Class Notes by Bhargavi
“Thousands of Kings have come and gone and kingdoms have changed hands but the rule of my Lord has not changed nor will it ever change”- Source unknown.
Our course is designed for us to feel closer to our Lord. The closer we feel to our Lord, we will feel the same utility. The utility that all outside can change but my nature is different. The closer we become to our Lord, this will be our reality. What holds us back is fear, fear of death, unknown and sorrow. But if we are close to our Lord, these cannot touch me.
Recap:
Sutra 51: Laksha: Indescribable. Rishi Narada is trying to describe Bhakti as indescribable. The more “I” goes away, the less you need to describe.
Sutra 52: Laksha: Experiential. Maya also in indescribable but here Rishi Narada is sharing it is indescribable yet experiential. It is not an illusion.
Sutra 53: Laksha: Holder. A patra is one who has this holding power.
Sutra 54: Laksha: Unconditional. How can we know this experience feels like, when the conditions are removed, we know what Bhakti is.
Sutra 55: Laksha: Unrelational. One who is immersed in Bhakti and Bhagawan, that is all they see, hear and speak.
Sutra 56: Laksha: Relational. For most of us, Bhakti is with a purpose for Bhagawan. If we fall from Anuraga, it is because we not feeling grateful but being purposeful with Bhagawan.
Sutra 57: Laksha: Sufficient. We have to realize that lower Bhakti is conditional and based on the gunas. As one goes from lower to higher Bhakti, one should feel self sufficient. If one can remember Bhagawan in joy, then one will never experience sorrow.
Sutra 58: Laksha: Capital. We all love but this love is scattered. We have this capital of love, this sutra is training us to redirect this capital in a focused and higher way.
Sutra 59: Laksha: Direct. One cannot prove Bhakti. Bhagawan knows if I am caring and loving or if I am pretending. We don’t have to prove to anyone, we just have to be a Bhakta and Bhagawan will know that.
Sutra 60: Laksha: Rest. Whenever you experience what you love, there is a sense of peace. This peace becomes deep to joy.
This class:
In this upcoming section, Rishi Narada is addressing some obstacles that can arise as we practice Bhakti.
Sutra 61: loka-hānau cintā na kāryā niveditātmā-loka-vedasilavāt
This is in regard to losses one experiences in the world. As this is happening, there is no need to worry. For the one who is surrendered, it doesn’t matter if these are secular or sacred activities, whatever is coming or not coming, don’t worry, be happy.
If you follow through with this sutra, this is what it feels like, “Never entertain anxiety. Do not worry. Never mind whatever happens- this is the attitude for a true seeker to follow. There is Narayana. He is the Reality. All these are from my all-loving Narayana alone- somehow hold on! The cardinal attitude of heroism in our Hindu philosophy is ‘Refuse to weep, keep smiling’. Then even the sorrow that reaches us gets ashamed and retires in its incompetency to make us suffer. It has then to go away, it cannot stay with such a heroic heart”- Sw. Chinmayanada.
It is easy to be a Bhakta but do we have the holding power that when what is happening externally is not easy for us to still be the natural Bhakta.
Nivedita is the one who has surrendered what they are by following through with dissolving the individuality, the negativity also gets dismantled. The more you feel you are separate, the more you will engage in cinta.
Sutra 62: na ta (da) tsiddhau loka-vyavahāro heyah, kintu
Phala-tyagah tat-sādhanam ca kāyam-eva
One should not stop until on has been perfected in Anuraga. One should not stop what they are doing in the world (responsibilities). However, what comes from our responsibilities, is to be renounced. One should feel all that they are doing is Sadhana.
Vivekji read the text from the book (pages 170-171) by Sw. Chinmayanada.
The best way to live without cinta is to feel all that you are doing is a practice in seva. We need to feel this in every relationship, especially one’s family. When one feels everything they do is seva, one feels fulfillment, and one doesn’t care if anything comes from their secular and sacred responsibilities. That natural tyaga manifests. If we feel fulfillment inside, phala tyaga will come naturally. That fulfillment is not based on a verb, but rather on a noun. One noun, many verbs, that is unity in diversity.
Sutra 63: stri-dhana-nāstikavairicaritam na sravaniyam
In this sutra, Rishi Narada is cautioning us not to hear, associate with narrations and elaborations on pleasure, possessions, position. Sri Ramakrishna would describe this as Kamini, Kanchana and Keerti. Rishi Narada continues, that we should also not associate with atheist and enemy. In chapter 6 verse 9 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita, 10 types of relationships are shared. The bottom most relationship is one who does not change (eg: atheist), the next one would be an enemy, one who harms you for no reason.
The reasoning for this is that in the field of Self development, until you have reached the ends, there is always a possibility of falling. We have to be careful about that, hence these cautions.
Sw. Chinmayananda shares when you are around atheist and enemy, change your mental station. Then that hearing is not absorbed as much.