The Lord declares –
Yogaastrayo mayaa proktaa nrunaam shreyo vidhitsayaa |
Gyaanam karma cha bhaktischa nopaayonyosti kutrachit ||
“For those people who want to attain salvation, I have mentioned three Yogas (paths or Disciplines) – Jnanayoga (Discipline of Knowledge), Karmayoga (Discipline of Action) and Bhaktiyoga (Discipline of Devotion). Besides these three there is no other path for salvation.”
In fact every human being is an aspirant. The reason that the being, while wandering about in eighty four lac forms of life, has been bestowed upon this human body only to attain salvation. The structure of the human body is not really a man, but a man is he who can discriminate between the real and the unreal, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. This discrimination is beginningless and has been bestowed upon a man by God. By attaching importance to discrimination a man may become Jnanayogi, Karmayogi or Bhaktiyogi and can easily attain salvation. The body which is acquired and lost is not called a man. The body is a means to perform an action and its use is only to serve others. But when he regards the body, objects, ability and power etc., which are acquired and lost as his and for him, then he is not a Yogi but a Bhogi (pleasure seeker). A pleasure-seeking person suffers himself and causes suffering for others because it is a rule that a sufferer causes others to suffer.
This human body has been bestowed upon a man so that he may attain salvation, therefore no man should be disappointed as far as attainment of salvation is concerned. Every man has the birth right to attain God. Being a striver, every man is free and able to attain his goal. First of all for him it is necessary that having known his aim, he should accept that “I am not a worldly minded man, but I am an aspirant”. I am a woman, I am a man, I am a Brahmana (member of the priest class), I am a Kshatriya (member of the warrior class), I am a Vaishya (member of the trading class), I am a Shudra (member of the labor class), I am an Antyaaja (member of the low class), I am a celibate, I am a householder, I am a man of the retired order, I am a recluse – these assumptions are helpful in dealings with the world, but are obstacles to God Realization. These assumption pertain to the body, God is not realized by the body but He is realized by the aspirant. The aspirant is unmanifest. When a man accepts that he is an aspirant, naturally anti-spiritual path or practice is given up by him. The anti spiritual path is to accept the body, objects, ability and power etc., which are acquired and lost, as his own. It is necessary for every striver to reject this anti spiritual path.
The world, jeev (embodied soul) and God – besides these three there is no other entity. In the Gita they have been mentioned by different names such as – Apara (lower nature), “Para (higher nature) and God; Kshara (perishable), Akshara (imperishable) and Purushottama(Supreme Person) etc. Out of these three, the world and the soul are worldly because they can be reflected upon. * But God not being the object to be reflected upon, is divine. Out of these three, Jnanayoga pertains to the self. Karmayog pertains to the world, and Bhaktiyoga pertains to God. Therefore Jnanayoga and Karmayoga are worldly paths, while Bhaktiyoga is the path beyond the world. By the worldly discipline salvation is attained and by the divine (path beyond the world) discipline supreme love (devotion) is attained.
Every human being has three types of demand (hunger) –
1) For Salvation (uninterrupted bliss)
2) For freedom from sufferings and
3) For Supreme Love (devotion).
1) The demand for salvation (hunger of the self) is satisfied by Jnanayoga
2) The freedom from sufferings is satisfied by Karmayog and
3) The Supreme Devotion is satisfied by Bhaktiyoga.
If an aspirant has no insistence and partiality for his spiritual discipline, by satisfying one demand, all three demands are satisfied.
Jnanayog (The discipline of Knowledge)
In every man there is the notion of his entity in the form “I am”. In this entity because of the combination of ego (I), in “am”, the individual (unipresent) entity is felt. If there is no ego, then “is” the universal (omnipresent) entity will be felt. That omnipresent entity is a man’s real self. In that entity (Divinity) there is no ego (insentience or non-self). When a man accepts ego, he is bound and when he accepts Divinity (is), he is liberated.
The image (form) of the world is actions and objects. Actions and objects – both have a beginning and an end i.e. they are transitory. Every action begins and ends. Every object is born and it dies. Every insentient object is acquired and lost. What is acquired and will be lost can be used only to serve the world. That is of no use to the self. The reason is that the thing which is acquired and lost is not one’s own – this is the rule. The thing, which is not one’s own, is also not for one’s own self. Our thing is that over which we have full control; and that thing is really for us, having gained which nothing remains to be gained, But this is everyone’s experience that we have no independent control over things such as body etc., which have been acquired. According to our desire we can’t acquire them, preserve them, make them, and change them. Having gained them, we have a desire to gain more and more i.e. there is always shortage. That shortage is never fulfilled. Therefore an aspirant should accept the fact – the thing which is acquired and lost is neither mine, nor for me.
