December 14, 2023 | Class Notes by Usha Chazhiyat

Introduction 

In Srimad Bhagavatam, the original teacher is Bhagavan Narayana and the original student is Bhagavan Brahma. He teaches Srimad Bhagavatam as a preventative warning. He warns Bhagavan Brahma that as he begins creating (for us,  as we begin doing-waking, brushing etc), there will be a propensity to get distracted. Distraction causes dilution. Bhagavan Narayana says that you will know this is happening when you start to feel that the relative is the Absolute. When you start making small matters into big matters, understand that the distraction & dilution has taken  place. When relative becomes absolute, then absolute becomes non-existent. 

Bhagavan Narayana’s final message to Bhagavan Brahma: the way to not succumb to dilution and distraction is to reflect (unvaya). Reflect on who you are and reflect on what you are doing.

Dialogue on Dharma is for us to engage in reflection. It is a check on who we are  and a check on why we are doing what we are doing. We are using Dialogue with Dharma as a form to practice reflection. Yaksha Prashna provides diverse ways for us to reflect.

Review 

Question 36 – Who is the friend of one who is ill?

Answer – A physician is the friend of one who is ill.

Our original illness is called bhava roga – The disease of becoming. We are always trying to become happy and never become happy. Cure to bhava is bhaava. 

What does bhaava mean? – Attitude, Feeling, Intention.

One word answer : Natural

Question 37 – Who is the friend of a mortal?

Answer – Charity is the friend of a mortal.

At the beginning of creation, people were the happiest because they practiced satya (integrity), daya (graciousness), tapa (openness), and dana (generosity). People practiced this and they were happy. As time progressed dana was the first to go, then tapa, and then daya. Now, satya is going away. This is why there are many opportunities for satsanga currently. Vivekji shared how we can bring back dana and then bring back tapa, and daya.

Swami Swaroopananda’s words – “Take Nama Give Dana”. What we need is nama (changing our thoughts to be Divine) and then giving. Charity is the way to challenge ourselves to be cheerful with less.

One word answer : Generosity

Question 38 : Who is the guest of all beings?

Answer – Fire is the guest of all beings.

In the message that Vivekji shared for Deepavali, the wick in the lamp is the mind and the fire is the intellect. Our intellect lights up our mind. When one has an intellect/ideal that is leading, then one starts to like themselves more.and becomes friendly to all. If you look at a fire, it is always moving up. In Bhagavad Gita, that which moves upward is called sattva. These qualities of the intellect, ideals, and sattva help us love ourselves and make us feel secure

One word answer : Nature

Question 39 : What is eternal dharma?

Answer (40) – Immortal Sanatana Dharma is nectar

You cannot create Infinity; you can only know Infinity. Creating is associated with doing and knowing is associated with humility. To give up doing or doership is a practice in humility. The more humble one becomes, the more one will tune into Sanatana Dharma or their Infinite Nature.

One word answer : Know

Discourse

Question 40 : What is this nectar or what is the king of nectars?

Answer (39) : Soma sacrifice done with cow’s milk (is the eternal dharma)

• Key term : Essence. The essence of the cow is milk, soma is the essence of a particular plant. The nectar comes from a cow. The essence of a cow is its milk. 
• What is holding us back is described as samsara – that which changes or is in flux.
• If you separate the words. sam – well sara – essence; for whatever is changing, there has to be an entity that knows the change which is changeless or Awareness.

Absolute :- What is the greatest nectar, what can we feel that can help us the most? – That you are aware. 

• We are looking, we are not seeing from a relative perspective. 

Relative – Be more direct. If you want to be happy, why go in circles with being happy. It is intention that is more important than implementation. If someone is being direct with you, filter out what their implementation is and filter in what their intention is. Vivekji highlights that this will help you take things less personally.

One word answer : Knowing

Question 41 : What is this entire universe?

Answer : It is air that pervades this universe, this multiverse.

Absolute :- Most of what we feel or touch is just a probability. Most of the multiverse is empty. Since the universe is mostly empty, it can never make you feel full.

Relative :- Air is always moving. It’s when something is moving that you recognize air. Similarly, the multiverse is always moving – people are always moving, always changing. Why do we expect that which is unchanging from a person who is changing? Expectations don’t work. Imagine your mind if you had less expectations and how quiet your mind would be.

Question 42 : What alone travels/What travels alone?

Answer : The sun travels alone.

Absolute :- We use the term Surya Narayana. Sun is an expression of Bhagavan Narayana. Based on Bhagavatam, Bhagavan Narayana was Being before Bhagavathi Lakshmi. Bhagavan Narayana came before adhi shesha, where he rests on a 1000-headed serpent. In Bhagavan Brahma’s visualization, He sits in a lotus where the lotus is connected to Bhagavan Narayana’s navel. From an absolute perspective, Bhagavan Narayana is alone and He is One’.

Relative :- The path of the sun is synonymous with the path of values. The relative perspective on this for all of us is to live the path of values without compromise. By doing so you’ll become more independent. Everybody wants to be more independent so try and be more independent.

Discussion Subject/Vivekj’s Reflection

What is a short-term, medium-term and long-term strategy/technique/practice to be less moody?

Vivekji’s Reflection: Japa

Q&A

1. How to stay level-headed during holidays?

Don’t take holidays. Vivekji’s recommendation – during holidays, wake up early. Take up a short course and for the entire month revisit one of Vivekji’s course videos. Try to be more balanced during the holiday.

2. There is a difference between what your heart says and what your mind says. Is there a difference between mind and consciousness?

Head is more logical and the heart is more emotional. The head and heart are equipments. You are Consciousness (Existence).  

3. Question on the story about the bhakta who made Bhagavan wait because the bhakta was serving his parents. Why should a bhakta make Bhagavan wait ? How should one be thinking about this story?

The seeker treated their parents like Bhagavan, like Divinity so he didn’t need to have an expression of Bhagavan. His intention was so clear that he was already experiencing Bhagavan so why should he need anything else. Bhakti/devotion is not a karma or action. It’s a bhava/attitude. Sannyasa is not a karma/action but is a bhava or attitude. We still think we have to change our outer world even though it’s a matter of our inner world.

4. How as individuals should we think about reconciling friends/families with professional decisions that might be leading to devolvement of others instead of progress/upliftment? As an individual how would I reconcile when I don’t agree with someone else’s path?

People are going to watch you more than listen to you. Have a dialogue with them. Perhaps they do not realize how this is going to affect them. In doing so, be less judgemental. Help them to reflect. In the end, just accept- the power of acceptance is wonderful.

RAW for the week : 

• Last week’s RAW – How to rush less.
• RAW for this week – Experiment with following your value system without compromise.