Seven Stages Towards Jivanmukti - Pravrajika Divyanandaprana | Tattvabodha - 6

0:27 Today our portion in tattv bodh is to do with jivan mukti. Which is a very very important idea. Which we should know. The goal of human life in vedant is seen as jivan mukti. It is not you know krama mukti or videha mukti here. It is jivan mukti which means in this very life to liberate ourselves. It is not a postmortem effort. Means after death we will go somewhere to some loka and attain to god. No no no, right here in this life to liberate ourselves. That is the goal

1:13 in vedant. So if we have to make this possible then how should we be? That is very beautifully described. Also although I have always been telling you that knowledge is instantaneous, it is immediate. It is immediate unmediated knowledge. But depending on the ripeness of of our mind, there are stages also, bhumis, you can say. Gyan bhumis it is called in vedant. So there are stages of liberation. Although in the instant of real realization there are no more stages. You just know reality as it is. And if you have the ability to stick to reality as it is,

2:01 then that is jivanmukti. But it comes only to the ripest of minds. For most people, uh the mind is still requires purification, still requires a lot of, you know, clarity to stick to what you have realized. This is also there. So, yesterday you were asking me the question that why Vishvamitra, Vashishtha, they were great uh not Vashishtha, but uh Durvasa, they were great rishis, but still succumb to anger and why all this happened? Uh it is because, you see, there are stages even in the final liberation. Uh so, these are called jnana bhumis, which I will discuss in this talk. So, although jivanmukti can be an instantaneous experience,

2:47 still if the mind is not completely ripe, one has to pass through stages of deeper and deeper clarity, more and more purification, and then the final sahaja samadhi. The the instant knowledge and living by that knowledge happens. So, this will be described, you see, in the next few verses of Tattva Bodha. We have the entire focus on jivanmukti. The man of realization, what does he attain? Evam ca vedanta vakyehi sadguru upadeshena ca sarveshvapi bhuteshu yesham brahma buddhirutpanna te jivanmukta ityarthaha. Thus, by the words of Vedant and the teachings of the sadguru, those in whom

3:34 the vision of the truth is born in all beings, the vision of the truth, he's seeing that in all beings, they are considered liberated while living. Jivanmukta. Mhm. So, even in the Bhagavad Gita, this idea is there. Sarva bhuteshu chatmanam sarva bhutani chatmani ikshate yoga yuktatma sarvatra samadarshanah. One who sees me, Krishna is saying in the Bhagavad Gita, one who sees me in all beings and all beings in me, he becomes very equanimous, even-minded towards everyone. He because he has unitary perception, sees the same being in all. And he is called the jivanmukta, the liberated while living. Mhm? So, it's not a postmortem thing.

4:21 Usually, you see, when you read the Puranas, you get this picture that from here we go somewhere, then somewhere, then somewhere, then we get liberated. No such thing in Advaita Vedanta. Knowledge is liberation. And knowledge can is always instantaneous and immediate. But to retain that knowledge, one requires great ripeness of mind. Remember this. Mhm? So, until one attains that ripeness of mind, one is at different stages of liberation, you can say. So, what are the jnana bhumikas? I will just explain them here. It's important to know this. The seven stage of the attaining jivanmukti or realizing perfect jnana. What are they? The first is what is called shubheccha.

5:08 In our scriptures, these are given. What it means is the the will has become extremely firm and unmoving. No more vacillation of will, which means whatever realization knowledge they get, they are able to stick to it. The mind does not vacillate anymore. This is the first stage of jnana, real knowledge. The second stage is vicharana. Now, inquiry has become like a sword, unsheathed sword. Sri Ramakrishna used to describe Naren like that. He's an unsheathed sword, which means inquiry is complete. Just inquiry gives the knowledge. Nothing as the mind does not drag, there's no sanskara pulling it down. Just the inquiry, see this is what I was

5:54 saying, it is a bhumi. Just inquiry can give you the insight and the capacity to stay with it. This is the second stage of jnana. Uh vicharana. The third is what is called tanu manasa. Tanu manasa means the mind is fairly attenuated. Attenuated means it has become so weak, the sanskaras have been so much refined and the bad sanskaras have been obliterated that the mind supports the effort. Mind will really drop at that stage and allow place for pure knowledge, the luminosity of the self to shine. One who attains this tanu manasa state has come to the third level of third stage of jivanmukti or jnana.