When an aspirant does not regard the thing which is acquired and lost, as his and for him, he becomes free from the sense of possession. As soon as he becomes free from the sense of possession, the acquired things are properly used by him easily. The reason is that without being free from the sense of possession the acquired things can’t be properly used, The man having the sense of possession over things misuses them. To derive pleasure out of things and to hoard them, is their misuse and to serve others with them is their proper use. The misuse of acquired things causes struggle in the society while their proper use establishes peace in the society.
It is a mistake on the part of a man to regard the things which are acquired and lost as his and for him. When the man (self) is sentient and imperishable, then how can the insentient and perishable thing be his and for him? This mistake is not natural but man-made (unnatural). When a man does not attach importance to his discrimination, this mistake is born. This mistake causes several other mistakes. Therefore it is very necessary to root out this main mistake. To root out this mistake, God has bestowed upon man discrimination. When a man having attached importance to his discrimination, rectifies this mistake, then he becomes free from the sense of possession. For every striver it is a must to be free from the sense of possession because without being free from it, he can’t progress. Not only this, the thing over which he has the sense of possession, becomes impure and his progress is also hindered, The sense of possession causes numerous evils.
Some people doubt how their body will function and how they will serve the family or the society without the sense of mine (possession). But the fact is that the sense of mine causes an obstacle in serving the body, family or society. The body of the man who is free from the sense of mine is very well maintained and real service is rendered to the family and the society by only such a man. He who has the sense of possession over his body can’t serve the family. He who has the sense of mine for the family, can’t serve the society. He who has the sense of mine for the society, can’t serve the country. He who has the sense of mine for the country, can’t serve the world. It means that because of the sense of mine, he becomes narrow and finite. Having a disinclination for serving others, he becomes selfish. Therefore it is very necessary to renounce the sense of mine for every striver. When a burning desire to renounce the sense of mine is aroused in an aspirant, it becomes very easy for him to renounce it. The reason is that when an aspirant having a disinclination for the world, wants to have an inclination to God from the core of his heart, then the entire world and God Himself gets ready to help him. Therefore an aspirant should never lose heart in achieving his aim. He can attain his aim with minimum strength within a short period. The reason is that God has bestowed upon him this human body by His gratuitous grace so that he may attain the aim of human life –
Kabahunak kari karunaa nardehi |Det is binu hetu sanehi ||
(Manas, Uttara. 44/3)
It is because of the sense of mine that desires are born. If we have the sense of mine with the body, the need of the body will become our need i.e. we’ll have desires to get food, water, clothes and house etc. as soon as an aspirant renounces the sense of mine, he becomes capable to renounce desires. The reason is that the body and the world are made of the same material. The body can’t be separated from the world. Therefore with annihilation of the sense of mine, the worldly desires are also annihilated.
The sense of “I” and “mine” in the things, which are acquired and lost, gives birth to desires. All the desires of even a single person have neither been satisfied till today, nor will be nor can be . The desires which are satisfied, their consequences are also painful. The reason is that if a desire is satisfied, it gives birth to several other desires and thus the pain of the non-fulfillment of desires persists the same. A man holds that at the satisfaction of the desire he has become independent, but actually he becomes dependent on the things which he desired. But it is because of heedlessness that he feels happy in dependence. To free him from this dependence, God by His blissful providence causes sorrows for him. But he being sad, slights that blissful providence. If he instead of being sad with that sorrow, tries to discover the reason of his sorrow and annihilates the desire, the root of all sorrows and sufferings, he will become happy for ever.
It is very necessary for an aspirant to be free from desires because he can’t perform his duty by having a desire. Not only this but because of his desire he makes God, Who is the goal (end) , a means to fulfill his desire. It means that he, who worships God having a desire to get something, that thing is his end and God is a means to achieve that end. So long as a man has a desire, he is dependent. A dependent person can neither renounce egoism and the notion of mineness, nor can serve others, nor can love God. He can become neither a Jnanayogi nor a Karmayogi, nor a Bhaktiyogi. Therefore in order to wipe out dependence, it is essential to have no desire.
All men are dependent in satisfying their desires, but they are independent and capable of renouncing desires. Every man can attain salvation independently; But so long as a desire lies within him, he can’t be independent. Dependence can be annihilated only when a man has no desires. Having renounced desires, a striver gets victory over the world. The reason is that when a man has desires, he has to depend on several persons but he who wants nothing is not dependent on anyone. He becomes more valuable than the world. He becomes eligible to follow the three Yogas. Not only this, he becomes deserving to love God, because a man having desires can’t love anyone.
