Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 125, April 28
Sri Sadgurubhyo namaha
Om Santissantissantihi
We all feel that we know what happiness is and do not require a definition. But we need to modify our understanding. What true happiness is, and how to obtain it, we have to be taught.
Shama, Vichara, Santosha, and Sadhu Sangama are the four gateways to Liberation. Make friendship with the four individual gatekeepers so that your access becomes very easy. They will at once allow you to enter the gateway to Liberation.
We say that to practice Shama is difficult. To practice Vichara, you say is not easy. To always remain happy is also not possible for many. Today we discuss the last one, which is – being in the company of Jnanis or enlightened persons. Follow Sadguru to discuss spiritual topics, to cleanse the mind of wrong notions, and to keep away from things that contaminate the mind.
Sometimes it is the devotee who deliberately seek a Sadhu for guidance. Sometimes Sadguru Himself comes looking for the disciple.
Mekedatu is a Sangama kshetra. Different rivers flowing from different directions meet and merge to become one river. Thereafter you cannot separate them. River Yamuna and the subterranean current Saraswati merge into Ganga and only Ganga remains thereafter. Once Ganga merges in the ocean, only salt water remains. Ganga can no longer be identified as a separate entity. Ego, the ‘I’ must be removed. Then the ‘Eye’ will be opened. Ego blocks our vision of Truth.
This topic is also called Sadaachaara Niroopanam.
It is not possible for everyone to attain salvation. What should one do to attain it? One must keep doing good deeds. We fail to do them. Instead, we engage in sinful deeds. We tend to follow our own rules and conveniences and refuse to follow the rules stipulated in the scriptures. If you do not follow the prescribed rules of Nature and Dharma, you then begin to tread the wrong path. Sadguru guides us on the right path. He shows the way. We must practice the proper discipline in our day to day life such as waking up at the right time, doing things at the allotted time and going to sleep at the proper time.
Swamiji has composed a beautiful bhajan: Dattamashraye sadguruttamam sadhu sangama kshema dayakam
“O Dattatreya Swami, the greatest among gurus, I seek your refuge. Guru’s company, and his constant association gives us kshema, all round wellbeing and protection”.
If God grants us the company of noble souls in our lives, that means that we are blessed. If we find ourselves in bad company it means that we are deprived of God’s grace and we must strive to earn it.
Where we are born, our siblings, spouse, relatives, and so on, are all predestined. We have no control over it. But the company we keep is by our own choice. This last topic of Sadhu Sangama, association with the liberated ones, is the most important.
We hear of the confluence of rivers and the meeting of a river with the ocean. What happens when the rivers meet? In Prayag, now called Allahabad, three rivers meet, and thereafter only Ganga remains. Ganga-Sagara sangama is near Kolkata. Even an ordinary person, when he meets Sadguru and maintains his close association with him, eventually merges and becomes one with Him. Such power the friendship with Sadguru has. Ego is removed by the grace of Sadguru.
Manushyatvam, Mumukshutvam, and Mahapurusha Samshraya are the three most difficult things to obtain in life, declared Sri Adi Sankara.
We are all animals, no doubt, but we are the best amongst them. Sometimes, we become worse than cruel animals. After earning great merit, after a huge effort and sadhana in past lives, we have been granted a human birth. Now, having been blessed with it, to waste it, is a terrible wrong. To cultivate a desire for devotion, and for spiritual knowledge are most difficult. We have had the company of great souls in our previous janmas or lifetimes, no matter what species we belonged to, then. That is why we are now born as humans. Those who are endowed with the three qualities mentioned above, namely, a true human nature, a desire for liberation, and the company of sages, are granted devotion, knowledge, and dispassion.
To seek the favor of all four of the above gatekeepers to Liberation mentioned in the Yoga Vasishtha, is best. Each, Shama, Vichara, and Santosha, has difficulties involved in achieving it. The last one, Sadhu Sangama is the easiest. Any one of the four, if followed studiously, will assure Liberation. If the first three are difficult, at least follow the least difficult path of simply following Guru. This is the most important. Sage Vasishtha urges us to do so.
visheshena ..
Rama, I have mentioned the four gatekeepers. This last among them is the most powerful. This will give strength to the other three. Rama is addressed as a most intelligent person. Then why is he being told all this, as if He does not already know? Rama is using Himself as an excuse and is listening to this great advice, so that we will benefit from this teaching received from Sage Vasishtha.
A dam is built so that the water is released with control for our use, so that we do not get inundated in the forceful flow. Similarly, Rama is like the dam which controls the flow of the gushing waters of this spiritual teaching, so that we can absorb the information in stages.
Tomorrow the four day Lakshmi Narasimha Jayanti celebrations begin. In the Lakshmi Nrisimha stotram, Samsara, the illusory worldly life is described in various frightening aspects, as a wild fire, a venomous serpent, a bottomless ocean, and so on. Finally, the prayer says, O Lord, please give me the support of Your hand and get me across safely.
This Sadhu Saangatyam, friendship with saints will help one cross the ocean of Samsara easily and successfully.
verse
If someone says, “Here is only one fruit. Who wants it?”
Everyone will raise hands. It is fine to desire the good fruit, called knowledge, good health, and so on. Only those who approach the tree called the company of holy persons, will be granted such required fruits. Like a supermarket, like a Kalpavriksha, the company of saints will fulfill all good wishes. Dattatreya Swami has the celestial tree behind Him. Mother Earth is Herself a Kalpavriskha. She gives us everything that we need for our survival.
Swamiji’s bhajan describes Lord Dattatreya as “Kamadhenu, kalpavriksh. kamita phalada”. Datta grants us everything we desire and need.
The flower of that celestial tree is discretion. The fruit is Jnana, spiritual wisdom. Whoever cherishes and preserves such a flower and fruit, and keeps Sadguru ever in their hearts with the utmost faith and devotion, will gain all that is there to be gained.
Dharma-artha-kama-moksha – are the four pillars of life. There is nothing else in life to be sought other than these four. They sum up everything: righteous performance of duty, prosperity or resources for survival, satisfaction of desires, and ultimate Liberation. The four gateways for liberation have to be approached by pursuing these four pillars mentioned in the spiritual science.
shoonya ..
Not everyone is fortunate to have a Sadguru. Many yearn for years to find a Guru and still do not get that good fortune. The right time has to come. Those who are scholars, and teachers who have good experience, and good natured elders should be approached in such cases, to first familiarize with what is desirable and noble in life. Their experiences should be learned about, and the wisdom earned by them should be sought and understood.
There was a king. He was observing the state of his kingdom. He studied the accounts and found that the income had gone down. He felt that the old people’s population had increased in the recent times in his kingdom. He decided to do something about it. He wished to increase the youth population, so that productivity would be increased. He told his minister to gather up all the old folks and drown them all in the river. The minister was against this foolish idea. But he could not disobey the king’s command. The minister took a decision on his own. He kept all the aged ones hidden in a shelter deep in the forest where no one would be aware of their whereabouts. The minister told the king that the mission was accomplished.
The king was happy that now his income would increase. But in a year or two the income dwindled further. the youth became unruly and lacked guidance in their lives. The youth were not exerting proper efforts to help the kingdom in raising its productivity. The king despaired at the situation and asked for the minister’s advice.
The minister told the king to give him 3 days’ time to find a solution. He came back after three days and said that he found an answer to remedy the situation. “Under your throne are buried all the assets of all your forefathers,” the minister told the king.
The king was happy. He got the throne removed and got the place dug up. They found the treasure. The king was overjoyed. He wondered how the minister found out about this secret hiding place. He questioned him. The minister said, “An old man told me”. “What?” The king was shocked to hear this. “All old people were killed. How did you find an old man?”
The minister confessed, “No. I have preserved their lives. One of them gave me this secret.”
The minister advised the king that experienced persons are required in a country, along with the active and energetic youth, to give good counsel based on their valuable experience.
A Datta Kriya Yoga teacher was engaged by Swamiji so that when Swamiji is busy with tours and other programs, we may approach the trained teacher to learn the techniques of Kriya Yoga, until Swamiji himself finds the time to teach us personally.
Many people get into depression that they have lost everything. When loved ones are lost, one feels sad and empty. But when one is in the company of a holy soul, one feels as if one is surrounded by all the dear ones. Such is the power of the company of great souls. Even death appears like a celebration when you are with Sadguru. The grief is mitigated.
We may all lead our lives in different ways. But death is unavoidable. There is no need to fear death. We should not even ask an astrologer about how long we would live. Be concerned about your health, and your ability to perform good deeds while you are alive. If the astrologer predicts the year of your death, you begin to have a preoccupation with that thought that you will soon die and will anticipate fearfully for that year to arrive. If that date passes by and you are still alive, you will wonder how long this bonus lifespan will last.
Once, a Healing Music concert of Swamiji was in progress. A woman was in the final stages of cancer. The doctors declared their helplessness in saving her life. She came to the concert with a desire to listen to Swamiji’s music, and then give up her life. She was brought in a wheelchair with all kinds of tubes attached to her. After an hour, to everyone’s surprise, she got up and danced with immense joy. I am a witness to this incident. Such power the company of a great soul has. Fear of death is destroyed by Guru.
Never say that you are orphaned, when you have Sadguru in your life. God is there to protect everyone. If Sadguru is there for you, you are never an orphan. give up that feeling of being abandoned by everyone.
Even dangers appear like fortunate events when you are with Guru. There are devotees who even encourage Swamiji that there is nothing to worry, when they themselves are in dire emergency situations.
himamaapat..
Difficulties are like a lotus on which frost has fallen. Like a breeze that blows away the frost, and revives the flower, Sadguru’s grace blows away all difficulties. There is nothing greater in life than this Sadhu Samagama. We pray to have this blessing at all times.
In the following verses, we are taught about how to seek and attain the company of noble souls.
Please chant the Hanuman Chalisa daily and send your count to: sgshanumanchalisa@gmail.com
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi