannot think for themselves, is to give them choices. Younger children are given so many choices when it comes to eating, entertainment, clothing, that caregivers do not realize that with this seed, the tree will look like conflict. That is what happens in Dvaita, so Bhagavan is teaching Advaita.
In Chapter 23, Bhagavan Krshna teaches the dangers of Lobha or greed. With greed, fifteen other vices or diseases manifest. So Bhagavan teaches us to be careful about greed. With a lot more choices, there is a lot more damage that comes with that.
In Chapter 24, Bhagavan teaches about the Gunas. What is all of this? It is Gunas. It is so clear, but we just need more knowledge about this. Our bodies are of the tamasic nature. Our bodies always want to be horizontal. Our breath is rajasic. Our minds are Sattvic. If we think about where we live right now, we do not live at a physical level, but we live at a much more powerful level, which is the Mind. So really understand Gunas, that all of this is a Game of Gunas.
In Chapter 25, if there are Gunas, then the foundation is Maya. This too we study in a very impractical way. Maya means Ma – meaning Not, and Yah – meaning Is. What does Maya feel like? That we are Not Happy. Maya feels like – I do not know how to be Happy. Do we all feel Maya sometimes? Maya is very strong at work. Isn’t Maya very strong in traffic, in the winter? So if we feel we are not Happy or that we cannot be Happy, then that is Maya. Some people feel like they are not stuck in Maya, but if they reflect upon it, they are very stuck in Maya.
Chapter 26 zooms into Moha or delusion, or illusion or in this case, lust. When we go through the news, it is shocking what people do to each other in terms of lust, in terms of the body. That is coming from – We are confused about our own body, so we feel attracted to others, feel lusty towards others, and keep on becoming more animalistic. Bhagavata teaches us how Not to be like that. This is called Aila Gita.
Chapter 27 teaches about Krya Yoga which means how to offer Puja. And Bhagavan goes into every detail about where to offer puja, what we should offer puja with, and finally shares that He does not care about the where, nor the what. He only cares about the Why or the How. He cares about the Bhava – feeling. Bhagavan emphasizes Shraddha. Bhakti is not a Karma. It is not an action, but an attitude, a Bhava. Meaningful relationships are not at a physical level; it is a Bhava.
Chapter 28 is the last teaching, and the general title of this chapter is Jnana Yoga. In this chapter, some of the insights Bhagavan shares – We have this vasana or inclination for being extrovert. When we interact with a 2 or 3 year old, when they are hungry, they tend to refer to themselves in the 3rd person as they do not register their own name and form so strongly. However, an extrovert is really consumed by “this is My name and this is My body”. So how this feels for us is that our whole life we have only experienced this sense of “i”. In Sanskrtam, it is called “Ahamtaya”. But what happens after that is “i am” – “i am a boy”, “i am this name”, “i am this profession”, “i am unhappy”. The more Am we are, the more extroverted we are. And Bhagavan Krshna is sharing that the Am keeps changing, so to go back to the “I”. For those in the Silence Retreats, this is what we practice.
A couple of more insights – A beautiful verse in English – Just as the Sun, when it rises, only removes the obstacle to vision from the eye, and does not create anything to be seen,… (When the Sun rises, does it create anything? What does the Sun actually do? It only removes darkness. It does not create trees.) …so does perfect spiritual intuition relating to Me, only removes ignorance from the aspirant’s understanding, whereupon the Atman shines as it always has been shining. When we come to know, we come to know we are Happiness. We cannot create Happiness, we are already Happiness. We just do not know it. We have to know it to benefit from it.
Here is a final practice for us. The Ego separates. The way to fight the Ego is to Observe, rather than separate. When we see someone, our instinct is to feel separate from them. A way to fight this is to just watch one or Observe. That sucks out the oxygen from the Ego, and it starts to die away. The more we separate, the more the Ego. The less we separate, the more Oneness there is.
Now Chapter 29, the completion of Uddhava Gita.
Skanda 11:29:9 – Here, Bhagavan Krshna is sharing with Rshi Uddhava. Let us think of this as Rshi Uddhava graduating, and that this is the Valedictory address being shared by Bhagavan Krshna as He is not going to share anymore after this –
Kuryaat – Do! Sarvani Karmani – Do in all actions. Whenever we see the words “Sarvani Karmani”, it means it is not an action, but an attitude. When we breathe, to have this attitude, when we drink water, to have this attitude. That we are doing this for Madartam, for Bhagavan, and to remember this without forgetting – Shanakaihi Smaran.
Our remembrance is very context based. In sight, in mind. So that is why Bhagavan shares – Remember Me without forgetting. Specifically, Mayi – In Me, Arpita Manah Chittah – offer our mind and intellect, offer our thoughts. Matdharma – When we start living for Bhagavan or Bhagavata Dharma, we will start to experience Atma Manoratih, that our mind will become cheerful. Isn’t that what we all want? What is the greatest gift we can give our parents? It is for them not to have to worry about us.
