Nov 9, 2023  Class Notes by Usha Chazhiyat

Introduction

Prayers to Bhagavati Sita and Bhagavan Rama to grace all of us with the ideal to slow down. Slowing down is the opposite or ‘anti’ kali. Kali is when all is fast and we become unintentional.

For this course, specifically, we are flowing through Yaksha Prashna – a dialogue with dharma. In this class, we are not focusing on the technicalities, but we are focusing on training ourselves to become active reflectors. One will know that they are becoming active reflectors when one  has more faith in oneself. Pujya Swami Chinmayananda has shared with a group of teachers – “I interpreted Bhagavad Gita for my time. Now you should interpret Bhagavad Gita for your time”. As we flow through Yaksha Prashna, we are interpreting this for us to practice. 

The best part of this course is our tactile minute – For one minute, we slow down to think how we practice and this is important.

Review

Question 21: – What is best for farmers?

A:- Rain is best for farmers.

Rain is beyond our efforts and all we can do is to make a hole. What this teaches us is that we have to learn to accept and that is all we can do. The more you focus on exerting, the more you will cultivate acceptance. Vivekji’s observation with people is that, the people who work the hardest are the people who are most accepting. Those who are lazy or aggressive, they don’t follow this principle of working hard and so they are least accepting.

One method to check oneself – If one finds that one judges a lot, and one expects a lot then there is too much tamas and rajas in oneself. The way to get out of this is to work harder, work smarter.

Question 22:- What is foremost among that which is sown?

A:- The seed is foremost among that which is sown. Technically, seed will be considered as a seed to an apple tree, cherry tree, etc but here the seed is mentioned in terms of your power. You have so much power from your body, mind, and intellect. When you realize that you have all of this power, then you serve the Creator who gave you this power. Our Creator has given us the power, not to become arrogant, but rather to be humble. When you feel powerful with humility, you want to share that power with others. People who are power hungry never realize where they got the power and so they never give up. They are poor with succession planning- sharing your power with the next generation.

Discourse

Question 23:- What is of most value to those who want stable happiness?

Kimsvid– what is that?, Pratistham – established, aananam – like ananda.

A:- The cow is of the most value to those who want a stable life.

Absolute : The cow that Yudhisthira is referring to, is the cow of the earth or the cow of dharma which stands on 4 values

4 values are : Tapa (Renunciation), Sauca (Organization), Daya(Gracious), Satya(Integrity)

If you want to be established in happiness, live by these 4 values.

Sharing words of Swami Tejomayananda: “Proof that satya is still strong in the society we live in because satsanga is so accessible”

Relative : In Bhagavad Gita, a cow is described as a sattvic animal. Sattva in sanskrit means integrity – your intellect says, your mind follows.

A way that sattva/integrity can be cultivated in our personality is to use your opportunities. Use your privileges. If you have an opportunity or privilege and you don’t use it, as you leave that opportunity, your mind is still there that you missed the opportunity which leads to disintegration. Use all that comes to you as an opportunity to evolve. From Sattva (Integrity) to Satya (Ideally) to Sat (infinity).

Question 24:– What is most valuable to those who give birth?

A: For those who give birth, a putra is the best.

Absolute : The definition for the word putra – pithuhu apoornam kaaryam purayathi (A child is one who completes the incomplete work of their parent).

Relative : We were born incomplete and the way that we can make use of this opportunity of being born is to complete ourselves. The point of everyday life is to learn that you’re not an individuality but you are Infinity. Give birth – is to give birth to a ‘new you’ , ‘a complete you’.

When we think of giving birth, it starts with an input. Example: – Input a thought -> Process this thought -> Output this thought through action -> Action creates an impression on our personality, mind & ego.

Raja Yudhishthira is trying to say production always comes back to us. Know that your production also makes an impression in yourself so make sure what you are producing is helping you to change your vasanas or helping you to change your personality print. If you’re practicing letting go of your individuality, that is the best output of your production.

Question 25 : Who is that person who, though enjoying all sense objects, being intelligent, honored by people and well regarded by everyone, is only breathing but not alive?

A: The one who is not dedicated to Devatha (semi gods), Adithi (one’s guests), Brythyanam (one’s family- present generation), Pitrnam (one’s family in terms of a preceding generation), Atmanah (the Self), although breathing, does not live.

Absolute :- In our culture, the 13th samskara is vivaha (marriage/union). After this the 14th samskara is the first one you do for yourself, and it is one of the most lovely traditions. It’s called panchamaha yagna – dedicated to 5 facets of the multiverse (nature’s forces, nature’s beings, society, family, rishi- these are the rna – the debt we owe to our guides who have dedicated their life to teaching us about how to be happiness). Only our guides/gurus can help us get to being Happiness. Yudhishthira shares here that one who doesn’t live by panchamaha yagna is only alive but not living.

Relative :- How you are living can be inferred by what you’re leaving behind. Example :- If you’re leaving behind a lot of chaos, then that’s how you lived but if one is leaving behind inspiration/systematic study then that is how one lived.

From Srimad Bhagavaham, when Raja Rantideva met Bhagavan and Bhagavan asked what do you want. Rantideva asked to be placed in every being’s heart so that he can absorb their sorrow. He can live that sorrow so they don’t have to.

Question 26:- What is heavier than the Earth?

A: That which is heavier than Earth is Mother.

Absolute :- We chant, tvam eva mata ca pita tvam eva – In this Stotram we say that our guide is our mother. 

Reference from Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Verse 22 : Yasmin stithaha – The one who knows how to contemplate. They are established in meditation, one’s nature. Na dukhena gurunapi vichalyathe – Even in heavy sorrow, Mother is not moved. This Mother regarded here is our spiritual Mother – The one who is never moved and so can help us. In Bhagavad Gita, this would be the word “achyutha” – The one who never falls.

Relative :- Bhoomi in Srimad Bhagavatam is an icon for titiksha (the one who endures). 

How does one cultivate titiksha – How can one cultivate endurance more and be like Earth more: it is through tapa – When you burn your comfort zone and choose discomfort.

Discussion Subject/Vivekj’s Reflection

Subject : What can you do to not make matters personal?

Internalize your experience. People who are inexperienced take things personally. Anyone who has a fair amount of experience and internalizes this are the ones who don’t take things personally.

Dialogue

Question 1: How do we relate to our parents better?

Absolute: Perfection in what you have access to whether your guide, your map, and your Divinity

Relative: Try to extract the strengths and ignore weaknesses of your biological parents. Someone who is practicing bhakti is indifferent about that which is negative and intent about that which is positive. 

Suppose your parents don’t understand you, try to practice indifference. Indifference is not ignoring in a childish way but ignoring in a productive way.

Question 2: We are all trying to be happy but what is your take or our scriptures mention about self sabotage. If we are all trying to be happy, why do we also prevent ourselves from achieving the things that we want to achieve and doing the things we want to do to be happy?

The person who wants to be happy is a searcher and the person who needs to be happy is a seeker. In Sanskrit it’s called ‘sukha prapti’- We are programmed to live for sukha.

Relative:  Those who have more “knowledge” then they pursue happiness in the right/productive way and others also pursue happiness but they follow a wrong/adharmic way and they don’t feel they are not getting a return of investment. Someone who engages in self sabotage or self harm or self suicide – In this regard these personalities will lack the knowledge or the clarity of the source of joy. They think that they are their body or their mind or their ego and to end this is to end themselves. They can end the body but it will come right back because the mind nor the ego has ended. One does this because one lacks the knowledge or clarity of the source of happiness but anyone who has clarity loves living.

Simplify your lifestyle. Self sabotage comes when you present with so many alternatives and you end up doing none of them or the easiest one. If you simplify your alternatives, you end up doing that which is right.

To never forget God! Never give up! You don’t have an option of forgetting or giving up and so on.

RAW for this week : How are the elements (space, air, fire, water, earth) trying to teach you about life?