6:40 It's making lot of sense, no? See, tanu means what? Tanu means actually to weaken in Sanskrit. Tanu manasa means the mind has been weakened. The sanskaras have all been purified. This concept is there even in the yoga, the bhumis of yoga. That unless this mind weaken means not a weak mind. What it means to say is negative sanskaras and the wrong kinds of sanskaras have all been removed. Mind has been purified. That is tanu manasa. Now the mind is ready to reveal and support the self knowledge. So then the fourth stage becomes self realization. If one has attained to tanu

7:26 manasa, shubheccha, vicharana and tanu manasa, then one will get established in the knowledge of the self. When one gets it. Otherwise, the mind will again go back to its old ways. Just a glimpse is not enough. It will create a pragnya sanskara, but it is not enough. The mind can revert back. So, to prevent this, you see, satvapatti means it is so imbued imbued with sattva that it supports your knowledge, your realization. The mind has become like that. So, this is the stage of the jnani. When we use the word jnani, he is actually at the stage of satvapatti. Self-realization has been attained. There's a stage after that also, the

8:11 fifth stage. It is called asamsakti, which means now the mind attains complete non-attachment. When you have seen truth as it is, you can afford to stay unattached completely from what is unreal, untruth. Until you we see that truth, we will have some lingering attachment, some sanskara. So, the fifth stage of jnana is asamsakti, not non-attachment. Complete non-attachment is attained. The sixth stage of jnana is padarthabhavana, which means no more do any objects ever affect you. See, paravairagya has been attained.

8:58 Ramana Maharshi used to say, "Vairagya is jnana." Otherwise, you can't hold what you know in an ultimate sense. So, padarthabhavana means actual non-perception of the external. Mhm? No more is mind subject to any form of illusion. And the last stage, the seventh stage, is called turiaga or turiya, which means the the realization of turiya is complete. We already discussed what turiya means, mhm? In the Mandukya Upanishad it is described as actually the self. The fourth, not the waker, dreamer, or

9:44 deep sleeper, but the consciousness that underlies all the three states of mind. So this Turiya the the state of complete supreme consciousness or self, the self, self-knowledge. This becomes established at the seventh stage. So from the fourth stage to the seventh stage, the the rishi or the gyani may vary in his knowledge. So accordingly, they are given different names. The gyani belongs to stage four, I told you. He is called the Brahma vid. Another name for the gyani is Brahma vid. And one who has gone to stage five, which is asam shakti, complete

10:31 non-attachment, he becomes like an avadhut. He is called Brahma vid vara. One who has gone to the sixth stage, padartha bhavana, which means complete non-perception of the external. So absorbed in the luminescence of the self. He is called Brahma vid variya, the superior knower of Brahman. And the seventh, the Turiya stage, one who's established in that is called the Brahma vid varishtha. So the great sapta rishis belong to this category. Our swamiji belonged to this category. Brahma vid varishtha, the highest knower of Brahman.

11:18 So this is These are why they are talking of stages of gyan is this much only. To the extent your entire mind is prepared to live by the knowledge you realize at stage four, self-realization. Sattvapatti. To that extent you are identified as what type of gyani you are. Mhm? See, all of them have some level of realization, but depending on the maturity of the mind the maturity of their souls, this division is described. Seven stages of gyan and the four types of gyanis. Brahmavid Brahmavidvara Brahmavidvariya, and Brahmavidvarishta. Similarly, you know, even in Yoga Sutras

12:05 different bhumis of yoga are identified. And in fact, chitta bhumis are explained very well. I have already spoken of this many times. The chitta, the memory bank of our mind can be in the moodha kshipta vikshipta uh ekagra or niruddha states. According to that is our progress. Many such bhumis are described in the Yoga Sutras. Even in Buddhist texts you know, there are 10 bhumis described in Buddhism. We won't go into that because here we are going to stick to the text we are following. So, gyan bhumis are important to know. That is why rishis may vary in their temperament, in their expression mhm? In their dominant tendencies. They

12:51 may be at any of these seven levels. Still, they are rishis. They are gyanis. But they may show this variance. Mhm? If you have uh read the story of Vishwamitra, mhm? You will understand what it takes to achieve Brahmavidya. Brahmagyan. So, briefly I will tell you that story here. If you want it in detail, you should go to Wisdom of Gayatri Mantra. There the story is there because he was the giver of the Gayatri. He was the rishi who gave us the Gayatri Mantra. But you see, in Vishwamitra's life, quickly let me tell you he was a king, Kaushik and a very able capable king always trying to expand his kingdom. But when he arrived once at Vashistha's

13:37 ashram, he saw that Vashistha had this Kamadhenu Surabhi who could generate a lot of food just at an in an instant. So she was a divine cow, she was a Devi who could give this and at once he Kaushik was very ambitious. At once he thought that this cow should belong to the king. Because then I can feed all my people and everyone will be happy. Why should it belong to this sage? So he told Vashistha that everything that is in my kingdom belongs to the king. Mhm? So your cow, divine cow also belongs to me and Vashistha said no. She is a Devi, she is not an ordinary mortal. She will only live where there is Brahmavidya. She will only live with me in the ashram.

