ViBha Class Notes: February 6, 2022

Often when we think of the Puranas, we typically think of a rakshasa who is engaged in that which is wrong and Bhagavan comes and destroys this rakshasa so that all is right. We enjoy this, seeing Ravana hurting humanity and Bhagavan Rama coming and destroying him. We enjoy this because it takes no effort from our side. It’s like a movie to us. For those who are trying to grow out of curiosity towards the Puranas, and into the courage to live by the Puranas, this demands effort. The original rakshasa is not Ravana, but Ahankara — ego. Rakshasa means one whom we need raksha or protection from. We need protection from our own ego. Who is Bhagavan? Another name for Bhagavan is Pati. Pati means papa nashanam — One who is erasing papa is a Protector. If I’m the one who is facilitating papa, then I have to be the one who erases it as well. This is the vision of Vedanta in Bhagavata — for us to go from being curious to being courageous, with effort.

In Chapter 84, Shri Vasudeva has come to understand and appreciate that he has taken Krshna for granted. This is Krshna, not Bhagavan Krshna, and he asks the Rshis how he can know Bhagavan Krshna. They share, by Yajna. We have a teaching in our culture — Yajno Vai Vishnuh — Yajna is Vishnu. In general, Yajna is living a life of Arpana, being dedicated and offering. This will lead to Shuddha. Whatever that is blocking us from knowing Bhagavan Krshna will be unblocked and this will lead to Moksha, where we know Bhagavan Krshna.

Generally, Yajna is living a life of Arpana or dedication, but specifically — Visrajet budhah — a life of sacrifice, of letting go of desires. What do the wise renounce? –

• Putreshana, the desire for pleasure has to be quietened by grha, where being engaged in lots of responsibilities will not allow us time to indulge in pleasure.
• Vitteshana, the desire for possessions can be quieted by dedicating ourselves to dana — generosity.
• Lokeshana, the desire for position can be let go off by remembering kala — the more we understand and appreciate time, the more we see that investing in position is futile.

As far as debts are concerned –

• Our debts to the Devas or Nature’s forces can be quietened by Yajna or living in harmony with nature. Back in the day all the materials for a Yajna came from the earth and went back into the earth. There was no plastic or metal. They lived in harmony with Mother Earth.
• Our second debt to our Pitr or family is fulfilled by Putr or caring for a younger generation — it’s not about owning a child.
• Rshi rna or the debt to our Guides is fulfilled by Adhyaya — to study the Veda in reference to ourself — studying how to be a better person, using Dharma to Brahma.

In Chapter 85, Shri Vasudeva has these revelations as the Rshis tell him that he was already living a life of yajna and that is why Bhagavan Krshna was born as his son. He shares with Bhagavan Krshna –

• “You are the agent, and all is expressed as activity.” The notion of doership is wrong, faulty, impossible, as Bhagavan is the doer not us.
• “You are the Para, and all is expressed as vaikhari.” The source of all of the words we speak is Para or Bhagavan Krshna. It is Awareness that helps us know thoughts, words and so on.
• “You are the senses”. And these senses get expressed as the elements. One of Bhagavan Krshna’s names is Hrshikesha — the One who is the Master of the senses.
• “You are relation-less and all the relationships that express from this, are projections.” And that is only possible with Infinity. He thus understands and appreciates that Bhagavan Krshna is Infinity.
• “You are the father, and I am the son. Earlier, I felt that I was this body and felt that I was the father and You, my son. But now I know this to be the opposite.”

What these revelations are trying to teach us is that all the effects that we are engaged in, whether relationships or elements, if its words or activity, the source or foundation for everything is Bhagavan Krshna. Shri Vasudeva also shares with Bhagavan Krshna, “I know You are Divine”, and Bhagavan Krshna shares that “All are divine, not just me, My brother, you or the people in Dvaraka. All of the humans, animals, plants and stones are also divine”.

In Chapter 85, Devi Devaki then asks Shri Balarama and Bhagavan Krshna to bring back her murdered children and He does. How we can reflect on this — Maya is defined as that which makes the impossible possible. And the only way to deal with Maya is through Krpa — Grace. Grace also makes the impossible possible. Change and death are very much related to Maya and the way to transcend this is by Krpa. Bhagavan’s Grace is displayed and indicated here when He brings this family back together. If we are getting lost in change and death, then we have to earn Bhagavan’s Krpa more.

