Swami Mukundananda is a world-renowned spiritual teacher from India, an international authority

on mind management, and a bestselling author who earned his degrees from the prestigious IIT Delhi
and IIM Calcutta. He worked with a multinational firm for a short while before renouncing a
promising career to enter monkhood. He studied the Vedic scriptures at the feet of Jagadguru
Kripaluji Maharaj. For almost four decades now, he has been sharing his vast knowledge through his
books, lectures, and life-transformation lectures.
Every day, Swamiji meets hundreds, and even thousands, of people from all walks of life. His
steadfast positivity exudes hope, clarity, and a sense of purpose to those who connect with him. He
has deeply affected the lives of millions of people who have been drawn by his profound integrity,
charismatic personality, and passion to serve. Despite his hectic schedule, those who encounter him
experience his warmth and compassion and feel deeply touched by him. Swamiji’s lectures are
humorous, his arguments are logical and well-laid out, and, most of all, his advice is practical. His
lectures on social media platforms are loved and followed by millions. Swamiji divides his time
between India and the US.
Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
X (formerly Twitter)
YouTube
 Other Books by the Author
7 Divine Laws to Awaken Your Best Self
(Also available in Hindi)
7 Mindsets for Success, Happiness and Fulfilment
(Also available in Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya & Telugu)
Bhagavad Gita: The Song of God
Golden Rules for Living Your Best Life
Questions You Always Wanted to Ask
Science of Healthy Diet
Spiritual Dialectics
The Art & Science of Happiness
The Power of Thoughts
The Science of Mind Management
(Also available in Gujarati & Telugu)
Yoga for the Body, Mind & Soul

Books for Children

Essence of Hinduism
Festivals of India
Healthy Body Healthy Mind: Yoga for Children
Inspiring Stories for Children (set of 4 books)
Mahabharat: The Story of Virtue and Dharma
My Best Friend Krishna
My Wisdom Book: Everyday Shlokas, Mantras, Bhajans and More
Ramayan: The Immortal Story of Duty and Devotion
Saints of India
 Praise for the Book
Sanatana dharma is eternal dharma, dharma that has spread for an eternity. The message of Hindutva
is universal, unconstrained by a specific text and dogma. But precisely because it doesn’t have a
specific text, Hinduism’s spiritual message is difficult to understand and imbibe. Who better than
Swami Mukundananda, with his reader-friendly style, peppered with anecdotes and wit, to convey
and communicate that template of dharma? A person who reads this book, and practices what it talks
about, will become a better individual and make the world a better place.
—Dr Bibek Debroy, chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of
India
This latest book is a masterpiece that delves deep into the intricacies of spirituality and self-
discovery, offering a profound exploration of Hinduism’s core teachings and philosophies in a very
simple and easy to understand format. Through its captivating storytelling and profound wisdom, the
book felt like a guiding light, offering me both solace and inspiration. I highly recommend this book
to anyone seeking a deeper connection to themselves and the Divine.
—Dr R.R. Sudhir, senior consultant and head, Department of Preventive Ophthalmology,
Sankara Nethralaya, Medical and Vision Research Foundation, Chennai
If you are looking for clarity in your life and want to grow in your life, this book will take you step
by step. This book is not just about spiritual growth and self-realization. Swamiji shares very useful
insights from the Vedas in lucid language. A must-read for people of all ages.
—Sweta Samota, author and India’s leading book coach
Drawing upon the Hindu scriptures, Swami Mukundananda takes the reader on a spiritual odyssey
that brings clarity and direction to seekers. Swamiji’s hospitable vision invites the novice as well as
the seasoned spiritual traveller on a journey inward that resonates equally with both. The style of
delivery appeals for its logical directness and succinct messaging. In his wisely conveyed guidance,
he addresses questions that commonly arise in the minds of the spiritually curious. Connectivity with
readers is enhanced by using relatable examples to deconstruct complex issues. This is a remarkable
book that inspires reflection and a revisitation of one’s assumptions about inner evolution. I
recommend it highly to those embarking on this path of spiritual growth.
—Dr Prakash Mirchandani, professor and academic director, Executive MBA Program,
Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh
Spirituality always elicits different meanings for different people. We experience a variety of
scenarios on a daily basis that pose challenges to which we don’t have ready solutions. However,
over a course of time, we realize how those solutions lie within us, in the realm of our spiritual
existence. Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism by His Holiness Swami Mukundananda is a key to that
realm of spirituality where all the answers reside. Swamiji has laid out the framework of life in the
simplest way possible through his book. Whether it is the path to karma or the secrets of the mind
and the brain, his words are timeless. I truly feel that this book is the first step to understanding our
connection to God, which in turn, will provide the clarity that many of us seek for ages.
—Gaurav Shekhar, senior assistant dean, Naveen Jindal School of Management, The
University of Texas at Dallas
Once again, Swami Mukundananda has shed light on an often misunderstood area—ancient Vedic
scriptures. His advice is at once both practical and profound e.g. ways to understand and reduce
anger and greed, and tools for meditation and peace of mind.
One cannot go far in India without being aware of the strong impact of Swamiji’s presence—whether
it be his bestselling books at airports or posters of his upcoming talks. He leads spiritual retreats and
has delivered transformational talks all over the world (Google, Microsoft, MIT, to name a few).
Thank you for all that you do, Swamiji, to make our lives more meaningful and purpose driven. I
can’t wait to learn even more from your latest book, which translates teachings from Vedas and other
ancient knowledge sources to language for the modern world.
—Debjani Biswas, international bestselling author, popular TEDx and global keynote
speaker
Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism by Swami Mukundananda is a go-to book that masterfully distills
spiritual concepts into clear, modern-day examples and analogies. It beautifully summarizes the
essence of all scriptures, especially the Vedas, presenting complex philosophical ideas in a logical
and easily understandable manner. Swamiji’s ability to simplify profound teachings makes this book
a must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of spirituality.
—Dr Vineet Aggarwal, bestselling author, speaker, doctor, and blogger
Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism is an in-depth study of Vedic scriptures that illuminates the spiritual
essence to reveal the complex contours of Hinduism for a diverse audience. It presents the profound
wisdom of the Vedas in a very elegant manner, blending practical advice with philosophical depth.
Swamiji, a highly respected spiritual teacher with an amazing academic background, explores the
nature of the self, life’s purpose, and the journey to God-realization in a structured manner that
promotes progressive reading.
The book offers profound insights into Sanatan Dharma (Eternal Religion) by focussing on the quest
for divine bliss and understanding the soul’s eternal nature. Swamiji elaborates on the soul’s journey,
the critical role of self-effort, and the importance of surrendering to God, using very engaging
examples. It guides readers through managing the mind, the importance of selfless love, and the
practice of meditation, merging scriptural teachings with practical applications.
Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism serves as a guiding light for those seeking to enrich their lives with
spiritual wisdom. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to demystify complex Vedic philosophy while
retaining its depth and fostering a connection with the divine. Swamiji’s work transcends the
conventional notion of a book, acting as a mentor and guide on the spiritual path. It promises to
awaken the Inner Self, inspire, and direct seekers towards self-realization and divine love.
—Dr Ashutosh Garg, CEO, coach, and founder, ‘The Brand Called You’ and Guardian
Pharmacy
 Published by
Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd 2024
7/16 Ansari Road, Daryaganj
New Delhi 110002

Copyright © Radha Govind Dham, Delhi, 2024

The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s own and the facts are as reported by
him which have been verified to the extent possible, and the publishers are not in any way liable for
the same.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any
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P-ISBN: 978-93-6156-262-4
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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent,
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 This book is dedicated to my beloved Spiritual Master, Jagadguru
Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, who illuminated this world with the purest
rays of divine knowledge and devotion. He taught us by His
example, the importance of nurturing souls with love and care, to
help them realize a glorious future. He gave us the supreme process
of building a noble value system by teaching selfless divine love. I
am confident that by His blessings, this book will be helpful in
inspiring and elevating seekers, thereby creating a better world for
all of us.
 Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Nature of the Self

Consciousness—Evidence of the Soul
Location of the Soul
Size of the Soul
Immortality of the Soul
The Concept of Rebirth
Remembering Past Lives
Forgetfulness of the Self
Administrative Duties of the Soul

Chapter 2: The Goal of Life

Importance of the Human Birth
Determine Your Highest Purpose
The Search for Happiness
God is the Ocean of Divine Bliss
The Mistake We Made
Our Love for Godly Qualities
The Glorious Destiny of the Atma
Chapter 3: Vedas—The Eternal Knowledge of God
Importance of the Vedas
History of the Vedas
Language of the Vedas
Sections of the Vedas
Vedanga
Other Vedic Scriptures
Agam Shastras
Respect for All the Scriptures of the World
Praise for the Scriptures of Bharat by Western Scholars

Chapter 4: The Spiritual Master

The Disease of Ignorance
Understand the Scriptures from a Guru
Qualifications of a Guru
Veracity of the Guru’s Teachings
Follow the Instructions of the Guru
Have Staunch Faith in the True Guru

Chapter 5: The Nature of God

Creator of the World
Many Names of the One God
Does God Have a Form?
Many Forms of God
God Possesses Innumerable Contradictory Attributes
Celestial Gods

Chapter 6: How to Know God

Knowledge Leads to Love
Divine Knowledge Makes Us Grateful
God is Beyond Our Senses, Mind, and Intellect
Know God through His Grace

Chapter 7: The Importance of Self-Effort

We Have the Free Will to Act
 Destiny vs Self-Effort
The Grace of God Must be Earned

Chapter 8: Surrender to God

Why Have We Not Yet Received Divine Grace?
The Principle of Sharanagati
The Nature of Sharanagati
Surrender Must Be of the Mind

Chapter 9: Secrets of the Mind

Mind and Brain—Same or Different
We Are Where Our Mind Is
Cultivate the Garden of Your Mind
Mind, Intellect, Chitta, and Ego
The Three Modes of Material Nature

Chapter 10: Vedic Psychology

Diseases of the Mind
The Disease of Anger
The Disease of Greed
The Affliction of Desire
Anger Arises from Desire
Greed Also Arises from Desire
Anger Destroys Good Judgement
The Malady of Attachment
The Impact of Repetitive Thinking
Why We All Seek Happiness
Replace Lower Attachments with Higher Ones

Chapter 11: The Path of Karm

The Three Paths to God-realization
Duties in Life
Varnashrama Dharma
Karm Kand—The Ritualistic Ceremonies
Karm Yog—Uniting with the Supreme through Action
Chapter 12: The Path of Jnana
The Power of Knowledge
Theoretical and Realized Knowledge
Philosophical Viewpoints of Acharyas
Jnana Yog
Jnana Yog is Very Difficult
Ashtang Yog

Chapter 13: The Path of Bhakti

What Is Bhakti?
Bhakti Means ‘To Serve’
Bhakti in All Aspects of Our Life
Bhakti Can Be Done with All Materials
Bhakti Was the Basis of the Society of Bharat
The Glory of Bharat’s Ancient Past

Chapter 14: The Three Manifestations of God

Three Ways in Which the Supreme Entity Manifests in the World
The Bliss of the Personal Form of God
Various Personal Forms of God

Chapter 15: Divine Love—The Greatest Treasure

The Powers of God
The Power of Divine Love
The Supreme Personality Gets Tied by a Rope
The Greatest Treasure We Can Possess

Chapter 16: Sadhana Bhakti—Preparatory Devotion

Preparatory Devotion
Our Eternal Relationship with God
The Need to Rekindle Our Relationship
The Five Bhavs of Bhakti

Chapter 17: Selfless Love

Do Not Ask God for Worldly Things
 Selfish Love Keeps Fluctuating
Seek God and All Else Will Be Added
Difference between Business and Love
Three Kinds of Seva

Chapter 18: The Art of Meditation

Benefits of Concentration
Various Meditation Techniques
Advantages of Meditating upon God
The Technique of Roop Dhyan Meditation
The Technique of Meditating upon Divine Virtues
The Technique of Meditating upon Divine Pastimes
The Technique of Serving God in the Mind
The Technique of Viraha Dhyan

Chapter 19: How to Do Sadhana Daily

Where to Do Sadhana
What Direction to Face
What Posture to Adopt
The Principle Behind Deity Worship
Integrating Contemplation, Meditation, and Devotion in Your
Sadhana
The Importance of Kirtan
The Daily Routine
Conclusion

Glossary
Guide to Hindi Pronunciation
Let’s Connect
 Introduction

The human form we possess is a tremendous opportunity bestowed upon us

to know the Absolute Truth. We must use it to attain the perfection our soul
has been seeking since eternity. Reaching this supreme goal requires the
highest profound knowledge. Such learning, which is pure and divine, is the
key to elevating our life to sublime heights.
The Vedic scriptures are a vast treasure house of sacred wisdom. All over
the world, seekers intuitively perceive Bharat as the land of spirituality. In
the bosom of its heritage are the rarest of rare secrets that were known to
sages who possessed the highest realizations. As such there exists an
inherent curiosity to understand the concepts of Hinduism, read its
scriptures, and visit the country that is the spiritual leader of the world.
However, without proper guidance, such endeavours to fathom the
teachings of Hinduism do not succeed, despite the best of intentions. People
get stumped about how to access the knowledge, grasp its wide spectrum of
concepts, and utilize it meaningfully in their life. This is why Hinduism
remains an enigma for most Westerners. Their clichéd understanding of
Hinduism as a way of life does not even come close to the precious jewels
in its repository.
Interestingly, Hinduism is not mentioned by this name anywhere in the
Vedic scriptures. The word ‘Hindu’ was first coined by the Arabs to refer to
the people who lived on the other side of the Indus River (called Sindhu in
Sanskrit). This gave rise to the word ‘Al-Hind’ for the land across Indus,
and the name of the religion they practised became adopted in English as
‘Hinduism’. Over time, the word ‘Hinduism’ has acquired other
connotations. It has come to represent the values, beliefs, and religious
practices that have originated from the Vedic scriptures.
The Vedas, however, have a very different and majestic perspective on the
nomenclature of their teachings. The Vedas are the eternal knowledge of
God, and hence, the religion described in them is called Sanatan Dharma, or
the ‘Eternal Religion’. It is the path to the Supreme realization, based on
scientific, non-sectarian, and eternal principles.
This book has been written with the goal of teaching the perennial
principles of Sanatan Dharma. Keeping this in mind, the wisdom of the
Vedic scriptures has been distilled and presented to make it comprehensible
to everyone—including Westerners and youth. At the same time, key
concepts have been explained with philosophic depth for the satisfaction of
the more erudite readers. Along with relevant verses from the sacred books,
practical examples have been included for demonstrating their relevance to
everyday life.
Topics have been sequentially arranged, enabling readers to reconcile the
subject matter of numerous Vedic scriptures in one place. They are based on
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj’s Prema Rasa Siddhanta. Since the
chapters follow a logical flow, it is recommended that they be read in the
same sequence.
I sincerely pray that Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism: Essence of the Vedic
Scriptures will illuminate your intellect, touch your heart, and nourish your
soul as you repeatedly turn to it for spiritual succour.
 Chapter 1
Nature of the Self

T
he spiritual quest begins with an inquiry into the nature of the self.
‘Who am I?’ This question has captured the interest of several
profound thinkers throughout history. The awareness of ‘I’ remains
with us at all times. For example, ‘I am reading’, ‘I am eating’, ‘I am
walking’, and so on. However, what is this ‘I’ we are referring to? It is a
mystery for most people.
When you look at your family album, you see the picture of a newborn
baby, and say, ‘That is me’. Then you find the picture of a two-year old, and
say, ‘That is also me’. Then there is a picture of a five-year old, and you
say, ‘That is me too’. Now, who are you?
The body is continuously changing. If you were the body, you too would
have changed. However, you intuitively realize you are the same person
who was the newborn baby, then the two-year old, and then the five-year
old.
Biology informs us that the human body consists of trillions of cells. These
cells die, and new ones are created in their place. The process of
regeneration changes the entire body every seven years. And yet, despite
the constantly changing body, we remain the same person.
We learn from the Vedas that within the body is the unchanging atma (soul).
It is the real ‘I’, the true self. The body is material, while the atma is divine,
just as God is divine. And, like God, the soul is immortal as well.
At this point, some ask, ‘What is the proof for the existence of this divine
entity within our body?’

Consciousness—Evidence of the Soul

Is it possible to close your eyes, and read this book with your nose?
Definitely not! The nose cannot see; the eyes cannot smell. All the senses
have limited purviews. If we wish to read, we must use our eyes.
Likewise, our senses are material, while our soul is divine; it cannot be
perceived by the senses, no matter how hard we try. With this limitation,
what is the evidence of the soul’s existence? The most compelling evidence
is consciousness—presence of life in the body.
All matter is lifeless, and our body is made from matter. Hence, the body by
itself cannot be the reason for life. Science realizes this paradox and is
grappling to explain the phenomenon of consciousness. If matter could be
manipulated to create consciousness, then scientists would do the same in
laboratories. However, nobody has ever succeeded in creating life from
matter. Philosophers, therefore, continue to debate over the origin of
consciousness.
The Vedas explain that ‘life’, or sentience, originates from the soul. As long
as the atma is present in the body, the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver
continue to work. Once it departs, the organs are still there, but all functions
cease. The body is now deemed ‘dead’. Hence, consciousness, or ‘life’,
comes from the soul.
Here, a question may arise: How does the soul give life to the body? The
Brahma Sutra explains: vyaktireko gandhanvat (2.3.26) ‘A flower is
inherently fragrant. When it grows in a garden, it also makes the garden
aromatic by its presence.’ Likewise, the soul possesses life, and when
present, it makes the dead matter of the body come alive as well.

Location of the Soul

In the body, where does the atma reside? The Prashnopanishad answers:
hṛidi hyeṣha ātmā (3.6) ‘The soul is situated in the heart.’
But this does not mean it is physically locked to the heart. During a cardiac
transplant, the soul continues to reside in the heart region of the body, even
when the physical organ is removed.
This leads to the next question. If the soul stays only in one place—the
heart—how does it make the entire body alive? Again, the Brahma Sutra
answers: avirodhaśhchandanavat (2.3.23) ‘Sandalwood does not need to be
applied everywhere. Just rub it onto the forehead, and it will cool the entire
body. Similarly, the soul—although residing in the heart—permeates
consciousness throughout the body.’ Another example illustrating this
principle is the lightbulb. The lightbulb is fixed in one place while its light
illumines the entire room.
Continuing our inquiry into the nature of the ‘self’, let us ponder over the
next question.

Size of the Soul

The atma does not have a physical form or physical boundaries. So,
defining its dimensions can be a tricky matter. Philosophers of Bharat
present three views regarding the size of the soul:
1. Vibhu: Some believe the soul is infinite, or vibhu. They see it as
inseparable from God, Who is limitless.
2. Madhyamākār: Others believe the atma is medium-sized, or
madhyamākār.
3. Aṇu: Yet others assert the soul is tiny, or aṇu.

Let us delve deeper into each of these viewpoints.

1. Is the atma boundless in size? If it were indeed infinite, then the notion
of going to heaven or hell after death would become irrelevant. The soul
would theoretically permeate the realms of earth, heaven, and hell,
obviating any need for transitions between these domains. The Vedas,
however, state:
puṇyena puṇya lokaṁ nayati pāpena pāpam
ubhābhyāmeva manuṣhyalolam
(Prashnopanishad 3.7)
‘If you do pious deeds, after death you will go to the celestial abodes. If
you engage in sinful activities, you will be sent to the lower planes of
existence. While if you engage in both kinds of activities, in your next
life you will come back to the earth planet.’
This Vedic mantra dispels the hypothesis of the soul being infinite in
size.
2. Is the soul medium-sized? Let us deconstruct this hypothesis. Assume
a finite value ‘X’, to represent the soul. It means the soul cannot reside
in any life form of size less than ‘X’, else it will spill outside it.
However, there are innumerable life forms in the world—ranging from
the tiniest microorganisms to colossal whales. If the soul has a fixed size
‘X’, how will it fit into the life forms smaller than ‘X’? Hence, the idea
that the soul is medium-sized reaches a logical contradiction.
Jain scriptures postulate that the size of the soul is the same as that of the
body it inhabits. This, however, raises a dilemma for the process of
reincarnation. For instance, if a soul occupied an elephant’s body in one
life, how will it fit into the diminutive pigeon’s body in the next? The
incongruity of such a transition becomes readily apparent.
3. The soul is infinitesimally small. This is the only viable option that
remains. The Upanishads state:
eṣho ’ṇurātmā (Mundakopanishad 3.1.9)
aṇupramāṇāt (Kathopanishad 1.2.8)
These Vedic mantras reveal that the atma is miniscule in size.

Immortality of the Soul

For the soul, there is neither birth nor death. There was never a time when it
did not exist, nor will there ever be a time when it will cease to be. What we
term as ‘death’ is merely the soul changing bodies. The body is like a set of
clothes for the atma. Every morning, you change your outfit and put on a
fresh one. Similarly, when the body becomes unfit to reside in, the soul
departs to receive a new body. The process of giving up the old body is
looked upon as ‘death’ and taking on a new body is called ‘birth’. The
Bhagavad Gita states:
vāsānsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya
navāni gṛihṇāti naro’parāṇi
tathā śharīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇā
nyanyāni sanyāti navāni dehī
(verse 2.22)
‘As a person sheds worn-out garments and wears new ones, likewise, the
soul casts off its worn-out body and enters into a new one upon death.’
In many cultures, the dead body is buried, and the person is assumed to be
lying in the grave. However, the soul is not in the grave; it has left for its
journey to the afterlife. The buried body will soon be eaten by vermin and
turn into dust. In the Hindu tradition, the dead body is not buried, rather, it
is cremated, and prayers are offered for the departed soul.

The Concept of Rebirth

What is the rationale for believing we had births before this one? Well,
without accepting the idea of rebirth, the world becomes a very irrational
place. How would you answer a person who is born blind when he asks,
‘What did I do to be suffering like this?’
Clearly, it cannot be the result of present-life actions. It cannot also be the
will of God, Who is supremely benevolent. Why would God want anyone
to suffer? The only logical explanation for being born blind is negative
karmas in previous lifetimes. Without accepting the existence of past lives,
the above question has no plausible answer.
A rabbi, Harold Kushner, discussed this issue in his book, Why Do Bad
Things Happen to Good People? He had a son who suffered from an
atypical disease called progeria, which causes premature ageing. Afflicted
by it, Kushner’s son began ageing from childhood itself. At 14 years, he
displayed the symptoms of an 80-year-old, and then passed away.
Kushner was terribly disturbed by this traumatic experience. He could not
find any suitable answer as to why his son had endured such suffering. His
son had done nothing so evil as an infant to be given such affliction, and
Kushner did not believe in previous births.
The Vedic philosophy, however, offers a perfectly logical explanation for
such a scenario. With the concept of multiple births, it posits that suffering
could well be a consequence of past life sins. This also explains why one is
born in a rich family and has no shortage of worldly luxuries, while another
is born in a poor household where even obtaining food is a daily struggle.
Someone receives a keen intellect to excel in life, while another is born dull
and unable to study. The difference is the result of karmas from past
incarnations.
Remembering Past Lives
On accepting the idea of rebirth, the question arises: why do we not
remember our past lives? The answer is that death is very painful for the
soul. It erases most memories of the life gone by. Furthermore, birth is an
even more painful experience, which wipes out remaining recollections of
the previous life.
The soul, nevertheless, does retain a faint remembrance in infancy. The
Nyaya Darshan states:
jātasya harṣhabhayaśhoka sampratipatteḥ
(3.1.18)
If you observe a little baby, you will find it occasionally becomes fearful
without any obvious reason. Likewise, it becomes happy or begins to cry
without a visible cause. The Nyaya Darshan explains that this is because it
is recalling events of past lives and reliving those feelings. As the baby
grows older, impressions of this life leave a strong imprint and eventually
obscure the fainter impressions of past lives.
Nevertheless, this rule does have exceptions. There are accounts of people
across the world who have vivid recollections of their previous life. Their
statements about their past birth have been examined by scientists and
confirmed as true. The famous example of Shanti Devi, who had died as
Lugdi Devi in 1925 in Mathura and was reborn in Delhi in 1926, was one
such case validated by a high-profile team.

Forgetfulness of the Self

Most people live in a state of forgetfulness of their real ‘self’. Compare this
to a simple worldly example.
If you ask car drivers to introduce themselves, and they respond, ‘I am a
Mercedes’, ‘I am a Ford’, or ‘I am a Toyota’, you will think them to be
grossly ignorant. You asked for their introduction, instead, they announced
the brand of their vehicle.
Similarly, when asked, ‘Who are you?’, we respond with our name, ‘I am
Bimala’, ‘I am Kamala’, and so forth.
‘But that is your name. You could adopt a different name tomorrow, if you
so decide, but you would still remain the same person. So, you are not a
name. Now tell me, who are you?’
‘I am an Indian.’
‘That is your nationality. If you change your nationality to American, you
will still remain the same person. I am asking about YOU, and not your
country.’
‘I am a postgraduate.’
‘That is your educational qualification. Tomorrow you could become a
PhD. You are not your degree. Who are you?’
‘I am a human.’
‘That is your species; it is the designation of your body. In your next life,
you could become a celestial being. You have no information about your
real self?’
In this way, people think of the body and its designations as the ‘real self’.
On the spiritual journey, we must train our intellect to see ourselves as the
divine soul seated within the body.
What activities does the soul perform while seated within? Does it merely
act as an observer, devoid of any administrative responsibilities? Let us now
understand the functions of the soul vis-à-vis the body.

Administrative Duties of the Soul

The Vedas present the analogy of a chariot to help us grasp the soul’s
executive position:
ātmānam rathinam viddhi
śharīram ratham eva tu
buddhim tu sārathim viddhi
manaḥ pragraham eva cha
indriyāṇi hayān āhur
viṣhayāms teṣhu gocharān
ātmendriya-mano-yuktam
bhoktety āhur manīṣhiṇaḥ
 (Kathopanishad 1.3.3–1.3.4)
Imagine a chariot with five horses pulling it. They have reins in their
mouths. The reins are in the hands of a charioteer. A passenger is sitting at
the back of the chariot. In this analogy:
– the chariot represents the body
– the horses symbolize the five senses
– the reins connecting to the horses’ mouths represent the mind
– the charioteer embodies the intellect
– the passenger seated behind signifies the soul dwelling in the body
Ideally, the passenger should provide guidance to the charioteer, who, in
turn, should use the reins to steer the horses in the right direction. However,
in this case, the passenger, the soul, is asleep so, the chariot is veering
directionless:
– The senses (horses) yearn to engage in various sensory experiences to
see, taste, touch, feel, and smell various things.
– The mind (reins), instead of controlling the senses, supports their
desires.
– The intellect (charioteer), rather than directing the mind (reins),
succumbs to the impulses of the senses (horses).
– Seated on this chariot, the soul (passenger) has been roaming in the
material world since eternity.
In this way, in the materially conditioned state, the soul has relinquished
control of the chariot. Instead, it is a passive observer, vicariously
experiencing the pleasures and pains of the mind and senses.
However, if the soul awakens and takes charge, it can inspire the intellect.
The intellect then assumes its rightful role as the charioteer and governs the
mind. And the mind, in turn, manages the senses. Consequently, the chariot
embarks on its journey to eternal welfare.
Now that we have learnt our true nature, the next question that naturally
arises is, ‘What is the purpose of our life?’ We will take this up in the next
chapter.
 Chapter 2
The Goal of Life

Importance of the Human Birth

According to the Vedic scriptures, there are 8.4 million life forms, and the
soul could be born in any of these species. Amongst them, the human form
is special because it possesses the power of discernment, which is why it
comes with a greater responsibility.
Compare this to the analogy of bank managers and cashiers. Bank managers
sit in comfortable offices, while cashiers work at the counter. However, the
managers have greater responsibilities as well. If they choose to do only as
much as the cashiers, then the bank will take away their facilities and
reassign them to counter duties.
Similarly, God has especially equipped humans with the faculty of
knowledge. But He also expects us to utilize this ability to learn about the
Absolute Truth. Instead, if we make eating delectable food as the primary
goal of our life, it will be a misuse of the human form. As a result, in our
next life, God could make us a pig, where we would be able to eat from
morning to night. Similarly, if we prioritize sleep as our main goal, then
God could make us a polar bear after death, so we could hibernate for many
months at a stretch.
We must, therefore, utilize our human form carefully and not fritter it away
in fleeting pleasures of the senses.

Determine Your Highest Purpose

As humans, we can consciously decide our life’s purpose and strive to attain
it. Yet, most people never ponder about their ultimate goal. They meander
purposelessly through life without a clear direction.
A traveller asked a bystander, ‘Am I on the right path?’
The bystander responded, ‘Where do you wish to go?’
The traveller replied, ‘I do not know.’
‘If you have no goal in mind’ the bystander said, ‘then it does not matter
which path you take.’
Similarly, many people flounder aimlessly throughout life, from childhood
to youth to old age, confused about their purpose. For a successful life,
however, it is important to think deeply about one’s ultimate goal.
What is it that we all are looking for? What is the underlying aspiration that
drives us all?