14:22 I cannot send her with you. >> [clears throat] >> And Kaushik tried to take her away by force. Then it so happened that Vashistha raised his Brahmadan and and killed all his entire army. That was the power of his tapasya, you know? He was so powerful, sage Vashistha, that just with some mantras and his Brahmadan, he defeated the entire army and sent back Kaushik from the ashram. Now Kaushik ego is very hurt. He feels I should get that. See his uh dig balam kshatriya balam brahma balam eva balam all this he said, which means I must get this Brahmavidya because I I want to defeat Vashistha. See his purpose was very small. But

15:08 still he aimed for Brahmavidya in order to become superior to Vashistha. And then he leaves his kingdom and everything, gives it to his son and goes into the forest and does great the So now Kaushik is becoming a rishi. But not so easy. Then all these stages you will find, you know, how at every stage he's uh he suffers like anything because he has not yet purified his mind. His very intent, his purpose in getting Brahma vidya is to defeat such a small intent, you see, to defeat another sage. To defeat sage Vashishtha. So, he he encounters many obstacles. One of the obstacles that comes to him he does Now, the story goes that he does 10,000 years of tapasya.

15:55 And uh uh in that period he gets some uh psychic powers, yogic powers, and all that. And then he feels he has become somebody now. So, when Trishanku comes to him, I don't know if you know that story. There is this uh strange character called Trishanku. Mhm? He wants to go to heaven in his body. Now, it is against the cosmic law. Only after death, according to a person's punya, he goes to heaven. So, Trishanku actually first goes to Vashishtha, sage Vashishtha, and says that can you send me to heaven in this body? Vashishtha says, "I will not do any such drama, because uh you must follow the cosmic laws." Mhm? And now Trishanku is against Vashishtha, so he comes to Vishwamitra and tells him

16:41 that can you send me because, you see, your enemy is not sending me. And now enemy's enemy becomes friend. So, now he becomes friend with Trishanku and uh Vishwamitra become friends. So, Vishwamitra says, "Don't worry, I am there. I have done so much tapasya, I will send you to heaven." Mhm? So, now the the ascent begins. Trishanku is being sent to heaven uh in his body. And Indra appears in the heavens. The story is like this. Indra appears and says, "You can't go to heaven, because this is against the cosmic law. We won't give you entry." And Vishwamitra from here is saying you go. My tapasya phal everything I put here let that tapasya phal carry you forward. And it so happened that Trishanku could

17:27 neither go up nor fall down. And what okay Trishanku avastha bola hai which means uh you are indecisive. You are not able to go up nor down. You're not able to make any real decision. It's called the Trishanku state. So like that he he got up turned and was hanging like that for a long time. And then all the gods gathered and told Vishwamitra this is not the way to use the power of tapasya. Your tapasya phal phal the fruit of your tapasya has got exhausted now. Because this is not the way you can't break the celestial rhythm and the cosmic law and try to do all such things. So you have failed and Trishanku is sent back to earth and

18:13 Vishwamitra is taught a good lesson. His ego gets a good hit. You see? In the while going money spiritually evolving a lot of things will get really hit and massacred in us. The prime thing is the ego. We don't understand how egoistic we are until you do sadhana. Mhm. How much we invest in wrong identities and how adamant we are about obstinate we are about our egos. So Vishwamitra at once realizes I did something wrong. So let me go back to my tapasya. I need purification. So he goes back to his tapasya. Now obstacle after obstacle comes to him because that purification see obstacles are meant to purify us.

18:59 Remember this okay? In the world also when obstacles come they are meant to teach us something to purify our minds. Vivekananda used to say the world is a moral gymnasium where you have to come to take exercise to become strong to spiritually evolve. However, desperate we may feel in that situation, it is meant to teach us something. So now next obstacle to Vishvamitra is Menaka. You know, because Vishvamitra did so much tapasya again for many years and very strong tapasya, Indra got frightened thinking that he will get Indra pad. Because after all it's an office. It's a divine office of controlling of few elements and all that. So Indra got scared that his tapasya he will

19:45 replace me. So he sent down Menaka. Now Menaka is a apsara. So she comes to uh divert uh Vishvamitra's mind. And she succeeds in doing that. And then Vishvamitra See, again lack of purification. So the mind succumbs. And they get married and then for a long time he's Vishvamitra leads the life of a householder. They have a baby girl. Shakuntala is that girl. So uh this another 6 years he has spent like this. One fine day he suddenly realizes, "My purpose was Brahma vidya. What am I doing here?" And up the Menaka apsara after all she is

20:30 Her work is done. She leaves him. And then Vishvamitra with a jolt comes back and says that what What am I doing? Huh? Why did I get into this? And then the child is deserted. Actually, she's placed under a tree where Shakuntala birds protect her. So she was named Shakuntala and sage Kanwa finds the baby girl and raises her as his daughter. This is the story of Shakuntala. So you see Bharatvarsha is named after her son. So you should know this story also. But anyway, now let's begin re-begin with this Vishvamitra's tapasya. Once he realizes he made a mistake, he succumbed to lust, then he goes back to his tapasya. Now, again, 10,000 years of very intense tapasya.

21:17 Tapasya is of the nature of purification of mind. Please remember this. It is not just physical mortification or doing something or gaining yogic powers. Actually, it is Thakur Bole the Tana. What is Maya Kamini Kanchan Maya? What are Tyagi Hula Tapasya? Which means keeping the mind pure of the the Shad Ripus, Kama Krodha Madha Lobha Moha Matsarya. Now, he gradually understands in degrees that this is where I need correction. This is where I have to correct myself. And you know who gives him the greatest help? He doesn't know this, but it is Vashishtha. Vashishtha Rishi is sitting in his hermitage and he's telling Arundhati, his wife, mm, she was also a Rishi, a

22:03 great Rishi. So, he's sharing with her, see, he's a good man. Only his Vishwamitra is a good man, but his ego has overpowered his buddhi. So, I'm helping him spiritually by clearing his mind of all this. So, it so happened that after many years, when Vishwamitra uh got the vision of Brahma and Brahma told him, I can at the most give you the title of a Rishi, but not a Brahma Rishi. You are not a Brahma Varishtha yet. Mm, then uh he became desperate, Vishwamitra, and said that uh then how do I become a Brahma Varishtha? How do I become a real Brahma Vid first of all? Then Lord Brahma said, for that you need

22:49 the blessings of a Brahma Varishtha. Go go back to Vashishtha, fall at his feet, become humble, take his blessings, and you will reach this stage. So, Vishwamitra comes to the cottage of uh Vashishtha and Arundhati and there he hears this conversation going on where uh Vashishtha is telling Arundhati, "I'm helping his spiritual effort. May he become a Brahma Varishtha. May he become the greatest knower of Brahman." His ego should be dissolved. I'm helping him mentally with that. As soon as he hears this, Vishwamitra is overwhelmed. And he comes running and falls at his feet. And as soon as his head touches the feet of this Brahma Varishtha, Vashishtha was a Brahma, greatest knower

23:36 of Brahman of his time, immediately the Brahma Gayatri starts, you know, it uh starts emanating from his heart. Om Bhur Bhuva Swaha Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat. The Gayatri spontaneously starts welling up within him. See, this is the touch of a realized being. As soon as his head touched his feet, he discovered the glory of the Gayatri. The Dhi Shakti came into full effulgence. Immediately he had Brahma Gyan and that is why he became the giver of Gayatri to the world. He is the Rishi behind the Gayatri mantra. Today we pay him that homage. Gayatri is the most sacred mantra of the

24:22 Hindus because it is a prayer not for this and that. It's a prayer for Dhi, for the highest spiritual knowledge, that Buddhi, that intellect which will reveal Brahman to me. It's a prayer for that. It comes in the Rigveda and Yajurveda. It's a most powerful prayer come mantra. Just chanting Gayatri will liberate the mind. So, Vishwamitra, this is how he discovered Gayatri and then Vashishtha blesses him and says, "May your ego get dissolved. May you get this highest knowledge." And thus, this Kaushik becomes Vishwamitra. And he becomes Vishwasya Mitra because he gave Gayatri to the world. That's why he's Vishwamitra. So, this is the story. See, it only

25:07 illustrates how every Rishi passes through stages. You may know the self immediately, but to retain that knowledge requires real purification. Otherwise, one will not become a Jivanmukta. He will become at the most a Jnani. He may become at the most a Brahmavid, but not a Brahma Varishtha. So, there are stages. Mhm. As long as the mind is not tackled, not completely purified, this knowledge will not remain. You can't sustain it. Mhm. Check out in your own meditation hours and see. The bhumi you attain at that time, you lose it once you are back into normal life. Again, the striving, isn't it? Mhm. To

25:54 maintain that Sahaja Samadhi, that undercurrent all the time, it requires you have to train your mind. It requires mental purification and training. So, this is what is being said here. That's why Jivanmukti is not a small thing. Mhm. It requires real effort, and many Jnanis can be in these different stages of jnana. Mhm. Now, you see in the next um mhm definition which he's giving next uh verse, page 110. Nanu Jivanmukta kaha. Who exactly is the Jivanmukta? Yatha deho hum, purush o hum, brahman o hum, shudra o hum. Asmi iti drida nischaya statha, naham

26:42 brahmana na shudra na purusha kintu asangaha sachidananda swarupa prakasha rupaha sarvantaryami chidakasha ruposmi iti drida nischaya >> See, everything has been given into this one verse. Who is the Jivanmukta? Just as we have the firm belief that I am the body, I am a man, I am a brahmana, or I am a shudra, in the same way, one who by his immediate knowledge, aparoksha jnana, has firmly ascertained, "I am not a brahmana, nor a shudra. I am not a man, but I am unattached and of the nature of

27:28 existence consciousness bliss effulgent, the indweller of all, and the formless awareness." This is the one who's liberated while living. See, the words are very profound. Asangaha. He has felt real non-attachment within him. Satchidananda rupaha. He knows himself to be of the nature of existence, consciousness, and bliss. [clears throat] See, self-identity completely changes. Mhm. Consciousness is dominant. He has no other sense of himself. Prakasha rupaha. He's self-effulgent. He's of the nature of pure light. This is the light of consciousness.

28:16 Sarvantaryami. He himself is the indweller in all beings. He recognizes himself in all beings. See, if you look into the eyes of another and see yourself there, you are becoming a jnani. Because the light of awareness in your eye is what I am. Isn't it? Mhm. It's the same light in every eye. The eyes are different. The light is the same. So, learn to recognize yourself in another. Mhm. This is the starting point of empathy, compassion, whatever you call it. When I see myself in that person. And this is the fact of life. We are not talking of some somebody's philosophy. This is the fact of existence. There is

29:02 only one consciousness shining through all these eyes. So, you see Sarvam Taryami. Jan Chidakasha Rupa. I told you Chidakasha means the space where consciousness dwells. So, the Gnani mind dwells in that space. Neither in this Sthula Akasha nor in Chitta Akasha but Chidakasha. Chidakasha Ruposmi. Iti Dridha Nischaya Rupoh. One who has this firm conviction, I am the essence of consciousness in all beings. And Aparoksha Gnanavan. That is why he's Gnan. His knowledge is Aparoksha Gnan. Immediate and unmediated knowledge. Such a one is the Jivanmukta.

29:50 What are the simple characteristics of a Jivanmukta? Shall I tell you? One see, one thing is he has a deep sense of because [snorts] there is inner liberation, there is a sense of equality. See, when there are no more doubts in oneself, divisions in oneself, one does not see division outside also. Deep sense of equality. He can make everybody his own. So, deep love and compassion characterize the Gnani. Don't think only the Bhaktas show it. No, no, no. Gnani in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says the Gnani is my highest Bhakta. Mhm, remember this.

30:37 The level of oneness and compassion and you will feel it in presence. That is the real saving factor for this world. See, if we have really minds of this type, do you think we will have all these silly problems in our societies? The Rishi mind, the Nyani mind, very important. And how does it express itself, the the compassion and the love? In service. What the person in front of me requires. As a mother would do at home, the Nyani provides that. Service, Dekho Seva Paramo Dharma. Please know this for certain. Even if you don't know all this theory, if that's real spirit of Seva is there,

31:22 oh, it will liberate you. Mhm? So, these are the characteristics of the Nyani. I I can give you the best example in Ma Sharada. Yes. See, she never talked philosophy. But what did she do? Huh? Whoever has come to Mother went with a totally satisfied heart. Whether it was man, woman, child, the poor, the distressed, or the rich and the accomplished, whoever came to her, they felt they have come into the lap of their mother. See? This feeling of oneness to all beings and tremendous love and melting compassion and Seva. All has come

32:08 together in Mother. See, this is the highest proof of the highest realization. You should know this. There is no other proof. Don't imagine sitting and meditating in a cave is the highest ideal. As a result of that, this should come about come about. Otherwise, what is the point? Tell me. Isn't it? Huh? Ma Sharada's life, right from the beginning she is like this. See, that is why Thakur used to say, Tini Amar Shakti. Tini Saraswati. She is Saraswati herself. She has come to give knowledge. Only she has come in very simple motherly guise. Mother has deliberately Ma Saraswati, you know how we picture her. Mother has deliberately come in this simple form

32:54 to give knowledge to this world in this these times. And her whole life right from childhood is showing this. I can give you so many incidents. Untrained Ma Ma, nobody told her that you have to do this. But mother is showing it, the highest values of life. See that 11-year-old girl cooling the khichdi to be offered because her her father had used to cook potfuls of khichdi to be given during famine, distributed in the village of Jairambati. Mother is fanning and cooling the khichdi and serving everyone. Helping her mother wherever required. At the age of 18 when she comes to

33:42 Dakshineswar how many incidents are there? It's really a See, mother's life, right? It is so simple. You will miss the point unless you meditate on it. That simple pan incident, you remember? Mother used to make these beetle rolls for all the devotees who would come to Thakur. What was her age at that time? Hardly 20. How is mother making that pan? You remember that incident? See, mother is making two types of pans. In one type, she is putting the ordinary ingredients and rolling it up. Second type, she is putting special ingredients like elaichi and all that and rolling it up. Then somebody asks her, "Mother, why you are making two types?" She says, "See the Now listen to this.

34:29 The ordinary type, I'm going to give it to Thakur. The special type I'm going to give to the new devotees who are coming here because I have to make everyone my own. I am the mother. I have to satisfy and make them all my own. So, I'm making special Any young wife would have given the best pan to the husband. Isn't it? Now, she's mother is saying the ordinary one is for Thakur because he's already my own. The special pan I'm making is for the new devotees who are and 20-year-old. That is why I'm saying the highest Jivanmukti state you can see mothers.

35:17 Every incident is like this. You must see it with that eye. Study it like that. Nobody but mother would have done this. I'm telling you. Whom she loves the most, she's giving the ordinary and who are new to the temple, I have to make Only a mother can think like this. Universal mother mother and all through life she was like this only. You know, I'll tell you some incidents in a Jivanmukti. If you want to study, you should study mother. See, one more incident I will tell you. How you should study mother is you studied her that paragraph. Now, you close your eyes and meditate. Then only you will know the the implication the tatparya there. Otherwise, you won't know. It's so simple. You'll go to the next paragraph

36:03 and miss it. [snorts] One lady comes uh See, mother everyday used to cook in the Habat for Thakur uh and she used to carry the plate after cooking and place it before Thakur and take a fan and fan [clears throat] him and he would many times go into very high bhav samadhi states. So, she would converse something to bring his mind down. And so that he eats his food properly. And mother was always veiled. So, we really don't know if Thakur had seen mother. So, like this mother would sit and fan him and keep talking something so his mind stays on the earthly plane. Now, as Thakur would eat his food, then after that mother would quietly carry the plate and go back to Nahabat. So,

36:49 this much interaction mother used to have. What happened one day was one lady comes to mother and says, "Uh Ma, I will can I take Thakur's food?" Now, she is the mother, she cannot refuse. She says, "Okay." She has cooked and arranged everything and she gives the plate to this lady. Now, this girl brings the plate to Thakur and keeps it in front of Thakur, but she really doesn't know what to do because uh first time she has come and Thakur does not eat that food. So, after some time this lady leaves and uh mother is called. And Thakur tells mother, "Uh why you sent my plate through her? Uh you know I can't eat uh Jai Jai Kar or I can't eat it I can't eat from everybody's hand.

37:36 Why you gave this my plate to her?" Then look at mother what she's saying. She says, "First thing she says that Thakur, you please eat. Next time I won't do like this." Then she says, "But you must remember, you are not mine alone. You belong to everyone." Mother is saying this to Thakur. Mhm. Apni to Shudhu Amar Noy, you belong to everyone. You should remember this. Which means you should accept from Thakur quietly ate the Like this very beautiful incidents are there. See, what gives Dev her this vision? Huh? Any other person would have said, "Yes, yes, I will only bring.

38:22 Isn't it? But mother is saying this to Thakur. When Thakur first time mother has come to Dakshineswar, Thakur is asking her, "Have you come to drag me into this world, into worldly life?" Immediate answer is, "No, I have come to help you in your path and to serve you." "I've come to help you." she say. Mother's stature is unimaginable. Really, I'm telling you, meditate on these incidents and see. Any other mind would have behaved in a different way. Only mother can do this, what she has done. These are all very subtle aspects of the highest values possible in human life. And mother has shown that in such a simple way.

39:10 Such a simple way. I can give you so many incidents like this, you know. Jivanmukti state, now see, I was reading Jivanmukti Vivek. That time also I felt this, that mother is giving the best demonstration of this. All the time, now mother was in a very elevated state. Samadhi like state. It was Sahaja Samadhi in mother's case. And giving out the highest form of love and compassion to all beings. And serving day and night. Day and night she's serving, all behind that veil. No expression in any form. Just service and love. And utterly pure life. This was our mother. See, once mother was in Jayrambati,

39:56 notice this incident also. Uh that time there was this uh Yeah, there was a young boy called Gyan. Not Gyan Maharaj, not him. Another young boy. And he was when mother would be in Jayrambati, he would come and uh uh do errands for her. Mhm. Go here, buy that. Whatever she would say, he would do. So, one day mother called him and she said go to the Amouda and there there is a big yellow flower tree. A huge tree with bearing yellow flowers. Take this basket and get me those flowers for my worship. Mother tells him early morning. So, Gyan is very happy. He takes the basket and he goes and he climbs the

40:42 tree and collects basket full of yellow bright yellow flowers and he comes to mother and he places the basket and says "Mother I have brought the flowers." Mother had already sat for worship. Then mother everyday used to worship Thakur in the mornings. So, mother has sat down for worship and she signals to Gyan to sit there. Already there was an asana there. She says So, he he sits. Then mother finishes the worship with those flowers. And then she says "Kachesu" and she gives him diksha. She gives him a mantra. As soon as she gives him the mantra, this Gyan, he was a very good boy, but

41:27 he was very adamant. And Teji type he was. So, when he finishes the the diksha ceremony is over, not ceremony, mother used to give so informally, you know, like this only, calling and giving the mantra, like that. Then she gives him some prasad and all that. Then he bows down to mother. He does pranam. Then mother tells him See, your guru, your ishtam, everything is Thakur. Then Gyan says, "You are my guru. Why Thakur should be my guru?" Then mother says, "I'm your mother. Ami tomar ma, kintu guru or ishta sub Thakur." And Gyan starts arguing. He says, "No,

42:14 Ma. You are my mother You are my mother and guru." Mhm. Uh Thakur is my ishta, but you are my guru. Then mother says, uh I'm your mother. Only look upon me as your mother. And but Gyan is natural banda, he doesn't want to accept it. Then he says, "My mother is in Dhaka." "My mother is in Dhaka. So, you are my guru." He's going on with that, huh. And then mother says, uh Gyan, "Look at me properly." Huh? "See who I am." At once Gyan sees his biological mother, Garbhadharini, she's sitting there.

43:02 And he starts gasping. His mother is sitting there. And then he falls full length at her feet and says, "Ma." Then then he says, "I know you are only the mother in every mother. Now I know. You are not just my mother in this life, in every life." So, you see, what mother is now, we really can't understand. Many such incidents I can tell you, but let's go back to the text. >> [laughter] >> Ma Tulana Nai.

43:47 Mhm. Once somebody asked Vishuddhanandji Maharaj, >> [laughter] >> So, Maharaj said, >> [laughter] >> See, there is no goddess so motherly and no mother so godly. I'm telling you. Mhm. That is our mother. She Sahasra is Jan. She is that Durga only. She is that Mahashakti. Tini Brahma A Baba is Jan so that we can relate with her. So essence of all this study now, you must have real devotion to her. If you have that, I'm telling you Jivanmukti will come just like that.

44:35 Swami has said this to Niranjanananda ji Maharaj. That I can bear with whatever he does because he has devotion to mother. Whoever has devotion to mother will automatically cross this samsara. He will become Jivanmukta. But if this Asar Jnan is not there, whatever you study, whatever you be, at the most we will become Pandit. But if we have this devotion to mother, she will take us across. They came for that. Ma Nije Bolechan. Whenever you are in distress, remember you have a mother. Amra Jamo Ni Thaki, she is there.

45:21 No matter how we are, she will take us across. So have this devotion to mother, I'm telling you. That is the essence of all study. So let's go to this part and I think this finishes this chapter. Brahmaivaham Aham Asmi Iti Aparoksha Jnanena Nikhil Karma Bandha Vinirmukta Syat. This Dharana, I am Brahman alone and not just Dharana as immediate knowledge, Aparoksha Jnan. So by the immediate knowledge I am Brahman alone, one becomes free from the bondage of all karmas, actions.

46:07 Only through knowledge you can get this form of liberation. See, this is Shankara's constant refrain in all his works. Only knowledge will liberate. Because our problem is of the nature of ignorance. That is why knowledge liberates. Are you getting this? It is completely ignorant of the truth. That is why knowledge liberates. And the way out of See, this karma chakra, now it is very, very unpredictable. And very intricate. We cannot understand it at all. Like you were telling me, now, as doctors, you were telling me There's so much I don't know what to do in a particular situation. I don't know what is right, what is wrong.

46:55 You don't know how to proceed. You don't know what the karma phal will be in that particular decision. So, when such things come into our lives, remember, turn to mother, turn to pure knowledge. That alone saves. Because Gahana Karmano Gati, Bhagavad Gita says, it is very difficult and intricate to understand how karma phal builds up. Next I'm going to go deeply into that. The types of karma, the how karma phal is generated, where it is deposited, and how it impacts human life and destiny, and why without solving this tangle, we can't come to all this, this level of gyan. So, that is why the only way is you surrender to the divine and dive deep into knowledge. Then only this bondage

47:42 of karma can be overcome. So, that our daily karma yields fruit which will take us towards God. Otherwise, it can bind us also. Karma is a two-edged sword. It can either bind you completely to this world or it can liberate you. Depending on what your motive behind this. So keep a spiritual motive. Keep up this devotion to God and knowledge. This this level of study. And he's saying you will get out of this karma chakra. The cycle of karma. Because the effects of karma now they determine most of the things in our lives. Have you seen? Mhm? But remember she is the Kapala Mochani.

48:27 No matter what karma we have done and what we are doing and what we will be doing and what its effects are we can't understand all this completely. But she is there. Mhm? If we take refuge in her, if we have devotion to her, she will wipe out the negative effects of our karma. Tini Phalaharini. Daina. Phalaharini money karma phalaharini. Don't think we give her fruits and she eats that so she's phalaharini. >> [laughter] >> The philosophical meaning is she's karma phalaharini. Karma phala is a huge thing in human life. So depending on how much time we have I will go a little bit as an introduction into that. And tomorrow we will take it up in a big way.

49:13 Tomorrow will be the last class. See. In human life everything from your birth to death where you were born, how to whom you were born, how you were born. First almost eight to 10 years of your life you had no control over anything. What your circumstances were, what your experiences were, what kind of education you got what family you came into the family samskaras and the influences falling on you and then what career you chose. And how your life went about the first 25 years. A lot is not in your hands. What determines it? Karma. Mhm, that important is karma.

49:59 Everything about our life is kind of predetermined by karma phal produced in the past. Not just this much. Yeah, Patanjali says even Jati the body type how healthy you are or how sick a person is, even that is determined by karma. Ayu, how long is your lifespan? How many years you will live? That is also karma. And circumstances and decisions of your life, all influenced by karma. Whom you will marry? What type of child you will have? Will he become your pride or will he become a curse? Karma.

