Discourse on Sivananda Lahari
Day 7, August 3
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi
Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. May there be peace.
Om Namassivaya
Yesterday we learned that regardless of what type of Janma one gets or what ashrama/stage of life one is in, what is important is to offer the heart to God. Today we are learning that regardless of the location where penance is performed, what is important is that the inner equipment is surrendered to God.
This morning we saw the installation of Sri Jayalakshmi Mata’s murti. We also celebrated Friendship Day. Sadguru is our true friend. All our difficulties are removed by Him. He is our guide and mentor. We also performed Taila Abhishekam to Lord Dattatreya. It has been like a running race today with many important programs. Now we have paused for doing Nama Sankeertana, singing the praises of God.
Verse 12:
Guhāyām gehe vā bahirapi vane vā adri shikare,.
Jale vā vahnou vā vasatu vasateh kim vada phalam,
Sadā yasyai vānthah karana mapi sambho tava pade
Sthitam chedyogosau sa cha parama yogi sa ca sukhi
Some perform penance in solitude in a cave or inside their home. Some go to the jungle or to the top of a mountain to remain undisturbed. Some gain the skill of remaining submerged in water for chanting mantras. They keep a pillar or support nearby and chant the mantra for 8,10, 24, 36 or any significant number all the way up to 108 times. Some remain amidst raging fires on four sides and the radiant sun up above and do penance. Mother Parvati has done such penance amidst the five fires/Panchagni.
Where we are is not important. Our mental state is important. O Lord Siva, you grant Yoga only to those who surrender their Antahkarana/inner equipment of mind, intellect, memory, and ego to you. Unnecessary outward guises are worthless. They will not win your heart. They, who worship for impressing others will not gain any benefit.
Sri Bhagavatpada says so what? What if people do such severe penance?
Till now he used the words mind, intellect, and thoughts. Now he refers to the word Antahkarana. He says he, who has the inner equipment, the Antahkarana fixed upon your feet, is a Parama Yogi/greatest Yogi and a Parama Sukhi/supremely blissful person.
Adi Sankara is giving us an easy way to follow. We want to do penance sitting on a sofa at homa eating idlis and drinking coffee. Even snoozing, we wish to do penance. He is trying to give us the easiest of all methods. The mind should be absorbed in God. That is all.
Vishnu Vardhana, a minister, posed as a great devotee of Siva. The king was also a great devotee of Siva. The minister’s worship was ostentatious. He did it only when there was a large audience witnessing his ceremonial worship. In seclusion he never prayed or worshiped.
It is more important that God witnesses, not people. Wearing huge rudraksha beads he appeared before the people. But he lacked genuine devotion. The king was simple and unostentatious in his worship. But he had the addiction of visiting prostitutes. The minister wanted to stop the king from pursuing this habit.
One day the minister went to a Siva temple to offer worship. But his thoughts remained with the king who went to visit the prostitute. The minister’s thoughts were all on the king as to what he might be doing and what he might be drinking. The king’s mind was fixed on Siva. The king never worshiped for show. In the end the king attained liberation and went to Siva Loka. The minister attained no spiritual merit. Sivabhakta Vijaya is the work that tells this story.
Inside a cave there are no comforts. There are many hardships. Yet, what is important is to fix the mind on God. That is the highest yoga.
Bhajan: Jyotirlingakaraa … (Maha Kala)
Kovaa …
At a Sanskrit scholar’s home, they prepared Khova/ a dessert made with milk. They did not know what it was, and so they called it kovaa.. Who knows? I am just joking.
No one is there for us except you. What is Siva’s title? Protector of devotees.
Verse 13:
Asāre samsāre nija-bhajana-dūre jada dhiyā
Bramantam māmandham parama-kripaya pāthu muchitam
Madanyah ko deena-stava kripana rakshāti nipuna
Tvadanyah kova me trijagati śaranya paśupate
Saara is taste. That is why we say ‘saaru’ for rasam/spicy soup.
This world is most unattractive. Many say how tasty and attractive this world is! How can you call it unattractive? Daily you cannot eat okra curry. That is what the wise ones notice. There is no change here except birth and death happening like a routine. They do not see anything that happens in between. Hence, they find this world tasteless. Samsara means birth and death, and not wife, children and pleasures as commonly misinterpreted.
We discuss Bhakti in the evening and Yoga in the morning. Those who discuss about thieves in the evening, about gambling at noon have good households. How to function in the world is taught by the Mahabharata. Bhagavata we study in the evening. Krishna is the greatest thief (of our sins in the form of butter). Ramayana should be discussed in the morning, to commence the day with thoughts of Dharma. Sometimes people like Sakuni, Krishna, or Duryodhana we come across during our affairs in the world. Upon returning home, Krishna should be meditated upon and we should get immersed in bhakti. Many think that life is nothing but entertainment. They will soon get tired of that. They will fall into depression. Many feel arrogant or ashamed to go to an ashram or a temple when they feel dejected. Some do not step out of the house at all but stay indoors while in depression. They distance themselves from their inner Self. True bhajan is important, which means praising the Self or contemplating on the Atman for attaining Jnana. People reject everything. They do not step into the Puja room even. They are like the blind. They are in a dizzy whirl because of their delusion. I have eyes, and yet I am blind, says Sri Bhagavatpada. He is talking about not outward vision but inner vision.
Sadguru transforms non-devotees into devotees. That is his greatness.
I am the most despicable of all creatures. If you reform me and save me, who is the lowest, your glory will spread far and wide. You will become famous. It is possible only for you, to do this, O Lord Siva. God is Bhaktavatsala – protector of devotees. If you rescue me, O Lord Siva, then you are truly glorious because I have become blind. I am lost in this darkness.
Those who have everything still weep and complain. We must learn from those who have nothing and are still happy. I have seen a video of a man who has no legs and no hands. But he has done severe penance. He uses whatever he has to be productive. It is admirable. One who has a hundred rupees is unhappy. One with just one rupee, decided to give it away in charity to a starving man. He said at least you benefit from this. The starving man went and ate a good meal. He was the king. He borrowed a horse and rode back straight to his kingdom. Enemies had blindfolded him and left him in a faraway jungle. The king found his way to a village. Now, saved from hunger, he returned to the kingdom. First the thieves were caught and punished. Then the king remembered this helper and sent for this man. This man went to the court in fright, not knowing why he was called. The king offered him a reward and asked him to name a wish. The man said, please give me food because I am hungry. The king fed him a feast and then offered him a part of the kingdom itself. The man refused to accept the kingdom and just asked for a job. The king gave him a job. The man worked diligently. The king, on his deathbed, bequeathed his entire kingdom to this man.
Sadguru is giving us darshan now. (We are blessed).
First we must recognize what we have with us and show our appreciation for God’s gifts.
O Lord, no one excels you in skill or talent. I surrender at your feet. I seek refuge. Please protect me.
Bhajan: Gangadhara siva ..
Today we had the installation of the murti of Sri Jayalakshmi Mata. Please have darshan of Mother. Tomorrow on Ashtami day we perform Sri Narahari Teertha Swami Aradhana. Vijayawada devotees come every year for this occasion to sing bhajans here. May they receive blessings to continue this seva every year in the future.
Bhajan: Jayalakshmi Talli ..
Tomorrow at 5:30 AM we will perform Ekadasa Rudra Abhishekam. Please have darshan of the ritual. There will be no discourse on Yoga Vasishtha tomorrow morning. Tomorrow evening we will have the discourse on Sivananda Lahari.
Sri Guru Datta