In Chapter 86, we came to meet Bhagavan’s younger sibling Yogamaya — Devi Subadhra who was married to Prince Arjuna. The implication of this is that Maya will always be with Mayapati. So Prince Arjuna is an Avatara of Bhagavan Krshna.

Skanda 10:86:32 — King Bahulashva, speaking to Bhagavan Krshna in his kingdom, shares, “You have taught that the one dearest to You is the one who loves You exclusively — Ananya (no other). They are so dear that they are more dear to You than your brother, Anantah, Your wife, Shrihi, Your child, Ajah — Bhagavan Brahma. You have come before my eyes to validate Your teachings.”

In Mithila, there are two great bhaktas who are yearning to see Bhagavan Krshna — Bahulashva is the King of Mithila and the other bhakta is Shrutadeva, who is a brahmana or teacher. So Bhagavan Krshna with a group of Rshis comes to Mithila. Both the bhaktas ask Him to come to their home first, and Bhagavan Krshna says yes to both of them. So how is it possible to visit both homes first? Bhagavan duplicates Himself and everyone in His party and goes to both houses at the same time. They each serve Bhagavan in their own way. Bahulashva massages Bhagavan’s feet and shares lots of luxuries — has people sing and dance for Bhagavan. Shrutadeva has very little, so he himself dances for Bhagavan Krshna. Bhagavan is most pleased and stays with Bahulashva for one month and stays with Shrutadeva for one day, yet both of them feel that Bhagavan is with them for only one day. The practical aspect of this is that someone who has more resources can facilitate a longer stay. The implication is that Bhagavan accepted all that came to Him as Prasad. If we get a month with Bhagavan, we should be grateful. If we get less in life or a day with Bhagavan, we should be grateful. That is the teaching of Prasada — sometimes we get a lot and sometimes just a little bit, but both should be felt equally, that we are always cheerful.

This Chapter ends with “Bhagavan Bhaktabhaktiman”, meaning Bhagavan is devoted to his bhakta. We are always taught the other way around where bhaktas are devoted to Bhagavan, but in this narration it shows that Bhagavan is as devoted to his bhaktas.

Today, we will be completing 110 hours of Vedanta in Bhagavata. Experiencing Bhagavata through a class and through a retreat are incomparable. We have been taught to not have favorites in our seva or sadhana, however it is hard not to have preferences for sadhanas. Swami Tejomayananda had shared that his favorite was from the sixth Skanda where Vritra asura is sharing with Indra Deva. Vivekji shared that his favorite section from Bhagavata was Skanda 10, Chapter 87 and this Chapter must be carefully reflected upon.

In Chapter 87, Raja Prarikshita asks Rshi Shuka that the Veda is finite and is made up of words, then how can the Veda lead one to the Infinite. Rshi Shuka responds:

Skanda 10:87:3 — He shares that the Upanishad most definitely leads one to Brahma — Infinity. Our Guides and their Guides have both meditated and experienced this. So how should we be? Shraddhaya, have faith and also meditate on this. When this becomes our focus, we will experience the Greatest.

This verse then leads to Rshi Shuka telling Raja Parikshita that his question was not original and that this question was asked before by Rshi Narada to Rshi Narayana (Avatara Nara-Narayana). Rshi Narayana is a Sadhu ever engaged in tapa or disciplines. He doesn’t need to, but He is engaged in disciplines to bless those who are living in Bharatavarsha. Imagine how dedicated He is to those in Bharatavarsha whom He doesn’t even know. Some of us are living in Bharatavarsha so this is happening. Rshi Nara-Narayana are chiranjeevi which means they will not die.

Rshi Narayana tells Rshi Narada that his question was not original either and that this question was asked before. There is a loka called Janaloka where a Brahmasatra was happening. A satra is a long engagement where the focus is on Brahma. And one of the most prominent thinkers there was Rshi Sanandana and this question was asked to him. See how authoritative this is as Rshi Shuka shared that our Guides meditated upon this and their Guides meditated upon this as well. Rshi Sanandana shared that when a King is sleeping, how is he/she awoken? Poets come into their room and sing the royalty’s praises. In the same way, at the end of a kalpa, a period of creation and destruction, Bhagavan Narayana is sleeping and the Veda sings the praises of Bhagavan Narayana so that He wakes up and creation can happen.

In Chapter 87, Verses 14–41 are the 28 verses where the Veda or Shruti is speaking about Bhagavan Narayana or Bhagavan Krshna. Our Upanishads are sometimes too coded so they are hard to reflect on. Bhagavad Gita is sometimes too directed and that which is too directed is also hard to reflect upon as there is no need for reflection. These verses are perfect for reflection. Reflection helps us to release what we are not, to feel who we are.

Verses for Reflection: The Veda shares about Bhagavan –

Verse 15 — You are the unaffected one, unlike clay when it is made into a pot, is affected — a form is given, a name is given. You are unaffected. If we reflect upon this — all of the names and forms that we interact with are Bhagavan. They were, they are and they will be Bhagavan. The Veda only teaches about Bhagavan. All of the other names that are mentioned like Indra and Vayu, those are really expressions of You, just like when one places an item on a table, we think the table is holding that item, but finally it’s the Earth that is holding all.

Verse 16 — Sadhus know all is You and they also know that people don’t know You. So they have documented how You have expressed Yourself as Avataras. And they have done this to save people who do not know You. This is a way for them to come to know You. Those who love You are alive and those who don’t are just a pair of bellows — just lungs, just breathing, mechanically living. You are life and You have enlivened Maya, which enlivens the Gunas. All of the articles, beings and circumstances are Gunas that are enlivened by Maya and Maya is enlivened by Life. So our roots are Life, not As, Bs and Cs, not forgetfulness.

Verse 21 — The Paramahamsas, those who have complete clarity about what is important and not important, they reject Apavarga or Moksha because they are tuned into the fifth purushartha that is Bhakti. Bhakti is prema seva. It is one feeling loved so they love others in the form of service. That is what they are dedicated to.

Verse 22 — The body we are given is perfectly designed to serve, like a close friend does to us. A close friend is someone who is always helping us physically, emotionally. This body is the same way, perfectly designed for us to serve our best friend.

Verse 23 — The Shruti, the Gopis and Adi — Adishesha (Shri Balarama) are all equivalent to those who intensely think about You and so receive Your grace. Anyone who is intensely thinking about Bhagavan receives that kripa they are equal to — the Veda, the Gopis and Shri Balarama.

Verse 27 — Those who love Bhagavan, they use death as a step. They step on the head of death as they evolve. Those who do not love Bhagavan are bound to samsara like an animal and the rope they are bound with is rituals. They are unable to free themselves of those rituals.

Verse 31 — Bhagavan is like water and a jiva is like a tiny pocket of air or a bubble. We are all in Bhagavan, but feel that we are separate. What should we do? We should pull all that air out of that ego and then we will remerge with Bhagavan.

Verse 32 — Bhagavan has a wheel. The rim of this wheel is the past, present and future and it keeps on spinning. The spokes of this wheel is samsara and this is what we experience — regrets of the past, anxieties of the future, that is what samsara is. The center of the wheel does not spin. That is Atman.

Verse 33 — Without a Guru, all of one’s efforts will fail and one will feel sorrow, like a group of merchants on a boat in an ocean. They have stuff, they have a boat, but they are in the ocean and they don’t know how to reach land.

Verse 40 — Bhagavan is Independent Joy and that is felt in one’s heart only through a parampara, a tradition. One who feels that Joy in their heart is able to guide another to feel that Joy as well. So Bhagavan is embedded in this parampara.

Verse 41 — Even the finite is too great to describe, leave alone the Infinite. So the Veda uses the teaching technique of ‘neti’ — na iti, na iti. Instead of getting lost in the greatness of the finite, this is still finite and by knowing not this, not this, one comes to rediscover Infinity.

Rshi Sanandana is sharing this dialog with all at the Brahmasatra in Janaloka. This is being shared by Rshi Narayana to Rshi Narada. And one of the final sharings that Rshi Narayana shares with Rshi Narada is in Verse 50, which Vivekji would like us to always remember is:

Verse 50 — tam kaivalya nirastayonim abhayam dhyayet ajasram Harim

tam — you, kaivalya — will experience Independent Joy, nirastayonim — one will be freed from being born again, abhayam — one will experience fearlessness or oneness. How? dhyayet — meditate, ajasram — perpetually, on who? Harim — on Bhagavan

Connecting this back to Raja Parikshita — Rshi Narayana shares the answers about what role the Veda plays leading to enlightenment. Rshi Narayana taught this to Rshi Narada, who in turn taught this to Rshi Vyasa, who in turn taught Rshi Shuka, who in turn taught Raja Parikshita and us. We get to be a part of all this as well. So what are we going to do? dhyayet ajasram Harim — We will perpetually reflect on Bhagavan!