The Search for Happiness

The Vedas say we all seek happiness in everything we do. We may have
different ideas regarding where we might find joy. One may feel that if only
he could get a bigger car, he would be happy. Another thinks if she could
get a nice house, she would become blissful. Someone else believes by
becoming rich, he would be happy; while yet another feels if she could
become a movie star, she would be joyous. Do note, everyone’s common
goal is happiness. And everything we do throughout the day is in search of
happiness.
Where did this urge for happiness come from? Did someone explicitly teach
us to seek bliss? Everything else in life had to be learnt. When we were
small, we were taught, ‘My child! You should always speak the truth.’ ‘Son,
you should obey and respect your elders.’ We were trained to read, write,
and speak. However, we were never expressly taught, ‘My child! You must
always seek happiness. It should not happen that you start loving misery.’
This instruction was never given to us. This implies we instinctively began
seeking bliss without ever being taught to do so.
In fact, we expressed our desire for happiness the moment we were born.
We did not say it in words since we could not speak. Instead, we did it by
crying out with all our might. That is the first thing a newborn does. In the
process of birth, it experiences pain, and it cries to reveal its nature. ‘I have
not come into this world for pain. I have come for bliss. Give me
happiness!’
From that point onwards, all our actions are motivated by the pursuit of
happiness. Hence, we can safely conclude that the goal of all living beings
is happiness.

God is the Ocean of Divine Bliss

Why do we all want happiness? Only the Vedic scriptures alone answer this
question satisfactorily and with a compelling explanation. They declare that
we seek happiness because God is an Ocean of bliss.
ānando brahmeti vyajānāt
(Taittiriya Upanishad 3.6)
ānandamayo’bhyāsāt
(Vedant Darshan 1.1.12)
ānanda siñdhu madhya tava vāsā
(Vinay Patrika 136.2)
Anand means bliss. The above verses state that God is an Ocean of
unlimited bliss. We souls are His tiny parts. Hence, we are fragments of the
Ocean of bliss. Shree Krishna told Arjun:
mamaivāṁśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
(Bhagavad Gita 15.7)
‘All the souls in the world are My eternal parts.’ For example, a stone is a
part of the mountain, a drop of water is a part of the ocean, and a ray of
light is a part of the sun. Similarly, we souls are small fragments of God.
It is the nature of every part to be attracted towards its source. A lump of
mud is a part of the earth and is drawn to it. If you throw a mud ball up, it
will automatically fall down, pulled by Earth’s gravity. Newton discovered
this gravitational force when an apple fell on his head.
In the same way, the soul is naturally attracted towards its source, God.
Since He is an Ocean of infinite bliss, we too, desire happiness in all we do.
Not only that but we have been searching for it since endless lives. The
problem, however, is that we have not found true joy until now. What is the
reason for it?

The Mistake We Made

The reason we are bereft of true happiness is ignorance of the ‘self’. We
have forgotten we are divine souls and think of ourselves as the gross body.
As a result, we search for material happiness and hope the soul will find
satisfaction from it. But this is impossible as this example illustrates.
If you take a fish out of the water, you may massage it in scented oil and
shove food down its throat, but this will never make it happy. The poor fish
cannot speak, but if it could, it would say, ‘I do not want all this. I will only
be happy when you put me back in the water.’
Likewise, the soul is divine, and the happiness it seeks is also divine. But
the happiness we are running after is the opposite. We are savouring
ephemeral pleasures of the bodily senses. Despite our best efforts, the soul
from within says, ‘This is not my bliss; I am still unsatisfied. Give me
divine bliss.’
Our soul wants divine bliss, which is of the nature of sat, chit, and anand.
Sat means permanent, chit means ever-fresh, and anand means infinite
bliss. Consider these individually:
1. Our soul wants sat happiness, or a permanent state of bliss. Worldly
pleasures do not fulfil this yearning. They give us only a fleeting
experience of enjoyment. For example:
Suppose someone says, ‘I had a great time yesterday. We went to the
football game and had a lot of fun.’
You ask him, ‘What happened today?’
He says, ‘Today my car was out-of-order, so I stayed at home. The TV
and internet were also down, and I got terribly bored.’
‘This means the happiness of yesterday went away today?’
‘Yes, it did.’
That kind of happiness, which comes and goes, cannot give contentment
to the soul.
2. Our soul is looking for chit happiness, which will remain ever-fresh.
However, the pleasure of material delights keeps reducing.
For example, when two people get married, they have great expectations
of bliss, and say things like, ‘We have found the love of our life and will
live happily ever after.’ But in a few years, the joy from each other wears
off and boredom sets in.
Consider another example to drive home the point.
Suppose you go to see a new Bollywood blockbuster movie. The first
time you watch the movie, it gives you great happiness.
Then your friend arrives from out-of-town and says, ‘Hey, I heard the
new movie released last week is really good. Let us go and see it.’ You do
accompany him, but watching the movie no longer gives you pleasure.
Finally, your uncle comes from the nearby village and says, ‘Son, I am
here especially for the new movie about which I have heard so much.
Come with me to watch it.’
You respond, ‘Uncle, give me some other punishment, but please do not
make me see the same movie a third time.’
We can see how the pleasure from material things keeps decreasing.
Clearly, it does not satiate our desire for joy that will always remain
fresh.
3. Our soul wants anand, or bliss that is unlimited in extent. Everyone
can attest to the fact that material pleasures do not fulfil this condition.
When you graduated from college, you thought if you could get your
own car, you would be happy. A few years later, you purchased your
very own four-wheeler and were delighted.
But then you turned your attention to the sedans your seniors were
driving. So, you thought to yourself, I need to become a crorepati
(possessing 10 million rupees), then I will surely be happy.
Suppose some years down the line, you reach this milestone as well.
Will it satisfy you? No, because by then you will be looking at the
arabpatis (possessing one billion rupees) and hanker to become like
them, I have only one crore, while this person has one arab.
Finite happiness can never satisfy the soul, which is seeking anand, or
infinite bliss.
In conclusion, our soul will only be content when it attains divine bliss.
Such bliss must possess the three attributes of sat-chit-anand. Since we
have not found divine bliss, we keep searching for it, and endless lifetimes
have gone by.
The sat-chit-anand bliss that we are seeking is a synonym for God. He is
the Ocean of divine bliss. Hence, the ancient poet Valmiki said:
loke nah isa vidyeta yo na rāmamanubrataḥ
(Valmiki Ramayan 2.37.32)
‘There is no soul in this world who is not a devotee of the Lord.’ No one
wants the reverse of bliss, which is misery, and hence, everyone knowingly
or unknowingly desires God. It means that the goal of our life is God-
realization.
Now listen to another argument proving that we are all searching for the
Supreme.

Our Love for Godly Qualities

We all innately love godly virtues, such as truthfulness, non-violence,
justice, kindness, forgiveness, and so on. Nobody in the world can love lies.
You may question, ‘How is that so? There are so many people in this world
who are habitual liars. Not everyone is truthful.’
Definitely, there are untruthful people in this world. However, if you tell
them a lie, they will not like it. They will ask, ‘Why did you lie to me?’
‘But you speak lies yourself.’
‘Yes, I do, but I want everyone to speak truthfully to me.’
You might have come across a popular expression: ‘Honesty amongst
thieves.’ If a gang member lies to the gang leader, he gets annoyed. This
goes to show that even the head of a gang expects truthful behaviour from
his gang members. This intrinsic love for honesty is because it is an
attribute of God, and as His little parts, we are naturally drawn to it.
Once, a thief returned home after a burglary. He counted his bounty and
went to sleep, satisfied that he had committed a successful theft. At night,
his home was burglarized by another thief. When the first thief woke up, he
exclaimed, ‘Who did this? Does he not know who I am? If I find him, I will
kill him.’
Now ask him, ‘You are a thief yourself, so why are you angry?’
‘If I steal from others, that is okay. But I do not want anyone to steal from
me.’
Look at the irony. Though he is a thief himself, he is infuriated when others
steal from him.
These examples illustrate that we all desire kind, fair, and honest behaviour
from others, regardless of how unjust, unkind, or dishonest we may
ourselves be. Why is this so? The reason is that these virtues are intrinsic to
God. And as His fragmental parts, we inherently love them. This again goes
to show that—knowingly or unknowingly—we all are searching for the
Supreme.
Hence, we can conclude that the ultimate goal of life is God-realization.
Only by attaining the Supreme will we experience the peace, happiness, and
satisfaction our soul has been seeking since endless lifetimes.

The Glorious Destiny of the Atma

The soul derives its brilliance from God. Consider the analogy of a vast fire
and a tiny spark. The fire has the power to consume an entire forest. In
contrast, a spark seems insignificant, but it too harbours the potential to set
the forest ablaze. Similarly, as parts of the Supreme Divine Personality, we
hold immense potential for growth.
God Himself desires to share His magnificence with us. In the Vedas, He is
referred to as Brahman. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj elucidated the
meaning of this word:
brahma vṛihatvāt asa baṛā jāko ādi na anta
baṛā bṛinhaṇatvāt asa aurana kare ananta
(Bhakti Shatak verse 51)
This verse states that the word ‘Brahman’ has two meanings:
1) Brahman is He who is infinitely big. This is self-evident since God
encompasses innumerable universes within His being.
2) Brahman is He who makes others big. This second facet reveals the
Lord’s aspiration for His fragments to reach perfection akin to His own.
God wants us to achieve the supreme perfection that He has planned for us.
It is a fallacy to think, I will forever remain flawed and incapable of change.
Swami Vivekananda beautifully articulated the potential of the soul:
These prophets were not unique; they were men as you or I… They
had attained this super-consciousness, and you and I can get the
same… The very fact that one man ever reached that state, proves
that it is possible for every man to do so…every man must
eventually, get to that state, and that is religion.1
While we revere the saints of the past—Soordas, Tulsidas, Mirabai,
Tukaram, Guru Nanak, Kabir, and Narsi Mehta, to name a few—placing
them on an altar is not the ultimate objective. Instead, we too must seek to
become like them. Unfoldment of the infinite glory of the soul is the
essence of spiritual science.
Having understood the higher purpose of life, it becomes imperative to
draw on wisdom of the Vedic scriptures for embarking on the spiritual
journey. For this, let us first understand what these sacred books are, and
what they teach. This topic shall be explored in the ensuing chapter.

1‘Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. I, Raja Yoga, Chapter 7: Dhyan and Samadhi’,
Essential Books of Ramakrishna Order, http://tinyurl.com/2vbp8cex. Accessed on 5 February 2024.
 Chapter 3
Vedas—The Eternal Knowledge of
God

T
o gain knowledge in any subject, such as physics, chemistry,
mathematics, we read textbooks. How can we learn the subject of
spirituality? Are there any books we can refer to? These books should
be written by someone whom we can trust, so we are assured they are free
from mistakes. Only then will we be convinced that they are the correct
guidebooks for fashioning our life’s journey. Such works are the Vedas.

Importance of the Vedas

These sacred texts are not the works of any human; God Himself revealed
them. That is why they are called apauruṣheya, or ‘having no human
writer’. If the Vedas had been created by any human, one could have
doubted the authenticity of their content. However, when the source is the
Supreme Divine Personality, then all scepticism ceases.
Besides, who can know God better than God Himself? Hence, what the
Vedas say about the Supreme is the perfect reference source for spiritual
knowledge. Since they were revealed by God, they are regarded as the most
sacred amongst all the Hindu scriptures and are given the highest seat.
These Vedas are the ultimate authority on Hinduism.
bhūtaṁ bhavyaṁ bhavisḥyaṁ
cha sarvaṁ vedāt prasidhyati
(Manu Smriti 12.97)
‘Any spiritual principle is only acceptable if it conforms to the Vedas.’

History of the Vedas

To be precise, the Vedas are not the name of any one book, rather they are
the divine knowledge of God. They have existed ever since He has existed,
which is eternity. Each time the Supreme Entity creates the world, He
reveals the Vedas in the heart of the first-born Brahma. The Vedic
knowledge is then passed down by word of mouth from Guru to disciple.
Another name for the Vedas, therefore, is Śhruti, or knowledge conveyed by
hearing.
About 5,000 years ago, Sage Ved Vyas, who was an Avatar of God,
presented the same Vedic knowledge in writing. He also divided the Vedas,
which were one body of knowledge, into four—Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama
Veda, and Atharva Veda. As a result, he came to be known as Ved Vyas, or
‘one who divided the Vedas into four parts.’
Modern day scholars recognize the Rig Veda as the oldest scripture and
most ancient poetry of humankind. However, the words ‘oldest’ and
‘ancient’ are not accurate descriptions of its antiquity. The Vedas are
sanatan (eternal), just as God Himself is eternal.

Language of the Vedas

These sacred works are in Sanskrit, language of the celestial abodes.
Modern linguists acknowledge that Sanskrit possesses the most systematic
grammar in the world. Computer scientists declared Sanskrit to be the most
computer-friendly language. Yet, its grammar is so sophisticated that
learning and mastering it requires 12 years of study. Historians are amazed
at how, 5,000 years ago, people could fluently speak a language with such
complex grammatical rules.
Sanskrit is recognized as the mother of many of the languages of Bharat,
such as Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, and
Marwari. Likewise, Latin is the mother of many of the European languages,
such as English, German, French, and Spanish. Interestingly, when we
compare Latin with Sanskrit, it becomes obvious that Latin grammar is a
diluted version of Sanskrit grammar. This fact has been acknowledged by
many Western scholars, as stated below:
India was the mother-land of our race, and Sanskrit the mother of
Europe’s languages; that she was the mother of our philosophy,
 mother, through Arabs, of much of our mathematics, mother,
through Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity, mother,
through the village community, of self-goverment and democracy.
Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all.2
—Will Durant, American historian and philosopher, world-famous
author of The Story of Philosophy

The Sanscrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful

structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin,
and more exquisitely refined than either yet bearing to both of them
a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs and in the forms of
grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident.3
—Sir William Jones, English philologist, master of 13 languages
and knower of 28 more

Having peeked briefly into their glory, let us continue our tour of the Vedic
scriptures.

Sections of the Vedas

Each Veda contains four sections: Saṁhitā, Brāhmaṇ, Āraṇyak, and
Upaniṣhad.
1. Saṁhitā: These contain mantras (hymns) addressed to various celestial
gods and to the Supreme Lord.
2. Brāhmaṇ: They describe the rituals, such as the yajnas (fire sacrifices), in
which these hymns are sung.
3. Āraṇyak: These discuss the meanings of the rituals and lead to
philosophic inquiry.
4. Upaniṣhad: They are the philosophical texts revealing knowledge of God.

Vedanga
These are supplementary to the Vedas and assist in understanding them.
There are six Vedāṅgas:
1. Śhikśhā: It contains the rules of chanting the mantras.
2. Kalp: It has the rules for performing the rituals.
3. Vyākaraṇ: It contains the grammar of the Vedas.
4. Nirukti: It is the dictionary of the Vedas.
5. Chhand: It is the study of the scales, melodies, and meters in which the
Vedic mantras are sung.
6. Jyotiṣh: These are astrological texts.

Other Vedic Scriptures

Although the Vedas are the ultimate source of spiritual knowledge in the
Hindu tradition, they are not easy to comprehend. Therefore, to elaborate
their purport, many more scriptures have been written. These sacred texts
do not deviate from the authority of the Vedas, rather, they attempt to
explain the meaning of the Vedic teachings.
The most important amongst these scriptures are the Itihãs and the Puranas.
Their authenticity is confirmed by the Upanishads, which term them as the
fifth Veda:
itihāspurāṇaṁ pañchamaṁ vedānāṁ vedaṁ
(Chhandogya Upanishad 7.2)
‘Know the Itihãs and Puranas to be the fifth Veda.’ Reading them helps
clarify the purport of the Vedas.
Compare this to the constitution of a country. It contains statutes describing
complex laws of the land. Supplementary to the constitution are
commentaries written by senior lawyers and judges. These commentaries
clarify the meaning more simply than the constitution itself. Hence, many
students read only the commentaries, without even delving into the
constitution.
Similarly, the Puranas and Itihãs are like the commentaries that shed light
on the purport of the Vedas.

Itihas
These are historical texts—the Ramayan and the Mahabharat. They
chronicle the history of two important descensions of God.
The Ramayan, authored by Sage Valmiki, narrates the Leelas (divine
Pastimes) of Bhagavan Ram. Amazingly, it was written before Shree Ram
descended on the earth. Valmiki, the great poet-sage, was empowered with
divine vision, by which he foresaw the pastimes Lord Ram would enact.
Consequently, he penned them down in the 24,000 most exquisitely
composed Sanskrit verses of the Ramayan. These verses also impart lessons
on ideal behaviour in various social roles, such as son, wife, king, and
married couple.
The Ramayan has also been narrated in many regional languages of Bharat,
thereby increasing its popularity amongst the people. The most famous
among these is the Hindi Ramayan, Ramcharitmanas, written by the
learned devotee of Lord Ram, Saint Tulsidas.
The Mahabharat was written by Sage Ved Vyas. It contains 100,000 verses
and is considered the longest poem in the world. The divine Leelas of
Bhagavan Shree Krishna are the central theme of the Mahabharat. It is full
of wisdom and guidance regarding duties in all stages of human life. It is
also imbued with bhakti, or devotion to God.
The Bhagavad Gita is a portion of the Mahabharat. It is a dialogue between
Shree Krishna and Arjun that transpired at the outset of the Mahabharat
war. The Bhagavad Gita is the most popular Hindu scripture, since it
contains the essence of all spiritual knowledge, so eloquently described by
Bhagavan Krishna Himself. It has been translated into nearly every
language of the world. Innumerable commentaries have been written on the
Bhagavad Gita since it was spoken five millennia ago.

Puranas
There are 18 Puranas, written by Sage Ved Vyas. Together, they contain
400,000 verses. These describe the divine Pastimes of the various forms of
God and His devotees. The Puranas are also replete with philosophic
knowledge. They discuss the creation of the universe, its annihilation, and
its regeneration. They also narrate the history of humankind and the
genealogy of celestials, great kings, and holy sages.
The most important amongst them is the Bhagavat Puran, also called the
Shreemad Bhagavatam. It was the final scripture written by Sage Ved Vyas.
In it, he reveals the highest dharma of pure selfless love for God. The
Bhagavatam is respected as the Amalātmā Puran that is devoid of the
allurements of material rewards.
The Puranas and the Itihās are parts of the Smṛiti texts. Smṛitis are those
scriptures that have not been directly manifested by God. Instead, they were
revealed in the hearts of Sages, who then transcribed them into manuscripts.
Since the Sages remembered this knowledge on the inspiration of God,
these sacred tomes are called Smṛiti.

Shad-darshan
They are next in importance in the hierarchy of Vedic scriptures. Six sages
wrote scriptures highlighting particular aspects of Hindu philosophy. These
became known as the Ṣhaḍ-darshan, or six philosophical works. They are:
1. Mimāṁsā Darshan: Written by Maharishi Jaimini, it describes ritualistic
duties and ceremonies.
2. Vedānt Darshan: Written by Maharishi Ved Vyas, it discusses the nature
of the Absolute Truth.
3. Nyāya Darshan: Written by Maharishi Gautam, it develops a system of
logic for understanding life and the Absolute Truth.
4. Vaiśheṣhik Darshan: Written by Maharishi Kanad, it analyses cosmology
and creation from the perspective of its various elements.
5. Yog Darshan: Written by Maharishi Patanjali, it describes an eightfold
path to union with God, beginning with physical postures.
6. Saṅkhya Darshan: Written by Maharishi Kapil, it describes the evolution
of the universe from prakriti, the primordial form of the material energy.

The above tradition of scriptures—starting from the Vedas to the Ṣhaḍ-

darshan—is collectively referred to as Nigam Shastras.

Agam Shastras
They are complementary to the Nigam Shastras. ‘Agam’ means ‘handed
down by tradition’ and shastra means ‘scripture’. Āgam Shastras are
comprehensive manuals outlining the rituals of worship and religious
practices. They also provide guidelines for constructing temples and proper
conduct for engaging in deity worship.
Apart from the holy scriptures mentioned above, the Hindu tradition has
hundreds of other sacred books as well. It is impossible to describe them all
here. Let it suffice to say that the Vedic scriptures are a vast treasure-house
of divine knowledge revealed by God and Saints for the eternal welfare of
all.

Respect for All the Scriptures of the World

Hindus respect the scriptures of all religions. Yet, they bear in mind the
strengths and uniqueness of their own Vedic scriptures. What is this
specialty?
A teacher reveals knowledge as per the level of the students whom they are
imparting the knowledge to. The professor may be a PhD, but if she is
explaining to first grade students, she will only teach 2 + 2 = 4. This does
not mean that the professor knows only that much. On the contrary, students
can only comprehend to that level. Likewise, various great Saints who
descended on the earth presented the Absolute Truth based on the situation,
the need of the times, and the depth to which people could understand.
Many holy books of the world motivate their readers to worship the
Supreme Lord out of fear of condemnation to hell. Again, the temptation is
offered that if they have faith, they will go to heaven and enjoy celestial
delights. However, the concept of selfless love for God is left untouched.
This is because those sacred books were directed at readers whose soul had
not yet reached the level of refinement required for understanding more
profound spiritual topics. Hence, the higher truths of God-realization could
not be revealed to them.
Arjun, listener of the Bhagavad Gita, was a highly evolved soul. If Shree
Krishna had instructed him on elementary topics, such as abstaining from
theft, Arjun would have felt offended, ‘Why is He instructing me like that?
Does He doubt that I will steal?’ To such an advanced student as Arjun, the
Bhagavad Gita was spoken, which goes into the finer nuances and intricate
aspects of spiritual science.
Praise for the Scriptures of Bharat by Western Scholars
The Vedic scriptures have garnered praise by numerous Western scholars
who read them. These philosophers and intellectuals had expressed their
thoughts on the Vedic texts:
I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad Gita. It was the first of
books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or
unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old
intelligence, which in another age and climate, had pondered and
disposed of the same questions which exercise us.4
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher

Henry David Thoreau, a famous American essayist, philosopher, and poet,

during the 19th century has said:
In the morning, I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and
cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita…, and in comparison
with which our modern world and its literature seems puny and
trivial.5
Whenever I have read any part of the Vedas, I have felt that some
unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching
of the Vedas, there is no touch of sectarianism. It is of all ages,
climes and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of
the Great Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am under the
spangled heavens of a summer night.6
When we read with attention the poetic and philosophical
monuments of the East, above all, those of India,…we discover
there many a truth, and truths so profound,…that we are constrained
to bend the knee before the philosophy of the East and to see in this
cradle of the human race the native land of the highest philosophy.7
—Victor Cousin, French philosopher

Arthur Schopenhauer, a German philosopher of the 18th century, had such a

high regard for the Indian scriptures that he said:
 If the reader has also received the benefit of the Vedas, the access to
which by means of the Upanishads is in my eyes the greatest
privilege which this still young century may claim before all
previous centuries…8
In the whole world there is no study,…so beneficial and as elevating
as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life, it will be
the solace of my death!9
If these words of Schopenhauer required any endorsement I should
willingly give it as the result of my own experience during a long
life devoted to study of many philosophies and many religions.10
—Professor Max Müller, German orientalist

…this ‘focus of Indian religion [The Bhagavad Gita]’ is also one of

the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the Perennial
Philosophy ever to have been made. Hence its enduring value, not
only for Indians, but for all mankind.11
—Aldous Huxley, English writer

The gamut of Vedic scriptures is like a general department store that offers
a multitude of wares. You must select the goods you need from its crowded
shelves. Likewise, the Vedas contain a wide spectrum of instructions for all
classes, starting from the most fundamental, all the way up to the most
advanced. We must assess what class we are in and follow the teachings
befitting our level. Hence, it is recommended we learn Vedic scriptures
under the guidance of a Guru, or Spiritual Teacher.
Let us discuss the topic of Guru next.

2Durant, Will, The Case for India, Strand Book Stall, Mumbai, 2007, p. 3.
3Jones, Sir William, ‘The Third Anniversary Discourse delivered 2 Feb 1786, by the President, at the
Asiatick Society of Bengal’, Electronic Library of Historiography, http://tinyurl.com/4mwan5m6.
Accessed on 5 February 2024.
4‘The Influence of Bhagavad Gita’, Wikipedia, http://tinyurl.com/47r6mbnz. Accessed on 5 February
2024.
5Thoreau, Henry David, Walden on Life in the Woods, Ticknor and Fields, Boston, USA, 1854, p.
318.
6Pandit, Bansi, The Hindu Mind: Fundamentals of Hindu Religion and Philosophy for All Ages,
Second Edition, B&V Enterprises, USA, 1996, p. 343.
7Woodroffe, Sir John, Is India Civilized: Essays on Indian Culture, Ganesh & Co., Madras, 1918, p.
111.
8Müller, F. Max, (ed.), The Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 1, The Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1900, p.
lix.
9Ibid, p. lxi.
10Woodroffe, Sir John, Is India Civilized: Essays on Indian Culture, Ganesh & Co., Madras, 1918, p.
112.
11Prabhavananda, Swami, and Christopher Isherwood (trans), ‘Introduction by Aldous Huxley’, The
Song of God: Bhagavad Gita, New American Library, 1958, p. 13.
 Chapter 4
The Spiritual Master

The Disease of Ignorance

In the material realm, we suffer from an affliction called ajnana, or
nescience, which prevents us from achieving our goals. We all want
happiness but get misery. We want peace but experience conflict. We want
to succeed but repeatedly experience failure.
We all know that anger, greed, hatred, envy, and pride are undesirable,
which is why we wish to get rid of them. But we do not know how; if we
did, we too could become like the Buddha.
A quarrelsome person came to the Buddha and began heaping abuses upon
Him. The Buddha serenely kept listening to the offender. After an hour, the
person got exhausted and became quiet. The Buddha told His disciples, ‘He
is tired. Give him something to eat and drink, so that he may begin again.’
That person was astonished. He said, ‘Sir, are You made of wood or stone?
Do You have no feelings? I abused You so maliciously, but You did not even
complain!’
The Buddha said, ‘My dear fellow! If you give someone a gift and that
person does not take it, with whom does the gift remain?’
‘With the person who gave it.’
‘Similarly, I did not accept all that you gave so, it is still with you.’
This incident reveals that the Buddha had eliminated ignorance and was
situated in knowledge. We, on the other hand, are far from such a state—we
become infuriated if even one unpleasant sentence is spoken to us. Thus,
our anger, greed, and envy are evidence of the nescience within us. The
Adhyātma Ramayan states:
ajñānamevāsya hi mūla kāraṇaṁ
 (Uttar Kand 5.9)
‘Ignorance is the root cause of all our problems.’
We must, therefore, strive to remove ajnana and make our life successful.

Understand the Scriptures from a Guru

To acquire material knowledge, we read textbooks and go to teachers, who
explain their meaning to us. Spiritual knowledge must also be acquired in a
similar manner—through books and teachers.
The Vedic scriptures are not amenable to self-study, for they are incredibly
intricate and complex. The Mahabharat states:
śhrutirvibhinnā smṛitayo vibhinnāḥ
naiko muniryasya vachaḥ pramāṇam
(Varna Parva 313.117)
‘The scriptures are so many—śhrutis and smṛitis—each expounding on
different principles. Even great scholars become get baffled on reading
them.’ Likewise, the Ramayan states:
śhruti purāna bahu kaheu upāī,
chhūṭa na adhika adhika arujhāī
(Uttar Kand 7.116(B)-3)
‘The śhrutis and smṛitis teach many techniques. Merely reading them does
not provide clarity, rather it only increases the confusion.’
Hence, all these holy books advice that they must be studied under the
tutelage of a Guru. The Chhandogya Upanishad states:
āchāryavān puruṣho veda (6.14.2)
‘Only through a Guru can you understand the Vedas.’
Having understood the need for a Guru, the question arises, ‘Who is a true
guru?’

Qualifications of a Guru
The word ‘guru’ has been adopted in the English language to signify
‘expert in the field’. Nowadays, it is common to call an expert by terms
such as ‘management guru’, ‘economics guru’, and so on. Here we are
discussing the Guru of spiritual wisdom. Whom can we call a true guru?
The Atharva Veda informs us of the qualities of a Guru. It states:
tadvijñānārthaṁ sagurumevābhigachchhet
samitpāniḥ śhrotriyaṁ brahmaniṣhṭham
(Mundak Upanishad 1.2.12)
‘To realize the Absolute Truth, approach with faith a Guru who is both
śhrotriya and brahma niṣhṭha.’
In this mantra, two qualifications for the Guru are mentioned:
1. The Guru must be śhrotriya, or knower of the scriptures. The Guru must
be proficient in scriptural knowledge and must have the ability to impart it
to us effectively.
2. The Guru must be brahma niṣṭha, or situated in God-consciousness. The
simple logic is that only one who is God-realized can help others reach
that state. This is common sense. We can give to others only what we
ourselves possess. Blind people cannot show others the path. Illiterate
people cannot teach how to read. Ignorant people cannot give others
knowledge.