When a man renounces desires, duty is naturally discharged by him. Without being free from desires, the duty is not performed and without the performance of duty, the available circumstances are not used properly. A man with a desire becomes dependent on the available circumstances and goes on thinking of the unavailable circumstances. But as soon as he renounces desires, being free from the dependence of the available circumstances and the thought of the unavailable circumstances, he attains Divinity which transcends all circumstances.
With Divine Name repetition, austerities, fasting, visiting holy places, study of scriptures etc, by doing those spiritual practices, desires cannot be eliminated. The reason is that for performing any actions (such as study), one has to take the aid of the body and it is only due to the relationship with the body that desires sprout. Desires cannot be wiped out with the aid of some actions, rather by being totally free of actions and by giving importance to one’s discrimination desires can be wiped out. On becoming free of actions, relationship with the body is severed, and one becomes naturally established in the “Self”. The self is naturally free of sense of mine-ness and desires. Therefore to get rid of sense of mine-ness, desires and other flaws that arise due to one’s relationship with the body and the world, it is essential to sever relationship with actions and objects.
When an aspirant renounces the sense of mine and desires, egoism perishes. When his egoism perishes, then nothing remains to be done by ,him and he attains peace – “nirmamoha nirahankaarah sa shaantimadhigacchati” (Gita 2/71). So long as an aspirant does anything for himself, his affinity for actions and objects persists. As long as he has his affinity for actions and objects, his dependence persists. Actions and objects are useful for serving the world, but for ourselves their renunciation itself is useful. Service and renunciation are not artificial but they are natural. Therefore “I serve others” and “I renounce things etc.'” having such a pride is a mistake. When in the entire world nothing is mine, then what have I renounced? And if I hand over the objects to the person to whom it belongs, what service have I rendered?” This is the rule that the thing which will be separated, is separate even now and He Who will ever be attained, is attained even now – it is essential for an aspirant to accept this truth.
So long as an aspirant has the notion to do anything for himself, his relationship with the material for actions i.e. with body, senses, mind and intellect persists. As long as the relationship with the body persists, a man becomes neither selfless, nor independent i. e., he is eligible neither for Karmayoga nor for Jnanayoga He who could not be free from selfishness and dependence, how can he be a lover of God? Therefore for every aspirant it is essential that having renounced dependence on actions, he should repose (do nothing) and having renounced dependence on objects, he should depend on the self or on God.
Discrimination is not aroused by any action but it is aroused by being free of action. When importance is attached to discrimination, discrimination is transformed into Self Realization. It means that the self is not realized by any action or object but by the self. That which is realized by the self, needs no practice. Practice is an obstacle to Self-Realizaton. The instruments (mind-intellect-senses) with which a man perceives the world, with those instruments he can’t perceive (realize) the self (Divinity). He can realize the self by the self alone – “Yatra chaivaatmanaatmaanam pashyannaatmani tushyati” (Gita 6/20). It means that the self cannot be realized with any instrument but by renouncing affinity with instruments.
Karmayoga (Path of Action)
When an aspirant following the path of action renounces evils, then Karmayoga bears fruit in the form of Self-Realization. Evils are given up in three ways –
- Not to do evil to anyone
- Not to consider anyone evil and
- Not to wish evil of anyone
Without renouncing evils a man can’t be dutiful.
A man does evil to someone when he comes under the influence of selfishness and becomes evil (bad). Without becoming evil himself he cannot do evil to anyone. The reason is that as is the doer, so are his actions – this is a rule. Actions depend on the doer. Therefore first and the foremost, man should accept that he is a spiritual aspirant (sadhak). When the doer is an aspirant, how can he perform any actions which aspirants should not do? No evil is done to anyone by an aspirant. Not only this, he does not do evil even to those who do evil to him, on the contrary, he takes pity on them. By returning evil for evil, evil will not be removed, but it will increase. A man can be freed from evil by not returning evil for evil but by returning good for evil.
No man can be totally bad and can’t be bad for all. A man can be entirely good, but can’t be totally bad. The reason is that an evil is unnatural, fleeting and artificial. Evil has no independent existence. If an evil is not repeated, it is annihilated. The main duty of an aspirant is not to repeat the evil done once. If an aspirant does not repeat the evil, he does not remain bad, rather he becomes good.
