Shruti Says by Barkha Khandelwal

Bhaj Govindam 

In the first 6 verses Guru Shri Shankaracharya has been talking about the disease we are all infested with and the symptoms. In this verse he is telling us the cause. 

In the absence of true knowledge, blinded, one lives a futile life and wastes the precious human birth.

‘Tune heera sa janam gevaya, 

Bhajan bin baavare.’

‘You wasted a precious birth,

without revernce to god, Oh fool.’

Verse 7

बालस्तावत् क्रीडासक्तः

तरुणस्तावत् तरुणीसक्तः।

वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः, 

परे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः॥

बचपन में खेल में रूचि होती है , युवावस्था में युवा स्त्री के प्रति आकर्षण होता है, वृद्धावस्था में चिंताओं से घिरे रहते हैं पर प्रभु से कोई प्रेम नहीं करता है

The seventh verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

During childhood the child is engaged in playing, and as child reaches youth, s/he get infatuated by the opposite gender and when old age approaches one is surrounded by worries of various kinds. But sadly, in all the stages of life, no one gets attracted to the divine Brahman.

Bachpan Beeta Khel Khe mein,

Bhari Javani Soya.

Dekh Budapa Soche Ab Tu, 

Kya Paya Kya Khoya. 

As a child if one had taken to the feet of the lord, youth would not have been lost in infatuation and the old age would have been filled with bliss unlimited, as no worry can touch those who have surrender to God.

——————————————

Over here Guru Shankracharyaji is presenting a fact, which none of us can deny. It is Lords Maya and she is so beautiful. So strong is her pull that in her presence even the Lord himself is forgotten.

One passes through 84 lakh wombs, before one reaches the womb of a human. So painful is the time in the womb, that the individual pleads to the lord to let him/her out, and promises not to get enticed by maya and keep the attention totally on the lord. 

However, we are a witness of what happens after that. We forget how precious the human birth is, we forget all the births where we longed for and worked towards this Human body, as this is the only instrument which can help us cross over the ocean of mundane existence (Samsara)

Not only this, if our ignorance is not enough, people around us make sure that the path leads us as far aways from God as possible. These are the most often the people whom we trust to be our well wishers.

The study of the scriptures tells us that, even the richest of the kings would send their children to live in a gurukul, to be guided by a knower of Brahman, towards Brahmanhood.

On the other hand, In our childhood our parents introduce us to the world of desires and wants, our senses are tampered to enjoy the beauty of Maya. The soft clay is shaped by worldly hands, to hoard on the worldly pleasures.

There is a reason why our Shastras have presented 4 Ashrams to us;

• Brahmacharya Ashram
• Grihastha Ashram
• Vanaprasth Ashram
• Sanyas Ashram

Not only, do we not explore the other three Ashrams, but we also don’t know how to live in the Grihasta Ashram or what are the responsibilities of a Grihasthi. So many times I have heard people use this divine Ashram as an excuse to justify their deluded lifes.

Brahmacharya Ashram 

The Ashram name explains it all - where the Acharan has to be like Brahman or the actions (Acharan) has to like Brahman. Brahman is God.

This is the foundation of all ashram and the most crucial, as we sow so shall we reap. That which has been sown has to be nurtured well. 

This is the time when reverence to the god is to be inculcated and the importance of human birth ingrained. At this initial stage, an individual has to be equipped to accomplish what this human birth has been taken for - Self realisation.

Grihastha Ashram

When the teaching of the Brahmacharya ashram - has made one stith and purna - just like Shri Hari. He is ready to enter Grihastha Ashram. Where two people meet for Yog and not for Bhog. Yog means union with God and bhog means material sense gratification.

Together their aasakti (pull) is towards the lord. They live a furugal Dharmic life (our dharm is to be in our sat chit anand swaroop and selflessly serve). The life they lead is for the upliftment of all the other Ashrams (Brahmachaya, Vanaprasta and Sanyasa) as none of the other ashrams have the ability to earn. Every thing on earth has a right over the Grihasth’s earning and nurturing all the living and non living is the Grihasthi’s responsibility.

When this kind of a Grihasthi gives birth and guidance to the off spring, the Bhramachari Ashram remains intact and the foundation strong. Every generation is more devout than the other.

Vanaprasth and Sanyasa Ashram

When both the previous Ashrams have been lived as mentioned in our Shastras, the transition to the last two ashrams becomes natural. All the effort that has been put towards self realisation in the first two ashrams bears fruits and effortlessly one leaves samsar and merges with the divine.

Human birth is only for God/self realisation, yehi satya hai, this is the only truth. Keeping this in mind, and making this the goal, one should dwell in this world. 

Our scriptures do not ask anyone to leave the world, but include God. Sanatan Dharm is not a religion it is a way of life. A way of life fit to help us realise the Self and God.

Our scriptures, don’t ask us to leave anything, they talk about the four purusharts of human existence - Dharma, Artha, Karma and Moksha. The moment God become the bases of all our purusharts (efforts), all our actions reflect divinity and we become divine.