50:46 And after that after 50, what type of circumstances you will find yourself in? Karma. And what kind of death we will suffer? Karma. So, karma determines almost everything in life. But it's not an absolute law because there is a way to work First of all is Shubha Karma, that is the way. You keep doing good, only good experiences will come to you. The second is there is a way out of this entire karma chakra also. That we will go into it tomorrow. The sure ways by taking refuge in God. And the third is to in understand the intricacies of karma totally. The types of karma and the motive how it

51:34 decides your karma phal. Mhm? So, just now I don't want to go into it because it's a big topic and continuous flow should be there, so I'll take it up in the next class. But I will tell you a a here to help you understand how important karma is. Don't take it lightly. I would have given a job to you high. There is a karmic influence behind it. And there is a way of turning it around also. Mhm. So this story really happened long ago in an Indian village. It's a real story. Mhm. There were two boys who were studying in the village and they had plans of going into the city like every village this is the dream, you know, going into a city and earning wealth and

52:19 then coming back back to their parents' home. So these boys once they finished their 10th standard, they made plans. We will go there, we will work here, we will work there. They were poor so they had plans for earning money first and then maybe we will recontinue our education. So they took the permission of their parents and they started on this journey. Now it so happened that they reached the city and for the next 3 years they worked very hard. Small works they did and earned quite an amount of money. Then they were yearning to come back home. But that employer something he gave them more of uh uh more salary, increased their salary, promoted them and all that. So after

53:05 another 2 years then they planned we should visit home. So in those days long back this happened. So in those days they would tie up money in a cloth or something like that, no? And uh bring it back. They were now coming back home. Now on their way See, they were now 16-year-old youth. On their way back uh not 16, sorry, uh about around 20, 19-20 they were. So on their way back they had to halt at a inn at a small eating place, no? And uh so that what happened was that night one of these uh two now they were young men. What happened to his booty we don't know. See, some very bad karmas fall.

53:51 He suddenly thought that if I get rid of this friend, double this amount of money will be mine. So he had some kind of a pill. And he mixed it in the water and fed it to his friend. That night that person had continuous vomiting and organ started failing and finally he died. That night morning the whole innkeeper everyone is very very puzzled how it happened. And this boy said it is food poisoning. Night he must have eaten something. Those days there were no such people to diagnose what happened. So anyway, the body was carried back to his village and he made a big drama of it in the village also. And he wept went to his

54:36 parents home, this boy's parents home and gave them some 1/10 of that money and said this is what he had earned. And I'm I'm so distressed that my friend passed away like this. All this drama he did. And then he went back to his home and so that all that friend's money, so much of that money and his own money and now he could afford to build a bigger house. He cultivated his lands, but always that inner knowing sense of that is going on. He is not at peace with himself. But like this life went on. In another four five years time his father got him married and he had a very good wife. And now he had lands. He did not go more

55:24 and earn. He was getting things out of his land and he was selling. He was doing well. Now he was considered prosperous in that village. And now he had plans of becoming the landlord and all that. A son was born to him. The whole household is very happy. And this is a very bright child. And life goes on. Now again the child starts going to the school. Everyone notices a brilliant intellect. Now the this man has great hopes on the son. So 10 years go by. Now it's the boy is growing up. He will soon finish his 10th. Then he has plans. Now he his his education, his college, university, everything will be in the city. And he will make a great name for the

56:11 family. So everyone very proud of that child. The son was like that. Now when this son turned 14 suddenly he was gripped with some terrible disease. Nobody he this father went and brought doctors and all Nobody could cure the child. Terrible always foaming at the mouth all like this. Very bad kind of disease. Nobody could help him and within a month's time the he was completely bedridden. And one fine day the doctor declared that he has only few hours to live. And the whole family has now gathered. Now in that state when the the child is shivering and suffering the parents are crying sitting around. The grandparents

56:58 also are there. Everybody is so sorrow struck. And this man and his wife they are both looking at this child and >> [snorts] >> saying don't worry we are here we are here like this it's going on. Suddenly this boy on the bed started laughing. After harsh bullying loudly he started laughing. And then he looked at his father and said don't you recognize me? Don't you recognize me? You killed me for a few rupees. I have come back and taken all that money back. In his treatment, no, so much was spent.

57:43 See, this is how karma works. And he said this and laughed and left. He died. Now, this man was so shocked, the father. Uh, and he remembered everything. Already he had that pain in his heart. Uh, and then they say that actually what happened was he left the village. He became like a recluse. Uh, just to spend time with because he couldn't take it. It over like that kind of way, you see? But this is how karma works. Any force we put forth, it is going to come back to us in some form. And everything in your life is your karma. Know this for certain. Don't blame or uh don't feel why this is happening to me. Take it that it is karma in some form coming.

58:29 The good also is karma, the bad karma. But there is a way out of it. And that way we will discuss tomorrow. Mhm. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.