Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 47, September 5
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.
Guru Dhyanam: Gurur Brahmaa, Sri Bhooyuta.. , Ajnana .. Akhanda, Dehe …, Akhandam ..
Yoga Vasishtha Dhyana Slokas:
yatassarvāṇi bhūtāni pratibhānti sthitāni ca
yatraivōpaśamaṁ yānti tasmai satyātmanē namaḥ || 1
jñātā jñānaṁ tathā jñēyaṁ draṣṭādarśana dr̥śyabhūḥ
kartā hētuḥ kriyā yasmāt tasmai jñaptyātmanē namaḥ || 2
sphuranti sīkarā yasmāt ānanandasyāṁbarē vanau
sarvēṣām jīvanam tasmai brahmānandātmanē namaḥ || 3
Brahmanandam, Sri Vasishtham Namami, Ramaya, Aapadaamapahartaaram, Om Purnamadah,
Om Santissantissantihi
Kriya Yoga teachers and students are assembled here. I am very happy. Yoga and Jnana are important for us to escape from the clutches of Death and Time.
What is Akhanda Kala? Why are we falling into broken time and why are we becoming prey to ignorance? Why do we not practice discipline in following a strict schedule for conducting our worthy activities? Niyati is Niyama – rules and regulations. Everything is cause and effect. This rule cannot be overridden. Be it a bad result or a good result, it cannot be avoided as a consequence of our past actions. Reliability is important. Predictability is important. Adherence to a disciplined schedule is important.
Yoga Vasishtha is a combination of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga. Sage Vasishtha has gifted this to us. In this Yoga Vasishtha, we are now studying the section called Kritaanta Vilaasam/sport of Yama, the god of Death.
Yesterday Niyati was introduced to us. Every action has a reaction in the form of a result in life. Whatever result we are experiencing, that result had its source in an action performed by us in the past. This is the rule, called Niyama. Niyati enforces this rule in this creation. It is mentioned commonly that whenever an action is performed, it should be done as per procedure. If the work is not performed as per the proper procedure following the dharmic/righteous manner, the expected results will not be obtained. In all that we do, we must follow the rules and regulations. In Niyati’s computer, none of our actions get deleted. Everything is saved in her files and she will come to make us experience the consequences of every one of our irregular actions.
Without such stipulated order, this world will not run smoothly. That every action has its equal and opposite reaction is the third law of Newton. This rule is known as Niyati. Newton has discovered this and has informed us of it. Newton is like a sage who has had this vision of truth. Niyati is ever engaged in an endless dance which represents all the actions taking place in creation. Kritaanta/Yama is the permanent witness to this dance. Even if one wrong step is taken by anyone, he at once steps in to take action. The entire Universe is the dance stage.
Kritanta enters and exits this stage constantly. This whole world is like an ornament that adorns Niyati. The cosmos all the way down to Patala is compared to her dark hair. Time is pictured like this, as a dark night/Kalaratri. Patala, the nether world is said to be her feet. Hell is described as her ankle bells. This is not the description of Nature, but of Time. The ankle bells are tied by the strings called evil actions. The hellfire is the radiance emanating from these ankle jewels. The sound of the bells is the screams of agony rising from the tormented souls residing in hell.
Niyati’s face has a dot drawn on the forehead with the fragrant substance called Kasturi. It has been placed there by her female friends who represent good actions. Her forehead is Yama; Chitragupta, Yama’s assistant appears there as a tiny dot. As she dances, huge mountains are crushed to dust. Yama as Maha Kala gestures to her with his eyes, to carry out her dance. This dance produces a dreadful sound. She is watching us constantly in the form of Time. This we have to remember always. Her form as Kalaratri exists throughout the Time that Creation is sustained.
All around her are seen the radiant countless forms of Subrahmanya Swami and his vehicle, the Mayura/peacock. The peacock feathers form a beautiful halo around her. It shows that Kalaratri outlives innumerable lifetimes of Lord Subrahmanya. In every Kalpa a new Subrahmanya Swami takes birth. But the Creation process remains the same through countless such Kalpas. No change occurs. It is an eternally repetitive cycle. Subrahmanya is said to be Nitya Satya/ eternally true. It may be said also that only the peacocks keep changing but Subrahmanya remains unchanged.