Prabhu ko rakhlo Hridaya mai,

tüm prabhuta darsaoge,

‘Satyug aap nahin aayega,

Satyug ka tüm laoge’.

'Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.'

Hari Om

Geeta chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verses 37, 38 and 39

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Vibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam 

Verse 6

Yāvatpavano nivasati dehe tāvatpr̥cchati kuśalaṁ gehe,

Gatavati vāyau dehāpāye bhāryā bibhyati tasminkāye.

The sixth verse said to me - Sruti Says🌷

Only till the life breath dwells in our body, that is till one is alive, do people check on our well-being.

The minute this breath leave, the body starts to decay, even the wife(spouse) gets scared of the same body, whom she was attached to just moments back.

———————————

Sankaracharyaji is repeatedly trying to bring our attention to the temporary and transient nature of our existence. He tells us that not only, will the material possessions not last, but also the relations that we cherish will all pass. 

At that time one feels, in this ever rapidly changing world, this body is my permanent companion. However, is it also not perishable? From the day we are born, one thing is certain that this body will go back where it came from. From dust it came and dust it will become, it is just a matter of time.

Ever changing is the body, from a baby, to a toddler and all the way from young to middle aged and then old, this body is rapidly deteriorating and nearing its end. The body too is as unreal as all the other bodily relation and possessions that we cherish.

Even those rare few people, who truly care for our well-being, even our life partner, whom we have had the most intimate of relationships with, will be in a desperate hurry to get rid of this same body, when the life force disappears.

When this life-less piece of flesh and bones starts to decompose, neither can it command any space in it’s one cherished home, nor can it take along the once guarded wealth or the once loved people.

Khali haath aaya tha,

Khali haath jaega,

Maati ka putla 

Tu maati mai mil jayega.

This compels us to think, 

• If it was not the body that everything belonged to, who did it belong to?

• If it was not the body that the love was directed towards, who was the love directed towards?

• If this body is not real, and it ages, deteriorates and perishes, who is this that is always the same?

• Who is this, never changing, never decaying, never ending, ever real and permanent entity - who witnesses all that is happening?

These same questions, reverberated in the mind of that 16 year old Venkataraman. 

One day in the upstairs room in his uncles house, a violent fear of death over came him. He just felt he was going to die. This shock absorbed him and all he could think of was some vital questions;

• What does death mean?
• What is dying?
• Who dies?
• Is the body that dies?

He would dramatise the event, and would hold his breath and let his imagination take him to the cremation ground. He would wonder, even when the body dies, I still feel the force of this divine energy. 

• Who is this ‘I’, Who is this divine energy?

• If I am not the body, Who am I?

Venkataraman held on to this one inquiry, Who am I? Repeatedly he asked himself, Who am I? This one true inquiry made this boy Venkataraman into whom we all know today as Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi - who realised that he was the deathless spirit. 

This enquiry also arise in each one of us when we witness the death of near and dear ones, especially when we are a part of the so called, last journey. This is also known as the ‘Shamshan Vairagya’. At this point momentarily we escape the clutches of Maya, and question the futility and the fleeting nature of the material life. 

Sages like Ramana Maharishi hold on to ’Shamshan Vairagya’ and liberate. Other, feel a detachment momentarily, but let it pass, and return back to their mundane existence. 

If only a constant reminder, would keep us from slipping into samsar again. The story below, demonstrates the same vividly;

It so happened that once a man saw four people carrying a dead body to the cremation ground. He heard all the people loudly chanting;

Ram naam satya hai, Hari ka naam satya hai.

• In utter confusion he asked people around, ‘What is happening?’

• What a ridiculous question they thought and answered, ‘Don’t you know this is a dead body and we are taking it for cremation.’ 

• He exclaimed, ‘Why are you saying, Ram naam satya hai, Hari ka naam satya hai to a dead man? He can’t hear what you are saying.’

• The so called wise people retorted, ‘It is not being said to the dead man you fool, but to the people who are around and are going to cremate him. It is a reminder for all the ones who are alive that death can not be avoided and god is the only truth.’

This thought stuck to him. This man held tightly to this wisdom, and wished to serve the mankind. What better way he thought, I will always remind them of this ultimate truth. 

So, whenever he would meet people he would greet them by saying, Ram naam Satya hai, Hari ka naam satya hai. People thought that he was crazy and started avoiding him.

Who was the real lunatic here?

The reality is our relationship with all is fleeting and temporary and so is this body. Detach, Detach, Detach.

But, while we have the ‘Deha-Body’, nurture it well not for the world, but because this is the only instrument we have to help us cross the ocean of mundane existence and free us forms the painful cycle of brith and death. Attach, Attach, Attach to God.

Kyoki Bus,

Ram Naam Satya Hai, Hari ka Naam Satya hai

Hari Om🙏

Geeta Chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga verses 37, 38 and 39

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Vibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand

Bhaj Govindam 

In the first 4 verses, Guru Shankaracharya urged everyone to turn towards God. Sadly, the ones who are on the path also get entangled in mundane details and forget to revere the Lord. (Verse 1) 

Others are so immersed in Wealth (Verse 2) and Lust (verse 3) - Kanchan and Kamini that the thought of God is a distant dream. A dream that has no space in his make belief immortal world, where death knocks only at the door of others (verse 4).

The above imposters are dangerous, but ‘affection’, is one that deludes the most. It gradually, empties and robs us in front of our own eyes, without our knowing and by the time we awaken, it is too late.

Verse 5

यावद्वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः स्तावन्निज परिवारो रक्तः |

पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे |

Yāvadvittopārjana saktaḥ stāvannija parivāro raktaḥ,

paścājjīvati jarjara dehe vārtāṁ ko’pi na pṛcchati gehe. 

The fifth verse said to me - Sruti says 🌷

Keep this in your mind, this is true for all and is inevitable;

One gets the affection/respect of the family/friends only till one is of utility to them. But, with age and/or time as the utility diminishes, the affections also dwindles and the same family has no time to speak a word to the same individual. 

———————

I have consciously used the word ‘Affection’ and not ‘Attachment’. Attachment is many a times mistaken for love, for instance when a mother is attached to the child, she feels she loves the child. However, the truth is, had the child not been her own born, she would probably not have even looked at him with the same feeling;

I am attached to my mother, because she is my mother.

I am attached to my father, because he is my father.

I am attached to my sister, because she is my sister.

I am attached to my son, because he is my son.

So on and so forth, for husband, wife, other bodily relations.

The thing that is common in all these is ‘My’. When you are attached to someone, you don’t necessarily have an affectionate approach. Your way of showing your feelings could be curt, but the underlying mine-ness could still be there.

However, affection, can be shown without any feelings in our heart, but for the utility or benefit derived from the individual. In other words, where you like that person or not, you would be respectful and show affection, cause you are deriving benefit from him/her.

We have time and again heard that true love is hard to find. I would say love is hard to find. What we see around us is attachment to the bodily relation or affection for what we derive from the person.

Example: One lady had two children, she is attached to both, as they are both her blood. However, she is affectionate toward the child who get her thing and takes care of her. However, the treatment of the child who does not have a job and is unable to provide is very derogatory. 

This is not an uncommon example. The higher the benefit or gain, the higher the show of affection and respect. Not only do we confuse, attachment for love, we also mistake affection for love. 

Example: When a child is a baby, his mother means the world to him, however, as he grows up his attention shifts to friends and later his wife and family. Where, before a moment without the mother was not possible, later we see many of them sitting in old age homes/ or even if at home, they are lonely and desperate for even a word from the family. The opinion which were ones asked, become unwanted rambles of grumpy person.

Why, because the affection was not towards the person, but the utility, as the utility diminishes so does the affection. When the person was strong and able out of fear also, he/she was able to demand the show of affection and respect. 

Note: Had it been love, there would have been no change in ones behaviour. These kind of relations are also prevalent but rare.

The foolish man spends his whole life mistaking this affection for love. Totally blinded, he trades the eternal divine love of God, for this momentary fleeting affection, which many a times is just a pretence. Many a time the person who show it also does not know about how real the affection is. 

So, one might say, yes this reality of the transient nature of all relation and the momentary show of affection and respect is known to all, then how does one get trapped in this dark pit? 

It is a delusion, it is Maya’s, sweet sugar coated pill, which is very sweet to start with, and bitter when we go deeper. But, the sweetness is so mesmerising that in the spell of the moment, we forget everything.

So, again one might ask, if one knows this how should one act in this world? Should one abandon the world and relations? No,

‘Na Jaag chodo,

Na Hari bhoolo,

Karam Kar jindagani mai.

Jiyo duniya mai yo jese,

Kamal rehta hai pani mai.’

If we are in Samsar, we have to fulfil our responsibilities and duties toward all. However, we should stay detached from the world and attached to God at all time. Everyone should be but a reflection of the Lord. When we see God in all, inspite of being detached - we would be able love.

Keeping in mind the momentary nature of all relations and emotions, today’s affection can be forgotten in a moment, so if the expectation is set aside, and ego, not in play, One can function in this world without any dismay.

The two songs attached also echo what Shankaracharya ji is saying, his hammer like words, hard hitting as they are, are meant to shake us out of our slumber.

‘A man was walking, and suddenly he was pushed, and he got hurt badly. However, had he not been pushed, he would have been crushed under the train and died. 

So, which push is better?

It is for us to decide.

Hari Om🙏

Session on Sunderkand from Ramcharitra Manas written by Tulsidasji

Sunderkand -  Kishkinda Kand Doha 28 to Doha 30

Geeta chapter 1 Arjun Vishad Yoga Verse 36

Session on Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran Book 9 - In order to understand Ram Avatar, we went on to understand Vibhisan Gita

Vibhishan Gita written by Tulsidasji in Ramcharitramans Lanka kand