Tuesday, December 3, 2019

SATPURUSHA AND BHAKTHI (Uddhava Gita)


Lord Krishna talks about the importance of Satsanga or the company of holy people in the spiritual cause and spiritual growth. Thereafter he defined who is a Satpurusha so that we can identify and associate with a Satpurusha. He told 30 virtues of a Satpurusha. When we have association with such people who value 30 virtues, unknowingly we will also develop all 30 virtues because of our association with them. He has talked all these virtues up to 33rd verse. From 34th verse he talked about improving our devotion towards the lord. Bhakthi is an important discipline. Five topics of Bhakthi are described in Bhagavad Gita. They are Karma yoga, Upasana yoga, Gnana yoga, Bhakthi and Values. They are very important virtues. Every sloka/verse of Bhagavad Gita/ Uddhava Gita can be connected to one of the virtue topics. Gnana yoga is pursuit of Self knowledge as it gives liberation and others are supportive in nature. Bhakthi, Values, Karma yoga and Upasana yoga prepares the mind. The medicine is Atma gnanam. We can consume this medicine only by doing Shravanam, Mananam and Nidhithyasanam. In all devotional exercises Karma, Upasana and Gnana yoga will be involved. The atmosphere is one that of devotion to God which will get converted into devotion to Scriptures which in turn will give me Knowledge. Eswara Bhakthi will get converted into Sastra Bhakthi. By the time we come to Gnana, eswara teaching will be like eswara himself. Scriptures are words of eswara enlightened about our own real nature. At the grossest level is karma yoga in which Bhagavan is invoked in various idols (verse no 34); Symbols of God like the deity in the temple or the photo in your pooja room. Daily cleaning the pooja room is necessary. Krishna says may you develop reverence towards my devotees also. One who has converted his body into a temple is a true devotee. He decorates the body with vibhudhi, kumkum and chandanam make it a temple of god. The Jivatma inside is none other than god. Mahavakyam starts there itself. A devotee who is constantly worshipping the lord is invoking the lord in the temple of his body. In Vaishnava devotees are called Alwars. By immersing in the devotion or in the thought of the lord Alwars are respected as much as bhagavan himself.

TDS is a worry replacement skill. TDS can be described as thought displacement skill. Sometimes certain thoughts like fear, worry take charge of my mind and I am not able to push them out. Mind becomes my own master. I am not able to control my mind. Krishna says, may you practice Upasana yoga. Thinking of lord at regular intervals our mind will bring the lord personified which will displace my other thoughts. When Rama comes into my mind Kama goes away. May I spend some time daily keeping the lord in my mind for a length of time. After I do this repeatedly I will be able to see a sea change in myself for sure. Whatever you acquire in life may you dedicate it to the lord. Never gain ownership of anything. All your worry is on objects and people in the world. Whenever we have got a fencing (of certain areas and certain people) it indicates a dangerous Samsara. Mamakara is a serious problem. Practice by saying,”I use everything. I am not the owner of anything. Bhagavan is the owner and has given me things for my use. He can take away anything from me without giving advance notice to me”. That is the way we have to prepare our mind. I should know that I am a tenant in my own house which is Bhagavan’s temple. I should convert my house into a temple. I should dedicate everything to the lord who is my survivor. I should place myself for the service of the lord by going to temple and doing service. All forms of social service are also a part of devotional exercise.          

Be blissful
S.Sekar

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