Rshi Uddhava shares with Bhagavan Krshna that He is the GOAT – Greatest of All Time, specifically when it comes to Loving, that Bhagavan Loves All. And when someone knows how much Bhagavan Loves them, how can they not serve Him back? Though we are studying Bhakti, this is very logical. If we know how much someone loves us, we cannot help but love them back, but we don’t know how much Bhagavan loves us.
Bhagavan Krshna now shares who a Pandit is – Pandito Matah Madbhaavena. He says, according to My mind, a Pandit is one who feels equality with All Beings – whether rich or poor, humans, animals, plants or stones. He/She feels the same way about all beings. This is a very high standard, but this is the path.
Here is a beautiful verse in English. If we feel that all we are doing is for Bhagavan, we will start feeling that All are Bhagavan. Here is our utility. Bhagavan shares – In those who constantly seek to find My Presence in all human beings, there will no longer be any competitiveness with equals, jealousy towards superiors, contempt for those who are inferior, and too much self consciousness with regard to oneself.
Jealousy is like a match. When we light a match, it first burns itself then it burns whatever it is burning. If one is jealous of someone, first they burn themselves, and then they radiate it to the other person by being rude, impolite to them.
Bhagavan Krshna shares that Bhagavata Dharma, which is living for Him should be done with our thoughts, words and actions, and if we do this, there will be no wastage. Suppose we try to treat someone like Bhagavan Krshna, and we fail, Bhagavan says there will be no wastage. We will still evolve. However, Bhagavan warns us that if we live our life for a result, we have to do everything perfectly to get that result, but we never do anything perfectly. Therefore, no result ever satisfies us. So, we must change why we are doing and what we are doing. A beautiful sharing by Bhagavan – Esha Buddhimatam Buddhih Maneeshacha Maneeshinam – For those who think they are wise or knowledgeable, living for ME, Being ME is the utility of such knowledge, of such wisdom.
Vivekji had shared previously – What is the point of a High IQ if we have a low EQ? Suppose we are very intelligent, but are always angry, then what is the point of being intelligent? So Bhagavan also shares – If we feel we are wise and knowledgeable, then the best direction for that is to live for ME. Those who practice Bhagavata Dharma, they offer me a lamp, not a physical lamp, but the lamp of knowledge. That is what I want, and anyone who shows me this lamp, I give Myself to them. Please try to connect the dots here. Rshi Uddhava wants to go with Bhagavan, but Bhagavan says that he can only come with Him if he feels One with Bhagavan. He is telling Rshi Uddhava that now that he is showing Him the lamp of knowledge, He is giving Himself to him.
In Verse 29, Bhagavan Krshna looks at Rshi Uddhava who is close to Him and holding his hand, He says – O Uddhava, My dear friend, have you fully grasped the Supreme Truth I have explained to you? Is your mind free from grief and delusion? Sounds like Bhagavad Gita, no? At the end of Bhagavad Gita, Prince Arjuna shares – Nashto Moha – I am not confused anymore. How much love Bhagavan Krshna has for Rshi Uddhava! Bhagavan is saying – If you don’t understand, I will stay. I will make this more clear for you. I will not leave until you come with Me. This is surreal Bhakti. Rshi Uddhava starts to cry and cry and cry. He just can’t respond to what Bhagavan shares. He is only feeling Bhagavan!
Then Bhagavan tells Rshi Uddhava that He is going, and tells him to go to Badrinath – Go there, leave pleasure, possession and position, and just Be with Me. Rshi Uddhava has looked at Bhagavan his whole life, and now He knows Bhagavan. He cannot speak, and is just looking more at Bhagavan. And eventually he finds his eyes on His feet, and Bhagavan takes off His Padukas and gives them to Rshi Uddhava. Rshi Uddhava then puts those Padukas on his head, and walks with these Padukas on his head all the way to Badrinath. Rshi Uddhava and Bhagavan Krshna are over 100 years old at this time. Bhagavan Krshna’s name and form goes away when He is 125 years old. Rshi Uddhava is only feeling Bhagavan is On Me, Bhagavan is IN ME.
That is the end of Uddhava Gita.
Rshi Shuka says that Uddhava Gita is a life saving Knowledge. Are we Saved?
Discussion: What are practices to not miss people? To not miss Bhagavan Krshna, to not miss a grandparent who has passed away, a parent or anyone who is far away.
Vivekji’s thoughts – It was the Gopis’ separation infused with knowledge that made them feel the Oneness with Bhagavan Krshna. If they did not reflect and have that knowledge of what Bhagavan taught them, they would still feel a little bit separate from Bhagavan.
The more we stay in “I”, the less we miss. And relatedly, a practice not to miss people is to live for them. If we live for them, then we are with them. Vivekji shared that he does not see Guruji much, but he lives for him, so he does not miss him.
RAW: Make a farewell gift for Bhagavan Krshna. Think Jagadeeshwara is departing from you, so what gift would you give HIM?