Accordingly, the Guru must possess both attributes: 1) be theoretically

learned, and 2) practically realized. Shree Krishna refers to such a Saint as
tattva darśhi (Seer of the Truth). He conveys to Arjun:
tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśhnena sevayā
upadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas-tattva-darśhinaḥ
(Bhagavad Gita 4.34)
‘To get knowledge of God, approach a Guru. Surrender unto him, serve him
with faith, and inquire submissively from him. He will impart divine
knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.’
I was blessed to personally learn the Vedic scriptures at the lotus feet of
such a śhrotriya brahma niṣhṭha Saint, Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, who
was also the fifth original Jagadguru in Bharat’s history.
Veracity of the Guru’s Teachings
In contemporary times, whether by fortune or misfortune, we find ourselves
presented with access to numerous gurus. They offer a plethora of diverse
ideologies and methods. The challenge arises in discerning which guru’s
interpretation holds true, and which is prejudiced. Is there a way to
ascertain whether a Guru imparts the Absolute Truth rather than mere
personal opinion? Fortunately, a means of validation does exist.
The authenticity of the Guru’s teachings can be validated in two ways:
It should concur with the sacred texts. Any deviation from these can raise
doubt about the teachings being mere mental concoction. Even the slightest
discrepancy in knowledge can erode its reliability.
It should concur with the teachings of past Gurus. The Absolute Truth is
not a novel discovery but a timeless reality. Throughout Bharat’s history,
numerous enlightened beings, such as Soordas, Tulsidas, Meerabai,
Kabirdas, Narsi Mehta, Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, Ramanujacharya,
Nimbarkacharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Vallabhacharya have
illuminated the path to it. Our Guru’s teachings should also align with the
foundational principles of these revered predecessors.
This validation process relies on the triad of Guru (our Spiritual Master),
Sadhu (the numerous past Gurus throughout history), and Shastras (the
Vedic scriptures). When these three—Guru, Sadhu, and Shastras—concur to
affirm the same principle, we can confidently conclude that our Guru has
imparted the correct knowledge of the Absolute Truth.

Follow the Instructions of the Guru

Once we find a God-realized guru, we must then diligently adhere to his
instructions. This is just as when we are sick, we go to a doctor. We explain
our symptoms to the doctor. Beyond that, we do not use our intellect; we
trust his expertise. The doctor diagnoses our problem and tells us the
remedy: ‘Take this medicine, two tablespoons, three times a day, for one
month, and you will be cured’. We follow the doctor’s instructions and get
well.
Now suppose, we used our intellect, The doctor has told me to take a little
medicine every day for one month. Let me take it all today, so that I will get
cured in one day itself. If we were to do this, the doctor would not be able
to treat us. Similarly, the Guru can only cure us from the disease of
ignorance if we follow his instructions.
But first, we must learn the secrets of the scriptures from the Guru, and
then, we must act in accordance with the instructions.

Have Staunch Faith in the True Guru

Faith in the Guru’s divinity is necessary for accepting their divine
teachings. We are often unable to grasp the Guru’s profound guidance due
to our limited intellectual capacity. This is where faith is key. It enables us
to wholeheartedly embrace even the Guru’s most esoteric teachings and
earnestly commit ourselves to sadhana (spiritual practice). As we progress
on the path, the wisdom of these teachings gradually become evident.
True gurus are devoid of personal desires. They have merged their will with
the will of the Supreme Lord. They are also free from pride and self-
seeking propensity. Such Gurus do nothing of their own accord. Their
actions are guided and inspired by God from within. Hence, these Gurus
become instruments through whom the Lord performs His divine works of
uplifting souls. Such Gurus become representatives of the Supreme in this
world. This is why it is commonly said:
guruḥ brahma guruḥ viṣhṇuḥ
guruḥ devo maheśhvaraḥ
guruḥ sākśhāt parabrahma
tasmai śhrī gurave namaḥ
‘Respect your Guru as you would respect God. Look upon him as the
veritable form of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankar.’ The Shwetashvatar
Upanishad states:
yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hyarthāḥ
prakāśhante mahātmanaḥ
(mantra 6.23)
‘For those who engage in devotion with unflinching faith in Guru and God,
the import of all the Vedic scriptures is revealed in their hearts.’ Such is the
power of faith in the true Guru.
A story from the Mahabharat of Aruni, disciple of Rishi Ayoda-Dhaumya,
illustrates the significance of faith.
Aruni was a prominent student of Rishi Ayoda-Dhaumya. He hailed from
Panchala. Once, Dhaumya learned of a breach in his field’s watercourse
that could flood and destroy his crops. He summoned Aruni and asked him
to fix it. Aruni respectfully agreed and went to the field.
Upon reaching the spot, he encountered a significant breach that could not
be repaired by any means at his disposal. He devised a unique solution.
Without hesitation, he lay down against the gap, using his body as a barrier,
throughout the night and into the next morning.
Realizing Aruni had not returned, Dhaumya, along with the other disciples,
arrived at the field to locate him. The Sage called out for his disciple. Upon
hearing his Guru’s voice, Aruni replied from a distance, ‘Acharya, I am
safeguarding the watercourse with my body. If I get up, the water will flood
in and ruin the field. So, I am sorry, I cannot get up.’
Moved by Aruni’s wholehearted devotion, Ayoda-Dhaumya approached the
spot and said, ‘Oh Aruni, through this act of unparalleled devotion, you
have truly won your Guru’s heart. You may rise now. As a symbol of your
rising and reopening the watercourse, you shall henceforth be known as
Uddalaka. Furthermore, because you followed my words without a single
question, you shall attain immense fortune and respect in this world. All the
Vedas and Dharmashastras will shine within you!’
The story exemplifies the profound effect of genuine faith. From the Guru,
we must now learn the Absolute Truth and the path to God-realization.
 Chapter 5
The Nature of God

I
n the last four chapters, we established the foundations for the spiritual
quest. We learnt we are the atma, or divine souls, and life’s ultimate goal
is God-realization. The attainment of this supreme goal requires
knowledge of the Vedic scriptures, which must be learned under a true guru.
Let us now clarify some basic concepts about God. Detailed knowledge will
come later. Is there a God? If so, who is He? And should we believe in Him
merely on faith, or is there any proof of His existence? These are perennial
questions that have been raised innumerable times in history. Even today,
they arise in the minds of many people. We will delve into them, step by
step.

Creator of the World

We live in an astonishing universe embracing the smallest atoms to the
largest galaxies. How did creation come about? Some scientists propose the
‘Big Bang’ theory to explain it. They claim there was a big mass of
concentrated matter. It exploded and scattered debris everywhere.
Eventually, as this matter cooled, the world came into existence.
The Big Bang theory was initially proposed by Spinoza, Lucipus,
Democritus, and other philosophers. It has now become the prevailing
viewpoint of the scientific community. However, questioning its logic, I like
to relate a humorous anecdote.
Maxwell, one of the greatest scientists in history, was a firm believer in
God. His fellow scientist, a close friend, did not believe there was a God.
He would argue that the world was made by itself. One day, Maxwell
created a model of the solar system and set it in motion in his study room.
His friend came to meet him and on seeing the model, exclaimed, ‘This is
remarkable! Who made it?’
‘Nobody made it,’ Maxwell replied. ‘I was working on my table when I
heard an explosion. On turning around, I saw this had been formed.’
‘How preposterous!’ his friend retorted. ‘Can such an incredible thing
appear merely by an explosion? Someone must have definitely built it.’
‘My friend, you are not willing to believe that a little model of the solar
system could be created by itself,’ said Maxwell. ‘And you want me to
believe that the real universe, consisting of many such solar systems, came
into existence without a Creator. If it is logical to believe that this model
has a maker, it is equally sensible to affirm that the real world must have a
Creator too.’
This is exactly how the Taittiriya Upanishad describes God:
yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante yena jātāni jīvanti
yatprayantyabhisaṁviśhanti (3.1)
‘God is He, Who created this world; God is He, within Whom the entire
world exists; God is He, into Whom the whole world will merge on
annihilation.’
Let us reinforce this definition of God’s existence with another anecdote.
A geography teacher taught her students that the world was created by
itself. She then asked them to make a map of the world, as their homework,
and bring it the next day.
One of the students disagreed with what the teacher had taught. He decided
to play a prank on her. The following day, he scribbled lines on a sheet of
paper and filled it with random colours. He discreetly placed his sheet in
the pile of submissions from the other students.
The teacher entered the classroom and began evaluating the maps on her
table. When she came to that scrap of paper, she was infuriated. ‘Who did
this?’ she exclaimed. The entire class fell silent. ‘Tell me who did it, or I
shall punish you all,’ she said.
The student who had made it stood up. ‘Ma’am! In my opinion, no one
made it,’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’ inquired the teacher.
‘Possibly, the paper flew and landed on your desk,’ the student replied.
‘The pencil flew and scribbled lines on it. The colours flew and got filled in
the paper.’
‘How is that feasible?’ the teacher retorted. ‘Obviously someone must have
made it. And I strongly suspect you are the one.’
‘Ma’am! You are not willing to believe that a distorted map of the earth
could be created by itself. Yet, you want us to believe that the real world,
consisting of innumerable planets, was created on its own? Just as it is
reasonable to assume the map has a maker, it is also logical to conclude the
real world has a Creator.’
The Vedant Darshan defines God along these lines. Its first aphorism states:
‘athāto brahma jīgyāsā (1.1.1)
‘Now try to know God.’ This leads to the question, who is this God that we
should know?
The second aphorism of the Vedant Darshan explains who God is:
janmādasya yataḥ (1.1.2)
‘God is He, Who has created this world.’

Many Names of the One God

The Hindus worship Bhagavan, Christians venerate Christ, Muslims
worship Allah, Jews uphold Yahweh, Parsis worship Ahura Mazda, Jains
honour Alakh Niranjan, Sikhs revere Ik-Omkar, and Buddhists pay homage
to Shunya. Are all these different Gods?
Sometimes religious practitioners develop intense enmity towards each
other based on the God they worship. The Rig Veda dispels such
misgivings. It clearly states:
ekaṁ saṅtaṁ bahudhā kalpayanti
(verse 10.114.5)
‘There is One Supreme Entity, Whom Saints have referred to in various
ways.’
The Creator of the world is One, and all religions worship the same all-
powerful God. Quarrels are due to a lack of understanding. It mirrors the
parable of the blind people who went to see an elephant.
One blind person put his hand on the elephant’s stomach and exclaimed,
‘This creature is just like a wall.’
The second blind man caught the leg and stated, ‘This is a tree.’
The third held its tail and said, ‘No, it’s a rope.’
The fourth touched the elephant’s ear and said, ‘It is like a fan.’
Sticking to their views which were mutually contradictory, they began
fighting with each other. One man was watching these blind men
quarrelling. He pacified them, ‘Do not fight. None of you is wrong. Each of
you is describing parts of the same elephant. All that you have said together
depicts the complete elephant.’
Similarly, the Vedas, with the eyes of knowledge, tell us not to quarrel on
the basis of religion. They advocate respect towards all religions, explaining
that they worship the same all-powerful Creator, but address Him by
different Names.
ekaṁ sadviprāḥ bahudhā vadanti
(Rig Veda 1-164.46)
‘The Absolute Truth is one, yet scholars worship Him in various Forms.’

Does God Have a Form?

This question has often sparked debate with some arguing He cannot
possess a form. They contend that Krishna, Ram, Shiv, and others cannot be
God for They possess a discernible form, while God is only formless.
However, such an understanding of the Supreme Entity is very limited.
The fact is that God is all-powerful. He created this world that is teeming
with shapes and forms. If He can create these myriad forms, does He not
have the ability to adopt a form for Himself? Of course, He does. If we
accept that He is omnipotent, then we must also affirm His ability to take a
form. At the same time, God is also formless. Otherwise, His Divine
presence would not be everywhere.
We individual souls also have both aspects to our personality. The soul is
formless, yet, it has donned a human body—not just once, but innumerable
times in countless past lives. When we tiny souls have this ability, definitely
the all-powerful God can also adopt a form. Hence, the Brihadaranyak
Upanishad states that He is both formless and with a personal form:
dwe vāva brahmaṇo rūpe mūrtaṁ
chaiva amūrtaṁ cha
(verse 2.3.1)
‘God is all-pervading, but He also manifests in a personal form.’
Further, is God male or female? The Shwetashvatar Upanishad asserts that
He is both:
tvaṁ strī tvaṁ pumānasi
tvaṁ kumāra uta vā kumārī
(4.3)
‘You are a Woman, You are a Man; You are a Youth and a Maiden too. You
even manifested as an old person, tottering with a staff.’ Hence, Narayan
and Lakshmi, Krishna and Radha, Ram and Sita, Shiv and Parvati—all
represent different Forms of the Supreme.
Language has its limitations. In the absence of universally accepted
phraseology, I commonly use the term ‘He’ to refer to God. However, from
the Vedic perspective, God encompasses both ‘He’ and ‘She’.
The attributes mentioned above provide a mere glimpse of the Lord’s
countless divine qualities, serving to deepen our understanding of His
eminence.

Many Forms of God

In Hinduism, we have many Gods—Krishna, Ram, Shiv, Vishnu, Durga,
and more. Are they all different Gods, or are some bigger than others? The
answer is that these are not separate Gods. They are various forms of the
same Supreme Divine Entity. The scriptures state: ekam-eva-advitīyaṁ
bramha ‘There is one God without a second.’
Compare this to the various exterior appearances of your personality. When
you go to the office, you dress up formally. At the park, you are clothed
casually. And at home, you are relaxed in pyjamas. Now, your family
members do not become confused, perceiving you as three different
individuals. They understand these are only three different appearances.
Similarly, Krishna, Ram, Shiv, and Vishnu are not distinct and separate
Gods; they all are various forms of the same one Supreme Divine
Personality.
The difference between God and us is that we are not all-powerful; we
cannot exist in three places at the same time. However, God is supremely
powerful. He can simultaneously manifest in as many forms as He wishes.
Therefore, Krishna, Ram, Shiv, Vishnu, and others are all His
manifestations. True devotees respect all these divine Forms of the Lord,
while choosing one of Them as their Iṣhṭa Dev (chosen form of God for
worship).
Hence, we should not consider any one Form of the Lord as superior or
inferior. Ved Vyas, who was an Avatar of the Lord, states in the Padma
Puran:
sarve pūrṇāḥ śhāśhvatāśhcha
dehāstasya paramātmanaḥ
‘All the Avatars of God are perfect and complete.’ The Supreme Divine
Personality is so complete that He can simultaneously be both small and
big, near and far, with a personal form and formless. Let us understand how.

God Possesses Innumerable Contradictory Attributes

The Vedic scriptures present an all-encompassing insight of the Supreme.
They state that He possesses contradictory attributes at the same time. The
Brahma Puran informs us:
asthūlo naṇurūposā vaviśhvo
viśhva eva cha
viruddha dharmarūpo sā
vaiśhvaryāt puruṣhottamaḥ
‘God has countless paradoxical contrary qualities to His personality.’
Elaborating on these opposing qualities, the Shwetashvatar Upanishad
states:
aṇoraṇīyān mahato mahīyān
 ātmā guhāyāṁ nihito ’sya jantoḥ
(3.20)
‘He is subtler than the subtlest, yet bigger than the biggest. He is present in
the tiniest atomic particle, and yet, all of Creation resides in Him.’
These qualities may seem paradoxical, but they are not surprising
considering that the Supreme Entity is all-powerful. The Upanishads state
that He transcends all attributes:
neti natyasthūlamanaṇuḥ
(Chhandogya Upanishad)
‘No description can circumscribe the Infinite. He is neither “big” nor
“small”.’ This mantra is the opposite of the previous one, yet both hold true,
illustrating the omnipotent nature of God.

Celestial Gods
What about the celestial devatas, such as Indra, Varun, Kuber, Agni, and
Vayu? What is their status in comparison to the Supreme Divine
Personality?
These devatas live in swarg, or the celestial abodes, which are higher planes
of living within this material world. It is important to understand that
devatas are not God; they are souls like us. They occupy specific
administrative roles in the functioning of the world.
Consider the central government of the country. It has a home minister, a
finance minister, an industries minister, an agriculture minister, and so on.
These are positions that people occupy for a limited tenure. At the
conclusion of the term, the post-holders change as the new government
takes over. These posts are then assigned to different people.
Similarly, in the governance of the world, there are posts such as Agni Dev
(the god of fire), Vayu Dev (the god of the wind), Varun Dev (the god of the
ocean), Indra Dev (the king of the celestial gods), and others. Souls with
substantial pious merit from past lives occupy these seats for a certain
period. When their term is completed, others come to occupy the same
seats. Thus, the celestial posts are given temporarily to souls and then taken
away. We cannot equate devatas to the Supreme Lord, Who is the Master of
the universe.
Many people worship celestial gods with the aim of seeking material
rewards. However, these devatas can neither grant liberation from material
bondage nor God-realization. Even if they do bestow material benefits, it is
only by the powers they have received from God. Hence, Shree Krishna
repeatedly emphasizes in the Bhagavad Gita that people who worship the
celestial gods are less intelligent. Real wisdom lies in worshipping the
Supreme Lord. In order to do that let us progress further in our journey
towards God-realization.
 Chapter 6
How to Know God

I
n the previous chapter, we clarified some basic misconceptions about the
nature of God. We must now get a deeper understanding of the Supreme
Divine Personality. Ultimately, we would like to develop love for Him
and attain God-realization. How will all this happen?

Knowledge Leads to Love

The Vedas inform us that if we wish to attain God, we must first obtain
knowledge about Him. When we know Him, we will develop faith in Him,
and through faith, we will attain love. The Ramayan states:
jāne binu na hoi paratītī,
binu paratītī hoi nahiñ prīti
(Uttar Kand 7.88.4)
‘Knowledge leads to faith, and faith leads to love.’ Understand this
principle through a worldly example.
Let us say, you are celebrating your birthday party. Your friends are coming
one-by-one and offering you birthday gifts. Someone comes and gives you a
ragged cloth bundle. You curl your nose in distaste, thinking, ‘What is this
dirty package?’
The person says, ‘Don’t jump to conclusions. Take a look inside.’
You untie the knot and find a gold brick in the bag. On realizing the value of
the gift, you immediately place it against your heart. ‘Oh wow! This is a
real present. With this, I can buy anything I want.’
When you did not know the value of the gift, you had no love for it. When
you came to know its worth, you immediately developed love for it. How
did it happen? Knowledge resulted in faith, and faith resulted in love.
Similarly, if we can become aware of the greatness of God, the immense
powers He possesses, and the extraordinary things He does, we will
naturally develop faith in Him. Then, through faith, we will develop loving
devotion.

Divine Knowledge Makes Us Grateful

Consider another benefit of the relationship between knowledge and love.
One man had a car accident in the countryside. His vehicle hit a lamppost
and got crushed. The man lost consciousness inside the car. A villager came
to the rescue. He checked the man’s pockets, found his home address, and
informed his relatives about the accident.
The villager took the man in his bullock cart to the nearest hospital. On
checking the patient, the doctor advised an immediate blood transfusion to
save his life. Without hesitation, the villager agreed to donate his own
blood, which matched.
Upon regaining consciousness, the man found his relatives in the hospital
room. He was overjoyed to see them. However, on noticing the villager, he
frowned in disdain and inquired, ‘What is this rustic doing here?’
The man’s relatives informed him, ‘This is the man who saved your life. He
brought you to the hospital, gave you his blood, and apprised us about your
accident. Had it not been for him, you would not be alive today.’
The man felt deeply indebted, ‘I am thankful to you with all my heart. There
is no way I can repay my debt to you.’
Earlier, without any knowledge of the villager’s services he had received,
the man had expressed disdain towards him. Simply by learning of the
villager’s selfless deeds, his attitude transformed, and he developed deep
gratitude. Similarly, if we do not know who God is, how He is related to us,
and what He does for us, we will foster neither faith nor love for Him.
However, when we get to know Him, we will naturally develop great
devotion.
The next question, then, is how can we know the Supreme?
God is Beyond Our Senses, Mind, and Intellect
We possess three instruments of knowledge—senses, mind, and intellect.
We use these instruments to gather information about things.
If I were to show you a watch, and ask, ‘What is this?’ you would
immediately reply, ‘It is a wristwatch.’ How did you arrive at this
conclusion? Your eyes perceived the object and sent the information to the
mind. The mind in turn processed the data, to understand its shape, size, and
colour. The processed information was then sent to the intellect, which
analysed the data and determined the object was a wristwatch.
This is how our senses, mind, and intellect learn about anything. However,
these instruments of knowledge are incapable of knowing God. They are
made from maya, the material energy, while the Supreme Divine
Personality is not material; He is above maya. The Mundak Upanishad
reveals:
divyo hyamūrtaḥ puruṣaḥ
(2.1.2)
‘He, the Divine, is unfettered by form.’
Hence, God is beyond the purview of our senses. A hilarious story
illustrates this point.
An animal trainer was the major draw in the circus where he performed.
During his shows, lions, tigers, bears, and other animals would be released
from their cages into the arena where he stood. Then, with the help of his
whip and a four-pronged shield, he would tame them.
His show attracted many visitors, until a musician came to him and said,
‘This is no big deal. I can make these animals dance to the tune of my
violin.’ His claim outraged the animal trainer who challenged the musician
to prove his claim.
The musician accepted the challenge and sat in the arena, playing on his
violin. First, the bear was released from its cage, and to everyone’s
astonishment, it got charmed by the music and began dancing. Then, the
tiger was released, and it behaved in the same manner.
Finally, the lion was freed from its cage. The musician continued stringing
his violin, but the lion was unimpressed. It began roaring fiercely and
eyeing the musician. As it drew closer, the musician threw away his violin
and ran for safety.
He asked the animal trainer, ‘I have always succeeded in encharming
creatures with my talent. Why did it not work on the lion?’
The animal trainer responded smugly, ‘I knew it would not work. The lion is
deaf and cannot hear.’
When it comes to perceiving divine subjects, we are equally blind and deaf.
Our eyes can only see material things. Our ears can only hear material
sounds, our skin can only touch material objects, and our tongue can only
taste material foods. On the other hand, God is divine, and hence, He cannot
be known by our senses, mind, and intellect.
Does this mean we will never attain God? Definitely not! Innumerable
Saints, such as Shankaracharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya,
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Vallabhacharya have seen God, spoken to Him,
known Him, and realized Him. But they also had material senses like ours,
then how did they come to know God?
To find the answer to this riddle, we must once again turn to the Vedas.
They are the ultimate authority for Brahma jnana, or knowledge of God.

Know God through His Grace

The Yajur Veda states that the Supreme can be known only by His mercy:
tasya no rāsva tasya no dhehi
‘Without the grace of the lotus feet of God, nobody can know Him.’
When God bestows His grace, He will endow His divine power to our
material senses, mind, and intellect. Equipped with His power, we will be
able to see Him, know Him, and love Him. Those fortunate souls who
received His grace became God-realized saints. We have not yet received
this extra special grace, which is why we are still rotating in the 8.4 million
species of life. The Ramayan beautifully states:
soi janai jehi dehu janai,
 janata tumahin tumhahin hoi jai
(Ayodhya Kand 2.126.2)
‘Only those can know You, Oh Ram, upon whom You bestow Your divine
grace. And such fortunate souls become godlike.’
When the Lord graces us, He will bestow His divine power upon us. He
will add His divine eye to our material eyes, His divine mind to our material
mind, and His divine intellect to our material intellect. When our senses,
mind, and intellect become divine, endowed with His power, then we too
will be able to know Him.
Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj explained this very nicely in the Bhakti
Shatak:
samujh! samujh saun śhyām ko,
samujh sakā nahin koy
samujh milai jab śhyām kī,
samajh sakai bas soy
(verse 32)
‘By their own effort, nobody can ever know Shree Krishna. When He
Himself bestows His grace upon someone, then that fortunate soul attains
knowledge of the Lord.’
If God-realization depends upon grace, then is there no need for self-effort?
Can we sit passively and wait for the grace to descend upon us? Or do we
need to do something to become benefactors of this special grace? This
question will be addressed next.
 Chapter 7
The Importance of Self-Effort

I
n the previous chapter, we understood the need for God’s grace to know
Him. Does this mean there is no importance of self-effort? Should we
then stop all our sadhana and simply wait for His grace?
Understand the answer through a humorous story.
A villager was transporting wheat bags to town on his bullock cart. On the
way, the cart’s wheels got stuck in the mud. The villager was an ardent
devotee of Lord Hanuman. He took out the Hanuman Chalisa prayer book
and began reciting it. When done, he folded his hands and prayed, ‘Oh
Hanumanji! Please come and free my cart from the mud.’
Seeing nothing happening, he started reciting the Hanuman Chalisa once
more. On completing it, he again prayed in the same manner. Hanumanji
was hearing the villager’s pleas. He thought, This person is devoted, but his
understanding of God’s grace is incorrect. Let me teach him.
Hanumanji manifested before the villager and said, ‘My dear fellow, if I
start taking out people’s carts in this manner, the whole world will become
lazy. Instead, you put in your best effort. Stand with your feet in the mud,
and push the cart with all your might while calling out to the bulls.
Simultaneously, pray to Me for My grace. Then I will add My strength to
yours, and you will be able to take the cart out. However, if you think you
will not do anything and Hanumanji alone should get the work done, that
will never be.’
The story illustrates the grace of God is necessary, but our effort is also
required. The Shwetashvatar Upanishad says:
tapaḥ prabhavāddevaprasādāchcha
(6.21)
‘Our own effort and the grace of God are both essential for attaining the
ultimate goal.’

We Have the Free Will to Act

Many people downplay the significance of personal effort, claiming,
‘Nothing is within our control. God resides within us, guiding all our
actions.’ In the Pandav Gita, the wicked Duryodhan employed similar
reasoning:
jānāmi dharmaṁ na cha me pravṛittiḥ
jānāmyadharmaṁ na cha me nivṛittiḥ
kenāpi devena hṛidisthitena
yathā niyuktosmi tathā karomi
Duryodhan said: ‘I know what is right, and I also know what is wrong. But
there is some devata sitting inside me. As he provokes me, that is how I
behave.’
Many people often present such arguments. When questioned about their
mistakes, they attribute them to the will of God. Their explanation goes like
this: ‘It is God Who orchestrates all events, and we are but puppets in His
hands.’ They even provide scriptural verses in support of their standpoint.
umā dāru joṣhita kī nāīṅ,
sabahi nachāvata rāma gosāīṅ
(Ramayan, Kishkindha Kand 4.10.4)
‘Just as a puppeteer gets wooden dolls to dance, the Lord is making us
dance to His tune.’ Consequently, we are not responsible for our actions.
A common saying among people captures this sentiment: binā bhagvān kī
kṛīpā ke ek pattā bhī nahīn hilatā ‘Without the will of God, not even a leaf
moves.’
On hearing this, people become reassured, ‘It means God is the Doer of all
our actions, so we need not bother about improving them.’ However, this is
incorrect thinking. If God were indeed our Director, we would never have
committed any mistakes. All of our actions would have been perfect since
God can never make a blunder. The fact that we err repeatedly implies we
are performing actions of our own free will.
Further, if God were our Doer, we would not receive karmic reactions. Why
would we suffer for what God did through us? He would either bear the
karma or forgive Himself. However, the Law of Karma states:
karama pradhāna visva kari rākhā
jo jasa karai so tasa phalu chākhā
(Ramayan, Ayodhya Kand 2.218.2)
‘The world is under the wheel of karma. In accordance with our actions, we
receive the results.’ The existence of the Law of Karma suggests that we are
the doers of our actions.
God is impartial and perfectly just. If He were responsible for our actions,
He would either have made everyone perform good deeds and become
Saints, or He would have made everyone perform wicked actions and
become demons. But there is so much diversity in the world. One is a Saint,
like Prahlad, while the other is a demon, like Hiranyakashipu. This variety
implies we possess the freedom to choose and are responsible for what we
do.
Finally, if God were the Inspirer of our actions, there would be no need for
Him to speak the Bhagavad Gita or any other scripture. He would not have
to explain the path to perfection. Only two sentences would be required:
‘Oh souls, I am the Doer of everything. So, you need not understand proper
and improper action.’ Yet, even at the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Shree
Krishna states:
iti te jñānam ākhyātaṁ
guhyād guhyataraṁ mayā
vimṛiśhyaitad aśheṣheṇa
yathechchhasi tathā kuru
(verse 18.63)
‘O Arjun, I have given you divine knowledge. Now, ponder over it deeply,
and then do as you wish.’
Likewise, Lord Ram delivered a discourse to the inhabitants of Ayodhya, in
which He said:
sunahu karahu jo tuhmahi sohāī
(Ramayan, Uttar Kand 7.42.2)
‘Hear Me out, and then do as you wish.’
Certain passages in the Vedic scriptures refer to God as the Doer. So, it
becomes imperative to learn about their context to avoid any
misunderstanding. For this, understand two key terms: prayojak kartā and
prayojya kartā.
Prayojak kartā: This term refers to the one who bestows the power to
perform works. God is the prayojak kartā, as He provides our senses, mind,
and intellect with the capability to engage in actions.
Prayojya kartā: This term designates the one who employs the bestowed
power to work. The individual soul is the prayojya kartā, as it harnesses
this divine power for its actions.
A good analogy is of the electrical station that supplies electricity to your
house. If it did not provide power, you would not be able to do any
electrical work. However, once you have the power supply at your home,
what you do with it is your own choice. You could heat or cool the house,
as you wish.
Similarly, God bestows our eyes with the power to see. What we see is our
own choice. We could go to the temple and have darshan of the deities, or
we could waste our time by watching movies and shows. God merely gives
us the faculty of sight. He does not decide how we choose to use it.
Therefore, let us not shift the blame for our actions to God. If we make a
mistake, it is our responsibility to acknowledge it, learn from it, and strive
to prevent its recurrence.
However, taking ownership of our inadequacies is not easy. To evade it,
some people resort to blaming destiny.

Destiny vs Self-Effort
Some do not blame God for their errors; they hold their destiny responsible
for it. They say we all were born with our individual destiny which
determines our wealth, education, fame, lifespan, and health. Whatever is
written in our fate will happen, no matter what we do. And what is not
written, we will never get it, no matter how hard we try. Hence, there is no
point in putting effort to accomplish anything.
Such excuse-makers even provide quotations to support their views.
yaddhātrā nija bhāla paṭṭa likhitaṁ
stokaṁ mahaddvādhanaṁ
tatprāpnoti marusthalepi natarāṁ
merau tato nādhikam
taddhīro bhava vitta vatsu kṛpaṇāṁ
vṛittiṁ vṛithā mā kṛithāḥ
kūpe paśyapayo nidhāvapi
ghaṭo ghṛṇāti tulyaṁ jalam
‘Whether you immerse a pot in a well or an ocean, it will fill with the same
volume of water. Similarly, you will only get as much wealth as is written
in the pot of your destiny. Living on the golden Sumeru Mountain will not
help you get more, and residing in the desert will not make you get less.
Thus, putting in effort is futile.’
The above view is called fatalism, which is the belief that we are bound by
an unalterable destiny. It asserts that all events are predestined to occur,
rendering human beings powerless to alter their fate. Thinking in this
manner results in an attitude of compliance and passivity, stemming from
the belief that people are entirely helpless in the face of destiny.
Before scrutinizing the validity of the fatalistic doctrine, let us understand
what destiny is. The scriptures state:
pūrva janma kṛitaṁ karma
taddaivamiti kathyate
(Hitopadesh)
‘The actions we performed in our past lives created our destiny in the
present.’
This means destiny is not an ethereal decree bestowed from the celestial
realms. Nor is it a cryptic chart unveiled by astrologers. Instead, our destiny
has been crafted through the actions undertaken by our own volition in
previous births. This implies that in prior lifetimes, we exercised our free
will to perform actions.
Now, let us employ the technique of Reductio ad absurdum to disprove the
fatalistic argument. Assume, for the sake of argument, that everything
indeed is predestined. In that case, our current life is governed entirely by
destiny and there is no scope for individual agency. However, this
proposition must hold true for our previous lifetimes as well. Consequently,
it would imply that in our past lives, we were similarly bound by destiny.
This line of reasoning creates a perplexing question. If destiny was binding
us in all past lives, then when did we perform independent actions that
forged our destiny? And if no prior life allowed us the freedom to act by our
own volition, then how could destiny have been formed? Conversely, if we
exercised our free will in any past life, it follows that we can do so in our
present life as well. Hence, the premise that all events are predetermined
reaches a logical contradiction.
Thinking in a fatalistic manner will make us lazy. We will assume,
‘Everything is predetermined, so whether I work hard or not does not
matter.’ Such debilitating thoughts will impede our inspiration to try our
best. Hence, the Ramayan states:
daiva daiva ālasī pukārā
(Sundar Kand 5.50.2)
‘Only lazy people blame destiny for their substandard achievements.’
To prevent falling into the fatalistic trap, let us try and understand what
destiny truly is. There are three kinds of karmas associated with all of us:
Sañchit Karma: All the actions that we performed in endless past lives are
noted by God, Who maintains their account. These are called sañchit
karmas.
Prārabdh Karma: At the time of birth, God takes a portion from these
accumulated karmas and gives them in the present life. This becomes our
destiny and is called prārabdh (fate).
Kriyamāṇ Karma: Although prārabdh is fixed at birth, we still retain the
freedom to perform new karmas. The actions we do in the present by our
own agency are called kriyamāṇ karma. These are in our own hands and not
predetermined.
What we get in life is the result of both the prārabdh and the kriyamāṇ
karmas. Compare it with playing a game of cards. The hand of cards that is
dealt to you is fixed. However, how you play is up to you. If you are a good
player, you can win with bad cards. Instead, if you play badly, you could
lose even with good cards. Similarly, if we put in sincere effort, we can
succeed despite bad prārabdh. However, if we are lazy, we will fail despite
a favourable destiny.
So, destiny does exist and will be given to us automatically; we should not
worry about it. Instead, we should put in our best efforts to shape a bright
future.

The Grace of God Must be Earned

In conclusion, the concept of grace of God should not diminish the need for
self-effort in our minds. God is causelessly merciful and is waiting to
bestow His grace upon us. However, He can only do so when we go to Him
with a proper vessel.
If you went to a milkman with a leaking vessel and asked for a litre of milk,
the milkman would say, ‘I am ready to give it to you, but you will not be
able to retain it. Bring a proper vessel, and I will pour in it.’
Similarly, we too will have to prepare the vessel of our heart to receive the
grace of God. How can we qualify for His grace? This is the next question
we will address.
 Chapter 8
Surrender to God

L
et us now inquire as to how we can qualify for God’s grace. And what
criteria have prevented us from receiving it so far.

Why Have We Not Yet Received Divine Grace?

We hear that God is causelessly merciful. Then, why has He not bestowed
His mercy upon us? Endless lifetimes have passed rotating in this cycle of
life and death. How long will this continue? A devotee complains:
api garta mukhe gataḥ śhiśhuḥ
pathipi nivāryate javāt
janakena patana bhavārṇave
na nivāryo bhavatā kathaṁ vibhoḥ
‘My Lord! If an infant has fallen into a ditch and is wailing, any passerby
who sees the infant is moved to pity. They lift up the child, quieten it, and
try to locate its parents. If the parents are not traceable, they give the child
to an orphanage or police station. But no one in the world is so hard-hearted
as to throw the little baby back into the ditch.
‘Are You even worse than worldly people, Oh Lord? I hear that You are my
Eternal Father. You are completely aware of my miserable condition in the
world. You have the ability to uplift me with a simple glance of Your grace.
Then why am I bereft of Your grace? Not once in innumerable lifetimes did
You choose to make me Your own. On the other hand, You bestowed Your
divine mercy on so many Saints in history.’
God responds to the accusation: ‘Oh soul! You are urging Me to grace you
on the grounds that I am your Father. When you visit the temple, you say:
tvameva mātā cha pitā tvameva “Oh Lord, You are my Mother and Father.”
But I ask you, “Do you really believe I am your Father? You simply utter
empty words in which you have no faith.”’
God concludes by saying, ‘I will bestow My grace the day you truly accept
Me as your Father. Innumerable Saints did so in the past and attained
eternal bliss. You too can do the same.’
God is just and unbiased. He governs the world as per His eternal laws. If
He were to arbitrarily grace people, the world would lose their faith in Him.
Consider the following example.
A father had two sons. He instructed both to go and work hard in his
cornfields. The first son obeyed his father’s instructions and toiled all day
long. Upon his return, his father said, ‘Well done my son! Here are a
thousand rupees. Go and enjoy yourself.’
On the other hand, the second son did not go to the fields. He stayed back
home lounging on his bed, glued to his smartphone. He also drank alcohol
and abused his father in a drunken state. Surprisingly, at the end of the day,
the father rewarded the second son in the same manner, saying, ‘Never
mind! After all, you are also my son. Here, take a thousand rupees and have
a good time.’
The consequence was that the first son lost his motivation to serve his
father. He thought, ‘If this is my dad’s reward policy, then there is no point
in exerting myself. Father will give the thousand rupees regardless.’
Likewise, God says if He were to confer His grace whimsically, the Saints
would complain: ‘My Lord, we endeavoured for many births and then
became benefactors of Your grace. If this person, who did not obey Your
instructions, has also received it, then our striving so hard to conform to
Your laws was meaningless.’
Hence, God affirms, ‘I do not break My rules. I have My laws in
accordance with which I administer the world. If you wish to receive My
divine grace, you will need to fulfil My condition for it.’
What, then, is the condition for receiving grace?

The Principle of Sharanagati

God’s eternal law is very simple: Those who are śharaṇãgat (surrendered to
God) receive His grace. All the scriptures, from the Vedas to the Ramayan,
emphasize the principle of śharaṇãgati. Let us take a look.
The Shwetashvatar Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda states:
yo brahmāṇaṁ vidadhāti pūrvaṁ
yo vai vedānśh cha prahiṇoti tasmai
taṁ ha devam ātma-buddhi-prakāśhaṁ
mumukṣhur vai śharaṇam ahaṁ prapadye
(verse 6.18)
‘We take shelter of that Supreme Being who created Brahma and others. By
His grace the soul and intellect get illumined.’ The Shreemad Bhagavatam
states:
mām ekam eva śharaṇam
ātmānaṁ sarva-dehinām
yāhi sarvātma-bhāvena
mayā syā hy akuto-bhayaḥ
(verse 11.12.15)
‘O Uddhav! Giving up all forms of mundane social and religious
conventions, simply surrender unto Me, the Supreme Soul of all souls. Only
then can you cross over this material ocean and become fearless.’ The
Bhagavad Gita states this law:
tam eva śharaṇaṁ gachchha
sarva bhāvena bhārata
tat-prasādāt parāṁ śhāntiṁ
sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śhāśhvatam
(verse 18.62)
Shree Krishna says in this verse, ‘Arjun, surrender yourself to God. Then,
by His grace, you will attain perfect peace and the divine Abode.’ The
Ramayan also says:
sanamukha hoi jīva mohi jabahīṅ,
janma koṭi agha nāsahiṅ tabahīṅ (Sundar Kand 5.43.1)
‘The moment a soul surrenders to God, its account of sinful deeds from
endless past lifetimes is destroyed by His grace.’
Since all the scriptures recommend the act of surrender to the Supreme, let
us delve into it more deeply.
The Nature of Sharanagati
Surrender has been defined in the Hari Bhakti Vilās, Bhakti Rasāmṛita
Sindhu, the Vāyu Puran, and the Ahirbudhni Saṁhitā in the following
manner:
ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ, pratikulyasya varjanam,
rakṣhiṣhyatīti viśvāso goptṛitve varaṇaṁ tathā
ātma nikśhepa kārpaṇye ṣhaḍvidhā śharaṇāgatiḥ
(Hari Bhakti Vilās 11.676)
This verse explains the six aspects of surrender to God:
1. To desire only in accordance with the desire of God. By nature, we are
His servants, and the duty of a servant is to fulfil the desire of the master.
So, as surrendered devotees of God, we must make our will conform to
the will of God.
This can be compared to a dry leaf that is surrendered to the wind. It does
not complain whether the wind lifts it up, carries it forward or backward,
or drops it to the ground. Similarly, we too must learn to be happy in the
happiness of God.
2. Not to desire against the desire of God. Whatever we get in life is a
result of our past and present karmas. However, the fruits of these karmas
do not come by themselves. God notes them and gives the results at the
appropriate time. Since the results are dispensed by God Himself, we
must learn to serenely accept them.
Usually, when people get wealth, fame, pleasure, or luxuries in the world,
they forget to thank God. But when negative circumstances come, they
blame Him for it, ‘Why did God do this to me?’
Surrender means to not complain about whatever the Lord wills for us, as
depicted in this poignant story.
During Bhagavan Ram’s journey through the forest of Dandakaranya, He
reached Pampasar Lake and was extremely thirsty. He placed His bow
down and stooped to take a drink of water from the lake. However,
unbeknownst to Him, He had inadvertently rested His bow on a nearby
frog.
After quenching His thirst, Lord Ram noticed the severely injured frog, its
body marked by the weight of His bow. Moved by compassion, He said,
 ‘My dear frog, what is this? You have endured such great suffering, yet
you did not complain. I have granted you a voice. You could have cried
out in pain, but you remained silent.’
The frog replied, ‘My Lord, whenever I faced difficult circumstances in
the past, I would cry out to my Supreme Master and Protector, Shree Ram.
Today, Ram Himself has placed me in this predicament. Whom shall I cry
out to now?’
The frog then added, ‘I am not complaining. I accepted this as Your divine
will. I prayed for strength to endure the pain.’
This story beautifully portrays that we must refrain from desiring
outcomes contrary to God’s will. We must exert our best efforts and
having done so, accept the outcomes as God’s plan. Complaining
erodes surrender. True surrender means always saying, ‘Yes, God’.
3. To have firm faith that God is protecting us. As our spiritual Father, He
is taking care of all living beings in Creation. There are trillions of ants on
the planet earth, and all of them need to eat regularly. Do you ever find
that a few million ants in your garden died of starvation? God ensures
they all are provided for. On the other hand, elephants eat mounds of food
every day. The Lord provides for them too.
Even a worldly father cares and provides for his children. Why then
should we doubt whether our eternal Father, God, will take care of us or
not? To have firm faith in His protection is the third aspect of surrender.
Take inspiration from the little girl in this story.
A businessman rushed to catch his flight, barely making it to the boarding
gate before it closed. He found himself seated next to a young girl. It
struck him as unusual that she was traveling alone, but he refrained from
commenting.
About an hour into the flight, the plane encountered sudden turbulence,
leaving many passengers anxious. The businessman was tense too,
gripping his seat and exclaiming ‘Oh my God!’ with each jolt.
In contrast, the little girl was remarkably composed. The man marvelled
at her calmness and asked how she managed to remain tranquil while the
adults were terrified. She looked into his eyes and replied, ‘My father is
the pilot, and he is taking me home.’
 Likewise, God is our Father. We must make Him the Pilot of our life and
repose our faith in His unwavering protection. His plans for us are always
for our highest good and welfare. As they say, ‘God’s plan for us is
always better than our plan for ourselves.’ With this firm belief and inner
conviction, we will become fearless in the midst of tribulations.
4. To keep an attitude of gratitude towards God. We have received so
many priceless gifts from the Lord. The earth we walk upon, the sunlight
with which we see, the air we breathe, and the water we drink are all
bestowed by Him. In fact, it is because of Him that we exist. He brought
us to life and conferred immortality to our soul. We do not pay Him any
tax in return. The least we can do is acknowledge these graces and feel
indebted for them. This is the attitude of gratitude.
The reverse is the sentiment of ungratefulness. For example, a father
tirelessly provides for his child, making immense sacrifices. The child is
told, ‘Be grateful to your father. He literally cut his stomach to feed you.’
But the child responds, ‘Why should I be grateful to Papa? His father took
care of him, and he is taking care of me. He is just doing his duty.’ This is
ingratitude towards the worldly father.
Cultivating gratitude towards our eternal Father for all He has given is the
fourth aspect of surrender.
5. To see all we possess as belonging to God. The world existed before we
were born and will continue to exist after we die. God is its Creator, and
hence, He is the only true Owner of everything. Our claim to
proprietorship is unjustified as the following example illustrates.
Let us say that someone enters your home in your absence. He wears your
clothes, eats out of your refrigerator, and sleeps on your bed. On
returning, you ask indignantly, ‘What have you been doing in my house?’
He says, ‘I have not damaged anything. I have merely used everything
properly. Why are you getting annoyed?’
You reply, ‘You may not have destroyed anything, but it all belongs to me.
If you use it without my permission, you are a thief.’
Similarly, this world and everything in it, belongs to God. When we think
something belongs to us, we lose sight of the spiritual principle that God
is the true Proprietor of everything.
 Rabindranath Tagore was a poet par excellence. The Nobel Prize he
received for his anthology, Gitanjali, was just a little accolade for his
immense ability. And yet out of his humbleness, he said, ‘My Lord,
everything that is good in my poetry is Yours. It has come from You.
Everything that is bad is mine. It is because of my lack of surrender and
my lack of complete connection with You that these blemishes are still
there.’
To remember God’s proprietorship—and give up our sense of ownership
—is the fifth aspect of surrender.
6. To renounce the pride of having surrendered. If we become proud for
our good deeds, it tarnishes our heart and undoes the good. That is why
we must keep an attitude of humility, thinking, ‘If I did something
worthwhile, it was only because God inspired my intellect in the right
direction. Left to myself, I would have never done it.’ Keeping such an
attitude of humility is the sixth aspect of surrender.

If we can fulfil these six points of surrender, we will meet God’s condition.
He will then bestow His grace upon us. The Bhagavad Gita states:
sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣhayiṣhyāmi mā śhuchaḥ
(verse 18.66)
‘Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I
shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.’
In this context, it is imperative to understand that the surrender must not be
a mere external act.

Surrender Must Be of the Mind

Often, people engage in external rituals without devotional sentiments.
They travel physically to sacred places, while their mind remains entangled
in worldly matters. They cleanse their bodies in the waters of holy rivers,
while overlooking their impure thoughts. They offer clarified butter in
sacrificial fires but fail to offer the oblation of their ego to God. In the
poojas, they adorn the deities but neglect to decorate their inner emotions.
However, the sacred Vedic texts emphasize that spirituality is an inner
journey. It is the unfolding of the divinity within us, requiring
purification of the mind. External rituals when done alongside with bhakti
bhav can be very purifying. However, if not accompanied by the cultivation
of noble sentiments, rituals get reduced to a physical drill that serves very
little purpose. Hence, the Panchadashi states:
mana eva manuṣhyāṇām
kāraṇam bandha mokṣhayoḥ
‘Both bondage and liberation depend upon the state of our mind.’ The
Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
chentaḥ khalvasya bandhāya
muktaye chātmano matam
guṇeṣhu sattaṁ bandhāya
rataṁ vā puṅsi muktaye
(verse 3.25.15)
‘Bondage and liberation are both tied to the state of the mind. If it is
attached within the three gunas, one is in bondage. And if it is detached
from material things, this results in the release from maya.’
In conclusion, we must surrender our mind to God, and then we will receive
His grace. To do this, let us next understand the functioning of the mind.
 Chapter 9
Secrets of the Mind

Mind and Brain—Same or Different

What exactly is the mind? It is a subtle piece of equipment fitted within the
gross body. While science has made notable strides in comprehending the
brain, the workings of the subtle mind remain a mystery. In fact, neurology
is still confused whether there is a separate entity called the mind, or if the
brain and the mind are the same thing.
Ancient books of wisdom explain that they are separate entities. The brain
can be compared to the hardware, while the mind is the software that runs
it. This explains why, even if the brain sustains damage, the mind can still
function properly. The mind is made from metaphysical energy, which is
subtler than the physical neurons of the brain.
The distinction between brain and mind is evident in the case of plants.
Despite lacking a brain, plants exhibit signs of possessing a mind.
Fascinating experiments demonstrate how plants respond to the emotions of
the gardener, thereby revealing the presence of a mind in plants as well.
Like plants, flatworms also do not have a brain, and yet they perform
intelligent functions.
Our human mind is intensely active. It operates incessantly, producing an
array of thoughts and emotions, while also serving as a repository for
knowledge and memories. The thoughts we harbour create our physical and
emotional personality.
Our experiences of happiness and distress are determined by thoughts.
Harbouring positive emotions, such as love, sacrifice, and generosity makes
us happy, while holding negative emotions, such as hatred, fear, anxiety,
resentment, and jealousy makes us miserable.
Success in life is also tied to the quality of our thoughts. If we harbour
noble, beautiful, and serene thoughts, our life becomes blessed. We
naturally attract good opportunities and events to ourselves. In contrast, if
we think selfish, violent, and dishonest thoughts, we will draw misfortune
in our life.

We Are Where Our Mind Is

The mind is so powerful that it can make heaven out of hell and hell out of
heaven. An uncontrolled mind can make us experience hellish torments,
though we may be surrounded by heavenly luxuries. On the other hand, a
trained mind can make us relish heavenly delights, even in the most hellish
situations. We are literally where our mind is. Understand this through a
story.
Once, a Guru asked two of his brahmachari (celibate) disciples to purchase
groceries for the ashram from the neighbouring town. They undertook the
long journey. While returning, they reached a stream which was across from
their ashram. The sun had set, and it was getting quite dark.
As they were about to wade through the river, the disciples saw a young
woman on the bank. She begged, ‘Sirs, I am in a terrible fix. Please help me
cross the stream so I may get home, else I will be stranded here for the
night.’
The first brahmachari was indignant at the request that they should carry a
girl across. He walked into the water with a snort. The second brahmachari
was more compassionate and took pity upon the helpless girl. He made her
sit on his shoulders and carried her to the other side of the river. There, he
set her down. She thanked him repeatedly and set off for her home, while he
caught up with the first disciple whom he discovered to be in a terrible
mood.
While they continued walking towards their ashram, the first brahmachari
kept frowning and muttering to himself. An hour later, unable to hold his
anger any longer, he said to his friend, ‘You committed an unforgivable
sin!’
Surprised, the second brahmachari asked, ‘What sin? I have been walking
silently with you.’
‘We are not allowed to touch a woman, but you carried her,’ accused the
first brahmachari.
With a gentle smile, the second brahmachari said, ‘I set her down one hour
back, but you still seem to be carrying her in your mind.’
Thus, in spirituality, the state of our mind is most important.

Cultivate the Garden of Your Mind

If we have a garden at home, we tend to it daily. We fertilize the soil. We
sow appropriate seeds and water the plants regularly. At the same time, we
are careful to weed out the wild grass as it grows faster than the plants
themselves and will choke them out. If we work hard at tending our garden,
it rewards us with luscious fruits and beautiful flowers. However, if we
leave it to grow wild, it is quickly overrun by weeds and becomes an
eyesore.
The mind, too, is like a garden given to us by God. Its fertile soil has the
potential for providing us with inspiring thoughts and noble feelings.
However, we have to tend to it carefully. We need to continuously fertilize
it with elevating sentiments and pull out the weeds of poisonous emotions.
The mind will then reward us with a sterling and heroic character to
accomplish great things. People who achieved greatness did so by
cultivating their mind. The great saint Shankaracharya posed the question:
jagat jitaṁ kena? ‘Who shall conquer this world?’ The wise answer he gave
was: mano hī yena ‘One who has conquered his mind’. When someone
reins in and elevates their mind, their thoughts and ideas become so
inspiring that they influence the entire world.
The average person’s mind is not under control. Students often experience
this when they sit down to study. They find their mind wandering all over
the world except on the subject of study. Scientists estimate that we use less
than 10 per cent of our mental and intellectual potential. The rest is
dissipated because of lack of focus of the mind. Hence, we must attentively
learn the fine art of controlling our mind. With this goal, let us deepen our
knowledge of it.

Mind, Intellect, Chitta, and Ego

The mind has four aspects to it—mana, buddhi, chitta, and ahāṅkār. These
are not distinct entities. Rather, they are four levels at which the one mind
operates. Let us understand them:
1. Mind (Mana): When the inner machinery gives birth to thoughts, we call
it mana, or the mind.
2. Intellect (Buddhi): When it engages in analysis and decision-making, we
refer to it as buddhi, or intellect.
3. Subconscious mind (Chitta): This is the repository of memories and
inner convictions. It includes impressions continuing from past lives.
4. Ego (Ahāṅkār): When it identifies with the attributes of the body and
manifests pride, it is called ahāṅkār, or ego.

These levels of functioning are all facets of the one mind. Therefore, we can
collectively refer to them in any of the following ways: the mind, or the
mind-intellect, or the mind-intellect-ego, or the mind-intellect-chitta-ego.
All these terms denote the same internal apparatus.
Various scriptures describe the mind in either of these ways, as suitable for
explaining the concepts they teach. For example:
– Panchadashi: It refers to all four together as the mind, attributing it as
the cause of material bondage.
– Bhagavad Gita: Shree Krishna repeatedly talks of the mind and
intellect. He tells Arjun to surrender both to God.
– Yog Darshan: While dissecting the elements of nature, it mentions three
entities—mind, intellect, and ego.
– Shankaracharya: In his exposition on the inner apparatus, he categorizes
the mind into four divisions: mind, intellect, chitta, and ego.
These varying descriptions all pertain to the same inner machinery,
collectively known as antaḥ karaṇ or the mind.
The Three Modes of Material Nature
Our mind is made from the material energy, maya. It possesses three modes:
1) sattva guna, or the mode of goodness, 2) rajo guna, or the mode of
passion, and 3) tamo guna, or the mode of ignorance. The Shwetashvatar
Upanishad of the Yajur Veda states:
ajāmekāṁ lohitaśhuklakṛiṣhṇāṁ
bahvīḥ prajāḥ sṛijamānāṁ sarūpāḥ
ajo hyeko juṣhamāṇo ’nuśhete
jahātyenāṁ bhuktabhogāmajo ’nyaḥ (4.5)
As per this Vedic mantra, maya is of three colours: white, red, and black.
These correspond to the three gunas: sattva, rajas, and tamas. The three
modes are in maya, and they are present in our mind as well. Depending
upon the environment and where we focus our thoughts, one of the gunas
becomes prominent. Our mind then takes on the corresponding quality.
If sattva guna dominates, one becomes peaceful, content, generous, kind,
helpful, and serene. When rajo guna gains prominence, one becomes
passionate, agitated, ambitious, envious of others success, and desirous for
sense pleasures. When tamo guna becomes pronounced, one is overcome by
sleep, laziness, hatred, anger, resentment, violence, and doubt.
Suppose you are studying in your room. Since there is no worldly
disturbance to agitate your mind, it becomes sattvic.
After finishing, you sit in your living room and switch on the television.
Seeing all the imagery stimulates your mind and makes it rajasic; this
intensifies your hankering for sense pleasures.
While you are watching your favourite channel, your sibling comes and
changes the channel to their personal liking. This sudden disturbance
causes tamo guna to develop in your mind, triggering anger within you.
In this way, our mind sways between the three gunas and takes on the
corresponding qualities. Hence, our emotions fluctuate from moment to
moment and from day to day. Sadhana, however, means not allowing the
mind to dictate our moods. Rather, we should take charge of the mind and
force it to harbour the emotions we determine are important for our well-
being and growth. For this, we will have to go deeper into how the mind
works, and how it can be conquered.
 Chapter 10
Vedic Psychology

T
he field of psychology explores human behaviour and the functioning
of the mind. It serves as both an academic discipline and an applied
science. Its various branches include psychoanalysis, psychotherapy,
psychodynamics, psychiatry, and more.
Astonishingly, five millennia ago, the Vedic scriptures elucidated the
science of the mind with remarkable precision. This body of knowledge,
which can be termed ‘Vedic psychology’, eclipses the theories of modern
psychology in its depth and clarity. It logically explores the origins of
mental afflictions. Furthermore, it imparts valuable techniques for purifying
the mind and improving our thoughts. It is comprehensively explained in
the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
Exploring Vedic psychology can be a highly rewarding journey, but it
requires focus and dedication. I was blessed to understand it from
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj and am sharing the same with you here.
If you carefully read the logic presented here, you will gain tremendous
clarity on the workings of the mind.

Diseases of the Mind

The Vedic scriptures identify a range of human weaknesses, including
anger, envy, greed, and desire, which they refer to as mānas rog, or mental
illnesses. These afflictions are pervasive and exist as long as we remain
within the realm of maya. However, the challenge lies in our limited
awareness of them. While we readily admit to experiencing anger and envy,
we often fail to recognize them as afflictions. Instead, we tend to dismiss
them as natural tendencies. This hinders our efforts to address and remedy
these issues.
We all are aware of bodily ailments and their impact on our daily life. A
nagging headache or backache has the potential to disrupt our entire day.
However, the detrimental effects of mental afflictions far exceed those of
physical ones. Sage Tulsidas states:
eka vyādhi vaśha nara marahiñ,
ye asādhi bahu vyādhi
pīṛahin santata jīva kahuñ,
so kimi lahai samādhi
(Ramayan, Uttar Kand 7.121(A))
‘Even one physical ailment is enough to incapacitate us. Then think of the
plight of the soul afflicted by numerous mental ailments. Is there a means
for relief?’
The power of these mental illnesses is so profound that even government
laws fail to contain them. People know the consequences of violence,
including potential imprisonment for life, yet they do not hesitate to
transgress the law when consumed by anger. Similarly, the illegal nature of
narcotics is common knowledge but ensnared in addiction many succumb
to them. Why is it that we engage in behaviours harmful to the self?
To answer this question comprehensively, let us embark on a systematic
exploration of these mental afflictions.

The Disease of Anger

One of the most significant mental afflictions is anger. Its emergence
disrupts our inner peace. It causes a surge of blood to the head. In the
aftermath of anger, we often find ourselves filled with regret over our words
and actions. Later, we ponder how we allowed anger to overtake us and
wish we had reacted differently.
In a quaint village lived a tailor named Suresh. He was the only tailor there
and had a thriving business. Over time, Suresh became arrogant due to the
villagers’ reliance on his services. When people complained about his work,
he would respond rudely and argue needlessly.
Despite their dissatisfaction, villagers had no choice but to visit his shop.
One day, a poor woman arrived in the village. She was skilled in sewing
and requested Suresh for a job, which he refused. Undeterred, she acquired
a sewing machine and started her own tailoring business, offering good
quality work with a friendly attitude.
Soon, most people preferred her work, and Suresh lost many customers. He
became jealous and angry. His wife decided to help her husband. Without
informing him, she purchased the woman’s shop for one lakh rupees by
convincing her that it was hard for two tailors to co-exist in such a small
village. The woman gladly sold her shop and left the village that evening.
However, driven by overwhelming jealousy and anger, Suresh, under the
cover of night, set fire to the woman’s shop, destroying everything. His wife
was aghast with disbelief when she found out the next morning and said,
‘What have you done? I had already purchased her shop for one lakh
rupees, on the condition that she leave the village immediately. She
accepted and departed last evening itself. You have needlessly destroyed
your own business and hurt yourself immensely.’
Anger erodes civility, good manners, and kindness from our behaviour. It
blinds us to fundamental values of respect, empathy, and compassion.
Hence, the ancient Sanskrit saying: ‘Do not allow anger to overcome you;
instead, become angry upon anger itself.’
The pressing question is: Why does anger arise, and is there a lasting
solution to overcome it? To address this query, we must first delve into
another mental affliction.

The Disease of Greed

Another pervasive mental ailment is greed. Whether it is an insatiable
appetite for wealth, status, or opulent possessions, people waste their entire
lives trying to satisfy their greed. However, it is impossible to fill a vessel
that constantly needs more. Unlike anger, which rises and then subsides,
greed never relents. The compulsion to constantly fulfill it leads to the rat
race, so common in the corporate world.
Let me illustrate through a gripping story on this subject.
A sadhu once entered the court of a king. He was respectfully welcomed by
virtue of his renounced status. The king asked him, ‘Oh Sage, pray let me
know how I may serve you.’
‘Your excellency, simply fill my begging bowl with some precious stones,
and then, I shall be on my way,’ requested the sage.
The king summoned his treasury minister and instructed, ‘Fill this monk’s
bowl with gold coins, gems, and precious stones.’
The minister and the king’s servants began doing as instructed. To their
surprise, no matter how much treasure they placed in the bowl, it remained
almost empty. Overwhelmed and embarrassed, the king confessed to the
sage, ‘I regret I cannot fulfil my promise. I have exhausted my treasury.
Your begging bowl appears to possess mystical powers. Pray, reveal its
secret.’
The sadhu smiled, ‘Oh King, this begging bowl is crafted from a human
skull, mirroring the insatiable nature of human desires, which is to always
long for more. No matter how much you fill it, it will never be satisfied.’
Such is the essence of greed—it perpetually compels us to pursue the
fulfillment of desires that invariably remain elusive. The Garud Puran
expounds:
chakradharo ’pi suratvaṁ
suratvalābhe sakalasurapatitvam
surapatirūrdhvagatitvaṁ tathāpi
na nivartate tṛiṣhṇā
(verse 2.12.14)
‘A king wishes to be the emperor of the world; the emperor aspires to be a
celestial god; a celestial god seeks to be Indra, the king of heaven; and Indra
desires to be Brahma, the secondary creator. Yet, the thirst for material
enjoyment does not get satiated.’
Greed creates the gap between what we need and what we want. In truth,
we require very little to lead a content life. However, greed spawns an
endless array of desires—for greater wealth, loftier positions, heightened
prestige, and larger homes. The more we have, the more we crave, leaving
us forever dissatisfied. Imagine the inner contentment we would be able to
enjoy if only we could liberate ourselves from the clutches of greed.
Next, you will discover the origins of greed and its cure. Keep reading
patiently.

The Affliction of Desire

Anger and greed are both significant mental afflictions. However, according
to the Vedas, there exists an even more perilous malady, which is desire.
Desire, also known as kāmanā, encompasses five fundamental forms: the
desire to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Collectively, these desires are
referred to as kām or lust, encapsulated by the term ‘desire’.
The gravity of desire is emphasized in the Sukti Sudhakar:
kuraṅga mātaṅga pataṅga bhṛiṅga,
mīnāhatāḥ pañchabhireva pañcha
ekaḥ pramādī sa kathaṁ na hanyate,
yaḥ sevate pañchabhireva pañcha
The verse translates as follows:
– ‘The deer loves music for the pleasure of the ear. It is enticed by the
hunter, who plays melodious music and shoots the deer when it comes to
hear it.
– ‘The elephant loves the tactile enjoyment it gets from its skin. It is
allured into the net by the female elephant and becomes easy prey for the
waiting poacher.
– ‘The moth lusts for the light to gratify its eyes. It is drawn to the flame
and gets burned alive.
– ‘The bee loves fragrance, for it gives pleasure to its nostrils. It refuses
to fly off when the flower closes at sunset and gets trapped within.
– ‘The fish, yearning for indulgence of its tongue, nibbles at the bait and
ends up in the fisherman’s frying pan.
‘All these die in pursuit of the pleasure of one of the senses. What will
happen to the human who chases all five objects of gratification?’
Desire stands out universally in all Vedic scriptures as the most severe
mental affliction. Why is that so? Anger leads to the destruction of life and
property. Greed drives individuals to waste their life in accumulating
superfluous possessions. In comparison, desire appears benign in its pursuit
of gratification and indulgence.
The answer is that desire is far more malevolent. It is the root cause of both
anger and greed. Let us understand how.

Anger Arises from Desire

Let us learn about the origins of anger from the following narrative:
Asheesh harboured a strong craving for cake. He went to the local bakery,
purchased a personal sized Black Forest cake, and carefully stored it in the
fridge. To enhance his enjoyment of the treat, Asheesh decided to take a
walk outdoors. Doing so would build up his appetite. His plan was to relish
the cake upon his return. However, upon coming back home, he was met
with disappointment—there was no cake in the refrigerator.
‘I had placed a sizeable pack of cake here,’ Asheesh exclaimed. ‘Where
could it have gone?’
‘My dear husband, do you not recall?’ his wife responded casually. ‘The
doctor had advised you to cut down on sugar. I disposed of the cake.’
‘What? You threw away the cake?’ Asheesh erupted in anger. His wife’s
action had triggered a furious outburst.
What caused Asheesh’s explosive reaction? He nurtured a desire, but its
fulfillment was thwarted by his wife’s actions. This obstruction of desire
was the catalyst for his rage. Hence, anger does not arise by itself but
emerges from the hindrance of desire.
Let us explore additional examples:
– Anger often arises when we expect our family to align with our
perspective, but they express contrary views.
– Anger develops when others resist following our recommendations or
instructions.
Hence, desire acts as the parent, and anger is its offspring.
Sometimes, individuals approach me, ‘Swamiji, I have no defect, except for
anger.’
‘You believe anger is your sole problem?’ I inquire.
‘Yes, Swamiji. Anger is my only issue.’
‘That is impossible! If anger exists, its mother, desire, must also be present.’
Thus far, we have understood that the root of anger lies in the obstruction of
desire. Now, let us learn how greed develops.

Greed Also Arises from Desire

Returning to Asheesh and his wife, we previously observed how Asheesh
had reacted with anger on learning his wife had discarded the cake he
craved.
Now, consider an alternate scenario. Suppose Asheesh’s wife did not
dispose of the cake. Upon his return, Asheesh eagerly indulged in it. Now,
ask him, ‘Did you relish the cake?’
He responds, ‘Yes, I loved it!’
Inquire further, ‘Then, has your desire been fully satiated?’
‘No, it is merely fulfilled for today. I’ll probably want it again next week.’
This illustration highlights that fulfilling desire provides only temporary
relief. A while later, desire resurfaces with even greater intensity. Thus, the
fulfilment of desire engenders greed.
The lesser-known truth is that desire can never be eradicated by satisfying
it. It is akin to dousing a fire with clarified butter—the fire is temporarily
extinguished but soon flares up with greater intensity.
Hence, like anger, greed also stems from desire. The Ramayan states: jimi
pratilābha lobha adhikāī (Lanka Kand 6.101.1) ‘If you satisfy desire, it
results in greed.’
The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
yat pṛithivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ
hiraṇyaṁ paśhavaḥ striyaḥ
na duhyanti manaḥ-prītiṁ
puṁsaḥ kāma-hatasya te
 (verse 9.19.13)
‘If one person was to get all the wealth, luxuries, and sensual objects in the
world, that person’s desire would still not be satiated. Hence, knowing it to
be the cause of misery, an intelligent person should renounce desire.’
In the scriptures, worldly pleasures are often likened to mṛiga tṛiṣhṇā,
which translates to ‘mirage seen by the deer’. When the sun’s rays reflect
on the scorching sands, they create the illusion of water. The deer, deceived
by this mirage, believes there is water ahead and eagerly runs to quench its
thirst. Unfortunately, its limited understanding cannot grasp that it is falling
prey to an illusion. The more it chases after the mirage, the farther it
recedes. Tragically, the deer keeps running for the elusive water, until it
succumbs to exhaustion and dies.
Similarly, the material energy, maya, weaves an authentic-looking illusion
of happiness. We find ourselves relentlessly pursuing it, hoping to satisfy
the cravings of our senses. However, no matter how fervently we chase it,
there is never any fulfilment.
These desires can be likened to an itch. It creates an irresistible urge to
scratch. Yet, scratching it provides only temporary relief, and then, the itch
returns with greater intensity. If, instead, one exercises patience and refrains
from scratching, the itch gradually diminishes.
The same principle extends to the realm of desires. The mind and senses
create endless cravings in the pursuit of happiness. As long as we keep
fulfilling them, they continue to arise. However, when we redirect our mind
away from them, we start relishing the bliss of the soul within. The
Kathopanishad expounds on this idea, by boldly declaring that one who
renounces sensual desires becomes like God:
yadā sarve pramuchyante kāmā
ye ’sya hṛidi śhritaḥ
atha martyo ’mṛito
bhavatyatra brahma samaśhnute
(verse 2.3.14)
‘When one eliminates all selfish desires from the heart, the materially
fettered atma attains freedom from birth and death and becomes godlike in
virtue.’ The Shreemad Bhagavatam also confirms the sublime nature of the
soul devoid of cravings:
vimuñchati yadā kāmān mānavo
manasi sthitān
tarhyeva puṇḍarīkākṣha
bhagavattvāya kalpate
(verse 7.10.9)
‘Those who eradicate wants and achieve contentment become like God.’
The Bhagavad Gita also states:
vihāya kāmān yaḥ
sarvān pumānśh charati niḥspṛihaḥ
nirmamo nirahankāraḥ
sa śhāntim adhigachchhati
(verse 2.71)
‘One who gives up all material desires and is free from greed,
proprietorship, and egoism, attains perfect peace.’ The elimination of desire
is a central theme in Buddhist philosophy. The Four Noble Truths
articulated by the Buddha are:
1) There is suffering in the world.
2) Suffering has a cause.
3) The cause of suffering is desire.
4) If desire is eradicated, suffering will be eradicated.
The cascading consequences of desire do not end with anger and greed
alone. Let us explore how far this downward trajectory can extend.

Anger Destroys Good Judgement

We have observed that desire operates as a double-edged sword. Its
satisfaction breeds greed, while its obstruction gives birth to anger. Once
anger takes hold, it ushers in a host of other afflictions. Lord Krishna
expounds in the Bhagavad Gita:
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ
sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho
 buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
(verse 2.63)
‘Anger leads to veiling of judgement, which results in bewilderment of
memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and
when the buddhi is destroyed, one is ruined.’
The intellect serves as our internal guide. When it is obscured, we lose sight
of right and wrong and get carried away by our emotions. Hence, ruin of the
intellect ends in our downfall.
In this way, desire gives birth to a multitude of mental afflictions. Now,
consider the reverse scenario. If we eliminate desire, greed and anger will
naturally dissipate, thereby putting an end to all subsequent afflictions. We
will thus gain mastery over our mind.
Given that desire is the root of these problems, let us learn what fuels
desire.

The Malady of Attachment

All of us have different desires. While reading this book, one person’s
thoughts gravitate towards a cup of tea, while another starts contemplating
cricket. Yet someone else finds the mind drifting to their child. Why do
individuals generate such diverse desires?
Some people crave prestige—they go around delivering 15 lectures daily
for electoral success. Others chase wealth to the detriment of their family
life. Yet others are driven by the desire for a paramour, upon whom they
sacrifice their hard-earned wealth. To understand this diversity, we must get
to the bottom of desires.
The root of desire lies in our attachments. When our mind becomes
attached to something, the fondness triggers desire. Like a magnet,
attachment makes our mind cling to the object of its affection.
To illustrate, if one is attached to alcohol, thoughts of alcohol frequently
occupy the mind. The fondness creates a strong desire for alcohol.
Similarly, attachment to cigarettes leads to affinity for smoking and a
craving for cigarettes. Thus, it becomes evident that attachment is the
driving force behind desire.
This concept might appear counterintuitive. Presumably, we would think an
object’s inherent qualities drive our desires. However, it is not the case.
Consider the example of alcohol, which is often characterized by its foul
and repulsive smell. When one takes their first sip in life, they typically find
it unpleasant. However, for an alcoholic, that same disagreeable odour
becomes alluring. As they pass by a pub, the whiff of whiskey makes them
sway. Obviously, it is not because of the aroma, but the deep attachment to
alcohol that ignites the desire.
Let us explore another example.
Is the smoke from cigarettes pleasant or repugnant? Most would describe it
as terrible, something that prompts them to change their course to avoid it.
So why does it hold such attraction for an addicted smoker? Once again,
the power of attachment is at play. The craving for cigarettes is not driven
by the intrinsic qualities of the tobacco, rather by the fondness for it in the
addict’s mind.
Allow me to reiterate for emphasis: Desires arise in us not because of the
intrinsic qualities of the objects themselves but because of our
attachment.
The cause of desire has now been established—attachment. The complete
chain of causation is now evident. When we nurture attachment, it paves the
way for desire, which, in turn, begets anger and greed. Subsequent
afflictions, such as illusion and bewilderment, stem from anger. Conversely,
by eradicating attachment, we eliminate the reason for desire, leading to the
automatic cessation of all afflictions.
This brings us to the pivotal question: What is the source of attachment?
The following section elucidates this.

The Impact of Repetitive Thinking

Attachment varies from person to person. Some are deeply committed to
their hobbies, such as gardening or golf. Others are completely attached to
their spouse. Yet, others foster keenness for wealth. This variety in
attachments prompts us to explore its origins.
When our intellect repeatedly contemplates happiness in an object or
person, attachment takes root within us.
For instance, within a classroom, boys and girls often engage in casual
interactions. However, on a particular day, one boy notices something
unique about a girl. He begins to dwell on the thought, ‘I would be so
happy if she were my partner.’
As this idea becomes a repetitive mental pattern, his attachment to her
grows. He confides in his friends, expressing an intense infatuation that is
disrupting his focus on studies. His friends, who also interact with the same
girl, fail to comprehend why he is so consumed by thoughts of her. The
underlying reason is his persistent contemplation of finding happiness in
her presence, which ultimately fosters his attachment.
Let us explore another example to illustrate the development of attachment.
How does one become attached to alcohol? It does not start with someone
declaring right away, ‘Fetch me a bottle! I cannot live without it.’ First,
friends encourage the person by saying, ‘We all find great pleasure in
whiskey. Why don’t you also try it? Have a drink and enjoy life!’
Influenced by their misguided suggestions, he thinks, ‘If my friends are
enjoying it, I should too.’ He takes a sip, experiencing a mental lightness as
the alcohol affects his brain. This initial taste of mental numbness leads him
to contemplate happiness in alcohol. Over time, as he continues to consume
it, his contemplation deepens. In this way, the attachment to alcohol grows
stronger, ultimately leading to addiction.
Subsequently, the individual who initially had to force himself to drink on
the first day now declares, ‘Just give me that fifth peg of vodka… I cannot
imagine life without it!’ The attachment is now so deep that he does not
care about his family. He allows his business to crumble. And he is
unconcerned about the state of his liver.
How did this profound transformation occur? It was a consequence of his
own repetitive contemplation of happiness derived from drinking alcohol,
which ultimately led to addiction.
Now, the complete chain of causation becomes evident, a concept aptly
articulated in the Bhagavad Gita:
dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate
(verse 2.62)
‘By repeated contemplation of happiness in the objects of the senses, one
develops attachment to them. Attachment creates desire, and from desire
arises anger.’

Why We All Seek Happiness

We have observed how the chain of mental afflictions commences with the
contemplation of happiness. Now, let us delve into the final link in this
chain. Why do we relentlessly pursue happiness? We search for it within
our families, work, hobbies, activities, and all pursuits, yet it remains
elusive. Despite numerous disappointments, why do we persist in our quest
for happiness?
The Vedas proclaim: ānando brahmeti vyajānāt, which translates to ‘Know
God to possess the nature of Bliss’. The Supreme Lord is an infinite
Reservoir of divine Bliss, and we, as individual souls, are His fragments.
Naturally, each fragment is inherently drawn towards its source. Until we
attain the infinite happiness of God, our quest for everlasting joy will
persist.
This means that our thirst for happiness will not cease until our soul (the
part) attains the Supreme Soul (the whole). We will unavoidably envision
happiness somewhere, and then, the entire chain of attachment, desire,
anger, and greed will ensue.

Replace Lower Attachments with Higher Ones

The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental aspect of the soul. It is neither
practical nor feasible to entirely suppress this innate drive. Instead, a
pragmatic approach involves directing this yearning towards virtuous
endeavours. For example, if we repeatedly associate happiness with
becoming wise, we will develop a fondness for profound knowledge. This
attachment, in turn, will ignite a genuine thirst for learning. It will lead to a
desire for more knowledge. This will elevate and enrich our life, instead of
depleting and degrading it.
Likewise, when we envision happiness in good health, we naturally develop
a commitment to well-being. This desire will motivate us to become
healthier.
The same principle applies to love for the Supreme. If we consistently
contemplate on the bliss of devotion to God, we will become attached to
Him. The mind will then long for Him. The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
viṣhayān dhyāyataśh chittaṁ
viṣhayeṣhu viṣhajjate
mām anusmarataśh chittaṁ
mayy eva pravilīyate
(verse 11.14.27)
‘You repeatedly thought of the pleasures in the objects of the senses and
became attached to them. Now frequently think that God is the Ocean of
bliss, and you will develop devotion towards Him.’
The process remains consistent; we simply need to redirect it. The
renowned Saints in history were not devoid of desire. Infact, their desire
was more intense than ours. The key distinction was that while we seek
worldly pleasures, they aspired to love the Lord wholeheartedly.
This brings us to the topic of God-realization. How can we attain the
Supreme Divine Personality? We must now understand the various paths of
yog leading to the Absolute Truth.
 Chapter 11
The Path of Karm

A
ll the religions across the world emphasize a single path to God-
realization. In Hinduism, however, we encounter a multitude of
distinct approaches, all of which are endorsed by the scriptures. This
diversity can be bewildering. Why did the Vedas not adhere to a single
path?
The reason is that variety is an intrinsic aspect of God’s creation. Just as no
two leaves on a tree are identical and no two individuals share the exact
same fingerprints, people possess diverse natures. The array of paths
outlined in the scriptures caters to this inherent diversity among individuals.
As knowledge becomes more advanced and subtler, it branches out. For
example, in early education, students study general science as a unified
subject. Then, as they progress to higher grades, science divides into
distinct disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, and biology. At the
undergraduate level, these subjects further split into numerous
specializations. In graduate school, the branches of science multiply
exponentially.
Similarly, the Vedas expound spiritual knowledge to sublime heights. They
address the diverse needs of sadhaks (spiritual aspirants) through a rich
tapestry of paths. This variety is indeed a blessing.
Consider an example from the material field. When five people shop for
clothing, each has their distinct preferences regarding colour and style.
Likewise, in the pursuit of God-realization, the existence of various paths
accommodates people with different predispositions and sanskars
(tendencies from previous lifetimes). The diversity of paths serves to reach
a broader spectrum of people with their unique natures and inclinations.

The Three Paths to God-realization

The Vedas refer to the Supreme as sat-chit-anand. These three, sat, chit,
and anand, refer to three partitions of God’s Yogmaya power.
– The nature of sat is action, or karm.
– The nature of chit is knowledge, or jnana.
– The nature of anand is devotion, or bhakti.
Hence, God has three aspects to His nature—karm, jnana, and bhakti. We
souls, as fragments of God, also have the same three aspects to our nature,
albeit in a far smaller measure. It is just as a drop of water has the qualities
of the ocean, but to a lesser extent. Accordingly, the scriptures state the
same three paths to God-realization:
yogās trayo māyā proktā
nṝiṇāṁ śhreyo vidhitsayā
gyānaṁ karma cha bhaktiśh cha
nopāyo ʼnyo ʼsti kutrachit
(Shreemad Bhagavatam 11.20.6)
‘There are three paths to reach God—karm, jnana, and bhakti. No other way
exists.’
The doubt that now arises is whether these three paths will take us to
different goals or the same one? Do we need to participate in all three, or
will any one of them suffice? Further, is there a sequence among these? For
example, first do karm, then jnana, then bhakti. Or else, first do bhakti, then
jnana, then karm. Or do karm, then bhakti, then jnana. This is the puzzle
before us that needs to be solved.
A farmer wanted to dig a well on his property. He dug three feet in one
place, and exclaimed, ‘I am not getting any water here. Let me dig
elsewhere.’
He dug four feet in the next place and said, ‘There is a rock bed here. I will
try elsewhere.’
In the third place, he dug two feet and stopped, saying, ‘All I am getting
here is pebbles. There is no water in this place.’
In this way, the farmer dug 50 wells, yet did not get water anywhere.
However, if he had selected the right place and then continued to dig for a
few hundred feet, he would have definitely found water.
Similarly, if we are perplexed about the paths to God-realization, we will
keep trying different ways and reach nowhere. Hence, it is imperative to
have a clear understanding about the paths to God. Let us delve into these
paths, one by one. First, we will discuss the path of karm.

Duties in Life
Regardless of who we may be, there are always duties incumbent upon us.
These duties safeguard us from becoming frivolous and whimsical. They
ensure we learn to regulate our mind and intellect. Without them, humans
would descend to the level of animals. Hinduism divides these duties into
two categories—spiritual and social.
Spiritual duties: These are the duties we have towards God, Who is our
eternal Father, Mother, Friend, and Well-wisher. Performing these is called
bhakti, or devotion. It results in the purification of the mind and the
attainment of God-realization.
The spiritual duties, or bhakti, are eternal principles that are unchanging and
constant. They are also called par dharma, or the spiritual aspect of
religion.
Social duties: When we think of ourselves as the body, we have duties
towards our parents, friends and relatives, towards society at large, towards
the nation to which we belong, and so forth. Performing these duties does
not result in God-realization. So, these are also called apar dharma.
However, by fulfilling them, we become responsible members of society
and contribute to its overall well-being and harmony.
The social duties are often referred to as ‘Karm’. They are delineated in the
Vedas and are also known as ‘Varnashrama Dharma’.

Varnashrama Dharma
As mentioned earlier, the social duties specified in the Vedas are called
‘Karm’. These are in accordance with one’s ‘ashram’ (stage in life) and
‘varna’ (occupation). They enabled society to function harmoniously,
providing everyone an opportunity to fulfil their duty as per their nature,
and gradually perfect their lives to attain God-realization. Some of these
duties are not relevant today since the nature of society has changed.
However, they helped organize Hindu society thousands of years ago, while
the Western world was still dwelling in forests.
In this Varnashrama system, duties were assigned according to one’s
disposition and occupation, and not according to birth. The Bhagavad Gita
clearly states:
chātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛiṣhṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśhaḥ
(verse 4.13)
‘The four categories of occupations were created by Me, as per people’s
qualities and activities.’
The Vedas clearly categorize individuals into four occupational groups, not
based on their birth, but by their inherent natures. This diversity in
occupational choices is a universal aspect of human societies. Even in
communist nations, where equality is a foundational principle, the inherent
variety among individuals cannot be suppressed. In such societies too, you
find philosophers serving as the intellectual backbone of the communist
party, military personnel safeguarding the nation, farmers engaged in
agriculture, and factory workers contributing to industrial production.
However, with time, the Varnashrama system got degraded, and the
classifications became primarily by birth. This is an incorrect interpretation
of the Vedas. When the British ruled Bharat, they highlighted the social
practice and called it ‘caste system’. Excessive publicization led to skewed
understanding of Hinduism and its principles. That is why even today, in
Western countries, caste system is the only thing many people know about
Hinduism. They are not aware of the sublime knowledge of the science of
God-realization that Hinduism teaches, which is unparalleled anywhere.
It is, thus, necessary to clarify that the Varnashrama system was not a part
of the spiritual principles of Hinduism. It was a set of social duties
described in Hinduism thousands of years ago. It got distorted with time,
which was a social defect and Hinduism cannot be blamed for it.
This is just as slavery existed in the Western world until 200 years ago, but
we do not blame Christianity, Islam, or Judaism for this social practice. In
fact, even until the 1960s, discrimination on the basis of skin colour was
still prevalent in the USA. It was a social ill, and we do not blame
Christianity for it. Similarly, the Varnashrama system got distorted as a
social ill in Bharat, and it is wrong to blame the Vedas for it.

Karm Kand—The Ritualistic Ceremonies

A part of the social duties is karm kāṇḍ, or the ritualistic ceremonies, which
help focus the mind. Very few people have so much love for God that they
can simply sit and meditate upon Him. Most people need some rituals, or
ceremonial procedures, to help engage their mind positively. The Vedas
describe thousands of such ritualistic practices. Some of the more popular
ones are mentioned below.
Diya (lighting of the lamp). Most Hindu ceremonies commence with the
lighting of a lamp which is maintained throughout the ceremony. The light
of the lamp symbolizes knowledge of God, which removes the darkness of
ignorance from within our hearts.
Prayer room and altar. Most homes in Bharat have a dedicated prayer
room and altar on which images of God and the Guru are placed. These
serve as a reminder that He is the actual Owner of the house and the Head
of the family. The environment of the prayer room becomes conducive to
developing sacred thoughts for worship, meditation, and devotional singing.
Aarti (ceremony of lights). With great faith and reverence, a lamp is
waved around the image of God. This practice helps develop the spirit of
glorifying the Lord with loving remembrance. It is often accompanied with
the ringing of bells and chanting of hymns dedicated to glorifying God.
This helps devotees focus on the image of God as the lamp goes around,
illuminating the different parts of the deity. It is akin to open-eyed
meditation on the beauty of God.
After the aarti, the lamp is offered to the devotees. They hold their hands
over the flame and then place them on their eyes and head. This is a
symbolic way of receiving the blessings and shakti (energy) of God.
Tilak (holy marks). God resides within everyone’s heart. Hence, the body
is considered a temple of God. Holy marks are applied on the body to
remind us that it is also an Abode of God, and therefore sacred. The tilak is
a symbol of God and reminds us of Him.
Parikrama (circumambulating the deity). It is a way of showing respect
to the deity. It also symbolizes our commitment to keep the Lord at the
centre of our life as we conduct our daily duties.
Prasad (grace of the Lord). In Hinduism, food is first offered to God and
later partaken as His grace. Since God is everywhere, if we offer to Him
with love, He accepts. We then take the food as His remnants. This creates
divine emotions within us towards the food we eat.
Upavās (fasting). A great deal of our day is spent in procuring, cooking,
and eating food. Fasts are suggested on certain days to reduce emphasis on
eating, and instead, to dedicate that time to prayer and worship.
Furthermore, occasionally eating simple food or abstaining completely
benefits the digestive system, keeping it healthy.
Namaste. This is a very beautiful and sacred way of greeting each other
with respect and humility. Namaste means ‘I bow to the Divinity within
you’. It is done with folded hands in front of the chest, to indicate
reverence, and bowing of the head, to display humbleness.
There are numerous other rituals, and the essence of all is to develop divine
sentiments towards God and His world.

Karm Yog—Uniting with the Supreme through Action

Karm, or social duties, help regulate the mind and elevate it to the mode of
goodness. However, they cannot help us transcend maya and meet God.
Thus, for genuine seekers of God-realization, there is the system of ‘Karm
Yog’.
‘Karm’ means ‘work’ and ‘yog’ means ‘to unite with God’. Karm Yog is
the technique of keeping the consciousness united with the Supreme while
going about our daily duties. This is explained in the Bhagavad Gita:
sarveṣhu kāleṣhu
mām anusmara yudhya cha
(verse 8.7)
Shree Krishna says, ‘Do your duty, but simultaneously remember Me at all
times.’
Saints give the example of a cow. It leaves its calf in the cowshed and goes
to graze grass in the fields. All day long, although chewing the cud, its mind
remains in its calf.
The state of Karm Yog is an elevated one. At present, we remember God
sometimes, such as when we visit the temple. However, as soon as we walk
out of its precincts, we forget the Lord. To practise Karm Yog, we have to
look at the whole world as His temple.
We must practise feeling the presence of God with us at all times.
Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj emphasized it in His kirtan Sadhana Karu
Pyare:
sochu man yah karm mam
sab lakhat hari guru pyāre
(verse 32)
‘Oh my mind, always remember that God and Guru are watching all my
works.’ With this awareness, we will also be dissuaded from committing
sins.
Live in the awareness that He is always with us as our Protector and
Witness. In doing so, we will learn to execute every work as an offering
unto Him. Working in such divine consciousness will motivate us to put in
our best efforts. However, if the results are unfavourable, we will not feel
stressed because they are not for our sake.
Shree Krishna explains this art of work:
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te
mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
(Bhagavad Gita 2.47)
‘You have the right to do your duty, but do not be attached to the fruits of
your actions.’ In this way, a karm yogi practises devotion, while fulfilling
social duties as well.
Let us now delve into the path of knowledge, or Jnana Yog.
 Chapter 12
The Path of Jnana

The Power of Knowledge

Knowledge wields great power. A person with superior knowledge can
achieve in a matter of days what might take years for others to accomplish.
The following example illustrates the power of knowledge.
If a small wire in an airplane gets disconnected, the airplane is unable to
take off from the ground. Thousands of people work at the airport but they
cannot do anything about it, and the airplane worth millions remains
grounded. All it takes is one skilled aeromechanic to reconnect the wire,
and the machine is ready to fly again. What does the technician have that
others do not? He possesses superior knowledge about the plane’s intricate
machinery and functioning.
Knowledge carries the same kind of impact in the spiritual realm as well.
Social scientists contend that human civilization moved from the era of
agriculture to the era of manufacturing, and now it is moving towards a
knowledge-based economy. Success in any enterprise is becoming
increasingly dependent upon the quality of knowledge we possess.
Amazingly, 5,000 years ago, Shree Krishna had glorified the power of
knowledge in the Bhagavad Gita when He told Arjun:
na hi jñānena sadṛiśhaṁ
pavitramiha vidyate (4.38)
‘There is nothing as pure in this world as true knowledge.’ In the Hindu
tradition, we are blessed to have a vast treasure house of knowledge
available in the Vedic scriptures.

Theoretical and Realized Knowledge

While knowledge has been given such a high place in Hinduism, it has also
been criticized. The Ishopanishad states:
andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśhanti
ye ʼvidyāmupāsate
tato bhūya iva tamo
ya u vidȳayāṁ ratāḥ
‘Those who do not cultivate knowledge attain darkness. But those who go
by the path of knowledge attain an even greater darkness.’ Is that not
surprising?! If knowledge is illuminating, how can it lead to darkness?
This is because there are two kinds of knowledge: theoretical and practical.
For example, let us say that a lady has memorized recipes in her cookbook
but has never prepared food in her life. Undoubtedly, she possesses
knowledge of culinary science, but it is merely theoretical knowledge.
Another woman has been cooking for the last 60 years and has experienced
all of its intricacies. She possesses practical knowledge of cooking. Such
knowledge is far superior to mere bookish knowledge.
Similarly, in the spiritual realm, theoretical knowledge is that where one has
read or even memorized the scriptures, but one has never done sadhana. On
the other hand, practical knowledge is the realization one experiences upon
actually surrendering to God.
Mere theoretical knowledge, which is not accompanied by practice, leads to
the pride of learning. Proud people think they know, but their life does not
reflect their knowledge. Hence, instead of taking them upwards in life, such
knowledge can lead to downfall. Such empty and hollow learning is
criticized by the scriptures. The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
karmaṇya kovidāḥ stabdhā
mūrkhāḥ paṇḍita-māninaḥ
(verse 11.5.6)
‘Theoretical scholars merely learn the flowery words of the Vedas and
consider themselves as pandits. But such learning, devoid of practical
realization, leads to arrogance.’
In contrast, practical knowledge fosters humility. It makes us aware of our
imperfections, and how much further we need to go. Such knowledge has
been praised in the scriptures. In conclusion, we must 1) acquire theoretical
knowledge of the scriptures, and then 2) earnestly apply the teachings in our
daily life.
The next section provides a very high-level summary of the different
perspectives of Indian spirituality.

Philosophical Viewpoints of Acharyas

What distinguishes Advaita vād, Dvaita vād, Viśhiṣṭha Advaita vād, Dvaita
Advaita vād, Viśhuddha Advaita vād, and Achintya Bhedābhed vād? These
are the names of philosophical doctrines put forth by the founders of
various traditions within Hinduism. Let us take a brief overview of them.
The Vedant Darshan is an important Vedic scripture, also known as Brahma
Sutra. Great Acharyas have given their commentaries on this sacred text.
The way they have explained the relationship between God, soul, and maya,
has given rise to the nomenclature of their respective philosophies.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya propounded that there exists a singular entity
known as Brahman. It is devoid of forms and attributes. According to his
teachings, the soul is not separate from Brahman, rather, its identity is
obscured by ignorance. The day ignorance is dispelled, the soul will realize
itself as Brahman.
Shankaracharya further stated that maya is mithya (non-existent) and only
seems to exist due to ignorance. Once ignorance is dispelled, maya ceases
to exist. Given his emphasis on the existence of a singular entity,
Shankaracharya’s philosophy is termed Advaita vād, signifying ‘Non-
Dualism’.
Jagadguru Ramanujacharya accepted the existence of a single entity,
Brahman, but said that it possesses diversity. He used the analogy of a tree
—it contains branches, fruits, leaves, and flowers. Similarly,
Ramanujacharya taught that the jiva (soul) and maya are viśheṣhaṇ (distinct
attributes) of Brahman. Consequently, he termed his philosophy Viśhiṣhṭa
Advaita vād, signifying ‘Qualified Non-Dualism’.
Jagadguru Madhvacharya, in contrast, held an opposing perspective,
emphasizing five dualities:
1. Duality between one soul and another soul. This is evident, when we
see one soul is liberated, while another remains bound. It means they are
distinct and individual.
2. Duality between maya and the soul. This is quite obvious too. Maya is
insentient and non-conscious, while the soul possesses sentience and
consciousness.
3. Duality between maya and maya. We consume certain foods, while
considering others as inedible. This demonstrates the differentiation
among items. If they were all identical, we would have no hesitation in
consuming substances like mud.
4. Duality between maya and God. God is the omnipotent Creator, while
maya serves as His energy. God is sat-chit-anand, whereas maya is devoid
of consciousness. It relies on His power for its functioning. Obviously,
said Madhvacharya, maya and God are distinct.
5. Duality between the soul and God. The soul is ensnared by maya,
whereas God is the Master of maya and remains beyond its influence. The
soul’s knowledge is limited, whereas God possesses omniscience. The
soul’s consciousness is confined within a single body, while God pervades
the entire universe. The soul yearns for bliss, while God is an infinite
Reservoir of bliss.

Since Madhvacharya emphasized dualities, his philosophy is known as

‘Dualism’ or Dvaita vād.
Jagadguru Nimbarkacharya took a unique stance, acknowledging both
‘Non-Dualism’ and ‘Dualism’ as valid perspectives. He likened it to the
relationship between a drop of water and the ocean. They can be seen as
one and also as distinct entities. Similarly, the soul is a part of God, so you
can either club the soul and God together and call them as one entity, or you
can distinguish them and say that they are distinct from each other.
Consequently, his philosophy is termed ‘Dual Non-Dualism’ or Dvaita
Advaita vād.
Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya promoted ‘Pure Non-Dualism’, known as
Viśhuddh Advaita vād. He contested Shankaracharya’s ‘Non-Dualism’,
arguing that it was flawed because it negated the existence of maya and the
distinct entity of the soul. According to Vallabhacharya, both maya and the
soul exist, but they are one with God, resulting in what he termed ‘Pure
Non-Dualism’ or Viśhuddh Advaita vād.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained through the example of heat and light.
He asserted that they are inherent energies of fire. Hence, heat and light are
simultaneously one and different from fire. Likewise, the soul and maya are
energies of God. They are simultaneously one and different from Him.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu acknowledged that grasping the full depth of
these concepts is beyond the reach of human intellect. Hence, he termed his
philosophy Achintya Bhedābhed vād, meaning ‘Inconceivable and
Simultaneous Oneness and Difference’.
Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, popularly known as ‘Maharajji’, was
honoured by the Kashi Vidvat Parishat as the fifth original Jagadguru in
history, and also ‘Jagadguruttam’, meaning ‘Supreme amongst the
Jagadgurus’. As a reconciler of their philosophies, He appreciated the
viewpoints of all the previous Acharyas but held the perspective of
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as dearest to Him.
Maharajji explained that the jiva and maya are both shaktis of God. All
shaktis have a bhedãbhed relationship with their Shaktimãn. Hence, they
are simultaneously one and different from Him. He emphasized selfless
divine love for God as the supreme goal.
We have undertaken a whirlwind tour of the philosophical perspectives of
important Acharyas. Many of the major schools of philosophy in Bharat
possess their own sub-branches. For instance, within Advait vād, diverse
viewpoints such as Ajāta vād, Vivart vād, Avichchhed vād, Dṛiṣhṭi Sṛiṣhṭi
vād, and Śṛiṣhṭi Dṛiṣhṭi vād exist.
Additionally, there are other less popular schools of philosophy. They have
used less scholasticism in presenting their respective philosophies, and
hence, have not achieved recognition as a major philosophic school.
All the above philosophies can broadly be divided into two: Jnana Yog and
Bhakti Yog. Let us now continue the journey by exploring the former in this
chapter.

Jnana Yog
The goal of Jnana Yog is to know the ‘self’, or the soul. This requires
analysing that one is not the body, senses, mind, intellect, or ego.
Knowledge is first understood theoretically by hearing from the Guru and
the scriptures. Then one repeatedly meditates on this knowledge and tries to
realize it practically.
In this manner, material desires related to the body slowly diminish. Finally,
one gains insight into the nature of the self. This ‘self’, or the soul, is a tiny
part of God.
chinmātraṁ śhrī hareraṁśhaṁ
sūkṣhmamakṣharamavyayam
(Vedas)
aṁśho nānā vyapadeśhāt
(Vedant Darshan 2.3.4)
mamivāṁśho jīva-loke
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
(Bhagavad Gita 15.7)
īśhvara aṁśha jīva avinasī
chetana amala sahaja sukha rāsī
(Ramayan, Uttar Kand 7.116(B)-1)
All these verses state that the soul is a fragmental part of God. Knowledge
of the self is called atma jnana, while knowledge of God is called Brahma
jnana.
There exists a common misconception equating self-realization with God-
realization. However, it is crucial to distinguish between these two states.
At the stage of self-realization, the seeker achieves atma jnana, which is
knowledge of their own soul. At the stage of God-realization, the seeker
attains Brahma jnana, which is knowledge of God.
Atma jnana is only a fraction of the complete Brahma jnana. A God-
realized soul undoubtedly possesses self-realization, but a self-realized soul
may not necessarily have attained God-realization.
Knowledge of God, or Brahma jnana, cannot be attained by self-effort. It
requires the grace of God, which must be attracted through bhakti. Shree
Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita:
 bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaśh chāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśhate tad-anantaram (18.55)
‘Only by loving devotion to Me does one come to know who I am in Truth.
Then, having come to know Me, My devotee enters into full consciousness
of Me.’
Therefore, the path of Jnana Yog remains incomplete until we
wholeheartedly surrender to God and immerse ourselves in His devotion.
The seeker of knowledge (jnani) must engage in bhakti to invoke the divine
grace of God, and then finally achieve realization of God.

Jnana Yog is Very Difficult

Even though jnana yogis finally attain God with the help of bhakti, it is a
very arduous path. This is because the jnani travels a major part of the
journey merely by self-effort, without the grace of God.
Understand this with the analogy of a kitten and a baby monkey. The kitten
is tiny in size and delicate in build. Yet, if it is to be moved from one place to
another, it need not worry. Its mother holds the kitten with her mouth and
carries it around. On the other hand, a mother monkey does not take
responsibility for holding the baby monkey, while she jumps from one
branch to another. The baby monkey has to clasp onto the mother itself.
The path of Jnana Yog resembles the experience of the baby monkey, while
the path of Bhakti Yog is like that of the kitten. The jnana yogi strives only
by self-effort, without the grace of God, and thus, every obstacle becomes
formidable.
gyana pantha kripana ki dhara,
parata khages hohin nahin bara
(Ramayan, Uttar Kand 7.118-1)
‘The path of Jnana Yog is like walking on a razor’s edge. It is very difficult
to achieve success in it.’ But the bhakti yogi surrenders to God from the
beginning, and by the grace of God, is easily able to surmount hurdles on
the path.
Before moving on to Bhakti Yog, let us first look at the path of Ashtang
Yog, which focuses more on yogasanas and pranayam techniques to help
control the mind.

Ashtang Yog
This path strives to control the mind initially with the help of physical rules
and practices. The procedure consists of eight steps. Hence, it is called
‘Ashtang Yog’, denoting the eightfold system. They include codes of
conduct, physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques.
These practices help condition the body and regulate the mind and senses.
The third step amongst these is asana. It has become famous around the
globe as ‘yoga’, and is practised for good health, beauty, and anti-ageing.
Yoga studios have proliferated in cities across the world, making it a
fashionable practice. However, while the postures are undoubtedly highly
beneficial for physical health, the spiritual aspects are often overlooked.
The spiritual goal of Ashtang Yog is to achieve mind control. Maharshi
Patanjali states in his Yoga Sutras:
yogaśhchittavṛittinirodhaḥ (1.2)
‘The science of yog consists in the control of the workings of the mind.’
Just as in the case of Jnana Yog, Ashtang Yog also requires bhakti for its
consummation. Mere self-effort is insufficient for controlling the mind. It is
only when bhakti is added that it attracts divine grace and leads to true yog,
or union with God. Hence the Patanjali Yog Sutras state:
samādhi siddhi īśhvara praṇidhānāt (2.45)
‘The highest perfected state is attained by complete surrender to the
Supreme.’ The Ramayan states:
jogu kujogu gyanu agyanu,
jahañ nahin rām prema pardhanu
(Ayodhya Kand 2.290.1)
‘Until bhakti is added to them, Yog remains kuyog (not uniting), and jnana
remains ajnana (ignorance).’ The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
tatkarma haritoṣhaṁ yatsā
vidya tanmatiryayā (4.29.49)
‘True knowledge is that which increases our love for God. True karm is that
which is done in devotion to God.’
In this way, every path needs to be imbued with bhakti for achieving the
supreme goal. The system of JKYog, incorporating yog for the body, mind,
and soul teaches a perfect blend of the yogic techniques with bhakti.
So, let us now learn about bhakti, or divine love.
 Chapter 13
Path of Bhakti

B
hakti Yog entails the cultivation of profound love for the Divine. In
bhakti, the devotee nurtures an intense yearning to behold God, to
meet Him, and to remain in His presence. The mind remains firmly
attached to the Supreme, and thoughts naturally flow towards Him, akin to
rivers streaming into the ocean. This deep-seated love acts as a purifying
force, cleansing the heart of all impurities.
With a pure heart, one begins to perceive the presence of God in all beings
and in all things. As thoughts ascend to sublime heights, the devotee
experiences the boundless divine bliss of God, finding complete satisfaction
therein. Upon liberation, the soul does not merge with God. Instead, it
ascends to His divine Abode, where it enters the nitya leela (blissful loving
pastimes of the Lord) and engages in eternal seva.

What Is Bhakti?
Just as God is infinite, His bhakti is also infinite. So, no definition can fully
encompass all the dimensions of bhakti. Various Acharyas experienced
various dimensions of it in their individual practice, and then emphasized
that aspect in their definition of bhakti.
Thus, Maharishi Kapil explained, ‘Just as the holy Ganga flows incessantly
towards the ocean, similarly, when our thoughts begin to flow towards God,
that divine state is called bhakti.’ (Shreemad Bhagavatam 3.29.11)
Jagadguru Shankaracharya said, ‘If needles are inserted into a potato, they
remain lodged in it. Likewise, if all our thoughts are anchored in God, such
a state is called bhakti.’
Jagadguru Ramanujacharya stated, ‘Meditation which is endowed with love
for God is bhakti.’
The Gopal Tapaniya Upanishad states: ‘To absorb the mind in God and
relish His divine Bliss is bhakti.’

Bhakti Means ‘To Serve’

Sage Ved Vyas emphasized seva in his definition of bhakti:
bhaja ityeṣhavaidhātuḥ sevāyāṁ parikīrtitaḥ
tasmātsevā budhaiḥ proktā bhaktiḥ sādhanabhūyasī
(Garud Puran)
‘The word bhakti is made from the root “bhaj”, which means “to serve”.’
Hence, as per Ved Vyas, bhakti is the desire to serve God. Even in the
world, if we love someone, we wish to serve that person. If you say, ‘I love
my country’, but when the time arises to defend it, you refuse to be drafted
into the military, then this is not love. True love for your country should be
demonstrated by your willingness to serve and protect it.
If one says, ‘I love the new book that has been released,’ yet confesses to
not having read it even once, their professed affection is hollow. Genuine
love for a book prompts an eager exploration and immersion in its pages.
Similarly, true bhakti manifests as the desire to serve and glorify God.
Compare this with the analogy of a human hand.
As a part of the body, the hand’s natural duty is to serve the body. It carries
food to the mouth for feeding the body, and so on. In doing this, the hand
automatically receives the nourishment, blood, and oxygen it needs for its
own survival. The hand does not have to take care of itself separately. In
caring for the body, the hand’s self-interest is automatically met.
Now, consider a scenario where the hand refuses to serve the body, and
says, ‘I have had enough! All my life has passed by in serving this repulsive
body. No more now! Cut me away from it, I will take care of myself.’
Do you think the hand can subsist independently? Definitely not! Its self-
interest lies in serving what it is an integral part of. Likewise, the self-
interest of the soul lies in serving God.
Along these lines, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explained to Sanatan Goswami:
 jīvera svarūpa haya kṛiṣhṇera nitya-dāsa
(Chaitanya Charitamrit, Madhya Leela, 20.108)
‘The soul is by nature the servant of God.’ Hence, devotional service to the
Lord is the spiritual dharma of the soul.

Bhakti in All Aspects of Our Life

The amazing thing about bhakti is that it need not be confined to the
precincts of a temple. It can be performed in any place, at any time of the
day, and through any activity.
For example, let us say you are a businessman. Without bhakti, you would
do business in material consciousness, driven solely by the lure for material
gains. The value driving your decision is, ‘Let me earn more money so that
I can enjoy in the world.’ However, when love for God fills your heart, your
attitude transforms the same endeavour into a divine mission. Now, your
overarching thought becomes, ‘Let me acquire wealth so that after taking
care of my bodily necessities, I can dedicate it in the service of God.’
Likewise, if you are a student, you will probably spend a large portion of
your day studying. The material attitude is: ‘I want good results, to get a
good job, and then achieve success and riches.’ However, if devotion to
God becomes your motivation, the feelings towards studies will be: ‘I will
acquire the best knowledge by studying diligently. Then, in the future I will
use my skill set to serve and please my Beloved Shree Krishna.’
Towards eating food, the material attitude is, ‘Let me indulge in tasteful
things and have a good time. It does not matter if my health deteriorates
later, as long as I enjoy myself now.’ In contrast, when your mindset gets
purified with bhakti, you will still eat food but with sublime thoughts: ‘Let
me eat only healthy food, so I grow strong and robust, and then engage in
extensive service to God.’
In this way, bhakti consecrates mundane works into sacred offerings of
love.

Bhakti Can Be Done with All Materials

Bhakti is so encompassing that it can be done with anything you possess. If
you have tasteful fruits, offer them to God with love and He will graciously
accept them. But if no fruits are available, there is no need to worry. Offer
attractive flowers to Him. If stark winter has set in and blooms are scarce,
there is still no cause for concern. A handful of leaves offered with
unwavering devotion will suffice. And if even leaves are not available, a
simple offering of water will equally please Him.
The Bhagavad Gita says:
patraṁ puṣhpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayachchhati
tadahaṁ bhaktyupahṛitam
aśhnāmi prayatātmanaḥ (verse 9.26)
Shree Krishna says, ‘If you offer Me with love, a leaf, fruit, flower or water,
I shall accept it.’ Simply remember that the whole world belongs to God, so
use whatever you have to serve Him.

Bhakti Was the Basis of the Society of Bharat

In ancient Bharat, all the arts and sciences developed in the spirit of
devotion to God. A majority of the ancient literature of Bharat was written
on the theme of bhakti to the Lord. Spiritual fervour permeated various
forms of classical Indian dances as well. Hence, dances, such as
Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, and Kuchipudi, all have devotion to the Lord as
their central theme. Similarly, all the ragas (classical melodies) of Indian
classical music evolved in glorification of the Supreme.
People in ancient Bharat used arts and sciences to exalt God. It was a God-
centred society. This was very different from the way Western society
developed. The Western world has its origins in Greek civilization. The
epics of the Greeks are the Iliad and Odyssey. These are mundane stories of
war and romance. In contrast, the epics of the ancient civilization of Bharat
were the Ramayan and Mahabharat. Both these narratives are firmly
focussed on God, replete with spiritual wisdom and instructions for spiritual
growth. This spirit of bhakti reverberated through every facet of the
civilization of Bharat.
The Glory of Bharat’s Ancient Past
For many centuries, Bharat stood as the epitome of human civilization,
firmly rooted in spirituality and God-consciousness. Unfortunately, that
eminence dwindled when it became subjugated to foreign rule.
Nevertheless, the splendour of its ancient past has been admired and praised
by the greatest minds of the West. This is what some of them said about
India:
When India was explored and the wonderful riches of Indian
theological literature found, that dispelled once and for all, the
dream about Christianity being the sole revelation.12
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, American philosopher
If I were to look over the whole world to find out the country mostly
richly endowed with all the wealth, power, and beauty that nature
can bestow—in some parts a very paradise on earth—I shall point to
India. If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most
fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered
on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of
them…I shall point to India. And if I were to ask myself from what
literature we, here in Europe,…may draw that corrective which is
most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more
comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human,…again I
shall point to India.13
—Professor Max Müller, German orientalist, considered the father
of comparative religion
If there is a country on earth that can justly claim the honour of
having been the cradle of the human race, or at least the scene of
human civilization, the successive developments of which carried it
into all parts of the ancient world, and even beyond, the blessings of
knowledge, which is the second life of man, that country is
assuredly India.14
—Friedrich Creuzer, German philologist and archaeologist
 This is indeed India!…cradle of the human race, birthplace of
human speech, mother of history,…the one land that all men desire
to see, and having seen once by even a glimpse, would not give that
glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the world combined.15
—Mark Twain, American writer
Powerful empires existed and flourished here while Englishmen
were still wandering painted in the woods, and when the British
Colonies were wilderness and jungle; and India has left a deeper
mark upon the history, the philosophy, and the religion of mankind
than any other terrestrial unit in the universe.16
—Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor General of India from
1899–1905
Having discussed the glory of devotion in this chapter, we will now move
on to learn how to develop devotion in our heart.

12Gokhale, Balkrishna Govind, India in the American Mind, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1992, p.
344.
13Müller, F. Max, India: What Can It Teach Us, A Course of Lectures Delivered Before the
University of Cambridge, Longmans, Green, and Co., London, 1883, p. 6.
14Lal, Chaman, India: Mother of Us All, Bhikshu Chaman Lal, New Delhi, 1968, p. 24.
15Twain, Mark, Following the Equator – A Journey around the World, 1897,
http://tinyurl.com/bp5ztp78. Accessed on 5 February 2024.
16Speeches by Lord Curzon of Kedleston, Viceroy and Governor General of India. Vol. III. 1902–
1904, Office of the Superintendent of Government, Calcutta, 1904, p. 99.
 Chapter 14
The Three Manifestations of God

W
hen we desire to engage in bhakti, the first question that arises is:
‘Which Form of the Supreme should I worship?’ We have many
options in Hinduism so deciding which Entity to worship requires
knowledge of the various aspects of God’s personality.

Three Ways in Which the Supreme Entity Manifests in the

World
Picture yourself standing beside a railway track. In the distance, you spot
the headlight of an approaching train, resembling a radiant light. As the
train draws nearer, its luminosity assumes a discernible form. Finally, when
it stands before you, the realization dawns: ‘Ah, it is a train! I can even see
the passengers peering out of their windows.’
The train seemed like a light from afar. As it came closer, it appeared to
have a shimmering form. Finally, when it came right in front, you realized it
was a train. The train was the same—as its proximity increased, your
understanding of its passengers, compartments, doors, and windows grew.
Likewise, the Supreme Divine Personality can be realized in varying
degrees of closeness.
God is perfect and complete and the possessor of unlimited energies.
Hence, His personality is replete with divine Names, Forms, Pastimes,
Virtues, Associates, and Abodes. Yet, He is realized at different levels of
proximity as Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. The learned Sage, Ved
Vyas writes:
vadanti tattattva vidastattvaṁ
yajgyānamadvayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavāniti śhabdyate
 (Shreemad Bhagavatam 1.2.11)
‘The Supreme Lord manifests in this world in three ways: Brahman,
Paramatma, and Bhagavan.’ These are not three different Gods, rather they
are three manifestations of the same one God. However, they exhibit
dissimilar qualities. Compare this to H2O (water).
Water, steam, and ice are the same substance, but their physical qualities
are not alike. If a thirsty person asks for water, and you give her a lump of
ice, she will say, ‘What is this? I asked for water.’
You may tell her, ‘Since ice is made from H2O molecules, it is the same as
water.’
She will reply, ‘It is the same substance, but its physical properties are
different. I cannot drink ice. It will not quench my thirst.’
Likewise, Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan represent different
manifestations of the one Supreme Lord, but Their qualities are different.

Brahman
This is the aspect of God that is everywhere in creation. The Vedas state:
eko devaḥ sarvabhūteṣhu gūḍhaḥ
sarvavyāpī sarva bhūtāntarātmā
(Shwetashvatar Upanishad 6.11)
‘There is only one God. He is seated in everything and in everyone.’ As
Brahman, God does not manifest His Forms, Virtues, and Pastimes. He is
merely sat-chit-anand, meaning ‘full of eternality, knowledge, and bliss’.
You may wonder that if God is everywhere, why can we not perceive Him?
The reason is that He is divine, while our senses are all made from the
material energy. Consequently, these material senses cannot comprehend
Him. The following story amply illustrates it.
An ant kept a lump of salt in its mouth and climbed up a hill of sugar.
Another ant accompanied this ant up the hill. In the evening when they
returned, the second ant said, ‘Today I ate so much sugar that I am stuffed
with it.’
The first ant exclaimed, ‘What are you saying, my dear friend? We walked
on a hill of salt. How did you get to eat sugar?’
The first ant’s statement may seem surprising. If they were walking on a hill
of sugar, how come the first ant did not experience it? The answer will
become evident if you open its mouth. Inside was a lump of salt that
prevented it from tasting the sweetness of sugar.
Similarly, God pervades all of creation as the Formless Brahman. However,
our senses are material, and hence, we are unable to perceive Him.
The path of Jnana Yog takes us to the realization of the all-pervading
Brahman, devoid of attributes. This is a distant realization of God as a
bright Light, just as the train from afar appeared to be like a light.

Paramatma
This aspect of God resides in the heart of all beings. This means that there
are two personalities residing in the body—the atma (individual soul) and
the Paramatma (Supreme Soul). The Bhagavad Gita states:
īśhvaraḥ sarva-bhūtanaṁ
hṛid-deśhe ʼrjuna tiṣhṭhati (18.61)
Shree Krishna says: ‘Arjun! God resides in the heart of all living beings.’
Seated within our heart, the Paramatma meticulously observes all our
thoughts and actions, keeps an account of them, and dispenses the results at
the appropriate time. While we may forget our past actions, God has perfect
recollection. If you were asked, ‘What were you thinking 25 hours and 15
minutes ago?’, you would probably say, ‘I do not remember.’ However,
God remembers what we thought at every moment of our life since we were
born.
And not only for this life! Through endless lifetimes, wherever we went,
God remained our constant Companion. This manifestation of God
dwelling in everyone’s hearts is the Paramatma. We can refer to Him as the
Supreme Soul within. He possesses a Form and Virtues. However, He does
not display any Pastimes.
The path of Ashtang Yog focuses on God residing in the heart and takes us
to the Paramatma realization. This is a closer experience of the Supreme
Entity, just as the train was seen as a shimmering light form as it drew
nearer.

Bhagavan
This is the aspect of God when He takes on a personal Form. The Shreemad
Bhagavatam states:
kṛiṣhṇamenamavehitva
mātmānamakhilātmanām
jagaddhitāya so ʼpyatra
dehīvābhāti māyayā (10.14.55)
‘The Supreme Lord—who is the Soul of all souls—manifested in His
personal Form, as Shree Krishna, for the welfare of the world.’ We refer to
the personal form of God with the nomenclature ‘Bhagavan’ or ‘Avatar’.
As Bhagavan, He reveals the sweetness of His Names, Forms, Qualities,
Abodes, Pastimes, and Associates. Do note that Bhagavan is not bigger than
Paramatma, nor is Paramatma bigger than Brahman. They all are the same
Supreme Divine Entity. All the attributes of Bhagavan also exist in
Brahman and Paramatma, but some remain dormant.
Compare this to a matchstick. It contains fire in the latent form. The fire
manifests when the matchstick is struck against the igniting strip of the
matchbox. Similarly, all the qualities of God’s personality, which are latent
in the other forms, get revealed in His Bhagavan manifestation.
The path of Bhakti Yog leads to the attainment of Bhagavan. This is the
closest realization of God. It is akin to the details of the train becoming
visible when it comes and halts in front of the observer. In essence, bhakti
allows one to perceive and embrace the personal and intimate aspect of the
Divine. The Bhagavad Gita states:
bhaktyā tvananyayā śhakya
aham evaṁ-vidho ’rjuna
jñātuṁ draṣhṭuṁ cha tattvena
praveṣhṭuṁ cha parantapa
(verse 11.54)
Shree Krishna says: ‘O Arjun, by unalloyed devotion alone can I be known
as I am, standing before you. Thereby, on receiving My divine vision, O
scorcher of foes, one can enter into union with Me.’

The Bliss of the Personal Form of God

Many people choose to worship the Supreme as the all-pervading Brahman.
Others prefer to connect with Him in any of His personal Forms, such as
Bhagavan. The bliss of the Formless is called brahmanand, while that of
His personal Form is called premanand. Both are infinitely sweet. And yet,
there is a distinction between them that needs to be understood.
Let us say, the husband of a married woman prohibits her from seeing him.
He also never allows her to serve him, speak to him, or love him. Would
that wife not find her life exceedingly dull? She would say, ‘I longed for a
husband with whom I could sing, dance, play, and love. Instead, I have
married a bore.’
Likewise, those who worship the formless Brahman cannot see their Lord;
they cannot witness His sweet Leelas; they cannot hear the melodious
sound of His flute; they have no opportunity to feel the love of His
embrace. They can only experience Him in their minds. In contrast, the
devotees of Bhagavan behold the divine Form of their beloved Lord,
engage in His sweet Pastimes, and serve Him to their heart’s content.
Do note that both premanand and brahmanand are sweet, yet one is
sweeter. Compare this with jaggery, sugar, and candy. They are all sweet.
However, if you were eating jaggery, and someone put candy in front, you
would lose interest in jaggery. The jaggery is sweet, but sugar is sweeter,
and candy is the sweetest. Consider another example to understand this
point.
Suppose a woman is carrying a baby in her womb. Although she has not yet
seen her baby, the anticipation of becoming a mother brings her joy. After
the baby is born and begins to grow, the mother cherishes the moments of
holding her two-month-old baby in her lap with great love. Ask that mother,
‘The joy you are experiencing from your baby now, is it the same as the joy
you got when the baby was in your womb?’
The mother will say, ‘What are you saying? Pregnancy was nine months of
sheer pain; it was just a feeling of the baby inside. But now I can see my
little daughter, hug her, hear her childish chatter, enjoy her innocent
pastimes, and serve her. This is real bliss.’
Similarly, worshipping the formless Brahman simply gives a feeling of bliss
in the mind. In contrast, in the worship of Bhagavan, we experience all the
sweetness of His Names, Forms, Qualities, Pastimes, Abodes, and
Associates.
Further, worship of the personal Form of God is easier as well. If you were
asked to watch and think about a light for six hours, the task may prove to
be challenging. However, if you are made to see a wonderful drama, with a
great story, attractive actors, and lots of action, it would be enjoyable and
effortless. Similarly, the variety of the attributes of Bhagavan makes
devotion to Him considerably easier and more fulfilling.
When we wholeheartedly engage in devotion, placing our faith in the divine
nature of God’s Forms and Pastimes, our mind undergoes rapid purification.

Various Personal Forms of God

In the Hindu tradition, we are fortunate to possess knowledge about the
diverse personal Forms of God. In these forms, He eternally exists in His
divine Abodes. Occasionally, He descends on earth as an Avatar and
displays His divine Leelas.
These loving Pastimes of God have been documented in the scriptures and
related by the Saints. Some of the prominent Forms of God described in the
Vedic scriptures are:
Shree Krishna. He resides eternally in His divine Abode, which is called
Golok. Shree Krishna descended on the earth about 5,000 years ago and
displayed sweet loving Pastimes that have enchanted billions of people
since then. Notably, Shree Krishna is also the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita.
His Leelas have been vividly described in the Mahabharat and in the tenth
canto of the Shreemad Bhagavatam.
Shree Krishna’s threefold bending posture adorned with a peacock crown,
His bluish complexion, and the enchanting melody of His flute, have
captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands of poet-saints. In His
loving Pastimes, Shree Krishna demonstrated how He willingly becomes
enslaved by the love of His devotees’, even forgetting that He is God.
Shree Ram. His eternal Abode is called Saket Lok. He descended on the
earth in the Tretā Yug. Bhagavan Ram set an impeccable example of perfect
behaviour for human beings. He was the ideal Son, the ideal Brother, ideal
Friend, and ideal King. Human society derives great inspiration from the
way He discharged His social responsibilities.
Lord Ram’s captivating Form and remarkable Pastimes irresistibly enchant
the minds of devotees. One of His most enduring Leela’s is His vanquishing
of Ravan, the demon king, to rescue Mother Sita from captivity. These
extraordinary Pastimes were described by the ancient poet Valmiki in his
great Sanskrit work, the Ramayan, and later translated into numerous
regional languages across Bharat.
Lord Vishnu. He oversees the administration of the material worlds.
Vishnu Bhagavan rests upon the body of Anant Shesh, the divine snake-
form of God. Simultaneously, He also resides in everyone’s heart as the
Paramatma.
His eternal Abode in the divine realm is known as Vaikunth, where He
resides as Lord Narayan. He has a four-armed form with a conch shell, disc,
lotus flower, and mace, in His hands. However, He rarely performs any
Pastimes. Mother Lakshmi is His eternal consort. In South India, He is
commonly referred to as Lord Venkateshwar.
Bhagavan Shiv. He resides in the divine realm as Sadashiv and in the
material realm as Bhagavan Shankar. He exudes an aura of profound
tranquillity, and remains in deep meditation in His abode, called Kailash.
Known for His boundless compassion and mercy, Shivji gives shelter to
even the lowest of sinners and drunkards.
When the time arrives for the dissolution of the universe, He initiates His
famous Tāṇḍav dance and winds up all of creation. Mother Parvati is His
eternal consort. Shiv and Parvati’s divine Pastimes are mentioned in many
of the Puranas, especially in the Shiv Puran.
Mother Durga. She is in charge of the functioning of the material energy.
Hence, She is worshipped as the Divine Mother of the world and of all the
souls residing in the material realm.
The worship of God in the form of the Mother is a remarkable aspect of
Hinduism. Just as a child believes its mother to be all-powerful and
immensely kind-hearted, likewise, a devotee believes the Divine Mother to
be infinitely merciful, all-powerful, and eternally protective with Her
invisible arms.
Radha Rani. The divine energy of God manifests in various Forms, such as
Radha, Durga, Kali, Lakshmi, Parvati, Sita, and Rukmini. They all are
revered as the Divine Mother of the universe. The motherly aspect of God
emanates beauty, gentleness, kindness, and tenderness. The sweetest Form
of the Divine Mother is Radha. She is the divine energy of Shree Krishna.
By Her power, Shyamsundar (Krishna) manifests His amazing Pastimes,
divine Abode, and divine Bliss.
Radha Rani’s boundless selfless love makes Her the foremost devotee in
Shree Krishna’s divine Leelas. By Her grace, souls are blessed with pure
love for Shyamsundar and His loving service.
Ganesh. Revered as the remover of obstacles, He holds a special place in
Hindu religious ceremonies. Ganeshji is invoked at the outset of auspicious
endeavours as Vighneshwar, the dispeller of impediments. He is also the
bestower of knowledge, hence is also called Vinayak (knowledgeable). In
his divine Pastimes, Ganesh is the younger son of Lord Shiv and Mother
Parvati. With four hands, an elephant’s head, and a generous belly, his
unique form embodies His magnanimous nature.
Hanuman. He is a great devotee, epitomizing unwavering devotion to Lord
Ram. Hanumanji is endowed with exceptional heroic qualities. He sets an
excellent example of renunciation and austerity, serving as an ideal for all
who seek inspiration from His remarkable pastimes.
Hanumanji’s love for Shree Ram is immense, and while serving, He does
not hesitate to undertake the most herculean tasks. He carries a gadā
(mace), representing His valour and heroism.
We shall now discuss how to engage in devotion to achieve the highest
level of God-realization, and also experience premanand, the bliss of divine
love.
 Chapter 15
Divine Love—The Greatest Treasure

The Powers of God

All of us possess a multitude of powers, including the ability to see, hear,
and think. We need numerous powers to accomplish any task. If even one
power reduces, we become handicapped. For example, if a man says, ‘I am
blind,’ it means his power to see is missing.
God possesses innumerable powers, and each is unlimited in extent. Hence,
He is called Sarva-śhaktimān. One of God’s powers is maya, the material
energy, with which He creates the material world. If we carefully ponder
over even a speck of this amazing creation, we can perceive the miracle of
God manifesting in it. Keep in mind that all this has come about by God’s
most inferior energy, maya.
Beyond this, He possesses a superior spiritual power, called Yogmaya. With
the help of Yogmaya, the Lord manifests His divine Abodes, Forms,
Virtues, and Pastimes. Imagine, if maya shakti is so astonishing, how
magnificent and glorious will be the works of Yogmaya! The divine Leelas
that Shree Krishna, Shree Ram, and other Avatars performed were all by
virtue of this Yogmaya power.
Yogmaya has many branches. One of them is Hlādini shakti, the power that
gives pleasure to God. The quintessence of this power is para bhakti, or
divine love. It is the most confidential of His powers. Let us delve into its
secrets.

The Power of Divine Love

This is God’s most extraordinary power. It is so special that the Supreme
Almighty becomes a servant of the devotee who possesses bhakti. The
Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
 ahaṁ bhaktaparādhīno
hyasvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhi rgrastahṛidayo
bhaktairbhaktajanapriyaḥ (9.4.63)
Shree Krishna states: ‘I am supremely independent, but divine love is such
a power that it binds Me. My devotees who possess it rule My heart and are
very dear to Me.’
Whenever God descends in this world, He reveals loving Pastimes, in
which He shows how He is enraptured by the love of His devotees. There
are innumerable verses to this extent:
vyāpaka brahma nirañjana
nirguna vigat vinoda
so aja prema bhagati
basa kausalyā keñ goda
(Ramayan, Bal Kand 1.198)
Sage Tulsidas states: ‘We all know that God is all-pervading in this world.
We also know about His formless aspect. However, look at the power of
Kaushalya’s bhakti, under whose spell, the very same Supreme Lord has
become a small Baby and is lying in her lap.’
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj described how God gets enchanted by
bhakti:
jo nahiñ jāta bulāyehu,
śhuka sanakādika dhyāna
binuhiñ bulāye jāta soi,
ghara ghara braja vanitāna
(Bhakti Shatak verse 93)
‘Look at the glory of divine love. The Supreme Master of infinite universes,
Who hesitates to reveal Himself in the samadhi of great personalities like
Shukadev and Sanatkumar goes uninvited to the houses of the gopis of
Braj.’
The profoundly captivating Leelas depicted by the preceding verses reveal
that God is captivated by the power of divine love. A very endearing
Pastime of the Lord illustrating this point is described below.
The Supreme Personality Gets Tied by a Rope
When Shree Krishna descended on the earth, despite being the Lord of all
the worlds, He assumed the form of a little child, frolicking with His
cowherd friends and stealing butter from the gopis.
Once when Shyamsundar was a toddler, Mother Yashoda was churning
butter in the kitchen. Although with her hands she was pulling the rope, her
mind was absorbed in loving thoughts of Krishna. ‘Let me churn very soft
and sweet butter’, she was thinking, ‘so that I may feed my Krishna with it.
He loves butter and eating the freshly churned butter will make Him very
happy indeed.’
Shree Krishna reached the scene. Finding His mother engrossed in churning
butter, He sought her affectionate attention. He climbed onto her lap, caught
her face with His tiny hands, urging her to look in His direction. Observing
her dear Krishna’s naughtiness gave great pleasure to Mother Yashoda. She
began feeding Him milk with immense love. Krishna was enjoying His
mother’s affection.
In the meantime, the milk that had been set to boil started spilling over.
Seeing this, Yashoda hastily put Krishna aside and rushed to take the milk
off the fire.
Krishna was annoyed that His mother left Him to tend to the milk, as if it
were more important than Him. To express His displeasure, He took the
churning rod and smashed the pot of butter. He also broke some more pots
nearby. Then, He carried a small pot of butter out of the house. He ate some
butter Himself and began feeding the rest to the monkeys.
Having taken care of the milk, Mother Yashoda returned to the butter. She
was startled to see all the pots smashed. She decided to teach her child a
lesson, so taking a stick in her hands, she ventured out of the house.
Finding His mother so angry, Krishna ran to save Himself from a beating.
His four steps were equal to one of Yashoda’s. However, He was still
swifter than His mother, and as the chase continued, she became
increasingly tired.
The Lord is faster than the fastest, so who can ever catch Him? Seeing
Yashoda’s exhaustion, Krishna felt pity for her and pretended to get tired
Himself. He slowed down, allowing Mother Yashoda to catch Him. God is
the Father of all souls, but because of Yashoda’s love, He subjected Himself
to the role of her Child.
The mother has the right to punish her child for his betterment, and so
Yashoda took a rope to bind Krishna to the grinding wheel. However, the
rope turned out to be two fingers short. So, Yashoda tied a second rope to
the first one and again tried to bind Krishna. But again, the rope was two
fingers short! No matter how many ropes Yashoda kept adding, the rope
was still not long enough to tie Krishna. God is bigger than the whole
universe, which resides inside Him. Unless He himself permits it, who can
ever tie Him?
Mother Yashoda was bewildered! Finally, Krishna again felt pity on her and
allowed Himself to be tied. The scriptures state:
yaśhodayā samākapi
devatā nāsti bhūtale
ulūkhale yayā baddho
muktido muktimichchhati
‘Can any celestial god be as fortunate as Mother Yashoda? That Lord, who
releases the souls from the bonds of maya, has been tied by her with a rope.
He is begging her for His release.’
This amazing Pastime reveals the glory of divine love and shows how the
devotee can bind the Supreme Lord simply with love.

The Greatest Treasure We Can Possess

God happily serves that devotee who possesses the treasure of divine love.
This is why, in the Mahabharat war, Shree Krishna drove the chariot, while
Arjun merrily sat on it. Shree Krishna is the Supreme Master of the
universe, while Arjun was a mere soul. And yet, because of Arjun’s
devotion, Shree Krishna took the subservient position of being his
Charioteer.
This is the glory of divine love, in front of which all worldly opulences
become insignificant. While material treasures will remain behind when we
depart from the world, the treasure of divine love will accompany us
beyond death. Thus, it is the highest treasure that we can possess. Saint
Kabir said:
kabīrā saba jaga nirdhanā
dhanvañtā nahiñ koya
dhanvañtā soi jāniye jāhi
prema dhana hoya
‘Nobody in this world is really wealthy, except that person who possesses
the wealth of divine love.’
We must now try to find out how we too can receive this priceless treasure.
 Chapter 16
Sadhana Bhakti—Preparatory
Devotion

G
od does not bestow para bhakti easily, for doing so will entail
becoming enslaved by the devotee. He waits till the soul becomes
deserving of it. If we wish to receive it, we will have to qualify for it.
The criterion is the preparation of the antaḥ karaṇ (ethereal heart).
We must purify our mind completely until it becomes a suitable receptacle
for para bhakti. We all are aware of the importance of keeping our home
clean. If we wish to invite an esteemed person to our home, we will first
clean and tidy the house. Instead, if we have a dead dog lying on our living
room carpet, our guest will depart in a hurry, saying, ‘What an awful place!
The stink is unbearable. Please invite me later when you have perfectly
cleaned up your house.’
Likewise, a temple is first cleaned and then the deity of the Lord is installed
in it. Similarly, para bhakti is like a maharani (queen). If we desire the
queenlike divine love to reside in our heart, we must first make it pure.
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj explained in Bhakti Shatak:
prathama sādhanā bhakti karu,
taba mana nirmala hoya
milai viśhuddhā bhakti taba,
guru anukaṁpā toya
(verse 9)
‘First, do sadhana bhakti to purify your mind. Then you will receive siddha
bhakti by the grace of the Guru.’

Preparatory Devotion
How will the mind be cleansed? This will happen by engaging in sadhana
bhakti, or ‘preparatory devotion’. It will prepare the vessel of the heart, in
which God will then bestow siddha bhakti, which is His divine love.
Hence, bhakti is of two kinds:
1. Preparatory devotion, or sadhana bhakti, is what we have to do. It is the
effort required from us for cleansing the mind of anger, greed, lust, envy,
pride, and illusion.
2. Divine Love, or siddha bhakti, is the divine power that God bestows by
His grace.

Purification of the mind is a natural consequence of sadhana bhakti. God is

all-pure; He is beyond the three gunas of maya. When we attach our mind
to Him, it gradually rises above the three modes. Initially, tamo guna, the
mode of ignorance, is extinguished. Then, rajo guna, the mode of passion, is
eliminated, and the mind becomes established in sattva, the mode of
goodness. Finally, by the grace of God, sattva guna is also destroyed, and
the mind is made divine. At this stage, sadhana bhakti is complete, and the
vessel is ready for receiving siddha bhakti.
Therefore, let us first learn how to do preparatory devotion. The first point
in sadhana bhakti is to develop our relationship with God.

Our Eternal Relationship with God

Our deepest and most comprehensive relationship in the world is with the
Lord. Physically, He is so close to us that not a hair’s breadth gap exists
between Him and us. He is seated within us, and we are seated within Him.
The Kathopanishad states:
nityo nityānāṁ chetanaś
chetanānām (2.2.13)
‘God is seated within the soul, bestowing it eternality and life.’ If He were
to leave us for a moment, our soul itself would cease to exist.
Therefore, God is our eternal Relative. The worldly relatives keep changing
from lifetime-to-lifetime. In our previous birth, we had a different father,
mother, sister, brother, and friends. In the birth before that, we had another
set of relatives. God, however, is our eternal Father, Mother, Friend and
Relative. In endless lifetimes, wherever we went, God went with us. When
we went into a cat’s body, God accompanied us. When we went into a
cow’s body, God went with us there as well.
The Bhagavad Gita states:
gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣhī
nivāsaḥ śharaṇāṁ suhṛit
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānāṁ
nidhānāṁ bījam avyayam
(verse 9.18)
Shree Krishna says, ‘I am the Supreme Goal of all living beings, and I am
also their Sustainer, Master, Witness, Abode, Shelter, and Friend. I am the
Origin, End, and Resting Place of creation; I am the Repository and Eternal
Seed.’
Further, He is such a Friend Who is totally selfless. Since He is perfect and
complete, He needs nothing from us. Hence, He always desires and acts for
our welfare. This is a stark contrast from worldly relatives whose love for
us is tinged with selfishness.
Thus, God is both our eternal and selfless Friend. The problem, however, is
that we have forgotten our relationship with Him since innumerable
lifetimes. So, effort will be required to remember and re-establish it.

The Need to Rekindle Our Relationship

Suppose you had a friend who was very close to you in college. Upon
graduation, life took you both in different directions, so you lost contact.
Now you meet her after a gap of 15 years. You try to greet her by hugging
her and say, ‘Anita! What a pleasure to meet you after so long!’
Your friend, however, failed to recognize you. She looks at you in
puzzlement. ‘Who are you?’ she asks.
‘You did not recognize me? We used to study together in college.’
‘Oh yes! I have a faint recollection.’
‘Sometimes we would go biking together!’
‘Yes…yes, I am remembering more now.’
‘We specialized in the same major. And we were in many classes together.’
‘Oh yes, now I remember! You are Sheila.’
We see how Anita was a friend of Sheila, but she had forgotten, and so she
required some effort to remember.
Similarly, we too have forgotten our Eternal Relative. So, we will require
some effort to rekindle that divine relationship. That is what sadhana bhakti
will help us do.

The Five Bhavs of Bhakti

Another name for bhakti is upāsanā. The word upāsanā means to come
close to God. How can we do that? By thinking, ‘He is mine’. We can
enhance our love for God by establishing sweet loving relationships with
Him.
There are five bhavs (sentiments) of devotion towards the one Almighty
Lord. These are the five ways for taking our mind to Him. They have been
detailed in the various bhakti scriptures, such as the Narad Bhakti Darshan,
the Bhakti Rasāmṛit Sindhu, Prema Rasa Siddhanta, and so on. The five
bhavs are:
1. Śhānt bhav, or the sentiment of Majesty: ‘The Lord is my King.’ For
example, the residents of Dwarika saw God as their King, Dwarikadhish.
The residents of Ayodhya saw Bhagavan Ram as their King.
2. Dāsya bhav, or the sentiment of Servitude: ‘God is my Master.’
Hanuman is the supreme ideal of this bhav towards His Master, Shree
Ram.
3. Sakhya bhav, or the Fraternal sentiment: ‘God is my Friend.’ This was
the sentiment of Arjun. Shree Krishna’s cowherd friends also loved Him
in sakhya bhav.
4. Vātsalya bhav, or the Maternal sentiment: ‘I am Shree Krishna’s
mother or father.’ This was the sentiment of Yashoda towards Krishna. It
was also the sentiment of Kaushalya towards Ram.
5. Mādhūrya bhav, or the Conjugal sentiment: ‘Shree Krishna is my
Beloved.’ This is how the gopis of Vrindavan worshipped Shree Krishna.
Meera Bai exemplified this bhav (sentiment of devotion). She looked
upon the Lord as her Beloved, and thereby, felt the greatest proximity
with Him.

These sentiments help us get closer to God. Devotion may sometimes

resemble worldly love, but actually it is totally the opposite. The distinction
is that love in the world is selfish, while true love for God is completely
selfless. We shall learn about selfless love in the next chapter.
 Chapter 17
Selfless Love

Do Not Ask God for Worldly Things

If we approach God with worldly desires, our mind remains entangled in
the world. Then no matter how much devotion we do, the mind does not
become pure. It is like filling dirty water in a bottle and submerging it in the
holy Ganga. Regardless of how long the bottle remains immersed in the
sacred river, the water within stays impure. This is because it did not come
in contact with the pure water of the Ganga.
In a light-hearted tale, two neighbours, Ramesh and Dinesh, fell victim to
the classic trap of neighbourly envy. Their rivalry led to an endless cycle of
mimicking each other’s choices, from buying new cars to building fences
and repainting their houses.
Years passed, and their feud made them unable to stand each other’s
presence. To outdo Dinesh, Ramesh hatched a plan. He decided to seek a
boon from Bhagavan Shiv. The next morning at 5.00 a.m., he arrived at the
temple and began chanting ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, vowing not to stop until
Lord Shiv appeared to fulfil his wishes.
Coincidentally, Dinesh had the same idea the previous night—to surpass
Ramesh by seeking a boon from Lord Shiv. At 5.15 a.m., he reached the
same temple and spotted Ramesh meditating there. He realized his
intentions and thought, Let us see who receives a boon from Bhagavan Shiv
first. He too began chanting.
Around 7.00 a.m., devotees arriving at the temple observed Ramesh and
Dinesh, apparently in deep devotion. It seemed to them that both were
remarkably devout souls.
At noon, Mother Parvati suggested to Lord Shiv that He visit Ramesh and
Dinesh. Shivji appeared before Ramesh, who inquired whether Dinesh had
received the Lord’s darshan yet. Shivji responded that He would visit
Dinesh next.
Hearing this, Ramesh faced a dilemma. Whatever he asked for, Dinesh
would request more of the same. So, he cunningly said, ‘Oh Lord, grant me
double of whatever You bestow to Dinesh.’
Shivji then approached Dinesh, who similarly inquired about Ramesh’s
darshan. Upon discovering that Ramesh had indeed met Lord Shiv, Dinesh
found himself in a predicament. Despite his rigorous penance, he would still
lag behind Ramesh. Ultimately, he sought an advantage by asking Shiv to
make him one-eyed.
Lord Shiv granted Dinesh’s unusual boon, rendering him one-eyed, while
Ramesh was left completely blind. The devotees, who had initially believed
the two men to be devout, soon realized that their minds were firmly
entrenched in worldly desires despite their vocal prayers to God.
If, externally, we worship the Lord, but our mind clings to material desires,
it will be devotion to the world, not to God. Such bhakti will not cleanse the
mind from the afflictions of maya.
The scriptures label this type of bhakti as sakām bhakti. If we wish to
purify our mind, we must learn niṣhkām bhakti, in which we do not ask
God for anything. This is the instruction of all the Vedic scriptures. The
Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
lakṣhaṇaṁ bhakti-yogasya
nirguṇasya hy udāhṛitam
ahaituky avyavahitā yā
bhaktiḥ puruṣhottame (3.29.12)
‘Devotion to the Supreme Divine Personality should be untinged by
material aspirations; it should flow without any interruption and be without
desire for reward.’ The Bhakti Rasāmṛit Sindhu states:
anyābhilāṣhitā-śhūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛitam
ānukūlyena kṛiṣhṇānu-śhīlanaṁ
bhaktir uttamā (1.1.11)
‘Engage in devotion to the Supreme Lord with positive loving sentiments
and without desire for material profit. Such devotion should be free from
philosophic speculation and fruitive activities.’

Selfish Love Keeps Fluctuating

In material relationships, we often experience that our love for others keeps
oscillating. The same father, mother, friend, teacher appear very endearing
at one time. At other times, they appear normal, while at some other times,
we start hating them. Our love for them does not remain steady.
The reason for this fluctuation is simply selfishness—we want something
from them. When our self-interest is fulfilled, we think they are very nice.
When our self-interest is not fulfilled, we feel they are just normal. And
when our self-interest gets harmed, we dislike them. If we love selflessly,
then no matter how others behave with us, our love for them will not
reduce.
Similarly, if we love God selfishly, then our devotion towards Him will also
keep fluctuating. Instead, if we learn selfless love, our devotion will
steadily increase. The Narad Bhakti Darshan also states:
guṇarahitaṁ kāmanārahitaṁ
pratikṣhaṇa vardhamānam avichchhinnaṁ
sūkṣhmataram anubhavarūpam
(sutra 54)
‘This love is beyond the three modes of material nature, above all desires,
grows every moment, and remains incessant. It is subtler than the subtlest
and is in the form of an experience.’

Seek God and All Else Will Be Added

Shree Krishna is the Supreme Master of unlimited universes. He possesses
unimaginable treasures that He is eager to bestow upon the soul. Asking
Him for material things is like meeting Kuber, the celestial god of wealth,
and imploring him for a dollar. People would laugh in dismay and mock
that person. Similarly, one who asks Shree Krishna for material things has
no knowledge of the treasures of the divine realm.
A king once went to a foreign country. From there, he wrote to his queens
asking them what they wanted. All the queens responded with expensive
requests. The youngest queen simply wrote the number ‘1’ in her letter to
the king.
When the king returned, he brought the things that were requested by the
other queens and instructed his servants to carry them to their respective
rooms. But for the youngest queen, he personally went to her palace and
asked, ‘What was the meaning of the “1” you wrote? What did you want?’
The intelligent queen replied, ‘The “1” meant I only wanted you, nothing
else, and I got you. Thank you so much!’
Likewise, if we aspire for the world, we will not attain God. Conversely, if
we make God our ultimate goal, we will automatically get His divine
knowledge, love, and bliss. However, we must remember to love God and
not do business with Him.

Difference between Business and Love

Business is a transactional activity characterized by give and take. We give
to the other party with the intention of reciprocation or in anticipation of
gain for ourselves. If we get more than what we gave, the business is
considered profitable; else, the transaction is deemed unprofitable. Those
engaged in business are inevitably concerned about what they stand to
receive in return.
We often make the same mistake while engaging in devotion to God. We go
to the temple and beseech the Lord for material boons. This is like doing
business with Him. Suppose a trader says, ‘Oh God! Give me five crores
profit, and I will donate 50,000 rupees to the temple.’ The trader is trying to
engage God in a deal.
Selfless love is the stark opposite of business. In such love, we desire only
to give…give…give without the expectation of reciprocation. Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu expressed this very strongly:
kāmera tātparya nija-sambhoga kevala
kṛiṣhṇa-sukha-tātparya-mātra prema ta’ prabala
ataeva kāma-preme bahuta antara
 kāma—andha-tamaḥ, prema—nirmala bhāskara
(Chaitanya Charitamrit, Ādi Leela, 4.166 and 171)
‘Where the desire is simply for self-happiness, that is lust; where the desire
is desire for Lord Krishna’s happiness, that is love. Lust is like darkness
while love is pure like the Sun.’

Three Kinds of Seva

Real devotion is free from all self-seeking. However, to desire happiness is
the nature of the soul. If selfless devotees do not want their own happiness,
then what do they seek? True devotees desire the happiness of God. They
love Shree Krishna for His happiness alone. And to make Him happy,
they wish to serve Him with everything they have.
What can we give to God? We have three possessions with which we can
serve Him:
1. Mind. Cultivate thoughts and sentiments that will make Shree Krishna
happy.
2. Body. Engage the body in actions and service that are for the pleasure of
God.
3. Wealth. Donate a portion of the income to causes that are pleasing to
God.

Amongst these, serving with the mind is the most important, followed by
the body, and finally, wealth. However, to reach the point where the mind
remains engaged in loving thoughts, we must begin from below. We must
learn to serve God with our wealth. Then we will develop the desire to
engage the body in service as well. And when the body is engaged, the
mind will naturally begin meditating on giving happiness to God.
This is why the scriptures instruct:
nyāyopārjita vittasya
daśhamānśhena dhīmataḥ
kartavyo viniyogaśha cha
īśhvaraprotyarthameva cha
(Skanda Puran)
‘Whatever you have earned by genuine means, donate one-tenth in charity
in the service of God. That is your duty.’
There are numerous benefits and advantages of donating one-tenth of one’s
income. It prevents one from misusing excessive wealth. It fosters a service
attitude towards God. It expands the heart of the devotee. It teaches the
devotee to practise selfless love. This principle in Hinduism is also
practised in various other religions.
In the practice of sadhana bhakti, we will next discuss the need for
meditation and its techniques.
 Chapter 18
The Art of Meditation

M
editation is a valuable contribution from Bharat to the world. It is
known as ‘dhyan’ in Sanskrit. Its journey from Bharat to China led
to modifications in its name, evolving from ‘dhyan’ to ‘jhan,’ and
later to ‘Zen,’ which established itself as a prominent school of Mahayana
Buddhism.
In the Western world, meditation remained relatively unknown until
approximately 125 years ago. It was introduced by a wave of spiritual
teachers who migrated from Bharat and imparted knowledge of the
technique to Western audiences. Today, meditation has gained widespread
recognition as a revered practice, finding its place in corporate boardrooms,
fitness studios, universities, and wellness clinics.
The burgeoning popularity of meditation can be attributed to its numerous
benefits, spanning the realms of physiology, psychology, and spirituality.
Meditation serves as a powerful tool for calming the incessant stream of
thoughts that inundate the mind, thereby fostering a sense of tranquillity.
Through meditation, individuals can delve into the inner regions of their
mind and intellect, for elevating their consciousness. One of the most
notable advantages of meditation lies in its capacity to enhance the power
of concentration.

Benefits of Concentration
At present, our mind is scattered in various directions. This not only
diminishes our effectivity at work but also becomes a hindrance in
devotion. We experience it when we sit to chant verses praising God, and
the mind wanders in the world.
The untrained mind has been compared to a monkey. Saint Tulsidas says:
 graha grahita puni bāt basa
teahi puni bīchhī māra
tehi piāia bārunī
kahahu kāha upachāra
(Ramayan, Ayodhya Kand 2.180)
‘By nature, a monkey is restless. In addition, if it also has hysteria, how
restless will it become. On top of that, if you make it drink alcohol, then
consider its state. Further, if you tie a scorpion to its tail, then imagine the
monkey’s condition. Oh Lord! My mind is like that monkey.’
Concentration, on the other hand, enhances effectiveness. For example,
water vapour rises from lakes and drifts ineffectively in the sky. Yet, when
the same water vapour is concentrated in the form of steam and focussed on
the piston of the railway engine, it becomes capable of propelling thousands
of tons of carriages at the speed of hundreds of miles per hour. Similarly, an
unwavering mind has tremendous power.
So, how can we enhance our concentration? We all have experienced the
challenges of restraining our wavering mind. Meditation offers a structured
approach to train the mind to focus. A variety of meditation techniques can
be used for this purpose.

Various Meditation Techniques

People practise meditation in many ways. Some meditate on the breath,
while others fix their attention on the centre of the eyebrows, and yet others
on the psychic centres in the spinal cord. Some choose to meditate on a
tranquil lake, and others meditate on a light. All these different meditations
do improve the focus of the mind. However, their benefits are incomplete
and impermanent.
The drawback of these mechanical techniques is that the impurities in the
mind do not get fully cleansed. As long as lust, anger, greed, envy, and
illusion reside in the mind, these forces dissipate the concentration that was
gained through practice.
The second problem is that these mechanical techniques aim at arresting the
thought flow and bringing the mind to a void. This goes against the inherent
nature of the mind, and hence, the practice of these techniques becomes
uninteresting and difficult.

Advantages of Meditating upon God

Imagine you are riding a bicycle. If you apply the brakes, you will not be
able to retain your balance. You will either topple to the left or to the right.
However, if you gently steer the handle, the cycle will smoothly turn in the
direction you desire. Similarly, the mind is a machine that continuously
generates thoughts. If you try to stop the flow, it becomes an unstable
condition, and such a thoughtless state is difficult to sustain. However, if
you turn the mind towards God, it very easily begins meditating on the
divine Names, Forms, Virtues, Abodes, and Pastimes of the Lord.
Meditation upon God is also very sweet. The mind, by nature, desires
attractive forms, activities, sounds, and more. In devotion, the all-blissful
Forms of God are a captivating subject matter for the mind to meditate
upon.
Most importantly, God is all-pure, and when we fix our mind upon Him, it
too becomes pure. The Bhagavad Gita states:
maṁ cha yo ʼvyabhichāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (14.26)
Shree Krishna tells Arjun: ‘I am beyond the three modes of material nature.
By engaging the mind in meditation upon Me, through bhakti yog, your
mind will transcend the three modes and become divine.’

The Technique of Roop Dhyan Meditation

Roop Dhyan is meditation upon a Form of God. In this practice, we close
our eyes and visualize the Lord before us or within our heart. Since the
Form of God is naturally charming and attractive, the mind gets a
wonderful subject upon which to focus. Consequently, the mind becomes
steady with loving thoughts of God.
You may wonder how to bring the form of Radha Krishna to your mind
when you have never seen Them. No need to worry. God is infinitely
compassionate and allows you to imagine His form as you wish.
For instance, if you are drawn to the exquisite deities of Radha Krishna that
you saw in some temple, you can make them the basis of your meditation.
Attentively look at Them with your eyes open. Then close your eyes and try
bringing Their image in front of you.
Alternatively, you can meditate on a beautiful picture of Radha Krishna. Or
you may simply create Their image with your mind. In whatever way you
choose to create Their Form, try to feel Their divine presence, and increase
your love for Them.
If inclined, you can meditate solely on Shree Krishna or only on Radha
Rani. Or if you prefer, you can bring the image of both Radha Krishna to
your mind. Some people like to meditate exclusively on their Guru. That is
fine as well. The key is to keep the mind in the divine realm. Ideally, you
should first meditate on the Guru and receive his blessings, before
proceeding to meditate on God.
Let us now learn of the different ways to meditate upon God.

The Technique of Meditating upon Divine Virtues

Our mind instinctively gravitates towards people’s qualities. We say, ‘This
person is so kind-hearted’, ‘That woman is incredibly gentle’, ‘This boy is
extremely intelligent’, ‘That girl is simply beautiful’, and so on. Our mind’s
nature is to appreciate and dwell on the virtues of others. We can do the
same in devotion. We can bring the unlimited divine qualities of Radha
Krishna to our mind.
In this practice, first visualize the image of Radha Krishna before you.
Then, ruminate over Their divine virtues:
– They are an ocean of mercy.
– They possess unlimited divine knowledge.
– They are so serene and peaceful.
– They are the veritable form of love.
– They are so beautiful.
Meditate upon the virtues of God and Guru. And then, visualize these
qualities flowing from Them to you. In this manner, feel yourself becoming
calm, content, knowledgeable, generous, loving, and happy. Similarly,
perceive the grace of God flowing into your mind and body.

The Technique of Meditating upon Divine Pastimes

You can further immerse your mind in Radha Krishna by meditating upon
Their divine Leelas. Factually, God has unlimited Pastimes. Each time He
descends as an Avatar, He displays different Pastimes. And He has taken
unlimited Avatars since eternity. The scriptures state:
nānā bhāñti rāma avatārā,
rāmāyaṇa śhata koṭi apārā
(Ramayan, Bal Kand 1.32(B)-3)
hari ananta hari katha anantā
(Ramayan, Bal Kand 1.139.3)
The above verses state that Lord Ram descended in the material world
innumerable times in countless ages. Each time He performed different
Pastimes. Hence, there are innumerable Ramayanas in existence. Since God
is unlimited, His Pastimes are also unlimited. Besides, in the divine Abodes
of God, He keeps engaging in ever new Leelas at every moment. This is
why you have the freedom to imagine His Leelas as you wish.

The Technique of Serving God in the Mind

Divine love is fundamentally rooted in the act of giving and finds
expression in the desire to serve. Hence, devotees engage in various acts of
service to the deities they worship. These include rituals such as bathing,
clothing, adorning, and performing pooja (worship). However, all these and
more can be performed in the mind as well through the technique of mānasī
seva.
Mānasī seva is a simple and a deeply spiritual form of devotion. It is not
restricted by traditional constraints associated with external rituals.
Limitations that may hinder physical worship, such as the availability of
flowers for offerings, are easily overcome in mānasī seva. Here, devotees
envision and offer their service in their mind. Simply imagine offering a
garland composed of the most exquisite roses, or visualize placing a
bejewelled necklace more resplendent than the Kohinoor around Shree
Krishna’s neck.
Or perhaps, think Radha and Krishna are coming to your home, and you are
welcoming Them with great love and respect. You can serve Them in
various ways: wash Their feet, perform Their aarti, offer Them sumptuous
food, and so on. If you wish to be more playful, you can even visualize
yourself playing games like cricket or tennis with the Lord! In this manner,
you can increase your love for Him.
Traveling with a physical deity can pose logistical challenges. Devotees
often grapple with the dilemma of taking the deity along or leaving it
behind. The latter option—leaving behind the deity without worship—can
evoke a sense of discomfort in the devotee’s heart. On the other hand,
carrying the deity in check-in luggage presents its own set of complications,
as it must be packed alongside shoes and undergarments, within the
confines of baggage allowances imposed by airlines.
However, these concerns get resolved when we turn our focus to the power
of visualization. By conjuring a mental image, we can engage in devotional
practices at any time, without any physical requirements. In moments of
free time, devotees can simply close their eyes and immerse themselves in
serving the Lord—massaging His feet, offering food, and fanning Him,
among other acts of devotion.
The primary benefit is that even more so than physical seva, mānasī seva
serves to purify the mind. While it may appear straightforward, it facilitates
practising noble thoughts, sacrifice, and service, all of which help cleanse
the heart.

The Technique of Viraha Dhyan

This is meditation in the sentiment of longing for God. We do Roop Dhyan
of Radha Krishna while harbouring the sentiment ‘When will They give me
actual darshan? The fact that They are not manifesting in person indicates
that I still lack bhakti.’ With a prayerful heart, the devotee then cries out for
divine grace.
Viraha Dhyan is one of the deepest bhavs of meditation. What is the logic
behind this? When our mind develops fondness for a person or an object,
our senses find joy in it—the eyes want to see it, the tactile sense wants to
feel it, and the ears want to hear its sounds. As it is said, ‘Absence makes
the heart grow fonder.’
For example, someone says, ‘I have no other attachment in the world. But
when I hear the broken words of my grandchild, I experience immense joy.’
What does this statement imply? It implies that the person’s mind is
attached lovingly to his grandchild, making his childish gibberish pleasing
to the ears.
Likewise, suppose your friend says, ‘When I see rasagullas on the table, I
begin salivating.’ Why does this happen? Your friend’s statement implies
her mind is attached to rasagullas, and hence her tongue longs for their
taste. By the same principle, when we develop love for God, our senses
begin longing for Him. ‘When will I see Shree Krishna?’, ‘When will I hear
His divine flute?’, ‘When will I smell the flowers of His vaijayanti mala?’,
and so on.
In Viraha Dhyan, the goal is to proactively create this longing. It can
include yearning for His divine darshan, for para bhakti, for divine seva of
the Iṣhṭa Dev, and the like. The longing is accompanied by a humble
awareness of the limitations of sadhana and need for God’s grace. Viraha
Dhyan is very intense. It is practised to enhance devotional yearning. Then,
when one is tired, one can switch to meditation in union, through Roop
Dhyan.
We have discussed a variety of meditative techniques. The next chapter
shares insights on how to set up our daily sadhana and implement the
various spiritual practices that have we have learnt through the chapters of
this book.
 Chapter 19
How to Do Sadhana Daily

T
o progress in spirituality, we must do sadhana daily. Nobody can hope
to become physically strong by exercising for five hours for simply
one day. It is by consistently engaging in a fitness regimen that we
become strong. Similarly, spiritual progress does not happen merely by
doing devotion on Janmashtami and Ram Navami. This kind of half yearly
bhakti will not bring the cherished results.
We must set up a daily schedule of bhakti. This regular practice will
gradually and systematically lift our consciousness to God. It will increase
our spiritual strength, just as daily exercises increase physical strength, and
regular studying increases intellectual strength. There is a saying:
kśhaṇasaḥ kśhaṇasao vidya
kānasaḥ kānaso dhanam
‘By carefully saving a single dollar at a time, a person becomes a
millionaire. By using each possible moment to study, one becomes a
scholar.’ Similarly, by engaging in sadhana daily, one attains divine love.

Where to Do Sadhana
We live in the material world and are constantly bombarded by its
influences. An incessant stream of stimuli from the television, newspapers,
and internet constantly tugs at our mind, taking it towards the world. In
such an environment, it becomes difficult to think of God. This is why our
daily sadhana must be done in seclusion where the world cannot disturb us.
The Bhagavad Gita instructs us to do such sadhana:
vivikta-sevī laghv-āśhī (18.52)
‘Practice in a secluded place; control your diet.’
Thus, isolate yourself from the world, while you practise meditation,
contemplation, introspection, and devotion. If you have a worship room in
your house, that is the best. Else, you can set aside a small corner of your
home or your own bedroom for your devotional practice.
The place should be big enough for the altar and for the family members to
sit. You must create a sacred environment in that place, so that when you sit
there, the mind naturally gets transported to the divine realm.

What Direction to Face

There are no specifications regarding direction in bhakti meditation. The
primary objective is to cleanse the mind of material impurities by absorbing
it in the Supreme Divine Personality. Since the Lord is omnipresent, every
direction is inherently pure. This fundamental concept of God’s all-
pervasiveness is emphasized throughout the Vedic scriptures:
puruṣha evedaṁ sarvaṁ
yad bhūtaṁ yachcha bhāvyam
(Puruṣha Sūktam verse 2)
‘God pervades everything that has existed and all that will exist.’
So, there is no necessity to dwell excessively on the correct or incorrect
direction. Rather, our emphasis should be directed towards enriching our
inner thoughts with sublime ideas.

What Posture to Adopt

The specific posture we choose is of secondary importance. Various
meditative asanas (postures), such as padmasan, ardha padmasan, dhyānvīr
asan, and siddhasan, are outlined in the Haṭha Yog Pradīpikā. We may
comfortably select any posture for meditation—one in which we can remain
still during meditation. Maharishi Patanjali, the proponent of Ashtang Yog,
emphasized sthira sukhamāsanam (2.46) ‘To practise meditation, sit
motionless in any posture that you find comfortable.’
Regardless of the chosen posture, try to maintain an alert and upright
position during meditation. In the practice of sadhana, there is a tendency
for the mind to resist divine contemplation, leading to a sense of lethargy.
Consequently, you may find yourself dozing off during meditation. To
counter this tendency, maintaining an upright posture is crucial.
The Brahma Sutra (Vedant Darshan) has three aphorisms on the topic of
sadhana:
āsīnaḥ saṁbhavāt (4.1.7)
‘To do sadhana, seat yourself properly.’
achalatvaṁ chāpekṣhya (4.1.9)
‘Ensure that you sit upright and still.’
dhyānāchcha (4.1.8)
‘Seated in this manner, focus the mind in meditation.’
If you have knee problems or joint pains, you need not be disheartened. You
can engage in your meditative practice even while seated on a chair.

The Principle Behind Deity Worship

If you were asked to love a white light, you would find it almost impossible
since the mind would not be drawn to it. Our mind is naturally attracted to
forms and shapes. When the Lord’s image is in front of us, it becomes
easier to think of Him and love Him. This is why deity worship is practised
in Hindu temples around the world.
Deities are made from stone, wood, metal, and other materials. These
deities are installed with great faith and devotion. The Lord is then
requested to manifest in that deity, to receive the devotees’ offerings. God is
present everywhere, so why would He not be present in His deity?
What connects us with God is not the idol itself, but the bhav that we
harbour. The Manu Smriti states:
na kāṣhṭhe vidyate devo
na śhilayāṁ na mṛitsu cha
bhāve hi vidyate devastasmāt
bhāvaṁ samācharet
‘The bhav we harbour towards the deity is important, not the stone or mud.
God is present wherever the bhav is present. Therefore, worship the idol
with great bhav.’
More importantly, we get to practise devotion. This is just as astronauts,
before being sent into space, practise how to live in zero-gravity
environments in a simulator. Likewise, we will serve God in person after
going to His divine Abode. In the interim, we get to simulate the seva with
the deity.
However, deity worship has many rigorous rules that must be adhered to. It
is suitable for the temple, but for your own home, it is cumbersome because
of the regulations. Instead, there is a simpler option. You can choose to
visualize the Form of the Lord with your mind and make it the object of
your meditation and devotion, as discussed in the previous chapter.

Integrating Contemplation, Meditation, and Devotion in Your

Sadhana
Having broadly discussed the importance and logistics of sadhana, we can
now get into its details. Below is an outline of the different techniques we
can include in our sadhana.

Preparation for Sadhana

1. Create an altar adorned with images of God and Guru, and then sit before
it. This external arrangement fosters an environment conducive to
devotional absorption. It is important to note that this step is optional; if
preferred, you can meditate without external props. For instance, you may
choose to commence your meditation upon waking by sitting upright on
your bed.
2. Assume a comfortable seated posture, as elaborated earlier in the chapter.
3. Initiate your sadhana by visualizing the image of God before you.

After step three, with the divine Form before you, you are now ready to
engage in sadhana. Below are various spiritual practices that you can
incorporate, which we have discussed earlier in this book.

Spiritual Practice 1
Do Roop Dhyan meditation. Envision an image of God and/or your Guru
within your heart or before you. This provides the mind with a tangible
focal point for concentration. This has been explained in detail in Chapter
18: The Art of Meditation, in the section, ‘The Technique of Roop Dhyan
Meditation’.

Spiritual Practice 2
Contemplate upon the wonderful divine virtues of God. This will help
enchant your mind towards the Lord and intensify your connection with
Him. This has been explained in detail in Chapter 18: The Art of
Meditation, in the section, ‘The Technique of Meditating upon Divine
Virtues’.

Spiritual Practice 3
Repeatedly think about your eternal relationship with God, deepening
your love for Him. Think and repeatedly affirm: He is mine and I am His.
This has been explained in detail in Chapter 16: Sadhana Bhakti—
Preparatory Devotion, in the sections, ‘Our Eternal Relationship with God’
and ‘The Need to Rekindle Our Relationship’.

Spiritual Practice 4
Cultivate the spirit of surrender in the mind through self-talk. For
example, repeatedly think, I must align my desire with God’s desire. I must
not desire anything contrary to His will. This has been explained in detail in
Chapter 8: Surrender to God, in the section, ‘Nature of Sharanagati’.

Spiritual Practice 5
Nurture selfless love by serving God in the mind. Such service will give
rise to contemplation upon His happiness instead of your own. It will
develop the habit of giving rather than receiving. This has been explained in
detail in Chapter 18: The Art of Meditation, in the section, ‘The Technique
of Serving God in the Mind’.

Spiritual Practice 6
Contemplate. Take any gem of wisdom you found in this book and
internalize it through contemplation. This has been explained in detail in
Chapter 10: Vedic Psychology, in the section, ‘The Impact of Repetitive
Thinking’.

Spiritual Practice 7
Increase your longing to meet God. Pray to Him with wholehearted
sincerity. Allow tears to flow as you earnestly seek His grace. Cultivate a
profound yearning for His darshan while embracing the virtue of utmost
humility. This has been explained in detail in Chapter 18: The Art of
Meditation, in the section, ‘The Technique of Roop Dhyan Meditation’.

Spiritual Practice 8
Feel the presence of God. Following your daily sadhana—as outlined
above—practise feeling the presence of God for the rest of the day. This
will enable you to fulfil your worldly responsibilities while maintaining a
devout connection with the Divine. This has been explained in detail in
Chapter 11: The Path of Karm, in the section, ‘Karm Yog—Uniting with the
Supreme through Action’.
You have the option to incorporate any or all of these powerful techniques
mentioned above into your daily spiritual routine, either individually or in
combination.
While these methods are straightforward, some newcomers may find them
challenging. If you seek a simpler approach, consider the practice of kirtan
(chanting).

The Importance of Kirtan

Kirtan is the most powerful way to bring divine thoughts to your mind. It
involves three activities: (1) Chanting prayers and the Names, Virtues,
Leelas of God in melodious tunes. (2) Hearing the chants with your ears. (3)
Absorbing your mind in the Divine.
Kirtan is the combination of all these activities, and hence it is also called
tridhā bhakti (three-fold devotion). This kirtan is called the yuga dharma,
or the most powerful spiritual practice of this age and is accessible to
everyone. Chanting and hearing are important aids to remembering God.
The Shreemad Bhagavatam states:
kalerdoṣhanidhe rājannasti
hyeko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛiṣhṇasya
muktasaṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(verse 12.3.51)
This verse states that Kali Yug, the present era, is an ocean of faults. People
have disturbed minds, unsound health, polluted environment, and face
disturbing situations. However, it has one very great advantage. By lovingly
singing melodious kirtans, one can easily get liberated from material
bondage.

The Daily Routine

The optimal time for doing bhakti is during the morning hours. When you
wake up, your mind is vacant. It is receptive to focussing on God.
Additionally, the morning atmosphere is fresh and calm, making it
conducive for elevating the mind. However, it is not compulsory to engage
in devotional practice only in the morning. If busy with other engagements,
then do your sadhana in the afternoon, evening, or even at night, depending
upon your convenience. The key is to establish a consistent routine by
adhering to the same time every day. This will help in disciplining the mind.
How much time should we spend on devotion? Ideally, we must aim for
two hours of sadhana every day. We spend 24 hours a day taking care of the
body and its desires. The injunction of the scriptures is to keep one-tenth for
God. Nowadays, people find it difficult to dedicate two hours from their
busy schedules. So, I suggest committing a minimum of one hour for this
practice.
A suggested sequence of what to do for the one hour is given below. I call
this the ‘KripaluPadhati’:
Prathana (5 minutes). Say a daily prayer at the altar.
Roop Dhyan Meditation (15 minutes). Meditate on God and your Guru for
15 minutes.
Kirtan (15 minutes). Sing or listen to kirtans with a deep feeling that God
and His Names are non-different. Alongside, visualize the presence of God
and Guru before you.
Listen to a Lecture (20 minutes). Spend time listening to a divine
discourse or reading scriptures to cultivate knowledge and enhance your
faith in God and Guru.
Aarti (5 minutes). Light up a lamp and do aarti to end the daily sadhana.

Conclusion
When we apply ourselves to the various spiritual practices described above,
the yearning to meet Radha Krishna will start growing. This will purify our
mind even further. And that will increase the longing even more, which will
further cleanse the mind. This cascading effect will result in an intense
yearning for darshan, prem, and seva. This yearning of the heart is called
viraha. It will grow so deep that it will burn away all remaining impurities.
A stage will arrive when the entire world will appear void without God.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu described this in His Shikshastakam:
yugāyitaṁ nimeṣhena
chakṣhuṣhā prāvṛaṣhāyitam
śhunyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ
govinda-viraheṇa me (verse 7)
‘In longing for Shree Krishna, a single moment is appearing an age long;
tears are constantly streaming from the eyes; and the whole world is
appearing void.’
At that stage, our heart will be pure. With our mind fully attached to God,
we will be at the stage of: mām ekaṁ śharaṇaṁ vraja. Having fulfilled His
condition for grace, we will receive para bhakti. The Vedas state:
bhidyate hṛidayagranthiśhchhidyante
sarvasaṅśhayāḥ
kṣhīyante chāsya
karmāṇi tasmindṛiṣhṭe parāvare
(verse 2.2.8)
This verse from the Mundakopanishad explains that the moment we receive
divine love, the bondage of maya will immediately cease. The sañchit
karmas of all past lives will be burnt, all doubts will be cut asunder, and we
will have darshan of God. From then on, our soul will be endowed with
God’s unlimited divine love, bliss, and knowledge. It is then that we will
become jivan mukta, or liberated even while in the body.
When we leave our body at the end of our life, we will go to the divine
Abode of God. There, we will receive a divine body and serve Him in His
eternal Pastimes. This is the ultimate goal and purpose of life.
 Glossary

ahāṅkār ego
ajnana lack of knowledge, ignorance
antaḥ karaṇ ethereal heart
atma soul
atma jnana self-realization or knowledge of the self
(soul)
Bhagavan personal form of God
Brahma jnana God-realization or knowledge of God
Brahman formless aspect of God
brahmanand bliss of the formless aspect of God
chitta subconscious mind
darshan to see/view
devatas (devatās) celestial gods
gadā mace
Golok divine abode of Shree Krishna
Hlādini shakti bliss giving aspect of Yogmaya
Iṣhṭa Dev chosen form of God for worship
jiva (jīva) individual soul
kām lust
Kailash divine abode of Lord Shiv
kāmanā desire
karm kāṇḍ ritualistic ceremonies prescribed by the
scriptures
kriyamāṇ karma actions we do in the present by our own free
will
leelas divine pastimes of God and His associates
mānas rog mental illnesses
mānasī seva to serve God in the mind
maya God’s insentient, material energy
mithya non-existent
mṛiga tṛiṣhṇā illusion, mirage seen by the deer
namaste the Hindu way of greeting the other with
respect and humility
niṣhkām bhakti selfless devotion
nitya leela eternal pastimes of the Lord
Paramatma aspect of God seated within all living beings
parikrama to circumambulate a deity or a place of
worship
prārabdh karma portion of sanchit karmas that we have to
face in the present life
prasad food that has been offered to God as is
partaken as His leftovers
premanand bliss of the personal form of God
Roop Dhyan meditation done while focusing on the Form
of God
sadhaks (sādhaks) spiritual aspirants
sadhana spiritual practice
sadhana bhakti devotion we have to engage in to purify the
mind
sakām bhakti devotion tinged with selfishness
Saket Lok divine abode of Shree Ram
samadhi state of deep meditation
sanatan eternal
sañchit karma all the accumulated karmas that we
performed in endless past lives
sanskars (sanskārs) tendencies from previous lifetimes
Sarva-śhaktimān He who possesses unlimited energies
seva service; to serve
Shaktimãn Energetic, source of energies
śharaṇãgat one who is surrendered
śharaṇãgati surrender
shastras scriptures
siddha bhakti divine love bestowed by God once our mind
is pure
Smṛiti knowledge revealed in the hearts of Saints
who then documented it as texts
swarg celestial abodes
tattva darśhi Seer of Truth
Tretā Yug second in the cycle of four yugas (ages) as
per the Vedic scriptures
tridhā bhakti three-fold devotion
upāsanā to get close to God
upavās to fast
Vaikunth divine abode of Lord Vishnu
Varnashram Dharma duties prescribed by the scriptures based on
one’s stage in life (age) and occupation
(personality)
Viraha Dhyan meditation done while visualizing the
longing to meet God
yajnas fire sacrifices
Yogmaya God’s personal power, in contrast to maya,
His external and insentient energy
 Guide to Hindi Pronunciation

Vowels
a as u in ‘but’
ā as a in ‘far’
i as i in ‘pin’
ī as i in ‘machine’

u as u in ‘push’
ū as o in ‘move’
e as a in ‘evade’
ai as a in ‘mat’; sometimes as ai in ‘aisle’ with the
only difference that a should be pronounced as u in
‘but’, not as a in ‘far’
o as o in ‘go’
au as o in ‘pot’ or as aw in ‘saw’

ṛi as ri in ‘Krishna’17
ṝī as ree in ‘spree’

Consonants
Gutturals: Pronounced from the throat
ka as k in ‘kite’
kha as kh in ‘Eckhart’
ga as g in ‘goat’
gha as gh in ‘dighard’
 ṅa as n in ‘finger’

Palatals: Pronounced with the middle of the tongue against the palate
cha as ch in ‘channel’
chha as chh in ‘staunchheart’
ja as j in ‘jar’
jha as dgeh in ‘hedgehog’
ña as n in ‘lunch’

Cerebrals: Pronounced with the tip of the tongue against the palate
ta as t in ‘tub’
ṭha as th in ‘hothead’
ḍa as d in ‘divine’
ḍha as dh in ‘redhead’
ṇa as n in ‘burnt’

Dentals: Pronounced like the cerebrals but with the tongue against the teeth
ta as t in the French word ‘matron’
tha as th in ‘ether’

da as th in ‘either’

dha as dh in ‘Buddha’

na as n in ‘no’

Labials: Pronounced with the lips

pa as p in ‘pink’
 pha as ph in ‘uphill’
ba as b in ‘boy’
bha as bh in ‘abhor’
ma as m in ‘man’

Semivowels
ya as y in ‘yes’
ra as r in ‘remember’

la as l in ‘light’
va as v in ‘vine’, as w in ‘swan’

Sibilants
śha as sh in ‘shape’
ṣha as sh in ‘show’
sa as s in ‘sin’

Aspirate
ha as h in ‘hut’

Visarga
: ḥ it is a strong aspirate; also lengthens the preceding
vowel and occurs only at the end of a word. It is
pronounced as a final h sound
Anusvara Nasalized
· ṁ/ṅ nasalizes and lengthens the preceding vowel and is
pronounced as n in the words ‘and’ or ‘anthem’18
~ as n in ‘gung-ho’

Avagraha
 ’ This is a silent character indicating It is written
but not pronounced; used in specific combination
(sandhi) rules
Others
kṣha as ksh in ‘freakshow’
jña as gy in ‘bigyoung’
ṛa There is no sign in English to represent the sound
It has been written as ṛa but the tip of the tongue
quickly flaps down
ṛha There is no sign in English to represent the sound
It has been written as ṛha but the tip of the
tongue quickly flaps down
z as z in the Urdu word ‘zaroor’

17Across the many states of India, ṛi is pronounced as ru as u in push. In most parts of North India,
ṛi is pronounced as ri in Krishna. We have used the North Indian style here.
18Sometimes nasalized and sometimes not. In many words such as Aṁsh, Saṁskar, etc. are
pronounced with a nasal sound as Aṅsh, Saṅskar, etc. Since it is nasalized, we are using ṅ.
 Let’s Connect

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