A man has no right to consider anyone bad. The evil, which is perceived in a person, is not in his self (swaroop), rather it is fleeting. There is a flaw in a man’s nature that he forgives himself for the evil done by him, but by perceiving evil in others, brings them to justice. The duty of an aspirant is to bring himself to justice and forgive others. Being a part of God, the self (swaroop) of every man is basically flawless –
Ishvar ansh jeev abinaashi |Chetan amal sahaj sukh raasi ||
( Manasa, Uttara. 117/2)
Therefore we should not establish evil in any person. It is improper to consider any person bad by perceiving evil which visits him. Whether others are evil or not, but by considering them bad, evil will visit us. By considering others bad, bad thoughts will arise in our mind, they’ll cause anger, enmity, discord and partiality. Because of the birth of these evils, our actions will be impure. Therefore we should neither establish evil in ourselves, nor in others. Establishment of evil neither leads to our own welfare, nor the welfare of others. To consider anyone evil or to wish anyone evil is a greater evil than to do evil to anyone.
If a man wishes evil of anyone, the person will not be harmed, but he himself has to face evil consequences because by wishing evil of anyone, the sentiments within him become evil. The feeling is more subtle and wide-spread than an action. Therefore the wish to do evil to others involves one’s own evil. This is a rule that whatever we do to others, the same happens to us. Therefore an aspirant has no right to wish anyone evil, to consider anyone evil and to do anyone evil. He only has the right to have the sentiments of seeing to the welfare of all beings equally and serving them. It is only by serving others, that he becomes eligible to become a karmayogi. He, who does evil to others, considers others evil and wishes others evil can rule over others, but can’t serve them. He who rules can’t serve and he who serves can’t rule. The society progresses through service not through ruling.
If we do good to others, it involves labor but if we don’t do evil to others, it involves no labor and no expenses. Therefore all are independent and able to renounce evils. Here a doubt arises, when other person is doing evil to us, how should we not consider him evil and wish him evil? The clarification is that the evil has visited him, that evil tendency is not natural in him because his “self” is totally free from evils. The second point is that when he does evil to us, our old sins are destroyed and we are purified. Thirdly, if we think over it deeply, we come to know that the other person does evil to us only when we are weak (spiritually weak). We are weak because of our attachment to life-breath, and are afraid of death and therefore we tolerate the evil done to us. If we are not attached to life-breath, we have no desire to live and no fear of death, no strong person can harass us. This is the rule that physical power cannot get victory over spiritual power. How can the perishable get victory over the imperishable? How can dark get victory over light? No one can subjugate him who has no sense of “I” ness and mine-ness with the body that is acquired and lost. No one can get victory over him. We should think over, when the self does not perish, when the body perishes, then what is the use of having a desire to save the body and to be afraid of death? Therefore to an aspirant, even his life is not as dear, as his duty. He even sacrifices his life in order to protect his duty. Even the strongest man cannot deviate such an aspirant from his duty by subjugating him.
A Karmayogi while discharging his duty protects the rights of others. Whatever is the right of others, that itself is our duty. As it is the duty of a son to serve his parents and it is the right of parents. A man, who wants his rights, can’t discharge his duty. Therefore an aspirant following Karmayoga (the path of action), renounces his rights. By the renunciation of rights, new attachment is not born and by protecting the rights of others, old attachment perishes and an aspirant easily becomes free from attachment.
A man is free in renouncing his rights and in protecting the rights of others but he is not free in getting his rights. The yearning to get rights, leads to a man deviating from his duty, giving birth to such flaws as desire, wrath and greed etc., which causes his downfall. Therefore the aspirant following the path of action protects the rights of others.
When we cannot even exercise authority over the so-called our body, then how can we have rights over the world of which the body is a part? But surely the body and the world have authority (rights) over us. The right of the body is that we should not let it become lazy, inactive, heedless and uncontrolled and the right of the world is that we should serve the world with the body, we should not do ill to others and provide happiness (comfort) to everyone.
In the society the more the people have a yearning to get their rights, the more they deviate from their duty which causes struggles in the society. The desire to get rights, brings slavery. Therefore for every aspirant it is necessary to give up his rights. Renunciation of rights brings both, generosity and detachment. By generosity Karmayoga and by detachment Jnanayoga is perfected.
In fact, “rights” is something to be given, not to be taken. If a man wants to take his right by force, he can’t take it. Even the strongest man cannot force others to have respect, love, faith and belief in him, though he can destroy them. Though man is more valuable than the world, yet he lowers his value by having a yearning to exert his rights. The root of the yearning to get rights is the yearning for the perishable pleasure. When an aspirant wipes out attachment to pleasure, then his desire to get rights is wiped out and he attains perfection in Karmayoga.
Bhaktiyoga (The Path of Devotion)
It is a rule that at the root of every creation there is some creator. At the root of every person and thing there is some unborn entity. If a man accepts the existence of the world but does not accept the existence of its creator, it is his blunder. It is very necessary for an aspirant to have intimacy with God or to take refuge in Him by having a firm belief in Him Who is the base and illuminator of both – the higher Nature (soul) and the lower Nature (world). It is not necessary for an aspirant to know how God is and how He is not. He has to accept that God exists and that he belongs to God. God cannot be known by the senses, mind and intellect but His existence can be accepted. How can the creation know its creator? How can a part know the whole?
God is not an entity to be thought over but He is the object of faith and belief. Man is completely independent whether he accepts His existence or not. The soul (self) and the world are the objects to be thought over. The object about which we know something and we don’t know something can be thought over, But He about Whom we know nothing and Whom we have never seen, can be only believed. No one can wipe out the faith or belief that we have.
We can’t know God but we can’t remain without accepting His existence; in the same way as we can’t know our parents but we can accept their existence, because at the time of conception the body had no existence. If we accept the existence of the body, we will have to accept the existence of our parents. If we exist, it means that our parents also exist. If there is the effect, the cause must be there, similarly if we ourselves exist, it means that God also exists. Our existence is the direct proof of the existence of God. We do not exist – no one can deny his own existence. When one’s own existence can’t be denied (negated), than God’s existence can also not be denied.
It is totally impossible to know our father in comparison to our mother because at that time when he became our father, our body had no existence at all while our body was completely formed in the womb of the mother when we took birth. God is the father of the entire world – “aham beejapradah pitaa” (Gita 14/4), I am the procreating father. (Gita 14/4). Pitahamasya jagatah (Gita 9/17) I am the father of this Universe. (Gita 9/17) . Pitaasi lokasya charaacharasya (Gita 11/43). You are the father of the animate as well as, inanimate beings. (Gita 11/43). It is totally impossible to know God. His existence can only be accepted. There is no other way out. Acceptance is not weaker than knowing (knowledge). By having a firm belief in the existence of God, our intimacy with Him is revealed and by that intimacy, our love (devotion) for him is revealed.
The body and the world, which existed neither in the past nor will exist in the future and are perishing every moment at present also, are not worthy to be believed. How can the world and the body, which don’t stay with us even for a moment and which change every moment be believed? They can be served, but can’t be believed. Only He can be believed who ever lives with us and never separates from us. God ever lives with us in our hearts “sarvasya chaaham hrdi sannivishthah” (Gita 15/15). We may go to any womb, to any world such as heaven and hell etc., God never parts company.
When a man can’t fulfill his necessity himself nor can the world fulfill his necessity, he is naturally attracted towards God, Whom he has not seen but about Whom he has heard. When a man is in crisis and he finds no way to escape it and all his efforts go in vain, then having a belief in God, he has to invoke Him.
The man who instead of believing in God, believes in the body and the world, he getting entangled in the wheel of birth and death, has to suffer in different ways. Belief in the body etc., gives birth to several evils such as egoism, the sense of mine, desire, attachment and greed etc. The result is that the body etc., don’t remain but attachment to them persists which is the cause of birth in good and evil wombs – Kaaranam gunasangosya sadasadhyonijanmasu (Gita 13/21).
He who neither believes in God, nor in the body and the world, but believes in the self, he is an aspirant of Jnanayoga. Such an aspirant tries to discover ”Who am I?” – While discovering “I”, “I” perishes and “Is” (God) remains. An aspirant may accept “Is” or may not accept “Is” but at last only “Is” is attained in the same way as a man may leap and frisk or dance, but at last he will stay on the ground.
When an aspirant believes that there is one Divinity (God) , then his belief in the existence of the body and the world becomes lifeless and insipid. The reason is that two contrary beliefs can’t stay together. When an aspirant accepts that God is un-paralled, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, ever existent and the disinterested friend of all, then his faith in God is naturally aroused. When he has faith and belief in God, then he does not accept any other existence besides God at all. When a man awakens from sleep, he forgets the dream and remembers the awakened state, in the same way within the aspirant naturally the memory of his eternal relationship with God (Is) is aroused and the world (not) is totally forgotten – “naasato vidyate bhaavo, naa bhaavo vidyate satah” (Gita 2/16). As soon as the memory of his eternal relationship with God is aroused, his intimacy and inseparability with God is revealed. As soon as there is inseparability with God, the aspirant attains that love which increases every moment and which is the ultimate goal of human life.
Now a doubt arises, when God is present every-where and all times, then why does He appear at a great distance to an aspirant? If we think over it deeply, we come to know that when an aspirant wants to attain God by the body, senses, mind and intellect which are acquired and lost, then God appears at a great distance. The reason is that God is not attained by actions and objects, but by the self, through renouncing actions and objects. Therefore an aspirant should want that he devotes the body-senses-mind-intellect to the service of the world and surrenders himself (the existent self) to God. When the aspirant having a disinclination for the world from all angles, takes refuge in God, then God by His grace adopts him and makes him inseparable (identified) with Him e.e. he becomes God’s own self.
When God pervades every space, time, thing, person, incident, state, circumstance etc., how is it possible that He be away from us? This is the rule that He, Who is not away from us, is not attained by action, but only by desiring Him. If an aspirant does not regard both beings and objects that are acquired and lost as his and for him and has intimacy (the sense of mine) with God, then He will not remain distant from Him because in fact he is a part (ansh) of God – “Mamaivaansho Jeevaloke” (Gita 15/7). A man commits a mistake that he regards the things, abilities and power etc., that he has acquired as his, but he does not regard He who has given these to him as His very own. In fact these things don’t belong to him, but God belongs to him. The moment an aspirant takes refuge in God by regarding God as his very own, at that very moment, God leaving aside the aspirant’s past, He sees to the sadhak’s (aspirant’s) present, God does not look towards his conduct, rather looks towards his feelings and sentiments –
Rahit na prabhu chit chook kiye ki |
Karat surati say baar hiye ki ||
(Manas, Bala 29/3)
God frees His devotees who take refuge in Him, from fear, sorrow, worry and doubts. But the devotee should not depend on anyone else. If he depends on others, has faith in others and is attached to others, then dependence on God is not intensified. The person who perceives no one else besides God as his and who does not perceive any specialty in him, he very easily depends on God On becoming dependent on God, nothing remains to be done for himself. Every activity done by him is God’s worship.
An aspirant should have relationship with God only to attain love. The only method to attain love is – the sense of mine (apnaapan) with God. When the aspirant accepts only God as his. His love for God is awakened. With the awakening of love, egoism is totally eliminated. With the wiping out of egoism, distance, difference and separation from God – the three are annihilated.
Without the awakening of love, egoism is not entirely destroyed –
Prem bhagati jal binu raghuraayi |
Abhiantar mal kabahun na jaayi ||
(Manasa, Uttara 49/3)
Even a liberated exalted soul has demand (hunger) for love. Therefore for he who is not satisfied with salvation (liberation), God bestows His love upon him. From this view-point, salvation is a means and love is an end. Without attaining love, the spiritual discipline is not perfected. God in spite of being an embodiment of knowledge has hunger for love. In spite of having attained salvation through Jnanayoga and Karmayoga an aspirant has subtle egoism because of which though distance and difference from God are destroyed, yet there is no inseparability with God. This subtle ego does not cause birth and death, but it causes philosophical differences. It is because of this subtle egoism that there are differences among the liberated exalted souls, in their tenets and principles. But having attained love, when the subtle ego is annihilated, all differences come to an end and there is inseparability of the liberated exalted soul with God. With this inseparability, no entity besides God remains – “Vasudeva Sarvam” (Gita 7/19)
Conclusion
It is mentioned in the Upanishad that God didn’t feel at home alone – “ekaaki na ramate” (Brhadaaranyaka 1/4/3). Therefore for play (love sport) God became many from one – “sokaamayat bahu syaam prahaayeyeti” (Taittiriya 2/6). Among those numerous forms Shreeji had an inclination only for God, but others began to play with toys (body-world). Shreeji did not get entangled in toys, therefore she attained love which increases every moment, while other beings becoming entangled in toys, followed the cycle of birth and death. Actually these toys are not for us, they are to comfort and serve others. It is a blunder to regard them as ours and for us. It is our duty to rectify this blunder. This blunder transforms itself into different evils according to the situation such as desire, wrath, greed, delusion, envy, aversion and hypocrisy etc. Then blunders go on increasing endlessly.
When an aspirant forgets the self, then identification of the self with the body takes birth. When he forgets his duty, such actions are done by him that ought not to be done. By forgetting God, he is attached to the perishable. To rectify this mistake there are three yogas – Jnanayoga, Karmayoga and Bhaktiyoga. By discrimination if he separates himself from the things that he has acquired from the world – This is Jnanayoga. If he serves the world with those things, this is Karmayog. If he surrenders himself to God Whose part he is – this is Bhaktiyog. But he who instead of following Jnanayog, Karmayog or Bhaktiyoga, runs after the world i.e. hankers after pleasures and prosperity, follows the cycle of birth and death. If he is born, he has to die and if he dies, he has to be born again. Thus he goes on following the wheel of birth and death –
“punarapi janana, punarapi maranam, punarapi jananijathare shayanam”
A man has got three powers – the power to know, the power to do and the power to accept. The power to know is for Jnanayoga, the power to do is for Karmayoga and the Power to accept is for Bhaktiyoga. The proper use of the power to “know” is to know the “Self”, the proper use of the power to “do” is to “serve” others and the proper use of the power to “accept” is to “accept” the existence of God.
Things, body, ability and power – these four things belong to the insentient (non-self) division. They have no access to the sentient (self) division. Therefore objects, bodies, ability and strength belong to the world and are of use to the world, they are of no use in the least to the self. By the insentient division i.e. by the body and the world, we (the self) don’t gain anything, they neither nourish us, nor do any good to us in the least. Renunciation of attachment to the body and the world is useful and beneficial to us. Therefore with the help of the body and the world no one can be liberated from the bondage. The actions taking place with the body are useful only for the body and the world. It is only the detachment from them that is useful for the self.
The thought that we’ll be benefited by doing something is a mistake. The reason is that all actions are insentient and perishable, while the self is sentient and imperishable. What will the sentient gain from the insentient? What benefit will the imperishable derive from the perishable? The insentient and perishable actions can do no good to us (the self). Therefore we have nothing to do with the performance of an action or its non-performance –
“naiva tayakrtenaartho naakruteneha kaschana” (Gita 3/18).
“Performance of an action” and “non-performance of an action” – both are in Nature (insentient division) and are non-existent. In the self (sentient division) – “performance of an action and its non-performance” – both are not there. But the self is the transcendental entity which illumines both of them. As in performing an action the body has to labor, similarly in its non-performance i.e. sound sleep, the body gets rest, not the self. The self will get rest by renouncing affinity with the gross, subtle and causal bodies.
An aspirant by thinking deeply should understand the fact – I am neither the gross (physical) body, nor subtle body, nor causal body. Things, ability and power etc. none of these are mine. All of them are kaleidoscopic, while the self is the unchanging Existence (Divinity). The self undergoes no appearance-disappearance, no birth-death but ever remains the same. By understanding this fact, an aspirant by getting established in the divine self (Existence) should become silent.
In Divinity i.e. our existence there is no “I” ness. The relationship of “I” ness is assumed by mistake. “I am” – in it “I” is non-existent while “am” is existent. Our existence persists without “I”. God pervades everywhere, In the form of “Is-ness”. “Am” is a part of that “Is”. “I am” , `you are”, “this is”, “that is” – Out of these four “am” has been used only with “I”. If there is no “I”, then “am” will not be used but “is” will be used. It means that in fact “am” is only “is”. If an aspirant understands this fact, it is very beneficial for him.
The world seems to exist because of “I” (egoism). It is due to “I” that the world is born. In the embodied soul there is the notion of “I” (egoism) by which this world is perceived “Yayedam dhaaryate jagat” (Gita 7/5). Therefore the world has no existence either from God’s view-point or from the view-point of a liberated exalted soul, but it exists from the view-point of an embodied soul. There is no “I” ness in our existence. “I” ness is in the inert (insentient) division, and so long as our affinity is with the inert matter, there is birth – death. Renouncing affinity with the inert matter, and getting established in Divinity is liberation.
This is a man, this is an animal, this is a bird, this is an acquatic creature, this is a land creature, this is brick, this is limestone, this is a stone – in all of them “Is-ness” (liberation) persists. But along with it, there is also “I” ness (egoism) which leads to bondage. An enlightened soul is established in “Is”. Though all are siutated in “Is”, but due to affinity with the inert matter, it becomes “I am”. If relationship with the inert matter does not persist, then “I am” will not remain, but “I is” will remain. This state is called liberation (salvation).
Divinity which pervades all animals, birds, gods, and demons etc., equally is an embodiment of God, the Supreme Consciousness (Paramatma). If that Divinity is joined with “I” that Divinity becomes the embodied soul (jeev), and if that is separated from “I”, a man (the self) is liberated and if that is connected with God, he becomes a devotee.
The main duty of a man is to renounce affinity for the inert matter because to regard the inert matter as his and for him, is the root of all calamities. If we regard the inert matter as ours and for us, then insentience will persist, Divinity will not prevail. Therefore the body is to be used to serve the world. Only a human being can render service to others. Other beings can’t render service themselves, but we can use them to serve us. Plants and trees can’t work for us, but we can utilize them. He who does not serve others, falls down from his humanity and becomes beastly. Therefore a man should serve the world with the things which he has acquired from the world without wanting anything in return (without any interested motive). If the thing of the world is offered to the world, then why to have an interested motive? Serve the world with the things acquired from the world – this is Karmagyog. Separate yourself from the world and get established in Divinity – this isJnanayoga. Surrender yourself to God – this is Bhaktiyoga.
In surrender (refuge) there is neither the worldly destitution, nor dependence. The reason is that God is not foreign but He is our very own. Nature (Prakriti) and its evolutes is foreign. Therefore subjugation to Nature and its evolutes (action and objects) is dependence. As far as taking refuge in God i.e. dependence on God is concerned, it is supreme independence. As the son devoted to his parents is not under the dependence of parents, but his duty is performed because parents are not unknown, but they are his own. In the worldly destitution there is the feeling to take something but in taking refuge, nothing is to be taken, but the devotee offers himself to God. Being a part of God, the man (self) has ever been God’s. The recollection (remembrance) of this eternal relationship with God is “taking refuge in God.”
The Lord declares that He is dependent on His devotees –
“aham bhakt paraadheeno hya swatantra iva dvija” (Srimad Bhagwat 9/4/63).
This is singularity of love. God is hungry for love. In fact God is not dependent but He is like one who is dependent. Dependence is there where there is difference. In devotion the difference between God and the devotee perishes and both of them become, inseparable and then no question of dependence arises. When an aspirant’s affinity with the foreign (actions and objects) totally perishes, then he has that love for God which increase every moment. In love no one is different and no one is a stranger. In love there is not even an iota of dependence.
Bhaktiyoga is an end while Jnanayoga and Karmayoga are the means. Freedom from the bondage (birth and death) of the world is names salvation. Jnanagyoga and Karmayoga are the means to attain salvation*. In Bhaktiyoga besides salvation, love is also attained. Therefore Bhaktiyoga is special i.e. it is superior to Jnanayoga and Karmayoga.
*The Lord has declared Jnanayog and Karmayog of the same level (stature) – Saankhyayogou pruthagbaalaah pravadanti na panditaah| Ekamapyaasthitah sanmyagubhayorvindate phalam ||
Yatsaakhyaih praapyate staanam tadhogairapi gamyate |
Ekam saakhyam cha yogam cha yah pashyati sa pashyati ||
(Gita 5/4-5)
“The ignorant, not the wise, speak of the Discipline of Knowledge (Sankhyayoga) and Discipline of Action (Karmayoga) as different. He who is well established in one, get the fruit of both”.
“The supreme state (abode) which is attained by Sankhyayogi is also attained by the Karmayogi. He who see that the ways (the result) of Sankhyayoga and Karmayoga are one, perceives reality.”
| Jnanayoga | Karmayoga | Bhaktiyoga |
| Spiritual Discipline | Worldly Discipline | Theistic Discipline |
| Power to Know | Power to Do | Power to Accept |
| Predominance of Discrimination | Predominance of Action | Predominance of Feeling (Faith and Belief) |
| To know the Self | To Serve | To Accept God |
| Adhering to the Self | Adhering to Duty | Adhering to God |
| Dependence on the Self | Dependence on Duty | Dependence on God |
| Renunciation of Ego | Renunciation of Desire | Renunciation of Sense of Mine |
| Wipe out Egoism | To Purify Egoism | To change Egoism |
| Useful for the Self | Useful for the World | Useful for God |
| Predominance of the Imperishable | Predominance of the Perishable | Predominance of the Supreme Person |
| Nothing remains to be Known | Nothing remains to be Done | Nothing remains to be Attained |
| Constant Bliss | Peaceful Bliss | Endless Bliss |
| Substantial Relationship | Eternal Relationship | Intimate Relationship |
| Identification with God | Nearness with God | Inseparability with God |
| Attainment of the Self | Attainment of Equanimity | Attainment of Love |
| Independence | Generosity | Intimacy |
| Established in Self | Attraction for Matter perishes | Attraction towards God |
| Renunciation of Doership | Renunciation of Enjoyership | Renunciation of Sense of Mine |
| To be happy with happiness of the Self | To be happy with happiness of the World | To be happy with happiness of God |
| To do Nothing | To do for the World | To do for God |
| To Offer to Nature | To offer to the World | To offer to God |
| Dispassion / Renunciation | Absence of Attachment | Love (Devotion) |
| Identification of the Self with the Body is an Obstacle | Desire is an Obstacle | Disinclination for God is an Obstacle |
| Predominance of Discrimination | Predominance of Endeavour | Predominance of Faith |
| Actions are burnt to ashes | Actions become Inactions | Actions become Divine |
| To have no desire | To fulfill the desires of others | To be a YES-man to God’s will |
| Not to regard anyone as one’s own | To regard all as one’s own (to serve them) | To regard only God as one’s own. |
Narayan ! Narayan !! Narayan !!!
From book “For Salvation of Mankind” by Swami Ramsukhdasji.
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