In her hands she holds several skulls that feature three holes representing the three eyes of Maha Rudra. Air that moves through those three holes makes a loud whirring sound that also produces sparks of fire. Her three eyes are generating huge flames of fire with an accompanying frightful sound, is another meaning. So many Gowris came and went. The hair of all of those is worn by Kalaratri as her decoration. Maha Bhairava/Kala Bhairava’s stomach is held by her as her vessel of liquor. Indra, with his 1000 holes is held by her. His skull is her begging bowl. Her forbidding appearance is such that the entire sky seems filled with nothing but skeletons. Her form strikes such terror in the heart that if she were to look at herself, she would also begin to tremble in fear. Such is her dreaded appearance.
Sadguru Swamiji likes Mother Kali very much. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also worshiped Mother Kali. Whoever contemplates upon her with a Satvic frame of mind (not with any agitated frenzy) will understand the true nature of Time.
The lotuses which appear as skulls as she dances, are said to be the Pushkaravarta clouds which gather at the time of the great deluge that causes total annihilation. That kind of rain which occurs at that time, nothing and no one can withstand. The sound of that rain is her drumbeat. The Gandharvas like Tumburu, stop their singing when they hear this sound and leaving their beloveds run away in fright. Such is the frightening appearance of Kalaratri.
The moon is worn as an earring by Kritaanta/Yama, god of Death. He makes a meal of all the stars and wears the crescent moons as his ornaments. He is like a crown jewel adorning the sky. His one earring is made of bones made out of the Himalayas and the other earring is made out of the Meru Mountain. The sun and moon are also like jewels on his cheeks. His belt is the Chakravala Mountain.
You notice a picture of a skull and two bones in the shape of an X where danger signs are posted near high voltage electric cables. Such are the ear ornaments worn by Yama. The colorful clouds form his upper cloth.
1. Maha Kala, 2. Kriya Kala, 3. Kritantaha/Daivam that calculates our returns, either forcibly or willingly, and 4. Niyati. These four are the divisions of Time introduced to us in Yoga Vasishtha.
Niyati’s form is Kalaratri. She is ever waiting to receiving her assignments from Yama. Niyama is our lifespan.
Countless such energy forms as Kalaratri surround Sri Rajarajeswari and yet, Mother Goddess Sri Rajarajeswari ever remains peaceful.
Kaalaraatryaadi Saktyaughavritaa …is the descriptive name given in Lalita Sahasranama.
A yogi does not fear Time. We look at the wealth line on the palm when we study palmistry. It is more important to see the lifeline. Sadguru gives us fearlessness. Simply know of her form and rejoice in it. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa crawled towards Mother Kali, calling her mother. Till then he walked on two feet. We are all born of Time. She is mother to all of us. Devotion teaches us to be loving towards all. We must worship Time. She dances in a fearful manner. She holds the stomach of Bhairava as her liquor mug.
All the bones of dead creatures are worn by her as ornaments. We must rejoice that we are at least eligible to form her decorations. It is said that her form is frightening even to her. An elaborate description is given of Niyati and Yama/Kritanta. His garland of skulls, his earrings of sun and moon and his upper cloth are gently moving in the breeze that annihilates everything at the very end. The clouds are his upper cloth.
Yama holds yellow rice in one hand and sesame seeds in the other. He alone can multi-task very effectively. The strong winds make his upper cloth wave in the breeze. All the bones of the corpses become the different weapons and ornaments for him. He uses serpents as ropes to tie up the dead bodies. He wears the serpents around his neck.
Those who are pious are pleased with such visualizations. But those who are not pure become frightened. He is radiant, wearing brilliant gems. He looks highly effulgent. The pores in the skin and the hairs on the skin are described as the sorrows born of Rajo Guna and Tamo Guna. Therefore, we must remove these Gunas from us to avoid the threat of Kala/Time/Death. Since dawn to dusk he does his Tandava dance. At night he rests and once again begins his act of creation.
So much of Creation God/Time engages in.
There are countless spheres with life forms. We see ants. We walk beside them. But they do not look up at us with any surprise, fear, or awe. The same way, we are unable to perceive the other worlds and other life forms. We cannot see God. We can only try to perceive Him in our imagination. Many dimensions are created by Him. Creatures are continuously being born. Like a child playing tirelessly in dirt, this Kala Purusha also sports tirelessly. The fourth aspect of Time is Niyati. Time was described thus far.
This concludes the 25th sarga.
The 26th sarga is the description of God. Daiva. Try to live as per God’s will. Our plans will fail if they do not go according to God’s plan. These words were spoken by Rama to Lakshmana. Lakshmana angrily said he would even go against God. Rama laughed at this. He said that it is impossible.
Deva Durvilaasa Varnana –
If our will and God’s will do not match, we must not blame God for His will. We must first pray to God to know what His will is and we must always act according to God’s will. God’s ways are described here. The ways of the four types of Time were described earlier. How can someone like me have any interest in this mighty ocean called this world. How can I understand your interest in this? This was Sri Rama’s question posed to his gurus Viswamitra and Vasishtha.
How each creature is ensnared into falling into this delusion of this world is described in the Viveka Choodamani. We are mere puppets in the hands of God. I am surprised and disgusted at our helpless situation, says Sri Rama.
What Kala does is not a decent job. He is anaarya. He is not to be trusted. He always drowns us in sorrow. He always throws us into trouble. Yogis and pious persons do not act like that. Time is ever only interested in creation and destruction. What kind of horrible sport it this?
Nothing else is required to burn us to destruction other than our own intense desires. God sees this fuel within us and ignites it to make us burn ourselves. Now Niyati, in her penchant for fickle-mindedness, distorts the minds of even yogis. Yama is the presiding deity of the South direction. As death, he is the closest to us. If we pray to him as Dakshinamurthy, we will be protected.
Youth passes by extremely quickly. We did not originally have the stage of old age. This god in the form of Time cooks us to ripen us and then in old age, he consumes us. We just become morsels of food for this god of Time.
What follows in the words of Rama is wonderful. Yama is the most merciless of all in creation. Nachiketa conquered Yama. So did Markandeya and Sati Savitri. They all realized Truth through courage, through chastity, and through intense devotion, respectively. This Kritanta was overcome. Be chaste about God. Consider God as your spouse, to conquer Death. No one shows mercy on all. Each will have someone as an enemy. But Death has all enemies.
Sri Rama is teaching us first the theory that raises questions. Later the answers will come.
This life is a tragedy. Whatever offers pleasures is most dangerous. What is there to gain in this life? Life is ever uncertain. Death is most cruel. Life will suddenly end, most unexpectedly. Youth ends quickly. Childhood is filled with ignorance. Regardless of how life might be throughout, the end at least should be good. Anayasa maranam. It should end well painlessly. But this Yama makes life end horribly. He does not leave us alone. He is ever in our company. Today is the day, when you must begin and you must continue your effort without a break.
Ajamila intended to say Narayana, while he was dying. But he was only able to say Nara and he died. Although he led a sinful life, because he said at least Nara he went to a higher level of existence.
No one practices yoga these days to gain mental balance.
Rama says: you must stop chasing after worldly things. Yoga Taravali says: follow Nada Anusandhana. Nada has the power to steady the mind. Once the outer music is accustomed to, then slowly the inner melodies will be heard. Even if you do not close your ears you can hear the inner Omkara. Make your mind pursue Nada. AT a point Nada will slow down a bit. At that time the mind must quickly get attached to it. Do bhajans, listen to music, and sing music. Merge in the tone. Sa means saha. He alone exists. Make a habit of listening to shruti. Listen to ragas to first get familiar with the melodies. The mind must merge into music. To get to the ultimate Mouna, these are all the initial steps. In the final stage, even music must be given up.
Relatives are like vultures. We keep thinking of them excessively. Anytime relationships become too possessive, and out of balance, it makes life miserable. Do not hate, do not be infatuated. Be detached. In this world, the luxuries cause disease. Mirages make us chase after phantoms.
The Kriya Yoga practitioners are now listening to a good topic.
The training program will take place for three days here. There is a team of organizers to discuss and propagate this great program. If you teach 100 students, one or two may keep it up. If you teach only one, it will not help.
The mind is created such that it is always running towards external objects. We feel so dependent on relatives and things that we are attached to. We must free ourselves and fly free.
Do not begin blaming and hurting your relatives from tomorrow. Do not begin chasing them away. Avoid excess in relationships. Once that is done, moderation will take its place.
As age advances, slowly reduce the indulgence in comforts.
Niyati destroys our courage and even that of yogis. Yama gives us old age. It makes us grow old and ripen only for Yama to eat us up, the way chickens are raised to be consumed. Whether we scream, cry or groan most pathetically, Yama shows no mercy at all. He is absolutely unmoved.
We have learned about excessive thirst. This is a beautiful sarga. In this Vairagya Prakarana, this Deva Durvilaasam is very important.
Now we have to go to the temple for performing the abhishekam to Sri Datta Venkateswara.
Om Santissantissantihi
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta