by Sri Subbu Venkatakrishnan
First, I want to start with a story. Most of you perhaps know that Indian weddings are quite an elaborate affair. Actually, it used to be more so in the olden days, particularly in the villages of India. A typical marriage would last for 4 days or so and there would be celebrations all around. Just as an example, my marriage took place over 2 days-----and believe me, I am not all that old.
All the work would be done by the families and friends of the bride and the groom. There was none of the contract style weddings that we see quite frequently these days. As is to be expected, there would be a large variety of sweets and other eatables that would be prepared ahead of time and all of this would be safely stored in a special room, which would be under lock and key. Everyone knew what would happen if the door was left open-----what with all the children waiting to get their hands on the sweets.
The ‘Key Person’ would usually be a benevolent but stern looking uncle, so that the children would hesitate to go anywhere near him. Sooner or later, one brave child would slowly approach this ‘Key Uncle’ and cajole him to hand him one sweet. After some persuasion, the uncle would agree. He would secretly take the child with him, have him wait outside the room, slowly open the room, slip in, take one sweet out, and come out of the room to hand it over to the child. Lo and behold, the Uncle would next spot a long line of all the other children waiting behind this child, each waiting for his or her share. Having been caught in the act, the uncle would have no choice but to give everyone a sweet. In this way, he would satisfy all the children through the end of the line, except for one.
This child would not accept any sweets. Despite being repeatedly offered a sweet by the uncle, he would still refuse accepting it. The frustrated uncle would throw his hands up and, as if giving an ultimatum, ask the child, “What do you really want after all?” To this question, the child would respond, “Uncle, I want the key!” This illustrates the rarity of a true seeker. This child is very clear about what is the ultimate goal-----in a limited sense here. We often find that most of our time is also spent seeking some trivial pursuits, while we miss the main goal. We are like the rest of the children running after some temporary toys. Even when we pray to the Lord, what we ask for is often meaningless----for example, why do they have daylight savings time; I have to lose one hour of sleep. You see the point.
So, what is the real goal that should be sought by us? Some of us might think that becoming supremely wealthy should be the real goal. In this regard, I have another story. Once there was a very wealthy man who was very attached to his wealth. And when the time came for his departure from this world, he wanted to take his wealth with him. So, he pleaded with the angel in charge to seek permission from God and have his desire fulfilled. After much pleading and persuasion, the angel came back and told the wealthy man that he was allowed to take one suitcase to his future abode. This man was very happy and soon converted all his wealth to solid gold bars and filled one suitcase. In due course of time, he left this body and when he reached his heavenly abode, the customs officer stopped him and said that no luggage is allowed in heaven. To this, our man replied that he had special permission from God and even showed an i-phone app where he had captured his conversation with the angel. On seeing this, the customs officer became agreeable to allowing one suitcase into heaven. But he wanted to check what was inside, and asked the man to open it for him. Upon seeing the gold, the customs officer incredulously asks, “You brought Pavement??”
In any case, coming back to our discussion, very few of us question what should our real goal be. Suppose this question is asked of worldly-minded people like us, I am sure we will get as many different answers as the number of people being asked this question. The variety of answers could be, “Becoming wealthy”, “Gaining fame”, “Being powerful”, “Having a family”, “Raising good children”, “Becoming an astrophysicist”, “Teaching in inner-city schools”, “Helping those in need”, “Becoming a movie star”, “Professional basketball player”, etc...
One common theme that emerges from these answers is that each one is seeking fulfillment from his/her pursuit and expects that fulfillment once the goal is reached. As one goes through this becoming process, one recognizes that in reality there is no total fulfillment that is achieved by accomplishing these finite goals. Attaining such finite goals indeed provides temporary satisfaction, but they are just that; temporary. What each of us truly seeks is total eternal unconditioned fulfillment.
So, “What is the real purpose of life?” Now, one would imagine that a question such as this would have a direct answer. Indeed, it does. In the words of great masters, the answer is “Self realization”. Sometimes we may get ‘apparently’ different answers, “Self realization is the goal of life”, “God realization is the goal of life”, “To experience what is beyond this physical existence is the goal of life”, “To have supreme compassion for all”, “To go beyond all differences”, “To recognize the divinity within”, “To do all actions with utmost awareness”, “To offer everything to God”, “To surrender to God”.
So, our intent is to examine these and see if indeed they are different answers, or they are only apparently different. Is it possible that some of these answers might be pertaining to spiritual practices or sadhana that one performs in order to reach the goal, yet some others might reveal the nature of one who has already achieved the goal. Let us take the first statement, “Self Realization”. The message seems to be quite clear----I need to realize my Self, I need to recognize the truth of my being, I need to know myself as I truly am.
Now someone might say----what is there to know about myself? Let me tell you who I am. You see that red Ferrari parked in the No Parking spot in front of the ashram. I am the owner of that car. This statement reveals that this person has a sense of self invested in the Ferrari. If something were to happen to the Ferrari, his self-worth is damaged. We find many people in this category; people who have invested a substantial portion of their self in the objects of this world. And when something happens to their possessions, they are shattered - in other words, they almost cease to exist. So, who am I? I am the Ferrari, and if the Ferrari gets damaged, I am damaged.
In Sanskrit this sense of possession is called “MamaKara” and the sense of I is called “Ahankara”. In this particular situation where one is totally identified with one’s possessions, there is a mixing of Ahankara and Mamakara. I have purposely used the car example, just as a play of words------My car becomes Mama car (Mamakara?) in Sanskrit.
It becomes clear that this is very superficial thinking. Even so, it is not easy to get rid of this idea of wnership. Let me illustrate this with an example. Once there was a person who was getting married nd he did not have a jacket to wear for the reception. He requested his friend to lend him his jacket or the evening, which the friend readily agreed to. As the reception started, the friend, who was one f the ushers, would welcome people and tell them, “You see the jacket that the groom is wearing; that is my jacket.” This conversation reached the ears of the groom and he summoned his friend and told him not to embarrass him with such declarations. So, when the next set of people arrived, our friend would say, “You see the jacket that the groom is wearing; that is not my jacket.” Now once again the situation was getting out of control. The friend was once again duly requested him to refrain from such comments. And when the next set of people came, our friend started saying, “You see the jacket that the groom is wearing; I don’t know who it belongs to.” We can see how the identification is so deep that in all interactions, the jacket became the central topic.
Suppose we say that we have overcome this idea, and that we do not misinterpret our possessions to be our selves. Well then, who am I? Some of us will say, “Of course, I am this body.” Now is this really the case? Saying that I am this body is not very different from saying I am this car. This body is also something I possess, something I know, and hence something that is different from me, the Knower. I am the knower of this body. So, when I say that I am a man, what I am really saying is that this human body is that of a man, I have identified with this body, and therefore I am saying that I am a man. Identified with the car, I said I am the car, identified with the body, I say I am the body. Then if the body is a large body, I say I am fat and then think that I should not have a fat body----because all the advertisements are telling me so. Then I spend several hours in the gym trying to lose this fat from the body which is not me.
Identified with my qualifications I could say that “I am an engineer” or “I am a physician”, etc. But even without being an engineer or physician, I still am. So, Who am I?
By this process, I start recognizing that I am different than what I know. At a subtler level, identified with the state of my mind, I make statements like, “I am happy today”, or “I am sad”, etc. Really speaking, sadness is a state of mind, and I am aware of this state of mind. Further, I identify with my mind and claim that I am sad. In reality, I am neither sad nor happy. In this way, when I eliminate all that I am not, I will have to acknowledge that “Really speaking, I do not know who I am.”
It is only when I reach this conclusion, do I truly become a student and a master comes into our life. I cannot independently establish the truth of myself. I have to depend on the teaching of the scripture that a Master reveals adeptly. Your true nature is Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, says the Mahatma. In Sanskrit the terms used are Sat or existence, Chit or consciousness, and Ananda or bliss. SatChitAnanda. This is you.
How about the person sitting next to me? He is also SatChitAnanda. She is also SatChitAnanda. Really? Now-----you are stretching it, you might say. In fact there is only one reality, that is SatChitAnanda. How about God? God is SatChitAnanda.
Now, when we examine what was said earlier as Self Realization being the goal of life, I understand that knowing myself as SatChitAnanda is Self Realization, which is also God Realization, because God is SatChitAnanda. Also, since there is only one reality, which is SatChitAnanda, there are no differences-----so going beyond all differences also means Self Realization. Once I recognize that there is only one reality, and I no longer see any differences, compassion towards all is a natural outcome.
Surrender to God is same as recognizing that everything is God and all acts are performed in God, for God. Thus, surrender is natural. Everything is divine, within and without. Knowing this is recognizing divinity within and without.
Someone might say, “Sir, I understand it when you say I am of the nature of existence or Sat. I can also understand when you say I am of the nature of consciousness or Chit. But I don’t understand how I am of the nature of bliss or Ananda. In fact, most of the time I am of the nature of sorrow rather than bliss.” So, how to reconcile this? Although my true nature is Ananda, when it comes to my experience, my mind is the medium through which my true nature gets reflected. If the mind is very disturbed, or is entertaining undesirable thoughts, or there is an emotion of anger, or if I am carrying thoughts of jealousy or hatred, all of this influences the reflection. The mind is like a mirror. If the mirror is very clean and polished, the reflection will be bright and clear. Otherwise, it will be fuzzy. So, even after knowing my true nature, if I am unable to abide in it, then there is work to do. Here is where all the spiritual practices or sadhana comes in.
What type of spiritual practices should I undertake? Anything that helps me gain greater clarity, develop sufficient objectivity in my assessment of the world and what it has to offer, develop a relative sense of contentment, become devoted to God, etc.
Someone might say that in spite of all my efforts, I am unable to see any improvement in myself. Let us take the example of making yogurt. First the milk is boiled and then when it is relatively cooled down, some yogurt culture gets added. This should be allowed to settle for it to become yogurt. If instead, I keep stirring it or disturbing it to see if the yogurt is settling, then it will never settle. This is what is happening in our case. Although I have heard the teachings, in practice, I keep filling my mind with unwanted thoughts like greed, jealousy, passion, etc. These thoughts do not permit the knowledge to settle and create any noticeable change in my interactions with the world.
If I want to become a true devotee of the Lord, then what should I do? Once, the celestial sage Narada went to the Lord and asked him if he had a list of devotees that loved him. The Lord handed him a computer printout that listed all devotees that loved him. As soon as Narada got the list, he wanted to see if his name was in there. During our high school and college years, after the final exams, a grade or rank list would be published and posted by the teacher. We all would jostle against each other to see if our name was on the list. Some of us would start from the bottom of the list and get satisfied as long as our name made it to the list. Some would start from the top and if their name was not either first or second, they would get irritated. How did he or she make it to the top? Why not me?
Here too, Narada wanted to see if his name was there, as also who else was on the list. Interestingly enough, Narada did not find his name. Although he was upset at not finding his name in the list, he asked the Lord in a roundabout way------Lord perhaps this list has some mistakes? I do not find names of great devotees like Hanuman, Shabari, Jatayu, etc.. How come?. The Lord said that their names were on another list. What list was this and what was different about it?
The first list, said the Lord, is a list of devotees who loved the Lord. The second list is a very short list of devotees whom the Lord loved. I may say that I love God. The real question is, Does God love me? How do I know who is dear to the Lord? The answer to this question is provided by the Lord himself in the Bhagavad Gita. In chapter 12, titled “Yoga of Devotion or Bhakti Yoga”, the Lord enumerates the qualities of a true devotee; one who is dear to the Lord. I would like to quote two verses as an example:
Adveshta Sarva Bhutanam Maitrah Karuna Eva Cha
Nirmamo Nirahankarah Sama Dukha Sukha Kshami
Santushtah Satatam Yogi Yatatma Dhridanischayah
MayyarpitaManoBuddhih Yo Mad Bhaktah Sa me Priyah
The last quarter of the second verse says, “Yah mad bhaktah sah me priyah”, such a devotee is dear to me. The first verse and rest of the second verse is a description of the qualities of a true devotee. You will find that these are the qualities of a realized master. But they are being prescribed to a disciple or a seeker.
In spiritual literature, a commonly used phrase is, “Siddhasya Lakshanani, Sadhakasya Sadhanani.” The seeker or student should try to inculcate the qualities of an accomplished one. Okay, I want to be dear to god, what should I do?
Adveshta sarva bhutanam---toward all beings in the world one who has no hatred, is very dear to me, -----What? So I am not allowed to dislike even a single person in the whole world? When we say the word ‘world’, we may start thinking-----the world has so many solar systems, galaxies, planets, stars etc., and on this earth so many people and creatures. But in reality when we talk about ‘our’ world, only 20 people come to our mind - 17 people in one list (those who I like) and 3 in other list (those who I dislike)--- this is our world. We don’t care if something is going on in Siberia, or that a comet is going to hit Africa in another 2 million years. We don't care much...we are completely unaffected with respect to that. All we want to know is if anything is happening to me, my family, or maximum to our neighbors.
The so called created world is not of importance to me, what is important to me is the experienced world only. If I can take care of whatever is relevant for me then I have taken care of the whole world.
I have to work only on that which is relevant to me. So how can I not entertain hatred towards anyone? The key is knowing that I alone am everything, just as I know that I will never hate any part of my body. If I accidentally bite my tongue I do not punish my teeth, because it is me, myself.
As I said, those 20 people on the list alone matters to us. These may be people in the house, or in the office, even sometimes those we meet on the road. A devotee can never entertain such negative thoughts. If my vision has already assimilated the truth that everything is that Lord alone, I can never let go of that thought or harbor hatred towards anything of this world. A great master says, “Harboring hatred towards your enemy is like consuming poison and expecting the enemy to die.” Hatred only destroys my peace of mind. By not entertaining hateful thoughts, I am not doing anyone a favor. I am helping myself alone. This is Adveshta Sarva Bhutanam.
Next is Maitrah----be a friend to all. The best example of friendship is of milk and water. When they mix, milk is ready to give all its property to water, increases the status of water. Water on the other hand says whenever anyone heats up milk, I will burn first,. But they will get split if some sourness gets in--- possibly a lack of trust or doubt. So, a lot of care and awareness is needed in order to maintain friendship.
Karunnah - compassion towards those individual who need financial, physical, but most importantly, emotional support. Don't dismiss them by saying they always have problems. Be compassionate. True compassion is giving fearlessness to all. Don't keep anyone under your thumb, don't exercise power over them.
Nirmamo nirahankarah. Nirmamah---Give up the idea of mine with respect to possessions, objects over which we want to exercise control; and Nirahankarah---Give up the idea that I am this body and mind. A true devotee considers everything as non-separate from God.
Sama dukha sukhah—samatwa or total acceptance of joy and sorrow, pleasure or pain. Now one might ask, does the devotee also have to undergo difficulties in life? The answer is yes----difficulties come from the world. They do not affect the state of being of the realized master. In fact, such experiences allow the master to come to our level and interact with us. How else are we going to learn?
Kshami---one who forgives everyone. Everyone gets criticized by someone or the other. Say there is a saintly person and he wants to do seva. People will say why do you have to get involved with such things; you do your meditation; we will take care of things, but then someone else might say what is this, why are you just sitting like that, do something...either way, someone will criticize. You will never be able to satisfy the world, so just forgive people. You need to be large hearted; it is good for us, otherwise it can become a problem for us, it will not allow the yogurt to settle down.
Santushtah satatam yogi – Satatam santushtah ---- ever contented. Such a person is a yogi, one with an integrated personality. Worldly people like us are always unhappy about what we don't have, never happy with what we have. A true devotee is always content.
There are two boys from Stanford who made low cost incubators for babies that could be used in poor countries...the father says I spent so much money on their education, but the children are willing to work for non-profit, low paid jobs. This is inspiration. The biggest seva can be done only by a person who is internally content. Satatam santushta, satatam yogi - no failure will get this person down, deflate his inspiration, or demotivate him. He is a yogi, because he is constantly synchronized with the teaching.
Yatatma Drda nischayah-one who is striving, alert, his buddhi/intellect is never wavering.
Mayi arpitah mano buddhihi---offering mind and intellect to Me, means Bhagavan saying that in your intellect the vision should be there, and the mind should be filled with love for me. Surrender your ego to Me. Such a devotee is dear to Me. Yo MadBhaktah SahMe Priyah.
I pray that the entire guru parampara continues to shower their grace on us and lead us all to our ultimate goal.
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